Haunted House Essay

It was a dark frightening night. I was running at full speed as I was being followed by some unknown men. I could not run anymore and entered into a house. I found myself in a very dark house. There were cobwebs everywhere. I was shivering like a leaf. It was a big house like those of the royal palaces, but that house seemed to belong to a witch. I just opened the door to see if those men were there and unfortunately they were outside, I immediately closed the door. I could not find sleep so I decided to visit the house. The house looked very beautiful from outside, but inside it looked very shabby. There were rats coming from a hole in a corner of the living room. It was disgusting. I then arrived near the rooms of the house. I found some books on a table and there was a diary on it. I just blew up all the dust from it and started to read it. That story made my heart pound heavily. In the diary, the last sentence written was â€Å" Angrily I kept them in one of the rooms†. That sentence made me look very tense. Curiously I went to open the rooms found in the house. I was anxious to know what were kept in one of the rooms. I continued to open the doors till I arrived near a door different from the others. I opened it and†¦ I quickly went downstairs, opened the door and left that haunted house. I promised to never enter that house. In

Cultural Background Essay

I come from China, actually the south of Yunan. I learnt about Chinese culture from my father who was born in China and rise up with the Chinese culture. I have been taught by my father to behave as a good Chinese people and brings up good values in my life, the concept of Yin and Yang, the balance in life and especially we’re coming from east where the people there respect ancestors and older people much more compares to the western people. This will impact on how we communicate and interact with other people especially with the elder. China is believed to have the oldest continuous civilization. China has over 4,000 years of verifiable history. Beijing is the capital of China and is the focal point for the country. The official language is standard Chinese, which is derived from the Mandarin dialect. Most business people speak English. There are many dialects in China however there is only one written language. A Communist form of government rules China. The Chinese government promotes atheism although the constitution guarantees freedom of religion. The Chinese practice a variety of religions, however, Confucianism; despite not being a formal religion is practiced widely throughout the country. China is the most densely populated county in the world with approximately 1. 17 billion people as of 1992. Almost 100 percent of the population are ethnic or Han Chinese. There are strict rules regarding childbirth and each couple is limited to only one child. The tradition of digging up â€Å"dragon bones† (tortoise and cattle bones) has long been a part of Chinese culture. These bones are often used to predict the future. The bones were inscribed with questions then heated to reveal the answers. The tradition dates back as far as the Bronze Age (around 2100 BC during the Xia dynasty). The Geert Hofstede analysis for China is similar to that of Hong Kong where Long-term Orientation is the highest-ranking factor. However, the Chinese rank lower than any other Asian country in the Individualism factor. This can be attributed primarily to the Communist rule and its emphasis on a collectivist culture. Geert Hofstede analysis for China has Long-term Orientation (LTO) the highest-ranking factor (118), which is true for all Asian cultures. This Dimension indicates a society’s time perspective and an attitude of persevering; that is, overcoming obstacles with time, if not with will and strength. The Chinese rank lower than any other Asian country in the Individualism (IDV) ranking, at 20 compared to an average of 24. This may be attributed, in part, to the high level of emphasis on a Collectivist society by the Communist rule, as compared to one of Individualism. The low Individualism ranking is manifest in a close and committed member ‘group’, be that a family, extended family, or extended relationships. Loyalty in a collectivist culture is paramount. The society fosters strong relationships where everyone takes responsibility for fellow members of their group. Of note is China’s significantly higher Power Distance ranking of 80 compared to the other Far East Asian countries’ average of 60, and the world average of 55. This is indicative of a high level of inequality of power and wealth within the society. This condition is not necessarily forced upon the population, but rather accepted by the society as their cultural heritage. China’s religion is officially designated as Atheist by the State, although the concepts and teachings of the ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius (500BC) are woven into the society at large. Some religious practice is acceptable in China; however, the government sets rigid limits. You can find more information related with the religion in China. RELIGION IN GENERAL Before the Communist Revolution, a number of religious and philosophical systems were practiced in China. Traditionally Taoism and Confucianism provided ethical guides to the proper behavior of individuals and officials. Both of these systems originated in China during the so-called Golden Age of Chinese thought, several centuries before the beginning of the Christian era. Taoism sought to promote the inner peace of individuals and harmony with their surroundings. Confucianism, based on the teachings and writings of the philosopher Confucius, is an ethical system that sought to teach the proper way for all people to behave in society. Each relationship–husband-wife, parents-children, ruler-subjects–involved a set of obligations which, if upheld, would lead to a just and harmonious society. Following his teachings would also promote a stable, lasting government. Buddhism, which came to China from India as early as the 1st century AD, was a more conventional religion. Its followers attended occasional services, practiced rituals, and supported a temple on a regular basis. It has been estimated that more than 68 million Chinese still consider themselves Buddhists, though it is unlikely that they practice the religion regularly (See Buddhism). Prior to 1949, practices that may best be called folk religions were common throughout China. Although they incorporated elements of Buddhism and, especially, Taoism, these religions were usually local, often based on local gods, and served the local people. Christian missionaries have been active in China since Roman Catholics belonging to the Jesuit order arrived in the early 17th century. Protestant missionaries first appeared in the early 19th century. All the Christian missionaries had difficulty converting the Chinese because Christianity was associated in the popular mind with Western imperialism. By 1949 there were only 3 or 4 million Christians in China, less than 1 percent of the total population. Islam came to China mainly from Central Asia, where it was practiced by many of the Turkic peoples. Today there are believed to be more than 4 million Chinese Muslims. One autonomous region, Ningxia Huizu, has been designated for Islamic adherents. The Communists have discouraged religious practices, which they consider anti-socialist. Many temples and churches have been closed and their property taken. During the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution (or simply the Cultural Revolution), a mass movement that lasted officially from 1966 to 1977, conditions were especially difficult, and religious practitioners were persecuted. The situation eased after 1977. A number of Buddhist temples were allowed to reopen. Worship services among Christians were permitted once again, and it is believed that as many as 2 million Christians are practicing their faith in China. The Chinese government is cautious about all religious activity, especially if it happens to involve foreign people in any way. THE AGE OF PHILOSOPHIES. *CONFUCIANISM CONFUCIUS is a latinized form of the honorific title K’ung-fu-tzu (Master K’ung), given to a wandering scholar from the state of Lu in Shandong Province in northeastern China. Although little known in his lifetime, Confucius was revered as the greatest of sages throughout most of China’s history. His teaching, Confucianism, was the state teaching from the beginning of the Han Dynasty in 202 BC to the end of the imperial period in 1911. Disturbed by constant warfare among the states, Confucius taught that most of the ills of society happened because people forgot their stations in life and rulers lost virtue. He advocated a return to the golden antiquity of the emperors Yao and Shun, when rulers were virtuous and people knew their places. Therefore, Confucius’ primary concern lay in social relations, proper conduct, and social harmony. Confucius defined five cardinal relationships: between ruler and ruled, between husband and wife, between parents and children, between older and younger brothers, and between friends. Except for the last case, all of the defined relationships are between superiors and inferiors. He emphasized the complete obedience and loyalty of the inferior to the superior but also mentioned the benevolence of the superior to the inferior. The ideal Confucian family was an extended one of three or four generations, in which authority rested with the elderly male members. Filial piety (obedience to parents) was one of the most important virtues emphasized by later Confucians. Confucius reportedly spent his last years editing and completing some of the books that came to be known as Five Classics. These include the `Classic of Poetry’, `Classic of History’, `Spring and Autumn Annals’, `Record of Rites’, and `Classic of Changes’, or `I Ching’. Memorized by scholars for generations in China, these books and four other works, including the `Analects’, a compilation of Confucian teachings, were the subjects of civil service examinations for over 2,000 years. (See Confucius) Confucianism commanded a greater following some 200 years later, during the time of Mencius, or Meng-tzu (371-289 BC). He was second only to Confucius himself in shaping Confucianism. His three main tenets were the basic good nature of human beings, the notion of society with a distinct distribution of functions, and the ruler’s obligation to the people. On the last point, Mencius elaborated on the concept of the mandate of heaven, which allows that rulers lose support of heaven when they cease to be virtuous. The concept served as the basis of revolts in China and the succession of new rulers. MENICIUS MENG-TZU The `Meng-tzu’, meaning â€Å"Master Meng,† was written by the philosopher Mencius (a Latinized form of the name Meng-tzu) in the 4th century BC. The work earned for its author the title of â€Å"second sage† in China. The book deals with government and asserts that the welfare of the people comes before all else. When a king no longer is good to the people, he should be removed–by revolution if necessary. Mencius, like Confucius, declared that filial piety was the foundation of society. One unusual doctrine that Mencius supported was that of the natural goodness of mankind, for which he found proof in the natural love children have for their parents. Two other philosophies that have had an enduring influence on Chinese thought are Taoism and Legalism. Taoism gave the Chinese an alternative to Confucianism–passivity and escape to nature–while Legalism provided the Chinese state with one of its basic doctrines. *TAOISM In the Chinese language the word tao means â€Å"way,† indicating a way of thought or life. There have been several such ways in China’s long history, including Confucianism and Buddhism. In about the 6th century BC, under the influence of ideas credited to a man named Lao-tzu, Taoism became â€Å"the way†. like Confucianism, it has influenced every aspect of Chinese culture. Taoism began as a complex system of philosophical thought that could be indulged in by only a few individuals. In later centuries it emerged, perhaps under the influence of Buddhism, as a communal religion. It later evolved as a popular folk religion. Philosophical Taoism speaks of a permanent Tao in the way that some Western religions speak of God. The Tao is considered unnamed and unknowable, the essential unifying element of all that is. Everything is basically one despite the appearance of differences. Because all is one, matters of good and evil and of true or false, as well as differing opinions, can only arise when people lose sight of the oneness and think that their private beliefs are absolutely true. This can be likened to a person looking out a small window and thinking he sees the whole world, when all he sees is one small portion of it. Because all is one, life and death merge into each other as do the seasons of the year. They are not in opposition to one another but are only two aspects of a single reality. The life of the individual comes from the one and goes back into it. The goal of life for a Taoist is to cultivate a mystical relationship to the Tao. Adherents therefore avoid dispersing their energies through the pursuit of wealth, power, or knowledge. By shunning every earthly distraction, the Taoist is able to concentrate on life itself. The longer the adherent’s life, the more saintly the person is presumed to have become. Eventually the hope is to become immortal. LAO-TZU (604? -531? BC). Some people believe that only one man, Lao-tzu, wrote the most translated work in all the literature of China, the `Lao-Tzu’ (also called `Tao-te Ching’). The book is the earliest document in the history of Taoism (â€Å"the Way†), one of the major philosophical-religious traditions that, along with Confucianism, has shaped Chinese life and thought for more than 2,000 years. It is a viewpoint that emphasizes individuality, freedom, simplicity, mysticism, and naturalness. (See Confucius) Knowledge of Lao-tzu is so scarce that only legends remain. His earliest biographer, who wrote in about 100 BC, relates that Lao-tzu lived in the district of Hu in present-day Henan Province during the Chou Dynasty (1122-221 BC). Presumably he worked in astrology and divination at the court of the emperor. The biographer tells of a meeting of Lao-tzu with the younger Confucius, which would mean Lao-tzu lived in about 500 BC. Another story says that he left China during the decline of the Chou Dynasty, and on his way west wrote the `Tao-te Ching’, after which he disappeared. He was worshipped as an Imperial ancestor during the T’ang Dynasty (618-907). Scholars today believe that the book cannot have been written by one man. Some of the sayings in it may date from the time of Confucius, while others are from a later period. It is possible that the name Lao-tzu represents a type of scholar and wise man, rather than one individual. `Tao-te Ching’ The `Tao-te Ching’, meaning â€Å"Classic of the Way of Power,† is one of the great works of ancient China not included among the Confucian Classics. The presumed author, Lao-tzu, is considered to be the founder of Taoism. He may have been alive at the same time as Confucius but older. The book is not only significant philosophically, but it is also one of the most sacred scriptures of the Taoist religion. (See Lao-tzu) CHUANG-TZU (4th century BC), Chinese philosopher, author, and teacher; classic work bears his name; influential in development of Chinese philosophy and religious thought; interpreted Taoism (from tao, â€Å"way†) differently from Lao-tzu; Chuang-tzu taught that wise people accept the ebb and flow of life without attempting to challenge it; true enlightenment involves freeing oneself of traditions and personal goals that stand in the way of the mysterious, all-encompassing Tao. Communal religious Taoism is quite distinct from its philosophical counterpart. It emphasizes moral teachings and collective ceremonies. Good moral conduct is rewarded with health and long life, while bad conduct results in disease, death, and suffering in the afterlife. There is an array of gods who are administrators of the universe, of which they are a part. From these gods come revelations of sacred texts. There is an order of married priests who live in the communities they serve and perform exorcisms and complex rituals. Folk religion Taoism is part of the everyday lives of the people. The gods are intimately connected with each individual’s life as bringers of calamities or givers of bountiful gifts. Each object of daily life has its presiding spirit that must be consulted and appeased. All types of Taoism have in common the quest for a harmonious, well-ordered universe. They emphasize the individual’s and the group’s need for unity through mysticism, magic, and ceremony. *LEGALISM *BUDDHISM Although Buddhism first entered China from India during the Later Han, in the time of Han Ming Ti (AD 58-76), it did not become popular until the end of the 3rd century. The prevailing disorders, aggravated by barbarian invasions and the flight of northern Chinese to the south, heightened the attraction of Buddhism with its promise of personal salvation, despite its lack of affinity with the society-oriented thought of the Chinese. Buddhism was founded by Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, a prince of the Sakya kingdom on the borders of what are now India and Nepal and a contemporary of Confucius. Intent on finding relief for human suffering, he received a moment of enlightenment while meditating under a Bo tree. The Buddha taught that desires are the source of pain, and that by overcoming desires, pain can be eliminated. To this end, he advocated meditation and pursuing the Eightfold Path, similar to the Ten Commandments of Judaism and Christianity. The objective was to reach Nirvana, the condition of serenity of spirit, where all cravings, strife, and pain have been overcome, giving way to a merging of the spirit with eternal harmony. At an early stage of its development, Buddhism split into two major trends, Mahayana (Greater Vehicle) and Hinayana (Lesser Vehicle). Hinayana remained closer to the original Buddhism and is still the religion of the Southeast Asian countries. The Buddhism of China, Korea, Japan, Nepal, Tibet, and Vietnam, however, stems largely from Mahayana. Mahayana Buddhism contained more popular elements, such as belief in repetitive prayers, heaven and deities–bodhisattvas–who would help people gain salvation. It also readily adapted to the land and people it converted. In China, it split into several schools, including Ch’an (Zen in Japan), T’ien-t’ai (Tendai in Japan), and Pure Land. Ch’an [or Zen] Buddhism Through his popular book `The Way of Zen’ (1957), the British-born American philosopher Alan Watts introduced Americans to the Zen school of Buddhism, which has a long tradition of development in China and Japan. Zen (Ch’an in Chinese) is a Japanese term meaning â€Å"meditation. † It is a major school of Japanese Buddhism that claims to transmit the spirit of Buddhism, or the total enlightenment as achieved by the founder of the religion, the Buddha (See Buddha; Buddhism). Zen has its basis in the conviction that the world and its components are not many things. They are, rather, one reality. The one is part of a larger wholeness to which some people assign the name of God. Reason, by analyzing the diversity of the world, obscures this oneness. It can be apprehended by the nonrational part of the mind–the intuition. Enlightenment about the nature of reality comes not by rational examination but through meditation. Meditation has been an integral part of Buddhism from the beginning. Nevertheless, a school of meditation grew up in India and was taken to China by Bodhidharma about AD 520. When the meditation school arrived in China, it had a strong foundation on which to build: Taoism, the ancient Chinese religion (See Taoism). This religion is based on the idea that there is one underlying reality called the Tao. Taoists, like the followers of the meditation school, exalted intuition over reason. This Taoist tradition was easily absorbed by the Chinese meditation school, the Ch’an. Within two centuries the meditation school had divided into two factions: Northern Ch’an and Southern Ch’an. The northern school, a short-lived affair, insisted on a doctrine of gradual enlightenment. The southern school, which became dominant, held to a doctrine of instantaneous enlightenment. The southern school evolved under the powerful influence of Hui-neng (638-713), who is recognized as the sixth great patriarch of Zen and the founder of its modern interpretation. In a sermon recorded as the â€Å"Platform Scripture of the Sixth Patriarch,† he taught that all people possess the Buddha nature and that one’s nature (before and after being born) is originally pure. Instead of undertaking a variety of religious obligations to seek salvation, one should discover one’s own nature. The traditional way to do this, sitting in meditation, is useless. If one perceives one’s own nature, enlightenment will follow suddenly. The goal of adherents of the southern Ch’an is to gain transcendental, or highest, wisdom from the depths of one’s unconscious, where it lies dormant. Ch’an tries to attain enlightenment without the aid of common religious observances: study, scriptures, ceremonies, or good deeds. Reaching the highest wisdom comes as a breakthrough in everyday logical thought. Followers are urged to find within themselves the answer to any question raised within because the answer is believed to be found where the question originates. Training in the methods of meditation leading to such an enlightenment is best transmitted from master to disciple. Ch’an flourished in China during the T’ang and Sung dynasties (960-1279), and its influences were strongly felt in literature and painting. Ch’an declined during the Ming era (1141-1215), when Ch’an masters took up the practice of trying to harmonize meditation with the study of traditional scriptures. Meanwhile, sects of Zen had been transplanted to Japan. The Rinzai school was taken there in 1191 by the priest Enzai (1141-1215), and the Soto tradition arrived in 1227, taken there by Dogen (1200-53), the most revered figure in Japanese Zen. These schools had their origin in China during the 9th century, when Ch’an divided into five sects that differed from each other in minor ways. The Rinzai sect evolved from the work of Lin-chi (died 866), who was an exponent of sudden enlightenment. The Soto was founded by Liang-chieh (died 869) and Pen-chi (died 901). The Soto stressed quiet sitting in meditation to await enlightenment. A third group, the Obaku, was established in 1654. The Obaku school is closer to the Rinzai tradition except for its emphasis on invoking the name of Buddha. Zen gained an enthusiastic following among the Samurai warrior class and became in effect the state religion in the 14th and 15th centuries. In the 16th century Zen priests were diplomats and administrators, and they enhanced cultural life as well. Under their influence literature, art, the cult of the tea ceremony, and the No drama developed. The focal point of Zen is the monastery, where masters and pupils interact in the search for enlightenment. A newcomer arrives at a monastery with a certificate showing that he is a regularly ordained disciple of a priest. He is at first refused entry. Finally being admitted, he spends a few days of probation being interviewed by his master. When he is accepted he is initiated into the community life of humility, labor, service, prayer and gratitude, and meditation. 2. Communication Style of Chinese people There are many things that you should know about the communication style of the Chinese people. They are really care with the appearance, behavior and the way we communicate to them since it will show them our status, are we coming from the lower economic status or high economic status or even more we are coming from the King’s ancestor or just an ordinary people. It is all can be seen from the way we communicate so it become so important according to Chinese people. Please find below the detail in each topic of the communication style of Chinese people: Appearance Appearance is quite important for Chinese people or even Asian, they sometimes judge people from their first sight (Dresser,1996). †¢ Conservative suits for men with subtle colors are the norm. †¢ Women should avoid high heels and short sleeved blouses. The Chinese frown on women who display too much. †¢ Subtle, neutral colors should be worn by both men and women. †¢ Casual dress should be conservative as well. †¢ Men and women can wear jeans. However, jeans are not acceptable for business meetings. †¢ Revealing clothing for women is considered offensive to Chinese businessmen. Behavior Some of the behavior or gestures are mentioned as follows (Axtel,1998) : †¢ Do not use large hand movements. The Chinese do not speak with their hands. Your movements may be distracting to your host. †¢ Personal contact must be avoided at all cost. It is highly inappropriate for a man to touch a woman in public. †¢ Do not point when speaking. To point do not use your index finger, use an open palm. †¢ It is considered improper to put your hand in your mouth. Avoid acts that involve the mouth. †¢ Gift giving is a very delicate issue in China. It is illegal to give gifts to government official however; it has become more commonplace in the business world. It is more acceptable to give gifts either in private or to a group as a whole to avoid embarrassment. The most acceptable gift is a banquet. Quality writing pens as considered favored gifts. The following gifts and/or colors are associated with death and should not be given: – Clocks – Straw sandals – A stork or crane – Handkerchiefs – Anything white, blue or black †¢ Always arrive on time or early if you are the guest. †¢ Do not discuss business at meals. †¢ Do not start to eat or drink prior to the host. †¢ As a cultural courtesy, you should taste all the dishes you are offered. †¢ Sample meals only, there may be several courses. †¢ Never place your chopsticks straight up in your bowl. By placing your sticks upright in your bowl your will remind your host of joss sticks which connotes death. †¢ Do not drop the chopsticks it is considered bad luck. †¢ Do not eat all of your meal. If you eat all of your meal, the Chinese will assume you did not receive enough food and are still hungry. †¢ Women do not usually drink at meals. †¢ Tipping is considered insulting, however the practice is becoming more common. Communications †¢ Bowing or nodding is the common greeting; however, you may be offered a handshake. Wait for the Chinese to offer their hand first. (Morris, 2003). †¢ Applause is common when greeting a crowd; the same is expected in return. †¢ Introductions are formal. Use formal titles. †¢ Often times Chinese will use a nickname to assist Westerners. †¢ Being on time is vital in China. †¢ Appointments are a must for business. †¢ Contacts should be made prior to your trip. †¢ Bring several copies of all written documents for your meetings. †¢ The decision making process is slow. You should not expect to conclude your business swiftly. †¢ Many Chinese will want to consult with the stars or wait for a lucky day before they make a decision. †¢ Present and receive cards with both hands. †¢ Never write on a business card or put it in your wallet or pocket. Carry a small card case. †¢ The most important member of your company or group should lead important meetings. Chinese value rank and status. †¢ Develop a working knowledge of Chinese culture. †¢ Allow the Chinese to leave a meeting first. 3. Communication style when interacting with people from a Different Culture When we do the communication with other people with different culture we expect them to follow our rules especially when we are talking to older people. But sometimes for teenagers or younger people they would like to adapt the communication styles according to the people’s culture he/she talking with. Chinese people is very famous for their good personality traits, in this case they are really diligent and always try to give the best and also sometimes very brave to take any action compares to those who are coming from the west. They would do directly what they consider the thing is right or correct this can be seen in the way they sell things, they open their store and etc. If you are coming from the west you need to understand what the people from the east thinking about. Below are the patterns of Eastern and Western people that we can analyze and use to communicate with them. You can find out that western people will look like they are more individual compares to the eastern people.

Aim Of Molecular Gastronomy Media Essay

Aim Of Molecular Gastronomy Media Essay The art of cooking is as old as humanity and cooking is such an important part of our world which obviously needs scientific attention. Although science has contributed to food safety, hygiene and nutritional aspects, little has been done towards innovation and invention of new dishes. The ancient Greek words, gastro means stomach and nomos means law, collectively termed as gastronomy, which in contemporary hospitality industry means food and culture. It generally refers to the study of relationship between food and culture with interdisciplinary approaches. This literature attempts to explain molecular gastronomy, its origin and evolution, along with its relevance and contributions to the contemporary hospitality industry. Cooking and gastronomy Even though molecular gastronomy has attracted media attention for quite a while, still there is confusion about the true meaning of the term. To explain this, cooking and gastronomy has to be distinguished first. Cooking is the preparation of raw food into edible, whereas gastronomy is the knowledge of whatever concerns man’s nourishment. Gastronomy is about chemical and physical transformation behind the preparation of any food, for example, the reason behind egg white puffs up when whipped or mayonnaise becomes firm. (This, 2006). According to HerveThis, the science of food is not new but dates back to second century BC, when preparation of meat stock-the aqueous solution obtained by thermal processing of animal tissues in water-has been of great interest. Since then, scientists have been interested in food and cooking which gave way to molecular gastronomy. If culinary history is scrutinised, it will be clear that, initially food experts studied the culinary science to steer clear of blind assumptions and unscientific ways of cooking. But today, the science of food has reached its extreme in the form of molecular gastronomy, which chemically examines the food and cooking in its molecular level to give a new face for cooking and change the total concept of commercial cooking in near future. Molecular gastronomy The scientific discipline dedicated to culinary industry and to gastronomical phenomena in general has been called ‘molecular gastronomy’ the late Nicholas Kurti and HerveThis (This, 2005). Molecular gastronomy can also be defined as a field that attempts to improve the culinary techniques through understanding the composition and chemical transformations occurring in food during the process of cooking (Ankeny, Year Unknown). Gastronomy or molecular gastronomy is the science just like any other science in the world, which studies the cause and effect of anything that happens during cooking including the structural difference in same cooking ingredients of different quality, which have an effect on the final product. If we can answer the question, we can correct a mistake, use this knowledge to improve the cooking process or even invent new dishes or ways to prepare food. For example, if we know that when an egg is cooked, water evaporates, the proteins denature and polymerize to enclose water, we can even use substitute methods to cook it, like adding alcohol to it, which denature the egg proteins and gives the same result. Molecular gastronomy also deals with the study of human senses and perception of taste, aroma, texture and temperature, in short, the sensory science known as chemesthesis (berham et. al, 2010). It studies the perception of senses in molecular level in order to understand how different dishes are perceived as awful, average, good or delicious, when they are made of similar ingredients. Although chemesthesis of human beings are the same, people of different genre appreciates different types of food. For example westerner’s cooking style is entirely different from Asians, and while Asians appreciate spicy food, most westerners do not.

A nutritional disease of childhood associated with a maize diet Essay

A nutritional disease of childhood associated with a maize diet - Essay Example actor related to a dietary deficiency, perhaps a form of protein malnutrition, on account of a lack of some amino acids in the diet of the affected children which was entirely based on inadequate breast milk supplemented by a maize preparation. Despite certain similarities in the symptoms of the described syndrome and pellagra, Williams was quite certain that the disease was not pellagra or beri-beri. In this paper a new disease has been meticulously described with detailed information provided about the familial circumstances and dietary habits of the suffering children. However, as the author herself states, it was â€Å"impossible to conduct a scientific investigation into the cause, or to make any controlled experiments into the nature of the cure† (p.432). As a Woman Medical Officer in charge of maternal and child health in the British colony of Gold Coast, Williams’ job was â€Å"to hand out advice in clinics and treat acutely ill infants in the hospital, but she rapidly established the need for comprehensive medical services to sick infants, and in addition conducted clinical research† (Stanton, 2001, p 149). The disease, subsequently named by Williams as kwashiorkor, meaning ‘disease of the deposed child’ in the native Ga language, is now well-defined although the â€Å"descriptions and interpretations of kwashiorkor have changed over ti me† (Stanton, 2001, p 151). Kwashiorkor has come to be recognised as a form of malnutrition caused by inadequate protein intake in the presence of fair to good energy (total calories) intake (Van Voorhees, 2006). Fuchs (2005) describes protein caloric malnutrition as the most deadly form of malnutrition. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), it is the primary or associated cause of nearly 30000 deaths of children under five each day (2000). The aetiology of kwashiorkor as understood today is clearly multifactorial and includes poverty or food insecurity, inadequate weaning and other feeding practices, and

CAAP#5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CAAP#5 - Essay Example Scholars often question whether -since making money in order to survive amid the adversaries of life is the primary goal of a prostitute- prostitution would exist, if there is any other way left for them to make money. Presumably the instant response to this question is ‘no’, because selling one’s body to make money appears to be the last resort for a woman who is incapable of any decent job. Since the main problem of illegal prostitution is not the prostitution itself, legalization of prostitutions is supposed to help the reduction prostitution related crimes and delinquencies as the sex-trafficking along the border. Also in order to reduce the sex-trafficking, while legalizing prostitution, the government will have to grant legal import of the product of sexual consumption namely prostitutes, if the US society fails to provide enough supply of prostitutes to the local sex-market. This condition necessarily infers that even if prostitution is legalized, the probl ems will go on to exist. Moreover, legalization of prostitution may, on one hand, preserve the rights of the immigrant prostitutes, but it will violate the rights of the majority of women who are not prostitutes, unless those women are mentally prepared to share their male counterpart’s love and, if not love, sex. If it is granted that married males are legally prohibited to go to the brothels, the question that arises here is whether the US law enforcement agencies would be massive enough to impose the surveillance effectively. To a limited extent, legalization of prostitution would solve some particular problems but in return it will bring more problems that will be far beyond any solution. The primary goal of the CIR funded resource centers is to blur the socio-cultural lines of racial segregation and meanwhile provides the members with scopes to know each other by practical interactions between immigrants and the native born. From such steps of the governments, the whole society

Ticketmaster Merges with Live Nation Case Study

Ticketmaster Merges with Live Nation - Case Study Example Ten years ago, the record labels saw a way to increase sales by getting involved with the internet. The goal was to spread the word about music faster than ever before and generate a new outlet for income. This whole idea was based on the customer buying music downloads from the online stores. In order to do that there would have to be encrypted legally authorized music. It was soon to be found out that this was almost an impossible task. It would take many people in full time jobs to manage this, but the damage had already been done. There were then many side businesses built on digital downloads which eroded not only the internet but previous business as well (Waddell, 2009). The idea, then, became consolidation. It was determined that if they consolidated more of the companies it would help them gain in the competition for customers. They were now faced with plunging record and music sales of all kinds. Merging these companies meant becoming more diversified and taking on more than the sale of music. They began to diversify and include management, merchandising, agencies and promotion and all were driven by the economy and the sales of music as the time. However, the decline in music sales continued and many of the large companies as well as some of the mergers were eliminated from the business. Some of those eliminated were companies like Tower Records and Circuit City. Consolidation also became p... Live Nation was picking up merchandise firm signatures and music e-commerce companies like Musictoday. When merchandising was added to Live Nations menu of ticketing, promotion and sponsorship services it was able to strike multirights contracts with such artists as Madonna and Jay-Z (Peoples, 2009). In the beginning of the decade, you could go down to the store and buy a ticket to a venue and you were sold a paper ticket. While you can still buy a ticket this way, chances are when you get there the tickets will be sold out. The day when you can pick up a local ticket for a Sunday evening concert are gone, especially if you want to see some of the hot acts. Tickets are now only made available to the public after VIP tickets are sold to fan clubs etc. This created a online secondary market which has been in great demand by the customer who wants to buy tickets in his own time and does not mind paying for the convenience. Tickets Now has held a large piece of the business of selling tickets after tickets were sold out. Ticketmaster and Live Nation Just about a month before Ticketmaster and Live Nation announced their plans to merge, Live Nation had started its own ticketing company. The reason that Live Nation had decided to control its own ticketing was so it could then control some of the fan club profit available. This opportunity, because of the information it provides, allows for targeting of populations for ticketing sales, even before the tickets are available. This gave them a larger piece of the market. Ticketmaster too has evolving to become a full service company selling tickets and boosting sales of other products. Pricing of tickets has become even more strategic at this point (Waddell, 2009). Live Nation

MOTIVATION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

MOTIVATION - Essay Example Batul Nafisa Baxamusa has written an article on equity theory even she has described various aspects of the theory. According to her, motivation factors usually differ from person to person. She states that few persons are motivated through the fame they earn whereas for most of the persons money is the motivating factor. While analyzing the Adam’s equity theory, she has brought into light an interesting fact that most of the employees tend to compare themselves with their coworker to judge the remuneration and reward provided to him and here lies the importance of the equity theory (Baxamusa, 2010). Yoon (2001) had highlighted the importance of the empowerment of the worker in the workplace. According to him, instead of being pleased with their jobs, few employees feel burnt out and powerless due to the increased workload and lack of job security. He proposed empowerment as the critical intrusion program to boost motivation (Yoon, 2001). Incentive is a part of motivation and Stolovitch (2004) has mentioned his two major findings regarding incentives at workplace. These two myth-breaking findings are â€Å"Incentives destroy personal, intrinsic interest in work† and â€Å"Incentives only results in paying more for the result you would have had anyway†. It has definitely a major impact on determination of the motivational factor in the workplace (Stolovitch, 2004). According to Amabile (2002), the prevailing psychological view of Motivation is that extrinsic motivation destabilizes the intrinsic motivation. He has proposed two mechanisms for the synergic combination of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and those are ‘motivation-work cycle match’ and ‘extrinsic in service of intrinsic’ (Amabile, 2002). Hackman and Oldham (2004), have suggested a model consisting with the specifications under which an individual can internally be motivated and can perform the work effectively. It focuses on three categorical variables and

Requirements for an Effective and Efficient HR Professionals Essay

Requirements for an Effective and Efficient HR Professionals - Essay Example According to the report  in-depth knowledge on an organisation’s strategy, â€Å"performance goals and drivers, and the sector in which they work† involving the external context that can affect business operation including the market factors such as demography, customers, competitors, and globalisation. Thus, HR practitioners should be familiar with the â€Å"language† of the business operation in empowering human resources to utilize their potential in business accomplishment. Next is wide comprehension of the 10 professional areas. Then, reviewing the local and international law on â€Å"access relevant employment and discrimination† within their jurisdiction. The political and economic factors are the external and internal forces that induce business performance and creating strategy and plans applicable to combat them.  From this study it is clear that  organisational development entails HR capability to intervene or manage changes in the cultura l aspect of an organisation. The changes implemented must develop the organisation’s performance and adaptability to the planned change process. In achieving goals, HR professionals must employ the right workforce to gain competitive advantage than its competitors.  This practice is called resourcing and talent management. They must recruit, select, and retain employees with worldwide talents through interviews and tests suitable to their needs.  Learning and development is essential in managing change that needs acquiring of new skills and talent as coping mechanism.... The CIPD (2009a) requires an HR professional to be knowledgeable in leading, engaging, and aligning people with diverse cultivation to deliver the strategic plan at the appropriate time. The third area is organisation design wherein HR must ensure that employees’ skills and qualifications match the job designation to attain organisations’ short term and long term goals, and the structure design of the internal and external environment â€Å"fit in the current and future organisational strategy (Weingarden, 2011, p.5). Organisational development entails HR capability to intervene or manage changes in the cultural aspect of an organisation. The changes implemented must develop the organisation’s performance and adaptability to the planned change process (Cummings & Worley, 2009). In achieving goals, HR professionals must employ the right workforce to gain competitive advantage than its competitors. This practice is called resourcing and talent management. They mus t recruit, select, and retain employees with worldwide talents through interviews and tests suitable to their needs (Armstrong, 2009). Learning and development is essential in managing change that needs acquiring of new skills and talent as coping mechanism. HR professionals must know how to assess employees’ competency level before conducting training. They should act as coaches or mentor to enhance employee’s performance, and design programs for knowledge management and evaluating learning outcomes (Armstrong, 2009). In addition, HR professionals must develop a reward system based on the quality performance of employees in fair and equitable manner to motivate them. To establish cooperation

How the family income affects the family in life Assignment - 2

How the family income affects the family in life - Assignment Example These issues come as a challenge for the State and various systems need to be initiated in order to reduce the affects of low income on family lives. In this regard, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) was created in 1996, which had the basic aim to provide cash assistance to American families. This organization was established under the â€Å"The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act† and has provided opportunity for employment to families with benefits, to utilize the aid within a period of 2 years. This program TANF was created during Clinton’s period in 1996. The State determined which families needed the assistance in order to help poverty stricken families. Individuals who received the aid were required to work and monitoring was carried out. In cases, when these individuals failed to carry out their practices, the benefits and the assistance were subject to reduction or termination. TANF program was a successful as it provided a welfare reform and there was reduction of poverty and increase in economic growth (US Department Of Health & Human

Argentine Market Essay Example for Free

Argentine Market Essay The current status of the Argentine Market has remained open to foreign investments. The Argentine market offers a wide array of opportunities which serve as a great factor for attracting American and other foreign investors to invest (â€Å"Argentina,† 2007). To invest in the Argentine market, foreign business entities must always be keen the position held by Argentine economists and business people in entering into partnerships with foreign corporations. The government of Argentina, along with the local business entities within the country, has always been protective of the economic status of the Argentine market. As such, in order to enter the Argentine market and to be able to convince local business entities in forging business partnerships, foreign corporations must realize the need to stress the advantage which can be gained by local Argentine corporations. One of the most important concerns that are to be taken into account is the Argentine government’s policies for protecting its economy. Over the past years, the government of Argentina has worked hard enough to ensure the stability of the Argentine peso as against the United States currency. This move was made to protect local corporations against hyperinflation. In addition to this, the government has also adopted an intensive market-based policies which opened its economy towards a more comprehensive and competitive market (â€Å"Argentina,† 2007). On the other hand, aside from economic concerns, foreign business entities must also become aware of the cultural and social aspects that are inherent to the Argentine market. In order to successfully penetrate the Argentine market, local producers and consumers as the primary actors in the economy must be regarded with great importance in making deals in the Argentine market. A brief example of taking into consideration the social and cultural aspects of the Argentine market is the strategy employed by Walt Disney in venturing in the Latin American market. In entering the Latin American market, the Walt Disney Company penetrated the Latin American audience by understanding the people through their culture. As such, Disney produced stories and movies that are relevant to the Latin American culture and those which reflected the lives of the Latin American people (â€Å"Disney Latin America,† n. d). In general, to be able to capture the consumers in the Argentine market, it is important for foreign business enterprises to forge contacts with local entrepreneurs which can briefly guide foreigners in handling local issues and to be able to know the relevant details necessary to understand the culture and needs of the local consumers in Argentina. 2. Identify two of Argentina’s most successful companies and provide an explanation for their successes. Compare and contrast the strategies of those two organizations (and with a US company if you wish). Two of the most prominent and successful companies in Argentina are Razzani – Vera S. A and the Comidas Gaucho. Both companies are locally owned and operated and at the same time, both were able to sustain the growth of the company with very minimal help from foreign entities until such a given time. Razzani – Vera S. A was an Argentine company founded in 1952 by an Italian immigrant, initially as a supplier of candies and cigarette product into â€Å"kiosks. † After several years of operation, the company consistently grew and the need for reinvestment and expansion became more attainable. Since the inception of the company in 1952, the owners and partners of Razzani – Vera S. A operated independently. Instead of accepting assistance from banks and other companies which viewed Razzani as potential clients and partners, Razzani stood independently, refusing offers for financial assistance. In 1994, under new management, Razzani remained to adhere to the company’s old policies thus avoiding incurring scarce debts. In this way, Razzani was able to successfully grow and maintain the business with a good credit reputation which allowed satisfactory collection for the company (â€Å"Razzani – Vera S. A,† n. d). However, in 1996 at the new changes in the company’s management, the new management resorted to more aggressive plan. In order to administer the new plans set forth by the new management and to fund technology investments, the company availed of mortgage loans from the United States (â€Å"Razzani – Vera S. A,† n. d). Alongside the growth of investments in the company, a deficit was also experienced by the new management. However, Razzani – Vera S. A was still able to cope with such difficulties and were able to procure an alternative solution to strengthen the company’s business. On the other hand, Comidas Gaucho is a local beef processor in Argentina. Comidas Gaucho operated the same way as the start of the Razzani – Vera S. A. Comidas Gaucho opted to run its business with the least intervention and aid possible from foreign entities. The company also showed its reluctance to let foreign enterprise penetrate their business by making ties and alliances. Gaucho’s decline in the offer by American company Great Plains Food as a business partner is an indication that Gaucho rather chose to operate independent from foreign firms (Rarick, n. d). Despite Comidas Gaucho’s refusal to make partnership with the American company Great Plains Food, nonetheless Gaucho was able to maintain the stability of its business by adhering to the old customs and policies that were inherent to the corporation. 3. What are the challenges facing private firms in Argentina? Are there any advantages for private firms in Argentina? What are the advantages/disadvantages for state-owned firms in Argentina? The Argentine market offers a vast set of opportunities both for foreign and local business enterprises. However, in order for foreign corporations to make successful business launch in Argentina, there are certain factors that should be given ample consideration by entrepreneurs. One of the most important things that foreign businessmen should do before investing in Argentina is to study the historical background of the Argentine government and market which is essential in determining matters that are crucial to the people in Argentina. One of the challenges that will be encountered by foreign investors wishing to enter the Argentine market is to penetrate the laws and policies set forth by the government. Dating back from the earlier years, the Argentine government has always been protective of its local economy (Di Tella and Vogel, 2004). Thus in order to penetrate the Argentine market, foreign investors must provide the government, local entrepreneurs and consumers opportunity for growth and a glance to the possible benefits that can be attained from foreign partnerships. In addition to Argentina’s political background, foreign investors must also be keen in understanding the culture innate with the people in Argentina. For investors to be able to gain the trust of the consumers, they must cope with the customs, beliefs and experiences that are of great importance to the people. Though these factors provide tough challenges for foreign investors, once the Argentine market is penetrated, there are numerous opportunities open to be tapped and developed that are beneficial not only to investors, but as well as the consumers. In Argentina, investors can penetrate various business aspects including franchising, security services, specialized services, legal services, transportation, aviation, education and training, engineering and architectural fields, finance, insurance, healthcare and the tourism services. Within these fields, there is a vast room for development which can greatly benefit consumers and local and foreign business entities. However, although foreign involvement in the Argentine business sector may be greatly advantageous to the country’s economy, state-owned business enterprises also hava advantages. State control over business corporations can standardize business process thus eliminating excessive competition among various privately owned business entities. This in turn may provide the people and the market with vast opportunity for improvement. However, on the disadvantage, in state-owned and controlled corporations, the state will shoulder the entire expenses needed to finance development and growth projects in order to maintain the stability of the company (Hill, 2007, p. 493). Failure to provide the financial needs of the company, the state may resort in acquiring debts from international organizations. And in such cases, the government may reach the point of dependency towards in international financial institutions, which in the long run may become detrimental to the growth of the company and the country as well. 4. What are the mechanisms for foreign investment in Argentina? Is there an ideal strategy for foreign investment there? During the past years, foreign investment has always remained open in Argentina. As such, the growth in Argentina’s Gross Domestic Product in the past years can be attributed to foreign investments made with the Argentine market. In the old Argentine decree governing the market and economic policies of Argentina, foreign investors have been made to enter the Argentine market freely with fewer restrictions imposed. In addition to this, foreign and local investors were provided with equal rights in establishing independent businesses and equal rights in the acquisition of new business enterprises (â€Å"Argentina,† 2007). However, changes in the policies implemented in Argentina provided more restrictions which resulted to a decrease in foreign investment. One of the changes enacted was in June 2003 when the government of Argentina passed a legislation which limited foreign business enterprises from owning â€Å"cultural goods. † These â€Å"cultural goods† included the media sector and Internet providers (â€Å"Argentina,† 2007). Nonetheless, despite these controls that were set by the government, deregulation in the economy and privatization boosted the foreign investment in Argentina (â€Å"Australia – Argentina Relations,† 2008). The vast richness of raw opportunities waiting to be tapped was the attraction of foreign entrepreneurs in investing in Argentina. The prospect of diversification lured most of investors to penetrate Latin American countries, Argentina in particular. In addition, market inefficiencies during past Argentine governments became an asset rather than a liability to the Argentine market. These market inefficiencies practiced by previous governments was seen as raw resources waiting to be tapped and developed (Deal and Rosso, 2001). Nearly during the last two decades, alongside the changes made by the government in Argentina’s trade and import policies, the Argentine market made a significant improvement in reducing economic barriers. New trade policies were able to decrease confusion for foreign investors, which resulted to an increase in foreign investments. In particular, during 2003 import exchange controls were abolished and restrictions on certain aspects of foreign trade were removed. Such actions helped in stabilizing the Argentine currency and kept it in pace with other foreign currencies (â€Å"Argentina: Foreign Trade Barriers,† 2004). However, there are no such things as â€Å"ideal† in foreign investment. To become successful in venturing in foreign investments, it is only essential to know the necessary details and the factors inherent within the local economic arena. It is important that both foreign and local business entities are adept in understanding market behavior and learn how to adopt in the society and culture of the consumers involved. 5. What challenges would Argentine firms likely face when attempting to build brands at home (or abroad)? What challenges will overseas firms face when trying to build brands for the Argentine market? In every business enterprise, there are different challenges that are inevitable to foreign and domestic business investors. In the international arena, the competition among different emerging markets is innate and necessary. In order to expand businesses and firms, tough competition must be faced and surpassed (Grosse, 2003, pp. 2-4). In a globalized competition, market expansion is always a step taken by emerging countries. However, success in expanding the market is dependent on certain factors. First, the type of industry that is pushed for expansion should be relevant and in demand for most countries. Second, the country itself is important in determining the success of market expansions. For example, more developed and powerful countries are more likely to succeed in expanding their market towards less developed countries compared to the possibility that smaller and less able countries will be successful in competitively expand their market towards other foreign territories. Third, the target market for expansion is also relevant in assessing the necessity for expansion (Grosse, 2003, p. 3). Argentina, being a rather less powerful country in the international arena is more likely to have difficulties in penetrating foreign markets. There are more technologically advanced service providers and producers that are more competitive than Argentina, coupled with the reality that politics is an integral factor in gaining an upper hand in the economic playing field. However, in terms of building branches locally, Argentina will relatively gain an advantage as compared to foreign investors entering the Argentine market. Given the distinct economic, political and social background of Argentina, local consumers will become rather more comfortable and enthusiastic to patronize the brands that they have been accustomed with. In addition, Argentine enterprises are more focused on retail sales and small to middle enterprises which people in Argentina can afford better. Thus, Argentine business enterprises can be more successful in building local branches rather than penetrating foreign markets. On the other hand, for foreign investors wishing to enter the Argentine market, same challenges will apply. The social and cultural background of the Argentinean consumers will serve as distinct barriers in entering the Argentine market. Although in the past years, foreign investments in Argentina have been successful, it will still be relatively harder for foreign entities to penetrate the Argentine market as long as there are still local small enterprises that can cater better to the needs of the local consumer more affordably. In addition, local enterprises can better cope to the cultural needs and preferences of local consumers. References Argentina. (2007). U. S Department of State. Retrieved August 27, 2008, from http://www. state. gov/e/eeb/ifd/2007/80675. htm Argentina: Foreign Trade Barriers. (2004). Office of the United States Trade Representative. Retrieved August 28, 2008, from ustr. gov/assets/ /2004_NTE_Report/asset_upload_file568_4735. pdf Australia – Argentina Relations. (2008). Australian Government: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved August 28, 2008, from http://www. dfat. gov. au/geo/argentina/argentina_country_brief. html Deal, M. and Rosso, C. (2001). Foreign Investment in Latin America Real Estate. (Diss. ) Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Di Tella, R. and Vogel I. (2004). The Argentine Paradox, Economic Growth and the Populist Tradition. Harvard Business School. Disney Latin America. (n. d). Escuela de Direccion Negocios. Grosse, R. (2003). The Challenges of Globalization for Emerging Market Firms. Latin American Business Review. Vol 4 (4) 2003. Hill, C. W. L. (2007). International business (6th ed. ). New York

Audio Transcription Technology

Audio Transcription Technology AUDIO TRANSCRIPTION The aim of this assignment is to outline key areas for Audio Transcription. Audio Transcription, in its simplest form it is the transformation of verbal and audio materials onto a text document.ÂÂ   The typist has the use of Headphones to hear the recording and uses a foot pedal to control the speed and stop/play of the audio and also rewind and fast forward.ÂÂ   The typist has to record the audio as they hear it and follow any instructions given by the speaker. There is a lot of reference material which can be used to ensure accuracy when doing audio transcription. Below is a description of some: Spell Checker:ÂÂ   This is used to check the accuracy of the spelling of an electronic document with the use of a software program that compares words in the document with a list of acceptable spellings.ÂÂ   You can also permanently put a new word into the dictionary if its not already there so spell check wont continuously show it up as incorrect spelling. Thesaurus:ÂÂ   Is a reference work that lists words grouped together according to similarity of meaning (containing synonyms and sometimes antonyms), in contract to a dictionary, which provides definitions for words, and generally lists them in alphabetical order.ÂÂ   The main purpose of such reference works is to help the user to find the word, or words, by which an idea may be most fitly and aptly expressed to quote Peter Mark Roget, architect of the best known thesaurus in the English language. Mims: MIMS or monthly Index of Medical Specialities is an independently edited publication designed as a prescribing guide for the general practitioner.ÂÂ   It is aimed at healthcare professionals, including general practitioners (GPs), pharmacists, nurses and secondary care specialists.ÂÂ   It is considered dangerous practice to refer to old editions.ÂÂ   Concise drug monographs form the core of MIMS; these include key safety information (contraindications, warnings, interactions and adverse effects) and details of the active ingredient, presentations, price, indication, dosage and manufacturer.ÂÂ   Entries are independently compiled by the MIMS editorial team based on the full Summary of Product clinical guidance.ÂÂ   The MIMS website features a predictive search function that allows users to search the drug listings by brand, generic ingredient or drug class.ÂÂ   Online versions of the comparison tables and guideline summaries are supplemented by addi tional web only resources including clinical calculators and patient fact sheets.ÂÂ   Al the content is freely available except the drug listings.ÂÂ   Registrations is free for GPs but other users much subscribe. [ii] [iii] It is very important to ensure accuracy is met at all times when doing Audio Transcription. You are dealing with sensitive information and also you run the risk of e.g. putting the wrong medicine name on a prescription or wrong information on the doctors notes which can have catastrophic results. The main screen of the Olympus Dictation Management System Software which is used for Audio Transcription is shown below: This is the changing of the Layout of the Page/document that is being used through the Page Layout on the Toolbar.ÂÂ   There are many ways to change the Layout and here is a breakdown of a few. Page Layout:To change the Orientation (direction) of the Page/Document, click on the Page Layout icon on the top left hand side of the Toolbar. From there click on Orientation with your mouse Portraitor Landscape will appear then click on the icon that is required and it will change. SPACING:To change the spacing (bigger or smaller) between each line, click into Page Layout on the top right hand corner of the toolbar. The spacing column is in the centre of the Page. The spacing can now be adjusted between each line of the wording. FONT:Changing the Font type and size by manually going into the top right hand side of your toolbar and clicking on the drop down arrow beside the Font style, scroll down the list and click on the chosen one. This can be done for both Font Type and Size.ÂÂ   The shortcut to this is to right click on the mouse and the same toolbar options pop up and the same actions can be completed. BOLD:Changing the font to bold, click on the B on the top right hand corner of the Toolbar by clicking on the B or the shortcut to it is Ctrl and B. Ensure to unclick the letter B on the Toolbar menu or re-click the shortcut Ctrl and B or it will keep writing with Bold. ITALICS:Changing the font to Italics, this can be accessed on the top right hand corner of the toolbar by clicking on the Ior the shortcut to this is Ctrl and the letter I.ÂÂ   Ensure to unclick the letter Ion the toolbar or re-click the shortcut Ctrl and I or it will keep writing in Italics. Shannon Medical Centre Memo To: Melinda McCarthy From: Yvonne Wesley Cc: Alexandra Hughes Date: January 13, 2017 Re: Andrew Williams Personal Please organise the chest x-ray for the above lady at your earliest convenience. You might copy Margaret in on the outcome. The basic business letter format is the same across a range of industries, with few variations for content and style.ÂÂ   The letter should be left-aligned, single-spaced with a one-inch margin and a standard 11-or 12-point type size.ÂÂ   The top line below the letterhead should be the correct date, followed by one line of space followed by Our Ref space and Your Ref (if relevant) and the address of the recipient.ÂÂ   Following this Urgent/For attentions of in bold (if relevant).ÂÂ   Place one line of space after the recipients address and use a simple, professional greeting and another line of space. Each following paragraph should be separated by a line. Insert one line after the last paragraph, followed by a closing. Leave four lines of space for your signature, and type your name and title.ÂÂ   It is important do either use Full Punctuation or Open Punctuation. Ennis Hospital, Ennis, Co Clare. 18 July 2017 Our Ref: VR/CR Dr Raefel Jones, St Johns Hospital, Alberton Road, Dublin 4. Re: Mrs Helen Brindsley DOB 02/10/65 2 The Maltings, Ennis, Co Clare. Dear Dr Raefel, This lady was admitted to this hospital on 29th June last for investigation of early dementia.ÂÂ   As you know she is vague and disorientated and an abnormal behaviour pattern has been noted both at work and by her family.ÂÂ   There were no abnormal signs on examination.ÂÂ   The investigations arranged showed normal Vitamin B12 metabolism but the results of thyroid function studies are meaningless in view of previous therapy with Tabs Thyroxine. The most significant finding was some cortical atrophy demonstrated by an air encephalogram.ÂÂ   The cerebrospinal fluid examined at the time of the radiological procedure showed a raised protein content of 74 mg per 100 million; there were no cells in the fluid and the sugar content was normal. I think the dementia is the pre-senile variety and I fear the condition will deteriorate.ÂÂ   I have interviewed her husband and made him aware of the prognosis but no doubt you will be seeing him to discuss the matter further and to give him all possible support. Yours sincerely, __________________________ Viictor Radetski FRCP DPM Consultant Psychiatrist It is very important to give special attention when dictating numerical figures and units of measurements.ÂÂ   A minor change in numerical values or units of measurements can harm the patient. Its important that dictated numbers are easily understood by the transcriptionist.ÂÂ   The teen numbers can be confused with ty2 numbers, as in 13/30, 14/40, 15/50, 16/60, 17/70, 18/80 and 19/90.ÂÂ   For example, when you dictate 14, say Fourteen, thats one, four, or 50, say Fifty, thats five, zero.[T1] [iv] Full stops, colons, question marks, dashes, semi colons and exclamation marks are usually dictated. The start of a new paragraph is indicated by the word paragraph. Words to be underscored are dictated and then followed by the instructions underscore; e.g., Please send me details of your personal (underscore personal) computers. Initial capitals are not usually indicated, but if there is a doubt, the following method is used: initial capital/initial capitals e.g., I have a current account with the (initial capital) National Irish Bank. The 24-hour clock is dictated as spoken; e.g., thirteen hundred hours (typed without a full stop) 1300 hours. If you are using open punctuation, there are no full stops in abbreviations.ÂÂ   Even with full punctuation, certain abbreviations do not have full stops.ÂÂ   If for some particular reason the dictator wants stops inserted, he would say, capital letters N stop U stop R stop N.U.R. Bullets are normally used when ranking and order are not important and will not be referenced later.ÂÂ   For example: Application Form Proof of address Numbering is usually used when you need to reference them.ÂÂ   For example: All applicants must provide the following documents: a) Application form b) Proof of address Item b) can be any utility bills, bank statements or letters from government agencies. And if ranking or order (e.g. steps to bake a cake) is important, then it makes sense to use numbering. You can access the Bullet/Numbering key on the Toolbar on the main screen of your Microsoft Word document as show below. [v] Tables are used to lay out information in individual columns and rows within a Word Document.ÂÂ   The point where the column intersects with the row is known as a cell.ÂÂ   To create a table first click onto the Toolbar menu at the top of the page, click on Insert. Below is an example of when at table can be used in Audio Transcription Medical Term Meaning 1 Blood Pressure (BP) The pressure of the blood in the Circulatory System 2 Complete Blood Count (CBC) A blood test used to evaluate overall health and detect any health issues 3 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Lung disease characterized by chronic obstruction of lung airflow that interferes with normal breathing and is not fully reversible 4 Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) Blood clot in large vein 5 Fracture (FX) Complete or incomplete break in a bone resulting from the application of excessive force 6 Pulse (P) The rhythmic dilation of an artery that results from beating of the heart 7 Rebound (REB) Rebound tenderness of the abdomen when pushed in and then released. 8 Three times daily (TID) As in taking medicine three times daily 9 Upper Respiratory Infection (URI) Any number of viral or bacterial infection 10 Vital Signs are stable (VSS) From the standpoint of the temperature, blood pressure, and pulse, the patient is doing well. To create a table first click onto the Toolbar menu at the top of the page, click on Insert. Next Click on Tables. i Pull the mouse over the box and it will show up as many columns as needed, when there is enough of the box highlighted just click on the left hand side of the mouse and it will insert a table as below. Now all data can be filled into each column or row as required. Columns are used in a Word Document to change the layout of the page into sections or columns across the page.ÂÂ   This is beneficial if you want to save space on a page and fit more text in.ÂÂ   To set up the columns you go to the page Layout on the Screen and click into it. Click into columns From here select as many columns as you need. Medical Term Meaning 1 Blood Pressure (BP) The pressure of the blood in the Circulatory System 2 Complete Blood Count (CBC) A blood test used to evaluate overall health and detect any health issues 3 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Lung disease characterized by chronic obstruction of lung airflow that interferes with normal breathing and is not fully reversible 4 Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) Blood clot in large vein 5 Fracture (FX) Complete or incomplete break in a bone resulting from the application of excessive force 6 Pulse (P) The rhythmic dilation of an artery that results from beating of the heart 7 Rebound (REB) Rebound tenderness of the abdomen when pushed in and then released. 8 Three times daily (TID) As in taking medicine three times daily 9 Upper Respiratory Infection (URI) Any number of viral or bacterial infection 10 Vital Signs are stable (VSS) From the standpoint of the temperature, blood pressure, and pulse, the patient is doing well. [vi] [i] http://www.nthdegreeservices.co.uk/audio-transcription-in-newcastle.html [ii] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monthly_Index_of_Medical_Specialities [iii] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thesaurus [iv] https://www.2ascribe.com/articles/dictation-tips/dictating-numbers-and-dates [v] http://ell.stackexchange.com/questions/16246/in-formal-writing-when-to-use-bullets-and-when-the-numbers [vi] http://www.medicinenet.com/list_of_common_medical_abbreviations_and_terminology-page6/views.htm [T0]The spacing in this letter is too big keep example on one page [T1]This is irrelevant you are writing about the transcriptionist [T2]This is not about word processing you need to describe what tables and columns might be used for in audio transcription