Increasing Hate Crime Awareness in the US Essay Example for Free

Increasing Hate Crime Awareness in the US Essay Though latest report released last October 2006 by the US Department of Justice FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program showed a decrease in total number of reported incidents, 7,163 in 2005 vs. 7,649 in 2004 (Hate Crime Statistics 2005), there has been an inversely growing awareness on this topic among various stakeholders legislators, law enforcement officials, and the American public – such that term â€Å"hate crime† has become a part of everyday vernacular among Americans. Three factors contributed to this growing awareness. Firstly, the organizational initiatives, normally the offended party group in order to protect their civil rights, are taking active roles, through their advocacy campaigns, support services and education programs. Prominent proponents, among others, are American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) for all Americans, Anti-Defamation League (ADL) for the Jewish, Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), Massachusetts Office on Disability (MOD), La Alianza Hispana for the Latin-Hispanics and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for African-American group. Secondly, the Federal Government on its part, through the DA’s Office has a Civil Rights Unit composed of attorneys for education and intervention services, working in cooperation with victim-witness advocates. In addition, Governor’s Task Force on Hate Crime has its ‘Stop the Hate Website’ Campaign promoting awareness of hate crimes and providing resources for responding to and preventing such acts. Thirdly, concerned group initiatives, such as NGOs in the likes of Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) that combats hate, intolerance and discrimination through education programs and litigations, play an independent, third-party role in increasing hate crime awareness.

Globalisation Has Become An Increasingly Important Phenomenon Marketing Essay

Globalisation Has Become An Increasingly Important Phenomenon Marketing Essay Abstract Globalisation has become an increasingly important phenomenon that has given firms way to be internationalised. Globalization as a foundation for adopting global strategies has during recent years been given scant attention. The importance of multinational companies cannot be overlooked with globalisation in the back of the mind. Firms are constantly adopting global strategies so as to compete on the international market and to reap the enviable advantage from economies of scale. Globalization often regarded as the pathway of internationalization has led to the development of strategies shaped to face the highly competitive global environment (Levitt 1983, Baden-Fuller, Stopford 1991). Regional strategies have often been considered as a way to become a global player, but recently regional strategies have achieved high momentum to reap global sales. The assignment aims to integrate the historical development of two big companies, Ford and Diageo and the global oriented strategies adop ted by each frim respectively at different stage of their development so as to get ahead in this competitive and dynamic global game. a) Introduction The march towards a true global economy is going forward at a ferocious pace. Globalisation has paved the way for many firms to be internationalised. According to Hood and Young (2000), globalization is a process by which the world economy is transformed from a set of national and regional markets into a set of markets that operate without regard to national boundaries. Porter (1985) highlighted that globalisation has urged many firms to divert production to international markets so as to achieve long term competitive advantage. Porter (1980) further emphasized that the main driver behind the move to international markets is to explore business opportunities. Multinational enterprises (MNEs) seem to have been the major players in this drama put on a world stage for all to view. It is noted that many big companies that compete internationally pin their hopes for success on a single worldwide strategy mainly to achieve lukewarm results. According to Ghemawat (2005) and Levitt (1983), d eveloping global strategies mainly in search of new synergies and arbitrage and a global recognition has been the hype surrounding multinational corporations since the past decades. Global powerhouses such as Ford and Diageo concentrate on regional differences and then shape strategies that will match both domestic and international markets. Both Ford and Diageo have grown over the years and become active players in the global market for cars and drinks respectively. They have adopted global strategies which are at time similar. However, given that they operate in different products, some of their strategies differ. Theoretical Background The prominent trend in international business today concerns globalisation. This notion of globalisation has been defined by Ohmae (1995) as the removal of borders and barriers to trade between nations. Trade barriers have been lifted gradually through the GATT and WTO negotiations. The drivers behind the internationalisation of the firm in the global economy include huge developments in transport and communication which has made the mobility of all factors of production a reality across the globe and the increasing role of MNC s through outsourcing and business networks are developing in many parts of the world. It is widely believed that the evolution of multinationals is due to domestic market maturation and home market saturation (Caves 1982; Porter 1990). It is widely assumed by Mintzberg (1989) that expanding globally provides firms with the opportunity to become more profitable. According the continuous increase in speed, quality coupled with improvement in communication and t echnology has led to a significant reduction in transaction costs (Porter, 1990). Moreover, markets in farflung countries have become homogeneous making international business activities to be conducted easily (Hedlund Kverneland 1985). Classical theories Growth by Penrose (1959) and Hymer model (1960), firms internalise their activities mainly for economic gains such as the profit motive. The OLI-approach by Dunning (1979, 1981) purports that ownership, location and internalisation are the factors that influence the initial act of cross border production firms. Porter (1988) suggested that internationalisation enables the transfer of some moveable resources across a national border. Many firms, on the other hand internalise for market seeking motives. This motive is related mainly to companies that are endowed with high level of technology and a good brand image that give them sustainable competitive advantage over their peers. The market seeking motive is common for European mult inationals such as Nestle and Ford which have expanded their production across borders mainly in search of new markets. The aim to achieve reduced costs of production is another factor that has triggered the internationalisation process. The removal of tariff barriers has urged many companies to outsource production mainly to benefit from low cost production and low capital cost. Moreover, the drive to benefit from scale economies and ballooning RD have also triggered the international expansion of firms making them global companies and have brought about a new set of motivations that underlay these global strategies. Globalization characterised as the true path of internationalization has bought about the development of strategies designed to meet the needs of the global environment, where standardization has been the key message to cater for the needs of the world market with global products (Levitt 1983, Baden-Fuller, Stopford 1991). During the early years, there was much complexity over the design and technology of the motorcar. The beginning of the 20th century marked the coming of cars with the latest design and technology. It was the Fordism which was the first revolution in the process technology followed by Toyota afterwards. Ford is a US automobile company which was founded in 1903 by Henry Ford in Michigan and it made its first shipment in that year itself. which produced 1708 cars in the first year. Ford is a pioneer in the automobile industry and has a portfolio of brands such as Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury. It also provides financial services. The business is divided into different segments mainly North America, ford Europe, Ford South America and Ford Asia Pacific Africa designed to serve the different markets. Diageo is the leader in premium drinks across the world. It resulted from the merger of Grand Metropolitan and Guinness in 1997. This merger has led to a complete rebranding and reimaging of the company. It took over the wine business of Seagram in 2001. In 2006, Johnnie Walker Blue Label and King GeorgeV Edition made its appearance in duty free channels of Europe. The company is now seen as an ethical company which contributing effectively to corporate social responsibility. As per the Financial Times, Diageo formed part of the 150 largest companies in the world in 2008. To increase its market, Diageo made a joint venture with and made the Diageo Kirin. The company is listed on both the London Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange. For Diageo, sustainability refers to the long term success of the business while taking into consideration the needs of stakeholders, community and at the same time protecting the environment. Compared to its competitors, Diageo was among the 100 most sustainable companies in the world for their concern for the environmental and society. During the financial year 2011, the company earned revenues of  £13,232 million representing an increase of 2.1% in 2010. Strategies Ford produces a more varied product range of vehicles to attempt to tailor the needs of the different customer groups. For instance, the Ranger was designed to meet the needs of Asia pacific, Africa and South America. This new hybrid vehicle tailor-made for these regions has made Ford gone ahead of other overseas manufacturers. Ford has been able to use their window of opportunity to the full by satisfying the segments of consumers which they are targeting by providing them with the latest technology and convenient vehicles. Conversely, Diageo is involved in the production and distribution of a range of standardised products including beer, wine and spirits geared to satisfy every market in the world. Thus, compared to Ford which aims to produce a different kind of vehicles for each geographical area, Diageo on the other hand produces one type of drink to satisfy all its markets. Both firms aim towards sustainable development. Ford contributes significantly to the environment by making maximum use of recycled and renewable materials in its vehicles. It was highlighted that about 85% of materials that Ford use are recyclable. The use of recyclable and renewable materials is a prerequisite in Fords sustainability strategy mainly to decrease environmental footprint and increase the use of fuel-efficient vehicles and hence be more environment friendly. Ford has even merged with its previous rivals Chrysler and General Motors mainly to produce a car that will use less energy, cause less pollution. Diageo also contribute to a sustainable platform across its range of products through its Sustainability and Responsibility strategy. As part of this strategy, Diageo focusses on the benefits of alcohol in the society, preserves the natural resources and promotes good governance. Additionally, encouraging good drinking habits and working collaboratively with other stakeholders to combat the misuse of alcoholic drinks is of key importance in Diageos strategy. Diageo also concerned about the fact that most of its resources it uses are scarce. As a result, to contribute effectively to its environment, more water efficient, reduced use of carbon dioxide and innovative forms of packaging that is sustainable to the environment were adopted. However, what distinguishes Ford and Diageo on the sustainability issue is that Ford mainly focusses on the use of renewable and recyclable materials to undertake its production while Diageo mainly places emphasis on its community and how to promote res ponsible drinking as part of its sustainability programme. Conclusion To conclude, it is important to note that both businesses are operating in a globalised world where economic activities are very dynamic. Even if they operate in completely different lines of products, their global strategies should be similar in the sense that they have to study and react to any changes that definitely occur on this ongoing global business environment. PEST and SWOT analysis must be regularly conducted so as to analyse the changes occurring and to develop the right strategies that will strengthen the position of each business and eventually ensure sustainability in their performance. b) Introduction According to (Worthington 2003, p. 466), in a global, fast changing competitive environment, accessing international markets have become increasingly important for companies to benefit from reduction in costs and to increase their demand. Globalisation has brought about a new competitive landscape referred to as hypercompetitive markets where companies face enormous threats from their peers. So, accessing international markets has become the strategic instrument for many companies to ensure their further development. As highlighted by the OECD (2004), by moving to international markets bring about a host of opportunities such as economies of scale and technological know-how. As a result, almost every firm, be it automobile industry or alcoholic industry, are engaging their business outside the boundary of their home country. This is the case for Ford and Diageo which are deeply integrated in the process of internationalisation. The development of strategic attributes represents the c entrepiece of the internationalisation process by which a company build its position in the market. There are different modes of entry in international markets. It is argued by Root (1998) that the choice of entry mode is a crucial strategic decision for multinational firms. It was also pointed out by (Root 1998, p.15) that once a firm has set its foothold in the international markets, the modes of entry decisions will change in fairly predictable fashion. According to Hill (2007, p.486), firms are engaged in exporting when they have just started to expand their business globally and will shift to other modes in the future. Joint venture refers to an entity formed by two parties to carry out economic activities together. This is a popular form of market entry. Under licensing, an organisation gives another organisation with the right to use its intangible property in a specified geographical area for given amount of time by paying some amount in return, known as the royalty fee. In a wholly owned subsidiary, 100 percent of stock is owned by the firm. According to (Hill 2007, p.493), the firm can start a new business in that country known as greenfield investment or it can take over another business in the host country. The proliferation of mergers and acquisitions (MAs) were mostly fuelled by globalisation and increased competition. MAs are created by firms mainly to increase their global reach and competitiveness. Modes of entry of the two companies Export was considered as an indispensable complement to the development of the automobile industry, but usually the manufacturer designs a car with its home country in mind. Initially, ford was engaged in the export of cars to Europe, but with high transportation costs and tariff barriers, it started operation in Manchester. This marked the global expansion of Ford. Fords entry in the international market corresponds to a great extent by the great waves of international mergers and acquisitions. It had many alliances with local and overseas companies. The intention behind Fords collaboration with other automobile companies in the product development was mainly to share costs. It acquired hertz and Jaguar in 1987 and 1990 respectively. Its 100% stake in Hertz in 1994 clearly shows Ford as a wholly subsidiary. It also acquired the BMW and Land Rover and expanded to China under the form of joint venture. The ChanganFord then became operational in 2003 with the production of Fiesta. In 2 005, it made several acquisitions mainly reacquisition of Visteons 23 to protect its supply of components. By 2009, the automobile industry became a network of collaborative arrangements. So, we can say that ford is a growing company expanding into the global automotive market. Moreover, another factor that can classify ford as a global company is that it is engaged in the production of a standardised vehicle, which can be sold in multiple markets. According to WILKINS and HILL (1964), Fords trajectory can be seen as a model especially to the high position that it occupies in the industry and its allegedly outstanding process internationalisation. Ford is a pioneer in the automobile industry given the vast number of overseas manufacturing it handles and also since the very beginning of its operation it had developed strategies that were applicable worldwide. In addition, Ford source suppliers and choose assembly locations depending on costs. An increase in competition in the automobile industry has further increased the quest to reduce costs. The intention behind Fords collaboration with other automobile companies in the product development was mainly to share costs. The production system at Ford was backward integrated. Ford possessed rubber plantation in the amazon basin. Outsourcing of materials and components were the main trend for the past 30 years. The main objective behind this was to be cost effective and more flexible in its operations. The executives at ford have in mind to implement a strategy that involves three important elements such as globalisation, reengineering and market expansion. They are to develop vehicles platforms that can serve the needs of different markets. The objective behind this is a reduction in design and product development costs, to avoid repetitions and inefficiencies and to continue maintain their activities globally. Furthermore, Fords market share increased from 14.2% in 2008 to 16.5% in 2011 in the US. It is also a leader in other markets such as Canada with market share of 17.1%, Turkey with 15.8% amongst others. The high market share enables it get competitive advantage over its peers and as such it can increase its bargaining power and makes it a global company. The operational network of Ford is a highly diversified one with a variety of sectors such as assembly facilities, distribution centres and warehouses. It also has about 11,790 dealerships worldwide. In addition, in order to increase its production capacity, ford is investing in other countries mainly china, Thailand and India. This diverse range of operations enables it to meet the needs of customers round the world profitably. Similarly in the alcoholic drink industry, the creation of the global economy at the end of the 1960s helped to boost up the consumption of alcohol consumption and the expansion in sales in new geographical markets. Improvement in technologies captured scale economies which then translated in more effective distribution of alcoholic drinks. Mergers and acquisitions in this industry arose mainly because of competition. The large companies were competing mainly in the local market by producing a single product but along a portfolio of brands. The stagnation of the western market and increasingly global competition, firms felt the need to engage into mergers and acquisitions. In 1997, Diageo company following the merger of Grand Metropolitain and Guiness. The result of this merger was attributed not only to get the ownership of successful brands but also the rationalisation of costs. This merger has led to a complete rebranding and reimaging of the company. It took over the wine busines s of Seagram in 2001. Diageo made several acquisitions mainly with the Chalone Wine Group and the Whiskey business of Bushmills in 2005, Rosenblum Cellars a US firm producing wine in 2008. In 2006, Johnnie Walker Blue Label and King GeorgeV Edition made its appearance in duty free channels of Europe. In 2008, Diageo was involved in a licensing agreement with Korea to conduct its operation in the country and it also got involved in a joint venture in the same year with Namibia Breweries. Diageo was also engaged in partnership. Moreover, what makes Diageo a global company is that it is involved in several acquisitions to expand its market. Recently, it has invested about  £ 1billion to establish a market in Africa. Moreover, in order to meet the growing demand for Vodka in Vietnam, Diageo has acquired a stake of 45.52% in June 2012 Halico. By taking over other companies around the world enable Diageo to increase its market position. Moreover, its wine market has experienced high gro wth recently. For instance, in 2011 the market grew by 3.1% and it is expected that there will be an increase of 17.9% in 2016 from that of 2011. 65% of the wine market is in Europe which helps the company increase its presence in the market. Furthermore, Diageo has 106 production facilities in different countries like the UK, Ireland, Italy, the US, Canada, Jamaica, Australia, and Philippines. This wide range of production facilities situated in different countries provides Diageo with the opportunity to cater for the needs of the market more efficiently. So we can see that Diageo company is highly polarized between different markets of the world such as North America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa, Latin America, and most of Asia Pacific. By making a presence in these markets, Diageo was able to gratify the benefits of scale economies and contribution. As per the Financial Times, Diageo formed part of the 150 largest companies in the world in 2008. This indeed makes Diage o a global company. We can say that Diageo has a specific strategic direction which has enabled it to achieve success in the European markets, established a foothold in North America and other international markets and gain a global recognition in Asia- pacific. The strategy of Diageos included selective acquisitions of popular brands coupled with a strong customer base and retaining current brands. Conclusion Hence, being both global, create conditions for both companies to become highly vulnerable to any slight change in the global economic environment. Following the recent economic crisis, Ford Company has faced severe downturn in Europe with a drastic fall in sales which seems to have no end in sight to the slump which is of great concern to the economy. As per the financial times in September 2012, Ford had experienced a fall of 29 per cent in its sales in Europe and a slowdown in the market for the 11th consecutive month. This has led to a fall in its market share by 1.6 percentage points to 6.5 per cent. According to the chief executive officer of ford, the only way ford to restructure its business and continue its investment is to cut production capacity to keep with demand. This in turn entails closing one of its plants to reduce costs. Last October 2012, ford has decided to close two plants in the UK which it hoped to improve the profitability of the company amid of the crisis. O n the other side, Diageo seems to be less affected by the economic crisis because alcoholic drinks have inelastic demand compared to cars. The recession usually causes consumers to cut their demand of luxury items first and in the long run may attempt to reduce their consumption of drinks. So, I believe that global changes might have less adverse effects on Diageo as compared to Ford.

Assessment Of Selected Resorts In Cavite Province Biology Essay

Assessment Of Selected Resorts In Cavite Province Biology Essay Resorts in the province of Cavite are recognized for its reputable recreational waters. These resorts are intended to provide prospective customers with an atmosphere of amusement, entertainment and relaxation. The most common types are beach resorts, swimming pool, and even lakes and rivers which are designed to accommodate individuals, group of peers and family members (Bago and Linantud 2004). Also recreational waters offer activities that are beneficial and substantial to overall health. Recreational waters can be contaminated and polluted by bacteria, viruses and protozoan parasites (Bitton 1999), although the recreational water is normally treated physically and chemically using filtration and chlorination to prevent growth and infection of some bacteria (Montano and Abear 2000). However there are was an increasing number of cases of acute gastroenteritis during this summer and one group of microbes leading to their disease are enteric bacteria. Bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Pseudomonass aeruginosa that are resistant and tolerant to chlorine and were known to cause human misery (Mann 2005). Enteric Bacteria are said to be notorious and dangerous because they cause recreational water illness like acute gastroenteritis, cholera, pneumonia, typoid fever, diarrhea, urinary infection, pneumonia, dermatitis, salmonellosis and otitis external these disease leads to outbreaks (Yoder 2008). Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are among those bacteria that can thrive in recreational waters and transmitted from swallowing and inhaling contaminated water before the microorganisms can be destroyed by pool water disinfectant (Barwicks et al. 1999). Also their resiliency to grow in some disinfectants like chlorine because they are capsulated bacteria and they possess a versatile metabolic activity, which makes gives them the resistance to a variety of physical conditions (Cappuccino 2005). The presence of these organisms in dicates contamination by pathogenic microorganism. Most waterborne diseases are related to pollution of water resources sources and thus pose an unacceptable health risk for swimmers (Schets et al. 2010). Therefore the need to examine water samples in a microbiological water aspect is essential to ensure safety to swimmers. This study is conducted to support if the selected resorts in Cavite whether chlorinated and non-chlorinate is contaminated with pathogenic microorganism that can lead to potential waterborne diseases. 1.2 Conceptual Framework The water districts ensure the potability of drinking water by increasing the concentration of Chlorine (Yoder 2008). This potable drinking water were also used in resorts. Monthly sampling of water samples in pools render negative in enteric bacteria. However there is an increasing cases of gastroenteritis for the past year. The paradigm of the present study is as follows : Microbial Status in Chlorinated and non- chlorinated waters from selected resorts Water samples from resorts (pools, streams, rivers and beaches) ed The objective of this study is to gather different water samples obtained from selected resorts and determine the microbial status regardless of its chlorine concentration levels. 1.3 Statement of the Problem This study will aim to determine the microbial status in selected resorts in Cavite. To determine specifically the following objectives: 1. What is the microbial status jpresent in chlorinated and non -chlorinated water in selected resorts in Cavite? 2. Is there a significant difference in the total count of enteric bacteria and total bacteria among chlorinated and non-chlorinated waters in selected resorts in Cavite? 3. Is there a correlation between chlorine concentration in the resorts and water samples in lakes, rivers and beaches? 1.4 Scope and Delimitation The study will determine microbial status in selected resorts in Cavite, Province. Water samples will be taken from these selected resorts and chlorine content concentration will be determined using chlorine test kits. It is not the aim of the study to apply antibacterial agent in enteric bacteria recovered from water analysis. 1.5 Significance of the Study This study is designed to find out the microbial status on the selected resorts in Cavite, Philippines. This research hopes to benefit the following concerned population: Resort clientele to be more concerned to the areas that they went to and be prepared since traditional vaccines are not reliable in killing these bacteria because they are risky and are only effective after several years. Resort Administrators and Maintenance personnel for the enhancement of facilities of the swimming pool to promote the preventive measures against proliferation of microorganism which are recognized to be health risk problems and compliance to the water quality standards. Academe who may use this as preliminary information for their future research endeavors and information in survival of bacteria in different environmental conditions. 1.6 Definition of Terms Microbial status this refers to the bacteria present in chlorinated and non-chlorinated waters from selected resorts. Prevalence the number of samples that rendered positive in culture method over the total number of samples. Enteric Bacteria these are large group of gram-negative bacteria that are known to produce disease in the alimentary tract. Enteric bacteria that survived in chlorinated waters of resorts. Resorts it is considered to be swimming pools, streams, river, lakes and beaches with chlorine. Microbial Density- The population or the measurement of the growth of the bacteria. Microbial Plating- This refers technique used to isolate a pure  strain  from a single species of microorganism plating method that will be performed in laboratory. Total Bacteria bacteria other than enteric bacteria. API Kit- This refers to the biochemical test that will determine the isolated bacteria from water samples. Chlorination- this is a water purification method to make water safe to humans and a disinfecting agent that prevents the spread the spread of waterborne diseases Chlorine test kit- This refers to the chemical test that will determine the chlorine concentration level of water. Chromogenic Media This refers to the culturing media that will determine the present bacteria in water. CHAPTER 2 REVIEW LITERATURES 2.1 Conceptual Literatures Recreational water Recreational waters can be classified as fresh water swimming pools, whirlpools and naturally occurring fresh marine surface waters. Infectious disease which can be transmitted by recreational water includes skin, eye and ear infections and gastroenteritis. Consequently the level of microorganism in recreational water are important for indexing their health hazard associated with swimming and since the recreation classification includes bathing, swimming etc. any organism transmitted to humans can be regulated. The best indicators in the assessment of the safety of swimming pool water is to become aware of the types of hazard (microbiological, chemical and physical) that can impact a bathing area. Some researchers emphasize that the microbiological quality of swimming pools are best measure by identifying the bacteria present in that recreational water such as fecal coliform and enterococci, while others consider that the disease and symptoms it brought to the bathers rather than fec al contamination (Martin et al. 1995). (Montano and Abear 2000) cited that the bacteria suggested as indicators of recreational water quality include a wide variety of pathogenic bacteria and non-pathogenic microorganism such as coliform groups, species of Pseudomonas, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus and in rare case Legionella. The presence of single coliform organism is not a ground for condemning water as a unit for human consumption. It is the relative abundance of these organisms, which is important. According to Papadopoulou et al. (2007) cited that non-fecal human shedding (e.g. from vomit, mucus, saliva or skin) in the swimming pool is also a potential source of pathogenic organism. Bathers who are already infected can directly contaminate pool waters with pathogen which may affect other bathers, who come in contact with the contaminated water. Opportunistic pathogens (mainly bacteria) can also be shed from user and transmitted via contaminated water. Also certain free living aquatic bacteria and amoebae can possibly grow not just in pool waters but also with pool components or facilities or on other wet surfaces within the facility which may cause infections or disease. Therefore swimming pools are often associated with outbreaks or incidents of waterborne infection. Murdoch(1975) as cited by Amador and Amante (2001) mentioned that disease contracted from water kill some 25million people, most of them children each year, while many millions more are debilitated by waterborne diseases. Fecal contamination of water can introduce a variety pathogens into water waste, including bacteria, viruses, protozoans and parasitic worms. Waterborne related diseases have been recognized by Classes. Class 1, refers to the true waterborne disease contracted by drinking water. Class 2 are diseases associated with lack of personal hygiene which can be reduced by providing adequate amount of water for bathing and washing. To control such diseases, people should be provided with sufficient water of reasonable quality; achieving a high bacteriological quality is a secondary consideration. Enteric bacteria A large, heterogenous group in the family Enterobacteriaceae, include several closely related genera of short and spore forming, gram-negative rods, facultative anaerobic, that inhabit or produce disease in the alimentary tract of warm-blooded animal. This family are notorious as causes of urinary tract infection and are recovered from a variety of clinical specimens taken from diseased foci other than in the gastrointestinal tract. The enterobacteria are probably responsible for more human misery than any other group.(Smith 2008) Escherichia coli It is a gram negative rod shaped bacterium. It was originally known as bacterium coli. It is widely distributed in the intestine of humans and warm- blooded animals and is the predominant facultative anaerobe in the bowel part of the essential intestinal flora that maintains the physiology of the healthy host. The presence of E.coli is associated with bather-associated illness, but its absence cannot be equated with the lack of risk of illness (Guidelines for Canadian Recreational Water Quality available at http://www.ecy.wa.gov1992). Pathogenicity performs coliform bacilli usually do no penetrate intestinal wall to produce disease unless (1) the intestinal wall becomes diseased, (2) resistance of the host is lowered, or (3) virulence of the organism is greatly increased. Under one of these conditions of coliforms may pass to abdominal cavity or enter into the bloodstream. Once outside the intestinal canal and in the tissues of the body their virulence is remarkably enhanced. Among the diseases that they cause are pyelonephritis, cystitis, cholecystitis, abscesses, peritonitis, and meningitis. They may play a part in the formation of gallstones and are found in the cores of such stones. In peritonitis complicating intestinal perforation the coliform group is joined by such organisms as streptococci and staphylococci. From any focus of inflammation coliform organism may enter the bloodstream to produce a septicaemia. (Smith 2008) Shigella Dysentery caused by the Shiga bacillus (Shigella dysenteriae) is much more severe than that from the other organisms, since this bacillus produces a powerful exotoxin- like substance in addition to an endotoxin. The exotoxin- like substance seems to be liberated by bacterial disintegration, and as a neurotoxin, It acts on the nervous system to paralyze the host. The endotoxin irritates the intestinal canal. The dysentery bacilli are gram negative, nonsporebearing rods that grow on all ordinary media at temperatures from 10 ° to 42 ° C. but best at 37 ° C they are aerobic and facultative anaerobic. Unlike most other members most other member of the enteric group, they are non-motile. In terms of pathogenicity dysentery is a human disease and natural infections of the lower animals do not occur. The incubation period is 1 to 7 days. Epidemic dysentery is primarily an intestinal infection. Unlike typhoid bacilli, the organisms do no invade the bloodstream and are seldom if ever found in the internal organs or excreted in the urine. They are excreted in the feces. Compared to that for other enteric pathogen, the number of ingested shigellas for infection is small, only 10 to 100. (Smith 2008) Salmonella Among the large number of pathogenic microorganisms causing foodborne disease, Salmonella plays an important role. An analysis of Salmonella surveillance data from the World Health Organization (WHO) showed that the reported number of cases increased in 22 out of 49 countries examined. Although the reason for the global increase is not yet clear, investigations in individual countries suggest that it is related to consumption of eggs and poultry that harbour the organism. Besides control measures there is a need for rapid and sensitive methods for the detection of Salmonella (Beumer et. al, 1991). Salmonella is a ubiquitous enteric pathogen with a worldwide distribution that comprises large number of serovars characterized by different host specificity and distribution. This microorganism is one of the leading causes of intestinal illness through the world as well as the etiological agent of more severe systemic diseases such as typhoid and paratyphoid fever. Zoonotic salmonellae are commonly described as foodborne pathogens however; drinking water as well as natural waters is known to be an important source for the transmission of these enteric microorganisms. Salmonella, just like other enteric bacteria, is spread by the fecal-oral route of contamination. This microorganism can enter the aquatic environment directly with feces of infected humans or animals or indirectly, e.g., via sewage discharge or agricultural land run off. Overall Salmonella spp. and subspecies can be found in a large variety of vertebrates. Beside humans, animal sources of Salmonella include pets, farm animals and wild animals; calves, poultry, pigs, sheep as well as wild bird (pigeon) and reptiles can all be reservoirs of Salmonella. Plants, insects and algae were also found capable of harboring Salmonella and might be implicated in the transmission of this enteric pathogen. Taxonomically the genus Salmonella comprises two species namely S. bongori and S. enterica. The species S. enterica is further differentiated in to six subspecies (enterica, salamae, arizonae, diarizonae, indica and houtenae) among which the S. enterica subspecies enterica is mainly associated to human and other warm blooded vertebrates. Enteric fevers, typhoid and paratyphoid fever are severe, contagious systemic diseases caused by the infection of the serovars typhi and Paratyphi. Differently from other Salmonella serovars, typhi and Paratyphi are host adapted and can only infect humans; stools of infected persons are therefore the original source of contaminations for these pathogens. Water contaminated with feces of human cases and carriers is one of the main vehicles of typhoid fever infections. Literature data related to water-borne salmonellae in developing countries relate mostly the typhoid Salmonella serovars. In the less industrialized area of the world, in particular in the Indian subcontinent and South East Asia, typhoid and paratyphoid fevers occur both in epidemic and endemic form, and remain a major public health problem. The burden of typhoid fever worldwide is further compounded by the spread of multiple drug resistant S. typhi. Most of the recent publications on typhoid and paratyphoid fever water-borne infections in developing countries are from the Asian continent. Differently from typhoidal Salmonella strains, non-typhoidal salmonellae, the ubiquitous subtypes found in a number of animal species, are more frequently associated to foodborne than to water-borne transmission. These zoonotic Salmonella serovars tend to cause acute but usually self-limiting gastroenteritis (Levantesi et al, 2011). According to (Smith 2008)The pathogenicity of salmonella is called salmonellosis, the major site of which the lining of the intestinal tract. Because of their toxic properties every known strain of salmonella can cause anyone three types of salmonellosis: (1) acute gastroenteritis of the food type infection.(2) septicemia or acute sepsis with localized complications similar to pyogenic infections, and (3) enteric fever such as typhoid or paratyphoid fevers. Salmonella typhi A short motile nonencapsulated bacillus, S.typhi grows luxuriantly on all ordinary media. It grows best under aerobic conditions bit may grow anaerobically. The temperature range growth is from 4 ° to 40 °C., the optimum, 37 °C. typhoid bacilli can survive outside the body, living about 1 week in sewage contaminated water and not only living but multiplying in milk. They may be viable in fecal matter for 1 or 2 months. They are pathogenic because of their endotoxins. Their pathogenicity causes typhoid fever is an acute infectious disease with continuous fever, skin eruptions, bowel disturbances, and profound toxemia. Except in the first few days, leukopenia is always present in uncomplicated cases, probably because typhoid bacilli depress the bone marrow, where normal production of white blood cells occurs. Leukocytosis in the course of the disease signals complication. (Smith 2008) 2.2 Related Studies According to Brown (2009), gram-negative intestinal pathogens have a diverse population of bacteria of which two of the enteric intestinal pathogens that are of prime medical concern are the salmonella and shigella. The salmonella and shigella are both pathogenic bacteria that cause typhoid fever and human dysentery, respectively. Since the gram-negative intestinal pathogens has a such diverse population it has many genera of species like the Escherichia, Proteus, Enterobacter, Pseudomonas, and Clostridium that exists on large numbers, hence it is necessary to use media that are differential and selective to favor the growth of the pathogens since all of the species can be divided into lactose fermenting and non-lactose fermenting bacteria. Hiriart et al. (2001) worked on the Helicobacter pylori and Other Enteric Bacteria in Freshwater Environments in Mexico City. They observed that all samples analyzed showed the presence of enteric bacteria with or without the presence of H. pylori, indicating that water from these sources is a potential health risk for gastrointestinal diseases. The major positivity of H. pylori coincides with the major positivity of indicator and other enteric bacteria, which are both associated with contaminated water. In another study Marion et al. (2010) worked on the association gastrointestinal illness and recreational water exposure at an inland U.S beach. Relationships between water quality indicators and reported adverse health outcomes among users of a beach at an inland U.S lake was observed to be a significant risk factor for GI illness. . Papadopoulo et al.(2008) worked on the microbial quality of indoor and outdoor swimming pools in greece. They found out that three indoor swimming pools and two outdoor swimming are present with bacteria, protozoa and fungi Such as Multi-resistant Pseudomonas alcaligenes, Leuconostoc, and staphyloccus aureus( isolated from teaching pool), Staphylococcus werneri. Chryseobacterium indologenes and Ochrobactrum anthropic (isolated from completion pools) Pseudomonas aeruginosa, P. fluorescens, Aeromonas hydrophila, Enterbacter cloacae, Klebsiella pneumonia and S. aureus (isolated from the hydrotherapy pool and A. hydrophilla (isolated from the hotel pool) were related to water outbreaks. Schets et al. (2010) worked on the exposure assessments for swimmers in bathing waters and swimming pools. they found out that the swallowed volume or water appears different for men, women, and children, but also in fresh water, seawater and swimming pools also the frequency and duration of swimming do also differ for men, women, and children and in different water types, and provide a basis for the identification of high risk population under specific circumstances, e.g. due to their extended water contact and frequent head submersions, children may be more prone to contract otitis external due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections. Certainly a waterborne infection depends on the total bacterial counts, the immune status of the subjects, and polluted waters. The results of the past studies demonstrate the variability of the recreational water quality and the need for continuous monitoring. Chapter 3 METHODOLOGY Research Design This study will use descriptive study design that involves in the identification of enteric bacteria in selected resorts in the Cavite province. There will be 20 sampling sites, 10 from swimming pools, 5 from rivers or lakes and 5 from beaches. In every sampling site there will be a total of 1 sample that will be gathered and it will be replicated into three and a total of 60 sterilized bottles with cover will be used for the 4-month period of experiment that will be done during the summer season and the rainy season. Research Setting The entire study will be conducted for 12 weeks. The identification of total bacteria and enteric bacteria will be done in Biology Research Laboratory of DLSU-D. Research Procedure Water Sample Collection (MicroMed Environmental, 2010) Sterilized 300ml wide-mouthed glass will be used in the collection of samples. Water samples will be obtained from recreational waters. The sterile containers will be plunge into the water surface until 1 foot below. Then open the bottle towards the direction of the current to allow the container to fill. Afterwards, it will be immediately sealed tightly and placed on a cooler to maintain the temperature. The samples will be obtained during the months of april and june of 2012. The chlorine concentration will also be measured using Hach Test Kit for chlorine. Chromogenic Media for Bacteria Undiluted samples will be used in the determination of total bacteria. Briefly one milliliter of sample will be spread plated onto Plate Count Agar. The plates will be incubated at 37 °C for 24 hours. Colonies that will grow will be converted into colony forming units and will be correlated to chlorine concentration and compared to enteric bacteria. For the detection of enteric bacteria the samples will be enriched in buffered peptone water for 24 hours. After 24 hours the enriched samples will be spread plated onto Salmonella-Shigella Agar and Eosin Methylene Blue Agar. Colonies resembling to enteric bacteria will be purified and confirmed using API 20E kit. Determination of the Microbial Count (BioMà ©rieux, 2002) Preparation of incubation box and inoculum will be done for the strip. In the inoculation of the strip, filling both tube and cupule of tests CIT, VP and GEL with bacterial suspension as for the remaining tests fill only the tube and not the cupule. In creating anaerobiosis ADH, LDC, ODC, H2S and URE should be overlay with mineral oil. The incubation box will be incubated for 37 °C for 24 hours. Certain color reactions will happen for the indication of positive or negative result. Data Gathering Colonies in the EMBA and PCA will be characterized using colonial characterization which includes size, form, margin, elevation, consistency, surface and pigmentation (Tabo, 2005). Biochemical test include ONPG, ADH, LDC, ODC, CIT, H2S, URE, TDA, IND, VP, GEL, GLU, MAN, INO, SOR, RHA, SAC, MEL, AMY, ARA, OX. The chlorine concentration will be measured in 0-600 mg/L. Statistical Treatment To determine the correlation between chlorine concentration and total bacteria and enteric bacteria, a simple correlation will be used. All statistical analysis will be conducted in STATA 9.0 with 0.05 as level of significance. APPENDIX A GANTT CHART APPENDIX B BUDGET PROPOSAL Item Volume/Mass Estimated Price (PhP) Quantity Expense (PhP) EQUIPMENTS AND KITS Biomerieux Inc Biomerieux API 20E KIT 100g Pack of 100 20160 13000.00 1 13000.00 Hachs Chlorine Test Strips, 0-600mg/L Pack of 2890200 876.31 1 876.31 AGARS Salmonella-Shigella Agar 50 g 500.00 1 500.00 Eosin Methylene Blue Agar 50 g 500.00 1 500.00 Plate Count Agar 500.00 1 500.00 TOTAL 15376.31 APPENDIX C LETTER TO THE HOSPITAL March 13, 2012 Ms. Teresita E. Guevarra Medical Records Head De La Salle University Medical Center Dear Ms. Guevarra: Greetings in the name of St. John Baptist De La Salle! We are writing to ask permission from you in getting information that we will need for our thesis defense on the upcoming December 2012. We are Human Biology major students from De La Salle University-Dasmarià ±as and we are going to conduct a study regarding the possible prevalence of enteric bacteria in selected resorts in Dasmarià ±as, Cavite. Regarding this, we would like to request for the following information: Reported cases of salmonellosis and acute gastroenteritis in this hospital for the last two years (2010 and 2011) We are hoping for your positive response towards our request. If ever the information we need will not be available today, you may contact us at 09164745448 and 09272546946. Thank you very much for your time. Sincerely, Ron Matthew A. Flores John Paul A. Flores Noted by: ____________________ _____________________ Mrs. Hazel Ann L. Tabo Dr. Carmelita C. Cervillon BSD Faculty, DLSU-D (Thesis Adviser) College Dean, DLSU-D _____________________ Ms Cherry Z. Cuevas, MS BSD Chair, DLSU-D APPENDIX D COLOR REACTION TESTS RESULTS (negative) + RESULTS (positive) ONPG colorless yellow ADH Yellow red/orange LDC Yellow red/orange ODC Yellow red/orange CIT pale green/yellow blue-green/blue H2S colorless/gray black deposit URE Yellow red/orange TDA Yellow brown-red IND Yellow red (2 min.) VP colorless pink/red (10 min.) GEL no diffusion of black black diffuse GLU blue/blue-green yellow MAN blue/blue-green yellow INO blue/blue-green yellow SOR blue/blue-green yellow RHA blue/blue-green yellow SAC blue/blue-green yellow MEL blue/blue-green yellow AMY blue/blue-green yellow ARA blue/blue-green yellow OX colorless/yellow violet LITERATURE CITED Amador RM, Amante PP. Detection and isolation of coliform bacteria in Laguna de Bay Brgy. Landayan San Pedro Laguna; 2001. p.67. Bago CEM, Linantud JF, Ortiz MP. Stability and Profitability of Resort Business in Dasmarinas, Cavite. 2004. P.1-2-ix-29. Barwicks RS., Levy DA., Craun GF., Beach MJ., Calderon RL. 2000. Surveillance for water borne-Disease Outbreaks-united-states ,1997-1998 CDC Brown, A. E. 2005. Bensons Microbiological Applications 9th Edition, McGraw Hill, New York. Beumer, R.R., et al., 1991. Enzyme-linked immunoassays for the detection of Salmonella spp.: a comparison with other methods, Elsevier Science Publisher, B.V. 0168-1605/91 Carteciano JA., 2004. Four Emerging Bacteria: So Tiny, So deadly. National Research Council of the Philippines. Hammer Sr. M, Hammer Jr. M. Water and waste water technology. New Jersey; 2004.p.140 Levantesi, C., et al., 2011.Salmonella in surface and drinking water: Occurrence and water-mediated transmission, Food Research International, doi:10.1016/j.foodres.2011.06.037; Mann, D. Beware of Recreational Water Illnesses, WebMD. [Internet]. 2005 [cited 2011 December 28]. Available from HYPERLINK http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/beware-of-recreational-water-illnesses Marion, J., et al., 2010.Association of Gastrointestinal illness and recreational water exposure at inland U.S beach, water research international; Martin, M., et al., 1995.Assessment of microbiology quality for swimming pools in South America. MicroMed Environmental, Inc. [Internet]. 2010 [cited 2012 March 25]. Available from HYPERLINK http://www.igmicromed.com/docs.html Montano JM, Abear R. 2000.Detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in relation to microbial population of selected swimming pools in dasmarinas cavite. De la Salle University Dasmarinas. p.52. Schets F., et al., Exposure Assessment of swimmers in bathing water and swimming pools, water research. 2010. Tabo, Norbel A. 2005. Laboratory Manual in Microbiology, Rex Bookstore Inc, Manila. p. 63-67 Yoder JS., Hlavasa MC., Craun GF., Hill V., Roberts V., Yu PA., Hicks LA., Alexander NT., Calderon RL., Roy SL., and Beach MJ.2008. Surveillance for waterborne disease and outbreaks associated with recreational water use and other aquatic facility- associated health events-united states 2005-2006- CDC.

Schindlers list Essay -- essays research papers

Oscar Schindler Oskar Schindler would never have been anyone’s ideal savior, especially for the Jewish community. He was an open member of the Nazi party, a womanizer, a gambler, an alcoholic, and was extremely money hungry, but was successfully able to rescue and save from death over twelve hundred Jewish men and women. Schindler was born on April 28th, 1908 in Zwittua, Czechoslavakia. He was born Catholic and into a wealthy family, but started early on a life of sin. In 1930 he moved to Poland in hopes of becoming a success in business. As the Holocaust was just in its’ beginnings, he was able to get his hands on an enamel wear factory on Lapowa Street in in Krakow. This was one of the factories that used to owned and ran by a Jewish individual, but was then stripped away from them like all other businesses that were stolen away from the Jewish people during the Holocaust. The location of the factory was only a few miles away from the ghettos. Schindler quickly moved in on the SS off icers and tried to make close ties with them in order to gain connections with high authority. He showered them with women, money, alcohol, and other desired objects. From his new acquaintances he obtained free employment from the Jewish â€Å"slaves† of the labor camps. In order to keep his factory and the money he was making, Schindler changed his factory to cater to wartime needs. The factory was modified from producing enamel wares to ammuntion, but the ammunition was faulty and did not work. S...

Comparing the Epic of Gilgamesh, Hesiods Theogony, and Ovids Metamorp

Comparing the Epic of Gilgamesh, Hesiod's Theogony, and Ovid's Metamorphoses   Ã‚   There are many parallels between the Epic of Gilgamesh, Hesiod's Theogony, and Ovid's Metamorphoses. The first similarity is immediately apparent: structure. We can view the structure of the Gilgamesh story as three concentric circles: a story within a story within a story. In the outer circle, a narrator prepares the audience for the primary narrative, contained within the second circle: the tale of Gilgamesh's adventures. Within this second circle a third narrative, the flood story, is told to Gilgamesh by Utanapishtim. Ovid's Metamorphoses is told in a similar way: Ovid starts out by telling of his intention and invoking the gods' help to tell the story. He then tells many tales as the primary narrative, and within the primary narrative exists other narratives, such as "Venus tells Adonis the story of Atalanta" in Book 10. Even Hesiod's Theogony is similar to some extent. He has a bit of a prologue in which he explains how the Muses have inspired him to write of the creat ion, and then he enters the primary creation narrative. This method of storytelling does a variety of things. First, it prepares the reader to accept the story. In Gilgamesh, the narrator tells us that Gilgamesh has set down his adventures in his own hand. This leads the reader to accept the story as an authoritative one, especially considering it has come from a mortal, like us, who is part god. Because Gilgamesh is part god, we realize that if he can accept his lot in life, his mortality, then we mere mortals should be able to do the same. In Theogony, Hesiod prepares his audience to accept the story by telling (ad nauseum) that the Muses have worked through him to create... ...M.E.L. Early Mesopotamia and Iran. McGraw-Hill: New York, 1965. Ovid. Metamorphoses. Trans. Rolfe Humphries. Bloomington, IN: Indiana UP, 1983. Rosenberg, Donna. "Gilgamesh." World Mythology: An Anthology of the Great Myths and Epics. 3rd ed. Lincolnwood, IL: NTC Publishing Group, 1999. 26-57. Swisher, Clarice. The Ancient Near East. Lucent Books: San Diego, 1995. Works Consulted The "Epic of Gilgamesh": An Outline. Online. 15 Feb. 2000. http://www.hist.unt.edu/ane-09.htm Sumerian Mythology FAQ. Online. 15 Feb. 2000. http://webster.unh.edu/%7Ecbsiren/sumer-faq.html Gardner, John and John Maier. Gilgamesh: Translated from the Sin-leqi-unninni version. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1984. Harris, Stephen L. â€Å"Gilgamesh.† The Humanist Tradition in World Literature. Ed. Stephen Harris. Columbus, OH: Charles E. Merrill Publishing Co., 1970.

Are People Unwise to Pursue Love Even When They Know It Will Cause Them Pain? Essay

Love is an important aspect of life, as it is a powerful bond of closeness, trust and understanding. History, literature and science are filled with examples of people aspiring after their love when consequences can be seen easily. These historical figures achieved great height and are remembered by people. Loss and pain are inevitable, and they are worth it when love, whether of a person , a cause or a country, is pursued. Facing pain is not unwise but rather heroic. Love can be sudden attraction that could pull people in, even when they know this love will not last and is forbidden. Marie Curie was a passionate physicist and chemist who is famous for her pioneering research on radioactivity, as she was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize. Her husband was also an instructor at the school of physics and chemistry; it was their mutual interest in natural sciences that drew them together. However only after eleven years of marriage, Pierre was killed in a road accident, leaving Marie devastated by his death. After five years of his death, in 1911 it was revealed to the public that she was having an affair with physicist Paul Langevin, who was already a married man and a former student of Pierre’s. After the news broke, the Swedish Academy of Sciences even banned her from receiving her Nobel Prize. Marie challenged the Academy and attended the ceremony and this perhaps was her most courageous act. If then she had retreated, her career would have been over. She did not fear and staunchly believed that eventually her reputation and honor would be restored. Marie Curie, knowing the consequences of what her love might lead her to, decided to pursue it publicly, knowing it will risk her entire career. We can certainly not call her love unwise. It is a passionate love and it is to be remembered for ever. Even though pain of loss is an unavoidable consequence of love, it should not stop people from being in love. Life is followed by opposites: if we gain success then we also must be ready to lose something we possess. If we have good morals, then they will be ultimately challenged by corrupt forces. However these negative forces should not be a reason to stop us from reaching our goal and cherish every moment of love we can pursue. Recently I have received heartbreaking news from a relative saying his friend’s partner passed away from a fatal car accident. The woman clearly loved the man a lot, even after he was gone she suffered mental depression for several weeks. But the times they were together were the most prized moments of his life. They had a wonderful journey in life together, and even though they are forever apart, he can keep the thought of his wife in mind to gather courage and overcome difficulties in life. This shows determination and also shows that love is never unwise to pursue as long as it is true love. There is no doubt that a life pursuing love is greater than one that is blend. Love is a natural emotion that every living creature experiences. It will only be selfish and an act against way of life to deny the wonderful experience of closeness, peace, and happiness that everyone is meant to have. History, literature and life itself bear witness to that idea every day.

Effects on Hurricane Igor

The Effects of Hurricane Igor The people of Newfoundland and Labrador are used to watching natural disasters on television, not usually do they get to expierence them up front. But on September 22, 2010 Newfoundland and Labrador was hit by Hurricane Igor,a storm that effected everyone in different ways. Some of the effects of Hurricane Igor were flooding and power outages that lasted up to 12 days. The Hurricane ripped through Newfoundland as a category 1 Hurricane, and left at least 30 communities in state of emergency.This was definitely something that the people of Newfoundland were not expecting to get so serious, and definitely were not ready for. As a result of Hurricane Igor the amount of rain that had fallen which was more than 200 millimetres caused flash floods which destroyed roads, bridges, and even homes. In some places flood water was higher than entire homes. Igor ruined thousands of homes do to water damages. Many people lost everything in there homes. One of the St. John's soccer fields were completely destroyed as a esult of the storm costing the city a lot of money. In one extreme case an 80 year old man from Random Island was swept off to sea when the road beneath him was washed away. Rain was one of the major factors causing damage but there were also other extreme factors. Power outages were also a damaging factor which effected numerous homes throughout the island. Winds as high as 140 km/h not only broke off poles but also knocked down trees which in return knocked down a large number of power lines. This power disruption affected as many as 7,000 households and usinesses leaving them without power for several days. The Eastern School District was forced to close schools. In most cases up to a week or until power was restored. To help cope with the power outages places like The Salvation Army provided assisstance to people throughout the island by providing them food, clothing and shelter. This was a great help until power restored. As a result of Hurricane Igor, people who have experienced it first hand now realize how vunerable they are to natural disasters and now know that this s not something you just watch on television. This also taught the people of Newfoundland and Labrador how to better themselves for future similar occurances. For example, there was recentley a category 3 Hurricane Leslie which caused a lot of the same distruction. But at the same time, people were better prepared to cope with the Hurricane by taking it more seriously and not just waiting until it was to late to react. Which in conclusion would have made this storm a lot worse than what it was. Sarah Stevenson