Sunday, August 18, 2019
The Internet Has a Negative Impact on American Families Essay -- Argum
The Internet Has a Negative Impact on American Families Does the Internet truly have a negative impact on todayââ¬â¢s family life? Many say that is most definitely does. Have you ever known someone who is obsessed with the Internet or spends more time on the Internet than they had intended to? You might begin to think they are addicted. Ricco Siasoco defines Internet addiction as ââ¬Å"a broad term including users addicted to chat rooms, auctions, web surfing, among others.â⬠These other Internet addictions may include cyber relationships, gaming, and trading. I have read several articles related to Internet addiction, and can not come to a conclusion on whether or not it is a true addiction. However, I do believe that the Internet does have a negative effect on American families. There have been many studies performed to research the idea of Internet addiction. It is just like any other addiction, including gambling, alcoholism, and eating disorders, and all of which destroy families in one way or another. Experiments created by psychologists and sociologists to explain the addiction resemble those of pathological gamblers described in the DSM-IV.[1] Using that information, a survey was made to determine if users have Internet addiction. The questionnaire includes eight questions such as ââ¬Å"Do you feel the need to use the Internet with increasing amounts of time in order to achieve satisfaction?â⬠and ââ¬Å"Do you use the Internet as a way of escaping from problems or of relieving a dysphoric mood?â⬠Participants who answered yes to five or more of the questions were considered addicted Internet users. One aspect of the Internet that people can become addicted to is Cybersex and Cyber R... ...e), and Stage III Balance (Normal). ââ¬Å"Some people simply get caught in Stage I and never move beyond it. They may need some help to get to Stage III,â⬠declares Grohol. Internet users are being tested for addiction, because of how it effects their lives. Most people may think that it is not a major issue. However, as you can see, many lives and families are destroyed because of the Internet. Who knows if there will be new laws against chat rooms to stop cyber relationships? Could our government stop online gaming? I donââ¬â¢t think people will be able to stop trading online, because of its convenience. This leads me to one last question: Will Internet addiction be the next disorder in the DSM-IV? [1] Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders- Fourth Edition. [2] http://psychcentral.com/netaddiction/, by John M. Grohol, Psy.D.
Saturday, August 17, 2019
Big Foot
The Mystery of Bigfoot Bigfoot is unquestionably North Americaââ¬â¢s biggest crypto zoological mystery. The idea of Bigfoot has been around for hundreds of years, its history and possible sightings have been documented for years on end. Throughout history, man has battled the topic of Bigfoot and if this creature really does exists. Researchers have found arguable evidence, and numerous sightings have been reported throughout North America. Then again, roughly 70% of sightings reported are a misidentification.Bigfoot supposedly inhabits forests mainly in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. Scientists discount the existence of Bigfoot and consider it to be a combination ofà folklore, misidentification, andà hoax, rather than a living animal. So the question remains, is the existence of this creature fact or fiction? So where does the name ââ¬Å"Bigfootâ⬠come anyway? It is said that this Indian-sounding word was coined in the 1920ââ¬â¢s by J. W. Burns, a tea cher who for fours years collected stories about wild, hairy giants from his Chehalis Indian friends.Burns combined several similar Native Canadiansââ¬â¢ names for these creatures and created the word ââ¬Å"Sasquatchâ⬠. In recent years, scientists and folklorists looking to bring respectability to the subject but most North Americans still use the name ââ¬Å"Bigfootâ⬠. The first use of the now widely used label did not occur until a construction worker named Jerry Crew appeared at a northern California newspaper office with a cast of the alleged Bigfootââ¬â¢s foot found in the mud in Bluff Creek Valley.Hundreds of people have reported seeing the Bigfoot or itââ¬â¢s footprints but none have physical evidence to back up their stories. They describe the creature as standing from seven to ten feet tall and weighing more than six hundred pounds. The distinctive footprint shows a track as left by a giant five toed human foot. The average length is fourteen to sixteen inches long. The most controversial evidence of Bigfoot's existence is the infamous Patterson video. It was filmed in 1967 near Bluff Creek California. By Roger Patterson, an amateur Bigfoot hunter and rodeo cowboy.In the video, which was filmed in a dry creek bed, Bigfoot appears to be walking along the creek bed, and at one point even stared at the camera. The footage has been analyzed many times by scientists, some of which say the footage is realistic while others do not. Many times when people see something like Bigfoot they think that they will be ridiculed by their friends and neighbors, so they keep there encounter secret for many years. Until others tell their stories. The top three questions that come into some ones mind when they hear about Bigfoot are ââ¬Å"is he man, myth or creature? . Many do not believe of such a creature lurking the forests and are uneducated on the topic so they come to the quick conclusion that someone disguised himself in a costume for attention perhaps. The majority believes strongly that Bigfoot is evidently a myth or hoax for the simple logic that there is not enough evidence to prove Bigfootââ¬â¢s existence. The most arguable evidence are footprints that can be easily replicated to furthermore puzzle scientists. Also, the lack of carcasses and excrements just donââ¬â¢t add up.Lastly, the big question of is it just a creature which means every sighting would have to be a misidentification. Scientists do believe and have partial evidence that Bigfoot could be a relative with an ancient ape named ââ¬Å"Gigantopithecusâ⬠. Then again, some footprints have been reported with claw marks, which could be a grizzle bear. Many can speculate the existence of Bigfoot but until a body is scientifically examined, the riddle of Bigfoot will continue as one of cryptozoologyââ¬â¢s biggest and most famous enigmas. Even if Bigfoot is just one big hoax, the myth will live on forever.
Friday, August 16, 2019
To Kill a Mocking Bird Character Analysis
ââ¬Å"To Kill a Mockingbird,â⬠Arthur Raddled is thought to be a cruel and evil person; in reality, he is actually a very kind and generous person. His kindness is evident during the fire at Miss Muddies home. ââ¬Å"Boo Raddled. You were so busy looking at the fire you didn't know it when he put the blanket around you. â⬠(Attic's 96). This dialogue shows that Arthur Raddled is actually a very kind, caring person; he realized hat Scout was cold and he put his own blanket around her to keep her warm.He generously gave Scout the blanket, knowing she was cold and showing sympathy for Scout, who has even mocked Boo with Gem. This generous nature Arthur Ready Dollops Raymond is also another person who appears to be drunk and is disliked by the community, although in reality all he is drinking from his sack is coca-cola; he is actually a very gentle person, which is evident when he tells Scout, ââ¬Å"l try to give ââ¬Ëme a reason, you see?Dollops Raymond realizes that the c ommunity dislikes and shuns mixed race families, so he fakes being drunk to give Macomb a reason for him marrying a black woman. He realizes that people would be more uncomfortable around him if they thought he was a N-lover, and instead makes them believe he Is married too black woman because he Is drunk. His reason for ââ¬Ëdrinking' shows that he is gentle with the public, so they aren't as uncomfortable with his family as they would be if he wasn't ââ¬Ëdrinking.
Leadership Principles Essay
Abstract This paper explores the definition of leadership, and how applying the principles of leadership can yield more success for teams in the workplace. It also serves to further explore personality self-evaluation and how personality traits help to define an individualââ¬â¢s leadership likely traits and strengths. Reference will be made to personality assessments such as the ââ¬Å"Meyers-Briggs Type Indicatorâ⬠(MBTI) and the ââ¬Å"Big-Five Approach to Personality Assessmentâ⬠, and what those assessments imply about an individual. While individuals tend to demonstrate particular trends and traits in relation to the personality assessments, the results are not absolute, and in no way offer definitive information about an individualââ¬â¢s specific characteristics (Scholl 2002). Detailed exploration of particular aspects and principles will yield a more refined working knowledge of leadership and practical applications in the workplace, specifically self-awareness and perso nal recognition of individual characteristics and learning styles. A summary with findings and conclusions will conclude the paper. Leadership Leadership is the ability to get a group to achieve greater accomplishments and achievements than the sum of individualsââ¬â¢ actions. Leadership means taking advantage of opportunities and finding ways to improve upon a situation, whether or not someone else gave you the empowerment to accomplish those goals (Blanchard, Fowler, and Hawkins, 2005, p. 15). Leaders have the innate ability to observe a scenario, realize what needs to happen to realize results, seize the moment and guide others to work together to accomplish a common goal. Ultimately, ââ¬Å"a leader is anyone who can give you the support and direction you need to achieve your goal.â⬠(Blanchard et al, 2005, 133). Self-Evaluation Every person is an individual, and as individuals they naturally have unique personality traits that affect how they interact and interact with others in the world. Personal assessment is a valuable tool that allows an individual to realize their own unique traits and tendencies, allowing them to be aware of precognitive tendencies that they might demonstrate in given situations. For me personally, I was assessed using the MBTI method to be an introvert, who tends to be slightly sensing, somewhat thinking, and strongly judging (https://www.typefocus.com). At first, I took some offence to being categorized in this method, but after researching the general description of my personality, as well as specific definitions of the preference categories, I came to realize that this information would ultimately empower me to become a stronger and more capable leader in the future. A summary of careers suggest that I could become a strong manager that would enjoy a workplace where I could use m y knowledge and organizational skills. I am likely to enjoy occupations that involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. (https://www.typefocus.com). I am able to ascertain that my personality traits suggest I am a person who is capable of teaching others my knowledge and other applicable skills. I am a leader who possesses both information power as well as expert power (Yukl, 2011, p. 193) Another assessment that helped me to understand about my character was the Big-Five Approach to Personality Assessment (Scholl, 2002). The Big-Five assessment provided five factors, along with several more specific traits and facets that help individuals understand and recognize concerning their personality. The five factors, or domains, are neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. My low scoring on the neuroticism portion suggests that I am a confident, optimistic individual who is even tempered and relaxed; able to face stressful situations without becoming upset (Scholl, 2002). I had a low extraversion score, suggesting that I am reserved and interpersonally formal; an independent thinker rather than a follower (Scholl, 2002). In the domain of openness, my score was almost dead center, suggesting that I do not have strong tendencies one way or the other (Scholl, 2002). I believe that this suggests that my reaction depends on the situation and the environment surrounding it. I can be curious and imaginative about certain situations, but cautious and conservative for others. Personal morals and ethics strongly influence my openness, whereas I am open to new ideas and thinking about scenarios, as long as they do not violate my personal ethical standards. For agreeableness, my slightly higher than center score suggests that I am for the most part a generous, trusting person who is sympathetic to others. At the same time, I can be suspicious and impatient with those who have disappointed me in the past. This is one aspect that I need to be aware of my past, and how it influences my present and future. I once had an assistant who I trusted complicity attempt to stage a mutiny to attempt to remove me from my position. Thankfully, my employees had enough ethical standards to make me aware of the decision, so that I could deal with the situation through the proper channels. However, as a result of that situation I have found it much more difficult to trust subordinates, and I tend to be suspicious of actions that could be viewed as disloyal and insubordinate to me as a manager and leader. For the final domain, conscientiousness, my score was again dead center, but the results for this particular section made me think more deeply about myself. I had always thought that I demonstrated the traits associated with someone who scores high for conscientiousness, but I must accept the fact that I may have tendencies that are normally for those scoring low. For me to be successful, I must constantly be aware of these traits, and be able to recognize and adjust my actions when I act in a way that is not conscientious. The guidelines representing how to promote emotional intelligence in the workplace (https://www.eiconsortium.org) suggested twenty-two steps to assess the situation, instigate change, then transfer power and evaluate how everything worked. The company I formerly worked for must have been influenced by these guidelines, as I had been introduced to the process years ago, and was a continual body of work for me as a retail manager. For every employee that was hired, whether full or part time, I had to assess them as an employee, and implement a training program that would yield the best results for the company. Teaching has always been a passion of mine, and I enjoyed showing how every employee had an impact on our store, and their effort and personal pride could have far reaching impact on our daily success, both for sales and customer satisfaction. The process of encouraging transfer and maintenance ofà change was mainly designated for the management team, but that was an essential process for our team. I simply could not do it alone: I needed every member of the management to perform to their potential, so that we could function as a team, and each member of management would learn and better their skills for the next advancement opportunity that might come along. It was through this process that I was able to train and advance several members of management, many of whom are now store managers with their own stores to run. Leadership Style My personal leadership style is supportive leadership. I will always try to empower others around me to be aware of their potential, and support them when they need assistance. As Yukl suggests, I use my interpersonal skills to be supportive and compassionate with others as they try to get their work done (Yukl, 2011, p. 64). I attempt to learn more about an individualââ¬â¢s personality, so that I can find a way to best assist them in their own growth and leadership potential. That requires a being a coach who is sometimes there to boost their confidence, and at other times kick them in the rear when they are not putting forth their best effort. At the same time, I realize that it is not possible to provide the motivation for everyone. Every individual has different motivations, and ultimately must take responsibility for creating their own work environment (Blanchard et al, 2005, p.29). I am aware that to be a successful leader, I need to be able to not only empower others, but to show them how to be leaders unto themselves. Every individual needs to be aware of their own strengths and powers before they can lead themselves (Blanchard et al, 2005, p.62), and I plan help others find their way to lead themselves, and ultimately lead others to success. References Blanchard, K., Fowler, S., & Hawkins, L. (2005). Self Leadership and the One Minute Manager: Increasing Effectiveness Through Situational Self Leadership. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishing, Inc. Buckingham, Marcus (2005). The One Thing You Need to Knowâ⬠¦About Great Managing, Great Leading, and Sustained Individual Success. New York, NY: Free Press. Lencioni, Patrick (2002). The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Scholl, Richard (2002). Dispositions: The Big 5 Personality Assessment. Retrieved from University of Rhode Island, Labor Research Center Web site: http://www.uri.edu/research/lrc/scholl/webnotes/Dispositions_Big_5.htm Yukl, Gary (2011). Leadership In Organizations, Eighth Edition. San Francisco, CA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Thursday, August 15, 2019
Legaliza of Medical Marijuana
Assignment 2 Write your outline for your research paper by filling out the following template. Outline ââ¬â Topic: Should Marijuana Be Legalized For Medical Purposes Introduction: Thesis Statement: Medical marijuana should be legalized but in the strict control of the doctor. Paragraph 1: PRO 1 Idea(s) to be developed: marijuana can relieve certain types of pain. Evidence/Examples: The evidence is overwhelming that marijuana can relieve certain types of pain, nausea, vomiting and other symptoms caused by such illnesses as multiple sclerosis, cancer and AIDS.Source(s) used: Joycelyn Elders, Mar. 26, 2004 Paragraph 2: PRO 2 Idea(s) to be developed: It's a matter between doctors and patients. Evidence/Examples:If doctors believe that it does help, and will be useful to the patient, they have the right to appoint it! Source(s) used: Aug. 9, 2007 ââ¬â Dennis Kucinich Paragraph 3: PRO 3 Idea(s) to be developed: Marijuana clearly has medicinal value. Evidence/Examples: Thousands of seriously ill Americans have been able to determine that for themselves, albeit illegally. Source(s) used: 1999 ââ¬â Lyn NofzigerParagraph 4: PRO 4 Idea(s) to be developed: Study of marijuana . Evidence/Examples: I have found in my study of these patients that cannabis is really a safe, effective and non-toxic alternative to many standard medications. There is no such thing as an overdose. Source(s) used: Nov. 17, 2005 ââ¬â Philip Denney, MD Paragraph 5: PRO 5 Idea(s) to be developed: Cannabis is remarkably safe. Evidence/Examples: Although not harmless, it is surely less toxic than most of the conventional medicines it could replace if it were legally available.Source(s) used: 1 oct. 2007 ââ¬â Lester Grinspoon, MD Paragraph 6: CON 1 Idea(s) to be presented: It is addictive. Refutation :Marijuana is not the safe drug portrayed by the marijuana lobby. It is addictive; it adversely affects the immune system; leads to the use of other drugs such as cocaine; is linked to cas es of cancer; causes respiratory diseases, mental disorders, including psychosis, depression, panic attacks, hallucinationsâ⬠¦ Source(s) used:Oct. 1, 2004 ââ¬â Janet Lapey, MD
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
Opre 6371 Case 5-2
6Case 5-2: Rondot Automotive Name: Lovee Sachdeva, Bin Wen, Matthew Miles, Ryan Buxbaum ,Yuguang Wang, Shaoying Lu. Group: 3 Date: 2/22/2013 ââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬â- Situation: * Glenn Northcott is the purchasing planner at Rondot Automobile in Jackson, Mississippi. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rondot Worldwide, a leading global designer and manufacturer of electrical and electronic components. Note: You are Glenn) * Responsible for evaluation the outsourcing opportunity * Meet with Terry Gibson and purchasing manager to decide whether or not to take actions on outsourcing * Glenn had been approached by Greven E-Coating willing to provide electro coating services to Rondot Automobile * Goals of decision making: Reducing the total costs while maintaining and minimizing the risks from any changes made * Considerable global competition under severe cost pressure * Cust omerââ¬â¢s price reduction pressure expectancies from global competition * Total Sales and employment at the Jackson plant had steadily declined * Company is under significant pressure on cost reduction. The companyââ¬â¢s current priority is to reduce operation costs * Rondot is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rondot Worldwide, a leading global designer and manufacturer of electrical and electronic components. Rondot Automotive operated 85 plants in 25 countries. The purchasing organization at Rondot automotive had a hybrid structure and the Jackson plantââ¬â¢s purchasing department consisted of four people, including two buyers, a planner (Glen) and Terry Gibson. * Schedule with the purchasing manager, Terry Gibson, and the plant manager, Dick Taylor in one week, and both of them are under significant pressure to reduce costs at Jackson plant. * Greven E-Coating outsourcing opportunity * Greven E-Coating Company uses a system whereby a DC electrical charge is applied to a met al part immersed in a bath of oppositely charged paint particles. * Considered more cost efficient compared to traditional wet paint systems * Samples provided from Greven E-Coating Company Tests results: 5/6 of families of housings could be converted to e-coaring using Greven at a cost of 15 cents each * Parts for five of the six represents 60% of the Jackson Plantââ¬â¢s volume * Failure because of different methods of adhesion of a magnet to the housing. Hot ââ¬âbond adhesion process fits e-coating while cold-bond adhesion process does not fit e-coating system Current situation: * Total sales and employment at the Jackson plant had steadily declined over the past five years. * The number of employees at the plant had dropped from 1450 to 600 and plant management was under pressure to lower costs and regain market share. * Glenn has the option to do outsourcing on cleaning and painting work to Greven E-Coating. Glenn needs to come up with an ideal recommendation on how to re duce the cost and propose that to Terry Gibson and Dick Taylor. * The cleaning and wet painting had been installed 17 years prior and undergone a number of upgrades, and the current painting method costs 25 cents for each housing. (There are six parts in a housing family) BASIC ISSUES 1. Company to take decision on insourcing or outsourcing 2. Higher costs related to painting & cleaning 3. Lack of advanced technology to compete in cost reduction for a lower price 4. A decision to make, once made, is often difficult to reserve. If Rondot Automobile decides to make agreements on e-coating system, The plant needs to convert 100% hot-bond adhesion system 5.Total cost of converting 40% of cold-bond adhesion system to the total cost savings: Long-Term estimation, not short term 6. Whether the use of e-coating will lead to sole source dependency: Is the e-coating system a common painting method in market? 7. The durability of e-coating VS. of traditional coating system 8. Cost benefits ana lysis on the process 9. Inexperienced decision making on outsourcing opportunity Tasks: * What does Richard Kaplan do? Richard needs to clarify and calculate the total cost savings and the cost of converting from cold-bond adhesion to hot-bond adhesion * 25 Cents * 6 = $1. 50 * 15 Cents * 6 = $0. 90 * Does the difference $0. 60 can cover the conversion from traditional wet coating system to e-coating system? The durability and re-paint rate is also needed to consider: If the wet-coating system has durability of 10 years while e-coating repaint rate is 8 years, The total cost of conversion from traditional wet-coating system to e-coating system will increase significantly * What are alternatives? * Negotiate with Greven E-Coating for a lower costs * Conduct a careful research on both advantages and disadvantages of E-coating system * Search for more options in potential sources and substitute items other than traditional wet-painting and e-coating * The challenge of maintaining long- term technological and economic viability for the possible 100% hot-bond adhesion system * The revision of policy of supplier selection Criteria of standardization and policies regarding the choosing of suppliers * An understanding of the market conditions in order to set appropriate expectations for the price provided from Greven E- Coating * Analyze data collected for cost and technical information * Identify the root causes of sales decline. If the sales revenue can be improved, the company can maintain the current painting process to avoid future external risks * * Determine that is the cold-bond adhesion system a necessary facility for the particular family to manufacture any specified electrical and electronic components * Dose this outsourcing plan fit the business goals and objectives? * What does the companyââ¬â¢s top management think about the Jackson plantââ¬â¢s outsourcing plan? * Which level of management makes a final decision on outsourcing? Talk to manufacturin g manager and clarify more information about cold-bond adhesion * Talk to the manager in the family that uses cold-bond adhesion system. Clarify the reason why the family of housing choose to use cold-bond adhesion * Identify and estimate total cost to uninstall and setup the new bond system if the method of adhering a magnet to the housing is not mandatory SUGGESTED QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION; 1. How to make analysis of the cost of switching current painting process versus the cost of setting up a painting process? What kinds of training should be provided due to the new standards of temperature, air and etc? 2. If the result of outsourcing is rejected, is the subcontracting an alternative for the company?What are the benefits and risks of using reverse auctions for specialized OEM parts? 3. What risk management and contractual steps are necessary before moving company owned tooling to a new supplier? 4. What are the benefits and risks of outsourcing? Actions: * Determination of deta iled function & mandatory of Cold-Bond Adhesion system * Meet with both Manufacturing manager and the family manager in Jackson Plant. * Determine the total costs of uninstallation the current cold-bond adhesion system and the installation of hot-bond adhesion system * Total Cost Savings calculation * Identify the cost savings potential after the modification. With the newly modified standards, communicate with Greven E-Coating and analyze the decision based on the feedbacks from the supplier. * Determine whether the total cost savings can cover the conversion cost from cold-bond adhesion system to hot-bond system * Estimate the future necessity and future technological tendency of replacing traditional wet paint to E-Coating. If the company is going to replace the traditional wet painting in the future anyway, the cost of conversion can be ignored. * Talk with Betty McKinley again and determine the detailed cost of holding two more weeks of inventory * Make agreements on price and quantity, meanwhile negotiate the term of warranty and quality assurance with Greven E-Coating Results: If accept outsourcing opportunity * Cost savings:25-15-3=7 cents on each housing * Add another two weeks worth of inventory * Lower labor and material costs * Product price reductions i. e. ability to offer reduced price to customers. * Become more competitive and there will be a gradual increase in the profit and market share. * If not accepting outsourcing opportunity (i. e.. using the earlier system ) * No savings- no price reductions * Reduce risk for investment * Extra cost in upgrading the system * Spending on more labor in this operation which results in additional costs * May result in lower operating time * Extra time for testing upgraded system. If total cost savings is greater than the costs of uninstallation of Cold-bond adhesion + Installation of hot-bond adhesion + extra inventory carrying costs: * Prepare the agreements and contract documentation on outsourcing deci sion with Greven E-Coating * The contract content with Greven E-Coating tends to be short-term to avoid sole-source dependency situation. Reach out lower priced suppliers while maintain the quality assurance * If total cost savings is equal to or less than the costs of uninstallation of Cold-bond adhesion + Installation of hot-bond adhesion + extra inventory carrying costs: * Determine the importance of common tendency of using E-coating for other manufacturing companies.If the E-coating is not mandatory in the future market, reject the outsourcing plan to avoid extra possible risks * Find out other alternative ways to reduce total costs, such as reduction of labor costs, manufacturing overhead or the replacement of cost-efficient equipment or facilities Priorities: * Maintain cost reduction at the Jackson plant. * Increase sales volume and high market share. * Ensure a successful outsourcing decision. * Maintain companyââ¬â¢s reputation-image for reliability. Conclusion: The pai nting process should be outsourced in order to achieve significant cost savings. Ensure supplier selection process is properly done, forecast and mitigate against outsourcing inherent risks and ensure quality standard is met at all times. These will help in achieving a successful outsourcing agreement.
Tuesday, August 13, 2019
Maternal & infant health (for Australia's Indigenous Peoples) Essay
Maternal & infant health (for Australia's Indigenous Peoples) - Essay Example The richness and the complexity of the original culture of these people was poorly understood by the colonisers and their current descendants, leading to legislations and polices that worked against them. Thus, the indigenous Australians suffered from social exclusion, colonisation and economic marginalisation (Thackrah and Scott, 2007). As a consequence, the Indigenous people not only lost their spiritual well being, they also suffered from other aspects like racism, poverty, poor economy and poor health. One of the significant consequences and current day problem is poor health (Thackrah and Scott, 2007). Poor health has affected all age groups and both sexes among the Indigenous community (Thackrah and Scott, 2007). Of significant interest is poor maternal health. In this essay, the influence of various government policies and legislation on maternal health of Indigenous Australian population will be discussed. The original inhabitants of the continent of Australia and the nearby islands are known as the Indigenous Australians. They are either Torres Strait Islanders or Aboriginal Islanders and they make up more than 2.5 percent of the population of Australia. While the former are indigenous to the Islands of Torres Strait located in the Northern part of Queensland near Papua New Guinea, the latter are indigenous to the mainland Australia, Tasmania and some adjacent islands. The Indigenous communities are diverse and are a mixture of various customers, cultures and languages (Thackrah and Scott, 2007). Prior to colonisation, Indigenous people were active and hunter gatherers. They ate food that was low in fat, sugar, salt and high in fibre. They expended energy to obtain food and water. Thus they maintained good health. However, following colonisation, the change in dietary and lifestyle habits led to development of chronic degenerative diseases like hypertension, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. They subsequently became exposed to various commu nicable diseases that rapidly spread among their communities (Anderson and Grossman, 2003). They were forced to be influenced by the Western ideas of health and wellness which basically were different in the Indigenous communities. For example, while according to the WHO (1946) "health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity", according to the Aboriginal people, health is a multi-dimensional concept that embraces all aspects of living. According to the National Aboriginal and Island Health Organisation, "health is not just the physical well being of the individual but the social emotional and cultural well-being of the whole community. This is a whole-of-life view and it also includes the cyclical concept of life.â⬠(Eckermann et al 1992). Thus, health of the Indigenous people declined because of not only physical contact with the European settlers, but also because of destruction of their culture and dev elopment of mental pain. Principals and beliefs about health were incompatible between the Western practitioners and Aboriginal people. For example, the Indigenous people are resistant to hospital attendance because they think that it is a place to die. They rely more on community
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