Social and Cultural Framing in America Essay Example

Social and Cultural Framing in America Paper Social and Cultural Framing in America People build a series of mental filters through biological, social, and cultural influences, and they use these filters to make sense of the world. This is called framing. Framing is so effective because it is a mental shortcut, human beings are by nature lazy thinkers, and we don’t like to think too much or too hard. Frames provide people a quick and easy way to process information. Diana Kendall, a sociology professor at Baylor University has studied how mass media has portrayed upper, middle, working, and poverty classes by how they stereotype them in different ways. Rather than providing a meaningful analysis of inequality and showing realistic portrayals of life in various social classes, the media either play class differences for laughs or sweep the issue under the rug so that important distinctions are rendered invisible† (Kendall 330). The media has created the notion that in society the affluent are rewarded and the workin g class and poor are punished. TV shows like The Simple Life, Life of Luxury, and The Fabulous Life show how socio-economic classes are either played-up or minimalized and used for laughs. In a mass-mediated culture such as ours, the media do not simply mirror society; rather, they help to shape it and to create cultural perceptions† (Kendall 331). The media blurs the line between what is real and what is not when it comes to perceptions of economic or social class. Televisions shows, magazines, and newspapers tell us that the only way to move up in the world is to identify yourself with the rich and powerful and to live â€Å"vicariously† through them. My mother watches Entertainment Tonight and reads those tabloid magazines, and I constantly ask her â€Å"Why Mom? Why do you bother reading up on these people that waste their undeserved riches and get married and divorced at least 10 times? † and she just says â€Å"Well I want to know what’s going on in their life, and hear all the gossip†. But WHY?! How does their life affect YOU at all? The media bombards the middle and lower classes with these useless tabloid stories. Diana Kendall explains that â€Å"Viewers feel a sense of intimacy with elites, with whom they have little or no contact with in their daily lives† (Kendall 332). Non-elites over identify with the wealthy, because the media tells us that these upper class people are better than us. In contemporary society, equality does not exist. Although, media audiences can purchase material items that can somehow make you equal to higher class people. Take Paris Hilton, a woman famous for just being born into a wealthy family. She has made millions and millions of dollars by marketing products to her lower class fans so they can get a taste of her life, so they can be â€Å"Just like Paris†. We will write a custom essay sample on Social and Cultural Framing in America specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Social and Cultural Framing in America specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Social and Cultural Framing in America specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Not stopping at just jewelry, Ms. Hilton has decided to exploit people in even more ways: Calendars, toys, autobiographies, and another book about her dog’s life. But I can’t just pick on Paris Hilton; thousands of celebrities do the exact same thing. These egocentric people will slap their name on anything to encourage unnecessary consumerism among all their fans. The media loves to glorify the material possessions of these celebrities, as if ravenous consumerism can make you happy. People who extensively watch television have an exaggerated sense of how wealthy most Americans are and how they spend their money. Also, since television stimulates consumerist desires, extensive viewing may lead to more spending and less saving. Which makes sense, considering every commercial implies that â€Å"YOU NEED THIS† or â€Å"THIS MAKES YOUR LIFE EASIER†. Most media framing about the wealthiest class is positive, ranging from framing that depicts members of the upper class to be like everyone else, to framing that portrays them as generous, caring individuals. But the most popular type of framing for the wealthy class is called â€Å"emulation framing†. This type of framing suggests that people in all classes should â€Å"reward† themselves with a few of the perks of the wealthy, such as buying Paris Hilton’s jewelry. Many adults who try to live the â€Å"good life† through trying to buy happiness end up in the poor house. When will normal people realize that they do not have the household funds to just go off and spend food or house repair money on frivolities? Many reports are showing that middle and working class people are incurring massive debt because of the reckless spending on big houses, expensive vehicles, and other items that are beyond their budget. There is a stark contrast between the media framing of the upper class to the framing of the lower classes. At best the poor are portrayed as deserving of our sympathy only around the holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas). Around these times, the poor are depicted as people who are just down on their luck, working class families who work really hard but just can’t catch a break. The worst types of depictions of the poor are stereotypical bums, drug addicts and losers who are poor because they deserve it or because of their bad decisions. â€Å"Episodic Framing† shows some of the problems of the poor, but does not link it to larger societal problems such as limited educational opportunities, high rates of unemployment, and low paying jobs. The media will keep this status quo of depicting rich people as perfect and poor people as something to laugh at or a faceless statistic. If the media industry persists in retaining the same old frames for class, it will behoove each of us readers and viewers to break out of those frames and more thoroughly explore these issues on our own† (Kendall 346). After Hurricane Katrina, some disaster photographs were released with some controversial captions. The two pictures in the article Loot or Find: Fact or Frame? By Cheryl I. Harris and Devon W. Carbado depict two such pictures. They are both of people wading thr ough chest deep water with supplies, although the captions were different. One of them was of a black man carrying Pepsi and a suspicious black bag full of items. The caption said the black man was â€Å"looting†. The other picture showed a white couple wading through water with supplies, and the caption said they were â€Å"finding†. As you can guess, people complained that the captions accompanying the images were racially suggestive. The fact that most of the people who were not allowed to leave the city and were left to fend for themselves were overwhelmingly black made some think that maybe the executive powers did not care about blacks. We all know about Kanye West’s amusing blurt â€Å"George Bush doesn’t care about black people†. Katrina challenged the notion of â€Å"Color Blindness†, that is, that race is not a factor in how we see the world. I believe that race is a huge factor in how some people see the world. I don’t think anyone is 100% colorblind, especially when the media depicts certain races different ways. When many of the black musicians today are portrayed as tough, gritty gangsters, what are you, the viewer supposed to think? When blacks in the media are shown wearing tons of gold jewelry, baggy clothes and carrying guns, what are you going to think when you see a black man with baggy pants and jewelry walking around? I don’t think that everyone who looks that way will act a certain way, but looks are a first impression. Most of the people suffering during Katrina were black and poor, and that raised a lot of questions. Was it â€Å"†¦a case of presidential indifference? Or dislike of, poor black people? Or was it†¦the predictable consequence of a natural disaster that befell a city that just happened to be predominantly black? Was it†¦the result of a culture of dependency combined with local bureaucratic incompetence? Was race a factor in determining who survived and who did not? Or did class provide a better explanation? † (Harris and Carbado 427). The point is that during Katrina, blacks were framed into being looters, criminals, or just uncontrollable rioters. I feel that one can only explain this type of disaster if one was there in the thick of it. The existence of racial frames makes it difficult for people to confront the complex problems of racism and racial prejudices. Immigration. I am very emotionally conflicted about immigration in America today. My father’s side of my family has been in this country for around 90 years, emigrating across the Atlantic from southern Italy. My mother’s side has been here for about 50 years, coming from a French town in New Brunswick. I can imagine how difficult it was to come to a new country that wasn’t fond of foreigners, get a job, a raise a family. It’s still the same now, Mexican immigrants come into the country looking for work in a somewhat hostile environment. I hate that illegal immigrants sneak into this country, and take labor away from Americans. But I’m conflicted because America is a nation of immigrants, and if this land belongs to anyone its definatly not White Anglo-Saxon Protestants, it’s the Native Americans. In the current presidential race, some candidates don’t want immigrants in the country. But it’s usually those same candidates who give tax cuts to the wealthy and couldn’t care less about working class folks or their jobs anyway. The whole terrorism scare with immigrants is a bit tricky. I believe that there could be terrorist cells in this country, but with basically all of these guys being extremist Muslim, how can our police force, with its inefficient and bureaucratic system, go after these bad guys without being criticized for being racist and religiously prejudiced? Things are different in this country today, and we can’t cling to our old xenophobic, materialistic values anymore. How can a nation run on values and principles that were established in 1776? Things change, people change, morals change, and America needs to change or else we will run ourselves into the ground.

Armor and Weapons of the Spanish Conquistadors

Armor and Weapons of the Spanish Conquistadors Christopher Columbus discovered previously unknown lands in 1492, and within 20 years the conquest of these new lands was proceeding quickly. How were the Spanish conquistadors able to do it? The Spanish armor and weapons had much to do with their success. The Swift Success of the Conquistadors The Spanish who came to settle the New World were generally not farmers and craftsmen but soldiers, adventurers, and mercenaries looking for a quick fortune. Native communities were attacked and enslaved and any treasures they may have had such as gold, silver or pearls were taken. Teams of Spanish conquistadors devastated native communities on Caribbean islands such as Cuba and Hispaniola between 1494 and 1515 or so before moving on to the mainland. The most famous conquests were those of the mighty Aztec and Inca Empires, in Central America and the Andes mountains of South America respectively. The conquistadors who took these mighty Empires down (Hernan Cortes in Mexico in 1525 and Francisco Pizarro in Peru, 1532) commanded relatively small forces: Cortes had around 600 men and Pizarro initially had about 160. These small forces were able to defeat much larger ones. At the Battle of Teocajas, Sebastian de Benalcazar had 200 Spanish and some 3,000 Caà ±ari allies: together they fought Inca General Rumià ±ahui and a force of some 50,000 warriors to a draw. Conquistador Weapons There were two sorts of Spanish conquistadors: horsemen or cavalry and foot soldiers or infantry. The cavalry would usually carry the day in the battles of the conquest. When the spoils were divided, cavalrymen received a much higher share of the treasure than foot soldiers. Some Spanish soldiers would save up and purchase a horse as a sort of investment which would pay off in future conquests. The Spanish horsemen generally had two sorts of weapons: lances and swords. Their lances were long wooden spears with iron or steel points on the ends, used to devastating effect on masses of native foot soldiers. In close combat, a rider would use his sword. Steel Spanish swords of the conquest were about three feet long and relatively narrow, sharp on both sides. The Spanish city of Toledo was known as one of the best places in the world for making arms and armor and a fine Toledo sword was a valuable weapon indeed. The finely made weapons did not pass inspection until they could bend in a half-circle and survive a full-force impact with a metal helmet. The fine Spanish steel sword was such an advantage that for some time after the conquest, it was illegal for natives to have one. Foot Soldiers Weapons Spanish foot soldiers could use a variety of weapons. Many people incorrectly think that it was firearms that doomed the New World natives, but thats not the case. Some Spanish soldiers used a harquebus, a sort of early musket. The harquebus was undeniably effective against any one opponent, but they are slow to load, heavy, and firing one is a complicated process involving the use of a wick which must be kept lit. The harquebuses were most effective for terrorizing native soldiers, who thought the Spanish could create thunder. Like the harquebus, the crossbow was a European weapon designed to defeat armored knights and too bulky and cumbersome to be of much use in the conquest against the lightly armored, quick natives. Some soldiers used crossbows, but theyre very slow to load, break or malfunction easily and their use was not terribly common, at least not after the initial phases of the conquest. Like the cavalry, Spanish foot soldiers made good use of swords. A heavily armored Spanish foot soldier could cut down dozens of native enemies in minutes with a fine Toledan blade. Conquistador Armor Spanish armor, mostly made in Toledo, was among the finest in the world. Encased from head to foot in a steel shell, Spanish conquistadors were all but invulnerable when facing native opponents. In Europe, the armored knight had dominated the battlefield for centuries and weapons such as the harquebus and crossbow were specifically designed to pierce armor and defeat them. The natives had no such weapons and therefore killed very few armored Spanish in battle. The helmet most commonly associated with the conquistadors was the morion, a heavy steel helm with a pronounced crest or comb on top and sweeping sides that came  to  points on either end. Some infantrymen preferred a salade, a full-faced helmet that looks a little like a steel ski mask. In its most basic form, it is a bullet-shaped helm with a large T in front of the eyes, nose, and mouth. A cabasset helmet was much simpler: it is a large steel cap that covers the head from the ears up: stylish ones would have an elongated dome like the pointy end of an almond. Most conquistadors wore a full set of armor which consisted of a heavy breastplate, arm and leg greaves, a metal skirt, and protection for the neck and throat called a gorget. Even parts of the body such as elbows and shoulders, which require movement, were protected by a series of overlapping plates, meaning that there were very few vulnerable spots on a fully armored conquistador. A full suit of metal armor weighed about sixty pounds and the weight was well distributed over the body, allowing it to be worn for long periods of time without causing much fatigue. It generally included even armored boots and gloves or gauntlets. Later in the conquest, as conquistadors realized that full suits of armor were overkill in the New World, some of them switched to lighter chainmail, which was just as effective. Some even abandoned metal armor entirely, wearing escuapil, a sort of padded leather or cloth armor adapted from the armor worn by Aztec warriors. Large, heavy shields were not  necessary for the conquest, although many conquistadors used a buckler, a small, round or oval shield usually of wood or metal covered with leather. Native Weapons The natives had no answer for these weapons and armor. At the time of the conquest, most native cultures in North and South America were somewhere between the Stone Age and the  Bronze Age  in terms of their weaponry. Most foot soldiers carried heavy clubs or maces, some with stone or bronze heads. Some had rudimentary stone axes or clubs with spikes coming out of the end. These weapons could batter and bruise Spanish conquistadors, but only rarely did any serious damage through the heavy armor. Aztec warriors occasionally had a  macuahuitl, a wooden sword with jagged obsidian shards set in the sides: it was a lethal weapon, but still no match for steel. The natives had some better luck with missile weapons. In South America, some cultures developed bows and arrows, although they were rarely able to pierce armor. Other cultures used a sort of sling to hurl a stone with great force. Aztec warriors used the  atlatl, a device used to hurl javelins or darts at great velocity. Native cultures wore elaborate, beautiful armor. The Aztecs had warrior societies, the most notable of which were the feared Eagle and Jaguar warriors. These men would dress in Jaguar skins or eagle feathers and were very brave warriors. The Incas wore quilted or padded armor and used shields and helmets made of wood or bronze. Native armor was generally intended to intimidate as much as protect: it was often very colorful and beautiful. Nevertheless, eagle feathers provide no protection from a steel sword and native armor was of very little use in combat with conquistadors. Analysis The conquest of the Americas proves decisively the advantage of advanced armor and weaponry in any conflict. The Aztecs and Incas numbered in the millions, yet were defeated by Spanish forces numbering in the hundreds. A heavily  armored conquistador  could slay dozens of foes in a single engagement without receiving a serious wound. Horses were another advantage that the natives could not counter. It’s inaccurate to say that the success of the Spanish conquest was solely due to superior arms and armor, however. The Spanish were greatly aided by diseases previously unknown to that part of the world. Millions died of new illnesses brought by the Spanish such as smallpox. There was also a great deal of luck involved. For example, they invaded the  Inca Empire at a time of great crisis, as a brutal civil war between brothers Huascar and Atahualpa was just ending when the Spanish arrived in 1532; and the Aztecs were widely despised by their subjects. Sources Calvert, Albert Frederick. Spanish arms and armour: being a historical and descriptive account of the Royal armoury of Madrid. London: J. Lane, 1907Hemming, John.  The Conquest of the Inca. London: Pan Books, 2004 (original 1970).Pohl, John. The Conquistador: 1492–1550. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2008.

Health Literacy and Patient Empowerment Assignment

Health Literacy and Patient Empowerment - Assignment Example Is it low, medium, or high? Explain your rating system for the three literacy levels. What are the factors that contribute to the literacy level for individuals? The three article literacy range from medium to high. The first article by Estruch, et al. (2013) about the diet for those with the chronic disease can be rated as medium as it dwells on only one type of diet and which is limited to people. The second article by Nag & Ghosh (2013) is rated as high as it discusses the rate of this chronic disease in Asia and the risk factors associated with it. This is very important information for prevention. Lastly is the article by Jeemon (2011) which is rated highly as it also provides the socio-economic reasons associated with cause and prevention as well as management of the cardiovascular disease. People as a result of the statistics on the cardiovascular diseases are running towards technology and medical books to seek every piece of information whether it is on causes, prevention or even management. The articles are peer reviewed and hence people are reviewing them mostly and relying on the information being provided. The information they present are based on research and hence are reliable. The only change would be to add more about the diet on the first article by Estruch, et al. (2013). Patient empowerment means that a patient of the chronic disease has taken time to learn about the disease and not just rely on what is being fed to him or her by the medical team. They have expansive knowledge on the area and have consulted on the best treatment plan and management methods depending on the stage of the disease or level they are in (Hebda, Czar & Mascara, 2012). A patient that is empowered is highly literate when it comes to health literacy. He or she has a wide array of knowledge that can even be used to teach others such as relatives. When it comes to patient empowerment, some of the patients are initially

Responds a topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Responds a topic - Essay Example treated the same way as the slaves and the children and this means she was by no means greater than them in any way and that was her social level (Lerner 79). The relationship between men and women prior to these ancient societies was one based on equality and cordial behavior. There was division of chores between men and women during the hunting and gathering era where the men who were physically strong hunted and the women gathered. No gender was superior to the other. All this however changed with the incorporation of agriculture and end of the hunting and gathering period and the women’s role in society started being that of subordination and inferiority while that of men become that of superiority and authoritarianism (Diamond 96). It was no longer about physical features and division of labor but became a master and slave kind of relationship with the slave in this case literary being the woman whose rights became non-existence especially with marriage. Virginity became a big issue for the women who were to ensure they stayed pure until they were married off. The husbands on the other hand were not required to be virgins. In fact the more women a man had slept with, the more of a conqueror he was considered to be. The society employed double standards on this issue including the fact that an adulterer women was sentenced to death while the man was simply released to go do as he wishes. Once married, the rules of society dictated that the woman move to go live with her husband and his family and was part of the man’s property from them henceforth to control and do with her as he pleases. The subordination of the women developed at this juncture where she was expected to obey and follow all the demands and commands of the husband without any question as the man was the authority figure. These beliefs and behaviors continued to intensify even after the society started moving from agriculture to other crafts such as engaging in trade with the western

Cruise Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Cruise Industry - Essay Example This therefore, divides the market into different influential spheres. The fragmented industry allows all its players to create niches and the market shares where each one of them can work in, unlike in the consolidated industry where there little or no niches for the small players (Enz' 514). Q.2 In the cruise industry the cruising market is a single and segmented entity where products are differentiated mostly by the preferences of consumers and the assumption is that there is an increase in the overall sustainability and completion. Therefore, the cruise industry can be characterized as an oligopoly. The market structure of the Cruise industry is noticeable by the fact that there are few large firms such as the Carnival Corporation, which dominate this market, which all offer identical services that have a significant barrier when making entries in this industry. The cruising industry is widespread in the world and diverse in all ways. It dominates most of the modern landscape tod ay and the economics. Each of the firms in the cruising industry keep a close eye on what other firms in the industry are doing. Thus, a firm’s success in the cruising world is not entirely dependent as a sole entity. The cruising industry can also be classified under the oligopoly as the prices are mostly rigid and competition is not involved through the change in prices. Q.3 Carnival Corp brands are the most recognizable in United Kingdom, North America, among other states. The brands offer numerous customer base products which are highly based on customer cultures, languages and other preferences. Numerous brands that are operated by Carnival Corp usually have synergies (Enz' 516). A synergy is a merger of two or more firms and produces an effect. For example, if one of Carnival Corp’s brands has excellent services and products but has poor distribution channels, and the other brand has an excellent channel of distribution but offers poor services and products, the two could form a synergy and benefit from each other. The firm’s brands range from the carnival cruise lines, Cunard line, Princess Cruises and the Holland American Line. A combination of these brands forms a synergy that is usually more than the sum of the sum value of these brands. Forward-looking statements of Carnival’s annual costs savings can be identified through the estimates made on synergies and the cost of time that is taken to implement the synergies in the brands. Q. 4. Brand strategy: The existing customer information can influence the brand strategies at Carnival Corps in the future by increasing the firm’s profitability and stock price. Customer information promotes the use of effective brand strategies for up-coming organizations. More information influencing the brand strategies is a guarantee of the future ability of Carnival Corp to compete strongly in this competitive market. Additionally, there is a guarantee that the firm will not introduc e any defective products to its customers, thereby reducing the risk of making of future losses. Information from the customers predicts on the firm’s future performance and increases the chances of the firm identifying its faults. Information from regular customers who have cruised in the same routes may remind Carnival Corps that they have to provide new port destinations and products (Enz' 516). Q. 5.Carnival’s existing customer perceptions of its brands: Carnival

Endogenous And Exogenous Antioxidants Benefits

Endogenous And Exogenous Antioxidants Benefits Despite the usefulness of oxidation reactions to life, it could also cause a great harm to humankind. Human beings have body that generates free radicals very continuously and these are always produced from the oxidation reaction that constantly takes place in living cells. Apart from the radicals that results from oxidation, some other ones are generated from immune cells to combat bacteria and viruses and also from ingestion, inhalation, and or absorption from our immediate environment during burning by sun or ultraviolet rays. Damage caused by free radicals includes aging, destruction of DNA and clogging of arteries. It is also believed that free radicals may play a role in cancer, strokes, and heart disease. Oxidative stress may also damage or kill cells. Free radicals cause damage to skins structural support and decrease its elasticity, resilience, and suppleness. Antioxidants stop the chain reactions of free radical, and inhibit other oxidation reactions. An antioxidant is a molecule capable of inhibiting the oxidation of other molecules. There are two types of antioxidants: exogenous and endogenous. Exogenous antioxidants are antioxidants we get from our diet and endogenous antioxidants are made by our bodies. Endogenous antioxidants repair free radical damage on the inside by initiating cell regeneration; exogenous antioxidants repair some free radical damage from the outside on in by stimulating cell regeneration. The role of endogenous and exogenous antioxidants Exogenous antioxidants are antioxidants we get from our diet by eating antioxidant-rich foods and by taking supplements. Some well known examples of exogenous antioxidants are vitamins A, C and E. Even though exogenous antioxidants can be obtained from food sources, in our modern day world it is nearly impossible to get enough exogenous antioxidants from our diet to neutralize all of the free radicals generated. This is why antioxidant supplementation is so vital. Endogenous antioxidants are made by our bodies. Because they are produced by our own bodies and not obtained from food sources, endogenous antioxidants are far more potent than exogenous antioxidants. Endogenous antioxidants repair all of the free radical damage by initiating cell regeneration from the inside on out, whereas, exogenous antioxidants only repair some of the free radical damage from the outside on in by stimulating (not initiating) cell regeneration. There are five extremely powerful endogenous antioxidants. They are: Glutathione (GSH), Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA), Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Catalase and Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Unfortunately, the bodys production of endogenous antioxidants declines as we age. For example, our glutathione levels decline about 10-15% per decade as we grow older. This decrease in endogenous antioxidants is found to be a strong factor in contributing to premature aging and degenerative diseases. There is more than enough studies to verify that by increasing our endogenous antioxidant cellular levels, such as our glutathione levels, we can greatly help prevent many age-related health issues and degenerative diseases like Diabetes, Alzheimers, Cancer, Heart Disease, and many other health concerns. (Curr Cardiol Rev.2008 Nov; 4(4):259-68.) (Kaneto et al, 1999) Sources of Antioxidants All plants produce antioxidants. Even meat, dairy products, and eggs contain some antioxidants, which mainly come from the nutrient-rich plants the animals fed on. Plants and animals maintain complex systems of multiple types of antioxidants, such as glutathione, vitamin C, and vitamin E as well as enzymes such as catalase, superoxide dismutase and various peroxides. Antioxidants protection against diabetes Diabetics have high levels of oxidative stress, which basically means too many free radicals and not enough antioxidants to neutralize them. It would be beneficial for anyone suffering from Diabetes to increase their antioxidant supplementation. Glutathione, being the master antioxidant, would naturally be the best choice. Furthermore, inflammation leads to and contributes to insulin resistance. Glutathione, on top of being the most potent antioxidant, is also a powerful ant-inflammatory. Increasing evidence in both experimental and clinical studies suggests that oxidative stress plays a major role in the pathogenesis of both types of diabetes mellitus. Free radicals are formed disproportionately in diabetes à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.Abnormally high levels of free radicals and the simultaneous decline of antioxidant defense mechanisms can lead to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.development of insulin resistance. These consequences of oxidative stress can promote the development of complications of diabetes mellitus. (Wiley 2003) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦there is evidence for increased oxidative stress in diabetesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.With regard to diabetes, antioxidantsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦supplementation have been shown to be beneficial. Thus, it appears that, in diabetes, antioxidant therapy could alleviate the increased attendant oxidative stress and emerge as an additional therapeutic modality. (Vega-Lopez et al, 2004) Researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine have discov ered that inflammationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦leads to insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes. Science Daily (Nov. 7, 2007) Antioxidants protection against cancer, coronary heart disease and stroke Apples, and especially apple peels, have been found to have a potent antioxidant activity and can greatly inhibit the growth of liver cancer and colon cancer cells (Wolfe et al. 2003) (Eberhardt et al. 2000). The total antioxidant activity of apples with the peel was approximately 83 ÃŽÂ ¼mol vitamin C equivalents, which means that the antioxidant activity of 100 g apples (about one serving of apple) is equivalent to about 1500 mg of vitamin C. However, the amount of vitamin C in 100 g of apples is only about 5.7 mg (Eberhardt et al.2000). Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, but research shows that nearly all of the antioxidant activity from apples comes from a variety of other compounds. Vitamin C in apples contributed less than 0.4% of total antioxidant activity. (Liu et al. 2001) Prospective studies suggest that people with high intakes of fruit and vegetables or blood antioxidant concentrations (Pandey et al. 1995) (Enstrom et al. 1992) in the highest quintile of the distribution have low risks of epithelial cancers,( Steinmetz and Potter 1991) coronary heart disease,(Gaziano et al.1995) and stroke. At least 10 prospective studies have shown that high intakes of fruit and vegetables confer protection against cancer, cardiovascular disease, and stroke (Steinmetz and Potter 1991) (Gillman et al.1995) Abundant evidence proves the role of virgin olive oil in protecting against cardiovascular disease. While it has long been known that olive oil helps decrease total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels (Covas et al.2006) new research is shedding light on its additional cardiovascular benefits. According to the Food and Drug Administration, Eating about 2 tablespoons of olive oil daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. To achieve this possible benefit, olive oil is to replace a similar amount of saturated fat and not increase the total number of calories you eat in a day.(Fito et al. 2005). Scientists have proposed that several constituents of olive oil may be responsible for its anti-cancer effects. These include its anti-oxidant polyphenols as well as the lipid oleic acid, which is highly resistant to peroxidation. (Owen et al. 2004) However, there are a number of dietary antioxidants that have been identified that would help us to understand how the antioxidants function, and some are still in the process of development and testing. (Uddin and Ahmad 1995) A group of chemists at University of Scranton in Pennsylvania says that adding a mixture of antioxidants to sunscreen may help enhance protection of cancer. In animal studies, they found that a mixture of various topical antioxidants was more effective than single antioxidants in preventing the formation of skin tumors induced by ultraviolet light. In another study, the same research team found that black tea, green tea, grape seed and cranberry extracts were all promising antioxidants for fighting skin cancer when applied topically. Both studies were presented at the 229th national meeting of the American Chemical Society, the worlds largest scientific society, in San Diego on March 14, 2005. Conclusion We need to eat a healthy diet with a variety of fruits and vegetables. We cannot depend on any single super antioxidants, a variety of antioxidants are needed. Currently only antioxidants from food compounds with vitamins (vitamins A, C and E) have been proven with antioxidant efficacy. Environmental factors that produce free radicals could be avoided. In numerous epidemiological studies, apples have been associated with a decreased risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and asthma. In vitro and animal studies have demonstrated that apples have high antioxidant activity, can inhibit cancer cell proliferation, decrease lipid oxidation, and lower cholesterol, potentially explaining their role in reducing risk of chronic disease. The potential health benefits of apples are numerous. Regular consumption of fruits and vegetables, including apples, as part of a healthy diet may aid in the prevention of chronic disease and maintenance of good health.

Coroperate Social Responsibility

Corporate Social responsibility Introduction A few years ago firms only goal was to gain economic profit from their businesses. In recent times it has been discussions if economic profit are the only reason for businesses to exist (Kilotons 1991) In modern society the belief that businesses have responsibilities against the society they operate in have grown bigger, but there are still people and organizations who believe that gaining economic profit from their business are the only thing they have to be concerned about (Chant 2013).The purpose of this essay is to discuss and compare the different viewpoints of corporate social responsibility (hereafter referred to as CARS) and the key issue is to see why corporations and their management should be concerned with CARS. The paper will start by explaining what CARS is and how businesses can gain profit from applying CARS. Thereafter the counterargument, that business doesn't have any other responsibilities then gaining profit, will be presented. An example of good CARS-work will thereafter be demonstrated.The relationship between ethics in business will also be discussed. Different views of CARS There are many different definitions of what corporate social responsibility is but one ay to look at it is that corporate responsibility is used to describe the work that companies do voluntarily that has a positive impact on society, the environment or the economy (Shill, Apothecary ; Kansas 2010). CARS is supposed to help businesses to behave ethically and gain economic profit and at the same time helping to solve social issues (Chant 2013).Not only are CARS good for the society and the people in it but also for the stakeholders of the company. CARS can change stakeholders purchase behavior, employment seeking and also investment. Over mime CARS can also help the company to build a stronger brand and in that way also gain an economic profit (Shill, Apothecary ; Kansas 2010). In recent times a lot of critiques have been pointed to CARS. The counterargument meaner that business only responsibility against the society is to gain economic profit and only do what the business was created to do (Chant 2013).Many opponents against CARS say that businesses only should use their resources and engage in activities that are designed to increase profits so long as it stays within the law (Kilotons, 1991). Why corporate social responsibility? The question is if businesses and corporations have a social nature and responsibility or not? My own answer to this question is that businesses, in the modern society, is of social nature and have responsibilities against the society. Corporations and businesses are a big part of our society and what they do make a big impact on people, environment and also how other business act.I would like to compare it with people walking on the street and don't put their rubbish in the garbage bins. I believe that almost everyone thinks that it would be ethically wrong not to put t heir rubbish in the bins. If everyone throws their rubbish on the street the society and community would not have looked nice and people would care less about, in this case, the environment because no one else does. My point of view is that it reflection of the people in it and so are the corporations and business (Chant 2013).It's understandable that some corporations think it is unnecessary to implement CARS and that it only will cost them money that they won't get back. To demonstrate how businesses can gain economic advantages from CARS I will use a Swedish company ‘KEA. KEA is a big home decoration company that operates all over the world and ton is one of their most important raw materials. The company want all cotton used in their products to come from sustainable productions. By using the better cotton initiative they can help reduce environmental and social impacts.They have also proved that this initiative can help KEA to offer competitive priced products that satisf y customers' needs and also helps the company to reach one of their ambitions to provide responsibly sourced products (CARS: Sweden leads by example in corporate responsibility 2013) With that said, my point is that many companies have to look ore on the output they can gain from CARS and not so much on the input. Conclusion There are many ways of looking at and understand CARS and my point of view in this paper is that CARS is a good thing and that corporations and businesses can gain both social and economic profits from it.On the other hand it can be difficult to measure performance of CARS and to compare business with each other (Chant 2013). But maybe comparing and competitiveness is not necessary as in economical ways. Maybe CARS can be Just a question of good ethics, something as obvious as throwing rubbish in the garbage bin or pay your employees' salary in time. Is that a realistic goal? Probably not, because it takes that CARS belong to some sort of common sense if that's going to happen.The important thing for businesses to understand is that CARS should be a part of their business strategy and goal. The modern world is growing and businesses have to keep up with the changes in the environment around them. People are getting more knowledge about ethics and culture and that's why it's getting more important for businesses and their management to apply it in to their strategy. Maybe people are going to choose one supermarket in front of the other cause the first one didn't care about the ethical issues with food production.