The Tipping Point

In the novel, The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell epidemics are meant to include smoking, crime and even Hush Puppies. People you know can spread social or medical epidemics. Epidemic: Spreading rapidly and extensively by infection and affecting many individuals in an area or a population at the same time. In the novel, The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell he explains many epidemics that have effected everyone in one way or another. For example, Hush Puppies, teenage smoking, and crime in cities.It is said that there are three people involved in the spread of many epidemics. These people are mavens, salesmen, and connectors. Mavens are people who live to learn. Maven comes from the Yiddish, it means one who accumulates knowledge. (60) It is said that mavens are â€Å"obsessed† with getting the best deal on items. Also involved in spreading an epidemic is a â€Å"salesman. † This person has the skills to persuade other people that are unconvinced of the idea we are hearing. (70) The last and most commonly heard is a connector.A connector is one person who knows a wide range of people. â€Å"Sprinkled amount every walk of life, in other words, are a handful of people with a truly extraordinary knack of making friends and acquaintances. They are Connectors. † (41) Two significant men in the novel are Bernard Goetz, and Roger Horchow. Horchow is described as a Connector, whereas Goetz would be considered a salesman. A Successful business man in the area of Dallas, Roger Horchow is a prime example of a connector. Horchow has backed popular Broadway plays such as Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera.Horchow had scored a 98 on a list of randomly selected names from a Manhattan phonebook, the average score was not that high. What makes him know so many people? He told Gladwell, that he was not using his range of people as a business strategy, and he did not consider it a collection (43) but for him to know. Horchow has the memory to remembe r the little boys he played with when he young. Remembering every name, and address of the person. (44) When in the business world you meet many different people.If you are a true business man and this person you have met would help you succeed, one would remember them. I know many connectors that are in my life, but when writing this one comes into mind. Phil Marcario, or as me and my friends had come to know him, Uncle Phil. He owns a restaurant that is known by many. Uncle Phil moves around a lot, from Cutchogue, to Wading River, to Rocky Point, and now to Jamesport, and Florida. Holidays and occasions as he talks about the people he knows, I constantly ask him â€Å"How do you know so many people†. He simply answers, â€Å"People owe me a lot of favors. That could be the Italian in him speaking, but after reading the Tipping Point, I often wonder if he is a connector and has started epidemics. â€Å"Perhaps it is best to call the Connector impulse simply that- an impuls e, just one of the many personality traits that distinguish one human being from another. † (46) December, 22 1984, something unthinkable happened on a subway in New York City. Bernard Goetz shot four young boys who were attempting to mug Goetz. (134) Some would say he was asking to be mugged by sitting next to the boys when the car was completely empty.But was he demonstrating something to the other subway goers? This man was considered a hero by many. He had shown people that there is a way to stop being mugged, although it was violent and illegal. Illegal and ungodly, sure, but the city's crime rate reached â€Å"epidemic proportions. † (135) Murders had now seem to drop by two thirds of what they had been. A salesmen is someone who persuades and convinces other people to buy, or believe something. How is Goetz a salesmen? He sold the idea that there is a way of lower the crime in New York City. This shooting open doors for subways. The Graffiti was symbolic of the c ollapse of the system. † (142) Soon enough the subway companies brought in David Gunn to help with this problem. Every night the cars would be painted over covering the fresh graffiti that youths had done. No car that was dirty would be used on the tracks. A salesman makes emotional sense of an idea or an object. (200) A salesman convinces the unconvinced, and teaches the uneducated. Goetz taught New York City officials about the crime in a violent matter, but both my mother and Goetz taught a person, or a while city by doing.Connecters, Mavens, and Salesman fall into one of the three laws that were described in the book The law of the Few. This law says that those three categories of people are the ones responsible for spreading epidemics. So if one were ever thinking of spreading a word-of-mouth epidemic, you would want them to be your prime resource. (256) Roger Horchow and Bernard Goetz two men who had spread or had the ability to spread epidemics make you think that there are many people close to you that can too spread social and public epidemics.

The American Indian and the Problem of Culture Essay

The Native Americans are perhaps the most culturally storied and richly diversified culture in the America. Indeed, the historical narrations of the Indian culture, way of life and lifestyle are narrated as rich in strife, struggle as well as triumph. In fact, a majority of the modern ways of life and lifestyle in the United States are directly or indirectly inherited or borrowed from the ancient Indian cultures of centuries ago. Yet, most Americans take for granted the many familiar symbols that trace their origin from the Native Indian Americans. The purpose of this paper is to describe the culture of the American Indians. The American Indians used various symbols that interwove the tapestry of their lifestyle. Integral symbols such as the totem pole, the teepee, the moccasins and the peace pipe formed a special cultural trait of the American Indians life (Barrett, 2004). Native animals and plants as houses and weather had a special cultural relationship with the American Indians. For instance, the American Indians revered animals for spiritual believes and ties in spite of their hunting practices. Animal hides and skins made drums and clothes while the meat was preserved and never wasted to nourish the community. The American Indians believed that the spirit of the animals killed lived through the community by inhabiting the tribe’s minds. The American Indians cultivated and later harvested various plants for different reasons and seasons such as making blankets and dyes (Biolsi & Martin, 1989). Weather elements bore cultural meanings, attachments and endearments to the community, as well. For instance, the American Indians believed that the sun and the rain were supernatural powers and represented a change in the Indian’s seasons. Totem poles formed a special part of the America Indian’s culture (Hallowell, 1957). For instance, they believed that every person’s spirit in the community was attached to particular animal’s spirit. Therefore, the community believed that, at death, a person’s spirit was absorbed by his or her attached animal to live on or regenerate as another person at birth. As a tall and large wooden carving, the totem pole was framed to represent various animals with a certain animal representing a cherished but deceased member of the family. Today, it is easy to observe a dangling dream catcher hanged from rearview mirrors on cars driving in the United States’ roads. However, people rarely know or acknowledge the significance of the dream catchers. Indeed, this symbol traces back to the Lakota tribe’s legendary stories (Hallowell, 1957). It is a symbol of holding onto dearest things in a person’s life. In addition, the perforated holes in a dream catcher serve to filter ill feelings and thoughts. Another Interesting aspect of the American Indian’s culture is smoke signaling. The American Indians used smoke signals to send and relay messages over long distances and bore a proud heritage amongst the American Indians. The American Indians also believed in spirits and depended on them for the well being and nourishment of the society (Barrett, 2004). Spirits were tied to various outcomes in the society such as bumper harvest, natural disasters and tragedies and community health. As a result, the spirits were kept pleased to see to the survival and good harvest in the tribe. Sacrifices and offerings were made at sacred places to the spirits. For instance, the Pueblo tribes regarded various plants as sacred while the Aztecs offered human sacrifices to appease the spirits. References Barrett, C. A. (2004). American Indian culture. Pasadena, Calif.: Salem Press. Biolsi, T., & Martin, C. (1989). The American Indian and the Problem of Culture. American Indian Quarterly, 13(3), 261. Hallowell, A. I. (1957). The Impact of the American Indian on American Culture. American Anthropologist, 59(2), 201-217. Source document

Counterterrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Counterterrorism - Essay Example The government became stricter in implementing rules and evaluating traders, immigrants, and other travelers going inside the country. Drug traffic is also carefully monitored. The military is also taking action in the war against terrorism. A bigger budget is allocated to support the war. Since the terrorist attacks of September 11 , 2001 , Arab, Muslim, Sikh, and South-Asian Americans, and those perceived to be members of these groups, have been the victims of increased numbers of bias-related assaults, threats, vandalism and arson in the United States. In the immediate aftermath of the September 11 attacks, the United States and other countries around the world were placed on a high state of alert against potential follow-up attacks. It is defined as the unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence by a person or an organized group against people or property with the intention of intimidating or coercing societies or governments, often for ideological or political reasons. We often hear the term terrorists'' to describe the bad guys or terrorism'' to describe every act that opposes the government. It has been used so loosely that we need to redefine the term to give back its meaning. "This is a proposal to lend some clarity to the definition, and thus hopefully to the use, of the word terrorism. Currently, the term terrorism is applied to the use of force most often on the basis of whether the speaker agrees with the goal of the violence. Hence the expression . One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter." (The Rational Radical, 2001) Homegrown terrorists Most of the time, terrorism is directly associated to the Muslims. Actually, one's conversion to Islam does make him more likely to be a terrorist. It can not be denied that religion greatly influences one's beliefs, morals, ideologies and way of life. Although being a Muslim does not make one an instant terrorist, they are more exposed to the preaching of the Islamic extremists. This makes them more vulnerable, especially because Muslims are noted to be an incredibly united group. They share the same beliefs and goals. One's enemy becomes the enemy of the whole Muslim community. This is why the United States is alarmed by the radicalization of American-Muslim converts. Although the government is doing everything to reinforce the security against outside terrorists, it should be pointed out that rebellion inside the country poses a serious threat to national security. Much attention is also needed to fight domestic terrorism. Domestic terrorists are driven by their political and social beliefs. They are the government's opposition. They go all-out to fight for their beliefs, including stealing, hurting civilians, and other criminal acts. These homegrown terrorists are very diverse and their familiarity and easy access to the country makes them more dangerous. Some of the most distinguished domestic terrorist groups are the white supremacists, the black separatists, and the militia/sovereign citizen movement. The white supremaci

German singer in jail after ex-lover claims she infected him with HIV Article

German singer in jail after ex-lover claims she infected him with HIV - Article Example Benaissa, who became a celebrity overnight when together with the other members of her band shot to fame by winning the first series of the Pop stars German talent show in 2000, is accused of having slept with three men without telling them that she was HIV positive. Avishek says that the revelations came after an ex-lover found out about the disease of this star after their affair and pressed charges against her in 2008 when he tested positive for HIV. Benaissa was therefore put in custody due to the risk of recidivism or to prevent her from infecting anyone else with the HIV. On Wednesday 15 April 2009, Connolly, a reporter of guardian.co.uk, reported that prosecutors confirmed that because of her involvement in affairs without using a condom, one of the men is believed to have become infected with the HIV. This very man also told BILD how he was intimate with Benaissa without using a condom. According to Khalid Schroeder, the band manager, Benaissa’s arrest is the result of a witch-hunt against her. She adds that Benaissa is being prejudged as there are no facts yet since the investigation is still going on. To her, this is unfair and Benaissa should be released as soon as possible. The other members of the band did not react on the accusations but revealed that they will continue performing as a group under the same name. On Thursday April 16, 2009, Moore reported that Benaissa’s legal team successfully filed an injunction on April 15 against the Springer publishing group, owners of newspapers WELT and BILD. They banned publication of the circumstances and the enquiry of Benaissa’s detention. Plainclothes police arrested Benaissa at a Frankfurt nightclub on Saturday evening where she was ready to give a solo concert. They handcuffed her backstage and took her away in an unmarked car. A judge issued a custody order the same evening and held her in a one-person cell in a womens prison near Frankfurt. In a statement, a spokesperson for the state

Write a summary on any article about Infection Control Assignment

Write a summary on any article about Infection Control - Assignment Example The result is that the infection is spreading faster. The article has reviewed the health care facilities for infection control measures available under the health systems in these countries. It recommends combination of drugs and technology innovation to reduce such infections. The authors suggest that the infection can be controlled with better behavioral and organizational interventions that may be combined with quality improvement initiatives, training and surveillance, at the labor and delivery control units. This article also lays importance on the global awareness initiatives, which must be targeted to maternity care and childbirth interventions to control the development of this infection during childbirth. .(Hussein et al) As per the article, this infection develops during the first six weeks after the delivery. The disease can infect the blood stream, abdominal cavity and womb, causing pain and fever. The cause of this infection stems from the unhygienic methods of vaginal examination, instruments used during the delivery. While poor mothers in least developed countries do not reach health care facilities for child delivery, the same is arranged at home through semi-skilled and illiterate aids. The infection control efforts are hampered by sub-standard clinical practices, overcrowding of health centers, overloaded health and medical workers, and shortage of drugs. Hence, the article has suggested improvements in these, particularly for delivery and labor units.(Hussein et al) Hussein, Julia et al (2011). â€Å"A review of health system infection control measures in developing countries.†, Globalization and healt.com, Retrieved on Feb. 20, 2014, from:

Position Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Position Paper - Essay Example There are a number of causes to such a feeling for example family problems, loss of a loved one, losing faith in your ideal person, underestimating boss or colleagues, neglecting society, or merely moving away from your house. I’m narrating this story according to my experience as a victim of this undesired eradicator ‘Alienation’. Out of many reasons as philosophers suggest, I was suffering from the neglecting attitude of my colleagues at work place from the time I joined in. Being a student, I took a part time job to cover my expenses. Not being part of the permanent staff, I was mostly excluded from conversations and group discussions. Not having anyone to talk to for the entire day frustrated me regardless of my purpose of joining the workplace which was merely to gain work experience and make a little money for myself. I started wondering why such discrimination? What is the actual reason for their unresponsiveness? I never thought I would do this, but I started questioning my purpose of life. I used to ask myself often, who am I? Why am I here? Who am I supposed to be? I couldn’t discuss this with anyone as I, myself was unsure as to what was happening to me. I lost focus from both, my studies as well as work when one of my teachers realized the despair I was going through. He was the one who figured out that I was suffering from the syndrome of alienation. I was made to leave the job and start community work for the time being. According to Amitai Etzioni, a sociology professor from George Washington University, one such social solution of getting rid of the feeling of alienation is the idea of communitarianism (Etzioni, 1990). Along with the community service, I started to study few subjects like art and culture to keep my mind occupied. Soon I became so fond of it, I started to bring my thoughts and ideas on the paper. My interest grew towards the subjects of humanities and I thought of taking it up as my

Shouldice Hospital case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Shouldice Hospital case - Essay Example However, inclusion of other services may be helpful to the practice financially as well increase its market relevance. Prior to expansion, the institution requires funds that would cater for the expansion effectively. In addition, using the funds it generates from business may be disadvantageous and limit the effectiveness of the transition One major concern of considering extension in this case is the control and management of the new institution. Expansion would require a change in the management system. If not effectively managed, the change may hinder the quality of operation and services rendered to clients. The expansion to weekend has caused a rift in the institution since the issue has not been formally discussed. However, the expansion to weekends should be done only if the institution increases its human resources. The current staff has expressed concerns since they have been required to embrace an organizational culture they are not used to. In addition, the concerns revolve the decision by the facility to embrace change. A global expansion should be a viable option. The institution has been in existent for a long time thus having demand in foreign countries. The organization should consider utilizing this market (Heskett& Hallowell