Friday, December 27, 2019

The Problem Of The Nursing Shortage - 1278 Words

Introduction to Scenario The scenario that will be evaluated over the course of this paper, involves a hospital that has recently been experiencing staffing issues. The time frame that this organization struggles to staff is from the hours of 1530 to 2330. They are debating on what solution they can use to best solve the issue. The solutions that they have available include: hiring new permanent staff, hiring short-term staff, floating staff from other departments, or offering over-time and bonuses to the current staff. The remainder of this paper will determine and recommend the best route for this organization to take, and will come to this conclusion based off of current statistics and relevant data. Nursing Shortages This scenario†¦show more content†¦(Rosseter, 2014) According to the AACN, the plan to fix the nursing shortage, is to come up with strategies to encourage students to enroll in nursing school. Colleges are now offering both fiscal and emotion support to students enrolled in nursing programs across the country. Obviously, this is a great plan to better the future, but in regards to our scenario, the problem at hand is the current staffing issue. The Impact on Business Obviously, we must look at how nursing shortage impacts the business world and the day-to-day operations within. While the medical profession should be primarily about the well-being of the patients, we all know that today s society must also focus on the business aspect of the medical field as well. Thus, when one examines the effects on the business end of things, they will see that it is most efficient to have satisfied employees. While this can be difficult to define at times, the most basic way to satisfy employees is to treat them fairly and with respect. This means that during times of low staffing, management needs to be stepping up in a timely manner and assisting in any way that they can to ensure the staff and patients are cared for properly. Other things to consider, include the fact that low-staffing can be very costly to businesses. Obviously, it is costly to hire new staff. A study was done in Europe that demonstrated that the costs of nursing tu rnover can be high (over +10,000 per RN

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Macroeconomics An Overriding Thing - 1016 Words

Macroeconomics has become an overriding thing. The need to promote a healthy economy has been a critical goal for most governments and economists. However this has not been tenable in most cases. The economy can fluctuate but should not go out of control. This means that it has to stay within the expected realms of growth path so that it is capable of avoiding long-drawn recessions. This can occur based on internal mechanism or through help from policy that provide protection from inflation and recession. The economy should be able to respond to such polices without any major structural constraints. In this case, macroeconomics helps in understanding the underlying issues that can help in the realization of such economies. A healthy economy has to be steady and stable over the long-term. Based on this information, this paper explores the underlying issues in macroeconomics, especially with regard to components. II. Background and Explanation Macroeconomics began in the 1930s in response to the Great Depression that occurred in that period. The English economist, John Maynard Keynes, introduced it, thereby leading to the use of the term Keynesianism to refer to macroeconomics (Snowdon Vane 7). According to Keynes, the market is incapable of generating enough savings by itself to support and sustain investment at full employment levels. Therefore, the achievement of this aspect could only occur based on the sporadic sharp increase in spending by the government. Therefore,Show MoreRelatedThe Federal Reserve Bank, And The Coca Cola Company1683 Words   |  7 Pagesan estimated GDP spending at twenty-one point seven percent. Most of these increases in spending in previous years was due not only to the events of September eleven two thousand and one but also do to the recession that began in 2008, as well as things like the bank bailouts. Taxes are another concern that effect the government s spending plans although they have been mostly stable in the previous years due to the government trying to stimulate the economy; there are credible indications that theRead MoreMonetary Policy of Bangladesh1674 Words   |  7 Pageswith the output gap (difference between the actual and the longer run potential output) in view; the policy stance is eased to  provide stimulus at times of slowdown when actual output lags the longer run  potential, and the stance is tightened to slow things down when the economy overheats with actual output running ahead of the sustainable longer run potential. Diagnosing and treating asset price bubbles symptomatic of overheating are major  issues of current debate in monetary p olicy. For developingRead MoreSignificance of Financial Reporting1702 Words   |  7 Pagessystem of financial reporting is the possibility of different accounting treatments being applied to, essentially the same facts. The consequence of that would be different results or financial positions each of which would apparently comply with the overriding requirement to show a true and fair view. However the investors might not get the real picture behind the numbers which put them to a disadvantage and they would not be in a position to see through the techniques used by the management to show theRead MoreZimbabwe Debt Crisis3350 Words   |  14 Pagesmainly due to such myopic, politically motivated decisions. Then the outbreak of the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in August 1998, again had a severe impact on government expenditure. This again is a clear demonstration of politics overriding economics. The government ended up spending as much as $6 billion, which was taxpayer’s money that was spent without being budgeted for. Besides the amount of monies spent, Zimbabwe lost a lot of human life in the war, though figures have not beenRead MoreEssay on The Washington Consensus4720 Words   |  19 PagesWilliamson (2008:16) included: 1. Fiscal discipline: avoidance of large fiscal deficits which led to high inflation and balanced of payments crisis. 2. Re-ordering public expenditure: switching towards a pro-growth and pro-poor expenditure, from things like non-merit subsidies to basic healthcare, education, and infrastructure†¦intention was to be neutral about the desirable seize of the public sector 3. Tax reform: the aim of which was a tax system that would combine a broad tax base with moderateRead MoreThe Persian Puzzle, And The Labyrinth Of U.s. -iranian Relations3538 Words   |  15 Pagesdirector of the WorldPublicOpinion.org, stated in an interview with NPR that â€Å"views of the United States are still quite negative.† He reported â€Å"a perception on the part of Iranians that the United States has extraordinary power over all kinds of things in the world,† even over entities like al Jazeera (owned and operated by Qatar) and al Qaeda. While American and Western sentiment towards Iran is decisively negative , Iranian’s opinions about America and Americans are mixed. There is quite evidentlyRead MorePest Analysis of an Educational Institution19905 Words   |  80 Pagesthe currencies of the participating countries were irrevocably locked to the euro. The euro banknotes and coins were introduced in 2002 in 12 countries. The euro has brought economic benefits to the euro-area countries. These include greater macroeconomic stability and resilience as well as more efficient functioning of the single market. The Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) has promoted: * Price stability. Inflation has come down in the euro area from around 4 percent in the early 1990sRead MoreCorporate Governance in Banking: a Conceptual Framework9571 Words   |  39 Pagesgreat deal of empirical research on corporate governance, very little of it concerns the behaviour of owners and managers of banks. In addition, there is no clear theoretical path between governance as a microeconomic concept and regulation as a macroeconomic concept. There is, therefore, little guidance as to the conceptual framework that is suitable to understanding governance in banks. This lack of guidance creates a strong theoretical motive for research on these issues. By defining a conceptualRead MoreThe Impact of the New Wave of Financial Regulation for European Energy Markets10246 Words   |  41 Pagesare used by market participants to make this uncertainty more manageable. A derivative can be deï ¬ ned as ‘‘a risk transfer agreement, the value of which is derived fro m the value of an underlying asset’’ (ISDA, 2011). An energy derivative does two things (Macey, 1996). First, it transforms uncertainty about energy prices into calculable risk. Second, it transfers this risk to a counterparty that has a comparative advantage in bearing it because of an open position or a different risk appetite. 2.2Read MoreHomework11617 Words   |  47 Pagescosts. New operating expenses were greater than the increased throughput. Thus, management was misled by its focus on standard unit costs. 4. Selling Prices. Unfortunately, the market for the firm s products was very competitive. Due to such macroeconomic factors as government programs and foreign grain production, the domestic market was shrinking. Internationally, CI s high unit costs made foreign markets difficult to enter. Consequently, management perceived the marketplace to be mostly out

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Our World In Medicine Essay Example For Students

Our World In Medicine Essay Our World In MedicineOne of the most important factors about peoples lives is theinformation of, the use of, and the growing knowledge of medicine. Medicine isa science that nations all over the world use. It is a science because it isbased on knowledge gained through careful study and experimentation. Medicineis also an art form because it depends on how skillfully doctors and othermedical workers apply their knowledge when dealing with patients.1Medicine is one of the most respected professions. The two importantgoals of medicine are to save lives and to relieve suffering, which is why it isso respected. But the medical field is not open to anyone who wants to help. It takes many long years of college and medical school to get even a license towork with medicine.2While some doctors are more important than others, almostall of them are on call twenty four hour a day, seven days a week. Becausethey have to apply themselves to their job at all times, they are payed at verygood wages. Human beings have been suffering from disease since they first appearedon the earth about two and one -half million years ago. Throughout most of thistime, they knew little about how the human body works or what causes disease. But medicine has gone through many stages throughout history. In prehistoric times, people believed that angry gods or evil spiritscaused disease. To cure the sick, the gods had to be pacified or the evilspirits driven from the body. In time, this task became the job of the firstphysicians.3The first known surgical treatment was an operation calledtrephining. Trephining involved use of a stone instrument to cut a hole in apatients skull. Scientists have found fossils of such skulls that date back asfar as 10,000 years. Prehistoric people probably also discovered that many plants can be usedas drugs. For example, the use of willow bark to relieve pain probably datesback thousands of years.4Today, scientists know that willow bark contains theimportant ingredients that is included in making aspirin. In the Middle East, the Egyptians began making important medicalprogress. Around 2500 B.C., Egyptian physicians began to specialize. Somephysicians treated only diseases of the eyes or teeth. Others specialized ininternal diseases. Egyptian surgeons produced a textbook that told how to treatdislocated or fractured bones and as well as tumors, ulcers, and wounds.5The civilization of ancient Greece was at its peak during the 400s B.C. Throughout this period, sick people flocked to temples dedicated to the Greekgod of healing, Asclepius, seeking magical cures.6 But at the same time, thegreat Greek physician Hippocrates began showing that disease has only naturalcauses. He thus became the first physician known to consider medicine a scienceand art separate from the practice of religion. The Hippocratic oath, anexpression of early medical ethics, reflects Hippocrates high ideals.7The Greek physician Galen made the most important contributions tomedicine in Roman times. Galen performed experiments on animals and used hisfindings to develop the first medical theories based on scientific experiments. For this reason, he is considered the founder of experimental medicine. Butbecause his knowledge of anatomy was based on animal experiments, Galendeveloped many false notions about how the human body works.8During the Middle Ages, which lasted from the A.D. 400s to the 1500s,the Muslim Empire of Southwest and Central Asia contributed greatly to medicine. Rhazes, a Persian born physician of the late 800s and early 900s, wrote thefirst accurate descriptions of measles and smallpox. Avicenna, an Arabphysician of the late 900s and early 1000s, produced a medical encyclopediacalled Canon of Medicine. It summed up the medical knowledge of the time andaccurately described many known diseases. Avicennas work became popular inEurope, where it influenced medical education for more than 600 years.9The chief medical advances during the Middle Ages were the founding ofmany hospitals and the first university medical schools. In the 900s, amedical school was started in Salerno, Italy. It became the chief center ofmedical learning in Europe during the 1000s and 1100s. Other importantmedical schools developed after 1100. During the 1100s and 1200s, many ofthese schools became part of newly developing universities.10A new scientific spirit developed during the Renaissance, 1300s to the1600s. The laws against human dissection were totally relaxed duri ng thisperiod. As a result, the first truly scientific studies of the human bodybegan.11A French army doctor named Ambroise Par improved surgical techniquesto such an extent that he is considered the father of modern surgery. Forexample, instead of burning a wound to prevent infection, he developed the muchmore effective method of applying ointment and then allowing the wound to healnaturally.12The scientific study of disease, called pathology, was developed duringthe 1800s. Rudolf Virchow, a German physician and scientist, led thedevelopment. Virchow believed that the only way to understand the nature ofdisease was by close examination of the affected body cells. He did importantresearch in such diseases as leukemia and tuberculosis.13 Pasteur, abrilliant French chemist, proved that microbes are living organisms and thatcertain kinds of microbes cause disease. He also proved that killing specificmicrobes stops the spread of specific diseases. Koch, a German physician,invented a met hod for determining which bacteria cause particular diseases. .u36be73c3d7bc58f8a87b8da58422a33d , .u36be73c3d7bc58f8a87b8da58422a33d .postImageUrl , .u36be73c3d7bc58f8a87b8da58422a33d .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u36be73c3d7bc58f8a87b8da58422a33d , .u36be73c3d7bc58f8a87b8da58422a33d:hover , .u36be73c3d7bc58f8a87b8da58422a33d:visited , .u36be73c3d7bc58f8a87b8da58422a33d:active { border:0!important; } .u36be73c3d7bc58f8a87b8da58422a33d .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u36be73c3d7bc58f8a87b8da58422a33d { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u36be73c3d7bc58f8a87b8da58422a33d:active , .u36be73c3d7bc58f8a87b8da58422a33d:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u36be73c3d7bc58f8a87b8da58422a33d .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u36be73c3d7bc58f8a87b8da58422a33d .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u36be73c3d7bc58f8a87b8da58422a33d .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u36be73c3d7bc58f8a87b8da58422a33d .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u36be73c3d7bc58f8a87b8da58422a33d:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u36be73c3d7bc58f8a87b8da58422a33d .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u36be73c3d7bc58f8a87b8da58422a33d .u36be73c3d7bc58f8a87b8da58422a33d-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u36be73c3d7bc58f8a87b8da58422a33d:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Lgbt Community On Television EssayOther research scientists followed the lead of these two pioneers. Pasteurs early work on bacteria convinced an English surgeon namedJoseph Lister that germs caused many of the deaths of surgical patients. In1865, Lister began using carbolic acid, a powerful disinfectant, to sterilizesurgical wounds. But this method was replaced by a more efficient techniqueknown as aseptic surgery. This technique involved keeping germs away fromsurgical wounds in the first place instead of trying to kill germs alreadythere.14Advances in many fields of science and engineering have created amedical revolution in the 1900s. For example, the discovery of X-rays by theGerman physicist Wilhelm Roentgen enabled doctors to see inside the human bodyto diagnose illnesses and injuries. The discovery of radium in 1898 provided apowerful weapon against cancer.15The development of new vaccines has helped control the spread of suchinfectious diseases as polio, hepatitis, and measles. During the 1960s and1970s, the World Health Organization conducted a vaccination program thatelim inated smallpox from the world. Much progress in modern medicine has resulted from engineering advances. Engineers have developed a variety of instruments and machines to aid doctors inthe diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases and disorders. Some ofthese devices have helped surgeons develop amazing new lifesaving techniques,especially in the fields of heart surgery and tissue transplants.16Throughout many, many centuries, medicine has been used in hundreds ofdifferent forms. But the main goal of every different form was the same, tohelp the diseased and unhealthy. Every passing day, another scientist or doctordiscovers another breakthrough in science and medicine. In years to come, wewill have cures to incurable diseases, and people will be living ten to twentyyears longer then they are today. Medicine provides us with the needs and hopesfor the future, as our technology makes the path for us to follow. Science

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Is Gun Control or Lack Thereof the Cause of Violence free essay sample

America is one of the leading first world countries in mass shootings, it is said that â€Å"Nearly one-third of the worlds mass shootings have occurred in the United States†motherjones.com. Many Americans believe that the problem causing the violence, however there are many flaws with this theory. With the amount of countries in the world America is compared not to other first world countries but to second and third world countries.To many people this is a problem because I was such a privileged country these horrendous acts should not be happening. President Barack Obama said once â€Å" at some point, we as a country will have to reckon with the fact that this type of mass violence does not happen in other advanced countries,† Mass Shootings and Gun Control Many Americans feel that the lack of gun control in America is the cause of many of these mass shootings. We will write a custom essay sample on Is Gun Control or Lack Thereof the Cause of Violence? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page However it is not proven that the gun-control laws or lack thereof in America are the reason for these mass shootings. In fact Mass Shootings and Gun Control makes a good point, that many American citizens have purchased weapons to protect themselves and that typically the type of people who are trying to murder you are not abiding the law in the first place so why would they have legally acquired their weapon. And if we cannot get a rid of the illegally acquired weapons why should American citizens who have a legally acquired their weapons be the ones who are given more strict guidelines. Many believe that the ban of high powered automatic weapons or semi-automatic weapons should not be owned by private citizens. In the case of the Sandy Hook shooting Adam Lanza â€Å"Lanza use the rifle to shoot his victims, all of them multiple times, in under 10 minutes. The guns were illegally owned by his mother, Nancy,†a Culture of Violence The fact that he was able to acquire these we apons illegally shows us that the gun control laws really have no effect on people who are choosing to use these weapons in a way that is against the law. Also in the case of campus shootings where almost every student is over 18 and legally can own a weapon this causes a problem. In states where there are concealed carry laws the students on a college campus could potentially have the right to carry a concealed weapon. If gun control laws say legally the students can carry a concealed weapon then there is a higher risk of students carrying a weapon on campus compared to states where there is no concealed carry law. While many teams in high school illegally acquire their weapons seniors in high school who are 18 may also obtain a concealed carry license. Maybe the problem is cool we are allowing still legally obtain and also how we are controlling those who do not legally obtain their weapons. Should such young adults be able to obtain a weapon legally in parts of their lives that c an be so stressful too many people? Even though many places may be considered â€Å"gun free† zones they do not necessarily have to be, as said earlier many people obtain their weapons illegally so why cant they carry them illegally. In the instance of a campus shooting m, many schools advertise their schools as gun free zones, however you can never really guarantee that there will be no weapons on the campus. As said by Students Should Have the Right to Carry Guns on College Campuses â€Å"colleges fight hard for these â€Å"gun-free† zones, wearing them as a badge of honor.† It was also said â€Å"but each of these attacks had one thing in common. They all occurred under the same banner. â€Å"Gun-free zone† this shows us that the gun-control. I did an interview with campus police officer Lieutenant Steven Turcotte and his words on campus safety were â€Å"they might be known to psychologist, but they’re not known to police.†So the proble m is not necessarily the gun control laws but it is the mental health of those acquiring illegal weapons. Having strict Gun-Control laws in America will not necessarily protect the average citizen, but could potentially could end up putting them in a worse position. The people who are the cause for the mass shootings are typically not getting weapons in legal ways, nor do they care for following the law.The fact that America a first world country is mainly compared to second and third world and tis really shows what we have come to, and that perhaps our culture is what is causing all this violence. The gun control laws of America are strong and have very strict guidelines, but our main concern should be the illegally acquired weapons.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Free Essays on Media and Self Image

â€Å"Without social identity, there is in fact, no society† - Richard Jenkins. This statement holds true to everything in our everyday lives. From the time we can sit up our parents plant us in front of the television to keep us out of their way. Commercials and media shape our outlook, our self-image, and our stereotypes. Every commercial has a message in it; we’re to fat, to stupid, not driving the right car, we are all supposed to be beautiful†¦. The list is endless, and by this we are ‘socialized† into our identities. I am not going to take a look at any one commercial in particular but I am going to look at few of the market dominators, self-image and dieting, and where they come from. From catalogs, stores, commercials and magazines, it is not surprising that eating disorders are on the increase due to the value society places on being thin. In modern Western culture, women are given the message at a very young age that in order to be happy and successful, they must be thin. Every time you walk into a store you are surrounded by the images of withered models that appear on the front cover of fashion magazines. Women are constantly bombarded with advertisements catering to what is considered desirable. Thousands of women and girls are starving themselves to attain what the fashion industry considers to be the ideal frail figure. The average model weighs 23% less than the average woman. Maintaining a weight that is 15% below your expected body weight fits the criteria for anorexia, so most models, according to medical standards, fit into the category of being anorexic (Brumberg 205). Women must realize that society's ideal body image may in fact be achievable, but at a detrimental price to one’s body. The photos we see in magazines are not a clear image of reality. Adolescents and women striving to attain society's unattainabl... Free Essays on Media and Self Image Free Essays on Media and Self Image â€Å"Without social identity, there is in fact, no society† - Richard Jenkins. This statement holds true to everything in our everyday lives. From the time we can sit up our parents plant us in front of the television to keep us out of their way. Commercials and media shape our outlook, our self-image, and our stereotypes. Every commercial has a message in it; we’re to fat, to stupid, not driving the right car, we are all supposed to be beautiful†¦. The list is endless, and by this we are ‘socialized† into our identities. I am not going to take a look at any one commercial in particular but I am going to look at few of the market dominators, self-image and dieting, and where they come from. From catalogs, stores, commercials and magazines, it is not surprising that eating disorders are on the increase due to the value society places on being thin. In modern Western culture, women are given the message at a very young age that in order to be happy and successful, they must be thin. Every time you walk into a store you are surrounded by the images of withered models that appear on the front cover of fashion magazines. Women are constantly bombarded with advertisements catering to what is considered desirable. Thousands of women and girls are starving themselves to attain what the fashion industry considers to be the ideal frail figure. The average model weighs 23% less than the average woman. Maintaining a weight that is 15% below your expected body weight fits the criteria for anorexia, so most models, according to medical standards, fit into the category of being anorexic (Brumberg 205). Women must realize that society's ideal body image may in fact be achievable, but at a detrimental price to one’s body. The photos we see in magazines are not a clear image of reality. Adolescents and women striving to attain society's unattainabl...

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Afghanistan Country Facts and History

Afghanistan Country Facts and History Afghanistan has the misfortune of sitting in a strategic position at the crossroads of Central Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and the Middle East. Despite its mountainous terrain and fiercely independent inhabitants, the country has been invaded time after time throughout its history. Today, Afghanistan is once more embroiled in war, pitting NATO troops and the current government against the ousted Taliban and its allies. Afghanistan is a fascinating but violence-wracked country, where East meets West. Capital and Major Cities Capital:  Kabul, population 3,475,000 (2013 estimate) Kandahar, population 491,500Herat, 436,300Mazar-e-Sharif, 375,000Kunduz, 304,600Jalalabad, 205,000 Afghanistan Government Afghanistan is an Islamic Republic, headed by the President. Afghan presidents may serve a maximum of two 5-year terms.  Ashraf Ghani was elected in 2014.   Hamid Karzai  served two terms as president before him. The National Assembly is a bicameral legislature, with a 249-member House of the People (Wolesi Jirga), and a 102-member House of the Elders (Meshrano Jirga). The nine justices of the Supreme Court (Stera Mahkama) are appointed to terms of 10 years by the President. These appointments are subject to approval by the Wolesi Jirga. Afghanistan Population The population of Afghanistan is estimated at 32.6 million. Afghanistan is home to a number of ethnic groups. The largest is the Pashtun, 42 percent of the population. Tajiks make up 27 percent, Hazaras  8 percent, and Uzbeks 9 percent, Aimaks 4 percent, Turkmen 3 percent and Baluchi 2 percent. The remaining 13 percent are tiny populations of Nuristanis, Kizibashis, and other groups. Life expectancy for both men and women within Afghanistan is 60 years. The infant mortality rate is 115 per 1,000 live births, the worst in the world. It also has one of the highest maternal mortality rates. Official Languages Afghanistans official languages are Dari and Pashto, both of which are Indo-European languages in the Iranian sub-family. Written Dari and Pashto both use a modified Arabic script.Other Afghan languages include Hazaragi, Uzbek, and Turkmen. Dari is the Afghan dialect of the Persian language. It is quite similar to Iranian Dari, with slight differences in pronunciation and accent. The two are mutually intelligible. Around 33 percent of Afghanis speak Dari as their first language. About 40 percent of the people of Afghanistan speak Pashto, the language of the Pashtun tribe. It is also spoken in the Pashtun areas of western Pakistan. Religion The overwhelming majority of Afghanistans people are Muslim, around 99 percent. About 80 percent are Sunni, and 19 percent Shia. The final one percent includes about 20,000 Bahais, 3,000-5,000 Christians. Only one Bukharan Jewish man, Zablon Simintov, remained by 2005. All of the other members of the Jewish community fled when the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979. Until the mid-1980s, Afghanistan also had a population of 30,000 to 150,000 Hindus and Sikhs. During the Taliban regime, the Hindu minority was forced to wear yellow badges when they went out in public, and Hindu women had to wear the Islamic-style hijab. Today, only a few Hindus remain. Geography Afghanistan is a land-locked country bordering on Iran to the west, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan to the north, a tiny border with China at the northeast, and Pakistan to the east and south. Its total area is 647,500 square kilometers (almost 250,000 square miles). Most of Afghanistan is in the Hindu Kush Mountains, with some lower-lying desert areas. The highest point is Nowshak, at 7,486 meters (24,560 feet). The lowest is the Amu Darya River Basin, at 258 meters (846 feet). An arid and mountainous country, Afghanistan has little cropland; a scant 12 percent is arable, and only 0.2 percent is under permanent crop-cover. Climate The climate of Afghanistan is very dry and seasonal, with temperatures varying by altitude. Kabuls average January temperature is 0 degrees Celsius (32 Fahrenheit), while noon temperatures in July often reach 38 Celsius (100 Fahrenheit). Jalalabad can hit 46 Celsius (115 Fahrenheit) in the summer. Most of the precipitation that falls in Afghanistan comes in the form of winter snow. The nation-wide annual average is only 25-30 centimeters (10 to 12 inches), but snow drifts in the mountain valleys can reach depths of over 2 meters. The desert experiences sandstorms carried on winds moving at up to 177 kph (110 mph). Economy Afghanistan is among the poorest countries on Earth. The per capita GDP is $1,900 US, and about 36 percent of the population lives under the poverty line. The economy of Afghanistan receives large infusions of foreign aid, totaling billions of U.S. dollars annually. It has been undergoing a recovery, in part by the return of over five million expatriates and new construction projects. The countrys most valuable export is opium; eradication efforts have had mixed success. Other export goods include wheat, cotton, wool, handwoven rugs, and precious stones. Afghanistan imports much of its food and energy. Agriculture employs 80 percent of the labor force, industry, and services 10 percent each. The unemployment rate is 35 percent. The currency is the afghani. As of 2016, $1 US 69 afghani. History of Afghanistan Afghanistan was settled at least 50,000 years ago. Early cities such as Mundigak and Balkh sprang up around 5,000 years ago; they likely were affiliated with the Aryan culture of India. Around 700 B.C., the Median Empire expanded its rule to Afghanistan. The Medes were an Iranian people, rivals of the Persians. By 550 B.C., the Persians had displaced the Medians, establishing the Achaemenid Dynasty. Alexander the Great of Macedonia invaded Afghanistan in 328 B.C., founding a Hellenistic empire with its capital at Bactria (Balkh). The Greeks were displaced around 150 B.C. by the Kushans and later the Parthians, nomadic Iranians. The Parthians ruled until about 300 A.D. when the Sassanians took control. Most Afghans were Hindu, Buddhist or Zoroastrian at that time, but an Arab invasion in 642 A.D. introduced Islam. The Arabs defeated the Sassanians and ruled until 870, at which time they were driven out again by the Persians. In 1220, Mongol warriors under Genghis Khan conquered Afghanistan, and descendants of the Mongols would rule much of the region until 1747. In 1747, the Durrani Dynasty was founded by Ahmad Shah Durrani, an ethnic Pashtun. This marked the origin of modern Afghanistan. The nineteenth century witnessed increasing Russian and British competition for influence in Central Asia, in The Great Game. Britain fought two wars with the Afghans, in 1839-1842 and 1878-1880. The British were routed in the first Anglo-Afghan War but took control of Afghanistans foreign relations after the second. Afghanistan was neutral in World War I, but Crown Prince Habibullah was assassinated for purported pro-British ideas in 1919. Later that year, Afghanistan attacked India, prompting the British to relinquish control over Afghan foreign affairs. Habibullahs younger brother Amanullah reigned from 1919 until his abdication in 1929. His cousin, Nadir Khan, became king but lasted only four years before he was assassinated. Nadir Khans son, Mohammad Zahir Shah, then took the throne, ruling from 1933 to 1973. He was ousted in a coup by his cousin Sardar Daoud, who declared the country a republic. Daoud was ousted in turn in 1978 by the Soviet-backed PDPA, which instituted Marxist rule. The Soviets took advantage of the political instability to invade in 1979; they would remain for ten years. Warlords ruled from 1989 until the extremist Taliban took power in 1996. The Taliban regime was ousted by U.S.-led forces in 2001 for its support of Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda. A new Afghan government was formed, supported by the International Security Force of the United Nations Security Council. The new government continued to receive help from  US-led NATO troops to battle Taliban insurgencies and shadow governments. The US war in Afghanistan was officially ended December 28, 2014.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Responses to the problem Of road accident deaths in Ireland Essay

Responses to the problem Of road accident deaths in Ireland - Essay Example Currently, Ireland has the third highest road and highway fatality deaths throughout the world and much of this has to do with how the law has been regulating the speed limit. The speed for traveling motorists is extremely high and concretes the growing problem of accidents taking place on the highways (RTE News 2006). Furthermore, the research that the National Safety Council has gathered shows that the majority of the problems are necessarily due to any lack of help from law enforcement, but rather from the civilians themselves. Research has proven that if more motorists would be willing to not drink and drive, buckle up, and refrain from speeding there would be far less fatalities on the highways, rural roads, and urban roads within the country of Ireland (RTE News 2006). Queensland Government spent $1.4 million on a media campaign of graphic TV advertisements last April 2006, ahead of the Easter Road Safety period. These advertisements show graphic images of maimed bodies and mangled car wrecks (King, 2006). The speed limit for vehicles towing trailers, caravans, etc.,is 80 km/h (or less where signposted). The speed limit for trucks (over 3.5 tonnes)and single deck buses is 80 km/h (or less where signposted). The speed limit for double deck buses is 65 km/h (Ireland, 2006). Random Breath Testing "Last year in NortThis test is only possible if there has been a road traffic offence, incident or the police suspect that the driver is drunk. FACTS The Positives "Last year in Northern Ireland, there was the lowest death rate in 50 years and certainly a huge amount of that is due to the fact that we did introduce shock advertising in 1994 and we have continued with