Organization behavior Essay Example for Free

Organization behavior Essay 1.) Critically review learning theory. Learning theory is a routine that is carried out on a daily basis in order to have an experience in various fields of work. There are several theories that explain learning theory. One of the theories is Maslow’ Hierarchy of needs which explains that, when the need level is satisfied, it ceased to become a motivator and fulfillment of higher level is the next goal. (Francesco and Gold, 2005).The second theory is Hertzberg’s motivation hygiene theory which states that, employees’ growth and esteem needs are driven by the motivation factors, responsibility and achievement. This wills results into a job satisfaction at work place. (Francesco and Gold, 2005). The third theory is McClelland’s learned needs theory which explains that needs is learned through Childhood environment, social norms and assists in the understanding of individual motivation (Francesco and Gold, 2005). The last theory is ERG theory which contributes on Maslow theory. It has three categories of needs. Existence which is the physical and psychological need, relatedness which is the need to share ideas with others and feel secure and growth is the need to achieve to fulfill of self esteemed needs. The learning theories have assisted very many people at work place especially the people who are working in the organizations. (Francesco and Gold, 2005). There have been several philosophers who have tried to explain what is learning. Various theories of learning have been therefore have been discussed. Learning theories are the ideas about why or how changes occur. There has been a theory on the behaviorist orientation to learning .This theory is from theorist such as Thorndike, Pavlov and skinner. (Smith, 1999).This theory argues that people change their behavior from the kind of learning they get. People according to the theory are stimulated by the environment they live in. When people live in a good environment they learn to be good and vise versa. Behaviorists argue that people can be taught to produce behavior change in the desired direction. An educator trying to teach people to change should arrange environment of the person to get the desired response. People can learn through skill development and training as well as behavior according to behaviorists. (Smith, 1999). There is another theory on cognitive orientation to learning. Cognitivist such as Piaget, Bruner and Gagne believe that learning process is an internal mental process. Internal mental process includes receiving insight about information, processing the information, memorizing it and finally making a perception. (Smith, 1999).That is how the learning process is according to Cognitivist. People according to the cognitivist learn through the internal cognitive structuring. This structure helps people develop skills and capacity to learn better. Cognitive structure if followed can help a person develop intelligence learning and memory as function of age as well as learning how to learn. Whichever the theory that is followed learning is an important aspect of human being and people should strive to learn more to improve themselves. (Saljo,1979) 2. Positive and negative reinforcements, punishment and extinction in shaping behavior There are many types of positive reinforcements that Godot can use. First Godot can reward excellent behavior. This is normally a very effective method of reinforcing good behavior. (Verddelho, 1999)The implication here is that when an employee is rewarded for good performance, the employee feels motivated to do even better the next time. In the end this will lead to an improved performance which is good not just for the individual but also for the organization. The second positive reinforcement is recognition. Recognition here implies acknowledging excellent behavior of good work. In this case the meaning for this is that supervisors like Godot can simply acknowledge and commend a well performing employee like Diane. Recognition of good work has the implication of having positive congratulatory words for a job that has been well accomplished. This can simply be achieved by a simple word of mouth like ‘well done.’ Unknown to many supervisors, this simple act of recognition normally has a very positive effects on the motivation of an employee of an individual and can result in positive work behavior. (Francesca Gold, 2008) The use of incentives is another positive reinforcement that can result in improved positive behavior. In this case incentives can be in form of extra or bonus pay for exemplary performance. Incentives can go along way in improving an individual’s performance on the job. (Francesca Gold, 2008)This is more so if an individual is capable of making more money by displaying good performance method. In this case the issue of a tip was a good gesture to the employees since those with exemplary performance would feel encouraged to do more. One negative way of reinforcing behavior is through harshness. In this case, the employees will only perform well because of fear of reprimand by Godot and not because they feel a compelling need to work hard. This is a negative reinforcement because positive organization behavior should be forced but should come spontaneously. The implication here is that employees should not be coerced into behaving well but rather positive behavior should just come naturally. This therefore means that these employees should not work hard because of fear of being reprimanded by the supervisor but instead should do so because of a need to do so. (Dwyer, 2005) 3. Discuss the impact of these reinforcements and punishment has on behavior and on Diane’s behavior specifically Reinforcement theory suggests that a reinforcement/reward and punishment of certain behavior will most likely result in a repeat of that particular behavior. That is to say that if behavior is not recognized or appreciated chances of it being repeated will be low. . (Francesco Gold, 2005)   However, the consequence of reinforcement is determined by whether it is negative or positive. Positive reinforcement will motivate employees and result in behavior that will increase an organization’s output and the opposite is true. . (Francesco Gold, 2005) Diane works hard and her output is great. However, when she breaks a plate one day, Godot yells at her and even makes her pay for the broken plate and the cost of cleaning up the messed caused. Diane has been waiting all along for recognition but she only gets a negative reinforcement for her good output. As it is, it is better to motivate people for the right reasons rather than to punish them for the wrong reasons. (Skinner, 1957). Diane is punished for the wrong reason and fails to get reinforced for the right reasons. Negative reinforcement is not likely to motivate individuals and therefore this will in turn lead to them slacking in their work and thus the overall out put will be low. (Skinner, 1957).   It is because of this that she relaxes when carrying out her duties. Reinforcement suggests that behavior determines outcome and a person will be motivated to seek reinforcement and avoid punishment. When she got a chance to work at a fancy French restaurant at Sydney known La Maison, Diana a University Student could not spend her vacation at her parents home Queabeyan, since she needed money to change on her diet during her next semester . (Skinner, 1957). Ready to prove how good she was, she would balance several plates on her arm and the customers would compliment her on her efficient service, but one day she dropped a bowl of bouillabaisse appetizer on the carpet and hurriedly went for sponge while apologizing but   Godot shouted at her that he would deduct $24.95, $20 from her pay to compensate for appetizer and cost of cleaning rugs respectively, out of anger and confusion, next day Diana slowed down to avoid recurrence of same incident thus she carried   no more than two dishes at a time thus slugging her tips down (Skinner, 1957). Q4 .Effectiveness of hourly pay rates and tips as a method for reinforcing desired behaviors. Tips and hourly rates have been used as a mode of payment against other methods of payment like piece rate and monthly payments. There is a big variation in the effectiveness of the methods. When hourly rate is used as the mode of payment, it has been found to have an effect on quality and speed. These two factors are the one that determine the output of any activity (Encina, 2000). Payment in work acts as an incentive to the worker. Whenever the worker is paid well he will work well and poor pay means poor jobs. It is noted that the worker will always optimize what he has at hand. When he is paid hourly he will do he/her work according to the hour he is being paid. This will spoil the consistency (Encina , 2000). When tips are added to the hourly rate, the worker will optimize on the tips and he/she will improve on his hourly work to get more tips. Things are different when hourly pay is made without the tips as there will be no motivation. Paying on an hourly rate together with the tips may improve on speed but destroy the quality. The use of tips and hourly rate need a balance as what motivate the worker are the conditions of work. Diane on his part was being motivated tips (Encina , 2000). Apart from the pay, there are other factors that motivate worker during their work. Recognition during work is another factor that lender the effectiveness of work. A worker may improve his effectiveness due to tips. This will improve his/her efficiency. When a worker feels that his efficiency has improved, he will look for recognition.   Payment on hourly rates can improve the behaviors of the worker but additional inputs like recognition should be added. Diane opted to work in the right he will perfect the work and in return he will be recognized to get a better pay. For the behavior of an hourly paid worker to improve, incentives have to be added. This will help in improving the efficiency of work and altitude towards work will improve (Schildkraut 2003). The behavior of workers depends very much on the pay and recognition. As much as workers are paid hourly tends to improve the output, their behavior depends much on the supervision. Workers will always maximize on their man hours instead of employers manpower (Schildkraut 2003). Therefore to ensure that the behavior of the worker is good requires supervision. The supervision should not oppress the worker but instead it will help improve his behavior. The role of the supervisor for hourly paid worker is to help the worker to improve in his productivity. Though the supervisor will optimize on production, it should not destroy the quality of the work (Schildkraut 2003). In conclusion hourly rates can improve on the worker behavior but proper measures should be put in place to ensure that the objectives of the company or organization are met. The measure can include recognition after improvement, controlled supervision, and improvement after achievement. There should be no mistake of paying hourly for organization benefit but it should be to the worker (Schildkraut 2003).

Media Essays Media Fiction Fact

Media Essays Media Fiction Fact Media Fiction Fact ‘Media portrayals of law, be they fiction or fact, are inevitably distortions of reality’. Discuss with reference to the module’s readings and, if relevant, illustrate with specific examples drawn from the seminars Introduction ‘I think we can say that the public’s attitude to the criminal justice system is greatly, probably dominantly, affected and influenced by what they read in newspapers, hear on radio, watch on television and, now of course, see on the internet. In other words the media’. As the noted legal journalist, Marcel Berlins explains, the media has become a powerful and significant source of legal information and a means by which individual perceptions about the law are formed and shaped. The concern however, is that the media is also capable of persuading people to adopt and endorse notions about the legal system that are based on ‘misconceptions, false facts or prejudice’. By using various images and sounds the media is able to influence the public’s reaction to legal issues, and convince the public to accept the media’s distorted perspective. The question then becomes whether all media representations are a distortion of reality or whether the media is also capable of accurately portraying the law. Information and representations become distorted when they are presented in a manner that is misleading and inconsistent with their original form. The case of Caesar Barber is a clear illustration of media’s ability to present the law in a manner that falls within the definition of distortion. Caesar Barber commenced a class action lawsuit against various fast food restaurants for failing to inform the public about the harmful risks associated with the consumption of fast food. Although, the aim of the lawsuit was to raise public awareness and attempt to make large corporations legally accountable for their ‘pervasive deceptions’, the media, in an attempt to attract readers, used various tactics to undermine the importance and socio-legal implications of the case. Various newspapers and reputable journalists used catchy phrases, humorous pictures and witty headlines to give the story an entertainment quality and create market value. According to some commentators, the media must resort to these theatrical antics and dramatic techniques in order to retain its ‘mass appeal’. As Margaret Thornton notes, the media are forced to present distorted images of the legal system in order to secure ratings and retain its power and influence over the public: ‘Accurate portrayals, such as the American TV series, Paper Chase, which was located in a law school, have had to be withdrawn because of their unpopularity. Similarly, the exploration and explication of legal doctrine are considered to be too dull and complex for popular media’. Thus, as a business, the media responds to market pressures by employing various tactics to attract consumers including using misleading headlines and false images to incite emotional responses. It is precisely because the media picks and chooses what to focus on, that they inevitably misrepresent the law and blur the line between fact and fiction. Events are defined as being fictitious if they are untrue, imaginary or based on a false belief. Although the term ‘fiction’ is usually equated with the imagination, fictitious events can include real people and experiences, but are primarily viewed as a form of entertainment. In contrast, a fact is usually equated with truth and reality and is defined in law as ‘a thing that is indisputably the case’ or ‘the truth about events as opposed to interpretation’. The distinction between fact and fiction is fading as reality is becoming more fictionalized through the media’s use of narrative devices such as metaphors. It is the media’s ability to present their version of the story in a realistic manner that makes it difficult for the public to discern the truth. Although there is strong support for the argument that ‘media portrayals of the law, be they fiction or fact, are inevitably distortions of reality’, the real issue is whether this is indeed a cause for concern. Many media critics are concerned that the media will inevitably undermine the public’s confidence in the judiciary, lawyers and the legal system. This anxiety is founded on the idea that the media is the chief or sole source of legal information, and that audiences are incapable of resisting media influences in formulating their opinions about the law. The aim of this paper therefore, will be to explore the relationship between the media and the law, and examine the ways in which the media distorts the law through representations of reality based on fact and fiction. The last part of the paper will be devoted to examining whether or not the media’s ability to misrepresent the law is indeed as problematic and worrisome as it first appears. Relationship between the media and the law The media and the law are inextricably linked in a number of ways. Firstly, the media is the subject of legal discourse. Lawyers, judges and policy makers are constantly involved in the regulation of different forms of media such as the radio, television, newspapers, and the internet. Media regulation has become an important legal issue and attempts have been made to develop rules restricting media content and to determine who should have control over the production of media forms. Secondly, the law and media are connected through media communications about the law and legal events. Whether it is an advertisement for a law firm, a reality courtroom programme, a newspaper article on a current legal event, or an internet blog on a controversial legal issue, the media is a constant source of legal information. Although the law is probably most visible in highly institutionalized places such as the courts, law firms and police stations, it is also present through media representations of crime and justice. It is through media portrayals of law that the relationship between the law and media manifests itself. As Sheila Brown states, ‘By depicting the processes of law and justice within the dramatic conventions of reality TV, courtroom soap opera, the voyeurism of human interest, and the aesthetics of visuality, media culture and the law sometimes appear to become indivisible domains’. The relationship between the media and the law is further strengthened by the fact that both are present in our everyday lived experience. A common sense approach to understanding the concept of the ‘everyday life’ suggests that it is ‘the routine act of conducting one’s day-to-day existence’. Based on this view, the everyday is simply a representation of individual experiences that impact on the formation of one’s opinions and identity. Since the everyday life is interwoven into human experience it is both patently obvious and hidden because it is often ‘taken-for-granted’. As Austin Sarat and Thomas R. Kearns note, quoting from Schutz and Luckmann’s Structures of the Life World, ‘The world of everyday life is consequently man’s fundamental and paramount reality†¦It is the unexamined ground of everything given in my experience†¦the taken-for-granted frame in which all the problems which I must overcome are placed’. The law is representative of the everyday life because it is an integral part of our daily routine and plays a significant role in various aspects of our life such as our family, career, community and education. From filing for divorce, to claiming sexual harassment in the workplace, or to suffering an injury at the hands of a drunk driver we encounter the law on a daily basis in its various shapes and forms. It is precisely because the law is an integral part of our every day experience that it becomes a dominant source of knowledge that ‘helps shape experiences, interpretations, and understandings of social life’. However, because the law is a component of one’s daily routine and habits, people are generally unaware of the law’s influence over their daily experiences and conceptions of social life. The same principle can be said to apply to the media. Like the law, the media penetrates our daily lives, helps formulate our understanding of social reality, and its influence and power in shaping individual perceptions of the world is frequently ignored. Thus, the media are often viewed as both entertainers and an ‘agents of socialization’ who play a significant role in shaping the public’s understanding of the law and legal processes. As a dominant source of legal information, the media is often viewed as the primary means by which the law is able to become a part of the everyday life. The media educates the public about lawyers, judges and criminals and provides its own perspective on what the law is and how it works. It is the media’s ability to ‘teach us about ‘the law’’ that has led legal scholars to critically examine the relationship between the media and the law. The concern is that the media’s use of sensationalized headlines not only misinforms the public by presenting distorted images of legal reality but also undermines the public’s confidence in the legal system. Media distorts legal reality On January 25, 2007, one of the BBC news headlines read, ‘Risk of suffering crime ‘rises’: The risk of becoming a victim of crime in England and Wales is rising for the first time since 1995, figures suggest’. Anyone reading this headline would automatically be under the impression that, according to official figures, crime is on the rise and is a serious issue in England. The problem with this headline and other newspaper reports about crime is that it does not accurately reflect the reality of criminal behaviour. Statistical evidence produced and gathered by the Home Office indicates that contrary to the BBC report, ‘violent crime has fallen or remained stable since 1995’. Furthermore, any rises in crime can be attributed to procedural disparities arising from the number of crimes reported and recorded by the police in any particular year. Although the text of the BBC article makes reference to these findings, noting that the increase in crime is still lower than the total percent recorded in 1995, this information is contained further down in the text of the article. Thus, the large number of readers who merely skim newspaper headlines will be misled into thinking that the general level of crime in England is increasing. This suggests that what the media chooses to focus on can give rise to public misconceptions about the criminal justice system. The question then is if the media has such a large impact on people’s perceptions about the law, then why do they insist on distorting representations of crime? People generally use their spare time to engage in activities that are both relaxing and fun and that help them unwind from the stresses of everyday life. During these leisurely moments, people generally watch television, listen to the radio, surf the internet, or read the newspaper. In this way, the media is often viewed as a pastime, as both a source of entertainment and a means by which one is able to distract oneself from the complexities of life. As McQuail states, ‘The media are often sought out precisely as an alternative to and an escape from reality’. What people seem to forget during their leisurely pursuits is that the media is still a business, whose primary goal is to sell the product of entertainment and information to its consumers. The media is subject to various market pressures and as such its principle objective is to generate profits by using a variety of techniques to attract consumers. Since the media’s principle objective is to sell its product, the media is not focused on representing a true pattern of what is going on in the world. As was seen with the BBC news headline, the media use various marketing tools such as sensationalized headlines to attract its audience. Events are only reported in the media if they resonate with the public and attract viewers. As is noted by McQuail, â€Å"The simple fact that the mass media are generally oriented to the interest of their audiences as ‘consumers’ of information and entertainment can easily account for most of the evidence of reality distortion†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. A clear example of media distortion is the fact that the press only concentrates on a small number of criminal offences which include serious crimes such as murder and sexual assault or celebrity crimes. As is noted by Thornton, ‘The dramatic potential of criminal litigation is overwhelmingly preferred, in which everything is biased and distorted for dramatic effect. Within the crime show genre itself, violent crimes are disproportionately over represented’. Although these types of cases matter, they often leave the viewer with misconceptions regarding the general level of crime. The recent British Crime Survey indicates that in 2006/2007 the total number of domestic burglary crimes reported by the police was 292.3 thousand compared to the 19.2 thousand reports of crime that constitute serious violence against the person such as homicide or serious wounding. Although the threat of being a victim of burglary is higher than that of homicide, the media tend to focus its reports on violent crimes because the seriousness of these types of offences triggers an emotional response in the viewer thereby increasing media productivity and profits. This type of slanted reporting leads the public to grossly overestimate the amount of serious violent crimes, in relation to all other crimes. As Berlins notes in his lecture, ‘I suppose what I’m saying is that the media, in its totality, does probably irreversibly convey a distorted view of the state of crime and punishment, that therefore in turn, the public, which takes much of its information as well as its attitudes from the media, holds misguided views on the subject’. Thus, while the media only reports that which will give rise to public emotion, the public, who view the media as a primary source of legal information, uses these reports to formulate their own views about the criminal justice system. The danger is that this type of reporting will erode the public’s confidence in the legal system. As Garapon notes, ‘by placing us under the jurisdiction of the emotions, the media are in fact distancing us from the jurisdiction of the law’. Public confidence in the legal system and the judiciary is an important issue. A lack of confidence in state institutions, and in particular the court system, may lead to a form of vigilante justice. For instance, when Sarah Payne, an eight-year old girl, was sexually assaulted and murdered, the News of the World’s tabloid made a plea for the public endorsement of a law that would allow the public access to a sex offender registry. After the tabloid ran this report, vigilante groups began attacking the homes of families they mistakenly believed were pedophiles. Thus, if the public, through media portrayals, is under the impression that violent crime is on the rise or that the courts and police are not doing enough to keep criminals out of society, then they may attempt to take justice into their own hands. A regular pattern across all research in this area suggests that the majority of the public does not have confidence in the courts particularly in relation to sentencing. Mike Hough and Julian Roberts conducted a study on the sentencing trends in Britain and found that ‘judgesreceived significantly more negative evaluations than any othergroup of criminal justice professionals. The public systematicallyunder-estimate the severity of sentencing patterns, and thisis significantly related to attitudes to sentencers’. This lack of confidence appears to emanate from a significant lack of knowledge about how the system works and the levels of sentencing. Since public opinion about the legal system is influenced by media reports about crime, it would follow that the public’s ignorance about the judiciary and sentencing is substantially based on media representations which are largely inaccurate. However, not all media portrayals of the law are entirely unfounded or inaccurate. As Berlins notes, ‘I don’t want to give the impression that most people get most of their information and opinions from bad fiction on the telly. After all, television also gives us some very good, informative, sober documentaries’. However, Berlins goes on to state that while there are accurately depicted representations of crime and justice in the media, viewers tend to not be interested in these shows and they are usually ‘withdrawn because of their unpopularity’. The Media distorts the law regardless if they represent the facts or fictions The issue then is whether the media is incapable of producing legal narratives that are based on facts and not fiction. Recently, the L.A. Times, a predominant American newspaper, released the story of Mychal Bell’s guilty plea in the ‘Jena Six’ case. In the ‘Jena Six’ case, six black teenagers, including Mychal Bell, were accused of assaulting Justin Baker, a white teenager, at their highschool in Jena, Louisiana. The media claimed that the assault resulted from a racially-motivated incident at the highschool, where three white students hung nooses from a tree that black students were allegedly prohibited from sitting under. Mychal Bell was the only member of the ‘Jena Six’ group who was charged with attempted murder. Bell’s charges were subsequently reduced and after pleading guilty to a second-degree battery charge he was sentenced to 18 months in prison. The public viewed Bell’s prosecution as being ‘excessive and racially discriminatory’ particularly in comparison to the way white offenders were treated in similar offences. The L.A. Times’ coverage of Bell’s guilty plea sensationalized the issue of racism while at the same time omitting relevant facts relating to Bell’s sentence. Although the L.A. Times story appears to set out the true facts of the story in relation to Bell’s sentence, they overlook the fact that Bell had a previous criminal record. Previous convictions on an offenders record is considered an aggravating factor that the court will take into account when determining an appropriate sentence. Thus, as one commentator notes, the L.A. Times, in addressing the issue of whether the sentence was excessive and racially-motivated, should have noted that information concerning Bell’s previous convictions was a factor in the sentencing decision: This is a story about whether a criminal prosecution of young black males for a violent crime was too harsh. Any responsible story addressing that topic would fully describe the perpetrators’ criminal histories especially histories of similar behavior. This information is absolutely vital to assessing whether his treatment at the hands of law enforcement was unnecessarily harsh and by not mentioning his priors, the paper implies to most rational readers that he has no criminal history at all. Assuming the aim of the L.A. Times report was simply to inform readers of recent developments in the ‘Jena Six’ case, this example demonstrates that by focusing on certain facts, at the exclusion of others, the media is able to create a fictional reality which substantiates its own hasty judgments. A local reporter in Jena, Louisiana, commented on the media’s coverage of ‘Jena Six’ and highlighted several myths reported by the media noting: ‘The media got most of the basics wrong. In fact, I have never before witnessed such a disgrace in professional journalism. Myths replaced facts, and journalists abdicated their solemn duty to investigate every claim because they were seduced by a powerfully appealing but false narrative of racial injustice’. Among the number of facts the media neglected to report was that evidence given by both witnesses and defendants showed that the noose incident, which took place three months prior to the assault of Justin Baker, was not only a prank against a group of white not black students, but was also unrelated to the attack. Thus, the media, by picking which facts to report and by drawing unsubstantiated correlations between various facts, have presented a distorted picture of this case. Although, the facts presented by the media in the Jena Six case are in and of themselves true, the manner in which they are presented leads to a blurring of the line between fact and fiction. It is for these reasons that the media is generally charged with presenting a ‘flawed and distorted version of the law’. As Richard Nobles and David Schiff note, ‘the media misreads law for its own purposes. This misreading has the capacity to generate what, within the media itself, are described as ‘crises of confidence in the administration of justice’. Distinguishing between fact and fiction has become a difficult task for media consumers. Fictional events are becoming more realistic through various television programs that dramatize the law and the judicial system such as Ally McBeal and People’s Court (UK). These television shows impose a conceptual ‘reality’ that viewers can identify with. How then is it possible for a viewer of these types of programmes to be able to distinguish between fact and fiction when the real object of these shows is to provide neither? According to J. Street, the distinction between fact and fiction is not one that can be discerned by simply watching these shows but is rather a skill that must be learned. The idea that the line between fact and fiction is becoming more and more difficult to discern is not something that is recent or that has emerged with the introduction of reality TV. The media has always used various tools to impose a certain amount of ‘fictionalization’ on ‘real’ issues. In addition to using sensationalized headlines and twisting facts by playing on words, the media also uses metaphors as ‘an expression of categories of reality’. Metaphors are used in media crime reporting in order to present complex legal issues in a clear and straightforward manner that makes them more ‘real’ and easy for an audience to relate to. Metaphors such as ‘justice is blind’, ‘war on terror’, ‘cold-blooded murderer’, ‘lawyers are leeches’ and ‘if it doesn’t fit you must acquit’ are used by the media to represent a particular angle on a legal story by relating that perspective to human experience. For example, the metaphor ‘lawyers are leeches’ will impress upon anyone who has had a negative experience with a lawyer or who has had to pay an excessive amount for legal representation. The media is able, through the use of these metaphors to paint a certain picture for the viewer that they are able to connect with because the ‘values and emotions’ attached to these metaphors resonate with the everyday. As Brown notes, ‘What gives such metaphors their resonance is not actually their ‘distortion’ of reality; it is their proximity to experience’. Metaphors, however, can also distort representations of the truth in crime reporting. For example, the metaphor ‘justice is blind’ is used to signify the fact that the judiciary is an impartial and independent body whose job is to apply the law equally and fairly to all persons regardless of class, race or gender. However, what is lost in this metaphor is that justice is not always adversarial and can be achieved through alternative methods to dispute resolution such as mediation and negotiation. Nevertheless, even if the media generates a fictional story, by using metaphors ‘taken from the real world’ the media is able to connect with the public. As a result, metaphors do not necessarily have to be accurate in order for the media to be able to unite with the public through common experience. Another way the media is able to connect with the public in disseminating information about the law is by turning ‘readers or viewers into judges, providing them with all the material necessary for them to make the judgments themselves’. The facts, legal issues and judgments surrounding court-room type shows are introduced to the viewer as the media sees it and as such, there is no room for mediation, argument or debate. The media trial is presented in a story-like fashion like any good novelist, the media tailors the sequence of events and uses characters, imagery, and symbolism to guide its viewers into reaching a pre-determined judgment. By setting the stage and employing various theatrical tools, the media falsely leads its viewers into believing that the outcome of the media trial corresponds with their own opinions about the law and justice. Although the media is able to provide instantaneous justice, by compressing the complexities of a legal proceeding into a 30 minute clip, the media ignores the fact that ‘a trial is an extremely complex and sophisticated device’ and that just and fair decisions are reached only through careful consideration of all the facts, evidence and testimony. Thus, media trials have the ability to undermine the role of the judiciary and the public’s faith in the legal system, by impressing upon its viewers the belief that justice is easily ascertained without deliberation. Garapon elaborates on this point stating, ‘The trial is able to control the way in which the facts are presented, proved and interpreted. On the television, however, a ‘construction of reality’ is implicit and thus directly experienced and thus escapes both examination and discussion’. Hence, as Garapon further notes in ‘preferring seduction to reasoned argument’, the media are able to display a version of the truth ‘at the expense of truth itself’. Although the media’s main role is to entertain, the media is viewed by the public as a major distributor of legal information. Since the media uses various dramatic techniques to relate information regarding the law to its viewers, the public is generally unaware that the media simply has no regard for whether or not the information they are relaying is true or accurate. It is in this way that the distinction between fact and fiction becomes harder for the public to discern. The public adopts the media’s conception of legal reality and as a result views the law in a negative light and loses confidence in the criminal justice system. This is not to suggest that all media content is based on false assumptions or inaccurate facts, but more often then not accounts of the law are misapprehensions of the truth. Is there a valid reason for concern over distorted media portrayals of the law? All research in respect of the effect media has on popular conceptions of the law suggests that media portrayals of the law, whether they are based on fact or fiction, present a distorted version of legal reality. As noted earlier, the media’s power to distort the law and present fictions as legal truths causes anxiety in the legal community. Again, the concern is that media misrepresentations about the law may destroy the public’s faith in the legal system. The administration of justice and the independence of the judiciary are important values that safeguard the fundamental rights of every individual in society. Without these principles, justice, fairness and equality would cease to exist and society would revert back to a state of war where everyone fends for themselves. The media, as the voice of public opinion, ought to be troubled by the role they play and the influence they have in undermining the public’s confidence in the legal system. This is particularly so when examining the media’s power over the public from an effects-based approach. The effects model suggests that media users are like sponges in that they simply absorb media content without any reflection or analysis. This is disconcerting given that some researchers have suggested that information from the media and other sources are absorbed into the mind and filed into ‘bins’ and that when making ‘heuristic judgments’, people extract the information from these bins and ‘often fail to consider that the information extracted could be from fictitious sources’. Based on this approach, individuals who have not learned to decipher between fact and fiction, are in danger of formulating erroneous beliefs about the law that are based on stereotypes, half-truths and clichà ©s. On the other hand, it can be argued that because viewers and readers are generally ‘media-savvy’ they are cognizant of the media’s power to mislead and as such do not rely on media generated content about the law when making value judgments about the legal system. As Lieve Gies notes, ‘Most individuals are sufficiently ‘media-savvy’ to be aware that newspapers and television cannot always be regarded as the most reliable or authoritative sources of knowledge. People are capable of detecting the media’s deceptions and distortions, which means that they are not prepared to put all their eggs in the media’s basket’. Thus, instead of ‘simply absorbing the televised message like a sponge’, viewers and readers are able to ‘decode’ media communications and attach entirely new and different meanings to the media text. The idea that media users are capable of scrutinizing media content and are actively engaged in the construction of their own reality is based on the active audience approach to understanding media effects on the law. According to the active audience approach, media users are not merely cultural ‘dopes’ who submit to the media’s power without reflection and examination. A concern raised by advocates of the active audience approach is that media effects studies overlook the fact that audiences are able to maintain their own independence and views when engaging the media. Instead, research in this area generally starts from the presumption that ‘the media is to blame’. As is noted by David Gauntlett, ‘The problem with much media effects research, however, is that researchers have jumped straight to the second stage investigating the media and its possible ‘effects’ without even bothering with the first one, namely checking whether any notable suspects have in fact been affected’. Stuart Hall’s analysis of the media further suggests that any content received by viewers and readers through various media forms is hollow and meaningless until the viewer or reader ‘deciphers the text and assigns meaning to it’. Hall’s reception analysis model suggests that readers and viewers consciously refuse to give into media influences and instead attach their own set of values to the information being conveyed through media texts. However, as Gies points out, ‘The potential blind spot in reception analysis is that it may still end up giving the media too much preponderance and ignore other influential sources of knowledge’. Nevertheless, the thrust of the argument in both the active audience approach and the reception analysis model is that the media’s powers to shape one’s understanding of the law will vary depending on the meaning that one attaches to media messages which is dependent on one’s cultural perspective one’s class, race and gender. As is noted by Gies, ‘In constructionist analyses of media culture, it is the socio-cultural background of people, and not the media products they consume, which is seen as a more reliable predictor of how they construct social meaning’. For instance, in Canada, the majority of the images presented on the television depict a Western conception of reality. Since Canada is an ethically and culturally diverse country there are many citizens who have differing cultural perspectives and identities. It is therefore dif

Jackson as a President: Yesterday and Today :: American America History

Jackson as a President: Yesterday and Today The Andrew Jackson Administration, from 1829 to 1837, was very important in American history. A self-made man, Jackson exemplified republican virtues by restraining a centralized government and promoting the powers of the people. His administration left a lasting impact on American politics. With his extreme usage of the presidential veto, Jackson strengthened the executive branch and rendered it equal in power to the legislative branch. These Jacksonian ideals of decentralized government can still be seen in politics to this day. Jackson was the first American president to have come from the frontier society of the American West. He was a "one-generation aristocrat" (Hoftstedder, 58) whose ambitions were to be wealthy and receive military glory rather than have political power (although military glory is a good way to gain popular support and political power). Jackson gained 'national hero' status after his military victory at the Battle of New Orleans. This victory, along with wounds from his participation in the Revolutionary War, gave him the popular support he needed for a strong presidency. Although Jackson lost in his first attempt at the Presidency, he quickly learned from his mistakes and won the election of 1828 by 95 electoral votes (Norton, 359). During his administration Jackson was faced with many key issues, of which the Nullification crisis is an example. This was a crisis over the doctrine of nullification, which was being strongly pushed by South Carolina. According to this doctrine, the state had the right to nullify government legislature that was inconsistent with its own. This doctrine was not used until 1832 when a new tariff was imposed that would reduce some duties but retain high taxes on many imports. The south felt this tariff would make them pay for northern industrialism, and they did not want to succumb to the will of the North. Jackson was against this theory of Nullification because he was a strong supporter of the Union. He took action against this by publicly 'nullifying nullification' and by moving troops into South Carolina to help the federal marshals collect the unpaid duties. Finally a compromise tariff was passed in 1833 which increased the number of duty free items and reduced other duties. Jacks on's decisive actions in the Nullification crisis helped define the powers of the central government more clearly, they made it clear to the states that he would not suffer their tyranny, which might break up the Republic, just as the States would not tolerate a tyrannical central government.

The Government Struggle to Combat Identity Theft Essay -- Exploratory

I. Introduction Over the last few decades, the world has witnessed a global revolution, unleashed by technological innovations and catalyzed by market forces. Yet even as technology has made the world more efficient, it has also made the world vulnerable to threats posed by malicious actors. These actors have perpetrated innumerable crimes and the government struggles to combat these modern criminals. One threat stands out as particularly frightening: identity theft. The ability of a criminal to completely co-opt the identity of another person strikes at the very core of individuality. No longer can the victim be assured that his place in the world is singular and unique, dependent on his actions alone; rather, he is subject to sudden and dramatic changes, all at the behest of an actor who he – in all likelihood – does not even know. Noting the progressing trends of identify theft crimes in the last few years, Congress has begun to combat ID theft, hoping to drive it to extincti on. Yet the progress so far is discouraging. Modern statutes suffer the weakness of inadequacy, often relying upon traditional methods to engage a new and fundamentally different form of crime. The same problem afflicts most of the legislative proposals currently under Congressional consideration. And to make matters even worse, the few proposed bills that might be effective face a likely death at the hands of a Republican dominated Congress. Ultimately, Congress lacks the innovation and understanding to combat identity theft, leading to incoherent policies that do little to curb this new epidemic. II. A Short History Before identify theft laws were passed, Congress could only rely on fraud statutes to prosecute identity thieves. Before ... .... 7. 15 Identity Theft Resource Center. Foley, Linda. Refocusing the Fight Against Identity Theft. 2003. Found at: http://www.idtheftcenter.org/refocusing.shtml 16 United States. Internet False Identification Act of 2000. 17 Frelinghuysen, Representative Rodney. Proposed Bill. Online Privacy Protection Act. 2003. 18 Dianne Feinstein, Senator Dianne. Proposed Bill. Identity Theft Prevention Act. 2003. Found at: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c108:S.223: 19 Kotadia, Munir. â€Å"Whois Database ‘Contributes to Identity Theft.’† ZDNet UK, 6 November 2003. Found at: http://news.zdnet.co.uk/internet/security/0,39020375,39117667,00.htm 20 Barnes, Cecily. â€Å"Internet Contributes to Rise of Identity Theft, FTC Says.† CNET News.com, 30 August 2000. Found at: http://news.com.com/2100-1023-245173.html?legacy=cnet 21 Frelinghuysen. Online Privacy Protection Act. 22 Ibid.

International Marketing Essay -- Cosmetics Make-up Business Essays

International Marketing The Cosmetics Industry Estee Lauder vs. Shiseido Cosmetics Introduction  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The cosmetics business is a billion dollar industry. Every year, women are responsible for consuming millions of cosmetic products. The cosmetics industry is so large because of several factors. The media is a huge contributor to the intense pressure to look a certain way. The idea that â€Å"sex sells† is evident in gossip magazines, movies, advertisements, music, and more subtly- in the business world. People first notice what race someone is, how beautiful or ugly they are and what clothes they are wearing. Beauty is skin deep; however, first impressions are usually what others use to base their personal judgments. In the business world, people are expected to dress appropriately and carry themselves appropriately. Studies reveal that better looking people on average earn more than their peers. Obese applicants are discriminated against because of their larger appearance. Sadly, how one dresses and appears is often the determinant of the amount of respec t one receives.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cosmetics can pessimistically be seen as a group of products which feeds on either people’s insecurities or egos. Optimistically, cosmetics can be a product which helps us bring our best face forward. The desire to look beautiful, young, and sexy does not only apply to women, but men as well. Cosmetic companies are highly competitive with one another. To remain competitive, companies feel the pressure to come out with innovative products. In the past few years, cosmetic companies are expanding their product lines to include products for men.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In addition to music, beauty is also the universal language. The popularity of cosmetics in China is growing with the economy. The government’s change towards a more market-based economy has opened flood gates of opportunities for its people and foreign companies. Cosmetic companies in the industry have seen an overall growth. Personal Experience   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My travels in China resulted in an increased awareness of the similarities and differences that I have from mainland Chinese women. In my observations, I can confidently say that most women in China do not wear makeup on a daily basis compared to women from America. I believe this has to do with cultural differences and economic differences. In America, having sex a... ...emographics and current cultural trends. If Shiseido or Estee Lauder wishes to expand their men’s product line in China, they should set up a few kiosks in the larger cities. Price   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Estee Lauder and Shiseido’s pricing are about the same as one another. Shiseido creates value by understanding their customers and offering a high quality product at a deserving price. Shiseido keeps their customers in mind and aims to create products that fit their needs. The factors which affect the final prices of the product are the raw material costs, research and development expenses, distribution fees, and any tariffs charged during international trade.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At the current prices, it is not yet affordable for the most Chinese women or men to buy cosmetics from Shiseido or Estee Lauder. Americans on average are in more of a position to afford these cosmetics. However, there is much anticipation and expectation for businesses to grow with China’s expanding economy. Works Cited Estee Lauder Corporation. Esteelauder.com. 29 Jun. 2005 . MarketResearch.Com. 1 Jul. 2005. â€Å"Cosmetics & Toiletries in China: A Market Analysis.† . Shiseido Corporation. Shiseido USA. 29 Jun. 2005 .

Enriques Journey Essay

Just as Enrique arrives, there is tension between his mother and him. They begin to argue about how Enrique had developed bad habits such as drinking and staying out late as well as sniffing glue. These problems do not surprise me because he had been through alot on his intense journey all the way from Honduras. It hurt Lourdes to see her son do nothing but hurt himself and her family because the money he was spending on alcohol should have been sent back home to help pay for school. Enrique also put his mother down by constantly making her feel guilty for leaving and that she did not deserve to call herself his mother. Looking back at the relationship between them before she left, I thought that their relationship would have been stronger than ever after not seeing each other for years and that he would appreciate the fact that he found her unlike many of the other immigrants that search for years and are still unable to find their family members. Enriques motivation to stay in the United States is work and buy a house back in Honduras not to mention the amount of money he is making allows him to afford a lot more than he could back in Honduras. He wishes to continue working so he can support his girlfriend and his daughter back home in Honduras as well as buy a house so that he can move in with his girlfriend and daughter and finally be a family. He thinks that his girlfriend is cheating on him and he realizes that he wants to be there for his daughter and raise her before she calls someone else her father. Rather than Enrique moving back home he decides that he wants his girlfriend and the baby to move to the United States with him. I believe that there is so much conflict between Enrique and Lourdes is because Lourdes is trying to mother and discipline Enrique when she was not there raise him so he feels as if she is not his mother anymore. If she had not left and raised her family as her own they would not have any problems with their relationship and most likely Enrique would have not got himself into trouble by abusing drugs and drinking too much. I believe once Enrique begins to pick up his act and stops abusing drugs and drinking and coming home late his relationship with his mother would become better as well as eing able to function the next day and able to perform well at work so he can earn enough to visit his family back home in Honduras. I believe that Enrique made the correct decision coming to the United States, although he put his life in danger he reached his goal and finally got to see his mother after many years. Despite making the same mistake as his mother and leaving his girlfriend and daughter for a job to help pay for their needs, I believe it is necessary because if Enrique was back home there was a chance he could not have even had a job and then he would have had no way to support his family. He gained many things by coming to the United States. He had an opportunity to provide a decent living for his family as well as reuniting with his mother even though it was not easy for them at first. Enrique, on his journey, lost his sense of pride. After being harassed by so many times by the local police, he had nothing left to the point where it would have made no difference if he had died. He is in jeopardy of losing his family being many thousands of miles away from them, his girlfriend could leave him for someone who is making a better living in Honduras and would be able to be there to help raise their kids.

Obesity

What can Samoan parents do to prevent obesity and diabetes in their children? Samoan culture is greatly respected by its people. In their opinion, no other culture is even close to theirs in values, respect, tradition, mentality, form of government etc. They want to keep things that way and hopefully nothing could come In between. Samoa may be perfect in such ways but, like they say, there Is always a bad apple In a society. I believe obesity and diabetes are that. Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary (1 lath addition) defines obesity as â€Å"a condition characterized by the excessive accumulation and storage of fat In the body.In similar terms, obesity Is defined as being extremely overweight. Samoan are known to have this problem as part of their nature. They tend to eat much more than a decent meal and can't stop themselves. Such action could lead to health problems and cause people to care less. Therefore, prevention of obesity and diabetes Is much needed In Samoa. Parents cou ld help prevent their children from having such diseases by Limiting the amount of food given to their kids, having them on diets, reducing the amount of sweets given to them, and talking to them about these diseases and their uniqueness.Not all Samoan have obesity and diabetes but, most of them do. If we don't do anything to stop the spreading of such problems, then maybe in the near future, everybody will have it. Consequently, parents should start with their children. They should prescribe a specified regimen for their kids. Have them eat foods that contain no fat at all and prepare a nice home cooked meal for them. Try to limit the amount of sweets given to them to prevent diabetes. Having diabetes could lead to other major diseases such as hypertension and stroke, which possibly lead to death.Parents should know these facts and be able to prevent them from happening to their loved ones. Samoan children are hard to talk to concerning health problems. Sometimes they know the trut h but, they Just don't want to listen. It's because children and parents don't have time to talk about emotional problems. Samoan parents don't have that close relationship with their children like most American parents do. They have the l- know-it-all kind of attitudes towards their kids. They don't even care what their children think and what they're feeling.All they care about is themselves and the old- seasoned Samoan way of raising kids. Therefore, parents should know their limits and start talking to their kids before anything happens. The best way for them to do so, Is to level with their kids and try to win their trust. That way, they could be able to help them understand why eating too much could cause health problems. Children would have to listen and feel what their parents are trying to tell them. Everything would be worked out with communication If trust Is Included. â€Å"According to Statistic Canada's fledglings from the Canadian Community Health Survey. Percent of Canadian children and adolescents aged two to 17 were overweight or obese in 2004. Between 1978 and 2004 the obesity rate among 12-17 year olds increased from three percent to nine percent. ] Childhood obesity has tripled over the past two decades; Obesity is a serious and complex issue that supporting research that will help find solutions. † (http://en. Thinkers. Com/ reference/quotes_on_obesity/) â€Å"Behavior involving physical activities and nutrition are the corner stone of preventing obesity in children and adolescents. † (http://www. Obesity. Org/subs/ childhood/prevention. HTML). If parents could force their children to exercise daily, the chance of developing obesity and diabetes would be limited in children. Exercising helps a lot with different diseases. Although it is well established that a regimen of diet and exercise is the best way to control body weight, a recent review by Ross, Freeman, and Janssen (2000) challenges their statement that exercise alon e is not an effective method of weight loss. It is stated in this review that exercise alone can be effective for weight loss. â€Å"Our body is the temple of God. † (1 Corinthians 6; 19).God made us to be happy ND live life to the fullest. He wanted his children to take care of the temple that he gave us. The word temple is holy. Therefore, we should take care of ourselves because it's holy in the eyes of the Lord. The bible even wanted all the parents to teach their children the ways they should live so they will never depart from it. A saying goes â€Å"Monkey see, monkey do. † Parents can not help prevent obesity and diabetes in their children if they are doing the same thing. They should set an example for their children by eating right and exercising daily. It's a good routine to start with.Parents should let their children know how much they care for them by doing what is right. In conclusion, a wise man once said â€Å"prevention is better than a cure. † It's better to prevent a problem from occurring than finding a cure to a problem. Therefore, parents see overweight people all the time. No caring parents would want that to happen to their children. They could prevent that by caring for their kids and making sure they are eating right. Make the world a safer place for their children to live in. Help them to live life to the fullest and understand the consequences of carelessness. Obesity It has become an escalating epidemic that is very outrageous In the America. Not to mention, obesity is a disorder that have affected millions of people including children and teens. Obesity has reached an epidemic problem, creating a huge generation of people to have a shorter lifespan affected over a quarter of adults (Allen, Terry). American is the richest but yet the fattest nation in the world. However, obese comes from Latin which means to â€Å"eat†. Nonetheless it was only in the nineteenth century that most people in the western world who began to have slacking of the food.Romans use to tickle their throats to vomit the food so that there want be a possibility of becoming obese. A study by Harvard Medical School in the sass's found that young people who dieted regularly were more likely to get overweight than those who did not. CDC predicts 42% of Americans will be obese by 2030 which is 32 million people. People tend to get obese and overweight mixed up. Actually, th ey're totally different. The body mass index tells which category the person falls under. Obesity IBM is either 30 or higher. If considered overweight IBM is between 25 up to 29. . Furthermore, obesity is when a errors had a body weight due to accumulation of body fat. The world we are living in today is a world that obesity is one of the most leading deaths in the United States. There are so many different types of treatment and prevention towards obesity. Gastric bypass which is a surgery that shrinks the stomach can help obesity afterwards. The goal for an obese person is for them to reach a health weight. Dietary can be one of the main treatments that can help some people who are obese. An obese person should exercise and do daily activities.Also there will need to be any type of appetite suppressants that will be taken. Another surgery is lips-suction which helps reduce body fat. The changes of someone lifestyle will need to be the first priority. As Linda Hay an obese lady say s â€Å"After 2 years of trying to lose weight using weight watchers, nutritionist, and much more didn't work (Newman, Cathy). Preventing obesity at an early age is very beneficial. By establishing healthy eating and exercise habits among American should take a big role in prevention. Staying active daily and watching one's weight should become a weekly routine.Everyone should drink up to 8 glasses of water and a physical every year. No one should eat after 7 o'clock and also watch the minimum of Junk food being consume. There should be physical education in schools to help children and teens from getting obese. If the disorder is inherited it should start taking place as a child and watch the food that is eaten. Obesity is not Just about food; it is about an entire life. People who are overweight also tend to feel less secure, less happy, and be stressed. They get teased, criticized, and Judged. In many cases, the problem is not the child's fault.Being overweight may run in that c hild's family, or their parents do not encourage hem to be active and get enough exercise. Many children spend too much time indoors wasting away in front of the TV, playing video games, or spending time on the computer, and consuming high snacks, soft drinks and candy at the same time. The CDC performed a study in 1994 that was described in the book Fat Land; it showed that children who watched over four hours of television a day had higher body mass index numbers than those who watched less than one hour a day.In 1994, The Centers for Disease Control studied the TV viewing time, exercise patterns, and eight gain of children aged eight to fifteen (â€Å"Obesity' The Columbia Encyclopedia). The results found that the less a child exercised and the more they watched TV, the more likely they were to be obese or overweight. Obesity has so many dangerous effects on one's life. For all people it causes so many diseases. Effects on teenage with low levels of self-esteem are more likely t o report feelings of loneliness, sadness and nervousness. They are also more likely to smoke and consume alcohol.Incidents of bullying and social isolation are more likely among overweight teens than normal- weight teens. Overweight teens are three times more likely to experience depression. Often their weight problems began in childhood and by the time they reach their adolescence. They may not even seem interested in reducing their weight. Admonish your child every step of the way will make a big difference. If a teenager is following the food pyramid and eating nutritious foods daily with a variety of physical activities, obesity should never become an issue.Teen health should be a major concern for all parents that have a teenager. One important aspect that could affect male sperm count and possible cause male infertility is obesity. As males began to get obese their breast starts to grow which is called Pseudoscience's. When men become obese they become less fertile. Also, men genital area began to be smaller the more they become obese. Obesity affects women the most because they have more disorders. The more weight women gain will cause them to have osteoarthritis of the knees.Obese women will also have a high possibility to have the gallbladder disease and cancer. Obese people in general will have some weight gain, arthritis, diseases, shortness of breath that can be incapacitating, sleep apneas, and emotional ND social problems, lower back pain and other orthopedic problems, hernias, heartburn, asthma, high cholesterol, high blood pressure. People with only slightly genetic predisposition to be obese have a chance of losing weight on their own. It is mainly the amount of fat that people make a habit of eating and their lifestyle that plays the biggest role in their overall health.Only an obese person would know what it feels like. Their choices may not people as sagacious as they should, but they are all human as well. John Hatch states: Being obese is n't easy. They are hungry all the mime, indolent, and body hurts. All because of the increments of their body, it will cause younger children to stare at them. Obese thinks only about food and death majority of the time. Obese patients avoid medical visits at all cost because the shame of guilt. Obese people tend to be sad, depressed, or maybe angry.They will not go to the doctor so they will not here the bad news. No one wants to be around anyone obese nor would someone be attracted to them. He says being obese can be the worst thing someone could ever be(C-D Room Interview). Obese people are at a higher risk of death due to health problems. Obesity is cause from so many things in today's society such as: too many calories being consumed from fast food, lack of physical activity, typical lifestyle and/or depression. People imperceptibly become obese and do not even know until that doctor visit.A major thing that causes Americans to be obese is the fast food that is so accessible to us. All fast foods have copious amounts of calories and fat Just in one burger; this isn't even including the French fries or soft drink someone may order. The first factor would be that individuals can choose what to eat. Second would be he food companies that make the unhealthy food. Third would be the government for having taxes that cause people to buy the least expensive foods. Toxins all around is making majority of us fat. As you get older, your body's ability to metabolize food slows down.Environmental factors include lifestyle behaviors such as what a person self-esteem may, in some cases, also play a role in weight gain. The medication some people are taking may also have a responsibility to someone becoming overweight. Obesity cause physical problems, psychological, social and economic well-being problems. The more a person is overweight the greater risk of death. There is so much negative connotation directed towards obese people. Others start teasing and bullying those who are not the same size as them.Social discriminating against obese makes them seem as if they are not wanted, so they turn to food. Jobs may even be describes as discriminating due to the person size, so there is no income coming into the home. In recent years, obesity has increased dramatically in many parts of the world. The epidemic starts with the less exercising and a high caloric intake. Americans like to spend their time in sedentary activities. It all begins in the person childhood. When a child says they are hungry the mother will constantly nurture. As that child gradually grows it will become less active.Fast food and fried food are the number one reasons to obesity. Some other foods such as processed and artificial additives may increase the risk of obesity. Obesity has become the second hierarchy death that is killing our people. The one main reason obesity is still increasing is that it has started in the childhood now. Secondly, the fast growing technology is maki ng our nation lazy. The remote controllable things make it easy for en to control some without even getting up. The updated machines in factories are cutting off work, so they are less active.Also the violence is another reason why people are staying in their homes. People can now work from their homes due to the upgraded software, which causes them to sit on their behind all day. Transportation in the 21 the century is the most reliable thing to count on other than walking. The more the fast foods are being promoted the more people will be extremely overweight. Obesity in our time and day has not only become a problem, but it has also become an epidemic throughout our nation. We and one need to take full responsibility and abstain from the bad eating habits. Obesity A person with a IBM of 30 or more is generally considered obese. A person with a IBM equal to or more than 25 is considered overweight. Based on the report stated by the Ministry of Health (MOM), It shows the huge increasing percent from 4. 4 percent at 2006 then increased to 15. 1 percent in 2011. From this statistic, it shows that obesity among Malaysian are becoming a serious problem. The escalation of obesity, once thought to be an urban phenomenon, has now spread to the rural population at an alarming rate.As Malaysia proceeds rapidly towards a plopped economy status, the health of its population will probably continue to deteriorate. Therefore, a national strategy needs to be developed to tackle both dietary and activity contributors to the excess weight gain of the Malaysian population. One of the factors that influence the increasing factor of obesity is fast food intake. As the economy pass by, the fast food restaurant can be fine everywhere in Malaysia. The first franchise fast food was brought into Malaysia in 1963 was A&W by Mr. and Mrs. Lie Off from ASSAI.The Lie Off family opened their first outlet in Clan Thank Abdul Raman making it the first fast food outlet in Malaysia. From there, Malaysian community start eat fast food and one by one the fast food restaurant came into the Malaysia like KEF McDonald's, and many more. Malaysian love to choose all those restaurant as it is easy and affordable to get. As the fast food has wide the empire in Malaysia by enhance the service like drive true restaurant that people can get the meal without leave the car and delivery service that just pick up the phone and the meal inferno your door.It is the best reason why even thong there is a stall all around in Malaysia, served he Malaysian food, the Malaysian like to choose fast food restaurant as their restaurant to get food. According to Hussein (2011), the ability of western fast food restaurant to cater to local Muslim market created a huge impact on local fo od restaurant in Malaysia. According to Small et al (2002), the improvement in socioeconomic status increases the obesity prevalence which the people are used to leading a sedentary life style and unhealthy habit.The statement agreed by Paltrier and Alaska (2012), most of the people in this millennium century AR working people. They have to work to support their family. If 20 years back, women who has their own carrier is difficult to see,most of them are house wife. They prepared all the food for themselves and family, but in the moored live they also working to support their family. Sometimes they do extra time from the normal working hour. That lead to the buy outside food as it is easy to get and the food are ready to eat without have to prepared all the food after a long hour stay in their workplace.Another key factor that contribute in the increasing the number of obesity factor was the eating behavior. Shootout et al (2004), mention that most of the obesity people is working. People who are working sometimes face with the irregular working hour. So they have to skip the meal or eat the meal late at night. This factor play a main role in change the diet structure. People tend to take a large amount of food for one short to ensure saving their time to cope with their responsibility at work.For the parents, they don't have enough time to prepare the food for family and for working women it is hard for them in balance between family and work. Therefore, the easiest alternative is to buy a food outside which the nutrition and hygiene of that food can be questioned. According to Paltrier and Alaska (201 2), constraints in time stressing , working people and modern family might substitute time-saving options which the priority to eat food rather than emphasize the nutritional values that are supposed to be the heart of concern.Culture certainly has a big influence on behaviors leading to weight gain. The concepts of personal well being such health, affluence, beauty, strength and prosperity are modeled and learnt from society at large according to Amounts (1994). As such, culture and society that accepts overweight as favorable, would lead to behaviors that reinforces weight gain. Behaviors that lead to weight gain are influenced at various social levels such as peer groups, parents, partners, friends and authority figures, or socio-economic environment.It is usual that people tend to eat the foods that are eaten by their family and friends for reasons such as having a sense of acceptance and belonging, compliance to authority. According to Sob (1 995), community must having consistencies in attitudes, beliefs and habits of diet and nutrition formed through learning . Other social influence variables in gender roles . The women tend to be tater,the life development such people tend to grow fatter as they age, and then decline as the bodybuilders.One such cultural influence with regards to socio-economic environment is eating out. Eating out has become popular as it is highly convenient for today's modern household. French et al. (2001 ) says that eating out at restaurants and eating food prepared away from home has been found to be increasing in trend in the past 20 years. Local data shows similar trend not only in the urban but also in the rural area . Moreover, food prepared away from home tend to be larger in portion, as well as higher in fat ND energy.This change in nutritional quality is a cause for concern as there is increasing intake of higher than needed energy consumption. Mass media influence plays a large role in eating out behavior by exposing messages that encourage food consumption, which leads to the increase Of food availability . On the other hand, people nowadays are more used to a sedentary life style. The evolution of modern technology has created machines that replace the human role in performing quite a number of daily chores. We are no longer walk to our destination due to the convenience of al sorts of transportation.On the other hand, more sophisticated and smart technology too influence people in using modern gadget make this situation become worse. According to Inorganic (2006), people nowadays move less frequent as more they now prefer spending time sitting in front of computers or using their cell phone to update their status in medial social such as faceable, twitter and many more. Furthermore, modern kids now prefer to play online game using their gadget rather than to get involved in the outdoors sports such as football, basketball, hockey and many more.Therefore, according to Somatic (2014), a combination of sedentary life style and unhealthy diet is the main factor that contribute to the growing prevalence in obesity among Malaysian. From the influence factor of obesity, the government had come with some prevention on it under the 8th Malaysian Plan (PM). The government has been trying to promote local fast food industry by offering financial and training su pport to those Malaysian that interested . This situation indirectly increases competition among fast food companies and it changes the Malaysian appetite from traditional local delicacies to fast food respectively.The result from this situation is the nutrition imbalance because fast food is incantation with high sugar and fat. According to Geek (2012), Malaysia has been experiencing an upward trend in term of the availability of calories from animal and having escalation of availability of sugar has from 28. 8 keg to 48. 7 keg between 1 967 and 2007. Even though this situation will pose a negative impact on the human health over a long term of consumption, it is not really highlighted.According to Phantasmagoria and Pranks (2007), Malaysian was obscured by other element such as nice packaging, delicious in taste, attractive promotion and good service to increase people excitement in enjoying this type of food. People nowadays are more used to a sedentary life style. The evolution of modern technology has created machines that replace the human role in performing quite a number of daily chores. People no longer walk to our destination due to the convenience of all sorts of transportation.On the other hand, more sophisticated and smart technology too influence people in using modern gadget make this situation become worse. According to Inorganic (2006), people nowadays move less frequent as ore they now prefer spending time sitting in front of computers or using their cell phone to update their status in medial social such as faceable, twitter and many more. Furthermore, modern kids now prefer to play online game using their gadget rather than to get involved in the outdoors sports such as football, basketball, hockey and many more.Therefore, according to Somatic (2014), a combination of sedentary life style and unhealthy diet is the main factor that contribute to the growing prevalence in obesity among Malaysian. In other point of view, Malaysia was one of mu lti rattail that live in en nation. Even though every race has their own unique beliefs and practice, they celebrate the festival together without any problem. Usually in the festival Hair Ray, Chinese New Year ,Divalent and many more, they widely being practice an open house which it becomes a culture to all Malaysian.According to Moravian and Mood (2012), people in Malaysia love to served a lot of their traditional food and people will take a chance to taste as many types of food as they can. Usually that kind of traditional food they only can find on that festival. For example,Hair Ray festival, Malay people like to SE coconut milk when preparing their traditional dishes. The other festival also in use of unhealthy ingredients for several traditional food like adding the coconut milk and using a lot of oil make the food unhealthy to be consumed.Chon, (1984) says that, the risk of obesity will increased by taking a large amount of unhealthy type of food. According to the president of Malaysian society, Mood Small Nor (2014), Malaysian is ranked sixth in the Asia-Pacific region for obesity and diabetes. It shows that it is crucial to call for the government's attention on this unhealthy development. It agreed by Mood, (2002) it provides a rough picture on the real situation happened in Malaysia where the modernization really brought the huge changes for all Malaysian in taking the food and influence the majority to practicing sedentary lifestyle.As a result, Malaysian The Malaysia National Health Morbidity Survey 2011 (OHMS VIVO, obesity is one of the risk factors that play a main role in the increase of non-communicable diseases (NC) such as, diabetes mellitus, hypertension,and cardiovascular disease . This survey was run under the Institute of public Health. It is an authority to conducts every 4 ear to collecting data to provide trends on the prevalence of certain diseases and health behaviors.The objective of the server was to provide health related commu nity-based data and information so as to inform the Ministry of Health Malaysia in the review of health priorities, programmer strategies, activities as well as and the planning and allocation of resources. Therefore, the comparison with The Malaysian National Health Morbidity Survey 2006 (OHMS Ill) indicated that three-fold rise in the prevalence of obesity, from 4. 4% in 1996 to 15. 1% in 2011 which equates to approximately 2. Million Malaysian met the criteria for obesity.Based on this figure, it shows that obesity has become a burden which it also include the increase in the prevalence of Nan-communicable disease (NC) respectively. According to Fissile et al (2014), obesity was categorized to reach the epidemic level and Malaysia was leading nation among the developing countries. Based on data from OHMS IV, Malaysia ranked top of obesity in South-East Asia country, placed sixth prevalence in Asia and ranked 39th worldwide. This alarming statistics indirectly tell that Malaysia a ctually facing far more serious health robber compared to other countries in the region.The Malaysia Government under our Prime Minister Data' Sir Mood Ninja bin Tune Hajji Abdul Raze was launched the Economy Transformation Programmer (HTTP) that plays a comprehensive effort to transform Malaysia into a high- income nation by 2020. The programmed focus on a few key growth engines that is the 12 National Key Economic Areas (Knees) which healthcare is one of the core factors as a driver of economic activity that has the potential to directly and materially contribute to a quantifiable amount of economic growth. To achieve the objective that has been set, it requires a productive nation to ensure the success of this programmed.If the incident of obesity still in the arising trend and the people of Malaysia will be having potential to comply to NC, it will to slow down the journey to reach the aim of this programmed. According to Taylor (2006), the active and healthy people are needed i n order to determine the high achievement and acquire success. National Strategic Plan for Non-Communicable Disease (NSP 2010-2015) was developed to battle the current crisis that prevalence of non- incommunicable diseases (NC) and NC risk factors in Malaysia which increase at an alarming rate.TO achieve the Objective Of this plan, the main programmed that highlight is integrated and comprehensive service delivery. It was conducted under Non-Communicable Disease-I Malaysia Prevention (NCSC-I M) programmed which will focus more on primary care clinics are equipped to provide a full range of NC services, including promotion, preventive or wellness services, screening, ‘identification of risk factors', intervention, treatment and rehabilitation.As a result, 32000 clients had been purported at 496 NCSC-IM projects sites which in total, 55000 NC risk factor screening procedures had been undertaken between October 201 0 and December 2012. The NCSC-IM is a unique project where it pla ys an important role to design the community health volunteers and trains them the basic principles of healthy living, pathologically, and the epidemiology of NCSC. Apart from educating and advocating healthy lifestyles, they are also trained to conduct blood sugar tests, body mass index (IBM) and blood pressure measurements, and to read and interpret results from these screening tests. Obesity English 101 6:00 am Professor Cardenas-Adame November 9, 2012 The Cure for Obesity As an American society we all share a similar fear for obesity. Everyone can be succumbed by obesity and most are. The percentage is over 70% of America that are borderline line of being obese and 36 in the us that are obese. Also it’s a triadic to see that Americans are rated the highest in world for obesity. Many may ask why is obesity such a curse. Many say you may get looked down upon in today society or so forth.The only topic that will be address today is the health related reasoning of why obesity is such a threat to society. First we must address how to measure if we are one who is succumbed to this awful plague known as obesity. In the U. S we use the BMI which is an abbreviation for Body Mass Index. Which evaluates the body mass or fat context we have. If we have below 7% we extremely unhealthy or if we have over 20 % we are considered obese which can ultimately be fatal.Not immediatel y fatal but obesity is directly linked to many of the most fatal disease in the world today as diabetes, any many other that can cause heart failure. All due to the lack of exercise and over eating, also one major other key we may not always consider to be a factor of being obese is genetics. Genetics can play a huge factor on whether we are going to be fighting with obesity for the rest of our life’s. One may question if obesity is something that they will be fighting for the rest of our life or is there a cure?There are several types of solution to manage ones weight. Recently with our modern technology American society has turn toward bypass surgery has there solution to obesity. Though statistically the percentage of successful procedures is dramatically high, there are many factor to consider to coming to the conclusion if surgery is in fact a cure. In the beginning many turned towards surgery as the last solution, but never the first choice nor was it consider a solutio n.The risk of failure is very slim now with increasing technology and better trained surgeons. Though its highly effective there are still draw backs. One many consider the procedure overall expensive with the cost ranging as little as 3,000 to 8,000 dollars, Also another drawback is the scars the procedure leaves, and many other issue but for the pros out way the con. Is there other ways to loose weight one may ask, or more affordable? The most popular cure for obesity though for some maybe not the most effective way to loose weight is dieting.Keeping track of you calories or your carb intake daily, also having in consideration the type of diet you are on determines the rate and difficulty of the diet. The society today would consider this method on of the hardest ways to loose wait because not only is it a constant struggle to watch everything you eat, it take a lot of mental control as well to resist the cravings that every human being has. Also one may also need to be knowledgea ble in the type of diet they are doing in order for it to be effective and correctly monitor there intake of food for there diet.Though this way may seem very effective and inexpensive it can be costly for some diets if you are buying diet food and shake and ext. The downfall to this method is the society intends to do very well at the beginning and then eventually slips and typically the end up gaining more weight in the end then what they had started it. One needs to have a lot of mental control for this method. The method most effective and inexpensive is exercise. Exercise has been the most effective method since the very beginning of time.Though exercise can also go hand in hand with all the other method especially dieting which actually is highly recommend to have the best result but is not a requirement. There are many reason why this method is ranked as the most popular and effective way to loose weight. As we recently learned about dieting how it can be extremely difficult mentally, as one may need self control. Exercise can offer things that other methods cant as far pleasure, and being enjoyable.As an example when the human body is engage in cardivascular workout, stating that heart rate reaches 120 beats per second the body releases endorphin into the body stream which many may call as a runners high. This is considered very pleasurable and also a very effective way to stay healthy. Are bodies are designed in a way that require a certain amount of exercise to remain health. This is one of the most efficient ways to reduce the risk of diseases as we mentioned earlier and is very inexpensive compared to surrey and dieting.Also it offers the least side effect or draw backs to cure obesity, Though as surgery may be permanent method for obesity on the other the hand is not exercise is not. One as to continue to exercise daily to maintain the proper BMI or it will can increase dramatically. Even though there are numerous activity and event one can choose to engage in to have the proper amount of exercise daily, the society today still fails to maintain the required amount of exercise to remain healthy which is our ultimate goal.Remaining healthy is overall is what the society strives for today to increase ones life but not only to increase ones life but also to increase the quality of life. Which leaves obesity being an obstacle for many to reach that goal. Though obesity is indeed a big problem it is not unsolvable, it has many solutions which is briefly reviewed in this essay. One only has to choose which may be the best cure for them to help them solve this problem of obesity. Obesity English 101 6:00 am Professor Cardenas-Adame November 9, 2012 The Cure for Obesity As an American society we all share a similar fear for obesity. Everyone can be succumbed by obesity and most are. The percentage is over 70% of America that are borderline line of being obese and 36 in the us that are obese. Also it’s a triadic to see that Americans are rated the highest in world for obesity. Many may ask why is obesity such a curse. Many say you may get looked down upon in today society or so forth.The only topic that will be address today is the health related reasoning of why obesity is such a threat to society. First we must address how to measure if we are one who is succumbed to this awful plague known as obesity. In the U. S we use the BMI which is an abbreviation for Body Mass Index. Which evaluates the body mass or fat context we have. If we have below 7% we extremely unhealthy or if we have over 20 % we are considered obese which can ultimately be fatal.Not immediatel y fatal but obesity is directly linked to many of the most fatal disease in the world today as diabetes, any many other that can cause heart failure. All due to the lack of exercise and over eating, also one major other key we may not always consider to be a factor of being obese is genetics. Genetics can play a huge factor on whether we are going to be fighting with obesity for the rest of our life’s. One may question if obesity is something that they will be fighting for the rest of our life or is there a cure?There are several types of solution to manage ones weight. Recently with our modern technology American society has turn toward bypass surgery has there solution to obesity. Though statistically the percentage of successful procedures is dramatically high, there are many factor to consider to coming to the conclusion if surgery is in fact a cure. In the beginning many turned towards surgery as the last solution, but never the first choice nor was it consider a solutio n.The risk of failure is very slim now with increasing technology and better trained surgeons. Though its highly effective there are still draw backs. One many consider the procedure overall expensive with the cost ranging as little as 3,000 to 8,000 dollars, Also another drawback is the scars the procedure leaves, and many other issue but for the pros out way the con. Is there other ways to loose weight one may ask, or more affordable? The most popular cure for obesity though for some maybe not the most effective way to loose weight is dieting.Keeping track of you calories or your carb intake daily, also having in consideration the type of diet you are on determines the rate and difficulty of the diet. The society today would consider this method on of the hardest ways to loose wait because not only is it a constant struggle to watch everything you eat, it take a lot of mental control as well to resist the cravings that every human being has. Also one may also need to be knowledgea ble in the type of diet they are doing in order for it to be effective and correctly monitor there intake of food for there diet.Though this way may seem very effective and inexpensive it can be costly for some diets if you are buying diet food and shake and ext. The downfall to this method is the society intends to do very well at the beginning and then eventually slips and typically the end up gaining more weight in the end then what they had started it. One needs to have a lot of mental control for this method. The method most effective and inexpensive is exercise. Exercise has been the most effective method since the very beginning of time.Though exercise can also go hand in hand with all the other method especially dieting which actually is highly recommend to have the best result but is not a requirement. There are many reason why this method is ranked as the most popular and effective way to loose weight. As we recently learned about dieting how it can be extremely difficult mentally, as one may need self control. Exercise can offer things that other methods cant as far pleasure, and being enjoyable.As an example when the human body is engage in cardivascular workout, stating that heart rate reaches 120 beats per second the body releases endorphin into the body stream which many may call as a runners high. This is considered very pleasurable and also a very effective way to stay healthy. Are bodies are designed in a way that require a certain amount of exercise to remain health. This is one of the most efficient ways to reduce the risk of diseases as we mentioned earlier and is very inexpensive compared to surrey and dieting.Also it offers the least side effect or draw backs to cure obesity, Though as surgery may be permanent method for obesity on the other the hand is not exercise is not. One as to continue to exercise daily to maintain the proper BMI or it will can increase dramatically. Even though there are numerous activity and event one can choose to engage in to have the proper amount of exercise daily, the society today still fails to maintain the required amount of exercise to remain healthy which is our ultimate goal.Remaining healthy is overall is what the society strives for today to increase ones life but not only to increase ones life but also to increase the quality of life. Which leaves obesity being an obstacle for many to reach that goal. Though obesity is indeed a big problem it is not unsolvable, it has many solutions which is briefly reviewed in this essay. One only has to choose which may be the best cure for them to help them solve this problem of obesity. Obesity English 101 6:00 am Professor Cardenas-Adame November 9, 2012 The Cure for Obesity As an American society we all share a similar fear for obesity. Everyone can be succumbed by obesity and most are. The percentage is over 70% of America that are borderline line of being obese and 36 in the us that are obese. Also it’s a triadic to see that Americans are rated the highest in world for obesity. Many may ask why is obesity such a curse. Many say you may get looked down upon in today society or so forth.The only topic that will be address today is the health related reasoning of why obesity is such a threat to society. First we must address how to measure if we are one who is succumbed to this awful plague known as obesity. In the U. S we use the BMI which is an abbreviation for Body Mass Index. Which evaluates the body mass or fat context we have. If we have below 7% we extremely unhealthy or if we have over 20 % we are considered obese which can ultimately be fatal.Not immediatel y fatal but obesity is directly linked to many of the most fatal disease in the world today as diabetes, any many other that can cause heart failure. All due to the lack of exercise and over eating, also one major other key we may not always consider to be a factor of being obese is genetics. Genetics can play a huge factor on whether we are going to be fighting with obesity for the rest of our life’s. One may question if obesity is something that they will be fighting for the rest of our life or is there a cure?There are several types of solution to manage ones weight. Recently with our modern technology American society has turn toward bypass surgery has there solution to obesity. Though statistically the percentage of successful procedures is dramatically high, there are many factor to consider to coming to the conclusion if surgery is in fact a cure. In the beginning many turned towards surgery as the last solution, but never the first choice nor was it consider a solutio n.The risk of failure is very slim now with increasing technology and better trained surgeons. Though its highly effective there are still draw backs. One many consider the procedure overall expensive with the cost ranging as little as 3,000 to 8,000 dollars, Also another drawback is the scars the procedure leaves, and many other issue but for the pros out way the con. Is there other ways to loose weight one may ask, or more affordable? The most popular cure for obesity though for some maybe not the most effective way to loose weight is dieting.Keeping track of you calories or your carb intake daily, also having in consideration the type of diet you are on determines the rate and difficulty of the diet. The society today would consider this method on of the hardest ways to loose wait because not only is it a constant struggle to watch everything you eat, it take a lot of mental control as well to resist the cravings that every human being has. Also one may also need to be knowledgea ble in the type of diet they are doing in order for it to be effective and correctly monitor there intake of food for there diet.Though this way may seem very effective and inexpensive it can be costly for some diets if you are buying diet food and shake and ext. The downfall to this method is the society intends to do very well at the beginning and then eventually slips and typically the end up gaining more weight in the end then what they had started it. One needs to have a lot of mental control for this method. The method most effective and inexpensive is exercise. Exercise has been the most effective method since the very beginning of time.Though exercise can also go hand in hand with all the other method especially dieting which actually is highly recommend to have the best result but is not a requirement. There are many reason why this method is ranked as the most popular and effective way to loose weight. As we recently learned about dieting how it can be extremely difficult mentally, as one may need self control. Exercise can offer things that other methods cant as far pleasure, and being enjoyable.As an example when the human body is engage in cardivascular workout, stating that heart rate reaches 120 beats per second the body releases endorphin into the body stream which many may call as a runners high. This is considered very pleasurable and also a very effective way to stay healthy. Are bodies are designed in a way that require a certain amount of exercise to remain health. This is one of the most efficient ways to reduce the risk of diseases as we mentioned earlier and is very inexpensive compared to surrey and dieting.Also it offers the least side effect or draw backs to cure obesity, Though as surgery may be permanent method for obesity on the other the hand is not exercise is not. One as to continue to exercise daily to maintain the proper BMI or it will can increase dramatically. Even though there are numerous activity and event one can choose to engage in to have the proper amount of exercise daily, the society today still fails to maintain the required amount of exercise to remain healthy which is our ultimate goal.Remaining healthy is overall is what the society strives for today to increase ones life but not only to increase ones life but also to increase the quality of life. Which leaves obesity being an obstacle for many to reach that goal. Though obesity is indeed a big problem it is not unsolvable, it has many solutions which is briefly reviewed in this essay. One only has to choose which may be the best cure for them to help them solve this problem of obesity.