Evelyn Glennie :: essays research papers

Evelyn Glennie Evelyn Glennie is a true musician. There are a lot of people out there that want to do what she did, and what she’s still doing, but frankly not many people are willing to put that much effort and time into achieving what she has. Not to mention that almost everyone lacks the talent. Evelyn hopes that the audience will be stimulated by what she has to say (through the language of music) and will therefore leave the concert hall feeling entertained. That is true musicianship.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Now is the time that I should start spouting off all of her amazing achievements, but if I attempted that not only would I get bored writing a list that long, but also you would get bored trying to read one. Plus I would most likely go far over the 750 required words for this essay. But I suppose it is necessary to mention a few of her many antecedents. For the first ten years of her career essentially every performance Evelyn gave was in some way a first. The first time an orchestra had performed with a percussion soloist, the first solo percussion performance at a venue or festival or the world premiere of a new percussion concerto. Evelyn has performed in approximately 42 countries. Evelyn was the first full time solo percussionist in the world. Evelyn has recorded 18 albums and is still working on more. At the age of 19 Evelyn graduated from the Royal Academy of Music. In 1991 Evelyn's autobiography 'Good Vibrations' was published and reprinted in 1995. In 1993 'Good Vibrations' was published in Japanese. Yes Evelyn has lived an extraordinary life. She was born in Aberdeen, Scotland. And she went to school at Ellon Academy, Scotland. Her Conservatoire is The Royal Academy of Music, London. But I am making her sound she has always been this percussionist goddess whose whole life has been dedicated to her career. In some ways, though, she is just like you or me. As a child, Evelyn played the mouth organ and the clarinet. When she was a teenager, Evelyn wanted to be a hairdresser. But now she is very much a percussionist goddess who personally owns over 1800 instruments and in a live performance can use up to approximately 60 instruments. One of the most amazing things about Evelyn is that she is legally deaf. It’s never been a big deal for Evelyn though; to her it’s like the fact that she has brown hair or brown eyes.

Intelligent Design and Intelligent Way of Disguising Religion Essay

Could Adam and Eve have been apes? Evolutionists say humans evolved from apes, but many religious people cannot swallow the thought. For years, religious people have voiced their unhappiness with schools teaching evolution. In Genesis, it states that God put all plants, animals, and people on this planet, and evolution contradicts that. Creationists are in accordance with scripture and believe that this biblical idea should be presented in science classes. The idea of including creationism in schools has been heard in courts multiple times but with no success. Now, the creationists have a new way of presenting it. They disguise it behind science and use the term Intelligent Design. Intelligent Design is creationism with a new name and is the attempt of many to incorporate religion into school systems and science education; it has no legitimacy as a true scientific theory, because at its core, it is not science. Intelligent Design poses a real threat to the education of our nation. At least twelve different states have brought up the idea of Intelligent Design or creationism in state courts (â€Å"Intelligent Design in Politics†). One of the most important court cases occurred in the county in which I live, so for me, Intelligent Design hits close to home. The case occurred in 2005 and was called Selman v Cobb County school district. It dealt with the issue of stickers being placed in textbooks that stated, â€Å"This textbook contains material on evolution. Evolution is a theory, not a fact, regarding the origin of living things. This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully, and critically considered† (Matsumura). Although I was taught evolution after the case had been settled and the county was forced to remove... ...Prod. Vanessa Tovell. PBS. 13 Nov. 2007. Television. Transcript. Reuland, Steve. "Intelligent Design vs. Creationism." The Panda's Thumb. 9 Nov. 2005. Web. 15 Nov. 2011. . West, John G. "Intelligent Design Research Lab Highlighted in New Scientist." Evolution News & Views. Discovery Institute, 19 Dec. 2006. Web. 16 Nov. 2011. evolutionnews.org/2006/12/intelligent_design_research_la002983.html>. Zimmerman, Michael. "Detailed Record Combating the Fifth Wave of Creationism: Religious Leaders and Scientists Working Together." EBSCO Host. EBSCO Industries, May 2010. Web. 15 Nov. 2011. sid=37d09244-f711-4029-a3b8-92642f2becaa%40sessionmgr110&vid=5&hid= 106&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=50287974>.

Humboldt Squid

Humboldt Squid Dosidicus gigas Domain: Eukarya Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Mollusca Class: Cephalopoda Order: Teuthida Suborder: Oegopsina Family: Ommastephidae Genus: Dosidicus Species: Dosidicus gigas Ecological Geographic range: Receives its name from its main location – the Humboldt Current This current is found in the East Pacific Ocean region The Humboldt squids are sometimes found along the coastal region of California, Oregon, Alaska and Washington Generally, found about 2,300 feet below surfaceEnter shallow waters to lay eggs Trophic level: Sharks, dolphins, whales, tuna swordfish, many types of rays as well as an abundance of crustaceans, mollusks, fish of all   sizes, and other cephalopods such as octopus can be found in the food web of the Humboldt The Humboldt is occupies a relatively high trophic level It feeds on krill and small species of fish Predators:Sperm whales, sharks, seals, swordfish, and marlin feed on Humboldt squids of all sizes, while gulls and larg e fish often capture juveniles Parasites include Chromidina elegans, a ciliate protozoan that lives inside the renal organs of the Humboldt Life Cycle: Average life span is 1 year; however, some can live up to 2 years Spend much of their short life in the ocean’s oxygen-minimum zone Come up at night to feed After 200 days, the squids reach sexual maturity They die shortly after mating Physiological Development Bilateral symmetryArms and tentacles – 8 arms and 2 retractable tentacles Mantle – hollow structure and so internal organs are all exposed directly to the ocean water Funnel – water is pumped from out of the mantle to the funnel, which allows squids to move Fins – are used for both maintaining position and generating thrust Chromatophores – tiny elastic sacs of pigment. The Humboldt squid can turn their entire bodies from red to white to red again in less than one second Digestive system: Complete and ciliated Mouth, anus and complex s tomachUse of a duck like beak to break up food A radula or ribbon horn found on the tongue directs the food down the esophagus Food is taken up by cells lining the digestive glands arising from the stomach and then passed into the blood Excretory System Undigested materials are compressed and packaged and discharged through the anus into the mantle cavity and carried away by ocean currents Excretory functions are carried out by a pair of nephridia (tubular structures that collect fluids from the coelom and exchange salts) Respiratory system:Contains three hearts to support the constantly moving lifestyle of the squid Hemocyanin is the copper-rich respiratory protein that transports oxygen throughout the body Circulatory system: complex, closed circulatory system (reason why they can move fast) contains two branchial hearts at the base of the gills which send unoxygenated blood through the gills A third ventricular heart then pumps oxygenated blood throughout the body (blood turns bl ue when oxygenated, colorless before) Nervous system: Highly developed and sensitiveBrain consists of two fused nerve centers that are linked down the length of the body by two giant nerve axons The giant axons transmit nerve signals quickly Interesting fact – the squid’s nervous system is connected to structures called statocysts. These vesicles let the animal to orient itself to a gravitational field, allowing the squid to remain aware of its orientation and movement in a three-dimensional manner Reproductive strategies Highest fecundity of any cephalopod Reach sexually maturity after 200 days of life Timing and location of eggs is still guesswork for most scientists Sexual reproductionSemelparous reproduction (reproduce once in their lifetimes and die shortly after) Female Humboldt squids can have about 10 million eggs; however, the most to have been found has been between half a million and a million eggs After the eggs are laid, there is no further parental invest ment Kurth, J. and M. Garzio 2009. â€Å"Dosidicus gigas† (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed March 18, 2013 at http://animaldiversity. ummz. umich. edu/accounts/Dosidicus_gigas/ â€Å"Squid. † The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2012. Encyclopedia. com. 18 Mar. 2013. Humboldt or Jumbo Squid Fact Sheet – National Zoo| FONZ. † Smithsonian: National Zoological Park. N. p. , n. d. Web. 18 Mar. 2013. â€Å"Humboldt Squid. † BioWeb. N. p. , n. d. Web. 18 Mar. 2013. â€Å"A Humboldt Squid Dissection Guide for Educators. † The Gilly Lab. N. p. , n. d. Web. 18 Mar. 2013. â€Å"Humboldt Squids: Systems. † Shorecrest Preparatory School. N. p. , n. d. Web. 18 Mar. 2013. â€Å"Humboldt  Squid. † Squid-World. N. p. , n. d. Web. 18 Mar. 2013. â€Å"Squid Sex and Babies. † Squid Sex and Babies. N. p. , n. d. Web. 18 Mar. 2013. http://theseasproject. weebly. com/uploads/5/3/8/4/5384258/5500235_orig. png? 243

The Responsibilities of an Ideal Student

The purpose of education is to produce ideal persons to face the responsibilities of the future. This aim can be achieved only when the students are sincere and they acquire the education in the real sense. Just copying a few questions and passing the examinationis not an education. A student can never be educated until and unless he does not put his heart and should to the cause of education. A student is a person, who devotes himself to the pursuits of knowledge and learning. It is therefore, the first and foremost duty of aj ideal student to seek knowledge.The pursuit of knowledge demands hard work and full devotion. Unfortunately, the students do not realize their duties. They have confined the education. Their greatest purpose is to get good grade in the examination by hook or by crook. They adopt all the foul means to get through the examinations. The ideal student enriches himself with knowledge. In practical life only those students come out with best colours, who had acquire knowledge. An ideal student enjoys learning. He goes deep and deep in search of the knowledge.He is not a bookworm. He knows that a healthy body is necessary for healthy mind. He takes interest in all the activities that promote his physical health. He goes to the play ground with the same pleasure and enthusiasm with which he studies in the library. An ideal student is not unsocial. He loves his fellow students and takes part in all the collective activities. The ideal student respects and honours his teachers. He knows the place of teachers, who are opening the gate of glories for him. He is humble and obedient.The more he learns from his teachers, the more grateful he is to them. The more knowledge he gets, the more humble he becomes. An ideal student is not a frog in a well but a person with greater visions and ideals. He is regular and punctual. He does not participate in adverse and negative activities. He confines himself to his studies and task. He does not waste his time i n useless deeds. He does not keep association with such elements whose purpose is to damage the cause of education. He believes in simple and plain living. He is kind and generous.The responsibility of a studentat school is very important. If something where to happen to him/her the person’s life at school could be majorly affected. There is a way though to help; the person can work at getting good grades, studying hard, and facing the consequences of his action. Some people say that their responsibility at school isn’t to be worried about, but it is, and here are few ways to help. First, is getting good grades. If students don’t have good grades, or the responsibility to get them, they can be in a lot of trouble.The student could be held back, have to take a summer school, or work much harder to get her grades up. If a student is held back it could really affect him from not getting into the college of choice, or even a choice sport. Next, is a student needs to study hard. If a student doesn’t have the responsibility to study this it could easily affect something major such as a test or quiz score and get the person in a predicament. The consequences would be just as bad as not getting good grades and maybe even worse! Finally, is facing the consequences of a student’s action.When something does happen, such as not getting a good grade, or being held back, then a student should face it or something worse could happen. For example if you fail a test you could retake it and try to do better. This could fix your grade problem and help you in a major way. These are the reasons students need responsibility at school: to get good grades, study hard, and have them face the consequences of their actions. If students did these things they would get a better education. It is estimated that nearly 15% of the total population of Pakistan consists of students.The students, therefore, constitute a great potential force capable of leading a nation to great heights of progress or abyss of decadence. No wonder every nation spends crores of rupees for their education and proper development. The future of every nation depends on their students. The primary duty of a student is to learn and acquire knowledge. Their main duty consists of improving their intellect and widening their mental capabilities. Unfortunately, many students forget this goal and spend their school days uselessly enjoying and idling away their time.Only later they realise the result of their folly. But then it is too late. School is the platform wherein students learn the good traits of life such as, discipline, obedience, dutifulness, diligence, respect to elders, honesty, patriotism, etc. School provides numerous opportunities for the development of these qualities. It is the duty of every student to acquire these fine qualities of life which will enable him/ her to stand in good stead in the future. Another important duty of the students is to prep are them for the career they want to pursue. It is in school life that the future career takes roots.During school life, one becomes aware of one’s abilities, limitations and the different professions available. Therefore, during this stage they should make up their mind as to what they should become in life. School life is the right time to make proper choice of one’s career. Students are the guardians of society. It is their duty to fight against all evils existing in the society. They have tremendous responsibility to see that injustice, inequality, oppression, exploitation, corruption, criminalisation of politics, communalism, casteism, misuse of public money, etc. , are done away with.Students have great strength to oppose these evils of society. Students also have a great responsibility to help out the less fortunate members of the society by way of social work. They can offer great services by teaching illiterate children of nearby villages, building houses for the poor people of the locality, undertaking cleaning drives, creating public awareness on various social issues, etc. Students can also render valuable services to the nation at the time of calamities such as, earthquakes, floods, severe drought and accidents. Students ought to take leadership in organising quick rescue work.In fact, student organisations such as, N. C. C. and scout troopshave rendered praiseworthy services to the nations at the time of national emergencies in the past and I am sure they will continue to do so in the years to come. Thus, students can render valuable services to the cause of the nation. They can play a vital role in wiping out the various ills which throttle national progress and development and thereby set the nation on its rail. They are the true assets of a nation. It all depends on how we trim and tune these God-given resources to the benefit of the nation.

Clinical Manifestation of HIV Infection Essay

There are lots of diseases that are transmittable and dangerous to human lives but until today the HIV still leading the most dangerous human life taker. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) destroys the immune system’s helper T cells, the loss of which causes AIDS. The person infected called as HIV positive that shows by test for antibodies to HIV in the bloodstream to be infected with HIV. But how you will know a person if she/he is infected. What are the manifestations you can observe? How can this be applied scientifically based knowledge to nursing practice? What knowledge do you get in reading all these articles?  Ã‚   In the next paragraph the answers to the question are discuss step-by-step. Clinical Manifestation The incubation period of a few weeks after exposure to HIV, most infected individuals present with an acute flue-like illness. The clinical symptoms of HIV infection were first descried in 1985 as an illness resembling infectious mononucleosis. The most common symptoms are fever, maculopopular rash, oral ulcers, lymphaenopathy, arthralgia, pharyngitis, malaise, weight loss, aseptic meningitis and myalgia. In one study, fever (80%) and malaise (68%) had the highest sensitivity for clinical diagnosis of HIV infection, whereas loss of weight (86%) and oral ulcers (85%) had the highest specificity. In the study, the symptoms of fever and rash followed by oral ulcers and pharyngitis had the highest positive pr5edictivevalue for diagnosis of HIV infection. In another study, fever, rash myalgia, arthritis and night sweats were the best predictors for HIV infection.   The symptom phase of HIV infection lasts between 7-10 days, and rarely longer than 14 days. The nonspecific nature of the symptoms posses a great challenge to the clinician and underlines the importance of a detailed history of exposure. (Altfeld & Walker). Another manifestation is Erythema elevatum diutinum (EED) is a chronic and rare dermatosis that is considered to be a variant of leucotoclastic vaculitis. The clinical manifestations are papules, plaques or nodules, which vary in coloration from reddish to purple, light brown and sometimes yellowish. The lesion’s are persistent and symmetrically distributed on extensors surfaces, particularly in the joints of the extremities. Such patients may presents arthralgia. The itchiness and pains, with rare systemic involvement were also observed (Medical Journal 2005). Immune thrombocytopenic purpura may be the sole clinical manifestation of HIV infection. Results of the treatment of 6 patients spontaneous bleeding due to severe thrombocytopenia are presented.   In all patients immune thrombocytopenic purpura was the only clinical manifestation of HIV infection. Four of them were intravenous narcotic addicts, and the other two patients did not belong to high-risk groups (Elizovic, Jevtovic &Rolovic 1989). Peripheral Facial paralysis as a manifestation of HIV Infection, Two patients had typical Bell’s palsy while one had a facialdiplegia. CD4 cell counts were above 100 cells/mm3 in all cases. A review of literature confirmed that peripheral facial nerve palsy could occur at any stage of HIV infection and in various clinical contexts. It is suggested that adult patients presenting with peripheral facial paralysis should be counseled, and screened for HIV (Annals AF Med: 2002 1(1) 1:28-30).

Adolescent Moral Development

Morality can be defined as the distinction between what is right and wrong or what is good and bad. Although, moral reasoning depends on culture which makes it difficult to define. Most people don’t look at where these principles are coming from or what guides one through moral development. As children grow and learn, usually from care takers and people who inspire their every need, their morality changes based on several levels. Although researching of moral development goes as far back as Socrates, there are two psychologists that studied morality in depth and they are Lawrence Kohlberg and Jean Piaget.Jean Piaget was a cognitive developmental psychologists spending most of his time working with children and adolescents, including his own. Although, Piaget’s observation of moral development wasn’t in depth like Kohlberg, he allowed for a basic understanding. He believed that moral development occurred in stages. Piaget strongly believed in education and thought interaction in a education setting allowed children maximum potential in cognitive development. Piaget believed in many things, but when it came to moral development there were only two basic principles.The first principle was that children develop moral ideas in stages and could not skip stages, although movement from one stage to the other could vary in length. Lastly he believed that children create their own perception of their world, including whether their actions enforce what is morally right or wrong. â€Å"Piaget's ideas of moral realism and morality of cooperation play a role in Kohlberg's theory. Children in Piaget's stage of moral realism believe that rules are absolute and can't be changed.Punishment should be determined by how much damage is done, and the intention of the child is not taken into account. For example, a child operating in the stage of moral realism would believe that a child who accidentally breaks three cups should be punished more than a child who b reaks one cup on purpose. Eventually, both the damage done and the intention of the offender in a given moral dilemma are considered in this stage of moral development. † Lawrence Kohlberg studied moral development in depth and that is what he is most commonly known for.Although his basic ideas and principles originated from the ideas of Piaget, Kohlberg did an in depth study of the basics of morality and how a child or adolescents move from one stage to the next. Kolberg had developed six stages of moral development. All of the stages were grouped into three levels of sub categories. Stages one and two are pre-conventional judgment and moral development. Stages three and four are conventional judgment. Lastly, stages are five and six are post conventional.When children are born Kolberg believes that they have no morals and as they grow and learn, morals begin to form. The pre-conventional level is where morality begins. This is the basis of moral judgment. The moral values he re in this stage are external. Stage one is based on obedience and punishment. If a child is punished they will try and avoid the situation knowing that they will be punished so that act is known as wrong to the children. Stage two is a slightly more complex stage. Children are now egocentric and are able to exchange thoughts and ideas.Both male and females hold certain roles and have different beliefs. The conventional level â€Å"Those who reason in a conventional way judge the morality of actions by comparing them to society's views and expectations. Conventional morality is characterized by an acceptance of society's conventions concerning right and wrong. At this level an individual obeys rules and follows society's norms even when there are no consequences for obedience or disobedience. Adherence to rules and conventions is somewhat rigid, however, and a rule's appropriateness or fairness is seldom questioned â€Å".Stage three is where children are labeled. In this stage ch ildren are labeled either good or bad. Children try and please others for acceptance and approval. For example, during the Christmas holiday season children try their hardest to be good so Santa will come and bring them Christmas presents. Where as if they are bad they will receive coal. Stage four is where authority comes in and plays a highly important role. Children learn that authority figures are the ones who control and maintain order. Also they try and live up to others expectations instead of their own.The post conventional level is where moral values allow adolescents and adults to distinguish the difference between societies view of right and wrong and the views of their individual views. Most people live by these views of right and wrong. In stage five the world is known as being able to hold their own opinions and views. Stage six is using your own opinions and applying them. For instance choosing to use logic and consistency or the feeling of your own ethics to make und erstandable and logical decisions. While a child grows the formation of morality is highly important.Alcoholics, drug addicts and murderers might suffer from disturbed moral thoughts which might cause an error in their beliefs of right and wrong. For instance, a murderer who grew up in an abusive home atmosphere might think it is okay to be abusive and hurt other people. So therefore there morality was culture based and was encouraged based on the home life sustained. The same for alcoholics and drug addicts. Although, not all people who come from these types of dysfunctional families suffer and act upon there cultural up bringing some may.

Walmart Store Analysis

Wal-Mart, â€Å"Always Low Prices, Always.† It is well known that one of the great keys to Wal-Mart’s formidable success is its lower-than-low cost of doing business. Wages in particular are as low as can be. Minimum wages and minimum benefits: that’s the way Wal-Mart stays ultra competitive.This report examines the state of Wal-Mart’s business practices and its effect on the economy. It will describe Wal-Mart as a non-union employer, paying lower wages to their employees than other retail and grocery stores. They do not offer benefits to all employees and most are unable to afford them.Between Wal-Mart’s business practices in increasing their profits and the need to recognize their social and ethical responsibilities, Wal-Mart needs to find a comfortable balance of profitability and responsibility in order to improve their reputation.During the process of writing this report, we found that there was much more information to be discussed about Wal-M art’s unethical business practice than what was reported. We also wanted to point out that although all companies do everything possible to lower their costs and maintain high production rates, Wal-Mart has crossed the line over the years by managing their profits in unethical ways compared to other large corporations who have been ethically and successfully managing their business practices. Information that can be found on Wal-Mart is changing everyday and it was  sometimes difficult to keep up.EXECUTIVE SUMMARYWal-Mart has been recognized as the leader in its industry and the largest company in the nation. With its powerful profit making abilities, Wal-Mart has grown from a local corner store to the money making â€Å"monster† it is today. The company has damaged its reputation over the years due to unethical choices made by its top executives. As a result, its anti-union stance has been singled out on issues concerning benefits, wages, and overall business practi ces.When reviewing Wal-Mart’s financial statements, one would be overwhelmed to see such high performances; but when you are a Wal-Mart employee, it is no surprise why that is true. Employees have been denied opportunities of advancement and pay raises. Lawsuits have been pending against the company with employees claiming they have been denied promotion opportunities in the company due to their gender, and some employees have sued for being over-worked and under paid.Wal-Mart has become so big in its industry, that it has lowered the wages through out the country and has influenced economic change. Since most of Wal-Mart’s employees live below the poverty line, it is difficult for them to afford health insurance when deductions out of their paychecks are sometimes as high as 33%. A Wal-Mart employee who obtains health insurance would have a very difficult time raising a family with this kind of premium. Wal-Mart employees are unable to receive healthcare benefits beca use the cost is too high and their wages are low.As a result, employees face a difficult time deciding whether to sacrifice such a large portion of their pay to obtain health insurance; in most cases Wal-Mart employees persist without health coverage. Deductions for health insurance are higher for Wal-Mart employees than other national retail employees. A Wal-Mart employee pays about 25% more for health insurance than the average retail worker. Wal-Mart has also been opposed by its female employees, who make up two-thirds of its workforce.Women have been discriminated in wage and have been denied any advancement to upper managerial positions – dominated my men. Men make approximately 5%-15% more than women and have a higher chance of advancing to a better position. Dukes vs. Wal-Mart, filed in 2001, was the largest lawsuit against a private employer in the nation and represented 1. 6 million female employees who were discriminated based on their sex. From lawsuits to employee complaints, Wal-Mart has been faced with a great deal of difficulties that have developed through their own unethical business practices.Although every company’s goal is to lower costs and produce large numbers, Wal-Mart has made sky-rocketing profits by unethically hurting its employees and cutting down their wages. Many question why Wal-Mart, the richest retailer in the world, chooses not to provide adequate wages or health benefits for its employees. If Wal-Mart were to reform its health benefits program, raise their product prices by as little as a penny, and create a bias free working environment for women, Wal-Mart would be in better terms with its employees and improve the reputation it sacrificed from the start.â€Å"SAVE MONEY, LIVE BETTER†, NOT ON WAL-MART WAGESINTRODUCTION BackgroundWal-Mart, the large international discount chain was founded by Sam Walton. On May 5, 1950, Walton purchased a store in Bentonville, Arkansas, and opened Walton’s 5 & 10. Little did the small town residents know that they would later become the headquarters for the world’s largest retailer store in the U. S. Through his savvy, and sometimes unusual, business practices, he and his associates led the company forward for thirty years.As Wal-Mart grew into a global corporation it is today, it has dealt with a great deal of criticism by outsiders. Wal-Mart’s ethical citizenship has been questioned numerous times and researched by many. There have been many doubts about Wal-Mart’s business integrity and questions whether their practices are ethical or not. Wal-Mart has faced, and is still facing, a significant amount of controversy over several different issues.Wal-Mart has been caught bribing its employees, discriminating against women, denying its employees of training or promotions, paying low wages, and providing high deductibles for health insurance. Wal-Mart is now paying the consequences and need to become socially responsible in order to maintain a better reputation with society. Although consumers are reeled in with the low prices Wal-Mart has to offer, others feel their ethical beliefs are more important than saving a quick buck.Statement of Purpose The purpose of this report is to examine Wal-Mart’s unethical business practices with a focus on employee wages and high health care deductibles. The report will question Wal-Mart’s aptitude to sell products cheaper than any of its leading competitors and yet maintain making a substantial amount of profit. The report will analyze the unethical practices that have developed through Wal-Mart’s history as a result of focusing on high productivity and profit making strategies.Scope The report will describe Wal-Mart’s unethical business practices that affect its employees. It will examine Wal-Mart’s unethical behavior in conducting business with an overall focus on employee wages.Limitations Time constraints have limited the ex tent of the research. There is a vast amount of information regarding this issue and we are unable to report it all. In addition, no funds are available to conduct primary research.Methods of Research The method of research for this paper was secondary research through databases, internet websites, and books. The research databases of California State University, Los Angeles, will be used to locate articles in current and past publication. The databases used are Lexis/Nexis and  Business Source Premiere. Also libraries, such as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Library at California State University, Los Angeles and Los Angeles Public Library in Porter Ranch, California.The major findings of this study indicate that Wal-Mart being the world’s largest and richest retail chain is setting the standard on wages for retail workers and beyond. Because Wal-Mart has become so big, it has dragged down wages throughout the country. Wal-Mart has become what it is today by selling products at low prices and paying their â€Å"associates† even lower wages. Unhappy Wal-Mart workers complain as much about being over-worked as underpaid. Wal-Mart has its own stated policies at its employees’ expense. Wal-Mart pays it’s â€Å"associates† below basic living wage standards and even below poverty lines.Overworked and Underpaid EmployeesH. Lee Scott Jr. is the chief executive of the powerful corporation we call Wal-Mart. According to Mr. Scott, by selling vast quantities of goods at its trademark â€Å"Every Day Low Prices,† Wal-Mart has single-handedly raised America’s standard of living, saving consumers about $100 billion a year (Bianco 2). They feel that selling vast quantities of low price merchandise gives them the right to act as if they represent the American people. Scott states, â€Å"Wal-Mart also provides good jobs for hundreds of thousands of equally deserving employees, offers even part-time workers generous health insur ance and other benefits† (Bianco 2).He accuses greedy labor unions, inefficient supermarket chains, and other Wal-Mart opponents of distorting â€Å"the facts† to suit their own purposes. Wal-Mart insists on describing themselves as â€Å"pro-associate, not anti-union,† but is quick to suppress any and all attempts to have unions organize in its stores. In his book The Bully of Bentonville, Anthony Bianco describes how Wal-Mart has affected wages beyond their own company: Because Wal-Mart is so big, it has dragged down wages throughout the country.Economists at the University of California at Berkeley  found that Wal-Mart’s expansion during the 1990s cut the income of America’s retail employees by 1. 3 percent-or by $4. 7 billion in 2000 alone. What is more, the depressing effect of Wal-Mart’s expansion on payrolls extended well beyond retailing. According to a 2005 analysis by economists at the Public Policy Institute of California, take-h ome pay per person fell by 5 percent across the board following Wal-Mart’s entry into a country.The evidence â€Å"strongly suggest(s) that Wal-Mart stores lead to wage declines,  shifts to lower-paying jobs (or less skilled workers), or increased use of part-time workers. (4) Today, Wal-Mart is surrounded by controversy, but the greatest is from within. Unhappy employees are quitting and dozens of class-action lawsuits are pending against the company. Managers have been known to force employees to work extra hours without pay; either by eliminating breaks or by having them clock out and keep working â€Å"off the clock†. This is Wal-Mart’s way of saving on costs at the price of its employees. Store managers earn bonuses based on earnings.Since the corporation dictates the inventory and operating expenses, managers’ only control is labor costs. Joyce Moody, a former manager in Alabama and Mississippi, told the New York Times that Wal-Mart â€Å"threat ened to write up managers if they didn’t bring the payroll in low enough†. Depositions in wage and hour lawsuits reveal that company headquarters leaned on management to keep their labor costs at 8 percent of sales or less, and managers in turn leaned on assistant managers to work their employee’s off-the-clock or simply delete time from employee time sheet (ufcw.org).In the late 1990’s Wal-Mart’s annual turnover rate was a remarkably high 70 percent, 40 percent higher than in previous years (Slater 120). Wal-Mart does not see this as being a problem. The constant turnover reduces employees eligible for raises, promotions, benefits, and holds the average wage down. Just another way to keep payroll costs at a minimum.Employee WagesWal-Mart employs 1. 3 million workers in just the U. S. and operates more than 3,400 stores throughout the United States. A full time employee working 28- 40 hours a week at Wal-Mart is paid on an average of $250 a week. Be sides having low wages, those workers who are interested or eligible in obtaining health insurance for themselves or for their family pay high premiums and frequently don’t get the coverage they expect. The majority of Wal-Mart employees live below the poverty line and after making deductions in taxes and insurance coverage, a Wal-Mart employee’s salary is not enough to provide them a standard way of living.â€Å"The 2003 poverty guideline for a family of four is $18,400, $4,256 more than the $14,144 in earnings a full-time Wal-Mart worker earns at $8 per hour†¦ A household of four with a gross income of $23,920 or less could be eligible for food stamps -$9,776 more than a full-time, $8-an-hour Wal-Mart worker would earn in a year. † (www. aflcio. org) These numbers are even worst for part time workers. Today, one-third of Wal-Mart’s employees are part-time workers. They are limited to less than 34 hours of work per week and are not eligible for bene fits and must wait 1 year before they can enroll.Sex Discrimination in the Work PlaceIn addition to Wal-Mart’s low wages, its female workers are more disadvantaged and discriminated against in wage than its male workers. More than two thirds of Wal-Mart’s hourly employees are women and make up most of the lower wage positions which include: working the cash registers, stocking shelves and working the sales floor. Although men take responsibilities in these positions as well, the majority of men who work at Wal-Mart have positions as Management Associates or much higher ranked positions. Seventy-two percent of Wal-Mart employees are female and less than one-third of those women have management positions in the company.With that in mind, the average male employee was paid about $5,000 more in 2001 per year than the average female full-time employee. As Wal-Mart’s own workforce data reveals, women in every major job category at Wal-Mart have been paid less than men with the same seniority, in every year since 1997 even though the female employees on average have higher performance ratings and less turnover than men. (http://www. walmartclass. com).Dukes vs. Wal-Mart is said to be the largest and most famous gender discrimination lawsuit against a private employer and is the largest class-action suit in U. S. history, representing 1.6 million current and former female employees. Betty Dukes was the leading plaintiff in the case and sued Wal-Mart for sex discrimination; she was a fifty-four year old African-American woman who worked as a greeter for Wal-Mart.Factors such as seniority and performance were Wal-Mart’s main excuses and reasons that women earned from 5% to 15% less than men. It is disappointing to see that even the cashier positions, that are dominated by women, have men earning more than women. Wal-Mart not only overworks, under pays and discriminates against women, but it also provides neither childcare for workers or affor dable family health benefits.Unaffordable Healthcare DeductiblesWal-Mart employees are incapable of receiving healthcare benefits available for them because of its high cost and their low wages. Since most of Wal-Mart’s employees are unable to afford these health benefits, most of these individuals either turn to government aided insurance such as Medicaid, depend on their spouse’s plans, or expect to see a doctor in rare and emergency cases with no insurance. It is argued that uncovered Wal-Mart employees are not signing up for medical insurance and benefits because most of them exceed the income ceiling and are not eligible.Wal-Mart provides insurance for over 900,000 employees that are with and with out dependants. Employee premiums range between $143. 54 to $249. 71 per month for family coverage and $33. 04 to $72. 04 per month for single coverage. The National Average of workers covered by employer health insurance is 67 percent, and only 47 percent of Wal-Martâ⠂¬â„¢s employees are covered by the company’s health care plan. That is a huge gap when considering that each percent represents thousands of people.Most Wal-Mart employees have a difficult time deciding whether to attain health insurance or stay uninsured for the sake of saving money. ‘Cynthia Murray, who has worked at a Wal-Mart store in Laurel, Md. , for six years, suffers from asthma, but goes to see a doctor only when she suffers a bad attack. Murray is 50 years old, makes $9. 47 an hour, and says that the Wal-Mart plan that costs $23 a month has a $1,000 deductible, which makes it too expensive for her to use. Another plan subtracts $100 from her paycheck every two weeks.â€Å"I don't think anybody working at Wal-Mart has that kind of money,† says Murray. â€Å"All I'm asking from Wal-Mart is a fair share. †Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Gogoi). Many Americans question why Wal-Mart, one of the richest companies in the United States, can’t offer affordable health i nsurance and pay a living wage. Comparing Wal-Mart’s employee health benefits and wages to Costco’s employee health benefits and wages, one will notice that Costco not only pays its employees higher than Wal-Mart but their deductions are far less. â€Å"The average wage at Costco is $17 an hour†¦. a full-time worker at Wal-Mart makes $7.50 an hour on average.Costco workers pay just 8% of their health premiums, whereas Wal-Mart workers pay 33% of theirs. Ninety-one percent of Costco's employees are covered by retirement plans, with the company contributing an annual average of $1,330 per employee† (Cascio). Based on these facts, it is easy to say that Wal-Mart employees are giving up a large portion of their paychecks to obtain health care. Wal-Mart employees who do have health insurance and receive coverage are paying more in premiums but receive less for their money; in large corporations this has become a trend.New laws have been passed intended to force large corporations to control employee wages and reduce insurance deductibles. From law suits to employee complaints, Wal-Mart has recently thought of ways to reduce the cost of health benefits. The new plan would charge monthly premiums ranging from $25. 00 for individuals to $65. 00 for a family, making that 45-65% less than what employees contributed in the company’s existing plan. But it is not enough to reform the reputation Wal-Mart has lost or the vulnerable employees they let down.ConclusionsHigh productivity and lowering costs is one of the top and most important objectives in business. Wal-Mart being the World’s largest retailer can afford to pay their â€Å"associates† more than what the minimum wage offers. They are in fact, the richest retailer in the world and yet neglect to provide their employees affordable health care with a livable wage. Even if Wal-Mart was to pass 100 percent of the wage increase on to consumers, the average impact on a Wal-M art shopper would be quite small.Wal-Mart’s choice of action toward employee wages, health benefits, and bias work environment have not only brought an enormous shadow over its employees’ lives but also over its own big business reputation. The injustice decisions made through out the history of Wal-Mart has changed many lives and has forever changed the American economy. In the business world, there is big, and then there is Wal-Mart. Recommendations Based on the conclusions presented above, the following actions are recommended: 1. Retaining â€Å"associates† already on staff would be more cost affective then high employee turnover. 2. Train employees. Give the opportunity to advance and have freedom to associate and organize. 3. Our analysis reveals that establishing a higher minimum wage for large retailers like Wal-Mart would have a significant impact on workers living in poverty or near-poverty. 4. In order to increase employee satisfaction, reforming the cost of health insurance would help keep Wal-Mart in good terms with their employees. 5. If Wal-Mart was to raise their prices by as little as a penny to the dollar it would afford them to pay the higher wages. Higher wages provide the employees opportunity to afford health coverage. 6. Implementing fair employment and labor practices. In other words, â€Å"Obey the Law†.