Multi-Generation Project Plan
What Is a Multi-Generation Project Plan?
- A vehicle to help focus the design team’s energies on a manageable project that can be completed relatively quickly.
- Since the future has been considered, the team will not make decisions that are incompatible with future generations.
- As the team’s work progresses, new ideas can be added to future generations of the process instead of increasing the development time for the first generation process.
- MGPP helps manage “scope creep.”
- The organization can be working on new technologies that are needed for future generations while the first generation process is being implemented and benefits realized.
The MGPP is usually not fully developed in the Lean Six Sigma Define phase step:
- In Define you should describe all the elements for the first generation product/service as fully as possible and fill in as much information as you have for future generations.
- You will add information to the MGPP throughout the DFSS process.
- At the end of the first generation, you will be able to describe the second and third generation products and services in much greater detail because of what you have learned from your research and testing of the first generation product.
The Multi-Generation Project Plan Will Help:
- Initially establish a reasonable project scope – one that drives values with a reasonable completion date
- Capture good ideas that are surfaced during the project
- Proactively identify project replication opportunities for other parts of the business
- Establish the “big picture” – How does this project fit into the overall improvement scheme for the organization
- E.g., the objective is to reduce billing errors for all of our customers. The first generation will address problems with our top 20% customers.
- E.g., this project will streamline the process and reduce the number of errors. The next phase will be to implement an automated information system.
- Communicate with stakeholders – “We’re focusing on this part of the process with this project, but recommend a follow-on project to address other parts of the process”.
MGPP Steps:
1. Start with the vision. Describe the vision for the new product/service 3 years from now. Then back up and describe product/service stages that lead up to the longer-term vision.
2. Describe the concept and technologies/platforms for Generation 1 in as much detail as possible.
3. Fill in as much information for Generation 2 and 3 concepts, platforms and technologies as you can. You will be adding more information about these elements as you learn more during Generation 1 development
The Development of Old Age and Related Issues
In traditional Chinese and other Asian cultures the aged were highly respected and cared for. The Igabo tribesmen of Eastern Nigeria value dependency in their aged and involve them in care of children and the administration of tribal affairs (Shelton, A. in Kalish R. Uni Michigan 1969).
In Eskimo culture the grandmother was pushed out into the ice-flow to die as soon as she became useless.
Western societies today usually resemble to some degree the Eskimo culture, only the “ice-flows” have names such a “Sunset Vista” and the like. Younger generations no longer assign status to the aged and their abandonment
is always in danger of becoming the social norm.
There has been a tendency to remove the aged from their homes and put them in custodial care. To some degree the government provides domiciliary care services to prevent or delay this, but the motivation probably has more
to do with expense than humanity.
In Canada and some parts of the USA old people are being utilised as foster-grandparents in child care agencies.
SOME BASIC DEFINITIONS
What is Aging?
Aging: Aging is a natural phenomenon that refers to changes occurring throughout the life span and result in differences in structure and function between the youthful and elder generation.
Gerontology: Gerontology is the study of aging and includes science, psychology and sociology.
Geriatrics: A relatively new field of medicine specialising in the health problems of advanced age.
Social aging: Refers to the social habits and roles of individuals with respect to their culture and society. As social aging increases individual usually experience a decrease in meaningful social interactions.
Biological aging: Refers to the physical changes in the body systems during the later decades of life. It may begin long before the individual reaches chronological age 65.
Cognitive aging: Refers to decreasing ability to assimilate new information and learn new behaviours and skills.
GENERAL PROBLEMS OF AGING
Eric Erikson (Youth and the life cycle. Children. 7:43-49 Mch/April 1960) developed an “ages and stages” theory of human
development that involved 8 stages after birth each of which involved a basic dichotomy representing best case and worst case outcomes. Below are the dichotomies and their developmental relevance:
Prenatal stage – conception to birth.
1. Infancy. Birth to 2 years – basic trust vs. basic distrust. Hope.
2. Early childhood, 3 to 4 years – autonomy vs. self doubt/shame. Will.
3. Play age, 5 to 8 years – initiative vs. guilt. Purpose.
4. School age, 9to 12 – industry vs. inferiority. Competence.
5. Adolescence, 13 to 19 – identity vs. identity confusion. Fidelity.
6. Young adulthood – intimacy vs. isolation. Love.
7. Adulthood, generativity vs. self absorption. Care.
8. Mature age- Ego Integrity vs. Despair. Wisdom.
This stage of older adulthood, i.e. stage 8, begins about the time of retirement and continues throughout one’s life. Achieving ego integrity is a sign of maturity while failing to reach this stage is an indication of poor development in prior stages through the life course.
Ego integrity: This means coming to accept one’s whole life and reflecting on it in a positive manner. According to Erikson, achieving
integrity means fully accepting one’ self and coming to terms with death. Accepting responsibility for one’s life and being able to review
the past with satisfaction is essential. The inability to do this leads to despair and the individual will begin to fear death. If a favourable balance is achieved during this stage, then wisdom is developed.
Psychological and personality aspects:
Aging has psychological implications. Next to dying our recognition that we are aging may be one of the most profound shocks we ever receive. Once we pass the invisible line of 65 our years are bench marked for the remainder of the game of life. We are no longer “mature age” we are instead classified as “old”, or “senior citizens”. How we cope with the changes we face and stresses of altered status depends on our basic personality. Here are 3 basic personality types that have been identified. It may be a oversimplification but it makes the point about personality effectively:
a. The autonomous – people who seem to have the resources for self-renewal. They may be dedicated to a goal or idea and committed to continuing productivity. This appears to protect them somewhat even against physiological aging.
b.The adjusted – people who are rigid and lacking in adaptability but are supported by their power, prestige or well structured routine. But if their situation changes drastically they become psychiatric casualties.
c.The anomic. These are people who do not have clear inner values or a protective life vision. Such people have been described as prematurely resigned and they may deteriorate rapidly.
Summary of stresses of old age.
a. Retirement and reduced income. Most people rely on work for self worth, identity and social interaction. Forced retirement can be demoralising.
b. Fear of invalidism and death. The increased probability of falling prey to illness from which there is no recovery is a continual
source of anxiety. When one has a heart attack or stroke the stress becomes much worse.
Some persons face death with equanimity, often psychologically supported by a religion or philosophy. Others may welcome death as an end to suffering or insoluble problems and with little concern for life or human existence. Still others face impending death with suffering of great stress against which they have no ego defenses.
c. Isolation and loneliness. Older people face inevitable loss of loved ones, friends and contemporaries. The loss of a spouse whom one has depended on for companionship and moral support is particularly distressing. Children grow up, marry and become preoccupied or move away. Failing memory, visual and aural impairment may all work to make social interaction difficult. And if this
then leads to a souring of outlook and rigidity of attitude then social interaction becomes further lessened and the individual may not even utilise the avenues for social activity that are still available.
d. Reduction in sexual function and physical attractiveness. Kinsey et al, in their Sexual behaviour in the human male,
(Phil., Saunders, 1948) found that there is a gradual decrease in sexual activity with advancing age and that reasonably gratifying patterns of sexual activity can continue into extreme old age. The aging person also has to adapt to loss of sexual attractiveness in a society which puts extreme emphasis on sexual attractiveness. The adjustment in self image and self concept that are required can be very hard to make.
e. Forces tending to self devaluation. Often the experience of the older generation has little perceived relevance to the problems of the young and the older person becomes deprived of participation in decision making both in occupational and family settings. Many parents are seen as unwanted burdens and their children may secretly wish they would die so they can be free of the burden and experience some financial relief or benefit. Senior citizens may be pushed into the role of being an old person with all this implies in terms of self devaluation.
4 Major Categories of Problems or Needs:
Health.
Housing.
Income maintenance.
Interpersonal relations.
BIOLOGICAL CHANGES
Physiological Changes: Catabolism (the breakdown of protoplasm) overtakes anabolism (the build-up of protoplasm). All body systems are affected and repair systems become slowed. The aging process occurs at different rates in different individuals.
Physical appearance and other changes:
Loss of subcutaneous fat and less elastic skin gives rise to wrinkled appearance, sagging and loss of smoothness of body contours. Joints stiffen and become painful and range of joint movement becomes restricted, general
mobility lessened.
Respiratory changes:
Increase of fibrous tissue in chest walls and lungs leads restricts respiratory movement and less oxygen is consumed. Older people more likelyto have lower respiratory infections whereas young people have upper respiratory infections.
Nutritive changes:
Tooth decay and loss of teeth can detract from ease and enjoyment in eating. Atrophy of the taste buds means food is inclined to be tasteless and this should be taken into account by carers. Digestive changes occur from lack of exercise (stimulating intestines) and decrease in digestive juice production. Constipation and indigestion are likely to follow as a result. Financial problems can lead to the elderly eating an excess of cheap carbohydrates rather than the more expensive protein and vegetable foods and this exacerbates the problem, leading to reduced vitamin intake and such problems as anemia and increased susceptibility to infection.
Adaptation to stress:
All of us face stress at all ages. Adaptation to stress requires the consumption of energy. The 3 main phases of stress are:
1. Initial alarm reaction. 2. Resistance. 3. Exhaustion
and if stress continues tissue damage or aging occurs. Older persons have had a lifetime of dealing with stresses. Energy reserves are depleted and the older person succumbs to stress earlier than the younger person. Stress is cumulative over a lifetime. Research results, including experiments with animals suggests that each stress leaves us more vulnerable to the next and that although we might think we’ve “bounced back” 100% in fact each stress leaves it scar. Further, stress is psycho-biological meaning
the kind of stress is irrelevant. A physical stress may leave one more vulnerable to psychological stress and vice versa. Rest does not completely restore one after a stressor. Care workers need to be mindful of this and cognizant of the kinds of things that can produce stress for aged persons.
COGNITIVE CHANGE Habitual Behaviour:
Sigmund Freud noted that after the age of 50, treatment of neuroses via psychoanalysis was difficult because the opinions and reactions of older people were relatively fixed and hard to shift.
Over-learned behaviour: This is behaviour that has been learned so well and repeated so often that it has become automatic, like for example typing or running down stairs. Over-learned behaviour is hard to change. If one has lived a long time one is likely to have fixed opinions and ritualised behaviour patterns or habits.
Compulsive behaviour: Habits and attitudes that have been learned in the course of finding ways to overcome frustration and difficulty are very hard to break. Tension reducing habits such as nail biting, incessant humming, smoking or drinking alcohol are especially hard to change at any age and particularly hard for persons who have been practising them over a life time.
The psychology of over-learned and compulsive behaviours has severe implications for older persons who find they have to live in what for them is a new and alien environment with new rules and power relations.
Information acquisition:
Older people have a continual background of neural noise making it more difficult for them to sort out and interpret complex sensory
input. In talking to an older person one should turn off the TV, eliminate as many noises and distractions as possible, talk slowly
and relate to one message or idea at a time.
Memories from the distant past are stronger than more recent memories. New memories are the first to fade and last to return.
Time patterns also can get mixed – old and new may get mixed.
Intelligence.
Intelligence reaches a peak and can stay high with little deterioration if there is no neurological damage. People who have unusually high intelligence to begin with seem to suffer the least decline. Education and stimulation also seem to play a role in maintaining intelligence.
Intellectual impairment. Two diseases of old age causing cognitive decline are Alzheimer’s syndrome and Pick’s syndrome. In Pick’s syndrome there is inability to concentrate and learn and also affective responses are impaired.
Degenerative Diseases: Slow progressive physical degeneration of cells in the nervous system. Genetics appear to be an important factor. Usually start after age 40 (but can occur as early as 20s).
ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE Degeneration of all areas of cortex but particularly frontal and temporal lobes. The affected cells actually die. Early symptoms resemble neurotic disorders: Anxiety, depression, restlessness sleep difficulties.
Progressive deterioration of all intellectual faculties (memory deficiency being the most well known and obvious). Total mass of the brain decreases, ventricles become larger. No established treatment.
PICK’S DISEASE Rare degenerative disease. Similar to Alzheimer’s in terms of onset, symptomatology and possible genetic
aetiology. However it affects circumscribed areas of the brain, particularly the frontal areas which leads to a loss of normal affect.
PARKINSON’S DISEASE Neuropathology: Loss of neurons in the basal ganglia.
Symptoms: Movement abnormalities: rhythmical alternating tremor of extremities, eyelids and tongue along with rigidity of the muscles and slowness of movement (akinesia).
It was once thought that Parkinson’s disease was not associated with intellectual deterioration, but it is now known that there is an association between global intellectual impairment and Parkinson’s where it occurs late in life.
The cells lost in Parkinson’s are associated with the neuro-chemical Dopamine and the motor symptoms of Parkinson’s are associated the dopamine deficiency. Treatment involves administration of dopamine precursor L-dopa which can alleviate symptoms including intellectual impairment. Research suggests it may possibly bring to the fore emotional effects in patients who have had
psychiatric illness at some prior stage in their lives.
AFFECTIVE DOMAIN In old age our self concept gets its final revision. We make a final assessment of the value of our lives and our balance of success and failures.
How well a person adapts to old age may be predicated by how well the person adapted to earlier significant changes. If the person suffered an emotional crisis each time a significant change was needed then adaptation to the exigencies of old age may also be difficult. Factors such as economic security, geographic location and physical health are important to the adaptive process.
Need Fulfilment: For all of us, according to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory, we are not free to pursue the higher needs of self actualisation unless the basic needs are secured. When one considers that many, perhaps most, old people are living in poverty and continually concerned with basic survival needs, they are not likely to be happily satisfying needs related to prestige, achievement and beauty.
Maslow’s Hierarchy
Physiological
Safety
Belonging, love, identification
Esteem: Achievement, prestige, success, self respect
Self actualisation: Expressing one’s interests and talents to the full.
Note: Old people who have secured their basic needs may be motivated to work on tasks of the highest levels in the hierarchy – activities concerned with aesthetics, creativity and altruistic matters, as compensation for loss of sexual attractiveness and athleticism. Aged care workers fixated on getting old people to focus on social activities may only succeed in frustrating and irritating them if their basic survival concerns are not secured to their satisfaction.
DISENGAGEMENT
Social aging according to Cumming, E. and Henry, W. (Growing old: the aging process of disengagement, NY, Basic 1961) follows a well defined pattern:
1. Change in role. Change in occupation and productivity. Possibly change
in attitude to work.
2. Loss of role, e.g. retirement or death of a husband.
3. Reduced social interaction. With loss of role social interactions are
diminished, eccentric adjustment can further reduce social interaction, damage
to self concept, depression.
4. Awareness of scarcity of remaining time. This produces further curtailment of
activity in interest of saving time.
Havighurst, R. et al (in B. Neugarten (ed.) Middle age and aging, U. of Chicago, 1968) and others have suggested that disengagement is not an inevitable process. They believe the needs of the old are essentially the same as in middle age and the activities of middle age should be extended as long as possible. Havighurst points out the decrease in social interaction of the aged is often largely the
result of society withdrawing from the individual as much as the reverse. To combat this he believes the individual must vigorously resist the limitations of his social world.
DEATH The fear of the dead amongst tribal societies is well established. Persons who had ministered to the dead were taboo and required observe various rituals including seclusion for varying periods of time. In some societies from South America to Australia it is taboo for certain persons to utter the name of the dead. Widows and widowers are expected to observe rituals in respect for the dead.
Widows in the Highlands of New Guinea around Goroka chop of one of their own fingers. The dead continue their existence as spirits and upsetting them can bring dire consequences.
Wahl, C in “The fear of death”, 1959 noted that the fear of death occurs as early as the 3rd year of life. When a child loses a pet or grandparent fears reside in the unspoken questions: Did I cause it? Will happen to you (parent) soon? Will this happen to me? The child in such situations needs to re-assure that the departure is not a censure, and that the parent is not likely to depart soon. Love, grief, guilt, anger are a mix of conflicting emotions that are experienced.
CONTEMPORARY ATTITUDES TO DEATH
Our culture places high value on youth, beauty, high status occupations, social class and anticipated future activities and achievement. Aging and dying are denied and avoided in this system. The death of each person reminds us of our own mortality.
The death of the elderly is less disturbing to members of Western society because the aged are not especially valued. Surveys have established that nurses for example attach more importance to saving a young life than an old life. In Western society there is a pattern of avoiding dealing with the aged and dying aged patient.
Stages of dying. Elisabeth Kubler Ross has specialised in working with dying patients and in her “On death and dying”, NY, Macmillan, 1969, summarised 5 stages in dying.
1. Denial and isolation. “No, not me”.
2. Anger. “I’ve lived a good life so why me?”
3. Bargaining. Secret deals are struck with God. “If I can live until…I promise to…”
4. Depression. (In general the greatest psychological problem of the aged is depression). Depression results from real and threatened loss.
5. Acceptance of the inevitable.
Kubler Ross’s typology as set out above should, I believe be taken with a grain of salt and not slavishly accepted. Celebrated US Journalist David Rieff who was in June ’08 a guest of the Sydney writer’s festival in relation to his book, “Swimming in a sea of death: a son’s memoir” (Melbourne University Press) expressly denied the validity of the Kubler Ross typology in his Late Night Live interview (Australian ABC radio) with Philip Adams June 9th ’08. He said something to the effect that his mother had regarded her impending death as murder. My own experience with dying persons suggests that the human ego is extraordinarily resilient. I recall visiting a dying colleague in hospital just days before his death. He said, “I’m dying, I don’t like it but there’s nothing I can do about it”, and then went on to chortle about how senior academics at an Adelaide university had told him they were submitting his name for a the Order of Australia (the new “Knighthood” replacement in Australia). Falling in and out of lucid thought with an oxygen tube in his nostrils he was nevertheless still highly interested in the “vain glories of the world”. This observation to me seemed consistent with Rieff’s negative assessment of Kubler Ross’s theories.
THE AGED IN RELATION TO YOUNGER PEOPLE
The aged share with the young the same needs: However, the aged often have fewer or weaker resources to meet those needs. Their need for social interaction may be ignored by family and care workers.
Family should make time to visit their aged members and invite them to their homes. The aged like to visit children and relate to them through games and stories.
Meaningful relationships can be developed via foster-grandparent programs. Some aged are not aware of their income and health entitlements. Family and friends should take the time to explain these. Some aged are too proud to access their entitlements and this problem should be addressed in a kindly way where it occurs.
It is best that the aged be allowed as much choice as possible in matters related to living arrangements, social life and lifestyle.
Communities serving the aged need to provide for the aged via such things as lower curbing, and ramps.
Carers need to examine their own attitude to aging and dying. Denial in the carer is detected by the aged person and it can inhibit the aged person from expressing negative feelings – fear, anger. If the person can express these feelings to someone then that person is less likely to die with a sense of isolation and bitterness.
A METAPHYSICAL PERSPECTIVE
The following notes are my interpretation of a Dr. Depak Chopra lecture entitled, “The New Physics of Healing” which he presented to the 13th Scientific Conference of the American Holistic Medical Association. Dr. Depak Chopra is an endocrinologist and a former Chief of Staff of New England Hospital, Massachusetts. I am deliberately omitting the detail of his explanations of the more abstract, ephemeral and controversial ideas.
Original material from 735 Walnut Street, Boulder, Colorado 83002,
Phone. +303 449 6229.
In the lecture Dr. Chopra presents a model of the universe and of all organisms as structures of interacting centres of electromagnetic energy linked to each other in such a way that anything affecting one part of a system or structure has ramifications throughout the entire structure. This model becomes an analogue not only for what happens within the structure or organism itself, but between the organism and both its physical and social environments. In other words there is a correlation between psychological
conditions, health and the aging process. Dr. Chopra in his lecture reconciles ancient Vedic (Hindu) philosophy with modern psychology and quantum physics.
Premature Precognitive Commitment: Dr. Chopra invokes experiments that have shown that flies kept for a long time in a jar do not quickly leave the jar when the top is taken off. Instead they accept the jar as the limit of their universe. He also points out that in India baby elephants are often kept tethered to a small twig or sapling. In adulthood when the elephant is capable of pulling over a medium sized tree it can still be successfully tethered to a twig! As another example he points to experiments in which fish are bred on
2 sides of a fish tank containing a divider between the 2 sides. When the divider is removed the fish are slow to learn that they can now swim throughout the whole tank but rather stay in the section that they accept as their universe. Other experiments have demonstrated that kittens brought up in an environment of vertical stripes and structures, when released in adulthood keep bumping into anything aligned horizontally as if they were unable to see anything that is horizontal. Conversely kittens brought up in an environment of horizontal stripes when released bump into vertical structures, apparently unable to see them.
The whole point of the above experiments is that they demonstrate Premature Precognitive Commitment. The lesson to be learned is that our sensory apparatus develops as a result of initial experience and how we’ve been taught to interpret it.
What is the real look of the world? It doesn’t exist. The way the world looks to us is determined by the sensory receptors we have and our interpretation of that look is determined by our premature precognitive commitments. Dr Chopra makes the point that less than a billionth of the available stimuli make it into our nervous systems. Most of it is screened, and what gets through to us is whatever we are
expecting to find on the basis of our precognitive commitments.
Dr. Chopra also discusses the diseases that are actually caused by mainstream medical interventions, but this material gets too far away from my central intention. Dr. Chopra discusses in lay terms the physics of matter, energy and time by way of establishing the wider context of our existence. He makes the point that our bodies including the bodies of plants are mirrors of cosmic rhythms and exhibit changes correlating even with the tides.
Dr. Chopra cites the experiments of Dr. Herbert Spencer of the US National Institute of Health. He injected mice with Poly-IC, an immuno-stimulant while making the mice repeatedly smell camphor. After the effect of the Poly-IC had worn off he again exposed the mice to the camphor smell. The smell of camphor had the effect of causing the mice’s immune system to automatically strengthen
as if they had been injected with the stimulant. He then took another batch of mice and injected them with cyclophosphamide which tends to destroy the immune system while exposing them to the smell of camphor. Later after being returned to normal just the smell of camphor was enough to cause destruction of their immune system. Dr. Chopra points out that whether or not camphor enhanced or
destroyed the mice’s immune system was entirely determined by an interpretation of the meaning of the smell of camphor. The interpretation is not just in the brain but in each cell of the organism. We are bound to our imagination and our
early experiences.
Chopra cites a study by the Massachusetts Dept of Health Education and Welfare into risk factors for heart disease – family history, cholesterol etc. The 2 most important risk factors were found to be psychological measures – Self Happiness Rating and Job Satisfaction. They found most people died of heart disease on a Monday!
Chopra says that for every feeling there is a molecule. If you are experiencing tranquillity your body will be producing natural valium. Chemical changes in the brain are reflected by changes in other cells including blood cells. The brain produces neuropeptides and brain structures are chemically tuned to these neuropeptide receptors. Neuropeptides (neurotransmitters) are the chemical concommitants of thought. Chopra points out the white blood cells (a part of the immune system) have neuropeptide receptors and are “eavesdropping” on our thinking. Conversely the immune system produces its own neuropeptides which can influence the nervous system. He goes on to say that cells in all parts of the body including heart and kidneys for example also produce neuropeptides and
neuropeptide sensitivity. Chopra assures us that most neurologists would agree that the nervous system and the immune system are parallel systems.
Other studies in physiology: The blood interlukin-2 levels of medical students decreased as exam time neared and their interlukin receptor capacities also lowered. Chopra says if we are having fun to the point of exhilaration our natural interlukin-2 levels become higher. Interlukin-2 is a powerful and very expensive anti-cancer drug. The body is a printout of consciousness. If we could change the way we look at our bodies at a genuine, profound level then our bodies would actually change.
On the subject of “time” Chopra cites Sir Thomas Gall and Steven Hawkins, stating that our description of the universe as having a past, present, and future are constructed entirely out of our interpretation of change. But in
reality linear time doesn’t exist.
Chopra explains the work of Alexander Leaf a former Harvard Professor of Preventative Medicine who toured the world investigating societies where people lived beyond 100 years (these included parts of Afghanistan, Soviet Georgia, Southern Andes). He looked at possible factors including climate, genetics, and diet. Leaf concluded the most important factor was the collective perception of aging in these societies.
Amongst the Tama Humara of the Southern Andes there was a collective belief that the older you got the more physically able you got. They had a tradition of running and the older one became then generally the better at running one got. The best runner was aged 60. Lung capacity and other measures actually improved with age. People were healthy until well into their 100s and died in their sleep. Chopra remarks that things have changed since the introduction of Budweiser (beer) and TV.
[DISCUSSION: How might TV be a factor in changing the former ideal state of things?]
Chopra refers to Dr. Ellen Langor a former Harvard Psychology professor’s work. Langor advertised for 100 volunteers aged over 70 years. She took them to a Monastery outside Boston to play “Let’s Pretend”. They were divided into 2 groups each of which resided in a different part of the building. One group, the control group spent several days talking about the 1950s. The other group, the experimental group had to live as if in the year 1959 and talk about it in the present tense. What appeared on their TV screens were the old newscasts and movies. They read old newspapers and magazines of the period. After 3 days everyone was photographed and the photographs judged by independent judges who knew nothing of the nature of the experiment. The experimental group seemed to
have gotten younger in appearance. Langor then arranged for them to be tested for 100 physiological parameters of aging which included of course blood pressure, near point vision and DHEA levels. After 10 days of living as if in 1959 all parameters had reversed by the equivalent of at least 20 years.
Chopra concludes from Langor’s experiment: “We are the metabolic end product of our sensory experiences. How we interpret them depends on the collective mindset which influences individual biological entropy and aging.”
Can one escape the current collective mindset and reap the benefits in longevity and health? Langor says, society won’t let you escape. There are too many reminders of how most people think linear time is and how it expresses itself in entropy and aging – men are naughty at 40 and on social welfare at 55, women reach menopause at 40 etc. We get to see so many other people aging and dying that it sets the pattern that we follow.
Chopra concludes we are the metabolic product of our sensory experience and our interpretation gets structured in our biology itself. Real change comes from change in the collective consciousness – otherwise it cannot occur within the individual.
Readings
Chopra, D. The New Physics of Healing. 735 Walnut Street, Boulder, Colorado 83002,
Phone. +303 449 6229.
Coleman, J. C. Abnormal psychology and modern life. Scott Foresman & Co.
Lugo, J. and Hershey, L. Human development a multidisciplinary approach to the psychology of individual growth, NY, Macmillan.
Dennis. Psychology of human behaviour for nurses. Lond. W. B.Saunders.
Electrical Earth – Why Do We Need It?
This article will deal with the electrical earth arrangements in a domestic dwelling in the UK. Contrary to a lot of peoples notions the earth is very necessary.
Why do we have an earth in our houses? To answer that requires a little explanation of how electricity reaches our homes and how fuses work.
Electricity is generated at power stations or similar installations,
wind farms, hydro-electric turbines etc. These plants generate the electricity which is the transformed up to around four hundred thousand volts and distributed around the country via the national grid.
It is easy and cost effective to transport electricity at these incredibly high voltages but obviously it once again has to be transformed back down to 230 volts for use in the house.
At the transformer the centre of the winding is connected via rods or mats, to the earth. This earthing of the winding provides a reference point, nominally zero volts. Electricity is then supplied at 230 volts to this reference.
To be useful electricity requires a circuit. The electricity must flow from a source, through the device whatever it may be, kettle, iron cooker etc. and return to that source.
To protect the cable in which it flows the amount of electricity must not exceed the capability of the cable. This would be an overload in the long term, in the short term a fault in the cable or any device attached to it will cause a large amount of electricity to flow and it is this that blows the fuse.
The amount of electricity needed to blow a fuse is determined by the rating of the fuse itself, i.e. a current of around 1.6 times the fuse rating is required to operate a re-wirable fuse so a 20A fuse will need approximately 32 amps.
To facilitate the quick and efficient operation of the fuse the electrical earth provides a quick route back to the source, that is the transformer. The better the return path, the more electricity flows and the quicker the fuse operates.
The circuit that the live conductor and the earthing conductor form is called the earth loop. The earth loop is measured with a special tester and must conform to certain constraints for the variety of fuses available.
The requirements for each type of fuse, properly called a protective device, are laid down in the wiring regulations. The electrical earth therefore, is extremely important for the safety of any user of electrical system. The absence of the earthing conductor means that any fault on the system will not operate the fuse until you or one of your family becomes that missing part.
Types Of Leads To Make Your Writing Interesting
If you are a writer and you want to grab your reader’s attention completely, the lead of the writing is the most important thing for you. It could be just an introduction, or just the beginning and explanation of the topic about which you are going to write, but it should immediately inculcate an interest for the reader and hook him to the writing.
First of all, the lead should be something gripping, because it should capture the interest of the reader. For every type of writing a different type of lead is required. And there are different types of readers too. But nevertheless, the lead should show the direction of your writing.
It is best to have a short introduction, or a short lead. This could be about three to five sentences. And as a writer you should experiment with different types of leads, whether to start with a formal introduction of the characters, or just throw some questions at the readers to urge them to move on and find the answers.
The Question is very good for writing which involves personal questions like, “Have you ever interpreted your dreams?” which would involve every person and urge him to read on. A Riddle could open the beginning of a detective story and push the reader to solve the mystery.
The writing could be opened with an announcement. It should be a form of an indirect introduction about the writing that is in front of the reader and the theme could be introduced gently, ironically or in a roundabout manner. Of course you can make a bold and challenging statement, but it is better not to be too forceful about the writer’s opinion.
For serious and difficult topics a definition or meaning could be used as a lead. If it is a quotation, the source should be mentioned. Quotations from famous people are also an attractive way to begin a writing. And if the quotation comes from a person whom only you know, give a short background, otherwise the reader cannot connect.
This could be followed by your opinion and then as a question the opinion of the reader. Begin a story with a first-hand experience, because personal experiences bring about a touch of curiosity for the reader. And immediately a rapport can be established between the writer and the reader.
Figurative language is often used, but it may not be attractive and understandable to every reader. The simile, personification or metaphor must relate directly to the topic of the writing, and it should be clear enough for the reader to make a connection.
Last but not least you can begin with a general statement giving information about the topic. It helps the reader to get an overview of the topic in question, and even if he is not interested in it, he may read on, because the information is general and not specific.
The specific details follow only later. Hence the type of lead can, in a way, influence the number of readers that you get for the whole writing, because there are more people who just read the first few lines of an article or the first page of a book and put them aside if it does not interest them any more.
Sex in Advertising: Does it Sell?
We’re surrounded by advertisements that desperately compete for our attention. Everywhere we look, we find ourselves inevitably drawn to images of scantily clad attractive men and women that are supposed to somehow inspire us to purchase products they endorse. Sure, this attention-getting strategy is popular. But, is it effective?
Sex appeal can increase the effectiveness of an ad or commercial because it attracts the customer’s attention. It’s human nature to be curious about sex. A pair of long legs on a billboard is more likely to catch (and hold) a guy’s attention than a puppy, regardless of how cute it may be. Even women are drawn to them, perhaps with the desire of having goddess-like legs.
However, misuse of sex appeal can be costly. Many campaigns deemed offensive have started brand boycotts that affect sales and damage brand reputation. Abercrombie & Fitch has been involved in several scandals, the latest from their most recent catalog entitled “XXX Wet, Hot Summer Fun.” On April 18, 2002, only a week after the catalog hit the stores, the Illinois State Senate passed a resolution condemning A&F’s advertising tactics. This resolution, backed by several nonprofit organizations, suggests citizens and shareholders boycott Abercrombie’s products and to take a stand against the company’s marketing strategies. Although sexy images in catalogs are not at all uncommon, “XXX Wet, Hot Summer Fun” featured naked boys and girls frolicking in natural settings. Not quite appropriate for an apparel catalog targeted at teenagers.
Sex in advertising has stirred controversy for many years, an advertiser must be careful when incorporating it in a campaign. Great advertisers consider not only the attention-getting power of an advertisement or commercial, but also what kind of emotional response it provokes in customers. Studies show that the attractiveness of the endorsing model provokes positive responses. Nudity and graphic erotic content, while still increasing consumer’s attention, doesn’t really generate positive feelings among viewers. In other words, advertisers must be careful to avoid the “cheap shot,” which may negatively affect a brand’s image.
To avoid that, the sexual content in advertising must be appropriate to the product category and have a proper underlying message. In 2000, Heineken launched the “It’s All About the Beer” campaign. One spot, called “The Premature Pour,” shows a beautiful seductive woman pouring Heineken into a glass. When a guy across the bar responds by pouring his own, he nervously pours too fast and spills foam all over the table and himself. The sexual content is implicit, yet direct. The sexual reference in this and other spots in the campaign worked, causing sales to rise 13% in the first two quarters of 2002. However, Steve Davis (VP of marketing in Heineken USA), claims that, “Provocative is a very good place to be, as long as we’re not inflammatory. But the spots also work for a different reason. From the tag line to the plot, they are about a desire for Heineken. Our ads make the beer the hero.”
Sex sells, yes, but only when used “in good taste.” As marketers we must think not only in getting customers’ attention for the short term, but also in building a brand reputation that will yield long-term results.
The Benefits of Using Telemarketing
Telemarketing, marketing in which sales people call potential customers by phone, is the second most common direct marketing method in the United States. Cold calling however is often not appreciated by the people who are called and so “Do not call” lists have been created in a number of areas.
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Telemarketing
Although cold calling is not popular with consumers, it is still very popular with marketers, why is this?
Well, firstly, telemarketing is a form of direct marketing that is not only trackable in terms of positive response but also gets you an immediate response – people will either react positively or negatively when you call them and you don’t need to wait to get their reactions.
The disadvantage is that telemarketing, and in particular cold calling, has a bad reputation with consumers who often link this to scams and illegal pyramid schemes. This means that people are often pre-disposed to give a negative response when they are contacted by telephone.
How to Use Telemarketing Effectively
If you are going to be using telemarketing to promote your business or products then it is important to do it correctly if you want the best results.
An excellent method when it comes to telemarketing is to do it in at least two calls – the first call to assess the potential customers needs and how your product may possibly be able to assist with meeting these needs (but no sales), and then the second or subsequent call to actually sell the product based on consumer needs.
You should also carefully consider where you get your telemarketing leads from. Try to get lists that are as targeted as possible and not simply every name in the phone book. The more targeted you can get with your lists, the better the response is likely to be.
Telemarketing is a form of marketing that can bring you immediate responses – either positive or negative. Unfortunately many people are already pre-disposed to give negative responses to cold calling and so it is important to go about telemarketing in the right way to get as many positive responses as possible.
My Pilot Light Won’t Stay Lit – What Now?
I went to a Heating and Air Conditioning customer’s home the other day. They had called me to tell me that their heater was not coming on. It is December and getting colder in northern California. I am a compassionate guy so I headed over there after I finished with my regular job.
I arrived at the home and went to where the heater is located in a closet in the home. (yours maybe in the attic, basement, or garage) I removed the door and found a 30 year old Heating unit. This unit has a standing pilot light, a flame that burns continuously, and it was not lit. After trying to light the pilot light unsuccessfully I determined that pilot light would not stay lit.
The older Heating furnaces with standing pilot lights have a thermocouple, that is designed to sense the pilot light flame. That is how the pilot stays lit when you remove your hand from the dial, while trying to relight the pilot. If the thermocouple fails the pilot will not stay lit and the burners will not light so the furnace will not heat the house. You can visually check the thermocouple as well as the pilot flame. Look at the pilot flame while holding the knob in the start position.
1. Is the pilot flame floating (if it is have a Heating serviceperson check the gas valve)
2. Is the copper lead bent or kinked
3. Is the thermocouple insulation damaged
4. Is the thermocouple tip dirty
You can clean the tip by lightly sanding it. Also make sure it has not slid down out of the flame. If you feel the flame is aimed properly and the thermocouple is clean and there are no visible signs of damage then damage is on the inside, remove it. You can take it to an appliance parts and service dealer where they will sell you the correct part or you can call a heating service person to come replace it for you.
You May Be Sick Without A Fever
You may have heard stories from friends about someone who they knew had been ill and then seemed a little better,then surprised everyone by having to be admitted to a hospital, and may even had passed away. ” He was fine” “He didn’t even have a fever” What could have happened so fast?
There are times when an illness takes an unexpected course,and complications arise.
In an attempt to control the spiraling cost of health care.Your visit to your doctor as well as the length of a hospital stay has been shortened.This makes it even more necessary to be aware of the importance of your own self care, and of those in your family.
This will never replace medical care, but will make you a partner in maintaining the health of your family, as well as your own.
It is reasonable to consider the education of patients in a hospital a high priority in the health care system.This does in most communities reach into the community,with home health care,pharmacy support and education, and doctors offices that will see you with out an appointment.
Most often when we are ill with an infection, we will have a fever. Maybe a low grade fever that we hardly notice, or it can be 99-100.5 and may be self limiting.That is ,it runs a course with maybe sniffles or a slight cough. Most viral illness’ and some bacterial infections will be of this nature.Within a week or two you feel progressively better and then return to your usual state of health.
But if you are ill,with a cough,sore throat,ear ache, or generalized discomfort, and have an elevated temperature of 101 or greater. It is best to see your doctor.Although this too can be viral,it is best to keep on top of it, and see that it does not worsen. If you are unable to take fluids and feel progressive weaker. Going back to your doctor a second time, is not a waste of time or a mistake,it is a wise decision.
You may be put on another antibiotic if the first one has not cleared up your infection. If at anytime during the course of your antibiotic,you develop a rash or it makes you feel ill.Contact your doctor again.
But, there is also something else that is important for you to know.If after an infection , you are not feeling quite like yourself,but maybe a little worse . There is a chance that you have developed SEPSIS. If you feel worse then you did before,don’t be fooled by the fact that you do not have a fever.
SEPSIS at times develops in a quiet way, and can easily be missed,but it is critical that it not be ignored in it’s early stages. You can then be admitted to the hospital and receive intravenous fluids and antibiotics. You then will be monitored until you are stable again.
The very young and the elderly are at great risk for SEPSIS, as well as people who are under going chemotherapy or radiation treatments. People who have an illness where their immune systems are compromised ,such as HIV and AIDS , as well as some other illness’ are also at risk for SEPSIS.
Some signs that you need to get to your doctor or your hospital Emergency Room as soon as you can are:
An awareness that your pulse rate is rapid,or your heart is “fluttering.” Have a increased breathing rate, chills or feel clammy or damp, have a feeling of fatique, weakness,and lethargy ,have decreased or no urine output.
Remember,you may have a fever or NO FEVER WITH SEPSIS !
What has happened is that the infection, has caused your body to have an overwhelming inflammatory response, that is affecting every organ in your body. IT MAY BECOME CRITICAL IF MEDICAL INTERVENTION DOES NOT TAKE PLACE.
Smart living and healthcare monitoring, lead to optimum health care maintenence.
Nodular Melanoma
The awareness of the dangers of skin cancer, particularly melanoma, has doubtless increased. Still, the most fatal form of melanoma is frequently left undiagnosed in the fledging stages.
Nodular melanoma is the most serious and life threatening form of skin cancer, constituting around 35% of all thick melanoma cases. In comparison, the most general form of melanoma, the superficial spreading melanoma, is regularly diagnosed in its infancy and characteristically is a thin melanoma.
The dissimilarity between thick and thin melanomas is quite straightforward. Thin melanomas have a tendency to spread out over the top of the skin surface. Thick melanomas, on the other hand, are more penetrating and grow deeper into the skin.
Commonly, nodular melanoma is already invasive upon first diagnosis. This form of cancer is normally seen on arms, legs and upper torso of an elderly person. The scalp may be affected at any age.
This malignancy is characterized by a bump-like feature, generally black, but at times blue, white, gray, brown, red, tan or skin tone.
Nodular melanoma is far less common than any of the other sub-types. It accounts for only 15% of all melanoma cases. Reports suggest that this disease commonly affects people after the age of fifty. Medically, nodular melanoma appears as a consistent blue-red, blue-black or amelanotic nodule.
Nearly 5% of nodular melanomas do not have pigment. They are called amelanotic melanoma. The most affected areas for nodular melanoma are the head, neck and upper torso. It is important to remember that a nodular melanoma usually starts in normal skin, and not in an already existing lesion. Nodular melanomas are also characterized by rapid growth.
What Are The Causes Of Childhood Obesity?
Today, the rise in childhood obesity has several causes. The main cause of obesity is certainly children eating too much and/or not performing regular exercise or being generally inactive. The extra calories that are not able to burn up through exercises or physical activities will translate into fat, and when this fat becomes excessive and more, one will become obese. This difference results in weight gain and will vary from children to children that was due to few factors such as genes, health issues, physical inactivity as well as psychological issues also contribute to weight gain and may be what the causes of obesity are. Even though the main cause of obesity is underlying disorders, nevertheless, it is also closely related to people lifestyles as well.
Poor eating habits and food choices
Today, the way we prepare food and the no of time per day is totally different as compare with our ancestors did in the old time. During the old time, everything need to be cooked from scratch, but now with the help from modern equipments, the time and effort to prepare food became simple and faster. This is one of the reasons why now fast food restaurants dominate our diets.
By study how the children eat today; you will know what the main cause of childhood obesity is. Small changes in their daily diets can have large help enabling you to prevent childhood obesity. The best healthy choices of food include vegetables and fruits instead of sugary snacks. The most popular choices include carrot and bananas, celery sticks, apples and even salads that include a large variety of vegetables. By helping children understand and choosing the correct and better foods during the childhood time, definitely will ensure that they make the correct choices as they move into adulthood.
Bad behavior is also one of the causes. This group of children eats food that is low in nutrition and high in fat. This group of children eats fast food meals, rich desserts and drinks with a lot of sugar. They also usually overeaten, and the food that they consume has many empty calories. In other words, the food that they eat does not provide enough nutrition for a children needs. This same group of children eats lots of sweets food which in general have empty calories.
Lack of Exercise
Lack of regular exercise is a factor that has contributed to this being one of the causes of childhood obesity. Children who spend a lot of time watching TV programs will have a greater risk of child obesity than those who go outside playing or sporting. This is typically true when the children are eating fast food while watching television or playing video games.
In the pass, children like to play sports more often, enjoy outside activities as forms of entertainment and walk to school. But now a day, children are completely opposite from the pass. The sports our children like to do these days include watching television, playing computer game, surfing internet, chatting, and any game they choose while exercising only their mind, head and hands only. When you combine the poor choices in food and the lack of exercising, there is a high chance that childhood obesity will end up lead to disease.
Genetics
Genetics and DNA have been found to be a contributing factor in the causes of childhood obesity. Unfortunately, some children are naturally predisposed to obesity. These children are born with genes that cause them to put on weight more quickly than other children. The children with certain genes end up storing the fat more easily than other children. There is not much that these children can do about their genes, but there are steps that they can take to conquer the obesity.
Children parents can also aid in determining your chances of dealing with childhood obesity. If children parents had a problem with overweight, chances are the children will deal with the same issues. This makes it very important that you keep an eye on your children and their action and habits. Our DNA can not be changed. We can do some small changes in other areas that can make a great deal of improve on your child obesity. Some small changes, such as walking to school, playing outdoor games rather than letting children stay at home and avoid exercise. The simple and regular exercise can help your children avoid childhood obesity.
Psychological issues and Stress
Some study say that about 10% of people that are mildly obese was cause by psychological or stress problems. Some children have a difficult time dealing with stress so they use food as a comfort when they feel, and many children are prone to eating in response to negative emotions like being bored, feeling anxious or being angry.
Each child has to contend with different factors in their lives. The causes of obesity are can also be viewed as being weakness, a lack of willpower or a lifestyle choice of overeating and not exercising enough.
Environments
The environment too plays a role in the causes of obesity. The family home is an important place to learn about proper nutrition and enough physical activity. Attitudes, Habits, and beliefs about food selection and how to spend family leisure time are critical factors to forming a healthy relationship with food. Children spend a lot of time in school, their food choices at school become important and it was influenced by the school eating environment.
Modern lifestyles have improved our quality of life but also contribute greatly to physical inactivity. Cars are used for short trips, and the number of walking trips the average American children takes each year have decreased. Today only about 10% of public school students walk to school compared to the large no of student a generation ago.