Waiting for gusfman Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Waiting for gusfman - Essay Example The form of the ‘mockumentary’ not only allows for this type of satire, but it also creates a satire of the form of the documentary as well. The film Waiting for Guffman provides for a look at the idea of community as seen through the social interactions that are required to develop an event that celebrates the uniqueness of the community, while that uniqueness is revealed for its absurdity. Waiting for Guffman (1996) is a film in which the genre of the ‘mockumentary’ as developed by Rob Reiner through the innovative and classic film This is Spinal Tap (1986) is used to satirize a cultural event. Christopher Guest, who co-wrote and starred in Reiner’s film, creates the work Waiting for Guffman as a way of examining the concept of the a local theater group as they attempt to put on a production as a way of celebrating the town’s sesquicentennial. Guffman refers to a man named Mort Guffman who is reported to be Broadway talent scout who will be attending the event. The production is based on the history of the town which has parallel details of the type that might be found in many small towns, crossing the line to the absurd as the town is proclaimed to be ‘The Stool Capital of the World’. Christopher Guest plays the character Corky St. Clair whose visions are often beyond the capacity of his small theater to achieve. The film utilizes the suspension of natural laws through explorations of the absurd as they relate to the truths of many small towns across America. As Guest’s character presents himself as an over the top and flamboyant theater director, he embraces the idea of homosexuality within a small town atmosphere as being represented by extravagance and eccentricity. Through a stereotypical portrayal, he comments on the avant guarde as it is explored in less than sophisticated surroundings, missing the mark and flying wide into an absurdity of his

Vouchers and School Choice More Effective than Affirmative Action Essay

School Choice More Effective than Affirmative Action If America is to become an equal society, then the direction of affirmative action must be changed. Rather than continuing to focus the brunt of our efforts on helping those individuals near the top succeed, we must implement policies designed to provide opportunities to those individuals at or near the bottom. Specifically, affirmative action must return to its original purpose--helping minorities move into the middle class through programs based upon equality of educational opportunity and job creation. Affirmative action is still needed, but its efforts must be redirected. The truth is that minorities poised to break through the glass ceiling will do so, based upon sheer ability, but minorities on the bottom rungs of society need help to break through the cellar ceiling. These are the individuals for whom affirmative action can do the most good, consequently, these are the people upon whom our efforts should be focused. When affirmative action was first instituted, the majority of Americans supported its goal of moving the poorest members of minority groups to an improved position in society. Over time, however, affirmative action proponents have lost sight of this goal. Affirmative action programs have ceased to function as a rising tide designed to lift all boats and have instead become preoccupied with helping those near the top. Too little attention has been paid to helping those at the bottom, as a result, the lives of minorities living in poverty have become increasingly bleak. Today, our inner-cities more closely resemble a war zone in Bosnia than they do an American suburb, and conditions continue to deteriorate. This is wrong, an... ...lem's economy would come to resemble Hong Kong's. True "opportunity zones" would attract the capital needed for job creation, and increased employment will be the engine that transforms our inner-cities from war zones back to hospitable places to live. Today, the need for affirmative action remains strong, but the current programs must be replaced with programs that help the poorest minorities. Affirmative action programs must return to their original purpose. Instead of advocating programs that benefit individuals already poised to succeed, proponents of affirmative action must fight for those individuals who are suffering the most. We, as Americans, have a responsibility to help our Nation's poorest minorities. Policies of school choice and "opportunity zones" will help us meet this responsibility by increasing educational and employment opportunities.

7 Eleven or also known as 7-1 Essay

1.0 Introduction 7 Eleven or also known as 7-11, is part of an international chain of convenience stores. 7 Eleven is the world’s largest operator, franchisor, and licensor of convenience stores with more than 50,000 outlets. 1.1 Objective and Scope The purpose of this report is to analyze and evaluate 7 Eleven’s marketing strategies and practices to demonstrate that 7 Eleven is â€Å"marketing-oriented†. The scope of the report includes PESTEL analysis and Porter’s 5 Forces analysis to confirm its threats and chances to improve it. This report also include SWOT analysis and the 7 P’s and marketing strategies that are applied for 7 Eleven. 1.2 Background of 7 Eleven The 7-Eleven stores in Malaysia first opened in 9 October 1984 and achieved a milestone with its 1000th store opening in 2008. The store originally opens from 7 am to 11 pm and operates 7 days a weeks. The stores hold around 1,800 of products, including its own propriety brands such as Big Gulp and Slurpee. 7 Eleven introduced new complimentary products and services, differentiating the brand by allowing bill payment service, selling frozen food, ready-to-eat food and fresh food. Other services that are available in 7-Eleven include Touch N Go reload, soft pins, ink cartridge, refill and photocopying, fax, ATM and internet games’ starter packs. 2.0 Environmental Analysis Environmental analysis is a basic marketing function used to help marketers identify trends or outside forces that may impact upon the success or failure of a particular product. 7 Eleven has analyzed the environment which is its macro environment before starting out the launching of the products by making sure that the products have meets all of its expectations and respects the specifications that are needed to abide by the law. 7 Eleven does its research by observing and getting feedback forms their customers. The marketing intelligence that 7 Eleven applied are internal database by getting information of their customer’s average age, income, education and what they typically spend per visit. This allows 7 Eleven to create profiles of typical customers, characteristics they use to target other noncustomer  consumers. 2.1 Macro Environment PESTEL are used on human resource and introductory marketing courses in most studies. PESTEL are also known as Politic, Economy, Social, Technology, Environment and Legal. It has been used for quite a long time and the history is so far still unknown. PESTEL analysis is applied because it helps a company to make decisions for future which enables them to understand wider about the environment in which they operate. PESTEL analysis is also applied to take advantages to maximize the opportunities and minimize the threats to an organization by conducting strategic analysis. As can be seen on table 2.1-2, 7 Eleven have a huge amount of threats and this are and will be affecting 7 Eleven’s sales. Firstly, 7 Eleven have a large number of threats in the current situation unlike last time. The threats are high not only in new entrants but also on the substitutes that are currently existed around the world. 7 Eleven may be a booming store last time but not anymore due to a massive amount of new entrà ©e that are almost similar to 7 Eleven from products to services. In order to compete with these competitors, 7 Eleven have formulate effective strategies and marketing mix strategies. 2.3 SWOT Analysis SWOT analysis is used for identifying and determining the internal and external factors that can have an impact on the capability of a project. SWOT analysis are applied in this project is to make sure that the project or goal is worth conducting and what is the requirement to make it profitable. SWOT stands for Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threats. As can be seen in Table 2.3-1, 7 Eleven has been using its strength by offering a variety of goods in a low price and operates 24 hours in 7 days. So far, 7 Eleven is the only store that supply a cold drink known as Slurpee which makes a number of difference than other stores. 7 Eleven’s weakness is that not every store can provide what other stores can because some stores are smaller which makes it hard to supply. 7 Eleven are well known because of their strategic locations and these attract customers, this makes the store a higher chance of being franchise due to its popularity. However, there are a large number of competitors that provide almost the same stuff that 7 Eleven provide. This makes the products and services sold to have a wide variety of substitutes. 3.0 Marketing Strategies Marketing strategy is the base of marketing layout like market segmentation, market positioning and market targeting. Marketing segmentation is used to categorize the marketplace into divisions on which are accessible and have marketing potential, while market positioning is used to change the consumer’s perception of a brand or product connected to the idea of other competing products. Last but not least, market targeting is function to sell its products and services to, and to whom it directs its marketing efforts. 3.1 Market Segmentation 7-Eleven applied an effective market segmentation strategy by dividing its segments into four categories for example geographic and demographic strategy. These two strategies can be seen in the diagram below. 3.2 Market Targeting Market targeting strategy are applied by 7 Eleven after performing a market research like collecting information on the frequency of target customers that may come to purchase the products. In this scenario, 7-Eleven is mostly likely to target the customers from age of 30 and above as working adults and certain adults that have families will most probably come to buy convenient products for the needs of their families. In addition, women and men’s needs are fulfilled as items for both genders are available at 7-Eleven stores. Besides, 7-Eleven stores are located near residential and commercial areas, thus attracting the selected target customers to come and buy products in a quick manner. 3.3 Market Positioning 7 Eleven applies demographic- related positioning to position their products by using various demographics such as age and gender. Brands of products available 10 7-Eleven 1Product wide range 0 10 -10 Based on the diagram above, the brands and wide range of products available are at a high level indicating that ages and genders differences of customers are being covered as in their needs and wants. Product positioning objectives must be supported by the overall marketing mix. Although positioning shows the target market perception of the product, it cannot be completed with the promotional mix only. All marketing mix particles, especially the product mix, required to be continually stressed at the final positioning mission. 4.0 Marketing Mix Strategies Marketing mix strategies is a framework applied in marketing by marketers. It is an important during releasing a product or brand’s offer, and is often related with the four P’s which are price, place, promotion, and product. While in service marketing, the four Ps are further added into seven P’s which are process, physical evidence people and are used to describe the characteristics of services. 4.1 Product 7 Eleven’s product includes fresh food with hot drinks, treats, refreshments, convenient items and personal care products.7 Eleven are a recognized brand due to its ability of creating effective changes that determines the local market needs which makes it famous. 7 Eleven is able to meet a high demand in convenience retail through its facilities, everyday fresh products and good quality customer service. 7 Eleven guarantees that the products and services are in good quality. As an example, 7 Eleven provides recharge cards, chargers, batteries and handsets to help their customers to stay connected. 4.2 Price Pricing strategy is used in business to sell a certain product or services. It can be used to protect an existing market from new competitors, expand market share in a market or to penetrate to bigger market. The type of pricing strategy used by 7 Eleven is the competition pricing which defines setting a price in comparison with competitors. 7 Eleven has three main options which are to lower the price, exact price or price higher than the competitor’s products. The benefit of applying this strategy is that it will offer a price matching service which set a price limit for items available at 7 Eleven stores to maintain the price like other stores, which prevents regular customers of 7 Eleven to purchase at other stores. 4.3 Place Distribution strategy is a way to grab the product or service in any distribution mediums to the end-user in other words, how and where the consumer purchases the product or service. Strategy applied by 7 Eleven is its multi-channel distribution strategy where it covers purchases from a  store, website, telephone ordering, catalog ordering and comparison shopping sites. For example, 7 Eleven does not only provides purchasing of items in their stores but also deliver the products to homes such as confectionary items, snacks, beverages, perishable items, tobacco and mobile phone top-up . The location of 7 Eleven is commonly situated at high-traffic and easily accessible areas such as along peak roads, highway rest stops, petrol stations that are operates 24-7. This makes it simple and convenient for customers to shop. 4.4 Promotion Promotional tools are applied to differentiate the delivery of both paid and unpaid promotional methods. Each tool contributes in a unique way to connect customers and achieve communication goals. Example of tools is sales promotion, advertisement, personal selling and public relation. Promotional tools are used effectively by 7 Eleven stores as it provides good coverage of advertisement and sales promotion on their products. Under advertisement section, 7 Eleven gives clear advertisement message about their products by stating out their selected products to offer, discounted price of the item, ways to reach them and dates before the promotion ends. Message is advertised through short video playbacks on internet and online advertisement on social network as these channels and medium are the latest and effective method for advertising media today. Besides that, 7 Eleven also uses sales promotion method as their strongest platform to find customers as it can gradually increase sales. Examples of sales promotion used are promoting their products through online websites, lucky draw competitions, contests and gift cards. 4.5 People Employees in 7 Eleven stores are efficient and effective as it recruits creative and qualified salespersons that are capable in overseeing day to day operations and are willing to work diligently while fostering a good shopping environment for their customers. The employees are trained by attending four to eight weeks of training before begin to work. Interactive classroom tuition is provided to train employees and computer-based training modules to teach staffs about customer service standards. In addition, employees at 7 Eleven are taught and trained to have good communication  skills with customers to keep their good impression on 7 Eleven reputation. Apart from that, they monitor their customer’s satisfaction by requesting feedbacks and comments from their customers through social network or questionnaires given to them. 4.6 Process Process is effective as customers are retained as other services and products are expanded and indicated to them. It is used to meet the needs of different individuals by experiencing a similar service at the same time as well as balancing the demands of customers with the supply provided. The balance of demand and supply can be explained using two situations. Firstly, if the demand is high, 7 Eleven will hires more staffs and part time employees to serve the customers and to monitor the stores. Secondly, if the demand is low, the price of the products is lower than normal to keep their customers from buying from other retailers. 4.7 Physical evidence 7 Eleven is excellent as the signage around the building is strategic and is clear to grab the attention of customers. The logo design of the building is attractive and catchy enough for customers to come and shop at the stores. 7 Eleven’s website is well maintained and is updated regularly to inform their customers about 7 Eleven’s latest offers of the products. Uniforms of the employees are neatly worn to show good image of their brand, 7 Eleven. The interior designs of the stores are in good condition and the air-conditioning is working perfectly at all time. The facilities provided such as vending machines are in good state. 5.0 Conclusion 7 Eleven has applied appropriate marketing strategies and marketing mix strategies by utilizing its opportunities and strengths such as operating 24 hours a day, 7 times a week to serve their customers and promote products and services through various social media. In addition, multi-channel distribution strategy is strongly applied to support their product sales in various kinds of mediums. Threat and weaknesses are reduced as suitable marketing strategies and mix strategies are used to counter it. Besides that, online ordering is available in 7-Eleven stores to help customers to purchase products in an easier manner. 5.1 Recommendations for improvement  of marketing strategies and marketing mix strategies 7 Eleven can be improved by upgrading their stores as 7 Eleven in Malaysia are usually small and doesn’t have most of products and services that are available in other country like Japan and Singapore. They should also advertise their Slurpee more often as most kids nowadays do not realize that such product existed, this means that by increasing their advertising method, they are able to attract more customers.

Analyse the Text of the Speech, Paying Particular...

In no more than 2, 250 words, analyse the text of the speech, paying particular attention to the following features of its semantics and lexical structure: use of metaphor, semantic field, text type, register, intertextuality. Martin Luther King was one of the main leaders of the American civil rights movement, who fought against discrimination, and made a powerful appeal for justice and equality. Looking back to the history, in 1963 the America was divided into black and white population due to racism across countries. Namely, not only institutions such as schools and churches were separated but also public places like restaurants, libraries, cafes and even toilets. Besides, all the Black people, who were also called ‘Negroes’ were†¦show more content†¦Namely through such composition of words, King wants the crowd to understand the seriousness of racism issue and experience its effect in terms of another semantic field, which in this case is a money matter. Using such metaphors, people are more likely to understand what his intentions are and also the hidden, deep meanings, which they convey and which are linked to the Civil Rights issue. According to professor of Philosophy, J ohn Searle, metaphor is based on the â€Å"understanding and experiencing one thing in terms of another† or as Joseph Priestley, who was an 18th century popular British theologian and natural philosopher, claimed that metaphor is defined as: â€Å"simile contracted to its smallest dimensions.† Not surprisingly, metaphors are widely used by poets, what gives an opportunity to readers analyse and interpret the hidden meaning of words. This linguistic process gives also a pleasure to potential readers in discovering what the author really meant by certain words or expressions. There are many uses of metaphor and as stated in the article â€Å"The many Uses of Metaphor† written by Karsten Harries: â€Å"successful metaphors reveal reality and can thus claim to be true.† The text of the â€Å"I have a dream† historic speech is made up of many metaphors, which are used in various ways. In addition, there are also numerous words used to create metaphors, which connotations are associated with negative feelings, for instance:

Prevention of Drug Abuse - 3826 Words

Drug abuse Compulsive, excessive, and self-damaging use of habit forming drugs or substances, leading to addiction ordependence, serious physiological injury (such as damageto kidneys, liver, heart) and/or psychological harm (such asdysfunctional behavior patterns, hallucinations, memoryloss), or death. Also called substance abuse. Drug 1. Natural or synthetic substance which (when taken into a living body) affects its functioning or structure, and is used in the diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of a disease or relief of discomfort. Also called legal drug or medicine. A legal or medicinal drug (such as amphetamines), however, can be harmful and addictive if misused. 2. Habit forming stimulant or narcotic substance†¦show more content†¦Signs of Drug Use Signs of drug use vary depending on what drug the individual is using. However there are some general signs one can evaluate if they suspect that someone they care about is using drugs. Here are some general signs of drug use that pertain to almost every drug: †¢ An abrupt change in the individual s work or school attendance, the quality of their work, how much work they produce now compared their past production †¢ Unusual outbreaks of temper, sudden changes in their mood (verbally and physically abusive) †¢ Acting paranoid or confused †¢ Not taking responsibility for their actions †¢ A general, overall change in their attitude †¢ Withdrawing from family and friends †¢ Drastic change in their physical appearance and grooming habits †¢ Associating themselves with known drug users †¢ Frequent / unusual borrowing of money or always seeming to have a lot of money †¢ Acting secretive about their actions and possessions ââ€"Å  Signs of Drug Use: Alcohol †¢ Alcohol odor on the individual s breath or person †¢ Intoxication (drunk) †¢ The individual has a hard time focusing and has a glazed look †¢ Either uncharacteristically passive behavior or combative and argumentative behavior †¢ Deterioration in the individual s personal hygiene †¢ Becoming dysfunctional, especially with it comes to their job performance or academics †¢ AbsenteeismShow MoreRelatedDrug Abuse and Prevention1510 Words   |  7 PagesOur society’s idea of prevention is to limit the availability of drugs (Hart Ksir, 2011, p. 400), but this is not essentially the best way. Addiction affects everyone. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), substance abuse cost our nation â€Å"more than $484 billion dollars (The National Institute on Drug Abuse ).† So although you might not be directly impacted by drug abuse, as a whole your tax dollars are spent on fighting the war on drugs. Currently there are several differentRead MoreDrug Abuse Prevention And Control888 Words   |  4 Pagesmessage that was given to Congress on Drug Abuse Prevention and Control. During this he declared drug abuse public enemy number one (Nixon, 1971). In the message to Congress Nixon states that the United States should dedicate more federal resources to â€Å"the prevention of new addicts, and the rehabilitation of those w ho are addicted† (Nixon, 1971). This part did not receive equal public attention as the term war on drugs. This where the term â€Å"war on drugs† was popularized by the mass media, evenRead MoreAbuse Of Opioid Drug Prevention1174 Words   |  5 PagesAbuse of opioid pain relievers (OPRs) continues to increase in the United States. Opioid-related overdose deaths since 1999 have quadrupled, correlated with quadrupled dispensing of prescription opioids (Rudd et al., 2016, CDC, 217). Among these deaths, prescription opioids have been involved approximately half (CDC, 2017). According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the central issue is elevated prescribing rates of physicians and the solution to this problem is safer prescribing practicesRead MoreDrug Abuse Prevention Programs3138 Words   |  13 PagesRunning head: DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION Drug Abuse Prevention Programs: Effectiveness of DARE and Project ALERT Drug Abuse Prevention Programs: Effectiveness of DARE and Project ALERT Although drug use among secondary school students appears to have leveled off during the late 1990s, US adolescents continue to use alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana at unacceptably high rates. Among eighth graders, 52% have tried alcohol, 41% have tried cigarettes, and 20% have tried marijuana. By 12th grade these ratesRead MoreDrug Abuse Prevention And Control Act2194 Words   |  9 Pageswaged the  War on Drugs.   This war has cost hundreds of billions of dollars to fight and has given our country many mixed results. We have seen fluctuations in the numbers over the years, which are, can be linked to different social fads and political agendas. Despite the enormous amount of money we have spent to rid our country of illegal drugs, we still have four million Americans addicted today. Stricter drug laws have caused there to be an overflow of prisoners convicted of drug charges and haveRead MoreAlcoholism and Drug Abuse: Roots, Effects, and Prevention1057 Words   |  5 Pages Ivette Molina 1/7/08 AP Psychology Essay Test â€Å"Alcoholism and Drug Abuse: Roots, Effects, and Prevention.† Alcoholism and drug abuse has existed for as long as we can remember. For teenagers its something cool to do and numb whatever pains they have. For adults it’s a way to get away from everyday stress and avoid conflicts in life. To everyone it’s a way to feel free and as if they are in charge of the world by altering their moods,Read MoreDrug Abuse Prevention Program Within The United States745 Words   |  3 Pagesâ€Å"D.A.R.E† is an international nonprofit organization. It is the most prevalent drug abuse prevention program in the United States, which is often referred to as the most prevalent drug prevention program in the world! The original D.A.R.E. program was developed in 1983 as part of a joint effort between the Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles Unified School District to break the generational cycle of drug abuse, related criminal activity, and arrest. The original curriculum consisted ofRead MorePreventing Substance Abuse940 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿ Preventing substance abuse involves developing numerous strategic partnerships. Substance abuse is a multidisciplinary issue, and requires a correspondingly multifaceted and multidisciplinary approach. The strategy for drug abuse prevention must begin with segmenting the market, or analyzing the needs of the community. Is the greatest proportion of abusers in the community youth? If so, what kinds of drugs are most commonly used in the community? Are seniors in the community abusing prescriptionRead MoreBenefits And Limitations When Prevention Providers Are Looking For Successful Programs Essay1722 Words   |  7 PagesThere are many benefits and limitations when prevention providers are looking for successful programs. The National Institute on Drug Abuse, or NIDA, provides a large research-based guide of the most effective prevention programs. This research should be the number one tool when looking into different types of programs, although it does not include every single progra m. A common problem in the prevention field consists of registries missing important strategies, including environmental approachesRead MoreA Society Without Drugs1263 Words   |  6 PagesA Society without Drugs Have you ever wondered of how wonderful our society would be, if we are able to get rid of Illegal Drug Usage in our community? Despite having tough anti-drug laws, the U.S. has the highest level of illegal drug use in the world. As per the World Health Organization s survey of legal and illegal drug use in 17 countries, U.S report the highest level of drug usage (CBS news). The second-most abused category of drugs after marijuana among young people is the usage of prescription

Gregor Samsa Transforms into a Hideous Creature , Franz...

Lying on an unfamiliar back, Gregor Samsa lifts his black beady head and looks down at his vaulted brown belly which is now covered by arch-shaped ribs. Readers are taken aback when Gregor Samsa wakes to finds himself transformed into a â€Å"monstrous vermin†; and one cannot help but instinctively cringe in disgust at the idea of transforming into a creature as repulsive as a giant insect. In Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, Kafka’s choice of a vermin as an agent for Gregor’s transformation is not random. The significance of the bug is extensive as this symbol not only represents the meaninglessness and emptiness of Gregor’s life as a man, but also reflects the impersonal and dehumanizing treatment of Gregor by his family and society alike. Our connotations and associated sentiments as a society with vermin, as we understand them as unwanted pests and somewhat repulsive creatures, allows Kafka to express the pointless and empty existence of the mo dern man. When Gregor awakes, transformed, his disgust with himself as a bug parallels the disgust he holds with his pitiful human life. Kafka’s diction and tone draws this parallel as he describes Gregor’s â€Å"many legs, pitifully thin compared with the size of the rest of him, were waving helplessly before his eyes† (1). It is confirmed that Gregor is a pathetic character when he reflects upon his army days, and it becomes understood that he considers those years, ironically, to be his glory days. He looks at a photograph of himselfShow MoreRelatedData Sheet Analysis for Kafkas Metamorphosis Essay4848 Words   |  20 Pagesa Word version of this sheet. | | |Details of the setting (include changes in setting): | |Author: Franz Kafka |The entirety of the novel takes place within the confines of the | | |Samsas apartment, save for the final paragraphRead MoreThe Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka1435 Words   |  6 PagesIn Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, readers are thrown into a fictional setting in which the main character; Gregor Samsa, transforms into a cockroach. As a response to Gregor’s metamorphosis, his mother and his sister patiently attempt to take care of him and make him as comfortable as they can. However, Gregor’s father’s love is challenged by Gregor’s drastic change in appearance and becomes less patient, acting in complete hatred towards his son. The Metamorphosis is both a cruel and tragic story

La Leche League International Promoting Awareness for Breastfeeding Free Essays

La Leche League For decades there has been a debate over whether or not women should be allowed to breast feed their infants in public. Breastfeeding is a significant activity in early development. Human breast milk contains essential nutrients and calories that are vital to the growth and health of children during the earliest stages of life. We will write a custom essay sample on La Leche League International: Promoting Awareness for Breastfeeding or any similar topic only for you Order Now There are many organizations that have been formed to promote the awareness and necessity for breastfeeding. The most popular organization is the La Leche League International (LLLI). The La Leche League offers the women of the Valley the opportunity to join an international women’s organization and to better gain valuable insight on the history of breastfeeding and benefits that breastfeeding provides to both the mother and her infant. The La Leche League International is a non-profit organization that was founded by seven mothers (Mary White, Edwina Hearn Froehlich, Mary Ann Cahill, Betty Wagner Spandikow, Viola Brennan Lennon, Mary Ann Kerwin, and Marian Leonard Tompson) in the United States in 1956. The founders of the La Leche League hoped to help other mothers who wanted to breastfeed their children but found it difficult. The La Leche League offers information and encouragement (mainly through personal help and experience) to all mothers who want to breastfeed their babies. The La Leche League encourages breastfeeding from birth onwards with no upper age limit for the child. The idea for naming the ‘La Leche League’ came from a statue in St. Augustine, Florida honoring â€Å"Nuestra Senora de la Leche y Buen Parto† which means â€Å"Our Lady of Milk and Good Childbirth†. When the La Leche League was found, the words â€Å"breastfeeding† and â€Å"pregnant† weren’t readily accepted in society, so the Spanish word â€Å"La Leche† (which stands for â€Å"the milk†) was used as to not offend anyone in the society. In 2010, the League published the book The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding which â€Å"is the most complete resource available for the breastfeeding mother. The book became a National Best-seller†. The La Leche League is active in 65 countries and territories; it reaches more than 300,000 mothers monthly through a network of over 7,000 accredited leaders (â€Å"Brief†). The La Leche League was founded to give information and encouragement, mainly through personal help, to all mothers who want to breastfeed their babies. While complementing the care of the physician and other health care professionals, it recognizes the unique importance of one mother helping another to perceive the needs of her child and to learn the best means of fulfilling those needs. It helps mothers who want to breastfeed through mother-to-mother support, encouragement, information and education, and to promote a better understanding of breastfeeding as an important element in the healthy development of the baby and the mother (â€Å"LLLP†). The La Leche League believes that breastfeeding is best thing to do for the baby and the mother. It offers a unique bonding experience that fosters a nurturing relationship between mother-to-child. The La Leche League also believes that breastfeeding can deepen a mother’s understanding of the responsibilities and rewards of her new role in the family. To be a member of the La Leche League it cost an annual fee of $25. Members are granted access to an international e-newsletter, a discount in their online store and special offers via email. The La Leche League believes mothers who are members of LLLI breastfeed longer because they have the information, education, support, and encouragement they need to enjoy the experience. Supporting Membership in LLLI is a real bargain when you consider the costs of not breastfeeding! The best way is to join is through a local group, so that funds will be available in your vicinity to help mothers and babies locally but members may opt to join online (â€Å"Benefits of LLL†). The closest center to our area is in McAllen, Texas. The McAllen group meets every third Tuesday of the month. All breastfeeding mothers and mothers-to-be interested in breastfeeding are welcome to attend any meeting or call one of the Leaders for breastfeeding help or information. Babies are always welcome at the meetings as well. La Leche League Leaders are experienced mothers who have breastfed their own babies and who have been trained and accredited by La Leche League International to help mothers and mothers-to-be with all aspects of breastfeeding. They are available by phone whenever you have breastfeeding questions or concerns. Interested candidates for membership can join LLLI locally in 65 different countries and territories or online virtually anywhere. Although the La Leche League is a non-profit organization, in 2009-2010 it received â€Å"$594,083 from membership dues, $485,035 from Publications, $382,680 from Contributions, $327,044 Royalty Income, $34,522 from Periodicals, $7,760 from Miscellaneous, $5,279 from Interest Income, and $650 from Workshop and seminar fees† (â€Å"LLLIO†). The most commonly issue with mothers breastfeeding is if it is acceptable public acceptance. While there are no recorded laws in the US forbidding breastfeeding outside of the home and only three states in which laws place any limitation on the way in which public breastfeeding may be done, it is often frowned upon by the public. A woman who breastfeeds in a privately owned place open to the public, such as a restaurant or shopping mall, might lawfully be asked to leave, either by the owner or in accordance with the owner’s instructions. State laws that protect public breastfeeding fall into three categories. Currently, the strongest state laws are those that both protect a woman’s right to breastfeed anywhere she or her child have a right to be, regardless of whether the breast is showing, and that also give the woman the power to bring a legal action against anyone who interferes with her breastfeeding. Other state laws establish a woman’s right to breastfeed in public, but don’t provide a way for her to enforce this right. The third category specifies that the act of breastfeeding is not indecent exposure (sometimes given other names, but always referring to the exposure of body parts), and prevent a woman from being charged with a sex crime for breastfeeding. Most of the states in the United States do protected nursing but there are three states that have no law protecting nursing, which include West Virginia, Nebraska, and Idaho. As for the state of Texas there is a law that protects nursing in public but without an enforcement provision (â€Å"Public†). Aside from knowing the laws about breastfeeding in public, people need to educate themselves on the benefits of breastfeeding to the infant and the mother. â€Å"Breastfeeding is one of the best ways to ensure a baby’s health and development. It’s a convenient, cost-effective, natural way to feed your baby† (â€Å"Breastfeeding†). Breast milk has been found to provide the ideal balance of nutrients for optimal growth and development, and it is easily digestible by the baby. This is because the breast produces colostrum, which is thick, yellowish fluid that helps a newborn’s digestive system develop and function properly. Nursing can also prevent many common childhood illnesses as breast milk contains antibodies that pass from the mother to the baby for protection. This is called natural immunity, and studies have shown a decrease in both hospitalizations and pediatrician visits in babes that were breastfed by their mothers. Some of the common aliments that are decreased include bacterial meningitis, iarrhea, ear infections, and respiratory tract infections. Other, more server condition, such as sudden infant death syndrome and childhood leukemia, have been confirmed by research to have a reduced risk of development in babies who have been breastfeed (â€Å"Breastfeeding†). For premature infants, human milk significantly shortens that duration of their hospital stay, hastens brainstem maturation, and reduces the risk of life-threating disea ses. A mother’s breast milk is unique in both its composition and function, and cannot currently be reproduced by other manmade substance. Even though there are a multitude of benefits for the baby, there are also many for the mother as well. Breastfeeding helps the uterus return back to its normal size and reduces post delivery bleeding after by releasing a hormone called Oxytocin. It also burns up to five hundred calories per day, which helps the mother shed the pounds gained during pregnancy in a natural way, and breastfeeding may reduce the rick of developing postpartum depression. Breastfeeding exclusively can delay the return of the menstrual cycle for twenty to thirty weeks. Not only does this help the mother recover quickly after leaving the hospital, but also it is 98% effective in preventing pregnancy. However, birth control is still suggested for preventative measures, and has not been found to have any adverse affect on the baby while breastfeeding. The most important benefit, however, is the bond developed between the baby and mother while breastfeeding, which helps to enhance emotional attachment between the two (â€Å"Benefits of â€Å"Breastfeeding†). The individual that I interviewed said that breastfeeding made her â€Å"fell closer to her baby and prideful that she could provide for her child† (Milligan). This physical contact also helps the baby to feel more secure and warm in their environment, and eases the transition out the womb. While breastfeeding, a baby gets skin-to-skin contact, ensuring a closer bond to their mother and helping the baby to feel more satisfied emotionally. Another great reason is that mothers can save thousands of dollars on hospital visits and formal. Mothers can spend up to $500 each month for formula and up to $1500 for doctor visits, prescriptions, and hospital stays in the first year (â€Å"Benefits of LLL†) Since breastfeeding also results in a reduction in an infants illness, the mother will be able to take fewer sick days off from work. Although breastfeeding may seem scary or foreign, it is actually a very natural process to the body that will, with time, become both comfortable and natural for the mother. After weighing the multitude of benefits for the baby, society, and, the mother herself, breastfeeding is the best choice when it comes to feeding and caring for a baby in the most optimal way. That is why I believe mothers should to join the La Leche League to help promote breastfeeding in our community. Work Site â€Å"Benefits of Breastfeeding. † Natural Resources Defense Council. Natural Resources Defense Council. March 25, 2007. Web. April 2, 2012 â€Å"The Benefits of LLL Supporting Members. † La Leche League. La Leche League. June 6, 2011. Web. April 9, 2012 â€Å"A Brief History of La Leche League International. † La Leche League. La Leche League. October 14, 2007. Web. April 2, 2012 â€Å"Breastfeeding. † Healthy Women. Healthy Women. January 9, 2012. Web. April 10, 2012 â€Å"La Leche League International Operations. † La Lecha League. La Leache League. December 15, 2011. Web. April 9, 2012 â€Å"La Leche League Purpose. † La Leche League. La Leche League. October 14, 2007. Web. April 8, 2012 â€Å"Milligan, Alisha. † Personal Interview. April 8, 2012 â€Å"Public Breastfeeding Laws. † Mothering. Mothering. n. d . Web. April 10, 2012 How to cite La Leche League International: Promoting Awareness for Breastfeeding, Papers