Creating a Culture of Organizing: ACTWU\u27s Education for Empowerment

[Excerpt] Providing rank-and-file members opportunities to participate and learn from their own experiences in organizing other workers is not only a very powerful educational tool. It also goes a long way in creating a culture of organizing when it is part of an overall education program, driven by the union\u27s strategic goals

Family eating and physical activity practices among African American, Filipino American, and Hispanic American families: Implications for developing obesity prevention programs

Overweight and obesity among children and adults is well-documented as an escalating problem. The purpose of this study is to determine the blood pressure, self-esteem, and eating and physical activity practices among African Americans, Filipino Americans, and Hispanic Americans; and project implications for development of childhood obesity prevention programs. This descriptive study was conducted in a convenience sample of 110 mothers recruited in health clinics and community centers located in Southeast Florida: 19% African Americans, 26% Filipino Americans, and 55% Hispanic Americans. The data, collected via self-administered questionnaires and a guided interview (Family Eating and Activity Habits Questionnaire, Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale, Background Information Questionnaire), were analyzed via descriptive and inferential statistics with findings significant at p \u3c .05. Results revealed differences and similarities in eating and activity practices between Filipinos and Blacks or Hispanics. Blood pressure and self-esteem did not differ by ethnicity; however, overweight mothers tended to have overweight children. The results point clearly to the importance of the mothers’ role modeling in eating and physical activity practices of families, reflecting the influence of mothers’ behaviors in children’s healthy behaviors, albeit family health. Given that mothers own physical exercise and eating habits could influence their children’s physical activity levels and food choices, a parental advice strategy could be disseminated directly to parents by health professionals. Study findings may raise public awareness of the increasing prevalence and consequences of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents, particularly among vulnerable ethnic groups. The findings provide a database for nurse practitioners and other health service providers for the development of culturally sensitive focused public health education programs to prevent or control obesity

The Space of Experience in the Architecture of Richard Hamilton

Richard Hamilton realiza tres exposiciones en el Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) en el Londres de los años 50, participando del ambiente interdisciplinar del Independent Group. Estos montajes exploran la transformación de la sala a través de la construcción de estructuras que incentivan la participación activa del espectador. A partir del estudio realizado, para el que se reconstruyen estas propuestas siguiendo su lenguaje técnico original, se analiza cómo los montajes de Hamilton siguen un proceso evolutivo, en el que parte de la exploración de la forma a partir de patrones de crecimiento natural, continúa elevando la técnica a herramienta creativa y concluye con la formulación del espacio de interacción con el espectador. Este último montaje, an Exhibit, sintetiza los hallazgos de los anteriores, dando lugar a una propuesta arquitectónica a modo de tablero de juego que es protagonizada por la experiencia vivida de sus visitantes. Esta arquitectura es una estructura soporte que se genera a partir de un crecimiento orgánico ilimitado de un módulo estandarizado, de combinaciones variables y cambiante a cada momento por sus ocupantes. Los espacios expositivos de Hamilton recogen influencias de las vanguardias y tienden puentes hacia propuestas arquitectónicas contemporáneas entendidas como soporte para la incentivación de la experiencia de sus habitantes.Richard Hamilton held three exhibitions at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London in the 1950s, participating in the interdisciplinary environment of the Independent Group. These exhibitions explored the transformation of the room through the construction of structures that encouraged the active engagement of the viewer. Based on the study carried out, for which these proposals are reconstructed following their original technical language, an analysis is made of how Hamilton’s montages follow an evolutionary process, in which the exploration of form based on patterns of natural growth continues to elevate the technique to a creative tool and concludes with the formulation of the space of interaction with the spectator. This last montage, an Exhibit, summarised the findings of the previous ones, giving rise to an architectural proposal in the form of a game board whose focal element is the experience of its visitors. This architecture acts as a supporting structure that is generated from an unlimited organic development of a standardised module, with varying combinations, and which constantly changes for its occupants. Hamilton’s exhibition spaces draw on influences from the avant–garde and build bridges towards contemporary architectural proposals understood as a support for incentivising the experience of its inhabitants

Potential operators associated with Jacobi and Fourier-Bessel expansions

We study potential operators (Riesz and Bessel potentials) associated with classical Jacobi and Fourier-Bessel expansions. We prove sharp estimates for the corresponding potential kernels. Then we characterize those $1 \le p,q \le \infty$, for which the potential operators are of strong type $(p,q)$, of weak type $(p,q)$ and of restricted weak type $(p,q)$. These results may be thought of as analogues of the celebrated Hardy-Littlewood-Sobolev fractional integration theorem in the Jacobi and Fourier-Bessel settings. As an ingredient of our line of reasoning, we also obtain sharp estimates of the Poisson kernel related to Fourier-Bessel expansions.Comment: 28 pages, 4 figures; v2 (some comments on Bessel potentials added

Rural tourism as a development strategy : case studies from Chile : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Applied Science in Rural Development at Massey University

In the last ten years Chilean governments have implemented various polices aimed at rural poverty alleviation, focusing initially only on agricultural development and more recently also on non-agricultural development, promoting activities such as rural tourism. While rural tourism has been developed in Chile to some extent, there is still a lack of empirical research on its development and impacts. The aim in doing this study was to overcome this lack of research and guide strategies for rural tourism development initiatives in Chile. To achieve this, a multiple case study involving two communities was undertaken to identify ways in which smallholder farming households can be assisted in diversifying their livelihoods into rural tourism. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and participatory methods. These data were then analysed using qualitative methods. Households which have diversified into rural tourism are very positive about it. In economic terms rural tourism has allowed them to improve their housing conditions and increase spending on their children's education, and has provided work for women and young people. Rural tourism has also increased women's self-esteem and, importantly, has led people to place a higher value on their cultural traditions. It has also increased environmental awareness and fostered native tree planting at the household level. Rural tourism has also had some negative consequences, such as loss of family privacy, increased noise and increased solid waste problems. The main findings of this research suggest that there are key factors for successful rural tourism development. Therefore, for rural tourism to become a viable strategy for smallholder farming households assistance needs to take into account such things as provision of credit, technical assistance in setting up a rural tourism product to meet tourists' expectations, building stakeholders' capacity in rural tourism and business management, as well as assistance in establishing and managing an association of rural tourism providers. Changes to regulatory frameworks are also required to enable the setting up of rural tourism ventures. Effective cooperation and coordination between tourism operators and rural tourism providers, as well as cultural impact management and solid waste management, are also needed for successful rural tourism development. Key words: rural tourism, rural development, livelihood diversification, Chile