Hiding Behind The Smile

Mental Health Awareness Week is upon us once again and as usual the topic of discussion is the stigma that surrounds mental illness. In this day and age it is baffling that such a common illness is treated as a taboo issue. For anyone who has or is suffering from poor mental health this stigma can only hinder recovery and their well-being.

For those who are suffering it is so important to be aware. Aware that you are NOT abnormal, it is NOTHING to be ashamed of and most importantly you are NOT ALONE! 

Mental health issues, just like people, come in all shapes and sizes. To the person that is suffering from this illness it is the biggest and quite possibly the most challenging thing they will ever have to face. The bad stigma surrounding these issues only adds to the pressure they endure day-to-day to feel "normal". 

Suicide has become a predominant tragic aspect of life that is affecting thousands daily. Its time to put a stop to it! By taking a closer look at those around you, being aware of their circumstances and even offering a friendly smile we have the power to potentially stop another from taking their own life. Ignorance is not the answer here but the danger. Knowledge, acceptance and caring are the keys to helping those in need on their way to a happier healthier life. 

It can be hard to tell when someone you know or love is suffering on the inside. Its easy to hide anguish, hurt and pain behind a smile and it is often those who appear outgoing, lively and fun that we need to keep an eye on the most. It can be so easy to miss the signs especially when we live in a world full of technologies designed to make "social interaction" impersonal. More often than not social media can make a person feel lonelier. 

At one point or another we have all been guilty of ignoring the signs that someone we know or love is in need of help. It is not easy for someone to admit that they suffer from a mental illness. They do not need nor do they want a pity party but rather a comforting word of support or actions of love and understanding. A hug is a powerful thing! 

I have been a sufferer and I have come out the other side! My family and friends supported me, understood my pain and loved me for who I was and who I am now! Without them I honestly do not know where I would be right now. 

Take the time to really see who  the ones you love really are and look for those hiding behind the smile. Take the time just THINK!

The Impact Mobile Commerce has on Business

Impacts of Mobile Commerce

The phrase mobile commerce was originally coined in 1997 to mean "the delivery of electronic commerce capabilities directly into the consumer’s hand, anywhere, via wireless technology.

The introduction of mobile commerce to the business world has changed the way many organizations operate. It has become much easier to communicate on a global level as well as bank, deliver content and services.

The introduction of this way of business had made business life so much easier but has also made the market place more vulnerable. It is easier for competitors to seek information on organisations and copy their marketing, delivery and content techniques.

Online and offline shopping will integrate seamlessly as customers now have ready access to online comparison tools when they are physically shopping. By simply taking a photo of a product or scanning the product bar-code, shoppers will be able to instantly see the range of price options available to them from countless numbers of online retailers. Traditional retailers will have to work harder to offer differentiated product and service propositions to reduce the tendency to research offline and purchase online.

 

A World Event

The Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games 2014

Olympic and Paralympic Games Logo

Surrounded by controversy the 2014 Winter Olympics and Paralympics were held in Sochi, Russia. The games were held over a 9 day period, with a total of 98 events taking place based on 15 winter sports disciplines. These ranged from biathlons, ski-jumping, figure skating to snowboarding and curling.

In order for the games to be successful the organisers had to focus on modernising the city. Telecommunications, electricity and transport systems all needed to be updated so that participants, spectators and the media could all access and enjoy the experience stress free. Due to these necessary developments the originally estimated budget of 12 billion US dollars was surpassed and ended up costing the Russian government 51 billion, making it the most expensive Olympics in history.

Leading up to the games a number of the Russian government’s policies sparked outraged worldwide. These controversies included allegations of corruption and homophobia. A large number of protests were held some resulting in riots. Among this, safety became a concern for some of the athletes who were LGBT taking part in the games as controversial footage of homophobic behaviour surged on the internet.

Even with these fears and controversies, the 2014 Winter Olympic and Paralympic games were deemed a success with many going home very satisfied with their success.

Click here to view Highlights of the Winter Olympics in Sochi.

A Review of Someone Else's Success

Mark Zuckerberg

Mark Zuckerberg CEO & Founder of Facebook

Mark Zuckerberg  was born  on May 14^th 1984. The former Harvard student is known to world for the creation of the highly popular phenomenon Facebook. To date it is believed that he is worth an estimated 25.4 billion dollars. With the help of his college roommates he launched Facebook firstly as an exclusive Harvard campus site which then vastly expanded to other campuses around the USA before going global.

By the age of 23 Zuckerberg in 2007, due to the success of Facebook, became a billionaire and by 2012 the number of Facebook users around the world had reached a magnificent one billion people in total. Zuckerberg was involved in various legal disputes that were initiated by others in the group, who claimed a share of the company based upon their involvement during the development phase of Facebook.



Mark Zuckerbergs Facebook Profile

Zuckerberg was named one of the top 100 wealthiest and influential people in the world. He faced various legal actions initiated by other members of the core Facebook creation group, all seeking more recognition and shares in the company. This was depicted in the 2010 film “The Social Network”.

In my opinion, I believe that Mark Zuckerberg is one of the most influential and successful people of our time. He not only created a craze that has changed the way people communicate globally but also the way in which people carry out their daily lives.

 

A Review of the Health Service Executive

A Review of the Health Service Executive (HSE)

The Health Service Executive was established in late 2004 and became active in January 2005. The HSE is supposed to provides health and social services to everyone living in Ireland. Its services are provided for young and old, in hospitals, health facilities and in community clinics across the country.

Recently, I had the privilege of experiencing the "services" provided by the HSE. While I appreciate that it is not the hard working staffs fault that the health system in this country is appalling, I couldn’t help but be disgusted. Long waiting periods, miss-diagnosis and poor communication would leave the even the most patient of people frustrated. It is a service for the people failing the people it’s there to treat and its over-worked staff miserably.

 It also beggars’ belief that high paid executives can make cut-backs on a service that is already stretch beyond it means. These people sitting in "ivory-towers" have little to no knowledge of what their staff and patients are left to endure. It is in my honest opinion that should these people step-out from behind their desks and be forced to wait for treatment like so many others they would think twice about cutting the service back to a bare minimum.