The United States A Multibillion Dollar Industry

Healthcare in the United States is a multibillion-dollar industry. Over time, the number of elderly people which have fallen victim to Medicare and Medicaid billing fraud has sky rocketed at an alarming rate. The Elder Abuse Nursing Home Neglect Attorneys refer to this as an â€Å"overbilling epidemic† (n.d.). This means that many elders are being charged more money for the services they are receiving or in some circumstances, paying healthcare providers without receiving any care. Since most of them are unaware of what they are being charged for or how much they should be charged, they are easily taken advantage of. Medicare and Medicaid, which were formed to help and maintain the health of people deviated from that over time into an†¦show more content†¦Upon reading further into Medicare and Medicaid billing fraud, I have learned that there are many types of fraud. Doctors who commit fraud can do so in many ways, such as billing for services never received, perform ing unnecessary procedures, falsifying documents to perform more procedures, and even accepting money for patient referrals, among others. This signifies that some physicians are potentially physically harming their patients for their own financial benefit. Some providers, nevertheless, believe that they can â€Å"outsmart† the system and choose to overbill their elder patients. By overbilling their patients, it is harder for the government to keep track of that. However, with the Affordable Care Act, there have been new rules and regulations to avoid all types of fraud as much as possible. With the enactment of the Affordable Care Act, several organizations have begun bringing awareness to healthcare fraud and have fought to prevent it, some of which are the Health Care Fraud Prevention Partnership and Senior Medicare Patrols. Furthermore, the Affordable Care Act has taken many precautions to prevent fraud, such as using â€Å"fraud detection technology, enhancing provider screening and enrollment requirements, and having a greater oversight of private insurance abuses† (Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services, 2015). Private insurers typically â€Å"lose an [estimated] 1%-1.5% of their revenue to fraud alone† (Health Research

Things Fall Apart and Distinctive World Free Essays

The distinctive world in which the character abides by creates the distinctive voice. Each character is portrayed by their voice and actions. The characteristic of the distinctive world in which he or she inhabits shapes the character. We will write a custom essay sample on Things Fall Apart and Distinctive World or any similar topic only for you Order Now Good_______ Mr turner and fellow students; I have chosen the text â€Å"Things fall apart† by Chinua Achebe to relate to our class text â€Å"The life and crimes of Harry Lavender† by Marele Day. By doing so, I will convey through my perception, the various types and functions of a distinctive voice and how language affects interpretation and shapes the meaning of both the distinctive voice and world. In our class text â€Å"The life and crimes of Harry Lavender† Claudia Valentine, is a private detective of the 1960’s who symbolises women liberation. The deceiving facade of Sydney which she lives in portrays the values of corruption, addiction and crime. This distinctive world created depicts the distinctive voices of Claudia and Harry Lavender, the antagonist of this novel. While describing Harry’s power, domination and concealment over Sydney. Claudia decodes the mysteries and understands more about herself and the distinctive world she resides in. There are two distinctive voices, Claudia Valentine and Harry Lavender. Claudia valentine is shaped to be a strong character, who is not inhibited by traditions. Her independent nature and â€Å"hard bitten† experiences make her more observant and resourceful. However as we keep reading; we understand her insecurities and the subtle heart all women have. Harry Lavender the antagonist of this novel is a man of strong power who is metaphorically illustrated to be the heart, the veins, and the blood of Sydney. He is a man of corruption and crime, and a symbol of the calamitous facade of Sydney. Both voices are created by the world of Sydney or how the author has quoted â€Å"the sewage of Sydney†. Similarly, in the novel â€Å"Things fall apart† by Chinua Achebe; a world is created with the recurring theme beliefs and customs portrayed through contrasts between the Pagan and African cultures. The novel is about an African tribe’s man’s life set in the early 19th century around the time of colonisation in Nigeria. Since childhood he has embarked on a journey to become a successful man in his tribe as he had not been from a respected family by decent. The many differences clash when cultural imperialism takes place and Christianity is imposed. His arrogance and cultural disposition makes him want to take revenge but ends up in a situation of despair, ending his life in shame and misery. The distinctive voice of this novel is the character Okonkwo, the society he lives in reins his thoughts and actions. In an African tribe a man was considered successful by the masculinity, strength, brutality, polygamy; numerous numbers of wives, vengeance is justice and the suppression of â€Å"feminine† emotions such as compassion and love. Quoted in the text, â€Å"As a young man of eighteen he had brought honour to his village by throwing Amalinze the cat† by describing Okonkwo’s victory against Amalinze, the author illustrates that honour and fame is only valued through strength. From both the novels there may be a contrast of values, setting and beliefs however both use techniques to convey the world which characterises each distinctive voice. Marele Day distinguishes the voices in â€Å"The life and Crimes of Harry Lavender†. Claudia’s thoughts are in first person and her conversations are expressed in colloquial language, this engages the reader to become more personal with Claudia. However Harry’s voice is portrayed in a formal way, making the character more distant from the reader, expressing less commiseration. To express themes of the distinctive world, Marele uses truncated sentences. â€Å"Close by the bed was a bottle of Jack Daniels: empty. And an ash tray: full. †This quote conveys the addiction present in the distinctive world and Claudia. To express this on a whole the author uses the technique of subvert convention. At the beginning she has awaken next to a blonde which we believe to be a women. Her sardonic humour also indicate the stereotypical male role of a private eye, however we soon realise that she is a women, giving a new perception to the distinctive world created as being sexually liberated. Harry Lavender is portrayed to be the world himself. Through the use of imagery Marele Day characterises Harry Lavender to be the god of the deceiving facade of Sydney. â€Å"Up there is a postcard view of Sydney† this quote describes Sydney to be at his fingertips. The world Marele creates is a world of corruption, addiction, murder and mystery all of which is present in Harry’s character. Likewise in the novel â€Å"Things fall apart†, Culture is the distinctive world created. Okonkwo, strongly believes in his culture where importance is based on masculinity, strength, and revenge in disparity to the pagan culture where importance is given to profession, wealth and the law of justice. This contrast is a technique which the author uses to express both the distinctive worlds. Simple folk tales are used to express the culture further, giving us a more indepth explanation of Okonkwo’s distinctive world and character. Another technique which the author uses to portray the world is the detailed description of everyday life. An example is the way the author describes the preparation of Okonkwo’s food by his three wives. Overall techniques are strongly used to allow the reader to analyse the distinctive world and voice. Both texts â€Å"the life and crimes of Harry Lavender† and â€Å"things fall apart† demonstrate various types of distinctive voices which use language to shape the meaning of both the distinctive voice and world. Now we learn that distinctive voices not only serve the purpose of communication but create and represent the distinctive world itself. How to cite Things Fall Apart and Distinctive World, Papers

Battle of Saratoga free essay sample

Leading to the Battles of Bemires Heights and Freemans Farm, the Battle of Saratoga became known as a highly significant battle Of the American Revolution. These battles were a necessity to the victory of the Revolution for the Americans. The Battles of Bemires Heights and Freemans Farm were very necessary because they really helped out the Americans chances of winning more battles that would take place later. As General Burgeoned was leading his forces to Albany, he ran into the American forces at Bemires Heights (where they also fought after the battle of freemans farm).The American forces deed to do anything they could to get rid of as many British forces as possible. The Battles that took place had huge turning points for both side because the number of people that were killed and the amount of ammunition that was used affected later battles of the Revolution. In the Battle of Bemires Heights, Burgeoned had his army retreat northward for the town of Saratoga (silently in the night), having to leave the sick and injured behind, and the dead unburied.This proved how these battles affected the decisions of the fighting forces, some being sick and cruel, while others being intelligent and applicable. The Battle of Freemans Farm (taking place on September 19, 1777) was a very significant battle for the British and the Americans. The British were surprised at Bemires Heights, where the British suffered about 500 casualties while the Americans sustained about 280. The battle was taking place on Freemans Farm. Freeman was a Loyalist who had earlier left for Canada.After about three hours of battle, the Americans ran out of ammunition, making them have to retreat. The British then claimed victory at Freemans Farm. Freemans Farm was located on the west side bank of the Hudson River. It was right near Bemires Heights, making it easy for people to build fortifications in the woods and high outcroppings. It was located a few miles away from Burnooses destination of Albany. It was a perfect location for an army to fight and keep themselves in somewhat Of an alright sanctuary. During the Battle, both sides used different tactics and strategies.Burgeoned decided to go with a risky strategy of dividing his army into three columns, two towards Bemires Heights and one to follow the road that paralleled the Hudson. The American forces (led by Horopito Gates and Benedict Arnold) laced expert riflemen (led by Daniel Morgan) in charge of taking out the left flank of the British (led by Simon Frasier). This strategy worked well for the Americans, of course until they ran out of ammunition. The battle (of Freemans Farm) was officially ended when Burgeoned heard word from Sir Henry Clinton.Clinton was getting ready to leave New York City and come assist Burgeoned with the continuous battles. So, he told Burgeoned to hold back and wait for him to get there before he attacked the Americans again. Burgeoned gave up his plan for attack on September 20th, and told his troops to wait until reinforcements arrived. Following the Battle at Freemans Farm, was the Battle of Bemires Heights. Bemires Heights was another big marking point during the American Revolution, also having big turning points for each force.The Battle of Bemires Heights was the most significant battle of the Saratoga campaign because it was the battle that caused Burnooses surrender to the American forces. Bemires Heights was also located on the West bank of the Hudson River about 10 miles from Saratoga. The riverbanks went upward; forming bluffs about 100-300 feet high. Bemires Heights was also surrounded by woods, making it harder for the British forces to take out the Americans. Burgeoned led about 1,500 men to fight off the militia at Bemires Heights. The British suffered about 400 casualties while the Americans only reported about 1 50 casualties. This proved that American forces at times were stronger (or at least more intelligent) than the British. Multiple battle tactics and strategies were used and discussed at the Battle of Bemires Heights. General Horopito Gates and Benedict Arnold were debating whether or not they should keep their fortifications high in the outcroppings where they seemed more affective, or if they should set up fortifications down in the woods below the heights. Gates decided to keep his army where they were, infuriating Arnold, thus making Arnold be relieved from his position in the American army.Daniel Moorings groups of riflemen were dispatched under Gates orders. The British were badly outnumbered, but came back when high competent Simon Frasier came into play. Arnold, deceiving his orders, ordered a rifleman to take out Frasier. Frasier was badly wounded, taking the fighting spirit away from the British. The Battle was officially ended when Henry Clinton told Burgeoned that he was not likely to rescue the dying and losing British forces, leading Burgeoned o surrender to the American army on October 17, 1777.By the end of the Battle, Gates army was left standing with about soldiers. The Campaign of Saratoga was highly significant to the American Revolution because it really affected how the upcoming battles would turn Out (number of soldiers would be different and amount of ammunition). One thing the Battle of Saratoga did for the Revolution was change the American morale dramatically. It caused Horopito Gates to become a hero of the American Revolution. It also led to France stop helping with the American forces and clearing war on Britain, making things a little easier for the American forces. If the British had won the battle, then things could have been dramatically different. The British would have had more power and troops, making it harder for the American armies to keep up in later battles. Things could be very different now if the American army did not win the Battle of Saratoga. All in all, the Battle of Saratoga proved that disadvantaged and weaker American forces could overpower the stronger British forces. Horopito Gates led his army to annihilate Burnooses army at Bemires Heights, causing them to surrender.The Battle at Freemans Farm was also a huge turning point for the Americans, having total control over the best fortification spots at Bemires Heights. The significance to the Revolution is easily seen. Fifth British had the won the Campaign of Saratoga, then things would have been very different for the American forces. It could have even affected the absolute victor of the American Revolution. Just imagine what it would be like if we didnt win the Revolution and were still under British control. That is why we have to be grateful that Gates led his army to defeat the British in the Battle of Saratoga.

The applicability of the term mass media in light of John Thompsons views on the subject. Essay Example

The applicability of the term mass media in light of John Thompsons views on the subject. Essay John Thompson had stated that â€Å"messages transmitted by the mass media are received by specific individuals situated in definite social-historical contexts†. He was quite right in asserting that though the media messages are broadcast to a large audience, the messages are ultimately consumed at the level of the individual. The way the message would be treated would depend on their social-historical contexts. For instance, the general level of education of the media audience is a factor that determines their historical context. People in an agrarian society in a third world country will be poorly educated and their ability to grasp media messages would be limited to that extent. On the other hand, an urban audience will have a wider perspective about different aspects of life, which means they are better equipped in understanding and relating to the media content (Leigh 1991, p. 71). The individual members of the audience receive the media messages in socially atomized setups. This is true of any type of media – television, radio, newspapers, etc. Consuming the media message is essentially a solitary activity. Even when all members of the family are watching television together, each perceives, interprets and integrates the message in his/her own unique way, dictated by their intellectual and cultural standpoint (Leigh 1991, p. 73). The essence of modern advertising is the shift from qualitative value to symbolic, implied and illusionary value of commodities. The purpose of most of these beamed messages is to manipulate and deceive the recipient. This is achieved by making the individual attach symbolic values to commodities. Loss of a strong individual identity is the negative consequence of the mass propaganda campaigns for commodities. It would not be inaccurate to say that mass media is a tool used by corporate advertisers to control and manipulate the minds of the consumer (McQuail 1993, p. 37). We will write a custom essay sample on The applicability of the term mass media in light of John Thompsons views on the subject. specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The applicability of the term mass media in light of John Thompsons views on the subject. specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The applicability of the term mass media in light of John Thompsons views on the subject. specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In contemporary society, the relationship between the external world and the individual is dictated by the flow of mass communications. Individuals essentially are â€Å"other-directed†, meaning, their education, leisure and professional ambitions are directed by the society at large, mainly through the media (McQuail 1993, p. 38). Identities, as a means of understanding ourselves, also involve concepts of masculinity and femininity and notions of how individuals should present and conduct themselves. In such a scenario, the individual’s peer group becomes more important than the family, the career and material possessions more important than true inner experiences. The identities that people assume are necessarily shallow and temporary, constantly changing and molding itself to the needs of the market. The result is a loss of deep-rooted ethic (McQuail 1993, p. 36). Human beings have become atomized and isolated from each other as a result of urbanization and other modern social structures. Social interactions have significantly diminished as a consequence. People are deprived basic needs for intimacy. To fill this void, individuals seek out attributes of media personalities that they can relate and identify with. This explains why political debates have become an entertainment contest of personalities as opposed to an analysis of the issues (Mcleod, Scheufele Moy 1999, p. 325). While the mass media plays an important role in the democratic process, it does not always lead to the best outcomes. Let us take the case of election campaigns. The individual members of the media audience belong to various political affiliations, religious backgrounds, ethnic groups, social classes, etc (Brown 1997, p. 482). These pre-existing leanings and memberships have a major influence on how the message is perceived, interpreted and evaluated. So, the members of the audience are not strictly passive, but actively accommodating, assimilating and blocking the messages as per their world view (Schmitt-Beck 2003, p. 243). But it is demonstrated convincingly that messages that strengthen the existing identity is more easily received and processed than the ones that try to change it, not least because people seek out information that reinforces their existing beliefs. In this respect, changing party and ideological affiliations are difficult endeavors (Gardels 1997, p. 27). Another social component that determines voter choices are the conversations that individuals have with their family members, peers, etc. And these conversations are usually related to the top media stories of the day. Hence, the mass media directs individual actions in a social context. And the dynamic of these interactions have further say in whether opinions are retained, modified or discarded (Brown 1997, p. 481). When it comes to selection of programming, media executives simply go by audience preferences, as this is essential for making profits. The basic motto isâ€Å"whatever sells†. This phenomenon is valid across television, radio and print. Even in news media, newsworthiness is really about catching audience’s attention through presentation of sensational, extra-ordinary and emotionally pitched news stories. The actual relevance of these stories to the daily lives of the audience is highly questionable. The individual is lead to believe that he has freedom of choice. While he may think that a conscious decision is being made, as a matter of fact it is the media corporations who set the agenda and control the content to fit the agenda. The mass media obstructs the development of autonomous, independent individuals who could carry out critical thinking and decide for themselves. In this sense, the mass media impedes progress and emancipation of the individual (Gardels 1997, p. 26). The information flow in traditional media is generally top-down. For example, the advertisers, government agencies, etc, â€Å"push† their message across due to their influence over the corporate media. Whereas in the Internet-based media, the users are free to â€Å"pull† relevant information, modify or comment on it, endorse or disapprove of it, etc, which gives the individual more power than was erstwhile possible. This is a shift towards bottom-up and lateral flow of information and from â€Å"mass† to â€Å"individual† audience (Boutie 1996, p. 51). The reach of the media into people’s lives had become deeper and more pervasive with the growth of newer technologies. Access to information had turned from being available to limited and socially privileged members of the public to practically everyone today. The new digital media will radically change the way messages are communicated to the audience (Boutie 1996, p. 52). Some social institutions that would be profoundly affected include the corporations, public relations agencies, the press, etc. The indications are that their wielding of power and control over the public mind would be significantly weakened. The new digital media, mainly in the form of Internet, is the big hope for the individual to retain uniqueness and decide his own values. List of References: Boutie, Philippe. Fall 1996, â€Å"Will this kill that? (effects of new digital media).† Journal of Consumer Marketing, vol.13, no.4, pp. 49-58. Brown, Robin. Oct 1997, â€Å"American influences: the cult of spin. (American political campaigns).†, Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, vol.17, no.4, pp. 481-484. Gardels, Nathan. Wntr 1997, â€Å"Ancestral territory vs. the global nomenklatura. (Samuel Huntington)(Silent Masses, Global Nomenklatura)(Interview).† New Perspectives Quarterly vol.14, no.1, pp. 26-29 Leigh, James H. June 1991, â€Å"Information processing differences among broadcast media: review and suggestions for research.† Journal of Advertising, vol.20, no.2, pp. 71-75. McLeod, Jack M. Scheufele, Dietram A. Moy, Patricia., 1999, Community, Communication, and Participation: The Role of Mass Media and Interpersonal Discussion in Local Political Participation, Political Communication, Vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 315-336. McQuail, D. 1993, Media Performance, Mass Communication and the Public Interest, Canadian Journal of Communication, vol.12, no.3, pp. 36-39 Schmitt-Beck, Rudiger. April 2003, â€Å"Mass communication, personal communication and vote choice: The filter hypothesis of media influence in comparative perspective.† British Journal of Political Science, vol.33, no.2, pp. 233-260.

Sample Essay of the Flowers by Alice Walker

Sample Essay of the Flowers by Alice WalkerYou have finally finished with your sample essay of the flowers by Alice Walker. You have read it all, understood it and can now start writing your own essay. You are not alone in this.Although Alice Walker is credited with creating the 'classic' essay, there are many writers who have also mastered the essay format, some more than others. The style and format of the essay are in the hands of each writer. So let's look at what each of these essays has to offer, as well as a few strategies you might consider employing yourself.First off, let's take a look at what the Flowers by Alice Walker essay has to offer. It is a standard essay format which allows for a paragraph or two of introduction, a paragraph or two of the main body of the essay, and then ending with a conclusion. This pattern is followed in virtually every other essay. You should try to use this format in your own essay to get a feel for the writing style.In addition to this, anoth er good sample essay is considered the Grandiose Memoirs of an Ex-Convict. Like the Flowers by Alice Walker, this essay is standard and is used throughout the essay. The sentence patterns of this essay are similar, but unlike the Flowers by Alice Walker, the Grandiose Memoirs of an Ex-Convict does not end with a long paragraph. Rather, it ends with a short paragraph, the 'follow-up'. This follows the same pattern as the Flowers by Alice Walker.The next essay in the sample list, The House at Pooh Corner, is a variation on this style. Where the Flowers by Alice Walker ends with a long paragraph, the House at Pooh Corner ends with a short paragraph. This is one of the most popular essays in existence, but not without its problems.The big problem with this essay is that it just barely covers what the essay is about. It also takes an unusually long time to read, which means that it is more suited to students who are trying to write essays fast and get through them in a short amount of ti me.However, if you are looking for an essay that is quite unique and personal, then this is definitely for you. It is filled with comments from the reader regarding the poem, so it gives the reader something extra to enjoy reading. And the fact that it is an essay that covers poems by one of the greatest poets of our time, does not hurt either.

global warming1 essays

global warming1 essays Greenhouse gases (chlorofluorocarbons, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, etc.)let heat in but stop it from going back out - like a windshield in a parked car. At our current rate of creating these gases by industry, cars and burning fossil fuels, scientists predict a temperature increase of 4 to 9 degrees F by 2050. (9 degrees F separates today's average temperatures from the last ice age.) The United Nations Panel on Climate Change recommends that we immediately cut our use of fossil fuels by at least half. To prevent the current rate from increasing, we would have to cut by 60%. This same panel projects that by 2050 over a million more people dying each year from malaria because of higher mosquito populations due to global warming. Already yellow and dengue fever bearing mosquitoes are found over 3000' higher than their normal range in South America. Other predicted results of global warming include expanding deserts, forest fires, heat waves, crop failure, erosion, mud slides, mass extinction of plants and animals, sea level increases causing flooding and damage to coastal aquifers. The US with c. 5% of the world's population creates 25% of the 7 billion tons of carbon dioxide that causes 50% of the global warming trend. Five tons per capita per year! US oil consumption is now the highest since 1979. Since 1988, insurance companies paid 17 multi billion dollar weather-related claims. There had never been one even as high as $1 billion before 1988. Before 1900, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was stable at 280 parts per million. The concentration now is over 360 and the increase rate has doubled since 1958. 1995 was globally the hottest year in over 100 years and the driest in the UK for over 300 years. The green house effect gas and the global warming It is said, "if the carbon dioxide increases, the Earth becomes hot." By what mechanism does this happen? The gas which absorbs the infra-red lay...

All About Ivory and How Its Use Endangers Elephants

All About Ivory and How Its Use Endangers Elephants Ivory is the natural raw material that makes up mammal tusks and teeth. Traditionally, the term only refers to elephant tusks, but the chemical structure of teeth and tusks of mammals such as hippos, warthogs, and whales is identical to that of elephants, and so ivory can refer to any mammals tooth or tusk that is large enough to be sculpted or scrimshawed.  Ã‚   Key Takeaways Ivory is a natural substance formed in the teeth and tusks of mammals.It has been carved and used as decorative objects for 40,000 years or more.Modern trade in ivory has pushed the cost up over $1,000 per kilogram.Ivory demand has devastated elephant populations around the world. Elephant and ivory tusk comes from the two modified incisors of living and extinct members of the Proboscidea family: Asian and African elephants and extinct mammoth from Alaska and Siberia (where preservation is possible). Other mammals with large enough teeth to be carvable include marine mammals like narwhals, walruses, and sperm and killer whales, as well as their evolutionary relatives, warthogs and hippopotami.   Elephant Ivory Close up of African savanna elephant ((Loxodonta africana) tusks. Martin Harvey / Gallo Images / Getty Images Elephant tusks are extremely large teeth which project out beyond the lips. Tusks are made up of a root and the tusk itself, and they have the same physical structures that teeth do: pulp cavity, dentine, cementum, and enamel. Elephant enamel wears off when the elephant is still quite young, and the main component of tusks (about 95 percent) is dentine, a mineralized connective tissue.   The elephant uses the tusks for defense and offense, for digging access to waterholes, lifting objects, gathering food, stripping bark, and protecting their trunks. Elephant tusks can grow up to 12 feet (3.5 meters) in length. Baby elephants have a deciduous precursor that they lose before the permanent tooth grows in. The size and shape of a tusk are related to the animals diet, and, barring trauma, tusks grow throughout the animals life. Like human teeth, the tusk carries a stable isotope record of the animals birthplace, diet, growth, behavior, and life history.   What is Ivory Used For? Lion sculpture in the world-famous Vogelherd-cave near Heidenheim; location: Vogelherdhà ¶hle near Stetten, Heidenheim, Germany; age: ca 33.000 years; era: Paleolithic; material: mammoth ivory; size: 9,2 cm;. Walter Geiersperger / Getty Images Mammoth ivory is among the oldest material used for making decorative objects and tools, with its first use documented 40,000 years ago during the European Upper Paleolithic. It is highly prized because it warms to the touch, varies in color from white to yellow, is easily carved and etched, and has an odd visual effect known as Schreger lines or angles, a unique pattern of cross-hatching that is in reality rows of microscopic tubes.   Tooth and tusk ivories have been carved into a nearly infinite number of shapes and objects: small statuary and button-like netsukes, flatware handles and furniture inlay, piano keys, combs, gaming pieces, and plaques. When a tusk is carved but still retains its overall form, thats called a scrimshaw, which was a traditional pastime of sailors on long-term voyages.   The Price of Ivory In 2014, the wholesale price for ivory was $2,100 per kilogram, but by 2017 it had fallen to $730, largely because of a new Chinese ban. The other cost of ivory is in elephants. Over the past decades, thousands of elephants have been ruthlessly slaughtered, to the point that both Asian and African elephants are listed on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Estimates for the elephant population in the world at the end of the 19th century were in the millions. According to the last Great Elephant Census taken in 2015, there were 352,271 African savanna elephants living in 18 different countries, down 30 percent since 2007. Those numbers account for about 93 percent of all the savanna elephants in the world. The current rate of elephant population decline is 8 percent per year or about ∠¼40,000 elephants. The tusks from a single elephant could be worth more than US $100,000.   Cost of Poaching Park Rangers at Mikumi National Park in Tanzania stand beside a bull elephant killed by poachers. Tom Stoddart / Getty Images The reason the price per kilogram of ivory dropped so steeply is in part because China ended its legal trade in ivory on December 31, 2017. Before the ban, the country had many state-licensed ivory carving factories and retail shops: evidence indicates that legal trade has ceased. However, illicit trade continues, and specific country-sanctioned legal trade continues in other places. In the fall of 2018, evidence of continued poaching of elephants was found in several parts of Africa.   Elephant poaching is conducted by helicopters, military grade weaponry, and poisoned pumpkins; dozens of wildlife rangers have been killed trying to protect the animals. Tusks are gathered from the killed elephants and exported illegally by African gangs and corrupt officials.   What Can You Do to Help? Many organizations including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services hold regular crushes, where confiscated ivory objects are destroyed to remove them from the market. Ivory Crush in Rome, Italy 2015. Stefano Montesi/Corbis via Getty Images The first thing you can do is not buy ivory. Although antique ivory (older than 1947) is legal to purchase, buying it still increases the market for fake antiques made on the tusks of newly killed animals, so at the least, make sure what youre buying is indeed antique. Better not to buy it at all.   There are several good charities, like the World Wildlife Foundation, Save the Elephants (African Wildlife Foundation), and the Elephant Sanctuary, which are effectively moving to protect elephants and pushing states to ban and criminalize ivory manufacture and trade. You could join them and donate money or volunteer labor, you could campaign and lobby for the elephants, you could help raise funds and sponsor the care of the animals.   The British newspaper The Guardian has an extensive list of ways you can get involved, called What can I do to help elephants? Sources Espinoza, Edgard O., and Mary-Jacque Mann. Identification Guide for Ivory and Ivory Substitutes. Washington, DC: World Wildlife Fund, 1992. Print. Online version at FWS.Fisher, Daniel C. Paleobiology of Pleistocene Proboscideans. Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences 46.1 (2018): 229-60. Print.Gettleman, Jeffrey. Elephants Get a Reprieve as Price of Ivory Falls. The New York Times March 29, 2017. Print.Roca, Alfred L., et al. Elephant Natural History: A Genomic Perspective. Annual Review of Animal Biosciences 3.1 (2015): 139-67. Print.Vigne, Lucy, and Esmond Martin. Decline in the Legal Ivory Trade in China in Anticipation of a Ban. Nairobi, Kenya: Save the Elephants, 2017. Print.What Can I Do to Help Elephants? The Guardian. February 13, 2017. Web.What Is the Impact of Chinas Ivory Ban? World Wildlife Foundation 2018. Web.Wittemyer, George, et al. Illegal Killing for Ivory Drives Global Decline in African Elephants. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 111.36 (201 4): 13117-21. Print.