Nishma

â€Å"When we meet real tragedy in life, we can react in two ways-either by losing hope and falling into self destructive habits or by using the challenge to find our inner strengths†- Dali Lama. I have witnessed and encountered many tragedies in my life and are going share the trials and tribulations that I have endured and how life has made me a stronger Individual today.The point of this story Is not to upset those who have witness tragedies as well or frustrate those who are going through something UT to show that anyone can come out stronger through tragedies they've witnessed, instead of faltering into a distressful state of mind. My story begins at just the age of 8, we Just had moved to a South Texas town, Counted, this town had about 2,000 to 3,000 people residing in It. My parents had decided this was the perfect place to raise me and my brother who Is two years older than me.I TLD understand much then, but from what I can remember the only problems I had was what fl avor of Ice cream I wanted when my father took me to the ice cream shop and which Disney Handel show was on. But then, as I thought things were Just fine, On one summer night I heard noises in my parents' bedroom and I overheard my favorite hero crying in the bedroom and saying he needed to tell us something terrible had happened. As he sat me down on his lap and told me that grandfather had passed away. My grandfather had been diagnosed with lung cancer shortly after he came from India to America too visit us.My father had to take him back to India when they found out he diagnosed. I sat there not understanding what had happened and hearing my ere in tears for the first time. It was one of first of many forms of tragedy I have had to witness as I thought nothing could shake my father but at this moment I realized I was wrong and got scared, this moment had changed my whole perspective on anything can happen at any moment. But what really stood out to me was my father's ability to g o through the tough times and soul be strong for everyone else. This tragedy I witnessed taught me how to be strong and not to take things or people for granted.I was able to be an emotional support for my parents. Tragedies can come n several deferent ways in different parts of our lives. In relation to this I witnessed my father face his second tragedy in life, his pride and Joy was his business but, in 2001 when the markets slowed, the hotel my father owned, which was about a 12 room property, slowed down to a point where he could not afford to keep it open anymore. We had days we TLD have electricity, and It got so bad that my dad to give up his car too. After about two years of hoping it would regain business, it lead us to a disappointment.My dad had given up, had to give the hotel up to the bank. This was something that he had to face head-on and decided to go back to work again. Though his pride and Joy were lost, he developed a sense of motivation which would bring him back to one day owning a business again. I didn't really understand the direct impact on my life. This is an example of a tragedy that I witnessed and was able to learn that though you might fall, you always have to get back up stronger and even more motivated then you were before. Later at the age of 14, I witnessed prejudice towards my mother because of her disability.My mother was diagnosed severe bipolar disorder along with chronic schizophrenia. She had unpredictable days of outburst of anger, frustration, along violent actions. But she had days when she would be completely normal. As a family we felt completely helpless at times. Most of my mom's side of the family were not there to support us and ignored the situation. In the community that my parents and I lived, primarily Indo-Asian, did not accept people with disabilities, and were often times excluded in events, gatherings and have caused them to lose their Jobs.Being witness to this type of scenario and the idea that we as a society think time has improved our â€Å"backwards way of thinking† has caused me to rethink how far we have actually come and how far we still need to go. As a observer, I was in disbelief that people be the way they were to my mother who has one of the most open minded and honest soul. Some of the verbal language that was thrown at her as I heard as a child left me with a bitter taste and sometimes vivid scenes from the past. The taunts such as â€Å"she's crazy' and â€Å"she needs to be sent to a mental hospitals.Tragedies can not only effect the primary individual but the individuals around them, as I was an example in this case being Judged as my mom. I now am able to voice to injustice for my mom. I have been able to help provide my mom and much more acceptable environment and give her that happiness she deserves. Her condition has given me the motivation to show people that despite her health she was able to raise a responsible daughter. Misfortunes that have been overcome can be described as triumphs.A primary example of this can be said about my father going through his fife with a several different tragedies, but following every tragedy, he has made it to overcome those and created triumphs. For example, after he lost his business he had to start from the bottom of the hotel industry. As I witnessed him move from one Job to another I saw him learn from every opportunity he had and then carried that up the ladder. Triumphs can be created through small or big steps following tragedies. Being a witness to tragedies can really set yourself up to realize that you have them in your own life too and those triumphs keeps you going.In my life I have seen my ether go through many obstacles that were tragedies too me. Being a witness to huge life events of the closest people in your life can lead to many lessons and those lessons can teach you how to work through your own tragedies. In conclusion I have witness many tragedies and I have also witness many triumphs, The examples I have given above about my grandfather passing away, about my father losing his business and having to get through the problems of prejudice with my mom and the community we lived in, shows that tragedies can be overcome despite the obstacles.I eave witnessed many triumphs watching my father having his through the hotel industry, in his career and his personal life. Every step he took to get to the triumph was another step forward . Let's all about having building blocks and overcoming obstacles to get there. Being a witness to these, personally, has made me a stronger, thriving and motivated individual. It's all about learning through other people's problems or learn how to deal with them when I have my own. Today, I have built my foundation from overcoming these problems, and has made me understanding and a responsible person.

Organic Food †Facts Essay

The word ‘Organic’ means ‘living’, and in practical terms, this means natural food that is grown and processed without chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides or fungicides. Nothing unnatural is allowed so there are no growth hormones, antibiotics, preservatives, dyes, chemical coatings or irradiation allowed. There is no genetic engineering allowed in organic foods. Organic food is nothing else but good pure nutritional food – the way it used to be. Toxic overload The food we eat affects our health. Most conventionally produced food comes from production systems that rely on a cocktail of up to 350 different chemicals. The World Health Organization has classified many of these substances as hazardous to our health. In studies, the short and long term effects on our health from these toxic chemicals ranges from short term conditions such as ADS (Attention Deficit Syndrome), allergies, digestion and reproductive disorders to long term illnesses such as cancers and degenerative diseases like Alzheimer. Our organic food however is different because by definition it is pure, wholesome and nutritious. There are absolutely no toxins or otherwise artificial or synthetic chemicals, coatings or treatments that in any way affect quality of organic food. In harmony with Nature Organic and bio-dynamic farmers work with nature, promoting the diversity and sustainability of the environment and building upon a healthy eco-system. Organic agriculture preserves the overall quality of our lakes, rivers, estuaries, wetlands, ground and drinking water. Organic farming relies on renewable resources, using 70% less and producing much less pollution than conventional farming. Preserving the soil is a key factor. They practice methods such as ‘intercropping’ where crops are mixed, rather than grown in large fields, minimizing the impact of agriculture on the environment. Humane treatment to animals Our organic livestock is raised in an ethical and humane manner, which puts emphasis on the health and treatment of the animals. Fresh air and space to move around and access to the outdoors ensure a healthy and stress-free animal. They are fed only organically grown feed and are reared without the unnecessary use of anti-biotics, growth promoters or hormones. Organic animals are never fed unnatural food such as animal scraps which is the practice that lead to the livestock neural disease ‘BSE’ and its related ‘kreuzfeld Jacobs’ disease in humans. Bio-diversity Organic farmers plant many more species of fruit and have brought back many heirloom varieties from the brink of extinction. These old varieties are often tastier and juicier but not suited to large scale industrial farming. In Britain,organic farmers grow 100 different varieties of potatoes alone! This bio-diversity gives us the joy and experience of eating new and different fruits and vegetables. GM-free Genetic engineering is not permitted in organic food and an organic farmer loses his organic certification if his crop is not 100io gm-free. Genetically engineered agricultural products have an unknown impact on the safety and health of the consumer and environment. ‘Organic Foods and Cafe’ does not sell genetically modified food. For further information please read our GM leaflet. The benefits of going Organic Trusting our food. Organic labeling tells you all the ingredients – there are no hidden ingredients that there can legally be in conventional foods as in conventional foods, the ingredients of each individual ingredient do not have to be listed. You know you can trust organic food because of the organic certification which has strictly enforced criteria – look for the organic symbol. Optimum Health In terms of health, prevention is better than cure. It is essential not to overload our bodies with toxins, which damage our immune systems. Organic farmers avoid using unnecessary and harmful chemicals, additives and drugs. Many of these substances have been classified by the W. H. O. as poisonous to your health and the environment. In addition, organic food retains essential nutrients, such as iron and salicylic acid, which are stripped away in conventional food processing. Value for money You get what you pay for – this is very valid for organic food. Organic food really has more nutrients, vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, iron, magnesium and phosphorous than conventionally produced food. This is because in organic farming, great emphasis is on nourishing the soil which in turn gives healthy plants. Healthy plants give produce that is packed full of all the vitamins and minerals which give flavour and goodness to our food. The time allowed for the crops to grow by not using chemical fertilizers is the final key elements making it possible for organic crops to have much higher nutrition levels. Authentic Taste Organic produce and meats retain a pure, fresh flavour the way nature intended. In studies, organic produce was proven to have more intense flavour molecules, a direct result of a healthy, dynamic soil. In organic food, flavour is not contaminated or masked by residues, preservatives or waxes. Nor is it enhanced to many times the flavour that is actually present which is common practice to achieve a full flavour where very little is actually there in conventional food. Protecting our future generations We all want the best for our children, and we have selected organic food that provides them with the goodness and nutrition that their growing bodies need to develop optimal mental, emotional and physical performance. It is imperative that they are protected from the detrimental effects of health-damaging toxins found in conventional foods. Today’s children have unacceptably high levels of asthma, eczemas and syndromes such as Attention Deficit Syndrome. Many of these can be linked to unhealthy additives in children’s foods and by eating organic foods we can prevent and alleviate these problems. Supporting Small Farms Organic farms are usually small, family run operations that take seriously the health of the environment and their stewardship of the land they work. They use techniques which limit agricultures impact on the soil, on streams and ground water, bird and wild life and on human health. We have picked selected family run organic certified farms where quality and freshness can be assured. Why does Organic food cost more? The truth is that we have become too used to paying very little for our food and what we put in our mouths has become nothing more than a business commodity. In order to produce high quality organic food, every step of production is more labour-intensive, time-consuming and frankly, not as profitable. Organic food takes longer to grow, as there are no growth hormones and chemical fertilizers used. Due to a lack of fumigants and wax coatings, organic food is often more perishable, there more is lost in transit between the farmer and the consumer. Most farms are small family run operations that do not benefit from government subsidies. The truth is that we are getting what we are paying for: a good quality product that is nutritious, delicious and safe for us to eat and not the cheapest product that is possible to produce. Organic Produce 1. Organic produce has an average of 50% more vitamins, minerals, enzymes and other micro-nutrients than their intensively farmed counterparts. 2. Organic produce is not covered in a cocktail of poisonous chemicals. The average conventionally grown apple has 20 – 30 artificial chemicals on its skin even after washing. 3. Organic produce is usually picked when it is ripe, unlike conventional food, which to allow for extra processing and commercial ease, is picked unripe and before it is fully developed. What is the Difference? Conventional Vs Natural / Organic Food (As per USDA rules) No| Ingredient / Processing| Conventional Food| Natural / Organic Food| 1| Artificial Flavours| May be used| No|. 2| Artificial Colours| May be used| No| 3| Artificial Preservatives| May be used| No| 4| Artificial Fertilizers| May be used| May be used| 5| Synthetic Pesticides| May be used| May be used| 6| Irradiation| May be used| May be used| 7| Genetically Engineered | May be used| May be used| What are genetically Engineered/ Modified Food? Genetically-modified food is produced from plants and animals which have had their genes changed in the laboratory by scientists. All living organisms have genes written in their DNA. They are the chemical instructions for life and all the organism’s functions. By modifying the genes, the scientists can change the characteristics of an organism. Most often, these modifications to our food are for economic reasons. To create GM crops, genes from bacteria, viruses, plants, animals and even humans have been inserted into plants such as soybeans, corn, canola and cotton. For example scientists wanted to increase the frost tolerance of strawberries so they inserted the â€Å"anti-freeze† gene of a cold water fish into the DNA of the strawberry, in effect producing fishberries, a life form that would never occur in nature. Why is it Different from Traditional Crossbreeding? For thousands of years farmers have engaged in what termed as traditional breeding, favoring seeds from plants with favorable characteristics and creating new plant types from cross-breeding closely-related species. Genetic engineering is more specific. It gives scientists the ability to select a single gene for a single characteristic and transfer that stretch of DNA from one organism to another. For example, a tomato variety was developed by Calgene to switch off the gene which triggers it to produce a chemical that makes the fruit go soft and then rot. What are the Dangers? Genetic engineering is experimenting with very delicate, yet powerful forces of nature without full knowledge of the repercussions. Yet, once it is introduced into the food system there is no way of getting it out of it as insects, birds, and wind can carry genetically altered seeds into neighboring fields and beyond. All crops are vulnerable to contamination from cross-pollination from transgenic plants. Health Concerns Manufacturers of genetically altered foods are exposing humanity to one of the largest uncontrolled experiments in history. We are all guinea pigs in this genetic experiment with our food. Some possible risks: No long term safety testing Genetic engineering uses material from organisms that have never been part of the human food supply to change the nature of the food we eat. Without long term testing and controlled scientific research no one knows if these foods are safe. We really do not know the long term and latent affect these. foods will have on our health. Allergic Reactions By inserting foreign DNA into common foods, without adequate safety testing, genetic engineering can also produce unforeseen and unknown allergens in food. Given that genes can be introduced from unrelated species the possibilities of allergies are greater than with traditionally bred crops. Toxins Familiar foods could become metabolically dangerous or even toxic. Genetic engineering could upset complex biochemical networks and create new bioactive compounds or change the concentrations of those normally present. These unexpected mutations can create new or higher levels of toxins making them poisonous to human health. Antibiotic Resistance Another potential hazard to human health is the possibility that bacteria in our guts could pick up antibiotic resistant genes found in GM foods. These genes are inserted into GM plants as â€Å"markers† to tell scientists which plants have taken up the exotic genes. If this transfer happens it could exacerbate the already worrisome spread of ‘superbug’ bacteria that have proven to withstand our antibiotics. Decreased Nutritional Value Genetically altered foods may mislead consumers with counterfeit freshness. A luscious looking, bright red GM tomato could be several weeks old and of little nutritional value even though it looks as though it was picked off the vine hours before. Environmental Risks We are opening a Pandora’s box with GM technology. Raising GM crops is an uncontrolled experiment with unknown consequences for surrounding eco-systems. Biological Pollution Unlike chemicals that are released into the environment, genetically engineered organisms are living things that will reproduce and spread uncontrollably and at will, with little possibility of containment or clean up. These are not natural organisms, but have been made in a lab and will destroy or at best upset the fragile ecological balance Super Weeds GM crops can cross-pollinate with related weeds, resulting in super weeds that are impossible to control. These weeds are immune to a broad spectrum weed killer after crossing with and assuming the herbicide- resistant gene from the GM plant. This will not only increase the use of topical herbicides but will stimulate demand for stronger, more toxic herbicides. Super Bugs Insects could become resistant to the pesticides engineered into GM crops. This would mean developing new, stronger, more toxic chemical pesticides to fight these pesticide tolerant super bugs. Toxicity to Wildlife Insects and birds will be the first in the animal food chain to be affected by GM crops. They will be exposed to a range of genetically engineered chemicals, drugs, enzymes and hundreds of other foreign substances for the first time, and there is no telling how they will be affected in the short or long term. These substances will then be passed up through the food chain to affect all the wild life in a given eco-system. Humans in turn will get affected, but as so often, by the time we realize what has happened, it may be too late. DDT was hailed as the solution to all pests and it was not till years later that we realized that it was cancer causing and destroying a lot more than just the bugs we were targeting. Loss of Biodiversity In the world of genetic engineering we would not need hundreds of different varieties of a crop because all the properties and features can be in a single plant. For example you would not need one species of corn for hot climates and another for cold or one that is drought resistant and another to withstand flooding. All of these unique features can be in a single plant. In the end many species would become extinct. It may only be years after they are extinct that we realize that we have destroyed some features we may still need. Ethical Questions Fiddling with the genetic make-up of plants and animals is unnatural. Nature takes millions of years to effect genetic change, so do we have the right to make changes overnight and substitute human for natural selection? Do we have the right to play God, to restructure irreversibly the genetic blueprints of the Earth’s plants and animals? Are we playing Creator? Fixing Perfection Are we trying to fix something which isn’t broken? Are we trying to change the course of nature for a good enough purpose? Manipulating the very building blocks of life in order to extend shelf life, is that a good reason? Religious Concerns Genetic engineering offends deeply held beliefs of a number of different faiths. A Hindu vegetarian may not wish to eat a vegetable bearing an animal gene and likewise, a Muslim may not think it right to eat a tomatoe carrying the gene of a pig. Genetic manipulation hits at the very core of our belief systems and deprives us of the comfort and the assurance that the food we eat complies with our dietary obligations. Are these beliefs going to be secondary to the potential profits of large ago-business?

How Does the Bfg Function?

The BFG is a book about a little girl from an orphanage named Sophie who is lying awake in bed one night and sees a giant walking the streets. She tries to hide once she has seen him but it is too late. He takes her out of her room and runs back to his cave. At first she is worried that he is going to eat her but he is not that type of giant. He is known as the Big Friendly Giant and eats disgusting vegetables that taste like rotting frogs. His main idea of fun is catching dreams and blowing the happy ones into children’s bedrooms at night.The other nine giants however are man eating giants and they go to different countries every night to eat people. They take them from their homes while they are sleeping and eat them. Sophie thinks these other giants need to be stopped but they are a lot bigger and meaner than the BFG. In the end she does come up with a plan to mix up a dream to tell the queen of England what is going on with these giants. Sophie and the BFG create a dream t hat tells the queen all about the bad giants and what they do at night and about her and the good giant.When the queen awakes Sophie is on her windowsill to confirm the dream and to help create a plan of action. After a very interesting breakfast during which the BFG is sitting on a piano piled with other things for his chair and a ping pong table on top of four grandfather clocks for his table then the queen invites the heads of the military in to create a plan. They decide to catch the giants while they are sleeping and carry them off with helicopters.In the end the bad giants are forced to stay in a huge pit and they are fed the disgusting vegetables that the BFG was forced to eat before. The BFG gets a nice huge house next to the castle and Sophie gets a little cottage next to him and the BFG writes a book about his experiences, which as we find out in the end is the BFG, the book we just read. Personal Notes: This is a really fun and quick book. Easy to read and grabs the reade r’s attention. I really liked the parts where Dahl makes up new words for things.I think it creates a sense of wonder in the children. I remember when I used to read his books and they included words that weren’t really words that this was fun. I never mistook them for real words or used them in school, that might make me look funny, but I loved the way he used them just the same. I think that is very applicable in a book about things that don’t really exist, man eating giants, it helps the reader appreciate that these things aren’t real and adds imagination to it.

Global Financial Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Global Financial Management - Essay Example With reasons. We have an equation with only one unknown, so we can solve it to find PMT.The easy way is with a financial calculator. Input N=3, I/YR = 10, PV = 1000, FV = 0, and then press the PMT button to get PMT = 402.1148036, 10) Suppose that on January 1 you deposit $100 in an account that pays a nominal (quoted) interest rate of 11.33463%, with interest added (compounded) daily. How much will you have in your account on October 1, or 9 months later? (4) An important rule is that you should never show a nominal rate on a time line or use it in calculations unless what condition holds? (Hint: Think on annual compounding, when INom = EFF% = I per.). What would be wrong with your answers to part (1) and (20) if you used the nominal rate of 10% rather than the periodic rate Nom/2 = 10% /2 = 5%? INom can be used in the calculations only when annual compounding occurs. If the nominal rate of 10% were used to discount the payment stream, the present value would be overstated by $272.32- $247.59 = $24.73. 12) Suppose someone offered to sell you a note calling for the payment of $1000 in 15 months. They offer to sell it to you for $850 .You have $850 in a bank time deposit that pays a 6.76649% nominal rate with daily compounding, which is a 7% effective annual interest rate, and you plan to leave the money in the bank unless you buy the note. The note is not risky you are sure it will be paid on schedule. Should you buy the note? Check the decision in three ways (1) by comparing your future value if you buy the note verses leaving your money in the bank; (2) by comparing the PV of the note with your current bank account and (3) by comparing the EFF $ on the note with that of the bank

The Capabilities And Intentions Of Al-Qaeda Essay

The Capabilities And Intentions Of Al-Qaeda - Essay Example Al-Qaeda is an Islamic terrorist organization that has misused the Islamic teachings to propagate internal resentment of a few fundamentalists caused by desperation against western forces. These resentments are not totally baseless as the western world has down-casted the eastern world since times immemorial by trying to superimpose themselves on the lesser creed. However the methodology to show this anger is infuriated up to the height of absolute hatred for the western nations. Their stated purpose is to remove the U.S. from Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, and if possible, from the world arena (DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS, 2001); (Gunaratna, 2002). Al-Qaeda is part of the "The World Islamic Front" (the networks of the networks) which further has many distinguished terrorist organizations from all over the world including, Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaida, Al Jihad, the Islamic Group, Jamaat ul Ulema-e-Pakistan, the Moslem Brotherhood, components of the 'black' (operational) network from the defunct Bank of Credit and Commerce Inc. (BCCI), and elements of Abu Nidal's terrorist organization. However, the most successful organization has been Al-Qaeda, especially after the horrifying September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center (DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS, 2001). The leader as we know is Osama Bin Ladin however since his hiding, Al-Qaeda was been run by a superior strategist, Ayman al-Zawahiri (Hoffman, 2001); (McCarthy, 2004). Ironically for the United States, which is Al-Qaeda's number 1 enemy, the creation of Al-Qaeda was done thorugh secret channels by the US to drive out the Soviet Union (which was at that time US's number 1 enemy) from Afghanistan. At that time, he muslim fundamentalists were recurited to oppose the Soviet invasion to aid in US's mission in destroying the soviet power which ended in the disparging of Soviet Union in Russia and other countries (Jr., 2002). Attacks List From then onwards, these Muslim fundamentalists formed the Al-Qaeda organization and formed their credo to destroy all those nations that were either practicing a tainted Islamic life or were Non-Islamic nations trying to take over the Islamic nations. Till now, Al-Qaeda has committed numerous acts of violence against such countries using conventional bombings, shoot-outs, and now more recently, suicide bombings. Important and high-level acts of violence include the World Trade Center bombing in 1993, 11 September 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, a four month bombing campaign in France in 1995 targeting the metro, the Arc de Triomphe and a Jewish school in Lyon, multiple bombings in Pakistan in 2002, bomb attacks against 4 trains in Madrid in 2004 when terrorists blew themselves up when confronted by police, and 4 explosions in UK in 2005 in tube trains and a bus. (Archive, 2005) Intentions Ever since the formation of Al-Qaeda, their sole objective has been to destroy the western influence on Islamic lives even if it means death and destruction. And they have shown that they are ready to take their own lives to convey their messages to the world. The global media has also been very actively covering Al-Qaeda related news and every once in a while, a video tape of Osama Bin Laden appears on our TV screens, with the Al-Qaeda leader congratulating his people for the attacks and continuously warning America against further attacks. Osama's nominal deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, published a treatise in the London-based Arabic-language newspaper Alsharq al-Awsat in December 2001 with the title "Knights Under the Prophet's Banner." The article painted a picture of Islam under siege by a predatory, Western-dominated world in which "there is no

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 40

Assignment - Essay Example Other strengths include the expansion of the democratic space that has seen the women’s suffrage that allowed women to vote, and civil rights movements. All this events have occurred without causing an uprising against the liberal supreme rule of law. Religious pluralism represents another strength of classical liberalism (Crowards, 1995, p, 21). This has provide the best record of non-violent religious pluralism across the earth. Christians in the US from various denominations, Muslims, Hindus, Atheists, Jews, and Budhists live in peace as opposed to areas that apply a different form of leadership. Classical liberalism give a chance to the people to be leading immovators and producers in the world. Revealed and stated preference techniques belong to the discerned environmental decision-making processes, which rank individual preferences above and other element during the analysis and in the process ranking lowest the systems that escape direct application of individual preferences. They depend on advice and opinion from professional panels, policy makers, and other stakeholder groups when these decisionsAmong the areas analysed include putting emphasis on individual preferences above management concepts of complicated environmental systems yet the individual has little information that sometimes is inaccurate of any merit. According to them, this is one of the reasons informed people need to participate. It is essential to remember that at this moment, it is good to comprehend the particular role of information that informs the knowledge of individual preferences (Edwards, 1992, p. 43). Furthermore, considering the function of information in policy and assessment of damages is important. Environmental decision-making processes differ basing on either professional’s point view or preference of individuals. The striking difference between these approaches starts with disagreements over the concept of economic value used inputs. The inputs

The Social Security Program Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Social Security Program - Essay Example The essay "The Social Security Program" talks about the social security program, the most efficient run program in all state oriented activities in the United States. Under the Social Security sector, aspects of pension income for the retirees, unemployment and fund assistance to the physically and financially challenged; are the major programs reflected. Involvement of insurance agencies and compensation companies and how they relate the persons mentioned above is also monitored by the Social Security program. The progress of these three aspect programs has undergone stiff completion. Maintenance and management of the pension income of the retired have been in the limelight of the actions of the Social Security. This has had success in ensuring the security of insurance and necessary compensation to the retirees over the years. This program has operated amidst its authoritative, incentive and capacitative techniques in order to offer quality services to the retirees. It is the first and main â€Å"Social Security† of America initiated initially for soldiers in 1776. Its vivid historical background of pension security is dated back to the era of civil wars whereby the retirees of the war were honored by paying them off a reduced amount from their original salaries. It was due to the fact that a lot of citizens were left orphaned and widowed by the dead war veterans. The pension fund has increased and broadened its wings to other professionals such as doctors, teachers among others.

Concept of Marriage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Concept of Marriage - Essay Example People in many African countries continue to practice polygamy and according to scholars, incidents of polygamy or plural marriage are highest in West Africa, where Senegal and Ghana have the â€Å"highest level of polygamy† at between 30 and 50% of all marriages (Hayase & Liaw 300). Despite the statistics, on a global scale, the traditional marriage between one man and one woman is the most common form of marriage. Proponents of traditional marriage argue that marriage is an institution which has stood the test of time and is a fundamental social institution. They believe that marriage between one man and one woman serves a variety of social purposes including the procreation of children, the establishment of a â€Å"stable household for raising children† and the promotion of the nuclear family unit. They also establish that â€Å"children need both a male and female parent for proper development† (Kolasinski 3). Furthermore, many advocates for traditional marriage also argue that homosexuality is wrong and should not be encouraged by society. By conferring the right to marriage and the benefits of this union on same-sex couples, they argue that is exactly what society is doing. Advocates for gay marriage emphatically argue that it is a civil rights issue and since marriage bestows certain social benefits, denying gays the right to marry infringes on their rights to equality. They further argue that marriage is not intrinsically tied to procreation and point to examples of artificial insemination to prove that lesbian couples can also give birth and rear children. It is also argued that civil unions – in lieu of actual marriage – fall short of the equality standard and promote the idea that same-sex marriage is both separate and unequal. The Supreme Court in Canada recently struck down the Marriage Act on the grounds that it was unconstitutional and similar challenges are being made

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW - Essay Example There are interesting facts about Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) in a number of fields like agriculture and genetic resources, protection of traditional knowledge, and the role of copyrights in software and the internet. Economists should find the discussion of internet copyrights especially fertile ground for research. For example, various researches raise concerns about the potential for European database protection and copyright-related restraints on fair use of research and teaching materials to limit access of scientists and students in developing countries to electronic materials. At the same time, well-structured copyrights could expand the scope for beneficial price discrimination in such materials. Economists claim that the scholarly discussion about intellectual property has two main weaknesses. First, it takes for granted that file-sharing technologies can be—and are—used for the purposes of producing content as well as consuming it, without articulating explicitly the connections and implications for writing, creativity, and production online. Second, it tends to center too myopically on classroom uses and practices, and too little on public discourse about copyright and intellectual property. While reviewing the scholarly work about authorship Economists states that it falls along three lines of inquiry: authorship as a construct, which archeologically examines the historic formation of the author; digital authorship, which shows how the idea of authorship is called into question when considered in the context of computing and online practices; and authorship â€Å"code,† which critiques corporate authorship and the use of computer code to block access to content (e.g., digital rights management or DRM). (Reyman, 2010) Economists are primarily concerned with the public discourse regarding file sharing, as found in legal briefs, the written opinions of the

Modern History of Japan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Modern History of Japan - Essay Example Japan is known worldwide as the nation with the most serious environmental pollution. Japan’s environmental destruction started long before the emergence of the country’s modernization and industrialization period. The well-known example of early pollution problem was Ashio copper mine, which began its destructive operations at the end of the nineteenth century and continues to this day to be a pervasively insoluble problem. The Ashio mine, in Tochigi, has been in existence at least since 1600 when it belonged to the Tokugawa shogunate with annual production capacity of about 1,500 tons. It became privately owned in 1871 following the industrialization initiated by the Meiji restoration. In 1877 it became the property of Furukawa Ichibei, and by the 1880s production had increased dramatically, reaching 4,090 tons by 1885, 78 % of the total output of the Furukawa mines and 39 % of Japan’s copper production. The major pollution problem associated with Ashio Copper Mine was the destruction of water ecosystem due to copper poisoning of ground water caused by flooding and drainage. In 1884, massive tree blighting occurred because of a discovery of large copper ore load. In August 1885, massive fish kills in the Watarase River was observed because of the use of the steam-operated pump and rock-crushing machines in Ani mine. In August 1890, 1,600 hectares of farmland and 28 towns and villages in Tochigi and Gunma prefectures were heavily damaged by the floodwater, which contained poisons from the Ashio mine. In September 1896, a massive flood due to heavy rain damaged the one large city, five prefectures, twelve provinces, and 136 towns and villages over a total area of 46,723 hectares by the water-borne mine poisons.

Ethical Dilemmas and Cultural Issues Essay Example for Free

Ethical Dilemmas and Cultural Issues Essay 29 year old Sakura has been brought to counseling by a concerned neighbor because she believes Sakura is suffering from depression. She is listless and silent, and prone to staring in to space. During the course of the counseling sessions, it was discovered that Sakura’s husband has been violent towards her recently. Sakura is Japanese and has migrated to California two years ago, here she met and married an American husband. Sakura refuses to tell authorities because she is ashamed that her family in Japan would discover the failure of her marriage. She clearly tells the counselor that no one should know of the state of her relationship with her husband. A counselor is ethically obligated to inform authorities about the abusive nature of the relationship but she is also obligated to respect her client’s wishes. Framework for Ethical Decision Making (Velasquez, M. , Moberg, D. , Meyer, M. J. , Shanks, T. ,. McLean, M. R. , DeCosse, D. , Andre, C. , and Hanson, K. O. , 2009) Recognize an Ethical Issue Psychologists cannot break client-therapist confidentiality; Sakura has clearly expressed that her problems in marriage must be kept confidential and believes that her husband’s temperament is just being affected by his problems at work and the situation between them can be resolved. The counselor feels conflicted because the situation involves actual and potential risk for the client. Get the Facts Sakura is being verbally and physically abused when her husband is incited to anger by small things, like unwashed laundry or bland food. She sometimes gets bruises when her husband grabs he arms and shakes her or pushes her around. Sakura feels miserable at the state of her marriage but she was raised to be a loyal wife to her husband. The Japanese value a good marriage and frown upon divorce and marital problems. The Japanese believe marital problems must be resolved at home and must not be publicly acknowledged. This must be dealt with in therapy sessions sensitive to her culture and to her way of thinking. She must learn to value herself more than valuing the opinion of others. Evaluate Alternative Actions The counselor may decide to first try to convince Sakura of the unreasonable aspects of her situation. An establishment of a high sense of self-worth in therapy can ideally enable her get out of the abusive relationship by her own accord. However, when the danger is imminent and when it is clear that her husband is escalating in violence towards Sakura then the first area of concern would be to notify authorities to stop the abuse. Make a Decision and Test It The therapist can decide to tell the authorities about the nature of the situation, testing a decision can involve looking at the possible outcomes should the decision be executed. All other approaches must be considered; a useful exercise would be asking the question â€Å"what If I told someone I respect-or told a television audience-which option I have chosen, what would they say? † considering different perspectives is vital in making the choice. Act and Reflect on the Outcome Implement the decision, tell the authorities and monitor the outcome, Sakura must be guided in therapy and offered psychological support at all times. Reference: Velasquez, M. , Moberg, D. , Meyer, M. J. , Shanks, T. ,. McLean, M. R. , DeCosse, D. , Andre, C. , and Hanson, K. O. , (2009). A framework for ethical decision making. Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University.

Research Paper Essay Example for Free

Research Paper Essay Pharmaceutical Companies, Intellectual Property, and the Global AIDS Epidemic This case is provided at the end of chapter 3 of your text (Luthans and Doh). After reading the case, and performing research on the topic, answer the following questions: 1.) Do pharmaceutical companies have a responsibility to distribute drugs for free or at low cost in developing countries? What are the main arguments for and against such an approach? 2.) What are the principal arguments of pharma companies who oppose making exception to IPR laws for developing countries? What are the arguments by NGOs and others for a differential treatment? 3.) What impact would you expect South Africas decision to levy duties on drug imports from Western nations to have on the international distribution of drugs to South Africa? 4.) In June 2002, the WTO extended the transition period during which least-developed countries (LDCs) had to provide patent protection for pharmaceuticals. In your opinion, do you think this is an appropriate change in policy, or a dangerous precedent? What could be some of the negative ramifications of this resolution? What about effects for other industries? 5.) Given the initiatives announced by global development and aid organizations and among pharmaceutical companies themselves, was it necessary to relax IPR rules in order to ensure that adequate supplies of AIDs medications would be available for distribution in the developing world? 6.) What role do MNCs have in providing funding or other assistance to international organizations such as the Global Fund? Present your answers using APA-format: Eight to ten pages, double-spaced, using 12-point Times New Roman font. Also, please be sure to cite all scholarly information paraphrased or quoted from your researched sources of information on the case topic. Finally, be sure to include a separate Reference Page on which you list all of your research information sources according to correct APA citation style, depending on the kind of source: book, chapter, published article, internet article, etc. Submit this assignment to your instructor in Learning Plan 6 via the Assignment Drop Box labeled Research Paper. This assignment is worth 275 points and will be graded based on the Writing Intensive Rubric. Be sure that your paper shows multiple revisions with improved focus and clear writing for a general audience. Please remember to check your paper against the criteria in the Writing Intensive Research Paper Rubric before submitting it (see link above in this paragraph). Also, please let your Instructor know if you have any questions at all regarding producing or submitting this Research Paper assignment as the course progresses.a

To Be Effective As A Counsellor Sociology Essay

To Be Effective As A Counsellor Sociology Essay This essay will look into what it means to be effective as a counsellor. The characteristics that could be expected to be found in an effective counsellor will be discussed. Specific reference will be made also to the ways in which a client should feel when they are in the presence of an effective counsellor. Before a counsellor can be classified as either effective or ineffective, it should be noted that a comprehensive definition of a counsellor, and since a counsellor can best be defined in terms of counselling , then a clear-cut definition of counselling is necessary. According to the Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary, a counsellor is a person who has been trained to advise people with problems, especially personal problems(p.332). This definition already gives one an idea of how to define counselling- this can be defined as professional advice about a problem. (p. 332). Another way in which counselling can be defined is accordance with the Merriam-Webster Online dictionary , which says counselling is professional guidance of the individual by utilizing psychological methods especially in collecting case history data, using various technique of the personal interview, and testing interests and attitudes (accessed 04/04/2012). These definitions are quite informative, especially in terms of giving one an idea of what to expect a counsellor to be and what to expect from a counsellor or a counselling session. They offer insight into the type of setting a counsellor would work in, the field of study that a counsellor may have undertaken and such like. But one thing the aforementioned definitions lack is the capacity to broaden ones prospects about counselling and the role of a counsellor in society. Counselling is merely limited to individual therapy and is taken no further. But a person who is directly involved in counselling- be it a counsellor, a scholar of counselling or even a client who consults with a counsellor can agree that counselling is more than just a professional advice or guidance; its a professional relationship(counselling.org) because the counsellors engages in some form of interaction with his clients , which he relates to each client differently from the next. This relationship is multidi mensional, it is not only between the counsellor and client (well at least not in all cases), but is one that can lead a client to meet and relate with other professionals; whether it be health professionals or otherwise. The counsellor as well, in some instances, would get to know more people than initially plannedthese people would be those that the counsellor would need to work with (referring clients to such people). These would be occupational therapists, psychiatrists, financial advisers, etc. This makes counselling a professional dynamic relationship which aims to help the client who comes needing help of one kind or the other. Counselling involves a process, the aim of which is to help others to help themselves by making better choices and becoming better choosers of options (iona-k-lister.suite101.com). So this relationship is not one that should be confined to personal matters only, because it is such a broad relationship that it has the capacity to empower diverse individ uals, families, and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education and career goals(counselling.org). What can a counsellor do to make a client feel safe? As it has already been established, a counsellor must understand that what he has with the client is more than just fee-for-serviceit is a special relationship (sci.csuhayward.edu). With this in mind, it becomes easier for the helper to make his client feel safe. Even if the client does not understand the nature of the relationship, the helper does and so should guide the client to a knowledge of such information. Like in every relationship, both parties involved have a part to play; a part which is particularly meant to be played by the specific counterpart; so it is with the professional relationship between the counsellor and the client. So if the client is not aware of the relationship that is there between them, it is the counsellors duty to enlighten the client. And this will in fact be what can initiate the process of making the client feel safe. If a client does not know that he is in a relationship with the counsellor, the counsellors every effort to make the client feel safe will be virtually futile. One thing that a counsellor can do to make his client feel safe especially in individual therapy is try by all means necessary to eliminate feelings of inferiority on the part of the client. As was mentioned earlier, individuals are all different and unique. So a counsellor might find that employing Alfred Adlers Individual Psychology in his counselling style might be helpful in eliminating the aforementioned feelings. Inferiority takes normal feelings of incompetence and exaggerates them, making the individual feel as if it is impossible to achieve goals and therefore hopeless to try(Friedman Schustack, 2012, p.115). A counsellor can also change his terminology, never calling his clients patients as some other health professionals do but keep calling them clients, since this sounds more egalitarian and less pejorative(sci.csuhayward.edu). Making a client feel safe in the counselling setting is not easy, so if a counsellor can do that, this says a lot about his effectiveness as a counsellor. They should be able to show a client that they recognize the limits of their own power(sci.csuhayward.edu) to help clients prevent feeling inferior; show a willingness to learn about their culture, background, etc. Confidentiality is another factor in making a client feel safe; not only in that, but as well in establishing and maintaining a strong therapeutic relationship(sci.csuhayward.edu). Whenever necessary, the counsellor should inform the client of the limits to confidentiality in the least threatening way possible. There is also the issue of multiple relationships; an effective counsellor knows better than to form a relationship with a clients family member or anyone else that is close to the client. He also does not form a non-professional relationship with people who already have a professional relationship formed with him , because this is destructive it can make it difficult for the client to feel safe in the counselling sessions. What Characteristics Should Effective Counsellors Possess? The main aim of this essay is to show what it means to be an effective as a counsellor, so it should be no surprise that throughout the essay, this question seems to be answered through the various answers to the previous questions that the assignment raises. Qualities such as confidentiality, the ability to guide clients toward productive goals, and the ability to establish and maintain relationships are seen already in previous sections of the essay. Other qualities, like empathy, unconditional positive regard and congruence are essential to being effective as a counsellor; these will be discussed at a later stage. An important aspect of an effective counsellor is the ability to facilitate fullexpression of the clients feelings, without diverting any attention to their own feelings(iona-k-lister.suite101.com). An effective counsellor must be able to listen to a client and have no prejudice. Although counsellors have their own values, these should not be imposed on the client(iona-k-lister.suite101.com). According to iona-k-lister.suite101.com a good counsellor is someone who can learn not to make judgements on behalf of the person being helped. Other traits that one might expect to find in an effective counsellor are patience and acceptance, which help the counsellor to refrain from showing contempt toward those clients that are not likeable. Education is another factor to consider; people tend to think that since they have a Degree and are registered with the counsel, they know everything there is to know. Effective counsellors are willing to learn more about themselves, other counsellor, and even their clients. Social skills should also be looked into by a counsellor that wants to be effective; as a counsellor, one meets many different people from different backgrounds and cultures; so one has to know how to perceive all aspects of verbal and non-verbal communication. Another very important quality to possess is discretion, never revealing what others say or do within the counsell ing context. Because even if a counsellor does not say the other clients name; the fact that he reveals a certain clients situation to another without the consent of that client, he is perceived as unprofessional by the current client. (iona-k-lister.suite101.com; www.sci.csuhayward.edu) How Important are Carl Rogers Core Conditions in Counselling? In order to appreciate fully the importance of something, one should first know what exactly the thing is. If that knowledge is not given, the acknowledgement will be but a task carried out to pass the time. Therefore, before the importance of the core conditions can be discussed, a clear definition of these will be given. According to Cormier Hackney(2012) empathy is the ability to identify with or understand the feelings and emotions of a client as if you were feeling that way, just without losing the as if quality(p.23). Unconditional positive regard is expressing to a client the qualities that make him feel that he is special and appreciated as a human being. Congruence is seen as the helpers ability to remain true to himself in the presence of the client. The act of being genuine and not allowing conformity to influence him in any way, especially when conforming to please a client. As defined by simplypsychololgy.org unconditional positive regard is where parents, significant others(and the humanist therapist) accept and love the person for what he or she is. Therefore, to be effective as a counsellor, one needs to be fortified with such a quality. Now it should be noted that unconditional positive regard works best when accompanied by empathy and congruence. Imagine a homosexual client comes for therapy; he got married to some man not long ago, and tells of how he met the man in university. He recently found out that the man is cheating with another man, whom he met on their honeymoon while they were away. The client says he does not know whether to divorce this husband or to separate with him for a while, since hes finding it so difficult to forgive him. The best response for an effective counsellor in a such a situation is expressing genuineness: acknowledging to himself, perhaps, that he is uncomfortable with the whole gay thing, and that his opinion is just one way of looking at things so that he can more readily accept the clients lifestyle choice. This can help him develop unconditional positive regard, coupled with empathy towards the client. This is because if he is able to acknowledge that his discomfort with the clients attributes, it becomes easier to get into the clients reality and try to see things through the clients eyes(empathy). It is through this same empathy that unconditional positive regard will come about; as he begins to picture what the client might be going through. How Important is Self-Care for the Counsellor? While an enhanced regimen of self-care may sound like a good idea, most people are fuzzy on what self-care is and how to practice it(www.psychologytoday.com). And for this reason, it is always best to define something before attempting to describe it. It is as in warfare, a soldier has to have a well-rounded definition of his enemy, so that he should not wage war against soldiers that actually came to the assistance of his own country, thinking that they are the opposition. One way to look at self-care is to see it as something one does to improve (their) sense of subjective well-being(www.thefreelibrary.com). From to this definition, one can already see how important it is to exercise self-care as a counsellor. Imagine(bearing in mind the above definition) the counsellor who does not consider self-care to be of much value would this counsellor not be judgemental towards his clients? How will he be able to exercise empathy, positive regard and congruence with all his clients? Thus, self-care is important for the counsellor that seeks to be effective in his occupation. Contrary to popular belief, self-care is not an easy thing to practice. This belief springs from advertisers deception and their inability to define self-care clearly(psychologytoday.com). Many of us think that getting pedicures, choosing hand-dipped dark chocolates and buying thread count bed linens equal self-care. This, in actual fact, is self-pampering(www.psychologytoday.com). Self-pampering cannot improve ones sense of subjective well-being, neither can it equip one to practice congruence/genuineness, empathy or unconditional positive regard. According to psychologytoday.com the way to practice self-care is to choose behaviours that balance the effects of emotional and physical stressors: exercising, eating healthy foods, getting enough sleep, practicing yoga or meditation or relaxation techniques and the like. Another important factor that contributes to the effectiveness of self-care is learning to depend less on other people for healing, be it healing from emotional or even physical pain. Once a counsellor learns to be independent in these areas of his own life, then it will become very difficult for him to keep using his clients problems as a means of helping him deal with his own. So in essence, self-care is necessary and helpful to the development of an effective counsellor. Conclusion This essay has discussed and examined the meaning of an effective counsellor. It has looked into the basic meaning or definition of a counsellor in order to properly differentiate between just a counsellor and an effective one. The qualities that are important for helping a counsellor become effective in his expertise have been outlined. It has also been seen throughout this essay that being a counsellor especially an effective one is not as easy a task as it might appear; a lifetime of commitment is necessary for this to be achieved.

Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Essay examples -- Shelley Frankenstein Ess

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Mary Shelley’s, Frankenstein, was written during a period of dramatic revolution. The failed French Revolution and Industrial Revolution seriously mark the novel with hints of moral and scientific revolution. Through Frankenstein, Shelley sends out a clear message that morally irresponsible scientific development can unleash a monster that can destroy its creator. Upon beginning the creation process, Victor Frankenstein uses the scientific advances of others to infiltrate the role of nature. "The modern masters promise very little.. But these philosophers .. have indeed performed miracles.. They penetrate into the recesses of nature and show how she works in her hiding-places. They ascend into the heavens; they have discovered how the blood circulates, and the nature of the air we breath. They have acquired new and almost unlimited powers; they can command the thunders of heaven, mimic the earthquake, and even mock the invisible world of its own shadows"(47). Frankenstein sees these innovations as overpowering and substantially giving humans the power of god. Frankenstein believes that through these new scientific powers human kind would be served with a positive effect. Disease could be banished and self glory could result. "what glory would attend the discovery if I could banish disease from the human frame and render man invulnerable to any but a violent death"(40)! Shelley characterizes Frankenstein as a modern a mad scientist...

My Hope for Tomorrow’s Schools :: Education Teaching Classroom Learning Essays

My Hope for Tomorrow’s Schools I believe schools should help students develop their value systems, if indeed these values are of God. I am a born again Christian believer of the gospel of Jesus Christ; therefore, my values are based upon the good, the true, and the beautiful which comes from the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our society is based on a number of fundamental values; values derived from biblical truths. These truths are our highest pattern of virtue. I believe we, as teachers, have a certain degree of power to stop the moral disintegration of our society, by helping students develop biblical and Godly values. Teachers have the opportunity to instill a desire for these values within our students, yet still bear in mind that these students have a choice as to whether they want to accept these values as their own. Perhaps if Christian values remained within our school systems, the Columbine shootings as well as other school shootings, would never have happened. Today’s children are faced with an extremely challenging social environment. Therefore, I believe that adults must demonstrate to young people that it is possible to live one’s values and to advocate for a more just and responsible society. It is of the utmost importance that teachers be positive moral models and to administer character education to our children, so that we may help them understand, through experience, that what they value matters and that living their virtue lends meaning and richness to their own lives. I also believe that students need knowledge of their social, political, and economic world, and that character education will motivate them to participate in social change in order to create a more just society. Social change needs to take place in certain areas. Issues such as discrimination and bigotry can strangle an otherwise workable society. If every one of us would strive to live our lives as God has commanded, not suggested, then there would be no place in our society for discrimination and bigotry. The world literally stands or falls on mankind’s actions- each of us possessing a potential for a strategic significance to maximize the impact of good. Mankind has a high position, but no one should think themselves to be more worthy or more important than anyone else. One of the tragedies of prejudice is that it may separate one from a potential source of help.

Who Tamed Fire First? Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Who Tamed Fire First? The farther back in time we explore, the more room there seems to be for discrepancy among various theories regarding the history of the earth. One of the many disputed aspects of history concerns the nature of the relationship between humans and the environment. This paper will focus on the debate of the origin of first tamed fire. Was it Homo erectus or Homo sapiens? The widely accepted big bang theory of evolution "paints Homo erectus as no more than a smart ape," (McCrone, New Scientist, May 20, 2000, 31) with a, "15-minute culture," (McCrone, 34) incapable of manipulating his surrounding environment. Though even if we were to believe he was physically capable of accomplishing this act, McCrone explains, "controlling fire simply seemed too intellectually sophisticated a feat for this creature," who were, "primitive toolmakers, and showed no signs of symbolic thinking over the next million or more years of their existence," (McCrone, 31). Under this theory, any remains of fires from his time are written off as bush fires, lightning strikes, and other such naturally induced occurrences. It is not until Homo sapiens comes along that humans are considered to have begun to "master" their environment. A recent, more scientifically based analysis of ancient Chinese fires supports this same stance that Homo erectus was not the first to tame fire. The geological analysis took place at the Zhoukoudian site in China, where an opposing theory marks the first controlled fire at 500,000 years ago by Homo erectus' hands, (Wuethrich, Science Magazine, July 10, 1998). Though they confirmed recovering burnt bones from the site, there was no solid evidence to suggest the controlled use of fire, such as hearths,... ...order in our world. It gives us a past, present and future. Time also offers us a sense of perspective, so that we can make insights and connections, decide what is true and what is false, what is valuable and what is inconsequential. In this regard, the debate over the time and origin of the first tamed fire is an effective illustration of the ways in which time affects our perception of human kind and its relationship with the environment. Which theory of origin we ultimately choose to believe is particularly significant in that it gives insight into the way in which we view ourselves in relation to our past. Sources Cited: "Did Homo Erectus Tame Fire First?" Balter, Michael. Science. June 16, 1995. "Fired Up." McCrone, John. New Scientist, May 20, 2000. "Geological Analysis Damps Ancient Chinese Fires." Wuethrich, Bernice. Science Magazine, July 10, 1998.

Clockwork Orange Essay

The decision to choose between good and evil is one simple choice that separates a human from being a machine. Being unable to choose from the two is â€Å"†¦like little chellovecks made out of tin and with a spring inside and then a winding handle on the outside† (Burgess, 203). There comes a point in a man’s life where he stops being a machine and becomes something else entirely. In the book A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, the twenty-first chapter was excluded from the earlier publications, but then added to the latter ones; although the ending of chapter twenty provides beneficial lessons, the twenty-first chapter of A Clockwork Orange is a superior conclusion to the story as it shows character development and accomplishes the morals of the story. This story follows a fifteen-year-old boy named Alex, an immature adolescent who disregards the law and engages in rape and â€Å"ultraviolence†. Soon Alex is apprehended and sentenced to prison where he is a victim of a conditioning experiment known as the â€Å"Ludovico treatment† in order to rid him of all of his evil desires. The treatment ends up being a success as Alex is no longer able to participate in violence or rape at his own will. As the story continues, the government cures Alex of the condition under the agreement that he sides with the government. At the end of chapter twenty, Alex departs from the audience realizing â€Å"I was cured all right† (Burgess 192). Although the end of this chapter is not nearly as satisfying and powerful as the ending of chapter twenty-one, it still provides an important lesson that readers should recognize. We as readers learn about the inherent evil of the government as we watch the Ludovico treatment’s success in controlling Alex’s violence. There is importance in informing readers of immoral actions involving the government and challenging them to question what is ethical or not. â€Å"He [Burgess] has presented us with a stark image of evil, and perhaps of a greater evil in attempting to counteract it. He has warned us of a slippery slope† (Newman 68). In the book, the Ludovico experiment is intense  and disturbing even for readers who have been exposed to Alex’s extreme actions. Even though Alex is presented to us as a clear image of evil, Burgess’s readers can still recognize something that is not just immature. Burgess is successful in showing his readers that sometimes something that is supposed to be pristine can be corrupt. He shows us that a government that has the appearance of being good does not mean that it is good. Though this ending is powerful, it does not completely satisfy or give any development to its readers. â€Å"Burgess offers us no real answers, however. At the end of the 20th chapter, it is clear that Alex intends to resume his life of ultraviolence. Seemingly little thought is given to those he has killed, or those he is likely to kill† (Newman 68). The ending of chapter twenty shows its readers that Alex is aware that he is in fact cured and will continue to act the same as he once did at the introduction of the story. Earlier in the story, Alex kills two women before being sentenced to prison. Since these deaths were very brutal, readers expect remorse from Alex especially when he is unconditioned from the reclamation treatment. Because Alex is released from the torture of the Ludovico technique, we predict he will regret the actions that caused the torment. When Alex does not show any actions towards his past transgressions, we envision him to kill again. As a result, this conclusion gives the readers no sort of progress throughout the events before. Since Alex was forced into changing his immoral actions, he never made any improvement in his own power. Even though readers can recognize that the treatment is immoral, they can still see that Alex is not making any progress. He was forced into a direction to be a test subject of something that had the appearance of being good. Although he is now three years older from when he was first sentenced, Alex ends where he once started, a child. In order for him to grow as a person, he first must realize that his actions are wrong. In the added twenty-first chapter, Alex encounters one of his old â€Å"droogs† and becomes aware of his transgressions and reanalyzes where his priorities are. As a result, the conclusion of the story surrounds Alex’s character and the maturity he begins to embrace. â€Å"But now as I end this story, brothers, I am not young, not no longer, oh no. Ale x like groweth up, oh yes† (Burgess 204). As Alex starts to distinguish his developing maturity, he finds himself evaluating  what adulthood requires. â€Å"In chapter 21, Burgess presents a mellowing, increasingly reflective, eighteen-year-old Alex who is coming to see that this previous violent behavior was childishly perverse. He thinks of marriage, stability, and the son he one day hopes to have. He contemplates explaining to his son all his past crimes as an admonition† (Hong 34). As Alex begins to become bored with the violence and rape he had previously committed, he reaches a place in his life where he has never been to before. Before the Ludovico treatment, Alex was a criminal and a child who needed to be cured from the sickness that grew within him. Even though Alex rejoices saying he was â€Å"cured,† he was not cured from his real problem; his evil ways. In order for him to be truly cured of his old desires, he needs to choose for himself to turn from what he once was. Through his experience with the Ludovico technique, Alex reaches the realization that part of growing up is turning from what has prevented his progression. â€Å"Free to will and free to choose again, even if he wills to sin, Alex is capable of salvation. In the view of Burgess, all individuals, even these as violent as Alex, could reform and acquire the moral growth. The moral maturity comes with age† (Hong 34). Though Alex did not show any signs of remorse or regret, he showed the desire to improve to a higher level of maturity. Something that he was unable to do at the end of chapter twenty, Alex is no longer immune to salvation. Regardless of the intensity and degree of the crimes Alex has committed, he has a chance to repent and break free from what has been chaining him down his whole life. This provides improvement in Burgess’s main character, as Alex can finally choose for himself what he must accomplish in order to mature as a man. Character development is clearly necessary for Burgess as he expresses, â€Å"There is, in fact not much point in writing a novel unless you can show the possibility or moral transformation, or an increase in wisdom, operating in your chief character or characters† (Burgess 168). Through the ending of chapter twenty-one, Alex displays progression in his character. If the novel ends at chapter twenty, Alex is right where he began. Once Alex has decided to choose goodness and maturity, the story finally reaches what the readers have been striving to see. As Alex finally looks to turn to the next chapter in his life, the book comes to a point where hope  is finally achieved. â€Å"When man has reached a hopeless impasse in his savage quest for improvement, he must make the sensible moral choice. The individual is a ‘creature of growth and capable of sweetness’, as F. Alexander puts in his typescript, so he could be liberated or saved† (Hong 34). Liberation comes from someone who chooses to become saved from the thing that once was holding that person down. As he made this choice he matured as a character. If Alex were to not make this choice, the main theme would not be as impactful since he did not choose goodness. Alex once displayed his view on goodness in the novel stating, â€Å"They don’t go into what is the cause of goodness, so why of the other shop? If lewdies are good that ’s because they like it, and I wouldn’t interfere with their pleasures, and so of the other shop. And I was patronizing the other shop† (Burgess 46). Alex shows us evil, just like goodness, is a choice when he refers it as â€Å"the other shop.† Again later in prison, the chaplain tells Alex, â€Å"goodness comes from within. Goodness is something chosen† (Burgess 93). This statement has no meaning to Alex unless he himself chooses goodness. Although Alex chose the Ludovico treatment, he did not choose goodness. The conditioning forced Alex into goodness rather than him choosing it for himself. The chaplain then goes on further to say, â€Å"when a man cannot choose he ceases to be a man† (Burgess 93). Burgess desires to indicate that it is not what a man chooses; it is the idea that he is able to choose. A man who is incapable of a moral choice can never attain redemption, but a man who admits his wrongdoings can choose to repent and reach salvation. Throughout the story, free will is displayed as the decision to choose something rather than being another subject or machine of the government. Although Alex ultimately seems as if he will begin to choose goodness, Burgess wants to make sure that goodness is something that must be chosen, rather than forced. In A Clockwork Orange Resucked, Burgess shows his readers that good and evil must both be equally offered. â€Å"†¦ by definition, a human being is endowed with free will. He can use this to choose between good and evil. If he can only perform evil, then he is a clockwork orange – meaning that he has the appearance of an organism lovely with colour and juice but is in fact only a clockwork toy to be wound up by God or the Devil† (â€Å"ACO Resucked† 168). As Alex was once a toy wound up by the  appearance of pure goodness, readers soon find that evil was what turned the lever. At the beginning of the story, it appears that Alex is already â€Å"a clo ckwork orange† as he seems as though he can only perform evil acts with his henchman. As the end draws near, we find that Alex always had the choice of goodness, but never chose it until he had nothing but the choice of goodness. Burgess again expresses, â€Å"It is inhuman to be totally good as it is to be totally evil. The important thing is moral choice. Evil has to exist along with good, in order that moral choice may operate. Life is sustained by the grinding opposition of moral entities† (â€Å"ACO Resucked†168). Without evil as a valid choice, the choice to be good becomes nothing more than an empty action. In the novel, Alex too refers to himself as one of those â€Å"malenky machines† at the end of chapter twenty-one, saying being young is like being one of those machines. He goes on and says that they cannot control where they are going and crash into things along the way. Alex comes to the realization that he does not want to be a toy anymore. Without the twenty-first chapter, Alex would still be a clockwork orange, leaving him as just another machine. Not only does the twenty-first chapter accomplish the morals of both maturity and goodness, it also resonates for readers as a symbolism for free will. The twenty-first chapter is necessary for Alex’s character development as well, and achieves greater emotional value for its readers. According to Burgess, the choice of either goodness or evil is something that everyone should be entitled to. Regardless of what someone chooses, goodness or evil should be chosen in order to remain a human. For a human who does not have a choice, â€Å"grrr grrr grrr and off it itties, like walking, O my brothers† (Burgess 203). Works Cited Burgess, Anthony. A Clockwork Orange. Ed. Andrew Biswell. Res. ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2012. Print. Burgess, Anthony. â€Å"A Clockwork Orange Resucked.† A Clockwork Orange – Authoritative Text Backgrounds And Contexts Criticism. Ed. Mark Rawlinson. Norton Critical. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2011. 166-70. Print. Hong, Liu. â€Å"The Perplexing Choice In Existence Predicament: An Existential Interpretation Of Burgess’s A Clockwork Orange.† Studies In Literature & Language 1.8 (2010): 29-38. Communication & Mass Media Complete. Web. 7 Dec. 2013. Newman, Bobby. â€Å"A CLOCKWORK ORANGE: Burgess and Behavioral Interventions.† Behavior and Social Issues 1.2 (1991): 61-69. Web. 13 Dec. 2013.

People’s Attitude Towards Abortion in Australia

People’s attitude towards abortion in Australia Abstract: The hypothesis, â€Å"It is apparent that in Australia people are not supportive of abortion. † would be tested in the report. The aim of it was to reveal the current views of people in Australia towards abortion, under the circumstances of different age and cultural background. A questionnaire about justified reasons, legalization and values on abortion was constructed and the target group would be 20 international students and 20 local Australians. The international students were mainly Chinese, and a few from South-East Asia. Though most participants did not have a really strong stance of supporting abortion or not, when there were further questions about Pro-choice behaviour and legalization of abortion, it was discovered that participants were actually in respect of freedom of choice, and agreed that abortion should be legalized. Therefore it could be said that comparing the 2 sides, participants were rather supportive to abortion. Based on the results, extended researches covering a larger target group which could mostly represent different cultural groups could be conducted to test whether abortion was really generally acceptable or not or could it be legalized under all cases. Introduction Abortion had been a controversial issue for hundreds of years, discussions and debates were always held to argue whether it should or should not be declared legal. This issue was crucial at all time because the attitude towards it were mainly influenced by various important values of life like morality, human rights and freedom of choice, adding that they were the key factors to determine whether it should be declared legal. â€Å"Abortion can be defined as the expulsion or removal of an embryo or foetus from the uterus of the pregnant mother† (Blade, 2008). It could be divided into two types. First, the â€Å"spontaneous abortion† occurs when the mother’s body ejects the foetus due to different reasons, usually natural ones (without human effort). This report focused on another type of abortion, â€Å"induced abortion†. This was what people usually mean when they use the word abortion. In other words, it was the â€Å"termination of pregnancy†. After the Federation in 1901, abortion was handled by the British Offences Against the Person Act of 1861. In the act, abortion was illegal , no matter under what circumstances. However, since then, abortion would be legal in some cases under the law. For instance, Natasha,(1998), suggested that under the McGuire ruling (1986) in Queensland, abortion could only be legalized when the mother was in threat that abortion could preserve her life or health. Another case that abortion could be legalized was that if the newborn baby would die immediately or within a short period. For the current legislation about it in Queensland under the Queensland Criminal Code, the viewpoint remained similar that the court would prohibit abortion unless the mothers life or health is in danger. Though, it did not reveal any response on the change of attitudes of people towards abortion. The aim of the report was to reveal the current views of people in Australia towards abortion, under the circumstances of different age and cultural background(international students versus local Australians). It appeared that nowadays more and more people were supportive to abortion. This view would be supported by the results from survey and then a discussion part of it would be included and at last the conclusion and recommendation would be formulated. Methodology: Questionnaires about the attitudes of abortion of people were used to collect data for the report. A qualitative methodology was used. The reason for choosing it was because the report focused more on depth, rather than quantity. According to the Family Health International (2005), a qualitative research provided information about the â€Å"human† side of an issue, which was often contradictory. It could also interpret the complex reality or create a better understanding to a specific situation and the implications of the qualitative data. Another important point was that it could help identify intangible factors (age, gender, nationality, religion, etc) in the report. These factors were the keys that influence a person’s attitude toward the issue. The emphasis of the questionnaire was to understand participant’s standpoints for or against abortion, therefore 10 out of 14 questions were about their opinion, the rest were 3 attribute questions and 1 knowledge question. The total number of participants was 40. There were altogether 20 international students studying in Australia and 20 local Australians completed the questionnaire. Among the participants, 23 of them were female and 17 were male. In the student group, 2 of them were under or below 18 and 18 were at the age of 19 to 30. Among the local Australians, 6 of them were between 31-45 and another 14 were 45 or above. A point to note was that for the international students, 15 of them were Chinese. To make sure the information would be kept secret, no questions were about identity or other private information. The questionnaires were given out in two ways. The first way was to distribute them at school and at homes, and another way was to distribute them through the internet. Participants were quite interested to the questionnaire as they thought that it was a controversial issue. However in the process, participants found confused with the last open-ended question about the relationship between culture, age and abortion as it was not required to state reasons but lines were given. Moreover, due to a lack of time in completing the questionnaire, i. e. in 5 or 10 minutes, the data collected might be distorted. Results: The purpose of the questionnaire was to find out the attitudes of people in Australia towards abortion. Questions were divided into 3 main categories: justified reasons for abortion, legalization of abortion and viewpoints and value towards abortion. For the justified reasons for abortion, a total of 8 choices were given to participants and they could choose more than one answers, including: 1. psychological reasons e. g. resisting abrupt change of life 2. economic reasons e. g. financial burden of raising children 3. unwanted babies e. g. pregnant in mistake 4. caused by rapes 5. unready for responsibility 6. as problems with relationship or wants to avoid single parenthood 7. mother has health problems 8. has already all the children she wanted or all children are grown From the questionnaire, participants thought that the most justified reasons for abortion were â€Å"economic reasons† and â€Å"pregnancies caused by rapes†, both of them make 62. 5% of the total. The next would be â€Å"unready for responsibility† (35%), â€Å"unwanted babies† (32. 5%), à ¢â‚¬Å"mother has health problems† (30%), â€Å"problem for relationship or wants to avoid single parenthood† (22. 5%), â€Å"psychological reasons† (12. %) and the least justified reason would be â€Å"has already children she wanted or all children are grown† (10%). For another category, legalization of abortion, there was an open-ended question asking the participants about one pros and cons of abortion. For the pros, there were several main ideas. First, people thought that after legalization of abortion, risks could be reduced as people no longer find doctors with no license to abort. Secondly, it would a respect to freedom of choice of people. Thirdly, there would be fewer children grown up in an unstable environment. For the cons, people also got similar ideas, for instance, abortion was against the respect of life, i. e. killing innocent life. Also, people could be more irresponsible as they could abort legally. For the last category, viewpoints and values towards abortion, 6 questions were raised. Majorities believed that abortion was becoming common nowadays (25% strongly agree, 50% agree). For the question about whether the people’s views towards abortion was changing, bigger part of them agree with the statement (20%strongly agree, 40% agree) buy quite a number of people maintained neutral (32. %). For the question â€Å" it is inhuman and should be banned†, the 2 sides were almost balanced (5% strongly agree, 32. 5% agree versus 7. 5%strongly disagree and 37. 5% disagree), about 17. 5% people chose to be neutral. In the question of freedom of choice, it was quite one-sided that it should be highly respected (40% for both strongly agree or agree, adding up to 80%). Asking about if it was acceptable in all cases, disagreement (20% strongly disagree, 42. 5% disagree) was more than agreement (32. 5% agree). Though, quite a lot of people thought that they would have different views upon abortion in different cases (35% strongly agree, 32. 5% agree). For the last open-ended question about the relationship between age, culture and views towards abortion, the main ideas of the participants were that aged people, i. e. age group of 45 or above, would be more conservative and therefore have a negative view upon abortion. Moreover, they thought that people with different culture, particularly â€Å"westerners† in the Chinese’s eyes, would be more open and accept the idea of abortion. Discussion and conclusion: The aim of the report was to reveal the current views of people in Australia towards abortion, under the circumstances of different age and cultural background (international students versus local Australians). From the results, we could see that many participants did not have a really strong stance of supporting abortion or not, only a few do. For instance, about 70% of the participants agreed that they would have different views upon abortion in different cases. The most â€Å"justified† cases would be pregnancies by rapes and economic reasons (It was logical that according to Thomson Reuters (2009), an income group of US$39,100 – $65,800 would need a total of $170,460 a year to raise up a children form 0 to 17 year old). Yet, there were enough data to test the hypothesis. There were data supporting the hypothesis. From the results, participants who did not fully support abortion were mainly female or Chinese, whom thought that abortion was inhuman and should be banned. The number made up 32. 5% of the total participants. The reason behind was that female themselves would have real experiences in giving birth so they would have deeper thoughts than male. For Chinese participants, they were young but at the same time they were also deeply influenced by a traditional style of education. The curriculum focused on teaching people to have right values stated by the Confucius and other great figures. According to Vivien (2006), the vice president for education at the Asia Society, china should move away from the traditional forms of practices and adopt a broader curriculum to achieve the goal of becoming a real modern society. Despite there were data supporting the hypothesis, it was in a small proportion. We could find more data that was contrary to it. It also proved that people at older ages might not be conservative. Participants, mostly Australians (mostly aged 45 or above), were rather Pro-Choice. It was because of the trend of abortion. It was becoming more and more common. According to a table drawn by Wm Robert Johnson (2008), the abortion percentage rose from 15. 6% in 1984 to 21. 5% in 2006 in Australia. It might also be because of the cultural background. Comparing to country like China, westernized countries emphasized more on freedom of people. From the results, there were 32. 5% of the total participants who thought abortion was acceptable at all cases. Most importantly, over 80% of them agreed that people should respect the mother’s decision. The data was supported by a report by Monash University (2002). It included a survey on AES voters and candidates (about 2000 people are surveyed a year) about their attitudes towards abortion, from 1987 to 2001. The percentage of people choosing the criteria â€Å" Woman should be able to obtain an abortion readily when they want one† rose from 38% to 59% from 1987 to 2001. On the other hand, the percentage of people choosing the criteria â€Å"abortion should not be allowed under any circumstances† dropped from 6% to 3% in that period. Another evidence was that when participants were asked about whether abortion should be legalized, 65% of them thought that it should be legalized. From the above, we could understand the current views of people in Australia towards abortion, at different ages and cultural background. Though people did not have a strong stance of supporting abortion or not, we could find more evidence showing that people were actually more Pro-Choice than Pro-Life, in other words they would be more supportive to abortion, especially in recent years where abortion was more commonly found. Recommendations: Concerning the implications of the report findings, it was quite obvious that more people in Australia were actually supportive to abortion, based on their Pro-Choice attitude and the agreement of legalizing abortion. The scale and the target groups of the report were small that might distort the real opinion throughout the country. However, based on the report findings, extended researches could be done in examining whether abortion was generally acceptable or not and the possibility to further legalize abortion, as participants of the questionnaire could already clearly state some pros and cons of legalizing abortion. The research should cover a larger target group as Australia was rather multi-cultural. People in different culture could have their views in according to the religion, which was also important in this issue and not discussed in this report. To conclude, though the report did not represent most age and cultural groups in Australia, it could be the basis of further research in testing whether legalizing abortion was possible. References: Blade 2001, â€Å"Should abortion be legalized in Queensland, Australia? †, Available at http://www. bladesplace. id. au/abortion-law-queensland. html C. Natasha 1998, â€Å"Abortion law in Australia†, Law and Bills Digest Group Family Health International 2005, â€Å"Qualitative Research Methods: A Data Collector’s Field Guide†, p. 1-2 â€Å"People and Place† 2004, Monash University, vol 12, no. 4 , p. 25 S. Vivien, E. Owens 2006, â€Å"Education Abroad: The China Syndrome†, Edutopia magazine Thomson Reuters 2009, â€Å"The cost of raising children†, available at: http://moneycentral. msn. com/articles/family/kids/tlkidscost. asp Wm. Robert Johnson 2008, â€Å"Historical abortion statistics† available at: http://www. johnstonsarchive. net/policy/abortion/australia/ab-aust-qld. html

20th century drama Essay

As head of court Danforth also holds pull within Salem and is able to make his views known and perhaps persuade a few to adopt them. He is a figure of authority yet shows much prejudice and allows no one to change his mind. Proctor and Danforth, two men of unmistakable force face each other in court when John is charged with witchcraft. Many of those charged with witchcraft within The Crucible admit to the crime even though they did not commit it and blame others in order to save themselves, however John Proctors honesty and values lead him to tell the truth in court and admit that he believes the whole situation to be a scandal. His truth telling eventually leads to his death however if this would prove his and his friends innocence then this is a price he feels he has to pay. His motivation is his pride and his morals and to show he community the ridiculousness of the situation. He wishes to combat Abby’s revenge. In order to prove Abigail Williams is not to be trusted and has merely set out to punish him he tells the court that she is a whore and that they had an affair together. When asked about this Elizabeth goes against every moral fibre and lies saying that he did not commit adultery to the court in order to save her husband against charges of lechery, or so she believes. This is dramatic irony as the audience knows this is far from the truth and by lying she is in fact ultimately sentencing him to death. Proctor is angered and frustrated by the behaviour of the community and the court and he declares that â€Å"God is dead†. The court and majority of the community take this as an admission of guilt, and that this proves he is at one with the devil; however the audience know that it is to the contrary. It means that there can be no God if there is such injustice in the world. Both Danforth and Hale wish Proctor to confess but for very different reasons. Danforth wishes to be branded a hero for rooting out those involved in witchcraft and getting to the bottom of the situation and ceasing all panic where as hale feels guilty that his teachings have lead to many innocent men’s lives being taken and he wishes to prevent this from happening if possible however he cannot prevent the other prisoners from sacrificing there lives in order to retain there self respect. Before Proctors sentence, those put to death were of a low class and seen as socially unimportant yet this did not matter to Proctor as every life taken was a travesty to him and this contributes to the fact that he denies involvement in witchcraft after consideration. Elizabeth is distraught that proctor will hang, they have an understanding that this is the only was forward for them. All they wish for is forgiveness from one another before the deed is done. ‘I have deeds of my own to count. It needs a cold wife to prompt lechery’ Elizabeth is finally taking some of the blame for Johns adultery. They wish to clear the air before he is put to death. Elizabeth also wishes for Proctor to forgive himself also. ‘it comes to naught that I should forgive you if you not forgive yourself. ‘ Proctor love for his family and wife leads him to sign the paper of admission and live for them however he realises he cannot go through with it and go against his own morals. ‘How can I live without my name? I have given you my soul, leave my name! ‘ This shows that he believes if he lies he would be sacrificing his name which all he has left of his pride and it would be tainted, and thus in his eyes, unworthy of life. The fact he is sacrificing his life in order to show the ridiculousness of the whole situation is heroic even though he has partially upon himself as his intimidating status and admission of lechery lead the community to expect the worst of him. Throughout the play Arthur Miller is trying to address the issues of McCarthyism and human weakness. He is attempting to show how small incidents can be blown out of proportion if jealousy and other human weaknesses are involved. He shows the human tendency to conform and how this can lead to downfall. He emphasises the importance of truth and loyalty as through death proctor gains respect for himself and saves the community from even more widespread destruction. These issues are still important in contempory situations.

Role of the Practitioner

ll early years practitioners have a role to play in quality improvement by developing their personal and professional skills as reflective practitioners. Linda Thornton and Pat Brunton discuss what you can do The quality of provision in any early years settings is dependent on the skills, attitudes, knowledge and experience of everyone who works there. Reflective practice is the key to quality improvement as it helps to identify the strengths and weaknesses of different aspects of a setting’s provision.Being a reflective practitioner involves thinking about how you currently work and evaluating what you do in order to improve your practice. The reflective practitioner stands back, takes a balanced view and recognises what works well, but is also able to acknowledge what could be changed. To be a reflective practitioner you need to be self aware and able to look as objectively and honestly as possible at how you work with children, colleagues and parents.This is not easy, but t aking a proactive role, reflecting on and analysing your own practice is far more rewarding than relying on someone in a more senior position to do this for you. Evaluating your own practice helps to put you in control of the changes that should be made, enables you to identify your professional development needs and will increase your confidence and feelings of job satisfaction. Reflective practice and self evaluation are fundamental to the Ofsted inspection process.By completing the Self Evaluation Form (SEF) managers and setting leaders are able to provide a snapshot of what happens in a setting. Through the SEF they can clearly identify the setting’s strengths and highlight what it does well. At the same time they can acknowledge any weaknesses in provision and plan the changes and improvements to be made. However, managers cannot achieve this alone. They are reliant on all practitioners in the setting taking responsibility for the quality of their individual practice and aiming for continuous improvement.The reflective practitioner in action Being a good role model Reflect on how enthusiastic, positive and optimistic you are and how you demonstrate this in your work from day to day. Think about how you treat colleagues, how well you listen to them and to what extent you are prepared to help out if needed. Consider the way to talk to children and how good you are at listening to what they have to say and following up on their ideas. How good are you at making parents feel welcome and at valuing what they can tell you about what is important for their individual child?Do you help the setting to run smoothly by thinking ahead and being proactive in solving problems as they arise? Do you take responsibility for your own professional development? Understanding the SEF By understanding the structure of the SEF and looking at the questions it asks you can become more aware of how your individual practice contributes to the overall provision of the setting . The SEF is in three parts that look at different aspects of how a setting functions.Part A: The details of the setting and the views of those who use it As a reflective practitioner, consider the contribution you make to the vision and values of the setting and what it aims to achieve for children and families. Think about how well you help parents and children to feel a part of the setting. How do you enable them to express opinions and have their views listened to? How good are you at contributing your ideas and opinions and listening to the views of others?