Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Bisphenol A (BPA) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Bisphenol A (BPA) - Essay Example It is known in recent years of the mid-20th century to have been widely utilized in the manufacture of bottles made of hard plastic as well as metallic containers for packaging food and beverage. BPA is primarily used in synthesizing polycarbonate high-performance plastics, epoxy resins, and coatings which are further required for a variety of yields and other applications. As being a potential contaminant which bears significant impact upon reproduction and growth in aquatic life due to leaching of BPA from landfills which consist of mixed wastes of disposing of plastic and metal objects. As such, organisms like fish, reptiles, amphibians, and several aquatic invertebrates have been reported to suffer from endocrine-based consequences upon exposure to moderately toxic BPA levels. Other relevant findings also demonstrate environmental hazards posed by BPA on terrestrial wildlife and leguminous plants through its interfering action on certain processes required for biological developm ent. BPA is found to cause disruption of endocrine and neurological functions, obesity, brain tumors, thyroid problems, and cancer in human beings among others. I suppose that, as a concerned citizen, I can help minimize the impact of BPA on my environment and on my own health by completely refraining from or reducing at least the use of polycarbonate products. I would take the time and effort to join some anti-BPA campaigns whenever I can and communicate to the public the most to support the endeavor of seeking alternatives to BPA.

Monday, October 28, 2019

Children literacy Essay Example for Free

Children literacy Essay The purpose of this story is to improve children literacy. This story helps children to learn different animal names and different things. User can listen and read to story as well. Audience: The audience of this story are children age 4 7 and this story will help them to learn names of different things and animals and will improve their grammar. I found that by reading the story and it also has been mentioned on the website. The purpose of final product is to provide entertainment so I will need to include this feature however I will make sure that the text on my animation is appropriate and simple so that the audience can understand it easily. Techniques used: This animation has used a number of techniques to make it professional and attractive which eventually makes it successful. The animation has used buttons to navigate from scene to other by clicking the story bear or next. Users can start the story again if by clicking back to the start. This buttons are very useful as it allows the user to skip the scene or start the story again if they have missed any scene. I will also make that I use buttons on my animation so that user have some flexibility and can navigate easily. These features will make my animation professional and suitable for my audience. At the start of the animation there are two options to watch the story with sound or without sound. This is the technique used by most professional websites, it helps user to understand the story more easily and make the animation suitable for its purpose. This animation asks user to click on different things, when user click on an object the next scene can be watch. This means this animation has used different objects on different scenes as a button. I will use this technique on my animation as it will allow user to interact with the animation which will keep the user interested in the animation. This technique also makes the animation very professional which is a positive aspect about this animation. The object to click on An effect has been added to some objects so when a user is going to click on it and pointer is on it. The appearance of the object will change; a white border will surround this object. This technique will help users to show that this is the right object to click on to watch next scene. This technique is shown on the above screen shot. In this animation the objects has been used as buttons to make it interactive I will use this technique in my animation. I will also use objects or characters as buttons, which will allow users to watch next scene. I will use buttons on my animation and add effect so that the appearance of these buttons can be change when the pointer is on it. This technique will make my animation more eye-catching and aesthetic. The zoom in and out technique has been used several times in this animation. This technique helps user to see the close of the objects which will help them to understand the story. This is a very useful technique as it clearly shows what is happening in the story. I will use this technique where it is important. This will help me to meet the professional standard. This animation has used clouds and question mark to show that the characters are thinking. The face expression also shows that the characters are thinking because of the eye movement and hands position. Below the screen shots shows the two different characters of the story thinking. This animation is very professional because it shows the face expressions. The face of the Micky becomes red when he is angry. Below the screen shots are showing two different emotions. This is a high quality technique as this makes the story interesting and realistic. I will use this technique in my animation; I will show the facial expression of my characters to make my animation attractive to its audience and professional. This animation used a lot of motion tweens to show the movements. The legs of the characters move forward to show the walking effects, hands move to show that they are talking and thinking. At the start of the story the leaves are falling down. The birds beak is moving to show the talking effect, the eye balls of almost all characters are moving and the story bear is moving his one foot while thinking. This is a positive aspect on this animation as it makes the animation more interesting and realistic. I will definitely use motion tweens in my animation to show the characters walking and playing and to show the movements of objects. This will help me to create a realistic and appealing final product. Navigation and interaction: This animation is users friendly as its navigation is very effective. To watch the next scene users have to click next or story bear button, this button will also helps user to skip scene. There is another button start the story again which allow user to watch the story again. This gives the user some flexibility. This animation interacts with the users a lot as user have to click the button to watch the next scene and it also asks user to click on different objects. This animation allow user to get involve in the story which will keep their interest till the end. Strengths: Techniques: There are number of good points about this story. These strengths make the animation suitable for its purpose and audience. First of all the animation has used range of techniques. Such as motion tweens, zoom in, face expressions and user interaction. These techniques made the story interesting and professional. This animation also uses clouds to show what the characters are thinking. I will be using some of these techniques to ensure that my product is to the best possible standard. Another good point about this animation is that the scenes flow in a sequence which makes it suitable for its audience, as it is very easy for its audience to understand what is going in the story. I will make sure that the sequence of scenes of my animation is easy to understand and appropriate for my target audience so that they can enjoy the story. Characters and objects: This animation has got six different characters and used a lot of objects. The number of characters are appropriate as they not too much which makes the animation crowdy and audience would not be able to understand whats happening in the story or there not very few characters which makes the story boring. I will also make sure that the number of characters in my animation is appropriate so that my animation is not boring or crowded. This will make my animation suitable for its audience. Sound and text: The story has an option which allow user to listen to the story as well as reading. This is a good point of this animation because it makes the animation suitable for the purpose it has made for by improving their listening skills. The text of this animation is appropriate for its audience and help to keep the users interest till the end. I will include sound and text on my animation so that the users can understand the story easily by listening or reading it. This will give users some flexibility. I will also include some other sounds for example sound of a ball kick to make my animation vibrant and professional.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

AOL and the Family :: Web Internet Computers Essays

AOL and the Family The first things that usually come to mind when the American Online symbol is seen is the company’s slow connection, the tied up phone lines, instant messaging, and its monthly fees. Despite the many faults associated with the symbol, this, however, does not stop many from turning to the company’s services when a fast, protected, and reliable web surfing experience is required; And its mainly due to AOL’s commitment to providing services that appeal very much to the family unit. Although â€Å"family† is not usually the first thing that comes to mind when the symbol appears, it is the family oriented services and resources that people expect when dealing with the company in one form or the other. In addition to the other associations with the AOL symbol, the idea of â€Å"family† is another meaning that is closely connected with the symbol because America Online’s family oriented services and resources make it the most widely u sed Internet Service Provider (ISP) out there on the market today. One of the key aspects of a family unit is safety, more specifically, protection. Similar to the world, the Internet is not a safe place. There are many things out on the Internet that parents do not want their children to be exposed to, nor do they want to be exposed to the garbage that is floating around on the Internet. America Online is an ISP company that is protecting families and ensuring that they are not exposing themselves to some of the questionable information out on the Internet today. With resources such as AOL Neighborhood Watch, and AOL Keyword, families are able to receive information about protecting their password, avoiding computer viruses, and spotting frauds and schemes (Gau). In addition, children’s online safety is a primary concern of American Online. An American Online feature that permits parents to select the appropriate levels of online participation for their children is the Parental Controls, and it is used by a majority of AOL p arents to monitor their child‘s daily access to the Internet (Gau). Access to such important tools and features enables members and non-members that try out the company’s services for the first time, to perceive the AOL Company as a â€Å"family† company when the symbol appears on billboards, in magazines or in television commercials.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Healthy Grief Essay

The Book of Job is a profound story about a man who was â€Å"perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil† (Job 1:1). Job was a man who had a loving family, prospered and was very wealthy. For whatever reason, Satan challenged God regarding Job. Satan told God that if everything were taken away from Job, he would surely curse God. It was a â€Å"bet† of sorts. So God gave Satan the power to destroy everything Job had with the exception of Job’s life. Satan took away Job’s possessions, family and health. Unbelievably, even after all his loss, Job still fell to the ground and worshipped God. Job 1:2-20) The trials and hardships that Job suffered were inconceivable, yet Job seemed to persevere and demonstrate resilience beyond what is human. What made the difference? Was it his faith? This paper will discuss the five stages of the Kubler-Ross grieving process. It will examine the successful example of Job’s own grieving process as it relates to the Baha’i faith. The Five stages of Kubler-Ross can be seen throughout the story of Job. According to Kubler-Ross (2013), the grieving process is comprised of five formal stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and finally acceptance. The first stage, denial, actually enables the person to initially endure an incredible loss. While it may seem counterintuitive, denial is actually a critical aspect of the healthy healing process. It is comparable to entering a stage of shock. The act of denial actually is a protective mechanism that helps a person cope with the overwhelming situations. (Kubler-Ross & Kessler 2013) One could interpret Job’s statement, â€Å"Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away†(Job 1:21) as a form of denial. Others may interpret it as his unwavering faith in God’s plan. Anger is the next stage, and is absolutely essential to the grieving process. Job is seen voicing his anger, â€Å"Therefore I will not restrain my mouth, I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. † (Job 7:11) Pain is the emotion most closely related to and buried under anger. So, in essence, the pain drives anger and anger drives change. As it relates to the grieving process, anger instigates a form of strength and can provide the backbone and structure necessary to move on to the next stage. Kubler-Ross & Kessler 2013) Although Job voices his anger it isn’t directed to God but rather the situation. Bargaining in the third stage and is the stage of negotiating. In their mind, a person will remain in the past, and try anything to return to the way things were before. (Kubler-Ross & Kessler 2013) At first glance, it appears Job doesn’t ever go through the bargaining stage, he clearly expresses his sadness. He continues to praise and worship God in spite of the losses he is going through. However, one can observe how he clearly wishes he could return to the way things were before. He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength, who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered. † (Job 9:4) But his sorrow could certainly be seen as a type of bargaining with God to relieve his sorrow. The fourth stage is depression, the stage where one will experience feelings of emptiness and hopelessness. Some people worry that their feelings of despair will last forever. Yet this stage is part of the natural order of loss, and a critical component of the five stages. When someone is depressed they become withdrawn. They sometimes question whether or not they should go on themselves. The depression stage is part of the natural healing process and is a necessary step one must experience in order to heal. (Kubler-Ross & Kessler 2013) Job reveals his own deep depression he says, â€Å"My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope. â€Å"(Job 7:6) â€Å"Let that day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said. † (Job 3:3) and continues to question why he survived birth and should probably never have been conceived. (Job 3:3-11). Job is feeling hopeless and is becoming depressed. He also feels his problems are ith no end in sight, and he is experiencing the thoughts of giving up. Acceptance of his trials is evident in Job 13: 15-16 â€Å"Through he slay me, yet will I trust in him, He also will be my salvation. † Job accepts that God is wise and puts his trust in him. This stage is about the acceptance of a new reality; people change, learn and develop empathy from their grief to move on. Acknowledging the pain and moving on doesn’t mean the past is forgotten, rather it enables the person to move forward with an open heart and a broader perspective. Job didn’t fully understand the purpose of his trials, but he accepted the omnipotence of his God. His faith sustained him just as faith sustains people today. Job’s faith is similar to that of the Baha’i faith. Those of the Baha’i faith believe that the body, mind, and spirit grow when they are tried by suffering. Trails or tests are viewed as a gift from God. Those who have these tests and persevere will have happiness while those who don’t are cowards. They are asked to turn to God and pray when enduring these tests and be thankful. Grief and sorrow do not come to us by chance, they are sent to us by the Divine Mercy for our own perfecting† (Baha’i International Community 2013). Job persevered and believed there was a reason to why God was putting him through these trials. Studies have shown that those who attend church, pray, and actively practice their faith actually suffer less depression and resolve their grief sooner than those with little or no faith at all. (Quick, 2012) Clearly, there appears to be a correlation between spiritual beliefs or faith, and the ability to handle stress and accept tragedies in a more positive way. Healthcare providers, counselors, and clergy have all recognized that having a faith to cling to or a greater belief in life after death can ease the grieving process. In conclusion, having a belief in a greater power and life after death can make dealing with loss much easier. When a person has something to cling to, it can make dealing with trauma or loss more manageable. If there was no belief in life after death or no belief in a greater power, life’s tragedies would be far more difficult to deal with. It’s actually healthy to cultivate a belief in something. Like Job, we will all experience some type of loss in our lives. Grief is a common thread to each and every person on the planet. Identifying the stages of grief, and having the resources and skills to cope with grief is crucial for handling grief in a healthy way. Everyone experiences the stages of grief. The difference seems to be faith. People who have a deep sense of faith are better equipped and more quickly navigate the stages of grief. As with Job, their faith allows them to go forward and successfully help others through the grieving process.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

The Vaccine Controversy

The vaccine controversy is the dispute over the morality, ethics, effectiveness, and /or safety of vaccinations. The medical and scientific evidence is that the benefits of preventing suffering and death from infectious diseases outweigh rare adverse effects of immunization. Since vaccination began in the late 18th century, opponents have claimed that vaccines do not work, that they are or may be dangerous, that individuals should rely on personal hygiene instead, or that mandatory vaccinations violate individual rights or religious principles. And since then, successful campaigns against vaccinations have resulted in unnecessary injuries and mass death. Vaccines may cause side effects, and the success of immunization programs depend on public confidence for their safety. Concerns about immunization safety often follow a pattern: some investigators suggest that a medical condition in an adverse effect of vaccination; a premature announcement is made of the alleged side effect; the initial study is not reproduced by other groups; and finally, it takes several years to regain public confidence in the vaccine. In this paper I will be explaining several areas of the vaccine controversy: 1. The history of vaccinations and effectiveness 2. Why some parents are against immunizations 3. What are the findings Vaccination became widespread in the United Kingdom in the early 1800’s. Before that, religious arguments against inoculation (the placement of something that will grow or reproduce) were advanced. In a 1772 a sermon entitled â€Å"The Dangerous and Sinful Practice of Inoculation†, the English theologian Rev. Edmund Massey argued that diseases are sent by God to punish sin and that any attempt to prevent small pox via inoculation is a â€Å"diabolical operation†. Some anti – vaccinationists still base their stance against vaccination with reference to their religious beliefs. Public policy and successive Vaccination Acts first encouraged vaccination and then made it mandatory for all infants in 1853, with the highest penalty for refusal being a prison sentence. This was a significant change in the relationship between the British state and its citizens causing public backlash. After an 1867 law extended the requirement age to fourteen years, its opponents focused concern on infringement of individual freedom, and eventually a law in 1898 allowed for objection to vaccination. In the United States, President Thomas Jefferson took a close interest in vaccination, alongside Dr. Waterhouse, chief physician at Boston. Jefferson encouraged the development of ways to transport vaccine material through the Southern states, which included measures to avoid damage by heat, a leading cause of ineffective batches. Smallpox outbreaks were contained by a latter half of the 19th century, a development widely attributed to vaccination of a large portion of the population. Vaccinations rates after this decline in smallpox cases, and the disease again became epidemic in late 19th century. At this point in the 19th century, anti-vaccination activity increased in the U. S. Mass vaccination helped eradicate smallpox, which once killed as many as one in every seventh child in Europe. Vaccination has almost eradicated polio. As a more modest example, incidence of invasive disease with Haemophilus influenzae, a major cause of bacterial meningitis, and other serious disease in children has decreased by over 99% in the U. S. since the introduction of a vaccine in 1988. Fully vaccinating all U. S. children born in a given year from birth to adolescence saves an estimated 14 million infections. Some vaccine critics claim that there have never been any benefits to public health from vaccination. They argue that all the reduction of communicable diseases which were rampant in conditions where overcrowding, poor sanitation, almost non-existent hygiene, and a yearly period of very restricted diet existed are reduced because of changes in conditions excepting vaccination. Other critics argue that immunity given by vaccines is only temporarily and requires boosters, whereas those who survive the disease become permanently immune. Lack of complete vaccine coverage increases the risk of disease for the entire population, including those who have been vaccinated, because it reduces herd immunity. For example, measles targets children between the ages of 9 and 12 months, and the short window between the disappearance of maternal antibody (before which the vaccine often fails to seroconvert) and natural infection means that vaccinated children frequently are still vulnerable. Herd immunity lessens this vulnerability, if all the children are vaccinated. Increasing herd immunity during an outbreak or threatened outbreak is the most widely accepted justification for mass vaccination. Mass vaccination also helps to increase coverage rapidly, thus obtaining herd immunity, when a new vaccine is introduced. Commonly used vaccines are a cost – effective and preventive way of promoting good health, compared to the cost of treatment of acute or chronic diseases. In the U. S. during the year 2001, routine childhood immunizations against seven diseases were estimated to save over $40 billion per year, overall social costs including $10 billion in direct health costs, and the societal benefit – cost ratio for these vaccinations was estimated to be $16. 5 billion. In several countries reductions in the use of some vaccines was followed by increases in the diseases morbidity and morality. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, continued high levels of vaccine coverage are necessary to prevent resurgence of disease which had been eliminated. Few deny the vast improvements vaccination has made to the public health. They are more concerned with the safety of vaccines. All vaccines may cause side effects, and immunization safety is a huge concern. Controversies in this area revolve around the question of whether the risks of perceived adverse effects following immunization outweigh the benefit of preventing adverse effects of common diseases. There is scientific evidence that in rare cases immunizations can cause adverse effects, such as oral polio vaccine causing paralysis however, current scientific evidence does not support the hypothesis of causation for more common disorders such as autism. Although the hypotheses that vaccines cause autism are biologically implausible, it would be hard to study scientifically whether autism is less common in children who do not follow recommended vaccination schedules, because an experiment based on withholding vaccines from children would be unethical. Another concern of parents regarding the safety of vaccines is the thought that vaccine overload will weaken a child’s immune system and can lead to adverse side effects. Although scientific evidence does not support and even contradicts this idea, many parent especially parents of autistic children, firmly believe that vaccine overload causes autism. However, the idea of vaccine overload does not stand for several reasons. First of all, vaccines do not overwhelm the immune system. In fact, scientists believe that the immune system can respond to thousands of viruses simultaneously. Also, despite the number of increase in the number of vaccines over recent decades, improvements in vaccine design have reduced the immunologic load from vaccines, such that the number of immunological components in the fourteen vaccines administered in the U. S. to children is less than 10% of what it was in the seven vaccines given in 1980. Vaccines constitutes only a tiny fraction of the pathogens naturally encountered by a child in a typical year and common childhood conditions such as fevers and middle ear infections pose a much greater challenge to the immune system than vaccines do. Second, studies have shown that vaccinations, and even multiple concurrent vaccinations, do not weaken the immune system, or compromise overall immunity. Other safety concerns about vaccines have been published on the Internet, in informal meetings, in books, and at symposia. These include hypotheses that vaccination can cause sudden infant death syndrome, epileptic seizures, allergies, multiple sclerosis, and autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes, as well as hypotheses that vaccination can transmit bovine spongiform encephalopathy, Hepatitis C, and HIV. These hypotheses have all been investigated with the conclusions that currently used vaccines meet high safety standards, and that the criticism of vaccine safety in the popular press are not justified. Finally, there is no evidence of an immune-system role in autism. The lack of evidence supporting the vaccine overload hypotheses, combined with these findings directly contradicting it, have led to the conclusion that currently recommended vaccines programs do not overload or weaken the immune systems and are a greater benefit than a risk to children. I am a mother of 2 healthy boys, as a parent I have made the choice to have my children vaccinated against all diseases except H1N1. I did not have my children vaccinated against H1N1 for personal reasons. However, from the time of both of their births they have been vaccinated with all the immunizations as directed by their doctor and I have never had any issues with their health. I am a true believer that the benefits of immunizations out weigh the risks. The research I found while writing this paper backs up and supports everything I have ever believed about immunizations since the birth of my first child fifteen years ago. I would recommend to all new parents to vaccinate their children. Of course I do understand that there are side effects of immunizations shots, the most common one I have dealt with my children is a mild fever and maybe mild bruising in the area of the injection however, I would much rather deal with a mild fever for a day than the thought of my child catching a deadly disease. References Adams, M (2003). Health Library The Immunization Controversy: Should Your Child Be Immunized? http://www.healthlibrary.epnet.com Salive, ME (1997). Healing Arts Children’s Vaccines: Research on Risks for Children from Vaccine http://www.healing-arts.org/children/vaccines Gervais, Roger (2007). Natural Life Magazine Understanding the Vaccine Controversy http://www.naturallifemagazine.com/naturalparenting/vaccines Center for Disease Control and Prevention Possible Side Effects from Vaccines http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/side-effects

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

How to Overcome College Student Homesickness

How to Overcome College Student Homesickness Being homesick in college is more common than most students want to admit. With these 5 tips, however, dealing with it can be a little easier. Call home. This may sound like common sense, but it can really help. The key factor, however, is not to call home all of the time. Dont call more than once a day, and keep the conversation positive. But if you miss your friends, family, boyfriend, or girlfriend, giving them a call can sometimes help ease the heartache. Go visit home once. Visiting home can be a great way to recharge yourself and get some of that TLC (not to mention home cooking) that you need. But going home too often can frequently make homesickness worse. Let yourself go home when you need it, but make sure it doesnt turn into an every-weekend occurrence. Go out with your college friends. Sometimes, a night out with your college friends can do wonders for homesickness. It can take your mind off of things back home, can help you relax and have a good time, and can reinforce relationships that will make your school feel like home sometime soon. Call a friend from back home. Chances are that your group of friends sp read out as each of you went to different colleges. And chances are that your group of friends is missing each other. Give a friend from home a call and catch up for a little while. It may do wonders for your homesickness to just touch base for a quick phone call. Get out of your room. Its incredibly easy to hide in your room in college. But doing so prevents you from meeting new people, trying new things, and experiencing college life in general. You didnt go to school to hide in your room, right? Make sure to spend large chunks of your time out of your room even if its just at a campus coffee shop, the quad, or the library and get your mind on other things. You never know what might happen, but you do know that it wont happen if youre alone in your room all the time.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Cancer - Smart Custom Writing Samples

Cancer - Smart Custom Writing Insanity DefenseExecutive summary The insanity plea should be eliminated for assisting criminals get away with murder as well as other serious felonies. Clever defendants have abused the very essence of the plea, thereby securing refuge from criminal punishment. Problems associated with the use of this plea include: difficulties in determining mental illness, differing opinions from psychiatrists concerning the sanity of the same subject, use of money to compromise psychiatrist’s conclusion in favor of the defendant, long time involved in the examination of one subject by psychiatrists thereby resulting to a delayed justice, artificial and crazy behavior by the subject during examination so as to influence the outcome of the examination, lack of scientific as well as an in-depth brain test to diagnose the patient, high cost when a forensic psychologist is involved, and lack of a trustworthy criteria for discharging such subjects from hospital.    Introduction Insanity defense is a strategy applied in law courts by mentally ill defendants to avoid being punished for crimes they committed on the assumption that they were incapable of distinguishing right from wrong at the time the crime was committed. They choose to do this so that instead of being granted jail term, they are given a psychiatric treatment. This concept dates back to the twelfth century although it has undergone some evolution. The original version of the plea didn’t intend to have the defendant found no guilty on the bases of inability to distinguish wrong from right but intended to have the defendant awarded a pardon or a way of mitigating the sentence. Its only in the nineteenth century that the argument of having the defendant acquitted on this basis arose. This paper will discuss the risks that come with the use of the plea and why it should be abolished. This plea has been widely abused by criminals to procure acquittal and that’s why its of interest to m e. Objectives The research seeks to identify the risks involved in the use of the insanity plea in the judicial system. Research methodology To achieve the desired research objectives, both primary and secondary sources of information were made use of. The primary sources included questionnaires given to professionals in the legal fraternity quite conversant with the concept and historians who are well versed with the genesis of the concept. The secondary source of information was basically library research targeting books and articles touching on the subject. Main body Continued use of this plea is the surest way to make the world itself insane and unpredictable. Imagine a suicide bomber who is caught on the verge of detonating the bomb and when taken to court, invokes this plea to procure acquittal (Pasewark 100). One major problem with insanity plea is the difficult involved in determining mental illness. What the proponents of this concept fail to realize is that, there is a big difference between insanity and mental illness (Pasewark 101). As a matter of fact, only some few mental illness constitute insanity. Insanity on the other hand is comprised of not only mental illnesses, but mental deficiencies as well. The two words are actually used in different disciplines of knowledge and it would therefore be wrong to equate them. Insanity is used in the legal arena and is therefore not a medical word. Problems therefore arise as experts try to apply a medical theory to a legal matter (Pasewark 104). Differing opinions from the psychiatric community as far as the sanity of one individual is concerned further subjects the concept to gross abuses (Manchester 112). Furthermore, the world is slowly giving in to corruption as a way of life and therefore the psychiatrists can be compromised to say that the defendant is insane. Money or lack of it can therefore play a very crucial role in the success or failure of an insanity defense. The determination of insanity is the preserve of court psychiatrists (Manchester 115). It’s important to realize that this determination can take dozens of sessions and even fail to come to a solid end as far as the mental condition of the defendant is concerned. This therefore ends up having a serious impact on the trial as well as its outcome. This results to big files of undecided cases and this waters down the credibility of the judicial system (Manchester 116). The determination largely involves behavior study. A defendant equipped with this kn owledge can decide to behave artificially so as to influence the outcome of the examination. This compromises the accuracy of the examination . No body puts the accuracy issue in a better word frame than Thomas Sowell in his book titled Insanity defense published in the year 1994, â€Å" psychiatrists and psychologists are often put in the same position as economists who are asked to predict things that no one is capable of predicting. Those with the honesty and realism to say they can’t do it are likely to be brushed aside†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Sowell 10). Psychiatrists also have a tendency of identifying with people in their social as well as economic class (Fass 125) . This is the lot they are likely to describe better. If the case is involving a defendant in a different social and economic class as the psychiatrist, then the psychiatrist is very likely to be oblivious of the defendant’s problems. This means that the jury handling the case would base its verdict on a poorly researched conclusion. Sowell, 1984 gives a case that illustrates this behavior of psychiatrists. A forensic psychologist is quoted as saying â€Å" I hate to say this, but I don’t like to work with poor people†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..They are talking about stuff that doesn’t interest me† ( Sowell 325). The fact that psychiatrists are also not required by the court to accompany their conclusion with some scientific backing makes the concept vulnerable to even more abuses. They do not even carry out an in-depth brain test to diagnose the patient. Psychiatrists arrive at their verdict via mere observance of the subject and then deciding based on their beliefs (Fass 126). If the case requires the services of forensic psychologists who are paid professionals, then accessibility problems set in especially if the defendant cannot afford the charges required (Fass 127). The concept is clearly a loophole used by defendants who conspire with rogue psychiatrists to get away with felonies and murder (Bonnie 85). A case in point that clearly illustrates this is the acquittal of the gentleman who attempted to assassinate President Rogan Reagan. This attempt was carried out in the full glare of the public and was captured in cameras. Hinckley earned an acquittal despite the evidence connecting him with the felony (Bonnie 87). This attempt brought up unprecedented public outcry. Psychiatrists involved in the case concluded that he made the attempt in an effort to impress Jodie Foster, an actress he had become obsessed with. The decision of the psychiatrists was based on observance as well as the upbringing of the suspect as opposed to scientific proves which would be more accurate and reliable (Bonnie 88). The fact that somebody for instance , masturbated for several years as an adolescence cannot be used to justify a felony of this degree. After a person is awarded acquittal courtesy of this plea, the law requires that such a person is taken to a mental institution where he/she is supposed to stay until a doctor proves that the person is no longer dangerous and therefore can coexist with others in the society (Manchester 121). A lawyer is also required to accent to this. The procedure of determining this is as untrustworthy and compromised as that of determining the insanity itself. For instance, Sowell, 1994 gives a case of one man by the name Kemper, E . E who earned acquittal after murdering his grant parents. This acquittal was based on the insanity plea. This man was therefore send to an hospital in accordance with the law. He spend about five years in the hospital after which he was dismissed after convincing psychiatrists and the judge that he was now cured and could coexist with others in the society. He did this by giving rational answers to the psychological test he was subjected to. Three years later, he fou nd himself behind bars again for killing eight women one of them being his mother. This casts a lot of doubt on the criteria used to discharge such subjects from hospital. This plea should therefore be abolished in favor of the â€Å" guilty but mentally ill â€Å" concept. In this case, the defendant would first be taken to hospital for psychotherapy and then once he/she is mentally fit, serve the remainder of the sentence in jail (Sowell 20) . Conclusion The paper has discussed the reasons as to why insanity plea should be eliminated from our judicial system. They have included: difficulties in determining mental illness, differing opinions from psychiatrists concerning the sanity of the same subject, use of money to compromise psychiatrist’s conclusion in favor of the defendant, long time involved in the examination of one subject by psychiatrists thereby resulting to a delayed justice, artificial and crazy behavior by the subject during examination so as to influence the outcome of the examination, lack of scientific as well as an in-depth brain test to diagnose the patient, high cost when a forensic psychologist is involved, and lack of a trustworthy criteria for discharging such subjects from hospital.    Works cited    Bonnie, R etal. â€Å"Decision Making in Criminal Defense: An Empirical Study of Insanity Pleas and the Impact of Doubted Client Competence† , Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, Vol. 87, 1996. Fass, M. â€Å" A forensic Psychology Exercise: Role Playing and the Insanity Defense†, Teaching of Psychology, Vol. 26, 1999. Manchester, J. â€Å"Beyond Accommodation: Reconstructing the Insanity Defense to Provide an Adequate Remedy for Postpartum Psychotic Women†. Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, Vol. 93, 2003. Pasewark, A. A Review of Research on the Insanity Defense. Annals of the Academy of Political and Social Science. London: Oxford University Press, 1986 pp 100-104 Sowell, T. Insanity defense . London: Oxford University Press, 1994

Sunday, October 20, 2019

The Four Surviving Maya Codices

The Four Surviving Maya Codices The Maya - a powerful pre-Colombian civilization who reached their cultural zenith around 600-800 A.D. before falling into steep decline - were literate and had books, written in a complex language including pictograms, glyphs, and phonetic representations. A Maya book is referred to as a codex (plural: codices). The codices were painted onto a paper made of bark from the fig tree and folded out like an accordion. Unfortunately, zealous Spanish priests destroyed most of these codices during the conquest and colonial era and today only four examples survive. The four surviving Maya codices mostly contain information about Maya astronomy, astrology, religion, rituals, and Gods. All four of the Maya books were created after the downfall of the Maya civilization, proving that some vestiges of culture remained after the great city-states of the Maya Classic Period were abandoned. The Dresden Codex The most complete of the surviving Maya codices, the Dresden Codex came to the Royal Library in Dresden in 1739 after being purchased from a private collector in Vienna. It was drawn by no fewer than eight different scribes and it is believed that it was created sometime between 1000 and 1200 A.D. during the Postclassic Maya period. This  codex deals primarily with astronomy: days, calendars, good days for rituals, planting, prophecies, etc. There is also a part which deals with sickness and medicine. There are also some astronomical charts plotting the movements of the Sun and Venus. The Paris Codex The Paris Codex, discovered in 1859 in a dusty corner of the Paris library, is not a complete codex, but fragments of eleven double-sided pages. It is believed to date from the late Classic or Postclassic era of Maya history. There is much information in the codex: it is about Maya ceremonies, astronomy (including constellations), dates, historical information and descriptions of Maya Gods and spirits. The Madrid Codex For some reason, the Madrid Codex was separated into two parts after it reached Europe, and for a while was considered two different codices: it was put back together in 1888. Relatively poorly drawn, the codex is probably from the late Postclassic Period (circa 1400 A.D.) but may be from even later. As many as nine different scribes worked on the document. It is mostly about astronomy, astrology, and divination. It is of great interest to historians, as it contains information on Maya Gods and the rituals associated with the Maya New Year. There is some information about the different days of the year and the Gods associated with each. There is also a section on basic Maya activities such as hunting and making pottery. The Grolier Codex Not discovered until 1965, the Grolier Codex consists of eleven battered pages of what was likely once a larger book. Like the others, it deals with astrology, specifically Venus and its movements. Its authenticity has been questioned, but most experts seem to think it’s genuine. Sources Archaeology.org: Redating the Madrid Codex, by Angela M.H. Schuster, 1999. McKillop, Heather. The Ancient Maya: New Perspectives. New York: Norton, 2004.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Discuss the importance of the Sahara and the Indian Ocean in ancient Essay - 3

Discuss the importance of the Sahara and the Indian Ocean in ancient African history - Essay Example The Saharan region, especially Egypt, has provided historical information necessary for enhancing studies involving progressive and evolvement in traditional African societies. Most archaeological activities are concentrated in this region because the evidence has not suffered significant distortion from human activities. Most archaeological studies have concentrated on the Sahara and Indian Ocean. Studies on Saharan traditional communities have focused on urbanization, stateless societies and trade activities (Wendorf 3). These studies provide vital information required for understanding the historical background of Africa. The notion of an African continent being divided by the Sahara desert is not a priority of the past historical studies. Most historians viewed the region as an intermediate area beyond which lay the land for Africans. Europeans described Sahara as an impenetrable land inhabited by the indomitable and hostile Tuareg. Sahara was the last region to be mapped during the European conquest, with most of the regions being less affected by colonization. Studies focusing on the historical aspect of communities inhabiting the Saharan region have emphasized on the various ways in which diseases, technology and foodstuffs have affected the evolvement of the modern communities. Traditional studies link the presence of camels and Islam religion as indication of African connection to global community through trade. Use of camels and spread of the Islam religion were normally concentrated in the Saharan region with the Indian Ocean acting as the connecting channel. Enhancement of trade, introduced in the Saharan region led to the association of other African communities forming a, â€Å"formal, intra-regional economic network† (Wendorf 3). This led to the establishment of traditional trade centers in various regions that coordinated all the trade activities, especially in Egypt where

Friday, October 18, 2019

H.J.Heinz Marketing Strategy Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

H.J.Heinz Marketing Strategy - Case Study Example The paper shall examine these with specific reference to the initiatives launched by the company and recommendations will be given about the issues that can be changed within the company. Heinz has established a name for themselves in the food industry through their pricing strategies. Usually, the company studies markets in its respective environs and then looks for a way in which it can stay ahead of that competition. Their prices are normally sufficient enough to attract clientele, while at the same time maintaining a level of profitability and competition within its respective regions. Numerous marketers acknowledge the fact that when sufficient value has been added onto a product, then its pricing becomes a secondary factor in convincing clients to purchase the item. For instance Heinz ketchups contain additional ingredients such as garlic and other flavours that can be used to enhance its overall taste and hence its value. This is the reason why consumers became loyal to the brand. In addition to the latter, pricing is also largely determined by the strength of the brand. For instance, when one considers some of the goods offered by the company, it can be seen that some of them may be much higher than what their competitors sell them for. However, because of the strong brand name, some people who are loyal to the Heinz brand may be willing to pay a little extra for the commodity as long as it comes from the H. J. Heinz food company. (Grant, 2005) Heinz pricing strategies are also largely affected by their geographical proximities. For instance, the largest pickle manufacturing Heinz factory is located in its headquarters within the United States. Consequently, some countries that may be in need of this product but are far from the United States will have to include the additional costs that come along with shipment and the like. Heinz usually incorporates a lot of in-store discounting in its product offering. Most of the time, this is done through a range of grocery stores or it also deals with a series of hyper stores too. The company realises that in order to boost their sales at the last point of contact with the consumer, there is a need for one to establish a mechanism that will encourage this kind of initiative. (Balakrishnana & Coyne, 1995) Perhaps the most important aspect in Heinz's marketing strategy is the strength of its products. First of all, Heinz is largely known for its "fifty-seven-varieties" advertisement and logos. The company has invested thoroughly in offering a range of food items such as pickles, sour onions, tomato sauce and many other varieties. The number fifty seven does not signify the exact number of products available under the Heinz name because these products are much more than this. However, the number is meant to indicate just how diverse the company's product offerings are and also, to capture consumer's attention. (Mc Gahan, 2004) The major strategy behind Heinz's product strategy over the past three years has been to streamline their product offering. The company realized that in order to offer better quality products, it would be more helpful for them if they categorised their items. This was the reason why the company decided to offer all their products under three major brands that included; Sauces Ketchups Baby food Convenience meals The company was determined to grow this category by buying out other companies that had specialised in some of their weak categories such as the

Special Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Special Education - Essay Example This assumption and accusation comes from the fact that schools stand to get more funding from the government if they have more special education needs students. In this regard, it is assumed that schools are more likely to label more students as special needs students so as to acquire more money from the government. However, as Freeman (2012) says, this is not only incorrect, it is also impossible. He argues that this accusation is incorrect because of various reasons. First, in any school, just one qualified teacher can have a child into the special needs status. This member of staff, who should also be a qualified teacher, and the special education needs coordinator would at the same time have to communicate and consult with so many other parties before he or she is finally able to have the child labelled as a special education needs student. These other parties include the board members, the parents of the child, the head teacher, a government body and many others. This means tha t the school cannot just decide to make a certain student a special needs student and start getting funding for the same. Secondly, Freeman (2012) argues that this claim is wrong because even if it was possible for schools to decide to label a child as having differentiated needs, this does not necessarily lead to the school getting lots of money. He argues that even after a school makes a certain student or group of students special needs students, this does not necessarily lead to the government increasing funding to the school. In such a case, the school may be required to meet the special needs of the students within the already existing resources. Again, even in the rare cases where the government may increase funding to the school, the increase in minimal and not so much as to be seen as a improvement of the students that the school gets. To counter this belief that schools and teachers are getting into the habit of unnecessarily labelling students as special needs students in order to get more money, Freeman (2012) argues that schools have over time tried their best to improve the learning environment of students with disability. This means that contrary to the belief that teacher and schools are using special education needs students to get more money, they are actually more interested in helping these students and do so with or without increased funding. Thirdly, Freeman (2012) argues that this argument is incorrect because even in cases where a school gets more support from the government for helping in taking the needs of these students with special education needs, this increased funding is usually in the form of teaching staff as opposed to cash money. In the article, he also looks at another issue that is more fundamental. The Second issue is that it is not the labelling that is important but how challenges of special students are dealt with. He looks at how the history of taking care of students with special need has changed. In particular he ar gues that teachers and school in general have turned to not caring too much about labelling but to coming up with different ways in which to assist students. He stresses that the label that the child gets is not important to the school staff, both teaching and the other members of staff because what matters to them is identifying the barriers and coming up with sensible practical solutions to help these students. Freeman (2012) stresses at least two things here. First he stresses the fact that labelling student

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Assignment - Essay Example In his discourse, he equivalently points out defects existing in the Irish political system and the neglect of the ruling class which, according to Swift, ought to be blamed altogether for the crisis that had been worsened by the mercantilist structure of British control over his nation. Prior to the endeavour of illustrating the substance of his proposition, Swift initiates â€Å"A Modest Proposal† by briefing readers with a concrete picture of the grounds which he thinks amounted to a grievance that deserved an unordinary level of attention. He confesses â€Å"It is a melancholy object to those who walk through this great town or travel in the country, when they see the streets, the roads, and cabin doors, crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags †¦ this prodigious number of children in the arms, or on the backs, or at the heels of their mothers, and frequently of their fathers, is in the present deplorable state of the kingdom..† (Swift, 5). ... By concretization of the problem parts, creating rich imagery in the minds that must be inclined to ponder on taking urgent course of action toward resolution, and by providing a sensible knowledge of statistical estimates and proportion between resources and human count, the satirist gradually manages to promote a conscious thought of the central theme of his philosophy and the grave predicament for which it should apply. So, on claiming that children may be sold for consumption to which he adds â€Å"instead of being a charge upon their parents or the parish †¦ they shall on the contrary contribute to the feeding, and partly to the clothing, of many thousands† (6), one may be perceived to understand not the irrational and ever inhumane principle of cannibalism, rather the gravity of the present circumstances and its future implications if unsettled. Moreover, Swift may be observed to have systematically spread vital details in adequate support of his arguments. In the e laborate numeration of the advantages corresponding his schematic proposal, Swift speaks of the reduction in the number of Papists, improvement in the capacity of poorer tenants to pay their rents, and the optimal circulation of goods and monetary gain once the large quantity of youth within the most tender ages could be turned into profitable carcasses and textiles. Then he continues to argue that the materialization of such an idea would keep ‘constant breeders’ from the burden of maintaining their offspring during growth, aside from the other benefits being a great economy for the Irish nation which would hence be brought to experience good dishes out of

Contemporary Mathematics DB 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Contemporary Mathematics DB 2 - Essay Example corporation for the year ended December 31, 2005 was very high at $3,372,065 while the net income for the year ended Dec 31, 2004 was lower at $3,235,851 while the lowest net income occurred in the year ended December 31, 2003 at only $2,752,233. All the above Abbott Amounts are in thousands of United States Dollars. For the company Bank of America, the net income for the year ended December 31, 2005 was very high at $16,465,000 while the net income for the year ended December 31, 2004 was lower at $14,143,000 and the lowest net income occurred in the year ended December 31, 2003 at $10,810. All amounts above are recorded in thousands of United States Dollars. For the company Cola Cola, the net income for the year ended December 31, 2005 was $4,872,000 while the net income for the prior year ended December 31, 2004 is $4,847,000 while the net income for the earlier year ended December 31, 2003 is only at $4,347,000. All the above amounts are in thousands of United States

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Assignment - Essay Example In his discourse, he equivalently points out defects existing in the Irish political system and the neglect of the ruling class which, according to Swift, ought to be blamed altogether for the crisis that had been worsened by the mercantilist structure of British control over his nation. Prior to the endeavour of illustrating the substance of his proposition, Swift initiates â€Å"A Modest Proposal† by briefing readers with a concrete picture of the grounds which he thinks amounted to a grievance that deserved an unordinary level of attention. He confesses â€Å"It is a melancholy object to those who walk through this great town or travel in the country, when they see the streets, the roads, and cabin doors, crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags †¦ this prodigious number of children in the arms, or on the backs, or at the heels of their mothers, and frequently of their fathers, is in the present deplorable state of the kingdom..† (Swift, 5). ... By concretization of the problem parts, creating rich imagery in the minds that must be inclined to ponder on taking urgent course of action toward resolution, and by providing a sensible knowledge of statistical estimates and proportion between resources and human count, the satirist gradually manages to promote a conscious thought of the central theme of his philosophy and the grave predicament for which it should apply. So, on claiming that children may be sold for consumption to which he adds â€Å"instead of being a charge upon their parents or the parish †¦ they shall on the contrary contribute to the feeding, and partly to the clothing, of many thousands† (6), one may be perceived to understand not the irrational and ever inhumane principle of cannibalism, rather the gravity of the present circumstances and its future implications if unsettled. Moreover, Swift may be observed to have systematically spread vital details in adequate support of his arguments. In the e laborate numeration of the advantages corresponding his schematic proposal, Swift speaks of the reduction in the number of Papists, improvement in the capacity of poorer tenants to pay their rents, and the optimal circulation of goods and monetary gain once the large quantity of youth within the most tender ages could be turned into profitable carcasses and textiles. Then he continues to argue that the materialization of such an idea would keep ‘constant breeders’ from the burden of maintaining their offspring during growth, aside from the other benefits being a great economy for the Irish nation which would hence be brought to experience good dishes out of

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

What the Vietnam Vets Can Teach Us Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

What the Vietnam Vets Can Teach Us - Essay Example The clearest part despite all that took place during that horrific moment is that nothing sunk in the minds of Americans as virtues such as negligence or even corruption is practiced, meaning it did not paint any picture in the minds of the citizens. The veteran’s memorial should be a constant reminder to whoever comes across it and should recall and things done back then should not be repeated.   Certain myths are unique to specific cultures, and with them as Barthes Roland tell it,4 they serve different functions. They can either honor or disguise the culture eroding both facts and truths that were behind it. They are meant to bring citizens like a community shunning evil practices and embracing harmony. Not all this is accomplished as you’ll still find people in America suffering with their children and you’d conclude that time has elapsed them or isn’t the society giving back? The setting of the memorial I’m meant to understand is supposed to bury the hatchet and give birth to an entirely different society with different perspectives. (Warren 2004) With the veterans, you’ll find moral seriousness in particular unlike a different kind of America on the basis of what one learnt, observed and got from the experience according to the senses based on; violence and brutality underwent. This brought about a different kind of behavior in the manner the vets treat and address each other based on  mutual respect and love. A conversation with Beikirch Gary similarly proves as the medal5 reward awarded to him intensifies him about the war times, how far he has come to attain the presidency of the Genesse valley V.V.A chapter and above all he knows he’s appreciated by his country. Unlike the other Americans, the vets were different in that they stood for one another shared together helped each other and showed generosity to their selves. They stand for justice and are optimistic it’s going to be practiced by th e citizens and those in power. This prompts them to lead by example as majority of Americans lack a sense of personality in the creation of moral values. If allowed, the vets would be willing to go and finish what they started for the sake of America. (Sung 1998)   As different as we are, so were they in their time and childhood years. There are some whom were lucky and their fathers happened to be involved in the Second World War. This was a merit as traits, tactics and morals would be passed to them with ease and out of experience to make them belief in the glory brought about the war. Catholics who were not lucky got a chance   as well as challenges through Kennedy George as he publicly asked, what they would do for their country individually, in the quest to kick out communism, not only to please their religious leader nor those in power or elders, but mostly God. There are those who embraced the war, and in my opinion I would say it was the lack of knowledge, love and ignor ance in order to satisfy what their elders were unable to accomplish. Loss of a loved would have prompted so many to join with the motive of revenging. (Terry 1984) I support them as having been cut off from all sustaining world activities as it was not only some way to reunite, but also a common practice with the entire nation. They were facing extinction and this made them feel left out. But it was different for some as they could not bear what they did during that particular time, and their conscience judged them of their doings prompting to rhetoric questions to a point of wanting to commit suicide. This is evident that depression is downing on them now as in the beginning they lacked knowledge and dashed into war without even thinking about the aftermath.

Monday, October 14, 2019

American Retirement Corporation Essay Example for Free

American Retirement Corporation Essay American Retirement Corporation (ARC) is an operator of senior living communities. The company is a senior living and health care services provider offering a broad range of care and services to seniors, including independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing and therapy services. The company operates around 65 senior living communities in 14 states, with an aggregate unit capacity of approximately 12,900 units and resident capacity of approximately 14,500. Across the United States, the company owns 19 communities, leases 41 communities, and manages five communities pursuant to management agreements. The company operates in three distinct business segments: retirement centers, free standing assisted living communities (ALCs), and management services. The company operates large continuing care and retirement communities (CCRCs) and independent living communities (retirement centers) that provide an array of services, including independent living, assisted living, Alzheimers and skilled nursing care. The companys retirement centers are the largest segment of the companys business and comprise around 27 of the 65 communities that the company operates, with unit capacity of approximately 8,100, representing approximately 63% of the total unit capacity of the companys communities. The companys free standing ALCs provide specialized assisted living care to residents in a comfortable residential atmosphere. Most of the free standing ALs provide specialized care such as Alzheimers, memory enhancement and other dementia programs. These communities are designed to provide care in a home-like setting. At each of its free standing ALCs, the company provide personalized care plans for each resident, extensive activity programs, and access to therapy or other services as needed. Jack C. Massey, Dr. Thomas F. Frist, Sr. , and a small group of prominent local businessmen founded American Retirement Corp. in February 1978. Historically, the company operated large CCRCs and independent living communities that provided an array of services, including independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing care in large, often campus style settings. The company formed American Retirement Communities in February 1995, through a combination of certain entities that owned, operated, or managed various senior living communities. American Retirement became a wholly owned subsidiary of American Retirement Communities in February 1997 (Datamonitor, December 2005). ARC began to develop and acquire a number of free-standing assisted living communities in 1999, most of which began operations during 1999 and 2000. In 2001, the company purchased assisted living residences in partnership with CNL Retirement, namely the Broadway Plaza at Pecan Park in Arlington, Texas and the Homewood Residence in Boca Raton, Florida. In Boca Raton, ARC could be availed through the Homewood Residence, a senior community designed to help those who need assistance with daily activities such as bathing, dressing and administering needed medication. According to the Homewood Residence Website, the service they provide is â€Å"just like family†, the extra assistance their clients may need with their daily activities, while helping them maintain the privacy, dignity and independence (Homewood Residence Website). Boca Raton, located in the Palm Beach County, has a healthy economy and wealthy retirees. Its primary growth is relying mainly on the tourism industry. Palm Beach County’s growth, on the other hand, is concentrated in biotechnology, electronics, and computer industries. The largest employers are in the public sector, federal and state government, public schools, and Florida Atlantic University. In Boca Raton, there is also an increased number of older populace. Businesses must deal with the shifts in demands for goods and services brought on by the desires and needs of older consumers (Howell, 1997). The issues facing the delivery of goods and services in general are magnified in the health care arena. Efforts to reach older consumers often are hampered by failure to understand the requirements and preferences of this population. According to the Boca Raton Comprehensive Annual Report (September 2005), the Milken Institute Index listed the Boca Raton market as the fourth in the â€Å"2004 Best Performing Cities Index† in the country for economic strength and job and wage growth. With a shortage of affordable housing, Boca Raton has introduced a workforce housing ordinance and is in the process of developing mixed use options as tools for providing additional housing in areas previously reserved for non residential uses. The Report also proudly states that Boca Raton is the location of several Fortune 500 companies and nearly 3,000 businesses, employing over 38,000 people because of its low taxes, strong employment base, and quality of life, Boca Ratons business community is thriving (See Table 1). Table 1. Boca Raton’s Top Employers Among the three counties in Florida, Palm Beach has experienced the greatest population growth in absolute numbers and in population density. It also has the oldest population. According to the 2000 US Census, Palm Beach County has 1,131,184 residents (See Table 2). Residents of Palm Beach County also have a higher per-capita income than in the other two counties. Miami-Dade County is clearly the largest of the three, in geographic size and population. Palm Beach and Broward Counties have similar proportions of their population that are uninsured, approximately 15 percent, and Miami Dade has the highest at 25 percent (Jackson Beatty, 2003, p. 7). In the issue of income, Boca Raton has a high income per capita. Table 3 provides the data of income distribution by age group and by ethnicity in the year 1999. Table 2. Palm Beach Demographics PALM BEACH COUNTY FL US POPULATION Number Number Number Total population 1,131,184 Square miles (land) 1,974. 11 Population per square mile 573. 01 296. 37 79. 56 GENDER Number Pct Pct Pct Male 546,739 48. 3 48. 8 49. 1 Female 584,445 51. 7 51. 2 50. 9 AGE Number Pct Pct Pct 15 or younger 201,715 17. 8 19. 0 21. 4 16-24 113,057 10. 0 12. 2 13. 9 25-44 305,041 27. 0 28. 6 30. 2 45-64 249,295 22. 0 22. 7 22. 0 65+ 262,076 23. 2 17. 6 12. 4 Number Number Number Average age (years) 42. 55 39. 53 36. 22 RACE AND ETHNICITY Number Pct Pct Pct White 894,207 79. 1 78. 0 75. 1 Black or African American 156,055 13. 8 14. 6 12. 3 American Indian and Alaska native 2,466 0. 2 0. 3 0. 9 Asian 17,127 1. 5 1. 7 3. 6 Native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 692 0. 1 0. 1 0. 1 Some other race 33,709 3. 0 3. 0 5. 5 Two or more races 26,928 2. 4 2. 4 2. 4 Hispanic or Latino 140,675 12. 4 16. 8 12. 5 Sources: U. S. Census Bureau, 2000 Census; ePodunk Note: Hispanic ethnicity is a separate data category from race. This number should not be added to race totals. Table 3. Incomes in 1999 Boca Raton, Florida BOCA RATON FL US MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME BY AGE ($ IN 1999) Number Number Number Median household income 60,248 38,819 41,994 Householder under 25 24,080 22,861 22,679 Householder 25-34 49,871 39,021 41,414 Householder 35-44 73,110 46,291 50,654 Householder 45-54 82,033 50,347 56,300 Householder 55-64 71,315 42,971 47,447 Householder 65-74 52,321 32,398 31,368 Householder 75 and older 43,971 25,085 22,259 PER CAPITA INCOME BY RACE OR ETHNICITY ($) Number Number Number Per capita income 45,628 21,557 21,587 White 48,463 23,919 23,918 Black or African American 16,275 12,585 14,437 Native American 31,123 16,598 12,893 Asian 22,469 20,429 21,823 Native Hawaiian and Pacific islander 13,569 15,251 15,054 Some other race 14,023 11,431 10,813 Two or more races 20,589 13,514 13,405 Hispanic or Latino 25,476 15,198 12,111 Sources: U. S. Census Bureau, 2000 Census; ePodunk Moreover, the Health Care District of Palm Beach County provides a source of funding for low-income residents to gain access to health care coverage and maintains a comprehensive trauma system in Palm Beach County, Florida. Other services include: rehabilitation/long-term care, nurses in public schools, behavioral health professionals in public schools, senior services and childrens health insurance programs (HCDPBC Website). HCDs mission is to â€Å"maximize the health and well being of Palm Beach County residents by addressing their health care needs and planning for the access and delivery of services. † Health care has become one of the most vibrant sectors of the American economy, frequently a leader in economic growth, and the largest employer. Its research-based medicine focused on the use of pharmaceuticals, mechanical devices, and surgery, intervention strategies that reflect an earlier view of the body as a machine, paying relatively little attention to internal processes of problem-solving that occur normally (Heirich, 1998, p. 343). According to Andersen, Rice and Kominski (2001), improving access to health care can be greatly facilitated by a new generation of access models and indicators. These should stress the importance of contextual as well as individual characteristics to promote policies to improve access for defined populations. Also, these should focus on the extent to which medical care contributes to peoples health. Access measures should be developed specifically for particular vulnerable population groups. These measures are especially important because of the cross-cutting needs of many of the vulnerable groups: persons with HIV/AIDS, substance abusers, migrants, homeless people, people with disabilities, and those suffering from family violence. Improving equity, effectiveness, and efficiency should be the guiding norms for research on access. Among the most important areas for research are: †¢ Promoting successful birth outcomes—research on the relationships among medical risk factors, the content of prenatal care and birth outcomes †¢ Reducing the incidence of vaccine-preventable childhood diseases—research on the relationships among race, barriers to access, and infectious disease †¢ Reducing the effects of chronic diseases and prolonging life—research concerning the differences in use of high-cost discretionary care according to gender, ethnicity, income, and insurance status and whether these differences represent overuse or underuse of these services. †¢ Reducing morbidity and pain through timely and appropriate treatment— research exploring methods to better define what constitutes timely and appropriate use of physician services References American Retirement Corp. (2005, November 5). Retrieved May 5, 2006, from Datamonitor Database at http://dbic. datamonitor. com/companies/company/? pid=BAC9B41D-2415-44CF-8228-1C8B736DCBA8 American Retirement Corporation Website. http://www. arclp. com/index. html Andersen, R. M. , Rice, T. H. , Kominski, G. F. (2001). Changing the U. S. Health Care System. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Boca Raton Income Overview. Retrieved May 5, 2006, from Epodunk Website at http://www. epodunk. com/cgi-bin/incomeOverview. php? locIndex=8367 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report of the City of Boca Raton, Florida. (2005, Spetember 30). Retrieved May 5, 2006, from Boca Raton Government Website at http://www. ci. boca-raton. fl. us/city/Council3. cfm Heirich, M. (1998). Rethinking Health Care: Innovation and Change in America. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. Homewood Residence Website. http://www. seniorhousingnet. com/seniors/search/brochure/pr_brochure. jhtml? pid=552999name=hrbocaratontrigger=shnsource=a1shzr2t070 Howell, W. C. (1997). Forward, perspectives, and prospectives. In A. D. Fisk W. A. Rogers (Eds. ), Handbook of human factors and the older adult (pp. 1–6). San Diego, CA: Academic Press. Jackson, C. A. , Beatty, A. (2003). Organization and Financing of Indigent Hospital Care in South Florida. Santa Monica, CA: Rand. Palm Beach Population Overview. Retrieved May 5, 2006, from Epodunk Website at http://www. epodunk. com/cgi-bin/popInfo. php? locIndex=8814

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Critical Analysis Of A Mental Health Service Social Work Essay

Critical Analysis Of A Mental Health Service Social Work Essay It is important to have a set service standards and programs that ensure provision of high quality services in our health service system so as to achieve health care that is of high standard and beneficial to the people. It is for this reason that in 1996, the government of Australia developed the National Standards for Mental Health Services (Fenna, 2001, p.80). Ensuring that the standards were fully implemented provided an important chance for the improvement of the value of mental health care. The standards were intended to be used as a guideline in order to develop new services in mental health care or to improve the existing mental services ensuring they attained to recommended quality standards (Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, 1997, p.68). Additionally, the consumers of mental health services or their carers can use these standards to have a clue on their expectations from the health service (Australian Council on Healthcare Standards, 1995, p.78). These standards were developed to meet the National Mental Health Policy that the Australian government had formulated in order to enhance the treatment and care of all the people who were suffering from any mental health problem (Althaus, Bridgman Davis, 2007, p.23). The standards lay a greater weight on the outcome of the patients with mental health problems and their carers in order to uphold their human rights and provide empowerment to them. The standards were set in agreement with the United Nationà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s Principles on the Protection of People with Mental Illness (Australian Health Ministers, 1991, p.67). Among these principles are as follows; encouragement of the people with mental disorders to attain the highest quality of life as compared with healthy individuals, the positive outcomes for the patients of mental illness and their carers was to be the center of attention for the standards and the recognition of all the perspectives of the patients, that is, their spiritual, emotional and physical needs. These standards have served to improve the quality of care to the consumers of mental health services (Rosen, Miller Parker, 1993, p.23). This essay critically analyses a mental health service on how well it meets the standards in their day to day activities. Mental health service CRS Australia is an organization whose presence is being felt in many communities in Australia. Presently, there is high competition for the limited job opportunities that our economy is able to support. This has led to a huge backlog of learned people in wait for job opportunities. Many college leavers are finding it quite difficult to secure that dream job that you have been anticipating for throughout your educational life (Meagher, 1995, p. 73). As a result, stress builds up and at times this has led to various mental disorders. CRS has come in place to provide a contact between the job seekers and the employers. It helps job seekers who may be having any disability or health conditions to acquire some job positions and also provide guidelines that ensure the job is maintained. The job seekers are guided to break any barriers they may encounter in finding employment. The organization also works together with employers in finding qualified candidates for the vacant posts in their workplaces. Also, they offer technical advice on the safety measures to be observed in the workplaces and give assistance in the management of any worker injured on duty. It offers its services to any person who has the will and is able to acquire guidance from it. For the job seekers it has over 170 offices distributed across Australia where any person can contact them and he/she will be offered with the appropriate guidelines on what to do and how to get that needed job. It has helped a lot of people who are full of praise for it. For the employers it offers a wide package including guiding them to select the qualified employers and offering expertise in areas like risk and hazard reduction to reduce work place injuries. This saves their institutions from the high compensation cha rges that they may be forced to pay the workers in case they get injured during the work service (Allan, Briskman, Pease, 2009, p.77). Any company is welcome to CRS to seek its services which are offered without discrimination. National Standards for Mental Health Services These standards are grouped into three sections where the first seven standards are concerned with issues that are accepted universally concerning human dignity, the human rights of the people with mental illness and their acceptance in our societies. The next three standards focus on the organizational structure of the mental health service with an emphasis on the connections existing between different departments of the mental health sector (United Nations General Assembly, 1992, p.12). Finally, the 11th standard illustrates the care delivery process beginning with initial contact with mental health services to their final contact. We now focus on the first and third standard in relation to CRS Australia to determine how well the organization has worked in meeting the standards. The first standard is concerned with protection of the rights of people who have mental disorders or mental health problems by the mental health services which they are offered (Commonwealth Department of Health Aged Care, 1997, p.16). Compliance with the legislations and all the regulations by the staff of mental health service to ensure the rights are upheld is of importance and therefore given the first consideration. Application of this standard ensures that the mentally disabled people are not discriminated against in being offered essential services so long as they are in a capacity to work efficiently (United Nations, 1991, p.56). CRS on its behalf is entitled in ensuring equal opportunities are offered to job seekers when accessing job opportunities. According to CRS Australia (2010, para. 2-4), 20% of the population have an exposure to a mental health problem during their life time. As an organization, CRS has experts staff that guides people in managing their mental health conditions in order for them to acquire a job or if they are in one maintain their positions. They have helped many people with mental health problems which are at often accompanied by various injuries some of which are physical and hence have caused a disability in them. With an inner understanding of the hard and tiring process of dealing with mental health problems, CRS has programs on disability management which are suited to job seekers. They work together to ensure that their clients are able to secure that job which they desire thus making it a reality for many job seekers who have mental problems a reality (Mendes, 2008, p.56). Once a person has acquired a job, there are sometimes psychological injuries that come as a result of the type of work that a person is doing. This result into work related stress which often cause low productivity by the employees, ever rising rates of absente eism or job absconding, bad relations between the staff and the employees in the work places among others (Swain, Rice, 2009, p.76). This causes a high employee turnover which is detrimental to an institutions reputation. CRS Australia has come in to solve these problems through its experienced psychologists, counselors and the social workers. The organization assesses the situation to find out the kind of assistance needed and determines the appropriate changes to be made in order to minimize the psychological problems or injuries. In addition, CRS do take into account the goals and ambitions of the people with mental disorders in relation to their jobs. They are able to offer private and confidential information to the consumers of their services concerning their rights and privileges in their work places so as to retain their jobs. This is offered in a language that is freely understood by the concerned parties. In any case a legislative action is sought to resolve any tussle the consumers and their carersà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ written consent is freely sought (Myers, 1995, p.19). By so doing CRS has served and supported the welfare of people with mental conditions and illnesses and thus improving their wellness in the society. It also monitors their progress in their areas of work identifying any work related problems they are encountering and giving appropriate solutions and guidelines on how to tackle them. The act of seeking employment for them or the endeavors to sustain their employment ensu res they are empowered to take care of themselves and this gives them morale. It also serves to curtail any form of discrimination that may exist in job acquisition process and thus upholding the rights of the consumers as described by the UN principles for the protection of people who are mentally handicapped. The third standard for mental health services is concerned with ensuring the consumer of mental health services and their carers are involved in the processes of planning of the mental health service being provided (Commonwealth Department of Health Aged Care, 1997, p. 19). Also, it ensures that they actively participate in the implementation and evaluation of the services provided. CRS Australia is tasked with provision of interventional measures both at the early stages and later after the injuries have occurred. It provides a platform where the consumers are involved giving their views on where they think should be improved so as to reduce their levels of mental stress (Wade, Weir, 1995, p.99). The job seekers are taken through counseling sessions where their views are sought so as to help them find solutions to their problems. In the work places, the people under these services are also asked to provide their opinions on how to reduce the mental injuries that they are suffering from. They give their opinions which are then incorporated with policy guidelines to come up with in born solutions to the health problems. The consumers are in a position to feel as part of the solution to their problems and hence are able to adhere to the recommendations that come up (Andrews, Peters Teesson, 1994, p.30). The MHS offered by the CRS is inclusive and supports a number of activities for both the consumers and the cares. It has evaluation criteria for the consumers to determine the level of support that they are able to acquire and what is needed to improve their conditions in a much better way (Rapp, 1998, p.79). In addition to these, CRS is able to provide trainings to the consumers on how to improve their workplaces in order to reduce physical mental injuries which can heighten their problems. Employers do seek the services of CRS in promoting work safety measures through the trainings they offer. CRS is also able to monitor the progress it has made in ensuring equal opportunities for all in employment. In its efforts it is able to make workplace visits to assess the progress of the employees they are able to send to the various institutions (Rapp Goscha, 2006, p.101). In case any deviation from the principles is noticed it offers appropriate guidelines in order to protect the rights of people with mental disabilities. Conclusion In conclusion, CRS Australia has been instrumental in assisting people with mental disabilities or injuries to secure a place in employment and consequently be in a position to maintain their places. The organization has been able to attain the specifications of the Australian government and the private sector in providing mental injury management, assessment and any other measures intended for prevention of mental injuries (Australian Council on Healthcare Standardsà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ Care Evaluation Program, 1995, p.50). CRS has been able to be in a position to attain the standards set for mental health services. With an emphasis to standard one which is concerned with ensuring equal rights to people with mental disorders and problems. By offering employment chances to the mentally handicapped, CRS is able to ensure the mentally handicapped are not discriminated when it comes to employment. This has served to empower the mentally ill patients. They thus are able to c are for themselves and reduce their over reliance on their carers for financial and wellbeing help. CRS is also able to attain the standard number three of ensuring that the consumers and their carers are involved in the mental health service. CRS is therefore effective in provision of mental health service especially in offering employment.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the King - Oedipus and Fate :: Oedipus the King Oedipus Rex

Oedipus the King and Fate D.T. Suzuki, a renowned expert on Zen Buddhism, called attention to the topic of free will in one of his lectures by stating that it was the battle of "God versus Man, Man versus God, God versus Nature, Nature versus God, Man versus Nature, Nature versus Man1." These six battles constitute an ultimately greater battle: the battle of free will versus determinism. Free will is that ability for a human being to make decisions as to what life he or she would like to lead and have the freedom to live according to their own means and thus choose their own destiny; determinism is the circumstance of a higher being ordaining a man's life from the day he was born until the day he dies. Free will is in itself a far-reaching ideal that exemplifies the essence of what mankind could be when he determines his own fate. But with determinism, a man has a predetermined destiny and fate that absolutely cannot be altered by the man himself. Yet, it has been the desire of man to avoid the perils that his fate ho lds andthus he unceasingly attempts to thwart fate and the will of the divine.. Within the principle of determinism, this outright contention to divine mandate is blasphemous and considered sin. This ideal itself, and the whole concept of determinism, is quite common in the workings of Greek and Classical literature. A manifest example of this was the infamous Oedipus of The Theban Plays, a man who tried to defy fate, and therefore sinned. The logic of Oedipus' transgression is actually quite obvious, and Oedipus' father, King Laius, also has an analogous methodology and transgression. They both had unfortunate destinies: Laius was destined to be killed by his own son, and Oedipus was destined to kill his father and marry his mother. This was the ominous decree from the divinatory Oracle at Delphi. King Laius feared the Oracle's proclamation and had his son, the one and only Oedipus, abandoned on a mountain with iron spikes as nails so that he would remain there to eventually die. And yet, his attempt to obstruct fate was a failure, for a kindly shepherd

Friday, October 11, 2019

Quality Physical Education

Physical education schools play a critical role in increasing physical activity by offering quality, daily physical education and other opportunities to recreate. Physical education is the only program that provides students with opportunities to learn motor skills, develop fitness, and gain understanding about the importance of physical activity. Physical education teaches children the skills they need to be active through out their lifetime. Physical education can also enhance academic learning. Regular aerobic exercise produces an increased number of capillaries servicing the brain, which allows for a greater exchange of nutrients and waste products. Additionally, physical education incorporates concepts of math, reading/English language arts, and science into the physical education realm. Technology has integrated into the curriculum with heart rate monitors, pedometers, and computer-based fitness stations. Another way physical education helps academic learning by children receiving additional physical education show an acceleration of their psychomotor development, and this could provide a mechanism for accelerated learning of academic skills. â€Å"Other potential mechanisms include increased cerebral blood flow, greater arousal, changes in hormone levels, enhanced nutrient intake, changes in body build, and increased self esteem,† as mention in the Pediatric Exercise Science (Shepard, 1997, p. 113). In other words, exercise boost oxygen and glucose delivery to the brain, which can help, improve brain function. Physical Education plays a critical role in educating the whole student. Like other academic courses of study, physical education is upon rigorous national standards that define what students should know and be able to do because of participation. Physical education improves children’s relationships with children in their classroom. Children learn how to play as a team player. Physical education includes all children, which helps the children think of others not just themselves. In a quality physical education program, students can achieve physical and individual benefits. Teamwork is very important in everyday life. Most professions are team-oriented style of work. Managers value teamwork because it results in a more cost-effective and useful organization. Physical education is for every child regardless of physical ability, ethnicity, gender, language, race, or religion, the opportunities not only to succeed in physical education, but also to develop a lifelong commitment the health benefits of physical activity. Teachers are able to manage the student’s time more effectively. Physical education prepares students to live physically active, healthy lives through learning experiences at school. International Society of Sport Psychology state, â€Å"Exercise can have beneficial emotional effects across all ages and for both sexes† (p. 183). The major reason for having physical education in secondary schools is to lead the students toward better lifestyles and to be physically fit. There was an article published in 1992 by, The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), stating what â€Å"The Physically Fit Person† should consist of. This article states five factors of a physical fit person. One factor is that a physically fit person â€Å"has learned skills necessary to perform a variety of physical activities. † The second factor â€Å"is the person physically fit. † The third factor is â€Å"does this person participates regularly in physical activity. † The fourth is a physically fit person â€Å"knows the implications of and the benefits from involvement in physical activity. † The last factor is that a physically fit person â€Å"values physical activity and its contributions to a healthful lifestyle. The plan as physical educators is to have each child be a physically fit person, by their exit of high school. Quality Physical Education means a planned program of instruction and activity for all students through the entire school year. Quality Physical Education programs are essential in helping students gain competence and confidence in a variety of movement forms such as: aquatics, dance, gymnastics, recreational and activities. It should provide a sound framework for the design and assessment that develop the students' motivation, fitness, cognitive, affective, and active lifestyle needs, and should focus on lifetime involvement. American Heart Association quote, â€Å"Today, about one of three American kids and teens are overweight or obese, nearly triple the rate in 1963 (American Heart Association Learn and Live – Healthier Kids) (2010). National Academics state, (2005), â€Å"If healthier students are, in fact, more attentive and academically successful students, then parents, principals, and policy makers alike may be supportive of obesity prevention efforts† (p. 6). â€Å"National Health Education Standards offer a coherent vision of what it means to be health literate. These Standards describe the knowledge and skills essential to the development of health literacy. That â€Å"knowledge† includes the most important and enduring ideas, issues, and concepts related to achieving good health. Those â€Å"skills† include the ways of communicating, reasoning, and investigating which characterize a health-literate person. National Standards are not a federal mandate nor do they define a national curriculum. The Standards are intended to serve as a framework for organizing health knowledge and skills into curricula at the state and local levels. † Here are the National Standards: Demonstrates competency in many movement forms and proficiency in a few movement forms. Applies movement concepts and principles to the learning and development of motor skills. Exhibits a physically active lifestyle. Achieves and maintains a health-enhancing level of physical fitness. Demonstrates responsible personal and social behavior in physical activity settings. Demonstrates understanding and respect for differences among people in physical Activity settings. Understands that physical activity provides opportunities for enjoyment, challenge, self- expression and social interaction. Student involve in physical education will develop: †¢ Teamwork- the ability and willingness to work within a group for the good of the group. (leadership, trustworthiness. ) †¢ Cooperation- the ability and willingness to follow group or team strategies. (followership) †¢ Communication skills- knowing when to speak and when to listen in order to help the group achieve its goals. †¢ An awareness and appreciation of personal and group safety. †¢ Honesty- playing within the rules for the good of the group and game. †¢ Courage- the willingness to try new things to expand one's horizons. Goal setting ability- the willingness to set appropriately challenging goals for oneself and the group. †¢ Perseverance- the ability and willingness to continue pressing towards the goal in the face of normal adversity. †¢ Creativity- the ability to come up with solutions to problems and physical challenges. †¢ An increased level of agility, coordination, and physical fitness. Physical education is the only program that provides students with opportunities to learn motor skills, develop fitness, and gain understanding about the importance of physical activity. It is the aspect of education that contributes to the total growth and development of the child mostly through selected movement and physical activities. It also enhances academic learning, helps meet the overall elementary school mission, treats students with dignity and respect, and applies instructional and Physical education helps develop the whole child, including the child's cognitive development, physical Development, social development and helps develop psychomotor skills. The ultimate goal of physical education will always be participation in health-enhancing physical activity for a lifetime. References http://wilderdom.com/games/PhysicalActivities.html https://www.nap.edu/read/11461/chapter/2#1 http://www.educationworld.com/standards/national/nph/pe/k_12.shtml

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Learning the Culture and Language of the Media: A Critique

This article emphasized the necessity of learning the culture, norms and language that media uses in order to establish a mutually beneficial relationship between the media publisher (i.e. newspaper organizations) and another institution requiring publicity specifically academic institutions.Mass media plays a significant role in academic institutions in terms of promoting its programs, conveying a reputed image and establishing accountability and transparency.   Academic institutions on the other hand not only serve as sources of important news information (i.e. scientific breakthroughs) but of expert opinion which are necessary to reinforce the truth of the reports, which is the moral duty of journalists as public servants.The rest of the article elaborates on the different components of culture and language in media that needs to be understood by academic institutions which included: honesty, accuracy and reliability, importance of timeliness, sense of respect and ethics, restri ctions of news holes, consideration of readership, and significant differences in language or jargon, among others.Following Bredemeir and Stephenson (1962), sociology is an effort to illuminate as much as human behavior within the limits imposed by a scientific frame of reference and focusing attention on culture and groupness. This article features the unique framework in which journalist approach media publication in contrast to the framework of academicians or people in academic institutions.For instance, the concept of timeliness, readership and newsholes are crucial elements in mass publication that strictly impose restrictions on editorial priorities, which may run in conflict with an academician’s concept of newsworthiness and appropriateness of publication.   Thus, there are times when journalists are unable to immediately accommodate the news suggestions or features contributed by academic institutions.One of the most important things that this article emphasized is the business nature of mass media.   As business entities, news organizations try to balance newsworthiness and public service with the need to create a news product that retains readers and attracts new subscriptions on which depend their advertisements and sponsors, which often repulsively occupies the largest space in the paper to the disgust of readers.   One should understand that these advertisements constitute the bread and butter of news organizations.â€Å"It is important to understand the demographics of the news organization's readership to see if it corresponds with the demographics of the audience you're trying to reach† (Yee).   Editorial priorities and contents should match the orientation and demographics of the readership.   This is important in deciding which newspaper organization to use for an article or news you wish to publish.For instance, if one’s contributed article concerns a local initiative or statute (e.g. California Health and S afety Code on animal welfare), then it would be advisable to choose a local newspaper.   If it’s a highly technical breakthrough that concerns only a group of people (e.g. discovering a bug of the Windows Operating System), then it should published in an IT Newspaper.   But if the issue you tackle is a national or global concern (e.g. discovery for the treatment of N1H1 virus), then a national newspaper should selected.While the article was profoundly educational and informative, there is one issue averred by the author that needs further analysis and evaluation. Describing mutual relationships with mass media using C.T. Daniel, the author asserted that â€Å"relationships (with mass media) are governed by strict ethical standards and do not involve expectations for returned favors.†Daniel only adheres to the importance of honesty in media relations but the author incorrectly or inadvertently stated this as a matter of fact.   Everybody may have been familiar tha t the media had been used to condition people’s thinking and control their behavior through propaganda.   Harold Lasswell pioneered in recognizing the use of mass media for propaganda to control opinion and manipulate people which entailed a discrepancy between the information and the message conveyed among people.   (Heath and Bryant).Moreover, journalists are also humans who are subjected to commit errors.   Thus, contrary to the article, readers should not accept or absorb the information provided by newspapers plainly but should still remain evaluative and analytical in the news and articles that news organizations provide.Works Cited:Bredemeir, HC, & Stephenson, RM The analysis of social systems. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1962Heath, R. and Bryant, J. Human Communication Theory and Research: Concepts, Contexts, and Challenges. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2000Jennifer A. Yee   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Learning the Culture and Language of the Media† ERIC Educational Reports. FindArticles.com. 01 Jun, 2009. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_pric/is_200009/ai_3530272867/Â