Free Speech in the Digital World Under Threat?

COMMENTARY Free Speech in the Digital World under Threat? Kirsty Hughes We are at a moment where the digital world can go either way – it can become a space of genuine free expression, one enjoyed by ever larger numbers of people or it can become a controlled and monitored space. Like any battle for free speech and fundamental rights, governments and other major players – in this case big web companies and internet service providers – must be held to account and challenged to defend our rights. T e digital world continues to open up huge opportunities for communication, interaction, sharing views and exchanging information across and within borders. It is even rather dated to say we are all our own publishers now, we can all be citizen journalists – though we are and can be. And as millions more people in the next couple of years join that digital world as the price of smart phones fall, the digital revolution is surely not over. Or is it? Are Governments Hardwired to Snoop and Censor? Kirsty Hughes ([email  protected] om) is with the Index on Censorship, London, United Kingdom. The ability of both governments and big corporations to monitor the internet, to gather data on us all, to determine what we can and cannot do or see on the web is another key but less welcome part of our digital world. And censorship and surveillance of digital communications is on the rise – not only in countries such as Iran, China and Russia, but also in India, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US). While China’s â€Å"great ? ewall† and army of snoopers does its best to block a whole gamut of politically-sensitive topics and debates – sensitive that is to China’s authoritarian elites – the democratic world is increasingly looking at using the technological opportunities out there, either to block content, or to monitor their own citizens. Earlier this year, Indian authorities came top in Googleâ₠¬â„¢s transparency report – which shows government requests to Google to remove material and how many Google complied with – with the largest number of requests for Google to take down posts not backed by court orders.The US and Brazil had the highest number of takedown demands backed by court orders, while in Twitter’s similar transparency report, the US was the number one country demanding information on users. Google and Twitter also go along with many but not all of the requests NovemBER 17, 2012 they receive – private companies playing a crucial role in determining the extent of our free speech and our privacy. Meanwhile in the UK, a draft Communications Data Bill currently being scrutinised in Parliament, would, if it became law, lead to monitoring and retention of a vast array of digital data across the entire population.From tracking who our emails go to or come from, likewise our phone calls, to storing the data our mobiles give up on our locatio ns or our web searches, showing what topics we are investigating, the draft UK Bill certainly deserves its popular name â€Å"a snooper’s charter†. Iran is also aiming to develop its own intranet that would operate in a way detached from the wider world-wide web, and so be much easier to control by state authorities. But how can India or the UK or US stand up to Iran and pressure them not to cut their citizens off from the wider digital world, if they are not fully respecting basic rights of their own citizens online?What Is Driving the Urge to Control? Freedom of expression is a fundamental right – and without it democracies cannot function and power cannot be held to account. So why are so many governments increasingly looking at control of our digital lives? There are two overlapping justi? cations at the heart of this. Do we need protecting from being offended? Attempts to justify censorship often appeal to the protection of public order, or public morals, t ackling hate speech, or promoting national security.But unless highly limited, such censorship rapidly intrudes on open democratic debate, serious discussion, on art and entertainment, on all our communication and interaction. In the UK, a recent spate of cases indicate a deeply worrying trend towards criminalising speech – individuals have received jail sentences or community service orders for publishing sick or bad jokes online or on Twitter (or in one case for strong anti-police sentiments on a t-shirt). And while the â€Å"Innocence of Muslims† video was highly offensive to some (though not all had seen it) is it really vol xlviI no 46EPW Economic & Political Weekly 18 COMMENTARY the job of governments to decide what is offensive or not? And if they do, and all governments between them censor all that is offensive on the web, then there will be very little left for us all to read or debate or write. We will end up in the opposite of a digital world – in a c ontrolled and fragmented set of con? ned digital spaces. The other main justi? cation governments use for controlling the digital world is in order to justify monitoring and surveillance.We need it to tackle crime and terror, the authorities say with great urgency – the criminals are technologically leaps and bounds ahead of us. But do democracies really need to monitor and survey their entire populations just because digital technology makes it easy to do? Surely tackling crime needs a focused, targeted, intelligent approach – not a population-wide sledgehammer. And if democracies do mimic the mass snooping behaviour of the East German Stasi, or of today’s China or Iran, then they will be undermining their own democratic systems.Free speech does not prevail where everything is being monitored, or collected, or stored so one day it may be checked on. And while governments need to be challenged not to censor and monitor and undermine the global digital space we s hare, private companies have become an increasingly important part of the equation – but one less easily held to account. Facebook’s users hit the one billion mark this autumn. But not only does Facebook make a lot of money out of the private and public information that the one billion share on its pages, it also sets the rules for the conversations in its space.Fair enough you may say, so do plenty of clubs or newspapers or societies. But telephone operators do not set rules of what you can and cannot say on the phone; cafes do not ask you to sign up to what you can and cannot say at the door. And as Twitter, Google and others respond to governments’ requests to take material down – or stand up to governments (as they sometimes do) and defend what has been posted – we are witnessing a major privatisation of censorship in the digital world. Can We Defend the Digital Revolution?So have we lost the digital revolution while it is still in its infancy? Not necessarily. Some big web companies are issuing transparency reports, as Google and Twitter do, so we can all see and judge what they as companies are doing – though we cannot get that picture yet for any individual country. This is an important but partial step. Beyond this, some of the big companies, as well as many democratic governments, have made clear statements supporting an open, free digital space that respects human rights including the right to free expression.And the European Union (EU) and US are currently standing up to a push from China and Russia for top-down regulation of the internet. The next summit where this battle will continue is the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) meeting in Dubai in early December. Which way will India, or Brazil, or South Africa go at that summit – with the US and EU or with China and Russia? We are at a moment where the digital world can go either way – it can become a space of genuine free expression , one enjoyed by ever larger numbers of people, or it can become a controlled and monitored space.Like any battle for free speech and fundamental rights, governments and other major players – in this case big web companies and internet service providers – must be held to account and challenged to defend our rights. If democracies like India, the EU, the US or Brazil do not defend free speech in the digital world, and hold back from the temptation of censorship and surveillance almost at the click of a mouse, then we are on a dangerously slippery slope. It is a moment to stand up and defend our digital freedoms – for if we do not, who will?N EW The Adivasi Question Edited By INDRA MUNSHI Depletion and destruction of forests have eroded the already fragile survival base of adivasis across the country, displacing an alarmingly large number of adivasis to make way for development projects. Many have been forced to migrate to other rural areas or cities in search of work, leading to systematic alienation. This volume situates the issues concerning the adivasis in a historical context while discussing the challenges they face today.The introduction examines how the loss of land and livelihood began under the British administration, making the adivasis dependent on the landlord-moneylender-trader nexus for their survival. The articles, drawn from writings of almost four decades in EPW, discuss questions of community rights and ownership, management of forests, the state’s rehabilitation policies, and the Forest Rights Act and its implications. It presents diverse perspectives in the form of case studies specific to different regions and provides valuable analytical insights.Authors: Ramachandra Guha †¢ Sanjeeva Kumar †¢ Ashok K Upadhyaya †¢ E Selvarajan †¢ Nitya Rao †¢ B B Mohanty †¢ Brian Lobo Pp xi + 408 Rs 695 ISBN 978-81-250-4716-2 2012 †¢ K Balagopal †¢ Sohel Firdos †¢ Pankaj Sekhsaria â₠¬ ¢ DN †¢ Judy Whitehead †¢ Sagari R Ramdas †¢ Neela Mukherjee †¢ Mathew Areeparampil †¢ Asmita Kabra †¢ Renu Modi †¢ M Gopinath Reddy, K Anil Kumar, P Trinadha Rao, Oliver Springate-Baginski †¢ Indra Munshi †¢ Jyothis Sathyapalan †¢ Mahesh Rangarajan †¢ Madhav Gadgil †¢ Dev Nathan, Govind Kelkar †¢ Emmanuel D’Silva, B Nagnath †¢ Amita Baviskar ww. orientblackswan. com Mumbai †¢ Chennai †¢ New Delhi †¢ Kolkata †¢ Bangalore †¢ Bhubaneshwar †¢ Ernakulam †¢ Guwahati †¢ Jaipur †¢ Lucknow †¢ Patna †¢ Chandigarh †¢ Hyderabad Contact: [email  protected] com Economic & Political Weekly EPW Orient Blackswan Pvt Ltd NovemBER 17, 2012 vol xlviI no 46 19

Full Day Kindergarten Essay

Full day kindergarten should be mandatory and of no extra cost for all of the elementary schools. This will boost the children’s academic achievement. The children that are exposed to full day kindergarten will learn more in literacy and mathematics than those in half-day kindergarten. The students that are in a full day program get to spend more time on their math, writing, and reading activities. The full day students also get the advantage of being able to participate in gym, art, and music classes. The half-day students do not get to experience gym, art, or music class. I have seen results first hand because I chose to put my son in a full day kindergarten versus the half-day. I chose to bring my son to a school that is located in Fridley so that he could receive the benefits of the full day kindergarten. The half-day program that Blaine offers has a very undesirable schedule for parents who work. The half-day schedule for Blaine elementary school is full days Mondays, Wednesdays, and every other Friday. I think that the earlier the educational intervention begins the higher the impact and the more likely the effects will be retained. Other than the health of a child, I think that nothing should be more important than their education. Giving children the opportunity to be in a full day kindergarten program gives them opportunities that the half-day students do not receive. One of the opportunities is being able to spend more time on reading, writing, and math. The teachers also have more time to sit one on one with each student one or in small groups and work on these skills. They also have a different theme for each month that they focus on. Some examples of the themes are the solar system, U. S. residents, maps, and the celebrations around the world. Children also absorb things more easily when they are younger. Being a mother of a full day kindergarten student, I see the results of the extra reading, writing, and math that the teacher does with him. My son is one of the youngest in his class and he is reading at a first grade level. As for his writing, he attempt to write big words using phonics. For example, I came home one day a few months ago and he had written on his dry erase board â€Å"I see a red ladebug†. He also brought home a worksheet that he had written about his favorite fruits. On this worksheet, he had written â€Å"watrmlon†. As far as his math goes, he is always measuring things in the house with a kid’s yard ruler. The themes that they work on each month give the students the ability to know what is going on in the world around them. My son came home from school one day and told me that there was a planet that was not considered a planet anymore. I did not know this and I was in complete awe. According to Debra Ackerman, â€Å"Children in full day kindergarten programs score higher on their achievement test than those in half-day programs. Full-day kindergarten advocates suggest that a longer school day provides educational support that ensures a productive beginning school experience and increases the chances of future school success. In both full-day and half-day programs, kindergartners spend most of their class time working on reading, language arts, and math activities, but the total number of minutes teachers devote to specific subjects differs. For example, 80 percent of full day but only about 50 percent of half-day programs devote more than 30 minutes each day to mathematics instruction. Sixty-eight percent of full day but only 37 percent of half-day classrooms dedicate at least 60 minutes to reading instruction each day. Perhaps most striking, 79 percent of full-day teachers read aloud to their students every day, compared to 62 percent of half-day teachers. Reading aloud is a critical activity in helping to develop children’s reading skills. Additional research shows children’s literacy learning is enhanced in full-day programs, as the full-day schedule provides a more intensive, ongoing, enriched language and literacy experience for the young child. (Ackerman) Children in full day kindergarten programs score higher on their achievement test than those in half-day programs. I asked my son’s kindergarten teacher, Ms. Janssen, what the average for reading was for her class. Ms. Janssen stated that the majority of her students are already in the first grade reading level as of the end of the second trimester. As said by the Indiana Association of Public School Super Intendants, â€Å"Full day kindergarten programs are associated with greater reading achievement gains during the kindergarten year than half day programs†. Plucker, 6) The students are graded on their writing and math abilities as well. According to the Kalamazoo Public Schools reports, â€Å"The group of kindergartners advanced in 2010 to first grade at Kalamazoo Public School, where 60 percent tested at or above the 50th percentile in reading on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills last April. That’s a 7-point increase compared to Kalamazoo Public School first-graders tested in April 2009, Rice said. On the Iowa Test Basic Skills math test, 52 percent of first-graders tested a t or above the 50th percentile last spring, a 12-point jump over spring 2009. The Iowa Test of Basic Skills are administered in schools nationwide and is a norm-referenced test, which means scores are based on how students perform compared to other test-takers. The Kalamazoo Public School results show that 60 percent of Kalamazoo students are in the top half of first-graders nationwide in reading and 52 percent are in the top half in math. † (Mack) Children who are in full day kindergarten have better social and behavioral effects than those who are in half-day kindergarten. When children are in school for the full day they have more time to get to know the other students. They get more time to interact together socially and they are learning while they are interacting. The students also get to go to specialists and they go with their classmates. Some of the specialists that Hayes Elementary offers are music, art, Spanish, and gym. Going to the specialist is something that the full day kindergarteners get to do and the half-day kindergarteners do not get to do. These students also get to spend more time with the teacher. This means that they will be less hesitant to approach their teacher. According to Clark, â€Å"Some researchers have examined social and behavioral effects. According to researchers, a clear relationship emerged between the kindergarten schedule and children’s behavior. Teachers rated children in all-day kindergarten programs higher on 9 of the 14 dimensions; there were no significant differences on the other 5 dimensions. Other researchers who have studied social and behavioral outcomes found that children in all-day kindergarten programs were engaged in more child-to-child interactions and they made significantly greater progress in learning social skills†. Clark) In the kindergarten classrooms of Hayes Elementary, the students get into groups called centers. During this center time, the teacher takes a group of five students to a table to do independent reading and the rest of the students go to a center. The centers are groups of three or four students and the students get to interact socially while doing something educational. Some examples of the centers are writing center, listening center, leapster center, and art center. The writing center is where the students can write freely. The listening center is where the students put on headphones, listen to directions, and write down what they hear. The leapster center is where the students get to play a handheld learning game that integrates math, reading, and spelling in the games. Finally, the art center is where the students get to draw and color what they want. When the time is up the students clean up as groups. A full day of learning offers many social and emotional benefits to kindergarteners. As stated by NEA, â€Å"They have more time to focus and reflect on activities, and they have more time to transition between activities. When children are taught by qualified teachers, using age-appropriate curricula in small classes they can take full advantage of the additional learning time—social, emotional, and intellectual— that a full day allows. Further, research finds that children adjust well to the full-day format. † (NEA) The full day kindergarten teachers plan and use the extra time in class well. The time in class is spent differently in both the full day kindergarten and the half-day kindergarten. According to the research that the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents, â€Å"The research provides evidence that time in full day kindergarten programs is different both quantitatively and qualitatively from how time is used in half day programs† (Plucker, ii). Full day kindergarten offers benefits to teachers. Teachers prefer the full day program to the half-day program. If there is a child that is struggling with something, the teacher has the ability to find time to help that student. There is also more time to finish activities. According to Ms. Janssen, â€Å"With the full day program I am able to get through four reading groups versus two reading groups in one day. With the full day program we are able to go more in depth on our unit that we focus on in class. † (Janssen) According to the NEA, â€Å"Switching to full-day kindergarten gave teachers more time to plan the curriculum, incorporate a greater number of thematic units into the school year, and offer more in-depth coverage of each unit. (NEA) In the half-day programs there is less time for multiple activities. According to Dr. Martinez, â€Å"Many kindergarten teachers favor full day kindergarten because they find it difficult to balance cognitive activities and affective social activities in the short kindergarten day. † (Martinez, 2) Teachers also prefer full day kindergarten because there is more instructional time than that of a half-day kindergarten program. As stated by the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents, â€Å" Across all of the schools in the Indiana sample, the proportion of instructional time is similar across program types, resulting in much greater instructional time in full day programs, representing approximately 40-50% more instruction in full day programs than half-day programs†. (Plucker, ii) Teachers also have the benefit of getting to know the students and their parents better. According to Dr. Martinez, â€Å"Teachers state that they have a chance to know children and parents better, to do more individualization of instruction, and to expand the curriculum horizontally. (Dr. Martinez) There are so many benefits for the children. A very important benefit is that the full day kindergarteners have the opportunity to an easier transition into the first grade because they are already used to the full day schedule. The time that the students get to spend with the teacher is a great benefit as well. The extra time that is spent with the teacher is as much beneficial for the teacher as it is for the students. According to the research from Dr. Martinez, â€Å"Teachers thought children developed closer relationships and were more relaxed in the full-day program and felt more a part of the school. Teachers indicated they were able to give more individual attention to students and that children had more time to develop both academic and socialization skills. Teachers noted they could work more on the continuing development of each child and felt children showed more advancement. Teachers indicated they felt closer to the children and that they got to know both child and family better. Some indicated in the full day they felt more flexible, were more relaxed and spontaneous, and felt better prepared to meet with parents. † (Dr. Martinez, 6) The time that the students get to spend on activities is another great benefit. According to NEA, â€Å"in a study evaluating teachers’ views on full-day kindergarten, teachers reported a number of benefits for themselves as well as children and parents. Participating in full day eased the transition to first grade, helping children adapt to the demand of a six-hour day. Having more time available in the school day offered more flexibility and more time to do activities during free choice times. Having more time actually made the kindergarten program less stressful and frustrating for children because they had time to fully develop an interest in activities. Participating in he full-day schedule allows more appropriate academic challenges for children at all developmental levels. Children with developmental delays or those at risk for school problems benefited from having more time to complete projects and more time for needed socialization with peers and teachers. † (NEA) Full day kindergarten offers more benefits to the students that are at risk and children that come from educational and economical disadvantaged homes. If the full day kindergarten programs cost money, as most do, they cost around 3000 dollars per child for the year. The 3000 dollars is charged to the parents of the child. The children that come from the educationally and economically disadvantaged homes would not be able to attend because of the cost. These children are the ones that benefit from the program the most. According to the Indiana Superintendents, â€Å"Students at or below the poverty level enrolled in full day kindergarten scored statistically significantly higher in math and reading than their half day counterparts. Poor children enrolled in full day kindergarten programs tested statistically significantly above half day pupils on reading, spatial, and verbal skills, naming colors and letters, and identifying numerals. (Plucker, 6) Parents prefer full day kindergarten as well. I as a mother prefer the full day kindergarten program to the half-day program. One of the advantages is that I do not have to figure out childcare and who would bring my son to the childcare. Trying to figure out childcare and school between my job schedule would be undesirable. As said by Dr. Martinez, â€Å"Full-day kindergarten saves parents day-care problems, while providing children a comprehensive, developmentally-appropriate program. Parents said that children often feel more stress when they have to go from a school situation to a day-care environment, where different rules and philosophies apply. Therefore, parents favor a full-day program, which reduces the number of transitions kindergartners experience in a typical day. † (Dr. Martinez) Full day kindergarten also takes a huge cost out of many parents’ monthly budget including mine. Even though some people would be against this and say, â€Å"Why would I have to pay for your childcare? † I would say that many parents including myself pay taxes too. Their parents wanted them to have the best education that they could have gotten. Most importantly, I know that my son and many other children are getting the best out of their day while they are in school. They are having fun while they are learning. My son enjoys being in school. If he had a choice, he would go on Saturdays and Sundays. Children attending full day kindergarten spend the day learning instead of watching television or playing video games. Full-day kindergarten provides parents with better support for their children. According to NEA, â€Å"For parents who work outside the home, full-day kindergarten means that children do not have to be shuffled between home, school, and childcare. For all parents, there is more continuity and less disruption in the child’s day and more time for focused and independent learning. One study of parent attitudes found that after the second year of a full-day kindergarten program, 100 percent of full-day parents, and 72 percent of half-day parents noted that, if given the opportunity again, they would have chosen full-day kindergarten for their child†. (NEA) In conclusion, having full day kindergarten should be mandatory. There are many benefits of the full day kindergarten program. The benefits are not limited to the students. Teachers and parents also get great benefits out of the full day program. According to MaryBeth, â€Å"Research has shown that it is important to begin learning early in life. School systems that have implemented the academically based full day kindergarten are finding it to be successful. If I had to choose again if a child of mine was going to go to full day or half-day kindergarten, I would not even have to think twice. A child’s education should be one of the most important things to think about. These children will be the future and they need a great education to get there.

Informative interview memo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Informative interview memo - Essay Example succeeded because he had interest on computers and really wanted to know more about programming in computer of which today, he is a profession in that area. My interest to visit Mr. Lyson, is because he had programmed a software for my father that he used in his general shop for recording of sales, profits and losses in that shop. The software functioned very well and interested many people including me. Because I am studying computer information and technology, that’s why I called for this meeting, in which he gave me several ideas to be successful in my study. He advised me to be serious in everything I learn and do. He told me to carefully listen and do what my lecturer will tell me to do and just follow simple instructions given, like he did during his time. He also told me that he has part time learning after job, where he meets with some students for computer study classes at his home. He advised me to join them for extra learning. Although he is qualified, he faces some challenges in his job. We discussed some of this challenges and how he avoids them whenever he meets them. In his company, they deal with computer repairs, software development and management. He gets a lot of orders from different companies requesting him to create some programmes and software for them. The great challenge that he gets in his company is lack of qualified workers. He don’t have enough workers to assist him develop his company. This is because there are no qualified people around to employ in the company. The reason of this is that people take computer programming to be very default lesson to learn. Most people don’t have interest on this study. To solve this problem, he decide to come up with an idea of building school, that is now under construction, to make people have interest and easier thee access of utilities this people require to study computers. Mr. Lyson repeatedly explained that, to be successful in anything you must be committed and have interest in

Business Start Up Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Start Up - Essay Example We had worked out an initial business plan with my team as a basis of our operations. Our business plan had all the important sections including finances, operations, milestone objectives and marketing covered. Practically speaking, having a business plan significantly reduces the risks and provides a proactive scope. I learnt that the initial business plan is not sufficient enough, hence my team decided to keep updating the document to take guidance from it. Hornsby & Kuratko (2009 p.111) have also identified many reasons to update a business plan which are: varying financial needs and new projections yearly, additional financing needed, managing management conflicts and to induce more reality to the plan. There already are similar companies producing customised cakes and crepes, therefore I was of the view that if we want to stand out we need a comptetitive advantage. Enterpreneurship is about new ideas and creation, and strategic planning focuses on the method to achieve above ave rage performance through a competitive advantage (Hitt, Ireland, Camp, & Sexton, 2002 p.33). Two of our team mates are passionate about the baking line of foods. Utilising their talent we have designed new cake and crepe recipes alongwith additional services and packages, as our unique selling points include customised packaging, complimentary dessert decor, small goodwill presents, greeting cards and an optional nutrition card for the health conscious customers. We have drafted updates on our business plan regarding this Enterpreneurial Strategic Management Interface (ESMI). Professionalism is a function of time and experience, but we lag in it because we are beginners in business... Professionalism is a function of time and experience, but we lag in it because we are beginners in business management. There have been incidents like the one when we landed with a huge order of deserts for a new year party. The order was huge, with promising profits and potentially loyal customers. The process to meet the order produced conflicts amongst our team members. The team member responsible for managing the operations and employees, namely preparation of the deserts and managing the chefs, felt that he was doing all of the work. The one who had negotiated the contract and maintained the liaison with the customer party felt that she deserved all the credit. That’s when I, being the leader, realized that we need teamwork orientation to wheedle out the individualism. I arranged a self-development session with my fellows and pointed out that everyone’s individual contribution in the work is unique and significant. We need to develop a sense of unity in our work ot herwise the conflicts will adversely affect the output and our produce will lack harmony. We learned that there are external agencies that exist to perpetuate small businesses. One of my fellows gave the idea to take some form of external small business assistance and consultancy service. He showed me the SBA.Gov platform on the internet that helps in finding the local resources, exploring the potentials and consultancy to achieve the organization’s goals. Our current focus is to develop and strengthen ourselves through proactive planning and introducing newer food and service packages.

Global Business Context Outline Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

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Critical Thinking Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critical Thinking Reflection - Essay Example Gandhi discovered his nonviolent means not in India but in South Africa when he was travelling in a first class compartment. Due to apartheid policies prevailing then, he was thrown out from the first class compartment as only Whites were allowed to travel in the first class compartment. This inhuman incident gave birth to a new movement where no arms, or guns were used to gain justice, and freedom. While it would seem impractical in those days, he made great efforts in organizing the Indian community against socioeconomic repression and racial discrimination through nonviolent means. His movement though began in South Africa, he returned to India with a novel ways and means to make his country independent – free from the british rulers. In fact, India had already made one attempt using arms and guns in 1857 to liberalize the nation; however, it was failed miserably. Many other violent attempts were also made by numerous revolutionaries then, but none of them had any success. When British rulers enforced the Rowlett Act in India, he protested against this brutal act and resorted to upavas (fasting) and Satyagraha (enforcement of truth). The rulers were not at all acquainted with this new way of fighting where protesters were not using any kind of arms – not even a small stick for self-defense. The establishment was so much surprised that they were unable to decide what to do with him. The followers of Gandhi would take all kinds of beating but woule not attack on police. They put Gandhi in prison but Gandhi would not eat any thing to protest against their brutal behaviour. At last, due to people’s pressure, the government was compelled to free him from the custody. To make his protest more effective, Gandhi began civil disobedience movement. When the British government made the Salt Law that prevented common people to produce edible salt, he strongly protested against the

Political Parties and the Electorial Process Assignment

Political Parties and the Electorial Process - Assignment Example On the other hand, Democrats have favored interventions that intervene closely on the lives of individuals in a manner that may be seen to alter local authority (Peress, 2011). On economy, Republicans favor a policy of free enterprise where the government only encourages a free business environment. They focus on letting the people act independently within a free market with little government interference. For example, Republican policy may not so easily favor bailing out an enterprise that is facing financial woes. Democrats on their part, Democrats hold that the economy is a sensitive area that the government should monitor closely. They tend to favor government support of economic institutions in the event they are threatened with issues of performance. For example, the Obama administration bailed out Ford Company to save millions of jobs for Americans. The other difference between Republicans and Democrats ideologies is that whereas Republicans favor limited government spending, Democrats believe in federal tax control. Democrats hold that it is the business of the federal government to design tax policies and regulations. Republicans do not agree with this position, favoring controlled government spending and tax increases. ... On the other hand, Democrats have favored a controlled military spending. Even so, the current administration was not keen on that. It could be probably because of terror threat, which has been a serious issue in the last 10 years (Peress, 2011). Analyze Key Reasons Why Third Parties Have Ever Been Successful At the Presidential Level The nature of party system in the US is such that representatives are first elected at district level. Election at the district level is such that only one candidate with the most votes is declared the winner. This system has seen many candidates from third parties who lose at the district level since the major parties are usually out to make the best out of the districts elections. One can say that the level of political competition that the district level explains why it has always been difficult for third parties to be successful. Besides, the fact that there has been the trend that majorities of the electorates identify with the bigger parties has a lso posed a political challenge for candidates who prefer to run on third parties. It is a fear or concern of the psychological power of the big two parties on the minds of the electorates (Snyder and Ting, 2011). Besides, there is no big historical success for third parties. Probably Roosevelt was the only lucky candidate of third parties when he scooped 88% of the Electoral College votes, but he also reversed and joined the Republican Party. Therefore, it appears that history does not serve third parties a fair share of the competitive platform against Democrats and Republicans. They may be seen as political underdogs who cannot bark so loudly enough on matters of interest to the electorates. Lastly, third parties have also suffered the blow of

Asthma Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Asthma - Case Study Example An asthma exacerbation can be caused by allergens (Sequeria & Steward, 2007). There are those who only have asthma attacks as a result of an allergic reaction. While it still remains unclear just what causes asthma in general, every individual varies as to what their asthma triggers are. Asthma a condition that results from three major processes, which are airway inflammation, intermittent airflow obstruction, and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (Morris & Mosenifar, 2011)..These three processes are present in every episode of asthma Airway Inflammation Airway inflammation is the result of inhaling substances that are triggers for the patient (Sequeria & Steward, 2007). Substances such as toxins that are inhaled can activate airway mast cells which bear IgE antibodies. The antibodies lead to inflammatory responses as the mediators, such as histamine, cause mucus hypersecretion and plasma leakage (Sequeria & Steward, 2007).This inflammation results in epithelial changes, basement membran e changes, and â€Å"submucosal infiltration with activated lymphocytes and eosinophils† (Guill, 2004). Chronic airway inflammation can result in airway reconstruction and increased airway resistance (Sequeira & Stewart, 2007). Intermittent airflow Obstruction The mucus hypersecretion that is a result of the airway inflammation causes airflow obstruction. This obstruction makes it very difficult for the patient to breathe, as fresh air cannot be received by the lungs. It is also often the cause of the coughing that often serves as one of the symptoms of asthma. Airflow obstruction is considered to be often reversible, unlike the restructuring that may result from chronic airway inflammation (Sequeira & Stewart, 2007). However, such obstruction has fueled the concern that earlier and more aggressive interventions may be necessary (Guill, 2004). Airflow obstruction can become very severe and even fatal. Without any intervention the hypersecretion of mucus can fill the lungs and block the ability to breathe altogether. Bronchial Hyperresponsiveness There is a lack of complete understanding when it comes to bronchial hyperresponsiveness (O’Connor, 1993). While the understanding of this process in not complete, there have been some additions to the knowledge base brought about by numerous clinical studies. The search to fully understand the process persists. What is known about bronchial hyperresponsiveness in asthma is that it is directly correlated with disease severity (O’Connor, 1993). There is a relationship between the airway inflammations that is characteristic in asthma to bronchial hyperresponsiveness, but, unlike inflammation, bronchial hyperresponsiveness can not serve as an asthma diagnostic. Instead, bronchial hyperresponsiveness has been defined as â€Å"a functional disorder reflecting a tendency to airflow obstruction† (O’Connor, 1993). Bronchial Hyperresponsiveness only serves to compound the problem of airflow li mitations, as it works to increase dyspena. The bronchodilators that are often used in the treatment of asthma have no benefits in the treatment of bronchial hyperresponsiveness. (Van Schayck & Van Herwaarden, 1993). In addition to inhaled toxic substances as triggers, it has been found that asthma can be the result of nerve activity in some patients. There are

Terrorism, its Causes and Responses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Terrorism, its Causes and Responses - Essay Example The United Nations General Assembly attempts to define terrorism as criminal actions aimed at provoking the state of terror in the public, groups of people or certain persons for unjustifiable political reasons. Such actions are intolerable and are termed terrorism despite the ideologies, religious considerations, philosophical or political reasons that might be brought forth as justification. characteristically acts of terrorism are politically motivated, violent in nature, calculated to instigate psychological fear, are advanced by organizations with clear conspiratorial command chains which are identifiable and the perpetrators and entities which are non-state. Terrorists generally exploit the media to achieve much publicity as possible and amplify their influence on the audience of the target. The objective is for the effects to be felt by an audience that goes beyond the immediate subject being targeted. Terrorism can take the type of either domestic terrorism if conducted within the confines of national borders or international terrorism is conducted by groups that are able to exert their effects beyond borders of nations. Terrorism can also take the form of Civil Disorder in which violence is utilized in order to disrupt the security & peace as well as the normal community functioning. Political terrorism on the other takes the form of violence and criminal mannerisms aimed at generating fear in an entire community or a significant part of the community in order to advance political interests. There is also Limited Political Terrorism which involves terror acts conducted out of political and ideological motivations but not aimed at gaining state control.  

Postmodern Literature Essay Example for Free

Postmodern Literature Essay â€Å"The Garden of Forking Paths,† by taking the form of a signed statement made by the main character of the story, Dr. Yu Tsun, has a specific instance that reverts back to the past which is the technique of flashback in postmodern literature. That precise instance is when Dr. Tsun reflects on his great ancestor, Ts’ui Pen, and recalls the life of the man. More importantly, the story itself is already a flashback by virtue of its form, a signed statement, which implies that reading the ‘signed statement’ of Dr. Tsun is already a way of flashing back to his life before his death. Apparently, the flashback scene where Dr. Tsun recalls his memory of his great ancestor also indicates a ‘flashback’ within the main ‘flashback,’ which all the more signifies the postmodern character of the short story.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Chinua Achebe’s â€Å"Things Fall Apart† is also a literary work with a postmodern characteristic. This can be observed from the way in which Achebe preferred not to ‘romanticize’ the story of the Nigerians by portraying the history of the Ibo tribe as flourishing while ending when the colonizers came, and is contrasted by the ‘self-destruction’ of the story’s main character, Okokwo. In sum, the downfall of the Ibo tribe has also been brought about by the self-destruction of the society’s hero aside from the harms done by the invading colonizers. Scott Momaday’s The Way to Rainy Mountain is also an example of postmodern literature because readers can hardly identify whether it is the author who is narrating his life experiences or the characters in the story who are revealing their journeys in the so-called Rainy Mountain. Thus, readers may tend to interpret Momaday’s work as a combination of the stories of his life and his people, or readers may tend to interpret the same work as the story of the characters from the eyes of the author or the story of the author from the eyes of the characters.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Lastly, both Primo Levi’s â€Å"Two Flags† and â€Å"Survival in Auschwitz† indicate the blurring of the character and the elements of the story. For instance, the character in â€Å"Two Flags† mentions an â€Å"umpire† in a soccer game when in fact there is no umpire in a soccer game but a referee. Quite oddly, Levi also reveals how the main character in the story died upon seeing the two flags of the nations he loved and hated respectively swaying side-by-side. On the other hand, â€Å"Survival in Auschwitz† has a climax in the opening parts of the story which tells us that the story departs from the conventional placement of the climax in stories. These elements are just some of the notable examples as to why both â€Å"Two Flags† and â€Å"Survival in Auschwitz† are also postmodern works in literature. Works Cited Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. Anchor, 1994. Levi, Primo. Survival in Auschwitz. New York: Touchstone, 1996. Levi, Primo. Two Flags.   The Longman Anthology of World Literature. Ed. David Damorsch. Vol. F. New York: Pearson, 2004. 406-08. Momaday, N. Scott. The Way to Rainy Mountain. New Mexico: University of New Mexico Press, 1976.

A critical incident analysis and reflection

A critical incident analysis and reflection The purpose of this essay is to reflect and critically study an incident from a clinical setting whilst using a model of reflection. This will allow me to analyse and make sense of the incident and draw conclusions relating to personal learning outcomes. The significance of critical analysis and critical incidents will briefly be discussed followed by the process of reflection using the chosen model. The incident will then be described and analysed and the people involved introduced and then I will examine issues raised in light of the recent literature relating to the incident. My essay will include a discussion of communication, interpersonal skills used in the incident, and finally evidence based practice. I will conclude with explaining what I have learned from the experience and how it will change my future actions. The Gibbs model (1988) of reflection cycle will be attached as appendix 1 and description of incident will be attached as appendix 2. In accordance with the 2004 Nursing and Midwifery Council, the clients details and placement setting has not been disclosed in order to maintain confidentiality. Critical incidents are snapshots of something that happens to a patient, their family or nurse. It may be something positive, or it could be a situation where someone has suffered in some way (Rich Parker 2001). According to Hogston and Simpson (2002) reflection is a process of reviewing an experience of practice in order to better describe, analyse and evaluate, and so inform learning about practice. Wolverson (2000) includes this is an important process for all nurses wishing to improve their practice. This will be investigated using a reflective nursing model. I am going to use Gibbs (1988) Reflective Cycle. This because Gibbs is clear and precise allowing for description, analysis and evaluation of the experience helping me to make sense of experiences and examines my practice. However Ghaye and Lillyman (2006) state that it is miscontructed as ideal for only negative experiences. On the other hand they emphasise that it its strengths lies with the incorporation of knowledge, feelings and action in one learning cycle. Taking action is the key; Gibbs prompts to formulate an action plan. This enables to look at my practice and see what I would change in the future, how I would develop and improve my own practice. Gibbs (1988) consists of six stages to complete one cycle which is able to improve my nursing practice continuously and learning from the experience for better practice in the future. The cycle starts with a description of the situation, next is to analysis of the feelings, third is an evaluation of the experience, fourth stage is an analysis to make sense of the experience, fifth stage is a conclusion of what else could I have done and final stage is an action plan to prepare if the situation arose again (NHS, 2006). Baird and winter (2005) give some reasons why reflection is require in the reflective practice. They state that a reflect is to generate the practice knowledge, assist an ability to adapt new situations, develop self-esteem and satisfaction as well as to value, develop and professionalizing practice. However, Siviter (2004) explain that reflection is about gaining self-confidence, identify when to improve, learning from own mistakes and behaviour, looking at other peopl e perspectives, being self-aware and improving the future by learning the past. In my context with the patient, it is important for me to improve the therapeutic relationship which is the nurse-patient relationship. In the therapeutic relationship, there is the therapeutic rapport establish from a sense of trust and a mutual understanding exists between a nurse and a patient that build in a special link of the relationship (Harkreader and Hogan, 2004). Asserive Description This is attached as appendix one. Feelings In this paragraph, I would discuss on my feelings or thinking that took place in the event happened. I was shocked that the doctor did not wash her hands or use alcohol prior examining Ms Adams especially with all the infection control guidelines and protocols in place. In spite of this I did not have confidence and felt intimidated due to the fact the doctor was more knowledgeable and experienced than I was as a first year student, also I did not want to make him feel uncomfortable. Furthermore I did not want the patient to feel alarmed and worried by challenging the doctor whilst Ms Adams was there. However soon after I had a word with my mentor and told her what I observed and she then recommended that together we confront the doctor, therefore the next day my mentor spoke to her in private and she asked her, if before examining Ms Adams whether she washed her hands. The doctor seemed stunned by this conversation but admitted she did not wash her hands. She responded by justifying his actions and saying he was busy and was in a rush to remember. My mentor discussed the significance of infection control and hand hygiene and then the doctor promised her that she would make sure she follows the protocols and cleanses her hands prior examining any patient in the future. Evaluation This event was difficult and challenging for me as I felt disappointment for my lack of confidence in not confronting and challenging the doctor prior him examining Ms Adams, on the other hand I felt content in the way the doctor responded so positive and optimistic. Consequently I observed that doctor has now changed his practice as a result of this incident. I have learnt from this incident the importance of acting assertively with staff members in a sensitive approach in order to safeguard patientà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s health. Analysis Nurses have a responsibility to safeguard and promote the interests of individual patients and Clients (NMC 2004). This responsibility include ensuring that his or her knowledge and competencies commensurate with the task being undertaken. Infection is responsible for increased morbidity and mortality, thus a comprehensive knowledge of infection control precautions and basic microbiology should be a fundamental requirement of all healthcare professionals. Hands must be decontaminated before every episode of care that involves direct contact with patientsà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ skin or food, invasive devices or dressings. Current expert opinion recommends that hands need to be decontaminated after completing an episode of patient care and following the removal of gloves to minimise cross contamination of the environment (Boyce and Pittet, 2002; Pratt et al, 2001). Hand hygiene is a crucial factor in the control of hospital-acquired infection (HAI) because hands can easily transfer micro-organisms from one area or patient to another. According to Shuttlewood (cited in Beckford-Ball, Hainsworth) states that despite strategies promoting hand hygiene there still seems to be difficulty persuading staff to adopt good practice. Doctors are the worst offenders. According to NHS figures, 25% of them fail to follow basic hand-washing procedures, compared with 10% of nurses and 15% of ancillary staff. From The Sunday Times December 21, 2008 Royal College of Nursing (RCN, 2009)Studies show that uniforms may become contaminated by potentially disease-causing bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium difficile, Although it has been suggested that uniforms act as are servoir or vector for transmission of infection in hospitals, no evidence is currently available linking the transmission of bacteria to patients (Wilson et al., 2007).However, it is important to note that all clothing worn by all staff (for example, doctors, therapists and cleaners) has the potential to become contaminated via environmental micro-organisms, or those originating from patients or the wearer, and that nurses uniforms are not unique in that respect. This reinforces the need to ensure all clothing worn by staff in all clinical areas is fit for purpose and able to withstand laundering. Advocacy ranges from activities on behalf of patients, such as hand washing and proper identification before treatments, to arguing that an early discharge will harm her patients recovery. According to Arnold and Boggs (2003) assertive nurse is able to stand up for the rights of others as well as for his or her own rightsà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ . If the complaint is justified then equally the nurse has duty to inform the doctor of what has transpired because he or she has a duty to promote high standards of patient care and this includes confronting co-workers when the nurse believes their standards to be less than adequate (Rumbad, G 1999).As the student nurse caring for Ms Adams under my mentors supervision, this also applies to my own practice as a student nurse. Conclusion In hindsight I feel I should have confronted the doctor at that moment and acted sooner. I also should have made sure the doctor washed her hands prior examining the patient. I realise how I put Ms Adams heath at risk. Following conversation with my mentor acknowledged that I need to develop the confidence to challenge the practice of colleagues, understanding pressures that may be under but ensuring that their practice does not put patients at risk. If a nurse observes a practice or procedure she believes to be wrong, advocating for her patient demands she speak out even if that practice was carried out by her superior. This is not always easy and may have a cost for the nurse. I realise that I need to be supportive to colleagues, understanding the pressures that they may be under, but ensuring that their practice does not put clients at risk. Action Plan My action plan is always to work as part of a team, learn more about how best to communicate in order to contribute to good nursing care. I will aim improve and develop my assertive skills when working with staff members to ensure health and safety of patients is maintained. Therefore I will make this a goal for learning in my next placement and discuss with my mentor to work out strategies for how I can achieve this.

How Power Corrupts in Macbeth Essay -- Macbeth, power, Shakespeare,

â€Å"Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.† (John Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron Acton) It is in human nature that the more power one desires the more corrupt actions one must do to attain it. In Shakespeare’s tragedy of Macbeth, a Scottish noble's craving for power leads him to do terrible deeds that leads to his demise. Shakespeare shows that power corrupts by using Macbeth who corrupts under the thought of have power over others. Macbeth becomes corrupt under the thought of becoming king and gaining almost complete control over the people that he rules. Macbeth wants the power badly enough to do horrible deeds such as commit regicide. Lady Macbeth becomes very ambitious and allows herself to become seduced to the idea of becoming Queen. Her ruthlessness urges Macbeth to commit regicide by questioning his love for her and his own manhood. Jane Brendon, a female critic on Macbeth comments on the Lady Macbeth’s association with Macbeth, the hero, to commit crimes which tend to show that the corruption of Macbeth is previously designed and the result that they got was foretold: Lady Macbeth certainly had the upper hand over her weak husband; she found it easy to manipulate him into murder and then getting him to think it was his own idea! She even insults him by telling him that the only way he’ll be able to prove his manhood to her is to commit murder, since he hasn’t already proved it to her by â€Å"giving her a son.† That was a very, very harsh insult because in those times, males were everything. (p.9, The Follies of Power) The essence of Macbeth lies not only in the fact that it is written by the universal talent William Shakespeare; the royal-conspiracy, the political unethical activity, the killin... ...U of Pennsylvania Press, 1994) Domhoff, G. W. (1990). The power elite and the state: How policy Is made in America. Hawthorne, NY: Aldine de Gruyter. http://www.ehow.com/about_6635615_meaning-graft-corruption https://answers.yahoo.com/question John Wain, The Living World of Shakespeare: A Playgoer’s Guide (London: Macmillan, 1965), 23. Leonard Tennenhouse, Power on Display: The Politics of Shakespeare’s Genres (New York: Methuen, 1986 Mann, M. (1977). States ancient and modern. Archives of European Sociology, 18, 226-298. Mann, M. (1993). The sources of social power: The rise of classes and nation-states, 1760-1914 (Vol. 2). New York: Cambridge University Press. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated William Shakespeare, Macbeth, in The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Ware, Hertfordshire, England: Wordsworth Editions, Ltd., 1996), I.v.25-28.

Essay --

Daniel Gatewood 2/24/14 Research Paper Who ever said a poor kid could not get famous? Louis Armstrong proves this wrong. He was born into a poor family in a poverty striken area, his dad left the family after he was born, dropped out of school in fifth grade, shot a gun in the air, got arrested, was sent to a home for boys, and still married four times and still became the most popular jazz trumpet soloist ever. Louis was born on August 10, 1901 in a section of New Orleans called Storyville, to Mayann and Willie Armstrong. The area he was born in was so poor and dangerous; it was nicknamed â€Å"The Battlefield.†(Source 1) Louis’s dad was a factory worker and left the family after Louis was born. His mother then became a prostitute to support the family. Because of her unique occupation she was forced to leave her two children with their strict grandma, Josephine, who used to be a slave. Because Louis’s family was poor, he often sang on the street as a young child for nickels and dimes, but had to drop out of fifth grade to get jobs to support the family. While doing these things he often could hear music of popular bands coming out of bars and restaurants. He soon found that his favorite musician was Joe â€Å"King† Oliver, the lead in Kid Ory’s band. As a result of firing a gun into the air, at a New Year’s celebration in 1913, Louis was arrested. He was sent to the Colored Waif’s Home for Boys. There he was instructed on the tambourine, then the drums, next the alto horn, and finally the cornet. Louis played it so well, that the music professor made Louis the leader of the marching band. He played at picnics and parades in his home town of Storyville. Here at the home for boys, Louis first fell in love with mu... ... and twenty-five thousand people came to pay their last respects to this Jazz hero. On the whole, Louis Daniel Armstrong was undeniably magnificent. He went through much criticism but still kept doing what made him happy. He recorded for fifty years, performed an average of three hundred concerts a year, appeared in thirty films, and was the greatest trumpet soloist the world will ever know. He wrote two auto-biographies, ten magazine articles, hundreds of pages of memoirs, and thousands of letters without even going to high school. The effect of his life was even greater, for now his home in Queens, New York is now a national landmark. Many biographies have been written about him. Even many musicians have spoken their opinion on the effect of his life. However, Louis Armstrong would never have done any of this if he had not loved just making people happy.

Does modern technology make life more convenient Essay

Does modern technology make life more convenient, or was life better when technology was simpler? Technology today has definitely made life easier and better. As we look at the technologies, what is modern technology? Technology is part of life and it has greatly improved as time is passing; Scientists are continually working in order to develop useful products, in which facilitate our lives. Even though some people say that technology has lessened our lives’ quality, I think that it has made the world our life more convenient. Technology provides to us a faster ways of locomotion, better knowledge, communication, health issues and solution for environment issues. The computer is one important feature from technology, which is very used by people in order to increase their knowledge. Books are no longer the main way to improve the understanding of a specific matter. Universities are acquiring more and more computers to facilitate the student’s life, and to provide faste r information. Students are using a lot more the Internet, which gives to them the right information without the need of going to a library. For example, a person needs to do a research about a matter, and then instead of going to the library, this person could gather good and diverse information using the Internet. Consequently, heshe would finish hisher research faster than doing it in the library by hand. Technology is helping teachers and students to better understand the content of their subjects, and allows them to develop the teaching and studying methods in order to get more benefits; the role of technology in schools and universities has turned from a simple (computer class or IT class) into a multipurpose learning tool that can change the way we demonstrate concepts, assign projects, and assess programsThus, technology, which created the computer, has definitely helped the universities and the students to get a better knowledge.Nowadays, ways of locomotion such as car, motorcycle, train, and airplane, has facilitated our lives. Centuries ago, the main way to travel a long distance was the ship, or the horse. Today, the airplane is the most useful way to make fast travels, which gives to us more time. For example, comparing with the ship which usually crosses the Atlantic Ocean in one o r two weeks, the airplane can easily cross it in about 10 hours, and is still the safest way to travel in the world. The car and train also have become a very good way to travel, which can bring us closer to our family  and to our work. Because of this, these comfortable automobiles and airplanes have been essential to people’s lives.When we talk about communication, the television, the telephone, and the Internet come into our mind. Their uses are essential to the society, and it has become much easier to communicate by telephone than by mail. Centuries ago, the mail was the main way to communication between people, and it was really slow because it mostly had to be shipped. Therefore, the use of the mail is no longer being used, and the telephone and Internet have taken place of the mail. People can pay bills by the Internet in a safe way and phone familiars instantly. In other words, these ways of communications are a lot faster than it was centuries ago, and it has made our world a better place to live. Take the innovation of e-book for instance. Although quite a few people like to tou ch real papers, they cannot deny every year the industry of book-publishing has consumed a large amount of woods. And many scientists have proposed that one of solutions to green-house issue is preventing forests from decreasing. So, the advent of e-book makes modern people change their traditional reading habit: it allows people to turn virtual pages by tapping the screen and enables to read several books on an electronic device without carrying heavy weights. Obviously, publishers are more likely to present books or magazines through e-book instead of real papers. Due to less needs of printing books, woods can be saved for our future generations. As we know, many technological innovations have been used on researching mental or physical diseases. For example, pregnant women must do many checks during their three trimesters. Doctors use ultrasound facility to check baby’s situation and attain useful information to decide if there is any disease, such as Down’s syndrome. Consequently, if there were no technology assisting doctors to check patients’ bodies, people may struggle with unknown health problems. In conclusion, the reasons above are why I strongly agree that technology has made our life more convenient. The computer, the automobile, the telephone, other machineries for health care and those which can become our solution for environmental problems have surely been essential to us and I think that the world has so many things yet to be developed in order to help the society and make it good place to live. References: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/DA8177ED1A80D332 CA257BF0001B08EE/$File/ocpahfsv5.pdfhttp://www.searo.who.int/publications/journals/seajph/media/2012/seajph_v1n2/whoseajphv1i2p125.pdf?ua=1http://www.essayforum.com/writing-3/technology-modern-life-advantageous-57712/http://www.essayforum.com/writing-3/impact-technology-modern-life-critique-thx-2139/http://www.essayforum.com/writing-3/blessed-modern-tools-technology-7303/

Analyse Your Own Strengths and Weaknesses in Counselling Skills Essay

Use your work from P3 and analyse (consider in detail) it e. g. what are your strengths in counselling skills, why you think they are your strengths and where do you use them. What are your weaknesses, why do you think they are your weaknesses and what can you do to turn them into strengths. For Egan’s first stage I think the strengths that I have in counselling would be that I explained to the client about the contract and confidentiality that is included into the contract that is kept between the counsellor and the client and so with this I was able to use this to be able to show the client that this is a professional relationship and so this is explains the guidelines of what is going to happen between the counsellor and client within the sessions and outside of sessions if contact is needed. This is a strength because the client will think that I am professional because we need to go through the contract first before the starting of any sessions so then they know what is going to happen in the sessions that they are having. It would also be a strength because if I did not explain the contracting at the start of the session then the client would not know what the counsellor does about contacting, name, address, and also if they have been referred here by their GP and explain to them if they need more specialised help and so they would explain at the start if the counsellor would have to refer their client onto someone more specialised so this would be a client that might have drinking or drugs problems and so they would need to explain first that they might refer later on in the sessions and the warning of sending them on. I was also able to explain that confidentiality was also a strength because if the client didn’t know that the confidentiality during the sessions then they might not be open to telling me the counsellor about what their issue is and so then I might take the information that they have said already and be able to spread so I was able to explain the confidentiality so that they know that all they say will stay between me and the client unless they are at risk of harming themselves or others and so I would have to break confidentiality there and I would alarm them of that I am breaking confidentiality by informing others of what they have done. This is a strength because I was able to explain all about confidentiality so that the client is able to know all the information they needed about what is going to happen in the counselling sessions. I would use confidentiality with every patient I am with because they will not trust me otherwise and I would not be able to help them with their issues and that they would want me to keep everything they said otherwise I might be putting them at risk of being harmed. Another strength that I had was that I was able to give unbiased information which means that I was not adding any of my own opinion to the advice that I was giving the client. I think that this was a strength because I didn’t let myself give biased information which could lead me into trouble if they followed my advice, this would also cause the client issues if they were being abused and they followed my advice and I put them at harms way because I told them to make a decision about what their circumstance was and that I could potentially lead them into getting more hurt than they already was. I would use this strength with all the clients that I am attending to because then I am not reliable to be subject to being prosecuted because I told them that they should do this and that and so this meant they might be homeless, severely hurt or even worse that they have lost everything because of one little thing that I have said to them and so unbiased information also protects me the professional from not being subjected to court because of seeing them in the sessions and providing this information to them. Eye contact is a strength of mine because establishing eye contact with the clients that I have to work with allowed me to be able to show them that I was listening to what they have to say and so this made it so that I was not being rude to them because of not looking at them and so this meant they was able to express more to me because of me the professional able to pay attention and see the emotion they are expressing with what they have to say and if they are not saying anything then seeing the emotion that they are able to transpire by being quite but are wanting to express what they want to say without actually saying it. I think this is a strength because they need eye contact to know who they are talking to especially if its couple or group counselling that is taking place. I would use this when being with my clients because they would need to be able to know that I am being assertive to them when they are expressing what they have bottled up for a long time and so this allows them to know that they can trust me. During the session a strength that was pointed out what that I was able to reflect throughout the session and this is a strength because it showed that I am being assertive and being able to reflect back to the client everything they said and also expressing the same emotion that they told me back to them to show them what they are doing and so this shows them what emotion they are putting in with their words so that they know how they are feeling about a certain topic. I think this is a strength because they are able to show that I am not only listening but also taking in the information if I am able to reflect it back to them with the same emotion they are using and so this helps for when I have to give them unbiased information that can relate to the presenting issue. I would use this with the clients I have in the counselling sessions to show that I am capable of helping them if I have the knowledge of what they have said to me and be able to transfer it back to them for the next session so that they are able to vent it all to me so then they can have help. Summarising was also a strength that I was able to do in the counselling session because at the end of the session I was able to take in all the information that the client has discussed and summarise it so that they know I was able to do this by listening to everything they said. I think this is a strength because the client is going to trust me more and then we can start building a helping relationship by being able to make sure that everything that the client has said I take it into account even if it’s the smallest thing. This would be used when I am with clients because showing them that I am able to summarise all what they have discussed shows that I want to help them with their presenting issue. Showing professionalism and exploration are a strength because I was able to represent myself that I am professional and not being personal so that the client can only see me as a professional and not someone who is being non-professional and so this is a strength because then they are not able to now personal things about me that are private and will only make the client confused of who is in the room my personal self or the professional side and that exploration I was able to find more information about the client by asking open questions so that I was able to help them with the presenting issue at hand. I would use this with the clients because then I am not letting them see my other side and sticking to professionalism and that exploring is an easier way to finding all the information the client has on that topic and so this means being able to help a lot faster and maybe even resolving the issue. The weaknesses that occurred in the first stage was that at the start of the session I was not being focussed, this is a weakness because then I was not paying attention to the client and they might have said something important or urgent that needs attending to for example if they said they was going to kill their family and I ignored that then I could potentially making her family at risk of being hurt or even murdered because I was not paying attention. To turn this into a strength I need to be more focussed that means I need to be focussed as soon as they enter the room so that I do not miss anything they say or express on their face. Another weakness was that I was also judgemental to the client with what they say and this is a weakness because I should not being judging them on what is going on with their life or how they look because I do not know them or their life so this could have been the way they was born and judging them only makes me feel guilty about what I am thinking about them and can lead me into getting distracted. I can turn this into a strength by making sure that no matter who my client is I am not allowed to judge because nobody is perfect and not all people have the same life as me and so that they may need more help. Egan’s second stage I think that the strengths I have are that I was challenging the client by asking open questions so that they are forced to tell me more information and not just a simple yes or no answer and something that they would have to think about, this is a strength because it made them feel like I was caring because I was asking the open questions to be able to dig deep into the presenting issues and so this would help me be able to resolve the issue and help them with their life. I would use this to e able to tackle the client that have difficulty in expressing what they want to say because they are either scared, worried or terrified of what my reaction might be. Another strength I have is repeating the issue to the client to allow them to continue where they might have left off, I think this is a strength because it might be that they were heading is the right direction because this might be about the presenting issue that they have and so allowing me to repeat it to them to continue allows them more chance to get everything they’ve probably wanted to say off their chest. I would use this with every client I see because at least I am showing them that I remember what they said and also allowing them to remember so they are able to express what they want. The weaknesses that I occurred through the second stage was that I made the client feel uncomfortable by leaving awkward silences I think this is a weakness because if it’s a new client then this means I still am trying to know this person and they might not be happy that they would tell a complete stranger all about the secrets they have been hiding for years and so this meant I was waiting on them to answer one of my open questions or waiting for them to present an issue that I am able to help them with, the way I would turn this into a strength is that instead of waiting on them to answer me I could get them to do activities like drawing or ball game so that they are able to trust me and start the conversation going. Another weakness was that I introduced myself again and so this is a weakness because this could be passed on to the client as though I am forgetful of who my clients are so I need to introduce myself again and this could lead the client in not trusting me beca use if I have to do this then I probably can not remember the conversations that I am having with my clients and who they are. To turn this into a strength I need to not introduce myself again but make sure that they are aware that I am there as a professional and so the introduction needs to be happening at the start of a new client. The strengths that occurred in the third stage was that that I was able to look back at the last session which is reflecting and this is a strength because I was more able to express all the emotion they had put into the conservations over time and so this means that I can help them more and they can see what emotion they are expressing to me when I mention a certain topic and develop on this because if a topic that they mentioned is a lot more expressed than another than this can help the client be able to think more about this topic and if it can resolve the presenting issue. I would use this with my client because they need to know that I am being aware of what they are saying to me and also the emotion they are putting into it. Another strength was that I was able to recap on the SMART targets that were set in the second stage and so this is a strength because when recapping on these targets it can help the client be able to show me that they have achieved some of their targets and also review the ones that have not been met and see if we cant change it to make it smarter so that they don’t feel like they are unable to achieve it, I would use this strength with all my clients because being able to set SMART targets enables not only me but also the client to be focussed on what they want to do so this might mean setting a target such as if my client was pregnant and needed to tell the father than this means the target will be able to help her be able to tell him using the SMART example and that this might make her feel better because if she can do this then she will be able to set other targets than can do with this subject and if she cannot for fill the target for some reason then maybe we can change the target to ones that are easier. The weaknesses that occurred in the third stage was that I spoke too much to the client and this is a weakness because this meant that I was overloading the client with too much information that they might not be able to take it all in and so feel really confused with what I am saying and then feel like they are not able to ask again because I might say it all again and overload them. I think that to turn this into a strength is that when I need to tell them information is too inform them first that I need to give them information and make it clear to them and then ask if they got everything I said and that they understand. Another weakness was that I was not focused again which meant that I didn’t turn it into a strength because I was able to do it again and this mean that this is a weakness because I didn’t listen to my own advice of being able to turn it into a strength and so this means that I need to be more focussed otherwise it can lead to consequences on the client and also me the professional. To turn this into a strength is that I need to stay focussed on every client that I see even if I don’t believe the client or that I know they are telling lies because they have changes their story from the previous session.

Different Perspectives of People’s Feelings

The Killing Circle: The Deferent Perspectives on Peoples Feelings Everyday around the world many terrible, and tragic crimes take place were not everyone Is aware of every single crime. Whether It Is a robbery, a kidnapping, a murder or even a case of missing books to someone out there It matters, but to others it may not. In the novel, The Killing Circle the author Andrew Paper shows that when something bad happens it tends to only affect an individual if that person were in that situation, or has a loved one in that current situation compared to society were people would just not care at all.An example this situation in real life would be let's say a fisher men's daughter was murdered and as a father he is devastated. Now to that fisher man's family this is a tragic moment in their lives, knowing that a person that they truly, deeply cared about is now gone forever. Now to society more than half of them may not be aware of this event, or be aware and Just not care because those peo ple It may not affect them personally as It would to the fisher men's family.This novel has a similar event were random murders take place, and the mall antagonist Patrick Rush does not care about what Is happening In his city and he goes not care of what happened to those people that died, until his one and only son is kidnapped by the mysterious Sandman. Andrew Paper shows that what a person feels when losing someone close to them is completely different for what society or someone not as close may go through and develops this theme by using Patrick Rush's situation as an example.To begin, everyone knows when anything big or small happens one way to find out would be probably watching or reading the news. Although the news is a good for giving people information on recent events, it is also something that hurts the hearts f the families of which the news could be about. Andrew Paper shows that when something happens to someone close to you It Is very painful, but to someone In the media It Is something that person can exploit and use to their benefit.He uses Imagery to make the readers Imagine a scenario that which the readers can feel how both a family member may feel and someone In society. For example, Mom can Imagine. A father loses his son at the movies, the boy snatched away in the time it takes to buy hot dogs and onion rings- it's a summer weekend news editor's dream come true. (Paper, 265) This example shows the father that lost his son would be devastated, worried, and angry that it happened, but this story for the news editor is something he could potentially use as the next top story in his article.Taking it a step further it even shows that when people in the society listen to this news most may not even care and that little amount that does care will slowly start to not care as well, but the family that lost their son will never stop caring until he would return safely home. Relating this to daily life there are many examples of when news porte rs take advantage of the worst situations Just to get a better rating for their show. For example, channel 6 news was trying to get out some Information on what happened to this teen who was shot out of her mother.For a parent that just lost their daughter the last thing the parent's would want at that time would be a reporter annoying them that is why that teens mother got angry and replied † ‘K, that's good' when asked for a reaction to her daughter's shooting, but then suddenly hurled a rock at ABACA photographer Marc Jackson† (Zimmerman, Para 3). This shows that even t a situation like this the reports do anything it takes to get some good news for their viewers, even if it hurts the hearts of the poor families.Furthermore, near the end of the book as stated Patrick Rush's son goes missing, and in such cases many people in this common society would simply give up on either searching for him or already think his son would be dead. In this situation the readers c an imagine what Patrick is going through, in his state of mind he allows the reading to sense how he is feeling by saying â€Å"There's the shots of local volunteers reaching for clues, for body parts.And there's the father, his skin speckled and spongy as oatmeal, aerobically pleading for his boys safe return† (Paper, 265). This shows that the volunteers in the society are already searching for clues, and Andrew Paper specifies that the volunteers are searching for body parts meaning that the volunteers must already be assuming Patriot's son to be dead. Patrick on the other hand is feeling depressed, as if he cannot move anymore without him, as if his skin feeling like it is going to melt, begging for his son to return safe.The readers can feel hat Patrick is in pain, and clearly the volunteers helping to find the boy are not, thus proving that a what a family goes through is completely different from what others in this common society would go through. This argument could b e related to a recent tragedy that happened in Toronto where a man named Tim Bosom was fallen victim to a group of evil people that murdered him over a few vehicles.A few vehicles were recovered by the police, and a statement was given by an owner of one of the vehicles. He said â€Å"it's Just a bike,' MacDougall said. ‘It's nothing compared to what the Bosoms are going through now. They'll never get Tim back. ‘This is sad, really sad† (Casey, Para 6). Mr.. MacDougall knows that what the Bosoms are going through is very difficult, and many people in Toronto probably did not even know of this incident that occurred, and do not feel what the Bosom family is going through.Thus, this recent event helps to prove that only families can understand how it feels when you lose someone because they are so close to him, compared again to society where people Just do not have that same personal connection. Finally, Patrick shows that people that only people that are close to you actually if the main and sorrow when you are gone. Although he realizes this after his son is kidnapped, he still shows that he now understands how it feels to lose someone, and why others aside from him may not. Patrick says â€Å"Harm tends to come from when you lose ones you know the best† (Paper, 267).Here Andrew Paper uses what Patrick said to show that only when a person loses someone close to them is when that person would experience any type of emotional feelings; compared to someone that might not know that person to well and may not go through the same type of feelings that someone that was close to that person goes through. Looking outside the book, everyone in the world is scared of losing someone that is close to them; by looking online you can find millions of quotes or Just ordinary people that have shared this feeling. For example, an unknown person said â€Å"I'm always scared of losing someone close to me†¦ ND Ted up to being told ‘it'll be t ine† (Losing Someone trot Death Quotes, 4). The quote said by an anonymous source is basically saying that losing someone close to you can be really scary or even depressing Just to think about, and people around you may not feel the same as you do. This is Just one opinion of the lions of people in the world, and Andrew Paper being one is trying his hardest to prove that only if a person that loses someone close to them goes through completely different feelings than a person not as close goes through.In conclusion, Andrew Paper using this novel to help prove that the emotions somebody shares when losing someone dear to them is completely different for someone that is not close to that person. By using Patrick Rush's situation as a main example he helped to prove this thesis, and by comparing it to outside sources in this essay the readers now are totally clear on his message. Anyone would be terrified to even think about losing someone like their brother, sister, mother or f ather, or even their closest friend.What the author wanted to show is that only people close to that person that might have died or gone missing feel the pain and others do not. The real life examples of Tim Bosom, the mother that lost her daughter, and many people around the world helped to prove this thesis, and the main message Andrew was trying to get across. Everyone who was read his books will understand Andrew Peer's message, but only when the readers were to go through the same ideal or situation is when they will truly realism he importance of how feelings are different for every individual.

Chemical bond Essay

Answer the following questions in your own words, using complete sentences. Based on your observations in the lab, categorize each unidentified compound as ionic or covalent. Explain in one or two sentences why you categorized the compounds the way that you did. (5 points) Based on my observations in the lab I categorized Substance A and Substance C as an ionic bonds because the solids don‘t conduct electricity but when in liquid state and aqueous solutions, electricity was conducted. I categorized  substances B and D as covalent bonds because the solids conduct electricity but the liquid state and aqueous solution do not. Explain, in your own words, the differences between ionic and covalent bonding that account for the differences in their melting points. (4 points) Ionic bonds typically have much higher melting points than covalent bonds because of their crystal-like structures. The bondage is much more complex and requires higher heat to break than a covalent whose bonds are broken relatively easy. In order to conduct an electrical current, a substance must have charged particles (ions or electrons) that are free-moving (able to move about throughout the sample). Why do you think ionic compounds are not able to conduct electricity as solids, even though they can as liquids and in solution? (2 points) I think ionic compounds can’t conduct electricity as solids because the particle are all packed together and have no room to move freely as opposed to the particle when in liquid state or solutions. Based on your research and observations, why do you think pure (distilled) water does not conduct electricity but tap water usually does? (2 points) I think this is because tap water contains more ions than distilled water allowing it to conduct electricity. I also think the minerals that dissolve in the water have a lot to do with the conductivity.

Reinsurance Group of America and Fonterra

Reinsurance Group of America and Fonterra: Going for Unified Global Operations CASE STUDY QUESTIONS: The business value of these global system developments for the companies mentioned in the case is very high. In case of RGA, the employees can analyze data by client, contract, and product and can find client errors very easily. This has been made possible because data is not stored at one place. This is very important for supporting the reinsurance business. It has made it easy to manage the reinsurance business.The global system developments help RGA data validation and data quality. This enables better risk analysis, and retention analysis leading to greater profits. Similarly in case of Fonterra the upgrading of the Fonterra business so that that the silos at the diary group are of large stainless steel variety. The global systems program aimed at improving the supply chain of a diary giant from cow to manufacturing to storage to customers. RGA achieved these benefits because it w as relieved of the problem of worrying about how the business should be managed.In addition, the system helps strengthen data validation and data quality. These useful benefits were achieved by engaging the business and adapting its own practices to the demand of the situation. The company has achieved the benefits by setting up an integrated, multicurrency, and Multilingualism. 2. Trying to implement a solution all at once is not feasible because many clients have essential operations that run during normal working hours and cannot afford the luxury of having their entire operation close down for a lengthy period in time.Often, clients have front office staff that attend to these operations (such as call centers, help desks, etc. ), and they work in 24-hour shifts. This is why many clients approve of a phased implementation approach, and the project team must ensure that the phased implementation is possible. This approach involves implementing the solution to a certain amount of u sers and then rolling them onto the new solution, while the rest of the users are olled out in a similar fashion, until the entire solution is rolled out within the client environment. The phase approach works well because (1) there is minimal disruption to the clients operation, and (2) problems are resolved quicker. The phased approach could also be used if there is more than one department. The project manager could decide that implementing the solution in one department at a time could be more reliable than trying to roll out all departments at the same time. 3.

Ethics at the Top Two Auction Houses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5750 words

Ethics at the Top Two Auction Houses - Essay Example The value for money stretches from a few hundred dollars (e.g., wine) to millions in expensive paintings. (CEC 7) The auction sale of private collections may be held either with a certain motif, under a class of the commodity, or the art's genre or given time period. In 1996, Sotheby's sold at auction the estate of Jacqueline Kennedy-Onassis as a collection, while other public dealings were categorized in 'Old Master Paintings' or 'Jewellery'. Sotheby's fiercest competitor, Christie's also hold such glamorous, multi-million-dollar auction events, as the richest of richest of men grace such occasions. (CEC 7) Although both auction houses hold 'regular' auctions at their subsidiaries throughout the world (Rome, Geneva, Zurich, Amsterdam, Milan, Melbourne and Hong Kong), high-profile auction events are generally held at their London and New York headquarters. (Ashenfelter & Graddy 3-25) The auction houses, which accept items to be auctioned (on a consignment basis), handle each necessary arrangement for the event, including planning, design and distribution of high-class brochures, advanced publicity as well as viewing opportunities. To facilitate sales, merchandise are sold individually (called 'lots'), even large collections are separated and auctioned as a single item. As seller of the consignor's items, the auction house manages all the account procedures: bills the buyer, remits the consignor the money after the purchase of the merchandise, minus the commission, taxes and other expenses. The commission is computed within the 'hammer price,' when the item is settled to the winning bidder. Regarded as 'seller's commission' or 'vendor's' commission, a certain percentage is taken from the consignor. The 'buyer's premium,' or a percentage from the hammer price is also charged to the buying public at the auctions (CEC 8). A percentage of the hammer price, called the buyer's premium, is also charged to people making purchases at auctions. This practice was initially introduced in the main auction rooms of these two auctions giants, sometime in 1975-only a few weeks from each other. Both firms made several changes on this practice through the years (independently from each other), but eventually both of their practices became similar. Auctioneering is not the only source of income of these two firms as both are engaged in other commercial activities, such as offering loans against the security of works of art. Nonetheless, the main sources of revenues remain the buyer's premium and vendor's commission. (CEC 8) The turgid exercise of auctioning fine arts produce a discriminating product market effect other than conventional ventures of selling or buying the items that serves the purpose of assessment value, based on the following (CEC 8). Firstly, clients consider the great importance of consigning their items at auctions due to the high standard of publicity for the merchandise. Likewise, consignors achieve the highest possible