Describe the butterfly effect and evaluate its implications for Essay

Describe the butterfly effect and evaluate its implications for theology - Essay Example Poincare, in early twentieth century found that even the slightest error in the measurement resulted in enormous unpredictability in the behavior of astronomical system (Poincare, internet). Repeated experiments by him reaffirmed his earlier results that changes in the measurement did not follow Newtonian laws of producing identical behavior but produced outcomes which were vastly different and unpredictable. In 1963, Edwards Lorenz, a meteorologist, discovered that while predicting weather forecast, slight changes in the values in the equations for the theoretical model of prediction of the weather, produced hugely different outcome. When he used .506 instead of .506127, a slightly lesser precise measurement, the results were radically different as opposed to very little variation that should have happened as per the Newton’s laws. The continued erratic outcomes of the computerized model of prediction, with slight variation in the values, emphatically disproved the earlier Newtonian theory. Lorenz became the first scientist to prove it wrong. In 1972, while talking in a seminar on "Predictability: Does the Flap of a Butterflys Wings in Brazil set off a Tornado in Texas?" (AAAS, 1972), he successfully illustrated that the behavior of complex system is impossible to predict even when the conditions or factors influencing its outcomes are known mainly because of the fact that those precise conditions cannot be foretold or predicted and therefore the unpredictability of the outcome. Therefore it is impossible to predict the weather accurately. The unpredictable behavior of a physical system came to be known as ‘butterfly effect’ because of the slight difference in the starting point of the curves which can be compared to the flapping of a butterfly’s wings. As Stewart says ‘The flapping of a single butterflys

ICT327 Assignment 2 Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

ICT327 Assignment 2 Questions - Essay Example team conflict is associated with lower intrateam trust, which in turn may influence team structure by (1) reducing individual autonomy and (2) loosening task interdependencies in teams. This combination makes for a less than ideal team design. The strategies that they can be applied in resolving the conflict would be first to organize personal meeting with each one of the members of the team and try to figure out the problems and then with the whole team. The problems that have to be diagnosed are: personal and functional. By personal we mean that if there are any incompatibilities between the personalities of the team members. A useful tool apart from the personal meetings would be to do the Brystol – Myers test for each member of the team and see the personality incompatibilities and try to combine the most compatible personalities together and redefine their role. The meetings will also serve as a tool for solving issues and develop intrateam trust. From the functional point of view it is important to see if there are any dysfunctionalities i.e. hindrances in the work flow, obstacles of the info that the team requires, issues with the cooperation with the other departments of the organization. Then, if these or some of these dysfunctionalities occur then there must be a redesign of the processes that the team needs in order to work effectively. b. There should be organized a personal meeting with the experienced team member and see where exactly the problem is with his role. Then, a meeting with the rest of the team and the member would be set up in order to clarify the problem and the relations of the other members. The impacts that the leave of the team member will have on the project would be detrimental for the morale of the rest of the team and it may influence other members to leave the project or they may feel overburdened since they have to fill the knowledge gap that the absence of the member will create. In this case, there is the need to fill the

Was The Bosnian War An Ethnic Conflict Politics Essay

Was The Bosnian War An Ethnic Conflict Politics Essay The process by which one perceives a given situation can be misleading, especially when the information being relayed is moulded in a particular format- to the liking of the transmitter. World views of the war that took place in Bosnia between 1992 and 1995 leave most to conclude that the tension was a classic case of ethnic conflict. This essay will explore the multidimensionality of the conflict in hopes of shedding light on other areas of stress that might have contributed to the forming or outbreak of the war by assessing the general discord in terms of measures set in place by theories of ethnic conflict. After offering definitions of some key terms that will be used in this writing, the essay will provide a brief history of the conflict, single out ethnic and identity entrepreneurs, rediscover roots of any existing particularity or stressors (including polarisation and pillarisation in the conflict), present theories of ethnic conflict, and show a detailed analysis through revi ew of literature before concluding. An analysis of the diverse faà §ades in this conflict will serve as a basis for comparison for points of interest, actors or parties involved, and will highlight how these factors influenced the surge of events that took place. Can the conflict in Bosnia be considered solely an ethnic conflict? This paper will endeavour to challenge the status of this war, as purely ethnic, by showing that there exist dimensions of this conflict which render it impossible to disavow the presence of convincing supporting evidence regarding the role of ethnicity and ethnic diversity as a cause for civil war. Definitions It is important to point out that because of the qualifying large number of loss of life and the nature in which that loss took place in this conflict, it can and will be termed as a war and genocide. For the purposes of this essay, while it is not always the case that ethnic groups share exclusive languages or affiliations, ethnicity, will refer to the existence of a unique set of racial, historical, linguistic, religious, cultural and/or ancestral traits, all shared specifically by a given group of individuals. National and ethnic identity, touch on the borders of a single concept, identity; it would seem fitting to relate them in terms of the conflict to be mentioned, as they both play a part in its history. Walker Connor defines this type of identity as being the self view of ones group, rather than the tangible characteristics, that is of essence in determining the existence or non-existence of ones nation (Qtd in Davis, 1999), while the presence of this type of identity is not always stable or fixed, as ethnicity is dynamic (Feron, Introduction to Concepts of Conflict, War Violence 2009). This essay will highlight four groups involved in this conflict: the Serbs (mainly Orthodox group), the Bosniaks (Muslim group), the Croats (mainly Catholic group), and potential causative foreign actors involved directly or indirectly in this conflict through participation or interest. A key term in this essay, prejudice, is defined by Herbert Blumer as a protective device. It functions however short-sightedly to preserve the integrity and position of the dominant group (Qtd in Kunovich and Hodson, 2002). Lastly, the term ethnic conflict, will indicate a situation of conflict, a clashing of goals among two or more parties or ethnic groups, sometimes depicting ancient hatreds, discrimination or victimisation through the use of media outlets and/or historical account, the possible involvement of ethnic or identity entrepreneurs whose contribution directly or indirectly l eads to a primary form of stress placed on any of the given parties or ethnic groups, differentiating the group in a way which might lead to the birth of a sense of external threat and resulting in a need to preserve the identity itself (Feron, Ethnicity Conflict 2009). History The Former Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) has had a multi-cultural and was always made up of multi-ethnic countries, while always falling under new rule or administration- each guided by different ideologies. This foundation makes for a breeding ground of multiplicity, resentment, gains and losses, and most of all change ever-present. As communism lost is hold on FRY, new, nationalist and separatist ideologies began to grow popular among the territories. Slobodan MiloÃ…Â ¡eviĆ¡ was placed into office in 1989, and quickly amended the Serbia constitution to allow for influence in Kosovo and Vojvodina (Region currently in the North of Serbia, which used to pertain to Hungary), which gave Serbia access to more votes on the federal level of Yugoslavias government. Montenegros vote then meant an additional vote for Serbia, leaving Serbia as the most powerful hand in the government (Ron 2000). Bosnia was considered an exotic country among European nations, due to its inhabitants and rich melange of cultures. Bosnia was a cosmopolitan country where more than a quarter of marriages cut through cultural divides (Lifschultz and Ali 1994). As the new nationalist and separatist mentalities span over the territories of FRY, mainly in Croatia and Serbia, things began to become clear that change was in the near future. After attempts to divide up Bosnia, into administrative and ethnic districts, proved semi-successful, but not without outbreaks for justice, it seemed inevitable that the moment had come for independence. Bosnia was already divided into the Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia, Republika Srpska, and around the same time, both Slovenia and Croatia gaining independence from FRY. The then unseen yet not unthought-of situation was more evident day by day; if Slovenia and Croatia were to secede from Yugoslavia, Bosnia would quite literally be at the mercy of the Milosevic regime. Problems would then be expected from all sides of Bosnia, not to mention the l arger evil, as seen by Bosnians in that moment- Greater Serbia. Due to the separation of Croatia and Slovenia, even after thoughts to pursue a looser Yugoslavia Serbia would begin feeling its foundation and republic, quickly falling out beneath it, this only caused political leaders to consider preemptive action, in the form of attack. The republic became more unstable than ever when the government in Bosnia made it clear that when Slovenia and Croatia sought independence from FRY, that it would no doubt be forced to seek the same liberty, and Bosnia and Herzegovina began the referendum for independence alike. On March 5, 1992, parliament declared independence for Bosnia and Herzegovina, which shook the throne on which FRYs government had been founded, (Ron 2000). It is this timeline of events that outlines the situation in which Bosnia found itself under attack- both from the outside and the inside, including mass rape, killings, torture, oppression and finally the loss of approxim ately 200.000 lives. It is the identification of these sides which will prove interesting in testing theories of ethnic conflict on the conflict in Bosnia. Ethnic Identity Entrepreneurs In any given conflict there is sure to exist those who somehow find a way to use an existing fear or hate, to pressure or persuade others to feel endangered or moved to act. Franjo TuÄ‘man, of Croatia, and Slobodan MiloÃ…Â ¡eviĆ¡, of Serbia, entered into discussions which are known as the KaraÄ‘orÄ‘evo Agreement, which did just that by claiming rights to parts of Bosnia based on ethnic and demographic make-up (Ron 2000). As mentioned in the history (prior to the outbreak of this conflict) section of this essay, Croatia and Serbia took it upon themselves to divide up Bosnia- favouring ethnic enclaves and creating new republics for which, of course, new influences and/or votes could be easily manipulated, in the great scheme of gaining more and more land and authority. Populations were made to feel that their ethnic identity was externally threatened, and that there was somehow a need to protect it at any cost- first by separation and later t hrough physical battle. Other leaders, nations, entities, had made their views clear, that they would not interfere in this conflict and that they would also not stand for Bosnia to defend itself, without the forced attempt to sway Bosnia toward surrendering and ending up a helpless pawn in the international system, left to be carved or moulded- all the while losing its uniqueness (Kunovich and Hodson 2002). The issue with intervening in this matter, for the United States, and General Colin Powell, in 1992, was the question of deploying ground troops into Bosnia, something that would have held a cost of tens of billions of dollars. That particular point of debate took the panels down another avenue of discussion and of course complicated the situation of helping Bosnia (Lifschultz and Ali 1994). Later, the United States, the European community, and the United Nations, entered into a political huddle in what seemed to last forever. The process took the form of a remarkable policy deb ate, a discourse in search of rationales, while, in Diego Arrias apt phrase, slow-motion genocide was systematically carried out in Bosnia (Lifschultz and Ali 1994). The Serbs and the Croats had taken action to attempt to pull out of the game with more land, more authority and less opposition, but these actions do not directly target an ethnicity, and do not seem to be completely or even mainly ethnically based tactical decisions. After such a disaster, it was evident that life and surroundings echoed the erasing of certain ethnic qualities, but there was always an ulterior motive present. Bosnia as it had existed for six centuries had to be destroyed; the fabric which wove the lives of its many peoples together torn beyond repair; the loyalty of its indigenous Serb and Croat communities to a multi-ethnic Bosnian nation subverted; its native Muslim population terrorised. The objective was to cleanse Bosnia not only of the Muslims but also of the unique and dangerous cosmopolitanism of its cities which clearly had no place in the new pure nation-states emerging from the ruins of Yugoslavia. A cleansed Bosnia could then be carved up and annexed to the national states of Greater Serbia and Greater Croatia (Lifschultz and Ali 1994). These strategies to place pressures on ethnic grounds, as to influence the crowds, came about from already existing tensions in the communities that later witnessed the true results of what they had been convinced to do, all the while perhaps still not aware of the fact that they were being utilised, that their identity was being used as an instrument to gain their numbers, their voices and their force. Particularity Prejudice Genocide of this size could not have taken place without mass involvement of the common man and abuse of already established institutes/agencies, such as the existing military forces and of course the creation of new forces for the purposes of annihilating anyone that stood in their way. All prior events including agreements and discussions, only prepared the grounds for even worse events to come. Many contemporary theories of ethnic and racial prejudice, ethnic political mobilization, and ethnic conflict emphasize structural conditions that provide a context within which attitudes and behavior toward out-groups develop (Kunovich and Hodson 2002). In this way, it is a bit easier to follow the outcome of the events, and to understand how in the midst of such chaotic circumstances, so many windows to malice are opened. The events that followed ran rampant as pretexts of hatred, diversity and fear guided the masses to direct their uncertainties and reactions to those uncertainties towar d all things that seemed to represent the historically recognised Bosnia that Europe knew. Similar conflicts to the Bosnian War arose within the same time, such as the Rwanda genocide, which provide clear examples of particularity. Rwanda was a nation whose marriage statistics, just as pre-conflict Bosnia, showed a harmonious and culturally accepting coexistence. Upon the arrival of the Belgians to Rwanda, local authority was given in exchange for Tutsi collaboration, overturning many previously governed Hutu districts (Sadowski 1998). These types of interactions promote jealousy and fear in environments where such fears had never been so prevalently manifested. Foreign intervention did not come first in the physical form, but in the form of distant involvement, influencing authority throughout ethnic enclaves in Bosnia, although leaving a like scar, to that of the Rwandan example, in the midst of the conflict. Agreements were reached, regarding or involving these particular enclaves by foreign leaders from afar, who attempted to encourage the distribution of administrativ e authority ethnically, as to prevent the nation from sliding into war. This division of Bosnia used the previously existing, or seemingly clear ethnic population divisions that existed in Bosnia in areas where notable enclaves existed, which intended to label administratively as: Bosniak, Serb or Croat. Another point of this doing was to decentralise the Bosnian government by giving ethnic groups a sense of authority in their own land. This was done by assigning districts as pertaining to one ethnic group of another, even though random review showed that certain villages could have been up to 70% Bosniak and 30% Serb and yet still designated as a village or district administrated by Serbs or municipally adopted under Republika Srpska- an example of this type of agreement is the Lisbon agreement, which was drawn up by Lord Carrington and Ambassador of Portugal, Jose Cutileiro (Ron 2000). The agreement was signed on March 18, 1992, by the three leaders of the ethnic groups, although Izbetgovic, leader of the Bosniaks, after meeting with the U.S. Ambassador, Warren Zimmerman, quickly withdrew his signature only ten days after having signed it. It is said that Izbetgovics decision to withraw his signature and renounce the agreement was influenced by the United States offer to finally intervene, viewed that he did so immediately after leaving the U.S. embassy on March 28, 1992 (Ron 2000). Even today, Bosnians ask themselves questions as to the interests behind such decisions, and wonder how their ethnicity was able to be so very discretely instrumentalised in the scheme of something that was obviously very multifaceted. One of the most targeted and still the most visibly affected aspects of that once cosmopolitan Bosnia that one recognised, are the elements of diversity that were once revered as the nations richest social resource- its cultural quality, eccentric and obvious traces of history demonstrated throughout the cities of all Bosnia Herzegovina. The countrys architecture, its buildings, bridges, monuments built by the Ottomans were the most visible, most immediately tangible signs of Bosnias otherness. These became targets of relentless artillery bombardment or straightforward demolition. As if the intent was to destroy all recorded history, libraries housing rare books and priceless manuscripts were deliberately destroyed. Hundreds of delicately designed mosques, large and small, that had stood for centuries unharmed, untouched, disappeared overnight (Lifschultz and Ali 1994). It is in this way that any and all unlikely seeming traits of Bosnia were the targets of particularity in the atro cities that took place throughout the cleansing of Bosnia Herzegovina. The particularities and stressors that factored into this conflict, were perhaps greatly influencing reasons for the masses to be shift into motion but they somehow do not come across as a great enough cause given the history prior to this conflict and the strategically devised agreements that led to the need for independence- much less the outbreaks of violence that followed. Theories of Ethnic Conflict When given a vast amount of information about a conflict, you use a sphere by which you measure the elements and the gravity, logic or even reality of the events occurred. As mentioned before the tool by which we are measuring up the events of the Bosnian Conflict, are theories of ethnic conflict. These theories provide limits and start points for possible patterns to describe a conflict of this genre and are ever growing in that they descend from fruitful tests of hypotheses that have branched from detailed research. There are two sides or clusters, if you will that theories of ethnic conflict provide us with, for views on analysis of this type of conflict: the primordialist and the instrumentalist take on things. The primordialist stance rests on explicitly attributing the cause for the events that took place as a history of ancient hatreds and prejudice. Instrumentalists negate that the direct cause of these types of conflicts could be a clear-cut question of primordial abhorrence (Blimes 2006). These paths help refine a thin line of sight for analysing this type of affair, facts and deeds fight myth and hearsay- in fact, instrumentalist refuse to accept that this could be the direct cause of antipathies. Instrumentalists point out that in many instances, ethnic groups with a history of animosity have managed to live in peace and therefore reject the ancient hatreds argument. After all, interethnic cooperation is the norm rather than the aberration between ethnic groups. Instrumentalists argue that ethnicity is merely a tool that an individual or group uses to achieve an end (Blimes 2006). Scholars have begun combining theories of ethnic conflicts with theories of civil war, in an attempt to view if either incites a greater probability in the other. The analysis proves interesting although no concrete results were extracted through any empirically tested models. Through the mentioned research, there were no greatly solidified demonstrations that ethnic fract ionalisation contributed directly to the onsite of civil war. Other scholars, not related to that particular study, conclude similarly that the link between ethnicity and civil war are relatively evident but, as of now, in no finitely tested way conclusive. The Bosnian war arose out of a familiar set of circumstances: the collapse of totalitarian control of territory producing a political void that, in turn, exposes a deep-rooted rivalry between ethnic groups leading to a struggle for control of territory ending in an attempt at violent resolution. Central to the process are the notoriously ambiguous concepts of ethnicity and nationalism (Doyon and Slack 2001). While opinions may differ, much research shares a relatively similar conclusion in that the roles of ethnicity and civil war are greatly influencing factors in terms of general dispute, and it is through the evaluation of analysis in these two theories that this essay has attempted to clarify the labelling of the conflict in Bosnia in the 1990s. Analysis Ethnicity is definitely a recurring theme in this conflict, and very rightfully so. Some academics, such as Jovanka Stojsavljevic, would say that the war in the Former Yugoslavian Republic was merely an opportunity- that old guard communists took advantage of a vulnerable moment in FRYs history to use the ideology of nationalism as their own personal ticket to increased power (1995). The important fact to remember when dealing with this type of immediate reaction, is to remember that with such a great deal of input to process, and more than enough on both sides of the scale (both supporting and negating), there is not one single response and when there is perhaps a combined answer, even that is difficult to clearly devise into a black or white response. The Bosnian war arose out of a familiar set of circumstances: the collapse of totalitarian control of territory producing a political void that, in turn, exposes a deep-rooted rivalry between ethnic groups leading to a struggle for co ntrol of territory ending in an attempt at violent resolution. Central to the process are the notoriously ambiguous concepts of ethnicity and nationalism (Doyon and Slack 2001). This conflict demonstrates a great deal of multidimensionality and it is clear that such a trait must be taken into consideration when attempting to trace a fault or pin blame. Stojsavljevics conclusion of these events gets directly to the point and immediately cancels out ethnicity as a cause for the war. The one thing it does not do is seek to locate the role of ethnicity in the controversy or to quantify ethnicity as an influence. To do so, it is important to realise the situation that Bosnia Herzegovina was in at the time. With the decentralization of political power following Titos death and trends toward democratization within republics, political leaders on all sides mobilized ethnic enclaves for political gain. Once small-scale conflicts began to develop in these ethnic enclaves, fear spread rapidly , and the mobilization of individuals in more tolerant regions became possible. Thus, regional differences in ethnic prejudice provided a foundation for the emergence and spread of ethnic conflict (Kunovich and Hodson 2002). Misdistribution of power, bad leadership, a lack of checks and balances system and utter greed brought upon by fears for loss of fortune, authority, as well as future livelihood became deciding factors and the people who were not among the few in power, were significant liabilities that needed to be made to cooperate quickly. The decision in Bosnia and Herzegovina to seek independence was one that Serbian leaders anticipated and feared. It is that fear that incited a chain reaction of domestic and international obstacles to aid that would later end in ethnic cleansing, genocide and an immense infraction on human rights. The length, in time, that these obstacles stalled the international community from intervening, would serve as the lifeline for the atrocities that took place. The more divided the nation became; the easier it became to instrumentalise historical accounts and diversity as weapons to fan the flames of fear. Many claim that the simple fact that Bosnia and Herzegovina was so ethnically fractionalised directly affected the probability for the onset of conflict and that it made for a likely place for civil war. Scholars, such as Blimes, would respond that empirical assessment of any such hypothesis, that the very existence of ethnic fractionalisation could directly, much less greatly affect the inception of civil war has not turned out any unassailable conclusions (2006). To attribute ethnic cleansing, genocide, and mass violence to ethnic fractionalisation, or even ethnicity alone, would mean that everything that took place from the late 1980s to 1995 to build up to this conflict somehow all stems from ancient hatreds or that sooner or later all nations where ethnic fractionalisation exists will have a similar fate. This way of thinking suits a primordialist view in the sphere of theories of ethnic conflict. Blimes goes into detail by mentioning that primordialists consider ancient hatreds to be the direct root of these ethnic issues, while instrumentalists view that an explanation or blame on ancient hatreds quite commonly oversimplifies conflicts that are really much deeper than can be simply explained by timeless rancour (2006). The worst genocides of modem times have not been targeted along primarily ethnic lines. Rather, the genocides within Afghanistan, Cambodia, C hina, the Soviet Union, and even, to a great extent, Indonesia and Uganda, have focused on liquidating political dissidents: to employ the emerging vocabulary, they were politicides rather than ethnicides. Indeed, the largest genocides of this century were clearly ideologically driven politicides (Sadowski 1998). This and many similar conflicts are simply much too multifaceted to ascribe all responsibility to one factor or to omit the existence of other very evident agents. Conclusion As one refines the scope of analysis a bit, it becomes more and more apparent that in order to strongly support whether or not this conflict can be looked at solely as an ethnic conflict, indeed lies in isolating and identifying the function of ethnicity and/or ethnic diversity as factors. Of the two clusters mentioned in theories of ethnic conflict, it seems an instrumentalist view is more efficient in meticulously combing through this tumultuous history with a fine toothed comb. This does not indicate that ancient hatreds did not or do not exist or that a primordialist viewpoint is completely erroneous- only that it does not convincingly represent the foundation of motive behind years of strategically planned moves that in turn yielded even more power and riches to those making the decisions (which were not those of the targeted ethnic groups). Ethnicity and ethnic diversity do not compellingly embody a basis for ethnic cleansing, genocide or mass violence. Rather, ethnic diversity serves as natural fault lines on which a society, subjected to other variables that have a direct influence on the likelihood of civil war onset, can fracture or act as a solution to collective action problems that might otherwise prevent a cohesive rebellion from forming (Blimes 2006). While it is true that ethnicity and ethnic diversity are both pervasive in the sphere of this conflict, this essay finds that the Bosnian Conflict cannot justly be labelled and viewed solely as an ethnic conflict.

Hawthornes Hierarchy of Sin in The Scarlet Letter Essay -- Scarlet Le

Hawthorne's Hierarchy of Sin in The Scarlet Letter  Ã‚        Ã‚   Throughout the novel The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne focuses on the struggle of Hester Prynne, a woman who is forced to deal with the strict Puritan punishment for the adulterous birth of her child, Pearl.   Yet, the very Puritan values that bring Hester public ignominy help to lift her to a position of respect in the community.   Although Hawthorne does not condone Hester's sin, he takes pains to show that her sin is minimal in comparison to those of her weak lover, Arthur Dimmesdale, and of her vengeful husband, Roger Chillingworth.       Hester finds solace in the moral teachings of her religion and in acts of repentance, which help her deal with the struggles resulting from her sin.   Although she no longer practices her faith openly after her public disgrace, she still has deep ties to her God and religion.   She often prays for Pearl in hopes that her child's wild character will be calmed with time.   Hester accepts her punishment readily, elaborately embroidering the scarlet "A" she is forced to wear on her breast and dressing Pearl in scarlet.   She continues to wear the symbol of her sin long after the community declares her repented due to her commendable record of community service, showing everyone that she has nothing to hide.   Indeed, Hester's salvation lies in the truth:   "In all things else, I have striven to be true!   Truth was the one virtue which I might have held fast, and did hold fast, through all extremity.    . . . A lie is never good, even though death threaten on the other side!" (200).   Hester finds comfort in prayer and repentance, which help to make her strong:   "Shame, Despair, Solitude!   These had been her teachers- s... ...esdale.   For his sins Chillingworth suffers a horrible fate:   "All his strength and energy-all his vital and intellectual force-seemed at once to desert him; insomuch that he positively withered up, shriveled away, and almost vanished from mortal site. . ." (268).   He dies very shortly after Dimmesdale.       Although it appears at first glance that Hester is Hawthorne's focus in The Scarlet Letter, a closer examination reveals that the novel revolves around the struggles of a weak lover and a jealous husband.   Indeed, Hawthorne shows that Hester, who readily faces her problems, grows stronger and gains the respect of her community, whereas both Dimmesdale and Chillingworth, who are consumed by fear and hate respectively, bring about their own demise.    Works Cited Hawthorne, Nathaniel.   The Scarlet Letter.   New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1948.

Computer Game Addiction Essay

ABSTRACT With the constant improvements in gaming technology, ranging from graphics to new types of controllers to faster processors, there is a growing problem of computer game addiction. In order to fully understand this problem, one must define addiction. According to the Center for Addiction and Mental Health, addiction is a psychological or a physical dependence on something. LITERATURE REVIEW In this paper, we will discuss the problem of computer game addiction, one of the most addictive games, and ways to prevent or stop addiction. Massively Multiplayer Online Role- Playing Games Game addiction really started turning into a problem with the advent of Massively Multiplayer Online Role- Playing Games, or MMORPGs. While regular games would keep you entertained until you beat it, MMORPGs have no ending, so there really is no reason to stop playing. MMORPGs immerse the player in the world and since there is no way to beat the game, the goal is character progression. Leveling up your character and obtaining better and better armor and weapons is usually the norm in most MMORPGs. Addiction Questionnaire Dr. Kimberly Young, known as â€Å"the world’s foremost Cyber-Psychologist,† created a set of eight questions to ask one’s self to test for online gaming addiction. 1) Do you need to play online games with increasing amounts of time in order to achieve the desired excitement? 2) Are you preoccupied with gaming (thinking about it when offline, anticipating your next online session)? 3) Have you lied to friends and family members to conceal extent of your online gaming? 4) Do you feel restless or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop online gaming? 5) Have you made repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop online gaming? 6) Do you use gaming as a way of escaping from problems or relieve feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, or depression? 7) Have you jeopardized or lost a significant relationship, or even risked your marriage because of your online gaming habit? 8) Have you jeopardized a job, educational, or career opportunity because of your online gaming habit? Answering yes to any of those questions could mean that you are addicted. One would think that video games are harmless, but once they start interfering with real life and even take precedence over it, then there is a real problem. Video game addiction has not received official recognition as a diagnosis in theDSM IV standard [8], but is still aconcern for many people. Problems with addiction One study done on the problems of addiction used a modified version of the formal definition of gambling addiction. 607 8th and 9th grade students where surveyed, and of these 15% where classified as addicted. Of the addicted students, approximately 80% where male. Less than 30% of non-addicted student reported having been in a fight in the past year, while almost 50% ofaddicted students reported the same. Addiction also correlated with reported arguments with friends, and with teachers. Just as many students classified as addicted reported having a B average as those classified as nonaddicted. However, there where 4 times as many F students classified as addictedas there where non-addicted, and far more non-addicted A students than addicted ones. Not surprisingly, students classified as addicted averaged almost 4 times as much playtime as nonaddicted ones [7]. These figures are somewhat worrying. World of Warcraft (WoW) The current king of MMORPGs is World of Warcraft. According to a press release on Blizzard’s World of Warcraft webpage, World of Warcraft’s subscriber base numbers more than 8.5 million, as of March 7, 2007, and it continues to grow every day. The expansion pack that was recently released sold nearly 2.4 million copies worldwide just on the first 24 hours [3]. It is often referred to as â€Å"World of Warcrack.† Dr. Maressa Orzak, a Harvard professor and founder of Computer Addiction Services at McLean Hospital in Newton, MA, estimates that as many as 40% of the people who play WoW are addicted. She believes that games like World of Warcraft are designed to keep people in the game and that they are inherently addictive [4]. There are dozens of websites just for the purpose of providing support for WoW addiction. The game has a feature where if you type â€Å"/played† into the chat interface, it displays how much time you have spent playing that particular character. Some people report that they’ve spent 200 to 300 days played in the game [5]. In 2004, Zhang Xiaoyi, a 13 year old Chinese boy, committed suicide by jumping off a building afterplaying World of Warcraft for 36 hours straight. He left a suicide note saying that he wanted to â€Å"join the heroes of the game he worshipped† [6]. Fig. 1: A large battle between the Alliance and the Horde Is it Addiction? According to Weimer-Hastings and Ng, many people who are excessive MMORPG users are not actually dependent on video games [8]. They propose that many of these people use video games not because they are addicted, but because it is the only comfortable social medium for them. This was found through a comparison ofMMORPG player and other video game players. The MMORPG players tended to spend far more time playing, but much of that time is spent socializing. Some MMORPG players who showed long hours of playtime didn’t actually show any of the signs of addiction [8]. This study shows that care must be taken with the definition of addiction. Conclusion Video game addiction is something we must come to terms with as a society. Whether it is decided to be a read full fledged addiction, or just a compulsive behavior, it can still cause trouble in people’s lives. The problem will not go away either, it will probably only get worse, as designers get a better understanding of what makes consumers want their games. On the other hand, the problem is not as bad as it sounds at first. For many people these games are a social outlet, not an addiction. Video games are an integral part of many people’s lives now, and they’re here to stay. Let’s learn to use them responsibly. References 1. Center for Addiction and Mental Health – What is Addiction? http://www.camh.net/About_Addiction_Mental_Health/Drug_and_Addiction_Information/Addiction_Information_Guide/addiction_what_is.html 2. Center for Internet Addiction Recovery – Are You an Obsessive Online Gamer? http://www.netaddiction.com/resources/online_trading.htm# 3. Blizzard Entertainment – PressRelease. http://www.blizzard.com/press/070307.shtml 4. Rob Wright – mmORPGs and Game Addiction. August 8, 2006. http://www.twitchguru.com/2006/08/08/ world_of_warcraft_players_addicted/ 5. WoW Detox – Ex-players’testimonials. http://www.wowdetox.com/ 6. Associated Press – Chinese‘Warcraft’ Game Distributor Sued Over Teen’s Suicide.May 12, 2006. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,195236,00.html 7. Hauge, Marny R. & Gentile, Douglas A. â€Å"Video Game Addiction Among Adolescents: Associations with Academic Performance and Aggression† http://www.psychology.iastate.edu/FACULTY/dgentile/SRCD%20Video%20Game%20Addiction.pdf 8. Wiemer-Hastings, Peter & NG, Brian D. â€Å"Addiction to the Internet and Online Gaming† Cyberpsychology & Behavior Vol8, Number 2 http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1089/cpb.2005.8.110

Poetry Essay

Understanding and interpreting poetry requires a different method of reading than the method which is generally associated with prose. While a given poem, especially a lyric poem, may be literally read in a matter of minutes, the comprehension of the poem may take a lifetime. This is due to the extraordinary ability of poets to compress meanings and also develop complex and multi-layered associations of language, figurative language, image, rhyme, and even narrative within a very brief literary forms. Contemplating a poem is as much a part of experiencing it as merely reading a poem. In the hands of a talented and inspired poet, the minimal use of words and the seemingly constricted forms offered by poetry are actually platforms to convey thoughts, themes, and emotions that would find no more complete expression even if given the â€Å"larger† platform of a novel, essay, or even memoir. As an example of this multi-tiered expression that is found in good poetry, Anne Sexton’s poem, â€Å"Starry Night† provides a rich demonstration of how poetry conveys multiple meanings and associations within a minimalist form. To begin with, Sexton’s poem â€Å"The Starry Night† is an exercise in ekphrasis. Ekphrasis is a type of poem written about another art-form. Most often, in poetry, it involves painting. When writing a poems inspired by paintings, poets attempt to make language, image, and meter evoke the same emotional or thematic impact which is delivered by the visual techniques and textures of paintings. In â€Å"The Starry Night,†Anne Sexton was inspired not only by Vincent Van Goght’s painting of the same title, but by a letter the artist wrote to his brother, which contained the epigraph for Sexton’s poem: â€Å"That does not keep me from having a terrible need/of— shall I say the word— religion. Then I go/out at night to paint the stars. † By including the quotation form Van Goght above the body of her poem, Sexton accomplishes a clever bit of compression, in fact: explicating the poem’s theme before a word of the poem, proper, has a chance to even be read by the reader! This sly trick is compatible with Van Gogh’s technique in the painting â€Å"The Starry Night† which discards subtlety in favor of grandeur and obscurity in favor of explicit emotional expression. In the painting we see a night sky crowded with swirling clouds, blazing starts with burning halos and a moon which reflects each of the lunar phases in one image. All of these attributes are exaggerated, pulling the viewer into a setting of epic epiphany and emotional release. Van Goght’s sky is alive and engages the viewer relentlessly. The overall initial experience is one of being overwhelmed by the immensity of cosmic nature. Below a set of rolling hill lies a small town. The focal point of the town is the large church- steeple, which presides over the rest of the buildings. This steeple seems to anchor the town and the rest of the scene beneath the sky, suggesting that it is the religious and spiritual dialogue between humanity and the cosmos which is of the most importance, not the town itself. Similarly, Sexton begins her poem, â€Å"The town does not exist† establishing the primacy of a non-linear mode of perception, as well as setting the stage for the eventual, climactic religious epiphany. Van Gogh painted Starry Night while in an Asylum at Saint-Remy in 1889. According to many sources his behavior was erratic during this period of his life. During his youth, Van Gogh had dedicated his life to the church. Many believe that Genesis 37:9: â€Å"And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me† greatly influenced Van Gogh’s â€Å"The Starry Night. † Sexton, too, carefully reserves the numerical symbolism of the painting in her lines: â€Å"The night boils with eleven stars. /Oh starry starry night! This is how/I want to die! † By repeating the adjective â€Å"starry,† Sexton gains the â€Å"crowded† feeling of Van Gogh’s canvas in her stanza. She grasps the â€Å"living sky† element in the following lines: â€Å"It moves. They are all alive. /Even the moon bulges in its orange irons. † The key to Sexton’s masterful ekphrasis seems to lie in her use of compressed diction: â€Å"The old unseen serpent swallows up the stars. †This, like Van Gogh’s hurried, thick brush stroked invokes a sense of both urgency and passion. Sexton’s use of the refrain â€Å"This is how I want to die! † encapsulates the theme of Van Gogh’s paining, that of religious ecstacy, by merging the erotic/death urge so common in Elizabethan poetry and here marked by an additional shading of surrealism â€Å"sucked up by that great dragon, to split/from my life with no flag. In so doing, Sexton remains true to her confessional mode, also capturing an element which is perhaps understated in Van Gogh’s original, but present nonetheless, a â€Å"confession† of deep loneliness and alienation, marked by the darker swirls of color on the painting’s peripheries and also by the lone black tree, which Sexton describes as â€Å"a drowned woman† marking for posterity her close identification with the emotional confessional and religious themes of Van Gogh’s painting. Sexton’s poem is a wonderful counterpoint to Van Gogh’s painting, a rich example of the artistic and expressive potential of transposing the themes textures and techniques from one art medium to another.

Sonya Sanchez essays

Sonya Sanchez essays To understand Sonia Sanchez, you must first understand her past to appreciate her drive toward the future. Sanchez, a militant and dominating voice in the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, struggled through her early childhood while finding her voice when she needed it most. After her mother died when she was one year old, Sanchez was then raised by her grandmother that died when she was five. Soon after her death, Sonia began to stutter. Sanchez struggled with the problem for 12 years. She would later share that writing helped her organize her thoughts and helped her slow down and speak more deliberately, thus discovering her own form of poetry. I like Sanchezs form of writing because she experiments with form, spelling, beats, jazz scats, and more or less manipulates words with rhythms that roll syllable to syllable. Her first two collections of poetry, Home Coming (1969) and We a BaddDDD People (1970), reflect her militant, antiwhite stance, inspired in part by the example of Malcolm X. She incorporates dialect and profanity into her pithy, biting poems, and the tone is usually combative. Sanchez unleashed some of her rage at America's Anglocentric educational system. Her criticisms, however, were followed by suggestions, and she has become a powerful advocate of black studies programs. Sanchez's later poetry volumes are more specifically feminist in orientation, treating Sanchez's personal growth while celebrating women in general. One of her most celebrated volumes is Homegirls Sanchez continues to teach and write in Philadelphia. Black American Women Fiction Writers (Writers of English: Lives and Works), Harold Bloom, ed., 1995. Used by permission of Chelsea House Publishers. The "eye" devices (lowercase letters, speed writing, fluid lines) al...

Osmosis Lab Report Essays

Osmosis Lab Report Essays Osmosis Lab Report Paper Osmosis Lab Report Paper I then compared the three volume measurements and provided observation. The ext experiment was to determine the effects of salt concentration on bacterial growth. The tubes of broth were labeled as directed and antiseptically inoculated with the appropriate organism, and incubated for 24-rash. After incubation I observed the tubes for the presence or absence of growth. Methods 1. Start with a graduated beaker, or some other container marked at known volume levels. Fill the beaker or measuring cup to 200 ml with water. . Set that measuring device aside for later. 3. Then get a cup and place the raw egg in the cup and fill it with vinegar until the egg is covered. Let sit in vinegar for 24 hrs. . After soaking for 24 hrs remove the egg and rinse with water to remove any remainder of the egg shell. 5. Place egg in the designated cup with water and measure volume. 6. Record the starting volume of the egg (final volume)-(starting volume)=egg volume. 7. Then place t he egg in another cup and fill it with corn syrup until egg is covered. Let sit for 24 hrs. 8. After soaking for 24 hrs remove the egg and rinse with water. 9. Place egg in the designated cup with water in it and measure volume and record volume. 10. Then place the egg in another cup and fill with water until egg is covered. Let it for 24 hrs. 11. After soaking remove the egg and place in the designated cup with water and measure and record volume 12. Compare the three volume measurements. Results The vinegar resolved the shell of the egg and some of the vinegar when into the egg by osmosis. The egg was bigger and really slimy and had no shell. Egg volume results: (IF) 200 (SF) 185 = 15 The egg has shrunk in the corn syrup, it looked like it was deflated and you could see the yolk. Egg volume results: (IF) 237-(SF) 200= 37 The egg got much bigger when placed into the water, the membrane went from very loose to really tight. It looked like it was back to the size it was before it was placed in the corn syrup. Egg volume results: (IF) 112-(SF) 200= 88 Interpretation The vinegar was a hypotonic solution and the egg was hypersonic solution. Lack of water will lead to a plant wilting and possibly dying. When a cell is in a hypotonic solution (more solute concentration than the cell), eater will move from the hypersonic solution (less concentrated) to the hypotonic solution via the process of osmosis. In this experiment, the movement of water in and out of potato cells left in sodium chloride solution will be investigated. The sodium chloride molecule is too large to be passively transported across the cell membrane, so only net movement of water will happen without any input of energy.

Assisted Suicide

Assisted Suicide Essay In thousands of homes across the nation victims of terminal illnessessit in pain due to their sicknesses. Should these people have to go through allof that pain and suffering just for the end result of death? Should thesepeople have the right to assisted death, to rid themselves of unbearable pain?This topic has been one of the great controversies over the last several years. Not too long ago if someone was found assisting in suicide, it was seenas a felony crime. But recently there have been court cases taken up in twofederal appellate courts that ruled terminally ill patients have the right toseek doctor assisted suicide (Carter 1). These cases took place in New York andWashington. This added two more to the list of states that legalized this meansof ending life. However, doctor assisted is still seen as a criminal act inthirty four states(Rosen 1). In my opinion, doctor assisted suicide should bemade legal throughout the nation. If a terminally ill patient wants to take hisor her life due to excruciating pain, he or she should have the ability toutilize euthanasia. Ultimately, the decision should be that of the terminallyill individual. The main controversy over this issue, is the question of morality. Isit morally right for a doctor to assist in suicide? Many individuals feel thatit is not. It is thought if assisted suicide is legalized throughout th e states,it will encourage families with terminally ill relatives to push themprematurely to their demise(Carter 2). This is an outlandish assumption. Afamily that truly loves one another would not urge a family member to rush anydecision as momentous as ending ones life. If there is caring among the family,the suicide would not take place until is was utterly necessary. Two other important moral questions also arise from this issue. First,do our mortal lives belong to us alone, are we sovereign over our bodies, or dothey belong to the communities of families in which we are embedded? Second,will this right give the terminally ill a greater sense of control over theircircumstances, or will it weaken respect for life?(Carter 2)The first question is ridiculous. It seems as though Carter is tryingto say we will no longer be in charge of ourselves, and we will be living in asocialistic society. There is no reason why we should not be able to controlthe destiny of our lives. We, as human beings, are solely sovereign over ourown bodies. Therefore, it is the terminally ill patient who should have theability to choose death over life. It is this person who is experiencing thepain and suffering of their disease, not a relative or close friend, much lessthe government. The legalization of doctor assisted suicide is no reason tochange anything with people who a re not terminally ill. The second question, on the other hand, has some validity and logic toit. Doctor assisted suicide would give the dying a certain sense of control. It would enable the patient to have a certain feeling of power, knowing that heor she has the ability to complete his or her life upon request. This may soundsomewhat awkward; however, it is quite possible that it would give the patientsa sense of well being. Furthermore, it gives them a chance to end their lives ontheir terms, instead of letting a disease determine their course in life. Asfor the second half of this question, it should in no way weaken the respect forlife. Losing respect for life is for the weak minded. If anything itstrengthens the patients respect; a person in the last stages of a terminalillness has endured some of the worst life has to offer. It takes away many ofhis capabilities to perform what would normally be commonplace activities; inshort it has overtaken his life and dignity. The ability to perform legalassisted suicide would help to replace some of the dignity which the illness hasextracted from a persons life. It would give the person the capability to endmatters on his own terms. READ: Memorandum EssayJohn Stuart Mill, one of the great philosophers of the nineteenthcentury, derived a theory which is an excellent example as an argument for thelegalization of doctor assisted suicide, or all moral crimes for that matter. This theory was deemed the Harm Principle: a person is wholly sovereign overhis body. It is

Palestine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Palestine - Essay Example Under these techniques the Israeli Government restricted the citizenship for population of East Jerusalem; they also demolished the illegal houses. Government limited the city budget, and most of it evacuated the Palestinians who were living at West Bank. Due to these actions of the Government, people of Palestine felt threat to their homes and simultaneously their livings. Government in 2002 established a Separation Wall around East Jerusalem, this Wall separated the relations. People living inside the barrier were forced to be divided and had to disrupt their connections with the people left outside. This caused difficulty for the people of Palestine because many had to end-up their relations, businesses were highly affected, many had to face economic downfall, a lot lost their jobs, transportation problems etc. Before this partition East and West Jerusalem were one .i.e. all the operations were inter-related, and thus after the Partition daily lives of Palestinians is badly affected. The ways to enter or exit the East Jerusalem, there are check-points to pass where the passengers have to face strict inspections. These inspections have become the reason for the development of negative feelings regarding distress and degradation among the people. People avoid passing that passage because it causes disruption in their daily life (Spencer, 76). Restriction of Construction has caused the people of East Jerusalem to remain with their old homes and buildings. This has become a barrier for the businesses .i.e. no more buildings. One major difficulty is that families are expanding and the space is becoming congested. As a result there can be seen an increasing number of migration towards the cities at East, such as Al-Ezariyya and Abu-Dis. People migrate in-order to find peace and quality of life, but due to the restrictions of passing through Wall and strict

Elimination of the Quality Issues and the Retention of Business Case Study - 5

Elimination of the Quality Issues and the Retention of Business - Case Study Example Quality is an aspect which has gained importance and recognition around the world. The three components of quality which are quality control, quality assurance and quality improvement on a constant basis have become the core functions of numerous organizations since consumers are now well informed and not ready to compromise on quality. As the case suggests, the quality standards set by Presto Cleaners clearly did not meet the consumers’ standards and resulted in a lot of problems for the consumers (Dale B, van der Wiele T, van Iwaarden J, 2007).   Quality standards, in this case, did not revolve around the quality of the product itself but the means used to communicate and transfer the service to the consumer. Quality management must then be implemented whereby quality assurance is guaranteed both with the products and the processes used to deliver the service altogether. Without the implementation of appropriate quality standards, preferably those that are in line with the principles and guidelines set by the ISO standards of quality, an organization will not be able to effectively conduct business and might even fail to retain let alone attract new business. This was exactly what happened in the case of Presto Cleaners; Mr. Shelton was not satisfied with the services Presto Cleaners had provided and demanded compensation for the loss incurred by him or else lose out on business.  The objectives for which one chooses a product or service maintain a direct link with quality i.e. if the purpose for which the service, in this case, is chosen is not fulfilled the consumer would face quality issues (Howard S. Gitlow, 2005). When the Presto Cleaners opened their doors to customers, Mr. and Mrs. Shelton chose this service mainly because of the convenient location, suitable working hours and most importantly the friendliness and helpful nature of the staff. However, the cost was higher than competitors located in the vicinity, the Shelton’s gave Pre sto preference because they wanted to seek the quality services even if they had to pay higher costs for it.

Groups and organizations promoting racial equality Essay

Groups and organizations promoting racial equality - Essay Example However, efforts made by numerous players gradually allowed the incorporation of the Native Americans into the civilized American society. Over the years, federal legislations and other amendments have allowed the establishment of greater racial equality for the Native Americans and other minority groups. By doing so, the government institutions have been successful in implementing equal rights for all citizens of America. While many historical texts have been produced from a White perspective, the Native Indian perspective has rarely been produced until recently. The revived interpretation has allowed the world to vie Native Americans as being oppressed individuals who have been enslaved in their own home land while the invaders and colonialists have formed an imperialist government over them. The perspective of viewing the Native Indian as a â€Å"good man† was the result of various historical products including films. The civil rights movements allowed the Native Americans to raise their voices for their own rights as equal citizens of America. Native Americans have experienced America from a time of colonial rule to civil rights as US citizens. Although the Native Americans still inhabited the same land, the fact that there were cultural differences between them and the White Americans could not be ignored. The first question which the reformers faced was about incorporating the highly distinct Native Americans in the American society thereby forming a national identity rather than a horde of uncivilized people. Attempts to assimilate the Native Indians as part of the American society involved recruiting young Native American boys into boarding schools so as to enable them to gradually lose out their native cultural essence and adopt an American way of living (Flavin, 4). US history saw a series of laws, rules, regulations, tribal laws, treaties, and other jurisdictions. The United States Constitution as well as the Trade and Intercourse Act regulate d any economic activity carried out with Native Indian tribes and granted power to the President along with the Senate to make agreements with the tribes (Stancel, n.pag.). By the end of the French-Indian War, the Constitution was adopted and this brought the Indian tribes under the government’s rule. Three departments were set up including Northern, Southern, and Middle, each being headed by a commissioner whose duty was to maintain harmonious terms with the Indians (Cohen & Ickes et al., 9). This was also done so as to discourage the local Indians to participate in the revolt against the Whites. Passed in 1887, the Dawes Act or the Allotment Act gave the President the power to break the reservation land which was being held by tribal members (‘Dawes Act†, n.pag.). According to the law, land which had not been allotted to Native Americans would have to be sold to the government which would then be opened for farming. However, this resulted in Native Americans bei ng dispossessed of their lands. Apparently, the law was meant to provide greater property rights to the Native Indians however many Native Indians saw a reduction in their land holdings. Further laws limited their rights and economic dealings by giving more power to the President and Senate to regulate treaties with tribal Indians. The Indian Bill of Rights also

American Dietary Guidelines Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

American Dietary Guidelines - Assignment Example The assignment "American Dietary Guidelines" discusses the dietary guidelines for Americans. With an exponentially increasing financial budget on managing diet-oriented chronic diseases, the American dietary guidelines play a crucial role in ensuring Americans focus on promoting health and minimization of disease. Weight management involves regulation of factors contributing to obesity and avoiding it. There are emphasize consumption low sodium and solid fats, sugars, and cholesterol, as well as alcohol as these, contribute to poor diet-related chronic diseases. The guidelines recommend the increase of foods with adequate nutrients, and that prevent diseases like whole grains, low-fat milk and fat-free milk products like lean meat eggs, peas, oils, and unsalted nuts and seeds. With the knowledge of what to eat, what not to eat, and how to balance one’s weight through calories, the guidelines provide information on how to define a healthy eating pattern in order to minimize the ir nutrient requirements.The major recommendations are for Americans to ensure they adhere to consuming balanced calorie intake while incorporating physical activity as a way of managing weight. Another recommendation is on consumption of increased amounts of some nutrients including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat, and fat-free products. Americans are urged to consume food that constitutes low amounts of saturated fats, sodium like salt, added sugars, cholesterol, trans fats, and refined grains.

Clinical supervision and reflections on practice Essay

Clinical supervision and reflections on practice - Essay Example Reflections and Supervision: Caring for the sick and elderly Conclusion References Introduction Reflective strategies are used to enhance professional observation of the work experience with others and it enhances clinical supervision. Reflection is a process of generating meaning from experiences by considering actions taken with the aim of improving upon future decision-making (Jasper, 2003). Reflective strategies help in identifying gaps in knowledge, skills and learning needs. Reflective strategies also help in analysing communication and relationships with colleagues. Reflective strategies examine decisions taken and are essential in order to identify errors made during decision-making and steps to be avoided when making future decisions. One strategy which the author has used herself for reflection in her work place is clinical supervision. In the future, she would like to consider the use a reflective diary as well. The following discussion will be contextualized both in terms of relevant literature and postings in the MOODLE Discussion Forum by this author and various contributors commenting on the usefulness of a â€Å"reflective diary† and the value of â€Å"management and supervision† of the nursing practice. As the MOODLE postings show, practice may be perceived as benefiting from reflection and supervision. Not everyone agrees, however. Nevertheless, postings on this and the issue of supervision are a very useful way of entering on a discussion of their benefits. Reflections and Supervision: Caring for the sick and elderly â€Å"Reflective practice is associated with learning from experience and is viewed as an important strategy for health professionals who embrace life-long learning† (NHS Guidelines, 2006). Reflecting upon one’s work or practise as a nurse is thus essential (Nursing Standard, 2011; Jasper, 2003). When finding oneself in a difficult situation, one may benefit from stopping and taking time to reflect on what just transpired with the goal to learn from a past mistake in order to make amendments and adjustments to be able to do things differently next time (Johns, 1995). Reflecting upon one’s own position in a certain work process that typically involves a team that has to interact to produce a beneficial outcome, scrutinizing one’s own emotions and the way one often â€Å"balances† between the demands of biology and medicine and the needs of the sick one cares for as a nurse is fundamental to ensure â€Å"best practices† (Bowling, 2009). Keeping a â€Å"reflective journal† or a â€Å"reflective diary† are effective reflective techniques (Heath, 1998, pp. 592-598). Other useful reflective strategies include mentoring, clinical supervision, appraisals, handovers, meetings, group supervision. These means imply an evaluation of skills and enhance learning. The author of this essay has herself benefited from reflecting on her practice and various factual events when she was a student nurse, recording her private experiences, emotions, thoughts and views in a â€Å"reflective diary†. Once a qualified nurse, she abandoned the use of this important tool but has again come to realize its great benefit for nurses in always attending to the above-mentioned distinction and the uniqueness and humanity of each patient. â€Å"I have overlooked the reflective diary in my experience as a qualified nurse at junior level, even as a unit manager. I felt limited by it, and if one loses the diary all the data are lost. After doing the APEL module, my focus is totally different. From the 1st of Feb 20011 till my retirement I am determined to reflect on my practise, use a reflective diary and make a secure electronic copy of it† (â€Å"Reflective Diary†, this author, MOODLE Discussion Forum, 24 January 2011). There is wide agreement on the Forum on the usefulness of the diary (cf. Rolfe et al., 2001). One contributor note s that she qualified as a nurse a long while ago and not until

Terrorism Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Terrorism - Assignment Example However, cases in which an individual causes harm to the society in some way because of personal psychological reasons are more recognized as violence instead of terrorism. In such cases, an individual or a group functions to serve its individualistic interests. The group does not form part of a network, and accordingly, the violence does not affect many members of the society. In the recent years, the term â€Å"terrorism† has been frequently employed to explain the use of force to violate human rights. Terrorists are largely connected through networks spread all over the world and the activities they involve in have long lasting impact not only on one nation but on several others that are directly or indirectly associated with the act of terrorism. Terrorists cause harm to individuals they do not even know, yet they do it because their act will be identified and cause upset in the society. A lot of examples have been available in the history to support this. For example, the Sep 11 attack on the twin towers in US was a well planned act of terrorism and had its influence on the relationships of many nations in addition to the immediate loss it caused. 3031 people lost their lives as a result of the attack and the direct and indirect costs incurred by the US were estimated to be $27.2 billion and $500 billion respectively (Looney, 2002 cited in Mora g, 2006). The initial response offered to the incident of September 11, 2001 was that it was expected to change the world forever apart from the instant horror and shock it caused. It was thought that â€Å"the world will never be the same again† (Kegley, 2003, p. 84). Because of those attacks, the security and defense concerns in US have been of prime importance (Zalman, 2010) and the US policies regarding immigration, visa policy and other every day matters have gone an altogether change. The incident of 21 Sep, 2001 has had huge sociological impacts both within

Clinical supervision and reflections on practice Essay

Clinical supervision and reflections on practice - Essay Example Reflections and Supervision: Caring for the sick and elderly Conclusion References Introduction Reflective strategies are used to enhance professional observation of the work experience with others and it enhances clinical supervision. Reflection is a process of generating meaning from experiences by considering actions taken with the aim of improving upon future decision-making (Jasper, 2003). Reflective strategies help in identifying gaps in knowledge, skills and learning needs. Reflective strategies also help in analysing communication and relationships with colleagues. Reflective strategies examine decisions taken and are essential in order to identify errors made during decision-making and steps to be avoided when making future decisions. One strategy which the author has used herself for reflection in her work place is clinical supervision. In the future, she would like to consider the use a reflective diary as well. The following discussion will be contextualized both in terms of relevant literature and postings in the MOODLE Discussion Forum by this author and various contributors commenting on the usefulness of a â€Å"reflective diary† and the value of â€Å"management and supervision† of the nursing practice. As the MOODLE postings show, practice may be perceived as benefiting from reflection and supervision. Not everyone agrees, however. Nevertheless, postings on this and the issue of supervision are a very useful way of entering on a discussion of their benefits. Reflections and Supervision: Caring for the sick and elderly â€Å"Reflective practice is associated with learning from experience and is viewed as an important strategy for health professionals who embrace life-long learning† (NHS Guidelines, 2006). Reflecting upon one’s work or practise as a nurse is thus essential (Nursing Standard, 2011; Jasper, 2003). When finding oneself in a difficult situation, one may benefit from stopping and taking time to reflect on what just transpired with the goal to learn from a past mistake in order to make amendments and adjustments to be able to do things differently next time (Johns, 1995). Reflecting upon one’s own position in a certain work process that typically involves a team that has to interact to produce a beneficial outcome, scrutinizing one’s own emotions and the way one often â€Å"balances† between the demands of biology and medicine and the needs of the sick one cares for as a nurse is fundamental to ensure â€Å"best practices† (Bowling, 2009). Keeping a â€Å"reflective journal† or a â€Å"reflective diary† are effective reflective techniques (Heath, 1998, pp. 592-598). Other useful reflective strategies include mentoring, clinical supervision, appraisals, handovers, meetings, group supervision. These means imply an evaluation of skills and enhance learning. The author of this essay has herself benefited from reflecting on her practice and various factual events when she was a student nurse, recording her private experiences, emotions, thoughts and views in a â€Å"reflective diary†. Once a qualified nurse, she abandoned the use of this important tool but has again come to realize its great benefit for nurses in always attending to the above-mentioned distinction and the uniqueness and humanity of each patient. â€Å"I have overlooked the reflective diary in my experience as a qualified nurse at junior level, even as a unit manager. I felt limited by it, and if one loses the diary all the data are lost. After doing the APEL module, my focus is totally different. From the 1st of Feb 20011 till my retirement I am determined to reflect on my practise, use a reflective diary and make a secure electronic copy of it† (â€Å"Reflective Diary†, this author, MOODLE Discussion Forum, 24 January 2011). There is wide agreement on the Forum on the usefulness of the diary (cf. Rolfe et al., 2001). One contributor note s that she qualified as a nurse a long while ago and not until

Financial Aid Appeal Essay Example for Free

Financial Aid Appeal Essay First year of college was very challenging to me yet I was still wasnt ready for the courses that I chose. My goal was to obtain an a degree maybe, i havent decided yet, and then i wanted to transfer to a 4 year institute to obtain a B.A Degree. My educational goal was to be majoring in an unknown field to many. In Fall 2009 I chose courses I have since realized were too difficult for a first-time student and I became overwhelmed. Having had no prior experience with college-level life, courses, and exams. I was not sure what to expect and learned that my study techniques lacking, resulting in poor grades. I also failed to attend the review sessions, did not seek assistance from my professor or tutoring help, and as a result I failed my courses. Due to these circumstances I have been rendered ineligible to receive financial aid. Without financial aid I will be unable to continue my education because I cannot afford the cost of supplies, fees, transportation, and personal expenses. Receiving financial aid will allow me more time to study properly. Without it, I will be forced to take time away from my studies in order to work. My academics are my first priority now and I realize I need to devote all of my time to them in order to be successful in the future I recently evaluated my plans to improve my academic. I have determined the following points to be the keys to my educational success. 1. I will balance the course choices better. 2. I will manage my time wisely on academics. 3. I will seek assistance with my coursework when I have difficulties. 4. I will maintain communication with my professors on a regular basis to ensure success in my courses 5. Complete classes C or better. I understand the expectation better now and I am doing well in my coursework this semester with currently all passing grades. I have made a huge improvement and I am determined to pass every class this semester. Although I have made great improvements, without financial aid I fear I will find myself struggling to succeed once again. I hope those of the financial aid committee who read this will give me a second chance to help me accomplish my goals and reach success for the rest of my time at college. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to explain my financial circumstances. I look forward to hearing about your decision. Sincerely, Any correction/improvement needed? thanks

Comparing The Contrast Of Blakes Songs English Literature Essay

Comparing The Contrast Of Blakes Songs English Literature Essay William Blake was born in, London, England on 28 November 1757, he was born to a middle-class family and was the third child of seven children, two of whom died in childhood. William did not go to school, and was educated by his mother at home William Blake displayed a bright imagination at a young age, which was not looked upon positively during the pre Romantic period. He continued throughout his writing to drastically question faith and politics. His parents knew enough of his stubborn character. He enthusiastically read on subjects of his own choosing. During this time, Blake was also making explorations into poetry. On August the fourth 1772, Blake became apprenticed to engraver James Basire, for seven years. At the end of this period, at the age of 21, he was to become a professional engraver On October the eighth 1779, Blake became a student at the Royal Academy in Old Somerset House, while his study required no payment; he was expected to bring in his own materials during the six-year period. Blake met John Flaxman in 1782, who was then to become his supporter, and Catherine Boucher, who was later on, to become his wife. Blakes marriage to Catherine remained close and loyal until his death. She helped him to colour his printed poems while he taught her how to write, In this assignment I will compare and contrast three of Blakes poems from the songs of innocence and three poems from the songs of experience, I will comment on the context, themes and Blakes craftsmanship. In Blakes poems many poems fall into pairs Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience they both have opposing perspectives of the world, Most of the time Blake is trying to show us how experience corrupt innocence. The first two poems I will be comparing is Infant Joy and Infant Sorrow Blake wrote the song The Chimney sweepers song of innocence and The chimney sweepers song of experience from totally different perspectives William Blakes wrote the poem The Chimney Sweepers in 1789, the poems tells the story of what happened to many young boys throughout this time. Boys were sold at very young age for the purpose of cleaning chimneys. These children were exploited and lived a very terrible life. Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience both protests the living conditions and the overall treatment of young chimney sweeps The innocence version of the poem consists of six four line stanzas. The poem starts with a depressing tone telling us from the Childs perspective that before he had even learnt to speak his parents had sold him My father sold me while yet my tongue could scarcely cry. In the songs of innocence boys innocence does not allow him to not understand the social injustice and unlike the experience version where the boy in the poem sees the unfairness and is able to speak against it. The songs of Experience version consists of three four line stanzas. The poem starts of with the line A little Black thing among the snow this suggests the Boy feels lonely and depressed, the boy also does not have trust in god and feels that he has lost his purpose this shown when he says Where are thy mother and father, say? They are both one up to church to pray The Boy also Blames his parents for making him do this work, this is shown here Because I was happy among the heath and smiled against the winters snow, they clothed me in the cloth of death, and taught me to sing the notes of woe this shows that the boy was joyful until his parents sold him The Nurses Song tells a tale of a Nurse who is looking over some children playing in the field. However the experience version differs form the innocence version in the Experience version it is more bitter than the innocence version, it shows a nurse that is jealous of the children and is cruel. On the other hand the innocence version shows a nurse that does not mind the children playing, it also seems as if she is enjoying watching the children play this I shown at the very first stanza where she says When Voices of children are heard on the green and the laughter is heard on the hill, My heart is at rest within my breast and everything else is still. Whereas in the Experience version in the first stanza the nurse says that When voices of children are heard on the green and whips rings are in the dale, my face turns green and pale this could suggest that the nurse is an old nurse with a lot of experience from life. In the last stanza the nurse says Your spring and your day are wasted in play, and your winter and night in disguise this shows that the nurse is weighed down by lifes experience. In the experience version we do not see a lot of colors, unlike the innocence version where Blake paints a childrens drawing in the readers mind. He also uses very smooth language for example instead of saying the sun goes down it is said till the light fades away In the Poem Infant joy songs of innocence Blake s showing us a two day old child that is happy to arrive to the world. Blake creates a lot of joyful Images in the readers mind, He does that by only adding positive language in his poem, for example the word joy is repeated seven times in the poem. The language that Blake uses when the child talks is also uncomplicated and simple, the poem has two stanzas and is a bit rambling we also see that the mother witch has experience is positively reflecting on the two day old who represents innocence On the other hand Infant sorrow from the songs of experience the child feels he is unwanted and that he doesnt belong to this world we learn that when in the first stanza when he says My mother groaned and my father wept We also learn the child is struggling Struggling in my fathers hands striving against my swaddling bands, the child also feels discarded this is shown when he say bound and weary I thought best to sulk upon my mothers breast. Helpless, naked piping loud this could suggest that Blake is talking about the industrial revolution and that the world is becoming to dangerous for next generations, in the second line the child also says Into the dangerous world I leapt In all of Blakes poems he tries to tell us that everyone was born innocent and that lifes experience that forced the us into something good or bad and that lifes experience took away the innocence of youth. Most of his poems illustrate that belief

Julius Caesar Essay: Brutus as the Tragic Hero -- Julius Caesar Essays

Brutus as the Tragic Hero of Julius Caesar  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeare’s tragedy, Julius Caesar, displays Brutus as a tragic hero, blinded loyalty and devotion. Brutus's heroic belief of honor and virtue was so powerful that it drove him to perform villainous actions and lead to his destruction. The tragic hero is "presented as a person neither entirely good nor entirely evil, who is led by some tragic flaw to commit an act that results in suffering and utter defeat." (Morner, Kathleen & Rausch, Ralph. 1991, Pg. #227) Brutus was guided by his firm decrees of honor, yet he was unconsciously hypocritical. He praised himself for refusing bribes and not acquiring money through dishonest means, "For I can raise no money by vile means" (Act IV Scene iii) yet he rebuked Cassius for refusing to share with him his own fraudulent gains. He strove for uprightness using dishonest and corrupt ways to accomplish his supposed morals. In Julius Caesar, Cassius approached Brutus with the idea of assassinating Caesar. Cassius needed Brutus because of his renowned heroic qualities. He used Brutus as an insurance policy, declaring "Brutus shall lead, and we will grace his heels with the most boldest and best hearts of Rome." (Act III, Scene i) Cassius lead him to fear Caesar is too ambitious and despotic. This forced Brutus to come to the conclusion that Caesar's death is the only way to solve Rome's problem. "And therefore think him as a serpent's egg, Which hatched would, as his kind, grow mischievous, And kill him in the shell." (Act II, Scene i) Brutus believed that this is for Rome's own good, "not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more." (Act III, Scene ii) Cassius manipulated Brutus into thinking that he must eliminate C... ...and devotion destroyed him. The greatest good in this tragic hero lead him to the wickedest evil. Works Cited http://student.cscc.edu/ENGL/Engl264/traglex.htm. Shakespearean Tragedy. 11-29-99. Yahoo. Bloom, Harold. William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. Chelsea House Publisher; Connecticut, New York, & Pennsylvania. 1988, Pg. #33 - 36 Boyce, Charles. Shakespeare A to Z. Roundtable Press, Inc.; New York. 1990, Pg. #78 - 80 Durband, Alan. Shakespeare Made Easy: Julius Caesar. Barron's Educational Series, Inc.; New York. 1985. Ludowyk, E.F.C. Understanding Shakespeare. Cambridge University Press; New York. 1962, Pg. #184 - 187 Morner, Kathleen & Rausch, Ralph. NTC's Dictionary of Literary Terms. National Textbook Company; Illinois. 1991, Pg. #225 - 227 Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar. Dover Publications, Inc.; New York. 1991.   

Essay --

From my previous journal I stated that I was very interested in finishing the rest of the books in the Odyssey. Well I have finished all of them and got some of my questions answered in class and I got some question that I did not know I did not understand answered too. In book 4 I left off with wondering why Athena protects Telemachus when she’s still upset with. When finishing up the rest of the Odyssey there are many things that are many happening. You have everything from; â€Å"all of the gods are accepting that Poseidon has gathered again on Mount Olympus to discuss Odysseus’s fate† in book 5. To â€Å"Athena makes the Ithacans forget the massacre of their children and recognize Odysseus as king, and making Peace being restored† in book 24. How one man goes through all of this is amazing to me. The Odyssey is nothing more than Odysseus telling us his story and all the things that he had gone through. Odysseus encounters many things that people do not believe to be true because all of his crew is dead and no one had ever don’t anything like he is saying that he has. Because his crew is dead there is no one to help tell all of the great adventures that they endeared. The main question I feel that never truly gets answered in the reading is that of wither or not the stories are true. Does it really take someone who loves his family 20 years to make it home? To return to his wife and son? And are the wife and son still there waiting for him to return. We know in the reading that they are but how does he know this? Is it because that’s how it was back then or why? Why did it take him the seven years for him to build a boat to leave the island of Cyclopes and start to make is way back home. When he finally manages to get the boat made to ... ... I keep saying this but I really don’t know wither or not I can take this story ad being true I things some of the things could have happened but not all of them. I’m not sure why I find it so hard to believe but I do. While reflecting on this reading I have really stopped to think about what I am reading and if I believe it to be true or not. Could the Odyssey be written different so that it’s more understandable? Or should we already be able to understand the text? I feel that the book could take a whole semester to cover it we were to truly take the time to truly read it not just read it and go on. I can see myself rereading the books and trying to understand more and looking for things that I have missed the first time though. Works Cited Brian Wilkie, J. H. (2001). Lliterature of the Western World Vol. 1. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. The Odyssey, pages 273-594

Marketing Consumer Group: Child Help Organization Inc.

ChiledHelp.org is a foundation that prevents and treat abused children.   ChildHelp.org has a mission to, â€Å"to meet the physical, emotional, educational, and spiritual needs of abused and neglected children. We do so by focusing our efforts in the areas of treatment, prevention, and research.†[1]  Ã‚   They function on the premises that: every child has a purpose to help the community, giving unconditional love is the beginning of healing, and that these unfortunate children deserve the best that the community can give.[2]This wasn’t always how Childhelp.org was.ChildHelp.org was founded in 1959 by two American actresses, Sara O'Meara and Yvonne Fedderson.   It started when they went to Japan after the war to entertain the US troops, a practice to maintain the morale of the soldiers.   While they were there, they noticed 11 desperate orphaned Amerasian children on the street suffering the cold.   Out of the kindness of their hearts, they decided to bring t hem to an orphanage, later on realizing that these 11 orphans had been rejected by the orphanages due to lack of space and the ethnicity of the 11 children.   Eventually, they found a woman in a hut who was already caring for Amerasian children.   Mama Kin, as she was called, made an agreement with the 2 actresses to take in the 11 children if O’Meara and Fedderson could find financial support. [3]O’Meara and Fedderson did and their efforts were recognized resulting in the establishment of 4 orphanages under their lead in Japan.At that time, they were called International Orphans, Inc. (IOI).   In 1966, they were invited to the White House and were asked to do the same thing for Vietnamese-American children.   They were able to build 6 orphanages, but when the Americans pulled out of Vietnam, the actresses were instrumental in the â€Å"Baby Lift† Operation wherein the Vietnamese children were pulled and were adopted off to very willing and loving Americ an parents.[4]In 1978, the foundation was asked by the White House to put their attention and efforts to abused children in the United States.   This is the point where they changed the focus of their foundation, from orphans to abused children and thus they changed their name to ChildHelp.org.[5]Since then ChildHelp.org has created numerous programs to help abused and neglected children.   They have advocacy centers in 8 regions, namely, Michigan, California, Tennessee, Colorado, Georgia, Virginia, Washington D.C, and Arizona which houses two centers, one in Phoenix and the other in their headquarters in Scottsdale.   Each center coordinates with other institutions in the area.For instance, in Phoenix, a partnership has been established between Child Help and Safe Child Center at Flagstaff Medical Center to attend to tribal rural areas.   In Georgia, the Good Touch / Bad Touch program, a violence prevention program and now considered a premium educational product, is being endorsed and given to schools by ChildHelp.org so that the children, as well as the teachers and administrators can be properly educated about sexual abuse.[6]   In Tennessee, a foster family program is being endorsed so that sexually abused children can live in a safe foster home.These kinds of programs that involve the community are one of the ways that ChildHelp.org creates awareness throughout the community.Another strategy that they use, which is often used by most people, is that they have Hollywood celebrities to endorse their product.   In the case of ChildHelp.org it is not a product that they are promoting but they are creating awareness by using their celebrity patrons.   Due to the founders Hollywood connections, a movie was created to pay tribute to the work of O’Meara and Fedderson.   This movie, entitled For the Love of a Child, was an immediate eye opener for the whole of America.   With this movie, not only was the problem of child abuse put to the forefront, but also, the mission of ChildHelp.org was advertised to allow people to contribute to and help these abused children.Another way of promoting and pushing the cause of ChildHelp.org is by affiliating companies and corporation to the program allowing the employees to donate via their employers to ChildHelp.org.   Apart from a straight donation, people can buy items from ChildHelp.org, the profits of which will go to their programs or people can volunteer for programs or become a foster parent. [7]ChilHelp.org has gone a long way from Japan and its orphanages.   It cannot be doubted the effort that Sara O'Meara and Yvonne Fedderson have put into this foundation, making them extremely deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize.   From these two people a lot of children have been given proper futures and families.   It started in a small hut Japan and transformed into a fortress of love and care.   It has also transformed itself numerous times to address the needs of childr en, whatever they may be, in Asia and in America.   Although, the focus may have changed from orphanages to abused children, the core remains the same – children have a purpose and with enough love from the community they will be able to achieve it.Reference:ChildHelp.Org. 12 September 2007.   Child Help Inc.. 12 September 2007. < http://www.childhelp.org/home>Good Touch/ Bad Touch. 12 September 2007.   Child Help Inc. 12 September 2007. â€Å"For the Love of a Child†.   LifetimeTV.com. 12 September 2007.   12 September 2007.https://childhelp.6connex.com/event/SpeakUpBeSafe/login

Dont Make English Offical Ban It Instead

Heather Schmitt English 1010 Mrs. Zeleznik 2 December 2012 â€Å"Don’t Make English Official – Ban It Instead† The article â€Å"Don't Make English Official – Ban It Instead† by Dennis Baron focuses on the idea of Congress considering to make English the â€Å"official language† of the United States. Baron uses the academic approach in portraying English as a tradition, a functional system of codes that enables people to interact with each other in the society. Using this as his primary thesis, Baron argues that English should not be implemented as the country's national language, since â€Å"it's hardly even English anymore. They clearly state in the article that even though English isn't the official language non-English-speaking immigrants are still picking up. Many people in America want English to be the official language that everyone should speak. I do not completely agree with this. It would be too difficult for everyone to follow th is request. Also, many people learn two different languages, which ultimately increases their knowledge. Dennis Baron's idea is that banning English would have the opposite of effect, that people that speak English would still continue to speak English and those who do not yet speak it will be more tempted to try it out.If we were to ban the English language then people would be more eager to learn it because people want what they cannot have. I personally find the idea of this humorous in a way. It's relating it to a bigger theme or main idea that it is almost human nature to try or do the things we are not suppose to do. Not that Congress would ever ban the English language or really any language in general, I think this piece is really aiming towards the idea of human nature rather than actually wanting to ban the English language.

Brand Name Essay

Today I’m going to talk about quality of products which we are buying and their price. I will dive into some matters which are most important for us when we have to make a choice what to choose and buy. First of all and I think prime aspect in our decision is quality of the product which is tied up with price. It is said that â€Å"you get what you pay for† and I think it’s 100% truth. When we want to buy something reliable and long-lasting we can’t economise on it because if we do, we will regret our decision some time later. We all know that half of the world is delighted of still spreading Chinese market. â€Å"Same products for half price or even less† or â€Å"Replica of original product but without margin† – these are some words of Chinese market enthusiasts. It’s nothing further from the truth. Ok, we can buy some products confusingly similar to originals but only on first glance. Fakes quality is really poor and it is impossible for them to last even half time of original products. Secondly, nothing but the brand. A lot of people buy clothes only because it’s Louis Vuitton, Burberry or Ralph Lauren, boots because it’s Jimmy Choo’s or Louboutin or electronics from Apple and some of them are paying only for the trademark but the rest is conscious that if they pay more they will have not only original product with signature that everybody will recognize but also best quality product. It’s not accidental that some brands are more expensive then other, they have renown built for long years confirmed by best quality and that’s why these brands products are value for money. Generally the best and well-known brands were established 50, 100 or even more years in the past. Thirdly, there are some other aspects which are leading us to decision like country of origin which is important for patriots and Chinese opponents. And next thing is our habits, we are still buying the same product without looking if it’s quality is still good but we get used to buying it. Summing up, we can say that the most important factors which have big influence on our decisions are price and quality but I think we can’t unanimously tell whose the â€Å"winner†. In my opinion quality beats other  factors and in the end I will only repeat the sentence which explains everything â€Å"You get what you pay for†.

Death and Dying Process and Rituals in the Asian Culture Essay

Death and Dying Process and Rituals in the Asian Culture - Essay Example After the death of an elderly member of the family, celebrations or events such as weddings may be postponed. The closest members of the individual are supposed to grieve the longest and the amount of grief expressed is supposed to be equal to how close the person was to that individual. In terms of bereavement, men are allowed to openly cry during a family gathering after the death but only the women are supposed to cry and express their grief during the funeral ceremonies while the men are supposed to remain stoic (Leach, 2006). The right to die changes from culture to culture and while some cultures such as Japan may accept a person’s decision to end his/her life, others such as China may frown upon it (Leach, 2006). Some Buddhist patients may actually refuse to seek medical attention due to an acceptance of pain, suffering and even death as a part of their karma. This can lead to a situation where a medical practitioner may have to stop treatment at the request of a patient. Numrich et. al. (2006) report that such patients may have to be reminded that Karma can be both good and bad therefore they should accept treatment as a part of their good karma just as they accept pain as a part of bad karma. When individuals are supposed to maintain stoic attitudes, the lack of expression of grief may cause them to become depressed. This depression could be a problem both for the person who knows s/he is going to die as well as the individuals who are around him/her (NASP, 2003). However, belief in sprits as well as an afterlife for most of the Asian culture does provide some comfort since death itself may be seen as nothing more than change and a transfer from this world to the next (Lobar et. al., 2006). In such situations, families come together to form support groups and ease the mourning process for the individuals who are left behind. However, for the widows, the process can