Saturday, August 31, 2019

Parenting In Pride and Prejudice Essay

The novel Pride and Prejudice involves many topics and symbolizes different aspects of life and behavior of people. In this essay I am going to analyze and discuss the theme of parenthood. I will only comment on the characters that are parents or come over as parents, namely, Mr. Bennet, Mrs. Bennet, Mr. Gardiner, Mrs. Gardiner and Lady Catherine De Bourgh. The last character mentioned may not come over as a parent but she acts like one. To begin with, I will start talking about the Bennet family. If we look at the Bennets with modern eyes, we could say that their behavior towards their daughters is very different from how parents get along with their children nowadays. In modern society parents do not marry of their children, we could see this as old fashioned. But in the 19th century the wealthy families wanted that their descendants married other wealthy families in order to save their property. The happiness and feelings of the children did not matter to the parents as we can see in Pride and Prejudice. Mr. Bennet loves his family but he detaches from them in order not to get involved with their lives. He gets on really well with Elizabeth because they both are the most intelligent members of the Bennet family. But as the novel evolves he turns into a father that is weak and in critical moments he fails his family. For instance, he fails his family when Lydia runs off with Wickham. [†¦] â€Å"My dear Mr. Bennet,† said his lady to him one day, â€Å"have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?† Mr. Bennet replied that he had not. â€Å"But it is,† returned she; â€Å"for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it.† Mr. Bennet made no answer. â€Å"Do not you want to know who has taken it?† cried his wife impatiently. â€Å"You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.† [†¦] (Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Volume I, Chapter I, page 5) In this short extract of the novel Pride and Prejudice a lot is shown about Mr. Bennet and his wife. In the first six lines it is seen that Mr. Bennet does not care that someone has come to live to Netherfield Park. Instead his wife insists on telling him everything she knows about it. Mr. Bennet, to me, does not care and in a way teases his wife by being so uninterested. He knows that this behavior makes his wife very nervous but the last line takes all the tension away. You expect a huge quarrel but instead you read this line and, at least I was, a little bit astonished because I did not expect that answer, reality from him. Going back to the topic of parenting this extract is quite interesting. It shows that Mr. Bennet is passive about everything that has to do with his daughters but, on the other hand, Mrs. Bennet wants to know everything that is going on because she wants to marry off her daughters to a wealthy gentleman. She can only think of that. She does not care at all about the feeling of her daughters. [†¦] â€Å"Dining out,† said Mrs. Bennet, â€Å"that is very unlucky.† â€Å"Can I have the carriage,† said Jane. â€Å"No, my dear, you had better go on horseback, because it seems likely to rain; and then you must stay all night.† â€Å"That would be a good scheme,† said Elizabeth, â€Å"if you were sure that they would not offer to send her home.† â€Å"Oh! But the gentleman will have Mr. Bingley’s chaise to go to Meryton; and Hursts have no horses theirs.† â€Å"I much rather go in the coach.† â€Å"But, my dear, your father cannot spare the horses, I am sure. They are wanted in the farm, Mr. Bennet, are they not?† (Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Volume I, Chapter 7, page 31) Here we can see the clear interest of Mrs. Bennet towards Jane, the oldest daughter. She wants her daughter to go to the lunch and to stay over there because it probably will rain. Even though there is a chance that Jane gets ill, Mrs. Bennet insists on Jane going over to the lunch. This behavior shows the readers that she cares about her daughter but, she only wants to be sure that the property and everything that they posses will not end up with Mr. Bennet’s cousin. Mrs. Bennet continues to behave in this way during whole the novel. At no point, the reader can see affection from Mrs. Bennet towards her daughters. Certainly, we can see no motherly behavior; she never gets involved with the daily chores of the house or with the personal hygiene of her daughters. Something that mothers nowadays do a lot, getting involved with her children’s life. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner are very different from Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. The Gardiners do care about the feeling of their children. In this case they get along very well with Jane and Elizabeth and help them with the struggle they have with Bingley and Darcy. We can see that Mrs. Gardiner cares for her nieces because she does things to protect the girls, so as to prevent them to do certain things they might regret in the future. She protects them as a mother should do, she gives them advice, and she listens to the girls. Mrs. Gardiner is the opposite of Mrs. Bennet. The former involves more in the lives of the girls and guides them through it while the latter just wants that her daughters to marry some rich man in order not to lose their possessions they have at Longbourn. In the next extract the readers can see what kind of a woman Mrs. Gardiner is: [†¦] Her aunt assured her that she was; and Elizabeth having thanked her for the kindness of her hinds, they parted; a wonderful instance of advice being given on such a point, without being resented. [†¦] (Austen, Volume II, Chapter III, page 143) Austen describes Mr. Gardiner in the following way: â€Å"Mr. Gardiner was a sensible, gentlemanlike man, greatly superior to his sister as well by nature as education.†(Austen, Volume II, Chapter 2, page 137) Although Mr. Gardiner does not appear much in the novel he is present every time his carrying wife appears. Frankly, every time Mrs. Gardiner appears I imagine that her husband is involved in the conversation and thought of his wife. Lady Catherine De Bourgh is Darcy’s aunt and she does not want that some girl, especially not with lower social wealth marries her nephew. Lady De Bourgh is a very wealthy woman and with this she thinks that she has to tell other people how, why and when they should do things or not. When she finds out that Elizabeth is very fond of Darcy she asks Elizabeth many questions; on the one hand, to let Elizabeth know that she is more intelligent and from a higher social class; on the other hand, to maybe scare Elizabeth off. If we analyze this behavior taking in consideration parenthood, we could say that she is protective and cares about her family. After all, the reader knows who and what kind of woman she is and that all those questions are just for personal interest and not to help her nephew Darcy. To conclude, I would like to say that many different manners of being a parent appear in the novel. We have seen the Bennet family, the Gardiner family and Lady Catherine De Bourgh. We could say that the Mr. and Mrs. Bennet are cold people; they do not care about the feelings of their children and they only care about their reputation and social wealth. On the other hand the Gardiners are protective towards the Bennet girls. They try to help them by giving them advice and to talk to other people to find out in what situation the girls are putting themselves into. Last but not least, Lady Catherine De Bourgh. She is from a wealthy social class and does everything she can so that no one with a lower social wealth comes into her family. Finally she has to accept that Elizabeth and Darcy get married. In the end I could say that different types of parenthood appear in the novel. To me, parents should get involved in the life of their children, to protect them and prevent them of making mistakes they will regret. Being a good parent involves being there for your children and not to act in your personal interest. The only family that is honest, to me, is the Gardiner family.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Philippine Noon Time Shows Essay

For over a decade now, noontime TV shows have captivated the Filipino public, colloquially known asâ€Å"the masa†. These shows run for 2 hours a day, 6 days a week, usually from around 2 to 4 o clock pm. Their immense popularity is shown by the long lines of people that wait outside the studio hours before the program starts. All of them, hoping to get a chance to participate in the festivities which include playing games, singing, and dancing. Millions more watch through their television. All this translates into high TV ratings, eventually generating billions in revenue for the producers and executives. The host himself earns around 1 to 2 million pesos everyday. The audience mostly consists of people from the D and E demographics. Butch Stuart in his article â€Å"Mr Willie† describes them as â€Å"those who come from near or far away, many with borrowed transportation money, coming from all walks of masa life. Some of the groups that he mentioned were featured in these shows include: farmers, fishermen, GROs, bus drivers, people with missing teeth, people with special talents, single mothers, gay, graduates who failed their licensing exams, girls who can dance, boys who can sing, bibingka vendors, and, even, young girls with great looking legs.† Overseas Filipino Workers are also given special mention in the show. Those present in the audience see it as a welcome home celebration, or a way to re-immerse themselves in the Filipino culture. A euphoric upbeat atmosphere underpins the event. Mr Stuart describes it as â€Å"120 minutes of mindless choreographed entertainment – games, dancing, singing and laughter with ample opportunities for ogling†. These events don’t require any complex thinking from the participants. They were designed to be visceral and to conjure a response of raw emotion. Girls in scantily clad outfits are the ones who facilitate the celebration. They serve two purposes in the event. Firstly to captivate and attract through their revealing outfits. But they also carry out logistical tasks like accompanying audience members to the stage and dancing the tunes for everyone to mimic. The host ensures that all elements of the show are put together. To keep everything lively, his dialogue must always be fast paced. At times he gives off the impression of a cheerleader – always rousing the audience into states of excitement. He will always crack jokes left and right, and will never miss any opportunity even it means making fun of himself. For the show to be successful, the host must understand the sensibilities of the majority lower class audience. The interactive environment can only exist if he can connect with the â€Å"masa’s† humor. In Philippine society, no one has been more successful in doing this than Willie Revillame. A household name in television, he has amassed a massive amount of wealth from his noon time shows Wowowee in ABS CBN and later on, Willing willie on TV 5. Noon time shows rely on the D and E classes as their target audience. When criticism is mounted against these shows, producers are quick to respond that these journalists do not understand the plight of the poor. Some argue that these shows give the poor false hope. They line up for months waiting to be called on stage. Waiting to tell their life story. Waiting to play for a million pesos with house and lot. But the reality is that most of those who line up for the show never even make it to the studio. RESEARCH QUESTION: We would like to find out why Filipinos from the class D end E brackets are captivated with these noon time shows. It is the poor’s endorsement that sustains them. Companies who want to reach out to this consumer market donate lump sums of money for their products to be advertised on air. They know that the millions of impoverished families watching these shows will see their products. But the poor do more than just endorse. Often they peg their aspirations and dreams to the show itself. Watch any full show and you are sure to come across someone sobbing on air, talking about how his dream was to meet Willie in person. To answer the question of why the poor are so captivated, we will need to address more specific inquiries. Media for instance, is never a neutral medium. It has the capacity to shape public perception through its different portrayals of reality. After acknowledging that the poor are interested in these shows, we will look into what techniques and strategies these shows use to sustain that interest. It is easy to understand that someone who stumbles across ABSCBN may be mesmerized by the glitz and glamour of the wowowee show girls. But how do the producers maintain that interest for long periods of time when the programs in these shows tend to be repetitive? Further inquiries may also be raised concerning how we perceive and understand poverty as a social ill. Subconsciously or not, these shows frame this issue in a biased way. Critics are quick to pounce on Willie Revillame for taking advantage of the poor. In return, he retaliates by calling them apathetic and claiming that he truly empathizes with them. Both assertions are possibly right. These shows may be both half empty and full. But perhaps a better way to resolve this conflict is to look into the assumptions about poverty that these shows espouse. Even more questions can be raised regarding the link between poverty and gender in Philippine society. We question how structures of patriarchy are reinforced and reflected in the arrangments of these shows. Willie Revillame is notorious for using blatantly sexist language. In one account by Butch Stuart, Willie comments on the obesity of a middle aged woman who came up to hug him by saying, â€Å"Mas masarap yapusin ang mga dalaga†. But the epitome of this sexism is seen in the dancing girls that liven the show. Mr Butch Stuart describes them as if they were tools to tingle one’s sensations: â€Å"Tall, Pretty, Scantily Clad,Jiggling their cleavage breasts, bending, grinding and humping their loins, the tassels and trimmings of their skimpy covers swaying with their dancing, as they blow kisses, seamlessly sequing from program segments to ads, teasing men to the edge of one particular cardinal sin†. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK: The group will use Marxist analysis to understand the dynamics that exist between the audience and the TV producers in these noon time shows. The paper on Marxism and method talks about the central scientific goals of Marxist analysis. The first of these is to provide a well founded and logically derived description of the central institutional feature of a market based economic system. The second goal is to historicize and to determine how these features came to exist. The last is to determine the social implications of these arrangments. We like this kind of theoretical framework for its rigid empiricism. Many frameworks start from the universal towards the particular. That is to say they start with an established principle and then go on trying to rationalize the real world to try to fit that picture. In contrast, Marxist analysis begins from the ground up. It first takes a look at what is observable like the relationships of people across the social strata, the relationships of people to capital, or the relationships of people to instiutions which did not exist apriori, but instead have a historical basis to them. After making repeated observations, Marxist analysis will then see if recurring patterns, outcomes, and courses of action exist. Only then will a theory be produced to account for these similarities. The Marxist approach is a scientific one. As Daniel little writes that Marxist analysis explain real world phenomena in terms of underlying causal conditions rather than crude associations among observable va riables. This process of analysis is significant in our research in that it requires us to look at the tangible motivations of those watching these noon time TV shows. It is no mere coincidence or stroke of luck that these shows continue to remain prominent. There are financial incentives that make thousands of people skip their work just to watch them live. There are also practical ways to explain why the poor would rather sing and dance away their problems to the tune of â€Å"boom tarat tarat†. Finally, it is an undeniable fact that the elites- namely the business tycoons, the tv executives, the celebrity personalities and everyone else on the upper echelons of the media industry, continue to benefit from a capitalist system that produces massive amounts of inequality. The mode of production, in this instance the noon time tv shows that generate the income, will cease to exist if there were no poor people to delude. We will also use the Gramscian concept of hegemony to describe the process in which the poor are made to passively accept their positions of status. Hegemony, is the process with which the dominant class projects and reinforces its ideologies through the use of cultural institutions. Chandler states that this represents not only political and economic control, but also the ability of the dominant class to project its own way of seeing the world so that those who are subordinated by it accept it as ‘common sense’ and ‘natural’. Gramsci would find the institution of the family to be repressive. By belonging into the family unit, we are socialized into aspiring for specific life goals. One of this is to be productive citizens ing specialized skill sets that can be used to earn profit. We see this as obvious. However, the fulfillment of this goal ensures the preservation of our inequitable social structure. The family and educational system ensures that when one profit minded factory owner dies, another one takes its place. DEFINITION OF TERMS: Marxism Marxism is defined as the political, economic, and social principles and policies advocated by Marx; especially : a theory and practice of socialism including the labor theory of value, dialectical materialism, the class struggle, and dictatorship of the proletariat until the establishment of a classless society. A body of doctrine developed by Karl Marx and, to a lesser extent, by Friedrich Engels in the mid-19th century. It originally consisted of three related ideas: a philosophical anthropology, a theory of history, and an economic and political program. Rational Choice Theory Rational choice theory is defined as An economic principle that assumes that individuals always make prudent and logical decisions that provide them with the greatest benefit or satisfaction and that are in their highest self-interest. Noon Time Variety Show Variety shows are defined as Theatrical entertainment consisting of successive unrelated acts, such as songs, dances, and comedy skits. In the context of this paper they are performed using the medium of the television. SCOPE AND LIMITATION: Our study will focus solely on Noon time TV programs in the Philippines. Other countries have their own formats for variety shows. These will not be covered by this paper. Our goal is to understand poverty particularly in the Filipino context. Therefore our analysis will focus more on the cultural nuances of Filipino society reflected in local variety shows. We will also not consider other reality TV shows that do not fall under the category of a variety show. That is, an event consisting of successive acts of singing, dancing and, games. The reason for this is that differences in show arrangements will make it difficult to conduct a consistent analytical approach for all reality tv across the board. For instance, Marxists themes of class inequality to an extent are less evident in weight lost shows such as the biggest loser than they are in wowowee. The selection of participants for both these shows are also markedly different making it difficult to conduct a unified analysis of the demographics. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY: METHOD AND METHO http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marxism http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/367344/Marxism http://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/rational-choice-theory.asp#axzz2JCDDzjcx

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Emotional Quotient And Spiritual Intelligence In The Workplace Essay

As the world progresses and advances towards globalization, the global economy is demanding for the existence of well-managed companies and organizations. Responding to this demand, organizations are trying to find more effective formula that will enhance or improve their outputs. Two of the latest discoveries that attract companies and organizations are the concepts of emotional and spiritual development of their human resources. More and more companies are integrating the said formula in their programs and action plans as they recognize the need of these concepts that were long been neglected. In this paper, we will analyze the arguments of two chosen articles which focus on Emotional Intelligence (Must Have EQ by Anthony Landale) and Spiritual Intelligence (The Practical Application of Spiritual Intelligence in the Workplace by Mike George). Anthony Landale, in his article entitled â€Å"Must Have EQ†, argued that Emotional Intelligence or EQ (Emotional Quotient) the key for an organization to meet the challenge of getting people work together more effectively (Landale, Andrew Feb/March 2007, page 24). In line with this, the author presented his stand in four clear points. First, he argued that EQ is vital in keeping the organization or team members intact. Second, he argued that each team member must be able to learn how to manage our emotions by constantly checking our own individual behaviors. Landale made it clear that behaviors are innate in humans and that every person has his own set of good and bad behaviors. Relative to this, a person who has high emotional intelligence is able to manage even the undesirable behaviors by expressing them in the right place, time and manner. Third, Landale argued that EQ development requires empathy, which is putting oneself in the place of others. This means that one is required to constantly deal with others at work, learn to adjust as needed and be able to adapt with the situation. Lastly, the author stressed that communication is vital in the development of emotional intelligence and of keeping the organization healthy. To be able to do this, every member must maintain an open and honest communication. It was also stressed that a two-way communication line is required which means that feedback to and from management must be kept working. Emotional intelligence is therefore measured according to the person’s skill of managing his or her emotions and behaviors because EQ is actually â€Å"Self-Management. † In partnership with EQ, a company must also train its human resources to develop Spiritual Intelligence (SQ). The author centered his arguments on the practical applications of SQ especially in the workplace because SQ development focuses on the three deepest motivations of humans: creativity, meaning and purpose (George, Mike 2006, page 3). The author argued that since Spiritual Intelligence directly work with these three human motivations, SQ development will definitely make a company a vibrant workplace. If a person’s SQ is well-developed, he will be able to have a clear sense of his identity and a definite purpose. Spiritual intelligence enables a person to live with integrity by setting a good example. Because SQ gives the individual the power the flexibility to adapt to the environment, a person with high SQ is able to be cool and focused even in a stressful situation. By developing one’s self-awareness, a person with high SQ also will have the power to find the cause of his emotions, its meanings and be able to manage them. This in turn will develop one’s empathy. Spiritual intelligence focuses on the development on a person’s ability to fight the ego in order for him to adapt to changes. Finally, development of spiritual intelligence enables a person to recognize the non-material reality of his being that is humans have non-material needs which when recognized alleviates life’s insecurity. If cognitive intelligence is about thinking and emotional intelligence is about feeling, then spiritual intelligence is about being† (McMullen, Brian 2003). In line with the arguments of Landale and George, this statement is parallel with their point of view that EQ has something to do with self-management while SQ deals with self-awareness of the non-material reality of the being. In the modern world, people are inclined to boosting their cognitive intelligence (IQ) as this may seem the measuring device for one’s success in life. But the real working world does not acknowledge the importance of IQ alone, rather the development of all four basic intelligences that define the successful individual. â€Å"IQ appears to be related to minimum standards to enter a given a profession† (Wiggleswoth, Cindy ). In line with Landale’s claim that EQ is of managing emotions, a study of store managers in retail chain proved that efficient management of emotions especially with stress is important for success (Cherniss, Cary 2000). However Cherniss stressed that this is just one aspect of the complex scope of emotional intelligence. He said that â€Å"emotional intelligence has as much to do with knowing when and how to express emotion as it do with controlling it. † This statement corroborates Landale’s idea that EQ is of acknowledging and identifying the emotions and learning how to express them in a proper behavior (Landale, Andrew 2007, page 24). The importance of this aspect of EQ was proven worthwhile in modern organizations as with the experiment done in the US navy wherein researchers found that â€Å"the most effective leaders in the US Navy were warmer, more outgoing, emotionally expressive, dramatic, and sociable† (Barsade, S. t. al 1998). Another aspect of emotional intelligence is empathy which is proven by researchers that it contributes to occupational success (Cherniss, Cary 2000). This is the aspect that overlaps with the concept of spiritual development which also acknowledges the importance of empathy in recognizing the cause of the emotions and be able to utilize them in adapting to changes. â€Å"EQ is the development of the capacity for self-control and the ability to respond with sensitivity and empathy† (Oxford Leadership Academy). This is also important if a manager or someone in the organization would like to positively influence the work behaviors of other members. A practical application of this as cited in one article is that one’s effectiveness can influence others depending on one’s ability to connect with them particularly of understanding the feelings of others (Goleman, Daniel 1999). To effectively influence others we also need to be able to manage our own emotions. Connected to EQ development is the spiritual intelligence which centers on developing the skills of the person in managing the inner self or the non-material reality of one’s being as claimed by George. One author defined spiritual intelligence as â€Å"the ability to behave with Compassion and Wisdom while maintaining inner and outer peace (equanimity) regardless of the circumstances† (Wigglesworth, Cindy). Since compassion encompasses the ability to understand the feelings of others, as what empathy suggests, the concepts of EQ and SQ therefore work together towards the complete success of a person and the organization where he belongs. The practical point of this is that when someone is emotionally and spiritually intelligent, he will be able to make the most out of his skills, emotions, behaviors and traits in managing himself and in turn will give him the power to positively connect with others. That optimism is brought about by the fact that the person, with empathy and compassion, understands the emotions of others which give him the ability to stay calm and focused no matter what the situation brings. Relative to George’s argument that spiritual intelligence in necessary for a person to live a life with integrity and in line with the clear purpose, one author has the same perspective. According to 1Wigglesworth, spiritual intelligence development encompasses self and universal awareness including the ego and social mastery. In the management world, spiritually intelligent manager is a â€Å"wise and effective change agent† who makes compassionate and wise decisions. Wigglesworth further said that SQ enables managers to have the calming and healing presence in the midst of stressful workplace. In contrast with George who did not acknowledge the importance of communication in the development of SQ, Landale stressed that EQ development requires a manager to â€Å"prioritize the giving and receiving of feedbacks† (Landale, Anthony 2007). Connecting with other members of the organization builds and cultivates relationships and that can only be possible when open communication is active in the organization. Putting the essentials of emotional and spiritual intelligence, we clearly draw out the idea that the development of these basic intelligences focus on relationships which is especially important in building an effective, efficient working environment. The human resources of the organization are its most valuable assets so it is vital that that training and development should include the wholeness of their being. Companies of the modern economy is already recognizing the fact the business is not all about making money, rather it encompasses the building of organization members with multiple intelligence. An organization with personnel, especially leaders, who have well developed cognitive, emotional and spiritual intelligence, is a happy and enthusiastic working environment. Developing the emotional and spiritual intelligence is the answer to the intangible needs of the organization: healthy working relationships.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Humana's low-cost Medicare drug plan is a way to lure seniors into its Essay

Humana's low-cost Medicare drug plan is a way to lure seniors into its managed care - Essay Example Humana Inc. with its new plan targets the seniors market, including low-income segment. The crux of the new strategy is the extremely low pricing for the drug-only policies. Proposed rates which are almost twice below the average, coupled with marketing agreement with the Wal-Mart stores, government subsidies and legislative support, should attract millions of new senior customers. This opportunity seems even more attractive given the projected decline in the market growth and increasing competition. Of course, simply lowering all the rates will decrease significantly company's margins. Therefore, the next stage of the marketing plan considers deploying the enroll-and-migrate strategy'' and putting emphasize on switching the attention of the newly acquired drug-only programs customers to the managed care programs. Sales personnel's effort would be directed at the promotion of these programs, which have higher rates and are much more lucrative for the Humana Inc. The author gives a brief dispassionate description of the Humana's management plans and provides the readers with corresponding figures where appropriate. However, the article contains several hints of the attitude expressed towards the plan. The heading contains the word "hook" with regard to the new low-price policy and the text develops the idea further. The means and ends of the upcoming measures are summarized in two brief sentences: â€Å"Their idea: offer dirt-cheap drug plans to grab millions of seniors. Then use the benefit as a stepping stone to a potentially richer market†. Undoubtedly, the article may attract some of the customers by informing them about the low-priced offering they might find appealing.

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Examine A Population In The News Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Examine A Population In The News - Essay Example lack of consistency, such that the results differed across the three; and presented a review with the idea of recommending one poll as being better than the other two. In the Bloomberg National Poll the incumbent was reported to have opened a 13 point advantage over Romney, 4 points advantage in the Pew Research Center Poll, and 3 points in the AP Poll. In an attempt to explain the disparities in the figures reported, methodological issues and change in opinions by voters (considering how closely rated the candidates were) were cited. Drawing from an expert’s position, the reporter cited voter commitment as low, which led to massive swaying of potential voters who were polled. However, these adduced low levels of voter commitment were not measured. Among the poll questions were candidates’ favorability ratings, in which Romney’s score sank back to the initial 39% when he entered the presidential race, becoming 17% more ill-favored. The Bloomberg poll also found out that Obama had gained a 19 points advantage over his opponent in terms of being in touch with the ordinary citizens. On their part, Pew Research Center’s results showed that Obama was voted as being 31% ahead of Romney in terms of being in touch with the ordinary citizens (Tacket, 2012). The Bloomberg poll had a slightly higher percentage of respondents who believed the country was headed the wrong direction (62%), against the AP’s 60%. You would expect these high percentages to impact the incumbent’s rating negatively. However, the three pollsters showed a contrasting trend, which could indicate extreme losses for the opponent. In fact, this has been highlighted by the recorded further 17% of respondents who ill-favored the Republ ican candidate at the time, Mitt Romney. In the Bloomberg survey, 1002 adult respondents were polled, and the scores associated with their responses had an error margin of  ±3.1%. Out of this sample, 734 were registered voters, and their responses’ margin of

Application of National Labor Relations Act Essay

Application of National Labor Relations Act - Essay Example Consequently, the Act is aimed at encouraging collective bargain and curtailing the possibility of the private sector management and labor practices harming business, workers and consequently harming the economy of the United States. In the case study, the activities pursued by the Chief Executive officer and by the Board of Directors in terminating the employment contract of Kayte Clark harms her welfare as an employee and also of the business since she holds the position of deputy vice president of DanskinZ Inc. In affirmation Section 1[ §151.] of the Act avows that inequality in a bargain between organizing corporate bodies of employers and employees who lack the freedom of association violates free flow of commerce and thus serves as a viable litigation as pertains to NLRA. This is evident in the case study since the CEO and the BOD used their organized structure by their legal counsel terminating Kayte Clarks’ employment in her quest to enable the employees to be member s of a union. This is a violation against the right of association of employees  Sec. 7 [ § 157.] and in the right of Kayte Clarks exercising her powers as the vice president of the organization (NLRA 29 U.S.C.  §Ã‚ § 151-169). Employment Retirement Income Security Act is another federal law that confers powers to Kayte Clark filing a claim for compensation against her employers. ERISA asserts that any employee should get his or her full social security contribution upon retirement. However, this is a clause that was violated by the legal counsel by giving Kayte Clark a retirement package that does not pay her social security till 59 years yet her employment is unfairly terminated at 53years prior to her retirement age. Moreover, Title VII is designed to protect employees from employers who have ill intentions as pertains to their contractual obligations.  

Monday, August 26, 2019

Kent Fire and Rescue Service Company Case Study

Kent Fire and Rescue Service Company - Case Study Example The management of the company works together with the human resource Coastguard and the Royal Air-force so as to offer its services during the period when the off-shore ship fires occur and it rescues people who may be experiencing problems when accidents occur. It operates under the rules and regulations that are stipulated by the Kent Fire and Rescue Service Authority. Kent Fire and Rescue Service Company are regarded as one of the largest non-metropolitan fire and rescue services and it consists of over 66 fire stations. It has over 2000 employees who are charged with the responsibility of running its operations of its different departments. The major objective of the company involves investing in the activities that are geared towards preventing fires and accidents from occurring, responding quickly to incidents and accidents that they are called upon to control and ensuring that the staff is well trained in dealing with the major accidents arising from their areas of operation. In the year 2005, a comprehensive performance assessment was conducted and it showed that the company had excelled better than other fire and rescue services in the country (Hughes, Mardon, and Meakins, 2005:96). The officers of this company face major challenges of running its operations while crossing through the White Cliffs at Dover when they are called upon to rescue people who may have been stuc... The resources may run out, become polluted and degraded while being used, thus, it is important to ensure that they are properly managed. They can be managed by being distributed equally and conserved for future use. The management of the resources requires coordinating and overseeing the application of tools, processes and systems needed by a manager to deliver resources within a specified period of time. The management of the company has recently adopted the health and safety electronic program whereby, the global electronic producers produce learning materials that are used. The data interactive system and the health and safety management systems assist the staff in carrying out their tasks in the right way. The facilities are used by the management to address issues that relate to safety issues for the first response units while dealing with fire and ambulance services. The fire fighters and ambulance crew use the electronic materials in enlightening them on how they should carry out their activities efficiently and effectively. The management of the company has recently established a solutions training venture that is aimed at developing and delivering electronic learning materials for its client. The staffs have gained skills and knowledge on how to protect themselves against risks while handling any incidents that have occurred (Wallington, 2009:55). There has been recent implementation of other systems within the organization that are aimed at enhancing quick delivery of services for its clients the systems include agresso. The agresso system has been assisting the management in reducing the cost of undertaking its administration tasks and it also reduces the amount of duplicated data for their

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Principles of economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Principles of economics - Essay Example Some of the alcoholic drinks are treated as ‘loss leaders’, the drinks whose prices are set below the cost of producing them. This is done to attract more customers. The setting of ‘floor price’ would ensure that a minimum price level is set for the alcoholic drinks and the retailers would be bound to set their prices not below the minimum price level. This is intended to increase price of those drinks in particular whose prices are below the minimum level. With the rise in price, the demand for the drinks is expected to fall thereby floor price setting would act as an effective measure to reduce alcohol abuse. The other contention about this issue is to put a limit on the availability of licenses to the retailers. The lesser the number of retailers, the lesser would be the availability of the alcoholic drinks. Shortage of the commodity would raise its price and people’s ability to purchase would fall (Hou, 2010). However, these solutions bring in other problems. For some binge drinkers alcoholic drinks are giffen goods for which there is less or no substitute. Hence due to a rise in price they would reduce consumption of other goods to maintain the consumption of alcohol at the previous level. Limited supplier of drinks would also bring a similar effect. For the normal drinkers alcohol is a normal good and increase in price of alcohol would impel them to reduce consumption of alcohol but at the same time reduce their purchasing power just as the case of price rise of any normal consumer good (Hou, 2010). Answer: Prescription drugs are normal goods and their quantity demanded increases with fall in price. It has positive income elasticity. Therefore, if the price of prescription drugs rises, the purchasing power of the consumers fall thereby reducing the demand for other goods and services. 3. Formulate a reason why the elasticity of demand is an important consideration when analyzing the impact of a shift in supply and why the

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Genetically Modified Crops Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Genetically Modified Crops - Essay Example The resultant organism would be referred to as transgenic. Similarly, genetically modified, GM crops would be created by changing the genetic material of crops though biotechnology. Techniques Various techniques have been used to introduce the needed genes in crops or inactivate the undesired ones. Bacterium Agrobacterium has the capacity to infect plants hence has been used as an appropriate DNA carrier. Its preparation would be conducted in a specialised solution that would make its cell walls even more porous. The desired gene would then be inserted into the plasmid of the bacterium – its extra chromosomal DNA molecule – and then dropped into the solution which would be heated to allow the plasmid to enter into the bacterium and express a new gene. The altered bacterium referred to as recombinant would be left to recover before being allowed to grow and probably make copies of the new gene. The bacterium would then be exposed to plant cells to deliver the new gene an d plasmid to the cells targeted for transformation (Adugna & Mesfin 2). With gene slicing, the restriction enzymes of bacteria would be used to attack foreign DNA, cutting it into accurate sections inhibiting it from insertion into the chromosome of the bacteria. Different bacteria produce varied restriction enzymes which cut DNA at different places. Molecular biologists use this capability to genetically engineer the DNA to be inserted into target cells for genetic modification. Another enzyme, DNA ligase, would then be used to fuse the sequences of the new gene into the chromosome. Alternatively, the new gene could be introduced into the bacterium’s plasmid which would invade the cell being targeted and deliver the gene. Carter, Moschini and Sheldon (15) give Agrobacterium tumefaciens as an example in this category. Other techniques include biolistics where the selected DNA would be attached to gold or tungsten microscopic particles and fired into the target cells by use of gas under pressure. In lipofection, liposomes would be used to carry the selected DNA and would be placed together with the target cells in a special solution causing a merger between the liposomes and phospholipids from the cell membrane giving in to the entry of the DNA into the chromosome. The viral carriers technique would involve use of a virus whose genetic make-up has the selected DNA added onto it to invade the target cells without causing death or damage thus adding the desired DNA to the target cells. In calcium phosphate precipitation, the selected DNA would be introduced to calcium phosphate creating tiny granules that would have the target cells respond by surrounding and ingesting the granules – endoocytosis – thus causing the granules to release the DNA into the host chromosomes. Examples of GM crops There are soybeans that have been modified genetically so as to make them tolerant to high levels of herbicides that could kill them, making them herbicide tolerant, HT. There are other crops including maize and cotton that have been engineered genetically to resist particular insect pests such as the toxin genes, Bt toxin extracted from Bacillus thuringiensis found in soil and introduced into the DNA of crops so as to make the crops produce specific toxins that kill the larvae of insect pests (Carter, Moschini & Sheldon 7). This would make such crops insect resistant, IR. The

Friday, August 23, 2019

A Change Management Issue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

A Change Management Issue - Essay Example Unfortunately, not always is diversity easy to implement, nor is it always effective, productive, and relevant. With some organizations having spent years in the market, diversity is something new and even unusual. Such organizations spent years to develop and establish their business traditions – the traditions they believe have led them to their current position and the ones they are not always willing to alter. However, the conditions of doing business change continuously, and the postmodern business reality imposes new diversity demands on organizations and businessmen. For many of them, to become more diverse means to produce a profound shift in organizational mentality, consciousness, and culture. Yet, once implemented, diversity has a potential to move the organization further to its performance and organizational highs. As long as I can remember myself working for that organization, our staff had been mostly comprised of white males working for the financial department and dealing with the most controversial issues in the field of organizational finance. I must say that the organization had spent years in the market and had been able to achieve considerable success and organizational stability. Its name was well recognized by customers and competitors, whereas its financial staff was believed to be at the core of the organization’s continuous success.... All three displayed remarkable performance results but they seemed to experience serious difficulties in their striving to adjust to the new conditions of work. Hostility was equally obvious and veiled: the existing staff members could not accept the idea of a new, diverse workplace and did not realize the potential benefits diversity could give them and their organization, in general. About the organization: In detail My current position is that of Finance Manager in a Veterinary College. The main teaching campus is located in Hertfordshire, and there is also a campus in central London. The college runs three teaching hospitals, with one of them being a drop in a veterinary hospital in London and the other one working as a state of art equine centre in Hertfordshire. My professional obligations require that I constantly interact and cooperate with the rest of the staff, teachers and students, as well as animal owners and veterinary practitioners. The range of issues, with which we c onstantly deal, includes cash flow and pricing, buildings insurance and animal insurance, complaints and staff accounts. The recent financial crisis became a serious test to the stability and financial operations in the Veterinary College. The college aims at providing superior educational and medical services to students and animal owners. Cultural issues and diversity have been among the most serious organizational problems so far. This is one of the reasons why diversity had to become one of the primary objects of change in the Veterinary College. The feasibility and scope of change According to Open University (2010), change may seem desirable but is not always beneficial. Whether new cultures and attitudes toward

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Social Contract Theory of John Locke Essay Example for Free

Social Contract Theory of John Locke Essay Given the honored and extensive authority that the social contract theory upholds, the supposition still endures various assessments. The view that people’s ethical and political responsibilities are reliant upon a contract between them to structure a society is also precisely linked with current ethical and political theory. John Locke (b. 1632, d. 1704), a prominent truth-seeker among other professions of the 17th and early 18th centuries, is primarily recognized for the creation of his influential social contract theory. Censors dispute that most people are raised within an existing society and not presented with opportunity to opt a social contract; therefore, Locke’s social contract theory is considered invalid. Locke’s refute to the censors alleged that a keen understanding of how social contracts transpire must occur prior to the advancement of individuals in the social order. This paper will entail the social contract theory of John Locke and how the values identified are consistent with the criminal justice system (Uzgalis, 2007,  ¶11). The State of Nature. The social contract theory commences with the idea of a state of nature; the central idea that criminal justice systems are not in existence. The breakdown of effects result in the lack of protection provided; the inability to instill safety measures; and the neglect of civil rights pertaining to property and to individualized refuge. Public order is in disarray resulting in people relying on self-help methods to resolve differences of opinion. The individuality of existence within a state of nature is one of the primary areas under discussion that differences occur among social contract philosophers. Unlike Thomas Hobbes, John Locke’s colleague in philosophy, whom references a state of nature as a battle of everyone in opposition to one another, Locke references state of nature, not as a circumstance of warfare, but nevertheless a problem. Locke theorizes that a community not possessing access to a normal arbitrator would signify that each person would mediate individual cases. This style of adjudication would create recurrent heated discussions being settled by personal brutality. Despite the different thinking techniques of Locke and Hobbes, the agreement exists that the state of nature would generate a sadistic and apprehensive atmosphere (Reese, 2001,  ¶11-12). The State of Nature is a condition of ideal and inclusive autonomy to manage life in the best method one deems necessary, according to Locke. To add clarity, Locke’s proposal was not to include the freedom to do whatever one desires despite the consequences. Although the State of Nature presents a status that municipal influence and government does not discipline individuals for illegal indiscretions, doctrines remain in subsistence. Furthermore, the State of Nature assumes equivalency to others and is equally skilled to make determinations ensured by, what Locke claims, the foundation of decency; the Law of Nature. Locke’s viewpoint is that the Law of Nature was provided to mankind by God with the instructions not to cause injury to one another in regard to physical condition, independence, existence, and property. In Locke’s words, â€Å"Moral good and evil is only the conformity or disagreement of our voluntary actions to some law, whereby good or evil is drawn on us, from the will and power of the law-maker† (Laslett, 1967, p.18). Locke refutes Hobbes theory by making claim that because God owns every living creature, and every human being is considered equivalent, people are not at liberty to eradicate what belongs to God. The State of Nature works as a set of guidelines allowing people to pursue unreservedly happiness by following personal areas of interest and creating personal diplomacy (2001,  ¶3-4). In this observation the decree is established on God’s determination but strangely, the theory is not consistent with Locke’s assertion pertaining to the Law of Nature. Locke elaborates that because the State of Nature is reasonably passive; people are entitled to seek this happiness free from hindrance. Although the hypothesis is to some extent contradicting, Locke’s theory does add simplicity to the reasoning of why an unbiased criminal justice system is detrimental to society. Two Treaties on Government Locke surmised in the Two Treaties on Government, 1686, originally people agreed to a governmental social contract to ensure safeguarding of property rights and security from aggression. In lieu of defense, community members presented authorization to the government for verification that community members wished to be presided over. Locke made public the claim that any government official can justifiably be replaced if he or she neglects duties or takes advantage of the position. Locke’s view of righteousness is germane to the debate of the United States Criminal Justice System because initiators depended upon Locke’s words of wisdom to direct the assembly of an organization of self-governing supremacy. Undeniably, numerous pieces of the United States Declaration of Independence duplicate portions of Locke’s Second Treatise precisely. For example, citizens are gifted â€Å"with certain unalienable rights . . . governments come about to secure the rights and to gain just powers from the consent of the governed† (Laslett, 1967, p. 61). Locke’s statement pertaining to how disparaging the government can become and the entitlement the community members obtain is also noted in the Declaration of Independence. Locke’s dispute resulted as the starting point for structuring an admired government in addition to a validation for rebellion. Political convictions formerly sustained the proposal of community members providing government requirements. The concept of an innovative social contract in which the government subsisted to provide requirements of the administration created a novel reflection that upheld Lock’s thoughts, â€Å"a person surrendered to the authority of the state only the amount of freedom necessary to ensure protection of the rights of other citizens† (1967, p. 3-7). The fresh proposal concerning contractual association of the government to community members was a creation of an inventive, rising middleclass (1967, p. 15). Conclusion Based on the preceding theories of the highly regarded John Locke, the values identified within the State of Nature are noticeably consistent with the values of existing day criminal justice system. Although challenging, without the basis of Locke’s hypothesis on social contract, the criminal justice system would lack genuineness and compassion creating an unreceptive environment. Locke’s theory makes current the immeasurable array of associations and connections interlinking people. Social contract theory is undeniably a part of the criminal justice system at present and in the projected future. Locke’s theory, along with other reputable premises, will forever compel the reflection upon the nature of people and the connection to one another. Reference Laslett, P. (December 1967). Two treaties of government and the revolution of 1688. Locke: Two Treatises of Government. Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought. (ISBN- 13 : 9780521069038 | ISBN- 10: 0521069033). Reese, R. (September 2001). Social justice theory. Journal of Ethics and Justice. Uzgalis, W. (2007). Historical background and locke’s life. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Social Medias Impact on Youth Marketing Essay Example for Free

Social Medias Impact on Youth Marketing Essay Social networking and smartphones will play an all-important role in the youth marketing and media trends for 2011, as they have become part of the youth lifestyle and culture. The following trends will make it easy to see why they are and will continue to be a dominant force in the youth market for the year 2011 and beyond. 1. Social media Seen by most as the biggest shift since the industrial revolution, social media has become an important aspect of the youth culture. 2011 will see more youth becoming addicted to social networking and more companies targeting the youth through this means, due to its great viral effect. It makes it also easy to understand why Time magazine named Facebook founder Mark Zackerberg man of the year for 2010. 2. Smartphones Standard phones cannot fully cater to the online and social networking craving of the youth and, as more companies and universities introduce policies that limit the use of social networking sites during the day/working hours, this has led to more youth jumping onto the smartphone bandwagon as a means of countering these restrictions. The increase in the number of smartphone users has also been greatly fuelled by the decrease in prices, which has made the phones more affordable for the youth. 3. Apps More youth are discovering that they can do more with their phones and this interest has given rise to the downloading of different applications. Different brands have different apps ranging from business applications to entertainment, but the one thing apps have in common is the fact that they make it easier and more exciting to use phones. With Apple alone having over 300 000 applications to choose from and it having opened its Apple Mac application store on 6 January 2011 with over one million apps downloaded in one day and with all the new apps for the tablets, we can expect 2011 to be a year of apps. 4. BBM BBM BlackBerry Messenger has taken the youth market by storm, and it is easy to see why RIM is one of the fastest growing companies in the world. The youth love sharing and staying connected and this is what BBM does, enabling them to share through instant messaging (IM). The idea behind BBM is to make it easier to share with friends, BUT, since it must be BlackBerry to BlackBerry, we can expect to see a rise in the number of youth making use of BBM, since by word of mouth more and more youth are convince their peers to join the family. 5. Mobile commerce The rise in the number of youth using smartphones, and constantly logging onto the Internet through their phones, will see more and more companies seeking to engage and interact with the youth through their cellphone devices. Messages sent through other forms of media may easily be lost in the clutter or never seen, while those through the cellphone are direct and will definitely be opened by the cellphone owner. The youth are getting big on cellphone banking and making payments via their cellphones, so 2011 will see more youth doing mobile transactions. 6. Mobile learning The increase in the number of youth with smartphones and the increase in the time spent online will lead to more institutions and educational heads looking into conveying some of their educational material through cellphones, as a way of making education relevant to the youth culture and lifestyle. 7. Online advertising Traditional media platforms, such as television, radio and magazines, are under great threat from the Internet and its online community. As more people spend more time online, companies and brands are being forced to target them through this form of media. 2011 will see a continued rise in online advertising, targeting the youth, from both local and international perspectives. Consequently, we can expect to see an increase in online advertising spend targeting the youth. 8. Corporate social websites We are going to see a rise in website integration for companies or brands that are targeting the youth market. Previously, websites were all about the company; however, the new shift has seen a change to cater to the dialogue with the youth and encourage them mostly to follow through Twitter feeds and connect through Facebook fan pages. 9. Blogging The youth of today are very opinionated; they want to be able to express themselves. More often than not, this expression gives rise to word of mouth. 2011 will see the rise in the number of youth bloggers, who will post opinions about products and brands, and, with this kind of social activism on the rise, this is really going to keep a lot of companies on their feet. 10. Tablets For the early adopters and those that can afford it, the likes of the Apple iPad and the Blackberry Playbook are going to be the must-have tech gadgets. With Hewlett-Packard announcing its own webOS-based PalmPad, we can be sure to expect a decrease in price of the gadgets on the local market and more youth being able to afford and taking up these gadgets. The newest version of the Android 3.0 Honeycomb was developed for devices such as tablets and is going to make them a pleasure to use. 11. Wifi hot spots Wifi hotspots will attract more youth as they strive to stay connected, even when they are out and about. We are therefore going to see more cafes and restaurants catering to this by enabling wifi on their premises its no longer just what you have on your menu, but rather if you can stay connected while you eat and/or drink.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Impact of Diplomacy on International Security Systems

Impact of Diplomacy on International Security Systems How can diplomacy contribute to the enhancement of security in the  International system? Please carry out an in-depth analysis of at least one case study. Diplomacy has gone a long way towards the enhancement of security in the international system and its potential to continue to do so is substantial. Diplomacy has served to diffuse many of the situations where countries’ diametrically opposed viewpoints have posed a threat to world security. Diplomatic actors have learnt lessons and have been able to refine the diplomatic strategies used to manage international security through their involvement in the resolution of situations where security in the international system has been threatened. Take for example the Cuban Missile Crisis, where diplomatic efforts averted a nuclear catastrophe in the height of the Cold War. More recently, multi-lateral diplomatic efforts have diffused the substantial threat posed by the ambitions of the North Koreans to expand their nuclear capabilities. At the time of writing, diplomatic efforts are fervently attempting to resolve the growing threat of military strikes against Iran. In can be argued therefore, that in the face of globalisation, the security of the world is increasingly linked to reliable systems of communication and trust between nation states; systems which are sustained through diplomacy. This is not to say that diplomacy is an infallible tool which can be used to enhance security at international level. One only has to look at the failure of diplomatic efforts to avert the war in Iraq, the continued negotiations between Israel and the PLO and those diplomatic efforts which failed to resolve the tension in the Balkans before civil war erupted in order to evidence this viewpoint. However, when considered in overall terms diplomacy has made great inroads in the enhancement of security internationally and has the potential to continue to do so. Perhaps it can be argued that diplomacy is not always a reactionary method of averting crisis; it has an all important role in increasing global security in a pre-emptive way as well. Therefore, diplomacy when understood ‘in the round’ is the lifeblood of any system of trust and communication which is intended to enhance security in the international system, and diplomacy therefore contributes greatly to the enhanceme nt of security in the international system. To understand diplomacy and how it contributes to the enhancement of security in the international system, it is perhaps wise to ask the following questions: what is the exact definition of diplomacy?; what is the exact definition of security?; and; how exactly does diplomacy enhance security in the international system? These questions will be addressed during the course of this essay. Also, in terms of analysing how exactly diplomacy can enhance security in the international system it is perhaps useful to explain the role of agencies and alliances like to IAEA, NATO, the EU, the United Nations and the Security Council which promote the enhancement of security internationally by relying on diplomatic efforts. These agencies will be looked at, and their roles will be explained during the course of the essay. Most importantly however are the theoretical underpinnings of why and how diplomacy functions, and these will be addressed in the essay. The theories of Realism and Neo-Realism w ill be examined in the context of diplomacy and security enhancement in an international context as they are useful springboards to help explain the concept of diplomacy and human interaction at the most basic of levels. A case study will be looked at in the essay and it will be explained in relation to the above mentioned issues. The subject of the case study will be North Korea and the diplomatic efforts that have served to avert what was potentially a nuclear crisis. As Fierke (2005) observes, diplomacy can be described as negotiation in an international setting that is often conducted by a mediator who acts as a go-between between the actors seeking to reach agreement. Diplomacy requires subtle and sophisticated communication strategies as well as statesmanship and a good understanding of public affairs. Security is the state of being free from injury and immediate danger. Most situations which pose a threat to international security and which call for diplomatic efforts require ad hoc responses at differing levels from those best equipped and best positioned to intervene diplomatically. No country would find it easy to achieve diplomatic objectives alone, and this fact is evidenced by the existence and the successes of international agencies and alliances which promote diplomatic relations and interventions. The agencies often have common objectives and often act together in order to achieve these. The International Atomic Energy Agency exists to scrutinise the security threats that may be posed by countries who wish to advance their nuclear weapons programs. It has a supervisory as well as a diplomatic function. The European Union, first established to promote economic stability in Western European Countries, has expanded to serve an increasingly diplomatic function. Alliances like the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) have more peace-keeping responsibilities and are frequently called upon to preserve peace, so that diplomatic efforts can continue in situations of political and military instability. The United Nations and the Security Council have perhaps the most significant roles, when compared to the rest of these agencies. These organisations were formed to engender peace and diplomacy in a global context, and they have particular powers for example, the power to impose sanctions on those countries that are considered to be posing a threat to international security. The diplomatic deployment of these agencies can contribute and has contributed to the enhancement of security in the international system. However, to fully understand the function of diplomacy and how it can enhance security in the international system, it is useful to take a speculative look at how the world might work in the absence of diplomacy. A good place to start in this endeavour is perhaps to examine the theories of Realism and Neo-Realism and how they relate to the ideas of international security and diplomacy. Realism and Neo-Realism are discourses which seek to explain how power in the context of international relations may be seen through the lens of human propensity. They may help one to rationalise diplomacy as they seek to explain human nature and how this idea influences the accrual and preservation of power in the international system. Machiavellian adages such as ‘better feared than loved’ explain the classical realists’ viewpoint that power is, simply, the prize of those who inspire fear in others most effectively[i]. Morgenthau, a classical realist suggested that: i)International relations is propelled by a set of objective, rational laws that reflect unchanging human nature; ii)Interest is ‘defined in terms of power’ and therefore international politics must be understood as operating outside the spheres of moral and ethical concerns; iii)The definition of interest in terms of power is universally true and remains a consistent point of reference which can be used to understand events in international politics; iv)National interest takes precedence over moral concerns, and therefore states are permitted to act rationally, at all times in order to protect national interests; v)States try to behave morally. However, immoral actions can be pursued in the national interest; vi) Political considerations must be understood singularly, as a primary concern, because interest is defined in terms of power. The theory of Realism therefore regards power as a dynamic that cannot exist independently of human characteristics such as selfishness and competitiveness. Realists would also argue that power must be relinquished if one pursues a course of action which does not involve behaving selfishly, competitively and ruthlessly. Therefore, a realist would argue that diplomacy cannot contribute to the enhancement of security in the international system as the theory of Realism assumes that the pursuit of diplomacy is not only axiomatic to the effective accrual of power, but sees benevolence and diplomacy as both pointless and naive. Neo-Realism on the other hand has a more sophisticated view of how diplomacy can contribute to the enhancement of security in the international system. It has evolved as a more contemporary, more widely accepted rationale and explains power and international security by focusing more on the role of international states in politics, than on the role of human nature. Neo-Realism explains the distribution of power internationally in terms of anarchy, and the absence of centralised authority structures. In the absence of these central authority structures, international actors are forced to follow a route of self preservation which involves behaving competitively, and involves using diplomatic skills like co-operation if these serve to augment their security relative to other states. Therefore when North Korea announced that it intended to withdraw from the thirty-two year old nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 2003, neo-realist diplomacy is largely what led to their recent announ cement that they would cease their nuclear proliferation objectives in exchange for compensation. The North Koreans have also stated that is it important to maintain a good relationship with the United States. However, how has this diplomatic success story enhanced security in the international system? The answer is that diplomacy enhances security in the international system by identifying and building channels of communication with extremist regimes and other international actors who could pose a potential threat to international security. International security is enhanced by identifying what the best ways to communicate with these actors are. Evidence to support this viewpoint can be seen by again turning to look at the situation in North Korea. North Korea has long been an insular regime, devoted to the rejection of Western values and traditions. George W Bush has even identified North Korea as being part of the ‘axis of evil’ described in a now famous speech about the ‘war on terror’. However, Western diplomacy and communication with North Korea is not something that came about simply to resolve the 2003 nuclear crisis. Diplomacy has been a long running strategy between North Korea and the West. For example, the diplomatic efforts that helped to diff use the historical long running tension between North and South Korea have created the diplomatic bedrock which was capitalised upon when the 2003 North Korean nuclear crisis emerged. The multi-lateral discussions that led to the eventual resolution of the crisis involved Japan and South Korea; countries that the West has spent years building diplomatic channels of communication with. It is important therefore to understand that diplomacy is not just about communication strategies or strategies that come into play as a reaction to a crisis; diplomacy is about the forming and preserving of relationships and the building of trust and co-operation between international states. It is only when diplomacy is understood in this context that the writer’s argument that diplomacy can contribute to the enhancement of security in the international system gains credibility. To conclude, it has been argued in this essay that diplomacy can contribute in many ways to the enhancement of security in the international system. Past diplomatic initiatives and past diplomatic successes have been examined and extrapolated in support of this argument. North Korea has been used as a case study to illustrate the writer’s argument. The theoretical relationships between diplomacy, power, international security and human nature have been examined in depth by looking at the theories of Realism and Neo-Realism, and this helped to explain the growing importance of sophisticated diplomatic strategies in enhancing security in the international system. Most importantly this emphasis served to explain and illustrate the many ways in which diplomacy can contribute to the enhancement of security in the international system. Bibliography Books: Buzan, B, Jones, C, Little, R. The Logic of Anarchy: Neorealism to Structural Realism. Columbia University Press, New York. 1993. Chang, G. Nuclear Showdown: North Korea takes on the World. Hutchinson. 2006. Fierke, K. Diplomatic Interventions. Palgrave Macmillan. 2005. Griffiths, M. Realism, Idealism, and International Politics: A Reinterpretation. Routledge, New York. 1992. Articles: Bellamy, A . Globalisation, Security and International Order after 11 September. Beeson, M, The Australian Journal of Politics and History. Volume 49. Issue 3. 2003. p339+. Falk, R. The Pursuit of International Justice: Present Dilemmas and an Imagined Future. Journal of International Affairs. Volume 52. Issue 2. 1999. p409+. Genest, M. Realism and the Problem of Peaceful Change. Perspectives on Political Science. Volume 23. Issue 2. 1994. p70+. Greenberg, J. Does Power Trump Law?. Stanford Law Review. Volume 55. Issue 5. 2003. p1789+. Heady, F. Comparative and International Public Administration: Building Intellectual Bridges. Public Administration Review. Volume 58. Issue 1. 1998. p32+. Lieb, D. The Limits of Neorealism: Marginal States and International Relations Theory. Harvard International Review, Volume 26, 2004. Newmann, W. Causes of Change in National Security Processes: Carter, Reagan, and Bush Decision Making on Arms Control. Presidential Studies Quarterly. Volume 31. Issue 1. 2001. p69. Watson, B. The Politics of Confusion in International Relations Theory. Perspectives on Political Science. Volume 25. Issue 1. 1996. p6+. Zumbrunnen, J. Courage in the Face of Reality: Nietzsches Admiration for Thucydides. Polity. Volume 35. Issue 2. 2002. p237+. Newspaper and Magazine Articles: Freedman, L. International Security: Changing Targets. Foreign Policy. Issue 110. Spring 1998. p48+. Shuja, S. The Historical Myopia of International Relations. Contemporary Review. Volume 278. Issue 1620. January 2001. p18. Waller, J. National Security. Insight on the News. Volume 15. Issue 39. October 25, 1999. p10. 1 [i] Aristotle’s definition of legal rationality as ‘reason free from passion’ also conveys the realist’s vision of morality and rationality as distinct spheres, which too, is a predicate of Realism.

Sleep Apnea Essay -- Sleep Apnea Sleeping Disorders Essays

Sleep Apnea Sleep, why do people sleep at all? Why can't we just stay awake? Some biologist suggest that sleep provides the opportunity to conduct self-repair and purge the body of it's waste that has built up during the day's activity. Nevertheless, the body is capable of repairing itself and disposing of wastes during waking hours, so sleep in a way really isn't necessary for routine maintenance (e.g., urinating, etc.). Dr. Quentin Regestein, lead sleep and sleep disorders researcher at Harvard Medical School also believed that sleep kept our distant ancestors out of harms way during the night when they could not see as well as their night roaming predators. Sleep is regulated by a connected series of structures in the deep midline areas, and along other way stations that extend through the central axis of the brain, these structures relay information about things that affect sleep. In Dr. Regestein notes, he spoke of experiments that were performed by researchers. The researchers he spoke of would destroy specific brain structures of a lab animal and then note how the animal slept. For instances, in one lab animal the researcher cut through the axis of the brain at one level, which would prevented the animal from awakening; showing that brain structures below the level of the cut were responsible for awakening the lab animal. The American Sleep Disorders Association (ASDA), Association for the Psychophysiological Study of Sleep (APSS), Association of Sleep Disorder Centers (ASDC), and the American Psychiatric Association (APA) has studied sleep and sleep disorders since the early 1970's. Out of all the sleep disorders currently being studied, sleep apnea has gain world wide attention, affecting over 15 million people. Apnea, derived from the Greek word "want to breath." Sleep Apnea (cessation of air flow at the mouth for greater than 10 seconds) can reflect 1) loss of central nervous system drive to maintain ventilation, 2) mechanical upper airway obstruction, or combinations of both. The second edition of Anesthesia and Co-Existing Disease states "Conversely, obstructive forms of sleep apnea are due to an abnormal relaxation of the posterior pharyngeal muscles" - there is persistence of respiratory movements, but airflow is absent due to upper airway obstruction. Study shows awakening occurs when the arterial partial pre... ...p because of a sleep disorder like sleep apnea can eventually lead to interruption of daily task and human survival is greatly reduced. Many people choose to prognosis themselves as to why they are having trouble sleeping. Researchers urge patients with a unbalanced sleep pattern to seek professional help. "Five billion people go through the cycle of sleep and wakefulness every day, and relatively few of them know the joy of being fully rested and fully alert all day long." - William Dement (1988) References Arthur J. Speilman, Phd.D., and Paul B. Glovinsky, Ph.D. - Department of Psychology. The City College of New York Pinellas Public Library Cooperative, Inc. - InfoTrac System - Largo, Florida Drs. Robert K. Stoelting, Stephen F. Dierdorf , and Richard L. McCammon. -Second Edition / Anesthesia and Co-Existing Disease John P. Dworetzky - Psychology / Fifth Edition Dr. Quentin Regestein - lead sleep researcher, Harvard Medical School - Sleep problems and solutions Dr. Scott Mantel - Anesthesiologist - Morton Plant Hospital, Department of Anesthesiology Dr. Paul Borelli - Anesthesiologist - Morton Plant Hospital, Department of Anesthesiology

Monday, August 19, 2019

The Legalization of Marijuana Essay -- Legalization Marijuana Drugs Es

The Legalization of Marijuana The legalization of the drug marijuana is a hot topic nowadays. Many people want this substance to be legalized and regularly available like cigarettes. But what some people do not know are the serious health risks involved when using marijuana. There is a lot more to marijuana than just smoking it. Marijuana can have very damaging affects on a person?s brain. It can impair a person?s short-term memory, decision-making and signal detection (Cannabinoids). ?In one study conducted in Memphis, TN, researchers found that, of 150 reckless drivers who were tested for drugs at the arrest scene, 33 percent tested positive for marijuana? (Marijuana). After having used marijuana a person?s driving skills are impaired. A person is not able to safely drive after having used marijuana, even up to 24 hours after use (Marijuana). This drug is very dangerous, and has longer lasting affects than people may think. Not only does marijuana cause damage to the brain, it can also harm a person?s heart as well. Using marijuana can cause an alteration of heart rate, cause intense anxiety, panic attacks or paranoia (Fact Sheet, par. 7). This could worsen pre-existing heart conditions that people may or may not know about. Smoking marijuana, in some ways, is like smoking cigarettes. Marijuana can produce airway injury, coughing and wheezing, some of the symptoms of cigarette smoking (Marijuana). But the downfall to smoking marijuana is it contains almost 50% more benzopyrene (the cancer-causing chemical in tobacco) than a cigarette (?Fact Sheet?). ?Marijuana contains cancer causing agents and toxic particles that can lead to bronchitis, emphysema, and lu... ...juana. 1998. PBS. 1 Oct. 2001. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/dope/body/effects.html - Here are the Straight Facts . . .About Marijuana. The National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information. 2 Oct. 2001 http://www.health.org/govpubs/rpo884/#marijuana - Marijuana: Facts for Teens. 13 Mar. 2001. National Institute on Drug Abuse. 1 Oct 2001 http://www.nida.nih.gov/MarijBroch/Marijteenstxt.html - The Redwood City Police Department. Cannabinoids (Marijuana) Fact Sheet. Drug Abuse Resistance Education. 1 Oct. 2001 http://www.darebox.com/marijuana.html - What to Teach Kids About Marijuana. Minneapolis: Johnson Institute-QVS, Inc., 1998. http://www.netlibrary.com/ebook_info.asp?product_id=50286&piclist=1 9799,19811,19812,19813,19814,19815,19890,25982,25984,25986,25989,39743,39744,39755

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Harry Elmer Barnes :: essays research papers

In 1952, Harry Elmer Barnes wrote a timely article, "How 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' Trends Threaten American Peace, Freedom, and Prosperity" as the final chapter of the classic revisionist anthology, Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace. Barnes analyzed George Orwell's classic novel as a work of prophecy and sounded the alarm to reverse the "1984" trends prevalent in the America of his day. Barnes argued that propagandists and "court historians" were fashioning a present, based on a falsified and inaccurate telling of the past, that was designed to meet Establishment desires to participate in world wars. Ironically,Barnes' article was omitted from the first edition the collection.(1) Barnes may be best remembered as the author of the generally accepted definition of "revisionism," "Revisionism means nothing more or less than the effort to correct the historical record in the light of a more complete collection of historical facts, a more calm political atmosphere, and a more objective attitude." (2) Barnes had discovered that a more nearly accurate version of the history of the First World War was only possible after the fighting had ended and the emotional excesses had lessened. He was unable to predict that similar corrections of Allied propaganda and popularized conceptions of the methods of warfare in the Second World War would meet even sterner resistance. Today - half a century after the conclusion of the Second World War - it would be fair to expect a less emotional environment, one in which historians, researchers and writers were free to examine the actual causes of the war as well as the atrocities committed by both sides in the conflict. However, those and other topics are more forbidden than ever with the greatest taboo surrounding analysis of the fate of Europe's Jews and others in what has come to be known as the Holocaust. In 1950, three years prior to Barnes' article concerning "1984" trends another author, Ray Bradbury, set out a foreboding vision of the future in a short story titled, "The Fireman." Later, Bradbury's story would be renamed Fahrenheit 451 after the temperature at which paper burns. Fahrenheit 451 describes a horrific future in which millions of books are banned and firemen set fires instead of extinguishing them. In order to maintain a society of brainwashed, "happy" people, the firemen kick down doors and burn the hated volumes along with the homes that housed them. Barnes would never have suspected how fast the world would progress from the "1984" trends he identified to the trends Bradbury identified in Fahrenheit 451(3).

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Tomco-Hll Merger

Mumbai: Tata Chemicals, a Tata group company, and Hindustan Lever’s (HLL) Hind Lever Chemicals (HLCL) are merging together to form what would be the second-largest fertiliser company in India. This is the third time that the Tatas and HLL are coming together and this time it is in the fertilisers and chemicals businesses. Previously the two came together in the Hindustan Lever-Tomco deal in 1993 and Lakme-Lever in 1998. The Tatas hold 30 per cent and financial institutions hold 26 per cent stakes in Tata Chemicals.HLL holds 50-per cent stake in HLCL and the institutional holding is at over 9 per cent as on 31 December 2002. The boards of the two companies are meeting separately on 24 January 2003 to ratify the merger and the share-swap ratio. Sources close to the deal reveal that the valuation of Tata Chemicals is much higher than HLCL’s, hence the latter’s shareholders will be issued shares of the Tata group company. Analysts estimate the share-swap ratio will b e in the range of 2. 5 to 3:1 — that is, 2. 5 to three shares of Tata Chemicals for every share of HLCL held.The analysts say the merger between the two companies makes good business sense given its complementary qualities. The Rs 1,516-crore Tata Chemicals manufactures soda ash, salt and fertiliser. Its fertiliser production primarily comprises urea. The Rs 1,285-crore HLCL’s fertiliser business covers di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) complex NPK fertilisers and single super phosphate (SSP). With this merger Tata Chemicals will be present in all fertiliser product categories such as urea-ammonia, NPK and DAP and will also assume a leadership position in soda ash, salt and fine chemicals.Post-merger, Tata Chemicals will have an estimated turnover of about Rs 2,750 crore, profits of over Rs 170 crore and reserves of over Rs 1,600 crore. Sources say HLL, which holds a 50-per cent stake in HLCL, will see its holding dip to under 10 per cent while that of the Tatas in Tata Chem icals may go down to around 20 per cent from their present holding of around 30 per cent. HLL is also likely to keep some representation on the Tata Chemicals board to ensure a continued arrangement for sourcing the chemical STTP, a key ingredient for its detergents business.HLCL produces 80 per cent of India’s STTP output, of which HLL consumes 90 per cent. At present in India there are only two players in STPP, which makes it likely that the business of manufacture of the bulk chemical can turn into a cartel. Therefore, outsourcing the ingredient is not advisable. Moreover, the Haldia facility of HLCL is well integrated with STPP, DAP and sulphuric acid, among others. STPP also goes into DAP, fertiliser and soda ash, which will fit well into Tata Chemical’s business plan.HLL’s move in moving out of the chemicals and fertiliser business is in line with its corporate strategy to exit from its non-core activities, and in the past few years the company has been lo oking for a buyer for this business. Also HLL will move out of a non-core business at a time when its power-brand strategy is at a critical trajectory of growth. Some analysts feel that its important for HLL to retain a presence in the fertiliser business as HLCL’s fertiliser network provides a good backbone for its large-scale operations in the rural areas. HLL gets about 50 per cent of its revenues from the rural markets.Others say that in the long run it does not make good business sense for HLL to continue with its fertiliser business, which has achieved 100-per cent capacity expansion, and for which there is need for consolidation. In the era of size and scale, it makes sense to merge HLCL with a company that can provide the needed focus and thrust. Financially, both HLCL and Tata Chemicals are cash-rich. However, an unclear government policy on fertilisers, over-capacity in the soda-ash market and increasing competition in the branded salt market has led Tata Chemicals to look at future avenues of growth.This merger will give Tata Chemicals a borrowing power of Rs 300-400 crore at a crucial time when National Fertilisers (NFL) is coming up for divestment. Tata Chemicals, understood to have put in an expression of interest for two state-owned fertiliser companies, NFL and Madras Fertilisers, was said to be in talks with a number of fertiliser companies for a suitable ally. Talks of a possible merger with Tata group company Rallis India was put off after the latter severed the marketing arrangement with Tata Chemicals. There were also talks of a possible tie-up with an AV Birla group company, Indo Gulf Fertiliser, to jointly bid for NFL.Reacting to the merger announcement, the Tata Chemicals scrip jumped 9. 81 per cent to close at Rs 66. 60 on the Bombay Stock Exchange on 22 January 2003, while the HLCL scrip closed at Rs 187, up Rs 17 over its previous day’s close. The Rs 1,433-crore Tata Chemicals posted profits of Rs 126 crore last year an d had reserves of Rs 1,370 crore. The debt-free HLCL, on the other hand, posted a profit of Rs 47 crore on a turnover of Rs 1,284 crore the previous year. Moreover, Tata Chemicals reported an increase of 8. 3 per cent in net profit to Rs 47 crore n the second quarter ended September 2002, and a 13-per cent increase in sales to Rs 439 crore. Urea, which contributes 45. 9 per cent to the company’s total revenues, is under government control and a lack of clarity in the fertiliser policy has been a contributing factor to the ambiguity. HLCL reported a 47-per cent rise in net profit to Rs 7. 40 crore in the second quarter ended September 2002, mainly due to higher topline growth and a sharp reduction in interest expenses. Total sales during the quarter rose by 11 per cent to Rs 300. 59 crore

Friday, August 16, 2019

A Prisoner and Yet

A Prisoner and Yet   is an autobiographical piece of non-fiction that was written by Corrie ten Boom two years after her release from the Ravensbruck concentration camp in Nazi Germany. The book is set up in a style that differs from what I am used to. In it, rather than focusing on her story, Corrie addresses individual occurrences she experienced over the course of her imprisonment. Later on, she treats each almost like a parable, using the one to two page subchapter to illustrate either a spiritual or moral lesson for the reader. Over the course of the 170 page book, she addresses a widespread variety of topics including faith, compassion, fear, acceptance of death, courage, strength, sin, love, morality, turning the other cheek, timidity, prayer, covetousness, kindness, and even the bond between brothers and sisters in Christ despite of language barriers. It's really quite remarkable. I started the book thinking the set up would prove awkward and unsettling, but I soon found myself engrossed, incapable of putting the book down. With each flip of the page, my thirst for a definitive ending to Corrie's struggles grew. I was hooked.As an autobiographical account, the hero of A Prisoner and Yet. . . was naturally the author, Corrie ten Boom, and, boy, let me tell you, she was a hero. Selfless and strong-willed, the Dutch watchmaker stood firm in her beliefs even when she had lost everything: her freedom, her family, her country, and even the clothes off her back. The Lord Jesus Christ was her Conqueror. Through His grace and glory, she knew she would be delivered. Corrie did not fear death in the camps. Rather, she embraced the opportunity to spread the Word of God. She preached daily, sometimes up to five times, and prayed with those in need or coming into the faith. It was amazing that someone so oppressed and in such close proximity to death could still have so much hope and conviction. Throughout the book, Corrie attributed much of her survival to the constant companionship of her sister Betsie. Betsie was equally faithful and often provided spiritual guidance when Corrie felt herself straying or in need of extra help. They were inseparable. Sadly, Betsie was a frail thing. She could not carry out heavy labor and became sick easily. Corrie often wondered at her sister's seemingly innocent view of their wretched surroundings. She always looked so peaceful. It was terrible to read when poor Betsie died of sickness, but at least she had gone to a far better place. The story begins with a recollection of the author's life before imprisonment. The readers are given a quick description of the author's home which she shared with her father, Casper Ten Boom, siblings, and an eclectic group of Jews. After the fall of Holland in 1940, the Ten Booms had joined the Dutch resistance, offering a safehouse for God's People. According to the author, â€Å"it was often said (that their house), ‘was the gayest underground address in all the Netherlands'† (ten Boom 7). They were contented, as close to at peace as they could be in such a dark time. Sadly, on February 28, 1944, that peace ended. The ten Boom residence was raided by the Gestapo. Their house was searched and the family was taken into custody. Corrie, her father, and Betsie were transferred to Scheveningen Prison. There, Corrie hardly ever saw the sunlight, spending her days locked in solitary confinement. Later on in her time there, waiting to go on trial, she found out that her father had died shortly after being brought to the prison.She and her sister were reunited when they were sent to Kamp Vught, a political concentration camp. There, conditions were not so bad. They were able to slack off at work and received Red Cross packages and mail from home. Due to her background as a watchmaker, Corrie was given the opportunity to do detailed work on radio parts. After awhile, she and her sister were transferred to a German concentration camp called Ravensbruck. As Corrie aptly described it, the place was hell. They were stripped naked and forced to hand over their belongings before being redressed and sent to barracks where the beds looked more like a line of shelves, tightly packed with women instead of books. Using a bible they had snuck in, the sisters performed worship services with the girls in their barracks daily, keeping up the dwindling morale. Slowly, they became thinner and weaker – Betsie more so than Corrie. Finally, one day in late fall of 1944, Corrie heard the voice of God tell her that her release was drawing near and that she would be free by the first day of winter. This prediction became reality, but sadly fifteen days too late for Betsie. Corrie's sister had gone Home to meet her Maker. The author finished the story by telling of her return to the Netherlands and documenting her decision to open a home which â€Å"would soon be the happy home of people who had been released from the wretchedness of imprisonment† (ten Boom 169). In the end, I believe that Corrie Ten Boom wrote this novel as a testament to the horrors of her experience and to the strengthening of her faith through the experience. A Prisoner and Yet. . . immortalized both her story and, by extent, the stories of many women, men, and children who were held at the various prisons and camps across Europe during the Nazi regime. I am thankful that I stumbled upon it and I would recommend the read to those struggling with their faith, growing in their faith, or merely interested in the treatment of political prisoners in WWII.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Line Between Tough Love and Child Abuse Essay

Poets and authors have tried to define love for centuries, whereas scientists have only recently started. Many of us know intuitively that love is a major purpose for living; (Blueprint, 2013) that connection is inherent in all that we do, and without love, we cannot survive as a species. But what is love, and how do we know when we’re in it? First , let’s start off with what love isn’t. If someone asks you to do or say something that isn’t in your nature, that isn’t true love. Smith, 2002) Although love does involve compromises between partners, someone who is in love with you will never ask you to change who you are in order to be loved. True Love is caring. The ancient Greeks had many different names for different forms of love: passion, virtuous, affection for the family, desire, and general affection. But no matter how love is defined, they all hold a common trait: caring. (Blueprint, 2013) True Love is attractive. Attraction and chemistry form the bond that allows people to mate. Without this romantic desire for another individual, a relationship is nothing more than lust or infatuation. True Love is attached. Like the mother-child bond, attachment comes after the initial attraction. Attachment is the long term love that appears anywhere from one to three years into a romantic relationship (sometimes sooner and very rarely after), and you’ll know you’ve found it when you can honestly say, (Smith, 2002) â€Å"I’ve seen the worst and the best you have to offer, and I still love you,† while your partner feels the same way. True Love is committed. When it comes to true love, commitment is more than just monogamy. It’s the knowledge that your partner cares for you and has your back, no matter what the circumstances. People who are strongly committed to one another will, when faced with seemingly negative information about their partner, see only the positive. For example, a friend comments that your partner doesn’t say a lot. â€Å"Ah yes, he’s the strong, silent type,† you reply. People with less commitment to their partner would instead say something like, â€Å"Yeah, I can never have conversation with him. It’s annoying. † True Love is Intimate. Intimacy is a crucial component of all relationships, regardless of their nature. In order to know another, you need to share parts of yourself. This self-revealing behavior, when reciprocated, (Teicher, 2000) forms an emotional bond. Over time this bond strengthens and even evolves, so that two people merge closer and closer together. Intimacy by itself if is a great friendship, but compiled with the other things in this list, it forms an equation for true love. Within the minimum standards set by CAPTA, each State is responsible for providing its own definitions of child abuse and neglect. Most States recognize four major types of maltreatment: physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse. Although any of the forms of child maltreatment may be found separately, (Blueprint, 2013) they often occur in combination. In many States, abandonment and parental substance abuse are also defined as forms of child abuse or neglect. The examples provided below are for general informational purposes only. Not all States’ definitions will include all of the examples listed below, and individual States’ definitions may cover additional situations not mentioned here. Physical abuse is no accidental physical injury (ranging from minor bruises to severe fractures or death) as a result of punching, beating, kicking, biting, shaking, throwing, stabbing, choking, hitting (with a hand, stick, strap, or other object), burning, or otherwise harming a child, that is inflicted by a parent, caregiver, or other person who has responsibility for the child. Perry, 2002) Such injury is considered abuse regardless of whether the caregiver intended to hurt the child. Physical discipline, such as spanking or paddling, is not considered abuse as long as it is reasonable and causes no bodily injury to the child. Neglect is the failure of a parent, guardian, or other caregiver to provide for a child’s basic needs. (Perry, 2002) Neglect may be physical (failure to provide necessary food or shelter, or lack of appropriate supervision), medical (e. g. failure to provide necessary medical or mental health treatment), educational (e. g. , failure to educate a child or attend to special education needs), or emotional (e. g. , inattention to a child’s emotional needs, failure to provide psychological care, or permitting the child to use alcohol or other drugs). These situations do not always mean a child is neglected. Sometimes cultural values, the standards of care in the community, and poverty may be contributing factors, indicating the family is in need of information or assistance. Teicher, 2000) When a family fails to use information and resources, and the child’s health or safety is at risk, then child welfare intervention may be required. In addition, many States provide an exception to the definition of neglect for parents who choose not to seek medical care for their children due to religious beliefs that may prohibit medical intervention. Sexual abuse includes activities by a parent or caregiver such as fondling a child’s genitals, penetration, incest, rape, sodomy, indecent exposure, and exploitation through prostitution or the production of pornographic materials. Sexual abuse is defined by CAPTA as â€Å"the employment, use, persuasion, inducement, enticement, or coercion of any child to engage in, or assist any other person to engage in, any sexually explicit conduct or simulation of such conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct; or the rape, and in cases of caretaker or inter-familial relationships, statutory rape, molestation, prostitution, or other form of sexual exploitation of children, or incest with children. Emotional abuse (or psychological abuse) is a pattern of behavior that impairs a child’s emotional development or sense of self-worth. This may include constant criticism, threats, or rejection, as well as withholding love, support, or guidance. Emotional abuse is often difficult to prove and, therefore, (Teicher, 2000) child protective services may not be able to intervene without evidence of harm or mental injury to the child. Emotional abuse is almost always present when other forms are i dentified. Abandonment is now defined in many States as a form of neglect. (Perry, 2002) In general, a child is considered to be abandoned when the parent’s identity or whereabouts are unknown, the child has been left alone in circumstances where the child suffers serious harm, or the parent has failed to maintain contact with the child or provide reasonable support for a specified period of time. Tough love simply means that if your child decides to do anything that can harm him/her or others that you have to love your child enough to take a stand against that behavior. If this means that you have to report your child to the authorities, whether the law or teachers, then you need to do it. It also means that if you find that you need help with your child for whatever reason that you should ask for it. There is nothing shameful about having a child who is out of control. It happens to the best of parents. What would be shameful is not to do anything. The fastest and best way to implement tough love techniques with your child is to simply start making them fully responsible for their own actions. (Blueprint, 2013) Don’t pay or legal representation, don’t bail them out with teachers, and don’t interfere in the natural consequences that may happen. Sometimes, you may even need to go further in the case of a child putting others in danger via drinking or drugging and driving. Take the car, take the money, take the phone, remove all privileges, and if that doesn’t work, you may have to call the police on your child who is pract icing illegal behaviors. Don’t give multiple warnings and threats. (Teicher, 2000) Teenagers just stop believing you, if you don’t back up your words with actions. Giving natural consequences a push in the right direction can go far in helping your child, while you’re still there for emotional support as long as they’re doing the right thing, can help a child straighten their life out before they are on their own. Child abuse is more than bruises and broken bones. While physical abuse might be the most visible, other types of abuse, such as emotional abuse and neglect, also leave deep, lasting scars. The earlier abused children get help, the greater chance they have to heal and break the cycle—rather than perpetuate it. By learning about common signs of abuse and what you can do to intervene, you can make a huge difference in a child’s life. While physical abuse is shocking due to the scars it leaves, not all child abuse is as obvious. Ignoring children’s needs, putting them in unsupervised, dangerous situations, or making a child feel worthless or stupid are also child abuse. Regardless of the type of child abuse, the result is serious emotional harm. An estimated 905,000 children were victims of child abuse or neglect in 2006 (U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). While physical injuries may or may not be immediately visible, abuse and neglect can have consequences for children, families, and society that last lifetimes, if not generations. The impact of child abuse and neglect is often discussed in terms of physical, psychological, behavioral, and societal consequences. In reality, however, it is impossible to separate them completely. Physical consequences, such as damage to a child’s growing brain, can have psychological implications such as cognitive delays or emotional difficulties. Psychological problems often manifest as high-risk behaviors. Depression and anxiety, for example, may make a person more likely to smoke, abuse alcohol or illicit drugs, or overeat. High-risk behaviors, in turn, can lead to long-term physical health problems such as sexually transmitted diseases, cancer, and obesity. This factsheet provides an overview of some of the most common physical, psychological, behavioral, and societal consequences of child abuse and neglect, while acknowledging that much crossover among categories exists. The immediate emotional effects of abuse and neglect—isolation, fear, and an inability to trust—can translate into lifelong consequences including low self-esteem, depression, and relationship difficulties. (Teicher, 2000) Researchers have identified links between child abuse and neglect and the following: In one long-term study, as many as 80 percent of young adults who had been abused met the diagnostic criteria for at least one psychiatric disorder at age 21. These young adults exhibited many problems, including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and suicide attempts (Silverman, Reinherz, & Giaconia, 1996). Other psychological and emotional conditions associated with abuse and neglect include panic disorder, dissociative disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and reactive attachment disorder (Teicher, 2000). The National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being recently found children placed in out-of-home care due to abuse or neglect tended to score lower than the general population on measures of cognitive capacity, language development, and academic achievement (2003). Children who are abused and neglected by caretakers often do not form secure attachments to them. These early attachment difficulties can lead to later difficulties in relationships with other adults as well as with peers (Morrison, Frank, Holland, & Kates, 1999). Not all victims of child abuse and neglect will experience behavioral consequences; however, child abuse and neglect appear to make the following more likely: Studies have found abused and neglected children to be at least 25 percent more likely to experience problems such as delinquency, teen pregnancy, low academic achievement, drug use, and mental health problems (Kelley et al. , 1997). A National Institute of Justice study indicated being abused or neglected as a child increased the likelihood of arrest as a juvenile by 59 percent. Abuse and neglect increased the likelihood of adult criminal behavior by 28 percent and violent crime by 30 percent (Widom & Maxfield, 2001). Research consistently reflects an increased likelihood that abused and neglected children will smoke cigarettes, abuse alcohol, or take illicit drugs. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, as many as two-thirds of people in drug treatment programs reported being abused as children (2000).