Tuesday, November 26, 2019

New Year Wishes From the Arts and More

New Year Wishes From the Arts and More When the clock strikes twelve on December 31st, people all over the world cheer and wish each other a very happy New Year. For some, this event is no more than a change of a calendar. For others, the New Year symbolizes the beginning of a better tomorrow. So, if you look forward to a good year ahead, spread happiness with these wonderful New Year wishes. Irish toastIn the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship, never in want. Minnie L. HaskinsAnd I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown. And he replied: Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be to you better than light, and safer than a known way. Movie: When Harry Met Sally, Harry BurnsAnd I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. And its not because Im lonely, and its not because its New Years Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible. Edith Lovejoy PierceWe will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Years Day. Charles DickensA merry Christmas to everybody! A happy New Year to the world! Sydney SmithResolve to make at least one person happy every day, and then in ten years you may have made three thousand, six hundred and fifty persons happy, or brightened a small town by your contribution to the fund of general enjoyment. AnonymousYour Merry Christmas may depend on what others do for you. But your Happy New Year depends on what you do for others. William Makepeace ThackerayCertain corpuscles, denominated Christmas Books, with the ostensible intention of swelling the tide of exhilaration, or other expansive emotions, incident upon the exodus of the old and the inauguration of the New Year. Aisha ElderwynEvery new year people make resolutions to change aspects of themselves they believe are negative. A majority of people revert back to how they were before and feel like failures. This year I challenge you to a new resolution. I challenge you to just be yourself. F. M. Knowles, A Cheerful Year BookHe who breaks a resolution is a weakling; He who makes one is a fool. G. K. ChestertonThe object of a new year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul. John Greenleaf WhittierWe meet todayTo thank Thee for the era done,And Thee for the opening one T. S. EliotFor last years words belong to last years language and next years words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning. Emily MillerThen sing, young hearts that are full of cheer,With never a thought of sorrow;The old goes out, but the glad young yearComes merrily in tomorrow Martin LutherGlory to God in highest heaven,Who unto man His Son hath given;While angels sing with tender mirth,A glad new year to all the earth Walter ScottEach age has deemed the newborn yearThe fittest time for festal cheer Benjamin FranklinBe always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better man. Edgar A. GuestA happy New Year! Grant that IMay bring no tear to any eyeWhen this New Year in time shall endLet it be said Ive played the friend,Have lived and loved and labored here,And made of it a happy year. William Arthur WardThis bright new year is given meTo live each day with zestTo daily grow and try to beMy highest and my best! Ella Wheeler WilcoxWhat can be said in New Year rhymes,Thats not been said a thousand times?The new years come, the old years go,We know we dream, we dream we know.We rise up laughing with the light,We lie down weeping with the night.We hug the world until it stings,We curse it then and sigh for wings.We live, we love, we woo, we wed,We wreathe our prides, we sheet our dead.We laugh, we weep, we hope, we fear,And thats the burden of a year. Charles LambOf all sound of all bells, the most solemn and touching is the peal which rings out the Old Year.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Ethics in the Workplace Essay Sample

Ethics in the Workplace Essay Sample Ethics in the Workplace Essay In order for a workplace to continue existing in harmony and have and a good dose of productivity, rules must exist. Ideally, these rules in itself must maintain the peace and are supposed to give the most optimal results possible. However, because the human factor is added to the equation, then additional systems must be put into place. Some of these systems are either encoded (or written) while others are simply understood without the need to be posted at all. All in all, these things which humans are supposed to observe and maintain in the workplace are called workplace ethics. An example of a written workplace ethic is dress code. In workplaces, corporate attires are usually considered â€Å"ethical† while your regular pajamas are not. However, as could be deduced from the statement above, some issues of â€Å"unethical behaviors† vary from workplace to workplace, since while others consider wearing corporate attires to be the ethical way of dressing when on company grounds, other companies would prefer their employees working in pajamas, or at least, in their t-shirts. Because some of the rules that guide human behaviors in the workplace vary from one to the other, most of these varying rules are coded in order for the employees to be constantly reminded of. However, there are also other workplace ethics which does not vary in between companies or workplaces. These ethical rules include respect, integrity, and honesty among others. Unlike the previous examples stated above, these ideas are what everyone inside of the workplace must imbibe an d not constantly reminded of. These ideas are essential not only for everyone, not only because they are required and expected to do so, but because it creates a better environment for everyone to produce the most optimal results without fearing that something unexpected is happening, or is coming up. To narrow down to these examples let me give one of each and describe them in a more specific manner. Honesty is one of the foremost examples of a workplace ethics. Without honesty, the workplace would simply not exist since information, data, and results should always be reported to the right channels in order to mitigate any risks or resolve any problems that might arise. Another example of an unwritten work ethic is integrity. Integrity refers to the having strong moral principles. What makes this important in understanding work ethics is that morality and ethics are very tightly knitted. Both of them came from mores (or rights) and therefore having one of these traits also means having the other one. Lastly, we have openness. This is also an important work ethics because openness also leads to better interaction and dynamics between every individual. Openness means being open to criticisms (constructive) and other ideas without prejudice which could affect ones objectivity. Following from these statements, a strong argument could be made about what constitutes a strong workplace. In order for the workplace to continually grow and succeed in reaching its goals, one could say that establishing operating rules and laws is not enough. Rules are usually for the technical and operational aspects of the company (e.g. delivery system) but are not enough to address human variable that exists in between the expected process. In line with this, it could easily be argued that an ideal workplace is one where the operating rules established are just coinciding perfectly with one’s workplaces ethics (both written and unwritten). A community where people know what to do both in their jobs as well as how to help others progresses and gains the most optimal results possible.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Essay

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass - Essay Example In the opening sentences of his narrative, Douglass stated the fact that slave owners thought of slaves as animals (Douglass, 47). It was not just the slave owners who treated their slaves as animals but the slaves themselves also had the perception about themselves. The access to reading opened a new world for Douglass and casted a new light on the world he was already living. The dawning of self-consciousness was the outcome of the acquisition of reading skills, which made him capable to think independently. He also stated that learning to read was a curse rather than a blessing because after gaining knowledge he was able to see his miserable condition with no remedy to get out of it (Douglass, 84). Douglass occasional regrets regarding his wretched condition were due to the knowledge that self-education afforded him and was the main source to change his status from a slave. The ability to read and write was important in the eyes of Douglass because it was through this ability he w as able to describe his story in his own words and refuted the common misconception that slaves were not capable enough to communicate through the standard conventions of American literature. The ability to fully understand his environment and comprehend the hopelessness of the situation faced by him and other slaves was only because of the literacy which was the greatest tool to work for the freedom of slaves. This revolutionary incident of Douglass was the turning point in his career as a slave which revived a wave of manhood in his heart (Douglass, 113). There are no illusions that education plays a key role in setting slaves free because it equips them with the skills and knowledge to improve their lives. It helps in articulating the injustice caused by the slavery and awakens the consciousness to fight against abolition. In case of Frederick Douglass, he was able to reveal the strategy of his master, Hugh Auld, about how he used to manage to keep blacks as slaves and by which b lacks would be able to free themselves. This quote from his narration clearly depicts the importance of learning: â€Å"If you teach that nigger how to read, there would be no keeping him. It would forever unfit him to be a slave. He would at once become unmanageable, and of no value to his master† (Douglass, 49). These ironic words were delivered to the Mistress, wife of Auld, who taught Douglass how to read and was strictly forbidden because they believed that education ruins slaves. The transformation of a kind-hearted woman to a harsh mistress made him realize that the institution of slavery has a major effect on well-intentioned people as well (Douglass, 82). This means that illiteracy and ignorance were the most important elements in the subjugation of slaves. The desire to gain more knowledge was not only a constant battle for Douglass as it was unlawful to teach a slave to read and had to be a secretive process (Douglass, 20). Douglas further said that his mistress ga ve him the start by teaching the alphabets and nothing was so powerful to prevent him from learning (Douglass, 81). The harsh attitude of mistress and vigilance to stop Douglass from seeking knowledge by many means made him clear that an educated slave is a dangerous notion for the masters. It can be noticed that when it comes to education, masters and slaves are inherently opposite to each other. The thing that changed the whole life

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Specific heat capacity laboratory Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Specific heat capacity laboratory - Assignment Example substance by 1 degree which is obtained through the equation Q = m*C*∆T where ‘m’ refers to the mass of material, C is the specific heat and ∆T is the change of temperature. ∆T in Kelvins is the same in magnitude as ∆T in Celsius, hence, the specific heat for water may also be reported as 4.18 J/g-Â °C. Because the specific heat values for a given substance can vary slightly with temperature, the temperature is often precisely specified. (3) Record the initial temperature of water prior to heating. Switch on the electric kettle and note down temperature reading measured after every 15 seconds until the instant is reached when the water starts boiling. The units for the special heat capacity based on C = Q / (m∆T) is J kg-1K-1 and by mere inspection, the rated power consumption of the kettle is 2200 Watts (or JÂ ·s-1). Thus, the maximum amount of energy that the kettle can be expected to transfer to the water over a period of 15 seconds is 33,000 Joules which is the product of power consumed and time elapsed. Actual energy transfer may be less than this amount due to the energy lost through heating the kettle itself, the surrounding air, and even the noise which take up some dissipated heat in the process. Assuming complete energy transfer with a 100% efficient kettle, 2200*(t) = (200 grams)*(4.2 J g-1Â °C-1)*(100Â °C - 10Â °C) gives t = 34.36 seconds or the time it would take to get a 200-gram water to boil. The indicated form y = 0.462x + 27.34 translates to T = 0.462*t + 27.34. Clearly, the graph is a straight line, which plateaus at ~ 100 Â °C while the gradient remains constant (linear) with time until it reaches the boiling point. Slope approaches zero or gradient flattens when the kettle is boiling. The gradient of this graph is the specific heat capacity of water 4610 J*kg-1K-1 or 4.61 J*g-1K-1(using the data points. Apparently, this makes an overestimate when compared to literature value of 4.2 J*g-1K-1 due to energy dissipation in the

Saturday, November 16, 2019

The characteristics of different world region cuisines Essay Example for Free

The characteristics of different world region cuisines Essay P1 1.1 Compare and contrast the characteristics of different world region cuisines. 1 1.2 Discuss influences in regional or world cuisine. 1 P2 2.1 Discuss how historical and geographic influences have defined the multicultural nature of food and drink 2 2.2 Evaluate developing trends in food and drink 2 Learner declaration I certify that the work submitted for this assignment is my own. I have clearly referenced any sources used in the work. I understand that a false declaration is a form of malpractice. Student signature:[emailprotected]:10 October 2017 Introduction The cuisine is a style of cooking which is associated with a specific culture or geographic region. Food is just another way to know more about a country. Many countries have cooking traditions using various spices or combinations of flavors unique to that culture that evolves over time. There are many different cuisines as per regions like European, Caribbean, Spanish and many more. TASK 1; P1; 1.1 Compare and Contrast the characteristics of different world region cuisines. Chinese Cuisine History of Chinese food Chinese culture initially centered on the North-China Plain. The first domesticated crops seem to have been foxtail and broomcorn varieties of millet while the rice was cultivated in the south. By 2000 BC, wheat had arrived from Western Asia these grains were typically served as warm noodle-soups. Nobles hunted various wild animals. CITATION Wer16 \l 2057 (Wertz, 2016)Chinese Food:- A number of different styles contribute the Chinese cuisine but perhaps the best known influential are Cantonese cuisine, Shandong cuisine, Jiangsu cuisine and Sichuan cuisine. These styles are unique from one another due to factors such as climate, geography, history, and lifestyle. Chinese Cuisine includes the following: Rice Rice is a major staple food in China. Chinese people eat rice almost every day for meals. Rice is also used to produce wine and beer. Noodles Chinese noodles are made from wheat flour, rice flour or mung bean starch. Noodles are often served in soup, with meat, eggs, and vegetables. Tofu It is the food of Chinese origin. It is made up of soy milk, water, and a curdling agent. It is served in soups, salads and stir-fries dishes. Meat and Poultry Chinese people basically eat all animal’s meat such as pork, beef, mutton, chicken, duck, pigeon as well as many others. Pork is the most commonly consumed meat. Eggs Chinese people consume eggs laid by many types of poultry such as chicken, ducks, geese, pigeons, and quails. Chinese Vegetables Chinese people are fond of vegetables especially leafy vegetables like Chinese cabbage, lettuce, cauliflower, etc and also vegetables like Chinese eggplant, white radish, Chinese mushrooms, onions, etc†¦ Chinese ingredients used for seasoning It includes ginger, garlic, chilies, spring onions, and coriander. Anaphylactic Shock Milk Yeast Peanuts CITATION Chi \l 2057 (China Highlights)Indian Cuisine History of Indian Food Indian cuisine reflects an 8000-year history of various cultures. Earlier in India, the diet consists of legumes, vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy products and honey. Staple foods eaten today include a variety of lentils, whole-wheat flour, rice and pearl millet. INDIAN FOOD Staple foods of Indian Cuisine include pearl millet, rice, whole-wheat flour, and a variety of lentils such as masoor, too, urad, and moong. Lentils are a staple ingredient in Indian cuisine. Lentils may be used whole, dehusked, for example- dhuli moong or dhuli urad or spilled. Spilled lentils or dal are used extensively. In northern regions, pulses such as channa or chelae and rajma are very famous. Many Indian dishes are cooked in vegetable oil, but peanut oil is popular in northern and western India, mustard oil in eastern India and coconut oil in western coast. The most important spices are whole or powdered chili pepper, black mustard seed, cardamom, cumin, turmeric, asafetida, ginger, coriander, and garlic. One of the popular spice mixes is garam masala. Each culinary region has a distinctive garam masala. Many types of meat are used for Indian cooking but chicken and mutton tend to be the most commonly consumed meats. Fish and beef are prevalent in some parts of India but they are not widely consumed except for coastal areas as well as the north-east. Anaphylactic shock Milk Eggs Soya bean Wheat Peanuts Corn Food Colours and preservatives CITATION Sub12 \l 2057 (Kapoor, 1-07-2002)Similarities between Indian and Chinese Cuisine Wheat and Rice is the staple ingredient in both regions. Both the regions eat very spicy food. Chinese cuisine Indian cuisine Peanut oil, Sunflower oil and animal fat like lard are used. Mustard oil, coconut oil and lots of ghee are used. Do not use curd. Uses curd a lot. It is common to eat beef, poultry, pork, etc†¦ India is restricted in some of the areas for consuming these things. 1.2 Discuss influences in regional or world cuisine. Food influences in Chinese CITATION pic \l 2057 (pic) The cuisine of China includes not only the cuisine originating from the diverse regions of China but also from the Chinese people in other parts of the world because of which Chinese cuisine is an important part of Chinese culture. Because of the  Chinese Diaspora  and historical power of the country, Chinese cuisine has influenced many other cuisines in  Asia, with modifications made to cater to local palates. Based on the raw materials and ingredients used, the method of preparation and cultural differences, a variety of foods with different flavors and textures are prepared in different regions of the country. Many traditional regional cuisines are done by basic methods like drying,  salting,  pickling, and  fermentation. CITATION Hsi04 \l 2057 (Hsieh., 2004)Food influences in Indian. CITATION www3 \l 2057 (Swad India)A huge number of religions exist in India because of which religious influence is more on Indian Food. This religious influence has  introduced the perception of vegetarianism and Nonvegetarianism. Hindus followed the cuisine as laid down by the Aryans, whereas with the coming of the Mughals the Muslims started to prepare food according to their techniques. The Muslim tradition is evident to initiate the cooking of Mughlai food, kababs, rich Kormas and nargisi koftas, rogan josh, and preparations from the clay over or tandoor like tandoori rotis and tandoori chicken. The Christians came as missionaries and they added a different flavor to the cooking style of the Indians. Jains are the sect of Hindus but their eating style varied from that of Hindus. Jainism is a religion that believes in non violence and thus refrained from eating any kind of meat or root vegetables. They consume food that grows on trees and are ripe. Influences on Indian Food au gmented the Indian Cuisine.  Thus a number of religions exist in India. The Hindu and the Muslim traditions are the two major religions which have contributed to Indian cooking. Each new religion settled in the country has brought their own culinary practices. CITATION www2 \l 2057 (India Net Zone)TASK 2; P2; 2.1Discuss how historical and geographic influences have defined the multicultural nature of food and drink Historical and geographical influences of Chinese Cuisine As early as 5000 years ago, China already had the grill, grilled fish, and other foods. In Zhou Dynasty, there was a famous cuisine called â€Å"Ba Zheng† (Eight Treasures), which was very influential for future generations. During Han, Wei, South and North Dynasties, Chinese cuisine developed rapidly and appeared many famous cuisines. The â€Å"Wu Hou Mackerel† created by Louhu of Han Dynasty was one of them. On the unearthed bamboo slips from the No. 1 Tomb of Mawangdu Ruins, there were recorded over hundreds of cuisines. In the â€Å"Qi Ming Yao Shu† written by Jia Sixie during North Wei Dynasty, there were over 200 kinds of cuisines recorded. Because of the introduction and influence of Buddhism, and the promotion of Liang Wu Di of South Dynasty, vegetarian dishes gradually had an impact on people’s daily life. During Sui, Tang and the Five Dynasties period, the designed and colorful cuisines and diet dishes also had a new development. Song Dynasty is one of the climaxes of the development of Chinese cuisine. In the restaurants of Bianjing and Linan, there were numerous cold dishes, hot dishes, soups and color dishes. The dishes were marked with South, North, Chuan flavors and vegetarian dishes, which represented that the schools of cuisines began to form. During Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasty, Chinese cuisine has great development. Thousands of cuisines appeared. During this period, ethnic groups believing in Islamism moved to all the area of China, and Halal Food as a new kind of Chinese food occupied a position in China. The schools of Chinese cuisine had formed. From late Qing Dynasty, along with foreigners came to China, Some characters of western cuisines were also introduced by Chinese cuisines. CITATION Top \l 2057 (Top China Travel)Historical and geographical influences of Indian Cuisine Indian cuisine is ancient, diverse, and steeped in tradition, an amalgam of different ethnic influences, much like the country itself. The spicy food displayed at buffets in the US or the ubiquitous â€Å"curry† in Britain is only a small fraction of the variety and quality available to food lovers. Gourmet Indian food is typically associated with the food cooked in the courts of Indian royalty, particularly those of Mughal emperors in Delhi and Lucknow in North India and the Nizams of Hyderabad in the South. This food is characterized by elaborate cooking techniques and the use of expensive ingredients. However, there are thousands of hidden culinary gems to be found in kitchens, little-known restaurants, and places of worship around the country that require a discriminating palate and hence can be classified as ‘gourmet’. Religion and climate are two factors that have significantly impacted the development of cooking styles and food habits in India. Over 80% of Indians follow the Hindu religion and its offshoots such as Jainism. Hinduism prescribes respect for life forms and has contributed to the prevalence of vegetarianism in India, particularly in the North. One impact of this on cuisine is that lentils and beans are the main sources of protein as opposed to fish and meat. Although cows are sacred to Hindus, milk is considered auspicious and milk products such as curd, vegan cottage cheese (‘paneer’) and sweets made of milk solids are part of the cuisine. Spices are generously used to provide variety in the vegetarian diet. Certain sects of Hinduism forbid the use of onions and garlic in food, and so substitute flavorings such as cumin seeds, ginger, and cashew paste have been incorporated into the cuisine. CITATION htt3 \l 2057 (BriskWalkers)2.2 Evaluate developing trends in food and drinks. E-revolution from carts to clicks-  Online shopping, apps, and delivery services are transforming consumers’ access to deals, niche offerings and even full meals. While the Internet has not yet vastly changed the landscape of grocery shopping, innovations encourage consumers.Diet by DNA-  Interest in the natural and â€Å"getting back to basics† has boosted ancient grains and superfoods, fostering a principle that age-old staples are better than today’s manufactured options. Interest in historical ingredients suggests that people could make efforts to unlock the keys to their personal physiology and design diets, by connecting with their own ancestry.Good enough to Tweet-  The rise of food-centric media has sparked new interest in cooking, not only for the sake of nourishment but also for the purposes of sharing one’s creations via social media. This finds people taking divergent paths – some to become sufficiently well-rounded so as to compet e on popular television programmes, while others privately cultivate specialties.Table for one- Across age groups, more consumers are living in single-person households or occasionally eating meals alone. These meals for one require right-sized products and packaging, as well as promotions that further erode any stigma of dining solo.Fat sheds stigma- Consumers’ negative stereotype that all fat content is evil has begun to diminish. The awareness of the many sources of good and bad fats is ushering in a paradigm shift, in which fat content is not the first consideration and barrier in the search for healthy products.Eat with your eyes- Flavor has long been the core of innovation, but more visual and share-focused societies call for innovation that is boldly colored and artfully constructed. Finding inspiration in global foodservice offerings, brands can experiment with vibrant colors and novel shapes to make packaged products worthy of consumer praise and social media posts. CITATION Foo \l 2057 (Food Industry Asia)REFERENCES BIBLIOGRAPHY \l 2057 (n.d.). Retrieved from picstopin.com BriskWalkers. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.briskwalkers.com China Highlights. (n.d.). Retrieved from www.chinahighlights.com Food Industry Asia. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://foodindustry.asia Hsieh., J. L. (2004). Traditional Chinese Food Technology and Cuisine. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 147-155. India Net Zone. (n.d.). Retrieved from www.indianetzone.com Kapoor, S. (1-07-2002). The Indian Encyclopaedia. Cosmo Publications. Swad India. (n.d.). Retrieved from www.theswadindia.com Top China Travel. (n.d.). Retrieved from www.topchinatravel.com Wertz, R. R. (2016, may 2). The Cultural Heritage of China:: Food Drink:: Cuisine:: Introduction. Retrieved from www.ibiblio.org SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT RECORD SHEET Programme Pearson BTEC Level 5 HND in Hospitality Management. Learner Name Keerti Krishna Ratnala Assessor Name Mr. Shushant Shahade Unit No. Title Unit 28: World Food Target Learning Aims Assignment No. Title Compare and contrast the characteristics of different world region cuisines and discuss influences in regional or world cuisine. Understanding the multicultural nature of food drink in society Issue Date Interim Submission Date Final Submission Date Target criteria Criteria Achieved Final Assessment Comments P1;1.1 P1;1.2 P2;2.1 P2;2.2 Summative comments Resubmission authorization* Resubmission Date: * All resubmissions must be authorized. Only 1 resubmission is possible per assignment. Assessor Signature Date: Learner comments Learned a lot about various cuisines and their influences on other regions. Here I got to know more about Indian and Chinese cuisine like their cooking practices, important ingredients, and cultures. Learner Signature [emailprotected] Date: 45008800 QCF BTEC INTERNAL VERIFICATION – ASSESSMENT DECISIONS Programme title Pearson BTEC Level 5 HND in Hospitality Management Assessor Mr. Shushant Shahade Internal Verifier Unit(s) Unit 28: World Food Assignment title Compare and contrast the characteristics of different world region cuisines and discuss influences in regional or world cuisine. Understanding the multicultural nature of food drink in society Learner’s name Keerti Krishna Ratnala List which assessment and grading criteria the assessor has awarded. Pass Merit Distinction INTERNAL VERIFIER CHECKLIST Comments Do the assessment criteria awarded match those targeted by the assignment brief? Y/N Has the work been assessed accurately? Y/N Is the feedback to the learner: Constructive? Linked to relevant assessment and grading criteria? Identifying opportunities for improved performance? Agreeing actions? Y/N Does the assessment decision need amending? Y/N Assessor signature Date Internal Verifier signature Date Lead Internal Verifier signature (if required) Date Confirm action completed Remedial action is taken Assessor signature Date Internal Verifier signature Date Lead Internal Verifier signature (if required) Date

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The power of love, peace, and family bonding are all similar in some :: English Literature

The power of love, peace, and family bonding are all similar in some type of way. Family Bonding The power of love, peace, and family bonding are all similar in some type of way. Sharing the love with someone gives you peace and allows you to bond together. The two poems "Earth and Rain, the Plants and Sun" and "Four poems for a Child Son" both elaborate on the love, peace and family bonding shared in these poems. "Earth and Rain, the Plants and Sun" was a well written poem with many meanings to it. On his way to Colorado, the narorator enlightens the day for not just his family, but also himself. As he grasps such a wonderful image of joy, he lets his son know, that this shall never end. He hears the sound of a meadowlark, rising high above, through the fresh cut smell of alfalfa. Describing the freshness and purity in the air on such a peaceful day. As the hawk sweeps high above, the sound of thunder brings darkness through this day. The sun is gone, but a sunlight beam breaks through a cloud, shining directly on the green plant. The thunder has stirred up a storm, sending rain to fall to the ground, fertilizing the green plants and alfalfa. The plants and alfalfa feed the meadowlark, mice, molls and other rodents. These essence of life provide the food for the hawk which represents the leader of the pack. Today the Katzina come. The dancing prayers. Many times, the katzina. It shall not end, on, it will not end, his love. The dancing prayers from the katzina truly show that there is a great amount of joy on this day. The mother, father and son hold hands as they enjoy every minute together on such a peaceful day filled with joy and excitement, that shall never end. "Four Poems for a Child Son" is divided into four parts. Part one "What's your Indian Name?" tells the significance of the name you are given when born. Together, deserts, sun, gods and songs complete the full meaning of who you are. Your name tells the stories of the past, who the heroes are and contributes to the strength and bravery that you grow to adapt to. Constructing the Indian headdress, painting it with the earth's most natural resources, talking to it and treating it the way you would treat another person. All of these things allow you to get to know it a lot better, and apply it to you own life all together. The headdress represents who you are and what your Indian name is. The power of love, peace, and family bonding are all similar in some :: English Literature The power of love, peace, and family bonding are all similar in some type of way. Family Bonding The power of love, peace, and family bonding are all similar in some type of way. Sharing the love with someone gives you peace and allows you to bond together. The two poems "Earth and Rain, the Plants and Sun" and "Four poems for a Child Son" both elaborate on the love, peace and family bonding shared in these poems. "Earth and Rain, the Plants and Sun" was a well written poem with many meanings to it. On his way to Colorado, the narorator enlightens the day for not just his family, but also himself. As he grasps such a wonderful image of joy, he lets his son know, that this shall never end. He hears the sound of a meadowlark, rising high above, through the fresh cut smell of alfalfa. Describing the freshness and purity in the air on such a peaceful day. As the hawk sweeps high above, the sound of thunder brings darkness through this day. The sun is gone, but a sunlight beam breaks through a cloud, shining directly on the green plant. The thunder has stirred up a storm, sending rain to fall to the ground, fertilizing the green plants and alfalfa. The plants and alfalfa feed the meadowlark, mice, molls and other rodents. These essence of life provide the food for the hawk which represents the leader of the pack. Today the Katzina come. The dancing prayers. Many times, the katzina. It shall not end, on, it will not end, his love. The dancing prayers from the katzina truly show that there is a great amount of joy on this day. The mother, father and son hold hands as they enjoy every minute together on such a peaceful day filled with joy and excitement, that shall never end. "Four Poems for a Child Son" is divided into four parts. Part one "What's your Indian Name?" tells the significance of the name you are given when born. Together, deserts, sun, gods and songs complete the full meaning of who you are. Your name tells the stories of the past, who the heroes are and contributes to the strength and bravery that you grow to adapt to. Constructing the Indian headdress, painting it with the earth's most natural resources, talking to it and treating it the way you would treat another person. All of these things allow you to get to know it a lot better, and apply it to you own life all together. The headdress represents who you are and what your Indian name is.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Discuss empirically validated therapy in which specific therapies are effective for the certain mental disorder

Empirically-validated therapies are forms of treatment that are strongly backed by scientific data obtained from various observations, studies, or experimentation. The hypothesis obtained is testable using experimentation or observations. An empirical result is obtained is an experimental observation (such as a clinical trial). Usually it has been seen that practitioners do not follow empirically-validated data and instead would go by their clinical experience.The clinical scientist on the other hand would be concentrating hugely on empirically-validated therapies. In the field of psychiatry, empirically-validated therapies play a very major role. In the last few years, the concentration of mental care has shifted hugely from well-established therapies which are routinely utilized to 'empirically-supported therapies'. It has not only proved to be effective in the treatment of various mental disorders, but has also reduced the costs and has proved to be very useful in managed care set tings.State, local and federal bodies that fund healthcare are now paying greater amount of importance to empirically-validated therapies. In future, the psychiatric practitioner would be concentrating to a very great extent on empirically-validated therapies. In case of medico-legal issues, a practitioner could be held liable for malpractice if he/she holds up an empirically-validated treatment and goes in for a standard treatment process that has been utilized since several years.Accreditations organizations could also be considering using the extent to which a hospital would be using empirically-validated treatment in the patients. The APA is also considering imposing stricter sanctions for not implementing empirically-validated treatment in mental healthcare (Guimon, 2007 & Levant, 2008). Use of Empirically-validated therapy in the treatment of Borderline Personality disorder –Antidepressants and psychotherapyOne of the classical examples of Empirically-supported treatmen t has been in the case of patients suffering from borderline personality disorders (BPD). Such a patient would be affected with several symptoms including impulsiveness, hostility, self-destructive behavior, anger outbursts, projective identification, poor interpersonal relationships, long-standing fears, intolerance, mood swings, suicidal behavior, presence of comorbid disorders, etc. Such an individual may give a history of child abuse, child neglect, presence of other psychological or neurological disorders, etc.The exact cause of the disorders is not known but several factors including biological factors, genetic factors, neurochemical factors, environmental factors, etc, would be playing a major role in the development of the disorder. Borderline personality disorder may be early response mechanisms to sexual and aggressive drives (Guimon, 2007). Traditionally, no specific treatment has been available as a cure for BPD, but only management of the symptoms. Psychotherapy along w ith short term administration of medications has been traditionally been utilized.The medications utilized can only treat the symptoms of anxiety, depression and aggressiveness and cannot be utilized to treat BPD per se. Non-clinical studies have demonstrated that SSRI antidepressants, narcoleptics and mood stabilizers can help only to a certain extent in the treatment of BPD. Hospitalization may be required to treat patients with the risk of suicide or causing danger to others. Some psychiatrists may feel that hospitalization of the patient is required only for medico-legal issues.However, empirically-performed data have shown that chronic suicidal thoughts may be an expression of depression and distress and can be effectively managed through ambulatory settings. Several antidepressants, whose effect on BPD was not known before, have proved to be beneficial through empirically-validated studies. Binks et al (2007) conducted a study to determine the efficacy of several agents utiliz ed in the treatment of BPD. He found that among the antidepressants – Fluoxetine was ideal in comparison to a placebo utilized in the treatment of depression.There were not much difference between MAOIs and placebos in the treatment of BPD, and between MAOIs and antipsychotics. Antipsychotics helped only to a certain extent to reduce some mental states (Binks, 2007, & Guimon, 2007). Perry et al (1999) had conducted a comprehensive study to determine the effectiveness of several psychotherapeutic approaches in the treatment of BPD. Some of them included Interpersonal therapy, CBT and supportive psychotherapy. All forms of psychotherapy seemed to be effective in the treatment of BPD, with about one-fourth of the patients recovering every year.This rate was seven times higher than anticipated. During the early phases of treatment, psychodynamic therapy seemed to be effective, helping to build good alliances with the patient. Group therapy is today being effective in outpatient s ettings. In cognitive behavior therapy, greater emphasis is laid upon the application of one’s skill and knowledge in more fruitful outcomes. Psychoanalytical approaches are increasing being utilized to improve the strength of the ego and to experience reality more appropriately.DBT (through a Cochrane review conducted in 2007 – CA Binks et al), had been compared with other forms of treatment. Not many differences were found between DBT and other forms of treatment, but there was a reduction in parasuicidal behaviors and the general psychiatric severity. Hence today, Evidence-based drug or psychotherapeutic approaches seem to be efficient and safe in people suffering from BPD. More studies in the field of BPD need to be conducted to determine the presence of more effective and safer treatment modes (Binks, 2007, Perry, 1999 & Guimon, 2007).Use of Empirically-validated therapy in the treatment of Depression – Psychotherapy (A comparison between the traditionally utilized drugs and empirically-validated psychotherapy) Another field in which a lot of evidenced-based studies are being conducted is in the field of depression. This is soon going to be considered the second most commonest of debility and distress across the globe. In the US, more than 50 billion dollars is being spent annually in the diagnosis and treatment of depression. The loss in terms of inability to function appropriately at the workplace is much higher.Many cases of depression go untreated in the US. In the past, antidepressants have been utilized as the standard in the treatment across the US. Physicians, hospitals and insurance agencies in the US stress on the use of antidepressants in the treatment of depression. However, research today has demonstrated that there are much more effective and safer alternative treatments for depression. Drugs may be useful, but cannot be considered as the only treatment for the condition. Empirically-validated therapies can be considered as conventional, supplemental as well as alternative forms of treatments in the management of depression.Empirically-validated treatments to be utilized in the treatment of depression may be costly in the short-run, but beneficial in the long-run as they aim to relieve the symptoms and not change the character of the patient. As they would be utilized for short periods of time, the patient is encouraged to make modifications in the lifestyle. One of the important treatment modalities in the management of depression has been psychotherapy. Several modes under psychotherapy such as cognitive therapy, interpersonal therapy, behavioral therapy, etc, seem to be more effective in the treatment of depression compared to before.They have several advantages when compared to drugs. Antidepressants tend to relieve the motor symptoms of depression before the mood, whereas psychotherapy tends to improve mood before the motor symptoms. Through psychotherapy several issues such as difficulties at the workplace or home, problematic interpersonal relationships, social withdrawals, etc, can be more effectively managed compared to drugs which tend to reduce some of the physical and neurovegetative symptoms. Traumatic life events that are the root cause of depression can be more effectively managed through psychotherapy rather than medications.Psychotherapy is not only needed in the acute stages of depression, but also in the long-term, as a maintenance therapy. Cases of relapse and recurrences are found to be lower when psychotherapy has been administered. Studies have also demonstrated that combination therapy (short-term administration of medication along with long-term psychotherapy) has been very effective in the treatment of depression. Studies have shown that psychotherapy when administered alone or in combination with medication is more affective than when medication is being administered alone.Several depressive symptoms, absenteeism and disability in functioning are si gnificantly relieved following psychotherapy. Psychotherapy would help to correct the root causes of depression such as stressful work atmospheres, traumatic interpersonal relationships, fears, etc. Today, empirically-validated forms of psychotherapy can be utilized to a greater extent if they are given a go-ahead by the insurance companies and employers. In the past, these forms of treatment have been considered to be ineffective and costly.Studies have even demonstrated that patients, who suffer from depression under low lights, could benefit from phototherapy. Only some patients in the experimental group have benefitted from this treatment. Current studies have demonstrated that transcranial magnetic stimulation could be utilized as an effective alternative to ECT. But today, through evidenced-based studies more and more benefits of psychotherapy are being understood (Vaisle, 2001, Moore, 2004 & Markowitz, 2008). Use of Empirically-validated therapy in the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder –Clomipramine and SSRI’s antidepressantsObsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder in which obsessions (persistent thought and ideas) and compulsions (strange and repetitive behavior) develop. Earlier it was thought that the disorder had a very poor outcome as there was a lack of studies conducted in this area. However, today a lot of experimentations have been conducted with psychotherapy and medications utilized to treat the disorder. About one-third to half the number of patients affected with the disorder are children.The outcome of OCD is especially poor if found in association with a personality disorder. However, compared to other psychiatric disorders, the response of OCD is low to both medications and psychotherapy. Several antidepressant substances seem to be effective in treating the symptoms of OCD. One of them is Clomipramine which has through a European study found to lower obsessions. In another study, several symptoms such as anxiety, social isolation, depression, etc, were reduced when clomipramine was combined with psychotherapy.Lower doses of clomipramine were useful in treating the obsessions, but the ritualistic continued to be present. Several studies have shown that clomipramine as very useful in OCD. In another study, SSRI’s were found to be very useful in treating OCD in children. However, these drugs need to be administered in higher doses. In adults, SSRI’s seem to be not very effective in treating OCD. Overall very few drugs have been tested in the past for the treatment of OCD, and this has to change in the future (Herbert, 2001 & Goetz, 2007). Conclusion and Personal OpinionToday, practitioners should get more and more into following the empirically-validated forms of treatment in another disease, rather than the traditional model. In the past, doctors were only going by experience of what drug or therapy would be ideal to treat a particular condition. Standard forms of treatment may seem to be safe but outdated, and the patient would not be gaining the benefits of updated research work conducted in the medical field. However, today medicine is fast-paced and newer and more and more advanced forms of treatment is coming out, that also seems to be very much effective than the drugs compared to yesterday.If the practitioners use the traditional model in treating the patients, then the treatment is not going to be effective and safe. Hence, it would be ideal for the psychiatrist to use the evidenced-based findings in their practice. Through several clinical trials conducted on certain mental disorders including BPD, depression and OCD, it has been found that certain pharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions have proved to be very effective. Further trials are required to help ensure that more effective and safer therapies are understood and made available to the patients.If the clinical scientists are unable to find efficient use of a par ticular drug or psychotherapy method on the patient, it does not mean that it is ineffective for use, but rhater means further structured trials need to be conducted which would help to understand the drug better. Evidence-based and ‘empirically-validated’ are new movements that have arisen in the medical and psychiatric world today. These movements have also considered ethical, legal, moral and social implications.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Kate Chopin Response Question Help Essay

1. What features make The Awakening a â€Å"local color† story? The features that make The Awakening a â€Å"local color† story are Story points like how Edna comes in contact with creole women and how their societies differ from her own from the language, their status, and the way they express themselves, basically their community’s culture. 2. What customs and beliefs of Edna Pontellier’s society are significant in relation to her psychological development? Edna lives in a Victorian society where women are more than expected to conform to the ways of society allowing just enough independence to eradicate a sense of boredom in their repetitive daily routines of caring for their children and husband but little of themselves, however Edna holds thoughts of a romantic world deep in her heart and the meeting of the creole women like Mademoiselle Reisz, the model of what she could be, and Adà ¨le Ratignolle, the model of the life in which she refuses to accep t. Both of which propel her to change and accept her own independence. 3. What attitudes and tendencies in the Creole characters does Edna have trouble adjusting to? Edna struggled with adjusting to the creole women frankness about sex, and their desires. Initially shocking her with their ability to express themselves, Edna soon learns that their life style is the one she craves to pursue. 4. Why did Edna marry Leonce? Is he the model husband? Edna married Leonce because he was the ideal husband, hardworking could support a family, attractive and cared for his children and wife. However that’s where it stopped Leonce cared for his children and wife, loved his children but didn’t love Edna to the extent of letting her express herself rather he wanted her to conform t the life style she hated, the Victorian domestic wife. So in comparison to our society today he would not be a model husband our culture today describes marriage out of unconditional love rather than necessity. 5. What incidents in the novel reveal that he may not be a good husband for Edna? Leonce, on multiple occasions Leonce denies her claims of independence simply rejecting her ideas of herself expression ultimately creating a gap between Edna and himself a gap which would be filled by Robert. 6. How do Mlle. Reisz and Mme. Ratignolle function in  relation to Edna and the novel’s view of women as mothers and artists? In a way Mlle. Reisz and Mme. Ratignolle are two extremes; one being what Edna could be in accepting the Victorian society’s expectations of women, and the latter being the full rejection of the Victorian expectations. 7. What kind of mother is Edna? What kind of artist is she? Originally Edna was the Victorian’s ideal wife/mother only branching to art as a way of entertainment rather than expression, however she began to branch away from the norm., or rather â€Å"expected† behavior as both a mother/wife and as an artist. 8. How are the background characters such as the young lovers and the lady in black at the shore, significant in Edna’s story? The young couple and the lady in black act as identifiers of Edna’s own struggles with her own identity and status in society. The young lovers being a representation of how she imagined her romance with Leonce to be, being described as walking as equals. A feeling Edna feels she cannot hope to feel with Leonce.. The lady in black acts as an example of how a women is expected to at an older age wearing black dreary colors acting as a foreshadow of impeding death leaving a fatalistic view over the young couple’s future. 9. In detail, explain how the flashbacks to Edna’s past function. How does her father compare to the other men in her life? Her father was very strict with her as he was a protestant catholic very defined by the â€Å"norm†, however this didn’t stop him and Edna from getting along despite her claims of romantic independence. 10. How does the view of romantic love develop in the course of the novel? What is the doctor’s view of marriage and childbearing? It seems as though throughout the novel romantic loved is morphed into becoming an act of rebellion. The doctor notices her adoration for Robert, and her branching for independence however he also knows that even if he said anything there would be little Leonce could do to intervene without sparking a rebellion from Edna. It seems as though the doctor feels that both marriage and child bearing are not what necessarily define love, or a romantic relationship, something reinforced by Edna’s behavior. 11. Can you think of an emotional attachment and/or a romantic obsession you have studied in a previous work? How does that incident or character compare with Edna’s emotional and romantic relationships? A very strong emotional  attachment or obsession is apparent in Romeo & Juliet, it is similar to the awakening because on in both stories the main protagonist(s) are breaking the norm in order to pursue a romantics ideal life, even more so that they both end with suicide, leaves a pretty dark cloud over love triumphs type of writings. 12. What are the main images and symbols in the novel? The main symbols and images in the novel are: the birds, the sea, the two lovers accompanied by the lady in black, as well as the adolescent twins. 13. Why does Edna get involved with Alcee Arobin? Edna gets involved with Alcee to sate her physical desires in place of Robert, being in Mexico, and Leonce being restrained by his beliefs in society. 14. Why do you suppose critics were outraged at this novel in 1899, saying it committed â€Å"unutterable crimes against polite society† and should be labeled â€Å"poison† to protect â€Å"moral babes†? When hearing this I could only laugh as a friend of mine is very feminist and women empowered, when reading the critique’s reactions to the novels as â€Å"poison† , I came to the conclusion that they were outraged because they were either upset with Edna’s apparent likeliness to sex or her ability to easily move to other men, those critiques either saw this novel as Chopin’s way of describing the â€Å"real† woman or an over the top imagining of what every women desires, and out of jealousy of words to express simply criticized. 15. What is your reaction to the end of the novel? Do you agree or disagree with the reasons for Edna’s final action? In way I agree with her final decision, of course this does not mean I support suicide but It seems as though Edna had set herself up to never be happy in her society, and after multiple attempts to embrace this â€Å"new† culture that presented itself to her anyone she attempted to grow close to was restrained by that same society’s expectations, not willing to break the rules for her. In a way she was alone seeking a partner yet no one was reaching out as far as she was.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Mass Media and Public Attitude to Crime in Britain Essays

Mass Media and Public Attitude to Crime in Britain Essays Mass Media and Public Attitude to Crime in Britain Essay Mass Media and Public Attitude to Crime in Britain Essay An Objective inquiry by Dr. Ignatius Gwanmesia into the importance of the influence of the mass media on our attitude to crime. Introduction The British crime phobia â€Å"in part generated by sensationalist media coverage†, Kirsta (2001, p. 5); the corresponding prioritisation of crime-related debates in most party manifestos, Brand and Price, (2000, p. ); the reciprocal investigations into the impact of media messages on crime attitudes are justified on the reality that â€Å"every seconds somewhere in Britain a crime is being committed, and popular newspapers outbid one another to present ever more sensationally lurid coverage of muggings, murders and rapes† Kirsta, (1988, p. 4). While prevailing circumstances may give the impression of a crime epidemic partly due to mass media influence, pinions about direct correlates are not only polarised but problematic in validity and reliability. In analysing the mass media influence on public attitude to crime, I will start by defining ‘mass media’ and ‘crime’. Then, using the television, the newspapers and films as my mass media typologies, I will concurrently critically analyse prevailing opinions on how they impact on public attitude to crime. While the appraisal will evaluate prevailing debates, the conclusion will be a resume of dialogues developed exclusively within the essay. Based on the Harvard model, the bibliography will alphabetically credit citations made within the discourse. Definition Mass media denotes, â€Å"the methods and organization used by special social groups to convey messages to large, socially mixed and widely dispersed audiences† Trowler, (2001, p. 1). The television, newspapers, radio, cinema, mobile phones, films etc are mass media instruments employed in encoding and disseminating messages. Crime denotes â€Å"an action or omission which constitute an offence and is punishable by law† Pearsall, (1998, p. 434). The Mass media attitude-influencing debate With television as the typology, Allen, (1994, p. 37) cites the hitherto elief that â€Å"the camera never lies† to emphasise the trust or reality that majority of the public attaches to mass media messages. From a semiotic and structural perspective, Robert Allen goes on to emphasise that while mass media information are â€Å"partial, motivated, conventional and biased† (p. 38), people simply receive them as †pure information, as an unmediated signifier†. Whi le this tendency and the lack of media literacy may collude to accord consensus to â€Å"the power-wielding ability of the press to instigate public hysteria on crime†, Banks, (2001, p. 7); Trowler, (2001), the correlate between the mass media messages and crime is not only highly contentious but is a factor of a myriad of variables; age, Gunter, (1987); social class, Gray, (1992); gender, Gunter, (1995); race and ethnicity, Gillespie, (1995) and media literacy, Buckingham, (1993b). With television, the newspapers and films as typologies, the medical model perceives the mass media as the syringe, the message as what is injected and the audience as the patient. Accordingly, the influence of the media on our attitudes to crime is a factor of dosage, (the quantity, frequency and extent of exposure to mass media socialisation, Allen, (1994, p. 37); and the resilience, (audience’s selective ability rather than passive attitude to media messages). However, irrespective of our resilience, â€Å"prolonged exposure to biased media message will eventually impact on our attitudes to crime. † Lazarsfeld et al. , (1948). Some sociologists assert that, â€Å"the hypnotic power of the mass media deprives us of the capacity for critical thought. Marcuse, (1972). This is acute within contemporary techno-globalised society where audiences are incessantly bombarded with crime details or crime-explicit films. Regarding films, the murder of James Bulger was attributed to â€Å"re-enactment of scenes from ‘Child’s play 111. † Ford, (1994). Similarly, critics argue that the television, news papers and cinema have socialised aud iences into stereotyping crime so that medical conditions like mental illness are being criminalised. For example society is more predisposed to prejudge innocent mental patients culpable solely by reason of their circumstance compared to affluent criminals. Similarly, the allegation that British society is â€Å"intrinsically racist†, Donald and Rattansi, (1992, p. 4) is exemplified in media reporting that visibly seem to socialised audiences into criminalising ‘Blackness’. Here, subsequent to a fatal assault, a tabloid caption read, â€Å"Chelsea Law-abiding white male lawyer murdered by two black ‘hoodies. ’† The Sun, (2007). The resulting public hysteria and outraged evoked was indicative of the extent to which placid readers had been socialised through minds and thoughts manipulation into passive and stereotypical consumers of bias media messages. Here, the media relegated the actual criminal act of murder into insignificance while readers were manipulated into using ‘blackness’ with implications of racism as primary criteria in their evaluation of the crime. Similarly, the Telegraph headline of December 14th 1985; â€Å"Black Brixton Looters jailed† Trowler, (2001, p. 10) is typical of mass media attitude manipulation so that ‘blackness’ is perceived as synonymous with criminality. Furthermore, the newspapers and television’s preoccupation with technical efficiency at the expense of empathetic concern have socialised audience into making stars of criminals while crime victims are either negated or re-victimised. Kirsta, (1988, p. 105). For example, the social wor ker was isolated and vilified in the Victoria Climbe trails, thanks to media-audience manipulation. The media’s influence here was to manipulate the audience to scapegoat the less credential social worker as opposed to the learned consultant. As in most criminal investigations, the media became the reporter, prosecutor, judge and executioner while the audience passively consented to the media propaganda. Society’s stereotypical perception of social workers â€Å"as indecisive wimps who fail to protect children from death, or as authoritarian bullies who unjustifiably snatch children from their parent† Banks, (2001, p. 17) persist today thanks to media influence. Ultimately, until a herculean revolution is affected to change the way mass media messages are encoded and disseminated, attitudes to crime will always reciprocate and satisfy the mass media’s mind manipulation and socialisation processes. Appraisal While conservatives of the Mary Whitehouse school vilify the mass media for encouraging and â€Å"desensitizing the audience to crime and violence and other forms of deviance†, Trowler, (2001, p. 112), advocates uphold them not only as the primary means of informing the public but argue that audiences â€Å"are complicated filter mechanism that are selective in their interpretation and pplication of mass media messages. Fiske, (1986). Similarly, while this argument may provide plausible reasons to argue that the selective consumption of media messages serves to mitigate the alleged domineering influence of the mass media on public crime attitudes, Robert Allen (1994, p. 6) stressed that â€Å"despite the seemingly self-evi dent manner in which we are able to make sense of television, that ability is in fact a result of our having learned the convention of television reading. Furthermore, although Robert Allen, (1994, p. 14) says â€Å"early mass communication scholars were impressed by broadcasting’s direct, immediate and drastic effects on behaviours and attitudes†,(p. 14), in qualifying his statement, he emphasised that â€Å"the media did not tell people what to think so much as they told people what to think about. † (p. 14). Crime-wise, the debate would then be whether the mass media implicitly drives some people into committing crime or does it rather set the agenda for public discourse on crime? If as a result of the latter, mass media audiences are instigated to undertake dialogue as a result thereof, then, this must be indicative of attitudes that are the result of mass media sensitisation about crime, or counter response to media crime representations. Whatever the case, a comprehensive appraisal of the power of the mass media on crime attitude is inherently problematic since this â€Å"is an under-research phenomenon† Boyd-Barrett and Newbold, (2001, p. 118) which â€Å"operates by conventions rather than by hard-and-fast rules. † Allen, (1994, p. 49). Moreover, McQuail, (1994, p. 27) noted that â€Å"there is little agreement on the nature and extent of these assumed effects. † Nonetheless, while it is generally presumed that the mass media influence audience’s attitudes to crime and â€Å"that television cultivates people’s beliefs† Gerbner and Larry (1976), counter argument asserts that â€Å"an individual’s attitude o r predisposition can modify or sometimes completely distort the meaning of a given mass media message† Boyd-Barrett and Newbold, (2001, p. 127). Furthermore, from an entertainment or escapist perspective, it is argued that television â€Å"is not supposed to be taken seriously. Allen, (1994, p. 4). The issue here is the proportion of mass media audience that are objective enough to discern facts from fiction. Nevertheless, the reality with mass media dependency as our primary source of information or entertainment is that, our attitudes to crime will always mirror some of the shortcomings of the media’s encoding and dissemination processes. Bearing in mind the fact that being a capitalist society where profit-making supersedes ethical and moral values, the various attitudes to crime are factors of vested interest as well as one’s social class within the prevailing economic structure. Research-wise the media’s quest to galvanise readership by stressing the scale rather than the true extent of crime â€Å"is neither ethically acceptable nor logical. † Ennew, (1996, p. 12). Conclusion. In the contemporary techno-globalised world where audiences are not only mass media-dependent for information, Banks, (2001); Trowler, (2001), but are incessantly bombarded with crime minutiae, there is consensus that our attitudes to crime will reciprocate these realities. Banks, (2001); Brand and Price, (2000). However, the extent to which these attitudes are a consequence of media socialisation and manipulation is dependent on a myriad of inter-related variables; age, Gunter, (1987); social class, Gray, (1992); gender, Gunter, (1995); race and ethnicity, Gillespie, (1995) and media literacy, Buckingham, (1993b); There is also consensus that the public’s habitual moral panic and knee-jerk attitudes of indignation, detestation, and sometimes mass hysteria to emotive crime-reporting are usually instigated by sensational reporting â€Å"to increase readership rather than transmit facts. Kirsta, (1988). Nonetheless some critics argue that â€Å"the mass media, rather than changing attitudes, serves to confirm those attitudes already held by audience. † Trowler, (2001, p. 64). Furthermore, the apparent media’s influence on crime attitude is mitigated on the assumption that majority of the public are rationally selective in their consumption of media messages. Fiske, (1986). Holistically, â€Å"the lack of systematic researches into the exact impact of the mass media on our attitudes to crime†, Boyd-Barrett and Newbold, (2001, p. 18), is colluding with other factors to render it necessary to question the reliability and validity of prevailing opinions. Allen, (1994). Thus, until the relevant mechanism is established to address this deficiency, related analysis will forever be shrouded in relativities? Bibliography Allen, R. (1994) Channels of Discourse, Reassembled: television and contemporary criticism 2nd edn. London: Routledge. Banks, S. (2001) Ethics and Values in Social Work. Hampshire: Palgrave. Boyd-Barrett, O. and Newbold, C. (2001) Approaches to Media: A Reader. Tunbridge Wells: Gray Publishing. Brand, S. and Price, R. (2000) The Economic and Social Cost of Crime. London: Home Office Research Study. 217. Buckingham, D. (1993b) Reading Audiences: Young People and the Media. Manchester: UP Ennew et al, (1996) Children and Prostitution: How Can we Measure and Monitor the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children? Literature Review and Annotated Bibliography. New York: UNICEF. Fiske, J. (1986) Television: polysemy and popularity, Critical Studies in Mass Communication. Vol, 3. Ford, M. (1994). Sight and Sound. London: BFI. Gerbner, G. And Larry, G. (1976) Living with Television: The Violence Profile. Journal of Communication, Vol. 26, No. 2. Gillespie, M. (1995) Television, Ethnicity and Cultural Change. London: Routledge. Grays, A. (1992) Video Playtime. London: Routledge. Gunter, B. (1997) Children and the fear of crime. London: Libbey. Gunter, B. (11995) Television and Gender: Representation. London: John Libbey. Katz, E. (1979) On Conceptualising Media Effects. Leuven: Catholic University. Kirsta, A. (1988) Victims: Surviving the aftermath of violent crime. London: Hutchison Ltd. Klapper, J. T (1960) The Effect of Mass Communication. New York: Free Press. Lazarsfeld, P. F. Et al. (1948) The People’s Choice. Columbia: Columbia University Press. Marcuse, H. (1972) The One Dimensional Man. London: Abacus. McQuail, D. (1994) Mass Communication Theory: An Introduction, 3rd edn. London: Sage. Pearsall, J. (1998). The New Oxford Dictionary of English. Oxford: Oxford University Press. The Sun, (2007). Chelsea Law-abiding white male lawyer murdered by two black ‘hoodies. ’ London: The Sun Newspaper. Trowler, P. (1998) Investigating Mass Media. London: Collins Educational.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Overview and Explanation of an Alford Plea

Overview and Explanation of an Alford Plea In the law of the United States, an Alford plea (also called a Kennedy plea in West Virginia)Â  is a plea in criminal court. In this plea, the defendant does not admit the act and asserts innocence, but admits that sufficient evidence exists with which the prosecution could likely convince a judge or jury to find the defendant guilty. Origin of the Alford Plea The Alford Plea originated from a 1963 trial in North Carolina. Henry C. Alford was on trial for first-degree murder and insisted that he was innocent, despite three witnesses who said they heard him say he was going to kill the victim, that he got a gun, left the house and returned saying he had killed him. Although there were no witnesses to the shooting, the evidence strongly indicated that Alford was guilty. His lawyer recommended that he plead guilty to second-degree murder in order to avoid being sentenced to death, which was the likely sentence he would receive in North Carolina at that time. At that time in North Carolina, an accused who pled guilty to a capital offense could only be sentenced to life in prison, whereas, if the accused took his case to a jury and lost, the jury could vote for the death penalty. Alford pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, stating to the court that he was innocent, but only pleading guilty so that he would not receive the death penalty. His plea was accepted and he was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Alford later appealed his case to federal court, saying that he was coerced into pleading guilty out of fear of the death penalty. I just pleaded guilty because they said if I didnt, they would gas me for it, wrote Alford in one of his appeals. The 4th Circuit Court ruled that the court should have rejected the plea which was involuntary because it was made under fear of the death penalty. The trial court verdict was then vacated. The case was next appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which held that for the plea to be accepted, the defendant must have been advised that his best decision in the case would be to enter a guilty plea. The Court ruled that the defendant can enter such a plea when he concludes that his interests require a guilty plea and the record strongly indicates guilt. The Court allowed the guilty plea along with a plea of innocence only because there was enough evidence to show that the prosecution had a strong case for a conviction, and the defendant was entering such a plea to avoid this possible sentencing. The Court also noted that even if the defendant could have shown that he would not have entered a guilty plea but for the rationale of receiving a lesser sentence, the plea itself would not have been ruled invalid. Because evidence existed that could have supported Alfords conviction, the Supreme Court ruled that his guilty plea was permitted while the defendant himself still maintained that he was not guilty. Alford died in prison in 1975. Implications Upon receiving an Alford plea from a defendant, the court may immediately pronounce the defendant guilty and impose sentence as if the defendant had otherwise been convicted of the crime. However, in many states, such as Massachusetts, a plea which admits sufficient facts more typically results in the case being continued without a finding and later dismissed. It is the prospect of an ultimate dismissal of charges which engenders most pleas of this type. Relevance In the law of the United States, an Alford plea is a plea in criminal court. In this plea, the defendant does not admit the act and asserts innocence, but admits that sufficient evidence exists with which the prosecution could likely convince a judge or jury to find the defendant guilty. Today Alford pleas are accepted in every U.S. state except Indiana, Michigan and New Jersey and the United States military.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Strategic Management of Cooper Industries Case Study

Strategic Management of Cooper Industries - Case Study Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that Cooper Industries had always been aggressive in its diversification strategies as a means to add value to its manufacturing. While the period from 1967- 1970 was marked by the acquisition of related industries, Cooper industries grew from diversification by acquiring unrelated industries in the year 1980. Cooper Industries considered situations of crisis as opportunities and thus followed three basic principles while deciding upon acquisitions: the target company should be a market leader, the target company should be stable and has a good market for its offerings, the acquisition should make Cooper Industries a market leader in the respective industry. In its diversification regime, Cooper Industries had suffered both profits and losses. For instance, the acquisitions of hand tools, Gardner-Denver and Crouse-Hinds supplied diversification revenues while Dresser and Carrier and Black and Decker resulted in loss conditions. Thus, deciding upon the acquisition of Cameron Iron Works and Champion Spark Plugs is a dicey situation for it where it has to analyze its strengths, weakness and other factors which can provide efficiency without raising the debt burden. Over a period of thirty years, Cooper Industries acquired almost 60 manufacturing companies to add on to its manufacturing expertise. This not only made it independent of the external environmental pressures but also provided diversified revenue base where the sale of one segment compensated for another during tough times. Its organizational strategy was also aligned to the business strategy where every single acquisition was first closely analyzed and then acquired. Its MD&P (Management Development & Planning) division constantly worked on acquisitions to eliminate poor performing or redundant product lines and integrates the acquired business into its own. In these efforts, even relocation of acquired companies plants or reorganizing the staff made all the acq uired companies its profit centers. In order to gain a better understanding of its internal and external environment, the SWOT analysis puts the light.