Unit 6 Seminar Public Health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Unit 6 Seminar Public Health - Essay Example In addition, barrier protections have been a routine part of all health care institutions in reducing the spread of disease. Riegelman (2010) define immunization as the introduction of antibodies/vaccine to strengthen the immune system and to prevent or control diseases (102). Immunizations are essential to the protection of the public because it prevent infection from bacterial and viral diseases, provide either short/long-term immunity, may effectively control outbreak, and can control 70-90% of substantial population with infections from contagious viruses. On the other hand, a number of disadvantages were also noted, among of which are: some diseases such as HIV/AIDS may not have effective vaccines, immunizations are rarely 100% effective particularly among the young and the old and can produce side effects such as allergic reactions, live vaccines may cause injury to fetus or diseases to those with reduced immunity, and immunizations through inactivated vaccine may not produce long-term immunity and thus requires follow-up vaccines/boosters. Barrier protections also include isolation and quarantine. Isolation refers to the separation of the individuals with diseases from healthy population in order to prevent exposure (Riegelman, 2010, 102). Isolation and quarantine have the advantage of controlling the spread of a number of infections and serve as the basic strategies for controlling communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. However, isolation and quarantine may possibly break confidentiality of contacts’ information due to identification of individuals with diseases and follow-up of contacts. It may also lead to public recognition and social stigma placed upon affected individuals. Barrier protections such as immunizations, isolation, and quarantine encompass treatment of those with disease and their contacts and are all essential comprehensive

US covert action Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

US covert action - Essay Example programs and policies abroad that are not apparent or acknowledged publicly. Whether it is a realistic expectation for U.S. to continue with covert action? There is no realistic expectation that U.S. can continue with covert actions without been discovered. Covert action remains a third option for American foreign policy beyond the initial two options of diplomacy and combat. On covert action, the CIA can be regarded as damned when they do, and damned when they do not. Can one expect the U.S. hand to remain "hidden" even if the action is discovered? Covert actions details activities of the U.S. government to influence political, military, or economic conditions abroad. The U.S. government conceals its responsibility based on the justification that the U.S. responsibility would render an operation infeasible. The core objective of covert action rests on influencing events overseas secretly and in support of U.S. foreign policy.2 The U.S. would be overly optimistic for its hand to rema in â€Å"hidden† even if the action is discovered.... For instance, if Israel was to admit having a nuclear program, such an action can trigger a nuclear arms race within the Middle East, who may feel threatened by Israel. Plausible deniability or the non-attribution to the U.S. for its covert operations makes it impossible to trace back to their point of origin. Plausible deniability is pertinent in protecting the U.S., and it operatives’ from the consequences of disclosures. Measures to make covert action a continued viable policy? Covert action is a necessary, but controversial instrument for U.S. foreign policy. The government should undertake covert actions only if: the intentions and objectives are concisely spelled out, just, and reasonable; there is a reasonable possibility of success; the methods envisaged are commensurate with the objectives; and, due deliberation undertaken with the full knowledge and concurrence of appropriate constituents. Question 2: (A) What was the objective of each operation? The overthrow of Mos sadeq in Iran (1953) arose when Kermit Roosevelt and few other CIA operatives orchestrated a successful coup against Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadeq the U.S perceived as becoming allied with Iran’s Soviet-dominated Tudeh Party. Roosevelt secured the hesitant support of the Shah dismissing Mossadeq. Zahedi, a highly ranking officer, selected to lead the coup.5 In the wake of the success of the Iranian operation, the CIA also orchestrated a combination of both military and psychological pressures to force leftist Guatemala president, Jacobo Arbenz from office in 1954. The operation (labeled as Operation BPSUCCESS) utilized an invasion by a ragtag â€Å"liberation† army, fictional arms drops, psychologically effective CIA air attacks, and disinformation disseminated to prompt

Effect of Oxidative Stress on HAGE Expression

Effect of Oxidative Stress on HAGE Expression Cancer is a group of diseases which involves uncontrolled cell growth, metastasis and invasion of cells to other tissues via lymph node or blood. Cancer is caused by many factors such as (i) Chemicals such as tobacco, alcohol, asbestos etc., (ii) Viral infections such as Human Papiloma Virus, Epstin Barr Virus, hepatitis B, C etc., (iii) Ionizing radiations such as X-Rays, UV-Rays, Gamma Rays etc., (iv) Hereditary factors such as mutations in BRCA 1 and BRCA 2, p53 mutations, APC gene mutations, Retinoblastoma gene mutation etc., (v) Hormones which promote growth proliferation such as growth hormones, estrogen, progesterone etc. Cancer is classified into malignant and benign tumours. Malignant tumours are mostly liquid tumours which metastasize to other tissues via lymph node and blood. Benign tumours are mostly solid tumours which stay at one particular tissue and seldom migrate. Malignant and Benign tumours are re classified on the type of cell and tissue from which they originate. They are classified as follows: i) Carcinomas: These are the malignancies of the epithelial cells, which line the internal organs of the body and also present on the surface the body such as skin. ii) Sarcomas: These are solid tumours present in connective tissues such as bones and lymph systems (Crowley 2006) Furthermore the tumours are classified according to (i) site of origin as in lung cancer, breast cancer etc., (ii) type of cell such as rhabdomyosarcoma and acute lymphocytic leukaemia. (Ruddon 2007) The progression from a normal cell to malignant one involves the dysregulation of genes implicated in the control of normal proliferation / death over many years. These are normal functions regulated by proto-oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes. Proto-Oncogene And Tumour Suppressor Gene Protooncogene is found to be normally expressed in all vertebrates including humans. It is also found to be expressed in some insects and yeasts. Protooncogenes play an important role regulating normal cell growth and differentiation. They also perform functions such as signal transduction and mitogenic signal execution RAS, MYC, TRK, ERK are some examples of protooncogenes (Novakofski 1991). Oncogenes are derived from protooncogenes during the process of carcinogenesis. The formation of active oncogene leads to abnormal cell proliferation and thus contributes to the formation of tumour (Alitalo and Schwab 1986). A protooncogene can be converted into an oncogene in a variety of ways such as (i)Transduction induced by retroviruses which cause the integration viral DNA with the host. This DNA on translation give rise to viral proteins which cause the activation of protooncogene, thereby leading to cancer. (ii) Mutation within the protooncogene leading to an increased activity of the pr otein. (iii) chromosomal translocation where the gene for proto oncogene is translocated to other loci, which cause its abnormal expression. For eg in the translocation of abl in chromosome 9 to bcr region chromosome 22 as found in Philadelphia chromosome (Rowley 1973) (iv) Amplification induced by gene duplication, mis-regulation of gene which leads to overexpression of protooncogenes. (Todd and Munger 1999) Unlike oncogenes, the tumour suppressor genes normally inhibit cell growth in variety of ways such as (i) repressing the genes important for cell cycle progression. For eg., pRb (retinoblastoma ) controls the G1 stage by being hypophosphoryated and not allowing the release of transcription factor E2F which promotes G1-S transition. (ii) Stopping cell cycle on detecting DNA damage. DNA damage induces p53 which now leaves from its interacting partner Mdm2 and increases the activity of p21. This p21 protein then inactivates cyclin dependent kinases which are essential for cell cycle progression, (iii) Apoptosis may also be promoted by p53 when damage is irreversible. (iv) inducing DNA repair proteins to repair DNA damage and prevent abnormal cell proliferation. (Yoshida, et al. 2000) There are a number of mechanisms by which a cancer cell survives in a body. This is illustrated in the diagram below.(Weinberg and Hanahan, 2000) Treatment The choice of therapy depends upon the location and stage / grade of the tumour, as well as the health of the patient. There are a number of therapies for treating cancer such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiaotherapy, hormonal therapy etc., The deregulation of many genes in cancer cells leads to the over-expression of altered proteins which can be used as biomarker which can provide help for the diagnosis and / prognosis of the treatment but can also be used as potential target for immunotherapy. Cancer antigens and their classification Tumour antigen is an antigenic substance produced in the tumour cells and triggers an immune reaction in the host. They are useful in identifying tumour cells and are used in cancer therapy. Tumour antigens are classified as Cancer testis antigen, Differentiation antigens, Tumour specific unique antigens, Overexpressed Self Antigens, Viral antigens, Post-translationally, Oncofoetal antigens, Idiotypic Antigens as shown in the table below Copied from (Li, et al. 2005) Amongst all these categories, cancer testis antigen represent the most promising group of antigen to be used in future immunotherapeutic interventions due to their restricted expression to mainly to tumour cells with the exception of placenta and testis which are immune-privileged sites and therefore would not pose any real issue for the risk of autoimmunity.(Simpson, et al. 2005) HAGE HAGE also known as DDX43 and CT13 antigen belongs to this category of antigens and was first identified by Martelange et al using cDNA subtraction approach of a human sarcoma cell line.(Martelange, et al. 2000)Using rational hybrid analysis, it was found that HAGE gene is located on chromosome 6. HAGE was found to be overexpressed in several tumours. There is a low expression of HAGE in normal tissues since the expression is regulated by hypermethylation HAGE is also over expressed in tissues such as testis, placenta, and ovaries. HAGE is usually expressed at the m-RNA level though recent studies in melanoma cells suggest that HAGE could also be expressed at the protein level.(Mathieu, et al. 2010) The name DDX43 comes from the fact that HAGE also belongs to another group of protein known as Dead box proteins and referred to as DDX43. (Abdelhaleem 2004) Dead box proteins These proteins were discovered in the late 1980s. (Gorbalenya, et al. 1989)Dead box proteins belong to the family of RNA helicases and play an important role in the transcription, post transcriptional modifications such as splicing, transport, translation, decay and biogenesis of ribosomes. NTP hydrolysis provides energy to these enzymes and they unwind dsRNA or disrupt RNA-Protein interaction. DDX and DHX are widely studied Dead Box Proteins. There are many classes of DDX and HAGE belongs to DDX43. They are so named because they contain the amino acids D-E-A-D (Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp) in one of their motifs namely Motif II. Besides they also contain motifs such as motif I, Q-motif, motif VI, motif Ia, Ib, III, IV and V as shown in the diagram below. These motifs bestow properties such as ATP binding and hydrolysis, RNA interaction, remodelling activity etc to these proteins. The consensus sequence of DEAD box family is shown below Copied from (Linder 2006) Regulation and Function of HAGE Both function and regulation of HAGE have not been studied in great detail (Scanlan, Simpson and Old 2004). In normal tissues HAGE expression is regulated by DNA hypermethylation, Histone modifications such as histone aceylation, histone deacylation and histone methylation. However in cancer, there could be many mechanisms of upregulation of HAGE. The most commonly thought mechanism is the demethylation of DNA which leads to HAGE over-expression. (Roman-Gomez, et al. 2007) HAGE could also be induced due to transformation of normal cells during cancer or due to the action of oncogenes. HAGE might also be induced randomly. HAGE may play a role in pre-mRNA splicing, ribosome biogenesis, transcription and initiation of translation. (Rocak and Linder 2004) This project will focus on Head and Neck Cancer. Head and Neck Cancer Head and Neck cancer are the cancers that arise from the upper aerodigestive tract such as nasal cavity, oral cavity, pharynx, larynx and paranasal sinuses. Most of them are of squamous cell carcinoma type of the head and neck and have been given the acronym -SCCHN or HNSCC. (Argiris, et al. 2008). The diagram of the anatomy of the head and neck is illustrated below Copied from (Wu, et al. 2009) More than half a million patients are diagnosed with head and neck cancer every year. Head and Neck cancer in fact accounts for more than 3-10% of the cancers(Gourin and McMains 2005). Smoking, alcohol, chewing of betel leaf with tobacco and areca are the major risk factors for this cancer. Recently, HPV type 16 has been identified as one of the causes for head and neck cancer and account for 40% (Goodger and McGurk 2000) The progression of this tumour is complicated. It progresses from the normal features to hyperplasia, mild dysplasia, moderate dysplasia, severe dysplasia, carcinoma, invasive carcinoma and metastasis. The progression may be caused by due to genetic instabilities such as loss of heterozygosity of chromosome 9p21, inactivation of of p16 and loss of 3p, loss of 18q, inactivation of PTEN, some translocations, 17Beta heterozygosity or TP53 mutation. (Argiris, et al. 2008) Copied from (Argiris, et al. 2008) Interestingly HAGE was found the John van Geest group to be overexpressed in 40% of HNSCC cancers (unpublished data) and although much of its function is now emerging no information exist at the moment regarding the regulation of its expression. However it has been observed that cells left for longer period of time in the incubator had a significantly higher expression of HAGE at the mRNA and protein level. Aim of this project The observation that HAGE was over-expressed in 40% of HNSCC led to hypothesis that cells under stress i.e lack of nutrients, decrease oxygen level, as well as other factors influence HAGE expression. Moreover it has been found that HAGE is also expressed in 20% of Acute Myeloid Leukemia and 50% Chronic Myeloid Leukemia as well as many solid tumours such as HNSCC (Adams, et al. 2002). This suggests that there must be something in common between these 2 very different forms of cancer. CML and solid tumours are known to have a high expression of reactive oxygen species (ROS), therefore it might be possible that ROS induces HAGE expression. Thus this project will focus on the effect of oxidative stress has on HAGE expression. The effect of other stress such as temperature may also be investigated. METHODS Cell Culture The PCI 13 and PCI 30 cell lines would be supplied by Prof E Tatour. These cell lines are specific for Head and Neck cancer. The cells would be grown in RPMI 1640 +10%(v/v) FCS+2mM L-glutamine and incubated at 37oC and 5%C02 atmosphere. Extraction of m-RNA The culture media would be removed and washed with DPBS(Dulbeccos phosphate buffer saline). Then DPBS will be removed followed by the addition of RNA-STAT 60. RNA pellets would be then retrieved and re-suspended in ddH2O. RNA extracted is then quantified using NANODROP 8000 UV spectrophotometer. RNA would be then added in measurement wells of the spectrophotometer. The spectrophotometer would be read at 260 and 280nm and the amount of RNA will be calculated. The RNA concentration is calculated in  µg/ µl before being adjusted to 1 µg/ µl by ddH2O. RNA samples would be then stored at -80oC and used for conducting RT-PCR and RTq-PCR in the future. RT-PCR (Reverse Transcriptase PCR) From the extracted RNA cDNA will be synthesized. 2  µg of RNA sample will be mixed with 1  µl of oligo-dT primers and diluted to 15  µl of ddH20 in an Eppendorf tube. All RNA samples would follow the same process. UNO Thermoblock will be used to heat the tubes to 70 °C for 5 min which allows the primer-RNA annealing. 10  µl of reverse transcriptase mix, which will be prepared by mixing Muloney Murine Leukemia Virus 5-X buffer, dNTPs, RNasin RNAse inhibitor, M-MLV-reverse transcriptase and ddH20. The tubes will be then pre-heated in a water bath at 39.2 °C for 80 min which allows cDNA synthesis. Tubes will be removed and kept again in the UNO-Thermoblock and heated to 95 °C for five minutes which stops the reaction. These tubes would be stored at -20 °C for future use. Real Time qPCR cDNA generated from RT PCR will be used as a template and the reagents used will be (i) 6.25 µl iQ Sybr Green, (ii) 0.5 µl gene specific sense primer (iii) 0.5 µl gene specific anti-sense primer, (iv) 4.75  µl ddH20 and 0.5 µl cDNA template. These reagent mixtures will be added to all tubes for a specific gene. Samples will be usually carried out in duplicate with a negative control that contains the reaction mixture without cDNA. Rotogene 6000 real-time qPCR analyser will be used to carry out RT qPCR. Relative gene expression using 2ΔCT method will be calculated with the help of the expression of housekeeping genes HPRT-1, HSP-27 and HSP-90. The primers which will be used in real time qPCR experiment is given below. These primers are supplied by mwg-Eurofins. The primers have a stock concentration of 100pmol/ µl and will be diluted to a working concentration of 10pmol/ µl. From this working 0.5 µl (5pM) of primers will be used. Total Protein extraction Cells will be grown to 75% confluence in T75 flasks. Cells will be trypsinised, washed and re-suspended in DPBS and these cells will be then counted using trypan blue. Cells will be diluted to 1X106/ml using DPBS and 5 X106 cells would be taken in a 1.5ml eppendorf. Centrifugation will be done to pellet the cells. The supernatant will be discarded and lysis buffer containing a cocktail of RIPA buffer and 10% protease inhibitor will be added to the pellet. The eppendorf tube will be then placed on a tube rotator at 4 °C for 30 min. It will be then kept on ice for 30 min. Cells will be again centrifuged at 14000 RPM for 30 min at 4 °C. Aliquot of the supernatant will be prepared to be stored at -20 °C for future use. Total Protein Assay Total protein assay will be carried out using BioRad Dc protein assay reagents. Series of dilutions (0.2,0.4,0.5,0.8,1.0,1.5,2.0mg/ml) will be created using stock BSA solution with the concentration of 10 mg/ml. Protein extracts and standards would be tested in triplicates and duplicates respectively. Assays will be performed in 96-well round bottom plates. 25 µl and 200  µl of reagent A and B will be added to all the samples and the samples will be incubated at room temperature for an hour. Proteins will be then read at 750nm and their concentrations would be calculated based on the standard values. Western Blotting 30  µl of sample will be loaded into the wells of SDS PAGE gels. 1X tris-glycine-SDS will be used as the running buffer. A known molecular weight ladder will also be run alongside the samples. Initially 70V current will be applied to aid the migration of proteins through the 5% stacking gel. Once the proteins reach the 10% separating gel, 90V current will be applied. After the proteins run through the gel, they will be transferred to the PVDF membrane with the help of liquid transfer. This membrane will be prepared by washing with 10% methanol for 5 seconds, ddH2O for 5 min and transfer buffer for 10 min. Liquid transfer will be carried out using the following steps. 1. Cold transfer buffer will be used to immerse a gel frame. To this gel frame a sponge pre soaked in transfer buffer will be placed Then a filter card, gel, PVDF membrane, another filter card and a second pre soaked buffer sponge will be placed in order starting from the first filter card. Proteins will be transferred with the help of electric current of 100V applied for one hour. After completion, membranes will be cut and treated with different antibodies.10% (w/v) Marvel milk solution will be used to wash the membrane for one hour at room temperature. This washing blocks the non-specific binding sites. The blocking solution will be then discarded and the antibody diluted to 10% (w/v) in Marvel milk solution will be added. This antibody coated membrane will be agitated overnight on a plate rocker at 4 °C. The next day there would be 3, 10 min washes with TSBT(Tris-Buffered Saline-Tween-20). During these washes the membrane vessel will be agitated in plate orbital shaker at room temperature. After completing the washing process, a secondary antibody specific to the primary antibody will be added. The steps for adding the secondary antibody are same as the primary antibody addition except for the fact that no overnight incubation is required and the secondary antibody will be incubated only for one hour while being agitated on the shaker at room temperature. The marker will also be stained using streptavidin-HRP secondary antibody. After performing the above step the membranes will be developed. Membrane development will be performed by placing the membrane in a tray and washing it with ECL reagent. The membrane would be then exposed for a certain period of time using CCD camera. Assay for ROS-DCFDA Stress Test Stock Solution Preparation The stock solution of Hanks Buffered Salt Solution (HBSS)will be prepared according to the manufacturers protocol. DCFDA(2,7-dchlorofluoroscein -diacetate) Assay To test ROS levels DCFDA test will be performed. Before conducting the DCFDA assay, the standardization of optimum concentrations of H2O2 and DCFDA for detecting cell stress should be performed. It is important to note that H2O2 should be added only sub-lethally and should not be added in proportion which may cause cell death. The PCI 13 and 30 cells will be plated out in two 24 well plates. 1ml of each type of cells plus RPM1640 10% FCS media will be added to 8 wells per plate and will be incubated overnight at 37 °C. The media will be removed the next day and increasing concentration of DCFDA will be added to both plates and the cells will be incubated with Tinfoil wrapping to prevent light exposure and incubated at 37oC for 30 min. The cells will be then washed and then cold HBSS will be added. After this step the cells will be stressed with increasing concentration of H2O2 (see diagram below). The cells will then be again wrapped in tin foil and placed on a rocking platform for 15 min. The same method will be followed for treating other wells with different concentrations of DCFDA. Experiments will be performed at least twice for each cell line. H2O2 will be removed after 15 min and cells will be trypsinised with 100microL trypsin and Versene. 800 microL of DPBS will be added to one of the 2 wells an d will be pipetted thoroughly so as to remove the cells from the well surface. This will be then transferred to the other well and then 1ml of solution would be transferred to Flow associated cell cytometry (FACS) tube for analysis. The same procedure will be carried for other sets of wells. DCFDA fluorescence would be measured using Gallios flow cytometer and results would be analysed in Kaluza program. Time Line For The Project During the month of May, all techniques such as Western Blotting, mRNA/protein extraction, Real Time PCR will be learnt. This time is indicated in red colour in the graph below. This will overlap with the time duration, from May to the end of June, during which hydrogen peroxide experiment will be performed as per written in the method section and the expression of HAGE will be monitored at both the mRNA and protein level. Also from the start of June to the end of July repeat experiments will be performed and if time permits, the effect of thermal stress on HAGE expression will also be investigated. This is indicated in the graph below. SUMMARY Cancer Testis Antigens (CTA) are antigens that are expressed in a variety of tumours. They are usually absent in normal tissues with the exception of testis and placenta where they are expressed as self tolerant antigens. Since these antigens have strong immunogenicity and their expression is mostly restricted to tumours, they are ideal targets for cancer immunotherapy. Therefore much research is ongoing for the identification of CTA. Recently helicase antigen HAGE was identified as a CTA and was found to be over-expressed in HSNSCC, AML and CML. Thus there might be a common link between these different types of cancers. Moreover ROS is known to be induced in all these tumours and it may be possible that ROS causes increased expression of HAGE. Thus the aim of this project would be to investigate the effect of oxidative stress on HAGE expression. HAGE expression would be analysed both at the m-RNA and protein level in two cell lines namely PCI 13 and PCI 30 using techniques such as m-RNA extraction, RT PCR, Western Blotting and Protein assay. The ROS level would be evaluated using the DCFDA assay. Since the mechanism of HAGE regulation is unknown, positive result in the project would help in elucidating a mechanism by which HAGE could be regulated.

Passionate Learning :: Philosophy Psychology Education Essays

Passionate Learning To lack [self-respect] is to be locked within oneself, paradoxically incapable of either love or indifference.....It is the phenomenon sometimes called 'alienation from self.' In it's advanced stage, we no longer answer the telephone, because someone might want something; that we could say no without drowning in self-reproach is an idea alien to this game. -Joan Didion, "On Self-Respect" Last Spring, as part of a senior project, I took Tai Chi classes and researched how meditation is used in mind/body medicine. I read several books by doctors who use meditation as a form of healing, in stress-reduction clinics and as treatment for people suffering from severe pain and panic disorders. One doctor in particular, Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn teaches a method he calls mindfulness, in which he has his patients meditate in order to achieve total mind/body awareness. Zinn instructs patients to focus on their pain and to become aware of it. This often helps them realize that they can live with their pain. No pain is too extreme, he says, in the same way that no emotion is a wrong emotion. Awareness is the only absolute, and the only thing that allows people to live in the moment. Not live for the moment, but live in the moment. I left that project feeling extremely aware and extremely at peace. After three years of struggling to find answers, happiness, and a sense of purpose, I began to appreciate my present state of mind. I began to revel in the struggle, confusion, and push of not knowing. And as I approached graduation, my high school experience suddenly made sense to me. I understood life as a system of games. High school was simply one of them. I came to realize that playing games was both understandable and necessary as long as we are aware that we are playing them. I realized that a major struggle throughout high school had been my struggle to resist playing its game. I spent my three years at boarding school governed by my passions rather than playing by the rules of the institution. And in refusing to play by its rules, I made it increasingly more difficult for me to function within its realm. By rules, I do not mean the actual do's and don't's, but rather, I am referring to the prompts the school sets up in order to fulfill its goals as an academic institution.

Class mobility

Classes have been studied under five classifications and similarly castes have classified under eight categories and both are socially viable. Absolute mobility has been used to study intergenerational social mobility and after allowing for structural changes, relative mobility has been analyzed by using odds ratio. Finally to study the effect of castes/community on social mobility logistic regression have been used with access to salariat class destination as dependent variable and class origins and castes as independent variables.To look t the trends over time, five year birth cohort data have been used with focus on father's occupation to avoid any impact of life-cycle process. Since India has gone through various social economic changes over years, like a capitalist country it is expected to become more open with greater equality of opportunities after liberalization of post 1980s. Therefore, equality of opportunity should rise along with a rise in absolute mobility. Discussion t o patterns of intergenerational mobility of men and women is limited only to paid employment.Paper pointed out that proportion of Indian labour in trade, manufacture and services has risen but the largest workforce participation still remains in agriculture. There has been an increasing room at the top and agricultural workers and farmer's participation has declined over time. More women as compared to men remain in agricultural occupations. Also, the occupational change has been there prior to liberalization. Therefore, we do not see any impact of modernization in the changing occupational patterns.Crosstabs of NES data between classes of father and respondent clearly shows a stable intergenerational society for both men and women. A trend analysis of absolute mobility shows decreasing upward mobility and increasing downward mobility as opposed to our hypothesis. Trends in inequality of opportunity calculated by using odds ratio and then by log linear model (appropriate way to test for increasing fluidity) shows a clear pattern of increasing inequality of opportunity both in agriculture and informal sector but grater in farming sector.A higher odds ratio of armer: salariat than manual: salariat ratio points out some sectoral barriers in addition to class barriers. Also, the movement between farming and salariat Jobs is harder for women. Overall there has been little demonstrable increase in equality of opportunity in Indian society. When the impact of castes was analysed is was seen that by using the logit regression and recoding castes in eight distinctive categories no clear trend could be observed for both men and women. Rather the father's class nas been a strong determining tactor tor access to salaried class destinations.Surprisingly India which is a caste based society and policies of reservation are also based on castes, it is the class which determines the upward social mobility. Caste reservation does not seen to have benefitted the SCS and STs as m ight have been hoped. CRITIC The paper in the beginning explained various modernization theses and asking research questions based on demand and supply side issues. It was said that we explore these various possibilities in remainder of the chapter. But the whole focus was concentrated only on class and lastly caste analyses.Competitive market, formalized recruitment procedure and equality of condition were not incorporated as results of modernization as per my understanding. I am not aware though if such a method is possible. Secondly, not undertaking the marital social mobility of women has been considered a limitation in the study but since the paper looks at the social mobility in terms of access to salarit Jobs, marriage of a women to a higher class individual than her father does indicate a net upward social mobility of her living tandard but not her chances of getting a better Job.Even if this argument doen't sounds good then a social mobility through marriage is not in any c ase an indicator of modernization of society. Lastly, in the birth cohort method, one has to self calculated roughly where exactly the period of liberalization has been shown on the table or graph. Since our focus is on modernization, had there been a mention of period of liberalization along the birth years it would have been easy to anlyze the changes before and after the liberalization.

Chapter 9

Chapter 9 closing case Ashford University BUS 650 Managerial Finance When should Bunyan Lumber, harvest the forest? The cash flow will grow at the inflation rate of 3. 7%. Utilizing the real cash flow formula (1+R) =v (1+R)(1+H) 1. 10 = (1+R)(1. 037) R= 6. 08% The conservation funds are anticipated to grow slower than the inflation rate. The return for the conservation fund will be, (1+R) = (1+R) (1+H) 1. 10 = (1+R) (1. 032) R= 6. 5% The cash flow from the thinning process is as follow, Cash flow from thinning = Acres thinned x cash flow per acre Cash flow from thinning = 7,500 ($1,200) Cash flow from thinning = $9,000,000 Thinning beyond the initial thinning is conducted on a schedule and can be included. After tax cost of the conservation fund will be, After tax conservation fund cost = (1†C. 35) ($250,000) After tax conservation fund cost = $162,500 For each analysis the cost and revenue are; Revenue [ E (% of grade )(harvest per acre)(value of board game)](acres harvested) (1†C defect rate) Tractor cost = (Cost MBF)(MBF per acre)(acres) Road cost = (Cost MBF)(MBF per acre)(acres) Sale preparation and administration = (Cost MBF) (MBF acre) (acres) It is assumed that there is no depreciation as a result of the harvest. This is an indicator that operating cash flow is equal to net income. The NPV of the thinning, the NPV of all future harvests, minus the present value of  the conservation fund costs. Revenue $39,800,250 Tractor cost 7,200,000 Road 2,700,000 Sale preparation & admin 945,000 Excavator piling 1,200,000 Broadcast burning 2,287,500 Site preparation 1162,500 Planting costs 1,800,000 EBIT $22,505,250 Taxes 7,876,838 Net income (OCF) $ 4,628,413 First harvest after 20 years PV First = $14,628,413/ (1+ . 0608)20 PV First = $4,496,956 Projection of thinning after 40 years 40-year project interest rate = [(1+ . 0608)40] ? C1 0-year project interest rate = 958. 17% 40-year conservation interest rate = [(1+ . 0659)40] ? C1 40-year conservation interest rate =1,183. 87% Present value of future thinning on this schedule, which will be; PV Harvest = [($ 14,628,413/9. 5817)] / (1+ . 0608)20 PV Harvest = $469,325. 52 Present value of conservation funds deposit PV Conservation = ? C$162,500 ? C$162, 500/11. 8387 PV Conservation = ? C$176. 226. 22 Current value of conservation PV Conservation = ? C$176,226. 22/ (1+ . 0659)20 PV Conservation = ? C$49,182. 52 NPV of a 40-year harvest schedule is: NPV = $4,496,956 + 939,286. 45 + 469,325. 52 ? C9,182. 52 NPV = $5,856,385. 9 45-year harvest schedule: Revenue $55,462,853 Tractor cost $9,840,000 Road $3,690,000 Sale preparation & admin $1,291,500 Excavator piling $1,200,000 Broadcast burning $2,287,500 Site preparation $1,162,500 Planting costs $1,800,000 EBIT $34,191,353 Taxes $11,966,973 Net income (OCF) $22,224,379 The PV of the first harvest in 25 years is: PV first = $22,224,379/ (1+ . 0608) 25PVFirst = $5, 087, 23 45 year interest rate 45-year project interest rate = [(1+ . 0608)45] ? C1 45-year project interest rate =1,321. 11% 45 year interest rate for the conservation fund 45-year conservation interest rate = [(1+ . 0659)45] ? C1 5-year conservation interest rate = 1,666. 38% PV of future thinning PV Thinning = $9,000,000/13. 111 PV Thinning = $681,246. 84 Utilizing the OCF of $22,024,504, the PV are as follow, PV Harvest = [($22,224,379/13. 21111)] / (1+ . 0608)25 PV Harvest = $385,073. 30 The present value of these deposits is: PV Conservation = ? C$162,500 ? C $162,500/16. 6638 PV Conservation = ? C$174,800. 29 NPV of a 45-year harvest schedule is: NPV = $5,087,231+ 681. 246. 84 + 385,073. 30 ? C 35, 458, 26 NPV = $6, 1118,092. 40 50-year harvest schedule: Revenue $64,610,783 Tractor cost $11,280,000 Road $4,230,000 Sale preparation & admin $1,480,500 Excavator piling $1,200,000 Broadcast burning $2,287,500 Site preparation $1,162,500 Planting costs $1,800,000 EBIT $41,170,283 Taxes $14,409,599 Net income (OCF) $26,760,684 The PV of the first harvest in 30 years is: PV First = $26,760,684/ (1+ . 0608)30 First = $4,561,202 The effective 50-year interest rate for the project is: 50-year project interest rate = [(1+ . 0608)50] ? C1 50 year project interest rate=1,808. 52% 50 year interest rate for the conservation funds 50-year conservation interest rate = [(1+ . 0659)50] ? C1 50-year conservation interest rate = 2,330. 24% Present value of future thinning on this schedule, which will be PV Thinning = $9,000,000/18. 0852 PV Thinning = $497,644. 82 The operating cash flow from each harvest on the 50-year schedule is $26,531,559, so the present value of the cash flows from the harvest are: PV Harvest = [($26,760,684/18. 0852] / (1+ . 0608)30 PV Harvest = $497,644. 82 Present value of the conservation fund deposits PV Conservation = ? C$162,500 ? C $162,500/23. 3024 PVConservation? C$171,485. 25 Today’s conservation value PV Conservation = ? C$171,485. 25/ (1+ . 0659)30 PV Conservation = ? C$25,283. 50 NPV of a 50-year harvest schedule is: NPV = $4,561,202 + 497,644. 82 + 252,206. 52 ? C 25,283. 0 NPV = $5,285,770. 21 55-year harvest schedule: Revenue $72,972,113 Tractor cost $12,600,000 Road $4,725,000 Sale preparation & admin $1,653,750 Excavator piling $1,200,000 Broadcast burning $2,287,500 Site preparation $1,162,500 Planting costs$1,800,000 EBIT $47,543,363 Taxes $16,640,177 Net income (OCF) $30,903,186 First harvest in 35 years PV First =$30,903,186/ (1+ . 0608)35 PV First = $3,922,074 Thinning 55 years from today: 55-year project interest rate = [(1+ . 0608)55] ? C1 55-year project interest rate = 2,463. 10 55 year conservation fund 55-year conservation interest rate = [(1+ . 0659)55] ? C1 5-year conservation interest rate = 3,243. 60% Present value of future thinning: PV Thinning = $9,000,000/24. 6310 PV Thinning = $365,392. 74 Present values of the cash flows from the harvest are: PV Harvest = [($30,903,186/24. 6310] / (1+ . 0608)35 PV Harvest = $159,233. 03 Present value of the conservation fund deposits: PV Conservation = ? C$162,500 ? C $162,500/32. 4360 PV Conservation = ? C$169,097. 37 Today’s value of the conservation fund PV Conservation = ? C$169,097. 37/(1+ . 0659)35 PV Conservation = ? C$18,121. 00 NPV of a 55-year harvest schedule NPV = $3,922,074 + 365,392. 74 +159,233. 03 ? C18, 121. 00 NPV = $4,428,578. 40

American Son essays

American Son essays A Love between a mother and her child can be so strong that sometimes it is hard for one to express how they feel. A mother ¡Ã‚ ¯s love for her child is unconditional and so is the child ¡Ã‚ ¯s love for their mother. However, everybody expresses their love in different ways and sometimes the way one person expresses their love can hurt the other person ¡Ã‚ ¯s feeling even though it is not intentionally meant to hurt the person. Jonathan Kirsch from the Los Angeles Times writes about the American son,  ¡Ã‚ °At every moment, at every level, Tomas and Gabe and their mother injure one another in intimate ways, even when they try to rescue each other. ¡ This quote holds true for the mother and her son Tomas in the novel, The American Son by Brian Ascalon Roley. They both injure one another in intimate ways, even when they try to rescue each other. The novel takes place in the 1990 ¡Ã‚ ¯s California. A mother comes with her two sons Tomas and Gabe from Manila and works two j obs to provide for them. Tomas the older son associates himself with Mexicans gangsters and breed ¡Ã‚ ¯s expensive attack guard dogs to help support the family who was abandoned by his father long ago. Tomas is always causing trouble and worrying his mother. The younger son Gabe is the good son but as he grows older he strays in the same pattern as his older brother Tomas. Tomas the older son is the son who helps pay the mortgage by selling attack dogs to rich people and celebrities. He is the son who keeps his mother up late with worry and who causes her embarrassment by showing up at family parties with his muscles covered in gangster tattoos and his head shaved down to stubble and his eyes bloodshot from pot. He is half white, half Filipino but dresses like a Mexican gangster that his mother does not like. He is also the son who says that if any girlfriend criticized his mother or treated her wrong he would knock the bitch across the house (15). Tomas seems to do thi...

Albert Hofmann and the Invention of LSD

Albert Hofmann and the Invention of LSD LSD was first synthesized on November 16, 1938, by Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann in Sandoz Laboratories in Basle, Switzerland. However, it was a few years before Albert Hofmann realized what he had invented. LSD, known as LSD-25 or Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, is a psychoactive hallucinogenic drug. LSD-25 LSD-25 was the twenty-fifth compound developed during Albert Hofmanns study of amides of Lysergic acid, hence the name. LSD is considered a semi-synthetic chemical. The natural component of LSD-25 is lysergic acid, a type of ergot alkaloid that is naturally made by the ergot fungus, though a synthesizing process is necessary to create the drug. LSD was being developed by Sandoz Laboratories as a possible circulatory and respiratory stimulant. Other ergot alkaloids had been studied for medicinal purposes. For example, one ergot was used to induce childbirth. Discovery as a Hallucinogen It was not until 1943 that Albert Hofmann discovered the hallucinogenic properties of LSD. LSD has a chemical structure that is very similar to the neurotransmitter called serotonin. However, it is still not clear what produces all the effects of LSD. According to a Road Junky writer, Albert Hoffman deliberately dosed himself [after a milder accidental dose] with just 25 mg, an amount he didnt imagine would produce any effect. Hoffman got on his bicycle and rode home [from the Lab] and arrived in a state of panic. He felt he was losing his grip on sanity and could only think to ask for milk from the neighbors to counter the poisoning. Albert Hoffman's Trip Albert Hoffman wrote this about his LSD experience, Everything in the room spun around, and the familiar objects and pieces of furniture assumed grotesque, threatening forms. The lady next door, whom I scarcely recognized, brought me milk†¦ She was no longer Mrs. R., but rather a malevolent, insidious witch with a colored mask.† Sandoz Laboratories, the only company to manufacture and sell LSD, first marketed the drug in 1947 under the trade name Delysid. Legal Status It is legal to buy Lysergic acid in the U.S. However, it is illegal to process Lysergic acid into lysergic acid diethylamide, the psychoactive drug LSD.

Characteristics of each of the 5 kingdoms and their meanings Essay Example for Free (#5)

Characteristics of each of the 5 kingdoms and their meanings Essay Every living creature on Earth belongs to a kingdom. Scientists debate how many kingdoms there are, but most agree there are five. Here is how the five kingdoms are organized. Monera Monera are single-celled organisms that don’t have a nucleus. Bacteria make up the entire kingdom. There are more forms of bacteria than any other organism on Earth. Some bacteria are beneficial to us, such as the ones found in yogurt. Others can cause us to get sick. Protists are mostly single-celled organisms that have a nucleus. They usually live in water. Some protists move around, while others stay in one place. Examples of protists include some algae, paramecium, and amoeba. Fungi are usually motionless organisms that absorb nutrients for survival. They include mushrooms, molds, and yeasts. Plants Plants contain chlorophyll, a green pigment necessary for photosynthesis, a process in which plants convert energy from sunlight into food. Their cell walls are made sturdy by a material called cellulose, and they are fixed in one place. Plants are divided into two groups: flower- and fruit-producing plants and those that don’t produce flowers or fruits. They include garden flowers, agricultural crops, grasses, shrubs, ferns, mosses, and conifers. Animals are the most complex organisms on Earth. Animals are multi-celled organisms, eat food for survival, and have nervous systems. They are divided into vertebrates and invertebrates and include mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds and fish. Actually, there are now six kingdoms. The five kingdom was during the 1969 and it included all the bacterias within one group. The five kingdom system is as follows: 1. Monera: Bacteria. They are prokaryotic and unicellular. They are mobile. 2. protista: Protists. They are eukaryotic. Either autotrophic, heterotrophic, or even mixotrophic. They live live as unicellular, multicellular, or even as a colony. Some are mobile while some are sessile. 3. animalia: Animals. Eukaryotic and are heterotrophic. They are all multicellular and are mobile. 4. plantae: Plants. Eukaryotic and mostly autotrophic (some parasitic plants are heterotrophic). They are multicellular and sessile. 5. fungi: Mushrooms, fungus, etc. Eukaryotic and heterotrophic. They are multicellular and sessile Characteristics of each of the 5 kingdoms and their meanings. (2016, Nov 13). We have essays on the following topics that may be of interest to you

Forgiveness, Justice, Revenge Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Forgiveness, Justice, Revenge - Research Paper Example Body Statement III: The biblical story 'Parable of the Prodigal Son’ reinstates 'forgiveness' as the act of remission of sins, which can bring back a repenting person to the path of righteousness, and by doing so, he is saved from being lost again. Body Statement IV: â€Å"The Sunflower† shows the struggle between the inner demon craving for revenge, and the righteousness in an individual by hating the crimes done by himself, as well as the whole Jewish community. Body Statement V: The movie ‘TSOTSI,’ brings to focus the hope forgiveness and social acceptance of Tsotsi. Body Statement VI: In the movie ‘UNFORGIVEN’ the ancient notions of justice are projected, where only the act of vengeance can bring peace to the gratification of mind. Conclusion: Forgiveness, Justice, Revenge 'Forgiveness', 'Justice' and 'Revenge' are the three significant concepts that have allured the writers of all ages. The perspectives about these concepts vary according to the workings of individual mind, and the extremity of victimization. These notions have different meanings attached to them, yet they are closely related to each other. This paper provides a definition to the concept of forgiveness with reference to the concepts of justice and revenge. The thesis statement of this study is that, the concept of forgiveness can be defined as the pardoning of sins, so that we can let go the feeling of hurt from our heart, freeing ourselves from anger, malice and contempt. Barb Toews in her work "Restorative Justice for People in Prison," (What is Restorative Justice?) states that a crime has the power to hurt its victims, offenders, as well as the community. In this book, Toews suggests that the victims and their families, community members and offenders and their families require a variety of lawful needs such as companionship and security, strengthening one’s status, expression of inner thoughts, right to know, development, and transparency . Since each of the lawful needs experienced by the individuals vary from each other, these needs can be met with the help of a community, committed to restorative justice. The needs of those victims struggling with the aftermath of crime, if met in time, can reduce crime the crime rates in future. The victims of today have the potential to become the offenders of tomorrow, as they surrender themselves to the cold-heartedness and self-imprisonment of vengeance. The victims of crime should be served with justice, or else they will be inclined to take law in their own hands, rather than fighting to make the law work. By serving ‘justice,’ the victim is served right, and by forgiving he can let go the hurt caused by the crime. The term ‘forgiveness’ is entangled with the terms: ‘justice’ and ‘revenge’. To define ‘forgiveness’, it is essential to distinguish between ‘justice’ and ‘revenge’. Reveng e is an insane and brutal notion in which a man seeks 'an eye for an eye’. In revenge, an individual cultivates anger and hatred in his soul so much, that his consciousness is overcome by the inner demon. In revenge, a man seeks to outdo injustice with another form of injustice. In other words, it is an act or thought of settling justice in a

Degree Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Degree Plan - Essay Example With my current military experience, I have confidence in my ability to remain focused therefore allowing me to accomplish these two long-term goals Concentration I believe the concentration of courses that that I have selected constitute a well-focused, in-depth program that will grant me the ability to perform well in my desired career goal. I started my studies at Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC), and focused on criminal justice related courses such as Ethics in Criminal Justice, Juvenile Delinquency, and Introduction to Criminal Justice. These courses were introductory level components that have prepared me for more advanced courses at Empire State College. These courses increased my knowledge within the criminal justice field, and they also fit the degree program similar to MVCC. The courses that I selected at Empire State focus primarily on social science related subjects. They include a broad range of subjects within this field which will make me a well-rounded individua l. I have focused heavily on advanced-level courses not only to meet Empire State advanced standards, but to increase my knowledge extensively within the field of criminal justice. The course that I have chosen in my degree program that focuses heavily on terrorism is Terrorism and Homeland. This study will offer me the in-depth focus on terrorism by examining the roles of law enforcement in managing terrorist events. It will also familiarize me with history, politics, and policies of terrorism. Having a subject in terrorism will benefit me if I look into a Homeland Security field as a career goal. In addition, I selected a class on deviant behavior, and it will allow me to explore socially deviant behavior of adults, and youth. General Learning and General Educational Requirements In every degree program, I believe a breadth of learning is necessary in order to become a well-educated individual, instead of being narrow-minded towards education. In my criminal justice program, I fin d it to be extremely important to have the required liberal arts classes to understand the complex nature of the world around me. Throughout life an individual is met with tasks on a daily basis that require a broad-range of learning, and having a variety of liberal arts courses can provide that. For example, when I traveled to many countries and saw ancient buildings, I was unaware of the architectural features these buildings had. I took a class called Western Architecture, and it provided me with the knowledge to understand these magnificent architectural masterpieces. Without this course I would have simply looked past the design aspects. Many of the courses that I have taken, and the ones I selected to develop my degree plan provide me the opportunity to enhance my knowledge and skills in writing, math, history, science, art, and language. During my service in the military I have gained a great deal of knowledge that correlates with some educational aspects at Empire State Coll ege. These courses include Physical Education, Military Science, Ethics, First Aid and Safety, and Principles of Leadership. All of the skills gained from these courses will enable me to become a more productive individual with my desired career choice. Not only does my military education bring breadth into

Movie review 2 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

2 - Movie Review Example It represents crime scenes. The director presents this perception when Paul’s wife and daughter are killed and raped respectively, his boss sends him specifically to New York to fight crime (Brian and Winner, 2003). The role race plays in the film is evident when Kersey kills more black muggers with the intent of increasing the number of the white muggers. Race is used to indicate that most for the criminals in the setting were of the black origin and this necessitated the discriminative killing (Brian and Winner, 2003). Gender plays a significant role of indicating that the muggers targeted women in their criminal activities. This is evident from the killing of Kersey’s wife, rape of Kersey’s daughter and the killing of a young woman at the parking garage. In essence, gender is used to show that, women fall victims of the muggers’ criminal activities. Gender is represented as an indicator of the safety loophole. This implies that women needed more safety measures than their male counterparts (Brian and Winner, 2003). Class plays a key role of enhancing criminal activities. It is represented by drug barons who engage in a fierce competition in selling hard drugs such as cocaine. They kill each other’s accomplices. For instance, Zacharias gang competes with brothers Jack and Romero’s gang. This is an elite class but grossly involved in criminal activities. This leaves the society a rotten and unsafe place for peaceful dwelling (Brian and Winner, 2003). The film reflects the political situation of the society. There is no political willingness to solve the problems facing the subjects. The coordination between the police and the Kersey indicates a rotten political set up. The film reflects the aspects of racism in fighting crime and this extends to the broader perspective of a racist political milieu existing tin the society (Brian and Winner,

Analytical and Critical questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analytical and Critical questions - Essay Example This is circumstantial evidence for a Creator, in this case of the watchmaker. There are numerous similar examples offered by Paley to support his claims. The most important implication is that science is subservient to religion. But the greatest rebuttal to this assertion would come in the form of Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution through Natural Selection a century after the publication of Natural Theology. The arguments offered by Paley are very eloquent and persuasive, yet not decisive. His assumptions and premises are dubious in many instances. To be fair to Paley, writing as he did a century before the arrival of Charles Darwin in the scientific scene, his arguments were handicapped by the lack of evidences to the contrary that are offered in abundance by Darwin. Yes, many natural phenomena can be explained scientifically without resort to argument from divine intervention. Perhaps, Paley’s passion for religion has biased his views. By virtue of stating a strong thesis, the author is compelled to look and select evidence in support of it. Perhaps a free exposition of the subject would have lead to a balanced rhetoric and findings. Paley’s Natural Theology is relevant today as a specimen of logical rigour and refined styles of argument. Its thesis has steadily lost relevance since the age of the Enlightenment and that trend continues today. Richard Dawkins’ main argument is that the forces of evolution give an illusion of deliberate design, whereas in truth, they were shaped by gradual and random mutations sifted by the filters of natural selection. Drawing on the analogy of the watchmaker by William Paley, Dawkins produces his polemic by systematically dismantling the theory by design as applicable to life forms on earth. Dawkins shows that random mutations at the level of the DNA, when filtered and selected under the process of

Eco-Tourism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Eco-Tourism - Essay Example Major issues The article begins with the startling case of John Gray, a tour operator in Thailand, who discovered a number of tidal sea caves. His efforts to promote the location as an eco-tourism destination, albeit without upsetting the local fragile eco-system, proved ineffective over the years as he met with stiff competition, received threats from local gangs and eventually could not do anything to control the influx of tourists. In the end, the unabated activities of operators, tourists and the local government have severely distorted the delicate ecological balance existing in the area. The article also discusses the evolution of the concept of co-tourism as a way to protect fragile eco-systems and deliver some long-term benefits to the local populations. The power of marketing and the widespread acceptance of the concept have resulted in an explosive growth in the eco-tourism industry the world over. This has not only resulted in a severe harm to the environment due to the ac tivities of tourists (like cutting trees for campfires or collecting stalactite fragments as souvenirs), but has also displaced local tribes and natives. These people complain a lack of inclusion in the decision-making framework within any related initiatives.

Middle-aged and older people observation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Middle-aged and older people observation - Essay Example It is well known that no two persons are alike and I have found the same in almost every body but the most significant and identifiable aspect what I found is that the people within a particular age group tend to behave in almost the same manner. This almost similar behavior might be due to similar socio economic background from which they come from. Some of the middle-aged people coming from somewhat rich background tend to behave in a more dignified manner even though they are older than the people who are from a poor background. With this observation what I really came to know is that older people who lead significantly decent life through ought their life have a deeper understanding towards their life and will try to act accordingly in public. On the other way round poor middle aged and older people do not try to behave accordingly in public and according to the situation. On older people there past life influences their present state of behavior a lot. I have observed six people who are all above fifty-eight years. The first person I have observed is an old man who has retired long back from Military Air force. He has receding hairline and is slender built but very active, red in color, very lively person and pretty intelligent, was very communicative, very popular among the people coming to the library. I was observing this person from almost a week and could gather most of the information related to by simply over hearing the discussion between their old friends in the public library. Since he was worki ng in Air force earlier he is quite informative and communicative too. He has three children and all are working but no one is yet married. Being slender built he is very energetic and his actions are not at all like an old man. He even helps his fellow old men in climbing stairs. He is very popular among women coming to the library. He discusses all issues going in his home and even enquires about others

Eco-Tourism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Eco-Tourism - Essay Example Major issues The article begins with the startling case of John Gray, a tour operator in Thailand, who discovered a number of tidal sea caves. His efforts to promote the location as an eco-tourism destination, albeit without upsetting the local fragile eco-system, proved ineffective over the years as he met with stiff competition, received threats from local gangs and eventually could not do anything to control the influx of tourists. In the end, the unabated activities of operators, tourists and the local government have severely distorted the delicate ecological balance existing in the area. The article also discusses the evolution of the concept of co-tourism as a way to protect fragile eco-systems and deliver some long-term benefits to the local populations. The power of marketing and the widespread acceptance of the concept have resulted in an explosive growth in the eco-tourism industry the world over. This has not only resulted in a severe harm to the environment due to the ac tivities of tourists (like cutting trees for campfires or collecting stalactite fragments as souvenirs), but has also displaced local tribes and natives. These people complain a lack of inclusion in the decision-making framework within any related initiatives.

Origins of Dogs Essay Example for Free

Origins of Dogs Essay Humans and dogs have constantly shared exceptionally strong social affections, a dependency relationship that is not normally observed in other human-animal relationships. Humans and dogs equally preferred to put their fears from each other aside in order to live reciprocally. Dogs are significant part of human history, seeing that throughout times dogs are without a doubt wonderful companions and great friends. People play with dogs, keep them as a pet and even consider them their best friend. Today, dogs come in different shapes and sizes, with distinct attributes that separate them from every other animal. But are humans really familiar with anything regarding the history of dogs or where and when did their well-known friendship started? There are several theories on the subject; and it is rather difficult to affirm who are the forerunners of the modern day dog perceptions. Beginnings of Domestication Evidences have revealed that man and dogs have survived together since prehistoric period. It is generally acknowledged that the domestication of dogs started more than 15,000 years ago. It is believed that when primitive man evolved from gathering to hunting for food, dog and man began the symbiotic relationship of assisting each other. Moreover, between 8,000 and 9,000 years ago, dogs became the guardians for the several recently domesticated animals of men. The breeding and crossbreeding started when men started to confer greater importance to certain characteristics and features in dogs. As a consequence, throughout the time of Egypt’s development in 1570 B. C. a range of diverse types of dogs became apparent. From that time, it was not long before dogs were being bred all over the world. In the history of dogs the Greeks, the Europeans, the Romans, and even the natives of the Far East were training dogs for a variety of activities including, hunting, sporting, fighting, and prize possessions. Origins of Dogs Archaeology has sited the earliest acknowledged domestication at probably 30,000 BC in Belgium and with certainty at 7,000 BC. Other information suggests that dogs were originally domesticated in East Asia, particularly within China some 15,000 years ago. In several archeological digs, however, canine relics have been discovered which could astonishingly be the forerunners of the modern day dog, although there are still a number of significant disparities between them. Accordingly, many analyze theorizes that modern day dogs are a result of parallel evolution, in which some species come from a considerably smaller canid and related to the dingo scientifically known as Canis familiaris nostrazewi, and other from a very large animal similar to some primitive Molosos and more related to the wolf scientifically known as the Canis familiaris puitiantini (See FIDOS Dog Health Training Encyclopedia). While some scientists thought that nearly all canine breeds originated from the crossbreeds of the small primeval dogs with diverse canid breeds, such as coyotes or golden jackal, animal DNA research studies confirm that dog gradually evolved from wolves after humans started selectively breeding wolves some 15,000 years ago, and nearly all scientists agree on the aforesaid findings. The DNA string coming from three interrelated groups revealed a common source from a particular gene pool, and because the majority of genetic variation was discovered in dogs that originated from East Asia, scientist concluded that this part of the world is the most possible origin of the species. It appears that World gray wolves, otherwise known as the New World dogs traveled with humans who arrived at North America across the Bering Strait several thousand of years ago. Scientist made use of DNA fingerprinting methods in a study to confirm that New World dogs were not descendants from wolves in the Americas. They discovered that these dogs were indeed descendants from Europe and Asia’s wolves. Moreover, based on evaluations of dogs from places as remote as Alaska and Peru, researchers theorized that primitive and modern day dogs around the world hailed from Old World gray wolves. Unfortunately, these dogs are no longer present in modern day dogs as European colonists systematically eradicated their population. It is already settled in several researches that dogs evolved from wolves; however, latest records confirm that the origin of dogs goes back to hunter-gather societies; therefore, dating earlier than what is commonly believed. Due to archaeological records, a number of scientists believe that domestic dogs dates back to15,000 years; however, the latest molecular genetic techniques performed by UCLA scientists and colleagues revealed that the origin of dog is much older. As a result of the extrapolation involved in the computations and the extent of genetic diversity they found in dogs, they believe that the earliest dog dates back 60,000 years or possibly over 100,000 years. Conclusion When observing the habits and behavior of a dog, the likenesses it has with the wolf are more than evident. In addition to the fact that the wolf and dog are somewhat similar not just the physical viewpoint, but as well as the character aspect, scientists have also found exceptional information to prove that the dog and wolf are indeed related. Using latest genetic researches, together with several controversial and fascinating works revealed that the wolf is the only ancestor of the dog, and its origins are primitive. This is why many believe that domesticated wolves were the earliest to live together with man and the dog and every other breeds existing at present are considered as the entire creation of man. Reference See FIDOS Dog Health Training Encyclopedia. (n. d. ). Where did Dogs come from. Retrieved March 20, 2009, from http://www. seefido. com/html/the_dog_s_origins. htm

The General Environment Consists Of Six Segments Marketing Essay

The General Environment Consists Of Six Segments Marketing Essay Telecom Corporation of New Zealand Limited Telecom is a  company based on media and telecommunications industry offering telecommunications and information, communication and technology (ICT) services in New Zealand and Australia. The company has a headcount of about 8297 employees as of 2011 (Annual report of Telecom New Zealand, 2011).Telecom Corporation of New Zealand Limited is the largest telecommunications service provider in New Zealand providing consumers and business people with a wide range of products and services. Telecom operates under the following business units: Telecom Retail , Gen-i, AAPT, Telecom New Zealand International, Chorus and Technology shared services (Annual report of Telecom New Zealand, 2011). Today, Telecom plays a significant marketing leader role by owning more than one million fixed line customers and over two million mobile connections in the New Zealand telecommunications market (Annual report of Telecom New Zealand, 2011). However, the companys total operating revenues and total gains for the financial year 2011 (ending June 2011) is about NZ$ 5122 million, a decrease of 2.8% over the financial year 2010 (Annual report of Telecom New Zealand, 2011). Environmental factors General Environment Analysis According to Hanson, Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson (2011), the general environment consists of six segments: Demographic segment Telecoms major operations are carried out in New Zealand and Australia which contributes to very less population globally. The region consists of people from different ethnic groups like Maoris, Europeans, Asians and Pacific Islanders with lots of immigrants from different parts of the world. The major source of income is through salaries and wages; others include interests, investments and self-employment. Economic segment The New Zealand economy is suffering a quite slow recovery with the GDP result growing by 0.3 % in December 2011 quarter (New Zealand Statistics, 2012). Furthermore, the companys revenue decreased in the year 2011 which is not a good thing in the industry. It also depends on the nations economic condition in the World Market. Sometimes recessions may also affect the companys performance. Political/legal segment Telecom has its own governance objectives, policies, taxation laws and regulations for its employees. It should also be following the Telecommunication Act set by the Government. Furthermore, the Telecommunication Amendment Act in New Zealand will simplify telecommunications regulation and increase the marketing competition within the telecommunication service industry in New Zealand (Telecom New Zealand, 2012). The firm should also be following the Human Rights Act and Employment law for the firms employees. Legal proceedings are carried out for violation of laws and regulations. Socio-cultural segment Telecom consists of diverse set of people in the workplace who helps in the companys success in the Global Market. The employees face a lot of challenges in order to meet the Companys goals and objectives. It has a wide range of diversity programs such as Leadership programmes, Global Women programmes and flexible working policies (Annual report of Telecom New Zealand, 2011). Telecom foundation was recently started to do charity and community works. The firm also have concerns about New Zealands environment (Telecom New Zealand, 2012). Technological segment Since Telecom being a part of the telecommunications Industry, there are a lot of new technologies and innovations being created at a very fact pace. So the company must learn the new technology very fast so as to adopt the new technology ahead of its competitors. The company has also shown interest in the new technology called the Ultra Fast Broadband initiative which is a new technology for faster broadband connections (Telecom New Zealand, 2012). There is also a more focus of globalisation of technology and internet enabled services. Global segment Telecom is company that is based in New Zealand and Australia. So the company is not globally attracted. It should expand the organisation globally so that it can gain a competitive advantage over its competitors when they have a global presence in the industry. Globalisation always helps in creating opportunities and challenges for the firm which makes them more successful in the industry. Industry Environment Analysis According to Hanson et al (2011), the five forces of Industry environment consists of : Threat of new entrants Entry into the telecommunication industry requires a huge capital because they need to build a great infrastructure within New Zealand. The threat of new entrants will be lower in the industry because they have to compete with its well-established competitors. However due to lower switching costs between service providers, the new entrant may have an opportunity in the existing market share when their services are cheaper than the existing competitors. The government policies are also liberalized for entry in the telecommunication industry which is an added advantage. Overall, the threat of new entrants in the telecommunication industry is medium. Planning Process and Strategies From the above General Environment we can find factors that influence and also affect the industry in the form of opportunities and threats. These factors mainly depend on the competitiveness, market share, substitute products, supply and demand. Opportunities can be listed as: Growing broadband market with the introduction of ultra-fast broadband initiative in New Zealand which helps the company to gain more customers. Mobile data services are being used more these days as people tend to use mobile for browsing the internet. Increasing growth of mobile payment service which is an easy and a convenient way to do transactions due to more use of Smartphones. Threats can be listed as: Globalisation of the company is important to survive in the industry Legal proceedings of the company involves more legal costs Intense competition among the competitors acts as a threat in the industry Team Structure And Dynamics The industry consists of only a few potential competitors which is an advantage for the company. But there are also new competitors and also the threat of new entrants which lowers the companys market share in the industry. The company has its own substitute products due to advancements in technology and thus when people want to switch from fixed to mobile connection; the company eventually retains its new customers. When the company is updated in the technological world, it will eventually gain new customers and also retain its own customers as well. Thus the bargaining power of suppliers is relatively high. Bargaining power of buyers The industry is characterised by large number of potential buyers who are independent in choosing their own service provider. Customers tend to choose their service provider based on the companys customer service and price range. So the customers gain an advantage to switch to other service providers when required which decreases the suppliers power. However when the buyers are in a contract period, the switching costs are relatively high which is an advantage to the suppliers. Thus the bargaining power of buyers is medium. Threat of substitute products Telecom is a part of the telecommunication industry and it has its own substitute products as the company has both fixed and wireless connections. Since the substitute products are there within the own company it is not found to be a key issue for the company. Thus overall the level of threat of substitute products is relatively low. Rivalry among competing firms The New Zealand Telecommunication Industry has its major competitors like Vodafone, Telecom, Telstra clear and 2degrees. The rivalry among these competitors is relatively high because of their different approaches in the industry. Vodafone is said to be the major competitor of telecom because of its global presence in the industry. 2degrees has also set a mark in the industry due to its cheaper prices and quality plans. Thus the rivalry among the competing firms is said to be high. Competitor The key competitors of Telecom across various business units are Telstraclear, Vodafone Group PLC, Hutchison Telecommunications (Australia) Limited, AirNet Systems, Inc, Woosh Wireless, CallPlus Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Company, IBM Corporation, Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel), Two Degrees Mobile Limited, Orcon Internet Limited. Though Telecom is one of the largest communication industries in New Zealand, there are also potential threats because of its competitors. Vodafone is the largest mobile phone operator in New Zealand which is mainly because of its global presence in over 30 countries. 2degrees is also gaining advantage with low call rates and innovative plans. So Telecom should gain competitive advantage by expanding the organisation globally by providing quality service and cheap products. Leadership: Telecom following the democratic leadership. Democratic leaders make the final decisions, but they include team members in the decision-making process. They encourage creativity, and team members are often highly engaged in projects and decisions. There are many benefits of democratic leadership. Team members tend to have high job satisfaction and are productive because theyre more involved in decisions. This style also helps develop peoples skills. Team members feel in control of their destiny, so theyre motivated to work hard by more than just a financial reward. Because participation takes time, this approach can slow decision-making, but the result is often good. The approach can be most suitable when working as a team is essential, and when quality is more important than efficiency or productivity. The downside of democratic leadership is that it can often hinder situations where speed or efficiency is essential. For instance, during a crisis, a team can waste valuable time gathering peoples input. Another downside is that some team members might not have the knowledge or expertise to provide high quality input. Conclusion: Telecom has a leading marketing position within the highly competitive marketplace. Currently the management of Telecom is facing some strategic issues in telecommunication industry. Some of the key issues are the Ultra Band Broadband initiative introduced by the New Zealand Government which is said to be the future of broadband connections in New Zealand. So Telecom should be very keen in providing better service to the customers with the new broadband initiative so as to gain a competitive advantage over other competitors. The companys profitability and revenue has also decreased in the financial year 2011 which is considered to be an issue in the market value of the company, so the company should try to gain more profits and revenues in the future. The company should also change its marketing strategies so that it can attract more customers in the future. With lots of new technologies being innovated the company can use these technologies to market their products and services so as to create positive market position in the industry.

The Marxist View on the Role of the Education System Essay -- Karl Mar

The Marxist View on the Role of the Education System In this essay I am going to examine the Marxist view that the role of the education system is to reproduce and justify the existing class structure. Marxists see the educational system as a mechanism for maintaining class inequalities, for example the reproduction of the capitalist system. The capitalist system is one where by the rich (the bourgeoisie) stay rich and the poor (the proletariat) stay poor. Marxists do not believe in meritocracy, this is where the educational system gives equal opportunities to everyone despite their background. They believe that education is designed to help and benefit the bourgeoisie. They believe that schools and teachers reject working class pupils and so the working class pupils will not perform to their highest capabilities. Bowles and Gintis were two Marxists who did not agree with meritocracy. They believed that your social class determined how you would end up in life, for example if you were middle class the teachers would spend more time with you, thus encouraging you to stay on in further education and receive better qualifications and a better job. The working class would be rejected by the teachers, and would spend less time at school therefore not gaining any qualifications and ending up in working class jobs. They conducted a study in New York and found that grades were based more on personality traits than on academic abilities. They believed the low grade students were aggressive, independent and creative whereas the higher grade students persevered, and were dependable, consistant and punctual. Bowles and Gintis concluded tha... ... for individual success can bring worthwhile rewards. Willis also points out however that this rejection of the school values is actually the pupils downfall as it was ultimately reproductive ie. They ended up in manual jobs as a result of having no qualifications. The lads rejection of school makes them the victims of a system where their labour will be exploited in the workplace. Criticisms of the Marxist view are that they are too deterministic. They also ignore the influence of the formal curriculum, and the Marxists place too much blame on the teachers. Also functionalists argue that education performs certain essential functions that no other institute could. They also believe in meritocracy, that the brightest people will get the best jobs and the people who were not so bright ended up in working class jobs.

Abortion :: essays research papers

Abortion gives the mother an option not to have a baby if she doesn’t chooses not to have one. In some cases, abortions can save the life of the mother. Poor families greatly benefit from abortions. For those still in school, abortions give teenagers a normal life, and would help them succeed in school. These are reasons why abortions are good for the American Society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Abortions can save the life of the woman because a baby could cause a great health risk to the mother. This risk involves death, or permanent damage to the female. An abortion should be performed at this point because the death of a fetus is better than the death of the mother. A woman is a full person, while the fetus is not. Once the fetus has been removed, and there’s no more risk to the mother. Then, she can try an have another baby if she wishes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Poor women are more likely to have more abortions than that of the middle, or upper class. Poor women don’t have the financial means to take care of the child, therefore abortions would help them. Also, a lot of the poor women already have children to take of, and adding one more would greatly burden the already financially troubled parent. Again, allowing them to have an abortion would help them. Once the fetus has been aborted, then the parents can concentrate on their other children.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Teenagers are more affected by having a baby these days than it would have been 100 years ago. There are more responsibilities for the average teenager, they have to study, work, and go to school for an entire day. This leaves almost no time to take care of a child. Also, the teenager would have to most likely support the child by herself. This alone is a greater responsibility than anything in her life. All her time would be put into taking care of the child, that she would have almost no time to study. The consequence of this is the teen dropping out of school, and not even getting a high school diploma or finishing her year in college. Without a high school diploma, the likeliness of the teen finding a job that offers other than minimum wage is slim. This could mean that she is almost living in poverty, and barely making it on her own. Let’s now consider that the father of the child is helping with the duties that come along with a baby. He would most likely be working minimum wage just trying to make ends meet.

Home Depot’s Organizational Culture Essay

In my opinion, Nardelli’s programs were failed in changing operation of Home Depot to a more effective one. There are two reasons that Nardelli was not more successful. First, most employees did not want to an outsider to â€Å"GE-ize their company and culture. † Employees in Home Depot did not trust their new manager, which led absent support when Nardelli carried out the new process. The second reason was also the more important reason. Nardelli used the concept learned from industrial businesses to conduct the customer businesses. Since Nardelli wanted to conduct Home Depot in his own approach, he failed to recognize the importance of front-line staff, which leaded his fail in conducting the retailing business. The thing he should have done was improve the circulation of information between the different stores or within different level. Only in this way, he could solve the problem that Home Depot faced at that time—too large to be profitable. The worst thing he should not have done was to get rid of many old employees and replaced the full timers with part-time staff. This decline in the quality of customer service and customer satisfaction strongly hurt the customer orientated business. 2. Nardelli provided a three-part strategy including improving Home Depot’s profit, and expanding the business and market. Crow focused on the other three priorities which would revive employees’ sense of ownership, foster their product knowledge, and boost their morale. The greatest difference was that Nardelli’s initiatives programs were concentrated on increasing profit and expansion, while Tim Crow’s programs were concentrated on increasing employees. Nardelli’s action decreased employees’ satisfaction and loyalty, which ruined Home Depot’s strong customer service culture. Tim Crow’s programs increased employees’ loyalty and revived Home Depot’s organizational culture. 3. Strong culture reflects the values of the organization’s founders. Home Depot’s founders: Bernard Marcus and Arthur Black, as entrepreneurs, emphasized on commitment to customers, colleagues, and company. These conducted the original culture of Home Depot. Sometimes, the organizational culture could cause conflict when top management changed. When Nardelli toke over Home Depot, clash of two distinct cultural approaches occurred. Organizational culture that is consisted of shared beliefs, values, and assumptions existed in the organization would lead the behavior of employees and the direction of organization. Home Depot’s original culture let employees to establish strong relationship with customers, but after Nardelli’s conduction, this relationship as well as employees’ and loyalty were harmed. Since the culture would affect employees’ performance and organization’s achievement, it should be built to fit the characteristics of the business and altered with great care. Coordination, conflict resolution, and financial success were the assets of maintaining culture. However Nardelli failed to achieve these goals. Tim Crow, on the other hand, focused on restoring the initial culture by implementing more employee award programs that would positively impact employee loyalty and performance.

Social Philosophy Has Its Place in Social Work Practice

Social work as a discipline concentrates on theoretical and philosophical positions such as social justice, equality, and empowerment and these may be described as â€Å"philosophies of social work†. (Mackie, 2007) Historically during social works early years, moral concerns laid the foundations for the development of social work and the principal values of the profession, with particular emphasis on the significance of individual worth and dignity and service to humanity (Bisman, 2004).Many of our contemporary professional social work values and ethics have been constructed on the basis of Kantian and Utilitarian philosophies and although mutually they are considered as alternatives; both theories of are based on the assumption of the human being as a freely acting individual and indeed the philosophies share and hold the following approaches: †¢ The moral value of individual persons as autonomous rational beings; †¢ The universality of values and principles; †¢ The possibility of deducing moral ‘laws’ through rational reflection; †¢ The goal of individual liberty; freedom and emancipation and in the just ordering of a society.Human rights and social justice are clearly draw from Kantian and Utilitarian social philosophies and today are regarded as fundamental principals in the practice of social work (Banks 2001). In this paper the author will consider what social philosophy is and what effect if any it has on social work practice in 2011/2012. Political philosophy is influenced by social philosophy which in turn has an impact on the work has carried out by social workers ‘a rigid demarcation between political and social philosophy is impossible, and social philosophers, have influenced recent political philosophy.Social philosophy also deals with philosophical issues relating to institutions such as the family, religion and education. (Bunmin, 2004) Philosophers observed that the development of human behaviour wa s shaped by their social environment and mainly competitive in nature. From these philosophical origins collectivism grew into what we now know as collectivistic or socialist theories Kantian deontological ethics is a principle-based ethics wherein reason is central. Reasons motivate or predispose action. Gray, 2010)Kant’s ethical theory is grounded in the respect owed to individuals because they are rational moral agents. As social workers we work with service users to determine ‘what is the right thing to do’. Reasons are seen as more reliable when making moral judgements than emotions. This is not to say that Kant overlooks the importance of emotions, merely that they do not give the moral agent reason for action. Moral motives are attached to moral principles that lead people to do the right thing. (Gray, 2010) Autonomy and freedom are two absolute values for Kant.He believed that since people were rational beings, they had the ability to create universal law s and follow them. Furthermore, people were self-regulated by their own rules/laws because they were free to determine for themselves without laws imposed by others. Thus, the two notions of autonomy and freedom were identical in Kantian theory and interdependently connected (RHODES, 1986). In contrast with other theories on ethics, such as hedonism and utilitarianism, Kant believed that the purpose of ethics was not to teach people to reach for their personal happiness.On the contrary, ethical living for Kant was achieved at the cost of our urges and instincts. However it is necessary for individuals to be aware of their own personal needs and wills. Concerning social work ethics, the Kantian ethic of self-determination is one of the most important ethical commitments of the social work profession. Social workers are educated to intervene in human lives in a way that their actions preserve the right of all humans to determine for themselves.Self-determination is a fundamental value that entails us as social workers to respect the person and encourage the person to act for themselves(Parrott, 2008). Based on the dual focus of the Kantian theory in autonomy and freedom, the ethic of self-determination reflects a belief that everyone is a rational being who can decide on their own about what is good or bad. Therefore, a rational being can also understand the meaning of punishment when their actions infringe on the freedom and the autonomy of others (Clark, 2000).Furthermore, social workers are also committed to act with respect for one’s dignity, and this also demonstrates Kantian thinking and its absolute ethical obligation to see every person as an end and not as a means (Rhodes, 1986). However social workers need to be conscious, that self-determination in practice may be unclear and can be seen as ‘professional ideology—an inter-related set of values and ideas. The concept is derived from a number of ideas and values outside social work, but it appears to have little direct relevance to social work in practice. (SPICKER, 1990) Kant’s principle of respect for persons, which is very relevant for current social work is as an end in itself, and is tied to his view of individuals as rational beings with autonomy and the capacity to exercise choice (Gray, 2000). It is this condition of human agency that sets the object of moral requirement in place and places limitations on our actions. It is precisely this view of the individual that social work adopts. It leads to attention being paid to responsibility as the flipside of duty or obligation and to ethical decision making as a rational activity.The classic utilitarian’s believe that the ultimate good is something that most people actually desire, such as happiness or pleasure. Specifically, the doctrine of ethical hedonism and most of the modern utilitarian’s take pleasure as the ultimate goal to which we should aim. In its simplest form, utilitariani sm states that in any situation where there is a moral choice, which is likely to produce the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people or the least harm to the world as a whole.Therefore, everyone ought to obey the laws that ensure the balance between the good for the individual and for the society as a whole (Rhodes, 1986; Clark, 2000) However focusing on a utilitarian outlook loses sight of the individual and their values and the riots that took place in England over the summer highlights this. The government â€Å"blamed a â€Å"broken society† for the wave of rioting and looting that spread through London http://www. guardian. co. k/social-care-network/2011/dec/09/live-reading-the-riots-social-careand there was a loud national outcry to deal robustly with the people that that took part in the riots and to give them sanctions like i. e. eviction from social housing, loss of state benefits, jail sentences However there were no considerations made for individual s and rhetoric like ‘social fight back’ gave such a combative position from the government. The summer riots emphasised the need for social workers to adhere to the GSCC codes of practice and to hold fast to ethics and values that under pin the discipline in the face of the moral panic.As emphasised by Theresa May’s and David Cameron recent speeches â€Å"The riots weren't about protests, unemployment, cuts,† she said. â€Å"The riots weren't about the future, about tomorrow. They were about today. They were about now. They were about instant gratification. Because all the riots really come down to was money. † â€Å"Parts of the state and its agencies had become demoralised from a moral collapse that has seen children without fathers and alienated, angry young people. The riots were not about race or poverty, but about behaviour and moral breakdown and people without proper boundaries. http://www. guardian. co. uk/social-care-network/2011/dec/09/l ive-reading-the-riots-social-care This highlights the challenge that social workers face in contemporary social work, as ‘agents of the state’ how do we work with these service users and empower them to make their own decisions when the current government belittles their frustrations and dismisses the inequalities that they experience on a day to day basis and ignore their feelings of powerlessness, voicelessness and under-representation.The government outlook does not take into consideration the evidence which suggests that rioters were generally poorer than the country at large. Analysis of more than a 1,000 court records suggests 59% of the England rioters come from 20% of the most deprived areas of the UK. Other analysis carried out by the Department for Education and the Ministry of Justice on young riot defendants found that 64% came from the poorest fifth of areas and only 3% from the richest.This viewpoint makes it difficult for service users to not regard socia l workers with an air of suspicion ‘social workers have always been viewed by some people, on the far left of the political spectrum, as part of the social problem because they are agents of the state. This perspective sees social workers’ role as a sop for the poor and the marginalised by a brutal capitalist system. (Okitikpi, 2011) Although this may be difficult for some service users, ultimately as part of their code from The British Association of Social Workers (BASW, 2002): â€Å"social workers have a duty to†¦ ring to the attention of those in power and the general public, and where appropriate challenge ways in which the policies or activities of government, organisations or society create or contribute to structural disadvantages, hardship and suffering or militate against their relief (BASW, 2002, Section 3. 2. 2. 2. a. ). This a code that social workers adhere to as many social workers were initially motivated to join the profession by their desire to w ork for social justice and to have direct helping relationships. Cree, 2007)study reinforces the point that practitioners see their role as being that of an enabler and facilitator working alongside people. The entrenchment of user-involvement in all areas of the profession has also done much to reinforce practitioners’ perception of the centrality of the caring aspects of their role. A greater emphasis should be placed on social workers to practice feminist ethics ‘feminist ethics of care attempts to provide a more complete view of morality and ethics in social work of care’ (Gray, 2010).This eschews more abstract ethical perspectives and requires social workers to look at themselves and their capacities for empathy, courage and compassion. Virtue theory insists that it’s misguided to expect reason to be able to establish some infallible moral doctrine which is compulsory and often counter to human nature and emotions. Perhaps morality is not about confor ming to rules, but more about being trained to see problematic situations in a moral way. Morality may not be the rational control of the emotions but, more appropriately, the cultivation of desirable emotions (Phoca, 1999). Hugman, 2005)argues there is a growing interest in placing emotions at the heart of ethics. The helping relationship is one where the emotional content is often silent in the discussion of ethics. Feminists regard this approach as reductive in its presumptions about the overriding importance of duties and obligations, and rules and principles in moral behaviour. This implies that social workers keep clients’ confidence, for example, merely because it is their duty to do so. For feminists, there is much more to morality than this we keep confidentiality because we care about our clients. Gray, 2010) Social workers are bound by the GSCC codes of practice; there is an obligation to have regard for inequalities within society and to consider the many forms of discrimination service user’s encounter on a regular basis. Discrimination is explained by Thompson (2007); he describes discrimination with the use of his Personal, Cultural and Structural (PCS) model; the Personal refers to the psychological characteristics of discrimination and how such personal experiences impact upon our attitudes; Cultural makes reference to perceived societal norms – our shared socially

‘Miss Havisham’ by Charles Dickens Essay

Havisham essay. ‘Miss Havisham’ is a bitter and twisted character from the novel ‘Great Expectations’ by Charles Dickens. Carol Ann Duffy takes this character and explores her tragic life in the poem ‘Havisham’. Duffy uses Dark themes, structure, symbolism and other poetic techniques to express Havisham’s hatred for men after her tragic wedding when she was rejected by her fiancà ©. Duffy’s use of these poetic techniques create a sinister character and makes Havisham feel real to the reader. To begin the poem Duffy uses a shocking short sentence, which contains contrasting word choice to convey an ironic tone from Havisham. The contradictory oxymoron also startles the reader and grasps our attention as we do not expect this beginning. ‘Beloved sweetheart bastard.’ This contrasting word choice grasps the reader as it suggests a menacing narrative voice. The plosive ‘b’ sound repeated throughout the sentence creates a sinister mood as it is aggressive and sounds explosive and angry. This also suggests that she is writing a twister love letter to her past lover expressing her hatred toward him. This menacing narrative voice and dark atmosphere created makes the reader think that Havisham is a very sinister character and Duffy’s use of narrative voice and tone makes Havisham feel real. Following this Havisham begins to show more of her self-pity and self-disgust as she feels she is an in-complete woman, un-wanted and left abandoned. She shows this to the reader when she reveals her disgust with her marital status. ‘Spinster.’ Duffy’s use of a menacing narrative voice suggests that she is spitting this word out and the reader, we can hear that she loathes her loneliness and her isolated life. This one word sentence is used not only to startle the reader but to emphasis Havisham’s bitter tone. The sharp hissing ‘s’ sound creates a sinister mood as it conveys feelings of hatred, anger and revenge from Havisham. This clear display of self-loathing makes Havisham a very sinister character and the menacing narrative voice makes Havisham feel real to the reader. As the poem continues Havisham starts to show her mental decay as her language degrades down to sounds that only she can understand. She even begins to make animalistic screams which are symbolic of darkness and death. ‘cawing nooooo’ this neologism of ‘no’ suggests an animalistic persona where her sense of language has broken down to a series of noises which highlight her extreme mental decay. This also suggests her self-pity but makes the reader feel sympathy for the narrator as she desperately screams at the wall showing how lost and pathetic she has become over time. The ‘cawing’ is also symbolic of death and darkness as it is resembling a crow which the reader links with death, darkness and the devil. This combination of neologism and symbolism creates a sinister mood. Duffy’s use of neologism to emphasis Havisham’s mental decay makes her feel real to the reader and her animalistic person adds to her sinister character. Duffy goes on to show Havisham’s layers of feelings as she expresses her exterior feelings of hatred, anger and revenge which contrast with her true feelings of love for her past lover. It is the rejection from her lover which sends her into this downward spiral which eventually results in her feelings of hatred for all men and desperate want for revenge. ‘love’s hate behind a white veil’ This oxymoron places love and hate side by side and conceals both emotions behind a symbolic white bridal veil, which is ironically white and contrasts with her hatful state. The veil also conceals her face, emotions and both her mental and physical decay which adds to the sinister mood. This menacing narrative voice continues to add to the sinister mood and Duffy’s use of the combination of symbolism and an oxymoron create a sinister character. The depth of feeling from Havisham through the use of this oxymoron also makes Havisham feel real to the reader. Eventually Havisham’s self-pity combined with her mental decay makes for a dramatic conclusion to the poem as her emotions collapse and she is un-able to contain her feelings. She leaves the reader on an anti-climax as we are left wondering what happened to her in her vulnerable helpless state. ‘Don’t think it’s only the heart that b-b-b-breaks.’ Duffy uses ambiguity to give several interpretations of the ending as we are un-sure as to how Havisham finishes. The repeated ‘b’ sound could be the last beats of her breaking heart, it could be her voice breaking as she remembers her fate, it could be her last words as she finally emotionally and physically breaks down. It is the uncertainty of Havisham’s end that creates a sinister mood and makes her feel real to the reader. In conclusion, ‘Miss Havisham’ a character from the novel ‘Great Expectations’ by Charles Dickens is further explored in the poem ‘Havisham’ by Carol Ann Duffy. In the poem Duffy reveals Havisham’s sinister character and makes her feel real to the reader. Duffy accomplishes this through the use dark themes to express Havisham’s sinister character and a menacing narrative voice is used to make Havisham feel real to the reader. Duffy also uses symbolism, word choice and other poetic techniques to emphasis Havisham’s bitter and twisted character. The sinister mood is created throughout the poem as Havisham exposes her hatred for men and shows her physical and mental decay as she has been isolated from the world for so long. 954 words. Calum Stephen.