The Fiscal and Monetary Policy and Economic Fluctuations Essay

The Fiscal and Monetary Policy and Economic Fluctuations - Essay Example It is estimated to be a fifth of the universal total. The country also has a mixed economy and has sustained a steady Gross Domestic Product rate of growth, high levels of research and capital investment, and moderate rate of unemployment. The current economic situation in America is evidently different from the economic situation five years ago. The present Federal Reserve interest rate is between 0 and 0.25% and the Federal Reserve aims to maintain it until 2015. The Federal Reserve decreased the interest rate by half point in December, 2008. Also, the rate of inflation in the United States as of October 2012 was 2.16%. The current rate of inflation is 2.1% in comparison to the 3.8% rate of inflation recorded in 2008. The American inflation estimate constitutes transportation, apparel, recreation, education and communication, medical care, energy, housing, and food and beverages. Finally, the rate of unemployment as of March 2013 was 7.6%. This is equivalent to 11.7 million individ uals. On the other hand, the administration’s larger U-6 rate of unemployment, which incorporates those who are unemployed, was 13.9%. In contrast, the unemployment rate in America five years ago was 4.6% (Wallison, 2013). Question 2 The changes in interest rates, rates of inflation, and rates of unemployment can be attributed to several reasons. The changes in interest rates have been largely influenced by the activities of the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reverse has had an impact on the interest rates through altering the rate at which it loans out fund to financial institutions, altering reserve requirements of financial institutions, and by influencing the supply of funds through open market activities. Also, the Federal Reverse’s Board of Governors have largely contributed to the changes in interest rates by making decisions on changes in discount rates after receiving recommendations from one or more regional Federal Reverse Banks. The changes in rates of inflat ion have been facilitated by the activities of policymakers. The rate of inflation has changed because the law makers have assessed a wide range of fundamental inflation measures to assist in recognizing inflation tendencies. The most conventional forms of inflation measures leaves out commodities that tend to fluctuate in worth often or dramatically, for example, energy and food items. The rate of inflation has decreased because law makers have attempted to steady general consumer costs (LeRoy, 2011). Finally, the rate of unemployment has also changed due to a number of factors, one of them being employment by educational attainment. University educated individuals with a degree or higher educational qualification make up the most significant employment rate with approximately 44,648,000 of them having full time employment. In addition, this group makes up the least rate of unemployment of 4.6%. The highest numbers of unemployment are made up of people who do not have high school d iplomas. These people are followed by high school graduates who do not possess college degrees. Also, people with less than a diploma constitute the least number of people who are employed, at more than 10 million. Question 3 The strategies include encouraging entrepreneurship and small businesses and lowering taxes. Small businesses in America are the base of the United States economy providing employment to a large number of people. Encouraging business startups will encourage

The Dramatic Significance of Act 3.4 of Richard III Essay Example for Free

The Dramatic Significance of Act 3.4 of Richard III Essay Dramatic significance is used in several instances in the given extract from Act 3 Scene 4, for various purposes such as to reveal to us the true nature of Richard, foreshadow deaths and ill-fortunes in the upcoming scenes as well as develop themes that have appeared in previous scenes such as the theme of curses and prophesies. The use of diction in the first few lines contributes to the creation of dramatic significance to develop the theme of evil and the role of the supernatural in the play. Words which connote supernatural and evil powers such as devilish, damned and witchcraft are used by Richard as he accuses people of having cursed him and hence caused harm to his body, such as his arm which he describes as a blasted sapling withered up. Dramatic significance is also used to show irony here as Richard is portraying himself as a victim of their evil forces. However, in actual fact, Richard is the one who is evil and conspires against everyone, attempting to deceive and overthrow them. He is also the one who has most often been associated with hell and the devil by many characters in the previous acts of the play. For example, in Act 1 Scene 3 Margaret refers to Richard as The slave of nature and the son of hell!. The hard alliteration of the d sounds in damned, death and devilish also make him sound evil and cruel. As such, we are able to see through his false front and also realise how absurd his argument is as he is born with the deformities that he is accusing others inflicting upon him. In Act 1, he himself used the phrase rudely stamped to describe himself, which shows that he was born with deformities. Punctuation and diction in Hastings responses to Richard also has dramatic significance as it reveals to us his true feelings towards Richard and establishes the hidden conflict present between them. For example, when Hastings says The tender love I bear your grace, my lord, he exaggerates by the using of the word tender to describe his love and the fact that he places my lord at the end of the sentence, causing a pause in the line, suggests the lack of sincerity in his words. Also, the use of If in his next response to Richard gives us a clear hint of the split between them as it is evident that he doubts Richards words. Dramatic significance is also used to foreshadow the evil that is to come. For example, when Hastings says that whoever offends Richard deserved death, he is digging his own grave as he is unknowingly granting permission for Richard to have him executed. He is unaware that Richard would soon throw accusations on him and have him killed. Hence, Hastingss death is foreshadowed. Another instance where death is foreshadowed is at the end of the extract when Hastings says that England will experience fearfulst time to thee/That ever wretched age hath looked upon and that his executioners Lovell and Ratcliffe shortly shall be dead. This also highlights the theme of curses and prophesies as these curses and prophesies actually come to pass towards the end of the play when Richard and his allies get defeated. In many other cases, curses have been fulfilled but the receivers of the curses or bad omens are ignorant of them and hence are not cautious of the danger that they will face and are unable to avoid them. For example, when Hastings was ordered to be executed, he was angry with himself for having brushed away all the warnings that he got, and not having taken Margarets curses seriously. This is shown through the repetition of Margarets name when Hastings says O Margaret, Margaret and the despaired tone that is conveyed through the use of exclamation marks, commas and diction such as scorn, loathe and wretched. We see Hastings regretfully state the several warnings that he had received, such as the stumbling of his horse upon approaching the tower where traitors were taken to for execution, Stanleys dream of a boar attacking them, in Act 3 Scene 2, which he disregarded, as well as Margarets curse in Act 1 Scene 3 saying That none of you may live your natural age, /But by some unlookd accident cut off!. This is also dramatically significant as well as it creates a sense of pathos for Hastings and his unfortunate predicament. We feel sorry for him and understand his pain and anger as he could have avoided this misfortune from happening as he says, For I, too fond, might have prevented this!. Lastly the stage directions in the extract are relevant in creating dramatic significance to show Richards forceful nature and power to control the behaviour of the noblemen and rope in their support. Firstly, he shows how easily he can call for an execution of someone by saying Off with his head. Now by Saint Paul I/Swearlook that it be done, making it sound all religious and official. After which, he says, The rest that love me, rise and follow me almost as if he were threatening those who stay behind with the same ending as what he had just caused for Hastings. As a result, the stage directions in response to Richards ending line is Exeunt [all but] LOVELLE and RATCLIFFE, with the LORD HASTINGS, showing us that the rest do fear Richard, his power, and that they understand the danger of losing their lives. This is also felt by Hastings as he describes him as O bloody Richard!. Hence, dramatic significance has been used effectively in the given extract to help us readers better understand the play and the message and ideas that Shakespeare is trying to convey.

Introduction Essay :: essays research papers

Who Am I? My name is xxxxx xxxxx. I am XX years old, married, and have three sons. I was born in Greensboro, NC and lived there until I was 19. I attended XXXX with the intention of getting an Associate's Degree in Commercial Art and Advertising Design. I was gifted in and loved drawing and painting. It never occurred to me that I would have a career in anything else. The summer after my first semester at XXXX, my parents saw an advertisement in the newspaper for those interested in a career as a flight attendant. My parents pressured me to go to the airline's open house. I flat out refused. After all, I was 19 and madly in love with my unemployed 30 year old boyfriend who still lived with his parents. I went to the airline's open house and there were hundreds of women there. Some of us, including myself, were chosen to speak in front of the mass audience of candidates. The next day, an airline representative called me and asked me to fly to Chicago the following day for a formal interview. I did not want to go at all! I was petrified of getting on an airplane. My boyfriend didn't want me to go. Most of all, I was going to be a graphic artist and had never even considered this job in my life. Through many interviews, six weeks of training away from home, several bouts of tearfully begging my mom to let me come home, I became one of the first 19 year olds to become a flight attendant. I absolutely loved my job and the freedom it gave me. I was able to travel to places I never had dreamed of going. I did my job well and was enamored and confident with the different people I met. I planned to retire as a flight attendant. But things change when husbands and babies come along. When I had my first baby and had to leave him for the first time, I cried uncontrollably the entire trip. My feelings of missing him only grew. Several times, I broke down in the middle of a service when I saw a child. When my second baby came along, I decided that I could no longer have both this career and a family. Introduction Essay :: essays research papers Who Am I? My name is xxxxx xxxxx. I am XX years old, married, and have three sons. I was born in Greensboro, NC and lived there until I was 19. I attended XXXX with the intention of getting an Associate's Degree in Commercial Art and Advertising Design. I was gifted in and loved drawing and painting. It never occurred to me that I would have a career in anything else. The summer after my first semester at XXXX, my parents saw an advertisement in the newspaper for those interested in a career as a flight attendant. My parents pressured me to go to the airline's open house. I flat out refused. After all, I was 19 and madly in love with my unemployed 30 year old boyfriend who still lived with his parents. I went to the airline's open house and there were hundreds of women there. Some of us, including myself, were chosen to speak in front of the mass audience of candidates. The next day, an airline representative called me and asked me to fly to Chicago the following day for a formal interview. I did not want to go at all! I was petrified of getting on an airplane. My boyfriend didn't want me to go. Most of all, I was going to be a graphic artist and had never even considered this job in my life. Through many interviews, six weeks of training away from home, several bouts of tearfully begging my mom to let me come home, I became one of the first 19 year olds to become a flight attendant. I absolutely loved my job and the freedom it gave me. I was able to travel to places I never had dreamed of going. I did my job well and was enamored and confident with the different people I met. I planned to retire as a flight attendant. But things change when husbands and babies come along. When I had my first baby and had to leave him for the first time, I cried uncontrollably the entire trip. My feelings of missing him only grew. Several times, I broke down in the middle of a service when I saw a child. When my second baby came along, I decided that I could no longer have both this career and a family.

Affirmative Action Plan Essay

Affirmative action is a plan to promote the efforts of employers, schools and other organizations to recruit and hire groups that have previously been discriminated against. It is important to note that affirmative action programs do not require employers to hire unqualified people for a job. Equal employment opportunity is used to describe policies that prohibit discrimination of any kind. Affirmative action is a program that analyses the make up of the current workforce, establishes guidelines to insure an employer is not underutilizing certain groups and identifies and removes barriers for employment. Equal employment is the legislation that provides the oversight and investigates any allegations of discrimination and unfair treatment. To effectively implement an affirmative action program is important to have management support. This is not the type of program that can be successful at the grass roots level. The first step is to designate a high level manager as the champion. This person will be responsible for setting the overall tone for the program and will ensure that his managers at all levels throughout the organization take part in the implementation process as well as ensuring that the program is being effectively managed. The next decision is what kind of plan will be implemented from the two basic strategies, good faith effort or quota. Good faith focuses on changing the hiring practices that have created these inequities. It is also aimed at removing any obstacles that might be in the way of hiring minorities, women or disabled persons. Quotas are focused on the results and getting certain groups hired by implementing restrictions. Employers are required to meet specific numbers to be successful. Good faith is the preferable strategy because it focuses on a more positive approach while still hiring the best candidate for the job. There are many steps that are needed to roll-out an affirmative action plan. The following are the steps necessary in the development and implementation: 1. It is extremely important to develop the policy statement that will guide the entire program. In many instances this policy statement is also used as a clause on contracts as well as company newsletters and advertisements. Once the policy statement is completed the specific goals and objectives of the affirmative action program need to be established and disseminated throughout the organization. The goal of the program is to remedy the past and continued discrimination in hiring based on race, ethnicity and gender. The goal also addresses creating a work place that embraces the differences. Questions that must be answered are: What is the strategy to obtain the goal and what are the timelines associated with reaching our goal? 2. All the HR processes and job qualification standards to make sure that the job qualifications are consistent with the business need. Job analyses and job descriptions must be reviewed as well to ensure that they too are structured accordingly. Another aspect that should be done to ensure that the right protected groups are being targeted is the workforce analysis. What is the breakdown and make up of the employee population. This will help in the initial efforts. It is also necessary to audit this on an ongoing basis. 3. Detailed program initiates need to be written and communicated. The program should include details on recruiting, hiring and training employees as well as the company’s position on fair employment practices. 4. Develop the training program for HR managers as well as line managers at all levels. All employees must understand their responsibilities as they relate to an effective affirmative action program. How to effectively recruit and hire based on the program. Information should also be included in the company’s code of conduct booklet. Affirmative action should also be covered in employee orientation. 5. Training is the first step in forming a better understanding within the company, however unless the corporate goals and objectives are aligned with each department, the program will be harder to enforce. It is important to tie the affirmative action objectives to an individual’s performance and  part of the review process. This will ensure adherence. 6. The communication plan is another crucial part of the program and involves many steps. Employers should get the word out that they are an equal opportunity employer. Communicating this message is great publicity. Unless it is communicated effectively no one will know. Communications must be used to promote implementation internally. Posters can be put up throughout the facility or special edition newsletters to create enthusiasm for the program. The next level of communication is to go out into the communities by placing advertisements in local papers, talks with the local officials to gain support. Perhaps by establishing an arrangement to get applicant referrals through various state agencies, college placement offices and labor organizations perspective employees can be canvassed. Develop the appropriate communication strategies to target the right candidates for openings. If women are being sought after, then perhaps placing advertisements in a journal or periodical that has a higher female readership. Provide written notification of company affirmative action policy to subcontractors, vendors and suppliers and make sure that the company is partnering with the right mix. Today it is very important to align with other organizations that are minority owned. 7. Establish a training program for incumbents and current employees to supplement their skill set. An on the job training program as well as access to higher education will provide create the environment needed to be successful and will further eliminate obstacles for minorities and women. It is important not only to provide minorities and female employees with the educational opportunity, but to actively encourage participation. 8. Establish programs such as flex hours, child care and working from home to assist working mothers and or fathers with child care issues that would have precluded them from being successful in the past. 9. Design and implement an audit and reporting system to measure the effectiveness of an affirmative action program. If an affirmative action program is found to be deficient, actions must be taken to fix the problems. It is important to monitor an organization’s success on an ongoing basis and provide the necessary coaching when necessary. Diversity goes a long way to enrich our lives. People bring varying levels of experience and knowledge based on their individual backgrounds. It is important to encourage employees and managers to view these differences in a positive light. Affirmative action should have a positive view in the workplace for it to be successful. In avoiding the use of a quota system, employers remove the negative connotation that has historically been associated with a program like this. The diverse culture in our workplace is about finding the right person for the job, not hiring based on a person’s gender or color. The plan will be successful because it will become part of the corporate culture. When management endorses a program such as this and is dedicated to its success, line managers at all levels are also determined to make it work. It is important to communicate the details of the program in a manner that is understandable as well as non-controversial to gain the maximum amount of support. Ensuring that the hiring process removes all obstacles as well as working with contractors and outsource providers that also have affirmative action plans will further the success of the program. References Go to: http://www.apa.org/pubinfo/HowAffirmActBenAmerica.pdf Go to: http://www.fca.gov/Download/AEP%20Inspection%20Report.pdf Go to: http://hr.dop.wa.gov/wfd/guidlines.pdf

Anarchy State and Utopia Essay

Distributive Justice Robert Nozick From Anarchy, State, and Utopia, 149-182, with omissions. Copyright @ 1974 by Basic Books, Inc. Reprinted by permission of Basic Books, a subsidiary of Perseus Books Group, LLC. The minimal state is the most extensive state that can be justified. Any state more extensive violates people’s rights. Yet many persons have put forth reasons purporting to justify a more extensive state. It is impossible within the compass of this book to examine all the reasons that have been put forth. Therefore, I shall focus upon those generally acknowledged to be most weighty and influential, to see precisely wherein they fail. In this chapter we consider the claim that a more extensive state is justified, because necessary (or the best instrument) to achieve distributive justice; in the next chapter we shall take up diverse other claims. The term â€Å"distributive justice† is not a neutral one. Hearing the term â€Å"distribution,† most people presume that some thing or mechanism uses some principle or criterion to give out a supply of things. Into this process of distributing shares some error may have crept. So it is an open question, at least, whether redistribution should take place; whether we should do again what has already been done once, though poorly. However, we are not in the position of children who have been given portions of pie by someone who now makes last minute adjustments to rectify careless cutting. There is no central distribution, no person or group entitled to control all the resources, jointly deciding how they are to be doled out. What each person gets, he gets from others who give to him in exchange for something, or as a gift. In a free society, diverse persons control different resources, and new holdings arise out of the voluntary exchanges and actions of persons. There is no more a distributing or distribution of shares than there is a distributing of mates in a society in which persons choose whom they shall marry. The total result is the product of many individual decisions which the different individuals involved are entitled to make. Some uses of the term â€Å"distribution,† it is true, do not imply a previous distributing appropriately judged by some criterion (for example, â€Å"probability distribution†); nevertheless, despite the title of this chapter, it would be best to use a terminology that clearly is neutral. We shall speak of people’s holdings; a principle of justice in holdings describes (part of) what justice tells us (requires) about holdings. I shall state first what I take to be the correct view about justice in holdings, and then turn to the discussion of alternate views. Section 1 The Entitlement Theory The subject of justice in holdings consists of three major topics. The first is the original acquisition of holdings, the appropriation of unheld things. This includes the issues of how unheld things may come to be held, the process, or processes, by which unheld things may come to be held, the things that may come to be held by these processes, the extent of what comes to be held by a particular process, and so on. We shall refer to the complicated truth about this topic, which we shall not formulate here, as the principle of justice in acquisition. The second topic concerns the transfer of holdings from one person to another. By what processes may a person transfer holdings to another? How may a person acquire a holding from another who holds it? Under this topic come general descriptions of voluntary exchange, and gift and (on the other hand) fraud, as well as reference to particular conventional details fixed upon in a given society. The complicated truth about this subject (with placeholders for conventional details) we shall call the principle of justice in transfer. And we shall suppose it also includes principles governing how a person may divest himself of a holding, passing it into an unheld state. ) If the world were wholly just, the following inductive definition would exhaustively cover the subject of justice in holdings. 1. A person who acquires a holding in accordance with the principle of justice in acquisition is entitled to that holding. 2. A person who acquires a holding in accordance with the principle of justice in transfer, from someone else entitled to the holding, is entitled to the holding. . No one is entitled to a holding except by (repeated) applications of 1 and 2. The complete principle of distributive justice would say simply that a distribution is just if everyone is entitled to the holdings they possess under the distribution. A distribution is just if it arises from another just distribution by legitimate means. The legitimate means of moving from one distribution to another are specified by the principle of justice in transfer. The legitimate first â€Å"moves† are specified by the principle of justice in acquisition. Whatever arises from a just situation by just steps is itself just. The means of change specified by the principle of justice in transfer preserve justice. As correct rules of inference are truth-preserving, and any conclusion deduced via repeated application of such rules from only true premisses is itself true, so the means of transition from one situation to another specified by the principle of justice in transfer are justice-preserving, and any situation actually arising from repeated transitions in accordance with the principle from a just situation is itself just. The parallel between justice-preserving transformations and truth-preserving transformations illuminates where it fails as well as where it holds. That a conclusion could have been deduced by truth-preserving means from premisses that are true suffices to show its truth. That from a just situation a situation could have arisen via justice-preserving means does not suffice to show its justice. The fact that a thief’s victims voluntarily could have presented him with gifts does not entitle the thief to his ill-gotten gains. Justice in holdings is historical; it depends upon what actually has happened. We shall return to this point later. Not all actual situations are generated in accordance with the two principles of justice in holdings: the principle of justice in acquisition and the principle of justice in transfer. Some people steal from others, or defraud them, or enslave them, seizing their product and preventing them from living as they choose, or forcibly exclude others from competing in exchanges. None of these are permissible modes of transition from one situation to another. And some persons acquire holdings by means not sanctioned by the principle of justice in acquisition. The existence of past injustice (previous violations of the first two principles of justice in holdings) raises the third major topic under justice in holdings: the rectification of injustice in holdings. If past injustice has shaped present holdings in various ways, some identifiable and some not, what now, if anything, ought to be done to rectify these injustices? What obligations do the performers of injustice have toward those whose position is worse than it would have been had the injustice not been done? Or, than it would have been had compensation been paid promptly? How, if at all, do things change if the beneficiaries and those made worse off are not the direct parties in the act of injustice, but, for example, their descendants? Is an injustice done to someone whose holding was itself based upon an unrectified injustice? How far back must one go in wiping clean the historical slate of injustices? What may victims of injustice permissibly do in order to rectify the injustices being done to them, including the many injustices done by persons acting through their government? I do not know of a thorough or theoretically sophisticated treatment of such issues. Idealizing greatly, let us suppose theoretical investigation will produce a principle of rectification. This principle uses historical information about previous situations and injustices done in them (as defined by the first two principles of justice and rights against interference), and information about the actual course of events that flowed from these injustices, until the present, and it yields a description (or descriptions) of holdings in the society. The principle of rectification presumably will make use of its best estimate of subjunctive information about what would have occurred (or a probability distribution over what might have occurred, using the expected value) if the injustice had not taken place. If the actual description of holdings turns out not to be one of the descriptions yielded by the principle, then one of the descriptions yielded must be realized. The general outlines of the theory of justice in holdings are that the holdings of a person are just if he is entitled to them by the principles of justice in acquisition and transfer, or by the principle of rectification of injustice (as specified by the first two principles). If each person’s holdings are just, then the total set (distribution) of holdings is just. To turn these general outlines into a specific theory we would have to specify the details of each of the three principles of justice in holdings: the principle of acquisition of holdings, the principle of transfer of holdings, and the principle of rectification of violations of the first two principles. I shall not attempt that task here (Locke’s principle of justice in acquisition is discussed below. )†¦ . How Liberty Upsets Patterns It is not clear how those holding alternative conceptions of distributive justice can reject the entitlement conception of justice in holdings. For suppose a distribution favored by one of these non-entitlement conceptions is realized.

Free Essays on Mind Play

Since as far back as when the great Greek Philosopher Aristotle studied the workings of human emotions, learning, and perception, scientists and doctors alike have been interested in the mysterious workings of the human mind. Across various nations, the studies of the brain developed and expanded as technology and science created new and innovated ways to study and observe through scientific learning. However, it has become apparent that the minds of both humans and animals alike are far more complex than scientists and philosophers had originally assumed. Psychology has since become the science of behavior and human processes. Many fields have been developed as sub-divisions within the vast field of psychology. Two of the most common are clinical psychologists and psychiatrists. The most distinct differences between clinical psychologists and psychiatrists are the areas in which they work, they education that is required for them to participate in their fields, and the ways in which they treat their patients. The field of clinical psychology has become of great interest to numerous individuals in recent years. The desire to help and understand people is shared greatly throughout the nation, and even the world. Year by year, more and more clinics are being opened for new clinical psychologists to open their own practices in. The clinics generally consist of one or more offices where the psychologist either runs his own practice or shares the practice with other psychologists of the same demeanor. Each of the psychologists has been through at least four years of college and has received a bachelor’s degree in psychology. To receive the title of clinical psychologist, a person must have completed a four-year bachelors program at a university. After the psychologist receives his four-year degree and entered a clinic, it is time for the psychologist to begin his practice. Within the clinic, the psychologist may administer psychotherapy ... Free Essays on Mind Play Free Essays on Mind Play Since as far back as when the great Greek Philosopher Aristotle studied the workings of human emotions, learning, and perception, scientists and doctors alike have been interested in the mysterious workings of the human mind. Across various nations, the studies of the brain developed and expanded as technology and science created new and innovated ways to study and observe through scientific learning. However, it has become apparent that the minds of both humans and animals alike are far more complex than scientists and philosophers had originally assumed. Psychology has since become the science of behavior and human processes. Many fields have been developed as sub-divisions within the vast field of psychology. Two of the most common are clinical psychologists and psychiatrists. The most distinct differences between clinical psychologists and psychiatrists are the areas in which they work, they education that is required for them to participate in their fields, and the ways in which they treat their patients. The field of clinical psychology has become of great interest to numerous individuals in recent years. The desire to help and understand people is shared greatly throughout the nation, and even the world. Year by year, more and more clinics are being opened for new clinical psychologists to open their own practices in. The clinics generally consist of one or more offices where the psychologist either runs his own practice or shares the practice with other psychologists of the same demeanor. Each of the psychologists has been through at least four years of college and has received a bachelor’s degree in psychology. To receive the title of clinical psychologist, a person must have completed a four-year bachelors program at a university. After the psychologist receives his four-year degree and entered a clinic, it is time for the psychologist to begin his practice. Within the clinic, the psychologist may administer psychotherapy ...

The Challenge of US policy on essays

The Challenge of US policy on essays The Challenge of US policy on Educational Sciences The perception among policymakers is that spending more money on technology in the education system will improve student achievement in math and science. What they have not determined is how the new technology will be used. The tools are given to the teachers without ensuring the teachers can or will make effective use of them. In spite of this more than $5 billion will be spent on educational technology this year. The Clinton administration, and several state governors have recently endorsed technology as a necessary tool for education. However, immediate results from the infusion of technology into the classrooms should not be expected. As with any new tool, a period of adaptation and skill-building will be needed before benefit is evident. The is no guarantee that technology improves student achievement. We need to educate the educators. We cannot wait for the new bread of educator (recent teaching graduates) to dominate the classroom before benefits from technology can be captured. Technology is not a panacea, it alone can not improve our science and math scores. Our educators must be trained to use these tools and be able to teach the levels of science needed by today's student. Technology in the classroom is not the quick fix for declining math and science scores, but rather a facilitator to teaching and learning. Even training the educators to use these high-tech teaching tools is not enough, they must learn how to apply them to their curriculum. Learning to use a tool is one thing; learning how to make it useful is another. Survey's show that 46 percent of all educational technology courses are only half-day courses, and 79 percent of these focus on hardware, the software, or internet usage. Teachers are left to stumble upon ways to migrate the technology into classroom instruction. This appear to be a less than effective way to achieve what the tec ...

5 Major Donts for Your First Day of Work

5 Major Donts for Your First Day of Work We talk a lot around here about how to land that dream job, but maybe we need to spend more time on what to do (or, more specifically, what not to do)  when you get there! Here are 5 major donts for your first day of work.1. Don’t Hunker Down At Your DeskYou’ll probably get a cursory tour after the HR presentation or corporate orientation. If you’re lucky, it’ll be from a colleague you can ask honest questions of; if not, it’ll be a busy receptionist trying to get back to her desk and hoping you’ll find your way back to yours on your own. Whether you get the scenic version with lots of introductions or have to take a deep breath and introduce yourself to the row of cube denizens across from you, make sure to actually make a first impression- ideally one that comes with a firm handshake and a clear statement of your role.2. Don’t Begin with an AttitudeAt my last office job, a couple of our new hires were bright and chatty in their int erviews, but as soon as the daily grind set in, they developed sulky attitudes that were almost adolescent in nature. Even if elements of the office or the colleagues irritate you, make sure that is not apparent to everyone from day one! Focus on gratitude, opportunities for the future, your eventual paycheck, and networking opportunities- not the real estate, the latest gossip, or whatever you’re finding unappealing.3. Don’t Immediately Request Time OffDepending on your office, you may have to accrue leave before you can take any. If you had already planned a family trip six months before you even interviewed, it’s often okay to request a starting day that accommodates your plans when you accept the job. But once you start, you need to stick around! Modify your personal schedule whenever you can, don’t make those â€Å"I finally have insurance!† doctor’s appointments until after your first 90 days.4. Dont Violate Workplace ProtocolsThis can refer to both the official social media guidelines and break policies or the unofficial status quo of the office. Unless you were hired to shake things up, take a little time to learn how they handle projects and assignments before you propose a different way of doing it (even if you think it’s faster or more efficient).And then there’s the no brainers like wearing a strong scent, bringing an odiferous lunch, spending the day on your phone, or engaging in any kind of inappropriate banter with colleagues you’ve just met.5. Dont Ignore Your Boss or SuperiorsThis is one problem I’ve never had- my first few days, I err on the side of needy, if anything (this is also not good really; figure out who your immediate supervisor is and check in with them instead of your actual â€Å"boss† for small questions). Make sure you greet everyone you’re introduced to with a friendly smile, ask polite versions of â€Å"What do you do here?† like  "Will we be working together?† or â€Å"I’m sure we’ll cross paths† if you’re not sure.

Impact of Innovation on Economic Perfomance on Micro and Macro Level Essay

Impact of Innovation on Economic Perfomance on Micro and Macro Level - Essay Example This essay is one of the best examples of comprehensive theoretic analysis of the mechanism of the impact of technology changes on the competitiveness of a company or an entire economy of a country. The tighter and more competitive business environment is driving firms to innovate in order to maintain their existence as a market player. However, as more firms innovate, the struggle to maintain their share in the market in turn gets other firms to innovate, capturing everybody to be part of a complex economic cycle. A source of new technology is the society’s search for increased economic efficiency and a sincere desire to reduce the cost that it has to pay for the availability of goods. Whether the purpose of the technology is to improve its effective use of available natural resources or to increase or alter the supply of available resources, it has impacted what people buy (hence created new demand types), what they choose to do with their time (leading to new market for leisure events), what jobs are lost due to changes in the overall economic mix, and possibly the price of other goods that compete with the products, that were produced using new technology. Research, entrepreneurship, new start-ups, consolidation of businesses, interaction with other companies and financial markets create an environment that is conclusive to innovations. Novel trends in innovative activities are impacted by new technologies, modifications in the existing knowledge base, as well as changes in consumer needs.

The impact of Directive on UK Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The impact of Directive on UK Law - Essay Example Van Duyn made it clear that this was also true of Directives. If Directives are binding then it is possible that they will be relied upon in national courts, but clearly each case will turn on its own facts. Therefore since Z works for a Council this can be construed as an emanation of the State (specifically Case 103/99 Costanzo [1989] ECR 1839) and it is submitted that prima facie he is able to rely on the government’s non implementation directly in a UK court or tribunal provided the Directive is unconditional and sufficiently precise. However this is not true for D. His employer is a private company and as seen in the following case, the Court of Justice does not allow the direct horizontal enforcement of Directives. In Case 152/84 Marshall v Southampton and South-West Hampshire Area Health Authority (Teaching) [1986] ECR 723 [1986] 1 CMLR 688 Helen Marshall sought to sue a health authority for retirement age discrimination under the Equal Treatment Directive 1976. Her employer dismissed her at 60 in line with her contract. National law exempted retirement matters from its scope -- it did not impose retirement age at 60 - - only that women became eligible for pension at 60. The Court of Justice held that there was no ‘horizontal effect’ to a Directive where a government had failed to implement a Directive. Helen Marshall could not sue the Health Authority in these circumstances. If the employer is not the State or an emanation of the State then the Court of Justice allows the national court to look at indirect effect.

Triangular Love Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Triangular Love - Research Paper Example in most western countries foster independence from a young age, so individuals have autonomy in their life decisions including their selection of a mate. Collectivist cultures on the other hand, prioritize the goals of the group or ‘collective’ over their own desires; they identify themselves in accordance with the relationships they have with other people, such as family, extended family and friends (Myers, 2005). Collectivist cultures evident in many Eastern countries promote dependence or interdependence that cultivates a concern for others in all decisions made throughout a person’s lifetime, including their selection of a mate, which in some cases is made for them. Sternberg (1986) hypothesized love as a phenomenon that changes many times; in other words it is a process with three interrelated constituents that he conceptualized as a triangle: intimacy, decision/commitment and passion. Sternberg (1986) describes intimacy as love pertaining to â€Å"closeness, connectedness, and bondedness† (p.119); while decision/commitment relates to the â€Å"decision that one loves someone else† and the â€Å"commitment to maintain that love† (p.119); passion on the other hand refers to the â€Å"drive that leads to romance, physical attraction, sexual consummation†. As love is revolving and varying the three components are not necessarily evident at one time or they may not be balanced. Sternberg also posits that the three triangular components can come together in combinations that generate eight different types of love (1986, 1988), and one relationship is capable of experiencing all eight types over time. Within an individualistic culture a person very often selects their mate based on passion and desire for the other person which Sternberg calls infatuated love and they then make a decision to commit to the relationship; thus two components of Sternberg’s triangle are combined to form what he refers to as fatuous love. With the ability to make their own

Business assignment 2 Nader Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business assignment 2 Nader - Essay Example ution of the firms internal resources between all the aspects, such that the firm is able to gain cost efficiencies as well as competitive edge against its competitors. The 4 step chain of management very comprehensively summarizes the vital tasks that have to be performed by a manager. They are planning, organizing, leading and controlling. Planning is the visionary discussions on how factors have to be distributed, and how a certain project will be finished on time. This is just the pen and paper phase of the management, where the manager is keen on making a plan which is as crisp as possible, and which can be referred to upon as the project moves on. Organizing is the distribution of the resources among the various departments, various teams, various product divisions etc. so that every entity can start working as per the plan that was made in the first stage. (Dale, 1969) Then comes the third stage of leadership, where the manager has to perform the roles of the leader by motivat ing his staff to achieve the plan that was made by organizing the resources allocated to them in the best possible manner. And lastly, is the stage of controlling, where the manager has to ensure that the resources are not being misused, that the tasks and duties being assigned to individuals are being fulfilled, and that the plan is going according to what had been decided upon. This last stage is actually a check and balance stage, which is very important and helps them do any form of corrective actions that might be required. Leadership is the influential power that one holds to motivate, encourage and inspire a team to perform better than they usually would and someone who makes a vision and then continuously communicates it to his subordinates, also vigorously trying to increase the enthusiasm level of individual employees for the attainment of that vision. A leader is someone who is bent upon selling his vision to all his subordinates, so that a collective effort is exerted upon

Management and Leadership Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Management and Leadership - Case Study Example The company’s mission is to be the partner of choice for customers, employees, and business partners like investors (The Arab Human Development Report 112). They also have a mission to give to its customer’s superior technologies, quality products, and good services. They also focus on growth of the company and the addition of new values. The goals of the company include; providing good returns and growth to the investors input, satisfying every customer’s needs, building profitable relationships with partners and creation of favorable environments to the employees so that they can reach their goals (The Arab Human Development Report 29). Considering the company’s corporate strategy, the company, is set to have integrity in its operations, good communication channels in the organization and to other organizations, effective teamwork for better productivity of the business, accountability in each of the operations it deals in and aims at excellence in its o perations. From the report, it is evident that Lubna Olayan is a good leader to the company and has good management skills. She is seen to be recognized in many other different institutions for her quality management. This is due to her principles and organized corporate strategies (The Arab Human Development Report 122). Discussion Considering Blanchard’s situational leadership model description, Lubna Olayan’s leadership is using the delegating style (Maude 96). This is seen from what she says she believes in. She believes that the most difficult work should be given to the most competent person. This shows that she believes in delegating work to people provided she has confidence that the person will manage to deliver a quality job. This is also evident from what she said when she was asked about taking credit in the achievements they have had as a company (Maude 123). She said that she is humbled with what she has gained as a manager; she focuses on what she will a chieve tomorrow and so sets the plans for delegating duties. The success of a business depends on the overall efforts of each employee. For the Olayan financing company to continue growing and achieving its goals, Lubna Olayan will need to look for means of empowering his employees and managers so that the business will continue to succeed. Empowering the employees and managers, at the firm, will help increase employee trust and loyalty in the business. This is results from the idea that employees will know that the decisions they make will affect the company directly hence will look for means of making the best decisions. This will be healthy for the company as a whole (Maude 115). The other factor that will necessitate the empowerment of the managers and the employees at the firm is because Olayan is a person with a tight schedule, and cannot be available at all times to make decisions for the company (The Arab Human Development Report 61). Empowering employees and managers will e nsure that decisions can be made, even if, the overall leader is not at the business premises. This ensures all the company’s activities continue smoothly whenever Olayan is on errands. Empowering the employees also promotes innovation and creativity at the work place. This can help to develop new and better ways of solving situations. It can also be a channel of evaluating which employee is a better leader.

Loss of Productivity in The Workplace and Modern Technology Essay

Loss of Productivity in The Workplace and Modern Technology - Essay Example Simplistic assessments driven by special interests tend to convince the confused corporate employer to attribute the blame of productivity loss to an errant workforce and jump into a frenzy of surveillance and lay-offs without being sure at the first place, whether the traditional ideas of productivity can be applied at all to the situation. New technology creates new stresses as also new benefits, and the idea of productivity itself needs to change and take into account the whole rather than a part of the consequences of the computer network in the workspace. "To be sure, part of the problem is that we are mismeasuring productivity" (Blinder & Quandt, 27-28) for we have not yet standardized the inputs and outputs, and the traditional workspace is already being pushed by the virtual workspace that extends the office workspace into the homes of telecommuting employees. When we talk about productivity in the workplace, our primary concern is labor or employee productivity, and the way modern technology affects it. Despite its obvious boons, modern technology also affects the workspace by its inherent tangible and mechanical complexity, fallibility, and speed of change. Usually these are overlooked as corporates tend to view system failures as part of the game while employee failures as unpardonable. Too often, in the confus... 'Hand it round first, and cut it afterwards.' Too often, in the confused state of the market, employers buy systems and software first and understand their compatibility and utility later. This results in a terrible lack of standardization that affects both the employer and the employee. A hardware failure can cost between 2-16 hours of productivity on an individual computer. A server failure affects the entire workforce and can throttle productivity and raise stress to unbearable heights especially if deadlines are on hand. (Johnston) Slow operating systems and machines take away productive time frustrating the employee who feels out of control, and that the computer sets the pace of work rather than the human. The effect of system failures on worker stress and productivity has been a matter of research and "some studies have shown that characteristics of computer technology can add to the stress experienced by office workers. Johansson and Aronsson ( 1984 ) showed that computer breakdown yielded an increase in adrenaline excre tion and diastolic blood pressure, as well as in selfrated irritation, fatigue, rush, and boredom. Schleifer ( 1987 ) showed that slow computer response time generated higher ratings of mood disturbances."( Carayon-Sainfort, 246) The loss of valuable data and related productivity loss exhibits worker stress in a phenomenon termed as PC rage. In a research conducted by Symantec in UK in conjunction with the National Opinion Poll, it was found that nearly half of Britons have reacted to system crashes by "either abusing colleagues, hitting the computer, screaming, shouting or hurling parts of the PC." (PC Rage, The Birmingham Post) More than half of the Symantec research subjects admitted to experiencing a loss of productivity as a result of

Management and Leadership Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Management and Leadership - Case Study Example The company’s mission is to be the partner of choice for customers, employees, and business partners like investors (The Arab Human Development Report 112). They also have a mission to give to its customer’s superior technologies, quality products, and good services. They also focus on growth of the company and the addition of new values. The goals of the company include; providing good returns and growth to the investors input, satisfying every customer’s needs, building profitable relationships with partners and creation of favorable environments to the employees so that they can reach their goals (The Arab Human Development Report 29). Considering the company’s corporate strategy, the company, is set to have integrity in its operations, good communication channels in the organization and to other organizations, effective teamwork for better productivity of the business, accountability in each of the operations it deals in and aims at excellence in its o perations. From the report, it is evident that Lubna Olayan is a good leader to the company and has good management skills. She is seen to be recognized in many other different institutions for her quality management. This is due to her principles and organized corporate strategies (The Arab Human Development Report 122). Discussion Considering Blanchard’s situational leadership model description, Lubna Olayan’s leadership is using the delegating style (Maude 96). This is seen from what she says she believes in. She believes that the most difficult work should be given to the most competent person. This shows that she believes in delegating work to people provided she has confidence that the person will manage to deliver a quality job. This is also evident from what she said when she was asked about taking credit in the achievements they have had as a company (Maude 123). She said that she is humbled with what she has gained as a manager; she focuses on what she will a chieve tomorrow and so sets the plans for delegating duties. The success of a business depends on the overall efforts of each employee. For the Olayan financing company to continue growing and achieving its goals, Lubna Olayan will need to look for means of empowering his employees and managers so that the business will continue to succeed. Empowering the employees and managers, at the firm, will help increase employee trust and loyalty in the business. This is results from the idea that employees will know that the decisions they make will affect the company directly hence will look for means of making the best decisions. This will be healthy for the company as a whole (Maude 115). The other factor that will necessitate the empowerment of the managers and the employees at the firm is because Olayan is a person with a tight schedule, and cannot be available at all times to make decisions for the company (The Arab Human Development Report 61). Empowering employees and managers will e nsure that decisions can be made, even if, the overall leader is not at the business premises. This ensures all the company’s activities continue smoothly whenever Olayan is on errands. Empowering the employees also promotes innovation and creativity at the work place. This can help to develop new and better ways of solving situations. It can also be a channel of evaluating which employee is a better leader.

The Role of PsychiatricNurse Practitioner Essay

The Role of PsychiatricNurse Practitioner - Essay Example However, after liberalization of advanced nurses, some of the researches have revealed that this carder of nurses are being underutilized especially within the realism of mental health. The area that they cover is wide since they are based in the communities where the mental disease burden is notable. The following are the prescribed area of services that the nurses they offer in the community. The role ranges across from admission to discharge and comprehensive pharmacotherapy that is involved. On admission, the advanced practice psychiatric mental health nurse, evaluates the patient’s status. This helps the nurse to know whether the patient is for the admission or discharge on evaluation. The other role is taking overnight calls and coverage when there is shortage of psychiatrist. More importantly, it’s the ability of this nurses to perfume extensive diagnostic skills and come up with psychiatric and mental disorders with precision of psychiatrists that are perfect. Such competencies are developed during their preparation and education which they undertake role plays in order to have a clear understanding of their environment from all angles (Hubbard, 2014). More so, they carry out interventions and implementation of the treatment plans for a caseload patients that are under isolations. Such interventions includes psychopharmacology, individual family or gr oup psychotherapy. They have the ability of covering on emergence psychiatric patient. Muxworthy and Bowllan (2007), the realization of knowledge that nurses with advanced credential are needed is paramount since the medical field is overarched by the physicians who are less than the disease. Nursing profession is slowly being revolutionized and the dominance is slowly being suppressed by the increased disease burden and the capacity of nurses to perform at advanced levels. The disease burden of the mentally patients is rising due to a number of factors such as substance abuse,

New Testament Essay Example for Free

New Testament Essay â€Å"This weakness is displayed in the special terms that are employed by the theory —innocent, combatant, aggression, authority and so on. These terms are subject to the slipping and sliding of deconstructive analysis and forever need further, technical definition. For example, what constitutes an act of ‘aggression’? Is it Ð ° physical assault on one’s territory? An insult to the national pride? Ð  trade embargo, an attack on one’s ally? Osama bin Laden justifies his attack on 9/11 as an act of self-defense against American ‘aggression’, which has destroyed the ‘religion and life’ of his people. For over seven years the United States has been occupying the lands of Islam in the holiest of places, the Arabian Peninsula, plundering its riches, dictating to its rulers, humiliating its people, terrorizing its neighbors, and turning its bases in the Peninsula into Ð ° spearhead through which to fight the neighboring Muslim peoples. If some people have in the past argued about the fact of the occupation, all the people of the Peninsula have now acknowledged it. The best proof of this is the Americans’ continuing aggression against the Iraqi people using the Peninsula as Ð ° staging post, even though all its rulers are against their territories being used to that end, but are helpless†¦ All these crimes and sins committed by the Americans are Ð ° clear declaration of war on Allah, his messenger, and Muslims. And ulema [religious leaders] have throughout Islamic history unanimously agreed that the jihad is an individual duty if the enemy destroys the Muslim countries. This was revealed by Imam Bin-Qadamah in ‘Al-Mughni’, Imam al-Kisa’i in ‘Al-Bada’I’, al-Qurtubi in his interpretation, and the shaykh of al-Islam in his books, where he said: ‘As for the fighting to repulse [an enemy], it is aimed at defending sanctity and religion, and it is Ð ° duty as agreed [by the ulema]. Nothing is more sacred than belief except repulsing an enemy who is attacking religion and life’. In fact, this same justification is not so remote from what we hear in our own country, where the left-wing often blames American imperialism and the international system of capitalism for raping the cultures of third world countries, exploiting the people, producing poverty, and sowing the seeds for Ð ° violent response. The criteria do not seem to help the special problem at hand. Most scholars seem to think that just war theory allows for pre-emptive strikes, but the conditions and details are not so clear. The Bush administration and the ‘National Security Strategy’ contend that pre-emptive strikes against Iraq are consonant with just war theory, international law, and Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. Legal scholars and international jurists are said to sanction the right of Ð ° pre-emptive strike based on the condition of an imminent threat. † (Gabriel 2006 27-33) â€Å"However, the Vatican seems to interpret its own codes as Ð ° justification for fighting Ð ° defensive war against Ð ° particular act of aggression, and most scholars seem to agree with its interpretation of the tradition. Jeff McMahan, Ð ° professor at the University of Illinois, says that the theory has Ð ° strong aversion to pre-emptive war. Normally we prefer to punish Ð ° crime already committed, rather than speculate over future possibilities. Just war theory does not like to exchange its certitude for Ð ° more problematic or sordid enterprise. 18 William Gaston, professor at the University of Maryland, finds it necessary to create more criteria to justify his opposition to the administration’s policy, he concedes that ‘anticipatory self-defense has Ð ° place in international law and just war theory’, but he does not concur with the current application of this most difficult step. His criteria would involve Ð ° consideration of the enormity, probability and imminence of the threat, as well as the cost of delay, According to these criteria, the Bush policy is unnecessary in the present circumstance—at least for the time being. Saddam Hussein is not Ð ° present danger (imminence); other options for Ð ° number of months could prove fruitful (cost of delay); and it is unlikely that Saddam would hand WMD to terrorists based on his past actions and present interest. The conclusion is that ‘the case for Ð ° pre-emptive strike has not been made’. Those who list criteria often cast Ð ° negative vote toward an action. Just war treatises often demand fulfillment of all of its conditions. Thomas Aquinas, when he composed his conditions for just war (proper authority, just cause and right intention), insisted that all three conditions must be met as Ð ° necessary apologia for war. The scholastics went on to develop the maxim bonum ex integra causa, malum ex quocumque defectu. â€Å"However, with the United States issuing Ð ° â€Å"with us or against us ultimatum after September 11 and simultaneously dangling the carrot of long-term economic and military assistance in return for logistic support for Americas war effort, each Central Asian state rushed to strike unilateral deals with the United States based on its own self-interest, thereby allowing the United States to establish Ð ° strategic foothold in Central Asia with little or no thought for Chinas concerns. For Central Asians, it was Ð ° golden opportunity to lessen the overbearing influence of their neighboring giants (Russia and China). They view the expanded U. S. military presence in the region as an insurance policy against any future bid by Russia and China to reassert control. However, the lack of strategic policy coordination post-September 11 among the SCO member states left the multilateral forum seriously weakened, undercut the groups solidarity, and represented Ð ° â€Å"major failure for the fledgling group† established to provide Ð ° regional response to terrorism in the region. 65 It also highlighted the tenuous nature of Chinas â€Å"strategic influence† in Central Asia where local ethnic and religious rivalries and conflicting interests present formidable obstacles to Beijings desire to knit the regions governments into Ð ° solid security partnership to further Chinas grand strategic objectives. â€Å" (Mohan 2002) This meant that an action cannot have any moral defect if it is to find justification before God. Ð  war must involve the perfection of God, or it cannot proceed under his blessing. The conditions of war is wholly good, universal and absolute. They do not serve as simple rules of thumb, which may have tensions and become subject to compromise between them. However, this preference for absolute, deontological ethics does not allow the tradition to meet the changing needs of the human condition. It becomes Ð ° pretext for doing nothing because it is based upon past concerns and does not relate to modern times. Its view of the world comes from the Greek philosophical notion of kosmos, not the biblical concept of history, Its world is Ð ° closed shell of eternal laws that contain no openness to the changes of history or the historical nature of humankind. It often strait-jackets its proponents into following rules and failing to take the best course of action in the present circumstance. It limits itself to Ð ° past set of rules that are composed without the prescience of future, historical constellations. The absolute dogmatic claims of the system are somewhat surprising since so much of the analysis depends upon the power of human reason. Its basis of authority does not reside in scripture so much—maybe because the questions it asks are removed from the basic message of the New Testament. † (Elizabeth 2004 6)

Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) Treatment Strategies

Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) Treatment Strategies 1. TREATMENT OF ASPD BY PHARMACOLOGICAL MEANS Treatment of antisocial personality disorder by pharmacological means is notoriously difficult, mainly because of the problems with non-compliance due to the side effects of the medication at doses high enough to produce a therapeutic response. A recent paper by Walker has claimed spectacular results from Quetiapine which reduced symptoms of irritability, impulsivity, and aggressiveness together with improvements in hostility and rage reactions with minimal side effects and therefore good levels of compliance. We should note however, that this study was in adults and there is little data on the effectiveness of this regime in children. (Walker C et al. 2003) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A brief overview of the literature on the subject shows that there is huge controversy surrounding the areas of treatment (both psychotherapeutic and pharmacological) of the psychopathic and antisocial personality disorders in general. They range from some (usually the older texts) which suggest that the condition is largely untreatable (viz. Cleckley, H. 1964) to others which offer varying degrees of evidence of success. Critical analysis would have to conclude however, that the different methods of treatment that have been tried have largely suffered from a lack of controlled follow-up research and that comparison of trials is rendered difficult because of the lack of consistency in both the definition and the diagnosis of the disorder. (Martens W H J 2000) There does appear to be a general acceptance in the literature that the core antisocial behaviours associated with the antisocial personality disorder are difficult to manage (Myers W C et al. 2006) and that the bulk of pharmacological treatment is aimed at the control of the associated behaviours. The main clinical dilemma which faces healthcare professionals is whether it is better to target the untreatable aspects of the condition, on the grounds that they are what usually caused to patient to come into contact with the healthcare professionals in the first instance, or to treat the associated symptoms which may be more responsive to pharmacological intervention. (Hodgins S et al. 2007) With these caveats in place, if one focuses on the treatment options most commonly employed in antisocial personality disorder, then one can observe that the options can be broadly categorised as the neuroleptics, anticonvulsants, lithium, antidepressants, psychostimulants and benzodiazepines. It should be noted that many of these medication categories will typically take a substantial time to exert optimal effect and compliance is frequently a problem rendering treatment assessment difficult. The treatment options will be considered by category Neuroleptics This group typically have a tranquillising effect of disturbed and aberrant behaviour patterns. Anger, hostility and tension levels can be reduced by low dose regimes and this drug group and are also helpful in dealing with specific psychotic episodes, but in typically higher doses. (Black, D. A. 2002) Anticonvulsants This category of medication is thought to have a number of actions on many of the neuropsychiatric syndromes, as well as the behavioural disorders, in addition to their direct anticonvuslant activity. (Hudziak J J et al. 2006) Carbamazepine has been found to be helpful in situations of angry outbursts, self-mutilation and violence. It is postulated that it may work in this respect through its activity in the limbic system. There is also EEG evidence of reduced abnormal activity in the EEG traces of the most explosively violent patients with antisocial personality disorder. (Cowdry, R et al. 1998) Lithium Lithium has also been demonstrated to reduce the incidence of emotionally unstable behaviour patterns. It does have the drawback of producing clinical sedation at the higher ends of the therapeutic spectrum and may also be associated with both tremor and lack of coordination. Constant supervision is therefore essential and this may be difficult in an uncooperative patient. (Paris J 2005) Antidepressants The antisocial personality disorder patient will often demonstrate mood disturbances which may be helped by the antidepressants. Children are not good candidates for some antidepressants, for example the MAOIs used in adult patients are not appropriate in the younger age group. Imipramine has been found useful in children who have panic attacks, mood swings and dysthymia and also in some obsessive children. The antidepressants tend to be used in clinical cases where lithium has failed. (Gunderson J G et al. 2006) Benzodiazepines These are perhaps the most effective in the anxiety states and in cases of insomnia. Because of their fast onset of action, the Benzodiazepine group are useful in the acute behavioural disturbance, particularly in aggression. Some studies have highlighted the downside of benzodiazepine treatment. This includes not only the problems of habituation, but also the possibility of dysinhibitory effects in certain patients. Alprazolam is arguably one of the most effective agents in this therapeutic area but it’s use is complicated by cases of serious dyscontrol. In some studies, episodes of drug overdoses and severe self-mutilation required the immediate withdrawal of the medication. (Frank E et al. 2002) Psychostimulants These are particularly useful in the younger patient where they are known to reduce symptoms of dysphoria and anxiety. There have been a number of well conducted trials in this area. Medications such as amphetamine and methylphenidate have proved useful in reducing behavioural disturbances children, particularly when there is an overlap between antisocial personality disorder and attention deficit syndrome. (Turgay A et al. 2002) Some studies in this area have demonstrated good responses to both the tricyclic antidepressant group and the SSRI group, with fluoxitine appearing to be particularly favourable. The best studies however, do not claim a good response rate of higher than 27% in subjects with antisocial personality disorder. One should note also that some studies also record an apparent clinical worsening of their condition, with amitriptyline and haloperidol producing increased levels of both agression and hostility in some patients who did not exhibit these symptoms before treatment. The causal linkage was given further credence when it was found that these symptoms increased with longer duration of treatment and increased dosage of medication. (Tyrer P et al. 2004) In conclusion, one can ponder the writing of Tyrer and Bateman who have written extensively on the subject of pharmacology of the personality disorders. When considering an appropriate drug choice for antisocial personality disorders and others, they note that any demonstrable neurobiochemical disorder may actually not be central to the condition, and may even be part of the peripheral syndrome (drug abuse etc,). to cite Tyrer: The best that pharmacology and physiology can offer is the justification for trying drug treatment: it cannot predict its efficacy. This argument can be followed in greater detail in the earlier writings of Cloninger: Even when a dimension is agreed (e.g. affective instability as a core feature of borderline personality disorder) its definition may vary. Some see affective instability in terms of reward dependence, whereas others consider it as disinhibition. Which view is taken is of considerable importance when considering drug treatment. The author sees novelty-seeking as being determined through genetic predisposition via the dopamine system, whereas many others consider affective disinhibition to be related to the serotonergic system. When no biological marker is linked clearly to diagnosis answers can only be speculative. (Cloninger, C. R et al. 1993) 2. TREATMENT BY CONVENTIONAL MEANS Treatment by â€Å"conventional means† could be taken to include various psychotherapeutic approaches. A landmark study by Chiesa and Fonagy compared the results of a one-stage treatment model (in-patient treatment with no after care) with a two-stage model (shorter in-patient admission followed by outreach therapy) in a large cohort of patients with antisocial personality disorder (and other psychopathies). The paper is both long and complex, but, in essence, those patients treated in the two stage model did significantly better in both global assessments of mental health as well as assessments of social; adjustment. Many papers refer to treatment regimes which, although varying in detail, tend to include elements of a socio-therapeutic programme which are generally managed primarily by the nursing staff, and a more formal psychoanalytic psychotherapy programme which tends to be delivered by medical and non-medical psychotherapists. The latter typically tends to target psychodynamic orientation and typically focuses on the interpretation of the internal conflicts of the patient, as well as on the confrontation and clarification of dysfunctional behaviour. It also will include analysis of institutional transferences as they become apparent during the treatment phase. (viz. Dolan, B et al. 2007) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In very much the same way as we have observed in the context of pharmacological interventions, it would appear to be true that the literature relating to psychotherapeutic regimes suffers from difficulties inherent in maintaining follow up and comparison of ostensibly similar trials because of the variations in both diagnosis and the nature of the various treatment regimes. A number of sources place great emphasis on a holistic assessment of the patient’s full history including their cognitive and affective levels of functioning. Particular attention should also be paid to the patient’s criminal history if it is relevant (and it usually is) and to any available evidence of any previous behavioural disorder, including any associations such as attention deficit disorder. These factors will rely upon a combination of interviews, psychometric measures (including the MMPI scales, repertory grids and Hare’s Psychopathy Checklist) and file information, in which records of social, psychiatric and criminal history can usually be found. (Soyka M 2000) In addition to all of this, treatment decisions may also need to be based on factors and information which has been obtained from any number of independent sources such as family members, court records and victims. Oldham states that an important element in treatment is as assessment of the degree to which the patient feels able to exert any control over the various aspects of their behavioural dysfunction as well as their own reaction to their perception of their antisocial activity and conduct. This latter element may necessitate enquiry into a number of lifestyle factors such as â€Å"deviant behaviour, including attitudes to self and others, interpersonal style and substance abuse†. (Oldham J M 2006) All of these factors will have a bearing on the particular therapeutic approach to be adopted as well as an assessment of the patient’s own intellectual abilities. Lamberg points out that an important element in achieving any degree of success in treatment is to come to a realistic agreement with the patient as to the what both the healthcare professionals and the patient can expect as a result of the treatment programme adopted. Unrealistic attitudes or expectations on the part of either party are lily to lead to disillusionment and treatment breakdown. (Lamberg L 2006) The fine details of the various treatment options are clearly beyond the scope of this essay and therefore they will be presented in overview. Behaviour therapy This type of approach effectively uses a mixture of learning theory and experimental psychology to the various maladaptions of the patient’s behaviour. The (now largely outdated) reasoning behind this approach is that the patient is regarded as having learned abnormal behaviour patterns by inappropriate conditioning through interactions between their environmental past and their current environmental situations. (Gilligan J, et al. 2004). Clearly this is not referable to the various associated organic syndromes which may present as comorbidities. Behavioural therapists therefore start from the assumption that all these behavioural aberrations can be both predicted and controlled. Their goal is therefore to use externally derived stimuli to either weaken or completely eliminate any of the unwanted maladaptive behaviour patterns. In clinical situations, the therapeutic effect is sought through the mechanism of either positive or negative reinforcement techniques which can streng then or enhance the desired behaviour pattern or occasionally through punishment mechanisms which make it less likely. Robertson suggests that such techniques can be enhanced by the addition of other learning principles including â€Å"avoidance, extinction, time-out, generalisation and discrimination† (Robertson M R 2000) Aversion therapy appeared to be in vogue in the 1980s but is seldom used in current practice. Other facets of behaviour therapy include the adoption of skills training where the patient learns appropriate responses to potentially aggressive encounters, the need to control anger, and the ability to deal with authority figures. (Kerr I B et al. 2007) Cognitive approaches This appears to be a more frequently used approach in the modern literature. It involves identifying, confronting and then questioning any maladaptive or irrational thoughts that the patient may have and establishing new cognitions to replace them. (Mack A H et al. 2003) The basic concept behind this type of approach is that the clinical problems which are responsive to this type of intervention are disorders of either thought or feeling processes which modify or even dictate or behaviour patterns. It follows that modification of these maladaptive thought processes will change the maladaptive behaviour patterns. (Evenden J 1999) The commonest application of this technique is therapeutic modelling whereby treatment allows the patient to observe a competent, coping model of human behaviour, and then embarking on a cognitive dissection in the hope that this will be reflected in the patient’s future conduct. It has been successfully used in situations of response to provocation, physiological monitoring, assertiveness training, reappraisal, cognitive self-control, relaxation training and self-instruction. Cognitive approaches can be undertaken in either a group or individual basis. (Toone B 2004) Individual and group psychotherapy This approach differs from behavioural approaches (which focus primarily on externally observed behaviour patterns) insofar as it is primarily concerned with approaching the patient in an empathetic relationship which allows them to reach an understanding of what is happening in their own personal inner world Freud believed that patients could both share and explore the underlying causes of their clinical difficulties and learn to change the psychological determinants through the process of experiencing of unrecognised forces in themselves. (Brown, D et al. 1979) In broad terms, a psychodynamic approach to the treatment of antisocial personality disorder places emphasis on the â€Å"importance of personality structure and development, and is based upon the principle that antisocial behaviour is an expression of an underlying personality disturbance. Chronic antisocial behaviour is held to reflect distortions in development and most particularly, the patient’s primitive defences against trusting relationships†. (Sugden S G et al. 2006) Patients with antisocial personality disorder typically show damage to their ego strength and therefore their capacity to contain and manage various primitive anxieties and impulses. It follows therefore that a crucial part of psychotherapy is helping the patient to uncover the relevant mental states and meanings behind their behaviour patterns, and allowing them to explore and understand their feelings and maladaptive defence mechanisms. (Grossman L S et al. 1999) Therapeutic community approaches Some authorities advocate the use of the therapeutic community. This involves a more democratic engagement between healthcare professionals and patients and encourages the more active participation of patients in their own treatment in addition to giving them a greater responsibility for the day to day running of their hospital community. It is hoped that this delegation of responsibility to patients in a ‘living and learning’ environment will help to encourage a more open expression of their feelings and a greater understanding and exploration of interpersonal relationships the lack of which is a major feature in antisocial personality disorder. The organisation and atmosphere in such a community is typically low key and fairly unstructured with regular meetings between the healthcare professionals and the patients. This type of approach is occasionally referred to in the literature as ‘milieu therapy’. The therapeutic structure is that the community allows for the provision of a combination of interventions such as pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, cognitive therapy, group therapy and behavioural therapy. All of these elements are delivered by a wide range of staff from different professional backgrounds, so that the various patients in the community can receive different treatment packages, depending on their individual needs. (Connor D F et al. 2003) 3. ASSOCIATION OF ASPD WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE Another of the major themes apparent in the literature is the association of antisocial personality disorder with substance abuse. Part of the therapeutic regime should therefore include a direct approach to this element of the problem. It is known that the earlier the clinical manifestation of antisocial personality disorder (particularly at the age of 10 or younger) the greater is the risk of substance abuse in adolescent or adult life. (Joshi V et al. 2001) It has also been shown that the involvement with substance abuse prior to the instigation of treatment is a predictor of poor therapeutic outcome. (Myers W C et al. 2006) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Studies which have attempted to quantify the association of antisocial personality disorder with substance abuse have, almost without exception, identified the element of deceit on the part of the patients as being a major source of unreliability in their findings. Deceit is a commonly found behaviour pattern in antisocial personality disorder and the social stigma associated with substance abuse makes the apparent need for deceit on the part of the patient more understandable. Myers published a tour-de-force on the issues linking substance abuse and the adolescent with antisocial personality disorder. (Myers M G et al. 1998). A number of well constructed studies (viz. Windle M 2000) have stated that antisocial behaviour patterns diagnosed in children and adolescents are predictive of both adolescent and adult involvement in substance abuse with Robins going further and stating that conduct disorder (considered to be part of the same spectrum of conditions as antisocial personality disorder) is a strong prognostic indicator for both antisocial personality disorder and abuse of psychoactive substance in adulthood. (Robins L N et al. 2001). These observations have led a number of commentators to conclude that adult antisocial personality disorder and substance use disorders may share common aetiological pathways. This however, is rather speculative. There is some evidence that there may be a genetic link between the two but the situation should be regarded as â€Å"not proven†. The two elements are certainly linked but the nature of the linkage is unclear. The thrust of this theme can be considered further with the examination of an interesting viewpoint which is expressed by Fu (Fu. O et al. 2002) who was exploring the genetic background between antisocial personality disorder and alcohol dependence. The comments made in the Myers paper (cited above) relating to the possibility that antisocial personality disorder and substance abuse may have a common or related aetiology is given further credence by Fu’s work in which he cites evidence in studies by Kessler and others for separate increased genetic susceptibility to antisocial personality disorder, marijuana dependence and alcohol dependence. Both marijuana dependence and alcohol dependence have been found to be familial in some studies with monozygotic separated twins showing higher incidences than the normal population. (Kessler R C et al. 2006) Slutske suggests that common genetic risk factors have been suggested to account for between 76% and 71% of the genetic association between antisocial personality disorder and alcohol dependence in twin studies. (Slutske W S et al. 1998) a finding that was replicated in the True study showing the possibility of a genetic link between antisocial personality disorder, alcohol dependence and marijuana dependence. It should also be noted that the same study reported the presence of a statistically significant genetic link between antisocial personality disorder and major depression which is believed to also be linked to increased risk of alcohol dependence. (True W R et al. 1999) There is a disproportionately high prevalence of antisocial personality disorder amongst substance abusers. Those substance abusers who have antisocial personality disorder are likely to have started abusing earlier than their non-affected counterparts. (Carroll K M et al. 2003) . Other authorities demonstrate a preponderance of polysubstance abusers in substance abusers who have antisocial personality disorder with the same studies showing worse prognostic outcomes in this sub-set. (Cacciola J S et al. 2005) If one considers the problem from a developmental viewpoint, some years ago Moffitt identified two distinct sub-types of deviance in adolescence. By far the largest group were those where the problem and challenging behaviour patterns begin and end before the end of adolescence. The second, much smaller group were those where the behaviour patterns persisted into adulthood. (Moffitt T E 1993). Studies which have attempted to further define these issues have suggested that early emergence of antisocial personality disorder (or conduct disorder in the child) together with a demonstration of these deviant behaviour patterns across a wide spectrum of settings are both good prognostic indicators of likely persistence of antisocial personality disorder and substance abuse into adult life. (Loeber R et al. 2003) Moffitt (who has written extensively on this issue) proposes the concept of â€Å"snares† in which a number of features of the behaviour patterns of the antisocial personality disorder are critical in serving to limit options for the individual to escape their antisocial lifestyle. The concept that deeper commitment to drugs or alcohol may, in themselves, limit the â€Å"escape options† for pro-social behaviour or they may habituate the patient to environments which are more â€Å"risky† in terms of relapse. Both of these mechanisms unfortunately serve to perpetuate a deviant or antisocial lifestyle. This concept can be considered further with the realisation that antisocial personality disorder and substance abuse expands into most of the major life domains. The problems that all sufferers with antisocial personality disorder have in areas such as school or work, interpersonal relations, and legal difficulties, are greatly increased by the coexistence of a problem with substance abuse. All these areas are clearly important to the developing adolescent persona. This also is reflected in the fact that such â€Å"high risk† individuals increase their difficulty further by indulging in substance abuse and this, in turn, is associated with an increased persistence of antisocial personality disorder into adult life. The persistence of symptoms into adult life in this sub-group can be viewed as being associated with the presence of additional psychopathology. 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Essay on the Myths of the African American Woman in Song of Solomon :: Song Solomon essays

Defying the Myths of the African American Woman in Song of Solomon    Throughout slavery, myths were created that tainted the image of the African American woman. These myths promote the misconceptions that African American women are promiscuous and are virtually useless. These myths caused these women to be degraded in the eyes of others as well as themselves. In Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon womanhood is defined in ways that have destroyed these myths. Womanhood is defined according to one's sexuality, spirituality, beauty, identity, relationships, and motherhood.    Song of Solomon begins with one of the most arresting scenes in our century''s literature: a dreamlike tableau depicting a man poised on a roof, about to fly into the air, while cloth rose petals swirl above the snow-covered ground and, in the astonished crowd below, one woman sings as another enters premature labor. The child born of that labor, Macon (Milkman) Dead, will eventually come to discover, through his complicated progress to maturity, the meaning of the drama that marked his birth. Toni Morrison''s novel is a romance of self-discovery, a retelling of the black experience in America that uncovers the inalienable poetry of that experience, and a family saga luminous in its depth, imaginative generosity, and universality. It is also a tribute to the ways in which, in the hands of a master, the ancient art of storytelling can be used to make the mysterious and invisible aspects of human life apparent, real, and firm to the touch.    Milkman's independent aunt, Pilate, serves as the best but not the only example of the retention and use of African ways and culture. Pilate is seen as a conjure woman and this fact is made evident by her unnatural birth and the distinguishing feature of being born without a navel. This sets her apart from the rest of the community giving her almost immediate supernatural status. Not only can she be seen as a conjure women she should also be seen as a keeper of African cultural ways. She proves to be the the strength and preservation of her heritage and culture. Pilate in keeping with the African Spiritual culture seeks to repair the relationship of Macon and Ruth at Ruth's request. So with this knowledge gained from what seems, another world source, Pilate gives to Macon's wife Ruth a greenish powder to put in Macon's food to induce him to become sexually active with Ruth again.