Yellow Journalism Then and Now - 859 Words

Yellow Journalism: Then and Now Yellow JournalismÂ… the unbelievable headlines, gossip you hear from the paparazzi, although you think it is just harmless gossip, it is everything but that, as a matter of fact it has caused wars amongst America and other countries. The term yellow journalism was originally coined to describe the journalistic practices of Joseph Pulitzer. Today, it is synonymous with the inflammatory editorials of William Randolph Hearst. In a classic example of yellow journalism Hearst responded to illustrator Frederic Remingtons request to return from an assignment in a quiet Havana, Please remain. You furnish the pictures and Ill furnish the war (Spanish-American War of 1898). William Randolph Hearst†¦show more content†¦Almost every new application in communications affects the way people get their news. The influence of print journalism has declined in the face of technological advances and television anchors and reporters have become familiar to the public as they report up to the minute events. The introduction of cable television led to a variety of news channels. As with print journalism, television journalism ranges from sensational tabloid news to extensive journalistic coverage and interviews. Television has in some ways minimized the journalists by focusing on scandal instead of high-quality reporting (Columbia). Todays example of yellow journalism can be found in tabloid television. By appealing to the public through sensationalism, tabloid journalism amplifies significant events, thereby shaping the pages of history. An example of sensationalistic tabloid journalism can be seen in the coverage of the O.J. Simpson trial. The purpose of tabloid journalism is to captivate the masses with their headlines about wonderful, amazing, and even shocking stories. Although many tabloids come in the form of a newspaper or a magazine, today we have tabloid television, and even internet tabloids to modify the attitude, beliefs, and behaviors of the pub lic. There has always been a need for communication between people, and a need to communicateShow MoreRelatedCitizen Kane, Directed By Orson Welles995 Words   |  4 Pagesbetween the fictional protagonist, Charles Foster Kane (played by Orson Welles) and William Randolph Hearst leads Hearst to ban any mention of the movie in his newspapers. Citizen Kane shows the harsh realities of the lack of ethics in journalism as well as yellow journalism’s effect on public perception and politics that is ever-present to this day. Citizen Kane begins with a shot of Charles Foster Kane on his deathbed where he utters his last word â€Å"Rosebud†. Kane’s death is sensational world-wideRead MoreSensationalism in the News Essay1401 Words   |  6 Pageshelped bring sensationalism to the forefront, was born to humble beginnings. Born on April 10 1847, Pulitzer came to America in 1867 without any money and was recruited in the Union Army (Morris, 2010). After serving in the war, Pulitzer began his journalism career. He started out in a foreign language newspaper in St Louis. During his time at the foreign language newspaper he was introduced to the world of politics. This experience motivated Pulitzer to seek office. In 1869 Pulitzer was electedRead MoreToday’s mass media has been molded by hundreds of years of reporting, journalism, and personal1300 Words   |  6 Pagesof years of reporting, journalism, and personal opinions. America’s mainstream media thrives upon stretching t he truth and ‘creating’ interesting stories for the public. Tactics like this can be credited to people such as William Randolph Hearst, a newspaper mogul from the late 19th to the 20th centuries. Hearst greatly influenced the practice of American journalism through his wealth, short political career, and use of unorthodox reporting methods such as yellow journalism. Born in San FranciscoRead MoreThe Changing Role of the Us News Media Essay934 Words   |  4 PagesThe Changing Role of the U.S. News Media The internet is our modern source for news media; the importance of the newspaper has not only declined, it is in a sense, obsolete. We now turn to the internet for opinions, news, and entertainment. Even though the way in which we consume information (PBS) has changed, the importance of an unrestricted and watchful media has not changed. (Magleby, Light, Nemacheck, 2010) The Framers of our constitution were well aware of the importance of the press as aRead MoreThe Spanish American War965 Words   |  4 Pagesof America even closer to war with the Spanish, was the Yellow Journalism. Yellow Journalism were newspapers thats main goal was to start a war. The writers competed with each other by creating jaw dropping headlines and emotion flaring stories. Some writers like William R. Hearst went to the extreme by inventing atrocious stories for the public to believe because the true story was not bad enough to cause hostilities. The Yellow Journalism sent American s tempers sky high and nudged the countryRead MoreThe Modern Era Of Reporting944 Words   |  4 Pages Journalism has come a long way since its early time, but has remained the same fundamentally. This essay will explain the different types of eras in reporting the news, starting from the colonial era all the way to what is currently called the modern era of reporting. This will also define th e terms of the Penny Press, Jazz journalism, Yellow journalism, and Muckraking to its specific era. In 1690, Benjamin Harris published the first American newspaper. Freedom of press wasn’t exactly in styleRead MoreThe Spanish American War in 18981256 Words   |  5 PagesSpanish American War was the supposed â€Å"boming† of the USS Maine. The second immediate cause would be Yellow journalism which sensationalized the de Là ´me letter, the USS Maine explosion and many other events that led up to the war with Spain. Yellow journalism is news headlines that were made to draw the public eye. This type of writing sensationalized and even fabricated dramatic events. Yellow journalism played a major role in the United States declaring war against Spain. This industry was led by twoRead MoreEssay On Yellow Journalism1890 Words   |  8 PagesYellow journalism was a major issue in the late 1890s during the Spanish-American War. The purpose of yellow journalism is to use headlines and report sensational events that draws the attention of the audience in order to sell more newspapers, even if the facts used were not legitimate. Yellow journalism came to an end with the development of objective journalism, which reports facts that are not biased. With the rise of social media, yellow journalism and â€Å"fake news† are making a comeback and becomingRead MoreEvolution And Devolution Of The Mass Media994 Words   |  4 PagesMedia The political behavior of citizens, policymakers, and the political agenda are increasingly shaped by the mass media. Throughout our country s relatively modern political history, what the masses consume on television, radio, newspapers, and now the Internet, guides and shapes a person s respective political ideology in a significant manner. Although numerous factors are involved in shaping a political ideology, the media is the most crucial as it is the most consistent influencing factor

The View On Free Will - 1264 Words

Avalon Singer 29 September 2014 Topic 1: What I Believe is the Correct View on Free Will We are raised to believe that we are the makers of our own destiny. Every decision we make is our own, and we are free citizens in every sense of the word. Although this thought is comforting, I do not consider it to be true. I think that free will is an illusion. The idea of free will is what keeps us sane and motivates us in our lives, but is not what controls our lives. I presume that our world is ruled by determinism, yet due to the fact that people believe that they are acting of their own free will they should be held morally responsible for their actions. In definition of the term determinism, our past actions and events govern what occurs in the present. Therefore, our present actions will not only influence but will decide our future actions. In other words, determinism is the belief that if our past actions or decisions had been different then the outcome of our future actions would be as well. Philosopher A.J Ayer coincides with this in his statement: â€Å"It may be said of the agent that he would have acted otherwise if the causes of his action had been different, but they being what they were, it seems to follow that he was bound to act as he did† (475). According to Natural laws, the universe is comprised of cause and effect relationships with each cause having an effect and each effect having a cause. In trying to declare determinism to be true above free will,Show MoreRelatedFree Will and Libertanianism View1101 Words   |  4 PagesWhether or not humans have free will is a very popular question. This is because everyone wants to know if the decisions they make are truly theirs or if their decisions matter at all. If everything is predetermined then what you choose wouldn’t matter because it would be bound to happen regardless of if you chose it or not. Without free will many people believe that life would have less meaning to it. With free will comes power and importance. Having the ability to choose what will happen givesRead MoreSartre View on Free Will Essay868 Words   |  4 PagesAndrew Kang 11/12/10 Philosophy of Human Nature Sartre proposes an interesting view on free will when he says, either man is wholly determined or else man is wholly free. This quote shows us that Sartre believes that man is free to do what he wants. For Sartre, freedom is the most basic value, which renders possible all other values the way our fundamental plan precedes and grounds our small choices. In that sense freedom is the source of all values. It is not logically possible toRead MoreThe View That Determinism Is Not Incompatible With Free Will3559 Words   |  15 Pages11/01/2014 Compatibilism: Discussion and concerns Compatibilism is defined as â€Å"the view that determinism is not incompatible with free will.† In this holding, if determinism were valid, a person still has free will. One of the initial forms of compatibilism is the holding that to be imbued with free will â€Å"is simply for one’s choice to cause one’s actions. Free will is basically doing what one wants; in the example of Hume, free will is basically defined as â€Å"a power of acting or not acting, according toRead MoreEssay about Free Will and Determinism Views1610 Words   |  7 Pages The aim of this essay is to prove the reliability of and why Libertarianism is the most coherent of the three Free Will and Determinism views. It refers to the idea of human free will being true, that one is not determined, and therefore, they are morally responsible. In response to the quote on the essay, I am disagreeing with Wolf. This essay will be further strengthened with the help of such authors as C.A. Campell, R. Taylor and R.M. Chisholm. They present similar arguments, which essentiallyRead MoreDifferent Views And Opinions About Free Will962 Words   |  4 Pagesdifferent views and opinions about whether or not people truly have free will, the power of acting without the constraint of necessity or fate, or if it is just an illusion. Humanists, Behaviourists, Positive Psychologists, Cognitive Psychologists, and Evolutionary Psychologists all have different thoughts about the question of free will. An example of this is that B.F. Skinner, a behaviourist, and Albert Bandura, a Cognitive Psychologist, believe very different things about the idea of free will. Read MoreFree Market Activity Legitimate Point Of View958 Words   |  4 PagesEconomics for Business Paper Free market activity legitimate point of view clarifies how costs are set for the offer of products (Principles of Microeconomics , 2000). The procedure begins with shoppers requesting merchandise. At the point when interest is high, makers can charge high costs for products. The guarantee of acquiring expansive benefits from high costs rouses makers to make products to take care of the demand. Be that as it may, the law of interest expresses that if costs are too highRead MoreThe View Of Fate Over Free Will, And Vice Versa1599 Words   |  7 PagesArguments concerning the influence of Fate over Free Will, and vice versa, are not unique to our post-Enlighten mindset. Some of the greatest thinkers of all time, such as Aristotle or Plato, dealt directly with this issue in their numerous commentaries that we still look at today. Even within our Bibles we see Fate and Free Will actively playing roles within the famed stories and lives included in both the Old and New Testament. It’s not surprising, then, when we see similar themes relating to theseRead MoreWhat Was Ambrose s View On Free Will And Grace?1507 Words   |  7 PagesWhat was Ambrose’s view on free will and grace? Prior to the Augustine and Pelagian war on free will versus grace, th ere was a Milan bishop with not quite clear beliefs, but a definite point of view. Many believe Saint Augustine of Hippo was highly influenced by Saint Ambrose of Milan and would therefore assume an exact belief correlation, though it does not seem quite true. Augustine would argue that humans are flawed and dependent. Within his book On Grace and Free Will, Augustine states, â€Å"So nowRead MoreEssay on On Free Choice of the Will: St. Augustine’s View on Evil1765 Words   |  8 PagesOn Free Choice of the will: St. Augustine’s View on Evil This paper examines St. Augustine’s view on evil. St. Augustine believed that God made a perfect world, but that Gods creatures turned away from God of their own free will and that is how evil originated in the world. Augustine assumes that evil cannot be properly said to exist at all, he argues that the evil, together with that suffering which is created as punishment for sin, originates in the free nature of the will of all creatures. AccordingRead MoreOverview Of A Free Market View For Gathering And Utilization Of Personal Data776 Words   |  4 Pages a) A Free market view for gathering and utilization of personal data by Organizations (including organizations government offices and) underscores informed assent which ought to plainly advise the individual giving the data on the off chance that they wont keep it secret (from different organizations, people, and government offices) and how they will utilize it. They ought to be legitimately subject for infringement of their expressed policies. This perspective could consider genuinely mystery

General Paper free essay sample

What happens when a patient has an incurable illness and decides for euthanasia? Would you do it if the patient were your relative? When people talk about euthanasia, they that it is a suicide or a crime, but it is easy for them because they have not faced with an incurable illness. People who have experienced this case say that euthanasia is the best option for the patient and the family. When the patient has an incurable illness and is suffering, there are three reasons why family must choose the euthanasia. One reason to choose euthanasia is because the patient is suffering. It is better because they have less sufferance. Sometimes when patients have the opportunity to decide if they want euthanasia, the family should respect their decision. If they are choosing euthanasia is because they are suffering a lot illness like cancer or paralysis are very painful and traumatic, and when there is not cure for them it is better to practice euthanasia. We will write a custom essay sample on General Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Euthanasia is the way in which family could reduce the long and painful time before the patient dies.Another important reason for which euthanasia is the best option is because it reduces familys sufferance. After the patient decides for euthanasia there are some families who dont want to do it, but they are harming the patient and themselves. When someone gets an incurable illness is like the whole family were having the same. That is because parents, brothers, and all relatives must support the patient and they are living the illness with the patient.It should be better that the family chooses euthanasia for not to be suffering for a long time the patient and them. Also the debts that relatives gat are why they and the patient should choose euthanasia. Incurable illness needs a long treatment and expensive medicine to make the lifes time longer. But they are wasting money to make a longer-painful life. Cancer for example, its treatment is very expensive and it causes terrible second effects. When the patient dies, the relatives have to live paying all the debts. It could sound materialistic but when the patient has decided and there is not option, euthanasia is the last chance to stop the sufferance. There are people who are against euthanasia because they consider euthanasia could be a murder. But euthanasia is a good option, the shortest way to die when you know that you are going to die. Euthanasia should be allowed in all the countries because it gives the patient an option to stop suffering.There are many good reasons to accept euthanasia as the best option; it helps the patient, the familys patient, and the familys economy. I think euthanasia is the patients choice and relatives should respect this decision. There are many countries where euthanasia is allowed and I think it is a right that everybody should have. If I was sick and without a chance of life, I would choose euthanasia, I think it could be better for me and my family.

Mark TwainS Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn Essays - Literature

Mark Twain'S Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn they can really hurt. In Mark Twain's novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain develops the plot into Huck and Jim's adventures allowing him to weave in his criticism of society. The two main characters, Huck and Jim, both run from social injustice and both are distrustful of the civilization around them. Huck is considered an uneducated backwards boy, constantly under pressure to conform to the humanized surroundings of society. Jim a slave, is not even considered as a real person, but as property. As they run from civilization and are on the river, they ponder the social injustices forced upon them when they are on land. These social injustices are even more evident when Huck and Jim have to make landfall, and this provides Twain with the chance to satirize the socially correct injustices that Huck and Jim encounter on land. The satire that Twain uses to expose the hypocrisy, racism, greed and injustice of society develops along with the adventures that Huck and Jim have. The ugly reflection of society we see should make us question the world we live in, and only the journey down the river provides us with that chance. Throughout the book we see the hypocrisy of society. The first character we come across with that trait is Miss Watson. Miss Watson constantly corrects Huck for his unacceptable behavior, but Huck doesn't understand why, That is just the way with some people. They get down on a thing when they don't know nothing about it (2). Later when Miss Watson tries to teach Huck about Heaven, he decides against trying to go there, ...she was going to live so as to go the good place. Well, I couldn't see no advantage in going where she was going, so I made up my mind I wouldn't try for it. (3) The comments made by Huck clearly show Miss Watson as a hypocrite, scolding Huck for wanting to smoke and then using snuff herself and firmly believing that she would be in heaven. When Huck encounters the Grangerfords and Shepardsons, Huck describes Colonel Grangerford as, ...a gentleman, you see. He was a gentleman all over; and so was his family. He was well born, as the saying is, and that's worth as much in a man as it is in a horse... (104). You can almost hear the sarcasm from Twain in Huck's description of Colonel Grangerford. Later Huck is becoming aware of the hypocrisy of the family and its feud with the Shepardsons when Huck attends church. He is amazed that while the minister preaches about brotherly love both the Grangerfords and Shepardsons are carrying weapons. Finally when the feud erupts into a gunfight, Huck sits in a tree, disgusted by the waste and cruelty of the feud, It made me so sick I most fell out of the tree...I wished I hadn't ever come ashore that night to see such things. Nowhere else is Twain's voice heard more clearly than as a mob gathers at the house of Colonel Sherburn to lynch him. Here we hear the full force of Twain's thoughts on the hypocrisy an cowardice of society, The idea of you lynching anybody! It's amusing. The idea of you thinking you had pluck enough to lynch a man!...The pitifulest thing out is a mob; that's what an army is- a mob; they don't fight with courage that's born in them, but with courage that's borrowed from their mass, and from their officers. But a mob without any man at the head of it is beneath pitifulness (146-147). Each of these examples finds Huck again running to freedom of the river. The river never cares how saintly you are, how rich you are, or what society thinks you are. The river allows Huck the one thing that Huck wants to be, and that is Huck. The river is freedom than the land is oppression, and that oppression is no more evident than it is to Jim. It is somewhat surprising that Huck's traveling companion is Jim. As anti-society that Huck is, you would think that he would have no qualms about helping Jim. But Huck has to have feelings that slavery is correct so we can see the ignorance of racial bigotry. Huck and Jim's journey begins as Huck fights within himself about turning Jim over to the authorities. Finally he decides not to turn Jim in. This is a monumental decision for Huck to make, even though he makes it on the spot.

Reflections on Preschool Child Observation Sessions essays

Reflections on Preschool Child Observation Sessions essays My observation of children took place at a preschool in Houston, Texas. There were about fourteen children in the area where I was observing; half were boys and half girls. They were between the ages of two and five. The first time I observed was October 4, at 2:00 p.m. for two hours and the second date was October 5 at 2:00 p.m. for two hours. I was to pinpoint some of the development processes that stood out to me and that I was able to relate to my current studies in Counseling. Early on in my observation, I did not see any children misbehaving, therefore I didn't see how they are disciplined. I did ask one of the students about their discipline police, and she said that they use time-outs and explain to the children why they are being put on a time-out. While I was there, a two and a half year-old girl began acting up by taking the toys from other children;she was doing this in a very forceful way, so the caregiver told her she was on a time-out. The little girl had to sit by herself until she was ready to play fair; within two minutes, she had said "sorry" and was ready to play again. The use of discipline is important because it fosters a sense of self-control in the children that will stay with them throughout life. Peer relationships were clearly noticeable between the children at both childcare visits, although the younger children at the locations did not interact with one another very much, even though they were playing alongside one another. The text states that between the ages of 2 and 7 children seek to play with children regardless of sex, but at the daycare the children grouped by sex except for one group that was being read to. The older girls were playing together at a mini-kitchen. Even though there were only girls at the daycare they all seemed be involved in the traditional female activities like making supper and cleaning. I doubt if boys were present they would be playing with the group. ...

Amazing Extracurricular Activity Examples for College Applications

Amazing Extracurricular Activity Examples for College Applications SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Extracurriculars are a great way to participate in an activity you enjoy and meet new people, and they can also be an important part of your college application. What makes an extracurricular activity particularly impressive to colleges? How do your extracurriculars measure up? Read this guideto see four amazing extracurricular activities examples. I'll discusswhy they're exceptional and how you can participate in similar activities to boost your own college application. What Are Extracurricular Activities and How Are They Useful? An extracurricular is any activity you participate inoutside of class. It can be associated with your school, such as a sports team or club, or completely separate. They also include any jobs or internships you have had, as well as volunteer work you have performed.Extracurriculars cover a wide range of activities and interests, from painting to science to helping the homeless and more. Why would you want to participate in an extracurricular? There are several ways they can benefit you: They Let You Do Something You Enjoy Extracurriculars let you participate in an activity you enjoy, whether that’s playing football, painting, or another activity.Practicing this activity regularly will help you get better at it, and you may be able to develop new skills that you find useful in the future.Doing something you enjoy not only makes you happier but can also give you a much-needed break from schoolwork. They Introduce You to New Friends Students often make many friends through their extracurriculars because they see other members regularly and have a shared interest. They Are Important for College Applications Extracurriculars can also be included in your college applications to show your interests and talents. Read on to learn more about the importance of extracurriculars when applying to college. Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. How Are Extracurriculars Important for College Applications? Extracurriculars can be a key part of your college application.Most applications have a section where you can list all the extracurriculars you were involved in. If a certain extracurricular is particularly important to you, you can also write about it in your personal statement and have the people writing you letters of recommendation discuss it so that it is a more prominent part of your college application. Why do colleges care about extracurriculars? Colleges like to admit students who are involved in their communities, interact well with others, and work to develop their talents and passions. A student who participates in extracurriculars is more likely to do each of those things than a student who has no extracurriculars. Also, there is more to college than simply going to class; colleges are full of opportunities to be active, interact with others, and give back, and schools want to admit students who will keep their campuses connected and interesting.Great extracurriculars can also help you stand out from the thousands of applications colleges receive by highlighting a particular skill or interest of yours that makes you unique and memorable. How competitiveyour extracurriculars need to be depends on how selectivethe colleges you're applying to are. For Ivy League and other top schools, strong extracurriculars are usually required. For more information, check out our guide that explains howto develop extracurriculars that will help you get into Harvard and other top schools.If you're applying to your state school, you likely don't need your extracurriculars to be exceptional, but if you do have awesomeextracurriculars and decent grades, then you have an excellent chance of being accepted. What Makes an Extracurricular Activity Great? While colleges like to see a student with extracurriculars, not all extracurriculars are considered equal. There are specific qualities that colleges look for in extracurriculars that will make them more impressive and boost the applicant’s resume. Having one amazing extracurricular on your college application is more impressive than a list of activities you had little interest in or impact on. One great extracurricular can give your college application a significant boost. However, getting an amazing extracurricular is not as simple as choosing a particular sport or club you think colleges will find impressive. When applying to college,what activity you do is not nearly as important as why you are doing it or the effort you put into it. There are three qualities admissions look for in particular when they review extracurriculars: Leadership Leadership experience includes any time that you have been responsible for leading a project or guiding, motivating, or instructing others.Colleges want to admit students who have a history of leadership experience because they are hoping those students will continue to be leaders and have a significant impact on the world in the future. You don’t have to be team captain or club president in order to get leadership experience. You can show your leadership skills by helping to organize an event, mentoring younger members, or developing a fundraiser. Passion Are you participating in that activity because you truly want to or just because you want to include it on your college application?For colleges,there is a huge difference between the two. Admissions officers want to see you doing activities you are interested in and passionate about, not just as a way to impress others. Passion is a critical contributor to success, andcolleges seegenuine passion as an indicator that you aremore likely to succeed than someone who's just going through the motions. Great extracurriculars show what your passion is. This can be accomplished by having multiple similar extracurriculars (such as being part of multiple science clubs), or showing a deep commitment to a particular extracurricular, often by pursuing it for many years and spending a significant amount of time on it. Impact Colleges measure impact by looking at how you influenced the activity you participated in and how it influenced you.The strongest extracurricular examples clearly show that you have changed and improved as a result of participating and that you also had a lasting impact on the activity as well. Colleges want to admit people who will have a positive and lasting impact on their school, so they look for students who already have a history of this in their extracurriculars.Having an impact on an extracurricular can include recruiting new members, expanding a club’s focus, or developing a way for the club to reach more people.Colleges also want to see that your extracurriculars made you a better person. Are you more responsible? A better team player? More confident? Colleges love to see confident applicants. To get a better idea of whatgoodextracurricular activities are, read on to see examples of outstanding extracurricular activities. Great Extracurricular Activity Examples Below are four fictional examples of great extracurricularactivities. For each, a paragraph is written from the student’s perspective.Most college applications don't allow much space to discuss your extracurriculars, but you will likely want to include a more condensed version of the same kind of information. For a more in-depth take on this topic, take a look at our guide onhow to write about extracurriculars on your college application. Each example also includes a breakdown of what makes it a great extracurricular, as well as ways for you to pursue similar activities. Example 1: Elizabeth the Ballerina I took my first ballet class when I was three years old, and ever since then I have known that I want to be a ballerina. During the school year, I would take ballet classes six days a week, and beginning in middle school I spent summers at intensive ballet camps. When I was 14, I was accepted into the Joffrey Ballet’s pre-professional program, one of the most competitive youth ballet troupes in the country. I have now spent three years in the pre-professional program, which involves practicing and performing roughly 30 hours a week. I have also auditioned and been selected for roles in 8 company productions thatare seen by hundreds of audience members each night. I have loved ballet nearly my entire life, and I plan to continue working as a ballerina and mentoring children and teenagers who are interested in ballet. Why It Stands Out The main thing that causes this extracurricular to stand out is Elizabeth’s clear passion for and dedication to ballet.Elizabeth has been practicing ballet since she was a toddler, and she practices many hours each week. She gives specific numbers (30 hours a week, 8 company productions), to help admissions officers get a clear idea of her work and the impact it had. She makes her talents clear by stating that she was accepted into a competitive program and was chosen to perform in company performances. This helps show that she is exceptionally skilled ballerina and helps her stand out from otherapplicantswho may just pursue dance as a fun hobby. Finally, Elizabeth states that she would like to teach others about ballet and act as a mentor. This both shows her leadership abilities and lets schools know that she would like to continue her extracurricular as a college student. How to Have a Similar Extracurricular Is there a hobby or activity you have practiced for multiple years? You don’t need to have practiced it as long as Elizabeth has, but sticking with one extracurricular for a long time can show colleges you have a deep interest in it. This activitydoesn’t necessarily have to be an official club or sport either, having a hobby you are passionate about and practice regularly also counts as an extracurricular. If you’ve been interested in art since you were young, you can expand that into a strong extracurricular by taking art classes, getting your work displayed in your community, and developing a program or class that introduces kids to art. Example 2: Scott the Volunteer Leader I have been a member of my high school’s volunteer club since my freshman year. During my first year, I enjoyed tutoring elementary students and painting houses with the club, but I thought students should have more options for volunteering. As a sophomore, I spoke to club leaders and proposed five new locations where students could volunteer including a hospital, animal shelter, and homeless shelter. After getting my suggestions approved, I contacted the organizations and arranged for them to form volunteer partnerships with the school. This included developing activities volunteers could do, getting the organizations approved by the school, and arranging volunteer times and transportation. Other students in the volunteer club were excited about having a bigger impact, so I continued to look for new opportunities for volunteers. I am currently president of the volunteer club and in charge of developing new volunteer activities. Under my direction, the volunteer club has grown from 30 to over 100 membersand quadrupledthe number of places where students can volunteer. I’m proud that our club is continuing to grow and help more people each year. Why It Stands Out This extracurricular clearly shows that Scott is a leader who knows how to take initiative and get things done.Scott clearly describes the work he did to expand and improve the volunteer club, from proposing ideas to club leaders to working with organizations to establish volunteer programs. Like Elizabeth, he gives concrete numbers to show his impact on the volunteer club and how he contributed to its growth.The fact that he worked to expand the volunteer club and provide more volunteer opportunities for other club members also shows that he cares about volunteering and believes it can have a positive impact on both volunteers and the people they help. How to Have a Similar Extracurricular Scott’s extracurricular is great because he took initiative and worked to improve it, even before he had a leadership position.You can do the same thing with any of your extracurriculars. Is there a club you enjoy but think could be better? Perhaps you are part of an art club but wish members had more opportunities to showcase their work. You could contact a local library or cafe and organize a display of artists’ work for the community to enjoy. Perhaps you’re on an academic bowl team and wish there were more competitions. You could contact other schools and set up an invitational tournament to help teams get more practice competing.The main point is to take initiative and lead a project that will improve your extracurricular, no matter what that activity is. Want to get help on every aspect of your college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. Example 3: Jessica the Scientist When I was 15 years old, I decided to get a part-time job to help pay for college and have some spending money. Because I was already part of my school’s Science Olympiad team and plan on majoring in microbiology, I applied to be a lab technician at a local science lab. My work primarily consisted of preparing chemicals and cleaning equipment, but after speaking to my supervisor about my interest in microbiology, I was able to begin conducting some simple experiments for the lab. This past summer I became a full-time intern at the lab and took on additional responsibilities. I asked towork with a team doing a microbiology project that studies self-assembly properties of polypeptides. During my internship, I ran different chemical tests and analyzed data results for potential use in cancer research, and I have continued that work into the school year. Why It Stands Out From the above paragraph, it’s clear that Jessica’s passion is science. She is a member of science clubs, she plans on majoring in biology, and she applied for a job in a science lab.Jessica took a not-too-exciting job, where she mostly cleaned lab equipment, and was able to grow it into an internship where she contributes to cancer research. That’s a pretty impressive accomplishment for a high school student.Shetook initiative to increase the responsibilityof her part-time job and turn it into something that has a meaningful impact and gives her useful experience for her future. How to Have a Similar Extracurricular Jessica’s part-time job didn’t start off all that impressive; she worked to increase her responsibilities and impact.You can do the same with any job or activity you have. Think of ways to expand your role, or ask your boss or club leader if they have any ideas. For example, if you’re a lifeguard, you could start a program that teaches kids basic first-aid safety at the pool. I have a friend who worked at a grocery store in high school and planned on being a dietitian. She created a monthly group where kids whose parents were grocery shopping could stop by a part of the grocery store, have some snacks, and learn about which healthy foods they should eat. That’s a great way to take a typical high school job and turn it into an extracurricular that shows motivation, hard-work, and leadership skills. Example 4: James the Soccer Player When I started high school I thought it would be a good idea to join a sports team since my family had just moved to the area. One of my classmates suggested I try out for the soccer team. I made the junior varsity team and stayed on it for twoyears until I joined the varsity team as a junior. I love playing soccer and the feeling I get knowing I’m a memberof a team. Being part of the soccer team helped me make friends and feel like I was part of the school’s community. Because my soccer team helped me so much, as a junior I proposed a mentoring program where experienced team members helped freshman players adjust to high school. The mentors would make sure the freshman weren’t feeling overwhelmed, had people to talk to, and found activities and classes they liked. The program was a great success, with many members commenting on how much they enjoyed it. This year, I helped three other sports teams implement the program. Doing this has helped me become more confi dent and better at public speaking. My high school dean has also asked that I speak to other teams in the hopes that, eventually, each of my school’s sports teams will have a similar mentoring program. Why It Stands Out Unlike Elizabeth, the highly-skilled ballerina, James is not one of the top high school soccer players in the country. While making varsity team does show he's talented at playing soccer, there are thousands of high school varsity players across the country, and unless youare playing at a national level, simply being a varsity athlete is not enough to make an extracurricular outstanding.What makes James’ extracurricular exceptional is not his soccer skillsbut the mentoring program he started for athletes. James took his experience of being the new kid and used itto help others avoid feeling lonely and isolated in high school.He decided to create a program that helps new students and bonds the team together.This shows leadership, as well as consideration for others. Colleges want students foster a positive atmosphere by working well as part of a team and being the kind of person other students want to be around.James’ commitmentto his mentoring program makes him seem like that kind of person. He also states how working on the mentoring program made him a more confident person.Similar to previous examples, James took initiative to start a new project, and he continues to lead and expand it. How to Have a Similar Extracurricular James’ extracurricular shows that you don’t have to be the best at a certain activity to have it be a strong extracurricular.James wasn’t team captain and didn’t make the varsity team until he was a junior, but he still had a significant impact on improving the soccer team and helping out other students at his school. If you aren’t the top athlete or best science student at your school, you can have a strong impact in another way. A great way to do this is to foster relationships amongyour classmates. If your school has several science clubs that don’t often interact with each other, you can suggest hosting a science eventtogether that can includecool science demonstrations for kids and help the science clubs become more connected. You can also start a mentoring program similar to the one James created. How to Create Your Own Great Extracurriculars In none of the above examples was a student handed an amazing internship or club membership; they each had to put in time and effort to create exceptional extracurriculars. It will likely be the same for you. By following the steps below, you can develop great extracurriculars that will show the passion, impact, and leadership abilities that colleges love to see. If you have already chosen your extracurriculars and simply want to strengthen then, you can begin at step #4, although you may still find reading the previous steps useful. #1: List Your Interests Colleges want to see you participate in extracurriculars that you are passionate about, not ones you are only doing to impress others.Doing an extracurricular you are interested in will also make it more enjoyable (which is really the point of an extracurricular) and will likely also make you more willing to pursue leadership opportunities and increase your impact. Make a list of all your interests. This can include your favorite classes, hobbies you enjoy, sports you’ve wanted to try, or what you plan on studying in college, basically anything you think you would enjoy spending more time doing. #2: Research Extracurriculars Once you have your list of interests, find extracurriculars that relate to them.Look at clubs and sports your school offers, local jobs and internships for teens, and volunteer opportunities, and make a list of extracurricular activities you might be interested in.If you need ideas, we have a complete list of extracurriculars that includes hundreds of different options. If you need more help, ask your guidance counselor, classmates, or local community members. You can also try doing an internet search for â€Å"your interest" + "your hometown† to find nearby activities you can get involved with. If your school doesn't offer an extracurricular you're interested in, you can start a clubyourself,which is a great way to show initiative and leadership. #3: Choose and Narrow Your Extracurriculars If you are able to, choose several extracurriculars that you think you will enjoy. After participating in them for a few weeks or months, you can narrow them down to one or a few that you feel particularly passionate about and want to devote more time to. Colleges are more interested in depth than breadth, so having a few extracurriculars that you put a lot of time into and have a significant impact on is more impressive than a laundry list of clubs and sports you don’t really care about. Narrow down your interests in order to choose the best extracurriculars #4: Increase Your Impact Now that you’ve chosen your extracurriculars, it’s time to strengthen them to help your college application stand out.First, look for ways to increase your impact. Like the examples mentioned above, this can include recruiting more members, creating new events, expanding the club’s focus, and more. Try to leave your extracurricular better than it was when you joined it. #5: Gain Leadership Skills After you have started to have a larger impact, work to become a leader in your extracurricular. This doesn’t always mean being club president or team captain. You can gain leadership skills by mentoring other members, leading a project, or developing a new activity. Once you've started applying these five rules, you'll bewell on your way to developing a great extracurricular to include on your college applications. Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. What's Next? Want to learn more about community service? We have a guide that explains what community service is and how it can benefit you. Are you thinking about doing an extracurricular or volunteer work in a foreign country? Read our guide on volunteer abroad programs and learn if they're really the best option for you. Not sure if you want to go to school in a big city or small town? Read our guide to learn if you should go to a rural, urban, or suburban school. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Introduction to business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 14

Introduction to business - Essay Example The expansion and diversification of consumer market with time has established the need for employing a diversified workforce that can satisfy the diversified demand of today’s consumer. The world’s demography is changing constantly, now no country is a complete blend of one race and ethnicity. Due to increased migrations, the minorities are increasing in world developing countries. With all of these changes, it has become important for countries to have a diverse workforce that represents all aspect of the society; this representation projects a better image of the organization in the society. A major advantage of an organization attempting to acquire diverse workforce is that it have access to a large pool of candidates by which it can hire the best possible person for the job. An organization that places importance on skills and talent over characteristics like age, gender, race etc is able to achieve competitive advantage over other organizations. Another advantage of diverse workforce besides projection of better image is that it helps diversified consumer to believe that they share common grounds with the company and it helps to increase their trust in the organization. Furthermore, employees with different perspective can provide the organization with different and varied objectives helping to identify unmet needs and new opportunities. Recruitment of a diversified workforce and creating a welcoming environment for these employees helps to increase motivation and commitment of employees towards the organization. This is because these employees feel valued. Recognition and acceptance of an employee’s unique perspective helps to create a comprehensive work environment, which is very beneficial for the organization. It is evident from the above discussion that the benefits of a diversified workforce far out-weigh the cost of it. It is an essential utensil for

Banking Regulations And The Current Financial Crisis Essay

Banking Regulations And The Current Financial Crisis - Essay Example Thus we can say that even a stable banking system with all proper regulations in place failed to stop such a financial crisis from occurring. The paper intends to trace out the reasons behind such a failure with the help of findings and analysis and the relevant steps undertaken for this. Reasons behind failure of banking regulations Economists and policy makers of various countries have tried to find the conditions which led to the crisis. They tried to find out those faulty policies and the incorrect measures taken by the bank that led to its failure of crisis prevention. It was found that at the time of the crisis the interest rate was really low. Financial investors in such a scenario became optimistic regarding the prices of assets along with the underlying risks. The banking regulations directed towards changes in financial landscape led to extension of leverage and this made accurate risk prediction more difficult. Investors transformed into risk lovers and excessive risk taki ng began in the markets (Caruana). Neither banking regulations nor effective supervision could stop such a phenomenon. The fragmented banking regulation again proved to be wrong. No connection could be traced out in the activities of regulated and non regulated markets. All over the markets and institution there was prevalence of asymmetric information. Some loopholes existing in the legal procedures were also equally responsible (Caruana). The macroeconomic policies implemented during this time were inadequate. The easy liquidity banking policy made structures of debts, especially the heterogeneous ones more incomprehensive. Criticisms have been against the supervisory regulations of bank. Easy loans were given to individuals without careful examination of the underlying default risks (Neuman). Monetary policies were framed in such a way that cash flow becomes easy across the economy. Such an instance is proved by statistical evidence. Table1: Data showing low interest rate policy adopted by the banks Source: Neuman The interest rate considered is for the Euro zone. The data is for short term real interest rate which continued till 2005. Such data shows that banks have adopted a low interest rate policy during the given years. This paved the way for easy liquidity. The banking regulations of 2004 led to significant credit expansion and credits involving high risks became the main reasons for initiating such crisis. It first led to subprime losses in March 2008 with Bear Sterns incurring huge subprime related losses. Ultimately Federal Reserve had to take over the firm. Detoriation of subprime loan holdings eventually culminated into the crisis. Banking sectors have earlier avoided such high risk alerts generated by the economists in 1999 (Nichols, Hendrickson and Griffith). Easy financing act of 2005 became the strategy for banking operations. During this time some big American and European banks even violated banking regulations by setting up companies for s uch short term financing purpose. Such companies were not disclosed in balance sheets. Banking sectors however did not pay attention to the fact that such a low interest rate policy regime adopted by banks in 2003 after European Central Bank followed suit was slowly increasing

Communications Character Conflict Essay Essay Example for Free

Communications Character Conflict Essay Essay â€Å"I can’t believe you, all your gifts, all your powers, and you.. you squander them for your own personal gain. (Hal Stewart) ‘Yes! (Megamind) ‘No! I’m the villain! † this is the main conflict between characters’ Megamind and Hal Stewart in the hit motion picture Megamind. Megamind defeats the cities beloved super hero â€Å"Metro Man†, they had been enemies since grade school and Megamind has always been the bad guy causing trouble and Metro Man was always saving the day and the people from the evils of Megeminds treachery. But soon after this deafeat Megamind realizes he misses the way things used to be, there was no more excitement and rush of being the villain in an epic good vs. evil battle. So, Megamind has devised a way that he can give any normal human being all the gifts and powers that Metro Man himself possessed. He settles on a young man named Hal Stewart, a cameraman for a news station, which he filmed the news girl who he claimed to be in love with, but everyone thought she was with Metro Man because he was always saving her. So Megamind gives Hal all the super powers, and gives him a new identity of â€Å"Titan†. However, to Megminds Dismay, Hal starts abusing his powers and begins stealing from banks, and using his powers to get equipment, video games etc.. This is a great example of unproductive conflict. Instead of creating a new evil versus good scenario with Hal or â€Å"Titan†, Hal just commandeers the whole city and puts them all at his mercy. It has many negative impacts the two characters, their relationship, and the situation. The aggression between them and the situation in general becomes increases greatly and turns even hostile because of the flaws in their communication. Megamind has certain qualities about the way he communicates that it often gets him into trouble. In fact pretty much every idea he comes up with in the process, he always seems to get either seriously injured, or suffers in some other way, all because of his communicational handicap. Some of the functions of communication Megamind uses, is he begins a relationship with a character named Hal Stewart to achieve a specific goal premeditated so he could accomplish what he wished to have done. What he wanted done was to turn Hal into a super hero and give him all the powers that the late Metro Man possessed, so that he could resume his role as the villain once again, since he defeated the last super hero he longed for the epic battle of â€Å"Good vs. Evil. † First of all, Hal isn’t the brightest pick to turn someone into a super hero, but Megamind is determined he is the perfect pick after a misunderstood first impression of Hal. Megaminds best friend even shows in many ways, he does not approve of Hal as being the one who has the traits of being a good super hero, most of the ways non verbal. Megamind even changes his own identity as Hal’s â€Å"Space Dad†, for the purpose of guiding Hal into fulfilling his destiny as the city’s new found super hero â€Å"Titan†. So Megamind actually is affecting the situation and their relationship as two different important character’s in Hal’s life and will play play big parts in his decisions. Hal Stewart, aka â€Å"Titan† aka â€Å"Cameraman†, is a very interesting character because of how he expresses his own communicational traits, it is entertaining. His perception of what a â€Å"super hero† means, and what sort of privileges or advantages he believes comes with being â€Å"Titan† are affected by the culture he lives in. Some of his expectations, the most important towards the story and the one that makes the most dramatic influence is; the super hero always gets the girl. This thinking of Hal’s is a mindlessness perception and also selective perception of how he sees a super hero. Obviously he does not get the girl he claims he’s in love with, because the thing he is mindlessness about is that just because you can fly and have huge muscles doesn’t mean you will always get girl, its about what’s underneath, not on the surface, which I believe is the lesson â€Å"Life† is trying to teach him. Another misperception he has is what should be accomplished with the incredible new â€Å"gifts† that he has recently required. Instead of catching bad guys, and making sure justice stands within the city and her people, Hal actually robs banks, and other equipment, video games etc.. nd is determined that the powers mean â€Å"get rich, and get rich quick†. These are all things that Megamind does not anticipate before hand and turns into being the exact opposite of what he wanted, all because Hal’s misunderstanding, and the communicational barriers of Megamind. Although, there isn’t a whole lot of competent communicati on going on with Megamind and Hal, in the end he still gets an incredibly large amount accomplished. The things that were bigger then even his beloved epic good vs. evil battles. He grew in more important ways, he grew as a specimen, and became a happier person, which ultimately should be eternal goal of communication and the functions and steps that are not only necessary and basically impossible to accomplish anything without them, competent or incompetent, things still move forward and things get done. In the end Megamind finds his true purpose and a higher purpose, along the way falling in love and discovering a more meaningful life all thanks to communication, and the culture which helps him perceive and judge.

Transaction Cost Economics and Organized Labor Essays -- Economics Mar

Cooperation and exchange among individuals often organize in firms rather than adhering to market institutions. This anomaly of market systems can be explained through what Oliver Williamson calls â€Å"Transaction Cost Economics.† Transaction costs are defined as the â€Å"costs of running the economic system† (Williamson 18). Similar to friction in a physical system, transaction costs may be small compared to other costs such encountered by market players, but basing entire models on a ‘frictionless’ system is unrealistic. It is these transaction costs explain the development of firms and hierarchies rather than contracting by market forces. There are three limitations to a market system: bounded rationality, opportunism and asset specificity. Bounded rationality describes the limitations of knowledge by market players. Whereas they will act rationally in a market situation, they are not always presented with all the information required to make a rational decision. Opportunism arises when certain market players are unwilling to accept the status quo and believe they have the ability to improve their position. Finally, asset specificity refers to certain players having technical and contractual inseparabilites. An example of asset specificity is an accounting firm with a long term contract with a given company. After the long term contract expires, the accounting firm would be first in line to renew their contract with the given company. There may be other accounting firms in the market that could also offer similar accounting services, but the company will likely keep its original accounting firm. Switching wo uld incur transaction costs such as transferring of files over to the new accounting firm, legal fees associate... ... asset specificity can no longer be ignored as in classic market models. A highly trained employee is a very specific asset since a firm would incur great costs in training a novice employee and bringing the novice’s productivity up to that of a highly trained employee. Thus, a firm could not easily replace the highly trained employee as the case would be in a market situation. Thus non market contracts are forged to keep the specific asset that is high human capital. Williamson and Coase use transaction cost economics to explain why labor is often organized in firms rather than relying on market institutions. The increasing effect of asset specificity on the labor market is a key validation for their analysis. Firms are more efficient than market institutions in that they save on transaction costs associated with writing, signing and enforcing contracts.

Nursing †Statement of Purpose Essay

In life there is the path imagined & the path followed. The difference between these two paths is our experience. My experience on the path to becoming a Registered Nurse began in the fall of 1998 at West Chester University. For as long as I could recall I was possessed of an unmitigated passion for taking care of others. This passion, I was sure, this joy I found in helping others that seemed so much a part of who I was, would propel me through my undergraduate classes. In four years, I assumed, I would have a degree, would be starting a career as a professional nurse. This, the path imagined, was so clear. Then there was the path followed. The idea that life is not to be lived for selfish ends but for the principal benefit and aide of others was instilled in me by my parents, both of whom immigrated to the United States from Vietnam at the close of the war. They arrived with no money and but a few sets of clothing. What they lacked, however, in material wealth they compensated for with devotion: to each other, to their children, and to those traditions that they brought with them from Vietnam. Born in America, but raised in a traditionally Vietnamese household, there were many points of friction. My parents often kept me home on the weekends to help with chores. A great emphasis was placed on academics and a great much of my day-to-day living was scheduled or spoken for without my input. Admittance to West Chester’s University’s nursing program was predicated on the completion of several pre-requisite courses. Their completion, however, did not guarantee immediate acceptance into the program. No longer bound to those traditions of family which had seemed so overwhelming, overbearing even, and suddenly unable to move forward in my studies, I drifted into the more social aspects of college. My grades reflect this: a person who has done so much correctly, so much for others, suddenly unable to help herself. Frustrated, I dropped out of college in the summer of 1999. Things had changed. I had changed. After the freedom of college, I couldn’t live at home. I left. I’d scarcely unpacked my overnight bags from the hospital when the vomiting started. I changed formulas. Changed milks. Changed everything a new mother would think to change. I would have changed the wallpaper if I thought it’d make a difference. My son, eight days old, would not stop vomiting. The surgery he  required to clear the bowel obstruction took just over 4 hours. The doctors told me that the obstruction, his developing it so early, could have long-term repercussions, could mean more bowel obstructions in the future. Was this the path? I made a phone call. I moved back home with my parents. I got a part-time job to help pay a share of their mortgage. In turn they looked after my son so I could attend school full-time. When I returned to school, this time to Delaware County Community College, in 2003 it was as a single mother with a two-year old boy and the understanding that though the path had certainly changed, it was still my path to make. I had received my certification as a medical assistant, but immediately came to realize the role’s many constrictions. The opportunities to create quality relationships with patients & to positively affect their care seemed so minimal, so fleeting. Filing charts, taking vital signs, these things were certainly important, but in the role of medical assistant it was all so abstract. I am always thirsty for knowledge, but more importantly, for understanding. I knew then more than ever that I wanted to take on the role of the Registered Nurse. I transferred from Delaware County Community College to Drexel University and was immediately accepted into the nursing program. The path was clearing, I thought. That the obstructions would return just as he was entering Kindergarten and I my first semester at Drexel University was nothing I could have ever known but still wish I had. My son had gone years without issue, had grown happy and healthy. When the vomiting returned it was with a vocabulary. My son now cried tears of hungry and of pain. There were more hospital admissions, more surgeries, more bends in the path. In the meantime my employer began requiring a strict part-time schedule. It was my job or my education. I knew, though, that the financial stress, however great, would be, could only be, short-lived. I was devoted: to my son & my family, to my education & my happiness. In my third year at Drexel the path was straightening, clearing. I received an offer from Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania to work on the Neuroscience Unit as a Nurse Extern. The value of such an opportunity was incalculable. I did not know anyone in Philadelphia’s major hospital networks or health care facilities. I could rub no shoulders or scratch no backs. I knew, though, after so many clinical hours, that that was precisely where I wanted to be, that my ambition was to be a bedside nurse. Travel  arrangements, however, prevented me from being able to get to the hospital and so it was instead arranged that I would work at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center as a Pool Nursing Assistant. I worked hard and in doing so tried to let my work ethic, my growing knowledge base, my approachable nature, communicate what so few words can: passion. True passion. The passion that propelled me as a single mother to provide the best for my son while honoring my parents. The passion that grounded me, that centered & focused me, humbled me, and that, at last, brought me to the end of the path imagined. My degree, my job as a Registered Nurse in the Penn Presbyterian Coronary Care Unit, my son’s health, my parent’s love: these were the manifold ends of single path, my path, a path I walk with passion.

Buddhism & Converting To Taoism

Because the philosophical and spiritual principles involved in Taoism emphasize harmony and â€Å"creative quietude,† I would not forsee any kind of radical or major conflict which might occur in my life if I became a Taoist tomorrow morning. Becoming a Taoist is not like becoming a member of an organized church where it is necessary to attend specific services adn functions and the impact of Taoism on one's life is, to my understanding, rooted first in the personal and only secondarily in the public sphere. In fact, one might be a Taoist without nay one else even knowing the fact.The lack of dogma in Taoism means that it would never really be necessary to preach or proselytize to anyone about your beliefs. In the Toa' Te Ching, the verse which reads: â€Å"The tao that can be described / is not the eternal Tao. † (Tao) should be enough of a warning to any student of Taoism to remember that there is no one â€Å"truth;† no one â€Å"way† and so, unlike som e religions which stress preaching to others, Taoism, as a philosophical belief would require nothing like this kind of dogma or â€Å"witnessing.† The changes which I would expect and hope would happen in my life are based around the idea of giving up false ambitions and false self-images and allowing the natural ambitions and expressions of myself to emerge from where they have been â€Å"sleeping. † In America we are taught â€Å"no pain, no gain! † and this is a kind of philosophical burden that we all carry which is in conflict with another idea most of us simultaneously carry with us: that we want to be happy.The idea that we cannot gain unless we are in pain and that all gain is ultimately to create happiness is self-contradicting and it bears very little resemblance to the Taoist idea that â€Å"Freed from desire, you can see the hidden mystery. /By having desire, you can only see what is visibly real. † (Tao) but it is precisely this kind of reso lution to the contradictory impulses in Western society that I would hope Taoism would lead me through. The Taoist principles I would invoke, as mentioned, would be invoked primarily through action and not words.So, if someone found out that I often sought to be alone to meditate, or that I often followed intuition rather than â€Å"logic† in making decisions and that I sought to be emotionally and psychologically in touch with â€Å"Darkness born from darkness. / The beginning of all understanding. † (Tao), I expect I would be able to explain to them that my beliefs and practices were part of a larger, very ancient, philosophy with roots in the East and that through its tenants and practices I hoped to find harmony within myself and harmony with my surroundings: no more, no less.I think that practicing Taoist meditation and creative quietude would certainly result in a lessening of tension in my life. It would probably result in my having a more active imaginary and d ream-life, maybe a better sex life, and possibly even a better regiment of diet and exercise. The danger with any religion of philosophy is to look at it as a â€Å"cure all† to expect a miracle to come out of it immediately and change everything you don't like about yourself or your life.Another danger is obsession or the inability to see anything else but the dogma of one's religion or philosophy. I believe that Taoism is so genuinely free of dogma that it's basic ideas and practice would result in widening, rather than diminishing, my personality and personal disposition. I think I would find myself relaxed while others were getting tense. I think I would start slow with the more esoteric practices of sutra and yoga but lean very heavily at forst on the ideas and spiritual wisdom available in Taoist thought.

Chalchiuhtlicue - Aztec Goddess of Rivers and Oceans

Chalchiuhtlicue - Aztec Goddess of Rivers and Oceans Chalchiuhtlicue (Chal-CHEE-ooh-tlee-quay), whose name means She of the Jade Skirt, was the Aztec goddess of water as it collects on the earth, such as rivers and oceans, and so was considered by the Aztecs the patroness of navigation. She was one of the most important deities, as protector of childbirth and newborns. Chalchiuhtlicue was linked to the rain god Tlaloc, in some sources as his wife and feminine counterpart. In others, she is Tlalocs sister and some scholars suggest she was Tlaloc himself in a separate guise. She was also associated with the Tlaloques, Tlalocs brothers or perhaps their children. In some sources, she is described as the wife of the Aztec god of fire god Huehueteotl-Xiuhtecuhtli. She is also associated with different mountains in different Aztec communities. All rivers come from the mountains in the Aztec universe, and the mountains are like jars (ollas) filled with water, that spring from the womb of the mountain and wash down to water and protect the people. A Watery Rule According to the Spanish conquistador and priest Fray Diego Duran, Chalchiuhtlicue was universally revered by the Aztecs. She governed the waters of the oceans, springs, and lakes, and as such she appeared in both positive and negative guises. She was seen as a positive source who brought full irrigation canals for growing maize  when she was associated with the corn goddess Xilonen. When displeased, she brought empty canals and drought and was paired with the dangerous snake goddess Chicomecoatl. She was also known for creating whirlpools and big storms making water navigation tricky. She was also the goddess who ruled over and destroyed the previous world, known in the Aztec mythology as the Fourth Sun, the Mexica version of the Deluge Myth. The Aztec universe was based on the Legend of the Five Suns, which said that before the current world (the Fifth Sun), the various gods and goddesses made four attempts to create versions of the world and then destroyed them in order. The fourth sun (called Nahui Atl Tonatiuh or 4 Water) was ruled by Chalchiutlicue as a world of water, where fish species were marvelous and abundant. After 676 years, Chalchiutlicue destroyed the world in a cataclysmic flood, transforming all the humans into fish. Chalchiuhtlicues Festivals As the partner of Tlaloc, Chalchiuhtlicue pertained to the Aztec group of gods supervising water and fertility. To these deities was dedicated a series of ceremonies called Atlcahualo, which lasted the entire month of February. During these ceremonies, the Aztecs performed many rituals, usually on the mountain tops, where they sacrificed children. For the Aztec religion, the tears of children were considered good omens for abundant rain. The festival month of February dedicated to Chalchiuhtlicue was the sixth month of the Aztec year called Etzalcualiztli. It took place during the rainy season when the fields were beginning to ripen. The festival was conducted in and around the lagoons, with some objects ritually deposited within the lagoons. The festival involved fasting, feasting, and auto-sacrifice on the part of the priests, and the human sacrifice of war captives, women, and children some of which were dressed in the costume of Chalchiuhtlicue and Tlaloc. Offerings included maize, the blood of quail birds and resins made of copal and latex. Children were also sacrificed to Chalchiuhtlicue at the height of the dry season just before the rains were due; during the festivals dedicated to Chalchiuhtlicue and Tlaloc, a young boy would be sacrificed to Tlaloc on a mountaintop outside of Tenochtitlan, and a young girl would be drowned in Lake Texcoco at Pantitlan, where whirlpools were known to occur. Chalchiuhtlicues Images The goddess Chalchiuhtlicue is often illustrated in the pre-Columbian and colonial period books called codices as wearing a blue-green skirt, as her name illustrates, from which flows a long and abundant stream of water. Sometimes new-born children are portrayed floating in this water flow. She has black lines on her face and usually wears a jade nose-plug. In Aztec sculpture and portraits, her statues and images are often carved out of jade or other green stones. She is occasionally shown wearing Tlalocs mask. The allied Nahuatl word chalchihuitl means drop of water and sometimes refers to jade. The word is also used in connection with Tlalocs goggles, which may themselves be a symbol of water. In the Codex Borgia, Chalchiuhtlicue is wearing a serpent headdress and dress ornaments with the same markings as Tlaloc, and her half-moon nose ornament is the serpent itself, marked with stripes and dots. Sources Edited and updated by K. Kris Hirst. Almere Read K, and Gonzalez JJ. 2000. Mesoamerican Mythology: A Guide ot the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs of Mexico and Central America. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Berdan FF. 2014. Aztec Archaeology and Ethnohistory. New York: Cambridge University Press.Brundage BC. 1983. The Fifth Sun: Aztec Gods, Aztec Worlds. Austin: University of Texas Press.Carlson JB. 2015. The Maya Deluge Myth and Dresden Codex Page 74. In: Dowd AS, and Milbrath S, editors. Cosmology, Calendars, and Horizon-Based Astronomy in Ancient Mesoamerica. Boulder: University Press of Colorado. p 197-226.Garza Gà ³mez I. 2009. De Calchiuhtlicue, Diosa de rà ­os, lagunas y manantiales. El Tlacuache: Patrimonio de Morelos 2009:1-4.Heyden D. 1983. Water symbols and eye rings in the Mexican codices. Indiana 8:41-56.Leon-Portilla M, and Davis JE. 1963. Aztec Thought and Culture: A Study of the Ancient Nahuatl Mind. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press.Taube K. 1993. Aztec and Maya Myths. Fourth Edition. Universi ty of Texas Press, Austin, Texa.s Van Tuerenhout DR. 2005. The Aztecs. New Perspectives, ABC-CLIO Inc. Santa Barbara, CA; Denver, CO and Oxford, England.

Birth of the Olympian Gods and Goddesses

Birth of the Olympian Gods and Goddesses How did the world start according to your worldview? Was there a sudden cosmic spark emerging from nowhere? Did life then emerge from some sort of almost living form? Did a supreme being create the world in seven days and form the first woman from the rib of the first (male) human? Was there a great swirling chaos from which emerged a frost giant and a salt-licking cow? A cosmic egg? Greek mythology contains creation stories that are very different from either the familiar story of Adam and Eve or the Big Bang. In Greek myths about the early world, themes of parental treachery alternate with tales of filial betrayal. Youll also find love and loyalty. There are all the essentials of good plot lines. Birth and cosmic creation are linked. Mountains and other physical parts of the world are born through procreation. Granted, it is procreation between things that we dont think of as procreating, but this is an ancient version and part of the ancient mythological worldview.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1. Parental Treachery: In Generation 1, the sky (Uranus), who is seemingly without any love at all for his offspring (or maybe he just wants his wife all to himself), hides his children inside his wife, Mother Earth (Gaia).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2. Filial Betrayal: In Generation 2, the Titan father (Cronus) swallows his children, the newborn Olympians. In Generation 3, the Olympic gods and goddesses have learned from the examples of their ancestors, so there is more parental treachery:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Zeus swallows one mate and sews the soon-to-be born offspring of another inside himself after he kills the mother.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hera, the wife of Zeus, creates a god without a mate, but even he isnt safe from his parents, for Hera (or Zeus) hurls her son from Mt. Olympus. 1st Generation Generation implies a coming into being, so that which was there from the beginning is not and cannot be generated. What has always been there, whether it be a god or a primeval force (here, Chaos), is not the first generation. If for convenience, it requires a number, it can be referred to as Generation Zero. Even the first generation here gets a bit tricky if examined too closely since it could be said to cover 3 generations, but thats not terribly relevant for this look at parents (particularly, fathers) and their treacherous relations with their children. According to some versions of Greek mythology, at the beginning of the universe, there was Chaos. Chaos was all alone [Hesiod Theog. l.116], but soon Gaia (Earth) appeared. Without the benefit of a sexual partner, Gaia gave birth to Uranus (Sky) to provide covering and father half-siblings. With Uranus serving as the father, mother Gaia gave birth to the 50-headed Hecatonchiresthe Cyclopes (Cyclops)the 12 Titans 2nd Generation Eventually, the 12 Titans paired off, male and female: Cronus and RheaIapetus and ThemisOceanus and TethysHyperion and TheiaCrius and MnemosyneCoeus and Phoebe They produced rivers and springs, second generation Titans, Atlas and Prometheus, moon (Selene), sun (Helios), and many others. Much earlier, before the Titans had paired off, their father, Uranus, who was hateful and rightly fearful that one of his sons might overthrow him, shut all his children inside his wife, their Mother Earth (Gaia). And he used to hide them all away in a secret place of Earth so soon as each was born, and would not suffer them to come up into the light: and Heaven rejoiced in his evil doing. But vast Earth groaned within, being straitened, and she made the element of grey flint and shaped a great sickle, and told her plan to her dear sons. - Hesiod Theogony, which is all about the generation of gods. Another version comes from 1.1.4 Apollodorus*, who says Gaia was angry because Uranus had thrown his first children, the Cyclopes, into Tartarus. [See, I told you there was love; here, maternal.] At any rate, Gaia was angry with her husband for imprisoning their children either within her or in Tartarus, and she wanted her children released. Cronus, the dutiful son, agreed to do the dirty work: he used that flint sickle to castrate his father, rendering him impotent (without power). 3rd Generation Then the Titan Cronus, with his sister Rhea as a wife, sired six children. These were the Olympic gods and goddesses: HestiaHeraDemeterPoseidonHadesZeus Cursed by his father (Uranus), the Titan Cronus was afraid of his own children. After all, he knew how violent he had been towards his father. He knew better than to repeat the mistakes his father had made in leaving himself vulnerable, so instead of imprisoning his children in his wifes body (or Tartarus), Cronus swallowed them. Like her mother Earth (Gaia) before her, Rhea wanted her children to be free. With the help of her parents (Uranus and Gaia), she figured out how to defeat her husband. When it was time to give birth to Zeus, Rhea did it in secret. Cronus knew she was due and asked for the new baby to swallow. Instead of feeding him Zeus, Rhea substituted a stone. (No one said the Titans were intellectual giants.) Zeus matured safely until he was old enough to force his father to regurgitate his five siblings (Hades, Poseidon, Demeter, Hera, and Hestia). As G.S. Kirk points out in The Nature of Greek Myths, with the oral rebirth of his brothers and sisters, Zeus, once the youngest, became the oldest. At any rate, even if the regurgitation-reversal doesnt persuade you that Zeus could claim to be the oldest, he became the leader of the gods on snow-capped Mt. Olympus. 4th Generation Zeus, a first generation Olympian (although in the third generation since the creation), was father to the following second generation Olympians, put together from various accounts: AthenaAphroditeAresApolloArtemisDionysusHermesHephaestusPersephone The list of Olympians contains 12 gods and goddesses, but their identities vary. Hestia and Demeter, entitled to spots on Olympus, sometimes surrender their seats. Parents of Aphrodite and Hephaestus Although they may have been Zeus children, the lineage of 2 second-generation Olympians is in question: Some claim Aphrodite (goddess of love and beauty) sprang from the foam and severed genitals of Uranus. Homer refers to Aphrodite as the daughter of Dione and Zeus.Some (including Hesiod in the introductory quote) claim Hera as the sole parent of Hephaestus, the lame blacksmith god. But Zeus himself gave birth from his own head to bright-eyed Tritogeneia (29), the awful, the strife-stirring, the host-leader, the unwearying, the queen, who delights in tumults and wars and battles. But Hera without union with Zeus for she was very angry and quarreled with her mate bare famous Hephaestus, who is skilled in crafts more than all the sons of Heaven.-Hesiod Theogony 924ff It is interesting, but to my knowledge insignificant, that these two Olympians who had uncertain parentage married. Zeus as Parent Many of Zeus liaisons were unusual; for instance, he disguised himself as a cuckoo bird to seduce Hera. Two of his children were born in a manner he might have learned from his father or grandfather; that is, like his father Cronus, Zeus swallowed not only the child but the mother Metis while she was pregnant. When the fetus had fully formed, Zeus gave birth to their daughter Athena. Lacking the proper feminine apparatus, he gave birth through his head. After Zeus had frightened or burned his mistress Semele to death, but before she was completely incinerated, Zeus removed the fetus of Dionysus from her womb and sewed it into his thigh where the wine god-to-be developed until ready for rebirth. *Apollodorus, a 2nd Century B.C. Greek scholar, wrote a Chronicles and On the Gods, but the reference here is to the Bibliotheca or Library, which is falsely attributed to him.

David cole Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

David cole - Essay Example They knew that either way, the two could die. However, Eli chooses not to wait for the Soviet troops to liberate them (Shermer and Grobman 72). His reasoning for choosing to accompany the Nazis was because he did not understand the motive of the Soviet troop in liberating them. The design of the gas chamber demonstrates that its purpose had no relation with the handling of gas. Since the gas chambers were never sealed, there was no provision for preventing the gas from condensing on the walls, ceiling or the floor. Neither was there a provision to exhaust the mixture of the gas and air from the building. This was the design of the facility according to Fred Leuchter, who examined the chamber. The free standing chimney could have served the purpose of exhausting the gases. The Donahue interview reinforces Leuchter’s findings. David Cole comes to a conclusion that the design of the chamber was not to kill any human being. In addition, he describes the facilities as life

Homeless essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Homeless - Essay Example If someone is being discharged from an institution such as a hospital, where he has been living for the last month or more, and has neither a house to live after his discharge nor the required resources to buy or rent one. Recently, volunteers spent a whole night trying to calculate the number of homeless people living in Syracuse. The Homeless and Housing Vulnerable Task Force traveled around the whole city counting the number of people spending the night on streets. They also checked emergency shelters, parks, playgrounds, bus stands, and all other possible areas where the homeless might spend the night. This year, it was the first time the Firefighting Department also helped in locating old and confiscated buildings where the homeless might find shelter. They counted out a total of 700 homeless people, which was a decrease by 37% since last year. At least the same rate of decrease is expected next year. (WTVH, 2008) Homelessness has been a major cause of problems occurring in a society on a daily basis. Businessmen are especially not happy with homeless people straying on the streets as it creates a bad image of their businesses, and also they are often subjected to petty crimes committed by the homeless. Other people living in the society are also often frightened by the presence of panhandlers and complain the destruction of the society's beauty brought about by the homeless. Due to the problems mentioned above, law enforcement agencies like the police department receive regular calls from angry businessmen complaining about the bad impact of homeless people on their businesses and ability to attract new business projects, and the crimes committed by them. In areas where large numbers of homeless reside, theft occurs at a regular basis. Businesses are robbed and theft of easily tradable accessories like tools and metal scraps has widely spread. Therefore, the police have to be extremely active in relation to the activities of the homeless. (Holderness, 1998) Along with the preceding problems, the community also faces the problem of large amounts of homeless people living and spending nights on subway stations. The up gradation and renovation of trains and subway stations done in order to attract people who lost hope in subway, also attracts helpless people who have no place else to go and wish to avoid crime and humiliation of public emergency shelters. Installation of air-conditioners has

Introduction to Emergency Planning and Operations; Types of Essay

Introduction to Emergency Planning and Operations; Types of Emergencies and Disasters - Essay Example can be undertaken by the government and other organized movement toward the achievement of goal to lessen disasters (Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters CRED, 2008). There are different types of disasters that are needed to be given attention. These events can be related to natural disasters and calamities, social, economic and health issues. The main focus of the study undertaken is related to the effects natural calamities specifically earthquake and the terrorism in different groups in the society. The attention needed by the students and workers of schools can be considered one of the most fundamental aspects due to the vulnerability of the said population. There are different actions and policies that can be related to both the local and national responses and plans. Included in the most important policies implemented in the different states and localities in the United States is the National Response Framework. Basically, the application of the processes inculcated in the policy in connection to the specific needs of the different parts of the country. For example in the case of the preparedness in terms of the natural disasters such as earthquake, there are some areas more susceptible to earthquake than others. In such cases, for example in the western region of the US, more actions are undertaken. Although this is the case, a multifaceted policy in terms of emergency planning and preparedness is required to be able to continuously protect the population and prevent cases such as the 2002 earthquake disasters in New York and the Midwest (Department of Homeland Security, 2008). When the policies of local, national and international coverage are then applied, the consciousness can be considered holistic. The NRF is in collaboration with the local governments, the state and tribal governments, the federal government and the private sectors and NGO’s. Each sectors and organizational systems has different visions and missions to

Treatment Intervention for Paranoid Schizophrenia Case Study

Treatment Intervention for Paranoid Schizophrenia Case Study Jack Dwight (not his real name), aged 26 was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in October 2004. In August 2004 Jack’s best friend was killed by a group of youths who were terrorising their neighbourhood. Before the diagnosis Jack’s family was concerned about his constant complaints of headache and tummy ache. He suffered from a severe lack of appetite. He lost a lot of weight in a short time – from 120 to 108 kg in just two months. Jack no longer paid attention to his personal hygiene – his body odour was unbearable. Around September 2004 Jack developed an uncontrollable fear that he was going to be run over by a vehicle. He would not be persuaded to venture into the street, even going to his favourite store to get cigarettes for himself. He became extremely anti-social, keeping to himself in his locked bedroom most of the time. His family could not cope with his anger outbursts, which sometimes became violent. Thus it was that in October Jack was diag nosed with paranoid schizophrenia. Jack’s behaviour proved that Pinker (1997) is right when he states that sometimes, when thrust into a new and highly stressful situation, people suffer acute paranoia. For six weeks Jack was admitted to a psychiatric hospital where a team of specialists worked with him. It was on the 14th December 2004 that Jack was sent back home, and I became a part of his home staff of care providers. The medical staff prescribed pain killers – Paracetamol or Codeine for his headache, and antacids like Gaviscon for the tummy. It was agreed that care givers should try to redirect him whenever possible when he complained about head or tummy aches. It was suggested that since Jack enjoyed tea, he should first be offered calming tea when he complained of pain. He was also given Multi vitamins and Risperdal to take in the morning and evening. Jack is now happy to ask for a cup of Camomile tea whenever he has a headache. He understands that if his headache persists, he is allowed to take pain killers. He enjoys receiving positive feedback when he does not ask for painkillers all the time. He has even suggested that I serve him a cup of Camomile tea once every h our because he has realized that this controls his headaches. He has not made this request to my colleague who takes care of him when I am off duty. Instead, he gets the usual headache during this care giver’s shift. At this point one wonders whether this is similar to what Sorensen, Paul, and Mariotto (1988) refer to when they say â€Å"in some cases the paranoia diminishes for psychological reasons rather than because of the drug’s action.† I argue this because Jack’s headaches seem to surface when he is taken care of by some, and not other care givers. To this effect Smith (2003) is of the opinion that the outcome of therapy â€Å"may be determined by the ‘chemistry’ or fit between the therapist and the client than the specific modality being employed.† (p.61) In order to improve his appetite, Jack’s nutritionist suggested that Jack should be involved in the planning of a healthy menu. His opinion was to be sought and he was encouraged to plan his meals, choosing from a wide range of foods in the refrigerator. Care givers were advised to invite him to participate in the cooking and preparation of his meals, if he so wished. That plan worked very well because he felt a sense of ownership and was very proud to be serving his care givers the food that he himself has prepared. He started to enjoy meals that he had planned himself. This also made him to take an interest in reading the labels on all food packages, and he was proud to tell staff about the nutritional value of foodstuffs. The advantages of Jack’s involvement in the kitchen were enormous. Apart from improving his appetite, Jack also took an interest in going grocery shopping – something he had previously refused to do. He realized that he had to bathe and dress in clean clothes before going shopping. So his state of personal hygiene improved. He enjoyed watching his reflection in the mirror before going out. We now turn the trips to the grocery store into special excursions. I have noticed that even his need for a cup of Camomile tea disappears when we prepare to go shopping. It is not uncommon for him to compile the shopping list before going out. Jack recently invited his case manager to join us for shopping because he wanted to show her how well he was managing the shopping exercise. Before Jack’s friend was killed, they both worked as shop assistants in the local supermarket. During his illness Jack did not want to see any of his former work mates. He believed that they had plotted against his friend, and that they would do the same against him. This behaviour is in line with what Smith (2003) says, â€Å"paranoid persons have a highly developed aptitude for fabricating stories – making connections is like seeing shapes in clouds.† (p.39) In January 2005 the case manager helped Jack to sign up for membership at the local Clubhouse where care providers accompany him to attend meetings at least three times a week. Jack has met and talked to other individuals who have had a similar illness to his. The counselling they receive at the Clubhouse has helped Jack to want to renew his membership of his former workplace’s bowling club. From March 2005 Jack has been accepting invitations from former work mates to go bowling with them. The local Clubhouse operates on a slightly psychoanalytical manner in the sense that it serves all of Smith’s (2003) purposes in one integrated package. At the Clubhouse psychological problems are addressed in a comprehensive interdisciplinary method. Clients are given vocational training so that they can attain some basic skills of concentration and reasoning that would enable them to fit in the job world again. In May 2005 Jack was invited, through the help of the case manager, by his former employer to work some shifts. At the moment his job is in the cafeteria section where he works three hours for four days in a week. He cleans tables and makes sure the dining area is generally clean. Jack seems to enjoy going to work. His job coach, a qualified rehabilitation specialist reports that Jack is an asset at work, the cafeteria manager is pleased and speaks highly of Jack. At the Clubhouse clients also receive training in handling their finances. Jack is now capable of balancing his bank balance. He draws a budget, based on what he earns from his employer and his weekly allowance. He compares prices and chooses which hairdresser, restaurant, super market, etc. to visit. Qualified physiotherapists are available to advise clients on the best ways to relax. They teach clients how to breathe, exercise muscles, or meditate when feeling anxious. The Clubhouse staff also organises evening social events during most weekends. Clients are invited to bring friends and / or family along. Jack was reluctant to attend these social events at first, but as soon as he started going out with his ex colleagues, he felt comfortable to attend the Clubhouse events as well. He has recently made friends with a few clients of his age group, and they love to dance and sing. I have lately experienced some difficulty in getting Jack to stop dancing when it is time to go home. The nutritionist has suggested that his high energy levels may be caused by some refreshments that are served during the evening of festivities. The care givers have been advised to encourage Jack to take sugar free drinks. It seems that Jack’s progress causes him to lack the insight to appreciate the full extent of his illness. Pennington et. al. (2003) state that sometimes positive symptoms of schizophrenia distort a person’s ability to perceive his or her own condition. Jack realizes that he has missed out on fun activities, so he might be trying to make up for lost time. It is therefore difficult for him to understand the need to control his excitement levels. Although a lot of progress is made in Jack’s health one cannot quantify the success. Smith (2003) contends that â€Å"in order to measure psychological change, one must possess an instrument to do the measuring. The psychological test used must be both valid and reliable. A valid test is one that is adequately underwritten by empirical evidence and able to produce consistent results.† (p.61). It is unfortunate that care providers in Jack’s case do not always compile comprehensive reports about our shifts’ proceedings. There is no standard instrument of assessment that can produce measurable results. Reports compiled at the end of a shift may be subjective. With regards to symptoms, for example one care giver might conclude that a particular action points to worse illness while another might not think so. It is also a subjective matter whether a symptom is or not present because what one might regard as a symptom, another might not. The therapeutic modality may be effective, but if it is applied inappropriately outcomes may be unreliable. It is also disheartening that the care providers do not maintain their positions for long. During the six months that I have been taking care of Jack, three care providers have left. Jack needs stability and consistency in order to regain his sense of trust and confidence in people. I have noted that he becomes very sad when a staff member leaves. He takes it very personally, becomes moody for some time and blames himself when a care provider resigns. I have also noted that not all family members take part in discussions or attend meetings organised by the medical staff to help Jack, so there is an information gap which slows down progress. One afternoon during the Easter weekend Jack went out with his older brother who lives with the family, in the same house as Jack. They left home around 7pm and did not come home until the early hours of the next morning. They had been to a pub, and Jack argued with some people there. Jack spent the rest of the weekend in a bad mood – using foul language and banging doors. Time out did not really help. Jack later confessed to me that he was disappointed with himself, for having lost his temper and nearly ‘getting himself killed’. Had Jack’s brother attended all family therapy meetings, had he taken the time to find out what needs to be considered when Jack enjoys a night out, Jack would not have had a relapse. Care givers often feel inadequate when confronted by unrea sonable family members. When one interrogates the motives behind bullying relatives or irresponsible actions like Jack brother’s, one cannot but agree with theories like Bentall’s (2003) when he asserts that there are many people who suffer from undiagnosed forms of psychoses. Who, if not a psychotic person would expose his / her paranoid brother to a pub full of night revellers? Such questions are bound to remain unanswered for some time because the approach to schizophrenia itself is in need of improvement, so that it does not just assume that there is a distinct line between what is considered mental illness and mental health. A lot of ground has been covered in the study of paranoid schizophrenia, but a lot more still has to be covered. Studies examining the diagnosis of schizophrenia are not very reliable and consistent. The fact that it was Jack who showed remorse, and not his brother after the incident at the pub proves this assertion. Assessment is also another area that needs extensive research. The anti-psychiatry movement also finds fault with the diagnostic approach to schizophrenia. Bentall (2003) explains how proponents in this field argue for their case – stating that to classify specific thoughts and behaviours as an illness allows social control of people that society finds undesirable but who have committed no crime. Jack had committed no crime, but his loss made him to behave in a manner that is not so acceptable by society. An assessment of Jack’s condition at this point in time might also pose a challenge to psychologists. One care provider who ‘gets on well’ wi th Jack might assess him as stable, yet another might not. The challenge continues. BIBLIOGRAPHY Bentall, P.P. (2003) Madness Explained: Psychosis and Human Nature. London:  Penguin. Pinker, S. (1997) How The Mind Works. London: Penguin. Smith, D.L. (2003) Psychoanalysis in Focus. London: Sage Publications. JOURNALS: Sorensen, D.J. ; Paul, G.L. ; Mariotto, M.J. (1988) Inconsistences in paranoid functioning, premorbid adjustment and chronicity: Questions of diagnostic criteria. Schizophrenia Bulletin Vol. 25 (4) pp.570-575.