Morality of Abortion Essay

Introduction In this paper, I will argue that abortion is morally acceptable in certain situations. In defending this argument I will include the reason behind my decision, and I will provide an alternate example using the same general principle. After explaining my principle I will give clarity to two arguments that may be presented by others. Finally, I will conclude by describing any changes that I have made to my general principle. II. Argument 1.) If a person is in a situation in which she can prevent an individual from living a life of pain and suffering, then it is morally acceptable for her to do so. 2. ) In cases in which a mother is in a situation in which she can prevent her unborn child from living a life of pain and suffering, by having an abortion 3. ) Therefore, in this cases it is morally acceptable for a mother to have an abortion. III. Explanation Rule one states â€Å"an argument is good for you if and only if all of the premises are reasonable for you to believe. † For this rule I will use a similar situation with the same general principle. If Allison is a situation in which her favorite dog severely breaks his leg and can not be repaired, then it is morally acceptable for her to euthanize the dog. In this example it is morally acceptable to euthanize the dog because the dog will not be able to walk again and will suffer because it will not be able to move. Therefore, if a person is in a situation in which she can prevent an individual from living a life of pain and suffering, then it is morally acceptable for her to do so. The second and third premise state that (1) In a case where a mother is in a situation in which she can prevent her unborn child from living a life of pain and suffering, by having an abortion (2) Therefore, it is morally acceptable for a mother to have an abortion. In explaining my argument I will give an example that supports the second and third premise. If a mother is in a situation in which she becomes aware that her unborn child has an extremely painful and incurable disease called Epidermolysis Bullosa, EB. This disease causes skin to blister on the slightest touch. many infants that are born with this disease are are con? ned to wearing bandages at all times and can not even with stand their own parents touching them. In this case then it is ok for that mother to have an abortion. This act is ok because if the child is born with a disease that is incurable and painful then that child will be in will suffer for their whole lifetime and in many cases live a very short life. Therefore if a mother is in a situation in which she is able to prevent her unborn child from living a life of pain and suffering then it is morally acceptable for her to have an abortion. Rule two states that the argument must have a pattern such that if the premises are true, then the conclusion must follow. 1. ) If P, then Q 2. ) P 3. ) Therefore, Q 1. ) If P (a person is in a situation in which she can prevent an individual from living a life of pain and suffering), then Q (it is morally acceptable for her to do so. ) 2. ) P (In a case where a mother is in a situation in which she can prevent her unborn child from living a life of pain and suffering, by having an abortion), 3.) Therefore, Q (in some cases it is morally acceptable for a mother to have an abortion. ) IV. Objection An objection that may arise from premise one is that if a person is in a situation in which they sacri? ce their own life to prevent pain and suffering of another individual, then it is not morally acceptable for them to do so. An example of this is if Peter is in a situation in which he can take the place of a person in solitary con? nement, which causes psychological pain and suffering, it is not morally acceptable for him to do so. It is not morally acceptable because although the individual is suffering they knowingly participated in the act that resulted in the pain and suffering. This example expresses a violation of rule two because the argument does not follow a pattern in which the conclusion follows. Another objection that may arise from premise one is if a mother is in a situation in which she can violate the right to life of another person, the fetus, and the fetus is not threatening the mothers life, then it is morally wrong for the mother to violate the fetus’ right to life. My response to this argument is that although the mother’s life is not in danger by having the fetus, after the fetus is born they will live a short and extremely difficult life. This example is a violation of rule two because the premises are not reasonable to believe. V. Conclusion When thinking about the situation previously stated in the paper, I thought about the many options that could be presented when confronted with information, such as the fetus has an incurable and highly painful disease. By weighing the pros and cons of each principle I was able to construct my principle that was stated above. While writing this paper I have changed my general principle by adding the word â€Å"suffering. † By adding this one word I believe that it changes the argument by including another aspect that can make a life unbearable. When ? rst thinking about the reasoning behind my paper I thought about all view points that I could take, but I was able to stay true to my original belief of pro-choice by creating an argument that supports one aspect of the abortion debate.

Intellectual thought Essay

An intellectual is a person who primarily uses intelligence in either a professional or an individual capacity. As a substantive or adjective, it refers to the work product of such persons, to the so-called â€Å"life of the mind† generally, or to an aspect of something where learning, erudition, and informed and critical thinking are the focus, as in â€Å"the intellectual level of the discourse on the matter was not high†. Jacques Barzun, a French-American intellectual.  The intellectual is a specific variety of the intelligent, which unlike the general property, is strictly associated with reason and thinking. Many everyday roles require the application of intelligence to skills that may have a psychomotor component, for example, in the fields of medicine, sport or the arts, but these do not necessarily involve the practitioner in the â€Å"world of ideas†. The distinctive quality of the intellectual person is that the mental skills, which he or she demonstrates, are not simply intelligent, but even more, they focus on thinking about the abstract, philosophical and esoteric aspects of human inquiry and the value of their thinking. Traditionally, the scholarly and the intellectual classes were closely identified; however, while intellectuals need not necessarily be actively involved in scholarship, they often have an academic background and will typically have an association with a profession. More broadly, any work of the mind may be termed intellectual property, whether or not its content is â€Å"intellectual† in the sense covered in this article. Intellectuals include not only philosophers, interested in epistemology, but also others in the arts and sciences, plus the humanities, with no boundaries as to fields of study.

Social work and Drug Use

Drug misuse in Britain is a substantial and growing problem, with a significant and profound impact on the health and social functioning of many individuals. Parker et al (1995) highlight that: â€Å"Young people are increasingly using a wide range of drugs and alcohol at a younger age and the age of initiation into drug use appears to have lowered. † This assignment aims to discuss what drugs are and the individual effects and social implication of drug use. It will compare and contrast the different terms associated with drug misuse, for example recreational drug use and drug dependency. It will examine the consequences, advantages and disadvantages of decriminalisation and legalisation of drugs as well as the advantages and disadvantages of prescribing using heroin as an example. It will also look at theories surrounding substance misuse and will consider how social workers have been granted more flexibility in their intervention with substance misusers since shifting from the view that drug and alcohol misuse is a disease. In addition to this it will highlight existing debates concerning the recent and current drug policy in the UK. Service users who experience drug problems are often subject to stigmatisation, discrimination and marginalisation not only as a result of their substance use but also as a result of age, gender and poverty. However, Harbin and Murphy (2000, P. 23) highlight that: â€Å"Drug addiction can effect anyone without regard to race, class, gender or age. † This assignment will also look at what services and interventions, such as harm reduction strategies, are available to drug misusers and the accessibility of these services. The World Health Organisation (1981, P. 227) define a drug as: Any chemical entity or mixture of entities, other than those required for the maintenance of normal health (like food), the administration of which alters biological function and possibly structure. † Therefore this means that when legal drugs, such as headache tablets, or illegal drugs, such as cannabis, enter the bloodstream they can affect how a person feels. Drugs can be grouped into three main types: stimulants such as cocaine, depressants for example heroin, and hallucinogens such as magic mushrooms. (http://www. knowthescore. info, 2005). In addition to the different groupings the law divides drugs into three classes: A, B and C. Classification is based on the harm that specific drugs may cause to individuals, families and communities. (NHS Health Scotland, 2004, P. 10). Class A drugs include heroin, ecstasy and crack. In order for drugs to work, they must first enter the body. The main ways that a drug can be administered include: orally, smoking, snorting and injecting. How a person will react after taking drugs will depend on a number of factors such as the type of drug, how it is taken, what it is mixed with, the social context and whether the person is on other drugs at that time. Factors which may influence drug taking can be split into two broad categories: individual influences for example personality or genetics and environmental influences such as society, peer pressure or family. (Swadi, 1992, P. 156). All drugs affect the brain's limbic system irrespective of there legality. Different drugs act on different areas of the brain and alter the chemical balance and these changes are responsible for the feelings and sensations sometimes associated with drug use. (NHS Health Scotland, 2004, P. 7). Scientists call this the â€Å"reward† system. Usually, the limbic system responds to pleasurable experiences by releasing the neurotransmitter dopamine, which creates feelings of pleasure. This could explain why people go on to misuse drugs. However, some people can occasionally use drugs without developing a tolerance or withdrawal symptoms whereas other people abuse drugs by repeatedly using them to produce pleasure, alleviate stress, or avoid reality. This can lead to other drug related problems such as drug dependency. There are two types of dependency, psychological and physical. â€Å"Physical dependency occurs when the body is deprived of drugs†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. this deprivation leads to physical symptoms that vary with the drug. † Whereas â€Å"psychological dependency †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ is based more on the individual's traits (habits, lifestyle) than on the substance itself. It is the memory of the pleasure associated with the object of the dependency that the individual thinks about often and longingly. † (http://thebrain. mcgill. ca/flash. par. tml, 2002) This highlights that different drugs have different effects and will require different interventions depending on the substance being misused. Drug dependency is characterised by craving a drug so much that it has control over the person's life. For example if someone is dependent on heroin and goes without it for any length of time, they will suffer extremely unpleasant withdrawal symptoms for several days. Taking heroin will make the drug user feel ‘normal' again (Drugs Know your Stuff, 2005). In this respect the drugs are having a ‘medicinal' effect on the individual because the drug relieves the person from their withdrawal symptoms. Drug use in today's society is a problem not only for the individual but for their families and communities. Drugs: protecting families and communities (2008) supports this by saying: â€Å"The most damaging effects for communities are those caused by drug dealing, drug related crime and anti-social behaviour, which can undermine stable families and cohesive communities. † In the UK drug the social effects of addiction are most commonly associated with criminality. Drugs know your stuff (2005, P. 21) identifies that: â€Å"Every year about 40,000 people in the UK are arrested for drug offences. † An example of a drug related offence could be shoplifting. This might enable the drug user to raise money to finance their drug use. It may also be associated with the stereotypical image of young people wearing hooded tops sniffing glue or `shooting up' in shabby flats who are labelled `junkies'. However, drug use does not always fit into this image as it is not age, gender or class specific. For example, white middle class people who use cocaine as a recreational drug do not need to get involved in crime to support their drug use. Therefore drug use is not always linked to crime. This is in contrast to the view of the Governments 1998 drug strategy which had the main objective the plan to tackle drug abuse, first and foremost, as an approach of reducing crime. It focused primarily on criminality and supported drug users who had committed crimes. In addition to this, new measures were introduced under the Drugs Act (2005) where the focus is also primarily on criminality. The new Act has implemented new police powers to test for class A drugs such as heroin. These measures include â€Å"testing on arrest† which means people who are arrested for trigger offences are tested for drugs on arrest rather than when charged. The aim of this is to steer more offenders into treatment and away from crime. This will ensure that those who misuse drugs are not charged but helped to engage in treatment. However, King (2007) does not agree and believes that these measures should be discarded as they are ineffective and inefficient. As an alternative King recommends that greater use should be made of specialised drug courts. According to the recent Government drug strategy (1998) there was a particular focus on problematic drug users and links to crime because statistics showed they were responsible for 99% of the costs to society (estimated between i10 and i16 billion) 88% of which is drug related crime. (The Drugs Act, 2005) Therefore, often as an alternative to imprisonment a drug misusing offender within the criminal justice system will automatically be given priority to access treatment. Drug Treatment and Testing Orders made under Section 1A (6) of the 1991 Criminal Justice Act required offenders to attend drug treatment as a condition of a probation order. † (Hough et al, 2003, P. 6). This may cause problems because when faced with a prison sentence or a treatment programme the majority of people would most likely choose the latter even when they do not want help for their drug problems. Ironically, someone who is serious about getting help for their drug problems and has not broken the law will usually be placed on a long waiting list for treatment. Although, Tackling Drugs Changing Lives (2005) state that the average national waiting times for treatment have fallen almost three quarters since 2001; (from 9. 1 weeks in December 2001, to 2. 3 weeks in June 2007). However, this still could possibly result in non offenders slipping through the net especially since the most common referral route into treatment is self referral (NTA, 2006, P. 7). Thus possibly resulting in them not getting the treatment or support they require at that time. Therefore whilst they remain on the waiting list for treatment social workers have a responsibility to give advice on minimising harm associated with drug misuse. Government policy has prioritised criminal costs of drug use King (2007) states that the wider issues that surround drug misuse such as the effects on communities, families and health are not taken into account. Therefore advocates a harm reduction policy by saying: â€Å"Given that drugs may, and often do, cause significant harm to individuals, their family, their friends and their communities, the main aim of the law should be to reduce the amount of harm that they cause. In response to the 1998 drug strategy The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA), (2007) comment, through its Commission, that drugs are a matter of health and not just crime. The Commission argues that addiction to drugs and other substances should be treated as a chronic health condition and a social problem, not just a crime or cause of crime. In addition to this they also recommended that the primary aim of the new drugs policy should be to reduce harm. The review of the National Drug Strategy in 2008 argued that the previous drugs policy did little to help the problematic drug users and to mitigate the impact on drugs in society. Professor Anthony Kings the Chairman of the RSA Commission explains that in their view drugs in society are not just about crime. They criticised the previous strategy by saying there was too much emphasis on crime and that there needed to be a shift from crime reduction and the criminal justice system onto an understanding of the more varied and complex social problems. For example the social consequences of drug use can include social exclusion. People may lose their friends and family because of the stigma that surrounds drug misuse resulting in isolation. In addition to this drug use can have an impact on living standards and may result in homelessness for example if their drug use is given priority over their household outgoings such as rent. Therefore King (2007) suggests that there should be wraparound services which include individual social needs such as employment and housing as these problems often come hand in hand with chaotic drug use. The work of Professor A King has informed the new Government drug strategy and prior to the 2008 drug strategy being unveiled it was suggested by Prime Minister Gordon Brown that the new strategy would adopt a more holistic approach when working with drug users and there would be more support for people undergoing treatment. However, when the Government's new 2008 10-year drug strategy was revealed there were proposals to shake-up the welfare system, effectively punishing drug abusers who fail to get â€Å"clean†. The Press Association (2008) highlighted that benefit payments to drug users may be reduced if they drop out of treatment. This could possibly result in people not accessing treatment for the fear of dropping out and having their income reduced. Therefore the new strategy gives no consideration to relapse. Drug relapse is a process that begins when an individual slips back into old behaviour patterns and as identified by Regan (2003) as being the most damaging characteristic of drug taking. Relapse may occur because drug users are often stereotyped and may find it hard to reintegrate back into society. Therefore this proposal may not be very effective. In addition to this if a drug misusing parent's benefits are cut and they are faced with buying food, for their children, or drugs that they are dependent on they may not necessarily be capable of making a rational decision. Cleaver et al (1999, P. 245) lends support to this by stating: â€Å"Family income may be used to satisfy parental needs. Purchasing food and clothing or paying essential household bills may be sacrificed. † However it is recognised that parental drug use may not always affect the parent's capacity to look after their children well. The British Medical Association (1997, P. 8) highlights that: â€Å"Drug use itself by parents need not constitute a risk but neglect or abuse may be associated with problem drug use and should be addressed appropriately. † However, long term drug misuse could impact on the families' living standards and possibly result in a requirement for Social Services to intervene under section 17 of The Children Act 1989. In addition to this people may resort to crime so they can afford the drugs they are dependent on. Critics of the new drug strategy say there should be more focus on treatment and less on punishment (http://drugshealthalliance. et, 2008). Therefore better strategies need to be introduced to encourage drug users into treatment. An improvement to enable this could be not giving General Practitioners the choice to avoid providing drug treatment. This would allow people to be seen straight away by their General Practitioner and not placed on long waiting lists with other agencies. All drugs, hard or soft, illegal or legal can cause social problems to some degree. Although, it is suggested that many drugs are thought to cause problems merely because they are illegal. However, The British Medical Association (1997, P. 385) highlights that: â€Å"Both the Green and White Papers, Tackling Drugs Together, rejected any arguments for legalisation or decriminalisation on the grounds that wider use and addiction are very serious risks which no responsible Government should take on behalf of its citizens. † In contrast to this view Mullis (2003, P. 3) argues that all drug laws should be abolished. The legalisation of drugs would mean that people could buy drugs but only through legal sources, thus removing a major criminal resource and reducing crime levels. The British Medical Association (1997, P386) also suggests that crime would be significantly reduced if drugs could be purchased legally and money spent on law enforcement could be spent on treatment and education. On the other hand there is evidence that drug users commit crimes for other reasons and not just to finance their habit. Many drug users are involved in crime even when they have access to drugs on prescription such as methadone. (Graham and Bowling, 1995, P. 49). Therefore the social background of the drug user may also contribute to why they commit crimes. However, even if crime was not considerably reduced, people buying drugs through legal sources would know the strength and quality of what they were using thus possibly reducing the risk of overdose. If drugs were legalised there is no evidence to indicate that crime levels would reduce. People would still need money to purchase drugs from legal sources and as highlighted by Robertson (1998, P. 209) it is uncertain that legislation would significantly reduce the cost of drugs. In addition to this alcohol and nicotine are highly addictive drugs that hold legal status. King (2007) suggests that the Misuse of Drugs Act (1971) should be repealed and replaced with a Misuse of Substances Act which includes alcohol and tobacco. As well as being addictive they can also cause major health problems. For example smoking can cause chronic lung disease, coronary heart disease, strokes, and various cancers. â€Å"Some doctors have even reported that nicotine is just as addictive as heroin or cocaine, which indicates quite clearly as to how people become hooked so rapidly and stay hooked for so long. † http://www. helpwithsmoking. com/effects-of-nicotine. php) Heavy drinking is linked to suicide, murder, fatal accidents, and many fatal diseases. It can increase chances of developing cirrhosis of the liver, and it has been associated with many different types of cancers. However, the NHS Direct (2008) underline that drinking a moderate amount of alcohol will not do any physical or psychological harm. In a recent survey Lifeline publications (2007) highlig hted that approximately 114,000 people die every year from smoking tobacco. About 40,000 people die from using alcohol and the least amount of deaths occur as a result of all illegal drugs put together and is about 2,000 people. This clarifies that: â€Å"Although drug misuse poses risks to the user and others, from a health perspective it still remains a small problem in relation to the medical harm caused by alcohol and nicotine. † (The British Medical Association, 1997). Therefore it is evident that the reason why some drugs are illegal is nothing to do with dangerousness. If drug classification is based on the harm that specific drugs may cause to individuals, families and communities. NHS Health Scotland, 2004, P. 10) then unquestionably nicotine and alcohol would both be classified. However, consideration needs to be given when looking at the above figures because more people may use alcohol and/ or tobacco because they are socially acceptable and hold legal status. If all drugs were legal, or the same amount of people who smoked used illicit drugs, then drug related deaths may significantly increase. However King (2007) suggests that the majority of people who use drugs are able to use them without harming themselves or others. Which means, according to King, the use of illegal drugs is not always harmful anymore than alcohol use is always harmful. Although it is paramount that people are still aware of the risks involved when using legal or illegal drugs. For example high impact adverts explaining the effects on all drugs as well as warning messages on alcohol similar to the messages on cigarette packets. Although King suggests that illegal drug use is not always harmful, heroin has been ranked the most dangerous drug by researchers The Lancet (2007). These finding were based on three factors which were: physical harm; potential for dependence and the impact on society such as costs to health care. Heroin dependency is an increasing problem in the UK which causes high social and criminal costs. (Stimson, 2003, P. 1) Therefore, some view prescribing the drug as a way to reduce drug-related crime and others emphasise the advantages of heroin prescribing as a way of reducing health problems, for example blood borne viruses. However prescribing heroin may have risks as well as benefits. Prescribing might attract more people into treatment. More heroin users might get help as they would be identified thus resulting in fewer untreated heroin users in the community. In addition to this prescribing would stop or reduce illicit heroin use. This would undercut the black market in illicit heroin possibly helping to phase out drug dealers. BBC News (2002) also highlights that the idea has gained favour amongst some senior police officers, who believe it could reduce the amount of drug-related crime. However General Practitioners worry that prescribing heroin would maintain the level of dependency reducing any motivation for a person to stop using the drug creating an â€Å"addict for life. Therefore this may not necessarily be the best response to drug misuse. Since we live in a drug taking society it is paramount that there are interventions available to substance misusers to help minimise any potential harm. Under the National Occupational Standards social workers have a duty to manage risk to individuals, families, carers, groups, communities, self and colleagues. Social workers can help to reduce risks by implementing harm reduction strategies. â€Å"Harm reduction policies, programmes, services and actions work to reduce the health, social and economic harms to individuals, communities and society that are associated with the use of drugs. † (UKHRA, 2005) Harm reduction has a very high profile in drug treatment programmes it aims to focus on issues such as needle exchange schemes and the risk of infection. The strategy is led primarily through the NHS and influences the Drug Action Teams (DAT). However, the strategy mainly focuses on minimising harm associated with intravenous heroin use. The NTA (2006, P. 7) highlights that: â€Å"Heroin was identified as the main problem drug for over two thirds (67 per cent) of clients receiving drug treatment. † Nevertheless, the strategy accepts that people are drug dependent and therefore consideration is given on how best to reduce harm this includes access to information and clean injecting equipment. However, information needs to be widely available, written in relevant languages, and produced in an accessible format. Without any focus on harm reduction there are issues with blood borne viruses such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Hepatitis C that could be overlooked. Hepatitis C is a viral disease that destroys liver cells and can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Balkin (2004) identifies that: â€Å"Most new cases of Hepatitis C occur in people who use contaminated needles or injecting equipment for drug use. † Therefore although there are harm reduction programmes available for dug users they may not be easily accessible. For example, an intravenous heroin user who needed clean needles is not likely to travel a few miles by bus to collect them. This could result in the person using, or sharing, dirty needles which increases the risk of blood borne viruses. With this is mind it may be useful to establish if there are mobile needle exchange services available to especially in rural areas where people are often more isolated and may be less likely to travel long distances for clean needles. The advantages of this service could be that because the service comes to the people who need it, clean injecting paraphernalia is more likely to be used therefore helping to reduce the risks of blood borne viruses. However, there may be some users who might be worried about using, or not want to use, a mobile needle exchange service. This could be because of the stigma attached to drug use and they may be worried about neighbours finding out that they have a drug problem. Another service that may possibly help drug misusers to minimise harm is drug consumption rooms. However this service is currently not available in the United Kingdom. â€Å"Drug consumption rooms are places where dependent drug users are allowed to inject drugs in supervised, hygienic conditions. There are approximately 65 drug consumption rooms in operation in eight countries around the world but there are none in the UK. † (http://www. jrf. org. uk/pressroom/releases, 2006) Drug consumption rooms may help to minimise blood borne viruses and fatal overdoses. They would also help to take drug use off the streets and reduce numbers of discarded needles in public places. â€Å"Drug users who congregate in public areas or open drug scenes are often homeless and marginalised, and lack access to social and health care services. Studies suggest that severe health risks are linked to street-based injecting. † (Klee, 1995; Best et al. , 2000). Additional services within the drug consumption rooms can include needle exchange, safer injecting advice, Hepatitis B vaccines, safer sex information as well as counseling, showering and washing facilities. However, as highlighted by Drugscope (2004), there are some areas of controversy concerning drug consumption rooms. For example could the Government justify providing a service that enables people to engage legitimately in activities that are both harmful and illegal? Since drug users will take drugs regardless of there harmfulness and legality the Government should take into consideration that drug consumption rooms have potential benefits. However, if these rooms were available in the UK they might encourage people to use hard drugs or increase drug related problems in the areas where they were located. In addition to this support from communities and local services such as police would be required if the consumption rooms were to be work in communities. New or amended legislation may also be necessary since under the Misuse of Drugs Act (1971) drug possession for personal use is an offense. However if drug consumption rooms were legal then would drug possession be legal? If this was not the case then there would be a contradiction between the two. Other services available within the United Kingdom for drug misusers include voluntary agencies such as drug support agencies, counselling, rehabilitation and aftercare services. Services available need to be both accessible and available to people who require them. There are many different models that can be used when working with people with addictions. However: â€Å"When working with substance misusers it is helpful to consider two different models, the ‘disease' model and the ‘wheel of change'. † (Goodman, 2007, P. 103). In the 19th century the first disease concept was established. This model considered that alcohol and drugs were evil and people who misused them were labelled victims. Therefore, alcohol and drugs addiction was starting to be seen as a disease that required treatment. In the 20th century the second disease concept evolved and alcohol consumption was once again socially acceptable. Only a small minority of individuals developed a problem with excessive drinking. However, alcohol and drug addiction was still considered as an illness that required treatment and support. Goodman (2007) highlights that the disease model works for some and is supported in self help groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous. He goes on to explain that people accessing the programme are told that they have a disease which prevents them from controlling their drink or drug problem. Consequently they need to avoid former drinking associates or drinking situation. However this model has implications as the nature of the disease has never been identified. It also suggests that a person with drug or alcohol problems has no choice or control over their decision making thus taking away their personal responsibility. Dick (2006) lends support to this by saying: â€Å"Drug misuse is not a disease; it is a decision, like the decision to step out in front of a moving car. You would call that not a disease but an error of judgement. In addition to this by following the disease model there is no consideration given to other factors such as psychological, cultural and family factors which may influence why someone may misuse substances. Therefore it does not adopt a holistic approach when supporting the service user. However according to National Institute on Drug Abuse (2008) drug addiction is a brain disease and highlights that: â€Å"Although initial drug use might be voluntary, drugs of abuse have been shown to alter gene expression and brain circuitry, which in turn affect human behaviour. Once addiction develops, these brain changes interfere with an individual's ability to make voluntary decisions, leading to compulsive drug craving, seeking and use. † However, although this model will work for some people it may restrict social workers with their intervention because the model requires complete abstinence. Therefore there would be no harm reduction strategies needed such as needle exchange. The model also contradicts the General Social Care Council Codes of Practice (2002) as it does not work in an anti-oppressive manner. For example, by following the disease model approach the service user is not treated as an individual with individual needs and choices but as a person with no choice, control or autonomy over their situation because they are labelled as having a disease. In addition to this because the model does not adopt a holistic approach factors such as housing, employment and education are not taken into consideration. Although this model works for some consideration still needs to be given to the wider problems that surround drug misuse. The second model, the ‘wheel of change' was designed by Prochaska and Diclemente (1994). It was produced from work they had done with people wishing to change their smoking behaviour, it soon became evident that their theory was helpful for all addictive behaviours. It is a holistic approach and looks at areas such as housing and financial issues when supporting someone throughout the different stages of their alcohol or drug problems. Since the model is holistic it also allows social workers to work in partnership with other agencies such as housing. As far as social work practice is concerned this model is the value base of the codes of practice as it works within a positive framework promoting anti oppressive practice. In this model there is a cyclical process. It starts with a period of pre-contemplation when the service user does not know or feel that they have a problem. For those who are thinking about change they are at the contemplation stage. This is when the service user acknowledges the risks and problems caused by their behaviour and recognise the benefits of changing their behaviour. This may be when services are accessed, such as drug treatment agencies, for support. Following the period of contemplation service users who feel that change is desirable and possible begin preparing for the change. This stage of the cycle involves setting goals and making plans. Social workers can help service users by using motivational interviewing. This emphasises the empowerment of the service user and seeks to involve them in the work of changing their behaviour. It is non-judgmental, non-confrontational and non-adversarial. The approach attempts to increase the service users awareness of the potential problems caused, consequences experienced, and risks faced as a result of the drug taking behavior. However a great deal of commitment is required from the service user for this model to work. Once the goals have been established the changes need to be implemented. If plans are clear and goals are realistic they are more likely to be long lasting because service users may feel they can reach their aim. Strategies to deal with problematic situations that may arise, such as relapse, are also very important, as are rewards for success and ongoing support. Adapting to this new behaviour is a difficult period where huge support is required, such as positive encouragement, to enable the service user to move into a period of maintaining the change. However service users need to believe in the possibility of change otherwise this model will not work. For example, someone who had committed a crime for a drug related offence and chosen treatment over prison may not identify their drug use as a problem. Therefore this model would not work because they have not even pre contemplated change. The wheel of change model links with the social model and allows social worker more flexibility when working with service users who misuse substances because it is predominately about empowerment and it involves the service user. This approach helps people recognise the risks involved with their behaviour and allows them to do something about it. Conclusion Drug misuse in Britain is a substantial and growing problem. It is not only a problem for the individual but for the Government and society. Problems for the Government could include increased crime resulting in financial costs and overcrowded prisons. Problems for the individual include social exclusion, physical and mental health problems, finance and legal issues and relationship problems. Problems for society include increased crime and increased cost on resources for example treatment and rehabilitation, police and social service involvement. Therefore treating the individual would benefit society and the Government. Policies to help treat individuals should include wraparound services which include issues such as housing, legal and financial issues and should also offer good aftercare treatment. However the new 2008 10-year drug strategy focuses more on punishment than on treatment and does not take relapse into consideration. Therefore new strategies need to be introduced to encourage people into treatment. In addition to access to treatment should be made easier for non offenders because at present problematic drug users who commit offences get preferential treatment over those who also have problematic drug problems but have not committed any offences. Society place different values on drugs and although alcohol and nicotine are highly addictive drugs they hold legal status and are socially acceptable. However, although legalising all drugs may be unrealistic and could possibly encourage drug use it would allow drugs to be bought from legal sources. Therefore crime levels may reduce and people would know exactly what they were buying thus possibly preventing overdose. There is a large emphasis on harm reduction strategies, which mainly focus on heroin misuse, and although interventions such as needle exchange services are available for drug misusers they are not always easily accessible. Introducing drug consumption rooms to the United Kingdom has advantages as well as disadvantages. It is a controversial subject and has many contradictions regarding the law. However provided they were supervised and people used them the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. The disease model allows social workers limited flexibility when working with service users who misuse substances as it does not adopt a holistic approach. It also links with the medical model as the individual is regarded as a victim. It suggests that a person with drug or alcohol problems has no choice or control over their decision making thus taking away their personal responsibility. In addition to this it does not take into account harm reduction as the aim of the disease model is complete abstinence. Whereas the wheel of change model takes into consideration the possibility of relapse when working with drug misusers and respects the autonomy of the service user to make their own decisions. It allows social worker more flexibility because it is predominately about empowerment and it seeks to involve the service user changing their behaviour. It adopts a holistic approach when working with people with addictions of any kind and therefore social workers work in partnership with other agencies or professionals to help support the individual with additional problems that link to their substance misuse. The wheel of change model takes into account both physical and psychological factors again allowing social workers more flexibility with their intervention. Although the disease model can work for some individuals it requires limited intervention from social workers whereas the wheel of change model adopts a holistic approach which gives social workers more flexibility when working with service users who misuse substances.

Gender equality in news media Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Gender equality in news media - Research Paper Example In the 21st century, this should not be given as an excuse to deny women the same important task handed to their male counterparts. According to Nitz et al (2007), the numbers of global activities that are very important have rapidly increased. The news cycle on most television continues to be politically heavy. In the theory, this could give women an opportunity also to work on the hard news stories since there is more to report. The paper was aimed to determine whether, with so many big stories to report, women are still being pushed to traditionally feminine, human-interest stories. Has the busy political field given them the opportunity to match their male counterpart in reporting hard news? The purpose of the research is to illustrate the major roles regarding news and media. The paper will inform the reader how the gender influences the news broadcasting and how this affects the public as well. The paper argument is that the task covered by male reporters differs from these covered by their female counterparts. In particular, the thesis argues that the male journalist covers hard stories while their female counterparts cover simple stories. The thesis also focuses on the disparities in dressing between the female and male counterpart reporters and its effect. Majority of the studies showed that women are considered less capable of relay in information than men are. This could be seen as background of considering that today more woman consume the news than men. The consumption of mass media continually this personal view. This could lead to the assumption that society will reinforce women with a lower public status than men as few women journalist are shown in the news coverage. Women have made tremendous achievements in breaking into the news business. Study show that fifty percent of the journalists are women. However, women face professional

Older People in Residential Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Older People in Residential Care - Essay Example Though there remains a section of the inhabitants who live in hold up residential settings for reasons of great frailty or cognitive disability. Moreover, Dalley argues that there will carry on to be a require for residential care for the alternative. At this time these represent 4.8% of the 75-84 age collection and 20.9% of the inhabitants over 85. Approximately 350,000 people live in these settings, of whom about 35,000 are in local power residential homes, 163,000 are in separately run residential homes, and 150,400 are in nursing residence. Moreover, homes have to comply by new National Minimum Standards which came into force in 2002 (Evandrou, M. 2002, 6-7). If we analyzed then we come to know that the Care in The Community policy has resulted in a rise in the dependency level of older people living in residential homes. A contrast of long-stay hospitals, residential homes and older people living in the group of people found that dependence had risen considerably. Moreover, there is agreement that the plan of residential and nursing home buildings has an power on the excellence of life of the residents and excellence of care by the staff. Two issue of precise significance are the population bang in older people caused by greater than before life expectation, and a much altered example of care of older people, chiefly people with dementia that happened in the last years of the 20th century explain by Kitwood and others. The buildings that offer residential care vary extensively, depending on their attribution, though they carry out very alike functions. In theory the nursing homes offer housing for the frailest people, who need custom medical notice as well as personal care, and residential homes above all offer personal care. In put into practice residential homes ever more cater for the very frail, and normally people of either great physical frailty and/or cognitive impairment are placed in together nursing and residential

Challenges women face moving up to executive positions Research Paper

Challenges women face moving up to executive positions - Research Paper Example ansparent barrier that [keeps] women from rising above a certain level in organizations† (Sools, van Engen and Baerveldt, 2003) the glass ceiling is often blamed for the phenomenon. The purpose of this study is to explore the careers of Midwestern women who hold prominent positions in their respective industries to understand the progression of their careers and the obstacles they faced during. This study attempts to research and answer two questions: a) What challenges have women faced in the past 30 years? b) What opportunities for women have developed in the past 30 years? This research paper is limited to the information gained by interviewing two Midwestern female executives; the secondary data collected is based around that information. The time-frame allotted for the research also restricted a more extensive study. This research has allowed me to study this topic in great detail. However, it is based on my own understanding of the research materials and is subject to my inexperience. The conclusions drawn are intended to be my opinion and in no way expected to be the final word on this evolving subject matter. Furthermore, the topic is very sensitive and susceptible to bias and there may be unintentional proclivity towards one way of thinking. That said, this paper should be taken in the educational purpose intended and should be used as basis for further research. For the primary research, raw data was collected by way of conducting two interviews. The candidates were selected based on their years of experience, career progression and expertise. Each of these women, belonging to two very different fields, started from the very rudimentary department and progressed through the ranks to reach the level they are at today. I initially got in touch with them via email, sharing my purpose and questions of study and scheduled interview time and location. I preferred meeting them face-to-face for a more thorough interview and to have a better understanding.

John Locke's Notion of Money Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

John Locke's Notion of Money - Essay Example He bases this idea on the definition of labor. According to Locke, â€Å"The labor of his body, and the work of his hands, we may say, are properly his† (V.27). This means that if one labors for something, that something naturally becomes his property. Therefore, labor determines property. This property then is assumed to be useful and â€Å"the intrinsic value of things†¦depends only on their usefulness to the life of man† (V.37). Therefore, property has value, and this value can only be represented by money. Therefore, if one has money, even if the property is gone, its value stays with its rightful owner. Furthermore, this means that since money does not decay, then it does not lose its value. In fact, money does not only have value but it also serves as a pledge or an agreement among people that they will honor its value through â€Å"mutual consent† (V.47). Lastly, according to Locke, money is a means to â€Å"enlarge† man’s possessions or property (V.48). Since money became a means to exchange useful goods and since different industries developed to give man different amounts of possessions, money became a means to own larger and larger property. ... If we rely on barter, we cannot exactly know how much of one thing can be justly or rightfully exchanged with another. Therefore, for Aristotle, â€Å"all good must†¦be measured by some one thing† and that only money can serve as a standard or it can provide the means to an equal exchange of goods (V.3). The idea of equal exchange is based on Aristotle’s idea of justice, which is the topic of the whole Chapter 5 of the Nicomachean Ethics. For Aristotle, the reason why money should be used as a basis of equality is that it is fixed and more stable than other criteria. For example, nobody can exactly say who is virtuous and whether virtuous people must receive more that those who are not. Money, however, is fixed and will give its owner the same value whether he is â€Å"more virtuous† than another person. Aristotle also states that money is â€Å"not always worth the same; yet it tends to be steadier† (V.3). This means that the value of money may chang e but it is still a better mode of exchange because it is not perishable. Moreover, money is â€Å"our surety,† which means that money is a guarantee or a pledge that its value will be honored by all men as it is â€Å"fixed by agreement† (V.3). This also means that even if now we do not need to use a product that money can buy, the fact that we have money means that we can still use this product in the future when we need it. Aristotle and John Locke on Money Aristotle and John Locke both have similar and different opinions on money. Nevertheless, Aristotle’s views seem more viable. Both philosophers believe that money is more or less a practical mode of exchange. According to John Locke, money does not decay like perishable goods such as corn and

Employment Law for Animal Care & Service Workers Essay

Employment Law for Animal Care & Service Workers - Essay Example Better employment laws shall serve to provide legitimate guidelines for the allowance of a healthy working atmosphere for both employer and worker. Other major economic competitors have incorporated these inclusions into their prevailing national laws to adapt with the current flexible trends in the employment system. Legislators and capitalists are enjoined to work hand in hand to promote a better future for its workforce thereby allowing a broader expansion of Australia's economic goals. In 2005, the Howard Government and the Australian Parliament launched the Workplace Relations Amendment Bill 2005 "Workchoices" guide that announced series of amendments to the Australian Labor Law. Effective last March 2006, the Workplace Relations Act 1996 took effect despite heavy protests from the labor sector and equally heavy expenditures. The Australian Labor Party and the Australian Council of Trade unions had originally described the amendment as "sugar-coating a poison pill" and a "representation of the old package". The Howard Government countered that reforms were necessary as step in the deregulation of the Australian economy. Andrews reasoned that the 1.7 million extra jobs created in Australia and the 14% increases in real wages were part of the reason "part of the reason for that is because of the reforms that we made in 1996".1 Accountably, the government claims that such reforms made a substantial impact on the present economic status and that 'Workchoices' "will h ave more choice and flexibility and this in turn will lead to a higher productivity".2 Laws and Provisions under Workchoices The creation of several minimum workplace system conditions in Australia has been equated by the government and the business sector in the effort to maintain the economic stability. Under the new unfair dismissal practices, companies with fewer than 100 employees are exempted from unfair dismissal. At the same time employees of larger corporations will not be protected if they are dismissed for 'operational reasons' that previously allowed them to claim compensation or reinstatement. This was done to alleviate the stifling penalties imposed by the Labor government of 1993 that according to the Howard government has slowed business growth and lesser jobs. If however the reasons do not fall under 'operational requirements'; claims under unfair dismissal practices will have some solid ground and as an alternative, the government "has offered pay $4000 to employees who were unlawfully dismissed to aid in the legal costs".3 For areas where unfair contract legislation allows dismissed emp loyees to seek compensation upon contract termination, 'Workchoices' has specifically excluded them from such legislation. This further explains that an employee under this area will no longer be allowed to seek remedy under this act. The grounds cited where an employee may claim for unlawful dismissal would include racial discrimination, family commitments and retaliations. The sovereign right to work in a job of choice that an employee has been trained and academically prepared will always remain under equal opportunity. Equal rights for

American improvement in the conduct of military operations in Europe Essay

American improvement in the conduct of military operations in Europe - Essay Example After the Second World War, the United States emerged as a global superpower in terms of its military power and the Cold War era saw the development of the nation as a super power. Towards the end of the twentieth century, it is because of these improvements in the conduct of military operations in Europe that helped the nation to dictate terms over international relations and global terrorist upheavals. Murray & Millett (2001), in this respect, observe that the â€Å"American commanders had shown considerable improvement in the conduct of military operations in 1945† (Murray & Millett 483). The authors observe that the American drive to the Rhine and the encirclement of the Ruhr by First and Ninth U.S. Armies were the greatest American victory in the war. For them, the U.S. commanders in the campaign were successful as they had ‘a superior understanding of exploitation and maneuver warfare’. The U.S military also realized the significance of more robust radio communications that would assist infantry platoon. Similarly, the U.S military developed an innovative â€Å"ability of the artillery to adjust and mass fires on unseen targets, either by map analysis or, more importantly, by the use of ground or airborne observers† (Murray & Millett 30)

Apartheid is South Africa Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Apartheid is South Africa - Research Paper Example Second, I have analyzed the apartheid impact on the education of the Blacks in South Africa. For this purpose I have mainly used the book Black student politics: higher education and apartheid by Saleem Badat (1999). Other online articles have been used to complement the information. Aim The purpose of the research is to prove that racism is a curse for any country. Segregation strategies will always have negative impacts on the economy and education of the subdued races. Section B: Summary of evidence Effect of apartheid on economy South Africa experienced a significant growth in the economic sector between 1946 and 1975. During this period, South Africa was burdened with the pressure of preserving the apartheid system. The effort to maintain white supremacy resulted in the fall of GDP in 1987. To preserve the effort to impose restrictions on the black in the labour market, the economy of the country became dependent on migrant labour system. Initially this system did not have any n egative effect on the economic growth in South Africa. However, in the beginning of 1970s, the rigid policies of the apartheid system began to have negative impact in the modern economy. The low wage rates of the blacks and their limited access to education created deficiency of labour among the natives. As the number of immigrants grew, there was ready availability of migrant labours based on temporary contracts. The manufacturing and mining sectors of the country began to realize the benefits that can be gained from â€Å"settled labour force†. The transport expenditure and the length of time involved in hiring migrant labours affected the level of gross production of the country. There were also other economic setbacks. There was growing unrest among the black communities because of the oppressive treatment. This forced the government to spend more on internal security. The younger generations of the white population were forced to join military force. This resulted in dec line of income because the military pay was lower than the job market. By this time, the government attempted to consider several policies for black education which needed huge investments. The average expenditure of the government was 14.0 percent in the late 1950s, and it increased to 24.7 percent in the mid-1980s1. Effect of apartheid on education In 1953, the Bantu Education Act was implemented by the South African government as an effort to provide limited education to the black children. Before the Act was passed, most schools were run by missionaries and were funded by the government. After this Act was implemented, the government gave financial aid to black schools on conditions that they will follow the curriculum set by the Department of Bantu Education. Many missionary schools were closed down when they refused to promote apartheid. There were many protests among the black students and their parents because of a separate system of black education. According to this Act, t he black children received only that kind of education that was necessary to work in factories. The talents and aspirations of the black children were ignored. This Act was designed in the way to serve the interests of the white supremacy. The black students had inferior educational resources and opportunities. Under this Act, the black children were taught that they were â€Å"perpetual children in need of parental supervision by whites†. This limited their view of their social status in the

Teaching in Content Area Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Teaching in Content Area - Essay Example It is thought however that with the use of applicable techniques and appropriate tools suited for a middle school student, teaching history to a student could be interesting. A student who is in middle school has considerably short attention span and is not used to rigorous academic lectures. Coming from primary school, their minds are still with the basics and are not yet that familiar with abstract learning such as history. In addition to this consideration, it has to be factored in also that students today are more attuned to multi-media instructional materials where they can interact with the medium compared to the traditional lectures where they sit and lesson and read history. Such, traditional approach may be boring to a middle school student of this generation. Considering this, instructional videos will be used instead of lengthy lectures to keep the students interest. Computers can also an excellent method of learning where the students can interact with the medium in the process of learning. Role playing can also be an excellent method of making history interesting to students. Also, discussion is encouraged more than lectures. integrated social studies learning is an interdisciplinary approach where two or more disciplines are taught in conscious relation to one another" (Jacobs, 1989 pg. 7) under an interdisciplinary curriculum that espouses "a knowledge view and curriculum approach that consciously applies methodology and language from more than one discipline to examine a central theme, issue, problem, topic, or experience" (p. 8). Integrated approach to learning intends to facilitate more learning by combining the various disciplines to real life situations. This type of learning transcends to a more interconnected view of the universe [where] knowledge is seen as an abstract whole to be accessed through inquiry of themes, issues, experiences, and problems (Mathison and Freeman, 1997). This approach to

Gothic literature Essay Example for Free

Gothic literature Essay In response to the question â€Å"is gothic literature purely escapist? † considering Austen’s Northanger Abbey and Walpole’s novel The Castle of Ontranto, which is recognized as pretty much establishing the genre, the answer is yes. Castle of Ontranto Brief Plot summary The plot of Castle begins full tilt as Conrad, son of Manfred of house Otranto, is crushed by a giant helmet on his wedding day, also his birthday. Because of the marriages political connections, Manfred decides to divorce his wife, Hippolita, and marry Conrads betrothed, Isabella. Amid speculations about an ancient prophecy claiming That the castle and lordship of Otranto should pass from the present family, whenever the real owner should be grown too large to inhabit it, Manfreds second union is disrupted by a series of supernatural events involving many oversized limbs, ghosts, mysterious blood, and a true prince (Wikipedia). Castle of Ontranto represents the quintessential Gothic story. It created the genre. Key examples of this can be seen as follows: 1 Note: that Gothic literature is escapist through the use of contrasting specific elements to create conflict and draw the attention of the reader. (the main themes most common in these two novels are: horror vs romance, good vs evil, and the element of mystery basically the known vs the unknown. ) The Castle of Ontranto opens with the line â€Å"Manfred, Prince of Otranto, had one son and one daughter: the latter, a most beautiful virgin, aged eighteen, was called Matilda (chp1). † This is a very fantastic scenario from the main character being a Prince to the daughter being a beautiful eighteen year old virgin in an era when many women in prestigious families were married off by the age of 14. The author goes on to point out how the son Conrad three years younger than Matilda is ugly sickly frail and pale. The act of immediately contrasting Conrad’s ugly sickliness with Matilda’s beauty and pure virginity, significantly defines the gothic genre, which is literally defined as â€Å"an important genre of literature that combines elements of both horror and romance. † -Another important contrast other than horror and romance is good and evil. This can be seen in Walpole’s novel through the differences in the characters. The Castle of Otranto revolves around a curse that has been placed upon the family of Manfred, ruler of the principality of Otranto. The curse is slightly ill defined, but apparently threatens the end of Manfreds rule and destruction of his family. Manfred is a greedy man who plots and schemes to outwit this curse. He is clearly the villain of the novel and contrasts strongly with the three leading women, Hippolita his wife, Matilda his daughter and Isabella the intended wife of his son. These women represent the forces of good throughout the novel. NOTE: Heroines in gothic books as well as in contemporary horror is a common theme a major example of this being emphasized in Northanger abbey can be seen when Austen says, â€Å"Chapter 1 But from fifteen to seventeen she was in training for a heroine; she read all such works as heroines must read to supply their memories with those quotations which are so serviceable and so soothing in the vicissitudes of their eventfuly lives. † (page 9) NOTE: examples of Romance as a theme in Northanger Abbey â€Å"Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love. † Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey â€Å"In every power, of which taste is the foundation, excellence is pretty fairly divided between the sexes. â€Å" Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey, 1818

Analysis Of Play And Interactions Children And Young People Essay

Analysis Of Play And Interactions Children And Young People Essay This observation took place at a public day care facility that serves children 6weeks to 6 years of age. It had an infant classroom, a toddler-two year old classroom, and a preschool classroom. The infants and toddlers were located in the same large room, with dividers that were gates. I focused my attention on the infant and toddlers room. There were three infants and 9 toddlers and 2 -year-olds that were present at the time. They had three full time teachers, one with the infants and the other two were with the toddlers/2-year-olds. During their mealtime was when I first observed the interactions between the infants and the toddlers. Toddlers and infants were allowed to interact with each other during meal time. Infants were in their high chairs or rockers and toddlers were seated near them. I was so amazed to see the interactions between the two age groups. Both groups seem to really get along with each other. I observed a two year old girl feed an infant around the age of 6 or 8 months old. They were both smiling and enjoying each others company, of course with adult supervision. Another toddler was allowed to feed another infant a bottle, and the toddler had this huge grin on his face as to be so proud when the infant allowed him to feed him. During their play time I observed some toddlers were more interested in the toys the infant had then toys they had. One of the toddlers would frequently go to one of the infant rockers trying to climb in instead of playing with toys that were there for her. I also observed the toddlers playing with baby dolls. One thing that caught my eye was how they were handling the doll with such care. One of the toddler girls sat the doll in her lap and grabbed a book and pretended as though she was reading to the doll, while another toddler was rocking and singing to her doll. In another section of the room I observed three toddler boys playing. One of the boys had just turned three years old and the other two boys were 1 year old. The older toddler wanted to lead and control the play. He would make suggestions on what to play and the others would follow along. Also, when the younger boy toddler tried to leave and go to another area, the older toddler guided him with his own type of language ba ck to the group. Analysis of play and interactions Infants respond positive to toddlers when interacting with one another. Field (1990) found that infants smile at, look at, and reach more often to peers when seated near each other than they do when seated in front of a mirror. The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD, 2005) indicated that children in early care experiences become more positive and less negative toward peers in their play between 24 and 36 months. In observing the environment alone, it made it conducive for the positive interactions between infants and toddlers. It was possible for them to see each other at all times even though their classes were divided. The gates made it possible for them to be separated and at the same time, allowed them to have visual contact at all times. For example, during meal time, infants were seated at the same table with the toddlers/2year olds at eye level and the 2-year olds were definitely showing strong interest in the infants and their well being. This shows that when they have the opportunity to closely interact with one another, they have a trusting relationship. Description of use of cultural objects and language use There were dolls and other materials in the toddler and 2-year-old classroom. The children imitated the interactions they observed between infants and adults in the classroom. For example, how the toddlers were handling their dolls was much the same as adults used in caring for the infants. Some things toddlers were doing when playing with the dolls were feeding, comforting, singing, rocking and reading to their doll. I also observed a male toddler that had just turned 3 years old interacting with the younger toddlers that were 1-2 years old. I called this 3 year old toddler the alpha toddler because he led the group with ideas of play. The younger toddlers responded with acceptance and trust. I think this gave the 3 year old a since of responsibility of being a leader as well as looking out for them. For example, when one of the 1-2 year old toddler decided to wonder off to a section I assume he wasnt suppose to be in, the alpha toddler ran after him telling him, no, no, and the 1-2 year old returned with the others and continued his play. The last thing I observed before I left the facility was an infant and a toddler playing and interacting with each other. They were both playing with some sort of plush toys really enjoying and exploring them. They were making eye contact with one another, returning their smiles, making gestures, reaching to communicate with each other. When the infant dropped his toy he was playing with, the toddler picked it up and handed it to him and the infant nicely received it from him with a smile and they continued to play and explore with their toys. Theories of play Here are a few modern psychological theories and theorists that describes the current trends put into play in todays educational settings. Piaget, Erikson and Vygotsky all agree that the child uses play for self teaching. The child plays through situations very much like an adult thinks through a situation. Also, fantasy play is a manifestation of symbolic representation the child represents objects and ideas through play situations. Vygotsky believed that play is a means of deferring immediate gratification-instead of tantrums or swallowing the need; the child fulfills needs in fantasy play. He also believed that children learn to live within self imposed rules during fantasy play; play allows the child to practice self regulation. Play, for Vygotsky, was vehicle for a child behaving more maturely than a other times. In play it is as though he were a head taller than himself. In 1920, Sigmund Freud posed a psychoanalytic play theory that was defined in his book, Beyond the Pleasure Principle. In this work, Freud described play as a childs mechanism for repeatedly working out a previously experienced traumatic event in a effort to correct or master the event to his satisfaction. In 1972, Bruner stated that one of the main functions of childs play was to rehearse actions to various real-life scenarios in a safe, risk-free environment so that when confronted with a difficult situation, it would not be so stressful. John Dewey was prominent theorist in the early 1900s. According to Dewey, play is a subconscious activity that helps and individual develop both mentally and socially. It should be separate from work as play helps a child to grow into a working world. As children become adults, they no longer play but seek amusement from their occupation. This childhood activity of play prepares them to become healthy working adult. Maria Montessori, an Italian educationist during the early 1900s, postulated that play is the childs work. According to the Montessori Method, which is still employed today in private schools, children would be best served spending their play time learning or imagining. Montessori play is sensory, using a hands-on approach to everyday tools like sand tables. The child sets her own pace, and the teacher is collaborative in helping the child play to learn. Lev Vygotsky suggested that children will use play as a means to grow socially. In play, they encounter others and learn how to work together using language and role-play. Vygotsky is most noted for introducing the ZPD, or zone of proximal development. This suggest that while children need their peers or playmates to grow, they need adult interaction as they master each social skill and are ready to be introduced to new learning for growth. Reflection I really enjoyed the time I spent at the daycare facility. The classroom spaces for their infants and toddlers provided opportunities for the younger and older children to interact with each other. I think through their interactions and play, the infants will learn certain behaviors from the older children, such as feeding themselves, walking, running, etc. Things that will possible make transitioning stages from infant to toddler easier as well as making the transition from toddler to preschool easier. Allowing the toddlers to assist with things such as feeding the infants and playing with them, and in their mind helping them, allows the toddlers to have a since of maturity and independence and not scared and dependent on others do everything for them. It also allows them to be caring and a positive support for others.

Horror Films Special Effects and Cinematography

Horror Films Special Effects and Cinematography From our child hood we have been imagining ghosts and seeing imaginary things that are almost improbable to exist to give us terrific fears and these fears come to haunt our dreams. Watching a horror movie gives us that old feeling of fear and makes us emotionally attached to the film. The horrific images from the movie with its special effects and sudden sounds would make many watch them even though its scary. But almost all the horror movies end after balance is restored and everything turns to normal to give the audience a sense of satisfaction. The dissertation is based on the Study of cinematography and special effects in a Horror movie. In the recent past camera, lighting and special effects are of greater importance and fame, so it will be worth exploring those topics. As far as the technical aspect is concerned a brief research of how these kind of films are being filmed from the shooting spot itself, will be very useful for an aspiring artist to get a better idea about its development. Horror films go back as far as the onset of films themselves, over 100 years ago. Introduction: The researcher was interested in watching horror films from his childhood and he was deeply interested in these genres. In his childhood the researcher was very much impressed with the serial mainly called Genmam-X and Marmadesam. The drama that he staged in his schooldays with horror and scary effects as the theme was applauded well by the audience. The tremendous response from the viewers made him start learning the concepts and idea relating to this genre and finally concluded with this concept. It is difficult to show scary effects in screens. If the director gets his requirements from all the technicians the film will be successful, otherwise it will not. In order to get success the film must contain interesting characters and it also depends on their acting. And in terms of technical aspects the cinematography and special effects play a major role. In Indian cinemas, there is some response for these kinds of genre when compared to Hollywood. The main aim of the upcoming short film is that after seeing this, many people have to change their mind to see horror films also. So the main thing that the film should contain is better cinematography with matching special effects. Instead of concentrating on the story alone, cinematography and special effects should be given more importance. Aim: To give the thrill the viewer expects mainly the use of the camera, lightings and Special Effects, Were Script play the secondary role. Statement of the problem: The main purpose of adding the special effects is to frighten the viewer. When it goes beyond the limit it might not be watched by many people. In this situation it may go to another genre of hardcore horror. It may scare people but it will create some abnormal effects in the minds of some people. Objectives: How is cinematography in horror films different from other films? What are special Effects? How is Special Effects done in horror movies? A Study of the cinematography for horror movies. How is make up done for horror movies? Research Questions: What are Special Effects? Colors and intensity of lights? Camera trick and technique in cinematography? Special Effects (Make up) for horror movies? How the horror movies getting winning changes? Significance of the study: Horror movies are the best platform to find rich special effects and lighting and Much interesting camera handling which gives the viewers a different experience From other films. The study through this dissertation is to understand The cinematography in horror films and application of special effects in them. Table of content Chapter 1| Introduction 1.1 | Aim 1.2 | Statement of problem 1.3 | Research questions 1.4 | Objectives 1.5 | Significance of study Chapter 2 | Review of literature 2.1 | Movies 2.2 | Websites 2.3 | Books and articles Chapter 3 | Research Methodology Chapter 4 | Horror films 4.1| Definition 4.2| History Chapter 5 | Introduction to Cinematography 5.1 | Camera 5.1.1 | Lens 5.1.2 | Filters 5.2 | Depth of Field and Focus 5.3 | Aspect ratio and Framing 5.4 | Camera Movements and Camera Angles 5.5 | Lighting Chapter 6 | Cinematography in Horror Films 6.1| over View 6.2 | Camera Works in Horror Films 6.2.1| Camera Movement and Angles 6.2.2| Analysis of Movie Shots 6.3 | Lighting Chapter 7 | Different between Normal films and Horror Films (Cinematography) Chapter 8 | Special effects 8.1| History 8.2 | what is Special effect 8.3 | Planning and use 8.4 | Live Special effect 8.5 | Make up Chapter-9 Integration of dissertation with project Chaper-10-Analysis and conclusion REVIEW OF LITERATURE Movies Reference: Psycho (1960) and the director is Alfred Hitchcock. The cinematography is done by John L.Russell. Psycho is one of the best Hollywood horror movies best for lighting. In one scene the psycho is going to kill the lady who is taking her bath were the lighting was done very well to signify the horror. It is considered to be the best cinematography, in 1961 by John L.Russell .Oscar was nominated for this film. Reference: The Thing (1982) directed by John Carpenter with Special Effects by Rob Bottin. The movie was taken in 1982. In that period they used special effects and visual Effects and make up. The makeup was so realistic that it attracted the viewer Quickly. A human is transformed to a demon easily and the scene is presented very effectively which will fascinate the people. . The comment was that it was too scary. This shows how they have applied VFX and SFX. And the Best special effect 1982 Rob Bottin Saturn award was nominated for this Film. Reference: Van Helsing and the director is Stephen Sommers.The cinematography is handled by Allen Daviau. The movie Van Helsing comes under the genre of horror and it came out in the year 2004. In this movie they followed a really nice cinematography. Actually this movie came out from the comic that Van Helsing is a ghost hunter who will be roaming around the earth in search of ghost, In this movie also he is coming to a village in search of the ghost. There are two interesting characters in this movie. One is the Frankenstein and the other one is the wolf character which was in the custody of the villain. The extra ordinary thing about the movie is that the CG In early days, man used special effects and later it got developed into visual effects. In this movie there are many visual effects shots. A few examples include the climate sequence where the ordinary man transforms into a wolf that is a quality CG work in the industry. Further there are many VFX shots in the movie. Special effects include the blood bossing from the mouth and the usage of the miniature in the movies where Gabrie l (hero) taking the Frankenstein away from the village. Most of the shots were shot inside the studio and they were composited later. Usage of expressive and breath taking matte paintings added to the quality of the movie. The cinematography of the movie plays a major role because of the proper establishment and composition. Reference: Mirror-2 directed by Victor Garcia. Cinematography is done by Lorenzo Senatore. It is really a kind of hardcore killing movie where we can find the hero who is replacing the old security guard in the office. The main concept behind this movie is the revenge by the girl who is killed by the head officer. And he is killing the people through the medium mirror. The main success behind the movie is the lighting and cinematography. Reference: Saw-4, directed by Darren Lynn Bousman and cinematography by David Armstrong. This movie is the successor of the three early parts. The success behind the movie is the usage of the equipments and the method he used for killing others. In the first scene of the movie the villain killed the victim by tying the body to a steel bed and the axe was in a to and fro motion just above the stomach of the victim where it got peeled into many pieces. Website Reference: This Media Studies Factsheet was researched Written by Steph Hendry The horror films are not from this period. Those films were taken from the very early times where they only depend on the special effects and the camera tricks .At that time also some nice pictures came namely the Frankenstein a ghost which was made by a man by assembling many internal organs .This is the fact, that behind the creation of the ghost namely Frankenstein, is one type of ghost. There are many types of ghost that may include the external ghost which was having its own appearance and they will have some special characteristics. The Internal ghost is that it will enter ones body and it will do some thing inside the body of the character. This is the kind of ghost and others include the vampire. Mostly all the thriller movies have this type of ghost, there will be a character sucking blood from the humans and using them for their existence. They will be more like humans living with them but they will have some special characteristics In the earlier periods the ghost will be only living inside the cave and later the living area of the ghost also increased ,no matter where the ghost are living- it may be at school, it may in our home or inside ones soul no matter where it will be. So we can go to the place as we wish when going for this kind of genre. And nowadays time is also not a matter for the ghost it may come at day time or it may come when we are sleeping and when we are in dream. The only fact is that vampire can roam around the world during day times. (Reference: www.darkwebonile.com )accessed on Book

Poverty on the Rise Essay -- Poverty Essays

Poverty on the Rise There is a very wide range of income for individuals and families. This is why we have people that are very wealthy which are referred to as the upper class and there is the middle class that makes an average income, and the bottom of the income bracket lies the people in poverty. Poverty is a condition in which a person or family does not have the means to satisfy basic needs for food, clothing, shelter, and transportation. Your race does not matter, every race has people that are in poverty. But as it is statistically shown, different races have a different number of people in poverty. In 1996, the federal government established a minimum income level below which a person or family is declared in "poverty." If a single person makes less than $7,995 then they are living in poverty, and a family has to exceed $16,036 or are also in poverty. From 1996 to 1997 the poverty rate has decreased by .4% In 1996, there was 36.5 million people at the poverty level and in 1997 the number of people in poverty decreased to 35.6 million people. Since a decade ago the poverty level has increased from 32.4 million people to as high as 39.3 million in 1993, but since 1993 the number of people living in poverty has decreased to 35.6 million people. The percent of the population a decade ago below the poverty was 13.1%, which has increases up to 15.1% but here recently the poverty rate is back down to 13.3% Gen...

The War in Iraq :: Argumentative Persuasive Iraq War Terror

Pick up any newspaper or point your web browser to any major or minor news publication and questions like these will be all over them. A lot of Americans feel that the War on Terror and our presence in Iraq has lasted too long. Are they correct? Should we pull out and call it quits? Should we have another repeat of the Vietnam War? Believe it or not, that's how a lot of people view this war, as another Vietnam. They feel that we are out there, putting the American nose into something that shouldn't be picked. But they are not entirely true. [I] feel that the war in Iraq was a justifiable one and that it was something that was needed. Saddam Hussein was a dictator who ruled with an iron fist and if someone opposed him or he didn't like anyone, he found a way to "eliminate" them. He was starting to become a threat not only to himself, but to his neighboring countries. Back in the early 1990's, he was a threat to Kuwait and we helped quell that conflict, but because the American public did not want the troops or the president to go any further, they held back for one reason or the other. The War in Iraq has sparked an abundance of criticism since its start in March of 2003. Now, four year later, the criticism has only intensified. The fact of the matter is that upon invasion of Iraq four years ago, the reasons were justifiable based on the evidence at hand. Our American troops, some 3,386 of our armed service members have given their lives for a cause that they felt was just, according to an Associated Press count that was conducted on Friday, May 11, 2007 (Associated Press, 2007). The devastating number is a cruel reminder as to how dangerous a war can be in general, but even more so when guerrilla warfare is present. In general, the majority of surveys conducted nationwide, showed that the public feel that the war has gone on a much greater period of time than anticipated, and now want the American troops to come home. The question at hand is how to withdraw the troops, safely, without leaving the country of Iraq with devastating effects. Officials may speculate a mongst themselves and debate the matter in full intensity, but no answer has ever been reached. As the months go on, more and more evidence is apparent to the general public as to why we have staked our stay in Iraq so long.

Mark Twain Essay -- essays research papers

Mark Twain, a Racist?Mark Twain was a man that was way ahead of his time. In a time when people were judged on color,Mark Twain grew up in Florida, Missouri (Mandelbrot, Twain). In Missouri and Louisiana combined there were less than one half a million white persons (Chang, Twain p. 21). Which meant the black population was abundant. While growing up Twain had no telegraph, no railroads, no stage lines of any consequence (Twain, www.marktwain.com). Also maps were scarcely ever found. So Twain didn’t really get to communicate with different people that were outside his little town. Twain was a sixth child so he had many siblings to look up too.When Twain was young he was kept indoors mostly because of his poor health. He stayed mostly in the house until he was about nine, when he seemed to recover and join the rest on the town’s children outside. Twain attended private school. He attended private school for the first time at the age of nine.Twain didn’t have very luxurious life growing up because his family was extremely poor. Because of his upbringing, Twain started believing that slavery was part of the natural order. Twain’s childhood may not have been luxurious but it was a curious childhood full of weird, fantastic impressions and many contradictory influences. Like his father never really being there for his kids. All of the children of that time were fond of the Negroes and confined in them. They would, in fact, have been lost without such protection and company. Slav...

Characters In Havisham, Hitcher, and The Laboratory Essay

What similarities or differences are there in the way disturbed or disturbing characters are presented in Havisham, Hitcher, and The Laboratory? Necrophilic fantasies in Duffy’s Havisham, the impulsive murderer in Armitage’s Hitcher, the smarter premeditated plot in the Lab, and finally the darkened anger of Inversnaid. All of these poems contain elements of disturbed characters or disturbed fantasies, some flaunt an erratic display of anger love and hate, and some are more contained and scheming. In all of these poems the disturbed and the disturbing is explored in new ways and helps us to better understand our own minds and evils. Inversnaid is immediately begun with dark and disturbing imagery â€Å"darksome burn† this conjures up gory and gothic thoughts before the poem has properly begun. In contrast Hitcher starts in a completely opposite way â€Å"I’d been tired, under the weather† the enjambment on the first line creates suspense, also the spelling of answer phone as â€Å"ansaphone† shows the narrators simplicity, also the erratic punctuation gets across his disturbed state of being. The fact that he has a hired car could also mean that he is a dangerous driver and has caused a road accident. A part in the poem that also suggests that the narrator is crazy is â€Å"round the next bend† this indicates that he is round the bend showing he is crazy. Inversnaid also gives this impression through the use of enjambment. This gives the poem a rambling feel as though he is just spouting random words. A disturbing feeling is also created by: † broth Of a pool sp pitch-black,† this phrase sounds almost apocalyptic, this combined with the rambling could almost be seen as though he is speaking in tongues; prophesising some terrible end to the world. In Duffy’s Havisham, the psychotic issues of the narrator can be seen from the start, as is the case in inversnaid. â€Å"Green pebbles for eyes† this shows the audience that she has lost all emotion and individuality she ever had. We know this â€Å"Havisham† is defiantly crazy when Duffy describes her â€Å"cawing Nooooo at the wall;† it shows her loss of self-respect and dignity. In contrast, the woman in the Laboratory chooses to hid her self â€Å"tying thy glass mask tightly† she does this in order to hide herself so as to save her self-respect and also to ensure she does not get caught in planning a murder. However, despite the narrators dignity there is a disturbing element about her for example: â€Å"keep them one half minuet fixed she would fall† the fact that she believes that she can stare her victim to death, but most of all because she does not care that the man will still not love her after she has killed â€Å"Pauline,† this proves that she is just doing it out of jealousy as she cannot have him. Carol Ann Duffy’s Havisham is defiantly the most disturbing poem of all as it addresses all the usually psychotic issues that the narrators in each of the poems talk about and goes beyond that by describing Havisham necrophilic fantasies. However it is evident that all of these poems are describing a hate that we have all felt at some point, we are not all necessarily necrophilia’s but we have all hated someone in this way. As for hitcher I believe that this is the same and that Armitage is merely presenting to us a part of ourselves but exemplified in an amplified and literal state.   

Leadership Assumptions

leaders entails enormous responsibility. To start an effective attracter, unitary has to possess the pay characteristics and implement besides the right t individu e reallyyings. However, an dead on target description of a draw is however to be go overd. In fact, there atomic number 18 a number of faulty assumptions when it comes to what an with child(p) draw re anyy is. And these faulty assumptions, if utilise to certain scenarios could actu onlyy be destructive. It is and so very important for a electromotive force leader to determine these assumptions so as not to engage them in their managerial processes.The first faulty assumption is the belief that the development and wont of ones charisma is true(p) enough peculiarity to become an outstanding leader. While it is confessedly that charisma merely may sp atomic number 18 a leaders inhibit to follow relentlessly, it is the be all and discontinue all trait to ensure tidy lead. attractive leadinghip m ay be responsible for a very notable impact that leading become on their followers, moreover leading should strive to usance charisma with innate leadership and close making skills in order to be successful in their respective palm (Bedell, et al 2006).The extraordinary gifts, vision, problem figure out skills, and regular(a) the repeated success of the leader are all going to be important and are also utilise as a basis to determine whether or not the leader had efficaciously guided his group towards the right course. Charismatic leadership is all about vision.This sharpenion the greatness of a charismatic leader is based entirely on the means he percieves his members and the way his members percieves him. That principle alone is not sufficient. A leader that is outfit with a life-threatening vision for his organzation and a harmonious blood with his members should also be able to make the right decisions and execute the proper solutions to problems as well. The m ere use of charisma is not going to be enough (Bedell, et al 2006).Another senseless assumption when it comes to leadership is the psyche that the self-denial of transformational characteristics is all that is required to lead. Transformational leadership comprises to the creation of work satisfaction, as well as leader satisfaction among subordinates. It is also the principle that stimulates follower motivation that brings about ranking(a) group performance. These are all unmixed in transformational leaders because its principles allow all members to percieve their leaders as somebody extraordinary purely due to their excellent job performace and overall effectiveness (Judge, 2004).But even if this is the case, transformational leadership alone is not the good sense of an efficient leader. It is a big founder of a good leader without doubt, but it is definitely not all of it. Actually, transformational leadership is only the outcome of transactional leadership. This will win prove that transactional leadership is not a concept that kit and caboodle in learn opposition to transformational leadership. To differentiate the two, transactional leadership pertains to a leaders ability to set aside contingent rewards to members and manage his subordinates by beingness both exception-active and exception-passive.The stupid assumption toilet transformational leadership can then be corrected by directly applying the concepts rat transactional leadership so that the two principles meld in complete harmony with each other. Transformational leadership should be practiced on the foundation of transactional leadership for an outstanding leader possesses both the characteristics of a transformational leader and a transactional leader (Judge, 2004).But then again, both transformational and transactional leadership is not everything that a leader should be composed of. Authentic transformational and transactional leadership should be based on morals as we ll (Kanungo, 2001). There should be some sort of a moral foundation as far as the views, action, and ideas of the leader are concerned. Although the morals of transactional and transformational leaders are based on determine entirely different to each other, the idea applied is still the same (Harland et al, 2005).Transformational leaders tend to have moral selfless motives and organic worldview on the matters they have at hand. On the other hand, transactional leaders have mutual altruistic motives and an atomistic worldview. Transformational leaders have their pricinples grounded on deontological perspective composition transactional leaders ground theirs on teleological perspective (Kanungo, 2001).These are three examples of false leadership assumptions. Therefore, to become a good leader, one needs to know and apply the understanding, social, and emotional requirements that come along with the job. The legal opinion essentials of a good leader correspond to the level of ed ucation he or she attained to acquire the right tote up of knowledge so as to take only the right rules that the whole nerve should follow (Smith et al, 2005).A leader should be both psychologically and intellectually surefooted of predicting, deciding, and acting in favor for the rise of the organization. This metal capability can be achieved primarily through proper discipline and advanced studies. Ideally, the leader should have undone at least one characteristic degree that is very much related to to the organization that he heads. Without proper schooling, the intellectual competence of the leader will be doubted not only by his direct subordinates, but the rest of the people who works around him as well.The emotional prerequisite of a leader corresponds to his ability to purport whats good for the group and all its members. A leader should be mankind enough to understand the every slur that his organization and subordinates are in. He should be able to use not only his mind but his heart as well when it comes to formulating and enacting decisions for his own company or group. A leader who uses purely his mind while at work is cold. The one who uses his sentiment along with his mind is a better picture of a good leader.A leader should also be socially competent. This means he or she should be able to relate and interact with all his members in a light and equal manner at all times. Social skills should both be learn and practiced so that its principles can be applied in a very efficient manner. Most organizations fail because the leaders are painstakingly unreachable by their own members. The leader then should endlessly be the first one to draw an air of warmth and in the process, advance a healthy social relationship among members. This ensures that all the members working relations are always at optimum levels.ReferencesHarland, L., Harrison, W., Jones, J., & Reiter-Palmon, R. (2005). Leadership behaviors and subordinate resilience. jo urnal of Leadership & organizational Studies, 11(2), 2.Judge, T. (2004, October). Transformational and transactional leadership A meta-analytic test of their telling validity. Journal of Applied Psychology, 89(5), 755-768.Kanungo, R. (2001, December). Ethical value of transactional and transformational leaders. Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences, 18(4), 257.Smith, B., Montagno, R., & Kuzmenko, T. (2004, Spring). Transformational and servant leadership Content and contextual comparisons. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 10(4), 80.