Mission Statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mission Statement - Essay Example My aim is to be recognized as a respected clinical psychologist in my profession life. I would like to have specialization in the following sub-fields; child/adult mental health, emotional disturbances, substance abuse, health psychology and LGBT issues. Along with these specializations, I am also very keen to contribute my efforts in physiological researches. I have been a subject during the physiological researches carried on Temple University but now I am firm to reverse the process and to be counted in those who actually do the researches. I am very ambitious young woman and will try my best efforts to achieve each of aspirations mentioned here. Therefore I would like to gain a deeper theoretical knowledge in psychology and practical skills to evaluate and diagnose symptoms in a clinical context. I believe a University with a high reputation like Leiden University is the best place to achieve my career objectives. I hold a four-year Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Temp le University in Pennsylvania.

HSC2014 Eat And Drink Essay Example for Free

HSC2014 Eat And Drink Essay Be able to support individuals to make choices about food and drink. 1. 3 Describe ways to resolve any difficulties or dilemmas about the choice of food and drink. Allowing an individualthechoiceofwhat theywishtoeat isveryimportantand iftheydonotwant what is on the menu you can try asking what they would prefer and agree with them a suitable alternative. If a service user cannot communicate with words alone, using pictures or some other method to show what food they wish to eat could also be an appropriate method. Explaining the nutritional values of meals and encouraging a healthy option is important but it is the service users right to refuse or choose something different. 1. 4 Describe how and when to seek additional guidance about an individual’s choice of food and drink. Familyandfriendsofa serviceuseroreventheserviceuserthemselvescanprovideguidancein regards to what they like to eat and drink and what they prefer, this information can be found in each service users care plans. However, there may be other times in which additional guidance should be sought out. For example, if a service user is on a particular diet for diabetes or weight loss, if they are on a soft food diet or even a puree diet and you are unsure of what foods are suitable for them then a qualified member of staff can be asked. Be able to provide support for eating and drinking. 3. 1 Describe factors that help promote an individual’s dignity, comfort and enjoyment while eating and drinking. It is important to assess the needs of each service user separately as what works for one may not be suitable for someone else. A calm and clean environment should be provided during meal times and it is vital to ensure that any special cutlery or eating aids are provided at the beginning of each meal and that they are accessible to the service user. You should ensure that a drink is within reach and that what they are eating is suitable for their diet and needs. Providing the service user with encouragement or psychological support is of upmost importance, any assistance should be provided with feeding if the service user struggles or requires aid. Be able to clear away after food and drink. 4. 1 Explain why it is important to be sure that an individual has chosen to finish eating and drinking before clearing away. Itis veryimportantandrespectfultoensurethata serviceuserhasfinishedwiththeirmealbefore clearing it away. It may be that the service user is a slower eater than someone else or is quite simply having a breather, they could also need a break for the toilet; if the food is cleared away before they are ready it is possible for them to be left still feeling hungry or thirsty. This could upset or agitate the service user. Be sure to fully communicate with the service user to be one hundred percent certain that the meal is finished with if they should stop eating. Be able to monitor eating and drinking and the support provided. 5. 1 Explain the importance of monitoring the food and drink an individual consumes and any difficulties they encounter. Keepingarecordormonitoringanindividual’sdietcanbeextremelyimportant. Itcanhelpwith understanding certain likes and dislikes of food, which meals are eaten better and which types of meals are preferred. It can also provide answers in regards to any changes that may highlight certain health issues such as difficulty with swallowing or chewing, struggling with solids but eating better with softer foods or loss of appetite due to illness. Also, if a service user suffers any sudden weight loss, monitoring food intake is important for understanding whether it is a health issue or purely lack of eating. Steps can then be taken to rectify any issues.

The Character of Okonkwo in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart Essay

The Character of Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart What makes a successful man? This, in itself, is a culture bound question because it can vary from culture to culture. However, in the perception of Okonkwo, the main character in Chinua Achebe's novel, Things Fall Apart, the measure of a man's success is based on two elements, material acquisition and growth, and physical prowess. This is ironic for Okonkwo since his people's typical idea of success seems to be constructed of a complex, strong spiritual culture, seemingly able to deal in traditional ways with any challenge in nature and human experience. (Ravenscroft 9) Although Okonkwo is undoubtedly an important member of Umuofian society, he is not a typical representative of that society. (Taiwo 115) It is this basic dichotomy between Okonkwo and his own culture that directly lead to the tragic fall of Okonkwo, and ultimate disgrace. I feel that it is important to note at this time that Things Fall Apart is a tragedy, and Okonkwo is a tragic hero. For TFA to be a tragedy, it must follow the following pattern... "A tragedy .. is the imitation of an action that is erious, has magnitude, and is complete in itself; in language with pleasurable accessories, each kind brought in separately in the various parts of the work; in a dramatic, not in a narrative form; with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish it catharsis of such emotions" Aristotle, Poetics Okonkwo is a tragic hero because he is superior to the regular people of the tribe, "Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villa... ...up perfectly in the last lines of the book when an entire culture, all of its oral traditions, customs, ceremonies, lives, the very essence of the Ibo people merited a "reasonable paragraph" in the white man's book, The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger. BIBLIOGRAPHY Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. Portsmouth, New Hampshire: Heinemann Educational Publishers, 1986. Aristotle. Aristotle: The Poetics. "The Longinus: On the Sublime." Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press, 1960. Ravenscroft, A. Chinua Achebe. Great Britain: Longmans, Green & CO LTD, 1969. Serumaga, Robert. "A Mirror of Integration." Protest and Conflict in African Literature (1969) 76 Taiwo, Oladele. Culture and the Nigerian Novel. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1976.

The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 32

Elena was radiantly happy. She had gone to sleep happy, only to wake up again happy, serene in the knowledge that soon – soon she would visit Stefan, and that after that – surely very soon – she would be able to take Stefan away. Bonnie and Meredith weren't surprised when she wanted to see Damon about two things: one being who should go and two being what she was going to wear. What did surprise them were her choices. â€Å"If it's all right,† she said slowly at the beginning, tracing a finger round and round on the large table in one of the parlors as everyone gathered the next morning, â€Å"I would like for just a few people to go with me. Stefan's been badly treated,† she went on, â€Å"and he hates to look bad in front of other people. I don't want to humiliate him.† There was sort of a group blush at this. Or maybe it was a group flush of resentment – and then a group blush of culpability. With the western windows slightly open, so that an early-morning red light fell over everything, it was hard to tell. Only one thing was certain: everyone wanted to go. â€Å"So I hope,† Elena said, turning to look Meredith and Bonnie in the eye, â€Å"that none of you are hurt if I don't choose you to come with me.† That tells both of them they're out, Elena thought as she saw understanding blossom in both faces. Most of her plans depended on how her two best friends reacted to this. Meredith gallantly stepped up to bat first. â€Å"Elena, you've been through hell – literally – and almost died doing it – to get to Stefan. You take with you the people who will do the most good.† â€Å"We realize it isn't a popularity contest,† Bonnie added, swallowing, because she was trying not to cry. She really wants to go, Elena thought, but she understands. â€Å"Stefan may feel more embarrassed in front of a girl than a boy,† Bonnie said. And she didn't even add â€Å"even though we would never do anything to embarrass him,† Elena thought, going around for a hug and feeling Bonnie's soft little birdlike body in her arms. Then she turned and felt Meredith's warm and slim hard arms, and as always felt some of her tension drain away. â€Å"Thank you,† she said, wiping tears from her eyes afterward. â€Å"And you're right, I think it would be harder to face girls than boys in the situation he's in. Also it will be harder to face friends he already knows and loves. So I would like to ask these people to go with me: Sage, Damon, and Dr. Meggar.† Lakshmi leaped up as interested as if she had been chosen. â€Å"Where's he in jail?† she asked, quite cheerfully. Damon spoke up. â€Å"The Shi no Shi.† Lakshmi's eyes became round. She stared at Damon for a moment, and then she was bounding out the door, her shaken voice floating behind her: â€Å"I've got chores to do, master!† Elena turned to look directly at Damon. â€Å"And what was that little reaction?† she asked in a voice that would have frozen lava at thirty meters. â€Å"I don't know. Truly, I don't. Shinichi showed me kanji characters and said that they were pronounced ‘Shi no Shi' and they meant ‘the Death of Death' – as in lifting the curse of death from a vampire.† Sage coughed. â€Å"Oh, my trusting little one. Mon cher idiot. To not get a second opinion†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I did, actually. I asked a middle-aged Japanese lady at a library if the romaji – that's the Japanese words written out in our letters, meant the Death of Death. And she said yes.† â€Å"And you turned on your heel and walked out,† Sage said. â€Å"How do you know?† Damon was getting angry. â€Å"Because, mon cher, those words mean many things. It all depends upon the Japanese characters first used – which you did not show her.† â€Å"I didn't have them! Shinichi wrote it in the air for me, in red smoke.† Then in a kind of angry anguish: â€Å"What other things do they mean?† â€Å"Well, they can mean what you said. They also could mean ‘the new death.' Or ‘the true death.' Or even – ‘The Gods of Death.' And given the way Stefan has been treated†¦Ã¢â‚¬  If stares had been stakes, Damon would have been a goner by now. Everyone was looking at him with hard, accusing eyes. He turned like a wolf at bay and bared his teeth at them in a 250-kilowatt smile. â€Å"In any case, I didn't imagine it was anything remarkably pleasant,† he said. â€Å"I just thought it would help him to get rid of the curse of being a vampire.† â€Å"In any case,† Elena repeated. Then she said, â€Å"Sage, if you would go and make sure that they'll let us in when we arrive, I would be enormously grateful.† â€Å"As good as done, Madame.† â€Å"And – let me see – I want everyone to wear something a little different to go visit him. If it's all right I'll go talk to Lady Ulma.† She could feel Bonnie's and Meredith's bewildered looks on her back as she left. Lady Ulma was pale, but bright of eye when Elena was escorted into her room. Her sketchbook was open, a good sign. It took only a few words and a heartfelt look before Lady Ulma said firmly, â€Å"We can have everything done in an hour or two. It's just a matter of calling the right people. I promise.† Elena squeezed her wrist very, very gently. â€Å"Thank you. Thank you – miracle worker!† â€Å"And so I am to go as a penitent,† Damon said. He was right outside Lady Ulma's door when Elena came out and Elena suspected him of some eavesdropping. â€Å"No, that never even occurred to me,† she said. â€Å"I just think that slave's clothing on you and the other guys will make Stefan less self-conscious. But why should you think I wanted to punish you?† â€Å"Don't you?† â€Å"You're here to help me save Stefan. You've gone through – † Elena had to stop and look in her sleeves for a clean handkerchief, until Damon offered her a black silk one. â€Å"All right,† he said, â€Å"we won't get into that. I'm sorry. I think of things to say and then I just say them, no matter how unlikely I think they are, considering the person I'm speaking to.† â€Å"And don't you ever hear another little voice? A voice that says that people can be good, and may not be trying to hurt you?† Elena asked wistfully, wondering how loaded with chains the child was now. â€Å"I don't know. Maybe. Sometimes. But, as that voice is generally wrong in this wicked world, why should I pay it any attention?† â€Å"I wish sometimes you would just try,† Elena whispered. â€Å"I might be in a better position to argue with you, then.† I like this position just fine, Damon told her telepathically and Elena realized – how did this happen over and over? – that they had melted into an embrace. Worse, she was wearing her morning attire – a long silky gown and a peignoir of the same material, both in the palest of pearly blues, which turned violet in the rays of the ever-setting sun. I – like it too, Elena admitted, and felt shockwaves go through Damon from his surface, through his body, and deep, deep into that unfathomable hole that one could see by looking into his eyes. I'm just trying to be honest, she added, almost frightened by his reaction. I can't expect anyone else to be honest if I'm not. Don't be honest, don't be honest. Hate me. Despise me, Damon begged her, at the same time caressing her arms and the two layers of silk that were all that stood between his hands and her skin. â€Å"But why?† Because I can't be trusted. I'm a wicked wolf, and you're a pure soul, a snow-white newborn lamb. You mustn't let me hurt you. Why should you hurt me? Because I might – no, I don't want to bite you – I only want to kiss you, just a little, like this. There was revelation in Damon's mind-voice. And he did kiss so sweetly, and he always knew when Elena's knees were going to give out and picked her up before she could fall on the floor. Damon, Damon, she was thinking, feeling very sweet herself because she knew she was giving him pleasure, when she suddenly realized. Oh! Damon, please let me go – I have to go have a fitting right now! Deeply flushed, he slowly, reluctantly put her down, grabbed her before she could fall, and put her down again. I think I shall have to go have a fit right now as well, he told her earnestly as he stumbled out of the room, missing the door the first time. Not a fit – a fitting! Elena called after him, but she never knew if he had heard. She was pleased, though, that he had let her go, without really understanding anything except that she was saying no. That was quite a bit of improvement. Then she hurried in to Lady Ulma's room, which was filled with all sorts of people, including two male models, who had just been garbed in trousers and long shirts. â€Å"Sage's clothes,† said Lady Ulma, nodding at the large one, â€Å"and Damon's.† She nodded at the smaller man. â€Å"Oh, they're perfect!† Lady Ulma looked at her with just the slightest doubt in her eyes. â€Å"These are made of genuine sacking,† she said. â€Å"The meanest, lowest cloth in the slave hierarchy. Are you sure they will wear them?† â€Å"They're wearing them or they aren't going at all,† Elena said flatly and winked. Lady Ulma laughed. â€Å"Good plan.† â€Å"Yes – but what do you think of my other plan?† Elena asked, genuinely interested in Lady Ulma's opinion, even while she blushed. â€Å"My dear benefactress,† Lady Ulma said. â€Å"I used to watch my mother put together such outfits†¦after I had turned thirteen, of course – and she told me that they always made her happy, for she was bringing joy to two at once, and that the purpose was nothing but joy. I promise you, Lucen and I will be done in no time. Now, should you not be getting ready?† â€Å"Oh, yes – oh, I do love you, Lady Ulma! It's so funny that the more people you love, the more you want to love!† And with that Elena went running back to her own rooms. Her maids-in-waiting were all there and all ready. Elena took the quickest, briskest bath of her life – she was keyed up – and found herself on a couch in the middle of a smiling, keen-eyed bunch, each neatly doing her job without interfering with the others. There was a depilatory, of course – in fact one for each leg, one for her armpits, and one for her eyebrows. While these women and the women with soft creams and unguents were at work, creating a unique fragrance for Elena, another one thoughtfully considered her face and body as a whole. This woman touched up Elena's eyebrows to darken them, and gilded Elena's eyelids with metallic cosmetic paint before using something that added at least a quarter-inch to Elena's eyelashes. Then she extended Elena's eyes with exotic horizontal lines of kohl. Finally, she carefully made Elena's lips a rich glossy red that somehow gave the impression that they were continually puckered for a kiss. After this the woman sprinkled the faintest of iridescence all over Elena's body. Finally, a very large canary diamond that had been sent up from Lucen's jewelry bench was firmly cemented into her navel. It was while the hairdressers were seeing to the last of the little curls on her forehead that the two boxes and a scarlet cape came from Lady Ulma's women. Elena thanked all her ladies-in-waiting and beauticians sincerely, paid them all a bonus that had them twittering, and then asked them to leave her alone. When they dithered, she asked them again, just as politely, but in louder tones. They went. Elena's hands were trembling as she took out the outfit Lady Ulma had created. It was quite as decent as a bathing suit, but it looked like jewelry strategically placed on wisps of golden tulle. It all coordinated with the canary diamond: from the necklace to the armlets to the golden bracelets that denoted that, however expensively Elena was dressed, she was still a slave. And that was it. She was going clad in tulle and jewelry, perfume and paint, to see her Stefan. Elena put the scarlet cloak on very, very carefully to avoid rumpling or smearing anything below, and slipped her feet into delicate golden sandals with very high heels. She hurried downstairs and was exactly on time. Sage and Damon were wearing cloaks tightly closed – which meant that they were dressed in the sacking outfits underneath. Sage had had Lady Ulma's coach made ready. Elena settled her matching golden bracelets on her wrists, hating them because she had to wear them, pretty as they were against the white fur trim on her scarlet cloak. Damon held out a hand to help her into the coach. â€Å"I get to ride inside? Does that mean I don't have to wear – † But looking at Sage, her hopes were crushed. â€Å"Unless we want to curtain all the windows,† he said, â€Å"you're legally traveling outside without slave bracelets.† Elena sighed and gave her hand to Damon. Standing against the sun, he was a dark silhouette. But then, as Elena blinked in the light, he stared in astonishment. Elena knew he'd seen her gilded eyelids. His eyes dropped to her pursed-to-be-kissed lips. Elena blushed. â€Å"I forbid you to order me to show you what's under the cloak,† she said hastily. Damon looked thwarted. â€Å"Hair in tiny curls all over your forehead, cloak that covers everything from neck to toes, lipstick like†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He stared again. His mouth twitched as if he were being compelled to fit it to hers. â€Å"And it's time to go!† Elena caroled, hastily getting into the carriage. She felt very happy, although she understood why freed slaves would never wear anything like a bracelet again. She was still happy when they reached the Shi no Shi – that large building that seemed to combine a prison with a training facility for gladiators. And she was still happy as the guards at the large Shi no Shi checkpoint let them into the building without showing any signs of ill feeling. But then, it was hard to say if the cloak had any effect on them. They were demons: sullen, mauve-skinned, bullock-steady. She noticed something that was at first a shock and then a river of hope inside her. The front lobby of the building had a door in one side that was like the door in the side of the depot/slaveshop: always kept shut; strange symbols above; people walking up to it in different costumes and announcing a destination before turning the key and opening the door. In other words: a dimensional door. Right here in Stefan's prison. God alone knew how many guards would be after them if they tried to use it, but it was something to keep in mind. The guards on the lower floors of the Shi no Shi building, in what was most definitely a dungeon, had clear and obnoxious reactions to Elena and her party. They were some smaller species of demon – imps, maybe, Elena thought – and they gave the visitors a hard time over everything. Damon had to bribe them to be allowed in to the area where Stefan's cell was, to go in alone, without one guard per visitor, and to allow Elena, a slave, to go in to see a free vampire. And even when Damon had given them a small fortune to get past these obstacles, they sniggered and made harsh guttural gurglings in their throats. Elena didn't trust them. She was correct. At a corridor where Elena knew from her out of body experiences they should have turned left, instead they went straight through. They passed another set of guards, who almost collapsed from sniggering. Oh – God – are they taking us to see Stefan's dead body? Elena wondered suddenly. Then it was Sage who really helped her. He put out a large arm and bodily held her up, until she found her legs again. They went on walking, deeper into what was a filthy and stinking stone-floored dungeon now. Then abruptly they turned right. Elena's heart raced on before them. It was saying wrong, wrong, wrong, even before they got to the last cell in the line. The cell was completely different from Stefan's old cell. It was surrounded, not by bars, but by a sort of curlicued chicken wire that was lined with sharp spikes. No way to hand in a bottle of Black Magic. No way to get the bottle top in position to pour into a waiting mouth on the other side. No room, even, to get a finger or the mouth of a canteen through for the cellmate to suck. And the cell itself wasn't filthy, but it was bare of everything except a supine Stefan. No food, no water, no bed to hide anything in, no straw. Just Stefan. Elena screamed and had no idea if she screamed words or just a formless sound of anguish. She threw herself into the cell – or tried to. Her hands grabbed onto curls of steel as sharp as razor that caused blood to well up instantly wherever they touched, and then Damon, who had the fastest reactions, was pulling her back. And then he just pushed past her and stared. He stared open-mouthed at his younger brother – a gray-faced, skeletal, barely breathing young man, who looked like a child lost in his rumpled, stained, threadbare prison uniform. Damon raised a hand, as if he'd forgotten the barrier already – and Stefan flinched. Stefan seemed not to know or recognize any of them. He peered more closely at the drops of blood left on the razor-sharp fencing where Elena had grasped it, sniffed, and then, as if something had penetrated the fog of his bafflement, looked around dully. Stefan looked up at Damon, whose cloak had fallen, and then, like a baby's, Stefan's gaze wandered on. Damon made a choking sound and turned and, knocking anyone in his way aside, ran the other way down the corner. If he was hoping that enough guards would follow him that his allies could get Stefan out, he was wrong. A few followed, like monkeys, calling out insults. The rest stayed put, behind Sage. Meanwhile, Elena's mind was churning and churning out plans. Finally she turned to Sage. â€Å"Use all the money we have plus this,† she said, and she reached under her cloak for her canary diamond necklace – over two dozen thumb-sized gems – â€Å"and call to me if we need more. Get me half an hour with him. Twenty minutes, then!† – as Sage began to shake his head. â€Å"Stall them, somehow; get me at least twenty minutes. I'll think of something if it kills me.† After a moment Sage looked her in the eyes and nodded. â€Å"I will.† Then Elena looked at Dr. Meggar pleadingly. Did he have something – did something exist – that would help? Dr. Meggar's eyebrows went down, then their inner sides went up. It was a look of grief, of despair. But then he frowned and whispered, â€Å"There's something new – an injection that's said to help in dire cases. I could try it.† Elena did her best not to fall at his feet. â€Å"Please! Please try it! Please!† â€Å"It won't help beyond a couple of days – â€Å" â€Å"It won't need to! We'll get him out by then!† â€Å"All right.† Sage had by now herded all the guards away, saying, â€Å"I'm a dealer in gems and there's something you all should see.† Dr. Meggar opened his bag and took out of it a syringe. â€Å"Wooden needle,† he said with a wan smile as he filled it with a clear red liquid from a vial. Elena had taken another syringe and she examined it eagerly as Dr. Meggar coaxed Stefan by imitation to put his arm up to the bars. At last Stefan did as Dr. Meggar wished – only to jump away with a cry of pain as a syringe was plunged into his arm and stinging liquid injected. Elena looked at the doctor desperately. â€Å"How much did he get?† â€Å"Only about half. It's all right – I filled it with twice the dose and pushed as hard as I could to get the† – some medical word Elena didn't recognize – â€Å"into him. I knew it would hurt him more, injecting that fast, but I accomplished what I wanted.† â€Å"Good,† Elena said rapturously. â€Å"Now I want you to fill this syringe with my blood.† â€Å"Blood?† Dr. Meggar looked dismayed. â€Å"Yes! The syringe is long enough to go through the bars. The blood will drip out the other side. He can drink it as it comes out. It might save him!† Elena said every word carefully, as if speaking to a child. She desperately wanted to convey her meaning. â€Å"Oh, Elena.† The doctor sat down, with a clink, and took a hidden bottle of Black Magic out of his tunic. â€Å"I'm so sorry. But it's hard enough for me to get blood out of a vial. My eyes, child – they're ruined.† â€Å"But glasses – spectacles – ?† â€Å"They're no good to me anymore. It's a complicated condition. But you have to be very good to actually tap a vein in any case. Most doctors are pretty hopeless; I'm impossible. I'm sorry, child. But it's been twenty years since I was successful.† â€Å"Then I'll find Damon and have him open my aorta. I don't care if it kills me.† â€Å"But I do.† This new voice coming from the brilliantly lighted cell in front of them made both the doctor and Elena jerk their heads up. â€Å"Stefan! Stefan! Stefan!† Uncaring of what the razor fence would do to her flesh, Elena leaned over to try to hold his hands. â€Å"No,† Stefan whispered, as if sharing a precious secret. â€Å"Put your fingers here and here – on top of mine. This fence is only specially treated steel – it numbs my Power but it can't break my skin.† Elena put her fingers there and there. And then she was touching Stefan. Really touching him. After so long. Neither of them spoke. Elena heard Dr. Meggar get up and quietly creep away – to Sage, she supposed. But her mind was full of Stefan. She and he simply looked at each other, trembling, with tears quivering on their lashes, feeling very young. And very close to death. â€Å"You say I always make you say it first, so I'll confound you. I love you, Elena.† Teardrops fell from Elena's eyes. â€Å"Just this morning I was thinking how many people there are to love. But really it's only because there's one in the first place,† she whispered back to him. â€Å"One forever. I love you, Stefan! I love you!† Elena drew back for a moment and wiped her eyes the way all clever girls know how to do without ruining their makeup: by putting her thumbs beneath her lower lashes and leaning backward, scooping tears and kohl into infinitesimal droplets in the air. For the first time she could think. â€Å"Stefan,† she whispered, â€Å"I'm so sorry. I wasted time this morning getting dressed up – well, dressed down – to show you what's waiting for you when we get you out. But now†¦I feel†¦like†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Now there were no tears in Stefan's eyes, either. â€Å"Show me,† he whispered back eagerly. Elena stood, and without theatrics, shrugged the cloak off. Shut her eyes, her hair in hundreds of kiss curls, little wispy spirals that were plastered around her face. Her gilded eyelids, waterproof, still gilded. Her only clothing the wisps of golden tulle with jewels attached to make it decent. Her entire body iridescent, perfection in the first bloom of youth that could never be matched or re-created. There was a sound like a long sigh†¦and then silence, and Elena opened her eyes, terrified that Stefan might have died. But he was standing up, clutching at the iron gate as if he might wrench it off to get to her. â€Å"I get all this?† he whispered. â€Å"All this for you. Everything for you,† Elena said. At that moment there was a soft sound behind her and she whirled to see two eyes shining in the dimness of the cell opposite Stefan's.

My Review on Matchstick Men Essay

Matchstick men means a kind of person who can have others buy his things, even just a box of matchsticks, with his excellent deception and eloquence. Therefore, they are also called cheaters or con artists. In the film Matchstick Men, the main character Roy was such kind of an outstanding con artist who always cheated others. With his partner Frank, he made a lot of bucks. Whereas, he suffered from odd disease which gave him many pain. Things get to a turning point when a daughter called Angela came into his life. Roy gave deep love to her and gradually overcame his illness. As a result, he wanted to give up cheating others and be a responsible father. Nevertheless, after an accident, Angela killed someone that was cheated by them and Roy decided to sacrifice himself to protect his daughter. In the end, however, Roy found that all of this turned out to be a fraud which was directed by Frank. Ironically, he lost all his money that was also earned by cheating. What a joke! An excellent con artist though he was, Roy was cheated by his partner. And it really makes me realize the importance of communicating with others. Imagine the situation that when Roy heard he had a 14-year-old daughter, if he could phone his ex-wife and talk about it, perhaps the fraud could be debunked. However, Roy was afraid of talking with his ex-wife and failed to face the past, as a result, that gave cheaters a good opportunity to continue their plan. Besides, the movie also shows me the power of love. Before the appearance of Angela, Roy had serious illness and heavily relied on pills. It was the love to his daughter that cured him. He no longer ate pills and could eat pizza with his daughter on the carpet without caring about the clearness. In fact, he enjoyed time staying with her and had the happiest time in his life. So at the end of the movie, when Roy met the false ‘daughter’, though he was angry, he didn’t choose to revenge but to forgive her. Love made a difference on him and changed his life. Another point I want to express is that misfortune may turn out to be an actual fortune. On the one hand, Roy was cheated and lost all of his money. From this aspect, he was absolutely unfortunate. However, during that period, he earned happiness and lightened his illness. After that he gave up cheating others and began a totally new life as a salesman. Money is important but compared with love, health and happiness, money is nothing. Though life deprived Roy of his money, he got love, happiness and health instead. Hence, when life is tough for us, we should see it from different aspects. Although we may lose something, we can also gain other things more important instead.

Thomas Jefferson and the Embargo Act of 1807

Thomas Jefferson and the Embargo Act of 1807 The Embargo Act of 1807 was an attempt by President Thomas Jefferson and the U.S. Congress to prohibit  American ships from trading in foreign ports. It was intended to punish Britain and France for interfering with American trade while the two major European powers were at war with each other. The embargo was precipitated  primarily by Napoleon Bonapartes 1806 Berlin Decree, which announced that neutral ships carrying British-made goods were subject to seizure by France, thus exposing American ships to attacks by privateers. Then, a year later, sailors from the USS Chesapeake were forced into service  by officers from the British ship HMS Leopard. That was the final straw. Congress passed the Embargo Act in December 1807 and Jefferson signed it into law on December 22, 1807. The president hoped that the act would prevent a war between the United States and Britain. At the same time, Jefferson saw it as a way to keep ships as military resources out of harms way, buy time for the preservation, and signify (after the Chesapeake event) that the U.S. recognized that a war was in the future. Jefferson also saw it as a way to cease non-productive war-profiteering which was undermining the coveted but never achieved goal of American autarky- economic independence from Britain and other economies. Perhaps inevitably, the Embargo Act was also a precursor to the War of 1812. Effects  of the Embargo Economically, the embargo devastated American shipping exports and cost the American economy about 8 percent in decreased gross national product in 1807. With the embargo in place, American exports declined by 75%, and imports declined by 50%- the act did not completely eliminate trade and domestic partners. Before the embargo, exports to the United States reached $108 million. One year later, they were just over $22 million. Yet Britain and France, locked in the Napoleonic Wars, were not greatly damaged by the loss of trade with Americans. So the embargo intended to punish Europes greatest powers instead negatively impacted ordinary Americans. Although the western states in the Union were relatively unaffected, as they had at that point little to trade, other parts of the country were hit hard. Cotton growers in the South lost their British market entirely. Merchants in New England were the hardest hit. In fact, discontent was so widespread there that there was serious talk by local political leaders of seceding from the Union, decades before the  Nullification Crisis  or the  Civil War. Jeffersons Presidency Another result of the embargo was that smuggling increased across the border with Canada, and smuggling by ship also became prevalent. So the law was both ineffective and difficult to enforce. Many of those weaknesses were addressed by a number of amendments and new acts written by Jeffersons Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin (1769–1849), passed by Congress, and signed into law by the president: but the president himself essentially ceased active support on his own after signaling his decision to not seek a third term in office in December 1807. Not only would the embargo taint Jeffersons presidency, making him fairly unpopular by its end, but the economic effects also didnt fully reverse themselves until the end of the War of 1812. End of the Embargo The embargo was repealed by Congress early in 1809, just days before the end of Jeffersons presidency. It was replaced by a less restrictive piece of legislation, the Non-Intercourse Act, which prohibited trade with Britain and France. The newer law was no more successful than the Embargo Act had been, and relations with Britain continued to fray until, three years later, President James Madison obtained a declaration of war from Congress and the War of 1812 began. Sources and Further Reading Frankel, Jeffrey A. The 1807–1809 Embargo against Great Britain. The Journal of Economic History 42.2 (1982): 291–308.Irwin, Douglas A. The Welfare Cost of Autarky: Evidence from the Jeffersonian Trade Embargo, 1807–09. Review of International Economics 13.4 (2005): 631–45.Mannix, Richard. Gallatin, Jefferson, and the Embargo of 1808. Diplomatic History 3.2 (1979): 151–72.Spivak, Burton. Jeffersons English Crisis: Commerce, Embargo, and the Republican Revolution. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1979.

adam and eve not adam and stev essays

adam and eve not adam and stev essays Men and women have married one another for centuries, nobody thought any different of it. Until one day two men or two women wanted to wed; that is when the controversy begins. Gay and Lesbian relationships are becoming more widely accepted over the past few years, but still many people cringe at the idea of two people of the same gender being together. Now that it is possible for gay marriages to have and raise a family of their own through adoption it is becoming easier to make your own decisions and wedding whomever you feel worthy. In my opinion same sex marriages are wrong in the fact that it is not a normal thing to do which may lead to making a child confused by having two mothers or two fathers. It is not the traditional American family. According to Larry King A child learns most of the things they will use in life from their parents. Having same sex parents will only lead up to a child raised to be a male who finds other males attractive or a female which finds other females attractive. Also there is no substitute for a father or a mother. We need both parents to get through life. Children need both a masculine and a feminine role in their lives to guide them. Looking at this issue through spiritual eyes it seems as if God would have put two males or two females instead of one and one if that is what he wanted. He put a male and a female to seed the earth. The only way man can reproduce is through intercourse between one male and one female , not two male or two female. It does not seem right for a couple to get married if they cannot reproduce. Marrying someone of your own sex shows what type of moral values you were raised with and can make you seem worthless in Gods eyes , and that is scary. President George W. Bush stated , I think it is very important for our society to respect each individual, to welcome those with good hearts, to be a we ...

Last Minute Guide to Cramming for the ACT 10 Tips

Last Minute Guide to Cramming for the ACT 10 Tips SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The ACT is upon us, and it seems fair to assume (since you're reading this article) that you're under-prepared. If you've got less than three weeks before the exam and haven't really studied yet, you're officially cramming for the ACT. Now, if you're willing and able to put in some 60 hours of preparation before the test, take a moment to read our cram plan for those very circumstances. If that doesn't sound realistic for your circumstances, though, read on to discover the most useful strategies you can employ to get up to speed on the test in a pinch. We'll cover tips specific to each part of the test, as well as some global advice on topics like guessing and keeping a level head on test day. General Guidance:Work Hard, Rest Well It's important to put serious, committed effort into cramming for the ACT.You should go all out on the test, and you need to practice what that's really like. Plus, with limited time, you need to work especially hard to make the most of your studying. However, it's important to take care of yourself, too.A day or two before the test, slow down the pace. Don't stop preparation altogether, but focus on recuperating from the past several days of pushing so hard. Focus on getting good sleep. It takes more than just one night to catch up on those z's, and fatigue is not your friend on test day. Pay attention to your mindset. As cheesy as this may sound, ask yourself whether you're looking at the test through the lens of a glass half-empty or a glass half-full. Remember, this is an opportunity to excel at the test. Pay attention to your stress level, too. Nerves are healthy- they can give us the adrenaline we need to complete Herculean tasks. Pure stress is less helpful- it freezes us up and tears us down. Finally, take a realistic view of the test. It's important; I'm definitely not denyingthat. However, it's not a matter of life and death- so don't treat it like one. Wear your reality goggles when you look at the test. Preparation Strategies Let's talk about some specific, actionable steps to take between now and the test. #1: Take a Practice Test This is a crucial step; taking a practice testwill help you get used to the format and directions of the test, not to mention practice the content. You don't want to spend a lot of time sorting through instructions on test day, so use the practice test to work out any kinks. Also, knowing what you're up against on the test will help ease the anxiety you're likely to feel. For every answer you get wrong, take the time to read the explanation ofwhy that answer is wrong. This is an important first step towards understanding the way the test-makers think. Use your performance on each section to determine which task (English, Math, Reading, Science, or Writing) is your weakest. Focus your energy there. #2: Practice, Practice, and Practice Some More Practice with sample problems, and drill the ones that are a challenge for you. That being said, don't burn yourself out; try to situate yourself in the sweet spotof studying, between about one andthreehours a day(on average). There's more information on what to practice and drill as we continue on below. Mostly, though, try to use as many official practice materials as you can. #3: English - Review the Basic Rules of English Review some basic grammar rules, including: Punctuation marks (and how they function) Basic sentence structures (and how they function) Parts of speech (and how they function) Now, it's all about how these concepts are put into practice. You won't be asked to parrot rules; you'll be asked to apply them to passages in context. As an experiment, take a text that you trust to be error-free, and work through part of it, identifying what's going on with the punctuation, structure, etc. That's "English" the language, not "English" the nationality. #4: Reading- Immerse Yourself in Literature Read (a lot). This doesn't have to mean holing up with a giant volume for hours on end- just keep reading on hand for spare moments throughout the day. Don't read just any old thing, though- Calvin and Hobbes is sadly not going to help. Read material that feels a little tough- newspapers, academic journals, challenging books, etc. Iknow you know how to read; that's not the issue. The question is your level of comfort with being immersed in a difficult text and your willingness to reach beyond your comfort zone. I've acted Shakespeare professionally, and it still takes me a little time to adjust to the language I'm hearing when I go see a Shakespearean play. That's because I'm not immersed in it every single day; it would be a different matter if I were. By loose analogy, getting regularly cozy with tricky writing leading up to the ACT will save you some discomfort on test day. Read critically and analytically, not passively. Engage with the text- ask questions, look for answers, and make observations. This is the quickest path to understanding a text on the level the ACT requires. The test is going to ask you questions that require more than a once-over, surface-level familiarity with the text, so, again, you'll be glad to be comfortable with the literary delving process on test day. #5: Math- Get to KnowYour Formulas The ACT, unlike the SAT, does not give you any kind of formula list- so get memorizing. The more complex geometric formulas will be given to you in the context of the question- but the bulk of it all you need to provide on your own. Memorize at least themost crucial formulas, and make sure you know how to apply them. #6: Science - Find Scientific Writing to Analyze Don't worry about cramming actual scientific facts and data- you should be more concerned with being able to interpret the facts and data being given to you. Read scientific publications with a decent reputation (like Popular Science), and spend extra time poring over all thecharts and graphs that you find. Beyond that, keep up the pace with drilling practice passages. #7: Writing - Debate, on Paper or in Person Outlining samples essays is, as one might suspect, golden. If, however, you just can't take any more silent, individual activity, try setting up a debate with fellow crammers- or even other friends or family members, if they're willing. It's a great way to get instant feedback on your ideas! The Writing test is all about argument, and learning how to articulate ideas clearly and effectively is of the utmost importance. Keep your debates civil, now. ACT Test-Taking Tips Cramming is a journey all its own, but don't forget that nothing's over until you turn in that test. Here are some ideas on how to get through test day. #8: Warm Up on the Morning Of Wake up early, giving yourself plenty of time to get ready and arrive at the test center. Take a moment to do a warm-up problem or two. Don't cram any more, but review a particularly nasty problem you've mastered or try a moderately difficult question that you haven't seen yet. This will warm your brain up a little- get the cobwebs out- without taxing it by tryingto cram more information in. #9: Mind Your Mindset Talk to yourself in a positive and supportive manner. Visualize what's going to happen over the course of themorning, and visualize yourself coming through with flying colors. #10: Guess When You Don't Know the Answer The ACT doesn't have a guessing penalty; a wrong answer won't gain you points, but it won't actually lose you any points, either. Do all the questions you're confident in. Next, make educated guesses where possible. Finally, put down answers for everything you're completely lost on. Take a moment now to read some additional guessing strategies prepared by our experts. Conclusion So there you have it: the techniques you need to cram your way to test day with the ACT. We've seen the importance of practicing as much as possible while maintaining a reasonable balance of work and self-care in your life. We've seen tips for each category on the test, and we've also covered test day do's and don't's. One of the biggest things left to say is: don't get stuck cramming if you can avoid it. If at all possible, think about taking the test again when you've had more time to prepare in a traditional fashion. Take it leisurely, next time around. What's Next? If you've read this and you're thinking you want to rely almost solely on the practice test side of things, check out our twenty-hour guide to prepping with mock exams. However you prepare, we here at PrepScholar wish you the best of luck on this test.If, though, it doesn't go as well as it might, we hope to see you back here as you prepare for the next one. One article that might come in handy covers your options with a low score. Don't think it's all over; you've got a few different paths you can take. For a morale boost, there's also our article examining whether your ACT scores really predict your future success.

Business law Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business law - Term Paper Example Both commercial and business laws cover a number of overlapping factors. The Uniform Commercial Code is the main authority that governs commercial dealings. There are also other legal fields that have the nature of business of commercial law transactions, such as banking and Secured Transactions. This paper will seek to summarize a business lawsuit and discuss the legal environment of business and the American law. It will also explore the court procedures, types of courts and alternative dispute decision process. A suit between Poynter Investments Inc et. al. versus Century Builders in South Carolina involved the appellant, Rector, who sold his business to the respondent Poynter Investments in 2007. The parties entered into an ‘Employment and Non-Competition Agreement,’ which contained a four-year phase non-competition clause. It was drafted to prevent Rector from trading within a defined geographic area of 75 miles in any course from the property for the written phase. The agreement was supported by a separate consideration, which required Poynter to employ Rector for twelve months. Rector, however, failed to abide by the terms of the agreement and as a result, Poynter filed a suit. The respondent sued the Appellants in 2008 on allegations of failing to abide by the non-competition terms. The hearing judge granted the respondent a preliminary injunction seeking to enforce the non-competition accord, but formed a ‘Restricted Territory’ that was not present in the earlier agreement.... The management should have initiated a research to identify and evaluate the legal implications that would have followed if they agreed to the terms. The laws pertinent to this case reflected ethical considerations. Before one gets to go into a business agreement, factors such as completing of agreements should be highly considered. The court judge refused to balance the equities before enforcing the incomplete agreement. There are various foundations of decrees relevant in the case. Authorities such as County of Richland v. Simpkins, 348 S.C. 664, 560 S.E.2d 902 (Ct. App. 2002), among many others have been used to give information of previous similar cases. The management can leverage such knowledge to prevent similar instances in the future. A business suit in a court may take longer and be more tedious if it were to be compared to Alternative Dispute Resolutions due to the court procedures. Cases may even take longer in courts if there are appeals as there are quite a number of co urts, including probate, municipal, magistrate court, general sessions, family courts, common pleas and appellate courts, including the Supreme Court. Alternative dispute resolution submits to a wide range of dispute resolution means or method that shares one essential feature. In the past two decades, alternative dispute resolution has turn out to be a major facet of legal practice in the United States. The clients together with their lawyers increasingly look for ways to settle their disparities without going for litigation, and as such, they gradually turn to alternative mechanisms to try to resolve their differences (Stone, 2004, p.1).These mechanisms include: Arbitration is an alternative dispute resolution mechanism involving parties who get to agree to surrender

Compare two german films. Metropolis by Fritz Lang and Nowhere in Essay

Compare two german films. Metropolis by Fritz Lang and Nowhere in Africa by Caroline Link - Essay Example It shows the effects of denial or acceptance of ones position in the society. Metropolis has a very strong relation with the music an sounds of the industrial age. The fascination with the Russian â€Å"machine sounds† of the time, the locomotive engines , large factory machines and the amazing wonders of the industrial age were the heart of the film to express the future that was yet to be. It is no wonder the movie tends to be associated with this effects. Nowhere in Africa, contrasts this with the music of the contemporary 21st century society. One significant difference that is observable in these two films is the fact that Metropolis is a silent film. Nowhere in Africa presents its gist to the audience through dialogue and music, Metropolis on the other hand it is only the music and the emotions that can express to the audience the characters feelings. Each and every person who views it interprets it in the best way he or she understands it. In addition to this fact, the two movies present a paradox of each other. For instance, Metro is a film that was made in 1927. It is however a flash forward science fiction depicting a future date in which it is set. It tries to reveal the fears that were in the hearts of the society at the time it was being made and what they harbored. The dystopia in which it is set develops from a capitalist society that is scary to them and portends unimaginable hardships. Nowhere in Africa on the other hand is set in retrospect. It is based on an autobiographical novel is a society that knows what has already happened, and can appreciate the gist of the movie. It was made in the twenty first century and reveals the horrors of years past, of a regime that is infamous and the effect that it had on one particular family. Uprooted from their homeland, the community that they were used to and the status that they really enjoyed, they find themselves in a distant place in Africa, running a farm in Kenya, a colony which does not g ive them the same status, facilities, utilities and amenities that their high class lifestyle was accustomed to. Metropolis and Nowhere in Africa present several similarities too. For instance, the former is considered the last among several great adventures of the silent screen during the time. It had a series or serious and ambitiously absurd plotting that attacked the society’s view of the future. The movie was created in a Germany that was changing, and changing rapidly. The imperialist administration had died and several people were afraid, almost paranoid, about what the future held for them. This is why the director of the film presented similar sentiments and prophetic looks as to a future that lay before them, the fear of capitalism. Nowhere in Africa has also won several accolades in its time. It also draws comparisons from the Metropolis. Set retrospectively, the movie shows the fears that the contemporary have come to understand. While in a way it also presents it s fears for a communist society it also show how a large

Write your own editorial Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Write your own editorial - Assignment Example This unfortunate situation can be exacerbated even more by the fact that some teachers feel they must punish students who arrive even a minute or two late with a detention, giving students a sense of stress, anxiety and urgency, and encouraging them to do whatever they can to make it to class on time, even if it means being rude or behaving dangerously towards fellow students or themselves, by, for instance, running in hallways or down staircases. Luckily, however, there are some solutions to this problem. By far the simplest is to simply change it back to the old system where students were allowed four minutes to get between classes. This represents an increase of thirty-three percent of time between classes, and would give students all the time they need. The downside is that this would make some classes longer than others, but only by a minute, and most classes tend not to use exactly the amount of time allotted anyways. Another solution is to allow students a grace period of one or two minutes after classes start where they will not be given detentions for lateness – this will mean students will still have to rush to classes but will be more judicious knowing that serious consequences will not result from minor tardiness. The bottom line is the current system does not work, and must be

Organizational Development in HRD Case Study Research Paper

Organizational Development in HRD Case Study - Research Paper Example She manages the situation stating that knowing more about the history and long term objectives of the firm is essential to answer their queries. The members are happy with the interaction as they have little knowledge about CQI. Stepchuck is taking advantage of the client’s ignorance by assigning Todd as an expert in CQI. Although Todd is genuine and wants to ensure openness, the president insists her to continue with the project. Now Todd has two options; either quit the job or take up the role of CQI expert. (1). At this juncture, the new job raises certain ethical dilemmas that Todd has to address immediately. Both ‘role ambiguity and role conflict’ are identified in the context, because as stated above â€Å"neither the client nor the OD practitioner is clear about the respective responsibilities† (p. 62). Moreover, the role ambiguity and role conflict will lead to subsequent dilemmas especially ‘coercion, value and goal conflict, and technical ineptness’. To illustrate, Todd does not want to jeopardize her honesty while working with the new project. At the same time she wants to help her client in some way, though CQI is not her cup of tea. The current dilemmas can be solely attributed to the unethical stance of Todd’s employer, because his intention is entirely different from that of the client firm and his staff Todd. Evidently, Stepchuck is running a profit driven business heeding little attention to the actual needs or interests of the clients. As the case indicates, if the client is not sure about the issues they want to address, an unethical professional like Stepchuck tends to take unfair advantage of the situation. Even if Todd undertakes the assignment, she may have to face challenges associated with the stated dilemmas. (2). The way Todd responded to the situation at the meeting seems reasonable. A professional like Todd does not want to disclose the

Hard factors of TQM implementation in the Project division at GASCO Essay

Hard factors of TQM implementation in the Project division at GASCO - Essay Example Proper implementation of the procedure IP-PR-021 would offer solutions to this problem. The CTN format does not have provisions for the history of the CTN. As a result, the CTN goes through the approval process of the GASCO shareholders without their knowledge of the history of the CTN in the firm. They need adequate knowledge on the importance of CTN, in order to determine whether it is worth the budgetary allocations. Modifying the formats of the CTN to would include its history would provide adequate knowledge. Since there is no analysis of the main cause of CTN, there is a wrong evaluation of the KPI. The main factor put into consideration when evaluating KPI is CTN. Therefore, understanding the causes of CTN in the organization would help in preventing their occurrence in future. This is however possible if there was a proper procedure of solving the CTN put in place. GASCO, while calculating the average KPI does so division wise. This omits the evaluation of the actual performa nce in each department. There is however a high likelihood of some of the departments doing very well, while others have poor performances. There is however no reflection of this in the KPI. Applying KPI at the department level would solve this problem. Finally, there is poor and low communication of the KPI to the engineer’s level. This makes information flow in this level inadequate. As a solution, proper communication of the KPI to all parties would solve all communication problems available. Research questions With reference to the hard factors of TQM, this research will try to establish how effectively GASCO utilizes these factors to achieve organizational performance. How efficiently does GASCO use TQM in achieving its organizational goals? To what extent does GASCO staff exhibit high quality standards in serving their customers? How effectively does GASCO as an organization use TQM in managing its projects? What is the overall impact of TQM in satisfactorily serving cu stomers at GASCO? To what extent does GASCO use TQM in its Business Support Activities? Objectives of the report TQM, being an important element in achieving organizational performance, contributes to the achievement of organizational goals and objectives (Salaheldin 2009, p. 216). The main objective of this report is establishing the extent to which TQM contributes to organizational performance, with reference to GASCO. Further, since there are two types of TQM, the soft factors and the hard factors, this report hopes to establish the impact of proper use and application of the hard factors in an organizational setting. Finally, it will establish whether there is any relationship between proper maintenance of QMS, relative to GASCO QMS. Aims of the report The main aim of this report is to establish whether GASCO has QMS and the impact that hard TQM factors have on the overall performance of the organization. Data analysis The time taken by employees in assessing resources significa ntly determines their output (Grover, et al. 2006, p. 450-458). Subsequently, this determines the overall organizational performance. The longer an employee takes while assessing resources; the lower is their level of productivity. According to data obtained, 11 respondents agreed that the period it takes for an employee to access resources was good. This positively contributes to overall organizat

Organizational Development in HRD Case Study Research Paper

Organizational Development in HRD Case Study - Research Paper Example She manages the situation stating that knowing more about the history and long term objectives of the firm is essential to answer their queries. The members are happy with the interaction as they have little knowledge about CQI. Stepchuck is taking advantage of the client’s ignorance by assigning Todd as an expert in CQI. Although Todd is genuine and wants to ensure openness, the president insists her to continue with the project. Now Todd has two options; either quit the job or take up the role of CQI expert. (1). At this juncture, the new job raises certain ethical dilemmas that Todd has to address immediately. Both ‘role ambiguity and role conflict’ are identified in the context, because as stated above â€Å"neither the client nor the OD practitioner is clear about the respective responsibilities† (p. 62). Moreover, the role ambiguity and role conflict will lead to subsequent dilemmas especially ‘coercion, value and goal conflict, and technical ineptness’. To illustrate, Todd does not want to jeopardize her honesty while working with the new project. At the same time she wants to help her client in some way, though CQI is not her cup of tea. The current dilemmas can be solely attributed to the unethical stance of Todd’s employer, because his intention is entirely different from that of the client firm and his staff Todd. Evidently, Stepchuck is running a profit driven business heeding little attention to the actual needs or interests of the clients. As the case indicates, if the client is not sure about the issues they want to address, an unethical professional like Stepchuck tends to take unfair advantage of the situation. Even if Todd undertakes the assignment, she may have to face challenges associated with the stated dilemmas. (2). The way Todd responded to the situation at the meeting seems reasonable. A professional like Todd does not want to disclose the

Bipolar Disorder Assessment and Community Intervention Programs Assignment

Bipolar Disorder Assessment and Community Intervention Programs - Assignment Example In the market, as it is, there are three versions of the Beck Depression Inventory, which are basically improvements on previous versions (Parker & Ketter, 2010). The original version was first introduced for use in 1961 and is generally referred to as the BDI (Parker & Ketter, 2010). This was later in 1978 revised into the BDI-1A, which was also consequently modified into 1996’s BDI-II (Parker & Ketter, 2010). Presently, the BDI-II remains the most widely used version of the Beck Depression Inventory (Parker & Ketter, 2010). The BDI is a 21 question inventory of self-report rating which evaluates the common symptoms and attitudes associated with bipolar disorder (Rosner, 2014). The BDI is available in a number of different convenient forms such as computerized forms and card forms (Clinical Psychology, 2015). The forms require approximately 10 minutes to successfully complete (Beck Depression Inventory-II, 2015). However, the user requires a 5th to the 6th grade level of read ing competency in order that they may properly understand the questions and thus respond appropriately (Parker & Ketter, 2010). The multiple choice questionnaire, which is suited for persons who are 13 years of age and over, delves on items that determine presence/ absence of symptoms of bipolar disorder like irritability, hopelessness, feeling of being punished, guilt, fatigue, lack/ loss of interest in sex, loss of weight, and so on (Clinical Psychology, 2015).The assessment can be self-administered or done verbally by a trained administrator. The user of the instrument has the responsibility of ensuring appropriate use of the test, such as in administration, interpretation, application, and scoring of the results (Clinical Psychology, 2015). Some test instances can be given and rated/ scaled by persons with lower levels of training as long as they remain under the supervision of a qualified user (Parker & Ketter, 2010).  

The Role of a Strategic Leader in an Organization Essay Example for Free

The Role of a Strategic Leader in an Organization Essay Role of Indian Media in the New Age The following is the speech given by Shri Kapil Sibal, Minister of HRD and C IT, on the topic: Role of Indian Media in the New Ag, presiding as the Chief Guest for the Press Club Awards for Excellence in Journalism , on 5th May, 2012 at The NSCI, Worli, Mumbai. I am privileged to be here with you on a day the media celebrates its exceptional performers. I congratulate all those who have received awards and wish them continued success in their profession. The media has emerged as a pillar of the modern State. nbsp; The foundation of a modern democratic State lies in its ability to secure fundamental rights promised to its people, to deliver Justice and lead its people to economic and social progress. Democracy is defined by freedom of speech and expression. Media is an embodiment of these rights that define democracy. If we look back into history, the emergence of the modern nation-state where the sovereignty vested in its people is closely related to the spread of the printing press. Guttenberg ¤Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ws Bible (the first printed book) was a precursor to the spread of emocracy and republican thought across the world. Rousseau was mild mannered, but his thoughts disseminated by the newspapers in the coffee houses of Paris resulted in the French Revolution. Liberty, Equality and Fraternity as the slogan for the Revolution owes much to the media of the day. The Indian media has been truly a pillar of the Indian State. Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom. The Indian media has indeed been vigilant and persuasive in protection of freedoms and awakening thought. If we have preserved our democracy in the midst of periodic lapses into ictatorships in our neighbourhood, the credit should go to our founding fathers who created robust institutions and to the media who kept a vigilant watch at preserving these institutions. However, the nature of media has also been changing over the last two decades. The emergence of the electronic media in India over two decades ago since the first war to be witnessed live by millions in the cosy comforts of their homes, brought the power of imagery to the forefront. The growing dominance of imagery over substance in an era where time is of the essence and competition is ntense, has brought about the need for stoking fires, beaming controversies and heated debates in the media. The divergence of approach between the print and the electronic media has been amply demonstrated in the events of the last year. Today ¤ es media does not provide much space for settling differences, it prefers to dog the protagonists forever reminding them of the past. There is a problem with this approach. We do not sufficiently celebrate our achievements, we do not appreciate the progress that we make. The spread of negative sentiment leads to despondency and inaction. Infact, today ¤Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ws headline in a prominent newspaper speaks of the fear that stalks the corridors of bureaucracy. Despite the exhortation of the Prime Minister, the civil services today is afraid of action, for any action can be questioned. Faith and trust in all institutions are being eroded. Rampant mistrust, I believe, has slowed governance and if not corrected, can imperil the foundations of democracy. We have much to correct, but it is necessary for room for correction to be available. When there is a dispute in a family, the members retire to a place of seclusion to ettle eir tn ditterences. Today, there is no such place available due to the omnipotence of media. Competition spurs innovation, but unhealthy competition can lead to pandering. The rush for eyeballs in a crush of problems leads to extremes being aired rather than the moderate being heard. In such a situation, the responsibility of the media to the larger society gets diluted.    At the same time, I would for one strongly oppose attempts to impose responsibility through regulatory action. It is for the media to ponder and find solutions for itself. If the media fails to o so, Just as we are witnessing a clamour for Judicial accountability because the judiciary has not succeeded in inculcating responsibility within itself, a similar clamour for media accountability would grow. Another trend that has emerged in the recent years is the growth of the social media riding in the ICT revolution. Social interactions have exploded as never before, aided by the connecting power of the internet. The ability of thoughts to converge and congregate have multiplied manifold.

Stigma in Mental Illness: Causes and Impacts

Stigma in Mental Illness: Causes and Impacts This chapter will examine the term stigma and discuss the negative attitudes that the public hold towards mental health and mental illness and suggest why they may have adopted these views and attitudes. It will also address the medias role in portraying these views and sustaining these attitudes towards mental illness. An enormous number of individuals are affected by mental illness worldwide: the World Health Organization (WHO) (2001) has estimated that 1 in 5 persons will suffer from a mental illness each year. A question that could be asked if mental illness is a dominant and prevalent issue within society today why do people still hold these negative views and attitudes within society? Finally the chapter will conclude by making some recommendations for practice, ways that stigma can be reduced and how mental health and mental illness can be portrayed in a more positive light. To fully appreciate the views and attitudes towards mental illness it is important to understand the concept of stigma. Stigma is derived from the Greek for a mark branded on a slave or criminal (White, 1998). Goffmans (1963) seminal work on stigmatization has, over the years, stimulated a great variety of educational discussion on the nature, sources, and effects of stigma (Link and Phelan, 2001). According to Goffman (1963) stigma is a physical or psychological mark of disgrace that makes an individual stand out from society. Three types of stigmatizing marks identified by Goffman include, Abominations of the body, tribal stigma, and blemishes of individual character (Goffman, 1963, pg 14). People who encompass these physical or psychological marks are often devalued and dehumanised which consequently leads to their position within society being corrupted by the distressing effects of stigmatization (Goffman, 1963). A definition that can be seen to encompass all aspects alongside Goffman is offered by Miles (1981) cited in Brunton (1997) who says, Societal reaction which singles out certain attributes evaluates them as an undesirable and devalues the persons who possess them. (p. 892) The suffering and loss of opportunities that seems to always come hand in hand with a diagnosis of mental illness can be seen to be connected to the psychiatric symptoms that can be observed e.g. talking to voices, the decrease in daily functioning, and the dip in a persons social functioning in society (Corrigan and Wassel, 2008). However, the loss of opportunities and the person with a mental illness devaluing their own self worth take place for the reason of the stigma that surrounds mental illness (Corrigan and Kleinlein, 2005). For the purposes of this dissertation negative attitudes refers to discriminatory attitudes that are based on prejudice, stereotypes or inaccurate information. Stereotypes are firmly set judgements that are learnt throughout life and held firmly in our mind (Stier and Hinshaw, 2007). They are discriminating views or images related to members of particular groups (Corrigan and Wassel, 2008). Prejudice effects individuals in an emotional manner (Stier and Hinshaw, 2007) and occurs when people within society have the same opinion about a particular stereotype and affix this to a group of people making negative connotations towards that particular group (Corrigan and Wassel, 2008). Then again, Corrigan and Wassel (2008) state that discriminative behaviour can be seen as a direct result of prejudice. This involves a specific group being treated in a dissimilar way leading to that group not being able to access opportunities available to them or their rights being restricted (Stier and Hin shaw, 2007). Negative attitudes towards people with mental distress may be manifested by physical and verbal abuse, problems in the workplace or discrimination from people who provide services to people with a mental illness (Mind, 2010). Negative attitudes are partly constructed in the language we use to describe mental illness. People with mental distress are often being described in derogatory terms. For example, perpetrators of acts of violence are often described as Lunatics, mad person (Tudor, 1996), schizos, nutters, psychos, fiends, monsters and maniacs (Twomley, 2007). This makes a clear link between violence and mental distress, it must be acknowledged though that not everyone who is violent necessarily has a mental illness. Angermeyer and Schulze (2001) suggest the general public view people with mental illness as bizarre, fear-provoking, impulsive, violent and lack self-discipline. From this, therefore, it could be suggested that people who have a mental illness are deviants or have deviant behaviour. Becker (1963) defines deviance as any trait or behaviour that was abnormal when compared to the average population (pg. ). If mental illness is classed as deviant then how bad does someone have to act or behave to be classed as deviant. This demonstrates that social rules that are made allow people to judge others as different or in this case deviant (Becker, 1963). This is further supported by Baumann (2007) who suggest that the individuals picture of the world is created by comparatively constant norms, principles and expectations. Angermeyer and Matschinger (2005) suggests a diagnosis of schizophrenia has, particularly, been found to be stigmatizing and linked with negative stereotypes such as violence and dangerousness. This shows that by mental health being medicalised it is profoundly unhelpful due to the diagnostic terms such as psychosis which can shackle people to the mental health system (Watkins, 2007). In contrast Shepherd et al (2008) describe the recovery model   as taking ownership and responsibility for an illness and what can and cant be done, focusing on the strengths and issues rather than a diagnosis. This is a reliable source provided by the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health. The recovery model will be discussed more in-depth in chapter three. There is no doubt that the media plays a part in reinforcing the attitudes towards mental health and mental illness. In everyday life the public come into contact with the media by newspapers, TV and radio on a daily basis. The way people with a mental illness are viewed as dangerous can be seen to be fuelled by tabloid media publicity about psycho-killers (Tudor, 1996). Examples of this are included in the appendix. The report, Screening for madness, by Byrne (2009) reveals that films representations of people with experience of mental health problems have become more harmful, he suggests that, Mental health stereotypes have not changed over a century of cinema. If anything, the comedy is crueler and the deranged psycho killer even more demonic. (pg. 4) One flew over the Cuckoos Nest can be seen as the film most remembered for depicting someone with a mental illness acting strangely or violently (reference). Even though this was released 35 years ago it shows the influence of movie stereotypes on attitudes and how these can last generations. This is also demonstrated with the recent film Batman-the Dark Knight depicting mental illness with violence which more or less is based around the mental illness schizophrenia (Byrne, 2009). This would suggest that ignorance and lack of understanding of mental illness are still very prominent in society today. It must be acknowledged there are some exceptions to this, of more recent films that have portrayed a less sensational and more insightful picture of mental illness. For instance, A Beautiful Mind, in 2002, depicted the true story of a maths genius who had a diagnosis of schizophrenia, while Shine, in 1996, was the story of a brilliant pianist who had a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Nevertheless, the more positive portrayals can represent mental distress as exotic, dramatic or romantic in ways that bear little resemblance to real-life experiences (Lott, 2006). Likewise, media portrayals of mental health have been far from flattering and largely sensationalized. A survey undertaken in 2000 by MIND found that 73% of people with mental health problems felt that the reporting of mental health issues were unjust, biased and pessimistic (MIND, 2000 cited in Rethink, 2006). In addition a study by Chopra and Doody (1997) looked at 98 newspaper articles and found there was no significant difference in the portrayal of schizophrenia. They did find overall that 36.1% of articles were negative in tone, 56.7% were neutral and 7.2% were positive. The word schizophrenic is often used in tabloid stories in conjunction with violent events, somehow suggesting that the diagnosis can justify why the violence happened in the first place (Twomey, 2007). In reality, the person who happens to have a diagnosis of schizophrenia may have acted in such a way due to taking illegal drugs or may have a violent personality, we need to look at all aspect of what led to a violent situation happening and not just that someone was mentally ill. The media can often be seen to be responsible for stigmatizing stereotypes of mental illness (Byrne, 1997),however, if the media was used to its potential it can challenge prejudice, enlighten and instigate discussions, helping to reduce the stigma that is so often experienced by people with a mental illness (Salter and Byrne, 2000). It is still evident through reporting on mental health that a diagnosis of a mental illness is linked to violence. There is however, some evidence of positive change where The Sun newspaper was made to remove a headline of Bonkers Bruno locked up which was reporting on the sectioning of the boxer frank Bruno under the Mental Health Act (MIND, 2010). In 2006, the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) published a code of practice, which banned the use of stigmatising language around mental illness which reduced the use of the terms such as schizo and nutter (PCC, 2006). This gives an example of just how much the media has moved on over the years and that there are some strategies to prevent harm being done to people with mental health problems. Becker (1963) concludes that people who are mentally ill are blamed for things that happen in society therefore you would think they would be punished or persecuted. It must be acknowledged that there are extensive resources devoted to the benevolent care and support of those with an enduring mental illness. Even though this is an old source it is relevant even today and apparent how services are developing for people with mental health problems. Nevertheless, people suffering from a mental illness are still feared and excluded from society (Becker, 1963 and Watkins, 2007). When people have acute mental health problems they can appear to the public to be frightening and exhibit odd behaviours which can often lead to police involvement (Taylor, 2008). At such times they can commit criminal acts, often escaping prosecution due to their mental illness at the time (Bowers, 1998; Taylor, 2008). Therefore, it could be argued that the public hold these views due to such examples where peopl e are excused from their actions on the basis of some supposed illness. It could be suggested that they should be held accountable for their actions as anyone else would be (Bowers, 1998). It can be argued that these attitudes towards mental illness can be seen in a direct parallel to racism (Bowers, 1998). So why do people continue showing negative attitudes and views towards mental health as much work has been done in helping to combat racism, can the same not be done for people with mental illness. Negative attitudes towards individuals with mental illness is widespread and can be capable of creating a significant barrier to treatment (Piner and Kahle, 1984). It has been established that negative attitudes can be individually the most significant obstruction to integration of people with a mental illness in to society (Piner and Kahle, 1984). Negative attitudes towards mental health can influence the path and result of their mental illness (Bowers, 1998). This can also lead to self-stigma which occurs when an individual with a mental health illness internalizes the stigma and believes they are of less value (Halter, 2004; Corrigan, 2007). This may result in low self-worth, loss of dignity, and lead to feelings of hopelessness (Campbell and Deacon, 2006). People who experience a mental illness often see no potential for them to undertake full time employment due to internalizing these negative attitudes that are held about the psychiatric system (Watkins, 2007). If we dont help people recover from mental illnesses it is inevitable that it may become an enduring illness. An analogy given compares it to having a broken leg; if you dont rest it then it wont heal properly, the same could be said for the mind. Maybe if people were more positive towards mental health and mental illness then people with mental health problems would be encouraged to flourish in the community and not be seen as deviant. This is supported by Sayce (2000) who suggests that being part of the social foundations of the community is necessary for our psychological well being. Generally most people would like to think they are compassionate and have inclusive attitudes towards people who experience a breakdown in their mental health (Ross and Read, 2004). Except, discrimination is still communicated in everyday social situations in subtly distancing, condescending exchanges, flippant outlooks or obvious hostility leaving people feeling socially isolated (Watkins, 2007). This could be due to the fact that mental illness shows how fragile human nature is therefore peoples/societies anxieties and fears about mental health may be due to seeing the potential that any one of us could develop a mental health disorder (Becker, 1963). From my practice to date the following example really brought home to me the level of stigma and negative attitudes people have towards mental illness. When listening to an account from a service user it made me realise how public attitudes towards people with mental health difficulties is still a big issue and a real challenge for health care professionals. Mary explained that when taking a taxi to give a talk to students about living with mental illness she got talking to the taxi driver. At first he thought she was a lecturer but when she explained what she was going to do he became very quiet and stopped conversation with her. She found this a very ignorant and closed way of dealing with the situation and became quite upset about it. Having examined the concepts of stigma, discussed the negative attitudes that the public hold towards mental health and mental illness, suggested why they may have adopted these views and attitudes and addressed the medias role in portraying these views and sustaining these attitudes towards mental illness. It is now important to draw some recommendations and challenges that can help reduce the stigma of mental illness and promote a more positive picture to members of the public. These recommendations include education and public contact. Firstly, education of the public both at school and after (Murphy et al 1993; Penn et al 1994) about mental health and its prevalence among every one of us is really important. Education is widely approved for influencing prejudice and discrimination (Corrigan and Wassel, 2008). Corrigan and Wassel (2008) ask the important question, If people had the correct knowledge or effective problem solving skills, would they be able to give up public stigma and handle associated concerns more directly? (pg. 45) Education can generate small effects on attitudes; unfortunately, this kind of change in attitude is seen to not be maintained over time (Corrigan et al, 2001). This demonstrates the need to continually re-educate people to reinforce the message. Challenging the public is most effective when it targets people who frequently interact with individuals with mental illness: landlords, employers, GPs, police officers etc (Corrigan and Wassel, 2008). Secondly, most importantly the media needs to comply with their code of practice (2006). If something does appear in the media that appears stigmatising people should protest against it not accept it and reiterate that it wont be tolerated. As nurses we need to encourage that positive things surrounding mental health of mental health are promoted in the media. Lastly, the public need more contact with people who are experiencing mental health difficulties. This type of contact can provide the most healthy and positive findings toward changing public stigma (Penn et al,1994; Pettigrew and Tropp, 2000). It can be something as small as someone speaking about their mental illness in a group situation to co-workers learning of someone coping with a mental illness. The effectiveness of utilising contact can be improved when the person with a mental illness is seen by society as in the same social class as them (Gaertner et al, 1996). In Link and Cullens (1986) study they found people who had contact with someone who had a mental illness showed much lower anxiety around danger compared to those who had no contact. Murphy et als (1993) study contradicted this as they found having contact with someone with a mental illness did not impact on their attitude. However, they did establish that people who spoke of having knowledge of mental illness showe d a reduced anxiety and fear of mental illness. Finally, the prevalence of mental illness in society cannot be underestimated. As previously alluded to with 1 in 5 people suffering from a mental illness (WHO, 2001) we cannot afford to ignore the impact of stigma, all health care professionals especially nurses need to advocate for clients and work with others to promote and protect the health and wellbeing of those in their care, their families and carers, and the wider community (Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2008). Having discussed the views and attitudes that the public hold towards mental illness and those experiencing mental health difficulties it is now important, in the next chapter, to examine the views and attitudes of general nurses. Many will come into contact with people with mental health problems particularly in accident and emergency (a and e) and a medical setting.

Anorexia Essay -- essays research papers

The Causes and Effects of Anorexia   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When I think of anorexia, a few things come to mind. I think of really bad episodes of Beverly Hills 90210 and Baywatch in which females, ususally teenagers, starve themselves and take diet pills. The eating problem is always resolved within the timespan of one 30 minute episode. From the research I've done thus far on anorexia, I now know that this is a very unrealistic representation of what is actually a very serious disease.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The purpose of this study is twofold. First, I have done extensive research on the causes and effects of anorexia. Secondly, I will produce a survey that asks basic questions about anorexia. I will give these to young adults from the ages of 15 to 35. This will serve as my means to find out just how much people of that certain age group know about the potentially deadly disease of anorexia. This research is not only to inform myself about anorexia, but also to inform myself about the knowledge or lack thereof that young people have about the disease.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Most people believe that anorexia is mainly a young females' disease. This is not necessarily true. In fact, studies within the past few years show that male anorexia is about as widespread as in females. In actuality, 80 percent of the people diagnosed with anorexia over the age of 45 are males(Heywood, 1996). Other misconceptions are that ...

Life in the 1920s in Melbourne was much different than the years before

There were drastic changes in Melbourne and also the world. Several changes made were that there is more ways for people to entertain themselves, women started to wear differently, also the form of transport was different. People in the 1920's had many ways to entertain themselves. Several ways they entertained themselves was by watched the football (which was called the VFL because it was only Victorian teams), going to the movies and watching the Melbourne Cup. The VFL is like AFL today but in the 1920's it wasn't Australia wide. Some of the teams that played were Collingwood, Carlton, Geelong, Essendon, South Melbourne, Richmond, St Kilda, Fitzroy and Melbourne. In the 1920's Richmond won the Grand Final that year, Collingwood were the runners up that year. Collingwood lost by 17 points to a crowd of 53,908. The best player during this time was Roy Cazaly; George Bayliss was the leading goal scorer in 1920. Cinemas in Melbourne during the 1920s were in black and white. There was also no sound that was made by the actors. The only sound that they heard was from a piano player that on the side of the screen and played music when it was the right time. Many of the movies seen in the cinemas were from America but there were a couple that were made in Australia. One of the movies shown in cinemas during the 1920's was Soldiers of the Cross; the main characters in this movie were Beatrice Day, Harold Graham. Also in the 1920's the Melbourne Cup was won by a horse named Poitrel, the jokey that was riding him was K.Bracken and the trainer was H.J.Robinson. Erasmus came second and queen comedy came third. Most of the transport in the 1920's was by trains and cars. The trains they had been stream trains which were loud and let out a lot of smoke from their chimneys. Trains only travelled at a few kilometres an hour but were gradually changed to 30km/h during the 1920's. Flinders Station existed during that time and is still used today. Many Australians had cars, it was said that about 500 000 cars were owned in 1929 by Australians. Australia was ranked in the top five nations that owned cars. Most of the cars in Australia were imported from Europe and America but also some were made here in Australia. Most of the cars were run on steam but they began to move towards the petrol cars. Plans were used as a source of transport to go to other countries. Throughout the late 1920's electric trams started to appear in Melbourne Fashion for men and women changed enormously clean-shaven chins became more fashionable than beards and knee-length skirts were high fashion for women. Coats and stoles became fashionable in Melbourne. The ideas of these types of clothing came from the Chinese, Egyptian and the Japanese. Coats were transformed into a more casual which were made from lightweight silks and local fur. They also had coats that had a sensual combination of Chinese, Egyptian and Australian influences.

Obesity Amongst Mexican Children Essay

Abstract: The prevalence of overweight children in the United States of Mexican descent is higher for second generation than their first generation counterparts. First generation immigrants tend to keep a healthier lifestyle by consuming more fresh fruits and vegetables, walking longer distances and smoking less than the more acculturated Mexican-Americans. Acculturation is a major contributing factor for the alarming rates of obesity within Mexican children. When children of Mexican immigrants are exposed to American society, they develop unhealthy habits such as eating pizza and hot dogs during school lunch hours, access to vending machines, and media exposure where they are constantly bombarded with food related commercials of unhealthy nature. A lower socio-economic status, such as the recently immigrated parents, is also a contributing factor for obesity within Mexican children. High calorie and high fat content foods tend to be less expensive than fresh fruits and fresh vegetables, leading to poorer, unhealthier choices. Fast food chains are prohibitory expensive in Mexico, whereas in the US they are not. As young Mexican children develop their sense of identity while they separate from their parents or caregivers and seek acceptance from their American peers, they integrate themselves into the fast food culture leading to obesity amongst Mexican-American children of second generation in the US. The incidence of obesity in Mexican adults has increased markedly over the years. Data from the 1993 National Survey of Chronic Diseases (Encuesta Nacional de Enfermedades Cronicas) showed an obesity prevalence of 21. 5%. The 2000 National Health Survey (Encuesta Nacional de Salud) indicated that 24% of adults suffered obesity. Data from the 2006 National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT 2006) revealed that 30% of adults of both sexes were obese. (Rojas,R, Aguilar-Salinas, C. , Jimenez, A. , Gomez, F. , Barquera, S. , 2012, p. 8) In the last two decades, the prevalence of childhood obesity, defined as at or above the 95th percentile of body mass index (BMI) for age and gender (Center for Disease Control, 2009), has more than doubled among children aged 6–11 years and tripled among adolescents aged 12–19 years, and here is no evidence that this trend is coming to an end (Ogden, 2002). This is a serious public health concern because obese children and adolescents are at an increased risk for various physical, mental, and emotional health problems, including impaired glucose tolerance , insulin resistance, atherosclerosis , coronary heart disease in adulthood , development of eating disorders, and low self-esteem (Seo, D. & Sa, J. , 2009). The obesity epidemic disproportionately affects racial/ethnic minority children, who are defined as American Indian, Alaska Native, Asian American, Black, African American, Hispanic, Latino, Native Hawaiian, or OBESITY AMONGST MEXICAN CHILDREN: ARE FIRST GENERATION MEXICAN CHILDREN 3 MORE PRONE TO OBESITY THAN THEIR SECOND GENERATION COUNTERPARTS? other Pacific Islander (CDC, 2009). According to estimates based on the 2001–2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), among children aged 6–19 years, 22. 2% of Mexican American children and 20. 5% of non-Hispanic Blacks were obese as compared with only 13. 6% of non-Hispanic whites. Other studies performed by Ogden and colleagues (2002) also affirm a larger prevalence of obesity among Mexican American and Black children compared with white children. These rates of obesity are far from the 2010 national health objective of Healthy People 2010. The higher incidence of obesity among minority children is alarming because these racial/ethnic groups have a lower insulin sensitivity than white children (Seo, D, & Sa, J. 2009). Obesity is an epidemic facing millions of people across the globe, resulting in more than 300,000 deaths in the United States alone (Dishman, 2004). Historically, the majority of people affected by obesity were adults. However, in the last decade this epidemic has spread to our youth. Excess weight in U. S. children has increased in prevalence and has become a serious public health concern. Currently, about 33% of children ages 2–5 in the U. S. are overweight (BMI in the 85th percentile or above), and 12% are considered obese (BMI in the 95th percentile or above) (CDC, 2009). Overweight children have a 70–80% chance of becoming overweight or obese adults, which may lead to an increase in obesity related disease among adults (United States Department of Human Health and Services, 2007). Obesity is one of the leading risk factors for disease and fatal health conditions, such as hypertension, type II diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea and respiratory problems, and some cancers (CDC, 2009). Not only is obesity linked to clinical conditions, but it may also lead to mental health problems such as self-blame and low self-esteem ( Haboush, A., Phebus, T. , Tanata Ashby, D. , Zaikina-Montgomery, H. , & Kindig, K. , 2011). This paper will focus on the contributing factors for the alarming obesity rates amongst Mexican children. Are second generation Mexican children more prone to obesity than their first generation counterparts? Mexican immigrant parents usually don’t view obesity as a threatening health issue. In fact, some research reports that Mexican mothers see childhood obesity as a sign of good heath (Rosas et al. ) and thinness as a sigh of illness (Sosa, 2012). Acculturation, or the process of adjusting to a new culture, describes social, psychological, and behavioral changes that an individual undergoes as result of immigration (Buttenheim, A. , Pebley, A. , Hsih, K. , Chung, C. , Goldman, N. , 2012). The drastic changes in lifestyle and social interactions that immigrants encounter upon arriving to the United States often put them at risk for negative health consequences (Ogden et al. , 2009). Of the negative health outcomes associated with OBESITY AMONGST MEXICAN CHILDREN: ARE FIRST GENERATION MEXICAN CHILDREN 4 MORE PRONE TO OBESITY THAN THEIR SECOND GENERATION COUNTERPARTS?acculturation in Mexican children, obesity is significant because it has implications for development of chronic diseases such as heart disease and Type II Diabetes (CDC, 2009). Mexican children are at increased risk for obesity upon immigration to the United States and are predisposed to development of chronic diseases,(Buscemi, J. , Beech, B. , & Relyea, G. , 2011). Mexican American mothers’ views on obesity, 40% of mothers with overweight children did not identify overweight as a health issue (Ariza et al. , 2004). When weight was used as an indicator of health, parents were more concerned with the health of skinny children than overweight children. Mexican American mothers were concerned with having thin children because a thin child could become sick and die (Small, L. , Melnyk, B. , Anderson-Gifford, D. , & Hampl, J. 2009). A second and less studied mechanism linking nativity of US immigrants to obesity risk is the interconnectedness of the food environment and migration dynamics in the sending country (Buttenheim et al. , 2012). This is particularly relevant in the case of obesity risk for Mexican-origin children in the US, given the large, circular migration flows between the two countries and the well-documented nutrition transition underway in Mexico (Popkin & Udry, 1998). This transition is characterized by a shift from unprocessed and low energy density diets to highly processed, energy dense foods. The transition is due in part to new food marketing strategies and a simultaneous decrease in physical activity that has accompanied urbanization and economic development in Mexico (Popkin &Udry, 1998). Mexico’s nutrition transition has been notably rapid: Mexico now has the second highest rates of adult obesity among OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries (after the US) (Rosas, 2011). A potential explanation for the increased obesity rates within the Mexican immigrants in the US is acculturative stress (Van Hook et al. , 2011). Mexican-origin immigrants, are often faced with discrimination based on race/ethnicity and immigrant status. This discrimination, in turn, leads to chronic stress and psycho-physiological stress responses, which are known to affect health over the long run . Thus, the process of integration into a society that views Mexican-origin immigrants as being of lower status than other social and racial/ethnic groups may itself result in chronic health problems, even if health behaviors remain constant over time and across immigrant generation. Why would duration of time in the US and immigrant generation affect obesity? The acculturation literature has emphasized the importance of dietary changes by duration in the US and across generation: increased acculturation is hypothesized to lead to decreased consumption of healthy foods and increased consumption of processed high OBESITY AMONGST MEXICAN CHILDREN: ARE FIRST GENERATION MEXICAN CHILDREN 5 MORE PRONE TO OBESITY THAN THEIR SECOND GENERATION COUNTERPARTS? fat/sugar foods. Gordon-Larsen et al. (2003) reported that first generation Mexican immigrant adolescents eat more rice, beans, fruit, and vegetables and less cheese and fast food than second generation Mexican-origin immigrants. Kaiser and colleagues (2007) say that acculturation seems to be a contributing factor for obesity amongst Mexican children. Acculturation can be defined as the process by which immigrants adopt the attitudes, values, customs, beliefs, and behaviors of a new culture. Two studies reported their findings on acculturation and potential implications on the nutritional status of Mexican American children. Kaiser and colleagues (2007) concluded that less acculturated mothers were more likely to provide alternate food choices when a child would not eat and use child-feeding strategies that may contribute to childhood overweight, such as bribes, threats, and punishment. Ariza, Chen, Binns, and Christoffel (2004) conducted a study to test their hypothesis that overweight was more prevalent in highly acculturated Mexican American children aged 5 to 6 years; however, the results did not substantiate an association between overweight and acculturation in this population. Duerksen and colleagues (2007) reported that increased levels of acculturation may lead to higher rates of overweight among Mexican American families if they were eating more meals at fast-food and buffet-style restaurants rather than selecting traditional, authentic Mexican restaurants. Studies indicated that less acculturated Mexican Americans consumed less fat, and more fiber, protein, vitamins A, C, E and B6, folate, calcium, potassium, and magnesium than their more acculturated counterparts (Rosas et al. 2011). Most research conducted across age groups and outcomes indicates that newly-arrived and less acculturated immigrants are healthier and live longer than natives. Unfortunately, this health advantage dissipates with duration of U. S. residence and does not extend to the next generation. In addition to the influence of parents’ acculturation on children’s behaviors, children can accelerate the acculturation process for their families as well because children are more likely to have a consistent exposure to typical American foods at school and likely to affect purchasing decisions of their parents. One of the biggest changes in children’s diets after moving to the United States has been suggested to be with the foods children consume at school. It has been reported that although Mexican American children liked the traditional ethnic foods they received at home, they preferred the American foods they were served at school (e.g. , pizza, hamburgers) (Rosas et al. 2011). Furthermore, there seemed to be a lack of awareness among children about the healthfulness of traditional Mexican foods (such as fruits, vegetables, and beans) or potential health risks of the typical American diet, which was perceived as pizza, hotdogs, hamburgers, and French fries. As children develop their own self and ethnic identities, they may seek separation from their parents and acceptance from their peers, and they may identify fast food and other less healthful food options with the United States culture. This can eventually lead to less healthful dietary patterns both for children and their families because children are likely to affect food-purchasing OBESITY AMONGST MEXICAN CHILDREN: ARE FIRST GENERATION MEXICAN CHILDREN 6 MORE PRONE TO OBESITY THAN THEIR SECOND GENERATION COUNTERPARTS? decisions in their households (Rosas et al. 2011). When looking into the influence of acculturation on food intake behaviors among children and youths, another important element of the social environment must be addressed: media exposure. Media exposure can have detrimental influences at both ends of the spectrum in terms of eating behaviors: children may adopt an unrealistically thin body image through exposure to popular culture, and unhealthy dieting practices or eating disorders may follow. Alternatively, they may increase their consumption of nutrient-poor, energy-dense foods that they are exposed to through advertisements, and this type of behavior may eventually lead to overweight status. There have been some initiatives to limit food marketing aiming at children, but nutritionally poor and energy dense foods (e.g. , high sugar cereals, candy, soft drinks, chips) still constitute the majority of the foods advertised on television (Kunkel et al. 2009). Several reports indicate that children choose advertised foods at significantly higher rates and attempt to influence their parents to purchase these foods. Unfortunately, advertisement of the nutritionally inferior food choices is not limited to television only; it is widespread through a variety of channels such as schools (vending machines, corporate sponsorship of school events and materials, etc. ), and online applications(e.g. , interactive games, sweepstakes, computer screensavers). Media exposure among children has been increasing over the past 10 years, and according to the 2009 estimates (Kunkel et al. 2009). American children spend about 7. 4 hours per day using or watching media such as television, computers, video games or movies. These estimates seem to be even higher among minorities) and individuals with lower socio economical status( SES) (Sussner et al. 2009). Hispanic youths were reported to spend about 5. 5 hours per day watching television while this estimate was 3. 5 hours per day for non-Hispanic whites in 2009. Moreover, screen time seems to increase with greater acculturation (Gordon-Larsen et al. 2003). The data from the 2003–04 National Survey of Children’s Health indicated that, in comparison to U. S. -born non-Hispanic white children with U. S. -born parents, foreign-born Hispanic children with immigrant parents were 31 percent more likely and U. S. -born Hispanic children with U. S. -born parents were 51 percent more likely to watch television. Although foreign-born Hispanics seem to be less likely to consume less healthful foods (Osypuk et al.2009), a reverse trend can be seen if these foods are more expensive in the country of origin but cheaper in the United States. For example, qualitative studies indicated that lower cost and increased availability were among the reasons for Mexican Americans to consume snacks, sweets, and fast food more in the United States . An earlier report pointed out that some foods, such as mayonnaise, margarine, and salad dressing were considered high-status items by many low-income families in Latin America (Romero-Gwynn et al. 1993). Similarly, Mexican adults living in Florida reported that in addition to fast food not being as readily available in their native country, it was more expensive than in the United States and therefore, they tended to eat fast food only for special occasions in their native OBESITY AMONGST MEXICAN CHILDREN: ARE FIRST GENERATION MEXICAN CHILDREN 7 MORE PRONE TO OBESITY THAN THEIR SECOND GENERATION COUNTERPARTS? country. Once these types of foods become more readily available and affordable for the immigrants in the United States, an increase in the consumption levels would be expected. Lower costs, widespread availability, and the convenience of fast food in the United States appear to be an enticing solution especially for time-strapped immigrant families with children (Lindsay et al. 2009). Qualitative studies among immigrants suggest a more relaxed lifestyle in Mexico versus a very busy lifestyle in the United States that leaves less time to cook or prepare foods. This type of lifestyle makes convenience foods very appealing, and it is likely to result in an increase in fast food consumption (Gray et al. 2005). In addition to the economic conditions related to the food environment, limited socioeconomic abilities of individuals also put immigrants at greater risk for unhealthy food intake patterns and entailing health issues. Higher rates of food insecurity and low SES among minorities and immigrants are likely to force individuals to purchase relatively cheaper and filling, but often nutrient-poor, energy-dense foods (Drewnowski and Darmon 2005). A binational study that was conducted in the United States and Mexico provided support for these eating patterns, and it also pointed out the country- or culture-specific variations in these associations. In the United States sample of this study, children with food insecurity were more likely to consume fat, saturated fat, sweets, and fried snacks compared to their food secure counterparts. In Mexico, however, food insecure (versus food secure) children displayed a different food intake pattern that was characterized by higher intakes of carbohydrates, dairy, and vitamin B6 (Rosas et al. 2009). One of the least studied aspects of the relationship between socioeconomic factors and food intake is the residential context and demographic makeup of the neighborhoods. One of the few studies that examined this context in a mostly Hispanic (but mixed ethnic) sample suggested that greater density of immigrants in residential areas was positively related to fruit and vegetable intake after controlling for individual factors such as age, race/ethnicity, language, country of birth, and education (Dubowitz et al. 2008). Another study also reported that high-fat/processed food intake (fats, oils, processed meats, fried potatoes, salty snacks, desserts) was lower in immigrant-dense neighborhoods even after controlling for SES, demographic factors, and acculturation (Rosas et al.2011). These results indicate beneficial dietary intake patterns for all residents (immigrant or not) residing in that area. Some of the potential factors underlying these results could be resulting from socioeconomic advantages through greater social capital, availability of stores with healthier ethnic food options, and higher consumption of healthier food intake habits, social norms, and values in the ethnically dense neighborhoods (Dubowitz et al. 2008). OBESITY AMONGST MEXICAN CHILDREN: ARE FIRST GENERATION MEXICAN CHILDREN 8 MORE PRONE TO OBESITY THAN THEIR SECOND GENERATION COUNTERPARTS? Highly acculturated Hispanic adults were more likely to have higher BMIs than their less acculturated counterparts. Similarly, second or third generation Hispanic youths were reported to be more likely overweight than their first generation counterparts (Popkin and Udry 1998). For adults, the difference in the overweight status by acculturation seems to be seen usually in a range of 10 to 21 years of residence in the United States, but interestingly, BMI differences were detectable by age two among less acculturated mothers’ children in a mostly Hispanic sample (Sussner et al. 2009). Some of the mechanisms underlying these findings could be the existence of cultural beliefs that associate overweight status among children with perception of good health (Sussner et al. 2009), failing to recognize overweight status, or acceptance of a larger body size as a desirable body image among Hispanics. Taken together, these cultural preferences can lead to obesity over time with the additional contribution of the typical environment in the United States that stimulates consumption of energy-dense foods and discourages physical activities. Certain food intake patterns (e. g., energy-dense foods) can lead to overweight or obese status as people acculturate. Although a factor analysis of nationally representative data from the NHANES 2001–02 did not indicate a specific dietary intake pattern in relationship to BMI or waist circumference (as measures of overall or central adiposity) among Mexican Americans (Carrera et al. 2007), it is possible that dietary intake might be related to obesity indirectly, or collectively with other lifestyle factors (e. g. , physical activity). It is also possible that the effects might be most pronounced at specific time periods during acculturation. Supporting this potential mechanism is the results from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health indicating that increased probability of overweight, which was related to changes in lifestyle factors (i. e. , screen time, diet), was detectable among first generation Mexican adolescents but not among second (or more) generation participants (Gordon-Larsen et al. 2003). Although social economic status (SES) is also linked to obesity, this association seems to vary depending on the SES measures used and also by race or ethnicity. For example, in a nationally representative sample of children, both education and income were negatively related to BMI among non-Hispanic whites, but only income was positively related to BMI among Hispanics (Balistreri and Van Hook 2009). As suggested by the authors, increasing education level may be a reflection of changes in knowledge, learning abilities, social class, and personal skills while higher income among immigrants might be an indicator of greater purchasing capacity, which can result in less healthful eating patterns in the absence of adequate nutrition knowledge, skills, and a healthful food environment. SES also seems to have gender-specific and long-term consequences. Data from a nationally representative longitudinal survey among adolescents indicated that there was a strong positive association between long-term (persistent) low SES and obesity among females. Among males, however, obesity rates were highest among those who had a socioeconomically disadvantaged beginning but gained autonomy, for example, home ownership later on. Most importantly, the report pointed out that the effect of SES on OBESITY AMONGST MEXICAN CHILDREN: ARE FIRST GENERATION MEXICAN CHILDREN 9 MORE PRONE TO OBESITY THAN THEIR SECOND GENERATION COUNTERPARTS?obesity was probably initiated before adolescence (Scharoun-Lee et al. 2009). Conclusion: The research has shown that second generation Mexican children are in fact more prone to obesity than their first generation counterparts. 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