Article Review The Magic of the Placebo by David Bjerklie

Imagine going to the doctor and being given medication to heal your pain. Now how would you feel if after taking the medication and feeling better you came to find out you were given a placebo? This may sound upsetting to some, however, â€Å" a recent survey of U.S. internists and rheumatologists found that some 50% regular prescribe placebos.† A placebo is defined as a false treatment without any significant chemical properties or active ingredient. The use of placebos as a primary form of treatment with any pathology is not happening anytime soon, but their positive impact and usefulness in the medical field is becoming hard to deny. In the article, â€Å"The Magic of the Placebo†, author David Bjerklie attempts to explain the growing change in†¦show more content†¦The author continues to demonstrate how the placebo effect works by comparing it to the famous biological study by Ivan Pavlov. In Pavlov’s experiment, dogs are conditioned to respond to a specific stimulus and eventually begin to respond to the same stimulus in the same way all the time. Bjerklie explains that, â€Å"as far as the placebo effect is concerned, we may as well be those impressionable canines.† What Bjerklie means is that the human mind has the ability to be conditioned to expect certain outcomes. The placebo effect builds on the human minds ability to be conditioned and an individual’s faith in the healthcare providers it choses to visit. Overtime the human mind has come to believe that if given a medication that is suppose to have a positive effect on a specific pathology, it will in fact have an positive effect. In the last section of the article the author explains the many issues that have arisen with the discovery of the placebo effect and the many challenges that the placebo effect faces before it is accepted as a common medical practice. One major issue the author brings up is the fact that the placebo effect is not the same for everyone. The author explains that not everyone can take a placebo and expect positive results. In order to explain this variability in the article the author cites Robert Trivers, an evolutionary biologist, of Rutgers University. Trivers explains

Minimum Legal Drinking Age Should Remain at the Age of 21...

Without a doubt, the United States has been facing serious national problems with underage drinking. Depending on personal ideologies, some people might not agree that the current minimum drinking age of twenty-one is based on scientific facts rather then ideology of prohibitionism. For example, since 1975 over seventeen thousand lives have been saved since the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) was changed to age twenty-one (Balkin 167). This shows that even over a short amount of time, a higher MLDA helps decrease the risk of teen suicides, accidents and overdose deaths. However, this widely debated topic has inevitably brought attention to the plethora of supporting and opposing viewpoints. The minimum legal drinking age of twenty-one†¦show more content†¦Simultaneously, accidents involving automobiles without a doubt are devastating. How would one feel if a loved one was killed in a collision due to an intoxicated driver? Wouldn’t the individual want to do somet hing about it? The death of the Candy Lightner’s daughter lead to her development of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and the 1984 National Minimum Drinking Age Act. This act gave full federal highway funds only to states that set the minimum age to purchase or consume alcohol at twenty-one years (Sanghavi). Once all states raised their MLDA to twenty-one years, drunk-driving accidents and deaths decreased. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the reduction in traffic fatalities due to the legal drinking age of twenty-one prevented 846 deaths in 1997 and prevented a total of 17,359 deaths since 1975 (Balkin 168). This single statistic shows that automobile accidents have substantially decreased in response to the authorization of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act. In addition, the average teenager earns their drivers license at the age of seventeen. This being said, allowing a young driver with only one years experience (excluding a learner s permit) to legally consume alcohol would surely be an irresponsible decision. Most people knowShow MoreRelatedThe Minimum Drinking Age Act1700 Words   |  7 Pagesthe National Minimum Drinking Age Act made all 50 states raise the legal drinking age to 21(Dejong). The debate is on whether the age should be lowered or not. Statistically, having the age at 21 has been very helpful in keeping the nation safe. If there is not an issue with age now, would it make sense to lower the age and create unnecessary problems? In this case, the negative effects outweigh the positive. Simply because there is no good in lowering the age. The legal drinking age has been setRead MoreThe Drinking Age Should Remain 18 in Australia1563 Words   |  7 PagesThe Drinking Age Should Remain 18 Years Old in Australia The Drinking Age Should Remain 18 Years Old in Australia These days there are a number of social issues in the community, such as drug abuse, teenage pregnancy and alcohol abuse. Alcohol abuse is rampant in today’s society, Australian Drug Foundation states that, â€Å"Alcohol is the most widely used psychoactive, or mood-changing, recreational drug in Australia.†(Healey, 2002, p. 11). Underage drinking and binge drinking are some of the problemsRead MoreThe Problems of Underage Drinking Essay526 Words   |  3 Pagescontroversy of underage drinking has been a serious and difficult issue for many colleges, communities, and parents over the past several years. Fifty states in the U.S have already set their minimum alcohol drinking and purchasing age to twenty one. Yet many people, especially teenagers, oppose this legal drinking age and want it to be lowered. Nevertheless, the legal drinking age should not be lowered from twenty one to eighteen because of three main reasons. The higher minimum drinking age can help reduceRead MoreThe Legal Drinking Age Of America977 Words   |  4 Pagesis, he asks me for a Guinness. He looked a little young to be drinking so I asked him for some id. He hands me the id and it reads that he is only nineteen years old. I had to explain to them that the legal drinking age in the United States was twenty one years old and I could see the look of confusion in their face. The father tried quarreling with me that the law was stupid and since they are allowed to drink their country, they should be allowed to drink here. Little did they know that this issueRead MoreThe Legal Drinking Age Should Not Be Lowered988 Words   |  4 PagesThe Legal Drinking Age Should Not Be Lowered There are copious amounts of people who believe that the legal drinking age should be lowered to eighteen. Others think the drinking age needs to remain the same. A few of those also conclude the legal age of adulthood should be raised to 21. The belief is if the adolescent brain has not matured enough to support alcohol use by age 21, it cannot make the responsible decisions required at 18 years of age. Voters should make the decision toRead MoreThe Minimum Drinking Age Act1692 Words   |  7 PagesNational Minimum Drinking Age Act. This act stated that all states must raise their minimum drinking age to 21. Individuals under the age of 21 would now be prohibited from purchasing or being in public possession of any alcoholic beverage. Though not every state was keen on this idea, they all jumped to raise the minimum drinking age due to the government threat that they would lose up to 10% of their federal highway funding if they ignored the request. However, since the N ational Minimum Drinking AgeRead MoreLegal Drinking Age : Should It Be Altered?1408 Words   |  6 Pages Legal Drinking Age: Should It Be Altered? The legal drinking age has been an ongoing controversy for decades, consisting of people who are for lowering, raising, or keeping the age with multiple reasons behind each side. It is commonly known that consuming alcohol can have life-threatening effects on the human body, but these effects can be much harsher at a younger age. Reducing the age for eighteen year olds may result in senseless acts from the drug. Statistics prove that maintainingRead MoreThe Effects Of Alcoholism On The American Society898 Words   |  4 Pagesoverridden. During the period following the repeal of prohibition the states were each given the task to assign minimal drinking ages for their state; however, this was not the correct decision. While federalism is great, the inconsistency between varying states was not working. This was a catalyst for the federal government establishing 21 as the National minimum drinking age. While President Reagan and his administration saw the drastic effects alc ohol has on society, some people disagree. MorrisRead MoreBinge Drinking vs the Drinking Age Essays829 Words   |  4 PagesEnglish 101 March 13, 2013 Binge Drinking VS the Drinking Age Presidents of college campuses around the nation face issues of underage drinking and binge drinking on a regular basis and realizes that it is a danger and a problem. â€Å"Alcohol consumption is the third leading cause of death in the U.S., a major contributing factor to unintentional injuries, the leading cause of death for youths and young adults, and accounts for an estimated 75,000 or more deaths in the United States annually† (WechslerRead MoreThe Smoking Age Should Be Legal Drinking Age1517 Words   |  7 Pagesrequiring you to be over the age of 21 to consume alcoholic beverages. This law has proved itself by saving many lives and overall just having a positive outcome in the community. People say that no matter what the age limit is kids will still drink? I completely disagree, believe it or not there’s endless ways in which it can be prevented while the drinking age remains 21. Parents make a big difference and can prevent this from happening and I have to agree 100% that the drinking age has saved hundreds of

Fuchsia Enterprises Trial Balance Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Fuchsia Enterprises Trial Balance. Answer: Audit Planning An Audit plan is considered to be specific guidelines to be followed when performing an audit. It helps the auditor in obtaining sufficient appropriate evidence for the situations, helps keep the cost of auditing at a reasonable level and also helps the auditor in avoiding misunderstandings with the client[1]. Audit planning is usually an important area in auditing that is basically performed at the beginning of the audit in order to ensure that sustainable attention is devoted to particular areas and potential issues are quickly identified. Before audit testing, the auditor usually plans to carry out an audit an effective and timely manner through designing detailed procedures in order to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence. This particular assignment entails planning of an audit for Fuchsia Enterprises after checking its preliminary Trial Balance[2]. This assignment also extracts information from the enterprises trial balance and identifies the accounts that are likely to require substantial attention, provide analytical procedures for each of the item and the possible recommendation for the audit procedure to be used in the auditing. According to Fuchsia Enterprises trial balance, the selected seven accounts for audit that require attention are; Items accounts 2016 2017 2015 2016 % Change 1 Interest income 48 50 4% 2 Bank Loan 181,525 187,450 3.16% 3 Miscellaneous 1,440 0 1,440% 4 Accumulated depreciation machinery 36,475 24,000 52% 5 Accounts receivables 131,820 103,585 27.26% 6 Depreciation 35,545 15,738 125.9% 7 Wages 62,570 53,000 23.72% Analytical review Generally, use of analytical reviews is considered to be one of the procedures for increasing the auditors efficiency[3]. Analytical procedures usually consist of an assessment of financial data prepared by the auditors of and the expected relationship between nonfinancial and financial data. Interest income Interest income is one of the areas in the enterprise trial balance that basically requires significant attention. The company revenues may be at risks. Interest income area requires great attention because it is more at risks by the misappropriation by the company management[4]. The interest income is usually am accessible funds by the management and thus making it more vulnerable to misuse. According to Fuchsia Enterprise's trial balance, the amount of interest income as at FY2015-2016 was A$50,000 and A$48,000 at FY2016-2017. According to the trial balance analysis, there is an indication that there is a 20% decrease in the amount recorded as interest income[5]. The decrease in the amount received should be scrutinized thoroughly to determine if there is any possibility of the fund's misuse by the management. The difference in the two amounts should be recalculated so as to check if proper evaluations were conducted so as to enhance its materiality. Basing on the riskiness of this item, I recommend that the auditors must recalculate interest income on note receivables to determine if proper formulas were used. Sales Sales is another item that basically requires special attention when planning for the audit. This is because the item is vulnerable to greater risks when the company is carrying out its business. According to the company, the business usually sells its products either in cash or credit terms thus making the item to be at risk. The riskiness of this particular item requires the auditors to carry out proper analytical procedures to determine its physical existence in the sales records. The company will also be required to provide a movement schedule that can be used to compare the amount of sales in the two accounting periods[6]. Fuchsia Enterprises trial balance indicates that during the FY2015-2016, the business had AU$187,450 and AU$181,525 as at FY2016-2017. This aspect demonstrates a 3.16% material decrease, the audit check should ascertain if its cash or credit sales and as well look on the amounts of accounts receivables and sales are accurate by verifying each of them and find possible misstatements. The variations between the two values should be determined to check the reasonableness of the variations. The auditors should check for existence in the stock records and ascertain the movement from store to client. Basing n the riskiness of this item, I recommend the auditor to test for controls of the enterprise set up for sale cycle in order to ascertain their reliability and existence in the movement schedule[7]. The auditor ought also to ascertain if the accounting records for accounts receivables and sales are accurate by basically verifying individual transactions for the probable misstatement. Accumulated depreciation on machinery This is another area that needs great attention that should be done to ascertain compliance and integrity of the financial statements. This particular item is selected because of its riskiness that may affect materiality of the financial statements. Audit procedures for accumulated depreciation on machinery are material so as to ensure that the recorded depreciation is free of material accounting errors[8]. The auditor should match the accounts balances to find out for potential accounting errors or even frauds from demonstrating in the financial records. The 52% increase from AU$24,000 in FY2015-2016 to AU$36,475 in FY2016-2017 should be determined, and that proper recalculation should be done to determine accuracy. Basing on the riskiness of the item, I recommend that the auditor must verify the historical value of the machinery, analyze the related accumulated depreciation accounts for completeness. The auditor should also recalculate the depreciation expenses and gains or losses on disposal of fixed assets to ascertain accuracy and completeness of the entire transaction[9]. The auditor should also attempt to compare depreciation expenses so as to determine any possible misstatements. Accounts receivables Accounts receivables is another risky item that basically requires significant attention when planning for the audit. This is because most of the firms management may collude with some of the debtors and record wrong entries into their names so as to gain funds. Some firms may also post some amounts of trade receivables that actually do not exist and thus may lead the company losing significant amount of revenues. Enterprise trade receivables should be examined for existence and accuracy assertions. This aspect is vital since some trade receivables may be understated or overstated and thus affecting the company revenues. When planning to audit trade receivables, debtors circularization should be carried out, so s to ascertain the existence of debtors and also to confirm the amount owed to the business. According to Fuchsia Enterprises trial balance, the 26.27% increase in the accounts receivables from AU$103,585 in FY2015-2016 to AU$131,820 in FY2016-2017 need to be ascertained so as to make sure that proper controls and strategies were employed by the company in order to check the reasons for the increase[10]. When planning for the audit, I recommend tracing the trade receivables in the company general ledgers. The auditor must request for a period end trade receivables with details from which they will assist in outlining the totals in the trial balance and those in the ledgers. I also recommend the auditors to confirm the accounts receivables existence by basically calling the debtors and asking them for personal details and the amount each owes the company. This will also be done by contacting the business debtors and requesting them to confirm their amounts of unpaid accounts receivables as of the end of the reporting period being audited for the possible misstatement. Depreciation Another item that needs significant attention is depreciation. This is a risky item that needs to be majorly examined because managers may employ wrong calculation methods to misappropriate some of the company funds[11]. The basis used to evaluate the amount of depreciation should be checked to ensure that it is basically free from any manipulation. Planning for the audit should also ensure that depreciation amount has been recalculated again in order to ascertain the accuracy of the amount posted in the trial balance. The 125.9% increase in the amount of depreciation should be re-evaluated and that the company should provide reasonable support to the assets depreciated. The increase of depreciation amount from AU$15,738 in FY2015-2016 to AU$35,545 in FY2016-2017 has a bigger margin. Recalculation should be emphasized so as to ascertain the accurateness and correctness of the stated amount[12]. Due to the riskiness of this item, I recommend that the auditor must check the method used for depreciation and the actual cost of the assets being depreciated so as to determine any possible misstatement in the trial balance. Wages Another item that needs significant attention is wages. This item is considered to seek greater attention because of its materiality in the financial statements. Wages can be misstated by firm managers who may seek to misappropriate the funds. When planning for an audit in wages, the auditor should verify the payroll and compare the amount of wages paid to the trial balance and the payroll systems. The number of employees on the payroll should tally with the amount being paid by the company. The auditor should find the appointment letters to verify the amount of salary that each employee is being paid by the company for the services rendered. The amount should be calculated manually to ascertain if there is any case of misappropriation[13]. The 23.72% increase in the amount of depreciation should be re-evaluated and that the company should provide reasonable support to the assets depreciated. The increase of depreciation amount from AU$53,000 in FY2015-2016 to AU$62,570 in FY2016-201 7 should be audited to substantiate the increase. The auditor should also confirm the number of new employees employed in the latest financial period and compare with the payroll and the appointment letters. Due to the nature of the item, I recommend that the auditor should use verification analytical procedure to ascertain the materiality in the difference of the amount of the company trial balance[14]. Miscellaneous Miscellaneous is another item that needs much attention because as compared with the previous financial period, Fuchsia Enterprises did not have any miscellaneous expenses. The AU$1,440 in the company trial balance should be accurately examined so as to determine if the mount was used for business purposes or personal purposes. If this particular amount were used by managers for personal business, then the amount should not be included in the company trial balance. This item needs substantive examination to ascertain the reasonableness of the expense[15]. The auditor should check the company records to check to ascertain if they are in line with what is considered ordinary by the company. The auditor should ascertain existence by reviewing the receipts documents that will basically show the purpose of the spent amount[16]. I recommend that the auditor randomly chose invoices and ask to see all the original paperwork that includes the contracts if it exists, invoices and signatures in order to find mistakes. Bibliography Arens, Alvin A., Randal J. Elder, and Beasley Mark.Auditing and assurance services: an integrated approach. Boston: Prentice Hall, 2012. Arens, Alvin A., Randal J. Elder, Mark S. Beasley, and Chris E. Hogan.Auditing and assurance services. Pearson, 2016. Balaniuk, Remis, Pierre Bessiere, Emmanuel Mazer, and Paulo Cobbe. "Risk based government audit planning using nave bayes classifiers." InAdvances in Knowledge-Based and Intelligent Information and Engineering Systems. 2012. Bergquist, Sophia, and Sandra Elofsson. "The collaboration between auditors and IT-auditors: The effects on the audit profession." (2016). Cohen, Jeffrey R., Lori L. Holder-Webb, Leda Nath, and David Wood. "Corporate reporting of nonfinancial leading indicators of economic performance and sustainability."Accounting Horizons26, no. 1 (2012): 65-90. Elder, Randal J., Mark S. Beasley, and Alvin A. Arens.Auditing and Assurance services. Pearson Higher Ed, 2011. Hammersley, Jacqueline S. "A review and model of auditor judgments in fraud-related planning tasks."Auditing: A Journal of Practice Theory30, no. 4 (2011): 101-128. Hammersley, Jacqueline S., Karla M. Johnstone, and Kathryn Kadous. "How do audit seniors respond to heightened fraud risk?."Auditing: A Journal of Practice Theory30, no. 3 (2011): 81-101. Rahim, Siti Rohaya Mat, Fauziah Mahat, Annuar Md Nassir, and Mohamed Hisham Dato Hj Yahya. "Re-thinking: Risk Governance?."Procedia Economics and Finance31 (2015): 689-698. Knechel, W. Robert, and Steven E. Salterio.Auditing: Assurance and risk. Taylor Francis, 2016. Messier Jr, William F., Chad A. Simon, and Jason L. Smith. "Two decades of behavioral research on analytical procedures: What have we learned?."Auditing: A Journal of Practice Theory32, no. 1 (2012): 139-181. Titera, William R. "Updating audit standardEnabling audit data analysis."Journal of Information Systems27, no. 1 (2013): 325-331. Vona, Leonard W.Fraud risk assessment: building a fraud audit program. John Wiley Sons, 2012. [15] Balaniuk, Remis, Pierre Bessiere, Emmanuel Mazer, and Paulo Cobbe. "Risk based government audit planning using nave bayes classifiers." InAdvances in Knowledge-Based and Intelligent Information and Engineering Systems. 2012. [16] Knechel, W. Robert, and Steven E. Salterio.Auditing: Assurance and risk. Taylor Francis, 2016.

The Colour Purple Essay Example

The Colour Purple Essay From reading the novel it could be said that the first half is concentrated on how men hold the power over women. This view is supported by Stuart who highlights the exploitation of black women by black men. However I do not agree with this view. I dont think the focus is jus on gender itself although it does play a part, but I think their sex and colour was also brought up. During the novel we see that males dominated females and white families were classed as more important than black families. This was caused by the time in which the novel was set in, slavery had been abolished however it was still in peoples minds and we see it still carried on in some areas of the novel. One example of this is when Alphonso is almost selling Celie. He barters by adding a cow to the deal and points out her positive sides, she aint no stranger to hard work, and she clean. Celie has the power to move on and almost start life again, partly through gaining financial power. This is portrayed to us when Celie leaves with Shug and sets up her own business making pants for women, which had only started as a hobby. We will write a custom essay sample on The Colour Purple specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Colour Purple specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Colour Purple specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer However Celie made it work for her, she started making money and became independent as she was making her own money now. I am as Mary O Connor quoted an extract by Gates, Celie writes herself into being. This shows a change amongst Celie showing she believes in herself whereas before at the beginning of the novel she crossed I am out and replaced it with I have. Celie making trousers may have given here this power because they are often looked at as a symbol of freedom for women. Within the context of the time period in the novel, women wearing trousers would have been looked upon as rebellious which itself gives that person a form of power. This however was not true for Albert; after Celie left him he became a mess. He locked himself in the house and Harpo had to go and get him out. Albert, probably shocked that Celie had actually left him later became a changed man who Celie began to like as he was into all kinds of new things like nature. We also find Albert used to sew with his mother, something Celie and Albert now have in common. He says people used to laugh at him and Celie said, well, nobody gon laugh at you now here help me stitch in these pockets. We now see that Albert has started to respect Celie and doesnt just look at her as his own property, took me long enough to notice you such good company. Mary OConner says that Alphonsos exhortation towards Celie at the beginning of the novel gave her a way out. He threatens Celie that she cannot tell anyone what he had done to her apart from god. He tells her she can tell god but no one else or he will kill her mother, you better not never tell nobody but god. Itd kill your mammy. Through the threat from Alphonso, Celie may feel he has power not only over her but also over her loved ones as her mothers life is at risk, as shown by O Connor speaking would be an act of murder, a matricide. By giving Celie the right to write to god he had given her a way out and saved her from becoming insane or mentally ill. Although she cannot tell another person, she has someone to confide in and to share her problems with. The threat from Alphonso supports Stuarts perception that men are mostly troublesome, sometimes cruel. Alphonso here has shown a psychological strength because by threatening her, hes forced her into not speaking to other people about any of her problems and teaching her to keep all her problems to herself. However he is not aware that Celie writing to god allows her to offload and share her problems with someone other than herself. O Connor says that Celies existence to be denied this explains that in her rape experience and also in the fact that she has a lack of voice she is therefore not able to share her bad experience with anyone. However I think she is able to express her feelings through writing so is therefore giving herself a voice and existence which goes against what O Connor states. Walker shows Alphonsos psychological power over Celie in the beginning of her writing letters. Celie crossed out I am. This is almost as if she is crossing herself out. She changes it to, I have always been a good girl. It seems that Celie is taking the blame for what Alphonso has done to her. This is the first time we see an authority figure abuse Celie which reinforces male dominance in her life. The rape not only shows physical power strength and power but also emotional authority, due to Celies naivety, for his own pleasure. Another time in the novel in which we see Alphonsos power over Celie is when he is trying to get rid of her by marrying her off. However its more like he is selling her as they barter, he even throws in a cow. This again relates back and shows how black females in this time period were still being treated as slaves. O Connor tells us her feminist analysis is interested in the voices, as its a male dominated conversation where Celie only gets in a few words on a highly important decision which can affect her whole life. Here Alphonso shows his total power over Celie and the fact that not only does he control her life now, but he also controls her future and how or who she will spend it with. The fact that she cannot decide herself who she wants to marry takes all control away from her. Throughout this Celies voice is absent, and even when its important decisions about her own life she still seems to have no voice. Religion to the lives of the people in the novel was not the sanctuary it might have been according to Mary OConner, Alphonso gave Celie one way out perhaps the result of some dialogical residue of his Christian culture. However Celie received a beating after church, cause he say I winked at a boy in church. The colour purple itself is a symbol of violence which runs throughout the novel as its the colour of bruises. However it can also portray authority as its the colour of royalty. Walker symbolises power through this quote, womanism is to feminism as purple is to lavender. This tells us Walker thinks womanism as a stronger form or feminism as the colour purple is brighter than lavender. Shug tells us that the colour purple is everywhere and that God has used this colour to portray beauty, I think it pisses God off if you walk pass the colour purple in a field somewhere and dont notice it. It can also be said that Gods love for this colour made black people in this complexion as in one of Netties first letters to Celie when she arrives in Africa she talks about the Senegalese peoples skin, So and so is blacker than black, hes blueblack. Celies getting married and it looks as if shes getting away from Albert and also from the abuse and suffering. However we find its going to be the same life for her its just a different set of males throwing and shouting abuse at her, The children be outside the room peeking through the cracks. It all I can do not to cry. I make myself wood. I say to myself, Celie, you a tree. Thats how come I know trees fear man. We can see how unhappy Celie really is, she explains she trys to make herself like wood so that they cannot affect or hurt her anymore. Another section of power in the novel is the physical domination of the women. Celie being a black woman is disadvantaged as not only is she looked upon as a slave but she is also dominated by the male authorities in the novel. She suffers at the hands of men. We can therefore argue that the emancipation proclamation of the post civil war era freed men but not the women because the male authority then saw the woman as their slave which is how Celie is treated by both Albert and Alphonso, we see this when Albert does not get off his horse to meet Celie but also speaks about her in third person, Hes still on his horse. He look me up and down. This shows us his power over her. Alphonso treats Celie like a slave. He shows no respect towards her, from this we can learn that men are not in Celies heart which is why I agree with what Andrea Stuart says, Rather like the weather, men are part of womens (usually) hostile environment, a perennial force to be dealt with daily, but not the centre of their emotional existence. Another male figure that dominates over Celie is Albert. The main and the most obvious way we can see Albert dominates is that Celie does not call him by his name, she calls him Mr. This gives us evidence Albert controls the relationship. This again links back to slavery as slaves would not call their master or owner by their first name. When Albert went to see Celie he did not get down from his horse showing more power due to the fact he is higher and therefore in a higher position than she is, He still on his horse. He look me up and down. Another view of Celie as a slave is the fact that no loving relationship exists, it seems like Celie is there to cook, clean, look after the kids and Alberts needs, so therefore he just uses her, Mr clam on top of me, do his business. She says do his business. From this we see its for Albert and that Celie is being used like a piece of meat and gets no pleasure out of it, He abuses her physically and verbally, humiliates her publicly, and is responsible for her decades-long separation from her much loved sister Nettie. Celie doesnt say anything she lets Albert get on with it, Mary OConnor says, Celies voice would seem to be absent from this account of male voices around her. I also agree with Mary O Connor at this point in the novel, I think Celie had lost her voice from the time Alphonso had told her to write to God but not to tell anyone. However later in The Colour Purple we find that Celie with help from Shug regains her voice, takes a stand and calls Albert by his name and threatens him. She later leaves with Shug and her full confidence back. Albert acts totally different in the two relationships he is in, with Celie he dominates and controls the relationship however in the relationship Albert and Shug share he is the opposite. Shug controls what happens and Albert does anything she tells him to. This also shows us the difference in character of Celie and Shug, Celie is easily controlled but Shug is a strong character. One critics view is some women wear pants; and some of the men wear dresses. Mary OConnor is telling us that in some relationships women can rule and have the men listening to what they say and do as they tell them, this is defiantly true for Shug. We also see that when Albert is with Celie he wears the pants but when hes with Shug he would appear to be wearing the dress. Another relationship where the woman dominates is between Sofia and Harpo. Sofia has total control over their relationship, she holds the power and it seems Harpo hates this. On the other hand it may not be that he hates it but the pressure from society forces him to act in certain ways. Tony Brown says, Love has been drained out by the brutality of a society panic-stricken over black masculinity. This gives us the idea that culture is the main reason for the need to hold power. Harpo is an example of this violence in society, for example when his mother was killed by her boyfriend in front of him. He associates being dominant as a way of asserting himself. He wants the power in the relationship because he has seen the way his father holds the power in his relationship with Celie. We know Harpo wants the power as Sofia tells us once he git on top me I think bout how thats where he always want to be. Harpo confides in Celie and asks what he should do, Celie tells Harpo to beat Sofia to gain control. This advice is surprising but coming from Celie can be understood because she has suffered abuse all her life and she is used to it. Its all she knows and therefore she believes its normal. Power and the placement of it is also shown in the African part of the novel and it is through these tribes we are able to compare Celie with the traditional African way of life. The Olinkas, one of the main tribes that are introduced to us, hold the power of life and death over their wives. The men are also looked upon as better than women in the tribe. The structure of power in that who holds it and who doesnt in the tribe is also shown in Celies life through her being raped and that fact she is not able to enjoy sex with her partner Albert, I know what he doing to me he done to Shug Avery and maybe she like it. The fact that she cannot enjoy it may be cause by Celies feelings and emotions towards males as she has been abused by them all her life. This is supported by Stuarts view that men are never the source of emotional sustenance or long term happiness for women. However this is does not seem true for Shug as she looks happy with her male partners, this may be because she always seems to have control over her relationships. In conclusion I can say that in the beginning of The Colour Purple it is the men who hold all the power, however as new characters are introduced it is slightly more balanced as Shug and Sofia speak there mind and stand up to any man. Also later Celie and Squeak both stand up for themselves, they take control of the situation but also take away the power from the men and hold it themselves. At the beginning of the novel Celie writes to God, she then starts writing to her sister Nettie, this shows a change in her and in the end all her hopes pay off as she breaks away from her abusing husband and lives with her family; her sister Nettie and her kids with Shug.

Scrivener 3 Dont Use it Until You Read This!

Scrivener 3 Dont Use it Until You Read This! Scrivener 3: Don't Use it Until You Read This! If you’re familiar with the writing tools provided by Literature and Latte, you might already know about - and be using - Scrivener 3.But if you’re a Scrivener 2 user who’s hesitant to make the switch because of Scrivener’s steep learning curve, or if you’re a Windows user who’s simply waiting for Literature and Latte to release a compatible version of Scrivener 3, we’ve got some advice to help you make the decision - or just tide you over.Before we start talking about the new functionalities on offer, let’s quickly cover what Scrivener actually is. 📚 Debating whether or not to switch to Scrivener 3? This review might help. What is Scrivener?Scrivener by Literature and Latte is a word processor for Windows and Mac, designed expressly for writers - fiction and nonfiction authors, screenwriters, journalists, academics, and more.One of the issues many writers of long texts face is navigation: assembling all of their research and information in a way that makes it easy to access what they need, when they need it. Scrivener helps with this, offering writers the tools to organize concepts, notes, research, photos, videos, documents, and more.Fun fact: What does a scrivener do? Back in the day, a scrivener (or scribe) was someone who could read and write, and made their living writing or copying material on behalf of others. How to Write a Book: The Ultimate Guide Read post Making the callScrivener is known for its feast of functionalities - but also its steep learning curve. If you struggle to stay organized while writing a book, its many tools might just be the ticket to keeping you on track to the finish line.However, if you just want a place to write - but are hoping to format as you do - consider giving the Reedsy Book Editor a try. It doesn’t offer outlining or research tools, but it will leave you with a professional-looking manuscript at the end. Or if you’re not done your book-writing software window-shopping session yet, check out this list of six book-writing softwares - other than Scrivener!Have you used Scrivener 3 - or any of its earlier iterations? Let us know what you liked about it or any struggles you faced in the comments below!

Put Parenthetical Phrases in Their Place

Put Parenthetical Phrases in Their Place Put Parenthetical Phrases in Their Place Put Parenthetical Phrases in Their Place By Mark Nichol Sentences can be simple. Or, by inserting a phrase within a sentence, as I’m doing here, they can become complex. Doing so by adding what’s called a parenthetical phrase, or a parenthetical, makes sentences richer and more informative; no one wants to read sentence after sentence at the level of complexity of â€Å"See Dick run.† But writers must take care that when they surgically incise a sentence to insert a parenthetical, they suture the sentence at the right spot. Think of one comma as a hook holding the sentence open, and a second comma hooking it closed. (Dashes and parenthetical marks can be used, too, but this post focuses on the simplest and most common strategy.) Consider this sentence: â€Å"As this process occurs, astronomers say the spectacle may even become a meteor storm.† It may seem fine at first, but notice that it appears to imply that the astronomers talk about the spectacle as the process occurs. That’s obviously not what it means. â€Å"Astronomers say† is what’s called an attribution identifying the source of a comment and it’s often conveniently thrown into the middle of a sentence to provide this clarity. But if you insert such a parenthetical, you have to hitch the sentence open with one comma and close it back up with another: â€Å"As this process occurs, astronomers say, the spectacle may even become a meteor storm.† Take a look at this sentence: â€Å"By 2030, demographers estimate twice as many people will live in urban areas as in rural regions.† Will the doubling occur that year, or will the demographers present their estimation at that time? It’s unclear, unless you signal that the reference to the demographers’ action is a parenthetical phrase, inserted into the root sentence to provide some context. â€Å"By 2030, demographers estimate, twice as many people will live in urban areas as in rural regions† accomplishes that goal. Here’s another sentence ripe for misunderstanding: â€Å"Demonstrators rode models of the Segway Human Transporter, a scooter invented by Dean Kamen at a park Monday morning.† This sentence implies that the inventor conjured the idea at the park on Monday morning, and voila! – the vehicles were being demonstrated days later. Wrong. â€Å"Demonstrators rode models of the Segway Human Transporter, a scooter invented by Dean Kamen, at a park Monday morning.† (The phrase â€Å"a scooter invented by Dean Kamen† is a parenthetical dropped into the sentence â€Å"Demonstrators rode models of the Segway Human Transporter at a park Monday morning† to provide context.) In the case of parentheticals, commas (or parentheses or dashes) work in pairs but they have to cue up to the right location to do their job. When in doubt, test punctuation of parentheticals by temporarily removing the inserted phrase to determine whether the root sentence makes sense. If not, then the punctuation is misplaced. For example, something is wrong in â€Å"They meet, and with collection permit in hand, head for the trails to gather seeds.† Omit the parenthetical, and the root sentence reads, â€Å"They meet head for the trails to gather seeds.† And must remain in the root sentence, so the first comma must follow, not precede, and. Remember: For parentheticals, punctuation pals in pairs and in the proper place. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Mostly Small But Expressive InterjectionsThat vs. WhichWhat is an Anagram?

SMEs Entry into China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

SMEs Entry into China - Essay Example This proposal is designed to test the hypothesis that an SME intending to internationalize towards China is expected to acquire certain definite advantages, namely ownership, location, and internationalization.  Dunning’s paradigm holds the chief proposition that any international firm is required to own certain kind of advantage over local firms prior to its engagement in international production (Dunning, 1988). These advantages are namely ownership, locational and internationalization (Dunning, 1988). Accordingly, the theory has been referred to as the OLI-paradigm: Ownership advantages, Location-specific Variables and Internationalization-incentive advantages (Grillet, 2003b).  Ownership Advantages – â€Å"The ownership advantages are unique to a foreign firm over its local competitors† (Chowdury, 2006). It arises out of its superior technology, management systems, privilege access to finance or raw materials, greater market power, etc. The theory of the ownership advantages reveals that those firms which possess competitive advantages over foreign firms in their domestic markets to sell certain goods or services can move towards internationalization (Grillet, 2003b).  Locational Advantages – According to the model, a firm can proceed in foreign production on perceiving its ability to merge mobile intermediate goods from the home country with immobile factor endowments, or other intermediate goods in another country (Grillet, 2003b). Factors supporting one or another country are the location-specific variables, for example, the host country being conducive to local products such as local demand, cheap or well-trained labor, natural resources etc (Grillet, 2003b).  Internationalization Advantages – The transfer of a firm’s ownership advantages across borders within its organizational structures is referred to as internationalization (Grillet, 2003b).

Defamation of celebrities Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Defamation of celebrities - Research Paper Example Slander can be differentiated from libel is that slander is deniable while libel can be proved because there is hard evidence. In the essay, we shall explore the ramifications of defamation and how best to deal with it. The essay shall explore three celebrities who were involved in defamation cases. Namely Angelina Jolie and her husband Brad Pitt, Bill Cosby and former President of the United States Bill Clinton. Angelina Jolie together with Brad Pitt and their children are one of the most recognized celebrity families in the world today. Their movies have garnered millions of dollars in sales around the world, but it is what they do outside of Hollywood that gets the most attention. Both of them are involved in humanitarian activities with Angelina being a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations. Her husband is also involved in humanitarian efforts, but he is mostly active in the war torn region of Darfur. Their work is well known and appreciated especially when they adopted children from war torn regions to show the world it is possible to help save the world one child at a time. Not everybody was pleased with what they were doing and rumors started circulating that their actions were motivated by gaining fame and they were trafficking children. This was because they adopted children from Africa, Asia and South America. Tabloids published these malicious reports without having any actual evidence and the paparazzi followed them everywhere trying to get a photograph. This behavior went on for some time without them taking any action, but that was until they published photos of their newly born daughter that they decided to make an example the paparazzi. A news agency called News of the World published a story that the couple was breaking up and added a few statements concerning their parental skills. The statements seem to have been the last straw and they sued the agency for slander. The agency claimed that they had adopted all those children only

Alcohol drinking Essay Example for Free

Alcohol drinking Essay The last reason of alcohol drinking among the youth in Hong Kong is tension reduction and it is the most common excuse among them. From a survey result conducted in 2008 by The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Group, about 30% of students increase their pressure index during the beginning of each new academic year. It was found that the high consumption of alcohol is related to the high level of pressure index. And the frequency of drinking depends on how early the students have experienced drinking alcohol. Drinking daily or over consumption of alcohol will lead to a chain of bad impacts. If we drink in a large amount, it will have lifelong negative consequences, including physically and mentally. Drinking can affect thinking capacity and the active attention period will be reduced effecively. Also fatigue may happen easily although only drinking a small amount of alcohol. As a result, it may affect in studies. As we notice that there are many foreign researches about the motivation of drinking but there are only little researches investigate the Hong Kong tertiary students. That means the foreign researches cannot completely reflect the Hong Kong situation due to the different cultural norms of east and west. Also, the education of alcohol management and knowledge are not prevalence in Hong Kong. Therefore, we would like to know about the basal motives of alcohol drinking and the influences of drinking among the tertiary students. And the healthcare stream students in IVE will be our target group. As our target group are studying in healthcare stream, we hypothesize that they are more likely to consider their health and a lower drinking frequency and quantity of alcohol will be found. We also assume that their motivation of drinking are due to peer, environment and social.

The Hazards of E-voting Essay -- Democracy Voting Internet Essays

The Hazards of E-voting A democracy can only be effective when it runs efficiently, when the will of the people is transmitted through the corridors of power. It can only hit its zenith if the most important function of democracy, voting, is carried out flawlessly. Although flawlessness has never been achieved, men have certainly tried to keep the voting system as efficient as possible, with the least possible amounts of votes being lost or mis-counted. Human error is of course, uncontrollable. This error combined with the partiality of all humans, prompted the development of machines that would register, store and count the ballots which were cast. Electronic voting, or e-voting, soon found advocates and lots of opposition. Many in the opposition thought of this idea as ephemeral, how could one entrust democracy to an imperfect machine? A Diebold E-vote Machine As the last election showed, e-voting has gained a strong foothold in the US. Twenty-eight out of the fifty states1 in the US used e-voting machines in some counties. This accounts for about 30 percent of U.S. voters on November 232. Nevada and Maryland3 used the machines in all counties. Do the advantages of using a machine, outweigh the potential hazards of using a device which can be manipulated or hacked into? Grant Gross, from IDG News Services discusses the shortcomings. "Voting security advocates have raised dozens of concerns about direct electronic recording machines. Among the complaints about DREs: Some of the back-end vote- counting tabulators can easily be hacked; some smart cards that provide access to the machines can be faked; and votes can be lost when machines crash, as computers sometimes do."4 The security issues wi... ...ean Union has funded a 3.2 million euro, three-year pilot program to use e-voting in three local elections, one in France and the other two in Germany and in Sweden. More than 1 million Estonians will be ready to vote via the Internet in 2006 local elections. Yet it appears that the people managing these systems do not understand the great risks involved with e-voting. It seems that the motives behind this exodus towards e-voting in Europe, is more political then technological. "They are politicians wanting to look tech savvy."9 Whether e-voting is the way in which Americans will choose their leaders in the coming years, is an issue that can only be decided by their increasing amount of usage in coming years. References 1 and 2 The Industry Standard 3,4, PC World 5, 6 Washington Post 8 Computer Weekly.com 9 MSNBC- The age of E-voting

Models of practices that underpin equality Essay

1.1- Explain models of practices that underpin equality, diversity and inclusion in own area of responsibility? My role as a senior care assistant requires me to support individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures. At all times, I am expected to uphold and promote equitable practice and offer equality of opportunity while taking into account peoples political, economical, social and civil rights while promoting diversity and inclusion. I must consider my own areas of responsibility within my workplace and how my practice underpins the values and principles of equality, diversity and inclusion. In addition to this, my role is to support and influence the practice of my staff, to ensure that staff and residents are treated equally and fairly without discrimination. This is done by using a person centred approach, which is a model of practice that ensures individuals are central to the planning of their support, and are empowered to identify personal choices about how they want to live their lives. This also relates to the service users, as it enables them to be actively involved in all aspects of their care. Equality is ensuring that everyone is treated equally and fairly regardless of their ability, religion, beliefs, gender, race, age, social status or sexual orientation. Diversity recognises that although people have things in common with each other, they are also different and unique in many ways. Diversity is about recognising and valuing those differences, and consists of visible and non-visible factors. These include, personal characteristics such as background, culture, personality and work style in addition to the characteristics that are protected under discrimination legislation in terms of race, gender, disability, religion and belief, sexual orientation and age. By recognising and understanding individual differences and embracing them, a productive environment whereby everyone feels valued can be created, known as inclusion. The policies and procedures within my workplace are underpinned by a variety of legislation and current codes of practice. These provide me with a framework for ensuring that I uphold the principles and ethics of equality, diversity and inclusion.(see appendix) The Equality Act 2010 is the law that bans discrimination and helps achieve equal opportunities in the workplace and in the wider society. The Act brought together and replaced previous equality legislation, such as the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA), the Race Relations Act 1976 and the Sex Discrimination Act 1975. It simplified and updated the law and strengthened it in important ways. The Act protects people from discrimination on the grounds covered by the previous equality laws. These are now called â€Å"protected characteristics†, and are; age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage nd civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, sex and sexual orientation. The Act also promotes equality of opportunity to prevent discrimination arising in the first place. The Equality Act also protects people from various forms of discrimination relating to disability, and also discrimination and harassment: Direct discrimination is when you are treated less favourably than another person because of your disability. This also extends to people who are  discriminated against because of their association with someone who has a disability or because they are thought to be disabled. Discrimination arising from disability is when you’re treated less favourably because of something connected with your disability (rather than the disability itself). But it’s not discrimination if the employer or service provider can justify how they treat you, or if they didn’t know that you are disabled. Indirect discrimination happens when a rule, policy or practice is applied to everyone, but it has a particular disadvantage for disabled people. But it’s not discrimination if it can be justified. Failure to make reasonable adjustments is when you need a reasonable adjustment so you are not at a ‘substantial disadvantage’, but the adjustment has not been made. The duty to make reasonable adjustments covers the way things are done, a physical feature (such as steps to a building), or the absence of an auxiliary aid or service (such as an induction loop or an interpreter). Harassment is unwanted behaviour that has the purpose or effect of violating your dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. Victimisation – when you’re treated badly because you’ve made or supported a complaint under the Equality Act. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) creates a framework to provide protection for people who cannot make decisions for themselves. It contains provision for assessing whether people have the mental capacity to make decisions, procedures for making decisions on behalf of people who lack mental capacity and safeguards. The underlying philosophy of the MCA Is that any decision made must be in their best interests. The MCA is governed by 5 core principles. These can be summarised as follows: Presumption of capacity (section 1(2) MCA).Every adult has the right to make their own decisions if they have the capacity to do so. Family carers and healthcare or social care staff must assume that a person has the capacity to make decisions, unless it can be established that the person does not have capacity Maximising decision making capacity (section 1(3) MCA). People should receive support to help them make their own decisions. Before concluding that someone lacks capacity to make a particular decision, it is important to take all possible steps to try to help them reach a decision themselves. Right to make unwise decisions (section 1(4) MCA). People have  the right to make decisions that others might think are unwise. A person who makes a decision that others think is unwise should not automatically be labelled as lacking the capacity to make a decision. Best interests (section 1(5) MCA). Any act done for, or any decision made on behalf of, someone who lacks capacity must be in their best interests. Least restrictive option (section 1(6) MCA). Any act done for, or any decision made on behalf of, someone who lacks capacity should be the least restrictive option possible. The Human Rights Act is a UK law passed in 1998. It means that any person can defend their rights in the UK courts and that public organisations (including the government, police and local councils) must treat everyone equally, with fairness, dignity and respect. The human rights that are contained within this law are based on the articles of the European Convention, and does two things; judges must read and give effect to legislation in a way which is compatible with the Convention Rights, and it is unlawful for a public authority to act in a way which is incompatible with a Convention right. The rights that are protected by the HRA are; The right to life The prohibition of torture and inhuman treatment Protection against slavery and forced labour The right to liberty and freedom The right to a fair trial and no punishment without law Respect for privacy and family life and the right to marry Freedom of thought, religion and belief Freedom of expression Free speech and peaceful protest No discrimination Protection of property, the right to an education and the right to free elections GSCC Codes of practice- Although the GSCC closed in July 2012, the codes of conduct are still used in care homes. The document contains agreed codes of practice for social care workers and employers of social care workers  describing the standards of conduct and practice within which they should work. 1.2 – Analyse the potential effects of barriers to equality and inclusion in own area of responsibility? Equality in the workplace is about more than simply giving equal treatment to all employees and complying with the Equality Act. Within the home, we work to remove the barriers which affect recruitment and progression. These barriers can include age, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion or belief, social background, physical or mental disabilities, marital or parental status, gender identity, communication and language. All policies and practices within the organisation create equal opportunities for personal and professional growth- from establishing fair pay structures offering equal access to benefits to ensuring that promotion and progression is fair. At the very minimum, employers are required to eliminate discrimination from the whole employment cycle, starting from the application stage and throughout an employee’s career. Barriers that prevent equality and inclusion are as follows; Physical- Buildings and access, personal physical health, sensory loss Attitudinal- Personal feelings, thoughts and behaviours Structural- Economic, environmental, social systems Institutional- Policies and procedures where some people are disadvantaged over others e.g. maternity leave Examples of inequality in the workplace include; Direct discrimination- when an employer treats an employee less favourably than someone else because of a protected characteristic Indirect discrimination- when a working condition or rule disadvantages one group of people more than another. E.g. saying that applicants for a job must be clean shaven puts members of some religious groups at a disadvantage. Indirect discrimination is unlawful whether it is done on purpose or not. Equality laws may be jeopardised if training and promotion is targeted at younger members of the team, assuming that older workers are not as interested in career progression as their younger colleagues. Failure to  provide adequate facilities for disabled people in the workplace, or failure to tackle bullying and harassment against an employee from a different ethnic origin may contribute towards a tribunal claim. Discriminatory tactics in screening of potential staff members, e.g. deliberately choosing male staff over female staff regardless of their ability to do a job. Effects of this type of discrimination include; diminished life chances, social exclusion, marginalisation, poor interpersonal interactions and communication, disempowerment, and low self-esteem and self-identity. Oppression is another barrier that can affect equality, diversity and inclusion. It is the consequence of five different factors including; stereotyping, prejudice, discrimination (as stated above), oppression and internalised oppression. It is defined as the â€Å"unjust or cruel exercise of power† (Webster, 2013). Standing up and taking action when this type of behaviour occurs is a way to eliminate oppression. Also, being aware about what oppression is as well as methods of prevention can be used as an effort to reduce, if not eliminate, and enables staff to work in an anti- oppressive manner. Oppression happens in many atmospheres, especially in a working environment. Prevention is the main key to avoiding this type of hostility. This can be done with enforcement of policies, including written disciplinary actions that will be utilised if this occurs, as well as a chain of authority. Having a written policy clearly sets out the expectations of employees by the employers, not only of what is acceptable and unacceptable, but what consequences are to be enforced on to non- compliant employees. This should be read and signed by all employees as a preventative measure to avoid further problems. The chain of authority is listed so employees are aware of who they will have to answer to in this situation, and who will be enforcing the consequences of their actions. The mechanics of oppression are described as participating, turning a blind eye and denial. Staff who witness this type of behaviour, being well aware but not taking action or altogether denying that the behaviour is occurring are examples showing how oppression continues to exist. Failure to uphold equality, diversity and inclusion through practice will  breach European and UK law and codes of practice and incur penalties such as loss of registration and significant damage to reputation. Consequences for the individual range from low self-esteem, poor mental and physical health and risk of harm and abuse. Therefore, it is paramount that regular training, supervisions and discussions take place to ensure that staff do not display this type of behaviour, or are victimised by others. As a senior, it is important that I notice these barriers and act quickly to prevent any issues from developing. 1.3 – Analyse the impact of legislation and policy initiatives on the promotion of equality, diversity and inclusion? It is important that I am familiar with the Acts of Parliament, regulations, guidance and codes of practice in order to promote best practice within the home and to inform staff, ensuring they are up to date on any changes. As a qualified social worker, I already have some background knowledge on different acts and legislation within the health and social care sector, and have put these into practice in two six month placements throughout my academic career, and also my current job in the care sector. Equality, diversity and inclusion are addressed within the essential standards set out by CQC which are underpinned by the Health and Social Care Act 2008. Regulation 17(2) (h) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010 says that : â€Å"the registered person must†¦take care to ensure that care and treatment is provided to service users with due regard to their age, sex, religious persuasion, sexual orientation, racial origin, cultural and linguistic background and any disability they may have†. This regulation relates to Outcome 1 – respecting and involving people who use services. However, the wording of this regulation suggests that these equality characteristics should be considered in all aspects of care, treatment and support. This is also the approach taken by CQC in the essential standards. In addition, Regulation 9(1)(b)(iv) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010 says that: â€Å"The registered person must take proper steps to ensure that each service user is protected against the risks of receiving care or treatment that is inappropriate or unsafe, by means of†¦ the planning and  delivery of care and, where appropriate, treatment in such a way as to— avoid unlawful discrimination including, where applicable, by providing for the making of reasonable adjustments in service provision to meet the service user’s individual needs.† This regulation relates to Outcome 4.Regulation 17(1) a of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (regulated activities) regulations 2009 says that: â€Å"The registered person must, so far as is reasonably practicable, make suitable arrangements to ensure†¦the dignity, privacy and independence of service user s.† Regulation 17(2) (a) says that: â€Å"the registered person must treat service users with consideration and respect† This regulation relates to Outcome 1. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 has now been repealed and replaced by the Equality Act 2010. Formerly, it made it unlawful to discriminate against people in respect of their disabilities in relation to employment, the provision of goods and services, education and transport. The DDA 1995 departed from principles of older UK discrimination law (the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and the Race Relations Act 1976). These acts, also repealed and replaced by the Equality Act 2010, made direct and indirect discrimination unlawful. The core concepts of the DDA 1995 are instead: less favourable treatment for a reason related to a disabled person’s disability; and failure to make a â€Å"reasonable adjustment†. â€Å"Reasonable adjustment† or, as it is known in some other jurisdictions, ‘reasonable accommodation’, is the radical concept that makes the DDA 1995 so different from the older legislation. Instead of the rather passive approach of indirect discrimination (where someone can take action if they have been disadvantaged by a policy, practice or criterion that a body with duties under the law has adopted), reasonable adjustment is an active approach that requires employers, service providers etc to take steps to remove barriers from disabled people’s participation. The National Minimum Standards sets out the standards for care homes for older people, which form the basis on which the new National Care Standards Commission will determine whether such care homes meet the needs, and secure the welfare and social inclusion of the people who live there. The standards  set out in this document are core standards which apply to all care homes providing accommodation for older people. They acknowledge the unique and complex needs of individuals, and the additional specific knowledge, skills and facilities needed in order for a care home to deliver an individually tailored and comprehensive service. As stated in outcome 1.1 I have discussed the Equality Act 2010, the Human Rights Act 1998 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005. It is also essential that all staff are familiar with the homes own policies on diversity, equality and inclusion (see appendix) If these policies are not adhered to, it could result in guidelines, legislations and requirements also not being adhered to, which could result in the residents and staff being subjected to abuse. 2.4- How do you support others to challenge discrimination and exclusion? As a senior, I have an important role to play in championing diversity, equality and inclusion in my workplace. I am expected to articulate my own beliefs and values regarding diversity, recognise equality, respect and tolerance, and encourage non- judgemental attitudes and anti- discriminatory practice in order to inspire and lead my team. It is also important to encourage a positive culture within the workplace that promotes the principles of good practice. Examples of opportunities include; Developing and delivering training and CPD reviews so that the team is kept up to date with new developments Providing a safe environment where people feel empowered and supported to challenge discrimination and poor practice Ensure all staff are aware of the â€Å"whistleblowing† policy and other policies in place to challenge discrimination. (see appendix) I am also the workforce representative, so this means that staff can openly discuss any issues or concerns they have which could include issues of discrimination and exclusion. I have received some complaints that staff feel they are being victimised, as there has recently been a divide between night/day staff, with each day/ night members complaining that the other are not pulling their weight, or they are not assisting the residents in meeting  their personal care needs to a high standards e.g. wet beds, soiled pads not being changed etc. To rectify this issue, staff members were expected to complete a night/ day shift that was opposite to their usual shift pattern, in hopes to highlight what the different shift patterns and routines entailed and what was expected from staff members. The work â€Å"clique† was also used which has serious connotations as can be linked to bullying, which is a form of victimisation and exclusion. There was a management meeting held to discuss these issues and ways to rectify them. A â€Å"team building† night out was arranged, in hopes to bring all staff together. When discrimination and exclusion occur in policy and practice, I have a duty of care to challenge it, by reviewing and monitoring situations to identify and give examples of best practice. This can be done by undertaking supervisions, encouraging reflective practice to consider individual roles and accountability, maintaining quality assurance systems and record keeping, monitoring and evaluating processes and regular training. Ensuring staff are familiar and adhere to policies and procedures (see appendix) is also a positive way to address issues of discrimination and exclusion, as it ensures staff are fully aware it will not be tolerated within the care home. In relation to the residents there are many laws and policies that are aimed to prevent this. The â€Å"No secrets† white paper is a UK Government initiative from the Department of Health which provides guidance on developing and implementing policies and procedures to protect vulnerable adults from abuse. Abuse can be defined as: Physical, sexual, psychological, financial, neglect and discriminatory. The Protection of Vulnerable Adults (POVA) policy also states the duty of care placed on local authorities and organisations to protect older people from abuse and harm. As the care home specifically caters for residents with Alzheimer’s and dementia, there is a higher chance that these residents can face widespread discrimination for a number of reasons. There is significant misunderstanding and stigma attached to dementia that manifests itself in widespread discriminatory attitudes. Age discrimination is also a factor that they could face, and potentially more at risk of discrimination and infringements on their human rights because they may not have the capacity to challenge or report what has  occurred, meaning they face a poorer quality of life. At the care home, we ensure that this type of discrimination is challenged by offering high quality care based on individualised care and support which builds on a person’s abilities and strengths, treating people with dignity and respect offering choice and safeguarding privacy, and that staff are properly trained in caring for residents with dementia and who are fully supported in their role. If a resident or a member of their family feel they are being discriminated against, the complaints procedure enables them to formally complain, and feel fully supported in doing so. The à ¢â‚¬Å"residents charter of rights† policy is available to all residents, their families and visitors, and details how they should be treated according to the Health and Social Care Act 2008, and also the essential standards set out by CQC. 3.1- Analyse how systems and processes can promote equality and inclusion or reinforce discrimination and exclusion? Every organisation has policies and procedures in place that are informed by legislation and national guidelines, in hope to promote anti- discriminatory practice. At the care home, we have a mission statement that details the way we intend to create a positive working environment whereby the shared principles and values of good quality support are upheld throughout the organisation. The statement reads; Vision Statement: We strive to be at the forefront of delivering exceptional standards of care and establishing ourselves as a leading and innovative care group in the United Kingdom. Mission Statement: We believe in a holistic care approach supported by dedicated and motivated staff team who are specifically trained to deliver a quality service. Our ethos encourages independence of residents in a friendly, welcoming, and safe environment with a â€Å"home from home† atmosphere. Philosophy of Care: QCG philosophy encompasses five basic principles of care which are; Quality of care with a holistic approach ensuring psychological, spiritual and physical well-being of residents A motivated, enthusiastic and specifically trained staff team to deliver this care Ensuring dignity and respect of residents in a non-discriminatory way in accordance with the resident’s charter of rights. (see appendix) Encouraging an independent and supported lifestyle with well-structured activities and social programmes A homely care approach fostering friendships, family involvement, local community interaction and support. The effectiveness of these systems and processes will need to be monitored, and this can be done through; A regular review and audit of policies and practice will identify areas to be addressed Individual and family questionnaires can identify areas that require improvement, but also highlight areas of good practice and provide the benchmarks for reviewing and monitoring practice within the workplace. In depth and thorough induction training to ensure new employees are aware of their job roles and responsibilities Complaints procedures can contribute to providing evidence in particular cases. Developing and maintaining effective complaints procedures will enable areas to be identified relating to diversity and equality which require improvement. 4.1- Describe ethical dilemmas that may arise in own area of responsibility when balancing individuals rights and duty of care? Confidentiality My duty of care towards the resident, and my responsibility to safeguard individual privacy could cause legal and ethical tensions. Ethical dilemmas arise frequently throughout the social care sector, particularly within my role as a senior carer, and it is my duty and the duty of the home to ensure that individuals are protected from harm. A number of factors need to be considered including the residents need to be informed as to how information about them is used and consent should be sought to share information with outside agencies. However, information can be disclosed where there is an overriding public interest e.g. where abuse is suspected. In this circumstance, confidentiality can be broken if a resident is at serious risk of; harm to themselves, harm to others, exploitation or physical/ sexual/ verbal abuse, significant financial gain or loss. I would also need to assess whether or not the resident has capacity and adhere to the MCA 2005 framework. The five principles of assessment are; Presume capacity unless established otherwise Take practical steps to enable decision making Accept that people can make unwise decisions Act in the persons best interests Use the action least restrictive of the persons rights and freedom of choice The use of sharing of service user information forms an essential part of the provision of health and social care, however the nature of this information needs to be in line with the legal duty to keep all personal information confidential. The relationship between staff and resident needs to be one of fidelity and trust, and residents have a legitimate expectation that private information will not be shared, used or disclosed without their consent. Therefore, all staff have strong legal and ethical obligations to protect resident information and the law and standards that govern practice and the handling of personal and confidential information are; The Data Protection Act The Human Rights Act 1998 (article 8) The Freedom of Information Act (2000) The Essential standards of quality and safety The Equality Act 2010 The Public Interest Disclosure Act (1999) Own Beliefs and values Each person has a unique set of values and beliefs, and strive to live their lives by these. The same is true for the resident who are supported within the care home, and occasionally personal values and beliefs may be different from the residents and their families. If the resident has a Lasting Power of Attorney in place that has a say over their health and welfare, or if they had a living will in place prior to a decline in their mental illness than this can also cause an ethical dilemma. A resident in the care home had a living will in place where, in the event that they had a decline in their mental state and became very unwell, then they would not want to be treated for this illness. The resident does now unfortunately have severe dementia; he became unwell with a chest infection, and his daughter, who has Lasting Power of Attorney, did not want him treated. Personally, I did not agree with this decision, as felt that it was not a severe illness as stated in his living will, and could be overcome with some antibiotics. His daughter did not want the GP contacted, however, I felt it was in the best interests  of the resident to speak with the GP regarding this issue, as felt he could become seriously unwell without antibiotics, so I was therefore trying to protect him from harm. This was a serous ethical dilemma for me and a big learning curve. After a long discussion with the GP, it was decided that the GP would contact the daughter to explain the possible severity of the situation, and she eventually agreed to treatment. Other factors that can cause ethical dilemmas include; the management of resources- balancing good support with available resources can be a challenge, organisational policies- While there may be solid reasoning’s behind the policies, some may impact negatively on a staff member if for example they are unable to work unsupervised due to disability, safeguarding- disclosing information of a safeguarding matter to the correct person if a resident and/or staff member has asked you not to disclose and balancing the needs of the family and the needs of the individual- sometimes challenging the families wishes to meet the needs of the individual may be necessary. 4.2- Explain the principle of informed choice? Choice and control is about freedom to act, for example to be independent and mobile, as well as freedom to decide. Having choice and control over one’s life and involvement supports autonomy and self-esteem. The issues of choice, control, involvement and self-determination are at the forefront of current government policy. Department of Health research found that health and social care recipient’s value having information to make choices and decisions for themselves, and that feeling confident and maintaining control is important. Putting People First (2007) outlined a shared vision for social care and radical reform. Autonomy – through maximum choice, control and power for people over the services they receive – is central to the values outlined in the paper. Information, advice, advocacy and support with decision-making, are all key to ensuring that people can exercise autonomy. Every resident in the care home has a consent to care and treatment form in place that they must agree to before care can be carried out. This means they agree to information sharing, intervention from GP’s and nurses etc. If the resident is unable to give signed consent but it appears they can give  verbal consent than their next of kin can sign for them. However, if the resident is unable to give signed or verbal consent, than this would affect their informed choice as a Mental Capacity Assessment and Best Interests Assessment is carried out. For most residents in the care home, making complex decisions and choices requires additional support as the majority have a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or dementia. There are different processes for decision making when considering choices. An informed choice is when an individual is supported to make a decision, and as a senior, I have a responsibility to provide residents and their families with all the necessary information to make those decisions. It is important to be mindful of the range of accessible information the individual requires in order for them to make the decision, and this decision must be unbiased and evidence based. It is important to also consider how the resident communicates and who else may need to be involved such as family members, GP’S social workers etc. Many of the residents have a Power of Attorney in place which covers finances, and approximately four residents have a Lasting Power of Attorney which covers health and welfare. In this case, decisions can be a lot harder to make as a family member may have the final say regardless of the residents values, which should always be upheld. This is because the resident may not be able to express their wishes due to a decline in their mental illness. The residents are however, protected by the Mental Capacity Act and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

Week discussion questions

Personally when I complete tasks on my lists I feel a sense of accomplishment and have more desire to tackle some of the harder tasks on y list. I will begin to implement this time management skill with this class, and carry it over to block 2 through Gateway Community College. 2. Plan a schedule that has important work, fun activities, and rest. I get so busy with what I think needs to be done that I forget to include fun things In my schedule. Having fun and enjoying my time is something that is very important because It helps decrease stress.Because I have a four year old who feeds off of my emotions It Is vital that I don't show my stress and that I enjoy my time with him rather than worrying about what tasks are not getting done. 3. Create a designated study time, and stick to It. I plan to implement an hour of study time each morning and actually hold to It. Every semester I tell myself I will study more but I never seem to find the time to and I find myself scrambling at the l ast minute to cram for the upcoming exam.If I set aside time and It Is a part of my dally routine I can avoid all insights the day before the exam and feel better prepared for whatever It Is I will be doing that day In school. What resources might you have available to use for professional and personal development? I have my education to use for professional and personal development. In school I am learning more than Just the science and theory behind nursing.I am learning how to analyze my thinking and the thinking of others, how to make and achieve goals, critical thinking skills that can be used both at work and at home, and how to manage my time wisely. With the program I am In through Gateway Community College and The university of Phoenix I am able to network with other nursing professionals and build relationships that I can use as references later or as guidance on what field and where I should be looking for a Job. I have support from family, friends, and lacerates availabl e to lad In my development.They are there to encourage me to keep going when I feel Like Glenn up, and to help me emotionally get through this rigorous program. By pointlessness done that I forget to include fun things in my schedule. Having fun and enjoying my time is something that is very important because it helps decrease stress. Because I have a four year old who feeds off of my emotions it is vital that I don't show my not getting done. 3. Create a designated study time, and stick to it. I plan to implement an hour of study time each morning and actually hold to it.Every time and it is a part of my daily routine I can avoid all insights the day before the exam and feel better prepared for whatever it is I will be doing that day in school. My time wisely. With the program I am in through Gateway Community College and The University of Phoenix I am able to network with other nursing professionals and build relationships that I can use as references later or as guidance on what field and classmates available to aid in my development. They are there to encourage me to keep going when I feel like giving up, and to help me emotionally get through this

A Selection of Special Birthday Wishes

A Selection of Special Birthday Wishes When you receive a birthday card, is it the card or the birthday message inside that brings a smile to your face? Usually, its the message of the sender that makes the card special. So how can you make your birthday cards to friends and loved ones memorable? Store bought birthday cards are OK if you dont know the person that well, but they lack the personal touch.   A birthday card with a personalized message shows that you care, and demonstrates personal effort rather than settling for an off-the-shelf product. Birthday Quotes by William Shakespeare To me, fair friend, you never can be old. For as you were when first your eye I eyed. Such seems your beauty still. Have you not a moist eye, a dry hand, a yellow cheek, a white beard, a decreasing leg, an increasing belly? Is not your voice broken, your wind short, your chin double, your wit single, and every part  about you  blasted with antiquity? With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come. Birthday Quotes From Singers Frank SinatraMay you live to be a hundred and may the last voice you hear be mine. Madonna Women, generally, when they reach a certain age, have accepted that they’re not allowed to behave a certain way. But I don’t follow the rules. I never did, and I’m not going to start. Birthday Quotes From Writers Anne Lamott The worst part about celebrating another birthday is the shock that youre only as well as you are. Lewis CarrollThere are three hundred and sixty-four days when you might get un-birthday presents and only one for birthday presents, you know.Annie DillardIt is ironic that the one thing that all religions recognize as separating us from our creator, our very self-consciousness, is also the one thing that divides us from our fellow creatures. It was a bitter birthday present from evolution. Wilson MiznerThe first hundred years are the hardest. Janet EvanovichRomance novels are birthday cake and life is often peanut butter and jelly. I think everyone should have lots of delicious romance novels lying around for those times when the peanut butter of life gets stuck to the roof of your mouth.Anne LamottSome people wont go the extra mile, and then on their birthday, when no one makes a fuss, they feel neglected and bitter. Birthday Quotes from Celebrities Muhammad Ali A man who views the world the same at fifty as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life.Buddy ValastroCakes are special. Every birthday, every celebration ends with something sweet, a cake, and people remember. Its all about the memories.Chili DavisGrowing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.Tom WilsonWisdom doesnt necessarily come with age. Sometimes age just shows up all by itself. Birthday Quotes from Politicians Oliver Wendell Holmes For him, in vain the envious seasons roll, who bears eternal summer in his soul. Eleanor Roosevelt I think, at a child’s birth  if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift should be curiosity.

Palenque Aqueduct Systems - Ancient Maya Water Control

Palenque Aqueduct Systems - Ancient Maya Water Control Palenque is a famous Classic Maya archaeological site located in the lush tropical forest at the foothills of the Chiapas highlands of Mexico. It is perhaps best known for the lovely architecture of its royal palace and temples, as well as for being the site of the tomb of Palenques most important ruler, king Pakal the Great (ruled A.D. 615-683), discovered in 1952 by the Mexican archaeologist Alberto Ruz Luhillier. A casual visitor at Palenque today always notices the rushing mountain stream nearby, but that is just a hint that Palenque has one of the best preserved and sophisticated systems of underground water control in the Maya region. Palenque Aqueducts Palenque is located on a narrow limestone shelf about 150 meters (500 feet) above the plains of Tabasco. The high escarpment was an excellent defensive position, important in Classic times when warfare was increasingly frequent; but it also a place with many natural springs. Nine separate watercourses arising from 56 recorded mountain springs bring water into the city. Palenque is called the land where the waters flow out of the mountains in the Popol Vuh, and the presence of constant water even in times of drought was very attractive to its residents. However, with so many streams within a limited shelf area, there isnt a lot of space to put houses and temples. And, according to the archaeologist A.P. Maudsley who worked at Palenque between 1889-1902 when the aqueducts had long since stopped functioning, the water level rose and flooded the plaza and residential areas even in the dry season. So, during the Classic period, the Maya responded to the conditions by constructing a unique water control system, channeling the water beneath plazas, thereby reducing floods and erosion, and increasing living space all at the same time. Palenques Water Control The water control system at Palenque includes aqueducts, bridges, dams, drains, walled channels, and pools; much of it recently discovered as a result of three years of intensive archaeological survey called the Palenque Mapping Project, led by American archaeologist Edwin Barnhart. Although water control was a characteristic of most Maya sites, Palenques system is unique: other Maya sites worked to keep water stored during the dry season; Palenque worked to harness the water by constructing elaborate subterranean aqueducts that guided the stream beneath the plaza floors. The Palace Aqueduct Todays visitor entering the archaeological area of Palenque from its north side is guided on a path that leads her from the main entrance to the central plaza, the heart of this Classic Maya site. The main aqueduct built by the Maya to channel the water of the Otulum River runs through this plaza and a length of it has been exposed, a result of the collapse of its vault. A visitor walking down from the Cross Group, on the hilly southeastern side of the plaza, and toward the Palace, will have the opportunity to admire the stonework of the aqueducts walled channel and, especially during the rainy season, to experience the roaring sound of the river flowing under her feet. Variances in building materials made researchers count at least four construction phases, with the earliest one probably contemporaneous to the construction of the Pakals Royal Palace. A Fountain at Palenque? Archaeologist Kirk French and colleagues (2010) have recorded evidence that the Maya not only knew about water control, they knew all about creating and controlling water pressure, the first evidence of prehispanic knowledge of this science. The spring-fed Piedras Bolas aqueduct has a subterranean channel of about 66 m (216 ft) in length. For most of that length, the channel measures 1.2x.8 m (4x2.6 ft) in cross-section, and it follows a topographic slope of about 5:100. Where the Piedras Bolas meets the plateau, there is an abrupt decrease in channel size to a much smaller section (20x20 cm or 7.8x7.8 in) and that pinched-in section runs for about 2 m (6.5 ft) before it reemerges in an adjacent channel. Assuming the channel was plastered when it was in use, even relatively small discharges could maintain a quite significant hydraulic head of nearly 6 m (3.25 ft). French and colleagues suggest that manufactured increase in water pressure may have had a number of different purposes, including maintaining a water supply during drought, but it is possible that there may well have been a fountain springing upward and outward in a display in Pakals city. Water Symbolism at Palenque The Otulum  River that runs from the hills south of the plaza was not only carefully managed by the ancient inhabitants of Palenque, but it was also part of the sacred symbolism used by the city rulers. The spring of the Otulum is in fact next to a temple whose inscriptions talk about rituals associated with this water source. The ancient Maya name of Palenque, known from many inscriptions, is Lakam-h which means great water. It is not a coincidence, then, that so much effort was put by its rulers in connecting their power to the sacred value of this natural resource. Before leaving the plaza and continuing toward the eastern portion of the site, the attention of the visitors is attracted to another element that symbolizes the ritual importance of the river. A huge carved stone with the image of an alligator is posed on the eastern side at the end of the aqueducts walled channel. Researchers link this symbol to the Maya belief that caimans, along with other amphibian creatures, were guardians of the continuous flow of water. At high water, this caiman sculpture would have appeared to have floated on the top of the water, an effect that still is seen today when the water is high. Fending Off Droughts Although American archaeologist Lisa Lucero has argued that a widespread drought may have caused great disruption at many Maya sites at the end of the 800s, French and colleagues think that when the drought came to Palenque, the below-ground aqueducts could have stored adequate amounts of water to keep the city sufficiently watered even during the severest droughts. After being channeled and running under the surface of the plaza, the water of the Otulum flows down the slope of the hill, forming cascades and beautiful water pools. One of the most famous of these spots is called The Queen Bath (Baà ±o de la Reina, in Spanish). Importance The Otulum aqueduct is not the only aqueduct in Palenque. At least other two sectors of the site have aqueducts and constructions related to water management. These are areas not open to the public and located almost 1 km away from the sites core. The history of the construction of the Otulums aqueduct in the main plaza of Palenque offers us a window into the functional and symbolic meaning of space for the ancient Maya. It also represents one of the most evocative places of this famous archaeological site. Sources Edited and updated by K. Kris Hirst French KD. 2007. Creating space through water management at the Classic Maya site of Palenque, Chiapas. In: Marken DB, editor. Palenque: Recent Investigations at the Classic Maya Center. Lanham, Massachusetts: Altamira Press. p 123-132.French KD, and Duffy CJ. 2010. Prehispanic water pressure: A New World first. Journal of Archaeological Science 37(5):1027-1032.French KD, Duffy CJ, and Bhatt G. 2012. The hydroarchaeological method: a case study at the Maya site of Palenque. Latin American Antiquity 23(1):29-50.French KD, Duffy CJ, and Bhatt G. 2013. The urban hydrology and hydraulic engineering at the Classic Maya site of Palenque. Water History 5(1):43-69.Lucero LJ. 2002. The collapse of the Classic Maya: A case for the role of water control. American Anthropologist 104(3):814-826.Lucero LJ, and Fash BW. 2006. Precolumbian Water Management. The University of Arizona Press, Tucson.