Hurrican Katrina

Proposal /Disaster Research Proposal Page 1 * My disaster paper will focus mainly on the direct and indirect effects of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans were made by the community and the state, which also affected New Orleans and surrounding areas. My initial research on this topic of Hurricane Katrina was that, although there was a slew of different aids and reliefs sent to New Orleans and other surrounding areas, there were periods where there wasn’t enough or too much time was taken so that the community and pretty much the federal government could have made a timely contribution. This makes my initial response to Hurricane Katrina and its effect on New Orleans and the things that were done to help them a negative response. This is why I am choosing to write about this touching topic, I want to inform readers and people who may not know some approaches taken (and not taken) to help New Orleans and the surrounding areas that were affected. * The purpose of me writing this a rgument will be to inform readers, of the direct and indirect effect of Hurricane Katrina.The tone will be informative, this strategy will suit me best for this paper because of the type of incident Hurricane Katrina was. Thesis will definitely be in the first paragraph. Most likely in the middle of the opening paragraph. There possibly will be a refutation, although, where I am going to put one at this point has not be determined. * My research question will be: What were the direct and indirect effects of Katrina on New Orleans, and what actions were made by the communities and government to effectively help Hurricane Katrina victims.Proposal /Disaster Research Proposal Page 2 * Books * Scholarly Articles * Library Database Proposal /Disaster Research Proposal Page 3 The intended audience for my informative paper will be teens and young adults, these seem to be the people who were involved and knew the most about Hurricane Katrina and the updates. Plus it is just an easier group o f people to write to. My audience is most likely between the ages of 15-30, because high school students were watching the news and getting updates by school and home, and because 30 year olds are still concerned with news.They most likely are middle class, being that most of the people effected by Hurricane Katrina were middle classed, so naturally other middle class people were tuned in. Gender probably wouldn’t matter, but education might play a big role. Being that people who were not as educated as others may not be so affected or concerned with what was going on in another state, because they themselves were not being affected.The major points that will be addressed in my analysis paper will be the indirect and direct effects of this natural disaster and the relief efforts and other helps that were made to help Katrina Victims. They will most likely find out how much Katrina victims were affected and what happened to them. Although, these will be things they have heard in the news there will also be other facts such as the economic effect this natural disaster had on New Orleans and surrounding areas.Not everything is for news, and although some people were concerned with this catastrophe, most people did not go and do their own research so they have been misinformed or left out of some things that actually did happen during this time. Some general beliefs that may be involved in his mishap, would be that when people need help, for example not being able to help themselves somebody of higher authority such as government should be able to step in and effectively take care of the situation. That is one example of personal beliefs. Proposal /Disaster Research Proposal Page 4 November 25- Type Proposal * November 26-Turn in Proposal, start research on Katrina and its effects * November 27- Research, find a thesis and begin to research on that * November 28- Research, start writing paper at least first 2 pages * November 29-Research, finish paper or co ntinue writing * November 30-Conference and feedback on what has been written so far or finished draft * December 3-peer reviews (on own time) * December 4-edit and review paper, consults notes and feedback from conference and peer reviews * December 5-Turn in paper, final copy

Reflection on Lifespan Development Essay

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to present a comparison of my knowledge and understanding of lifespan development at the outset of course PSY 7210 Lifespan Development and at the courses’ end. In this paper I will explore lifespan development by identifying and discussing the stages of development, theoretical perspectives and research related to lifespan development. I will conclude with discussing how my knowledge and understanding of lifespan development can be applied within my specialization of Industrial-Organizational (I-O) Psychology. Reflection on Lifespan Development As middle age lurked its unwanted presence I began to recognize how true and applicable the saying â€Å"life is too short† applied to almost everything the average middle-aged person set to accomplish. At age 42, I have no regrets in life. My parents set the stage for my desire for achievement and accomplishment, and I set out to do the same for my children. A person’s lifespan is their legacy; and I strongly believe that nothing happens by chance, all things happen as a consequence of some action. For example, my enrollment in this course was the consequence of years of work in a field that I no longer hold a passion. I started career as a high school girl’s basketball coach and somehow 22 years later managed to service 14 years in United States Air Force; two years as a State Correctional Officer; and seven years as a State Auditor. My academic career has seen me bounce from nursing to education and finally settling with business. My most important career as a mother is about to take new direction, as my youngest children begin their collegiate journey. So the question I asked myself was â€Å"What do I do now†? I recently obtained my Masters degree in Management and Leadership and was not sure I wanted to return to school so soon; however the profession that I’ve longed to do for so many years required additional  academic credentials. My love of teaching is why I decided to embark on my new academic journey. I have sailed through my lifespan with no regrets and surely do not want to tack any on so late in life. This course is my first course in psychology. The course material has been somewhat challenging because my background is not in psychology. My lack of foundational knowledge in psychology has required me to do a bit more than skim through scholarly literature. I feel I have a better understanding of lifespan development now than I did at the outset of this course, yet I know my journey into the world of psychology has only just begun. Lifespan Development Lifespan development is deals with understanding the growth, changes, and stability of behavior that occur throughout the lifespan. The field of lifespan development studies the patterns in physical development, cognitive development, and personality and social development that occur during the lifespan (Berk, 2007). The study of physical development examines the way in which the body’s makeup determines behavior. The study of cognitive development seeks to understand how growth and change in intellectual capabilities influence a person’s behavior. Personality development is the study of stability and change in the characteristics that differentiate one person from another. The study of social development examines the way in which individuals’ interactions and relationships with others grow, change, and remain stable over the course of life. Those who study lifespan development approach the field from different perspectives. These perspectives are based on various developmental theories. Six major theoretical perspectives are used in lifespan development: psychodynamic perspective, behavioral perspective, cognitive perspective, humanistic perspective, contextual perspective, and evolutionary perspective. Although each has added significant value to the study of lifespan development, this paper will focus primarily on the psychodynamic, behavior, and cognitive perspectives. Psychodynamic Perspective The psychodynamic perspective focuses on the inner person (Berk, 2007).  Supporters of the psychodynamic perspective believe that inner forces, memories, and conflicts of which a person has little control motivate behavior throughout the lifespan (Berk, 2007). The name that comes to mind when discussing the psychodynamic perspective is Viennese physician and theorist, Sigmund Freud. Freud’s psychoanalytical theory suggests that unconscious forces act to determine personality and behavior. Freud believed there are three aspects to the human personality: the id, ego and superego. The id is the part of personality that exists at birth. The id operates on what Freud calls the pleasure principle (Berk, 2007, p. 15), which drives the innate need to maximize good feelings and minimize bad feelings. The rational and reasoning aspect of personality is called the ego. The reality principle (Berk, 2007, p. 15) regulates the ego. Freud classified a person’s conscience as the superego. The superego guides a person through the journey between right and wrong. In addition to his theory on the different parts of human personality Freud also formulated theory to explain the manner in which personality develops during the lifespan. According to Freud (Berk, 2007) â€Å"psychosexual development occurs as children pass through a series of stages in which pleasure, or gratification, is focused on a particular biological function and body part.† The stages of Freud’s psychosexual development include the oral stage, the anal stage, and the phallic stage. The oral stage takes place during the first year of life. Freud believed during this stage all needs are satisfied orally or through the mouth; for example, eating and drinking. The anal stage takes place during the second year of life. During this stage the battle between control and letting go begins. The phallic stage takes place during the third and fifth years of life. During this stage a child develops a fixation with the genitals. Freud’s psychosexual stages focus on developmental changes in the first 5 years of life and transformation of the id. Psychoanalyst Erik Erikson’s psychosocial theory is also part of the psychodynamic perspective. According to Erikson (Berk, 2007) society and culture have an influence on human development. In contrast to Freud whose theory that proposed development was complete by adolescence (Berk, 2007), Erikson’s theory argues that development is continuous throughout the lifespan and occurs in eight stages. The first stage of development, trust  versus mistrust, occurs during infancy (birth to 1-year-old). During this stage if an infant’s basic needs are met by a responsive and attentive caregiver, the infant will begin to trust the caregiver, thus establishing the foundation for future trust relationships. In contrast if an infant does not receive enough or irregular care, or if caregivers are unresponsive, the infant can develop mistrust. The autonomy versus shame and doubt is the next stage, which occurs between the first and third years of life. According to Erikson successful development through one stage is essential for an individual to pass on to the next stage of development. For example, if an infant does not establish trust for it’s caregiver during the trust versus mistrust stage, then it will be difficult to establish a sense of autonomy (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). Autonomy versus shame and doubt is the next stage of Erikson’s psychosocial theory. During the autonomy versus shame and doubt stage a child begins to develop its independence. Physical and cognitive growth and control during this stage afford a child the desire and ability to explore outside the comfort and security of his or her parental safe haven. Parents who are overprotective and do not allow their children to explore their independence risk their child developing issues with their self-esteem and confidence. If not allowed to explore independent of the parental structure a child could begin to doubt her ability and feel shameful for not being able to accomplish expected tasks. The initiative versus guilt stage occurs during early childhood. During this stage a child begins to develop social skills and learns to manage her behavior. The concept of what is right or wrong is factored into a child’s decision to exhibit certain behavior in social settings. Interaction with peers and individuals outside the family structure has a major influence on development during this stage. Guilt from further exploration of independence may occur if caregivers criticize the child’s methods of exploration. The industry versus inferiority stage is the development period that occurs during adolescence. During this stage of development adolescent self-awareness and intellectual skills are heightened (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). The identity versus role confusion is the stage of development in which adolescents explore self or role identity. The adolescent begins to define who she is and what she wants to do in life. In contrast to self-awareness adolescents may experience role  confusion during this stage. Some adolescents will have trouble establishing the level of self-understanding necessary for positive life direction. The intimacy versus isolation stage of development is the period of development where intimate relationships are formed; young adults develop meaningful friendship, fall in love, and establish relationship skills that will impact their ability to form future relationships. Adolescents who fail to establish a sense of trust for their environment may have trouble in establishing intimate relationships. The generativity versus stagnation stage of development occurs during middle adulthood. During this stage of development an adult begins to evaluate how her past and present behavior impact the lives of others, rather than focusing only on her personal wants and needs (life). The final stage of Erikson’s eight stages of development is the ego integrity versus despair stage, which occurs during late adulthood. This stage is the time for reflection. An adult evaluates life choices and assess whether goals and dreams were fulfilled or whether life choice have left her with regrets. Psychodynamic theory centers on development relative to the unconscious mind. Freud argues that development is complete by adolescence and that unconscious behavior affects development; where as Erikson suggests development is a continuous process throughout the lifespan and occurs in eight stages. Each theorist has contributed important information to the understanding of lifespan development. According to Berk (2010), psychoanalytical theory provides a strong basis for understanding past behavior but does not do a very good job with predicting future behavior. Behavioral Perspective Behavioral theorists argue that individuals do not pass through stages of development but rather development is based on observable behaviors influenced by stimuli in the individuals’ environment (Feldman, 2006). Furthermore behavioral theorist suggests that nurture rather than nature is more significant to human development. The behavioral perspective views development from a more personal perspective. Unlike psychoanalytical theorists that believe each person will pass through the same stage of development at approximately the same stage in life; behavioral theorists  believe that development is different for each person, given that each person will respond to her environment in a different way. Behaviorism rejects the psychoanalytical theory of studying the unconscious mind to understand human development (Feldman, 2006). Behaviorism focuses on things that can be seen – social and cultural cues, human action and reaction and other observable aspects of the external environment. Unlike psychoanalytical theorist who believed that development is discontinuous – occurring in distinct stages; behavioral theorists believe that development is a continuous process – gradual levels of achievement building on previous level (Feldman, 2006). Research conducted by Psychologist Ivan Pavlov, John Watson and B. F. Skinner set the foundation for Behaviorism. Through Pavlov’s research with dogs the principle of classical conditioning was discovered. Pavlov found that he could acquire the same behavior from the dog (salivation) produced by a specific stimulus (food) by associating the original stimulus with another stimulus (a bell) (Santrock, MacKenzie-Rivers, Malcomson & Ho Leung, 2011). Watson conducted similar research involving the principle of classical conditioning except he used human beings as his test subjects. Watson conducted an experiment where he gave an infant a rat to assess he fear of the creature. Once it was determined that the infant was not afraid a loud noise was sounded each time the infant was allowed to play with the rat. The noise did frighten the infant. After this coupling of the rat and loud noise was accomplished a few times the infant began to develop a fear of not only the loud noise but also the rat. Watson concluded that the infant’s fear of the rat was the result of classical conditioning (Santrock et al., 2011). Skinner took a different approach to his research and set out to understand the principle of operant conditioning. Operant conditioning suggest that certain behaviors are associated with certain consequences, for example, if a parent wants a child to behave the parent could give the child some type of reward that would induce good behavior. Most are familiar with the later principle of operant conditioning; many aspects of human behavior are controlled by some type of reward and punishment system (Santrock et al, 2011). Cognitive Perspective The cognitive perspective focuses on the development of human understanding.  Cognitive theory is constructed around the conscious mind rather than the unconscious mind (psychoanalytical theory). Theories that have added value to cognitive perspective are Piaget’s cognitive development theory, Vygotsky’s socio-cultural cognitive theory, and the information-processing approach. This paper will only touch on Piaget’s cognitive development theory. Piaget’s theory states that children actively construct their understanding of the world and go through four stages of cognitive development (Santrock et al., 2011, p. 40). The four stages are the sensorimotor stage—use of the senses and movements in infancy to explore the world; preoperational stage – use of words and images, symbolic but illogical thinking of preschool aged children; concrete operational stage—organized logic and reasoning of school-aged children; and formal operational stage—complex, abstract reasoning system of the adolescent and adult (Berk, 2007, p. 19). The four stages involve a pattern or organization and adaptation. Individuals’ organize past experiences in a manner that helps them understand the world, while adapting to new experiences. Piaget suggests that this process of organization and adaptation is continuous throughout the lifespan because the way human beings think is in constant evolution. As we age our experiences grow, as does our brain. For example, a child perception of where babies come from will no doubt change over the course of his or her lifetime, yet if you ask a child where babies come from the child will try to associate what he or she understands about babies to answer your questions. The common response usually has to do with two people loving each other; yet many find as they get older love has very little to do with where babies come from. The cognitive perspective contributed to lifespan development the concept that learning begins well before human beings can formulate words. Where an infant will use its body and immature sound to communicate its needs an adult will use reasoning and logic to get its way. Stages of Lifespan Development Development throughout the lifespan is divided into periods: the prenatal period (conception to birth); infancy period (birth to three years old); early childhood (three to six years old); middle childhood (six to 12 years  old): adolescence (12 to 20 years old); early adulthood (20 to 40 years old); middle adulthood (40 to 60 years old); and late adulthood (60 years old to death). Each period is characterized with specific physical and cognitive growth and developmental changes. This part of the paper will define each period of development and examine theory and research relative to the period. Prenatal Development The importance of preconception health has been far overlooked. As the mother of three, when my spouse and I began to discuss the possibility of having a baby one of my first thoughts was whether I was healthy enough to conceive. I believe once an individual or couple make the decision to conceive the importance of his or her (their) preconception health is removed from the equation, even though preconception health has a major impact on prenatal development. There is not much research on the importance of preconception health and care; however, over recent years with an increase in adolescent pregnancy and pre-term births that has changed drastically (Dean, Bhutta, Mason, Howson, Chandra-Mouli, Lassi & Iman, 2012). Proper health care prior to conception will improve the chances for successful prenatal development. The prenatal period encompasses the most rapid phase of development of our lives, beginning as a single cell and ending as a newborn baby emerging into the world (Slater & Lewis, 2006, p.41). The prenatal period sets the foundation for future development. The prenatal period begins with conceptions and ends with birth. The prenatal period is divided into three stages: the germinal stage, the embryonic stage, and the fetal stage (as cited in Slater & Lewis, 2006, p. 42). In the germinal period the sperm fertilizes the egg. The union of the sperm and egg takes place in the fallopian tubes. During ovulation an egg is released from the ovary and enters the fallopian tubes. Sperm journey up the fallopian tube to meet the egg. This meeting results in the formation of a single-celled organism called a zygote. The zygote journeys down the fallopian tube to the uterus where it implants. The germinal period last approximately 2 weeks. The embryonic stage begins during the middle of the second week and concludes at the end of the eighth week, at which time the physical appearance of the  embryo is clearly human (Slater & Lewis, 2006, p. 43). The embryonic stage is considered the most critical stage of prenatal development. It is during this time that all the major organs of the body begin to form. At the conclusion of this stage the embryo is transformed into the fetus. The fetal stage follows from the end of the embryonic stage, beginning at nine weeks and ending with the onset of labor and birth of the baby (Slater & Lewis, 2006, p. 44). During this stage the fetus head, eyes, genitals, fingers and toes all under go massive growth. .r The image of a human being is undeniably visible. The prenatal period is the most vulnerable period of human development. Not only is the physical health of the parents important to fetal development but the prenatal environment (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010) also has an impact on prenatal development. The prenatal environment is a blend of both internal and external parts; the internal being the mother’s womb and the external all elements outside the womb – physical environment and social and cultural factors (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). Research has long debated the influence nature versus nurture has on prenatal development. The question remains how much of development is influenced by genetics (nature) and how much is influenced by environment (nurture) (Slater & Lewis, 2006). It would make sense to view the prenatal period as being heavily influenced by genetics; however environmental factors actually influence development just as much as genetics. There is a clear balance between genetic and environmental influences during prenatal development. Genetics direct physical growth and development, where as environmental factors influence physical growth and development. These environmental factors called teratogens can cause serious damage during prenatal development. Environmental substances and agents (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010) such as alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs cause serious harm to an unborn fetus. Women who consume alcohol during pregnancy are at risk of having an infant who suffers from fetal alcohol syndrome. Mothers who use tobacco products during pregnancy risk having a pre-term baby or infant with low birth weight. Environmental factors also include socioeconomic and cultural factors. Women who live in low-income communities are at risk of not getting enough to eat or proper medical care during pregnancy. Poor  nutrition and inadequate medical care could result in pre-term birth or infant low birth weight. Stress is also an environmental factors. Women who are subjected to daily distress can pass the effects of stress onto their unborn child. Children born to mothers who suffered from depression and other stress related issues were found to be emotional, psychological and developmentally challenged. Children who suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder present an example of how maternal stress during pregnancy can impact the physical development. Adequate nutrition, routine medical care and maternal psychological and emotional well being are essential to reduce the influence external factors have on prenatal development. How a fetus develops during the prenatal period will have a immense impact on the subsequent periods of development. Infancy The infancy period of human development begins at birth and ends at the approximate age of three. Parent-child bonding is essential during the infancy period. Infancy is the period of development in which a human being relies completely caregivers for all its basic needs, as such, infancy is marked as the period in which human beings develop trust for others and for their environment. According to Erikson (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010) during this period infants must resolve the crisis of trust versus mistrust (p. 9). Human beings undergo a significant amount of physical and cognitive development during the infancy period. During infancy, interaction with caregivers sets the emotional foundation for all future relationships. Cognitive, motor, and social/emotional development are also developmental milestones that occur during the infancy period. Many ‘first-time’ developmental events occur during infancy. Infants’ learn various skills such as crying, nursing and coordination; these learned skills ensure the infants’ ability to satisfy his/her attachment needs by soliciting the nurturing attention from caregivers. During infancy an emotional and physical attachment is established between an infant and its caregiver(s). According to Bowlby (Delius, Bovenschen, Spangler, 2008; Broderick & Blewitt, 2010) attachment theory is the theory of social-emotional development; where infants develop a bond with the primary caregiver(s) and a sense of security within their environment. The attachment relationship that develops between infant and caregiver will set the foundation for all  future relationships, as such, any deviation from a healthy attachment relationship can have an adverse affect on the infants future relationships. A study by Bates, Maslin, & Frankel (Year), found a direct correlation between a child’s ability to self-regulate his/her behavior and the mother-child attachment relationship established during infancy. Early Childhood Human infants are the most vulnerable and helpless of any other species at birth; however cognitive, physical and emotional development during the infancy period is what helps bring the human infant to developmental par. Early childhood is the period of development where extensive cognitive, emotional, physical and social growth occurs. The early childhood period begins at age three and last until around six years old. The early childhood period marks the start of school for most children. Children begin to explore their environment and reach for more autonomy and independence. Cognitive skills continue to develop and children begin to develop a sense of self during early childhood. Children begin to learn the physical differences between self and others. Children learn social appropriateness and begin the journey of peer interaction. During this stage children may experience behavior problems as they attempt to develop their social skills and independence. It’s during this st age that children begin to interact more frequently with individuals outside the family structure. Exposure to other children, cultures, values and environments can have a negative impact on a child’s behavior. Middle Childhood The middle childhood period begins at age six and ends around the age of 12 or 13. For most children, middle childhood begins the journey to independence and self-awareness/actualization. Children begin to develop concrete likes and dislikes. Boys show signs of increased gross motor coordination and girls show signs of increased fine motor coordination. At this time some children will begin playing sports or participate in extracurricular activities such as music lessons, little league or girls scouts. Emotional and biological changes and continued cognitive development also occur during middle childhood. The onset of puberty is common during middle childhood. Children develop gender specific role  identities and sexual identity/orientation may also develop. Middle childhood also marks the beginning of peer pressure and self-esteem issues. Adolescence Adolescence can be a very emotional and challenging period of development. It begins around the age of 12-13 and last until age 20. Adolescence is the period between childhood and adulthood. Individuals continue to aggressively reach for more independence from family. Adolescence is marked with more physical changes/development. For late bloomers, the onset of puberty may not occur until adolescence. Identity and gender conflict are common issues of adolescence. Adolescence continues the exploration of sexuality (sexual preference and sexual orientation). Culture begins to have a significant influence on gender role identity. In many cultures, adolescence marks the ascension into adulthood. Adolescence can be a time of great conflict when cultural views on gender roles and identity do not match with a child’s maturity level. Parents and authority figures begin to few adolescents as pseudo-adults. Parental expectations are high and some adolescents do not possess a level of maturity that meets parental standards. The conflict of almost being an adult can cause rebellious and risky behavior in some adolescents. Adolescents are more prone to illegal substance use, violent behavior, illegal behavior, and sexual promiscuity. Erikson suggests that adolescence is the stage of development that is plagued with the most crises and success through this stage requires a healthy and stable environment. Early Adulthood Early adulthood begins around the age of 20 and last well into the 40s. Early adults are focused on friendships, intimate relationships, child bearing and careers. During early adulthood a person might experience physical, emotional or psychological issues such as depression or chemical dependency. Physical development is at its peak by early adulthood; however cognitive skills continue to develop. Individuals begin to take on new roles and identities in their personal and professional lives. Morals and values begin emerge (independent of parental influences). One of the major milestones of early adulthood is falling in love. An individuals’ ability to successfully develop and maintain an intimate adult relationship will  depend significantly on the attachment relationships developed during infancy. According to Broderick & Blewitt (2010) childhood attachment theory provides a useful framework for conceptualizing adult intimacy (p. 382). Erikson’s sixth stage of development, intimacy versus isolation is another theoretical view on the process of establishing intimate relationships in early adulthood. Erikson suggests (Broderick & Blewitt, 20100) that young adults are internally driven to establish intimate relationships by their need for generativity (p. 381). Middle Adulthood Middle adulthood begins at the age of 40 and last until the age of 60-65. Middle adulthood marks the time of new beginnings for a lot of people. Middle age finds many people divorced, starting new careers, going back to school and even starting families for the first or second time. Stay at home parents are entering the workforce for the first time or returning back to work after raising their family. Middle adulthood marks the beginning of the loss of friends and family due to illness (death). Middle adulthood brings changes in physical appearance and ability (menopause, hair loss, impotence†¦). Individuals begin to find a sense of community during middle adulthood; volunteering their time and resources for various community and/or humanitarian causes. Health issues are also a factor during middle adulthood. The onset of physical and emotional illness has a significant impact on the quality of life during middle adulthood. According to Erikson, individuals experience the seventh stage of development, generativity versus stagnation, during middle adulthood. Generativity refers to an individuals need to guide and mentor younger generations to leading and developing meaningful lives, in contrast to stagnation which refers to an individuals feeling he or she has done nothing to give back to or help the next generation. Late Adulthood Late adulthood begins around the age of 60-65 and last until death. More physical and health related issues occur during late adulthood. Loss of friends and family to illness and natural causes is more frequent and common during late adulthood. Changes in cognitive ability due to mental illness (dementia, Alzheimer’s) manifest during late adulthood. Late adulthood marks the time of retirement for many individuals. Late adulthood marks the period of senescence – the process of aging (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). As an individual gets older changes in food consumption and metabolism result in changes in weight. Also, changes in of the tissue and bone density in addition to compression of the spinal cord result in changes in height. As the body begins to degenerate an individual is more susceptible to illness and disease. More common physical changes of aging include hair, hearing and tooth loss, and wrinkling and reduced physical strength. Developmental changes in the brain are also part of the aging process. During middle to late adulthood an individual will begin to experience some loss of memory (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). It becomes difficult to remember minor details of past and/or immediate events. Other effects of aging include changes in mental health. Many older individuals suffer from chronic mental illnesses such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. As an individual gets older he or she may find it difficult to physically do many of the things he or she did during adolescence or middle adulthood. Because of these new age imposed restrictions many individuals experience and/or suffer from mental and emotional illness. Getting older can limit or change a persons’ social life, as such, many people become discourage and/or depressed because of physical limitation due to aging. During late adulthood individuals enter Erikson’s eight stage of development, integrity and despair. According to Erickson for most individuals late adulthood is a time for reflection. An individual looks back upon his or her life to access whether life was good and filled with happiness or whether life is laced with countless regret. Knowing what I know – Applying Lifespan Development to Industrial-Organizational Psychology Industrial-Organizational (I-O) Psychology is the study of the workplace. I-O psychologist apply methods of psychology to issues of business, talent management, coaching, assessment, selection, training, organizational development, performance, and work-life balance (www.siop.org, nd). â€Å"Industrial/Organizational (I/O) psychologists study human behavior in the workplace. I/O psychology is an applied discipline that seeks to improve organizational behavior, attitudes, performance, and results. I/O psychologists are trained in the disciplines of organization change and  development, leadership effectiveness, work motivation, training and employee development, human performance improvement, job analysis, performance appraisal, personnel selection research, test development, research methods, and statistics. I/O psychologists are employed in business and industry, consulting firms, non-profit organizations, government agencies, the military, and academe. Through their research and performance improvement interventions, I/O psychologists improve the bottom line of the organization by helping the organization’s leaders select the right people, train and develop people effectively, motivate employees, improve individual and group performance, and reward empl oyees appropriately† (http://www.latech.edu, nd) So how can studying lifespan development benefit the professional career of an I-O psychologist? My ultimate professional goal is to teach at the university level. But while I work my way towards gaining the knowledge and skills necessary for a career in academics I would like to direct my attention to making the workplace a better place for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. As a member of the LGBT community I have witness blatant acts of discrimination against LGBT employees and watched some many tolerate a hostile and unhealthy work environment. I would like to help organizations establish programs that educate employees about the LGBT community, specifically the psychology aspect of coming out. For many of my LGBT colleagues’ coming out is a two-fold process; a person first comes out to family and friends and then must make the decision of coming out in the workplace. The psychological trauma associated with coming out in the workplace has an impact, not only on the person coming out, but on the organization as a whole. I believe educating employees about self—personal morals, values and religious beliefs is a good place to start in the fight against LGBT workplace discrimination. It is the personal morals, values, and religious beliefs that allow people to form opinions about LGBT individuals. So how will I apply my knowledge of lifespan development? Through my study of lifespan psychology I gained a better understanding of how the varies stages of life can influence how a person thinks or reacts to a situation. There is no right age of coming out and in my experience coming out can happen in any stage of life. The knowledge I gained about the various stages of life will help me in developing a program geared  around these stages. I would also like to provide career counseling for LGBT youth. The adolescent years are already a confusing time, coupled with the idea that one might be homosexual; this may leave some LGBT youth in limbo about what they want to do with their lives. Current LGBT youth programs are geared towards helping youth understand their sexuality, but drop the ball on helping the individual understand how to live as an openly gay adult. Overall the knowledge I gained from this course will help me to better understand why human being do the things they do and how I can help them do things better. I have a better understanding of the various changes that occur throughout the lifespan and as an I-O psychologist I can apply this knowledge to improving the workplace for individuals in all stages of life. References Baltes, B. B., & Dickson, M. W. (2001). Using Life-Spa Models in Industrial-Organizational Psychology: The Theory of Selective Optimization With Compensation. Applied Development Science. 5(1), 51-62. Benson, P., Galbraith, J., & Espeland, P. (1994). What kids need to succeed: Proven, practical ways to raise good kids. Minneapolis: Free Spirit Publishing. Berk, L. E. (2007). Development through the lifespan. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. Berkowitz, M., & Grych, J. (1998). Fostering goodness: Teaching parents to facilitate children’s moral development. Journal of Moral Education, 27(3), 371-391. Bono, G. & Froh, J. (2009). Gratitude in school: Benefits to students and schools. In R. Gilman, E, Huebner, & M. Furlong (Eds.), Handbook of positive psychology in the schools (pp. 77-88). New York: Routledge. Broderick, P. C. & Blewitt, P. (2010). The Life Span: Human development for helping professionals (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc. Courage, M. L., & Howe, M. L. (2002). From infant to child: The dynamics of cognitive change in the second year of life. Psychological Bulletin, 128(2), 250-277. doi: 10.1037/0033-2909.128.2.250 Dean, S., Bhutta, Z., Mason, E. M., Howson, C., Chandra-Mouli, V., Lassi, Z., & Iman, A., (2012). Care before and between pregnancy (Born to Soon: The Global Action Report on Preterm Birth). Retrieved from The Partnership fro Maternal, Newborn and Child Health website: http://www.who.int/pmnch/media/news/2012/preterm_birth_report/en/index.html Feldman, R. S. (2006). Development across the life span. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson/Prentice Hall. Heckhausen, J., & Schulz, R. (1995). A life-span theory of control. Psychological Review, 102(2), 284-304. doi: 10.1037/0033-295X.102.2.284 Hepper, P. G., (2006). Prenatal Development. In A. Slater & M. Lewis (Eds.), Introduction to Infant Development (pp. 41-62). Retrieved from http://www.oup.com/uk/orc/bin/9780199283057/slater_chap03.pdf Huitt, W. (2010). A holistic view of education and schooling: Guiding students to develop capacities, acquire virtues, and provide service. Paper presented at the 12th Annual International Conference sponsored by the Athens Institute for Education and Research (ATINER), May 24-27, Athens, Greece. Retrieved from http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/papers/holistic-view-of-schooling.pdf Louisiana Technical University, (nd). What is I-O Psychology. Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences. Retrieved from http://www.latech.edu/education/psychology/graduate/industrial_organizational_psychology/internship/Brochure.pdf McElwain, N. L., Booth-LaForce, C., & Wu, X. (2011). Infant–mother attachment and children’s friendship quality: Maternal mental-state talk as an intervening mechanism. Developmental Psychology, 47(5), 1295-1311. doi:10.1037/a0024094 McCrae, R. R., Costa, P. r., Ostendorf, F., Angleitner, A., HÃ…â„¢ebà ­Ã„ kovà ¡, M., Avia, M. D., & †¦ Smith, P. B. (2000). Nature over nurture: Temperament, personality, and life span development. Journal Of Personality And Social Psychology, 78(1), 173-186. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.78.1.173 Rothbart, M. K., & Ahadi, S. A. (1994). Temperament and the development of personality. Journal Of Abnormal Psychology, 103(1), 55-66. doi:10.1037/0021-843X.103.1.55 Santrock, J., MacKenzie-Rivers, A., Malcomson, T., & Ho Leung, K. (2011). Life-Span Development (4th ed.). McGraw-Hill Pyerson.

Skydiving Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Skydiving - Essay Example As the report declares the tourism industry in Kyiv has to entice more of such international tourists so as to generate higher revenues. Compared to group tourists, independent non-packaged or individual tourists spent more cash on meals, entertainment, gambling, lodging sightseeing and local transportation. Casino operators therefore have to focus on attracting more foreign independent tourists so as maximize their earnings. This paper stresses that Tobit analysis was employed to analyze the travel spending of Kyiv visitors. This technique was coined by Tobit. It was meant to estimate equations especially when a set of continuous observations on truncated criterion variable, usually at zero. This model poses two advantages first is that it presents efficient parameter estimates and the accurate estimates of the expected value of the variable. The second one is that it allows estimating both the market participation effect and the conditional quantity effect. The Tobit model used presented the below question to show the correlation between ith visitors’ daily travel expenditure on kth spending category and the independent variables. It is expected that the travel expenditure totals of Kyiv visitors have a positive relation to their per capita income and the people’s number in the party. Senior lecturers from the University of Kyiv helped in translating English questionnaire into simplified C hinese, Korean and French so as to ensure that most of the visitors literacy needs are satisfied. After the translation the questionnaire were verified by employees from Kyiv hotel and students together with staff members from the same university. After verifying the translation, 20 students pre-tested the questionnaire so as to validate it. The questionnaire had two parts designed to gather as much information as possible from the tourists. The first part based on the demographic, behavioral, socio-economic including entry mode, country of origin, party size,

Porter's Five Forces of Burberry Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Porter's Five Forces of Burberry - Assignment Example The most common barrier that may be faced by new entrants include; cost of entering this industry is very high given the fact that there has been new technological advancement. Secondly, Burberry tends to have cost advantage and well established channels for distributing its products. The cost advantage may acts as a major entry barrier to the new firms. Further, Burberry has well differentiated products such as; Trench coats that its competitors may not be able to emulate. However, fashion industry tends to be very dynamic. This means that entry barriers are low and therefore, Burberry should work to increase internal and external strength to compete with new entrants more efficiently and effectively (Totallyan, 2011). Burberry Company need to have numerous suppliers than it has currently. There is a need for the company to have numerous suppliers so that incase one supplier fail to deliver raw materials for manufacturing fashion products another supplier may be contacted. This may help to reduce loses emanating from prompt delivery of raw materials. In addition, having numerous suppliers may ensure that there is seamless flow of products into the fashion market (Merrill, 2008). In this case buyer’s power is relatively high in the fashion industry under which Burberry is operating. This is because the numbers of large players are increasing making it possible for buyers to switch into brands produced by other companies. However, most of the new entrants do not have differentiated products as compared to Burberry Company. This provides Burberry a competitive advantage over its competitors because of customers brand loyalty. In addition, the buyers are well informed about the products produced by Burberry. This tends to influence their power. Moreover, economic forces such as inflation may affect buyer’s power whereby, during inflation buyers power tend to be low as they become more sensitive to higher price changes (Kotler, Keller, and Lu

Marketing Mangement - T.J Maxx's money saving aspect Case Study

Marketing Mangement - T.J Maxx's money saving aspect - Case Study Example The other main thing that T.J Maxx is highlighting in its advertisement to affect consumer perceptions is the claim that these products are branded and hence they are no quality issues with these products as they are endorsed by famous brands. This will make many consumers think that since these products are being supplied to T.J Maxx by some well-known brands, they can trust these products without fearing that they are of inferior quality. They will also think that maybe T.J Maxx is buying in large quantities from these brands and hence it is able to supply these products at a cheaper price than T.J Maxx's competitors. Hence, T.J Maxx's advertisements are hitting the two aspects of consumer's perceptions that product may be offered at lower prices but all the same that it is being endorsed by brands, so consumer can expect no quality issues with the products. Price: The price charged is lower than other competitive firm's and hence it may lead to negative perceptions.

Bank (money supply) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Bank (money supply) - Essay Example Any government has the power and responsibility to regulate the economy of a country and not only does it regulate the economy, it has a vital role to ensure that the economic condition remains stable. It is the responsibility of the government to ensure that all the aspects of economy maintain a stable level so that the country can grow and expand. Government regulates many things in an economy including inflation, exports and imports, prices of many vital commodities, and many important economic aspects. For example Government of England has entrusted the job of determining the monetary policy, in the hands of Bank of England. Bank of England looks into many other big issues. One of the most important issues is that of ensuring monetary stability in the economy, which can be achieved through a combination of stable prices of goods and services across the economy coupled with a low inflation level and level of confidence of the investors in the currency of the country. The Bank come s out with the monetary policy in order to ensure a certain key objectives like, delivering price stability with a low inflation level coupled with an objective to support the Government's economic objectives of growth and employment. Price stability is taken care of, by the Government's usual inflation target of 2%. There is a need to contemplate the crucial and critical role played by price stability in achieving the aforesaid economic stability, and in providing just the right conditions for a sustainable and longer living growth in output and employment. Chancellor of the Exchequer announces the Government's inflation target every year in the annual Budget statement. Though The 1998 Bank of England Act enables it to set interest rates independently, however, The Bank does hold accountability to the parliament and the wider public, which can not be refrained from. The legislation provides the government the power to instruct the bank on the interest rates issues for a limited per iod of time during emergency, for the sake of national interests. (How Monetary Policy Works) A target of 2% does in no way mean that inflation will be held at this rate constantly. That would be neither possible nor in any way desirable. Interest rates would be changing all the times, causing unnecessary volatility in the economy. Even then it would neither be possible nor feasible to keep inflation at any predetermined level, say 2% in each and every month continuously. Instead, the committee aims to set interest rates so that inflation can be brought back to target within a reasonable and imaginable span of time without creating undue instability and volatility in the economy. The government is also entrusted with the job of regulating property and commodity prices. To have a look into this in detail, we may need to analyze the factors that are generally responsibly for a rise in property prices. Before buying a house property, any buyer's first job is to assess the price of the property depending on the location, as location as a non-economic factor plays the biggest role in determining property prices all over the

Media Audiences Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Media Audiences - Essay Example Also, as with other qualitative approaches, in any one study, ethnography relies on a range of data collection methods and data sources to increase the validity of findings. A distinct feature of ethnography, however, is its reliance on participant observation – the researcher as a participant of the context being observed. The researcher is at one and the same time a researcher and participant. It is through the extensive and total immersion in a context that a participant observer is able to build a rich descriptive picture of those studied as a backdrop against which explanations can be explored (Arnould & Price 1993, pp. 24-45) When comparing all three different qualitative methodologies, each quite distinct in their procedures for data collection, interpretation and theoretical development. For example, grounded theory is ?exible in terms of data, but insists on theoretical sampling and saturation of both data and theory before theory development can be claimed. It is als o a methodology particularly suited to situations that have a symbolic and, or, an interactional element to them. Consequently, it has potential for a number of research directions and contexts that go beyond consumer behavior, for example relationship marketing or even the sales situation (Brownlie, 1997, pp. 263-82). Ethnography is generally concerned with culture and power with the main forms of data generally participatory observation and interviews. Again, research agendas that focus on, for example, inter-departmental dynamics, gender issues, ethical marketing or green consumption may well bene?t from the application of an ethnographic approach. Finally phenomenology has its own unique characteristics and philosophy, which... This study looks into ethnography as a branch of anthropology which provides scientific descriptions and interpretations of human social behavior. It is a systematic study of people that observes, through extensive fieldwork, how humans act and interact in a specific and defined culture. Ethnography is an approach to research dedicated to collecting in-depth information on social behavior in a specific context. Traditionally, culture was understood in geographic or ethnic terms. Now culture or context (the word used in this paper), can refer to a range of settings/environments where people interact. Each context will be different and complex as a result of differences in history and cultural practices, for example. A context may be a school or workplace setting, a housing estate in an inner city or a hospital and will be selected based on the purpose of the research. The complexity of each context underpins and helps to explain behavior. Audience plays a key role in determining the s uccess of any media, program or channel. Undeniably audience stands as the backbone of any mass media. But this term has been exploited and manipulated by many researchers and theorists when they relate the actual meaning of audience in relation to define mass media and other broadcasting services. It is easily understandable that no program, channel or a media can excel without having a proper viewership or a large number of audiences.

Social issue paper on organ donation and how we need to fix the Essay

Social issue paper on organ donation and how we need to fix the waiting period so people aren't turning to illegal trafficking - Essay Example From research, I can conclude that the result has been organ trafficking and other illegal means of obtaining organs since people believe that they cannot follow formal procedures that take too much time and are mostly futile. Organ trafficking has been highlighted, severally, as a rising concern by the United Nations and other international organizations like the World Health Organization. The effects of this latest vice are far-reaching and destroy many lives directly and indirectly. However, what is the solution to this problem? Actually, I think that there are two dilemmas that need to be solved in order to make organ donation safer and formal. First, the trafficking of organs must be reduced and if possible eliminated to avoid the short-term and long-term negative consequences of the vice (Claybourne, 2012). Secondly, healthcare facilities, in collaboration with governments, should work out a way to reduce the waiting time and limit the desperate measures patients resort to in order to replace their organs. The organ trafficking industry is growing, supported by rising demand as well as illegal traffickers. Although waiting lists for organs are growing longer in developed nations, selling organs in poor nations is a temptation that many cannot resist. The rising demand for organs has significantly caused an intensification in organ trafficking across the world, and the challenges associated with transplantation are driving ethical concerns about organ trafficking and its victims to the top of the global agenda. According to Chan & Ross (2012), organ trafficking happens in 3 broad categories. Firstly, there are instances where traffickers compel or cheat the victims into donating organs. Secondly, there are instances where victims formally or informally consent to sell organs are deceived because they not remunerated for the organ or are paid less than the agreed price. Finally,

For and against reforming the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Article

For and against reforming the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) - Article Example The TSCA provisions do not apply the same to new and existing chemicals. According to TSCA, any new chemical substances are any chemical that is not part of the chemical substance list collected and published under TSCA section 8(b). This list is referred to as the â€Å"TSCA Inventory†. The TSCA act has had a great impact in ensuring protection of the American citizen and the environment. EPA has had successes compiling data on chemical toxicity, market use, and exposure under TSCA’s section 4 which allows EPA to do testing and information provisions. However, these results have been limited because very few test policies and rules have been enacted by the TSCA. Through the new chemicals program set by TSCA has proven to be a successful example of a precautionary review policy. These provisions apply at the pre-manufacture level of manufacturing before the product is let out to the public. This provision sets disciplinary reviews to assess risks associated with new chemicals. This ensures that there is protection against potentially harmful chemicals. Due to its high disciplinary measures, this has scared investors who are venturing into new and advance technology in chemical industry. The regulations have high legal threshold which is almost impossible to meet. The TSCA program for existing chemicals has ensured that the EPA is able to monitor its inventory and also analyze manufacturing and consumption by the public. On the other hand it has been viewed by many to be a failure. The existing chemicals have pose a challenge on EPA to prove that chemicals already approved will not present risk and that the benefits of regulation overpass the costs. Lack of assurance favors the keeping of these chemicals on the market. EPA limitation on power to regulate existing chemicals provides a hindrance to bringing safer chemicals to market. While chemical manufacturers invest important

Open Topic under Composite Materials Term Paper

Open Topic under Composite Materials - Term Paper Example As described in Wikipedia, there are two main kinds of wind turbines one is Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine and second is Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (1). However, Horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWT) are the most widely used design for commercial purposes. Earlier standard parts and components were used for manufacturing of turbines; however, with advancement in technology, specialized materials and parts started to be designed for turbines introducing alternate solutions for manufacturing (Eker, Akdogan, and Vardar 2917). UTILIZATION OF COMPOSITE MATERIALS IN WIND TURBINES Two or more materials are arranged with each other with a specific medium in between them to form a composite material. The fiber material is usually harder and stronger than the binding medium (matrix) being used. This not only rearranges structural and physical properties like rigidity, toughness and corrosion but also unlocks new dimensions to electrical, thermal and environmental properties of materials forming a composite. The aim of modern research is to reduce the cost, improve performance and impact resistance of the composite materials for their better application in a wide range of fields. These discussed significant features of composite materials have made these future materials for wind turbines (Eker, Akdogan, and Vardar 2917). In general, metallic, organic and inorganic materials called matrix, fibers, particulates, stamps and layers having limited geometry constitute composite materials. The binding medium, matrix, creates a phase impact by producing distribution of other material structures in its own structure. This brings changes to overall physical, mechanical and chemical properties of the composite materials. These materials fibers, matrix and reinforcements are chemically inert and dissolved among each other. It is pertinent to note that in metallic composites even a small amount of dissolution may affect the overall properties of the material (Eker, Akdogan, and Vardar 2 918). Purpose of using composite material in turbine blades is to exploit one or more of the physical, mechanical and other properties of materials forming the composite. To achieve this, numbers of methods are used but the principle is same as to improve weak properties of the materials in composite to achieve a good performance turbine blade. WIND ENERGY A convertor is the main component that is required to convert the kinetic energy of motor due to blade rotation into electrical or heart energy, thus producing a power given by following equation P = Av3 where ? = Aerodynamic efficiency constant ? = Density of air A = Area of tubrine-plane v = Wind velocity The two or more blades are installed on central part (disc) of turbine called rotor to form a wind turbine which is rotated by action of wind on turbine blades (Brondsted, Lilholt, and Lystrup 506). Wind turbines usually consist of two to three large blades made of wood, plexiglass or a composite material. The basic design pri nciple encompassing the wind turbines is that of an aero engine turbine or air plane wing where lift is used to make use of energy. Complete turbine assembly consisting of two or more blades is installed in vertical plane on horizontal axis into wind. In a similar fashion, wind energy is captured using same basic design principle. Stall and pitch regulations are used to control the speed and power of

Natural Resources Essay Example for Free

Natural Resources Essay Renewable energy is energy that is derived from natural resources which can be replenished naturally such as tides, sunlight, geothermal heat, rain and wind. Renewable energy accounts for about 10. 1 of the locally produced electricity in the United States. According to Nebel and Wright, hydro power which is generated using water is the prime source of renewable energy apart from solar energy, wind power, geothermal power and biomass and bio-fuel energies (214). The Tazimina project in Alaska is an example of hydropower plant that does not require a dam. Other hydroelectricity dams are found in Tennessee valley and on the Colorado River. Wind power which uses wind to generate electricity is becoming more and more popular and is mostly used in some regions such as in Appalachians, Western United States and Alaska. Though this source of energy does not pollute the environment it poses negative environmental impacts to wildlife. Although solar technologies and geothermal power have minimal destructive environmental impacts biomass power has the prospective of becoming the leading energy source not only in the U. S but the entire world. Biomass can be produced almost everywhere and is derived from wastes and alcohol fuels and can be converted into liquefied fuel to meet transportation energy requirements. It can also be used to produce electricity and as a source of heat. Ethanol and biodiesel are common forms of bio-fuels used in the U. S and are produced from plants. The U. S department should focus on reconnoitring ways of converting cellulose from forest residue, agricultural wastes and other materials to ethanol which is the most environmental friendly source of fuel. Since the U. S government released $30 million shillings towards the funding of Clean Energies Technologies to enhance the transition to a viable energy future, this can greatly assist in building an inclusive state renewable energy scheme that addresses the full range of market issues and technologies. As it is observed by the World Watch Institute (2006), we all need energy that is secure, improves public health, protects the environment, is reliable, offers technological leadership and addresses climate change. Works Cited Nebel, Bernard J. , and Wright, Richard T. Environmental Science: The Way the World Works. Ed. Upper Saddle, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1987. World Watch Institute, â€Å"American Energy: The Renewable Path to Energy Security†. September 2006. Retrieved on 20th July, 2010 from: http://www. worldwatch. org/files/pdf/AmericanEnergy. pdf

How the Interplay Between Two Different Perspectives Essay Example for Free

How the Interplay Between Two Different Perspectives Essay Explain how the interplay between two different perspectives on characters and situations found in two of Lawson’s stories set for study and one other related text of your own choosing highlights the distinctly visual. In Henry Lawson’s stories, the â€Å"Drover’s Wife† and â€Å"The Loaded Dog†, and in Wilfred Owens’s â€Å"The Last Laugh†, the different perspectives on characters and situations interplay to give the audience a story through which they are caught up. Through the use of alliteration, some metaphors and similes, as well as onomatopoeia and personification, Lawson and Owens give their audience a feeling of the distinctly visual. Both authors convey distinctive experiences through different ways. Lawson describes scenes to the audience in such detail that he makes it possible for the readers to place themselves in the particular situation he is creating, even if they have never had that experience. This technique helps to link the reader with that specific feeling. An example is in â€Å"The Drover’s Wife†, the quote â€Å"It must be near daylight†. This brings the audience to the present situation, after they are lost in the past memories of the woman, using the perspective of the woman. The views of the characters are depicted through the eyes of the wife. The characters are those whom she interacts with, such as her children, the dog, the swagman, and to an extent, her own husband. The situation is there being a snake stuck in their house, and she is scared yet brave enough to kill it and prevent it killing her children. One example would be â€Å"Close and hot†. Using the sense of touch, it makes the reader feel like they are breathless, cut off, with no sense of space, being over-heated due to the sense of being worried and tense. â€Å"Suddenly† brings a break and a height in the tension. The speed and length of this sentence contrasts with others like â€Å"a thrill runs through his body†. In the â€Å"Loaded Dog†, it is evident that Lawson uses an abundance of dry humour, as well as sarcasm. The view of the characters the story gives us is that of three men and a dog. In this story, the situation is that of the dog getting a hold of a bomb cartridge, and nearly killing them. The quote â€Å"It was very good blasting powder† changes the mood of the situation as it is the breaking point of the tension. It is a lead-up from the dog sniffing the cartridge. The use of dry and sarcastic humour helps to provide the audience with a view-point of the action taking place. It gives it a humorous undertone in order to help the audience adjust better and not feel as shocked, when the re-tell of the explosion takes place. In the â€Å"Last Laugh†, Wilfred Owen uses character views to give his opinion on war- its injustices and sadness. He states that it is in fact the weapons that have the last laugh. The situation is World War 1, and how there are many young men, excited about war who go to fight, and end up dead, their lives wasted. Owen uses mainly personification, where upon he depicts the human qualities and attributes of the guns. Using words such as â€Å"guffawed†, â€Å"chirped† and â€Å"chuckled†, he communicates to the audience the mockery the guns are making of the men, as they die. â€Å"Mother, mother, Dad! † gives the reader the horrific image of a young man, almost a boy, dying uselessly on the battlefield, and never having the chance to experience life. This communicates to the audience the distinctly visual as, with the â€Å"Drover’s Wife† and â€Å"Loaded Dog† , it gives the responder the mental image of the events happening in the poem. The relationship between the view and the situation help to give the audience a clearer image of what Lawson and Owens are trying to depict, or communicate. In other words, this emphasizes the distinctly visual as the author, interplaying the view and situations, passes on a mental image of the scene being set. Owens and Lawson succeed in depicting sharp, and clear, images to the audience through the use of character views, situations and various techniques. This is turn gives the audience a distinctively visual experience.

Human Rights under Indian Law

Human Rights under Indian Law 1.3.4 Other Fundamental Rights (Unremunerated Fundamental Rights) A number of rights are not stated in the Covenant, are not even laid down in part III of the Constitution. In A.D M. Jabalpur V. S. Shukla[1] the Supreme Court by a majority of four to one, held that the Constitution of India did not recognize any natural or common law rights other than that expressly conferred in the Constitution. Though the attitude of the Supreme Court has changed especially after 1978. The courts on many occasions by accepting the rule of judicial construction have held that regard must be paid to International Conventions and norms for constructing domestic law. In Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India,[2] Justice Bhagwati in the Special Bench for the Supreme Court observed that: The expression ‘personal liberty’ in article 21 is of the widest amplitude and it covers a variety of rights, which go to constitute the personal liberty of man and some of them have been raised to the status of distinct fundamental rights and given additional protection under Article 19. No person can be deprived of his right to go abroad unless there is a law made by the State prescribing the procedure for so depriving him; and the deprivation is effected strictly in accordance with such procedure. The following rights are contained in the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. They are available to the citizens of India through judicial decisions, even if and though they are not specifically mentioned in the Constitution. Right to travel abroad (Article 21): The right to travel abroad is a guaranteed right under Article 12 paragraph (2) of the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In Sathwant Singh Sawlmey D, Ramanathan, Assistant Passport Officer,[3] New Delhi, the Court held that the right to go abroad is part of an individual’s personal liberty within the meaning of Article 21, Right to privacy (Articles 21 and 19 (1) (d)): This right is stipulated under Article 17 paragraph (1) of the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In Kharak Singh v. State of Uttar Pradesh[4] it was held by the Supreme Court that the ‘domiciliary visits’ is an infringement of the right to privacy and is violative of the citizen’s fundamental rights of personal liberty guaranteed under Article 21. Right against solitary confinement Right to human dignity Right to free legal aid in a criminal trial Right to speedy trial Right against handcuffing Right against delayed execution Right against custodial violence Right against public hanging Right to health care or doctor’s assistance Right to shelter Right to pollution free environment Freedom of the press Right to know Right to compensation Right to release and rehabilitation of bonded labor Right of inmates of protection homes Thus we can notice that how the rights, whether formally enshrined or not, whether available to citizens or non-citizens, form such a palpable ingredient in being able to lead a life. Moving ahead, we can focus upon the rights and bills that are specifically concerned with child rights and encapsulated to guarantee assistance to child development. This study aims to focus on the issue of child trafficking; a concern deeply embedded in the larger canvas of human trafficking which broadly includes other than child. The Article 21 (A) of the constitution of India deals with the Right to Child Education included in the Constitution by the Eighty Sixth Constitution Amendment Act, 2002. In order to make the right to free and compulsory education for a child, the Constitution’s 83rd Amendment Bill 1997 was introduced in Rajya Sabha to insert a new article 21 A in the Constitution. However, the Bill was withdrawn on November 27, 2001. On November 28, 2001 the Constitution 93rd Amendment Bill 2001 was introduced and passed by unanimous vote in the Lok Sabha, and the on May 14, 2002 in Rajya Sabha with formal amendments as 86th Constitutional amendment. Before the Constitutional process started for making the right to education a fundamental right, the Supreme Court in J. P. Unnikrishnan and others v. The State of Andhra Pradesh[5] held that every citizen of this country has the right to free education until he completes the age of fourteen years. Indeed there is not a doubt that such a right if rightly enforced, could be directly or indirectly responsible for mitigation of many problems including trafficking. The detailed discussion of child rights and timely measures adopted to safeguard childhood will not be complete without the discussion of POSCO Bill. The President of India on June 12, 2012 assented the Act. . This Act was introduced to protect children from offences of sexual assault, sexualharassment and pornography and provide for establishment of Special Courts for trials of such offences and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. The very same consequences of child trafficking are dealt with in such laws. It can be well noted that Clause (3) of the Article 15 of the Constitution empowers the State to make special provisions for children and in India. The wellbeing of a child are regarded as being of paramount importance at every stage, as the law operates in a manner to ensure a healthy physical, emotional, intellectual and social development of a child. Further to monitor the implementation of the objectives enshrined in the constitution the Central Government has appointed a National Commission for Minorities, a National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and a National Commission for Women. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) came into being in 1993 by virtue of the Protection of Human Rights Act. NHRC has become an agency to figure with, and has carved out a place for itself in the assortment of Indian national institutions for implementation of human rights. India is also a party to the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the child, adopted on December 11, 1992 .The convention has prescribed a certain set of standards in order to ensure and secure the best interests of the child. India being a party to this convention, is obligated to follow all the set of standards in guaranteeing such safeguards to child/children. The State parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child are required to undertake all appropriate national, bilateral and multilateral measures to prevent- inducement or coercion of a child to engage in any unlawfulsexual activity the exploitative use of children in prostitution or other unlawful activity the exploitative use of children in pornographic performances and materials This Act is enacted by the Parliament to be extended to all the parts of India, excepting Jammu and Kashmir. This brings our notice to laws and Acts that extends to even Jammu and Kashmir. India is also a signatory to the UNCRC which defines the age of a child i.e. below 18 years. Countries all over the world use this definition. A child between the ages of 0-18 years is not allowed to vote, sign a contract or engage a lawyer. The Juvenile Justice Act enacted in India in 1986 (which was enacted in Jammu and Kashmir too by 1997, and the rules adopted in Jammu and Kashmir by 2007) came as beginning of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children)Act 2000. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2000 is the primary legal framework for juvenile justice. The Act provides for a special approach towards the prevention and treatment of juvenile delinquency and provides a framework for the protection, treatment and rehabilitation of children in the purview of the juvenile justice system. This law, brought in compliance of Child Rights Convention 1989, repealed the earlier Juvenile Justice Act of 1986 after India signed and ratified Child Rights Convention 1989 in year 1992. This Act has been further amended in year 2006 and 2010. Technically even though this Act talks about Juvenile only , it is nevertheless essential in our study of child trafficking for this age group which according to India, are also highly targeted and disregarding the technical and formal description of age, this age group (16-18) ends up being a vulnerable target to human trafficking. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act is considered to be an extremely progressive legislation and Model Rules 2007 have further added to the effectiveness of this welfare legislation. However the implementation is a very serious concern even in year 2013 and Supreme Court of India is constantly looking into the implementation of this law in Sampurna Behrua Versus Union of India and Bachpan Bachao Andolan Versus Union of India. In addition to Supreme Court, various High Courts in India, specifically Bombay High Court and Allahabad High Courts are also monitoring implementation of JJ Act in judicial proceedings. In order to upgrade the Juvenile Justice Administration System, Government of India launched Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) in year 2009-10 whereby financial allocations have been increased and various existing schemes have been merged under one scheme. 1.4 Other Measures of Protection of Human Rights under Indian Law The Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 Suppression of Immoral Traffic in Women and Girls Act, 1956 Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 Bonded Labour (Abolition) Act, 1976 Employment of Children Act, 1938 (Amended in 1985) The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 Juvenile Justice Act, 1986 Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986 Sati (Prevention) Act, 1987 The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 The National Commission for Women Act, 1990 The National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992 The National Commission for Safari Karamcharis Act, 1993 The National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993 The Mental Health Act, 1993 1.5 Fundamental Duties and Human Rights Part IV(A) of the Constitution vests the Fundamental Duties of every Indian citizen (Article 51-A). This clause was inserted by 42nd Amendment 1976. The duties are to respect the Constitution and its institutions, to live by the noble ideals of the freedom struggle, to protect the sovereignty and integrity of India, to defend the country, to promote communal harmony, to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women, to preserve the cultural heritage, to protect and improve the natural environment, to have compassion for living creatures, to develop the scientific temper, to safeguard public property and abjure violence and to strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activity. In 2002 The Eighty- sixth Constitutional Amendment inserted a new clause (k) in Article 51(A) making it the duty of parent or guardian to provide opportunities for education to his child or as the case may be, ward between the ages of 6 and 14 years. In the subsequent years it appeared that parts III, IV and IV (a) of the Constitution are heavily depended upon the judiciary for their interpretation and application. The various ‘reasonable restrictions’ clauses mentioned in Part III, Article 21, and the rarely used Part IV-A have given the judiciary ample scope for reviewing the administrative and legislative action. Infact, Article 21 has allowed judicial institutions to act as a catalyst in pushing the State to implement the DPSPs with respect to the â€Å"life and personal liberty.† 1.6 Directive Principles of State Policy and Human Rights The non-enforceable rights in Part IV of the Constitution are mainly those of economic and social in nature. However, Article 37 makes it clear that despite being non enforceable it does not weaken the duty of the State to apply them in making laws, due to their fundamental nature. Additionally, the innovative jurisprudence of the Supreme Court has now read into Article 21 (the right to life and personal liberty) many of these principles and made them enforceable.[6] Reading in nutshell we can find that they demarcate the duties of the State, i.e. encompassing securing a social order with justice, social, economic and securing for â€Å"the citizens, men and women equally† the right to an adequate means of livelihood. (Article 38). They directdistribution of ownership and control of community resources to subserve the common good., prevent concentration of wealth and means of production to the common detriment , secure equal pay for equal work for both men and women, prevent abuse of labor, including child labor , ensure child development , ensure equal justice and free legal aid organize village democracies (Article 39). In Article 40, constitution sates the provision of the right to work, education and public assistance in case of unemployment, old age sickness and disability. Article 41 vests provision of humane conditions of work, whereasArticle 42 entails the living wage and a decent standard of life and so on so forth. Hence it can be witnessed that these directives aim to include the indispensable provisions for development of child and education for children amongst the other essential directives i.e. to provide for human rights and decent standard of living. 1.7 Political Rights and Human Rights India being the largest representative democracy in the world is based on universal adult suffrage, providing every Indian of at least eighteen years of age the right to vote. The Constitution of India provides for direct elections to the House of the People of the Central Parliament, i.e. the Lok Sabha and the State [Provincial) Legislative Assemblies, once in every five years.. The right to vote, the; right to contest elections, and the conduct of elections are all governed by the Constitution (Part XV) as well as special laws like the Representation of the People Act, 1951. 1.8 Judiciary and Human Rights The vanguard of human rights, the Judiciary is one of the three organ of Government in India. It performs this function by innovative interpretation of the constitution with regard to the human rights provisions. The Supreme Court in the case Ajay Hasia v. Khalid Mujib[7] declared that it has a special responsibility, â€Å"to enlarge the range and meaning of the fundamental rights and to advance the human rights jurisprudence.† The Supreme Court of India and the State High Courts have unequivocal powers under the Constitution to enforce the fundamental rights and it has liberally interpreted these powers. The major contributions of the judiciary to the human rights jurisprudence have been two-fold: (a) The substantive expansion of the concept of human rights under Article 21 of the Constitution, and (b) The procedural innovation of Public interest Litigation. 1.8.1 Expansion of Article 21 Article 21 remains the core concern in our discussions of human rights and it is essential to read it in much details. Article 21 reads as follows, – â€Å"No person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to the procedure established by law.† The expansion of Article 21 of the Constitution has taken place in two respects: The expression â€Å"the procedure established by law† was interpreted in the case A.K. Gopalan v. State of Madras[8] in the year 1950, the very first year of the Constitution, the Supreme Court in, reflecting on the intentions of the Constitution-makers, held that â€Å"procedure established by law† only meant that a procedure had to be set by law enacted by a Legislature. This phrase was deliberately used in Article 21 in preference to the American â€Å"Due Process† clause. Three decades later, in Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India case, the Supreme Court noted that â€Å"the Supreme Court rejected its earlier interpretation and holds that the procedure contemplated under Article 21 is a right, just and fair procedure, not an arbitrary or oppressive procedure.†[9] The procedure, which is reasonable and fair, must now be in conformity with the test of article 14 — â€Å"in effect it has become a Due Process.† There is no doubt that the experience of National Emergency (1975-1977) prompted the court to go all out for vindication of human rights. Since Maneka Gandhi’s case, every case of infringement of rights by the Legislature has undergone judicial scrutiny in terms of the new guideline laid down by the Supreme Court of India. Further, this case led to the establishing of the due process norm, which included rights like, right to claim legal aid for the poor and the right to expeditious trial etc.[10] The judiciary interpreted ‘the right to life and personal liberty† to comprehend all basic conditions for a life with dignity and liberty. The judiciary has interpreted the word â€Å"Life† to include the right to possession of each organ of one’s body and a prohibition of torture or inhuman or degrading treatment by Police. In the Francis Coralie Mullin v. The Administrator, Union territory of Delhi[11] case, the Supreme Court held that â€Å"life† couldn’t be restricted to mere animal existence, or physical survival. Hence it can be summed up that the right to life means the right to live with dignity and availing the basic necessities of life such as adequate nutrition, clothing, shelter and facilities for reading, writing and expressing oneself. Many cases in High Courts and the Supreme Court often revealed â€Å"a shocking state of affairs and portray a complete lack of concern for human values.† . Justice Bhagwati held â€Å"if a person is deprived of his liberty under a procedure which is not ‘reasonable’, ‘fair’ or ‘just’, it would fall foul of Article 21. The following cases will through light that how time and again this Fundamental right has come to the rescue during the violation of Fundamental Rights. In Deoraj Khatri v. State of Bihar [12]case the Police brutality was raised in which 80 suspected criminals were brutally blinded during Police investigation (Bhagalpur Blinding case). The Supreme Court condemned it as a â€Å"barbaric act and a crime against mankind.† Where as in Sheela Barse, The State of Maharashtra case, the Court was heard the plight of custodial violence against women and in judgment it laid down certain guidelines against torture and ill treatment of women in Police custody and jails. The Supreme Court has held a right to monetary compensation for deprivations of the right to life and liberty suffered at the hands of the State under Article 21. In, Paramanand Katra v. Union of India, The health problems of workers in the asbestos industry led the Supreme Court to rule that the right to life and liberty under Article 21 also encompasses the right of the workers to health and medical aid.[13] [1] A.I.R. 1976 S.C. 1207 at 1293 [2] A.I.R. 1978 S.C. 597 [3] A.I.R. 1967 S.C. Delhi 1836 [4] A.I.R. 1963 S.C. 1295 [5] A.I.R. 1993 S.C. 645 at 733. [6]Justice Sujatha V. Man3har, Judiciary and Human Rights, Indian Journal of International Law (Vol. 36, Nc1.2, 1996): 39-54. [7] A.1.R .I981 S.C. 487 at 493. [8] A.I.R. 1950 S.C 27 [9] A.I.R. 1978 S.C. 597 [10] [11] A.I.R.98.1. S.C . 746. [12] A.I.R. 1981 S.C. 928 [13] A.I.R. 1989 (4) S.C.C. 286.

The New Way to Book Your Travels :: essays research papers

The New Way to Book Your Travels   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In December’s e-issue of 4 Hoteliers.com, the article â€Å"Give the People what they want – Airfare and Car Rentals from your Hotels website,† by Richard Getz, elaborates on the new selling techniques in which major hotel corporations are incorporating into their websites. The customer will be able to book his/her hotel room, airline ticket as well as their rental car all at the same time and on the same website as a package. Though you might think you are booking your package with that company, you are really booking it through a â€Å"middle man† company called AirDepartment.com. Really the hotels website is linked directly with AirDepartment.com, who is the real one booking the flight, your rental car and your lodging accommodations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This incentive for the customer of having to book all of their travel arrangements at the same time has proved to be quite enticing because of the steady increase in internet sales for booking travel arrangements all at once. The â€Å"Big Dogs† of the hotel world such as Westin, Marriott, Sheraton, Four Points, St. Regis, and Holiday Inn to name a few, have this new service on their websites and the sales have been increasing steadily.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The company AirDepartment.com is also establishing itself in the travel world to be a partner, not a competitor for hotel corporations. As being a partner for hotels, the company hopes to seek the future contracts with other large dominating hotel chains such as Hilton, Best Western and Intrastate Hotels.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This article relates much to what we talk about in class because it is another strategy in which sales companies are enticing travelers. How they entice these travelers? They entice them because of the pure convenience of booking all travel arrangements at once on the same website.

Hip Hops Effect on American Culture Essay -- Rap Music and Pop Cultur

Hip hop has permeated popular culture in an unprecedented fashion. Because of its crossover appeal, it is a great unifier of diverse populations. Although created by black youth on the streets, hip hop's influence has become well received by a number of different races in this country. A large number of the rap and hip hop audience is non-black. It has gone from the fringes, to the suburbs, and into the corporate boardrooms. Because it has become the fastest growing music genre in the U.S., companies and corporate giants have used its appeal to capitalize on it. Although critics of rap music and hip hop seem to be fixated on the messages of sex, violence, and harsh language, this genre offers a new paradigm of what can be (Lewis, 1998.) The potential of this art form to mend ethnic relations is substantial. Hip hop has challenged the system in ways that have unified individuals across a rich ethnic spectrum. This art form was once considered a fad has kept going strong for more than three decades. Generations consisting of Blacks, Whites, Latinos, and Asians have grown up immersed in hip-hop. Hip hop represents a realignment of America?s cultural aesthetics. Rap songs deliver a message, again and again, to keep it real. It has influenced young people of all races to search for excitement, artistic fulfillment, and a sense of identity by exploring the black underclass (Foreman, 2002). Though it is music, many people do not realize that it is much more than that. Hip hop is a form of art and culture, style, and language, and extension of commerce, and for many, a natural means of living. The purpose of this paper is to examine hip hop and its effect on American culture. Different aspects of hip hop will also be examined to shed some light that helps readers to what hip hop actually is. In order to see hip hop as a cultural influence we need to take a look at its history. Throughout American history there has always been some form of verbal acrobatics or jousting involving rhymes within the Afro-American community. Signifying, testifying, shining of the Titanic, the Dozens, school yard rhymes, prison ?jail house? rhymes and double Dutch jump rope rhymes, are some of the names and ways that various forms of raps have manifested. Modern day rap music finds its immediate roots in the toasting and dub talk over elements of reggae music (George, 1998).... ... 3. Fernando, S.H., (1994). The New Beats. New York: Anchor Books Doubleday. 4. Foreman, (2002). The Hood Comes First: Race, Space, and Place in Rap and Hip hop. Middletown, Conn.: Wesleyan University Press. 5. Rose, Patricia (1991, Summer). ?Fear of a Black Planet: Rap Music and Black Cultural Politics in the 1990s,?. The Journal of Negro Education, 60 (3). 6. Potter, (1996, Jan.). ?Black by Popular Demand,? Premiere, 9, 39. 7. Kakutani, (1998, Feb.) ?Common Threads: Why Are Homeboys and Surbanites Wearing Each Other?s Clothes The New York Times Magazine, 18. 8. Lewis, (1998, Dec.). ?Hip Hop Gives Birth to Its Own Black Economy,? The San Francisco Examiner. , 1998. 9. Hilburn, Robert (1998). Year in Review/ Pop Music; in the shadow of Hip Hop; Rap is Where the Action is, and its Popularity Still Hasn?t Peaked. Could Rock ?N? Roll Be Finally Dead The Los Angeles Times, December 27, 1998, 6. 10. Chideya, Farai (1997, Mar. 4). ?All Eyez on US Time, 147 (10). 11. Farley, C. (1996, Feb. 8). ?Hip Hop Nation Time, 153. 12. Hip Hop Nation Is Exhibit A For America?s Latest Cultural Revolution, (2004), Time, 201.

Essay --

Slaughter house 5 by Kurt Vonnegut is the story of Billy Pilgrim a soldier in WWII that time travels. At the beginning of the story In Slaughterhouse 5 the frequent use of time travel is Billy Pilgrim’s way of coping with the regrets, and reliving the accomplishments of his life Billy has many regrets in the story but there are 3 regrets that really trouble him a lot. The first is the death of Ronald Weary. Billy is in a huge battle and falls next to a tree where Weary helps him only to receive credit for the rescue. When Weary arrives the Germans spot them and they become prisoners of war they are put on a train and sent to a prison. While Weary is on the train he develops a deadly disease in his foot which consequently kills him. â€Å"There was death on the ninth day in the car ahead of Billy’s too. Ronald weary died of gangrene that had started in his mangles feet. So it goes. Weary in his nearly continuous delirium told of the three musketeers acknowledged that he was dying, gave many messages to be delivered to his family in Pittsburg. Above all, he wanted to be avenged, so he said again and again the name of the person who had killed him. Everyone on the car learned the lesson well. Who killed me he would ask. And everybody knew the answer whi ch was this Billy Pilgrim.† The next thing Billy regrets is going on an airplane that is headed to an optometry convention. He knows it is going to crash because of his ability to time travel yet, he still gets on the plane so he doesn’t make a fool out of himself. He survives the plane crash and wakes up in the hospital. â€Å"Billy pilgrim got on a chartered airplane 25 years after that. He knew it was going to crash but he didn’t want to make a fool of himself by saying so.† After the plane ... ... Traflamadorian philosophy he realizes that time travel to cope with his feelings is not a viable solution. The traflamadorians taught him that there is nothing he can to prevent change or alter the future in anyway because from the beginning the moment was is and always will be struvtured that way. Before he went to traflamadore Billy was time travaling quite frequently to try and cope with regrets and relive accomplishments to see if he could have done anything differently in any of the situations he found himself in. Billy seemed to kill himself over what he could and could not have done. After the experience on traflamadore Billy didn’t time travel as much and he seemed to be at peace with the world and his fate. So it is evident that the frequent use of time travel is Billy Pilgrim’s way of coping with the regrets, and reliving the accomplishments of his life.

Good Health Essay

â€Å"‘Good health implies the achievement of a dynamic balance between individuals or groups and their environment.'† (Better Health Commission 1986, cited in Carey, D., Perraton, G.; Weston, K. 2000: 3). According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), ‘health’ can be defined as the absence of illnesses and a state of mental and social well-being (Carey et al. 2000:3). In other words, in order to maintain optimal health, it is imperative to have a well-balanced lifestyle which would include a nutritious diet as well as mental and social well-being. This essay shows that food is one of the many important factors amongst others when striving to maintain good health. This will be demonstrated by examining the three main aspects affecting an individual’s health, in the following order: diet, lifestyle and social fabric of family and society. Diet is considered as one of the most crucial factors contributing to an individual’s health. However, being aware of what constitutes a good diet as opposed to a poor diet is significant in maintaining optimal health in an individual. A diet that is well-balanced includes more fruit, vegetables, wholegrains and less fatty, salty or sugary foods. This would mean avoiding processed meals from takeaways and eating less refined foods. Several main reasons are commonly given for this. The first of this is a poor diet which has been noted to be a major cause of obesity. Obesity appears to be a major risk factor in many diseases such as colorectal cancer and coronary heart disease. In addition, in recent years the number of diet-related diseases has increased proportionately, and is now one of the major causes of death in most western countries including Australia. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (1987 cited in Australian Consumers’ Association 1991: 6), the most significant causes of mortality in 1986 were cancer and heart disease. An explanation for this could be the steady rise in obesity levels within Australia, with many people eating highly processed foods which are laden with calories (Australian Consumers’ Association 1991: 13). It is therefore critical to eat a nutritively healthy diet, in order to successfully maintain good health and weight. Furthermore, an example supporting the above contention is a study conducted by the Willcox team (2004: 2), which reveals that the Okinawans have one of  the highest rates of longevity and have considerably lower risk towards most diet-related diseases which tend to be more prevalent in the ‘affluent countries’ of the West. The most notable difference in the lifestyle of the Okinawans and the Australians is their food consumption, which is low in calories and rich in fibrous foods such as grains, vegetables and soy. The study also states that such a diet has allowed the Okinawans to refrain from extensive free-radical damage to their body, allowing them to live longer and healthier. This reinforces the idea that nutriment consisting of a variety of wholesome meals rather than processed foods is extremely essential in maintaining health that has a lower predisposition to diseases associated with diet. Another vital factor for maintaining optimal health is lifestyle. Grundy (n.d. cited in Cadzow 1996: 32) states that the continuing trend of deteriorating physical conditions is due to the sedentary lifestyles people tend to keep nowadays. It seems that in several modern cities like Australia, people often succumb to a physically inactive way of life because of the presence of numerous technological devices such as television for entertainment and elevators for convenience. For instance, it is quite common to find staff members in many workplaces choosing to send an e-mail to another office that could be just next door, then actually going down personally (Cadzow 1996:32). As a consequence, many people are not able to burn the amount of kilojoules they consume and are therefore rapidly gaining weight and becoming vulnerable to diet-related diseases, which can radically hinder their health. Comparatively, the centenarians of Okinawa have been noted to keep a particularly active lifestyle, even as they grow older, frequently taking part in strenuous activities such as fishing and farming as evidenced by research conducted by the Willcox team (n.d. cited in King Murdoch 2005: 24). As a result of their late retirements and continuous physical activities, the Okinawans seem to enjoy high rates of longevity and good health as compared to the populations of other countries (Mc Devitt 1999: 59). A further critical element characteristic of a healthy lifestyle is to refrain from smoking and limiting alcohol intake to a minimum to enhance  physical well-being (Melton 2001: 32). Hence, it is evident that staying healthy means keeping active. Various simple activities such as dancing, gardening, or brisk walking help to burn kilojoules whilst at the same time providing enjoyment. Such activities can easily be done by everyone to keep healthy. Finally, social development also plays a fundamental role in promoting and maintaining good health. Perry (1997: 26) notes that the elderly that live with their children and grandchildren gain several positive impacts on their social and mental well-being. These benefits include emotional and physical support from their children along with a close-knit social network, both of which are significant to maintaining good social condition as evidenced by World Health Organisation’s definition of ‘health’. Conversely, the elderly are able to give emotional support to their family members, as well as recommend healthy dietary choices in order to encourage better health which provides mutual benefits to all members of the family, and allows for a dynamic state of wellbeing. Another example highlighting the importance of culture in the maintenance of health is the Okinawan approach to life, which is full or enthusiasm and positive outlooks, which enables strong ‘social integration’. Further evidence in support of this contention includes studies conducted by several researchers in the West, which have revealed that easy going people with optimistic attitudes generally tend to outlive the pessimistic (Melton 2001: 32). In addition to keeping a positive outlook, coping with stress effectively is another important aspect in relation to mental condition. Meditation and spirituality, helps to reinforce the mental as well as social aspect of healthiness, thus increasing the ‘psychospiritual health’. It can therefore be summarised that being cheerful and engaging in social activities promotes better health. In conclusion, it is evident that maintaining optimal health requires consideration of a variety of factors including the type of food consumed, the sort of lifestyle maintained and the existence of an interactive environment. Since all these factors affect the balance of an individual’s health, it is very difficult to say which particular one is more essential than another. Rather, it is the combination of all three dynamic features  that enables the sustainment of a healthy life, without the incidence of diseases because health is a continual journey and the successful blend of physical, mental and social equilibrium is of utmost importance. As summarised by the Wilcox team, â€Å"[T]he issue is not how long we live, it is how well we live.