Jean Piagets Theory

Throughout history, many people have made many contributions to the school of psychology. One individual is that of Jean Piaget and his theories on the cognitive development stages. Jean Piaget was born in Neuchatel, Switzerland, where he studied at the university and received a doctorate in biology at the age of 22. Following college he became very interested in psychology and began to research and studies of the subject. With his research Piaget created a broad theoretical system for the development of cognitive abilities.His work, in this way, was much like that of Sigmund Freud, but Piaget emphasized the ways that children think and acquire knowledge. Piaget referred to his theory as genetic epistemology. This is defined as the study of the acquisition, modification, and growth of abstract ideas and the abilities as on the basis of an inherited or biological substrate, an intelligent functioning that makes the growth of abstract thought possible. (Ginsburg 5) Piaget derived his t heories from directly observing children and by questioning them about their thinking.He was less interested in whether the children answered correctly than how they arrived at their answers. Piaget viewed intelligence as an extension of biological adaptation that has a logical structure. One of the central points of his theories was that of epigenesis. This is that growth and development occur in a series of stages, each of which is built on the successful mastery of the previous stage. (Furth 33) Piaget described four major stages leading to the capacity for adult thought.Each stage is a prerequisite for the following stage, but the rate at which different children move through different stages varies with their heredity and environment. Piaget's four stages are the sensorimotor stage, the stage of preoperational thought, the stage of concrete operations and the stage of formal operations. The first stage that Piaget felt all children go through was the sensorimotor stage. This st age occurs between birth and two years of age.This is the stage when Infants begin to learn through sensory observation, and they gain control of their motor functions through activity, exploration and manipulation of the environment. (Furth 29) From birth, biology and experience work together to produce learned behavior. As infants become more mobile, one action is built upon another action, forming new and more complex actions. Infants' spatial, visual, and tactile worlds expand during this period in which children actively interact with their environment and use previously learned behaviors.The critical achievement of this period is the development of object permanence. This is the indication that a child has the ability to understand that objects have an existence independent of the child's involvement with them. Infants learn to differentiate themselves from the world and are able to maintain a mental image of an object, even when it is not present and visible. (Rotman 40) At a bout 18 months, infants begin to develop mental symbols and to use words. This process is called symbolization. Infants are able to create a visual or mental image of an object to stand for or signify the real object.The attainment of object permanence marks the transition from the sensorimotor stage to the preoperational stage. During the stage of peoperational thought, children use language and symbols more extensively than in the sensorimotor stage. Children learn without the use of reasoning, therefore are unable to think logically or deductively. Children are able to name the object but they are unable to categorize or class these objects. Preopreational thought is midway between socialized adult thought and the completely autistic freudian unconscious. (Furth 57) Events are also not linked by logic.In this stage, children begin to use language and drawings in more elaborate ways. From once using one word utterances they begin to use two word phrases, which make up a single nou n and verb. Children in this developmental stage are ecogentric. They see themselves as the center of the universe, therefore they are unable to take the role of another person. In addition , children use animistic thinking which is the tendency to endow events and objects with lifelike attributes. The stage of concrete operations is so named because in this period children operate and act on the concrete, real, and perceivable world of objects and events.Egocentric thought is replaced by operational thought, which involves dealing with a wide array of information outside the child. Therefore, children can now see things from someone else's perspective. Children in this stage begin to use limited logical thought and processes and are able to order and group things in classes on the basis of common characteristics. The child is able to reason and to follow rules and regulations. They are able to regulate themselves , and they begin to develop a moral sense and a code of values.Conser vation is the ability to recognize that, although the shape of objects may change, the mass and amount stay the same. For example, if you put the same amount of liquid in two containers the child may think there is more in the taller cylinder. Children also begin to understand reversibility, which is the capacity to understand the relationship between things. They begin to realize that one thing can turn into another and back again. The most important sign that children are still in the preoperational stage is that they have not achieved conservation or reversibility.Dealing with the future and its possibilities occurs in the formal operational stage. The formal operation stage deals with the ages of eleven through the end of adolescence. This stage is characterized by the ability to think abstractly, to reason deductively, and to define concepts. It also is shown by adolescents' interest in a variety of issues including philosophy, religion, ethics, and politics. Another main part of this stage is that of Hypothetic deductive thinking. This is the highest organization of cognition and enables people to make a hypothesis or proposition and to test it against reality.Deductive reasoning moves from the general to the particular and is a more complicated process than inductive reasoning, which moves from particular to general. (Rotman 44) This step also brings about self-conscious behavior because of the ability to reflect on their own and other people's thoughts. As adolescents attempt to master new cognitive tasks, they may return to egocentric thought, but on a higher level than in the past. Not all adolescents enter the stage at the same time or to the same degree. Depending on individual capacity some may not reach the stage at all and may remain in concrete operational mode throughout life.Despite the psychiatric applications Piaget's theories have been applied more widely in the area of education. Piaget's concepts have been used to resolve educational pro blems, such as assessing intellectual development, scholastic aptitude, grade placement, and reading readiness. Innovative early school programs, such as Head Start can be traced to Piaget's believe that experience plays a major role in human thought. Throughout his writings Piaget emphasized that the greater richness, complexity, and the diversity of the environment, the greater the likelihood that high levels of mental functioning are achieved.

Econ 101

Economics: intro †¢Economic questions arise bc we want more than we can get. †¢Inability to satisfy want: scarcity †¢Incentives: rewards that encourage action or penalties that discourage action. †¢Economics studies the allocation of scarce recourses among people †¢Alfred marshell (1842-1924) shaped macro economics †¢Joan robinson: â€Å" the main reason to study econ is to avoid being fooled by it Two main parts: A) Microeconomics: studying the choice of individual decision makers. And how they interact in markets B) macroeconomics: how the overall economy performs. 2 big questions 1.What, how and for whom do goods and services get produced? 2. When do choices made in self interest align with the social interest? Answer 1) †¢what: goods and services are objects that people value and are produced to satisfy human wants †¢how: factors of production. A) Land: natural recourses. B) labour: work time & effort. â€Å"quality of labour† (huma n capital). C) capital: tools, equipment, machines, computers, buildings.. D) entrepreneurship: human resource hat organizes the above. †¢For whom: who gets good: services depends on the incomes people earn. oLand=rent oLabour=wages oCapital=interest oEntrepreneurship=profitAnswer 2) †¢We make choices in self interest oChoices you think are best for you †¢Choices that are best for society are said to be in the â€Å"social interest† oUses resources efficiently oDistributes goods â€Å"fairly† When does self-interest align with social interest? (important) †¢Environmental issues †¢Bad corporate responsibility The â€Å"Economic† way of thinking Choice under scarcity => trade offs Opportunity cost: the highest valued alternative that you give up to get something. Choices at the â€Å"margin† †¢We look at the tradeoffs â€Å"at the margin† Marginal benefit (MB): benefit from an incremental increase in an activity.Marginal cost (MC): opportunity cost from an incremental increase in an activity. People respond to incentives MB>MC=> do more of an activity MB does less of an activity Lesson 2 Recap: †¢Economics oMicro oMacro †¢2 big question owhat, how, for whom oself interest vs social interest †¢opportunity cost otrade-offs †¢thinking at the â€Å"margin† Lesson 2 Water vs. diamonds Water: essential but almost costless Diamonds: not essential but very costly What is value? What gives things value? Labour theory of value: the value of a commodity is proportional to the amount of labour that goes into it. Abandoned: ex. Cement lifejacketEconomists think about value differently: 1. the value of something is what you’re willing to give up to get it. 2. Economists think about marginal value instead of total value. Water is plentiful= marginal value low Diamonds are scarce= marginal value high Positive and normative statements Positive: statements of facts about observable data Normative: statements about what ought to be. Value judgments Ex. 20% of teens smoke†¦ Positive: †¢Are you more likely to smoke if your parents do? †¢Does living location affect likelihood of smoking? †¢Are smoking rates different across education levels? †¢Self reported reasons for smoking Do prices affect smoking rates? Normative: †¢Kids shouldn’t smoke Cause and effect: Just because two things happen together doesn’t mean that one causes the other. Ex: ice cream sales & deaths by drowning †¢Both related to temperature Economists try to unscramble cause and effect by building models. Model: a purposeful simplification of the real world. Ex: paper airplane Simplification. Learn about: aerodynamics, wind structure†¦ Cant learn about: thrust, fuel capacity, engines†¦ Maps are models: Subway map †¢Lines †¢Stops Doesn’t show curves or turns Road map †¢Street names †¢Turns/curves Satellite photo à ¢â‚¬ ¢Adds detailGraphs: Reveal relationships between variables 3 main types: 1. Time series 2. Cross sectional 3. Scatter plots Lesson 3 Recap: water/diamonds†¦ Value: what you’re willing to give up to get something †¢Positive vs normative †¢Cause & effect oModels †¢Graphs in economics The Economic problem †¢Production possibilities frontier (ppf) Model: focus on tradeoffs between 2 goods. (holding other goods constant) PPF shows boundary between what we can produce and what is unattainable Building a PPF: First good: â€Å"numbers† Ex. X + 3=7 Second good: â€Å"words† Our PPF for X’s & words EX. In textbook PFF’s show marginal cost. opportunity cost of producing one more unit† Preferences& marginal benefit †¢your â€Å"likes† and dislikes marginal benefit: what your willing to give up to get an additional unit of something what does MB look like? Principle: the more you have of a good, the less you†™re willing to pay for an additional unit. Allocative efficiency: $ up the left side of graph, pizza across the bottom. MC is a positive incline, MB is a negative decline at pt Awe have allocative efficiency. We cant produce more of any one godd without giving up some other good that we value more highly lesson 4 recap: †¢allocative efficiency (MB=MC)Economic growth isn’t free 2 key factors †¢Technological change oresearch and development †¢Capital accumulation oDevote resources to production of capital Both require resources that could be used for current consumption †¢Economic growth doesn’t eliminate scarcity †¢Opportunity cost of growth is reduced current consumption Consuming outside your PPF. †¢Gains from trade Imagine if you produced everything you consume†¦(â€Å"Autarky†) Producing one (or a few) goods and trading with others is called â€Å"specialization† Gains from specialization come from exploiting  "comparative advantage† Absolute Advantage: More productive at somethingComparative Advantage: Producing at a lower opportunity cost Ex: textbook smoothie bar example†¦ On lined paper Liz: absolute advantage in smoothies. And comparative advantage in smoothies Joe: no absolute advantage but comparative advantage in salads Where does Comparative advantage come from? †¢Over time people or countries can develop comparative advantage through repeated production. â€Å"learning by doing† (dynamic Comparative advantage) Economic Coordination? †¢Who organizes all this? Centrally planned economy: USSR, china†¦ Decentralized market system: most countries Decentralized markets rely on 4 institutions†¦ON MIDTERM . Firms: hire and organize factors of production 2. Markets: any arrangement that connects buyers and sellers 3. Property Rights: social arrangements that govern ownership and use 4. Money: any commodity or token that is generally accepted as a mea ns of payment Markets coordinate economic activity through price adjustments. Lesson 5 Demand and supply In a market system, economic coordination happens through price adjustment Competitive markets: many buyers and many sellers †¢Prices determine the rate at which goods can be exchanged Money Price: number of dollars Relative price: $price of one good relative to anotherEx: coffee:$2, gum$1 (Money), one coffee costs 2 gums Demand: different than â€Å"want† †¢To demand something you must: a. Want it b. Be able to afford it c. Plan to buy it Law of demand: holding everything else equal, the higher the price of the good the lower the quantity demanded 2 effects cause this: a. Income effect: when price increases, your money doesn’t buy as much b. Substitution effect: when a price increases people substitute to purchasing other goods Ways of representing demand: a. Demand schedule b. Demand curve: When the price of this good changes we move along the demand cur veChanges in Demand: when things other than the price of the good change, the demand curve shifts. Things that shift demand: †¢Nature †¢Quality †¢Tastes/preferences †¢Income †¢Price of other goods oComplements: consume these goods together (Ex. Shoes, always need both) oSubstitutes: consume one or the other †¢Expected future prices †¢Population Supply: a firm supplies a good if it†¦ a. Has the resources and technology to produce it b. Can profit from producing it c. Plans to produce and sell it Law of supply: holding everything else equal, the higher the price of a good, the more is supplied The supply curve:IN binder Example Changes in Supply: †¢Input prices †¢Prices of related goods produced †¢Expected future prices †¢Number of suppliers †¢Technology †¢nature Lesson 6 Market Equilibrium Equilibrium: a state where opposing forces balance each other †¢consists of a market price and quantity Changes in equilib rium (pg 74) 1. French fry demand 2. Market for cocaine 3. Market for kitchen sinks 4. Market for barrels of crude oil 5. Market for fresh orange juice Midterm exam review †¢20 multiple choice †¢2 short answers †¢Multiple choice worth 2points †¢Short answers worth 10 †¢Exam worth 60 †¢Chapters 1-3 Ch 1 †¢What is microeconomics Scarcity and tradeoffs †¢What is value †¢2 big questions owhat how and for whom oself interest vs. social interest †¢positive vs normative statements †¢graphs in econ Ch 2 †¢ppf and opportunity cost †¢marginal benefit and marginal cost †¢allocative efficiency †¢growth †¢specialization and trade †¢absolute and comparative advantage †¢economic coordination Ch3 †¢demand curve (law of demand) †¢movement along vs shifts of the demand curve †¢factors that shift the demand curve †¢supply curve (law of supply) †¢movement along vs shifts of the supply curv e †¢factors that shift the supply curve †¢equilibrium pg 74, 75 changes in equilibrium Lesson 7 October 11, 2011 Modeling demand 1. Demand schedule (table) 2. Demand curve (picture) 3. Demand equation Ex: in notebook In general: P=a-bQ. (a and b are some numbers) A: vertical intercept B: absolute value of slope Modeling supply* 1. G 2. G 3. Modeling equilibrium †¢At equilibrium price (P) quantity demanded equals quantity supplied Equilibrium quantity Q Ex: finding equilibrium Demand: p=800-2Q Supply: P=200+Q †¢Make the right hand side of each equation equal 800-2Q=200+Q 600=3Q 200=Q Elasticity (Ch 4) Law of demand: when price increases quantity demanded falls This gives us direction Elasticity measures how much demand changes Ex: Good X †¢Price increases by 1$ †¢Demand drops by 100 unts Good Y †¢Price increases 200$ †¢Demand drops by 1000 units Cant compare the 2! In order to compare goods we need a measure of responsiveness Price of elasticit y demand= % change in quantity demanded over % change in price Ex: ticket price 21$- 9tickets/hr 19$-11 tickets/hr Find elasticity of demand 1. % change in quantity =change in Q =2/(over) 10 (from 9 to 11) over Average Q Fuck it. In notebook What does elasticity number mean? In notebook Lesson 8Elasticity of demand = % change in quantity demanded/ over % change in price If elasticity is 1 elastic Tuesday October 18, 2011 What affects elasticity? 1. Closeness of substitutes 2. Proportion of income spent on a good 3. Time since price change Other Elasticities 1. Cross elasticity = %change in demand for x % change of price of good Y if X & Y are: Substitutes: positive Complements: negative 2. Income elasticity = %change in demand %change in income bigger than 1: income elastic. As income increases demand increases a lot Between 0 &1: income inelastic. Income increases, demand increases by a littleNegative: inferior good. Income increases, demand decreases Elasticity of Supply = % Chang e in quantity supplied % Change in price What affects supply elasticity? 1. Resources substitutions possibilities 2. Time frame for supply decisions Efficiency and Equity (Ch5) Markets are one way of allocating goods Do they do a good job? A. Efficiency (do the goods go to those that value them the most? ) B. Fairness Ex. X pins†¦ how should we allocate them? 1. Contest: 5 highest grades Ex sports, performance bonuses Pros: †¢May encourage effort Cons: †¢Goods may not go to those people that value them the most 2.First come, first serve: first 5 people to show up get them Ex: walk in clinics Pro: †¢People who value the good highly will line up early Con: †¢May get allocated to those with a low opportunity cost of their time 3. Command System: I decide who gets them Ex: how tasks get allocated inside a firm Pro: †¢May work well when tasks/people are familiar and authority well defined Con: †¢ I can’t tell who values the good the most 4. Lotte ry: draw names from a hat. Ex. Dorm rooms Pros: †¢Fair†¦everyone gets an equal shot Cons: †¢No reason to expect that high value people will get the good 5. Majority rule voteEx, voting politicians Pro: everyone gets an equal say Con: special interest group 6. Personal characteristics If you have a brown belt Ex. Relationships Pros: may work if characteristic highly related to value people have for the good Cons: discrimination 7. Force: everybody fights Ex organized crime/war Cons: strongest might not value the highest Pros: Force can work well in the background oCourts can forcibly reallocate goods 8. Market Mechanism oWhoever is willing to pay the price gets the good Pros: people who have high values are willing to pay more and are more likely to get itCons: people might not have enough money Tuesday October 18, 2011 Midterm #2 November 3 (Ch 4,5,6) †¢Demand and supply †¢Elasticity (ch 4) †¢Efficiency and equity (ch 5) Obstacles to efficiency †¢P rice and quantity regulations (gov’t actions) †¢Taxes and subsidies (gov’t actions) Externalities: your actions impose costs or benefits on others Ex. Smoking. A person might take into account only their own personal benefits and costs but ignore social costs. (second and smoke) OR. Pollution. Firm doesn’t account for external social cost that its production creates. Public Goods A.Consumption by one person doesn’t â€Å"use up† the good. B. Anyone can consume the good without paying Ex: lighthouse: people want to use these goods without paying. â€Å"freeriding†. These are usually under provided Monopoly: a single firm sets the market price †¢Price is higher, quantity is lower Fairness 1. Utilitarianism, (Jeremy bentham, John Stuart mill) †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"The Greatest Happiness for the greatest number† †¢people are roughly the same †¢the marginal value of money is lower when you have more of it †¢Redistribute wea lth to achieve equality (tax rich, subsidize poor) Problems: A) taxing income: less income generation (work)B) taxing capital: less capital produced (slower growth) C) costs in administering taxes (more fair but size of the â€Å"pie shrinks) 2. Rawls: theory of Justice †¢Fairness of society judged by the well being of the person who is poorest †¢(Equal shares of a small pie) may be worse than (unequal shares of a larger pie) 3. Fairness in Rules, not outcomes †¢Emphasis on equality of opportunity Robert Nozick A. Strong private property rights B. Private property should only be transferred through voluntary exchange Problems: A. No room for redistribution after the fact B. No taxes or government since these aren’t voluntaryGovernment Actions in Markets (Ch 6) Price ceiling: gov’t regulations that makes it illegal to charge a price higher than some specified level †¢Set above equilibrium price= no effect †¢Set below equilibrium price= Example in notebook Black market †¢Illegal market in which price is higher than price ceiling †¢Graph in notebook †¢ Thursday October 27, 2011 20 m/c few short answer midterm review: †¢Note on demand on supply equations (end of ch 3) †¢Elasticity (Ch 4) know how to calculate and know what it is †¢Efficiency and equity (Ch 5) *consmer and producer surplus †¢Government actions in markets (Ch 6) Price ceilings oPrice flooring oTaxes Price Floors: Mandatory minimum price Ex. Minimum wage Graph in notebook †¢Unemployment increases search costs †¢More power to firms in hiring decisions †¢Black markets oEx. Illegal labour markets where people are paid below the min wage oIn notebook Taxes: When the government taxes a good the price paid by consumers and the price received by producers are now different Ex. Gov’t puts a $5 (per unit) tax on producers In notebook Tuesday November 1, 2011 Midterm Thursday Material: 1. Note on demand and supply equations. (end of Ch 3) 2. Elasticity (Ch4) †¢Price elasticity Elasticity and total revenue (figure 4. 5 in text) †¢Cross elasticity and income elasticity †¢Supply elasticity 3. Efficiency and equity (Ch 5) †¢Alternative allocation methods †¢Consumer and producer surplus †¢Efficiency of equilibrium †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"fairness† 4. Government Actions (Ch 6) †¢Price ceilings †¢Price floors †¢Taxes Tuesday November 14, 2011 Global Markets Many of the goods and services you consume aren’t produced in Canada Ex. Iphones (all over), clothes (china), tech support (india) †¢Part of the globalization process oImports: goods we buy from other countries oExports: goods we sell to other countriesGlobal Imports: Exports in 2008 =$35 trillion Canada: †¢exports: $535 billion. Agriculture, forestry, energy, mining, machinery, automotive, aircraft †¢Imports: $503 billion In binder example Tariffs: a tax imposed by the importing coun try on goods that come from another country Arguments for protection 1. Infant industry Argument †¢We need to protect domestic industries when they start so that they can mature enough to compete on world markets. †¢Develop comparative advantage †¢Everyone can argue this 2. Barriers to trade to protect jobs. †¢Trade costs jobs †¢There isn’t a â€Å"fixed number of jobs† †¢Trade also creates jobs

Luca Pacioli

Fra Luca Bartolomeo de Pacioli (sometimes Paciolo) (1445–1514 or 1517) was an Italian mathematician and Franciscan friar, collaborator with Leonardo da Vinci, and seminal contributor to the field now known as accounting. He was also called Luca di Borgo after his birthplace, Borgo Santo Sepolcro, Tuscany. Luca Pacioli studied in Venice and Rome and became a Franciscan friar in the 1470s. He was a travelling mathematics tutor until 1497, when he accepted an invitation from Lodovico Sforza (â€Å"Il Moro†) to work in Milan. There he collaborated with, lived with, and taught mathematics to Leonardo da Vinci. In 1499, Pacioli and Leonardo were forced to flee Milan when Louis XII of France seized the city and drove their patron out. After that, Pacioli and Leonardo frequently traveled together. Upon return to his hometown, Pacioli died of old age in 1517. Pacioli published several works on mathematics, including: Summa de arithmetica, geometria, proportioni et proportionalita (Venice 1494), a synthesis of the mathematical knowledge of his time, is also notable for including the first published description of the method of keeping accounts that Venetian merchants used during the Italian Renaissance, known as the double-entry accounting system. Although Pacioli codified rather than invented this system, he is widely regarded as the â€Å"Father of Accounting†. The system he published included most of the accounting cycle as we know it today. He described the use of journals and ledgers, and warned that a person should not go to sleep at night until the debits equalled the credits. His ledger had accounts for assets (including receivables and inventories), liabilities, capital, income, and expenses—the account categories that are reported on an organization's balance sheet and income statement, respectively. He demonstrated year-end closing entries and proposed that a trial balance be used to prove a balanced ledger. Also, his treatise touches on a wide range of related topics from accounting ethics to cost accounting.

Suicide Before and After Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Suicide Before and After - Essay Example This paper submits that while these measures are important, and in fact, are supported by a great weight of scientific evidence, in dealing with the family and helping them cope after the suicide of their loved one, it is best to treat the person as a unique individual, rather than as a statistic to affirm previously-projected patterns. It is important to discuss my first-hand experience on this matter, as this will prove to be relevant to the abovementioned thesis statement. My brother shot himself to death recently. He was married to his wife for 27 years and was the father of two boys. He was a quiet worker, albeit a bit quiet and not too comfortable in social functions. He decided to undergo therapy to cure his social disorder, and his sessions have largely been successful as was saw him become more relaxed, outgoing and openly affectionate. He then found out that his wife was having an affair, and the next day, he decided to end his life. Our family did not see it coming. We knew the revelation of his wife's affair had hurt him greatly, but we did not know that he was suicidal. We saw no indicators of that. InIndeed, the problem of suicides is a serious one. In the United States, more people die because of suicide each year than because of HIV or homicide. (SPRC Internet). That is why there have been many studies conducted about the "type" of person who is more susceptible to commit suicide. In the website of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, it was stated that at least 90% of those who kill themselves have a diagnosable treatable psychiatric illness, such as major depression, schizophrenia, or are suffering from alcohol or drug abuse, or have an antisocial personality. (AFSP Internet). Males are also three to five times more likely to commit suicide, and elderly Caucasian males have the highest suicide rates. (Ibid.) Hopelessness and pessimism are also an indicator of long-term suicidal risk. (Beck, et. al. 190). There are studies that have been conducted that state that family genetic history may be partially responsible for suicidal impulses of a human being. (Brent, at. al. 1) Of course, it is not difficult to conclude that a stormy family life - one riddled with conflicts and problems - can probably affect a person's coping mechanisms and make him more susceptible to suicide. These studies are good in the sense that they can provide a macro picture of trends and patterns, so that solution on a more general level may be reached. However, on a micro level, when one is dealing with an individual with a name and a face, foisting stastistics and data might not work. In order to more effectively prevent a suicide, the intervention must be one that operates on the premise that the individual is precisely that - an individual with with a unique personality, a unique emotion, and yes, a unique patchwork of problems that desperately cry for resolution. According to Edwin Schneidman, a clinical psychologist who is a leading authority on suicide, "Suicide is not a pointless or random act. To people who think about ending their own lives, suicide represents an answer

Managing capability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Managing capability - Essay Example "I learn to be a manager from experience". (Mumford, 177) Then, why is it so complicated to manage people all times whether it is 1990 or 2010? The reason is there is not only one way to manage people but a multitude of ways. Everybody is different; he/she acts and reacts differently to the same situation. There are a lot of variables which intervene like character, knowledge, past experience, etc. Management capabilities area, in business management, is quite complex. People, who take part to this process, have their own strengths and weaknesses. They have their own point of view about what management is their own capability to transfer their knowledge. In addition to it, the working context gets changes. It appears some changes in the employment patterns, in the structure of the organization and in the economical and managerial context. Prospective and Modern Trends in Capabilities Management The environment of the work very much influences the form and the efficiency of the manage ment which is applied. Indeed, there were a lot of changes in the way of managing people, because the structure of the company has changed (restructuring, re-engineering, downsizing...), the market has changed as well (globalization, decentralization, and deregulation), the culture has changed (feminization; psychological contract). The manager has to internalize all these variables to be able to produce a greater managerial work, adapted to his/her audience. The achievement of the objectives depends, to a great extent, on the way the management is applied. Thus, we can propose a definition of management in Naylor’s words that management is the course of gaining organizational targets, within a varying environment, by harmonizing efficiency, effectiveness and equity, acquiring the most from restricted resources, and working with and through other people" (Naylor, 6). Managing Capabilities and its Impact of Organizational Development Management is the practice of attaining org anizational objectives, within a shifting atmosphere, by balancing competence, efficiency and fairness, achieving the most from limited resources, and functioning with and through a successful team comprising other people (Naylor, 6). The enhanced intricacy of the working atmosphere and the improved requirement for better productivity transpire the significance of the individual development and learning phases. In addition, Pickett (1998) affirms that in today set ups, managers, must recognize the core competencies of their organization. This act will guarantee the ample and suitable corresponding between the organizational and the personal or managerial competencies. (Pickett, 111) Khandwalla (2004) research results summarize management capability which has been extremely oriented in successful managers in various organizations throughout the world. The core competencies appear to be goodwill promoting" (p.12). Trustworthiness has a great effect on the capability to earn esteem whi ch eventually helps to activate insufficient resources in tough situations. Planning aptitude and time management capabilities have revealed appositive impact for taking individual responsibilities. In managing capability in corporate sector, team building traits are an essential source for helpful, effectual and relaxed environment. Some schools have different approaches to

Week five questions Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Week five questions - Speech or Presentation Example Hence, Greene was right to have acquired Heartland stock. The site can be used for 20 years before it reaches capacity. Bedford, which shares a facility in Bath Township with other municipalities, estimates that the new location will save $40,000 in annual operating costs. All operating costs, except depreciation, require cash outlays. On the basis of similar operations in other parts of the country, management anticipates that each trip will be sold out and that 120,000 passengers will be carried each season. Ignore income taxes. Columbia Enterprises is studying the replacement of some equipment that originally cost $74,000. The equipment is expected to provide six more years of service if $8,700 of major repairs are performed in two years. Annual cash operating costs total $27,200. Columbia can sell the equipment now for $36,000; the estimated residual value in six years is $5,000. New equipment is available that will reduce annual cash operating costs to $21,000. The equipment costs $103,000, has a service life of six years, and has an estimated residual value of $13,000. Company sales will total $430,000 per year with either the existing or the new equipment. Columbia has a minimum desired return of 12% and depreciates all equipment by the straight-line method. a. By using the net-present-value method, determine whether Columbia should keep its present equipment or acquire the new equipment. Round all calculations to the nearest dollar, and ignore income

SHORT-TERM AND TIME-DEPENDENT FLEXURAL BEHAVIOUR OF STEEL-FIBRE Research Proposal

SHORT-TERM AND TIME-DEPENDENT FLEXURAL BEHAVIOUR OF STEEL-FIBRE REINFORCED REACTIVE POWDER CONCRETE - Research Proposal Example it should be noted that high strength concrete is also very brittle, which is a undesirable property(Rossi, 50, 2001). For this purpose, concrete has been experimented with several materials in order to remove the brittleness. One such material is the fiber material, which is added to concrete in order to improve its properties. Fiber reinforced concrete was introduced in order to reduce the brittleness of concrete. With its enhanced and improved properties, extensive research and studies have been conducted on it. In recent times, fiber reinforced Reactive Powder Concrete has been subjected to research and development. As compared to conventional concrete, Reactive Power Concrete is considered to be a new construction material. It exhibits brilliant and outstanding properties such as high strength, toughness, durability, etc. because of these properties, RPC is considered to be an ideal construction material for construction because of its high compressive strength and durability to withstand high tensile forces (Rossi, 51, 2001). RPC and steel bars are used to make reinforced RPC, which has significant conceptual and practical importance. Countries such as China, Koreas, Russia, France, etc have experimented with RPC in order to study and investigate its properties. It was first introduced in the early nineties (Richard, Cheyrezy, 1509, 1995). The study will employ the used of steel fiber reinforced RPC, which will be developed from the materials which are available locally. The material will be subjected to wide ranging tests in order to understand and evaluate its material properties. Additionally, time dependent properties will be analyzed. Reactive Powder Concrete is considered to high strength material, which has cementing properties. It is made from fine powders and has silica fume content. At the same time, it has a low water cement ratio as compared to normal

Lulu lemon Value Chain Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Lulu lemon Value Chain - Assignment Example According to the report  the core mission of the company is to provide its clients with components that would ensure they live longer, more fun and healthier lives. This core value has been the driving force ensuring that the company provides fitness materials that meet the specific needs of its clients. This mission has also guided its efforts towards working with designers from various disciplines, thus contributing to the increased marketability of its products and services.This study declares that appropriate sales strategy, covering various parts of the world and offering wholesale as well as internet-based mode sale has significantly contributed to the massive success of the company. This has not only ensures that its products and services are access, by a wide range of clients, but also increased its competitive advantage due to low prices associated with wholesale products and services. Increased operational costs accompanied with increased net profit overtime; has enabled the company to improve the value of its products and services, thus attracting a large clientele base. The core mission of the company, based on ensuring funnier, healthier and longer lives among the clients, could be attributed to the improved success of the company from 2007 to 2012. Involving the participation of personnel from different disciplines to develop various designs for the company has ensured that the company attracts different dimensions of clientele base i.e. from young to the aged, children, women and men.

Literary analyses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Literary analyses - Essay Example As such, the scholar has the responsibility to deeply consider what they say and the ideas which they will put their name to. They need read deeply and talk deeply to as many people as possible. Their opinion is so important that they have a responsibility to learn about the world. This was something that Emerson understood very clearly. Emerson is especially wise when he talks about the relationship between the spirit and nature: But the final value of action, like that of books, and better than books, in, that it is a resource. That great principle of undulation in nature that shows itself in the inspiring and expiring of the breath; in desire and satiety; in the ebb and flow of the sea; in day and night; in heat and cold; and as yet more deeply ingratified in every atom and every fluid, is known to us under the name of polarity—these â€Å"fits of easy transmission and reflection,† as Newton called them, are the law of nature because they are the law of spirit (Self-Reliance). Uelan is no Emerson. Her argument is that everyone has their own experiences and these are important to understand. We should respect everyone’s opinion. Because each of us is different from one another, we can learn something from everyone. Emerson would definitely disagree with this foolish perspective. Not all opinions are created equally. Some people are smarter than others and know more. The truth is that some people have very limited lives. If we wasted our time listening to them, we would miss out on all the good stuff out there. That is where her opinion fails: she doesn’t understand the importance of time. We must prioritize who we listen to because we don’t have time for everyone. Frankly, I think we don’t have time to listen Uelan. In part the foolishness of her opinion may explain why so many of the relationships in her life were

Does gay marriage threaten the family Essay Example for Free

Does gay marriage threaten the family Essay The question is clear does gay marriages threatens the family? To my belief yes it does with a capital Y. It is for a very simple reason that it nullifies the basic web of the society, the family. By the term alone, for instance if a two male person established among themselves what they so called â€Å"conjugal love or the so called domestic partnership â€Å"who would be called the mommy and the dad. If they have children by adoption or from the other partner would that child not be confused that his or her mom is physically and physiologically like his dad? In this aspect it also waters down the dignity of a man and that of a woman. For all we know yes we are created equal but were given recognition that each one has his and her role to play. And that part cannot be taken away by some whims of only few individuals. In fact, it is everyone’s concern to value his masculinity and for the woman her femininity. Those who can not recognize this fact is in no way no longer care for respect for the right reason. Ralph Wedgewoods justifications are like a mens rea. Justification does not eliminate one’s malicious act. He justifies gay marriages by attacking the evils in marriages. He could have forgotten that he is once a product of a basic family of a union between a man and a woman. Divorce, children born out of wedlock, abandonment, etc. are ills to our society but must not be taken into account that since we have this evil, marriage is doomed. In fact, a holy marriage is a sanctuary, a place where we could raise good citizens of the world. When love is lacking between a complete man and a complete woman, how can we be so sure that love between the same sexes is less chaotic? I do not deny the value of clean friendship here; same sexes could love each other in a platonic and respectful way. Giving into licentiousness already debases the human dignity, and that dignity is for everyone. Perfect union is only enjoyed by legitimate love. Anything outside of it is simply lust. And when lust diminishes convulsion of consciences regains unless that conscience has had hardened its heart not being able to conceive what is right and what is wrong. Maggie Gallagher’s discusses in her book â€Å"What is Marriage for? †. That gay marriage is nothing new. It could be accepted in Massachusetts and may infiltrate the 50 states of America. Marriage is defined as giving a legal ground for sexual desires of adult individual but it has more to offer. Well it is not simply institutionalizing a marriage and begetting children. It is beyond that. Moreover it is not only for the elite. But justice dictates that if a man and a woman can not properly raise a child it is better for him and her to live continence. Many have fallen into the ifs’ and buts’ of marriage, but if we could only look at one direction and try to research what it really mean to be. Finally, everyone could have a conclusion that marriage is never a license but more of a gift of faith and love. Matrimony is defined in the Humane Vitae (Human life) as Married love which is far from being the effect of the result of blind evolution of the natural forces in which husband and wife through mutual gift of themselves perfect themselves as one in cooperating with God for generating new lives. It is a love that is total. How many have come in to marriage without valuing this basic requirement? They are the ones on the event of sorrows of daily life ran away from their commitment. It is them who forget that married love is faithful and exclusive until death. They never thought that it is a real commitment and not just a sharing of domestic problems. â€Å"Marriage and conjugal love are ordained toward procreation and education of children which are the supreme gift of marriage. † (VI, 1968) This always includes responsible parenthood and the observance of the natural law. Marriage between same sex is not only a direct defiance to God’s will who have created the whole universe but a rendering injustice to ones self. A man with a common sense knew that anything unnatural is a hoax. Never would a man find complete ecstasy on any union that is filled with guilt and full of perversion. In Kerry Howley`s debate, she stresses more on the political side of the issue. The author could have forgotten one dimension of marriage. This social institution is not only bounded by a certain state but is treated more of a sacrament. The unions between spouses are not only by civil norms but out bounds the soul. Religion, the church, and God who created you and me have institutionalized marriage to be the seed of His elects. Here we are not negating the rights of lesbians and homosexuals, in fact our society of today are more civil with them and accepted them as creative and respectable individuals. But to carry on an error of licentiousness we are just debasing their human existence. There are always limitations where we can not be what we want but in the eye of a believer of truth he could see beyond even if his eyes are closed. Let consciences be heard and man will bend his knees, for all we know something out there is of greater value, more precious than gold. Our soul and its eternal end.

Diet and Digestion as Factors for Large Size in Sauropods

Diet and Digestion as Factors for Large Size in Sauropods Dinosaurs have captured the imagination since the very first fossils were discovered. The mystical creatures in many ancient cultures may be attributed to fossils weathering out of the earth. Nearly every culture had some form of dragon in their mythology, a uniformity best explained by fossilized dinosaurs. Some scientists believe the fossils of ceratopsians are the source of the mythological griffin. Part of the fascination with dinosaurs is their size. With few animals reaching such massive proportions, the creatures that produced single bones as tall as a human must have seemed other worldly to ancient peoples. They still draw fascination today; their features so different from anything living. As more and more fossils are found, explanations and extrapolations of the features, size, and behavior become more comprehensive. The unknown element of dinosaur life allows for wild projections and suppositions, and the drama of discovery and scientific discourse and hypothesis disproval continue to draw the interest of people. As more is discovered, more questions are raised. One field of questions pertain to sauropod size. Sauropods are distinct in their absolutely massive bodies. Far larger than anything known by living humans, they are fascinating to consider. Trying to imagine their size is in some ways like trying to imagine the vastness of space. Without actually standing next to a mounted skeleton, there is no living reference to fix the size of sauropods in the imagination. Some estimates place the largest sauropods at 80,000kg, or 170,000 lbs. Conservative estimates suggest weights of 40,000-50,000 kg. Sauropod height is in some specimens 60 feet, about 3 times the height of a two-story house. Some sauropods were a third of a football field in length! Such sizes are nearly unfathomable, raising the question of how they got to be so massive and how their bodies functioned. Modern herbivores are often much bigger than carnivores, because in general, their e nergy expenditure is less and the biomass of their food source is higher. The huge size of sauropods is definitely tied to their diet, and it is likely that their food source and digestive mechanisms were a major factor in their growth to such massive sizes. The food available to sauropods was not very nutritive. Before the evolution and diversification of angiosperms 125 million years ago, herbivorous animals had to rely mainly on gymnosperms and ferns. The best measure of plant nutritional value is in the concentration of nitrogen and nonstructural carbohydrates like sugars. Protein levels largely correspond to the nitrogen levels in leaves. Because non-angiosperm plants dont have the xylem transport network that evolved, there is less nutrient flow, and therefore less nitrogen concentration. Ferns, cycads, and conifers, some of the main plant types available to the sauropod dinosaurs, were low in nutrition, and gymnosperms had secondary chemical defenses that made them unpleasant to eat and harder to digest (Midgley, 2005). A study by Zvereva and Kozlov (2006) found that the nitrogen concentration in gymnosperms drops in environments with elevated temperature and CO2 concentration, compared to the modern environment. Sugar levels tend ed to stay the same. The toughness of leaves increases when CO2 levels are higher. The carbon-nitrogen ratio is significantly increased by elevated CO2. It is well-known that the environmental conditions during the age of dinosaurs was both higher in temperature and higher in CO2 concentration. This would have produced plant material significantly less nutritious than the plant matter today. The lesser food quality supports the evolution of large sauropod dinosaurs, as the Jarman-Bell Principle states that larger species can feed on diets of lesser quality food, evidenced by the relatively large size of modern grazing mammals (Clauss, et. al., 2009). The physiology of the dinosaurs shows evidence of partitioning. Some sauropods, such as diplodocids, were low browsers, who were unlikely to life their heads higher than a couple meters (Stevens and Parrish, 1999). This separated their food source from the mid to high browsers, limiting their available food source in some ways, yet also preventing competition amongst sauropod species. The lower plant quality requires that herbivorous animals consume more material in order to meet their nutritional and energy needs. Given the quality of available plants, extended digestion would have been required. Of several methods to process plant material, sauropods digestion was extremely fermentation heavy. They had very little oral processing. Their teeth were either broad and leaf like, with serrations in the crown, or later more narrow and peg like. In most sauropods, teeth were present in the front part of the mouth but not the back. The body plan in the early Mesozoic seems to have been to maximize food intake through teeth adapted for cropping, stripping, and pulling plant material but with little oral processing. There is some evidence in the tooth replacement rate and wear that teeth farther back in the mouths of sauropods were not used in oral processing or food acquisition, but rather served the purpose of cheeks, to keep the food in the mouth (Schwarz, et. al., 2015). Prosauropods had some check development, but in the sauropod line, cheeks were lost early (Chure, et. al., 2010). There have been no teeth found in association with sauropods that had a large horizontal surface, indicative of use for chewing (Christiansen, 1999). The heads of sauropods were extremely small compared to their body size. Any dental batteries or cheeks would have increased the head mass and likely made it prohibitively heavy, especially at the end of a long neck. Christiansen also noted that the muzzle width in sauropod dinosaurs is proportionally wider than the width in herbivorous animals. This enables sauropods to intake more food per bite, increasing their intake rate. With relatively poor food nutrient quality, sauropods would need to consume a great amount of food to meet their daily needs. The length of the neck adds length to the digestive envelope, another way to maximize food consumption. The lack of oral processing, wide muzzle, and long neck work in conjunction to increase the consumption capability or sauropods, increasing their ability to meet their dietary needs and shortening thei r feeding time. With such high consumption and such little processing, digestion would be almost entirely focused in the gut. The particle size would be very large, making digesta harder to break down, and the longer it takes to digest. There has been some debate about the presence of gastroliths and a gastric mill in sauropod dinosaurs. Gastric mills certainly would help break down the plant material into smaller particle sizes and speed the digestion process. Unfortunately, the fossil record seems to rule out the presence of a gastric mill for most sauropod dinosaurs. Wings and Sander (2007) tested the hypothesis of sauropod gastroliths by testing gastrolith usage in farm ostriches. They found that rose quartz, which has the same properties as the white vein quartz found in association with sauropods, last the longest. Using granite cubes, they found that the general shape of the stone stays the same. They also found that the gastric milling process quickly roughens the face of the stone. None of the stones that he used in his test retained a shine, unlike those suspected to be sauropod gastroliths. He also found that gastroliths are about 1% of the total body mass. According to them, the largest mass of gastroliths found in association with a sauropod is 15kg, much lower than 1% of the estimated sauropod body mass. Gastroliths likely scale with body mass simply because organ size roughly scales with body mass. The stomachs of sauropods could have been proportionally smaller than expected, although it is unlikely with the amount of food that they are estimated to have consumed. Using projections from living herbivores, it is estimated that the large sauropods would consume several hundred kilograms worth of food (Englemann, et. al., 2004). This estimate accounts for the proportional decrease in required food consumption for successively larger and larger organisms. In another study focusing on the distribution of gastrolith stones amongst sauropod remains, it was found that gastroliths were found with about 4% of sauropod fossils. There are some species of sauropod that have strong evidence of gastric mills, but they are not widespread enough (Wings, 2014). With little to no processing of plant material, and with no evidence of any other break down processes, sauropods must have heavily relied on fermentation to digest their food. The relatively low density of nutrients in the gymnosperms at the time already required longer fermentation times. In order to achieve longer fermentation time, the gut size needs to increase, or the amount of food eaten needs to decrease. As the food particles must have been large, the time taken for fermentation would need to be even longer. With no internal soft tissues preserved in the fossil record, it is hard to determine where fermentation took place in the gut. Fermentation demands a large digestive tract. Larger intestines allow for longer digesta retention, pulling more nutrients from the food. The large torsos of s auropods could certainly fit and extensive gut. Estimates based on living animals gives a digesta retention time between 8 and 16 days. Galapagos turtles, which do not chew their food, retain theirs for 11 days (Franz, et. al., 2009). Sauropod dinosaurs could have evolved to be so large because those individuals with larger guts had better survival chances than those who had smaller guts. As stated previously, the amount of food needed in relation to the body mass would likely have been much lower than other, smaller herbivorous organisms. As sauropods heads were evolved to take in the maximum amount of food, the intake of food would likely not have consumed most of the sauropods time. This time advantage would have been especially needed in semiarid environments, like the Jurassic area preserved in the Morrison formation. Although there is lush vegetation in the Morrison fossil record, it is not widespread instead found in clusters. The Morrison Formation suggests that the environm ent during the time of sauropods was savannah-like. The dense vegetation found was likely due to seasonal rains, or centered around areas of water, such as lakes or streams. The vegetation likely moved, growing in different areas depending on rainfall (Englemann, et. al., 2004). Large herbivores would need to follow the seasonal changes, and migrate in search of new food sources. The size of the sauropods and the advantages of that size would have been a major edge in a semi-arid environment. Such sizes would have also made locomotion more efficient. Longer strides afforded by the overall large body size decreases the amount of energy per unit of distance. This, too, increases the ability of sauropods to migrate in search of food. Sauropod reliance on fermentation was so great that their methane production has been linked to the warm climate of the Mesozoic era (Wilkinson, et. al., 2012). Assuming a more reptilian metabolism, one paper puts the global biomass of large sauropods at 2 00,000 kg/km2. Their total estimated annual methane emission is about 520 million tons. For comparison, modern day ruminants produce about 50-100 million tons of atmospheric methane, and the total modern day global emissions are about 500-600 million tons a year. The author notes that their estimate could have been overstated by a factor of two, but also understated by the same amount, depending on assumed metabolic function and density of sauropods. Sauropods large sizes and reliance on fermentation to digest food was a major influence on their environment, and created a positive feedback loop, where the temperature increase would push nutritive values of plants lower. Massive sauropod bodies were well adapted to their environment and digestion. Of course, such large sizes bring their own challenges. The most debated question is whether or not dinosaurs were endothermic or ectothermic, and whether endothermy was even possible in mega dinosaurs like the sauropods. At body masses estimated between 20,000 kg and 80,000 kg, overheating would have been a huge problem in large sauropod dinosaurs. While it is unknown if they had special soft tissue adaptations in order to combat their size, it is speculated that their long necks and tails may have helped them keep cool by increasing surface area without adding too much internal volume (Eagle, et. al., 2011). The accelerated growth capable in endothermic animals is a major factor in favor of sauropod endothermy. Sauropods grew several size magnitudes, from hatchlings estimated to be about 10kg, to the hulking adult dinosaurs, in only a few decades (Sander Clauss, 2008). But does the size of adult sauropods rule out endothermic metabolisms? According to Eagle and others (2011), endo thermy was not impossible in large sauropods. In lower temperatures, more 13C-18O clumps form, which are preserved in the fossil record. The analysis of these clumps is not dependent on knowing the oxygen isotope composition of the surrounding water. These clumps can be observed in the tooth bioapatite of dinosaurs. The accuracy of this method is 1 °C, with precision within 1 °-2 °C. The accuracy of this method comes from tests of modern taxa, in which the isotopic temperature agrees with the expected temperature of the organisms. Eagle found the average body temperature of Brachiosaurus to be 38.2 °C  ± 1 °C and the temperature of Camarasaurus to be 35.7 °C  ±1.3 °C including a sample from a different fossil site. These temperatures are within the range of modern mammals, and lower than the body temperatures of many birds, which can be greater than 40 °C. Eagle does note that the temperature reflects the temperature of tooth formation, which may differ from the main body temperature. Body temperature is a product of metabolism, size, environmental temperature, and any special adaptations for the regulation of heat. The temperatures given for these sauropods is close to the temperatures estimated by earlier research done by Gillooly (2006). Such temperatures in such large animals suggests that they were either ectothermic, had low basal metabolic rates, or had some special methods of heat dissipation. Some researchers suggest that large sauropods were fermentative endotherms (Mackie, 2002). Because sauropods needed a lot of energy to reach their adult size in such little time, it is likely that they were endotherms who underwent some sort of change at maturation that prevented overheating as an adult. Metabolic changes through development is not unusual, so it is very possible that it also occurred in sauropods. They could have shifted from a higher metabolic endothermy during their rapid growth phase, to a lesser metabolic homeot hermy supported by the fermentation heat output from their fully formed guts. Other evidence in support of endothermic sauropods are growth lines, or the lack there of, in sauropod bones (Kohler, et. al., 2012). Lines of arrested growth are normally associated with ectotherms, which have periods of rapid growth interspersed with periods of slow growth. These lines are found in mammals as well, and in the majority of dinosaurs. The pattern the lines leave are not found in sauropod bones. This suggests unbroken, stead growth rates, highly unlikely in ectotherms. The evidence suggests endothermy in sauropods, even in large ones. Because endothermy requires more energy to maintain, sauropods would have had to consume a massive amount of food, unless they had a low basal metabolism. Hippopotami, while mammals and clearly not the size of sauropods, have particularly long retention times because they have low food intake and enormous gut capacity. Their required energy for maintenance is r emarkably low. This strategy is common in non-ruminant foregut fermentators and some small hindgut fermentators (Clauss, et. al., 2009). The metabolic process of sauropods is linked to their energetic needs and dietary restrictions. In some research, one of the byproducts of fermentation, heat, supports the endothermic theory, and endothermy in sauropods as juveniles helps explain how they managed to reach their massive adult size. The herbivorous, fermentative nature of sauropods is not an obstacle in understanding their ability to function at such large sizes. Sauropods likely evolved to be large because of the abundance of plant materials, especially after many herbivores died out during both the Permian extinction, but also the Triassic-Jurassic extinction. Their adaptations allowed them to widely diversify and fill the newly opened ecological niches. Some have speculated that their large body size was driven by predation, as larger bodies, especially the size of sauropods, were a natural defense (Sander, et. al., 2011). Given the evidence, it is more likely that immunity to predation was a lucky side effect of size, not the driving factor. It seems more likely that the resource opportunities of plants drove the initial adaptation, especially with the diverse nature of sauropods and their apparent partitioning, than protection. The size of sauropods is inextricably linked to their diet and digestive methods. Much of the discussion of sauropod feeding is based on conjecture is based on living animals, that are obviously very different from sauropods. As there is are no known records of internal tissues, it is hard to know anything about how sauropods functioned internally beyond comparing them to existing behaviors and traits in todays animals. Even though todays herbivores are different than sauropods, patterns of herbivory are similar in very different taxa. The circumstantial evidence offered by analysis of modern organisms still enables scientists to attempt to fit sauropods within the known herbivorous patterns, with allowances for the unknowns. Perhaps this analysis is just another element of the imaginative aspect of dinosaur life. Until more evidence is found, I believe that the evolution of the massive sauropods was in large part due to their diet and digestion. The nutrition offered by gymnosperms demanded higher levels of processing. The minimal oral digestion evidenced by small heads and non-chewing teeth led to greater digesta retention times in the gut. A greater gut size would have sped fermentation, compensating for the large particle size of the plant material and its low nutrient density. There is some evidence for resource partition amongst sauropods, both between different species and within the same species. Different tooth structure and browsing levels are some adaptations driven by available resources. The other benefits of the large body size of sauropods, in my opinion, do not seem likely to be as important in size evolution as the plants and their digestion. When the sauropods appeared, they filled an ecological niche left by previous extinctions, and quickly diversified, creating a hugely successful group of organisms, both in overall diversity, but also in longevity. Works Cited Christiansen, Per, 1999, On the Head Size of Sauropodomorph Dinosaurs: Implications for Ecology and Physiology. Historical Biology, v. 13, iss. 4, p. 269-297. Chure, D., Britt, B. B., Whitlock, J. A., Wilson, J. A., 2010, First complete sauropod dinosaur skull from the Cretaceous of the Americas and the evolution of sauropod dentition. Naturwissenschaften, v. 97, iss. 4, p. 379-391. Eagle, R. A., Tà ¼tken, T., Martin, T. S., Tripati., A. K., Fricke, H. C., Connely, M., Cifelli, R. L., Eiler, J. M., 2011, Dinosaur Body Temperatures Determined from Isotopic (13C- 18O) Ordering in Fossil Biominerals. Science, v. 333, n. 6041, p. 443-445. Englemann, G. F., Chure, D. J., Fiorillo, A. R., 2004, The implications of a dry climate for the paleoecology of the fauna of the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation. Sedimentary Geology, v. 167, iss. 3-4, p. 397-308. Franz, R., Hummel, J., Kienzle, E., Kà ¶lle, P., Gunga, H., Clauss, M., 2009, Allometry of visceral organs in living amniotes and its implications for sauropod dinosaurs. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, v. 276, iss. 1662, p. 1731-1736. Gillooly, J. F., Allen, A. P., Charnov, E. L., 2006, Dinosaur Fossils Predict Body Temperatures. PLoS Biology, v. 4, iss. 8, p. 1467. Kohler, M., Marà ­n-Moratalla, N., Jordana, X., Aanes, R., 2012, Seasonal bone growth and physiology in endotherms shed light on dinosaur physiology. Nature, v. 487, iss. 7407, p. 358-361. Mackie, Roderick I., 2002, Mutualistic Fermentative Digestion in the Gastrointestinal Tract: Diversity and Evolution. Integrative and Comparative Biology, v. 42, n. 2, p. 319-326. Midgley, J. J., 2005, Why Dont Leaf-Eating Animals Prevent the Formation of Vegetation? Relative vs Absolute Dietary Requirements. The New Phytologist, v. 168, n. 2, p. 271- 273. Sander, P. Martin Martin Clauss, 2008, Sauropod Gigantism. Science, v. 322, n. 5899, p. 200- 201. Sander, P. M., Christian, A., Clauss, M., Fechner, R., Gee, C. T., Griebeler, E., Gunga, H., Hummel, J., Mallison, H., Perry, S. F., Preuschoft, H., Rauhut, O. W. M., Remes, K., Tà ¼tken, T., Wings, O., Witzel, U., 2011, Biology of the sauropod dinosaurs: the evolution of gigantism. Biological Reviews, v. 86, p. 117-155. Schwarz, D., Kosch, J. C. D., Fritsch G., Hildebrandt, 2015, Dentition and Tooth Replacement of Dicraeosaurus hansemanni (Dinosauria, Sauropoda, Diplodocoidea) from the Tendaguru Formation of Tanzania. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, v. 36. Stevens, Kent A. J. Michael Parrish, 1999, Neck Posture and Feeding Habits of Two Jurassic Sauropod Dinosaurs. Science, v. 284, n. 5415, p. 798-800. Wilkinson, D. M., Nisbet, E. G., Ruxton, G. D., 2012, Could methane produced by sauropod dinosaurs have helped drive Mesozoic climate warmth?. Current Biology, v. 22, iss. 9, p. R292-R293. Wings, O., 2015, The rarity of gastroliths in sauropod dinosaurs a case study in the Late Jurassic Morrison Formation, western USA. Fossil Record, v. 18, iss. 1, p. 1-16. Wings, Oliver P. Martin Sander, 2007, No gastric mill in sauropod dinosaurs: new evidence from analysis of gastrolith mass and function in ostriches. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, v. 274, iss. 1610, p. 635-640. Zvereva, E. L. M. V. Kozlov, 2006, Consequences of simultaneous elevation of carbon dioxide and temperature for plant-herbivore interactions: a metaanalysis. Global Change Biology, v. 12, iss. 1, p. 27-41.

Looking At The Issues Surrounding Adoption Social Work Essay

Looking At The Issues Surrounding Adoption Social Work Essay This short study concerns my experiences in dealing with an adopted service user who wishes to establish contact with her birth mother. The essay takes up the case of J, a 46 year old divorced lady who finds out about her history of adoption after the death of her adopted parents. J tries to directly establish contact with her biological mother, who refuses to meet her, leaving J traumatised and emotionally devastated. The case scenario is provided in the appendix to this essay and is considered as read. This reflective and analytical account concerns (a) my experiences in dealing with Js problems and needs, (b) my thoughts and theoretical knowledge of social work theory and practice with regard to children who are put up for adoption at birth, (c) their various emotional and physical challenges, and (d) the desire that is sometimes manifested by them during various stages of their lives to establish contact with their biological parents. It makes use of established social work theories like the attachment theory and the separation anxiety theory. I also take up the growing prevalence of the use of social networking sites by adopted children to establish contact with their long separated birth parents, and the social work mechanisms available in the UK to facilitate meetings between adopted children and their birth parents. The Challenges of Adoption J was put up for adoption at birth and was adopted by foster parents. She grew up in her foster home in the company of her siblings, who were the birth children of her adoptive parents. The fact of her adoption was however concealed from her by her adopters. J grew up with some feelings of unease between her and her siblings and adoptive parents and suffered from low self esteem when she was young. She also displayed some behavioural problems and found it difficult to establish friendships with other children. Adoption is undoubtedly an important and beneficial social process. It serves the critical needs of different individuals (Howe and Feast, 2000, p 34). It relieves natural parents of the onerous responsibilities of bringing up children when their circumstances make it impossible for them to do so, on account of social and economic reasons. It ensures safety, security, physical and emotional nourishment, education and improved life chances for unwanted, orphaned or abandoned children (Howe and Feast, 2000, p 34). It also fulfils the needs of childless couples, single people, and families for a child. Whilst adoption is undoubtedly an important social process, it brings along with it different types of social, economic and emotional challenges for all involved people, the child placed for adoption, the birth parents and the adopters (Howe and Feast, 2000, p 34). Adopted children, numerous studies have revealed, are prone to the adverse consequences of attachment disorders and separation anxiety (Cassidy Shaver, 1999, p 11). John Bowlby, well known for his advancement of the attachment theory, explains the critical importance for infants to develop secure attachments to their primary care givers. Bowlby states that attachment processes between infants and caregivers are biologically based, chosen by evolution to maximise survival chances, and aim to provide infants with feelings of security (Cassidy Shaver, 1999, p 11). Such security provides infants with the foundations required to explore their environments, with the full knowledge that their caregivers will be able and available to provide them with protection in the face of adversity or stress (Cassidy Shaver, 1999, p 11). The separation of children from their primary caregivers often results in feelings of separation anxiety and the development of attachment disorders if their attachment needs are not met or resolved effectively (Blum, 2004, p 538). Studies on adopted children show that positively formed attachments between children and caregivers improve chances of well adjusted lives, irrespective of the biological relationships of attachment figures with children (Blum, 2004, p 538). Whilst it is known that J was put up for adoption at birth, the exact age at which she was adopted is not clear. Research shows that that children adopted after 6 months of age are at greater risk for development of attachment disorders (Blum, 2004, p 538). Such attachment disorders can lead to emotional disturbance, eating disorders, bedwetting, lack of performance at school, difficulty in development of positive relationships, withdrawal from society and poor life outcomes (Blum, 2004, p 538). The adoptive parents need to take special care to ensure good adjustment of their adopted children. It is important for them parents to meet the needs of infants for love and nurturing on a consistent basis (Brisch, 1999, p 79). Adoption requires an active role from adoptive parents who assume the role of caregivers. As adopted infants explore their new and alien environment, adoptive parents must provide the required guidance, supervision and structure to ensure their safety (Brisch, 1999, p 79). Caregivers must also have the capacity and ability to provide levels of stimulation that do not overwhelm or stifle the infants developmental level. They must be attentive to the internal world of infants by being emotionally available to help them during periods of frustration, rejoice in their achievements and share their joy of exploration (Brisch, 1999, p 79). Secure attachments create positive feelings in children that relationships can be helpful, fulfilling, and valuable and provide adequate protection in an occasionally overwhelming world (Blum, 2004, p 545). Whilst secure attachments do not secure immunity from subsequent psychopathology, childhood security is certainly related to (a) increased capacities for stress management and ability to rebound after periods of psychological disturbance, (b) capacity to manage family stressors, (c) increased self-esteem, (d) good peer relationships, and (e) good psychological adjustment (Blum, 2004, p 545). Contemporary psychiatric theory states that adopted children often need therapeutic parenting, rather than normal domestic environments. Such parenting should be based on principles like sensitivity, responsiveness, following the lead of the child, the sharing of congruent and inter-subjective experiences and the creation of an environment of safety and security (Goldsmith, et al, 2004, p 2). Parents, in order to engage in such therapeutic parenting, require to be committed to adopted children, have reflective abilities, good insightfulness and secured mental states with respect to attachment (Goldsmith, et al, 2004, p 2). With J showing evidence of emotional disturbance and behavioural problems during her childhood, it is possible that her parents, whilst providing her with a normal and secure domestic environment, did not place great emphasis in responding to her specific emotional needs. Their concealment of her adopted status is possibly an indicator of their concern for the child and their desire to protect her emotions and feelings. Contemporary psychological and social theories however recommend that children be informed of their adopted status (Hollingsworth, 1998, p 303). Such information, when provided with sensitivity and in appropriate circumstances and environmental surroundings, prevents adopted children from experiencing emotional traumatisation when they otherwise inevitably come to know of their history of adoption and helps them in adjusting to their new homes (Hollingsworth, 1998, p 303). Knowledge of birth parents is also important, both for the adoptive parents and the adopted chil dren, in order to effectively cope with possible medical problems (Hollingsworth, 1998, p 303). J came to know about her adopted status by accident when she was 42, after the death of her adoptive parents. The knowledge left her emotionally traumatised and brought back memories of her childhood and of feelings of strain in her relationships with her adoptive parents and their birth children. It is however but fair to realise that Js parents very possibly had her best interests at heart and were also unaware of the future impact of not informing her of her adopted status. Reunion of Adopted Children with Birth Parents J, on knowing of her adopted status and the name of her birth mother, became emotionally disturbed because was not informed of the facts of her adoption, or about her birth parents. Adopted children, as they grow older, often become curious about their birth parents, especially so in situations of little or no contact (Adoption UK, 2010, p 1). Studies by Adoption UK, a national charity operated by adopters, reveals that all adopted children do not wish to know or contact their birth parents. Such desires are essentially personal, with some adoptees wishing to know more and others having little interest (Adoption UK, 2010, p 1). It is however also true that people who are not interested in contacting their birth parents when they are young, change when they become older, especially after they become parents and experience desires of knowing, contacting and establishing relationships with their own birth parents (Adoption UK, 2010, p 1). The emergence of social networking sites like Facebook and My Space have made it far easier for adopted children, who wish to know more about their parents, to establish contact with their birth families (Fursland, 2010, p 1). Such accessibility has introduced significant complexities in the social relationships of adopted children with their adopted and birth parents and is creating difficult challenges for social workers when they are asked for assistance by individuals in need (Fursland, 2010, p 1). Establishment of contact between adopted children and birth parents is an extremely sensitive issue and needs to be handled with care and sensitivity (Adoption UK, 2010, p 2). Adoption reunion can be a truly enriching and joyful experience, full of anticipation, twists and turns, joy, confusion, excitement, and fear. However reunion, like adoption, is not simple and can turn out to be a difficult, complex and sometimes saddening event (Adoption UK, 2010, p 2). Reconnecting with birth parents and children is rarely seamless and easy. It requires dedication, motivation, and a leap of faith (Adoption UK, 2010, p 2). Adoption reunions often give rise to complicated issues that have been dormant for decades and have to now be dealt with and resolved. Many birth parents may have never have shared their childs adoption with anybody else (Howe and Feast, 2000, p 57). Some birth mothers protect their secret because they are afraid of how others might or will react. For some mothers it is a matter of shame and they are instructed not to reveal their secrets to others (Howe and Feast, 2000, p 57). The National Adoption Standards for England, (Department of Health, 2001), along with the Adoption and Children Act 2002, provided birth parents in England and Wales entitlement to a support worker, apart from the childs social worker, from the point of identification of the adoption plan for the child (Goldsmith, et al, 2004, p 4). The Standards state that birth parents (a) should be able to access different types of support services, including counselling, advice and information before and after adoption, which recognise the long term implications of adoption, and (b) should be treated with transparency, fairness and regard during the adoption process (Goldsmith, et al, 2004, p 4). Most adopted children now have plans for direct or indirect post-adoption contact with birth relatives. Agencies are required to identify contact arrangements in adoption plans and consider post-adoption support requirements of all concerned (Goldsmith, et al, 2004, p 4). Existing regulations like The Adoption Support Services Regulations entitle adopted children, adoptive parents, and birth relatives for need assessment regarding contact arrangements and mandate agencies to maintain services to help such contact arrangements (Adoption UK, 2010, p 2). Helping J J contacted us for support on making contact with her birth parents. The Adoption and Children Act of 2002 has established a framework that provides adopted people, who are more than 18 years old and their birth relatives, rights to request for intermediary services if they wish to make such contacts. Such intermediaries are provided by registered adoption agencies, (either voluntary or local authority), or registered adoption support agencies and act as mediators between adopted people and their birth relatives. It is recommended that people wishing to make contact with birth relatives do so through intermediaries. J was informed about the intermediary process and services that could be provided by me in mediating with her birth mother but decided to contact her directly. When J contacted our agency and the case was assigned to me to help her with her emotional challenges and her desire to establish her birth mother, I engaged her in a long discussion in order to assess her emotional status, her views about her adopted childhood and her desire to meet her birth mother. I met her at her home on two occasions after taking prior appointments in order to ensure that she was prepared for the meeting and would be able to convey her thoughts better in familiar surroundings. I took care to adopt the person centred approach and deliberately avoided all judgemental feelings about her background as a relinquished and adopted child. The adoption of a person centred approach is necessary for the true implementation of anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory approaches and I was able to understand Js emotional and mental condition with greater clarity and empathy (Mearns and Thorne, 2007, p 9). Whilst my choice of open and close ended questions did help her in opening up and in shedding her inhibitions and reservations, I found her to be disturbed about her adopted status. She appeared to be disturbed with her adoptive parents for their concealment of information about her birth, her birth parents and her adoption, and kept talking of small incidents of her childhood about her parents and siblings. She also spoke about her behavioural problems, her disturbed sleep and her difficulties in making friends at school. J was however determined to establish contact with her mother and decided to contact her as soon as she found out her contact details. I offered to act as intermediary and contact her mother in order to assess (a) her views on the relinquishment of her birth child, (b) her current emotional status and (c) her attitude towards establishing contact with J. The lady (J) was however unwilling to wait even for a few days and was convinced that her mother would like to meet her as much as she did. I did mildly explain to her that her mother could have different opinions on the issue and even offered to expedite the process. Whilst J did provide some indication of being ready for my help at the closure of our second meeting, she subsequently changed her mind and established direct contact with her birth mother. Her birth mother, from what J told me later, was absolutely surprised at receiving the call and was taken aback by the development. She responded to Js introductory communication wit h brusqueness and asperity, informing her that she did not wish to respond to her overture or to establish contact. I do feel that J acted with great haste and the result of the initiative could well have been very different with the use of an intermediary. I would have telephoned Js mother and asked for a personal meeting. I would have again adopted a person centred approach, refrained from being judgemental, and would have engaged her in discussions about her reasons for relinquishing her birth child. I would have then gently brought up the matter of J, her adopted childhood, the concealment of information about her adopted status, and her current emotionally disturbed condition. I do feel that such an approach would have yielded a better response from her mother than Js arbitrary method of establishing contact. Conclusions This reflective account details my experiences of dealing with an adopted service user, who tried to unsuccessfully establish contact with her birth mother. Modern day theory on social work and psychology stresses upon the complexity of adoption and the various challenges that the process brings up for the adopted children, the adopters and the birth relatives. Adopters have particularly significant responsibilities in ensuring, possibly through the use of therapeutic parenting methods, that their adopted children do not suffer from separation anxieties and do not develop attachment disorders. It is important for social workers to understand the emotional implications of these complexities and consider the emotional needs of all involved people with empathy and understanding. It is also important, as my experience with J reveals, for adoption reunion processes between adopted individuals and their birth relatives to be handled with great care and thought. I do feel that I should have been more persuasive and possibly more forthright, without being judgemental, with J on (a) the possibly very different perceptions of her birth mother towards the meeting, (b) the compulsions that forced her to relinquish her birth child for adoption and (c) her current emotional condition and social environment. Such an action would have possibly produced better results at the end. My knowledge of social work theory and practice has been significantly enhanced by my experience with J and will help me to deal with such situations much better in future. Word Count: 2625, without citations and bibliography Bibliography Adoption UK, 2010, Wanting to know more or not, Available at: www.adoptionuk.org/information/217131/wanting_to_know_more/ (accessed January 30, 2011). Blum, H. P., 2004, Separation-Individuation Theory and Attachment Theory, Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association,  (52): 535-553. Bowlby, J., Parkes, C. M., 1970, Separation and loss within the family, In E. J. Anthony C. Koupernik (Eds.), The child in his family: International Yearbook of Child Psychiatry and Allied Professions, pp. 197-216, New York: Wiley. Bowlby, J., 1973, Attachment and loss, Vol. 2: Separation, New York: Basic Books. Brisch, K. H., 1999, Treating attachment disorders, New York: Guilford Press. Cassidy, J., Shaver, P. R., 1999, Handbook of attachment: Theory, research, and clinical applications. New York: Guilford. Feast, J., Howe, D., 1997, Adopted adults who search for background information and contact with birth relatives, Adoption Fostering 21:2, pp 8-15. Fursland, E., 2010, Facebook has changed adoption forever, www.guardian.co.uk, Available at: www.guardian.co.uk//19/facebook-adoption-tracing-birth-mother (accessed January 30, 2011). Goldsmith, F. D., Oppenheim, D., Wanlass, J., 2004, Separation and Reunification: Using Attachment Theory and Research to Inform Decisions Affecting the Placements of Children in Foster Care, Juvenile and Family Court Journal, pp. 1-12. Hollingsworth, L., 1998, Adoptee dissimilarity from the adoptive family: clinical practice and research implications, Child Adolescent Social Work Journal 15, (4): pp 303-19. Howe, D., Feast, J., 2000, Adoption, Search and Reunion: The long-term experience of adopted adults, London: The Childrens Society. Mearns, D., Thorne, B., 2007, Person-Centred Counselling in Action, 3rd edition, London: Sage Publications. Levant, F. R., Shlien, M. J., 1987, Client-Centered Therapy and the Person-Centered Approach: New Directions in Theory, Research, and Practice, USA: Praeger Paperback. Appendices

America Needs More Gun Control Laws Essays -- Argumentative Essays, Pe

According to James Madison in his Federalist Papers, â€Å"Americans have the right and advantage of being armed – unlike the citizens of other countries whose governments are afraid to trust the people with arms,† (Raymond). Madison may be correct about Americans having more rights than many other countries, but sometimes the government has too much trust in the American people. Taking away all privately owned guns is not the answer, because doing so would consequentially create a communist state. Instead, the best solution is to control who buys guns and for what purpose. There are over 283 million licensed guns in the U.S. (Herbert p1), which does not include the unregistered and illegal guns people own, buy, and sell from the underground economy and other sources. The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution provides the rights to bear arms, but when people are killing innocent people, should all Americans have that right? More than 50% of U.S. homes own one or mor e guns (White p1). It is completely unnecessary for so many men and women to own firearms and have concealed weapons to have ready for â€Å"whenever they feel necessary†. A major problem that the government also has is the horrible regulation system on checking up on gun shops and the N.R.A. Gun shops are supposed to check every person who wants to buy a gun to make sure they do not have any bad history or mental disabilities. Some stores, unfortunately, choose not to do so. The N.R.A. sometimes sells guns to â€Å"bad people† who should not be qualified to possess such a powerful weapon. Privately owned firearms should not be legal because less restrictive laws lead to illegal sale, homicides, and accidental deaths that could all be prevented. Since the Mayflower landed on P... ...k] 24 Apr. 2009, A19 sec. A Culture Soaked in Blood. New York Times. Web. 19 Jan. 2015. . New York Times [New York] 8 Apr. 2009, A26 sec. Columbine Plus 10. New York Times. Web. 19 Jan. 2015. . Spitzer, Robert J. The Politics of Gun Control. Chatham: Chatham House, 1995. Print. Waggoner, Dr. Should Federal Gun Control Laws in America Be Tightened? Fall 2007. Web. 19 Jan. 2015. White, Deborah. Pros & Cons of Gun Ownership & Use Laws for Individuals. About.com. Web. 19 Jan. 2015. .

Computer Viruses and their Effects on the Computer :: Computers Software Technology Essays

Computer Viruses and their Effects on the Computer In our health-conscious society, viruses of any type are an enemy. Computer viruses are especially pernicious. They can and do strike any unprotected computer system, with results that range from merely annoying to the disastrous, time-consuming and expensive loss of software and data. And with corporations increasingly using computers for enterprise-wide, business-critical computing, the costs of virus-induced down-time are growing along with the threat from viruses themselves. Concern is justified - but unbridled paranoia is not. Just as proper diet, exercise and preventative health care can add years to your life, prudent and cost-effective anti-virus strategies can minimize your exposure to computer viruses. Because Symantec is the world's largest supplier of anti-virus technology, we are uniquely able to offer comprehensive virus protection options and service plans. As an introduction, we offer this white paper series. In concise text, graphs and illustrations, we will give you a overview of: A history of computer viruses Who writes viruses - and how they can reach you The early warning symptoms of virus infection The real numbers behind the growth of viruses and their costs How viruses work - and how virus protection can stop them Anti-virus tools from Symantec for enterprise-wide, multi-platform, state-of-the-art protection What, Exactly, Is A Computer Virus? A computer virus is a program designed to replicate and spread, generally with the victim being oblivious to its existence. Computer viruses spread by attaching themselves to other programs (e.g., word processors or spreadsheets application files) or to the boot sector of a disk. When an infected file is activated - or executed - or when the computer is started from an infected disk, the virus itself is also executed. Often, it lurks in computer memory, waiting to infect the next program that is activated, or the next disk that is accessed. What makes viruses dangerous is their ability to perform an event. While some events are benign (e.g. displaying a message on a certain date) and others annoying (e.g., slowing performance or altering the screen display), some viruses can be catastrophic by damaging files, destroying data and crashing systems. How Do Infections Spread? Viruses come from a variety of sources. Because a virus is software code, it can be transmitted along with any legitimate software that enters your environment: In a 1991 study of major U.S. and Canadian computer users by the market research firm Dataquest for the National Computer Security Association, most users blamed an infected diskette (87 percent).

Away

The play away by Michael Gow is a story of three Australian families going on holidays. It is set in the summer of 1967-68 during Christmas and the New Year. There are many sub-themes in away such as death/loss, change, moving on with life, and forgiveness. The theme of death/ loss is displayed when we find out about Roy and Corals son who was killed in Vietnam. Coral constantly brings up the theme when she says, â€Å"I’ll be silent on all controversial topics. Will that do? I wont bring up anything worrying. Death, war, loss-.† This theme is carried over to Tom when we find out about his terminal illness when he has a conversation with Meg and says, â€Å" So how bout it? Help me. I’m going to get sick again and I wont get better. Your parents won’t find out.† Even when Harry is talking to Jim death reveals itself throughout the duration of the conversation. The actual title has a hidden message of death. Away: passing away. The theme of moving on with life is best shown in the final scene where tom is back at school and is living and waiting to die but is getting on with life when miss Latrobe says to Tom â€Å" Tom, your our own Chips Raferty why don’t you go on reading?† It also relates to Roy and Coral near the end of the play coral is still grieving and their relationship is on the rocks and the Coral decides to move on and get on with her life when she participates in the play with Tom and she says, â€Å" I’m walking, I’m walking, I’m walking, I’m walking, I’m walking†. This scene between tom and coral also shows change or transition. In away there is a sense of forgiveness at the end of the play where Gwen gets back from her walk with Vic and has a conversation with Jim where she apologizes. Jim doesn’t mind what she does but is concerned with her health. There is also a feeling of forgiveness when Gwen’s family is back together and no fighting is happening and everything is peaceful. These themes evoke different emotions throughout the play like when we first find out about Roy and Corals son who was killed in Vietnam. The reader/viewer feels sorry for there loss and even sad because he died at a young age. Again when we find out about Tom and his illness we feel sad because he is only 17/18 years old and he doesn’t have long to live and enjoy all of life’s pleasures. Evan the theme of forgiveness stir’s up the emotions of relief. When Gwen’s family stops arguing and is kind to each other the reader/viewer feels freedom from the anxiety and knows that every thing will be aright with the family. Away by Michael Gow is a play that not only relates to Australian families by families all over the world, because of the use of problems that occur in all most every household in the world.

Intoxication: Not a Defence for Crime

Intoxication: Not a Defence for Crime There has been too many times where intoxication was used as a defence in criminal cases where it should not have been considered as a defence. Intoxication in criminal cases and whether it should be considered or not considered as a defence is very controversial. Voluntary intoxication should not be considered as a defence of crime.The main arguments against using intoxication as a defence are: the degree of proof required to prove intoxication is not sufficient, it is unfair to the victim if the accused gets away with a lighter sentence or no sentence at all because of the defence of intoxication, and last, in the case of voluntary intoxication, the mens rea should be considered satisfied toward general intent crimes. Analyzing these arguments proves that voluntary intoxication should not be used as a defence for criminal cases.The degree of proof required to prove intoxication is not rigorous enough. The degree of proof required to prove intox ication is balance of probabilities. When dealing with a serious charge, such as murder or sexual assault, the degree of proof for intoxication should be beyond a reasonable doubt, just like the prosecution is required to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt to convict the accused. There can be cases where intoxication might have occurred post offence and used as a defence to avoid penalties or punishment.For example, Mr. X bought a bottle of alcohol at 5 PM and went home. He killed his wife with a knife at 7 PM. After killing his wife, he started drinking and became extremely intoxicated. At 9 PM, his son came home and found his mother (wife of Mr. X) dead and his father (Mr. X) unconscious with a bloody knife close to him. The son called the police and the father was arrested with police charging the father with murder. The accused, Mr. X, went on to claim intoxication as a part of his defence.The charge was reduced to manslaughter. This example shows that the degree of proo f required proving intoxication is not rigorous enough. Mr. X began drinking after he killed his wife, however because there was no witness, the claim of Mr. X that he was intoxicated at the time of his wife’s murder cannot be effectively refuted and he would be tried for a lesser charge. Mr. X was able to reduce his charge by making a false statement while not having to prove that statement. That is obstruction of justice and perjury. If ntoxication was not allowed to be used as a defence of intent of the crime, Mr. X would not be able to get his charge reduced and therefore he would be charged with the crime that he actually committed. If intoxication is used as a defence for crime and the accused receives a lighter sentence or no sentence at all, it is unfair to the victim. If a person has been sexually assaulted by someone who was intoxicated, is it not the victim’s right to see justice being served? R. v. Daviault, [1994] 3 S. C. R. 63 is a case where Mr.Daviault sexually assaulted an elderly woman with a disability during extreme intoxication. This is a controversial case because of the argument made by Justice Cory that if Daviault had only been a â€Å"little† drunk, he may have had the mental ability to make the decision that he should not sexually assault the victim. In this case, it was established that the defence of intoxication could only be used in cases of â€Å"extreme† intoxication such as this. This case is an example of exceptional circumstances where extreme intoxication was proven beyond a reasonable doubt.The disabled elderly woman who was the victim of this case still suffered and does not even have the satisfaction of knowing that the person that wronged her may not be punished. The degree of intoxication may not even matter in most sexual assault cases. Research suggests that intoxication is merely used as an excuse to get away with the crime. On Canlii. org (Canadian Legal Information Institute), only a sm all percentage of sexual assault cases involved incest while intoxicated. Canlii. org showed the difference in search results of sexual assaults due to intoxication and incest due to intoxication. 490 cases were found of sexual assault while intoxicated and 121 cases were found of incest while intoxicated. One could question that if a sexual offender, while intoxicated, has the mental ability to distinguish between a related and unrelated person, then that offender has the mental ability to have the reasonable mind set to know the consequences of sexual assault and that it is illegal. Further to the research on Canlii. org, the use of intoxication as a defence encourages crime while being insensitive to the needs and rights of the victim.For example, a victim of sexual assault may be labelled as â€Å"available† or worse, hurtful words that may lead to psychological issues. A lighter sentence to the perpetrator would not help the psychological damage that victim has to deal w ith. Instead it might be worse because the victim may feel that they have been wronged for the second time; the second time being by the justice system. There are always precautions that can be taken to avoid situations when one is voluntarily intoxicated. R. v. Mascarenhas, [2002] 60 O. R (3d) 465 (C. A. ) is a case of driving under the influence.In this case, Mascarenhas was driving under the influence and killed two pedestrians. This is a general intent crime where a mens rea is not required. The proof of the act, actus reus, is required. Mascarenhas may not have intended to kill the pedestrians but nevertheless, two lives were taken. Mascarenhas cannot use the defence of intoxication for this crime. Precautions could have been taken to avoid the accident. If Mascarenhas had taken reasonable care of himself or possibly had someone to take care of him in voluntary intoxication, driving under the influence would have been avoided and therefore the pedestrians might still be alive.T his connects to criminal negligence. Mascarenhas disregarded the safety of others and therefore was also sentenced for being criminally negligent. During voluntary intoxication, a person should be responsible his or her own actions. Mascarenhas was convicted with criminal negligence, impaired operation of a motor vehicle as well as other convictions. This case is a good example of when the justice system made the right decision. The mens rea of an intoxicated person was not taken into consideration since the law does not require mens rea as a part of a general intent crime.Other crimes should also be dealt in the same manner and consider mens rea satisfied if the person was voluntarily intoxicated. Based on the analysis of the arguments that voluntary intoxication does not require a sufficient amount of proof, that it is unfair to the victim, and that the mens rea is considered to be satisfied in the case of intoxication in general intent crimes, it is safe to say that voluntary int oxication should not be used as a defence in criminal offences. Criminals who are voluntarily intoxicated and commit a crime deserve the original sentence that comes with the act.The sentence should not be reduced. Voluntary intoxication means that one has the control to decide whether he or she wants to be intoxicated or not. They have the responsibility of reasonable care. Therefore, voluntary intoxication should not be used as a defence of crime. Works Cited: Section 33. 1: Criminal Code (R. S. C. , 1985, c-46) Section 219. 1: Criminal Code (R. S. C. , 1985, c-46) R. v. Mascarenhas, [2002] 60 O. R (3d) 465 (C. A). R. v. Mascarenhas, 2002 CanLII 41625 (ON CA) R. v. Daviault, [1994] 3 S. C. R. 63 R. v.Daviault, 1994 CanLII 61 (SCC), [1994] 3 SCR 63 Lamb, W. Kaye. â€Å"Defence of Intoxication. †Ã‚  The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Foundation, 2007. 1 Sep 2007. http://www. thecanadianencyclopedia. com. Souper, M. â€Å"General defences – intoxication†. Sixth Form Law. 2000-2008. http://sixthformlaw. info. â€Å"Intoxication and legal defences† Advances in Psychiatric Treatment. The Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2013. http://apt. rcpsych. org. Weaver, Rheyanne. â€Å"The Mental Health Consequences of Rape†. EmpowHER, 2012. http:empower. com.