Group Project: Academic Insurance Model

Each group acts as an insurance company. You are required to offer an insurance policy to our entire current Health Economics class that insures against a student either getting a grade of ‘C' or lower (including ‘l' turning into ‘F) or withdrawing from the class towards the end of the semester. If either of those happen to a policy holder, you are required to pay that policy holder.You are NOT trying to make a profit, but what is important is that your group try its very best to avoid making a loss. Assume that there are no other costs associated with your business other than paying policy holders who make ‘C' or less or withdraw. Four different scenarios are offered below. Here's what you need to tell me for each (l would also like each group to orally present results to rest of class, don't need any more than 3 minutes): What is the premium that students will have to pay for the policy in this scenario?A brief Justification for the premium (a couple of sent ence is good enough. You can give me the math formula you used too – but don't JUST give me a math formula! ). A final couple of sentence (optional) if you believe that I have given you a situation where it is impossible to avoid making a loss, and why you think that. If you believe this, you may choose not to sell any policies under that scenario. In all cases, there are a total of 30 students who are your potential customers – I. E. Insurance policy buyers.Scenario l: You will be paying students who make ‘C' or less or withdraw the amount of $5000. I can give you this information – that when I teach the regular Master's level version of the class, approximately of all students make C or less, Incomplete that becomes F, or withdraw. Also, I will impose an individual mandate on the class, so that once you do offer the policy, every one of the 30 students will be required to buy this policy (but you only want to break even, no profits). What premium will yo u charge?Please note, in all scenarios you can only hare ONE premium to all customers, no variations allowed. Scenario II: All conditions in the above scenario hold (# of students, what you pay for C or less or withdraw, the individual mandate). However, one more thing is added. Students who get C or less or withdraw can then get tutoring to prepare them for retaking the class later. The tutoring costs $16 an hour, and the insurance policy now also has to pay 50% of each hour of tutoring (I. E. $8 per hour) up to a maximum of 40 hours. This is a new scheme, so I cannot tell you how many students have previously

The Meaning of Beauty

The Meaning of Beauty Man vs. Woman From the beginning we are taught that God created man, and from man he created woman. It’s funny how different a man’s thoughts can be compared to a woman’s, considering the woman was created from the man. Their views on beauty, amongst other things, prove to be a perfect example of this. Centuries ago the Greeks saw â€Å"[B]eauty as a virtue: A kind of excellence† (Sontag 117). While this is still a shared view between men and women today, they share different views on how this excellence is achieved.Both men and women agree that beauty has two parts, inner and outer; yet men recognize beauty as success, leaning more towards inner beauty, while women recognize beauty as how one looks, leaning more towards outer beauty. It has been observed that â€Å"[w]e not only split off—with the greatest facility—the â€Å"inside† (character, intellect) from the â€Å"outside† (looks); but we are actual ly surprised when someone who is beautiful is also intelligent, talented, good† (Sontag 118).Both men and women make this mistake, it never fails to amaze people that a person can be smart and good looking at the same time. Society has made it seem like the good looking get everything handed to them because of their physicality; however that is not always true. It is just the fact that it is human nature to immediately observe and judge by the outward appearance according to the worldly views instilled in people growing up, for example: magazines, TV, internet, etc.Both men and women would agree that for millennia â€Å"beauty has continued to lose prestige† (Sontag 118). Women not only have different expectations of beauty compared to men, but also seem to be confused by the definition of beauty itself. Sontag states that a whole society has identified being feminine with caring about how one looks (118). â€Å"Hollywood† has seriously messed up the views of wom en on the topic of beauty: For the ideal of beauty is administered as a form of self-oppression. Women are taught to see their bodies in parts, and to evaluate each part separately.Breasts, feet, hips, waistline, neck, eyes, nose, complexion, hair, and so on—each in turn is submitted to an anxious, fretful, often despairing scrutiny. (Sontag 119) For women it is not just the thought of a bad appearance during the day, but also the question of how the millions of pieces are contributing to it. Unfortunately, their solutions are not always the wisest. Instead they do what they believe will cure their problems the fastest. Weather it is not eating for that day or coating their faces with make-up in order to cover up that one, little blemish.Women mistake their appearance to be their only form of power. Most women believe â€Å"it is not the power to do but the power to attract† (Sontag 119). No matter how hard a woman works and how far she goes, she must always show that she works just as hard to be attractive, â€Å"[d]amned if they do—women are. And damned if they don’t†¦ [N]othing less than perfection will do† (Sontag 119). A woman can be told thousands of times that there is no such thing as perfection, yet that is what she will always strive to achieve. Men, on the other hand, have very different views on beauty.Men are not beautiful; they are handsome: â€Å"Handsome† is the masculine equivalent of—and refusal of—a complement which has accumulated certain demeaning overtones, by being reserved for women only†¦[T]heir essence is to be strong, or effective, or competent†¦[W]hich is to be identified with caring about what one is and does and only secondarily, if at all, about how one looks. (Sontag 118) Men do not focus on how they look physically, but on what and how much they accomplish. A man would rather be seen as strong and dependable in comparison to skinny and well liked.Men have th e view of, take it or leave it. They are more focused on their success, rather than their appearance: In men, good looks is a whole, something taken in at a glance. It does not need to be confirmed by giving measurements of different regions of the body, nobody encourages a man to dissect his appearance, feature by feature. As for perfection, that is considered trivial—almost unmanly. Indeed, in the ideally good-looking man a small imperfection or blemish is considered positively desirable. Sontag 119) Men know that there is no such thing as perfection; therefore they see no reason to shoot for something impossible to obtain. Women see the imperfections in themselves as unacceptable, yet find the blemishes of men attractive. The opposite opinions of men and women on the topic of beauty have continued for years and show no evidence of changing. While men spend their time climbing the career ladder all the way to the top, women focus more on how they will look climbing that lad der.Men have sustained the belief that beauty is seen as success, while women continue to believe that beauty is all about how one looks. Men and women still hold to their original ideas of beauty, but have found certain ways to individualize themselves too. As time goes on it is becoming clearer that beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder. Works Cited Sontag, Susan. â€Å"Women’s Beauty: Put Down or Power Source? † 75 Readings Plus. Ed. Santi V. Buscemi and Charlotte Smith. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. 117-119. Print.

Evidence Law – Imposing Legal Burden of Defendant

Imposing a legal burden upon a defendant will negate the principle of presumption of innocence. If a defendant has to prove their innocence than it would automatically and unconsciously bring up the issue that they were never considered innocent until proven guilty. The presumption of innocence was first articulated in the case of Woolmington v DPP [1935] AC 462, 461 where Viscount Sankey LC stated that: ‘Throughout the web of English criminal law one golden thread is always to be seen, that it is the duty of the prosecution to prove the prisoner’s guilty subject to†¦No matter what the charge or where the trial, the principle that the prosecution must prove the guilt of the prisoner is part of the common law of England and no attempt to whittle it down can be entertained’ This statement of the nature of the legal burden of proof in criminal trial is basically a summary of the important presumption that highlights our criminal justice system, that a person is presumed innocent till proven guilty. In the case of McIntosh v Lord Advocate [2001] 3 WLR , Lord Bingham referred to the judgement of Sachs J in the case of State v Coetzee [1997] where the importance of the principle as explained.Lord Bingham explained that: The starting point of any balancing enquiry where constitutional rights are concerned must be that the public interest in ensuring that innocent people are not convicted†¦ Hence the presumption of innocence, which serves not only to protect a particular individual on trial, but to maintain public confidence in the enduring integrity and security of the legal system’. The presumption of innocence is supported by the European Convention of Human Rights; Article 6(2) states that ‘anyone charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed innocent until proven guilty according to law’.Furthermore the Human Rights Act 1998 supports the presumption of innocence as well as the European Convention of Human Right s. An issue that is faced by the court in respect of cases is whether imposing a legal burden of proof on the defendant will raise issues with article 6(2) of ECHR as well as the Human Rights Act 1998. In addition the same can be said about legislation that imposes a statutory defence for the defendant to use, and in order for them to use that defence they will bear the legal burden.Even at Common law Lord Viscount Sankey himself stated that it is upon the prosecution to prove guilty, but if a defendant uses the defence of insanity than he shall bear the legal burden of proof. Despite the rule in Woolmington v DPP, there are circumstances where the burden of proof does pass to the accused. This is known as the ‘reverse burden’ or reverse onus’. There are many express statutory exceptions to offences which place’s a legal burden upon the defendant and failure to do so could mean a potential conviction.The Homicide Act 1957, s2(2) imposes a burden of proof o n the accused in relation to suffering from diminished responsibility. It states: ‘On a charge of murder, it shall be for the defence to prove that the person charged is by virtue of this section not liable to be convicted of murder’. There is similar reverse burden on the accused to prove insanity under the common law rule in M’Naghten’s Case [1843] 10 CL & Fin 200. Furthermore the Magistrates Courts Act 1980 s101, places a burden on the defendant but impliedly.It states that ‘where a defendant relies for his defence on any exception, exception, exemption, proviso, excuse or qualification†¦ the burden of proving †¦. shall be on him’. In the case of R v Edwards [1975] QB 27, the defendant was convicted of selling alcohol without a license. The defendant tried to appeal on the grounds that prosecution had not produced any evidence in relation to him being granted a license. The Licensing Act 1964, section 160 clearly states ‘if any person sells†¦ any intoxicating liquor without holding a justices license †¦ hall be guilty of an offence’. The appeal was dismissed on the grounds that under common Law, where a statue forbids an act in certain situations, the court could interpret such that the burden of proving that situation, including granting of a license could like on the defendant. In addition to this s1(1) of Prevention of Crime Act 1953 clearly states that ‘Any Person who without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, the proof whereof shall lie on him, has with him in any public place any offensive weapon shall be guilty of an offence’.This is example of implied statutory exception which imposes a burden of proof upon the defendant. Another example of a case where it was impliedly stated by statue is the case of Gatland v Metropolitan Police Commissioner [1968] 2 AII ER 100 QB. A lorry driver drove into a builder’s skip which had been left in front of building were builders were working. The owners of the lorry claimed against the company which supplied the skip. It was held that the burden was on the rosecution to prove that the skip had been left outside the building and that it could have caused danger to the driver, the burden was on the defendant to prove that it was there with ‘lawful authority or excuse’, this was due to the Magistrates Court Act 1980 section 101. However the courts have imposed limitations on this principle and this was portrayed in the case of R v Hunt 1987 AC 352. This case involved the defendant being convicted of unlawful possession of Morphine in respect of section 5 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.The regulation provided that section 5 will have no effect if the morphine was less than 0. 2%. The defendant tried to appeal on the grounds that prosecution had failed to adduce enough evidence on the proportion of morphine. The trial judge at first instance upheld the conviction and stated that the legal burden fell on the defendant to prove. The defendant appealed by leave of court, and Lord Griffith gave a judgement in that since Woolmington v DPP [1935] a rule was not established that the burden of establishing a statutory defence lay on the defendant only where the statue expressly provides it.He also referred to the case of Nimmo v Alexander Cowan & Sons Ltd 1968 AC 107, where it was agreed that it was not clearly stated that the burden would like on the defendant, and that the courts should take into consideration what the intention was of the Parliament. Lord Griffith went onto say that section 5 of the Act only made it an offence to carry the illegal substance in possession. So therefore it was up to the prosecution to prove that the substance was carried in an illegal form. The burden was on the prosecution to prove that the substance was unlawful and also that the morphine was not in a legal form and not under 0. %. The appeal was allowed and the defendant’s convic tion was quashed. This case illustrates that the courts are not always willing to place the legal burden on the defendant especially when statue is not clear as to the intention of who would bear the burden. Following the performance of the Human Rights Act 1998 section 3 the courts have been required to consider whether the imposition of the burden of proof on the defendant is incompatible with the right to a fair trial under Article 6 ECHR. It also should employ the attitude that all reverse burdens f proof should be viewed as evidential burdens rather than legal, at least for offences with an identified guilt and rigorous sentences. In the case of R v Lambert [2001] 2 Cr App R 511, HL, the defendant was convicted under section 5 of The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 for possession of cocaine with intent to supply and was sentenced to seven years imprisonment. He relied on section 28(3)(b)(i) of the Act as a defence that he did not believe or suspect, or have reason to suspect that he w as carrying the cocaine.The judge directed the jury in agreement to the law that the prosecution only had to prove that he had and knew that he had possession of cocaine in his bag. The Act imposed a reverse burden on him in relation to this defence. On appeal against the conviction, the defendant tried to argue that the reverse burden that he carried contravened Art 6(2) even though the HRA 1998 was not yet to come into force. The court of appeal held that because the Act had not come into force he could not rely on the convention rights.The result of s28 of the Act was to impose only an evidential burden on the accused, as imposing a legal burden on the defendant would contravene Article 6 of ECHR. It was addressed that imposing a legal burden on a defendant would require a high level of explanation to be actually compatible with Article 6. Lord Steyn said that the burden is on the state to show that the legislative means adopted where not greater than necessity. He also went to e xplain that there must be a ‘pressing necessity’ for a legal burden to be placed upon the defendant.However in the case of R v Johnstone [2003] UKHL 28 HL, the defendant as charged with an offence under s92 of the Trade Marks Act 1994, in relation to production and sale of counterfeit CD’s involving reproducing the trademarks of the various artists. The defence that could be relied on was under s92(5) which claimed: ‘It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under this section to show that he believed on a reasonable grounds that the use of the sign in the manner in which it was used, or was to be used, was not an infringement of the registered trade mark’.It was held that the placing of a legal burden of proof on the accused was compatible with article 6 of ECHR. Lord Nichollos gave the judgment that ‘Given the importance and difficulty of combating counterfeiting, and given the comparative ease with an accused can raise and issue a bout his honesty, overall it is fair and reasonable to require a trader, should need arise, to prove on the balance of probability that the honestly and reasonably believed the goods were genuine’. This clearly indicates that in certain circumstances the ECHR article 6 can be infringed upon if the crime is detrimental in society as well as raising issues of honesty.It can be inferred that the decisions made in Lambert and Johnstone have caused friction as both offences have given way to a defence through statutory exceptions. In Johnstone it was only an evidential burden that was placed in the defendant whereas in Lambert a legal burden was placed. However a common ground which both cases have come to is that a case would have to have great justification to go against article 6 of ECHR and the Human Rights Act 1998. An issue that arises is what would constitute as having great justification and that there is a lack of clarity in this.It can be said that judges have not interp reted properly statutes that impose a burden of proof on the defendant, and therefore cases are resulting in different outcomes. Furthermore this can be seen again in the case of Sheldrake v DPP; Attorney General’s Reference (No 4 of 2002) UKHL 43 HL. The hearing before the court was raised as a result of two different cases. The first case involved the defendant being charged under s5(1) of the Road Traffic Act 1988 for being charge of a motor vehicle after having being intoxicated by so much alcohol, going over the required limit.The defendant tried to rely on the defence provided under s5(2) of the Act ‘that at the time he alleged to have committed the offence the circumstances†¦. likely to exceed the prescribed limit’. The defendant tried to claim that if an evidential burden was not placed than it would intervene with ECHR article 6. It was held that, even if it did contravene Article 6, that it would be justified by the fact that it was proportionate a nd directed towards a legitimate objective.The second case involved the defendant being charged and convicted under the Terrorism Act 2000, and a defence was available from section 11(2) for a defendant ‘ that the organisation was not a proscribed on the last (or only) occasion on which he became a member or began to profess to be a member, and that he has not taken part in the activities of the organisation at any time while it was proscribed’. Take into consideration that the statue states that it is a defence to the offence, but does not state that the burden is upon the defendant to prove.The court stated that once the defendant had raised the issue and satisfied the evidential burden of proof it was up to the prosecution to rebut that evidence rather than the defendant having to undergo the legal burden of proof. It was held that in relation to s11 it would be incompatible with article 6 if interpreted as imposing a legal burden and therefore should be ‘read down’ so it only imposed an evidential burden. In conclusion to this assignment it can be seen that judges are more conscious about placing a legal burden upon the defendant as it does intervene with ECHR article 6.Judges have tried to justify in situation where a legal burden if placed on a defendant, by stating where a crime is so severe with harsh imprisonment a defendant does have to prove the legal burden. In certain situations where the reverse burden is transferred the courts are willing to place an evidential burden on the defendant rather than legal however where there is a statutory defence judges may go either way by stating that the legal burden has to be proved or that an evidential burden maybe placed.Furthermore a problem that statutory defences poses is that judges maybe unclear as to the wording of the provision so therefore there is not much clarity and confusion maybe caused. Furthermore the same can be said about implied statutory exceptions as the wording does not expressly say that the burden is on the defendant again this can cause confusion and sometimes result in the defendant having the burden. In all the courts are more willing to be flexible and only when there is a necessity in placing the burden with great justification will the courts impose a burden upon the defendant.I do agree that placing a burden on the defendant does negate the principle of presumption of innocence but I would agree with the courts that sometimes it is necessary to do so. Word count: 2655 Bibliography Cases McIntosh v Lord Advocate [2001] 3 WLR Woolmington v DPP [1935] AC 462, 461 Gatland v Metropolitan Police Commissioner [1968] 2 AII ER 100 QB R v Lambert [2001] 2 Cr App R 511, HL Sheldrake v DPP; Attorney General’s Reference (No 4 of 2002) UKHL 43 HL R v Edwards [1975] QB 27 of R v Hunt 1987 AC 352 Books C TaylorEvidence Pearson Education Limited 1st Edition 2010C Allen A Practical Guide To Evidence Cavendish Publishing 4th Edition 2008 Tab le of Statue Homicide Act 1957 Human Rights Act 1998 Licensing Act 1964 Magistrates Court Act 1980 Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 Prevention of Crime Act 1953 Road Traffic Act 1988 Trade Marks Act 1994 EU Legislation European Convention of Human Rights Journal http://webjcli. ncl. ac. uk/2003/issue3/cooper3. html Simon Cooper Human Rights & Legal Burden of Proof Accessed 27/07/12 Website http://conventions. coe. int/treaty/en/treaties/html/005. htm Accessed 02/08/12 http://www. legislation. gov. uk/ukpga/1998/42/section/3 Human Rights Act 1998 s3 Accessed 12/08/12 ttp://www. hartpub. co. uk/updates/crimlaw/crimlaw_burden05. htm Burden of Proof, Accessed 12/08/12 http://www. lawgazette. co. uk/news/r-v-hunt-richard Accessed 06/08/12 http://www. lawgazette. co. uk/news/r-v-hunt-richard Accessed 06/08/12 ——————————————– [ 1 ]. http://webjcli. ncl. ac. uk/2003/issue3/cooper3. html Simon Co oper Human Rights & Legal Burden of Proof Accessed 27/07/12 [ 2 ]. McIntosh v Lord Advocate [2001] 3 WLR Judgement of Lord Bingham [ 3 ]. http://conventions. coe. int/treaty/en/treaties/html/005. htm Accessed 02/08/12 [ 4 ]. Woolmington v DPP [1935] AC 462, 461 [ 5 ]. http://www. egislation. gov. uk/ukpga/Eliz2/5-6/11/section/2 Homicide Act 1957 s2(2) [ 6 ]. C TaylorEvidence Pearson Education Limited 2010 pg 15 [ 7 ]. http://www. legislation. gov. uk/ukpga/1980/43/section/101 Magistrates Courts Act 1980 s101 [ 8 ]. R v Edwards [1975] QB 27 [ 9 ]. Gatland v Metropolitan Police Commissioner [1968] 2 AII ER 100 QB [ 10 ]. of R v Hunt 1987 AC 352 [ 11 ]. http://www. lawgazette. co. uk/news/r-v-hunt-richard Accessed 06/08/12 [ 12 ]. http://www. lawgazette. co. uk/news/r-v-hunt-richard Accessed 06/08/12 [ 13 ]. http://www. legislation. gov. uk/ukpga/1998/42/section/3 Human Rights Act 1998 s3 Accessed 12/08/12 [ 14 ]. ttp://www. hartpub. co. uk/updates/crimlaw/crimlaw_burden05. htm Burden of Proof, Accessed 12/08/12 [ 15 ]. R v Lambert [2001] 2 Cr App R 511, HL [ 16 ]. R v Lambert [2001] 2 Cr App R 511, HL [ 17 ]. C Allen A Practical Guide To Evidence Cavendish Publishing 2008 pg 168 [ 18 ]. R v Johnstone [2003] UKHL 28 HL [ 19 ]. R v Johnstone [2003] UKHL 28 HL [ 20 ]. Sheldrake v DPP; Attorney General’s Reference (No 4 of 2002) UKHL 43 HL [ 21 ]. http://www. legislation. gov. uk/ukpga/2000/11/section/11 [ 22 ]. Sheldrake v DPP; Attorney General’s Reference (No 4 of 2002) UKHL 43 HL

Statement of Purpose Personal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Of Purpose - Personal Statement Example egree from a university in the United States of America would be a better chance for me to have more exposure, not just academically but also in other aspects of life. I therefore intend to use my master’s program scholarship that I have gotten from the government in the US as opposed to in Saudi Arabia. Following that, I have a curious interest in a number of universities in the United States where I can take up my master’s degree program and after much Endeavour, I have settles for the university of (insert university here). I believe the University of (Insert University here) has the resources I need, right from a dedicated faculty to a vibrant student community. This is why I would be so pleasured to get a position in this university to complete my master’s degree. I am therefore humbly applying and hoping to get a positive feedback as I embark to further my studies in this discipline that that has been my first love in academics. I also believe that I will not only be gaining from the university but will also be a worthwhile and useful addition to the student community. I am a vibrant student and I fully believe that education is not only about books, but goes beyond just studying. I believe education is less useful if one cannot be part of a social system that utilizes this education. In this respect, I always engage in more than education and I believe my coordination skills and intuition will be found useful by my fellow students as well as the faculty as and the university at large. I believe that getting an opportunity to study in the University of (Insert University here) will help me to not only explore and expand my academic talent but will also help me to use my other talents for the good of the university. This is because I believe that learning is as much a process of teaching and I hope to help undergraduate students to become better students. Studying in the University Of Tabuk gave me some useful experience that I believe will be good for

Unit 5 Individual project 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Unit 5 Individual project 2 - Essay Example Quality can be defined in relation to both technical excellence and humane approach. â€Å"By technical quality care we mean that the patient receives only the procedure tests, or services for which the desired health outcomes exceed the health risks by a sufficiently wide margin; and that each of these procedures or services is performed in a technically excellent manner. The second component of quality care is that all patients wish to be treated in a humane and culturally appropriate manner and be invited to participate fully in deciding about their therapy.† (Robert H.Brook et al). In short quality in health care is fundamentally based on the two above-mentioned factors. â€Å"Getting quality health care can help you stay healthy and recover faster when you become sick. However, we know that often people do not get high quality care. A 2004 study of 12 large US communities found that just over half (54.9%) of people were receiving the care they needed.† (AHRQ Homepage: ). Everywhere, people looking for health care confront the problem that there is no uniform standard to measure quality. Thus it has become imperative to measure quality of care offered by healthcare service providers. Therefore, with a view to help patients choose the right treatment most suited to their personal needs, more and more public and private groups are developing and using quality measures based on the principles of right health plan, the right doctor, the right treatment, the right hospital, the best long term facility. Thus it can be seen that quality measures make available the necessary information which patients can assimilate to help them take a right decision about their treatment. In order to ascertain quality there are certain available parameters such as process measure, outcome measures and structural measures. In order to determine which one of these is the best, a deeper and wider study is called for. Each satisfies certain requirements

The People of the Book Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The People of the Book - Research Paper Example The Quran view on the question of salvation is, to a significant determined by the question of difference in terms of practice. There seems to be some deep brotherly concern as the Quran engages the Christians in a reflective argument about some practices, which are inconsistent with its own beliefs. For instance, the Quran embraces the practice of religion as carried out by Abraham and suggests for the Christians to engage in the same â€Å"They say: "Become Jews or Christians if ye would be guided (To salvation)." Say thou: "Nay! (I would rather) the Religion of Abraham the True, and he joined not gods with Allah,† (Quran 2:135)1. A clearer view of the Quran perception on Christianity and Judaism could be understood from the perspective of the Quran on biblical figures. In the perspective of the Quran, Jesus was just among the great prophets sent by God to the world and should be treated as such without necessarily elevating him to the level of a deity. This position appears to challenge the position adopted by Christians on the position of Christ. Further, the Quran reserves special recognition for religious figures who feature prominently in the old testament such as Abraham and Isaac. This appears to affirm some close kinship between the Christians and the Muslims. ... It holds that Christians and Jews should make amends for their wrongs in order to reestablish themselves in the true worship of God. There seems to be a deep yearning in the Quran to reestablish connections with the Christians and Jews if they change certain aspects of their lives. â€Å"So if they believe as ye believe, they are indeed on the right path; but if they turn back, it is they who are in schism; but Allah will suffice thee as against them, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing,† (Quran, 2:137)3. The Quran expresses concern to particular religious practices conducted by the Christians. It suggests change from such practices and stipulates the correct manner in which they should be conducted. For instance, the Quran argues against the Christian practice of baptism with the view that only God can baptize, â€Å"(Our religion is) the Baptism of Allah: And who can baptize better than Allah? And it is He Whom we worship,† (Quran 2:138)4. Despite the heavy cri ticism that the Quran reserves for the Christians, there is an acknowledgement of the kinship between the religions. The underlying message is that the Christians have just lost their way leaving the Muslims to worship the God they share, â€Å"Say: Will ye dispute with us about Allah, seeing that He is our Lord and your Lord; that we are responsible for our doings and ye for yours; and that We are sincere (in our faith) in Him?,) (Quran 2: 139)5. In order to create impact for change the Quran offers Christianity and Jews various examples of personalities in the old testament famed for great deeds but who never practiced the kind of religious practices that is generally common in the Christian doctrine.

Mission and Values of Loyola Marymount University Essay

Mission and Values of Loyola Marymount University - Essay Example If my friends are going bungee jumping or parasailing I usually will find that I have something pressing that needs to be attended to immediately, such as tidying my sock drawer. The issue is not if I ever take risks; I do. The real issue for me is deciding if the risk warrants the reward. Fr. Robert Lawton’s words have helped me to see that taking risks in order to discover who I really am during my college career are risks that will pay great rewards. Who doesn’t want to have happiness and a feeling that God approves of who we are and what we are doing? Ultimately, if I accomplish this level of happiness and closeness with God, I will feel as though I have lived a life of real substance and value. Fr. Robert Lawton said that this journey would be risky, and I believe him. In my mind, I see three potential risks that will need to be faced when journeying to discover how to be myself. I believe that if these three risks can be overcome, I will have accomplished somethin g great during my college education in addition to all of the knowledge I will gain. The first of these three risks is the risk that I will discover I am a very different person than I am now. We all have preconceived notions about our state of being. I have a whole list of likes and dislikes. One of my great failings is that I tend to be judgmental about those who have different tastes and values than myself. I catch myself forming opinions about others based on wholly superficial criteria more often than I care to admit. A nice pair of shoes, the type of car and the city or neighborhood a person lives in too often informs my opinion. The risk of journeying to discover my true self and being judgmental of others scares me because I may discover the things I have used to differentiate myself from others really do not matter to me anymore. I guess what I’m trying to say is, I like who I am right now. I recognize that I have much to learn but I am comfortable with me. The risk for me centers on discovering I’m not who I thought I was and that I might mourn the loss of my old self. I have no desire to look back on my high school self and be glad that I am no longer that person. I would like to think I have arrived at most of my authentic self at this point in my life, but I have the suspicion that everyone looks back on their high school self and has regrets. The risk of becoming your true self is you must necessarily reject portions of the person that you are today. To me, that sounds very uncomfortable. A second risk that needs to be overcome on the road to becoming my authentic self is the risk of defying expectations. I have a way I would like to see my life turn out. So do my family and friends. The risk of opening myself up to change is apparent when I realize that the change may disappoint some of the people I love. I will be exposed to new people and ideas at college. What if I find myself changing course and it is a course I’m not su re my loved ones will accept? I feel that taking this risk to find my true self will be perhaps the hardest. My family has always been loving and supportive. I would never want to disappoint them in any way. But according to the words of Fr. Robert Lawton, I may need to take that risk or I may be sacrificing my own happiness and relationship with God. A final risk I anticipate in this journey is never knowing when you have arrived at the journey’s end. How will I now when I have arrived? I know too many people from my parent’s and grandparent’s generation that seem to think their happiness lies in their new yoga class or the next protest movement they can join. They seem to be constantly seeking but never finding what they are looking for. I think they are looking for a sense of self. The risk for me looking to identify my true

Characteristic Development in Primary Education Research Paper

Characteristic Development in Primary Education - Research Paper Example Suggestions aim towards complete personality development of the child and the role that teacher training and parental observation plays in making these new approaches a success. Children are the main assets of the country and when the community is sure of educating its children right, it can be sure of a secure future. There is no doubt that although the position of child education is at topmost priority in our country, the quality of education needs to be optimized for best developmental growth. Characteristic development is a major field in children’s education today. It deals entirely with the chances of a child being able to recognize, nurture and flourish in characteristics which come naturally to him or her. While parents and teachers (Burchinal et al, 2008, p.141) play a major role in identifying these characteristics, it is the main responsibility of the education system to create opportunities for the growth and development of characteristic in students right from their early ages. The main aim of the present study is to highlight the various aspects of characteristic development in school curriculum and approach and also develop suitable propositions that will bring in new dimensions to existing characteristic development protocols in primary education. The study is based on literature review found in the past ten years and correlating the findings with the present scenario and probable requirements that may come up in the future. Whether it is related to child centered play or developmentally appropriate practice, the approaches in characteristic development will have to be re-evaluated to create the right combination for children of today’s world. Findings in sub-fields of child centered play have shown a definite growth in certain tracks over the past couple of years. Several educationists agree that focusing on child centered play is good for the community as it

Senario Recommendation Memos Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Senario Recommendation Memos - Essay Example Many of the employees who used to get injured while using the heavy machines were now safe and steady in their work. The manager of the company also commented that the productivity of the company had increased by 49%. This is because the rate of absenteeism of employees fell notably, and also the rate of breakage of company’s expensive instruments was low (Dixon, 2012, P. 16). Thus, many of the losses were now avoided. I also conducted my research on a factory by the name, Greeley’s Chemicals and Pills. One outstanding advantage that the company mentioned was the improved image to the outsiders. Its integrity had just found another level the moment the drug testing system was started. The employees were more focused on their work such that they could attend to their clients and customers in a professional and disciplined manner (Lucy, 2012, P. 57). Many people claim that the procedure will be costly and inappropriate but in my opinion, I would recommend that it be carried out. This is because; in fact on the contrary it reduces costs. When the employee accidents are reduced, (Dixon, 2012, P. 16) costs such as medical insurance covers are incredibly lowered. Other costs such as costs arising from careless spillage of chemicals will also be avoided. Workers safety is also increased in the process since they do not get injured while working. Employees can also be efficient with their work without making unnecessary mistakes. I would also recommend that the drug testing program on the grounds that the productivity of the company will definitely increase and the company will be able to compete favorably with other companies that are in the same market. (Lucy, 2012, P. 57) I would also like to dismiss the claims that the reputation you have built with the company will be ruined. In my opinion, this is just but a fallacy made up by those employees who are not in support of the procedure. With the many benefits that the

Comcast Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Comcast - Research Paper Example The company’s growth has considerably increased for the last few years. Secondly, DirecTV is a provider of American direct broadcast satellite service in California. The DirecTV’s satellite service was launched in 1994; it engages in the transmission of digital satellite television and audio mainly in the United States and Latin America. DirecTV had 19.2 million subscribers at the end of 2010. The third organization of choice, The Verizon Communications engages in broadband and telecommunications business globally; it is an element of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Financial position of Comcast While conducting a thorough scrutiny on the financial statements of the Comcast during the past several years, it is clear that the company is rapidly moving towards economic expansion. In 1995, the book value of a company’s share was $8.19 and it reached $15 per share in 2009. It shows that the company could double its price per share during this period of 14 years. An increase in share price is the direct indication of increased market demand for the Comcast’s services. ... It has been identified that Comcast’s net profit margin rose from 4.2% in 1999 to 8.4% in 2009 (Comcast). During this same time span, the firm’s operating margins and return on equity notably improved. Finally, the Comcast’s total selling/general/administrative expenses climbed from $5,075 billion in 2006 to $8,091 billion in 2010 (Comcast). Financial comparison As in the case of Comcast, DirecTV also shows a rampant increase in its total revenues during the last few years. The DirecTV’s total revenue indicates the figure $24,102 billion while it was $21,565 billion in 2009 (DirecTV). In contrast, Verizon’s total revenue faced a decline in 2010; it fell from $107,808 billion in 2009 to $106,565 billion in 2010. As a result, the Verizon also faced a decline in net profit by $2345 billion (Verizon). The Verizon’s financial statement reflects that its economical position is not satisfactory. The company’s net income gradually diminished a nd the Verizon even suffered a net a loss by $2,193 billion in 2008. The poor financial performance of the Verizon Communication in 2008 can be directly attributed to its increased total of selling/general/administrative expenses ($41,517 billion) (Verizon). On the other hand, it seems that the DirecTV reflects a better financial performance during the past several years except in 2009. The DirecTV’s net incomes were $1,420; $1,451; $1,521; $942; and $2,198 billions respectively in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010. Although, the DirecTV struggled with $942 billion net income in 2009, it could effectively resurrect in 2010 by increasing the net income by $1,256 billion (DirecTV). Evidently differences exist in the financial statement composition of these three

Ancient Commerce in China Essay Example for Free

Ancient Commerce in China Essay 1- The route The Silk Road, or Silk Route, is the most famous and important historically trading route of ancient Chinese civilization. This historical network of interlinking, with more than 4000 miles, between East, South, Western Asia with the Mediterranean and European world, as well as parts of North and East Africa began to be used under the Han Dynasty (202 BC – AD 220). Originally, the Chinese trade silk occurred internally within the empire, but the caravans were often attacked by central Asian tribes, hoping to find some valuable commodities. In order to protect these caravans, the Han Dynasty extended its military defenses further into Central Asia. Later came the idea to expand the silk trade to central Asia. Silk Road extension: The land routes are red, and the water routes are blue Source: http://en.wikipedia.org 2- Name and Purpose The Silk Road gets its name from the lucrative Chinese silk trade that was the major reason to sustain the route for so wide area. Some scholars prefer the term â€Å"Silk Routes† because of the several network of routes existed there. Trading silk was not the only purpose of the Silk Road, many other commodities were also traded. In addition to silk the route carried other precious goods like gold and other precious metals, ivory, precious stones and glass, exotic animals and plants were trade as well. Indeed the silk was the most remarkable goods, mainly among the Romans, it became very popular in Rome for its soft texture and attractiveness making the Romans sees the route mainly as a Silk Route. Although this fact, the name â€Å"Silk Road† originated in the nineteenth century, coined by the German scholar, von Richthofen. 3- Routes The intercontinental Silk Road had two different overland routes bypassing the Taklimakan Desert and Lop Nur. The northern route started at Changan (now called Xian), the capital of the ancient Chinese Kingdom, which, in the Later Han, was moved further east to Luoyang. The route was defined about the 1st century BCE as Han Wudi put an end to harassment by nomadic tribes The southern route was mainly a single route running from China, through the Karakoram, where it persists to modern times as the international paved road connecting Pakistan and China as the Karakoram Highway. It then set off westwards, but with southward spurs enabling the journey to be completed by sea from various points. Crossing the high mountains, it passed through northern Pakistan, over the Hindu Kush mountains, and into Afghanistan, rejoining the northern route near Merv. From there, it followed a nearly straight line west through mountainous northern Iran, Mesopotamia and the northern tip of the Syrian Desert to the Levant, where Mediterranean trading ships plied regular routes to Italy, while land routes went either north through Anatolia or south to North Africa. Another branch road traveled from Herat through Susa to Charax Spasinu at the head of the Persian Gulf and across to Petra and on to Alexandria and other eastern Mediterranean ports from where ships carried the cargoes to Rome. The Silk Road in the 1st century Source: http://en.wikipedia.org 4- Mongol Age In central Asia, Islam expanded from the 7th century onward, bringing a stop to Chinese westward expansion at the Battle of Talas in 751. Further expansion of the Islamic Turks in Central Asia from the 10th century finished disrupting trade in that part of the world. For a long time during the Middle Ages, the Islamic Caliphate often had a monopoly over much of the trade conducted across the route. Under the command of Genghis Khan, the Mongol Empire rapidly proceeded to conquer a huge region of Asia, the Mongol expansion throughout the Asian continent from around 1207 to 1360 helped to bring political and stability and re-establish the Silk Road. The partial unification of so many states under the Mongol Empire allowed a significant interaction between cultures of different regions. The trading started to happen again and the route became important as path for communication between different parts of the Empire once more. The Mongols, in general, were more open to ideas, more sympathetic to different religions and nationalities promoting the trading. Around 1288, the Venetian explorer Marco Polo became one of the first Europeans to travel the Silk Road to China, he was not the first, however, the most well known and best documented visitor. In his tales, The Travels of Marco Polo, he describes the way of life in the cities and small kingdoms through which his party passed, with particular interest on the trade and marriage customs, opening the western eyes to some of the customs of the Far East. 5- The Peak, Decline and the Sea Route In seventh century, the Silk Route had its height of importance at this time during the Tang dynasty China was a living a relative stability after the divisions of the earlier dynasties since the Han. The art and civilization of the Silk Road achieved its highest poin in the Tang Dynasty. Changan, as the starting point of the route, as well as the capital of the dynasty, developed into one of the largest and most cosmopolitan cities of the time. By 742 A.D its population reached almost two million people and in 754 A.D it had around five thousand foreigners living in the city. During the Mongol Empire as mentioned before, the route established a new good period but despite the presence of the Mongols, the route never reached the heights that it did in the Tang dynasty. Furthermore, with the disintegration of the Mongol empire, that was fairly short-lived, the barriers rose again on the land route between East and West. After the Mongol Empire, the control of the Silk Road became economically and culturally separated. The demise of the Silk Road developed the Silk Route by sea at that time it was becoming easier and safer to transport goods by water than overland (Later however, the sea route suffered a lot of problems like bad weather and pirates). Beside this the sea route passed by promising new markets in Southern Asia at that time. The commerce with China and Asia at that time was very profitable and this situation is significantly important in explaining several factors about the present economy. It was the main driving factor for the Portuguese, and later Europeans, explorations of the Indian Ocean, including the sea of China. 6- Nowadays The last link along the Silk Road was completed in 1990, when the railway connecting Lanzhou to Urumchi was extended to the border with Kazakhstan, providing an important route to the new republics and beyond. Beside this the trade route itself is also being reopened, trading between the peoples of Xinjiang and Russia has developed quickly. The new republics in Central Asia have been contributing much of the heavy industry of the region. Trade with China has also utilized the route it was encouraged by the socialist market economy and its benefits to the market. 7- Conclusion The Silk Road played a key role in the development of the ancient economy in Asia, especially in China, In China it was the main responsible to significantly increase the number of foreign merchants present in China under the Han Dynasty and exposing the Chinese and visitors to their country to different cultures and religions. Buddhism spread from India to China because of trade along the Silk Route. This route was very important in foreign trade, during all history of civilization in the last 1200 years, placing China and India, and all East Asia, in a major role for contact with the western world in a time when this region was isolated by deserts and oceans. During the Mongol Empire, based on the Mongol’s idea of liberty about different religions and cultures, once more, the route had a very important role in the foreign trade and culture exchange between Asia countries and some countries of Europe and Africa as well. Later, the great population and the varieties of products attracted the European interest (economic center of the world at that time), by sea several expeditions in order to explore the commerce in that region change the course of the world, affecting the Americas and Africa as well Asia, being decisive in the current political, economic and social aspects of several countries in these continents.

Cultural Anthropology Assignment Essay Example for Free

Cultural Anthropology Assignment Essay English-Lueck is of the opinion that communication technologies have increased the ways in which we can keep track of our families. According to him the communication technologies have been a boon especially for the working mothers as they help them in being connected to their children’s lives even when they spend a lot of time outside home. But at the same time communication technologies have become a bane for them too. To explain this point English-Lueck uses the example of an ageing woman who enjoyed the position of the center of her family till a few years back. Due to the boom in the communication technology, her position has been eroded, as there are other things that her children have started paying importance to even in her presence. For example their constant email contacts keep them busy. As a result the modern gadgets are sharing the time they spent with their mother. So according to English-Lueck, there is a mixed effect of the technology. In some aspects it has enhanced family life while in another aspects, it has played deterrent to keep intact the old way of leading life. Molitor’s viewpoints are also similar to that of English-Lueck as far as the issue of the effect of communication technologies on families are concerned. According to him the modern technologies help us to stay in touch with our families even when we are physically away from them. To explain this point he throws light upon how even newborn babies are in constant touch with their parents through technology. Their parents with the help of two-way radio transmitters monitor every move that they take in their cribs. So though the way of stating their viewpoints is different, both the experts are similar in their analysis of the effect of communication technologies on maintaining family relationships. My family and I are greatly affected by the technological changes that have taken over the years. Each of us is just a click or a phone call away from each other. Even when all of us are so busy in our lives that we hardly get time to spend with each other, thanks of the innovative technologies, now we have complete track of one another as we are in constant touch with one another throughout the day. References English-Lueck, J. A. (Speaker). (1998). Technology and Social Change: The Effects on Family and Community. COSSA Congressional Seminar. Mackay, H. , Ivey, D. (2004). Modern Media in the home: An Ethnographic Study. Italy: John Libbey Publishing – CIC Srl. Molitor, G. T. T (2003). Communication technologies that will change our lives – Science Technology Retrieved Feb. 1, 2008 from, USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education) Website:://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_ml272/is_2692_131/ai_9628305/ print

Overall family structure

Overall family structure Abstract: This paper introduces Helen, Julie, and Garry a family subset from the movie, The Parenthood and provides a description of their overall family structure also seen in the form of a genogram. The paper also includes a literature review of both Behavioral Family Therapy (BFT), and Solution-Focused Family Therapy (SFT) with the author settling on SFT as the preferred method for eliciting change from a systems perspective; which also includes a treatment plan complete with practical interventions using SFT and a GARF analysis from the BFT approach. In addition to noting how Helen and her children relate to the larger family system the learner offers a look into her personal world based on the effects of treating this family. The Family Subset The family subset to be discussed, from the movie The Parenthood, is comprised of a divorced mother of two children, one of which is engaging in teenage premarital sex, and the other is masturbating while watching pornographic films. This core group has expanded to include a husband for the teenage daughter who comes to live in the home of his new in-laws, a love interest for the mother, Helen, who eventually becomes a husband and the needed father figure for the pubescent son, and an extremely disinterested father who is preoccupied with his new life which includes a new set of children in addition to a new wife. Helen is the second child of four born to her parents Mr. and Mrs. Frank Buckman. One of the more noticeable things about the family is the relationship that does not exist between the family patriarch and his older three children. It is especially painful to witness how hard Gil, the eldest son, tries to be such a good father by being so actively involved in the lives of his own children as a way to escape falling into the same pattern of his fathers parenting style. In addition, to the fathers distant relationship with his children is the very passive attitude of the mother. Her every attempt to assert herself into conversation and even the lives of her children are thwarted and ultimately overshadowed by the final say of her authoritative and detached husband. Each of the four children Gil, Helen, Susan, and Larrys parenting style and success in their sexual/marital relationships can be attributed to the way they interpret their own upbringing. As mentioned earlier, Gils desire to have a better relationship with his children has caused him to be extremely high strung which is possibly because of the self imposed pressure to succeed. Also, his oldest son, who he tries the hardest to bond with has been diagnosed with something akin to high-functioning autism to which he blames himself. However, his marital relationship appears to be pretty solid; thus, he has succeeded in not being like his father in the respect that he shows to his wife. Susan, the youngest daughter has chosen a man who was able to tame her wild antics. She found his control to be quite sexually attractive. Susans response to her husband is a two-fold result of her bearing witness to her mother being controlled by her father as a child and wanting to rebel against that control while secretly desiring it. Nathan, Susans husband, is unlike her father in that he is very involved with their only daughter, Patty. The problem is that Nathan is overly occupied with everything that relates to Pattys educational capabilities and has included her in every aspect of their lives leaving very little time for intimacy for a still newly married couple. Thus, causing distance in their relationship which forces her to not be like her mother at all, and initiates a separation from him for a while. The youngest son, Larry, has seemingly benefited the most from the paternal relationship because the father saw a lot of himself in this son is not as successful as the other children whose relationships with their dad were not as close. Larry is extremely irresponsible and has only held on to the life lessons taught by his father that enable him to continue on his quest for getting rich quick. Larry does not have a stable companion, has never been married, does not hold a steady job, and has brought home a son whose mother is a Las Vegas showgirl at best. While Larrys life seems to be the most exciting, he lives rather dangerously and his life is at risk as a result of his out of control gambling which is a part of his quick money schemes. Helens childrens behavior is a reflection of the timing of her divorce rather than a reflection of her parenting style. Along with the end of a marital relationship between a husband and a wife during and after the divorce come feelings of failure, blame, and denial. The problem is that those emotions and thoughts are not exclusive to the couple involved but, often are things experienced by a child who is a product of divorce. When the parent who has the children, in this case the mother-Helen, has not adequately dealt with their own feelings concerning the divorce it makes it extremely difficult for them to address the needs, wants, and concerns of their offspring. Helens childrens actions are in relation to an unsmooth transition due to being a product of a bad divorce (Carter McGoldrick, 2005). And, thus have turned into a centrifugal family leaving the mother out and making her feel as if everything is her fault and there is nothing that she can do to make them happy (Capuzzi G ross, 2007). In our patriarchal society the man is often considered the breadwinner even if both parties are gainfully employed; while the woman is regulated to the position of primary caregiver. In this role, Helen is battling a range of lifes concerns from her own happiness which she feels she is neglecting because of her responsibility to her children. In her current state, she cannot be much good to her children although their safety and well-being is her main concern. The manner in which this family interacts with one another is a direct result of how their personal experiences with the divorce of Helen and her ex-husband has negatively impacted their thoughts and patterns of behaviors. Each taking on or placing the blame on self or one of the other remaining members of their family unit. Therapy would serve Helen and her children, Julie and Garry, by helping them over this intermediary hump of emotions relating to the divorce crisis and propelling them into the next healthy stage of the family cycle they now find themselves. Group therapy would provide the family and opportunity to effectively communicate their individual issues for example, Helen might bring up her concerns surrounding her role as primary caregiver and the neglect that is self-inflicted in hopes that she might make up for whatever her ex-husbands absence has deprived them of; Julie might discuss how she needs to feel the love of a male figure and although her choice might not be the brightest he is showing her the love that she feels she needs; Garry will likely open up about how his family has turned against him (his mother made his father not love him anymore, his father choosing to love his other son more, and his sister turning to her boyfriend and barely acknowledging him) just as his body has (because he no longer has a father to discuss and prepare him for the upcoming normal bodily changes associated with puberty). In order for this family subset to reach a place of normal healthy functioning for a family unit it is necessary to assess and create an environment of understanding of the emotional attachment of the family system and, how easily the family is able to adjust to whatever natural and unsuspected events that occur during the life cycle (Maynard Olson, 1987). The learner believes that the two systematic therapeutic models that will work best in bringing this family back to a positive place in their cognition, and behavior are solution focused therapy and family behavioral therapy. Solution-focused therapy will work to accentuate the successes of Helen and her children and move them away from current behaviors that have them each emphasizing on their own failures and that of other members of their family subset (insert citation here, Clinical Training in Solution focused therapy-Josee Lamarre, Journal of Family Psychotherapy 143-148, 2005). While Behavioral Family Therapy evaluates the family and how they currently work together so that changes can be made towards how they will interact with each other moving forward (insert citation here, Eileen Spillane-Grieco, Cognitive-behavioral family therapy with a family in high-conflict divorce: A case study, Clinical Social Work Journal 2000 105-119) In using the behavioral model the position of the counselor is to assist the client family in changing specific behaviors which have been defined by Dr. Glasser as being comprised of action, thinking, feelings, and physiology and, in turn will cause effective communication to develop (Glasser, 1980a). Solution-focused therapy suggests that the client family should look to what is presently taking place, and where they want to be in the future as opposed to what has transpired in the past. In changing the focus of the therapy sessions from that of the problem to that of achieving their personal goals based on what they would like to see as a result of their time in therapy will cause the client family to begin implementing the necessary steps to see those things realized. In addition, the client is instrumental to the process because they are constantly asked to define for themselves what is necessary for change to take place, or for the counseling being received to be effective (inse rt citation here: A Thumb-nail map for solution-focused brief therapy, Lance Taylor, Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 2005, 27-33); thus, causing Helen and her children to verbalize their responsibility to the success of their family unit. A Literature Review The articles that will be discussed in this literature review will argue the importance of the helping relationship; provide insight into intervention models that have worked with a range of client race, age, and backgrounds utilizing both behavioral family and solution-focused therapies. In addition, the editorials will offer evidence towards how well these theories have worked and will work for the learners client family. On Behavioral Family Therapy Thoughts about seeking help from a counselor can have negative connotations as expressed in the film from which we extract our client family-The Parenthood. Individuals are considered to be crazy, or think their problems are too insignificant, or are afraid of embarrassing themselves or their families with the kind of information that will be discussed. But, in actuality therapy provides an environment that is non-judgmental and safe, a counselor will affirm the feelings of the client and challenge them to think and behave in a manner that causes them to be more productive. It is those negative thoughts that will make it harder to get an entire family to come, as opposed to a single person, or even partake in the first couple of sessions. The problem has been statistically proven to be more likely a case of engagement. One article suggests that Behavioral Family Therapy (BFT) has the helping relationship as the foundation and if the counselor is able to build rapport quickly and earn estly then, it is more probable that the client family will not only remain engaged in the therapeutic process but, will likely have a successful outcome once therapy has ended (James, Cushway, Fadden, 2006). It is necessary to mention counselor responsibility in BFT considering that their role is valuable to the process. The therapist is required to explore and evaluate the hows of the family system as it operates currently and its potential for operation in the future (James, Cushway, Fadden, 2006). Without arguing for or against nature or nurture it is safe to say that family does play an important role in the way one acts consider the relationships of the Buckman clan as a whole and the dysfunction that ensues as they attempt to be different than the generation before them, and so then it should be equally safe to believe that therapy that would include the family is just as important in working towards change. Change is the ultimate goal in identifying and then ranking behaviors that the client family would like to change are priority. Once they have been outlined then interventions to facilitate change are necessary. In keeping with the definition of behavior which included thinking one conduit for change is positive thinking through cognitive restructuring, each family member will create a list of strengths of all of the members of the family unit. The result brings about a sense of self-awareness and quite possibly a new way of what role one actually plays in the family structure. Part of the homework will be for each family member to work on maintaining this new self-image in between sessions and ultimately adopting it as a lifestyle change (Khodayarifard, Rehm, Khodayarifard, 2007). This type of intervention will work well with Helen and her children as they are quite verbal in their disdain of each other. So, in highlighting the positive qualities of each other will not only affirm their role within the family, and work to dispel some of the former negative statements but, will cause them to live up to the attributes ascribed to them more often; thus, serving as a behavior modification. Although there is overwhelming evidence that supports the effectiveness of family behavioral therapy an article from 2000 argues that research shows that this theory has not been sufficiently compared to other like orientations (Kolko, Brent, Baugher, Bridge, Birmaher, 2000). However, BFT is still thought to be one of the best methods because of its relative adaptive nature that is specific to the preferred client demographics-family, individual: adult, adolescent, and etc. as the client family consists of a mother, and two children: one teenager, and one adolescent. Behavioral Family Therapy will work well in a family setting as Helen, Julie, and Garry can participate equally. The self control technique is an effective intervention that can be applied to Helen and her children within the Behavioral Family Therapy model. This method holds that each individual is responsible for their own actions and possess the necessary qualities to change them (Teichman Eliahu, 1986). Taking personal responsibility will force the family subset to see themselves separately from who they believe their parents to be and remove the need to place the blame on them for how they have decided to live their lives. For instance, Garrys behavior will no longer lead to acts of destruction because his father has chosen to not be actively involved in his life instead, he will recognize that he has control over who he will be and that is completely separate from who his father is to him. On Solution-Focused Therapy As the therapy name suggests there is an immediate purpose when utilizing this model. As such, after the necessary introductory things have been accounted for, one of the first pieces of information that the counselor needs to extract are the exceptions. These are windows into viewing potential solutions in that they identify specific instances where the client has already attempted to change what is considered normal behavior (Corcoran, 1997). Exceptions are seen as a kind of intervention in that positive affirmation is bestowed onto the person who has created an avenue for personal change and in so doing shows them how easy it is for change to occur. This will translate to Helen and her children perhaps through Julie who has demonstrated that she runs away from her problems-literally. She left home after an argument with her mother and impulsively got married; she left her husband and returned home when things got a little thick between her and Tod. But, during his stint as a race car driver, even though she vehemently opposed to this career option she showed up to the contest and was first at his side when he wrecked. All done of her own volition and thus, a time when she changed what could be considered normal or expected behavior. With thoughts focused on the future exceptions it will allow for the client family to consider how they can make a difference in family squabbles and other relational issues by meditating on the future. What will not happen are constant thoughts on the pain, the frustration, and the angst associated with the dysfunctional state of the family but, instead each member will meditate on a dream solution, which is ultimately a resolution to a problem (Bannink, 2007). One outcome to an ideal solution for this family would be that they no longer talked or yelled at each other but, now respected each other enough to quiet themselves and listen to the opinions and concerns of each other. Another benefit of the therapy would be for the family members to learn how to respond rather than react in a calm and rational manner. Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT) will cause the client family to look to self for resolution as opposed to the very dysfunctional thinking of placing blame and pointing out the negative in others. It is believed by the author, that a persons natural inclination is to think more negatively than positively in terms of what is likely to happen based on what has previously occurred. But, through the use of this model they find that the reverse is actually true and are likely to look forward to each day as opposed to dreading coming home to mom, or spending family time together (Reiter, 2007). Conclusion Both, BFT and SFT focus on the relationship and building rapport with the client in addition to being able to fit a broad spectrum of clientele. The combination of Behavioral Family Therapy and Solution-Focused Therapy will help the client family come out victorious because of the effectiveness of each orientation separately. BFT would work to learn the negative behaviors and then work to teach and enforce new behaviors and SFT will mandate that their attention always be focused on bringing about a different outcome and therefore a preferred outcome. While there are a myriad of downsides to both BFT and SFT they are so minute that they would not likely have an adverse affect on the client family. For instance, it may be that the length or number of sessions will be smaller than other theoretical approaches which would suit Helen just fine considering she is now the main source of income for the home. Fewer sessions can also work in favor of the client family in pushing them into setting realistic goals that need to be achieved and will also cause for the techniques learned while utilizing either approach be employed sooner rather than later and hopefully will continue long after the sessions have ended to go on with the changes that are necessary for success within their family unit. Through homework and other intervention exercises a favorable outcome is expected of Helen, Julie, and Garry, the client family. They will unlearn playing the victim role and lashing out in anger, learn how to effectively communicate, accept what has transpired in their lives and in putting it behind them not out of embarrassment or shame but, out of a realization that the present and future is where their focus needs to be. In the end, the learner is confident that both the Solution-Focused Therapy and the Family Behavioral Therapy theoretical orientations will serve as a successful method of therapy for this family. Diagnosis and Treatment Plan Helen and her children by all accounts can be considered a family that has not healed from divorce but copes with what that disruption to their family system translates for them and yearns to be well again seeks the counseling services of the learner. The remaining members of this unit individually and collectively exhibit a range of dysfunctional behaviors that include but are not limited to premarital teen sex, masturbation, yelling at each other and other dysfunctional communication patterns. The learner proposes that the therapeutic model that will work best in bringing Helen and her children back to a positive place in their cognition, and behavior is solution-focused family therapy. Before a counselor or therapist is able to successfully engage the client through verbal communication, nonverbal clues are given as to potentially how bad the situation is by simple things like how [the clients] choose[s] to sit in the room (Walrond-Skinner, 1976, p. 39). These kinds of nonverbal tools are just as important to assessing the situation as the ever blunt first question, why are you here today? The answer to that question is key in assessing the situation. From the interactions of the family as witnessed while in their natural habitat the following have been evaluated in regards to this operation of this family system: effective communication does not exist between the parent and children, the sibling emotional bond is nonexistent, and they do not rebound well when change occurs. After the initial general assessment or a description of the presenting problems has been disclosed the counselor must then set goals. In a variety of settings such as corporate meetings, counseling sessions, and etc. one widely used acronym for goal setting is to be SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. The purpose of being smart when laying out the goals for others to adhere to is to ensure that they know what is expected of them without a shadow of a doubt; that a counselor or therapist will be able to easily notate when progress has been made or remains unachieved; to create practical objectives that while they may not be easy to accomplish are necessary for personal growth; and to ensure that there is a cap so that the client is aware that a deadline to check if improvement has been made. With SMART in mind, the treatment plan for Helen, Julie, and Garry would include the following: Goals: Helen, Julie, and Garry will work together to improve effective communication Helen, Julie, and Garry will learn adjustment skills as it relates to experiencing unexpected situations specifically the divorce of Helen and her ex-husband Julie and Garry will learn to interact as siblings by learning how to support each other in an effort to build an emotional bond between them Interventions : Clients will be required to hear out the other members of their family and to consider that persons point of view. The request to begin considering the point of view of others will begin within the second session between all three members of the family unit and will continue being asked until the 10th family session. In addition, the client family will be asked to apply this question to instances when an argument is likely to take place as a substitute to the way they normally communicate. This intervention will include the therapist and all subsequent members of the host family: Helen, Julie, and Garry and will last for at least ten sessions and will be assessed at the 10th session to see if it needs to continue. Helen, Julie, and Garry will journal about their past and present feelings related to the divorce of Helen and her ex-husband on a daily basis, and something will be chosen from each family members journal to be read aloud in the following weeks session. This intervention will allow all family members an opportunity to learn how each individual processed and is handling the divorce. In addition, the family will be required to attend at least three additional sessions of counseling in a Persons involved in Divorce support group to be educated on the varying perspectives of all involved in such a process. This intervention will include all members of the subsequent host family: Helen, Julie, and Garry and the therapist will act as the reader. The therapist will also be instrumental in securing a place for them within a support group; the family will be able to offer suggestions which the therapist will thoroughly consider and make an informed decision based on what is better for the clients. After the required three sessions, a decision as to how beneficial the group meets were and the necessity of continuing in them will determine whether more sessions are needed. That information will be considered from Helen, Julie, and Garry in addition to, the lead therapist of the group sessions. Julie and Garry will begin to genuinely compliment each other at least one time per day over the course of their time in therapy. In addition, they are to find out something that the other is involved in like Garrys new fascination with cars and wholeheartedly support those endeavors making time for them at least two times per month. The hope is to achieve the goal of creating a genuine sibling emotional bond. This intervention will include only the sibling subset of the client family unit. And, will consist of Julie and Garry having a separate bi- weekly family session (for a total of two sessions per month) without their mother Helen. During the last session for the month a verbal synopsis that will include how well they enjoyed the time spent witnessing their sibling doing something they loved. The learner has implemented interventions that adhere to the thought behind solution-focused family therapy, and when evaluating Helen and her children will take into consideration the possibility for numerous modifications based upon client achievement of goals, and failures as it relates to not adhering to the scheduled mandates of the treatment goals (Seligman, 2004). Each intervention applied would likely have the learners desired effect which will cause this family to knit closely together. They would own up to their own contributions to the state of their relationship as well as absolve themselves and the others of misplaced blame. The lines of communication will be open and no longer will they talk at each other in fits of hysteria or desperation. As a result of the intervention the family members will implement the communication skills learned which will include how to talk to each other and value the opinions, and feelings of one another even at those times of disagreement. Ultimately, this family unit will grow closer to each other, develop as a cohesive unit, mature in their personal pursuits and thought processes, and learn from each other which will cause them to have a smooth transition into the next life stage of their family subsets life cycle. The Learners Personal Reflection The entire process that began with watching the Buckman family at large and specifically the subset that included Helen, Julie and Garry and ended with setting goals that were believed to be to the benefit of making their family unit more cohesive had the learner slightly stressed. The limited experience in a counseling setting as a professional and as a client caused a recurring question regarding correctly processing and applying information. It is the belief of the learner that her experiences as wife, mother, daughter, sister, and etc. would create an excellent source from which to pull information from when dealing with clients and cause an equalizing of the relationship. While the learner can clearly relate to some of the dysfunction of the family on issues such as how families talk to each other, or not actually being able to relate or have things in common with siblings. One aspect of this family system that the learner has no personal knowledge of is divorce and how seriousl y it can upset the entire family cycle. The model for marriage for this learner has been that of her maternal grandparents who were married for 58 years before the death of her grandfather. The lack of reaction to Helen being divorced considering the learners religious views was a very interesting dynamic. It is more likely that this can be attributed to how often she can be credited with desiring divorce than, recognizing that as a professional personal beliefs regarding things like divorce are irrelevant to the counseling process. One of the biggest reactions was in regards to the ex-husband and his complete disregard for the well-being of his own biological children. This set off red flags of personal biases towards deadbeat dads as a result of the learners own father who was only sporadically involved in her upbringing, at best. Due to the internally boisterous response the learner will need to routinely do a self-check to ensure that her personal biases will not negatively affect the counseling environment that is a necessary conduit for client change. Due to the fathers utter removal from every aspect of his childrens life as a result of the divorce, Helen was regulated to the role of a single parent; and it forced their children into a single-parent family situation (Carter McGoldrick, 2005). Early on, the learner and her three sisters formed a pack after constantly witnessing the unnecessary sibling rivalry amongst their mother and her sisters. In clearing defining our goals for our sister-friend relationships, we are extremely honest with each other, genuinely concerned about every aspect of each other lives, and have vowed to remain so. From this relationship that was first built on a blood bond evolved four very different people, at various stages in their lives, who are now friends. Once the commitment was made to be different and was adhered to change occurred within the relationship between the learner and her youngest sister who she really did not know mostly because of the difference in age. Therefore, setting a goal for Julie and Garry to become more emotionally involved with each other was something that the learner can attest to. One final thing to note, is how in the learners family which is multi-generational and includes not just an immediate family unit but, is comprised of extended family members there is always something that occurs that can upset the family system however, behaviors are not drastically changed as a result. The adaptability of the learners family unit has created an environment where others are always prepared to take on countless roles in the event that the traditional role holder is unable to continue on. Thus, the family is able to continue to run smoothly even after a major upset to the family cycle. A persons entire being is founded, rooted, expanded, and explored through the family framework which by all accounts is the initial segue into a host of firsts (Carter McGoldrick, 2005). Thus, it stands to reason that it is completely necessary to ensure the stability of the family unit by ensuring its flexibility when presented with anything that has the power to modify the normal flow of the family system and, maintaini

James Baldwins Giovannis Room Essay -- James Baldwin Giovannis room

James Baldwin's Giovanni's Room James Baldwin’s novel Giovanni’s Room is titled such for the purpose of accentuating the symbolism of Giovanni’s room. Within the novel Giovanni’s room is portrayed with such characteristics as being Giovanni’s prison, symbolic of Giovanni’s life, holding the relationship between Giovanni and David, being a metaphor of homosexuality for David and being a tomb underwater. These different portrayals of Giovanni’s room are combined within the novel to create an overall negative metaphor of homosexuality as perpetuated by society. These different portrayals of Giovanni’s room are dirty, suffocating and restricting; Baldwin is showing the reader that homosexuality can be understood as all of these things, detrimental as they are. The novel is a reflection upon the common belief in society that homosexuality is unnatural and wrong, causing homosexual men to turn societal negativity into self hatred. One of the metaphors for Giovanni’s room is the parallel created linking his room to his jail cell. When Giovanni is in jail, David wonders about the jail cell he is in and says, â€Å"I wonder about the size of Giovanni’s cell. I wonder if it is bigger than his room† (113). In David’s thought he creates the definition of Giovanni’s room being a cell. The prison cell is close in size to his room, and it is also much like the room in that he is stuck there as a prisoner. Giovanni’s permanence in his room, as in the jail cell, is further exemplified when David is talking about the room; â€Å"I’m talking about that room, that hideous room. Why have you buried yourself there so long?† (117). David is directly comparing Giovanni’s room to a tomb, which, like a cell, is an imprisonment. David is say... ...rget it. This negative view of homosexuality is enforced by society, which David absorbs into himself. Through David and his perception of the many metaphors contained within Giovanni’s room, James Baldwin is showing a negative interpretation of homosexuality as identified in society. The metaphors within Giovanni’s room are Giovanni’s prison, symbolic of Giovanni’s life, holding the relationship between Giovanni and David, being a metaphor of homosexuality for David and being a tomb underwater. These metaphors are negative and exist to demonstrate to the reader that homosexuality is restricting, punishing, dirty and suffocating. These negative connotations of homosexuality are brought from society and internalized by the characters and builds into self hate. Works Cited: Baldwin, James, and Caryl Phillips. Giovanni's Room. London: Penguin, 2001. Print.

Essay --

A lot of people put their trust in vaccines to keep them safe without question, but they may be very wrong in doing so. Vaccinations are obtained by inserting the original disease into animal or aborted human fetus tissue to weaken the germ for use in humans. The idea behind vaccinations is that by injecting the weakened germ into your body, your immune system will respond and learn to better take care of that same germ in the future. There is a downside to every vaccine, whether it is the fact that the vaccine is of no real use at all, or that a vast majority of vaccines come with dangerous downsides (Lendman). However essential to your life vaccines are according to medical doctors, many come with bad sides and should be avoided; your body will do better off without them. Firstly, do vaccines really stop or slow down diseases as well as they are supposed to? The British Association for the Advancement of Science has shown that from 1850 to 1940, childhood diseases went down by 90 percent before mandatory vaccination programs were put into effect (Lendman). Robert S. Mendelsohn, M.D., has pointed out that this increase in health has occurred not because of vaccinations, but because of improving nutrition, sanitation, and living conditions (Mendelsohn). Vaccinations: Deception & Tragedy by Michael Dye says, â€Å"Diphtheria cases declined by 90 percent in the United States between 1900 and 1930, before a diphtheria vaccine was implemented† (Dye). Dr. Mendelsohn notes that, â€Å"Today your child has about as much chance of contracting diphtheria as he does of being bitten by a cobra. Yet millions of children are immunized against it with repeated injections† (Mendelsohn). Michael Dye’s book also states that â€Å"mumps and measles are childhood ... ...nds of years of evolution has sculpted a natural tool to protect you against dangerous diseases? All you are required to do to keep your immune system functioning as it should is to keep your body out of danger in the first place, that is – away from potentially harmful vaccinations. Maintain a good diet – eating proper foods is perhaps the biggest key to keeping your body in a good condition. A good immune system is very powerful and therefore essential to have. Vaccinations are an unnecessary money-making scam. Many are useless in preventing diseases, and they can often cause dangerous health complications to your body. People are much better off without them. Your immune system can handle things perfectly and normally without the help of vaccinations that do nothing but cost tens of thousands of needless injuries, permanent damages, and losses of life every year.

Process Essay - How to Win an Argument :: Expository Process Essays

Process Essay - How to Win an Argument To win an argument one must keep in mind the following factors: Is the argument worth fighting? Do you have the proper background to win the argument? Who is your opponent? And finally, do I have the proper argumentative behavior. Before getting involved in an argument, you must decide whether or not it is even worth fighting. Does the subject at hand have any interest to you, does it make a difference if you win or lose. An argument about Jackie Gleson's weight at death, or the amount of torque output in a 1976 Ford Pinto, probably doesn't make much difference to anyone and isn't very interesting. Not getting involved is probably the best way to go. However if the argument will decide who gets the best parking spot at school, or whether you have one week or one month to write an essay, you may want to consider getting into the dispute. If fighting arguments is just an â€Å"ego boost† or hobby, then disregard the above. The next item to take into consideration is your background on the topic. You should never enter an argument you have no information about, because it will only end in â€Å"your mother is a .....† insults. In a factual argument, it is helpful if the truth is on your side, but as we've learned from our politicians, it is not necessary. However, if the truth does eventually get out you may end up looking like a fool. In a multi-sided argument, an argument which is not dealing in absolute truths, but rather different opinions, it is preferable to believe in the side you for which you are arguing, but isn't necessary if your background is strong enough. In simpler terms, don't get into an argument you know â€Å"nothin† about. It is important to know with whom you are arguing. If you are in a relationship (guy - girl), and you are the guy, give up now you can't win. The laws of nature are against you. If you are the girl in the relationship, you don't need advise. It doesn't matter if you are right or wrong you've won. Just act upset or let out a few tears and he'll crumble. However if you are involved in a same sex, or non relationship bound, argument the game plan is much different. You must have background information, as discussed earlier, as well as a knowledge of your opponent. If he has no insight into the subject and you do, then the upper hand is yours.

Alcoholism 11

Alcoholism Alcoholism is one of the biggest medical problems in the Western world. Alcohol has been around since biblical times. The problem continues to grow every year and has a negative impact on society. Nearly every town and city has restaurants that serve alcohol, and has stores where it can be purchased. For these reasons, the nature of alcoholism needs to be exposed. The problems that arise from this disease need to be shown. The purpose of this paper is to talk about the problem, the cause and effects, and the treatment process. Alcoholism is the habitual or compulsive consumption of alcoholic liquor to excess according to Webster’s New World Dictionary. An alcoholic has no control over drinking and continues to use alcohol even though adverse consequences occur (Hurley 71). Alcohol affects the alcoholic’s family and work, they ignore responsibilities and assignments. In nineteen fifty six alcoholism was recognized as a disease by the American Medical Association. Fishman 28) When the National Council for Education on Alcoholism (now known as the National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependency) was formed, their first and most prominent principle was, â€Å"Alcoholism is a disease† (Nicolaus 136). The disease has serious consequences on the drinker and society as well. Even though there is much concern about drugs, next to tobacco, alcohol is the most widely used drug in the United States (Hurley 71). Alcohol impaired drivers caused thirty two percent of traffic related fatalities in two thousand eight (â€Å"Alcohol Impaired Driving†). In 1996 nearly thirty six percent of incarcerated criminals were under the influence of alcohol when committing their crime (â€Å"Alcohol and Crime†). Indeed, alcoholism has become a public concern, since it had begun to influence society as well. There are two types of alcoholism, alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency. An example of alcohol abuse is random binge drinking. A person is alcohol dependent when that person can’t stop drinking without withdrawal symptoms. â€Å"There is no known cause of alcoholism. † (Van Voorhees) Alcoholism is described as a drug addiction. There are several factors that play in its development. They are divided into two main groups, psychological and social. Psychological factors include anxiety relief, conflict in relationships, depression and low self-esteem. Some examples of social factors are the ease of getting alcohol, peer pressure, social acceptance of alcohol use, and a stressful lifestyle. (Van Voorhees) There are other factors that lead to excessive drinking. â€Å"Research suggests that certain genes may increase the risk of alcoholism, but which genes or how they work is not known. (Van Voorhees) Studies have shown that family history is a factor as well. People whose parents abused alcohol have a higher risk of alcoholism. It is a given that alcoholism leads to physical and mental problems. But how does excessive consumption of alcohol affect the daily life of alcoholics? What are the effects of alcoholism in everyday life? The organ most sensitive to alcohol is the brain. The cerebrum is affected first. It is in control of sensation, perception, speech, and judgment. The cerebellum is the second part of the brain affected. The cerebellum is responsible for coordination and balance. A person under the influence of alcohol will have slurred speech, loss of balance and uncoordinated movements. The excessive alcohol user is usually unable to judge accurately what he or she can or cannot do. Drinking alcohol increases confidence and diminishes abilities. This misplaced confidence often leads people to judge themselves competent to perform tasks that are beyond their abilities. (Fishman 37-41) An alcoholic’s job and family are also affected by alcoholism. In couples it affects communication, which in turn, increases conflict levels. It has also been proven that domestic violence increases in alcoholic families. Alcohol use affects parenting. Family life can become chaotic and have poor quality environment. The children are exposed to the parent’s increased conflict (â€Å"Alcohol and the Family†). An alcoholic’s attendance to work is affected by drinking. They are chronically late and their productivity is decreased. The effects of alcohol in everyday life can be further explained through specific examples. In terms of finances, an alcoholic would be irresponsible. The bills would not be paid on time, prompting the collection agencies to take action. An alcoholic would not be stable enough to manage his or her own money; thus, incapacity for money management is an effect of alcoholism in everyday life. In terms of employment or schooling, an alcoholic is most likely to be tardy. However, the person can altogether skip school or work to drink. Even socializing with friends is affected by alcoholism. An alcoholic usually does not like it when other people offer their opinion about his or her drinking habits. He or she is irritated by comments and critiques of their drinking. As a result, the alcoholic would soon drink in secrecy. Another effect of alcoholism in everyday life is the lapses in memory and interest. Due to the aforementioned effect on the brain, it follows that even memory is not spared from the dangers of alcohol. Alcoholics usually suffer from â€Å"blackouts† (Fishman 40). These are instances when they could not remember appointments and the like. Moreover, the activities that the person used to enjoy would cease to be enjoyable, due to the effect of alcoholism (Fishman 42). These are some of the examples of how alcoholism affects everyday life. Alcoholism is a treatable disease. There are treatments available for this condition, and several medications have made it possible for alcoholics to fully recover. In the treatment of alcoholism, there are several steps to take into account: intervention, detoxification and rehabilitation (Fishman 60). The first step is intervention. It takes someone else to point out the problem for them to realize that they need to get help. The most familiar approach in intervention is the confrontation between alcoholics and the concerned party. It was only recently when studies have shown that intervention would be more effective if it was done with â€Å"compassion and empathy† (Medline). The next step is detoxification. The objective of this step is to stop the drinking of alcoholic beverages. This phase in the treatment is tough for the alcoholic, as the intake of alcohol will suddenly be stopped. That is why detoxification usually takes place in an inpatient set-up, in which the environment is â€Å"controlled and supervised† (Van Voorhees). During the process, every medication is cautiously measured to hinder withdrawal from taking place. The moment the symptoms of withdrawal are absent, the giving of medications would be gradually stopped. The duration of detoxification usually lasts from four to seven days. These days, there is a kind of detoxification that is in the outpatient set-up, but still under the guidance of a physician. While in detoxification treatment, it is important that the patient has a balanced diet, as well as vitamin supplements. This is because there are complications that happen with alcohol withdrawal, and the patient must be as healthy as possible (Fishman 83-84). If the detoxification process stops people from consuming alcohol, the rehabilitation process guides people to fully recover by staying away from alcohol (Van Voorhees). This fourth step in the treatment is more comprehensive, as it prepares the patient for complete recovery in the long run. Not only does rehabilitation stop people from drinking, it allows them to create a network of support to encourage their continuous road to recovery. Rehabilitation programs usually involve â€Å"counseling, psychological support, therapy, education and skills training† (Fishman 85-88). There are two kinds of rehabilitation programs: the short-term and the long-term programs (Fishman 89). The former requires less than a month, while the latter could range from a month to a year or longer. There is also the outpatient counseling option, which is suitable for those who have just finished an inpatient treatment. Aside from this, there are the support groups dedicated to the endeavor of recovery of alcoholics. Examples of which include SMART Recovery, Women for Sobriety, and Alcoholics Anonymous (Van Voorhees). There are three recognized medications in treating alcoholism. The first one is Disulfiram. The medicine works by disrupting the metabolism of alcohol, causing a metabolite that would make the person sick if he drinks even a small amount of alcohol about two weeks after taking the medicine. The second drug is Acamprosate. It is believed that this drug helps people to abstain from alcohol; it also decreases the symptoms that come with abstinence (â€Å"Alcoholism†). The third drug is Naltrexone, which works on the brain to decrease alcohol cravings (Barbour 145-146). It is crucial that people are made aware of the causes, effects and treatments of alcoholism. This awareness would help prevent the problem of alcoholism. People should be reminded that alcoholism is not just the problem of an individual but also of society. Works Cited Alcohol and the Family. Aug 2004. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Web. 15 Dec 2009. . Barbour, Scott. Alcohol. San Diego: Greenhaven Pr, 1998. 145-146. Print. Fishman, Ross. Alcohol and alcoholism. New York, NY: Chelsea House Pub, 1986. Print Hurley, Jennifer. Addiction. San Diego: Greenhaven Pr, 2000. Print. â€Å"MayoClinic. com. † Alcoholism. 08 May 2008. Mayo foundation for Medical Education and Research. Web. 15 Dec 2009 . National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Alcohol-Impaired Driving. , 2008. Web. 28 Nov. 2009. Neufeldt, Victoria, and David Guralnik. Webster. 3rd college. New York, NY: Webster, 1989. Print. Nicolaus, Martin. Empowering Your Sober Self. 1st. San Francisco, CA: Jossy-Bass, 2009. Print. United States Department of Justice. Alcohol and Crime. , 2008. Web. 28 Nov 2009. Van Voorhees, Benjamin. â€Å"MedlinePlus. † Alcoholism. 15 Jan 2009. Web. 15 Dec 2009. .