Thursday, October 31, 2019

Nursing reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nursing reflection - Essay Example And, if I will be going home later today?† â€Å"Are they aware of complications that may occur in these limited hours? And, they may have to admit me to the hospital if complications arise?† â€Å"I am in tears?† I bet they think it is my depression. I cannot talk because I am still on the ventilation machine. â€Å"Can’t they have me write my needs down on a piece of paper?† Okay, perhaps me writing will not work with the IVs in my arms.† But, have not they heard of asking ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ questions with one blink of the eye lids for ‘yes’ and two blinks of the eye lids for ‘no’. â€Å"What am I going to do?† They zing in and out of my room faster than a honeybird. While most agree that there is a nursing shortage and nurses are at their wits end for delivering patient care, it is imperative that nurses use the basic rules in providing quality nursing care especially in the critical post operative nursing care. According to Surgery Encyclopedia: Postoperative Care (11/16/2008), postoperative care is management of a patient after surgery. Our nursing patient has many issues and she should. Presuming there is a Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), how long did she stay there and did she have any complications? She knows the goal of the postoperative nursing staff is to prevent complications within the first twenty-four hours. How can they do this? When she arrives to the area the nursing staff should do an assessment, diagnosis, planning, intervention and outcome evaluation, this sounds similar to SOAPIE with a couple of modifications. However, when you do your assessment, it would be advantageous to quote her on how she feels postoperatively including why she is crying. Did she feel pain during surgery? Remember that when you chart. On a scale from 1-10, one she is in awful pain and ten feeling no pain. How does she rate? Is she too sedated? Is she on a patient-controlled analgesia pump? Perhaps, you will have to put time in your schedule

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Hallucinogen Use Among Teenagers Essay Example for Free

Hallucinogen Use Among Teenagers Essay Kaleidoscope perspective, strange sounds, indescribable feeling of love and admiration towards others, life in slow motion, and the feeling of floating in air outside ones body — these are just some of the things that can be experienced in the world of hallucination, a dream world that is marked by a deep state of unreality or imaginary perceptions. Many people today, most especially the youth, are discovering ways in which they can visit this dreamlike state without the sleeping process: by indulging into a special kind of illicit substance known as hallucinogen (Harmon, 2009). Because of hallucinogens capability to alter an individuals perception, more and more teenagers are becoming hooked into this form of drug without taking into consideration its impact on their health and well-being. Although it has been widely acknowledged that illicit hallucinogen use significantly decreased during the latter parts of 1990s, recent studies showed that teenagers are having a renewed interest in using this form of drug due to its availability, the perception of reduced risk, and higher peer support upon its usage. Various researches even revealed that a teenager as young as 12 years old has easier access obtaining hallucinogenic drug alongside other illicit substances. As such, parents and school administrators alike have a growing concern over the increasing number of teenage hallucinogen users. With the re-emergence of the use of hallucinogen among the youth, it is therefore imperative to take into perspective and analyze the impact of the pertained drug among its users, the factors that contribute to teenagers indulgence in this form of drug, and the drugs level of accessibility among this group. Hallucinogen: An Overview To give depth to the subject being discussed, it is highly important to understand its origin and nature. Hallucinogens, also commonly referred to as â€Å"psychedelics,† are a diversified group of drugs that have the capacity to alter an individuals mood, thoughts, and perception. As they are heterogeneous in nature, hallucinogens are notorious for their varying chemical contents, mechanism of actions, as well as adverse effects on the users. While hallucination is perceived as the instantaneous effect of using such drug, hallucinogens are also known for changing moods and thoughts as they disrupt the normal functioning of a persons serotonin system, which is responsible for controlling pain perceptions, moods, and sleep-wake cycle of humans (Richards, 2006). The proliferation of hallucinogen is not a new phenomenon as it has been used by humans for thousands of years for the purpose of both religious and mystical experiences. In the Hindu holy book, â€Å"Rig Veda,† the use of a substance known as â€Å"soma,† which is said to be capable of inducing high levels of consciousness, has been mentioned. This substance is extracted from the juice of a hallucinogenic mushroom known as Amanita Mascaria. Meanwhile, in the pre-Columbian era Mexico, Aztecs used â€Å"teotlaqualli,† a paste from â€Å"ololiuqui,† a hallucinogenic flower, during their religious ceremonies. Aztec priests and soldiers rub the hallucinogenic substance on their skin as it is believed to reduce fear and induce proper mental state needed while servicing the Aztec gods. Similar to this, aboriginals from Mexico were also noted for their long history of â€Å"peyote† usage, a hallucinogen containing mescaline that is also used for religious ceremonies. In Salem, Massachusetts, it was once believed that hallucinogens are the main cause of unlikely behaviors of the alleged witches during trials (Richards, 2006). Basically, there are two types of hallucinogens: the natural, which can be obtained from raw plants, and the synthetic varieties or man-made. Natural hallucinogens come from plants that grow in the wild or in â€Å"drug farms. † These varieties may include some forms of mushrooms and the cactus plant, peyote. Some flowers such as morning glories are also known for producing hallucinogenic chemicals. Marijuana, which comes from cannabis plants, is also identified as a comparatively weak form of hallucinogen. Technically, all of these are not considered as drugs as they are naturally occurring substances that contain hallucinogenic chemicals (Harmon, 2009). In contrast with natural hallucinogens, synthetic varieties of the said drug are produced in laboratories with variations of other substances to further enhance its effects. The very first form of synthetic hallucinogen is Lysergic Acid Diethylamide 25 (LSD), discovered by Dr.  Albert Hoffman of Sandoz Laboratories in Basel, Switzerland during 1938. LSD was accidentally discovered while Hoffman was experimenting on drugs that have medical purposes. The doctor did not realize the drugs mind-altering effects until 1943 when he accidentally consumed the drug and experienced hallucination. Interest in LSD did not receive the attention of many until 1960s when Timothy Leary and his colleagues at Harvard University began experimenting the drug to themselves and advocating its use due to the alleged heightened feeling of intra- and interpersonal understanding, spirituality, and increased level of productivity it brings. As such, academics, artists, and students alike were swayed to use LSD. Also included in this group of psychedelics are phencyclidine (PCP) or â€Å"angel dust,† which is considered as the most dangerous form of hallucinogen that can be in powder, tablet, capsule, or beverage form; Foxy Methoxy; Dextromethorpan (DXM) or â€Å"robo,† a cough-suppressing ingredient found in over-the-counter cough and cold medications; and Ecstasy (MDMA) and Special K (ketamine hydrochloride), two other hallucinogenic drugs that are becoming increasingly popular among teenagers, to name a few (Harmon, 2009). Teenage Hallucinogen Use Figures  Abuse of drugs has been a major public concern since the 1960s, and it cannot be denied that it is still an ongoing societal issue. For the most part, teenagers played a significant role in the rise of drug abuse, as they are easily persuaded to engage in such activity. Perhaps, a few other points in history have been strongly related with hallucinogen use other than 1960s. For one, rampant experimentation with hallucinogenic drugs such as LSD, psilocybin, and peyote became an important part of the American pop culture, influencing aspects such as music, clothing, language, and art. Likewise, the said practive also served as a catalyst for the establishment of the counterculture known as the â€Å"hippie era. † Notable in this period of hallucinogen experimentation was the participation of teenagers who tried psychedelic drugs at an unprecedented rate. The first National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) in 1972 reported that 5 percent of Americans, most of whom are under 18 years of age, admittedly used psychedelics at least once. By 1980s, the use of psychedelic drugs dramatically declined due to the introduction of cocaine. However, in the early 1990s, the interest in hallucinogen resurfaced and was distributed even in the most unexpected places such as schools, targeting the student population (Travis, 1997). While a vast number of resources indicated that the figures have dropped during the mid-1990s, recent studies have shown that the illicit use of hallucinogens is once again reemerging. Alarmingly, the rates are much higher compared to the teenage active users during the 1960s and mid-1990s, and worse, these teenage hallucinogen users are much younger than expected. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) in 2007, about 34. 2 million Americans at the age of 12 or older reported that they have tried using hallucinogen at least once in their lifetime, which can be translated to 13. 8% of the said age groups overall population. Similarly, in the 2008 survey carried out by â€Å"Monitoring the future,† it was indicated that â€Å"3. 3% of eight graders, 5. 5% of tenth graders, and 8. 7% of twelfth graders† admitted to a lifetime usage of hallucinogens. These figures are levels higher compared to the 2007 percentages of â€Å"3.  1%, 6. 4%, and 8. 4%† of the respective grades. In this respect, the statistics significantly reported a higher increase in the numbers of teenage hallucinogen users (Monitoring the future, 2008 cited in Office of National Drug Control Policy [ONDCP], 2009). Hallucinogen Drug Sources: The Internet and Club-Drug Scenes With the given figures above, one may wonder how the teenagers manage to gain access to these hallucinogenic drugs. There are various means that can be adopted in order to obtain such forms of illicit drugs that can bypass the traditional channels of doing so. The Internet as well as the urban club scene is identified as two of the major sources where hallucinogenic substances can be obtained. Internet: A New Vast Source of Illicit Drug Information The reemergence of illicit hallucinogen is prevalent among teenagers; it has been identified that this same societal group is also the heavy users of the World Wide Web or Internet. The Internet is known as a powerful tool that can provide unlimited access to various kinds of information. Due to such capability, the Internet is also considered as a breeding ground for the rise of unlawful practices that are within the reach of young individuals. In a 2001 study carried out by John Halpern and Harrison Pope Junior, they have concluded that by using the Internet, potential hallucinogen users can learn in great detail how to obtain hallucinogenic drugs. During the time of their research, Halpern and Pope, through the use of standard Internet search techniques, located 81 hallucinogen-related sites and categorized the information found on the said sources. Some of the sites they have found explain to its users how wild plants containing hallucinogenic substances can be identified. Some provided information where hallucinogenic plants are commercially available, while some sell strains of hallucinogenic plants that can be grown. They have also located sites that provide chemical recipes for synthesizing all of the hallucinogenic substances that are categorized in the Schedule I list and other non-schedule hallucinogen analogs. Additional sites that sell hallucinogenic plant materials were also located. They have also uncovered Internet travel industry that offers tours to countries where hallucinogenic potions can be ingested in the context of traditional rituals. Finally, the researchers also came across myriads of sites that are carrying hallucinogen-related information which include keyword-searchable database that offer information regarding personal hallucinogenic experiences, street pricing, scientific articles, and paper clippings related to hallucinogen drugs. Contrary to the thousands of pages available for underground hallucinogen information, limited linked sites were directed towards government agencies that caution users against the dangers of using hallucinogen drugs. Likewise, only few Internet users visit these federally funded databases which are in deep disparity with the number of visits that underground sites receive (Halpern Pope, 2001). With the constantly evolving nature of the Internet, the sources found by Halpern and Pope (2001) represent only a small margin of the overall hallucinogenic-related sites found over the Internet. However, this study only proves that teenagers, being the frequent users of the World Wide Web, can come across pools of hallucinogen-related information just by typing in keywords at the appropriate prompt. Automatically, links after links of sites that supply detailed information concerning botanical and synthetic hallucinogens can be followed by the teenagers. Most of the information found on these sites are unchecked for accuracy and have yet to be described in present addiction and psychiatry textbooks, clinicians as well as the legislative authorities (Senay, 1998; Miller, 1998; cited in Halpern Pope, 2001). In addition to this, as the Internet can serve as a ground for the perpetration of unlawful practices, phony prescriptions can be used by teenagers in order to avail of prescribed drugs that contain certain amount of hallucinogenic substances. Although many reputable online pharmacies require authentic prescriptions before giving out drugs, it cannot be discounted that with todays experienced online users, the authenticity of such prescriptions can be altered. In some instances, there are Internet sites that are made to look both legal and official when in reality, they are not. These sites provide teens with easy-to-fill-out online questionnaire and ask for money; within days, the teen can already receive the drug that he or she purchased online (Hutchinson, 2006). Club-Drug Scenes Adolescence is the period where young individuals usually go out and meet people of their same age to socialize. Various places have been created in order to cater to their needs, and these are the places where they can usually hang-out together and enjoy their lives away from the sight of their parents. Clubs are the most common hang-out for teenagers and adults; these are the venue where they can release their energy and at the same time meet various people. As the number of teenagers who patronize such environment continuously grows, so is the number of these clubs. Hence, the number of club-drug venues and the use of addictive substances have been notably increasing as well. The term club-drug commonly refers to the specific drugs used by teens or even young adults who frequently visit music or dance clubs that are especially geared for their age group. Hallucinogens are often reported as the most common form of substance used in club-drug venues, specifically LSD, Nexus, Ketamine, and Ecstasy. These hallucinogenic drugs are frequently used in a gathering known as â€Å"rave,† a large-scale party carried out in a temporary location that allows participants to dance in trance-like tunes, experience light shows and other special effects, and take drugs. The attendance and participation in these events serve as the affirmation of the individuals involvement in club drugs (Golub, Johnson, Sifaneck, Chesluk, Parker, 2001). Unlike other social events that use traditional media to advertise their future affairs, the promoters of raves do not use such medium in order to market their events to people. Instead, they use underground and semi-spontaneous advertisements, such as word-of-mouth, recorded phone messages, handbills, and the Internet, that are directed towards their desired clientele. As police intervention serves as a serious threat to this event, one technique used by promoters to avoid issues with the authority is to notify the participants about the date and time of the rave through the Internet, and phone numbers are given out for further information (Golub et al. , 2001). Once inside these venues, participants are then welcomed with a special genre of music that enables participants to release their restrictions. Such trance-like experience is further enhanced through the use of psychedelic drugs, which more often than not combine memories, associations, and hallucinations altogether, making the participant feel a sense of enlightenment (Golub et al. , 2001). Although present-day rave music and activities do not come in parallel with that of the hallucinogenic culture during the 1960s, there are still aspects of that period that manifest itself in the raves of today, such as the emphasis on attaining personal enlightenment and the promotion of non-violence through the use of hallucinogenic drugs (Travis, 1997). In addition to this, raves and other events where hallucinogen drugs can be easily obtained such as trance parties and dance clubs are appealing to teenagers because they often serve as a gateway for escaping the stifling apathy of mainstream society by offering a time-out through illegal yet leisurely activities (Golub et al. , 2001). Teenage Vulnerability to Hallucinogen Use One may wonder what makes these illicit drugs so attractive to teens. There are myriads of reasons that can be derived to address this simple question. First, teenagers are very susceptible to use hallucinogenic drugs due to their inquisitive nature as well as their inclination with experimentation. More often than not, the cycle of addiction begins with a mere curiosity. In order to give in to the call of their curious minds, teenagers would then experiment by taking in small amount of the hallucinogenic drug just enough to get them high. As a hallucinogenic substance gives a short-term psychedelic trip that is initially pleasant or more often euphoric, these sensations provide teenagers the false feelings of worry-free life or nirvana. Over time, they will then need more amount of the hallucinogenic drug in order to acquire the same effect and to get the same high as the ones they felt before, thereby launching the cycle of hallucinogen addiction (Hutchinson, 2006). Another reason for the vulnerability of teenagers to hallucinogen drug intake may be attributed to their perception of reduced risk. Because of the so called â€Å"mind expansion† capability of psychedelics that can be bought at a cheaper price compared to other drug counterparts, teenagers tend to overlook the adverse effects of such drugs. Various evidences showed that more and more teenagers consider both Ecstasy and LSD harmless, which perhaps explains the increase experimentation of young people with the said forms of hallucinogenic drugs. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not seen any therapeutic use for hallucinogenic drugs. Likewise, a variety of studies reported that current available psychedelics posit unpredictable effects and substantial risks that may harm the life of its users (Abraham et al., 1996 cited in Hanson, Venturilli, Fleckenstein, 2005). Similar to this is the fact that little media coverage has been devoted to hallucinogen use, and fewer opportunities exist in order to present the adverse effects of the said drugs, thereby contributing to the â€Å"generational forgetting† of teenagers about hallucinogen to the extent that it has even penetrated the school grounds (Johnston, OMalley, Bachman, 1995, p. 12 cited in Travis, 1997, n. p. ). Peer pressure also plays a significant role in a teenagers indulgence in hallucinogenic substances. As the need for acceptance is very much appealing for a teen who does not feel that he or she fits in and does not have high self-esteem, other teens can introduce the use of hallucinogen as a form of welcoming the other teenager. As such, in order to fit into the â€Å"cool† crowd, the teenager would eventually give in to the temptation so as to feel the belongingness that he or she is looking for. Conclusion Based on the facts and information presented in this paper, it is apparent that the illicit use of hallucinogenic drugs is a reemerging public health problem that could greatly affect teenagers. Because of the relatively inexpensive pricing and noncompetitive network of distribution of the hallucinogenic drug as seen in its availability over the Internet and club venues, more and more teenagers are swayed to take such drugs without taking into consideration its adverse health effects. Other factors that affect the consumption of hallucinogenic drugs among teenagers may be attributed to the perception of reduced risks that these drugs pose as well as peer pressure. While it may be true that the off-shoot in the number of teenagers using hallucinogen may not severely threaten law enforcement at this point, if this trend of hallucinogenic use among teenagers will persist, various issues may arise that could affect not only the individual user but the community as a whole. Concerns for public safety are deeply related to the use of hallucinogen. Such can be perceived with the upsurge of income-generating crimes and crimes of violence. It should also not be overlooked that the continuous existence of hallucinogenic drugs presents a great threat on the health and safety of these young individuals. As such, it is therefore critical to place stricter law enforcement efforts in disrupting the production and distribution of hallucinogens so as to avoid their adverse effects not only on the teenage users but the whole societal system as well.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

A Postmodern Feminist View Of Political Power Politics Essay

A Postmodern Feminist View Of Political Power Politics Essay Modern political thought can be applied to any number of institutions, communities and situations in contemporary society because of the different range of perspectives that can be applied. One such perspective is especially important in defining the roles and women and the way in which woman can relate to and be situated within the modern word. Postmodern feminism is a particularly interesting perspective because it can be used to examine the gulf between women in various political systems: Many of the new rights that are being claimed by women or ethnic minorities are no longer rights that can be universalized. They are the expression of specific needs and should be granted to particular communities. (Giroux, 1991, p. 1). With this in mind, it is necessary to examine the particular communities in question within the context of postmodern feminism. This essay will examine the role of legal functioning within both a fascist dictatorship and a liberal democracy with a view to concluding that a legal system can most definitely be considered to be much more than a reflection of political power because no political system can be solely defined by its legal procedures alone. Postmodern Feminism Prior to examining the theories of postmodern feminism, it is essential to define and thus be fully able to understand exactly what postmodern feminism is and where it actually comes from. This can be difficult given the sheer number of definitions of this area of political thought that are out there at the moment. As critics and supporters all have their own theories in mind in relation to postmodernism and feminism, as well as the field of postmodern feminism, it is necessary to decide upon a definition in order to complete analysis of various political and legal institutions and systems within the rest of this essay. Taking feminism first: The most obvious way in which current usage is ignored when feminism is defined as an opposition to the sex-based injustices from which women suffer is in itself seeming to count far too many people among feminists. (Richards, 1980, p. 2). This definition is apt because it highlights the oversubscription to the notion of feminism. In fact, many women do not agree with feminist principles but that does not prevent those principles from applying to the individual women, whether they benefit from equality or are discriminated against because of gender differences. Postmodernism, on the other hand, can be traced to a heightened anxiety about what impact intellectuals have on a world that appears increasingly inimical to the values promoted in the arts and in intellectual work. ((McGowan, 1991, p. 1). This anxiety and intellectual perspective of the modern world does provide a unique viewpoint of the political and legal systems, especially when combined with feminism. Postmodern feminism combines the philosophies of postmodernism and feminism theories in order to provide political analysts and philosophers with a brand new perspective on society and a means of differentiating between different societies and communities as well. The definition below is perhaps one of the most apt out there: postmodern feminism does not focus on the category woman. Rather, it focuses on the situated realities of women, plural. Postmodern feminists question earlier feminist attempts to redefine the category woman. Any definition, even one articulated by feminists, is limiting and serves to tie the individual to her identity as a woman. (Weisberg, 1993, p. 243) This particular definition is an excellent one for application to the models of country X and country Y, as defined in the question. However, it can also be applied to numerous other situation and circumstances that women in particular find themselves in because it takes each situation on an individual basis, thus on its own merits and in relation to the collective gender and not the individual. This definition examines numerous factors in a set context with a view to determining just how important the factors are. For example, it examines identity in regards to politics as well as the individuals ability to define his or her own path through life. Feminism obviously implies the exclusion of men but within this particular definition and its theoretical postmodern combination, it can be used to determine the legal standing of an entire society in relation to equality as well. There is another factor that is closely associated with postmodern feminism and that is essentialism: The concept of essentialism, discussed above, is a manifestation of postmodern feminist thought. (Barnett, 1998, p. 195). This clearly defines essentialism as a major element of postmodern feminist thought, although some critics either disagree or fail to acknowledge it as an element. Although this is not always considered in relation to this particular theory, it has a major bearing on the way in which the individual legal system and political system is defined as in the question and so merits a comprehensive definition, which is also vital if one is to fully appreciate the theories of postmodern feminism in relation to various legal and political systems. The best possible definition is perhaps the following: Essentialism searches for the intrinsic nature of things as they are, in and of themselves. (Fuchs, 2005, p. 12). The nature of any political and legal system is incredibly im portant and thus the application of essentialism is vital to the very nature of this particular analytical examination of political power and whether or not the nature of society itself has an impact on the legal system of different countries. Now that all vital elements of this political theory have been examined and defined, the essay will examine the situation of jurisprudence in relation to postmodern feminism and the defined political systems as per the question. A coherent answer will be achieved via the deconstruction of the two distinct societies: Deconstruction, moreover, located originally primarily in the postmodern field of linguistics, becomes an accessible tool for the analysis of law and legal theory. (Barnett, 1998, p. 195) The Context of Jurisprudence Postmodern feminism fits into the context of jurisprudence well because its practical application is relatively straight forward regardless of the nature of the individual or society that is being examined. However, the notion of jurisprudence is often split into two distinct categories the male and the female: feminist jurisprudence demonstrates the need for law to recognise confirm and secure this emancipation. In the context of nurturing work, such law would spread the costs of nurturing work throughout the whole society so that women do not bear them all. (Stark, 2003, p. 127). As the postmodern feminist philosophy of the law in discussed here, it stands to reason that it actively examined the female side of the law in relation to how women function within society, what their roles are and whether or not they sought equality has actually been achieved in some measure. Many individuals argue that females are still considered to be subordinate in the context of dictatorships and t he governmental systems in place. However, whether the legal systems define feminism within the context of jurisprudence or the external factors that contribute to any given society can be questioned, particularly when placed in contrast with liberal democracies and the way in which postmodern feminist thought can be used to examine them. The interaction between postmodern feminism and jurisprudence is an integral relationship that is necessary for the extensive analysis of country X and country Y, and using examples is integral in defining exactly how the power structures interrelate is essential. The Political System, The Legal System And Postmodern Feminism According to Thornham, feminism, politics and theory are interdependent. But feminist politics have engaged as much with issues of culture and representation as in campaigns for social change. (2005, p. 24) However, in order to be able to apply the principles behind the theory of postmodern feminism, it is necessary to delve into particular countries and their legal systems with regards to the specific examples given. According to the question given, country X is a fascist dictatorship in which oppressive legal measures are used to deny people basic freedoms. Country Y, on the other hand, is a liberal democracy in which the legal system upholds capitalism and human rights. In short, the two are diametrically opposed and therefore analysis is vital to form a conclusion as to whether a legal system may be said to be anything more than a reflection of political power. Taking country X first, a fascist dictatorship that is characterised by oppressive legal measures denies its people their freedom, which is of course the whole point of controlling a country so completely. There have been many examples of this in the past century, all of which use a legal system to snatch and maintain political power. However, in the case of postmodern feminism, it is easy to find examples of rebellion that question the political system and its legal enforcement, which in turn affects the status of the legal system as a reflection of political power. A fine example is that of the women in Chile under Pinochet: During the Pinochet era, Chilean women rescripted the passive, non-agent role into which they were being maneuvered [sic] by certain Western feminisms and the Pinochet regime. Based on their particular experiences within the culture of marianismo those situated practices of which they were a part our subject Chilean women asserted their position as political subjects and rewrite the original script to reflect their status as political agents. (Warkentin Daly, 2003, p. 157) This particular analysis highlights the way in which Chilean women did exert their feminist rights as a result of the influences of the outside world, of liberal democracies, that made it through. This is done against pressure from political authorities and thus also the legal system as a direct result of the postmodern feminist principle of agency. Warkentin Daly highlight that the Chilean women embraced agency and thus carved out their own niche within the system despite the level of oppression that was occurring at the time. As such, this points to the fact that the legal system, regardless of how oppressive it is, is only successful should women and men alike choose to accept it. The Chilean women did not and thus completely altered their own role within society at the time. The change in attitudes could not be governed by the oppressive legal system and thus it automatically becomes more than a reflection of political power but also of political challenge as well. The nature of this rebellion against the political dictatorship by the women of Chile fits in well with postmodern feminist theory for a number of reasons. First of all, women became stronger and more coherent a group within society, but they did not try to revolutionise the country itself. Instead, they were aiming for smaller and more localised goals, which is part of the postmodern theory. Big questions and issues do not come to fruition under dictatorships but the smaller concerns that characterise postmodern thought do (Mansell Meteyard, 2004, p. 160). The nature of the people and the external influences that caused unrest are both important factors in explaining exactly why total political control does not always automatically lead to a society that will not grasp empowerment where possible. Furthermore, it is important to note that the feminist movement in liberal democracies is able to filter through all elements of society regardless of the current situation in individual c ountries. The characteristics that define feminism certainly have their own brand of power: conceptual distinctions, criteria of legitimation, cognitive procedural rules, and so forth are all political and therefore represent moves of power and also recognize that they represent a different type of power than is exhibited in, for example, physical violence or threat of force. (Nicholson, 1990, p. 11) Postmodern feminist theory is most definitely applicable to other political and legal systems as well. For example, it can be actively used to examine a liberal democracy, under which human rights are upheld by the legal system. This is the criteria for country Y and can be examined in relation to any number of countries. However, British politics and the relevant legal system are particularly favoured by postmodern feminist critics as a result of the measure of equality allowed to all sections of society at the moment. In this instance, the legal system is not only a reflection of political power but also of the nature and attitudes that are currently present within society. For example, postmodern feminist critics will undoubtedly allude to the level of topics that were previously taboo on a legal and social level but are now in the public eye: feminism has helped to bring a range of new issues, formerly perceived to be essentially private or social, onto the public political agend a, and thence into the purview of policy studies, such as domestic violence abortion, and childcare. (Randall, 2009, p. 146). Liberal democracies do actively consider the needs of every element of society by nature and the legal system is used to reinforce the values and rights that every free individual has, which is a far cry from the legal system within a dictatorship. However, it is the rights that the people demand that are covered by legal institutions. Under postmodern feminism, the relatively moderate issues of domestic violent and abortion are considered to be localised interests and not the big decisions that previous political theories considered. However, that is not to say that the legal system has not been used in order to exert limits on individual rights within a liberal democracy. An example of that is the issue of abortion within the United States, with particular reference to the presidency of George W. Bush. A womans right to choose was repeatedly questioned under the government because of the legitimacy of the human rights of a foetus. According to Crooks and Baur, Congress approved a ban on late term abortion in 2003, which was then signed by the president but several federal courts declared the ban unconstitutional and the ban was not enacted Bushs appointment of anti-abortion Supreme Court justices has given hope to far right anti-abortion forces that the Court will decide counter to all previous federal court decisions and uphold the first ever federal ban on abortion. (p. 305) As Bush could not constitutionally enforce a ban at local and federal level, he attempted to engineer the Supreme Court so that it would be possible to do so, thus removing rights that women had in regard their own bodies and placing them in the hands of men. This does not sit well with postmodern feminist theory in relation to a liberal democracy, but the nature of the system itself ultimately prevented those rights being removed. Furthermore, anxiety over morals within a liberal democracy caused a distinct difference of opinion, but one that the law could not preside over given the fact that the objections were largely religious and relate directly to human rights. In fact, with both sides arguing over human rights in relation to this, the legal system would not be allowed to uphold laws in breach of either side. As Tetreault points out, the most valuable resources leading to authority inhere in the individual. (2003, p. 276) In conclusion, the analysis here proves that it is possible to discount the theory that the legal system is nothing more than a reflection of political power within any given country, regardless of the social and political composition of that in question. The example of the Chilean women fits in well with specific elements of postmodern feminist thought because it actively proves that power to achieve small goals lies with the people, regardless of the pressure they are under from oppressive and somewhat brutal regimes. Furthermore, it implies that, whilst legal systems can be and often are defined in relation to the nature of the political system and the overt freedoms of the people, the individual cannot and thus the legal systems ability to keep attitudes and the evolution of thought in check is not always as straightforward as it seems.

Friday, October 25, 2019

The History of the Hard-Boiled Detective :: essays research papers

There are many sub-genres of detective fiction and hard-boiled fiction is one of them. What exactly is hard-boiled detective fiction? Hard-Boiled detective fiction is fiction that features tough, cynical, urban private eyes who expose corruption and frequently get injured in the course of their investigations (â€Å"Detective Fiction,† Literary).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hard-Boiled fiction is considered one of the more popular sub-genres of detective fiction; there have been numerous films and novels about urban detectives exposing corruption in the police force and in politics. The author credited with inventing the first successful hard-boiled story is Carroll John Daly. His character, Terry Mack, was quick to fight, was quick to shoot and he made plenty of wise-cracks (Marling). This character is what defined hard-boiled detective fiction and is the prototype for thousands of other detectives. To really understand what sets hard-boiled fiction apart from other type of detective fiction you need to know about the history of detective fiction up to when hard-boiled fiction was invented.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Characters that use logical reasoning and notice â€Å"clues† have been appearing in literature since the 6th century BC. The first appearance of a detective like character was the fox in Aesop’s fables. In one story the fox decided not to enter a hungry lion’s cave when he saw that there were many animal footprints going into the cave but none coming out (â€Å"Detective Fiction,† Literary). Another ancient detective was Daniel from the Bible. In one of the stories Daniel exposes a religious fraud by tracking the culprits’ footprints (â€Å"Detective Fiction,† Literary). In a different story Daniel uncovers a conspiracy by questioning two witnesses separately to reveal contradictions in their evidence (â€Å"Detective Fiction,† Literary).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The actual invention of detective fiction did not occur until 1841 when Edgar Allen Poe wrote The Murders in the Rue Morgue. In this novel Poe introduced Auguste Dupin, who was the main character of the story. In Poe’s story the detective was very intelligent and he had superior reasoning skills. Poe’s story set the basic plot for detective stories of that time. A crime, usually murder, is committed; a detective investigates the crime; a number of suspects are considered; the guilty party is discovered and imprisoned, killed, or allowed to escape at the conclusion (Detective Fiction,† 1 Twentieth Century).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The detective story was originally a competition between the reader and the writer. It was a game intended to challenge the intellect and stimulate though. The reader is challenged by the writer to attempt to solve the mystery with the clues provided.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Chapter 5 Quickbooks Key

Peterson is a manufacturer of industry-leading Whole Tree Chippers and Debarkers, Horizontal Grinders, and Blower Trucks and Trailers. Peterson Pacific Corp. has been an Oregon Corporation since 1981. The company began as Wilbur Peterson & Sons, a heavy construction company. Peterson expanded into manufacturing to develop equipment to suit their land clearing/construction needs. A portable chain flail Delimber-Debarker was designed first, the Model DD 4800. The Model DDC 5000, a portable Delimber-Debarker-Chipper, was developed next followed by the development of other portable equipment for the paper pulp industry.The A/P Clerk is responsible for the entire accounts payable function, petty cash management, and other accounting activities. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: †¢Represents Peterson in a positive and professional manner at all times. †¢Matching receiving and PO documents to vendor invoices. †¢Verifying & investigating discrepancies of PO/invoic e/receivers. †¢Price, units, terms, extensions †¢Maintain A/P tub file, vendor master files & all A/P filing records & reports. †¢Maintain Dynamics maintenance (Qtrly) & history purge. Maintain/manage A/P check stock & safepay (positive pay) transmittals. †¢Generate and distribute checks.†¢Maintain & file batch postings, transaction & check run postings †¢Accrue A/P at month end. †¢Posting A/P transactions to general ledger daily. †¢Generating A/P reports for month-end including A/P detail aging and year-end (including 1099's). †¢Process A/P Invoice Discrepancies forms. REQUIREMENTS: †¢Systems oriented (Microsoft GreatPlains Dynamics, Max Exact MRP, Excel, Word for Windows desired). †¢Minimum 3 years of previous A/P experience. Ability to handle high transactional volume workload †¢Strong interpersonal skills (interfaces with vendors and internal departments). †¢Detail and procedural oriented â € ¢Accurate †¢Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages.Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry. Emphasis placed on accuracy in transposing and accounting calculations. †¢Ability to understand basic accounting relationships between Assets, Liabilities and Equity. †¢Strong problem solving skills Strong filing and organizational skills †¢Communications Skills: Must be able to demonstrate skill in communicating with supervisors and co-workers. Must express criticisms ;amp; concerns in a way that promotes teamwork and a positive work environment. †¢Must be able to understand and maintain strict confidentiality For more information, or to apply now, please go to the website below. Please do not email your resume to us as we only accept applications through our website. http://peterson. iapplicants. com/ViewJob-360933. html

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Poetry appreciation “Fire the sun”

Basically the poem is divided into three parts. Each part identifies a specific task assigned to a woman. It is a very simple and straightforward poem, which does not beat around the bush. It is very easy to understand and candidly outlines the average woman's life, carrying out her daily duties. However in doing this, we get the impression that she seems to be giving up a part of herself – her senses become somewhat distorted.We are told of three certain tasks carried out by these women – doing the dishes, cleaning the floor and minding the children. The first stanza is dedicated to a woman doing the dishes. Every line is repeated as it says, â€Å"the woman doing the dishes has trouble hearing†. This could be due to the noise and clamour created by the dishes. The second stanza is dedicated to a woman cleaning the floor. This woman however cannot hear at all. A phrase is used: â€Å"Let us have a moment of silence For the woman who cleans the floor† which is usually used at funeral or memorial services when mourning the deceased. It is also ironic because this woman never has a moment of silence for herself in her busy life. This, together with the image of the woman always being on the floor, therefore low down gives us the impression that this woman is regarded as dead because like a dead person, she cannot hear at all. The third stanza is dedicated to a woman at home with the children. We are told that this woman is not seen at night as she is looking after the children. She also cannot speak up for herself or listen to what others think she might have said if she was there. In this poem, the women have been very stereotyped underlining their daily, tedious chores. An overwhelming impression of the lack of power of the woman is felt reading through the poem- she has the responsibility of a wife, a worker and mother and it is not in her strength to alter anything in the life that has been set for her. However there appears to be a deeper underlying meaning to the rather simple outlook of the poem. We get the impression that the woman always seems to be taken advantage of and has to put other things before her. She is like a puppet controlled and almost programmed to carry out menial tasks day in and day out. The first stanza emphasises this through the repetition stressing the monotony and routineness of the chores. It is also repetitive because we are told the woman has trouble hearing and things have to be repeated, as she doesn't understand the first time. The second woman cannot hear at all as she is continuously cleaning the floor and then the third woman is unable to speak for herself, as she never gets to go out at night and meet people. Great emphasis is put upon their sense of hearing – again the women are stereotyped in the way that the poet is saying, being a woman there is such intense concentration on a task that they become oblivious to other things around the m. It also ties in with the fact that they cannot also hear the voices of the husband which may be complaining; subsequently if women can't hear then they can't speak their minds. Open to interpretation could be whether the poem is about three different women each doing a specific chore, or about one woman who does all these jobs. FORM: There is no distinct form to this poem – there are three separate stanzas; in the first, every line is repeated twice. However the last two stanzas are written with no distinguishable rhyming scheme or any definite pattern. This poem is in the free verse form using simple language. This relates to the women in the poem who are also very simple. TONE: Keeping in mind that this poem, which differentiates chores for women and insinuates about their fixed way of life, is actually written by a woman. It could be looked at as the poet taking a general impression of most women or maybe even including her experiences in it, yet, if she was any of these women, she wouldn't have been able to write the poem. It might even be written in the persona of a man therefore bringing in the male factor; the opinion of a man on women. Nevertheless the tone, no matter how depressing, seems to be quite realistic, calm and assured. It is in a way pitying and sympathetic yet also submissive in that the poet seems to accept it as a fact of life that cannot be changed. The tone is aggressive in a gentle way, rather than attacking, for it states the facts as they stand using uncomplicated language, which is extremely effective as it hits one straight in the heart. IMAGERY: Although the language is very simple, certain images are evoked in our minds as we read the poem. The first image is created by the repetition in the first stanza. The image is of a woman at a sink, almost like a robot, washing one dish after another and drying them one by one. The monotony strikes us as being almost inhumane as it seems never-ending. Another image is created by the woman on ‘the floor' who ‘cannot hear at all' and is given a moment of silence. There is a strong image of death in this stanza as it seems that the woman is closer to her grave on the floor than to the people around her. It is as though she is dead to the world and therefore has to be mourned. As she is so out of reach, it could explain why she cannot hear at all. It also creates the image if not of being close to her grave then being low in society i.e. her body position reflecting her status in society. The third image is created by the 'empty space' mentioned in the last stanza that one has to stare into to imagine the woman who is in fact at home with the children. She has to be given an empty space, which creates a visual picture in which one cannot distinguish the separation between her and her kids as they are so much a part of her – the empty space is just as empty as she is. As ‘you never see her at night' we get the impression that she has no time for herself – the housework and children take up all her time. Although she may actually be able to hear, she is compelled not to because the image is created that the racket of the children overpowers her. Also, as she doesn't get to go out much, she cannot speak to defend herself or listen to other conversations. She might not be able to speak because she is uneducated and does not have the courage to defend herself. This night setting is realistic because at night men tend to go out more than women, especiall y at that time. As there are many aural images of hearing etc., aural devices have been used which play as sound effects i.e. assonance in the second stanza: ‘Another poem for a woman' This soft ‘o' sound can be tied to the image of death and graves which is noticeable in this stanza. Alliteration is also used in the third stanza: ‘One more poem for the woman at home' Again this is a fairly calm ‘m' sound which ties in with the whole tone of the poem. Deliberate use of these devices by the poet can be doubted for it is not a very elaborate poem and there are no other devices such as similes or metaphors- it is very basic. INTENTION I think the author's intention was to make people notice these jobs that women do, for although they are so obvious, no one acknowledges their importance. The woman are taken too much for granted for carrying out these chores and are not appreciated for what they do. It seems to contain greatly the male view and reflects the stereotype male attitude of a woman, emphasising where he sees her the most. she is always busy somewhere-washing, cleaning, looking after the kids etc, and she never really has time for him. Even at night when it is the time for the husband and wife to be together, she has more important things to tend to. This is a simple, heartrending poem which, due to its simplicity, allows deep thought.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Free Essays on The Digital Divide Theory

Digital Divide: Why is it an Issue? Digital divide is the perceived gap between those who have access to the latest information technologies and those who do not (Compaine 1). The idea of Digital Divide does not only consist of computers and the internet, but also regular technologies, many of which we may take for granted. One prime example would be the telephone. More than 80% of people in the world have never even heard a dial tone, let alone surfed the Web (Black, par. 2). Many in the world advocate the theory of Digital Divide, and we cannot deny that those who are not aware of today’s technology are truly in some ways disenfranchised. On the other hand those people who do not have access to these technologies do manage to continue living life, and do not require technology to do so. The fact that they do not have access to telephones, computers etc., does somewhat disable them to take advantage of the enormous opportunities that could be accessed. Many question as to why there is a divide; is it co st, inability, ignorance, or rather just a lack of interest? Today’s economically advanced countries are provided with access to the internet by means of personal home computers, libraries, schools, cafà ©s, and Rios 2 many others. These nations can provide their economies with the internet by providing them in public spaces. The LSTA (The Library Services and Technology Act) is a model federal program for funding libraries to increase the visibility and credibility of the public library as the â€Å"information place in their community (Bertot, McClure, and Ryan 3).† Because of such services anyone can access the internet for free. If there are free opportunities for the general public to utilize technological equipment, then why are there still many who don’t use it? According to Henry Louis Gates, black communities don’t find the content on the net of interest to them (Gates 500). He asserts tha... Free Essays on The Digital Divide Theory Free Essays on The Digital Divide Theory Digital Divide: Why is it an Issue? Digital divide is the perceived gap between those who have access to the latest information technologies and those who do not (Compaine 1). The idea of Digital Divide does not only consist of computers and the internet, but also regular technologies, many of which we may take for granted. One prime example would be the telephone. More than 80% of people in the world have never even heard a dial tone, let alone surfed the Web (Black, par. 2). Many in the world advocate the theory of Digital Divide, and we cannot deny that those who are not aware of today’s technology are truly in some ways disenfranchised. On the other hand those people who do not have access to these technologies do manage to continue living life, and do not require technology to do so. The fact that they do not have access to telephones, computers etc., does somewhat disable them to take advantage of the enormous opportunities that could be accessed. Many question as to why there is a divide; is it co st, inability, ignorance, or rather just a lack of interest? Today’s economically advanced countries are provided with access to the internet by means of personal home computers, libraries, schools, cafà ©s, and Rios 2 many others. These nations can provide their economies with the internet by providing them in public spaces. The LSTA (The Library Services and Technology Act) is a model federal program for funding libraries to increase the visibility and credibility of the public library as the â€Å"information place in their community (Bertot, McClure, and Ryan 3).† Because of such services anyone can access the internet for free. If there are free opportunities for the general public to utilize technological equipment, then why are there still many who don’t use it? According to Henry Louis Gates, black communities don’t find the content on the net of interest to them (Gates 500). He asserts tha...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Migrants Effects on Singapore Essay Example

Migrants Effects on Singapore Essay Example Migrants Effects on Singapore Essay Migrants Effects on Singapore Essay Singapore is one of the most economically prosperous country in the South East Asia region. There has been a influx of foreigners in the country in recent years. I think the foreigners bring about a positive impact in the economical area, however in other areas such as social and environmental area, foreigners may bring about a negative impact instead. Migrants bring about a positive impact in the economical aspect of Singapore. They provide for much cheap labour.Manual work and low status jobs are generally disliked by locals because of the social stigma attached and its low pay. For example, Chinese migrants are often employed in construction firms which are jobs despised by Singaporeans. When jobs such as these are taken up, jobs are more efficiently taken up and this will promote the economic growth of the country in the long run. Singapore will thus be likely to benefit from foreigners coming to Singapore economically.Migrants brought about a negative impact in the social aspect . Singapore, with its high percentage of foreigners in it population will inevitably face with social issues such as the erosion of the Singapore culture and racism. Over the years, many cases of racism, especially through online multimedia websites such as twitter has occurred. One example would be the recent case of a teenager tweeting on the train â€Å" the Indian beside me was extremely smelly† Such cases occur continuously in Singapore.The lack of any statistics on the internet regarding racism in Singapore further proves that the government was trying to cover it up. Whether this is true or not, it is doubtlessly agreeable that racism is a increasing issue in Singapore. Therefore, in the social aspect of Singapore, foreigners bring about an undesirable impact. Migrants also bring about a negative impact in the environmental aspect of Singapore. Singapore is a small country with an incredibly high population density, as such, public facilities are often sought after by both foreigners and locals.The influx of migrants means that locals and foreigners have to compete for space in the park or on the park and this results in overcrowding. Furthermore, foreigners may not be familiar with the environmental rules of Singapore, and may litter in public places as their home country may not be as stringent in the cleanliness aspect. Over time, this may affect the image of Singapore, a â€Å"clean and green† city. Thus, foreigners bring about a negative impact in the environmental aspect of Singapore as they compete for the use of public places and may also affect the cleanliness of Singapore.Overall, I believe that while migrants bring about a negative impact to Singapore. This is because migrants are only good to a certain extent and have to be more carefully moderated. Having a smaller amount of migrants in Singapore will definitely bring about an overall benefit to Singapore. However the large number of migrants in Singapore has also caused socia l and environmental problems in Singapore. I think the negatives out-weigh the positive. Thus, they bring about mainly negative impacts to the country.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Alternative Sources Of Energy

Alternative Sources Of Energy Bio-fuels are formed from biomass, normally plants seeds, and liquid bio fuels can be use for transportation. We are one of the world’s leading distributors of bio fuels and we are developing enhanced bio fuels that could see CO2 reductions and a sustainable alternative fuel source. The two main forms of bio fuel today are ethanol and FAME (Fatty Acid Methyl Esters), which have largely relied on food crops such as wheat or sugar cane as their source. We are working to find a source material that does not compete with food crops, to develop a conversion process that will produce low CO2, and to produce efficient fuels. Our bio fuels research includes finding alternative feedstocks. We are looking into finding tough new enzymes to break down the cellulose in plants such as straw. Algae have potential as a sustainable source of vegetable oil that could be used for the production of bio fuel for diesel engines. It is early days but algae hold promise, as they grow rapidly and c an be cultivated in ponds of seawater and minimise the use of fertile land and fresh water. Alternative Energy The world has plenty of potential renewable energy sources, but each has its own technical challenges. Scientists are working to develop alternative energy sources that are sustainable, clean and convenient. Fossil fuels are expected to remain the world’s main source of energy for decades to come but sustainable, clean and convenient energy sources will also be needed in the mix. Today’s most widespread biofuel, ethanol, is commonly made from starchy or sugary plants. Hydrogen is seen by many as â€Å"the fuel of the future†, but it still has a long way to go. It is an energy carrier, in the same way as electricity, and so must be produced from another substance. Most commonly, hydrogen is produced using steam that reacts with methane and converts it into hydrogen and carbon. It can also be produced from water through electrolysis. The hydrogen can then be stored and converted to energy via hydrogen fuel cells, now available for cars. In hydrogen fuel cell vehicles a chemical reaction inside the fuel cell – usually between hydrogen and oxygen – creates electricity for the motor and the only resulting exhaust pipe emission is water vapour. We are learning as much as possible about hydrogen refuelling and how to meet future customer needs. We are involved in research and demonstration projects and have already opened a cluster of commercial hydrogen filling stations. biomass Biomass is any plant derived organic matter available on a renewable basis, including dedicated energy crops and trees, agricultural food and feed crops, agricultural crop wastes and residues, wood wastes and residues, aquatic plants etc. The energy in biomass can be harnessed in waste-to-energy plants or cogeneration plants. Waste-to-Energy Plants All incinerable waste not recovered, reused or recycled is sent for incineration at the waste-to-ener gy plants operated by the National Environment Agency. The combustion of municipal waste including renewables in the waste produce heat,

Friday, October 18, 2019

Motivation at the workplace Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Motivation at the workplace - Assignment Example Motivation is more of psychological processes that lead to arousal, persistence and direction of one’s behavior. Intrinsic motivation is driven by enjoyment or interest in task itself and it exists within individual and not on any external pleasure (Alexander et al, 2000, p. 54). Extrinsic motivation is driven by activity performance that is focused on attaining an outcome, it rises from outside the person, and some of the forms of extrinsic motivations include threat of punishment, coercion, money and grades (Jelencic, 2011, p. 3). Competition is also a form of extrinsic motivation. In the workplace, work of manager entails getting work done by employees, for this to be achieved; managers have a role to motivate employees. Motivation entails both theory and practice and its one of the difficult subjects that touches various disciplines. In the workplace, motivation is approached by businesses in different ways as managers try their best to motivate employees to work hard, how ever, the fact is that no one can make one work where that person has no desire to work (Podroff, 2005, p. 40). Effective motivation requires the managers to shift workers mindset and understanding of employees creating the appropriate set of circumstances in the workplace. Podroff (2005, p. 40) has argued that motivation is not and cannot be coerced. Importance of workplace motivation According to Jex and Britt (2008, p. 234), motivation is central in determining intensity, duration, and direction of work-related behavior among employees, behavior here refers to activities that employees engage in at workplace. Intensity of motivation determines the energy and vigor that employees put in directing their work-related goals. In organizational psychology, common motivation dependent variables include employees’ choice, effort, and at times persistence. Motivation influences the performance and well-being of employees. Kondalkar (p.246) added that motivation reduces employeesâ⠂¬â„¢ turnover, enhances their ability to accept organizational change, and improves the image of the organization. Ways of enhancing workplace motivation Bruce (2006, p. 7) suggested various ways of motivating staff, one of them is to know their need for motivation, once the manager is able to answer the question, he/she is well placed in engaging the employees at work more effectively and influence their workplace behavior so that they can act more enthusiastically focusing on achieving the organizational goals. Managers must also recognize employees’ real motivation without relying on myths like financial incentives as the only motivator; this requires mangers to evaluate the factors that drive their employees’ motivation. Managers need to inspire employees to what is meaningful and important, for instance, they can inspire the staff to think like business entrepreneurs, to take risks and unleash their synergistic and limitless potential. Effective communication is also essential in enabling staff realize the reasons for doing what managers desire to be done, employees may not necessarily be motivated by managers reasons and objectives, they would wish to know what is in the objectives for themselves, managers therefore must communicate to them so as to evaluate their purposes and causes and connect them to organizational activities and goals. Latham (2007, p. 4) argued that motiv

Colonialism And Culture In Latin America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Colonialism And Culture In Latin America - Essay Example Cultural productions of this period, such as Sarmiento’s (1868) Civilization and Barbarism were put into dialogue with international debates over the nature and place of ‘primitivism’ in a country undergoing transformation as a bourgeois and modern state.ii For Sarmiento and like minded intellectuals, progressive thought was sanctioned with moral concepts related to social intervention and ultimately, domination. Mastery of all things ‘natural’ and untamed included everything from domesticating the frontiers of the pampas; to the monitoring of an ever increasing and potentially dangerous underclass; and finally, universal management of hysterical behaviors by children, women, the infirm and insane.iii Modernity in Argentina was not, and has never been, just a narrative about the progressive enlightenment of self-disciplined ‘citizens;’ it has always depended on the coercive re-ordering and management of ‘nature.’ Women, children and indigenous people were all classified within a hierarchical arrangement in varying distances from what it meant to be a fully realized human and individual citizen. The flexibility of ‘civilization’ narratives allowed for a knitting together of otherwise incompatible models of thought. Working toward the Arcadian arrival of a progressive, pacified, and rational social order, ‘civilization’ provided a powerful rallying point for Argentines. The convergence of territory and citizenry into a utopian patriotics of ‘Argentinidad’ was a specifically Argentine amalgamation of national cultural perspectives. Integral to Argentina’s modernity was the authority of the Catholic Church.iv Perhaps the singularly most powerful institution dedicated to the inherency of colonial Argentina, the Church’s participation in the mission of modernity in the post-independence era, while not circumscribed as Modernist,

Law - Family Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Law - Family Law - Essay Example This paper seeks to discuss some elements of family law and its legal principles. The paper will explore the subject of marriage, separation, and divorce with the aim of advising a party to a case. Facts Samira, a ‘nineteen-year-old’ got married to Devesh when she was still sixteen years old. Devesh was then 22. Their respective parents organized the marriage, and Samira and Devesh did not meet each other until their wedding day. The marriage was against Samira’s wish as she was in love with another person, Clay, who had a different cultural background. She knew that her parents would not approve of her marriage to Clay and agreed to their planned marriage in order to avoid conflict with her family. Her decision was further influenced by the isolation that she would be subjected to by both her family and the entire society for disobeying her parents to marry Clay and not Devesh. Even though Samira decided to forget about Clay and settle in her marriage, she inform ed Devesh of her then existing relationship, a fact that affected Devesh and has been a turbulent element in their marriage. Both parties decided to work out their marriage for the sake of their families. Samira has however started seeing Clay who wants her to cohabit with him. She now believes that her family can accept Clay if they get married but fears the possibility of isolation for divorcing Devesh. Issues 1. Validity of the marriage, whether the marriage is valid or voidable 2. Termination of the marriage, whether Samira is able to terminate the marriage and by which means 3. Possible defences against termination of the marriage and whether they can succeed in the case 4. Possible remedies 5. Breach of marriage obligations prior to termination Ruling and advice 1. Validity of the marriage One of the fundamental principles in family law is the existence of a legal marriage. Based on the contractual aspects of a marriage, it can be valid, void, or voidable. This is because a ma rriage is an agreement and is regulated by laws of contract. While a divorce is dissolution of a legal marriage, an annulment refers to pronouncement of lack of a legal marriage between two parties. Annulment is a consequence of a union, in the form of a marriage that was either void or voidable. Oliphant and Steegh define a voidable marriage as one that is considerably legal until an order is issued to its nullification by a judicial process (Oliphant and Steegh, 2007, p. 48). One of the conditions that may render a marriage voidable is lack of contractual capacity of the parties (Stark, 2005, p. 17). Being a legally binding agreement, marriage is largely regulated by the law of contract. Contractual capacity of the parties is therefore an essential element in determining validity of a marriage. Either under the general principles of a contract, a party lacks contractual capacity if the party is a minor, is intoxicated or if the person is in sane. Contracts entered into by these pa rties are therefore considered as either voidable or void. Voidable agreement can however be ratified by the disadvantaged party at discretion. Samira therefore stands a high chance of annulling the marriage as was held in the case of Pazpenda De Vire v Pazpenda De Vire that presumptions of a legal marriage are rebuttable on strong grounds. Her minority age is a strong basis for rebutting existence of a legal marriage (Helewitz, 2010, p. 124- 127; Bainham, 2003, p. 165). The extent to

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Russia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Russia - Essay Example Russia's transition from communism to capitalism has been a slow, albeit a positive, step. And while Russia is experiencing the pains of creating a new economic system, some progresses are already underway. It was in 1991 that the communist Soviet Union was dismantled and the Russian government proposed numerous radical reforms designed to transform the economy from one that was centrally planned and controlled to one based on capitalist principles. The Encyclopdia Britannica (2007) summed up that the major components of the reforms included establishing privately owned industrial and commercial ventures (using both foreign and Russian investment) and privatizing state-owned enterprises. Furthermore, the Russian government issued vouchers to citizens that enabled them to purchase of shares in privatized firms to promote privatization, though in practice these vouchers frequently were sold for cash and were accumulated by entrepreneurs. Moreover, a commodity- and stock-exchange system was also established to uplift the economic transition of a country fraught in political instability. Dolinskaya (2002) maintained that Russia's growth performance had already worsened before the beginning of economic transformation. The fundamental reason for the slowdown was the nature of Soviet economic growth, which was based on mobilization of resources rather than increases in productivity. However, at present, is Russia still struggling to get its economy on the right track How does Russia cope with the onset of globalization Does Russia deserve the attention of international investors This paper will attempt to find answers to these questions by sifting through current economic data and analyzing the potentials of the Russian market. II. Environmental Overview A. Economic Factors During the 1990s, the Russian economy experienced severe disruption as it moved from a centrally-plannedmodel to a free market system. Difficulties in implementing fiscal reforms aimed at raising government revenues and a dependence on short-term borrowing to finance budget deficits led to a serious financial crisis in 1998. In addition, lower prices for Russia's major export earners (oil and minerals) and a loss of investor confidence exacerbated the financial problems (Spulber, 2003, p. 206). The result was a rapid and steep decline in the value of the ruble, the flight of foreign investment, a breakdown of commercial transactionsvia the banking system, and the threat of runaway inflation. Nevertheless, Russia weathered the crisis well. Russia's economic performance has been strong in recent years, reflected in robust Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, strong external and fiscal positions, and growth in productivity and consumption. These achievements are attributed not only to favorable commodity prices, especially high oil prices, but also to generally prudent macroeconomic policies. In fact, Russia is presently in its eighth year of strong growth and now has the world's fifth largest foreign exchange reserves (Euromonitor International, 25

MailChimp as One of The Newsletters in Advertising Essay

MailChimp as One of The Newsletters in Advertising - Essay Example This makes it easy to use and adopt.However, the disadvantages include its inability to tolerate spamming as well as the unsolicited mails. As such if one’s correspondence is labeled as spam, the system automatically disables one’s access to the services of the recipient. The advantages include: simple to use and manage, maximum delivery of services, customer support, simple to create as well as deliver, and customizable. The disadvantages include: it is not cheap and unable to send videos on emails (Jose, 9). The advantages are: it has very competitive prices, ability to provide live customer support via phone and webinar, supports autoresponder. The disadvantages include: a limit on the number of campaigns one can run at a given time, and the web-based browser may sabotage one's emails when they  switch. Advantages include: Very convenient as customers don’t need to install it, and its cost effective. The disadvantages include: the data security may be a chal lenge.   Advantages include providing users with easy to use templates. The disadvantages are no live chat support.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Law - Family Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Law - Family Law - Essay Example This paper seeks to discuss some elements of family law and its legal principles. The paper will explore the subject of marriage, separation, and divorce with the aim of advising a party to a case. Facts Samira, a ‘nineteen-year-old’ got married to Devesh when she was still sixteen years old. Devesh was then 22. Their respective parents organized the marriage, and Samira and Devesh did not meet each other until their wedding day. The marriage was against Samira’s wish as she was in love with another person, Clay, who had a different cultural background. She knew that her parents would not approve of her marriage to Clay and agreed to their planned marriage in order to avoid conflict with her family. Her decision was further influenced by the isolation that she would be subjected to by both her family and the entire society for disobeying her parents to marry Clay and not Devesh. Even though Samira decided to forget about Clay and settle in her marriage, she inform ed Devesh of her then existing relationship, a fact that affected Devesh and has been a turbulent element in their marriage. Both parties decided to work out their marriage for the sake of their families. Samira has however started seeing Clay who wants her to cohabit with him. She now believes that her family can accept Clay if they get married but fears the possibility of isolation for divorcing Devesh. Issues 1. Validity of the marriage, whether the marriage is valid or voidable 2. Termination of the marriage, whether Samira is able to terminate the marriage and by which means 3. Possible defences against termination of the marriage and whether they can succeed in the case 4. Possible remedies 5. Breach of marriage obligations prior to termination Ruling and advice 1. Validity of the marriage One of the fundamental principles in family law is the existence of a legal marriage. Based on the contractual aspects of a marriage, it can be valid, void, or voidable. This is because a ma rriage is an agreement and is regulated by laws of contract. While a divorce is dissolution of a legal marriage, an annulment refers to pronouncement of lack of a legal marriage between two parties. Annulment is a consequence of a union, in the form of a marriage that was either void or voidable. Oliphant and Steegh define a voidable marriage as one that is considerably legal until an order is issued to its nullification by a judicial process (Oliphant and Steegh, 2007, p. 48). One of the conditions that may render a marriage voidable is lack of contractual capacity of the parties (Stark, 2005, p. 17). Being a legally binding agreement, marriage is largely regulated by the law of contract. Contractual capacity of the parties is therefore an essential element in determining validity of a marriage. Either under the general principles of a contract, a party lacks contractual capacity if the party is a minor, is intoxicated or if the person is in sane. Contracts entered into by these pa rties are therefore considered as either voidable or void. Voidable agreement can however be ratified by the disadvantaged party at discretion. Samira therefore stands a high chance of annulling the marriage as was held in the case of Pazpenda De Vire v Pazpenda De Vire that presumptions of a legal marriage are rebuttable on strong grounds. Her minority age is a strong basis for rebutting existence of a legal marriage (Helewitz, 2010, p. 124- 127; Bainham, 2003, p. 165). The extent to

MailChimp as One of The Newsletters in Advertising Essay

MailChimp as One of The Newsletters in Advertising - Essay Example This makes it easy to use and adopt.However, the disadvantages include its inability to tolerate spamming as well as the unsolicited mails. As such if one’s correspondence is labeled as spam, the system automatically disables one’s access to the services of the recipient. The advantages include: simple to use and manage, maximum delivery of services, customer support, simple to create as well as deliver, and customizable. The disadvantages include: it is not cheap and unable to send videos on emails (Jose, 9). The advantages are: it has very competitive prices, ability to provide live customer support via phone and webinar, supports autoresponder. The disadvantages include: a limit on the number of campaigns one can run at a given time, and the web-based browser may sabotage one's emails when they  switch. Advantages include: Very convenient as customers don’t need to install it, and its cost effective. The disadvantages include: the data security may be a chal lenge.   Advantages include providing users with easy to use templates. The disadvantages are no live chat support.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Importance of Family Essay Example for Free

Importance of Family Essay THE FAMILY AS THE BASIC UNIT OF SOCIETY The family unit – principally a man and a woman living together in harmony and peace – is and always will be the basic social organization or unit of any society. This relationship alone provides stability in a sexual, emotional, intellectual and social way as no other can. This statement may seem prejudiced or biased against other forms of social organization, but it has proven true over hundreds and even thousands of years. Other forms of societal organization include most people remaining single or unattached, homosexuality, or various forms of collective living arrangements that are called free love societies, communes, kibbutz living in some cases, and others. To the best of my knowledge, none of these have worked out on a large scale nearly as well as what is called a monogamous man-woman relationship in terms of stability and happiness for the couple, and for the society as a whole. When the families are strong, society is strong, as a rule. When families are weak, societies begin to break down. This is the important concept of this article. EXACTLY WHAT IS MEANT BY A FAMILY? A family is a unit of two dedicated to healing, even if they do not enunciate it or even understand it fully. It means two who are happy to be together, who want to be together, and who deeply love one another, even though it can just be friends, for example, or a parent and a child. This is what is meant by a family in this article. Stated differently, the definition of family is two living in a close personal relationship. Close relationships most often exist between family members, but not always by any means. Couples may live together for years and not be that close, for example. In fact, close relationships often develop among friends of either sex, work colleagues, and perhaps in other situations such as members of a sports team who work and play together constantly, for example. This is important to understand. They don’t even need to live in the same town or know each other personally, as long as they love each other enough. Also, those living under the same roof must be in a close relationship. Just because two are roommates, for example, or even sexual partners living together, married, church-going, or just â€Å"shacking up†, as they call it, does not mean they are a family because they must be in a close, loving relationship with each other. One in relationship with the other, if it is not returned, is not good enough. They both must feel the same way about each other, and this is the key. The rest of this article deals with various topics related to those living in families, or in close relationships, as explained in the preceding paragraphs. HEALING WITHIN FAMILIES – EMPATHIC BLENDING IN FAMILIES An interesting phenomenon that can be used for healing, but which can also have negative effects, is called empathic blending. It occurs in all close relationships, including, of course, within many families. It is a slight blending of the aura or energy fields of individuals who live together or even those who just work together or recreate together. However, it is much stronger in those who are in intimate relationships and having sex together. This interesting phenomenon has been known for thousands of years, but is rarely discussed. It can help bind a family or relationship together and help heal all members of a family. Unfortunately, it sometimes also causes problems in families if the man and woman are not that compatible. What  this means is that at times, two in a relationship have issues that do not blend well. Each can bring out the worst aspects of another, for example, instead of the best. For more on this topic, read Empathic Blending on this website. MALE-FEMALE BLENDING IN FAMILIES This is a subset or type of empathic blending that occurs only between members of the opposite sex. It does not occur in homosexual relationships, and it is one reason these relationships are always inferior to a good man-woman relationship. Two of the same sex may blend empathically, and often do. But only a man and a woman can blend in a very special way. For the same reason, it will not occur in members of an all-male or all-female sports team, work team, etc. This type of blending is similar to other empathic blending, but much stronger and much more able to cause healing in both parties. It is a powerful advantage to having friends of the opposite sex, a wife or husband, and even having children, at times. Children and parents. Interestingly, this type of blending can be done between a male parent and a female child, and conversely, between a female parent and a male child. It can even occur between siblings of the opposite sex, too, although this is not nearly as common. To read more about this very exciting method of healing, read Male-Female Blending on this website. OTHER TYPES OF UNUSUAL HEALING IN FAMILIES AND IN OTHER CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS A phenomenon we observe within families, and within all close relationships, is that when one person begins to heal, particularly a parent, often the partner and the children also experience a degree of healing. This occurs even when the others are not following a nutritional balancing program at all. I call it healing by osmosis, because I don’t know what else to name it. This phenomenon may be due to empathic blending, described in a paragraph above. However, it may be also be due to other factors, such as less stress in the home, better food in the home, more of a healing atmosphere in the home, or something else. In addition to these reasons, other reasons help explain unusual healing in those who in close relationships such as in families. For example, as one heals, he or she serves as an example to the other and perhaps as an inspiration to the other. As one heals, the body becomes more capable of love, and this felt by the other As one heals, some nutrients are actually transferred to the other in sexual fluids, for example, or in saliva in kissing. This may sound odd, but these are factors in healing within families or close relationships only. THE TRADITIONAL FAMILY UNDER ATTACK EVERYWHERE For the past 100 years of so, the family unit in America and Europe, in particular, has been under constant attack. The attack has been coming from work outside of the home, two parents having to work, the school system that takes away authority of parents, and a much more intrusive government that also takes away the rights and powers of parents to control their children and even their homes. Unemployment is very hard on families, and there is plenty of that in Europe, particularly. Pressure from Anti-Christian groups such as gay rights advocates and even some women’s advocate groups has also forced the passage of laws that discourage marriage. The growth of the welfare system is another anti-family factor. These systems often contain incentives to have children out of wedlock, for example, in order to collect more money from the government. Asia has much less of these pressures, but they are growing on a daily basis. Communism, for example, practiced still today in Russia, China, and other large nations, has a devastating effect on the family. Also, Asia has other problems, such as a traditional hierarchical male-dominated culture that may  seem to support the family, but really is very hard on women, and impedes the development of deep love between men and women among the population. Other nations, such as those in the Middle East, insist on rules and regulations that are so rigid and strict that they may hold society together, but they stop love from developing because the roles of man and wife are too rigidly defined. The Muslim world has some serious family problems. Here the family unit is strong, but in some homes the male dominates and the women are treated so badly that they cannot love their husbands and children correctly. I hope someday soon this will stop. Some of the best family units are found among the Jewish families and some of the Asian cultures, such as the Chinese and Koreans. Even here, however, divorce rates are rising and the traditional family is under attack. THE NEED TO RESTORE THE INTEGRITY OF THE FAMILY The above leads us to the need to clarify, correct and realize the importance of the traditional family unit and restore it legally, culturally, socially, and in every other way as well. This is also a goal of nutritional balancing science. It must begin with each person understanding the need for very high-quality relationships, and then acting at all levels of society to push for a more family-friendly society. The kind of reforms needed in society include: 1. Legislative action and tax reform to encourage marriage. This means that married couples should have tax advantages, which is not true today. Often it is the opposite. Also laws must clearly define marriage as the relationship between one many and one woman. All other arrangements of living and sexuality must not be given equal recognition or equal treatment under the law. This means no gay marriage, no homosexual or gay rights laws, and no gay-friendly legislation at all. This sounds harsh, but gay rights laws are the worst thing for the traditional family today. It also means that polygamy must be banned altogether. It does not matter if all members of a polygamous community like the arrangement. It does not work well and it is usually a cult. For more on this topic, read Cults and Terror Societies on this site. Tax credits should be given for having children, but only if a couple is married and filing jointly. Society should not be giving tax credits to single parent households of the same magnitude, as it encourages promiscuity and single-parent households. I know this is a difficult area, but it is important to strengthen and protect traditional marriage. 2. Legislative action and tax reform to strengthen families. Here are examples of laws and tax arrangements that favor the family unit in society: Smaller government favors families. This is because power in society is always shared between individuals and their families, and the government. The more power and scope of the government, the less power and scope the family will have. Laws that should be abolished to assist the family are all laws that allow schools to give out condoms and birth control pills without parental consent, and all laws that allow minor children to obtain abortions and even driver’s licenses without parental consent. Some states claim they can vaccinate children without parental consent, and some allow medical treatment without parental consent. All these laws destroy the integrity and strength of the family unit and ought to be repealed. I realize that repealing these laws will permit some abuse by uncaring or unthinking parents. However, this is better than an across-the-board rule that damages the family, which is still the best hope for children in the entire world. Government welfare agencies do not do a good job, overall, and I would not expect them to do so. They are too distant and too â€Å"professional† to care deeply enough about the children. Similarly, judges and juries should not have the right to remove minor children from the home unless the abuse is obvious and severe. Low taxes strongly favor the family unit and family integrity. Much higher taxes for everyone today is forcing two parents to work outside of the home and to send children to government or private daycare centers and pre-schools. This is horrendous for families. While in some nations, the poor and even middle classes do not pay income taxes, they pay for taxes that are hidden in every product and service that they buy. This is the case especially in America and Europe where corporate taxes are high. These are hidden taxes on all products that can account for up to half the cost of the product such as a car, food, clothing, building materials and other necessities. This is why corporate tax rates should be zero. Tax income, tax consumption, or tax imports and exports, but do not tax in hidden ways such as corporate taxes that no one can see and that are regressive, meaning they harm the poor much more than they harm the wealthy because the poor must spend a lot more of their income on necessities, while the rich can easily afford the taxes on goods and services such as electricity, etc. Laws that permit, encourage and even pay one parent to stay at home with children and teach them favor the family strongly. Parents should be discouraged from both working outside the home, and young children should be at home. If a parent does not want to raise a child at home, he or she should not become a parent. It is that simple. Home schooling favors the family unit. In the same vein, home schooling must be encouraged, not attacked, as it is in many nations, including the United States of America. Home schooling is the ideal, and should not be considered a deviant or religious or unusual concept. It is far better, according to statistics, than any school situation. Home schooling parents should not have to pay school taxes, for example, and perhaps should be compensated so that a parent can stay home and teach rather than have to take a job outside the home and send the child to public or private schools. No death taxes favor the family. Death taxes are also called estate taxes. They do not allow some families to pass on their wealth to their children,  or anyone else. Instead, the government takes a large portion of their money, even though they have already paid taxes on that income. Families should be permitted to pass on their wealth, as it is theirs and they often worked hard for it. The government has no right to it, having already taxed it once or perhaps twice. Tort reform strongly favors families and employment. It is important that if one is truly injured, that one can sue for damages. However, the situation in America, in particular, but also in Europe in which attorneys are able to sue basically innocent people for all sorts of frivolous reasons places great strain and a huge financial burden on everyone. It raises the price of all goods and services, frightens away many businesses and keeps good products off the market. It also supports a class of parasitic attorneys who make good money often by ruining other people’s lives. There are simple answers for this problem, but the trial lawyers lobby, and their political allies the Democratic party has so far prevented them from being implemented, especially in the United States. The solutions include: 1. Simplify legal proceedings so that people do not need attorneys to represent them and can handle simple cases themselves. This is certainly possible, but judges and attorneys don’t like the idea. It is similar to learning how to take care of your health, which the doctor’s don’t like. Court proceedings, rules of evidence, rules of discovery, motions, and so on can be made simpler. 2. The loser in a suit should pay all court and attorney fees. This is the system in Great Britain and some other nations. It can stop some frivolous lawsuits, especially in the health care area, but also in product safety. 3. Attorneys must not be allowed to disqualify jurors at their whim. The only reason to disqualify a juror should be a direct conflict of interest, perhaps. The current system today allows sharp attorneys to get rid of potential jurors whom they sense they cannot manipulate or influence. This  should not be the way the jury system works and it makes a mockery of the jury system. 4. It may be necessary to place a cap on damages. This is more complex, especially in a class action lawsuit but sometimes juries are talked into awarding far too much money for damages because attorneys take a percentage for themselves. A capitalist economic system, with controls to prevent corporate raiding and cheating, tends to favor families, while socialism is usually even more corrupt and it destroys families. It does this because the government gains so much power that the family becomes secondary to government, which becomes the nanny, the provider, the police force and everything else. This must be taught and the reasons for it thoroughly understood in society. The basic reason is that a large, powerful government always competes for power with the family, so it is inherently inimical to the family. In contrast, a weak government allows the family unit to have more power over itself and over society. It is not an accident that the weakest families occur in communist and socialist nations, while the strongest are found in the capitalist nations. Private and not socialized, nationalized or â€Å"universal† health care helps the family unit. Caring for one’s health and that of the children are extremely important issues that are best handled within families. This is because they have to do with diet, lifestyle, thinking patterns and other personal habits that are learned and practiced in families. In general, when people are forced into a governmental system, the family loses a lot of power and control over this important area of life. If the government system were perfect, it would not be so bad. However, all governmental systems are more costly, the dietary recommendations are often poor, bureaucrats are distant and don’t care as much for people as private doctoring arrangements, and waste and corruption are worse. Also, just turning over control of this vital area of life is a bad idea. Even the HMO or PPO system in the USA, which is based on private insurance but herds people into groups with little choice in health care, is not good for family integrity and strength. This is just one reason why Obamacare, for example, in the USA, will not work and must be repealed at once before it further bankrupts the USA, which it is doing and with no good results. It is just socialism, and that is harmful for families, as explained above. Freedom, in general, is wonderful for the family. Repression in society works against families. Freedoms of religion, of speech, of assembly, the right to bear arms and all the freedoms that some nations permit are helpful for the family as they weaken governmental power and encourage responsibility and power to be centered in the family. Denying the people freedom weakens the family in all cases. Traditional religions and, in general, religious freedom tend to favor the family unit. However, too much repression in the religion harms families by several means. Repressing women, for example, leads to anger and hatred of women for men and for the religious leaders. Also, if the family roles are so rigidly defined, some will rebel and avoid families altogether. They also, of course, may just leave the religion, but this is not always possible, as with Islam. As these legal and other changes occur, and only when they occur, we can expect to see great improvements and restoration of our societies. They will be safer, more sane, healthier, with far more emphasis on spiritual values and the dignity of each individual soul. All will be happier and life will be far more worthwhile and enjoyable for women, in particular, for our children, and for everyone. Easy divorce laws have mixed effects upon families. On one hand, they make it easy for a selfish parent to basically abandon their children or â€Å"steal† them from a partner. They may also leave a former partner stranded without financial support at all, or very little. On the other hand, very strict divorce laws that existed in the past kept families together where there was physical or emotional abuse, or just terrible unhappiness. This is not ideal for families, either. Many people say that the traditional family is dead, as evidenced by the high divorce rates in the Western world, in particular. However, they forget that although the divorce rate is high, the remarriage rate is also very high. In other words, many people do not want to be single. They just want to be with the right type of person. If they are not, then they are more likely today than in the past to split up and move on to what is often, though not always, a better marriage the second time around. When children are involved, the situation is more complex. Children need a stable home and they need love – plenty of it. So it is more complicated. Here one must use good judgment and try to avoid selfishness. Selfishness is often the problem and the reason that a couple does not blend and heal one another. Laws favoring easy abortions probably harm families. This is an ongoing debate in the USA, though not much in Europe. ALL abortions terminate a life, and some women suffer psychological damage from abortions, even if they are not fully aware of it. I particularly dislike the Planned Parenthood approach, often, in which young women are just told they can get their abortion right away, no one needs to know about it, and that is all there is to it. However, those who favor abortions rightly point out that women perhaps should have more control over their reproductive abilities, especially in case of rape, incest, and all conditions in which the health and well-being of the mother or even the father is at stake. So I suspect this issue will be debated for many years. I believe anti-abortion laws are there to protect women in many cases, and this is how they should be â€Å"sold† or promoted. They help women avoid psychological damage that comes with abortions, they help prevent infections and other problems of abortions, and they help the family in many cases, which helps women the most. If the family does not want another child, then put it up for adoption. Encouraging monogamous man-woman relationships is by far best for the family. Sadly, this is not what is taught in schools today. Politically correct teachers often stress that homosexuality, communal living, open marriage and other â€Å"alternatives† are just as good as the traditional one man-one woman relationship. I believe this is a lie in most cases, due to the nature and construction of human beings. I believe there exist certain differences between men and women that are often subtle, but very real. Living together, they tend to balance one another, help one another, heal one another, and love one another better than any other type of arrangement. This does not mean that in a few cases a different type of relationship is best, but I am speaking in general terms of what seems to work best for the great majority of people in our world. I strongly believe that if this were not so, we would see around the world plenty of societies in which marriage is not supported or practiced much, and instead we would see much more of other living arrangements such as homosexuality or just staying single and living alone or in one’s family of origin during one’s entire lifespan. But we do not see this very much among the thousands of human societies of every race and religion. This is not an indictment of other ways to live socially, just an observation. For this reason, I want to suggest that laws should protect, proclaim, educate and demand that the young are taught this truth, and nothing else.