Saturday, August 31, 2019

Paper on Education: A Gift or Not

The term education can mean many things. An education is the collective knowledge a person has, but what does an education mean? Although an education can be paid for, no one can physically give you an education, so it is not a gift. There are societal situations where an education is a necessity, but not many globally. Education is a tool to be utilized differently in every part of the world. Knowledge is power, but some knowledge is more powerful depending on your region. If you are part a primitive tribe in New Guinea, a person that is considered to be educated may be illiterate. Whereas in America, an illiterate person would have trouble functioning at all in society. Education is a tool that is to be developed by a combination of motivation, preparation, support, and society. An education can be offered to someone, but the pupil can only take from it what is put in. A gift is something that can be given to someone regardless of the effort put forth by the individual, therefore an education is not a gift. Although an education cannot be given to someone, and it is not a gift, there are things that can be given to you that contribute to your education. Perhaps the greatest thing that can be provided is support. When a parent or teacher rewards a child for learning, it makes a connection in the child's mind that an education will pay off. When an educated and successful family strongly support a child's education, that child will have a better chance to obtain an education. The child will see that education and success coincide. A person that is to be educated has to be given many opportunities to learn new things. Some of these opportunities are as simple as letting your four-year-old watch â€Å"Sesame Street† or letting your six-year-old make a sandwich. There are cases, however, when parents are not able to promote their children's education. If the parents are poor and uneducated, then a child will most likely be unmotivated towards school. The child might realize that his parents are managing to pull through, and think that he will be able to survive without an education as well. This will withhold the child from opportunities that an education would provide. Allowing that certain educational gifts are given to a person, they can acquire the motivation it takes to receive an education. Once you have made the decision to attain an education, certain virtues must be possessed. You must be motivated by something, weather it be money, power, or just the desire to learn. It is motivation that drives you to learn new things and to expand your horizons. You must prepare for an education. For everything that you want to know, there is something else you need to know first. Before you can be proficient on a piano you must know music, and before you can be proficient on a computer you must learn to use a keyboard and a mouse. Even though these skills may seem intuitive to some, someone from a different social culture may not have been introduced to these ideas at all. You must also have certain resources provided. To learn in an institution, often times you need money, books, and other materials that, sadly enough, cannot always be secured. This situation exemplifies the problems that one can face when an education is desired but outside scarcities disallow. There are some circumstances where special educational aspects are a necessity in a certain region, but education is not global. In most developed countries a lawyer would be considered an educated person, but if a lawyer was sent to a more primitive society he would be lost. A farmer educated in cultivation in Nebraska could nourish himself indefinitely, but take away his farm and he has nothing but the knowledge of farming. There are certain things that a person must know in order to have the power to survive in a chosen society. These things change with regards to the society at hand. In more developed places it is pertinent that you know how to read. Without this skill a person will remained severely uninformed, disconnected, and uneducated. The ability to read is the stepping stone to self-education. A literate person with motivation and knowledge of construction can become successful with very little institutionalized education. This skill, as it applies to American social culture, is the most important attribute of an education. Without the ability to read, a person would have to either settle for an extremely unskilled job, grow their own food, or resort to thievery. In a accomplished society such as this, not many people find the need to do these things. Instead people achieve an education, learn a trade or a profession, and earn money to prosper. However, in some societies it is perfectly normal not to be able to read, and a person will manage to survive on other skills such as hunting. Regardless of where you are or what you do, education is an asset. It is a tool that you add to every day, and that no one can take from you. Once you have truly learned something, it will be with you forever, and you will be able to put that information into use whenever it applies. Your education is something you truly own. It cannot be taken away in a bet, by a bankruptcy, and it cannot be stolen. Once you are educated in a particular field, you have job security. If you are a programmer, and your company goes under, you will be able to find another position as a programmer. When you are educated you make more money and have the better jobs, because it shows that you are dedicated to learning. You will not age as fast as someone with a labor intensive job, and chances are you will not have a career ending injury on the job. It is education that gives you options, keeps you connected to the world, and keeps you informed. Although an uneducated person has the resources to inform themselves, they rarely have the ability or motivation it takes to utilize these resources. An education can be achieved by anyone who has the motivation, support, and resources it takes too receive an education according to their perception. This education is a made up of support, motivation, and the necessity to survive. This education cannot be taken. This education means survival and success.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Review of Michael vey Essay

The book I read was Michael Vey The Prisoner Of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans. This book was an action, adventure based young-adult fiction and it is based in modern day California. It revolves around a boy named Michael Vey and his two friends Ostin and Taylor. While Michael might seem like a loser to people because he is skinny and does not talk much he actually is the most powerful being on earth. He can transmit electricity through anything that can conduct it including humans! The book is mainly about how Michael has powers and has to hide them until his mother is abducted and he goes to find her but also finds out about other kids like him and there is this organization that uses them in a plan to control the world. The adventure is mostly told through the point of view of Michael but occasionally switches to a 3rd person view of the whole surrounding. I think that the author forges sentences that put you in the room and make you feel the pain and the frustration of the characters. The author perfectly mixes the real world with the abnormal events that happen to Michael Vey. The author starts out with a mysterious call between two men talking about blowing up a commercial airliner, which automatically sucks the reader into the book. It then transitions to the story of this boy named Michael Vey and while it all might seem perfectly normal the author then throws a curveball and introduce the powers that this boy possesses. The thing that I did not like is how he stalled the story after that. He introduced the fact that this skinny 14 year old kid can fry a person by simply touching them and then goes on to describe his boring day at school. Who does that? Although it annoyed me at first I was grateful that Richard Paul Evans (the author) did that with the story. If he did not we would have never met Taylor the crush in Michael’s life. Who we later find out has the ability to reboot someone’s brain like a computer and can also read  someone’s mind. Then when he has introduced every-thing he takes a sharp turn into a different direction by having Michael’s mother and Taylor kidnapped by the Antagonist, and then begins the intense series of events. I like how the author controls the mood in this book. Initially the mood is very calm and it is unemotional eases you into the story. Then the mood changes rapidly for the rest of the story especially after Michael’s mother is kidnapped changes into an intense series of thrilling events kidnaps his mother. I would say that depending on the scene the author would either use a calm but sympathetic tone or and intense and aggressive tone He uses imagery a lot in his book when he describes different parts of the building structure that they are trapped in or he will depict an emotion that a character is feeling to an extent that you can relate to. For example when the antagonist puts Michael into a cell and manipulates his fears you really can see that play out in your mind. I think that in this book at least for me there were no boring slow parts. I just wanted to read more which is strange because usually all books have slow parts but this author mixes the right amount of suspense into each part that you want to find out what will happen next whether it is when the character and his mother are just talking or the character is in the rage of battle. This book reminded me of another amazing book with the same concepts. I can relate this to another book I read called Daniel X. I can relate because like Michael Vey prisoner of cell 25 Daniel X Keeps the world around the character normal while only making the events that happen to the character a sequence of abnormal events. Another book I can relate it to would be Max by James Patterson. I think that the author creates a perfect blend between past and present personal conflicts. He incorporates the setting by describing it vividly to the reader but also describes the character’s reaction to the setting change so that the reader can relate to the characters feelings. I think that this work is a very well put together book. Even though In the earlier questions I make it sound like a ten on ten this book is not. I rate this book a 9/10 for the soul reason that it was on a very directed path and you could the events that were going to happen before they did by just reading the book. Even the twist that the author put in were not that book which made some of the book predictable and who really wants a book in which they know everything that is going to happen. In this book I had a lot of moments of truly being astonished by the characters views and what they would say. The line that meant the most to me in this book was when The Antagonist had given Michael Vey an ultimatum of either killing a innocent man or letting his mother die. Michael’s response to this was, â€Å"My mother would rather die then see me become a murderer† I liked this because it showed both the justice and willpower of Michael. I say this because I know for a fact that I would have killed that man because even if it would be the wrong thing to do I would take his life for my happiness. This was an amazing book and even though I did not want it to finish I enjoyed the ending greatly I think that I would give the ending of this book a 10/10 because it was an amazing way to finish of the book in such a way that there can be a sequel but it also did not end it happily. I say this because even though him. In conclusion I think that this book is a 10/10. Maybe I am being too kind but I really enjoyed it. Like all books it had its slow parts but even those were page-turners and they built up to the best parts of the book. I think that the character Michael Vey himself was very well made and even though he had superpowers he had his quirks, which made the book more relatable and fun to read.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

SPSS data analysis in marketing field Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

SPSS data analysis in marketing field - Essay Example we also have 154 females in the 1(X32) (N) and on average, they have 128X32 with standard deviation of 10.368 X32.The last column shows the two groups Std error mean. Basing on table 2, the p value of Levenes test is 0.816.In this case, this p value is greater than 0.05 the alpha. Therefore, we will have to use the middle row of the output (‘labeled Equal variances assumed.’).So we will have to assume that the variances are equal and we need to use the middle row of the output. The labeled column ‘‘t’’, provides a calculated t value. In this case the t value is 0.667 assuming equal variance. The labeled column df provides the degree of freedom related with the test. In this case we have 445 degrees of freedom. The labeled column sig (2 –tailed) provides p value related to the t test. In this case, the p value 0.816. If p ≠¤ ÃŽ ±, then reject H0.Therefore, 0.816 is not equal or less than 0.05.So we fail to reject the null hypothesis. This means that we failed to observe a difference in the reasons to choosing the restaurant between men and women. As shown in table 3, for each dependent variable, the output shows the sample size, minimum, maximum standard deviation, standard error and confidence interval for every independent variable level (quasi) In this case, the p value of 0.466 is greater than the 0.05; we fail to reject the null hypothesis. This means that there is limited evidence that the variances aren’t equal and the variance assumption homogeneity may fit. The 2 value in the table above is the between groups degrees of freedom, 446 is within groups degrees of freedom,0.864 is the F ratio from the F column,0.460 is the p value and 16927.906 is within groups mean square estimate of variance. The last task now involves whether to reject null hypothesis. In this case the p value of 0.460 is seen to be greater than the 0.05.Therefore we fail to reject the null hypothesis. This means different distances have no influence on the

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Choose a half dozen or so theories that you have studied as a Term Paper

Choose a half dozen or so theories that you have studied as a psychology student. Describe how these theories differ from one another, or how they are similar to one another - Term Paper Example I came to know that my understanding and knowledge of those theories was not the only one. There are some different aspects of those theories, which I never came across. I came to know that how their relativity and grouping are irrelevant and how some of them are astonishingly interrelated. Some of those theories, which made me a victim of cognitive dissonance, are given below. I will start with some basic theories. Classical conditioning and Operant Conditioning falls under the same group of theories. It is obvious that they are similar that’s why they belong to the same group. But if we take a closer look, we will find that they have little in common. Although apparently they look same. Classical conditioning deals with stimulus evoking a reaction. Operant conditioning on the other hand deals with improving of discourage a behavior. When I take a look at these two theories under the light of Aristotle’s four causes, I found that they very differently answer the causes. For example the final cause of classical conditioning is to evoke a reaction or response to a stimulus. This reaction will most probably out of control of the subject. On the other hand operant conditioning encourages a subject to exhibit a certain behavior to have reword or to stay away from the punishment. Now this encouragement to exhibit certain type of behavior is entire ly in the control of the subject. Subject might chose to act otherwise. These theories are again different in answering efficient cause. In classical conditioning the efficient cause is a stimulus, an event or a thing that evokes a reaction. On the other hand operant conditioning answer efficient cause with a reward or punishment. A reward cannot evoke a reaction. These two theories have little in common in formal cause. Both theories share behavior including physical action, but again a reaction is not deliberate. On the other hand a behavior for a reward will be deliberate. They might have something in

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Leadership assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Leadership - Assignment Example Her moving boxes were not labeled properly and the way she packed her things just did not make sense. So I taught her how to group her things in boxes and mark them for specific use and area of the apartment. This took around 3 days to do and by the time we were done, we discovered that she did not need as many moving boxes as she originally had. Moving day came and I was at her place bright and early to help the movers. I designated each box for positioning in the truck according to the contents in the boxes. Delicate things in the back and the sturdy stuff up front, electronics placed in top of everything else and safely secured as well. When we got to the new apartment, My friend was so busy making sure that all the boxes got off the truck that she allowed me to designate and dispatch the moving crew across her apartment. I supervised them as the unpacked the boxes and made sure that nothing was broken or that anything was missing among her things. After the moving crew left, we began the unenviable task of unpacking her things. Thanks to my organization skills and ability to properly delegate tasks, we were easily able to unpack her things and put the items where they belonged. Needless to say, my friend was very thankful that I was available to help her move, she really doubted she could have done it properly

Monday, August 26, 2019

Importance of Physical Education to student achievement Research Paper

Importance of Physical Education to student achievement - Research Paper Example Physical education and academic performance The direct implications of physical education on academic performance of students have been established by several researchers. One of the first studies analyzing the impact of physical activity on the academic performance of students was done by (Fourestier, 1962). This study included a small group of students from France. The sample population which underwent physical education in the afternoon after the forenoon’s sessions within the classroom was reported to have improved academic performance in comparison with the control group which didn’t undergo physical education (Fourestier, 1962). Though this study included only a small sample size and the methodology has not been detailed in the literature available, this has been indicated as one of the first studies in this research area. Another larger study which was conducted in 1970s has been recorded by Sallis et al (1999). This included 546 primary school children and confi rmed that those students who continuously engaged in five hours of physical education in a week performed better academically. This study has also analyzed the changing impacts of extent of physical education as the control population was constituted of children who had a limited exposure of 40 minutes of physical education per week Sallis et al (1999). ... Shephard (1997) reported that there was significant improvement in the mathematics score of students who underwent physical education for 5 hours a week. However, there were negative consequences in terms of scores in English. It is worth noting here that 33 minutes were reduced in the mathematics instruction while no hours were taken off from English teaching Shephard (1997). Raviv & Hectch (1999) recorded that physical movement education considerably improved the reading skills and the arithmetic test scores of students in an intervention made in an Israel school involving 92 preschool and 266 first grade children. More recent studies also suggest promising correlation between academic performance and physical education. Coe, Pivarnik, Womack, Reeves & Malina (2006) conducted an interventional study amongst 6th grade students which included fifty five minutes of physical education per day as an intervention. This intervention in terms of time was equivalent to that of the time slot for arts and computer sciences. The observations of this study indicated that these students performed as good as the control population in mathematics, science and English Coe, Pivarnik, Womack, Reeves & Malina (2006). The results of the Canadian Achievement Test revealed that even with decrease in academic time the academic performance of the sample population remained the same (Ahamed, Macdonald, Reed, Naylor, Liu-Ambrose & McKay, 2007). There are few studies which have suggested negative implications of Physical Education on academic achievements. Tremblay, Inman & Willms (2000) observed inverse association with academic performance in students of 11 years. This study is worth mentioning because of its large sample size. The research covered close to 7000 students as the

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Managing Quality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Managing Quality - Essay Example ting the quality delivery of healthcare and also to look at the possible ways in eradicating the vices and also approaches to gauging and enforcing quality systems and standards. The report also discusses the delivery of quality service by involving the service users and how this will help in promoting quality and effective delivery at The Royal United Hospital Bath. The primary aim of this report is recommend and facilitate the ways of improving quality in healthcare and social organizations through monitoring, regulating, and implementing every aspect of service delivery. In addition, the report recommends various means of improving quality at The Royal United Hospital Bath by classifying factors influencing quality and the areas of improvement. Finally, the report also targets to evaluate different structured approaches to achieve high quality of health care deliver by providing evidence in order to define the essentiality of adequate quality management. Quality of health care and social care aspects has become a serious concern for healthcare settings. In health care and social care, quality is the most fundamental aspect being considered in improving the productivity and efficiency of service delivery. As a matter of fact, quality is defined in a number of ways and literally as the degree of excellence in doing something. In healthcare and social care sectors, quality management is very important in providing the best care for services uses and to achieve high quality outcome. It is extremely important for the within health and social sectors to work efficiently together in order to help them implement appropriate approaches and strategies in increasing the quality of services. In health and social care sector the NHS Outcomes Framework has illustrated five domains of quality as follow; enable people to recover effectives from period of illness or injury, promoting quality of life for individuals diagnosed with long-term condition, avoiding early dead,

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Modern pricing models Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Modern pricing models - Essay Example This work involved calculating a derivative to measure how the discount rate of a warrant varies with time and stock price. The result of this calculation held a striking resemblance to a well-known heat transfer equation. Soon after this discovery, Myron Scholes joined Black and the result of their work is a startlingly accurate option pricing model. The Black–Scholes model was first published in their 1973 paper, "The Pricing of Options and Corporate Liabilities", published in the Journal of Political Economy (Black & Scholes, 1973). Robert Merton was the first to publish a paper expanding the mathematical understanding of the options pricing model, and coined the term "Black–Scholes options pricing model" (Merton, 1973). Merton and Scholes received the 1997 Nobel Prise in Economics for their work. Black was mentioned as a contributor by the Swedish Academy though ineligible for the prize because of his death in 1995. Black and Scholes cant take all credit for their work, in fact their model is actually an improved version of a previous model developed by A. James Boness in his Ph.D. dissertation at the University of Chicago (). Black and Scholes improvements on the Boness model come in the form of a proof that the risk-free interest rate is the correct discount factor, and with the absence of assumptions regarding investors risk preferences. The Black–Scholes model assumes that the market consists of at least one risky asset, usually called the stock, and one riskless asset, usually called the money market, cash, or bond. The key idea is to hedge the option by buying and selling the underlying asset in just the right way and, as a consequence, to eliminate risk. (random walk) The instantaneous log returns of the stock price is an infinitesimal random walk with drift; more precisely, it is a geometric Brown motion, and we will assume its drift and volatility

Friday, August 23, 2019

The strategy of e-business Annotated Bibliography

The strategy of e-business - Annotated Bibliography Example Because of the nature of these networks, there is then the recognition that the very framework of e-business strategy must be reimagined in conjunction with this new landscape. In this way the article argues that businesses must reimagine strategy based on a more dynamic business environment. The traditional business environment examined strategy in terms of specific goals and long-term visions. The nature of this new paradigm in e-business, however, is such that business must constantly assess their strategic approach in regards to the shifting nature of connectivity. For Li (2004, p. 46) then then this is accomplished through establishing a holistic framework. Within the holistic framework the business will consider all inputs – supply chain management, sales, general business strategy – in a systematic and dynamic process. No longer will business establish a simple long-term vision, but instead will establish a dynamic and agile business strategy for to function within this new paradigm. In pursuit of this new paradigm the article established seven key points. Among these points include the pursuit of margin size and volume rate, and the p ursuit of low cost and high value. The fundamental recognition is that these concerns involve different levels of strategic concerns than the traditional environment had posited. After these theoretical considerations the article examines a case study with a Chinese business. The case study functions to demonstrate the importance of developing a holistic business strategy. Additionally the case study indicates the importance of developed countries establishing effective strategies in its business model when dealing with developing countries. In this way the concept of strategic alliance emerges as a prominent strategic approach. This text relates to the key concepts in the course in a variety of ways. From an overarching perspective it considers the very

Notions of gender have significantly informed the development of Essay

Notions of gender have significantly informed the development of health policy and of health care practice. critically discuss - Essay Example This paper illustrates how notions of gender have significantly contributed to the development of health policy and the development of health care. Health policy is aimed at being a vessel for discussion and exploration of issues in the health system. In particular, it is intended to promoting communication between the health policy and legislators, system researchers, professionals and decision makers who are concerned with development and implementation of health systems and reforms in health care. These policies and reforms are being made in an ever increasing pace and policy makers are forced to look over to other countries to find solutions to their own problems. The commitment of health policy is to ensure that there is international dialogue that makes sure that policies are put into practice based on specific issues and goals as well as in the particular situations (Walsh, 2004:146). Looking back at history, there was a growing strength of women’s movement in the late 1960s and 1970s. This growth challenged the ‘medicalisation’ of bodies of women and the structure of women’s medical health needs as dissimilar from their own priorities and experiences. The women’s movement went ahead and questioned the myth that male partners or doctors had better knowledge about their bodies than the women themselves knew (David 2008). This represented the women experiences in sexual, physical, mental and reproductive health needs. Based on the social, economic and political forces that influenced heath, they analysed their experiences and searched for the connections between class, race and gender-based coercion and the way they affected the women (Graham, 2009:146). According to David (2008), there was evolution of the concepts of gender and gender analysis from feminist point of view that emphasised the cultural and social nature of most of the differences between women and men. This is

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Operations Management Essay Example for Free

Operations Management Essay Garland Company is a company known for its excellence when it comes to manufacturing product representing various combinations of reinforcement ma materials, surfacing materials, polymer components, and specific additives such as fire retardants, fibers, and fillers. The company originated in from US in 1895 and to extended distribution in Europe, Garland Company established their branch in Gloucester, England in 2001 called Garland Company U. K. , Ltd. For Garland Company, the best formula for future success is the combination of solid culture, traditional values, high integrity plus the product, strategies, service and technologies. That is why the employees of Garland understand clearly their importance in the company. The Garland’s ISO certification for research and development started in 1998 and up to now they still live up to that quality standard by producing quality products. Every aspect of Garland manufacturing is monitored through ISO 9000 certification processes, which include regular independent audits to ensure predictable, consistent adherence to world-class standards of quality. That is why the company’s products are backed-up with some of the strongest warranties in the commercial and industrial roofing and building maintenance industries.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

History Of Police Interviewing In England And Wales Criminology Essay

History Of Police Interviewing In England And Wales Criminology Essay CHAPTER 1- Interviewing suspects and witnesses is a basic operation of policing all over the world. In England and Wales, pre PACE, historically there was no formal interview training for police officers and officers learnt how to interview through observation of other police officers. Thus, the best evidence of guilt was confessions and theoretically good interviewers were those who could convince suspects to confess to crimes. Police interviews prior 1984 were governed by Judges Rules, these were just guidelines for the officers who they were allowed to execute interviews unrecorded and then to write a report of the interview from memory. Afterwards, officers memory of the interview was presented in court from the handwriting report. The dangers of this are self-evident officers can pick up bad practises or miss valuable information. Eventually investigations can be damaged, disrupted or even destroyed. The secrecy of the police interview room led to widespread concern about the tactics used to extract confessions things like intimidation, oppression, deception, and even physical violence (Leo, 1992). It has been shown that these tactics can lead to false confessions, in which case a double miscarriage of justice occurs not only is an innocent person convicted but the true offender remains free (Gudjonsson, 1992). The aim of this chapter is to discuss the old investigative interviewing which led to miscarriages of justice. Also, what was happening to police interviewing, why false confessions were frequent phenomenon and what types of false confessions exist. An important theme is public perception about police interviewing at this historical time. Finally the primary improvements that have been done, such as PACE and Circulars 7 and 22. Miscarriages of Justice When the term miscarriages of justice is used, it usually refers to what are called questionable convictions or wrongful convictions. Walker (1999: 52-5) summarises the causes of questionable convictions which are: fabrication of evidence, unreliable identification of an offender by the police or witnesses, unreliable expert evidence, unreliable confessions resulting from police pressure or the vulnerability of suspects, non disclosure of evidence by the police or prosecution, the conduct of the trial and problems associated with appeals procedures. However, the term miscarriages of justice as relating to questionable convictions is itself partly adequate (Adler and Gray, 2010). Consequently, the term can also occur when there is no action, inaction or questionable actions, whereby an offence has taken place but no action or insufficient action or interference has followed. Questionable actions include police unprofessional conduct and lack of ability (e.g, failures to investigate ef fectively, poor treatment of victims and their family), insufficient prosecution processes (poor communication with police, risk avoidance ), and problematic trial practices (hostile cross examination of witness, weak presentation of the prosecution case). Therefore, questionable actions represent police failure to identify suspects and to press charges, the lack of success of the prosecution to mount a case, the collapse of the prosecution case during the trial and as a result, agencies ineffectiveness to inform or support victims and their families (Newburn, Williamson and Wright, 2007). Traditionally, the primary aim of police investigators has been to obtain a confession from the primary suspect, the confession being seen by officers to be the key of a successful investigation and the predominant means by which a conviction can be secured. To understand why a confession was so pivotal concern it is essential to consider the operation of various systems of justice. In an adversarial system, the judge is considered to be neutral during the trial process and should leave the presentation of the case to the prosecution and defence who prepare their case, call and examine witnesses. According to Zander (1994), the adversarial system is not a search for the truth. The inquisitorial system aim to be a search for the truth, in this system the judge is not neutral but will play critical role in the presentation of the evidence at the trial. The Judge calls and examines the defendant and the witness. While the trial is in progress lawyers for the prosecution and defence can merely ask complementary questions. The Royal Commission stated that It is important not to overstate the differences between the two systems because all adversarial systems contain inquisitorial elements and vice versa (Runciman, 1993). The court was not interested in the truth; it just had to decide whether punishment has been applied beyond all rational doubt. Therefore, it is not surprising that confession evidence had priority and investigators relied on a confession within the investigation process. Certainly, investigators focused on a confession and to attain a confession used coercive methods, allowing the investigation team to move on to the next case. False confessions lead to false convictions, thus police officers reproduced miscarriages of justice within their behaviour and interviewing tactics (Newburn, Williamson and Wright, 2007). False confessions lead to false convictions In the UK and other countries, a number of miscarriages of justice have established that false confessions occur and a large number of these are due to factors which exist within the interview context. Kassin and McNall (1991) analysed the tactics described by Inbau, Reid and Buckley (1986) which lead to false confessions; and found two categories: maximisation, where interviewers use scare tactics to intimidate a suspect believe to be guilty and minimisation, where interviewers underrate the offence seriousness and charges. Three categories of false confessions were identified by Gudjonsson and MacKeith (1988) and expanded by Shepherd (1996). These categories are as follows: Voluntary false confession Voluntary false confessions occur when the interviewee falsely confesses for personal reason without pressure. Possible reasons that suspect give false confession are: to exempt feelings of guilt about a real or imagined crime or situation in the past (this is most possible to happen for people with depression, Gudjonsson, 1992). To pre-empt further investigation of a more serious offence; to cover up the real culprit; to gain notoriety- a wish to become infamous and to enhance ones self esteem; an inability to distinguish reality from imagination(people with schizophrenia); to take a revenge on another and to hide other non criminal actions. Coerced-compliant false confession Coerced-compliant false confessions arise when the interviewee agrees to make a confession in order to make some kind of gain. This category of false confession occur from social influence factor; compliance. Compliance is a change in ones behaviour for contributory purposes, it is first found in Aschs (1956) primary studies of conformity and Milgrams (1974) research on obedience to authority. Interviewee sees the short term advantages of confessing (being released) outweighing the long term costs (such as prosecution and imprisonment). People, who are passable to compliance such as people with learning disabilities, may be especially vulnerable to this type of false confession. Coerced-internalised false confession The last category is a coerced-internalised false confession in such cases suspects come to believe that they are guilty because they no longer trust their own memory of certain details. This type of false confession derives from a cognitive effect and refers to the internal acceptance of beliefs held by others. An interviewee who is anxious, tired and confused actually comes to believe he or she committed the crime. The suspects memory may be altered in interviewing process. This can be linked to the false memory syndrome. The memory distrust syndrome concerns interviewees who distrust their own memory and consequently depend on external guide for information (in this particular situation -interviewer, Wolchover Heaton-Amstrong, 1996). This syndrome can be explained in two ways. The first relates to amnesia or memory damage. The interviewee has no clear memory and does not remember if he committed the crime or not. Also he or she does not remember what exactly happened the time of the crime. This may be due to amnesia or alcohol induced memory problems. The second way occurs when the interviewee is aware that he or she did not commit the crime and when the interviewer makes cases, manipulates the interviewee with suggestions. The suspect mistrusts his or her self and start thinking if he or she committed the crime. Ofshe (1989), stated that three common personality characteristics are situated on people who give this type of false confessions. They trust in people of authority, lack of self confidence and heightened suggestibility. Gudjonsson (1997) also argued, the false belief and false memories in cases of coerced- internalised false confession are most commonly developed as a result of manipulative interviewing techniques. Gudjonsson and Clark (1986) also introduced the theory of suggestibility which is a theoretical model of interrogative suggestibility and arises from a social cognitive viewpoint. It is argued, that most people would be susceptible to suggestions if the necessary conditions of uncertainty, interpersonal trust and heightened expectations are present. Implicit in such a model is the assumption that interrogative suggestibility is a distinct type of suggestibility. Gudjonsson also points out that; suggestibility is, to a certain extent, influenced by situational factors and experience. IS is defined as the extent to which, within a closed social interaction, people come to accept messages communicated during formal questioning, as a result of which their su bsequent behavioural response is affected (Gudjonsson and Clark, 1986). The IS is comprise two separate susceptibilities: to yield to leading questions, where yielding regards to the reliability of testimony and closely reflects memory processes; and to shift the primary answer in response to negative feedback, where shifting is related to coping process which are mainly affected by personality traits and experience (convicted in past, Gudjonsson, 1992). The literature on miscarriages of justice highlights the role of coercion in obtaining confessions and the problem with convictions based only or mainly on confessions. Using unfair means and tactics to secure a conviction is sometimes known as noble cause corruption. That is to say, so strong is the desire to achieve a correct conviction that any means to that end are justified. The adversarial process combined with the pressure for a quick result creates noble cause corruption. Resounding examples are Guildford Four and Birmingham Six, which have been described in newspapers as the worst miscarriages of justice in England in the last century. The Guildford four took palce on 5 October 1974, in which members of the Irish Republican Army planted bombs in two public houses in Guildford, Surrey: the Horse Groom and the Seven Stars. The attacks left five people killed and over 100 injured. Kennedy (1989) describes how Conlon, came to sign his confession and what previously happened. Pol ice officers were violent and immoral. As Conlon stated I was crying and frightened. Simmons said if I didnt make a statement, he would ring Belfast first thing in the morning and I would never see my mother or sister again. The last of my resistance shattered when he said this. I was crying and shaking uncontrollably. I said my family hadnt done anything. I fell apart. Simmons said what happened to my family was up to me. I said I would make a statement like they wanted, but it wouldnt be true as I really didnt do it (Kennedy, 1989). The four men spent 15 years in prison before the case was overturned in 1989 after a new police investigation had found serious flaws in the way Surrey police noted the confessions of the four: that the notes taken were not written up immediately and officers may have colluded in the wording of the statements (Gudjonsson, 2003). Another event happened as it was called The Birmingham Six, after one month when Guildford four took place, namely on 21 Nove mber 1974. Two public houses In Birmingham were bombed by the IRA in which 21 people were killed and more than 160 were injured. Six men were convicted for this crime and they were released after 16 years (in 1991) Scientists admitted in court that forensic tests which were originally said to confirm two of the six had been handling explosives could have produced the same results from handling cigarettes (Gudjonsson,2003). In Guildford four, the confessions that had been central of their conviction in 1975 were shown to be unreliable and in, sometimes fabricated. In the second case, Birmingham Six, the confession was discredited. Thomas Heron, who was on trial for the murder of a young girl, was acquitted when the interviews, which led to his confession, were dismissed by the trial judge as oppressive. In this case interviews were recorded in compare of Guildford Four and Birmingham Six in which the interviews were not recorded. The Police Studies Institute Report found (1983) that the most widespread opinion about police interviewing and the most popular police misconduct is that police officers threatening and the use of unfair pressure. Around fifty percent of the respondents believed that police use threats and pressure at least sometimes but the more important is twenty five percent thought that it often happens and this was a usual behaviour of police officers. A de facto percentage of Londoners believed that other kinds of misconduct happened at least once in a while. Around ten percent of Londoners thought police officers fabricate evidence and use inexcusable violence on people were detained at police stations. The findings of this research showed the public perception which was negative and critical against police. . The majority of Londoners had serious doubt about police conduct. People did not trust police interviewing, it showed that there was a complete lack of confidence and reliability (Smit h 1983: 325). One third of young white people thought the police often used threats or unreasonable pressure during custodial questioning while 62 per cent of young people of West Indian descent believed that they did so. Therefore, people were critical of police where they had a high degree of conduct with the police or they were subject to a high level of victimisation (Jones et al, 1986). The successful appeals of Guildford Four and Birmingham Six and the acquittal of Heron received widespread publicity and brought heavy criticism of the police and affected public opinion. A general public survey found that 73 per cent of the participants believed that the police broke the rules to obtain convictions (Williamson, 1991). By 1993 police interviews were described as a grave concern (Shepherd 1993). These surveys provide a rich picture of the nature and quality of the relationship between the citizen and the police in the past (Williamson, 2005). By the 1970s and 1980s in England and Wales it was clear that the legitimacy of the criminal justice system was at stake. Something had to be done. This became the focus of policy making. Such were the concerns that the Royal Commission on Criminal Procedure (1981) was set up, in turn leading to the passing in 1984 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) a key piece of legislation to monitor, amongst other things, the integrity of evidence production (Maguire, 2003) Through PACE (enacted 1986), police interviews with suspects were to be tape-recorded. This, it was hoped, meant the old regime of police investigations would be brought to an end and police interviews should be open to scrutiny (Lea, 2004). PACE suggested that investigation should separate from prosecution and should have an independent investigation service. Scientists with educational background should work in these laboratories and help the police to investigations and police officers had to be trained. All pol ice manuals are based on experience rather than objective and scientific data. Experience is invaluable to police work and its usefulness is illustrated by the effectiveness of the techniques recommended. However, relying solely upon experience in determining procedure may create serious pitfalls and fail to bring to light important facts about human behaviour, such as the susceptibility of some suspects to give erroneous information when placed under interviewing pressure. What is needed is more research into the effectiveness and pitfalls of different interviewing techniques. Also they argued that forensic laboratories should be independent from police. Home Office Circular 22/1992 provides the following seven principles of investigative interviewing: 1. The role of investigative interviewing is to obtain accurate and reliable information from suspects, witnesses or victims in order to discover the truth about matters under police investigation. 2. Investigative interviewing should be approached with an open mind. Information obtained from the person who is being interviewed should always be tested against what the interviewing officer already knows or what can reasonably be established. 3. When questioning anyone a police officer must act fairly in the circumstances of each individual case. 4. The police interviewer is not bound to accept the first answer given. Questioning is not unfair merely because it is persistent. 5. Even when the right to silence is exercised by a suspect the police still have a right to put questions. 6. When conducting an interview, police officers are free to ask questions in order to establish the truth; except for interviews with child victims of sexual or violent abuse which are to be used in criminal proceedings, they are not constrained by the rules applied to lawyers in court. 7. Vulnerable people, whether victims, witnesses or suspects, must be treated with particular consideration at all times. Questioning also may be considered oppressive if the officer asks: multiple questions (i.e. several questions rolled into one); ambiguous questions (i.e. where the potential answers have more than one meaning); irrelevant questions (i.e. questions which have no logical connection with the police enquiry); questions concerning other offences; hypothetical questions; questions based on dubious or non-existent evidence; questions concerning a co-suspect. (Home Office Circular 22/1992) The effectiveness of Pace is debatable, on the one hand McConville and colleagues suggested in 1991 that little of police interviews had changed especially in relation to interrogative suggestibility. Namely, the tape recording of interviews had not changed the power relations in the whole interview process, principally the fact that Interrogation takes place in an environment which increases the vulnerability of the suspect and maximises the authority and control of the police (1991, p78). On the other hand, Ede and Shepherd (2000, p109) stated that tape recording of PACE interviews led to a sharp decline in forceful interviewing and revealed the widespread ineptitude of police officers in the interviewing role In the same concept Milne and Bull (2003) report experience officers views. Since the 1986 introduction of PACE regarding audio-taping interviews with suspects, police interviews have become better planned, more structured, and the use of trickery and deceit has all but vanis hed (p121) . PACE appears to have markedly reduced the number of manipulative and persuasive techniques that police officers use when interrogating suspects, except perhaps in the most serious cases (Milne and Bull, 1999). Interestingly, there appears to have been no overall effects on the confession rate of suspects. The reason that police interviewing was still poor (Baldwin, 1992) was because of police role in the investigation of offences was still one of persuading suspects to confess rather than engaging in a process of inquiry, which was a search for the truth. The persistence on confession evidence also meant that witness and victims were often ignored, not seen as an important part of the investigation process, consequently were not interviewed methodically and so were not capable to present all the information they were competent of giving as evidence (Adler and Grey, 2010). Obviously, there was a need for a change of investigative interviewing to meet the ideals of the new legislation and to prevent challenges to the evidence achieved through questioning. This constituted in the establishment of a national committee on investigative interviewing that involved police officers, lawyers and psychologists. That result was the beginning of the PEACE interviewing model (Milne et al, 2007).

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Mental Capacity and Informed Consent to Receive Treatment

Mental Capacity and Informed Consent to Receive Treatment Legal, Ethical and Professional issues surrounding mental capacity and informed consent to receive treatment Throughout this essay, we will be reviewing and discussing the legal, ethical and professional issues associated with two key aspects of paramedic practice, these are mental capacity and the ability to provide informed consent to treatment and intervention. As the title suggests, the essay will be broken down into three separate sections which will individually relate to the topics in hand. The legal section will focus on how legislation affects the two stated aspects. The professional aspect will cover how mental capacity and informed consent can create professional issues for the paramedic, whilst the final part of the essay will focus on relating the four principles of ethics to the topics which are discussed in this essay. The regulator for Paramedics, the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) sets out standards of conduct, performance and ethics which states that you must make sure that you have consent from service users or other appropriate authority before you provide care, treatment or other services (HCPC, 2016). There are four principles of ethics will be related to throughout the essay and explanations for these principles are found in appendix A of the essay (UKCEN, 2011). Legally, it is always necessary to seek informed consent before beginning treatment and intervention, except in certain circumstances which will be detailed later in this essay. The department of healths guidance on consent states that consent is a general, legal and ethical principle which must be obtained before starting treatment or physical investigation (Dept. of Health, 2009). If a clinician were to being treatment/care without the informed consent of the patient, the patient may be able to present a case of battery against the clinician. Most cases where the clinician has failed in the process of gaining consent have been due to not thoroughly explaining risks; this can lead to medical negligence as the recipient of care would not be expecting the associated risks. (Laurie et al, 2016). In legislation in the United Kingdom, there is a standardised examination called the Bolam Test which needs to have its criteria fulfilled in order to prove that medical negligence has taken pl ace. The Bolam test involves a group of peers from the same profession as the clinical reviewing the procedure which the patient may see as being negligent (The Royal College of Surgeons of England, 2016). In terms of the paramedic profession, the regulator will provide peers in order to conduct the Bolam test (HCPC, 2016). In some situations, it is very difficult to gain consent before beginning patient treatment, this can be for various reasons such as the patient being unconscious. In this situation, Paramedics/Healthcare providers are able to use the doctrine of necessity which allows them to provide initial life-saving interventions in order to save life/limb when the individual receiving the care is unable to provide informed consent (Hartman K, et al, 1999). The Mental Capacity act 1983 provides the main legal basis for providing guidance and regulation on whether an individual over the age of eighteen would be seen to have or lack mental capacity, it defines a person who lacks capacity as a person who at the time of assessment is unable to make a decision for himself in relation to the matter because of an impairment of, or a disturbance in the functioning of, the mind or brain. (Mental Capacity Act, 2005). The Mental Capacity act was created to safeguard and give power to individuals which may lack the capacity to make informed decisions about care and treatments (Brown M, 2014). The legislation in place provides clear guidance on how to safely identify when an individual lacks capacity and the rights of the individual which lacks capacity. Paramedics use a standardised approach when assessing whether an individual lacks mental capacity, this is known as the two-stage test of capacity (Dept. of Constitutional Affairs, 2007). The first stage of the test involves investigating whether there is cause to believe that there is an impairment in the function of the individuals cognitive functioning. There are many different reasons why there may be a disruption in the functioning of the mind, which can include but is not limited to: Dementia, Head injury, Stroke, Intoxication and learning difficulties (Dept. of Constitutional Affairs, 2007) . Stage two of the mental capacity assessment requires the clinician to evaluate whether the disturbance outlined from stage one causes the individual to be unable to make a specific decision with regards to their treatment, this is assessed by providing the individual with information regarding their condition and then asking them to repeat it at a later time so that the clinician is confident the patient is able to retain the information (Dept. of Constitutional Affairs, 2007). The Mental Capacity Act 2005 contains five principles which underpin the act and must always be applied i n the process of evaluating whether an individual may lack capacity, the five principles are explained in more detail in appendix B. Ethically, when a patient is deemed to not lack capacity, they are then in a position where they may be able to provide informed consent to treatment. For the patient to have informed consent they must have received or have the four components needed to make informed consent. The patient must have the capacity to make the decision. The Paramedic must fully explain the treatment, the side effects of the treatment, the risks of having the treatment and the risks of not having the treatment whilst also explaining the probability of said risks occurring. The patient must fully understand the information that has been given to them by the Paramedic and the patient must then voluntarily give consent to treatment without coercion from a third party such as a relative, friend, or the health care provider (David, 2010). In healthcare, the idea of consent may be sometimes misunderstood as doing what the doctor says which, in modern days, is not the case. There has been debate as to whether con sent was sought in the past, due to the fact the patient placed trust in the physicians beneficence (aim to reduce harm to the patient) and non-maleficence (doing no harm to patients intentionally) and therefore trusted in what the clinician was doing (Habiba, 2000). Beneficence and non-maleficence are two of the four ethical principles. The assessment of whether someone lacks mental capacity is vital in the Paramedics ability to use alternative pathways and referral systems. As Paramedics are highly skilled, autonomous practitioners and work in a variety of out-of-hospital areas, such as public places, patients own homes, and residential care settings, it sometimes proves more relevant to discharge patients from care on scene (Ball, 2005). To do this safely, in a way which will cause no further harm for the patient, the patient must have mental capacity to make their own decisions regarding their care and treatment. The key definition of mental capacity comes from the Mental Capacity Act (2005) which states that capacity is the ability of an individual to make their own decisions regarding specific elements of their life (Mental Capacity Act, 2005). Patients are only able to give informed consent to treatment/intervention if they have mental capacity and therefore it is imperative that Paramedics can effectively ass ess whether a patient lacks capacity. In assessing whether an individual lacks mental capacity, the paramedic is showing respect for the patients autonomy which is one of the four ethical principles. In terms of professional issues, the ability to provide informed consent can seriously affect the way in which Paramedics treat and advise patient. An example of this comes from a 2009 case in which an individual drank anti-freeze and then presented the ambulance crew with a letter, clearly stating that she did not consent to lifesaving intervention but did consent to analgesics in order to comfort her. Through the letter (which can be read and has been annotated in appendix C), the individual displayed she had full mental capacity to make her own decision and also accepted the responsibility for the outcomes of not receiving care (Armstrong W, 2009). In the context of a time critical situation where a decision would need to be made with regards to giving lifesaving saving intervention and withholding it, it can be sometimes difficult for the Paramedic to gather sufficient evidence that the patient (who may lack mental capacity) has created a living will, or that there is an advanced decision to refuse treatment (ADRT) put in place which clearly outlines the patients wishes (what they do and do not consent to) when it comes to end of life care. In the absence of this (or absence of any evidence of this) ambulance staff may be forced to act in the patients best interests. In the context of ambulance staff, the best interests of the patients may be difficult to decide as very little background may be available to the attending paramedic, however if the health care professional is unaware of any ADRT and has taken all reasonable steps in the time available to discover whether an ADRT is in place in the time frame available to them, the clinician making the decision will be protected from liability (Dept. of Constitutional Affairs, 2007). The HCPC states in their standards of conduct, performance and ethics that competent individuals have the right to refuse treatment and that this right must be respected (HCPC, 2016). Whether an individual is deemed to lack or have capacity can sometimes present similar professional issues to informed consent in terms of paramedic practice. For the individual who lacks capacity, it can be a very stressful time as they may be confused, disorientated or feel as though they have little control over what is happening to them. The Mental Capacity Act states that nobody has the right to deprive someone of their liberty except in situations where they lack capacity and it is necessary to give life-sustaining treatment or to prevent a serious deterioration in their condition. In this situation, any restraint used must be proportionate to the risks to the person from inaction (Mental Capacity Act, 2005). There are no additional rights or authority for paramedics to act in this situation, but if there was cause to believe that there was serious risk to an individuals life and that they lacked capacity, it would be within the Paramedics rights to act in such a way to protect the individual from further harming themselves or provide life sustaining treatment in the event of lack of capacity. Furthermore, the standards of conduct, performance and ethics provided by the health care professions council states that registrants must take all reasonable steps to reduce the risk of harm to service users (HCPC, 2016), therefore if a registrant were to stand aside and allow an individual who lacked capacity to cause harm to themselves or to further deteriorate, they may be at risk of committing an act of omission or even committing wilful neglect which can constitute a criminal offence. In conclusion, the professional issues surrounding informed consent and mental capacity are applied in every single incident a paramedic may attend and are closely linked. A failure to recognise a lack in mental capacity or gain informed consent may cause detrimental legal and professional repercussions for both the clinician and service user. Although Paramedics are able to seek further advice from sources such as the local police force, senior members of ambulance staff, and general practitioners in order to safeguard their practice, a good working knowledge of the policies and procedures surrounding the issues mentioned in this essay will provide a good basis for gaining informed consent, the assessment of mental capacity and management of service users who lack capacity in the pre-hospital urgent care environment. Reference List Armstrong W, (2009) Kerrie Wooltorton Inquest Held 28 September 2009 Notes of Extracts From Summing Up By Coroner William Armstrong HM Coroner Norfolk District (page 1) Ball L . (2005). Setting the scene for the paramedic in primary care: a review of the literature. Emergency Medicine Journal. 22 (12), p896-900. Brown M. (2014). Should we change the Mental Health Act 1983 for emergency services?. British Journal of Mental Health Nursing. 3 (3), P114-115. Department for Constitutional Affairs. (2007). Mental Capacity Act 2005 Code of Practice. Available: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/497253/Mental-capacity-act-code-of-practice.pdf. Last accessed 11th Mar 2017. Department of Health (2009). Reference guide to consent for examination or treatment. London: Her Majestys Stationary Office. Habiba, M. (2000). Examining consent within the patient-doctor relationship. Journal of Medical Ethics. 26 (5), p183-187. Hartman K, Liang b. (1999). Exceptions to Informed Consent. Hospital Physician. 6 (3), p53 59. Health and Care Professions Council. (2016). Standards of conduct, performance and ethics. Available: http://www.hcpc-uk.org/assets/documents/10004EDFStandardsofconduct,performanceandethics.pdf. Last accessed 1st Mar 2017. Health Care Professions Council. (2016). What happens if a concern is raised about me?. Available: http://www.hpc-uk.org/assets/documents/100008E2HPC_What_happens_if.pdf. Last accessed 8th Mar 2017. Laurie GT, Harmon HE and Porter G (2016). Mason and McCall Smiths Law and Medical Ethics (10th Edition). Oxford University Press. Oxford. Mental Capacity Act (2005) . Available: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/9/section/2. Last accessed 11th Mar 2017. Sibson, L. (2010). Informed consent. Journal Of Paramedic Practice. 2 (5), p189. The Royal College of Surgeons of England. (2016). Consent: Supported Decision-Making. London: Professional and Clinical Standards. UKCEN. (2011). Ethical Frameworks. Available: http://www.ukcen.net/ethical_issues/ethical_frameworks/the_four_principles_of_biomedical_ethics. Last accessed 13th Mar 2016. Appendix A The four principles of medical ethics Respect for autonomy This principle involves respecting the decision-making capabilities of the service users and providing reasonable assistance in order to make informed choices regarding their care. Beneficence This principle considers the weighing up of the associated risks and costs of treatments against the benefits and likely outcomes. Paramedics should always aim to act in a way which benefits the patient Non-maleficence This principle surrounds the need for paramedics and other health care professionals to avoid causing harm to the individual. Although all treatments involve some level of harm, this should not be disproportionate to the benefits which are as a result of intervention. Justice This principle is about distributing treatments available to each individual fairly and not favouring one service user over the other by means of extra treatments/intervention. UKCEN, 2011 Appendix B The Five Key Principles of the Mental Capacity Act Presumption of capacity This principles states that an individual adult should always be presumed to have full mental capacity until they are proven otherwise. A presumption of capacity should not be made as a result of an individual having a certain medical condition or disability. Individuals being supported to make their own decisions This principle states that individuals should be supported in every possible way to make their own decision before they are deemed to lack capacity. It also means that if it is deemed the individual does lack capacity that they should still be involved in the decision-making process. Unwise decisions This principle states that the individual has the right to make unwise decisions and that the assumption the person lacks capacity should not be made based on a decision. This is due to a difference in cultural values, beliefs and preferences. Best interests This principle states that an individual who lacks capacity is entitled to the decisions which are made on their behalf are done solely in their best interests Less restrictive option This principle states that the individual who makes decisions on behalf of the incapacitated person must make decisions which will have the least effect on the individuals rights and freedoms. Mental Capacity Act, 2005 Appendix C Kerrie Wooltorton Advanced Decisions Letter Armstrong W, (2009)Â  

Monday, August 19, 2019

The Great Depression Essay -- American History

The causes and far-reaching effects of The Great Depression are examined. Discussion includes its impact on both American cultures and nations around the world. The role of World War II and the New Deal in overcoming the Depression are explored. The Great Depression began in October 1929, when the stock market in the United States dropped rapidly. Thousands of investors lost all of their of money and were forced to live on the streets often going without food. This crash led into the Great Depression. The ensuing period of 10 years ranked as the worst period of high unemployment and low business activity in modern times. Banks, stores, and factories were closed and left millions of Americans jobless, homeless, and without food. Many people came to depend on the government or charity to provide them with food. The Depression became a worldwide business slump of the 1930's that affected almost all nations. It led to a sharp decline in world trade as each country tried to protect their own industries. The Depression led to political turmoil in many countries such as Germany where poor economic conditions helped lead to the rise of Hitler. Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected President in 1932 and his 'new deal' reforms gave the go vernment more power and helped slow the depression. The Great Depression ended as nations increased their production of war materials at the start of World War II. This increased production provided jobs and put large amounts of money back into circulation. Several factors led to the great depression. One being the lack of diversification in the American economy. The prosperity of America had been basically dependent on a few industries like construction and the automobile and in the late 20's these industr... ...l deficit and Bennett cut back on government spending. A great burden on the country was Canadian National Railway, the government had to take over many railways and from that took in a debt of over two billion dollars. After seeing president Roosevelt's New Deal policy having good results in the U.S. Bennett introduced policies based on the New Deal. Bennett started up minimum wage and unemployment insurance. However Bennetts attempts to revive the economy were not nearly as successful as Roosevelt's. as a result the depression was worse in Canada than in the U.S., and this led to the defeat of Bennett in the 1935 election to liberal Mackenzie King. Like in the U.S. the Great Depression did not end until the outbreak of the second world war. A boost in the economy was created by a strong demand of Canadian goods in Europe and an increase of government spending.(ibid)

Sunday, August 18, 2019

The Benefits of Attending an Inner-City School :: Personal Narrative Essays

The Advantages of Attending an Inner-City School Imagine having a gun stare you straight in the face. What do you do? How do you react? Luckily most people do not have to face a situation like this in their lives. However, this happened to me once while walking to my high school which is located in the middle of a large city. Another young man who was walking past me decided to show off in front of his friends and show them how "manly" he really was. Without saying a word, he walked up to me and began punching me. Once I began fighting back, he pulled out a gun and pointed it straight at me. After seeing this, I ran as fast as I could towards my school, hearing the group of boys laughing hysterically behind me. While this occurrence by no means typifies St. Ignatius High School, going to school did prove to be dangerous at times. While most people hold the belief that inner-city schools can only hinder the learning process, I would argue that these schools provide experiences which enrich one's education simply because of their loc ation in the city. To clarify this point, I must first describe the ways in which Saint Ignatius High School is different from the typical inner-city school. Most people define inner-city schools as institutions which are in the city and have a comparatively inferior education system. This private, Catholic institution consists mostly of white students who come from wealthy families. Although Saint Ignatius is in the city, it also gives its students one of the best educations in the state. In fact, the surrounding city contrasts the school in almost every way. Robberies and fights occur almost daily in this poor area of the city. Mexicans make up the majority of the residents in the surrounding neighborhood. The minute I stepped off the campus of the school, I realized I had entered an entirely new world. Society usually tends to focus on the negative side of inner-city schools. Many people like to stereotype these schools which, while these generalizations may be true in some cases, tend to be exaggerated most of the time. People think that the students of these schools receive inferior educations. My school is regarded as one of the best in the state. People also believe that violence occurs on a daily basis, both in the school itself and in the surrounding city.

Free Essays - The Mirage in The Great Gatsby :: Great Gatsby Essays

The Mirage in The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is a book of love and tragedy that all leads back to dreams and ideas, but never reality. Gatsby is a man of great wealth and is truly rich. Or is he? The Great Gatsby has many disguises that play a major role in several characters' lives, but mostly Gatsby's'. Gatsby believes that he will be very successful and get what he wants, including Daisy, if he is rich. He succeeded in getting money and living a life of luxury, but is never truly rich. He is always so set on the future and what things could be if this, or if that happens, that he never lives in the present. Because Gatsby never lives in the present, he ends up doing that permanently, and by the end of the book, he lives no more. When Gatsby was alive, he seemed never to be happy, because he was never satisfied with himself; Gatsby tried to change himself. He always tried to reach for his vision, which is represented by the green light, but never seemed to achieve it because he didn't ever live in the life he had; Gatsby lived in the life he wanted. F. Scott Fitzgerald uses green light to represent the unreachable dream in the future that is always being sought after and wanted by Gatsby, but never obtained. In The Great Gatsby, the green light is visible to many and always distant. To some, like Tom, it is just a light, but to others, like Gatsby, it is their hopeful future. As Tom said in chapter one, "I glanced seaward-and distinguished nothing except a green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of the dock. When I looked once more for Gatsby he had vanished, and I was alone again in the unquiet darkness"(Gatsby 26). He saw a green light. That is all, just a light that may have been at the end of the dock. When Gatsby vanished, this represented him approaching and trying to attain the green light, which was his future he sought after and believed in. As Marius Bewley agrees, the green light represents his faith, "An image of that green light, symbol of Gatsby's faith, burns across the bay,"(Bewley 24).

Saturday, August 17, 2019

An “Essay” On Child Labour

Human trafficking is described as the â€Å"trade in humans†. Common trade purposes include sexual slavery, surrogacy, forced labour and extraction of organs or tissues. Child labour is described as a form of work that can be hazardous towards their development and education, and could damage their physical and mental health. Some examples include the illegal drug trade, prostitution and forced recruitment for armed conflict. Trafficking represents an estimated $32 billion a year in international trade.In 2008, the United Nations estimated that almost 2.5 million from 127 different countries are being trafficked into 137 other countries all over the world. Another report also estimated that 12. 3 million people were working as forced labourers or were sex slaves, and that 98% of them were women. Along the Ivory Coast in Africa, many children are working in cocoa fields or plants. Most of them were told that they would be paid if they would work for their company and that the m oney earned would go back to their family, which convinced many to through with the process.They were brought out of their village, and thought they were going on an adventure and that it would be a fun and exciting experience. But when they arrived, they realised that they were far away from home, and that it wouldn't be as fun as they had imagined. According to the BBC, approximately 1. 8 million children in West Africa are working in the cocoa industry. The chocolate industry is worth more than ?56. 5 billion a year and 40% of the people working on the Ivory Coast live below the poverty line.Children have been seen at risk while holding various weapons and pesticides and are forced to work from early in the morning to late at night non-stop. The standards of living for the workers are horrible. They sleep in a small, crowded area with other workers where the floor is often damp with urine, making it hard for them to breathe. They get fed just enough to keep them alive and it is i mpossible to escape. They do not earn money and will be lucky if they ever see their parents or family members again.Experiences like these leave a victim with man bad memories that they will never be able to forget. Many could end up suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder, and will get unwanted flashbacks. Human trafficking and child labour affects victims both physically and mentally, and needs to be abolished as soon as possible. The way they are treated is not how they should be and this needs to be dealt with immediately.

Friday, August 16, 2019

My character, Miss Torso Essay

My character, Miss Torso is outgoing and full of life. She has a passion for dancing and it finds a way into every aspect of her life. She dances whilst making breakfast and entertains male guests as it is highly amusing. The enthusiasm I embody cannot be faked and is clearly seen in the opening scenes. Hitchcock, my director manipulates my character and her personality to be overtly sexualised and purely for the viewing of male counterparts. I resent the portrayal of my character having to rely on the affection of men to be happy. Yes, I enjoy the company and the entertainment they provide but I do not need it to survive or to find happiness. Not only are the women in the film presented as highly attractive and submissive to men, they are given the stereotype of women being needy and reliant on men. However if you look closely at the film you will see that if it weren’t for the women, the mystery of the murder would never have been uncovered. Crucial female characters found many clues, pieced together the events within the crime and risked their lives with absolutely no recognition. Lisa, who could have had a strong relationship with Miss Torso given the opportunity could have helped further the investigation. With the understanding that the genre relies heavily on these stereotypes to recognise crime fiction they should be re-evaluated as the times have changed. Women have fought relentlessly to attain rights and equality which should be represented within this film. I feel my character was merely a device for Hitchcock to exemplify his themes of voyeurism and women being the subject of the male gaze. As even her name is characterised after her body it highlights the stereotype that women are simply at appease the male counterparts. My part within the film is that of being a doppelganger to Lisa. I highlight the traits of an attractive female in this time period. These being that without a man you are lost and that your happiness depends solely on the comfort and reliance that a man provides. With this I find utterly absurd as both Lisa and I live by ourselves and manage our lives to our satisfaction. The affection I receive from males by entertaining are all for my pleasure. In the film however this is not how it is portrayed; rather than for my amusement and independence it is depicted as my reliance on men. I resent this portrayal as it is far from what I feel. This all returns back to the murder of Mrs Thorwald. The assumption is made that she was a whinging wife that was bedridden and could not perform the daily duties that are expected thus leading to her murder. The whole concept of marriage is burdened with negative connotations throughout the film. Even the newlywed couple who are blissfully on their honeymoon depict this when at the end of the film the husband is seen looking out the window with distain towards his wife. It is almost seen as acceptable that the wife is murdered as not even the professional detective will take the case seriously. My character portrays a woman reliant of men with her quality of life being completely due to male involvement. This is a huge misinterpretation of the strong, independent and charismatic woman that she actually is. These traits need to be highlighted rather than subverted as a means of accentuating the theme of females being subject to the male gaze.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Response to George Orwell’s Shooting an Elephant

Although many people believe that racism has disappeared from our minds after all those solutions of trying to set equal rights in the world’s history, it still exists today, and will probably never vanish from our thinking. Some may clearly express it, whereas others may express racism unnoticeably, even to themselves. George Orwell, in â€Å"Shooting an Elephant†, tells a story of his past when he killed an elephant in order to please the Burmese crowd. At the time, Orwell was a white Indian Imperial Police officer who was disliked by the country's natives due to the fact that he was European. One day, he heard of an elephant's doing of ravaging the town, so he ran to the scene with a rifle. When he finally arrived, he found himself observing a peacefully feeding elephant while a huge crowd of Burmans gathered excitedly to observe his future action. Even though he does not feel it right to shoot the elephant, he has this huge, unavoidable pressure from the Burmese crowd. Eventually, his final decision was to shoot the elephant and satisfy the natives' hunger for excitement. Although the situation must have been difficult from Orwell's perspective, his action of killing the elephant cannot be justified. George Orwell's situation was definitely burdensome, looking from his perspective. He had his beliefs and feelings; yet, he vividly felt the pressure dawning on him as the natives assembled at the scene, eagerly and impatiently waiting for him to simply shoot the elephant. Especially for a person who â€Å"was all for the Burmese and all against their oppressors, the British,† he must have experienced an unbearable moment of making a decision. We all experience such burdensome pressure numerous times, starting from school as a kid. Students have such thing called peer pressure, where you are usually forced to do make a decision of whether or not to follow others' ways. Whether in academic studies, sports, or social life, they always tend to end up following others' beliefs and ways. For instance, peer pressure is the reason why the number of students who smoke since young age is rapidly increasing. However, conforming to others' beliefs and ways means that person is lacking self-confidence and self-respect. In order to survive this world at least a little more joyfully, people must follow their own beliefs and practices as many times as possible. Even though he had his belief about killing the elephant, Orwell purely abandoned the idea of following his way, and concentrated on how to please the natives. Only after he carried out the action did he admit that he â€Å"had done it solely to avoid looking a fool,† meaning he had no self-confidence or self-respect. In fact, by doing so what he decided to do, Orwell became a fool who was too afraid to speak out his belief: that the elephant does not deserve to be killed. As Orwell states, â€Å"he wears a mask, and his face grows to fit it. † Basically, people first hide their belief and conform to others’, then without knowing, they become to be one of them completely, losing their true selves. Following our own moral beliefs does not mean we must be ignorant of all outside beliefs. In other words, ignoring rules while living in a country with differing beliefs and laws is definitely a foolish act. For example, when I lived in Saudi Arabia, the national law forced us to wear black veils – called abbaya – like the local women outside home, and both the law and their belief forbid us to drink any kind of alcohol. Needless to say, we should not be fools as to go against any national laws to end up in prison, but our personal beliefs must still be kept safe. Furthermore, although Orwell faces a difficult situation, where he can either unnecessarily kill the elephant or decide not to, based on his own moral beliefs, he should have realized that he was the powerful one. Orwell explains his situation, â€Å"To come all that way, rifle in hand, with two thousand people marching at my heels, and then to trail feebly away, having done nothing – no, that was impossible. The crowd would laugh at me. And my whole life, every white man’s life in the East, was one long struggle not to be laughed at. But I did not want to shoot the elephant. † It was a situation in which he could not help but act according to the natives’ expectations. Nevertheless, readers must not forget that he was the one in control and power, with the rifle in his hands, and the natives could neither physically harm him nor report that he did the wrong thing. This meant that he really could have protected his moral values, and be ignorant of what others desperately wanted him to do since he believed the action to be wrong. The result of standing up to our own beliefs and practices can mean conflict with others who have different ones. But another consequence is faith in ourselves, self-confidence in our identity and ability to carry out those beliefs. Maintaining these will help us survive our lives more successfully, although probably not easily; on the other hand, if we continue to conform to others’ beliefs, we will come to depend only on others and have no self-respect. Overall, the action of killing the elephant by George Orwell is not justified because, despite his moral belief about not killing the elephant, he went straight against it and shot the elephant, winning the natives’ expectations, and overcoming the boundary between them, but losing his true self and his beliefs.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Iban Marriage

A young man may marry at the age of twenty-two, if he is the only child in the family. If he has brothers or sisters, he is likely to marry when he grows older. A girl usually marries at the age of eighteen. At these ages young men and women generally know how to support themselves. If a young man wants to marry he may tell his parents, so that they may choose the daughter of one of their close relatives for him. If he wishes to marry a particular girl, he may tell them so, so that they may think about it in making a final decision.If they agree to their son’s choice, they will send word regarding their intention to the girl’s parents. If the boy’s request is acceptable to the parents of the girl, then the latter may fix a day for nanya bini, when they can discuss formally the rules they will follow at the wedding of their children. A day or two prior to nanya bini, the young man’s parents will inform their relatives about the coming wedding of their son t o the girl he loves.They also request that three men and three women who are very closely related to them join them in meeting and discussing the coming marriage with the girl’s parents on the nanya bini day. The nanya bini meeting between parents of the future bride and the bridegroom may take place either during the day or at night. If it is held during the day, the young man’s parents and relatives will come early to the girl’s room. On their arrival the men are asked to take a seat on the mats which have been spread for this purpose along the girl’s family’s upper gallery, while the women are invited to take a seat in the family room.At about 10 a. m. , after the visitors have been entertained with drinks, the girl’s father calls all the people of the longhouse and his relatives who have arrived from other villages to gather at his lower gallery in order to hear his discussion with his visitors. After the people have taken their seats th e parents of the bride and the bridegroom inform their friends arid relatives that they have agreed that their son and their daughter should be married if the bridegroom’s parents agree to the payment of adat nikah (marriage price) demanded by the bride’s parents as follows: 1.A bride’s wealth of $100 to $300, depending upon the family background of the bride-to-be, and lower than $100 if she is of low birth. 2. A sigi alas muda, $4. 00, to sigi rusa, $8. 00, of bunga pinang (ceremonial wedding fee), and sigi jabir, $1. 00, to sigi panding, $2. 00 again, if the bride is of low birth. 3. One medium size brass gun (bedil) for batang pinang and one bendai gong for tandan pinang if the bride and the bridegroom are of distinguished families. People of common background would not demand the batang and tandan pinang presents from the bridegroom’s family.If the bridegroom’s parents agree to pay the marriage price, then a genealogist (tukang tusut) will rec ite the bride’s and the bridegroom’s family trees to see whether the marriage is incestuous or not. Incestuous means in this connection that the couple is kin of different generations. If their union is incestuous to this sense then the bridal parents should inform the Penghulu (district chief) that the coming marriage ceremony of their children will be celebrated with besapat ka ai or bekalih di darat depending on the category of the incest as discussed earlier (cf, pp. 29-30).At the end of the discussion of nanya bini, the groom’s parents leave a silver girdle (lampit) with the bride as a deposit to bind their promise. A day is then set for the melah pinang or marriage ceremony which must be held within three months. If it is an incestuous marriage, it must be held as soon as possible after the besapat ka ai or bekalih di darat ceremonies in order to avoid kudi (disaster). A few days after this, the groom’s parents will gather the people of their longho use to inform them that their son’s marriage has been agreed upon in discussion with the future bride’s parents.The groom’s father also tells them of the day agreed upon for the wedding festival. From this time onwards the groom’s family starts to make cakes and accumulates the derian fees. The marriage festival (melah pinang) is held in the bride’s house. About one week before the Melah Pinang festival is held, the groom’s parents again call all the people in their longhouse to meet at their gallery as they are to send the belanja (expenses) to the bride’s parents. At this meeting each family in the longhouse presents whatever money its members have agreed to con-tribute to finance the feast.After the groom’s parents have sent their belanja for the Melah Pinang feast, the girl’s parents will begin to pound rice, brew jars of tuak wine, and buy the necessary bulls, pigs and drinks for the oc ¬casion. Four to five days before the ceremony, the girl’s parents call for a meeting of people on their house gallery. At this meeting, the girl’s father enquires from the heads of each family whether they have finished making preparations for the ceremony. If all preparations have been made, then the bride’s father will inform the people of how many neighboring longhouses he intends to invite to the feast.The people of other families in the longhouse will naturally agree to this and one man is sent to invite the guests upriver while another man is sent downriver. The two men inform the guests to come to the wedding festival early that day so that their reception can be properly perfor ¬med. By this point the agreement to marry is considered binding on both par ¬ties, and compensation must be paid if either wishes to break the agreement. 1. If a young man makes a promise to discuss his marriage with a girl’s parents and fails to do so according to his promise, he is fined sigi jabir, $1. 0, and sigi panding, $2. 00, for the cost of pinang sirih wasted by the parents of the girl. If he refuses to pay the fine, the case is brought to the court of the Penghulu for further hearing. 2. If a bridegroom fails to marry his bride after the melah pinang day has been fixed, through no fault of the later, the former is fined sigi panding, $2. 00, and sigi alas, $4. 00, respectively, the later for the cost of wasted pinang sirih. If the bridegroom refuses to pay the fine, the case is brought to the Penghulu’s court for further judgment.

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Voting by Consensus in The World Trade Organization Essay

Voting by Consensus in The World Trade Organization - Essay Example The WTO was created in order to create enforceable and binding international trade rules which are critical in promoting international trade and cooperation. Just like many of the international organizations, WTO was created to improve the socio-economic wellbeing of the individual countries and that of the world in general. In particular, WTO was to achieve this goal through trade. The Ministerial Conference is the highest authority in WTO structure; the General Council is the second level within the WTO structure; the third level in WTO structure is the councils for each board of trade; below the third level are the subsidiary bodies of the higher level councils.3 As has been noted, WTO’s main objective is to create an enforceable and binding international trade rules. As such, it needs a decision-making system which is effective and with ability to resolve the often diverging interests. It is against the background of this necessity that the WTO adopted a decision-making pr ocess that is based on consensus voting system.4 Consensus voting system refers to the voting process that aims at identifying the best consensus opinion that is arrived at through a balanced system of voting. In this type of voting, each party (in this case each member country) is allowed to suggest a proposal for debate.5 During the debate session, representatives of these countries ask questions, suggest new ideas, and seek clarifications. In this system of voting, wide ranges of voting options that have been developed in consultation with stakeholders are presented. Thereafter, decision makers are invited to rank these options- an option with higher preference gets more points.6 The practice of consensus dominates the decision-making process of the WTO even though the WTO Agreement foresees circumstances where consensus cannot be achieved. Its predecessor (GATT) did not use consensus but instead used voting as a way of making decisions. The evolution of GATT to WTO resulted to t he shift from voting to consensus in the process of decision-making. The consensus voting system has worked comparatively well in the decision-making process of WTO.7 Nonetheless, this system of voting imputes that the deadlock risk and specifically the inability of a member state to legislatively respond where it is not agreeing with the panel’s interpretation or the legal interpretation of the Appellate Body.8 It has been argued that this system has intrinsically favors the status quo thereby making it difficult to effect changes. Besides, the consensus voting system has been said not to provide for influence and decision equality because not every participant has similar ability to maintain vetoes. While it is agreeable that consensus has numerous advantages, it is questionable whether this system is more democratic than the voting system that takes into account the majority rule.9 There are several instances when consensus voting system has been used in WTO’s decis ion-making processes. A case in point is the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC) that was decided upon based on consensus. The member states negotiated the pre-WTO clothing quotas of between 1974 and 1994 which had been negotiated upon bilaterally and was governed by the Multi-Fiber- Agreement

Monday, August 12, 2019

Write a para and explain what makes an advertisement effective Essay

Write a para and explain what makes an advertisement effective - Essay Example The advert should not be complicated. The target audience usually relate to adverts that are memorable and very easy to recall. The advert should then provide information succinctly and quickly (Krugman, 2013). This ensure the attention of the audience is not distorted. Moreover, the advert should not contain information that creates suspense or requires inquiries on additional information (Krugman, 2013). This may confuse the viewer thus limited effectiveness. An advert should then be able to call the viewer to action. The advert should be able to convince the viewer that they need to access the goods or services being advertised. For print adverts, four elements are required. The images used should be provocative and attractive to the viewer. The headline accompanying the images should be strong and easy to comprehend. A maximum of two paragraphs that are well written and printed are required. Lastly, the advert should consist of a logo and contact information (Krugman, 2013). From the information presented, it is accurate to assert that the most significant factor in making an advertisement effective is its ability to attract and appeal to the

Deontological Second Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Deontological Second Paper - Essay Example In order to discuss the ethical acceptability of the direct-to-consumer marketing of pharmaceutical drugs from a deontological point of view, it is good to consider Kant’s categorical imperative. The categorical imperative is the central philosophical theory in the deontological moral philosophy proposed by Immanuel Kant in his work Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals in 1785. This philosophical concept is generally accepted as a way of analyzing motivations for action. â€Å"Kant’s categorical imperative states that an action is morally right if and only we can will that the maxim (or principle) represented by our action be a universal law† (as qtd in Shaw 58). Kant strongly says that reason alone can produce a moral law and there is no need of empirical reasoning to arrive at absolute moral truth. Kant specifically tells that a moral rule should be consistently universalizable and free from internal contradiction. As Masters cite from Kant, moral rules must be based on categorical imperatives but not hypothetical imperatives (111). He adds that those rules must necessarily bind everyone unconditionally, and should not take specific goals or desires of individuals into account. Referring to Kant’s categorical imperatives, it is unethical to allow the direct-to-consumer marketing of pharmaceutical drugs. As George describes in the case study, it is clear that the pharmaceutical industry spent $1.19 billion on TV ads in 2005 (319). Although the industry leaders claim that these TV ads educate people about a variety of illnesses and keep them informed of the possible drugs to treat those illnesses, it is obvious that their actual motive is to generate more sales and to increase profits. When prescription drugs are marketed on a business motive, healthcare becomes a commodity, and the situation hurts fundamental human values. Actually, prescription