Sentencing in international law requires reasoned discrimination Essay

Sentencing in international law requires reasoned discrimination. Critically evaluate this statement with reference to role of international tribunals - Essay Example licies regarding the international criminal court (ICC).2 Various states recognised the role of ICC in a multilateral system aiming to put to end impunity and set up the rule of law in the declaration, which was adopted in the meeting. As per the declaration, it is right to say that the key role of ICC is the enforcement and inducement of compliance in regard to the specific norms of international law prohibit and prevent mass violence.3 Following the extensive perpetration of unspeakable atrocities which were the consequences of the Second World War, the international community passed an unparalleled call for justice.4 The community sought to end serious crimes via inter alia, which is adopting the convention of preventing and punishing all crime genocides, the four Geneva conventions and the principles of Nuremberg.5 Despite the fact that sentencing in domestic jurisdictions’ importance has grown over time, it still remains part of international criminal law which is undergoing construction and is likely to be unregulated in various aspects. International sentencing law and practice has not yet been defined by proper specific norms and principles under which one should be prosecuted. International judges have continued receiving little guidance on matters concerning prosecution of individuals. Yugoslavia (ICTY) and Rwanda (ICTR) are the best examples of international sentencing which can comprehensively and coherently explain how the system works. Despite the lack of credible enforcement mechanisms, violating international humanitarian laws have continued over time with glowing impunity. The international community has responded promptly by taking a joint action that involves creating an interconnection system of international justice aiming at preventing impunity for the worst atrocities likely to happen to mankind.6 This vision came into reality in 1998 when states approved and adopted the multilateral treaty by the name Rome Statute of the International

Second Vatican and the Roman Council Essay Example for Free

Second Vatican and the Roman Council Essay What changes did the Second Vatican Council made to the Roman Catholic? The Second Vatican Council that is also referred to as the Vatican II took place in 1962-1965. It is also called the 21st Roman Catholic’s ecumenical. The council was initiated by John XXIII the pope of the Roman Catholic Church and continued up to the times of Paul IV. It was specifically concerned with renewing spiritually the Roman Catholic and to address the position of the church in the whole world. This council made a number of significant changes to the Roman church especially on liturgy, church constitution, on ecumenism etc. The purpose of this research paper is to discuss in details the reforms that were made in the Roman Catholic Church. The first announced purpose of this council was to make some reforms on liturgy. This was a change that was proposed such that if implemented the laymen would be encouraged to come closer to the church and increase their participation in the church matters. This was also intended to bring as many laymen as possible to the church so that there would be diversity in terms of the languages as well as in practice. This was based on understanding that various groups in the world have different cultures thus incorporating different groups in the church was the most viable means of bringing diversity. Much emphasis was also directed on the bishops’ pastoral duties so as to differentiate their role from other administrative duties. By the time this council adjourned, the council had discussed these issues and came up with four terms and definitions of these proposed changes that were based on mutual agreement. (Flannery, A 1996) When the council convened again in September to December 1963 the sacred liturgy constitution was passed. This constitution allowed the use of local languages and increased participation of the laymen in the church rituals. (Greeley A. 2004) The second Vatican unlike the past councils was particularly concerned with the renewal of the church and to make citizens to be committed to the church matters. The past council mainly addressed the punishment issues so as to combat heresies. The council came up with what was referred as the constitutions on divine revelations, on the church on 11th November 1964 and the pastoral constitution. The liturgy constitution was after mass participation in the church matters. In this constitution, Latin language, which was being used in the past, was replaced with other vernacular dialects. This constitution also provided the common ground of dealing with Protestants, orthodox and those that were considered as non-Christians. Here the Roman Catholic departed from making harsh policies against the above mentioned groups and instead condemned all acts that were viewed as anti Semitic. The council also deployed the persecution and hatred ness against the Protestants. Generally the council reformed the past constitution something that led to increase church freedom. (Daniel-Rops H. 1962) The church constitution was concerned with the biblical understanding of the juridical model, which was in use for many years. The Roman Catholics came to be regarded as the people of God thereby asking the servant nature of follower the prime concern His touched offices like the bishop and for the priests. The constitution made a provision that would allow bishops to have collegial responsibility in church affairs. The ordinary church members were also not left out as the constitution came upon these members to be sanctified so that they would help the church in spreading the gospel to the Christians in every part of the world. The tone of the constitution on pastoral matters was clearly expressed in the opening words in the council, â€Å"Joy and hope the grief and anguish of contemporary humanity particularly of poor and afflicted. † The debate stated with theological matters affecting humanity and then shifted to other areas that affected humanity such as cultural family, economic and well as family and marriage. (McGrory, B. 2004) This church constitution had eight chapters that were referred as the Lumen Gentium and this particularly completed the work of the first Vatican. This constitution in chapter three addressed the pope’s infallibility but no big change was made except the fact that pope’s infallibility was also extended to the Roman Catholic bishops especially when they are pursuing the church doctrines. The roman primacy was also reemphasized on this constitution but of paramount concern was the bishop’s centrality, which was strongly affirmed. This was in line with the collegiality principle or sharing responsibilities. (Flannery, A 1996) This is in other words affirmed that bishops were just like the body of apostle that Peter headed. By incorporating the Episcopal collegiality, papal primacy and infallibility solved the long continued tension between the council and the. The chapter 4 of this church constitution changed the tenaciously held believe that the clergy only formed church and nobody else mattered. This belief changed so that the church came to be seen as the ‘people of God. ’ With these changes, the church phased out the old traditions and switched to the modern world church. The transition was marked by use of people from all walks of life to promulgate the gospel of Christ. They were the church’s representatives just as it was the case in the times of the Christ. This changed the long-standing belief that only nuns, monks and clergies that possessed the Christian calling. This was changed so that the Roman Catholic would spread its gospel to all areas that in the past were inaccessible. The second Vatican council while forming the second dogmatic constitution touched on the sacred traditions and the church’s functions. They were aware that though the appropriate approach in spreading the gospel was to be used, the content and the harmonization of the scripture was of prime importance. The scripture was to be interpreted depending on the sacred tradition of the Roman Catholic Church. The emphasy was placed on the biblical decree and specifically on its centrality. This council resolved that it was to be ensured that everybody had an access to the sacred scripture. (Bokenkotter T. 1979) This sacred was quickly implemented and the results were evident within a very short time and there was particularly because of the legislation of using vernacular languages in spreading the gospel unlike in the past where Latin was the only recognized language. Another reason why it spread very fast is because unlike in the past where the Roman Catholic only relied on the clergies, monks and nuns to spread the gospel, this time through the constitutional reform, laymen were also entrusted with the work of spreading the same. About the mass sacrifice there were notable changes that were made for example the celebrant was not supposed to say privately those verses that were sung by the choir or by the deacon however they were allowed to sing along with the members in reciting the ordinary of the mass such as the Gloria and the Credo. Also there was supposed to a ‘secret’ prayer to be sung either loudly or secretly prior to preface. (Ker 2002) On ecumenism, the traditional method of teaching was maintained but was dramatically adapted. It was emphasized that only through the Roman Catholic Church of the Christians that salvation would be achieved. There were notable changes especially in the way Protestants and Anglicans were viewed. In the past they were viewed as enemies and were strongly condemned but this time they started seen as Christians while the eastern orthodox was deemed as the descendants of the apostles. The Roman church stopped believed that the solution to the church division was the return of all these churches to Rome but the believed that the solution was to let all participate and fulfill what their God wanted. (Gilbert A 1968) In conclusion, we can say that the second Vatican council made some significant reforms in the Roman Catholic. This is what could be referred to as the turning point between its dark past and the modern Roman Catholic Church. The changes that were brought by this council of the 1962 up to 1965 had some positive results for example viewing Christians as people of God, primacy and infallibility of the papal and the extension of this to the bishops, the inclusion of laymen in the spread of gospel and the condemnation of the persecution against the Protestants and the Jews. Work Cited. Bokenkotter T. A Concise History of the Catholic Church. Garden City, New York: Image. 1979: 36 Daniel-Rops H. The Second Vatican Council. D. C. Pawley.1962: 78-87. Flannery, A. , ed. Vatican Council II: Constitutions, Decrees, and Declarations. Costello Pub Co. 1996: 98 Gilbert A. : The Vatican Council and the Jews. Cleveland, World Publishing Co. , 1968: 112 Greeley A. The Catholic Revolution: New Wine, Old Wineskins, and the Second Vatican Council. Berkeley: University of California Press. 2004: 122-125. Ker I. What did the Second Vatican Council do for us? 2002. Accessed at http://www. christendom-awake. org/pages/ianker/vatican2. html on March 29 2008 McGrory, B. The Parish Council Empowers People: Church, Second Vatican. Catholic New Times. 20th June, 2004: 23-27

The Shame of Cigarette Smoking in the Healthcare System :: Journalism Journalistic Essays Smoke

Smokers in scrubs: The shame of cigarette smoking in the healthcare system On a recent Thursday morning, while some hospital employees smoked cigarettes in Brigham and Women’s safe haven known as the "butt-hut," others crowded the lobby on Frances Street in Boston to check out the American Cancer Society's â€Å"The Great American Smoke-Out† event. Two women sat behind a folding table handing out informational pamphlets on smoking hazards and ways to kick the fatal habit. Several of the women and men who approached the table for information or signed up to get their lung capacity tested were wearing scrubs, a sign that cigarette smoking is still prevalent among health care employees. â€Å"Hospitals, including Dana Farber, are starting to now reimburse employees who enroll in a quit-smoking program. In some cases, they get back almost $ 500 for counseling, patches, and nicotine gum,† said Jennifer Kelly, who runs the smoking cessation program at Brigham and Women’s. The smoking cessation program is offered to both employees and the public, and provides individual and group counseling, which meets one day a week for eight weeks. Kelly explained that each hour- long session costs $10, however the fee is waived for those with free healthcare benefits or Medicare and all participants of the program receive discounts on nicotine patches and chewing gum. With several Boston area programs designed to rid the habit of the 20% of Massachusetts residence, who smoke and with hospitals practically paying their employees to quit smoking than why are 47 million adults in the U.S. still smoking cigarettes? Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances today; studies have shown that nicotine is as addictive to people as heroin, cocaine and alcohol. According to a study conducted by the American Cancer Society, in the U.S today, nicotine is the most common form of drug addiction among adults, high school students and middle-school students. While studies preformed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention have shown that cigarette smoking has declined 40% among adults ages 18 and over, between the years of 1965 and 1999 still today, nearly 26% of men and 22% of women smoke cigarettes. Dr. Laura Fredenburgh, a soft spoken and attractive woman in a white coat with her name and title embroidered on the pocket, sat at a long table on Thursday morning. She carefully explained to people the results of their free lung capacity tests that were given during the â€Å"Smoke-Out.

Vietnam Veterans and the Bitter Harvest of Agent Orange Essay example -

Vietnam Veterans and the Bitter Harvest of Agent Orange Vietnam veteran Paul Reutershan said on the Today show, â€Å"I died in Vietnam, but I didn’t even know it† (Wilcox x). For the veterans that survived the Vietnam War without major physical injuries, there were still other problems to endure. After the war, many veterans faced disapproval for fighting, serious psychological problems, and for some, diseases believed to be caused by herbicides used in the war. Many veterans didn’t even think that Agent Orange could have been the cause for their diseases since the effects show themselves many years later. Reutershan was the first to publicly attribute his diseases to the herbicide Agent Orange he was exposed to during the Vietnam War. Many veterans, along with Reutershan, sought compensation from the government for diseases they knew were caused by Agent Orange. Agent Orange was an herbicide that was widely used between 1962 and 1971 in Vietnam. The use of Agent Orange and other defoliants was referred to as Operation Ranch Hand. The objective of this operation was to defoliate the lush vegetation of Vietnam and deny cover to the Viet Cong. Agent Orange was regularly sprayed along roads and canals to prevent ambush because trucks commonly used the roads to transport supplies. Operation Ranch Hand employed 1500 soldiers who regularly sprayed defoliants by plane, helicopter, truck, riverboat, and on foot with a backpack (Dunnigan and Nofi 136). The most heavily sprayed areas were the forests near DMZ (demilitarized zone), forests at borders of Cambodia, Laos and South Vietnam, forests of north and northwest Saigon, mangrove forests on the southernmost peninsula of Vietnam, and mangrove forests along the major shipping channels ... ...i. Dirty Little Secrets of the Vietnam War: Military Information You’re Not Supposed to Know. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1999. Gibbs, Lois Marie and the Citizens Clearing House for Hazardous Waste. Dying from Dioxin: A Citizen’s Guide to Reclaiming Our Health and Rebuilding Democracy. Boston: South End Press, 1995. Gough, Michael. Dioxin, Agent Orange: The Facts. New York: Plenum Press, 1986. Morrison, William H. The Elephant and the Tiger: The Full Story of the Vietnam War. New York: Hippocrene Books, 1990. National Veterans Legal Services Program. Self help Guide On Agent Orange: Advice for Vietnam Veterans and Their Families. Washington, D.C.: NVLSP, 1997. Summers, Harry G. Jr. Vietnam War Almanac. New York: Fact on File Publications, 1985. Wilcox, Fred A. Waiting for an Army to Die: The Tragedy of Agent Orange. New York: Random House, 1983.

Care and Compassion in the Nursing Profession Essay

Honor Code: As a student, I have neither given nor received aid/help on this assignment. Caring and Compassion in the Nursing Profession Nursing is a physically and emotionally demanding job. There are six virtues that should be followed when working as a nurse. Caring and compassion can be viewed as â€Å"nursing’s most precious asset† (Schantz, 2007). Caring and compassion are two different characteristics with similar meanings. Caring is defined as showing kindness or concern for others (Oxford, 2013). Compassion is defined as sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others (Oxford, 2013). Some people choose nursing as their job because their desire to care for others. Being a caring individual allows you to make a therapeutic relationship with a patient. When a patient feels cared for; emotionally they develop trust and self-worth. Caring requires you to physically meet your patient needs. When a patient has a sense a being cared for they may be more willing to participate. Most nurses have a certain mindset as â€Å"Do unto others as you would want done unto you† (Watson, 1988). Along with caring, compassion is reason why people desire to be nurses. Compassion is not sympathy you show toward a patient in need, but rather the sympathy that causes you to act on an inner desire to help that patient (Hart, 2011). When showing compassion it’s not doing things you are accountable to do as a nurse, but doing it because you are urged to do it as a human being to make a difference. All six virtues define nursing characteristic as a whole, but caring and compassion are key things to have when treating patients as nurses. To maintain a high quality of health care revolves around caring and compassion. It makes a big difference to have compassion in your heart to  care for others. Caring and compassion can have such a good impact on a patient to warthere he/she will gain self-worth and dignity. References Caring. (n.d). In Oxford online dictionary. Retrieved from http://oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/caring Compassion. (n.d). In Oxford online dictionary. Retrieved from http://oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/compassion Hart, M. (2011). Compassion: A Necessity For Quality Nursing Care. Retrieved from http://www.anurseiam.com/show_winners.php?winning_nurses_id=57 Schantz, M. (2007). Compassion: a concept analysis. Nursing Forum, 48-55. Retrieved from http://www.nursingtimes.net/nursing-practice/clinical-zones/management/compassion-in-nursing-1-defining-identifying-and-measuring-this-essential-quality-/5006242.article Watson, J. (1988). New dimensions of human caring theory. Nursing Science Quarterly, 175-181. Retrieved from http://rnjournal.com/journal-of-nursing/caring-and-the-professional-practice-of-nursing

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic essayEssay Writing Service

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic essayEssay Writing Service Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic essay Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic essayThis quotation is one of the famous Clarke’s three laws and appeared in his essay Hazards of Prophecy: The Failure of Imagination, in  Profiles of the Future. I’ve chosen this quote because I think it is very interesting. It lets us think about a lot of things. As the technology changes so rapidly today, more and more inventions come to our life. For example, we can chat with people from any place in the world through the Internet. We can go shopping online. We can watch 3D movies in the cinema. When this technological invention had just appeared people were absolutely amazed by it. Due to the rapid progress of technology, there will be more and more unexpected inventions in the future. These inventions may be amazing and seem something magic.When I began designing this poster the first thing I considered was the typeface. Clarke’s essay was written in 1962, so I tried to find some typefa ces which did not look too modern. When we combine two typefaces the contrast is very important   and that is why I didn’t choose two similar typefaces. I tried some different matches and I hope they look harmonic. Then I thought about the image at the background. I asked one friend to stand with her hands open and made a nice picture. Next, I put an image of crystal ball in the hands using technologies of Photoshop. It is well-known that a crystal ball is one of the symbols of magic. Thus, this image symbolizes the magic. Then I used the picture with programming language as the background. This is a bright example of the modern technology. In addition, I also used an image with colorful dots. I put this image with the dots above the crystal ball – the idea was to imitate magic sparkles which are coming from the crystal ball. The meaning of this part is symbolic. These dots symbolize all good things, such as convenience, prosperity, and happiness, which modern means of technology bring us. I changed the mode and the opacity of all images so that they would harmonize with each other. In the end, I selected my favorite combination of typefaces and added them to the poster. I used the white color in the typefaces because white seems conspicuous on the dark background and it would be easier to read it and perceive the information.

Free Essays on Malcolm X

On May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska, Louise Little gave birth to a son, Malcom. Both she and Malcom's father, a Baptist preacher named Earl, were members of Marcus Garvey's Universal Negro Improvement. Including Malcom, there were eight children in the Little family. When Malcolm was an infant, his family was forced to move to Lansing, Michigan after being driven from Omaha by the Ku Klux Klan. Once in Lansing, their house was burned down by a white hate group called the Black Legionnaires. Earl Little died when Malcolm was six years old. After his father died, Malcom's mother had a mental breakdown. With no one to care for them, all eight children were sent to foster homes. Malcolm dropped out of school after the 8th grade. Soon after, he became involved in hustling, drug dealing, and burglaries. This criminal lifestyle landed him in the penitentiary where he spent six years, from 1946 to 1952. During his prison term, Malcolm turned to religion for answers. When he was re leased he became a minister for the nation of Islam. He was the national spokesman for Elijah Muhammed. The Nation of Islam grew from several hundred members to hundreds of thousands of members under Malcolm's leadership. The organization built 40 temples in the and bought 30 radio stations nationwide. The Nation of Islam recruited members from ghetto poor communities, people from the prisons, hustlers, drug dealers, pimps, prostitutes, and thieves. These people were believed to be, â€Å"ethically impoverished by white racist neglect of their fundamental needs.† These fundamental needs were "self-respect, social dignity, to understand their royal black history, and to worship and serve a black god." The Nation of Islam also believed women were a â€Å"lethal source of deception and seduction from within.† The women had to wear a modest dress, they were under close supervision of men, and they were relegated to the background. In March of 1964 Malcolm left... Free Essays on Malcolm X Free Essays on Malcolm X Malcolm X was probably one of the most controversial elements in the civil rights movement. Malcolm X had become a member of the Nation of Islam in his earlier years. The Islamic faith borrows basic ideas from the orthodox teachings of Islam and combines them with the very racist views regarding whites taught by Elijah Mohammed. Malcolm was a very influential priest for the Nation of Islam. Malcolm X questioned some of the views and beliefs of the Nation of Islam, which made Mr. Mohammed and the rest of the Nation angry. This forced Malcolm to travel on a journey overseas to find out what his true beliefs were. When he reached Arabia, he found that it was a different society than that of which Elijah Mohammed had described it. Malcolm discovered that race played no role in determining a person's status in society. Viewing this made a positive change in Malcolm X's beliefs and views. This unity of human kind made Malcolm think and change his ideas about the solution to the racial prob lem in America. This was the most influential turning point in his life. Malcolm first adopted his views and beliefs of the Nation of Islam while he was serving time in prison. By the time he had gotten out of prison, he had undergone a transformation from a drug-dealing thief to a religious priest for his newfound faith, the Nation of Islam. Malcolm had taken on in full Mr. Mohammed's racist teachings. It was through these teachings that Malcolm X developed his radical views about race in America. Under the guidance and teachings of Elijah Mohammed, Malcolm had targeted all whites and blamed them for position of African Americans in society. He referred to the whites as devils, which tried making the standards of blacks even lower then they already were. Malcolm X believed that complete segregation was the only way to end racial problems in America. He also said that all actions committed against blacks in history were due to the white race as a whole... Free Essays on Malcolm X They were black men who had a dream, but never lived to see it fulfilled. One was a man who spoke out to all humanity, but the world was not yet ready for his peaceful words, " I have a dream, a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of it's creed†¦ that all men are created equal." (Martin Luther King). The other, a man who spoke of a violent revolution, which would bring about radical change for the black race. " Anything you can think of that you want to change right now, the only way you can do it is with a ballot or a bullet. And if you're not ready to get involved with either only of those, you are satisfied with the status quo. That means we'll have to change." (Malcolm X) While Martin Luther King promoted non-violence, Civil Rights, and the end to racial segregation, a man of the name Malcom X dreamed of a separate nation. Malcom Little was born on May 19, 1925 and came from an underprivileged home. He was a self-taught man who received little schooling and rose to greatness on his own intelligence and determination. The early background of Malcolm X was a large factor responsible for the distinct different responses to American racism. During his childhood, He was raised in a harsh atmosphere consisting of fear and anger where the seeds of bitterness were planted resulting in his attitude effecting his decisions later in live. Malcolm X suffered not only from abuse by whites, but also from domestic violence. His father beat his mother and both of them abused their children. His mother was forced to raise 8 children during the depression. After his mother had a nervous breakdown his family was spilt up. The children were all placed in foster homes. And the burning of his house by the Klu Klux Klan resulted in the murder of his father. Malcolm's resentment was increased as he suffered through these hard ships, and he was haunted by this early nightmare for most of his life. From then on, he w... Free Essays on Malcolm X Autobiography of Malcolm X The hardest part of this story is trying to capture the significance to every word and detail that’s written. The only idea that could flow the reader’s mind is, â€Å"Where exactly is this story going?† and it is as though the writer understands this pondering and answers, â€Å"I would not spend one hour in the preparation of a book which had the ambition to perhaps titillate some readers. But I am spending many hours because the full story is the best way that I know to have seen, and understood, that I had sunk to the very bottom of the American white man’s society†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (153). While making sense and finally putting the wandering mind out of its misery; it grabs the reader and pushes it to move on throughout the book. If the author wanted to titillate, writing this realistic experience was the way to do so. Malcolm Little was born on May 19, 1925 and came from an underprivileged home. He was a self-taught man who received little schooling and rose to greatness on his own intelligence and determination. The early background of Malcolm X was a large factor responsible for the distinct different responses to American racism. During his childhood, he was raised in a harsh atmosphere consisting of fear and anger where the seeds of bitterness were planted resulting in his attitude effecting his decisions later in life. Malcolm X suffered not only from abuse by whites, but also from domestic violence. His father beat his mother and both of them abused their children. His mother was forced to raise 8 children during the depression. After his mother had a nervous breakdown his family was spilt up. The children were all placed in foster homes. The burning of his house by the Ku Klux Klan resulted in the murder of his father. Malcolm’s resentment was increased as he suffered through these hardships, and he was haunted by this early nightmare for most of his life. From then on, hatred and desire for revenge... Free Essays on Malcolm X On May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska, Louise Little gave birth to a son, Malcom. Both she and Malcom's father, a Baptist preacher named Earl, were members of Marcus Garvey's Universal Negro Improvement. Including Malcom, there were eight children in the Little family. When Malcolm was an infant, his family was forced to move to Lansing, Michigan after being driven from Omaha by the Ku Klux Klan. Once in Lansing, their house was burned down by a white hate group called the Black Legionnaires. Earl Little died when Malcolm was six years old. After his father died, Malcom's mother had a mental breakdown. With no one to care for them, all eight children were sent to foster homes. Malcolm dropped out of school after the 8th grade. Soon after, he became involved in hustling, drug dealing, and burglaries. This criminal lifestyle landed him in the penitentiary where he spent six years, from 1946 to 1952. During his prison term, Malcolm turned to religion for answers. When he was re leased he became a minister for the nation of Islam. He was the national spokesman for Elijah Muhammed. The Nation of Islam grew from several hundred members to hundreds of thousands of members under Malcolm's leadership. The organization built 40 temples in the and bought 30 radio stations nationwide. The Nation of Islam recruited members from ghetto poor communities, people from the prisons, hustlers, drug dealers, pimps, prostitutes, and thieves. These people were believed to be, â€Å"ethically impoverished by white racist neglect of their fundamental needs.† These fundamental needs were "self-respect, social dignity, to understand their royal black history, and to worship and serve a black god." The Nation of Islam also believed women were a â€Å"lethal source of deception and seduction from within.† The women had to wear a modest dress, they were under close supervision of men, and they were relegated to the background. In March of 1964 Malcolm left... Free Essays on Malcolm X Early Life On May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska, Malcolm Little was born to Reverend Earl and Louise Little. Rev. Little, who believed in self-determination and worked for the unity of black people. Malcolm was raised in a background of ethnic awareness and dignity, but violence was sparked by white racists trying to stop black people such as Rev. Little from preaching the black cause. The history of Malcolm's dedication to black people, like that of his father, may have been motivated by a long history of oppression of his family. As a young child, Malcolm, his parents, brothers, and sisters were shot at, burned out of their home, harassed, and threatened. This culminated in the murder of his father by white racists when Malcolm was six. Malcolm became a drop-out from school at the age of fifteen. Learning the ways of the streets, Malcolm became acquainted with hoodlums, thieves, dope peddlers, and pimps. Convicted of burglary at twenty, he remained in prison until the age of twenty-seven. During his prison stay he attempted to educate himself. In addition, during his period in prison he learned about and joined the Nation of Islam, studying the teachings of Elijah Muhammed fully. He was released, a changed man, in 1952. The Nation of Islam Upon his release, Malcolm went to Detroit, joined the daily activities of the sect, and was given instruction by Elijah Muhammad himself. Malcolm's personal commitment helped build the organization nation-wide, while making him an international figure. He was interviewed on major television programs and by magazines, and spoke across the country at various universities and other forums. His power was in his words, which so vividly described the plight of blacks and vehemently incriminated whites. When a white person referred to the fact that some Southern university had enrolled black freshmen without bay... Free Essays on Malcolm X Malcolm Little, also known as Malcolm X was born on May 19, 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska. His mother, Louise Little was born in Grenada, a city in the British West Indies. His father, Earl Little was a very dark skinned man from Reynolds, Georgia who married Louise just after the birth of young Malcolm. Earl Little was a Baptist minister and organizer for Marcus Garvey. Marcus Garvey wanted and believed that all African-Americans should go back to the â€Å"home land†, Africa. Earl’s teachings of Garvey’s movement caused the whole family to be terrorized by the Ku Klux Klan. To avoid any more harassment be the group, Earl Little moved his family to Lansing, Michigan. Earl’s dreams of getting away from the white racists didn’t come true. Michigan’s chapter of the group beat Earl Little brutally with a hammer and left him for dead on a railroad track. Alone with no money, Louise Little was left to provide for her children, but the task proved too difficult and she had a nervous breakdown. The white authorities sent her to a mental institution. The Little children were forced to separate. Malcolm Little lived with a number of deferent families. All of Malcolm’s family was separated and he attended school until eighth grade. He was the only colored person in his school. He achieved the highest grades in his class, but his peers still didn’t accept him because of his color. When his teacher stopped him from trying to become a lawyer because the job was accessible only for whites, Malcolm dropped out of school and went to his older half sister, Ella, who lived in Boston. There, he took a job as a shoeshine boy at the Roseland Ballroom. Malcolm was described as a hard worker, but he didn’t make a lot of money. A career as a hustler seemed a more tempting option. He saw the hustlers around and saw their clothes, women, and money. Soon Malcolm Little started selling drugs. He slipped into the role of a black hustler. He m... Free Essays on Malcolm X Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska. His mother Louis Norton Little was a homemaker taking care of the family's eight children. His father, Earl Little, was a Baptist minister and supporter of Black Nationalist leader Marcus Garvey. There Michigan home was burned to the ground, and two years later Earl's mutilated body was found lying across the town's trolley tracks. Police ruled both accidents, but the Little's knew that members of the Black Legion did it. Louise had a breakdown several years after the death of her husband and was committed to a mental institution. Her children were split up in foster homes and orphanages. Malcolm was a smart, focused student and graduated from junior high at the top of his class. However, when a favorite teacher told Malcolm his dream of becoming a lawyer was "no realistic goal for a nigger," Malcolm lost interest in school. He dropped out, spent some time in Boston, Massachusetts working diferent jobs, and then wnet to Harlem, New York where he caused troble. Eventually Malcolm and his buddy, Malcolm "Shorty" Jarvis, moved back to Boston, where they were arrested and convicted for burglary in 1946. Malcolm It was during this time that Malcolm's brother Reginald visited and discussed his converson to the Muslim religious organization the Nation of Islam. Then Malcolm studie the Islam leader Elijah Muhammad. Among other things, the Nation of Islam fought for a state of their own, separate from one where white people lived. By the time he was paroled in 1952, Malcolm was a devoted follower with the new surname "X." He considered "Little" a slave name and chose the "X" to signify his lost tribal name.... Free Essays on Malcolm X Humans are shaped through interactions and experiences with other individuals. What happened to us in the childhood directly forms our identity, character and morality. Malcolm Little, also known as Malcolm X experienced childhood full of hurdles. He had to face them only because of the dark color of his skin. One of those hurdles was the murder of his father, who as Baptist minister fought for improvement of life of black community. Wrongful death of a head of the family bestowed intensive psychological pressures and financial difficulties on Malcolm and his family. An unstable situation in the family forced very young Malcolm to steal, starve and to look desperately for food. Under these demoralizing circumstances at young age, he was pressured to violate the law to fulfill the very basic need for food. As soon as Malcolm's mother unfairly lost her job because of her skin color, welfare state people ate away family's pride and dignity. Their forced visits and conversations disintegrated the family by telling them lies against each other. Welfare people finally brought family to its knees and separated its members from each other. Thus Malcolm was forced to leave behind the closest people to his heart. That left him naked to racist acts, opinions and judgments of white individuals who underestimated his abilities and skills. Because of the absence of his parents, it became difficult for Malcolm to talk to someone about his problems. Things that he experienced in school changed his life substantially. It's known that a teacher can play special role in the life of every student. However, one teacher that young Malcolm seemed to trust discouraged and humiliated his talent despite excellent performance in school. Malcolm naturally expected his abilities to be reaffirmed by his teacher, but instead he was discouraged to pursue his dream. It's important to mention that Malcolm was never considered equal to any white student even though he...

3 Ways to Write a Great Personal Statement for College!

3 Ways to Write a Great Personal Statement for College! (This article has been updated to reflect the new 650-word limit for the Common Application) The New York Times has been rife this season with articles about the college application essay.   The Common Application’s newly reinstated 650-word guideline is the topic of much conversation, as are general themes and strategies for the personal statement. It is now early November.   Some early application deadlines have come and gone, and November 15 deadlines are around the corner.   Is your high school senior still stuck or struggling with his or her personal statement? Many people, not just college applicants, have a hard time writing about themselves.   Yet that’s exactly what you need to do when writing a personal statement.   No matter how much you might not like it, your personal statement is about you.   There’s really no way around it. Today I will provide some assistance and resources to help any college applicant to get those 650 words written. 1.   Relax!   Have fun! â€Å"It’s all about loosening up,†Ã‚   says a California college professor in Crafting an Application Essay That ‘Pops’, a New York Times article which reported on the recommendations of 5,000 admissions officers and counselors who gathered at the latest NACAC conference.   I couldn’t agree more. To help students have fun with their personal statements, Stanford University has come up with an interesting twist:   They ask applicants to write a letter to their future freshman roommates. Here are some samples, quoted in the article, of how students approached the essay: â€Å"If you want to borrow my music, just ask. If you want to borrow my underwear, just take them.† â€Å"I eat ice cream with a fork, and I drink orange juice right after I brush my teeth just for the sour taste.† â€Å"If you have anything other than a Dodgers poster on the wall, I will tear it down.† Note that all these lines are written in the first person – unfortunately to some, a required element of writing about yourself.   And note that all the lines are unique.   It’s unlikely that two applicants would have written the same thing. Here’s the key to writing a great essay:   Write something no one else could have written. If that sounds like a daunting task, loosen up!   Take a cue from Stanford’s essay question, no matter what topic you choose to write about.   All you have to do is tell stories about yourself. 2. How NOT to Start your College Application Essay One common pitfall students fall into is trying to write an essay about their reasons for applying to school, instead of simply telling a story.   One of my recent clients started her essay to graduate school with, â€Å"I am applying to the XX school for several reasons.†   I coached her to simply start telling her story.   This approach made the project a lot easier, and made her essay a lot more interesting! Here’s the start of an essay that meets this requirement: When I went to Fall Out Boy’s Chicago radio show, there was the comment from the drummer, â€Å"The girl from New York is here.†Ã‚   When I fought my way to the front of the crowd in Florida, there was the bassist’s point of his finger at me as he mouthed one of my favorite lyrics: â€Å"I still hate you.† This opening line works because it tells a story no one else could tell.   It brings us into a world unique to the applicant.   And it sets us up to think something interesting is going to happen in this essay.   The reader is compelled to read the next line. Contrast this to an alternate version of the essay that might have read, â€Å"Music is one of my passions, and because of that I attend a lot of rock concerts.   My favorite band is Fall Out Boy.† You might laugh, but version two is the way many college essays read.   Or, to avoid boring the committee, applicants swing the other way:   â€Å"Raindrops heated by the flashing lights above, falling abundantly and without end, singeing my hair, my skin, my eyes†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Here’s a tip:   If you are not a brilliant creative writer, just stick to the facts.   They will set you free. 3. Doing it in 650 Words The Common Application now sets a 650-word limit for a college application essay.   The more you stick to a story – a story that is directly linked to the point you want to make in your essay – the easier it will be to stay within that limit and to knock the socks off the admissions committee! The New York Times’ â€Å"The Choice† blog provides spot-on advice for how to stay succinct in Advice on Whittling Your Admissions Essay.   Read this article immediately if you are over the limit and unsure of how to cut your writing down to size! You might also gain some breathing room from Matt Flegenheimer’s October 28, 2011 article, College Application Essay as Haiku?   For Some, 500 Words Aren’t Enough. Need Help with your Personal Statement for College? If you’re still stuck, panicked, or unsure, consider getting some help.   The Essay Expert’s Ivy-educated consultants are skilled in working with students to craft essays that say more than you might even imagine can be said in 650 words.   Just try us!

Statement of Research Gaps Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Statement of Research Gaps - Essay Example Researchers sought to advise legislators but other scholars argued that the effort to redirect the leaders were futile as legislators ignored results that they attained. Researchers have conducted more over the years to determine its successes, if any and its failures. Some have even gone further to give possible recommendations for making the Act better so that it can avail students with adequate education for which it was to avail in the first place. However, further research is needed in some specific areas as some of the issues do not have enough insight whereas others leave readers with unanswered questions. NCLB does not support public schools only. The statute also supports independent charter schools in their growth through funding some children programs in privately owned schools as well as protecting home schooling parents. However, no studies analyze the effects of the Act on the performance of children in privately owned schools or the home schooled children. This is one gap in the studies conducted on the No Child Left Behind Act. All the researchers have for sometime have sought answers regarding how the Act can be improved or restructured. However, no researcher has conducted a study to find the cause of the problems at the ground. This is because researches so far conducted for sometime not contend the curriculum has dwindled to the extent of cheating turning to be extremely extensive besides help granted to schools being minimal. Simply restructuring the Act cannot solve all this, which is another gap characterizing NCLB. Most studies proved NCLB renders some beneficial elements for improving its worthiness in terms of learning in schools. A notable benefit embrace both teachers as well as administrators can adequately appraise critical gaps in performance amid groups of students. However, it was evident that researchers have conducted studies on children from different economic backgrounds and

Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 44

Ethics - Essay Example The objective of this paper is therefore, to identify examples of dubious activities which are involved in this movie. The first ambiguous activities in the movie, is the way most of the employees who work for the brokerage company becomes millionaires very fast. In real life situations, it takes a while for someone to become a millionaire. For example, in one of the scenes where Snarls Jin tells new recruits that the company does not hire brokers, but they train millionaires. This does not make sense because first of all, this is a brokerage firm, but one of the senior most managers tells its employees that they do not hire brokers, but train them to become millionaires. In addition its common knowledge that, every manager will always try to show new recruits, the company’s laid down rules. Therefore, the activities that the company; is involved with is ethically questionable. The moral philosophy by which the parties seemed to have relied to justify their actions is mala prohibita. This moral philosophy, describes the acts which are not morally wrong, but however, the law prohibits them (Mara and Roberts 108). The parties in the movie relied upon this philosophy to justify their actions by getting involved in dubious stock exchange in order to get rich quickly. This is because when they are caught, the law enforcers will not be able to find any evidence against them, unless they do a much thorough investigation. In addition to that, the constitution is also not very clear on what penalties someone found committing mala prohibita should be given (Mara and Roberts 109). The two alternative philosophies which could have led the parties to different results are mala in se and misdemeanor. Mala in se can be defined as those acts which are immoral and very wrong for killing someone. Misdemeanor on the other hand can be said to be those crimes which are not very serious and therefore attract less penalties (Mara and Roberts 110). In case the

Literature review (Effectiveness of Web-based Distance Education) Essay

Literature review (Effectiveness of Web-based Distance Education) - Essay Example That is why the web-based distance education has been the first choice to many learners. As web based learning becomes more popular in the modern world, there are issues which must be able to be looked at in order to make sure that learners who use this system are able to learn just as effectively and efficiently as those using he traditional method (Roberts & McInnerney, 2007). Formal education has a very long history and a big part of this history is geared towards the traditional system of learning. In this regard, most of the theories and models of learning which have been developed have been developed around the traditional modes of learning and there is little theory to support the new and upcoming models such as web based learning. In this regard, it is necessary for there to be an understanding of how the web based and other virtual learning systems can be used to deliver knowledge to learners without compromising on the integrity of the education which the learners received. Without doing this, it will be hard to use such learning environments to able to help t he students as well as the tutors to be able to use the system to deliver kind of education required of them. At the same time, it will be necessary to recognize that learning environments are changing and that there is a need to make sure that there are systems as well as theories and models to support the new modes of learning and teaching. The issue of web based learning, or learning as it is referred by some people, is one which has been a major debate. Debate about web based learning or eLearning start from issues as trivial as what can be said to constitute eLearning and how the term should be spelled. However, there are more serious issues which must be looked at. These issues revolve around the credibility and the effectiveness as well as

What makes a good and bad manager Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

What makes a good and bad manager - Essay Example The document presents mainly three (3) types / categories of managers having different roles and responsibilities. And based on the roles, the document provides a criterion which decides a good or bad manager. Furthermore, keeping in view the criteria, the document provides guidelines for becoming a good manager. A manager is the one who manages, handles or controls diverse aspects include, but not limited to the resources (human as well as technical) and expenditure / cost of one or more activities to be performed for a business or enterprise. There are mainly three (3) types of manager include: the top level manager, middle level manager and low level manager. The designations of the top level managers include: the Chief Executive, Chairman, Executive Director, Managing Director, and general manager. Similarly, there are diverse designations of the middle level manager include: Production Manager, Sales Manager, and Finance Manager. The ‘low level manager’ is usually called a supervisor, shift manager, or shift in-charge. On the other hand, there are diverse areas of manager include, but not limited to the financial manager, marketing manager, project manager, general manager, operations manager and human resource manager. It is pertinent to mention here that as the roles and responsibilities of the manager are different considering the type and area, therefore, the criteria of judgment for identifying good / bad manager is also different. However, there are some common responsibilities of the manager despite of considering the type of manager. The document identifies the main responsibilities of the manager, the criteria to identify a good or bad manager and specifies the guidelines that make the manager good or bad. The following section of the document specifies the roles and responsibilities of the manager. Once the responsibilities of the manager identified

Mobile Computing - The Age of Handeld Devices Research Paper

Mobile Computing - The Age of Handeld Devices - Research Paper Example It is unimaginable today to think the kind of dependency people have on smart phones in this time and age. Cell phones are no longer a luxury. They are treated as a common man’s complete answer to his emailing, social-networking, communicating, profiling and corporate needs. From simple calls to text messages when it was launched, today cell phones can do hundreds of other vital tasks. It has woven the younger generation into complete interconnectivity and keeps the older generation well informed and updated. In simple words, mobile computing makes use of different high technology gadgets and devices, it has helped make communication easy and the lives of people more convenient by keeping them well informed about the current happenings. (Talukdar, 2010 ) Before we delve further into the ways in which mobile computing has made life easy, lets take a look at a short history of mobile computing. Mobile computing hit of during the 1990s. That was when laptops were a rising phenome non. They had become the mainstream device which people used to keep with them to keep everyone connected to each other. That was just the beginning as since then innumerable number of devices have ventured into the market that have brought about a sense of wireless communication and have given an extra edge to everyone’s communication dilemma. Communication has become a very powerful entity today in both personal and professional lives. Before mobile computing could be introduced in the market of wireless business, communication was largely dependent on static networks. At that time, radio transmitters used to operate from a stable base. The transmitters had large antennas which used to connect. An example would be two way radios that police and army men used back then. Today, everyone has access to infinite number of high end devices which can easily connect to the internet. These devices are offered by different technology companies and are installed with Bluetooth, wirele ss cards, or infra red interfaces. Since it started in 1990s, mobile computing has evolved very rapidly and persistently. It has become so convenient and so much in sync with everyone’s daily lives that it is difficult to dis-associate with it in any part of the world. The convenience in wireless connectivity is not a rare phenomenon and is being used by everyone. Hundreds of other solutions are being offered by different mobile computing companies. The mobile phones are fully embedded with features which allow the user to access the internet wirelessly, through the Bluetooth interfaces or wireless cards. Smart-phones are the in-thing. Apple and Blackberry have a huge role to play in the way smartphones integrated themselves in the mainstream life of people. Blackberry’s introduction of BBM, a free messaging service of BB users took the world by storm. Friends, families, relatives rush to buy blackberry because of this service. It has made communication on the go so ea sy to the point of turning it into a full blown addiction. Iphone has made its way into the world of touch interface mobile computing with a storm. It all started off with the ipods and the next thing became the iphone, a touch based smart phone with all the glamor and luxury of owning a mobile computing device. The personal digital assistants and modern laptops similarly have also become the commonly used gadgets. These

What makes a good and bad manager Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

What makes a good and bad manager - Essay Example The document presents mainly three (3) types / categories of managers having different roles and responsibilities. And based on the roles, the document provides a criterion which decides a good or bad manager. Furthermore, keeping in view the criteria, the document provides guidelines for becoming a good manager. A manager is the one who manages, handles or controls diverse aspects include, but not limited to the resources (human as well as technical) and expenditure / cost of one or more activities to be performed for a business or enterprise. There are mainly three (3) types of manager include: the top level manager, middle level manager and low level manager. The designations of the top level managers include: the Chief Executive, Chairman, Executive Director, Managing Director, and general manager. Similarly, there are diverse designations of the middle level manager include: Production Manager, Sales Manager, and Finance Manager. The ‘low level manager’ is usually called a supervisor, shift manager, or shift in-charge. On the other hand, there are diverse areas of manager include, but not limited to the financial manager, marketing manager, project manager, general manager, operations manager and human resource manager. It is pertinent to mention here that as the roles and responsibilities of the manager are different considering the type and area, therefore, the criteria of judgment for identifying good / bad manager is also different. However, there are some common responsibilities of the manager despite of considering the type of manager. The document identifies the main responsibilities of the manager, the criteria to identify a good or bad manager and specifies the guidelines that make the manager good or bad. The following section of the document specifies the roles and responsibilities of the manager. Once the responsibilities of the manager identified

Discussion-MODULE 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion-MODULE 5 - Essay Example The Chinese rivers fostered agricultural development and population growth while the Chinese coastline and the Grand Canal unified China by promoting communication and integration. The Chinese history entailed Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties that developed early ideologies. The Confucian ideology promoted the Xia dynasty. The Shang dynasty promoted the development of Bronze technology and written language as well as ancestral beliefs. The Zhou dynasty established a strong centralized government that manifested how heaven delegates authority to strong and wise rulers and condemns failed leaders. From the primary source readings, we derive the Confucian philosophy that valued universal order, respect of children for their parents, moral cultivation of men, social harmony, state service, and ethical and competent leadership. The Confucian philosophy asserts that a virtuous person should know their place in the society and offer their best. Daoism addressed violence, arbitrary laws, and strict social hierarchy by valuing a simple and individual life. Daoism asserts that a virtuous person should cultivate harmony with nature and with other individuals by living a simple life and fostering unity of purpose. Legalism values strict laws and harsh punishments to maintain centralized leadership. It also values the head of state as a divine leader who should derive respect and authority from a virtuous person. From the video "Engineering an Empire,† Qin Shih Huang Di came to power after defeating the last Warring State in 221 BC and declaring himself the first Sovereign Emperor of Qin. Qin Shih Huang Di brought stability and unity to China after the Warring States Period by introducing a new currency, standardizing the Chinese units of measurements, abolishing Confucianism and feudalism, and using military power to enhance state unity. Indeed, Qin Shih Huang Di manifested extensive power by relying on military power, abolishing feudal holdings, forcing

Patterns In Plant Distribution Along The Shore To Land Gradient On A Coastal Beach Essay Example for Free

Patterns In Plant Distribution Along The Shore To Land Gradient On A Coastal Beach Essay The plants pattern distribution along the shore to land gradient on coastal beaches is relatively in species diversity because many plants are not adapted to the harsh environmental conditions which include slat spray, sand movement and dry nutrients poor substances. However, some plants survive and nourish well in the coastal environment especially the colonizing species which are important to the early stabilization of freshly deposited sediments. For example, the American beach grass and dune sand bur grass which are pioneer colonist in diversity and are distributed along the coastal. They stabilize and initiate dunes (Cheplick 113). Annual grass species are relatively abundant in the coastal ecosystems making them denser in pattern and are well distributed. Along the shores due to disturbance by sand movements and other geographical factors there is a mixture of exotic frasses brought by water movements or waves and natives as dune sand bur grass. Beaches are commonly dominated by native perennial grasses that are the American beach grass whish is scientifically known as Ammophilia breviligulata. Typically it co exists with other annual grasses and herbs in the pioneer zones. There are no fully developed fore dune as in the case of Dune sand bur along the stated island shore, however there is a small distribution pattern along the shores. The American beach grass is more densily distributed along the beach especially at, Midland beach and does not have liable seeds due to its seed dispersion (Cheplick 147). The purple sand grass and grab grass which are annual are also abundant, but they are not near along the shores due to their mode a deed dispersion which mainly is through animal activities. Due to extensive sand stabilization plantings the American beach grass dominating fore dunes along the shores in the coastal regions of the stated island. For this species colonizing shore line habitats are resistant to most human activities. Most species that are offshore are not well distributed due to disturbance of human activities which are more. Due to more sand deposits along the shores I can suggest that it is a contributing factor as to where the grasses have a much bigger colonization succession. Annual plants along the coastal regions are more prolific seed producers and important to the colonization of bare dune substrates. However, where they are already established on dune building and their abundances in the pioneer zones along the coastal beaches natural anthropogenic disturbances are rampant. This contributes to dune formation. There is difficulty in survival and also managing nourishments and other self gain human activities (Cheplick 158). The purple grass dominates areas where human activities have taken place where they cover land, by casual observation because of the impact the activities have on plants. This purple grass colonizes mainly the urban areas, meaning where other grass types do not flourish due to negative impacts of human activities, it tends to have a good potential. It is densely distributed on the urban shorelines. Because of shorter distances, or good proximity to the shores which earlier we saw that there are sand deposits due to geographical factors, the purple grass distribution pattern spreads in high density on the parts of the beach farthest from shore (Cheplick 185). Their growth, survival and reproduction pattern spreads widely from the shore on condition that the intraspecific densities are not high enough to negatively impact its distribution. Conclusion In conclusion species composition and density in the plant community vary with the increasing distances from the coastal shore lines. There are various factors that contribute to this. There is a chain of circumstantial events from seed dispersal through seedlings establishment and subsequent survival. For instance for the purple-grass, seeds are dispersed and incorporated into the sand substrates (Cheplick 188). Annual plant communities of the coastal ecosystems exist in both inter-specific and intra-specific interactions and relations. The purple grass and dune sand bur grass are common along the shore of Staten Island in New York. The purple grass, due to its seed maturity within leaf sheaths along tillers, they are heavier seeds. Hence with larger production of seeds sand bur tend to be more distributed than the purple grass. Hence the differences in the seed dispersibility of seeds, their sizes favors in the coastal ecosystems. From studies and casual observations as evident a biotic factors as sand deposition, drought, nutrient deficiency and salt spray impacts negatively on the coastal ecosystems especially those plants with lower adaptability rates and survival rates. Competition between species and inter-specific relations or interactions has influence and plants growth patterns and rates. Also reproduction and seed dispersion is affected especially in dunes annual plants (Cheplick 247). Anthropogenic activities and natural geographical patterns on fore dunes and beaches probably have favored annual plants evolution. Successive species along the shorelines is the ability to mature seeds fast and establish seedlings under harsh coastal environments. Larger seeds may be more adaptive in coastal ecosystems, resulting in better chances and more density in distribution (Cheplick 296).

Indias Agricultural Sector: An Analysis

Indias Agricultural Sector: An Analysis Agriculture Sector Submitted by   Introduction to Agriculture sector Agriculture sector from an Indian Economic perspective constitute majorly the following four such as: Food-crops and oilseeds, Fiber, plantation crops, fruits and vegetables. As per the 2013 RBI statistics Indian agriculture sector contributed 11.36% of real GDP. This sector is also the highest employer in the country employing approximately 60% of the population. In H1 2013-2014 Agriculture sector of India recorded growth rate of 3.4% [1] and this is higher by a margin of 0.8% during H1 2012-13. The primary reasoning was attributed to a good and a normal monsoon during the year. This spike in the growth of the agricultural sector contributed to a better growth rate for the GDP of 4.6 considering it was a sluggish period for all other sectors including services and manufacturing. Eventhough being one of the oldest sector, Agricultural sector is still contributing phenomenally to the GDP growth of the country. So, in this report an attempt is made to analyse salient aspects of the Agriculture sector from economic perspective, government policy perspective and other items that constitute the growth of the sector. Also, the report studies the major issues that’s being faced by the facing and potential way to resolve them is being brought out. Key factors affecting the performance of Agriculture sector: Climatic factors: Monsoons, soil degradation, water availability, floods and droughts. Policy factors: Government policies related to credit availability, support prices, crop specific programmes, ensuring availability of markets for the produce. Market factors: Pricing, integration with downstream consumers, transparency. Macro-economic factors: Supply and demand, change in consumption patterns. Technology factors: Availability of farming technology, awareness of the available technology among the farmers, incentives to adopt modern technology, educating farmers about the benefits of using technology. Global factors: Export and import policies, trade restrictions. Section IV Agriclutural Policies, Ramesh V V Issues faced by Indian Agriculture sector Unequal growth of Agriculture sector at different areas of India Dependence on seasonal rainfall :The performance of the sector is highly dependent on the seasonal rainfall India receives during the monsoon season. Decrease in land availability due to population growth and industrial sector growth Non availability of farm labourers Low level of mechanisation of the sector yielding lower productivity Unavailability of logistics affecting the returns from the sector Traditional cultivation methods: Restrained access to finance: Lack of facilities for storage of the food grains: Fragmentation of land Low quality seeds: Using better quality seeds can improve the yield by 40%, adoption of Bt seeds can also increase the yield, however higher cost of seeds and activism are hindrances to adopt Bt seeds widely. Unbalanced fertilizer utilization: It is one of the main reason for the stagnation of the yield, depletion of soil fertility and pollution of water bodies. Lacklustre government policies on fertilizer subsidies are one of the reasons for unbalanced use of Nitrogen based fertilizers Cropping Patterns: Sub-optimal crop pattern leads to low rates of profits. Geographical conditions vary and accordingly suitable crop patterns should be adopted, however farmers follow traditional practices which leads to lower profits. Policies and Schemes towards Agriculture: The Department of Agriculture Cooperation, Government of India, has been implementing various schemes and programmes for the benefit of farmers through State Governments. The Guidelines and other details of various programmes and schemes have been made available in their departmental scheme guidelines. Relevant details on the type and extent of benefits for different components promoted under various schemes are mentioned here. For simple understanding of subsidies and eligibility criteria of the same a handbook has also been constructed by the department. It has been prepared by categorizing various activities in 11 different themes such as, Soil Health, Soil Conservation Fertilizers, Seeds, Irrigation, Training Extension for Farmers, Mechanization Technology, Agricultural Credit, Agricultural Insurance, Plant Protection, Horticulture, Agricultural Marketing and Integrated Farming. Besides this, broad suggestions on practical aspects of each of these themes have also been includ ed. Schemes such as Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (subject to qualifying criteria for the States), National e-Governance Plan-Agriculture, National Mission on Agricultural Extension Technology Etc have nation-wide coverage.A few other schemes such as National Food Security Mission, Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP), Cotton Technology Mission, Jute and Mesta Technology and Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India (BGREI) have Crop/ Area / District wise applicability. The expert committee has come up an estimate of around 11172 crores in the next ten years for infrastructure development for agriculture marketing as of 2008 and has come up with some reforms in the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee Act, (APMC)act, details from NABARD website Subsidies are helpful to farmers in India as nearly 11% of farmers have land but not have sufficient funding to irrigate the land. Three main types of financing are required for agriculture sector. i.e., Short term, Medium term Long term finance. Subsidies in an agriculturally oriented developing economy like India helps increase the productivity of the farmers. Institutionalized credit provisioning: Credit raised by farmers from Non-institutional lenders, from 95% in 1951 to 40% in 2002, India has come a long way in providing sustainable credit access to the farmers. Non-institutional lenders levy a high rate of interest and historically have manipulated the farmers, which led to poverty and its side effects like illiteracy. Analysis on the Agricultural Sector Demand vs Supply: The agricultural sector in India is doing pretty good job to meet the domestic demand and also exporting food grains in certain categories. The total demand for Y2010 was 228Mt and the total supply was 270Mt. Not only in 2010, if you see the trend for the past 5 years before 2010, the supply more than demand. This clearly tells us India is a food surplus country and there is no real pressure on the demand-supply process. The supply is mainly increasing because of better and modern farming technique and high productivity per hectare. Storage facilities have improved over the last 2 decades and at affordable prices are helping the farmers to preserve the crop thru the year. There is still a lot of scope for improvement for our agro output storage facilities. Our storage facilities are not on par with other developed countries and our farmers end up with a lot of spoiled food grains. Table: Agro Production –Demand in INDIA between 2005 and 2011 (All Figures in Metric Tons) Source: http://agcensus.nic.in/ Focus on Agriculture- Union Budget 2014. Government has proposed a technology driven green revolution and in this specifically protein revolution had more focus this year. Below par expectation of monsoon and its obvious impact on Agriculture was certainly considered this year. Keeping this in mind Government has proposed aRs.1,000 crore outlay for a new scheme named, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, which will address sufficient irrigation facilities and mitigate some risk. To address the problem of price volatility, fund called Price Stabilization fund amounting to 500 crores was allocated. Agriculture credit target was set to 8lakh crores. Interest subvention for timely repayment of loans at 3% subvention has also been included against the current 7% rate. Rural infrastructure fund of 25000 crores was also institutionalized. Soil health is one major factor which is linked to productivity. In this regard, 100 crore project scheme was included which delivers every farmer a soil health card. In this mission, an additional 56 crores towards mobile soil testing laboratories was proposed. Agriculture research institutions to come up in Assam and Jharkand with an initial investment of 100 crores and an additional allocation of 200 crores for Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan and telangana and Haryana for Agriculture and horticulture institutions respectively was also proposed. Kisan TV, a dedicated channelon various aspects of agriculture. Bhoomi Heen Kisan scheme, institutionalized through NABARD for landless farmers towards guarantee for finance was proposed. Funds will cater to around 5 lac farming groups who will practice joint farming. Warehouse infrastructure fund of 5000 crores was allocated to address wastage loss in supply chain. Existing APMC, will be re-oriented in close association with state governments which in potential must take care of markets and introduce reforms for farmers. One thing that was criticized was the denial of a policy of minimum price Scheme, MPS which figured in the previous government’s budget. Impact of Fiscal Policies on Agricultural Sector Most Gov.’s that came to power in India have implemented pro-agricultural policies and have given a lot of sops and benefits to this sector. Though the outlook might seem healthy, the short term inconsistent policies have made the agricultural sector unproductive and unsustainable. If the situation continues like this, experts believe that Indian would become a net food gain importer in the next 20-30 years of time. Subsidy Input subsidies are a major part of the policy in Agricultural sector in India. The major subsidies are subsidies on electricity used in farming subsidy in fertilizer prices subsidy in seed purchase Indian agricultural sector is more dependent on input subsidies than any other major emerging countries. The recent Gov. order passed by the Chief Min of the newly farmed Andhra state to waive off all the agro loans taken by its farmers is an example of this Input subsidy and illustrates how heavily this is impacting the Agro sector. The subsidy on fertilisers has been increased to 67% in 2010 from 41% in 2004. This steep subsidy was possible because Gov. kept the nominal fertilizer prices unchanged in spite of high inflation and allowed real subsidized fertilizer prices to fall. The total Gov, input subsidy stood at 9.6% of the total Agro sector output. Among all the subsidies fertilzer subsidy amounts to 11 Billion dollars out of the total 60 Billion subsidy provided by GOI. This also plays a key role in the increase in non plan expenditure and which in turn increases the fisical deficit. The input subsidies have also produced some unintended side effects like over utilization of land, soil degradation, nutrient imbalance of soil and reduction in ground water level. Minimum Support Price The Govt had setup the Commission of Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) to define the minimum support price for almost all the major crops. The intention is to help the farmers but it interferes with the demand and supply. Tax Subsidies Indirect taxes for farm output is almost nil. Inflation The GOI expansionary policies and fiscical stimulus in 2009-10 has resulted in increase in inflation. This has resulted in the increase in cost of the farm labour and non subsidized farm equipment procurement. This has put pressure on the margins of the farmers. Restriction on Exports/Imports Whenver the supply was lower than demand for a particular crop happens i.e in supply shock scenario Govt generally tends to look to restricy exports. This has been an usual pattern with recent incident when the prices of onion and sugar increased as a result of lower production and the got wa quick to restrict the exports of these commodities Impact of Monetary Policies on Agricultural Sector Agricultural loans are available for various farming related activities. Farmers may apply for loans to purchase inputs for the cultivation of food grain crops as well as for horticulture, aquaculture, animal husbandry, floriculture and sericulture businesses. There are also certain special loans made available by many public sector banks and co-operative agriculture banks to finance the purchase of agricultural machinery such as tractors, harvesters and trucks. Construction of biogas plants and irrigation systems as well as the purchase of agricultural land can also be financed through different types of agricultural finance. NABARD offers a Kisan Credit Card Scheme and crop loans under the Rashtriya Krishi Bima Yojana. Kisan Credit Card Scheme helps farmers raise short-term funds for agriculture and other farm-based activities, on an on-going basis, with very flexible and friendly repayment terms. It also offers an agricultural loan for development of agriculture related industries, purchase of machinery and other agricultural purposes. Interest Rates Conclusion The agriculture community must be weaned off the subsidies gradually once sufficient development is made so as to increase the sustainability of Indian agriculture by providing them the right price for the cultivated produce, introducing highly effective storage facilities, providing necessary training to the farmers regarding use of technology and equipment thereby reducing wastage considerably and enhancing the sector as a whole. Agricultural subsidies can be a blunt instrument that can impede progress and slow down economic growth if theyre implemented without heed to the situation and specific date of expiry. Agriculture and industry has shown remarkable vigour and dynamism in contributing to a healthy growth in exports in the recent past. India’s food security depends on producing cereal crops, as well as increasing its production of fruits, vegetables and milk to meet the demands of a growing population with rising incomes. Policy makers will thus need to initiate and/or conclude policy actions and public programs to shift the sector away from the existing policy and institutional regime that appears to be no longer viable and build a solid foundation for a much more productive, internationally competitive, and diversified agricultural sector. References http://www.finmin.nic.in/ http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/budget-2014-green-revolution-kisan-tv-channel-agri-institutes-arun-jaitley-finance-ministry-narendra-modi/1/370753.html http://businesstoday.intoday.in/story/agriculture-gets-priority-in-narendra-modi-govt-budget-2014/1/208042.html

Freedom of Choice in A Clockwork Orange Essays -- essays research pape

Freedom of Choice In the novel A Clockwork Orange, the author Anthony Burgess tells a story about a young man name Alex and his friends, every night they go around and start committing violent acts. In the novel Alex expresses his freedom of choice between good and evil. The freedom of choice is a decision that every person must make throughout his life in order to guide his actions and to take control of his own future. This Freedom of Choice, no matter what the outcome is, displays person power as an individual, and any efforts to control or influence this choice between good and evil will take way the person free will and enslave him. In this novel the author uses this symbolism through imagery. He shows that through the character of Alex, and the first person narrative point of view to prove that without the ability to choose between good and evil person becomes a slave. In this novel Alex shows his freedom of choice between good and evil, which is that, his superiority over the innocent and the weak. In the beginning of the novel he chooses to be evil, he shows us that by committing violence act like stealing, raping, and also murdering an innocent person which he got arrested for and put into prison for about 12 years. The amount violence he commits shows his abuse of power and his decisions toward evil. The violent acts that are described in this novel are very graphical and are intended to shock the reader but they also show that the suppression of others is wrong, because it is destructive to the natural rights of humans. Alex consistently chooses evil and violence to show his freedom of choice, ?Now I was ready for a bit of twenty-to-one . . . then I cracked this veck" pg 7. Alex beats, rapes, and robs the weak and ... ...lence. This thought is crucial to the reader's understanding of how close the freedom of choice is related to individual power. The demonstration of his free will and his loss of power through the absence of choice is effectively accomplished through the use of first person narration. Throughout this novel, author Anthony Burgess has shown us many aspects of freedom of choice and its abuse. Through strong symbols in imagery, Alex's characterization, and his point of view, the absence of choice is proven as the most overlooked depravation of person individual freedom. In everyone's life, the struggle for power exists in all situations. The decision between good and evil is the freedom that everyone must have as an individual. The choice of which path to take is dependant on the person and the situation, but the realization that both exist is a power unto itself. Freedom of Choice in A Clockwork Orange Essays -- essays research pape Freedom of Choice In the novel A Clockwork Orange, the author Anthony Burgess tells a story about a young man name Alex and his friends, every night they go around and start committing violent acts. In the novel Alex expresses his freedom of choice between good and evil. The freedom of choice is a decision that every person must make throughout his life in order to guide his actions and to take control of his own future. This Freedom of Choice, no matter what the outcome is, displays person power as an individual, and any efforts to control or influence this choice between good and evil will take way the person free will and enslave him. In this novel the author uses this symbolism through imagery. He shows that through the character of Alex, and the first person narrative point of view to prove that without the ability to choose between good and evil person becomes a slave. In this novel Alex shows his freedom of choice between good and evil, which is that, his superiority over the innocent and the weak. In the beginning of the novel he chooses to be evil, he shows us that by committing violence act like stealing, raping, and also murdering an innocent person which he got arrested for and put into prison for about 12 years. The amount violence he commits shows his abuse of power and his decisions toward evil. The violent acts that are described in this novel are very graphical and are intended to shock the reader but they also show that the suppression of others is wrong, because it is destructive to the natural rights of humans. Alex consistently chooses evil and violence to show his freedom of choice, ?Now I was ready for a bit of twenty-to-one . . . then I cracked this veck" pg 7. Alex beats, rapes, and robs the weak and ... ...lence. This thought is crucial to the reader's understanding of how close the freedom of choice is related to individual power. The demonstration of his free will and his loss of power through the absence of choice is effectively accomplished through the use of first person narration. Throughout this novel, author Anthony Burgess has shown us many aspects of freedom of choice and its abuse. Through strong symbols in imagery, Alex's characterization, and his point of view, the absence of choice is proven as the most overlooked depravation of person individual freedom. In everyone's life, the struggle for power exists in all situations. The decision between good and evil is the freedom that everyone must have as an individual. The choice of which path to take is dependant on the person and the situation, but the realization that both exist is a power unto itself.

Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool Essay -- Health, Diseases

This assignment will discuss a trust adapted version of the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST). It will demonstrate an understanding of theoretical knowledge used to develop the assessment tool. The assignment will focus on three components within the tool; discussing the reliability and validity when used in a clinical environment. A reflection of my own experience using the tool will be included and linked to aspects of reliability. Any issues with reliability will be identified and suggestions given on how they can be corrected to aid future use. MUST is a five-step screening tool designed for healthcare professionals to identify adult patients who at risk of, or are malnourished. It includes guidelines on how to develop an effective treatment plan. The Malnutrition Advisory Group (MAG) in 2000 adapted and extended their community screening tool to include care homes and hospitals, in response to national concerns. (Department of Health, 2001). In 2003 MUST was designed by MAG and the British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (BAPEN). It was piloted across many care settings, to target patients who may be at risk of malnutrition. I have chosen this tool as it is widely used in healthcare; however malnutrition is often unrecognised and mismanaged. According BAPEN some three million people in the UK are at risk or are malnourished. Malnutrition can affect a patient physically, mentally and can also increase recovery time (Zellipour, & Stratton, 2005). This assignment will help me understand the theory and rationale behind the development of the MUST. The first component of the MUST involves measuring the patient’s height and weight to establish their Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI is the’ relationship b... ...n or ulna length as-well-as the type of measuring device used to weight the patient for example chair or hoist scale. This would enable the assessment to be carried out each time using the same measurement and equipment, which would make the test fair and more reliable (Medical Education Division, 2007). This assignment has discussed the theory and development of a trust adapted version of the MUST. A rationale of my choice has been included and linked to specific learning objectives. A discussion regarding the three components of this tool has been included; these have been linked to validity and reliability. Finally a reflection of my experiences using the MUST in a medical care of the elderly ward has been included with regards to aspects of reliability and theories about how these can be overcome to aid future use-age in a clinical setting.

The phenomenon of bipolar affective disorder

The phenomenon of bipolar affective disorder has been a mystery since the 16th Century. History has shown that this affliction can appear in almost anyone. Even the Great painter Vincent Van Gogh is believed to have had bipolar disorder. It is clear that in our society many people live with bipolar disorder; however, despite the abundance of people suffering from it, we are still waiting for definite explanations for the causes and cure. The one fact of which we are painfully aware is that bipolar disorder severely undermines its† victims ability to obtain and maintain social and occupational success. Because bipolar disorder has such debilitating symptoms, it is imperative that we remain vigilant in the quest for explanations of its causes and treatment. Affective disorders are characterized by a smorgasbord of symptoms that can be broken into manic and depressive episodes. The depressive episodes are characterized by intense feelings of sadness and despair that can become feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. Some of the symptoms of a depressive episode include anaerobia, disturbances in sleep and appetite, psychomotor retardation, loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness, guilt, ifficulty thinking, indecision, and recurrent thoughts of death and suicide (Hollandsworth, Jr. 1990 ). The manic episodes are characterized by elevated or irritable mood, increased energy, decreased need for sleep, poor judgment and insight, and often reckless or irresponsible behavior (Hollandsworth, Jr. 1990). Bipolar affective disorder affects approximately one percent of the population (approximately three million people) in the United States. It is presented by both males and females. Bipolar disorder involves episodes of mania and depression. These episodes may alternate with profound epressions characterized by a pervasive sadness, almost inability to move, hopelessness, and disturbances in appetite, sleep, in concentrations and driving. Bipolar disorder is diagnosed if an episode of mania occurs whether depression has been diagnosed or not (Leiby,1988). Most commonly, individuals with manic episodes experience a period of depression. Symptoms include elated, expansive, or irritable mood, hyperactivity, pressure of speech, flight of ideas, inflated self-esteem, decreased need for sleep, distractibility, and excessive involvement in reckless activities (Hollandsworth, Jr. 1990). Rarest symptoms were periods of loss of all interest and retardation or agitation (Gurman, 1991). As the National Depressive and Manic Depressive Association (MDMDA) have demonstrated, bipolar disorder can create substantial developmental delays, marital and family disruptions, occupational setbacks, and financial disasters. This devastating disease causes disruptions of families, loss of jobs and millions of dollars in cost to society. Many times bipolar patients report that the depressions are longer and increase in frequency as the individual ages. Many times bipolar states and psychotic states are isdiagnosed as schizophrenia. Speech patterns help distinguish between the two disorders (Turner,1989). The onset of Bipolar disorder usually occurs between the ages of 20 and 30 years of age, with a second peak in the mid-forties for women. A typical bipolar patient may experience eight to ten episodes in their lifetime. However, those who have rapid cycling may experience more episodes of mania and depression that succeed each other without a period of remission (DSM III-R). The three stages of mania begin with hypo mania, in which patients report that they are energetic, extroverted and ssertive (Hirschfeld, 1995). The hypomania state has led observers to feel that bipolar patients are â€Å"addicted† to their mania. Hypo mania progresses into mania and the transition is marked by loss of judgment (Hirschfeld, 1995). Often, euphoric grandiose characteristics are displayed, and paranoid or irritable characteristics begin to manifest. The third stage of mania is evident when the patient experiences delusions with often- paranoid themes. Speech is generally rapid and hyperactive behavior manifests sometimes associated with violence (Hirschfeld, 1995). When both manic and depressive ymptoms occur at the same time it is called a mixed episode. Those afflicted are a special risk because there is a combination of hopelessness, agitation, and anxiety that makes them feel like they â€Å"could jump out of their skin†(Hirschfeld, 1995). Up to 50% of all patients with mania have a variety of depressed moods. Patients report feeling dysphonic, depressed, and unhappy; yet, they exhibit the energy associated with mania. Rapid cycling mania is another presentation of bipolar disorder. Mania may be present with four or more distinct episodes within a 12-month period. There is now evidence to uggest that sometimes rapid cycling may be a transient manifestation of the bipolar disorder. This form of the disease exhibits more episodes of mania and depression than bipolar. Lithium has been the primary treatment of bipolar disorder since its introduction in the 1960's. It is main function is to stabilize the cycling characteristic of bipolar disorder. In four controlled studies by F. K. Goodwin and K. R. Jamison, the overall response rate for bipolar subjects treated with Lithium was 78% (Turner,1998). Lithium is also the primary drug used for long- term maintenance of bipolar disorder. In a majority of bipolar patients, it lessens the duration, frequency, and severity of the episodes of both mania and depression. Unfortunately, as many as 40% of bipolar patients are either unresponsive to lithium or cannot tolerate the side effects. Some of the side effects include thirst, weight gain, nausea, diarrhea, and edema. Patients who are unresponsive to lithium treatment are often those who experience dysphonic mania, mixed states, or rapid cycling bipolar disorder. One of the problems associated with lithium is the fact the long-term lithium treatment has been associated with decreased hyroid functioning in patients with bipolar disorder. Preliminary evidence also suggest that hypothyroidism may actually lead to rapid-cycling (Gurman,1991). Pregnant women experience another problem associated with the use of lithium. Its use during pregnancy has been associated with birth defects, particularly Ebstein's anomaly. Based on current data, the risk of a child with Ebstein's anomaly being born to a mother who took lithium during her first trimester of pregnancy is approximately 1 in 8,000, or 2. 5 times that of the general population (Leiby,1988). There are other effective treatments for bipolar disorder that are used in cases where the patients cannot tolerate lithium, or have been unresponsive to it in the past. The American Psychiatric Association's guidelines suggest the next line of treatment to be Anticonvulsant drugs such as valproate and carbamazepine. These drugs are useful as antimanic agents, especially in those patients with mixed states. Both of these medications can be used in combination with lithium or in combination with each other. Valproate is especially helpful for patients who are ithium noncompliant, experience rapid-cycling, or have comorbid alcohol or drug abuse. Neuroleptics such as haloperidol or chlorpromazine have also been used to help stabilize manic patients who are highly agitated or psychotic. Use of these drugs is often necessary because the response to them are rapid, but there are risks involved in their use. Because of the often severe side effects, Benzodiazepines are often used in their place. Benzodiazepines can achieve the same results as Neuroleptics for most patients in terms of rapid control of agitation and excitement, without the severe side effects. Antidepressants such as the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI†s) fluovamine and amitriptyline has also been used by some doctors as treatment for bipolar disorder. A double-blind study by M. Gasperini, F. Gatti, L. Bellini, R. Anniverno, and E. Smeraldi showed that fluvoxamine and amitriptyline are highly effective treatments for bipolar patients experiencing depressive episodes (Leiby,1988). This study is controversial however, because conflicting research shows that SSRI†s and other antidepressants can actually precipitate manic episodes. Most doctors can see the usefulness of ntidepressants when used in conjunction with mood stabilizing medications such as lithium. In addition to the mentioned medical treatments of bipolar disorder, there are several other options available to bipolar patients, most of which are used in conjunction with medicine. One such treatment is light therapy. One study compared the response to light therapy of bipolar patients with that of unipolar patients. Patients were free of psychotropic and hypnotic medications for at least one month before treatment. Bipolar patients in this study showed an average of 90. 3% improvement in their depressive ymptoms, with no incidence of mania or hypomania. They all continued to use light therapy, and all showed a sustained positive response at a three month follow-up (Turner,1998). Another study involved a four week treatment of bright morning light treatment for patients with seasonal affective disorder and bipolar patients. This study found a statistically significant decrement in depressive symptoms, with the maximum antidepressant effect of light not being reached until week four (Hollandsworth, Jr. 1990). Hypomanic symptoms were experienced by 36% of bipolar patients in this study. Predominant hypo manic symptoms included racing thoughts, deceased sleep and irritability. Surprisingly, one-third of controls also developed symptoms such as those mentioned above. Regardless of the explanation of the emergence of hypo manic symptoms in undiagnosed controls, it is evident from this study that light treatment may be associated with the observed symptoms. Based on the results, careful professional monitoring during light treatment is necessary, even for those without a history of major mood disorders. Another popular treatment for bipolar disorder is electro-convulsive hock therapy. ECT is the preferred treatment for severely manic pregnant patients and patients who are homicidal, psychotic, catatonic, medically compromised, or severely suicidal. In one study, researchers found marked improvement in 78% of patients treated with ECT, compared to 62% of patients treated only with lithium and 37% of patients who received neither, ECT or lithium (Gurman,1991). A final type of therapy is outpatient group psychotherapy. According to Dr. John Graves, spokesperson for the National Depressive and Manic Depressive Association has called attention to the value f support groups, and challenged mental health professionals to take a more serious look at group therapy for the bipolar population. Research shows that group participation may help increase lithium compliance, decrease denial regarding the illness, and increase awareness of both external and internal stress factors leading to manic and depressive episodes. Group therapy for patients with bipolar disorders responds to the need for support and reinforcement of medication management, and the need for education and support for the interpersonal difficulties that arise during the course of the disorder.