Leqadership Self Reflextion

[Type the company name]| Leadership self reflection| [Type the document subtitle]| | keshav| 5/26/2012| | Table of Contents Introduction2 The rings of the tree and temperaments (keirsey)2 Leadership and me3 My new insights to leadership4 Leadership and my experience5 My weakness as a leader6 Conclusion6 References7 Introduction Leadership is that talent that helps an individual to help one self and others through a crisis situation and attain the goal set set by aligning the direction of his team towards the ultimate goal.It is very important to be aware of the leadership one has in himself/herself to be a better leader and nourish these qualities. These leaders will be able to perform well on ‘personal', ‘team' and ‘organisations' point of view. This essay is the reflection of me as a leader and my thoughts regarding leadership. The rings of the tree and temperaments (keirsey) As far as the communication angle of my talent is considered I am concrete in nature. I h ave well formed ideas shaped enough to be imparted to others in a very convincing way. I concentrate on reality, and facts rather than simply conveying news on the basis of mind's eye.But I am sensitive to other peoples change and try sensing a positive or negative energy in a person. In case I find negative energy I tend to sort their situation out by cooperating with them and turning the energy positive. I am also good at converting the the abstract ideas to concrete ones and implementing them if required with greatest dedication. I am cooperative in nature and this makes me friendlier to my colleagues. I am empathetic too and I allot works on the basis of my team members ‘like' or ‘dislike' and the ‘quality of the work' that are offered by them.This helps me to assign the ‘right work' for the team member and this helps in maximum productivity and satisfaction from the employees (Keirsey, 1998). In the third ring of being reactive or proactive in nature i. e. directive or informative I am more lenient towards proactive one. This is also one of the advantages of being intuitive. I am capable at directing others to achieve the goals that are set. When it comes to the fourth ring I am more expressive than I am attentive. Among the four temperaments that are there, I belong to the to the guardians category that are concrete and cooperative.I relate myself more to the administrator than to the conservators (Keirsey, 1998). Leadership and me It is important to analyse oneself as a leader and to be aware of one's strength and weakness to make a better leader. Most effective leaders always invest in their strengths and surround themselves with the right people to maximise their team. They also understand their follower's needs. These are some of the core strengths I have as a leader. I am aware and am appreciative of my leadership skills of communication, mindfulness and empathy. I try on building up my strengths and reducing my weakness thro ugh self analysis.Like all the leaders in the world I was also influenced by the other teachers and prominent personalities and am inspired by their leadership styles. I also realise that the leaders made these changes through planning that was implemented on a time plan. I also hope to inspire people around me and make them be appreciative by adapting the most vibrant and preferable style for others. The leaders also influence change by providing direction and chances for continuous improvement. As a leader in my life the number of roles I have played is very limited considering the interpersonal, informational and managerial roles of a leader.I have been a leader, monitor and resource allocator to my team and the roles played on other areas like negotiator, disturbance-handler, entrepreneur, spokesperson, disseminator, liaison and figurehead are very limited and have to be undertaken in the future. I have only worked on an individual and group level of an organisation and haven't managed to get past the middle-level management in an organisation. On the basis of the leadership trait theories I sense the traits of I have comparatively a higher level of energy and has a talent of persuasion.My leadership style also belongs to the new style of leadership that is accepted in the new era and that is highly decentralised in nature. I value my team members and try to appreciate them for their contributions in the welfare of the team. I also promote the system of feedback and thereby improve myself and helping others to improve. This also means that I have adapted myself to a democratic leadership style. I also realise that there is nothing appreciative in a team as favourable working employs. What motivates me in leadership is need for affiliation.I am willing to please people and am very often concerned about them. I have a very positive outlook on leadership and I am more productive when I work with employees who have theory Y attitude. I also try and make my tea m positive enough to realise the Pygmalion effect of thinking positive. I am also very strict about being ethical in implementing responsibilities when I, the team members and the organisation is concerned. This is also why I think upbringing of a child highly influences the moral and ethical standards that will be followed by him/her in the future. My new insights to leadershipLeadership qualities can be inborn. But they can be conquered through continuous efforts and through planning. Leaders are relied upon by the organisations for achieving the already set goals. It can even be said that the the success or failure of an organisation highly relies on the success of the various leadership styles that are adopted by the leaders. It is not possible for all the leaders to have all the ideal qualities of being a leader. It is the different combinations of these qualities that makes one leader different from one another and allows one to be better than the other.On reading the book â⠂¬Ëœthe Tao of Leadership', I accept some of the truths behind leadership of which some are ‘wise leader is like water'. A leader should have it in him to cleanse and refresh all the creatures without any difference and is fearless to search in to the surface of things. It is responsive and is ultimately not bound to anyone. The ultimate goal of a leader is harmony. When harmony is established things tend to work on an organised pace. The group who is working for a leader is very sensitive. When mistreated or not considered adequately, they tend to be unproductive and conflicts occur.For the best performance, a leader should also be low and open. The reason is that a good leader is also a good follower of the right strategies that are adopted by others. A wise leader is responsible for providing opportunities to all the followers even at the risk of getting unnoticed. A good leader should not only be aiming for good reward and acknowledgement (Heider, 1986). Leadership and my experience I have been selected to leadership roles in education institutes and was a team leader in the organisation that I was employed in. I was chosen as a team leader of a new process without being introduced to the team.When started my work as a team leader I realised that the team members were not comfortable with each other and that has really affected the team's performance as a single unit in spite of the fact that the employees were all hardworking. One of the initial steps I took after I took up the role was to resolve conflict through persuasive communication and the misunderstandings vanished in a very short interval of time. The team gathered together, was work and fun oriented at the same time, and also was appreciated for its achievement in a short time span.Initially three problems were not sorted and then we all glued up well because of the ‘need for affiliation' I had and the ‘requirement of achievement' a few others had in the group. My weakness as a leader As a leader I at times tend to be too democratic people fail to realise the difference between the team members and the team leader. I am not achievement oriented which is not always favourable. Different leadership styles are acceptable at different circumstances as I suggested by the situational leadership theory.I am comfortable in one style of leadership and am in heavy requirement for the affiliation. But the democratic style of leadership may not be optimal when there is a situational change and the preferences would be for autocratic and bureaucratic leadership style. I tend to express myself more than than being an active listener. This means that my team mates may find me incommunicable to. Being unapproachable is a very bad quality where in a leader is concerned. I will also have a tough time working with type X employees because of my decentralised style of leadership.There were also many situations while taking the test keirsey that I faced questions that are not mutually exclusive. Even as a leader there are some fatal flaws that tend to occur. On being accepted by other if I will also make one of these fatal flaws that usually occur to leaders like thinking I am the smartest person in the room, being a control freak, the politician, the pleaser or the kind. It's very difficult for a leader to achieve a balance between all these requirements and it can be achieved only through experience (Lloyd, 2011) Conclusion The quality of leadership can be inborn and can be nurtured well.Organisations should find out talents within the firm and nurture them to be leaders of productive teams so that organisational goals are achieved while being in favour of the employees as well. Leadership is quality that has to be appreciated for being the root cause of the success or failure within an organisation. Employees within an organisation should be given chances to evaluate them self as a leader and person and then choose the most favourable position to enh ance productivity. References * Keirsey, D. (1998). Please understand me 11: temperament, character, intelligence.Prometheus Nemesis book Company. * Lloyd, J. (2011). Five fatal flaws of a leader. Retrieved from http://www. jobdig. com/articles/1572/Five_Fatal_Flaws_of_a_Leader. html. * Lussier, R. N & Christopher f. A. (2010). Leadership: theory, application, Skill development. Cengage Learning. * Heider, J. (1986). The Toa of leadership: leadership strategies for new age. Bantam. * Valentine, S, Godkin, L & Philip E V. (2009). Role conflict mindfulness and organisational ethics in an education based healthcare institution. Journal of business ethics, 94 (3), 455-469.

Comparing Gods and Goddesses Essay

Years ago, women did not have much power as they do now. Women sat back and took orders from their husbands. Whatever is asking of them to do the women would have to carry out the order with no feedback and nobody jesters. Women were more humble to men and they listened and believed whatever men told them. All women knew how to do was to be a homemaker. Women did not have a problem with staying home cooking, cleaning, ironing, and taking care of the children. Women kept everything in order at home. The one thing women did not do in the home years ago was keep track of the bills. The men did the bill back then, because they were the ones bringing home the money. When it came to spending any money for the house or for the children, the man was in charge. Women were to let the men know what was needed and they will go out and get it. Today women are different; Women are more attractive and keep themselves up. Women do not stay at home and take care of the children. The women today work, go to school, take care the children, and the home. The men today are taking the back seat. The women are in control. In some households, the women are telling the men what to do. The women today have power. To the children the women can fix anything. The men sometimes have the same thoughts. Many look up to the women. The women can heal the sick and feed the hungry and cloth the naked with very little money. Zeus a Greek God had a daughter by the name of Athena. Athena was the Greek Goddess of wisdom. She is fair, strong and very merciful to all. Athena was independent and didn’t rely on anyone. She was also known as one of the three virgin goddesses. Athena was the type of women who didn’t worry about being romanced by a male. She wasn’t concerned with marriage either. To refer back to today’s culture; Athena is what you call a, â€Å"career woman. † She was always busy doing something. The modern women today are all work and no play. Greek goddess by the name of Artemis was as strong as an ox. She doesn’t need a male to protect her. Artemis is the defender and guardian of all women in childbirth. She also loves the wilderness. So she protects those women too. Artemis dislikes men because they are of no use to her. She isn’t interested in getting married either because she feels that it takes away from a women’s freedom. So Artemis is very close to her female friends. They walk the forest together all the time. Unlike Athena, Artemis doesn’t really care to deal with the city life. She would rather be in the wilderness with the animals. Even though Artemis disliked men, she allowed the young boys to come and learn new things at her sanctuary. So she wasn’t as bad as the people thought she was. She was just a strong minded woman who loved nature. She loved being outdoors. Artemis is a great defender to all. Unlike Artemis, Athena wore a helmet and walked around holding a shield. She was rational and very intelligent. She was wise and a peacemaker. She is powerful and strong like Artemis. She defends her people in war but is also a peacemaker. Artemis is young and beautiful and wears leaves to cover her body. She doesn’t cover her legs. The costume that she wears could possibly cause problems with the Greek gods because of the way it looks. She feels that her costume represents sacrificed animals. It could represent breast and fruits also. But goddess’s views were very different from the Gods. Gods are usually described in terms of the various sociopolitical roles that they fulfill. † The function of the god myths are to explain phenomena to fasten a culture, record and pass on historical events, set example for people, and set behavior standards for generation to follow. Natural phenomena’s like thunder, lightening, miracles, and seasonal changes are all associated with god myths. God myths explain these phenomena’s that people find hard to understand. For example, the Myth Persephone and Hades started by the Greeks to explain winter and why it happens. Myths of the gods and are also created and function as explanations for happenings after death occurrences of certain miracles, and the creation of the Earth. Function of myth is to justify and validate the ritual practices and cultic celebrations. At time myth are also etiological in its function, in trying to explain the causes of certain customs and practices or how a particular name of the place originated. In traditional societies myth has an educational value, it was used to introduce or stress a particular moral value. People needing to believe is a common element in all society if you get people to believe in what you are saying the will follow. Myth by nature depicts a time period that is usually a remote past, in which gods and goddesses are the chief characters. A myth usually points to an unknown transcendental reality in symbolic form. It has a tremendous psychological impact on the listeners as it makes the listeners almost believe that those things really happened. Religious people have sacred narratives, call myths, which explain how things got the way they are. Proverbs and legends escribe wisdom and phenomenal exploits â€Å"in ordinary, profane time,† myths portray the work of spiritual power in arranging the existing order â€Å"in primordial, sacred time’ (Loewen 1969b, 150). National myths describe how tribes and nations came into being. Deity myths recount relationships between humanity and divinity: Spirit myths depict the origin and functions of lower spiritual beings. Sickness myths reveal ancient sources and causes of illness. Cosmic myths describe the origin and cause of catastrophic events, such as earthquakes, lightning, thunder, drought, rain, and eclipses. Describe the elements and function of god myth just depends on the cultures and what they have been told to believe. Just like us as human we are taught to believe what we have been taught from generation to generation from our ancestor something are believable and something’s just are not but they are not question. God is often portrayed like a person who is outside us. He controls the world from outside like a king controls his subjects. He is often called Superman who moves the earth and the heaven. God is in control of the female and male divine culture. The female and male divine possess different elements and functions starting in early era of time and carried in today’s era. The male is considered the stronger, aggressive, masculine and brutish image. The female is cunningly, not weak with an inner strength voice that speaks to her soul. The male divine is the protector of the house, the provider, and control the needs of the household. The male divine only cater to his needs and not respect the female desires. The early eras of life the female was expect to stay at home and take care of the house, children, and male and not enter the working world. Society today has changed whereas the female is working and supporting the family needs and stills mange the household. Although society has continued to change the male divine found switching the roles play by staying at home and supporting the family needs. The role play has impact a different outlook on life in the male divine. Technically the female and male divine is different hormones, brains functions, and the heritance of traits from family heritage. The female is strong minded in varies subject and aspect that affects the controlling of the household. The male divine still does not grip the concept that the female divine is powerful and put here to help support the male divine in every aspect of life. Female divine are to walk beside and not behind the male. The both female and male are difference in appearance that how the attraction for each other beginning. The outer appearance attracts male to female leading to companionship. The male looks to the females to ease the discomfort with compassion, understanding, stroking the bad feeling to make it better but the opinion of the female seem unimportant to male at the first sign of the situation. Yet the male has to make a step backward to say the female opinion is right. The male ego is a huge quest for the male to let down his guards. The female and male divine continues to live in harmony and depend on the different ideas and opinion that each possess and strive for completeness. When the male and female learns to share, communicate, listen, and willingness to share the solution of all concerns coming up with right decision as one. Female and male should not be in competition for seeing who the better person is. Throughout history the elements and function has not change for the female and male divine it just seem to adapt along with society principles of what society anticipate. Female and male divine has many elements and functions to help stay focus on the various barriers of life by adapting to society changing society. Finally, the male and the female divine share the same functions. They both are in authority to give orders, and many people look up to them both. They know life will bring different kinds for issues to endure, but they are willing to go throw and handle them with the proper approach. The male and the female divine are just alike concerning their children, and being there for their children. If mom is not available, the child will turn to their dad. The male and the female are valued. They are both beautiful people with values and power they both share. They give and take orders from each other, and other people. They both share a desire to love one another, and the male divine loves beautiful, smart women can stand on her on and fix life-changing problems. The woman wants the same values in a man. The elements and functions shared by the female and the male are on going from generations to generation.

Bush V. Gore

Gore was described as a controversial election to say the least. The votes in several Florida counties were put up into question as to whether they should be counted or not. In a Democratic Election all legal votes must be counted. The main arguments around this issue were Article 2, Section 1 of the Constitution, the interpretation of the Equal Protection Clause and confusion around voting deadlines during the Recount. This process was exacerbated by the lack of impartial justices and secretary of state. The initial argument surrounding this issue is Article 2, Section 1 of the Constitution. Article 2, Section 1 of the Constitution states, â€Å"In presidential elections, each State shall appoint, in such manner as the legislature thereof may direct, the electors to which the State is entitled. † That being said 3 justices, Rehnquist, Scalia, and Thomas all argued that Florida violated this; there argument placed a lot of emphasis on the word â€Å"legislature†. Meaning to say that there is a difference between the State, who is empowered to appoint its own electors and that own State’s legislature. Furthermore, this Article of the Constitution is completely out of the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction in the circumstances. The Supreme Court should have nothing to do with matters of state law in between the State and their own Legislature. Also, the Florida Supreme Court held that â€Å"a legal vote may include any ballot from which it is reasonably possible to determine the clear intent of the voter, whether or not the ‘chad’ had been completely punched through, which is consistent with the law of the clear majority of the States†. Chief Justice Rehnquist in his opinion argued that this interpretation was so ridiculous and not mirrored with Florida legislation, that it violated Article 2. He claimed that because most counties use punch cards that tell you to clearly punch your ballot no reasonable person could count a vote that wasn’t clearly punched all the way through. (Geoffrey R. Stone, Equal Protection? ) The Florida Election Code states that â€Å"no vote shall be declared invalid if there is a clear indication of the intent of the voter†, also a 60 year old Florida Law precedent states that â€Å"must give statutes relating to elections a construction in favor of the citizen’s right to vote, and the intention of the voters should prevail when counting ballots† (Constitution of the State of Florida, As Revised in 1968) After hearing this, the other 6 Justices concluded that the Florida Supreme Court decision was in long established precedent and said it didn’t even raise a question under Article 2 of the Constitution. In simpler terms, stating that all of those votes were legal and that the standards set were sufficient to determine which votes should and should not be counted. Onto the Equal Protection Clause, the Supreme Court basically contradicts themselves on this matter. After stating the voting standards set by the Florida Supreme Court didn’t violate Article 2, they continued on to state that it violates the Equal Protection clause because â€Å"the standards for accepting or rejecting contested ballots might vary not only from county to county but even within a single county† (Geoffrey R. Stone, Equal Protection? ). What is startling is that the Florida Constitution states, â€Å"The intention of the voters should prevail when counting ballots† meaning that if there is any intention the vote should be counted, and if this wasn’t precise enough for the Supreme Court why did they vote to uphold it on the Article 2, Section 1 vote? If the Supreme Court required a uniform standard for counting and recounting votes in Florida, why does it not need a uniform standard for voting? Is the fact that punch card voting has a sufficiently higher chance of having your vote not counted compared to computer voting where there is a bare minimum chance of your votes not being counted violating the Equal Protection Clause as well? Or is it the fact that punch card counties are more commonly in low income counties, who tend to vote Republican (Al Gore)? All of these things ould be seen as discriminatory or â€Å"not equal† as well as the non-uniform standard for counting, but if the Supreme Court has decided that the recount standard is in violation then in thought the whole Election should be rendered â€Å"Unconstitutional† and put to an end, correct? To continue, no it should not be put to an end. The Supreme Court should have ordered a stay on the Recount until a uniform standard was put in place for all of the Florida Counties and they should have ordered that every state have a uniform standard for Recounts for future elections. The Supreme Court made a Pragmatic but Unlawful decision in voting for the violation of the Equal Protection Clause which led to the stoppage of the 2000 Florida Recount. (Bo Li, Perspectives, Vol. 2, No. 3). This goes without mentioning the fact that Bush’s state of Texas had a uniform voting standard which allowed anything to be counted in the scenario of a recount including a dimpled chad. This means that Governor Bush signed in a bill that let any vote with slight intent be counted in the process of a Recount, yet is arguing that intent of a voter is an unconstitutional argument. This is hypocritical and shows a lack of character, if Bush truly believes in the Constitution he should be letting all the legal votes be counted to see if he actually won the Presidency of the United States. If Bush truly cared about the simple uniform standards for Recounting, he should have ordered for a stay until uniform standards were set in place. Instead he argued the entire Recount unconstitutional and the 5-4 majority (5 Republican Judges-4 Democratic Judges) decided that there was no reason to Recount possibly legal votes when it had a chance of harming Bush’s chance to become Prime Minister. Legal analysts from all over the Country explained it as the Justices trying to make a pragmatic decision by putting an end to this controversy, turns out it backfired on them. (Geoffrey R. Stone, Equal Protection? ) The third point to be explained in this case is the ongoing controversy over voting deadlines and how the ever so bright Secretary of State in Florida Katherine Harris’ thoughts were constantly being controlled by Bush advisors. Katherine Harris (and Friends) made it very clear that they would ot be accepting votes after a certain deadline, which left no time for the original recount. All these votes had to be stamped and signed to be considered legal votes. This left the Democratic Party frantically trying to recount votes and get them stamped and in on time. When she ruled that if votes were not stamped and signed they could not be accepted, the Democratic Party argued that tons of Military votes could not be counted because they were very rarely stamped and sig ned. In the US there is no voting law that states Military Votes can be accepted with no signature or stamp. This obviously led to an uproar from Republicans (Who most military votes get casted for) because it was just unethical for the Democrats to take away illegal votes for the Republicans. What the Republicans fail to realize is that taking away Florida citizens legal votes because you are scared of losing is also unethical. The Democrats later changed their minds and told the Secretary to reconsider the Military votes and give them special consideration. (Joseph I. Lieberman, Military Ballots Merit a Review) There are a few other factors I would like to add to perspective before closing my argument, in Florida the Republican swayed Secretary of State Katherine Harris put 20 Thousand people on the Voter Purge list. A Large group of these people had never done anything wrong, in particular an African-American Pastor could not vote because his name was similar to that of a hardened criminal in Florida (HBO Documentary, Recount). The most interesting fact of all was that the 3 Judges who voted for Bush in both instances (Rehnquist, Scalia, Thomas) were all considered Republican judges. In the last 30 years at the Supreme Court the 19 Cases involving the Equal Protection Clause concerning laws against race, elderly, and other minorities they voted a perfect 19 for 19 to uphold the Equal Protection Clause. Yet, the one case involving Politics and the party they are associated with they for some strange reason voted against it with very little reasoning. (Geoffrey R. Stone, Equal Protection? ) If that’s not Politics in Black Robes, what is. In Conclusion, Legal votes in Florida were not counted when they should have een. The various ideas such as the proper vote in Article 2, Section 1, the contradiction and unlawful voting on the Equal Protection Clause and the confusing deadlines regarding votes were all examples of how things can be exacerbated by impartial Judges and Secretary of States. The votes in Florida should have been recounted after a uniform standard was put in place similar to the one in Texas and the real results of the 2000 Election should have been deciphered. All else aside, the whole United States should have a uniform voting, counting and recounting standard to eliminate all this confusion in the future. Bibliography http://www. leg. state. fl. us/statutes/index. cfm? mode=constitutionsubmenu=3 http://www. nytimes. com/2000/11/20/us/counting-vote-absentee-ballots-military-ballots-merit-review-lieberman-says. html? pagewanted=allsrc=pm http://fathom. lib. uchicago. edu/1/777777122240/ http://www. oycf. org/Perspectives2/9_123100/bush_v1. htm HBO Documentary, Recount Bush V. Gore Gore was described as a controversial election to say the least. The votes in several Florida counties were put up into question as to whether they should be counted or not. In a Democratic Election all legal votes must be counted. The main arguments around this issue were Article 2, Section 1 of the Constitution, the interpretation of the Equal Protection Clause and confusion around voting deadlines during the Recount. This process was exacerbated by the lack of impartial justices and secretary of state. The initial argument surrounding this issue is Article 2, Section 1 of the Constitution. Article 2, Section 1 of the Constitution states, â€Å"In presidential elections, each State shall appoint, in such manner as the legislature thereof may direct, the electors to which the State is entitled. † That being said 3 justices, Rehnquist, Scalia, and Thomas all argued that Florida violated this; there argument placed a lot of emphasis on the word â€Å"legislature†. Meaning to say that there is a difference between the State, who is empowered to appoint its own electors and that own State’s legislature. Furthermore, this Article of the Constitution is completely out of the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction in the circumstances. The Supreme Court should have nothing to do with matters of state law in between the State and their own Legislature. Also, the Florida Supreme Court held that â€Å"a legal vote may include any ballot from which it is reasonably possible to determine the clear intent of the voter, whether or not the ‘chad’ had been completely punched through, which is consistent with the law of the clear majority of the States†. Chief Justice Rehnquist in his opinion argued that this interpretation was so ridiculous and not mirrored with Florida legislation, that it violated Article 2. He claimed that because most counties use punch cards that tell you to clearly punch your ballot no reasonable person could count a vote that wasn’t clearly punched all the way through. (Geoffrey R. Stone, Equal Protection? ) The Florida Election Code states that â€Å"no vote shall be declared invalid if there is a clear indication of the intent of the voter†, also a 60 year old Florida Law precedent states that â€Å"must give statutes relating to elections a construction in favor of the citizen’s right to vote, and the intention of the voters should prevail when counting ballots† (Constitution of the State of Florida, As Revised in 1968) After hearing this, the other 6 Justices concluded that the Florida Supreme Court decision was in long established precedent and said it didn’t even raise a question under Article 2 of the Constitution. In simpler terms, stating that all of those votes were legal and that the standards set were sufficient to determine which votes should and should not be counted. Onto the Equal Protection Clause, the Supreme Court basically contradicts themselves on this matter. After stating the voting standards set by the Florida Supreme Court didn’t violate Article 2, they continued on to state that it violates the Equal Protection clause because â€Å"the standards for accepting or rejecting contested ballots might vary not only from county to county but even within a single county† (Geoffrey R. Stone, Equal Protection? ). What is startling is that the Florida Constitution states, â€Å"The intention of the voters should prevail when counting ballots† meaning that if there is any intention the vote should be counted, and if this wasn’t precise enough for the Supreme Court why did they vote to uphold it on the Article 2, Section 1 vote? If the Supreme Court required a uniform standard for counting and recounting votes in Florida, why does it not need a uniform standard for voting? Is the fact that punch card voting has a sufficiently higher chance of having your vote not counted compared to computer voting where there is a bare minimum chance of your votes not being counted violating the Equal Protection Clause as well? Or is it the fact that punch card counties are more commonly in low income counties, who tend to vote Republican (Al Gore)? All of these things ould be seen as discriminatory or â€Å"not equal† as well as the non-uniform standard for counting, but if the Supreme Court has decided that the recount standard is in violation then in thought the whole Election should be rendered â€Å"Unconstitutional† and put to an end, correct? To continue, no it should not be put to an end. The Supreme Court should have ordered a stay on the Recount until a uniform standard was put in place for all of the Florida Counties and they should have ordered that every state have a uniform standard for Recounts for future elections. The Supreme Court made a Pragmatic but Unlawful decision in voting for the violation of the Equal Protection Clause which led to the stoppage of the 2000 Florida Recount. (Bo Li, Perspectives, Vol. 2, No. 3). This goes without mentioning the fact that Bush’s state of Texas had a uniform voting standard which allowed anything to be counted in the scenario of a recount including a dimpled chad. This means that Governor Bush signed in a bill that let any vote with slight intent be counted in the process of a Recount, yet is arguing that intent of a voter is an unconstitutional argument. This is hypocritical and shows a lack of character, if Bush truly believes in the Constitution he should be letting all the legal votes be counted to see if he actually won the Presidency of the United States. If Bush truly cared about the simple uniform standards for Recounting, he should have ordered for a stay until uniform standards were set in place. Instead he argued the entire Recount unconstitutional and the 5-4 majority (5 Republican Judges-4 Democratic Judges) decided that there was no reason to Recount possibly legal votes when it had a chance of harming Bush’s chance to become Prime Minister. Legal analysts from all over the Country explained it as the Justices trying to make a pragmatic decision by putting an end to this controversy, turns out it backfired on them. (Geoffrey R. Stone, Equal Protection? ) The third point to be explained in this case is the ongoing controversy over voting deadlines and how the ever so bright Secretary of State in Florida Katherine Harris’ thoughts were constantly being controlled by Bush advisors. Katherine Harris (and Friends) made it very clear that they would ot be accepting votes after a certain deadline, which left no time for the original recount. All these votes had to be stamped and signed to be considered legal votes. This left the Democratic Party frantically trying to recount votes and get them stamped and in on time. When she ruled that if votes were not stamped and signed they could not be accepted, the Democratic Party argued that tons of Military votes could not be counted because they were very rarely stamped and sig ned. In the US there is no voting law that states Military Votes can be accepted with no signature or stamp. This obviously led to an uproar from Republicans (Who most military votes get casted for) because it was just unethical for the Democrats to take away illegal votes for the Republicans. What the Republicans fail to realize is that taking away Florida citizens legal votes because you are scared of losing is also unethical. The Democrats later changed their minds and told the Secretary to reconsider the Military votes and give them special consideration. (Joseph I. Lieberman, Military Ballots Merit a Review) There are a few other factors I would like to add to perspective before closing my argument, in Florida the Republican swayed Secretary of State Katherine Harris put 20 Thousand people on the Voter Purge list. A Large group of these people had never done anything wrong, in particular an African-American Pastor could not vote because his name was similar to that of a hardened criminal in Florida (HBO Documentary, Recount). The most interesting fact of all was that the 3 Judges who voted for Bush in both instances (Rehnquist, Scalia, Thomas) were all considered Republican judges. In the last 30 years at the Supreme Court the 19 Cases involving the Equal Protection Clause concerning laws against race, elderly, and other minorities they voted a perfect 19 for 19 to uphold the Equal Protection Clause. Yet, the one case involving Politics and the party they are associated with they for some strange reason voted against it with very little reasoning. (Geoffrey R. Stone, Equal Protection? ) If that’s not Politics in Black Robes, what is. In Conclusion, Legal votes in Florida were not counted when they should have een. The various ideas such as the proper vote in Article 2, Section 1, the contradiction and unlawful voting on the Equal Protection Clause and the confusing deadlines regarding votes were all examples of how things can be exacerbated by impartial Judges and Secretary of States. The votes in Florida should have been recounted after a uniform standard was put in place similar to the one in Texas and the real results of the 2000 Election should have been deciphered. All else aside, the whole United States should have a uniform voting, counting and recounting standard to eliminate all this confusion in the future. Bibliography http://www. leg. state. fl. us/statutes/index. cfm? mode=constitutionsubmenu=3 http://www. nytimes. com/2000/11/20/us/counting-vote-absentee-ballots-military-ballots-merit-review-lieberman-says. html? pagewanted=allsrc=pm http://fathom. lib. uchicago. edu/1/777777122240/ http://www. oycf. org/Perspectives2/9_123100/bush_v1. htm HBO Documentary, Recount

Actions for country, briefing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Actions for country, briefing - Essay Example First thing in analysis of the countries cultural practices is understands the countries history, understanding the present and finally trying to predict the future. This understanding will help in predicting the performance of the industry and also its future existence in the chosen country. Historical understanding of the country provides a clear perception of its tradition and background. It provides us with the reason why certain things are done by the country or the community. In Indian custom and tradition, it is a common practice for every Indian to wash his or her legs before getting inside the house at night. Studying history of the Indians you find that in the past when people used to walk with there bare foot, their feet became dirty and they needed to be washed before entering the house as an hygienic practice and a way to wash the evil ( Willford, 2007 ). This is because they believed that evil always attaches itself to the feet. This shows that the present reaction of p eople to certain things is an indication of the past reaction to the similar thing. Hence understanding of the Countries history is the basic of cultural analysis. The preferred country of choice is Australia. It is one of the Australian Countries found near longstanding trade, cultural links and investment with Asia region. It is almost completely surrounded by Indian and pacific oceans. Australia shares maritime territories with its neighboring countries. The countries that are neighboring Australia include Vanuatu, Solomon Island, New Caledonia, New Zealand, new Guinea, East Timor and Indonesia, that are all island countries in Asia-pacific and S.E Asian regions. It also shares an overland border in Antarctic territory that joins territories claimed to belong to many nations. The largest country that neighbors Australia is Indonesia. Indonesia belongs to S.E Asian as well as Asia-Pacific regions. The second

Demoiselles D'Avignon by Pablo Picasso Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Demoiselles D'Avignon by Pablo Picasso - Essay Example The essay "Demoiselles D'Avignon by Pablo Picasso" explores one of the most important pieces of art by Pablo Picasso. He completed the picture in 1907. Picasso always applied oil on his canvas. Presently, the picture is displayed in New York’s Museum of Modern Art. In the twentieth century, one of the most significant canvases, Picasso’s , Les Demoiselles D’Avignon, was created due to various reasons. First, among them was the confrontation he had with CÃ ©zanne’s extraordinary accomplishment at the posthumous show which took place in Paris in 1907, a year following the artist’s death. The retrospective exhibition drove the young Picasso, Matisse, as well as many other artists into competing with the inferences of the art of CÃ ©zanne. 1906’s Bonheur de Vivre by Matisse was his first attempt, which was later given to Leo & Gertrude Stein, who went ahead to hang it inside their living room thereby ensuring that all of the avant-garde artists and writers were capable of seeing and praising it. The praises led to the fulfillment of the promise made by CÃ ©zanne that the painting was worth them. Throughout his paintings, Picasso treated women the same way he treated his projects since he used to sketch a little, paint and then progress to the next painting. Although Picasso had over 25,000 works by his name, which mostly concentrated on women; to him, women were merely an object of his enjoyment and pleasure. According to Picasso, there are two sorts of women; the goddesses and the door mats.

Organisational Behaviour Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Organisational Behaviour - Case Study Example Lack of managerial control is a key OB issue related to the case. It can be observed that Anne Parker, the senior branch assistant, fails to control the junior employee Ronny Tristan. The newly joined Ronny Tristan is not taking his immediate boss seriously. That means Anne fails apply authority properly. A number of times Anne has complained about Tristan to the top level management. It reinforces the fact that lack of managerial control is evident from the side of Anne Parker. The behaviour of Ronny Tristan is not only pinching Anne but also causing problems for the official environment. Unfortunately lack of managerial control has created deadlock for the situation. Sometimes Anne is getting harsh with Ronny and sometimes behaving in soft way. This kind of inconsistency is creating less managerial control. Lack of accountability from the side of Ronny Tristan is also an important issue in this case. One thing is clear that Ronny Tristan is not giving his hundred percent in his works. His focuses are not at all there. He is taking his bosses pretty lightly. In spite of number of warnings or whistle blowing form Anne, Ronny is not taking them seriously. It means there is a significant problem regarding the accountability of Ronny. Day by day scale of business operations is gaining momentums. It requires significant accountability from all the levels of the organization. But that amount of accountability is missing from the side of Ronny. He is not at all cooperating with other staffs and his boss. His attitudes towards the stipulated works are not proper. In this case team problem is highly evident. Team environment is an integral part of the organizational behaviour. In this case that team environment specifically between Anne and Ronny is missing. There is a clear cut evidence of disconnection between these two persons. In every

The endangered anmial-Mouse Lemur and White-flag Dolphin Essay

The endangered anmial-Mouse Lemur and White-flag Dolphin - Essay Example Conservation programs are being developed carried out to ensure the continued existence of these fascinating animals. This essay presents a comprehensive description and current circumstances of these two endangered animals. Introduction Extinction naturally happens. In fact, a huge number of species has already died out. With regards to this, several individuals and groups have explained the worsening global scarcity of species by declaring that because extinction naturally occurs, the extinction of recent species is merely an extension of a natural occurrence. The 1973 Endangered Species Act (ESA) was the first official, federal attempt to recognize that every species serves a distinctive, special function in the environment and that people, especially governments, should keep from disturbing the balance of nature or the ecosystem (Liebesman & Petersen, 2003, 89). The double responsibility for stable and organized management of the ESA is assigned to the Fish and Wildlife Service ( FWS) for land and several marine species and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) for marine life forms. The Act’s original goal was â€Å"to provide a means whereby the ecosystems upon which endangered species and threatened species depend may be conserved† (Liebesman & Petersen, 2003, 89). ... From the point of view of ecology, a more effective method is to focus on protecting self-sufficient environment of these species, and allowing nature do its part (Liebesman & Petersen, 2003, 89-90). The FWS is tasked to list, delist, and reclassify protected species. When it is suggested to list a species as Endangered or Threatened, the FWS publicizes the suggestion in the U.S. government’s publication—the Federal Register (Baur & Irvin, 2010, 1). Afterward the FWS makes a decision whether to endorse, modify, or reject the suggestion. A species can be classified either ‘threatened’ or ‘endangered’, which depends on its condition and the level of threat. By definition, a ‘threatened’ species is â€Å"likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range† (Baur & Irvin, 2010, 34), whereas an ‘endangered’ species is â€Å"in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range† (Baur & Irvin, 2010, 34). A species is listed as endangered or threatened due to any of these reasons (Liebesman & Petersen, 2003, 18-20): (1) the threatened or current disruption or devastation, alteration, shortening of its range, or weakening of its habitat; (2) overexploitation for scientific, business-related, or recreational purposes; (3) the incompetence of current regulatory measures; (4) disease; and (5) other human-made or natural phenomena affecting its ability to survive. Once a species is listed, protective measures begin. Such measures involve protection from damaging impact of government programs or operations; limitations on the capturing and selling of species; and execution of recovery plans. These attempts strengthen the survival

Project Scope, Time, Cost, and Quality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Project Scope, Time, Cost, and Quality - Essay Example In level one of the maturity model, the processes are ad hoc and chaotic. The project is completed and results are obtained but the success is not repeatable since much is attributed to the skills of the resources involved. Also often the project exceeds limits of time and budget and critical processes are overlooked to get the work done. To move from this level to the next, definite practices need to be put in place and the company should only accept projects that can be executed within its infrastructure. In level two, some project management practices are in place and hence the results are repeatable. Also processes are adhered to even when time is critical and results are documented for future use. Process discipline and project specific standards helps in this level, but to move on to the next level, organization-wide fixed standards are essential, and they allow for project specific versions as a deviation. Requirement Management, Project Planning, Tracking and Oversight, Quali ty Assurance and Configuration Management are introduced at a project specific level.In maturity level three, the process is now tailored for every aspect of the project. The measuring tools, standards and methodology are in place and the management has knowledge of the project status at all times. The key feature is that there is consistency in the processes and project quality is assured. To move on to the next level, statistical analysis will go a long way to predict performances accurately. Level 2 Quality management and processes are defined and managed at an organization level instead of at a project level. PMMM Level 4 Managed In maturity level four, the measurements of the project management processes are very well defined and precise: statistical techniques are employed for even the sub processes as they are considered to impact the overall performance. The processes are maintained even when modifications are needed due to project uniqueness. The projects can now be quantitatively predicted as compared to the qualitative predictions in level three. Software Quality Management and Quality Process Management are introduced at this level. PMMM Level 5 Optimized In maturity level five, continuous self-improvement processes are

Research philosophies and principles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Research philosophies and principles - Essay Example The postmodern moment (1990-1995) 6. The postexperimental inquiry moment (1995-2000) 7. The methodologically contested present (2000-2010) 8. The future moment (2010-). In each of the eight moments, different things are included in the definition of qualitative research (Jessor, Colby and Shweder, 1996, p. 129). However, it is customary to offer a generic definition of the qualitative research here: Qualitative research is a kind of research that is â€Å"based on a relativistic, constructivist ontology that posits that there is no objective reality. Rather, there are multiple realities constructed by human beings who experience a phenomenon of interest† (Krauss, 2005, p. 760). Researchers commonly adopt the qualitative methodology when they want to alter things for the better or want to bring a change. Therefore, advocacy and empathy are two of the most essential elements of the researcher’s lifestyle (Stake, 2010, p. 14). This paper evaluates and compares the research philosophies and principles of four research papers related to tourism. All of the research papers are based on qualitative research but have different research paradigms. 1. Visiting death and life: dark tourism and slave castles by Rasul A. Mowatt and Charles H. Chancellor Mowatt and Chancellor (2011) selected Ghana for their research since this country has most number of West African Slave Castles i.e. 36 out of the total 52 that have remained. Mowatt and Chancellor (2011) used interviews, photo elicitation and analysis of the tourists’ narratives in their methodology. The study involved 14 African descents eight of whom were females and six were males. All of them were from the US. The researchers agreed upon the non-generalizability of the research results. â€Å"As such the results from this study are not generalizable. A second sample could have yielded a confirmation or divergence in responses and behaviors with this sample† (Mowatt and Chancellor, 2011, p. 14 28). Research carried out by Mowatt and Chancellor (2011) is an exploratory research wherein the researchers don’t come with preconceived notions about the tourists’ motivations. This research was a mix of the modernist, critical representation and blurred genres moments of research. In course of their research, Mowatt and Chancellor (2011) found that although there is a lot of disparity in the ethnic identities of the aboriginal Africans and the African Americans that have been away from their indigenous place for centuries, yet they still relate to one another and shed away all their time-bound differences when they make a visit to the Ghanaian Slave Castles. The researchers found a special bond between the tourists and the Castles, which had remained unaffected despite their distance from their native land or change in their social identities that has occurred over the time. The factor of symbolic interactionism reflects in the tourists’ discomfort with the W hite people in the post-visit stage. It suggests that the tourists consider the slavery a racial matter in which the Black race has always been oppressed by the White. The fact that the researchers made use of photographs as a means to achieve the research objectives in addition to conducting the in-depth interviews with them and studying their ethnography makes this research relate to the blurred genres moment of research. Also, the researchers’ personal or intellectual biographies don’t show up in the research which further promotes the blurred genre

Jersey Shore Reality TV Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Jersey Shore Reality TV Analysis - Essay Example This "Jersey Shore Reality TV Analysis" essay outlines the main problems of Jersey Shore reality TV. Reality TV shows have become a controversial issue. Several scholars have raised questions regarding the deceitful realism depicted in several reality TV shows. Most reality TV shows are characterized by stereotypes and unearned celebrity. To some scholar, using the term â€Å"reality TV† to refer to some shows is misleading since the shows are characterized by fabricated reactions accomplished in contrived situations. Bignell, Fiske, Barnet-Weiser, and Portwood-Stacer feel that reality TV programs should focus on how ordinary people behave without too much exaggeration. In their opinion, reality shows should focus more on passing an ideology and not on the individual taking part in the show. Jersey Shore is a reality TV show that has been debated on my several scholars. Though considered a reality show, Jersey Shore demonstrates promiscuity, stereotyping, and abuse of alcohol. The shore pays more attention to the personal behaviors and opinions of the casts and not on ideologies. This has resulted in a lot of criticism from scholars who feel that the show is unrealistic since it dwells too much on negative aspects. One such negative aspect is the depiction of feminism in the twenty-first Century. Nicole, who is one of the main casts being idolized by several American teenagers, considers herself a modern woman. She considers herself a good example of feminist but engages in endless clubbing and gets drunks often. , gets drunks often, and engages in sexual intercourse with any man. Additionally, she feels that clubbing at night with her male colleagues makes her equal with them. This is a distorted portrayal of equality and it depicts denigration of feminism. This kind of feminism is what Barnet-Weiser and Portwood-Stacer (259) refer as â€Å"as testimony for the collapse of identity with representation.† Although the Jersey shore tries to depict girls as strong and independent, the depiction is erroneous. Barnet-Weiser and Portwood-Stacer would have opposed and criticized such a depiction of feminism. This is because the two believe that such portrayal of feminism is â€Å"a symptom and effect of gender oppression.† In the shore, the male casts underrate the female cast. The female thus engage in activities such as clubbing in an attempt to prove the men wrong (Barnet-Weiser and Portwood-Stacer 260). According to Fiske (5), â€Å"It is by no means natural for television to repr esent reality in the way that it does, just as it is by no means natural for language to do so.† Fiske considers most reality Television to be unrealistic. He claims that all television shows relies on codes to construct reality. In case of Jersey shore, most happenings are idealistic. A good example is the pretense that the casts are of Italian American origin, yet they

Cress seeds investigation Essay Example for Free

Cress seeds investigation Essay Test tube 6: Number germinated: 0/10 Height of seedlings: 0 I then took the averages of the height of the seedlings in each test tube. Average height in test tube 1: 49. 9mm Average height in test tube 2: 45. 25mm Average height in test tube 3: 9. 9mm Average height in test tube 4: 11. 5mm Average height in test tube 5: 5. 8mm Average height in test tube 6: 0mm This is a graph to show the average height of the seedlings in each test tube: OBSERVATIONS: Test tube number 1 contained the cress seedlings that had grown the best. This was the control test tube, and had no acid in it. The cress in this test tube was a healthy green colour, and was almost perfectly straight. The cress seedlings were the worst in test tube number 5. This tube contained 4 drops of acid, and the cress in it had hardly grown at all. It was a pale, sickly green colour, and very short. The leaves drooped down, and the roots were very short. Although test tube number 6 contained the most acid, the seedlings in this did not grow at all. I also took results from another group, who had conducted the same investigation as me. Their results are as follows: Test tube 1: Number germinated: 9/13. Height of seedlings: 1 ; 1 ; 2 ; 3 ; 3 ; 10 ; 22 ; 34 ; 34 Test tube 2: Number germinated: 10/13 Height of seedlings: 4 ; 5 ; 8 ; 14 ; 15 ; 15 ; 22 ; 24 ; 25 ; 33 Test tube 3: Number germinated: 12/13 Height of seedlings: 1 ; 4 ; 4 ; 5 ; 9 ; 10 ; 12 ; 12 ; 14 ; 14 ; 16 ; 16 Test tube 4: Number germinated: 0/13 Height of seedlings: 0 Test tube 5: Number germinated: 0/13 Height of seedlings: 0 Test tube 6: Number germinated: 8/13 Height of seedlings: 1 ; 2 ; 3 ; 3 ; 4 ; 4 ; 5 ; 5 Average height in test tube 1: 12. 2mm Average height in test tube 2: 16. 5mm Average height in test tube 3: 9. 8mm Average height in test tube 4: 0mm Average height in test tube 5: 0mm Average height in test tube 6: 3. 4mm This graph shows the average height of the seedlings in each test tube belonging to the other group: This graph shows the average height of both the other groups seedlings and mine. ANALYSIS: From my results I can tell that the more sulphuric acid the cress was grown in, the less the seedlings grew. For example, in my investigation, the cress in the control test tube grew to an average of 49. 9mm, whereas in the test tube with 5 drops of acid, the cress did not grow at all. In both mine and the other groups results, the average height of the seedlings went up slightly in one test tube the other groups by 6. 7mm in test tube 3, and mine by 1. mm in test tube 4. CONCLUSION: From this investigation I have drawn the conclusion that acid rain does indeed affect plant growth. My seedlings grew best in the control test tube, and the worst in the tube that contained the most acid. In the control test tube, the seedlings had long roots, whereas in the test tube with 5 drops of acid, the roots were weak and very short. This shows that the acid had affected the way the cress seeds had germinated, and had eaten away at the roots of the seedlings. My results support the original prediction that I made. I said that the cress would grow best in the control test tube, and as the results show, it did. I also said that the test tube containing the most acid would produce the worst seedlings, which was also correct. EVALUATING EVIDENCE: My results were not completely accurate. Although the basic trend showed that the more acid the seedlings were put in, the less they grew, my average heights went up slightly when, theoretically, they should have gone down. For example, they went up from 9. 9mm to 11. 5mm, and then down again to 5. 4mm. Therefore, the graph that I drew does not have a completely accurate curve. This is also true for the other set of results that I gathered. I could improve the accuracy of this investigation by doing several things differently. I could use more test tubes, giving me a wider range of results, and I could also use a smaller amount of acid per test tube for example, I could increase the acid by . 5 of a drop per tube. This would give me more accurate results. Because my results were slightly anomalous, they are not sufficient enough to support a firm conclusion. Because the results did not follow a set pattern, they are not entirely reliable. To improve on this, and make my results more accurate, I could be very meticulous when measuring out the acid, and also make sure that I treat all the test tubes equally. I feel that this investigation went quite well although my results could have been slightly more accurate.

The Pursuit of Happiness Essay Example for Free

The Pursuit of Happiness Essay The 2006 movie The Pursuit of Happyness, featuring will smith and real-life son Jaden Smith received significant financial success both during its original release and subsequent DVD edition. Inspired by the memoirs by self-made millionaire Chris Gardner together with Quincy Troupe, the film features the challenges of pursing the â€Å"American dream†, a challenge more easily associated with foreigners or immigrants to the country. The inspirational value of the movie is one of the reasons for its appeal. In the story, Gardner is portrayed as having employment is al subject to the social change faced by the unemployed. Though the premise of the story is not unique, the films approach illustrating how the collective impact of small social challenges can lead to homelessness highlights the concern of the spiraling social exclusion most middle class Americans have to deal with.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Gardner’s joke to his son regarding the drowning man who turned down the rescue of two boats in favor of waiting for God himself to save him is a testimony to the philosophy that he believes was key to his success. Similar to the adage that God helps those who help themselves, Gardner points out that one should not be so proud as to accept the help of others even if they do not compare to one’s expectation of the help that one needs. Moreover, Gardner’s story to his son encourages him to see the hand of God behind the opportunities, good and bad that comes his way going beyond corporeal or mystical manifestations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are key moments in the film where this can be most apparent. One of the early moments where this is seen is when he asks a man going out of a Ferrari what he did for a living and how he did it. The encounter, in real life with then top stockbroker Bob Bridges, led to Gardner’s introduction to a career in stock trading. Gardner again illustrates this idea in his interview with the internship position where he had to convince the panel to accept him though he came underdressed to the interview. Another example is portrayed in the daily rush father and son would always have to make at the end of the day to be able to get s a lot in the church shelter as well as the times when he sought â€Å"creative† ways of finding a place to spend the night in with his son which included railway station bathroom, subways and busses. The other scene that brings the deliver the same message was when the light of the bone density machine was being repaired by Gardner. But the most poignant illustrations of the philosophy behind Gardner’s quip are delivered by the conversations between father and son such as in Gardner’s lecture to his son regarding pursuing one’s dream despite others’ negative opinion viewing the city.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At many points in the picture, Gardner is portrayed as someone who is driven to the edge but is able to keep himself from totally falling into despair. His moments of self-pride in the movie are always resolved to have negative consequences such as having to run from a taxi driver and missing a slot in the shelter due to lending his boss cab fare. Often he is shown to have to swallow his pride to seek shelter or care but remains committed to alleviating his situation with his son as best he can and to not be dependent on welfare or the charity of others. Gardner’s view of helping one’s self emphasizes self-reliance but also self-realization. He points out that to be able to triumph from challenges: one has to be able to commit one’s self on doing so and pursuing every opportunity that comes. This implies the need to actively seek ways to accomplish such an objective, improving one’s self and learning from others and to persist regardless of failure. Work Cited The Pursuit of Happyness. Dir. Gabriele Muccino. Perf. Will Smith, Jaden Smith, Thandie Newton. Sony Pictures. 15 December 2006.

Eating Disorders: A Psychological Perspective

Eating Disorders: A Psychological Perspective Historically, eating disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa were misunderstood to be a consequence of an individuals desire to be thin. However, it is now known that they are in fact distinct, self-maintaining psychological disorders with multiple causes. The purpose of this essay was to describe the various psychological causes, effects and treatments of eating disorders although it was also felt to be appropriate to acknowledge the physical, biological and social aspects of such disorders. Its purpose was also to raise the awareness of male eating disorders and demonstrate that such cases have been seen to increase. In order to gather appropriate and non-biased information a range of resources have been used. These include: factual literature, journals, studies, newspaper articles, sufferers personal accounts and notes taken from professional lectures. The extensive research confirmed that eating disorders are in fact psychological disorders and evidenced the fact t hat not only do males suffer too, the prevalence of reported cases has been seen to be increasing. Eating Disorders: A Psychological Perspective For some people, their lives are a constant battle between their diet, their appearance and their emotions; with each pound lost, I was becoming more acceptable to the world (Harvey, 2007). Eating disorders are often mentioned within the media but scarcely spoken about in great detail, which has resulted in stereotypes and misperceptions being made about what eating disorders are as well as what they mean for the individual. One such stereotype is that sufferers are predominantly women who have the desire to be skinny. However, it is becoming increasingly recognised that eating disorders can develop in anyone and are often coping strategies for dealing with difficult emotions through gaining control over an aspect of an individuals life. Consequently, this essay aims to enhance peoples understanding of eating disorders by presenting a psychological account of their development, impact and treatment within individuals. This will be achieved by focussing on two eating disorders in particular, Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa, although other eating disorders will be considered where appropriate. Firstly, a history of these eating disorders will be presented leading to how they are conceptualised and defined today within the current diagnostic system. Secondly, this essay will discuss the potential causes of eating disorders in order to gain an understanding of the common underlying issues, which are potential contributing factors to the development of an eating disorder. Thirdly, the consequences of an eating disorder for both the sufferer and their family will be discussed before exploring an emerging awareness of eating disorders amongst men. Lastly this essay will present the treatments used today in the manageme nt of an eating disorder. It is hoped that this discussion of eating disorders from a psychological perspective will equip the reader with the knowledge and understanding required to challenge any previously held stereotypes and misconceptions of eating disorders. Historically, the behaviours associated with todays eating disorders were not uncommon, or pathologised. For example, there are numerous records of wilful, ritual fasting, which served specific purposes such as to receive some trance-like state that was a medium for sacred visions. Fasting was also used as a means of penance or purification (Bemporad, 1996). Purging was also present during the time of the Ancient Romans. Within this time it was not uncommon for the Ancient Romans to excuse themselves from a banquet, to purge and then return to continue feasting. It is also understood through Egyptian hieroglyphics that the Egyptians used purging as a safety measure against illness and would therefore purge monthly (Engel et al, 2007). Therefore it can be seen that historically, behaviours such as fasting and purging were a part of society and therefore normalised by the social and cultural context that existed then. However society along with its cultural norms has changed rapidly. Accompanying these changes were changing views about peoples behaviour. For example, during the reformation era, women who starved themselves were thought to be possessed by the devil, later they were thought to be frauds seeking notoriety and lastly they were seen as being physically and mentally ill (Brumberg, 1988). Accordingly, the first diagnosis of Anorexia Nervosa was in the case of a wealthy Roman female who starved herself for the sake of spiritual beliefs. However, the first official medical diagnosis was seen in England during the 1680s in the case of a twenty-year-old female where it was said that sadness was the cause of her starvation (Engel et al, 2007). In 1874, Anorexia Nervosa (nervous loss of appetite) was given its name by physician Sir William Gull (Ogden, 2010, p211). He was the first to recognise that such conditions should be considered a mental illness (Engel et al, 2007). However it wasnt until the 1930s that other professionals came to agree that eating disorders were often a result of an emotional or psychological struggle rather than being driven by the desire to be physically thin (Engel et al, 2007). Today, there are a range of known eating disorders including: Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified and exercise disorders such as, Bigorexia and Compulsive Exercising (Anorexia Athletica and Obligatory Exercise) (Nemours, 2013). These eating disorders each have their own set of diagnostic criteria, which are outlined within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). This framework is commonly used by professionals to diagnose and treat individuals with different types of eating disorders. Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder based upon the control of the way an individual looks and the foods they eat. It is thought that sufferers of this disorder strive to be thin because it results in a sense of self-worth and acceptance (MFMER, 2012a); this belief is potentially a result of the medias portrayal of the average person in society today. A sufferer of Anorexia Nervosa tends to be extremely cautious about the amount of calories they consume and their diets are often restricted. This is believed to provide the sufferer with a sense of control and provides a focus for their thoughts; distracting them from difficult emotions they may be trying to avoid. In terms of the official diagnosis of Anorexia Nervosa, the DSM states that there must be: the refusal to maintain a normal weight for the individuals height and age, an intense fear of weight gain even though the individual is already underweight, distorted body image and the absence of a minimum of three consecutive mens trual cycles (APA, 1987, p.67). Women with a BMI lower than 17.5 and displaying physical or psychological aspects stated within the diagnostic criteria will be diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001, p.28) and subsequently referred for treatment or therapy. Anorexia Nervosa is split into two types, purging and non-purging/restricting (Ogden, 2010, p.212). Non-purging anorexics solely restrict their diets whereas purging anorexics will restrict their diets and also binge on food and proceed to purge. It is thought that up to 50% of Anorexia Nervosa sufferers engage in binging and purging behaviours (Franco, ND). Common physical symptoms experienced by sufferers of Anorexia Nervosa include: severe weight loss, the growth of fine hair over the body, dizziness, low blood pressure, constipation, and loss of periods and a sense of tiredness but the inability to sleep (Beat, 2010). Psychologically, sufferers often develop inflexible and negative ways of thinking ab out themselves, believing that they are overweight or fat when in fact they are underweight. Behavioural symptoms may include secrecy and self-exclusion during meal times, quietness and withdrawal from social situations. As well as restricting their eating, sufferers may also become obsessive in checking the calorie content of food and their weight. The development of Bulimia Nervosa is also recognised as a response to stressful life events (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001, p.191) and difficult emotions but conversely, the individual is believed to hold fewer concerns about their physical appearance and the desire to be accepted via thinness. When suffering from Bulimia Nervosa it is thought that an individual engages in binge eating when they feel a build up of tension or stress, as it is believed to relieve them of these sensations (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001, p.196). Although Bulimia Nervosa sufferers binge eat, they are also believed to understand that this type of disordered eating will result in weight gain. Sufferers therefore take measures to ensure that they avoid gaining weight and the most common measure taken is purging during or after a binge. This is done to prevent the absorption of energy and fats from food into the sufferers body (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001, p.197). In addition to this strategy, between 7 5 and 90 percent of Bulimia Nervosa sufferers abuse the use of laxatives during and in between purges to assure themselves that the food consumed will not be absorbed as fat (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001, p.197). It is also understood that many Bulimia sufferers choose to carry out a strict dieting regime between binges to avoid weight gain (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001 p.197); as they understand the consequences of binge-eating regularly. The diagnostic criteria for Bulimia Nervosa stated by the DSM includes: recurrent binge eating episodes (a minimum of 2 episodes per week for a minimum of 3 months), a sense of a lack of control during binge eating and frequent engagement in self-induced vomiting (APA, 1987, p.68). Although binge eating is recognised as a behaviour of Bulimia sufferers; sufferers who solely binge-eat without purging are classified as suffering from Binge Eating Disorder. As stated by the NHS (ND) the predominant symptom of Binge Eating Disorder is weight gain, which can lead to serious health problems (to be discussed further on in this essay). Sufferers of Binge Eating Disorder and Bulimia commonly experience cravings for sugary foods, headaches and pain within the stomach (NHS, ND). Psychologically, Binge Eating Disorder and Bulimia Nervosa sufferers may appear to be anxious or depressed and often display signs of a sense of guilt after eating which in the case of Bulimia, results in purges. It is important to recognise that exercise disorders often come hand in hand with other eating disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia Nervosa and although they will not be explored in great detail it is important to have an understanding of these disorders. Some symptoms of exercise disorders include: an increase in the amount of exercise carried out due to the belief that a gap in training will result in weight gain, compulsive setting of goals and targets, dissatisfaction after exercising and participating in exercise out of a need rather than for enjoyment. Exercise Disorders, as an accompaniment of other eating disorders (Gavin, 2010) are thought to arise from an individuals desire to gain control within their lives and as a coping strategy for difficult emotions such as depression or anger; it is thought that exercise provides a release for these emotions (Gavin, 2010). Many sufferers will go out of their way to find an excuse to be active, for example it is known that some sufferers use stairways which they ascend and descend in order to obsessively burn calories (Beumont, 2002, p.162). In order to make a diagnosis of an eating disorder, an individuals body mass index (BMI) is calculated and compared to a standard BMI chart (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001, p.28) and the individual is assessed against a set of diagnostic criteria specific to the suspected eating disorder type. For women, if their BMI is calculated to be below 17.5 and 18.5 then the individual is declared as being underweight; however, if they display signs of the diagnostic criteria then it is probable that the individual is suffering from an eating disorder of some kind (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001, p.28). Although BMI assessment is often effective, it is important to note that BMI charts fail to consider muscle weight or other individual differences such as age (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001, p.28); therefore, the results of the BMI match may be misleading. Previously eating disorders were thought to be the consequence of behavioural aspects such as the avoidance of food (Ogden, 2010, p211). However, it is now widely understood that these disorders often emerge as a coping strategy during times of emotional difficulty such as stress, anxiety, depression, anger and loneliness (Beat, 2010). This is thought to be because physical pain is much easier to deal with than emotional pain (Harvey, 2007). Sufferers obtain a sense of control during difficult times of their lives by using food as a way of coping with these difficult emotions (Ogden, 2010, p.212). However, by doing so, they suppress their issues, burying them deeper and in time, making them more difficult to face. Although eating disorders are now commonly recognised as coping strategies for psychological struggles, it is important to recognise that other factors can contribute to the onset of eating disorders. In some cases it is thought that social factors can trigger the arousal o f body dissatisfaction which commonly leads to dieting and under-eating (Ogden, 2004, p.153). For example, the media will commonly use thin females and toned males in advertising which lulls members of society into a false belief that all members of society are thin or toned (Ogden, 2004, p.148). In turn, this causes people to feel self-conscious about their differences to these idealistic body types displayed across the media, therefore creating insecurities. The family is also thought to be a social factor influencing body dissatisfaction; in particular within mother and daughter relationships whereby mothers are dissatisfied with their own bodies and trigger similar feelings in the daughter concerning her own body (Ogden, 2004, p.150). Aside from these contributing factors, studies carried out in the form of personality questionnaires have shown that sufferers of Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa present signs of low self-esteem and depressive or obsessive personality types; o ften combined with neurotic tendencies (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001, p.50). These personality traits result in unstable foundations of a persons personality and are thought to contribute to causing the individual to be more susceptible to disorders. A study carried out in American, involving 300 students, has suggested that conformists are also more susceptible to eating disorders (UNSW, ND). The study involved the completion of questionnaires containing questions specifically designed to assess the students individual dietary tendencies, conformity levels and body-image related concerns (UNSW, ND). It was concluded that participants whose responses indicated a sense of isolation and rejection from social groups were more likely to conform (UNSW, ND) and therefore it could be suggested that they may be more likely to attempt to fit into the norms surrounding them. This links back to the influence the media is thought to have upon the prevalence of eating disorders. It is thought that significant life events such as childhood sexual abuse and parental loss can play a part in the cause of eating disorders, this is sometimes be down to a lack of, or poor quality of support given after a person experiences such events (Nauert, 2012). Studies have shown that approximately 30 percent of eating disorder sufferers had experienced childhood sexual abuse. Significant events such as these are thought to affect the individuals ability to cope with difficult situations and issues during their adult life (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001, pp.68 -69). This struggle to cope during adult life is thought to be due to the fact that unmanaged emotions and memories frequently resurface, triggered by sounds or particular situations (VictimSupport, ND). These life events are also thought to cause the victim to feel a loss of control (VictimSupport, ND) which some victims then regain through the control of their eating. Although studies have shown that approximately 30 percent of eating disorder sufferers had been abused during their childhood, as stated by Connors and Morse (1993) Child sex abuse is neither necessary nor sufficient for the development of an eating disorder (cited in Ogden, 2010, p.251). Therefore, childhood sexual abuse is not considered a cause but a potential risk factor for the development of an eating disorder (Ogden, 2010, p.251). While the Significant Events Theory has strength in the fact that it addresses past events experienced by the eating disorder sufferer, the theory fails to explain why many victims of childhood sexual abuse do not develop an eating disorder, nor can the theory explain the increase in the amount of eating disorders cases today (Ogden, 2010, p.252). Through the discussion of potential causes of eating disorders the question arises as to whether such disorders are caused by nature or nurture? Evident from the causes discussed, although it can be suggested that different personality types can cause people to be susceptible to an eating disorder, it is also dependent on the environment in which the individual lives or has previous experience of. For example, it is unlikely that without the presence of other contributing factors such as the medias portrayal of the ideal body or a significant life event that the individual will engage in disordered eating. The effects of an eating disorder are specific to the individual and can come in a range of forms including psychological, biological, physical and social. Psychologically, sufferers of an eating disorder can sometimes develop symptoms indicating depression and anxiety; it is thought that sufferers are also at risk for self harm and in some cases, suicidal behaviour (McCallum, ND). This is evident in an article from The Guardian written by Louisa Harvey, a recovering eating disorder sufferer. Louisa claims that she suffered from depression as a result of her disorder and thought about suicide daily (Harvey, 2007). Depression, as a consequence of Anorexia Nervosa and other eating disorders, could potentially be caused by the underlying difficult emotions suppressed by the disorder. However, the anxiety and depression experienced by Bulimia Nervosa sufferers is thought to be caused by the guilt believed to be felt as a result of the eating binges. Although, as previously mentioned, dep ression is recognised as a possible cause of eating disorders it is in fact suggested that depression is more commonly seen as an effect of these disorders, rather than the cause (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001, p.192). Similarities can be drawn between the effects of famine and Anorexia Nervosa in that starvation of any kind results in the brain shrinking. This is understood to be caused by dehydration and under-nutrition and is believed to cause changes in an individuals personality (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001, p.150). These personality changes may include increased irritability, low moods, perfectionism and obsessive-compulsive behaviours (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001, p.150). Sufferers commonly find it hard to relax and become hyperactive; for some sufferers this results in the individual suffering from insomnia which, if prolonged, causes exhaustion. Poor consumption of food and nutrition are also thought to be the cause of the poor concentration evident in some eating di sorder sufferers (Garner, 2002, p.143) which can affect their lives socially as well as mentally. Sufferers commonly display signs of social withdraw which is possibly as a result of social anxiety experienced by the sufferers (Garner, 2002, p.143). This withdrawal from social situations is likely to impact upon their relationships with other people such as friends and the sufferer may end up being excluded from such relationships. It is believed that many sufferers of eating disorders have an external locus of control. The locus of control concept refers to a persons perception as to where the control of a situation comes from and was developed by Rotter in 1966 (Hayes, 1994, p.452). The concept claims that people with an external locus of control believe that they have little control over situations and believe that most situations are controlled by luck or fate. Aside from the psychological and social consequences of eating disorders, there are also many physical and biological disturbances caused. Changes in a sufferers hormone levels is understood to have significant biological effects on the individual, in particular, a reduced heart rate; this is understood to be caused by the reduced functioning of the thyroid gland (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001, p.150). Biological effects caused by Anorexia Nervosa include: gum disease, tooth decay, loss of periods and growth of fine hair over the body (GHFED, 2013). These effects are thought to be predominantly caused by malnutrition and the shutting down of body systems, which is done in order to preserve energy in Anorexia Nervosa sufferers. Biological effects specific to Bulimia Nervosa firstly include the fluctuation in weight, which is understood to be caused by eating binges and purging. Purges result in a range of biological effects such as damage to the oesophagus and rotting of the teeth ca used by the stomach acids and burst blood vessels in the eyes and cheeks caused by the frequent purging. Other biological effects, which are specific to Bulimia Nervosa are internal bleeding and complications within the digestive system including ulcers and constipation (GHFED, 2013). The effects of an eating disorder, although predominantly experienced by the sufferer, can also be evident amongst friends and family members of the sufferer. Firstly the family, in particular the parents, may feel a sense of confusion surrounding the reasons behind why their child has developed an eating disorder, especially if the sufferer is unwilling to talk about their disorder. Parents may also feel a sense of anger which may arise from being unable to comprehend the reasons why their child is harming their own body and for putting the family through the worry and stress which comes with an eating disorder. Guilt is thought to be a common emotion felt by the family of a sufferer and this is believed to come from the fact that they feel that they should have been aware of the disorder sooner (Thompson, 2011). Aside from the emotions felt by a sufferers family, it is possible that eating disorders have an impact on a family routine, in particular, meal times; this is because suff erers often withdraw themselves from meal times, making it especially difficult if there are other children in the family. Other siblings of a sufferer may feel neglected as a result of an eating disorder due to the fact that the sufferer will require more attention and special care; it is therefore important for the parents to recognise how the other children may feel and ensure that they are still given the attention that all children need. It is believed that male eating disorder sufferers have been reported since 1689 (Andersen, 2002, p.189). However, throughout literature and the media, eating disorders amongst males are less widely recognised when compared to the recognition of female sufferers. Although studies show that eating disorders are less prevalent amongst men, it is still important that they receive recognition and a fair chance of diagnosis. Studies taken from within communities and clinics show a difference in the ratio of male to female sufferers with 1 males case to every 6 females cases recorded within a community study and a much smaller 10-20 percent of cases being male in clinic studies (Andersen, 2002, p.189). This difference suggests that males are less likely to approach the health services for help or an official diagnosis. This resistance to help could be due to the way men are portrayed in society through stereotypical assumptions such as men are able to cope with emotions. Because of this, m any men may feel like they should be able to cope and may feel embarrassed to approach healthcare services for help. In terms of diagnosis and treatment of male sufferers, Andersen (2002, p.189) states that gender has little influence upon diagnosis and the effectiveness of treatment. However, Lock (2009) argues that males are poorly accommodated in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders. Lock (2009) recognises that there is a lack of research into whether or not males and females respond differently to treatments and acknowledges that much of the criteria and the methods used for assessment and treatment of an eating disorder are based upon females and their body structure. A study carried out in The New York Hospital by Braun et al (1999) was predominantly carried out to compare the disorder diagnosis, age at admission, age at onset and duration of the eating disorder. Admissions of 51 males and 693 females were recorded between 1984 and 1987 and data from these cases showed that the onset of eating disorders within males commonly occurred at later stage when compared to fema les; approximately 21 years of age for males and 17 years of age for females (Braun et al, 1999). The results of the study also showed that many of the male sufferers were participants in sports where performance was influenced by body shape (Braun et al, 1999). The study also addressed the admission rates of males with eating disorders between 1984 and 1996 and the data showed a significant increase in male admissions from 0 percent 1984 to 11 percent of eating disorder cases being male in 1993 (Braun et al, 1999). It could be suggested that if the number of male eating disorder cases continues to rise, as suggested by Lock (2009), more research into the diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders amongst males should be carried out. The type of and way in which treatment is delivered to a sufferer of an eating disorder will be specific to the individual and type of eating disorder. The general outcome desired through treatment of Anorexia Nervosa is weight gain, for Bulimia Nervosa the aim of treatment is to reduce the desire or need to binge-eat (MFMER, 2012b). Although there are a variety of psychological treatments including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Interpersonal Psychotherapy and Family Therapy it is understood that Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is the most widely used treatment for eating disorders (Fairburn, 2002, p.308); commonly referred to as CBT-E (Enhanced CBT) in these cases. This type of therapy is popular as it is thought to be perfectly matched for treating these disorders, because CBT-E strives to implement cognitive change and eating disorders are believed to be disorders of cognitive functioning (Fairburn, 2008, p.23). CBT-E is also thought to be an appropriate therapy for eating di sorders because it can easily be adapted to treat different eating disorder types (Fairburn, 2013). This adaptable quality is important as it is widely understood that eating disorder sufferers do not suffer from just one type, but instead shift between different behaviours associated with different eating disorders once they are locked in to the thought cycle of eating disorders (Fairburn, 2013). There are four stages of CBT-E and the frequency of treatment sessions declines throughout these stages (Fairburn, 2008, p.24). Stage one involves engaging and educating the client about the eating disorder in order to broaden their understanding in preparation for treatment and implementing regular eating patterns (Fairburn, 2002, p.305). It is during stage one that a formulation is created; this is based on the potential underlying processes causing the eating disorder, which allows the therapist to understand which areas need targeting through therapy (Fairburn, 2008, p.24). During stag e two, the therapist and the client continually review the therapy and adapt to any new problems which may have become apparent; these are added into the formulation and addressed in following sessions (Fairburn, 2008, p.25). Stage three is where the main contributing factors to the eating disorder are addressed. These factors are often the barriers preventing the client from having already recovered and will be specific to the individual; this stage is thought to have the biggest impact within treatment (Fairburn, 2008, p.25). The final stage, four, is focused upon preparing the client for the end of treatment. During this stage the client and therapist work together to set manageable goals for maintaining the cognitive shift achieved and implementing a plan for dealing with potential setbacks in the clients progress (Fairburn, 2002, p.305). There are many strengths of CBT-E including the fact that it can be adapted to treat a range of eating disorders and clients of different ages (Fairburn, 2008, p.23). Another strength of CBT-E is that its dropout rates are low, with just 15-20 percent dropout rates recorded in many healthcare centres (Fairburn, 2002, p.306). This suggests that it is a treatment which continually engages the client and it could also be suggested that the frequent review of sessions enables the therapist to understand the clients specific need and adapt sessions to suit these; resulting in a potentially good relationship between the client and therapist. Another strength of CBT-E comes from the fact that in most cases it aims to address many aspects of an eating disorder (Fairburn, 2002, p.306), dealing with the causes of the disorder rather than just the symptoms, as drugs are commonly recognised for. This holistic approach to treatment provided by CBT-E supplies a more long term treatment in comparison to drug treatments but may not be suited to individuals who struggle to remain motivated and engaged with the therapy. The success rate of recovery is also high for CBT-E and as discussed by Fairburn (2013), this is shown through a study carried out in Copenhagen by Poulsen et al (Fairburn, 2013). This study showed that CBT-E had a 60 percent success rate which was reviewed and recorded for 24 months and sustained its success during this time (Fairburn, 2013). Occupational therapy (OT) is a management strategy used with sufferers of eating disorders and is often used within eating disorder services. An occupational therapist usually works as part of a multidisciplinary team and aims to provide and encourage a balance between the eating disorder and other meaningful occupations such as socialising, hobbies or other interests in the daily life of sufferers (Clemmer, 2009). An occupational therapist will collaborate with a client in order to set realistic goals of the therapy to suit the individuals needs. Following this, a treatment plan is then created which may involve planning meals and snacks, developing or learning new skills or arranging participation in a range of activities which interest the client. The fact that OT addresses all aspects of an individual and their surrounding environment and works with these, means that the therapy is very client focused and adaptable to meet individual requirements (COT, 2011); this potentially res ults in a more effective outcome when compared to more standardised and less personalised treatments. To conclude, although eating disorders are often mentioned within the media, they are frequently unexplained and therefore misunderstood by many members of the public. Eating disorders come in a range of forms from Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, binge eating, unspecified eating disorders and exercise disorders. Eating disorders are believed to commonly be triggered by an individual experiencing a situation or emotion which is difficult to deal with psychologically and t

Energy Star :: Environment Environmental Papers Fossils

Energy Star An analysis of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita for 1989 in United States Dollars compared to the 1991 total energy consumed per capita in equivalent barrels of oil for several countries, found the United States and Canada guilty for having the largest oil consumption per capita at fifty-five barrels while producing a third less than the leading country, Switzerland, in GDP per capita. Switzerland, the poster boy, of efficiency manages to produce more than the United States per capita while consuming half the amount of oil. (Ristinen and Kraushaar, 1999, 6) These astonishing figures present the United States as a wasteful nation plagued by inefficiency. Therefore, it was no surprise when in 1992 the Environmental Protection Agency began a program called Energy Star whose goal was and still is to promote and identify energy efficient products that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The idea behind Energy Star was to reduce United States consumption of fossil fuels, while also making the change economically sound to Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Public, thereby increasing United States overall efficiency. The program started out small, targeting electronic devices such as computers and monitors, and then snowballed into undertaking household appliances, lighting, and even businesses and homes. The mechanism on which Energy Star operates is based on an Energy Star label that is placed on appliances, devices, and anything approved by the program. This label lets consumers know that the product meets certain Energy Star efficiency guidelines that vary based on the category. However, the Energy Star program was and still is purely voluntary, meaning manufacturers have the option whether or not to generate products that meet Energy Star efficiency guidelines. Some of the first devices that carried the Energy Star label were televisions, VCRs, and audio equipment. These devices along with a hoax of others such as copy machines, fax machines, DVD players, printers, and computers, consume energy while they are not in use or in standby mode. For the purposes of this paper, the term standby mode will be defined as the state of any electronic device that is plugged into a household power source, but has its power function turned off. Therefore, in an effort to increase efficiency, any electronic device that carries the Energy Star label will consume less energy during its standby mode. For example, in the case of a television that normally consumes six watts of electricity in standby, an Energy Star labeled television will consume fewer than three watts of electricity in its standby mode, which cuts its energy consumption in half during non-working hours.