Monday, September 30, 2019

The Hundred Flowers Campaign

The Hundred Flowers Campaign began in 1957 when Mao Zedong declared in a speech, â€Å"Let a hundred schools of thought contend,† effectively encouraging criticism from members of the Chinese Communist Party. After members began pointing out where the party had made mistakes, however, Mao suddenly reversed this new policy and began the Anti-Rightist Movement, condemning the critics whose opinions he had just previously invited. Was the Hundred Flowers Campaign a trick designed by Mao to trap his opponents? Mao reversed his policies, which people may use as proof that the campaign was a trick. Mao first announced his call for criticism to the members of the party on 27 February 1957. After they overcame their initial fears of being labelled ‘anti-party,’ members acquiesced to Mao’s request on a tremendous scale, sending millions of letters complaining of corruption, inefficiency, and lack of realism within the party. But then, suddenly, on 19 July 1957, only five months after its conception, Mao halted the campaign and began the Anti-Rightist Movement, a stark contrast to the Hundred Flowers Campaign. It was now a time of harsh suppression; those who had criticized the party were now reprimanded. This sudden and completely turnaround change in policy seems to suggest that the Hundred Flowers Campaign had been a deliberate manoeuvre to lure Mao’s enemies into the open, where they could be easily identified and removed during the Anti-Rightist Movement. Indeed, Mao seemed to have successfully trapped his opponents with this cunning trick. The harshness of the Anti-Rightist Movement also suggests that the campaign was a trick. Those who responded to Mao’s call for criticism most vehemently were now forced to withdraw their statements. Furthermore, thousands of party members were sent to ‘re-education camps,’ where some spent the next five or more years doing hard labour. Even Zhou Enlai, one of Mao’s most loyal supporters, was forced to make a specious and humiliating self-criticism in front of a large party gathering. Mao’s retaliation was severe, precise, and on an enormously large scale. He was obviously poised to attack, and this hints that the Hundred Flowers Campaign was merely a wily method of enticing Mao’s prey. There is, on the other hand, much evidence to support that the campaign was a genuine attempt at reform. In his ‘Contradictions’ speech, given to leading party workers in early 1957, Mao complained of the oppressive way some party officials were applying policies and hinted that it was time to begin permitting intellectuals to voice their opinions. Furthermore, in 1956, he had been tolerant of Hu Feng, a writer who challenged the idea that all artistic merit should be judged based on Marxist-Leninist values, even as other CCP leaders viciously censured him. These two examples show that Mao, although previously disdainful of intellectuals, may have begun to see their importance, and thus may have been honestly inviting their criticism when the Hundred Flowers Campaign began. In addition, the launching of the Hundred Flowers Campaign may have been triggered by events in other communist states rather than a desire to trick party opponents. In 1956, Soviet Union leader Nikita Khrushchev launched an attack on the previous leader Joseph Stalin, dead now for three years, and his ‘cult of personality,’ Mao probably saw how his own popularity—adulating portraits of him were being hung everywhere—could also be interpreted as a cult of personality. Mao obviously wanted to dispel this notion, and may have attempted to do so with the Hundred Flowers Campaign. The campaign showed that he valued other people’s opinions, and that he was not just a heroic public image that deserved unquestioning flattery and praise. Seen from this light, it seems that Mao was not just aiming to trick his opponents. This theory also explains why the transition from the Hundred Flowers Campaign to the Anti-Rightist Movement was so sudden. If Mao indeed feared being compared to Stalin, his fear was relieved in late 1956 when Khrushchev crushed the Hungarian rising, an attempt to break away from the Soviet Union. This event showed that Khrushchev, although critical of Stalin, did not have any intention of relaxing the Communist Party’s authoritarian control over the USSR and its people. Mao realized that he would not have to compete with Khrushchev in developing ‘Communism with a human face,’ and perhaps this caused him to change his mind about the necessity of the Hundred Flowers Campaign. A quick shift into the Anti-Rightist Movement then resulted. After examining the evidence, it becomes clear that Mao did not design the Hundred Flowers Campaign as a trick to trap his opponents. Rather, he launched the campaign because of his increasing appreciation of the opinions of intellectuals, and more importantly, because of his fear of becoming a victim of de-Stalinisation. Although the sudden reversal of policy into the Anti-Rightist Movement may seem suspicious, it looses significance when juxtaposed against the defeat of the Hungarian rising: Mao simply changed his mind.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Signs of Understanding

For the past centuries, deaf people or those hard of hearing were the only ones who used sign language to communicate their thoughts and feelings. People with perfect hearing like Joseph Garcia, a certified interpreter, were mostly interested in learning this kind of language only in reference to the hearing handicapped. However, with his involvement in the deaf community, he soon noticed that babies born of deaf parents tended to develop speaking language abilities faster than children with parents who had no handicap did. Puzzled by his observations, he decided to pursue the topic for his 1986 graduate thesis. With the cooperation of 17 families, he found out that consistently exposing babies to signs can make them learn these gestures by their eight or ninth month. Since then, Garcia has been a principal researcher for 109 studies and has developed programs, books and other materials that implement his findings. (â€Å"About Joseph Garcia† par. 1-3) During the same period, Linda Acredolo also realized that there is a possible connection between signs and early child development as her daughter’s reaction to the fish while they were in her pediatrician’s office intrigued her. Her child, Katie, went to the fish tank and started to blow towards the fish. When they went home, Linda had to put Katie back in her crib and activate her fish mobile with a gentle blow. It was then that she remembered her daughter’s gestures in the doctor’s clinic. Armed with this realization, the National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development granted Linda Acredolo and her partner, Susan Goodwyn, funding to conduct a study on the impact of symbolic gesturing on babies. (Haussman par. 4-5) The study was composed of 103 eleven-month old infants divided into two groups and reassessed on their 15th, 19th, 24th, 30th and 36th months. One control group knew nothing about using symbolic gestures while the other group of parents taught the infants how to use signs.   The results showed that the babies who learned symbolic gestures had a great advantage on the â€Å"vast majority of the language acquisition measures.† (Goodwyn, Acredolo & Brown 81) The initial researches made by Garcia, Acredolo and Goodwyn are the basis of popular programs now being conducted that help babies acquire better speaking abilities and aid parents in understanding their children. Learning to speak is a very important aspect of child development.   Here are some milestones that indicate the proper language development of children. According to the Child Development Institute, at the age of 6 months, babies normally do vocalization with intonation and can respond to name call outs.   Infants, at this point, should also be able to turn their heads or eyes toward human voices even without being distracted with gestures and show appropriate reaction to friendly or angry tones. At 12 months of age, a baby can use fragments of a word or words with correct meaning and understand simple instructions with vocal or physical hints. By this time, the one-year old baby can practice adding prefixes or suffixes to words and can be aware of the importance of social value in connection to speaking. By the time the child reaches 18 months of age, his or her vocabulary may contain 5 to 20 words composed mostly of nouns. These babies tend to make repetitions of a word or phrase with much jargon and emotional content.   It is also at this point when babies learn to follow basic commands. By the age of two, toddlers can typically name objects that are familiar to him and use this with about two prepositions like â€Å"in,† â€Å"on† or â€Å"under.† The children also start using short sentences composed of 1 to 2 words and 2/3 of their babble are understandable. Their vocabulary expands to 150 to 300 words and can use at least 2 pronouns interchangeably (ex. You and I). Toddlers of this age have poor rhythm and fluency while voice and pitch control are not yet to be controlled. However, this stage is also where most parents begin to teach their children response to commands like â€Å"show me the light (your eyes, nose, etc.).† By three years of age, children are expected to use the pronouns, â€Å"I,† â€Å"You† and â€Å"Me† properly and understand plurals and past tenses. The prepositions â€Å"in,† â€Å"on† and â€Å"under† are common in making three word sentences. Their vocabulary may expand from 900 to 1000 words and 90 percent of spoken words are already understandable. Three year olds can also comprehend basic queries regarding their surroundings can associate experiences with reason. Identification of own sex, name and age is also common to children of this age. The basis for language development also has something to do with a baby’s physical growth. According to a research made by Melanie Canault and her colleagues in 2007, children realize how to control their respiration and its phonation first by learning how to open and close the vocal tract in continuous rhythm during vocal emissions. However, productions of these sounds are still under the influence of strong physiological constrains. Although many children are ready to learn verbalization before 12 months old, most have yet to acquire the fine motor skill they need to create words using their mouths. (Taylor B1) Since most parents believe that their babies’ language development starts with the first words uttered by infants, it will seem that there is little way to help babies communicate their needs until an appropriate physical development stage. However, researchers traced that verbal language begins with comprehension of â€Å"arbitrary symbols to stand for real-world phenomena.† (Goodwyn, Acredolo & Brown 82) Baby sign language, according to numerous researches, can hasten a child’s achievement of the milestones presented above. Many studies have sprung from the original researches done by Garcia, Acredolo and Goodwyn.   In 1997, Kimberlee Whaley, coordinator of the laboratory school and an associate professor of human development and family science at Ohio State's College of Human Ecology, and her colleagues in Ohio State's A. Sophie Rogers Infant-Toddler Laboratory School started a program to help the babies in their care communicate their thoughts through sign language. Teachers were looking for some way to teach their conflicting one-year old students another physical gesture that would indicate their displeasure instead of pushing each other. They realized that if sign language can help children with special disabilities communicate, it can also aid with babies who have yet to learn speech. One of the teachers was already knowledgeable in American Sign Language and taught the other caregivers on how to use certain gestures for their small experiment. The signs were used while the teachers spoke to the children so that the babies will learn it naturally. The results show that the first words that children learn to verbalize are those that can be associated to the signs and that as these babies learned to use speech more fluently, their use of signs diminish. It also lessened the frustration of both children and teachers because instead of crying the very young students are able to gesture what they need lessening the stress in the environment.   Parents also learned the sign languages and pleased by it. Another research report made by Jana M. Iverson and Susan Goldin-Meadow strengthens the contention that gestures can hasten language development when they studied ten children who were learning to develop their abilities from single words to two-word combinations. They found out that the children first learned to make gestures before they could verbally pronounce the words. Another fact they established was that those who learned to make a gesture and associate it to word combinations first (example: pointing to a bird and saying the word â€Å"nap†) were the ones who initially verbalized two-word combinations like bird nap.   They concluded that gesture not only predates but also predicts changes in language meaning gesture can really pave the way to better language development. Many speech pathologists and parents are attesting to the benefits of baby sign language on families with normal hearing children. Babies who learn symbolic gestures are able to speak earlier than non-signers (as attested by the researches mentioned), experience less frustration (evidenced usually by less crying), develop larger vocabularies, become better readers and develop IQs that are at least 10 to 12 points higher. (Ryan par. 5) Although more research must be done to understand why babies who learn sign language develop verbal skills ahead of those who do not, the results of previous studies on the benefits of symbolic gestures already prove this phenomenon. Tantrum spells usually erupt because of frustration.   Babies between 9 to 30 months old usually get frustrated because they are not able to communicate their need well.   Dr. Alan Greene (par. 1-3) explains that the ideas of these babies, â€Å"far outstrip their language skills†¦ because large muscle coordination is learned before small muscle coordination – at about the same time kids want to express themselves.† Dr. Greene therefore recommends that parents teach their children sign language because hand and head movement is easier than manipulating the mouth and this form of language bridges the communication gap that results to less frustration. Many researchers also claim that vocabulary is deeply enhanced by baby sign language and has positive effects on IQs. The basic theory is that because children are better understood, they gain more self-confidence in learning. A baby can learn a great deal when he feels important, which not only creates a â€Å"more confident person, but a more confident communicator. (Murkoff, 2003 cited in Haskin par.4)   Dr. Marilyn Daniels, associate professor of speech communication at Penn State’s Worthington Scranton Campus, believes that â€Å"knowing a second language, such as ASL (American Sign Language), also boosts self-esteem of the children.† (Fong, par. 2) There are two ways to teach babies how to sign. The first way is based on the research of   Joseph Garcia who believes that ASL is the best tool to teach children how to sign. The second stream of learning is based on Acredolo’s research that uses any symbolic gestures that may be comfortable for both parents and their children. However, these schools of thought both believe in simplicity, consistency and the proper ages to start learning. Parents or care givers can start teaching signs to babies as young as six to nine months old. It is expected that a month may pass before the child uses the sign on his own. Caregivers need to begin with simple words that are basic to the child.   Words like â€Å"eat,† â€Å"milk,† and â€Å"drink† are great for starters. People teaching the language must also be patient in giving only a few words to the babies to start with so as not to overwhelm the child. One of the most important rules in teaching symbolic gestures is that the teacher must have the baby’s complete attention. Distractions will inhibit learning anything at all. The proper selection of words is also important.   Basic one-syllable words (preferably verbs and nouns) are the best choices. Some parents prefer to teach their children words that are more practical to their daily routines but there are those who choose words based on what generates more excitement for their child. Words like â€Å"bird,† â€Å"light,† and â€Å"foot† may be of more interest to a child and parents are given the freedom to choose their vocabulary starter. It is also recommended that the teacher say the words aloud while doing the gesture.   This will hasten speech development.   If the gesture refers to an object, it would be advisable to show the child the object while doing its associated sign.   The teacher, for example, can verbalize and make the sign for â€Å"book† before reaching for it and repeat the same cycle while holding the book. Before putting the book back, the teacher must also do the cycle again. This will teach the child to connect the object to the sign. An additional tip to say the word clearly and slowly. Consistency is the key to success. The person teaching the child to sign must take every chance to repeat the gesture when appropriate. The signs need to be part of a daily routine.   It takes a lot of repetition for the child to develop recognition. It is also advisable that the people with whom the child communicates regularly know the signs and are coordinated in their efforts to avoid confusion. Many people attest that their families have fun having their own set of symbolic language because it fosters camaraderie among them and strengthens their bonds toward each other. From the experiences of other parents and caregivers, it is noted that babies will not be able to completely copy a sign during his or her first attempts to show it.   Some children take months to learn the system but parents attest that it is worth it. It would be worthwhile to pay close attention to the baby’s hand movements at the start to know if he or she is already attempting to imitate the signs.   It may look uncoordinated at first but constant practice will refine the movements. Once an infant learns the first gestures, he or she can be taught additional words.   It is not unusual for a child to learn about 40 to 60 words in sign language before he is physically prepared to talk. (Williams 2007) Speech therapists have been using sign language to hasten verbal communication in children who seem to have delayed developments in this area. According to Jennifer Fusco, a speech pathologist, â€Å"When a child begins to use signs, and we respond to the signs as if they used a spoken word, the communication cycle begins.† It is therefore logical for some speech therapists to advocate baby sign language because it can aid in developing verbal abilities of children. However, there are also those who oppose too much focus on the system citing that they know of a mother who decided â€Å"to focus entirely on teaching baby sign and to ignore vocalisations has actually retarded her son's spoken language development.† (Grove, Herman, Morgan ; Woll par. 10) These therapists also believe that too much concentration on baby sign language may hamper speech development because other means of communication are ignored. Research has properly shown that baby sign language can be very helpful to a child’s language and intellectual development.   It boosts self-esteem and confidence in learning which aids in better IQ attainment.   Even if it does not achieve the things mentioned, it is still worth using as a tool for better communication because it fosters better family ties and less stressful moments for both parents and children. Works Cited â€Å"About Joseph Garcia.† Sign2Me.com. 29 November 2007 Canault, Melanie, Rafael Laboissierre, Pascal Perrier and Rudolph Sock. â€Å"The Development of Tongue Gestures at the Babbling Stage.† 29 November 2007 Child Development Institute. â€Å"Language Development In Children.† 29 November 2007 ;http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/development/language_development.shtml;. Fong, Vicki. â€Å"Sign Language Enriches Learning For Hearing Children.† 20 November 2001. PennStateNews. 29 November 2007 ;http://www.psu.edu/ur/2001/signlanguage.html;. Fusco, Jennifer. â€Å"American Sign Language.† Speech Delay.com. 29 November 2007 Goodwyn, Susan, Linda Acredolo and Catherine Brown. â€Å"Impact of Symbolic Gesturing on Early Language Development.† Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. 24.2 (2000):21-103. Greene, Alan. â€Å"Baby Sign Language.† 30 July 1999. drgreene.com. 29 November 2007 ; http://www.drgreene.com/21_17.html;. Grove, Nicola, Ros Herman, Gary Morgan and Bencie Woll. â€Å"Baby signing: the view from the skeptics.† 29 November 2007 Haskin, Doug. â€Å"Advantages in Signing with Babies.† 10 November 2006. Lifeprint.com. 29 November 2007 ;http://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/topics/babysigning2.htm;. Haussman, Penny. Baby Sign Language†¦Not Just For Babies Anymore! TinyTalking   Ã‚   Hands.com. 29 November 2007 Iverson, Jana M. and Susan Goldin-Meadow. â€Å"Gesture Paves the Way for Language Development.† Psychological Science. Vol. 16.5 (2005): 367-371. Ryan, Diane. â€Å"Extraordinary Benefits Result when you Teach Sign Language To Your Hearing Baby.† theparentsite.com. 29 November 2007 ;http://theparentsite.com/parenting/   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   signbaby.asp;. Taylor, Lewis. â€Å"Say It In Signs.† The Register-Guard. 02 July 2007: B1. Waley, Khimberlee. â€Å"Teaching Infants to Use Sign Language.† Newswise. 29 November 2007 ;http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/?id=SIGNLANG.OSU;. Williams, MJ. â€Å"Teaching Babies Sign Language.† babies-and-sign-language.com. 29 November 2007 ;http://www.babies-and-sign-language.com/baby-signs-teaching-infant.html;.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Broken Family

A vast majority of my friends, peers, and coworkers have a relationship with at least one parent. It has really caused me to question a lot about my faith, myself, and the fairness of not being able to choose one’s parents. The idea of a parent is a tough one. What does it take to make a parent? What is a good parent and what is a bad parent? Absentee parents fall somewhere in between because even if they live at the same address as their children, they’re emotionally unavailable. According to dictionary. com,  the definition for parent  is: a mother or a father. I’m no expert on the etymology of words, but I think we should redefine parents a bit. A parent is someone who loves, nurtures, and cares for their young. There are plenty of â€Å"parents† in the world who may not have bore children of their body but have certainly bore children of their heart. As a young Christian, I have been tormented by my relationship with my mother and my other family members. Over the years, my relationship with her and my siblings has deteriorated tremendously. On the one hand, Christians are told to be loving. We are to endure with one another and bare with one another. This is noble philosophy and life doctrine but implementation of it is excruciating. How do we know when to â€Å"endure with one and bare with one another† and when to draw the line to protect ourselves from mistreatment? I have grappled with this concept for years. When I have asked my friends their opinion, most of them shrug their shoulders and insist that I have to accept my family how they are. Obviously, these are individuals with relatively functional families. They have no idea what I’m subjecting myself by toughing it out and â€Å"dealing† with some of my relatives. Only until recently has God really started drawing my attention or I’ve been more attentive, to what His word says about parents and baring with them. A few days ago, I read 1 Kings 19: 20-21. It says: â€Å"Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. Let me kiss my father and mother good-by,† he said, â€Å"and then I will come with you. † â€Å"Go back,† Elijah replied. â€Å"What have I done to you? â€Å"†¦. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant. † In this verse, Elisha does not go back to his parents. Instead, he leaves his farming equipment and speeds to follow Elijah. In Hebrews 11:24, the Bible says â€Å"By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. † In reality, Moses was the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter but here’s where the debate on parents comes in. Pharaoh’s daughter had parented Moses as if he were her own son. But Moses refused this tie to the Pharaoh’s daughter. Similarly, Christians are free to cast down false relationship or ties to people by faith. Being cared for as a child is important but it should not be the sole reason why we keep contact with or relate to people that did so. Parenting is so much more that providing for a child. It is having a relationship with a child. I am sure that there are many people who have family problems. Not everyone needs to disown their parents and siblings to deal with it but sometimes it is necessary and even ordained by God. In Genesis 12:1, the Bible says: â€Å"The Lord had said to Abram, â€Å"Leave your country, your people and your fathers’ household and go to the land I will show you. † The very first book in the Bible contains a story where God ordains a mighty man to leave his father’s household. We are not meant to stay with our parents forever. There are plenty of stories throughout the Bible of people being at odds with family members. The story of Joseph is a prime example of sibling rivalry and dissension that leads to Joseph being betrayed and sold into slavery. His brothers were his blood kin but they did not have his best interest at heart. Maybe one way to analyze the story of Joseph is to say that God recognized the jealousy in the brothers of Joseph. Hence, he decided that it was even better for him to be sold into slavery than to live around a den of jealousy amongst â€Å"family ties†. Mothers, you can’t live with ’em and you can’t live without ’em. But God says that He will not leave us even when our mothers do. In my post:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"In my Darkest Hours†¦ â€Å", I discuss the tension that can exist between family in greater depth. That post also talks about God’s response as a loving Father and how He intervenes in these circumstances. How do you define a parent? Have you ever had a really tumultuous relationship with a parent that you couldn’t over come? If you did overcome it, how so? Do you think that God may be calling you to something greater that will draw you away from conventional family ties? When do you bare with a parent, and when is it time to walk away from emotionally abusive relationships? 1. Isang pamilyang di magkasundo o/at magkahiwalay or divorced. 2. Ang broken family ay ung pamilyang nagkawatak watak kaya ngakakaroon ng broken family ay dahil sa ating mga magulang na hindi nagkakaunawaan. . If the father and the mother decided not to stay with each other because of their difference then that’s what you called broken family. News Print Article  Ã‚  |   Ã‚  Email Friend  Ã‚  |  Ã‚  Reprint Permissions Broken Family Structure Leads to Educational Difficulties for Children By Gudrun Schultz UNITED STATES, January 16, 2006 (LifeSiteNews. com) – The U. S Center for Marria ge and Family released a study in November 2005 that shows broken family structures consistently lead to education difficulties for children. When it comes to educational achievement,† the study says, â€Å"children living with their own married parents do significantly better than other children. † The report found that children from non-intact families (children living in a situation other than with their own married father and mother) have significantly higher rates of difficulty with all levels of education, from pre-kindergarten through to primary, secondary, and college-age levels. Each year a child spends with a single mother or stepparent â€Å"reduces that child’s overall educational attainment by approximately one-half year† suggests the report. The study, a comprehensive review of recent academic research on the relationship between family structures and children’s academic performance, compared education outcomes from children growing up with their own married parents to children in non-intact family structures such as divorced, single, remarried or cohabiting parents. Family structure was consistently found to be the deciding factor in a wide range of child behaviors that directly influence academic performance, including emotional and psychological distress, attention disorders, social misbehavior, substance abuse, sexual activity and teen pregnancy. Children from non-intact homes had higher rates of stress, depression, anxiety and low self-esteem, particularly as teenagers. The study found that preschool children from broken homes were three times more likely to suffer from attention deficit disorders than children from intact homes. Children from single-parent homes suffered from more physical health problems, as well. Pre-school children from single-parent homes were also less likely to be read to or given help with letter-recognition. A During elementary school, children from non-intact families scored consistently lower on reading comprehension and math, and had more difficulty maintaining their grade levels overall. Children from married parents had much lower rates of behavioral problems in the classroom than children who did not live with married parents. In particular, boys from broken marriages showed a higher rate of classroom misbehavior. For teenagers, students from broken homes were 30 percent more likely to miss school, be late, or cut class than students from intact homes, in part because single parents had more difficulty monitoring their children. These children were also at higher risk for smoking, using drugs and consuming alcohol. Teenagers from non-intact families were more likely to be sexually active and had higher rates of pregnancy. Girls from divorced single-mother homes were at greatest risk for teenage pregnancy. The study also found that children who were in a single-parent or step-parent home by the time they were ten were more than twice as likely to be arrested by age 14. A Children who never lived with their own father had the highest likelihood of being arrested. The study reports that a majority of U. S. children will have spent a significant part of their childhood in a one-parent home by the time they reach 18. Single parent homes in the U. S. nearly doubled in the period from 1968-2003. Family Structure and Children’s Educational Outcomes: http://www. americanvalues. org/briefs/edoutcomes. htm broken family is one where the parents (mother and father) of a child or children have split up and no longer share a single family home as a family unit. This is also known as a broken home. Broken Family Broken Family A vast majority of my friends, peers, and coworkers have a relationship with at least one parent. It has really caused me to question a lot about my faith, myself, and the fairness of not being able to choose one’s parents. The idea of a parent is a tough one. What does it take to make a parent? What is a good parent and what is a bad parent? Absentee parents fall somewhere in between because even if they live at the same address as their children, they’re emotionally unavailable. According to dictionary. com,  the definition for parent  is: a mother or a father. I’m no expert on the etymology of words, but I think we should redefine parents a bit. A parent is someone who loves, nurtures, and cares for their young. There are plenty of â€Å"parents† in the world who may not have bore children of their body but have certainly bore children of their heart. As a young Christian, I have been tormented by my relationship with my mother and my other family members. Over the years, my relationship with her and my siblings has deteriorated tremendously. On the one hand, Christians are told to be loving. We are to endure with one another and bare with one another. This is noble philosophy and life doctrine but implementation of it is excruciating. How do we know when to â€Å"endure with one and bare with one another† and when to draw the line to protect ourselves from mistreatment? I have grappled with this concept for years. When I have asked my friends their opinion, most of them shrug their shoulders and insist that I have to accept my family how they are. Obviously, these are individuals with relatively functional families. They have no idea what I’m subjecting myself by toughing it out and â€Å"dealing† with some of my relatives. Only until recently has God really started drawing my attention or I’ve been more attentive, to what His word says about parents and baring with them. A few days ago, I read 1 Kings 19: 20-21. It says: â€Å"Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. Let me kiss my father and mother good-by,† he said, â€Å"and then I will come with you. † â€Å"Go back,† Elijah replied. â€Å"What have I done to you? â€Å"†¦. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant. † In this verse, Elisha does not go back to his parents. Instead, he leaves his farming equipment and speeds to follow Elijah. In Hebrews 11:24, the Bible says â€Å"By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. † In reality, Moses was the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter but here’s where the debate on parents comes in. Pharaoh’s daughter had parented Moses as if he were her own son. But Moses refused this tie to the Pharaoh’s daughter. Similarly, Christians are free to cast down false relationship or ties to people by faith. Being cared for as a child is important but it should not be the sole reason why we keep contact with or relate to people that did so. Parenting is so much more that providing for a child. It is having a relationship with a child. I am sure that there are many people who have family problems. Not everyone needs to disown their parents and siblings to deal with it but sometimes it is necessary and even ordained by God. In Genesis 12:1, the Bible says: â€Å"The Lord had said to Abram, â€Å"Leave your country, your people and your fathers’ household and go to the land I will show you. † The very first book in the Bible contains a story where God ordains a mighty man to leave his father’s household. We are not meant to stay with our parents forever. There are plenty of stories throughout the Bible of people being at odds with family members. The story of Joseph is a prime example of sibling rivalry and dissension that leads to Joseph being betrayed and sold into slavery. His brothers were his blood kin but they did not have his best interest at heart. Maybe one way to analyze the story of Joseph is to say that God recognized the jealousy in the brothers of Joseph. Hence, he decided that it was even better for him to be sold into slavery than to live around a den of jealousy amongst â€Å"family ties†. Mothers, you can’t live with ’em and you can’t live without ’em. But God says that He will not leave us even when our mothers do. In my post:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"In my Darkest Hours†¦ â€Å", I discuss the tension that can exist between family in greater depth. That post also talks about God’s response as a loving Father and how He intervenes in these circumstances. How do you define a parent? Have you ever had a really tumultuous relationship with a parent that you couldn’t over come? If you did overcome it, how so? Do you think that God may be calling you to something greater that will draw you away from conventional family ties? When do you bare with a parent, and when is it time to walk away from emotionally abusive relationships? 1. Isang pamilyang di magkasundo o/at magkahiwalay or divorced. 2. Ang broken family ay ung pamilyang nagkawatak watak kaya ngakakaroon ng broken family ay dahil sa ating mga magulang na hindi nagkakaunawaan. . If the father and the mother decided not to stay with each other because of their difference then that’s what you called broken family. News Print Article  Ã‚  |   Ã‚  Email Friend  Ã‚  |  Ã‚  Reprint Permissions Broken Family Structure Leads to Educational Difficulties for Children By Gudrun Schultz UNITED STATES, January 16, 2006 (LifeSiteNews. com) – The U. S Center for Marria ge and Family released a study in November 2005 that shows broken family structures consistently lead to education difficulties for children. When it comes to educational achievement,† the study says, â€Å"children living with their own married parents do significantly better than other children. † The report found that children from non-intact families (children living in a situation other than with their own married father and mother) have significantly higher rates of difficulty with all levels of education, from pre-kindergarten through to primary, secondary, and college-age levels. Each year a child spends with a single mother or stepparent â€Å"reduces that child’s overall educational attainment by approximately one-half year† suggests the report. The study, a comprehensive review of recent academic research on the relationship between family structures and children’s academic performance, compared education outcomes from children growing up with their own married parents to children in non-intact family structures such as divorced, single, remarried or cohabiting parents. Family structure was consistently found to be the deciding factor in a wide range of child behaviors that directly influence academic performance, including emotional and psychological distress, attention disorders, social misbehavior, substance abuse, sexual activity and teen pregnancy. Children from non-intact homes had higher rates of stress, depression, anxiety and low self-esteem, particularly as teenagers. The study found that preschool children from broken homes were three times more likely to suffer from attention deficit disorders than children from intact homes. Children from single-parent homes suffered from more physical health problems, as well. Pre-school children from single-parent homes were also less likely to be read to or given help with letter-recognition. A During elementary school, children from non-intact families scored consistently lower on reading comprehension and math, and had more difficulty maintaining their grade levels overall. Children from married parents had much lower rates of behavioral problems in the classroom than children who did not live with married parents. In particular, boys from broken marriages showed a higher rate of classroom misbehavior. For teenagers, students from broken homes were 30 percent more likely to miss school, be late, or cut class than students from intact homes, in part because single parents had more difficulty monitoring their children. These children were also at higher risk for smoking, using drugs and consuming alcohol. Teenagers from non-intact families were more likely to be sexually active and had higher rates of pregnancy. Girls from divorced single-mother homes were at greatest risk for teenage pregnancy. The study also found that children who were in a single-parent or step-parent home by the time they were ten were more than twice as likely to be arrested by age 14. A Children who never lived with their own father had the highest likelihood of being arrested. The study reports that a majority of U. S. children will have spent a significant part of their childhood in a one-parent home by the time they reach 18. Single parent homes in the U. S. nearly doubled in the period from 1968-2003. Family Structure and Children’s Educational Outcomes: http://www. americanvalues. org/briefs/edoutcomes. htm broken family is one where the parents (mother and father) of a child or children have split up and no longer share a single family home as a family unit. This is also known as a broken home.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Men and Women See the World Differently Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Men and Women See the World Differently - Essay Example As the paper declares despite the fact that the circumstances leading to a stressful situation may be similar between the two sexes, the way they respond to it is often quite different. Men, for example, tend to become moody and brood over the situations, and more often than not, they end up picking up fights with the people they love. Furthermore, men are more likely to prefer remaining alone until such a time as they feel better before needing any company. This is not the case with women who, when dealing with stressful situations, often seek the company of their friends and family to help them deal with the situation. It can therefore be said that while men are often aggressive when in a stressful situation, preferring to be alone, women on the other hand prefer to deal with the situation with the help of the people they love. This paper highlights that another way through which men and women view the world differently is in the use of new technology such as the internet in their daily lives. It has been found that men are more likely to use the internet on a daily basis than women are; in fact, men have been found to prefer doing practical things such as paying bills online instead of doing it physically. Women, on the other hand, prefer to handle things physically, and when making searches online, they are less likely to view a broad range of information sources. Instead, they often use those sources that they trust to get, and these are limited in number.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

British Constitution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

British Constitution - Essay Example The Blacks Law Dictionary is particularly elaborate giving the specifics of a constitution. According to the Blacks Law Dictionary, definition of constitution the British constitution applies to this definition to some smaller extent. Most nations have written constitutions, such as constitutions of most modern democracies. The constitution of Britain, by contrast, is unwritten or uncodified. Its traditions are informal and based on several different laws. Unlike other democracies, Britain has no official document that explains the governance of the nation. The lack of a written document links to the British history. Britain never experienced a revolution like other countries, and never had any regime change. Because of this, their constitution continued to evolve for such a long time and this combined with the relative stability of Britain, development of a constitution never occurred. Experts pertaining to constitution usually refer to several laws, treaties and conventions, which they compile to make up a constitution. The several compilations that make up a constitutio n include Acts of Parliament, Treaties, conventions, Royal prerogative, works of authority, European Union law and the Common law. Their constitution is by standards less democratic, not intelligible and not accountable enough to govern a country in the modern democratic world (KING, 2009). Unlike constitutions of most democracies that dictate distribution of power to various organs, in Britain such power resides in the arms of the crown. Power that is unlimited and unaccountable derives from the crown where the queen exercises some of it and most of it by the government. The queen exercises four constitutional powers. These are only limited to her, and nobody can exercise them on behalf of her. They include the power to chose and appoint the countries prime minister, the power to dissolve a sitting parliament, dismissal of government and the power to withhold royal assent to legislation

Directors responsibilities with regard to avoidance of tax Assignment

Directors responsibilities with regard to avoidance of tax - Assignment Example The firm accepts that the government has legal powers and can to take a share of the company’s profits away. Different countries have different tax rates and they must they paid as they are part of the rules and regulations of the country. If they are avoided they company would not be held socially responsible. It is agreed that the company can take all lawful measures to reduce the tax rates. But any illegal mean to avoid paying tax would result in avoid of taxes which has a negative multiplier effect on the company and its profitability. The duty of the director of a company is to have a good faith; an element that would promote the company following corporate social responsibility as it would be a benefit for the society on a whole. This would result in a positive multiplier effect in the long run and improve its relations with other stakeholders. A good reputation would be built if they pay the exact amount of tax otherwise they would not maintain a high standard of reputa tion in the market, thereby losing its credibility and goodwill. Tax evasion is practiced by directors illegally and it gives a smudge to the reputation of the company as a whole. But they live in a fool’s paradise if thy think it would not be known to general population and from that immature act they lose their credibility forever. This leads to customers driving away from the company as well. Recently, some multi-nationals have been found to be avoiding paying taxes in millions despite their enormous sales. The examples are Starbucks, Google, Amazon, Facebook and eBay but due to media coverage these multi-nationals have come under severe scrutiny. In countries like UK, businesses prosper because they have portrayed a good social and responsible image for its customers and there is a trust factor. They do this by not providing transparency in the accounts shared by the public. Via doing such an act they are on the verge of becoming directors of an insolvent firm. This would be a threat to the company’s long term profitability. Thus the directors must understand that taxes are a form of cost just like wages, rent, etc. LEGAL OBLIGATIONS ON COMPANY DIRECTORS IMPOSED THROUGH DIRECTORS’ DUTIES It is a natural phenomena in the modern world that governments run on the taxes paid by it’s citizens.1 The expenditures of a state have to be met by the taxes paid. The companies earning more have a bigger share in taxes than the ones earning less. The issue arises when multi-nationals earning in billions use legal strategies to avoid paying taxes. Having made legal grounds to undertake this, their action cannot be termed illegal and they cannot be held accountable in court.2 Such cases have recently come on the scene, thanks to the media reporting, but what can be done about it is still an issue. A director is a high-level employee of the company and is responsible for the company’s performance and answerable to it’s employer, th at is, the company. A director is not dutiful to the members of that company, and this also leaves out the company’s creditors and members. So, a director owes its trust element to the company only and this is determined by

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Period of Baroque Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Period of Baroque - Essay Example Renaissance, through its new ideology and reform, resulted with a variety of styles. The idea of individualism and freedom of artistic creations influenced Michelangelo in a different manner. He was, in a way opposite of Leonardo. He was emotional and inward oriented. While painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, he described the creation of the universe in his own way. He represented God as an old man with bears, most probably because of the humanism. Also, the humanism of Renaissance allowed him to represent a naked man, together with God, in same size. Renaissance was a start of reform and it was a return to classical values. In opened a new viewpoint in terms of ideology and style. After Renaissance, Baroque period have started. The artistic center moved from Florence to Rome. The reconstruction and redecoration of Rome gave rise to different artistic ideas and styles. One of the features of Baroque which distinguished it from Renaissance period is that it was international. Baroque style spread all through Europe, it was also accepted in Russia and passed into the New World. Caracci and Andrea Pozzo became famous with their ceiling frescoes and Caravaggio with his style, his way of representing figures and use of light etc. The paintings on ceilings in Baroque period differed from Renaissance. In this period the paintings became more elaborate and variety of images created an allegory in a way, representing the glorification of the miracles. There were flying figures on ceilings. and everything took place above us. Therefore the perspective moved from walls to ceilings and scientific reality gave its place to illusion and movement. The Baroque period had its own way of representing naturalism and reality. Michelangelo Merisi Da is better known as Caravaggio and he was an Italian baroque painter. His works portrayed saints and other biblical figures as plain ordinary people. Little is known about his early life but one might assume from his painting that he was a very catholic person with good morals. But actually this is not the case- His fame came when he unveiled his three life size paintings narrating the life of Saint Matthew in 1600. At that time his life was filled with notorious violence. It is said that a full transcript of his trial pending and police records would fill several pages. Several of these violent incidences almost ended in his death. He was later ordered to quit Rome after one of his alliances was killed during a violent accident. He wanted to paint saints and biblical figures

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Dinner With Friends Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Dinner With Friends - Essay Example The play presents to the audience characters at various levels of life (Margulies 7). The play portrays Beth as an emotional character whose emotions seem to drive her life. Since she is an antithesis to Karen, she does not understand the art of cooking. She concentrates on her immense emotions instead of her coherent thoughts. She does not initiate persuasive communication with her husband, which leads her husband to be untrustworthy to her. Communication becomes crucial to couples as this character depicts (Margulies 13). Beth’s character of exploitation is evident at the first scene, as she seems to look to Karen on various occasions. At the first scene, Karen and Gabe returns from their visit to Italy and passes by Beth’s place. After cooking dinner, they narrate stories to Beth who feigns her concentration. She cannot hide her emotions, as her friends recognize her emotions from her appearance in the face (Margulies 17). She eventually cries. This scene depicts her emotional trait, which she is not capable of hiding. At another encounter, her husband, comes in late and finds that Beth told their friends of the breakup. After an argument, she is not able to control her emotions leading her to slap Tom in the cheek. These scenes depict Beth’s character. Her emotions throughout the play occur by her facial expression. The physique of Beth is such that she has black long hair with white face (Margulies 21). She has a middle height and normal weight. She is at her forties in terms of her age. Though she presented her husband as the problem in their relationship, her behavior made Tom make the decision of leaving her. She failed to care for her spouse. In the play, Tom informs Gabe of Beth’s failure to make love with him a situation that led Tom to seek those needs elsewhere (Margulies 22). Beth is an insensitive character because she does not easily understand why Tom intends to divorce her. From Tom’s narration of the reasons for

Monday, September 23, 2019

Racism in the United States Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Racism in the United States - Research Paper Example All other races at one point exhibit racist tendencies towards the Caucasians and among themselves. As far as the government is concerned there is no racism as the law is quite clear that it is illegal. As compared to earlier times of slavery and periods before the 1960s (when civil rights movements were most vocal), open racism has subsided in a huge way. Its form has also changed to be more covertly and technically portrayed than before. The education system, the justice system, health sector and the corporate sector in the United States are some sectors where many feel racism still exists. Immigration issue has also played a role towards racism. Campaigns against and for immigration have on numerous occasions centered on racism. These are some of the issues that lead to the discussion as to whether racism still exists in the United States since they touch on the lives of many. Racism in the US still exists but in a more subtle way as compared to yesteryears and past centuries, and it is manifested in all races not just Caucasians versus all others. Racism puts those being discriminated against in positions of uncertainty and sheer difficulty. Racists work towards ensuring the system is water tight to prevent success of the minority groups. Minority groups are blocked from fully participating in the education system, health system, corporate sector and other realms of social development, for example, politics. These scenarios are quite well depicted in Ellison’s Battle Royal. The author here tries to portray the life of an ordinary but eloquent and learned African American back in the early 20th century. At first the story informs that the young man is optimistic that, with his talent and education, the society will accommodate him. The society here means the whites in the boy’s community, and this is clearly illustrated when he says, â€Å"I visualized myself as a potential Booker T. Washington† (Ellison 939). The state of social affairs is also deduced from humility being the key point in his speech. The story further depicts the hard position in which racism put African Americans by stating that the audiences at the battle royal were divided on whether the fighters were to look at the naked girl dancing in front of them. This scenario saw a portion of the audiences order the fighters to look at the girl while the other portion ordered them not to do so owing to the belief that it is a taboo for an African American to stare at the nakedness of a white woman. The author stated â€Å"some threatened us if we looked and others if we did not. On my right I saw one boy faint† (Ellison 940). This taboo among many others, mostly in the Southern States, was meant to distant other races from marrying the whites and as tools to harass African American men. The Southern states has such high levels of discrimination against African Americans that even after the Civil Rights marches, many still lost their lives and a gr eat deal of their properties including houses all for in the name of white women pursuance. The minority groups have for decades received promises of better lives and a bigger share of the national cake with no tangible evidence of these promises’ fulfillments. This is depicted by the fact that the gold coins are only made of brass thereby showing deception toward the African Americans. It is also clear that the African Ameri

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Normal Essay Example for Free

Normal Essay In the movie, the normal people of the population of Earth viewed the mutant population as a harmful and negative source of species. The different species of humans had powers that amassed more than the average humans could do or possibly wish to posses and use. In historical reality amongst our real timeline people didnt like colored people within their social settings or gatherings/properties because they believed they had the right to own what they viewed as lesser or different amongst their superior race or species, slavery came into effect. Following the use of slavery led to the abuse of power amongst humans: returning to the cinematic world of X-Men, Nightcrawler, a teleporting mutant, who tries to assassinate the President of the United States if first viewed to have his own personal agenda against the normal human race. The attempt of assassination is later revealed to be a manipulated plot by a normal human, Stryker, a military official with a background of abuse and owner of humans, a master in a sort of manner, with the use of his mutant sons brain excretions to control other mutants he places mutant humans as slaves around him and shows off the great accomplishments he can achieve by modifying or attempting to destroy them to better please other parties, be it even if these parties are mental anguishes and respite in Strykers mind. Government manipulation of general public views and media is shown here, as well as systematic abuse on human rights. Governments have been know to implement their ideals or views of grandeur upon the general population. Be it secret labs, experiments, mind control methods, banning of contrabands, or even assassination plots; many of these have been revealed over the years through efforts under the judicial system and free radicals (hackers and such). Within the movie a military official, Stryker, uses the weakness of certain different species of human to manipulate the power of the government on his side, first in the means of assassination, then the use of information through interrogation on inhumane matters, finally the right to authority and abuse of power to implement his own views. Even the lower tier party of the movie (the mutants) begin to show a basic Master/Slave dialect by means of the mutants not applying much effort to portray their innocence while the humans side constantly places efforts and strains to only show their beliefs of a correct world and system without the second party members, mutants.

Friday, September 20, 2019

My Personal Code Of Ethics Philosophy Essay

My Personal Code Of Ethics Philosophy Essay After taking this class I sit here and wonder. Am I the only one who has never realized how much ethics plays such a large part of the world today? I have always known that most businesses that I have worked in have a code of ethics but I did not realize why they have it. Until now after being in this class I have been looking at how ethics not only needs to be a part of a business but how it is such a large part of society in itself. For me I did not know how many different parts of ethics there are but how they play make me look at whats going on in the world today in an ethical way. Society today is full of chaos because it seems those that are younger than me have a whole different outlook on the world or is it that they dont know about how ethics plays a part in their lives. For example: During this quarter when at dinner I would sit with my teenage son and ask what does he knows about ethics and he looked at me like I was crazy. So I said to him do you think that you follow a code of ethics at school and he said yes. What do you think they are I ask? Well we have to follow rules, and have to respect the teachers by listening to them and doing the work they give us. By having this conversation with him at dinner we would talk about how there are ethical meanings that relate to his answers. I proceed to tell him how he basically has a social contract. David Gauthier contract theory is to show self- interested individuals should favor a minimally cooperative moral system (Waller, 2005, p. 68). He still did not understand so I used an example that I think I remem bered from school and that was Audi does not through his book bag at Mr. Lucabaugh and Mr. Lucabaugh listens completely to his response. Then I said basically the code of ethics at your school uses a contract theory because you agree to respect and listen to your teacher and your teacher agrees to respect and listen to you. He finally got it. With what is going on in the world today from the economy, the war, and what is happening in Libya if we as a society did not have any ethical beliefs there would be so much chaos that society would self destruct. A perfect example of this would be Libya and their leader Omar Gaddafi. This is similar to the second reflection paper that I wrote for this class. When I wrote that paper Egypt was in chaos and now it is Libya who is in a war of all against all (Waller, 2005, p. 64). In Libya the people are not only protesting against their leader Moammar Gaddafi and want him to step down. Gaddafi to me is defiantly using Dostoyevskys challenge which is using the utilitarian calculation by getting much pleasure at the cost of his people (Waller, 2005, p. 55). Could it be that Gaddafi needs to have a social contract with himself and that according to Thomas Hobbes our natural tendencies are toward murder and mayhem (Waller, 2005, p. 66) and he is out for himself. Gaddafi is an individual an d universal egoist. On one hand he wants for his country what will benefit him. He has been quoted as saying I will die a martyr (Metro, 2011) and on the other hand he says that he does not need help from any other countries and that they should stay out of Libya and the happenings with his country and people. Many countries have different outlook on this issue and most of it is because of cultural relativism this is how one culture has different value from another. This could be an example of America and Libya. For American culture we value people and the fact that we have free speech and that everyone should be free compared to Libya where the people their do not have the same rights of free speech and really are not free because if they go against their government they could die. Having ethical beliefs or morals in society is a positive thing because it helps control the chaos that would be if there were none. Ethical beliefs should also fall into individuals as well. If the individual person does not have ethics then how would they be able to socialize in an acceptable manner? Everyone has different ethical beliefs whether it is based upon religion or their culture or it could be based upon gender. Many people follow the Ten Commandments and that is their moral and ethical belief system and believes they were created to help control chaos and keep some order of peace in the world or within themselves. As a society we also have the Constitution of America which many people follow that as their code of ethics. And then many people will tell you that ethics and morals are passed down from generation to generation within the family. It does not matter what you believe or were they came from but that we may not be aware of the importance of them and how they rela te to our lives. In the Bible one of the Ten Commandments is You shall not steal now imagine if no one in the world has any morals or ethical beliefs. Everyone would be stealing from one another and no one would have anything that they could call their own. But by people having some type of ethical beliefs a majority of people do not steal because it would be against their code of ethics or moral beliefs. Immanuel Kant basic principle of ethics is Categorical Imperatitive says always act in such a way that you could and will act (Waller, 2005, p. 22) which is basically saying do unto others as you would have them do to you . So if you want to be treated well then you should treat others well. If people did not have this ethical belief to follow then there would be more people in the world that only look out for them and have no consideration for others. This could also be related to virtue ethicist Aristotle who says that virtuous person is not one that does the right act but one who consistently does the right act and for the right reason (Waller, 2005, p. 98). You might ask what does this have to do with individual ethical belief well if you think about it. Because people who do not steal have made it a habit not too and for that they consistently do the right thing. Another example could be as babies most of us were taught not to hit someone because that is not right and it could be against the morals of your family not too. So we eventually grow up that the right reason not to hit someone is because you would not like that to happen to you. When it comes to ethics many people do not relate it to critical thinking. Critical thinking can play a large role when it comes to ethics because when people start having conversations about anything that can be ethical it can turn into a heated argument or if they do not like what they are hearing they will use the red herring fallacy. Red herring fallacy is what they call a common argument trick (Waller, 2005, p. 2). For example: You and I are having a discussion about the war and I do not agree or like what you are saying so I change the conversation by saying I see, did you know that the Red Sox won the game yesterday. If more people take on the charity fallacy which is to be charitable or generous toward the positions and argument we oppose (Waller, 2005, p. 4). The perfect example of would be you are having a conversation about the war and how they agree with it and you listen to them and calmly respond yes but. As people get older and our minds get more developed we realize that men and women are not only physically different but emotionally different as well. Women become more act utilitarian because we want to increase pleasure and decrease suffering for everyone compared to men who become more rule utilitarians look at the act. It is known that women are more emotional and think differently from men. For many women care ethics plays a large role in morals. Care ethics emphasizes on the importance of affection, friendships and relationships (Waller, 2005, p. 119) which is for most women the core of their feelings. A good example of this could be a couple goes out to dinner and while walking to the restaurant the wife wants the husband to hold her hand and the husband does not want too. This is the women wants to feel some type of affection and the guy does not. Another example would be a guy usually does not care if he doesnt talk to some of his friends were it would really bother a women because her friendships are important in her life. I decided to go into this class with an open mind and by doing so I can actually say that I look at ethics in a much different perspective. I dont think I have ever really thought about ethics other than my own beliefs or corporate ethics. I realized how I never really looked at my ethical beliefs and how they may not be the way I think that I live my life. By this I mean the teacher used a scenario about a little girl and someone was going to kill her if I did not lie. For me I do not believe in telling a lie or getting lied to. As the teacher continued with the different scenarios and I kept saying I would not lie, he finally said over the brake really look at yourself and what you say or respond to things even the smallest of things and see if you lie. So I did just that and low and behold he was right. . I am finding that it is hard to live 100 percent ethically on my beliefs. As I was writing this I am trying to think about myself and what how the different parts of ethics fit into my life and can say that I am an act utilitarian because I do go through life wanting to not only have maximize pleasure but the people involved in my life and try to minimize the suffering of people involved in my life which is a hard thing to do. For someone whom I may be in a relationship whether a friend or on a more intimate level I can understand the social contracts that we share that we try to be as honest as possible to each other agree to not to cheat on each other even though tendencies may take us elsewhere. I also believe that we all must do what is in the best interest for each so that could make me follow the universal ethical egoism theory. When I think of virtue ethics, I think about myself and what or how I think of individual character. Many people say that I am kind, caring and very considerate person. That always think about other people and how I can help them. This would be because my moral belief is that I treat others as I like to be treated. So if you want respect then you have to give respect. But I also think about how I feel when I help someone which would be the care ethics part of my beliefs. . I myself know that I am consistently kind to people and care very much for people in my life but also for the elderly, kids and pets and I do this for the right reasons and that would be because it makes me feel good about myself. Without ethics whether personal or for society in a whole the world would not be able to function in order and there would be chaos beyond control. Everyone has ethics whether they are taught them in the home, from the bible or from government itself makes everyone a better person or country. For me taking this class has defiantly made me look at myself and what I honestly think and how I much of an ethical individual person I am. I also know that as we get older me ethical beliefs can change. I have also learned that even though we may not agree with other peoples beliefs we should be open about them and are able to have conversations with bringing anger or disagreements in them. Reference Page Metro. (2011, February 22). Gaddafi: I will die a martyr. Retrieved March 3, 2011, from Metro: http://www.metro.us/newyork/international/article/781278gaddafi-i-will-die-a-martyr Waller, B. N. (2005). Consider Ethics Theory, Readings and Contemporary Issues. New York: Longman.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Biography of Toulouse Lautrec :: essays research papers

Artist Biography and Painting Critique Henri-Marie-Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec Monfa, commonly known as Toulouse Lautrec, was born on November 24th, 1864. He lived out the entirety of his life in France, and died on September 9th, 1901. Born into a family of noble but inbred blood, he had inherently frail bones, and after a series of horrendous accidents, was crippled for life. During his recovery from one such accident, he discovered his love and talent for drawing and painting. He spent a considerable amount of time in Fernand Gormon's studio, and met with Vincent Van Gogh. He also visited many locations Van Gogh has worked at. They were both of the pre-impressionistic era. Lautrec's body of work often featured scenes from brothels. He was well respected for his art at the time of his death. Lautrec's Papa Chrysantheme, painted in 1893, features three female figures on a brown, cardboard-like background. Two images of ladys in flowing, form fitting dresses are viewed from behind in the foreground, in between which is a woman who appears to be in the center of a stage, on a pedestal. She is leaning backwards, her skirt flayed out behind her. The audience is a blackish-purple shadow surrounding the murky green pedestal, the three female bodies outlined in white, red, and yellow shaded slashes. All three are vague forms, with no faces or details. Dashy, erratic lines create a sense of movement, a flurry of motion which the female dancers are creating as the twirl eroticly in their dresses. Their flesh is the color of the background - speckled yellow-brown. This and purple are the main colors in the painting, the one's you notice first. The painting is entirely earthy, natural tones, very expressive of the flourishing movement and erotic dancing Lautrec is trying to cap ture. The incomplete outlines of the body create a frenzied appearance, a fluid rather than

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The Mogul Tale and the Little Theater in Haymarket Essay -- Mogul Tale

The Mogul Tale and the Little Theater in Haymarket The Little Theater in Haymarket was one of the more prominent venues in London during the latter half of the 18th century. Built and opened in 1720, the â€Å"Little† Theater, so it was called to distinguish it from the larger King’s opera house located nearby, was originally designated as a playhouse for French performers.2 Its proprietor John Potter obtained permission for its construction from the Lord Chamberlain Thomas Pelham with the help of the influential Duke of Montagu.1 True to its name the Little Theater’s original measurements were 48 feet wide and 136 feet long. It was reported to be at least three stories, with a basement, a gallery and several small shops in the front of the building.1 The seating arrangement, like most theaters during this time, consisted of long benches with no backs.2 Because of this the Little Theater could seat anywhere from 600 to almost 1500 patrons.1 Performance during the hot summer months required that their be a ventilation system to allow fresh air into the theater.2 Unlike other theaters in London, the Little Theater was not adorned with elaborately painted ceilings or walls.2 The Little Theater would undergo many changes during its hundred years as an entertainment venue, including three remodeling projects between 1739 and 1760 and an almost complete rebuilding in 1767.1 To better understand the success of the Little Theater, an overview of the summer theatrical seasons that began in the Restoration period is necessary. Before the Interregnum period in England, theaters in London operated nearly year round, and did not specify the â€Å"summer season† as a separate part of the theatrical year.1 When Charles II reinstate... ... lost some of its popularity due to some tensions between the members of the company that had affected performance.1 Colman decided to separate himself altogether from the Haymarket Company, and in 1820 the Little Theater was abandoned for the company’s new location at what is now the present day Theatre Royal, Haymarket. The last performance held at the Little Theater was on October 14, 1820.1    Notes 1. Burling, William J. Summer Theatre in London, 1661-1820, and the Rise of the Haymarket Theater. (New Jersey: Associated University Press, 2000), 21-215.    2. Hogan, Charles Beecher. The London Stage, 1776-1800: A Critical Introduction. (Illinois: Southern Illinois University Press, 1968), xliii, xlvii.    3. Stephen, Leslie and Sidney Lee, eds. The Dictionary of National Biography. (London: Oxford University Press, 1921), 424.

air pollution :: essays research papers

Air Pollution   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Air pollution is a serious problem in many of the worlds large cities. Heavy concentrations of air pollutants, which are often in the form of smog, settle over a city, creating a health hazard for its people. Air pollution occurs when wastes dirty the air. People produce most of the wastes that cause air pollution. Such wastes are usually in the form of gases. These substances result chiefly from burning fuel to power motor vehicles and to heat buildings. Industrial processes and the burning of garbage also contribute to air pollution. Natural pollutants include dust, pollen, soil particles, (100 Words) and naturally occurring gases.†Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  (Encyclopedia)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The rapid growth of population and industry, and the increased use of automobiles and airplanes, have made air pollution a serious problem. The air we breathe has become so filled with pollutants that it can cause health problems. Polluted air also harms plants, animals, building materials, and fabrics. In addition, it causes damage by altering the earth’s atmosphere.† In and article published by THE NEWS in New Mexico they warned â€Å"If current environmental protection policies are no unforced, pollutants in city air will increase one million tons annually by year 2010.†Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (Encyclopedia, The News)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Air pollution (100 Words) can have a huge effect on health. When people breathe polluted air, the impurities can irritate their air passages and their lungs. Particles often stay in the lungs and can worsen symptoms such as asthma and bronchitis. Radon can cause lung cancer in inhaled in large quantities. Certain chemical compounds can cause cancer and birth defects also.† â€Å"Air pollution has also been linked to heart attacks† claims an article in the Health Scout News. â€Å"The study adds to the evidence linking particles from automobile exhausts, power plants, and refineries to heart problems.† (Encyclopedia, Health Scout News)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The United States does (100 Words) try to control air pollution. All levels of government federal, state, and local have passed laws designed to control pollution. Congress passed the Air Quality Act in 1967. Under this act, the federal government sets goals called air quality standards for achieving cleaner air. The states must enforce air pollution controls to meet the goals. When states fail to enforce the regulations, the federal government can act against the polluters by imposing fines.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

What does Scout learn about Maycomb and its inhabitants during the trial?

Through witnessing the trial, Scout learns a lot about Maycomb and its inhabitants, particularly Bob Ewell, Mayella Ewell, Tom Robinson, Dolphus Raymond and her own father, Atticus.Bob Ewell is the villain of the ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ and, as a result of the trial, he attempts to get revenge on Atticus and his family. However, in the trial itself he is depicted as a very unpleasant person, not only by his appearance, â€Å"a little bantam cock of a man† but also by his conduct. Scout learns that he drinks and sometimes leaves his family for days, he is violent and he may even be committing incest with Mayella. Atticus establishes that he is left-handed and that Mayella was probably beaten up by a left-handed man – it seems that he, and not Tom Robinson, beat up Mayella after he saw Mayella trying to kiss Tom.Bob therefore lies during the trial and is prepared to sacrifice the life of an innocent man for the sake of his daughter's reputation. His abominabl e behaviour during the trial and his assumption that everybody will be on his side against a black man convince the reader that he is a thoroughly loathsome character. Mayella Ewell also lies in court but for different reasons to her father. She is the only responsible member of one of the poorest families in Maycomb.She looks after herself and her brothers and sisters and even tries to bring some beauty into their lives by growing geraniums. Her family is so poor that white people will have nothing to do with her and, at that time, it was not possible for her to be friendly with black people. Hence Scout coming to the conclusion that she is â€Å"the loneliest person in the world†. Tom Robinson passed her house every day on his way to work and, according to Scout; he was probably the only person who was ever nice to her.Tom's evidence at the trial implies that she had planned to make a pass at him for a long time. It took her nearly a year to save enough money to send all he r brothers and sisters into town to get ice creams. When she and Tom were alone together she tried to kiss him but she was interrupted by the arrival of her father. At that time in the 1930s there was a very strong prejudice against white women being involved with black men and if the fact that she had kissed Tom of her own accord emerged, she would have been shunned by everyone. She would rather let Tom die than let this happen.The trial also helps Scout gain a further insight into the character of Tom Robinson, who is the innocent victim of Mayella's loneliness and is often perceived to be the â€Å"mockingbird† of the novel. He assisted Mayella over a long period of time and always behaved courteously and respectfully around her. When Mayella tried to kiss him he didn't know what to do. He couldn't hit a white woman to keep her away from him nor could he allow her to kiss him – he ran away when Bob Ewell arrived knowing that whatever he did would get him into troubl e.In the trial Tom's innocence is proved by the fact that only his right arm is useable. It becomes evident that he couldn't have held Mayella and raped her in the way that she described, and her injuries were the result of a beating from a left-handed man. He is honest and labours strenuously but he offends the jury by saying that the reason why he did all the work for Mayella is because he â€Å"felt right sorry for her. † Tom oversteps some societal boundaries and his admission of sympathy of Mayella – a white woman – is considered impertinent due to the lower status of black people at the time.In spite of his obvious innocence and the persuasive arguments presented by Atticus, Tom is convicted of the crime as racial prejudice is still too strong and society is not yet able to deal with such a case fairly. Prior to the trial, Scout only knows Dolphus Raymond through the rumours that revolve around him: he always drinks whisky out of a sack which supposedly pr ovides an explanation for why he’s got a â€Å"coloured woman and all sorts of mixed chillum†; he â€Å"owns all one side of a river bank†¦and he’s from a real old family to boot.†But through meeting Dolphus with Dill, Scout is informed that he pretends to be an alcoholic because it was the only way the Maycomb would accept him. He says this was so because they could not grasp a sane white person ever living with coloured folks. This interlude with Dolphus Raymond at the beginning of chapter 20 foreshadows Atticus’s views, expressed later, that black people are people like everyone else. Scout and the readers learn that we shouldn’t judge people by appearances.Although she judges Dolphus by his reputation, her opinion changes after she has met him – something that sadly the white jury of the trial is incapable of doing regarding Tom Robinson. This scene underlines the prejudices of the white community, with hints that if a white person loves a black person they have to have an excuse for it and with Scout discovers more about the â€Å"simple hell people give other people. † The trial reveals a lot of hidden traits of Atticus, even the littlest things seeming abnormal to Scout and Jem.â€Å"†¦Atticus did something I never saw him do before or since, in public or in private: he unbuttoned his vest, unbuttoned his collar, loosened his tie, and took off his coat. He never loosened a scrap of clothing until he undressed at bedtime, and to Jem and me, this was the equivalent of him standing before us stark naked. We exchanged horrified glances. † This ‘first’ is symbolic that he’s done everything he’s could.It also suggests that the trial is taking a toll on Atticus and he is beginning to feel the strain of it. This may seem unusual, as Atticus has always remained quite relaxed and calm about the case, however by doing this he gives the impression that he’s ne rvous and is feeling tense. Furthermore, Mayella, who is not used to being treated decently, sees his politeness as offensive and it is clear that he takes no pleasure in revealing the true nature of Mayella's actions.Whilst making his concluding speech, Atticus tries to defend the idea that all men are equal before the law, but he is unable to overcome the basic prejudices of the jury. The only mark of his success is that they take an unusual length of time to come to their decision. Atticus was appointed to defend Tom and he upset people merely by doing his job. In spite of the verdict, the black people of the town appreciated his efforts and on the day after the trial they sent large amounts of food to his house in gratitude.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Cause and Effectof Joining the Military Essay

The U.S. Army is the oldest, most established branch of the military. â€Å"The U.S. Army traces it’s heritage back to the 1600’s and the period of colonization.†(Historcal Dictionary of the US Army) Since then, the Army has changed. The Army has a lot more to offer now than it did Two Hundred and Thirty eight years ago. There are many benefits to joining the Army from medical to bonus pays. College tuition costs are rising faster than ever. Not only do college students have to take out student loans after student loans, most have to work part time or even full time jobs to go to college, which delays their education, sometimes taking an associates four years to complete. Joining the Army, upon entry you are able to choose a GI Bill option. There are different versions of the GI Bill, but all allow you to attend college without having to worry about tuition costs. I am using my Post 9/11 GI Bill and for 36 months, my GI Bill pays full tuition, a book stipend, and a monthly housing allowance. Not only is there the GI Bill option, but while active duty or reserve, you can take advantage of their tuition assistance program. The program covers one hundred percent of tuition costs. As both of these programs are wonderful, there are effects to it. The GI Bill only covers everythign one hundred percent for thirty six months. If you are wanting to get a Bachelor’s Degree, you would need to take at least fifteen credit hours per semester, without taking any semesters off, in order to get your Bachelor’s using your GI Bill with no out of pocket expenses. If using the tuition assistance program, you are working full-time. You have your soldier-duties as well as going to school. There are days that you may need to miss class because you need to pull a twenty four hour watch, which may take a toll on your grade. The Army provides free healthcare to soldiers and their family. The cost of healthcare insurance is expensive, and you still have to pay out of pocket expenses from co-pays to half of a bill from the hospital. With the Army, everything is covered. Even though the healthcare is free, it is for soldiers and their families. There are a small amounts of doctors for a large amount of people. So even though the healthcare is free, you often have to wait longer periods of time for an appointment and when you really need an appointment fast, it doesn’t always work out. If you were to need to go to an urgent care clinic, you need to get permission from the military insurance company. When joining the military, you take a test in order to see what skills you are strongest. You are given a score and depending on your score, determines what job in the Army you can choose. Jobs in the Army range from infantryman to LPN’s. (http://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/browse-career-and-job-categories/combat.html) The higher the score, the more options of jobs there are available to you. Right now there are roughly one hundred and ninety jobs in the Army. Some jobs are in higher demand than others. When joining the Army, if you choose one of the high demand jobs, you might get a bonus for choosing the job. After receiving the bonus money, usually given in a lump sum, if you were to have to get out of the Army during a certain time period after receiving the bonus, you would have to pay the bonus money back. Sometimes the bonus could be up to teh thousand dollars. Even though the Army offers the benefits mentioned, plus many more, you also have to think of the toll it takes on your family. In the Army, you move around roughly every three years. If you were to deploy, you would be gone for 9 months plus, without seeing your family. Some deployments are easier than others, as some let you skype with your family daily to a few times weekly, and others maybe once a month. For children is is hard moving around, making friends and then leaving them, making new friends all over again, and it takesa a toll on them academically. Some children may even have to stay back a year depending on the time of the year they move. With all the benefits available to you and that the military offers, there are many effects to consider. They are all great, but the effects don’t only effect you, but also your family and loved ones. You would have to consider what you choose, how it effects others lives as well. From personal experience, the Army is wonderful and offers a lot to not only myself, but my family as well. It allowed me to provide for my family and also set me up for my future. Flow & Rhythm (Sentence Fluency) All sentences sound natural and are easy-on-the-ear when read aloud. Each sentence is clear and has an obvious emphasis. Almost all sentences sound natural and are easy-on-the-ear when read aloud, but 1 or 2 are stiff and awkward or difficult to understand. Most sentences sound natural and are easy-on-the-ear when read aloud, but several are stiff and awkward or are difficult to understand. The sentences are difficult to read aloud because they sound awkward, are distractingly repetitive, or difficult to  understand. Sequencing (Organization) Details are placed in a logical order and the way they are presented effectively keeps the interest of the reader. Details are placed in a logical order, but the way in which they are presented/introduced sometimes makes the writing less interesting. Some details are not in a logical or expected order, and this distracts the reader. Many details are not in a logical or expected order. There is little sense that the writing is organized. Introduction (Organization) The introduction is inviting, states the main topic and previews the structure of the paper. The introduction clearly states the main topic and previews the structure of the paper, but is not particularly inviting to the reader. The introduction states the main topic, but does not adequately preview the structure of the paper nor is it particularly inviting to the reader. There is no clear introduction of the main topic or structure of the paper. Commitment (Voice) The writer successfully uses several reasons/appeals to try to show why the reader should care or want to know more about the topic. The writer successfully uses one or two reasons/appeals to try to show why the reader should care or want to know more about the topic. The writer attempts to make the reader care about the topic, but is not really successful. The writer made no attempt to make the reader care about the topic. Transitions (Organization) A variety of thoughtful transitions are used. They clearly show how ideas are connected. Transitions clearly show how ideas are connected, but there is little variety. Some transitions work well; but connections between other ideas are fuzzy. The transitions between ideas are unclear or nonexistent. Works Cited Brown, Jerold E. Historical Dictionary of the US Army. Westport, CT, USA : Greenwood Press, Dec 2000. 15 Nov 2004. 4 Nov 2013 .

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Nurse shoratges Essay

Conferences Webinars Popular Topics Media Relations Career Link Contact Sitemap Top of Form SEARCH AACN Bottom of Form About AACN Mission and Values Strategic Plan Staff Directory Department Directory Bylaws Committees & Task Force Board of Directors Member Schools Affiliated Sites Leading Initiatives Education Resources Publications Research and Data Academic-practice Partnerships Joining Forces Clinical Nurse Leader Doctor of Nursing Practice Public Health Nursing Diversity in Nursing NursingCAS CCNE Accreditation About CCNE Find Accredited Programs Find New Applicant Programs Board Actions & Current Reviews Standards, Procedures, & Resources New Applicant Process On-site Evaluators CCNE webinars Government Affairs About Government Affairs AACN Grassroots Federal Policy Agenda Appropriations Advocacy APRN Advocacy State Advocacy Supported Legislation Policy Briefs Resources Funding Opportunities Archives Membership Members Only How to Join Member Benefits Leadership Development Leadership Networks Leadership Opportunities New Dean Mentoring Program Awards Mailing List Rental Nursing Program Search Faculty Faculty Link Faculty Tool Kits Faculty Webinars Curriculum Guidelines Leadership for Academic Nursing Education Scholar ELNEC Geriatric Nursing Students Your Nursing Career Graduate Nursing Student Academy Scholarships Financial Aid Accelerated Nursing Programs Career Resource Center Home / Media Relations / Nursing Shortage Resources / Impact of the Nursing Shortage on Patient Care News Releases Spokesperson Bios AACN News Watch Position Statements White Papers Fact Sheets Talking Points Nursing Shortage Resources About the Nursing Shortage Impact of the Nursing Shortage on Patient Care Strategies to Resolve the Shortage Legislation to Address the Shortage Snapshot of Today’s Nursing Workforce Report Archives State Work Force Reports Newsletter Subscriptions More Sharing ServicesShare I Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on email Share on print Recent Reports Hospital Nurse Practice Environments and Outcomes for Surgical Oncology Patients In an article published in Health Services Research in August 2008, Dr. Christopher Friese and colleagues found that nursing education level was significantly associated with patient outcomes. Nurses prepared at the baccalaureate-level were linked with lower mortality and failure-to-rescue rates. The authors conclude that â€Å"moving to a nurse workforce in which a higher proportion of staff nurses have at least a baccalaureate-level education would result in substantially fewer adverse outcomes for patients. † Effects of Hospital Care Environment on Patient Mortality and Nurse Outcomes In a study published May 2008 in the Journal of Nursing Administration, (see below) which show a strong link between RN education level and patient outcomes. Titled â€Å"Effects of Hospital Care Environment on Patient Mortality and Nurse Outcomes,† these leading nurse researchers found that every 10% increase in he proportion of BSN nurses on the hospital staff was associated with a 4% decrease in the risk of death. Impact of Hospital Nursing Care on 30-day Mortality for Acute Medical Patients In the January 2007 issue of the Journal of Advanced Nursing, a new study validates the findings of Dr. Linda Aiken and others that baccalaureate- prepared nurses have a positive impact on lowering mortality rates. A research team led by Dr. Ann E. Tourangeau from the University of Toronto and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences in Ontario, Canada, studied 46,993 patients admitted to ospital with heart attacks, stroke, pneumonia and blood poisoning. The authors found that: â€Å"Hospitals with higher proportions of baccalaureate-prepared nurses tended to have lower 30-day mortality rates. Our findings indicated that a 10% increase in the proportion of baccalaureate prepared nurses was associated with 9 fewer deaths for every 1,000 discharged patients. Is the Shortage of Hospital Registered Nurses Getting Better of Worse? In the March-April 2005 issue of Nursing Economics, Dr. Peter Buerhaus and colleagues found that more than 75% of RNs believe the nursing shortage presents a major problem for the quality of their work ife, the quality of patient care, and the amount of time nurses can spend with patients. Looking forward, almost all surveyed nurses see the shortage in the future as a catalyst for increasing stress on nurses (98%), lowering patient care quality (93%) and causing nurses to leave the profession (93%). National Survey on Consumers’ Experiences with Patient Safety and Quality Information In November 2004, results from this national survey found that 40% of Americans think the quality of health care has worsened in the last five years. Consumers reported that the most mportant issues affecting medical error rates are workload, stress or fatigue among health professionals (74%); too little time spent with patients (70%); and too few nurses (69%). This survey was sponsored by the Kaiser Family Foundation, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the Harvard School of Public Health. Research in Action: Hospital Nurse Staffing and Availability of Care In March 2004, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) issued a synthesis of nursing research studies that details the impact that staffing levels, staff mix, and education levels have on patient outcomes. The report cites studies showing that hospitals with lower nurse staffing levels and fewer registered nurses compared with licensed practical nurses or nurses’ aides tend to have higher rates of poor patient outcomes. Keeping Patients Safe: Transforming the Work Environment Publishing in November 2003, this Institute of Medicine calls for substantial changes in the work environment of nurses in order to protect patients, including changes in how nurse staffing levels are established and mandatory limits on nurses’ work hours. Despite the growing body of evidence that better nurse staff levels result in afer patient care, nurses in some health care facilities may be overburdened with up to 12 patients to care for per shift. Long work hours pose one of the most serious threats to patient safety, because fatigue slows reaction time, diminishes attention to detail, and contributes to errors. Educational Levels of Hospital Nurses and Surgical prepared at the baccalaureate and higher degree level is endangering patients. In an article in the September 24, 2003 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, Dr. Linda Aiken and her colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania ound that patients experience significantly lower mortality and failure to rescue rates in hospitals where more baccalaureate-prepared nurses provide direct patient care. At least 1,700 preventable deaths could have been realized in Pennsylvania hospitals alone if baccalaureate-prepared nurses had comprised 60% of the nursing staff and the nurse-to-patient ratios had been set at 1 to 4. Unfortunately, only of PA hospitals have more than 50% of the nursing staff prepared at the baccalaureate level. Views of Practicing Physicians and the Public on Medical Errors A survey eported in the December 12, 2002 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine found that 53% of physicians and 65% of the public cited the shortage of nurses as a leading cause of medical errors. Overall, 42% of the public and more than a third of U. S. doctors reported that they or their family members have experienced medical errors in the course of receiving medical care. The survey was conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health and the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Hospital Nurse Staffing and Patient Mortality, Nurse Burnout and Job Dissatisfaction According o a study published in the October 23/30, 2002 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, more nurses at the bedside could save thousands of patient lives each year. Nurse researchers at the University of Pennsylvania determined that patients who have common surgeries in hospitals with low nurse-to-patient ratios have an up to 31% increased chance of dying. Funded by the National Institute for Nursing Research, the study found that every additional patient in an average hospital nurse’s workload increased the risk of death in surgical patients by 7%. Having too few nurses may actually cost more money given the high costs of replacing burnt-out nurses and caring for patients with poor outcomes.