Annotated Bibliography-Sheila-W8 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Annotated Bibliography-Sheila-W8 - Essay Example It is important to know how documentation process is established as it provides for easier management. The article is an online publication. The author establishes that, due to the rise of diseases such as heart failure, which has cause massive deaths, humans still do not change their behavior to control the conditions. It proposes electronic devices that can monitor individuals by internet usage as a way of improving and controlling them as they undergo exercises to reduce the menace. Not much information was available concerning the study and neither did it propose for other future research. The literature review was less in depth but offered a better insight into the study while methods of analysis were by sample surveys of the patients. It is significant that patients change their behavior as it helps health practitioners to manage their health. Kontos, E., Blake, K. D., Chou, W. S., & Prestin, A. (2014). Predictors of eHealth usage: Insights on the digital divide from the health information national trends survey 2012. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 16(7), e172. It is an extensive article that is a JMIR publication. The authors observe that due to development in electronic health technology, health care has improved tremendously especially on vulnerable individuals in the society. The study establishes that factors such as race and ethnicity do not necessary contribute to the electronic health information. But individuals who are less educated find it difficult to accesses the Internet for health information than their counterparts. Not much information was available but proposes for future studies on electronic health literacy. The review was in depth that provided a clear view of the study while methods of research were by case studies. The less literate in the society should embrace technology since it an easier way to manage their health. This is a

Tim Burton Analytical Essay Example for Free

Tim Burton Analytical Essay The dark lighting showed Edwards loneliness, however, the bright lighting of the town and Pegs house showed how he was able to create a relationship with the towns people, which he was unable to do previously in the tower. In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Wonka did not have a good relationship with his father, so the flashbacks of his childhood are in a darker light. The dark lighting in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Edward Scissorhands stresses the importance of relationships. In accordance with dark lighting, Burton also uses contrasting sets exemplify the mportance of relationships. In Big Fish, when Edward Bloom unexpectedly arrives in Spectre for the first time, the town is green and lush with vegetation, and the townspeople are happy and worry free. While he was in Spectre, he promised a little girl he would return. However when he returned after many years, the town was barren and businesses were closed. This contrasting set shows he was not there for the town when they needed him; therefore the town was barren when he returned for the second time. In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Wonka creates an amazing hocolate factory to substitute the happiness of having a good relationship with his father. Contrastingly, Charlies house may not be as extravagant as the factory, but Charlie has a loving family. The opposing sets between the factory and Charlies home shows the importance of relationships. In Big Fish and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, contrasting sets show the importance of relationships Moreover, the use of close ups exemplifies the importance of relationships. In Big Fish, when Edward Bloom is lying in the hospital bed, and Will Bloom, Edwards son, inished the story of his fathers fantasy death, there is a close up of Wills face. Will knows his father is going to die and that all of the tall tales that his father told were true. The close up shows that if Will had trusted his father, they would have a better relationship. In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, whenever the conversation of parents began, Wonka would act uncomfortable. From afar the viewer does not see the sadness, but the close up shows the sadness in his eyes. Wonka is sad he does not have a good relationship with his father, therefore the close up shows that elationships are important. In Big Fish and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the close ups of the characters show the importance of relationships. Burton has a passion for making movies, and he puts all of his effort into creating extravagant sets and costumes in his movies. As seen in Big Fish, Edward Scissorhands, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Burton creates personal messages to convey his inner feelings. In these movies, Tim Burton utilizes dark lighting, contrasting sets, and close ups to epitomize the importance the importance of relationships.

Themes of Desirees Baby Essay -- essays research papers

â€Å"Dà ©sirà ©e’s Baby† is a story of love, prejudice and rejection, a story with noble beginnings that slowly turns to reveal an uglier side of human relations. Armand, a wealthy landowner of the plantation L’Abri in the ante-bellum south of Louisiana, is confronted by a family secret that has been hidden from him, even into adulthood. The secret is scandalous for its day, and its consequences run deep into the fabric of society. No one told Armand of this secret. He discovers it by chance at the end of the story, when he finds the remnants of an old letter written by his mother to his father, the significance of which, and its revelations, makes us focus on the many tragic and ironic decisions made by him during this story. In the old south, bloodlines are very important to the status of a family and their social placement, so the â€Å"purity† of the family must be kept. This â€Å"purity† does not accommodate marriages of mixed race. Knowing this, Armand marries an old friend who he had known since he was eight when he moved to Louisiana from France with his father after his mother had died. She was a girl of no distinction, who had no history or reputation of family name like that of Armand, but despite this he fell in love â€Å"as if struck by a pistol shot†.(317). Others had warned Arman d against marrying her, but he did not care for he was so swept away by her beauty. â€Å"He was reminded that she was nameless. What did it matter about a name when he could give her one of the oldest and proudest in Louisiana.† (316). Tragedy comes early in the marriage with the birth of their first child. Although no one seemed to notice at first, by the time the child was three months old, neighbors and Armand himself noticed a change in the child. â€Å"W... ...loved and so easily discarded to protect his family name, were innocent of his animosity and accusations. We can only imagine the heart wrenching turmoil he must have felt at that moment. Too, was the undeniable fact that his father had overcome similar odds and accepted the love of his mother even though she was black. Armand’s father had escaped from tradition and its shackles to stay with the woman he loved and yet still kept the family’s good name, where Armand had failed to do so. The finding of this letter reveals to the reader the deeper consequences of decisions made based on prejudice and what others may think. All that Armand had done, giving up his marriage and condemning their child, burning all that reminded him of her and the baby, cursing God for his misfortune, had all come crashing in upon him by finding a simple letter with tragic â€Å"significance

The Fight for Freedom and Rights in Early America Essay -- People Hist

The Fight for Freedom and Rights in Early America The names and faces of those considered pioneers in the fight for rights and freedom may not be instantly recognizable, but nevertheless, they are an important part to the history of the United States of America. Throughout the history of our country, there has not just been an injustice towards black slaves, but also towards women, with both being unfairly discriminated against. It was the work of many individuals who brought the unfamiliar taste for rights for all God’s creatures to the mouths of many people. The impact of such people, including Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Frederick Douglass, towards the demand for rights for women and slaves cannot be measured. Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815-1902) was born and raised in Johnstown, New York and was one of six children (Stanton 169). She was an incredibly gifted woman, extremely smart and intelligent and had a tongue for linguistics, as she had studied Greek and Latin. She enjoyed intellectual and stimulating conversations and became quite interested in temperance movements, abolishing slavery, and the struggle to gain rights for women. One day, after a discussion with like-minded women, she proposed a woman’s convention to discuss their situation. In July of 1848, she organized the first woman’s rights convention in the United States, known as the Seneca Falls Convention. Frederick Douglass was a slave with ambition and he became more educated than most slaves were by learning how to read. This in theory was good, but at times, did not work out to his advantage. His acumen and intelligence were characteristics that fed his yearning for knowledge and his taste for freedom. Frederick Douglass (1817-1895) was born... ...e of Elizabeth Cady Stanton or Frederick Douglass, but their impact on American history cannot be calculated. Their goals and ideas pushed through a white male dominated world and they set out to make change. They knew it would not come easily, but they knew it was something they were willing to fight forever for. It is due to their leadership, intelligence, and the strength in their hearts for the reason why they are considered two of the most important pioneers in the fight for freedom and the fight for rights for all individuals in our society. Works Cited Douglass, Frederick. â€Å"Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave.† A World of Ideas. Ed. Lee Jacobus. Boston: Bedford, 2002. 125-140. Stanton, Elizabeth Cady. â€Å"Declarations of Sentiments and Resolutions.† A World of Ideas. Ed. Lee Jacobus. Boston: Bedford, 2002. 169-178.

The Influence of Art on Common People

The Influence of Art on Common People Art is a medium of self-expression; it can also be a challenge that intimidates people. Art can influence common people in many ways: â€Å"It could be a source of inspiration for people with hidden artistic skill; it could ignite the passion to create something of beauty; it could unblock fears and insecurities,† wrote author Molly Prather in her article, â€Å"How does art influence people? † Or it could easily be ignored. Dr. Margarita Cole, an art appreciation instructor at HCC, defines common people as those who are not exposed to art or those who are not familiar with visiting museums.This includes people who consider art alien. She talked about the influence of art on common people saying, â€Å"Some people ignore art or consider it weird. Others ask themselves what is this for? Many of them do not find answer. But for some people who find in art an answer, it is a discovery. † Sharon Hendry, a graphic designer, artist and HCC instructor, has another point of view: â€Å"Artists have two main objectives when they do art: One is to put something in a visual format to express a message; and second is that they use art as a medium of communication. Art can communicate without words,† she added.Common people are affected by art in different ways. Hendry said, â€Å"People react when they look at an artwork filtering their emotions through their personal experiences, their personal history. † â€Å"The way people are affected by art,† Dr. Cole said, â€Å"depends a lot on their upbringing — the amount of exposure to art that they have and what is their conception of beauty. † Art is a medium of communication and it can have a deep impact, or be very tenuous. â€Å"If we are open to art, we can take advantage of it; if we are closed to it, there is no way,† Dr. Cole commented. She added, â€Å"Deep (art’s communication) as you allow it to go.If you allo w yourself to feel the soul of the artist you are going deep. † Hendry made an example about communication â€Å"When you text a message in your cell phone, you are trying to communicate with somebody. The other person could receive or deny your message. If the person that you are trying to communicate with sends you a response, you are establishing communication. The only way that an artist knows if his artwork communicates a message is when he receives feedback,† she added. Some people are reluctant to engage with art maybe because they do not want to allow a communication with it.Dr. Cole talked about a case: â€Å"A student came to me after class and told me about a collage assignment; he was trying to work on it but it was very difficult to do and he could not finish it. Actually, he was not scared about the work otherwise; he was showing his insecurity to do the task. We can put people in front of a challenge and some will say: ‘Okay let’s do it. â⠂¬â„¢ Others will react the opposite way, refusing to do it when in fact, they are reacting to their fears. † â€Å"Art can serve as inspiration to awaken the imagination, talent and skill hiding in someone.It can unlock your fears and insecurities about creating,† Prather wrote. Hendry corroborated this, saying, â€Å"This is why art is important to me in my life. All those thing —inspires creativity, discovers hidden talent and unlocks fears and insecurities — have helped me and helped my students. † Anna Reyner, an art therapist, wrote the article â€Å"Art Influences Learning† in which she said, â€Å"Much has been written about how art enhances creativity, imagination, and self-esteem, but far less is said about how art encourages cognition, critical thinking, and learning. † She mentions the U.S. Secretary of Education report, â€Å"The Value Added Benefits of the Arts,† which states, â€Å"Studies have shown that arts te aching and learning can increase student’s cognitive and social development. The arts can be the link for students in developing the crucial thinking skills and motivations they need to achieve at higher levels. † In the same article Reyner wrote, â€Å"Our current education system places great emphasis on academic development. As a result, arts programs are being reduced or even eliminated from classrooms to accommodate more didactic teaching methods. Broadly speaking, are common people aware at the importance of art as a part of children’s education? Dr. Cole opined, â€Å"If they are not exposed to art, they are not going to be able to do anything. † Dr. Cole said, â€Å"My students have to go to museums as a part of the class requirements, but a lot of them are not interested and are reluctant to do the assignment. If you are not exposed to art, it is likely the next generation will not be exposed to art either. † â€Å"Politics is more advoca tes trying to make money,† Hendry commented. Consequently, art is not a priority in the line of their funding. † Art is present in everyday routines in many ways. Many people are aware of it while others are not; still others are indifferent. Promoting the benefits of art could be a difficult task. â€Å"To promote art,† Dr. Cole said, â€Å"we have to expose people to art, encourage them to visit museums, and also educate gallery personnel to bring friendly treatment. Some people go to museums and get out angry because of the bad treatment by the personnel.Educating gallery personnel is very important if you want to promote art. † â€Å"Parents have to encourage children to be involved in art,† Hendry commented, â€Å"but many times they are very busy or they do not know how beneficial art is on their children’s educational process. † â€Å"Children learn best when both sides of their brains are stimulated,† writer Kevin Crocket t said in the online article â€Å"How Art Influences Childhood-Development? † â€Å"This occurs when the learning environment is both participatory and interactive.The modern classroom does have a participatory side but it is sorely lacking in interactivity. Drawing and art is one of the best ways to bring interactivity into your child’s life. † â€Å"Art has to be included in the raising of child,† Dr. Cole stressed. â€Å"It is very important to encourage trips to museums, developing child interaction with artworks. † â€Å"Do not under estimate the importance of creativity, the ability to think abstractly (out of the box). The best thinkers, inventors, and entrepreneurs of our time have a healthy dose of right brain influence,† wrote Crockett.

7 Common Homonymic Spelling Errors

7 Common Homonymic Spelling Errors 7 Common Homonymic Spelling Errors 7 Common Homonymic Spelling Errors By Mark Nichol Homonyms are words that sound like, but are spelled differently and have different meanings. Some of the most commonly confused pairs of words are illustrated in the following examples: 1. â€Å"The color complimented her unusual skin tone.† Unless the color was personified and therefore had the power of speech as well as discernment, it complemented, or enhanced by association, the hue of the person’s skin. Both the noun and verb forms of complement derive form the Latin word for â€Å"completion.† Compliment has the same root, but it refers to courtesy. 2. â€Å"He assured them he would be discrete about the matter.† This error pops up frequently in personals ads (or ahem so I’ve been told) in which correspondents advertise their desire for a â€Å"discrete relationship.† Discrete and discreet have the same meaning, â€Å"separate, or distinct,† but divergent connotations. A discrete relationship wouldn’t be very satisfying, because discrete implies a categorical separation. Discreet, on the other hand, refers to secretive or surreptitious behavior no long walks on the beach. 3. â€Å"Despite the real estate boom, he hasn’t joined his ex-patriots in the feeding frenzy.† People who reside in a country other than the one of their birth are not necessarily there because they are no longer devoted to their own nation, though that is one meaning of the word in question. But patriotism doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with it. Such a person is an expatriate. The root word, patria, refers generally to one’s native country, not specifically to love for it. 4. â€Å"The teacher suddenly found herself overcome by a hoard of children.† We may treasure children, but we don’t refer to a â€Å"treasure of children,† and hoard means â€Å"treasure.† (It’s from Old English and is related to the word for â€Å"hide.†) The writer meant to write horde, which connotes a throng, a mob, or a rabble. Horde derives from the Turkic word orda or ordu, which refers to the abode of a khan, a word for â€Å"monarch† or â€Å"chieftain.† The English term describes both a nomadic group and a specific political entity of nomads, and more recent usage has adopted the term as a synonym for crowd or the other meanings listed above. 5. â€Å"Carefully turning the pages, she poured over the document.† Poured what over the document? That was careless of her. She would have saved herself some cleaning up if she had pored over the document instead. Pore means to intently gaze, read, or study and, in the sense of a wide-eyed attention, is perhaps akin to the noun pore, which means â€Å"passage† or â€Å"opening.† 6. â€Å"The principle issue at stake is whether it is ever acceptable to lie.† The definition of principle derives from the Latin word for â€Å"beginning†; a principle is an establishing or defining concept. But the issue in question here is the primary one or, as the writer intended to convey, the principal one. (The head of a school, by the way, was originally the principal, or first, teacher.) 7. â€Å"The motorist was sited for reckless driving.† Well, a police officer certainly sighted the reckless driving, but sited is a synonym for located. After the sighting, the officer issued a citation, and the driver was therefore cited. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:30 Religious Terms You Should Know60 Synonyms for â€Å"Trip†A "Diploma" is not a "Degree"

Internet Positive and Negative Impacts on Education

Internet Positive and Negative Impacts on Education Introduction The computer and the internet were the most significant inventions of the 21st century and these two inventions have changed the way human beings operate. Many aspects of modern life have been influenced by this two inventions and the education sector is one of the fields that have been significantly influenced by computers and the internet. Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Internet Positive and Negative Impacts on Education specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The internet has had major impacts on education; some of them negative and others positive. This paper argues that education would not be better off without the internet. The paper will begin by articulating the positive impacts that the internet has had on education. It will then analyze some of the negative impacts so as to provide a balanced view on the topic and conclude by showing how the positive impacts outweigh the negative. Positive Impacts of the Internet Academic research is one of the important pillars of education. Tsai asserts that the internet has increased the ability of students to engage in research (222). Before the internet was available, researching students had to engage in time consuming activities while carrying out their research work. They had to physically visit libraries and finding the necessary information was not easy. With the internet, students are able to tap into a virtually unlimited pool of resources. Students are therefore able to produce good research work as a result of the internet. The internet has enhanced the engagement in collaborative work by students and teachers. Without the internet, collaborative work was limited to being among or between parties who lived close to each other (Tsai 234). For people who lived significant distances from each other, collaboration could be a slow and tedious affair since post mail had to be used or one had to travel in order to meet with th eir collaborating partner. The internet has made it possible for collaboration to occur instantaneously regardless of distance. Students and teachers can therefore consult with their peers and engage in productive discussions. By exchanging ideas, innovation and school performance can be achieved. Another significant benefit of the internet is that is has made it possible for online learning to take place. Traditionally, the only way for students to acquire education was by physically going to the school facilities. Advertising Looking for research paper on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A lot of prospective students were locked out since they lacked the time to attend these institutes or they lived away from the education facilities (Tsai 233). The internet has made it possible for online-learning to take place and students can now engage in education at their convenience and from different geographical locations using virtual classrooms. This has not only benefited students but also educational institutes which can now serve more students since they are no longer restricted by a lack of physical resources to cater for the students. The internet has therefore made education available to more people and therefore helped the society move closer to its goal of providing educational opportunities to all. Negative Impacts of the Internet One of the major demerits that the internet has caused is that it has led to an increase in the rate of academic dishonesty. The major academic dishonesty that has increased due to the internet is the prevalence of plagiarism instances. Most students assume that information that is available online is free for use and therefore submit it as their own in research papers. Other students find copies of work in the internet submitted by other students and attempt to pass it off as their own. While it is true that the high availability of digital media h as increased the temptation of students to cheat, there are ways in which this can be mitigated. Park notes that digital detection of plagiarism has led to a decrease in the plagiarism instances since students are unlikely to engage in plagiarism if the likelihood of being caught is high (481). The internet has made online learning possible and incidents of cheating in this setting are high. Grijlava and Joe reveal that cheating is more abundant in web-based classes than in the traditional classroom setting (2). This is because in web-based settings, there is no physical supervision by the tutor and the temptation to cheat is therefore very high. Students therefore end up attaining grades that they do not deserve as a result of the internet and this damages the credibility of the education system. However, Grijlava and Joe contend that most of the instances of academic dishonesty that occur through the internet are due to the ignorance on the part of the students. The assumption th at all information available is free and can be used in any manner leads many students to unwittingly engage in dishonest behavior.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Internet Positive and Negative Impacts on Education specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Conclusion This paper has argued that the internet has enhanced education by providing significant advantages to the various parties engaged in the educational sector. The internet presents a number of impressive ways for enhancing the educational experience of the students. The paper has highlighted how the internet has increased the research ability of students, enhanced collaboration and made online learning possible. Even so, the paper has noted that the internet has some negative impacts on education, mostly because it makes cheating easy. However, measures can be undertaken to deal with this issue. Considering the positive impact of the internet on educat ion, its use should be encouraged so that the education sector can benefit even more from this invention. Grijlava, Therese and Joe Kerkvliet. â€Å"Academic honesty and online courses†. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 47.2 (2003): 1-16. Park, Chris. â€Å"In Other (People’s) Words: plagiarism by university students- literature and lessons†. Assessment Evaluation in Higher Education, 28.5 (2003): 471-488. Tsai, Chin. â€Å"Self-efficacy in Internet-based Learning Environments: A Literature Review†. Educational Technology Society, 14.4 (2011): 222–240.

Overview of Viking Trading and Exchange Networks

Overview of Viking Trading and Exchange Networks The Viking trade network included trading relationships into Europe, Charlemagnes Holy Roman Empire, into Asia, and the Islamic Abbasid empire. This is evidenced by the identification of items such as coins from North Africa recovered from a site in central Sweden and Scandinavian brooches from sites east of the Ural Mountains. Trade was a vital feature of the Norse Atlantic communities throughout their history and a way for the colonies to support their use of landnam, a sometime unreliable farming technique for environments the Norse didnt quite understand. Documentary evidence indicates that there were several groups of specific people who traveled between the Viking trading centers and other centers throughout Europe, as envoys, merchants or missionaries. Some travelers, such as the Carolingian missionary bishop Anskar (801-865) left extensive reports of their travels, giving us great insight to traders and their clients. Viking Trade Commodities The Norse traded commodities included slaves, but also coins, ceramics, and materials from specialized crafts such as copper-alloy casting and glass-working (beads and vessels both). The access to some commodities could make or break a colony: Greenlands Norse relied on trade in walrus and narwhal ivory and polar bear skins to support their ultimately failing farming strategies. Metallurgical analysis at Hrisbru in Iceland indicates that the elite Norse traded in bronze objects and raw material from the tin-rich regions in Britain. Significant trade in dried fish emerged near the end of the 10th century AD in Norway. There, cod played a significant role in Viking trade, when commercial fishing and sophisticated drying techniques allowed them to expand the market throughout Europe. Trade Centers In the Viking homeland, major trading centers included Ribe, Kaupang, Birka, Ahus, Truso, Grop Stromkendorf, and Hedeby. Goods were brought to these centers and then dispersed into the Viking society. Many of these site assemblages include an abundance of a soft yellow earthenware called Badorf-ware, produced in the Rhineland; Sindbà ¦k has argued that these items, rarely found on non-trading communities, were used as containers to bring goods to places, rather than as trade items. In 2013, Grupe et al. conducted stable isotope analysis of skeletal material at the Viking trade center of Haithabu (later Schleswig) in Denmark. They found that the diet of the individuals expressed in the human bones reflected the relative significance of trade over time. Members of the earlier community showed a predominance of freshwater fish (cod imported from the North Atlantic) in their diet, while later residents shifted to a diet of terrestrial domestic animals (local farming). Norse-Inuit Trade Theres some evidence in the Viking Sagas that trade played a role in the North American contact between the Norse and the Inuit occupants. Also, Norse symbolic and utilitarian objects are found at Inuit sites and similar Inuit objects in Norse sites. There are fewer Inuit objects in Norse sites, a fact which may be because the trade goods were organic, or that the Norse exported some Inuit prestige items into the wider European trade network. Evidence at the site of Sandhavn in Greenland seems to suggest that the quite rare co-existence of Inuit and Norse there was a result of the opportunity to trade with one another. Ancient DNA evidence from the Farm Beneath the Sand (GUS) site, also in Greenland, however, finds no support for the trade of bison robes, posited earlier from morphological examination. Viking and Islamic Trade Connections In a 1989 study of formal weights discovered at the Viking site of Paviken in Gotland near Vastergarn, Sweden, Erik Sperber reported three main types of trading weights in use: Ball-shaped weights of ironclad with a layer of bronze or solid bronze; these vary between 4 and 200 gmCubo-octaedric weights of lead bronze, tin bronze or brass; up to 4.2 gramsLeaden weights of different shapes and sizes Sperber believes at least some of these weights conform to the Islamic system of the Ummayyad dynasty leader Abd al Malik. The system, established in 696/697, is based on the dirhem of 2.83 grams and the mitqa of 2.245 grams. Given the breadth of Viking trade, it is likely that the Vikings and their partners may have utilized several trade systems. Sources: This glossary entry is a part of the About.com Guide to the Viking Age and part of the Dictionary of Archaeology.Barrett J, Johnstone C, Harland J, Van Neer W, Ervynck A, Makowiecki D, Heinrich D, Hufthammer AK, Bà ¸dker Enghoff I, Amundsen C et al. 2008. Detecting the medieval cod trade: a new method and first results. Journal of Archaeological Science 35(4):850-861.Dugmore AJ, McGovern TH, Và ©steinsson O, Arneborg J, Streeter R, and Keller C. 2012. Cultural adaptation, compounding vulnerabilities and conjunctures in Norse Greenland. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 109(10):3658-3663Golding KA, Simpson IA, Schofield JE, and Edwards KJ. 2011. Norse-Inuit interaction and landscape change in southern Greenland? A geochronological, Pedological, and Palynological investigation. Geoarchaeology 26(3):315-345.Grupe G, von Carnap-Bornheim C, and Becker C. 2013. Rise and Fall of a Medieval Trade Centre: Economic Change from Viking Haithabu to Medieval Schleswig Revealed by S table Isotope Analysis. European Journal of Archaeology 16(1):137-166. Sindbà ¦k SM. 2007. Networks and nodal points: the emergence of towns in early Viking Age Scandinavia. Antiquity 81:119-132.Sindbà ¦k SM. 2007. The Small World of the Vikings: Networks in Early Medieval Communication and Exchange. Norwegian Archaeological Review 40(1):59-74.Sinding M-HS, Arneborg J, Nyegaard G, and Gilbert MTP. 2015. Ancient DNA unravels the truth behind the controversial GUS Greenlandic Norse fur samples: the bison was a horse, and the muskox and bears were goats. Journal of Archaeological Science 53:297-303.Sperber E. 1989. The weights found at the Viking Age site of Paviken, a metrological study. Fornvannem 84:129-134.Wrmlnder SKTS, Zori D, Byock J, and Scott DA. 2010. Metallurgical findings from a Viking Age chieftain’s farm in Iceland. Journal of Archaeological Science 37(9):2284-2290.

Nurses and groups Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Nurses and groups - Essay Example No doubt, group therapy is capable of yielding â€Å"empowering experiences† to the patients and the group members can both â€Å"serve as change agents and facilitators† (Norcross & Goldfried, 2005, p. 366). Group therapies, in general, aim at promoting the self-esteem and emotional well-being of the participants and person centered group therapies rely on the potential of the clients to find solutions for their own problems. The therapist remains as a catalyst agent who initiates change among the group members through congruence, unconditional positive regard and empathy (Rogers, 1989). Studies have shown that person centered group therapies are highly beneficial to such groups of people who suffer from depression and substance abuse (Corey 2011). Similarly, people with depression are more likely to suffer from feelings of alienation, loneliness, and isolation and group therapies are capable of offering solace to them (Anxiety & Panic Disorders Health Center, 2012). T his paper seeks to design a six weeks person centered group therapy session for people with depression and in doing so the paper deals with the target population, outlines the purpose and objectives of the therapy sessions, explains the various theoretical aspects of the person centered therapy approach, analyses the role of the therapist as well as the group members during the therapy sessions, and finally evaluates the effectiveness of the group therapy on the people with depression. Methodology and target group for the therapy The target population for the person centered therapy consists of 30 people with depression who will randomly be selected. These target population can comprise of those who already undergo treatment for depression or those who are identified as depressed people. Six sessions of person centered group therapy will be administered on the target population. The goals and objectives of each therapeutic session will be determined beforehand. An evaluation regardi ng the accomplishment of these objectives will be done at the end of each session. At the end of all the therapy sessions an overall evaluation of the effectiveness of the person centered therapy on the participants will also be undertaken comparing and contrasting the physical and mental well being of each participants before and after the therapy sessions. The purpose and objectives of the therapy sessions The group therapy aims at the overall physical and mental well-being of all the participants. The ultimate aim of the therapy is to see the participants come out of their depressed state. For this, it is essential that the therapist creates an open and accepting climate within the group so as to promote positive self-concept, self-direction, self-acceptance, of self-respect and personal worth, and self-actualization among the participants. Similarly, following the key principles of person centered approach the therapist needs to maintain sense congruence, unconditional positive regard, and empathy towards the participants all throughout the therapeutic alliance. The objectives of each of the therapy sessions are briefly mentioned below: Session one: The first session of the therapy aims at building rapport and trust between the therapist and the participants.

Ariel Sharon- Crimes against Humanity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ariel Sharon- Crimes against Humanity - Essay Example The peacemaker image of Ariel Sharon is just one side of the story. Actually speaking, there is much about Ariel Sharon that makes him a controversial figure. Most of the world does know only the good things about Ariel Sharon. Yet, it is a fact that Ariel Sharon was involved in multiple crimes against humanity. Ariel Sharon was involved in many acts of gross human rights violations which lead to the killing of a number of innocent Palestinian civilians. Hence, it is a historical fact that Ariel Sharon happened to be an Israeli leader that committed multiple crimes against humanity and was directly responsible for the death of a number of Palestinian civilians. Everybody knows that in the 1948 war, Israel won almost seventy-eight percent of the territory that happened to be the home to thousands of Palestinians. Even after conquering these large tracts of the Palestinian territory, there was a section of the Israeli army that was not satisfied with this victory. There were many officers in the army of the newly found state of Israel who believed that Palestinians needed to be repressed and scared with the use of force. The purpose was to keep the Palestinians so scared that they do not dare to raise a voice against the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories. The other objective of the Israeli army was to take over such Palestinian territories that were yet not under their control, like Gaza, and the West Bank. Thereby the army of Israel planned an aggressive military strategy against the Palestinians that involved large-scale attacks and massacre of the innocent Palestinians.  

Examples of Administrative Behavior that Raise Questions about Assignment

Examples of Administrative Behavior that Raise Questions about Organizational Ethics - Assignment Example ‘A story on the outside business,’ is a video demonstrating how some employees use government time and property to pursue their own businesses. This is not allowed by the law, and it is also ethically wrong. There are two things in this issue. Going against the law and going against the code of ethics. Going against the law is wrong, and it is also not morally correct to use government property and time to pursue personal businesses. The woman in the video is shown using government phone, computer, and time to make calls to an outside individual about a property that was on sale. She expects to get a commission from the business deal. There are ethical codes that guide public service behavior. Such areas provided by specific organizations in which an employee works, the government, and the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA). In this case, reference will be made to guidance as provided by ASPA and the government. ASPA indicates that it has the responsibility to develop a responsible professionalism spirit among public service workers and sectors. It also affirms that it has the responsibility to increase awareness and commitment to ethical standards and principles among public service workers. The society, therefore, provides codes of ethics to guide behavior in the public service. ASPA code of ethics number 1 requires advancement of public interest. An employee is expected to put public service above service to oneself. This code was violated by the employee who took her office time to make outside deals (ASPA, 2013). Â  Other codes that were violated by the employee according to ASPA are; ethical code number 6 which requires demonstration of personal integrity, and code number 8 which requires promotion of professional excellence. According to number six, the employee is expected to adhere to certain standards of conduct that will inspire public trust and confidence in the organization. Sh e did not do that. Number eight required her to act ethically and competently; she also failed to do that (ASPA, 2013).

Should Parents Censor Textbooks for Children in Schools Research Paper

Should Parents Censor Textbooks for Children in Schools - Research Paper Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the American Library Association provides information about the first amendment along with comments and opinions. The site first gives the specific text of the first amendment which is as follows – â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances†. The above statement indicates a level of relative freedom for the citizens of the country with importance given to freedom of expression which can include literature and textbooks intended for schoolchildren. The above article further highlights the observation of the 1791 ruling of the Supreme Court which states that censorship of a society is a sign of weakness and can be seen as autocratic or authoritarian. What is to be mentioned here about the site i s that it does not provide any clarifications or any other opinions about these observations and statutes. But it does provide links to other sites like the Cornell Law University and other government sites that could provide further light on the topic. So, it can be seen as an introduction to the First Amendment with good links to other literature on the topic. These issues and opinions will now be reviewed with other available literature. The problem or the confusion with regard to freedom of expression and censorship is that the law does not specifically state or define the limits of these two topics. Hence the concept of censorship has to be viewed from other angles including philosophical and social views and individual court decisions.

The value and meaning of the arts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The value and meaning of the arts - Essay Example Modern artists reflect upon different incidents, political incidents, and other happenings. For example, in the 1980s, neo expressionism was created by German Expressionist artists like Emil Nolde, Max Beckmann, George Grosz, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, etc. In this style, recognizable objects were painted or sculpted in an abstract manner. Bold colors and depictions of violence were also common. These artists reflected the turmoil of that period. The government needs to support art and culture in order to help it move on to the next step of advancement. If the government had not backed up artists of the neo expressionism era, it would not have been accepted into the world of art. For example, After World War II, Nolde was honored and received the German Order of Merit, West Germany's highest civilian decoration. Emil Nolde, The Prophet, woodcut, 1912 Art has always evolved with time and different variations and new styles have come up. The works of iconic artists of the different periods have always been affected by the happenings, social and economic situations of the respective times. Presently, the most popular style of art is post modernism. Post-modernism is a general sense of the state of the western society, culture and modern art. In the special sense it is a political-scientific-artistic direction that is opposed to the institutions, methods, concepts and basic assumptions of modernity and aims to resolve and overcome it. Post modernism has social consequences. In the modern age, the Meta narratives or social institutions that legitimize political practices, ethics and ways of thinking, are lost in the postmodern era. This consensus dissolves into a multitude of mutually incompatible truth and justice concepts. At the same time takes a tolerant awareness of differences, diversity and plurality, and thus, has the ability to endure the inconsistency of language games. Marcel Duchamp, Fountain, 1917. Photograph by Alfred Steiglitz Not only artists but there a re many non-profit organizations like orchestras, museums, dance troupes, theaters, opera companies who are badly need for money. Huge amount of money needed for each and every dance troupe or opera company to promote their talent. Non-profit organizations are mainly dependent on the money they receive from public and government. They provide the services that we need in order to live nicely in our lives. People cannot live only with their jobs and their busy daily work schedule. They need some recreational activities to some extent for entertainment and these non-profit organizations help us to entertain but they do not get the amount of money they deserve. There are many cases where people do not need to pay a single penny to enjoy an opera show or to enter a museum. Most of the museums across UK or any other country are free for public but they spend a huge cost to maintain the buildings and the things kept inside the museum. There are many examples of shut down of museums as a r esult of insufficient funds. So, federal government should try to arrange some kinds of grant money for these non-profit organizations. One thing government must keep in mind that an individual is an important part of society because a number of individual make a society and the

A Healthy Community Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

A Healthy Community - Essay Example In addition, a healthy community provides the members with a healthy environment. For example, healthy communities have clean water, clean air, and accessible medical services. To avert any unhealthy situations, the community invests heavily in health and prevention measures. Moreover, people are protected from health hazards caused by the lifestyles of others such as smoking. The community also invests in measures aimed at rehabilitating unhealthy lifestyles. Healthy communities believe that health is not only defined as the absence of illness, but also as a clean environment that gives people the opportunity to live a full life. Thus, healthy communities have low levels of illnesses, clean environment, clean air and water, and effective drainage systems. If I cared for the community whose definition of a healthy community is different from mine, I would use health education to put the various issues into perspective. I would involve the community in finding the rationale for their definition of health and also provide my rationale. In this way, a consensus on the definition of a healthy community can be reached, thereby enabling me to provide effective  care.

Teaching Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Teaching Practice - Essay Example Unraveling the idea about teacher efficacy however helps a lot in the process of developing a fine and efficient way of teaching students especially that of the second language education. (Milson, 2001, 32) Certainly, teacher efficacy in this sense is assessed as something that is most applicable in every sense of teaching even among age-diversified students. IT could be observed that there are indeed different factors needed to be given constant attention in considering cases of teaching students belonging to different age-bracket. Every factor though leads to the assessment of the efficiency of teachers to handle the situation in a much effective way that would be most beneficial to all the students that he or she handles in class. Education has and will always be an important aspect in the society. This idea is mainly true because of the fact that it ensures an individual sense of responsibility and it promotes independence by equipping individuals in the society valuable knowledge and skills for them to survive and become existent to their purpose. In general perspective, education significantly promotes the development and further advancement of the society as a whole by enabling the young people to become knowledgeable individuals capable of enhancing the current lifestyle and culture of the society (Campbell, 1996, 117). Thus, in like manner, the act and concept of teaching is indeed significant since it is one and the major link between education and the society. Teaching in either private or public educational institutions is always perceived to be a great and respectable profession however; challenges and problems also exist in this field (Colbert, 2006, 216). The recognition of the importance of the concept of teaching to the society is very important because of its significant benefits it offers for the individuals seeking knowledge and education. Secular teaching in the established educational institutions is generally considered by this author as a profession that is well honored and valued by the people. However, many problems and issues are still needed to be address and developed to fully recognize the significance of this concept for the society. Society has always been increasing and the population and likewise its number of students because of which, facilities in the educational institutions must also be expanded to accommodate the said increase. (Ross, 2006, 179) This author believes that every student has their own right to claim and have access to education thus they must be given a way for them to do so. Aside from the classroom, outside facilities must also be given to the student population such as laboratories, athletic fields and others. These facilities will greatly promote the enthusiasm and the educational pursuit of the students and also aid in their complete personal development in different humanistic aspect. DISCUSSIONS AND FURTHER IMPLICATIONS The Idealisms of Teacher Efficacy Teaching, generally also involves the professional and interaction between the students and the teacher wherein it is culturally perceived that the teacher has the authority over the situation (Guskey, 1993, 6). However, this

A Healthy Community Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

A Healthy Community - Essay Example In addition, a healthy community provides the members with a healthy environment. For example, healthy communities have clean water, clean air, and accessible medical services. To avert any unhealthy situations, the community invests heavily in health and prevention measures. Moreover, people are protected from health hazards caused by the lifestyles of others such as smoking. The community also invests in measures aimed at rehabilitating unhealthy lifestyles. Healthy communities believe that health is not only defined as the absence of illness, but also as a clean environment that gives people the opportunity to live a full life. Thus, healthy communities have low levels of illnesses, clean environment, clean air and water, and effective drainage systems. If I cared for the community whose definition of a healthy community is different from mine, I would use health education to put the various issues into perspective. I would involve the community in finding the rationale for their definition of health and also provide my rationale. In this way, a consensus on the definition of a healthy community can be reached, thereby enabling me to provide effective  care.

Pros and cons of working at home Essay Example for Free

Pros and cons of working at home Essay Many people work at home using modern technology today. Some people think only the worker benefit from this, not the employers. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Essay: Technology is rapidly changing everything in the world, including the way people work. Working at home, as a new mode of work enabled by internet and multimedia technologies, is getting increasingly popular in some industries, especially the burgeoning IT sector. However, people have differing views on this new work mode. For example, it is believed that it only benefits employees, rather than the employers. I tend to agree with this view to large degree.Among all the differing views people have on this new work mode, I’m very inclined to the view that it only benefits employees, rather than employers. Apparently, by no means can the benefits of working at home for employees cannot be denied. To start with, nothing can be more comfortable and relaxing than working in their one’s own homes which are the most familiar environment to them. They He even can even settle back in their his soft sofa in his living halls, and drink have their his favouritefavorite drinks, or even enjoy an exciting action movie while working on their laptops. In addition, they an employee also havecould have much time to spend with their his family if theyhe could do his work at home. This new mode of work might be the most effective remedy for many family problems that are caused by the lack of time to be with family.They even can have meals with spouse and kids or see them anytime they like. Furthermore, an employ working at home could be saved working at home can save employees much expense and time that would spent on their way to and from work every day. However, what is unfair to employers is that they can hardly benefit from this new work mode, except that some overhead, like office rent and water/electricity bills, can be saved. The most unfavourable worrying problem of this new mode has to do with team building. A lack of face-to-face communication between team members employees that work at their own homesdue to their different locations, can could essentially undermine the team spirit and also is also likely to cause problemscreate barriers for in collaboration and cooperation between them team members. Similarly, it also could set intangible obstacle hurdles to team managers in their day-to-day team management, for it. It will bewould be rather difficult for mangers to supervise employees and monitor their performance. In  conclusion, although technology makes working at home mode possible, the only one beneficiary of this advancement is the employees. What employers and manager can get from it is will be nothing but troubles in the end.

Influence of Magazines on Beauty | Cross-Cultural Analysis

Influence of Magazines on Beauty | Cross-Cultural Analysis INTRODUCTION Beauty is not concrete and may vary from culture to culture changing over time and shifting according to location. Beauty is an image which has been created by society to which woman and men have had to subject themselves to be real. The ideology of beauty or what is accepted as being the right appearance has been created by society and largely propagated by media. For United States of the 1950s Marilyn Monroe was the pinnacle of beauty which soon changed to Twiggy in the 1960s. While porcelain skin is valued in China, scarification of the skin and decorating it with tattoos is considered as a status symbol in Africa. Thus the physical attributes and ideas attached to beauty vary across cultures. Womens magazine industry is understood as a monolithic meaning producer, circulating magazines that contain messages and signs about the nature of femininity that serve to promote and legitimate dominant interests. (Anna Gough- Yates). A majority of feminist critics argue that media is responsible for establishing and promoting gender differences and inequalities in society. In respect media persons are considered responsible for reinforcing capitalism and patriarchy; manipulating society to attain increased circulation figures. Magazines are a great source, to study the society. Recording changes, from the purely fashion magazine couture age of 1920s, to lifestyle and home of the 1940s when domestic help was rare and woman to a personal interest in their homes. To New woman of the 1980s when woman began to work alongside men in almost every field to do it yourself of the 20th century with soaring costs and economic downturn. Magazines reflect revolutions in society and influenced the opinion of women across nations. Given the increase in trade to Asia and the spread of the beauty industry across nations, there is limited study available on how people are depicted internationally in the fashion magazines. Previous research has established that womans magazines can act as agents of publicizing gender stereotypes and beauty ideals like size zero and institutionalizing conventions like photographic poses. (Rudman and Verdi, 1993; Griffin, Viswanath, Schwartz, 1994). Yet little research has been done on the differences in representation of women internationally and locally. POWER OF IMAGES One must establish what people are looking at before one can hope to understand why under the conditions peculiar to them, they see what they see Rudolf Arnhein (Arnhein 1977:4) An image is that stimulus or representation that compels us to cognition, interpretation and personal preference. If we understand that the market is image based than we also begin to understand the importance of vision in understanding management in the information society. Images are where visual communication starts. Jonathan E. Schroeder confirms in his study of media that visual consumption is critically important for understanding contemporary consumers. Today marketing professionals are sensitive towards global customers and realise that they are enthusiastic consumers of images. Brand image, corporate image and self image are significant economic and consumer values and that global market culture is largely the construction of symbolic environments. (S. E. Jonathan, 2002) This is of great importance especially in the 21st century as the importance of marketing management and consumer research in this century may shift from problem solving to problem recognition from productio n of goods to the production of images (S. E. Jonathan, 2002) Through time marketers have learnt that markets are global which should translate into local approach. But when companies globalise they become more production driven wanting to sell more thus having common promotional strategies across cultures, sticking to one single image, hardly realising that there may be global products, but there are no global people. There may be global brands but there are no common global motivators to buy those brands. (M. De Mooij, 2009). Many brands have with the help of technology and communication tried to globalise nations. But technology has not brought a global village in which consumers all behave the same. GLOBAL MEDIA Globalisation is best defined as the crystallization of the entire world as a single place (Robertson, Ronald. 1990. Mapping the Global Condition: Globalization as the Central Concept. Theory, Culture and Society 7) Due to the success of global brands writers have predicted an unavoidable colonization of world culture by internationalised brands that would most definitely lead to demise of local cultures. However there is also evidence that suggests social relationships and values in local culture are resistant to the negative effects of globalization. On one hand globalisation is expected to destroy local cultures and bring about homogeneity while on the other hand it is also the reason for the revival of local cultural identities from various parts of the world. Today the expansion of western cultures values and ideas has reached the far corners of the world, right to Asian countries like India and China which have been dominant till the 21st century. Now that these countries have become important players in the world market, counter expansion of values and culture can also be seen. Over the past few decades there has been a rapid expansion of global brands in the media sector more than ever in the area of womans fashion magazines. Local editions of Elle, Harpers Baazar and Vogue are now being published in Asia. The internationalization of a magazine is not a new phenomenon although until quite recently the most popular womans magazines have been published locally. Harpers Bazaar, a U.S magazine launched itself in U.K. in 1929 (Anna Gough-Yates, 1993), Elle a European magazine began publishing its first edition in Japan in 1960s while Vogue a U.S magazine entered the Indian market in the 21st century. However the establishment of an integrated global media market only began in earnest in the late 1980s and did not reach its full potential until the 1990s. (Herman and Mc Chesney ,1997, p10) The latest NRS (National Readership Survey) figures suggest that the total readership market in U.K. for the months of July and December 2008 has risen by 10% since last year, while the total market for womens lifestyle and fashion magazines has grown by 7 %. (IPC Advertising) A similar trend was observed in USA where magazine subscription reached a ten year high in 2008 and with the total number of magazines published reaching 20,590 the total percentage of subscriptions also increased by 1.4% (MPA Magazine Publishers of America, ABC) Comparatively in Asia according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers the Asia/Pacific magazine market excluding Japan is projected to grow by 7.2% annually, reaching $20.7 billion by 2010, Advertising is also expected to rise by 5% annually to $8.1 billion in 2010. This means theres plenty of potential for countries in South Asia, where advertising spending is just about 0.34% of GDP. Until now foreign brands were allowed only 26% ownership when venturing into Asian countries. But in 2005 most of the Asian countries levelled the field for non news publications allowing 100% foreign direct investment. (D. Ruth, 2007, Forbes) In an age looking towards the internet for all information and goods there is a risk that print media and magazine subscriptions may fall contrary to predictions. A recent research conducted by PPA marketing suggests that the internet does not have any harmful effect on peoples desire to read offline, in fact in some cases reading websites encourages them to read magazines. Out of 1500 adults between the age of 18- 34 surveyed online revealed that peoples expectations and goals from each medium depends on the subject matter and for the subject of beauty and fashion print magazines are an obvious choice. Also the idea of owning a piece of fashion history through the beautifully photographed and styled images in fashion magazines makes print media a lucrative choice. With fashion going cross cultures, print media being the apparent choice of the masses to keep them in trend and the governments giving publication houses the clear there is nothing stopping international fashion magazines going local. Like all the other global media, magazines use many different strategies to cross the borders. The main reasons for crossing borders are saturation of home markets and to generate revenue by providing international consumer brands with advertising vehicles that reach into the expanding foreign markets'(Dr. Katherine Frith, 2006,pg4-5). For example Condà © Nast which has a portfolio of 127 magazines in 23 countries had to close down Mademoiselle in November 2001 due to competition, flagging sales and saturation of magazine houses. Markets with rising economic rates like Asia and Middle East, as a result have become a target for westerns producers of beauty and fashion magazines. FASHION MAGAZINES AND THEIR IMPACT Many women across cultures are influenced by general trends in fashion and follow although at a distance the fashion industry. The relationship between consumers and trends is complex but it is mediated by fashion magazines. The difference between international fashion magazines and their local versions is that the international issues tend to carry a predominance of images for multinational products. (Shaw, 1999). Such magazines are growing in popularity in Asia and this popularity has bought about a change in perspective regarding the depiction of woman and products in local magazines. Griffin, Viswanath, and Schwartz(1994) found in a study comparing images in weekly U.S. news magazines (Time and Life) to weekly Indian magazines (India Today and Illustrated weekly of India), that many of the western advertising principles and poses for women were being conveyed across nations. They confirmed that female models in India were taking on poses that related closely to gender portrayals of the advanced western nations. A recent analysis of magazines international and local in China by Frith, Cheng and Shaw (2004) suggests that Caucasian models are more frequently shown in seductive dresses than Asian models. Feminist critiques like Kates, Shaw and Garlock (1999) would argue that western magazines are cultural institutions that represent women in a problematic and often unacceptable way although attractive female bodies and sexual content have for long been used in the west to draw consumers to a product and generate interest. Comparing this to the representation of woman across cultures with reference to the few studies conducted on the topic; Griffin, Viswanath and Schwartz (1994) concluded that the use of Sexual pursuit as a theme was used three times more often in American magazines than magazines in India. In conservative Asian countries like Malaysia and Indonesia only Caucasian women were used in Lingerie advertisements (Frith and Mueller, 2003). Any magazine wanting to be resonant with its target audience needs to represent the social norms and cultural values of the given society. International magazines like Vogue and Elle although have publishing houses in Asian countries most often train their employees in the west. The result being that the forms of representation and especially that of woman can take on a globalized look. As Kyung-Ja Lee,(2000, pg 86) has rightly said for thirty years, media have been taken to task for reproducing and reinforcing stereotyped images of woman. Yet unfair representation of woman in media still prevails worldwide. Sex stereotyping has been so deeply ingrained, even glorified, that the woman themselves have become desensitised to their own inferior portrayal. The prospects appear even gloomier as the globalisation of media progresses Previous researchers have noted that the images of models used in magazines have been extensively retouched to represent the ideal of beauty that is unattainable for all but a very few people.(Greer,1999). By showing models that are uniformly thin, flawless and perfectly proportioned the media may contribute towards low self esteem and unhappiness among woman and give rise to problems like eating disorders.( Gauntlett, 2002) Media is also considered a large contributor to the global increase in plastic surgery to change physical appearance among young girls (Lee, 2007). With most models used in international magazines being white the publications are rarefying the ethnic beauty ideals. In fact the obsession with whitening products may be a result of this overuse of White models in Asian publications. Finally as global media takes readers away from local publications and changing Asian beauty ideals it is important to study the impact of international beauty ideal on local consumers. The Asian society has predominantly been a conservative society yet with the onset of westernisation this society is changing and adapting itself. But as Marieke de Mooij states, product usage or acceptance does not change overnight, as peoples behaviour is stable . A new idea or concept is only accepted when it is consistent to a change in society and does not imply a fundamental change in culture. Essay 2: THE VOGUE IMPACT This essay will discuss Vogue magazines cover page and its relationship with its brand identity. Can the brand successfully globalised by altering its cover page image, based on cultural and social variants in each of its markets? Would standardisation of the brands cover page images and visual identity help to avoid criticism on its entry into a new market? VOGUE BEGINING Started in 1982 Vogue magazine is predominantly an American cultural phenomenon. It began as a social weekly periodical and nurtured into a professional and confident monthly publication under the leadership of Condà © Nast which took over vogue in 1909. Primarily as a lifestyle magazine catering to both men and woman Vogue has come a long way to be at the pinnacle as the fashion magazine for woman in vogue (David, A., 2006). In an age where French fashion was considered the ultimate Vogue managed to put American Couture on the map. Under the Condà © Nast umbrella the magazine not only managed to become a brand name in its own country but also exported fashion ideas to the world. Today Condà © Nast which has a portfolio of 127 magazines in 23 countries believes Vogue to be its cash cow. At present there are a million fashion and beauty magazines such as In Style, Elle and Cosmopolitan circulated around the globe, but in times of crises citizens all over turn to Vogue to confirm the latest fashion news. With readership and subscription levels of about 220,000 a month for the British Vogues, 133,000 a month for the French Vogue and American Vogue, at 1.2 million a month Vogue is the leading magazine in the business of fashion. (IPC Advertising reports) The once small publication eventually became an international phenomenon with issues being published in more than 12 countries. YEAR OF LAUNCH COUNTRY /EDITION 1916 British Vogue 1918 Spanish Vogue 1920 French Vogue 1924-1926 Argentinean Vogue 1928 German Vogue 1964 Italian Vogue 1975 Brazilian Vogue 1994 Singapore Vogue 1996 Korean Vogue 1996 Taiwanese Vogue 1999 Japanese Vogue 1999 Latin American Vogue 2000 Greek Vogue 2005 Chinese Vogue 2007 Indian Vogue Since its birth the magazine has strived to serve the society by portraying an example of proper etiquette, beauty, composure and fashion. The magazine not only plays a role in setting latest trends but also records the changes in cultural thinking, actions and clothing through its images. Looking at Vogue through the ages it can be clearly seen that it is also a documentation of the changing roles of woman, and the influences of cultural ideas and politics over time. The power the Vogue magazine has over generations of women has inspired many new magazines like Cosmopolitan and Glamour; all interested in its market share. In spite of this great quantity of magazines circulating around the globe, considering circulation figures and media impact no other publication has managed to accomplish the lasting power and success of Vogue. (David, R., 2007) VOGUE IMAGE Self definition has always been crucial to vogue. (David, A., 2006). Throughout its first 30 years vogue editors and illustrators made use of the French meaning of vogue, defined in the first dictionary of the Acadà ©mie Franà §aise (1694) as the impulsion or movement of a galley or other ship by the force of rowing. It was only in the 18th century that vogue and fashion were listed as synonyms (Fà ©raud 1787–8). Since its first issue Vogue magazine has been personified as a youthful young woman. The magazines first cover presented itself in the disguise of a debutante, a young socialite. When Condà © Nast bought the magazine in 1909 he brought it into line with other successful publishing ventures and in just over a decade, circulation went from 14,000 to 150,000 while advertising revenue soared from $76,111 to two million dollars (Robinson 1923: 170). He modernised the magazine not just the content but also the cover. He replaced the black and white drawings of the front cover with commissioned, lavish, stylised and signed illustrations. This change helped to attract attention to the magazine and increase circulations. As an advertising man, he understood the value of having a visual brand or logo and Nast revived the original Vogue trademark, a distinguished little sketch which immediately became known as the Vogue girl (David, A., 2006). This first Vogue girl was just an illustration cla d in a fancy dress with the than fashionable leg-o-mutton sleeves. Her unnatural ivory white skin, snow white wig, tiny waist and voluptuous bosom, was directed at the fantasies of the magazines readers (David, A., 2006).The Vogue girl represented the heritage of those Americans who wished to be different from the New World Americans and was constantly seen as wearing historical costumes and heirlooms. Than too the new world American woman aspired to look like her. All this changed in the 1920s when the Vogue girl was changed to an illustration by Georges Lepape. This new image was more streamlined and represented the woman at the heights of fashion in the 1920s. Vogue had gone from importing fashion to exporting it. As times changed so did the magazine cover from illustrations to photographs, making models like Cindy Crawford and celebrities like Madonna a household name. This change in its image was a response to the internationalisation of the magazine. Today the vogue cover girls are the most glamorous, exotic, unusual and popular persons of the moment. The trend being more towards actresses than models dressed in the heights of fashion, styled by the best stylist and clicked by A-list photographers they are every girls aspiration and every boys fantasy. Like its cover girls the magazines is considered to be glamorous, glossy and trendy. (Alexandra Shulman, Vogue U.K. editor). Despite of having these factors common among them, the vogue covers are dissimilar in many aspects depending upon its country of publication. CULTURE AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR Anglo –Saxon psychological research states that the concept of self and personality are the basis of Western consumer behaviour. The words identity or personality have no fixed meaning in the Asian culture. A global brand needs to consider the cultural differences to truly succeed in the world field. A number of research experts and cultural studies suggest that a brand should think global, act local. This is based upon the theory that the way people think and perceive any brand or image is guided by the framework of their own culture (Mooij, M, 2009). The observation of Japanese individuality as a sign of westernisation of the country is a misconception of many global brands. For more than a decade international magazines have been accused of standardising a beauty ideal across the globe with disregard to the individual cultural and beauty ideals of the host country. For a short duration the values and attributes of a foreign or global personality might have a strong attraction, but ultimately people return to their own local values and culture. For a Brazilian woman the emphasis is on her bottom, um corpo de violà £o which literally means a guitar shaped body is most desirable. No matter how many international magazines showcase buxom beauties, the Brazilian woman would ultimately want a bigger bottom as the point of attraction is the sweet swing of the hips. The illustration of a desirable Japanese woman in The memoirs of a Gesha suggest, that the Japanese appreciate soft delicate feminine features, small feet and long hair cut in layers. A slim slender graceful body is more desirable than a curvaceous one. In Islamic countries the body is considered a n obstacle in viewing ones true beauty. Any bodily decorations or changes are considered a veil over the inner beauty and the Hijab is another veil to conceal these changes so that the womans only public identity would be her inner self. For the Greek it has been symmetry in structure and features, based on Platos ideas that, beauty is that which irradiates symmetry rather than symmetry itself. The Nuba tribe in Sudan like dark skin and hairlessness. On studying traditional Indian paintings it can be concluded that the Indian ideals of beauty in a woman is voluptuousness, with the belly and hips being of prominence.( Ei, 2008) The image and identity associated with woman of different geographical locations are deep rooted in their respective cultures. The beauty ideals and a womans self image in any culture can be understood by studying its paintings, sculpture and artistic representations. Today the artistic or idealistic representations of women are magazine covers, images and pho to spreads. These covers are also considered a mode of advertisement for the magazine within that culture. As Steve Taylor has rightly put in his book 100 years of magazine covers it is hard to identify another cultural artefact which embodies an advertisement for itself in such a powerful way. Magazine covers can be breathtaking, beautiful, confrontational, resonant, heartbreaking, stimulating, irritating and uplifting. At their best they come together as a kind of spontaneous street level exhibition, publicly displaying the work of some of our best creative talent, featuring what is most admirable and dismissible about the modern world, communicating the people and events that shape our culture. Apart from a mode of advertisement of todays culture a magazine cover plays a dual function of advertising the magazine brand itself. An impressive cover encourages people to flip through the magazine and buy it. (Alexandra Shulman, British Vogue editor). Getting the magazine cover right is not only ethically important but also financially important to the magazine in order to develop brand loyalty and increased circulations. Thus making it important to study magazine covers as a mode of advertisement and part of the marketing mix, for a magazine publication. MAGAZINE COVERS AS BRAND VISUAL IDENTITY It is a common assumption that an advertisement would be effective if the viewer decodes the advertisement successfully, if there is a significant transfer of attributes. (Mooij, M., 2009). Thus while developing one idea for a global brand or one single motivator for different cultures, one should not assume that the responses would be alike too. An idea being interpreted accurately by the consumers would only happen if the senders and receivers share one culture. If they do not share the same cultural values it may result in misunderstandings and demeaning of brand value within that culture. For example consider the inaugural Vogue covers of India and China. The Indian Vogue cover was styled by the magazines British fashion director while the Chinese vogue was styled by French Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld (China economic net and Fashion week daily dispatch). The covers were not rightly decoded by the consumers and received much criticism. Whereas the covers for the preceding months styled by Anaita Shroff Adajania the fashion director for Vogue India was highly appreciated.(Fashion week daily dispatch) The essence of a brand is that it is a name in the memory of consumers. It is a perceptual map of positive and negative associations, a symbolic language, and a network of associations. (Mooij, M.,2009). Vogue with its launch in many Asian countries received much negative associations with its local issues. The local Asian issues of Vogue are considered small ripples in the big pond of Fashion magazines (Armstrong ,L, 2009) and they could never manage to create the impact that American vogue or Italian Vogue have managed to create world over. Vogue India or Vogue China might be sold worldwide but it is not necessary that consumers in all countries consider them global brands. One theory suggests that a global brand is a brand that is strongly associated with its country of origin (Mooij, M., 2009) and for Vogue its been America. This can be considered positive if the country of origin has a stable global identity. With American values becoming ambiguous and Vogue bifurcating into mul tiple countries over time its core identity may be threatened. The idea of incorporating local aesthetics with their global image might dilute the brands global image. STANDARDISATION A multinational companys personality and identity are the biggest factors influencing consumer (Eales, 1990 as cited in Melewar,T.C, Saunders, J., 1998). Unrestricted global trade, a competitive marketplace and the fast technological developments have created a situation where consumers dont just buy the product they also buy the company that produces it. The brands character, its identity, its image and the confidence it inspires in them help in making the choice between two almost similar product offerings in the market. At the centre of any business and its projected image is its corporate visual identity system. The elements of this system are: name, symbol, and/or logo, typography, colour and slogan (Dowling, 1994). These elements help to sell the company to consumers and its stakeholders. Corporate identity programs have risen due to globalisation (Ind, 1992). The changing business tactics, geographical locations, variations in cultures and changing markets have all encouraged companies to change their corporate identity. As companies begin to operate on an international basis, the image that they acquired as national producers often becomes inappropriate (Mills, 1988 as cited in Melewar,T.C, Saunders, J., 1998). Some international companies adopt a unified brand image in spite of government and consumer displeasure. The degree of de-standardisation of any company depends upon the strength of the host countries culture, government policies and target market. (Mooij, M., 2009). The decision to standardise a brand image also depends upon the competitive edge derived in either keeping activities central or decentralizing them. However a brand like Vogue that has a truly global orientation needs to express consistent brand values wherever it chooses to compete. Thus making its worldwide image more recognisable for its homogeneity than not. A major component of a corporate identity is the corporate structure. (Strong, 1987) According to Ind (1992) there exist two corporate identities, one that is the organisational structure and the other that is the visual structure. The Visual structure is concerned with the branding of the product, and how it appears to the consumers. (Gray Smeltzer, 1985 as cited in Melewar, T.C., Saunders, J., 1998). The basic concern with the visual structure is the degree of centralisation and decentralisation. Thus the basic problem faced by Vogue is whether to sell an identical product image to all its consumers or to make modifications as per the local differences. A global brand can be a mass brand satisfying a common product need in all the countries or it can be a brand catering to a common niche in all the countries. Vogue magazine has two options, being a global brand it could standardize the brand and the brand image across the globe so that the Indian woman reading the Indian Vogue would feel equal to the French or American woman reading their respective Vogues. The other option it has is to go local, differentiate between its offerings and treat each market as an individual and not a global product while standardising its visual image, giving the impression of a common brand. Researchers argue that standardisation of a brand helps the company to achieve a uniform image internationally which in turn increases sales.(Buzzell, 1968, Hovells Walters, 1972 as cited in Melewar, T.C., Saunders, J., 1998) . Others were of the opinion that standardisation makes consumers familiar with the product, its services, business diversities and competitive distinction thus helping to establish a uniform corporate image.(Peebles et al ,1977 as cited in Melewar, T.C., Saunders, J., 1998). Cosmopolitan for example is known around the globe to address personal and sex related issues as it does not change its editorials and articles depending on culture. The band logo/ font type, position or style does not differ according to geographical locations. The brand has achieved a sense of standardisation by not having a distinct country name printed on its cover unlike Vogue. The research on global corporate visual identity systems by T.C. Melewar and John Saunders (1998) proved that firms with highly standardised corporate visual identity systems (CVIS) saw themselves reaping more reward from their CVIS than did those with low CVIS standardisation. All custom

The Middle Passage :: essays research papers

Most history books has recorded that between the years 1701-1760, millions of Africans were literally stolen away from their native lands leaving behind their families, work, heritage, and everything that was familiar to them. Robbed of their independence and ‘humanness’; they were reduced to cargo. This was what ‘the Middle Passage’ also known, as the ‘Slave Triangle’ was all about; the trading of goods and commodities among continents including the trading of black men, women and children who were treated like property.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first leg of the journey was from Europe, mainly Portugal to Africa. Many of the goods produced in Europe were not available in Africa or America. The Europeans traded manufactured goods, including weapons, guns, beads, cowrie shells (used as money), cloth, horses, and rum to the African kings and merchants in return for gold, silver and slaves. Africans were seen as very hard workers who were skilled in the area of agriculture and cattle farming. They were also used to the extreme temperatures that people of lighter complexions could not bear. There had always been slavery in Africa amongst her own people, where men from different tribes/villages would raid other villages to kidnap the women for their pleasures, and the men to use as slaves. To learn that they could actually profit from this activity made the job of getting slaves very easy for the Europeans. Slaves acquired through raids, were transported to the seaports were they were help prisoner in forts until traded. Once the goods were off loaded in Africa and the slaves loaded, the second leg of the journey carried slaves across the Atlantic Ocean to the North Americas (the new world).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is prudent to speak here to the inhumane way in which the slaves were transported during this first leg of the journey. The trading of slaves was very lucrative for the Europeans. As it goes in business, the higher the demand, the larger the quantities supplied. All the slaves were branded to show to whom they belonged, and the male slaves were shackled together and packed in the hole like sardines, while the women and children were sometimes allowed to stay on deck.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Any acts of aggression by the men or women resulted in severe beatings to discourage the behavior. Imagine being beaten and shackled with a rival tribe man or not being able to communicate with the person beside you because you both spoke different languages!

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World Essay -- Film Review, Boy meets Girl

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World tells the classic story of boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl but first must overcome problems which the girl brings from her past that interferes with their relationship. Initially defeated, sad boy realizes that this girl is â€Å"the one† and so goes into battle for her once more, and this time he is victorious. Where Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is fresh and unique is in the combination of styles and influences from comic books (Scott Pilgrim originally being a comic before being made as a film) and video games, particularly styles of video games popular during the early era of home video consoles in the 1980s and 1990s for which the intended audience of the movie, whose childhoods largely occurred in that period, would feel a deep nostalgia. Costume design, props, and the stylized gestures and vocal delivery of the actors (pp. 125-130, 139-146) all contribute to creating a feel reminiscent of said â€Å"old-school† video games. D irector Edgar Wright structured the editing of the film so as to create the feel of a continuous stream of action, as though the romance is seen as a never-ending, fast-paced conflict. Sound (pp. 279-280) and visuals (p. 118) are also used in such a way as to create the sense of a universe which is deliberately unrealistic and as direct as possible a translation of the original comic book into film format. Although the film uses a restricted narration (p. 93), with the audience only seeing events as far as Scott can see them, the extensive use of visual and sound cues, as well as the deliberately formulaic plot structure and references to many old video games and classic â€Å"boy-meets-girl† stories, the general structure and plot (pp. 80-82) of which the audience is assumed to b... ... and substitutes the common traits by the use of unique and innovative elements from a different medium. The style and the pop culture references (especially to video games) which the film is full of helps connect with the target audience, and also show the significant of how fantasy, video games and comic, can stylistically distribute a classical convention to the distinct overall formal system (pp. 56-58, 60-61). In other words, this film that incorporates stylistic elements of comic books and video games to tell a story which is already familiar fodder for movie audiences also makes it especially relevant to an audience demographic raised with video games and manga. Perhaps such prophetic in the integration of stylistic elements from different forms of popular entertainment media into film, can be something which audiences in the future may well come to expect.

Auguste Rodin’s Burghers of Calais and Modernism

The French sculptor Auguste Rodin created the masterpiece, Burghers of Calais was first displayed in eighteen eighty-nine. It took him five years to complete the bronze statue of the six men who save the city of Calais by offering their lives during the Hundred Year War. Even though the subject of the Burghers of Calais is Medieval in its subject, it is an example of Modernism.Since a sculpture is three dimensional it is definitely different than other art works yet the elements of Modernism can still be employed. Modernism is an artistic movement where artists deliberately left behind the forms used by artist in the past.With Burghers of Calais, Rodin expressed the realistic elements of the human body rather than the idealistic ones of the past. Instead of adhering to the ornate items that could distract the viewer form the intended subject, he portrayed the simple, rustic garments warn by the men of that time. He also diverted from the past masters by concentrating on the raw emoti on in the expressions of the subjects as they knew they were facing execution. Despair, fear, sadness, and anger are realistic on the faces and in the eyes of the subjects. Displaying the emotions was a departure from the heroic light that subjects had been shown in the past.Another enormous element of Modernism is that the viewer be allowed to take an active part in the analysis of the art. Rodin did this with Burghers of Calais by having the pedestal removed from the base of the statue. This allowed the viewer to see eye to eye with the subjects. He/she could better feel the emotion that is displayed by each of the men. The viewer could become one with the subject an allow the raw feelings to pervade their beings References Delahunt, M. (1996-2008). Artlex. Retrieved April 9, 2008 from http://www. artlex. com Rodin, A. (1889). Burghers of Calais.

Italian Migrants to Australia

History Assignment- Extended Response Describe the experiences of the Italian migrants from their arrival after WW2, through to the multicultural period in the 1970s The experiences of the Italian Migrants have changed from the time of their arrival after WW2 to the present day. The Italian migrants were forced to leave Italy after the war due to the fact that many of them were displaced as a result of sheer destruction that some areas had undergone. What was once a home, was now no more than a pile of rubbish.Also, with many loved ones dead, leaving and making a new start was very tempting. When they first arrived in Australia, the Italians experienced considerable cultural shock. They found that Australia was insensitive to their culture and traditions and therefore expected them to change. The Italians were mainly like the â€Å"black sheep† of the population. The feud between the Italian migrants and the Australians got to a point were the Italians had to go out in groups in fear for their own safety. It also appeared that the Australian government was not well prepared to accept them.However, after their work on the Snowy Mountains Scheme and other enterprises, life changed for the better. The Italians overcame the resentment and social isolation to achieve a better future for themselves and their children. Australia was a country for white people. The migrants had to be white and from the British Isles of English speaking parts of the empire. However, after the bombing attack, Australia realised that their population was not big enough to defend itself and therefore, they must â€Å"Populate or perish†. Immigration was the only answer.On the border of Australia, the Italians had to pass a medical examination and if they passed they were allowed to live in Australia. If not, they were sent back. However, by this time Australia was 99%(most of the population being british) white, and the Australian public wanted to keep it that way. The Austra lian population reacted badly to the Italians and the minister was attacked by vicious criticism. When the Italians arrived in Australia, they were confronted with new and unfamiliar things, and were expected to change to match the â€Å"Australian way†.This was known as the policy of assimilation; think white act white. The Italians were allowed to migrate to Australia only if they left all their customs and traditions behind and lived the Australian way. Shortly after this was replaced by the policy of Integration. This policy allowed the Italians to practice their traditions and culture in the privacy of their own home, but still had to act Australian in public. Culturally based organisations were formed to help provide welfare and support for migrants.When the Italian migrants began to look for work, they had to travel to find jobs. The Italian Prisoners of War were barely seen as a danger and often worked on farms without guards. Most of the early Italian migrants were u nskilled and came from the poorer parts of Italy. Even those who did have skills, their qualifications were not recognised in Australia. As a result the Italians were forced to do tough, labouring work. One of the huge employment schemes such as the ‘Snowy Mountain Scheme’ contributed greatly to the multiculturalism of Australia.The work was hard and the conditions were tough however the Italians were attracted by the relatively high wages. Due to ninety-eight percent of the project being underground, there was a lot of tunneling, often through solid granite rock. Work conditions in the tunnels were dirty, wet, noisy, smelly and sometimes dangerous. More than 120 workers died in the projects twenty-five year period. Even though work was difficult and sometimes dangerous, it developed, on its workers, a sense of community and companionship. The ‘Snowy Mountains Scheme’ was the first real experience of multiculturalism in Australia.It gave the chance for peop le from many countries around the world to communicate, accept and understand the culture and background of others without judging. It also encouraged all these people to work together as a team and put aside all their differences as there was no room for racial prejudice. Multiculturalism accepts the notion that Australia is a nation of many different cultures but that, as Australians, we all live together as one people. The policy of multiculturalism was introduced by the 21st Prime Minister of Australia, Gough Whitlam.The Whitlam government keenly supported multiculturalism. Grants were made to ethnic organisations to promote their culture. Legislation was introduced to end discrimination and it was now illegal to discriminate people on the basis of their racial background. Some Australians did not want to see the British culture be diluted by other cultures. They had a fear of ‘invasion’ and that the Italians would take jobs from existing Australians. However, a maj ority of Australians were open minded to the new policy and began to look at the Italians form another perspective.Overall the experiences of the Italian migrants when they first arrived in Australia were difficult. They felt very much out of place and little was done to help them. They were not part of the Australian community. However their involvement in areas like the Snowy Mountains Scheme played an important part in helping the Italians because it gave them a decent wage, and also because it allowed them to work and bond alongside people of other races which made them work as a community and helped racism to greatly minimise. Italians nowadays have had a great impact on Australia.Italian migrants have made an enormous contribution to cultural and economical life. They introduced new foods and ingredients and their restaurants continue to be very popular. Their music is continued to be enjoyed by many Australians. Their contribution to building and construction is crucial. The italian migrants have made an economical effect on Australia by creating employment be opening large and small businesses. Also, they have had a large contribution in incorporating Italian teachings into the school curriculum.

Refusal for a Future Life-Sustaining Treatment Essay

Refusal for a Future Life-Sustaining Treatment - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that HD is hereditary and incurable. Affected patients experience irreversible dementia leading to fatality. The only thing that they can do for now is to avail for genetic counseling to ease their level of discomfort and anxiety. John is a lawyer in his 30’s. Several months ago, he noticed rapid movements twitching in his face. John then went to two neurologists and found out that he has Huntington’s disease. John’s mother died from that disease. He knows that he has ten years or so to live. The issue in John’s case is whether or not it is ethical, upon paralysis, to refuse future life-sustaining treatment. Whether or not John is in his right mind is also an issue here. Huntington’s disease affects the patient’s cognitive abilities. Despite the symptoms he unbearably experienced, John remains to be a productive lawyer. His productive work only shows that he is in his right mind. Moreover, John wrote a note before ingesting all his antidepressant medicine. Writing a note that states a clear message implies that the writer knows what he is doing. John, to my mind, is unquestionably competent in deciding what is good for him. His concept of good lies not in his biological good but rather in his perception of good. To die without life-sustaining treatment is what constitute good for John. This paper declares that John’s psychiatrist refused to help him commit suicide. Well, that’s what psychiatrist is paid for: to help their patients live a normal life. At this point, one might challenge the credibility of John’s right mind. I would still say that John was in his right mind when he spoke those words. The fact that John reassured his psychiatrist that he do not have plans to commit suicide â€Å"any time soon† implies that he consciously knows what he is saying. John’s case is comparable to cases concerning physician-assisted suicide or PAS. First, John has an incurable disease. Second, he expressed his refusal for a potential life-sustaining treatment.