Cancer Essays (787 words) - Drug Policy Of The United States

Cancer My friend, John, has an uncle who had cancer eight years ago. For five months, he had to get shots of chemotherapy every week. To him, the cancer wasn't the enemy but the cure was. He knew that chemotherapy had killed his healthy cells along with his mutated ones. His bones were weak, his hairs were coming off, and his spirit was fading. One day, John sneaked into the hospital with an ounce of marijuana. His uncle was hesitant at first but the torturous power of the chemotherapy was too strong. Within a week, this pale and bald man transformed into this pale and bald man with spirit. For the next two months, he had to worry about being caught with something that made his life worth living. From that moment, I knew that marijuana was not the devil that the government projected it to be. Our country's war on drugs places great emphasis on arresting people for smoking marijuana. During President Clinton's administration, approximately 2.8 million Americans have been arrested for marijuana offenses. In 1997 alone, state and local law enforcement arrested 695,200 people for marijuana violations. The 1997, yearly arrest total for marijuana violations is the highest ever recorded by the FBI. These figures show the conception that the government wants marijuana to have. The laws for marijuana vary from state to state. In Hawaii, Cultivation, delivery, or sales of marijuana from 2.2 lbs. to 1000 lbs. could get you 10-99 years in prison and a fine of $25,000. There is a mandatory sentence of 3 to 15 years. When caught with over 1000 lbs. of marijuana, there is a mandatory sentence of life without parole. Selling to minors could get you 2 to 20 years with a fine of $10,000. Involving in a drug trafficking enterprise could get you 25 years to life for the first offence with a fine of $50,000 to $1,000,000. The second offence has a mandatory sentence of life without parole. My past experiences with marijuana have shown that it is not an addictive drug. My friends have always said that marijuana is safe. They have been using it for a couple of years. I have known a lot of people to quit marijuana "cold turkey." They usually get bored of the drug or, in more cases, they don't have the money to continue. I have no known anyone to rob a bank for an ounce of marijuana. Legalization is an option that hasn't gotten a chance but should be given one. People feel that legalizing marijuana would increase the amount used, but marijuana should be legalized because it will reduce the great amounts of money spent on enforcement and it will increase our country's revenue. There will also be many benefits that can be uncovered to help people if legalization of marijuana is given a chance. The notion of legalization is not a new idea. Groups such as the Physician's Association for AIDS Care, Norml, and the National Lymphoma Foundation argue that marijuana should be legalized in order to treat terminally ill patients. Among them are AIDS victims who find that marijuana stimulates their appetites so they can fight off dangerous emaciation. Glaucoma sufferers who have used marijuana said it has prevented them from going blind. A cancer patient could be using marijuana for alleviating unbearable pains from chemotherapy. Legalization of marijuana would benefit the federal budget in two ways. First, the federal revenues would increase because marijuana cigarettes would be taxed at the point of sale, and also the companies that make the cigarettes would also pay income taxes. Second, there would be a reduction on the amount spent on law enforcement efforts to apprehend and prosecute users and sellers of marijuana. The drug enforcement authorities might reduce their budget requests, but more likely focus more intensely on hard drugs and violent crimes. The courts would be relieved of hearing some drug cases, as well. There would probably be arrangements that would be made to license the production of marijuana into cigarettes. If the government can sell cheap and pure marijuana, then thousands of drug dealers would be put out of business. Then a secret part of the economy would finally come into the light. If marijuana is legalized, doctors could get on with investigating marijuana's medical uses without fears of controversy. After legalization, it might become possible for the users to discuss their problems of marijuana use without getting caught up in a legal situation. An age restriction of twenty-one and a zero tolerance behind the wheel will

Importance of Civic Engagement

Importance of Civic Engagement Civic engagement is whereby people work to make a difference in the local life of their communities and society, and developing combination of skills, knowledge, motivation and values in order to make that difference. Civic engagement can also mean â€Å"promoting the life value of the people in a community through both nonpolitical and political processes.†[1] There are different forms of engagement. First is political engagement. Here, the community is engaged in political activities, like voting, which involves partisan advocacy. The second form is civic engagement. This is whereby the community takes place in organizing and development activities which involves social justice. The community also engages in civic reflection that is, they are able to get into debates and discussion in the public sphere. In this case, it involves journalism and environmentalism. The third form is religious engagement. Religious engagement is faith-based, where initiatives are acted upon based on faith and religion of the community or society. In this case, there’s involvement of inter-faith dialogues and action.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Importance of Civic Engagement specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Factors Influencing Civic Engagement There are several factors that affect and / or influence civic engagement within the communities in the United States of America. These may influence civic engagement positively or negatively. First are strong traditions and beliefs, attaching them with philanthropy or humanity towards the community or â€Å"individuals (public and private).†[2] Second, strong and robust civil society organizations and nonprofit organizations in the country influence civic engagement. Third, different viewpoints of communities in the public sphere may influence civil engagement. Consecutively, government also influences civic engagement by having its policies and support of service. For instance, there are Peace Corps and AmeriCorps in America. Lastly, there exists many pressing social concerns and needs in the society which influence civil engagement in America. History of Civic Engagement Civic engagement originated between 1880 and 1900. This was due to the emergence of social work in response to the needs of immigrants in urban centers, in America. Civic engagement was also developed in civic engagement centers in university campuses due to settlement house movement. Jane Addams was the first woman in history to receive a Nobel Peace Prize in the year 1931, after coming up with the Jane Addams Hull House foundation, which seeks to improve communities’ social conditions in Chicago and Illinois area. The Civil Rights Movement (CRM) was between 1950s and 1960s whereby there was the Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus boycott. Martin Luther King Jr. said, â€Å"Everybody can be distinguished†¦ because anybody can serve, one d oes not need a college degree to serve. [3] American Democratic Protest (ADP) was introduced for civic engagement of the public. Most people may think that the American Democratic Protests only works with democratic causes, like voter registration. ADP promotes voter registration also encourages other activities. The ADP’s goals were aimed at getting students in campuses involved in advocacy activities like protests and community meetings, with the hopes of causing positive change in the social environment. The ADP also created opportunities, for example, Fishing Has No Boundaries, whereby students run the group which allows disabled people to have fun relaxing. This has facilitated students to volunteer their time on such activities.Advertising Looking for research paper on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Effects of Civic Engagement Civic engagement earns the community social capital: this is the cover title of all positive effects of interactions in the community. The benefits that come with social capital are education for the community dwellers, increased safety in the community, decreased crime, illiteracy, and health and socioeconomic disparity. Depending on engagement in civic activities, social capital can either be gained or lost according to the behavior. Civic engagement service as a strategy aimed to meet the challenges in the community and the nation at large, for instance, strengthening the schools in the community and addressing the dropout crises in the community. This improves the education in the community and the country in extension. Civic engagement also helps in improving energy efficiency also safeguarding available energy in the community. This facilitates safeguarding the environment and its resources. This in turn also helps in improving health care; it also expands the economic opportunities in communities which have low income. Civic engage ment helps in preparing for and responding to disasters and emergencies in the community and the country. All these contemporary examples of civic engagement practice and policies came into shape after the recent passing of the Edward M. Kennedy: Serve America Act. The supporters of direct democracy, since the Progressive Era, claim that the use of a ballot initiative results in strengthening democracy in the country by encouraging a more active and engaged citizenry. Advocates argued that the ballot initiative process would help in the reformation of voters by encouraging them in participative public policy making. Allowing citizens to act as lawmakers increases their interest in politics. Currently, civil engagement is an overriding theme in civil dialogues as social commentators and policy-makers search for more democratic and collective ways to send messages to the government. While the Progressive reformers in the 20th century aimed in the creation of bureaucratic, hierarchical , rule-based organizations in the administrative state to prevent corruption in politics, the current reformers, support less hierarchical governmental organizations in order to increase civil participation in enhancing government responsiveness to citizen demands and policy making.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Importance of Civic Engagement specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This model of participation suggests that there’s improved and strengthened relation between policy-makers and citizens that will improve policy-making. This is a core element of moral governance. Digital democracy, e-government, deliberative democracy and strong democracy are participatory mechanisms, which are designed in expanding the circle of people involved in policy-making, thus allowing civic officials to get new sources of information and ideas when making decisions. Proponents of these mechanisms of civic engagement a lso suggest that they will help in building public trust in the country’s government, also strengthen civic capacity of the community. As per Progressive reformers and contemporary normative theorists, in order to make the government to function well, one needs to foster collective and individual participation in decision-making processes. While civic engagement is public-based, with the public deciding on public issues by a direct vote, political scientists have begun to explore empirically whether giving the public a direct voice in the legislature procedure, in fact, improves the public’s participation and interest in politics. Recent studies conclude that civic engagement or direct democracy have a positive effect on voter turnout. The state-level data was the basis of this conclusion. The ballot data from 1972 to 1996 indicates that, the presence of outstanding initiatives and popular referenda increases the turnout in interim elections by around 3% above the stat es without civic engagement, but not present in the presidential election years. It is evident that the states with more public initiatives on the ballot have higher voter turnout in both presidential election and interim elections, around 4% and around 8% respectively, than states without ballot initiative. These studies suggest that there is more pronounced turnout in interim elections, which have low information, low turnout affairs and fewer mobilization sources, because of the initiative. In such elections, the marginal voters may be sensitive to the mobilization sources that exist, such as ballot propositions. Ballot initiatives may generate interest and bring information in an election, which may further lead to higher voter turnout. On the other hand, presidential elections have high information, high motivation, which may weaken the mobilization influence on ballot measures.Advertising Looking for research paper on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Using more recent data and sophisticated methods for research challenge previous studies that did not find a positive impact of ballot measures on voter turnout. There is lower turnout in the American electorate compared to other western countries, especially among the less affluent, younger, non-white, and less partisan citizens. If citizen political participation is preferred in a country and ballot measures increases voter turnout, then the initiatives are a reasonable thing despite their content, policy or outcome. Scholars of electoral studies should be interested in the impacts of initiatives on voter turnout, as there are more initiatives on local and state ballots presently more than ever before. Another civic engagement or political participation, in addition to voting, is the contribution of money to political causes. The exposure to initiative campaigns enables citizens to donate money to political parties, candidates, and interest groups. The enhanced image and visibilit y of worth that groups receive from this activity may stimulate more individuals to make donations. Such process would be necessary for implications for democratic theory. Pluralist scholars have been arguing that wide civic engagement ensures that the diverse interests will add into the political process. Recent research suggest that the states with civic engagement have more diverse, and larger interest group systems compared to states without civic engagement. Other scholars suggest that citizen groups are the main beneficiaries in direct democracy elections, rather than economic groups. A mechanism through which the initiative process may increase the diversity and size of interest group representation is through citizen contributions to them. It has been proven that citizens living in states with civic engagement are more likely to give money to interest groups, than those living in states which do not have this institutional mechanism. Civic engagement or direct legislation wo uld make the voter recognize that he/she is independent, since decision making on ballot actions bring voters into a nearer touch with vast affairs, and allows voters to start taking shape and becoming a sovereign in both fact and fancy. If ballot initiatives help in producing a more engaged and politically self-confident electorate, they also create a more informed electorate. The exposure effects on civic engagement at political knowledge may be similar to the effect of media exposure. Watching the news on TV has been positively associated with knowledge on politics. While an extensive prose, documents how citizens can make voting decisions on the initiative with clear directives from the elected officials, media, interest groups and political party endorsements, scholars have not systematically explored how civic engagement campaigns may advance political knowledge among citizens. Scholars have found, from pioneers of political surveys and contemporary researchers, that Americans have little interest in political knowledge. However, it is evident that political learning is profoundly influenced by the political environment. Sophistication politically is endogenous to three broad factors: the ability to organize and assimilate political information; the desire or motive to follow political affairs; and exposure to information on politics. Exposure to information on politics may be a function of the quantity of times with which such information is availed, media use, and communications technology. Civic engagement campaigns may create marginal opportunities for political learning, thus increasing political sophistication and political knowledge. In relation to civic engagement, there are nonprofit organizations, which are involved in civic engagement campaigns and initiatives. â€Å"Citizen Schools† is a nationally recognized organization that is dedicated to educating using service learning outside of the classroom. They provide programs for middle-sc hool-aged youths, connecting them with businesses, adult volunteers and nonprofit organizations, in order for them to learn about their roles as citizens and learn more about their communities. â€Å"Do something† is an initiative aimed at making the service more appealing to the youth. The program includes ideas floated monthly to â€Å"challenge the youth to engage in the community and presents awards to service role-models.†[4] They have come up with a magazine titled BUILD. â€Å"Hands on a Network† is an organization that seeks to solve the hardships in a society through service. This network realizes the dimensionality of civic engagement and service by emphasizing the work done by volunteers and the meaning of experience to them. â€Å"Sustainable Seattle† is an organization which utilizes the social capital building and civic engagement in its economic, ecological and community sustainability programs. This organization is an example of a metropol itan level model of civic engagement, focusing on education, local business and neighborhood development. There are also websites that are related to civic engagement. â€Å"American Psychological Association’s Civic Engagement and Service-Learning† is a site which emphasizes on the psychological connection between service-learning and civic engagement. â€Å"Journal of Civic Commitment† is an online academic journal that provides research and ideas on how to slot in commitment to the community with learning. â€Å"Community College National Center for Community Engagement†, is a site that provides information on current and past issues. â€Å"Learn and Serve America† is part of Corporation for National Community Service, which includes Senior Corps and AmeriCorps. â€Å"Social Capital Gateway†[5] is a domain of sites, events, and research that are related to social capital and its relationship to other phenomenon. In conclusion, civic eng agement is normally influenced by several factors, including traditions and beliefs, civil society organizations and nonprofit organizations different perspectives of communities, the government and pressing social concerns. Civic engagement earns the community social capital. The benefits that come with social capital are education for the community dwellers, increased safety in the community, decreased crime, illiteracy, and health and socioeconomic disparity. Civic engagement service as a strategy meets the challenges in the community and the nation at large, for instance, strengthening the schools in the community. This improves the education in the community and the country in extension. Civic engagement also helps in improving energy efficiency also safeguarding available energy in the community. Civic engagement or direct legislation would make the voter recognize that he/she is independent, since decision making on ballot actions bring voters into a nearer touch with vast af fairs, and allows voters to start taking shape and becoming a sovereign in both fact and interpretation. Bibliography Brehm, John. Individual Level Evidence for the Causes and Consequences of Social Capital. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997 Jarvik, Erik. Inequality, Trust, and Civic Engagement. Boston: Academic Press, 1980. Robbins, Sarah and Mimi Dyer. Writing America. New York: Teachers College Press, 2005. Sen, Vicheth. Higher Education and Civic Engagement in Cambodia A Case Study at the Royal University of Phnom Penh. München: GRIN Verlag GmbH, 2010. Yang, Kaifeng and Erik Bergrud. Civic Engagement in a Network Society. Greenwich: Information Age Publishing, 2008. Footnotes Vicheth Sen, Higher Education and Civic Engagement in Cambodia : A Case Study at the Royal University of Phnom Penh (München: GRIN Verlag GmbH, 2010), 19 Kaifeng Yang and Bergrud Erik, Civic Engagement in a Network Society (Greenwich: Information Age Publishing, 2008), 108 Sarah Robbins and D yer Mimi, Writing America (New York: Teachers College Press, 2005), 68 Erik Jarvik, Inequality, Trust, and Civic Engagement (Boston: Academic Press, 1980), 234-238 John, Brehm, Individual Level Evidence for the Causes and Consequences of Social Capital(New York: Oxford University Press, 1997), 92

Elon Musk Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Elon Musk - Essay Example Musk sold his Paypal shares for 165 million US dollars in 2002 and founded Space Exploration Technologies or SpaceX, which manufactures and develops space launch vehicles with the aim of advancing rocket technology. The company has a string of astounding successes including winning a 1.6 billion US dollars NASA contract. Musk views space exploration as part of the expansion of human life Tesla Motors on the other hand manufacture electronic cars and electric power train systems. His efforts to produce electric cars have seen him compared with Henry Ford. He is also associated with SolarCity the largest solar power systems manufacturer in the United States. Both Tesla and SolarCity aim to reduce global warming. His philanthropic nature goes further. His Musk Foundation focuses on clean energy. With this string of enviable achievements, there are many things we can learn from Musk including lessons in leadership. Musk says leaders must lead by example, and no task is too menial for a leader. He believes in working like hell and is known for a tenacious work ethic. His second lesson is that leaders should have a purpose. He believes leaders must develop a vision and work towards achieving it. His vision is to go to Mars. Next he believes in creativity and says without creativity innovation and progress are impossible. Collaboration and teamwork are important too, and leadership is about doing rather than telling. Musk encourages innovation and urges employees to come up with new ideas. He is a modern example of young and extremely successful innovators and entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg. He believes in being decisive as a leader and says this promotes efficiency. Strategy and action lead to results. He also advocates for adaptability and belief in change. Change will always present challenges and leaders need to be able to adapt. Musk believes in using scientific methods to assess the right people during

Module 3 and Journal Article Review 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Module 3 and Journal Article Review 3 - Essay Example The aging population of Germany, Romania and Sweden causes economic and social stir while each country has their own face of the problem and significant ways on solving it. Germany, Romania and Sweden share a common problem: a rapidly increasing aging population and its implications on the economic and social sector of their respective communities. However, they differ from the kind of effect this problem has done and the approach to meet the rising demand of the elderly care. Germany, as the most populous country in the European Union ironically faces a problem of birth rate decline and higher life expectancies (Weaver, n.d.a). In response, the country strengthened the rules on elderly care with the aim of providing the elderly a high quality of life. The extensive German healthcare systems provide a successful implementation of the German health care for the elderly laws. In fact, the German welfare system is one of Europe’s most comprehensive (Weaver, n.d.a). The countryâ⠂¬â„¢s increasing aging population is projected to have an effect on the country’s economy with a direct impact on the supply of human resource. Germany’s rules are comparable to that of the Sweden. ... nt concerns the disproportionate ratio between the pensioners and the total working force; the pensioners are 6 million while there are only â€Å"4.5 million who are actively employed. This is not just a major economic burden but also has subsequent social impact. If this trend would continue for several years more, the working population would be burdened with taxes. Consequently, the effect is a possible discrimination against the elderly as impotent and costly sector of the community. While Germany and Sweden aim for a high quality of life for its elders, Romania is on a struggle of compensating the needs of their aging population. The two countries mentioned may be fortunate than Romania but their effects would not be least destructing as it would still affect the future workforce. The most probable solution is the import of human resource from less developed countries. Journal Review 3 Germany: Family diversity with low actual and desired fertility--analysis An alarmingly low fertility rate is a demographic holocaust suffered by most developing countries nowadays. In the European nations, Germany is one of the countries to experience this kind of demographic problem and has anticipated adverse effects on the economy despite of its economic achievements. Two contrasting events suffer the demographic situation of modern Germany: first, is the baby boom in the 1960’s and the decline of birth rates in the succeeding decades. Germany is currently facing a challenge on the increasing ageing population with direct effects â€Å"giving rise to a threat to the social security systems† (Dorbritz, 2008). In the article by Jurgen Dorbitz, the writer explores on the core cause of Germany’s ageing population, its reasons and effects on the future of German Economy. Summary

Developing a Programme to Prevent Smoking among Teenagers in High Essay

Developing a Programme to Prevent Smoking among Teenagers in High School in Saudi Arabia - Essay Example shing short-term demands of the smokers and offering opportunities for extensively executing smoking eradication related programs and policies (Raingruber, 2012). Finally, partnership working facilitates in preventing smoking amid the individuals in the form of conducting and researching numerous epidemiologic studies regarding the identification of contributory factors of smoking that often lead towards preventable premature death of the individuals (ASH Scotland, 2012; Brownson & et al., 1999). Apart from these, various intervention programmes were formulated and practiced for the prevention of smoking amid this particular group, i.e. teenagers in high schools in Saudi Arabia. These programmes can be apparently observed in the form of Tobacco Control Programme and Smoking Cessation Programme among others (Subramanian, 1999). Specially mentioning, forming and developing effective educational programmes accentuating the negative effects of smoking can be duly regarded as one of the vital and indispensable approaches towards preventing as well as eradicating smoking when targeting teenagers (Canadian Pharmacists Association, 2001; Gupta & et al., 1992). With this concern, the essay intends to develop an effective programme for preventing teens in high school in Saudi Arabia from smoking, based on evidences regarding the same. Various aspects, such as the socio, cultural, economic along with environmental factors persisting within Saudi Arabia, size of the issue, SWOT analysis, policy drivers and potential stakeholders would be accordingly discussed in the essay. In this modern day context, excessive consumption of tobacco in the form of smoking is one of the prevalent health issues observed amid teenagers. It has been apparently observed that this particular health issue broadly exists amid the people in several industrialised nations. Being one of the foremost industrialised nations, Saudi Arabia is also witnesses rising concern for teenage smoking in its

Counselling and psychotherapy

Counselling and psychotherapy The objective of the final assessment was to video a short counselling session, and then to write a reflective essay critiquing the session in light of the particular counselling method selected. The logistics of the interview were made difficult by a recent move to a country area, where I did not have access to recording equipment, a DVD burner, or classmates willing to volunteer to act as the client. After a few technical difficulties, I was able to record a session using a webcam. It was then that I found that I was unable to burn the file to a disc, and after looking through the entire town for a business that would burn it to disc, finally transferred the file to a memory stick to be posted. Approach The chosen approach was person-centred counselling, where the client is at the centre of the method, unlike some other forms of counselling where technique is more pronounced. The approach, founded by Carl Rogers in the 1940s, has also been called non-directive which also emphasises that the counsellor is not giving advice and directions, but rather a format where the client can look at and consider their own feelings and options. Rogers also focused on the present rather than the past, as opposed to the Freudian approach, as well as a closer focus on feelings. In addition, Rogers used the term client rather that patient, to highlight the fact that the person being treated was taking responsibility for their own selves, rather than being reliant on the counsellor. In the person-centred approach, it is the client who ultimately makes all decisions, looks at alternatives, and takes responsibility and ownership of their own lives and choices. Dryden Mytton (1999) identify three important areas in person-centred counselling. The first is creating an environment in which the client can freely express their emotions. Approval and understanding from the counsellor towards the client is stressed. The outlook of the counsellor is also important, and the counsellor must trust the client to be able to cope with their problems, and undertake change and development. The counsellor is there to provide support and empathy, and unconditional positive regard. The counsellors own feelings and world-view must also be taken into account there must be congruence between the counsellor and client there need to be a genuineness of emotion, with the counsellor being really there in the moment of the session. The theory behind the person-centred approach puts forward that as long as there is unconditional positive regard, empathic understanding and congruence, all the core conditions for theraputic improvement or problem solving are met, and positive change will occur. As I counsellor using a person-centred approach, I would be trying to establish the core conditions, and be non-directive. Using this approach I do not try to cause anything to happen, or prevent any thing from happening, it is the client who does the real work. One of the better analogies Ive heard to describe this approach is it is the counsellors job to hold up a mirror for the client we need to comb our hair, and can do an okay job without the mirror, but unusually there are spots we cannot see without the assistance of the mirror, and maybe can do a better job if we can view our hair from a different angle. It may take some extra time, and we may have to hold the mirror just so to catch that awkward angle, but we can see so much more, hopefully in a more sympathetic and kinder light. Evaluation Trini agreed to not only record the session on her webcam, but to be the client as well. This was appreciated, especially as the only from of counselling that Trini is familiar with is either around the kitchen table with family, or with an ordained minister. When asked as to what subject she would like to discuss, that would not to substantial or in-depth, Trini requested that we discuss baby names, as it is only a few weeks until the birth of her next child, and a decision was still to be made about names. The setting was chosen to more due to the location of the webcam, as much as for privacy and fewer distractions from noise outside or children. There was not much choice in seating, but it was comfortable for Trini, who has reached quite an uncomfortable stage in her pregnancy is not able to sit for too long in any one position. In addition to the physical environment, I tried noticeably tune in to improve communication as described by Egan (2007; 71). The acronym SOLER is used by Egan to sum up these key skills: I tried to establish and keep eye contact as much as possible, although I found this harder when taking notes of names for Trini. I think I will need a bit of practice to get to the point where taking notes is not a distraction for both myself and the client. Throughout the session I tried to always facing Trini, maintain eye contact as much as possible, stay calm and relaxed, lean forwards without being too overt; more of an incline of the head rather than the entire body. Throughout the session I tried to encourage Trini to do most of the talking, ask as many open questions as possible, and pay attention to what the client way saying and how it was said, and listen without expressing criticism or judgment. The session was also very brief, partly due to it being an assessment rather than a normal session of fifty to ninety minutes, besides Trini being unable to sit comfortable for any length of time. After becoming used to longer practice sessions in class, if felt very strange to take such a short time. Because of time constraints, information about privacy and confidentiality was provided prior to the session. No sensitive matters were discussed, but it was still important for Trini to know how the recorded information would be treated and stored. I started the session with thanks and what would you like to talk about, which I prefer due to its simplicity and directness. Improvement for future The physical location of the session could definitely been improved, but there was little that could be changed due to technical restraints. Counsellor Challenges The line between talking too much and talking too little. Fight the need to jump in, to talk, to fill in the gaps sometimes silence is just fine. Burnout trying to do much, insufficient supervision and support Taking breaks, and not doing too much. Personal and professional development. Develop more effective techniques learn more about different problems. Learn more about specific problems effecting people living in remote or rural communities. In such a small community, being extremely vigilant concerning privacy and confidentiality, offering alternatives where needed. Personal and professional implications I have to have sufficient and specific training to address different kinds of issues that present in rural communities I dont want to try to treat problems outside my range of experience. I need to be able to listen to the client, and hear the changes that they want to make and their goals for therapy it is not about me. I need to be able to clearly communicate how I can help the client solve for themselves whatever problem or concern they have. I cannot make any promises or guarantees, but I can walk with the client as they go through the problem solving or decision making process. I need to continue to be non-judgmental of any clients life choices, behaviour, or the problems that they face. I need to be able to keep up-to-date with any changes in legislation and policy to be able to provide accurate information about client rights, confidentiality and informed consent, and appropriate duty of care towards my clients. I need to find a balance in my own work life, incorporating adequate supervision and continued education. If I am not able to deal with my own emotional issues, feelings and what is happening in my life, I will not be able to efficiently help others to cope with their own problems and emotional issues. References Bolton, R. (1986) People Skills: How to Assert Yourself, Listen to Others and Resolve Conflict. New York: Prentice-Hall. Brammer, L.M. and MacDonald, G. (1996) The Helping Relationship, Process and Skills 6th ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Burnard, P. (1999) Counselling Skills for Health Professionals 3rd ed. Cheltenham: Stanley Thorne. Dryden, W. and Mytton, J. (1999) Four Approaches to Counselling and Psychotherapy. London: Routledge. Egan, E. (2007) The Skilled Helper: A Problem Management and Opportunity Development Approach to Helping 8th ed. Pacific Grove: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company. Heaton, J.A. (1988) Building Basic Therapeutic Skills. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Does your environment shape you? Essay

Does your environment shape your personality and the way you act? I completely agree with the fact that, one’s environment is the main factor of shaping one’s personality. I find that many teenagers including myself are very easily influenced by what they see and hear. For example, some teenagers are different and are more interested in the material they read on the Internet and the newspaper. Television adds for make up or clothes can easily attract our attention. Although many of us teenagers live up to a standard so they can fit into a crowd at school. The newspaper articles and stories we read and hear about can grab our attention very easily. Big titles on articles catch our attention. We don’t try to look at them we just see them. An interesting title for an interesting article about your favorite music group or an even that you attended steals your attention and just be reading the first few lines makes you want to keep on reading and reading. When I flip open the newspaper section, I immediately turn to the entertainment section knowing that there must be an article of amusement that will give me something to think and talk about. Same with the stories that we hear from friends. Gossip. You hear a bit of a story being told to another and you immediately jump in asking the questions â€Å"who? What?† These types of things get our attention and just the way we hear about it changes our thoughts and feelings. What good is a section of a story when you must know the whole thing to spread on the story? Hearing two different stories makes you change your mind back and forth until you are too confused to care or another hot new story arrives to the ears of a fellow friend who will pass it down to you. Even the television affects they way we think about events in life. I know that for a fact because I remember when I had never even heard of the small city of Walkerton, Ontario until the story came on the news. I never really gave a damn about Walkerton before, why should I now? Just because it’s a story to talk about! The interviews they broadcast on television and the facts given to you keep on getting you more and more interested until it becomes a common subject to talk about. T.V. adds are the exact same. The colors and the music provided in the background attract our attention very easily. We’re interested to see what’s hot and what’s not. Since everything  in the media involves sex to attract our attention, a lot of us are very easily. I remember watching my favorite show (The Simpsons) when the commercial came on. A gorgeous young lady planting seeds that tears off the lab coat revealing her bikini suit. Next thing I see, a built, muscular man grows from the ground from the seeds planted. And in the end, what was the commercial trying to sell you? A pair of jeans. Just a fashion statement. The commercials make you want to have that exact same product.

Green Tea Essay

Green tea is an essential part of people’s everyday life around the world; it is tasty and healthy but is that all there is to it? Most people in Europe and Asia prefer green tea over other beverages as it is light and energizing. China, where tea came from, is the center of green culture; Chinese people have much higher life expectancy due to living healthy and drinking green tea. As many people know â€Å"the history of green tea began in China† (Learn all about the History of Green Tea). Some sources claim that there are references to green tea as far as 5000 year ago. It can be true because many ancient Chinese artists portrayed wealthy people drinking tea (Painting). Also tea in ancient China was a treat for the wealthy so it could’ve taken some time to develop. There are two legends about where tea came from circulating the world. First one says â€Å"an old man accidently stepped on a fallen tea leaf and tasted its juices, he thought it tasted great and had some special properties† (Learn all about the History of Green Tea). Second one tells that an â€Å"Emperor Shen Nung discovered tea when a blossom fell in his cup† (Learn all about the History of Green Tea). With time tea became more than just a drink but a part of the Chinese culture. Drinking tea wasn’t just about the tea, a whole new â€Å"tea art† was developed. â€Å"Tea and tea wares should match surrounding elements such as breeze, pines, bamboo, plums and snow. All there show harmony of human and nature† (Tea Culture). It is easy to understand why tea is so important once you come across a tea ceremony or read one if the many books about it. In the painting you can see that wealthy people were drinking tea and the peasants were making it. The reason why only people of high class could afford tea is because the ceremony was a very complex practice which required pricy equipment and skilled laborers. A proper tea ceremony requires extensive training and spiritual discipline. Over time many people realized that pure green tea is a great far oxidizer, even too great, drinking pure green tea dangerously burned fat away, Chinese had to find a solution. â€Å"They switched to oolong tea which contained less fat oxidizing agents† (Learn all about the History of Green Tea). Oolong tea was the reasonable solution and now it is the most popular tea in China. All around the world tea is tea but that same tea carries different meaning in each part of the world. For example â€Å"in Japan, the rigorous tea ceremony reflects the nation’s character; in the West tea is made with milk and sugar to create romantic atmosphere and in every different part of China different people all have appeal to their own kind of tea which makes them unique† (Tea Culture). Now we can rule out that people love tea but why? Tea is a worldwide beverage whether it’s green or black, hot or cold, it’s healthy and thirst quenching drink that people around the world consume in numerous amounts to refuel their Becky). Many people replace coffee with tea to avoid crashes and coffee addiction. Antioxidants and flavonoids found only in green tea has shown that tea is very effective in improving mental alertness, reducing cholesterol levels and preventing low blood pressure. To get the full benefit from green tea you have to make your own tea at home, bottled tea isn’t natural and does not come with all the nutrients. As you can see green tea is very good for your body but as with every beverage there are some minor side effects. Green tea contains caffeine, which in excess can cause restlessness, irritability and sleeping problems (Green Tea Side Effects Warnings). It is safe to drink no more than 5 cups of tea a day; furthermore, one should not drink it during mealtime because green tea can reduce absorption of iron and folic acid. With that said, green tea is a healthy drink that came from ancient China. It does have some bad things to it but the benefits shadows them. History of green tea continues on even now, being number two most popular drink after crystal clear water, even more popular than Coca Cola and beer. Works Cited Ancient Chinese drinking tea. Sldinter. 18 Jan 2013. http://sldinter.com/upload_news/tea%20hist.jpg. â€Å"Green Tea Side Effects Warnings!† Amazing-green-tea. 20 Jan 2013. http://www.amazing-green-tea.com/green-tea-side-effects.html. Hand, Becky. â€Å"The Truth About Green Tea.† Sparkpeople. 20 Jan 2013. http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=107. â€Å"Learn all about the History of Green Tea† Green-teas-guide. 20 Jan 2013. http://www.green-teas-guide.com/history-of-green-tea.html. â€Å"Tea Culture.†. Travel china guide. 20 Jan 2013 http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/cuisine_drink/tea/culture.htm.

Writing Prompts for 5th Gradeers

Writing Prompts for 5th Gradeers By fifth grade, students are developing basic fluency as writers. In order to hone their skills, fifth  graders should practice supporting claims with factual information, conveying information clearly, and writing narratives in a logical order. The following fifth-grade writing prompts encourage students to develop their skills through topics that are meaningful to them. Narrative Essay Writing Prompts Narrative essays tell a story based on a student’s personal experience. They encourage students to use descriptive writing to reflect on their experiences, explain them in a logical manner, and draw conclusions from them. New Beginnings.  This is your  last year of elementary school. What are you most excited or most nervous about when you think of starting middle school?Betwixt. Students in 5th grade are often referred to as â€Å"tweens,† meaning that they are between the young child and the teen years. What is the hardest thing about being a tween in today’s society?Besties.  What is the best book you’ve ever read? What made it so special?Reflections.  Do  you remember your first-ever day of school? Describe one vivid memory from that day.Bullies. Have you ever witnessed someone bullying another student? What happened and how did it make you feel?Man’s Best Friend.  Do you share a bond with your dog or other pet? Describe your pet, and explain what makes your relationship unique.Families.  A family isn’t always a mom, a dad, and their children.  Write about the ways your family is the same as and different from  other types of families  and wha t makes your bonds so strong.Holiday Memories.  Think about one of your favorite holiday-related memories. Write an essay describing it and tell why it is so unforgettable. Guilty.  Think about a time you did something that made you feel guilty. Describe what happened.The Ultimate Field Trip.  If you could choose anywhere in the world to go on a field trip, where would you choose and why?Family Game Night.  Do you enjoy playing games with your family? Describe your favorite family game or activity.Tasty Treats.  What is your favorite food? Describe it as if you were introducing it to someone who has never seen or tasted it.Someday.  Have you thought about what you want to be when you grow up? Write an essay explaining why you think you’d like that career. Persuasive Essay Writing Prompts Persuasive essays are those written to convince another person to agree with the writer or take action. These persuasive essay prompts inspire 5th graders to share their passions with an audience. Pets Day.  You’ve just gone to work with your parent for â€Å"bring your child to work day.† Write an essay convincing your school to have a â€Å"bring your pet to school† day.Yuck.  What is your least-favorite cafeteria food? Give three compelling reasons why your school should quit serving it.Let’s Trade.  Your friend’s lunches from home always look better than yours. Write an essay convincing  your buddy  that you should start swapping meals every day. Be sure to  highlight the benefits of the food you bring!Home Alone. Write an essay convincing your parents that you are old enough and responsible enough to stay at home alone.Sunny Day.  The weather outside is beautiful for the first time in weeks. Persuade your teacher not to assign any homework so that you’ll have time to go out to play.The Sequel.  The long-awaited sequel to your favorite book or video game is now available. Convince your brother or sister to do your c hores this week so that you have plenty of time for reading or gaming.Seating Chart.  Because of your teacher’s seating chart, you’re not going to be able to sit next to your friend all year! Persuade your teacher to let students choose their seats. Birth Order. Are you an only child, the oldest sibling, the youngest, or the middle? What makes your birth order the best?The Ultimate Game.  What is the best video game on the planet? Explain why it’s better than similar games.Life Lessons.  What are the three most important lessons parents should teach their children and why?Test Time.  Do you think standardized tests  are helpful or harmful? Explain your answer.Tunes.  Some studies have shown that listening to music can help students concentrate. Should students be allowed to listen to music using headphones during independent work times at school? Persuade the reader of your answer.Catch-22.  You’re not a big fan of writing. Write an essay  convincing  your teacher that you shouldn’t have to write any more essays this year. Expository Essay Writing Prompts Expository essays are often called how-to essays. They usually teach the reader something or provide facts about a particular topic. Let’s Play. Your family frequently attends community theater productions, but your friend has never seen one. Write an essay describing what he or she can expect during the evening.Band. Youre graduating elementary school, and a younger student is taking your spot in the school band. Explain to him or her how to clean and care for your  musical  instrument.Lessons Learned. Write an essay to a younger sibling explaining two or three key strategies for having a positive 5th-grade experience.Class Pet.  You’ve cared for your class pet this week, but now it’s another classmate’s turn. Explain how to feed and care for the pet properly.Upgrade Ahead.  You have an idea to improve your school. Explain it.Safety Zone.  Explain three of the best steps kids can take to be safe online.Family Traditions.  Does your family have any customs or traditions that might be unfamiliar to a classmate? Describe them.Pen Pal.  Describe for your pen  pal who lives in another state an  animal native to your area, including its physical characteristics, behaviors, and any sounds that it makes. Creepy Crawlies.  Compare and contrast two insects or animals that are similar, but have different characteristics such as a bumblebee and a yellow jacket or a horse and a mule. How are they alike and how are they different?Clean Up.  Your class is going to spend a day cleaning up at a local park. You’ve done this with another group before, but some of your classmates haven’t. Explain the process.Action.  Your favorite book was made into a movie. Compare and contrast the film and book versions.Team Players.  Explain how contributing responsibly helps or how it hurts a group when someone doesn’t do his part.Tell and Show.  Your class is having a â€Å"tell and show† day. You have to describe your item in as much detail as possible without naming it. Only when the class guesses or gives up can you show your item. Write out the description of your item. Creative Writing Essay Prompts Creative writing allows students to engage their imaginations and story-telling skills while also practicing vital writing skills such as sequence and description. Magic Lamp.  You’ve just found a  magic lamp. What happens when you rub it?Say Cheese.  You are given an exceptional camera. Everything you take a picture of becomes yours, but you can only take three pictures. Tell a story about the photos you take.Invisible Man. One morning, you glance in the mirror and realize that you don’t have a reflection. You’ve become invisible! Write a story about your day.Gone to the Dogs.  Write a story from your pet’s point of view.All Hail the King.  Imagine that you discover an uncharted land that you claim as a new country. And, you’re the ruler! Describe your country, its people, and your newfound position of power.Part of the Story.  One night, you doze off after reading the latest book in your favorite series. When you wake, you discover that you’re in the story! Write about your adventures.Before or After. Imagine that you live either 100 years in the past or 100 years in the future. What is yo ur life like?Dr. Doolittle.  You’re walking through a pet store when you  discover that you can talk to the animals.  What happens next? Meet and Greet. Imagine that you can meet anyone you’re studying in school right now from famous scientists to historical figures to the characters in the class read-aloud. Write a story about your meeting with that person.Switcheroo. If you could switch lives with anyone in your school, who would it be? Write about your day in the life of that person.Holiday Loop.  Imagine you get to relive your favorite holiday every day. What’s that like?Tall Tales. Tall tales are possibly true stories that contain  highly exaggerated actions or events. Create a tall tale about something that happened in your family.Teachers Pet. Imagine that your teacher is actually your parent. Describe a day in class.

To investigate how the length of a simple pendulum affects the time for a complete swing

To investigate how the length of a simple pendulum affects the time for a complete swing AimTo investigate how the length of a simple pendulum affects the time for a complete swingTheoryWhen the pendulum is at the top of its swing it is momentarily stationary. It has zero kinetic energy and maximum gravitational potential energy. As the pendulum falls the potential energy is transferred to kinetic energy. The speed increases as the pendulum falls and reaches a maximum at the bottom of the swing. Here the speed and kinetic energy are a maximum, and the potential energy is a minimum. As the pendulum rises the kinetic energy is transferred back to potential energy. The speed of the pendulum decreases and falls to zero as it reaches the top of its swing, with the potential energy a maximum again.A small amount of energy is lost due to air resistance as the pendulum swings. This means each swing is slightly smaller than the one before.The Texas Giant'', a large wooden roller coaster a...There are two forces acting on the pendulum bob. Gravity tries to pull the bob downwards b ut this is resisted by the tension in the string. As there are only two forces they can only be balanced when they are in opposite directions. This only occurs when the pendulum is in the middle of its swing, so for the rest of the time the two forces are unbalanced; hence the bob swings back and forth.The two forces are equal and opposite.This means there is no resultant force on the bob.It could either be stationary, or passing through the middle of the swing.force due to gravity = weight of bob = mgm = mass of bobg = gravitational field strengthg = 10 N/kg at the Earth's surfaceThe two forces are not in opposite directions. This means there is a resultant force...

To what Extent did the Rebellions of Upper and Lower Canada (1837) Essay

To what Extent did the Rebellions of Upper and Lower Canada (1837) Lead to Canada's Responsible Government in 1867 - Essay Example The aim of this paper is to look at Canada’s experience with responsible government during 1867 and look at the known, possible driving forces behind the implementation of the responsible government, namely the Durham report and the American influence, and provide arguments as to which one mainly affected or drove the implementation of responsible government. These topics will be discussed in detail as follows: Lord Durham’s report and how it was responsible for Canada’s responsible government The American influence that was responsible for Canada’s responsible government Conclusion and breakdown Lord Durham’s report and how it was responsible for Canada’s responsible government According to marianopolis.edu, John George Lambton was the first earl of Durham. He was also known as â€Å"Radical Jack† because of his support of certain causes by the Whig party in England. Some of these causes created quite a stir back in those times such a s free trade. He was sent to be a Governor General in British North America in 1838. This was done, according to the same article above in order to â€Å"investigate the circumstances of the rebellions of 1837 in Upper and Lower Canada and to make recommendations for the future government of the British North American colonies.† He was the person that created the Durham report which is now believed to have been one of the driving forces behind Canada’s responsible government of 1867. The main purpose of this report was to assess the situation in British North America and the local conditions. This report made several recommendations such as the unification of Upper and Lower Canada and the proposal of responsible government. One other recommendation includes the establishment of local municipalities in Canada. Some saw these recommendations as great advancements and key efforts in making a better Canada while others, specifically in Lower Canada regarded Lambton as a r acist for his suggestion to assimilate the French Canadians. We can consider this report to have been one of the best driving forces for responsible government because based on observation, the idea of implementing a responsible government was not something agreeable to the British, because, like the paper stated â€Å"Great Britain could not quite bring itself to implement responsible government in the colonies†. But despite this, the Union act of 1840 was created and Canada was united. The American influence that was responsible for Canada’s responsible government Around 2 years before the establishment of the responsible government of Canada in 1867, America was putting and end to its civil war. The actions taken by America at that time were also considered to be a major influence to the establishment of Canada’s responsible government; in fact some consider it more of an influence than the Durham report. Based on the information given, the Durham report sugg ested that Canada be unified and that they establish responsible government, however the British did not agree to the later suggestion but followed through on the unification of Canada. After seeing that America won against one of Canada’s major colonizers, their now unified country may have taken this as a queue point to establish responsible government for a few reasons; one being a show of defiance to England, another maybe in support of America and

Serial Killer Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Serial Killer - Research Paper Example There are many researches done on the psychology of serial killers by various researchers all over the world. It is amazing to note that causes of serial killing come forward more often in western societies as compared to eastern societies. There are two main ways to investigate about the psychology and thinking of serial killers. One is to study solved cases by police and experiences of investigating officers. Information provided on the basis of evidence and proper investigation gives a good way to do research on the topic of serial killers or serial killing. If opportunity is available one should try to meet/interview a serial killer. Thoughts of serial killers regarding sex, objectification and mutilation are important psychiatric points that can be analyzed during interview and whole research (TRUTV; Vaknin). Most of the serial killers think that to kill and to be got killed is one of the basic instincts that a human has. Early found skull of humans had traces of being attacked by some weapon. According to them, if chance available every person would kill someone. Serial killers are often regarded as people who believe that killing is a part of ritual and considered as objectifiers. Objectifiers are the people who treat other people as their subjects, most of the rulers, leaders political or military are often regarded as people that have fallen in the category of objectifiers (Vaknin). Difference between simple murders and serial killers can be explained by a known fact. A simple murderer kills due to some needs like sex, property, conflict that exists between him/her and other people. On the other hand the people called as serial killers are driven by continuous urge that is present in them from birth. Eric Hicky concluded in his research that about forty eight percent of the serial killers available to him as subjects were refused by their parents as children. Most of the serial killers live in their own world of fantasy