Transitions in lifespan Development

The objectives of this case study are; a) to develop a better understanding of Aspirer syndrome, b) to identify the role of the unit in assisting the students in their education and personal development and finally, c) to investigate how integrated are students with Speaker's in main stream schooling. Case Study As a secondary school teacher for the past five years in a mainstream school the aim f this case study was to gain a deeper understanding of how Special Needs Assistants help students with Speakers, as well as investigating how included these students are in our educational system.During the initial stages of planning the research, both qualitative and quantitative approaches were considered. Firstly, the use of survey questionnaires was considered to study teachers' perception of their role in educating students with special needs as well as measuring the experience of students with special needs in mainstream schooling. However, the nature of the search questions involved a lot of ethical considerations and the time scale available was not sufficient to address for the purpose of this assignment.Due to the fact that the unit currently catered for two students with Speaker's syndrome a qualitative approach was more appropriate for this research study. The unit in which the research took place is situated in a community college in North Dublin, where the socio-economic profile ranges from working to middle class. There are three Special Needs Assistants currently working in the unit and the unit caters for six full time students with autism and two students with Speakers. The students with Speakers spend the majority of their time in mainstream education but come to the unit if exempt from certain subjects and on a needs basis.For example, if there had been difficulties with behavior or the student required time out for themselves. It was for these reasons that it provided the ideal setting needed to investigate the research questions posed by the autho r. In the initial visit it was clear to the author that the unit was differed in it's lay out and atmosphere too normal class room. The unit was very bright, airy and spacious, as opposed to rows of tables and chairs there ere little working areas. Each of the students had their own working space and computer. The unit also had an art area, kitchen, common room, office and a sensory room.It was immediately sensed by the author that overall it was very relaxed area and the students themselves were very content and calm. The layout of the unit helped to create such an atmosphere giving the students the opportunity to sit at their own workspaces and listen to music if they became agitated. The author was hugely interested in the sensory room especially built for the two students with Speakers. There are frequently sensory issues with those with Speakers meaning that they can have a heightened sense of smell, taste, or sound.Their senses are often hyper-acute resulting in an over-reacti on to ordinary sounds such as fluorescent lights, fans, and other electrical appliances. Thus, things that might be annoying for the average person can be amplified and uncomfortable to the person with Speakers. The aim of the sensory room was to help the students with this hyperactivity of their senses. Also the room was used as a space for them to withdraw if they had being involved in a highly stressful situation for example argument with teacher or another student.Over-reaction to situations is common occurrence for students with Speakers. Therefore, â€Å"time out† is an essential coping mechanism for students with Speakers. Results from eleven studies published from 1989 to 2003 indicated that those students with disabilities, both visible and non-visible, experience bullying more than their non-disabled educational peers and that boys were bullied more often than girls (Adkins, 1996; Memory & Hillier (1989). Both students with Speakers involved in this case study were themselves victims of bullying.John (student one) was recently a victim of bullying and as a consequence was now suffering from very low self esteem. The Special Needs Assistants were working with John, rebuilding his self esteem and helping to create new friendships. In order to accomplish this, the Special Needs Assistants organized that John would learn how to make a pizza and have John invite some students in his class to have a pizza party. San (student two) experienced bullying within the classroom. San has great difficulty differentiating between appropriate and inappropriate social responses.He has learned to be argumentative and aggressive which has caused some problems for him in school. SNan's behavior made him the perfect target for bullying where other students would provoke him within the class causing him to lash out at teachers and at students. The teachers felt that San was the culprit and causing hassle and was often removed from the classroom. Clare his Special Ne eds Assistant is helping him to identify different approaches to certain scenarios' he may encounter in the school environment.She uses teaching material which looks at recognizing SNan's feelings ND improving his social skills. The Special Needs Assistants in the unit are all in agreement that their role is to develop the students social and life skills. Clare highlighted some of the characteristics of the syndrome which include ‘poor choice of words when speaking, motor clumsiness, non-verbal communication and social interaction which is the most noticeable difficulty. Clare stressed that these impairments in social interaction work strongly against people with the syndrome.Therefore, it is important that this area in particular is worked on with the students. While great work is being carried out with the students it can sometimes be difficult for the Special Needs Assistants. While they work on strategies to help San and Johns' behavior in the classroom it can be frustrati ng as cooperation from colleagues doesn't come easy at times. Clare feels this is partially due to the fact that teacher training colleges and universities don't give time to train teachers in regards to special needs.Also Special Needs Assistants are seen as a quick fix for students with special needs. But it can often lead to isolation rather than inclusion for the students. Analyses theoretical aspects One of the most striking aspects of the above case study is the huge impact the lack of social skills has on those students with Speakers, as they can be excluded by other students in a school environment. One of the most significant problems is their difficulty understanding the thoughts and feelings of others, since empathic imagination is lacking (Convict, Dizzied, Hastens, Rogers, & Wolf, 2007).In addition, their brains work differently more effort is required to be in a relationship than for neurological people. As expert Tony Attwood points out, â€Å"Conventional social occ asions can last too long for someone with Speaker's syndrome, especially as social success is achieved by intellectual effort rather than natural intuition. Socializing is exhausting,† (2007, p. 91). So the desire to be social and the difficulties involved with being social are often at odds, creating an uncomfortable dilemma that requires understanding and patience from others.They often behave in unattractive ways to others, leading to repeated rejection and ridicule (Gauss, 2007). Bullying is also common (at least 4 times the rate reported by neurotically from 4-17 years old), nice those with Speakers tend to have a trusting nature along with the inability to predict the thoughts of others (Attwood, 2007). As a result, there is often a lack of adequate social support resulting in a sense of isolation, which has such clinical repercussions as depression and anxiety (Gaudiness, 2005).Speakers display varying degrees of international dysfunction in that some may suffer greatly and be noticed for it while others â€Å"pass† as normal (Standard, 2004). Some examples of unspoken social rule errors those with Speakers make include speaking too loudly in inappropriate situations, cutting ahead of lines, interrupting invitations, failing to notice social cues such as when someone wants to leave or finish a conversation, taking innocent Jokes as serious criticisms, and taking Jokes too literally so that the punch line is not responded to in the desired manner (Gauss).Sensory integration problems that are common in Speakers can make â€Å"touching and physical closeness uncomfortable or even painful† (Love, 2005, p. 199). Unaware individuals may touch or hug a person with Speakers, unwittingly putting him or her in the awkward position of wanting to avoid that person yet still seeming interested in being social. As seen with the case study, the lack of social skills can cause those individuals with Speakers to be Judged negatively by others with hi gher expectations for their functioning, such as parents or teachers. According to Love (2005, p. 72), â€Å"There is research that shows that autism spectrum disorders do seem to cause many people to live in a state of hyper-arousal – a sort of preparing state that can be very debilitating. † Thus, those with Speakers need more time to rest, recuperate and become refreshed between activities causing difficulties in cases where regular work schedules are demanded. In addition, sensory issues like problems tolerating the light wavelengths and intensity of fluorescent lights, which are common in workplaces of all kinds, may interfere with comfort and performance at work (Attwood, 2007). L have spent my life trying to find a place for him in our educational system. It must be appreciated how different children with autism are from each other and no one recipe will work for all children simply because they have a diagnosis of autism/Speaker's † (The Educational Provi sion and Support for Persons with Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Report of the Task Force on Autism 2001). Another issue highlighted from the case study was the inclusion of students with Speakers in main stream schooling.Due to the fact that many students with Speakers have proficient verbal expression skills and an overall IQ within the normal or above normal often mask outstanding deficiencies observed primarily in socially demanding situations, thus decreasing other people's perception of their very salient needs for supportive intervention (Kiln and Palomar, 2000. P. 342). ‘Inclusive Education' and ‘mainstreaming' promote the ideal of equality of opportunity, acceptance, belonging and social inclusion by roving choice and quality of support.The Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPEES) Act (2004), considers home, school and community sources of information about children with special needs. All can provide perspectives to implement programmer and st rategies that can help the needs of a child with Speakers. However, this collaborative approach can have its difficulties, for example the diagnosis of an autistic spectrum disorder is a stressful and significant event in the lives of families.Such a diagnosis often follows years of uncertainty where parents struggle to cope tit their child's ‘difference' and try to rationalism behavior that is unusual, unmanageable and often unresponsive to parental controls. In Ireland, diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorders remains problematic, with significant delays being the norm in many instances (The Educational Provision and Support for Persons with Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Report of the Task Force on Autism 2001).Also a label can be incredibly systematizing for an individual, and some interpret this dark mark as a message that society has given up on him or her, which may lead to learned lifelessness and giving up on one's self too (Standard, 2004). Another issue of inclusion f or students with Speakers is that inclusion can be left to the discretion of the individual teacher.In a study of provision for pupils with special educational needs by the European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education (1998) it was indicated that the main areas of concern that emerged were teacher training, teachers' attitudes, and the less developed nature of second-level systems in dealing with special educational needs. If inclusion is to be affective the Task Force considers he legal obligation on all schools to submit a Whole School Plan which includes a description of how the school plans to include students with special needs in the mainstream, as an important feature of department policy.Conclusion As seen from the case study improving social skills is important to the development of students with Speakers. Counseling can provide an environment to work on such skills, one such technique is Cognitive behavior therapy (CB). CB teaches people to monitor their own thoughts and perceptions with the hopes that they will become more aware of their interpretive errors.Psychotherapy is becoming more widely perceived as a viable treatment modality for individuals with Speakers (Attwood, 2007; Jacobsen, 2003) and some authors have recommended the use of cognitive- behavioral therapy (Attwood, 1998, 2004, 2006; Gauss, 2007; Hare & paten, 1997). CB can help people with Speakers learn to re-conceptualize social interactions and become more able to more accurately â€Å"read† the behavior of others. Once they understand others' motives they can more easily monitor their own behavior and adjust their responses to other people and situations.It is quiet evident that living tit Speakers poses many obstacles. These obstacles have implications for the individual's personal life, physical well-being and employment. As a Career Guidance and Counselor it is vital to provide appropriate and effective supports and accommodations to students with Speakers. While counseling might be seen to be helpful for students with Speakers, it is vital to acknowledge that they may not have the ability to recognize problems they may be experiencing especially emotions. Therefore, it would be critical to work on the client/counselor relationship in the initial stages.Counselors are able to develop positive relationships with clients when they possess the personal qualities of Warmth, sincerity, congruence, understanding, acceptance, concern, openness, respect for the client and the willingness to be challenged by others' (Corey, G, 2008 IPPP). These characteristics pave the way for counselors to develop positive therapeutic relationships with students, which would be vital to students with Speakers which sometimes are excluded by society. References Attwood, T. (1998). Speaker's syndrome: A guide for parents and professionals. London: Jessica Kinsley Publishers.

Happiness in China

Introduction This paper mainly focuses on Chinese happiness index and its influencing factors analysis. There are many things we are eager to get, such as freedom, money, promising job, reputation, etc. However, we do not pursuit these things themselves, what we want is the improvement of happiness. Those things have value only when they directly or indirectly promote the feeling of happiness. Gross national happiness (GNH) is an indicator that measures quality of life or social development in a scientific term. In the 1970s, the king of Bhutan proposed the concept of Gross National Happiness.He believed that government should aim to create happiness. The national happiness index should be improved including the factors both in the material and in the spiritual. The GNH index identifies four aspect of national happiness development: good governance, economic growth, cultural development and environmental protection (Hu, 2011). With the rapid development in China, the government takes the index to measure the national happiness. However, there is no exact quantitative definition about how many factors influence the GNH.The paper therefore will analyze the factors that impact China’s gross national happiness from social, economic and politic perspective. Social Factors The education system Education in China does not focus on the students’ practical ability and interests in studying. These schools focus on students’ test scores instead of the students’ potential. Teachers desire to have the top students rather than â€Å"bad students†. A student’s scores represent his or her personality. From elementary to high school, students have no elective courses. The teachers’ task is to teach students how to get high scores on the exams.The students are over stressed. They go to school about 6 o’clock in the morning, they stay up studying at night (Hu, 2011). It is impossible to become relax under such pressure. If s tudents want to be admitted to top universities, they have to study hard. Studying is the only thing they need to do. The universities just require students’ outstanding scores from the college entrance exam. Therefore, a special group of students called returning students who re-attend classes after failing the college entrance exam. Many students re-attend high schools classes year after year until hey are admitted to a top university (Hu, 2011). The only scale to measure one's capacity is the diploma. Furthermore, students would prepare the postgraduate examination in order to find a better job. From elementary to the college, students care for nothing except studying. The situation leads to a decreasing unhappiness index for China’s student and their parents (Hu, 2011). Quality of marriage In China, marriage is based on one's family background, which is a significant factor that affects many couples of all ages. Even in modern times, a great number of young people in China will obey family arrangement.Oftentimes, if one's family live in poor conditions, the party will be rejected by the other party’s family with an excuse ( Luo, 2009). Even in marriage, the couples have to struggle for their future, such as house, car, money. If the couple fails, they may divorce each other. Sometimes, the marriage may only be decided by the money not affection. This is the reason that the Chinese couple have a low happiness index in marriage( Luo, 2009). Social security system China’s social security system is not perfect and in the process of reformation. What is worse, the aging of society is the new pressure added on society security system.China’s population continues to grow. The expert predicted the total population will reach 1. 5 billion by the middle of the 21th century, and the elderly population will exceed 300 million. Due to the one-child policy, the common families have only one child. As a result, the number of retirees wi ll continue to work to reduce the burden on their family (Hu, 2011). Furthermore, the ensure pension and medical insurance system is still incomplete in China. The members of family save money for the older family member not for traveling or entertaining. If someone is sick in family, it could make the whole family in dilemma (Hu, 2011).These situations place a heavy burden on younger generations. The young people have the responsibility to take care of the parents and to rise the next generation. The problem also increases the unhappiness index for Chinese life. There are so many social factors that influence the Chinese happiness index. China’s government should take measures to provide the people a higher quality environment for life to increase happiness index. Economic Factors The price of commodities In China, the price of commodities has risen significantly. It has gone beyond the income level of many common people.Housing price, especially, has gone too high in recent years (Orlik, 2013). Many people in China make every effort to earn money to buy a house. They work day and night. They give up the opportunity to travel. They dare not to have dinners in restaurants. They consider that whether they should buy clothes or not. All efforts are made to buy a house. Especially, people who borrow money from the banks are under a lot of pressure for repayment. Their mortgage payments are most part of their monthly salary so they do not have enough money to spend on other things.Even if they are not satisfied with the current work, they dare not to resign. Due to high housing prices, many people have become slaves to their houses and live under tremendous pressure in all aspects. To their surprise, the prices of houses have become much higher! It is awkward that a common person cannot afford a common house in China (Orlik, 2013). There is no doubt that the high commodities price is not good for the physical and mental health of the people. In order to hav e better living, the people pay the high cost.This situation is not beneficial for the improvement of happiness index in China (Orlik, 2013). Income Inequality China has great economic growth in the past few decades. However, the average incomes are higher in urban areas than in rural areas. The phenomenon of income inequality is obvious in China(Finance and economics,2012). The income of the famers is mainly depended on the land, but the agricultural output is limited. They cannot become rich just by a few acres of land. A lot of rural residents abandoned their land and go into cites with nothing, these peasants are called migrant laborers.They can do are limited occupation due to the lack of professional skill. Women worked in labor-intensive goods and services with the minimum wages. Men worked as builders risking their lives. More badly, they may not be paid after the work is finished. Even through migrant laborers live in the same city with urban residents, their living conditi ons are totally different(Finance and economics,2012). The inequality income make the labors live in the bottom in the cities. However, migrant laborers still do not want to go home due to the worse living condition.These situations make migrant laborers have low happiness index(Finance and economics,2012). Opportunity of job The imbalance of employment between supply and demand exists in China. China is in the peak of the population, there are a lot of workers need jobs. For the rural laborers, they would like to go to urban for better life environment. The urban has an increasing pressure on employment because the surplus rural laborers move to urban. The rapid growth of new workers is far more than the growth of job creation. The situation is also confronted by the college graduates.The continuous development of Chinese higher education has produced hundreds and thousands of college graduates annually. Unemployed college graduates become a common phenomenon (Economy Watch, 2010). The unemployment problem influences the happiness index on Chinese people. More badly, it could lead to the social unstability. To solve this social problem, the government should make efforts for better employ environment (Economy Watch, 2010). Political factors Democracy Democracy is defined as the rule that manages state affairs according to the principle of equality, the minority is subordinate to the majority.The United States and European countries have very mature democracy. However, China is a developing country,much of the system is not perfect and it does not achieve a complete democracy. (Pei, 2013) In western countries, the separation of the powers is a political doctrine. It is divided into executive power, judicial power and legislative power. Even if the president commits crime, judicial independence can prosecute his action. For example, the former president of Taiwan who broke the law, an independent judiciary made trial for him (Kelly, 2013).While China implements the system of people's congress and the Communist Party commands all the system, it produces the law privileges. They use the privilege to corrupt and the subordinate officials provide shelter for them. Furthermore, the phenomenon of bribery is very severe. Clerks pay bribes to get the ideal position. These situations result in people low happiness index (China daily, 2010). Freedom The political freedom involves many aspects including freedom of speech, freedom of assemble and freedom of vote and so on. These freedoms can regard as the sign of human right.The political freedom should be treated as the ultimate goal of Chinese political reform and development. Freedom of speech is the political right to communicate one's opinions and ideas. While Chinese people almost have no rights, the speech against party or government is prohibited by the reality of media and the internet; Freedom of assembly is the individual right to come together and collectively express, promote, pursue and defend common interests. Due to the rule of one-party monopoly, the Communist Party of China do not allow to make other the parties or groups.In this way, the power is not restricted. The individual without organization’s management have no power to oppose it; Freedom of vote refer to every citizen has the freedom right to vote for a leader. As long as you have ability and ambitions, everyone has the opportunity to be leader. The candidates can introduce policies to get votes so that people will benefit. Unlike China, official is appointed behind the relationship or money (political right and freedom, 2013) The system of organization in China leads to those problems, which is the reason that the Chinese have less political freedom.The government should try to implement the multiple party coexist structure so that Chinese people can have real freedom. People could have a high happiness index in China. Equality The equality is a social state in which all people within a specif ic society have the same status in certain respects. The social equality includes equal rights under the law, such as security, voting rights, property rights, and equal access to education, health care and other social securities. It also includes equal opportunities and obligations. (Gay, 2013) In China, all kind of reasons cause to the inequality in many aspects.Such as, there are inequality relationships between superior and subordinate in official circle because of the lack of the voting system. It has the inequality of education distribution because the imbalance development of district economic. These situations lead to a decreasing unhappiness index in China’s community. Conclusion Based on the researches, this paper mainly carried on a study in Chinese happiness index via analyzing the influenced factors. The social, economic and politic factors were considered as the factors that have great influence on happiness index.In support of the basic result, this paper unde rtook a systematic analysis from these aspects. Ultimately, there is conclusion that all kinds of factors have a significant impact on happiness. Furthermore, considering the actual situation in China, the majority of population are middle and lower income workers, farmers, and unemployed. Their living standard determines the overall level of happiness in society. Therefore, it is very urgent and important to design proper policies to enhance these people’s happiness level. Several policy recommendations are put forward to the government to increase the citizen’s happiness index.First, it could be suggested to build a sound social system. The government should remain a primary priority to make Chinese residents get better education and satisfy their needs. And building a social security system protects the middle and lower income residents. In addition, the government should guide sustainable and stable development of economics. It is important to regulate wealth gap b etween rich and poor and control the excessive imbalance of income distribution. The government should also adjust economic structure and improve the demand capacity for labor to reduce unemployment.Finally, the politic factors have the lowest feeling of happiness in society. The government can reform and establish multi-party democratic constitutional system instead of one-party monopoly in china. The rights, free press, freedom of assembly and open elections, is the basic need of human beings for high happiness (Hu, 2012). Because of the constraint of time, this paper ignored some other factors when doing research. Furthermore, many countries have a higher level of happiness, such as some Nordic countries. We can compare Chinese economical, social and political data with those countries.Through comparison, we can detect some deeper reasons to guide our new research. References Centre For Bhutan Studies. (2013). Bhutan GNH index. Retrieved from http://www. grossnationalhappiness. c om/articles/ CSR. (1998, October). The development research center of the state council of the People’s Republic of China. Retrieved from http://www. chinacsrmap. org/Org_Show_EN. asp? ID=133 China Daily. (2010, February). Retrieved from http://www. chinadaily. com. cn/china/2010npc/2010-02/09/content_9449872. htm Finance and economics. (2012). A new survey illuminates the extent of Chinese income inequality.Retrieved from http://www. economist. com/news/finance-and-economics/21568423-new-survey-illuminates-extent-chinese-income-inequality-each-not Gay, M. (2013). Equality center. Retrieved from http://www. hrc. org/the-hrc-story/equality-center Hu, A. (2011, February 24). China must measure happiness. Retrieved form http://www. chinadialogue. net/article/show/single/en/4130–China-must-measure-happiness- Hu,Z. (2012). Chinese Happiness index and its influencing factors analysis. Retrieved from https://docs. google. com/viewer? a=v&q=cache:87W_oHEJOfMJ:kth. diva-portal. rg/smash/get/diva2:517428/FULLTEXT01+Chinese+Happiness+Index+and+Its+Influencing+Factors+Analysis&hl=zh-CN&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShbzAfX43ywu53VUiBsILTQM_2xIECL1yhLg0dKRhYpo8cyrWY_1dE6DcH4MqqAvZDp-CbZjTIuhHTZOZq2NjNO19gljUbgNwzp1GqoKkG7V4Fw58wu-95VtfDDqgpP6u2-9A5E&sig=AHIEtbRIrzxH_PxOcD30dRfTyXFbz4oftg Kelly, M. (2013). Separate of powers. Retrieved from http://americanhistory. about. com/od/usconstitution/g/sep_of_powers. htm Luo, A. (2009, November 5). The differences between Western marriage and Chinese marriage i learnt. Retrieved from http://www. gzstuff. om/profiles/blogs/the-differences-between Orlik, T. (2013, January 16). Hope for home buyers in China. Retrieved form http://online. wsj. com/article/SB10001424127887324235104578242043338468974. html Political right and freedom. (2013). Retrieve from http://baike. baidu. com/view/512465. htm Pei, M. (2013, February 13). 5 ways China could become a democracy. Retrieved fromhttp://thediplomat. com/2013/02/13/5-ways-china-coul d-become-a-democracy/ Spiiker education group. (2012). High housing prices in China. Retrieved from http://www. spiiker. com/intensivereading-detail/intensivereading/24832789. html

Pneumonia Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Pneumonia - Assignment Example Various tools are used in diagnosing this condition and these include the use of x-rays, or taking a sample of sputum for testing. There are various types of vaccines available for the prevention of pneumonia and these are complemented by the treatment measures available for those who suffer from the infection. The treatment of this condition depends on the agent that caused it, whether it is viral or bacterial. If the infection is caused by bacteria, then the condition is treated using antibiotics, but if the condition is caused by a virus; on the other hand, the most common treatment used are neuraminidase inhibitors. When an infection is deemed severe, the most likely cause of action that doctors tend to take is to have the patient admitted to hospital because if left untreated, this condition often proves to be fatal. It is estimated that on an annual basis, pneumonia affects over four hundred million people and of these, about four million meet their deaths from the condition (K ornum et al 2008, p.1542). While this condition has been made treatable with the advancement of the development of antibiotic therapy as well as vaccines, pneumonia still remains one of the most dangerous as well as the a leading cause of death, especially in developing countries. The people, in these countries, who are at the most risk of infection, tend to be the young, the elderly, and those who are extremely ill. Symptoms Those who are infected by pneumonia tend to display certain symptoms, which provide the evidence that they have indeed been infected. Among the symptoms that they display include coughing, a fever, a stabbing pain in the chest when taking deep breaths, and most of all, and an increase in the rate of respiration because of the shortness of breath that they experience. One of the most prominent symptoms that are displayed by older people is that of being confused. Among children, on the other hand, there is often a fever, coughing, as well as difficulty in breath ing. When making a diagnosis of the condition, too much insistence should not be put on the detection of a fever because it can be found in quite a number of diseases such as malaria among other severe diseases (Chandra et al 2010, p.862). In addition, coughs should also not be considered a common symptom among children who are less than a year old and instead, more severe signs should be looked out for. Among the severe symptoms of this condition is the appearance of a blue tinge on the skin, a decrease in the infected person’s thirst, convulsions, and the most severe of all, a decrease in consciousness level. Whatever the source of infection, whether bacterial or viral, the victims of pneumonia often display the same symptoms and this is the reason why specific tests have to be carried out to ensure that the correct treatment is prescribed to a patient (Metlay and Fine 2003, p.109). While pneumonia is often caused by either bacterial or viral infections, it is common to fin d that even fungi and other parasites can cause this condition. It has, however been estimated that of the over one hundred agents that can potentially cause pneumonia, only a few of these agents are actually responsible for the majority of the cases involved (Kollef et al, 2005, p.3855). In a little more than 45% of the cases studied in children, it has been found that the causing agents have been a mixture of bacterial and viral infections. Among adults, on

Assessment of the Overall Impact of Colonialism in the Philippines Research Proposal

Assessment of the Overall Impact of Colonialism in the Philippines - Research Proposal Example The strong resistance of the Filipinos to colonial rule paved the way to its national independence in 1946 from the American rule (Weightman 483). Today, the Philippines remarkably is trying to run its own government under a democratic procedure which gives more freedom for all Filipinos to exercise their right for citizenship. Today, 65 years passed after the Philippine independence from American rule, it is still important to look at the following aspects as a particular way to assess the overall impact of colonialism in the Philippines: leadership in governance, political, economic and culture. In 1972, Ferdinand Marcos proclaimed martial law which placed the entire nation under the military authority. Once again, Filipinos had proven that oppression is a significant triggering factor as far as their level of resistance is concerned. Based on these, it is clear that the Philippines together with its people have remarkable characteristics that are in line with its momentous history particularly its experience with colonialism. It is therefore important to asses at this point the level of impact colonialism brought to the Philippines particularly in the country’s leadership in governance, politics, economy, and culture. For instance, corruption in the Philippines is something Filipinos observed from Spaniards, which today became its major and significant problem. In fact, to alleviate if not eliminate it is the very goal of the recent administration.  

Aristotles Nicomachean Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Aristotles Nicomachean Ethics - Essay Example The lawmakers’ premise is that, when there is friendship amongst people, they would not be clamoring for justice in the first place (Aristotle). This could be true if one considers the fact, that it is only an individual that is at loggerhead with his partner that would be suing for justice from the other party (Aristotle Chapter 1. par.2). Though it is really difficult to say whether the lawmakers are really more serious about justice than friendship or not. The reason for this is that, the two of them seem to go pari passu. In spite of this seemingly anomaly, one of the issues that seem to be more on the hearts of the lawgivers as they believe that, the issue of justice only comes to the fore when there is love lost between two parties. Thus, the lawgivers hold the issue of friendship closer to their hearts than justice. It would then be right to say that, the lawgiver lends more credence to the issue of justice. It should also be noted that, just like there is no real justice in the world today, true friendship is also a mirage. Thus, the lawmakers showing preference for one over the other means that, the other one is also equally important. Also, the fact that, friendship is more of an imaginary thing means that the lawmakers are actually not really taking either friendship or justice as serious as the

Business to business marketing Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Business to business marketing - Article Example The Coca-Cola Company is one of the largest organizations in the world. It has many branches and franchises across the world that do the production on its behalf. Once the production is completed, the company normally distributes the finished products to the various wholesalers. The wholesaler organizations normally make their buying decisions based on the areas they are located and their sales turnover. For instance, if the sales turn over is low, the organizations will not buy much of the drinks. The space they have available for storing the goods will also influence their buying behavior. In most cases, the Coca-Cola Company does most of the marketing but indirectly on behalf of the wholesalers. The company markets directly to the customers. The customers will in turn buy more from the wholesalers who will then be able to make a buying decision from the producers and the various franchises. Therefore, the company stimulates its business to business sales by directly marketing to t he customers and the ramification of this is that the wholesalers and retailers will be influenced to buy the

Puritan and Pilgrim in the 16th-17th Century in New England Research Paper

Puritan and Pilgrim in the 16th-17th Century in New England - Research Paper Example The emergence of both Puritans and Pilgrims can be traced fairly and squarely back to the tumultuous event of the Reformation in Europe. Starting in Germany, and spreading across Northern Europe, there was a growing dissatisfaction with aspects of the Christian Church leadership, particularly in areas related to abuse of finances, moral dissolution, and key theological issues relating to the role of bishops and senior clergy. In Britain there was an on-going religious debate relating to the Reformation agenda, but this was further complicated in the Church of England, which departed from the control of Rome, largely due to differences between Henry VIII and the Pope on the rules relating to marriage and divorce. In Scotland, the Presbyterians separated absolutely from Rome and set up their own structures, without the controversial bishop role, while in England many reformist Christians were dissatisfied with the compromises made by the Church of England. In the North East of England a small group were persecuted for refusing to integrate within the Church of England. Their major complaint was that the Church had not sufficiently cleansed itself of the immoral features that characterized the Roman Catholic church. This caused them to be rejected by their local parishes in England and so they emigrated first to Holland and then to the New World, hoping to build a new life there which was truer to biblical precepts. This intention to travel in search of their religious goals is what gave them the name â€Å"Pilgrims.†

The New Face of American Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The New Face of American Politics - Essay Example The book explores the role of money, ethnicity, and religion in politics and the issues that are rampant in society today. The authors also explores the charismatic and mass appeal of Obama which, they claim, transcends racial, financial, religious, and gender barriers. In essence, the book discussed how Obama’s political ideologies sustained him throughout his political career. His political path to Washington documented in the book highlighted every campaign and every opponent he faced during his campaign. Obama’s stalwart convictions carried him through every campaign. Where his detractors focused on his failings as a candidate, he instead focused on issues like health care and protecting minority rights. The authors highlighted how his competitors self-destructed in the face of the campaign – from being involved in sex scandals to being embroiled in domestic violence. And through such controversies surrounding his competitors, he emerged as the most favorable candidate. Obama’s focus during his campaigns was not too complicated, nor was it too lavish, but his principles and his promises appealed to many Americans because it spoke to them of the American dream. The concerns of each constituency became his concern, and this fact did not go unnoticed by the American public who were looking for the ideal candidate who could listen to them. The book is very much about the strengths of Obama. Just as Obama skirted over these issues during his campaign, so do the authors of this book.

Robin Hood Case Study Essay Example for Free

Robin Hood Case Study Essay 1) Create a basic organization chart for Robin Hood and his men. Robin Hood organization has a centralized top-down management style structure. Robin Hood is the CEO of the organization; his four lieutenants are directors of specific departments which are responsible for providing research and gathering information, finances, training, and provisioning. 2) What problems does Robin Hood have? What top 4 issues need to be addressed? * Misalignment of goals of the top executives and the subordinates (Robin Hood’s primarily goal is the personal vendetta with the Sheriff, while the main purpose of the majority of Merrymen is to reallocate wealth from rich to the poor or simply to gain profits) * Obsolete strategy to generate revenues (Travelers started to avoid the forest not to have their goods confiscated) * Food shortage (the growing band started to exceed food capacities of the forest) * The growing strength of the rivals (The Sheriff was growing stronger and becoming better organized) 3) Do Robin Hood and the Merrymen need a new mission and plan? Is continuing with the present course of action an option or is that now obsolete? The old mission of the Robin Hood has become obsolete due to certain changes in the internal and external environment. The old ways to generate revenues do not yield the expected results any longer as the travelers started to avoid the forest. There is mounting evidence that the old strategy is not working as the organization is facing a financial crisis. The declining vigilance and discipline of the Merrymen represent a growing problem that need to be addressed immediately. The shared enmity against the Sheriff which united the Merrymen of the organization has become of secondary importance to the new members leading to misalignment of goals. Therefore, Robin Hood and Merrymen need a new mission in order to respond to both internal and external changes. 4) Do you think make sense to impose a fixed transit tax to counter the decline in revenues? Why or why not? Imposing a transit tax on the travelers as a part of a new strategy of the organization can yield numerous benefits to its members. The flow of customers will increase as rich members will prefer to pay a tax and reach their destination faster going through the Sherwood Forest. They will not be afraid to have their goods confiscated. Transit tax will help to generate constant revenues and provide sustainable income to the group. The problems of insufficient funding and scarce resources will be solved. In order to convince the Merrymen that it is a good idea and not to lose farmers and townspeople as the allies, tax collection should be given a good cause. The part of the imposed taxes can be donated to raise the ransom for popular king Richard. 5) What is your opinion about expanding the band’s operations to a larger area around Sherwood Forest as a way of solving these problems? Why or why not is this a good idea? Expansion of the raiding area is a good tactical move as it can solve some problems associated with financing, scarce recourses, and even discipline. Since travelers are avoiding the forest, the scope of the operations needs to be extended outside of the forest in order to generate revenues. The gang needs to be broken down into smaller units in order to cover the extended area. Consequently it will be easier to train, organize, an enforce discipline in smaller units of Merrymen supervised by managers. 6) Should they try and end the campaign by killing the sheriff? Why or why not? Killing the Sheriff would only satisfy the thirst for Robin Hood’s revenge; however, it is unlikely to solve all the problems that organization faces. In fact it could also worsen the matter. The Prince would appoint the next Sheriff who would be just as bad if not worse. The friends and allies of the Sheriff would seek revenge and put more efforts into capturing Robin Hood. One of the common goals that united Merrymen which is the shared enmity and hatred against the Sheriff will be lost with the death of the Sheriff. 7) What are the pros and cons of accepting the offer of the Barons to assist in securing King Richard’s release from prison? There are numerous advantages in accepting the offer of the barons: * The gang will be granted amnesty and will not face persecution from the authorities any longer. * Robin Hood and Merrymen will eventually end the campaign against the Sherriff. * If the rescue is successful, they will return their law abiding life, become national heroes, and will enjoy the benefits of the new position such as generous rewards and protection from the new king. * By putting a fair and intelligent king on the thrown, Merrymen will help to improve the socio-economic conditions of the population of England. However, accepting the offer is a dangerous and risky venture. * Robin Hood and Merrymen will face a very powerful rival, Prince John, who has an army of trained soldiers, numerous spies, and abundant recourses. * In case of failure of the new campaign, the revenge of t he Prince John can be detrimental and can put an end to Robin Hood and his organization. 8) What course of action of the above choices would you recommend to Robin? Be specific about why you chose this and how it addresses the problems you identified in question 2. Robin should accept the offer of the barons to help to rescue King Richard. As mentioned above the new strategy of the organization will provide numerous benefits and help to solve many existing problems. New mission will align the goals and objectives of the top executive and other members of the group, ensuring consistency in overall strategy. Imposing a transient tax to raise money for the ransom will help to achieve financial strength of the organization. The travelers, farmers and townspeople who are interested in overthrowing Prince John will be willing to help Robin Hood and provide them with provision and financial resources, resolving the problems of the food shortage. Forming strategic alliance with the baron will help to gain competitive edge over the rivals. 9) How should Robin implement your recommended strategy? Make a list of the top five specific action steps (tactics) that he needs to take in order to implement this plan. * Meet with the barons (Inform the barons about accepting the offer, obtain details about King Richard captivity) * Enforce security within the organization (Stop recruiting new agents and improve internal control over Merrymen not to let the spies of Prince John find out about the new plan) * Send spies to Prince John’s court to be aware of rivals’ actions * Introduce a transient tax in order to raise money for ransom * Form a team that will deliver ransom and free King Richard 10) Show a new organization chart for Robin Hood and his men, based on whatever new course of action you recommend in question 8.

The lives of Muslims living in a British, non-Muslim culture Essay Example for Free

The lives of Muslims living in a British, non-Muslim culture Essay This essay will be looking at the Shariah and how it is applied and how it affects the lives of Muslims living in a British, non-Muslim culture. In Islam Shariah is the name for the Islamic law, which applies to all aspects of the life of a Muslim. The Shariah includes all aspects of life from the daily activities, worship, criminal law and everything else. It is compulsory by every Muslim and by all Muslim nations to put into practice the Islamic Shariah and make it the source of all law and legislation. In Arabic, Shariah means the clear, well-trodden path to water. (www.bbc.co.uk). In Islam is it used to refer to the matters of religion that Allah has passed down for His servants, water is vital to all human life so the clarity and uprightness of Shariah is the means of life for the soul and the mind. (www.ourisalmonline.com) Over one and half million people living in Britain are Muslims. The Muslim community in Britain is mostly Asian, people who have immigrated are from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and East Africa; also there is a minority of Muslims from Cyprus, Turkey, the Middle East (Saudi Arabia), Africa, Malaysia and Indonesia who are also permanently settled here in Britain for employment and business. Psychologically a person would judge her/himself by her/his ideals whereas one tends to judge others by their practices and this is also true of interaction between cultural groups. Muslims living in Britain, for example would judge the majority group, the British as a homogeneous group referring to it as the other. This emphasises the characteristics and behaviour, which are most different from their own, they will tend to judge more in their view of the Islamic ideal. It is the same for the British who will judge the characteristics of Muslims in view of their own ideal based upon a conception of what is typically British. (Roald 2001, 119) The family is the central to the whole scheme of social life as seen by Islam; therefore it must be preserved and strengthened at all costs. This concern is due to a number of laws laid down by Islam, for example like those regarding the relationship between the sexes and their intermingling, punishments for extra-marital sex, dress and many other related things. Unlike the structure of English families, the family structure of the Muslim family is very different, it includes well defined rights and obligations and the Muslim parents are enjoined in the Quran to meet their family obligations with kindness and justice. The Quran asks the children to love and respect their parents; mothers in particular as the most worthy of respect, help and love. Due to this particular nature of Islam as a total way of life and the role of the family life, the younger generation of Muslims in Britain are often in a state of confusion and conflict in meeting the religious and the family duty on one hand and on the other trying to gain total acceptance within the English communities in which they study, work in which they are surrounded in. Some British cultures believe that Islam is a new religion brought by Prophet Muhammad (blessings of Allah and peace be upon him). They say that He was the Founder of Islam and that at times it is referred to as Mohammadanism. Islam stresses upon the fact that it is not a new religion and that Prophet Muhammad (blessings of Allah and peace be upon him) did not bring a new faith. Islam says that he was the last of the Prophets, which included Abraham, Moses and Jesus and that He only renewed what they had preached. He cannot be called the Founder of Islam and Islam can defiantly not be called Mohammadanism. (Al-Attas 1978, 21) Islamic life is based on two foundations, which is belief and action. The fundamental beliefs that Islam teaches are the belief in One God (Allah), in all the Prophets of Allah last of all was Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the belief in the Quran; and in the Day of Resurrection, the Day of Judgement and the life after death. Muslims also must believe in the angels, as the servants of Allah who bring His message to the Prophets and obey and implement His commands. Belief in the Oneness of Allah is the foundation of Islam; Allah is One, Unique, the All Powerful, the Sustainer and Nourisher of the entire world; in Whose hands are the life and death of all creatures. Every Muslim is required as an important part of his faith is to believe and respect all the Prophets of Allah. Denial of one is the denial of all. Islam is based on five pillars; these are the basic and formal structure of worship, which enables a Muslim to transform his entire life into an act of worship. The first pillar is the declaration of faith, which is known as the Shahadah, the second pillar is prayer, to pray five times a day (this is known as Salah). The third pillar is the welfare due to the needy (Zakah), the fourth is to fast during the month of Ramadan (Sawm) and the final pillar is to go at least once in a life time on the pilgrimage to Makka (Hajj) if one can afford to and is fit in health wise. (Basic Principals of Islam, 5) The Shariah is in the Holy Quran and the life example of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is embodied in the Sunnah and this is where the law is revealed by Allah for the Muslims. The Islamic Law is not made by Muslims. The law is interpreted by Muslim scholars but once it is derived from the Quran or the Sunnah it can never not even by a simple comma be changed. The Western mass media have tended to present a distorted and biased view of the Islamic Law and have associated it with the particular Muslim countries in relation to singular dramatic events such as the event on September 11th. The Shariah is explained in K.J. Murads article the Shariah is not merely a collection of dos and donts, or just a set of criminal laws prescribing punishments for certain crimes. The Shariah literally means a clear path. It is the path that man, in Islam must walk as he toils and strives to reach his Creator. It is the yearning deep within to seek the Lord and the Master that the Shariah translates into steps, concrete and measured, on the pathways of life. The Shariah is the fulfilment of the total man inner and outer, individual and corporate as he strives to live by the will of his One and only God. (Ahsan and McDermott 1993, p29). The Shariah consists of things which are expressly prohibited (haram) for example eating any food derived from the pig, consuming alcohol, gambling, interest and adultery are specifically forbidden. There are certain Muslim practices in which people who are involved in various relationships with Muslims require a certain amount of information. These are related to various aspects such food, dress, sex, marriage, family, public worship etc. It is necessary not only to have the full information on the Islamic Law but the relations and attitudes on these matters. It is also vital to understand and respect the norms and values which belong to a culture different from the Western but in no way less civilised or inferior. Islam develops a framework of life where this world and the other world are fused together and has joined it into a whole. This world, this place is not something to be run away from, there is only a very short stay here for where the human beings placed on this earth are being examined, tested, purified and developed by the Almighty Allah. Man must stay within his or her limits and is allowed to use all the good things which are available on this earth. Nothing created can be made unlawful without authority from the Creator, there can be no ignorance, superstition, traditions and customs. In the British culture ignorance and superstition has increased a lot. There is ignorance between friends, families, business companies over authority, hierarchical needs. There is ignorance between friends over clothes, money, and fashion tastes and if they belong and are member of a social group. Various forms of supersitiions have embedded in peoples minds over time in Britain for example if you break a mirror you will have bad luck for seven years, walking underneath a ladder brings a person bad luck, Friday the 13th etc. Traditions and customs are more compulsory in the Asian community especially in places such as Pakistan but they still remain in the British culture but it is not as strong. Traditions and customs of a Pakistani family based in Pakistan tend to have more arranged marriages and allow their child only to get married to someone whom is of the same language and background. Whereas now in Britain it has become common for Muslims from different countries and backgrounds to get married and it is more of a free choice. Islam also urges that the needs and the desires of the body are not caused by evil within the person. All of them which is food, drink, sleep and sex should be satisfied only within the limitations set by Allah, once they are satisfied in violation of the limits set by the Almighty do they then become evil. (Lewis 1994, 111) According to Islam all foods are lawful and consumable unless it is stated in the Quran or the Sunnah otherwise. All varieties of fish and all kinds of vegetables are allowed in Islam, it is only the variety of meat, which Islam discriminates between certain animals. Pig in all forms and carnivorous animals whether slaughtered ritually or not is specifically forbidden. According to the Islamic law, the animal should be killed in such a way that blood flows out, usually by a very sharp knife penetrating the inner part of the animals neck and the name of Allah should be said upon it while it is being killed. Muslim communities in Britain has set up their own system of supplying halaal meat through shops run by Muslims. Nowadays supermarkets such as Safeways also supply halaal meat. The Kosher meat of the Jews is can also be eaten by Muslims, as the Jewish religion slaughter their animals in a very similar way also mentioning the name of God over them. Other foods sold in supermarkets which is either prepared or unprepared, Muslims need to read the list of ingredients very carefully whenever he or she intend to buy any food. The main problem in Britain unfortunately is giving the information about the ingredients in certain products as it is not legally binding. (www.youngmuslims.ca) In Islam it does not mention at all in the Quran or the Hadith of which dress a Muslim male or a Muslim female should wear. It has given broad outlines to all Muslims that they should cover their bodies properly and with decency.the minimum part of the body that should be covered by the man is from his navel to his knees and for a woman, she should be covered from head to toe leaving only the face and the hands. The main problem in the British culture between Muslims and non-Muslims is the competition between each other in fashion and taste to impress the opposite sex. Non-Muslims would and are able to go to extreme measures especially the female sex to make themselves more attractive by wearing fitted and revealing outfits. This has an influence on the Muslim females as they are in conflict in meeting religious obligations on one hand and gaining total acceptance with the host community. It has been realised that there is a Muslim Community in Britain, which believes in Islam. The Muslim child in Britain is likely to speak his native language (Urdu, Pashto, Bengali, Punjabi or Gujarati in most cases) at home, Arabic in prayers and English at school. In spiritual, religious and educational matters the Islamic religion gives man and woman equal rights making no differentiation between their opportunities in education and learning. The Prophet Muhammad (May Allah bring peace upon him) said Pursuit of learning is a duty for every Muslim man and women without distinction between, since learning is venerated in Islam and its pursuit obligatory. (Islamic Education and Single Sex Schools 1975, p12). Although Islam allows the equal rights to men and women but these rights are not necessarily those which will help them to follow the same roles and fulfil the same functions as society. The Holy Quran emphasises the womanly duties set upon them such the role of a wife and the motherly role. It is a lot of responsibility and it takes up a lot of the time of the women. In the hands of the women is the care of her familys social, religious and moral welfare whereas the male of the house, expectations from him are the fatherly roles and to be a husband, and also he is expected to accept the responsibility for providing the means by which the family may survive. According to Islam, there is a specific sex individuality in man and woman which they must preserve and cherish because it is this individuality which gives them honour and dignity and enables them to fulfil in an effective manner their specific role in society. In the Hadith it clearly shows that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) strongly disapproved of either sex imitating the behaviour of the other n their dress and manners. (Islamic Education and Single Sex Schools 1975, p13). Sex relationships outside marriage are clearly forbidden; an even intimate or sensual conversation between members of the opposite sex is disapproved of. This leads on to the point which is causing great concern to many Muslim parents in Britain today. These fears are similar to many of the Christian parents whom have gone through and still also do, in the face of growing permissiveness within this society. Some Muslim parents have even been prepared to keep their daughters at home in order to avoid conflict between the religious methods which confronts them when they reach secondary school age. The girls are not allowed to enter the free society of males other than close relations. This means that no Muslim girl ought to go a mixed secondary school. Also it must not be forgotten that a young unmarried Muslim male also needs a great deal of guidance. In the Times Educational Supplement there was an article saying that in and out of school life teenage girls were subjected to strong sexual pressures of various kinds. There is a constant drive towards early dating, their contemporaries expect it, commercial world exploits it. For many girls the single sex school was almost the only place where they could value others and be valued by them as persons with social intellectual and temperamental qualities to be enjoyed and fulfilled quite apart from the accident of sex'. (Islamic Education and Single Sex Schools 1975, p17). A Muslim child faces a very distressing conflict situation with respect to the many and varied roles he is required to play. For a Muslim child, the parents, with their Islamic, ethnic and village background; the family, the peer group within and outside the home, the mass media, the school environment, the teacher, the text book and society in general all combine together to put upon him very confusing and conflicting demands. What the child needs is a very high degree of sympathy and understanding from his home and his school. Given moral support from the family, guidance from the mosque and religious tolerance and respect from teachers and community workers, the young Muslim can learn to fulfil the rights and obligations upon him or her within the British society. In modern times, forces such as Western-style nationalism, tribalism and linguistic affinities, as well as the different ways in which various parts of the Islamic world have experienced the modern world and such forces as colonialism, secular nationalism, racialism and Western lay humanism have caused a significant variation in the manner and degree of attachment of many Muslims to Islam. (Nasr 1997, p78). There are Muslims in this world who never miss their daily prayers and live as much as they can by the Shariah, who consider their manner and attitude of following Islam to be the only manner. Yet again in contrast in the modern world there are also others who do not follow by the laws and still consider themselves as being defiantly Muslims. Also there are even who do not do anything specifically Islamic yet call themselves Muslims and would protest if called anything else. (Eaton 1997, 89), (www.usc.edu) Referencing Ahsan, M McDermott, M (1980) The Muslim Guide The Islamic Foundations Al-Attas, S (1978) Islam and Secularisation, Suhail Academy Lahore Pakistan Basic Principals of Islam, Albirr Foundations U.K. Eaton, G (1997) Islam and the Destiny of Man, The Islamic Text Society Islamic Education and Single Sex Schools Lewis, P (1994) Islamic Britain, I.B. Tauris Nasar, S (1987) Traditional Islam un the Modern World, Suhail Academy Lahore Pakistan Roald, A (2001) Women in Islam, London and New York www.bbc.co.uk www.usc.edu www.ourisalmonline.com)