Saturday, August 31, 2019

Mexican Drug War Essay

Mexican Drug War Introduction The Mexican Drug War is perhaps the deadliest and most devastating battle this country has encountered in it’s history. Its’ violence affects both civilians and its’ very culture. Since 2006, the border of Mexico has been a place of hostility, turmoil, and outright warfare which has transitioned throughout the countryside. Unlike traditional military solutions, Mexico and the United States must work together to quell the hostility by creating economic opportunities for those in Mexico, stop the flow of drugs into the US, and stop the feed of guns into Mexico. Background The Mexican Drug War is based in Mexico, although the United States can be blamed for making a large contribution to it. Mexican organizations that deal in illegal activities started during the US prohibition of alcohol in the 1920s. It seems that when there is a demand for an item in the US and no supply, Mexico has always been there to supplement our â€Å"needs†. A Mexican Cartel is a criminal organization developed with the main purpose of promoting and controlling drug trafficking operations both interstate and intrastate. They range from loosely managed business agreements among various drug traffickers to formal commercial enterprises. The main Mexican Cartels consist of the Sinaloa, Gulf, La Familia, Tijuana, Beltran, and Juarez cartels. These cartels cover the majority of the territory in Mexico. There are two main cartels that control most of the market, the Sinaloa Cartel and the Gulf Cartel. The Sinaloa Cartel is led by a man nicknamed â€Å"El Chapo†. He was in jail in 2001 but escaped allegedly in a laundry basket. He is the most wanted man in the world with a bounty of eighty-seven million dollars. No one has drawn so much law enforcement attention since Al Capone. He and the Sinaloa Cartel are so successful that he has his own Forbes profile, he is estimated to be worth one billion dollars, making him the 1140th richest man in the world and the 55th most powerful. There are also allegations that the Sinaloa Cartels teamed up with the the Mexican government to take out other cartels. The Gulf Cartel is reknowned for hiring a private mercenary army of corrupt elite military soldiers to work for them in 2001. The Sinaloa and Gulf Cartels worked together as partners up until February 2010, when their partnership dissolved. The dissolution  was so involved and violent that it turned some border towns into ghost towns. (Mexico’s Drug Wars). Most recreational drugs are outlawed in the United States and the main ones Mexico supplies are marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamines, and heroin. Marijuana has accounted for 858,408 arrests in 2009 in the US. It can have a lasting effect on young people with effects such as â€Å"structural and functional deficits of the brain†. Cocaine is a very dangerous drug, due to its power to get people hooked very quickly. The effects are scabs on mucus membrane, damage to the nasal septum, and eventually make your nose collapse. Heroin is a very addictive drug, in fact, one fourth of the people who try it, become addicts. The effects are infection of the heart lining and the valves, liver disease, lung disease, hepatitis and HIV/AIDS from needle use. Methamphetamine is a highly addictive drug that can cause loss of weight, teeth, the development of scabs and open sores on the face. It can also cause psycotic behaviors, such as paranoia, hallucinations, and delusions. ( Above the Influe nce) Defining the Problem In the city Juarez, a border city next to El Paso, violence has escalated to a point that people are actually moving their businesses to El Paso for safety precautions. The Mexican National death toll for the month of January 2013 was issued and it had 1104 related to the Mexican Drug War, that is an average of 34.45 deaths per day during that month. Juarez is the best example of how the Mexican drug war can ruin a town. The deaths in Mexico from the drug war amount to about 60,000 since 2006; 67 reporters, 3,500 officers, and over 1000 children. It has displaced over 1.6 million people, many of whom were forced to leave their possessions behind. The violence is astounding and is the main problem in this war. ( Mexico’s Drug War Violence and the Role the United States Plays) and (An Uneasy CoExistence: Security and Migration Along the El Paso-Ciudad Juarez Border) Causes There may be corruption in the Mexican government, and there is no way to be sure. They have denied everything, but claims say otherwise. If this is true, there has to be a new power in the Mexican government. Certain allegations say that the government has been turning a blind eye towards the  activities of the cartels or have taken bribes. When the cartels are allowed to run free, lives are lost. (Key issues on Obama’s Mexico trip: Trade, immigration, and drug war) The demand for drugs seems to be ingrained in the American culture. There are movies that portray the taking of drugs as a very cool, and natural thing to do, when really it can destroy lives. As long as we accept drugs as the thing to do, we will keep relying on the drugs that come from Mexico. Positions/Perspectives People all see the Mexican drug war with different views, and many want to approach it different ways. The world leaders are the people with the most influential views. United States President Barack Obama has said that the US will try to prevent demand for drugs and stop the illegal sale of guns but legalizing drugs is not our best choice. â€Å" I personally, and my administration’s position is, that legalization is not the answer†. (Key issues on Obama’s Mexico trip: Trade, immigration, and drug war) Pena Nieto, the current president of Mexico, has said that creating more economic opportunities for the citizens of Mexico will turn out to be Mexico’s greatest solution. Countrymen and others have to go to the drug cartels to make money and pay the bills, but when there are more choices for people, they don’t give the drug cartels life.( Key issues on Obama’s Mexico trip: Trade, immigration, and drug war) Another top Mexican official has said â€Å" Economically, there is no argument or solution other than legalization, at least of marijuana.† . He said that it would move nearly all production of marijuana to California. He also said â€Å" Mexico’s objective should be to make the US self sufficient in marijuana.† Also three former Latin American presidents have said that governments should very seriously consider the legalization of marijuana. (Saving Mexico) Solutions Overview of the US and Mexico working together efficiently means the US doing its part in stopping illegal gun sales and trying to douse the demand for drugs by its citizens while Mexico must attempt to stop the violence, and create more economic opportunities for people. Analysis of Solutions The US needs to regulate its gun laws. The Mexican authorities have seized 70,000 weapons of US origin from 2007 to 2011. When there are no guns, there  are no fire fights in the streets of Mexico. The guns going to Mexico are just gasoline on the fire. ( Mexico’s Drug War Violence and the Role the United States Plays) The countrymen of Mexico are subjected to producing for the cartels, and have no where else to go, but with more jobs and choices they are able to avoid this dirty work and go do anything else. (Mexico’s Drug War and the Role the United States Plays) If you can clear the drug cartel out of one town, you save that town. There may be other towns that need to be saved, but if you can make a difference in that one town, the difference will mean the world to them. Locally Mexico needs to try and fix a town at a time. Legalization of marijuana could be the best option, but according to the president, that cannot happen, off the table, not possible. The most efficient and effective solution is that Mexico and America work together by stopping the guns coming coming in and increasing the job diversity in Mexico. Conclusion

Friday, August 30, 2019

Reporting Practices and Ethics Paper

Planning is when the financial manager identifies the steps that must be taken to accomplish the organization’s objectives. The purpose is to identify objectives and then to identify the steps required for accomplishing these objectives. Controlling is when the financial manager makes sure that each area of the organization is following the plans that have been established. The purpose of controlling is to ensure that plans are being followed.Organizing is when the financial manager decides how to use the resources of the organization to most effectively carry out the plans that have been established. Directing is when the manager works on a day-to-day basis to keep the results of the organizing running efficiently. The purpose is to ensure effective resource use and provide daily supervision. Decision making is when the financial manger makes choices among available alternatives. Decision making actually occurs parallel to planning, organizing, and controlling.All types of de cision making rely on information, and the primary tasks are analysis and evaluation. The purpose is to make informed choices (Baker and Baker, 2001). Summary of generally accepted accounting principles and general financial ethical standards Most healthcare organizations operate on the accrual accounting basis. With this type of accounting; revenue is recorded when it is earned-not when payment is received; and expenses are recorded when they are incurred-not when they are paid.Ethical decision making is required when the healthcare executive must balance the needs and interests of the individual, the organization and society. Those involved in the decision making process must consider ethical principles such as justice, autonomy, beneficence and fairness, as well as professional ethical standards and codes. Physicians, nurses, and other caregivers may primarily address ethical issues on a case-by-case basis. Healthcare executives also have a responsibility to address those issues at broader organization, community, and social levels ACHE, 2007). Examples from articles that reflect ethical standards of conduct and financial reporting practices. Explain significance of each example. In May 2004, Larry J. Tyler wrote in an article that financial managers need to keep their own personal finances in order. If a financial manager is living too close to the edge on his/her own finances or are in fear of losing their job, and then they are more likely to â€Å"bend† their convictions (Tyler, 2004).The importance of this example is so financial managers do not â€Å"fix† the books to make the organization look better than it actually is. If someone thinks that their job is on the line, they are more likely to do what others want them to do as well. In an article written by Joe Batte, a healthcare compliance specialist, he reported that state and federal agencies are increasing their efforts to eliminate fraud and abuse in healthcare.Batte defines fraud as: Knowingly and willfully executing or attempting to execute, a scheme or artifice to defraud any health care benefit program. Or to obtain, by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations or promises, any of the money or property owned by, or under the custody of, or control of, any health care benefit program. Batte defines abuse as: Abuse is defined as receiving payment for items and service when there is no legal entitlement for that payment and the provider has not knowingly or intentionally misrepresented the facts to obtain payment.Abuse may, directly or indirectly, result in unnecessary costs to the Medicare or Medicaid programs for services which fail to meet recognized standards of care, or that are medically unnecessary. Whether it’s abuse or fraud, the fact that a provider can lose everything through being excluded from state and Federal health care program’s participation makes it imperative to run the providers company in a professional, comp liant, and business-like fashion. It is also wise to know what is currently being done by the agencies that oversee our health care systems (Batte, Joseph R. 2001). In the articles above, knowledge of what can happen to someone, or the organization as a whole, will deter managers of falsifying financial reports. Education is key to any position, whether healthcare or another. Knowledge of the consequences will help keep managers on the straightened arrow. Conclusion It is incumbent upon healthcare executives to lead in a manner that sets an ethical tone for their organizations. Education in ethics is an important step in healthcare’s executives’ life-long commitment to high ethical conduct, both personally and professionally.In today’s more aggressive enforcement environment it pays to have an active compliance program in effect, make sure that documentation is complete and legible, and don’t assume that the small or medium sized provider is not going to be reviewed on a regular basis. The medical industry is held to a higher standard of ethics and many of the overseeing agencies are now using their considerable arsenal to make sure that fraud and abuse reduction is on everyone’s front burner. Reporting Practices and Ethics Paper Planning is when the financial manager identifies the steps that must be taken to accomplish the organization’s objectives. The purpose is to identify objectives and then to identify the steps required for accomplishing these objectives. Controlling is when the financial manager makes sure that each area of the organization is following the plans that have been established. The purpose of controlling is to ensure that plans are being followed.Organizing is when the financial manager decides how to use the resources of the organization to most effectively carry out the plans that have been established. Directing is when the manager works on a day-to-day basis to keep the results of the organizing running efficiently. The purpose is to ensure effective resource use and provide daily supervision. Decision making is when the financial manger makes choices among available alternatives. Decision making actually occurs parallel to planning, organizing, and controlling.All types of de cision making rely on information, and the primary tasks are analysis and evaluation. The purpose is to make informed choices (Baker and Baker, 2001). Summary of generally accepted accounting principles and general financial ethical standards Most healthcare organizations operate on the accrual accounting basis. With this type of accounting; revenue is recorded when it is earned-not when payment is received; and expenses are recorded when they are incurred-not when they are paid.Ethical decision making is required when the healthcare executive must balance the needs and interests of the individual, the organization and society. Those involved in the decision making process must consider ethical principles such as justice, autonomy, beneficence and fairness, as well as professional ethical standards and codes. Physicians, nurses, and other caregivers may primarily address ethical issues on a case-by-case basis. Healthcare executives also have a responsibility to address those issues at broader organization, community, and social levels ACHE, 2007). Examples from articles that reflect ethical standards of conduct and financial reporting practices. Explain significance of each example. In May 2004, Larry J. Tyler wrote in an article that financial managers need to keep their own personal finances in order. If a financial manager is living too close to the edge on his/her own finances or are in fear of losing their job, and then they are more likely to â€Å"bend† their convictions (Tyler, 2004).The importance of this example is so financial managers do not â€Å"fix† the books to make the organization look better than it actually is. If someone thinks that their job is on the line, they are more likely to do what others want them to do as well. In an article written by Joe Batte, a healthcare compliance specialist, he reported that state and federal agencies are increasing their efforts to eliminate fraud and abuse in healthcare.Batte defines fraud as: Knowingly and willfully executing or attempting to execute, a scheme or artifice to defraud any health care benefit program. Or to obtain, by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations or promises, any of the money or property owned by, or under the custody of, or control of, any health care benefit program. Batte defines abuse as: Abuse is defined as receiving payment for items and service when there is no legal entitlement for that payment and the provider has not knowingly or intentionally misrepresented the facts to obtain payment.Abuse may, directly or indirectly, result in unnecessary costs to the Medicare or Medicaid programs for services which fail to meet recognized standards of care, or that are medically unnecessary. Whether it’s abuse or fraud, the fact that a provider can lose everything through being excluded from state and Federal health care program’s participation makes it imperative to run the providers company in a professional, comp liant, and business-like fashion. It is also wise to know what is currently being done by the agencies that oversee our health care systems (Batte, Joseph R. 2001). In the articles above, knowledge of what can happen to someone, or the organization as a whole, will deter managers of falsifying financial reports. Education is key to any position, whether healthcare or another. Knowledge of the consequences will help keep managers on the straightened arrow. Conclusion It is incumbent upon healthcare executives to lead in a manner that sets an ethical tone for their organizations. Education in ethics is an important step in healthcare’s executives’ life-long commitment to high ethical conduct, both personally and professionally.In today’s more aggressive enforcement environment it pays to have an active compliance program in effect, make sure that documentation is complete and legible, and don’t assume that the small or medium sized provider is not going to be reviewed on a regular basis. The medical industry is held to a higher standard of ethics and many of the overseeing agencies are now using their considerable arsenal to make sure that fraud and abuse reduction is on everyone’s front burner.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

The Validity of Perception Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Validity of Perception - Essay Example This is because perceptions that are deep habitually draw attention. Organization of what people perceive is paramount in the creation of reality. This is because the selected information should be arranged in a way which is meaningful so as to make sense to the world. Interpretation and negotiations are necessary to realize a reality in what people perceive. In regard to the video under scrutiny by Scott, the report considers a murder that took place in Lynwood, California where a father was advising the kids on how to get home and do their homework instead of horsing around. A car appeared, and the father got shot from the passenger sit of the approaching vehicle. Investigation kicked off, and the first suspect, Francisco Carrillo who lived in the neighborhood was to answer murder charges. According to the kids in the video by Scott, the person appearing in the photo looked similar to the person who had shot their father from the vehicle, which ironically was moving too fast to ide ntify the people who were in the vehicle. The suspect underwent conviction and sentenced to life imprisonment, just because the kids had said that the person was the one who shot their father. In the investigation, no guns are in the area, the vehicle which the shooter uses to stretch his arm also goes missing. This also applies to the driver who drove the vehicle that was in use by the shooter. Discussion The reading according to Adler, Ronald, Lawrence, and Russell (42) is in a rhetorical condition whereby, the author uses rhetorical question to bring out the argument in the case. Some of the rhetorical questions include; â€Å"so what is wrong?† this question makes the reader continue reading and answer the question. This structure of using rhetorical questions is necessary to make sure that the reader can relate the events in the case. This is because a rhetorical question does not have an exact answer; rather the author uses the questions to help the reader perceive the seriousness. A question like â€Å"Mr. Carrillo’s alibi?† makes the reader what to know more about the person. The author does not answer the question; rather the author leaves the readers to answer for themselves. This writing style helps to send the message in the reading since the reader plays a significant role in filling the blanks left by the rhetorical questions. Apart from the use of rhetorical questions, there is the use of rhetorical figures such as Folsom Prison to explain the lock up situation of the suspected shooter since the evidence brought before the judge is not concrete enough to put the suspect to prison. Perception The perception is a process which affects the communication with others according to the reading. In the earlier introduction regarding to perception, there are two define classes, the first order and second order. Influence on perception Perception, which involves the selection, organization, interpretation and negotiation of informatio n, is under the influence of many factors. Psychological influences in regard to the study works of Adler, Ronald, Lawrence, and Russell (41) arise from the physical environment and the difference of one’s body to that of another person. Interpersonal relationships arise from the differences in the way people receive sensory information. Developmental differences shape perceptions since age gives allowance for a vast scope and much experience. The relation

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

International Human Rights Protection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

International Human Rights Protection - Essay Example However, with not all countries adhering to the provisions of convention with sincerity, the convention has not been able to bring about the necessary effect, and thus, discrimination of women has continued unabated even in literate and well-developed societies. The implementation of the 1979 UNGA convention was a creditable effort in bringing out human rights concerns of the female half of the humanity. The convention specified meaning of equality and also the means to achieve it. As per Article 1, discrimination has been spelt out as "any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex ... in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field." The agenda is then spread over fourteen such articles including human reproduction aspects and their rights therein. While cultural and legal status of women receives maximum attention, their rights to education, employment, economic and social activities are also critically assessed. It also declares full equality of women in civil and business matters and that any instrument restricting such legal capacity shall be null and void. Marriage, family relations and rights with regard to choice of spouse, parenthood, personal rights and command over property receive deta iled description. In reproductive function, it requires shared responsibility for child rearing, maternity protection and child care. Society's obligations in areas like provisioning of child care facilities while women performing public life have been clearly spelt out. Cultural patterns which define world as a man's world globally also need to be amended through proactive initiatives by respective societies with assistance from their governments. Essential Drawbacks The essential drawbacks in implementation of the provisions of the convention lie in the fact that while states have an obligation to implement the convention; there is no accepted way of penalising a state that willingly or unwillingly does not conform to implementation of these provisions. While states with better track record have achieved better human development in terms of lower poverty, better education or uniform laws for all citizens, most developing or undeveloped countries have failed to satisfactorily ensure women's empowerment due to lack of national will, inadequate policy implementation and deep rooted traditional issues which are dificult to tackle. While the list of difficulties being faced is too long to be included in this section, some such aspects along with specific articles of the convention are discussed in succeeding paragraphs: Traditional view of subordinate position of women in most societies has been the biggest roadblock across the world. Articles 2(f), 5 and 10 (c) relate to traditional attitudes regarding women being subordinate to men. Besides physical violence and mental torture, this also causes lower levels of education, neglected skills, unequal work opportunities and minimal political participation. These also propagate pornography and use of women as sexual objects than as individuals. Article 6 requires elimination of women trafficking and prostitution.

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Reflection paper IC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reflection paper IC - Essay Example The information gathered by these organisations becomes fundamental to policy makers as it aids in making informed decisions. Failure by intelligence organisations to provide accurate and timely information could result in security catastrophe. The intelligence reports remain essential in evading such security threat in many parts of the world. Over the next decade, intelligence gathering could be faced by numerous challenges resulting from increased technology utilisation across the world. The American intelligence services have been faced with challenges of gaining accurate information from other regions of the world. The increased utilisation of technological devices makes information readily available from different sources. Over the next decade, technological methods will form the basis for undertaking intelligence reporting. The technology will however cause intelligence challenges, as these devices will be utilised by other people, who could have malicious causes (Drogin and Goetz 2005). The security of intelligence reports will become a major concern as technological devices remain prone to hacking and corruption of information by malicious individuals. The security of information will be a major challenge for the next decade, among intelligence agencies ( Bureau of Public Affairs 2013). The skills utilised available to the individuals undertaking different intelligence operations remain a significant challenge for the intelligence services. Many organisations utilise different approaches, some requiring intensive training, which might be increasingly expensive to pursue. The sources of security threats, like terrorists, have also advanced their knowledge of similar intelligence techniques. Over the next decade, the challenge of dealing with security threats coming from equally trained operatives shall become a reality. The training techniques and intelligence gathering

Monday, August 26, 2019

Case study Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 16

Case study - Assignment Example In nutshell, Burger King’s quirky advertising has enabled it shed its old boring image, stand out and position itself as a joint for fun loving people. The company has witnessed an increase in revenue, thanks to the advertising campaigns that had the potency to surprise customers. The purpose of advertising may be information dissemination, persuasion or brand building. Advertising is said to be effective if it achieves the stated objectives. Burger King has been able to attract the 18- to 34-year-old males even though it has alienated others. In essence, the company has not contravened any legal requirement and has used legitimate advertising to reach the desired demographic profile. Ethics refer to an individual’s moral judgment about right and wrong. They emanate from the norms and beliefs prevalent in the society. Ethics is a subjective term. The opinion on whether a particular action or decision is ethical or unethical may vary from person to person. Burger King’s advertising strategy may be regarded as unethical in parts. In some campaigns, Burger King’s advertising agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky used visuals that were demeaning to women. Critics alleged that fast food retailer was relying on sex to promote its products. Some pictures posted on the company’s website with the caption â€Å"Groupies love the Coq† were also inappropriate for children viewing. The fast-food giant’s ‘Whopper Virgins’ campaign wherein three separate people groups underwent blind taste tests was racially demeaning and thus unethical. These advertisements depicted people from regions of Iceland, Thailand, and Transylvania and were stated to have no exposure of any of the leading fast food giants. In 2005, Burger King adopted the faux metal band called ‘Coq Roq’ to promote its new Chicken Fries. The company’s Coq Roq Web site featured a photo gallery of young women. These pictures along with the

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Hertzian Contact Stresses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Hertzian Contact Stresses - Essay Example Hertz identifies that the abutment of non-conforming forms was an example of stress accumulation that could be explicated liberated of the geometry and physics of stress field generated in the bodies. According to Heinrich Hertz," we can confine our attention to that part of each body which is very close to the point of contact, since here the stresses are extremely great compared with those occurring elsewhere, and consequently depends only to the smallest extent on the forces applied to other parts of the bodies." By circumscribing concentration to that fragment of the garb padlocked to the areas in contact with each other, the forces and wrench can be observed by evasion the slender cal arch of the surfaces of the two contacted bodies. The hertz theory is stimulated by two factors namely quadratic terms are used to delineate the geometry of general curved surface areas and the area of the body that have a curved surface mutilate as though they have elastic half spaces. From time t o time efforts are made to enhance hertz theory by considering higher order terms in the geometric elaboration of cylindrical or spherical profiles and by calculating the deformations of truly cylinder or spherical solids. Considering the hertz theory with respect to Marine engineering components, it has been observed that these components are designed to accommodate a defined life. Considering the case of Roll Bearings, which are used in ships, has approximately life of 65,000 hours and so accordingly this requires its replacement quite frequently during the tenure of the ship. The failure of these bearings is consorted with the inner raceway. The failures, which include the center radial, bearing of thrust bearing pair and radial drive end bearing, are also experienced. A very close examination depicts that the failure is the result of sub-surface fatigue. Once the cracks are instigated then it lead to grows and promulgate sub-surfaces. Following figure shows typical failure morphology of bearings This figure shows that Hertizan stresses plays important role in this failure process. On canvassing and implicating the Hertz theory in above scenario it is serene that shear forces are effectuated sub-surface and repose on plane close to

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Peer to Peer Networking In Business Research Paper

Peer to Peer Networking In Business - Research Paper Example The technology is beneficial in business development and application following economic returns, and its downsides are not any better. Business ethics and legal action indicates implications that are equivalent to theft due to infringement of copyright laws and theft of intellectual property. The above brings about the demerits of running p2p technologies in the world of business for both offices and file-sharing. Peer to peer file sharing is also known as P2P file sharing, and has an important role in its application to the conventional world. This is following office application and business ethics in terms of infringing on people’s rights, as well as benefits for business ideas. Application of p2p technology in business based on the above terms is explored based on how it runs and with its consequences in business and ethics. Working P2P file sharing works in different ways based on the employment of the protocol, such as file querying from server based services to respond on the presence or existence of a file. With this use, the response prompts the owner of the given file to provide the file to the peer who needs it. In fast track protocol, files are based on nodes on a two-tier basis: super nodes and ordinary nodes. Individual computers form nodes, while super nodes are the act as directories for the centralized servers as used above. With p2p software, ordinary nodes connect to super nodes, which query the directory and respond with a list of matches for the user to create a direct peer-to-peer connection (Koskela et al, 2013). This is aimed at fetching the desired file directly from the selected peer. The bitTorrent program is the last protocol of p2p file sharing and is based on a simple concept of sharing. In this program, files are not shared, but rather bits of files are broken down to bits and distributed by different peers at equal sizes to different peers. A single copy of the file piece is distributed to different peers and then the peer s with the different pieces provide them to one another. The peer with the original, complete file is known as a seed. Business Applications Peer-to-peer file sharing is highly beneficial to all users and other potential users based on the intent of use. In this regard, installation of bit Torrent clients is simple, as so is the configuration of all computers on the sharing network. With this in mind, time is saved for purposes that are more constructive rather than spending extended periods working on it. In addition, all resources required for file transfer are shared amongst peers making the file transfer process efficient. This is due to the elimination of servers that store content and are more susceptible to failure, which inconveniences users (Light, 2001). For this reason, p2p allows users to continue functionally without influencing other users thus; is more reliable as compared to server based sharing. In addition, it is relatively cheap as compared to other networks due t o the few resources required and elimination of additional hardware. Maintenance and administration is barely required, making it an easily efficient system as each user manages his or her computer/ node thus controlling resource use at no additional cost of inconvenience. Commercially, p2p can be used for distribution of premium content to consumers, such as games, movies, music and software among others (Light, 2001). This facilitates easy trade in digital content, especially legally licensed content. It can also be used for more services such as video on demand and leasing of copyrighted content by artists and private or independent content producers. In regard to business, p2p

Public Relations as Relationships Management Essay

Public Relations as Relationships Management - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the public relations domain is associated with the processes of communicating and exchanging of ideas related to change in order to handle the argument and facilitate policy-making initiatives. As a result, the public relations personnel look for entering into relationship with the public with the objective of motivating them to work in collaboration with their organization for the mutual interests of society and organization. Although the discipline of PR appears to be newer one in theory, yet it has been in vogue practically in all social sectors since the establishment of first state on the face of the earth. Theories have been articulated and researches have been conducted in order to determine the nature, scope and principles for the discipline. US Public Relations Society defines several components of PR, which include counseling, research, media relations, publicity, employees & community relations, public affairs, financial issue s, communication and much more. Thus, PR contains vastness in its nature and scope, and encompasses all social, political, financial and religious institutions in its wide scope. It is therefore the PR personnel contain heavy responsibilities to perform while rendering their services to the public at large. Public relations function using various types of technology and media, which makes it extremely critical from ethics and image perspective. Public relations, according to Wilcox & Cameron, are involved in providing information to the media and have the responsibility of accurate dissemination of information as well as the ability to convince the audience of the messages. Public relations are expected to function in an ethical and professional manner. b. Ethics and Professionalism: Like all other professions, PR sector has also determined specific set of ethics for the appropriate functioning of the people associated with it. Persuasion as a function of public relations is highly debated from ethical standpoint. As a consequence, ‘ethics’ in public relations are classified into three types, absolute, existential and situational. In public relations, any communication that is formal and professional is believed to be legal, ethical and in good taste; however, it must be inadequate manner and for the public interest only. As developing personal contacts come under the definition of personal relationship, which could be against public interest due to the very reality that it may cause the promotion and projection of favoritism and nepotism in the wake of it. A multi-perspective view of professionalism by various researchers and scholars only proves that professionalism actually helps communication-oriented profession to conduct its work in a logical and systematic fashion that will be unquestioned, at large.

Friday, August 23, 2019

Business environment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Business environment - Assignment Example The purpose of these different types of organizations are: Non-profit Organization: Such organization operate to provide services to the community without working on making any profits. Their aim is to improve the community. Such organizations includes universities and charitable organizations. Governmental Organization: These organizations are owned by the government to provide benefit to the citizens in the country. Another purpose is to utilize the resources in the country for the benefit of the community. IKEA is a for-profit organization just like Tesco. IKEAs vision is to create a better everyday life for many people (IKEA, 2014). They do this by introducing a wide product range which includes all kinds of home and even office products at low affordable prices. The vision of Tesco is ‘to be the most highly valued business by: the customers we serve, the communities in which we operate, our loyal and committed colleagues and of course, our shareholders.’ (McKeown, n.d). Tesco does not specifically deal in one kind of product. Rather Tesco is more of a retail store. IKEA deals with one niche of the retail sector which is home furniture, appliances and accessories. Tesco aims to provide maximum value to its stakeholders which include customers, employees and stakeholders. This vision clearly shows Tesco as a for-profit organization. Even IKEA is a for-profit organization but it has cleverly worded its vision statement to show respect to its customer. This also shows that IKEA is highly customer centric. Organizations today have also begun to include their corporate social responsibility in their vision and mission statement. While the vision statement of IKEA is too broad, Tesco has accepted its corporate social responsibility by including the community in its vision statement. For the customers, IKEA has the objective of increasing their customer base and retaining its

Thursday, August 22, 2019

How Material Things Contribute Towards Differences on a Street Essay Example for Free

How Material Things Contribute Towards Differences on a Street Essay Taking into consideration that ‘difference is not the same as inequality’ (Blakeley et al., 2009, p. 24), this essay intends to look at KÃâ€" and outline how the material things contribute towards differences with reference to City Road; deriving from the premise that the material assets of a street can generate either an inclusive or exclusive interaction, favouring some and not others. Kà ¶nigsalle, known by its nickname, â€Å"Kà ¶, is the most beloved upscale commercial street in Germany (Welt online, 2010). On one side of the street we have stores from the most expensive brands in the world and on the other, a mix of baroque buildings which host a different number of businesses. Being seen walking along or visiting its stores is denotative of a unique social status. Everything along the Kà ¶ is designed to be in accordance to and promote an upscale social lifestyle. The material things on City Road, while performing a more literal function, also contribute to tangible objective differences when favouring, for example, pedestrians over drivers (e.g. the red tarmac offers pedestrians an extra safety measure when crossing, while taking away space from the drivers); parking is also a critical matter, generating therefore, economic consequences for the local shops (‘Material Lives’, 2009, scene 1). Another relevant point is the fact that, City Road social appearance, along with its material assets usage, changes considerably throughout the day, making it almost a different street by nightfall (e.g. from a busy commercial street during the day to a ‘party haven’ at night, when it is taken over by young adults) (‘Making social lives on City Road’, 2009, Scene 8). Such an absolute change does not occur on the Kà ¶. On the Kà ¶, the very same material things, should not only perform the most frugal of the functions, but also be in accordance to what the street stands for, thus, being an active part of the process of creating objective tangible differences -like in City Road, as well as, subjective ones. Kà ¶ supports its image by providing the necessary visible and invisible infrastructure to sustain a busy, high-octane upscale atmosphere: The street signage is visible; there are several crossing points; clearly marked sidewalks, tarmacs and lanes favour the mobility of handicapped individuals as well as bicycles and pedestrians without deterring traffic; it is well lit; the buildings and facades are well taken care of; litter bins are everywhere and one will, for example, find plenty of parking possibilities, which as a result, allows the individual to visit the stores and restaurants and feel safe. Altogether, the material things are in perfect apparent symbiosis with its users. Separately, each material asset on the Kà ¶ objectively indicates them as being part of a regular commercial street just like City Road. When looking at them altogether, the ensemble creates a striking subjective difference. To better illustrate how the material things on both streets subjectively enforces a certain type of behaviour and attitude, take the example of an individual walking down the street wearing shorts, tank-top and flip-flops. On City Road, this individual would most likely not even be noticed. The same individual walking down the Kà ¶, would be regarded as conspicuous. The same can be applied to the type of cars circulating on the Kà ¶ or City Road, a Ferrari on the Kà ¶ would be taken for granted while on City Road it would probably stand out. Another example to consider is parking. Though there are many parking slots and options, the prices around the Kà ¶ are up to 80% more expensive than other streets in Dà ¼sseldorf (RP Online, 2011), hence, favouring the visit of the more affluent layer of the community over the lesser one. There is no sign on the Kà ¶ telling who is welcomed or not; objectively speaking everyone is welcomed, but its material things are invested with such a subjective meaning, that they set the pace and shape of the local social life, creating therefore, an alluring environment which itself dictates a whole gamut of social patterns that are absorbed and followed by the local community, consequently contributing towards differences. While City Road reveals a more inclusive image, Kà ¶ conversely manifests a more exclusive one. As we can see, each street is similar in various aspects and are designed and structured to cater and favour a specific type of person, business or activity and its material things corroborate such a process by subjectively or objectively embedding certain social patterns which will then be adopted by their users.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Interventions for Drug Addiction: Case Study

Interventions for Drug Addiction: Case Study 18893 Many attempts have been made to arrive at a universally acceptable definition of addiction and what causes addictive behaviour but the matter still remains unresolved. People often define addiction as drug abuse and misuse. To Krivak (1982,p.83), ‘Addiction will be defined as a behaviour pattern characterised by an ongoing and overwhelming preoccupation with the used of a drug and the securing of its supply.’ This definition could also say the addict is, ‘Someone who is involved with an activity to such an extent that it the major focus of his or her life’, (McAllister et all., 1991,p.5). For my assignment, I have chosen a client within the criminal justice system that has an addiction problem with drug misuse. He has been involved with the criminal justice system because of his offending behaviour relating to illegal drugs. I am basing my assignment on this client. I am going to discuss in my assignment, drug users and the criminal justice system, the psychology of addictive behaviour, Care planning and different options of planning and assessment, the initial referral and the in-depth assessment, methods of intervention and models of care and drug problems in prisons within the criminal justice system. Where there is an addiction to drugs, most drug users at some time or another come into contact with the criminal justice system. This is how my client got involved with the system. Some drug users spend periods of time in prison as a result of drug-related offending behaviour. There is an alternative to custody and these include fines, community service, probation and bail, which is subject to certain conditions such as participation in drug treatment programmes. My client is subject to certain conditions that he participates in a drug treatment programme. Criminal justice orders can be subject to conditions of residence for the offender. For drug service workers, close liaison with practitioners in the criminal justice field of work is normal practice. Joint care plans are carefully and sensitively devised to help both services work with the drug user in collaborative and constructive ways. Criminal justice practitioners are expected to work with offenders to achieve specific objectives and these are not always compatible with drug service objectives, for example, reducing drug-related offending behaviour rather than getting rid of it altogether (Robertson, 1998, p.389). My client has an addiction to drugs. The psychology of the addict involves behaviour that takes a repetitive form and is associated with increases of anxiety. Some behaviours that take a repetitive form are associated with increases or decreases in anxiety and these are considered compulsive behaviours. These types of behaviours can include drug addiction, gambling and exhibitionism. However there are important distinctions between these types of behaviour and action and true compulsive behaviour. Firstly addictive behaviours involve a pleasure-seeking component, which is not in compulsive behaviours. Secondly, the anxiety involved with the performance of criminal activity is appropriate in light of social sanctions. Obsessive-compulsive patients experience anxiety that is inappropriate to the situation (Oltman, 1995,p11). There are different options of planning and assessing with substance misuse offenders in the criminal justice system. For social workers, assessment is a key task and it will determine whether or not a care plan is needed for the offender of if a management service is needed. The NHS and Community Care Act (1990) provides guidance on procedures for assessment for people who are entitled to community care services. The assessment process includes, the initial referral, the initial assessment and the in-depth assessment. The assessment process should be needs led and not service-led. Community care services are greatly in demand and the screening process is used to determine who needs the treatment the most. Drug agencies undertaking assessment may receive referrals from the criminal justice system or other agencies. Basic referral forms are filled in with the details of the service user, such as factors and the reason for referral. My client has been referred from the criminal justice system to a drug agency for assessment. The initial interview with the service user will determine whether or not they need a more in-depth assessment or a formal care plan. Most local authorities have certain criteria and priority levels to which they can base their response on. The service user is told what is involved in the assessment, is told about confidentiality policies and whether or not there will be any participation of others. The service users are told what to do if they want to use complaint procedures or appeal if they are against any decisions made at or after the assessment. The initial assessment will determine the seriousness of the problem and the level of need required. My client has more complex needs with his addiction problems so he would require a more in-depth formal assessment so that a care plan can be made for him. This assessment will include personal details, family and relationships, social details, significant life events, social supports and networks, comprehensive history of addictions and associated problems. The assessment will also include, treatment history, risk behaviour, criminal history and current offending behaviour, financial status, physical health, mental health problems, past and present, self concepts, perceived needs and the level of motivation to address these needs, personal resources and abilities, resources and abilities of partners and carers, other agency assessments and specialist assessments and the conclusions and suggested interventions of the assessment. Robertson (1998,p.376) suggests that care planning should involved developing a package of care, which will meet the client’s needs. Care plans are systematic approaches and include all the care and treatment that will be provided and the desired outcome. Care plans are monitored measured and reviewed and will involve the client, service provider, an assessor and a care manager. The care plan will involve information gathered at the assessment in an easy to monitor format and will illustrate the behaviours that need to be addressed and it will have separate sections for identifying the needs of the problem. Partnerships between the criminal justice system and the treatment agencies direct substance-misusing offenders to the appropriate services. There are many initiatives aimed at encouraging substance misusers to take part in appropriate treatment that will help them. In the UK there are twelve step agencies that are also know as the ‘Minnesota method of treatment’. These agencies are funded through statutory sources. The aim of these agencies is to treat the dependence on drugs to help reduce drug misuse and to help the client give up drugs completely when they feel ready to do so. Three intermediate aims are to help resolve the underlying problems that contribute to drug misuse, to help the client gain more control and minimize harm also known as harm minimization (Keene, 1997,p.223). The Government produced a drug strategy in 1998 in the UK called, ‘Tackling drugs to build a better Britain.’ This was updated again in 2002. The strategy sets out the range of interventions and policies to help reduce harm caused by using illegal drugs by the year 2008. The drug intervention programme used to be known as the criminal justice interventions programme. The government aims to cut crime related to drug use. This strategy uses the criminal justice system to help direct offenders who used drugs out of crime and into treatment. There are different kinds of interventions used by drug service workers. Psychological interventions are very useful when it comes to help treat someone with a drug addiction. Professional psychotherapy is very effective and good quality drug counselling can also be very effective. Psychological interventions are, cognitive behaviour therapy, motivational interviewing, and the twelve-step treatment program that I discussed earlier and relapse prevention. Some people think that complementary and alternative therapies are useful, but there is not enough evidence in the population to back up this claim. The model of care, introduced by the National Treatment agency (NTA), is a framework that is used by Drug Services to ensure that the services provided are consistent and meet the needs of the service user. The framework is categorised by easy to understand tier levels and treatment levels. Tier one, includes primary care by health care professionals and general practitioners that provide medical services along with probation and housing services. Tier two (Open Access Services) offers a range of drop in street agencies that offer advice and support for stimulant users and substance misusers are able to drop in when there is a crisis. Tier three (Community prescribing services) is mostly geared towards opium user. Tier three, (Structured day programmes) are geared into providing education about drug misuse, and provide training for work skills and give advice about practical issues. Tier four, (Residential Care) has different systems in place for entry in different areas for entry in to residential care. The social services community care assessment team usually deal with the funding. Another option for the substance misuse offender is motivation to change. Motivational interviewing is based on using the motivational change model. The model consists of five stages with stage one being the pre-contemplation stage, stage two the contemplation stage, three the action stage, four the maintenance of change and five the relapse stage. Prochaska and DiClemente are two best-known authors on the importance of individual motivation in dependency treatment. The authors developed the motivational change module from their work with smokers. They use a Cognitive behavioural approach method and their interventions are concerned with cognitive and behavioural change (Prochaska and DiClemente, 1983,p.390). The control of drug misuse is a big problem in prisons. People are much more likely to use drugs in prison because of stress, anxiety and boredom. These levels are higher for substance misusers in prison so they would be more likely to take health risks. Drug treatment in prison could be approached the same way, as it is in the community with regimes to reduce drug related harm, rather than prevention. Because of the extent of my client’s addictive behaviour he has had a formal in-depth assessment done so that we can meet his needs. This has resulted in a care plan being made up for so that we can provide services for him and carefully monitor his progress. We have liased with other professional health services and we have had a full mental health assessment done for him. We have considered his past history of using drugs and the amount of offending he has done in the past and the length of time he has been involved in the criminal justice system. We have noticed that he has also had mental health problems in the past and that he suffers from depression. The client did not go into custody this time because of his substance offending behaviour instead he was given a probation order subject to certain conditions that he participate in a drug treatment service. We contacted drug service workers who were happy to help my client as long as he was willing to accept help. My client says that he does want to change his behaviour and put an end to his substance misuse. He has tried in the past to give up but this has always lead to a relapse. After careful consideration and after weighing up all the options of treatment for my client I decided that psychological intervention along with drug therapy was the best way forward to help reduce his drug dependency. I have decided that professional psychotherapy and relapse intervention would be the best option for him because other options have not helped him in the past. We are also going to offer him good quality counselling. My client has told me that spending time in custody has not done him any good. He told me that he gets very depressed when he is inside and this leads to more dependency on drugs. Our goal is to help him stay out of custody and reduce his dependency on drugs. We will continue to monitor, measure and review the clients care plan and see whether or not his dependency and addiction are getting bet ter. As substance service workers our goal is to meets the needs of the service user and in this instance it is to reduce substance addiction and the long term goal is to eradicate substance misuse altogether. In order to intervene effectively where there is addictive behaviour, social workers need to be able to assess and plan appropriate treatment. For my assignment I have chosen a client within the criminal justice system that has an addictive behaviour. He is a drug misuse offender and he has been involved with the criminal justice system for a few years now. I have discussed a bit about the psychology of addictive behaviour and how my client was referred to me through the criminal justice system. I have discussed the methods of assessment and the different options available. I have discussed the most suitable option for my client who I feel has deeper problems to address than some other substance misusers I have encountered. In this instance I felt that my client would benefit from a psychological form of intervention that would include psychotherapy. There are different types of psychotherapy; these are behaviour therapy that helps the client put an end to undesirable habits or certa in fears that they have. Cognitive therapy is a method that tries to show the client that certain thoughts that they are having are not good for them and that they are negative. The therapist will then try to get the client into thinking more positive thoughts in order that the persistence of negative thoughts will eventually fade away. Drug therapy is also called by the name of pharmacotherapy and it is a part of psychotherapy. The approach here with this method of intervention is to calm the person down using certain anti-anxiety drugs so that they permit the other therapies to have effect. The negative side is that sometimes these drugs encourage psychological dependence and the anxiety that was there before might return again. Some addictions such as obsessive – compulsive disorder have been successfully treated using certain antidepressant drugs. The types of interventions I have discussed do not always work for everyone. Social workers need to analyse the situation very carefully and sensitively when working with addictive behaviours. This is because it is a very sensitive area and if treatment goes wrong the client could go back to their old habits of substance misuse and become a part of the drug culture again. The aim is to reduce offending and minimise the number of substance misusers by putting carefully controlled care plans into place to address their needs. The intervention method that was used on my client was very successful and I am happy to say that my client has cured his addictive behaviour. It is important that assessments are done very carefully and to take into consideration all the important facts of the client. It is also important for social workers and other drug service workers to gain the trust of the client because without this there is less change of the client willing to accept treatment. References Barber, J. (2002) Social Work with addictions, 2nd ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Keene, J. (1997) Drug Misuse; Prevention, Harm, minimisation and treatment. London: Chapman Hall. Krivanek, J. A. (1982) Drug Problems, People Problems: Causes, Treatment and Prevention, Sydney, Allen Unwin. McAllister, I., Moore, R. and Makkai, T. (1991) Drug users in Australian Society: Patterns, Attitudes and Policies, Melbourne, Longman Cheshire. Oltman, T. F. (1999) Case Studies in Abnormal psychology, New York: Chichester. John Wiley Sons. Prochaska, J. O. and Diclemente, C. C. (1983) Stages and Processes of self-change of smoking: Towards a more integrative model of change. Journal of consulting and Clinical Psychology. Robertson, R. (1998) Management of Drug users in the community, a practical handbook. Arnold publishers.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

A New High Speed Rail Link For Britain Engineering Essay

A New High Speed Rail Link For Britain Engineering Essay Recently travel by rail has increased with many lines struggling to cope with the demand. The West Coast mainline which can be seen as one of the most important rail lines in Britain will reach capacity by 2020 according to the Transport Politic and has also seen investments of around  £13 billion already (www.thetransportpolitic.com, 2009). One of the popular modes of travelling long distance within Britain is short haul flights; however air travel is neither efficient in terms of energy nor is it environmentally friendly. As the U.K has pledged to lower carbon emissions by 80% by the year 2050 (www.treehugger.com, 2009) Britain needs more sustainable forms of transport. With the need to increase capacity on the rail lines, especially from London to the North, along with the environmental and sustainability factors the question that arises is, would it be more be beneficial to upgrade the existing link between the north and London or to implement a new high speed rail link? An Atkins report commissioned by the Dft alternatives to the high speed rail titled High Speed 2 Strategic Alternatives Study (www.dft.gov.uk, 2010) outlines rail upgrades as an alternative. Firstly trains could be lengthened to allow for more passenger, however this does not tackle any reduction on journey times and station platforms may not be able to accommodate longer trains. Secondly an investment on the infrastructure to enhance the capacity of the West Coast Mainline would cost around  £3.6 billion (www.dft.gov.uk, 2010). This would see the operation of an extra four to five trains per hour reducing journey times to Birmingham and Manchester by 12 minutes and 6.5 minutes respectively (www.dft.gov.uk, 2010). This alternative would not have many adverse effects on the environment as it does not affect the Chiltern Area of Natural Beauty, where the high speed network would, it would however be disruptive to passengers. The third alternative detailed in the report would be to in vest on the Chiltern line along with the previous alternative which would allow three trains per hour to the West Midlands on the Chiltern line at a cost of  £12.5 billion without reduction on journey times and an adverse environmental effect on the Chiltern AONB. Adding onto this would be the fourth alternative with further work on the Chiltern Line between London and the West Midlands to improve journey times at a cost of  £15.1 billion (www.dft.gov.uk, 2010). This could see a single stop service to the West Midlands in 64 minutes (www.dft.gov.uk, 2010). This would have the same environmental effects on the Chiltern AONB and also be disruptive to passengers. The last alternative would be to include further work on the infrastructure on the Chiltern Line to take it up as far as Stratford as an alternative to the northern stretch on the West Coast Main Line. This would cost approximately  £19.6 billion(www.dft.gov.uk, 2010), but may prove to challenging, and result in a small frequency on services, without any certain demand for these services. This alternative would be the most environmentally damaging not only for just the Chiltern AONB and would cause disruption to passengers. All the alternatives in upgrades to the existing network seem to be costly, have an adverse effect on the environment and disruption to services already in place which outweigh the benefits in terms capacity generated and reduction of journey times. For many of the alternatives there is no impact on the journey times, which would be seen as defeating the objective of upgrading the existing network. A publication by the Institution of Civil Engineers titled unblocking the potential of rail states that Flights currently account for 93% of business trips between Scotland and London. Research shows passengers will only consider changing from air to rail if the journey time is under three hours only possible on land with a high speed rail route. (www.ice.org.uk, 2010). Over the years Britain has seen to fall behind its European neighbours in developing high speed rail networks. France, Germany, Italy and Spain have all developed high speed rail networks. In particular Spain have in place a high speed rail network between Madrid and Barcelona which reaches speeds of 220mph, which allows the journey of 410 miles to be completed in 2 and a half hours (www.treehugger.com, 2010). Spain is a good example as they have a similar route from Madrid to Seville where more than 80% of travellers on that route prefer to travel by train (www.treehugger.com, 2010). The article Spains high speed service challenges the airlines on www.treehugger.com, 2010 also describes the services as In terms of comfort and convenience the operators are not skimping either. Each train features a conference room, upgraded cooling and air conditioning, internet access and a restaurant car and passengers are refunded their entire fare if the train is more than 5 minutes late (www.tr eehugger.com, 2010). However since 2009 the government have set up a new organisation. High speed 2 Ltd (HS2 Ltd) which is outlying proposals and reports on a new north-south high speed rail network. Recently the transport secretary published the report for new high speed rail network which could see work start around 2017 at the earliest (BBC News, 2010) Figures from The Transport Politic show that the project would cost  £34 billion and include 1500 miles of track, accommodating a total of 34 tunnels and 138 bridges. Whilst 8 new stations would be built and the procurement of 73 high speed trains. If put in place the new north-south link would see an annual ridership of 43.7 journeys. (www.thetransportpolitic.com, 2009). Figure 1 in the appendix shows the proposed line and reduction in journey times. The transport secretary Lord Adonis in a speech about the high speed rail stated additional transport capacity would be needed from the 2020s between our major cities, starting with London to the west midlands, Britains two largest conurbations . . .high speed rail could be the most efficient and sustainable way to provide more capacity between these conurbations. (www.dft.gov.uk, 2010). Lord Adonis summarised the development as an initial high speed network linking London to Birmingham then onto Manchester, the East Midlands, Sheffield and Leeds with high speed trains through to Liverpool, Newcastle, Glasgow and Edinburgh, which would result in a Y shaped network capable of carrying trains upto 250mph. Figures 2-4 in the appendix show some comparisons of high speed rail compared to classic rail. The benefits of high speed rail as described by Lord Adonis on the Dft website (www.dft.gov.uk, 2010) are an increase of rail capacity by a third on the West Coast Mainline, not only because of the track but also due to the length of high speed trains and the adapted stations along with segregation from other rail traffic. The speech also describes the upgrade of existing rail lines yielding less than half the extra capacity for more money and disruption than it would do to implement a high speed network. A new high speed network could see pressure on capacity on the West Coast Mainline released for other services on the network. In terms of saving time on journeys, the time between the London and the west midlands would be between 30 to 50 minutes depending on the station used, whereas places such as Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield would be bought to within 75 minutes of London and places further north such as Edinburgh and Glasgow to around three and a half hours. High speed trains are stated as a sustainable way forward (www.dft.gov.uk, 2010) by Lord Adonis, going on to say that they emit less carbon then other modes such as car or airplane per passenger mile, with the low impact of a new high speed rail network on local areas than that of a new motorway. Weighing up the benefits to the costs, HS2 assessed that the project will yield  £2 for every  £1 spent with the first part of the line up to the West Midlands costing between  £15 and  £17 billion. Along with these benefits, other factors must be taken into consideration. The high speed trains are said to reach 400km/h or 250mph. which would make them the fastest trains in the world, we however need to observe the fact that a train travelling at 360km/h requires 50% more energy than that of a train travelling at 300km/h (www.cpre.org.uk, 2010), going faster could be a cost to the environment. On the topic of environment the high speed network will, similarly to many of the alternatives, cut through the Chiltern AONB where extensive tunnelling will be required as high speed trains need to travel in straight a line as possible. High speed trains will generate a new form of travel, where freed up traffic via existing rail and air travel may be taken up by new demand which could in turn add to carbon emission. For high speed rail to be part of a sustainable future, policys should be produced to keep demand and traffic down on other modes such as increasing air fares and making it more expensive to travel by car. In conclusion high speed rail travel looks more attractive compared to an upgrade of the existing network. Many of the alternative upgrades mentioned have little effect for a big price. The cost of the fifth alternative up grade matches that of the cost of a new high speed line from London to the West Midlands, where you would have significantly reduced journey times and no disruption to existing services. Environmentally both upgrading and building a new high speed line have adverse effects. For the same amount of effect on the environment you could have a new faster rail network, which could be a small price to pay for a network with greater outcomes and a project which would contribute to the economy and create jobs. In terms of carbon emissions and efficiency figure 5 in the appendix shows high speed rail is the most efficient in terms of passenger km carried by unit of energy than other forms. However it should be taken into consideration the past in terms of development of rail lines. Where plans to upgrade existing lines have been postponed by Lord Adonis due to lack of finances and what may be a coincidence of the government introducing these plans just before a major election. On the lines of finance the project cost a substantial amount, especially with the current debt of the country. This cost may be passed on as increased rail fares, fares which currently some of the population regard as expensive. The new and improved service may not be attractive to some unless it is heavily subsidised. Overall a new high speed rail link from London to the North would be beneficial, looking at our European neighbours we can see that high speed rail can be a success and the plans tick all the boxes in terms of journey time reduction and being able to compete with other modes such as short haul air travel and helping in the reduction on carbon emmissions. High speed rail can be an improvement if it does not drag funds and infrastructure investment away from other areas and is affordable to use.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Humorous Wedding Speech Delivered by the Father of the Bride

Humorous Wedding Speech Delivered by the Father of the Bride I want to thank all of you for coming and helping Rick and Melissa celebrate this important day in their lives! I've tried to memorize this speech, which isn't easy when you have the memory retention of a geriatric goldfish, so please forgive me if I resort to my notes - probably every five seconds. I did ask for an autocue to be set up in front of me, but apparently the wedding budget doesn't stretch that far... And neither does my eyesight The most important people here for Rick, are Ellen and Terry. It has been really good to meet them and become family-in-laws and friends. What we find gratifying, is that Rick's parents feel the same about Melissa. They have taken her to their hearts, and I believe that she is ...

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Carl Jung and The Great Gatsby Essay -- Great Gatsby Essays

Carl Jung and The Great Gatsby    The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic story about the shallow aristocracy of the 1920's American society, is the topic of much interpretation. This paper presents the proposition that the "Roaring Twenties" were years dominated by an SP (part of Carl Jung's archetypal psychology that will later be explained in more depth) society and the characters in The Great Gatsby reflect and were deeply affected by this fact. Daisy will be analyzed herein, as well as the effect that an SP society had on her actions and development.      Ã‚   The human psyche has been the basis of study for millennia. Dating back to Hippocrates around 370 BC, the earliest belief was that people are fundamentally predisposed at birth, that their psyches are programmed. The idea continued to manifest in mainstream sciences up until about the 19th century AD. There arose, in the early 20th century, the notion that people are born without predisposition, and are molded by their environment from the time of infancy. John Watson, and early American behaviorist, proposed that he could shape a child into any form he wanted, provided that he had control of the child from infancy. Similarly to the notion of psychological malleability was the belief that people are driven by a single basic motive. Sigmund Freud claimed that we are all driven from within by instinctual lust. There were also the existentialist psychologists, such as Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow, who had people seeking self-actualization. Finally, in 1920, Swiss physician Ca rl Jung disagreed. In Psychological Types he wrote that "people have a multitude of instincts, what he called 'archetypes', that drive them from within, and that one instinct is no mo... ... II: Temperament, Character, Intelligence. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Keirsey, David. Please Understand Me II: Temperament, Character, Intelligence. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   < http://www.paulsann.com/thelawlessdecade/20_s.html> 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   < http://www.paulsann.com/thelawlessdecade/20_s.html> 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   < http://www.homework-online.com/tgg/quotes.asp> 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   < http://www.homework-online.com/tgg/quotes.asp> 7.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   < http://www.homework-online.com/tgg/quotes.asp>       Works Cited Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1925. Keirsey, David. Please Understand Me II: Temperament, Character, Intelligence. Moniaci, Jonathon. "The Great Gatsby" < http://www.homework-online.com/tgg/index.asp> Sann, Paul. "The Lawless Decade"   < http://www.paulsann.com/thelawlessdecade/20_s.html>    Carl Jung and The Great Gatsby Essay -- Great Gatsby Essays Carl Jung and The Great Gatsby    The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic story about the shallow aristocracy of the 1920's American society, is the topic of much interpretation. This paper presents the proposition that the "Roaring Twenties" were years dominated by an SP (part of Carl Jung's archetypal psychology that will later be explained in more depth) society and the characters in The Great Gatsby reflect and were deeply affected by this fact. Daisy will be analyzed herein, as well as the effect that an SP society had on her actions and development.      Ã‚   The human psyche has been the basis of study for millennia. Dating back to Hippocrates around 370 BC, the earliest belief was that people are fundamentally predisposed at birth, that their psyches are programmed. The idea continued to manifest in mainstream sciences up until about the 19th century AD. There arose, in the early 20th century, the notion that people are born without predisposition, and are molded by their environment from the time of infancy. John Watson, and early American behaviorist, proposed that he could shape a child into any form he wanted, provided that he had control of the child from infancy. Similarly to the notion of psychological malleability was the belief that people are driven by a single basic motive. Sigmund Freud claimed that we are all driven from within by instinctual lust. There were also the existentialist psychologists, such as Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow, who had people seeking self-actualization. Finally, in 1920, Swiss physician Ca rl Jung disagreed. In Psychological Types he wrote that "people have a multitude of instincts, what he called 'archetypes', that drive them from within, and that one instinct is no mo... ... II: Temperament, Character, Intelligence. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Keirsey, David. Please Understand Me II: Temperament, Character, Intelligence. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   < http://www.paulsann.com/thelawlessdecade/20_s.html> 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   < http://www.paulsann.com/thelawlessdecade/20_s.html> 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   < http://www.homework-online.com/tgg/quotes.asp> 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   < http://www.homework-online.com/tgg/quotes.asp> 7.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   < http://www.homework-online.com/tgg/quotes.asp>       Works Cited Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1925. Keirsey, David. Please Understand Me II: Temperament, Character, Intelligence. Moniaci, Jonathon. "The Great Gatsby" < http://www.homework-online.com/tgg/index.asp> Sann, Paul. "The Lawless Decade"   < http://www.paulsann.com/thelawlessdecade/20_s.html>   

Non-duality: Madhyamika, Yogacara, and Zen Essays -- Religion, Buddhis

Buddhism first developed in India by Siddhartha Gautama as a means to end suffering. Nirvana could ultimately be achieved with adherence to the Four Noble Truths and the middle way. The Mahayana tradition arose within Buddhist with different interpretations of Buddha’s teachings and new ideals. It emphasized the role of the bodhisattva and the bodhisattva path as the means to attain enlightenment, or Buddhahood. The nature of the Buddha is no longer equivalent to that of the arhant, rather, he is beyond the level of the arhant; he is a transcended being. Within Mahayana, Madhyamika and Yogacara philosophical schools developed in India and the Zen tradition arose once Buddhism spread to East Asia. While Madhyamika, Yogacara, and Zen emphasize several different concepts in an effort to attain enlightenment, all three adhere to the Mahayana doctrine of emptiness and non-duality. At the core of the Mahayana doctrine of emptiness lays in the early Buddhist belief in anatman, or no self. There is both a spiritual and material part to human nature, but it is the â€Å"moral identity that survives death and is reborn† (Prebish and Keown 56). The concept of anatman eliminates attachment to the material by claiming that an individual has no real core, or soul, and the five skandhas, or aggregates of attachment, namely the material form, feelings, perceptions, mental formations and consciousness, provides evidence. â€Å"It is held that none of the five skandhas are able to exist in the absence of the other four† (Hershock). Desire is one of the main causes of suffering, and the five aggregates are the objects of desire. Dependent origination holds that everything is conditioned and â€Å"lack intrinsic being of their own† (Prebish and Keown 49)... ...anslation can be seen in translating emptiness. If emptiness is translated as upaya, or skillful means, then emptiness is a way of eliminating attachment to all views by criticizing them much like Nagarjuna does. â€Å"Emptiness potentially can liberate or trap one further into greater conceptual illusions† (Low 133). The trap occurs when the view is not is not ultimately true. Enlightenment is central to Buddhism; it is a form of freedom. Madhyamika, Yogacara, and Zen have different ways of interpreting the different stages of enlightenment, but they all hold that the realization of enlightenment means having the wisdom to view reality in its natural form. All sentient beings and dharmas are empty and free from the subject-object dualism. Once the individual understands the impermanence of reality, the individual has attained wisdom and therefore enlightenment. Non-duality: Madhyamika, Yogacara, and Zen Essays -- Religion, Buddhis Buddhism first developed in India by Siddhartha Gautama as a means to end suffering. Nirvana could ultimately be achieved with adherence to the Four Noble Truths and the middle way. The Mahayana tradition arose within Buddhist with different interpretations of Buddha’s teachings and new ideals. It emphasized the role of the bodhisattva and the bodhisattva path as the means to attain enlightenment, or Buddhahood. The nature of the Buddha is no longer equivalent to that of the arhant, rather, he is beyond the level of the arhant; he is a transcended being. Within Mahayana, Madhyamika and Yogacara philosophical schools developed in India and the Zen tradition arose once Buddhism spread to East Asia. While Madhyamika, Yogacara, and Zen emphasize several different concepts in an effort to attain enlightenment, all three adhere to the Mahayana doctrine of emptiness and non-duality. At the core of the Mahayana doctrine of emptiness lays in the early Buddhist belief in anatman, or no self. There is both a spiritual and material part to human nature, but it is the â€Å"moral identity that survives death and is reborn† (Prebish and Keown 56). The concept of anatman eliminates attachment to the material by claiming that an individual has no real core, or soul, and the five skandhas, or aggregates of attachment, namely the material form, feelings, perceptions, mental formations and consciousness, provides evidence. â€Å"It is held that none of the five skandhas are able to exist in the absence of the other four† (Hershock). Desire is one of the main causes of suffering, and the five aggregates are the objects of desire. Dependent origination holds that everything is conditioned and â€Å"lack intrinsic being of their own† (Prebish and Keown 49)... ...anslation can be seen in translating emptiness. If emptiness is translated as upaya, or skillful means, then emptiness is a way of eliminating attachment to all views by criticizing them much like Nagarjuna does. â€Å"Emptiness potentially can liberate or trap one further into greater conceptual illusions† (Low 133). The trap occurs when the view is not is not ultimately true. Enlightenment is central to Buddhism; it is a form of freedom. Madhyamika, Yogacara, and Zen have different ways of interpreting the different stages of enlightenment, but they all hold that the realization of enlightenment means having the wisdom to view reality in its natural form. All sentient beings and dharmas are empty and free from the subject-object dualism. Once the individual understands the impermanence of reality, the individual has attained wisdom and therefore enlightenment.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Education Essay Essay

Education is a vital part of growing up. Without it, our potential cannot be utilized. We use education to make decisions, interact with others, and survive in general. In order for society to improve as a whole, we must use our education to improve on the knowledge we have already attained. Public education gives American citizens the chance to become critical thinkers, prepare for work, and compete in a global marketplace. Public education has transformed into a corrupt system. A system centered around the GPA. Getting a good percentage is the only thing that seems to be important in school. The only thing students care about is how they can pull off a 4.0. Even the teachers’ focus is on the grades. Teachers are rated based off how their students did on standardized tests and their grades. There is almost no focus on the pure attaining of knowledge. Once a student finishes a class, about 90% of the information they learned is lost. There is almost no importance on retaining knowledge after they finish testing on it. Students only about care their grades because that is what colleges look at. Everyone strives for that 4.0 GPA so they can get into their dream school. Once students get to college, their focus goes from learning to get a good grade to learning to prepare for their job. College students have to truly understand and retain the information they learn because it is important to their potential career paths. Although many problems can be found in public education, there are few that can actually be solved. Public education cannot be easily changed without disrupting the foundations of what public education does for students. If we change our focus from grades to pure learning, colleges would have no way of judging a student. It is the nature of the beast.

Friday, August 16, 2019

A Mother-Daughter Relationship Essay

The publication had the rarest of chances and of course, a bit of luck, to have the honor of reading from Mrs. Jane Bingley excerpt at her house near Longbourn. We have come to speak with the former Ms. Bennet about her mother, who sadly passed away five years ago after a period of ill health. After being supplied by a generous amount of tea and sweets, Mrs. Jane Bingley was more than accommodating. She had welcomed us graciously into her home and had agreed a few weeks before to conduct this interview. Clearly, there were some unresolved issues before their mother’s death. I asked whether there were some specific issue. Yes, the whole affair was a fiasco. Men came strolling down our lawn, some high-society people, right old snobs by the way, and of course my mother, who I daresay was in the middle of it all. Indeed, it was quite a fiasco for the Bennet family. Miss Jane Bennet-Bingley was the eldest of five children of the Bennet family. Their mother, as she narrates, was highly-obsessed with the idea of accomplishing her self-sworn duty to see all her daughters to get married. She used to send my sisters and me to social gatherings, and such. It was the popular thing to do back then and consequently became a symbol of social stature. We were just middle-class, or more appropriately, preferred to linger between in the middle with menial social associations. This proved to be a factor toward their marriages which, by some sort of instances, was provoked by a high-class society member: the late Lady Catherine. She was arrogant, just like any aristocrat back then. She especially gave my sister, Lizzy (Elizabeth) a hard time since her husband was a nephew of hers. She did not want some sort of low-class society girl with his well-bred nephew. But then, the way things turned out surprised everybody, including me. About my mother’s personality (with expression of momentary soft happiness), I did not hate nor despise my mother. My father would probably scorn at the thought, but then again, my father talked little. He cared for us and for the family very much but he would just sit sometimes in his study and let our mother do all the talking. Mrs. Bennet was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper. When she was discontented, she fancied herself nervously. The business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news (Austen). Mrs. Bennet’s proudest moment would be the marriage of her two daughters, Jane and Elizabeth, to both respectable and hard-working men. We had our own marriage. My mother did not have any part of it; though I like to think that she did try to impress upon everybody else that she did have a part of it â€Å"on our marriage†. She was always fussy, kind to people, especially our husbands. She tried everything to put us in our good name, just to get married. Indeed, the social status during Mrs. Bingley’s time was centered on the idea that women had only one goal in their lives—that is, to get married. Quite ludicrous actually; in changing times, the status of women have elevated to a more distinguished level. But my mother, if she were alive today, would not understand that. Mrs. Bingley, according to their narration, lived for the purpose of seeing her daughters married without any preamble or consideration for their feelings. Her obsession for marriage blinded her real nature. She was a good mother though; she never failed to uphold her duty as my father’s wife or our mother. I was indeed surprised that my father did not react in such a way that he was displeased with my mother’s behavior back then. But I suppose it was really just her nature to be so. To summarily put forward a remark, I did not like the way my mother handled our affairs when she was still alive. She often embarrassed us and the family with her superfluous attempts of raising the name of the family even though it wasn’t needed. She was much concerned with the way we compose ourselves that she had started to ignore her own behavior. She acted like most mothers would do, though in a different case. And if she did not do what she did, I might still be single anyway. We loved her and we still do. Reference Austen, J. (1995). Pride and Prejudice.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Ageing problem in China

The second half of the 20 century, human beings has experienced the most rapid population ageing population process, especially in developed countries. Meanwhile, China followed the step to get in an ageing society with weak economic strength and an Imperfect system which have significant Impact In economy and society. In addition, the current old-age security, health care Institutions and traditional management system have not kept pace with the development of old age boom, so that China's government should take a series of measures to encourage people to prepare for old age.The United Nations believe that if the old people in a country over the age of 60 are more than 10 percent or over arrears old of population for more than percent of the total number, then it is already belongs to an ageing population country. This problem is generated by population age structure, while the change depends on three factors: births, deaths and migration. The most Important element determining the ageing population Is the decline of fertility rate. [l] So far, In our country there are 144 million of classified old people, making 1 1 percent population in total, and Increasing at percent average annual rate.It Is predicted that by 2020 China's elderly population will reach million, accounting for 17. Percent in total, and after 2050, the data will jump to percent, getting into severe ageing stage. The ageing levels rise from Percent to percent in Just less than arrears, while Britain, France, the united States and other western industrialized countries of will take roughly arrears. [2] As a developing country with a large population, this rate is indeed staggering. Impact Ageing population Is the product related to national economy, politics, culture and any other fields.It concerns the people's livelihood and national sustainable development strategies of major social Issue. In this paper I will discuss two mall Impacts related In economy and the whole society. With the growt h In the number of people living longer, it brings financial difficulties, especially in China, the number of old people is large and the number increases dramatically which means the government needs to increase the financial expenditure in retirement pay, pensions, health care, health insurance and elderly welfare.Moreover, there is not a perfect social security system in our country. The labor market is also affect by an ageing population. To be specific, it causes a decline in the proportion of working-age population and the ageing labor force, leading to a reduction in supply of workforce and labor productivity. In this case, China will find it hard to change the situation In cheap labors focus and get some competitive edge in the International market. The consumption structure and Industrial structure might be changed.We cannot Ignore the fact that old people are a kind of special consumer group In living goods, housing, tourism and medical care. With the number of old people going up, those consumer rodents gain their position in the market which is the reason to make the medical industry in a large extent. The elderly are the major consumer of health care group and main beneficiaries in medical insurance system. On the one hand, old people belong to the group of easily attacked by diseases because body tissues and organs are heading into a higher speed aging process, and the resistance is too weak to resist the attack of disease.The relevant research indicates that percent of critical illness shared by the people who are over arrears old is 5. 6 times more than the total in the whole country. On the other hand, there are varieties of demands in health service and the medical expenditure is become more and more expensive, so that numerous families can not afford it. The burden of family will be heavier than before. A family with old people is required long-term care services, rehabilitation care and spiritual consolation and so on.Nowadays in China, the structure of family affected by One Child Policy, one person required to support the four elderly and one child. How stressful they are. Strategies Facing the severe situation of an ageing population, it is a challenge for the Chinese overspent. In order to promote sustainable development and harmonious society, the three below strategies can be done by government to encourage people to have a happy life in their old age. To improve the old-age medical security system and continue to be improved.It can offer a effective and a whole set of services from hospital to daily health care, as well as medical insurance, pension insurance and elderly welfare for the old people. In addition, it stimulates the economic boom of relevant industry, such as home-care agencies. Paying greater attention to the elderly community service system and strengthening community- based social welfare and the basic community service function. The overwhelming majority of old people are empty nesters, which m ean they like the birds living in the empty nest and no one take care of them.Considering this situation, government should invest more on building elderly community service system, like increase the sport equipment, medical services, elderly community activities and projects. To make people more aware of elderly health care by promoting or advertising. In this way people will gradually notice and improve the ability to remain independence. It can also help the elderly to be self-reliance, self-care and self-help capabilities which will benefit for their physical and mental health.On the other words, it can cultivate a healthy aging environment to reduce aging, so that many organs and functions could be extended as much as possible. In conclusion, much needs to be done to deal with the ageing population, and it not only depends on a robust system of government but also the effort of the public. As the saying goes, Rome was not built in a day. We need to develop step by step and lear n from experiences other countries to help us to promote strategy of sustainable development.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Phineas Gage Essay

Perhaps one of the most well known cases in cognitive psychology is that of Phineas Gage. A man who suffered from an injury to his prefrontal lobes thirty years before the field of Psychology even began (Moulin, 2006). However, psychologists’ continue to study his brain and the effects of his injury and its role in cognitive functions years later. Phineas Gage was a foreman at a railroad who suffered damage to his prefrontal lobes as a result of an accidental explosion in the year 1848. This explosion caused an iron bar about a meter long to be launched completely through Gage’s head and supposedly land about nine meters away. As a result of this accident Gage suffered severe brain damage to his prefrontal lobes, with the left side being almost completely destroyed (Moulin, 2006). There is not documentation of what Gage’s personality was like before the accident and few reports of the changes after the incident, many believed to be exaggerated. Two of the reports that do exist regarding Gage are written by John Martyn Harlow. Harlow was the physician who treated Gage and followed his case (â€Å"III. The Damage to Gage’s Skull and Brain†, 2002). Following his recovery of the accident there were no reports of apparent loss of interllectial function, yet his personality changed drastically. In fact Gage behaved so different that he while he went back to work for the railroad he never was given his job back as foreman (â€Å"II. The Sequelae of the accident, 1848-1868,† 2002). In fact, when asked his friends and acquaintances said he was â€Å"no longer Gage† (Moulin, 2006). Gage lived about eleven years after his accident before dying in 1860 which left people in the medical field curious about him and his condition (Moulin, 2006). In fact the changes in his behavior that were described was the first time that it was revealed that complex functions might be located in the brain. During the time and the immediate time after Gage lived there is not much medical documentation. Therefore it was years later when the exact parts of Gage’s brain that were damaged due to the iron bar were determined (â€Å"II. The sequelae of the accident, 1848-1868,† 2002). When Harlow learned of the passing of Gage, he sought out and received permission from his family to have the body exhumated in December of 1867 (â€Å"II. The sequelae of the accident, 1848-1868,† 2002). He did so in order to study the brain and learn from the injury of the skull and the result that the damages had on Gage’s personality. From the study he was able to determine that Gage suffered damage to three locations; the area under the zygomatic arch, the base of the skull where the iron rod had entered behind the eye, and at the top of the head where the iron rod emerged (â€Å"III. The damage to Gage’s Skull and Brain†, 2002). After studies of Gage’s skull where complete, psychologists’ have been able to take the measurements from the skull and use modern technology to determine the approximate location of the legion. Damage was caused to both the left and right prefrontal cortices in a pattern that caused a defect in rational decision making and the processing of emotion (Damasio, 1994). Studies that have been done since the case of Gage have determined that higher cognitive functions take place in the prefrontal lobes. Some of these functions include working memory, mental imagery, and willed actions that are associated with consciousness (Frith & Dolan, 1998). Psychologists’ have been able to learn from this famous case of Phineas Gage. A man who took no part in experiments and whose injuries were sustained thirty years before the start of Psychology. From this case it has been determined that cognitive functions that can become impaired by prefrontal brain damage are abilities like planning, reasoning, and problem solving. It has also been shown that frontal lobe damage can affect a person’s memory in a subtle manner. While there can be no apparent loss of intellectual function as a result of prefrontal brain lesions it is can still be tragic to the lives of those involved (Gerhand, 1999).