Thursday, November 28, 2019

Africa- a Look from A White mans Binoculars essays

Africa- a Look from A White mans Binoculars essays It is the God given duty of the white men to civilize and christianize the primitive, under privileged and uncivilized population of the rest of the world; this is a very common phrase used in the history books to explain the European intervention into other continents and island nations. The African continent was also a victim of British conquerance but the British called it its protectorate. Did they really perform their duty or were they there to exploit the resources? There have been a lot of explanations about how Africa is perceived by the rest of the world, let alone the western world. To account for the whole world will be unrealistic and unrelated to this assignment so I will just focus on the western world. Africa has always been associated with words such as primitive, barbaric, savage and uncivilized. The negative portrayal has largely been a result of how western media covers the African news. Africa has always been referred to as a Dark Continent. The history of Africa and its people is depicted in the western world as nothing but a self proclaimed tribal owned land, which had a lot of wealth that the primitive people had no idea how to utilize. Similar had been the history of other countries prior to European intervention, for example American Samoa, Fiji Islands, New Zealand and Australia; but the image of these countries is quite favorable. According to ABCs Ted Koppel, half a million Ethiopians dying doesnt provoke the same response as would the deaths of half a million Italians (Hultman). Maybe Americans and Europeans are more concerned with countries where their economic interests lie. The colonists went to Africa, exploited their resources, took slaves and came back to their countries; but for the Africans the history of their country is not so simple. Why is there a separation between blacks and...

Monday, November 25, 2019

The Veterans Health Care System

The Veterans Health Care System Free Online Research Papers In the mid-1990s, the Veterans Healthcare System (VHA) appeared to be in deep crisis. A large number of its hospital beds were vacant. National reviews demonstrated that majority of VHA surgeons had not picked up a scalpel for the whole year. The veteran population was decreasing harshly, as Korean War and World War II veteran soldiers continued to die. All at once, a mass relocation of veterans from the Snowbelt to the Sunbelt hospitals in Tampa, for instance, with new patients, whilst those in cities like Pittsburgh had quarter of vacant beds. Numerous physicians saw that the VHA’s ingrained bureaucracy had to be overturned. A fundamental downsizing and decentralization of administration power was run, pay-for-performance agreements with top managers were put into practice, and ineffectual physicians were allowed to be fired. The VHA also was transformed from an acute care, hospice-based structure into one that placed a lot more supplies into primary care and outpatient examinations for the increasing number of aging vets overwhelmed with chronic diseases. A foremost change in healthcare within the VHA took place in 1996 when Congress approved the Veteran’s Health Care Eligibility Reform Act of 1996, Public Law 104-262. The law established a standard medical-benefits package that became accessible to all registered veteran patients. Once entitled veterans are registered in the system, they are consigned a priority group. Services provided and the amount enclosed can fluctuate among various priority groups. By 1998, Dr. Kenneth Kizer’s (who was at the root of VHA’s transformation) unexpected result of the VHA’s change in functioning structure was already bringing him management expert rank in a time in which management experts were almost demigods. However, the most remarkable changes of the Veterans Healthcare System did not just engross those trendy, 1990s suggestions as downsizing and decentralization. It also entailed a fascination with methodically progressing quality and safety that to till present time is still mostly absent throughout other private healthcare organizations. Improvements in VHA have absolutely affected the effectiveness and efficiency of the organization. One of the benefits of the new system is that physicians are now able to write down their orders into computers. The computerized system instantly verifies any order against the veteran patient’s account. If the physician working with a patient have advised a wrong recipe of drugs or disregarded the patient’s preceding allergic reaction to a medicine, the computer flings a red flag. Afterward, when hospital pharmacists look at those prescriptions, the automatic system produces a bar code that is on the container or intravenous bag and records what the drug is, whom it is prescribed for, when it should be managed, in what dosage, and by which patient. One of the veterans, Jack Robertson, who is enrolled in VHA system, says there are numerous benefits with this new system. He tells that each patient now has got an ID armlet with his own bar code, as well as each nurse. Before providing any medicine, a nurse first examines the patient’s ID armlet, then her one, and then the bar code on the drug prescribed. If she has the wrong patient or the wrong medicine, the computer will tell her. The laptop will also generate a report if the nurse is delayed administering a drug, and telling you were simply too busy is not a justification, says Roberson. In his opinion, this ID armlet system also diminishes the possibility of administering the wrong medicine to the wrong patient, and in the wrong dosage, as it could happen before. Besides these evident benefits in making right diagnoses, it also helps both patients and hospital workers not to spend unbearably long hours coping with paperwork and other formalities. One doctor working at both usual hospital and the VA Medical Center informs that he is able to observe as many patients in a few hours at the VHA hospital as he is able the entire day at the usual hospital. Jack Robertson is especially satisfied with the feature that anyone registered in the VHA will have access to his or her personal entire medical records from a home laptop, or give authorization to others to do so. â€Å"Consider what this means,† tells Robertson. â€Å"Say my son is living on the West Coast, and he calls me, who lives back East. He asks me to tell him what my physician said during at my last appointment and I certainly speak unclearly something about some blue and white pills that were prescribed to me. However, now my son is able to supervise my medical records, and be aware precisely of what medicines I am supposed to take and what my current health conditions is.† The same scheme reminds physicians to stipulate proper care for veterans when they leave the hospital, for example, beta blockers for heart attack patients, or eye examinations for diabetes victims. It also helps to keep track of which patients are in line for a breast cancer monitoring, a flu shot, or other recorded care a job almost impossible to succeed in using paper records. One more benefit of computerized records became evident when the medicine-producer Merck declared a recall of its accepted arthritis drug, Vioxx. The VHA was competent to instantly discover which of the patients used this medicine at the moment, and to change the drug for less hazardous substitutes quite quickly. Likewise, in the center of a countrywide scarcity of flu vaccine, the automatic system has also made possible for the VHA to recognize, almost instantaneously, those patients who are in utmost need of a flu shot and to ensure those veterans to have precedence. Mr. Robertson also said that one veteran friend of his a person with a cancer who had been in and out of nursing homes gladly stated that he became ahead of other 5,000 patients for a flu shot. He was very content that his VHA hospital informed him that he was eligible, and made it possible for him to make necessary procedures on time. Therefore, VHA is a seriously advancing public health system and it guarantees to provide local pharmacies with much more business, since more and more patients are prescribed drugs to control their chronic diseases. However, projections illustrate that, between 2005 and 2009, the proposal cost local hospitals about $8 million in lost revenue, and cut the wages of the county’s physicians by about $1.5 million. An optimistic dedication to superior services in healthcare does not pay the bills. These days, the program survives barely by attracting charitable support, and, lately, a $500,000 endowment from Congress. For medical providers outside the VHA structure, advancing service quality seldom makes economic sense. True, a hospital can have a business case for buying the newest, most costly imaging devices. The equipment will facilitate in attracting a lot of highly-credentialed physicians to the hospital who will take lots of customers with them. The equipment will also encourage stacks of new demand for hospital services by hoisting all kinds of alleged â€Å"pseudo-diseases.† These are numerous ambiguous, symptomless conditions, such as petite, slow-growing cancers, that persons would never have become aware of in another case since they would have long since passed away because of something else. However, funding any machinery that eventually serves to decrease hospital admissions, like an automatic medical records scheme that allows more efficient illness supervision and diminishes medical mistakes, is probable to take money directly from the bottom line. So, why the Veterans Healthcare System is considered the most efficient and effective in the nation? Primarily, because it is such an outlier in its loyalty to quality. To some extent, it’s because of well-timed, compelling leadership. Further, unlike practically all other healthcare organizations in the United States, VHA has a basically lifetime connection with its customers. Veterans do not change one health plan for another every few years. They establish a relationship with the Veterans Healthcare System in their early teen years, and it goes on. Consequently, the VHA in fact has a motivation to put in effort to prevent and more efficiently and effectively manage diseases. In doing so, it leads not only to saving customers’ money but also to getting the most out of its own resources. Furthermore, since VHA is not a profit maximizer, it has no need to be worried about innovative technologies or innovative practices that keep people well. It also does not make sense for VHA to screech for ultra-modern devices that in fact do not develop the system’s quality or efficiency of care. VHA has proven itself to be a well-defined system, and it continues to act like that. It can methodically handle customer safety issues. It can methodically administer data using standard policies and interfaces. It can methodically advance and put into practice evidence-based principles of care. It can methodically identify where its care system requires enhancement and implement corrective actions. In summary, it can accomplish what the majority of our healthcare organizations appear not to, that is to practice quality methodically without risking its own financial stability. While the healthcare crisis gets worse, and while more people discover how unsafe and unscientific majority of the U.S. healthcare organizations are, it’s time to find a way to change something with this strange reality. A lot of US citizens still consider the American healthcare system to be the superior among all other countries, and that the only significant problems it faces are its expensiveness and leaving too many patients uninsured. But the evidence shows that US people live shorter lives and have more disabilities and chronic diseases than people from other countries that spend hardly half as much money on healthcare. Putting more capital into the present healthcare system will not change that. Moreover, making the existing system more disjointed and motivated by short-term earnings will not help either. What will help is getting a lesson presented by the Veterans Health System that could show the way to an all-American healthcare problem solution. Research Papers on The Veterans Health Care SystemArguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS)The Effects of Illegal ImmigrationThe Fifth HorsemanThe Project Managment Office SystemAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaTwilight of the UAWInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfPETSTEL analysis of IndiaBringing Democracy to Africa

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Strategic Management of Carnival Corporation Coursework

Strategic Management of Carnival Corporation - Coursework Example The clear vision she has nowadays for the company is one that highlights the appeal to people, i.e. the "wow factor", "Wow,' I think that's what today's carnival is all about, the wow effect" (Keefe et al., 2006, p.11). A vision of Carnival's present and future that is also sustained by the company's outlined mission and objectives. As identified by Carnival's management the company mission "is to deliver exceptional vacation experiences through the world's best known cruise-brands that cater to a variety of different lifestyles and budgets, all at an outstanding value unrivaled on land or at sea." (Keefe, 2006, p.8). A statement, which illustrates Carnival's customer- and product -oriented approach with respect to their presence in different markets, where each segment is channeled in a way as to maintain a holistic perspective on the entire company philosophy with respect to future growth and development as shown in the entrepreneurial hue of the message. The company also expresses concern for the way it is viewed by the public in terms of its outstanding positioning amongst other cruising and non-cruising industry competitors. Thus it gives a strong message that it would try and sustain its posi tions as a cruise market leader while simultaneously bolstering and expanding its spot when it comes to the rest of the tourist industry. The cruising indu The cruising industry has been growing at a compound annual growth rate of 9.1% in North America and 8.4% in Europe for the period 1999-2004(10K, p.4). The number of passengers of Carnival was 6,848,386 which amounted to 48.9% of the total number of cruise passengers worldwide (Keefe et al., 2006, p.2). Carnival's 79 ships operate in all three cruise sectors: contemporary, premium and luxury. The contemporary lines are: the Carnival Cruise Lines, which have 21 ships and passenger capacity of 47,820 people. It operates mainly in North and South America and in 2005 carried an industry record of 3.3 million passengers. P&O is another contemporary brand with a capacity of 8,844 targeting mainly the UK market. Representatives of the premium and destination class lines are Princess (14 ships and 29,152 passenger capacity) and Holland America Line (12 ships and 18,930 passengers), both operating in the North and South American regions, the Caribbean. Carnival's luxury Brands include Seaborn Line with 3 luxury yachts and 624 passengers and Windstar Cruises targeting a demographic of 30-50 year old customers. Other regional lines include: Ocean Village (1 ship) based in UK, which sails the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. Swan Hellenic operates discovery cruises in the UK, the Mediterranean, North America, South America, the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean and the Far East. Costa Cruises is in Italy and has (10 ships). It sails Europe, South America and the Caribbean. AIDA is in the German market sailing the Mediterranean, the Baltic and the Norwegian Fjords, the Canary Islands and the Caribbean. Of all regions of operations of Carnival the most profitable and the most penetrated market is the North American one with revenues of $6,439, $5,788, and $4,513 in respectively 2005, 2004, 2003 (Note 12,10K, 2006). While the UK is the most developed market in Europe for Carnival with revenues of $1,681, $1,549, $971 respectively for 2005, 2004, 2003, which is still 1/5 of the North American

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Legal Right and Ethical Obligation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Legal Right and Ethical Obligation - Essay Example This causes a certain deviation from the law for a judgement to be ethically viable. "When important ethical principles are jeopardized by law, citizens are confronted with an ethical problem." (Loewy, 2000). In a situation where people who have suffered loss of life and property claim for compensation, there is no doubt that all legal possibilities will be explored in order to ensure that the company does not lose heavily. In a case where a passenger (of American origin) tries to sue the cruise line that claims immunity under 'flag of convenience rules', the question is more of an ethical issue than a legal one. It would be quite unjust to argue that by merely flying the flag of another country, the DWI are under no obligation to pay for the loss of life and/or property of a passenger who has boarded their cruise with a fervent hope that he and his belongings will be safe. Third party billing problems occur most of the time either in phone companies or in the medical sector. Most disputes arise when people are oblivious of the declarations and statements made in fine print in most bills and invoices. As in the case of Mr. & Mrs.

Monday, November 18, 2019

Chinese Students Seek Places in US Universities Essay

Chinese Students Seek Places in US Universities - Essay Example The education sector has registered many changes because of the advent of technology and human demands and needs. Many Chinese students seek international education and often find their way into the United States of America. The open policy about education in the United States has promoted the influx of Chinese students into United States institutions. Education policy in the United States of America provides ample ground for international students because it does not restrict the needs of international students. Students look for quality education for their money. Since United States institutions have kept the result in quality education, it attracts many foreign students to apply for education in the United States. The number of Chinese students in the United States has increased showing a gain in international education trends. Research indicates that an increase in enrollment of international student by 3 percent. This figure translates to 690, 923 students. Students wish to grab education opportunities offered by institutions in America for their own benefit. The current world trends dictate the level of education that would usher a person into the job market. Many employers require certification from higher institutions which many Chinese students feel they are unable to attain while in the home country. Reports from the department of international students enrollment indicate that Chinese students are on the lead. Analysis by Open Door research indicates that a number of factors influence the current education trend in China and America. The report indicated that country policy is a major factor in contributing to international education trends (Marklein). For example, students from China find opportunity in United States institutions after the education system in China has locked them out. Stringent education policies in China have contributed to these developments.  

Friday, November 15, 2019

Jacques Cousteau And The Ocean Film Studies Essay

Jacques Cousteau And The Ocean Film Studies Essay Imagine a world without oxygen. A dangerous world few have seen and few will ever see. A world filled with colors as bright as a rainbow and blackness as dark as any cave. A world with strange, never before seen creatures everywhere, waiting to be discovered. This is the Ocean. This is the world of Jacques Cousteau. Cousteau worked hard to make this ocean world more accessible to the world. He created movies, books, and films to allow everyone to see what lies beneath the oceans surface. He even invented new devices to allow people to go there. Making major advances in scuba diving and raising the publics awareness are just two of the ways Jacques Cousteau revolutionized ocean exploration. Jacques Cousteau made major advancements in scuba diving. Of his advances, his greatest was the invention of the Aqua-Lung. Before Cousteaus invention, diving gear consisted of airtight suits with lead boots, steel helmets, and an air hose that was attached to a ship at the surface (King). With this setup, divers had very little freedom of movement. Cousteau wanted to create a new system that would allow divers to move freely and allow divers to stay underwater for longer periods of time. He soon attempted this project and was unsuccessful. He tried using a gas mask, rubber tubes, and bottles of oxygen. Cousteau learned the hard way that pure oxygen becomes toxic to the human body at great depths. Cousteau had a seizure on a dive after breathing the pure oxygen for only four minutes. He decided that compressed air was a better choice, and went to his father for more advice (Cullen). Regular compressed air consists of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 1% other gasses (Cullen). His father was an executive for a company that sold gasses, and Cousteau knew his father would be able to help. Cousteaus father said that a self-regulating valve would work best. The valve would allow divers to inhale and exhale through one mouthpiece without exhaling into their fresh air supply (Cullen). After hearing his fathers advice, Cousteau met with an engineer from his fathers gas company named Émile Gagnan in December, 1942. Together, they modified a self-regulating valve. They traveled to the Marne River and tested the valve with compressed air. At first, the valve did not quite work right. The valve only worked when the diver was horizontal. Within a few weeks, the pair finished their project. They called it the Aqua-Lung, and applied for a patent. Their finished Aqua-Lung weighed about 50 lbs., but still allowed divers to move freely in the water (Cullen). This invention changed the sport of diving forever, and Cousteau knew his invention could change the world as well. Soon after his invention of the Aqua-Lung, Jacques Cousteau began to set the limits for safe diving. Cousteaus First dive with his finished Aqua-Lung took him to a depth of about 60 feet (Charton). He knew that his new invention would bring many new dangers with it, so he soon began to set the limits for safe diving. Cousteau also tried using different gas mixtures with different ascension rates to find what worked best (Cullen). Soon, Cousteau began to push the limits of his Aqua-Lung. He wanted to see how deep he could safely dive. In 1947, Cousteau was able to reach a depth of 297 feet (Cullen). Cousteau began to discover new dangers that could threaten divers. Cousteau soon began feeling the symptoms of nitrogen narcosis. Nitrogen narcosis affects divers on deep dives and has many effects on the mind. One of its main effects is not allowing a diver to think clearly and could cause the diver to make mistakes while diving that could be fatal (Cullen). He also learned of decompressi on sickness when a man diving with Cousteau died while he was ascending. Cousteau set the safe diving limit at 300 feet after this event (Cullen). These guidelines for safe diving would protect the lives of thousands of divers for many years to come. Cousteaus invention of the Aqua-Lung in 1942 created many new possibilities for divers. The Aqua-Lung made it possible for divers to explore parts of the ocean that had never before been seen, such as underwater caves. Marine scientists were also able to study ecosystems in deeper parts of the ocean more efficiently. They saw things they could never before see (Cullen). The Aqua-Lung also had many more uses. These include finding and disarming German mines during WWII, clearing debris from ports, underwater photography, exploring caves and shipwrecks, and ocean research (Cullen). Cousteau even thought that the Aqua-Lung could be used as a way for specially trained soldiers to swim into enemy harbors and plant explosives on the hulls of ships (Madsen). The Aqua-Lung gave divers many more possibilities in the underwater world. Jacques Cousteau played a major part in raising public awareness for the ocean. He created many books, films, and T.V. programs throughout his life. All of these were used by Cousteau to make the world more aware of the oceans and showed how important ocean conservation was. Cousteau became interested in moviemaking when he was very young. He was amazed by the way cameras worked and also enjoyed taking them apart and rebuilding them. This interest followed Cousteau throughout his life, and he went on to make many award-winning films and movies (Cullen). Cousteau began to waterproof his cameras and began taking cameras with him on his dives. He soon released his first film, Eighteen Meters Down, which was very popular at the Cannes Film Festival in 1943 (Cullen). Cousteau began to improve his cameras. He built them to withstand the water pressure they would have to take during deeper dives. Using his improved cameras, he created many new films. He also tried color film and artificial light in his films for the first time (Cullen). The later years of Cousteaus life were spent creating film series and television specials. These include The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau, Cousteau Odyssey, and Cousteau Amazon. Viewers were amazed by the images in these new films, and Cousteau received over 40 Emmy nominations (Cullen). By publishing The Silent World in 1953, Cousteau continued to educate the public about the ocean. The book was made popular because of its color photos and stories from Cousteaus dives (King). It also included Cousteaus first explorations of shipwrecks and underwater caves. The Silent World was instantly successful and became a best-seller (Cullen). The book was so successful that it was published in 22 languages and sold worldwide (King). A film version of The Silent World was released three years later, in 1956 (Cullen). The year of its release, the film won the highest award at the Cannes Film Festival, the Palme dOr. It was the first document ary to win this award, and only one documentary has won the award since (Collins). The following year, in 1957, the film also won an Oscar award (Cullen). Cousteau knew that in order to continue his research, he needed a research vessel. He soon found what he needed. Cousteau purchased the Calypso, a 400-ton minesweeper. The ship was converted into a floating laboratory filled with modern equipment and underwater television cameras (OLeary and OMeara). The Calypsos first expedition started on November 24, 1951. The mission was to research the Red sea. The Calypso was used to create many of Cousteaus films and documentaries. While researching the Red sea, the Calypsos crew filmed coral reefs, islands, volcanic basins, new plant and animal species, and recorded a new record depth of 16,500 feet. The new films created from the Calypso expedition amazed scientists, naturalists, and most importantly, the National Geographic Society, who agreed to finance one of Cousteaus future expeditions aboard the Calypso (Cullen). While onboard the Calypso, Cousteau created over 70 films and television specials (Cullen). The Calypso was also used as a w ay to document and record pollution and other human caused problems affection the ocean (OLeary and OMeara). At this time, few people were aware of how their pollution was affecting the ocean. Cousteau dedicated a large part of his life to promoting ocean conservation. He knew the importance of the ocean as a source of food, water, and minerals. In 1973 he founded the Cousteau Society. The society was created to teach public the importance of ocean conservation. The mission of the Cousteau Society is to understand, defend, and communicate about the Water Planet, and in doing so, protect the rights of future generations,(Jacques-Yves Cousteau). The Cousteau Society continues its mission, and still teaches ocean conservation today. Jacques Cousteau worked hard and put a lot of effort into raising support for the organization (Cullen). He gave his entire life to speaking out for the ocean, and convinced people around the world to take better care of the ocean. Cousteau achieved this goal through his films, books, and the Cousteau Society (OLeary and OMeara). In an interview for a magazine, Cousteau said, Our way of managing the Earth is wrongà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the oceans are sic k, but theyre not going to die. There is no death possible in the oceans there will always be life but theyre getting sicker every yearà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ We need to outline what is possible and what is impossible with the nonrenewable resources on Earth, ( ).

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Aetna: A Target Market Analysis Essay -- Market Research

Overview: With an evolving market in the various fields marketing, companies needed to readjust their and update their marketing strategies. Centuries ago, a company that needed to market for its products would just post a paper note at the main town street and if people liked the product it would be sold. In the 21st century, marketing became an essential field and necessary branch in any company that plans to succeed. Aetna recognized this necessity and while analyzing the company’s strategies and structure, one can recognize the un-doubtful organization in identifying their target market. Through the creation of different subsidiaries, Aetna, Inc. is able to organize its target market and classify their various services based on the target market’s specific demographics. Primary and Secondary Target Markets Being a giant in the insurance market in the United States, Aetna, Inc’s target market is widely spread and can’t be simply classified in primary and secondary targets. The company’s target market’s however, can be divided into two general markets with each having different classifications. Aetna’s target markets can be divided into an American market and an international one. Within the American market, Aetna divided itself into subsidiaries each concentrating on a specific target market. Outside of the American market, Aetna created Aetna International to specifically target various non-American markets. Within Aetna’s primary target market, there are seven subsidiaries that target the various American markets. Six of these subsidiaries aim at the various markets in the United States while the seventh aim towards improving the collective services offered by Aetna through the delivery of various health ... ... About Medicity. (2011). In Medicity. Retrieved March 10, 2012, from http://www.medicity.com/about-medicity.html About Us. (2012). In ActiveHealth Management. Retrieved March 10, 2012, from http://activehealthmanagement.com/ Aenta History. (2012). In Aetna. Retrieved March 9, 2012, from http://www.aetna.com/about-aetna-insurance/aetna-corporate-profile/aetna-history/index.html Aetna Subsidiaries: Standalone Companies Owned by Aetna. (2012). In Aetna. Retrieved March 9, 2012, from http://www.aetna.com/about-aetna-insurance/aetna-corporate-profile/subsidiaries.html Miles, J., & Armstrong, R. (Narrator). (2011). Rivalry: Aetna vs Humana [Online video]. Fox News: Business. Retrieved April 6, 2012, from http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/3893197/rivalry-aetna-vs-humana/ Our Mission. (2012). In SRC. Retrieved March 10, 2012, from http://www.aetna.com/src/about/index.html

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Gerard Egan

An Easy Introduction to Egan’s Skilled Helper Solution Focused Counselling Approach By Patrick JM Nelson Part One What is it? Gerard Egan’s Skilled Helper Model of eclectically based counselling provides a structured and solution focused basis for counsellors, psychotherapists and hypnotherapists. It is a three stage model in which each state consists of specific skills that the therapist uses to help the client move forwards. By mastering the process of using these basic skills in an appropriate manner (often in a cyclical process of stage 1 – 2 – 3 evaluate 1 – 2 – 3 evaluate) the talking therapist may be able to increase their efficiency and structure their work in a more logical way, thus helping clients in a more consistent manner and being less reliant upon their fluctuating ‘therapeutic inspiration’. Theoretical Origins Theoretically the Skilled Helper approach draws on Carkuff's theory of high-level functioning helpers (which explains that helpers with the skills of empathy, respect, concreteness, congruence, self-disclosure, confrontation and immediacy are most effective); Strong's Social influence theory (which explains that helping is a process whereby clients are influenced by others because they perceive therapists as having particular attributes and with this influence being most powerful when the the therapist avoids both laxity and coercion and is instead collaborative, empowering and democratic) and Albert Bandura's Learning theory (in which clients are seen as acquiring skills through coming to understand the processes of learning and developing appropriate self-efficacy expectations – expecting to achieve their goals by learning useful behaviours). Essential Therapeutic Orientations The Egan Skilled Helper approach encourages clients to become active interprete rs of the world, giving meanings to actions, events and situations, facing and overcoming challenges, exploring problem issues, seeking new opportunities and establishing goals. Quite simply, success usually comes when human beings become active in initiating positive behaviours and developing problem-solving strategies. The Skilled Helper aims to help their clients develop the skills and the knowledge necessary to solve both their current problems issues and ones that may arise in the future. To facilitate client development the helper builds a healthy therapeutic alliance with the client based on collaboration, warmth and acceptance. The Skilled Helper facilitates the client by helping them to formulate a plan of action, helping them accept their responsibility for becoming a more effective person and helping them to develop their own inner resources. The Skilled Helper also helps their client to transfer newly acquired skills and knowledge to fresh situations, facilitates them in establishing appropriate and realistic goals (that match their problem-solving skills), encourages them to become selfdirective and develop the skills of problem-solving, helps them to build on their inner strengths and to utilize external resources and support groups, helps them realize their potential and facilitates them in developing goals which are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, ethical and reasonable. Furthermore the Skilled Helper remains in a state of external sensory awareness and retains an awareness of their client's non-verbal communications. Effective Listening – SOLER Effective listening is key to being a Skilled Helper. It consists of various skills, which Egan covers with the acronym : S. If it suits them, face the client Squarely (some prefer up to 45 degrees etc) O. Maintain an Open Posture with the client. L. Lean towards the client (as appropriate). E. Maintain appropriate Eye Contact with the client. R. Be a Relaxed helper as by doing so you greatly improve the quality and comfort of the sessions. Active Listening & Empathy Active Listening is a key skill for the Skilled Helper. It consists in concentrating on the client's non-verbal and verbal communications and relating them to the client's story (non-verbal communication includes body language, expressions, reactions etc). Verbal communication articulates the client's experiences, behaviours and feelings. The Skilled Helper encourages the client to stick to the point (what is relevant), they are non-judgemental and they are Empathic rather than sympathetic. Appropriate Empathy is a state of human interaction in which the helper enters and understands the client's perspective, whilst getting in touch with their thoughts and feelings, however, in this the helper remains rational in their understanding of the client's situation and reality. Unlike in some counselling approaches, although the Skilled Helper communicates Empathy to the client as the basis of counselling, when appropriate they may also use challenging skills with the client when particular and clearly harmful irrational statements or destructive patterns etc keep resurfacing, however any challenging must be congruent with the maintenance of therapeutic Rapport and Empathy because Empathy and Rapport provide the client with the warmth, comfort and safety needed to facilitate effective positive change. Exploring Skills (Egan Stage I Introduction) Exploring the client's Existing Situation The stage one skills of the Egan Helping Model are based upon the exploration of the client’s situation and they basically correlate with the Rogerian counselling skills of the Person Centered Approach. The purpose of Stage I is to build a nonthreatening counselling relationship and help the client explore their situation and then focus on chosen issues. In this stage the Skilled Helper helps the client to identify and clarify problems and opportunities and assess their resources. Clients are often reluctant or resistant at this stage, therefore the therapist helps them to explore new perspectives, challenges negative modes of thinking and constructively challenges the client's excuses, evasiveness, distortions and negative self-statements. This stage is based around helping the client in establishing priorities and developing action plans that put into practice productive strategies. Stage I exploring skills include: Open-ended questions Silence Focusing Empathy Paraphrasing & Reflecting Meaning Paraphrasing & Reflecting Feeling Structuring Summarising Understanding Skills (Egan Stage II Introduction) Helping the Client Establish Aims and Goals The purpose of Stage II is to help facilitate the client in developing a more in-depth and objective understanding of their situation. This stage is enacted as the Skilled Helper assists the client in exploring options and possible goals. The Skilled Helper establishes what the client really wants and needs and the client is encouraged to consider new possibilities and perspectives, choosing ones that are realistic, consistent with their values and for which there are adequate incentives. The Skilled Helper facilitates the client in developing rational decision-making based upon healthy data collection, analysis and action planning. In this state brain-storming, divergent thinking, a balance-sheet approach and force-field analysis may be used with the client in order to facilitate choices between different ways of dealing with situations and achieving goals. These techniques help the client to explore various options and strategies as well understand and work around blocking factors with facilitating factors. Stage II understanding skills include: Recognising Patterns & Themes Alternate Frames of Reference Self-disclosure Immediacy Challenging Timing & Pacing Advanced empathy Acting Skills (Egan Stage III Introduction) Help the Client to Develop Strategies Stage III skills are assist clients to take appropriate action by defining goals, changing ways of relating and working through issues using problem solving or decision making methods, while providing support and encouragement. Stage III skills help the client to cope with current problems and assist in the learning of new skills that will enable them to live more effectively in the future. Action is based on exploration and understanding gained by using stage I & II skills. In stage III the Skilled Helper facilitates the client in finding ways of achieving their goals. After helping the client to come up with as many strategies as they can the Skilled Helper then helps them to focus upon those that are viable in terms of client situati on, needs, aspiration and resources. This process is designed to help the client move from the current situation to one that they would prefer. Transition experiences may make the client feel vulnerable therefore the process may often be built upon the taking of small comfortable steps as the client grows in confidence (but this must be based upon the needs of the client – some like big jumps). Realistic achievable planning and time-tabling are key to success and the Skilled Helper is warm and supportive – helping the client look out and overcome obstacles, turning challenges into opportunities and inspiring the client to mobilise their personal, social and material resources (particularly helpful family members, friends and self-help networks etc). Stage III action skills include: Divergent Thinking Goal Setting Decision Making Problem Solving Programme Choice Evaluate Knowledge of Resources Using Knowledge of How Behaviour is Changed Using Knowledge of How Useful Behaviour is Maintained Teaching skills & Promoting Learning skills Evaluation In addition to Explore, Understand & Act skills evaluation of the therapy process is also important. It can take place at the end of each session as a summarization, whenever appropriate. It helps the client understand what ground they have gone over, helps them perceive progress they have made and inspires them with understanding on how they want to move forwards. To learn about this approach in detail see Part II, III & 4 of An Easy Introduction to the Egan’s Skilled Helper Solution Focused Counselling Approach by Patrick JM Nelson. Gerard Egan’s ‘The Skilled Helper’ is available from the FETT Bookshop Article Copyright Patrick JM Nelson 2007

Friday, November 8, 2019

Sailing to Byzantium Essays

Sailing to Byzantium Essays Sailing to Byzantium Paper Sailing to Byzantium Paper Poetry means many things to people all over the world. Poetry is an outlet or artistic and creative way of telling a story or expressing your emotions. It is something that does not require a lot of skill, but imagination and feeling. â€Å"Sailing to Byzantium† written by William Butler Yeats is a poem that speaks of the craving for something one cannot have and the immortality of people, art and intellect, and greatness. â€Å"Sailing to Byzantium† is a poem based on the theme longing for something one cannot have. In this case the old man in the poem is yearning to be young and live on forever even when his time is up. To escape death and old age the man sails to Byzantium. Byzantium is the opposite of the old man. â€Å"The young in one another’s arms, birds in the trees† and â€Å"The salmon falls, the mackerel crowded seas† are lines from the poem that illustrate the youth and vibrance of Byzantium, the youth and viberance the old man desires. Throughout the poem there are lines that hint about the immortality of people and life. One can continue to live on forever spiritually or by being remembered for having a great achievement or a great impact. In the second stanza Yeats writes, â€Å"An aged man is but a paltry thing. Upon this realisation, he decides to travel to the holy city of Byzantium. Byzantium (which was renamed Constantinople, then Istanbul) was a city in the Eastern Roman Empire. The journey to Byzantium is not a literal one, but a metaphorical one which represents the acceptance of mortality, artistic splendour and a way of immortalising oneself through art. Art is an artificial creation, and is something which can stand the test of time and will remain beautiful from the moment it is first created. The use of symbolism and themes are very prevalent in conveying this message of mortality, which leads me to my guiding questions: How does Yeats use language to distinguish the difference between mortality and immortality for the reader? and How does Yeats use symbolism to convey the theme of immortality versus the transience of life? The first stanza presents an image of life to the reader; the birds in the trees, the fish filled waters, the young people who are preoccupied with their lives and loves. But in amongst the description of life Yeats refers to them as those dying generations. This is a reminder that life is inevitably followed by death, and that we are all moving closer to our deaths, or dying. It is a reminder that everything that lives is doomed. Whatever is begotten, born and dies /Caught in that sensual music all neglect /Monuments of unaging intellect. This is a crude summary of the aspects of life that everyone shares (conception, birth and death) and how all living things get caught up with the sensual music, and neglect the monuments of unaging intellect. The final line has a double meaning. The monuments of unaging intellect represents the elderly and how their minds and intelligence do not age with their bodies, but it also represents the artworks and paintings which Yeats destination, Byzantium, is so famous for. The people in paintings, sculptures and other forms of art are undying, and remain the same as they were the day they were first created for eternity. Yeats is condemning the natural as all things natural are doomed to die, and praising the artificial things as they can stand the test of times. This is paradoxical however, because without the natural, the artificial wouldnt exist. In the second stanza, Yeats likens and aged man to a scarecrow: An aged man is but a paltry thing,/A tattered coat upon a stick. This is a symbol of the elderly. Scarecrows are devices which were created to do just as their name describes to scare crows, but in the poem they represent a device which is to scare the youth. Many people fear death, and as the elderly remind the youth of their own mortality, in looking at the aged, they have a sense of fear as they are seeing what they will become. However, this is followed by unless/Soul clap its hands and sing, louder sing/for every tatter in its mortal dress. By using a personification of soul, Yeats reminds the reader that the soul is what separates each life from the next, and that for every problem it comes by, it becomes stronger. In saying this, Yeats is focusing on the fact that it is possible to avoid becoming an empty, lifeless shell, like the scarecrow, by concentrating on the soul, and therefore overcoming the constrictions of the human body. Since the journey to metaphorical one, Yeats is saying that the only way that the journey to Byzantium is possible is to learn to escape from the constraints of the body. Byzantium represents a desired destination, and in Yeats case, it is a symbol of permanence and intransience through art. During a trip to Ravenna, Yeats saw a painting which portrayed martyrs being burnt because of their faith. In the third stanza, in the line O sages standing in Gods holy fire/As in the gold mosaic of a wall, Yeats has incorporated his interpretation of this painting into the poem. He sees the martyrs as sages and the flames as the Holy Spirit. This is represents the transition between life as a mortal and life as an immortal, as at the time of their deaths the sages gained an immortal existence through being incorporated into art. The mosaic is described as gold, as this colour represents an untarnished and everlasting beauty. Come from the holy fire, perne in a gyre,/And be the singing-masters of my soul. Here, Yeats is referring to a spinning wheel, and the quick movement of thread through a bobbin and spool. This image of each strand of thread being merged into one constant piece symbolises how human life spawns other lives another and how each life links up with another creating a continuous flow of life. Yeats is asking the sages in the mosaic to free him from his body, which he describes as a dying animal, and guide him to Byzantium so that he too can join the artifice of eternity. The sages in the mosaic have seen many generations of people, without ageing themselves. The fourth and final stanza commences with Yeats pronouncing that once he has escaped him human form, he will never again take the form from anything natural, as from his description in the first stanza, these things are all prone to decay and death. He then proceeds to say that he would wish to take the form of a golden bird like the ones the Grecian goldsmiths used to make. He wishes to make the final transition from the transience of human life, and immortalise himself through an ancient form of art. The final line of the poem Of what is past, or passing, or to come is a reflection of the line Whatever is begotten, born and dies found in the first stanza. Yeats categorises time into past, present and future, which is a suggestion that even after escaping his human body, his mind would still be limited to what he can perceive as a human being. The idea of eternity is a concept almost impossible for a human mind to grasp, so we classify time into past, present and future. In answer to my first guiding question, there is a notable difference in the language Yeats uses depending on whether he the idea of mortality or immortality is being conveyed. For example, in the first stanza when the old country is being described, the words are limited to one or two syllables, and the language is rough and has a staccato style rhythm: The salmon-falls, the mackerel-crowded seas,/Fish, flesh, or fowl, commend all summer long. The quick, often monosyllabic words help to enforce the idea that these things will eventually die, and the f and sh sounds are repeated, creating an alliteration which gives a sharper sound to the line. Yeats uses long, more flowing words in line 7, Caught in that sensual music all neglect, as if to admit that he, too, become preoccupied with this aspect of human life. In the final line of the first stanza, the reader is first introduced to the idea of an everlasting existence: Monuments of unageing intellect. This line rolls over the tongue, and is a contrast from line 5 which describes things that will die. It also displays a use of alliteration, as the letter n is echoed throughout the line. More examples language being used to emphasize the difference between transience and an endless existence can be found in the other stanzas: A tattered coat upon a stick and Monuments of its own magnificence: Consume my heart away; sick with desire/And fastened to a dying animal against Into the artifice of eternity. The lines which are referring to immortality have a much more soothing tone, whereas the lines which are referring to mortality are more staccato-like and harsher sounding. In answer to my second guiding question, Yeats use of symbolism is essential in his portrayal of immortality in opposition to mortality. The symbolism begins in the poems title, Sailing to Byzantium. Sailing symbolises a metaphorical journey, and Byzantium symbolises a desired destination, in this case, the desire to become immortal through art. In the first stanza, the images of the young lovers, fish and birds symbolise mortality and eventual death. By highlighting this component of the world he lives in, it makes it easier for the reader to understand his need for permanence. In the second stanza, the scarecrow signifies the elderly. The image of a solitary scarecrow in a field is seen often through literature and film, and in this case the scarecrow represents the neglected generation. The scarecrow is described as paltry (which means contemptible), and this symbolises how the younger generations have contempt for the older generations because they are a reminder of their own mortality. The scarecrow also represents everything that Yeats wishes to leave behind in departing his mortal existence. Finally, the image of the golden bird symbolises the flight Yeats has taken from his previous body, and the permanence he has found through art. The colour gold his also used several times throughout the poem, and this indicates everlasting beauty. Yeats uses images representing young life through to old life to demonstrate the transience of human life, but uses the constant image of the golden mosaics and the golden bird to show how art has a never-ending beauty. In conclusion, I think the main idea W. B. Yeats was trying to convey in writing this poem was that the artificial is superior to the natural, and that while all things natural are doomed to die, the artificial can exist forever. The way Yeats uses imagery helps to convey the idea that the artificial is an everlasting creation, and whereas the natural, while is beautiful at one time, eventually withers and dies. The fact that the author believes the artificial is superior to the natural becomes apparent in difference in language Yeats uses, depending on which of them he is talking about. The abrupt phrases and monosyllabic words Yeats uses to talk about the natural connote that the lives of these things, like the words, are quickly over. However, the more descriptive and flowing language used to describe things which are man-made, such as art, tells the reader that these things are longer lasting and more beautiful. I think that the way in which Yeats tells the poem complements the message he is conveying and causes the reader to contemplate their own existence.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

How to Say Weekend in French

How to Say Weekend in French The expression weekend is definitely an English word. We borrowed it in French, and use it a lot in France. Le Week-end, Le Weekend, La Fin de Semaine In France, two spellings are acceptable: â€Å"le week-end† or â€Å"le weekend†. A lot of books will tell you the French word for it is â€Å"la fin de semaine†. I’ve never heard it used around me, nor have I used it myself. It may be the French official word for â€Å"weekend†, but in France, it’s not very used at all. - Qu’est-ce que tu vas faire ce weekend? What are you going to do this weekend?-  Ce weekend, je vais chez des amis en Bretagne. This weekend, I’m visiting some friends in Brittany. What Days Are the Weekend in France? In France, the weekend usually refers to Saturday (samedi) and Sunday (dimanche) being off. But it’s not always the case. For example, high school students often have classes on Saturday morning. So, their weekend is shorter: Saturday afternoon and Sunday. Many shops and businesses (such as banks) are open on Saturday, closed on Sunday, and they often are closed on Monday to keep a two-day weekend. This is not so much the case in bigger cities or with shops with employees that can take turn, but it’s very common in smaller towns and villages.   Traditionally almost everything was closed on Sunday. This French law was to protect the French lifestyle and the traditional Sunday lunch with family. But things are changing, and more and more businesses are open on Sundays nowadays.   Les Dparts en Weekend On Friday after work, French people migrate. They take their car, and leave the city to go to... a friends house, a romantic getaway, but quite often also their countryside house: la maison de campagne, which maybe in the countryside, by sea, or in the mountain, but the expression refers to a weekend / vacation house outside of the city. They come back on Sunday, usually late afternoon. So, you can expect big(ger) traffic jams on these days and times. Ouvert tous les jours = Open every day... or not! Be very careful when you see that sign†¦ For the French, it means open every day†¦ of the working week! And the shop will still be closed on Sundays. There will usually be a sign with the actual opening hours and days, so always check it. Quels sont vos jours et horaires douverture ?What days and at what time are you open? Faire le Pont = To have a four day weekend Learn more details about this very French expression and concept.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Concert Review Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Concert Review - Assignment Example The melody of the recital can be described by a short but fast shifting motive. The composer uses about four notes that the shift rapidly from one set to another. At the introduction and throughout the piece the energy and vigor depicted in the melody gives the recital a jovial or celebratory atmosphere and mood. The vigor and strength that is depicted in the piece can be likened to the mood of a carnival or an active musical dance. The harmony of the recital is also varied between an interval and a chord. In the introduction of the piece, the general harmony is an interval sounding at most two notes at a time. In the later stages of the piece, it shifts to a chord but turns back the harmony back to the interval. At the intervals, there is an underlying melody that supports the harmony. In the subsequent groups of chords, the melody is not very clear, and the progression is achieved in the recital. The variation between the interval and chords in the piece creates musical motion in t he presentation. Musically it is expected that where the interval is supported by an underlying melody and thee audience perceives a level of stability, the harmony is referred to as consonance. However, in the case of a turbulent and unstable set of chords, the harmony is referred to as a dissonance. The texture of this presentation can be described as both thick and thin. First, the texture can be described as monophonic. The description of the texture is because the presentation is a solo recital that is not accompanied by any vocals.

Friday, November 1, 2019

The Smartest Kids in the World; Amanda Ripley Essay

The Smartest Kids in the World; Amanda Ripley - Essay Example The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMS) is another education policy that mainly focuses on less work problems and more on the subject specific knowledge and the skills that the school teaches the student during the learning process. Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study is a policy that does not concern whether the student can be able to apply their scientific and mathematical knowledge in the real life situation while Program on International Student Assessment has no concern in either measuring the student’s skill needed to succeed in their college education nor to engage in technical professions. Therefore, schools use both policies in their education system as they complement each other and will improve the educational outcome in schools (Ripley, 2013). According to Ripley (2013) Korea, Finland and Poland employ PISE as the education policy in their schools and this kind of system is seen as the reason behind their production of some of the best students in the world. This system brings out the argument that, tracking students, that is placing the kids in gifted classes at an early age so that they can be able to know what exactly their career holds for them, tends to diminish the learning process in schools boosting inequality to places where it was implemented. It is said when this kind of education system is applied, the students who were in the higher performing classes began to think of themselves as less gifted hence lowering their self esteem while surprisingly those in the lower performing classes in this kind of education policy developed a positive mentality about themselves in turn building on their self esteem.