The meaning of life Essay Example for Free

The meaning of life Essay According to Saint Exupery in The Halo (2006), â€Å"Each man must look to himself to teach him the meaning of life. It is not something discovered: it is something moulded.† The meaning of life has a no specific definition; it depends on how each individual give meaning to their lives. It is a natural thing for an individual to curiously know about their life since their birth till death. Moreover, human beings are also curious to find out why they were put in this earth that is why babies keep touching everything in order to experience all their surroundings from the very beginning (Taylor, 2000). In this essay, the concept of meaning will be significantly analysed. Firstly, by defining the meaning which will secondly be followed by discussing the different types of needs an individual must meet to experience the meaning of life. Thirdly, the types of things that enhance and curb the experience of the meaning of life will be highlighted. Lastly, various practical steps will be described to enhance the experience of the meaning of life. This essay will be intertwined with personal reflections and aspirations that have enhanced the meaning of life for the writer. What is the meaning of ‘meaning’? Subjectivism: According to Eagleton (2007), everyone adds their own meaning to life. The meaning of life is never universal or complex. The meaning of life is very simple and people experience it when they understand the universe, themselves, their identity and their goal in life (Bennet, 2005). Subjectivists state that the meaning differs with individuals’ psychological and mental states and their desires and goals. For example one individual can find meaning of life in music or art while other may find it in attaining goals or in religion (REF). In addition to this, (REF) states that life only becomes meaningful when all the needs and wants are fulfilled and when the individual is content and satisfied with themselves. Super naturalistic views: On the other hand, spiritual beings consider their lives to be consequential and significant when they can reach the pious pathway God has set (REF). The God-centred view points out that the definitive meaning of life is holistically attained. Moreover, an individual will only figure out the meaning of life when they are not attached to the worldly desires (REF). Personal reflection: Personally, the meaning of life for me is constantly being in search for my identity and accomplishing the goals I have set in life. I explore my identity through my art work as it helps me express my feelings and emotions about everything. My art work makes me realize who I am as a person and what people interpret me as a person through my paintings. What types of needs must be met for a person to experience meaning in life? Searching the meaning of life is a motivational force in an individual however; the degree of motivation to which they search the meaning of life differs in all individuals (REF). Despite individuals having different degrees of motivation, there are some needs and conditions that must be met for the individuals to experience the meaning of life. Individuals do not necessarily have to meet the same needs and conditions to experience the meaning of life. Some individuals are inspired by other individuals like great artists, inventors and thinkers, some individuals need sense of belonging, some need to experience certain events to make sense of life while others need to attain autonomy and self efficacy to experience the meaning of life. In short, individuals can discover the meaning of life through social work, experiencing something or someone or reactions towards unavoidable circumstances (REF). For example, an individual who is very emotional needs to experience the need of belonging in order to experience the meaning of life. They need to have many friends and a good relationship with their family in order to satisfy their need of belonging; this helps the individual to live a happy and full life. However, if they do not feel the sense of belonging, they have no hope hence do not have anything to look forward to and see no point of living. Conversely, not all individuals need to meet the need of belonging to experience the meaning of life. Some may have to experience the need of autonomy and self efficacy. These types of individuals usually have certain goals and tasks in life which they believe  they can attain thus that would help them experience the meaning of life. For example, an individual whose goal is to become a doctor tries to attain that goal by being a hard worker and devoting all his time to attain their goal. They would experience the meaning of life when they achieve the title of the doctor as it would help them conquer a place in the community and gain some prestige. In addition to this, if an individual fails to attain this need might gain a very low self esteem which would then impact on the choices they makes in life. They would become very dependent on others and would not be able to cope with that leading them to suffer from various health issues. What types of things enhance the experience of meaning in life? The meaning of life can be enhanced by sustaining life, accepting a teaching, giving life or creating wisdom (REF). For example things that would enhance the meaning of life for mothers, doctors and nurses is when they deliver as links in a biological chain by giving life from one generation to the other. Young artists are inspired and enhance their meaning of life when they authorize and respect and accept their teacher’s work (REF). Personally, as an artist, the meaning of life for me is enhanced when I can appreciate the work of different artists and what they are trying to express in their paintings. Art work makes me understand the different feelings individuals go though and how they express it through drawings. It also makes me see different viewpoints of life and experiences people are going through. Despite all individuals having different needs to discover the meaning of life, there are certain things that all individuals require to enhance the meaning of life like: Hope Inspiration Goals High self esteem. What types of things curb the experience of meaning in life? Many individuals curb their experiences of the meaning in life due to: No inspiration or goals and failure: If an individual constantly fails and has  no potential and inspiration of achieving his goals may feel ineffective and hopeless. They may start feeling that they have no purpose in life and life is completely meaningless for them. Loss of loved ones: loss of a loved one through death or divorce may affect an individual mentally and emotionally. They may feel the are not loved and do not belong anywhere as their loved one does not exist anymore. The loss brings suffering and misery which makes an individual believe that like if meaningless. Lastly, experiences like these pushes an individual to have a low self esteem and become reserved (REF). Personal Reflection: If individuals are not open, emotionless or afraid to be seen as themselves due to low self esteem cannot enhance their meaning of life and hence would curb this experience. As an artist, my goal is to become an art teacher and help other children to express their feelings through painting if they cannot through words. However, I have a clear goal and always have been inspired by my father to attain this goal. If I had a low self esteem and did not believe in myself, I would have no hope hence that would curb the search of meaning of life as I would feel I am worthless Practical steps to enhance the experience of a meaningful life As mentioned above, many individuals curb their experiences of the meaning in life due to low self esteem, no inspiration, no goals and being reserved. However, they can enhance their experience firstly by accepting and believing in themselves. This would help them make a contribution to life and share their best. According to (REF) self-destructive behaviour can be conquered by increasing self-efficacy and self-esteem. This can be done through counselling so that they can start believing in themselves. Individuals who need the sense of belonging to experience the meaning of life should try and fit in and socialize with people they are close to and have good relationships with them all. Furthermore, individuals who are trying to attain a specific goal should always reward themselves every time they are a step closer towards the goal. This would keep them motivated and not lose hope. Personally, I enhance my experience by acknowledging the  great artists and how they are an inspiration to other young artists. Conclusion Finally as mentioned there is no specific meaning of life. All individuals need to meet different types of needs such as the need of belonging, experiencing life threatening incidents, need of autonomy and self efficacy to experience the meaning of life. An individual’s perception, values, needs and feelings centre him and help in organizing the world around him. Feelings help in expressing oneself. If an individual has a great skill in expressing himself, he can change the larger world. Great artists found expressions in their art work which helped them change the world that came after them. The creations around us are the different individuals trying to express themselves and their experiences of the meaning of life. All the inhibitors that we posses such as low self esteem and inner struggles should be resolved to make life more creative and enhance the meaning of life.

Study On What Is Reflection Nursing Essay

Study On What Is Reflection Nursing Essay This assignment looks at the study of theoretical reflection in conjunction with how effective communication skills can be developed to expand our knowledge. To achieve this I will explain what reflection practice is using models of reflection; evaluate theories of personal development what they are and how they are used. Discuss how reflective practice benefits communication skills and in turn influence our knowledge of nursing care. What is reflection? In scientific terms reflection is seen as light, heat or sound striking a surface to give off a reflection (Darlene 2006). Reflection is also seen as philosophical understanding of how one can gain knowledge through experience and use different approaches to the same scenario (ref). Reflection can be described as; meditation, deep thinking and or giving careful considerations to possibilities and opinions of a given situation (Mcferran and Martin 2008). The novel idea of reflection rose from a theorist John Dewey (1859-1952); his proposed view on reflection is described as persistent, active thinking and taking into consideration the supporting evidence that forms knowledge to the given situation. This theorist suggests that the person uses their mind and emotions to facilitate reflection (Bulman and Schutz 2008). This suggests that John Dewey describes reflective individuals has being open-minded, responsible and wholehearted (Vaugn and Leblanc 2011). Deweys perception of reflection was a platform for many authors to elaborate on in terms of understanding reflective practice. Johns and Freshwater (2005) propose that health professionals should find the meaning of reflection through description rather than definition because to define reflection is to suggest the author has authority over its meaning. This in turn allows reflections models and frameworks to be used intuitively giving a more holistic approach, it can be subjective and purpose driven (Johns and Freshwater 2005). Mann et al (2007) describes Schons (1983) view that reflection can happen in two ways: reflecting upon activities whilst they are happening called reflection in action (present reflection) and reflecting upon activities once they have happened (reflecting on the past). Reflection can also be seen as the engine that facilitates superficial learning into finding a deeper understanding that enables the practitioner to transform what is known to knowledge in action (Boud et al 1985 cited in Rolfe et al 2011). Reflection (Broad overview) Describe some of the different theories and models of reflection that are available and how they are used. Explain how reflection can aid personal development. Schon, reflection on and in action Models of reflection, Driscolls, Atkins and Murphy, Gibbs, Johns, Kolb. 750 words Reflection Model and frameworks There are many different models of reflection which seem to have similar philosophical theories attached to each approach. Rolfe et al (2011) asserts models are methodologies and frameworks are methods used to understand and give guidance on how use the chosen reflective model and models therefore are ontological this mean they have formal specifications for representing ideas and concepts that aim to improve personal growth and development. Models of reflection developed by Schon and Argyris (1992) involves three elements: (1) knowing-in-action (2) reflection-in-action and (3) reflection-on-practice (Ghaye and Lillyman 2010). Ghaye and Lillyman (2010) have extrapolated Schons work to include knowing-in-action; they propose that practitioners customise and tailor their own knowledge or theories to the situation presented. Knowing in action is described further by Carper (1978) who identifies five approaches to knowing in action; empirical, personal, ethical and aesthetic knowing ( Newton and McKenna 2009). Empirical knowing is the formation of knowledge organised into general laws and theories for the describing and predicting phenomena pertaining to nursing practice (Averill and Clements 2007). Empirical means of knowledge tends to seek out theoretical explanation which can be replicated and be publicly verifiable (Newton and McKenna 2009). Newton and McKenna (2009) further suggest that empirical knowledge can only be effective when it is interpreted within the context of given clinical situation and how it is assimilated into practitioners personal knowledge. Personal knowing described by Carper (1978) is about finding out how much we know about ourselves when faced with clinical challenges and that health care professionals may not necessarily know about the self but do strive to know about the self. Newton and McKenna (2009) state that Caper (1978) does reiterate that it is difficult to master however it is an essential in understanding nursing care. Newton and McKenna (2009) suggest that personal knowing demands a deeper level of understanding and awareness to communicate and interact with ourselves and others. This type of knowing requires the nurse to be empathic, nurse attempt to do this by developing a personal yet professional relationship between the patients as opposed to viewing a patient as an object (Newton and McKenna 2009). Moral actions and ethical choices are intertwined with personal knowing to which Carper (1978) suggests presupposes personal maturity and freedom. Ethical knowing is about the moral aspect of nursing that is concerned with making choices, making justifiable actions and judging outcomes (Newton and McKenna 2009). The main focus of ethical knowing is trained towards issues of obligations that would require rationalisation and deliberate reasoning (Carper 1992). Chinn and Kramer (2004) suggest that rational can be expressed through codes, moral rules and decision-making. Newton and McKenna (2009) assert that having knowledge of moral issues is not isolated to ethical codes of nursing disciplines for example the Code of Conduct written by the NMC (2010). Newton and McKenna (2009) assert that ethical knowing is only partly learnt through applying codes and moral rules but is more through experiencing situations that initiate reflection upon what is or has happened and how this affects patient care. Aesthetic knowing is the process that is involved in understanding the given clinical situation by interpreting the information provided and how it impacts others involved in the situation (Johns 1994). Aesthetic knowing allows nurses to use their judgment and skill to respond in clinical situations often referred to as the art of nursing (Johns and Freshwater 2005, Bulman and Schutz 2008). Newton and McKenna (2009) assert that there is an essential component attached to aesthetic knowing which is having empathy, which gives the patient reassurance that the practitioner is able to experience another persons feeling and situation the patient is faced with. Gibbs( date) Driscoll(dates)and Kolb ( date)all conjured reflective models which are each similar to one another; they are all cyclical reveals that learning through reflection about what is or what has happened is continuous cycle. Gibbs et al (1988) model please see appendix 1 (a) Do you know of any other models that perhaps dont take on such a cyclical approach†¦ consider the work of Chris Johns, Mezirow, Boud et al also†¦. How do they compare and contrast with each other? Why might one model of reflection suit one situation or context better than another?Think about which models promote single loop or double loop learning if you can. Reflective practice (Specific) Give an overview of how reflection is used in nursing. Explain its relevance to nursing and how and when it is used. Explore the concepts of reflective practice and critical incident analysis. Introduce use of reflection for personal development. CPD, self regulation. Identify the different situations where reflection can be used. Skills V critical Incidents what is a critical incident. 750 words Reflective practice is seen has using reflective techniques to improve, maintain change in clinical procedures and influence guidelines to encourage greater safety of patients in all areas of health organisations (Bulman and Schutz 2008). Health care organisations in the UK have undergone and still continue to undergo changes to how it is regulated (Rolfe et al 2011). The emphasis is largely associated with increasing patient safety and risk reduction (Rolfe et al 2011). The four main bodies in the UK; Royal College of Nursing (RCN), Nursing Midwifery Council (NMC) and General Social Care Council (GSCC) and General Medical Council (GMC) which are concerned with the controlling, training and regulating of the healthcare system in UK (Rolfe et al 2011). Evidence-based studies have taught the NHS and regulatory bodies how to change practices and procedures to create better outcomes for patients, they have also encompassed further development for staff to promote a better use of resources through continuing professional development CPD (Ghaye and Lillyman 2010). An example of this could be the pressure sore nurses taking on the responsibility of giving guidance to non-specialist nurses to take care of patients with such conditions. This could not have been achieved if it was not for reflective thinking being part of the learning process (ref). How do we use reflective practice within our day to day practice? Consider the approaches that mentors take when supporting students, look at the principles involved in preceptorship and clinical supervision†¦ Communication skills (Application) Discuss and analyse how reflection can be utilised to improve your communication skills in practice. Explore how and when you would use it. What practical steps would you take and what resources would you utilise and why. Link reflection in and on action to communication situations giving information (in), breaking bad news (on), then use of journals, models, writing, peer support. 750 words Conclusion Sum up 500 words You have made a solid start at this assignment so far and have introduced many ideas which are relevant to the topic. These themes now need to be explored in greater detail . You have a slight tendency to introduce theoretical concepts ( not all of which are uncomplicated) without fully explaining their meaning†¦. Take care to avoid this as just mentioning them does not mean that you understand them and we will be looking for evidence of understanding. You also need to pay attention to your sentence construction as there are several poorly constructed sentences noted so far†¦. Make sure that when you lift them from the text you have referred to , that you do adapt them to make sense in the context that you are trying to use them. I would like to have a look at this piece when it has been developed a bit more. You are definitely heading in the right direction though and overall have made an effective start.

History of Iron Smelting Technology in Sub-Saharan Africa

History of Iron Smelting Technology in Sub-Saharan Africa Introduction: The arrival of iron smelting technology in sub-Saharan Africa played a significant role in shaping the historical record of the area by bringing profound changes to the lives and societies of its inhabitants (Haaland Shinnie 7). In the parts of Africa south of the Sahara and south of the Ethiopian highlands, there has been no archaeological evidence supporting a Bronze Age (Van Der Merwe 463; Alpern ; Holl 6) and the evidence archaeologists do have point to iron being the first metal used to replace stone tools (Fagan 1). One area of intense debate regarding the African Iron Age is the process in which the technology of iron smelting arrived in sub-Saharan Africa. Over the past half-century, the interpretations and reconstructions of the origins of iron smelting in sub-Saharan Africa have changed considerably. The initial theory was based on an unquestioned belief of the superiority of Ancient Egypt over sub-Saharan Africa (Kense 12). Based on this framework, the site of Meroe was pr oposed by Arkell as an important link and the general belief was that the collapse of the Kingdom of Kush precipitated the spread of technology and Meroitic culture into the southwest (Kense 13). However excavations conducted in the 1960s determined that the iron smelting furnaces found at Meroe mostly dated to the first few centuries B.C.E (Shinnie 30) and its pivotal role in the spread of iron smelting technology was shown to be increasingly hard to defend (Kense 13). Three theories regarding the origins of iron smelting in sub-Saharan Africa have emerged and are currently disputed amongst scholars (Holl 7). Two of the theories are diffusionist meaning these theories claim the technology originated elsewhere and was transported into the region. These theories are based on the premise that iron smelting originated somewhere in Anatolia and from there the technology was adopted by other populations and spread throughout the Mediterranean and into Africa. The main diffusionist theory was first proposed by Raymond Muany in 1952. He argues that since the Phoenicians had iron by about 1100 B.C. and that they started colonizing Northern Africa at around the same time; it was possible that the knowledge of iron smelting was transmitted into sub-Saharan Africa with the Berber tribes living in the Saharan Desert as a medium (Alpern 46). The other diffusionist hypothesis arose as a counter to early iron smelting furnaces found west of Lake Victoria in Tanzania. This hypothesis proposes that the technology came from Arabia via the Horn of Africa (Alpern 80). The theory that has gained the most acceptance recently is the one arguing for the independent invention of iron smelting in sub-Saharan Africa (Alpern 41). A slew of archaeological discoveries in the past twenty years have strengthened the case for independent invention. Some people have even gone as far as arguing that, based on controversial discoveries made in 2008, inhabitants of sub-Saharan Africa were the first to smelt iron, preceding Anatolia by about 700 years (Pringle ). The strongest case against independent invention is the complexity of iron smelting. Iron requires specialized knowledge in order to transform iron ore into usable iron (Kense 19) and it has long been held that people without prior knowledge of smelting techniques would not be able to smelt iron successfully (Sassoon 5). Two areas of sub-Saharan Africa have emerged as candidates for areas where iron smelting could have developed, the Western Africa region around the Niger-Nigeria border or north-western Ta nzania. This essay will argue for the independent discovery of iron smelting technology in sub-Saharan Africa based on discoveries made in Western Africa. Background: To understand why there has been such a strong opposition to the idea of sub-Saharan Africa independently inventing iron smelting technology, it is necessary to consider the difficulty and skill required to smelt iron. It is hypothesized that iron was first used as a flux, a substance that is smelted together with the desired ore in order to make the slag, or waste rock, more liquid, in the smelting of copper (Wheeler Madden 114). The iron mixed with slag would have been spongy at the temperatures inside a copper smelting furnace. It could only then be shaped into something usable through repeated hammering and heating (Wheeler Madden 114). The difficulty in creating iron objects is testament in the value iron objects had during the early and mid Bronze Age. In Egypt, for example, Tutankhamen was wrapped in with a golden dagger and a matching iron dagger with a gold hilt (van der Merwe 466). So although ancient smiths, masters of smelting bronze and copper, knew about iron, the diffi culties in smelting the metal took a long time to overcome. The smelting of iron occurs when iron ore is heated together with a charcoal fuel. This causes the iron in the ore to fuse chemically with the carbon from the charcoal. The more carbon dissolved in the iron, the lower its melting point. The amount of ore to fuel, and the supply of combustion air determine whether cast iron, steel, wrought iron, or a useless lump of metal will form (Alpern 82). Copper on the other hand melts readily at 1084ÂÂ °, temperatures that can be reached in a charcoal fire or during ceramic firing (Holl 6). In sum, the reduction of iron ore requires much more sophisticated expertise than does the smelting of other metal ores. Without pre-existing furnace technology, the likelihood of stumbling upon the process required is slim (Sassoon 5). Due to these foundations and a lack of archaeological evidence supporting very early iron smelting in sub-Saharan Africa at the time, Mauny proposed the most plausible scenario for the diffusion of iron metallurgy (Alpern 45). He speculated that when the Phoenicians settled in North Africa, the Berbers living in the region, being from a nomadic warrior culture, would have been keen to acquire improved weapons made from iron metal. These Berbers living near the coast would then pass on this technology to their fellow Berbers living in the Sahara (Kense 24). He then suggested that the technology could have been taken south into the sub-Saharan savannah by fleeing slaves, or deliberately transmitted to the lands of black farmers where both iron ore and the wood to fuel smelting furnaces were relatively abundant. The farmers would in turn supply the Berbers with raw metal for ironworking in exchange (Alpern 46). Mauny offered some linguistic evidence for his model. Derivatives of the Phoenician word for iron, barzel, are found in Berber vocabularies throughout the Sahara and also in the Teda (Tubu) language of Tibesti and the Fezzan.20 Mauny also saw affiliations with the terms for iron among several savanna-dwelling black peoples, including the Bariba, Jukun, and Kanuri.21 He might have added that Carthaginian influence on the Berbers may be attested to this day by the Tifinagh alphabet of the Tuareg, which is thought by some scholars to derive ultimately from a Punic script. There is a strong case that Africa independently invented ceramics, however there does seem to be evidence for Berber transfer of metallurgy across the Sahara, but it comes not from Niger but from Mauritania in the far west. Ancient copper artifacts began to be noticed in that region in the early twentieth century. By 1951 enough had been found for Mauny to wonder, in print, whether Mauritania had experienced a Copper Age.70 An answer came in 1968, when French archeologist Nicole Lambert began excavating what was known as the Grotte aux Chauves-souris (Bat Cave) on a hill called the Guelb Moghrein near Akjoujt in western Mauritania. It was not a cave at all, but an ancient mining gallery dug by humans following a rich vein of malachite ore. The ore was not only extracted, but locally smelted, as furnace remains and slag attest. Four other ancient exploitation sites were found later on the Guelb Moghrein. Ra-diocarbon datings, eventually calibrated, are nearly all in the range 800 to 200 cal BCE. Subsequently at least three other metallurgical centers from the same period were discovered in the Akjoujt region. The number of ancient copper objects found in the western Sahara and attributed to the Akjoujt industry exceeded 160 at last count. The great majority are weapons: arrowheads, lance points, and daggers. Tools include hatchets, pins, awls, burins, and hooks. There are the inevitable personal ornaments-rings, earrings, pendants-and some ingots. All the items are very small and very light; when the number reached about 140, the total weight barely topped two kilograms. They were produced in a Neolithic context in which stone tools vastly outnumbered the metal ones, so one can hardly speak of a Copper Age on the basis of present evidence. How did copper mining and working get started at Akjoujt? It is possible the industry was indigenous, but no one yet seems to have made a real case for that. Lambert saw a resemblance between the Akjoujt products and those of the El Argar culture in southeastern Spain, where copper was being manufactured by at least 1700 BCE and bronze some 200 years later. She thought the few ancient brass and bronze artifacts also found in Mauritania might have been imported from the western Maghreb. She noted that chariot engravings had been found on rocks in three places near Akjoujt and thought they might be road signs indicating an early traffic between Morocco and Mauritania.71 Mauny discerned Phoenician or Carthaginian initiatives behind the Akjoujt industry, with Berbers actually importing the technology, but Lamberts idea of an Iberian connection might have some merit.72 In the late 1960s and early 1970s, British archeologist Colin Renfrew, in a sweeping challenge to the then-reigning diffusionist orthodoxy, suggested that copper metallurgy was independently invented on the Iberian Peninsula long before Phoenicians or Greeks reached the western Mediterranean. 73 Since then much evidence has accumulated that he was right, and that Iberian copper metallurgy dates back at least to 3000 BCE.74 It also seems that the technology crossed from Spain to Morocco before the Phoenicians set foot on the Moroccan coast. Until the mid-twentieth century, it was thought the western Maghreb had not experienced a Copper or Bronze Age. Finds of metal objects, ancient mines, and, especially, rock engravings have undercut that notion: copper in Morocco may date all the way back to the third millennium BCE, according to some leading researchers.75 Rock art in the High Atlas shows weapons typical of the El Argar culture, especially daggers, halberds, and axes.76 Conceivably, cuprous objects reached Morocco in exchange for two North African products, ivory and ostrich eggshells, that have been found in third- and second- millennium-BCE graves in southeast Spain.77 But no certain proof of early copper smelting has yet turned up in the Maghreb. Did the Akjoujt copper industry, whatever its origins, lead to an independent invention of iron metallurgy? The malachite of Bat Cave occurred in a matrix of hematite and magnetite that was discarded in the smelting process. There is no evidence that the coppersmiths ever produced iron, although the raw material was at hand. However, proof of ironworking from the same period has recently been found some 250 miles south of Akjoujt in the middle Senegal river valley. At a site called Walalde, iron artifacts dating to somewhere between 800 and 550 cal BCE have been found, and in a second phase of occupation, from ca. 550 to 200 cal BCE, clear evidence of iron smelting has been excavated. The latter phase also yielded three copper artifacts with a telltale chemical signature of the Akjoujt ores-more than 1% of arsenic and a smaller amount of nickel. Further excavation and study are required to evaluate the find, but it is clearly an important contribution to the history of metallurgy in sub-Saharan Africa.

Americas War on Drugs Essays -- History of the Drug War

In 1968, President Richard Nixon initiated the War on Drugs when American soldiers were coming home from the Vietnam War addicted to heroin. More than a decade later, President Ronald Reagan launches the South Florida Drug Task force, headed by then Vice-President George Bush, in response to the city of Miami’s demand for help. In 1981, Miami was the financial and import central for cocaine and marijuana, and the residents were fed up. Thanks to the task force, drug arrests went up by 27%, and drug seizures went up by 50%. With that, the need for prosecutors and judges also rose. Despite these increased arrests and seizures, marijuana and cocaine still poured into south Florida. At this stage, the root of the problem, the Colombian Cartels, was not attacked. The DEA soon realized that they needed to crack down on the cartels. In 1982 the DEA went to Colombia to eradicate fields of marijuana and coca plants. These fields were located and burned. The hard part now, was finding the labs used to turn the coca leaves into cocaine. These labs were in very remote locations, to avoid surveillance. The DEA suspected that the cocaine labs were very large, but the Colombians kept eluding them. Finally the DEA was able to track down the chemicals used in the processing of cocaine to one of the labs, and the DEA scored their first major bust. On March 10, 1984 twelve tons of cocaine were seized from a very remote lab. The DEA thinks they made an impact, but amazingly the cocaine availability on American streets remained the same. The DEA is shocked, and realizes just how big the drug problem in the United States was. Because the Cartel leaders had money, they also began to acquire power. The dealers run for political office and win.... ...tice Policy Institute, 1997). Craig Haney, Ph.D., and Philip Zimbardo, Ph.D., "The Past and Future of U.S. Prison Policy: Twenty-five Years After the Stanford Prison Experiment," American Psychologist, Vol. 53, No. 7 (July 1998), p. 720 Abraham, Manja D., University of Amsterdam, Centre for Drug Research, Places of Drug Purchase in The Netherlands (Amsterdam: University of Amsterdam, September 1999), and pp. 1-5. www.NORML.org Other sources consulted: www.drcnet.org www.pbs.org www.erowid.org www.masscann.org The Emperor Wears No Clothes: The Authoritative Historical Record of the Cannabis Plant, Hemp Prohibition, and How Marijuana Can Still Save the World By : Jack Herer Pages : 182 (New Edition : 330) Pub Date : 1990 (New Edition : 1996) Publisher : Hemp Publishing (New Edition : Quick American Archives) ISBN : 0-88706-541-4

Six-minute walk test Essays -- Health, Exercise

Six-minute walk test There are many tools to assess functional exercise capacity most of which provide good information about body system. The most popular clinical exercise tests are stair climbing, a 6MWT, a shuttle-walk test, detection of exercise-induced asthma, a cardiac stress test and a cardiopulmonary exercise test) (ATS, 2002). In the past, the functional exercise capacity was assessed by asking patients â€Å"How many flights of stairs can you climb or how many blocks can you walk?†; but, this assessment was a subjective measurement. In addition, the first objective tool was in 1960s which was 12 minute walking test; however, it was so exhausting for patients. As a result from that, a 6 minute walking test (6MWT) was found to be used as an objective measurement tool for functional exercise capacity in patients with mild or moderate respiratory diseases and cardiac diseases (ATS, 2002). Many studies have concluded that 6MWT is inexpensive test andâ€Å"†¦ it is easy to administe r, better tolerated, and more reflective of activities of daily living than the other walk tests† (ATS, 2002). Therefore, this essay will describe the 6MWT and comment on administration, application, reliability and validity based on the literature reviews. Chang (2006) mentioned that 6MWT measures the distance that patients can walk on a flat surface as fast as they can with stops needed by patients within 6 minute. In addition, 6 MWT can reflect the exercise level needed for daily tasks. Morales-Blanhir, Vidal, Romero, Castro, Villegas, Zamboni (2010) showed that the major indications for 6MWT are to measure the response to the intervention given to the patients and it can be used for measuring the functional status of patients, as well as a predic... ...patients with Left Ventricular Dysfunction were involved in the study. 6MWT was one of the assessment tools and the authors have done the 6MWT in the beginning then they repeat it after 242 days. The authors have compared patients with high 6MWD with patients with lower 6MWD. As a result, they concluded that patients with lower 6MWD had a significantly greater chance of dying (Morales-Blanhir et al, 2010). The 6MWT is the best indicator of existing types of walk tests of functional capacity for children and it can be used to evaluate cardiopulmonary disease. In 2005 a group of authors have examined 74 patients with a mean age of 14.2  ± 1.2 years, and they concluded that 6MWT can be used to evaluate and assess pediatric patients with cardiac and lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis or bronchiolitis obliterans (Morales-Blanhir et al, 2010). .

Pros and cons death penalty Essay

Corporal punishment can be defined as physical punishment that is meted out to someone because they have done something wrong. More often than not corporal punishment involves the use of canes to beat someone. Corporal punishment is normally meted out to children in schools by teachers and at homes by parents or guardians. The advantages of corporal punishment It helps to serve as a deterrent. When children see that someone has been whipped for misbehaving, they try not to do similar things in order to avoid getting whipped. With corporal punishment, parents are able to bring their children under control. There are certain children who can only be controlled through the use of the cane. Corporal punishment helps make children obedient, respectful, polite, etc. In the absence of corporal punishment, children likely go wild. Corporal punishment in school makes students take their studies seriously and also helps keep the students under control. Authorities are able to instill discipline in children through the use of corporal punishment in schools. It makes very recalcitrant and stubborn children submit to authority because they fear that if they don’t do the right thing they just might be whipped. The disadvantages of corporal punishment It can be very counterproductive in the sense that it can sometimes make children hardened and no longer afraid. It is very hurtful and can cause severe injuries to a child. This is the reason why in so many places it has been banned in schools. Corporal punishment strikes severe fear in the hearts and minds of students and can easily make them to drop out of school. Here, they are so afraid that they would be whipped for the least mistake they do. And this constant fear can make the students to drop out of school. Corporal punishment is very painful and is inhumane or cruel to use whips or canes to lash someone. Simply put, it is a barbaric practice. Human rights organizations and advocates all over the world consider corporal punishment on children to be a form of child abuse. When corporal punishment is used excessively in schools and at homes, it has the tendency of making children very hostile to their teachers or parents. This can lead to some children  fighting back – especially when the pain gets too much to take. Corporal punishment can scar children or disfigure them for life – both physically and mentally. Another disadvantage of corporal punishment is the fact that it can land the one meting out the physical punishment in big trouble. For example, if in the course of beating the child, the child suddenly gets severely injured or dies from the beating, then the teacher, parent, or guardian meting out the punishment will face the wrath of the law. Should corporal punishment be abolished? Having taken a look at the advantages and disadvantages of corporal punishment, I personally think that the disadvantages of corporal punishment far outweigh the advantages and for that reason I really think it should be abolished everywhere. Capital punishment or death penalty is a very common topic for writing a pros and cons essay, and many students choose it as a really great issue which opens plenty of room for discussion. The controversy of death penalty has been one of the most debatable issues for the last decade, and it is possible to find plenty of materials and plenty of ideas to support both sides of the issue. There are a great number of experts who support death penalty and believe that it is the only good punishment for mass murderers, rapists, killers, and other similar kind of criminals. At the same time, there are plenty of enthusiasts and promoters of death-penalty-free world, who underline that taking a human life is something a government has no right to do. If y ou have got an assignment to write a death penalty essay, continue reading this small article to get some interesting ideas and tips as to writing this kind of academic paper. First of all, let’s focus on the arguments of those people who are against death penalty as a punishment for heavy type of criminals. In addition to their main argument that humans have no right to take lives of other humans, even as a retaliation (since killers and murderers do take lives of other human beings), they very often address to religious issues and say that it is only God who can take our lives. He sends us to this world, and only He can decide when it is time for us to go from this world. They are convinced that death penalty is nothing else but an act of violence which has extremely negative effects on modern society. It violates the main right  that we all have, the right to live, and executing capital punishment is nothing else but a cruel and brutal way to kill a human being. Finally, they underline that practicing death penalty is not something that can stop violence and brutal killings, thus it will not work for increasing safety of our society. When speaking about the arguments of those who are supporting death penalty, those people are usually talking about using capital punishment as an instrument of fair justice. They are convinced that death penalty can serve very effectively as a tool to provide social safety. They are sure that death penalty can play a very powerful role as a deterrent and this way make criminals understand what price they are going to pay for doing such heavy criminal acts as murders, rapes, torturing their victims, etc. etc. Capital punishment proponents believe that death penalty can also serve as a threat to those who are planning acts of terrorism and other serious criminal acts. Finally, there is also an idea that exchanging capital punishment with life-long imprisonment is not a solution, and executing criminals is better and cheaper that supporting them in prison all their life long. They say that putting bad people to death is an expression of a true justice. I think the above mentioned arguments can be useful to those students who need to write death penalty pros and cons essay. Regardless of what side you are at and what viewpoint you’re going to support in your essay, you should mention both pro and con arguments. Start your work on your death penalty pros and cons essay with thinking about the way you’re going to present your arguments and creating a small outline of your essay. You can use several strategies for your presentation. After giving your thesis statement in the introduction of your essay (stating your viewpoint as to the issue, or saying if you are an opponent or a proponent of capital punishment), you can briefly mention the argument of the opponent side (in 2-3 paragraphs), and then bring your arguments to support your point of view. Another strategy is bringing the arguments of the opponent side one by one, and then responding to those with the argument supporting your own point of view. Good luck in your work!

Dating Practices

For more details, call or text Riva Galveztan at +63 917 834 3745 or e-mail [email  protected] com Do you feel†¦ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Heart broken? Frustrated with relationships? Traumatized from your previous relationships? You attract the â€Å"wrong† kind of people? Exhausted about your past loves? Confused about what to do on your next relationship? Anxious about loving someone again? Your love life is zero? It’s so tough to find â€Å"The One†? As if you’ve lost hope looking for the right person? You have no other option? We want to help you†¦ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Attract the â€Å"best† people for you Get to know yourself in a more meaningful way Reflect on how you can further improve yourself Find out what you truly want for yourself and what you want in your future partner Paint a picture of the person you want to be with Define the profile of t he partner (1) you want; and (2) what suits you based on experience Save time by pre-screening potential partners Build a harmonious, sustainable, and well-thought of relationship that may lead to a mutually satisfying and genuinely happy marriage †¢ †¢ We believe that†¦ You should never â€Å"settle for less† in any relationship †¢ You deserve to be with the â€Å"best† person for you †¢ You are unique in your own way; there is surely someone out there who will appreciate you for who you are †¢ You have to learn to love yourself before even thinking about learning to love others †¢ You need to know what you’re getting into before finally committing to it †¢ You have to understand your patterns of behavior, thinking, etc in order to project your desired image that will attract the person you are looking for †¢ You should never lose hope in your quest to find â€Å"The One†Why CUSTOMIZE? †¢ Save time and ef fort †¢ Avoid having to deal with heartbreaking shocking moments (things you never knew about your partner that you have to know anyway) †¢ Know what’s best for you †¢ Understand what you’re going through †¢ Go for quality not quantity The Concept OUR â€Å"DATEBASE† Customized Dating Introduction Yes! YEs Yes! Customized Dating is like your friend who will introduce you to another friend from its DATEBASE (with both parties’ consent). Basic Criteria to get in the OUR DATEBASE* †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢Must be at least 21 years old Must be Male or Female Must be legally single; If married either annulled or widowed Must be referred by someone we know (no walk-ins) Must go through Steps 1-3 but has to successfully pass the prescreening and actual screening standards No cougars and dirty old men No one night stands, no random flings No hidden agenda to sell products and/or services No fraudul ent individuals, scammers, and the like *We have the right to reject applications should the applicant fail to meet the standards set for the pre-screening phase.Rejected applications are not eligible for Step 3 and beyond. Getting Started: Pre-Screening †¢ Step 1: Answer the Basic Info Sheet †¢ As part of the initial assessment process, you have to fill out our Basic Information Sheet, which serves as our reference and your application form. †¢ Instructions: Please don’t leave anything blank unless it’s not applicable. Indicate N/A accordingly. †¢ Save the file as a Word 1997-2003 Document or as PDF. †¢ The required format for the file name is [Last Name, First Name Middle Initial-Date Accomplished (mm/dd/yyyy)] Please send to [email  protected] om ? †¢ All the information in this form shall be kept confidential. We shall immediately send you an official confidentiality/non-disclosure agreement once you have sent your form. Getting Star ted: Pre-Screening †¢ Step 2: Answer Tests for Evaluation †¢ Answer the following tests online: †¢ TEST A: http://www. humanmetrics. com/cgi-win/jtypes2. asp †¢ TEST B: http://www. 5lovelanguages. com/assessments/personal- profiles/apology/ †¢ TEST C: http://www. 5lovelanguages. com/assessments/personalprofiles/? profiletype=singles †¢ TEST D: http://www. intelliscript. et/test_area/questionnaire/questionnaire. cgi †¢ TEST F: http://www. lifesupplemented. org/my_wellness_scorecard †¢ Save the results using the Print Screen function. Save as JPEG or PNG. If you have no idea how to do this, please contact us immediately. †¢ The required format for the file name is [Test A-Last Name, First Name Middle Initial-Date Accomplished (mm/dd/yyyy)]. Please send to [email  protected] com ? Getting Started: Pre-Screening †¢ Step 3: Schedule an Interview †¢ If you pass Step 1 and 2, you will have to schedule an interview with one of our Cus tomized Dating experts. Indicate preferred dates/weeks of the year as well as the preferred time of interview. The actual time, date, and venue will be subject to the expert’s availability. †¢ Interview will last for at least 1 hour to 1. 5 hours maximum. †¢ Skype interviews can be scheduled only for those who live outside of Metro Manila, assuming the applicant has passed the pre-screening standards. This is for special cases only. †¢ Please take note that during the interview, we will be taking photos and recording a one minute video clip of you for file purposes and for the reference of the client upon request.Getting Started: Pre-Screening GOOD NEWS! †¢ Steps 1-2 are free (All you need are 1. computer; 2. internet connection) †¢ Step 3 has a minimal fee of PHP 999 (discounted from the usual PHP 1,500 rate) for the Customized Dating expert who will be of service to you. †¢ This fee also includes â€Å"I’ve Been Dating†¦ Now What? † which is your personal handbook to dating. (Written by foremost relationship expert Maribel Sison-Dionisio & husband Dr. Allan Dionisio) †¢ In short, as long as you meet the standards, getting into OUR DATEBASE won’t cost you an arm and a leg. In order to make this work, you have to invest YOUR TIME sincerely answering the form and truthfully answering the questions during the interview. Moving Forward: Actual Screening and Assessment †¢ Step 4: Interview with the Expert †¢ During this step, our Customized Dating Expert together with our Customized Dating Facilitator will ask questions to: 1. Help you assess yourself based on the Basic Info Sheet 2. Help you process what kind of partner is be best for you 3.Clarify/explain further what’s written on the Basic Info Sheet Aside from this, they shall also discuss the meaning, consequences, and/or implications of the information submitted; as well as the results of the tests answered. Rest assured tha t your answers to Steps 1 & 2 have been evaluated prior to the interview. Moving Forward: Actual Screening and Assessment †¢ Step 5: Define your type/profile †¢ The objective at the end of the interview is to be able to synergize what you desire and what we think is best for you based on the assessment and exchange of information. As a result of the healthy discussion, such synergy is expected to result to your specific type/profile you are looking for in a future partner or someone you seriously want to date. †¢ Should there be further reflection needed beyond the parameters of the interview to come up with such result, we shall ask you to come for another interview. Customized Dating Mode: Flexible Package Options †¢ Step 6: Option to choose a package †¢ At this point, you have the option to go to the next level which is to complete the Customized Dating Program.To do so, you can choose among the following introductory packages: *GIFT IDEA: Your barkada ca n give this as a gift to one of your single friends* †¢ ONE UNIQUE DATE Call or text for rates †¢ THREE UNIQUE DATES Call or text for rates †¢ FIVE UNIQUE DATES Call or text for rates †¢ All dates are inclusive of: †¢ Standard Customized Dating Services (pre-screening, assessment, interview, data management, and evaluation) †¢ Food and Drinks (limited) with partner establishments in Metro Manila †¢ Transportation services within Metro Manila †¢ Your own Customized Dating Facilitator on-call during the dates †¢ Consult with our Customized Dating expert anytime within the dating period Note: Step 3 fees are waived once any of the packages is availed of. Customized Dating Mode: Matching & Exploration Period †¢ Step 7: Look for the profile requested †¢ This period may take at least 15 days or longer depending on the profile you are looking for. †¢ During this period, the Customized Dating team shall look into its DATEBASE as we ll as research through other networks in case the profile you’re looking for has yet to be included in our DATEBASE. †¢ The Customized Dating team will (by default) make sure he/she goes through the standard process. †¢ We want to give you the quality you asked for, so please bear with us with the time period set. Customized Dating Mode: Presentation of Potential Dates Step 8: Select the Actual Dates †¢ For this step, you will have to visit any of our designated stations for proper selection of dates. We shall discuss with you the profile of the potential dates. Prior to selecting, you may: †¢ View Photo/s †¢ Do you like how he/she looks? Do you find him/her attractive? †¢ Watch the One Minute Video Interview †¢ Do you like the way he/she talks? The way he/she carries him/herself? †¢ Browse through details from the Basic Information Sheet on file †¢ Is there anything you would want to know about him/her that we have not previously covered in any of our discussions? Customized Dating Mode: Final Selection of Dates †¢ Step 9: Confirm the Dates Now that you’ve viewed the profile of the potential dates and have selected your preference/s, we will ask you to sign a CONFIRMATION FORM that confirms your commitment to show up on the dates you’ve scheduled with us. Should you feel that more time is needed to choose, please do not sign the CONFIRMATION FORM yet. Once you sign this form, there is no turning back. †¢ †¢ Sign the CONFIRMATION FORM when you’re 100% sure. Aside from our desire to provide you with the service that you expect, we do want you to get what you’re paying for. Customized Dating Mode: The Thought translated into Action †¢ Step 10: Meet the Date/s †¢ During the actual date/s itself, a Customized Dating facilitator will personally accompany you to introduce you to your chosen date/s. Should you have any questions or concerns during that time, feel free to get in touch with your Customized Dating facilitator who would be more than willing to assist you anytime. Your Customized Dating facilitator will be in charge of paying the bill. †¢ A post-evaluation will be conducted by your Customized Dating facilitator within three (3) days after the actual date. Should you not be satisfied with your date for no valid reason, there are no refunds since you have already sufficient information to decide beforehand if the person you are meeting is likely to be desirable for you or not. If you don’t want to go 1-on-1, go for The HOLIDATES Adventure †¢ About: An alternative program for getting to know/bonding with the potential dates (all from OUR DATEBASE – LOCAL & INTERNATIONAL ).Whoever wants to be part of this still has to go through the basic steps before they can be part of this fun program. †¢ Objective: To get to know the potential dates through fun activities that test each one’s character and ways of approaching various situations †¢ Ideal group size: 20 people, equal number of men and women †¢ Duration of Holidates: 4 days/3 nights (int’l); 3 days/2 nights (local) †¢ Local Destinations: Palawan, Cebu, Davao, Boracay, Bohol †¢ International Destinations (Southeast Asia): Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Jakarta †¢ Price of packages: Case-to-case, will vary depending on destination and number of participants †¢ Dates covered: To be announcedFriends who want to refer †¢ Earn 10 points for every friend referred who successfully gets in OUR DATEBASE †¢ The points can eventually be used as credits to avail of our products and services as well as future affiliates †¢ Friends who want to refer other friends have to sign the â€Å"I vouch for my friend† contract. †¢ This is to ensure that friends are really referring friends they know on a certain level of friendship †¢ This is to confirm that friends r eferring friends must be willing to answer questions about their friends †¢ This is to further filter out scammers, fraudulent individuals, and anyone with evil intentions. Additional Tools for Validation JUST IN CASE! We have established a tie-up with a credible investigation agency in case there is a need to validate the character of an individual in OUR DATEBASE. †¢ This service shall be performed upon the request of the client and with the consent of the one being requested. †¢ The additional fees are as follows: †¢ Lie Detection Test Call or text for rates †¢ Background Investigation Call or text for rates †¢ Prices may vary if outside of Metro Manila or out of the country. LIMITED LIABILITY ADVISORY †¢ For everyone’s safety and security, we are responsible for doing the â€Å"background check† on each person who sends their information to our database. We have the right to ask for other requirements relevant to this screening pr ocess.We also have the right to turn down individuals to be part of the database if they are not serious about their application or if their qualifications do not meet our standards. †¢ At the end of the initial assessment phase, we would like to make sure that you are able to get to know yourself in a more meaningful way and that we are able to introduce you to the kind of person/s you are looking for/you prefer to hang out with. This will highly depend on your full cooperation filling out the Basic Information Sheet, answering the tests, and your willingness to open up during the interview. †¢ We cannot promise a â€Å"perfect† match for you because the definition of such is subjective. It all depends on your perspective and how you manage your expectations.Please take note that what happens after the first date/introduction is beyond our control, we cannot be held liable for this. In short, please don’t blame us if you don’t end up together, or if t he date was not as exciting as you think it should have been. †¢ Having gone through the initial assessment, the interview, and the choosing of options, you have a concrete idea of what you’re getting into. There is no assurance that you will instantly get into a romantic relationship with whoever we’ll be introducing. The level of â€Å"chemistry†, the â€Å"spark† between you two, and the kind of attraction between you and your preferred date is something we cannot dictate or impose on you.