Plato s Theory Of Love - 1789 Words

Plato was a philosopher from Classical Greece and an innovator of dialogue and dialect forms which provide some of the earliest existing analysis of political questions from a philosophical perspective. Among some of Plato s most prevalent works is his dialogue the Symposium, which records the conversation of a dinner party at which Socrates (amongst others) is a guest. Those who talk before Socrates share a tendency to celebrate the instinct of sex and regard love (eros) as a god whose goodness and beauty they compete. However, Socrates sets himself apart from this belief in the fundamental value of sexual love and instead recollects Diotima s theory of love, suggesting that love is neither beautiful nor good because it is the desire to possess what is beautiful, and that one cannot desire that of which is already possessed. The ultimate/primary objective of love as being related to an absolute form of beauty that is held to be identical to what is good is debated throughout the di alogue, and Diotima expands on this description of love as being a pursuit of beauty (by which one can attain the goal of love) that culminates in an understanding of the form of beauty. The purpose of this paper is to consider the speeches presented (i.e. those of Phaedrus, Pausanias, Eryximachus, Aristophanes, and Agathon) in Plato s Symposium as separate parts that assist in an accounting of the definition and purpose of platonic love. Before considering the speeches presented in PlatoShow MoreRelatedPlato s Theory Of Love1812 Words   |  8 Pages Plato s Symposium is written in such a manner that each speech accounted has at least one insight into the nature of love or Eros that is latter expanded, contradicted or confirmed by the speech given by Socrates using Diotima s wisdom. Plato was very wise in his teaching on love, progressing from the simple to the much more complex, climaxing with the with the recounted exchange of Socrates and Diotima and then finalizing the instru ction with a comical, but well-placed praise of the paragonRead MorePlato s Theory Of The Forms1704 Words   |  7 Pages Plato’s Theory of the Forms Travis Meyer PHI 1090 Introduction to Philosophy 12/16/2015 Plato was a Greek philosopher, mathematician, and theologian who lived from 424 BC to 348 BC in Athens, Greece. Plato was born into a high class family in Greece and therefore was very active in the Athenian community since he was from a high status family. He was the founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. He is known to be one of the bestRead MoreSocrates Vs. Plato s Lysis1244 Words   |  5 Pagesfriendship is. Even today, most people struggle with clearly defining this kind of companionship, just as Socrates does in Plato’s Lysis. In this philosophical dialogue, Socrates and his peers debate potential theories concerning the reasons why people become friends with one another. Several theories are developed, but throughout the dialogue Socrates counters his own arguments in order to achieve further understanding of his inquiry. As they deliberate the true nature of friendship, Plato’s writing parallelsRead Mor ePlato s Theory Of Forms Essay1427 Words   |  6 Pages Plato was a standout amongst the most innovative and persuasive masterminds in Western philosophy, his impact all through the historical backdrop of philosophy has been monumental. Born around 428 B.C, he researched an extensive variety of topics; however, his Theory of Forms, found in The Republic, is an essential piece of Plato s philosophy. This is the center thought behind Plato s theory of forms, from this thought he moves towards clarifying his universe of forms or ideas. While tryingRead MoreThe Text Euthyphro By Plato990 Words   |  4 PagesJeanelle Moncrieffe   Dr. Cicura   Philosophy 2010 27 September 2017 The text Euthyphro by Plato is concisely a dialogue between Socrates and Euthyphro. Socrates confronts Euthyphro when he argues The point which I should first wish to understand is whether the pious or holy is blocked by the gods because it is holy, or because it is blocked by the gods (cf. pg. 31); 10a. This refers back to the Devine Command Theory and civil religion. Civil Religion is defined as a mixture between religion and culturalRead MoreThe Allegory Of The Cave1307 Words   |  6 Pagesof the world so once he steps outside; the sun hurts his eyes, and burns his skin. He eventually acclimates, and is able to enjoy everything. Plato uses an Allegory with the relationship between the darkness of the cave and everything that the world has to offer. Plato believed that the human mind has the capability to recognize the ‘ideal forms.’ Plato uses the sun and something good and positive whereas the darkness is dull and haunting. With the sun, there is growth everywher e, light, and colorRead MoreHuman Nature : Good Or Evil1053 Words   |  5 Pagesincluding some economic ideologies, produce theories of human nature in order to establish fundamental human rights and to establish a more productive form of government. Human nature refers to the distinguishing characteristics of humans, including ways of thinking, feeling and acting; it is the moral principles that construct certain standards of behavior, which every person is entitled to simply because they are a human being. Many philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Rousseau, and Locke attemptedRead MoreThe Republic By Plato And The Prince By Machiavelli1617 Words   |  7 PagesAlthough written nearly two centuries apart, The Republic by Plato and The Prince by Machiavelli offer important views on political philosophies of rulers. Plato writes of a perfect society where status as ruler is naturally selected through innate abilities. These abilities are used to sustain the society, better it, a nd preserve it. Machiavelli writes of a society where anyone can be a prince; which for our purposes is a synonym for ruler, if they follow his instructions. These instructions areRead MoreDifference in the Philosophy of Plato and Aristotle and Their Influence.1213 Words   |  5 PagesGreek words of ‘philo’ meaning love and ‘sophos’ meaning wisdom (Philosophy). It is the pursuit for wisdom, to comprehend human behavior, nature and ultimately the meaning of life. Plato was the student of Socrates, influenced by his work, Plato aged to become a great philosopher himself; establishing his philosophy from that of his teacher. Aristotle was the student of Plato, and like his teacher, grew up to ground his philosophy from that of Plato. Although, both Plato and Aristotle criticized theirRead MoreCommunism: Its Origins and World Impact Essay1025 Words   |  5 Pagesfrom it. Communism can be seen as a theory and a system of both political and social organizati on that has had a great impact on the world through most of the twentieth century. Let us begin by defining what communism is, where it all began, who were some of the key people that played a major role in communism, and when it fell apart. There are many different definitions of communism. Miskelly and Noce defined it as A political, economic and social theory that promotes common ownership of property

Shared Folder vs. NT File System Permissions Coursework

Essays on Shared Folder vs. NT File System Permissions Coursework The paper "Shared Folder vs. NT File System Permissions" is a brilliant example of coursework on information technology. Sharing permissions in windows computers are available for both drivers and folders depending on the degree of access allowed by the user. NT File System (NTFS) permissions are used in drives that are formatted with NTFS. The permission is granted at the Windows logon and applies to all users irrespective of the location. Shared permission and NTFS permission have one thing in common: preventing unauthorized access. Shared Folder vs. NTFS PermissionsShaded folder permissions become effective when folders are being accessed across multiple user accounts or over a network. They are used in managing computers having a FAT32 file system or those that are not using the NTFS file system. Shared folders help network users to access file resources. Share permission settings have the following options: Full Control, Read Change. However, NTFS permission provides security in a wide range because it can be assigned to individual files and folders. NTFS permission controls access to both networks and on local computers. The available account options include Individual users, specific or group users. For instance, in the application folder, shared permissions allow Read permission to the user's group. However, NTFS permission allows Read, Read and Execute to the user’s group.NTFS can hold up to 255 characters long in files and folder names. Names are not case-sensitive in NTFS but are case-preserving . However, when a POSIX application is used in the file name, it will be case-sensitive. It can support partitions greater than 400MB due to the overhead involved. NTFS supports compression of files where it can reduce the text file size by 50%. NTFS partition permits access of files by Macintosh users.NTFS provides various merits pertaining to security as well as functionality with the help of reparse points. NTFS provides security as its primary merits. NTFS requires a smaller default cluster size, therefore, by reducing cluster size it will improve the efficiency of storage as it will reduce sector slack. However, NTFS partition can increase the fragmentation of files that will affect the output (Shapiro Jeffrey, 2008, p. 460). NTFS provides support to disk quotas which help in the management of the storage space.

International Strategic Management for Harley -myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theInternational Strategic Management for Harley Davidson Inc. Answer: Harley-Davidson Company uses Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.), Harley-Davidson Financial Services (HDFS), and Harley-Davidson Motor Company (HDMC) SBUs to implement differentiation strategy (Harley-Davidson par. 2). This paper analyses how Harley-Davidson, Inc. uses its strategy to attract more customers that are loyal across 90 countries. Harley-Davidson, Inc. applies differentiation strategy to design and manufacture unique products/services and sell them to price sensitive customers. For example, Harley-Division started to target customers while focusing on their needs. The company develop unique products to offer unique features against rival offerings from competing companies markets (Farhana and Bimenyimana 25). Herley designs products that need less maintenance. According to the case, the company spends only 15% on marketing budget towards traditional media. For instance, it organises for events and activities that engage customers at every level. Harleys Chief marketing officer (CMO) has succeeded in organizing for events in Rome Italy. The company uses crowd-sourcing firm to co-create and test all marketing ideas (Kaleka and Morgan 28). Such a strategy has made it possible to link with the number one seller for the period 208-2013 (Harley-Davidson par. 2). Harley uses differentiation strategy to achieve greater compatibility. HOD designs, manufactures, and sells motorcycles with classic styling, superior quality, distinctive sound, and innovative design (Tripes, Stanislav, Komarkova, Pirozek and Dvorak 332). Besides, the PDC division has a capability to customize unique features any motorcycle using accessories and special parts to increase value according to customer preferences. The company uses this strategy to target customers (Farhana and Bimenyimana 25) located in global markets such as Latin America, Asian-Pacific, and EMEA. Harley applies ensures that all its products have more features to meet desires of its customers. A majority of customers like its products because they have several features. They come back to make other purchases (Tripes, et al 334). The case shows that its customers already have strong attachment to a company brand. This presents a valuable asset for HOG for the entire company as well as Harvey experience to every customer (Harley-Davidson, 4). This feature makes it possible for the company to create a sustainable competitive advantage against other competitors. Currently, the company has manufactures six different platforms of motorcycles; street, V-Rod, Sportster, Softail, Dyna, and Touring. It is because of this that has made the company to remain a leader in gaining a higher market share in USA. Consequently, the market sales have increased by 7% from Europe, the Middle east, and Africa (EMEA) (Harley-Davidson 5). Harley Company ensures that its differentiation strategy makes it possible to control its procedures during manufacturing stage. For instance, within its $1 billion supply chain, the company has more than 300 suppliers. The company ensures that all its suppliers have an access to its facilities and internal management system it calls Ride. Unlike other competitors, the company ensures that all its suppliers engage with Harley designers along all stages of design and manufacturing. The company has also succeeded in creating a detailed contract that explains quality management. The company applies this strategy to ensure that suppliers provide quality materials that meet customer value (Harley-Davidson 5). Consequently, the company has succeeded in receiving return customers. Management offers improved service than what competitors provide. According to the case, more than 1 million- plus HOG members has strong connection with the company in order to get close to its customers. Furthermore, the process ensures that the quality assurance department in liaison with the RD collect customer feedback on areas of improvements. For example, the company offers a means of constant communication with customers. The success of this strategy has made it possible for the company to continue receiving repeat customers that already have strong emotional connections with its products. Shao (3) reiterates that any company that does this is sure of becoming a valuable asset and as part of experience not only to a company but also to its customers. Currently, there is no competitive that can replicate similar strategy of offering improved services to customers. Harley offers greater convenience across its markets where it sells high quality branded products. Currently, Harley-Davidson, Inc. operates as a parent company that manages two SBUs; the Harley-Davidson Motor Company (HDMC) and Harley-Davidson Financial Services (HDFS). On the one hand, the HDMC takes responsibility of designing customized, cruiser, and touring motorcycles. Furthermore, it also provides general merchandise, apparel, ridding gears, and accessories. While on the other hand, the latter SBU takes the responsibilities of providing wholesale as well as retail financing and insurance services to all its dealers and riders located in Canada, United States and other specific global markets. Harley has ensured that it opens up financial services in several areas. The company does this to achieve a higher level of convenience in its financial services (Sun, Li-Yun and Wen Pan 2). Some of areas include Texas, Chicago, and Plano to serve customers that need wholesale financial services. While those that need retail services can access such services as Nevada and Carson City. Besides, some of the regional offices are located at Miami, Singapore, EMEA, and UK. No other motorcycle manufacturing company has succeeded in imitating such a differentiation strategy. Works Cited Farhana, Mosarrat and Eric Bimenyimana. "Design Driven Innovation as a Differentiation Strategy - in the Context of Automotive Industry." Journal of Technology Management Innovation, vol. 10, no. 2, Apr. 2015, pp. 24-38 Harley-Davidson, Inc., Compare bikes, 2015. [Online] from https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/en/compare-bikes.html, Kaleka, Anna and Neil A. Morgan. "Which Competitive Advantage(S)? Competitive Advantage-Market Performance Relationships in International Markets." Journal of International Marketing, vol. 25, no. 4, Oct. 2017, pp. 25-49 Sar, Ashok K. "Competitive Advantage and Performance: An Analysis of Indian FMCG Industry." Academy of Accounting Financial Studies Journal, vol. 22, no. 1, Mar. 2018, pp. 1-8. Shao, Xiao-Feng. "Product Differentiation Design under Sequential Consumer Choice Process." International Journal of Production Research, vol. 53, no. 8, 15 Apr. 2015, pp. 2342-2364 Sun, Li-Yun and Wen Pan. "Differentiation Strategy, High-Performance Human Resource Practices, and Firm Performance: Moderation by Employee Commitment." International Journal of Human Resource Management, vol. 22, no. 15, 15 Tripes, Stanislav, Lenka Komarkova, Peter Pirozek and Jiri Dvorak. "Determinants of a Successful Differentiation Strategy." Proceedings of the European Conference on Management, Leadership Governance, Jan. 2014, pp. 330-336

Mysticism Essays - Mental Processes, Spirituality, Cognition

Mysticism In this article I would like to bring the findings of my somewhat unusual but increasingly accepted field ? mysticism? to the discussion, for I think they may offer some helpful insights about consciousness. Why? When a biologist seeks to understand a complex phenomenon, one key strategy is to look to at it in its simplest form. Probably the most famous is the humble bacterium E. coli. Its simple gene structure has allowed us to understand much of the gene functioning of complex species. Similarly many biologists have turned to the ?memory' of the simple sea slug to understand our own more kaleidoscopic memory. Freud and Durkheim both used totemism, which they construed as thesimplest form of religion, to understand the complexities of religious life.1 The methodological principle is: to understand something complex turn to its simple forms. Mystical experiences may represent just such a simple form of human consciousness. Usually our minds are an enormously complex stew of thoughts, feelings, sensations, wants, snatches of song, pains, drives, daydreams and, of course, consciousness itself more or less aware of it all. To understand consciousness in itself, the obvious thing would be to clear away as much of this internal detritus and noise as possible. It turns out that mystics seem to be doing precisely that. The technique that most mystics use is some form of meditation or contemplation. These are procedures that, often by recycling a mental subroutine,2 systematically reduce mental activity. During meditation, one begins to slow down the thinking process, and have fewer or less intense thoughts. One's thoughts become as if more distant, vague, or less preoccupying; one stops paying as much attention to bodily sensations; one has fewer or less intense fantasies and daydreams. Thus by reducing the intensity or compelling quality of outward perception and inward thoughts, one may come to a time of greater stillness. Ultimately one may become utterly silent inside, as though in a gap between thoughts, where one becomes completely perception- and thought-free. One neither thinks nor perceives any mental or sensory content. Yet, despite this suspension of content, one emerges from such events confident that one had remained awake inside, fully conscious. This experience, which has been called the pure consciousness event, or PCE, has been identified in virtually every tradition. Though PCEs typically happen to any single individual only occasionally, they are quite regular for some practitioners.3 The pure consciousness event may be defined as a wakeful but contentless (non-intentional) consciousness. These PCEs, encounters with consciousness devoid of intentional content, may be just the least complex encounter with awareness per se that we students of consciousness seek. The PCE may serve, in short, as the E coli of consciousness studies.4 But the story does not stop here. Regular and long-term meditation, according to many traditions, leads to advanced experiences, known in general as ?enlightenment'. Their discriminating feature is a deep shift in epistemological structure: the experienced relationship between the self and one's perceptual objects changes profoundly. In many people this new structure becomes permanent.5 These long-term shifts in epistemological structure often take the form of two quantum leaps in experience; typically they develop sequentially.6 The first is an experience of a permanent interior stillness, even while engaged in thought and activity ? one remains aware of one's own awareness while simultaneously remaining conscious of thoughts, sensations and actions. Because of its phenomenological dualism ? a heightened cognizance of awareness itself plus a consciousness of thoughts and objects ? I call it the dualistic mystical state (DMS). The second shift is described as a perceived unity of one's own awareness per se with the objects around one, an immediate sense of a quasi-physical unity between self, objects and other people. States akin to this have been called ?extrovertive-' or sometimes ?nature-' mysticism; but I prefer to call it the unitive mystical state, UMS.7 Like the PCE, these latter two may serve as fertile fields for students of consciousness to plough. To understand them, I want to introduce the idea of the relative intensity of a thought or desire. Some desires have a high relative intensity. Let's say I am walking across the street when I see a huge truck hurtling at me. Virtually 100% of my attention is taken up with the truck, the fear, and getting out of the way. It is virtually impossible for me to think about anything else at that time. I don't even consider keeping my suit clean, how my hair might look, the discomfort in my tummy, or the classes I will teach tomorrow. The fear and running Mysticism Essays - Mental Processes, Spirituality, Cognition Mysticism In this article I would like to bring the findings of my somewhat unusual but increasingly accepted field ? mysticism? to the discussion, for I think they may offer some helpful insights about consciousness. Why? When a biologist seeks to understand a complex phenomenon, one key strategy is to look to at it in its simplest form. Probably the most famous is the humble bacterium E. coli. Its simple gene structure has allowed us to understand much of the gene functioning of complex species. Similarly many biologists have turned to the ?memory' of the simple sea slug to understand our own more kaleidoscopic memory. Freud and Durkheim both used totemism, which they construed as thesimplest form of religion, to understand the complexities of religious life.1 The methodological principle is: to understand something complex turn to its simple forms. Mystical experiences may represent just such a simple form of human consciousness. Usually our minds are an enormously complex stew of thoughts, feelings, sensations, wants, snatches of song, pains, drives, daydreams and, of course, consciousness itself more or less aware of it all. To understand consciousness in itself, the obvious thing would be to clear away as much of this internal detritus and noise as possible. It turns out that mystics seem to be doing precisely that. The technique that most mystics use is some form of meditation or contemplation. These are procedures that, often by recycling a mental subroutine,2 systematically reduce mental activity. During meditation, one begins to slow down the thinking process, and have fewer or less intense thoughts. One's thoughts become as if more distant, vague, or less preoccupying; one stops paying as much attention to bodily sensations; one has fewer or less intense fantasies and daydreams. Thus by reducing the intensity or compelling quality of outward perception and inward thoughts, one may come to a time of greater stillness. Ultimately one may become utterly silent inside, as though in a gap between thoughts, where one becomes completely perception- and thought-free. One neither thinks nor perceives any mental or sensory content. Yet, despite this suspension of content, one emerges from such events confident that one had remained awake inside, fully conscious. This experience, which has been called the pure consciousness event, or PCE, has been identified in virtually every tradition. Though PCEs typically happen to any single individual only occasionally, they are quite regular for some practitioners.3 The pure consciousness event may be defined as a wakeful but contentless (non-intentional) consciousness. These PCEs, encounters with consciousness devoid of intentional content, may be just the least complex encounter with awareness per se that we students of consciousness seek. The PCE may serve, in short, as the E coli of consciousness studies.4 But the story does not stop here. Regular and long-term meditation, according to many traditions, leads to advanced experiences, known in general as ?enlightenment'. Their discriminating feature is a deep shift in epistemological structure: the experienced relationship between the self and one's perceptual objects changes profoundly. In many people this new structure becomes permanent.5 These long-term shifts in epistemological structure often take the form of two quantum leaps in experience; typically they develop sequentially.6 The first is an experience of a permanent interior stillness, even while engaged in thought and activity ? one remains aware of one's own awareness while simultaneously remaining conscious of thoughts, sensations and actions. Because of its phenomenological dualism ? a heightened cognizance of awareness itself plus a consciousness of thoughts and objects ? I call it the dualistic mystical state (DMS). The second shift is described as a perceived unity of one's own awareness per se with the objects around one, an immediate sense of a quasi-physical unity between self, objects and other people. States akin to this have been called ?extrovertive-' or sometimes ?nature-' mysticism; but I prefer to call it the unitive mystical state, UMS.7 Like the PCE, these latter two may serve as fertile fields for students of consciousness to plough. To understand them, I want to introduce the idea of the relative intensity of a thought or desire. Some desires have a high relative intensity. Let's say I am walking across the street when I see a huge truck hurtling at me. Virtually 100% of my attention is taken up with the truck, the fear, and getting out of the way. It is virtually impossible for me to think about anything else at that time. I don't even consider keeping my suit clean, how my hair might look, the discomfort in my tummy, or the classes I will teach tomorrow. The fear and running

Funny Marriage Quotes

Funny Marriage Quotes Marriages may be made in heaven, but they sure have to be managed right here on earth. Thats easier said than done. Take a dig at the funny side of marriage. These funny marriage quotes are good stress busters. They make you laugh at the banalities of marriage. When you read funny marriage quotes, you realize that even a perfect marriage has its inherent flaws but those flaws add to the charm of marriage. Funny Marriage Quotes Ogden NashTo keep your marriage brimming,With love in the loving cup,Whenever youre wrong admit it;Whenever youre right shut up.Bill CosbyFor two people in a marriage to live together day after day is unquestionably the one miracle the Vatican has overlooked.Patrick MurrayIve had bad luck with both my wives. The first one left me and the second one didnt.Gloria SteinemI have yet to hear a man ask for advice on how to combine marriage and a career.Groucho MarxSome people claim that marriage interferes with romance. Theres no doubt about it. Anytime you have a romance, your wife is bound to interfere.Agatha ChristieAn archaeologist is best husband a woman can have: the older she gets, the more interested he is in her.Milton BerleA good wife always forgives her husband when shes wrong.Zsa Zsa GaborA man is incomplete until he is married. After that, he is finished.Henry YoungmanSome people ask the secret of our long marriage. We take time to go to a restaurant two times a week. A little candlelight, dinner, soft music and dancing†¦ she goes Tuesdays, I go Fridays. Joyce BrothersMy husband and I have never considered divorce... murder sometimes, but never divorce.HomerThere is nothing nobler or more admirable than when two people who see eye-to-eye keep house as man and wife, confounding their enemies and delighting their friends.Rodney DangerfieldMy wife and I were happy for 20 years†¦ then we met.Rita RudnerI think men who have a pierced ear are better prepared for marriage. Theyve experienced pain and bought jewelry.Ogden NashMarriage is the alliance of two people, one of whom never remembers birthdays and the other who never forgets.Lord ByronAll tragedies are finished by a death, all comedies by a marriage.Phyllis DillerWhatever you may look like, marry a man your own age - as your beauty fades, so will his eyesight.Katharine HepburnIf you want to sacrifice the admiration of many men for the criticism of one, go ahead†¦ get married.Joyce BrothersMarriage is not just spiritual communion; it is also remembering to take out the tras h.George LichtenbergLove is blind, but marriage restores its sight.

10 Awesome Resume Tips From The People of Reddit

10 Awesome Resume Tips From The People of Reddit Depending on what you’re visiting the site to find, Reddit can be†¦a mixed bag. The best part of Reddit: anyone can weigh in on any topic. The worst part of Reddit: anyone can weigh in on any topic. That means you get great information and advice mixed in with people who don’t know what they’re talking about, or are just there to stir up problems. If you’re looking for resume tips, we’ve reviewed some of the burning questions on /r/resumes, and found some awesome advice there. Let’s look at some of the greatest hits: 1. How can I make my resume pop?Three words: simplify, simplify, simplify. Making your resume easy to read (set headers, brief explanations, clear bullet points) can help get you in the â€Å"to interview† pile and out of the â€Å"tl;dr† pile.2. What should I include in a resume when I’ve never had a job before?This Redditor suggests emphasizing academic accomplishments (GPA, relevant classes, degree), volunteering experience (after all, it is experience), and technical skills.3. How do I list multiple positions at the same company?If the jobs were dramatically different, you can separate them out and treat them like separate jobs. If they’re similar positions, concentrate more on the top-line accomplishments and skills.4. Should I include a cover letter even when it’s not requested?This Redditor recommends going for it. It’s a way to give more information about yourself, and can help you stand out in a very crowded applicant pool.5. Should I use a traditional resume format or a creative one?It can be tempting to want to use a fun new format, but realistically, traditional is best. The creativity points you score for using something unorthodox might be canceled out by the disruption to the reader’s usual evaluation process.6. All of my experience so far is from working at my family’s business- will this help or hurt?Basically, experience is exper ience, and as long as you have the skills and experience you need for the new job, you should be good to go.7. I have 20 years of experience. Should I do a two-pager?Not if you can help it. If you can, condense the most important highlights into one resume page. The one-page rule is about readability and the reader, not about the writer’s experience.8. How do I list colleges when I didn’t graduate?This can be tricky- people don’t graduate for a variety of reasons, but you still want to include that you attended college on your resume. Try using words like â€Å"attended,† or â€Å"took X credits toward a Bachelor’s degree.† Just don’t suggest that you have a specific degree if you don’t, because that can land you in very hot water. Spin is okay. Lying isn’t.9. In this digital age, do I still need to include my physical address in the header?Short answer: yes. It’s tradition, but it also might be a factor for resum e scanning programs to see whether candidates are local.10. Do I mention why I quit my last job?One Redditor puts it very succinctly: â€Å"First you get the date, then you tell them you’re divorced.† You don’t want to set off any red flags before you even get an interview. It’s fine to keep it vague in a resume or cover letter, though you should be prepared to talk about it in an interview if necessary. (And always, always keep it opinion-neutral. An interview for a new job is not a venting exercise for the last one.)

Network Management Group and Individual Project Essay

Network Management Group and Individual Project - Essay Example My aim is to design and manage this infrastructure in such a way that this network provides intranet facility to staff of the three departments and internet facility for information site for public. The intranet for the three departments will provide the access to staff only, with the ability to access and download files, with each department having its own section of the intranet. It is my responsibility to select such services and tools that are helpful in facilitating the overall management of this web hosting process. I have conducted a detailed study for establishing Web Hosting Solutions for the Payland’s government. This report emphasizes on the quality of services for management of this project. Our team has got the project to upgrade the information services and web facility for the Payland’s government departments. In this project, I am responsible for the implementation and designing for the Web Hosting services for the given departments. We have to establish the department’s intranet that must be part of a whole company’s intranet. I have decided to establish several levels of information access for the staff that will provide the different access rights to the intranet; all this includes the rights criteria to the network administrators and other employees. In this process, we are going to host the official governmental website in which, potential growth is strongly expected, so we have to reserve adequate web space available for the potential growth of sites. We also keep in mind the expected access intensity of this site because thousand staff members and general public will access our network so we have to be concise regarding the choice of the bandwidth. Network security is also an important factor for this network so we have to incorporate the log in and network firewall facilities. So, it was a little background of my project, I have enlisted the main factors and requirements

Contract law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 5

Contract law - Essay Example â€Å"When at the desire of the promisor, the promise or any other person has done or abstained from doing, or does or abstains from doing, or promises to do or abstain from doing something, such an act or abstinence or promise is called a consideration for the promise.† â€Å"A contract is an agreement enforceable at law made between two or more persons, by which rights are acquired by one or more to acts or forbearance on the part of the other or others.† (Quoted in ReportBD.com) In the case under study, the contract between Helena and the London Theatre is unilateral one in nature, where though there is a consensus ad idem i.e. both the offerer i.e. London Theatre agrees to sell its product, and the offeree i.e. Helena agrees to pay  £500 as a consideration against the tickets offered by the theatre, yet as the theatre has offered its product to a large number of people, the contract between Helena and the theatre is unilateral one in nature. Unilateral Contract: â€Å"Unilateral contract† according to legal-dictionary, â€Å"is a contract in which only one party makes an express promise, or undertakes a performance without first securing a reciprocal agreement from the other party.† (Quoted in http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/unilateral+contract) The same is applied in the case under study, where the London Theatre has made an express promise without first securing a reciprocal agreement from the public and masses. Helena has tried to enter into the contract with the theatre according to the terms and conditions described in the advertisement made by the theatre. In addition, Helena has made her performance in a prescribed mode as well as within the time period determined by the theatre. Moreover, the offer has been made to the world at large; so it is a general offer. Hence, in the case above-mentioned, both the parties to the contract observe the situation as the court verdict announced by the court of law in the

Facebook Effects on Society Essay Example for Free

Facebook Effects on Society Essay Nowadays, the social networking known also as social media has become a widespread subject among people, especially among teenagers. At its beginning, social media consisted of diverse dating websites. Now, most people consider that having a social media account means that you have a Facebook account. Facebook involves interactivity and the aim of it was, from the very beginning, to be able to add different people as friends and let those people know about the activities of their new friends. It was launched in 2004 and now is one of the most popular social media websites in the entire world. According to the last surveys in the field, Facebook changes and influences social relationships along with peoples ideas, thoughts and actions. There are several negative effects that Facebook has on the society, in general, and on the people, individually. Facebook causes addiction, which implies: less social interaction, distraction from another tasks and health issues. Since for many people searching and posting on Facebook has become one of the main daily activities, less social interaction begin to be one of the main negative effects that Facebook has on its users. Recent data shows that there are over 500 million Facebook users, which means 1 person in every 13 people on Earth uses Facebook. This social media website seems to be for people an escape from real life to a life where everything is fine and organized. In 2010, Pew Research Center created a survey on over 2,000 respondents about social networking influences and demonstrated that 92% of the social networking users have account on Facebook and 52% of them check their Facebook profile at least once a day. Overall, half of the actual Facebook users, which means 250 million people, checks their profile daily. And definitely, those who tend to check their profile many times a day are the ones who tend to get more attracted by the activities on Facebook and so, to be less interested in real life productivity. Christine Rosen, member of the Ethics and Public Policy Center from Washington, says People who use networks like Facebook have a tendency to describe themselves like products(BUGEJA 88). That less social interaction will begin once the Facebook users start feeling more connected with the others through Facebook. A research did by Alex Trimpe, student at Columbus College of Art Design shows that 57% of people talk more online than they do in real life (BATTISHILL). In addition, a report in Daily Mail confirmed that more than a third of the respondents spend less time on going out with friends than posting or chatting on Facebook. A percentage of 75 of the surveyed people have fewer friends since they started using Facebook as a way to keep friends updated and even if they realize they need more real meetings, Facebook is still the first choice for hanging-out and for meeting new people. This seems to be a new way of creating and maintaining friendship relations and Steven Strogatz, network science expert and PhD professor at Cornell University, confirms: The distinction between genuine friends and acquaintances is becoming blurred. Users are spending time maintaining relationships with people they dont really care about. (JARVIS) Another of Facebooks negative effects on society is the distraction from important tasks, which increases the inability to control important occupations such as working or studying. Michael Bugeja, professor and director of the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Iowa, named this generation The Facebook Generation who text-message during class, talk on their cellphones during labs, and listen to iPods rather than guest speakers in the wireless hall(Bugeja 85). Due to this extended presence on Facebook, the students encounter issues on tasks performances or in respecting due dates. For instance, a psychologist of the Centre for Learning Sciences and Technologies at Open University, Paul Kirschnera, and Aryn Karpinskib, a professor at Ohio State University, did a survey that shows that the average GPA of students without a Facebook account is around 3.86 while the Facebook users have a GPA of 3.06 (Choney). Paul Kirschnera affirmed in a Daily Mail article: The problem is that most people have Facebook or other social networking sites, their emails and maybe instant messaging constantly running in the background while they are carrying out other tasks(Fleming). Facebook has a well developed entertainment value and, also, an informative value and both make people get involved in discussions or any other activities allowed on this website. Their curiosity or pleasure in what they see or read encourages them to spend more time facebooking. For example, checking the last posts on their friends walls, changing constantly their status or using Facebook chat. Any social media activity longer than a few minutes interferes with peoples main occupation, in students case, homework, and it makes difficult to keep them focused on what is really important. The experts advice Facebook users to take tech breaks and check their profiles after at least 15 minutes of working on other different tasks. Last, but definitely one of the most dangerous effects of Facebook on society is that it brings a series of health risks. According to a Daily Mail report, people who often use social media tend to be more isolated, and they find it difficult to communicate in person. Doctor Aric Sigman, member of The Institute of Biology, says in The Biologist, This [isolated behavior] can increase the risk of health problems as serious as cancer, strokes, heart diseases, and dementia (BBC News). These health issues are more likely to appear in someone who spends more time socializing online than he does on face-to-face contacts. In addition, Dr Sigman underlines that some hormones such as stress released or oxytocin hormones, which help people to start and maintain social relationships, are altered in the people who do not have an active social life and who share their emotions and thoughts through Internet. It explains why many people who overuse Facebook are more vulnerable to stress, nervousness and isolation. Another health risk caused by an excessive use of Facebook is the chaotic habit of eating that people have, especially teenagers. If they spend most of their time on Facebook, they tend to skip meals or eating unhealthy food. According to researchers, t hese habits could lead to diseases like bulimia or anorexia. A survey based on a sample of 600 Facebook users with ages between 16-40 and done by The Center for Eating Disorders, reports that 75% of the respondents do not like how their body looks and 51% of them compare their bodies with their Facebook friends’ bodies (Cowden). Doctor Harry Brandt, director of The Center for Eating Disorders mentions, â€Å"Facebook is making it easier for people to spend more time and energy criticizing their own bodies and wishing they looked like someone else [] In this age of modern technology and constant access to SmartPhones and the internet, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for people to remove themselves from images and other triggers that promote negative body image, low self-esteem and may ultimately contribute to eating disorders (Shaffer). Many people become obsessed with that ideal thin body and the results of the survey mentioned above underlines that people tend to pursue a weight-loss diet because they draw a negative image of their bodies when comparing with other users images. It is clear that, at one point, Facebook is enjoyable and its policy is not other than to bring people together faster and easier, though it still affects peoples lives in many ways. Some people are more liable to be isolated from real life, which include in person connections and real entertainment activities. Others end up losing their jobs or getting low grades, in students cases, because of the time spent on Facebook. Some could become sick because of the obsession of having that perfect body image, which Facebook promotes, and they start pursuing wrong diets plans, which lead to improper meals. A large numbers of surveys show the negative effects of Facebook to society and the doctors are also worried about the approach that society have for social media websites, especially Facebook. Generally speaking, Facebook mostly affects many people because they neglect real life and spend way too much time on chatting, posting on and checking their profile. The risks and the negative sides of social media will be reduced if the people will use a lower amount of virtual socializing. WORKS CITED BBC, News Online networking harms health.† N.p 09.02.2009. Web. 18 Apr 2012. . Black, Nathan. Facebook Depression Affecting Teens, Report Says. Christian Post 29 March 2011, n. pag. Print. Bugeja, Michael. Facing the Facebook. Chronicle of Higher Education 27 February 2006, Daily Ed. n. pag. Print. Choney, Suzanne. Facebook use can lower grades by 20 percent, study says. N.p., 2010. Web.

Reintroduction of the Lynx Does More Harm Than Good :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Reintroduction of the Lynx Does More Harm Than Good   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There I was, standing face to face with the bobtailed lynx. It was looking right at me and licking its chops with delight. It seemed as if the beast was thinking "Lunch" on this cold, gray December day, but I wasn't worried about being attacked. The reason for this was the fact that this was a domestic lynx that just happened to be on the other side of a stout metal cage, so there was no chance of the lynx getting a hold of me.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At one time, the lynx lived all the way along the Continental Divide clear up into Canada. Now, after being gone from Colorado for 25 years, the animal has been reintroduced into the lower tip of the lynx's historic habitat, the San Juan Mountains (Rogers). So far, out of 33 lynx that are being tracked, all of them are roaming in 276 square kilometers of the southwestern portion of Colorado that runs from the New Mexico border up to the I-70 corridor and from Monarch Pass over to Taylor Mesa (Shenk). In an attempt to find out how the animals, which look like bobcats with black tufts on their ears and huge paws, act in nature, scientists are tracking them with radio collars and airplanes (Lloyd).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Now, just a couple of years later, the Colorado Division of Wildlife is planning to release over 180 more lynx into the Colorado wilderness within the next five years. However, out of nearly 100 Canadian Lynx that have already been released so far, about half of them have died and none of them have reproduced. With the type of results that the process has received so far, the agencies involved in the reintroduction process should stop reintroducing the lynx into Colorado. Instead, they should try to find a way different way that will get results that save the species. The government agencies that are involved in reintroducing the lynx argue that it should be done in order to save an endangered species. In this argument they bring out three strong points for trying to save the lynx: every animal should have the opportunity to exist, many people feel happy when they see the animals they share the land with and all living things are part of a complex ecosystem ("Wild life Commission . . ."). However, they aren't sure how to reintroduce the lynx so that they don't all die.

The History of Crayola Crayons

For nearly a hundred years children have used crayons to express themselves and their creativity. This is largely due to the brilliant inventors of one American company; Binney & Smith Inc. Edwin Binney and Harold Smith founded Binney & Smith in New York City in the 1800’s; around 1885, Joseph’s son, Edwin Binney, and nephew, C Harold Smith formed the partnership of Binney & Smith. The cousins extended Their company’s product line by including shoe polish and printing ink. The company purchased a stone mill in Eastern PA in 1900, to produce slate pencils for schools.This began the cousins to begin  research into non-toxic and colorful drawing materials for children to use. They’ve already accomplished inventing a new wax crayon used to mark milk crates as well as barrels, however the materials were covered with carbon black which was too toxic for children to use.Despite this concern the cousins were confident the pigment and wax mix they developed could be converted for a variety of safe colors. And, in 1903, a new brand of superior crayons tucked inside a yellow and green box of â€Å"eight† was introduced to the public- Crayola Crayons. (In French â€Å"Crayola† oleaginous means â€Å"oily and crayons â€Å"craie† meansâ€Å"chalk†). Generations later, thanks to its innovation in manufacture and excellent marketing by extending on their success by creating more colors inside bigger yellow and green boxes and changing with the times: In 1962, the color flesh, changed to peach, since everyone’s skin color wasn’t the same as well as a variety of other colors. Because of this adjusting to the changing times Binney & Smith are still king at the market they created decades ago.-Works Cited-Author: Mary Bellis;Inventors, Crayola Crayon History. WWW. inventors. about. com/library/inventors/blcrayon. html

The Adventure – creative writing

It was an adventure I'll never forget and it changed me forever. It was the summer between my junior and senior year. I had made an outrageous decision to relinquish my employment and pursue my sailing dreams. I had sailed on a catamaran, a sailboat whose frame is set on two parallel hulls, for nearly five years but only recently had begun to compete at regattas. This was to be my last summer as an innocent child and I looked forward to all the great adventures to come. CatFight II was to be the largest and the farthest catamaran race I was to attend that summer. I planned all summer and spent hours getting the boat and trailer in perfect condition. My friend, Joel, was to accompany me to the regatta. It was held in Muskegon, Michigan, and it would take over eight hours to drive there. We would leave Thursday night and drive through the night. I was very excited because all the sailors had said that CatFight would be, if nothing else, a great learning experience. Thursday I spent all day getting gear packed and preparing for the eight-hour drive. We left a little later than planned, around eleven, but at least we were on the road. We planned to drive in shift although I feared Joel's driving ability, especially with a twenty-foot boat attached to the car, so I did my best to stay alert. Cleveland was our first detour. We seemed to have gotten off the freeway a little earlier than expected and took a scenic tour of southeast Cleveland. The view was a bit frightening, though there were many businesses, but most were gun-stores and liquor stores. Eventually we wandered back to I-90 and then off to the toll road for a quick journey to Toledo. The drive between Toledo and Cleveland was boring but I was too excited to feel fatigued. We passed through Toledo at about two o'clock A. M. Once in Michigan the drive seemed to go quickly. It was only a few short hours to Detroit, then a seemingly extremely long drive across Michigan to Muskegon, located on mid-eastern Lake Michigan. After driving through Detroit I drew weary and Joel soon took over. Joel hadn't slept during the drive to Detroit, which worried me, but I soon was asleep in the passenger seat. When I awoke we were in Muskegon and the sun was rising. We passed mansion after mansion and soon were at the gates of the sailing club. Sailors were already eating breakfast and preparing their boats. I can distinctly remember the fragrance of the lake it was like nothing I've ever smelled. It was a pure delightful aroma, which was quickly replaced by the musty smell of Joel and I. We had spent an entire night in a car and were not smelling too appeasing. Once in the parking lot we began the normal procedure setting up to race. The sailors were very friendly and helpful. The time seemed to pass so quickly it seemed like minutes and the racing for the day was already over. After the races of the first day we were exhausted. Neither of us had gotten over an hour of sleep in 36 hours. We pulled the boat to shore, took down the sails and dove into bed. It was fairly early in the day only about three P. M. the cookout and party were just beginning but we were too tired to even notice. It wasn't until the next morning we awoke. We grabbed a quick breakfast and immediately were back on the lake. After the races we hung around for the party afterward. Sailors were telling stories of horrendous seas and other unbelievable tales. There was a wide range of people there from all over the world sailors came from as far as Australia and brought with them delightful tales from â€Å"down under†. The third and last day of the regatta was the quickest. Everyone was anxious to return home. The races were fast as always and afterward people sat around and exchanged stories and tips. All ninety boats were disassembled and put onto trailers where people from all over the nation would be returning home. It was a peaceful feeling to know that we sailed against the best in the nation and even beat a few of the best in the nation. Before we left I captured a few last pictures and then we began the last leg of the trip. The journey home was not as exciting because the anticipation was gone. We knew that once we returned we would once again start another school year. It was more disappointing than anything else. As we entered Ohio the scenery distinctively changed and once near Ashtabula it seemed we had entered the wilderness. Back to the old routine, it was frightening. The regatta was fun and we learned a lot from the elder sailors but most importantly that life is about the experiences and stories. Returning home was disappointing but I guess we have to return home because without home to return to then our journey is endless.

Asian Inventors

Asian Inventors Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, held each year during the month of May, celebrates Asian Pacific American cultures and heritage and recognizes the many contributions Asian Pacific Americans have made to this nation. An Wang An Wang (1920-1990), a Chinese-born American computer scientist, is best known for founding Wang Laboratories and holding over thirty-five patents including patent #2,708,722 for a magnetic pulse transfer controlling device which related to computer memory and was crucial to the development of digital information technology. Wang Laboratories was founded in 1951 and by 1989 employed 30,000 people and had $3 billion a year in sales, with such developments as desktop calculators and the first word processors. An Wang was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1988. Enrique Ostrea Doctor Enrique Ostrea received patent #5,015,589 and patent #5,185,267 for methods of testing infants for exposure to drugs or alcohol during pregnancy. Enrique Ostrea was born in the Philippines and immigrated to America in 1968. Ostrea continues to be honored for his contributions to pediatrics and neonatology. Tuan Vo-Dinh Tuan Vo-Dinh, who immigrated to the United States in 1975 from Vietnam, has received twenty-three patents mainly related to optical diagnostic equipment, including his first patents (#4,674,878 and #4,680,165) for badges that can be optically scanned to determine exposure to toxic chemicals. Vo-Dinh utilizes similar technology in patent #5,579,773 which is an optical method of cancer detection. Flossie Wong-Staal Flossie Wong-Staal, a Chinese-American scientist, is a leader in AIDS research. Working with a team that included Dr. Robert C. Gallo, she helped to discover the virus that causes AIDS and a related virus that causes cancer. She also did the first mapping of HIVs genes. Wong-Staal continues to work on a vaccine to prevent AIDS and treatments for those with AIDS. Her patents, which were granted with co-inventors, include patent #6,077,935 for a method of testing for AIDS.

Defining Millennials and Theyre Role in the Workforce

Defining Millennials and Theyre Role in the Workforce Millennials, like baby boomers, are a group defined by their birth dates. A millennial refers to someone who was born after 1980. More specifically, Millennials are those born between 1977 and 1995 or 1980 and 2000, depending on who is writing about this generation at the moment. Also referred to as Generation Y, Generation Why, Generation Next, and Echo Boomers, this group is quickly taking over the American workforce. As of 2016, nearly half of the countrys employees fall between the ages of 20 and 44 years old. Estimated at 80 million, millennials outnumber baby boomers (73 million) and Generation X (49 million). How Millennials Grew Up The nickname Generation Why refers to the questioning nature of millennials. They have been taught to not take everything at face value  but to really understand the reason why something is. An increase in available information thanks to the internet has only fueled this desire. Some of this is due to the fact that this is the first generation to have grown up entirely with computers. Even many born in those disputed years of 1977 to 1981 had their first interactions with computers in elementary school. Technology has played a great role in their lives and it progressed quickly as they grew up. For this reason, Millennials are at the forefront of all things tech. Raised during The Decade of the Child, Millennials also benefitted from greater parental attention than in generations past. Quite often, this included fathers who were more involved in their childrens lives. Their childhoods have influenced their understanding of gender roles in the home and the workplace as well as their future expectations. The Desire for Meaningful Work Millennials are expected to create a cultural shift in the workplace. Already, Millennials have expressed a desire to pursue work that is personally meaningful. They tend to resist corporate hierarchy  and are accustomed to getting work done in a variety of environments- not simply sitting at their desks.   Flexible scheduling is of great appeal to millennials who place a high value on work-life balance. Many companies are following this trend by providing an employee-centered workplace that is flexible in both place and time. This generation is also changing the traditional approach to management. Millennials are known as multitasking team players who thrive on encouragement and feedback. Companies that can appeal to these attributes often see great gains in productivity. Millennials Are Closing the Wage Gap The millennials may also be the generation that closes the gender wage gap by the time they retire. Although women typically earn 80 cents for every dollar a man makes, among the millennials that gap is closing tighter.   Every year since 1979, the U.S. Department of Labor has issued a report on the annual average of womens earnings compared to that of men. In 1979, women earned just 62.3 percent of what men did and by 2015, that reached 81.1 percent. In that same 2015 report, women in the millennial generation were earning as much, if not more, on average each week than older women. This trend shows a significant increase in skilled labor jobs that have opened up for women in the workforce. It also tells us that millennial women are competing more and more with their male counterparts in a technologically-driven society. Source Highlights of womens earnings in 2015. November 2016. Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States Department of Labor.  https://www.bls.gov/opub/reports/womens-earnings/2015/home.htm

Aesthetics in Web Design PowerPoint Presentation

Aesthetics in Web Design - PowerPoint Presentation Example Website design aesthetics anglicizes how much a web site engages its viewers at a first glance, demographic compliance; and market expectations or intended population. ï€ £Ã‚  Web Design Aesthetic Considerations†¢Ã‚  SimplicitySimplicity in a web design refers to an approach of expressing of putting forth any information in a complete yet economic way. All good designs always have little content but very communicative.†¢Ã‚  ConsistencyDesign consistency means that all the elements used in the design should be unified so as to make a coherent whole of ideas. Hence a design will be visually clear to the readers or viewers. Chronological flow of information i.e. from one single link to the other of the same subject or topic gives a chronological sequence in the ideas being passed.†¢Ã‚  Color schemesA color scheme greatly influences the quality of a web page by either improving or destruct effective communication. It therefore advisable to judiciously use colors appropr iately for good expressions of oneself and attraction.†¢Ã‚  AudienceAudience input influences every aspect of a design work. To incorporate audience, a designer has to contemplate on the levels of complexity and formality in the language usage.†¢Ã‚  StructureGood websites are always well organized with their content presented vividly.†¢Ã‚  FormatOne has to ensure that background doesn’t interrupt the readership of any text intended for viewers; allow for possibility to change font sizes.

Does increasing nurse-patient ratio increase in hospital patient Research Paper

Does increasing nurse-patient ratio increase in hospital patient mortality - Research Paper Example The issue of high nurse-patient rations will continue to affect the delivery of healthcare services across the U.S (Institute of Medicine, 2004). Additionally, the nursing shortage in the USA is expected to grow to 260,000 registered nursing staff by the year 2025. A shortage of this degree will be double that experienced in the past, in the US since the 1960s. Relating the case of nurse shortage in the U.S, one of the developed nations of the world, the case has not been any different for less developed nations like Taiwan. In Taiwan, a high number of hospitals are facing the problem of low nurse-staffing. The case has been very acute in recent years, leading to the closure of a number of wards at given hospitals, according to the statistics drawn from a study by the National union of Nurses’ association (Central News Agency, 2011). Research studies on hospitals and healthcare centers show that institutions with inadequate nursing personnel show poorer patient outcomes, which compromises the care administered to patients. Decreased nurse staffing was linked to patient safety concerns and the increased incidence of adverse situations like the development of pneumonia, pressure ulcers, urinary tract infections (UTIs) (Lichtig, Knauf & Milholland, 1999), patient mortality (Aiken et al., 2002), medication errors (McGills-Hall, Doran & Pink, 2004), unplanned extubation cases (Marcin et al., 2005) and longer length of stay on average (Pronovost et al., 1999). Blegen and Vaughn (1998) discussed that, with a higher proportion of the service hours offered by registered nurses (RNs), there was a resultant decrease in the average length of stay (ALOS), cases of upper gastrointestinal bleeding, UTIs, medication errors and patient complaints, pressure ulcers, and pneumonia and cardiac arrests or shock with failure to rescue. Towards addressing the nurse shortage, the government has adopted a potential payment model to address the increasing medical expenditures. This has been affected through the imposition of measures like, the restructure of the operations of the hospitals facing financial pressure. This encompasses the adoption of strategies like the hiring of unlicensed assistant nurses or casual nurses, who are paid lower amounts as compared to the RNs, and can fill the service gaps (Sun et al., 2005). Nevertheless, it is challenging to improve nursing staff levels, even after the replacement of registered nurses with the less costly personnel. The factors leading to the unsolvable nature of the situation include the gap between the numbers of available vacancies and the number of qualified registered nurses, willing to fill these vacancies, the working conditions, the nurse burnout resulting from the shortage and low job satisfaction levels (Yin & Yang, 2002). Another issue heightening the nursin g shortage is the abandonment of the nursing profession due to increased involvement in extra-patient care services like nursing informatics and utilization management. This is evident from a recent study, which showed an average vacancy level of 28% in Taiwan (Sun et al., 2005). In Taiwan, there is also legislation requiring a minimum nurse-to-patient ratio of 1:8 at hospitals. However, this minimum ratio was

The Theory of Intelligent Design (ID) Research Paper

The Theory of Intelligent Design (ID) - Research Paper Example Scientists seek to find objects which have the same types of informational properties portraying the work of one creator, the intelligent designer. Intelligent design relies on these scientific methods to detect design in irreducibly complex biological structures by examining the complex and specified information contained in DNA. The theory of Intelligent Design argues that life and everything of nature in the universe was designed by an anonymous intelligent mind (House 17). However, proponents of this theory have been unable to disclose or prove the existence of the purported intelligent mind, leaving the burden of proof to scientists and theologians. According to House (17), evidence that the proponents of ID theory display is derived from their understanding of cosmology and Molecular Biology. As part of the argument, ID theorists used kidney as an example by claiming that the organ was intelligently designed to perform its functions and that it exhibits irreducible complexity. The proponents of the theory further direct their arguments to the bacterium flagellum, which they purport to have been intelligently designed to an extent that any detachment can lead to entire mechanical failure. House (58) demonstrates that the oddly shaped stone discovered by archeologists was an intelligent design that should have been used as a tool for digging. In order to strengthen the ID theory, Behe, a proponent of the theory employed the use of a mousetrap as an example of irreducible complexity, which he proved dysfunctional when any part would be removed. Furthermore, Rael (6) a news editor then a messenger provides a much stable debating ground for the proponents of the ID theory. According to Rael (6), there are some supernatural unique beings believed to have created life on earth. However, every step of creation was a correlative product of science and religion. Rael (7) points out that the creators of the world were capable of communicating to the human beings thr ough telepathy. The designers of life on the earth were scientists who emanated from a far planet with a keen interested in creating a cloned human being (Rael 11). It is claimed that the government of the imagined planet disliked the idea of cloned human beings for fear that the creatures might exhibit superior mental capacities and powers, which can cause troubles to the pre-existing beings (Rael 15). This compelled the scientist to conduct reconnaissance on the earth to establish its viability for human cloning. Rael (11) confirms that at the time of reconnaissance the earth was completely covered with water and dense mist. When on the earth’s atmosphere, the designers investigated the sun’s cosmic rays and realized that they were harmless to life. The scientists then trenched soil from the seabed and pilled to form a dry land. Thereafter, plants and vegetables were created from chemicals and designed to survive particular climatic conditions of different regions (R ael 13). The scientists worked for hand in hand with artists who decorated every creature with various colors. According to Rael (13), the initial creation of fish was in the form of plankton then small fish and finally large fish. Rael (14) exemplifies that the process of creation involved stiff competition from different creation groups, an act that led to the formation of frightful animals and monsters.  

The role of the family in mental health recovery

The role of the family in mental health recovery CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Family is a small social system made up of individuals related to each other by reason of strong reciprocal affections and loyalties, and compromising a permanent household that persists over years and decades.It is the most significant primary unit of human society. It is the earliest institution of humankind that is mainly depends upon man’s biological and psychological needs. Without family, no other social institution like religion or government can exist. The sustainability of family is vital to the development and progress of the society. The term family has been derived from the Latin word ‘familia’ which means a house hold establishment.It indicates to a number of individuals staying and living together during important phase of their life time and they are bound to each other by biological, social and psychological relationship. It may be the joint family or an individual family in the modern society. Famous sociologist M.F Nimkoff defines family ‘as a joint effort of husband and wife either with child or without child’. The existence of family is very significant. Family plays a major role in the society. Family generates human capital resources and also it has the power to influence single individual, each household and the behaviour of the community (Sriram, 1993).Hence family is being studied as the most basic unit in the different branches of social science. Human developments, Psychology, anthropology, economics, social psychiatry, social work are examples. Family is a major resource for the various needs of human beings. It is the family plays a major role in the nourishment of children and meeting their most basic needs such as emotional bonding, health, development and protection.There is enormous potential lies within the family and it proves it during the trouble times by providing stability and support.The growth of an individual and the society mostly dep ends upon this basic unit of the society. (Desai, 1995a). Culture to culture and society to society, families and family dynamics varies and they cannot be interpreted without the context of cultural factors. Culture determines the roles of family members and it explains families’ ways of defining problem and solving them. The family in India is known as an ideal homogenous unit with strong coping mechanisms. In a large culturally diverse country like India have plurality of forms in the families that varies with class, ethnicity and individual choices. Collectivism is an important dimension of Indian culture that affects the family functioning. In other words, the basic aspects of human life such as economic, philosophic are given the outlook of interdependence amongst persons. Family cohesion, cooperation, solidarity, and conformity are the major values of collectivistic society like India. Indian joint families are considered Strength, stability, closeness, resilience, and endurance are encouraged in the Indian joint families where family loyalty, family integrity is given priority than individual choices. These unique dimensions of Indian families help the families to overcome difficult situations that they face over the course of time. When an individual in the family is struck with a disease or a ny other troubles, the entire community helps that individual to face that situation. What is Family support? Family support can be defined as the benefits a person receives from the family and friends such as physical emotional and material benefits. Positive social support helps one to improve in the ability to make healthier choices in life. Family or social support would also means being able to access people that a person can rely upon if needed. In an individual’s life, family support is essential at all times. Good support from the family enhances the individual to excel in his or her field of interest. On the contrary, poor support results in poor performance. A person hailing from a lower socio economic strata s considered to be Mental Health and family support Health is the most important aspect of human life. According to WHO Health is a state of absolute physical, mental and social well-being and not only the absence of disease(World health Organisation,2001) Mental health is another area where family support is an inevitable factor. In a situation where resources for mental health are scarcely available families form a valuable support system. Mental health is defined as state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to contribute to her or his community ( World Health Organisation, WHO includes social support as one of the key determinants of health. Mental illness is medical condition that affects an individual’s thinking, emotions, ability to relate with others and daily functioning. Just as any other physical conditions, mental illness are medical conditions which results in poor capacity for coping w ith the demands of life. Mental illness is considered the most pathetic condition of a human life. Indian traditions considered a mentally ill person as an outcast since he or she was labelled as cursed by gods. The presence of mentally ill in a family brings huge implications. There will be only a handful in the family who will be willing to take care of the patient namely the mother or wife. When one person is ill in the family, the entire course of the family gets changed. Because society would label the family as cursed and this would bring a wide range of problems especially if the family hails from a lower social and economic strata. On the contrary, Indian families are the key resources for the mentally ill. There are mainly two reasons for this position. First, it is mainly because of the traditional practice of collectivism and concern for the relatives in adversities. As a result, most Indian families do not hesitate to be significantly involved in all aspects of care for their relatives. The tradition of involvement of family in the care of mentally ill has always existed. Secondly, since there is a long gap between the need and thus the clinicians mostly depend on the family. Thus having adequate family support becomes the need of the patient, clinician and health administrators. INVOLVEMENT OF FAMILY IN THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN INDIA In the pre independence era, mental health care services in India were not organised. Usually persons with mental illness were taken care by family members or religious institutions. In other cases they roamed free.’ Mental asylums’ were introduced by Britishers where unwanted dangerous mentally ill were kept behind shut doors. Though it was initially for their soldiers, later Indian population also received the services. T was in Bombay in 1745 the first mental asylum was established. The second in Calcutta in 1781, the third in Madras in 1794 and the fourth in Monghyr, Bihar in 1795. Globally there were changes taking place in the mental health scenario, which involved ‘moral treatment’ and comprehensive community mental health approach. However, not all these changes in Europe and America made any impact on the Indian scene. Approach of the Government until 1946 was to establish custodial and no therapeutic centres. In 1957, there was a shift in the mental health field when Dr.VidyaSagar the then superintendent of Amritsar Mental Hospital, took initiative to involve the close relatives of the mentally ill in the treatment. The family stayed in the hospital campus along with the patients in open tents. This in fact aided the speedy recovery of the patients in comparison with those patients who did not stay with the families. Christian Medical College,Vellore established family wards in the psychiatric setting which followed many advantages such as accelerated rate of recovery, low relapse rates. Many family members started helping the community by identifying the psychiatric patients and providing the guidance. The close relatives of the patients were asked to stay with the patients in the open wards .at NIMHANS.Using family as a major resource in the process of recovery of mentally ill has the advantage of relieving the professionals.Community care has been a paradigm shift for psychiatric treatment worldwide. Recovery in mental health Recovery in mental health cannot be easily defined. This significant aspect depends upon many factors. A process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential (Samhsa, August 2011). Recovery from mental illness is a long term process. It involves the experience of healing and transformation and by which the person learns to live a purpose oriented life in the society. He or she would learn to make use of his or her potential in the very journey of healing. Bipolar disorder is a recurrent and long-term mental illness that can seriously affect the lives of patients and their families. Bipolar disorder is a common psychiatric disorder that includes periods of extremely elevated mood and periods of depression and periods of full or partial recovery. The cycles of high and low mood states and well periods may follow an irregular pattern. The treatment of Bipolar disorder cannot be limited to pharmacotherapy alone. Psychotherapy, psycho education, peer group support also play major role in the process of recovery. Bipolar affective disorder Bipolar disorder is a chronic, severe illness that can impose significant impairment on multiple aspects of a patient’s life including interpersonal relationships, occupational functioning and financial stability (APA, 2002). Globally it has been ranked the ninth highest cause of years of life lost due to death or disability and the 12th most prevalent cause of disability among individuals aged between 15 and 44 years (World Health Organization, 2004).The distress and impairment caused by bipolar disorder is a wide spread and important issue. Globally the lifetime prevalence of all forms of the illness, often referred to as bipolar spectrum disorders, has been estimated to be 5% in the general population. Ganguli (2000) reported that the national rate of affective disorder in India as 34 per 1000 population. This disorder significantly affects the functional capacity of the person. Apart from regular medication, support from the near and dear makes a large difference in the recovery process. The practice guideline of The American Psychiatric Association (APA) for Bipolar Disorder treatment suggests the use of certain psychotherapies which includes family therapy as well(American Psychiatric Association,2002) So there are high chances that by the sincere involvement in the care of these patients they may improve in their psychosocial functioning and also to cope with their own struggles due to the illness. Conclusion Unlike the institutionalized care, in the community based care for the persons with mental illness, the role of family is very important. The bio medical, socio economic, psycho- spiritual and every integral dimension of the society is necessary in the recovery process. Family being the smallest unit of the society therefore is of much importance in rebuilding the life of the persons with mentally ill. Family is pivotal to catering to the persons with mental illness as they function as the primary care givers. In short, The involvement of family is the need of the hour.

Odyssey Hospitality Essay -- Essays Papers

Odyssey Hospitality Hospitality In The Odyssey by Homer, hospitality plays a very important role. There are certain rules of hospitality needed, such as inviting a stranger into your home, not asking them their name before they have dined at your table, and sometimes even gift offerings. If these rules of hospitality are not carried out, the consequences are very severe. Hospitality is to be given to all by all. Being a good host is very important in The Odyssey, even to the gods. It is a sign of respect for all no matter where they are from or how poor they appear to be. This means that as soon as you see a stranger, you invite them into your home to sit at your table just as king Nestor did. "As soon as they saw the strangers, all came crowding down, waving them on in welcome, urging them to sit." (III, 38) After you have invited them into your home, you must invite them to dine at your table. Only after they have dined, you have the permission to ask for their names, like King Menelaus did, "'Help yourselves to food, and welcome! Once you've dined we'll ask you who you are.'" (IV, 68-69) Many times before dining "...women had washed them, rubbed them down with oil and drawn warm fleece and shirts around their shoulders..." (IV, 56-57) If the host enjoyed the company of the guests, many times they will honor them with gifts. The kind of gifts given varied depending on the wealth and generosity of the host. For example, Aeolus, the king of the winds, gave Odysseus a...

Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism.

A nation that used to be so great crashed both politically and economically. To restore order and stability to this nation, there has to be a complete transformation of the whole government. In order to have that, there will be great sacrifices that will be made. If I have to choose one of Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism as a governing system. The most effective system would be Legalism, because it's stable, strict and strong. Which would led to a powerful nation. The people of the nation would be fully devastated because of the disorder in their country.In order to have their luxurious lives back, they would make as much effort, to help with the recovery. Legalism would bring stability back to a devastated nation. For example, in the past Legalism brought back stability to China, after the warring states. There would be agricultural surpluses and people working very hard on improving the cultivation. Second, the strict and harsh punishments would result in a decrease of crime rat es. People would be scared to act stupid and commit a crime. The severe punishments would be enough to stop most violence.Also, Legalism is about strengthening the military. A nation with a great army means an undefeatable, respected and a feared one. Other nations would be intimidated by how powerful the military is. It would be a strong nation, both politically and economically. Confucianism wouldn't be a good way of restoring order to a broken nation, but not a GREAT way. Recovering fast is really important. I believe that Confucianism would take some time to do so. The whole system focuses on the improvement of each individuals' morals.It would be hard to focus on each individual. Another reason is, Confucianism doesn't say anything about protecting the state. It says that to create an ideal government you need advanced education and moral integrity. I agree with that, it doesn't mention anything about the military. Which I think is really important for a nation. Daoism would be the worst and least effective system. Daoism is very understandable of nature and the world. The system's motto would be † less government the better†.Disagreeing with that, I would say, without government there would constant violence and chaos. That’s the total opposite of what Daoism represents. There has to be limits for everything. Daoism also states that working hard for something only leads to chaos. Actually, working hard for something is totally worth it. Especially, when there would be good results later on. Hard work always pays off. It would be a waste of time for everyone in the nation to devote their full time, caring about nature and the world. Instead, it would be better to build your nation through hard work.Honestly, other nations wouldn't take this system seriously. The system seems vulnerable and easy to destroy. When you look at these three systems, Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism, one of them stands out the most. Legalism would be the fas test and most effective system to restore stability to a nation. Compared to Confucianism and Daoism, it would be very different and much stronger. If a nation follows the beliefs of Legalism, It would be strong, stable and strict. Eventually, it would result in a powerful and an undefeatable nation.

Importance of Article 92 Essay

The military’s form of law is known as the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). The UCMJ officially began May 31, 1951. It was signed into existence by President Truman. Congress deemed it necessary to create the UCMJ due to the lack of transparency and fairness previously provides to the military populous during WWII. The UCMJ allows for personal jurisdiction over all members of the uniformed services of the United States: the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, and Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. Members of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps and PHS are only subject to the UCMJ when attached to a military unit or when they are militarized by the president. Article 92, a sub section of the UCMJ, is intended to establish set precedents of punishment and examples of the crime of failing to obey an order or regulation. This Article is very important and is the fundamental backbone of all the military stands for. Being a member of the military is a very important job. Each and every man and woman has an important job to do which assist the forward progress of our country. As great as we would like to every person is not every service member does the correct thing. Due to the fact that we have an all volunteer army it goes without saying that the military is a realistic sample of all American has to offer, good and bad. And there are soldiers and service members who if not given a clear set of rules and punishment s would not be productive members of the military. Article 92 is part of the very important checks and balances implemented by the government to help keep the military efficient in spite of this. If you read into what Article 92 covers you’ll see that it provides multiple negative stimuli to the act of disobeying an order. This negative reinforcement is used to cultivate a more efficient military. This is done all the way through the rank structure regardless of service or grade. Civilians may think this is excessive but I believe that view is incorrect. Article 92 and the UCMJ remove the grey area from military law. Military members a re held to a higher standard and they conduct themselves as such.

Watchmen and Chapter Essays

Watchmen and Chapter Essays Watchmen and Chapter Paper Watchmen and Chapter Paper Essay Topic: Watchmen In Alan Moores The Watchmen, Moore presents the reader with two drastically different characters who have one strikingly similar trait. Ozymandias is a handsome, rich, public, and powerful man. Rorschach is an ugly, poor, private, and almost worthless man. Despite all of these contrasts, they share a common philosophy: they believe that the ends justify the means. This is a major theme of the story, and through it Moore causes the reader the ask themselves the question do the ends justify the means? Before looking at the concept of the ends justifying the means, it is important to understand just how different the characters of Rorschach and Ozymandias are from each other. Rorschach is strongly right wing, even to the point of fascism. He believes that the whole world stands on the brink, starring down into bloody hell, all the liberals and intellectuals and smooth-talkersA? a‚Â ¬AÂ ¦(Volume 1 page 1) Rorschach is also an ardent subscriber to the New Frontiersman, a right-wing conspiracy magazine. Ozymandias is an extremely rich philanthropist, who once gave his entire fortune to charity. Ozymandias was the first of all the super heroes to go public, two years before heroes were required to unmask themselves by law. Rorschach never went public, choosing to live as an outlaw rather than give up his identity. Ozymandias is considered by many to be the most handsome man in the world, while Rorschach is an ugly man who does not even bathe on a regular basis. Ozymandias runs an international conglomerate, while Rorschach does not have enough money to pay his rent. These differences present the reader with two extremely different characters, their only similarities being their staunch belief that the ends justify the means. Moore presents the reader with an early visual clue to the similar natures of Ozymandias and Rorschach in chapter five, titled Fearful Symmetry. Every page of this chapter has a parallel page in the other side of the chapter. For example, pages one, two and three are nine panel pages concerning Rorschach, as is the last page, page twenty-eight, and pages twenty-seven and twenty-six. Page four has one panel the width of the page to begin with, which is then followed by six smaller panels, as does page twenty-five. These pages concern the confrontation between Rorschach and Moloch. Page twenty-five also has the one larger panel at the top, followed by six smaller panels, and this page also concerns Rorschach and Moloch. This mirror-like pattern continues until the center of the comic. While there are other characters in this chapter (Dan and Laurie, the newspaper salesman, and the two policemen), the two characters who receive the most focus in this chapter are Rorschach and Ozymandias. Even the title of this chapter is meant to cause the reader to think about the nature of Rorschach and Ozymandias. The title Fearful Symmetry comes from The Tyger by William Blake. This classic poem and its partner, The Lamb, are two poems about the nature and duality of life. While the tyger may be a predator and the lamb its prey they are both concerned about where they came from. This is a direct parallel to events taking place in The Watchmen, where although Rorschach and Ozymandias may be almost total opposites, they are both attempting to perform acts which will they believe will improve humanity. Moore hints to the reader that Rorschach believes that the ends justify the means on the very first page, when Rorschach uses his journal to tell the reader that he thinks that the people had a choice, all of them. They could have followed in the footsteps of good men like my father or president Truman. Decent men, who believed in a days work for a days pay. (Volume 1, page 1) While Truman may have had many great accomplishments, his most famous decision was to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This is a real world example of the concept of whether the ends justify the means. Truman would be an obvious hero to Rorschach, as he showed that he was not afraid to make tough decisions for the good of his people. After the death of the Comedian, Rorschach enters an underworld bar to attempt to find answers as to who may have killed the Comedian. He breaks the fingers of the first man who insults him, and continues to break his fingers, until one of the patrons tells him what he wants to know. While its quite possible that this man had committed crimes in the past, Rorschach knew that the he had not killed the Comedian; however, he had no problems in breaking the mans fingers, if it would lead to more information about the true killer. The fact that Rorschach is willing to physically assault and threaten Moloch, a seventy year old man, once again shows the reader that Rorschach will do whatever it takes to achieve his goals. It appears likely that Moloch would have told him all he needed to know simply on the fear of what Rorschach might do to him. In chapter six, the reader begins to see what has led Rorschach to take his hard line stance. Originally Rorschach just thought I was Rorschach.. Very naive. Very young. Very soft. (Volume 6, page 14) When asked what it was that made him soft, he replies let them live. (Volume 6, page 14) By allowing the criminals to live, Rorschach leaves a chance that they may recommit their crimes. However, by killing the criminals, there is obviously no chance that the criminal will re-offend, thus justifying his actions. Referring to his harsh actions, Rorschach says that we do not do this thing because it is permitted. We do it because we have to. We do it because we are compelled. While he does not elaborate on what it is, we can assume that it is the war that he is carrying on against criminals. Rorschach believes that he is compelled go to the extremes, and for him there is not even a conscious decision, it is simply something that he knows must be done. Later on in this chapter, we are shown the horrific sequence of events that led to the creation of Rorschachs attitude and motivation. After the shock of realizing that the six year old girl he had come to rescue had been brutally murdered, Rorschach changes the path that his life will take. He will no longer be content to react, but will now be a proactive force in the fight against evil. If, by this stance, he is required to break the law, and hurt innocent men, he is willing to do it. In chapter twelve, when faced with impossible odds, we see the lengths that Rorschach is willing to go to for his stance. When told by Night Owl that We have to compromiseA? a‚Â ¬AÂ ¦, (Volume 12, page 20) his response is No. Not even in the face of Armageddon. Never compromise. (Volume 12, page 20) A short time after this, he is killed for his no compromise stance. While Moore shows the reader Rorschachs belief that the ends justify the means through a series of small events, the reader is shown Ozymandiass belief in this principle through one horrific, gigantic act. The reader is given the first hint as to what Ozymandias may be planning in chapter two. In this chapter, the reader is shown the attempted formation of a new group of super heroes, called the Crimebusters. The Comedian says that the problems facing America are much too big for a small group of heroes to handle, and then begins to burn the map of the United States. He states that It dont matter squat because inside thirty years the nukes are gonna be flyin like maybugs and then Ozzy here is gonna be the smartest man on the cinder. (Volume 2, page 11) After this the group begins to disband, Captain Metropolis becomes very upset, saying that Somebody has to do it, dont you see? Somebody has to save the worldA? ‚Â ¬AÂ ¦(Volume 2, page 11) At the same time that he is saying this, the reader is shown an image of Ozymandias staring at the torn map of the United States. Moore is using foreshadowing in this scene to show that Ozymandias will attempt to save the world. Moore shows the reader more of Ozymandiass actions, and the motives for them in chapter twelve. Ozymandias begins to tell his life story to three men that work with him. He explains that there was only one man throughout h istory with which he has felt any sort of kinship. This man was Alexander of Macedonia, a young army commander who, at the time of his death, was the ruler of most of the civilized world. Ozymandias is in awe of the fact that he could rule without barbarism, mentioning that he installed the worlds greatest seat of learning. He then hints as to his attitude when he says True, people diedA? a‚Â ¬AÂ ¦ perhaps unnecessarily, though who can judge such things? (Volume 11, page 8) This shows the reader that Ozymandias believes that acts of that magnitude can not be judged. Ozymandias states that on his trip to Alexanders hometown that I resolved to apply antiquitys teachings to todays world. Thus began my path to conquestA? a‚Â ¬AÂ ¦ conquest not of men, but of the evils that beset them. (Volume 11, page 11) This statement hints to the reader what kind of action Ozymandias might take, and what it is that he is trying to do. One important thing to remember when considering Ozymandiass actions, is that not even he was sure that there would be a nuclear war. He says that he thought the possibility of disarmament progressively more remote. (Volume 11, page 21) While he may have felt that it was remote, he did not know that it would be impossible. In chapter eleven, the reader is finally shown the true nature of Ozymandiass plan. He says that his goal is to frighten governments into co-operation, I would convince them that earth faced imminent attack by beings from another world. (Volume 11, page 25) Within the next few pages, he reveals his massiv e plan which is to teleport an alien like creature to New York, which will kill half of the people living there. While ultimately this did work, there is no denying that he used a terrible means to achieve his ends. Throughout the Watchmen the reader is presented with many different characters. The characters of Rorschach and Ozymandias have a manichaean relationship. The line between good and evil has been blurred with these two characters: it is unclear to the reader which of the two is good, and which is evil. One is rich, liberal, and handsome. The other is poor, conservative, and ugly. However, despite all of their differences, these characters share a common philosophy: they believe the ends justifies the means.

Learning outcomes for the 1st year of the diploma in Humanistic Counselling The WritePass Journal

Learning outcomes for the 1st year of the diploma in Humanistic Counselling References Learning outcomes for the 1st year of the diploma in Humanistic Counselling ). It therefore does not deal merely with observations of external behaviour which is the province of the behaviourist approach, but does make some inferences about what it must be like in the inner worlds of different people. There is some overlap with the humanist approach in that the approach is usually to get the individual to elaborate as much as possible on their individual perspective. Phenomenology does acknowledge the intrinsic differences that exist between different peoples’ internal representations of the world which is an assumption shared with the humanistic approach. The inner world is composed of peoples’ thoughts, feelings and behaviours, and the world and experiences that come from it are interpreted through the frame of reference defined as a personal inner landscape. The frame of reference is difficult to separate from the self-concept, is reacted to intuitively, and it is often assumed that other people have similar frames of reference to our own. A dditionally, much of a person’s inner landscape can come from another person, with the former person being only unconsciously aware of it (Sutton and Stewart, 2008; Lapworth and Sills, 2011). The frame of reference for an individual is composed of meanings, cultural influences, beliefs and values, memories, behaviours, experiences, sensations, perceptions, feelings thoughts and emotions (Sutton and Stewart, 2008). In the humanistic approach, the person is seen as a dynamic, ‘fluid’ entity who has many different urges, preferences and characteristics which change with time and are in a state of flux but at any one particular moment it is perceived as a unified goal-directed whole(Rogers, 1952; Rogers, 2008). This is analogous to the concept of the frame of reference since it is seen as something dynamic and determined by many factors. The frame of reference also has a profound effect on how experiences are interpreted (Mearns and Thorne, 1988). Since everybody’s frame of reference is different it would be foolish to attempt to interpret such a thing externally, especially because the therapist themselves are subject to the same influence from their personal frame of reference. Thus, the practice in humanistic and gestalt therapy is commonly to ‘bracket’ out their own thoughts and feelings as they occur and attempt to recognise their own assumptions and preconceptions (Lapworth and Sills, 2010; Joyce and Sills, 2014). This is the best possible technique since the complete separation from one’s own frame of reference is a near impossible task. Without understanding a client’s personal frame of reference it is extremely difficult to fully understand what they mean when they communicate their thoughts and feelings due to the personal meanings their communications will have for them as they are interpreted through their own frame of reference, like a code with a cipher. Equalisation is another i mportant skill in practice (Green, 1998; Green, 2010). This is the practice of perceiving everything that is communicated by the client as being equally important, when normally the therapist’s frame of reference would make certain things seem more prominent. This is an important technique because this assumption may not hold when the same information is interpreted with the client’s frame of reference. 6. To demonstrate a broad knowledge of assessment issues and the importance of working agreements Assessment issues in humanistic counselling should be considered whenever a new client is taken on, and also during sessions for current clients. They are important facts and debates which affect how the counselling experience will be perceived and what the impact of it will be for the individual. Without appropriate consideration of these issues, counselling could turn into a reckless endeavour, insensitive to the potential effects it could have on clients. Because of this, certain standards are set, and it is necessary for therapists to be aware of the debates and the way people vary in order to ensure that harmful effects do not befall the client (Dryden, 1989). The issues in counselling can be broadly appreciated from a humanistic perspective since it includes as central aspects any facet of life which may be viewed as important by the client, and therefore takes account of the client’s position on a wide variety of dimensions (Rowan, 1998). The assessment issues refer to potential problems with how the therapist perceived and assesses the client; the issues which may bias this judgment and lead to erroneous counselling. In general terms there are ethical issues which refer to anything relevant to the protection of clients. These are of course important because at the onset and during the process of counselling because above all it is vital not to cause more psychological damage. There are also cross-cultural issues in counselling which draw attention to the cultural context in which client and therapist exist (D’Ardenne and Mahtani, 1999). These issues undoubtedly affect how clients should be assessed in counselling, because the cultural context has a large effect on the meaning ascribed to different behaviours. The same behaviour may also be interpreted very differently across cultural contexts. Specific cross-cultural issues regard differential levels of equivalence, non-verbal communication, expectations and beliefs, client-counsellor similarities, test bias and response styles (Lonner, 1985). Equivalence in this context refers to the differences in emphasis which people in different cultu ral contexts place on different objects in their frames of reference; which objects are defined as contextual or tangential and which ones are the ‘figures’ in the foreground taking a place of prominence in their experiences (Rogers, 1952). The significance and meaning of non-verbal gestures is likely to be different across cultures, and the cultural context may also affect the expectations the client holds about the purpose and potential outcomes of therapy. Client-counsellor similarities refer to potential problems with the interpretation of client communications in light of cultural (or indeed personal) similarities or differences between client and therapist (Rowan, 1998). Finally, test bias and response styles; if tests or psychometric assessments are used as part of the assessment process then the results may only be valid in the cultural context in which they were developed because of differing response styles, cultural norms and knowledge bases between cultures (Dryden, 1989). There are also issues with the medium that the counselling relationship is communicated on. For example, internet counselling is increasingly popular in recent years, but research suggests that it may not be the best tool for developing the counselling relationship, particularly due to the loss of verbal communication (Robson and Robson, 2000). It appears that there is something lost in communication in the case of internet counselling, perhaps it simply feels less personal to those who use it, especially since they cannot express themselves in their own unique voice. Obviously tone is also lost when communicating over the internet making it even more problematic. Professional issues in counselling which refer generally to the issues affecting the client-therapist relationship arising from how the therapist views the relationship and their career (Fretz and Simon, 1992). Entanglements of the client’s and the therapist’s frames of reference can result in non-therapeutic outcomes. It is therefore important that the therapist maintains professional standards and views the relationship in a professional capacity while balancing the need to appear warm and genuine to create a therapeutic environment. There may also be spiritual issues which arise during counselling. It must be established what role spirituality and religion plays in a client’s life, and whether they feel it is appropriate and pertinent for discussion (Rose, Westefeld and Ansley, 2008). The presence of spirituality in a person’s life may be a key variable in determining their state of mind and frame of reference, if this is the case then ignoring it could be disastrous. Working agreements in the counselling relationship are important for therapeutic progress and change because they allow the client the space and tools to explore their concept of self fully and openly. They help to define the context in which the interactions between therapist and client take place. Working agreements serve to reconcile the issues between therapist and client which become apparent in the course of counselling at least temporarily for the purpose of the counselling sessions (Clarkson and MacKewn, 1993). Some of the possible issues have been outlines above. These agreements therefore allow for the gradual building of the therapeutic relationship, and for the establishment of therapeutic dialogue. 7. To evidence an awareness of the complexities and impact of issues of power on the counselling relationship The notion of power is related to the juxtaposition of the client in relation to the therapist. It pertains to the regard in which the client holds the therapist and the position in the life of the client that is ascribed to the therapist. The degree of power to which the client assigns the therapist in their personal frame of reference plays a significant role in determining how their interactions are interpreted and what meaning is ultimately taken away from counselling (Green, 2010). In humanistic counselling, the relationship is vitally important in establishing an environment conducive to positive change. The required relationship for many techniques in humanistic counselling requires that the relationship be modelled after the parental relationship (Gelso and Carter, 1985). The balance of power in the client-therapist relationship is important in creating a constructive relationship. It comes from the concepts of the ‘self’ and the ‘self in relation’, and is largely based on the client’s conception of the other and their power in relation to the other (Bager-Charleson and van Rijn, 2011). Naturally, the therapeutic relationship in the present will be affected by past models of relationships. The parental relationship formed in early childhood has been documented to be vitally important in determining the ability to form attachments and relationships in the future (Dryden, 1989) and a securely attached relationship with a parent is predictive of an ability to form positive and trusting relationships with others in adult life (Cook, 2000). A securely attached relationship with a parent then is an effective relationship to foster a therapeutic dialogue. This is why in humanistic and psychodynamic counselling the client-ther apist relationship is ideally modelled on the parental relationship (at least a secure version of it). This sets the tone for the power balance in the relationship, in which the client must feel that they have a secure base in the relationship; they have unconditional positive regard for the therapist. Clarkson (1995) identifies aspects of the client-therapist relationship which are important to consider when setting the tone for the power balance; the working alliance, the transference/countertransference relationship, the developmentally needed or reparative relationship, the real relationship and the transpersonal relationship. These are important because once they have been properly established they can sometimes be used to enable therapeutic work to proceed even when difficult transference and countertransference feelings occur through the recognition of such feelings, and the invocation of the working alliance and the setting of common goals to continue the therapeutic process. The transference relationship is defined as the repetition of past conflicts which normally (but not always) began in early childhood in which feelings and thoughts which arose during those conflicts are displaces into. The countertransference relationship is the feelings the therapist holds about the client, which is typically understood now as a valuable therapeutic tool (Clarkson, 1995) because it helps the therapist to establish the perceptions of the power balance in the client’s frame of reference. The developmentally needed relationship in the context of adult life refers to the therapeutic relationship which takes place to redress the perceived power balance between the self and the other, and reintegrate experiences in order to bring the power balance closer to equilibrium. Transactional analysis is the practical outcome of the study of relationship styles and the perceived power balance. It is the analysis of how a person interacts and relates to others (Clarkson, 1992). This method can reveal some insightful inferences about an individual client because it can be indicative of the power ascribed to the self in relation to others in the individual’s frame of reference (Clarkson, 1992). This is done through the establishment of patterns in the client’s relationship history. This can be a useful tool to get the client thinking about pertinent issues in their histories which could be related to the root causes of psychogenic distress (Dryden, 1989). 8. To demonstrate awareness of the need for an ethical framework, their responsibilities to clients, colleagues and the wider community and an ability to discuss these in relation to personal beliefs and values The ethical framework is perhaps the most important thing to consider regardless of the approach or perspective that is ascribed to by the therapist. Every approach must have ethical principles which must not be violated because this is the primary protection of the rights and safety of the clients. Unethical counselling could result in harmful effects on the client, or exacerbation of current psychological distress (Dryden, 1989). The ethical framework should be prominent in the consciousness of the therapist and the client, and should be communicated to the wider community since this contains all the people who potentially may become clients in the future (Dryden, 1989). The ethical principles in counselling that should be observed and abided by are fidelity, autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice and self-respect which will each be addressed in turn. Fidelity is the honouring and respecting of the trust that is placed in therapists by clients (Bond, 1993). Adhering to this principle basically involves being trustworthy; practitioners must treat all information imparted to them by clients as confidential, and assign it the appropriate weight and respect that the trust from the client demands. Additionally, therapists should restrict the dissemination of any confidential information strictly to the purpose of furthering the purpose for which its initial disclosure was intended. This is crucial in maintaining the integrity of the client-therapist relationship since such a relationship must be based on trust and genuineness (Dryden, 1989). This is related to the personal value of unconditional positive regard for the client and of the belief th at everyone should have a safe place in which to explore personal issues which are causing them distress. Autonomy is the respect for the client’s freedom of choice and innate ability to become self-governing. This is related to the issue of the client’s voluntary participation in counselling, and their right to leave therapy at any point. By gaining informed consent from the client and informing them of this important principle, the client can feel more in control, and because their voluntary participation is explicit, this makes it easier to establish a working alliance and secure commitments from clients towards beneficial therapeutic outcomes (Bond, 1993). Part of respecting a client’s autonomy is respecting their ability to make intelligent informed decisions for themselves, which includes giving them all the necessary and relevant information to make these choices. A pertinent example of this would be giving accurate and true information in advertising and information given to potential clients in advance of counselling (Rowan, 1998). It is also the responsibility of the therapists to gain explicit consent of the client for all commitments, tasks and objectives set in the interest of achieving therapeutic goals, protect privacy and confidentiality, and inform the client of any conflicts of interest that arise. In this way, clients are protected against manipulation and deception. This is a very important point for fostering a sense of self in clients and respecting their basic rights and dignity. It is not for the therapist to say that a certain outlook or set of behaviours is healthy and another is not; it is the client who is the ultimate authority on their own mental health (Rogers, 1952). It is therefore helpful to have an appreciation for the vast variety of human behaviour and culture to aid understanding of diverse clients. This is simply related to the value of respect for others which all therapists should hold; giving due respect to information imparted in confidence and therefore not disseminating it un less absolutely necessary. Beneficence in this context refers to the commitment to promoting the client’s wellbeing. Based on professional assessment, the therapist must act in a way that is within their competence and experience and continually assess the outcomes of therapy through continual monitoring using whatever means are most appropriate to the individual client. Research and systematic reflection must inform practice and there should be a commitment from the therapist towards continual professional development. This is an especially important principle when working with clients whose ability to act autonomously is diminished (Corey, 1991). This is important if the therapists values include a desire to alleviate distress and suffering and enhance the ‘realness’ of interpersonal relationships. Non-maleficence is broadly concerned with avoiding all forms of harm to the client. This includes financial, sexual, emotional, psychological or social exploitation (Bond, 1993). This must be done by avoiding malpractice and incompetence including that of others by challenging behaviour that does not meet professional standards (Bager-Charleson and van Rijn, 2010). The personal value which should be prominent in the minds of therapists is to ensure that no further harm is being caused to clients. The fair and impartial treatment of all clients and adequate service provision is referred to as justice (Dryden, 1989). This requires a commitment to fairness and equality of opportunity and treatment regardless of background or characteristics of clients. It involves respecting human rights and dignity and remaining alert to any potential legal or ethical conflicts. It is important to appreciate differences between clients without discriminatory practice (Green, 2010). The personal belief in equality of all people is at the forefront of ensuring that all therapists treat clients with the fairness and dignity which they deserve. Finally, self-respect means that the therapist should be continually applying all of the above principles to themselves. This includes seeking appropriate therapy and pursuing opportunities for personal development themselves. This is important because in order for the counselling relationship to be conducive to good therapeutic outcomes the therapist should not be compromised by personal issues which are preventing them from cultivating a helpful atmosphere for the client. If therapists hold the value of keeping personal issues separate enough from counselling relationships that it does not negatively interfere then this principle should hold. Based on these ethical considerations it is necessary to make an assessment on whether any one particular client is ‘ready’ for therapy (Bager-Charleson and van Rijn, 2011). The task is to assess in a professional manner whether the client is in a psychological position to address and challenge the way they are leading their lives (Green, 2010). It may be that a client is currently in too fragile a state to warrant attempts to alter their perceptions of themselves or their world, as these may be a valuable defence against unresolved issues. It is important for therapists to respect these defences and monitor the responses to any treatments because if the client is not ready, tampering with their internal psychological world could be harmful. 9. To evidence their ability to support and maintain a supportive counselling relationship The skills that are important for me in establishing and maintaining a supportive counselling relationship in the paradigm of humanistic counselling should aim to communicate a sense of empathy, warmth and genuineness, and create an environment which is completely threat free and encouraging of introspection and self-exploration (Corey, 1991). These skills I use include reflective and active listening (Bager-Charleson, 2010). They are important to communicate presence and interest to the client, and if they are used effectively can convey a sense of empathy because they allow the client to feel listened-to, which in turn enables them to feel as though I am at least attempting to appreciate their perspective and their frame of reference (Rogers, 1952). Active and reflective listening do not involve making inferences about the underlying thoughts and feelings which have prompted the information which is presented, they rather rely on actively engaging with the client and picking up on what they are saying to let them know they have been heard, and also reflecting internally on what has been said and the context it occurred in to get a sense of what their frame of reference might look like (Green, 2010). I can then use this information to construct a counselling relationship that feels right and safe for them as an individual. Questioning, prompting, and observing are further useful skills in creating the appropriate relationship (Corey, 1991). These skills make it possible for interactions to take place, for the conversation to be directed in ways that encourage self-exploration and expansion, and encourage the client to elaborate to me on the figures and backgrounds that make up their frame of reference (Green, 2010). They can also give me the opportunity to paraphrase and summarise what the client says, which enhances my understanding as well as the client’s sense that I am listening and empathising with them. I focus on creating a ‘real’ relationship which is transparent with clients, meaning it is highly congruent for clients; they accurately interpret the meaning behind all interactions and the atmosphere is positive and encouraging (Rogers, 1952). This fosters a feel of genuineness in the relationships I develop with clients which subsequently gives the clients a feel of authenticity and real meaning in our interactions. This lends credibility to revelations they may have about themselves during the course of counselling. It is very important that I create a feeling that I give clients unconditional positive regard. This is important because some clients have experienced key relationships in their life as a player which is only regarded positively depending on them acting or existing on other’s terms. By giving all clients unconditional positive regard this allows for the feeling of warmth and acceptance which is important for every client to open up in constructive ways. The evidence I can provide for my ability to perform these skills comes from my experience as a senior mental health worker and my placement in Lewisham Bereavement Centre. These experiences have honed my ability to appreciate a diverse range of perspectives, and take into account the cultural context in which the individual client exists. They have allowed me to appreciate the person as an individual with thoughts, feelings, hopes and dreams rather than just a collection of experiences and traits. Therefore, I have become more sensitive, approachable and warm as my experience has increased. As a member of BACP, I adhere to all guidelines of conduct and make use of personal therapy and supervision. This has made me fully aware of the ethical and legal obligations to clients, making me take client welfare very seriously and think consistently about assessment issues such as whether the client is ready for therapy. 10. To demonstrate an ability to assess the impact of who they are on the counselling relationship Most notably, my values have influenced the shape the relationships tend to take. At Lewisham Bereavement Centre my value of equality and appreciation of diverse culture, perspectives and characteristics influences how I react to different clients; it ensures that I am non-judgmental regardless of how client’s behaviour is interpreted by my own frame of reference. Separating oneself from one’s own frame of reference is extremely difficult if not impossible, so my tactics involve strictly accepting clients and giving them unconditional support regardless of the content of interactions. I am patient and interested in clients and try to bring an air of thoughtfulness to the relationship, which tends to make the client feel like examining what they are saying more closely as well. The characteristics that define me as a counsellor are patience and approachability, and a strong commitment to acceptance and positive regard. This involves having appropriate respect for clients and a belief in their ability to get to the root of their problems on their own with minimal guidance. I believe this is what sets me apart from some other counsellors because I tend to give the clients more leeway to choose their own direction for the direction of conversations, as I believe wholeheartedly in all clients as intelligent entities who are the supreme authorities on their own wellbeing and the causes of their personal suffering. This value causes me to listen very carefully to what the clients say and make minimal to no use at all of personal speculations that I naturally draw about underlying causes using my own frame of reference. Naturally, this sometimes leads to clashes with some client’s expectations and the service that I actually deliver. Some clients expect mor e interpretations to be drawn by the therapist based on what they tell them; they believe the therapist can diagnose them or draw on expertise to present them with an underlying cause. In these cases without seeming confrontational I will use therapeutic techniques to empower the client into believing that they hold the power to identify in themselves any problematic issues and begin the healing process. I believe I am not given to overly emotional reactions, and can therefore remain emotionally neutral even when presented with very emotional information from clients which may perturb other people. By remaining a neutral and safe contact for clients to relay this information to the relationship can take the form of a confiding relationship which is positive for the client no matter what happens. This can lead clients to suspect that I am hiding my true emotions, which can be a difficult thing to deal with, but I believe the benefits outweigh the costs of this method. I create constructive boundaries and respect confidentiality and privacy in my work. This leads to my constantly remaining vigilant for client permission and participation in the therapeutic process; informed consent must be gained at all stages of the process, and so I do my best to keep the client in charge of the direction of the conversation during sessions. In this way, the risk of venturing onto subjects the client is not ready to talk about is minimised. I believe that no one issue is universally going to cause psychological distress and some issues which would be innocuous to other people may be extremely influential over others. An appreciation of this is vital in how I approach therapy, and guides me in letting the client mostly determine the direction of the conversation. As such I can appear flexible in counselling sessions which can come across as slightly disinterested, but the benefits of being flexible include the client having time to relate exactly what they want to say and quiet space to explore their own self-concept. When interacting with client’s I adopt a non-threatening posture and I am fundamentally interested in subjective stories of human experience and emotion. This gives me a demeanour in sessions which is engaging, warm and accepting, and ready to put subjective judgments aside when clients present relevant content. The counsellor-client relationship is a dynamic and dialectical relationship which is shaped almost as much by the therapist’s characteristics as the client’s. A final characteristic which I believe influences the relationships I form with clients is the drive to help others, and an uncompromising stance on providing a positive response despite what the client may be expressing. This gives me a strong ability to work with clients who believe they have been put at risk by other professionals. 11. To evidence an appreciation of the use of self in the counselling relationship The self in the counselling relationship is useful in that it can be used to relate to the client. It is an important point that differentiates humanistic counselling from other approaches that the humanistic approach puts so much emphasis on self-awareness (Rogers, 1952). A person who is not fully self-aware has feelings and/or experiences which are not fully symbolised and integrated into the current conscious self-concept. According to the humanistic perspective these concepts which are ‘outside’ the self-concept could be influencing thoughts, feelings and behaviours about the self and others in the environment even without conscious awareness (Rowan, 1998). Because of the intimately private subject matter that often arises during counselling, it is very important that the counsellor themselves be fully self-aware, in a way that they are trying to encourage the client to become. While it is important to develop a ‘real’ relationship with clients, I have f ound that it is necessary to remain a least somewhat emotionally detached from them. This is because when emotional attachments form between counsellor and client, they can bias the thinking of the therapist and begin a cycle based on judgments stemming from perceptions in the counsellors frame of reference, which is unacceptable. With full self-awareness the counsellor can use self-reflection to monitor feelings and thoughts, integrate them with the whole and reconcile them with their role as counsellor. In the counselling relationship the self can be used as an instrument (Reinkraut, Motulsky and Ritchie, 2009) in monitoring the development of the relationship, in setting up a basis for acting well on the client’s behalf through the development of counselling skills, for modelling self-awareness to the client and for keeping track of the transference relationship and power balance. When working with clients I see opportunities to assess my own personal strengths, limitations, thoughts and feelings as they relate to other people. This allows for greater self-awareness and gives me the ability to draw on personal life experiences and cognitive strategies for reflection which can be used to relate to the client. The self as an instrument also refers to the learning process of mastering techniques to discover information about the self which as a counsellor I have experienced. Throughout my work with clients, I have had opportunities to examine my own beliefs and values and the impact they have on my personal life and on others. This self-awareness is in a way the foundation of the client-counsellor relationship for me because without this it would be very difficult to relate due to the difficulty in describing what I am thinking and feelings. Personal growth can only truly be assessed through self-awareness and this goes for the client and for the therapist. Being fully conscious of all facets of my own self-concept also allows me to remain professional under circumstances that would otherwise be quite challenging. For instance, when a client is divulging very personal and intimate information which may make them feel psychologically vulnerable during expression, being self-aware in these moments will enable me to acknowledge my own counter-transference feelings towards the client and interpret them in light of the professional persona which I must don when counselling clients. The self then, is an important tool in establishing a positive and productive therapeutic relationship. If I am not in touch with my own thoughts and feelings and I do not psychologically ‘own’ all of my experiences then this could have serious consequences for the relationships I form with clients. It is likely that the relationships would suffer less positivity and there would be less transparency in the relationship, leading the client to wonder about the true meaning of our interactions and a loss of trust. This is an environment which is not conducive to the client growing in self-awareness or having positive therapeutic change. 12. Students to demonstrate an ability to analyse their strengths and weaknesses and assess themselves effectively in relation to others I believe that my strengths as a counsellor include the ability to empower clients in the relationships that I form with them. I also make good use of supervision and counselling services myself. I see this as a strength of mine because not only does it give me an opportunity to observe new techniques or the application of known techniques but it also helps me to continually grow as a person and become more self-aware. This is necessarily an ongoing process because as new experiences occur and become integrated into my own self-concept it truly helps to have a safe and non-judgmental place to explore this. This is the kind of ethos which I bring into the counselling relationship with my clients; I do not provide this service because I believe it is unimportant, in fact I believe that everyone could benefit from counselling if it is conducted appropriately; it is not just something for people who have experienced traumatic events. In this way I believe that I effectively and continuou sly evaluate my own frame of reference, which makes it easier when forming relationships with clients to identify what aspects of my perception of relationships and of the client are due to my own biases in perception. Separating entirely from one’s own frame of reference is not something I am able to do any more than anyone else; I believe it is simply a part of being human and therefore the best thing to do is become as aware of my own frame of reference as possible. I therefore have good awareness of my own personal conflicts, thoughts and feelings when interacting with clients and I am well practiced in keeping a healthy emotional distance from clients. This attitude gives me an accepting and patient demeanour towards others, and I do not push for more information on issues when others do not want to divulge further. With greater self-awareness I have an enhanced ability to assess how I appear in relation to others. Remaining non-judgmental and impartial and separate enough from the pertinent issues in a client’s life is a further skill that I see as a strength, because in my experience this serves to empower the client and encourage them to explore the very pertinent issues which may be having a negative impact on their lives. My values are an important part of this, the principles which I hold to be important in helping people are something which I can rely on to not change and to guide me in the pursuit of honing more effective techniques in counselling. With the use of these values and principles I am also proficient in establishing boundaries and overcoming distortions of perception and personal feelings as they occur during counselling. This allows me to effectively treat all clients with equality and unconditional positive regard. Although I establish a real relationship with clients, I continually assess my relationship with clients and how I appear in relation to clients, this he lps to establish the model of prior relationships which the counselling relationship is based on. An open mind and commitment to continuously bettering my skills is another positive aspect of my practice because it enables me to absorb knowledge and ideas from a diverse range of sources and consider the merit of their application in my own practice in an unbiased way. This is another way in which I am continuously attempting to better my counselling skills and assess myself in relation to others. It is also important for practitioners to acknowledge their own weaknesses so that at the very least they can increase their own self-awareness and make allowances in their practice of counselling to compensate for areas in which their practice is not as strong. It is also vital for weaknesses to come to light so that the practitioner can continue to try and improve in these areas. In the case of my own practice I believe I could further improve my use of paraphrasing and active listening. In the past, I noticed that my use of these techniques varied from other counsellors, and so in liaising with other professionals and through continuous supervision and commitment to understanding the effects of different uses of these techniques I have changed the way I tend to use paraphrasing or more specifically the frequency with which I use it; now only in cases where I believe the specific words or phrases a client has used are important to conveying the same message. This helps clients to u nderstand that I have heard them exactly as they are attempting to express themselves and has made me appear more succinct to clients. I also differed from other practitioners in my use of prompts in the therapeutic process. I tended to make more use of this technique to direct the conversation in a way I thought would be most beneficial to the patient by uncovering issues which were not symbolised and integrated with their self-concept. 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