Brief Narrative Essay

Do you remember how our parents often tell us that age old adage of â€Å"Don’t judge a book by its cover† ? Have you ever noticed how, although we know that we are not supposed to do that, we still do it anyway? I have the guts to admit that I am guilty of judging my fellowman at least once. In fact, when I was in grade school, I had misjudged one of my classmates simply because of the way she looked and her station in life because I listened to and believed in the rumors that our classmates had spread about her.This girl was known to have been raised by two spinster aunts since her birth so her ways and mannerisms in public was not that of people her age. In fact, if we did not have her for a classmate, we could have sworn that she was home schooled. She possessed an aloof attitude, sometimes seemingly eccentric and weird in her ways as well. She never hung around after classes and always seemed in a hurry to go home. She simply had no time to socialize and was irrita ted when forced to stay late at school.So we all determined that she was either abnormal or just plain weird. She was a quiet person who usually kept to herself and could often be found in the library reading up on the days lessons or just reading the available newspapers and magazines. We laughed at her often because even though she was a voracious reader, she was terrible in the Math and Science area of lessons. We had known her since pre-school and knew that she had started failing those subjects when we were in grade 3.She was the butt of all the in-jokes and we gave her no respect at all when we spoke to her. We considered her the class clown and mascot because no matter what we seemed to do to her, she could simply ignore. We considered her a challenge whom we had to break down and make cry. Then one day in English class, we were assigned to pair up and do some role playing activity. A unanimous groan went through the classroom when the girls name was announced. All of us were dreading the possibility of being stuck with her for a partner.We were convinced that it would only mean a disaster for whoever was paired with her. We had 2 weeks to work together and come up with a properly enacted and costumed scene from one of Shakespeare’s plays. I dreaded having to work with her because the class made such a big deal out it by ribbing me in public about how I did not have a prayer of getting a passing grade in the project because of my partner. She made one request of me during our partner meeting in class.Could we do the rehearsals at her house instead? She had to stay home whenever possible she explained, because her elderly aunts needed help around the house and she was worried that something might happen if she left them alone. I found this of interest, an open invitation to come over to her house and see where she lived and how she lived would be my chance to understand what made her the way she was and also confirm or deny any of the rumors float ing about in school regarding her and her home life.On my first day of practice with her, I met her very accommodating aunts who thought of me as their nieces friend from school. They were glad that she finally brought a friend over to the house because she was a lonely young woman who just spent her days reading and fussing over them. I did not have the heart to tell them I was no friend of hers. But as the days of our rehearsals progressed, I got to know her and her family better and I realized how wrong we were to have judged her just because we did not understand why she was different.If only we took the time to actually talk to her instead of tease her, we would have understood that she was really a very caring and loving person who recognized her responsibilities in life and made extra efforts to insure that she could do what was expected of her properly. Due the school activity, I came to realize that she was a special girl. She was the kind of person whom one took the time t o get to know and nurture as a friend. I decided that I would continue to befriend her regardless of what the rest of the school thought of her.Guess what, now that I am in high school, most of my grade school friends have disappeared. But this girl has remained a true and steadfast friend to me all this time. And I have helped her come out of her shell and become more sociable. True, the bad rep that was spread about her is still mentioned from time to time. But at least, I helped her get to know some other people who could really be a true friend to her. Just like I am. Truly, â€Å"one cannot judge a book by its cover† and first impressions could be wrong. Just look at how wrong I was in this situation.

Psychologists’ Participation in Military Interrogatory Operations Essay

The issue of ethical responsibility is always in question especially in the medical and allied medical fields. The article â€Å"Psychologists Clash on Aiding Interrogations† (Carey, 2008) tackles this issue in the context of the services rendered by psychologists to military operations involving the interrogation of detainees. The article points out certain details regarding this issue; among others, those tackled were the issue of this type of assistance and its relevance to the American Psychologists’ Association Code of ethics, the consideration of international laws in the performance of a psychologist’s duties, the ethical responsibilities of a psychologist to the person being interrogated, the relationship of the APA to the practice of its members, and the individual integrity of psychologists who chose to collaborate with the military in interrogatory operations. An initial approach to this issue would be to consider the role of psychologists in society in the context or professionalism. Base on the preamble of the APA Code of conduct, psychologists are â€Å"committed to increasing scientific and professional knowledge of behavior and people’s understanding of themselves and others and to the use of such knowledge to improve the condition of individuals, organizations, and society† (APA, 1992), in addition, psychologist should â€Å"respect and protect civil and human rights and the central importance of freedom of inquiry and expression in research, teaching, and publication. They strive to help the public in developing informed judgments and choices concerning human behavior. † (APA, 1992) Certain features can be easily gleaned from these APA passages; to note in particular are the psychologist’s roles in the development of academic knowledge in the field, the fostering of individual and social understanding, and in promoting and preserving individual, organizational, (your family name) 3 and social welfare. Over and above these professional roles are the particular attention given to civil and human rights and the freedom of inquiry and expression. In this context there is no argument as to whether the psychological profession in general should concede to working with the military in interrogatory operations – the mere fact that these interrogations do not serve the purposes of the profession as outlined above and may even be violations of certain civil and human rights simply shows that participating in military interrogations can be against the APA code of ethics. However, if the last part of the passage is considered, which concerns the preservation of individual, organization, and social welfare, psychologist participation in interrogations may actually serve this end. If the purpose of the military interrogation is to preserve the established order and the issue is national security, then psychologists being accountable, not only to their patients but also to their country, should do well by assisting the military in their operations. This is the argument put out by certain psychologists who have been found to be collaborating with the military – that they did not do anything to cause harm to any of the subjects of interrogation, rather, they merely ensured that the subjects were not caused any harm. In addition, they claimed to also be performing their duties to their country. Another perspective should be considered in this issue – the reports that have been going around that psychologists have been assisting the â€Å"CIA and the military in developing abusive interrogation techniques used on terrorist suspects† (Benjamin, 2007), that psychologists have collaborated with the military in the military’s secretive Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape program to â€Å"reverse-engineer† techniques originally designed to train U. S. soldiers to resist torture if captured, by exposing them to brutal treatment. † (Benjamin, 2007). These grim (your family name) 4 reports bring the issue of civil and human rights into the picture. In a profession that is easily abused as to its practice, civil and human rights should be protected at all costs, but what if those who are supposed to protect these rights are the ones violating the rights themselves? The military and psychology is a very unlikely and dangerous mix, with the former working for national security under the protection of national and international law, and the latter working for the advancement of the psychological profession which incidentally could be of valuable use to the military, and with only the APA Code of Ethics standing in the way, possibilities can be very scary – think Nazi concentration camp style. However, certain arguments point out that psychologists, like their military counterparts are able to set aside the APA Code of Ethics in the interest of national or international law. In the results of a 20025 APA Taskforce, it was implicitly implied that â€Å"psychologists can ignore their ethical code if a governing authority (in this case, the U. S. Military) asks them to do so. † (Reiss, 2007) This implication is based on no less than the the APA’s code of conduct, which states, in full, â€Å"If psychologists’ ethical responsibilities conflict with law, regulations, or other governing legal authority, psychologists make known their commitment to the Ethics Code and take steps to resolve the conflict. If the conflict is unresolvable via such means, psychologists may adhere to the requirements of the law, regulations, or other governing legal authority. † (APA, 1992) This brings the issue to a whole new level – instead of the issue being an organizational or professional concern, it becomes a concern of individual integrity, which, by the way, becomes blurry when an individual is offered lucrative benefits and perks in exchange for that (your family name) 5 integrity. While the issue is obviously one that concerns not only the military, or the field of psychology, but the safety and welfare of even the most hostile subject of an interrogation, the APA Task Force served to bring the issue down to a more personal level to dismiss whatever argument is raised by the profession as a whole. Now, it is basically a question of, â€Å"As a psychologist, are you personally inclined to assist the military in their interrogatory operations even when these operations can be inhumane and can violate civil and human rights as long as the operations are within the â€Å"requirements of the law, regulations, or other governing legal authority† (APA, 1992)? † Many a psychologist would find an easy answer to this question, because this question does not require a psychologist to consult any code of ethics or any law; it simply requires that the psychologist go through the process of self-discernment and consider, first and foremost, his/her reasons for choosing the psychology profession, his/her commitments to the people that he/she serves, and his/her priorities in exercising his/her profession. The issue of whether psychologists should collaborate with the military in developing interrogation techniques that may be inhumane is beyond the jurisdiction of any law or code. This issue is a question of morality and integrity, which, in themselves, are very subjective areas of abstraction. In a moment of personal thought, psychologists should at least put themselves in the shoes of the victims of these inhumane interrogation – knowledge is indeed power, â€Å"and power corrupts† (Acton, 1887) Psychologists wield a considerable amount of knowledge with their training in the profession, and it is up to them whether they would use this knowledge to harm their fellow humans or not. (your family name) 6 The solution to this problem lies in the individual integrities of psychologists. Each psychologist should maintain an internal regulatory mechanism when participating in these operations. The secret is being able to say ‘no’ when what is being asked to be done is beyond our personal conviction, ideals, and the moral standards governing the profession. While laws and codes can only do so much in regulating what psychologists can do, these also serve as roads signs for psychologists so that they may be constantly reminded if they are already overstepping in their profession. On the issue of national security, some argue that the life of one can sometimes be dispensable for the life of all; this argument is a blind interpretation of the truth. Life, whether it be of only one, or of all is still life, and should not be meddled with in any aspect. Where does this put the psychologists conceding to collaborations with the military? In as much as we all want to believe in the integrity of our own chosen professions, we have to have faith in the individual and inherent goodness of man. We cannot condemn psychologists who work for the military just because we think what they are doing is inhumane, and it is also not up to us to pass personal judgment regarding the military’s motives; but in as much as we have hope and confidence in the rationality and discernment of human beings, we might as well advocate integrity and morality as a whole, not only in the field of psychology. Individual issues and motivations of psychologists cannot be questioned by a raging mob – but we can sure make them see the truth, and remind them of their commitment to the welfare of all, and not just for the satisfaction of brute and barbaric interests. (your family name) Works Cited Acton, John Emerich D. â€Å"Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely. † The Phrase Finder. 1887. 26 Feb. 2009 . APA. â€Å"Ethical Principles Of Psychologists And Code Of Conduct. † APA Online. 2003. 26 Feb. 2009 . Benjamin, Mark. â€Å"The CIA’s torture teachers. † Salon. com. 21 June 2007. 26 Feb. 2009 . Carey, Benedict. â€Å"U. S. psychologists debate role in military interrogations. † International Heral Tribune – The Americas. 16 Aug. 2008. 26 Feb. 2009 . Reiss, Natalie S. â€Å"The Psychologist’s Role in Military Interrogations. † Mentalhelp. net. 3 Aug. 2007. 26 Feb. 2009 .

Human resource management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human resource management - Research Paper Example Employees are essential assets to any organization that strives to achieve sustainable competitive advantage and organizational success. As such, the recruitment and selection process is vital in ensuring the right employees are hired for the right jobs as a wrong recruitment can break the company. Before beginning the recruitment process the human resource department should ensure a human resource plan is in place to avoid overstaffing or understaffing. The manager needs to monitor progress and evaluate performance so as to recognize areas of weaknesses or strengths and put corrective measures such as training.From the job analysis a job description and job specification is developed which is essential for preparing a recruitment plan and selection strategy. The aim of this paper is to find a replacement for an employee who has been promoted to the next management level, evaluate his/her performance and determine pay and training needs. To achieve this, various activities will be pe rformed. First is to carry out a job analysis and develop a job description. Secondly, is to develop a recruitment plan. Thirdly, selection strategy will be selected. Fourth is to determine how performance will be evaluated and how pay will be determined. Lastly, the paper will address training and development issues for professional growth of the selected candidate. The position that needs to be filled is that of a senior account as replacement of the manager promoted to chief financial officer. As such, the person will work directly under financial officer’s supervision. Job Analysis This is an in-depth study of the tasks and behaviors related to the position and form the foundation of HRM (Bohlander & Snell, 2010). It entails gathering information about the job by establishing the duties, tasks and activities of the job. However, predetermined steps are used to gather the information so as to ensure it is reliable and valid. This is due to the fact that an incorrect job an alysis affects all the other human resource functions as they derive from it (Mullins, 2010). It means a wrong job description and job specification which translates to recruiting the people who do not match the job. The information required can be gathered through observation, interviews, questionnaires and even secondary sources such as O*NET. Observation involves a job analyst observing an employee performing the task and recording the tasks, activities equipments and materials used. Analysts can also interview persons in the same positions or develop a questionnaire for them to fill indicating their job duties, purpose of the job, tasks, equipments and materials, special health and safety concerns, physical setting and requirements for performance such as skills, education and experience, physical and mental demands (Bohlander & Snell, 2010 p. 153-154). O*NET o the other hand, has already job descriptions of 23500 occupations. The aim of conducting job analysis is to understand the job and establish essential duties and responsibilities and behaviors required for performing the job. The essential competencies are those portrayed by high performers in the same role (Searle, 2003). The first step is thus to understand the job and the second step is identifying performance behaviors as outlined above. These behaviors are then used to identify and choose essential competencies which are arranged in order of importance as shown in figure 1. Essential competencies are those performed most of the time and also required when job starts as opposed to learning on the job. The fourth step is to determine how

The nature of evil Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The nature of evil - Essay Example Both Isadora and my creditors, I should add, who entered into a conspiracy, a trap, a scheme so cunning that my only choices were prison or marriage, which for a man of my temperament, worse than imprisonment—especially if you knew Isadora.†(1) One evil influence leads to the other. Evil sets off a chain-reaction. Rutherford Calhoun candidly admits, â€Å"But arriving in the city, checking the saloons and Negro bars, I found nothing. So I stole—it came as second nature to me.†(2-3) It goes to substantiate that no one is born with evil tendencies. One inherits them due to the circumstances one is compelled to encounter. When a man or woman is neglected and when obstructions are created by the society in the efforts for reformation and rehabilitation, one turns cynical. Helping one to build a new identity is an arduous process that has both economic and spiritual perspectives. Reeling out moral lessons and spiritual revelations will not help an individual fro m the downward march to destruction. Calhoun is exposed to religious disciplines. He admits, â€Å"My Master, Reverend Peleg Chandler†¦..he endlessly preached Old Testament virtues to me†¦.the evils of nominalism†¦.†(3) But the desired change in the personality of Calhoun is not forthcoming as the impact of the evil influences is strong and nobility fails to beat it. Both nobility (good) and evil forces are inherent in a man; they are the pairs of opposites and to strike the proper balance is the issue related to life. No one is permanently good or permanently bad. The process of becoming, to a great extent, depends on how one is raised and later on lives life. The childhood creates the structure for the adulthood and for the entire course of life. In case of Calhoun, the childhood is bad and he has to undergo bitter experiences of deceit from all ends and at that stage of life he has no one to hold on. So, hatred for the society is welling up from deep within and he has no choices to challenge them. Hatred is ugly and dark and it goes hand in hand with all sorts of evil. Bitter experiences in life one after another, go to solidify the state of evil in the heart of Calhoun. But no one is inherently evil. Evil is just the coating, and often the coating is thick. On a number of occasions, evil deeds are a mechanism of self-defense. When faced with danger, human beings mostly exhibit a â€Å"fight or flight,† response. Try to escape or defend aggressively. Calhoun precisely does the same. The ship in which he is employed according to Calhoun is â€Å"a process of life.†(36) The ship is the metaphor for the various stages and experiences of life. He faces the twin dangers, one from the woman and the other from his creditors, for which he has no immediate solutions, he avails the option of escape from the evil forces that are pursuing him. Unquestionably the slavery in the 19th century American society was an evil practice of the worst order and it owed responsibility for the creation of a combustible generation of blacks. Its impact has not been eradicated even with the present generation. The author does not think that evil is inherent in man, woman or evil originates in greed, misunderstanding/competition in segregation. Evil is integrated and it sets off a chain reaction through all these segments of society/factors. They are all interrelated and no factor

Dunkin Group INC Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Dunkin Group INC - Research Paper Example Customers are able to enjoy services in Philippines, Guatemala and over other regions. The organization has been able to meet the demand of these markets due to some strength in their operation. It has been able to meet its customers tastes by providing it quality products. Its communication network has made it easier for the franchise to meet various customers requests. In respects to it products, since inception the franchise manages two units. One of its units refers to the Dunkin donut branch. The other branch relates to its branches representing Basken-Robbins operational unit. For the last 120 years, Dunkin donut unit has been providing restaurant like services to customers. It concentrates in providing products such as muffin, bagel donut and coffee. Basken Robbins on the other hand specializes in refrigerated products. This franchise has been instrumental in providing ice cream products. Dunkin Donuts has over 11000 branches all over the globe. The franchise further branches in 33 countries. It is also imperative to note that the franchise has the capacity of making up to $7billion. Dunkin brand Inc has two subsidiary branches all over the market. The firms income as in the year 2011 was $ 34.442 its revenue was $628.198 in that year. On the other hand, its total assets as at the end of that year were at$3.2224 billion. The mission of Dunkin Inc is to provide services and products to the community. The organization conducts this function by ensuring that the basic need of the society comes to fulfillment. The firm provides products for the hungry under partnership with other organization. Some of the organizations that collaborate with the franchise include those organizations providing relief food items. Moreover, it is part of the organizations agenda to provide safety to the community. Dunkin Inc provides these services through partnerships. The organization collaborates with troops, firefighters and other security service providing

History through A Geographers Lenses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

History through A Geographers Lenses - Essay Example 244). We can take this to mean that modern society began sometime in the late 1800s and early 1900s and last to this day. What made the 19th century a turning point Van Doren further cites (p. 245) the progress resulting from the disruptive technological discoveries that took place, whether "it be new energy sources like oil and electricity, new means of living comforts like electric lights and cheap cast iron stoves, and new devices for communication on both a local and global scale such as the telegraph and the telephone." Several lenses are available to read the history of modern societies from that point on, and what we use will depend on one's point of interest. A student of geography like myself would use as my lenses the three dimensions most appropriate for the task: speed, space, and time. From a geographer's viewpoint, one can see the development of modern society and its history in relation to how human activities affected and was affected by speed, space, and time. ... human interaction by which ideas and information in the form of physical signals like words and actions are exchanged, was limited by space or distance and time. The time it would take for ideas to travel from one point of the globe to another depended on the (rather slow) speed of the carrier of the message, a combination of horses, ships, pigeons, or human runners before Morse discovered the telegraph in the mid-1800s. In some regions like the jungles of the Amazon or the wide plains of America and Europe, messages were carried across limited distances by drums and flags. The effectiveness and efficiency of these modes of communication were limited by distance, the speed of sound, and the sharpness of hearing and sight. Prior to the discovery of the telegraph, sharing and receiving information and then taking action or giving feedback took a long time, which accounted for the slow pace of development of human history that is the result of the interaction of human activities. The telegraph changed all that by accelerating the exchange of information and increasing the pace of human interaction and, in its turn, the amount of human activity. What resulted was a snowballing of social consequences that gathered in size and the power to effect change. The telegraph reduced space because it made human interaction across great distances possible, allowing people across the continents hundreds or thousands of miles apart to communicate and to initiate appropriate action. It also reduced time in a radical way, because by speeding up the exchange of information, it was possible to undertake human action sooner instead of wasting time while waiting for information and feedback to come. However, the telegraph had one major drawback: information in the form of messages had

The Field of the Gaze Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Field of the Gaze - Essay Example In terms of physical relationship to the site, the fountain site adds importance to the canteen and school premises. The fountain is within the wide expanse of the school premises. Students visit the fountain to take a sip of water. I also take regular sips from the water fountain to quench my thirst (Sturken & Cartwright 12). In terms of what is close to t the site, the site of the fountain contains chair and tables several yards away. The site is very spacious. The site is an open air area. It is located outside the school buildings. However, the site is within the school premises. The students can easily reach the site. During the students’ break, the students can easily travel from their classrooms to the site within less than 15 minutes. In terms of presumption, the bodies in the site presume the place is a spacious canteen, restaurant, or simply where more than thirty people take their snacks and meals during break time. The bodies presume the students can relax, take their fill, exchange pleasantries with other students, and relieve the pressures of the hectic exams. The site was built from funding. The funding comes from the students’ tuition fees, donors, and other sources. Further, the site is filled with history. Initially site was a simple one. With fund savings, the site’s physical features were increased. The present site’s aesthetic beauty and functionality is sprawled a bigger area, grounded on several years of constant repairs and renovations. Furthermore, there are current representations of the site. First, the wide open air spacious site represents relaxation. The students can take a break from their classes, meet new friends, and have a slight snack in the canteen’s spacious eating area. The site represents the efforts of the School Administration to deliver quality service to the students. Viewing

Select a recent arms control agreement, outline its main features and Essay

Select a recent arms control agreement, outline its main features and evaluate its effectiveness. In light of your findings, is arms control possible in an anarchic world - Essay Example na; and Strategic and Tactical Arms Reduction Treaty (START) between the United States of America and the Russian Federation have been a great help in keeping the world safe from nuclear weapons and nuclear wars since the Second World War These treaties are put into action with the agreement of governments that they will not produce any more weapons and arms and reduce their already existing weapons. When the Soviet Union was divided, Kazakhstan and Belarus decided to give their weapons up and joined international conventions. To see to it that the treaties are being honoured, on site inspections satellite verification or by aero planes are conducted on a regular basis. Verification is done by either bodies like International Atomic Energy Agency or the parties involved in the treaty. Often the destruction of weapons of mass destruction is assisted by international peace organizations (About, 2012). Current issues related to the regulation of arms worldwide are mainly that the weapons of mass destruction as well weapons like guns etc are being illegally proliferated on a large scale and are finding their way to terrorists and countries which are not politically and economically stable. Pakistan, Iran and North Korea’s geostrategic interests are different from the United State of America and Russia’s and that is the reason behind these countries not being a part of any non proliferation treaties and they remain a powerful threat to the United State of America and Russia. In July 2009 presidents Obama and Medvedev renewed the old START treaty with the new START treaty and decided to decrease the amount of weapons to one-third (About, 2012). The new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) is one of the current arms control treaties between the United States of America and Russian Republic. It is the renewed version of the old START treaty. In Prague, on April 8, 2010 President of the United States of America, Barack Obama, and the president of the Russian

The University of North Carolina maintains a website, Documenting the Essay

The University of North Carolina maintains a website, Documenting the American South, which contains an excellent collection of - Essay Example There are also different challenges facing slaves evident from the narrative; Aaron is lamenting waiting for relief help from well-wishers such as Priests and Levites. It pains to see how he among other slaves suffers in the hands of slaveholders as the congress continues with its process regardless of the issues affecting slaves. However, he is grateful because he is alive seeing a new day as he struggle to fight slavery (Morawsk and Smith, 2000). How did masters maintain the institution of slavery? Oppression was one of the ways used by masters to maintain slaves in slavery. A slave was subjected to torture through thorough beating if they tempted to quit. This made most of the slaves submit as they feared death or other mistreatment from resisting forced labor. Examples of areas where slaves suffered were in the south and the north in the hands of slaveholders, who tied up their slaves for whipping and torture yet they had done nothing. What tactics did they use to enslave other h uman beings? One of the common tactics used by masters to enslave people is bribing friends or relatives; they would go kidnap people and later sell them to slaveholders. An ideal example is the family that was taken away by their cousin at midnight and sold into slavery back in 1834. The other example is the white man sold his three daughters after selling his wife to slavery. This was one of the challenging and painful issues taking place in slavery; people betraying their relatives into slavery for money in quite inhuman. There are also cases where people captured strangers, and sold them to slavery; this is in instances where they met them stranded in their activities or on their way attending to their issues. Arabs were the communities known to practice such activities (Morawsk and Smith, 2000). Another tactic used by slaveholders to keep slaves was making them ignorant of their status. This is by building the thought that slavery is a natural state of being. Most of blacks in the narrative depict a thought that blacks have no capacity of taking part in civil societies in America. Through this, the white gathered courage to oppress the blacks by making them their servants. In slavery, slave children were denied a chance to education as this would make them have the capacity to read and write and this would be a challenge to the slaveholders. This is the reason why Aaron is an illiterate; this denied him a chance to evaluate the state of self-sufficiency and capability. If these slaves had the basis knowledge, they would question the dominance of whites over blacks. Slaveholders also took illiteracy to ensure that the life of slaves did not reach authorities who were against slavery. From this, slaves should seek education, as this is a gateway to freedom. Communication is also significant, as this would mobilize slaves in opposing oppression by slave-masters (Morawsk and Smith, 2000). Most slaveholders were strong Christians. They had buried their evil di d in church thus blinding slaves; most slaves were also Christian therefore found it wired to fight their own religious leaders. This fact also barred the thought that slavery was an unchristian practice following the fact that most of the slave masters were religious leaders. This tactic made slavery prevail in the south as well as in the north despite the fact that it was an era where Christianity was gaining popularity among different communities. Christianity also blinded slaves because they had a strong faith thus

Teacher Interview Essay Example for Free

Teacher Interview Essay For this project I decided to interview my high school football coach from Brewster Washington Ed Ashworth, who teaches English. I asked a verity of questions to help get an understanding of what it take to become a teacher and to just get a better idea of it all. The first question I asked was, How much time outside of school do you spend on your job? â€Å"Well between grading papers and making lesson plans for class and other materials, probably about 16-20 hours a week. About and hour before school and a couple hours here and there after school, plus weekends. † he said. Next question I asked was, How do you come up with the lesson plans? â€Å"Its not easy to come up with lesson plans all the time, I try to make the assignments interesting so the students dont get bored of the same thing. I there is something that is fascinating outside of class that I think I can incorporate into class I try to do that, weather its something on the news or something going on with the school so the students can speak their mind, thats usually makes it more fun for them. † said Mr.Ashworth. Next I asked, What do you do with a failing student? And a student with behavior problems? â€Å"I try to make sure I am send grade checks home to there parents, I also ask the students if they need extra help of if the need to stay after class for some one on one learning. And for the behavior problem kids I usually send the student outside and have a discussion and let the student they need to get their act together. † he said . Then I asked, What are additional duties besides teaching in the classroom? â€Å"Teachers meetings, parent meetings, Homework grading and tests, Also advising the students they are assigned to make sure they are on track for graduation. † says Ashworth. Next I asked, Whats the most rewarding part about teaching? â€Å"The most rewarding part would have to be when you see a student turn things around, going from not trying in school to doing good in the class because they realize that school is important for there future. † he said. The last question I asked was, What made you choose to be a teacher? â€Å"I had a couple teachers that really made an impacted in my life and I ever since then I know I wanted to be a teacher to help kids and to make an impact in their lives. † I learned a lot from the interview with Mr. Ashworth, hearing what he had to say about teach just making me wanna be a teacher even more than before. The very last quote he said is the one thats going to stick with me, because I had a couple of teachers that made an impact in my life as well and its a big part of why I want to become a teacher to help kids and to maybe change their lives.

Malaria Disease: An Overview

Malaria Disease: An Overview Introduction: Malaria is a vector-borne infectious disease caused by protozoan parasites. Malaria is a very widespread disease in the tropics and subtropics regions of the world including Africa, South Asia, and South and Central America, affecting over 650 million people and killing 1 to 3 million. Over half affected and killed are young children in Sub-Saharan Africa. This disease is an enormous public-health problem because it only takes one bite by a mosquito infected with parasites that causes this infectious disease to become apart of a humans body. Malaria cannot be transmitted from one person to another by just standing next to them you have to have contact with them. Discussion: Malaria didnt just recently come about; it has affected on people for over 50,000 years. It could well have been a pathogen for the entire history but it has not been proven. The term malaria originated from medieval Italian and translated into â€Å"bad air†. Malaria has had a few names in the past like ague and marsh fever because of its association with swamps. Pioneer Discoveries: The first noted advance came in 1880 when Charles Louis Laveran, a French army doctor who worked in Algeria noticed parasites in the red blood cells of the infected people. He announced that malaria was caused by this protozoan and this was the first time that it had been known to cause a disease. The protozoan was later called Plasmodium by Ettore Marchiafava and Angelocelli. Some time later it was suggested that mosquitoes were transmitting this disease to humans by Carlos Finlay, a Cuban doctor. But it was Britains Sir Ronald Ross who finally proved it in 1898 by showing certain mosquito species transmitting malaria to birds and later isolated malaria parasites from salivary gland of mosquitoes that feed on infected bird. Sir Ross later became the Director of Malaria control effects in Panama, Greece, Egypt, and Macuitus. The works of Finlay, Ross, Marchifava, and Celli saved the lives of thousands of workers and helped developed methods used in future public health campaigns agai nst this disease. The bark of a cinchona tree that contains quinine was the first effective treatment for malaria. Global Initiatives: The Malaria Prevention Initiative spends over $1 billion a year to control malaria, the worlds largest health problem. In 2005 Bush launched the Presidents Malaria Initiative (PMI). He pledged to increase U.S. malaria funding more than $1.2 billion over five years in order to reduce death by malaria by fifty percent in fifteen African countries. He also challenged other countries to match him in things like private foundation and corporations that would help reduce the suffering and deaths caused by malaria. PMI had a goal and wanted it to be reached by contacting the child under 5 yrs of age and pregnant women. They will give these people proven and effective treatment measures. PMI also used a method that involved 4 keys components: indoor spraying of the homes with insectides, insecticide treated mosquito nets, lifesaving antimalarial drugs, and treatment to prevent malaria in pregnant women. PMI has impacted more than six million Africans just from the method with four key compon ents. PMI coordinates with national malaria control pregnancy and international partners including Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, The World Bank, and Malaria Booster Program to name a few. Diagnosing and Treating: The diagnosis and treatment of malarias severe form has become an important matter. The microscopic diagnosis of malaria requires skill, experience, and availability of everyone at all times. There are some tests that dont require as much skill but they havent been available in America for years. On June 13, 2007, the FDA approved the first malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) for use of laboratories in the U.S. The test uses whole blood and takes only fifteen minutes. RDT is not able to detect if a patient has Malaria if they are infected with another disease. Malarial Statistics: The Center of Disease Control receives reports of one thousand to fourteen thousand cases of malaria every year. Some of these are as a result of international travel. Nearly seventy-five percent are acquired from victims who dont use the recommended preventive medications. During the 1800s quinine was used as the only drug to treat malaria until World War Two when more effective medicines were developed. Malaria control in war areas was created during World War Two to control the spread of this disease by mosquitoes in the south especially those surrounding military bases where troops could be affected. Prevention: There are ways to prevent malaria: such as using repellents, wearing protective clothing, and using netting. It has become a leading cause in death worldwide. If a person is diagnosed early and treated it can be cured. But a lot of people live in areas where the disease is common and get infected repeatedly and never recover. There have been programs aimed towards prevention of malaria by killing mosquitoes that carry the disease. If a person goes to the doctor they can ask for a vaccine and a drug used for anti-malarial infections. Malaria is at a low rate in the U.S. but it is widespread around. If a person travels on an airplane where malaria patients have been they should be tested three to four times back to back. Conclusion: In conclusion, malaria is a widespread disease affecting more people daily. So everyone needs to protect themselves. Scientist are looking for a cure but there is not one yet found. There are people out there giving money to those foundations whose main purpose is to help those affected with the disease. For those people out there infected by Malaria dont give up because help is on the way. Bibliography Deresinski, Stan. Rapid Diagnostic Testing For Malaria. Infectious Disease Alert 26(2007): 133,134. Unknown, U.S. AID Health Programs: Malaria and Child Survival. Congressional Digest 86(2007): 198-199. â€Å"Health and Disease.† Encyclopedia Britannica. 2007. Britannica Online. Retrieved and accessed on from 15 Oct. 2007 http://search.eb.com/eb/article-258139 Does homosexual parenting have negative effects? Does homosexual parenting have negative effects? This research paper tries to review the same sex couples relationships regarding the role they play in parenthood and the effects both negative and positive that they likely would have on their children whether biological or adopted. It also reviews the societys perception of the gay men and the lesbian community and their rights to raise their children. A comparison of the effects of lesbian and the gay men parenting and that of heterosexual parenting will also be brought about in order to bring about the positive or negative side of homosexual parenting. This research paper will also review the results of the researches done on homosexual parenting, the arguments, the outcomes and conclusions. Introduction According to Bozett (1987), lesbians and gay men form families which are identical in appearance like those of non-gay families. Within the last couple of years in the gay and lesbian communities, there has been increased awareness of the fact that the possibility of being a parent is not ruled out by being gay. According to Drescher and Glazer (2001), traditionally, when one came out as lesbian or gay, it meant that one had to abandon any hope of ever becoming a parent or even to keep ones children if one had them already. However, with homosexuality in the open, more and more same sex couples are having new babies, are continuing to raise previous heterosexual relationships children and also are adopting children (Drescher Glazer, 2001). As a result, after coming out many gay men and lesbians are considering parenthood. Parenthood in the lesbian and gay men community may come about from joining of a homosexual parent legally with a spouse of the opposite sex who may have one or more children who may be adopted or biological. On the other hand, children may be adopted by lesbians and gay men as single parents who may or may not have a lover who takes the stepparent role. Some of the gay men or lesbians may choose to provide foster care as a way of parenting. Lesbians on the other hand, can opt to become parents through alternative fertilization. Other ways for the homosexuals to become parents is where single or coupled gay men use a surrogate mother and also where a lesbian is inseminated by one or more than one gay man. And thereafter rear the offspring as if it were related to them biologically (Bozett, 1987). According to Kurdek (2004), homosexual parenting is when gay men or lesbians become biological or non biological parents to one or more children. Despite the controversy surrounding marriage of the same couples recently, there has not been established a reliable number of estimates of lesbian and gay couples. According to an American survey data, 40-60 (%) of gay men and 45-80 (%) of lesbians are currently romantically involved. Because when one presents himself or herself to the public as part of a lesbian or gay couple is subjected to abuse, discrimination and even violence, these numbers are likely to be underestimated as many do not come out in the open (Kurdek, 2004). Effects of homosexual parenting According to Patterson (2000), the gay and lesbians family lives have been a source of controversy for a long time. Due to the stigma attached to the same sex identities, the lesbians and gay men who declare their identities risk their original family relationships. However, the gay men and lesbians have always succeeded in creating and to sustain family relationships despite the discrimination and prejudice (Patterson, 2000). According to studies, children who have been raised by lesbian mothers tend to conform to gender role behaviors and careers that are stereotypical. In a census conducted in US 2000, 33% of lesbian couple household and 22% of gay couple household reported at least an under 18 year child living in that home. By 2005, the number of children living in the same sex couple households were 270, 313 (Patterson, 2000). In Stacey and Biblarz (2001) words, gay marriage today has become rampant in our society and many countries are endorsing for its legalization. It is therefore no surprise that family issues on lesbigay have turned into a rapidly growing industry in social science research. Such researches bear on family policies and marriage that predetermine the Western Cultures held convictions on parenthood sexuality, and gender. As opponents and advocates square off in cultural wars, legislatures, state and federal courts and in the electoral arena over efforts to extend equal rights to foster care, child custody, marriage, and adoption to nonheterosexuals, they heatedly debate the implications of a body investigating how the parents sexual orientation affects the children. The research bodys findings are such that there are no differences notable between children brought up by heterosexual parents and those brought by gay and lesbian parents. They also find the same sex parents to be as effecti ve and competent as heterosexual parents (Stacey Biblarz, 2001). According to most studies conducted about homosexual parenting, outcome of children of the same sex parents is no better, nor worse than other childrens in terms of self esteem, academic achievement, quality and warmth of family relationships, peer group relationships, or behavioral difficulties and no likelihood of being gay than other kids (Carpenter, 2007). According to traditional opinions, homosexual parenting will have the following effects on their children 1. Provide an associate, a model and experiences which make a child engage in homosexual activities. 2. The probability of sexual victimization in childhood will increase. 3. Due to the disturbed behavioral and standards of the parents, the child will likely be psychologically and socially disturbed than other children who have been raised by straight parents (Homosexual parents, 2010). However, in a 2002 AAP report on gay parenting, it found no meaningful differences of children who have been raised by same sex parents from those raised by heterosexual parents. The committee first assessed the adjustments, behavior, and attitudes of gay and lesbian parents and found more similarities than there were differences in the attitudes and parenting styles of gay and non gay fathers. At the same time, the lesbian mothers had the same scores in psychological adjustment, attitudes and self esteem toward child rearing with the heterosexual mothers. The second study looks at the sexual orientation and gender identity of children who have been raised by gay parents. The study reported that none of those children showed any confusion in gender identity, wished to be of the other sex or engaged in behavior of the cross gender. There were also no differences found in the boys or girls preference of toys, activities, games, friendship or dressing code with the same sex parents in c omparison with heterosexual parents, nor sexual attraction difference or identification of self as gay (Stacey Biblarz, 2001). The third area of study looked at the emotional and social development of children. It compared children who have been raised by divorced lesbians with those raised by divorced heterosexual mothers. There was no difference found in behavioral difficulties, quality of family relationships, peer group relationships, academic success, and personality measures. The study however, suggest one meaningful difference that children raised by lesbian parents are more likely to tolerate diversity and are likely to be more nurturing towards younger kids than those children raised by heterosexual parents (Hirsch Sears, 2004). Most of the researches conducted about gay parenting have the same conclusion that the suggestion that children raised by gay parents suffer has no base. The only significant difference as suggested by some evidence is that children raised by same sex parents are much freer in occupation and behavior explorations which are not hampered by traditional gender roles than children raised by heterosexual parents and thus a good thing (Stacey Biblarz, 2001). According to Stacey and Biblarz (2001), those who oppose to parental rights of lesbian and gay couples claim that children of these couples are at a higher risk of outcomes that are negative. Most psychological research however, concludes that the developmental outcomes of kids raised by same sex parents and those raised by heterosexual parents are no different (Stacey Biblarz, 2001). Several lawyers and activists who are struggling to defend adoption petitions and child custody by gay men and lesbians or attaining the marriage rights of the same gender have been successful on drawing on the research (Stacey Biblarz, 2001). In reference to Kurdek (2004), a comparison of both partners from cohabiting gay and lesbian couples with no children was done with those of married heterosexual couples with children. Of the 50 (%) comparisons, there were no differences between the heterosexual partners with the gay and lesbian partners. Differences were found on the 78 (%) comparisons, which indicated that the same sex couples functioned better than did the heterosexuals. According to Kurdek, since the same variables were used to predict the concurrent relationship stability and quality for both same sex parents and heterosexual parents, he concludes that there should be generalization across the heterosexual, gay and lesbian couples by those processes which regulate the functioning in relationships (Kurdek, 2004). There are a few studies purport to establish characteristics of children raised by gay couple which are negative, these negative characteristics tend to however be discounted as they are associated with researchers and organizations that are anti gay. While there is a need for further study of gay parenting, it is much clear that theres no reason found by the objective researchers to accept the idea that children of gay parents need protection (Hirsch Sears, 2004). According to Rekers (2004), the Arkansas regulation that denies foster parents licenses to those adults behaving in a homosexual way has a rational basis from three reasons. These are: From the inherent structure and nature of homosexually behaving adults households, foster children are endangered as they are exposed to a substantial harmful stress levels that are far above heterosexual homes levels of stress. There is normally a high psychological disorder incidence in children entering foster care ranging from 29-96 (%); hence in the presence of adults with homosexual behavior in the foster home they are vulnerable to increased maladjustment and psychological harm (Hirsch Sears, 2004). Same sex relationships are substantially short lived and significantly less stable compared to a man and a woman marriage hence the rate of household transition is high in foster homes with same sex couples (Hirsch Sears, 2004). Foster children in homes with members behaving in a homosexual manner are deprived of the vitally needed positive child adjustment contributions which are due to the inherent nature of their foster homes and which are present only in heterosexual foster homes which are licensed. Some of these contributions are a father or a mother model, lack of a father or mother childbearing contributions, and lack of a wife -husband relationship model (Rekers, 2004). According to Gerstmann (2004), it is clear that it has not been certainly established by the social science data that the lesbian or gay men households are not optimal environments for children to be raised. But this does not make it for the society to irrationally assume that the biological father and mother should raise a child for its best. According to Social science data, we should be cautious to assume that traditional families compared to families of the same sex are better environments for raising children. Again, we actually cannot say that hypothesizing that children being raised by both a father and mother benefit is irrational (Gerstmann, 2004). Conclusion Lesbians and gay men form families which are identical in appearance like those of non-gay families. Within the last couple of years in the gay and lesbian communities, there has been increased awareness of the fact that the possibility of being a parent is not ruled out by being gay. Homosexual parenting is when gay men or lesbians become biological or non biological parents to one or more children. Despite the controversy surrounding marriage of the same couples recently, there has not been established a reliable number of estimates of lesbian and gay couples. This is because when one presents himself or herself to the public as part of a lesbian or gay couple is subjected to abuse, discrimination and even violence, these numbers are likely to be underestimated as many do not come out in the open. Most of the researches conducted about gay parenting have the same conclusion that the suggestion that children raised by gay parents suffer has no base. The only significant difference as suggested by some evidence is that children raised by same sex parents are much freer in occupation and behavior explorations which are not hampered by traditional gender roles than children raised by heterosexual parents and thus a good thing. It is clear that it has not been certainly established by the social science data that the lesbian or gay men households are not optimal environments for children to be raised. But this does not make it for the society to irrationally assume that the biological father and mother should raise a child for its best. According to Social science data, we should be cautious to assume that traditional families compared to families of the same sex are better environments for raising children.