Chicory Root Extract Atopic Dermatitis Health And Social Care Essay

Atopic dermatitis is a genetically transmitted, chronic inflammatory tegument disease that is characterized by chronic redness of epidermis1. The disease normally presents during early childhood but may get down or prevail in big life 2. 10 % to 20 % of kids and 1 % to 3 % of grownups are affected by this status. Adult atopic dermatitis is normally a continuance of the childhood status although in 2 % of the entire instances may get down after 20 old ages of age 3. It is the earliest presentation of atopic characteristics in patients who suffer from allergic coryza and/or asthma in ulterior life 4. The atopic dermatitis may undergo remittal at pubescence and so gets exacerbated in big life particularly in response to environmental exposure to thorns 3. The characteristic characteristics of disease are pruritus, scrape, and chronic and/or get worsing eczematous lesions 5. Presently, there is no unequivocal remedy for this status and direction is aimed at relieving the symptoms of the status hence it presents a clinical challenge 6. The direction includes good tegument attention ( such as usage of moisturizers and creams ) , trigger turning away while pharmacological interventions such as usage of anti-inflammatory drugs ( topical corticoids and unwritten antihistamines ) besides contribute to the curative armamentarium 3. The new calcineurin inhibitors are among the new intervention options which limit the badness and frequence of flare-ups 6. Due to an increased hazard of infection, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral drugs are besides portion of the intervention regimen 6. Different intervention options available are shown in the figure 1: hypertext transfer protocol: //onlinelibrary.wiley.com/store/10.1111/j.1398-9995.2006.01153.x/asset/image_n/ALL_1153_f5.gif? v=1 & A ; t=ghv2sj68 & A ; s=0e428ba76d59dc1a7fd694a0dcbd25f4c38e76d4 Beginning: Akdis et Al, 2006 The furnace lining or terrible instances present a challenge in their direction and necessitate alternate therapies like the application of wet dressings in combination with topical corticoids, short-run intervention with systemic corticoids, phototherapy with ultraviolet visible radiation 8, immunomodulatory or immunosuppressive agents ( cyclosporins, pimecrolimus and tacrolimus ) 9, Imuran, interferon- IA? , 3. However, bulk of these therapies have been found to be associated with side-effects like nephritic toxicity, hepato-toxicity 3, skin combustion and thinning etc.9 This has resulted in involvement in the alternate traditional therapies. Cichorium is a medicinally of import works that belongs to the household Asteraceae 10. The tuberous root of this works is made up of a figure of medicinally of import compounds such as inulin, acrimonious sesquiterpene lactones, coumarins ( esculin ) , flavonoids and vitamins 10. Hence, the root infusion of the works has been used as an antihepatotoxic, antiulcerogenic, antiinflammatory, appetiser, digestive, gastric, liver tonic, cholagogue, cardiotonic, depurative, diuretic, emmenagogue, antipyretic, alexeteric and besides as tonic 11. Furthermore, it is besides helpful in headache, heapatomegaly, degenerative arthritis 12, anorexia, indigestion, flatulency, gripes, urarthritis, firing esthesis, icterus, splenomegaly, hyperdipsia, Hansen's disease, , amenorrhea, chronic and biliary febrilities, ophthalmitis, sore throat and emesis, arthralgia, lumbago, asthma and general infirmity 13. Chicory root has been shown to hold anti-inflammatory action by suppression of COX-2 activity 14. Furthermore, the chicory root infusion has been shown to possess antibacterial 10 and clamber protecting belongingss 15. The safety profile chicory root infusion is good 16 and is better tolerated 17. A combination of these belongingss makes it a suited agent to be tested against atopic dermatitis. Although its usage in the intervention of skin allergic conditions has been mentioned in the literature, no surveies could be identified proving the efficaciousness of chicory infusion against atopic dermatitis in grownups or kids. Despite the deficiency of identifiable research into the usage of chicory root infusion in pull offing grownup atopic dermatitis, the grounds available pertaining to its widespread usage and anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial usage suggests that chicory root infusion could be a good direction option by bettering the disease symptoms and associated conditions. In drumhead, a randomised control test on an equal sample size, focused entirely on the consequence of chicory root infusion on the symptoms of atopic dermatitis should be carried out utilizing blinded research workers.Research QuestionDoes the chicory root infusion better the symptoms in patients enduring from grownup atopic dermatitis?Proposed ProbeThe probe aims to find whether the root infusion of chicory works decreases the badness and symptoms of grownup atopic dermatitis. A randomized vehicle-control dual blind test will be performed on 100 patients enduring from atopic dermatitis at the Liverpool infirmary. Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria Participants between 20 to 50 old ages of age enduring from or diagnosed with non-exudative atopic dermatitis utilizing the Hanifin and Rajka criteria 18 will be indiscriminately assigned to instance and control groups. Exclusion standards for participants enduring from exudative dermatitis, patients who received UVB phototherapy or photo-chemotherapy in the last 1 month, and patients who received systemic therapies such as steroid or other immunosuppressive drugs in the last 3 months were excluded. Study and vehicle Group Preparations The ethyl ethanoate chicory infusion will be dispensed in an ointment signifier with a standard base pick which contains a mixture of glyceryl mono/distearate and polythene ethanediol stearate, isoparaffin and cyclopentadimethylsiloxane 19. This base will function as vehicle and cream merely with no other actions. The control group will have the base pick merely along with ethyl ethanoate to minimise the consequence of any confounders. Intervention Following blessing from the local moralss commission, informed consent will be taken from all the patients while making the baseline hiting for atopic dermatitis. Subjects will so be indiscriminately allocated into either the intervention group or control group after baseline appraisal and marking. The survey group ( n=50 ) will have ethyl acetate chicory root infusion in ointment signifier whilst the vehicle group ( n=50 ) will have a placebo in ointment signifier with indistinguishable visual aspect and wadding. Treatment will dwell of using a thin bed of unction on the affected country twice daily for a period of eight back-to-back hebdomads. All other signifiers of interventions will be prohibited during the survey period. The marking will be done at 4 hebdomad intervals. Both the clinicians and the patients will be blind to the intervention that they are giving or having as the survey and vehicle unction will be dispensed in indistinguishable wadding. Result Four major parametric quantities of the disease, viz. , extent, strength, waterlessness, and itchiness, will be flatly recorded harmonizing to the eczema country and badness index ( EASI ) 20. The symptoms will besides be estimated by hiting patient reported symptoms utilizing a structured questionnaire with nonsubjective standards. A usage of hiting systems and nonsubjective standards will assist to standardise and compare the results in both groups. The result tonss of the two groups at baseline and at 4 hebdomads interval will be compared utilizing a two-tailed Studentaa‚Â ¬a„?s t-test with the significance degree set at 5 % . All the analysis will be done utilizing SPSS. Restriction Restrictions of the survey include the fact that the participants may endure from flair ups due to surcease of all other types of interventions. However, if at any point it is felt by the wellness attention squad that the intercession is arousing any unwanted effects and patient demands systematic therapy, the test will be terminated early or that patient will be dropped out. This may increase the bead out rates and compromise the cogency of the survey. Ethical Issues Participants will be informed that non-participation or backdown at any phase wonaa‚Â ¬a„?t compromise their medical attention. Informed consent will be taken from the patient and his doctor before get downing the intervention and will be discontinue at any clip if the patient or his physician want to make so.

The Coldest Winter Ever – Personal Reflection on Winter

Winter Santiago Isn't Just a typical teenager. She Isn't typical at all, she barely ever goes to school, she only goes when she wants something. Her family life Is anything but typical, her father Is a big drug dealer with a lot of money and her mother Isn't even Like a mother to Winter, she's more Like a sister to her. Winter Is very self- absorbed; she only worries about herself, even when her mom got shot In the face Winter gets jealous because she thinks her mother's hogging all the attention.She really only cares about herself. She is very street smart though, after her father goes to prison, her mother becomes a crack head and her sisters go into care, Winter knew how to take care of herself, she knew what to do to survive on the streets without the help of her father. She's done horrible things to survive and live the life she knew, like robbing people and betraying her family. Winter wouldn't make a good best friend at all; I don't even think she would make a good friend.She betrayed all of her friends one way or another, either by hooking up with their man because he had what she needed, or betraying Simons when she got arrested because she was telling for Winter, Simons was ready to have her baby and even though she said no, Winter persisted that she go and steal for her, because she wanted something, she didn't care that Simons was having a baby, if anything she used it against her saying she would need the money that she's making stealing, for the baby, in the end Simons lost the baby, and in my opinion a lot of the blame should be on Winter.She may be a fun person to be around and go out with because she does know how to have fun, but I would never want her as a friend because she's not loyal and she is untrustworthy.She does have a of of maturing to do though, so I really shouldn't judge too harshly, you can tell by the end of the book, when she Is In prison, and goes to her mother's funeral, she's a different person, her views on life are totally different, and when she sees her younger sister doing the same things she was doing she wants to stop her and tell her everything that she had gone through, but she held back knowing that it would only make her sister angry and make Winter look Jealous.I think that going to prison changed Winter In the best way, she was no longer the elf-absorbed, conceited â€Å"ghetto-princess† that she was before she had gone to prison, she actually grew up, and matured during her time In. The Coldest Winter Ever – Personal Reflection on Winter Santiago. By Joann Winter Santiago isn't Just a typical teenager. She isn't typical at all, she barely ever goes to school, she only goes when she wants something.Her family life is anything but typical, her father is a big drug dealer with a lot of money and her mother isn't even like a mother to Winter, she's more like a sister to her. Winter is very self- absorbed; she only worries about herself, even when her mom got shot in the face Win ter gets Jealous because she thinks her mother's hogging all the attention. She friend at all; I don't even think she would make a good friend.She betrayed all of her didn't care that Simons was having a baby, if anything she used it against her saying untrustworthy. She does have a of of maturing to do though, so I really shouldn't judge too harshly, you can tell by the end of the book, when she is in prison, and goes I think that going to prison changed Winter in the best way, she was no longer the prison, she actually grew up, and matured during her time in.

Ready To Eat Breakfast Cereal Industry Essay

Restrained competition amongst themselves through â€Å"unwritten agreements† to limit the in-pack premiums (free toys, gifts, e tc) -Refrain from trade dealing-offering discounts to retailers for special treatment or special promotions -Refrained from widespread fortification of their brands because it was believed to not be in the long run interests of the industry (vitamin fortification) FTC also argued the big three took specific actions to make new entry ventures unprofitable -prevented entry into the RTE cereal industry by encouraging super markets and other retailers to adopt a shelf space plan that ensured the big threes products received the most valued center aisle position Caught off guard with the introduction of natural cereal brands Industry environment in the 1990’s Technology Processes utilized in creation of many children’s cereals took substantial engineering expertise and production experience to master. -Standard plant was estimated to req. a capacity of 75 million pounds per year to achieve minimum efficient scale -employed 125 people -req. capital in excess of 100 million -a singly plant could produce many brands of cereal because the main source of scale economies was in bagging -Spent about 1% of gross sales on R&D (slightly higher than the food industry average) 2 PROBLEMS that have persisted over the 100 years of making cereal 1. It was difficult to keep cereal crispy in milk, and in cereals like Raisin Bran, the flakes tended to become soggy in the box because they absorbed the moisture of the fruit 2. NOT easy to combine things with varying water activity characteristics a. A typical solution to this problem was to coat the fruit with a thin layer of fat to trap the moisture thus preventing the flakes from getting soggy in the box Even tried to alter the shape of the cereal to prevent mild absorption and preserved the crispiness Distribution Prime shelf space and its importance! -Slotting Allowance: securing shelf space for a new brand required pmt to grocers -larger cereal firms had more flexibility than new entrants in shuffling their allocation of space among brands(sometimes replacing a failed brand with a new introduction) Introduction of supercenters-Large 125,000 sq. foot stores that combined a supermarket, a general discount retailer, and specialty retailers under one roof They really increased non-supermarket sales of food from 5% in 1993 to 20% by 2000 Supercenters helped shelf space! Significantly less entrenches than in supermarkets and thus allowing start-up value oriented brands to obtain a market presence AND†¦..DID NOT require slotting allowances INTERESTING FACT- Big three accounted for 75.6% of sales in food stores, they only had a 41.3% mkt share in mass merchandisers Advertising, Promotions and Pricing Advertising/ sales ratio fell from 1960s. Especially intense though around a new product introduction RTE cereal industry historically had rounds of price increases usually initiated by Kellogg and then followed by other manufacturers of branded cereals Known as the process of â€Å"price up and spend back† In addition to being amongst most advertising intensive industry, the RTE cereal industry was the top issuer of coupons -Coupon use grew a lot, by 1994 the average value of redeemed coupons had climbed to 87 cents In addition to coupons, other forms of trade promotions were become prevalent such as: -per case discounts to retailers and cash payments for special in store promotions and cooperative advertising, -Buy One Get One promotions-one of the most costly -Might gain 2-3% market share with aggressive price promotion for value sensitive customers -Neither coupons nor forms of trade promotions were believed to stimulate the total cereal demand dramatically -mostly led to stock piling and brand switching by customers -price promotion spiral drove RTE cereal prices up 15.6%! From 1990-1993 -development of new brand took 2-4 years on average and expenditure of 5-10 MM -Brand extensions perceived to be more likely to succeed than new brands and thought to offer economies of scale in advertising and were technologically simpler to develop and produce because the basic process was already in use -Rapid innovation and introduction of new cereal brands led to increased product failure Co-branded cereal in 1994 was very popular -Several companies also attempted to extend the reach of RTE cereal into snack food Competition Kellogg was the clear leader with 35.2% mkt share in 1993 -Had great diverse assortment of products (toaster pastries with pop tarts, frozens waffles with eggos, and granola bars

Why has the UK's productivity lagged behind that of its major Article

Why has the UK's productivity lagged behind that of its major competitors and what can be done to improve the productivity and competitiveness of the UK economy - Article Example A person such as the Exchequer Gordon Brown’s UK Chancellor, in his speeches, productivity is his main theme. However, despite the fact that UK is lagging, it is far much at the forefront in terms of labor and capital markets structural amendments. To come up to the analysis that UK’s productivity is low, examination of the economy’s six sectors took place and the results indicated that it’s true that output was low. Those sectors examined are; car production, retailing software, telecoms, food processing and hotels. McKinsey Global Institute a global most highly regarded management consulting firm is the one that conducted the research regarding the matter. UK should address several issues to increase its output. One of the major concerns is increasing expenditure to boost high levels of research and development and reducing diversion of resources towards the public sector which is less productive. It is vital for the state to increase its level of investment despite the fact that the Crash of Lehman Brothers led damaged the country’s economy in the year 2008 because many other firms held off from investing in the modern, most efficient technology and processes. Businesses should enhance their levels of innovation, come up with good labor relations, improve their technology usage and adopt modern technology to ensure that businesses stay for long in their field. The government should come up with extra reforms in its business regulations in order to boost investment thus increasing productivity of the

The Costco Case Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Costco Case - Assignment Example In an industry where competition is stiff, an organization need to develop strategies that would enhance its position in the marketing by attracting more customers. The competitors here are sure employing several strategies such as pricing in an attempt to develop a competitive edge and be the market leader. Yes, all these three club rivals-Costco, Sam’s and BJ’s wholesale have high similar strategies. They both sell their products at very low prices to attract customers, offer a variety of products from which customers can choose from, have a strong emphasis on low operating costs, all use cross-docking technique to reduce the operational cost and to guarantee that the products reach the stores and the customers in good time and all the stores ensure quality products to their customers. All also ensure that they offer quality to execute, quality merchandise and superior shopping experience to all their customers and members in the wholesale club industry. However, there are some different in their strategies of the BJ’s that are apparent. BJ’s ensures that it stocks a broader product assortment than Sam’s club and the Costco club, it also offers its products in some smaller package sizes that are easier for its customers to carry home and store conveniently compared to the other two clubs, it is the only club that accept manufacturing coupon which provides added value to its customers, and it also allows its customers to purchase various products online through their website if such products are not found in the companies warehouse club. Therefore, BJ’s appears to have a better strategy than the other two rivals. On the other hand, Sam’s strategies appear to be some weak compared to the other two competitors. Its strategy seems to follow the market trend. It does not have any unique strategies for its products but responds to the

Utopian Thinking & Practical Leadership Alternatives Essay

Utopian Thinking & Practical Leadership Alternatives - Essay Example According to the book, the new ideas can be effective in the management of resources. For instance, he uses â€Å"the participatory city budgeting process in Porto Alegre, Brazil† to show how collective handling of public resources can be both political and economic benefit (Wright, 2010). He uses the success of this case to show how public inclusion in decision-making processes can be used as a tool to bring bureaucracy to an end, thus promotes democracy. The argument in this case is that the involvement of the public in public political and economic issues makes it hard for there to be manipulation of public resources by a few members of the public to serve their own interests. He also argues that when social institutions are communal, the members of the community tend to complement each other instead of competing against each other. This is clearly depicted by the Mondragon Corporation. The cooperation is community based and has its policies based on communism. As much as there has been the dominance of capitalism, this cooperation remains to be one of the largest business organizations in Spain in terms of asset turnover (Abrams, 2008). Most of the resources sure community owned, making it hard for there being influential individuals taking advantage of the less fortunate. The main ideas are that this form of business existence discourages bureaucracy and encourages collective accountability (Semler, 1993). According to Wright, the main reason as to why the current organizational paradigm needs redesigning is the way it has been unsuccessful in meeting its expectations. When capitalism was first introduced in Europe, many people thought that it will lead to an improvement in democracy. It was also expected to trigger faster economic growth. However, a closer look at capitalism, and how it works in the modern world will prove that it only works for those with affluence

Regarding Consolidation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Regarding Consolidation - Essay Example focused on the performance, duration, management and commitment needed for a company’s success and to take measures based on such facts (Sirkin, Keenan & Jackson, 2005, pp.1-5). This study clearly associated with Kotter’s consolidation as the measures are addressed towards the changes needed for the benefit of the organization. Haddad through his studies has reflected the importance of evaluation on technology advancements. He stressed on the fact that technological advancements are necessary in the improvements of organizational performance and hence ongoing management is an essential part of an organization’s management procedure (Haddad, 2002, pp.119-129). This concept also relates positively to Kotter’s consolidation as it focuses on following measures that would bring change and benefit the company through its improved performances. 2) Sirkin, H.L., Keenan, P. & A. Jackson (2005). The Hard Side of Change Management, Harvard Business Review, Retrieved on November 4, 2011 from:

434Mod1Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

434Mod1Case - Essay Example Often cyber ethics education is based on one significant theory or combination of two theories. The two major theoretical approaches are teleological and deontological theories. Teleological theories states action’s consequences to be a measure of action’s good. On the other hand deontological theories consider action’s righteousness to be above goodness. Utilitarian foundation is a part of teleological theories. This foundation states that action of an individual should be able to maximize happiness and good for all who are affected by such actions. It highlights the factor that actions of a person should be based on probable consequences that may be resulted by the action before it is been executed. This theory claims that a person should think about each and every individual and not just person taking a decision. Deontological theory is an ethical study based on duties. It considers duty and fidelity toward principle to be most essential factors (Gold, 2010). This theory states that an action’s consequences are not that important in comparison to rightness of the action. As per this theory an action is said to be valid if actions that are taken by individuals do not lead to any form of contradiction. The basic concept of this theory is that individuals should work according to their intelligence and virtue; act justly, should tell truth and avoid any form of injury towards others. Both the theories have different elements which state the importance of cyber ethics. This form of education has gained its importance in the recent years where stealing music or video is considered to be equivalent to actual theft. Students are made aware about the different cyber crimes and its impact on others (Starr, 2011). Information technology in the present scenario has given liberty to individuals to access various data but also it has posed a threat to one’s privacy. In American schools

Visual Text and communication Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Visual Text and communication - Assignment Example It is, therefore, crucial to be equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary for communication using signs. Sign as a mean of communication is made up of two components. Signs are made up of signifier as well as the signified (Hoenisch, 2005). The signifier is in other terms a term that is used to represent the real term. For example, a drawing of a tree is a sign that represent a form of existing tree. When a business dealer wants to communicate with his or her customers about when the shop is open or closed he or she do not need to stand there and talk. He or she may draw a tag that says open or closed. The tag becomes of a sign. It is referred as a signifier. It represents the status of the operation in the shop. For the signifier to be meaningful and give information that will eventually lead to effective communication, there must be an object or a situation that is signified. The signified is the object or a situation that we are directed to by the signifier (Messaris, 1994, p. 243). For example, the picture of a tree signifies a form of a real tree. The signifier is the image while the signified is the live tree. Since the communication is in the form of image, the signified will be the mental picture that the reader creates in his mind after observing the image (Cherry, 1966, p. 106). Therefore, the two components of a sign will lead to the term and a full meaning of signification. It means, therefore, that, both of them must make meaning have a significant meaning. There are however some tools that are used in the signs and image language that are associated with images for proper understanding of the situation. Connotation is mostly used together with the term denotation to represent the image situation (Culler, 1985, p. 231). Connotation may be used to represent the emotional attachment that is carried by the image that is giving out the information. With reference

N.R.A. Paper (second draft) Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

N.R.A. (second draft) - Research Paper Example The organization further aims at popularizing shooting sports, enhancing safety training, and, as its leadership states, defend the US constitution, largely by defending the right of Americans to own guns (National Rifle Association, par. 1). Some of the political reasons why the NRA retains its stranglehold over the proponents for tougher gun legislation are described below. This term is widely used in economics and political science to imply lack of collective efforts by proponents of an agenda to push their scheme to required success. According to De Mesquita and Ludwig (par 3), the proponents of tougher legislation on gun control are more in number than the opponents. The opponents are mainly NRA members, most with licensed guns and willing to retain them. However, the proponents do not have as much will to fight collectively for gun control, since they have relatively lesser to lose even when guns are available to people with questionable backgrounds (Harcourt 15). The public does not have a common opinion over whether the NRA plays an extremely assertive role in protecting gun owners, even when the many defeats to alternative legislation have formed a lens through which opinion makers have been trying to portray the association. According to a Pew Poll conducted in May 2013, the percentage of respondents who believed the NRA was either applying the correct amount or too little pressure comprised 53% of the sample. The problem is sustaining the interests of the larger less concerned population so that their feelings do not wane over time. The NRA appears to have learnt this trend, and it has been using it successfully in its favor. Drake (par 5) and The Center for Public Integrity (par 3) also alluded to the fact that the majority, noisier population without guns has been particularly reluctant to sustain interest in fighting gun violence. This section

Marketing theory and concepts Essay Example for Free

Marketing theory and concepts Essay Every business wither its small or big, aim to meet the needs of their actual and potential customers. In order for them to do this, they need to follow some sort of theory and concept. This assignment will be looking at the marketing theory and marketing concepts which are portrayed in the traditional marketing literature, and how they have limited application in guiding small business marketing practice. Marketing plays a vital role not only in developing, producing, and selling products or services, but also in guiding recruiting labors and raising capital. Although it can be said that successful entrepreneurs undertake marketing in unusual ways. They mainly rely on interactive marketing methods, which is often communicated through word-of-mouth rather than a more traditional marketing mix. Entrepreneurs monitor the marketplace through informal networks rather than formalised market research, and generally adopt more entrepreneurial approaches to marketing activities. However, depending on the business model, a complex and formalised initial market research can be crucial for a successful market entry. There are many marketing theories that are used in traditional marketing literature such as Schumpeter (1934) who said that entrepreneurs proactively created opportunity, using innovative combinations which often included creative destruction of passive or lethargic economic markets. According to Schumpeter the role of an entrepreneur is to innovate, and by doing this, you move the economy from one equilibrium to another. This kind of innovation could come about from one or more introduction of a new product; a new method of production; the development of a new market; the use of new sources of raw material, and the reorganisation of a new industry or its processes. He also distinguished between the entrepreneur and the capitalist. Schumpeter agreed with the fact, that in practice an innovator could also actually be a capitalist. Another well-known theorist next to Schumpeter is Kirzner (1973) who said that entrepreneurs should have a sense of alertness to identify the opportunities in the market and exploit them accordingly . He states The  pure entrepreneur, on the other hand, proceeds by his alertness to discover and exploit situations in which he is able to sell for high prices that which he can buy for low prices. Pure entrepreneur profit is the difference between the two sets of prices. The discovery of a profit opportunity means the discovery of something obtainable for nothing at all. No investment at all is required; the free ten-dollar bill is discovered to be already within one is grasps (Kirzner, 1973, 48). The marketing concept has changed significantly over time. In todays business world the customer is at the forefront, not all businesses in the past followed this concept, as they placed other factors first rather than their customers this is shown as follows:Production Oriented was the focus of the actual business and not the customer needs, as where this has now changed and we can see that it is more focused on customer needs. Production Orientation is when the company believe that they have a superior product, based on quality and features. Due to this thinking the company assume the customers will like it to. In todays market the customers decide as to what product they like. Sales Orientation is the focus where the company makes a product or provides a service, and then sells or offers it to the target market. This causes problems, as consumers may not like what is being offered to them, which is why companies are making sure that they test their services out, to a small group of the target audience. Market Orientation concept has not actually changed over time, it puts the customers first, as the companies try to understand the needs of the customers by using appropriate research methods. These methods are then developed to make sure information from customers, are fed back to the company for them to see what the target audience are interested in . SMEs who may adapt the marketing concept or 4Ps do so fully rather than explicitly (Carson and Gilmore, 2000). Jaworski and Kohli, (1990) also commented on the limitations of the marketing concept (p15). Therefore, the  SME approach is characterized by networking with stakeholders awareness to customer needs (Gilmore, Carson and Grant, 2001; Hill and Wright, 2001). Which is characterized by the size of these firms and their closeness to customers, (Gilmore, Carson, ODonnell and Cummins, 1999) as well as inexpensive forms of marketing such as word of mouth (Gilmore 1999). It is vital for SMEs to set the 4Ps, target a market and position themselves, but how this is done and planned is an important issue as it helps guiding a small business to success. Differences between traditional market literature and variants produced during the 1960s were mainly attributable to the addition of concepts popularized during that decade. For example, Cundiff and Still covered an analysis of the 4 Ps of marketing with the concept that marketing is a subsystem of business. (Cundiff, E.W., Still, R.R. 1976)The basic principles of marketing are generally applicable to large and small businesses. Marketing in SMEs has been recognized as a problematic area for researchers for over 20 years (Chaston and Mangles, 2002; Siu and Kirby, 1998). SME marketing in practice is considered to be mainly done though networking (Gilmore 2001) or a combination of transaction, relationship, interaction and network marketing (Brodie 1997). Recently the use of Internet marketing (Chaffey 2000) or e-commerce (Rayport and Jaworski, 2001) has become popular in all types of businesses including SMEs. Marketing in practice in small firms seem to rely mainly on personal contact networks (Hill and Wright, 2001; Gilmore 2001; Brodie 1997) and is often driven by the particular way a manager does business. According to Gilmore (2001) marketing in SMEs is likely to be chaotic, informal, loose, unstructured, spontaneous, and reactive and conform to industry norms. Gilmore (2001) showed that as a result of networking there was a high level of communication between the SME manager and their competitors then what is usually reported in the marketing literature as well as competing firms may be quite supportive of each other. Similarly, networking with customers usually involves building a relationship with one or two key individuals in those companies. If these individuals were to leave then the relationship the company would break (Gilmore 2001). SME owners must recognize that  building relationships are vital to a companys success and they invest a considerable amount of time and effort in maintaining good relations with regular clients (Gilmore 2001). The foundation and existence of an effective networking is concerned with maximizing marketing opportunities and ensuring the enterprises survival and development (Gilmore 2001). Something, which is more important, in todays world, is having a foot in the business market, which is constantly changing to meet customer needs. The tables have been turned on the fortunes of many long-established firms. Its believed that a majority of firms that are in trouble, and those that have failed recently, have done so because they have been let down by their own marketing. Traditional marketing is now being turned. The ideas of marketing and branding strategy that passed for conventional wisdom before do not hold true today. A small but growing number of innovative firms have adopted completely new and differentiate approaches in marketing, reflecting a clear and unmistakable change in the global culture. In this era of globalisation and the Internet the consumer is behaving in a radically different way and is no longer vulnerable to the overworked ploys of marketing. The present times call for a new competition one that strays from the prescriptions that traditional marketing theory holds, that sometimes works in a way that it is counter to it and that lays focus on network-building and pulling the customer above all else. Many experienced hands in corporate boardrooms are oblivious to these shifting sands and evolving trends, and are paying the price as a result. In general the basic principles and concepts of marketing are as relevant to SMEs as it is to larger firms, but some theories, tools and techniques of marketing are not as relevant or useful to SMEs. The nature of SME marketing is the concept, which is mainly dominated by the inherent characteristics of the entrepreneur and the SME itself. Although not all small business may take the marketing theories and concepts in to consideration, while carrying out some sort of market research they will have come a across them. They may have limited application in todays marketing world but they do provide the basis for which a business can start their research on which helps guiding them in to the marketing practice. Therefore marketing theories and Concepts  portrayed in the traditional marketing literature has limited application in guiding small business marketing practice although they give the business a rough base to start their market practice. Competition and Entrepreneurship, The University of Chicago Press, Chicago and LondonCarson, D. and A. Gilmore, (2000), Marketing at the Interface: Not What But How', Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, Vol. 8Kohli, A. K. and B. J. Jaworski, (1990), The Construct, Research Propositions, and Managerial Implications, Journal of Marketing,(Gilmore, Carson and Grant, 2001; Hill and Wright, 2001). Gilmore, A., D. Carson and K. Grant (2001), SME Marketing in Practice, MarketingIntelligence and Planning, Vol. 19(Gilmore, Carson, ODonnell and Cummins, 1999) Added value: A QualitativeAssessment of SME Marketing, Irish Marketing Review(Cundiff, E.W., Still, R.R. 1976), Fundamentals of Modern Marketing, 2nd ed.)Chaston, I and Mangles, T. (2002) Small Business Marketing Management.Siu, W. and Kirby, D.A. (1998) Approaches to small firm marketing: A Critique. European Journal of Marketing, vol. 32, no. Brodie, R.J., Coviello, N.E., Brookes, R.W. and Little, V. (1997) Towards a Paradigm Shiftin Marketing? An Examination of Current Marketing Practices. Journal of Marketing Management,Chaffey, D., Mayer, R., Johnston, K. and Ellis-Chadwick, F. (2000) Internet Marketing. Prentice Hall, Harlow, EnglandRayport, J. F. and Jaworski, B. J. (2001) e-Commerce. McGraw-Hill, Boston, USA. Hill, J. and Wright, L. T. (2001) A Qualitative Research Agenda for Small to Medium-sized Enterprises. Marketing Intelligence and Planning,http://www.druid.dk/uploads/tx_picturedb/ds1998-9.pdfhttps://www.mises.org/journals/scholar/wood.pdfhttp://knight.fcu.edu.tw/~gunning/subjecti/workpape/kirz_ent.pdfBooksHandbook of Entrepreneurship Research and Interdisciplinary Survey and Introduction By: Zoltan J Acs, David B

Police Abuse Essay Example for Free

Police Abuse Essay An officer who uses more force than policy allows is said to have used excessive force and may be guilty of police brutality, the excessive and lawless use of police force. Police officers are often seen as a thin blue line of protection between criminals and law-abiding citizens, but when they use excessive force, they cross the line and become criminals. Police brutality damages the image of law enforcement as well as the justice system. It leads to loss of trust in the policemen, which then creates a gap between them and people in the community. According to the early policing principles imported from 19th century England, it is the lack of centralized control which forms a corruption in America when opportunities of bribery were widespread. Police reforms from the 1930s to the 1950s sought to establish professionalism among police forces by introducing military-like command and higher performance standards. Not everyone agrees with this type of procedure when critics see the March 1991 beating of Rodney King by officers of Los Angeles Police Department which used professional policing. From Rodney King beating in 1991 through the O.J. Simpson trial, the rift has widened the threatening racial discrimination. The reasons for the gap are complex and deep. According to the experts, it is based on the nations painful racial history. The current practice of racial profiling, where skin color is a criterion to pull over a driver is ongoing today. For instance, when Reggie Miller, who is Black, had been ordered to pull over by a Nashville police officer for driving with expired tags, had suffered chronic back problems as a result of the beating. It was about 8:40 p.m. when he was shot on his chest and ordered him to lie face down on the ground. Within couple of minutes the officer, who didnt have a chance to identify himself, called for backup. Suddenly Miller found himself as a cushion using his body from five police officers that had surrounded him. Miller also recalls that the officers gouge his eyes and choke him. This 1992 incident of Miller made him suffer a permanent back problem due to the beating and the shot he encountered. Police officers have no right by any  means to harass a person. Otherwise, they are more considered as criminal because of such inhumane acts. In general, brutality is a form of punishment. Police officers are not supposed to punish but are expected to protect and serve. However, they seemed to expose brutality as punishment when they beat up Adolph Archie in March of 1992. Archie was shot by a police officer and the police officer did not even bother to rush him to the hospital. Instead, they waited in the parking lot until they found out that their injured colleague had died. Then the officers took Archie in the hospital while beating him dead. Unfortunately, Archie only breathe for 12 hours and was diagnosed with two skull fractures, a broken larynx, fractures of the cheekbones, bleeding testicles, teeth had been kicked in, and his entire body was exposed to blunt trauma. Brutality is an inhuman or savage form of cruelty. Police officers need not use too much force to stop a sus pect. Police brutality is an important topic to discuss because it deals with the life of a person, the misconduct of some police officers, the burden it caused and the lesson that everyone should get from it. Police officers must realize they were not given their badge to show that they are ones to be afraid of but to keep the peace and order of the community. They have the right to discipline a suspect which will depend on the physical condition of the latter. Police need not use the force if the suspect is already injured because it may only lead to a more tragic situation. In several cases, people died after being restrained by police officers. Police brutality does not cause anything positive. It only leads to racism, disrespect among people, loss of respect and confidence for the police and it makes citizens feel less safe. Not a single act did brutality explicit an advantage to the people. The possible solution to police brutality is to include in their training new techniques in handling suspects and criminals geared towards the demand for public policies that promote social and racial justice. Furthermore, police officers should receive antiracism and diversity training as a part of their education in police academies. Police officers must learn to conduct themselves in multiethnic and multicultural communities. To fund this  solution, everyone must cooperate by respecting the police officers in our community and the law of United States of America. Without the cooperation of everyone, the prevailing widespread of police brutality will continue to grow. The people should give a serious thought of what they are doing in order to avoid violence. Lets just think about the victims of violence and how thousands of people die every year because of brutality. Lets not make one of our families and our next generations become a victim of these humiliating, devastating and inhumane acts of the police. We, as a nation, need concerted effort in protest for all the victims whose lives have been stolen and sacrifice. The goal must be nothing short of creating a just, humane, peaceful and less violent society. If there is no justice, there will be no peace in the United States. The widespread of police brutality has widened all over the world. The nation must join together to eliminate repression, unjust and abusive treatment by the police in order to have a more peaceful and harmonious nation. To terminate police brutality means calling for justice for our brothers and sisters whose lives have been stolen. In addition, this will give time for the government to open their eyes for the families of those who are unjustly locked down behind prison walls. It will allow balance of justice between the government officials and the people regardless of racial status. Our world would be a better place to live in because it lessens violence, death rate, and increases the confidence and harmony between the police and the community. Moreover, the absence of such brutality will terminate arrest and harassment based on racial origin. Bibliography: Activists Protest Against Police Brutality in LA, MAS magazine, (August 16, 2000), 2 pages. Call for a National Day of Protest to Stop Police Brutality, Repression, and the Criminalization of a Generation, http://www.mojo.calyx.net/~refuse/ndp/071400oct22.html, October 22, 2000. DNC Activists Protest Cop Brutality, MAS magazine, (August 16, 2000), 2 pages. NYPDs Bloody Month of August 1999, http://www.mojo.calyx.net/~refuse/ndp/090699ndpnyc.html, September 6, 1999. Anderson, Kelly, Police Brutality, San Diego California, Kelly Anderson, 1995. Bender, David, Policing the Police, San Diego California, David Bender, 1995. Charles, Nick, Criminally Suspect, SIRS, (September 1995), 4 pages. Conroy, John, Unspeakable Act, Ordinary People, New York, Alfred A. Knopf, 2000. Fitzgerald, Terence, Police in Society, New York, Terence Fitzgerald, 2000. Meeks, Kenneth, Driving While Black, New York, Kenneth Meek, 2000. Nelson, Jill, Police Brutality, New York, Jill Nelson, 2000. Roleff, Tamara, Police Brutality, San Diego California, David Bender, 1999. Steinhorn, Leonard, By the Color of our Skin, New York, Leonard Steinhorn, 1999.

Post modernism and our contemporary social work understanding

Post modernism and our contemporary social work understanding Drawing on material from the module, critically discuss the extent to which theories relating to post modernism inform our understanding of an aspect or aspects of contemporary social work. Theories of postmodernism have gathered pace across all aspect of social theory. This is often referred to as the postmodern turn (Best and Kellner, 1997). The emergence of the modern/postmodern debate in response to economic, social and cultural transformation has significant implications for professions such as social work (Crook et al, 1992). A vast array of literature has emerged with an interest in understanding changes to welfare provision and social work in relation to post modernity (Parton, 1994). This text will critically discuss the extent to which theories relating to post modernism inform our understanding of contemporary social work. Being with the emergence of postmodern theory it will attempt to define this phenomenon by exploring the key themes. Focusing on two elements in particular, welfare and anti-oppressive practice, this text will try to identify features of postmodern social work using modernity as basis for comparison and analysis. To conclude collaborative theories such as affirmative or critical postmodernism will be explored as perspectives that inform understanding and guide social work practice into an approach that combines both personal and social factors. Postmodernist social theory began to emerge in the 1960s and 1970s. It developed into the 1980s where the concepts of globalization and reflexivity become incorporated. Today the postmodern debate continues to influence social work policy and practice (Walker, 2001). Postmodern theory developed as a response to a perceived crisis of modernity brought on by factors such as accelerated economic growth, consumerism and resource depletion (Boggs, 1993). For many theorists such as Lyotard (1991) modernity failed to achieve its supposed aims of democracy, human emancipation and social justice through its evidence based world view. Amongst theorists there is little consensus about when the world become post modern or if indeed it has giving rise to a plethora of postmodern perspectives and associated terms such as late modern, post-industrial, post-structural and high or late modernity (Dodd, 1999). Some theorists attempt to explain postmodernism historically whilst others consider it synonymous with the demise of historical time (Felski, 2000, p.2). As a result postmodernism proves difficult to define. There is however a common feature that can be identified within most postmodern theory, the demise of mega-narratives (Lyon, 1994). Factors such as uncertainty, flux, ambiguity, pluralism and diversity have also been identified as characteristics of a postmodern society (Turner, 2006). The influx of postmodern theories has changed the discourse of social science shifting the focus from analysis of social structure to analysis of meaning (Noble, 2004). In considering the impact of theories relating to postmodernism attention should be given to what characterises modern and postmodern social work. Social work can be considered a child of modernity (Parton and Marshall, 1998). The foundations of modernity were set in understanding the social world through reason, objectively and scientific study (Boggs, 1993). Some argue that it was this presence of logical argument and commitment to reason that equipped social work with tools to identify and address oppression (Noble, 2004). For this reason social work has spent most of its adolescence within the social sciences focusing on an evidence based approach to practice (Payne, 2005). Writers such as Gellner (1992) and Hambermas (1987, cited by Leonard 1997) advocate that if separated from repression and domination human reason is still the most progressive force for tackling the social world. A modernist perspective assumes that there is some fixed essence or ethical base that informs social work (Noble, 2004). This was a popular perspective in the 1970s where pursuit for a synthesized approach to theory and practice was accelerated and arguments were made for the introduction of generic practitioners and departments (Howe, 1994). The argument that in the age of modernity social order is maintained through self-regulation, systematic enquiry and expertise put forward by Foucault (1975), goes some way toward explaining the development and popularity of therapeutic approaches within social work. Promoting psychological understanding became a basis for social work with treatment and rehabilitation forming the foundations of the profession (Payne, 2005). There is of course considerable debate as to whether social work did begin with such emancipatory aims and its promotion of universalism and objectively is certainly challenged by the postmodern discourse. Social work, from a postmodern perspective, stresses attention to power dilution, diversity, the authority of the service user, pluralistic perspectives and a fluid approach to intervention (Parton and OByrne, 2000). In this approach universalism is rejected and practitioners no longer strive to understand human behaviour through a theoretic framework. Multiple public inquiries into child deaths and institutional abuse have shaken faith in psychologically based techniques, questioning their ability to support individuals to function safely in society (Walker, 2001). This coupled with criticisms from radical social work perspectives has created space for a legal and social justice framework to emerge (Howe, 1994). Within this framework social workers are increasingly judged by their effectiveness giving reason, argues (Aldridge, 1996), for social workers to embrace their expertise and become more confident to articulate responses to criticism. An implication of accountability culture is that social work practice becomes task-orientated and performance related (Hugman, 2003). It is for this reason that postmodernism has been critiqued for responding only to the surface of events with little inclination to explore what is behind this (Ferguson and Levalette, 1999). Social work is reduced to a set of organisational procedures dictated by codes of conduct, Once the idea of a common theoretical base underpinning all social work practices is abandoned, the full implications of the controlling nature of legislation and policy can be unleashed (Howe, 1994, p.524). Having considered what characterises modern and postmodern social work we can begin to explore how these perspectives inform different aspects of social work. Given that social work is submerged in the welfare debate it seems a logical starting point to consider in relation to postmodernism (Pease and Fook, 1999). Understanding postmodernist theory in this sense gives insight into the political and social climate that shapes practice. Concerns have been raised regarding the impact of the postmodern discourse. Writers such as Powell (2001) suggest that the welfare system provides an essential role in taming unwieldy elements of capitalism through a state supported redistributing welfare system. Although modernist thinkers would concede that the welfare state has never fully succeeded in addressing inherent inequalities, its very existence has improved the standards of living for the majority (Noble, 2004). Therefore it is hardly surprising that concerns are being voiced over an increa sing neo-liberal agenda and subsequent downsizing of the state in favour of a free market economy (Midgly, 1999). The introduction of quasi-markets and mixed economies of care has resulted in what is referred to as a contract culture (Ife, 199). Powell (2001) suggests that the erosion of the welfare state has placed barriers to humanistic social policies and as a result professions such as social work struggle to remain central to service provision and to advance their wider aims of social justice. Postmodernism with its disregard for universal values and ethics coupled with globalisation and the continued spread of capitalism are the driving forces behind this change (Noble, 2004). Ritzer (1995) attempts to define the status of society and social relationships in relation to a global market economy. Warning of the de-humanizing influences of large multi-national corporations Ritzer (1995, p34) highlights working practices that, exemplify the contemporary rationalisation process within globalization of culture. The four main elements of these working practices; evolving, efficiency, calculability and predictability are increasing present within social work. Naturally these concerns are not shared by everyone. Many postmodern theorists argue that that the welfare state has always been a source of controversy never reaching consensus on how it should be organized, funded or distributed (Dominelli, 1996). Modernists can be critiqued for failing to acknowledge the welfare state as a mechanism for reproducing social inequality through the way in which resources are accessed and priorities established (Walton 1975, cited by Dominelli, 2004). Giddens (1991) identifies the welfare state as bound to traditional family and gender systems. Fraser and Gordon (1994) observe the gendered nature of welfare suggesting that policies centred on dependency, often associated with femininity, perpetuate negative representations of women and other disadvantages groups. Jordon and Jordan (2000) suggest instead that the Third Way in politics, dismissed as oppressive capitalism by commentators such as Bauman (2002), has a moral fibre in the sense of offering ju stice and inclusion without forcing conformity. Rights and freedoms are offered in the context of the market place, individuals have choice by means of being a consumer (Howe 1994). It is argued that the growth of the voluntary sector and changes to decision making and management structures are creating space for more innovative and personalised service delivery which is free from the constraints of institutional barriers (Walker, 2001). The modern postmodern debate gathers pace when considered in relation to anti-oppressive practice. Here there are further concerns regarding the postmodernism influence on social work. Writers such as Ferguson and Levalette (1999) have argued that postmodern perspectives have little to contribute to anti-oppressive practice. Without universal ethics and values it becomes difficult to transform power relations or to identify common experiences that oppressed groups may share (Callinicos, 1995). The main critique that Ferguson and Levalette (1999) lobby on postmodernism is if all discourses are to be treated as valid the basis for distinguishing oppression is removed. Some feminists among other political critics argue that postmodernism, with its rejection of meta-narratives disempowers socially disadvantages groups at the very point at which they need to demand emancipation in the name of universalistic notions of justice and equality (Leonard, 1997). To address this requires a separa tion of emancipatory theory from oppressive ideology. The notion that emancipation can have a normative foundation is considered by postmodernism to be unsound. However advocates of modernity such as Hambermas (1987, cited by Leonard 1997) advocate the need for a standard or a form of undistorted communication to remain in order to distinguish and challenge oppression. Smith (1994, p.26) raises concerns that in a postmodern society oppression becomes self defined, the relationship between an individuals social situation and their identity becomes separated resulting in no objective way to locate a primary source of oppression. Smith (1994) also suggests that the celebration of diversity that postmodernism promises only serves to trivialise real oppression felt by many disenfranchised groups. Increasingly concepts of identity have replaced discourses of oppression (Ferguson and Levalette, 1999). Leading the charge on identity is Giddens (1991) who asserts that individuals are rational and reflexive agents who create and shape their own identities. This assumption that identity is a matter of choice has been challenged significantly. Commentators such as (Skeggs, 2001) have argued that choice and reflexivity is a classed phenomenon with many individuals having few and often undesirable lifestyles from which to choose. There are of course counter arguments to be considered here. To some postmodernists modernity is, or was depending upon their perspective, a Eurocentric, patriarchal and destructive force legitimised through the language of science (Pease and Fook, 1999). In a modern society those in positions of power are able to determine how knowledge is understood and what knowledge is relevant (Howe, 1994). Postmodernism rejects the idea that grand theories such as liberalism, socialism and psychoanalysis have offered explanations for human development suggesting instead that they perpetuate oppression by demanding consensus to their absolute notions (Bauman, 1992). A universal knowledge base that informs understanding of human behaviour naturally assumes something transferable that can be applied across all societies and cultures (Dominelli, 1996). It has been suggested that this form of universalism equates to cultural domination and the potential for racist ideology (Leonard, 1997).Within this critique postmodernism suggests that diversity should be celebrated as a reflection of the polymorphous, non-unitary and con-consensual nature of the social word (Howe, 1994, p.524). A relativist approach in contrast to a universal approach suggests all forms of behaviour are local rendering notions of human nature redundant (Howe, 1994). Postmodernism challenges the notion that perspectives such as Radical or critical social work are the only means by which emancipation can be achieved. In this context adopting universal truths as a basis for emancipation is deemed arrogant and unethical (Noble, 2004). Postmodernism spurns the concept of reason as an e mpancipatory force and suggests that a more empowering approach is through the embracing of pluralism and difference (Dodd, 1999, p.212). A key element of postmodernist thinking is the importance of language. From a postmodern perspective it is the discourses that constitute social and economic life (Ferguson and Levalette, 1999). Howe (1994, p.552) explains that Language, once thought simply to reflect reality, now appears to constitute our reality in an independent domain of its own which carries meaning and culture. The notion that power is embedded in language offers scope for social workers to critically reflect and challenge dominant discourses and assumptions to avoid perpetuating oppressive practices (Fook et al, 2000). This highlights the transformative capacity of critical postmodernism to improve practice and facilitate social change (Morley, 2004 p. 299). However Ferguson and Levalette (1999) observe that new language and terminology although a force for challenging oppressive categorisation, does not change the material situation individuals face. In summary it is worth considering how postmodern perspectives can be combined and developed to offer an approach to social work that integrates diversity and flexibility of meaning with the possibility of an ethical discourse that is shared rather than individualised (Hugman 2003, p.1035). Critical postmodernism based on a constructionist approach, combines flexibility of meaning with the understanding that society is socially constructed through the actions and relationships of its members (Hugman, 2003). In this sense postmodernism does not need to equate to the disappearance of traditional social work but nor does it need to succumb to a neo-liberal agenda (Sim, 1999). Ferguson and Lavalette (1999, p.28) in support of Leonard (1997) suggest another avenue in combining the postmodernism and structural discourses, by combining postmodernist themes with socio economic developments (informed by a Marxian perspective on globalisation and post-fordism), a rejuvenated emanicpatory social work can be developed. Parton and OByrne 2000) discuss the application of an affirmative postmodern social work which opens up thought towards greater inclusion and less prescriptive theories and methods of practice. Ife (1999) and Pease and Fook (1999) also support a social work that values diversity and uncertainty but maintains a political struggle towards social justice based on a commitment to some universal ethical and values. These theories offer a way of managing a changing society without removing a unified knowledge base or without forcing a postmodern retreat. In other words they provide a way forward that incorporates the personal with the political so that bo th are integrated into a more relevant social work discourse (Noble, 2004, p.2). This text has gone some way towards outlining postmodern perspectives of contemporary social work. From this brief analysis we can see that social work developed during the period of enlightenment or the age of modernity. As a result its focus became the development of a universal theoretical framework that informs knowledge in order to challenge social oppression. Changes within society have given rise to postmodern theories which offer social work the possibility of a fluid, pluralistic approach that promotes diversity and participation through the validity of all perspectives. As we have discussed neither of these approaches is without challenge or critique. Consideration has been given to the impact of postmodernism upon the welfare state and thus social work, outlining concerns relating to a neo-liberal agenda but questioning at the same time the suggested empacipatory nature and role of the state. The impact of postmodernism on anti-oppressive practice has been debated and implications for social work considered. Conclusions have been offered in the form of theories that combine postmodernism with elements of universalism and structural analysis. It has been clear throughout this journey that postmodernist theories have and continue to impact upon social work practice. In conclusion giving consideration to a postmodern perspective helps assists social work to examine the diverse, provisional and uncertain nature of all aspects of our world, including knowledge and skills and values and ethics (Hugman, 2003, p.1037). Word count 2,679

Breaking Convention in A Room of Ones Own Essay -- Room of Ones Own

Breaking Convention in A Room of One's Own New discoveries and exciting breakthroughs are all made at the expense of contradicting old rules and ideas. In order for Earth to be round, it could no longer be flat. Revolutions in literature, science, and countries are always filled with conflicts and contradictions to traditional conventions. In this sense, Virgina Woolf's essay A Room of One's Own can be called a revolution. Woolf breaks nearly all the rules of essay writing in her argumentative essay. She addresses the reader in the first person, tells the reader that she is lying, focuses on unnecessary details, and even contradicts herself from time to time. Why does Woolf, a competent writer, decide to write this way? Perhaps, her unorthodox style supports her perception on the difficulties that exists in women becoming serious writers. Her writing style constructs a relationship between her essay and women writers; it shows the reader that for women to become a writer without a "a room of one's own" is just as unconvention al as her writing style. With both her words and her unique writing style, Woolf presents her view on women's writing. In a serious essay, a point or an argument should be made. This is why a writer writing a serious essay finds it necessary to shower his reader with logical reasons and facts. A typical writer wants the reader to examine, if not accept, the writer's point of view; however, Woolf claims that "lies will flow from [her] lips" in her essay.(720) Not too many writers will come right out and tell their readers that they intend to lie in their essays. The persuasiveness of an essay is not going to be enhanced by having the writer admit that he is lying. Because writers want to be as factua... ... as an intellect. Woolf has set up the essay so that the argument is presented in the essay but conveyed to the reader through the subtle messages hidden in the stylistic and the structural set up of the essay. And perhaps she has one more intention for setting up her essay in such a way; perhaps she wants to remind women that they can turn their disadvantages into advantages, as she did with the presumably awful style in her essay. Since women have not had a voice in this make dominated would for so long, it is almost certain that they will have a different voice from the men. This different voice, that has been oppressed for so long, is bound to carry novel ideas, and women, the source of this hidden voice, are the only ones capable of sharing these new views with the world. Works Cited: Woolf, Virginia. A Room of One's Own. San Diego: Harcourt, Inc., 1929.

Low Jobs :: essays research papers fc

LOST REWARD IF FOUND Higher Paying Jobs   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are too many low paying jobs here in San Antonio. If this continues we will see San Antonio's economy decline and this city will become nothing but a low income tourism town. The military presence at one time gave San Antonio its backbone to fall back to. With the closing of Kelly Air Force base that backbone is now diminishing. Many skilled labor workers, some who worked at the base for many years were forced to go back into a workforce, which did not pay as much as they were used to making at the base. Unfortunately, being a tourism town also brings with it the low service/low paying jobs and we are dependent on outside money to stimulate the local economy. You always hear about new jobs coming to San Antonio, but the majority of them are companies looking for low skilled workers. What is the Economic development foundation doing to attract big business here? What are our leaders thinking when they say they are promoting San Antonio and pushing for more jo bs? Is this what they deliver, more hotels and restaurants so we can continue to serve the rich? We must focus on luring new big businesses with higher skilled/high wage jobs. We must also educate our workforce to be able to compete for those positions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The primary fix to this problem is to bring high-income jobs to San Antonio. We need more jobs such as those in technology, industry, finance and healthcare. Cities like Dallas, Austin and Houston have been successful in attracting large corporations in bringing high-income jobs into their cities. We must be as creative if not more when convincing companies to move here. If we can offer hotels tax abatements to lure them into building here, why cant we do the same for high skilled worker type companies that want to make San Antonio a home. Cities such as Dallas and Houston suffer from things like high cost of living, crime, pollution and bad traffic. These items should be carrots for us when companies are looking for a place to move into. Consider the following average annual salaries in San Antonio during 1998, a housekeeping supervisor earns around $17,600, a waitress about $12,550,an electronic engineer $57,290, financial managers $56,610, and medical scientist s around $70,060. Looking at the previous salaries it is safe to say the here in San Antonio there is a wide disparity of salaries.

Professional Practice: Console Gaming :: essays research papers fc

Understanding Media - Professional Practice In The Media Industry As one of the fastest growing sectors in the media today, console gaming has come a long way since the days of the very first home console; the Atari 2600. Console gaming is big business, with profit margins higher than some of the biggest Hollywood film studios. Because of this, the production size of each game and quantity of employees within each company has grown accordingly. As with other sections of the media industry such as print, television and film, console gaming has a structured system in use in regard to owners, employees and finance. If we are to fully understand the console gaming industry we need to examine the four key areas within it; publishing, development, distribution and the manufacturers of the hardware on which the games are used (Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony). In some cases these four areas work exclusively as separate entities to create a product, or, as with some major Hollywood studios, are vertically integrated in their production processes. As with the â€Å"Big Five† studios of the golden era of Hollywood cinema, we have a similar situation in the console gaming industry with the four main console manufacturers. These four companies all own and have complete control of various development houses, publishers and distributors. In the case of these â€Å"in house† productions the sources of finance vary but are mainly internal. When internal finance is not possible, there are other various means for the companies involved to acquire the money needed to complete the production process. The most common way for a company to get financial assistance is the use of sponsors. For example; a racing game could use billboards featuring the sponsors logos placed alongside each race track. I have already mentioned the methods used by vertically integrated companies to create and distribute games, but there are many occasions when a separate company is used for each stage. Publishers are the most powerful, and, perhaps the most important of the four main areas in console gaming. They are responsible for commissioning, funding and publishing, and usually have a great deal of control over the end product. Once the development process is completed, a publisher would also be responsible for the marketing, PR and manufacturing the finished product. They will decide on the type of product they want to deliver to the market, set targets that need to be met by the developers in order for the initial finance to become available and publish the end product, hopefully making a profit on the sales of said product.

Life History Project

LIFE HISTORY PROJECT By Lorraine Ward PSY 355 5/14/09 TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 3 Life History Research †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 4-8 Works Sited Page †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 9 Appendix †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 10- 15 Photo of Interviewee †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 16 ABSTRACT: This research delves into the special concerns of aging. I look at options that to be explored to make life more satisfying for senior citizens. Harry Lo Vette was my interviewee and his answers are similar to others his age, depending on ducational background, socioeconomic status, mental and physical health. Programs need to be implemented for older adults and their families to discuss the lifespan. Lorraine Ward 5/1/2009 PSY 355 Life History Paper I chose to do the life history interview. I interviewed my neighbor/family friend, Harry E. Lo Vette. I learned a lot of interesting facts about Harry. He is the type of person that you can have a conversation with for hours and lose track of the time. Our interview took at least two hours. I have decided to have my parents fill out a questionnaire. This will be great to look back on, when my children have their own children. I am going to fill one out, too. I think it is a great way to record people in your family. My great, great, great-grandchildren may find it comforting to hear that we started cleaning up our planet or that cars ran on gas or moon hotels hadn’t developed, yet. These could be included in time capsules to show how we’ve evolved through generation to generation. There are many similarities between my interview and what we discussed in class. The one that bothers me the most is the acceptance of pain. Harry said he had overall good health but later in the interview said â€Å"I hurt. I take a few pills & it makes you feel dumb in the head & the pain goes away for half an hour. † I know my grandmother suffers with pain, too and she takes hands full of prescription medication. A man at my job takes 15 different vitamin and medications, twice a day. He suffers with pain. I don’t understand why take the pills if you are still going to hurt? Why prescribe a medication that obviously doesn’t work? Why are we not looking for alternative methods to take their pain away, if medications/pain relievers aren’t working? It seems to me that the physicians are just dealing with the pain and not the cause. Do we just put our elderly on a shelf? â€Å"Here, take these. Go home and come back when these are gone. † Your children and grandchildren have their hectic lives and visit between PTA meetings, softball, and soccer games. Your friends either can’t drive, have passed on, go south for winter, or are in a nursing home, possibly suffering more than you. We treat animals better than we treat our elderly and our country is supposed to be a great place to live†¦.. We must look into changing this. â€Å"†¦there is more to aging than meets the eye! † (Althoff, pg. 9) â€Å"For some, later years are a time of struggle, while others enjoy greater success† (Crosnoe, pg. 310). This may be because of good physical and mental health or because of their socioeconomic status being a positive one. According to Crosnoe, three criteria must be met to have a successful adaptation to aging. These criteria are; family engagement, occupational success, and civic involvement. We must remember that everyone is unique in their aging process, also. These factors are relevant to a subject’s differences in longevity and aging; biological background, education, occupation, marital status and family life, ethnic group, geographic location, housing, recreation, religion, and social class. (Althoff, pg. 9) Family interactions are important throughout life (Brubaker, pg. 212). Time spent with one’s family is important and so is accomplishing career goals (Crosnoe, pg. 311). Harry was successful in his career and enjoyed his job at the telephone company. He had a bad fall but went back on the job after he could walk, again. Also, he was involved with Boy Scouts from the time he was a child. I can recall many stories he has told my family and I about his camping trips with the Boy Scouts. He really enjoyed teaching the young boys important life skills and respect. He has had a lot of civic involvement. Marital status can have a positive influence on aging, also, especially if it’s a long term marriage to only one partner. It enhances a person’s security and provides social networks, especially for men (Crosnoe, pg. 312). Harry has been married twice but he realizes his first marriage dissolved because of his alcoholism. â€Å"Alcoholism is disruptive†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Crosnoe, pg. 312). He still visits his first wife (Rose) in the nursing home she resides at. Donna his current wife understands because she realizes Rose has Alzheimer’s disease and cancer. Harry has been married to Donna for over twenty five years. Religion can be beneficial to aging subjects. It can provide comfort, direction, a sense of community, and an anchor in social networks, which can increase social amalgamation over time and aid in successful adaptation Crosnoe, pg. 313). Harry is active in his church, the Salvation Army. His church gives to the less fortunate and Harry finds this important. He came from a family that believed in giving. â€Å"†¦to the extent that aging includes a greater concern with others’ welfare. † (Silver, pg. 13). Harry’s mother brought food to those without, during the G reat Depression. It’s fulfilling to help others, out of the kindness of your heart. Organization within the family unit is important at any age. â€Å"Well-organized families weathered even severe losses, while disorganized families suffered severe disruption. (Duvall, pg. 131). Every family has conclusive essential tasks that must be met: (a) provide physical care, (b) allocate resources, (c) arbitrate who does what, (d) assure members’ socialization, (e) authenticate interaction models, (f) incorporate and extricate members, (g) relate to society through its institutions, (h) and affirm morale and motivation (Duvall, pg. 131). I know in my own family if we stay organized, things run more smoothly and we have spare time for leisure activities. If we don’t stay on top of things, then it’s very chaotic. Psychological well-being and social engagement is a lifelong process. (Crosnoe, pg. 309). â€Å"A positive view of the world may not be crucial for the young, but seeing the world as more than good and people as more trustworthy than not is a source of well-being for older adults. † (Silvers, pg. 14). I see this in Harry. During my interview with him, I asked if he had experienced any prejudice against him due to his age and he had said no. He went onto explain that a younger person needs to be taught to respect others. This is a positive view of the world. I do wonder if this is across the board or if only by those who have adapted well to aging. Also, I wonder if this occurs across multicultural backgrounds or just those of European decent. The Great Depression and World War II greatly affected the current generation of senior citizens. They probably knew someone who served in the armed forces at this time or they themselves served. Combat experience and family death are traumatic events that affect a person for the entirety of his/her life (Crosnoe, pg. 313). â€Å"Combat in World War II increased odds of eing less adjusted (289%)†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Crosnoe, pg. 321). Those who served in WWII or had suffered a loss of a child were less likely to be satisfied with their life than others (Crosnoe, pg. 323). War veterans have a less effective style for aging, even years later (Crosnoe, pg. 324). The end of WWII brought more problems with it. â€Å"American families were in disarray. † (Duvall, pg. 127). The men came back from the wa r changed by the event. The women had experienced a newfound independence of being employed outside the home. Children were either left fatherless (during the war) or went off to war. President Truman formed the First National Conference on the Family for 1948. The enlistment of participation of 123 national agencies centered on the family was called on. (Duvall, pg. 127). Truman actually acknowledged that families were in need of help. I wish our President or past President would acknowledge this. Our troops are coming home with many confusing thoughts and addictions (Heroin is cheaper in Iraq and Afghanistan. ). They have never been faced with these kinds of traumatic events. A person must ascertain a certain amount of habits to insure they live a fulfilling life, even into old age. One must moderate food, drink, and physical pleasures (Althoff, pg. 11). Too much of a good thing, is not good. A person should avoid grief, drugs, tobacco products, and an excess of alcohol (Althoff, pg. 11). These are toxins. It is wise to exercise daily, get plenty of sleep, get good medical care, have good personal hygiene, and breathe pure air. Quality medical care is hard to come by for lower income adults, especially the elderly, in America. It is recommended that one achieve a balance of physical and mental work throughout their lifespan (Althoff, pg. 11). It is a fact that as we age our bodily functions decrease. â€Å"The resolution of early stages greatly influences the outcomes of later stages. † (Dunkel, pg. 13). This would be along the same lines of Psychoanalytic theory, also. Erikson has eight stages in his theory. The one that affects this paper, though, is integrity versus despair. In old age the individual must assess their lives and have a sense of contentment or sorrow. Wisdom arrives with integrity as strength (Dunkel, pg. 4). According to Dunkel, a basic sense of trust develops an understanding of autonomy, industry, identity, intimacy, generativity, and integrity (Dunkel, pg. 14). Harry seemed comfortable with his childhood and therefore, I assume this is why he is adjusting well to aging. My grandmother, too, has adapted well to aging, even though she suffers through a lot of pain. Is it possible that surviving great hurdles like war and economic struggles can bring a family closer and help a person to learn coping mechanisms to deal with adaptations needed in aging? Listening to the power point presentations in class, those who had a closer family network and had to struggle at some point in their life had a better outlook on aging. Is it generational or a theory we need to further research? The next generation to reach old age is the baby boomers. They are facing a different set of problems than their parents did. There is a higher rate of single parents, divorced, multiple marriages, extramarital activities, women that had entered the job force, and live in households where both parents were working (Giordano, pg. 11). This generation was more likely to have parents still alive and live close to them (Giordano, pg. 411). They are the recipients of advanced medical research, greater economic security, more open to alternative lifestyles, rising social security payments, and achieved higher levels of education (Giordano, pg. 412). Harry’s daughters are examples of how true this is. All three of them are teachers and that is a higher educa tion than Harry achieved. This generation has developed a more positive attitude on aging. They have adapted well and have increased their leisure activities, enjoy happier marriages and family relations (Giordano, pg. 412). There are (and will be) more fourth and fifth generation families. These subjects will require more counseling, health and enrichment programs (individual and marriage), and family therapy techniques will need adjusting to compensate for larger family networks (Giordano, pg. 413). They will be the pacesetters for the increase use of technology. They will not suffer from as many serious health issues, as previous generations had (Giordano, pg. 14). My parents are baby boomers and I agree with Giordano on most of what he wrote about on this generation. My mother goes to Curves for fitness. My father gardens, and remodels their home. This is form of enjoyment. They both like to travel via car to different castles and other places of interest to them. I know my grandparents never did this. In fact, I don’t believe they could afford to. â€Å"Health may be the most important factor associated with an older person’s well-being. † (Brubaker, pg. 212-213). Retirement is a major influence in an older adult’s life. It adds to the possible confusion that accompanies growing older. There need to be support groups that are community based and accessible to all ethnicities and genders, surrounding the topic of retirement. â€Å"Women have more difficulty adjusting to retirement than men. † (Brubaker, pg. 215). These support groups need to address financial planning (retirement income), â€Å"empty nest† syndrome, leisure activities, smaller households/larger family networks, medical care, intergenerational issues, accessing new technologies, social changes, fitness for the mind and body, and emotional changes (Brubaker, pg. 13). â€Å"Concurrent with the changes in spousal interaction, older parents need to develop new patterns of communication and interaction with their independent children. † (Brubaker, pg. 213). Issues pertaining to retirement programs are: â€Å"theoretical assumptions that under pins the programs’ rationale†, significance of the agenda, timin g of such learning occasions, teaching patterns, and accessibility of the program (Brubaker, pg. 215). There are stereotypes encompassing senior citizens that need to be altered because so many are negative. The assumption that older subjects don’t engage in sexual activities is false, for the most part. Many may not realize that holding hands, caressing each other, massages, and foreplay can astute to sexual activity. Intercourse does not need to be the only way to relieve sexual tension. Also, they may need to hear that it’s perfectly normal and okay to engage in sexual activity. Previous generations may have been told that it was not okay and this may have been passed down to other generations. As long as a physician has not said to refrain from sexual activity, it should be safe to do so. Other stereotypes include hearing loss, memory loss, control of bladder, perversion (â€Å"dirty old man†), and the necessity to call them â€Å"honey† or â€Å"dear†. There is hearing loss but not in everyone and not to the extreme pictured in cartoons. Short term memory loss is common but generally, long term memory is intact and sharper than some younger persons. Bodily functions do decrease but not everybody loses control of their bladder. The â€Å"Depends† and â€Å"Serenity† commercials would have you believe this occurs with all older adults, but it just simply isn’t true. The â€Å"Viagara† commercials play on people in the same way. Old people are no more likely to be perverted than anyone else. It is okay to be sexually attracted to another adult at any age. The person the attraction is aimed at should feel honored to be noticed by a more distinguished person. The older adult should feel proud that these feelings can be evoked still. Many older adults are living to see their children’s children and some have no idea how to deal with this. â€Å"Nearly 75% of older people are grandparents and nearly half are great-grandparents. † (Brubaker, pg. 216). Classes should be offered on how to be adequate, functional grandparents. Issues to be taught through family education classes ought to include: what to do with a grandchild, different grandparenting styles, intergenerational differences/similarities, how these bonds will strengthen the family structure, gender differences, listening to views of younger people, lifespan development, generativity, increase satisfaction of having grandchildren, and how to improve family communication (Brubaker, pg. 216-217). A grandparent’s role is very different from a parent’s role. They are more nurturing and less disciplining. A grandparent can teach a child more than a parent can, though. A child can learn about a generation that has past, with more detail than a textbook. Grandparents offer a wide array of learning experiences for their grandchildren. Environment influences how a subject adapts to aging. â€Å"People with particular needs search for the environments that meet them best. † (Text, ch. 5). Many different cultures hold the older generation as the wisest. Some are chiefs in their nations or kings/queens of their empires. The United States is one of the most powerful countries in the world but they hold very little respect for senior citizens. In fact, there are very few programs available to older adults. They often are challenged with high medical bills, high costs of mobility equipment, transportation costs (after they lose use of their driver’s license), and possible nursing home costs. Senior citizens may feel distraught over the obstacle of maturing. Our economy will determine if more programs are able to be launched or not. It will ascertain how well or not, the elderly live. (Frontline Video: Living Old)The length of time they live will be affected by the cost of living. Nursing homes need to get a facelift. Instead of being waiting rooms for death, they should be improved to be gazed upon as an oasis for the elderly. They have lived full lives and deserve to be treated with respect. Programs required in this environment are; life history therapies, training for staff, co-ed rooms, family education about lifespan development, technology training, discussions about aging (group therapy), memory builder games or skill training, course availability (of their choice) at a local college or learning institution, and options about dying with dignity (vegetable state, assisted suicide? , living wills). Presently, our economy is facing a possible depression. Medicare has been cut and Social Security runs the risk of running out of funding. Older adults are being forced either out of a job or into an early retirement due to budget cutbacks, the closing of companies, or the companies have moved out of the country. This leaves an older adult at a loss of coping skills. This needs to be addressed within every community because it affects everyone. Many of these people don’t have the required skills to achieve another job without a higher education. Some may not even have a high school diploma or GED. They are now faced with competing for jobs with younger, more viable adults that do have the required education and skills. This is a major stressor for these misplaced aging adults. Their risk for acute illnesses may rise due to this added stress leaving them even more vulnerable. I learned a lot from this course on adult development and aging, the life history interview, and this research paper. I realized how condescending I may sound to elderly customers who step into my taxi by calling them â€Å"honey† or â€Å"sugar†. I had never even thought about it until we learned it in class. I’m conditioning myself to use it less and to treat senior citizens like others in my cab and in general. I respect my elders, always. This is how I was raised and something I struggle to instill in my children. They seem so stubborn (lol). I tried to include approximately the same information in my research paper as I asked in my life history interview with Harry Lo Vette. This wasn’t difficult because most of the information I found on aging surrounded these same topics or topics we had already discussed in class. I’m going to interview my parents and myself for fun. The answers may be worth putting in a time capsule or away for future generations to reminisce over. It will be interesting to review and revise my answers when I’m 50 or 60. This course was rewarding for me because I learned more than I ever thought I would. The achievements that older adults have over me are that they have successfully lived longer than I have (to date). WORKS SITED: Althoff, Sally A. (1975). Preparing Teachers, Students, and Citizens to Deal Constructively with the Problems and Potentialities of Aging. 1-79. Brubaker, T. H. , Roberto, K. A. (1993). Family Life Education for the Later Years. Family Relations, 42, 212-221. Crosnoe, R. , Elder, Jr, G. (2002). Successful Adaptation in the Later Years: A Life Course Approach to Aging. Social Psychology Quarterly, 65, 309-328. Dunkel, C. S. , Sefcek, J. A. (2009). Eriksonian Lifespan Theory and Life History Theory: An Integration Using the Examples of Identity Formation. Review of General Psychology, 13, 13-23. Duvall, Evelyn M. (1988). Family Development’s First Forty Years. Family Relations, 37, 127-134. Giordano, Jeffrey. (1988). Parents of the Baby Boomers: A New Generation of Young-Old. Family Relations, 37, 411-414. Silver, R. C. , Poulin, M. (2008). World Benevolence Beliefs and Well-Being Across the Life Span. Psychology and Aging, 23, 13-23. APPENDIX Life History Interview DEMOGRAPHIC INFO: 1) What is your full name? Harry Edward Lo Vette 2) Where were you born? Corning Hospital, Corning, NY 3) What is your age? 79 (10/19/1929) 4) Oldest of 5 children: 3 boys & 2 girls. I lost one brother here, 10 years ago. He worked with asbestos @ Corning Glass. He died of Cancer from the asbestos. 5) Where did you live as a child? Spent most of my life in 100 radius of Dundee area. Grew up in Monterey on a farm, during the Depression, for a number of years. Lived in the Chenango Forks down near Binghamton & then we came back to Dundee area – Lakemont. Then we moved back to Binghamton area & then back to Dundee, just before the War 1950. Then I graduated high school in 1949. Went to Korea, came home & got married, 1st marriage, lived there until 1955 when I went to work for the phone company down in Corning. 6) What do you recall about your family home and neighborhood; you lived in as a child? We lived on a 500 acre farm. We didn’t have many cows. We milked 35 cows by hand, my brother & I, my mother & my father did. Everything was done by mules. We had black mules. During The Depression time you didn’t know you were supposed to have money in your pocket but we had food. We lived good, on food. We had all kinds of animals. Plus, we hunted a lot. We had beef, pork, never raised rabbits. We had ducks, chickens, and we always had a couple of tame sheep. The neighbors raised sheep. My mother always made us our White shirts. And I went to a one room school house until I was in 4th grade, over in Monterey. One room school house, one teacher, maybe 16 students. My mother was strict. My father only hit me just one time & that was calling my brother a liar. He was a hard working man, but he didn’t condone that type of behavior. We were supposed to take turns cutting wood, fill the kindling box and heavy wood. Come in from chores one morning, my father said â€Å"Before you eat, who was supposed to cut kindling wood last night? † My brother said â€Å"Harry†. I turned around to him. My father said â€Å"Get out there & cut it†. When I went by my brother, I said â€Å"You liar†. I can remember it & I never saw it coming. He picked up the little coal shovel & caught me right across the fanny. (He chuckled) He use to threaten to tear our arm off & beat us to death with a bloody stump, but he didn’t mean it. My mother was the domineering one, belt, switch, leather strap. 7) Where do you live? 800 Hill Road, Genoa, NY 13071 8) How long have you lived @ your current address? 28 yrs. Married Donna & moved in. Donna lived there for 29 years. (He gets in conversation with my Mom about our family house. It was built in early 1800s. ) 9) With whom do you live? Donna (wife) 10) Are there any concerns about safety or mobility? No. I can’t do the things I use to do. A little lame, so far, no. 11) Both of us are retired. I retired after 32 years from the phone company. Your annual income: $20,000-$30,000. We run about $30,000 a year, between the 2 of us. 12) What is your ethnicity? Paternal Grandfather: French Canadian. Paternal Grandmother: Scottish & English. 13) What religion do you practice? Christianity. Salvation Army. 14) How has the church affected your life and the life of your family? Different attitude @ looking @ things. A lot of good friends. Changed my life by quitting drinking. I don’t get as upset as I use to. I find the Salvation Army is comforting. I’ve been down there since 1972. Many churches are cliquish. They have their small groups. They may even look down their nose @ you, if you’re not properly dressed or you’re not this or this. The Salvation Army has never been that way. Their theme has always been you can teach the Word to someone who is down and out and hungry. The 1st thing you do is feed them & pick them up. It’s been better for my life. 15) What did you do for a living (jobs)? Picked berries/grapes as a child (made $100 a season), high school: drove truck (17-18 without a driver’s license) (big) – markets, Corning Glass Works- television bulbs (Spring 1950-1st to make rectangle bulbs), Army (Korea), drove truck, Dundee Phone Comp, NY Phone Comp. was @ NY Phone Comp for 32 years (1953-1985) Got hurt on phone Comp job @ 32 (1962). Fell from top of pole & landed standing up, couldn’t walk for almost 1 year! 16) How has these jobs changed? People my age were brought up to work. The injury changed his life. The Army & Korea let him travel. People working the jobs changed. Cell phones changed the whole phone company. Computers took over my job. HEALTH and LEVEL of FUNCTIONING: 1) How is your overall health? Good. I take blood pressure medicine, but my blood pressure is good. I quit smoking in 1983. 2) Have you had any serious illnesses? Bronchitis. I get it every winter now. It was real bad this year the 1st Anti-biotic didn’t work. ) How did this affect your life? I didn’t get much done. This weekend was my 1st time in my wood shop this year. 4) Have there been any changes in your physical functioning over the last several years? (He chuckles)Not as much stamina. I can’t do hard work for as many hours, w/out rest. 5) Has your vision or hearing changed? Yeah! Had Cataracts removed & new lenses implanted. Then got better vision than before. All hearing gone in right ear & hard to hear in left. 6) Has your memory changed? Yes. 7) Does this affect your life? Long term is good. Short term memory is bad. Not as sharp. I can do mathematics & plan a deck still. My 1st wife has Alzheimer’s disease. 8) Has your ability to use your mind or learn new things changed? You have to adapt. Attitude makes the difference. If you want to learn, you will learn it. 9) How are you treated by younger people? Respect is given & taken. You have to give younger people respect. Lately, I haven’t had to associate with them. You have to lay it down to them. I never was discriminated against. 10) How do you feel about getting older? You learn to accept it. I don’t want to live to be 100. I just don’t want to go into a nursing home, unless I have to. I‘d rather not. 11) If you could be any age, what would you be? I’d like to go back & be 19, again. Up until 32, when I fell. Now, some days it’s an effort to get up & do anything. I hurt. I take a few pills & it makes you feel dumb in the head & pain goes away for half an hour. Yeah, those were good years. 12) Why? My life started. I enjoyed life. The last of the 40s (the 1940s) was good. AGE-GRADED, HISTORY-GRADED, and NON-NORMATIVE EVENTS: 1) What is your highest level of formal education? High school. Graduated in 1949. Army: map-making survey = 2 years of college. semester of college @ Auburn Community College, after I fell off the telephone pole. 2) Where did you attend school? Monterey (1 room school house), Dundee (built new school in 1939), Chenango Forks (1937-2 years), & Dundee. 3) How did you get back & forth from school? 1st walked ? mile, later walked 2 miles to catch the school bus. 4) What were some of your classmates’ names? Richard Peterso n, Roscoe (big bee guy), Mike Hartford, A. Chadwick, Mary Sharp (my old flame) 5) Do you recall any childhood girlfriends? Mary Sharp (8 years) – went bad while I was in Korea. 6) Marriages? 2. My 1st wife (Rose) has Alzheimer’s and liver cancer 7) Where did you meet Donna? At Work. She came to the phone company. 8) Children? 1st Marriage – 3 daughters (all over 50 years old), 2nd Marriage – 2 step-children (daughter & son). 9) Grandchildren? 4 & 4 step-grandchildren. 10) Where do your children live? Oregon, California, and Willard, NY. All are teachers. 11) How often do you see them? Out of state – not as often. The one in NY more often. 12) Romantic Relationships (not married to)? Honestly? 30. I was proposed to 3 times during the Leap Year I got out of service. Only 1 regret. 3) Are your children supportive in areas you need them to be as you age? Yes. Steps: David more than Dorie. 14) Do they respect your wishes? Yes. 15) What effect did (The Depression, World War I, and World War II) have on your life? The Depression – always had food. My mother made us white shirts. She was a good seamstress. Christmas wasn’t as big. My mom ma de our gifts. She made me a farm set by hand. Mother gave the neighbor some foods that we had made. World War 1 – It was depressing. I was 11 years old. World War 2 – a friend of our family was in a Japanese prison Camp (didn’t die). We lost friends in Normandy. In Maine – airplane spotters. 16) What changes have you noticed during your life in such areas as fashion, morality and technology? Fashion – always wore jeans, sweatshirts, shoes. Probably affected women more than men. Morality – NOT taught anymore! Depressing. I had a certain amount of wildness but not like today. 20s – No Respect. Drug Problem – mostly Blacks (out of large cities & high school drop-outs). We didn’t have television. Media changed, too. 1st World War – it was weeks before we heard anything. 2nd World War – took 1 week. Korea – 3-4 days. Vietnam – same day. We kept some things quiet/hidden. Technology – EVERYTHING! Farming, cars (model B-4, 6-cylinder), lawn mowers (we had push mowers) – riders, flying (My 1st ride â€Å"Old Home Days† 1935. $5. 00 in an open cockpit, 2-seater; now 35,000 feet above ground, across USA) 17) How do you feel about these changes? Some is good. A lot†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Pesticides/sprays/growth are NOT good. There is a certain amount you have to have. Manufacturers – processed food. Candy bars used to be made @ Hershey Chocolate factory. 18) What do you think is one of the best technologies? Medical field. The development. If we had MRIs & Cat Scans I wouldn’t have gone what I had when I fell. Sooner for recovery time. Extended life (transplants) 19) What do you think is one of the worst? Control over pesticides/growth hormones/sprays on our vegetation are TOXIC! I wonder if this has anything to do with the trouble with newborns. 20) What was family life like when you were growing up? We looked out for each other. We all had jobs around the house. My Dad was a truck driver. He taught me how to drive tractor trailer truck @ 14. We did things together as a family; picnics, family gatherings. My Dad taught me farm work. Dad was interested in my schooling. We were very close. He was killed in a truck accident while I was in the service. 21) What was your favorite radio show? Lone Ranger, Amos & Andy, The Green Hornet, & The Shadow, The Riflemen. 22) How old were you when you got your first television? 1947-48. It was an Admiral. 16† set. 23) What are some of the traditions still carried on by your family? Birthdays & holidays. Easter is big in the church. 24) What were your favorite childhood games? Sandlot Baseball. We had a family of full-blooded Indians that lived above us. We played a lot of Indian games; Lacrosse – we made our own sticks & balls (baked clay wrapped in cloth), Stone Toss (similar to Tidily Winks), and a homemade game using a dried out pig bladder ( air dried, inflated with air, and used as a ball), Softball, Allie-Allie Over (over the school house, 2 teams-one on each side), Kick the Can, Hide & Seek, see who could swing over the top of bar (above the swing), Foxfire (on Spook Night) (decaying wood, NOT handled by your (bare)hands), hunting, fishing. 25) What other entertainment have you enjoyed? Square & Round dances, hiking, swimming. SOCIAL LIFE: 1) How many friends do you have? 100 easy. 5 close. You should always have 5 close friends. 2) How many of these friends are childhood friends? 15-20, some have died. 3) How often are you able to visit with them? Some not for years (meaning more than 2), some every 2 years, & some everyday. It depends on if they are old friends or new friends. 4) What activities did you enjoy doing when you were in your 20s? Roller skating & dancing. Hunting & fishing. 30s? Fell off pole. Small amount of fishing. 40s? Hunted & fished. Some woodwork. 50s? Fished & Bear hunting (Canada). Built my wood shop in my late 50s – early 60s. Wood working. 5) What are some activities you like to do together? 1950-1972 Camping – Canada, Nova Scotia, had nice Gardens 6) How many of these activities have changed as a result of getting older? Lots of them. Not as many. Don’t hunt, little fishing, no camping. 7) Do you belong to any church or other social groups? Men’s Fellowship @ church. 8) How has the Boy scouts affected your life? Better understanding of the world. Nature. Benefit: live with nature & do it comfortably. 9) What â€Å"Words of Advice† would you like to pass on to future generations in your family? Get a good education that you can get money & be comfortable. Go to college in fields worthwhile & prosperous. Nothing wrong with making a good living. STORY TIME: Some people you've met during your lifetime leave footprints in your life forever. You could talk about your family members, relatives, friends, acquaintances, or special some ones and how they made an impact in your life or even changed your life. Also, places you've been to or where you lived could also be nice reminiscences since you could describe the place, the people in it, and how the weather was like. My 1st Scout Master – NOT to judge others to fast. Don’t know what they have been through. Dad – Stand up for what you believe in. Lots of people; in Korea, camping. Some memorable pieces or items could become great components of reminiscing. Things like your childhood toys or games. Heirlooms are wonderful jewelries that have been given from generation to generation that bring history. This can be anything that may not be important to others but may be significant to you and brought good memories. Some things of my Dad & my uncle. An emblem from a guy I met on my way to Korea. I never saw him, again. 1) Do you have any regrets about your life? Lots of things. 2) What are they? I wouldn’t have drunk like I did. I made a lot of money and didn’t save it. 3) Are there things you would like to do that you haven’t done yet? Fly faster than the speed of sound (had the opportunity in 1991. Didn’t do it. ), visit Australia. 4) Do you think you will do them? Maybe. Who knows? Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself or a story? I’ve lived a rich life. I was accepted at Oswego State Teaching School but I didn’t have the money to go. .