The Fight Against Good Essay Samples for College

The Fight Against Good Essay Samples for College It's simple to point out an essay which has been written solely for the interest of it. Some may be able to seek out approaches to get and own totally free essays. The essay is just one of the significant methods you are able to distinguish yourself. All argumentative essays should have a conclusion paragraph. The Good Essay Samples for College Cover Up Writing the college application essay is a challenging gig. Inspiration to make your own advertising or media argumentative essay topics isn't challenging to discover. In addition, a customer may ask the writer to submit part of the job for review and, if needed, ask them to make corrections. Your solution shouldn't be a book report. The Basics of Good Essay Samples for College Odds are, all you have to do is relax and locate a topic you're passionate about and, obviously, one that's debatable. Still, figuring out the ideal topic for your essay isn't your only concern for a student. Individual schools sometimes need supplemental essays. Essay plan templates can assist you effectively map out your essay program. The Argument About Good Essay Samples for College Luckily, there are a couple of good rules of thumb to remember whilst searching for a good one. Once you receive an idea, the practice of writing will be much simpler. Opt for a distinctive topic that others may not think of, and whatever you select, make certain you know a lot about it! When you're picking your topic, remember that it's much simpler to write about something which you presently have interest ineven in case you don't know a good deal about it. Understanding Good Essay Samples for College To choose which subject you're likely to discuss, it's essential to see the complete collection of good persuasive speech topics from the specific area of study. All individuals ought to be allowed to receive free high education. 1 important and appropriate subject is technology. The ways students ought to be taught about their wellbeing. The War Against Good Essay Samples for College You don't need to find super technical with legal argumentative essays, but make sure you do your homework on what the recent laws about your preferred topic actually say. You don't need to possess the very best writing skills so as to be creative and compose an effective essay. There are numerous essay types, and at times the topic itself is as crucial as the kind of the essay you're assigned. The procedure for getting good argumentative research essay topics is hard. The Bad Side of Good Essay Samples for College Review what you've been requested to address in your essay Sometimes educational institutions wish to learn more than just your career targets. Being part of a very good educational institution can be rather costly. Well being Despite your best efforts, there could be times when you're just not able to pursue your ends. Other People Quite frequently the people which are closest to us fear us achieving our objectives. Don't forget, all type of activities you're speaking about in the essay must be associated with the scholarship program. At times it only looks simple, but plenty of students forget about the kind of academic writing they need to stick with. Therefore, many students and employees decide to purchase cheap essay rather than writing it themselves. There are a lot of persuasive essay examples college students are able to make use of online. To avail professional writing services, you will need to locate a trustworthy and dependable writing service provider that can provide you the very best writing services at competitive prices. Little research for the suitable template increases your probability of getting your dream job. If you're struggling, you always have the option to acquire help by employing an essay writing service such as ours. Even a student can begin a business online. Tell us a topic you've changed your head on in the last three decades. You're attempting to show colleges your very best self, therefore it might appear counterintuitive to willingly acknowledge a time you struggled. Colleges are interested in finding a feeling of maturity and introspectionpinpoint the transformation and demonstrate your private growth. Consequently, glance at the guidelines to understand whether there are any particular demands of the college. Other alternatives like on-line study, planned reading, shadowing a colleague at work, or seeking help from a friend may also help you get the skills you demand. You should produce a notion and offer some evidence. Explain your commitments, and you are going to be the sort of student colleges find immensely attractive. The Good, the Bad and Good Essay Samples for College Normally, having three important arguments to demonstrate your point is sufficient for a convincing paper. By way of example, in college, you might be requested to compose a paper from the opposing standpoint. However soon you're predicted to file your college argumentative essay for grading, we'll write the paper for you. So far as essay structure goes, a 4 or 5 paragraph essay based on the number of points you are going to want to argue is an excellent start. The Bizarre Secret of Good Essay Samples for College While you might not get the opportunity for attempting all of them, pick the field which interests you, select any topic and begin writing. Application essays about challenges reveal how you respond to difficulty to individuals who are really interested in how you'll handle the subsequent four years by yourself. It's very valuable to take writing apart to be able to see just the way that it accomplishes its objectives. Sure, with this kind of a substantial number of topics to select from, picking just one may be challenging. If you wish to create a college essay which works, you want to provide importance on the content you will give the admission s officer of your intended university with. An excellent sample college essay really isn't the simplest thing to find on the web, where anyone with a keyboard and a blog can post something which purports to be a quality, absolutely free essay. Just because you've already written a college essay for a single university doesn't mean that it may also apply on your next applications. Developing a wonderful college essay are able to lose its purpose in the event the content of what you've written is not what the university is asking for.

Public Health And Health Care Essay - 1664 Words

Public health preparedness ascribes to the ability of a health care provider to deal with the health consequences caused by emergencies. Over the past few years, public health threats have been on the rise, ranging from accidental and natural threats to intentional threats like acts of terror (Bernstein, 2013). For instance, since September 11, 2001 and the anthrax attacks efforts have been made by both the federal government and health care providers to increase the nation’s ability to prepare and respond to public health emergencies. Basically, a situation is considered to be emergent if it overwhelms the routine capabilities of a health care facility to deal with its consequences across scenarios (Gibson, Theadore Jellison, 2012). Nonetheless, being prepared to avert, respond to, as well as rapidly recover from possible public health threats is indeed critical for the protection and security our nation’s public health. Although the federal government has invested over $5 billion to improve health care preparedness in government healthcare organizations since the 9/11 attack, it’s not clear whether such an investment has rendered the country’s health care system better-prepared to deal with large-scale public health emergencies (Gibson et al., 2012). However, it’s important to point out the fact that the leaders of full-service government healthcare organizations have a major role to play when it comes to public health preparedness, for instance, as the Vice President ofShow MoreRelatedPublic Health And Health Care Essay2086 Words   |  9 PagesPublic health is health care that is provided to improve the health of all individuals within a community and population. Public health die ticians are health care professionals who acquire knowledge on the effects that food and nutrition have on our health and well-being. Once dieticians have understood the required knowledge they then tailor it, so they are able to share their understanding of this dietary concept to a community that meets every individuals needs, in order to make a population asRead MoreThe Health Care Of The Public Health Field770 Words   |  4 PagesI became drawn to the health care field during my teenage years, when I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease affecting various joints. As I went through years of treatment, my physician and other medical professionals were profoundly helpful and motivational in keeping a positive attitude. They were also inspirational as I saw the genuine goodness that they felt from helping people. As a result of all the help and emotional support that I received from these medical providersRead MoreHealth Care And Public Health Settings938 Words   |  4 PagesHealthcare-Associated Infections in the Acute Care and Public Health Settings Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), also known as nosocomial infections, are any type of infection a patient develops while receiving treatment for another diagnosis. HAIs are considered the most frequent type of infections in healthcare. Healthcare-associated infections do not only appear in the healthcare setting, but can appear after discharge and while the patient is receiving treatment at home. Many of the HAIsRead MorePublic Health And Health Care Act1699 Words   |  7 PagesPublic health has had a big impact on government and policies. Public health played an important part in history. For centuries, it was realized that polluted water, improper disposal of waste can lead to dangerous health disaster such as the black plague. In order to avoid similar disaster, the government and private companies provide various services such as health care and health insurance in an attempt to protect the public and prologue human life. Patient Protection and Affordable Care ActRead MoreHealth Care Is A Public Health Issue1327 Words   |  6 PagesHealth care is a public health issue that continues to trouble different countries yearly. There is always a debate on whether health care is a human right issue or if it is just a luxury. Every year, it is always heard on the news about how a country is trying to improve their health care system, but there are always roadblocks that hinder the bill from passing. This paper will discuss about the best and worst parts of other countries’ health care systems, previous problems that the U.S health careRead MoreHealth Problem Of Public Health Care902 Words   |  4 PagesHealth problems in the developing countries like India take on enormous proportions because of lack health education and preventive medicine. Growing up in India surrounded by poor sanitation, lack of hygiene and clean drinking water and scarcity of primary health services, I began to realize the nec essity of public health care. Furthermore it saddens to think that in South Asia there is much superstition and age old practices that resist the spread of modern medicine. It perplexes me that even asRead MoreHealth Care Of Keny A Public Health Problem Essay1118 Words   |  5 PagesHealth care in Kenya Tropical diseases, especially malaria and tuberculosis, have long been a public health problem in Kenya. In recent years, infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), also has become a severe problem. Estimates of the incidence of infection differ widely. General information of Health in Kenya: Kenya spent 5.1% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on healthcare in 2002. This was well below the high-income OECDRead MoreHealth Care Services For Public Health Sector1721 Words   |  7 PagesHealth care services in public health sectors are organised at three levels, which are primary health care ,secondary health care and tertiary health care (Park 2009). The primary level of health services are providing through village teams, Sub-centres (SCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs). The Community Health Centres (CHCs), Sub-district Hospitals district hospitals and dispensaries make up the secondary level, and the teaching hospitals provided health care in tertiary level (Park 2009)Read MorePublic Health Care in Australia1201 Words   |  5 PagesEqual care is the fundamental objective of all health care systems. However, there are still inequities when it comes to medical and non-medical services, especially for those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged. Access and equity are the processes to ensure equal opportunity of resources in medical and non-medical services, removing barriers to providing a fair and consistent service irrespective of an individual’s background, socio-economical status, age and abilities. Consumer participationRead MoreThe Public Health Care System2572 Words   |  11 Pagesâ€Å"the greatest wealth is health†. One’s health and ability to stay healthy, is what enables a person to live a promising life filled with enjoyable experiences, and cherished memories. However, illness is inevitable, and when it strikes, health care systems are ultimately where people turn for treatment. Health care systems, whether private or public, provide tremendous aid and assistance to patients in need. Nevertheless, there are problems with public and private health care systems that impact their

Definition and Operational Requirements free essay sample

Why is the definition of system operational requirements important? What type of Information is included? Awns: Definition of system operational requirements Is very Important as it represent the idea of the whole work. When we translate technical approach to operational scenario then many question will arise like how Is the system to be utilize and for how long? How Is the system to be supported, by whom and for how long? So to ensure all this things we need to define system operational requirements. It includes the following: 1) Mission definition 2) Performance and physical parameters 3) Operational deployment or dilutions 4) Operational life cycle 5) utilization requirements 6) Effectiveness factors 7) Environmental factors 2. Why is the development of technical performance measures (Tamps) important? Awns: Evolution is important to determine the process improvement and in this context TAMP is really important.Attributes that depend directly on design characteristics are called d esign dependent parameters and Tamps are measure of his attributes. We will write a custom essay sample on Definition and Operational Requirements or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page So it is very essential for tracking the performance. 3. Assume that you have selected an analytical model for specific application. Explain how you would validate that the model is adequate for the application in question. Awns: 1) The model should represent the dynamics of the system configuration being evaluated in a way that is simple enough to understand and manipulate. ) The model should highlight the important factor 3) Model should be comprehensive 4) Model should be simple enough to allow for timely implementation in problem loving 5) Model should be incorporate provisions for ease for modification or expansion to permit the evolution of additional factors as required. 4. What Is the desired output of the preliminary system design phase? Awns. : design should be compatible with the system operational requirement, maintenance and support concept and the prioritize Tams and meet all of the requirements In the various applicable specifications.Definition and Operational Requirements By Irishman student d: 10917209 1. Information is included? Awns: Definition of system operational requirements is very important as it represent the idea of the whole work. When we translate technical approach to operational scenario then many question will arise like how is the system to be utilize and for how long? How is the system to be supported, by whom 3) Operational deployment or distribution 5) Utilization requirements expansion to permit the evolution of additional factors as required.

Satanism Essays - Church Of Satan, Left-Hand Path, Satanism

Satanism Satanism Sociology/Psychology I am hoping I can somehow make this seem like a psychological report without making it lose any of it's important details. My goal in writing this paper is to hopefully make people understand and agree that Satanism is not a "Devil Worshipping," animal mutilating, child scarifying cult organization. The psychological thing comes in when people say Satanism is wrong or evil, they hear the word Satan and automatically assume that it must be bad. They make these assumptions without even taking the time to find the facts and understand them. I'll start off by saying that Satanists do not worship the devil! A Satanist believe that he or she as an individual rule their own destiny and are the god of their own lives. Satanism is a religion based on the reality that man is an animal, like all others. They choose to separate themselves from a society where natural behavior is suppressed and the strong support the weak. The average Satanist disagrees with much of Christianity. In many ways Christians are considered the enimies. Christians say Satan is a fallen angel, not a God. All religions have gods and demons, some of which are forbidden by a typical society. Satan is one among these, originally conceived by the Hebrews, long before the birth of Jesus. Most Satanists are familiar with the teachings of Christianity, and have read the Bible or part of it. They simply consider the Bible to be false and disregard it much like Christians would disregard books which represent the foundation of another religion. Satanism is not considered a religion for the white race and should not be confused with or grouped together with skinheads, The KKK, Nazi's, Neo-Nazi's, or people who support white power. Satanists are not teenage vandals, not gang murderers, not psychopathic murders, not child molesters or vicious rapists. Satanists do not sacrifice young children or animals. The ninth and tenth of the Eleven Satanic Rules of The Earth forbid this, in fact, animal sacrifices are primarily used in the Afro-Caribbean syncretistic religions such as Voodoun, Candomble', and Santeria. Child Sacrifices are used in Television and by journalists to improve ratings. A Satanist does not practice baby breeding or child molestation. Evidence does not support what is said to occur. If the number of murders said to be committed by Satanists' was accurate some bodies would have been found by now. Members of the Church of Satan are involved and advanced exactly as their own desires, abilities, and accomplishments dictate. There are no set activities, meetings, or contacts. A new member comes into the organization ideally with his or her own goals and plans of achieving them. When being brought to the church of Satan new members are told to not let anyone tell you what to believe or what to do. Advice or recommendations are one thing; orders or commands quite another. Remember that you are a free being, not a pawn in someone's power fantasy. They believe the weaker elements of society should serve the stronger elements of society or perish. Satanists support any means of returning to the order of Darwin's Natural Selection Process, this is inclusive of elimination of welfare to selective sterilization of those weaker elements. Weak elements are determined by performance and intelligence, not race or religion. So where does Satan come into all of this? Satanists believe Satan (and other gods) is not so much an entity as a force of nature. These gods are not all concerned with the life of mortals. Satan is a very powerful word that serves as an isolation between Satanists and society. It is this separation that a true Satanist appreciates and holds dear. the separation of a society where the strong and willing work for what they need and want but are forced to support the weak through welfare and charity. Satanists' know their opinions may not be politically correct, but they still obey the laws governing man on this planet a nd they expect the same protection under the laws as other minorities, races and religions. There are several divisions of the believe systems of various "Satanic" groups. Satanism has changed so much from it's original form.

Eriksons Life Stages Essay Example

Eriksons Life Stages Essay Example Eriksons Life Stages Essay Eriksons Life Stages Essay Throughout this course I have become familiar with psychological concepts and theories that occur during all stages of life. Even though I have not lived long enough to discuss many of the topics, I have just made it through adolescence. Because I do not remember many of my younger infancy and early childhood I feel that it would be best to discuss my adolescence while it is fresh in my mind. Turning eighteen is a big step in one’s life and there are many changes that take place during this time, in this paper I will analyze these stages in my life. Going through identity crisis during high school, identity achievement, moral reasoning, and social relationships are all concepts that I can relate to during my adolescent years. In the text Erikson states that the central crisis of adolescence is that of identity versus role confusion [Bruce, 2004], which every high school student can relate to when they enter this new stage of their life. Through my years of high school I was interested in many different activities with many different groups of friends. I had my friends in softball, in cheerleading, in choir, and in band. Because I was involved with many different groups of friends I was pulled in different directions. I was no longer a child anymore but a teenager and therefore becoming a â€Å"new person,† obtaining a new identity. Confusion about all the role choices that are thrown at you leads to identity crisis, which is a period in which an adolescent is confused about the lack of identity [Erikson, 1968]. I myself went through this more than once throughout my years of high school. Each year you lose friends and you make new friends, you lose interest in one activity or sport and become interested in another I went through a different identity crisis each year while all of these events occurred to me. All throughout high school I feel like I did not truly know who I was. It was when I had to start thinking about growing up and moving past high school to the â€Å"real world† did I truly have a sense of who I was, who I would become. I then reached identity achievement which is when an identity status has been achieved after going through the crisis [Erikson, 1968]. I reached this stage when I realized where I wanted to go to college and what my occupation would be. I felt like I was growing up and now had a purpose in life. Erikson and Marcia stated that the process of identity development could happen at different points in a teenager’s life. [Marcia, 1980] Throughout my life I have usually hung out with people that are older than me and therefore I reached identity achievement at a sooner time than other people my age. I layout all my plans for the future such as where I will finish school, what my occupation will be, that I want to get married, how many kids I want, and much more; while other kids my age are only worried about the right now. Because I had all these plans for my future and knew exactly where I was headed in life did I feel that I reached the stage of identity achievement sooner than many other adolescents my age. Also throughout my adolescent years I â€Å"tested† my parents to see what I could get away with. In Kohlberg’s stages of moral development in the preconventional stage of punishment and obedience orientation it states that the teenager decides what is right or wrong on the basis of what is punished. [Crain, 1985] Every teenager wants to have more freedom, a later curfew, and for their parents to just get off their back. In wanting these things teenagers will test their parents as I did in my teen years. For example, if my mom would tell me to be home at midnight I would be a little late the first time and if I got away with that then the next time I would be even later. I would continue this until I got in trouble for being late which then in turn I knew how far I could go before being punished each time. In the text from the textbook it is suggested that the bond between a teenager and a parent fades during adolescence but will soon return. This statement is true in my experiences with my parents. When I went through the stage of wanting to be on my own and I am grown up so I can make my own decisions is when the conflicts between me and my parents began. During this time I was not as close with my parents like I had been in the past and in a way it was saddening but I was a selfish teenager and did not care. Even though I still live with my parents they treat me more as an adult now like I wanted years ago, when in fact I was not an adult then. Now that I am older and more mature realizing that I love my parents more than anything and there is a happy medium while living at home and having my own freedoms without the conflicts. Now me and my parents relationship I feel is better than ever because I have become more mature and fell into my new role or identity in life. During adolescent years your friends are the most important and there is that one who you call your best friend that knows absolutely everything about you. Throughout high school you make new friends and lose old ones but no matter what happens I feel that each and every friendship is very important in a teen’s life. It is said that with girls they prefer to hang out with other girls who obtain the same relationship status. This may be true but the main reason why friendships end is because of boys but in the adolescent years if the friendship is stable enough this will not be a factor. I can relate to this on many different occasions where boys could have been the end of a great friendship but because of the maturity of our friendship it only made it that much stronger. While in high school you tend to hand out with a certain clique or group of people. My best friend to this day was someone who shared the same interests as me in high school and as we grew and moved into early adulthood we still shared the same values in life, remaining the best of friends. Now we move on to the topic of romantic relationships. Through the adolescent years teens go through relationships that fail but in turn help them development and learn from the mistakes they make. Many romantic relationships in fact do start from heterosexual friendships as opposed to just sexual relations. Throughout my adolescent years I always dated people who had started out as friends but then the thing you had to worry about was ruining the great friendship that you had between the two of you but because of the mature person I was becoming in my teen years I realized that it didn’t always ruin the friendship just because you dated. Even though the end of each relationship may be hard it is a great part of the adolescent development of teens. In conclusion, now have I not only become familiar to but can relate to many of the concepts and theories discussed throughout the course. I have been through and am able to analyze identity crisis, identity achievement, moral reasoning, and social relationships as discussed in the paragraphs above. Now entering early adulthood I can continue to apply the theories learned in this course to my life and see just exactly how my life compares to the text and research. Erikson, E. H. (1968). Identity Youth and Crisis. New York: Norton. Enhancing the Spiritual Development of Adolescent Girls (2004) Retrieved November 26th, 2008, from: http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_m0KOC/is_5_7/ai_n6121239/pg_1? tag=art Body;col1 W. C. Crain. (1985). Theories of Development. Prentice-Hall. pp. 118-136. Marcia, J. (1980). Identity in adolescence. In J. Adelson (Ed. ), Handbook of adolescent psychology (pp. 159-187). New York: Wiley.

How To Write A Mission Statement For Your Blog

How To Write A Mission Statement For Your Blog Lost your way while blogging? Thats where mission statements come in, simple maps that keep you on track without getting you bogged down in details. Mission statements arent just for huge corporations, either. They are for anyone–even individuals–who better want to understand who they are and what they intend to do. In other words, theyre perfect for your blog. A mission statement keeps  your photography blog from turning into a political blog. Its what keeps you writing when traffic is low and you think you should quit. How To Write A Mission Statement A blog mission statement reminds you why you are blogging in the first place. It helps you, your team, and even your audience understand what you are doing. Before you start writing the actual statement, though, you need to lay a foundation first. The first two steps of that foundation are very important. 1. Ask questions. You need to ask questions to help you understand what youre doing. The answers to these questions might not every be used verbatim in your mission statement, but they help you get there. Most of us operate on default setting, it seems, and we arent very mindful of why we do what we do. Why do I blog? What questions do I answer? What questions do I ask? What kinds of things will/do I write about? Why? What kinds of things do I enjoy writing about? Why? Who cares about what I write? Who reads it? Which bloggers do I admire? Why? Will I be personal about my writing? Please note that #4 and #5 are not the same question. Some bloggers write on topics they dont necessarily enjoy. Thats fine. Its a lot of work. It can be done. It takes discipline. You might get burned out. But its completely viable. Writing about what you enjoy will certainly be easier. I answered the questions for my personal blog. Go ahead give it a try! Asking these questions of myself for my own blogs, and for the blog here at , reveals different answers, because these blogs have different missions. Go ahead. Answer the questions right now. (Well wait for you here until youre done.) Once you have your answers to those questions, well need to winnow them down to what they are really telling you. 2. Extract your mission. Take a look at the answers to those questions. You are looking for the following key themes: Your motivation for blogging. This is answered by questions 1-3. Who your blog is for. This is answered by questions 4 6. What you want to become. This is answered by question 7. For example, if youre looking to make serious income, youll have chosen bloggers who are doing that. Its easier to identify bloggers we admire rather than asking outright what do I want to be because sometimes we dont answer that question very honestly. Our secret admirations do not lie. How youll do it. This is answered by question 8. Some remove themselves from their writing, with nothing personal. Business only. The writer is not present in the content. If you answered the questions truthfully (and fully), you should have plenty to flesh out these four parts of your mission statement. What did I find out for my personal blog? Why: I write because I feel compelled to write. Who: My blog is for like-interested people who want to live a mindful, introspective life. And the occasional laugh. What: I want to offer more examples and stories from literature, faith, and the arts to show that these things have a place in everyday life. How: Continuous exposure to new ideas (reading, experiences) so I can share them by interpreting them. 3. Keep it short. One to three sentences ought to do it, when it comes to mission statements. Yes, thats correct. It should be about that short. Long mission statements are easier to ignore than read. A mission statement is not a comprehensive plan. This is not where you lay out your social media strategy, or create a detailed inbound marketing plan. It is best when it is succinct and easily remembered. Its not a multi-page guide to refer to. So, how might my mission statement look for my personal blog? The mission of my blog is to encourage a thoughtful life that leads to feelings of belonging and hope in both myself and my readers by exposure to a variety of ideas, experiences, and real-life stories. Laughter is always welcome. Yours might be completely different. It might include a specific amount of money you want your blog to bring as in come each year. It might be a specific niche that you wish to speak to, and would identify in your mission statement. A mission statement should be short and sweet. Anything extra is just distraction.4. Be specific. Not once in my mission statement did I try to leverage anything. There was no paradigm shift. There were no funnels, no permission marketing, no native advertising. No jargon. Buzz words and jargon come about in an industry because insiders understand the terms. They seem appropriate, because they seem fit. But those words are ridiculous to anyone else, and they prevent even those who understand the jargon from really thinking clearly. No ridiculous language in your mission statement. Try really, really, really, really hard to keep it out. Try to find another way of putting into as few words as possible what you want to happen with your blog. When you cant use jargon, youre forced to face the big ugly monster that youve been hesitant to put into words. Instead of saying I am going to leverage my blog for financial independence you should be more specific and say my blog will bring in $40,000 a year because thats the amount that would be necessary for you to be financially independent. A mission statement is the time to write plainly, clearly, directly. You are not trying to impress anyone. You are trying to be clear. If your blog mission statement isnt understandable by the average Joe, you did it wrong.

The Four Noble Truths and the Life of Siddhartha Gautama Essay

The Four Noble Truths and the Life of Siddhartha Gautama - Essay Example To live means to suffer. Throughout our lives, we experience suffering irrespective of we want it or not. Everything in life leads to suffering of one form or another, sometime physical and sometimes psychological. Both physical and psychological sufferings such as tiredness, sickness, pain, old age, injury, depression, frustration, disappointment, fear, sadness and finally death are inevitable. Life is not all about suffering as we do experience positive feelings such as happiness and comfort. But to believe that life is all about such positive experiences and emotions is to live in a delusion. Life is not perfect and definitely not complete. The world we live is subject to impermanence. Everything changes, and positive emotions and feelings also do change. It is not always possible to get what one wants. Therefore, suffering is an integral part of life and everybody experiences it in one form or another and to variable degrees. Life is a suffering is the first of the four noble tru ths1. This is illustrated in Buddha’s life when he goes on ride through the countryside. During his journey he saw an old man, a sick man and a corpse. This signifies the hard realities and suffering of life which no one can escape: old age, sickness and death2. Noble Truth of Origin of Suffering Being attached to things that are transient and the ignorance that they are transient is the cause of all origin. It is in this attachment and ignorance that lays the origin of suffering. Transient things are not just limited to physical objects but include everything from our ideas to concepts. Nothing is permanent and constantly changes. Attachment to these transient things and ignoring the fact that they will not remain forever is the root cause of suffering. That is, craving and clinging on transient things is what causes suffering. Desire, popularity, fame, passion, wealth, prestige, ardour, self image, etc are the various transient things that lead to suffering3. This is illust rated in Buddha’s life when he leaves the palace and goes in search of enlightenment. But his father, the king, had always believed that the palaces he had created were enough to keep his son happy and in turn keep him happy. All that he had created for his son were transient and as a result had created him a transient environment. But it all fell apart when Buddha decided to give up everything and this caused a lot of pain and suffering to the king. He was attached to his son and the things that he had created for his son4. Noble Truth of Cessation of Suffering The suffering can be stopped and the way to do it is to eliminate the cause of the suffering. That is, the suffering can stopped by eliminating the conceptual attachment and sensual craving. Therefore, the suffering can be overcome by detaching from the transient things which are the cause of suffering. It is by attaining and perfecting complete dispassion that the suffering can be completely removed from one’s life5. Buddha gave up all transient things in search of enlightenment. He left all the pleasures and attachments of the palace and decided to live as a ascetic. He also detached himself from human bonds of family (father, wife and son). He eliminated all causes of suffering from his life6. Noble Truth of the Way to the Cessation of Suffering The path to cessation of suffering is one of self-improvement. The path to self improvement is neither of the

Effect of the Economic Downturn on a Manufacturing Company Essay

Effect of the Economic Downturn on a Manufacturing Company - Essay Example The essay "Effect of the Economic Downturn on a Manufacturing Company" talks about the economic problems in a manufacturing company and analyzes the actions of the management's team. The union, the main company's problem which strongly opposed the layoff of any employee, happened to guarantee their members job security, which was the main reason that nearly all the workers had joined up. A number of alternatives were suggested by managers during a brainstorming session, the most extreme being to lay off twenty percent of the workforce permanently. The least disruptive was to retain the full complement of employees and merely schedule them on a revolving four-day work week until the crisis is over and the company can return to full production. The management eventually decided to reduce the working hours of each production worker instead of laying off employees. They felt that dismissing workers from their jobs would be too disruptive, and before they could do so they would have to meet with the union members and negotiate who should be dismissed, according to the terms of their collective bargaining agreement. They expected stiff opposition and a possible court case if they were to insist on laying off people. Unfortunately, when the decision was implemented, many of the good employees lost interest in their jobs and filed for resignation when they were offered better-paying jobs by a competitor firm. The final decision achieved the objective to reduce labor costs by twenty percent.... A joint meeting of the executive and operations management committee was called, the finance manager briefed them on the need to reduce operations expense of which the labour cost is the largest, and the managers then brainstormed on the different alternatives that they felt were viable. Bounded rationality in the decision-making process Source: University of Portsmouth, 2005 The four best alternatives were as follows: Twenty per cent of the production employees across the board shall be laid off with two week’s severance pay. The managers should identify who are to be separated. Ten per cent of production employees shall be laid off, only from those departments that may be reduced, and some shifts reduced from the regular three to only two. Some departments may not be affected at all. Convince the employees to take a uniform fifteen per cent pay cut. In this case management will also take a pay cut to make up the difference from what employees save to what finance needs to ma ke up. Scheduled leaves will be given to the amount of the cut. Declare a four-day work week for all production employees, eliminating twenty per cent of the work hours and reducing production personnel’s pay by twenty per cent. There are a number of criteria that the management team considered in making the final decision. The top criterion is to absolutely reduce labour cost in production by twenty per cent. The number is not arbitrary. The finance department reasoned that twenty per cent of the production capacity is being suspended until demand picks up. Other than this, there are many uncertainties, such as the length of the suspension of operations, whether further reductions shall be necessary, and whether the firm will still return to full operations after the crisis

Different examples of power Essay Example for Free

Different examples of power Essay What is power? What are different examples of power? How can people gain and maintain power? Power is being able to make something happen or prevent something from happening. You know if someone has power if they are leaders or if they are respected. If you’re a good influence you can also gain power because people begin to follow in your footsteps. Examples of power are political, economic, and social. Political power is an authority held by a group within society that allows for the administration of public resources and implement policies for society. The President has political power and the governor has political power. Social power is the degree of influence that an individual or organization has among their peers and within their society as a whole. Martin Luther King had social power and Malcolm X also had social power. Economic power is organization of the money, industry, and trade of a country, region, or society. Jay Z has economic power because he has money. My essay is going to be about stop and frisk and how often it is being used by police officers and how it affects the people in neighborhoods it is constantly happening in and the statistics on the frisking. In New York City police officers have a program called stop and frisk which is when a person is stopped by a cop and patted down to examine if the person is carrying a weapon or if the person is engaging in illegal activity. This type of limited search occurs when police confront a suspicious person in an effort to prevent a crime from taking place. A stop is different from an arrest. An arrest is a lengthy process in which the suspect is taken to the police station or booked and a frisk is only a temporary search. If the officer uncovers further evidence during the frisk, the stop may lead to an actual arrest, but if no further evidence is found, the person is let go. Unlike a full search, a frisk is only limited to a patting down of the outer clothing. If the officer feels something like a weapon, the officer may then reach inside the persons clothing. If no weapon is felt, the search may not go any further than the outer clothing. In 2011, New Yorkers were stopped by police 685,724 times by police officers and 88 percent of them were totally innocent. 34 percent were African Americans 34 percent where Latinos. 51 percent were though age 14 to 24, only 9 percent were Caucasian.. In the first nine months of 2012, New Yorkers were stopped by police 443,422 times. 89 percent were completely innocent. 55 percent were  black and 32 percent were Latinos, 10 percent were white. Stop and frisk causes people to be afraid of the police because when they are around they have to worry about being frisked by them. â€Å"Stop-and-Frisk abuses corrode trust between the police and communities, which makes everyone less safe. I know people that get very scared when the police come around because he had been frisked a lot of times. Police officers also sometimes use physical force when frisking people. For example, if you are getting frisked and you try to resist, the police will sometimes use physical force on you because they may feel like you’re disobeying them. Stop and frisk is a violation of the Fourth Amendment. The Fourth Amendment says â€Å"people have the right to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.† Mayor Bloomberg and police say stop and frisk has helped New York reach a low crime rate. New York has the lowest crime rate among the nation’s biggest cities, said by the FBI. People call the stop and frisk practice racial discrimination. Aggressive stop-and-frisk practices are having a profound effect on individuals, groups and communities across the city. Residents of some New York City neighborhoods describe a police presence so pervasive and hostile that they feel like they are living in a state of siege. w deeply this practice impacts individuals and they document widespread civil and human rights abuses, including illegal profiling, improper arrests, inappropriate touching, sexual harassment, humiliation and violence at the hands of police officers.

Sports History and Sports Halls of Fame :: Sports

Sports History and Sports Halls of Fame Below are websites dealing with sports history, particularly those halls of fame which exist. In the dead of winter, many people's interest turn to sports, and the nominees and inductees are announced for many halls, including professional baseball and professional football. Professional Baseball Hall of Fame http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/ This website discusses the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. The site combines baseball history and the Hall of Fame itself. The rotating exhibits at the museum are prominently featured, along with the members of the Hall. The site also discusses the rules for induction. Among the items available for the Hall of Fame members are their lifetime statistics, their biographies, pictures of their plaques, and desktop wallpaper. For those interested in analyzing the history of baseball elections, the results of the past votes are available. An online catalog of the museum's holdings is accessible here. The baseball history here is good, if sometimes not overly evaluative. The exhibits at the museum are also portrayed, and among the current exhibits are one on Ichiro Suzuki and another on Sports Illustrated. Information about visits is here as well. Basketball Hall of Fame http://www.hoophall.com/ This hall of fame (located in Springfield, Massachusetts), unlike baseball and football's hall of fames, represents all of basketball in one hall. (The other halls have separate halls for college and professional). Among the items on the site are information about the Hall of Famers, running from James Naismith, who invented basketball, to Medowlark Lemon, to Phog Allen, to Lynette Woodward. Five whole teams are also honored as members, including the Harlem Globetrotters, the New York Rens and the Buffalo Germans. Three people, Lenny Wilkens, Bill Sharman and John Wooden, are honored both as players and as coaches. The history here, outside of the hall, is generally good if not extensive and includes interesting sections on the original rules of basketball and the story of how the Hall of Fame was founded. Pro Football Hall of Fame http://www.profootballhof.com/ This hall of fame, located in Canton, Ohio, honors the game of pro football. The site includes information about visiting the hall, the history of the hall, and the hall of famers. Like most other halls, it lists the inductees, provides short biographies of them, and details the induction process. Information about this year's class is featured prominently, as the finalists were just announced. History of the NFL is provided, although it is not featured prominently.

Discuss Biological Explanations of Schizophrenia Essay

re are several different explanations for the disorder schizophrenia. One of these explanations is the biological model. This model explains schizophrenia through biological faults, for example viral infections and brain abnormalities. Genetic Factors Some psychologists say that schizophrenia can be passed down generations, meaning that some people inherit the disorder from their parents. Twin research has consistently shown that identical twins have a greater risk of developing schizophrenia, if their twin has the disorder, than non-identical twins. Gottesman found monozygotic twins have a concordance rate of 48%, whilst dizygotic twins have a concordance rate of 17%. Evaluation of Genetic Factors This research shows that there is a definite correlation between genetics and the risk of developing schizophrenia. However, no twin research has found a 100% concordance rate; therefore it is impossible the say that genes definitely cause schizophrenia, as other factors clearly have an influence. Also, some psychologists argue that the high concordance rates found could be caused by being brought up in a family with a schizophrenic, so the child mimics the schizophrenic behaviour, rather than by genetics. The Dopamine Hypothesis The dopamine hypothesis says that schizophrenia is caused by an increased reaction to dopamine in the brain. This could be because there is too much of the hormone dopamine in the brain, or conversely because there is an abnormally high number of dopamine receptors in the brain. This model says the excess sensitivity to dopamine results in the brain causes the symptoms of schizophrenia. Evaluation of the Dopamine Hypothesis Autopsies have found an unusually high number of dopamine receptors in the brain of schizophrenics (Owen et al, 1987), however, this evidence is varied and inconclusive. Grilly (2002) found that patients who suffered from Parkinson’s and took the drug L-dopa, which increases dopamine levels, showed signs of schizophrenic symptoms. This suggests the increase in dopamine could result in schizophrenia. Problems with this explanation There are problems of the dopamine hypothesis. One is that antipsychotic drugs, which block dopamine receptor don’t always help patients. This suggests something else must cause schizophrenia as well; otherwise the drugs would help all the patients. Brain dysfunction Using brain imaging techniques, such as P.E.T scans, researchers have found many schizophrenics have enlarged ventricles, on average 15% larger than normal. Some psychologists believe that the increase in the size of these ventricles is what leads to the schizophrenic symptoms. Evaluation The brain imaging scans support this explanation in itself, it’s clear that a lot of schizophrenics have different brain structures to normal people, so there must be some correlation between the two. Research by Meyer-Lindenberg (2002) found that reduced activity of the prefrontal cortex is linked to dopamine abnormalities. This could provide an explanation of why brain dysfunction could cause schizophrenia, not show a correlation. Viral Infection Some researchers suggest that brain abnormalities that lead to schizophrenia could be caused by viral infection. For example, contracting diseases such as Flu or Syphilis in the womb may relate to developing schizophrenia in later life Evaluation of Viral Theory Torrey (2000) found that more schizophrenics are born in the winter, when it is cold and exposure to viruses is higher, than in other months. Although this link is only correlational it suggests viruses do affect the chance of developing schizophrenia

Humanism in Renaissance Art

The Renaissance, occurring between the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries, was a period of great rebirth. Humanism, an important part of the Renaissance, brought about more color, perspective, and realism within the artistic community. A few aspects of humanism include individualism and Greece-Roman influences. Humanist ideals manifested themselves in works of Renaissance art such as Michelangelo Sistine Chapel and his David sculpture, as well as Repeal's School of Athens. Individualism emerged in the works of Michelangelo along with numerous other Italian artists of the time.In Michelangelo Sistine Chapel painting, each of the over one hundred people depicted has its own distinct facial features. Prior to the Renaissance, artists would replicate the same prosaic face onto all of the people in a large group. However, Michelangelo preferred to distinguish every individual figure present. He also ventured so far as to include a depiction of God in the form of he paintings benefactor, Pope Julius II. The characteristics of individualism repeatedly appear in the works of Italian Renaissance artists. The prevalence of humanist ideals is also present through the inclusion of Greek and Roman themes.The statue of David by Michelangelo was a sculpture created between 1501 and 1504 featuring a nude male representing the biblical hero David. Davit's contrasts pose is the Renaissance interpretation of the common Greek theme of a casually standing heroic figure. Another ancient Greece-Roman theme represented in the statue is the idea of a biblical hero depicted as a supreme athletic embodiment. Additionally, Repeal's School of Athens, painted between 1 509 and 1 510, conveys classical Greek and Roman ideals. Aristotle and Plato, well known Greek philosophers, serve as the central focus of the scene.Furthermore, the building portrayed in the painting has the rounded appearance and incorporation of columns used commonly in Romanesque architecture. Also, there are two statue s visible in the background of the painting: one is of the Greek god Apollo, the god of light and cheery, and the second is of the Roman goddess Minerva, the goddess of wisdom. A myriad of Italian artists were influenced by the humanist ideals of the great thinkers. The likes of Michelangelo and Raphael used these principles of the great Renaissance humanists to advance their artwork. Humanism in Renaissance Art By illegible

Reflections on Federal Environmental Policy essay

Reflections on Federal Environmental Policy essay Reflections on Federal Environmental Policy essay Reflections on Federal Environmental Policy essayThe current major environmental issues include pollution (water, air and land pollution), overpopulation, water scarcity, land degradation, nuclear waste contamination, global climate change, and depletion of resources, and other issues. Most environmental issues require adequate solutions in the form of environmental protection. I think that related policies are effective, although much should be done to strengthen current policies. For example, waste management policy is regulated at the federal level, while municipal solid waste remains the issue of local policy. Current environmental policies tend to solve various environmental problems, which incorporate a set of interconnected issues that influence the sustainability of our planet.   There are many changes in the environmental policies that affect my personality and personalities of other people. Today people understand the dimensions of existing environmental problems and find the proper solutions to address these problems through the use of new technologies. As a result, particular environmental issues can be deconstructed. People understand the major causes and effects of current environmental issues. I have changed my attitudes toward environmental concerns. I use new technologies to save environment, e.g. energy saving, water saving, etc. My thoughts about environmental policies prior to reading this week’s reading assignment were improper. My perspective has been reinforced now that I am more informed.   I have learned much new information during this course. Now I have an opportunity to relate this, what I have learned this week to my own experiences. For example, I can define environmental protection as an important policy area that has direct relation to human health. I understand social, economic and political impact of current environmental policies.   Undoubtedly, one of the most complex and influential environmental problems is glo bal climate change. To address non-human induced climate change, it is necessary to find solutions to the problem of pollution, especially in large cities, because air pollution has global impact on the environment.

A Guide to Saying Aunt in Chinese

A Guide to Saying Aunt in Chinese There are many terms for aunt in Chinese depending on whether the aunt is on the mothers side, fathers side, the eldest aunt, or the youngest aunt. Also, each region in China has its own way of saying aunt. Across the board, the most common term for aunt in Chinese is  Ã©Ëœ ¿Ã¥ § ¨ (Ä  yà ­). Pronunciation   The Chinese term for aunt or auntie is composed of two characters: é˜ ¿Ã¥ § ¨. The pinyin for the first character é˜ ¿ is Ä . Thus, é˜ ¿ is pronounced in the 1st tone. The pinyin for the second character Ã¥ § ¨ is yà ­. That means Ã¥ § ¨ is pronounced in the 2nd tone. In terms of  tones,  Ã©Ëœ ¿Ã¥ § ¨ can also be referred to as a1 yi2. Term Use é˜ ¿Ã¥ § ¨ (Ä  yà ­) is a general term that can be used to refer to  a family member, but it can also refer to people outside of the family. While it is considered polite to formally address female acquaintances as Miss or Mrs. in America, Chinese culture errs on the more familiar side. When addressing friends of parents, parents of friends, or elder females acquaintances in general, it is common to call them é˜ ¿Ã¥ § ¨ (Ä  yà ­).  In that way, this term is akin in auntie in English. Different Family Members As mentioned earlier, there are many ways to say aunt in Chinese depending on many factors. Here is a short breakdown of different terms for aunt in Mandarin Chinese. Ã¥ §â€˜Ã¥ §â€˜ (gÃ… «gu):  fathers sisterÃ¥ © ¶Ã¥ © ¶ (shÄ›nshen):  fathers brothers wifeÃ¥ § ¨Ã¥ ª ½ (traditional) /  Ã¥ § ¨Ã¥ ¦Ë† (simplified) (yà ­mÄ ):  mothers sister舅å ª ½ (traditional) /  Ã¨Ë†â€¦Ã¥ ¦Ë† (simplified) (jià ¹mÄ ):  mothers brothers wife Sentence Examples Using  Ã„€yà ­ Ä€yà ­ li le!é˜ ¿Ã¥ § ¨Ã¤ ¾â€ Ã¤ ºâ€ ! (traditional Chinese)é˜ ¿Ã¥ § ¨Ã¦  ¥Ã¤ ºâ€ ! (simplified Chinese)Auntie is here! TÄ  shà ¬ bà ¹shà ¬ nÇ  de Ä yà ­?Ã¥ ¥ ¹Ã¦Ëœ ¯Ã¤ ¸ Ã¦Ëœ ¯Ã¤ ½  Ã§Å¡â€žÃ©Ëœ ¿Ã¥ § ¨(both traditional and simplified Chinese)Is she your aunt? Ä€yà ­ hÇŽo!é˜ ¿Ã¥ § ¨Ã¥ ¥ ½! (both traditional and simplified Chinese)Hi, Auntie!

Personal Leadership experience PowerPoint Presentation

Personal Leadership experience - PowerPoint Presentation Example These two areas needed funds to carry the commendable work and I personally believed that students could really do great job as fundraisers. The day I became the junior class president, I realized that if a person really wants to do something, he has the ability to do it through hard work and will power. It’s the strength of will power that can change the things for you. Indeed, as Vince Lombardi says, ‘contrary to the opinion of many people, leaders are not born. Leaders are made, and they are made by effort and hard work’. I can also cultivate exemplary leadership qualities through perseverance and commitment towards public service. I knew now that my dreams to become a senator would one day be realized! Junior class Presidency gave me opportunity to understand the problems of the fellow students and resolve their problems through innovative approach which not only earned me their confidence but they were also inspired to work towards the causes that were dear to my heart; community work and fundraising for autism and cancer. While the experience expanded my horizon of knowledge of human relationship, it also made me more aware of the wider implications of the responsibilities of a leader. Another thing that I realized was that I actually wanted to do work so that I can serve as an example for others and inspire them to emulate me in working towards the welfare of the people. My deep desire to wish my classmates in the graduation ceremony motivated me stand for senior class presidency which I won with thumping majority. This has inspired me to create visions and future goals that would facilitate easy communication and class reunions. I realize now that each of us has a ‘small leader’ within ourselves and each of us can make a significant difference to the society at large if we really wish to do. My sincere efforts were rewarded

Relationship of US with China during Cold War Research Paper

Relationship of US with China during Cold War - Research Paper Example However, there were regional wars and civil wars in some parts of the world including China, Vietnam, Korea and even Afghanistan (Sinha 8-11). The entire Cold War period was therefore plainly dominated by international affairs. The history of US relations with China can be traced back to the time during the Second World War and after the Second World War. During the Second World War, the U.S government helped China win a war against Japan in 1937 when Japan first invaded the Chinese territories bordering the coast. This was the beginning of a relationship between the two states. Japan invasions on China did not stop even after the war of 1937; Japan still continued to attack the Chinese territories along the Coast. The American president at the time-Roosevelt further pitied China and what its citizens were being subjected to by the Japanese and decide to offer more military aid (Jonathan 412). Something that really annoyed the Japanese and provoked them to launch an attack first on a British vessel ferrying American citizens and later on Pearl Harbor- United Sates Territory of Hawaii on December 7th 1941. This forced America to retaliate with full force and signified the entry of America in the Second Worl d War. Despite the financial support and military aid to China during and after the World War Two, the Chinese leader of the time-Chiang never liked the Americans. In fact he remained quite suspicious of their motives and interests in his country (Jonathan 413). At this time, even though the Chinese leaders had allowed Americans in China, the two nations differed significantly on ideological grounds. With American continued spread of democracy in different parts Asia, China advocated for nationalism, Chiang himself openly claimed that the ideology of democracy was practically impossible in China and went on to even introduce a ban on democracy in China (Jonathan 415). In a different

Global Paper and Paper Products Industry Porter's Six Forces Analysis Research

Global and Products Industry Porter's Six Forces Analysis - Research Paper Example Porter’s six forces analysis of the global paper industry would involve certain factors such as threat of new entrants, rivalry among existing firms, threat of substitute products or services, bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers and relative power of other stakeholders. The explanations of the factors are given below: Threat of New Entrants Economies of scale The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the global paper industry has increased simultaneously with the growing usage of the paper by its consumers. In certain cases, the usage of papers remains intact where the GDP growth is witnessed to be almost stagnant. The global paper industry produces paper products of $750 billion each year comprising small enterprises globally (Scheihing, 2005). Product Differentiation Product differentiation is one of the most challenging measures of expanding or intensifying a business or industry. With the intense use of internet, the usage of paper is however decreasing day by day and as a result the global paper industry is trying to diversify or differentiate their products and trying to expand their product lines, especially based on the quality aspect (Scheihing, 2005). Capital Requirement A new entrant to the paper industry initially requires around $4.5 Million capital which may be recognized as a demanding level to position themselves in the industry (Scheihing, 2005). Switching Cost The switching cost for the paper industry is low. Therefore, the scope of new entrants is high, as new entrants can any time switch over to another industry if they do not feel competitive in the paper industry incurring minimum cost (Uronen, 2010). ... Capital Requirement A new entrant to the paper industry initially requires around $4.5 Million capital which may be recognized as a demanding level to position themselves in the industry (Scheihing, 2005). Switching Cost The switching cost for the paper industry is low. Therefore, the scope of new entrants is high, as new entrants can any time switch over to another industry if they do not feel competitive in the paper industry incurring minimum cost (Uronen, 2010). Accesses to Distribution Channels The distribution channel of the paper industry comprises of various, dealers, shareholders, retailors, and consumers to serve the ultimate customers in the corporate and educational sectors. Notably, these better facilities to an industry encourage the new entrants to enter the existing market (Uronen, 2010). Cost Disadvantages Independent of Size Due to the high installation cost, and high maintenance cost, the probability of new entrants reduces. However, due to the independence of dete rmining the size of the firms the scope of new entrants rises depicting a moderate level of threat to new entrants (Uronen, 2010). Government In relation to the global paper industry, the government has implemented certain rules and norms, laws, and regulations. In addition, there are many associations who are protesting against paper industry due to the usage of forest products and deforestations (Uronen, 2010). Rivalry among Existing Firms Number of Competitors There are too many paper mills or companies existing within the global paper industry, but the top five existing competitors are Paper Associates PTY.LTD, International Paper Company, Kimberly-Clark de Mexico, Georgia-Pacific LLC and Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget SCA among others (SKC, 2012). Rate of Industry Growth

Self Reflection Analysis In The Social Work Sector Social Work Essay

Self Reflection Analysis In The Social Work Sector Social Work Essay Social work practice can be seen as a very complex process as it seeks to promote social change, social justice, equality, anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practices and also social inclusion. It is therefore significant that as social workers, we reflect and evaluate our practice in order that the values we stand for are promoted and adhered to. Reflective practice is therefore a way of making social work professionals more accountable through an ongoing scrutiny of the principles upon which the profession is based (Fook, 2002). However, Ixer (1999) criticizes that reflective practice has simply become uncritical and orthodox mainly because it can be applied in many ways and across many professions. None the less, Donald Schà ¶n (1983) a key theorist of reflective practice, saw reflective practice as a way forward for professionals to bridge the gap between the theoretical and practical aspect of their work by unearthing the actual theory which is embedded in what they do, r ather than what they say they do. He made it clear that by being reflect practitioner, one is aware of the theories or assumptions underlining your practice and what actions to take in improving your practice or providing better services for the service user. To me reflective practice is therefore like a looking glass or mirror where you as a practitioner have the opportunity to correct or redirect your course of action. For the purpose of this assignment, I am going to use a case study from my previous practice placement to illustrate my reflection and evaluation of my own practice, how the use of self, my beliefs and values might have influenced my actions, how I have developed new meaning and understanding through peer supervision/feedback and the unit lectures and how theories underpinning reflective practice may help in improving my practice as a social worker. Case study I e-mailed the learning mentor at N. Middle School concerning a boy named J (for confidentiality purposes). A 12-year old, of White- British background, who was referred to my previous placement agency for having behavioural problems (such as fighting with his peers, being disruptive during lessons, disrespecting his teacher and general misconduct) at school. J from an early age of about 6 had witnessed Domestic Violence in his family. My concern was that J had revealed very confidential information to me regarding his mum and her ex-boyfriend (his mums ex-boyfriend was violent toward his mum and he witness it as well). J was worried that this might happen again since his mums ex-boyfriend was back into his mums life and sleeps over sometimes at the family home. I informed the school about this revelation since it was a school referral and also because J had mentioned that any time his mums ex sleeps over it affects him and his behaviour at school becomes disruptive due to the worrie s he has. When I passed this information to the school authorities, the school also informed Js mum about it which I felt was not appropriate due to the fact that Js mum had been very wary as to what information or issues J would reveal to professionals. In my email I also pointed out the fact that the trust and confidence J had towards me could be undermined since his mum got informed about this although it was suppose to be confidential among professionals. Reflection and Evaluation of my practice In this case study, I felt that the school authorities should have acted more professionally. They should have contacted me first before informing Js mum but this was not the case. I only got to know that they had informed Js mum when she asked me questions or tried to clarify the issues that J had revealed to me. Although, this situation didnt mar my professional relationship with the school authorities at the time, it has made me wary of how much information I can share with other professionals and how that particular information should be treated (if very confidential). I felt that I had eroded the trust and confidence between J and I because his mum got to know about what J had revealed to me although he did not want her knowing. Order to maintain the trust and confidence we had, I should have sought Js consent first. Also the school should have contacted me first before informing Js mum so that my trust and confidence in the school could be maintained as well. I also felt that this broken trust and confidence might extend to other professions who might be working with J in future. This experience could therefore distance J from other professionals (including myself). He might view all professionals as untrustworthy and as enemies rather helpers. This therefore meant that I did uphold public trust and confidence in social care services as enshrined in the code of practice for social workers (TOPPS, 2004) I felt that J was very opened and honest to me. He had trust and confidence in me as well. I listened to him as a friend in a professional capacity which I feel he needed. However, I felt I let him down in this situation because he was not made aware that his mum would be informed (issue of consent). This issue of confidentiality posed as a big ethical dilemma for me, in that I questioned myself whether it was right for the school to have informed Js mum about his revelation? Have I broken Js trust and confidence by informing the school about this? And am I right to question the school authorities why they shared the information with Js mum even though the referral was made by the school. These were ethical dilemmas I was faced with before emailing the Learning mentor. I was therefore aware of these ethical dilemmas and conflict of interest and the implication to my practice (social work value A). However, not sharing the information could also mean that I would be held responsible for my actions if something went wrong. Furthermore, I felt this could have been an issue of potential discrimination, in that the school had overlooked the effect on J, and also the relationship between mother and son, this could have potentially estranged Js relationship with his mum, the school and even me. If this happened, he would be reluctant in dealing with professionals and this may pose as a barrier to him accessing the needed support he may require. Theories used in case study In this case study, the gathering and use of information was the main focus. Establishing service user confidentiality is as important as providing the need/service for him/her. However, though the issue of confidentiality is usually negotiated and established during the agreement meeting with the service user, there are lots of ethical dilemmas surrounding this (as to whom you can share the information with and how much of that information can be shared. Seden (2005) mentioned clearly that in working with Children services it is particularly difficult to have total confidentiality because a child may reveal something or an issue in confidence which may be a child protection issue. And as a professional you would have to share this information with others so that prompt action can be taken. It highlights the fact that in child protection issues, safeguarding and promoting the childs welfare is paramount (Children Act 1989) rather than confidentiality. Yet the Data protection Act 1998 and my previous placement agencys policy on confidentiality also informed me of my practice. In accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, it entreats all agencies that have access to peoples personal information to keep it safe and must only use the information solely for the purpose for which the information was sought. It also means that if personal information about people fall into the wrong hands it can be used maliciously and our right to private and family life (Human Rights Act 1998) could be contravened. Personal data can further be use to enforce discriminatory and oppressive practice by using it to categorise people in terms of service delivery. Another important theory in this case study was multi-disciplinary and multi-agency working. The Working together document (DOH, 2006) highlights the importance of multidisciplinary and inter agency working in children work force. This document was put together by Department Of Health, Department for Education and Employment and the Home Office. It serves as a guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children as well. In my first placement setting, it was good practice to liaise with the lead professional/organisation that carried out the assessment and referred the case to my agency. All relevant information and process of the intervention were shared with the other agencies involved. In this way I was working according to my agency policy of liaising with other agencies, following the legal requirement of the working together document and meeting unit 17 of the National Occupational Standards (TOPPS 2004). In doing so I was able to communicate effective ly with other professionals and this also facilitated information sharing between professionals. Theories of Reflection Using the case study as a reference point, I realised that most of the reflection I did took place after the event. This is what Schà ¶n (1998) referred to as reflection-on-action. According to Schà ¶n (1998), reflection-on-action therefore means that as a professional, I only sit back after I have undertaken the intervention to think about what I did, how I did and whether there were any ethical considerations I took for granted. In doing so I am able to analyse and critical evaluate my actions and practice and improve on my shortcoming. For example, in the case study scenario, I realised that the trust and confidence J had in me was eroded once his mum was informed about his revelation to me. Had I reflected before the event or during my meeting with J (reflection-in-action), I would have made him aware that his mum would hear about it and hence J and I could have come to an amicable agreement as to how to inform his mum. This might have provided a more positive outcome rather th an the presented outcome in the case study. This same model of reflection-on-action can be related to Gibbs model of reflection. In Gibbs (1988) model, he identified six key stages of reflection; Stage 1: Description of the event A detailed description of the event you are reflecting on. Stage 2: Feelings and Thoughts (Self awareness) Recalling and exploring those things that were going on inside your head. Stage 3: Evaluation- making a judgment about what has happened. Consider what was good about the experience and what was bad about the experience or what did or didnt go so well Stage 4: Analysis- Breaking the event down into its component parts so they can be explored separately. Stage 5: Conclusion (Synthesis) -Here you have explored the issue from different angles and have a lot of information to base your judgement. It is here that you are likely to develop insight into you own and other peoples behaviour in terms of how they contributed to the outcome of the event. The purpose of reflection at this stage is to learn from the experience. Stage 6: Action Plan-During this stage you should think forward into encountering the event again and to plan what you would do would you act differently or would you likely to do the same? These six stages of Gibbs model serve as aiding tools to help professionals critically reflect on their experiences. For instance, through detail description in my case study I am able reflect on my feelings and thoughts towards the school authorities and how my actions may have affected the welfare of J. I have also been able to identify that I did not promote the social work code of practice (upholding public trust and confidence in social services). When faced with a similar situation like this in future or in practice, I believe I would think critically and reflect critically before passing information to other professionals with the view that the information will be used solely for the intended purpose. However, another reflective model is that developed by David Kolb (1984) on experiential learning. Kolb (1984) created his famous model out of four elements: concrete experience, observation and reflection, the formation of abstract concepts and testing in new situations. These entire four elements are connected in a circular way. Kolb (1984) argued that the experiential learning cycle can begin at any one of the four points and that it should really be consider as a continuous and unending process. Meaning, the learning process often begins with a person carrying out a particular action and then seeing the effect of the action in the given event or intervention. Following this, the second stage is reached in which the professional/learner understands these effects in the event or intervention so that if the same action was taken in the same circumstances it would be possible to anticipate what would follow from the action. With this understanding, the third stage is to understand th e general principle under which the particular instance happens. Generalising may involve actions over a range of situations/events for the professional or learner to gain experience beyond the particular instance and suggest the general principle. Understanding the general principle does not imply, in this sequence, an ability to express the principle in a symbolic medium but rather implies only the ability to see a connection between the actions and effects over a range of circumstances. When the general principle is understood, the last stage is the application through action in a new circumstance within the range of generalisations. Thus the action is taking place in a different set of circumstances and the learner is now able to anticipate the possible effects of the action. Two aspects can be seen as especially noteworthy: the use of concrete, here-and-now experience to test ideas; and use of feedback to change practices and theories (Kolb 1984: 21-22). Relating Kolb model to my case study, I felt that by emailing my concerns to the school mentor about how the information was treated seemed a more professional way of dealing with the issue. As the school authorities later apologised to me about their actions. I do believe that if I am faced with a similar situation with other professionals I would elegantly challenge their actions in a similar manner as I have done before and if it works I might generalise that this approach works well. This would therefore give me new meaning and a new perspective as to how to work with other professional collaborative in achieving the desired outcomes for service users. Feedback from my peers. During the learning sets meetings, I presented his case study to my peers and one the learning points from them was that I had assumed that the school authorities would not inform Js mum about the revelation and because of that I hadnt insisted on them keeping the information as confidential as possible until such a time when consent had been sought from J. I in my view this is what Brookfield (1988) called assumption analysis in critical reflection. To him, Assumption analysis describes the activity adults engage in to bring to awareness beliefs, values, cultural practices, and social structures regulating behaviour and to assess their impact on our dad to day activities. Assumptions may therefore be paradigmatic, prescriptive, or causal (Brookfield 1995). He stresses that assumptions structure our way of seeing reality, govern our behavior, and describe how relationships should be ordered. Assumption analysis as a first step in the critical reflection process makes explicit our tak enà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœforà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœgranted notions of reality. Members of the learning set also raised my awareness to the fact that the underlying assumption I had about the case could possibly being derived from my own beliefs, value base, cultural and social background, agency policies, my gender and race. Brookfield (1995) highlighted this by noting that a contextual awareness is achieved when adult learners come to realise that their assumptions are socially and personally created in a specific historical and cultural context. I should therefore have been self aware of the influences my personal, cultural and social (Thompson, 2006) may have had in the given case study. Also, the learning sets helped me to unearthing or understand more about the power imbalances that exist between service users and professionals. One of my group members made it clear that possibly the school authorities acted the way they did because they had the power to do so and as a way of proving to his mum that the boys problem was generated from home rather at school because the mum blames the school authorities constantly for her sons behaviour. According to Mandell (2008), power affects the experience and behaviour of both the practitioner and service user and so the practitioner needs to ask, or be asked, where does power lie in his/her relationship, how does it operate and who is defining the character and direction of whats taking place. Therefore, to be a critical reflective practitioner I need to acknowledge the power imbalances in my practice before making decisions or embarking on a course of action. Its also important for me to consider all the angles and checks out all the details before taking the plunge (Payne, 2002, p124) so that a more opened, honest, fair, just, anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice can be achieved in my service delivery. The case study analysis with my peers provided me yet with another very important learning point. Thus, in sharing the information with the school authorities, I was focusing more on the theory (the Every Child Matters and working together agenda) for off the peg solution (Thompson, 2005, p146) or what Schà ¶n (1998) calls technical rationality, the belief that well developed theory can provide solutions for professionals. Rather, I should have used both my theoretical background and past experiences to help inform me of my practice. This would have had a more balancing effect or less impact on J. With this now, I am confident that my decisions and actions in future placements would be drawn from my theoretical or formal knowledge and that of my past experiences or informal knowledge. Conclusion Summing up, I feel that this unit has provided me with greater insight about how my actions or decisions are influenced by my belief system, culture, values, gender, religion, assumptions, political and social orientation. It have also learnt that drawing from the views of others, I would be able to see the issue or problem from a different perspective and this might help me develop a new meaning of the event. Mezirow (2000) called the process of developing this new meaning of the event as perspective transformation. I now also understand that as a social worker, t would have draw on knowledge from all sources (theoretical and non-theoretical) in order to address the messy complexities of real-life situations and to consider each individual situation or event unique (Yelloly Henkel, 1995). Therefore, the way forward for me as a social worker is to critical reflect on the use of self, the awareness of power imbalances (deconstruction) and the development of new meaning/ perspective( re-construction) illustrated by Howe (2008).

The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity Essay -- essay

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Christianity is becoming extinct. In order for it to continue on it must modernize its beliefs. The average Christian is white, middle class and is from Europe or America. The religion of Islam is expanding quickly and will soon dominate Christianity. These are all common claims made about Christianity that many people believe, yet Philip Jenkins claims and proves them untrue in his book, The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity. According to his book, Christianity is moving out of the global north and into the global south. In fact, Christianity is growing rapidly in countries such as Africa, Asia, and Latin America. He also writes about how Africa and Brazil will, within the next fifty years, replace Europe as the center of Christianity. Both of these countries have been heavily missionized within that past hundred years, and the number of Christians in each has raised millions. The expansion growth in these countries is due primarily to their high reproduction rates and their hunger for the Christian beliefs that the missionaries brought with them. Jenkins says in this book that the missionaries faced no problems trying to explain about a higher deity or other â€Å"bafflingly alien world views† to the Africans, because it followed closely with many of their own tribal beliefs. Many of the tribes worshiped one higher power already and also found that many of the Christian beliefs fell in sync with t heir own heritage and customs. They did though, encounter one problem: the beliefs fell so in sync with their tribal traditions, that eventually the African culture started to incorporate their customs such as exorcism, dream visions, prophesy, healing, and mysticism into their Christian churches, creating an entire sub group of Christianity. These sub groups are closely related to the more Pentecostal churches, but are far from the ritualistic practices of the Anglicans and Catholics that primarily missionized them. Pentecostal churches, because of the resurgence in countries such as Africa and Brazil will soon be the dominant Christian sects. They strongly emphasize views about personal relationships with God, biblical literism, speaking in tongues, visions and prophesy just as the African churches do. The Pentecostal church tends to mainly attract the poor or lower class of society, which also happens to be what Bra... ...nto the thought that religious wars may occur, be he completely left out the ideas that the Islamic nation, being known for terrorism and other such acts of violence, could potentially eliminate Christianity from any form of mainstream. This is a serious topic to think about considering what they have done to other religions, and to Christian sects residing in the Middle East. I think Jenkins should have presented this as more of an issue and an actual threat then claiming that it might cause slight conflict. The book unquestionably had some strengths and some weaknesses. I believe the information that Jenkins provided was extremely well established and proven. This is exactly the type of information that people need to know, because the truth is being denied. I think for the book to be effective, it needs to be laid out better. I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone besides a theological scholar due to the manner that it flows, even though it has very good reviews and is on best seller lists for Christian books. I commend Jenkins for going against the flow and writing against the average beliefs, but admonish him for writing the information in such an incomprehensible manner.

Legalization

There are several problems in our society, most of which concerns illegal transactions and prohibited actions. What consist the community’s primary legal problems are drugs, same-sex marriages, abortion and those issues which questions or consists of scientific progress such as issues about cloning, stem-cell research and in-vitro fertilization. However, there were several controversies regarding this matter, as to whether the community â€Å"illicit problems† are really illegal or not. In able for us to distinguish whether something is meant to be legalized or whether an action should be prohibited, a closer look about legalization is a bit crucial. Legalization is actually a process in which something is removed from being a crime. It will then be an act that is permissible and not to be considered as an offense anymore. Those crimes that are to be legalized are controversial crimes, since it doesn’t really have a victim or it does not endanger anyone aside from the person him/herself. The focus of this paper would be the legalization of a drug popularly known as marijuana or scientifically called as cannabis. According to http://www.legalizationofmarijuana.com/, an online site whose aim is to present arguments in favor and against the use of marijuana in able to inform the citizens, reports that nearly about 5.9 million Americans are arrested due to simply the use and possession of marijuana. Moreover they state that on the year 2000, about 88% of the total number of the arrested marijuana related violations are charge with possession while the remaining 12% includes violations for â€Å"sale/manufacture† of the plant itself. They insist that, the number of the people arrested from marijuana outnumbered those who are arrested from robbery, murder, rape and assault which are more violent crimes. Most of the supporters of the law to ban the use of marijuana are under the consideration that marijuana is a stepping stone drug, which it may further lead to addiction and may promote the use of harder kinds of drugs. Others are concerned about its immediate effects which results to short-term memory loss and accidents. Conservatives believe that legalization of marijuana would actually make it accessible to many people and might also be used by children, since regulation of the drug is hard. Those who are against the law believe on the proposition that were actually against or in opposition of the stand of the supporters. For one, there are medical studies that were made that actually prove that with moderation, smoking marijuana is far safer than drinking alcohol and smoking cigarette. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that the annual Americans deaths caused by marijuana or hashish are zero compare to some 100,000 to 400, 000 caused by tobacco and alcohol users respectively; those who have died due to the use of other drugs counts 10,000 to 20, 000, approximately, obviously higher than the use of marijuana. (legalizationofmarijuana.com) They also argued that it would help the government especially the police force to focus themselves to more violent crimes that would require more attention. The legalization of marijuana would also be a threat to most of the drug dealers because if it would be readily be affordable and accessible for the public, then it would be sold in lower price, crippling their financial gains. Aside from all this, marijuana doesn’t impair the immune system; it does not kill brain cells unlike using tobacco, cigarettes and alcohol.   Actually there had never been any records that would relate marijuana and death. (Messerli, 2006) Drinking alcohol has resulted to so many accidents, had it been ban for being so? No. It is he same with smoking tobacco which have taken so many lives and who have also been caused of diseases and deaths of even those people who are not using or smoking it. How come that these two were not being banned in the same sense as marijuana are being so? I think this is more of a business related event rather than something political. If one would look more closely, it is obvious that marijuana is something that is far safer than alcohol and tobacco, but the government acts against marijuana under the assumption that it is an opiate drug and most of opiate drugs are dangerous, thus marijuana is also dangerous. Obviously this assumption is false, and actually if the government is really that concerned about the citizens they might as well as prohibit drinking alcohol and smoking tobacco. Doing so would probably make the use of this substance expensive, less people would want to use it or even try it. There would be fewer deaths related to these substances, fewer accidents and people would be able to spend their incomes and resources for more useful things. Generally, it would make more people happy, it would result to a more peaceful community, and problems would be faced in a more rational way. If these substances would not be prohibited, then what is the reason for prohibiting marijuana? Marijuana are said to have so many beneficial effects and has no proven bad effects. It cannot even cause death. Legalizing the use of it would be very beneficial for the implementation of more laws and would save the government time, effort and resources. Indeed marijuana can caused changes in the cognition of a man, including some short term memory lost; however, it would only last for just a few minutes or an hour or two, in heavy doses. As to any type of smoking, smoking marijuana would probably results to acute bronchitis and other pulmonary problems. However as what the findings of Janet E. Joy and her colleagues at the Institute of Medicine, these health problems would only persist upon long-term use of marijuana in heavy doses. Also, chewing marijuana could actually heal some of the complications that arouse from it. Thus, marijuana should really be legalized. It would be more beneficial for the government, it would pose less health risk and it can lead to greater innovations and research regarding the issues that concerns it. Also, it is legal in other countries, most notably in Jamaica, why should it not be legalized in our country? It is important that legislators would address the actual concerns of the citizens and look at the rationale behind their decisions, not some illogical assumptions. Works Cited: Joy, J. E.   Benson, J. A.   Watson, S. J.   (1999). Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base. National Academy Press. Legalizationofmarijuana.com. (2007). US Policy on Marijuana. Retrieved on August 16, 2007. Retrieved from the World Wide Web: http://www.legalizationofmarijuana.com/index.html Messerli,   Joe (2006) Should Marijuana be Legalized under any Circumstances? Retrieved on August 16, 2007. Retrieved from the World Wide Web: http://www.balancedpolitics.org/marijuana_legalization.htm   

Orthodox Christianity Essay

For centuries, the two major Christian sects of Orthodox Christianity and Roman Catholicism have been a center of comparison because of the resemblance in both religions’ beliefs and practices. But in my recent visit to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Miami, I have discovered the stark contrasts to what popular notions hold. Particularly, what befell upon me was a revelation that Orthodox Catholicism differs from Roman Catholicism and other conventional Christian churches as far as relevant doctrines, laws, standards for morality, organizational leadership, church services, and religious ceremonies are concerned. While Orthodox Christianity is generally being compared as similar to Roman Catholicism, its basic and complex theologies both concur to and diverge from that of the Roman Catholic faith. Orthodox Christians generally regard their religious system as a direct continuance of Christ’s ministry; they believe that their very sect is part of a long continuing tradition, otherwise called the Holy Tradition, which started during the first century and remained pure and intact despite the drastic changes that occurred across the world over the centuries (Ware 7-8). Orthodox Christian belief likewise holds that the Bible is the life giving tome of the church because it contains and uncovers the will of God, reveals the relationship between God and the early Israelites, narrates the events that happened during the ministry of Jesus, as well as Christ’s foundation of the first church (Ware 194-196). Apart from the sacred readable contents of the Bible, Christian Orthodoxy also considers it as the sole living witness to the centuries old tradition the sect continues to practice. And with blessing from the early church leaders with guidance from the Holy Spirit, the books of the Bible were expressed as the apostles’ way of handing down the tradition from one generation to another. Christian Orthodoxy merits the Nicene Creed with the highest of regard and considers it as a basis of its beliefs (Ware 202). As such, in its belief in the nature of God, Orthodox Christianity employs a Trinitarian concept or one God with three different personas: The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. The Orthodox doctrine furthers that God is an omnipotent being that constitutes no physical form, and is therefore a transcendent being (Ware 210-211). A Distinct Orthodox Catholic belief is in the concept that man is an image and likeness of God. This belief is stressed in extreme senses that Orthodox Christianity’s adherents consider humankind’s resemblance to God as a means of carrying the icon of God within the self (Benz 18). Because of the central idea that man is the image and likeness of God, Orthodox Catholicism’s notion of the original sin differs from most Christian traditions in such a way that the sin committed by Adam and Eve is not morally and spiritually inherited by humans. Instead, original sin is the separation from God’s grace and acquisition of physical and spiritual mortality (Benz 19). And humankind’s separation from God is an action out of free will, particularly when Adam and Eve chose to listen to the serpent’s word and their give in to their urge. Furthermore, Christian Orthodox belief suggests that the fall of man stained all of God’s creation with sin, and corruption while implying that Adam and Eve’s eviction from paradise is God’s way of avoiding man’s sin, wickedness, and corruption from lasting endlessly (Ware 218-219). The Orthodox Christians’ general concept of sin and corruption meanwhile is milder than any other Christian sect or any other religious system for that matter. Sin, as Orthodox Christian doctrine holds, encompasses a contamination, deformation, and infliction of damage on God’s image. However despite sin’s vile nature and humanity’s vulnerability to it, man remains as noble beings because of the simple fact that humans are created in the image of God (Benz 19). As much as the beliefs and practices have renewed my perspective of Orthodox Catholicism, the church service I became part of was a very overwhelming experience. I thought my religion was already rich in traditions and customs, but what I saw and experienced in the ceremony brought my knowledge of Orthodox Christianity to new heights as I have seen and distinguished the difference of the ceremony from conventional Christian sects. Before going to the church, I thought to myself that it is simply going to be a typical service in a Christian place of worship similar to the ones documented in Christian television networks. However, set my eyes on the church, the distinctive style of the structure surprised me as I have observed a slight difference in the church’s architecture. I expected the church to have a dome-shaped top which is a recognizable design of most Christian churches. Except for the cross on the tip of the church’s roof, the external appearance of the church resembles a mosque. The color scheme, the golden plates on the roof all appear to me as elements of Islamic design. As I entered the church, I have received a warm welcome from the church’s senior warden Gary Popovich. He mentioned that every part of the cathedral was a sanctuary for everyone, even to non-orthodox Christians. As Mr. Popovich gave me a mini tour of the church, the interiors further made me notice the distinction of Orthodox Church structures from that of most Roman Catholic structures. While both churches are known to have long, wide aisles leading to the altar, Cathedral of Christ the Savior’s hallway leading to the altar was a little compact despite the conventionality of its length. However, the lobby area of the church, or the narthex as it is properly called, was similar to lobbies of other churches in such a way that it has a board which posts announcements of the church’s activities for the week. Mr. Popovich however added that apart from the usual acknowledging of guests, the narthex is also significant in that tables are set up there during Easter to bless food that would be taken home by adherents after days of fasting and abstinence in the Lenten season. And in days of divine service and obligation, candles and offerings are sold in the narthex. As I was to be part of the Eastern Orthodox Communion for a day, Mr. Popovich toured me to the inner areas of the church. We then proceeded to the main area of the church, which, Mr. Popovich regarded as the nave. This area is where the people stay during divine services, and is thus considered sacred ground. Along the walls and the ceiling of the nave of the cathedral, I noticed numerous portraits of individuals considered holy by Orthodox Catholics including a large portrait of Christ in the ceiling. Mr. Popovich was about to give me a guided tour of what he calls an iconostasis or the room where all of the religious figures and paintings were placed, when he told me to be prepared because the service was about to start. So I proceeded to the nave to participate in the upcoming service. Although I did not clarify if there was any appropriate attire for adherents, I wore the conventional clothing reserved for church attendance. As the service started, everyone gathered in the nave of the cathedral. I first noticed that no one among the people in attendance was wearing casual clothing. The people around me had conservative clothing; the males wore formal attire with collared shirts and sleeves with cuffs. The females were all wearing mid-length and long skirts as well as blouses with sleeves. In addition, most of the women, though not all of them, sported head scarves during the service. Furthermore, apart from the clothing, I also noticed the cathedral’s segregation scheme. All the males were on the right hand side of the nave, while the females were on the right wing of the nave. While I was fascinated by the formality of the people in the church, I never asked them the relevance of wearing such clothing. I simply thought that the sanctity of their church together with the value they uphold for their tradition includes dressing well during services. Mr. Popovich informed me prior to the service that what I am going to be part of was the evening services otherwise the Vespers. I recall senior warden Popovich previously discussed that the Vespers begins at 9 in the evening, an hour which was actually based on the exact time of Christ’s death: 3:00 pm or the 9th hour in antiquated time. The service starts with the priest’s ceremonial blessing and continued with the usual beginnings, which, is basically a sequence of prayers that include the trisagion or the common hymn in almost every Orthodox liturgical service (Perry & Melling 190). The service then proceeded with the recital of the Lord’s Prayer before the actual scripture reading of psalms took place. The reader read about three psalms before reciting another short hymn called the troparion (Perry & Melling 37). Another hymn called the theotokion followed the troparion, the hymn was sung in honor of the mother of God. Particularly, the hymn honors the virgin mother of God for the incarnation of Christ through her. The singing of the hymn also coincided with the entrance of the clergy; the clergy coming from the Holy Doors signified that the creation of the world also marks man’s selection to live in paradise (Perry & Melling 295). As the service was progressing, I took a small window of time to look around and observe what was happening around me. In doing so, I noticed that most people get distracted at what they do knowing that an unfamiliar person is present to witness what they do, but I felt their utmost dedication to their obligations to God because my very presence did not even cause them to be distracted at what they do. Similarly, as much as it was a rare occasion for me to be part of their usual service, they must have felt that it was also a rare occasion to have an outsider among them, yet their dedication remained pure and untainted. A series of readings soon followed, after the clergy’s entrance, another series of hymns, the Phos Hilaron and the Prokeimenon marked a transition of the service to epistle reading. During the epistle reading, the adherents hear the words of God for enlightenment. For the first part, the reader read a passage from the Bible’s Old Testament. At the time, the reading was taken from the book of Elijah which announced what message God’s promised messiah would bring. After the reading of the scriptures, the Vespers was concluded by the Litany of Fervent Supplication and the final blessing of the presiding clergy. During the Litany of Fervent Supplication, the adherents pray that God may grant all Christians mercy. The litany is a responsorial prayer wherein the reader asks for mercy in every aspect and the people respond with the words â€Å"Grant it, O Lord. † After the final blessing has been given, the crowds of people are dismissed accordingly. Based on what I have seen in the liturgical service I attended, Orthodox Catholicism is a religion filled with tradition, symbolisms and customary ceremonies. But true service to God is not really measured by the traditions, the customs, and other rituals of sacrifice and praise; the true essence of serving God lies in a person’s obedient and relentless faith. Ultimately, the sacrifices and the customs do not matter if a person has little or weak faith. Works Cited Benz, Ernst. â€Å"The Eastern Orthodox Church: Its Thought and Life† New Jersey: Aldine Transaction, 2008 Parry, Ken & David Melling. â€Å"The Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity† Malden, MA. : Blackwell Publishing, 1999. Ware, Timothy. â€Å"The Orthodox Church: New Edition†. New York: Penguin Books, 1997