Stress1 essays

Stress1 essays I have chosen the topic of stress and coping for my psychology reflection paper. This course provided in-depth information on stress, coping with stress, and the favorable or unfavorable aspects that stress has on our psychological makeup. It also clearly defines the psychological factors that create social dysfunctions, the methods of psychological research, and treatment theories that assist us with stress-related coping. I discovered that psychophysiological disorders are in fact physical disorders, in which our emotions are believed to play a central role. The stress factors that people routinely face lead to disorders on both a mental and physical basis. A common misconception, shared by me prior to completing this course, was that people who suffer from psychophysiological disorders are not really sick. I now realize that psychological disturbances such as stress can easily impact on the human anatomy in the same manner as any disease. A good example would be a peptic ulcer that has been caused by stress. This ulcer is indistinguishable from an ulcer that may have been caused by an overuse of medication. This course effectively discussed the effects that stress has on our health, productivity, budget, and lives. I learned that a degree of stress is necessary; even desirable. It excites or challenges us to achieve better results. Experiencing events such as the birth of a child, completion of a major project at work, or moving to a new city, can generate as much stress as any tragedy or disaster. But without it, life would be dull. Through this course I have found that stress reducers help individuals regain a sense of control and equilibrium. Some stress reducing strategies may relieve the immediate stress symptoms but others may require developing new behavior patterns to cope with the stresses of life. Some of these strategies include: 1. Relaxing - Close your eyes and brea...

philosophy of corrections Essay Example

philosophy of corrections Essay Example philosophy of corrections Essay philosophy of corrections Essay 2006; Allen Simonsen, 2001). Transportation was additionally a public exercise in European states as they hold dominions all above the world. For instance, Australia was industrialized as a British penal dominion as well as Tasmania and supplementary locations. The American dominions were one more point of destination for British convicts (Spierenburg, 1995). Later the American Revolution, England had to halt transporting prisoners to America. As British prisons came to be overcrowded, a colossal number of convicts were assigned to deserted ships†hulks†placed on the stream Thames (Allen Simonsen, 2001). As area penalty was believed a good restraint for offenders, corporal penalty and demise were extremely spread in European countries. As such, torture, mutilation and demise were extremely prominent in Great Britain from the ixteenth to the eighteenth century. With the Enlightenment, a change in penal believed transpired in Europe. In 1764, Cesare Beccaria wrote An Essay on Offenses and Punishments, in that he supported for a profound reformation of penology believed, administration of fairness and punishment. Beccaria (1764) clashed that punishments ought to fit the offense and ought to be precise, quick and severe. In supplement, Beccaria (1764) trusted that regulations should be composed and legal prudence ought to be limited. Jeremy Bentham was one of the managing reformers for British convict law. Bentham supported for a arrangement of graduated punishments to make a system were penalty and offense were equal. Instituted on his believed that humans are hedonistic, the aim of humans is to maximize pleasure as minimizing pain; Bentham trusted that punishments were the best restraint for crime. Bentham was not in favor of the demise penalty but did like the believed of incarceration and area humiliation. John Howard is recognized as one of the main proponents of prison improvements on the past of penology. Howard voyaged extensively all above Europe to examine Jails and prisons. In 1777, he described his indings and his counseled improvements in his State of Prisons. Howard (1777) supported for safeguard and sanitary abilities, inspection and a reformatory regime. As America was a British dominion, settlers lived below the British laws. At this period, punishments were cruel and relied deeply on corporal punishment and demise as incarceration was not an spread exercise. In 1682, Pennsylvania adopted The Outstanding LaW promulgated by English Quaker William Penn. The Outstanding Regulation was quite humane and emphasized on hard labor as extra competent penalty than death. As such, merely premeditated slaughter was ndictable by demise The Outstanding Regulation was in power till it was substituted by the Anglican Program in 1718; an extremely punitive code. The Anglican Program tabulated disparate corporal punishments (e. . mutilation and branding) and thirteen capital offenses Later the American Revolution, the thoughts of the Enlightment obtained momentum. With the thoughts of Beccaria and Bentham and the Statement of Independence, a new penal arrangement was industrialized As such, reformers clashed that Americans had to move away from barbarism and punitive measures of penalty and embrace a extra rational and hum anistic way to ome to be very prominent in Philadelphia as hey industrialized the Area for the Alleviating the Miseries of Area Prisoners in 1787 below the association of Benjamin Rush. The Philadelphia Walnut Road Jail was crafted to imitate the Quaker believed of penitentiary -a locale whereas prisoners might imitate on their offenses and become penitent and therefore experience reformation. Inmates were categorized by their offenses; Weighty offenders were allocated in solitary imprisonment without labor, as supplementary offenders worked across the date Jointly in silence and were confined separately at night. Later the Walnut Road Jail came to be extremely overcrowded, two new prisons were crafted in Pittsburg and Philadelphia, that marked the progress of a penitentiary arrangement established in confinement. In distinct imprisonment, prisoners were grasped in isolation alongside all hobbies grasped in their cells. The Pennsylvania arrangement of distinct imprisonment came into attack due to harsh punishments and prisoners paining mental breakdowns due to isolation. The New York Penitentiary at Auburn was established on the congregate system. Below this arrangement, inmates worked in workshops across the date and hey were retained a portion across the evening time. Elam Lynds, the warden at Auburn, instituted a law of control that included the lockstep and wearing stripped uniforms. Lynds additionally utilized the contract labor arrangement, in that inmates worked for free for confidential employers who endowed raw materials utilized to make products in the penitentiary. By the mid-1800s reformers had come to be disenchanted alongside the penitentiary model. Neither the Pennsylvania arrangement nor the Auburn system attained the anticipated aim of rehabilitation and deterrence. Thus, penitentiaries came to be quickly overcrowded, understaffed, nd brutality was much extended. In 1865, The New York Prison Association provided Enoch Wines and Theodore Dwight the task of surveying prisons nationwide. Wines and Dwight discovered that reformation was not the main aim of countless prisons and that corporal penalty was an spread exercise In 1870, Wines and supplementary penal specialists led an encounter in Cincinnati. From this encounter, a statement of principles was developed. Amid these principles were the demand to use a association of prisoners, indeterminate sentencing and reformation. The ultimate aim of these reformers was the reformation of inmates. The Early reformatory was crafted in Elmira, New York. Zebulon Brockway was appointed superintendent. Brockway was a large advocate of diagnosis and treatment. He emphasized education and training to delight inmates, who were interviewed to comprehend the reasons of their deviance In supplement, Brockway utilized a mark arrangement of association, indeterminate sentencing and parole. Brockway receded in 1900 (Rothman, 1995). The thoughts of Wines, Brockway and supplementary penal reformers considerably contributed to the progress of present American corrections by introducing thoughts uch as inmate association, rehabilitative plans, sentencing, parole and educational plans The early two decades of the twentieth century embodied a drastic change on the communal landscape of America. Industrialization, urbanization and technological and logical advancement revolutionized the American society. At this period, the progressives†upper-class philanthropists†believed that they might resolve most communal setbacks derived from quick urbanization in big rehabilitated across individualized treatment The progressives were deeply affected by the positivist school of criminology Positivists trusted that convict deeds is not a roduct of free will; it is product of biological characteristics, psychological and a little sociological conditions. As such, convicts can be treated (See Lombroso, 1876). The progressives wanted to (1) enhance the conditions of living of little spans whereas criminality was prominent, and (2) reinstate offenders. The progressives pursued governmental deed to enhance the living conditions of the poor as a method to battle crime. Their strategies encompassed larger area health, area housing and education. By the 1920s, the progressives were prosperous on requesting probation, indeterminate sentencing, parole and Juvenile courts. Even though these strategies were counseled at the 1870 Cincinnati encounter, the progressives were instrumental on requesting them across the United States. The medical model of corrections was based on the belief that criminal behavior is caused by social, psychological, or biological deficiencies that require treatment. Based on the progressive movement, the medical model was implemented in the 1930s. One of the main proponents of the medical model was Howard Hill who designed the Norfolk State Prison in Massachusetts in 1927. Gill staffed his prison with educators, psychologists and ocial workers to provide individualized treatment to inmates. In 1929, Congress authorized the new Federal Bureau of Prisons under the leadership of Stanford Bates, to develop institutions with treatment as the main goal. Bates was a strong advocate of the medical model. The 1950s is known as the era of treatment in American Corrections. Punishment was perceived as an obsolete way to deal with offenders and treatment took a central role in penology. To this extent, prison became mental health institutions were inmates were continuously tested for their readiness to reenter society. After World War II, psychiatry was used as a tool to rehabilitate offenders. As such, group counseling, behavior modification techniques, psychotherapy and individual counseling were common ways to treat inmates. Marylands Patuxent Institution was one of the best examples of a prison built according to the principles of the medical model. During the 1960s and 1970s, the American society experienced many changes due in part to the civil rights movement, the war on poverty and the Warren Court. Contrary to the medical model, the community corrections model advocated for the reintegration of the offender into society. Proponents of the community model proposed that psychological treatment should be substituted for vocational and educational programs that helped inmates to become successful citizens. Due to rising crime rates, in the mid-1970s, critics of the rehabilitation model attacked indeterminate sentencing and parole urging release not to be linked to treatment. Proponents of increased crime control called for longer sentences particularly for habitual and violent offenders. Robert Martinson surveyed 231 treatment plans in the United States and, in 1974, he published a report shouted What works? Inquiries and Answers on Prison Reform. In his report, Martinson finished that, except for insufficient plans, rehabilitation did not have each affirmative result on recidivism. The Martinson report was utilized by officials to apply a get tough philosophy on penology. As such, in the 1980s and 1990s, the new crime ideal supported for the use of incarceration and severe supervisions well as (and yet are) at that time. References Foster, B. (2006). Corrections: The Fundamentals. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Whyte, A. , Baker, J. (2000, May 8). Prison Labor on the Rise in U. S.. Retrieved from wsws. org Visher, C. A. 1987. Incapacitation and Crime Control: Does a Lock Em Up Strategy Reduce Crime? Justice Quarterly 4:413-543. Foster, B. (2006). Corrections:The Fundamentals. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Lambert, T, A brief history of punishment. , NJ: Stukin, Stacie. Violated Vibe Monthly January 2004: 100-104. Kosof, Anna. Prison Life: The Crisis Today. New York: Franklin Watts, A Division of Grolier Publishing, 1995. Prison, Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2003. Available. http:// encarta. msn. com. copyrighted 1997-2003. drtomoconnor. com/ 1050/10501ect01 . htm Adler, F. , Mueller, G. O. , Laufer. W. S. (2006). Criminal Justice An introduction 4th Ed Ezorsky, G. (1977). Philosophical Perspectives on Punishment Mays, G. L. Winfree, L. (2009). Essentials of corrections. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Schmalleger, F. Smykla, 1. 0. (2011). Corrections in the 21st century. New York, N. Y. McGraw Hill Seigel, L. J. Bartollas, C. (2011). Corrections Today. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth David K. Haasenritter, Military Correctional System: An Overview, Corrections Today, 65, No. 7 (December 2003), 58-61. J. W. Roberts, Federal Bureau of Prisons: Its Mission, Its History, and Its Partnership with Probation and Pretrial Services, Federal Probation, 1, No. (March 1997), 53-57. Paul W. Keve, Prisons and the American Conscience: A History of U. S. Federal Corrections (Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press, 1991). The American Prison: From the Beginning A Pictorial History, (College Park, MD: The American Correctional Association, 1983). Normal Morris and David J. Rothman, Editors, The Oxford History of the Prison: The Practice of Punishment in Western Society (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1995). Richard P. Setter, Correctional Administration: Integrating Theory and Practice (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2002). Federal Bureau of Prisons, Legal Resource Guide to the Federal Bureau of Prisons 2003 (Washington, DC: US Dept. Justice, 2003). Joseph Summerill, Reforming Prison Contracting: An Examination of Federal Private Prison Contracts, Corrections Today, 64, No. 7 (December 2002), 100-103. David K. (December 2003), 58-61. Gregory J. Stroebel and John l. Hawthorne Ill, Marine Corps Corrections Similar But Not Identical to Civilian Corrections, Corrections Today, 65, No. 7 (December 2003), 62-64. Michele D. Buisch, High-Level Security Inmates, Corrections Compendium, 28, No. 9 (September 2003), 9-28.

How did the Spanish-American War change America's role in the world In Research Paper

How did the Spanish-American War change America's role in the world In what ways did America's global role stay the same after the war - Research Paper Example s—in extending our commercial relations—to have with them as little political connection as possible.†1 As a corollary to this principle of non-intervention, or isolationism, America remained steadfast in her support of the freedom struggles and democratic movements of other countries, but refused to become embroiled in war by â€Å"spreading our ideals throughout the world by force of arms.†2  This policy came to an end in 1898, with the Spanish-American War. The war originated in the Cuban struggle for independence from Spain that began in 1895. American public sympathy for the revolutionaries was exacerbated by the yellow press, reporting atrocities committed by the Spanish General, Valeriano Weyler. American investments in Cuba and the perception of the strategic importance of the island in Central America, led President McKinley to dispatch the battleship USS Maine to Havana, to pressurize Spain. The mysterious explosion of the Maine in February 1898 was attributed to Spain, and public outrage enabled McKinley to enter the Spanish-American War in April 1898. American victory was declared in August. Under the Treaty of Paris, in December 1898, Cuba became an American Protectorate under the Platt Amendment of 1902, Puerto Rico and Guam were received from Spain as indemnity and the Philippines was ceded to America after the Battle of Manila Bay, for $ twenty million.3 The repercussions of the Spanish-American War led to the annexation of the Philippines, which was made an American colony, after the suppression of the Filipino Insurrection, led by Emilio Aguinaldo. Intellectuals, like Senator Albert Beveridge, used the concept of ‘Manifest Destiny,’ to justify overseas expansion. Josiah Strong’s Our Country (1885), and Rudyard Kipling’s poem, ‘The White Man’s Burden’ (1899), based on ‘Social Darwinian,’ considered it the ‘duty’ of the ‘superior’ Anglo-Saxon race to spread Christian and Democratic values to ‘backward’ people.

Harmful Effects of Anti-Shia Discrimination Assignment

Harmful Effects of Anti-Shia Discrimination - Assignment Example The most agreed upon cause for the prejudice can be traced to the dispute that arose after the death of the Prophet Muhammad, which led to a split among the Muslim community into two fundamental sects: the Shi’a and the Sunnis. The Sunnis also referred to as the followers of the way, decided on following the caliphate maintaining that any Muslim, who is devout in the eyes of his peers, has the potential of being a successor of the Prophet. However, the Shi’a believe that only a person who is elected by Allah can succeed the Prophet after the Prophet has declared him his successor, deciding on Imam Ali as their religious authority. Following this split, the Sunni Muslims have over the centuries perceived their rival sect as a threat to their religious authority, and politically as well. Sunni leaders, especially under the Umayyad, began a systematic marginalization of the Shi’a, who formed a minority of the Muslim community, while the Abbasids also turned on the S hi’a, killing, persecuting, and imprisoning them (Walker 18). The Shi’a community to this day remains marginalized and persecuted sect in the majority of Muslim states. This discrimination has harmed the Shi’a by ensuring that they are less educated than Sunnis, cannot practice their religion, and cannot get work in their countries. Discrimination against the Shi’a has led to their inability to practice their religion, which has caused resentment towards their Sunni counterparts, as they are denied their right to worship. For example, Chehab in Sunni vs. Shia: All You Need to Know claims that â€Å"Jordanian tribes have banned Shi’as from paying homage at the historical grave site of a prominent Shi’a imam† (13).  This led to protests in which over fifty Shi’a members either were killed or went missing. The Shi’a Muslims are also disallowed to access religious centers such as mosques, forcing them to perform their pray ers on Friday in their houses (Chehab 13). This means that Shi’a Muslims, despite being part of the broader Islam family, are second-class religious citizens in most Muslim dominated countries. They are treated no differently than Christians, who are discriminated against in the same way and might as well be without religion. This has all the hallmarks of an irreversible religious war if unchecked. In addition, all able-bodied Muslims are required to visit Mecca at least once in their lifetime, which is one of Islam’s five pillars, to perform the Hajj. Although this event is supposed to count as one of the most intense religious times in the Muslim calendar, a group of Shi’as who were on a pilgrimage was arrested in 2009 by the Saudi religious police. This was part of Sunni Muslims,’ particularly the Wahhabi sect’s, aim to â€Å"purify Islam of any innovations or practices that deviate from the seventh-century teachings of the Prophet Muhammad and his companions† (Giritlioglu 1). The incident resulted in one of the pilgrims, a fifteen-year-old boy, being shot in the head and chest, while a Shi’a sheik was knifed by an unknown person in the back for being what he termed as a rejectionist. Allowed to continue, such actions can only lead to reprisal attacks in Shi’a majority countries, resulting in a never-ending cycle of violence.

Bypass the Story of a Road Analysis Essay Example for Free

Bypass the Story of a Road Analysis Essay McGirr takes virtually every detour possible and in doing so seems to suggest that life’s journey is at its most interesting when one strays from the central path. It is in the towns and rest stations that McGirr encounters individuals with interesting stories to tell – stories that give McGirr’s narrative its essential variety and ‘life’. McGirr’s interest is not only in what lies off to the side of the ‘main road’ in a literal sense. He is attracted by the lives of ‘ordinary’ people who are not famous or even particularly successful. Even when relating incidents from his life as a priest he enjoys telling stories that would otherwise never appear in print: attending the wrong wedding reception; seeing a bride answer a mobile phone. He does occasionally refer to famous or powerful people; even here, though, his preference is for the little known incident over the important, nation-shaping decision – such as John Curtin’s midnight pot of tea in a Gundagai cafà ©. In short, McGirr suggests that, although the highway itself is valuable, we must not forget or neglect places and lives that the highway bypasses, for these too constitute the ‘life-blood’ of the nation. And similarly, although the nation’s central story or history is important – that of, say, the Anzacs, the explorers, the two world wars – the stories that lie off to the side of the historical mainstream are equally worth knowing, are equally valuable. As narrator and author of this narrative, McGirr has a lot of control over how he depicts himself. Indeed, ‘the power of the person who gets to tell the story’ (p.19) is considerable, as he notes when discussing Hovell’s power over Hume in that regard. McGirr is depicted as a fairly affable, if occasionally bumbling figure whose decision to leave the Jesuit order after twenty-one years is a life-changing one. The decision prompts him to experience a number of ‘firsts’: he buys property in Gunning; embarks on an intimate relationship with Jenny whom he subsequently marries and has children with; and decides to travel on a bike down the Hume Highway and document his progress. McGirr might come across as something of an ‘everyman’ figure but his life-experiences mark him as someone rather eclectic (unusual). McGirr displays a capacity for droll humour throughout the narrative, and also a willingness to reflect deeply on his experiences and those of others. His reflective tendencies see him discuss his struggle to sincerely uphold the vow of obedience when he was a member of the Jesuit order (p.173), and also his feeling of being alone when he first joined the order (p.229). It might be argued that McGirr is depicted as someone who thinks a little too much: the discussion of his dilemma about buying orange juice with the money allocated to new Jesuits for ‘emergencies’ (p.228) is an example. Fortunately, his capacity for reflection does not make the text too ponderous. McGirr’s accounts of his developing relationship with Jenny and his self-deprecatory asides about his weight (p.31, p.98), snoring (p.227), age (p.32) and tendency to lecture others (p.142) depict him as a jovial, likeable bloke. Bypass, a hybrid work of creative non-fiction is a memoir, travel story, social history, romance and road story. The literary devices used in Bypass enliven and enrich the writing with sparkling wit. For example: ‘Hovell had been a naval captain. On land, however, he was all at sea.’(p 19) ‘They were like fishermen who were prepared to dam their own river rather than let it starve them.’(p 48) ‘A roadhouse is a place where everything that can’t be eaten has been laminated, and not all the food can be eaten.’(p 66) ‘Guerrilla warfare is the opposite of God who, for some unknown reason, makes his or her absence felt even when present.’(p 81) ‘I came to Gunning to hide, but people kept finding me.’(p 97) ‘Sturt went blind trying to see what none had seen before.’(p 170) McGirr’s anger at some social problems is often expressed in blunt metaphors, for example, when discussing gaming machines in Goulburn he writes: ‘They are abattoirs of the human spirit.’(p 90) His love for language is reflected, for example, where the text is an extended reverie on arcane words and their meanings eg panier (p 98), or in his jovial attempt to find a word to describe a group of prime ministers (pp 153-4). Humour is one of the most appealing features Bypass, for example the discussion of caravans with a fellow traveller (pp 110-1). Michael McGirr is masterly in creating punch lines to end his stories. eg ‘I don’t believe in washing your dirty laundry in public.’(p 263) The Hume Highway: The Hume Highway runs for over eight hundred kilometres inland, between Sydney and Melbourne. Early settlers, such as Charles Throsby and Hume and Hovell, made journeys overland that eventuated in the Hume Highway being developed. The road, initially sometimes called the Great South Road in New South Wales and Sydney Road in what became Victoria, has been re-routed, extended and improved over time. In 1928, it became officially known as the Hume Highway. A number of towns originally on the Hume Highway have now been bypassed to reduce both travel times and the amount of traffic (especially trucks) passing through town centres. The meaning of bypass: The term bypass means to go around something; a road bypass normally goes around a town or the centre of a town. There are many such bypasses on the Hume Highway, allowing the traveller to avoid built up areas and suburban streets. However, although Bypass is the story of a journey along the Hume Highway, the title makes it clear that McGirr’s main interest is in how the road goes around places and people, and what the effects of this might be – both positive and negative. For more about McGirr’s engagement with the notion of a bypass, see the section on Themes, Ideas and Values. The main idea in the novel Bypass is the idea of a journey. In literal terms, Bypass: the story of a road tells the story of a physical journey from one point to another: in this case, from Sydney to Melbourne. However, McGirr makes clear that a journey can have qualities that are more metaphorical. The literary references to Don Quixote and Anna Karenina, in particular, suggest very different types of journeys. The quotation from Don Quixote, ‘there’s no road so smooth that it ain’t got a few potholes’, implicitly signals Sancho’s philosophical take on the nature of relationships and life more generally. This attitude towards the vicissitudes of life clearly informs the text as a whole. For instance, McGirr comments about the degree to which his ‘silly adventure’ might impact negatively on his relationship with Jenny (p.137). Likewise, the comments he makes about the truckies whose marriages can suffer from their long hours on the road (p.52), suggest that physical journeys and emotional journeys are closely intertwined. The frequent references to Anna Karenina also signal McGirr’s interest in the romantic and tragic dimensions of life. The flirtatious comments about McGirr’s relationship with Anna Karenina, his predilection for relinquishing (and then recovering) the text from time to time and the inevitable decision to place her in close proximity to a railway (p.260) work symbolically as a comment on life more generally, as well as on the plot of Tolstoy’s novel. After all, Tolstoy’s Anna throws herself in front of a train. McGirr is all too aware of the fragility of life – both on the road and beyond it. In this novel, death and memorial are also an important theme. The ultimate destination in life’s journey is death. McGirr does not shy away from discussing the fragility of life and makes much of the memorials on the Hume Highway. Death is something that cannot be bypassed and, like ‘the road [which] has no respect for persons or status’ (p.158), it comes to us all. As McGirr notes when reflecting on the cemetery in Gunning, ‘even a long life is short’ (p.7). For McGirr the Hume Highway is ‘sacred space’ (p.15); it is ‘lined with countless reminders of death’ (p.178) and memorialises both those who have died on it and those who have died at war. While McGirr is respectful and interested in the memorials dedicated to the war dead, his main priority is to acknowledge that death comes to all and that the lives of all ordinary Australians – including soldiers – are worth acknowledging and commemorating. Indeed, this is clearly conveyed by his juxtaposition of the near-death experience of Kerry Packer (p.40) and the funerals of the Queen Mother (p.255) and the Princess of Wales (p.256) with the experiences of less well-known individuals. Packer’s blunt assertion that there is no life beyond the grave is contrasted with the more positive reflection of a woman who believed that her husband had ‘gone to the great swap-meet in the sky’ (p.41). Similarly, the vast amount of coverage and ceremony afforded the funerals of the Queen Mother and the Princess of Wales is diametrically opposed to the more poignant account of the interment of Anton, a lonely old man whose funeral was attended by three people: the undertaker, Anton’s neighbour and McGirr in his role as priest (p.256). McGirr says of those like Anton, ‘At least God knew this person †¦ even if nobody else did’ (p.256). McGirr’s accounts of death or near-death experiences are most chilling when he considers those who have endured harrowing experiences on the road. His discussion of the murders committed by Ivan Milat (pp.70–4) and by bushrangers (pp.77–83) brings home the fact that ‘the Hume has a dark side’ (p.70). Not wanting to sensationalise – or justify – the actions of these men, McGirr nonetheless provides some background details to depict them in ways that are complex, non-judgemental and at times unnerving. ENTRY SEVEN: PHILOSOPHY IN BYPASS Given McGirr’s work as a priest for much of his life, it is not surprising that this text is largely preoccupied with issues of faith and philosophical ponderings about life more generally. McGirr makes clear his continued belief in God (p.174) but is not heavy-handed in his discussion of faith. The gently humorous and respectful way in which he recounts Jenny’s aphorisms (wise sayings) about life is a case in point. His recollection of Jenny’s remark that he should ‘just accept [the Hume Highway] for what it is †¦ you’ll enjoy it more’ (p.155) is exemplary. His discussion of Jenny’s view that there is a concave (negative and convex (optimistic) way of looking at the world (p.170) – and that he ‘might be right’ (p.170) in thinking that he has a concave approach to the world is similarly light-hearted in tone but relevant to the book’s overall interest in forms of belief. The light-hearted banter continues when McGirr discusses his acquisition of the Chinese philosophical text, Tao Te Ching. Its pithy words of wisdom are for McGirr redolent of the bumper sticker sayings that he has liberally peppered throughout his narrative. At times, McGirr’s discussion of philosophical matters takes on a more earnest tone. His discussion of how, as a priest, he subscribed to the vow of obedience in an effort to ‘make up a sense of purpose which I otherwise lacked’ (p.173) and his related anxiety that he would reach the ‘point at which you can no longer recognise yourself in the things you are starting to say or do’ (p.173) signal his need to be honest with himself as well as with others. His comment that ‘the secret of being human is learning how to enjoy our limitations’ (p.301) suggests that honesty and humility are part and parcel of a reflective existence, McGirr is also interested in the ways in which others concern themselves with spiritual matters. His discussion of the House of Prayer in Goulburn shows how prayer provides respite from the manic nature of everyday life and celebrates those like Catherine who dedicate their lives to helping others in need find peace (pp.85–6). In a very different and secular vein, McGirr recounts the belief Liz Vincent has in ghosts – of people and of the road. Although Vincent does not believe in God, McGirr seems fascinated by her stories and sensitively recounts her belief that ‘the people we love can scarcely bear to leave us and sometimes hang around as ghosts’ (p.59). Perhaps more interesting is Vincent’s claim that the old Hume Highway near Picton has a ‘ghostly presence of its own’ (p.59), appearing before unwary drivers’ eyes and beguiling them into believing that the phantom road they are following is the real thing (p.59). ENTRY EIGHT: THE POLITICS IN BYPASS In some ways Bypass is a book about power – about who has it and who does not. As McGirr writes, ‘Roads are political. Building them is a sign that somebody is the boss’ (p.14). McGirr’s discussion of the impact on Merri Creek of the F2 freeway into Melbourne (p.284), the ensuing court case and the verdict that ultimately endorsed the freeway project, exemplifies the political nature of road-making. The very essence of a bypass, for instance, is a political act and McGirr makes this clear when discussing the difficulties surrounding the decision to create an internal or an external bypass for Albury in the late 1990s (pp.203–6). Concerns about the economic effect of a route directing traffic away from town are weighed up with concerns about the impact of noise and pollution that a new road near or through a town invariably brings. Tussles between federal and state governments, as was the case with the Albury bypass, certainly highlight the political nature of road-making, as do arguments between different interest groups. The issue of the Albury bypass, along with the 1979 truck blockade staged between Camden and Picton on a notorious stretch of road known as razorback (pp.47–51), illustrate power struggles of very different sorts. McGirr also points out that the amount of money spent on roads as opposed to public transport is a political act. He writes that ‘in the last ten years, for every dollar spent on laying rail in Australia, eight dollars have been spent on highways’ (p.92). This pattern of spending is, he continues, ‘a symptom of something deeper because government spending decisions simply mirror the interests of voters’ (p.92). Bypass: the story of a road is particularly concerned with the way the highway has been the backdrop for various well-known and not so well-known aspects of Australia’s history. From Hume and Hovell’s early markings of the Hume Highway, to the increased tea ration bargained for by Jack Castrisson when John Curtin visited the Niagara Cafà © in Gundagai, to Ned Kelly’s exploits, to the antics of the humble, ordinary Australians who travel on the Hume year by year, McGirr celebrates the way aspects of Australia’s history are part and parcel of the Hume Highway’s rich narrative. McGirr’s interest in Australian history is, however, not indicative of a desire to celebrate or endorse conventional representations of Australia’s past. In a number of instances, McGirr wants to query the legitimacy of idealistic views of the nation’s evolution. McGirr challenges the idea that Australia is an egalitarian nation, for example, and claims tha t this view is a ‘myth’ (p.200). He also reminds readers of the fraught relationship between colonisers and Indigenous Australians when he discusses the life and death of an Aboriginal man named Bill Punch who survived a massacre as a baby and went on to fight for the Allies on the Western Front in World War I (pp.246–7). McGirr’s willingness to temper some representations of Australia’s past is underpinned by an appreciation of the power of language. He notes that those who are in a position to write about the past can have more agencies in their lives and also more control of history than those who don’t (p.19). This awareness allows him to ponder on the way bushrangers and explorers have been depicted over time, and how being literate can impact on the type of individual one becomes (pp.77–8). McGirr is attentive to the idea that some histories are not told and that those that are relayed are not always definitive. Bypass: the story of a road offers a quirky exploration of the Hume Highway and the personalities of the people whose lives have been touched by the road in one way or another. At the age of 40, former Jesuit priest, Michael McGirr armed with not much more than a copy of Anna Karenina, some spare clothes and a less than state-of-the-art Chinese built bicycle set out to ride the 880 kilometres (547 miles) of the Hume Highway which links Sydney and Melbourne. While the ride forms the backdrop to McGirrs book Bypass: The Story of a Road, like all good travelogues the ride itself is really just a frame to hang the real story around, which as the title suggests, is the story of the Hume Highway. From its humble beginnings as a rough track across the Great Dividing Range, to its current state as a modern dual carriageway, the Highway continues to serve as the major thoroughfare linking Australias two largest cities. Bypass took me on a wonderful journey covering the history of the Hume, and the politics that helped shape it. Along the way you meet some great and not so great Australian characters that have helped imprint the name of the highway into the Australian psyche. People like the 61 year old Cliff Young (great), who in 1983 won the inaugural Sydney to Melbourne foot race against competitors half his age. And men like Ivan Milat (not so great) who was convicted of the murder of seven young backpackers and hitch-hikers, all of whom he buried in the Belanglo State Forest. Then there are the explorers Hamilton Hume (after whom the Highway was eventually named) and William Hovell, who in 1824 along with at least six others, set of from Appin (near the present day Sydney suburb of Campbelltown) for the first successful quest to reach Melbourne. Through the novel, I also met truckies; the bushrangers Ben Hall and Ned Kelly; and the poets Banjo Paterson and Henry Lawson. I attended a Catholic Mass in Tarcutta officially the halfway point between Sydney and Melbourne where apart from the priest and two parishioners, the only other people in attendance are the author of Bypass and his companion Jenny, who has by this time joined him on his ride to Mel bourne. Reading this book, it seemed like I visited almost every country town along the route of the Hume Highway, and learn something about each of them. Towns like Goulburn, famous for the Big Merino and Goulburn Jail (where Ivan Milat is currently serving seven life sentences). I visited Holbrook and learn why the outer shell of the Oberon Class submarine HMAS Otway now sits in a public park in the middle of town. In Chiltern we pass by the childhood home of the Australian writer Henry Handel Richardson, and learn that Henrys real name was Ethel Florence. I learned too, that like other female writers have done throughout history, Ethel wrote under a male nom de plume because at the time it was felt that women didnt have what it took to be great writers. And I also visited the town of Yass, and drop by the Liberty Cafà © for a meal before continuing on the journey, and turning page after page. Across its many short chapters, Bypass also introduced me to some of the thousands of bumper stickers that adorn the rear ends of many Australian vehicles. In fact, McGirr uses stickers as chapter headings to introduce the readers to every aspect of his journey. Thus, the bumper sticker THE OLDER I GET THE BETTER I WAS, allows him to explain some of his own personal story and the reasons for his decision to ride the Hume Highway. In the chapter THE GODDESS IS DANCING, McGirr introduces us to his riding partner Jenny, and in DEATH IS THE MANUFACTURERS RECALL NOTICE, we pause to learn about some of the many roadside memorials that mark the sites of fatal road accidents that line the Highway. To conclude, the book is immensely readable, always entertaining and informative, often surprising, and constantly filled with odd facts and humorous anecdotes. These keep the story moving along smoothly and effortlessly which cannot always be said of Michael McGirrs monumental bike ride.

The Effects Of Foreign Species Introduction On An Ecosystem :: essays research papers

The Effects of Foreign Species Introduction On An Ecosystem   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The effects of foreign species introduction into an ecosystem are very profound. From small microorganisms to species of large mammals, many foreign species introductions occur every day. New implications of their introduction are found just as often.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When a foreign species is introduced into an ecosystem, often the ecosystem contains no natural predators for the new species. This lack of predators sometimes leads to; in conjunction with a supply of food suitable for the new species, a period of exponential growth of the species. This growth and severe increase in the size of the population can cause a shortage of food for native species. When this occurs, the native species disappear and the biodiversity in the ecosystem is reduced. The carrying capacity is also reduced because the ecosystem will not be capable of supporting the same amount of life. If one species hogs the food and does not contribute itself to the food chain, the balance is disrupted and there will be less available for the native species. Once the new species has found its ecological niche however, balance begins to restore itself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the biodiversity in the ecosystem is reduced, the ability of the ecosystem to grow, or the biotic potential, is as well reduced. More species residing in an ecosystem which depend on each other allows for a greater chance of survival and perpetuation. This may occur for several reasons, for example a bee and a flower. The bee requires the pollen of the flower to make its honey. However, while gathering the pollen from the flowers, it transfers some of the pollen to female flowers, allowing them to make seeds and spawn further generations. However, a foreign species may, for example, eat the bees therefore allowing for decreased fecundity of the flowers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another implication of the introduction of foreign species into an ecosystem is the potential for toxins to be spread up the species chain is increased. For example, in ports all over the world, ships empty their ballast tanks containing large amounts of sea water, often laced with organisms not naturally found in their new region. The zebra mussel provides food for a certain type of fish, and also contains several toxins because it is a filter feeder. The level of toxins in the fish due to the biological amplification is high. But if and when a new type of fish are introduced, which eats zebra mussels and provides a more preferred food for the fish which formerly ate the mussels, a new level of biological amplification is inserted.

Privacy And Security Concerns Regarding Health Information Essay

Case 4.8 – E-mail Goes Astray Primarily, the technician is the one responsible for the breach in confidentiality because he was the one who sent out the e-mails. Moreover, he did not seek instructions from Kaiser Permanente regarding the backlogged e-mails. Kaiser Permanente hired the technician to upgrade their system. Therefore, tasks other than doing upgrades should be consulted to the company. The technician should have asked whether the accumulated e-mails in the system should be sent out, and he should have asked what to do with them. However, Kaiser Permanente is partly responsible for the breach, because first and foremost, since they hold millions of private information, they should have made sure that that information would not be compromised. They should have made their system secure and only accessible to Kaiser Permanente personnel. Yes, situations like this discourage subscribers in using the system of Kaiser Permanente. However, the services that Kaiser Permanente offer is of great value and subscribers will not easily discontinue their subscription. But Kaiser Permanente has to ensure their subscribers that this will not happen in the future by informing them what caused the breach and reassuring them that upgrades are being done to improve the security of the system and the privacy of their information. The most important thing to do here is to be honest and at the same time make great efforts to secure the system of the company. Case 4.17 – Patient’s Files Used for Obscene Calls Definitely, background checks should be conducted before hiring new employees because this would ensure the safety of the clients, especially in the health care industry. Employers should be granted access to criminal records for them to be able to identify the extent of the crime that ex-convicts have committed. Cases such as child rape and indecent assault is a serious crime that should not be disregarded when hiring employees, especially when the job requires dealing with other people, children, etc. such as in the health care institution. Former employees who are given access to system information that are confidential, such as passwords, etc. should be screened out from the system. In other words, once an employee is not connected with the institution anymore, his access to the system should be deleted or reset. In this case, the system of the health care institution is at fault because it failed to keep the information confidential and secure. In this case, the hospital is accountable for the actions of the technician. Primarily because they hired an employee without doing background checks, they do not monitor the system, wherein they could have detected that calls were being made and the information of the clients were being accessed, and the system is not 100 % secure. Case 4.44 – University Tightens Computer Security Because of the wide range of subscribers in university medical centers information systems, it becomes vulnerable to hackers. In this case, they hacked into the system and used it to send hundreds of advertisements in their e-mails. The hackers wanted to target the significant number of subscribers in the system. However, the information within the system is not precisely the target of the breach. It is not entirely the medical center’s fault. This is because hackers do what they do. They find ways to get into the system even if security measures were set-up to avoid breaching the security of an information system. Therefore, even if the system is secure, hackers will really find a way to get into the system. The medical center’s fault was that they were not able to detect that the system was being hacked. They should have upgrades in the system, which will be used in monitoring the system and alarming when hackers breach the system.

Marketing to Baby Boomers

The Baby Boomers generation is generally classified by the children born after World War II; specifically anyone born between 1946 and 1964. The veterans, as we know them today came back from war, settled down, got married and had children. This was a great time in America as their economy was improving vastly as opposed to other nations of the world. It was a time of affluence, particularly in the Western side of the world. The â€Å"boom† describes the greatly increasing birth rate at these times. As seen in the following diagram, birth rates were higher than ever during 1946 and 1964, with a very close second in the late 1980’s and very early 1990’s. Currently, there are 78 million baby boomers in America, accounting for 40% of the adult population. This gives motivation to marketers to want to sell to this age segment. Persons 45 and older are responsible for 55% of the total consumer spending in the U. S. Marketers are striving to segment the market in such a way, that they will be able to target this age group and market directly to them. There is a vast difference in the ages of Baby Boomers. 1946 to 1964 accounts for a maximum age difference of 18 years. It is important to notice that those who are the older boomers, also called the ‘Golden Boomers’ would have different needs to be satisfied that those that are younger. This age segment can then be further segmented into the golden boomers who, today would be between the ages of 65 and 56, and the younger baby boomers being 55 and 47. Sub-Segmented Baby Boomers The maturing market segment as classified by Moschis, Lee, Mathur, & Strautman, in their book â€Å"The Maturing Marketplace; Buying Habits of Baby Boomers and Their Parents†, can be broken down into four main categories. Firstly, there are the Healthy Indulgers (18%) who are the more affluent and focus more on enjoying life than their careers. They tend to engage in purchasing activities that revolve around their own independence. Secondly are the Healthy Hermits (36%) who have experienced some attitude-changing occurrence in life such as the death of a spouse, and are in turn socially withdrawn. Marketing strategies that focus on conformity work well amongst this segment as they try not to stand out. The following two categories are less affluent than the previously mentioned segments. They are also the segments that look forward to their own house or appartment, as opposed to the previous that intend to move into a retirement home or a nursing home. The third group are the Ailing outgoers. These represent 29 % of the baby boomers. These are people who have accepted their â€Å"old age† but are still willing to get the most out of life and tend to be influenced by money-saying incentives. Lastly are Frail Recluses (17%) who are very similar to the ailing outgoers, however they have accepted spirituality into their lives and keep high spirits through their strengthened faiths. Information that is very interesting to the marketer is that not all individuals stay in one group in their life time. A healthy hermit might be influenced to join a church and increase their knwoledge of faith, thus leading to a switch to be more likfe frail recluses. Also, these segments don’t have set boundaries, and persons are more likely to be classifed by one of those four sub-sections by leading, defining characteristics, rather than completely defined through all the expected qualities. The experiences that each person goes through is what really puts them in any particular group. The Baby- Boomer Misconception A problem that many companies face is their set perception of older generations. There is a stigma that they don’t really have an opinion on what they buy and they will buy the products anyway. This is a sure way to failure when having goods produced for this age segment. Another mistake commonly made by firms is the misconception that â€Å"Baby Boomers have never grown up. † They believe that when targeting to younger generations, the marketing will reach the baby boomers as well. Though baby boomers have been recently showing tendencies of younger generations that do not fit the general description of their age group, such as openness to new experiences, and engaging in activities that are health and fitness revolved, this is not a reason to assume they will be influenced by the same marketing schemes targeted at younger generations. What Nyren suggests from his text is that infomercials is the upcoming media for marketing toward baby boomers. This age segment has a longer attention span, and they want to know more information on the products they buy. More times than not, the television ads that last 30 seconds are perceptively dismissed, and would not have had any impact on them. Perhaps then, the companies that market to this segment, should redirect their marketing efforts toward 30 minute commercials. There is a stigma attached to infomercials that they are long air-time wasting nonsense that no one watches, and for the most part, it’s true; these are not the infomercials that would grab the attention of the baby boomer. They want to gain more knowledge. They want to be informed before making purchasing decision, and infomercials tend to give the time needed for explanations. The trick is indeed to find a way to captivate the target market’s attention. According to the authors of â€Å"The Maturing Marketplace†, the baby boomers are heavily influenced by price specials and reductions. These are likely to be in the their top considerations when making several types of purchases such as hotels, airlines or cruises. On the topic of travel, they majority notion is that they enjoy travelling, but do not have the funds for it. Also, they are concerned that if they do have the funds for it now, after the recession, and they spend it on this leisurely experience, that they may not have funds for future necessities like their own health care, and funds to take of their families. In theory, an infomercial about a cruise that is targeted toward this age segment, that focuses on getting value for your money and having readily available medical attention is likely to be very effective. Purchasing Behaviour of Baby Boomers Marketers have to accept that marketing to any group with all the greatest efforts will still not always be as effective as one would like it to be. This is again because of one’s predisposition toward a product or message because of one’s experiences. A person who might have had a bad experience with a Russian individual may be inclined to stay away from products manufactured in Russia. However, marketers must still try to market these groups directly by attempting to find out their values and market their product in a way that would appeal to these values. Through much research, several values have been found that relate to baby boomers more than any other age segment. The first of many values is independence. This generation throughout time has redefined that age group at that time; they never stuck to their elder’s traditional values and beliefs. Whereas older generations tended to be more party-loyal with regards to politics, the baby boomer generation always had to know more about the parties, and the issues that affected them and that the parties stood for. Their independence also stemmed from the availability of options given to them that were not offered to their elders. They grew up in a time of affluence, and this ability for choice stuck with them throughout the years. This is an interesting value to be known by marketers as they would want to appeal to this. Positioning products in the minds of these consumers as giving them their independence, especially as they are now getting to a stage in their lives where they may require help, would be quite effective. A value that is held so dearly to the baby boomer is individualism. Again, stemming from their years being brought up, they were able to create their own paths, and basically be whoever they so chose. This is why life- insurance companies that offer customized plans do quite well. The individual wants to feel that their status is being considered, and that that they have choices with regards to costs and other aspects of a life- insurance plan. Another value is humanity. This is reflected in their desire for better customer service. A company with friendly, helpful staff is definitely much more appreciated than those without. Though this group highly upholds independence, they also want to know that when they go to purchase an item at a store, that they will be given the appropriate attention, and that the sales person would be competence in their field. The invention of the automated answering machine that are so popularly used by companies today are abhorred by this generation. They want to talk to a real person, who would assist them as necessary. These companies have implemented these answering machines to save on salaries. However, they are losing out on a lot more than that amount because people are straying away from that. They are taking their business elsewhere. Comfort is a value that is upheld by the baby boomers. They want products that will fit well into their lives. They want commodities that will be compatible with their routines. The marketer of a product such a diabetes testing machine, a product that would be necessary in their lives once diagnosed with diabetes, should position the product as easy to use, and quick. This is extended to other related values such as easily read literature on drugs. A marketer of a pharmacy should market his pharmacy as convenient for all their pharmaceutical needs. This then leads to the next value. Convenience is very important those in this age segment. Most of these values go hand in hand, though many marketers, as mentioned before, have the belief that this age segment is going to buy their products anyway. Baby boomers want the added convenience that they can be offered. When choosing a housing arrangement, they would to know that if needed, medical attention would be readily available and easy to attain. As mentioned previously, baby boomers take a lot of time when considering prices. Special deals and price reductions appeal to them a lot; money- saving incentives such as coupons, rebates and acceptance of various discount cards are considered by the baby boomers when deciding on what product to purchase. Youthfulness seems to be quite important today to the baby boomers. This however is sometimes misunderstood. The Baby boomers want to be healthy, and fit at their age. They are comfortable with the age that they are at, however, they want to be able to enjoy their lives to the fullest. This is why many belong to health and fitness clubs. The misconceptions lies in the thought that they want to dress like younger generations, and involve themselves in activities typical of generation xers and younger; this is certainly not true. They don’t want to engage in the activities, but they want the feeling of being younger. They want that their age not be a limitation to the sense of thrill and excitement that they would have felt when they were younger. The baby boomers want to feel secure. Security is a great need of baby boomers. However, they require different types of security; financial security, home security, security of mind with regards to their health. Financial services marketed to the baby boomers have to take into consideration the various segments of baby boomers. For example, brokerage firms specifically target healthy hermits. The home security marketers would target the more affluent of the baby boomers because they would have their homes and their valuable items to secure. Again, health security is one that is gained through comfort of mind. Firms targeting baby boomer health would be successful with tactics employing round- the- clock ambulance services. Life Alert is a company that does quite well because of its attention to the security that that age segment requires. Though older generations than baby boomers would be more appealed to such an item, the older baby boomers are retiring and want that peace of mind that comes that is satisfied by Life Alert. A value that is well- known through the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs if self-actualization. Baby boomers tend to be intrinsically motivated; they are interested in engaging in activities that will give them insight to themselves. They are still searching for what makes them them and they are impacted by advertising focused on this need. Future Expectations of The Baby Boomer Segment By 2029, the last of the baby boomers would turn 65 and are likely to represent 16% of the population. Currently, the oldest baby boomers are entering retirement, and as they represent 25% of the population, 18 years of pension payments are to be paid. The concern of many is that the payment of these pensions would be a burden on younger generations. Marketing toward their independence would bring great returns as they would feel like burdens to society. Health- insurance companies and financial service companies should target this segment now, in a way that would appeal to their secure futures. Beachbody and Baby Boomers The image above is one of the many that are found in the testimonials for Beach Body’s well-known fitness program, P90X. The woman seen above is Mary Crawford, who was a 61 year old out of shape, complacent woman. She used the beachbody products over the course of two years, starting with the Power 90 series, then on to the Power 90 Master series, and then started the P90X program. The infomercial for this program can be seen on a variety of cable stations that describe how high- impact it really is. Typically, one would not assume that a woman of 60+ would want to engage in such an activity. However, that is the view that is making marketers failures. Those were the opinions of baby boomer’s elders. Today’s 47- 65 year old cohorts are willing to do what it takes to be fit and healthy. Team Beach Body is appeals to the baby boomers in several ways. Firstly, it appeals to their desire for the feeling of youth. Being healthy and fit is a major need for these people and they are able to attain this through beachbody’s programs. Secondly, it appeals to their value of comfort. Beachbody offers an array of products for different levels of fitness. Like Ms. Crawford, someone would be able to go from very low fitness to an able- bodied, fit person. The infomercials are highly effective among this group because of its expansion on the product. It gives detailed descriptions of how the program works and how it is different from other programs. Also, Tony Horton, the creator of P90X has a sense of care to him. He seems to truly care about the people he is helping with his product, and this is important to the baby boomers. He too, being born in 1958 is a baby boomer as such is an inspiration to other baby boomers. He is a sought after trainer to many. His infomercial is one that was able to catch the attention of many because unlike other infomercial that promise quick results with little effort, Tony Horton explains how the P90X program is a high intensity one that requires time and effort. At first, to a marketer, this seems almost blasphemous. However, it has proven to be effective. The baby boomers, being information seekers, want to gain information on products before purchasing. Tony Horton was able to present his program with extensive information and be honest, and that is what caught the attention of many. References https://www.beachbody.com/text/success/2008/gamewinners/ss_maryc.html http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-18/beachbody-thinking-beyond-the-infomercial.html

Supporting Diversity and Minority Colleagues at Work

Supporting Diversity and Minority Colleagues at Work Making sure employees from different racial backgrounds feel comfortable at work has several benefits, no matter if the company has 15 workers or 1,500. Not only can a diversity friendly workplace enhance team spirit, it can also boost creativity and promote a sense of investment in the company. Fortunately, creating a diversity friendly work environment isn’t rocket science. For the most part, it involves taking the initiative and a healthy dose of common sense. Make the Effort What’s the surefire way to make colleagues from diverse backgrounds feel comfortable at work? Do the basics. For example, if a coworker or employee has a name that’s difficult to pronounce, strive to say the person’s name correctly. If you’re unsure how to pronounce it, ask the employee to say it for you and listen carefully. Even if you still don’t get it quite right, such employees will appreciate the effort rather than you totally butchering their names. On the other hand, employees won’t appreciate you forcing a nickname on them or refusing to utter their name at all. That’s alienating. Save Race-Related Jokes for Later If the joke you want to tell at work includes a rabbi, a priest or a black guy, save it for home. Many jokes about race, religion and culture involve stereotypes. Accordingly, the workplace isn’t the best place to share them, lest you offend a coworker. Who knows? One day a colleague could make your racial group the butt of a joke. Would you find that funny? Even racial banter between colleagues from the same background can be off putting to others. Some people disapprove of racial humor, no matter the source of it. So, consider telling race-based jokes to be inappropriate behavior at work. Keep Stereotypes to Yourself Stereotypes about racial groups abound. While working, it’s necessary to check your race-based assumptions at the door. Say you think all Latinos are good at a certain activity, but the one Latino in your office isn’t. How do you respond? The correct response is no response. Sharing racial generalizations with those targeted by them will only cause emotional damage. Rather than telling your coworker that he defied your expectations, consider reflecting on how you developed the stereotype in question and how to let go of it. Study Cultural Holidays and Traditions Do you know the cultural and religious holidays that your coworkers observe? If they openly discuss certain customs, consider learning more about them. Find out the origins of the holiday or tradition, when they are celebrated each year and what they commemorate. Your colleague will likely be touched that you took time out to learn about the traditions that mean most to her. Whether you’re a manager or a coworker, be understanding if an employee takes time off to observe a particular custom. Practice empathy by contemplating the traditions that matter most to you. Would you be willing to work on those days? Include All Workers in Decisions Think about whose input counts most in your workplace. Are employees from diverse racial backgrounds included? Listening to opinions from a diverse group of people can change the way business is done for the better. A person from a different background may offer a perspective on an issue that no one else has given. This can increase the amount of innovation and creativity in a work setting. Hold a Diversity Workshop If you’re a manager at work, consider enrolling your employees in a diversity training session. They may grumble about it at first. Afterwards, however, they’re likely to value their diverse group of colleagues in new ways and walk away with a deeper sense of cultural awareness. In Closing Don’t be mistaken. Creating a diversity friendly workplace isn’t about political correctness. It’s about making sure that employees of all backgrounds feel valued.

The Broken Spears essays

The Broken Spears essays Leon-Portilla, Miguel,ed. The Broken. Boston: Beacon Press, 1992 The Broken Spears written by Miguel Leon-Portilla is a book that goes into depth about the conquest of Mexico starting in 1519 from the point of view of the conquered Aztecs. The book talks about everything significant in the Aztec society that took place during this time of conquest. It goes over the first news of Cortez' and the Spaniards arrival. To Montecuhzoma's belief of the gods, and his association that he made between the Gods and the Spaniards. It goes over each single conquest That Cortez's troops made early. It also talks about the allies gained by the Spanish, and the acceptance of the Spanish and the surrender of Tenochtitlan. It also touches on the revolt of the Aztec people that lead to the terror and the end of the Aztec civilization. This book tells all this from the Aztec point of view. This book would be a great on to recommend to others. After reading this book one can say that the Aztec people went from the conquerors to the conquered. First the Aztecs were driven away by established tribes, then the Aztecs began to develop an empire of immense wealth and power by the late fifteenth century. The empire expanded to include many people from numerous tribes. One tribe that was apart of the Aztec empire were the Cempoala, who would later aid the Spanish in defeating the Aztecs. Because of the "Melting pot" within the empire, the Aztecs had a very diverse culture. However one man and his army brought the Aztecs to their knees. On November of 1519, the Aztec leader Montezuma received reports of small mountains floating off the Mexican coast. At one point the Spaniards were thought of to be Quetzalcoatl, the legendary figure who had one day promised to return from across the ocean. In distress Montezuma sent messengers bearing gifts to the Spanish ships, in order to greet these "gods". But, the Aztec leader was not alone in his attempt to gain acc ...

Organizational Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Organizational Analysis - Research Paper Example Globally, the entity is rated at the 23rd largest firm-entity in terms of composite scale measurements of assets, market value, revenues and profits. Importantly, the entity is rated as the 20th-largest mobile telecom operator globally, providing key telecommunication services to an estimated 120 million plus mobile subscribers. Throughout its years, from the initial government-authorized monopoly of phone services (the Bell System) when the entity was the largest phone company globally, to the 1982 breakup of the monopoly by U.S. regulators, it has been a force to reckon with. As Smith (2013) presents, through subsequently created subsidiaries, the entity was able to be re-founded, after the 2005 SBC acquisition of the former parent company. Further expansion has been witnessed since 2013, when the entity planned entry into Latin America through partnership with America Movil. Additionally, through agreed purchase of DirecTV in 2014, the entity further aims at widening its consumer base to include the fast-growing Latin American market arena. Further acquisition of Mexico’s Iusacell and NII Holdings is expected to solidify its presence in the wider North American frontier. Globally, the entity also offers a variety of services in different locations spread around the Asia Pacific (Smith, 2013). Human resource management (HRM/HR) pertains to the functional role-play present within organizational entities, designed specifically towards maximizing existing employee performance. As Collings and Wood (2009) portray, this is mainly in terms of service of the employer’s core strategic objectives. Accordingly, HR primarily is concerned with the manner in which individuals are managed within various organizations, focusing keenly on present systems and policies. Such responsibility falls upon existing HR departments and associate units within organizations. These are mainly tasked with a variety of core activities such as employee hiring/ recruitment, their

Essential elements for effectiveness 4th edition (phsycology class) Essay

Essential elements for effectiveness 4th edition (phsycology class) pick two chapters out of the book and write a two page - Essay Example Other definitions consider the nature of human motivation in broader terms. In these regards, psychoanalytic theory and behaviorism are considered. In terms of Psychoanalytic theory, the text demonstrates that this theory contends human personality and motivation are determined by early experiences in childhood. Conversely, Behaviorism argues that human actions are conditioned and structured by elements in their immediate environment. While being in-large part unconscious, they are still elements that are actively conditioned. These theories of human behavior are contrasted with humanistic theories, such as existentialism. In these regards, it’s argued that human behavior is determined by our own independent decision making and not an outside element of unconscious conditioning. Another theory discussed is the cognitive-behaviorist theory that considers behavior as a hybrid as conscious and unconscious elements. Considering the issues of human behavior from another perspective , the text considers it in terms of locus of control. Essentially, this refers to whether human freedom and decision making is an element of internal or external elements. It’s argued that individuals with an internal locus of control are more prone to happiness. This is because they have granted themselves more power in their lives through an increased perception on decision making. The text also considers the nature of success. From a general perspective, it argues that â€Å"effective people do the things that ineffective people don’t feel like doing† (Abascal, pg. 31). Another perspective considered in the text is that of self-efficacy. In these regards, humans are able to create symbolic models of their desired existence or experience. They can then compare their current progress with that of the symbolic model and change actions accordingly. Another element within this mode of perspective is cognitive restructuring. In large part cognitive restructuring fu nctions as the active element in cognitive therapy. This mode functions by considering an individual’s irrational beliefs and then working towards restructuring them in ways that are more effective for their existence. The text presents a number of potential models wherein psychologists or individuals can outline their thought-process and attempt to derive more functional thinking patterns. In terms of theoretical perspectives, one of the insights provided is that correlation does not man causation. While this is a broad concept, generally it seems to refer to the notion that while oftentimes events might seem to relate with each other, it is a mistake of human cognition to always assume that they are positively correlated. The text then considers the importance of adopting a generally positive outlook on life. In these regards, it’s argued that the power of positive thinking is such that it actually influences an individual’s happiness and success. The next cha pter is chapter five and it is titled Understanding Stress. One of the key introductory remarks in this chapter is that, â€Å"Mastering stress is an essential element in maintaining a healthy lifestyle which is fundamental to wellness† (Abascal, pg. 113). In large part the chapter deals with ways that the individual can better manage their stress levels. One such distinction made is between stress mastery and stress management. In these regards, it’s indicated that stress management is a temporary element that is more akin