The Silver Linings Playbook Chapter 25

The Asian Invasion After a relatively short workout and an even shorter – and silent – run with Tiffany, I hop a train to Philadelphia. Following Jake's directions, I walk down Market Street toward the river, turn right on Second Street, and follow the road to his building. When I reach the address, I am surprised to find that Jake lives in a high-rise that overlooks the Delaware River. I have to give my name to the doorman and tell him who I am visiting before he will let me in the building. He's just an old man in a funny costume, who says â€Å"Go Eagles† when he sees my Baskett jersey, but my brother having a doorman is sort of impressive, regardless of the man's uniform. Another old man wears a different sort of funny costume in the elevator – he even has on one of those brimless monkey hats – and this man takes me to the tenth floor after I tell him my brother's name. The elevator doors open, and I walk down a blue hallway on a thick red carpet. When I find number 1021, I knock three times. â€Å"What's up, Baskett?† my brother says after he opens the door. He's in his Jerome Brown memorial jersey because it's game day again. â€Å"Come on in.† There is a huge bay window in the living room, and I can see the Ben Franklin Bridge, the Camden Aquarium, and tiny boats floating on the Delaware. It's a beautiful view. I immediately notice that my brother has a flat-screen television thin enough to hang on the wall like a picture – and it is even bigger than Dad's television. But strangest of all, my brother has a baby grand piano in his living room. â€Å"What's this?† I ask. â€Å"Check it out,† Jake says. He sits down on the piano bench, lifts the cover off the keys, and then actually starts playing. I am amazed that he can play â€Å"Fly, Eagles, Fly.† His version isn't very fancy, just a simple chord progression, but it's definitely the Eagles' fight song. When he begins to sing, I sing along with him. When he finishes, we do the chant and then Jake tells me he has been taking lessons for the past three years. He even plays me another song, which is very unlike â€Å"Fly, Eagles, Fly.† This next song is familiar – surprisingly gentle, like a kitten walking through high grass – and it seems so unlike Jake to create something this beautiful. I actually feel my eyes moistening as my brother plays with his eyes shut, moving his torso back and forth with the sway of the piece, which also looks funny because he is wearing an Eagles jersey. He makes a couple of mistakes, but I don't even care, because he is trying very hard to play the piece correctly for me and that's what counts, right? When he finishes, I clap loudly and then ask him what he was playing. â€Å"Pathetique. Piano Sonata number 8. Beethoven. That was part of the second movement. Adagio cantabile,† Jake says. â€Å"Did you like it?† â€Å"Very much.† Truthfully, I am amazed. â€Å"When did you learn to play?† â€Å"When Caitlin moved in with me, she brought her piano, and she's sort of been teaching me all about music ever since.† I start to feel dizzy because I have never heard mention of this Caitlin, and I think my brother just told me she lives here with him, which would mean my brother is in a serious relationship I know nothing about. This does not seem right. Brothers should know about each other's lovers. Finally I manage to say, â€Å"Caitlin?† My brother takes me into his bedroom, and there's a big wooden poster bed with two matching armoires that look like guards facing each other. He picks up a framed black-and-white photo from the bed stand and hands it to me. In the photo, Jake's cheek is smashed against a beautiful woman's. She has short blond hair, cut almost like a man's, and she is very delicate-looking, but pretty. She is in a white dress; Jake is in a tuxedo. â€Å"That's Caitlin,† Jake says. â€Å"She plays with the Philadelphia Orchestra sometimes and does a lot of recording in New York City too. She's a classical pianist.† â€Å"Why have I not heard about Caitlin before?† Jake takes the portrait from my hands and stands it up on the dresser. We walk back into the living room and sit down on his leather couch. â€Å"I knew you were upset about Nikki, so I didn't want to tell you that I was †¦ well †¦ happily married.† Married? The word hits me like a giant wave, and suddenly I am slick with sweat. â€Å"Mom actually tried to get you out of that place in Baltimore for the Mass, but it was when you were first admitted and they wouldn't let you out. Mom didn't want me to tell you about Caitlin yet, so I didn't at first, but you're my brother, and now that you're home, I wanted you to know about my life, and Caitlin's the best part. I've told her all about you and – if you want – you can meet her today. I had her go out this morning while I broke the news to you. I can call her now, and we can have lunch before we go down to the Linc. So, do you want to meet my wife?† The next thing I know, I'm at a little swanky cafe off South Street, sitting across from a beautiful woman who holds my brother's hand under the table and smiles at me unceasingly. Jake and Caitlin carry the conversation, and it feels a lot like when I am with Veronica and Ronnie. Jake answers most of the questions Caitlin asks me, because I do not say much at all. No mention is made of Nikki or my time at the bad place or just how bizarre it is that Caitlin has been married to my brother for years, yet I had never met her. When the waiter comes, I say I'm not hungry, because I don't have very much money on me – only the ten bucks my mother gave me for the subway, since I already spent five bucks on the PATCO ticket. But my brother orders for all of us and says he is treating, which is nice of him. We eat fancy ham sandwiches with some sort of sun-dried tomato paste, and when I finish, I ask Caitlin if the ceremony was a nice one. â€Å"What ceremony?† she says, and I catch her looking at the little white scar above my right eyebrow. â€Å"Your wedding ceremony.† â€Å"Oh,† she says, and then looks lovingly at my brother. â€Å"Yes. It was really nice. We had the Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City and then a small reception at the New York Palace.† â€Å"How long have you been married?† My brother shoots his wife a look that I do not miss. â€Å"A while now,† she says, which makes me feel crazy because everyone present knows that I do not remember the last couple of years – and because she is a woman, Caitlin knows exactly how long she has been married to Jake. It is obvious she is trying to protect me by being vague. This makes me feel awful, even though I realize Caitlin is trying to be kind. My brother pays the bill, and we walk Caitlin back to their apartment building. Jake kisses his wife by the entrance door, and his love for her is so obvious. But then Caitlin kisses me right on the cheek, and with her face only a few inches from mine, she says, â€Å"I'm glad I finally got to meet you, Pat. I hope we'll become good friends.† I nod because I don't know what else to say, and then Caitlin says, â€Å"Go Baker!† â€Å"It's Baskett, dummy,† Jake says, and Caitlin blushes before they kiss again. Jake hails a taxi and tells the driver, â€Å"City Hall.† In the taxi I tell my brother I don't have any money to pay for the taxi ride, but he says I never have to pay for anything when I am with him, which is a nice thing to say, but his saying it makes me feel sort of strange. Underneath City Hall, we buy subway tokens, spin a turnstile, and then wait for the southbound Orange Line. Even though it is only 1:30 p.m. and kickoff is not for seven hours yet, even though it is a Monday, a day when most people have to work, many men in Eagles jerseys are already waiting on the platform. This makes me realize that Jake is not working today – it makes me realize I do not even know what Jake does for a living, which really starts to freak me out. I think hard and remember that my brother was a business major in college, but I cannot remember where he works, so I ask him. â€Å"I'm an options trader,† he says. â€Å"What's that?† â€Å"I play the stock market.† â€Å"Oh,† I say. â€Å"So who do you work for?† â€Å"Myself.† â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"I work for myself and do all my business online. I'm self-employed.† â€Å"Which is why you could take off early to hang out with me.† â€Å"That's the best part about being self-employed.† I am very impressed with Jake's ability to support himself and his wife by playing the stock market, but he doesn't want to talk about his work. He thinks I'm not smart enough to understand what he does; Jake doesn't even try to explain his work to me. â€Å"So what did you think of Caitlin?† he asks me. But the train comes, and we join the herd of boarding Eagles fans before I can answer. â€Å"What did you think of Caitlin?† he asks again after we find seats and the train starts moving. â€Å"She's great,† I say, avoiding eye contact with my brother. â€Å"You're mad at me for not telling you about Caitlin right away.† â€Å"No, I'm not.† I want to tell him all about Tiffany following me when I run; finding the â€Å"Pat† box; how Mom is still on strike and dirty dishes are in the sink and Dad turned his white shirts pink when he did the wash; how my therapist Cliff says I need to stay neutral and not get involved in my parents' marital problems but only focus on improving my own mental health – but how can I do that when Dad and Mom are sleeping in separate rooms and Dad is always telling me to clean the house and Mom is telling me to leave it filthy – and I was having a hard time keeping it together before I found out my brother plays the piano and trades stocks and is living with a beautiful musician and I have missed his gala wedding and therefore will never see my brother marry, which is something I very much wanted to see, because I love my brother. But instead of saying any of this, I say, â€Å"Jake, I'm sort of worried about seeing that Giants fan again.† â€Å"Is that why you've been so quiet today?† my brother asks, as if he has forgotten all about what happened before the last home game. â€Å"I doubt a Giants fan will show up at the Green Bay game, but we're going to set up in a different parking lot anyway, just in case any of the asshole's friends are looking for us. I got your back. Don't worry. The fat guys are setting up the tent in the lot behind the Wachovia Center. No worries at all.† When we arrive at Broad and Pattison, we exit the subway car and climb back up into the afternoon. I follow my brother through the thin crowds of diehards who – like us – have begun tailgating seven hours before kickoff, on a Monday no less. We walk past the Wachovia Center, and when the fat men's green tent comes into view, I can't believe what I see. The fat men are outside of the tent with Scott, and they are yelling at someone hidden by their collective girth. A huge school bus painted green – it's running, and the driver is inching toward our tent. On the hood of the bus is a portrait of Brian Dawkins's bust, and the likeness is incredible. (Dawkins is a regular Pro Bowler who plays free safety for the Birds.) As we get closer, I make out the words the asian invasion along the side of the bus, which is full of brown-faced men. This early in the afternoon, parking spaces are plentiful, so I wonder what the argument is about. Soon I recognize the voice, which argues, â€Å"The Asian Invasion has been parked in this very spot for every home game since the Linc was opened. It's good luck for the Eagles. We are Eagles fans, just like you. Superstition or not, our parking the Asian Invasion bus in this very spot is crucial if you want the Birds to win tonight.† â€Å"We're not moving our tent,† Scott says. â€Å"No fucking way. You should have gotten here earlier.† The fat men reiterate Scott's sentiment, and things are getting heated. I see Cliff before he sees me. â€Å"Move the tent,† I say to our friends. Scott and the fat men turn to face me; they look surprised by my command, almost bewildered, as if I have betrayed them. My brother and Scott exchange a glance, and then Scott asks, â€Å"Hank Baskett – destroyer of Giants fans – says, ‘Move the tent'?† â€Å"Hank Baskett says, ‘Move the tent,'† I say. Scott turns and faces Cliff, who is shocked to see me. Scott says, â€Å"Hank Baskett says, ‘Move the tent.' So we move the tent.† The fat guys groan, but they begin to break down our tailgate party, and soon it is moved three parking spaces over, along with Scott's van, at which time the Asian Invasion bus pulls forward and parks. Fifty or so Indian men exit – each one of them wearing a green number 20 Dawkins jersey. They are like a small army, and soon, several barbecues are going and the smell of curry is all around us. Cliff played it cool and did not say hello to me, which I realize was his way of saying, â€Å"It's your call, Pat.† He simply faded away into the other Dawkins jerseys, so I would not have to explain our relationship, which was kind of him. When we have our tent resituated, when the fat men are inside watching television, Scott says, â€Å"Hey, Baskett. Why did you let the dot heads have our parking spot?† â€Å"None of them have a dot on their head,† I say. â€Å"Did you know that little guy?† Jake asks me. â€Å"Which little guy, me?† We turn around, and Cliff is standing there with a sizzling platter of vegetables and meat cubes skewered on sticks of wood. â€Å"Indian kabobs. Quite delicious. For allowing us to park the Asian Invasion bus in its usual spot.† When Cliff lifts the platter up, we each grab an Indian kabob, and the meat is spicy, but delicious, as are the vegetables. â€Å"And the men in the tent – would they also like one?† â€Å"Hey, fat-asses,† Scott yells. â€Å"Food.† The fat men come out and partake. Soon everyone is nodding and complimenting Cliff on his delicious food. â€Å"Sorry for the trouble,† Cliff says so nicely. He's been so kind – even after hearing Scott call him a dot head – that I can't help claiming Cliff as a friend, so I say, â€Å"Cliff, this is my brother, Jake, my friend Scott, and †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I forget the fat men's names, so I just say, â€Å"Friends of Scott.† â€Å"Shit,† Scott says. â€Å"You should have just told us you were friends with Baskett here and we wouldn't have given you any trouble. You want a beer?† â€Å"Sure,† Cliff says, putting the empty tray down on the concrete. Scott hands everyone a green plastic cup, we all pour bottles of Yuengling Lager, and then I am drinking beers with my therapist. I am afraid Cliff will yell at me for drinking when I am on medications, but he doesn't. â€Å"How do you guys know each other?† one of the fat guys says, and then I realize that by â€Å"you guys,† he means Cliff and me. I am so happy to be drinking beers with Cliff that I say, â€Å"He's my therapist,† before I can remind myself to lie. â€Å"And we are friends too,† Cliff quickly adds, which surprises me but makes me feel pretty good, especially since no one says anything about my needing a therapist. â€Å"What are your boys doing?† Jake asks Cliff. I turn around and see ten or so men rolling out huge sheets of Astroturf. â€Å"They are rolling out the Kubb fields.† â€Å"What?† everyone says. â€Å"Come on, I'll show you.† And this is how we came to play what Cliff calls the Swedish Viking game while tailgating before Monday Night Football. â€Å"Why do a bunch of Indians play a Swedish Viking game?† one of the fat men asks. â€Å"Because it's fun,† Cliff replies, so cool. The Indian men are quick to share their food and are also so knowledgeable regarding Eagles football. They explain Kubb, which is a game where you throw wooden batons to knock down your opponent's kubbs, which are wooden blocks set up on opposite baselines. The knocked-down kubbs get tossed to the opponents' field and set up where they land. To be truthful, I am still not exactly sure how it all works, but I know the game ends when you clean the opponents' field of kubbs and knock down the kubb king, which is the tallest block of wood, set up in the center of the Astroturf. Cliff surprises me by asking if he can be my partner. All afternoon he tells me which blocks to aim for, and we win many games in between bouts of eating Indian kabobs and drinking our Yuengling Lager and the Asian Invasion's India Pale Ale out of green plastic cups. Jake, Scott, and the fat men assimilate into the Asian Invasion tailgate party very nicely – we have Indians in our tent, they have white guys on their Kubb fields – and I think all it really takes for different people to get along is a common rooting interest and a few beers. Every so often one of the Indian men yells â€Å"Ahhhhhhhh!† and when we all do the chant, we are fifty or so men strong, and our â€Å"E!-A!-G!-L!-E!-S! EAGLES!† is deafening. Cliff is deadly with his wooden batons. He mostly carries our team as we play Kubb against various groupings of men, but we end up winning the money tournament, in which I did not even know we were playing until we won. One of Cliff's boys hands me fifty dollars. Cliff explains that Jake paid my entry fee, so I try to give my brother my winnings, but Jake will not let me. Finally, I decide to buy rounds of beer inside the Linc, and I stop arguing with my brother over money. After the sun sets, when it is just about time to go into Lincoln Financial Field, I ask Cliff if I can talk to him alone, and when we walk away from the Asian Invasion, I say, â€Å"Is this okay?† â€Å"This?† he replies, and the glassy look in his eyes suggests he is a little drunk. â€Å"The two of us hanging out like boys. What my friend Danny would call ‘representing.'† â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"Well, because you are my therapist.† Cliff smiles, holds up a little brown finger, and says, â€Å"What did I tell you? When I am not in the leather recliner †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You're a fellow Eagles fan.† â€Å"Damn right,† he says, and then claps me on the back. After the game I catch a ride back to Jersey on the Asian Invasion bus, and the Indian men and I sing â€Å"Fly, Eagles, Fly† over and over again because the Eagles have beaten the Packers 31 – 9 on national television. When Cliff's friends drop me off in front of my house, it's after midnight, but the funny driver, who is named Ashwini, hits the horn on the Asian Invasion bus – a special recording of all fifty members screaming â€Å"E!-A!-G!-L!-E!-S! EAGLES!† I worry that maybe they have woken up everyone in my neighborhood, but I can't help laughing as the green bus pulls away. My father is still awake, sitting on the family-room couch watching ESPN. When he sees me, he doesn't say hello, but loudly begins to sing, â€Å"Fly, Eagles, fly. On the road to victory †¦Ã¢â‚¬  So I sing the song one more time with my father, and when we finish the chant at the end, my dad continues to hum the fight song as he marches off to bed without so much as asking me a single question about my day, which has been extraordinary to say the least, even if Hank Baskett only had two catches for twenty-seven yards and has yet to find the end zone. I think about cleaning up my father's empty beer bottles, but I remember what my mother told me about keeping the house filthy while she is on strike. Downstairs, I hit the weights and try not to think about missing Jake's wedding, which still has me down some, even if the Birds did win. I need to work off the beer and the Indian kabobs, so I lift for many hours.

A Crime of Compassion

In my opinion, taking a life away is a sin and a punishable crime, even if it is your own life. But, also if the person has to go through unbearable physical and emotional pain, due to a disease or an ailment, and death is his/her only salvation then euthanasia is acceptable. A Crime of Compassion is a nurse's point of view on euthanasia and who is more eligible than a nurse to talk about the suffering that a patient goes through. The essay Is about a Mr.. Mac who suffered from terminal lung cancer and Hetman was the nurse tending him at that time.She writes about how much he suffered and how much that diseases changed him, both physically and mentally, for the worst. When Mac entered the hospital all he had was a bad cough; Hetman also explains that he was a cop and that he used to be very active (Hetman, 2002). Mac was diagnosed with lung cancer and he was treated for over a year. And in the period, Hetman got to know his family, his wife and three kids, better. Naturally, an emoti onal bond was built over time between Mac and Hetman. Throughout the essay, Hetman tries to show the level of pain and discomfort Mac was going through.Over time, he lost weight, hair, bodily controls, sense of taste and many other things. He was just a shadow of the old person he used to be. On top of that, his whole body was covered with bed sores and every time he moved, even a little bit, It hurt him very much. Hetman also explained the effect it had on his family; his wife was suffering Just as much he was but emotionally. Mac asked Hetman to let him go many times and he was In tears. These are the lines he said when they resuscitated him yet another time, â€Å"Mercy†¦ Or God's sake, please let me go† (Hetman, 2002). Hetman being a good nurse knew that she couldn't do it and that taking control of a person's death is a crime. In the starting of the essay, Hetman talks about her TV show experience. These are the words she used to descry here experience, â€Å"we re suscitated him 52 times in just one month. I refused to resuscitate him. I simply sat there and held his hand while he died† (Hetman, 2002). Watchman's decision was not an impulsive and reckless one; she followed the hospital protocol until the day she decided to let Mac go.She took care of him for such a long period that his pain became a part of her; she couldn't get rid of It even when she was at home. She also tried to convince the physician to give out the â€Å"no code call†, but Like many doctors he was reluctant. And anally, when Mac was lucid enough to beg Hetman for death, after his 52nd code, she decided to help him die peacefully, no matter what the consequences were. Hetman is an experienced nurse who sees patients suffering on a daily basis. If she really believed that letting Mr.. Mac die as the only solution, then it is safe to deem the decision credible.Hetman is a nurse, her Job is to take care of the patient's needs and if the patient himself wanted t o die then what Hetman did is both ethical and moral. Euthanasia is a very sensitive topic and obviously so. There are many people out here who think that what Hetman did was a horrible thing and I understand where they are coming from. Religion also thinks that taking a life away is a sin and our justice system agrees. There are no laws that support euthanasia and I think it is about time. There is no reason as to why a person can't die a dignified way if there is nothing else a doctor can do to improve his state.Only the state of Oregon has a law named ‘The Death with Dignity Act' which enables Euthanasia. The death by Dignity Act is an act that is exclusive for Oregon. This act lets terminally ill patients to end heir lives by voluntary administration of lethal drugs (Oregon Health Authority). This act was first initiated by the citizens in 1994 and it was passed by a margin of 51%. Even though an injunction delayed it, in 1997 it was passed by the government with a 60% mar gin. This act got introduced in the state of Washington in 2008 and it became a law in 2009 (Washington State Department of Health).In 2009, the Montana Supreme court agreed up on an act where a physician is allowed to prescribe a terminally ill patient with a lethal drug (State of Montana). Oregano's Dignity Act is a strictly laid act and it is so to stop misuse of the law. There are certain pre-conditions for a patient to be eligible for this act such as: he/she should be above 18 years in age, they have to be a resident of Oregon, they have to be mentally sound to make this decision and they have to be diagnosed with a terminally illness that will lead to death in six months.The physician that is currently foreseeing the patient can give the drug, but only if he is willing to. The participation of the doctor is completely voluntary and the patient must find a willing physician to go through this. Another important aspect is that only the patient can request for this, his family c annot do this on their behalf. The process that follows after a request is a well organized one. First the patient has to make two oral requests to the physician with each separated by at least 15 days.Then he has to make a written request asking for the same thing and it should be signed by two witnesses, where one of them must be other than a family member. Then the attending and consulting physicians must agree on the diagnosis and they also must confirm the patient's physiological condition. If everything checks well then they can administer the patient with the drug after the end of the waiting period. The patient can back off from the request any time he/she ay want to. In conclusion, the Dignity Act is a step forward where medical laws are concerned.

Analysis of Report to Wordsworth

Report to Wordsworth, a poem by Boey Kim Cheng, is one that speaks of the path of destruction through nature that man is leaving behind him. I personally find the poem powerful and extremely convincing, in the sense that it manages to challenge the reader very objectively. ‘You should be here, Nature has need of you’ involves the reader directly, and the use of a Capital letter personifies nature in such a way it makes one feel her pain. The following lines are significantly symbolic, as the words ‘sky slowing’ can be interpreted as the world itself turning much slower than before, the life and vibrancy leaking out of it. The reference to a ‘dying clock’ may make the reader believe that nature has very limited time remaining and that death is at its doorstep. ‘Smothered by the smog’, this line refers directly to, I believe, the harmful smoke and gases that spoil our air, literally smothering us. This description has the impressive effect of creating a feeling of suffocation, accurately reflecting the idea that is trying to be communicated. References to the great ancient Greek gods of the seas, Proteus and Triton create an incredible effect, notably the one that depicts two of the most powerful beings in existence struggling and suffering at the hands of man. ‘All hopes of Proteus rising from the sea have sunk’, this direct allusion to the tons of pollution man creates is particularly strong as it sends a message along the lines: our oceans are so polluted even the sea god is forced away. Triton’s notes struggle to be free†¦horns are choked, his eyes are dazed’ The idea of man being able to cause such suffering to the gods themselves emphasises all the more the idea of them causing massive destruction to nature. ‘Neptune lies helpless as a beach whale, while insatiate man moves in for the kill’; the adjective ‘insatiate’ depicts man as being merciless and cruel. The following lines may be interpreted from the point of view of poets, who often sit and write of what they see around them, watching the ocean, or wide fields of green countryside. They are now failing as these things that were once so beautiful are slowly being destroyed. Cheng here presents an interesting image, notably that of a ‘wound widening in the sky’, which personally makes me think of our ozone layer getting worn away by pollution, leaving the world at mercy. There is also here a discreet allusion to the poem Composed upon Westminster Bridge, the poem by William Wordsworth (Cheng’s poem is a response to this particular piece of work). God is labouring to utter his last cry’ is, I find, the perfect ending to the poem, as it once again alludes to God himself struggling against what man has caused to the world. The poem’s tone is considerably morose, along with a rhythm that I would compare to a funeral march. The atmosphere is quite deep and the voice could be that of surrender, as the poet does not indicate any possibility of mankind being capable of turning this situation around. I feel that this poem can be morally challenging and is very successful in making us understand the gravity of the world’s condition.

Benefits of stem cell research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Benefits of stem cell research - Essay Example There are three types of stem cells. Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are derived from the embryo and are pluripotent: they have the potential to become all the different cell types of the body. Adult, or somatic, stem cells are found in organs or tissues, and are multipotent: they can differentiate to yield the specialized cell types comprising that particular organ or tissue and are important for maintenance and repair of the organ or tissue. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)  are adult cells that have been genetically reprogrammed to an embryonic stem cell–like state. The dual capacity of stem cells for self-renewal, and for differentiation into particular types of cells and tissues, offers great potential for regenerating failing body parts and curing diseases that have so far defied drug-based treatment (NIH, 2002). Advocates of stem cell research consider it to be mankind’s greatest hope of survival. At the other end of the spectrum are the detractors, who paint a doomsday scenario of â€Å"a  new world of â€Å"embryo farms† and â€Å"cloning mills† for the cultivation of human spare parts† (Weiss, n.d.). ... Bone marrow contains blood-forming stem cells (hematopoietic stem cells) that have been used for over four decades to treat blood cancers and other inherited blood disorders. Bone marrow transplants are able to permanently replace a patient’s diseased blood system and give the patient a new lease on life. Persons who have diseases of the bone marrow are injected with healthy hematopoietic stem cells that produce healthy blood cells, and replace the function of their own non-functioning bone marrow (NIH, 2002).   Umbilical cord blood, which is harvested from the umbilical cord of the baby after birth, is another source of hematopoietic stem cells that is being used in treatment. Cord blood is rich in a kind of stem cell that gives rise to oxygen-carrying red blood cells, disease-fighting white blood cells, and other parts of the blood and immune systems (Weiss, n.d.). The advantage of cord blood cells is that these stem cells can be frozen (‘cryopreserved’) in ce ll banks and later be used to treat children with cancerous blood disorders such as leukaemia, as well as genetic blood diseases like Fanconi anaemia. Another advantage of cord blood transplants is that they are less likely than conventional bone marrow transplants to be rejected by the immune system, or to result in a negative reaction such as  Graft versus Host Disease. (EuroStemCell, 2013). Unlike conventional blood transfusions, which provide only temporary volumes of cells which die in a few months and have to be replaced yet again, the stem cells found in bone marrow and cord blood can generate fresh blood and immune cells for a lifetime (Weiss, n.d.).More advanced techniques for collecting, or â€Å"harvesting,† hematopoietic stem cells are now used in order to treat leukemia, lymphoma,

The 5 most important ideas of politics and US government Essay

The 5 most important ideas of politics and US government - Essay Example An individual has the innate tendency to resist all that obstruct one’s liberty. The connotation of liberty is so vast that it defies definition. Each one sees a new horizon of liberty. For the American people the concept of liberty is supreme as it stands to protect the essential dignity of an individual. Dr. Rabindranath Tagore, the Nobel Prize winning poet, describes the concept of liberty in his beautiful poem â€Å"Where the Mind is Without Fear.† He writes, â€Å" Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high, where knowledge is free, where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls, where words come out from the depth of truth, where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection, where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way, into the dreary desert sand of dead habit, where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action, into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake. † (Tagore, n. p.) This is fantastic explanation about the concept of liberty. In the context of American history, the concept of liberty has undergone many changes as per the demands of time. Each advocate of liberty takes a different line of argument as to its potency and desires to outsmart the previous definitions. Ernest Hemingway in his Autobiography writes â€Å"[†¦.] the loss of liberty anywhere in the world is a threat to liberty everywhere† (Hemingway†¦).... They are born in poverty. Live in poverty and just walk up to the grave in poverty. The African-Americans(slaves) survived only because they had a chance to work(just one aspect of liberty) though on a meager or no salary. Schumacher, E.F in his book â€Å"Small is Beautiful† writesâ€Å"[†¦]the chances to work is the greatest of all needs, and even poorly paid and relatively unproductive work is better than idleness†( 161).This was the position when the practice of slavery was legal in America. After the abolition of slavery, when African-Americans took to education, they began to comprehend the meaning of liberty. Prior to that, in the land of tyranny how could the African American think of equality? Isaiah Berlin in his book â€Å"Liberty: Incorporating Four Essays on Liberty† writes â€Å"It is interesting, but perhaps irrelevant, historical question at what date, and in what circumstances, the notion of individual liberty in this sense first became exp licit in the West†(p.32, 33).Liberty does not mean people should do what they want to do, but they should do what they are expected to do. Liberty is an individual prerogative subject to the liberty (rights) of others. It is a carefully balanced walk and not a carefree race. It is to act with caution, always minding the fact that rights go with duties and responsibilities. Limited Governance The source of the power for the government is the willingness of the people to make and unmake it. The people cannot dethrone the government in power at will, and yet the people of America are supreme and the government itself is limited to the power given to it by them. The Government of

Biodiversity Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Biodiversity - Assignment Example He continues to observe that introduction of science to manage the environment may be futile. The cases of genetically modified food and nuclear energy may bring us more harm than what the world believes (Mark ppp. 23). Marks believe that to save the environment, it is a choice we have to make. It all depends on us to save the environment. These are different environmental systems that do exist and functions interdependently. For instance, there is ozone layer boundary, aerosol boundary, climate change, biodiversity, land use and fresh water boundary among others (Mark pp. 56). The current global environmental degradation has been caused by wanton natural resources use particularly by developed countries. It makes sense to believe that the developed economies use more natural resources as compared to less developed countries. In case of Mother Nature strike like the Katrina Hurricanes, the poor are always at receiving end. They suffer more than those who have used these resources. On top of that, the rich countries and state will try to solve the devastating problem milking the poor to

The Jurisdiction and National Security Policy Assignment

The Jurisdiction and National Security Policy - Assignment Example With limited types of cases that it can hear, The Federal Court hears cases that involve the United States as a party. The jurisdiction of the Federal Court System also includes cases that violate the U.S Constitution or general federal laws. Some of these laws are on copyright, patent, bankruptcy and maritime law cases. Another area of difference with the jurisdiction of State of California and the Federal Court System is that whereas the State of California Court System is not mandated to hear cases in which one or both parties live outside California, the Federal Court System is allowed to hear cases between citizens of different States, especially with the amount in contention exceeds $75,000. Finally, there are instances where both the State and Federal Courts have jurisdiction. It is the case, the parties involved choosing which of the two courts they would want to use. 2. Explain what national security policy is and identify the key policy-making actors in U.S foreign policy T he National Security Policy is a guiding principle of strategic national security plan prepared on a periodic basis by the executive arm of the United States Government. The policy is made up of major national security issues and ways by which the Administration plans to handle them. Though prepared by the Executive Arm of government, the National Security Policy is prepared for Congress.

The law of internation finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The law of internation finance - Essay Example could be described as follows: a) to identify the key forms of loans available in the context of the Islamic banking system, b) to evaluate the performance of loans provided by the Islamic Financial Institutions; suggestions are also made for the potential increase of the performance of the specific financial products c) to compare these loans with the loans provided by the Western Banks, d) to locate the advantages and disadvantages of loans in the Islamic Banking System, e) to identify the effects of the global financial crisis on the rate of financing by Islamic Banks and f) to identify and analyze the role that Islamic banking can have in the limitation of the effects of recession. The research methodology employed in this study will have two different forms: the literature review will be used in order to identify the views of academic researchers on the study’s subject; on the other hand, the empirical research will be used aiming to retrieve information on the current aspects of the study’s issues. The empirical research developed in the context of this study can be distinguished in two categories: a) qualitative research, i.e. reference to case studies; the modes of financing provided by specific Islamic banks will be presented and analyzed; b) apart from the case study analysis, a survey will be conducted in order to retrieve the views of the public on the loans provided by Islamic banks worldwide; employees in Islamic banks worldwide will be asked to state their view on the performance of loans provided by their Banks; the survey will be conducted through the Internet. The types of loans available in the context of Islamic Banking System are specific; Iqbal et al. (2002) refers to the following types of loans: ‘a) educational loans, b) gold loans – for securing gold, and c) surety loans, which are loans against personal security of two signatories’ (Iqbal et al., 2002, p.176). In accordance with Schoon (2009) the main difference between the

Student's Post 3 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Student's Post 3 - Research Paper Example Jessica needs to understand the leadership practices Mary stands for, and most importantly her leadership style. On the same note, Mary needs to understand what it takes to be an effective, efficient, and successful leader. Jessica’s qualification is not in question having secured a position to head the department. Her personal and professional competitiveness is expected to guide her in managing her department. To some extent, this expectation can explain Mary’s reaction. However, this is not justifiable. The organizational workforce needs to engage in collaborative efforts with everybody on board to enhance the realization of organizational goals and objectives (DuBrin, 2013). The best approach to the Mary-Jessica issue is democratic style of leadership. This style allows senior officers, junior officers, and employees to engage in decision making and problem resolution processes, but the final say rests with head of the collaborating group. On the same note, a streamlined approach to communication, interaction, and relations is

World War 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

World War 2 - Essay Example Roosevelt went into the conference with the agenda of trying to influence the Soviet Union to join in the war in the Pacific where the United States almost single-handedly fought Japan. He was of the belief that if Russia were to enter the war on its side, then it would be much easier for the allies to defeat the Imperial military of Japan and force the latter to surrender. Roosevelt desired to end the war with Japan with minimal American casualties and the participation of the Soviet Union would have made this possible (Berthon & Potts285). Stalin, because of his relatively strong position, declared that the only way that he would agree to declare war on Japan would be if the United States recognised the Mongolian Peoples Republic as an independent state and that all of the islands which Russia had ceded to Japan after their war in 1902, namely the Kuril and Sakhalin Islands, were returned.These conditions were agreed to by the other participants in the conference and it has remaine d controversial ever since because China, the biggest loser in their implementation, was not consulted. Furthermore, Roosevelt and Stalin reached an agreement to keep the Korean peninsula in one piece once the Soviet Union became involved in the Pacific arena. Stalin agreed to enter the war with Japan some three months after the fall of Germany so that the Soviet Union could be able to marshal itself sufficient to help the United States invade the Japanese home territory. Stalin agreed to the proposition that the Soviet Union join the United Nations and this guarantee was secured through the Soviet Union is one of the nations which had the veto power in the Security Council; ensuring that all of the decisions that it did not agree with were blocked (Schlesinger185). During this conference, the three leaders agreed to create spheres of influence in the postwar Europe with each of them having zones to occupy within Germany and this agreement ensured that these three nations upheld the ir supremacy over the entire European continent. In conclusion, the discussion above has shown that the Yalta Conference was held by the Big Three, in a bid to discuss the development of a postwar order of Europe after the defeat of Germany.Each of the leaders went into the conference with their own agenda and it should be noted that before this conference, the Soviet Union had attained great strides and was close to capturing the German capital, meaning that Stalin was in an especially strong position in the Yalta conference and the attendees from Britain and the United States realised that they were in a weak position to oppose his demands.

Chicken Run Essay Example for Free

Chicken Run Essay During 2005, Encik Selamat, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), was transferred from another subsidiary of PCK Holding, which dealt in the business of transportation to poultry and meat business, Excel Poultry and Meat Sdn Bhd (EPM). En Selamat was initially reluctant to accept the position as he lack of expertise in poultry and meat industry. However, later, he accepts and undertakes the position of General Manager in EPM as a new challenge to him. For the first three (3) years, he managed to handle the company smoothly. However, during the closing year end of 2008, the company has faced with tremendous operational crises. Thus, this report will identify and give recommendations on the issues arise in the company. There are two main issues or problems is being identified in this company, which are, increase in price of chicken feed and credit control and managerial problems. For the first issue, regarding the rise of chicken feed price, it is recommended for EPM to plant fast growing trees such as maize tree, trichanthera gigantea tree (fodder tree), or mulberry tree. These three trees have been proved by many researches and farmers all over the Asian countries as the alternative or substitute of commercial chicken feed. By consuming half or thirty percent (30%) of the substitute chicken feeds, this may reduce the existing cost of production. Moreover, it is cheap, fast and easy to plant these trees. In addition, the plant can be used for another purpose of business and may generate income. For example, one maize tree can produce 4 corns in a year and EPM can sell them and make money out of it. Same goes to trichanthera gigantea tree, the leaves and plants not only can be feed to chicken but many other animals such as, cows, goats, ducks, pigs, horses and many more. Thus, EPM can sell their leaves to other farmers and this can help them increase their income. Mulberry tree proves to have more uses. By fully utilize the tree, EPM can generates income in short term as well as in long term. The leaf can be made as tea powder, and can raise silk worm thus they can make silk cloth. The fruit itself can be made as foods or drinks such as wine, pies, tart, jelly jams and juice. Also, the bark or wood can be use to produce paper and furniture. Another way to reduce cost is by placing the breeder chickens in a free range farm. When the chickens are freely place in an open farm and freely eat whatever on the field such as worms, trees, and grass, the commercial chicken feeds will be lessen. Thus, this will give cost reduction for EPM. The commercial chicken feed is necessary for the chicken to consume as it contains all nutrition needed by all chicken. Thus, EPM may still bear the high price of commercial chicken feed. The price of chicken feed is uncontrollable by EPM, but not the sales of EPM. Therefore, there are many ways of increasing the income of the company. EPM can sell chicken eggs, chicken manure, as well as chicken feather to boost their income. Other than that, EPM may collaborate with East Coast Economic Region (ECER) and open branch in Mersing, Johor. The collaboration with ECER program will help to bring the company‘s name throughout nationwide. It is in line with the goal of ECER to increase the poultry output by 35% between years of 2005 to 2010. ECER program may also helps EPM to transform into major international and local tourism destination and exporter of resources and manufactured chicken poultry. The second issue in the company is on the credit control and managerial problem. Based on the case of financial reports of EPM, the costs of sales incur increasing closely and nearly to the revenue earned each year and the trade receivables amount also increase each year. The account receivable turnover ratio for the year 2006, 2007 and 2008 are 4. 307, 3. 396 and 2. 88 respectively. It shows the decrease in efficiency of a business in collecting its credit sales. Also, the trade receivable percentage of increase for the year 2007 and 2008 are 27. 56% and 60. 49% respectively. This shows that the account receivable increase drastically during the year. Therefore, this proves that ECM is having a weak credit control. It has being identified that the marketing department continued to supply chicken to Gold Cold Sdn Bhd (GCSB) even though GCSB has exceeded its credit limit. Thus, it is suggested for EPM to offer GCSB for cash discount to encourage early debt payment or cash sales. For example, offer 20% discount if they make payment within 1 week. Other alternative is that EPM should limit the supply to GCSB until they make payment of debts. Besides that, instead of Encik Selamat, the credit collection department staff should directly communicate to GCSB regarding the payment and supply of chicken. Not only that, EPM should send monthly credit sales statement to GCSB and remind GCSB about their debts through phone calls for instance. Instead of highly dependent on the sales from GCSB, the company may approach for more supplying tenders and contracts. For example, they can approach Ayamas Food Corporation Sdn Bhd, Ayam A1 Corporation Sdn Bhd, and all giant superstores. Also, they can carry out open tender instead of close tender to promote broader markets. Other than weak credit control, the company also has weak credit management. In this case, Puan Azura only concerned on sending reminders to debtors when she thought that auditors will be checking on that matters. Also, the records produced by Puan Azura are not similar with the figure from the confirmation letter by Mr. Siva. Therefore, the recommendation for EPM to solve the problem is, Puan Azura should be asked to send the monthly debtor statement regardless whether the auditor will be checking on her works or not. Other than that, the duties of employees should be segregated. For example, person whom collects the cash (Encik Munir) differs with the one whom updates the reports (Puan Azura) and the transaction should be verified by other personnel (Ms Choy). Furthermore, all the different personnel from different department must be communicated to each other to avoid error. Besides, managerial problems also arise in the company. From the case, we noticed that there is no supervision of Encik Kassim works by Encik Selamat. This problem can be solved by having more supervision over their staffs’ works by Encik Selamat as well as by board of directors. This can reduce the opportunity of fraud and misappropriate of company’s assets by their staffs. Other managerial problem is that, Encik Selamat was having personal meeting wih Encik Azman, the executive director of GCSB regarding their business and debt collection. The personal meeting should be avoided as it can lead to personal interest threats. Therefore, EPM must establish proper procedures for debt collection. Furthermore, EPM must as well establish and communicate a code of ethics which includes guidelines to be followed by debtors and employees with regards to debt collection. Even though there are many wrongdoings done by Encik Selamat, directors are reluctant to take any action against Encik Selamat. Therefore, it is highly recommended that PCK holding, the parent company, to change the directors. New directors may give new aspirations and directions for the company to continue to survive and succeed in the poultry industry. By solving all these problems, EPM may boost their performance for the next year onwards.

Ideological underpinnings of a movie Essay Example for Free

Ideological underpinnings of a movie Essay An expectation has arisen among film-critics and audiences, that movie-makers will deal with the serious issues, such as racism and violence, at a serious level. In other words, it is expected by critics and film-goers alike that films will have meaning. However, if meaning is expected what precisely creates and communicates meaning in a film? As Louis Giannetti points out in his book, Understanding Movies (2008), the presence of ideology in a film impacts the film in its entirety, from tone to theme. In Giannettis estimation, ideology is another language system in film and this language is largely conveyed through code (Giannetti, 453). In order to help illustrate the way that ideology influences films, Giannetti offers a series of categories into which the influence of ideology in film can be functionally divided. The following discussion of the film 300 (2007) will use Giannettis ideas as a support-structure to show how meaning in film is ultimately determined by the films prevailing ideology. In any discussion of meaning in film, it will be important to distinguish between what might be considered overt or even propagandistic meaning and thematic or expressive meaning. Of course this distinction is quite artificial and the two hypothetically divided types of meaning are often one and the same. That said, there is often a conspicuous difference between a film which has an explicit propagandistic agenda than a film which is based on generating thematic and emotional subtlety. The movie 300 offers, even to the most casual viewer, an example of what Giannetti calls Explicit ideology (Giannetti, 449). In this category of ideological content, a movie serves, at least partially, as obvious propaganda for a viewpoint or cause. That 300 functions as a form of propaganda is easily arguable. However, it is slightly more difficult to pinpoint exactly what specific cause or theme is being forwarded by the films ideology. In order to determine the films ideological bearing, closer attention must be paid to its content and its artistic tone. Giannetti mentions that tone in a film can be one of the most important aspects of presenting the films ideology. What Giannetti means by tone is its manner of presentation (Giannetti, 489). For example, in the movie 300, any number of important scenes, if played with a comic rather than a heroic tone, would create a different response in the viewer and therfore communicate a different ideological vision. Imagine the scene where Leonidas kicks the Persian messenger down the well: if the well had sounded out a loud burp after swallowing the messenger, the tone of the scene would have mocked the idea of Spartan pride and Spartan loyalty rather than celebrating it. The reason that tone is so important in a film is that it defines the way the audience will evaluate and judge the characters and scenes of a film. Because as Giannetti insists, Tone can strongly affect our responses to a given set of values (Giannetti, 489), tone is closely connected to ideology and theme. In the example given above, Leonidas kicks the Persian messenger down the well and this scene is presented in a heroic tone. From the outset of the film, the viewer is cued-in to understand that the Spartans are heroic and that they operate from a sense of pride and fearlessness. The tone of heroicism is conveyed not only through the action of the scene, but through the stylized representation of the characters as muscle-bound heros. The Mise-en-scene of the film is connected to the visual color-schemes of comic books and graphic novels. The sense of legend permeates the film, as it permeates the actual historical event. Therefore, the most dominant or controlling tone of 300 can be considered heroic. The fact that a movie has a controlling tone does not mean that other types of tones are not present in isolated scenes. In fact, the opposite is generally the case. The shifts against the dominant tone also help to convey meaning and ideology in a film. If the controlling tone of 300 is heroic, then the scenes that play against this dominant tone, such as the scene where Theron rapes Queen Gorgo, serve to reinforce the films dominant tone and ideology. When Theron tells the Queen she will not enjoy what is going to happen to her, the tone of the scene is tragic rather than heroic, and Therons status as a villain is cemented in the audiences minds. The scene, by depicting graphically, the rape of Spartas Queen reinforces the heroic sacrifice of Leonidas and his men. Another aspect of films that influences ideological language is the cultural context in which a given film is made and shown. Cultural context is a crucial aspect of a films ideological meaning. The expectations of a given audience rest on the fact that Every nation has a characteristic way of looking at life, a set of values that is typical of a given culture (Giannetti, 465). The movie 300 is an American movie made for American audiences. ecause of this it would be hard for anyone to miss the obvious connections between contemporary world-events and the ideological themes that are shown in the movie. Comparisons with recent events are more or less easy. Any observer could see the present-day war against terrorism as a stand for freedom and to view the Battle of Thermopylae as a sort of allegory for the modern-day struggle against tyranny. Obviously, the movie 300 forwards this connection through the kind of code that Giannetti describes. Still, as Dennis Behreandt points out in his review of the film from The New American (2007) the movie serves to buttress the American mythos that our present-day warriors are likewise fighting for freedom in Iraq and also that this is most evident in the scene where Gorgo addresses the Gerousia, the Spartan Senate when her speech could only remind any aware person of the recent troop surge in Iraq (Behreandt). This kind of cultural context would, obviously, be of less significance to someone who lived out side of the U. S. han to someone steeped in to American values. In addition to the cultural context of a film, there is usually a predominant political context. The political context of a film, for Giannetti, can loosely be divided into one of two categories: left and right. Left-leaning films are those that show multiple viewpoints to issues and propose more flexible responses to issues and problems. Giannetti describes leftists as people who believe we ought to be flexible in ou r judgments. By contrast, right-leaning film-makers are those who embrace a more stringent world-view. The rightist film-maker is more absolute in judging human behavior [ ] Right and wrong are fairly clear-cut and ought to be evaluated according to a strict code of conduct (Giannetti, 457). In the case of 300, the designation of Rightest is, obviously, the most fitting for the film due to its tone and cultural perspective. Loosely, according to the discussion above, the following observations about 300 can be made in light of Giannettis criteria for evaluating the ideological underpinnings of films. First, that 300 is a film that relies predominantly on a heroic tone. Second, the film 300 depends on the specific cultural associations of American society to find its full ideological impact. Third, that 300 represents a Rightest political ideology. The three conclusions, taken together, along with the initial determination that 300 is an explicit communicator if ideology, beg the question as to whether or not 300 is more a vehicle for entertainment or propaganda. One of the opposing aspects to this idea is the fact that 300 is based on history. The idea that historical realism balances out the poetic licesne often taken by Hollywood regarding tone and presentation is one that, for better or worse, many film-goers probably believe. In addition to the idea that a culture could exert such self-discipline in its military caste and instill within each soldier a sense of bravery and fearlessness was a very powerful concept in 300 , which seems to resonate deeply with modern times. It is hard not to be fascinated by the Spartans, to wonder what made them as strong and resolute a they were and to wonder just as Xerxes What kind of men were these Spartans who in three days had slain before his Majestys eyes no fewer than twenty thousand of His most valiant warriors? (Pressfield, 8). However, the fact shades of realism exist within the largely stylized or expressionistic flavor of the film only serves to elevate its power to transmit equally stylized (or stereotyped) ideologies. For example, the difference between vanity and pride seemed to have a great deal of influence on the Spartan conception of bravery as it was portrayed in the movie 300. Modern-day leaders would never think of putting themselves in direct danger like King Leonidas: his pride rather than his vanity dictated his actions and pride stems from a sense of civic (or national) unity. Loyalty is another important concept in the movie. It becomes the central most important idea, given that Spartan military power evolved out of the phalanx, which required the utmost loyalty and steadfastness of each warrior in the unit as a whole. The idea that a Greek traitor showed the Persians another path, which enabled them to come round behind and encircle the Greeks and that this ultimately led to the wholesale destruction of the Spartans at Thermopylae shows how important loyalty was to the Spartans. After Leonidas is killed his men fought on with redoubled fury under the Persian arrows, as much to defend the fallen body of their King from the savagery of the barbarians as to show their valor (THE GREATEST WARRIORS). The historical basis of the film is incorporated into the larger and more important myth of the movie that is conveyed in heroic tones that simplify historical subtleties and create a fictional paradigm of idealism. Therefore, the fact that realism in films can be construed into a propagandistic function, is the reality that filmmakers, and especially American filmmakers, are subject to the prejudices and blind-spots which are inherent to the social position they occupy and to which they owe their ability to make high-profile films. Elizabeth G. Traubes Dreaming Identities: Class, Gender, and Generation in 1980s (1992) offers background to the mores and machinations of the filmmaking industry in America and her observations are important for understanding that movies are, in fact, propagandistic and often they represent the experience of only a very small segment of American society. This narrowness is obscured, according to Traube, beneath a veneer which can be thought of as a traditional moralistic package. Traube points out that, in reality, audience preferences are only one of many factors that influence production decisions. Producers also shape their work to conform to dominant sensibilities and values, including those of the producing community itself (Traube, 69). This reality combined with Traubes complex but insightful understanding of fairy-tale motifs in movies is crucial to elucidating the way that anger and racial conflict are expressed propagandistically in film. All fables rely on a straightforward, linear narrative due to the fact that complex stories tend to obscure the thrust of the intended moral. Because the author of any fable is able to transform topical news and politics into universal predicaments (Haggiss Fable 38), a fable carries with it the dangerous connotations of stereotype and oversimplification. The movie 300 stands as an heroic statement about the importance of protecting liberty and freedom. The ideological message that bravery and loyalty are essential aspects of preserving freedom and rather than Sparta, now it is America that faces the threat from Persia and by telling this story so forcefully and with so much passion the film embrace the mythos of the battle rather than the historical truth of the era, which is strongly conveyed in the film. (Behreandt). The ideological underpinnings of the movie 300 are based in a rightist, conservative set of political values that celebrate military capacity and force of strength. he films ideological message is one of social and civic duty as well as xenophobia. The film is geared toward an American audience in a time when America faces military challenges on several fronts and as such plays to the expectations of its audience. The tone of the film is heroic and its political ideology is conservative. The most logical conclusion that can be drawn from these facts is that, as mentioned by Giannetti, the ideological language of the film emerges as the most important aspect of the film as a whole. Further, the code that is used in the movie is comprised of historical truths and cultural stereotypes. The film blurs the line between entertainment and propaganda. It is accurate to suggest that the film, stripped of its propagandistic functions, would cease to exist. The unity of the film, in terms of narrative, editing, staging, costuming, scene construction and even music is derived more from a unity of ideology than from a unity of style or form. The movie follows a traditional fairy-tale arc of narrative to reinforce an already existing set of ideologies in its expected audience. Therefore, the best way in which to interpret the movie 300 is the method demonstrated by Giannetti that isolates and categorizes the ideological code of a film and makes the ideological language much more understandable for the average film-goer.

Common Assessment Framework In Childrens Services

Common Assessment Framework In Childrens Services Why was the Common Assessment Framework introduced in Childrens Services, what does it attempt to achieve and how successful is it in doing this? This essay will discuss why Common Assessment Framework was introduced to Childrens Services, what it attempts to achieve and whether or not it has been successful, the concept behind it and briefly, the difficulties in working with other health professionals to get the Common Assessment Framework to do what it was set out to do. The Every Child Matters Green Paper proposed the introduction of a Common Assessment Framework (CAF) as a central element of the strategy for helping children, young people and their families. (DfES 2004) Common Assessment Framework is a standard assessment tool to be used by all professionals working with children for assessments and referral (British Journal of Social Work (2009). The reform agenda in Childrens Service was catalysed by the public inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbie (Laming 2003), an eight year old West African girl who was abused and murdered in the UK in 2000 as a result of extreme cruelty and neglect by her great-aunt and the her partner, who were her guardians. An inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbie (Laming 2003) exposed a failure to put in place the necessary basic procedures to protect her. Factors identified included lack of early intervention, poor co-ordination, failure to share information and the absence of anyone with a strong sense of accountability. As a result, the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) was one of the measures introduced under the changes in child protection policies and the green paper, Every Child Matters (2003) therefore was introduced to set out proposals for major changes in childrens programmes to allow every child, whatever their background or their circumstances, to have the needed support towards the achievement of a better outcome in the following key areas: being healthy, staying safe, enjoying and achieving making a positive contribution and achieving economic well-being (DoH 2003) The design, in conjunction with the lead professional and better information sharing policies and procedures; to change the method by which services are delivered, moving the focus from dealing with the consequence of difficulties in childrens lives, towards a more proactive preventative and precautionary measure. CAF is intended to be used for children who have additional needs which may not be complex or severe enough to require statutory intervention. It is for use in situations where there are concerns with how a child is progressing in any way (raised by the child, a parent or a professional), the childs needs are unclear, the childs needs are broader than a professionals own service can address or where it is thought that CAF would help to identify the childs needs. The draft Common Assessment Framework was developed in late 2004 with its revised version published in 2005. CAF is a new, more standardised approach for assessing the needs of children for service and deciding how those needs should be addressed and met. It is meant for children with additional needs; that is, children at risk of poor outcomes (DfES, 2005b,p1). CAF is designed to be evidence-based , focusing on needs and strengths, rather than concerns as seen in the British Journal of social work (2009) 39, 1197-1217. The three stated aims of CAF are to support earlier intervention, improve multi-agency working by, for example embedding a common language of assessment; reduce bureaucracy for families (DfES, 2005b, p1.) CAF is not meant to replace many other assessment schedules used in the various agencies, such as the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families documentation, but the government would like the CAF to represent the main assessment tool to support inter-agency referral and multi-agency working (DfES, 2005b, p 2). Common Assessment Framework (CAF) is one of the contributing elements to the following both of which are outlined in the Childrens Act 2004, the delivery of integrated services the support inter-agency co-operation; and the safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. [emailprotected] How are children services organised? What is the key legislation that governs children and childrens services, The aim of Every Child Matters is to have a few agencies working together bearing in mind their professional boundaries to liaise and support children from 0 to 19, using a simple language to meet the needs of these children. It came up with the Integrated Childrens System (ICS), the Contact Point and the Common Assessment Framework (CAF), they all have different systems and style of working but have one common goal which is to improve the well being and to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people. When a child is seen as suffered neglect, abuse or has any server difficulty or being looked after under the Childrens Act 1989, their needs are assessed using the Framework for Assessment of Children in Need and their families. The Integrated Child System (ICS) is used at this stage, this is done by putting information together step by step and recording information about both the child and family, where a thorough assessment is required an in depth information is needed at this stage and must be gathered in a way that can set as the basis for decision making and can be used for different purposes. ICS is supported by information technology and its the basis of the electronic social care record for children. The IT system is also known as ISC. Contact Point is a fast method to find out who else is working with a particular service user, making it a lighter way to liaise and support, it is a major tool Every Child Matters uses to deliver a better service to Children and young people, having said that Contact Point only holds a little information about a child, parent, practitioners providing services to the child and carers until their 18th birthday, except for exceptional cases for example children with mental health and sexual health problems where their details are still held under sever security. Common Assessment Framework on the other hand comes in as soon as assessment is needed at the very early stage and deciding what action to take. It gives practitioners the chance to put together and record information about a child or young person with additional needs in an orderly, straight forward and simple. Work start from then and practitioners begin to look out for the needs and what should be done and its dealt with. CAF makes practitioners across all agencies, after the required training to go according to the procedures to achieve a dependable assessment that can be used by everyone dealing with the case. The national IT system to support CAF will be deve loped. (eCAF). This will help authorised practitioners to electronically create, share and store CAF within the agencies. Unlike Contact Point CAF only holds the information about some young people and children, with consent, and for a limited period of time. Both Contact Point and CAF were created to for use within childrens services, their goal is to help children with additional needs get the help and support they need, its a tool to make easy early intervention and help deal with additional needs before they get out of control and become more difficult to resolve. CAF and ICS has a common method to assessment, they both have a common way of collecting data about a child or young person around the domains of developmental needs of a child; parent capacity; and family and environmental factors. CAF and ICS are supported by technology where as Contact Point is a basically technology solution www.evertchildmatters.gov.uk Why was CAF introduced and whats its aim The green paper, Every Child Matters, proposed the introduction of a national Common Assessment Framework (CAF) as an important part of a strategy for helping children and young people to achieve the five priority outcomes of: being healthy: enjoying good physical and mental health and living a healthy lifestyle; staying safe: being protected from harm and neglect; enjoying and achieving : getting the most out of life and developing the skills for adulthood; making a positive contribution: being involved with the community and society and not engaging in anti-social or offending behaviour; economic well-being: not being prevented by economic disadvantage from achieving their full potential in life. The Common Assessment Framework (CAF) was decided upon based on the five basic keys. By the help of a lead professional and better information shearing procedure CAF was designed from the concerns that the existing procedures for identifying and responding to the needs of children who are not achieving the five outcomes identified in Every Child Matters do not work as effectively as they were meant to, to bring a better way of how services could be delivered, due to the fact that services have in the past been delivered based on dealing with the consequences of difficulties in childrens lives to preventing things from taking the wrong route from the start. Its main focus is to attain to the fact that every child gets the five keys. It is also created to help assessing children with additional needs which are not too complex or sever as to demand external intervention such as statutory intervention. CAFs aim is to give a method of assessment to give support to early intervention, to help decide what needs to be done at an early stage rather than later, its to provide good and a lot more evidence based referral to targeted and specialist services. CAF is created to enhance on joint working and communication between practitioners in a common language of assessment and views and as to how it could be resolved, it was also designed to improve the coordination and consistency around assessments leading to fewer and shorter specialist assessments. CAF was designed to help to decide whether other specialist assessments are needed and if so provide information to help get it done. It was to give a clear picture of a child or young persons needs to be built up over time and with the right consent shared among professionals. Has CAF achieved its aim?(positives and negatives) Through CAF some practitioner began to accept sheared responsibility for children and young people with additional needs. Apart from having to get parents consent to be part of the assessment procedure some practitioners and managers are in view that in conjunction with other services CAF has a lot more prospects in support to early intervention mostly universal services. Some also had doubt as to whether there was enough funds to meet the problems raised and the requirement of CAF. It is apparent that CAF has had mixed responses. One estimation of path-finding authorities revealed that practitioners and managers believed it has enabled a more rigorous follow-through of service delivery, promotion of better multi-agency working and were optimistic that it would eventually pull down thresholds for service receipt (Brandon et al., 2006). The introduction of CAF like everything has its strengths which in general gives a positive view seen by all, however, others have expressed their concerns about its been too formal to some organizations as descriptive tyranny, restricting the narrative making sense of the situation; the difficulties of various professionals and practitioners with other skills and expectations completing CAF differently or partially in the assessment process (Garrett, 2008; Gilligan and Manby, 2008; White et al, 2008). CAF in the East Riding for example is exclusively aimed as a minimal level involvement which will help use universal services to m anage early problems and deject wrong referrals to Social Care. The major intentional level for engagement agencies with the CAF has broader responsibility than CAF alone, covering all included services provision. The different agencies involved is broad, but some agencies are less active in attending meetings and buy in, in terms of resource input is limited. However, there some problems which lessen the positive involvement, and makes CAF less effective, these include less involvement of some agencies in terms of resources input. Practitioners were of view that CAF was not reducing the need foe reassessment, giving examples of some parents forced to repeat their stories during reassessments, I can understand sometimes practitioners would just want to be sure that things have not changed since the last assessment, but the public is of the view that CAF always has the updated information at any time needed, but for luck of training and human error we find out that CAF still is not d oing what it was set out. As well as distracting story-telling way of writing reports, the CAF writers often found that the boxes did not help them adequately to characterize the child and parents. The format of the CAF was opposed by some professionals and practitioners working with it.. Only some professionals used the language of need, whereas over 80 per cent talked about challenges. In addition to the descriptive demands, CAF forms also make CAF doesnt tell a story it feels like school exams, multiple choice, you can tick the boxes with the right answer, but it really doesnt give you er the er à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.The story. It is about narrative isnt it. Its about peoples lives. It isnt about um dividing a life up into a lot of small boxes. And when you put all those boxes together it will be EQUAL to the narrative As seen in (BJofSW 2009 39, 1197-1217) Sure start worker said I prefer a blank sheet of paper to express by thoughts ibid.. Upon a period of over a decades work in human services organizations, Gubrium et al describe what they call the descriptive tyrannies of people forms, forms used in one way or the other to describe and categorize people coming to the attention of human service professionals, hence, for Gubrium et al, the relations of form completion to human activity is two-fold. They are concerned with what sorts of descriptions the forms invite or the reportorial expectations assumed to underlie acceptance organizational description (Gubirum et al, 1989, p 197). What may be the rational, moral and artful capacities of form-completers? That is, what wiggle room (Erickson, 2004, p, 20) do they have with these descriptive demands? (Oxford University press 2008). Gubrium et al argue that, completed forms like any mode of description, have transformative effects. They do not simply describe events as they occurred in real time. For example they may contain mutually exclusive categorizations, which deman ds that the form-computer suspend disbelief that only one category can apply at any one time, bearing in mind that CAF is designed to have evidence-based , focused on needs and strengths, rather than concerns. Professionals are encouraged to evaluate strengths, needs, actions and solutions for children across three domains derived from the framework for Assessment of Children in Need and their Families (DoH 2000). Please ignore the recommendation below still have that to do I have it written down will type it out tomorrow, Im working in the dark because my landlady forgot to get some electricity and my eyes are hurting now. My lecture ends at 11 so will finish it all with the Ref.. Recommendation and conclusion It is clear to me that the purpose of the CAF and its work load is to ensure that professionals attend to, and record information deemed most relevant to their primary activities as distinct at this historical moment. The CAF is also an over view presented as a complete professional judgement. However, I have shown above that the demands of the form cause information to be ordered in preferred ways, which can be unintelligible. I have talked about the fact that CAF constrains professional practice in particular ways, it is indeed designed to exert its own rigid demands, which can feel harsh to the one person completing the form. CAF in particular relies on the assumption that it can foster uniform professional application and an ordinary (White, Hall and Peckover, 2009). Laming (2009) still recommended that we need to involve more agencies to make the workload easier and effective and said the use of Common Assessment Framework CAF needs to be further promoted with Agencies. To achieve the reason it was introduced practitioners and everyone involved in using CAF must be fully aware of what its all about and must be fully trained to know the pros and cons of what CAF wants to achieve, other Agencies working in line with CAF must also keep their systems and information updated to suit the needs of the children and young people who might need this service to also live the lives they deserve. Parents and the general public must be fully aware of what CAF is hoping to achieve in that way they dont feel pressured if they are called upon to give their approval before an assessment is carried out for their children.

Agroecology and Miguel Altieri Essay -- Agriculture Agricultural Essay

Agroecology and Miguel Altieri Agroecology and agriculture in general took a giant leap forward in 1492 when Christopher Columbus discovered the New World. Previously, the New and the Old World only shared three species: sweet potato, bottle gourd, and coconut. Now that this New World had been discovered, there was much that could be gained, and it was more than just gold (Bermejo 1994). Many attempts at growing crops in the new and very different environment proved frivolous, but others found success. In fact, it is known today that many crops reach their optimum yield in an environment that is different from their own. The first crops introduced into the Americas were the European grains, vegetables, and fruits; these were unsuccessful at first. However, some crops did adapt well to the tropical environment right from the beginning, including: bananas, sugar cane, and citrus fruits. Potatoes, tomatoes, gourds, beans, and chilies have all found their way into European cuisine; these crops all originated in the Americas. Rice, a now major player in Mexican food, was also introduced by the Spaniards. African grasses also replaced low yield grass species in Latin America. This giant exchange of species would completely change the world’s diet (Bermejo 1994). Although explorers set out in a conquest for â€Å"God, gold, and Glory,† and did, in fact, satisfy all of those desires, they discovered something that was way more valuable than anything they could have ever imagined. They discovered a whole new world that had unlimited resources, land, plant species, and anything else they could ever use in their lifetime. In their conquest, however, they managed to almost wipe out a whole population, thousands of years of history, an... ... from http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/wm/60.4/jones.html Lopez, B. (1990) The Rediscovery of North America. The University Press of Kentucky. Lexington. Sandberg, B. (2006). Beyond Encounters: Religion, Ethnicity, and Violence in the Early Modern Atlantic World, 1492-1700. Journal of World History, 17, Retrieved November 10, 2006, from http://historycooperative.press.uiuc.edu/journals/jwh/17.1/sandberg.html Schwartz, B., D'Arcy, H., Schuman, H. (2005, April 1). Elite Revisionists and Popular Beliefs: Christopher Columbus, Hero or Villain?. Public Opinion Quarterly, 69, Retrieved November 10, 2006, from http://80elibrary.bigchalk.com.proxy.uwlib.uwyo.edu/libweb/elib/do/document?set=pbsissue&groupid=1&requestid=issue_docs&resultid=9&edition=&ts=22A09C01D33E00EEC1C57E5266921447_1163398443033&urn=urn%3Abigchalk%3AUS%3BBCLib%3Bdocument%3B106981986

The Secret Knowledge of the Bombing of Pearl Harbor Essay -- essays re

Knowledge of the Bombing of Pearl the Secret Harbor Titans clashed in Europe...a struggle for power between the Axis(Germany, Italy, and Japan), and the Allies (France, England, and Russia), waged on. Many people died. There were famines, diseases, split up families, hardships unimaginable to people in our time. Yet one country prospered. Isolated in its own wealth and prosperity, The United States of America had no interest in the war. At least until one infamous day, December 7, 19411, the bombing of Pearl Harbor. On this day, Germany’s ally, Japan, led a surprise attack on the US Naval station in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Or was it a surprise? Did Franklin Delano Roosevelt, then president of the United States of America, know about the attack? Was he secretly hiding the information in order to enter World War II? The answer is yes. And not only did he know about the attack, he encouraged it. He used precise tactics in doing so, all the while abusing his presidential power and not helping save innocent American lives. Yet this tr agedy has been overlooked for many years, and will go unnoticed for many more. It was a â€Å"Day of Infamy†2, indeed. It was December7, 1941, the soldiers on naval base Pearl Harbor in Oahu were just waking up. Suddenly bombs began to drop, 7 ships were sunk, 2897 people were killed almost instantly, 879 were wounded3, millions of lives changed. Franklin Delano Roosevelt had wanted to enter the war for a long time. However, the United States’ public opinion was against going to war due to the stable and booming economy. The only problem was that he had to make Japan make the first move. He had to make them do this because the American people did not want to enter the war. He had to find a way. He found it in Lieutenant Commander Arthur H. McCollum. McCollum provided Roosevelt with a detailed, 8-step procedure for making Japan make the first overt move into war: A. Make an arrangement with Britain for the use of British bases in the Pacific, particularly Singapore. B. Make an arrangement with Holland for the use of base facilities and acquisition of supplies in the Dutch East Indies(now Indonesia). C. Give all possible aid to the Chinese government of Chiang Kai-shek. D. Send a division of long-range heavy cruisers to the Orient, Philippines, or Singapore. E. Send two divisions of submarines to the Orient. F. Keep the main strength of th... ...and against evil, for the surprise attack (on Pearl Harbor) made Americans sympathetic for our striped men and women, causing more help from the mass majority of Americans, eventually leading to victory in World War II. Had Nazi Germany won, no one knows the extent of evil that would have been caused. So even though Franklin Delano Roosevelt did many wrong things, his reasoning was good, and we were victorious. 1 http://www.execpc.com/~dschaaf/theday.html 2 FDR’s famous speech after the bombing 3 ftp://ftp.purdue.edu/pub/Liberal-Arts/History/pha/pearl.harbor/misc/army_1.txt 4 Stinnet, Robert; Day of Deceit, page 8 5 Stinnet, Robert; Day of Deceit, page 9 6 Stinnet, Robert; Day of Deceit, page 9 7 Stinnet, Robert; Day of Deceit, page 11 8 Stinnet, Robert; Day of Deceit, page 11 9 Stinnet, Robert; Day of Deceit, page 11 Bibliography Websites: 1. ftp://ftp.purdue.edu/pub/Liberal-Arts/History/pha/pearl.harbor/misc/army_1.txt 2. http://bcn.boulder.co.us/government/national/speeches/spch2.html Book: 3. Day of Deceit, Stinnet, Robert,The Free Press, New York, New York Encyclopedia: 3. World Book, 1989 edition, World Book Inc., Newspaper: 4. New York Times, Dec 8, 1941 edition.

Puritanism in The Scarlet Letter, Bartleby, and Daisy Miller Essay exam

     Ã‚   In today's society, it is infrequent that you turn on the television and are not bombarded with images of sex, violence, or other content that the Puritans would have viewed as being the work of Old Deluder (the name given to Satan in the time period). Yes, it is true; the society in which we dwell in today is no more remarkable than that of barbaric times. The only difference might be that we no longer kill out of primal instinct; we do it out of fear, or malice, or patriotism, or even pleasure. Thus, we are faced with the question of whether or not today's society would experience benefits if a conversion to Puritanism was made or drown in its waters. Because Puritanism conformed to such austere guidelines and beliefs that almost completely obliterated the individual's role in the social unit and because the foundation of the religion is to essentially "kill" freedom and liberty in order to create a social purity that is virtually impossible for humans to achi eve, I believe that Puritanism would only add to the degradation of society today. The books The Scarlet Letter, Bartleby, and Daisy Miller exemplify this theory. Puritanism's ultimate goal was to essentially establish a religiously pure and socialistic community in which everyone would work for the good of one another. However, Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter contradicts the belief that a society of this sort can ever exist. Rather, he theorizes that the suppression of this sinful behavior only leads to personal agony and social isolation. Hester, for example, who committed the sin of adultery, which society today frowns upon but does not punish for, became alienated enduring "three hours on the platform pillory, and then and thereafter, for... ...the realities of the "exemplary religion" known as Puritanism. It conflicts with both the natural rights of man in his existence (as the French philosophe Locke reasoned) and virtually denies men of his freedoms stated in the Constitution of the United States. Puritanism undermines the role of an individual in society and suppresses intellectuality. Puritanism destroys more than just ideas; it destroys people.    Works Cited Hawthorne, Nathaniel. "The Maypole of Merry Mount". (1836). Honors American Literature. Period 8. 1999. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. (1850) New York: Dover Publications Inc., 1994. James, Henry. Daisy Miller. (1878) New York: Dover Publications Inc., 1995. Melville, Herman. Bartleby. (1856) New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1990. Updike, John. "A&P". Honors American Literature. Period 8. 1999.

Day Care in New York

Currently there are only about twelve or so day-care investigators on Long Island, whose responsibilities are to inspect and monitor all 1,659 providers caring for 35,319 preschool children in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. This number of investigators is insufficient, and has hindered the ability of these two counties to properly inspect the quality of day care in These inspectors are called licensors or licensing representatives, who are civil servants and make a maximum of $44,739 this year. For an individual to be able to become an inspector of child care in the state of New York, the requirements are at least six years of experience as an inspector of day-care or other children's programs or as a designer or reviewer of various social services programs, as well as some background The requirements in New York appear to be much stiffer than those in many other states. For example, California requires simply a college degree or six months experience with the state. Top officials have stated that all over the state of New York investigators have been struggling with their work as a result of the recent surge in day-care providers. The state has said that licensors will arquire help in the very near future. The help will arrive in two forms: In New York State this year, the number of cases per licensor is at its lowest since five years ago. It has dropped from 165 to 156 cases per licensor. During the next year, the state of New York will commission eleven or so workers at the Suffolk Department of Social Services and the Child Care Council of Suffolk to, working under contract with the state, inspect day-care providers in the county. This is in an attemp to lighten he work loads of the licensors in Suffolk county. â€Å"It swells our ranks in terms of people who are out there actually doing inspections and are able to recommend an enforcement act,† said Suzanne Zafonte Sennett, director of the state Bureau of Early Childhood Services. Nassau county has not yet voulenteered to participate because of doubts about the magnatudes of its potential positive effects. This year, for the first time ever, the state began giving formal training to licensing representatives. Experts from the State University of New York have developed two new training tools for the investigators. This past summer, the Long Island representatives went for their first ever formal training in day-care regulation, and have also in the past year obtained copies of a two volume manual of the state regulations, policy statements, state social services law and other guidelines to help investigators do their jobs more efficiently. Suzanne Zafonte Sennett also said that by next February investigators will have the aid of a new laptop-based computer network called the Child Care Facility System. This system will allow investigators to track each provider's complete history that can be updated as necessary at a quite rapid rate and used by everyone working in the field of day-care regulation. The system will do away with the current abundance of stacks of paper and manila folders that are the core of the state's system now, and will allow investigators to do their jobs quicker and with more efficiency. She said the plan is â€Å"basically, get rid of the paper and put the entire licensing inspection process and the monitoring process online through a The intense desire to improve the regulation of day-care recently has shown greatly. The percentage of child care complaints that were substantiated in the past five years is at its lowest, with drastic drops from 35% on Long Island to 19%, and 35% in New York State to 23%. If the current interest in improving the regulation of child care in the state of New York continues, the inspectors jobs will become less stressful, and child care will improve substantially and with great impact.

Challenging environment Essay

Mrs. Dae is a 28 year old Caucasian female. She presents clean and well dressed. She is approximately 5’ 6†, 145 lbs. She appears healthy and in shape. No visible physical deformities. She has normal gate. She is open and cooperative. She has a normal rate of speech and makes appropriate eye contact. Mrs. Dae expresses herself appropriately. In discussing family history, Mrs. Dae has little trouble recalling events. She is unaware of some family history on her father’s side. Mrs. Dae is orientated x 4. She has logical thought process. Mrs. Dae is alert, however, states she has been busy lately and is tired today. She reports getting approximately 6-8 hours of sleep nightly. Mrs. Dae is able to count backward from 100 by 7’s. She displays logical thought processes. No report of hallucinations or delusions. Mrs. Dae appears to have good judgment and insight. She is of high intelligence and is able to appropriately explain the meaning of a common proverb. (â€Å"A rolling stone gathers no moss†) (â€Å"How to†). Mrs. Dae appears happy and confident, with appropriate affect. During the interview Mrs. Dae was relaxed and participated in spontaneous conversation. She denies any suicidal or homicidal ideation. Strengths/ Weaknesses: Mrs. Dae is highly educated. She appears confidant with high self esteem. She reports she enjoys caring for others. She has good insight and appears to have good coping skills. Mrs. Dae has a supportive family. In terms of weaknesses, Mrs. Dae admits to taking on too many activities at once and at times she feels â€Å"burned out†. Family History: Mrs. Dae is the second of three children and grew up in a typical middle class American home. She has an older brother and a younger sister. Mrs. Dae’s parents were divorced when she was 7 years old. Ms. Dae and her siblings lived with their mother. Mrs. Dae reports her father was verbally and physically abusive toward her mother. This was the reason for the divorce. She does not recall being the victim of such abuse herself. However, she reports that her mother tells her that her father was â€Å"mean to all of us† (referring to Ms. Dae, her siblings and mother). Mrs. Dae denies any sexual abuse. Shortly after the divorce, Mrs. Dae reports all three children stopped seeing their father. She currently has no relationship with her father, however she reports speaking to him on the phone occasionally. Aside from these events, Mrs. Dae reports a normal childhood. She reports discipline as a child in the form of â€Å"grounding, which rarely occurred†. Mrs. Dae is currently married. She has been married for the past 8 years. She denies any previous marriages. Ms. Dae describes her marriage as â€Å"good†. She states she and her husband attended marriage counseling for approximately 3 months earlier in their marriage. Mrs. Dae reports that her husband has a well paying job. She denies any current financial hardship. The couple recently bought their first home. She reported some stress during the process. However, she did not think it was â€Å"more then would be expected when buying a home†. Mrs. Dae and her husband have one child, a 5 year old girl. Education and Work: Mrs. Dae graduated high school in the top 10% of her class and went on to college. She majored in psychology and graduated Cum Laude. She continued to earn her Master of Science degree. Mrs. Dae currently works with at risk youth in the prevention and advocacy department of a non-profit company. She has been with her current employer for one year. She reports being satisfied with her job. She states she makes â€Å"good† money and the work she does is rewarding. Mrs. Dae stated she plans on returning to school in the near future for her PhD in Psychology. Her long term goal is to go into private practice serving youth. Mental/ Physical Health: There is no known history of mental illness on her mother’s side of the family. Mrs. Dae reported there may be depression on her father’s side. Mrs. Dae denies any form of depression aside from â€Å"the blues† every now and then. Mrs. Dae reports history of cancer on both sides of her family. Mrs. Dae participates in annual physical examinations. According to her last physical she is in good health. Mrs. Dae denies substance use. She stated she will drink a glass of wine â€Å"once in a while†. Mrs. Dae denies tobacco use. Legal History: Mrs. Dae denies any significant legal history, aside from a few traffic tickets. Social: Mrs. Dae reports she has a group of friends, other married couples, that she and her husband spend time with. She is also a member of her church and participates in social events at the church. As her child recently started attending elementary school, Mrs. Dae stated she has joined the school’s Parent-Teacher Association. Spiritual: Mrs. Dae reports growing up Catholic but she did not go to church often as a child. She states that she no longer practices Catholicism, however, she does go to a non denominational Christian church. She goes to church on a regular basis. She feels strongly about her beliefs. Mrs. Dae reports that she prays on a daily basis and stated â€Å"this keeps me grounded†. Hobbies/Activities: Mrs. Day states she enjoys reading, yoga, and going to the spa with friends. She admits she has little time to spend on these activities. However, she reports that she and her husband give each other time with their friends, time together, and family time on a regular basis. References How to do a Mental Status Exam. Retrieved on November 9, 2007 from http://www.psychpage.com/learning/library/assess/mse.htm