College Admissions Essay: Making the Connections :: College Admissions Essays

Making the Connections    The human race is immortal.   There is nothing that forces us to decay into old age and die, this is merely our body destroying itself once our purpose ( reproduction ) is complete.   Evolution not only did not bother to select against genes that kill off people past 40, but to some degree selected for such genes: the faster we go through generations, the faster we evolve.   If the genes that cause the changes we associate with old age were suppressed in some chemical way, we would be capable of eternal life.   Another way to immortality would involve the building of a biomechanical body of some sort, something right out of a Terminator movie, that would support the brain with only the chemicals necessary to survival ( if we could determine which those are ) and thus avoid the effect of aging genes.   All of this genetic, biochemical and hydraulic research would be based on knowledge gained in college.   One other thing: we've all heard of cults that claim they have disco vered immortality in some way, which supposedly have members who've lived 200 years.   If there's even a shred of truth in any of that, my guess is that these 200 year veterans have managed to order their minds in some way ( through some arcane style of thinking perhaps ) that erased the biological clock.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   All in all, immortality is only one small thing that humans might be capable of.   The strange abilities seen in autistic people, like incredible number crunching speed, really are not unique to autistic people.   These abilities are buried deep in everyone's subconscious, and it is just a matter of our minds letting us use them or not.   In fact, I think that along with those mathematical abilities are buried many more abilities.   I feel sure that among them is perfect coordination, and there might be some really strange psychic or time-related abilities as well.   The subconscious is driven by its creator, evolution.   It is only concerned with reproduction.   Evolution has erected a barrier between ourselves and our potential, and lets ability seep through to those who have desirable traits and are intended to reproduce. College Admissions Essay: Making the Connections :: College Admissions Essays Making the Connections    The human race is immortal.   There is nothing that forces us to decay into old age and die, this is merely our body destroying itself once our purpose ( reproduction ) is complete.   Evolution not only did not bother to select against genes that kill off people past 40, but to some degree selected for such genes: the faster we go through generations, the faster we evolve.   If the genes that cause the changes we associate with old age were suppressed in some chemical way, we would be capable of eternal life.   Another way to immortality would involve the building of a biomechanical body of some sort, something right out of a Terminator movie, that would support the brain with only the chemicals necessary to survival ( if we could determine which those are ) and thus avoid the effect of aging genes.   All of this genetic, biochemical and hydraulic research would be based on knowledge gained in college.   One other thing: we've all heard of cults that claim they have disco vered immortality in some way, which supposedly have members who've lived 200 years.   If there's even a shred of truth in any of that, my guess is that these 200 year veterans have managed to order their minds in some way ( through some arcane style of thinking perhaps ) that erased the biological clock.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   All in all, immortality is only one small thing that humans might be capable of.   The strange abilities seen in autistic people, like incredible number crunching speed, really are not unique to autistic people.   These abilities are buried deep in everyone's subconscious, and it is just a matter of our minds letting us use them or not.   In fact, I think that along with those mathematical abilities are buried many more abilities.   I feel sure that among them is perfect coordination, and there might be some really strange psychic or time-related abilities as well.   The subconscious is driven by its creator, evolution.   It is only concerned with reproduction.   Evolution has erected a barrier between ourselves and our potential, and lets ability seep through to those who have desirable traits and are intended to reproduce.

Concepts And Definitions Of Disability Essay

The contemporary conception of disability proposed in the WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) views disability as an umbrella term for impairments, activity limitations and participation restrictions. Disability is the interaction between individuals with a health condition (e.g. cerebral palsy, Down syndrome or depression) and personal and environmental factors (e.g. negative attitudes, inaccessible transportation, or limited social supports). Long ago there was great confusion over the meaning of terms such as impairment, handicap, or disability. Then, in 1980, the WHO provided great service by offering a clear way of thinking about it all in a little book called â€Å"International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities and Handicaps†. All these terms refer to the consequences of disease, but consider the consequences at different levels. The disease produces some form of pathology, and then the individual may become aware of th is: they experience symptoms. Later, the performance or behaviour of the person may be affected, and because of this the person may suffer consequences such as being unable to work. In this general scenario, Impairment was defined as â€Å"any loss or abnormality of psychological, physiological, or anatomical structure or function.† Impairment is a deviation from normal organ function; it may be visible or invisible (screening tests generally seek to identify impairments). Disability was defined as â€Å"any restriction or lack (resulting from an impairment) of ability to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being.† Impairment does not necessarily lead to a disability, for the impairment may be corrected. I am, for example, wearing eye glasses, but do not perceive that any disability arises from my impaired vision. A disability refers to the function of the individual (rather than of an organ, as with impairment). In turn, Handicap was defined as â€Å"a disadvantage for a given individual, resulting from impairment or a disability that limits or prevents the fulfillment of a role that is normal (depending on age, sex, and social and cultural factors) for that individual.† Handicap considers the person’s participation in their social context. For example, if there is a wheel-chair access ramp at work, a disabled person may not be handicapped in coming to work there. Here are some examples: Impairment – Speech production; Disability – Speaking clearly enough to be understood; Handicap – Communication I – Hearing; D – Understanding; H – Communication I – Vision; D – Seeing; H – Orientation I – Motor control, balance, joint stiffness; D – Dressing, feeding, walking; H – Independence, mobility I – Affective, cognitive limitations; D – Behaving, interacting, supporting; H – Social interaction, reasonableness Here is a diagram that suggests possible parallels between the impairment, disability & handicap triad, and the disease, illness and sickness triad. (The squiggly arrows are intended to indicate a rough correspondence) â€Å"Patients do not come to their physicians to find out what ICD code they have, they come to get help for what is bothering them.† A Positive Perspective? Quality of Life and the International Classification of Function The focus on disability takes a somewhat negative approach to health, perhaps not unreasonable since doctors are supposed to cure diseases. But starting in the 1980s clinicians began to set goals to achieve when the disease could not be cured, beyong merely controlling symptoms. The notion of Quality of Life gained prominence as a way to emphasize a positive perspective on health – health as a capacity to function and to live, even if the patient has a chronic condition. A central aim of care was to enhance the quality of the patient’s function, and hence their ability to life as normal a life as possible, even if the disorder could not be cured. This notion was a further extension of handicap, covering maintenance of normal function, but adding psychological well-being and, if possible, positive feelings of engagement. Measurements of quality of life extend the disability focus beyond the ability to perform â€Å"activities of daily living† to include a broad range of functioning (work, home, play) and also the person’s feelings of satisfaction and well-being. This is necessarily a qualitative and subjective concept, judged by the patient in terms of the extent to which they are able to do the things they wish to do. In this medical context, quality of life is distinct from wealth or possessions, and to amke this clear you may see the term â€Å"health-related quality of life.† Reflecting these evolving ideas, the WHO revised its  Impairment, Disability and Handicap triad in 2001, re-naming it the International Classification of Function (ICF). This classification system provides codes for the complete range of functional states; codes cover body structures and functions, impairments, activities and participation in society. The ICF also considers contextual factors that may influence activity levels, so function is viewed as an interaction between health conditions (a disease or injury) and the context in which the person lives (both physical environment and cultural norms relevant to the disease). It establishes a common language for describing functional states that can be used in comparing across diseases and countries. The ICF therefore uses positive language, so that â€Å"activity† and â€Å"participation† replace â€Å"disability† and â€Å"handicap.† The ICF is described on the WHO web site. Impairment, Disability and Handicap Sheena L. Carter, Ph.D. The words â€Å"impairment,† â€Å"disability,† and â€Å"handicap,† are often used interchangeably. They have very different meanings, however. The differences in meaning are important for understanding the effects of neurological injury on development. The most commonly cited definitions are those provided by the World Health Organization (1980) in The International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities, and Handicaps: Impairment: any loss or abnormality of psychological, physiological or anatomical structure or function. Disability: any restriction or lack (resulting from an impairment) of ability to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being. Handicap: a disadvantage for a given individual that limits or prevents the fulfillment of a role that is normal As traditionally used, impairment refers to a problem with a structure or  organ of the body; disability is a functional limitation with regard to a particular activity; and handicap refers to a disadvantage in filling a role in life relative to a peer group. Examples to illustrate the differences among the terms â€Å"impairment,† â€Å"disability,† and â€Å"handicap.† 1. CP example: David is a 4-yr.-old who has a form of cerebral palsy (CP) called spastic diplegia. David’s CP causes his legs to be stiff, tight, and difficult to move. He cannot stand or walk. Impairment: The inability to move the legs easily at the joints and inability to bear weight on the feet is an impairment. Without orthotics and surgery to release abnormally contracted muscles, David’s level of impairment may increase as imbalanced muscle contraction over a period of time can cause hip dislocation and deformed bone growth. No treatment may be currently available to lessen David’s impairment. Disability: David’s inability to walk is a disability. His level of disability can be improved with physical therapy and special equipment. For example, if he learns to use a walker, with braces, his level of disability will improve considerably. Handicap: David’s cerebral palsy is handicapping to the extent that it prevents him from fulfilling a normal role at home, in preschool, and in the community. His level of handicap has been only very mild in the early years as he has been well-supported to be able to play with other children, interact normally with family members and participate fully in family and community activities. As he gets older, his handicap will increase where certain sports and physical activities are considered â€Å"normal† activities for children of the same age. He has little handicap in his preschool classroom, though he needs some assistance to move about the classroom and from one activity to another outside the classroom. Appropriate services and equipment can reduce the extent to which cerebral palsy prevents David from fulfilling a normal role in the home, school and community as he grows. 2. LD example: Cindy is an 8-year-old who has extreme difficulty with reading (severe dyslexia). She has good vision and hearing and scores well on tests of intelligence. She went to an excellent preschool and several different special reading programs have been tried since early in kindergarten. Impairment: While no brain injury or malformation has been identified, some impairment is presumed to exist in how Cindy’s brain puts together visual and auditory information. The impairment may be inability to associate sounds with symbols, for example. Disability: In Cindy’s case, the inability to read is a disability. The disability can probably be improved by trying different teaching methods and using those that seem most effective with Cindy. If the impairment can be explained, it may be possible to dramatically improve the disability by using a method of teaching that does not require skills that are impaired (That is, if the difficulty involves learning sounds for letters, a sight-reading approach can improve her level of disability). Handicap: Cindy already experiences a handicap as compared with other children in her class at school, and she may fail third grade. Her condition will become more handicapping as she gets older if an effective approach is not found to improve her reading or to teach her to compensate for her reading difficulties. Even if the level of disability stays severe (that is, she never learns to read well), this will be less handicapping if she learns to tape lectures and â€Å"read† books on audiotapes. Using such approaches, even in elementary school, can prevent her reading disability from interfering with her progress in other academic areas (increasing her handicap). Gale Encyclopedia of Education: History of Special Education Top Home > Library > History, Politics & Society > Education Encyclopedia Special education, as its name suggests, is a specialized branch of education. Claiming lineage to such persons as Jean-Marc-Gaspard Itard (1775 – 1838), the physician who â€Å"tamed† the â€Å"wild boy of Aveyron,† and Anne Sullivan Macy (1866 – 1936), the teacher who â€Å"worked miracles† with Helen Keller, special educators teach those students who have physical, cognitive, language, learning, sensory, and/or emotional abilities that deviate from those of the general population. Special educators provide instruction specifically tailored to meet individualized needs, making education available to students who otherwise would have limited access to education. In 2001, special education in the United States was serving over five million students. Although federally mandated special education is relatively new in the United States, students with disabilities have been present in every era and in every society. Historical records have consistently documented the most severe disabilities – those that transcend task and setting. Itard’s description of the wild boy of Aveyron documents a variety of behaviors consistent with both mental retardation and behavioral disorders. Nineteenth-century reports of deviant behavior describe conditions that could easily be interpreted as severe mental retardation, autism, or schizophrenia. Milder forms of disability became apparent only after the advent of universal public education. When literacy became a goal for all children, teachers began observing disabilities specific to task and setting – that is, less severe disabilities. After decades of research and legislation, special education now provides services to students with varying degrees and forms of disabilities, including mental retardation, emotional disturbance, learning disabilities, speech-language (communication) disabilities, impaired hearing and deafness, low vision and blindness, autism, traumatic brain injury, other health impairments, and severe and multiple disabilities. Development of the Field of Special Education At its inception in the early nineteenth century, leaders of social change set out to cure many ills of society. Physicians and clergy, including Itard, Edouard O. Seguin (1812 – 1880), Samuel Gridley Howe (1801 – 1876), and Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet (1787 – 1851), wanted to ameliorate the neglectful, often abusive treatment of individuals with disabilities. A rich  literature describes the treatment provided to individuals with disabilities in the 1800s: They were often confined in jails and almshouses without decent food, clothing, personal hygiene, and exercise. During much of the nineteenth century, and early in the twentieth, professionals believed individuals with disabilities were best treated in residential facilities in rural environments. Advocates of these institutions argued that environmental conditions such as urban poverty and vices induced behavioral problems. Reformers such as Dorothea Dix (1802 – 1887) prevailed upon state governments to provide funds for bigger and more specialized institutions. These facilities focused more on a particular disability, such as mental retardation, then known as â€Å"feeble-mindedness† or â€Å"idiocy†; mental illness, then labeled â€Å"insanity† or â€Å"madness†; sensory impairment such as deafness or blindness; and behavioral disorders such as criminality and juvenile delinquency. Children who were judged to be delinquent or aggressive, but not insane, were sent to houses ofrefuge or reform schools, whereas children and adults judged to be â€Å"mad† were admitted to psychiatric hospitals. Dix and her followers believed that institutionalization of individuals with disabilities would end their abuse (confinement without treatment in jails and poorhouses) and provide effective treatment. Moral treatment was the dominant approach of the early nineteenth century in psychiatric hospitals, the aim being cure. Moral treatment employed methods analogous to today’s occupational therapy, systematic instruction, and positive reinforcement. Evidence suggests this approach was humane and effective in some cases, but the treatment was generally abandoned by the late nineteenth century, due largely to the failure of moral therapists to train others in their techniques and the rise of the belief that mental illness was always a result of brain disease. By the e nd of the nineteenth century, pessimism about cure and emphasis on physiological causes led to a change in orientation that would later bring about the â€Å"warehouse-like† institutions that have become a symbol for abuse and neglect of society’s most vulnerable citizens. The practice of moral treatment was replaced by the belief that most disabilities were incurable. This led to keeping individuals with disabilities ininstitutions both for their own protection and for the betterment of society. Although the transformation took many years, by the end of the nineteenth century the size of institutions had increased so  dramatically that the goal of rehabilitation was no longer possible. Institutions became instruments for permanent segregation. Many special education professionals became critics of institutions. Howe, one of the first to argue for in stitutions for people with disabilities, began advocating placing out residents into families. Unfortunately this practice became a logistical and pragmatic problem before it could become a viable alternative to institutionalization. At the close of the nineteenth century, state governments established juvenile courts and social welfare programs, including foster homes, for children and adolescents. The child study movement became prominent in the early twentieth century. Using the approach pioneered by G. Stanley Hall (1844 – 1924; considered the founder of child psychology), researchers attempted to study child development scientifically in relation to education and in so doing established a place for psychology within public schools. In 1931, the Bradley Home, the first psychiatric hospital for children in the United States, was established in East Providence, Rhode Island. The treatment offered in this hospital, as well as most of the other hospitals of the early twentieth century, was psychodynamic. Psychodynamic ideas fanned interest in the diagnosis and classification of disabili ties. In 1951 the first institution for research on exceptional children opened at the University of Illinois and began what was to become the newest focus of the field of special education: the slow learner and, eventually, what we know today as learning disability. The Development of Special Education in Institutions and Schools Although Itard failed to normalize Victor, the wild boy of Averyon, he did produce dramatic changes in Victor’s behavior through education. Modern special education practices can be traced to Itard, and his work marks the beginning of widespread attempts to instruct students with disabilities. In 1817 the first special education school in the United States, the American Asylum for the Education and Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb (now called the American School for the Deaf), was established in Hartford, Connecticut, by Gallaudet. By the middle of the nineteenth century, special educational programs were being provided in many asylums. Education was a prominent part of moral therapy. By the close of the nineteenth century, special classes within regular public schools had been launched in major cities. These special classes were initially established for immigrant students who were  not proficient in English a nd students who had mild mental retardation or behavioral disorders. Descriptions of these children included terms such as steamer children, backward, truant, and incorrigible. Procedures for identifying â€Å"defectives† were included in the World’s Fair of 1904. By the 1920s special classes for students judged unsuitable for regular classes had become common in major cities. In 1840 Rhode Island passed a law mandating compulsory education for children, but not all states had compulsory education until 1918. With compulsory schooling and the swelling tide of anti-institution sentiment in the twentieth century, many children with disabilities were moved out of institutional settings and into public schools. However, by the mid-twentieth century children with disabilities were still often excluded from public schools and kept at home if not institutionalized. In order to respond to the new population of students with special needs entering schools, school officials created still more special classes in public schools. The number of specia l classes and complementary support services (assistance given to teachers in managing behavior and learning problems) increased dramatically after World War II. During the early 1900s there was also an increased attention to mental health and a consequent interest in establishing child guidance clinics. By 1930 child guidance clinics and counseling services were relatively common features of major cities, and by 1950 special education had become an identifiable part of urban public education in nearly every school district. By 1960 special educators were instructing their students in a continuum of settings that included hospital schools for those with the most severe disabilities, specialized day schools for students with severe disabilities who were able to live at home, and special classes in regular public schools for students whose disabilities could be managed in small groups. During this period special educators also began to take on the role of consultant, assisting other teachers in instructing students with disabilities. Thus, by 1970 the field of special education was offering a variety of educational placements to students with varying disabilities and needs; however, public schools were not yet required to educate all students regardless of their disabilities. During the middle decades of the twentieth century, instruction of children with disabilities often was based on process training – which involves attempts to improve children’s academic  performance by teaching them cognitive or motor processes, such as perceptualmotor skills, visual memory, auditory memory, or auditory-vocal processing. These are ancient ideas that found twentieth-century proponents. Process training enthusiasts taught children various perceptual skills (e.g., identifying different sounds or objects by touch) or perceptual motor skills (e.g., balancing) with the notion that fluency in these skills would generalize to reading, writing, arithmetic, and other basic academic tasks. After many years of research, however, such training was shown not to be effective in improving academic skills. Many of these same ideas were recycled in the late twentieth century as learning styles, multiple intelligences, and other notions that the underlying process of learning varies with gender, ethnicity, or other physiological differences. None of these theories has found much support in reliable research, although direct instruction, mnemonic (memory) devices, and a few other instructional strategies have been supported reliably by research. The History of Legislation in Special Education Although many contend that special education was born with the passage of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA) in 1975, it is clear that special educators were beginning to respond to the needs of children with disabilities in public schools nearly a century earlier. It is also clear that EAHCA did not spring from a vacuum. This landmark law naturally evolved from events in both special education and the larger society and came about in large part due to the work of grass roots organizations composed of both parents and professionals. These groups dated back to the 1870s, when the American Association of Instructors of the Blind and the American Association on Mental Deficiency (the latter is now the American Association on Mental Retardation) were formed. In 1922 the Council for Exceptional Children, now the major professional organization of special educators, was organized. In the 1930s and 1940s parent groups began to band together on a national level. These groups worked to make changes in their own communities and, consequently, set the stage for changes on a national level. Two of the most influential parent advocacy groups were the National Association for Retarded Citizens (now ARC/USA), organized in 1950, and the Association for Children with Learning Disabilities, organized in 1963. Throughout the first  half of the twentieth century, advocacy groups were securing local ordinances that would protect and serve individuals with disabilities in their communities. For example, in 1930, in Peoria, Illinois, the first white cane ordinance gave individuals with blindness the right-of-way when crossing the street. By mid-century all states had legislation providing for education of students with disabilities. However, legislation was still noncompulsory. In the late 1950s federal money was allocated for educating children with disabilities and for the training of special educators. Thus the federal government became formally involved in research and in training special education professionals, but limited its involvement to these functions until the 1970s. In 1971, this support was reinforced and extended to the state level when the Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children (PARC) filed a class action suit against their Commonwealth. This suit, resolved by consent agreement, specified that all children age six through twenty-one were to be provided free public education in the least restrictive alternative (LRA, which would later become the least restrictive environment [LRE] clause in EAHCA). In 1973 the Rehabilitation Act prohibited discriminatory practices in programs receiving federal financial assistance but imposed no affirmative obligations with respect to special education. In 1975 the legal action begun under the Kennedy and Johnson administrations resulted in EAHCA, which was signed into law by President Gerald Ford. EAHCA reached full implementation in 1977 and required school districts to provide free and appropriate education to all of their students with disabilities. In return for federal funding, each state was to ensure that students with disabilities received non-discriminatory testing, evaluation, and placement; the right to due process; education in the least restrictive environment; and a fre e and appropriate education. The centerpiece of this public law (known since 1990 as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA) was, and is, a free appropriate public education (FAPE). To ensure FAPE, the law mandated that each student receiving special education receive an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Under EAHCA, students with identified disabilities were to receive FAPE and an IEP that included relevant instructional goals and objectives, specifications as to length of school year, determination of the most appropriate educational placement, and descriptions of criteria to be used  in evaluation and measurement. The IEP was designed to ensure that all students with disabilities received educational programs specific to their â€Å"unique† needs. Thus, the education of students with disabilities became federally controlled. In the 1982 case of Board of Education of the Hendrick Hudson Central School District v. Rowley, the U.S. Supreme Court clarified the level of services to be afforded students with special needs and ruled that special education services need only provide some â€Å"educational benefit† to students – public schools were not required to maximize the educational progress of students with disabilities. In so doing the Supreme Court further defined what was meant by a free and appropriate education. In 1990 EAHCA was amended to include a change to person-first language, replacing the term handicapped student with student with disabilities. The 1990 amendments also added new classification categories for students with autism and traumatic brain injury and transition plans within IEPs for students age fourteen or older. In 1997, IDEA was reauthorized under President Clinton and amended to require the inclusion of students with disabilities in statewide and districtwide assessments, measurable IEP goals and objectives, and functional behavioral assessment and behavior intervention plans for students with emotional or behavioral needs. Because IDEA is amended and reauthorized every few years, it is impossible to predict the future of this law. It is possible that it will be repealed or altered dramatically by a future Congress. The special education story, both past and future, can be written in many different ways.

Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity Essay

Nurses and all other healthcare workers come in contact with people of different faiths and religion on a daily bases. In the hospital, it is very critical to encourage religions participation when it is needed. This article points out the authors and Christians perspective in comparison to the Buddhism, Muslim, and Hindu faith approaches to healing. Cultural and spiritual diversity must be allowed in the hospitals as well as health care environments in order to provide complete healing. Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity  Spirituality is piece of human existence that is hard to assimilate. Every individual welcomes spirituality differently based on their set of values and experiences. Spirituality is multidimensional and we have proof of its benefits in healthcare and healings. Each person gets their spiritual experience and beliefs from their relationships with the family, the individual and their faith exposure (Anandarajah & Hight, 2001). The intent of this paper is to recorgnize the Author’s spirituality inclination with regards to healing and its important parts. I will first present my Christian viewpoint and method to healing, then the Buddhist, Hindu, and Muslim faiths viewpoints will be compared to the Christians approach to healing. In the conclusion, I will summarize my findings from the comparison of these religions and concepts, then apply them this writer’s health care practice. Author’s Spiritual Perspective on Healing The essentials of this writer’s viewpoint on healing is rooted on her faith and trust in God. She understands the fine line you have to walk when looking for health suggestions as a result of sickness. Her faith led her to believe that God is the ultimate healer of any sickness. The Bible points out sufficient proof that is the ultimate healer of any sickness and the lack of faith is seen as a road block. This is very well illustrated in the story of Asa. She was infected by a disease in his leg. According to the Bible, we were told that although, her sickness was very serious she did not go to God for healing, but instead went to the doctors for help. Second Chronicles 16:12 (NIV) tells us that he died of her sickness. The author is a firm believer of the power of prayers and asking others to pray for you or with you. Every Christian believes in The Holy Spirit and has Him in their hearts, as He prays for us â€Å"in accordance with God’s will† Romans 8:26-27 (NIV), we should pray for one another. This is what God wants us to do. â€Å"As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you† First Samuel 12:23(NIV). Christian Perspective and Approach to Healing Christians are firm believers that God can heal everybody at any moment in time. Jesus performed many healings here on earth. He used this to prove to all mankind that he is the son of God. Jesus cured so many diseases and sicknesses Matthew 9:35 (NIV). He cured many diseases just by speaking to the people Matthew 8:8(NIV), a woman touched His cloak and she was cured of her bleeding, instantly Mark 5:28(NIV). God can heal people in so many ways. This is the believe of many Christians. Believers are told for pray for God’s healing, however, they are not promised the answer to the prayers or in what form the answers will come. People still visit their Doctors to cure their diseases, but a combination of Doctor’s visits and prayers are usually recommended. The strong faith that Christians have in God’s dominion makes them to believe that God is in charge of all circumstances. The members of the church community receive support from their members through prayer. The church as a family unit gives solid encouragement to its members by providing good support for healing. The bible is God’s words to us and it provides encouragement and understanding through His word. Comparing a Buddhist Approach to Healing As a young boy, Buddha studied the science of medicine. He acquired a good knowledge and types and healing of diseases. He has the believe of life after death and rebirth and the aging process. His understanding of illness and dying allowed him to lead people and educate them about living a healthy life cycle (Bhikshu, n. d. ). Christians have a different view of this. Christians believed that every human being has a soul but Buddhist don’t share this same view. Buddha teaches logical everyday instructions for handling any physical injury and psychological sickness but Christians view is on trust in God’s will and to be merciful to them. Buddhists faith is focused on cause and effect as opposed to the faith that Christians put in Jesus’ healing power. Both faiths approach health and healing from a spiritual practice. Christianity and Buddhism beliefs in health and healing are the same but they differ with the goals. The Buddhists view of spirituality is to build and have a caring mind set towards those that are suffering as result of illness. But Christians focus in God’s mercies to healing them and accepting the will of God. There are leader in the church and temple that can be invited to help them (Bhikshu). Buddhist chant when they pray. And just like Christians, families are asked to join them in prayer in other to achieve their goal. In both religions, the patients concern is to eliminate pain and suffering. The will rather do it without pharmacological treatments. This is to give them a clear mind. Buddhism patients benefit from peace and quietness for the purpose of meditation (Ehman, 2007). Neither faiths teach to fear death, but in the Buddhist faith the rituals done to the body right before and after death are extremely crucial to the next cycle of life for the body while the Christian faith hold to the faith the soul has gone to heaven and that it is just the physical body that is left. Comparing a Muslim Approach to Healing The Qur’an together with the prophet Muhammad, is similar to the Christian Bible and Jesus. They are both full of citations to the use of reason in all aspects of human life including healing practices. Muslims and Christians both are of the believe that Allah nor God created diseases. Muslims are certain that Allah created the treatment to the illnesses. They also believe that praying and supplication, recitation of the Qur’an and accepting Allah, is significant in the healing process. They also accept the importance of modern medicine. It is like like the Christian believe in accepting God and the power of prayers in the healing process (Yousif, n. d. ). The Muslims explanation of illness is that diseases can be a form of knowledge by which man attains personal experience with Allah. Both Christianity and Islam (Muslim) accept the fact that life and death comes from God and that its beyond human control. (Yousif,n. d. ) Both religions value the importance of prayers, but the Muslim faith enforces the amount and your position while you say your prayers. A Muslim patient will become upset if they are not able to participate in their daily prayers. When this happens, their clergy should be made aware of it as soon as possible. A Muslim patient has higher tolerance for pain because complaining is viewed as a sign of weakness. Muslims have stricter food and hygiene requirements because of their religion compared to most Christians. Majority of Muslims practice vegetarian diets and it is their belief that running water is necessary to be completely cleaned. Both Christians and Muslims values family importance but at death someone in the family must whisper declaration of faith to the dead. Christians are not required to fast at any given time but for Muslims, it’s a must during the Ramadan. (Ehman, 2007). Comparing a Hindu Approach to Healing Hinduism is a very complex belief system. It is not just religion but a way of life like their Christian counterpart. The name â€Å"Hinduism† comes from the word â€Å"India† and points to so many religious practices and viewpoints that have been in existence in India more than a thousand years ago. Hindu encourages the worship of so many Gods, believe in reincarnation, value the tradition of meditation. They family unit and the power of prayer are valuable in the healing process. Christians accept God’s will, but Karma in Hindu gives an explanation to what happened (Sukumaran, n. d. ). Modesty is expected from the opposite sex care giver, their diet of choice is vegetarian, fast is very frequent. Hindus have a great respect for medical professionals, but many are quite wary of drugs and pills. If drugs are given, try to explain what it is for and what the effects are. Natural and homeopathic medicine is preferred over drugs and surgery in most cases. Conclusion Religious diversity is more prominent than ever before in the United States hospitals. This author appreciates both the similarities and differences presented in comparing Christianity’s’ perspective to healing and those of the Buddhist, Muslim, and Hindu faiths. Prayer, clergy, family, and reflection seem to be the common thread throughout all of these faiths. The view of the body, death, and life cycles seem to show the most differences. This writer and caregiver was enlightened to respect and enhance peaceful environments for meditation and reflection and promote family involvement whenever possible for all patients.

Significance of Plastics

Significance * Plastic bags are not renewable, which means they cannot be easily recycled like paper bags. They are made of petrochemicals, which is what makes them non-renewable and a risk to the health of the planet. They last for hundreds of years, all the while doing damage to natural habitats and killing animals that mistake them for food. The more plastic bags people use, the greater the chances of environmental damage. Effects * If not carefully disposed of, plastic bags can be devastating to animal life. DEFRA (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs) reported that 1,678,900 tons of plastic packaging was in the UK waste stream in 2001. Because plastic bags do not decay quickly, they stay in environments longer, causing more build-up on the natural landscape than a more degradable material like paper would. The Marrickville Council reports that over 100,000 whales, turtles and birds die every year as a result of plastic in their environment. Suffocation * Infants and young children have died as a result of playing with plastic bags. Every year, the Consumer Product Safety Commission receives about 25 reports of plastic bag-related infant death. Because of the thin, airtight material, infants can easily block their mouths and nostrils with the plastic bag and suffocate. Prevention/Solution * Abstaining from plastic bag use as much as possible will reduce the chances of accidental infant death, and it will reduce the amount of plastic waste in the environment. A plastic bag is also reusable, though. It does not necessarily have to be thrown away after a single use. Try to use each plastic bag for as long as possible. This will help reduce the number of plastic bags in circulation. Expert Insight * Some experts want to ban the use of plastic bags entirely. Los Angeles has passed recommendations that will make them illegal in supermarkets by 2012. The British government sees plastic bags as a symbol for a throwaway society. They claim, â€Å"[Plastic bags] are a significant cause of litter†¦. Most of the rest of the 13 billion bags used each year end up in landfills. † Alternatives to Plastic Bags * Canvas bags are a smart alternative to plastic. Canvas can be washed and reused, and lasts up to 10 years on average. Bringing a few canvas bags with you to the store will greatly reduce the number of plastic bags in the environment. Paper bags are not as beneficial for the environment as canvas bags, but they are recyclable. Infants cannot suffocate on paper bags either. If you're creative, you can make an old plastic bag into an arts-and-crafts project (see Resources). Read more: Disadvantages of Plastic Bags | eHow. com http://www. ehow. com/about_5072695_disadvantages-plastic-bags. html#ixzz1iCJusfTm

Analysis of “Eleven” by Cisneros Essay

Poet Maya Angelo aptly stated, â€Å"I am convinced that most people do not grow up†¦ We carry accumulation of years in our bodies, and on our faces, but generally our real selves, the children inside, are innocent and shy as magnolias. † Similarly, Sandra Cisneros’s â€Å"Eleven† illuminates the enigmatic journey of growing up through the sagacious eyes of an eleven year old child. As the speaker of this work asserts, the aging process does not eradicate a person’s previous self. Instead, it accumulates layers of one’s former years and creates a realistic portrait of one’s complete existence. Cisneros’s work illustrates mankind’s maddening, internal struggle as it ages in this manner. When life demands maturity, one inadvertently becomes the sobbing three year old, the introverted adolescent, or the awkward teen of one’s past. The speaker of this literary work, Rachel, embodies this frustrating process of growing up. Undoubtedly, Cisneros employs similes, repetition, and imagery as well as symbols and diction to characterize Rachel as she matures. The similes, repetition, and imagery utilized throughout â€Å"Eleven† vividly portray the speaker. For example, Cisneros illuminates Rachel’s development with the following comparisons: â€Å"Growing old is kind of like an onion or like the rings inside a tree trunk or like my little wooden dolls that fit one inside the other. † This illustrates the way in which each of Rachel’s years develops atop the prior one. As a result, she remains the quiet four year old who cannot express that the sweater does not belong to her and the three year-old who desperately wants to release a flood of tears as she is forced to wear the horrid red garment. Additionally, Cisneros characterizes Rachel as a child â€Å"with only eleven years rattling inside [her] like pennies in a Band-Aid box. † The randomness and disorder of loose change as it jiggles in its container mirrors Rachel’s internal turmoil. Each of the speaker’s eleven years metaphorically clatter inside her mind and struggle to become the master of her actions. Furthermore, the repetition of critical phrases contributes to Rachel’s characterization. Cisneros restates the numbers, â€Å"ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, and one†¦. †, to reiterate the concept that all of Rachel’s previous ten years remain a part of her. Interestingly, counting backwards from ten, a common juvenile chant, successfully demonstrates Rachel’s childlike character. Additionally, the repetition of the phrase â€Å"today I am eleven† reveals Rachel’s vehement desire to suppress the previous years of her youth which embody a maddening immaturity. However, the speaker’s resolute, repetitive assertion that she is eleven highlights Rachel’s struggle to remind herself that she is transitioning into her eleventh year. Thus, her apparently juvenile behavior illustrates that Rachel is a culmination of each of her prior years. In addition, the repetition of the phrase â€Å"not mine† further illuminates Rachel’s inner toddler years. Finally, Cisneros use of imagery vividly depicts Rachel. For example, she describes her with the following vibrant lines: â€Å"My face all hot and spit coming out of my mouth because I can’t stop making those little animal noises, my whole head hurts like when you drink milk too fast. † This creates the portrait of the teary-eyed, red-faced Rachel and connects to the reader’s senses of touch, sight, taste, and hearing. Hence, literary devices masterfully demonstrate Rachel’s character throughout â€Å"Eleven. † Moreover, Cisneros employs symbols and diction to aptly characterize Rachel. First, the red sweater serves as a crucial symbol in this work of prose. Essentially, this contemptible garment embodies the previous years that remain within Rachel. Cisneros writes the following description of this repulsive sweater: â€Å"It’s an ugly sweater†¦with the collar and sleeves all stretched out like you could use it as a jump-rope. † In addition, the speaker cringes as she places one arm â€Å"through one sleeve of the sweater that smells like cottage cheese. † As Rachel glares at this symbolic garb, its sleeves evidently illustrate the eight or nine year old child within her who enjoyed the puerile pastime of jumping rope. Additionally, the cottage cheese stench of this garment is reminiscent of the peculiar scents that a younger child may often carry. Furthermore, as she shoves the sweater to the â€Å"tippy-tip corner† of her desk, it hangs â€Å"over the edge like a waterfall. † As this expression demonstrates, Rachel’s emotions spill from her just as the significant red garment tumbles from the desk. Moreover, the age of eleven is a symbolic element throughout the author’s short story. This age is typically regarded as a frustrating period positioned between the adolescent and teen years. Similarly, Rachel remains trapped between the maturity of her eleventh year and the juvenility of her previous self. For example, Rachel’s eleven year old mind recognizes the blatant injustice of Mrs. Price’s actions who forces her to accept the contemptible red sweater. However, as Rachel opens her mouth, her four year old self stutters an ineffective denial. In addition, the diction of this work contributes to the author’s portrayal of Rachel. Cisneros writes in the simple speech of a young girl. For instance, Rachel utilizes run-on sentences and childlike phrases such as â€Å"not mine,† â€Å"tippy-tip,† â€Å"all itchy,† and â€Å"that stupid Phyllis Lopez. † This deliberate style reminds the reader that Rachel is a little girl despite her wish to be â€Å"one hundred and two. † Also, â€Å"one hundred and two† exhibits typical childish exaggeration. Additionally, the author’s diction allows readers to experience thisgh situation from the perspective of an eleven year old. For instance, Cisneros describes Rachel’s indignation with the following lines: â€Å"That stupid Phyllis Lopez, who is even dumber than Sylvia Saldivar, says she remembers the red sweater is hers. I take it off right away and give it to her, only Mrs. Price pretends like everything’s okay. † This amplification of the incident allows readers to grasp the traumatic impact of this event on Rachel. Therefore, the symbols and diction of â€Å"Eleven† aptly depict Rachel’s character. Unquestionably, literary devices such as similes, repetition, imagery, symbols, and diction deftly contribute to the characterization of Rachel. Cisneros draws an enlightening parallel between development and the formation of layers within an onion or tree. Additionally, the repetition of childlike phrases such as â€Å"not mine† demonstrates that each of Rachel’s prior years remains within her as she matures. Also, the brilliant imagery of this literary work solidifies the reader’s visualization of Rachel. Moreover, the symbolic red sweater as well as the age of eleven further corroborates this central message. Finally, the puerile diction of this writing masterfully allows readers to comprehend the conflict that Rachel experiences in the tween year of eleven. Certainly, Cisneros effectively illustrates Rachel’s disillusionment as she realizes that she can neither make her voice be heard nor silence her childlike instincts at age eleven.

Seligram Inc. Case Analysis

At the beginning, the Electronic Testing Operations (ETO) measured two components of cost: direct labor and burden, but the burden is grouped into a single cost pool that includes all costs and divided by direct labor dollars to obtain the burden rate. (Q2) ETO’s manager picked up 5 components to evaluate the impact of different accounting system. The reported costs from existing system can be computed as follows, given the burden rate 145%: Product Direct Labor Burden Total Costs ICA 917 1,330 2,247 ICB 2,051 2,974 5,025Capacitor 1,094 1,586 2,680 Amplifier 525 761 1,286 Diode 519 753 1,272 Based on the accounting manger’s proposal, the operation burden can be divided into machine-hour and direct labor burden. We use the revised burden rate 21% and machine-hour rate $80. 1 to show the updated costs: Product Direct Labor Burden Machine Hour Machine Burden Total Costs ICA 917 193 18. 50 1,482 2,591 ICB 2,051 431 40. 00 3,204 5,686 Capacitor 1,094 230 7. 50 601 1,924 Ampl ifier 525 110 5. 00 401 1,036 Diode 519 109 12. 00 961 1,589If ETO follows the consultant’s recommend, treats the main test room and mechanical test room as different cost pools. The three-burden-pool system reports the cost: ($63. 34 for main room burden rate and $112. 63 for mechanical room) Product Direct Labor Burden Main Room Hour Mech. Room Hour Test Room Burden Total Costs ICA 917 193 8. 50 10. 00 1,665 2,774 ICB 2,051 431 14. 00 26. 00 3,815 6,297 Capacitor 1,094 230 3. 00 4. 50 697 2,021 Amplifier 525 110 4. 00 1. 00 366 1,001 Diode 519 109 7. 00 5. 00 1,007 1,635Among the three costing systems, we prefer the consultant’s proposal (Q3). The accounting manager treats the machine hours as separate cost pool because the automated operation process leads to large percentage of total cost comparing to direct labor. Measuring the machine hour costs can help us to assess the total burden more accurate. However, given the same machine hours, the different hours spend in main room and mechanical room also incurs different costs. We can see from Exhibit 5 that mechanical room has higher unit cost per hour.Therefore, the three-cost-pool system can trace the costs back to the actual operation factors more clearly. (Q1) According to the two explanations shown above, the critical problem that causes ETO to fail is the single cost pool accounting system. In the single cost pool system, all products consume direct labor and overhead in the same proportion. However, some products need more direct labors while others require automated machinery operation. And the trends of direct labor obsolescence also biased the calculation of burden rate, which causes the verall product cost assessment become misleading. Managerial Accounting Case Study 2: Seligram, Inc: ETO Group 1 2 Although we prefer the consultant’s proposal, the three-cost-pool system still can be further improved by introducing another cost pool, the technical support costs (Q4). Both the accounting manager and consultant regard the administrative and technical functions as the same cost factor. However, we think the technical support is very different in nature comparing with administrative cost. Each type electrical component which sent to ETO varies greatly in its complexity.For example, a keyboard IC is much simpler then a 3D graphic processing IC and requires less (or nearly no) technical support since keyboard IC is a matured product. Administrative cost usually includes general overhead such as indirect salaried employee, security, store/warehousing, telephones, and others. If we classify the technical functions in the same cost pool as administration costs, then a keyboard IC and a 3D graphic processing IC share the same direct labor burden rate, which is not reasonable. Therefore we recommend a four-cost-pool system that separate technical support from general direct labor burden. Q5) From the data provided in Exhibit 5 and Exhibit 7, we can calculate the ma in test room burden rate if the new machine is included. The first year’s burden rate will be: Hours Variable Depreciation Other Total Old Machine 33,201 887,379 88,779 1,126,958 2,103,116 New Machine 400 100,000 500,000 225,000 825,000 Sum 33,601 987,379 588,779 1,351,958 2,928,116 Machine Hour Burden Rate $ 8 7. 14 (first year) And the remaining years’ burden rate: Hours Variable Depreciation Other Total Old Machine 33,201 887,379 88,779 1,126,958 2,103,116New Machine 2,400 100,000 125,000 150,000 375,000 Sum 35,601 987,379 213,779 1,276,958 2,478,116 Machine Hour Burden Rate $ 6 9. 61 (remaining years) The original burden rate calculated from three-cost-pool system is $63. 34. Both the first year ($87. 14) and remaining years’ ($69. 61) burden rate per machine hour are much higher, especially for the first year. Since the new equipment is only needed by one or two customers in the foreseeable future, we should treat the new machine as separate cost center, or the new equipment will have a disastrous effect on ETO’s pricing structure.

Reading and answer questions 3 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Reading and answer questions 3 - Assignment Example Smith’s fellow employees affirmed their perception of the increased manifestation of his feminity characteristics. Smith’s first case was dismissed as a feeble attempt to use stereotyping and sex discrimination as a conduit around his claim, which the statute did not proscribe (378 F 3d 566, 486). The second appeal granted support, holding that Smith had an actionable say for gender stereotyping based on his masculinity non-conforming demeanor and his transsexualism. Gender prejudice based on sex is equated with insupportable discrimination on the bias of sex stereotypes, which requires one to display prominent femininity or masculinity qualities. The court ruling concluded that Smith’s inadequacy to match typical male characteristics was the main intent behind his discrimination (378 F 3d 566, 487). The ruling exemplified that an employers rights should not be hinged on their sex-specific dressing. It also includes appearance codes, and excuse sex-specific appointments in categories that prove necessary to hire only one sex (378 F 3d 566, 489). Se stereotyping according to gender is an unacceptable biases that should not subject a transgender victim to professional discrimination. The second ruling was fair and just because a transgender victim should not be discriminated due to gender conformity stereotypes. Their decision to cross over to their proffered sex based on medical prescriptions should be respected as part of their universal rights. The employers should not create a gender-conforming dress code that defines positions in its functional structure. Diane Schroer was born male. During the interview, Schroer was dressed in traditional male attire and was hired. Before beginning duty, Schroer informed Preece that she was under medical care for gender dysphoria that would transform her into a full woman. After ‘serious considerations’, Preece