The Future of Nursing in an Evolving Health Care System Research Paper - 1

The Future of Nursing in an Evolving Health Care System - Research Paper Example Nurses were required to be enjoined in talks regarding transformation of healthcare service delivery by giving them a greater voice and control in making reliable and effective decisions (RWJF, 2012a). The transformation was aimed at reforming the healthcare delivery approach and ensuring patients received better and reliable care at much lower costs that they could afford. To make service delivery more affordable and efficient, nurses had to be made the center of the discussions as they are much closer to patients in healthcare facilities. Such were the proposed strategic decisions to transform the Future of Nursing in advancing healthcare delivery. The IOM report on the future of Nursing was of much importance in the nursing profession. Nurses have varying levels of education and competencies raging from the licensed practicing nurses who in most cases are in contact with patients in nursing homes, to nurse scientists who are actively involved in research work on how to improve the care of patients and improving the nursing profession. The IOM report considered all classes of nurses across education levels, roles, and settings in envisioning the future of the profession (Institute of Medicine, 2010). Such an approach implied all nurses regardless of their duties and settings were empowered through the committee recommendations. In addition, the report suggested that all nurses had to be given room to practice to the full extent of training or education. This is important because; nurse licensing and practice are widely varied across states, with the regulations related to the scope of practice defining what activities a qualif ied nurse has to perform, all which affect different nurses in different ways (Institute of Medicine, 2010). Moreover, the recommendations of the IOM committee sought to improve the nursing profession by recommending that nurses had to achieve higher levels of education and training by going through a much improved education system

6 Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

6 Discussion - Essay Example This goes hand-in-hand with egoism, as the person is only doing something to fully benefit themselves without taking others into concern. Some of the objections to psychological egoism include the fact that some people do act in genuine altruistic ways; there are some cases where people do not have the time to decide who is going to benefit from their actions, they just care about following through with those actions; egoism and altruism are capable of connecting with each other, making in nearly impossible to decide if something was done egoistically or altruistically. Not everyone does something solely to benefit themselves; many of them do act on the best interests of others. Psychological egoism states that people act on for themselves. The majority of people are not that selfish and self-centered, many of them will act in ways that positively affect others without thinking of themselves once. The concept of psychological egoism points to humanity being callous and insensitive to the needs of others, that they could never act to benefit someone other than themselves. This assumption is incorrect - there are numerous people willing to do something for others without being benefited themselves. There are many situations that a person can find themselves in that do not allow them time to think about who they are doing something for, least of all themselves. Some people act on impulse, doing what feels right at the time, or doing what needs to be done, only thinking about the benefits and consequences after the matter. This goes against the fact that psychological egoism attempts to prove that people only think of themselves when acting in any such way. However, there are people who simply find that they do not have the time to fully consider the situation - their main concern is seeing the act through to the end. This often happens during emergencies, such as if a person were to run into oncoming traffic to rescue a

Candide by Voltaire Analysis

Candide by Voltaire Analysis According, to Candide by Voltaire, he describes the transformation of the protagonist Candide, throughout the story. Voltaire utilized satire, characterization, and techniques of exaggeration and contrast to represent Candides point of view in life. Basically the protagonist endures the human suffering to get his final destiny. Moreover Voltaire demonstrates the character development over the course starting with an innocent personality as a child who does not have responsibility to know into a great man. In the text the language shows Candides progress towards maturity. In the beginning of the novel the reader finds compact, colorful and crisp sentences as Candide, the hero rushes through life. Later Voltaire adopts a calm and reflective style analogous to Candides mental development. Also, the author disproves the overly optimistic philosophy that Candide and Pangloss represent. While the experiences of Candide and Pangloss conflict dramatically with this philosophy, both choose to maintain their beliefs in this regard. Candide to get his change goes through many adventures and gradually matures into an experienced and practical man. Some of his adventures were sad and some not. He was expulsed from the palace for his love to Cunegonde, but it help him to faces the cruelty of life with the philosophical view that all things in life are necessary for some greater good. Candide is a simple person who has not had much real life experience. He is banished from his home and unexpectedly introduced to the reality of the outside world. Throughout his travels he develops a new philosophy of life. His eyes open to reality, He sees that everything does not happen for the best as the philosophers and metaphysician Pangloss had told him in the Barons castle. In Europe as well as in America, he encounters misery. He meets a number of people from various walks of life. He comes across many philosophers ranging from extreme optimism of Pangloss to the pessimism of Martin. He experiences the love with Ms Cunegonde but it was not accept for their different social classes. One of some changes of Candide was his philosophy really optimistic mind everything is for the best.It was a phrase of his teacher Pangloss He taught that everything was for the best and Candide, having never heard any other philosophies, agrees blindly. While at sea, Candide sees a man who saved his life by nursing him back to health thrown overboard. Candide is ready to jump into the raging waters after his benefactor, but Pangloss stops him. He demonstrates that the Bay of Lisbon had been made for the Anabaptist to be drowned,(p.386) . This begins to clash with Candides ideologies: if this is the best of all worlds, how was this man who was so kind and generous thrown to his death and Candide not to save him? Candide begins to doubt in this philosophy. Candide eventually learns how to achieve happiness in the face of misadventure. He learns that in order to attain a state of contentment, one must be part of society where there is collective effort and work. Candide spends a great deal of time traveling the world and learning of many different idealogies in metaphysics. Finally, he decides to settle down and live by farming his own garden-this symbolizes his surrender to simple self-preservation. After a long and difficult struggle in which Candide is forced to overcome misfortune to find happiness, he concludes that everything is not as good as it seems the way Dr. Pangloss, his tutor had taught him. During his adventures he realize that things not always happen for the best, he understand that it just happen in his innocent mind. However, Candide always keep in his heart goodness amd love. Also, he knows that at the end, he is going to find the best for his life.We are destined , in the end , for another universe, no doubt that is the one where everything is well.(p.391).Also, Candide begins to experience human suffering in many different ways as love, loneliness and disasters. He understands that no matter who are you, always going to experiment the both sides happiness and sadness because is part of human life, Its true, and you see how people make mistakes who have not received a measure of education(p.402).Make mistakes is of humans and those mistakes make the experience, that later help us to take decisions. Furthermore, others important characters that contribute for Candides change are The Old Woman and Martin. Both of them help Candide to get more knowledge in outside world and contrast the Pangloss philosophy. The old woman, she was a suffered woman that had to survive of many obstacles. My last post was as servant to the Jew don Issachar; he attached me to your service, my lovely one; and I attached myself to your destiny, till I have become more concerned with your fate than with my own.(p.396).In the other hand Martin is a very pessimist man who had been experienced bad situations; he was really offended with life. It was another event that makes Candide changes his philosophy. In his amazing journey he finds that every event in the world has a reason, and whether there are positive or negative moments you have to live them. There is no effect without a cause, all events are linked by the chain of necessity and arranged for the best. I had to be driven away from Miss Cunegonde, I had to run the gauntlet, I have to beg my bread until I can earn it; none of this could have happened otherwise(P.381). However, by the end of the story the protagonist realized that to achieve happiness a lot of work, compromises, and sacrifices are necessary. Though life does not become any easier, at this point Candide begins to grow from a naive young person into a grown realist. Candide realizes he must take responsibility for his life. He must accept situations and try to change obstacles that may be hindrances. Candide learns that labor will eliminate the three curses of mankind: want, boredom, and vice. Candide realizes he must build his own life, however simple it may be. Voltaire says through Candides ultimate discovery that happiness in many ways depends on a persons attitude. When meeting a man that is happy with a simple garden to tend and a family to love, Candide realizes life does not have to be full of wealth in order to be happy. At the end he realizes that everything in life is not evil, especially when a person strives to make changes and not simply accept what comes their way. Voltaires philosophy expressed through Candides final realization is that We must cultivate our garden,(p.4380, which is the key to happiness. By cultivating our garden, Voltaire means that we must make the best of our situation in the present moment. We accept what we are given in life and work to make the best of it. It all has to do with our perspective on life. Candide finally realizes that he must try to make his own happiness even while battling hardships. Candides happiness is finally realized when he too becomes a man of simple means with a garden to tend and a loved one at his side.

Communication In The Millenium :: essays research papers

Communication In the Millenium: 2000 and Beyond The Year 2000. The Millenium. With these phrases come the thoughts of the future and futuristic living. Although the lifestyle of the Jetson’s, with moon shot apartment complexes and flying cars, is more science fiction and entertainment than science fact, how many of their fantasy inventions might someday be a fact? With the new century less than 3 months away, the year 2000 quickly brings to mind the inventions we once thought of as children watching movies about the future. Flying cars, colonies on the moon, and meals in a pill once floating through our minds. Although it may seem that many of these things are still decades away, and maybe for the better, we should look at how far things have already come, especially in the way that we talk and communicate with each other. How many times have we heard about â€Å"the good old days† when things were â€Å"so much simpler?† When the only communication possible was telegrams, telephone calls, and writing letters. All of those mentioned ways of communication hasn’t become totally obsolete yet, but with all the current technologies, such as the Internet, email, and video-conferencing, it would make most people back in the â€Å"good old days† stare wide-eyed and shake their heads in disbelief. How would one even begin to explain modems and servers and chat rooms to someone who had just bought a touch-tone phone? Yet, it was back in those â€Å"good old days† when things that we today consider necessities would have then been considered impossible. So, what about communication technologies of tomorrow? Will they have us shaking our head and staring wide-eyed as our parents and grandparents did so many years ago at the mere hint of an idea of communication beyond the telephone? Can we even begin to comprehend the way communication will change the world; the way it is changing the world as we speak? Or will we just accept it as we go, marveling at the new innovations and technologies briefly, as if something new isn’t new enough for us. One thing when mentioning communication in the millenium is how exactly will things change? Will all of us need to be Internet-literate? According to Paul Taylor, the next millenium will be defined by having access to computational resources for the communication purposes. We as a society are already so dependent on these resources that they are becoming more and more mainstream everyday.

Atomic Threat: New Weapon of the 1940s

What follows will be a brief summary and review of three books concerning the advent of the atomic bomb, its use on Japan, the politics and diplomacy involved   and the effects that Truman and his cabinet suspected that the bomb would have on future wars and future politics.   Three authors, Gar Alperoitz, Herbert Feis and J. Samuel Walker present similar information about the development and use of the atomic bomb and the concerns that those few politicians with intimate knowledge of the bomb suspected its existence would have on future global politics. The authors speak from different perspectives and yet at points provide strikingly similar details about the events surrounding the development of the bomb.   While all three authors focus on the development and use of the bomb, each approaches the subject from a slightly different perspective.   Alperovitz focuses on diplomacy with Stalin, Walker focuses on the situation in Japan and Feis pays more attention to those involved with the development of the bomb, both politicians and scientists.   We will begin our considerations of these different approaches with Alperovitz's focus on the effects the bomb had on diplomacy and move on from there. Alperovitz book consists of a long 60 page introduction, eight chapters and four appendices describing the relations between the United States and the Soviet Union prior to and after the advent of the bomb.   He begins with Truman's concerns about the Russians when he took over from FDR. As he prepared for his first meeting with a USSR representative Truman declared that â€Å"if the Russians did not care to cooperate, ‘they could go to hell.'† A few hours later, the President expressed the same view to Soviet Foreign Minister V. M. Molotov in rather undiplomatic terms. Truman desired to continue FDR's policy of cooperation with the Russians, but his attitude when he spoke the above words were not the result of a moment's flash of temper. Problems were developing over the USSR's dealings with Poland.   Alperovitz's primary argument that the bomb had a very significant influence on American views of diplomacy with the USSR long before the bomb. The bomb was inextricably bound with Truman's strategy at Potsdam in July 1945 and â€Å"was regarded as a ‘master card' of diplomacy.† (Alperovitz, p. 1)   Alperovitz states that â€Å"†¦a major reason the bomb was used was ‘to make Russia more manageable†¦.† (Alperovitz, p. 1).   Touched upon the impact of nuclear weapons on the beginning of the Cold War. â€Å"In August 1945, Eisenhower felt that ‘before the atom bomb was used, I would have said yes, I was sure we could keep peace with Russia. Now, I don't know†¦People are frightened and disturbed all over. Everyone feels insecure again.† (Alperovitz, p. 2)   Truman and some members of his cabinet believed that Russia was attempting to dominate Eastern Europe so concerns over Poland had been chosen as a symbolic issue to force a showdown with Stalin because of Truman's concern that Stalin was had plans for all of Eastern and Central Europe.   (Alperovitz, p. 70)  Ã‚   Secretary Forrestal stated, â€Å"This difficulty over Poland could not be treated as an isolated incident.† (Alperovitz, p. 70) â€Å"Forrestal argued: ‘We had better have a showdown with them now rather than later.'† (Alperovitz, p. 70) On the surface, this showdown strategy seemed to have been a complete reversal of FDR's policy only a few weeks earlier. There were three major obstacles to Truman's firm, showdown approach. First, FDR appeared to have had a strong belief that cooperation with Russia was possible. Second was the concern that American-Soviet cooperation might be destroyed and that a separate peace accord between Germany and the USSR might be signed, a concern that was eliminated when the German government collapsed. The third concern was that a showdown with Russia might result in the loss of Soviet help in the war against Japan. While Truman's approach was one of an immediate showdown with Stalin, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill took a different approach. â€Å"He believed it might be possible to obtain additional concessions from the Russians if he could maintain the extended troop positions†¦Ã¢â‚¬  rather than withdrawing Anglo-American troops as General Eisenhower had proposed. (Alperovitz, p. 90) Churchill was prepared to use any argument at his disposal to persuade Truman to his point. Churchill cabled Truman, â€Å"‘The Russian occupational zone has the smallest proportion of people and grows by far the largest proportion of food†¦Before we move from the tactical positions we have at present achieved,' the Russians should be forced to agree that ‘the feeding of the German population must be treated as a whole and that the available supplies must be divided pro rata between the occupational zones.'† (Alperovitz, p. 91) When Truman took up the issue with his Joint Chiefs of Staff for advice, they were unwilling to use troop positions for political purposes. Even though Truman recognized that the Russians were in a strong position, he followed the showdown on Poland with a firm approach to the problem of cooperation in Central Europe. (Alperovitz, p. 93) Truman's joint action with Churchill stressed his willingness to present a united Anglo-American stand against Russia. Like General Eisenhower, various military authorities believed that this approach to the troop issue would yield negative results. By mid-May 1945, Truman's plan for cooperative control of Central Europe was faced with a direct challenge. On April 24 1945, one day after President Truman had a showdown with Molotov, Secretary of War Stimson wrote President Truman stating, â€Å"(The atomic bomb) has such a bearing on our present foreign relations and such an important effect upon all my thinking in this field that I think you should know about it without further delay.† (Alperovitz, pp. 103-04) Up to this point, President was apparently unaware of the bomb. Stimson had casually mentioned to Truman about an â€Å"immense project†¦(that) was under way–a project looking to the development of a new explosive of almost unbelievable destructive power,† Stimson had felt no compelling reason or need to fully discuss the matter with President Truman up to that time until after the showdown with Molotov. (Alperovitz, p. 104) Secretary Stimson discussed the atomic bomb with the President for three quarters of an hour and it was â€Å"assumed–not decided–that the bomb would be used.† Truman was made aware that Japan had been the target of the weapon development program and that a special Air Force group was about to leave for its overseas base. Although Stimson expressed confidence that the bomb would shorten the war, the use of the bomb against Japan was not main subject of discussion. The diplomatic implications of the atomic bomb dominated private discussion between Stimson and Truman during the last week of April and the first week of May, 1945. President Truman eventually came to agree that the atomic bomb would have decisive implications for diplomacy with Russia. By shortly after April 25, 1945, British representatives knew that a committee would be set up â€Å"to consider the whole ranged of political issues which will arise in connection with the atomic bomb.† (Alperovitz, p. 110) News of the atomic bomb first came to the average American and to most senior government officials from the newspapers. The weapon's power was disclosed in a way that produced great emotion and optimism about its usefulness as an instrument of high policy. (Alperovitz, p. 237) On August 16, 1945, after the bomb was used and the war ended, Truman told the press, that â€Å"Japan would not be divided into occupation zones, and declared †¦that as far as Japan was concerned, ‘in the event of any difference of opinion (among the Allied powers) the policies of the United States will govern.† (Alperovitz, p. 240) The atomic bomb had strengthened the American hand in diplomacy. In the â€Å"whirlwind days† â€Å"immediately after Hiroshima and Nagasaki, American diplomacy changed†¦swiftly.† Secretary Byrnes underscored the breadth and scope of the departures from typical diplomacy by saying, â€Å"Those†¦days†¦were full of action.† The sheer volume of work caused the Secretary of State to ask that the London foreign ministers' meeting set for September 1 be postponed until September 10.† (Alperovitz, p. 243). Truman declared: â€Å"The atomic bomb is too dangerous to be loose in a lawless world†¦We must constitute ourselves trustees of this new force†¦The best interests of the United States require the utmost cooperation by all concerned in keeping secret now and for all time in the future all scientific and technical information†¦.† (Alperovitz, p. 243) One week later, Truman directed that no information on the nuclear development project be released without the specific approval of the President. (Alperovitz, p. 243) Alperovitz clearly points out that the atomic bomb and the temporary American monopoly in possessing the bomb was viewed as a â€Å"great advantage to American diplomacy. In (Secretary Byrnes') view, the ‘primary task was to establish a â€Å"lasting structure of peace†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦A stable Europe, essential to world peace and American security alike, was the number-one goal. Byrnes believed that the nuclear monopoly could be maintained for at least seven years†¦within that period, with the support of the revolutionary weapon, his diplomacy could easily achieve its idealistic objectives. Thus, the weapon seemed a crucial factor in forcing agreement to an American plan for permanent peace–a plan which, ipso facto, would prevent another world war.† (Alperovitz, p. 245) Alperovitz goes on to add that Byrnes vision â€Å"obviated the danger of an arms race.† (Alperovitz, p. 245) History has shown that Byrnes was clearly wrong. Not only did the atomic bomb fail to eliminate the arms race, but it seems to have added to the race tremendously, but with all that was at stake, the bomb made going to war a much more risky proposition than it had been in the past. J. Samuel Walker's book â€Å"Prompt and Utter Destruction† focused on another aspect of the new weapon. Walker notes in his preface that, â€Å"The question of why President Truman used atomic bombs against Japan has intrigued me since I was an undergraduate history major. Indeed, it was the first issue in which the competing arguments of different scholars caught my interest†¦.† (Walker, p. ix) This statement in his preface sets up the direction for his book. Walker states, â€Å"In fact†¦Truman never faced a categorical choice between the bomb and an invasion that would cost hundreds of thousands of American lives†¦the prevailing perception (about the president's alternatives) vastly oversimplifies the situation in the summer of 1945†¦.† (Walker, p. 5) Walker points out 1) that there were other available options for a â€Å"reasonably short time† end to the war without resorting to the bomb, 2) Truman and his key advisers believed that Japan was so weak that the war could end even before an invasion began and 3) American military planners believed that even in a worst case scenario, American casualties would be far fewer than the hundreds of thousands Truman and his advisers claimed after the war. So, â€Å"Was the use of the bomb necessary at all† and if so, 2) â€Å"What exactly did it accomplish?† Walker begins by taking a look at the President. Truman won greater affection and esteem from the American people after his presidency and after he died than he had while president. He was honest, often indiscreet and blunt and needlessly offensive and â€Å"his decisiveness could lead to superficial or impulsive judgments.† (p. 7) The world was embroiled in a global war that made his arrival into the Oval Office a period of extraordinarily difficult problems and, even though he had been vice president, he came to the White House without adequate preparation. Indeed, he began his turn at the helm basically â€Å"in the dark about many of his predecessor's policies and commitments†¦.† (Walker, p. 9) The one fundamental military strategy from Roosevelt that seemed clear to Truman was his predecessor's desire â€Å"to achieve complete victory at the lowest cost in American lives.† (Walker, p. 9) After October 1941, President Roosevelt authorized a major effort to explore the feasibility of an atomic bomb. The Manhattan project began with the purpose of addressing the â€Å"bewildering variety† of scientific and engineering uncertainties connected with nuclear energy and the bomb. Once scientists had proven that a nuclear chain reaction was possible, the Manhattan Project focused on designing a bomb and producing the fuel to make it work. All of this was kept secret from Vice President Truman, so when he suddenly became President, he knew virtually nothing about the Manhattan Project or the bomb even though he had learned of â€Å"a massive and highly secret effort to build a new weapon† while he was chairman of the Special Committee to Investigate the National Defense Program in the Senate. However, while serving as a senator he did not receive any details. Secretary Stimson confirmed and elaborated information about the bomb to the President in a meeting on April 25, 1945, but Secretary Stimson warned, â€Å"the existence of such a weapon would create profound problems because the United States would not be able to maintain a monopoly on the technology. Further, the issue of sharing information about the atomic bomb would become ‘a primary question of our foreign relations.† (Walker, p. 13) When Truman took office, he was outraged by the Soviet conduct in Poland, but he did not want to ruin the relatively good relations between the United States and the Soviet Union. Germany surrendered on May 8, 1945, less than a month after Truman became president, but the war in Japan raged on. Americans were still upset about the attack on Pearl Harbor and had also become outraged when the U.S. government learned about how the Japanese mistreated American prisoners and released that information to the public and the Japanese were equally as disdainful of Americans thanks to the â€Å"warped stereotypes† Japanese leaders painted of Americans during the war. So, the Americans fought a â€Å"war without mercy in Japan. (Walker, p. 23) Even though the Japanese people were losing confidence in their leaders and public morale was deteriorating, the fact that Japan was on the verge of defeat did not mean that the country was on the verge of surrender. By the end of June 1945, both American and Japanese leaders, including Japan's emperor, as well as the Japanese people realized that the war would end in Japan's defeat.   On June 17, 1945, President Truman wrote in his diary that deciding between invading Japan and relying solely on bombing and blockade to end the war was his â€Å"hardest decision to date.† ( Walker, p. 35) Advisers in the Truman administration realized that â€Å"‘there was a large submerged class in Japan' that did not favor the war but would ‘fight tenaciously' for their homeland.† In a meeting on June 18, 1945, Secretary Stimson hinted that he â€Å"thought the war might end by some other means, though at this time he did not specify what the alternatives were.† (Walker, p. 37) Meanwhile, although there were some proponents who were in favor of moderating the stance for Japan's unconditional surrender, the prevailing attitude in the United States as a whole was for the unconditional surrender of Japan. By July 13, 1945, it was clear that America's demand for an unconditional surrender was the main obstacle to a settlement. So, despite the mutual desires of the American people and the Japanese people for peace and the leaders of both countries faced the same obstacle–unconditional surrender. President Truman faced choices as to how to overcome this dilemma. There were three choices, including invasions with the potentially high costs. A fourth alternative also existed, the atomic bomb. Truman and his advisers proceeded with their planning as if the bomb didn't exist because the bomb had not been tested successfully, but those in the administration who knew about the bomb hoped that a successful test would lead to their goal of ending the war at a lower cost than the alternatives. Final preparations for the atomic test, named â€Å"Trinity† proceeded amid strain, excitement, uncertainty and ominous weather forecasts, but at 8:00 AM on July 16, 1945, Secretary Stimson receive news of the successful test of the bomb. President Truman was delighted when he heard the news. Secretary Byrnes was committed to the belief that the bomb would be an instrument to advance American diplomacy, particularly in light of growing differences with the Soviet Union. On the diplomatic front, Truman took his cue from Secretary Byrnes and agreed that the bomb would serve as a valuable tool for diplomacy. Ultimately, it appears that Truman used the bomb â€Å"because he had no compelling reason to avoid using it.† (Walker, p. 95) American leaders had assumed that the bomb would be used when available and there were no military, diplomatic, political, or moral considerations contrary to that assumption. Diplomatically, it placed America in a stronger position with the Soviets and it was politically popular as a means in ending the war quickly as opposed to the dire prospects of victory without the bomb. Herbert Feis opens his work by considering how the war could be ended. In May 1945 the war in Europe was over and Japan fought alone. Japanese life and production was being â€Å"smashed and burned†. The question was, â€Å"How could (the war) be ended surely and quickly?† (Feis, p. 3) â€Å"The obvious and perhaps most certain was was to beat down the Japanese until they could no longer fight on–by enlarging the assaults on Japan and Japanese armed forces wherever they could be reached†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Feis, p. 3) Another means was by inducement and a third, the most secret, was by shock. Each of these approaches could end the war or two or three of them could do so in combination. The end of the European war made American, British and Russian troops available for use in the Pacific. As for the war in the General Marshall felt â€Å"that the hope that air power alone would be able to drive Japan out of the war was unjustified; and that the task would be the more difficult there since the Japanese were scattered through mountainous country.† (Feis, p. 9) The U.S. had planned an invasion of Kyushu, but there were concerns that America could not go further and force its way upon Tokyo. (Feis, p. 11) The Joint Chiefs adopted strategic plans for the war in the Pacific on May 25, 1945. Those plans were approved by President Truman on June 18th, but those plans included the desire to have Russian forces enter the final assault with U.S. forces. General MacArthur emphatically stated to a visitor from the War Department that â€Å"no attempt ought to be made to invade Japan proper unless and until the Russian army had been previously committed to action in Manchuria; that he though this was essential, and should be brought about without†¦delay†¦.† President Truman's tone was stern. He felt that Japanese aggression against China, the Japanese assault upon America and the Japanese cruelties during the was warranted severity and he reaffirmed his intention to carry on the war â€Å"until the Japanese military and naval forces lay down their arms in unconditional surrender.† (Feis, p. 16) On the morning of May 28, 1945, President Truman was urged to try to induce the Japanese to surrender by dispelling the worst fears of the consequences. Secretary Stimson and General Marshall concluded that â€Å"the question of what to say to the Japanese and when to say it, should be governed by whether and when the United States had the atomic bomb.† (Feis, p. 19) Others in the cabinet did not believe that Japan would heed any warnings of surrender until the Japanese were more thoroughly beaten down. (Feis, p. 19) Although the prime incentive for making the bomb was the effort to defeat Germany (Feis, p. 28), the dimensions of creating the bomb became apparent and its creators were compelled to face the fact that the war against Germany might be over before the bomb was ready for use. The number of issues surrounding the creation of the bomb included what type of bomb to make. During the creation of the bomb, those in the Roosevelt administration who knew about it believed that knowledge needed to make the new weapon could be confined long enough as to allow the United States and Britain to secure an advantage that would keep the Soviet Union from being too pushy.   When Roosevelt died, Secretary Stimson lingered after the first Cabinet meeting to tell the new President briefly about the immense undertaking regarding the bomb of which the former vice president now president had no knowledge. As Truman learned more about the weapon with time, Truman began to recognize the enormous significance of the new weapon. The President accepted Secretary Stimson's belief that â€Å"†¦our leadership in the war and the development of this weapon has placed a certain moral responsibility upon us which we cannot shirk without very serious responsibility for any disaster to civilization which it would further.† (Feis, p. 38) When plans to use the bomb were considered, one consideration was to demonstrate the bomb's power before using it, but there were concerns against its use. The possibility that a country could assure its security by increasing its nuclear armaments (as was later the practice) was viewed to be invalid. It was felt that â€Å"the safety of all nations henceforth could be achieved only if they agreed to subject their activities in atomic energy to international control. However, the chance of bringing about such an agreement would be greatly lessened by the sudden and unannounced use of the weapon against Japan. Both the diplomatic and military value of the bomb spanned a wide range of concerns. Using the bomb against Japan faced a range of concerns as evidenced by the following statement: â€Å"†¦they range from the proposal of a purely technical demonstration to that of military application best designed to induce surrender. Those who advocate a purely technical demonstration of atomic weapons, and have feared that if they would wish to outlaw the use of atomic weapons, and have feared that if we use the weapons now our position in future negotiations will be prejudiced. Others emphasize the opportunity of saving American lives by immediate military use†¦.† (Feis, p. 54) Before using the new weapon, Americans were determined to continue their assault on Japan and officials in Washington were striving to compose a statement which would tell the Japanese how we intended to treat them once they surrendered.(Feis, p. 63) Feis considers issues not discussed by the other authors. He wonders, â€Å"Whether, if the United States had pledged itself as soon as the war was over to destroy the other bombs it had and dismantle the factories in which they were made other countries would have been willing to join with it in a trustworthy system of control of atomic energy, must remain forever a provocation to the speculative historian.: (Feis, p. 190) I could be biased by this, but I certainly enjoyed each of these books, however I must admit to a great interest in many aspects of World War II, including matters surrounding the atomic bomb.   These books covered an aspect of the war that took concerns of future wars to a new and frightening level and often placed the reader right in the thick of issues and diplomacy connected with the atomic bomb and other issues of the war.   All three books discuss the global atmosphere at the time of a world in turmoil at the end of World War II and the bomb's contribution that bringing that turmoil to an end, but at the same time, each of the books focus on aspects of the politics surrounding the bomb. All reveal the mutual suspicion and mistrust between Russia and her two strongest allies in the War, the U.S. and Britain.   They reveal how this mistrust played a role in the development, use and politics surrounding the bomb.   Each book portrays different details surrounding the development and use of the bomb.   Although or perhaps despite their different perspectives, all three books are interesting and had some surprizingly similar aspects.   Each author tells his story from a different perspective, each author outlines some aspects of their story with common events and from common perspectives. Alperovitz seems to focus a lot on Truman's concern regarding Stalin's desires for Poland and other areas of Eastern Europe.   Walker focused a great deal on events in the Pacific and Feis tended to concentrate much more of his focus on the development of the bomb.   Combined, these three books present an interesting and a more comprehensive look at how the bomb developed, its initial influence on diplomacy and how politicians felt that the existence of the bomb would impact future events in Europe. Each author tells an interesting and provacotive story with behind the scenes details from a different perspective and each author lays out interesting and compelling facts surrounding the concerns, suspicions and global politics between Russia and ther wartime allies, the United States and Great Britain.   I found each of them to be interesting and compelling reading. References Alperoitz, Gar (1965).   Atomic diplomacy: Hiroshima and Potsdam; the use of the atomic bomb and the American confrontation with Soviet power .   New York, NY:   Simon and Schuster. Feis, Herbert (1966).   The Atomic Bomb and the End of World War II.   Princeton, N.J., Princeton University Press. Walker,   J. Samuel   (1997).   Prompt and utter destruction : Truman and the use of atomic bombs against Japan.   Chapel Hill, NC:   University of North Carolina Press.         

Polaroid Case Study

BACKDROP Polaroid is manufacturer of photographic equipment, accessories and related items used in instant photography. The organization was divided into two main divisions – The Consumer Photography Division and the Technical and Industrial Division with each of these divisions contributing around 40% of Polaroid’s revenues of $ 1. 3 billion in 1984. The company produced two main types of films: 1. The peel apart film which required the user to physically pull the film out of the camera and, 2. The integral film, which came out of the camera automatically. The integral films were manufactured in the R2 building at the Waltham Massachusetts site. The operations at R2 included production of sheet metal springs, pods, plastic cartridges and plastic end caps and then assembled these into film cartridges. R2 ran three shifts, five days a week, employing approximately 900 workers out of which 700 were part time. QUALITY AND PROCESS CONTROL PROCEDURES AT R2 All films were vetted by the Quality Control Department before being released into the market. The QC procedure included sampling of 15 finished cartridges (each containing 10 frames) out of every lot of 5000 cartridges. If the sampled cartridges contained defects in excess of allowable limits, the lot was held and further testing was done. Additional testing usually led to reworking, or rejection of a portion or all of the lot. Subsequent lots were the subjected to even more rigorous testing by increasing the sample size tested. Quality checks were not the sole responsibility of the QC department. The operators usually sampled around 32 samples out of every lot. If the measurements went against the knowledge of the operator, the sample was rejected. After process control was initiated in R2 in the late 1970’s, process engineering technicians were made responsible for gathering data and making rough analyses. PROBLEMS WITH EXISTING QUALITY CONTROL Since the testing of cartridges was destructive, it resulted in sampled scrap. This, along with the product that failed acceptance sampling resulted in $3. 28 million in 1984. Another issue was that sampling did nothing to improve quality, it only improved the AOQ. In fact, due to the large production and low defect rates, if the production and quality control sampling were halved, the outgoing defectives would be 0. 3% of production. On the other hand, increasing the AOQ further would lead to prohibitively high costs due to increased sampling. The sampling process employed was also inaccurate. Time was spent on trying to reduce beta or consumer risk. Cartridges which were inspected and passed were sent back to production to be repackaged. But the handling of these cartridges its elf increased the chances of their developing defects which resulted in a vicious cycle of tests and retests and did not contribute to improving quality significantly while increasing costs considerably. To avoid losing production, operators often ‘salted’ boxes. Operators did not record frequently collected data and if they were in doubt, they would pass the component on to the QC Department believing that they would be able to detect the defect and reject the component if the defect was serious enough. â€Å"Tweaking† machines was an accepted practice in the plant. The objective of the exercise was to enable machines running and different speeds and variations to produce at their maximum capacity. The QC department did not focus on defects that were normally detected by consumers. For example, the most stringent auditors tested for excess reagent by flipping the film over right after exposing it, a defect that would not be noticed by a consumer. These stringent auditors averaged about 10% defectives. The conditions under which the tests were simulated were also out of sync with current market realities. External customers often used cameras which did not function precisely to specification, whereas the QC Department used ‘perfect’ cameras to test the film. This precluded the possibility of finding defects which would occur with imprecisely functioning cameras. GREENLIGHT The project objective was quality monitoring costs reduction while at the same time improving the quality of the product. The improvements in quality control processes were focused along with reducing the number of samples. The plan consisted of three distinct elements: 1. Statistical process control would be adapted as processes in control and capable of producing within specifications would produce more consistent quality. 2. Production operators would be given the process control tools that the process engineering technicians had been using and in conjunction with sampling would be expected to make disposition decisions themselves. 3. Quality control auditors would concentrate on training operators and operationalizing specifications on their new products. The statistical process control system involving both acceptance sampling and automated process control was to be implemented. SPC involved testing for productions within a pre-specified range. If the production went beyond the range, the production process had to be shut down maintenance was to be called to perform maintenance and recalibration. As a part of the process, the operators were to take six random measurements of a process characteristic during the course of their shift and then plot the mean measured value. This led to a drastic reduction in the number of samples tested and consequently the scrapping costs. The central problem in this project was the estimation of the central level and the control limits. Initially, the Quality Control auditors helped the operators in plotting the ranges and the operators’ protocol was to immediately shut down the machines and call for help whenever, the characteristic crossed the specified range. Moreover, eight consecutive mean values lying into the upper or lower zones near the control limits, or consistently upward trends were to be investigated by maintenance as well. The idea behind the project was to cut down the defect and testing losses. However, the idea backfired when the average defects detection by auditors shot up to 10% from 1% while at the operator level, it halved to about 0. 5%. Another problem was the lack of trust between the auditors and the operators. Standardized maintenance procedures also met with a lot of resistance as they were seen as making the whole maintenance process impersonalized and bureaucratic. The operators believed that they could obtain better results by ‘tweaking’ the machines. At the same time, operators refused to come out of the â€Å"maximize output† mindset and kept adjusting the machines for increased output. Also, the operators were sampling and testing more units than they were recording and adjusted the machines on the basis of the unrecorded defects. The nature of defects also changed. The variability in the kinds of defects detected increased, as the defects recorded by the auditors were markedly different from the defects recorded by the operators. ANALYSIS The purpose of inspection is to determine the level to which the product manufactured conforms to the specifications. Control charts and run tests are used for process control with the objective being to identify the causes of assignable variation, and to leave the system alone if the variation is random and the process is under control. The data given in exhibit 5 was used to calculate the means and ranges of the variables (pod weight and finger height) and the control limits for them were calculated. These have been plotted on control charts. Pod Weight  · Both the X bar and the R chart show that the process is in control, and that the process is capable. The variation present is random variation. Although the X bar chart shows that the process is in control, the last four readings may indicate a trend if further values move towards the lower control limit. Also, between the 16th and 28th readings, there are making of trends.  · The R chart shows that though the values of R lie within the control limits the range variation is high. Also, the behaviour of the readings is erratic which is a reas on for investigation. Finger Length  · The X bar graph shows that the process is out of control very often, signifying that an assignable cause of variation may be present. The values in the R chart are within the control limits. Thus, although the process mean is out of control, the process variability is in control. Other Analysis  · The random sample of defects from Exhibit 4 is tabulated below. Operator Defects Auditor Defects Excess Reagent 4 11 Excess Flash on box 2 2 Negative sheet defect 3 2 Positive sheet defect 3 3 Double feed 3 3 Frame feed failure 2 9 Damaged spring 3 3 Malformed box 1 3 Insufficient reagent 1 4 Misalignment 1 3 Marginal lamination 1 2 Dirt from assembly 0 5 After Greenlight was initiated, the number of defects reported by operators has halved from 1% to 0. % while those reported by auditors has increased from 1% to 10%. This may be due to the fact that the operators are not recording all the defective samples which they are using to adjust their mac hines. Also, since the auditors feel that asking the operators to be incharge of the quality is like handing over the henhouse to the foxes, most of them may have shifted to stringent checking of the cartridges which would explain the jump from 1% rejects to 10% rejects, which was the level of rejects which only the stringent auditors had earlier. There is some evidence for both the above points. The tweaking of the machines by the operators may explain why so many readings are out of the control limits, though the machine should have undergone maintenance and calibration as soon as the first reading was outside the control limits, which explains why the auditors are finding many more rejects due to the feed than the operators. Also, the auditors are finding more rejects due to the reagent, although the process is under control. This may be due to stringent checking. Another indication of stringent checking is that cartridges are being rejected due to their having dirt which has been attributed to assembly. RECOMMENDATIONS Control measures need to be incorporated at the injection molding machines in order to minimize defect rates, and defects need to be prioritized, to help in setting control limits and the ratings on the quality of products.  · The operators need to realize that the process downstream is the customer, and they need to shutdown the machine for maintenance a s soon as the process goes out of control rather than waiting for the machine to start producing defective pieces.  · Polaroid can carry out a market research exercise on consumers, to determine which attributes need compliance from the customer’s point of view. It will also need to establish the technical specification limits for various components. These will need to build into a 6-sigma process to increase quality by improving the processes and reduce variation in outputs.  · The people, especially the top management, need to be convinced about the effectiveness of process control, which doesn’t have any problem with the quality apart from above observations.  · Proper documentation of all the procedures and processes should be assured, in order to keep people focused on quality once defect rates drop significantly below 1%. This documentation should be accessible to all concerned people and they should be instructed unambiguously to adhere to the norms.  · Automated methods for data collection need to be adopted, like the ones mentioned in the case, since the operators have proved to be unreliable. The investment is not large enough to make a serious dent in the company’s bottom line, and should be considered.  · A better and more comprehensive training model needs to be introduced to train the workers and supervisors in basic statistics and the application to process control The high-volume driven mindset of the people needs to be changed, and an atmosphere needs to be built which engenders mutual trust between operators and auditors. Appendix Sample Statistical Process Control Measurements Pod Weight (grams) Sample Number Day Shift 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mean Range 3-Aug A 2. 800 2. 799 2. 760 2. 802 2. 805 2. 803 2. 795 0. 045 B 2. 750 2. 820 2. 850 2. 740 2. 850 2. 790 2. 800 0. 110 C 2. 768 2. 807 2. 807 2. 804 2. 804 2. 803 2. 799 0. 039 4-Aug A 2. 841 2. 802 2. 802 2. 806 2. 807 2. 807 2. 811 0. 039 B 2. 801 2. 770 2. 833 2. 770 2. 840 2. 741 2. 93 0. 099 C 2. 778 2. 807 2. 804 2. 804 2. 803 2. 804 2. 800 0. 029 5-Aug A 2. 760 2. 804 2. 804 2. 806 2. 805 2. 806 2. 798 0. 046 B 2. 829 2. 804 2. 805 2. 806 2. 807 2. 807 2. 810 0. 025 C 2. 741 2. 850 2. 744 2. 766 2. 767 2. 808 2. 779 0. 109 6-Aug A 2. 814 2. 804 2. 803 2. 805 2. 807 2. 804 2. 806 0. 011 B 2. 787 2. 802 2. 805 2. 804 2. 805 2. 804 2. 801 0. 018 C 2. 766 2. 805 2. 804 2. 802 2. 804 2. 806 2. 798 0. 040 7-Aug A 2. 774 2. 801 2. 805 2. 805 2. 805 2. 804 2. 799 0. 031 B 2. 770 2. 801 2. 833 2. 770 2. 840 2. 741 2. 793 0. 099 C 2. 832 2. 836 2. 794 2. 843 2. 13 2. 743 2. 810 0. 100 10-Aug A 2. 829 2. 846 2. 760 2. 854 2. 817 2. 805 2. 819 0. 094 B 2. 850 2. 804 2. 805 2. 806 2. 807 2. 807 2. 813 0. 046 C 2. 803 2. 803 2. 773 2. 837 2. 808 2. 808 2. 805 0. 064 11-Aug A 2. 815 2. 804 2. 803 2. 804 2. 803 2. 802 2. 80 5 0. 013 B 2. 782 2. 806 2. 806 2. 804 2. 803 2. 802 2. 801 0. 024 C 2. 779 2. 807 2. 808 2. 803 2. 803 2. 803 2. 801 0. 029 12-Aug A 2. 815 2. 815 2. 803 2. 864 2. 834 2. 803 2. 822 0. 061 B 2. 846 2. 854 2. 760 2. 829 2. 817 2. 805 2. 819 0. 094 C 2. 767 2. 804 2. 834 2. 803 2. 803 2. 803 2. 802 0. 067 13-Aug A 2. 850 2. 04 2. 804 2. 804 2. 804 2. 804 2. 812 0. 046 B 2. 810 2. 820 2. 814 2. 794 2. 798 2. 787 2. 804 0. 033 C 2. 850 2. 820 2. 750 2. 740 2. 850 2. 790 2. 800 0. 110 14-Aug A 2. 750 2. 765 2. 850 2. 760 2. 790 2. 840 2. 793 0. 100 B 2. 830 2. 770 2. 848 2. 760 2. 750 2. 830 2. 798 0. 098 C 2. 740 2. 770 2. 833 2. 770 2. 840 2. 800 2. 792 0. 100 17-Aug A 2. 753 2. 807 2. 805 2. 804 2. 802 2. 804 2. 796 0. 054 B 2. 851 2. 751 2. 752 2. 773 2. 849 2. 806 2. 797 0. 100 C 2. 845 2. 804 2. 803 2. 806 2. 805 2. 806 2. 812 0. 042 18-Aug A 2. 844 2. 777 2. 754 2. 791 2. 833 2. 811 2. 802 0. 90 B 2. 806 2. 839 2. 805 2. 804 2. 850 2. 740 2. 807 0. 110 C 2. 849 2. 801 2. 804 2. 7 62 2. 814 2. 791 2. 804 0. 087 19-Aug A 2. 820 2. 793 2. 812 2. 833 2. 853 2. 812 2. 821 0. 060 B 2. 790 2. 780 2. 764 2. 843 2. 843 2. 818 2. 806 0. 079 C 2. 850 2. 806 2. 805 2. 814 2. 807 2. 807 2. 815 0. 045 20-Aug A 2. 767 2. 831 2. 808 2. 793 2. 836 2. 811 2. 808 0. 069 B 2. 833 2. 825 2. 793 2. 813 2. 823 2. 766 2. 809 0. 067 C 2. 824 2. 799 2. 790 2. 764 2. 817 2. 805 2. 800 0. 060 21-Aug A 2. 778 2. 775 2. 799 2. 805 2. 833 2. 772 2. 794 0. 061 B 2. 801 2. 832 2. 758 2. 759 2. 773 2. 14 2. 790 0. 074 C 2. 770 2. 787 2. 744 2. 766 2. 807 2. 803 2. 780 0. 063 Average 2. 8025 0. 0640 UCL for mean = 2. 8332 UCL for Range = 0. 1280 LCL for mean = 2. 7718 LCL for Range = 0. 0000 Sample Statistical Process Control Measurements Finger Height (mm) Sample Number Day Shift 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mean Range 3-Aug A 1. 90 1. 95 1. 94 2. 00 2. 05 2. 16 2. 00 0. 26 B 2. 15 2. 17 2. 11 2. 13 2. 02 2. 03 2. 10 0. 15 C 1. 73 1. 90 2. 07 1. 89 1. 76 1. 88 1. 87 0. 34 4-Aug A 2. 30 2. 41 2. 54 2. 37 2. 3 2 2. 16 2. 35 0. 38 B 2. 28 2. 16 2. 19 2. 08 2. 25 2. 24 2. 20 0. 20 C 1. 92 2. 24 2. 1 1. 89 1. 88 2. 17 2. 04 0. 36 5-Aug A 2. 39 2. 28 2. 10 2. 36 2. 54 2. 25 2. 32 0. 44 B 2. 11 2. 21 2. 24 2. 21 2. 17 2. 24 2. 20 0. 13 C 1. 89 1. 90 1. 73 2. 07 1. 89 1. 76 1. 87 0. 34 6-Aug A 2. 51 2. 25 2. 08 2. 35 2. 29 2. 32 2. 30 0. 43 B 2. 22 2. 19 2. 22 2. 24 2. 01 2. 23 2. 19 0. 23 C 1. 89 1. 90 1. 78 2. 07 1. 89 1. 76 1. 88 0. 31 7-Aug A 1. 95 2. 07 2. 25 1. 95 2. 11 2. 16 2. 08 0. 30 B 2. 08 2. 03 2. 27 2. 23 2. 24 2. 13 2. 16 0. 24 C 2. 31 1. 90 1. 86 1. 91 1. 89 1. 87 1. 96 0. 45 10-Aug A 2. 23 2. 25 2. 21 1. 89 2. 15 2. 11 2. 14 0. 36 B 2. 23 2. 21 2. 05 2. 19 2. 7 2. 16 2. 15 0. 18 C 1. 73 2. 00 1. 79 1. 75 1. 84 1. 74 1. 81 0. 27 11-Aug A 2. 21 2. 11 2. 21 2. 44 2. 17 2. 30 2. 24 0. 33 B 2. 17 2. 19 2. 15 2. 04 2. 07 2. 22 2. 14 0. 18 C 2. 01 1. 90 1. 90 1. 81 2. 06 1. 89 1. 93 0. 25 12-Aug A 2. 08 2. 19 2. 28 2. 29 2. 21 2. 45 2. 25 0. 37 B 1. 93 2. 09 1. 90 1. 95 2. 04 2. 09 2. 00 0. 19 C 1. 84 2. 12 1. 90 1. 89 2. 01 1. 75 1. 92 0. 37 13-Aug A 2. 23 2. 01 2. 25 2. 11 2. 39 2. 15 2. 19 0. 38 B 2. 19 2. 22 2. 18 2. 15 2. 23 2. 04 2. 17 0. 19 C 1. 96 2. 05 2. 16 1. 87 2. 13 1. 90 2. 01 0. 29 14-Aug A 2. 27 2. 00 2. 06 1. 97 2. 13 2. 05

Why do you want to attend ASDOH Essay Example

Why do you want to attend ASDOH Essay Example Why do you want to attend ASDOH Essay Why do you want to attend ASDOH Essay Being the only school of Dentistry and Oral Health in Arizona, I would consider it a personal honor if I am allowed to attend what is the most prestigious and premier dental school in the state. I have considered applying to and attending many out of state schools but my research has shown that no other school can come close to the benefits of studying at ASDOH. I want to become a student at this school because of the way the classes and students will always be community centered. That means that I will be able to put my volunteer learned skills to work while studying. I believe that dentistry is a job that requires the dental professional to have the abilities of patience and compassion in endless quantity and that ASDOH can teach and training me to become a future community and educational leader. I am a person who believes that hands on training beats theoretical training anytime. Which is why I am sure that I shall gain the most benefits out of the exemplary learning environment of the school. I believe that I am a perfect candidate for becoming a student at this school because of my ability to learn under any given condition with a team or alone. I have what is takes to succeed in this field not only because of my strict sense of self discipline, but also because after I have graduated with an ASDOH diploma under my belt, I will also have the most important qualities of compassion, community concern, and clinical experiences that ASDOH will have molded into each of their highly trained and capable graduates.

Overseas Territories of the United Kingdom

Overseas Territories of the United Kingdom The United Kingdom (UK) is an island nation located in Western Europe. It has a long history of worldwide exploration and it is known for its historic colonies around the world. The UKs mainland consists of the island of Great Britain (England, Scotland,  and Wales) and Northern Ireland. In addition, there are 14 overseas territories of Britain that are remnants of former British colonies. These territories are not officially a part of the UK, as most are self-governing (but they do remain under its jurisdiction). List of British Territories The following is a list of the 14 British Overseas Territories arranged by land area. For reference, their populations and capital cities have also been included. 1. British Antarctic Territory Area: 660,000 square miles (1,709,400 sq km) Population: No permanent population Capital: Rothera 2. Falkland Islands Area: 4,700 square miles (12,173 sq km) Population: 2,955 (2006 estimate) Capital: Stanley 3. South Sandwich and the South Georgia Islands Area: 1,570 square miles (4,066 sq km) Population: 30 (2006 estimate) Capital: King Edward Point 4. Turks and Caicos Islands Area: 166 square miles (430 sq km) Population: 32,000 (2006 estimate) Capital: Cockburn Town 5. Saint Helena, Saint Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha Area: 162 square miles (420 sq km) Population: 5,661 (2008 estimate) Capital: Jamestown 6. Cayman Islands Area: 100 square miles (259 sq km) Population: 54,878 (2010 estimate) Capital: George Town 7. Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Area: 98 square miles (255 sq km) Population: 14,000 (date unknown) Capital: Episkopi Cantonment 8. The British Virgin Islands Area: 59 square miles (153 sq km) Population: 27,000 (2005 estimate) Capital: Road Town 9. Anguilla Area: 56.4 square miles (146 sq km) Population: 13,600 (2006 estimate) Capital: The Valley 10. Montserrat Area: 39 square miles (101 sq km) Population: 4,655 (2006 estimate) Capital: Plymouth (abandoned); Brades (center of government today) 11. Bermuda Area: 20.8 square miles (54 sq km) Population: 64,000 (2007 estimate) Capital: Hamilton 12. British Indian Ocean Territory Area: 18 square miles (46 sq km) Population: 4,000 (date unknown) Capital: Diego Garcia 13. Pitcairn Islands Area: 17 square miles (45 sq km) Population: 51 (2008 estimate) Capital: Adamstown 14. Gibraltar Area: 2.5 square miles (6.5 sq km) Population: 28,800 (2005 estimate) Capital: Gibraltar

Charles Dickens Essays - Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers

Charles Dickens INTRODUCTION This report will talk about the life of a famous author, Charles Dickens. It will tell you about his early, middle, and later years of his life. It will also talk about one of his great works of literature. In conclusion, this report will show a comparison of his work to his life. EARLY LIFE Charles Dickens was born at Landport, in Portsea, on February 7, 1812. His father was a clerk in the Navy Pay-Office, and was temporarily on duty in the neighborhood when Charles was born. His name was John Dickens. He spent time in prison for debts. But, even when he was free he lacked the money to support his family. Then, when Charles was two they moved to London.1 Just before he started to toddle, he stepped into the glare of footlights. He never stepped out of it until he died. He was a good man, as men go in the bewildering world of ours, brave, transparent, tender-hearted, and honorable. Dickens was always a little too irritable because he was a little too happy. Like the over-wrought child in society, he was splendidly sociable, and in and yet sometimes quarrelsome. In all the practical relations of his life he was what the child is at a party, genuinely delighted, delightful, affectionate and happy, and in some strange way fundamentally sad and dangerously close to tears. 2 At the age of 12 Charles worked in a London factory pasting labels on bottles of shoe polish. He held the job only for a few months, but the misery of the experience remain with him all his life. 3 Dickens attended school off and on until he was 15, and then left for good. He enjoyed reading and was especially fond of adventure stories, fairy tales, and novels. He was influenced by such earlier English writers as William Shakespeare, Tobias Smollet, and Henry Fielding. However, most of the knowledge he later used as an author came from his environment around him. 4 MIDDLE LIFE Dickens became a newspaper writer and reporter in the late 1820's. He specialized in covering debates in Parliament, and also wrote feature articles. His work as a reporter sharpened his naturally keen ear for conversation and helped develop his skill in portraying his characters speach realistically. It also increased his ability to observe and to write swiftly and clearly. Dickens' first book, Sketches by Boz (1836) consisted of articles he wrote for the Monthly Magazine and the London Evening Chronicles.5 On April 2, 1836 he married Catherine Hogarth. This was just a few days before the anoucement that on the 31st he would have his first work printed in The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club. And this was the beginning of his career. 6 Then, at 24, Dickens became famous and was so until he died. He won his first literary fame with The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club. Published in monthly parts in 1836 and 1837 the book describes the humorous adventure and misadventures of the English Countryside. After a slow start, The Pickwick Papers as the book was usually called gained a popularity seldom matched in the history of literature. 7 Then in 1837, Catherine's sister Mary, died. Because of her death Dickens' suffered a lot of grief. This led some scholars to believe that Dickens loved Mary more than Catherine. Catherine was a good woman but she lacked intelligence. Dickens and Catherine had 10 children. Then later in 1858, the couple seperated. 8 LATER LIFE His later years was basically consisting of two main additions to his previous activites. The first was a series of public readings and lectures which he began giving it systematically. And second, he was a successive editor. Dickens had been many things in his life; he was a reporter , an actor, a conjurer, a poet, a lecturer, and a editor and he enjoyed all of those things. 9 Dickens had a remarkable mental and physical energy. He recorded all his activites in thousands of letter, many of which made delightful readings. He spent much of his later life with crowded social friends from arts and literature. He also went to the theater as often as he could, cause

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Persuasive speech - Essay Example The laws should be such that they should reflect the expectations and aspirations of the people. In a democratic society, laws reflect as to what people want and expect from the state. A poll conducted in March 2013 showed that a majority of the Americans do favor tougher gun control laws like barring people from purchasing automatic and assault weapons and conducting a background check on people buying arms (White, 2013). Hence, it goes without saying that the present statutory position that allows people to readily buy automatic and assault weapons is averse to the actual wishes of the people. The state and federal governments could not abjectly ignore the wishes of a majority section of the society. Without pointing to any specific incident, it is a matter of common knowledge that massive public shootings in the recent times have shocked the conscience of the masses. These shootings led to the death of many innocent and unsuspecting citizens in a ruthless and shocking manner. It was primarily owing to the lax gun laws that the perpetrators responsible for these shootings were able to purchase sophisticated weapons, which they later used to kill unarmed and defense less civilians. Hence, the natural premise that supports the tougher gun control laws is that they will certainly lead to a decline in, if not a stopping of the instances of mass shootings and will better the law and order situation. The detractors of the tougher gun control laws put forward the argument that if the laws governing the purchase of weapons are made stringent and strict, it will curtail their democratic right to bear arms and will prevent them from easily purchasing weapons, as and when they require. They believe that there should be no restraining mechanism that should prevent people from buying any weapons they feel like buying. However, the truth is that such logic is totally

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Allison Bechdel's Fun Home - Research Paper Example The life events in the family of Bechdel during her adolescent and childhood are effectively illustrated through this lens that is illusive. The narrative illustrates false and true miseries that surround family relations. The main focus of the Memoir is on the family of Bechdel’s and revolves around her relationship with Bruce, her father. Bruce Bechdel worked in Beech Creek as an English teacher and also acted as a funeral director. It is in this school where Alison together with her siblings was brought up. The title of the book originates from the funeral home nickname, from the family and also from the business of the family in which Bruce Bechdel was brought up and also worked. The phrase ironically refers to the tyrannical domestic policy set by Bruce Bechdel. The dual occupations of Bruce Bechdel reflected in Fun Home center on literature and death. The book commences with Bruce Bechdel exhibiting an obsession of restoring the Victorian home of the family. His desire to restore the home is correlated to emotional isolation from his family. The emotional distance is expressed by him in occasional bouts of coldness and abusive anger. Moreover, the emotional distance is also related to the tendencies of his personality that are homosexually closeted. Bruce Bechdel had engaged himself in homosexual relationships both while being in the military and as a school teacher with his high school students. Ironically, some of the students were his family friends. Two weeks after a divorce was requested by his wife, he was killed after joining the ways of â€Å"an oncoming Sunbeam Bread truck†. Despite the equivocal of the evidence, Alison Bechdel assumed that her father, Bruce Bechdel, had committed suicide. The narrative also illustrates the struggle by Alison Bechdel in dealing with her sexual identity. She reaches catharsis when she realizes that she is a lesbian. Alison Bechdel’s sexual

Fundamentals of Job Satisfaction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Fundamentals of Job Satisfaction - Essay Example In contrast, top-down theory lays emphasizes on global propensity1. In other words, all individuals have a desire to be happy and this attitude will be the major influence on their lives. Thus, feelings about job satisfaction are generated any one of the two ways: from the bottom up by adding positive effects and subtracting negative ones, or from the top down by the diffusion of one's desire to be happy (Diener & Eunkook, 1999: p.276). III. Methodology. Survey design was utilized for gathering data, for sample purposes the researcher used randomised probability sampling and a sample of 20 employees from different age, gender, nationality, occupation and place of work were chosen for the survey as follows:1. Age: - Between 25 >= 35 - Between 36 >= 45 - Between 46>= 70 2. Gender: - Men - Women 3. Nationality: - Kuwaiti - Arab - Non Arab 4. Occupation and place of work: - Owners of a real state company - Company employers - Managers in a real state company - House workers Each was then required to rank several questions as shown below: Rank from 1-5 your job satisfaction (1=Very dissatisfied, 5=Very satisfied) Gender: Age: Nationality: Occupation and place of work: 1 - Participate in decision making. 2 - Relationship with coworker. 3 - Feel you are respected. 4 - Have a highly routine job. 5 - The job gives you no stress. 6 - The manger appreciates the job you do. 7 - Satisfied with your pay. 8 - Satisfied with raises. 9 - Good training opportunities. 10- Feeling of security in the job. IV. Results Discussion and Analysis Age Gender Nationality It was found that, decision making for Kuwaitis people was very high, their participation in...Participants in the survey were randomly in consideration of the following factors: There are two common social theories of job satisfaction: the "bottom-up theory" and the "top-down" theory. The bottom-up theory basically states that, individuals have needs whose fulfilment brings about happiness. This theory uses the sum of positive and negative effects to define happiness. If the positive effects are greater than the negative effects, individuals will judge their life as happy. In contrast, top-down theory lays emphasizes on global propensity1. In other words, all individuals have a desire to be happy and this attitude will be the major influence on their lives. Thus, feelings about job satisfaction are generated any one of the two ways: from the bottom up by adding positive effects and subtracting negative ones, or from the top down by the diffusion of one's desire to be happy (Diener & Eunkook, 1999: p.276). Survey design was utilized for gathering data, for sample purposes the researcher used randomised probability sampling and a sample of 20 employees from different age, gender, nationality, occupation and place of work were chosen for the survey as follows: It was found that, decision making for Kuwaitis people was very high, their participation in decision making was

International political economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

International political economy - Essay Example Entrepreneurs, leading corporations, and even social activists are taking the step to show how this phenomenon is changing the lives of people across the world. This book forms the basis for this review as it tries to identify the realism of this phenomenon, and if the corporate world is entirely ready for it. The definition of social business in this book is that it is a sustainable business that guarantees return on start-up capital, but does not offer investors any return. It is the author’s belief that the current practices, for example; social enterprises and non-profit are what may lead to more poverty among countless individuals. Social business offers an owner a return on their start-up capital, regardless of the time it takes to get this capital back. According to the author, this phenomenon (social business) has stopped being just a theory that is discussed in corporate boardrooms, and is being introduced in some areas in Asia, the U.S., and even Europe. By introduci ng, embracing, and trying the social business theory, the author develops an idea about a new form of capitalism that is opposed to some current methods and practices present in most organizations (Yunus 2011, p. 103). Products offered by social businesses may rake in profit, but do not offer dividends (Yunus 2011, p. 229). They are also capable of satisfying the needs of the less wealthy individuals in society. All profits gained have to go back to the society in which the business is located. According to the author, the case studies are a way of showing individuals that it is possible to incorporate this in the economic world and find a way to provide everyone with their needs. This is while reducing the pressure of money among the less privileged. Something worth noting about the author is that he is the founder of the micro-credit agency, Grameen Bank. It offers services (financial) at an affordable rate of interest. The author’s economic stand is brought out in the book as it struggles to change the perception that establishments can only belong to one of two economic camps, which are; non-profit and for-profit. However, the book might fail to address some crucial elements that surround the progress of the theory of social business. Some of the issues brought out in the book offer advice on what might be the best possible way for people to start their own businesses (Bari 2011, p. 78). This is not geared toward encouraging the growth of the phenomenon in most corporate structures in the business world. A great idea might lie behind the author’s intention of getting people to know what needs to be done to start and run a successful business. Sadly, it does not delve into advising would-be business owners on what needs to be done to exactly capture all the latest trends in the economic world. The ends of the first chapters in the book talk more of the steps in the development of the Grameen. This, according to me, makes the chapters seem lack lustre in their presentation. The didactic aspect of the book leaves no room for the profit and social business aspects that most readers may want to attain at the end of the book. It is next to impossible to attain a clear perspective on the part profit aspect of a

Applying BEQUEST for Sustainable Urban Development Essay

Applying BEQUEST for Sustainable Urban Development - Essay Example Applying BEQUEST for Sustainable Urban Development This review includes an examination and review of the relationship between BEQUEST framework and protocol; the protocol of sustainable urban property development; assessment methods available to evaluate what the protocol contributes towards the sustainability of urban development; and where the protocol has been applied and the SUD gains this has generated. Environmental problems ranging from excessive consumption of natural resources and pollution of the environment have been attributed to construction and building activities. Research is underway for green building design, and use of materials for minimising the environmental impact. Sustainability assessments have gained importance, and environmentally friendly design at project appraisal stage has been considered the ideal stage for the incorporation of environmental matters (Ding, 2008). Sustainable urban development (SUD) initiatives include Smart Growth and Building Environmental Quality Evaluation for Sustainability through Time (BEQUEST). BEQUEST bridges all scales of action including planning to component manufacture allowing all actors view the scope of urban development problem. BEQUEST is a Pan-European research initiative funded by the European Commission. The Extranet is an advisory body with over 100 European professionals and researchers. According to Kohler (2002), results of BEQUEST project on sustainable urban development have been viewed as conceptual contributions, and as a dynamic network. The usual scope of sustainable urban development has been expanded to include time and space continuity, which is significant.

Art and psychoanalysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Art and psychoanalysis - Essay Example Upon hearing about the bombing of Guernica, Picasso started sketching a mural. â€Å"He drew screaming women and children, perhaps inspired by his fear that harm might come to his own baby daughter. He seemed haunted by the many faces of anguish.†1 Although the woman holding a wounded child is in Guernica, she is also in many other works of Picasso. This woman is of different color and shape, but can be identified throughout Picasso’s other works. One source reports: Characters that typically appear in these paintings reappear in Picassos paintings as well. Theres usually quite clearly a suffering woman, someone whos screaming, a woman with a child whos been injured, or may even be dead.2 As suggested above, maybe Picasso was thinking of his daughter. However if this is true, why did Picasso distort the images? The distorted images seem to speak of an underlying emotion in his subconscious. It must be noted that Picasso had an art background. His father was a painter as well. Picasso could have drawn and painted in more realistic terms. One source reports, "Picasso was very properly trained in the grand tradition of painting, allegorical painting about universal themes: the horrors of war, the massacres of the innocents.†3 Picasso could have used photos from Guernica to make a more realistic picture. Instead â€Å"Picasso was able to take that traditional academic motif and actually rework it and make it relevant again to this particular time and this particular circumstance, I think is really one of his great achievements in this painting."4 Picasso did not make a realistic picture due to a deep unconscious need inside. Picasso had a subliminal problem that was deeply rooted in his psyche. It might be the death of his sister. Picasso’s mother might have shut down with grief after the death of her daughter. This could have made Picasso have deeply buried animosity toward his mother for the

Applying BEQUEST for Sustainable Urban Development Essay

Applying BEQUEST for Sustainable Urban Development - Essay Example Applying BEQUEST for Sustainable Urban Development This review includes an examination and review of the relationship between BEQUEST framework and protocol; the protocol of sustainable urban property development; assessment methods available to evaluate what the protocol contributes towards the sustainability of urban development; and where the protocol has been applied and the SUD gains this has generated. Environmental problems ranging from excessive consumption of natural resources and pollution of the environment have been attributed to construction and building activities. Research is underway for green building design, and use of materials for minimising the environmental impact. Sustainability assessments have gained importance, and environmentally friendly design at project appraisal stage has been considered the ideal stage for the incorporation of environmental matters (Ding, 2008). Sustainable urban development (SUD) initiatives include Smart Growth and Building Environmental Quality Evaluation for Sustainability through Time (BEQUEST). BEQUEST bridges all scales of action including planning to component manufacture allowing all actors view the scope of urban development problem. BEQUEST is a Pan-European research initiative funded by the European Commission. The Extranet is an advisory body with over 100 European professionals and researchers. According to Kohler (2002), results of BEQUEST project on sustainable urban development have been viewed as conceptual contributions, and as a dynamic network. The usual scope of sustainable urban development has been expanded to include time and space continuity, which is significant.

God’s rule over human happenings Essay Example for Free

God’s rule over human happenings Essay God controls events of human history to accomplish of his purposes. God’s rule over human happenings is demonstrated many times in the Bible. One of the clearest examples is recorded in the first four chapters of the book of Daniel. Daniel and three of his friends were taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. In Babylon they are trained to be special servants of the king. When Nebuchadnezzar had a dream and apparently forgot it, he demanded that his wise men tell him what he dreamed and give its interpretation, on penalty of death if they didn’t. When Daniel heard about this situation, he and his friends prayed to God to learn about the dream and its interpretation. When God revealed the dream and its meaning to Daniel, Daniel thanked God by saying, Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. . . . He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. . . . I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known . . . the kings demand (Daniel 2:20-23, NKJV). The dream was about a man with a head of gold, his chest and arms of silver, his thighs of bronze, his legs of iron, and his feet partly of iron and partly of clay. Daniel told the king that God had revealed to him the dream and its interpretation. He declared that different parts of the man represented various kingdoms. The head of gold represented Nebuchadnezzar. His was the greatest kingdom. After him would come lesser kingdoms, represented by the inferior medals, until the coming of the greatest – an everlasting kingdom – represented by a stone, uncut by human hands. The stone would strike the image and broke it in pieces. It would then became a great mountain and fill the whole earth. Nebuchadnezzar was grateful to Daniel for telling him his dream and its interpretation. He declared, Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret (Daniel 2:47). The king then promoted Daniel to be ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon. Moreover, Daniel’s three friends were placed in positions of power in the province of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar was a most powerful king. He was also very conceited. He built an image of gold, ninety feet tall. Why he built it is not declared in scripture. However, it may be because the dream, wherein he was represented as possessing a kingdom portrayed with a head of gold, motivated him to exalt himself in that way. He called for everyone to fall down before the image and worship it. But Daniel’s three friends refused. Nebuchadnezzar threatened them, saying that they would be put into a furnace of fire if they didn’t prostrate themselves before it. They still refused, saying that God would deliver them, but even if he didn’t, they would not worship the image. Nebuchadnezzar, full of fury, had them put into the fiery furnace. Afterward, however, when he looked into the furnace, he was greatly surprised. There was a fourth person, one like a son of the gods, walking among them and none of them were burned. When Nebuchadnezzar called for them to come out of the furnace, he discovered that they were not singed, nor did they have even the smell of fire on them. Therefore he said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him . . . that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God! Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this. (Daniel 3:28-29) He then promoted them in the province of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar thus came not only to recognize, but also to appreciate the Most High God. Nevertheless, Nebuchadnezzar was still filled with great pride. In his own words, Nebuchadnezzar told how he came to be humbled by God. He had another dream which none but Daniel could interpret. The dream was about a great, strong, and high tree with lovely leaves and abundant fruit. In it the birds lodged, under it animals found shade, and from it all flesh was fed. But a voice from heaven commanded the tree to be cut down. Even so, the stump and roots were to be left, bound with iron and bronze in the grass of the field. Before being told the meaning of the dream, Nebuchadnezzar recognized that This decision is . . . in order that the living may know  that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men (Daniel 4:17). When told the dream, Daniel was disturbed because he knew it was against the King. The tree represented the king. Although the king was great, he would be cut down but not destroyed. His heart would become like that of an animal and he would eat grass for seven times (probably seven years). However, Nebuchadnezzar was assured that the kingdom would be his after he came to realize that Heaven rules. Daniel then advised the king, break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity (Daniel 4:20). The dream began to be fulfilled a year later while Nebuchadnezzar was walking in his palace. He said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty? (Daniel 4:30). It was then that a voice from heaven said, King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses (Daniel 4:31-32). And so it was. Nebuchadnezzar ate grass like an ox, his body was wet with the dew of heaven, his hair grew like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like bird’s claws. At the end of the time, Nebuchadnezzar’s understanding returned to him, as did his kingdom, honor, splendor, counselors and nobles. He then blessed the Most High, saying, His dominion is an everlasting dominion, . . . He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’ (Daniel 4:34-35). He then praised and honored the King of Heaven, saying that his works are true and his ways just. Moreover, he said, those who walk in pride, He is able to put down (Daniel 4:37). God rules. He sent dreams to Nebuchadnezzar. Through Daniel, God made their interpretations known. In this way God caused Daniel to become ruler over  all Babylon and his friends to be elevated to rulership positions. God changed Nebuchadnezzar’s heart and made him to be a believer in the Most High God. He also humbled and then restored Nebuchadnezzar to his kingdom. He thereby caused His name to be heralded by the King throughout all Babylon (Daniel 4:1-3). Nebuchadnezzar came to know that God ruled. Yet he probably did not understood the extent or purposes of God’s rule. He may not have realized that in all these things God was preserving the Israelites in their captivity. When we see disturbing conditions in our world (just as the Israelites saw and were disturbed by the fall of Jerusalem and the overthrow of their nation by the Babylonians) we should realize that God reigns over the nations, God sits on his holy throne (Psalm 47:8; See also Jeremiah 18:7-10). He still rules in the kingdom of men. And while we may not know the extent of God’s rule, we should realize that God is working out his own purposes through contemporary human events.

Assessment Frameworks in Social Work

Assessment Frameworks in Social Work Case Study The role of social work intervention is an intensely complicated one in which legislation passed in recent years has had a significant impact. On the one hand this legislation has worked so that social services have become increasingly integrated with various other local authority departments so that they can work together in effective unison. At the same time work has been undertaken to unsure that those on the receiving end of social care do not feel stigmatised or discriminated against by the care they receive, or feel confused about why they have been targeted. Problems of discrimination, as well as important problems regarding poverty, are ones which need to be taken into due consideration. These issues are especially important when it comes to children and families, as we shall see in the specific case of Karen. In the recent history the issue of social care has found itself featured increasingly prominently on the political agenda. This is because social care is an issue in the United Kingdom which requires special care, particularly when it comes to potentially vulnerable young people. It is generally believed that the welfare of parents is closely linked to the development of children (Kirk, 2003), and therefore in areas which are suffering form poverty in the UK, and where there is a cycle of poverty, there are children who are particularly vulnerable, and who in particular need to be draw to the attention of social services. Stratham identifies the following groups of children who are likely to put set aside for special treatment by social workers, and who are seen as especially vulnerable. They are as follows: Children and young people living away from home, including those looked after by local authorities or privately fostered. Asylum-seeking children and refugees, both with families and unaccompanied. Children with troubled parents, for example those living with domestic violence or whose parents have mental health, drug or alcohol problems. Some of these will be young carers. Children engaged in antisocial or offending behaviour Children whose families are homeless, and those children who are not in school. Teenage parents. Children who are abused, including those abused through prostitution and child trafficking (Stratham, 2004). A particular problem facing those working in social care is the fact that those who are in most need often tend in turn to be those who are least likely to reach out for family help, or even help from health services. Therefore when dealing with parents who have substance abuse problems or mental health problems, it is vitally important that effective links be made between the various health and social work departments. Families need to feel respected and not stigmatised by the provision of services (Stratham, 2004). Legislation, practice guidance and policy have had a significant impact on the area of social work intervention in recent years. Social Work as a profession began in the late 1800s (Eliot, 2006); however it is in the past twenty years or so that we are concerned, as this period has seen a glut of legislation and guidance to help make the delivery of social care more effective and, in turn, more palatable to those on the receiving end. In the 1980s the press reported many cases of child neglect which built in to an increased hysteria around the issue of child protection. This resulted in an increasingly authoritarian mode of child protection, which focused strongly on dealing with the perpetrators of neglect, rather than attempting to create a framework to detect and prevent warning signs (Frost, 2000). The first piece of legislation to attempt to dramatically alter the way that children’s protection was organised came through the Children’s Act of 1989. The 1989 Children’s Act empowered local authorities, and made them responsible for social services provision (Penn Gough, 2002). The aim of the Act was to entrench the partnership between the state and families, and it applied to the needs to the child and the provision of services (Cleaver Walker, 2004). Ideally the power in the partnership between the state and the parent will be evenly balanced as a result of the Act. When the Labour Government came to power in 1997 they began to introduce a raft of reports and legislation dealing with specific issues concerning child care. The ‘Supporting Families’ Green Paper of 1998 was concerned with representing the spirit of the 1989 Act, and moving new initiatives forward. The importance of the role of the voluntary sector in early years child care was noted in this Green Paper, and schemes such as Home Start were encouraged. Home Start offered support to mothers of children aged under five. The Green Paper stressed the importance of formal and informal support networks in early years child care. The paper stressed that schemes were needed to meet the physical and emotional needs of children, the social and educational needs of children, to help confidence in parenting and to provide respite to parents under stress. Home Start works with referrals from Health professionals, often to issues such as stress which is an affliction linked strongly t o poverty. Schemes such as Home Start were not intended to act as a replacement to traditional social services (Frost, Johnson, Stein Wallis, 2000). As part of the ‘Supporting Families’ Green Paper, responsibility for Day Care Centres was shifted by the government from the Department of Health to the Department of Education (Moss, 2006). In 2000 the Children Needing Care Act was introduced to prevent such phenomena as ‘foster drift’ (Eliot, 2006). The intention of this Act was very much to prevent a situation in which vulnerable young children fall entirely out of the social care system. In 2003 the Government published a further Green Paper entitled ‘Every Child Matters’. This was to become a very important document in the government’s social care policy. It was introduced largely as part of the fallout from the Victoria Climbie case, which had caused widespread press outraged at failures which occurred in social care provision. The paper set out five main aims for potentially vulnerable children. These aims were as follows: to be healthy, to stay safe, to enjoy and achieve, to make a positive contribution, and to achieve economic well-being. These aims were to underpin future government legislation on social policy (Stratham, 2004). The Children’s Act of 2004 was a further step towards acting upon the Every Child Matters Green Paper. It set up the new role of Children Commissioner – a role independent of central government and concerned with the wellbeing of children (Moss, 2006). The Care Quality Commission for England was launched as part of the Health and Social Care Act of 2008. This Act abolished several bodies to make way for this new Commission which was to be a new care standards regulatory authority whose mandate is to integrate the areas of social care and health. By this time the government’s approach of social care was becoming increasingly linked to the areas of physical health and wellbeing of young and vulnerable children. According to Stratham the integration of children’s social care with education and health was vital, as it helped to set up a proper new support service which was more likely to spot signs of neglect in early years (Stratham, 2004). It is clear that the government has moved in recent years to integrate several authorities with social care. The Health and Social Care Act of 2007 introduced measures to integrate social care between the services. At the same time it set up the new National Service Framework, a ten year programme intended to stimulate long term improvements in children’s health. This Act was aimed at everyone who comes into contact with and delivers services to children. The current focus of the government is very much on early intervention, in the welfare of children. The Government now requires all local authorities to have a Children and Young People’s Plan. When looking at this increased integration there are several arguments both for and against these developments. Whilst on the one hand these moves definitely make sense as these disciplines certainly are linked with each other, on the other hand the result of this can sometimes be an increased in paperwork, and an increasingly confused megalith in which one hand does not know what the other is doing. An increase in paperwork has certainly been a complaint of other organisations under New Labour, most notably the Police. It is therefore also worth noting that increasingly social services and the police have been encouraged to work together in recent years, particularly in the area of children’s wellbeing. Members of social work teams are encouraged to contact a local Police Authorities Child Protection Officer. It is often difficult to coordinate services in any local authority, and when social services are required to cooperate with so many departments it seems inevitable that problems will occur. There is a further problem which is that any changes in the social care structure or methods to reduce poverty which are introduced tend to be slow to trickle down to the grass roots, and to those experiencing most poverty where this care is most needed (Penn Gough, 2002). The trend in the Government’s approach to social care has changed in recent years to a shift towards empowering individuals involved in the system as opposed to forcing themselves onto people, as many felt was the case in the eighties. This seems to be backed up by the introduction of procedures such as the Assessment Framework (New Statesman, 2007). One of the main strands of government policy has been the introduction of anti-poverty measures. This is why Gordon Brown’s introduction of the Sure Start initiative was widely seen as so important as it made an attempt to put an emphasis on children born into poverty (Kirk, 2003). One introduction designed to help those on the receiving end of social care intervention was the Common Assessment Framework. A common parental complaint before the introduction of the Assessment Framework was a lack of information from social workers, regarding why they were being targeted and what the process was etc (Cleaver Walker, 2004). The Common Assessment Framework (CAF) is a standardised approach to conducting an assessment of a child’s individual needs. The Assessment Framework encourages parental involvement in the assessment process, and means that social workers have to compare information. The main point of the Common Assessment Framework is to encourage social workers to talk through the role of the assessment framework with parents. Questions have been raised from certain sections of the social work community about relevance of the assessment framework, with claims being made that some families find it intrusive. However a report conducted by Cleaver and Walk er entitled Assessing Children’s Needs and Circumstances suggests an improvement in the overall provision of social care since the Assessment Framework was introduced. Core assessment means there are in detail discussions between parents and social workers (Cleaver Walker, 2004). *** The process of social work intervention is one which works on many levels. There is macro intervention by social workers which takes place in the community as a whole, however more relevant in this case is Micro intervention which is intervention on an individual level to those who are in most need of intervention. Local authorities can initiate care proceedings in the protection of children. These proceedings are initiated in the case of fear of ‘significant harm’. There is confidentiality regarding reporting of abuses which are generally encouraged by the police and social services but which can lead to abuses of the reporting system. A single incident will often trigger a referral if problems have been brewing for a while. Suspected physical abuse is a prevalent issue, and one which social workers need to act most swiftly on, often in conjunction with the police (Cleaver Walker, 2004). Also if there is suspected alcohol and drug abuse then this is a big problem where the raising of a child is concerned (Penn Gough, 2002). The importance of service user rights are paramount for many reasons. Service user rights are largely protected by processes such as the Assessment Framework, where users gain a greater understanding of the processes of the system. Those who report suspected abuses have confidentiality rights in the social work system. As has been mentioned many feel this can lead to abuses, are not helpful in explaining to those on the receiving end of social care interventions why they are being targeted. In the case of Karen it is clear that members of the social work team should tread carefully. On the one hand the identity of the neighbour who has reported the abuse must be protected. On the other hand Karen needs to be able to understand why she is being targeted, and therefore the various steps of the Assessment Framework need to be talked through with her. If there are problems regarding the children’s safety and hygiene it is vitally important that you liaise with the relevant health services, and work closely in conjunction with them. If your assessment shows neglect then the next step that you would have to taken is a potential court action for care of the children. The ASPIRE model stands for Actualising Social and Personal Identity Resources. The Aspire Model has been designed to harness the potential associated with important subgroup social identities (Haslam, 2003). Application of that model within an organisation is specific to certain goals, and in this case thi s model can be useful in properly formalising integration between social work and other services. Discrimination is a problem for all social work departments, and there are many issues relating to discrimination which social work teams have to be very much aware of. It is important that social work should be non-stigmatising and it is also crucial that it should not be discriminatory (Frost, Johnson, Stein Wallis, 2000). Issues which need to be taken into consideration include poverty – an issue which is highly prevalent in Karen’s case – and also issues of race and gender. It needs to be taken into account that most users of social care are female. This is firstly because females are often the primary carers of children (Kirk, 2003), however there are other core reasons for this fact. Of the fifty parents surveyed in one study undertaken by Penn and Gough, only three respondents were men. This is because of the fact that men tend to be less likely to want to liaise with social services, due to an overall suspicion of the process, and of receiving this sort of help in general (Penn Gough, 2002). Other studies seem to suggest racial minorities are less likely to be knowledgeable of the role that social services can play if they are experiencing problems. Some research suggests that Black and Minority Ethnic parents are less likely to be aware of the possible role that social services can play (Stratham, 2004), and are therefore less likely to seek help (Penn Gough, 2002). There are certainly problems is members of ethnic minorities are not fully integrated into the community. On top of these other discriminatory issues it is also widely considered that social care as it stands discriminates against the elderly and disabled in society (Guest, 2007). In Conclusion social work traditionally tends to focus on issues such as emotional support. However the issues which are raised by those who are users of social care tend to be more likely related to financial assistance (Penn Gough, 2002). Against this backdrop the best that social care workers can do is to ensure that they work together with the relevant authorities, particularly those in health, to try and ensure the best start possible for children, and to root out potential neglect. At the same time they need to ensure they have good relations with those whom they are trying to help, and this is why the Assessment Framework is so important. In this way if final decisions have to be taken then they will do, and it is vital that the intervention process is followed. Bibliography Cass, B., Exploring Social Care: Applying a New Construct to Young Carers and Grandparent Carers, Australian Journal of Social Issues, Volume: 42. Issue: 2, 2007 Cleaver, H., Walker, S., Assessing Children’s Needs and Circumstances, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2004 Eloit, A., Reflections on Working for Childrens Social Services in the United Kingdom, Annals of the American Psychotherapy Association, Volume: 9. Issue: 1, 2006, Frost, N., Johnson, L., Stein, M., and Wallis, L., Home Start and the Delivery of Family Support, Children and Society, Vol 14, 2000 Gilbert, F., Finally, Freedom: Well Learn to Love the Bill, New Statesman, Volume: 135. Issue: 4782, March 6 2006 Guest, The Wheels Are Coming off Social Care: Our Way of Looking after the Old and Disabled Is Already Failing and Will Get Worse, New Statesman, Volume: 136. Issue: 4864, October 1, 2007, Haslam, A., Social Identity at Work, Psychology Press, 2003 Kirk, R. 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