What Is A Shaman Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

What Is A Shaman - Essay Example According to the research "What Is A Shaman" findings shaman also foretells the future events and controls the spiritual forces because they have the power to predict the unknown and command the spirits to do as they wish. Shamans have visions and dreams that equip them with information and contexts of the supernatural worlds (Kallen 13). The shaman deals with only mysterious and dangerous events such as illnesses, malevolence, impotent, and death. Spirits impose shamanic power into people through intensive initiations and ordeals. Regardless of the difficulty process through which they acquire them, shamans may be exposed to lose their powers in battles with spirit foes or if they fail to perform the rituals appropriately (Wilson 22). Shamans differ with the practices of priests since their powers are personal and intermediate. The supernatural world is believed to be linked to occurrences in the natural world. Shamans allow their souls to venture into spirit worlds in order to find the causes of undesirable events. They launch immediate intercessions, fighting, or requests to the spirits to cure the affairs of human beings. In contrast, priests are concerned with the conduct of several events that enables them to bring the congregation into sacred forces (McNamara 19). Priests do not encounter supernatural worlds and their expectations are not immediate. It is critical to understand the contrast between shamans and priests as it enables people to distinguish their faiths from those they do not believe in and devote themselves to thorough the understanding of their option.

Coffee and Starbucks Essay Example for Free

Coffee and Starbucks Essay 1. Introduction In the UAE the coffeehouses take the first concern of the residents. The residents look for the coffeehouses as a place of enjoyment and the perfect place for hangout with friends. One of the most popular coffeehouse in the UAE is Starbucks; the branches of Starbucks cover all the emirates in most popular places. In this report we’ll conceder The Coffee Bean Tea Leaf as a competitor of Starbucks and analyze both of them depending on the SWOT and Marketing Mix analysis. 2. Client Company â€Å"Starbucks†. This company founded in the UAE in 2000, it is especially brand for coffee with Coffeehouses. Starbucks features a variety of coffees, hand-crafted beverage, teas, water, freshly baked pastries, sandwiches and salads. It is including also in their product compilation of music CD’s ranges for all testes. Starbucks have very friendly employees make the customers feel comfortable to visit them again. The qualities of the products Starbucks provide make them reach this level of popularity. 1 Target Market. Starbucks focus on the demographics, psychographics and lifestyle of their customers. Also with the information that Starbucks collected regard the target market segment for the better to its customers. The demographic helps Starbucks to locate its target market. It is target the both male and female, around 18-30 years old, but you can see that’s it provide product for everybody. Starbucks provide non-coffee beverage for children to supply for the whole family. It is customers primarily in their final years of high school, in university or just working. Most of them have a good education, and the people who have job, it include a high salary. The psychographic of Starbucks based in charity and the arts. Also it is sponsored the different kind of events. Starbucks aims to target people who are generous and charitable, also people who like fun and enjoy their time. It sells a lifestyle to both customers and employees, it appeals a new style to it’s coffees an age-old beverage, so that’s today it is one of most famous coffees around the world. 3. Competitor Company â€Å"The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf† It is an international coffeehouse company, founded in 1963 in California. They provide a variety of hot/cold coffee and tea drinks and related. Beside snacks like sandwiches, salads, muffins, cakes and a selection of pastries. There are 11 branches in the UAE 9 in Dubai (Sahara Shopping Center, Ibn Battuta Shopping Center, Zayed University †¦). The Coffee Bean provides it’s customers with a well trained friendly customer service to satisfy them and ensure their loyalty. 4. Major Finding of Competitive Analysis 2 SWOT analysis |SWOT analysis |Starbucks |Coffee Bean Tea Leaf | |Strengths |-Brand name recognition |-Changing the menu and adding new products regularly | | |-Good reputation |-Providing variety of products coffee tea products | | |-coffees bottled beverages sold at retail (Frappuccino|-Breakfast meals light lunch meals | | |bottles sold in petrol stations) |-On-line store at www.coffeebean. com | | -Location (significant markets / crowded shopping malls/| | | |airports) | | | |-Free internet wireless access | | | |-On-line store at www. starbucks. com | | |Weaknesses |-Little promotion / offers |-Locations (little number of branches in less crowded | | |-Considering more on coffee products than other products|places) | | |(Tea juices) |. -Small awareness of brand name | |Opportunities |-Widen Product Range to reach new target market |-Expand branches in the market | | |-Improve the speed and efficiency of service |-Apply marketing strategy to increase brand awareness among| | |-Increase promotions offers |customers | | |-Internet wireless access grabs new market (Students and| | | |tourists) | | |Threats |-Change in consumer tastes and interest |-Customers prefer recognized brand | | |-Increase in competition |-Local competition | 3 Competitive Advantage. By searching the two organizations we got a clear knowledge about them and the tools they use to grab customers and reach success. Referring to table1 the SWOT Analysis table; it shows the differences between the two coffeehouses in the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats areas. The major different which make Starbucks stronger than Coffee Bean is the recognized brand name and the reputation that Starbucks have. These make Starbucks more known and preferred from customers who look for famous places that sells good quality products. Also the location and number of branches plays a significant impact in this case. This is because Starbucks is more spreading in the market in strategic and core places like the airport (see appendix 1). 5. Strategic recommendation: Even though Starbucks is more popular than Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf for its high quality coffee and products, it has more than 40 branches in UAE, but it need to achieve its competitor advantage to maintain its market leadership. However Starbucks has some weakness that covers its strengths that needs to be looked at and improved. One of the most noticeable difference about Starbucks and other competitor is its menu that is rarely changed and its prices that the competitor has trampled them by their less price and good quality. Even that there are promotions done in Starbucks but not as much as others, for that they need to increase their promotion to rout their competitor who has attractive promotion threw their advertisement that Starbucks has some weakness in. They should focus on creating their own way of advertisement that can be shown everywhere which advertise their promotions and not relay on Starbucks name popularity only. Also one of the significant weaknesses that Starbucks has is their products that are more specified on coffees more than other kind of products such as tea and Fresh juices for this they have to widen their products range to grab new market and win customers. 6. Conclusion As it shown and known Starbucks in one of the biggest companies in the whole world that has its own reputation in its products. Starbucks has its own way of rousing it sales and improving its organization. However, they are special than other coffeehouses by their brand name, products and services, but they have some weaknesses at the same time, which can be overcome by reaching their competitors strengths. Even more Starbucks is well known of their spreading in the market by the number of branches which is increased daily approximately one by day in the world. Appendix 1 Marketing Mix Analysis (7 Ps). |Marketing Mix elements |Starbucks |Coffee Bean Tea Leaf | |(7ps) | | | |Product / Service |Coffee, hand-crafted beverage, tea, ice blended drinks, freshly|hot and cold coffee and tea beverages, sandwiches, salads and a | | |baked pastries, fresh sandwiches, salads, cakes and cookies. |selection of pastries and cakes | | |Plus coffee related accessories | | |Price |-The prices are in a middle range not too different from other |-Middle range prices | | |coffeehouses. Example : |-lower a little than Starbucks | | |(Frappuccino = 15 AED) |Example : | | |(Cappuccino = 12 AED) |(Ice blended drink = 14 AED) | | |(Cheesecake = 14 AED) |(Cappuccino = 11 AED) | | | |(Cheesecake = 10 AED) | |Promotion |-Advertise for new products in newspaper |-Special promotion for Breakfast Meal | | |-Seasonally products (summer / winter) |-Free drink after 12 purchases | | |-Promotion banners and brochures in the shop |-limited Belgium coffee for this season | | |-on-line website |-Promotion banners in the shop | | | |-on-line website | |Place |41 branches around the UAE in significant crowded places |11 branches in the UAE | | |like the air port |9 in Dubai | | |27 in Dubai |1 in Al Ain | |. |5 in Abu Dhabi |1 in Sharjah | | |5 in Sharjah | | | |2 in Al Ain | | | |1 in Ajman | | | |1 in Ras Al Khaimah | | |People |-Most of Starbucks employees are educated and special trained |-Staff are well trained to serve customers | | |to work in Starbucks |-Employees are welcoming and friendly dealing with customers | | |-Starbucks apply a friendly polite customer service to comfort |-Coffee Bean apply a great customer service to win the customers | | |it’s customers | | | |. Employees are trained to satisfy customer’s wants by asking | | | |their preferred taste and providing information on each product| | | |plus giving some suggestions | | |Process |Order, pay and get the order |The process of ordering takes normally maximum 4 minutes as branches are| | |This process takes 2 – 3 minutes normally, but in busy branches|usually not too busy | | |customers will have to wait more | | |Physical evidence |-Starbucks apply an international uniform and decoration for |-Coffee Bean apply a relaxing atmosphere for their customers decorating | | |all it’s branches around the world |the branches in light colors like beige and soft music | |. |-Starbucks trade mark is appearing all over the Cafe from the |-Employees working in Coffee Bean, ware practice uniform | | |decoration to the cup of coffee and tissue |-The Coffee Bean logo appears everywhere in the cafe letting the | | |-Starbucks atmosphere is unique and comfy, they provide |customer recognize it | | |customers with different choices of seating from chairs to | | | |couches while playing music that suites different tastes .

Hypertext as a Rhizome :: Literature Literary Essays

Hypertext as a Rhizome Hypertext is an innovative writing form that has been applied to many different facets of the internet. It provides flexibility for both authors and readers because of the way ideas are linked to one another. One of the most experimental forms is the hypertext novel. Until recently, readers were limited to only linear text. The introduction of hypertext allows for non-linear forms of text, which allow readers to move from one point in the text to another simply by clicking a link. One of the main features of hypertext is this interconnectivity. The way in which the parts of text are linked is best described as a rhizome. The first step in comparing hypertext to a rhizome system is to understand just what a rhizome is. The philosopher Gilles Deleuze came up with the idea and Janet Murray applied to hypertext. A rhizome is a tuber root system in which any point may be connected to another point. â€Å"Deleuze used the rhizome root system as a model of connectivity in systems of ideas† (Murray 132). One simplified example of this is the prewriting technique of making a web. There is one central idea and then several thoughts that branch out from it. These thoughts can be connected to each other so that the writer can move easily between them when creating a piece of writing. The rhizome system has also been applied to the notion of an allusive text system that is not linear like a book, but boundaryless without closure. Hypertext is one example of this phenomenon. In following with the web analogy, there is one main idea of the story and then many other branches that are embedded in the text. The reader does not necessarily have to move on to the next one on the list, but can choose from any of the available options. There is an opportunity later to come back to any ideas that the reader may have missed or skipped over. This format makes the text circular instead of linear. There is no start or finish, just a never-ending loop of information that changes order depending on the reader This rhizome feature of hypertext makes it interesting and creative for readers. They can choose which direction they want to take and essentially create a new story every time they explore the text.

Priming Theory Essay

Mass media has the capability to influence people to think based on the media concepts that have been presented to them. In thousands of images that people see on media sources everyday, the strong recall of each image leave marks on the minds of the viewers or readers which often lead to the conclusion that mass media is the influential and powerful tool to deliver messages to the mainstream. From entertainment to business purposes, media plays a very important role in the society. The public does not always notice the strong effects of persuasive advertisements or well-narrated news story presented by media; however, the increasing demands determine the impacts of these media concepts to the people in all aspects. People buy a certain product because of the appealing commercial on television. People conform to the latest fashion trends because the models and endorsers on the magazines. People vote for a certain politician because of constant release of propaganda through newspapers. These are just few of the many examples showing the strong effects of mass media to the public. Even though the people are often unaware of these influential demands and plain consumerism, the society still relies on the ability and credibility of mass media for providing information that would help each cluster function well in the society. This concept has an accurate explanation from the mass communication theorists. The pictures that people see on screen and magazine pages and the attitude of people prior to and upon seeing those images have been discussed and given explanations for the society’s better understanding. Priming is one of the theories that would explain the media concepts and effects of media images to the public. Apparently, the concept of priming will be most effective to examine in the light of other theories in the field of communication like framing and agenda setting. These theories would help the people to understand the concept of priming and its focus on media messages. The Priming Theory During election campaign period, much propaganda are being released on popular media sources like television, radio, newspapers, and even magazines to inform and update the public about the event. Typically, this is the hardest period for the politicians because this is the time when they need to build a rapport with the mainstream and make them aware about their candidacy. This is also the period when the mass media plays a very important role to make them reach the anticipated position in the society (Burstein, 1991). The dissemination of information creates a strong recall to the mainstream and the salient issues on media become the center of attention of the public. Since the awareness of the people is being determined on their level of media exposure and participation, the constant release of advertisements and promotions are done by the politicians to reach all the target people. It has been mentioned that the concept of priming can be explained with the use of other theories; in fact, agenda setting theory serves as the umbrella of priming. Agenda setting suggests that mass media may not be successful in telling the people what to think; however it has been successful in telling the mainstream what to think about. Mass media may not tell people to buy a certain product but the advertisements on television and billboards would affect the behavior of the consumers because of its persuasive appeal. In agenda setting, the media does not command people to conform but rather present the idea alone and let the people do the rest (Birkland, 1998). In other words, the media shows images in a way the people would easily get the messages that are being conveyed on media concepts. According to agenda setting theory, the media highlight a certain issue or certain part of the controversy to make the people put too much attention on the salient issues rather than to those issues that media considers as less important. Apparently, issues help to develop the perceptions of people toward reality. They provide typical categories which organized the knowledge of the mainstream and their experiences in a large semantic framework relevant for communication in the community.

Comparison of Healthcare Policies between France and the US

Introduction This essay aims to critically discuss social policies on healthcare between France and the US. Similarities and differences on the social policies of these two countries will be discussed. The first part of this essay aims to explore how public funding for healthcare services in both countries address health inequalities. A critical discussion on healthcare services available in both countries and the extent to which universal access to healthcare services is practiced shall also be made. The second part presents the challenges that both countries face in addressing healthcare issues. Healthcare policies that address these issues will also be critically appraised. The third part provides an analysis on whether France and USA are ‘converging’ or following ‘path dependence’ on their healthcare policies. A brief conclusion summarising key points raised in this essay will be presented in the end. Healthcare Services and Public Spending for Healthcare The healthcare system in France is described as a mix of private and public insurers and providers (Cases, 2006). This means that almost the whole population is covered by public insurance, which in turn are funded by employers and employees. In addition to public health insurance, a minority also purchases private insurance to complement existing public health insurances. Private providers support outpatient care while public providers provide inpatient care in hospital settings (Cases, 2006). France enjoys relatively good health compared to the US. The Organisation for Co-operation and Development (OECD, 2013) Health Statistics in 2013 reveals that life expectancy in France is high at 82.2 and is currently ranked third amongst OECD countries. In contrast, life expectancy in the US is amongst the lowest at 78.7 (OECD, 2013). The difference in life expectancy in both countries is a cause of concern since the US has one of the most expensive healthcare systems in the OECD and yet fares worse in health outcomes, including life expectancy(Baldock, 2011). The OECD (2013) notes that compared to France and other large OECD countries, the US spends twice as much per individual on healthcare. Interestingly, public health expenditure for health is highest in the US compared to all OECD countries. However, it does not practice universal healthcare coverage with the public supporting only 32% of the total healthcare cost (OECD, 2011). Individuals eligible for Medicaid include the elderly, families with small children and those with disabilities (Rosenbaum, 2011). Approximately 53% of the US population is covered through the Patient Protection and Affordable Act or Obamacare (Rosenbaum, 2011). Under this Act, employers are required to purchase health insurances for their employees. Only a small portion of businesses pays for full coverage with majority requiring their employees to share in the cost of their health insurances (Rosenbaum, 2011). The OECD (2009a) states that 46 million people in the US are left without public or private health insurance. This could place a significant burden to the US healthcare system that is struggling in providing equitable access to healthcare services in the country. The World Health Organization (2014) explains that equitable access is achieved when individuals, regardless of their socioeconomic status, enjoy the same type and quality of healthcare. This is not achieved in the US where statistics (OECD, 2009a) continues to show that high-income groups enjoy better health and appropriately covered by healthcare insurances while those in the lower socioeconomic status continue to have poorer health status. This disparity in health status and healthcare insurance coverage continues to be a challenge in the US. Public spending per capita in the US continues to be the highest in the OECD countries even with the increased participation of the private sector in financing healthcare in the country (OECD, 2013). In recent years, the OECD (2013) observes that public spending across OECD countries continue to decline. On average, healthcare spending of these countries only grew by 0.2% in the last 4 years. While there is a variation on the decrease of public spending, the major reason for the slowdown is due to drastic cuts in health expenditures. In France, the Statutory Health Insurance (SHI) currently covers almost all residents. Until 2000, SHI covered 100% of all residents (Franc and Polton, 2006). Today, almost all of the residents are still covered under SHI. However, a few have purchased private health insurances to complement SHI. Public spending for healthcare is 77.9% while France spends 11.9% of its GDP in healthcare (OECD, 2011). This is in contrast with the US where public spending for healthcare accounts to only 47.7% but spends 17.9% of its GDP on healthcare (OECD, 2011). Interestingly, SHI covers both legal and illegal residents in France. This is opposite in the US where illegal residents are not covered by publicly funded healthcare insurance. There are approximately 21 million immigrants in the US with most having an illegal resident status (Moody, 2011). Health coverage remains to be a concern for this group since they work on jobs that pay very low wages and with no healthcare coverage. Hence, this group is three times more likely to have no healthcare coverage (Stanton, 2006). Currently, this group comprises 20% of the total uninsured population in the US (Moo dy, 2011). The lack of universal coverage in the US suggests that healthcare policies in the US may not be inclusive as opposed to France where almost all residents have private or public health insurance coverage. Rosenbaum (2011) explains that the Patient Protection and Affordable Act or Obamacare is expected to boost healthcare coverage for legal immigrants who are in low paying jobs. However, only legal immigrants who have been in the US for at least five years could qualify for Medicaid or purchase state-based health insurances. Currently, all states in the US have expanded Medicaid coverage to low-income groups. Specifically, a family of four with a combined annual income of $33,000.00 and an individual with $15,800.00 yearly income are now eligible for Medicaid. This legislation provides health coverage to approximately 57% of the uninsured population in the US (CDC, 2011). For legal immigrants who have not reached five years of stay in the US or are earning more than the Medicaid limit are allowed federal subsidy when purchasing state-based health insurances (CDC, 2011). As opposed to France where illegal immigrants enjoy the same healthcare coverage as legal immigrants and citizens, those in the US on illegal status remain uninsured and could not purchase state-based health insurances (CDC, 2011). Healthcare access for this group is limited to community health centres across the country. It is noteworthy that only 8,500 community health centres are in existence today and yet they cater to at least 22 million people each year (CDC, 2011). Almost half of those who access primary health centres are the uninsured. While hospitals are required by law to provide emergency care for all individuals regardless of their resident status, those who are uninsured do not have health coverage to sustain their long-term healthcare needs (Rosenbaum, 2011). Current healthcare policies in the US might actually promote health inequality since it only provides primary basic healthcare services (CDC, 2011) to the marginalised group, which may include low-income and ethni c groups. In France, The Bismarckian approach to healthcare has been used for several decades but in recent years, there is now an adoption of the Beveridge approach (Chevreul et al., 2010). In the former, health coverage tends to be uniform and concentrated while in the latter, the single public payer model is promoted. In the Bismarckian approach, everyone should be given the same access to healthcare services while the Beveridge model allows for stronger state intervention (Chevreul et al., 2010). This also suggests that tax-based revenues are used to finance healthcare. The mix of both models is necessary to respond to the increasing demands for healthcare in the country and to regulate the increasing cost of healthcare. Chevreul et al. (2010) emphasise that the SHI is now experiencing deficit due to increasing rise of healthcare expenditure in the country. The French parliament, through the Ministry of Health regulates expenditure by enacting laws and regulations. Importantly, France regulates prices of specific medical procedures and drugs (Chevreul and Durand-Zaleski, 2009). This development is crucial since failure to regulate prices could further drive up healthcare costs. However, regulation of prices of medical devices remains to be poor. In a survey (OECD, 2009b), expenditures for medical devices is high and amounts to ˆ19 billion annually. Although it comprises 55% of the pharmaceutical market, increased demand for medical devices have also increased SHI expenditures on these devices (Cases and Le Fur, 2008). It should be noted that only 60% of the medical devices are covered by SHI (Cases and Le Fur, 2008). Regulation of the prices of these medical devices is not as strong as the market for drugs and other major medical equipment. This implies that increasing healthcare costs of medical devices could have an impact on publ ic health spending policies in France. Healthcare Issues and Challenges One of the major issues in both countries is the rising healthcare expenditure. As noted by the OECD (2013), there is a disparity between healthcare expenditure and rising healthcare costs in OECD countries. The average increase in healthcare expenditure only amounts to 0.2% and yet healthcare cost continues to rise. In France, this disparity has promoted the Ministry of Health to increase private insurance of its members to help cover healthcare services not normally covered by the SHI. In the US, the debate on Obamacare and the reluctance of the government to cover illegal residents continue to be a challenge in providing equitable healthcare Meanwhile, high costs of medicines could have an impact on healthcare, especially amongst those who are covered by Medicaid and those who could barely afford state-subsidised healthcare insurances (Moody, 2011). This is in contrast to France where cost containment is in place for medicines. To illustrate the lack of healthcare costs regulations, the US spends more on developing medical technologies, which only benefits a few of the patients. The country is also burdened with high administration and pharmaceutical costs. Doctors in the country are also amongst the highest paid in the OECD countries (Greve, 2013). Moody (2011) argues that cost containment remains to be a problem since lowering down prices of medicines or healthcare costs for beneficiaries of Medicaid would lead to doctors’ reluctance to treat Medicaid patients. The lack of priorities in healthcare spending in the US has resulted in higher spending on certain areas and low spending on others. However, this does not translate to better health outcomes for the whole population. Elderly care is one area where there is high spending but the amount of spending does not necessarily translate to better health outcomes. As noted by Haplin et al. (2010), the elderly are more vulnerable to chronic healthcare conditions, such as dementia, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes. Hence, healthcare costs for this group are relatively higher compared to other members in a community. In a report published by Stanton (2006), approximately 40% of US healthcare expenditure is devoted to elderly care, but this group only comprises 13% of country’s population. It is projected that in the succeeding years, healthcare cost for this group will continue to rise with the ageing of the US population (Stanton, 2006). The same issue is also seen in France, where increasing healthcare cost for the elderly is also expected in the succeeding years (Franc and Polton, 2006). Both countries also lack coordination of care and gatekeeping for the elderly. Although there is an emphasis on elderly care in both countries, lack of continuity of care often leads to poor quality care, duplication of healthcare, waste and over-prescription (Franc and Polton, 2006; Evans and Docteur and Oxley, 2003; Stoddard, 2003). In France, this issue was first addressed through the creation of provider networks and increasing the gate-keeping roles of the general practitioners (GPs). However, the latter was largely unsuccessfully and finally abolished with the introduction of the 2004 Health Insurance Act (Franc and Polton, 2006). In this new legislation, patients have the freedom to choose their own healthcare providers or primary point of contact. Most of the primary points of contact are GPs. This scheme is successful in F rance due to incentives offered to the patients and GPs. This scheme has been suggested to improve the quality of care received by the patients since there is more coordination of care between GPs and specialists (Naiditch and Dourgnon, 2009). This scheme also drives up the cost of visits to specialists and could have influence healthcare financing policies (De Looper and La Fortune, 2009; Naiditch and Dourgnon, 2009). Another issue common to both countries is the competition between hospitals for patients who can afford private healthcare. Consumer demands for healthcare in the US have increased. Hospitals respond by increasing their services to separate them from their competitors (Moody, 2011). For instance, by-products of this competition results to increasing the size of the patient rooms and providing in-house services such as full kitchens, family lounges and business service. All these have not been related to improved health outcomes of the patients. In France, the differences in healthcare costs between publicly funded hospitals and private for-profit hospitals spark a debate on whether common tariffs are the solution to cost containment (Chevreul et al., 2010). Despite the implementation of common tariffs, there is still a growing difference on the healthcare costs between the private and public sectors. Currently, the reform plan Hospital 2007 (Chevreul et al., 2010) states that the obj ective of introducing a common tariff for public and private hospitals has been withheld until 2018. This shows that healthcare policies respond to current trends in health provision in France. ‘Convergence’ and ‘Path Dependence’ Starke et al. (2008) explain that history and institutional context all play a role in influencing healthcare policies in a welfare state. Healthcare policies that tend to be resistant to change illustrate institutionalist or ‘path dependence.’In the event where changes are needed, those that follow ‘path dependence’ change their policies but do so within the boundaries set in the original healthcare policies. On the other hand, healthcare policies that follow the ‘convergence’ pathway or functionalist perspective tend to integrate best practices and are more responsive to social, political and economic changes. Healthcare policies in France and the US tend to follow the ‘convergence’ pathway. The historical context of France reveals that a unitary presidential democracy was established in 1958 (Cases, 2006). In this system, the central government retains sovereignty and policies implemented in local or regional levels are approved by the central government. Despite the practice of central dirigisme, many regions in France have practiced coordination and decenstralisation. Political parties elected to the French government all have a common goal in financing the healthcare system in France. It practices cost-containment by regulating healthcare costs, reducing healthcare demands and restricting healthcare coverage (Chevreul and Durand-Zaleski, 2009). All these cost-containment policies have generally been met with public discontent. In recent years, the introduction of Supplementary Health Insurance enabled the French government to still deliver quality care at reasonable cost. Further, the introduction of direct payment, although reimbursable, also discourages wasteful consumption of healthcare (Chevreul and Durand-Zaleski, 2009). Although changes in healthcare policies tend to be restrictive more than three decades ago, France is now taking the ‘convergence’ pathway in its healthcare system. This suggests that healthcare policies are more responsive to social and economic changes. France also regards its people as equal but retain their freedom to choose a healthcare provider and hospital. The manner of healthcare financing in France allows service users to choose from competing healthcare professionals. Service users could also access specialists due to little gatekeeping in the country (Naiditch and Dourgnon, 2009). All these changes in the France’s healthcare system reflect ‘convergence’ rather than ‘path dependence’. Convergence in healthcare is also shown in both countries through its policies on increasing personal contributions of service users for healthcare (Mossialos and Thomson, 2004). There is also an increasing reliance on private health insurers to bridge the gap in public healthcare delivery. The increasing public-private mix exemplifies convergence. There is also a trend towards community healthcare and decentralisation of healthcare (Baldock, 2011; Chevreul et al., 2010; Blank and Burau, 2007). This trend relies on community healthcare practitioners to provide care in home or community settings. This has been practiced in other developed countries where patients with chronic conditions receive care in their own homes (Chevreau et al., 2010). This approach is also applied when caring for the elderly. Similar to other Welfare states, the US and France are experiencing population ageing. The proportion of the elderly in both countries is expected to rise in the succeeding years (Chevrea u et al., 2010). As mentioned earlier, this translates to increases in health expenditures and cost for this group. Marked increases in health expenditures for this group would mean further reduction on public spending or cost containment. All these could have an impact on public spending in the future and might increase insurance premiums of individuals. There is also the possibility of raising SHI contributions in France or reducing healthcare coverage of Medicaid in the US. Both strategies could fuel public discontent, increase the gap between the rich and the poor and promote health inequalities (OECD, 2008; Starke et al., 2008; Stanton, 2006). Since the main aim of the policies in both countries is to achieve optimal health for all, the realisation of this aim might be compromised with an ageing society. It is also noteworthy that since public funds are bankrolled by taxes, increasing number of elderly could mean reduction in number of employees who are economically productive. This could also lead to lower tax collections and decreased public funding for healthcare. As shown in both countries, healthcare policies are becoming more responsive to the social and economic changes. This does not only suggest a direction towards ‘convergence’ but suggests that this pathway could be the norm for many OECD countries. Conclusion Healthcare policies in the US and France have been influenced by social and economic changes in recent years. Although both aim to achieve universal coverage, it is only France that has achieved this with almost 100% of its citizens covered with healthcare insurance. The US is struggling to meet the healthcare needs of its citizens with almost 46 million still uninsured. Its Obamacare is still met with criticism for its failure to provide public healthcare coverage for most of its citizens. Only the poor and those unable to afford basic healthcare services are covered under Medicaid. In Obamacare, those with marginal incomes could purchase federal-subsidised healthcare insurances. Both countries are also faced with the challenge of an ageing society. The inequitable allocation of healthcare services to this group also promotes social discontent. Almost half of public expenditure is channeled to the elderly, which only comprises 13% of the whole population. The heightened demand for e lderly care, lowered public expenditure on healthcare and increasing healthcare costs have all influenced healthcare policies in the US and France. Finally, the recent changes in the healthcare policies of this country suggest convergence rather than path dependence suggesting that healthcare policies continue to be influenced by social and economic changes in both countries. It is recommended that future research should be done on how ‘convergence’ helps both countries respond to increasing complexities of healthcare in both countries. References: Baldock, J. (2011). Social policy, social welfare and the welfare state. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Blank, R. & Burau, V. (2007). Comparative health policy. London: Palgrave. Cases, C. (2006). ‘French health system reform: recent implementation and future challenge’. Eurohealth, 12, pp. 10-11. Cases, C. & Le Fur, P. (2008). ‘The pharmaceutical file’, Health Policy Monitort, May [Online]. Available from: http://www.hpm.org/survey/fr/all/2 (Accessed: 27th April, 2014). Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2011). NCHS Data Brief: Community Health Centers: Providers, Patients and Content of Care [Online]. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db65.htm (Accessed: 27th April, 2014). Chevreul, K., Durand-Zaleski, I., Bahrami, S., Hernandez-Quevedo & Mladovsky, P. (2010). France: Health System Review 2010. France: The European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, WHO Regional Office for Europe, World Bank, European Commission, UNCAM, London School of Economics and Politic Science, and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Chevreul, K. & Durand-Zaleski, I. (2009). ‘The role of HTA in coverage and pricing in France: toward a new paradigm?’. Euro Observer, 11, pp. 5-6. De Looper, M. & La Fortune, G. (2009). Measuring disparities in health status and in access and use of healthcare in OECD countries. Paris: OECD (Health working paper 43) [Online]. Available from: http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/social-issuesmigration-health/measuring-disparities-in-health-status-and-in-access-and-use-of-healthcare-in-oecd-countries_225748084267 (Accessed: 27th April, 2014). Docteur, E. & Oxley, H. (2003). Health-care systems: lessons from the reform experience. Paris: OECD (Health working paper 9) [Online]. Available from: http://www.irdes.fr/Publications/Qes/Qez133.pdf (Accessed: 27th April, 2014). Evans, R. & Stoddard, G. (2003). ‘Consuming research, producing policy?’, American Journal of Public Health, 93, pp. 371-379. Franc, C. & Polton, D. (2006). ‘New governance arrangements for French health insurance’. Eurohealth, 12, pp. 27-29. Glyn, A. (2006). Capitalism unleashed. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Greve, B. (2013). Routledge Handbook of the Welfare State. London: Routledge. Halpin, H., Morales-Suarez-Varela, M. & Martin-Moreno, J. (2010). ‘Chronic disease prevention and the new public health’. Public Health Review, 32, pp. 120-154. Moody, K. (2011). Capitalist care: Will the coalition government’s ‘reforms’ move the NHS further toward a US-style healthcare market?’. Capital and Class, 35(3), pp. 415-434. Mossialos, E. & Thomson, S. (2004). Voluntary health insurance in the European Union. Copenhagen, WHO Regional Office for Europe on behalf of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies [Online]. Available from: http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/98448/E84885.pdf (Accessed: 27th April, 2014). Naiditch, M. & Dourgnon, P. (2009). The preferred doctor scheme: a political reading of a French experiment of gate-keeping. Paris: IRDES. OECD (2013). Health at a glance 2013: OECD Indicators, Europe: OECD Publishing [Online]. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/health_glance-2013-3n (Accessed: 27th April, 2014). OECD (2011). Human Development Index and its components. Europe: OECD. OECD (2009a). Society at a Glance 2009: OECD Social Indicators. Europe: OECD. OECD (2009b). Health data 2009. Paris: OECD. OECD (2008). Are we growing unequal[Online]. Available at: www.oecd.org (Accessed: 17th April, 2014). Rosenbaum, S. (2011). ‘The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Implications for Public Health Policy and Practice’. Public Health Reports, 128(1), pp. 130-135. Stanton, M. (2006). The high concentration of U.S. healthcare expenditures: research in action, issues 19. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Starke, P., Obginer, H. & Castles, F. (2008). ‘Convergence towards where: in what ways, if any, are welfare states becoming more similar?’. Journal of European Public Policy, 15(7), pp. 975-1000. World Health Organization (WHO) (2014). Health Systems: Equity [Online]. Available at: http://www.who.int/healthsystems/topics/equity/en/ (Accessed: 27th April, 2014).

The efffects of Louis 16th on France essays

The efffects of Louis 16th on France essays The French Revolution was a significant milestone in European history, remembered by many in historical and literary works. The situation in France, mostly under the leadership of Louis XVI, had a negative influence in France, thus creating a perfect climate for the French Revolution. France was plagued by both debt, and poor France was poverty-stricken and burdened with some of the highest debts. On the financial side, Louis XVI was aided by: Finance Minister Anne Robert Jauques Turgot, and Interior Minister Chretien Guillaume de Lamoignon de Malesherbes (*The economic origins of the French revolution, pg. 4). Louis introduced some of the most oppressive taxes and instituted financial reforms. Greater reforms were prevented by the opposition of the upper classes and court. This opposition was so strong that Turgot was forced to resign and was replaced by Jauques Necker. Lengthy wars, the support to the American Revolution and the gross amount of taxes paid and the lavish spending of the court contributed to the huge national debt. The governments financial problems were made worse after 1740 by the renewal of costly wars (the French revolution, pg. 9). The war of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748) and the Seven Years War (1756-1763) were European wars over the domination of central Europe and colonial and commercial wars between France and Great Britain (*Aspects of the French Revolution pg. ). At their end, in 1763 France had lost almost all of its colonial empire in America and India. In 1778 the French launched an attack against Britain in the American Revolution. They were hoping to weaken old rivalries and regain lost colonies. The hopes of the French were not realized and their participation in the war increased an already heavy national debt. After Louis XVI granted financial aid (1778-81) to the American colonies revolting against Great Brit...

Jaws

"Jaws" (1975) made Spielberg famous and the sequels continued to put him in the position of one of the most popular directors in America. "Jaws" also holds the record for the highest grossing film of all time. In my eyes, I believe that shows you a little something about the movie - it had to be good! "Jaws" was Spielberg's big jump into the movie business. Several other movies increased his fame and fortune in the movie industry, such as the "Indiana Jones" Trilogy (1981, 1984 Spielberg was born on December 18, 1946, in Cincinnati, Ohio, but now resides in California. He attended college at California State University of Long Beach. Unlike George Lucas, John Carpenter and other successful young American filmmakers of the last two decades, Spielberg did not attend one of the major American university film programs. Largely self taught, he made his first feature, a two-hour science fiction movie entitled "Firelight", at the age of sixteen, and a local movie house in Phoenix, Arizona agreed to run it for one evening. He also made three television movies, one of which, "Duel" (1971), was released theatrically in Europe where it earned both critical praise and commercial success. It is the story of a salesman (played by Dennis Weaver) who was pursued by a giant diesel truck whose driver is never seen nor it's motive explained. But Spielberg is able to pull it off with his sure handling of suspense. Before he was ever hired by anyone in the movie industry, he happened to be on a tour of Universal Studios. He jumped of the tour bus and started to wander off into the studios and found an abandoned janitor's closet which later became his office. He started hanging around there and began giving his ideas to anyone who would listen and asked them to try to propose his ideas to their managers. He needed to prove that he had g...

What Should You Do If You Go to a Bad High School

What Should You Do If You Go to a Bad High School SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The quality of education at different high schools can vary widely, sometimesto the detriment of students. If you go to a school that doesn’t offer the programs and level of instruction that you would like, you might feel frustrated and worried about getting into college. In this article, I’ll give you some of the characteristics of a â€Å"bad† high school and tell you what steps you can take to improve your educational experience and college applications despite these disadvantages. What Defines a â€Å"Bad† High School? There are a few traits that are common amonghigh schools that don't prepare students adequately for college.Your school might not necessarily be â€Å"bad† just because it has one of these characteristics, but if it has all of them, the advice in this article is for you. Low-Quality Teaching The quality of teaching at a high school can make a big difference in how much students learn in their classes and how interested they are in the subjects.If the teachers aren’t engaged, the students definitely won’t be.A hallmark of low-quality teaching is when the teacher structures everything so that he or she has to do as little work as possible.For example, instead of more challenging short answer tests, the teacher might give you all multiple-choice tests because they’re faster to grade.Students know low-quality teaching when they see it - it usually means easier, duller classes that lack substance. Very Few Advanced Classes Low-quality high schools often don't offer many advanced classes to students.This ties into issues with teaching as well; advanced classes are more difficult to teach and require expertise that the teachers at the school might not have.A â€Å"bad† high school may not offer any AP or IB classes, or it may offer only one or two.A lack of high-level classes can prevent advanced students from challenging themselves in high school and reaching their full potential.It can also be a setback when it comes to applying for college. Limited Choices for Classes Overall In general, â€Å"bad† high schools don’t give students many choices for classes.These schools may offer fewer classes because they’re underfunded and don’t have the resources for additional teachers and course materials.A lack of choice can mean that students are unable to explore their areas of interest in a way that would be possible at another high school.They might be forced onto a certain course track that doesn’t fit their needs or miss out on a subject that they would love. In extreme cases, students could even end up unprepared for college because their high school didn't offer the prerequisites they needed to succeed in introductory college classes. It would be cool to take the AP Environmental Science class in high school if you're passionate about nature conservation, but your school might not give you that option or offer other classes you're interested in. What Are Your Options If Your School Is Bad? If your high school offers poor quality instruction, you may have to go above and beyond to get the kind of education you need to be prepared for college. But don't despair: you do have options. Option 1: Talk to a Teacher or Academic Advisor If you go to a bad high school, you will probably benefit from extra help beyond the instruction you’re getting in your classes.You can discuss your options with a teacher or guidance counselor to see what you can do to improve your chances of being accepted to a good college.They might have advice based on what other high-achieving students have done in the past to make up for the lack of opportunities. Solutions might include devising your own independent study class or doing extra projects in your existing classes to demonstrate your academic abilities.This is the least disruptive option you have, and it should be the first step you take before you decide to pursue more drastic measures like taking classes elsewhere or transferring schools. Option 2: Take Classes at a Nearby Community College Many high schools will allow you to do â€Å"dual enrollment.† This means that you’re simultaneously enrolled in classes at your high school and a nearby college.If the advanced classes you’re looking for are not offered at your high school, this can be a great way to gain access to the learning experiences you want. Keep in mind; however, that there are some drawbacks to taking community college classes in high school. You may have to pay for them on your own if your high school doesn't offer financial assistance, and you'll need to find reliable transportation to and from campus. Balancing classes at two different schools can be tough, especially if you're heavily involved in extracurricular activities. Speak to a guidance counselor to find out more about how your high school handles dual enrollment and what your options are. Option 3: Transfer to a Different High School in the Area The final option you have is transferring high schools. This is a more realistic option if you're a freshman or sophomore, although technically you can transfer in any year of high school. It's best to transfer as an underclassman because you'll have more time to take advantage of better resources at the new school and adjust to a different environment. It can be tough socially and academically to transfer, so this should be a last resort if you feel like your school isn’t cutting it.Transferring high schools will require some planning on your part, but it’s usually not too difficult to apply for a transfer.You can apply at the beginning of each school year (in September or October) for a transfer that will take place the following year.Again, check with your guidance counselor to see what your school’s policies are for transferring. The new high school will have to download all data from your brain before you can begin attending classes. This procedure is relatively painless. Will Your School’s Quality Impact Your Chances of Getting Into College? If you go to a high school that could be considered â€Å"bad,† you might be worried about the effect this will have on the college application process.Admissions offices collect a lot of data about high schools around the country that they use to inform their decisions.If your high school only offered two AP classes and you took both of them, you wouldn’t be compared directly to a student at another high school who took five AP classes out of the 15 that were offered. Colleges understand that every high school is different and that some provide better opportunities than others.They do their best not to fault students for attending high schools with fewer opportunities by considering whether a student made the most of the situation at hand.Colleges will be mainly concerned with two things if you go to a bad high school: Did you challenge yourself as much as possible within the constraints of the curriculum at the school while earning high grades? Did you seek out additional opportunities outside of your high school to enrich your learning experience? If you do both of those things, you will still stand a strong chance against high-achieving students who were fortunate enough to attend better high schools. What Are Some Other Ways to Strengthen Your Application If You Go to a Bad High School? If you’re still worried about how you’ll fare in the application process, there are a couple of measures you can take to make sure you’re presenting yourself to colleges in the best way possible: Build Up Strong Extracurricular and Leadership Credentials Even if your school doesn’t have the best academics, you still might be able to participate in extracurricular activities that will bolster your application.If you have an interest that you feel isn’t represented bythe current extracurricular offerings at your school, you can even create a new club.This signals to colleges that you’re willing to take initiative and are passionate about something. You can also get involved in extracurricular activities that are not connected to your school, whether that includes a church group, volunteer organization, community theater company, or a different organization. If you’re into sports, you can try to become a team captain so that you’re in a leadership role.Leadership is important to colleges because it shows that you are capable of being in a position of authority with extra responsibilities. This indicates independence, maturity, and the potential to make big changes in the world. The point of extracurricular activities is to show that you have interests outside of academics and will bring something unique to a college campus.You should use your extracurricularsto showcase who you are and demonstrate your potential. Get Great Letters of Recommendation Another way to build up your application is to stay on top of your letters of recommendation. Make sure you ask your teachers with plenty of time to spare (ideally let them know during the spring of yourjunior yearand then confirm with them early in your senior year). Be strategic about which teachers you ask for letters. It's best to ask teachers who can testify to your strengths as a student and your ability to go above and beyond in your coursework. If you consulted a teacher on how to improve your academic record for college applications, you might ask that teacher for a recommendation so that he or she can provide anecdotes that point to your determination. Write an Awesome Personal Statement The personal statement is an opportunity for you to tell colleges something about yourself that they might not learn from the rest of your application.It’s another place where you can show what makes you special as an applicant apart from your academic credentials.A great personal statement can make you stand out in the application process as someone who has a strong voice and will contribute something valuable to the college community.See our guide for how to write a great college essay. Seek Out Academic Awards Outside of the academic boundaries of your high school, there are other awards that you can win to bolster your application.If you take the PSAT and manage to get a very high score, you may qualify for a National Merit Scholarship.You can also check out this list of the best scholarships for high school seniors (many of them are available to lower high school grades as well).A scholarship can be an impressive addition to your credentials. Do some exploring and see if there are any particular scholarships or awards that appeal strongly to you and your interests.For example, if you’re a particularly strong math student, you might consider trying to qualify for the International Math Olympiad.If you take some of these steps to improve your application, colleges will be impressed with your drive and will be more likely to accept you. I won first place in a golden cup forging contest! Conclusion â€Å"Bad† high schools are typically characterized by poor teaching, a lack of advanced classes, and fewer class options overall.If you go to a â€Å"bad† high school, you should discuss your concerns with your guidance counselor or an academic advisor.You might decide to take classes at a nearby community college or even transfer to a different high school in the area that has better academics. Colleges will know the limitations of your high school when reviewing your application, so you shouldn’t worry too much about being penalized as long as you’ve challenged yourself as much as possible within the constraints of your environment. To improve your application further, you can focus onextracurricular and leadership activities, a great personal statement, and outside scholarships and awards.The quality of your high school shouldn’t dictate where you go to college as long as you continue to pursue your interests and be proactive about challenging yourself academically. What's Next? Are you planning on applying to competitive colleges? Find out what a rigorous high school course load looks like so you can impress them with your application! You should also read this article to get more information on honors societies and classes and how they can affect your potential in the college application process. For a quick overview of the steps you'll need to take in high school to apply to college, take a look at this infographic. Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Dance movie review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Dance movie review - Essay Example The movie follows the first embarrassed steps of the dancers to how they gain confidence to perform an excellent dance that attracts a standing ovation. The video is raw as the audience can tell the dancers are inexperienced. There is no voice-over at the beginning of the film indicating that the neither the dancers nor the audience understood the events going on or what they were meant to be doing. This gives authenticity to the fact that they were very new to the dancing and that they did not know where to start. The movie brings out the personalities of the dancers as they go through the journey and also their stamina and courage. The film focuses mostly on the teenagers and their journey for growth and into adulthood. The movie is profound and very real as opposed to the mechanized dances that are so popular with other dance videos. Wim directed the film after the death of Pina, and it consisted some of the best works by Pina. The dances that are performed in Pina take place everywhere. There are dances in the forests, on the road sidewalks and even in the tram cars. The movie also has some interviews with some of the dancers where their responses are not by word but are rather contemplative as they give their answers. Instead of using words from their minds, they use the dances on their bodies signifying the influence that their mentor had on them. Not only did Pina teach and inspire the dancers to become who they are but she also inspired in them a similar character signifying that she was such a charismatic mentor and her dances lived beyond her. The movie is very exhilarating but there is no single work of dance that is complete in the movie hence leaving the audience a bit frustrated. The power that Pina had is communicated in the movie and the audience experiences a dance and a movie at the same time and thus remains very

Beethovens love life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Beethovens love life - Essay Example However, because Brunsvik’s mother arranged a marriage to a much older man of a higher social class, Beethoven had to suppress his feelings for her. Brunsvik felt much the same way about Beethoven, and it wasn’t until her husband died that the love affair between the two of them grew. Over the course of the next few years, Beethoven wrote many love letters for Brunsvik that professed his love for her. However, Brunsvik’s family put her under pressure to end the relationship for the simple fact that Beethoven was a commoner. If she had married Beethoven, she would have lost guardianship of her children from her first marriage. Despite this, Beethoven continued to pursue Brunsvik secretly, although this never amounted to anything. Another woman that Beethoven had strong feelings for was one of his closest friends, Therese Malfetti. It is thought that Beethoven’s famous piece Fur Elise was dedicated to her. The overriding common denominator in all of Beethoven’s relationships is that he pursued women of a much higher social class, which inevitably meant that he was unable to marry any of

Sustainable hospital and the healing process Annotated Bibliography

Sustainable hospital and the healing process - Annotated Bibliography Example One of the strength of the motivating programs is that its’ automation makes it easier to identify individual merits and reward them accordingly. Compliments and other recognitions should be posted there to motivate them. Communication with employees from wherever they are makes them feel part of the company as they feel more appreciated and derive a sense of belongingness. This should continue being exploited at all times. Some weaknesses have also been noted in the discussion section. One of these entails shortcomings in communication. Employees should be made part of the decision-making team to ensure they feel obligated to work for a hospital. A hospital should also outsource some required services especially in recruitment programs to allow them cope with the challenges fostered by motivation programs. Abstract - The study recognizes that the concept of design has an effect on a patient's healing process. In the study, substantial evidence presents that the design of medical institutes influence the health outcomes of patients, as well as recruitment and retention of the hospital staff. In addition, the concept of design also affects the efficiency of how care is being provisioned. In United Kingdom, primary health and social care is being prioritized due to the ageing population of the country. Summary - The purpose of the study is to incorporate an environment that would deliver safety, efficiency and quality that is flexible to changing delivery patterns in the provision of care. Strengths - The journal article is concise, thorough and properly formatted. It began with the topic in which it aimed to discuss, which was followed by the issues and challenges that cause the need for such a topic to be tackled. The author elaborated on the existing condition of modern health care, as well as the current trends' impact on the environment and the peoples' well being. With that, the author introduced the concept of sustainability. Empirical studies that would support the information presented were included through the incorporation of best practices that are present in health care buildings, neighborhoods and cities. A succinct analysis had been applied in regards to assessing what needs to be modified, along with a proposed action plan that could help resolve existing issues in healthcare. Weaknesses - The researcher believes that the journal article has no notable weaknesses. Dyson, F. (2007.) Many colored glass: Reflections on the place of life in the universe. F reeman University of Virgina Press. Abstract - Among the several factors that can be attributed to the degradation of the environment, global warming, or the gradual increase in the earth’s temperature is one of the single most important drivers of this change. Global warming is a phenomenon perpetrated by the increase in emission of greenhouse gases. These gases are most significantly released during the burning of fossil fuels, and human beings as a group are the greatest emitters of greenhouse gases. Summary – an organization will maintain the efforts of improving its eco-friendly in all the departments by allocating more resources toward improving the sustainability. Additionally, the organization will strive to explore better

Meditation on first philosophy, Rene Descartes, 3 pages attached Essay

Meditation on first philosophy, Rene Descartes, 3 pages attached follow the instruction - Essay Example However, most people might not understand these arguments since they require a developed mindset, as is the case with geometry. To understand these arguments, one needs to give full attention to the philosophy, and free themselves from prejudicial thoughts. Rene Descartes believes that most people would rather seek out what is wrong than defend the truth which they cannot understand. The writer seeks to use philosophy as a tool to demonstrate that God and the Soul exist. People are usually blinded by their arrogance to defend what is wrong, than to seek out the truth. In geometry, something has to be proven before it is printed, in philosophy, however, critics seek to question the best arguments without giving proper thought to the writer’s agenda. It is not the philosophy that fails to prove itself, it is the readers that fail to give credit to the truth in the detail. Prejudicial mindsets make people see errors in philosophy, rather than admit to the facts. If absolute patronage can be given to this philosophy, it is possible for the reader to understand the truth in it, and even go ahead to correct the errors in the detail. Descartes, R., & Cress, D. A. (1979). Meditations on first philosophy: in which the existence of God and the distinction of the soul from the body are demonstrated (3rd ed.). Indianapolis: Hackett Pub.

Ocado Chief Executive Tim Steiner Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ocado Chief Executive Tim Steiner - Essay Example Ensuring utility in its services is another corporate social responsibility action that is taken by Ocado. This involves meeting consumers’ needs with respect to product description, quality, and delivery time. Significance of the action to market expansion and the company’s initiatives that include significant coverage of its physical market by van suggests this. The delivery initiative indicates commitment to customers’ needs that include delivery of actual products and quality of products. I also believe that Ocado recruits employees from the community around it in in order to empower people economically. This further has the effect of integrating the community into a business entity and developing a loyalty towards market caption and retention, a phenomenon that has occurred for the company. Lastly, Ocado is ensuring environmental sustainability as a corporate social responsibility initiative because the society is environmentally conscious and a contrary action would discourage them from the organization, especially in the competitive environment that allows consumers options of suppliers.   Ã‚  Ã‚   The pyramid of corporate social responsibility starts with the economic responsibilities at the base, then legal, ethical and ends with philanthropic responsibilities at the top. In regards to Ocado’s economic responsibilities, it turns over nearly eight hundred million pounds every year. It has more than three hundred and sixty thousand customers and more than six thousand employees (Erickson 2009, 161).   In terms of its legal responsibilities, for the most part it complies with regulations in the food retail industry. However, in 2012, it undercut Waitrose products unfairly in a manner deserving of legal action but it was not sued. In addition, the company makes it clear that it does not donate to political parties,

A Comparison of the Passion Narratives of the Gospels of Matthew and Essay

A Comparison of the Passion Narratives of the Gospels of Matthew and John - Essay Example The paper throws light on the Passion of Jesus, which refers to the sufferings that the Lord has experienced from the moment He is arrested at Gethsemane to His Death on the cross, is told in all four Gospels. In the Gospel of Matthew, it can be found in Matthew 26:47-27:61 and in the Gospel of John it is found in John 18:1-19:42. These two Gospels both have similarities and differences on the account of the Passion. Furthermore, a number of these similarities and differences may have profound theological implications. One of the differences between the Gospels is when it comes to the arrest of Jesus where Matthew gives a longer account of the events while John gives a shorter one and does not mention any kiss of betrayal from Judas. In all three synoptic Gospels including Matthew, Judas turns to the crowd he is with and gives them a signal saying â€Å"The man I kiss is the one you want. Arrest him!†. Judas then approaches Jesus and says, â€Å"Peace be with you, Teacher!â⠂¬  but to which Jesus replies, â€Å"Be quick about it, friend†. John, on the other hand, never mentions any exchange of words between Jesus and Judas, who was mentioned to be just standing with the crowd, but rather only between the former and the crowd of soldiers themselves. Jesus asks them, â€Å"Who is it you are looking for?† and when they say â€Å"Jesus of Nazareth†, Jesus replies, â€Å"If, then, you are looking for me, let these others go†. The role of Judas in the Gospel of John during the arrest is not underlined and is presumably a minor one. Upon the arrest of Jesus, a disciple of His cuts off the ear of the High Priest’s slave with a sword. While in Matthew the disciple and the slave are both unnamed, John identifies them as Simon Peter and Malchus. It is also interesting to note that in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus reprimands the disciple who is assumed to be Peter, by saying, â€Å"Put your sword back in its place†¦All who take the sword will die by the sword.† (Matt. 26:52) On the trial of Jesus, the Gospel of John mentions that Jesus has first been taken to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was the High Priest that year (Jn. 18:13). Nevertheless, the Gospel of Matthew mentions of no such thing. Although John does not indicate whether the trial of Jesus before Annas is visible to the crowd, the complete account is found in John 18:19-24. Based on John’s narration of the trial, it is interesting to note that Jesus seems to defy Annas’ authority by saying, â€Å"†I have always spoken publicly to everyone†¦Why, then do you question me? Question the people who heard me†¦they know what I said† (Jn. 18:20-21). After which, Jesus is taken to Caiaphas, which both John and Matthew mentions. Nevertheless, it is Matthew who gives a rather full account of Jesus’ trial before Caiaphas. Perhaps one of the most important statements of Jesus stated by Matthew is this: â€Å"From this time on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right side of the Almighty and coming on the clouds of heaven† (Matt. 26:64), which Caiaphas himself considers blasphemous. During the death sentence of Jesus that follows, it is interesting to note that, according to Matthew, Pilate’s wife sends him a message while he is sitting in the judgment hall right after Jesus’ trial. The message of Pilate’s wife says, â€Å"Have nothing to do with that innocent man, because in a dream last night I suffered much on account of Him† (Matt. 27:19). Nevertheless, John does not mention of such a message. Moreover, while Matthew mentions nothing of where Jesus has been presented during the death sentence, John makes reference to â€Å"The Stone Pavement† or â€Å"Gabbatha.† (Jn. 19:13) Another striking difference between the Gospels of Matthew and John when it comes to the events surrounding the crucifixion is the fact that John

Ocado Chief Executive Tim Steiner Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ocado Chief Executive Tim Steiner - Essay Example Ensuring utility in its services is another corporate social responsibility action that is taken by Ocado. This involves meeting consumers’ needs with respect to product description, quality, and delivery time. Significance of the action to market expansion and the company’s initiatives that include significant coverage of its physical market by van suggests this. The delivery initiative indicates commitment to customers’ needs that include delivery of actual products and quality of products. I also believe that Ocado recruits employees from the community around it in in order to empower people economically. This further has the effect of integrating the community into a business entity and developing a loyalty towards market caption and retention, a phenomenon that has occurred for the company. Lastly, Ocado is ensuring environmental sustainability as a corporate social responsibility initiative because the society is environmentally conscious and a contrary action would discourage them from the organization, especially in the competitive environment that allows consumers options of suppliers.   Ã‚  Ã‚   The pyramid of corporate social responsibility starts with the economic responsibilities at the base, then legal, ethical and ends with philanthropic responsibilities at the top. In regards to Ocado’s economic responsibilities, it turns over nearly eight hundred million pounds every year. It has more than three hundred and sixty thousand customers and more than six thousand employees (Erickson 2009, 161).   In terms of its legal responsibilities, for the most part it complies with regulations in the food retail industry. However, in 2012, it undercut Waitrose products unfairly in a manner deserving of legal action but it was not sued. In addition, the company makes it clear that it does not donate to political parties,

Rapid Urban Growth Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Rapid Urban Growth - Research Paper Example Planning and controlling the rapid urban growth is a matter of utter importance. It ensures that there is organisation and an intention for consideration of all areas and people in them.  Rapid growth of urban population may imply there is increase in the productivity of urban areas. This results to numerous economic benefits for distribution to all the people even in rural areas of least developed countries. Urban growth initiates realisation of specific potentials within the localities (Glover 1972, 31). If these potentials are exploited for the good of all people rather than for the benefit of the few, then democracy can be on the high.Negative contributions to growth of democracy  Urban growth in least developed countries puts immense pressure on the government functionality. The need to provide the population with necessary amenities as well as facilities for maintenance of better lives is tasking to the government. The efforts of the government in meeting the socialized nee ds of the urban population are the bargaining power.   This means that areas with high urban tend to vote for socialized programs. In least developed countries, this is the main determinant of losing or retaining a power position in the government.Legislative positions in urban areas of least developed countries vary. The urban areas where larger populations dwell seize the main positions and power in the government. When the apportionment responsibility lacks, urban growth would lead and compel the government.

Reflection on Global Operation Management Essay Example for Free

Reflection on Global Operation Management Essay Pietra Rivoli who is an associate professor in the Georgetown University, specializes in finance and social issues, and is the author of the book, ‘The Travels of a T-shirt in the Global Economy’. The main reason which instigated Rivoli to write this book, was a speech a student had given at the Georgetown University, the student was severely criticizing globalization, and asking about who made the T-shirts they were wearing. She told some facts about child labor in India and Vietnam, which made everybody, sit up and think, including Rivoli. Rivoli then starts on a journey to find out some interesting facts about the origin of the T-shirt. Her case study starts in Texas at the home of Nelson Reinch, who produces enough cotton for more than 1.3 million T-shirts. Reinch and his colleagues control the whole world market of cotton, through hard work, determination, modern technology and much needed discounts from the government. Reinch was no where in comparison to the poor farmers in India and Africa, who did not have proper funds or government support in marketing their goods. Rivoli’s next stop was China, were she met a young woman Yuang Zhi, who spun the yarn for the fabric and sewed the shirt. This young lady worked for 50 hours a week, and earned nearly $150 per month. This woman’s working conditions were far better than the conditions in which women had to work previously in Manchester and England. This was probably the woman’s first encounter with independence and identity, which came in the form a paycheck, even though it was a small amount.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The most important point which was very surprising was that, throughout the world there must be millions of people who manufacture cotton, but the manufacturers from Texas were totally dominating the cotton industry, because of their shrewd manner by which they manage to avoid competition. These manufacturers manage to control the market by avoiding the labor market, which make the other manufacturers unable to compete with them due to no government and political assistance, lack of proper education and money. People who support globalization vow by the free trade of clothes, as it can be used to the advantage of the poorer countries. Rivoli was surprised to find that how recycled clothes from the USA were a rage in Tanzania. Used clothes from America get imported in huge quantities to Tanzania. Tanzania is a small country which was slowly proceeding towards a more liberal capitalist system from the socialist model. People are able to freely take part in the daily auctions of the clothes at the market place, and merchants are also making a mark for themselves in the cutthroat markets as consumers or retailers. Rivoli feels that free trade should be encouraged without any government or political interference in the markets. According to the author, United States is on the top of the market whereas Africa is at the bottom; she feels that USA will have a better chance to make progress economically if they give a reasonable chance of competition to other poorer countries. Tanzania is a proper example of how a free market should work, and these markets are extremely professional, but do not get acknowledged, because of the low capital raised through such markets, which is not significant. Two of the most important principles which need to be followed are that, government and political interference should not be there in any market. Another point is that the subsidy which US government gives the cotton manufacturers is indirectly harming other poorer countries. Rich people are becoming wealthier and the poor are becoming poorer. If the subsidies are reduced, the price of cotton can be increased, which would be beneficial to other poorer markets. Another important point which is a shock is that the clothes that people donate, are not given away freely to poor people, but are sold to middlemen for huge profits, which later land in the streets of   the Tanzania marketplace. Some of the most important principles which can be followed by other industries also are that free market in any trade should be encouraged, and people should have the power to voice their demands, meaning a free democracy should be prevalent to achieve a fruitful society. Government should support free trade in any industry, and should provide the necessary platform in the form of proper education and capital to help the markets grow. Some of the other reasons for the trouble that African industries are facing are the lack of proper authority, which is due to no proper education, corruption and insecurity. The author Rivoli made a very good job of the book, she was successful in exposing the secrets and complications of the cotton trade globally.   Her views on free trade and liberal democracy are very interesting, and should be followed by the authorities of the poorer countries for a better society. On the whole she succeeded in voicing her thoughts and opinions on the recycle market in Tanzania, and hopefully, their government will provide a strong platform for such global trades. References Kris Hundley, What a T-shirt Teaches Series., St Petersburg Times, 4 October 2007, http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/819871301.html?MAC=02bf1feb f29a46475f850792f7bc0fa9did=819871301FMT=FTFMTS=FTdate=author=pu b=printformat=1desc=What+a+T-shirt+teaches+Series%3A+BOOKS. Lauren Dorsey, Lauren Barbieri, Zack Thomas, ‘The Travelers of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy, by Pietra Rivoli’, 4 October 2007, http://www-learning.berkeley.edu/cipolat/PDF/ISF100E/Student%20Summaries/Rivoli.pdf.

Investigation: Water Scarcity in Australia

Investigation: Water Scarcity in Australia Students Name: James Yu Abstract This paper indicates the water scarcity and water pollution in Australia. These two things can be serious problems in Australia because it is so major a food exporting country. The sources we use as references are all websites and two scientific paper. The solution for these two water issues are cloud seeding and enacting some laws which forbid people from throwing plastic casually. However, just clouding seeding probably can work efficiently if Australia have sufficient capital to conduct these experiments. The limitation of this paper is source availability, all what I can use is Internet because it is tough for me to find books on this topic in English version. 1.0 Introduction This scientific paper indicated several causes of water scarcity and water pollution in Australia, and also provided some solutions of solving this issue. Australia is one of the most developed countries all over the world, however, this country got a severe water restriction. One of the most underlying causes is sea surface temperature (SST). In the south of Australia , the SST is lower than average. This signified that there was few evaporation of water, caused atomospheric desiccation, and led to limitation of raining (Sea Surface Temperature (SST) Contour Charts 2013). The cause of water pollution in Australia was polyolefins, which accounts for 52% of plastic production and were used for manufacturing throwaway packaging (Schneider J 2013). These plastics could spoil our food web and ecosystem. Australia mostly gather water from raining and a large proportions of water was used for agriculture, because Australia was a major food exporting country (M. Ejaz Qureshi, Munir A. Hanjr a, Ward J 2013). Our hypothesis was Australia could conquer water scarcity and water pollutionif they develop cloud seeding and enact some regulations on environmental protection. Table 1: Variability of à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ow in some of the worlds major rivers compared with a Australian rivers. COUNTRY RIVER RATIO BETWEEN THE MAXIMUM and THE MINIMUM ANNUAL FLOWS Switzerland China Sudan USA South Africa Australia Rhine Yangtze White Nile Potomac Orange Hunter 1.9 2.0 2.4 3.9 16.9 54.3 This table illustrated the Australian river got a very unstable fluctuation between the maximum and the minumum flows, compared to one major river in other countries. Reference: http://www.wentworthgroup.org/docs/Chartres__Williams.pdf 2.0 Methodology The source of this scientific paper was all Internet. I typed some key words like Water scarcity in Australia. I look through all the web pages and gathered the beneficial information and type them into search box once again. For instance, I found one of the solutions of water scarcity in Australia is Cloud seeding and I typed this term into search box to get further information. I spent about 40 minutes on researching and found 2 websites for each solution. I haved verified all these sources were all written by reputable professors, scientists or publishers by researching these people and publisher to ensure if their dependency is strong enough for my paper. Some of my sources were another scientific paper. 3.0 Findings Two of the most severe fresh water issues in Australia were water scarcity and water pollution, these problems have existed for last of a decade. These two water issues could be a massive problem for Australia. Cloud seeding was a significant solution which throws drikold into cloud, it could increase supply moderately in Australia. Figure 1 demonstrated the mean of precipitation of seeded clouds was 2X103 m3 exceeded from unseeded clouds, it means seeded clounds can actually raise the percipitation (E. J. Smith). In fact, a great percents of water in Australia was polluted by plastics. Meanwhile, Australian plastic production had increased from 170 thousand in 1950s to 280 million in 2011. Figure 2 shows the distribution of plastic pollution in water of Australian city . Most heavy polluted cities were concentrated in the south-eastern and north-western Australia, the place where need to control the plastic production. Some cities in south-eastern Australia had over 15500 km-2 of pl astic concentrations. During the a long term of flowing, these plastics could be broken down into small fragments within 5 mm length, which commonly called microplastic and damaged to the food web and ecosystem easily. Therefore, we had two methods to solve this issue. Approximately 37% of plastics were used for manufacturing disposable packaging, comprising bottle, cups and bags,hence, the first solution was reducing the production of single-use plastic package and decreased the demand of using these plastic manutacture by advocating awareness of this water issue (Schneider J 2013). Another efficient solution was enact the laws which prohibit people and also factories from dumping plastics into sea. Figure 1: Total rainfall from isolated cumulus clouds The total rainfall of seeded cloud and unseeded cloud whose tops were -100C or cooler with 30 minutes of seeding from isolated cumulus clouds. Reference: http://www.wentworthgroup.org/docs/Chartres__Williams.pdf Figure 2: Distribution map of plastic concentrations in Australia    Marine plastic concentrations in waters around Australia. White crosses indicate location of major Australian cities Reference: http://theconversation.com/australian-waters-polluted-by-harmful-tiny-plastics-20790 4.0 Discussion From the scientists and researchers perspectives, they think that the best solution that is able to augment the amout of water is cloud seeding. Via this solution, Australia could have sufficient supply and overcame water scarcity lightly. But on the contrary, cloud seeding can be very costly. In most of the cases, it takes millions of RMB to implement one cloud seeding, therefore, Australia would better have a strong economic background beforehand like developing their agriculture or IT industry. On the other hand, as for the water pollution in Australia, most of water is polluted by fragmented plastic and majority of people and factories concentrated in the eastern coast of the Australia, so we could see eastern Australia is more polluted than any other part of Australia. Moreover, because it is hardly to eliminate all these plastic pollutants and made sure there is no plastic contamination in the furture in a scientific way, we could just do it in a political approach. For instanc e, government could enact laws of environmental protection or making some advertisments to persuade people do not throw plasctic bags or products into any kind of natural water source. In addition, some eco-friendly organizations can just simply set some dustbins around those highly polluted cities for recycling the plastic. But its a little bit tough for them to conquer water pollution via this method. All in all, I think Australia can conquer these two water issues based on the previous contents. 5.0 Conclusions and Recommendations In general, cloud seeding still got a substaintia chance to resolve water restriction by it extra precipitation. Australia just need to develop their economy and have enough capital to conduct these experiments. To handle the increasing plastic pollution in Australian water, government have appeal people do not throw any plastic manufactures casually and set several laws to forbid people from doing this, in particular the eastern part of Australia. The effectiveness of this measure rely on the governmental actions and Australian qualities. There are some limitations in this scientific paper, first of all is source restrictions. Sources in this paper are all from Internet. The research suggestion is using books references, because books always much more trustworthy than websites. If we get enough money, we will find a new scientific way to reduce the plastic pollution in Australian water. Reference List      Ã‚   Chartres C., Williams J.(2006), Can Australia Overcome its Water Scarcity Problems, Wentworth Group. [Online]. Available from: http://www.wentworthgroup.org/docs/Chartres__Williams.pdf [Accessed 1 October 2016] (2013),Sea Surface Temperature (SST) Contour Charts, NOAA. [Online]. Available from: http://www.ospo.noaa.gov/Products/ocean/sst/contour/ [Accessed 1 October 2016] (2013), M. Ejaz Qureshi, Munir A. Hanjra, Ward J.,Impact of water scarcity in Australia on global food security in an era of climate change, Science Direct. [Online]. Available from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306919212001170 [Accessed 1 October 2016] E. J. Smith, Cloud Seeding Experiments in Australia, Berkeley. [Online]. Available from: http://digitalassets.lib.berkeley.edu/math/ucb/text/math_s5_v5_article-10.pdf [Accessed 1 October 2016] Schneider J.(2013), Australian waters polluted by harmful tiny plastics, The Conversation. [Online]. Available from: http://theconversation.com/australian-waters-polluted-by-harmful-tiny-plastics-20790 [Accessed 2 October 2016

Influential Composers Of Early 20th Century :: Music Musical History Essays

Influential Composers Of Early 20th Century missing works cited Zoltan Kodaly, Edgar Varese, Igor Stravinsky.Three foreign-born composers whose output ranges from unobtrusively important to riot inducing works.They encompass music’s three principles: education, exploration, experimentation. Deemed â€Å"Hungary’s greatest composer and music pedagogue† (Jeter) Zoltan Kodaly, was born December 16, 1882.As a child, Kodaly taught himself piano, violin, cello, and voice.Later, he pursued Composition/Education degrees at Budapest’s Academy of Music and, in 1905, collaborated with friend, Bela Bartok, to preserve folk songs, collecting roughly 100,000 in his lifetime. Kodaly’s compositional reputation is one of moderation and consistency.His works are harmonically smooth, minimally contrapuntal, and, as Bartok described, â€Å"†¦the perfect embodiment of†¦Hungarian spirit† (www.bbc.co.uk)The orchestral suite from opera Hary Janos (the story of an imaginative soldier with no regard for reality) remains Kodaly’s most popular work.His Sonata for solo Cello is similarly regarded as â€Å"one of the great virtuoso instrumental pieces of the 20th century† Kodaly primarily influenced education. Returning to Budapest’s Academy of Music as a professor, he committed himself to creating a musically literate society.He implemented daily music classes at primary school level, and composed choral exercises for children.Kodaly’s three-pronged approach—1) aural, 2) written, 3) read—taught children to sing in tune, improvise, and sight-sing impeccably.The method combined rhythm symbols, syllables, and hand signals.These hand positions provided singers with visual cues of pitches and tonal relationships.Kodaly also devised â€Å"solfege†Ã¢â‚¬â€a way of simplifying music for beginners.Kodaly’s innovative methods became Hungary’s state policy after World War 2, eventually spreading worldwide.Today, Hungary’s Zoltan Kodaly Grammar School still pursues music literacy by providing children an outlet for intensive study (Jeter). On December 22, 1883—several hundred miles from Hungary—French-born, Edgar Varese, welcomed life and a lifelong love affair with music.Percussion and woodwinds fascinated him, even during childhood.By age 11, he had composed an opera and imagined, one day, of transmuting the Zambesi River’s â€Å"turbulent movement into sound.† (www.bbc.co.uk)Varese’s father harbored hopes for his son to become an engineer, hopes which bred a violent father-son relationship.After a final fall-out with his father, Varese relocated to Paris to study with Charles Wilder.His most fruitful years of composition would occur in New York City, between 1920-1934. Exploration was vital to Varese’s legacy. While traces of Stravinksy and Debussy are audible in Ameriques (his American debut composition for large orchestra), Varese attempted to go even farther afield.His music introduced â€Å"new fashions of attack†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Ministere des Affaires) along with â€Å"slabs of monumental sound†¦juxtaposed [with] scraps of melody† (www.

The Life Of Sigmund Freud and His Articulation Of Theories

Sigmund Freud; Probably the most influential activist in the realm of the study of the mind, Psychology; An influence so great that his works, ideologies and theories alike have imposed themselves upon the minds of many in this, the twentieth century, regardless of our acceptance or futile resistance. He was responsible for the articulation of theories and concepts of which everyday individuals do not even know he is the originator of. Ideologies such as the Unconscious, the relevance Sexual and Aggressive Drives under which Infantile Sexuality falls, and the â€Å"tri-partite† mind frame, consisting of the Id, Ego and Super-Ego. Since then, there are multiple manifestations of psychoanalysis in a variety of fields which may be traced directly back to Freud's Original work. Sigmund Freud was born on May 6th, 1856, in Freiberg, Austria (although it is disputed that he may have been born on March 6th instead). He was the first of eight children born to his mother. At age four, Freud and his family moved to Vienna, where he would live and work until he died. His impact and mark would remain there forever, as he was renown for founding the first Viennese school of psychoanalysis from which all aspects and development in this field then flowed. Freud's interest and professional training and experience were very broad. Although he was not particularly interested in becoming a physician, Freud saw medicine as a vehicle for engaging in scientific research. After being enrolled at the University of Vienna for eight years (from 1873), Freud graduated and was then engaged in 1882 later to be married in 1886. Many of his theories were based on clinical material documented while he operated a private practice to treat psychological disorders. Two individuals who played a significant role in his life were Jean Charcot and Josef Breuer. Charcot was a French neurologist who used hypnotism to treat psychologically ill patients. Freud attempted Charcot's methods but were unsuccessful. Breuer was an older Viennese colleague whose methods for treating neuroses, though unique, caught the interest of Freud. Breuer discovered that when he encouraged patients to talk freely without restrictions that he was able to get to the source of the problem causing the symptoms. Freud worked with Breuer and developed the idea that the source of a patient's problems was some hidden or unresolved conflict which occurred in their past life, and the â€Å"cure† was achieved by bringing that conflict to the client's â€Å"consciousness† in a manner in which he/she might intellectually and emotionally confront it. At the turn of the 20th Century, Freud, after a period of self-analysis, published works such as; â€Å"The Interpretation of Dreams† (1900), â€Å"The Psychopathology of Everyday Life† (1901), Three essays on the Theory of sexuality (1905) and â€Å"Five Lectures on Psycho-Analysis† (1916). Freud's theories on Sexuality received the most resistance and caused many of his partnerships with other philosophers to deteriorate. The final and yet not any less significant of his works was his model of the mind, consisting of the Id, Ego and Super-Ego. After a life of remarkable vigour and creative productivity, he died of cancer while exiled in England in 1939. It is interesting to note that although he carried out many self-analytic tests, that he was unable to resolve his addiction to cigarette smoking; the very habit that eventually killed him. Although Freud was an original thinker, there were still influences which shaped the development of his thought. For instance, his relationship with Charcot and Breuer definitely impacted upon his thoughts but rather differently, Freud's self-analysis was probably the greatest impact of all on his life. In this period, several repulsive and yet real facts about Freud character and past were revealed to him. These â€Å"truths† were related to his emotions towards members of his family in the aspects of sexuality and hatred and the results thereof. This was to become the basis of his theory of the Oedipus complex. The Scientific climate in which Freud existed in also had great influence on his thought. For instance, Charles Darwin's perception of man, was a life shaking event for people of that time, now making it possible to treat humans as objects of Scientific investigation. Freud with his enormous esteem for science, accepted this implicitly. Another important aspect of Science that impacted on his thoughts was the principle of the conservation of energy – Helmholz stating that energy can neither be created or destroyed but only change in form. Freud then concluded that in parallel with this principle, humans consisted of psychic energy. Repression and Suppression are two examples of how Freud believed that this Psychic energy may be represented. Freud's works and ideas are vast, but among these there are some which the basis of many of his theories are grounded. This is based on Freud's idea that all human actions are a manifestation or a representation of some hidden desire or impulse. Events become conscious when â€Å"unconscious† matter arises into a level of awareness for an individual and then may sink into a state of unconsciousness again. This theory follows that whenever we make a decision, we are governed by a hidden mental process of which we are unaware and have no control. The question arises therefore, do people truly have free will? Freud deeply associated the unconscious with instincts and drives, categorizing those drives into Eros (the life instinct) and Thanatos (the death instinct). Sexuality (any pleasure which can be derived out of the body) is derived out of Eros while Thanatos is the opposite, the urge to destroy any source of sexuality. Freud determined that through satisfaction, or lack thereof, of sexual satisfaction through childhood stages, the individual would develop into a correspondingly appropriate adult. These stages are; â€Å"The Oral Stage† – satisfaction from sucking, â€Å"The Anal Stage† – satisfaction from releasing excrete or urine, â€Å"The Phallic Stage†- interest in genital region (Oedipus Complex may also develop here – hatred of a parent of the same sex), â€Å"Latency† – less pronounced sexual motivation and â€Å"The Genital stage†- genital region becomes focus of stimulation and satisfaction. Freud believed that (in)appropriate treatment is responsible for forming the resulting image of the individual's character and personality. Freud distinguished three structural elements which framed the mind. They are the Id, Ego and Super-Ego. The Id represents the instinctual sexual drives which acquire satisfaction. The Super-Ego represents the conscience which restricts us from satisfying the desires of the Id. The Super-Ego however is shaped by social influence, such as parents. The Ego is the â€Å"conscious† self-created as a balance between the ever struggling fight between the Id and Super-Ego for dominance. The Id and Super-Ego reside in the unconscious. Failure of the Id and Super-Ego to resolve conflict may later form neurosis resulting in the activation of â€Å"defense mechanisms† such as repression, sublimation, fixation and regression. The main purpose of this treatment was to bring harmony within the frame or structure of the human mind by resolving â€Å"unconscious repressed & unresolved conflicts†. Freud allowed clients to lay on a sofa and encouraged them to express themselves freely (through â€Å"free association†), hence to some degree disarming the Super-Ego. By analyzing slips of the tongue dreams and other means of expression Freud believed that one can discern the underlying/unconscious forces lying behind the expression. The next step was to bring the client to a point of self-understanding and assist them in dealing with their past and find a way curing themselves of some neuroses by suppressing it. Of this, I would now like to make special points in conclusion to all the materials which I have researched. Firstly, can these theories be proven to be strongly coherent? This issue has been one of great controversy but the truth is, there is no direct significant or proving link of any of Freud theories other than the â€Å"variable† behaviour patterns of individuals of which any other theories may be attributed. For instance, in science where a cause ‘Y' is unobservable (radio waves) there are still clear corresponding rules connecting the unobservable cause to an observable phenomenon. However, this is not the case with Freud's theories, and in truth the theories are exactly what I earlier declared them as, Ideologies, having absolutely no factual evidence to support them. More importantly however, is the impact of his ideologies on the world today. As Psychoanalytic therapy is in use today, the use of free association and revealing repressed conflicts for intellectual assistance and management seems to be further detrimental to certain relationships in the United States instead of positively influential. Many people have recovered memories of sexual abuse by parents and others which were actually untrue and were some form of a fantasy. Children and adults alike have sued their parents and the parents in turn sued their children and the conflicts continue to develop. Even when patients are â€Å"cured successfully†, statistics prove that these methods of therapy do not outperform other methods. So then is it really that efficient? Doesn't it seem fair also to say that their cure is non-existent and that they can only direct that Psychic energy to a different form? Why also is not possible for that form of energy to be reverted to it's previous state? It then appears that even if this form of therapy was plausible, it really cannot be proven to be steadfast or efficient. Regardless however, one cannot deny Freud's innovative and creative perceptions and thoughts and should in fact seek to see how we can abstract good and gain a greater understanding of behaviour; not only of others but most importantly, ourselves.