US moving to IFRS. (International Accounting) Essay

US moving to IFRS. (International Accounting) - Essay Example   Albrecht affirms that the best way to determine the viability of adopting a new course of action is by use of incremental analysis in which the benefits of the change should outweigh its cost. The decision of the US moving to IFRS has triggered a lot of debate, with many participants narrowing its effect to the various parties. Among them are the investors whose protection is included in the SEC mission. According to Albrecht two key elements defining financial markets under the U.S. GAAP are the low cost of seeking capital and the highest ROIs as compared to other markets in the world. This has to a major extent been attributed to the good rules that have been developed, challenged and shaped for several years, which has led to â€Å"bright lines† in reporting unlike in IFRSs where managers can manipulate numbers. If the adoption occurs the U.S. companies may experience a reduction in market value in stocks and bonds to unknown levels. According to Parks the cost of adoption could be approximately $32 million per company. In fact British Petroleum CEO said that for his company $100 million was spent for the first year and roughly $150 million for the second and third year. This is a huge cost against revenue and it’s likely to affect the profit margins and consequently returns on investment. Finally on the costs, in the U.S investors and accountants will need to learn how to read and interpret the financial statements prepared using IFRSs. This will need resources in terms of money and time to cover millions of these people. The benefits to investors will be an expected reduction in audit fees whose effect will be felt as years pass by, as auditors will have to take corporate numbers at face value. Based on this analysis the cost are more tangible and seem to outweigh the benefits hence the move would not really benefit the

Human resource development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human resource development - Essay Example This process of changing employees’ behavior match with the concepts of cognitive theory. Ii Experiential learning is the process whereby knowledge is transferred through the transformation of experience (Reid, Barrington & Brown, 2007). This directly relate to the development of human resource development programs which trains employees to learn from the past to improve their present and future. Iii Situated learning theory explains that learning is a process of learning that emphasizes on the socio-cultural setting and the activities of the people within the setting (Smith & Sadler, 2006). This theory directly relate to the human resource development programs as they always seek to strengthen the individual employees; in their endeavors’ to pursue and expand their skills and experience in specific careers they may have opted to pursue. Experiential learning is a process, not necessarily in terms of outcomes but in terms of experience. It states that learning requires the resolution of conflicts between dialectically conflicting modes of adaptation to the real world (Reid, Barrington & Brown, 2007). It explains that learning by its precise nature is full of tension. The theory describes learning as the transaction that takes place between the person and the environment. Through this theory; the process of knowledge creation comes as a result of the transaction between social knowledge and personal knowledge. According to cognitive theory, individuals decide to lay their effort in the task that they believe they can perform and produce best expected result (Buckley & Capler, 2009). It argues that the decision about which activities an individual decides to engage in is based on the combinations of different factors like expectation, valence and instrumentality. This theory has a significant impact on the

Stevensons opening in Dr. Jekyll Essay Example for Free

Stevensons opening in Dr. Jekyll Essay The novels Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, written in 1885, and The Body Snatchers, written in ______ can be seen as novels with a gothic genre as well as mystery stories. They allow the reader to become captivated and absorbed within the text so that they can find out the intriguing nature of the novel, coming across as the story unfolds via clues and hints as to what twists are involved in the plot and characters to unveil the mystery. In the era these novels were written, they were the first in their kind in terms of the gothic genre and as mysterious texts where the turn of events or the characters behaviour was not predictable. They can be considered as novels which look at the darker side of a persons capabilities, this was a new concept to the Victorians in the 19th Century. The book, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde raises issues of and supports the concept of the dual nature of man, Victorian hypocrisy, the bestial nature of man and the experimentation with science and drugs. The issues within the book created a whole new genre in the nineteenth century for such books including The Body Snatchers and Mary Shelleys Frankenstein, which can also be categorised into this genre. In this essay I will explore Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde as a mystery and a gothic story. I will include historical, social and cultural knowledge of the Victorian era and compare this to The Body Snatchers as both mystery and gothic stories. I will also discuss the meaning behind the stories and the effect it has on the reader. In the Victorian era the concept of a man having or being able to have a dual nature was unthinkable. They did not believe that something like that could be possible, where a person could combine both the good self and the bad self within one individual, this theory was not supported by the beliefs they had, unlike today where the possibility of a split personality is not unknown or unthinkable. This was until a social scientist, James Hogg introduced the concept of the individual psyche = externalisation verses internalisation, the second self. It is from this theory that doppleganger originates from, In Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Stevenson introduces this theory into 19th Century literature where Dr Jekyll is the good, which from Hoggs theory says is controlled by the right side of the brain and Mr Hyde is the evil character, which according to the theory is controlled by the left side of his brain, it is the one person with the two very different personalities struggling against each other. Stevenson has shown reflected this theory through the characters, Dr Jekyll being good and Mr Hyde being the evil side of the same person. In The Body Snatchers, this concept of the dual nature of a man, Stevenson portrays through Fettes as a young man, who when he awakens after the ordeal as an older man, his evil side comes through while he is under the influence of Dr Macfarlane. The Victorians were very religious people, for centuries it was believed that people had originated or created directly by God, the thought of evolution had never occurred until Darwins theory, the Theory of Evolution in 1859. This shocked the Victorians the thought that they had evolved and where in a sense the descendents of primates, revealing that they were no longer superior beings would have been the biggest shock to people in that era. Darwins theory and beliefs were rejected and associated with both blasmafy and evil. The theory had been rejected and placed to one side, however the thought and the fear associated with Darwins work lived on with the people. Stevenson brings a hint of Darwins theory of evolution to his novel in the form of Hydes character. The bestial nature of a man is portrayed in the evil side, as he is described as ape-like with descriptions of his stance compared to an animal, he stoops like a monkey and he was heard making grunting noises like an animal. These descriptions would drive fear into the reader in the 19th Century as it reflects on Darwins theory of Evolution. In The Body Snatchers, Stevenson has used the bestial nature again to describe the actions of the characters to enhance the evil calious of their actions. As two vultures may swoop upon a dying lamb, Fettes and Mcfarlane were to let loose upon a grave. This description compares the characters actions to animals desecrating corpses, it is descriptive of what they are about to do, which reflects the bestial nature of a man. The movements of Mcfarlane reflect his bestial nature, dart like a serpent, Stevensons use of similes create both atmosphere and clear images of the characters involving the reader. Stevenson uses animal words to describe the charters and their actions which do reflect Darwins theory and would be very significant for a reader in the Victorian era. During the Victorian times, society and a persons social standing was very important, it was highly regarded, with more emphasis put on it than in todays society. Men who demanded respect in society, the upper class or the professional were expected to appear to be gentlemen at all times, they had a certain standard they had to uphold when in public. Noblemen looked the part as they were well bred, upstanding and respectable within their social class with the manners and the educational background to match. This was somewhat different to the activities that took place behind closed doors, where they could be who they really where and fulfil all their whims of drinking, gambling and whatever else they desired regardless of how it would be viewed in society. It was acceptable as it was going on behind closed doors. Noblemen did not practise what they preached and were in fact, hypocrites, a person who pretends to be more virtuous than they really are. The behaviour was known in society, however it was never acknowledged or mentioned that they hid dark secrets. Many critics even suspect that Jekyll and Hyde was a self-administration by Stevenson of his own dark nature. Victorian hypocrisy is an underlying theme Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, with it being represented by Dr Jekyll I was the first that could thus plod in the public eye with a load of genial respectability, and in the moment, like a schoolboy, strip off these lendings and spring headlong into the sea of liberty. In this quote he is explaining that with Hyde is able to behave how he really wants to, by acting freely to fulfil all desires and not losing any of his social standing or grace. The hypocrisy here lies with the main character, Dr Jekyll represents the respectable nobleman while Mr Hyde reflects Dr Jekylls acts behind closed doors, he is the side that can be ruthless in society as he cannot be recognised as Dr Jekyll and therefore he does not lose any social grace within his social circle or in society. Dr Jekyll makes excuses for what his evil side does, either something cruel and harmful or something appalling by saying It was Hyde, after all and Hyde alone that was guilty. This is Jekylls way of clearing his conscious of all the unsocial crimes he commits. He accepts no responsibility for his own creation, Hyde and is therefore a hypocrite because he wants to have the social standing and respect in society in addition to fulfilling his darker side. Stevenson shows us how he deals with his own hypocrisy by paying for Hydes actions, paying a cheque for trampling on the little girl. Through his actions of payment he is trying to keep his respectable image as an upstanding citizen that he portrays, although it is due to his own guilt of knowing about Hydes actions and not stopping them in some way. In The Body Snatchers, Stevenson has not included this theme of Victorian Hypocrisy so extensively, he touches on it slightly, with Fettes, the young doctor with the respect and social standing who changed himself from being young and irresponsible, who was highly influenced by peer pressure, After a night of turbulent pressures the ordeal changed him for the better, the author is reflecting and portraying the different sides of a person and how man can be influenced especially when it is for the worse. The author also uses, Dr Macfarlane to portray hypocrisy, who breathing, as he did, of wealth and consideration, was a murderer with a black soul underneath, this quotation represents the hypocrisy of the character because in society he is view as a respectable nobleman who is wealthy and is well to do, however he is committing a huge social crime by being a murderer. A character who is well known can commit such crimes and get away with them this represents hypocrisy. Both these novels by Stevenson fit into the gothic genre. This is depicted through the descriptions and images the author creates for the reader to use. Atmosphere and settings are also important for the gothic genre as it is used to set the scenes and allow to reader to visualise the backdrop to where the crimes or the acts of horror are taking place. The settings allow the author to build up tension and suspense for the reader adding to the gothic nature of this genre in the novels. Within the gothic genre are the authors use of setting and scenery, which contribute largely to the essence of it. Both the novels have been set in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is set in London, while The Body Snatchers is set in Edinburgh. This has relevance to the genre as a gothic story will usually have the background setting of a major well known city, which the people who read the novel or story will be able to relate to. The concept of Pathetic Fallousy, the weather descriptions are very important to this genre as the settings and the descriptive nature set the scene for what is going to happen. The weather is significant as bad or horrific scenes are associated with bad weather, setting the atmosphere and mood for the events of the story. In Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde the concept of pathetic fallousy provides a major connection in this novel as the gothic atmosphere allows the reader to visually set the scene. The weather references are gothic in nature, descriptions of the rain, the extensive grey skies and clouds. The descriptive detail of the town the abandoned street, the broken down area surrounding them, the atmosphere created allows the reader to experience what it would feel like, the dark nights with the faded distant sounds allow the reader to feel involved. The fog still slept on the wing above the drowned city, where the lamps glimmer like carbuncles; and through the muffle and smother of these fallen clouds. This quote represents the way in which the author engrosses the reader into the text with a very effective atmosphere surrounding detailed description. Stevenson has achieved a very descriptive image of the town, the context important to the concept of pathetic fallousy are the weather words of fog and clouds The Body Snatchers weather descriptions and atmospheric settings are consistent with this genre, they are continuous through out the novel, which reinforces the idea and the gothic nature of the novel at all times to the reader. With the descriptions Stevenson is able to set the scene of the town with the atmosphere enclosing it. There was a thin, bright moonshine, it was bitter cold windy and frosty the town had not yet awakened. This quote tells us that the town was yet to known the events of the night before. When an author uses pathetic fallousy, it allows them to convey future events to the reader as it enables them to connect the mood of the events or actions in the novel with the weather conditions. In gothic genre novels, the worse the weather conditions the worse the event which is or has taken place. If the weather conditions are foggy, stormy, windy and generally unfavourable it makes the reader think that something bad or disturbing mite occur, under a blanket of bad weather. It adds to the readers anticipation, holding there interests with the descriptions allowing the reader to actually feel and visualise the background settings, into the black night. Another part of the gothic genre is the use of descriptive words which creates imagery in the mind of the reader. Stevensons opening in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde begins with a character description of Hyde. This is a strong opening, shocking the reader from the start, as he is not a pleasant figure. This opening sets the tone for the whole novel, making the reader curious as to who or what that figure is. Questions are put in the mind of reader from the descriptive gothic nature of the novel. Stevenson combined the gothic genre with Darwins theory of Evolution successfully with reference to Hyde. He is numerously referred to as bestial, this is supportive of the theory that humans are superior beings but have evolved from animals. His nature is not human like, he has behaviour void of any emotion to the people he attacks, like an animal. Stevenson uses words relating to his bestial nature to describe particular aspects of him like his voice, enhancing the overall image the reader has created, as husky. It creates imagery of a dog / wolf like creature making Hyde more real to the reader as they can image what he sounds like. Hydes presence made people fear him because of his appearance, when he was sighted he was described as ugly but his features were indescribable but somewhat deformed.

Law Should Be Kept Separate From Morality Law Essay

Law Should Be Kept Separate From Morality Law Essay The statement quoted from the Wolfenden Report suggests that there should remain a line between sin and crime and that the law should not interfere in matters of private morality or immorality keeping it apart from public morality. This is a broad view and clearly, there are some areas in which the law should act as a moral guardian and interference is justifiable. I will outline some of these areas and critically analyse accordingly. However, there also areas that I feel should not be the laws business and where perhaps the criminal laws intervention cannot be justified. I will also look at the apparent blurring of private and public morality. I will also attempt to outline and clarify all these areas, providing the appropriate authorities, academic commentary and other relevant evidence in order to give a balanced view and to be able to draw a succinct informed conclusion. In order to understand the nexus between law and morality we need to establish the differences. Laws are sets of rules or boundaries established by authorities that should be obeyed and are formally enforced by the Police or the Criminal Prosecution Service. Morals on the other hand are beliefs, values or principles that are set by society or certain aspects of society, determining what is right and what is wrong. Morals do not have to be complied with, they are normally informally enforced through social or domestic pressures. Both laws and morals specify what should or should not be done and mark the boundaries between what is acceptable and unacceptable conduct. Having looked at the nature of laws and morals I will look at the historical debate and attempt to expand on whether or not laws and morals are intrinsically linked. Historically, there has been much philosophical debate as to whether in fact there is a connection between law and morality. Positivists  [2]  such as Jeremy Bentham, John Austin and H.L.A. Hart have all argued that there is not necessarily a connection between law and morality; on the other hand natural law  [3]  , thinkers such as St Thomas Aquinas  [4]  have postulated that there is a clear link between law and morality. To further complicate matters R Dworkin puts forward his own approach of interpretivism  [5]  , developed in a number of his works over the last thirty years  [6]  to try and answer the vexed question of law and morality and the nature of law and the relationship to each other. The links between law and morality can be seen in all areas of law. In Tort, for instance , in cases such as Baker v Hopkins  [7]  where two employees of the defendant company were overcome by carbon monoxide fumes in a well they were attempting to decontaminate. The plaintiff, a doctor, attempted to rescue them even though he was warned of the fumes. It could be said that he felt morally responsible . Unfortunately, all the three men died. The defendant company argued that the plaintiff doctor should either not be compensated because the doctor knowingly accepted the risk he was taking or his damages would be reduced for contributory negligence. The Court of Appeal considered that the suggestion was ungracious and that it was unseemly and irrational to say that a rescuer freely takes on the risks inherent in a rescue attempt. This would appear to be a seemingly moralistic judgement by their Lordships. Similarly, in property cases such as the High Trees Case  [8]  where Lord Denning used the equitable principle of promissory estoppel to prevent the recovery of rent or preventing what he saw as a moral wrong. These could all be seen as instances of the courts making judgements on what is morally right and wrong. In fact, in the case of Knuller v DPP  [9]  concerning a magazine containing advertisements, by homosexuals in order to procure sex, the courts were able to dictate public morality, recognising the offenc e of conspiracy to corrupt public morals established in Shaws Case  [10]  . It is the criminal law that provides us with sufficient evidence to conclude that there is indeed a link between law and morality. The Wolfenden Report itself, actually concerned the role of the law in matters of sexual morality and determining what conduct should be classed as criminal. Unfortunately, the result was not definitive as two diverging views emerged, firstly, that of Lord Devlin who concluded that the legislature was entitled to outlaw behaviour that was generally condemned as immoral on the grounds that such conduct may be likened to treason threatening the continued existence of social cohesion  [11]   and secondly, the view of Hart that immorality alone was not sufficient: law should not be used for prohibiting harm suffered by a person who is offended simply by knowing about other peoples conduct  [12]  . These opposing viewpoints probably accounted for the fact that the part of the Wolfenden Report concerning the decriminalisation of homosexuality was not implemented until the Sexual Offences Act of  1967 (following a motion by Lord Arran in the House of Lords favouring the implementation of the Wolfenden Report and a Sexual Offences Bill sponsored by Leo Abse) which eventually resulted in male homosexuality between consenting adults above the age of twenty-one being decriminalised. Another reason for the delay could be that public opinion and society in general before that time, felt that homosexuality was immoral and the law chose to reflect this, condemning homosexuality as a criminal offence. However, with the more liberated 1960s where there was a seeming relaxation of public and private morality and homosexuality could no longer be seen as immoral, the criminal law acceded to public opinion, leading to the eventual decriminalisation of homosexuality. However, the Wolfenden approach differed when contemplating the matter of prostitution. The committee readily accepted that prostitution was immoral but indicated that it was a matter of private morality, except when it creates a public nuisance. Therefore, the sale of sex was determined not to be an offence but kerb crawling was. This differing approach resulted in the report forming the basis of the Street Offences Act of 1959, an almost immediate response to the Wolfenden report. It seems then, that the criminal law should only intervene where the legislature considers there to be a public nuisance or is harmful to society or as John Stuart Mills stated That the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others.  [13]   Unfortunately, there are too many unanswered questions. Can we readily say that if something is immoral it is justifiably unlawful? Can we as a society distinguish between one persons perception of a lawful and moral activity and those that are immoral or unlawful and should the law really interfere in matters of private morality? If a person consents to something, would that not be a matter of private morality? The matter of consent and private morality is interesting. Here, criminal law has its vagaries, particularly in non-fatal offences against the person which include actual body harm, grievous bodily harm or wounding. Criminal law will not allow the consent of the victim to be available as a defence, especially if it considers the act to be unlawful. Only if the injury was a result of a lawful activity  [14]   will the defence of consent be available. This does not sit easily with the premise of the law not to interfere in matters of private morality. This has been exemplified in the case of Brown  [15]  . The criminal law deemed homosexual sado masochism as an unlawful activity and the court considered that activities in private between consenting homosexuals involving the infliction of actual bodily harm should constitute offences  [16]  . It seems then that the decision in this case was based on public morality rather than criminality, surely here consent would be a ques tion of private morality and not the laws business, indeed in Brown, Lord Mustill in dissenting, re-iterated that The issue was not whether the appellants conduct was morally right but whether it was properly charged under the 1861 Act. The standards by which questions of private morality fell to be judged were not those of criminal law. The case of Brown can be contrasted with R v Wilson  [17]  where the defendant, with the consent of his wife, branded her buttocks with the initials W and A with a hot knife. The scars led him to being charged with assaulting his wife contrary to section 47 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. He was convicted by a Jury. However, the Court of Appeal held that the defendants conduct amounted to tattooing and that it was not in the public interest to impose a criminal sanction; The initial outcome still shows that the public and their moral judgement still has an influence in criminal law.   It appears then, that generally, the courts are keen to exercise its morality muscle in defence of a perceived public morality. Interfering in what are essentially private morality matters in order to stamp a moral dictum on society in general, however, is not necessarily in the best interest of society as a whole and issues of private morality are thorny issues. There are of course other areas of criminal law where the judiciary has, albeit slowly, intervened in matters of private morality, for the betterment of society, for example in the area of marital rape. Rape itself was enacted as statutory crime in the Offences Against the Person Act  1861. The Act indicated that it is a felony for a man to rape a woman and left the judiciary to establish the elements of the offence and to develop the factors that might allow consent. Its statutory successor, s 1 of the Sexual Offences Act  1956, failed to provide a more substantive definition. It was not until  1976  that s 1(1) of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act defined rape as unlawful sexual intercourse with a woman who at the time of the intercourse does not consent to it. However, there still appeared to be a presumption albeit rebuttable, that a married man could have sex with his wife regardless of consent. Morally, this appears to be reprehensible and surely the law should have c larified the position. However, it was not until the case of R v R  [18]  that the offence of rape was recognised if it was perpetrated by the husband, clearly an example of the law enforcing a specific moral value on society in an appropriate sphere. A further example of the entanglement of law and morality can be seen in the different approaches by Judges in cases where their own moral values or viewpoints have possibly affected judgements. Often the courts will find themselves dealing with difficult moral decisions involving life and death and often have to decide between individual rights and moral codes. This moralistic approach can be seen in various cases involving euthanasia, considered by the majority of society as both morally and legally wrong. In the case of Dianne Pretty  [19]  (a case decided by the House of Lords), for example, Mrs Pretty suffered from motor neurone disease, a progressive degenerative illness from which she had no hope of recovery. She only had a short time to live and faced the prospect of a humiliating and distressing death. She was mentally alert and wanted to bring her life to an end. Unfortunately, because of her physical incapacity she would have needed assistance. Her husband wanted to he lp, but only if he would not be prosecuted under section 2(1) of the Suicide Act 1961 for aiding and abetting her suicide. She sought confirmation through the courts that ultimately refused her appeal. Contrast this with the case of Re B  [20]  . Ms B was a tetraplegic and suffered complete paralysis from the neck down. She was, however, able to move her head and speak. She gave instructions to the hospital through her solicitors that she wanted the artificial ventilation removed. The hospital refused to stop treatment. Ms B took the hospital to court, was successful and was allowed to die. Here the courts appear to take the stance that voluntary euthanasia or assisted suicide is morally reprehensible but the request to withdraw treatment, resulting in, what is in effect, voluntary suicide or passive euthanasia was not a clear example of the complex moral and legal dilemmas faced by the courts. Further evidence of this dilemma between law and morality can be seen in the conjoined twin case  [21]  . Jodie and Mary were conjoined twins and their parents were devout Roman Catholics. Mary was the weaker twin and had she been born on her own she would not have survived. She was in fact, being kept alive by virtue of Jodies own circulatory system. Jodie was considered to be capable of surviving a separation procedure, Mary however was not. If there was no separation both would have died. The medical team wanted to separate them knowing Mary would die as a result. The twins parents would not sanction the operation. The medical team sought a ruling from the High Court, that an operation to separate the twins would not be murder. Their Lordships applied the defence of necessity but restricted the applicability of this defence (for the purposes of public policy) to the unique circumstances of the case. However, despite LJ Wards comment that this is a court of law, not of morals when the judgements are examined, it is clear that their Lordships have actually used moral concepts and language in reaching their decision, a true dichotomy. In conclusion, it is clear from the information provided that there are identifiable links between the law in general and criminal law in particular and morality. However, whether it is justifiable for the legal system in England and Wales to utilise the criminal law in the enforcement of specific moral values in society is debatable. Clearly, as we have seen, there are areas where it is justifiable in rape for example but where it is not so clear is whether it can be justified in those greyer areas such as private morality issues or cases of euthanasia. I believe that religion (which is the subject of other scholarly and academic debate) , morals and the law are all intrinsically linked and that in order to create a balanced modern society there must be some fluidity. One mans morality is different from another and the law must try to bridge the gap for the public good. Sometimes the law is rather slow in reacting to public opinion or changes in morality within society, but ultimately, it is the legislature that creates the laws and the job of the courts is only to apply the meaning of that legislation not to query its validity or to enforce moral limitations on parliament, or by implication, enforce those moral limitations on society.

Online Distance Learning Essay -- Teaching Education

Online Distance Learning Throughout the past few decades, online distance learning has become a prevalent method of teaching. Through the use of technology, the field of education has been slightly altered to fit the needs of both the educators and their pupils, by developing a communication system. For example, creating email addresses and generating websites, where the teacher and student can interact. The development of online distance learning is beneficial to the future of education because it provides more opportunity for students. What exactly does â€Å"online distance learning† mean? â€Å"A type of education where students work independently and communicate with faculty and other students via computer based communication† (Roman, Harry). Distance learning is predominately computer based but is currently being supplemented by television and two-way interactive video connections. The courses offered in the distance learning program range from basic literacy to highest graduate level programs. This unique offer allows students of all ages and abilities to participate and earn course credits. Online distance learning is a fast growing industry, there are eleven distance education mega-universities in the world, and the number is increasing rapidly. Until recent years, this would have seemed unrealistic, but because of the steady rise in technology, society has been able to grasp this concept. Online distance learning has become common throughout all parts of the United States because of the advantages that it has over traditional education. â€Å"Nobody is looking over your shoulder, there’s no commute, and the weather is never an issue† (Bowler, Mike). â€Å"The thing I like best is that you can do [schoolwork] whenever... ... 7. Setoodeh, Ramin. Technology: The Connected Classroom. September 27, 2004, MSNBC. Retrieved Oct. 16, 2004. Newsweek. http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6039076/site/newsweek/ 8. Chennai. Multimedia Centres in Classrooms! October 17, 2004 Kerala Online, Retrieved Oct. 17, 2004. http://www.keralaonline.com/technews.asp?folder=Tech&file=8_704.xml 9. Attracting and Keeping Quality Teachers. (2004). National Education Association, Retrieved December 3, 2004, from http://www.nea.org/teachershortage/ 10. Feistritzer, C. E. (1998, January 28). The Truth Behind the ‘Teacher Shortage.’ The National Center for Education Information, Retrieved December 3, 2004, from http://www.ncei.com/WSJ-12898.htm 11. Krunholz, J. (1997, July 24). Teacher Shortage Emerging. National Center for Policy Analysis, Retrieved December 3, 2004, from http://www.ncpa.org/pi/edu/pdedu/pdedu162.html

Anorexia Nervosa - Includes Bi Essay -- essays research papers fc

Anorexia Nervosa   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In America, girls are given the message at a very young age that in order to be happy and successful, they must be thin. Given the value which society places on being thin, it is not surprising that eating disorders are on the increase. Every time you walk into a store, you are surrounded by the images of emaciated models that appear on the covers of fashion magazines. Thousands of teenage girls are starving themselves daily in an effort to attain what the fashion industry considers to be the â€Å"ideal† figure. The average model weighs 23% less than the average woman. Maintaining a weight 20% below your expected body weight fits the criteria for the emotional eating disorder known as anorexia. Most models, according to medical standards, fit into the category of being anorexic (Thompson, Colleen).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Anorexia has been known and recognized by doctors for at least 300 years. Most researchers agree that the number of patients with this life threatening disease is increasing at an alarming rate. The Rice Counseling Center defines anorexia as â€Å"an emotional disorder characterized by an intense fear of becoming obese, lack of self-esteem and distorted body image which results in self-induced starvation†. In accordance with information given by the Counseling Center at the University of Lawson 2 Virginia, the development of this disease generally begins at the age of 11 or 18. Significantly, these ages coincide with new phases of a girl’s life, the commencement and ending of adolescence. Recent estimates suggest that out of every 200 American girls between this age span, one will develop anorexia to some degree. The disease develops over a period of time during which the sufferer changes her eating patterns from normal or near normal to a very restricted diet (S.C.A.R.E.D. Website). This process can take anywhere from months to years. Clinically, an anorexic is diagnosed by having a body weight 20% below the expected body weight of a healthy person at the same age and height of the eating disorder patient. The anorexic often becomes frightened of gaining weight and even of food itself. The patient may feel fat, even though their body weight is well below the normal weight for their height. Some also feel they do not deserve pleasure out of life and will deprive themselves of situations offe... ...ily, friends, and the reasons she may have fallen into a pattern of self-starvation. As a patient learns more about her condition, she is often more willing to try to help herself recover. In treating anorexia nervosa, it is extremely important to remember that immediate success does not guarantee a permanent cure. Sometimes, even after successful hospital treatment and return to normal weight, patients suffer relapses. Follow-up therapy lasting three to five years is recommended if the patient is to be completely cured (Cove, Judy). Lawson 6 Works Cited Thompson, Colleen. â€Å"Society and Eating Disorders.† Mirror Mirror 19, October 1998. Online. Available http://www.mirror-mirror.org/society.htm Accessed 23, October 1998. Saunders, Janice. â€Å"Anorexia and Bulimia.† S.C.A.R.E.D. Online. Available http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Spa/3901/index.html Accessed 23, October 1998. Cove, Dr. Judy. â€Å"Anorexia Nervosa General Information.† Mental Health Net Online. Available http://www.cmhc.com Accessed 23, October 1998. Pearson, Nanett. â€Å"A Personal Recovery Story: Starving for Attention.† Attention Online. Available http://www.laureate.com/attention.html Accessed 31, October 1998.

Playing Sports Essay

Ever since I started playing tennis, I noticed that I have been less aggravated and also a feeling of â€Å"calm† after each game. Whatever was bothering me that day becomes a faint memory. Have you been looking for a way to relieve stress, get some exercise, and make some new friends? Then try playing a sport. It does not matter if you are a child or an adult. Becoming involved in sports is an excellent way to stay fit and relieve stress. You can get out and have some fun while getting healthy. It also can be a way to bring your family together. Playing sports together and being health together. Playing sports can be beneficial for your mental and physical health. Playing some sports can be fun and help support your physical and mental health. Participating in most sports can help reduce stress, promote physical and mental health, and encourages social skills. Involving yourself in a sport strengthens your heart and all your other muscles while having lots of fun. First, let’s talk about how a person can reduce stress by playing a sport. No one has to tell you how stressful day to day life is. Stress is a major health concern to everyone. Every day people in the world battle with stress and look for ways to relieve it. Being active in a sport is one of the ways to reduce stress. According to the Mayo Clinic, â€Å"one way to take control of the stress in your life is through physical activity. Being active can boost your feel-good endorphins and distract you from daily worries. † While playing sports, a person can focus on the game being played and not on their worries. Getting into the game and taking out your frustrations on the game can also manage stress. I personally know from experience that stress can be relieved through exercise. I exercise 4 to 5 times a week. I feel great before and after the workout. Exercising just makes you feel good about yourself! Playing sports sometimes changes your mood and puts the focus on the game. Physical activity helps to bump up the production of your brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins. (Mayo Clinic)The physical activity of sports can reduce tension and help the player relax and get in a better mood. Playing a simple game like ping pong can get your mind off of what’s stressing you. Next, physical and mental health can be maintained through playing sports. Playing sports can provide a form of exercise. Depending on the exercise what kind of benefit your body receives. Exercise through sports can improve your heart health. When playing sports, your body receives exercise needed to build endurance and strength. (Isports2012) Staying active helps keep health problems away from your body. Playing sports can also help maintain weight, strength, and increase stamina. (Manali Oak2012)Sports like soccer are good for your heart and improve body tone. When playing a game like basketball, dribbling, changing direction quickly and passing are performed at different rates of speed which can improve some one’s body coordination, agility and balance. Kicking the ball and receiving the pass from someone improves your hand to eye coordination. According to the United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force on Sport for Development and Peace states that young people can benefit from physical activity as it contributes to developing healthy bones, efficient heart and lung function as well as improved motor skills and cognitive function. Mental health can also be helped through playing sports. It encourages you to be your best, help with concentration, build confidence, and build leadership skills. Playing sports can help a person deal with loss and disappointment. Sports also help boost self –esteem. (Rachel Nelson2011) Also playing a sport can produce many opportunities to increase your confidence and self-esteem, and help to reduce anxiety. Playing sports can also reduce depression. When becoming active in sports, a person has to focus on the game and does not have time to think or worry about outside issues. All of the person’s energy is focused on the game. According to Vanderbelt, â€Å"In a study by DiLorenzo, Bargman, Stucky-Ropp, Brassington, Frensch, and LaFontaine (1999), the conclusions showed that exercise helped with depression both short-term and long-term. The experiment took 111 adults randomly assigned them to two groups. One group was to use bicycle ergometry twenty-four minutes a session, four times a week for twelve weeks. The other group was to do the same exercise but forty-eight minutes a session, four times a week for twelve weeks. By the end of the twelve weeks, DiLorenzo et al. were able to conclude that not only were physiological benefits occurred, such as a stronger heart, but also psychological improvements were made, specifically with depression. The long-term effects of this experiment showed an overall improvement both physically and mentally which was still present a year after the experiment had occurred. It is important to note that in most experiments the findings suggest that exercise helps minimize one’s depressions but there is little scientific evidence stating that exercise can prevent depression. † Sports also play a positive role in emotional health, and helps build social connections, often having opportunities for fun and self-expression. Sports teach you to interact with people, communicate with them and work together as a team. Playing sports can be beneficial to learning social skills. When participating in a sport, working as a team, helping each other out, having good times and the bad times are ways people learn how to support and help others through sports. It helps maintain focus on team goals, instead of personal goals. Building a great team and having fun at the same time is a great reason to play a sport. Sports can improve social skills in adults through leadership and making and keeping new friends. Being a captain on a team or the coach can help with leadership skills. Team mates can become friends. Improving social skills in children can be a task. With sports, it can become a little easier. Playing sports improve teamwork, which can help children learn to work better with one another. While playing sports, people learn what is best for the group instead of just for themselves, and they learn to be friends with people from other backgrounds. When participating in a sport, teammates can be from different races, have different personalities, religions, and sometime genders. Interaction with different teammates can result in lasting bonds. Eventually, a person can move forward and accept a person who may not look or act the same as themselves and treat other teammates as equals. Participating in sports helps adults and youth with the excitement of winning and the bittersweet feeling of defeat. When a team loses a game, a player can have some ill feelings, including disappointment, frustration and anger. Sports allow adults and youth to better handle non positive feelings. After learning how to manage some of these emotions, players can use the same skills learned in sports in apply them to other situations in their life. Also confidence can be improved in adults and children through playing sports. Winning a game is an example of how sports can increase confidence. Playing a sport helps a person feel like they are a part of something. That alone can help motivate and help boost some ones confidence. Being a part of something or a team can boost the confidence in anyone. As you have read, playing sports can increase your overall physical and mental health. Playing sports increases your health, while having fun, being active, and making new friends. Just a few hours a week can be beneficial to your health. There are many types of sports to play that will offer health benefits. People, who have not been active in a while, should contact their doctor first, before participating in high impact sports. You can hurt your body when you just jump right into a high pact exercise. It does not matter if it is tennis, football, or soccer. Being active in sports helps your body. Playing sports affect your health long term when you stay active. Sports help keep your heart and mind healthy. Overall, sports help personal abilities, general health and self-knowledge. Getting out at least 3 days out of the week to play a sport is a reasonable way to stay active through sports. You can contact your local sports club, recreational center, or YMCA for information on playing sports, joining a team, and the benefits that they offer. Everyone needs to relieve some type of stress or be in better shape. Why not pick up a sport and have fun doing both! References 1. http://www. sportanddev. org/en/learnmore/sport_and_health/the_health_benefits_of_sport_and_physical_activity/ 2. http://www. onlymyhealth. com/health-benefits-playing-sports-1290074521 3. http://www. acefitness. org/blog/412/americans-coping-with-stress-anxiety-find-relief, Americans Coping with Stress & Anxiety Find Relief with Exercise, Posted September 12, 12:00AM in ACE Press Releases 4. KOLATA,G. ( 2008, March 27). Personal Best, Yes, Running Can Make You High, The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www. nytimes. com 5. DiLorenzo, T. M. , Bargman, E. P. , Stucky-Ropp, R. , Brassington, G. S. , Frensch, P. A. ,& LaFontaine, T. (1999). Long term effects of aerobic exercise on psychological outcomes. Prev Med, 28 (1), 75-85. 6. http://www. un. org/wcm/content/site/sport/home/unplayers/coordinationmechanisms/interagencytaskforce 7. http://www. djlah. net 8. http://healthpsych. psy. vanderbilt. edu.