Old Folks Home Essay

Sharks are a group of fish characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton, five to seven gill slits on the sides of the head, andpectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the clade Selachimorpha (or Selachii) and are the sister group to the rays. However, the term â€Å"shark† has also been used for extinct members of the subclassElasmobranchii outside the Selachimorpha, such as Cladoselache and Xenacanthus. Under this broader definition, the earliest known sharks date from more than 420 million years ago. Since then, sharks have diversified into over 470 species. They range in size from the small dwarf lanternshark(Etmopterus perryi), a deep sea species of only 17 centimetres (6.7 in) in length, to the whale shark (Rhincodon typus), the largest fish in the world, which reaches approximately 12 metres (39 ft). Sharks are found in all seas and are common to depths of 2,000 metres (6,600 ft). They generally do not live in freshwater although there are a few known exceptions, such as the bull shark and the river shark, which can survive in both seawater and freshwater.] They breathe through five to seven gill slits. Sharks have a covering of dermal denticles that protects their skin from damage and parasites in addition to improving their fluid dynamics. They have several sets of replaceable teeth. Well-known species such as the great white shark, tiger shark, blue shark, mako shark, and the hammerhead shark areapex predators—organisms at the top of their underwater food chain Tetraodontidae is a family of primarily marine and estuarine fish of the order Tetraodontiformes. The family includes many familiar species, which are variously called pufferfish, puffers, balloonfish, blowfish, bubblefish, globefish, swellfish,toadfish, toadies, honey toads, sugar toads, and sea squab.[1] They are morphologically similar to the closely relatedporcupinefish, which have large external spines (unlike the thinner, hidden spines of Tetraodontidae, which are only visible when the fish has puffed up). The scientific name refers to the four large teeth, fused into an upper and lower plate, which are used for crushing the shells of crustaceans and mollusks, their natural prey. Pufferfish are generally believed to be the second-most  poisonous vertebrates in the world, after the golden poison frog. Certain internal organs, such as liver, and sometimes the skin, contain tetrodotoxin and are highly toxic to most animals when eaten; nevertheless, the meat of some species is considered a delicacy in Japan (as æ ² ³Ã¨ ±Å¡, pronounced as fugu), Korea (as ë ³ µbok or ë ³ µÃ¬â€" ´ bogeo ), and China (as æ ² ³Ã¨ ±Å¡ hà ©tà ºn) when prepared by specifically trained chefs who know which part is safe to eat and in what quantity. The Tetraodontidae contain at least 120 species of puffers in 19 genera.[1] They are most diverse in the tropics, relatively uncommon in the temperate zone, and completely absent from cold waters. They are typically small to medium in size, although a few species can reach lengths of greater than 100 cm (39 in). The paradise fish, paradisefish, or paradise gourami, Macropodus opercularis, is a species of gourami found in most types of fresh water in East Asia, ranging from the Korean Peninsula to northern Vietnam. This species can reach a length of 6.7 cm (2.6 in), though most are only about 5.5 cm (2.2 in). Paradise gouramis were one of the first ornamental fish available to western aquarium keepers, having been imported toEurope as early as the 19th century. The paradise fish is one of the more aggressive members of its family. It is more aggressive than the three spot gourami, yet less pugnacious in nature than the less commonly kept combtail. Paradise fish are fairly combative, harassing and attacking each other, as well as potentially killing small fish. In the wild, they are predators, eating insects,invertebrates, and fish fry. The popularity of this species has waned in recent decades as much more colorful (and often less pugnacious) species of gouramishave become widely available to hobbyists. This species is one of the few fish that can change its color (lighter or darker) in response to stimuli. Eels are elongated fish, ranging in length from 5 cm (2.0 in) in the one-jawed eel (Monognathusahlstromi)[dubious – discuss] to 4 m (13 ft) in the slender giant moray.[2] Adults range in weight from 30 grams (1.1 oz) to well over 25 kilograms (55 lb). They possess no pelvic fins, and many species also lack pectoral fins. The dorsal and anal fins are fused with  the caudal or tail fin, forming a single ribbon running along much of the length of the animal. Most eels live in the shallow waters of the ocean and burrow into sand, mud, or amongst rocks. A majority of eel species are nocturnal, and thus are rarely seen. Sometimes they are seen living together in holes, or â€Å"eel pits†. Some species of eels also live in deeper water on the continental shelves and over the slopes deep as 4,000 m (13,000 ft). Only members of the Anguilla family regularly inhabit fresh water, but they too return to the sea to breed. Eels begin life as flat and transparent larvae, or leptocep hali. Eel larvae drift in the surface waters of the sea, feeding onmarine snow, small particles that float in the water. Eel larvae then metamorphose into glass eels and then becomeelvers before finally seeking out their juvenile and adult habitats. Freshwater elvers travel upstream and are forced to climb up obstructions, such as weirs, dam walls, and natural waterfalls. Lady Colin Campbell found, at Ballisodare, the eel fisheries were greatly improved by the hanging of loosely plaited grass ladders over barriers, enabling the elvers to ascend. The heaviest true eel is the European conger. The maximum size of this species has been reported as reaching a length of 3 m (10 ft) and a weight of 110 kg (240 lb). Other eels are longer but do not weigh as much, such as the slender giant moray which reaches 4 m (13 ft). The guppy (Poecilia reticulata), also known as million fish and rainbow fish,[1] is one of the world’s most widely distributed tropical fish, and one of the most popularfreshwater aquarium fish species. It is a member of the Poeciliidae family and, like all other members of the family, is live-bearing.[2] Guppies, whose natural range is in northeast South America, were introduced to many habitats and are now found all over the world. They are highly adaptable and thrive in many different environmental and ecological conditions.[3] Male guppies, which are smaller than females, have ornamental caudal and dorsal fins, while females are duller in colour. Wild guppies generally feed on a variety of food source including benthic algae and aquatic insectlarvae.[4] Guppies are used as a model organism in the field of ecology, evolution, and behavioural studies.[3] They are the most ferocious fish in the world. Even the most formidable fish, the sharks or the barracudas, usually attack things smaller than themselves. But the piranhas habitually attack things much larger than themselves. They will snap a finger off a hand incautiously trailed in the water; they mutilate swimmers—in every river town in Paraguay there are men who have been thus mutilated; they will rend and devour alive any wounded man or beast; for blood in the water excites them to madness. They will tear wounded wild fowl to pieces; and bite off the tails of big fish as they grow exhausted when fighting after being hooked. But the piranha is a short, deep-bodied fish, with a blunt face and a heavily undershot or projecting lower jaw which gapes widely. The razor-edged teeth are wedge-shaped like a shark’s, and the jaw muscles possess great power. The rabid, furious snaps drive the teeth through flesh and bone. The head with its short muzzle, staring malignant eyes, and gaping, cruelly armed jaws, is the embodiment of evil ferocity; and the actions of the fish exactly match its looks. I never witnessed an exhibition of such impotent, savage fury as was shown by the piranhas as they flapped on deck. When fresh from the water and thrown on the boards they uttered an extraordinary squealing sound. As they flapped about they bit with vicious eagerness at whatever presented itself. One of them flapped into a cloth and seized it with a bulldog grip. Another grasped one of its fellows; another snapped at a piece of wood, and left the teeth-marks deep therein. They are the pests of the waters, and it is necessary to be exceedingly cautious about either swimming or wading where they are found. If cattle are driven into, or of their own accord enter, the water, they are commonly not molested; but if by chance some unusually big or ferocious specimen of these fearsome fishes does bite an animal—taking off part of an ear, or perhaps of a teat from the udder of a cow—the blood brings up every member of the ravenous throng which is anywhere near, and unless the attacked animal can immediately make its escape from the water it is devoured alive.[28] A tuna is a saltwater finfish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a sub-grouping of the mackerel family (Scombridae) – which together with the tunas, also includes the bonitos, mackerels, and Spanish mackerels. Thunnini comprises fifteen species across five genera,[1] the sizes of which vary  greatly, ranging from the bullet tuna (max. length: 50 cm (1.6 ft), weight: 1.8 kg (4 lb)) up to theAtlantic bluefin tuna (max. length: 4.6 m (15 ft), weight: 684 kg (1,508 lb)). The bluefin averages 2 m (6.6 ft), and is believed to live for up to 50 years. Their circulatory and respiratory systems are unique among fish, enabling them to maintain a body temperature higher than the surrounding water. An active and agile predator, the tuna has a sleek, streamlined body, and is among the fastest-swimming pelagic fish – the yellowfin tuna, for example, is capable of speeds of up to 75 km/h (47 mph).[2] Found in warm seas, it is extensively fished commercially and is popular as a game fish. As a result of over-fishing, stocks of some tuna species, such as the Southern bluefin tuna, have been reduced dangerously close to the point of extinction.[3] The hammerhead sharks are a group of sharks in the family Sphyrnidae, so named for the unusual and distinctive structure of their heads, which are flattened and laterally extended into a â€Å"hammer† shape called a â€Å"cephalofoil†. Most hammerhead species are placed in the genus Sphyrna while the winghead sharkis placed in its own genus, Eusphyra. Many not necessarily mutually exclusive functions have been proposed for the cephalofoil, including sensory reception, maneuvering, and prey manipulation. Hammerheads are found worldwide in warmer waters along coastlines and continental shelves. Unlike most sharks, hammerheads usually swim in schools during the day, becoming solitary hunters at night. Some of these schools can be found near Malpelo Island in Colombia, Cocos Island off Costa Rica, and near Molokai Island in Hawaii. Large schools are also seen in southern and eastern Africa. Starfish or sea stars are star-shaped echinoderms belonging to the classAsteroidea. Common usage frequently finds these names being also applied toophiuroids, which are correctly referred to as â€Å"brittle stars† or â€Å"basket stars†. About 1,500 species of starfish occur on the seabed in all the world’s oceans, from the tropics to frigid polar waters. They are found from the intertidal zonedown to abyssal depths, 6,000 m (20,000 ft) below the surface. Starfish are marine invertebrates. They typically have a central disc and five arms, though some species have more than this. The aboral or upper surface may be smooth, granular or spiny, and is covered with overlapping plates. Many species are brightly coloured in various shades of red or orange, while others are blue, grey or brown. Starfish have tube feet operated by a hydraulic systemand a mouth at the centre of the oral or lower surface. They are opportunisticfeeders and are mostly predators on benthic invertebrates. Several species have specialized feeding behaviours including eversion of their stomachs andsuspension feeding. They have complex life cycles and can reproduce both sexually and asexually. Most can regenerate damaged parts or lost arms and they can shed arms as a means of defence. The Asteroidea occupy several significant ecological roles. Starfish, such as the ochre sea star (Pisaster ochraceus) and the reef sea star (Stichaster australis), have become widely known as examples of the keystone species concept in ecology. The tropicalcrown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) is a voracious predator of coralthroughout the Indo-Pacific region, and the northern Pacific sea star is considered to be one of the world’s 100 worst invasive species. The fossil record for starfish is ancient, dating back to the Ordovician around 450 million years ago, but it is rather poor, as starfish tend to disintegrate after death. Only the ossicles and spines of the animal are likely to be preserved, making remains hard to locate. With their appealing symmetrical shape, starfish have played a part in literature, legend, design and popular culture. They are sometimes collected as curios, used in design or as logos, and in some cultures, despite possible toxicity, they are eaten.

Rise of Industry in the Late 19th Century

During the 1860’s America was in a period of economic hardship due to the ongoing demand for materials and money to fund the war. In the South, sufficient money and materials were hard to acquire because the southern economy still depended on the labor of slaves to produce their goods and income rather than factories. The Northern economy used numerous factories to produce goods and make profit for the war, but they still did not have technology that was advanced enough to easily produce all the necessary materials and money. After the civil war, America embarked on a journey of economic expansion and unification for the nation. In the late 19th century, government policies, technological advancements and population changes contributed to the rise of industry in America. Many government policies were created in the 19th century to encourage expansion and growth for America. Three very influential policies were the Homestead Act, the Pacific Railway Act and laissez-faire. The homestead act was passed by Congress in 1862 to encourage settlement of western land. It promised any citizen of the United States that was at least 21 years old a homestead of 160 acres under the terms that they paid a 10 dollar registration fee, farmed on the land for 5 years and lived on the land for at least 6 months out of a year. When passed, the act proved a success at allowing huge masses of people to further enlarge and develop America because â€Å"settlers from all walks of life including newly arrived immigrants, farmers without land of their own from the East, single women and former slaves came to meet the requirements† (Weiser). The pacific railway act of 1862 provided the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroad companies with federal land grants and funds to construct a transcontinental railway that would unite the country as one. With the completion of the railroad, industry had the opportunity to rise across America because the transportation time of goods, capital, and people was significantly decreased and more efficient. Laissez-faire was a policy practiced by government that preached a free market economy. Under laissez-faire, the business’s of America were able to grow and acquire larger sums of money because the government had little to no interference in the actions of companies. In the 19th century as settlement and companies expanded across America, technological discoveries were being made as part of an industrial revolution that would further the efficiency and growth of industry. With the transcontinental railroad, the steam engine could transport materials, machinery, goods and more to companies across America with much more ease than horses and wagons could in previous times. The invention of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876 increased communication between people to help the coordination and cohesiveness of companies. One brilliant inventor, Thomas Alva Edison, provided the nation with numerous inventions, two of which were the light bulb and the electric generator. As industrialization occurred, machinery was used to produce materials instead of human labor in order to increase production and profit. With the aid of Edison’s electrical generator, the machines of textiles could work faster and more efficient to maximize benefits. Also, with the aid of the light bulb, textiles were able to have longer work hours and produce larger quantities because the restriction of daylight hours was no longer a problem. â€Å"By the end of the nineteenth century, the nation was about to become a mass-production economy† because â€Å"the utilization of steam and electricity, the introduction of improved processes and labor-saving machinery†¦ multiplied enormously the effectiveness of labor† (Chandler 277; George 50). As America was booming from government policies and new technology, population changes also took effect to contribute to the rise of industry. Population was steadily rising due to immigration, migration, and improved conditions of living. Millions of European and Asian immigrants came to America in search of a more promising and successful life. These immigrants created a growing work force that big industries took advantage of by using the minimally paid workers to help produce more for their companies. Along with westward migration in America, â€Å"In the post-civil war period, cities swelled in population as a twin migration of immigrants and rural Americans flocked to the glittering urban environment† (Riis 320). This urbanization solidified the transition of the nation from an agricultural economy to an industrial one. Also in the 19th century, population was at a high compared the past because of improvements in health care, a higher reproduction rate and a better standard of living. These population changes provided America with a large, growing consumer economy that allowed industry and business to thrive. Compared to previous times, America ended the 19th century at an all time high due to new government policies, technological advancements and population changes. With the help of federal encouragement to settle westward and unite the country, industry was able to expand to more places across the nation. In these numerous factories, textiles and other working places, new machinery and technology was used to produce greater quantities in a shorter amounts of time which allowed industry to gain more profit and grow. These successful and innovative factories attracted immigrants and rural Americans, and pushed them to move to cities where industry and business could be a main focus. The growth of American industry in the 19th century took the nation to a whole new developmental level, and from there the nation continued to thrive and evolve. Citations Chandler, Alfred D. The Beginnings of â€Å"Big Business† in American Industry. 1959. American Issues. New York: Glencoe, 1994. 277-80. Print. Evans, Harold. â€Å"The Spark of Genius. † 2004. American History. Vol. 2. Dubuque: McGraw Hill, 2007. 6-21. Print. George, Henry. â€Å"Progress and Poverty. † 1879. America's History. Fourth ed. Vol. 2. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2001. 50-51. Print. Riis, Jacob. â€Å"Life in the Tenements of New York City. † 1890. Voices of the American Past. Second ed. Vol. 2. Orlando: Harcourt College, 2001. 320-22. Print. Story, Jill. â€Å"Lecture. † 27 Sept. 2010. Story, Jill. â €Å"Lecture. † 5 Oct. 2010. Weiser, Kathy. â€Å"The Homestead Act – Creating Prosperity in America. â€Å"Legends of America – A Travel Site for the Nostalgic and Historic Minded. Apr. 2010. Web. 12 Oct. 2010. .

History of Life Through Time Essay

1. The website shows the basic phylogeny of the three main lineages of life forms. They are â€Å"Archaea,† â€Å"Eubacteria,† and â€Å"Eukaryotes. † It also shows â€Å"Viruses† outside of the tree, with a question mark indicating that its place in the tree is undetermined, if it belongs in the tree at all. 2. This site attempts to show the two alternative phylogenies of the major lineages of life forms. The â€Å"archaea tree† distinguishes two variations of archaea, and shows that archaea are more closely related to eukaryotes than to eubacteria. In the â€Å"eocyte tree,† archaea are not specified at all, but eukaryotes are shown as most closely related to crenarchaeota-eocytes, which was a derivation of archaea in the previous tree. 3. Viruses are not listed in these two phylogenies because they are not proven to be actual life forms. Where archaea, eubacteria and eukaryotes are classified as â€Å"life forms† due to their ability to transfer genes, viruses have not been determined to be living. They are therefore not included on these two phylogenetic trees. At the other website, , a detailed phylogeny of the Eukaryotes is provided. From this it is evident that Fungi are more closely related to Animalia than to Plantae. 5. Both sites show that the major life classifications are â€Å"Bacteria,† â€Å"Eukaryotes,† and â€Å"Archaea. † The â€Å"Tree of Life† site shows the alternatives to how closely the lineages are related, giving two examples of how the three domains may be nested within each other instead of being derived equally. The University of California site breaks down the systematics of each domain separately and more specifically, leaving the three domains as separate entities entirely. Works Cited History of Life Through Time. 2009. University of California Museum of Paleontology. 3 June 2009 . Tree of Life Web Project. 1997. Life on Earth. Version 01 January 1997 (temporary). 3 June 2009 in The Tree of Life Web Project, .

WEEK 5 APPLICATION 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

WEEK 5 APPLICATION 1 - Essay Example d doctoral study, the researcher sought to determine the success of the Project Management Professionals or more specifically to establish the relationship between e-leadership styles and the success of virtual project managers in carrying out virtual projects. To achieve this, the researcher took seventy-four surveys, Leadership Behavioral Analysis II-Self (LABII-Self) surveys on direct project staff that was a clear representation of the population. The LABII provides significant information on how leaders perceive their leadership style, or draws a comparison between their leadership style and those of their peers. Indeed, this style derives an understanding on the perception of ones leadership style. The qualitative tradition applied in this research was ethnography. Most assuredly, the data analysis method used was appropriate for ethnography. Indeed, the method brings in a social and cultural connection as established in ethnography. More so, such a method is adaptive to field research situations like surveys, interviews, and participant-observations as proposed under ethnography. In addition, this data analysis method helps in the realization of more information than what is available at the time of data collection and can respond well to changes. In addition, the analysis method accommodates the two stages in doing a research, observing and recording of data and production and analyzing the research problem a seen in ethnography. Indeed, all aspects of data analysis methods are justifiable. This is because from the surveys, we can establish the leadership style flexibility, chances of misuse, major and minor leadership styles, and the resultant efficiency from respective leadership styles. Furthermore, I think there is no other data analysis method that was sufficiently relevant to this study. This method was able to derive all aspects of leadership as seen herein a fete I doubt any other method would achieve. Indeed, this method is not only specific to

Critical Analysis of Diamond Shipwreck and Tang Shipwreck as the Essay

Critical Analysis of Diamond Shipwreck and Tang Shipwreck as the Milestones in the World Trade Relationship - Essay Example Though the material evidences procured from these two shipwrecks are not sufficient enough to depict the whole trade relationship among the countries of the world, they are quite powerful as proofs to support the historians’ claims about the world trade relationship, which had been greatly influenced by the contemporary power politics of that time. The shipwrecks, being located at thousands miles of distance and occurring at an interval of nine hundred years, significantly serve as milestones in the ups and downs of power relations as well as trade relations among the countries. Shipwreck depicted by Roff Smith occurred on an unknown date in the 1533 and is located at â€Å"the beach sands of the Sperrgebiet† (Smith 3) on Namibia’s south coast, whereas Worrall’s shipwreck is located under the blue water of â€Å"the Gelasa Strait, a funnel-shaped passage between the small Indonesian islands of Bangka and Belitung† (Worrall 2). Depending on a date in scribed on one of the Changsha bowls, Worrall assumed that the shipwreck might occur on an anonymous date in the A.D. 826. The Overall Picture of Asia-Europe Trade Relationships among the Countries The material evidences found at the shipwreck site in the Java Sea fairly prove to be strong support for the historians’ claims about the Chinese commercial relationship with the Arab countries, especially with the economic powerhouse in Baghdad. Worrall claims that ‘The Silk Road and the Maritime Silk Route, which had linked China to the world, lapsed into disuse [after 878 AD]’ because of â€Å"[the Confucian] distrust of merchants and the foreign influences† (Worrall 3). The truth is that â€Å"[the Confucian] distrust of merchants and the foreign influences† was the one and only cause of the lapse of the Silk Route and the Maritime Silk Route. Rather it was one of a number of causes –such as, the Ottoman barricade and dictation, Mongol barbaris m, decay of security, etc on along the Silk Route- that were remapping the political power-relationships among the countries. These reshaped power-relations among the countries were then influencing the Arab-China, Arab-Europe and, therefore, China-Europe trade relationship. Consequently, China turned inward and the European explorers were earnestly searching for an alternate route to Fareast. The European exploration of the Atlantic and the New World was motivated by a number of financial, religious and technological reasons. Following by the industrial revolution in Europe, the Age of Exploration was essentially an age of growing trade and commerce. In later half of the 15th century, the growing strife between Europe and the Ottoman Empire began to narrow the scope of trading silk and spice including incense, medicinal herbs, drugs and opium, etc through the silk route and the spice trade routes. As a response to this shrinking scope of trading along the eastward land and sea rout e, the Portuguese and the Spanish were motivated to opt for another two alternatives: first they were searching for an alternative route to east and Southeast Asian Markets; second, they were trying to find out markets of cheap slave-labors, other valuable goods like gold, silver, ivory, etc in the African region. Consequently, in 1418 the Portuguese began exploration along the African coast of the Atlantic. But being geared up by the Ottoman blockade on the Silk route and on other eastward sea-routes Vasco Da Gama, funded by the Spanish monarch, traveled the African Seacoast of the Atlantic a

Master Dissertation Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Master Dissertation Proposal - Essay Example (Jablonski, 1991) This dissertation proposal is about implementation of a TQM structure through information technology. The industry I have decided to choose for this particular proposal is customer service centers/call centers. Call centers are part of the business where workers answer queries of customer regarding products, services, customer service, etc. nowadays these call centers are outsourced to different organizations and in many cases they are located in different countries to save organization costs. (Bateman et al., 1999) Developed countries have seen rise of call centers outsourcing to other organizations and other countries in the past decade. However there are still loads of issues that the call centers need to overcome in terms of quality of service. (Batt and Moynihan, 2002) A lot of research has been carried out on implementation of TQM in the service industry, however little emphasis has been on use of IT in implementation of TQM. Research has confirmed that implementation of TQM and effective use of IT is far from execution in the service delivery sector. (Yasin et al., 2004) The aim of this research is to identify quality issues in call centers delivery of service and also to recommend a total quality management structure though information technology. The call centers are run and they deliver services which are very much based on IT. However little has been done to bring improvements in the structure. (Au and Choi, 1999) The IT structure is scattered and knowledge sharing is an issue in the industry. (Davenport, 1993) The above mentioned problems come from general perception and experience that customers have from call centers. The aim of this research is two sided; it will focus on both customers and staff of call centers to identify the real problems. The objective is to come up with problems that exist on both sides and then suggest a total quality

Hedge accounting under IAS 39 and IFRS 9 - A critical comparison Research Proposal

Hedge accounting under IAS 39 and IFRS 9 - A critical comparison - Research Proposal Example The second section  reviews  the literature related to IAS 39 and IFRS 9 as financial instruments used in hedge accounting. The next section outlines the methodology used in this study, including a conceptual framework of research variables, data sources, data collection and data analysis methods. The last section of this study discusses the ethical issues ethical issues arising from the proposed research and techniques to address these issues. Introduction Hedge accounting is a technique utilized in accounting where entries for the rights of a security and the opposing hedge are treated simultaneously. Hedge accounting endeavors to ease the volatility generated by the repetitive adjustment of the value of a financial instrument. This reduced volatility is done by combining the hedge and the instrument as one entry, which balances the opposing movements (GUPTA, 2008). IAS 39 Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement are a global accounting standard for financial instrume nts released by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) which summarizes the requirements for the recognition and measurement of financial liabilities, financial assets, and some contracts to buy or sell non-financial items. International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is a complete, internationally recognized set of accounting standards using an  approach  based on principles  with a bigger emphasis on elucidation and relevance of those principles, intending at best replicating the economic substance of transactions. IFRS 9 Financial Instruments outlines the recognition and measurement requirements for fiscal  instruments and contracts to buy or sell non-financial items set to eventually form a comprehensive substitution for IAS 39 Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement. It was initially published in November 2009, reissued in October 2010 with requirements for financial liabilities, and pertains to annual periods commencing on or after 1st Jan uary 2015 (MIRZA & NANDAKUMAR, 2013). What makes IFRS 9 to be the most preferred than IAS 39 is its top preference of financial information which is a prerequisite for the evolution of capital markets as it has been argued that the structure informational environment plays a principal role in helping investors come up with decisions. Regulators will also have a lot of power with them to order a financial body to act whenever an instance is deemed to not be adequate (DICK & MISSIONIER-PIERA, 2010). In conclusion therefore, this is a complex issue that will need to be tackled carefully by experts in this field. In as much as the IAS 39 was greatly deemed unreliable and IASB went to great lengths to come up with a better standard that they thought would be suitable, these efforts may have not paid as it is not yet clear if most companies are going to readily adopt this new standard (IFRS 9). Although it has been termed as better than the previous one, still concerns have been raised th at more amendments should be done on the yet not completed IFRS 9. The major complaint launched being that financial reporting be carried out in a specific context before any standard is imposed. This is actually hard to achieve and may continue to delay the completion of the IFRS 9 which is in fact still underway and has already suffered great delays. IFRS 9 is a 'work in progress' and will eventually replace IAS 39 in its entirety and is subject to

The Pyramids in Giza Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Pyramids in Giza - Essay Example The flight to Cairo was extremely long, with delays and the usual combination of drama and comedy involved in international flights; the destination would be worth it, I told myself. The Captain had just notified us that we were leaving Saudi Arabia flying towards Egypt when I noticed from my wing side seat that the ground below us looked like a plethora of interesting shapes, mostly â€Å"stones† in the middle of a dessert. I later came to realize that these â€Å"stones† were actually buildings. Along the Nile delta, there is greenery, but I soon discovered that dust and sand was the order of the day. Believe it or not, twenty-eight hours after takeoff, we finally taxied down the runway at Cairo airport. It was a step back in time! It wasn’t a particularly hot evening; thankfully wisdom had decreed that we make the journey during the winter months when the sun was not so likely to bake us from the outside in. After traveling for more than one day, exhaustion ha d set in and the only thing I was truly interested in was a hot shower, something to eat, and a still place to lie down.  At the hotel, which, by the way, faced the Nile River, we secured our room and proceeded to unwind.

Organisational Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Organisational Culture - Essay Example Involvement is a very important factor in any place of work. Everyone needs to feel like they are part of the organization so that they can concentrate all their effort in making the company better. In Denison’s model, involvement is one of the components of an effective organization. According to the model, involvement makes people in the organization feel that whatever their input is, it is not taken for granted; instead it is used to make the organization better (Denison et al, 104). Involvement should also not target some people in the organization and leave out other. Everyone form the most junior worker to the highest ranking official needs to be involved in the day to day running of the company (Parker, 2002). Consistency is another important aspect of an affective organization as proposed by the Denison model. Organizational cultures need to be consistent and well coordinated. This way, the core values of the organization will be entrenched and a positive work attitude created among every employee in the organization (Denison et al, 100). When the organizational culture is consistent, running the organization becomes very easy and efficient. Employers and employees can come to agreements on certain issues affecting the company even if they might have divergent points of view. This creates an atmosphere of tolerance and respect which promotes the organization’s productivity (Alvesson, 2002). Adaptability is the third aspect of an effective organization that Denison explains in his model.

Who Rules America Corporate America, Weber & Marx Essay

Who Rules America Corporate America, Weber & Marx - Essay Example The natural rights theorists aim was to show that man was born in a state of nature, and given the right to do as he/she wished, but this was sacrificed to the governance of the land, i.e. that the rational man would give up the state of freedom, for the security and safety of law, governance and sovereignty, but retain the right to obtain and accrue whatever property they wish as long as it is within the rule of law. This is the basis of the US, with its promotion of life, liberty and freedom. A key concept of the American way is that it is the land of equal opportunity and one can reaps the benefits for what they work for. In the US Corporate America and the values of capitalism have the ultimate power, where the equalities in economics are validated with the notion of equal opportunity for all individuals1. This pretty much follows the protestant work ethic, which theorists such as Weber supported; however in response to huge inequalities theorists such as Marx arose who argued th at to have economic inequality is an abuse of the power that the capitalist oligarchy holds. The following section will examine the theories of Weber and Marx The theory of Weber condones the exploitation of the workforce and the inevitable inequalities of economic power. This treatment and mechanization of the workforce may in the short term seem the best way to increase productivity at the minimum price. This is very much the rational approach to human interaction and the increasing of productivity, management and governance of individuals. If there is no objectivity then there can be no maximization of work productivity at the minimum cost. This follows the view of management and governance of individuals, whether it be in the workplace or the governance of the country, where each of the workers need to be treated objectively and equally. Weber also stresses the importance of inequality within the social structure for the workers. Therefore Weber's theory is more than the interaction between the management and the working class. Weber's theory has four parts of society which are; traditional and cultural history and rules; affectual - emotional shaping influences of society; wertrational - value orientated rationality; zweckrational - goal orientated rationality. Therefore the focus of Weber's theory is that society and management can be determined by these four spheres of social classification. The key notion that Weber developed in order to balance out the inherent inequalities is that of the rationalizing of society and law; hence if the values of the society and the goal's of the individual can be rationalized and de-mystified then equality and justice can be instituted to achieve the best system for the society and the individual to obtain these goals. Weber sees it as an important factor that has shaped society and important to understanding the development of societal structure and management. Therefore to truly develop a system that is fair and just and can transcend the barriers of inequality a rational discussion of society needs to occur in order to determine justice and the rights of mankind; however the inequality in the power that Corporate America holds over the labor market is inevitable and just.2 The model of Marxism, on the other hand, states that it does not regard the individual as having any human rights, instead it is for the state to set the needs of the individuals, i.e., it is not the good of the individual that the state upholds but the good and the needs of the state. Marx considered law, justice, freedom and democracy as ideas and concepts that are determined by historical and

MS A.S.Thafeni Essay Example for Free

MS A.S.Thafeni Essay 1. How did I engage myself with the group? Deciding which group or organization to engage with was not easy for me. I had to play around with some ideas and think which one because we have plenty of them around here. In my community we have Trauma Center, FAMSA; we also have lay counselors who are making a difference in more informal way. However deciding how to approach one of them wasn’t easy at all. I felt anxious every time I had to make a choice. I reflected to one of my experiences I encountered long time ago when I relocated to another country (Angola) for three years. When I had to meet different people, different culture, language and so forth. It was totally new environment for me and I had to adjust very fast. The first step I took was to make an appointment with one nurse in charge in our local clinic to authorize me to do my observation in the clinic with the help of my nephew who was employed at the clinic. She agreed. I also went to FAMSA and try to negotiate my entry there as person who needs help, unfortunately, they were not in that day. Then I decided to engage with the group located in my clinic where I got permission. . I learned lay counselors are in attempt to bring change in our community. Targeted members are those patients who visit or come to clinic on a daily basis for various reasons. The group meets during the week (Monday to Friday) at 8am – 10pm. The establishment of the group was two years ago because the concern some few community members had. It seems it has been started by local community members who were concerned about certain issues that affect people. They felt that buy working together as community would bring a difference and enhance life of other people. They also thought that this group will bring some changes in their homes and to community as a whole. This awareness program is not static, new members are introduced daily, weekly and monthly as the group is informal. The program compels no one to stay, people do have right to choice and freedom and it’s being respected by everyone. The goal of this program is to make the people aware of some disease and illness that affect us and consciously and unconsciously. I understand since this program started two years ago, it has been successful. People show interests  and others report that there has been a radical change in their lives as now they know the importance of taking their treatment especially on time, completing the treatment, eating healthy, exercising, teenage pregnancy decreased as youth now know how to protect themselves against the diseases, abortions decreased and so forth. This kind of reports is what kept the program alive. I also understand this program reached so many people every month as they count approximately 300 to 400 monthly. Again they hope that in the long run the community will be better, HIV/AIDS, TB, Teenage pregnancy will be decreased by 50%. What made them certain is that in 2012 when this program commenced within six to seven months, TB and HIV/AIDS was combated seriously and clinic reported that 2% less/ reduced. I also learned that people wants to be taught with the language they understand so that they can participate fully about the things affect their lives on the daily basis. I came to know the group because I am also a community member who also uses the facilities available to my community such as the clinic. Most of the time when I visited my clinic I used to see people entering certain door and I asked a friend who was sitting next to me and also as I have mentioned above I have a nephew who is employed there about the group and she explained to me. Initially, I never give myself time to join or to be interested in whatever they are doing but studying this module made me to be interested in the group. My nephew who works at the clinic helped me to enter the space by introducing me to the nurse in charge. I made appointment with appointment with the nurse. I had to make an appointment because for me it indicated respect as I wouldn’t just enter as I please in the group without permission. I had five minutes with the nurse and explain who I am? What do I want to do? Why, How? When? And after that she gave me permission. What is important I  indicated that whatever I am going to observe here is strictly confidential; it’s only for my assignment purpose. The nurse introduced me to the facilitator who was facilitating the group and I was highly accepted as part of the family but as an observer. The main area of focus is to teach or  make the community members aware about various issues that affect them on the daily basis. Issues such as Teenage pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, TB, STI’s, etc. They also focused on teaching morality because they believe good morality will result in reduced mortality. 2. I had few assumptions before engaging in the context. Assumption 1- The Environment= the environment should be conducive so that members should be comfortable. Assumption 2-The group share common interest. Assumption 3- They group should share common problem. Assumption 4- They must have open communication. Assumption 5 They should have solution to their problem. Assumption 6 – Decisions are made collectively. All these assumptions are only based on my observations that are not confirmed. I was also aware that even though they form a group but they are still unique individuals with their unique experiences (proposition 1 2). These unique experiences will bring change to their lives. I also believed that as a group they have collective knowledge, skills and potential. The only thing that is required is the facilitator to release that potential resource. Aspects pertaining to the social context as well as social issues that the group is grappling with or the challenges the group is facing are denial and distortions about the disease such as HIV/AIDS. Some member of the group came with the interesting aspect that HIV/Aids caused by super natural causes. It is caused by people casting a spell over you (bewitched) (boloi- South Sotho). Some will say the disease can be cured, they know the traditional healers who cured somebody. Some will say its indication  of ancestors calling. Some claims that they don’t have food in order for them to take treatment. Because of these challenges the program had to be adjusted a little bit to accommodate these challenges. The members will somewhere somehow include God and super naturals in their discussions, for an example, a woman was taught about the HIV/AIDS illness, how we contact it and so forth, and she also made her inputs that in the Bible all these illnesses where predicted, therefore its not a miracle. During my observation I realized that people are struggling to relate with the  environment also with one another. For an example, during the session the group members were afraid to talk their hearts out. I can assume that members know each other perhaps as a neighbor, friend. Therefore, their friendship or neighbor relationship deprived them freely participation in the group as one will think that what others will do or say or one doesn’t want others to know about his /her business or issues the one struggling with. According to part two of the study Guide – The ‘cracked’ landscape Society in crisis. I have realized that people are not aware that they are not alone, they are not individuals. They failed to cherish the idea of ‘motho ke motho ka batho ba bang’ – ‘Humanity’. They still isolate themselves, still have negative thinking that no one can help them and yet they don’t realize that this behavior is abnormal as it makes us to live like animals – where we should be on a look out everyday – who says what, to w hom? In what manner? This behavior also creates tension between the people, create hunger, poverty, violence, discrimination (Study Guide for PYC3705:24). Our society is broken into smaller pieces. However, As I was observing this group I realized positive things about the members. Even though disclosing in public is not their way of life but they do need help. I saw this after the first session ended. Some of them wanted private dialogue with the facilitator. Others shared their experiences with others in private. That private conversation gave them hope and less despair and that allowed development among the group itself. The second session – the following day I saw different group than  yesterday in terms of enthusiasm, energy. The dialogue was just open and free and that also helped other to open up. I heared other member of the group says â€Å"Ka ikutlwa ke fodile† – â€Å"She now feels better or healed†. That where I learned that talking or opening up indeed heals and assist the government cost on medicine. I think the are some similarities and differences I have observed with regard to what constitute a counseling setting. Why I am saying this is because firstly, as I have mentioned above about the well reception I received from the group and the counselors. This indicated positive regard for others  Unconditional positive regard is one of the climate that the counselor should create so that people should feel accepted, and that how I felt. As I observed the counselor/ facilitator’s. According to study guide for PYC3705:40, explains that unconditional positive regard is being present is the basis from which people can explore thoughts, feelings and experiences. This is what I saw from the lay counselor. That is reason why members of the group were able to express their feelings about the HIV/AIDS issues. Even though members introduced their knowledge about traditional healers who can treat various illnesses, she was non – judgmental, she showed warmth through body langu age – used posture, maintained eye contact and that indicated one of the values that she should have – Respect. Secondly, she created the safe environment (proposition 17). She allowed the group members to be themselves. She let them to deal with the issues they felt strong about e.g. (What do you guys want us to talk about today?). She let them to self determine (proposition 4). She never judged them. She respected every one’s ideas. She listens to each and every one of them. She was attending every member of the group. The lay counselors even though they conduct counseling informally as they have no formal training in psychology , like Mrs. Bengu in the study guide for PYC3705 they provide emotional support in the community in collaboration with others. What I also observed in this group is ‘Confidentiality’. We know that this is a dilemma. One member in the group requested that what they discussed in there it should end there. She herself she doesn’t want to hear her problems outside that group. If her request is not respected, then she will be very disappointed. All members including the facilitator agreed on that and made promise to one another that they will be confidential. This indicated the unity of the group (proposition 3). The differences I saw was lay counselor couldn’t recognize the discrepancies between what the member was saying and how was said or behaved. She was just accepting what ever the member said. Two, non-verbal communication, what the member was communicating through her body language e.g. member is communicating something but she puts hands on her mouth. She doesn’t use minimal encouragers, open question paraphrasing and so forth. The lack of attentiveness skill. According to (Grobler and  Schenck 2009:46), attentiveness is the way in which the facilitator orientates him or herself physically and psychologically towards the clients. However, the counselor will answer her phone during the session with the client without apologies. This is the evidence that I have conducted a proper research. As I have mentioned earlier the group is located in my local clinic and is informal, is not registered, the counselors are not qualified or trained. Therefore, they make use of the pamphlets available in the clinic such as Drug-resistant, TB and HIV and TB in the Workplace. REFERENCES Grobler, H. Schenck, R. 2009. Person centred facilitation. 3rd edition. Oxford University Press Modutla, K. Semenya, B. 2010. Only study Guide for Transformative counseling encounters. University of South Africa. Louw, H. 2008-2010. Only study guide for Participatory community development in social work and the social service professions. University of South Africa.

Perception of the African American Males Essay Example for Free

Perception of the African American Males Essay

Climate Change Mitigation Strategies: UNFCCC and India

Climate Change Mitigation Strategies: UNFCCC and India From UNFCCC Goals to India Abstract: Climate Change has the potential to alter the ability of the earths physical and biological systems to provide goods and services essential for sustainable development. Recognition of Climate Change as a significant global environmental challenge has a recent origin. International efforts to address the climate change formally began only a decade ago with the adoption of United Nations Framework Convention to Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1992. India is a party to UNFCCC and the government of India attaches great importance to climate change issue. India is a vast country covering 3.28 million Km2 with diverse surface features and supports 16.2 percent of the global human population. Endowed with varied soils, climate, biodiversity and ecological regimes, under diverse natural conditions and over a billion people speaking different languages, following different religions and living in rural and urban areas, India is an example for a complex yet successful democratic system. Decentralization of powers through local government, to benefit the grass root level is another significant feature of Indian Government. The 73rd and 74th Amendment Acts, 1992, of the Constitution of India have endowed vast powers to local governments at rural and urban levels respectively. Indias commitments to mitigate climate change are reflected in the essence of these two acts and the working and powers given to the local government. This paper explains and brings to picture how climate change mitigation strategies are filtered in Indian System right from the UNFCCC goals to The Government of India and further to smaller levels of local governments. The paper will explain the hierarchy and working of Indian governance system and highlights the climate change initiatives within this system. The paper will also analyze the constraints and gaps in the institutional setup at local level, which, if rectified, would give more successful results in Climate Change Mitigation Mission of the Government of India. Introduction: Over a decade ago most countries joined an international treaty- The United Nations Convention on Climate Change so as to consider the impacts of climate change and to work for adaptation and mitigation initiatives for secure future and sustainable development. The convention, commonly known as the UNFCCC entered into force on 21 March 1994. The ultimate objective of The convention is stabilizing green house gas emissions at a lower level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate systems. Under the convention the governments- Gather and share information on greenhouse gas emissions, national policies and best practices Launch national strategies for addressing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to expected impacts, including the provision of financial and technological support to developing countries. Cooperate in preparing the adaptation to the impacts of climate change. In 1997, the Kyoto protocol came into being, which shared the conventions objectives, principles and institutions and also significantly strengthened the convention by committing the parties to individual and specially; â€Å"legally binding targets† to limit or reduce climate change. The text of the Kyoto Protocol was adopted unanimously in 1997; and it entered into force on 16 February 2005. India is signatory to various multilateral environmental agreements, including The Montreal Protocol, The convention on Biological diversity, the United nations Convention to combat desertification ,including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) .Government of India attaches great importance to climate change issues. Eradication of poverty, avoiding risks to food production, and sustainable development are three principles embedded in the Convention. At present, information provided in the Indias Initial National Communication to the UNFCCC is in terms of guidelines prescribed for Parties not included in Annex I to the UNFCCC and the inventory is prepared for the base year 1994. India is a vast country. It covers 3.28 million km2 of area having diverse surface features. Also, it occupies only 2.4 percent of the worlds geographical area, but supports 16.2 per cent of the global human population. The country is endowed with varied soils, climate, biodiversity and ecological regimes. â€Å"Under such diverse natural conditions, over a billion people speaking different languages, following different religions and living in rural and urban areas, live in harmony under a democratic system†( India NATCOM,2004). Climate Change Negotiations Global warming issue became a part of the international agenda in 1988. The climate issue, initiated by the small island nation Malta, came up at the UN General Assembly in December 1988, as part of a discussion on the common heritage of mankind. The resolution set up a preparatory committee to work towards an international agreement. The concern for global warming particularly by the industrialized countries geared up since then and climate politics came into being and were refined with a series of international conferences and formal negotiations that followed. The momentum culminated in the signing of a Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) and opened for signatures at the Rio Earth Summit in June, 1992. The FCCC aims at stabilization of greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations, in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. Subsequently, the parties to the FCCC adopted the Kyoto Protocol in December, 1997. However, the developing nations see the Protocol as burdened with loopholes because of the fact that it emphasizes on the economic concerns, rather than ecological or social justice. The main area of dispute between the developed countries and the developing countries lies in the sectors pertaining to equity and sustainability. However, the operational details of the Kyoto Protocol have now been finalised after intensive deliberations at Marrakech, on November 10, 2001, which was participated by 171 countries . The protocol has been guided by Article 3.0 of the FCCC, and marks the first global attempt to place legally binding limits on greenhouse gas emissions from developed countries. The Protocol calls for 5.2% reduction from their 1990 level of GHG emissions by the developed countries during the period 2008-2012. It also specifies the amount each country must contribute toward meeting the reduction goal. Nations with the highest CO2 emissions like the United States, Japan and most European nations are expected to reduce emissions by a range of 6 to 8 per cent. By 2005, all industrialized nations that ratify the accord must also show demonstrable progress toward fulfilling their respective commitments under the Protocol. Some issues that add to the complexity of the Kyoto Protocol: Considerations for baseline and its effects The target of 5.2% reduction beyond 1990 level in the commitment period 2008-2012, were dependent on 1990 emissions. This meant that if a country which had high emissions in 1990 and had reduced them between 1990 and thereafter, then it could actually increase its emission once again, or only stabilize these, and not carry out any reductions. As an example one can analyse the case of Australia. In 1990, as much as 30 percent of the emissions were from deforestation, which eventually became a blessing for the country for, instead of penalizing for creating the problem in the first place, Australia has been able to use its emission to its advantage, by winning the right to count any improvement from its 1990 level as its national credit. And as its deforestation rate has been controlled, it actually can increase its emission above and beyond the figure of 8 percent it is expected to reduce. On the other hand, USA and Japan were lobbying hard to change the date of baseline from 1990 to 1995. The reason for this lies in the fact that both the countries have made a significant increase in carbon emissions between 1990 and 1995. Flexible mechanisms The Kyoto Protocol includes three mechanisms Art.6 (Joint Implementation), Art.12 (Clean Development Mechanism) and Art.17 (Emissions Trading), These mechanisms are meant to pave an explicit way for developed countries to meet their Kyoto targets easily. The cheapest and the most attractive option for meeting the emission targets of the North (i.e developed countries-Annexe I) being the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) that will be operated on the project basis invested in the South (i.e under developed countries). This implies that, as global warming is bound to be unsolved even by the end of this century, the South would have to pay a heavy price in future once they have reached a high level of energy efficiency through means like CDM. For by then the cost of carbon cutting will be very high even for the developing countries, which would eventually have to do the carbon cutting on their own. The next issue comes on the question of energy-efficient technology, which the North wishes to push to the South through CDM. As technology up-gradation is a continuous process, hence what is the most efficient technology at the time of implementation of the CDM project, may be obsolete within few years that follows. Principle of equity: the Kyoto Protocol does not define the rights and responsibilities of all nations within a reasonable frame. So long as the world remains within a carbon based energy economy, equitable sharing of the atmosphere shall remain a critical issue, especially for poor developing countries who need a maximum space for their future economic growth. The Kyoto reduction, by itself, is inadequate to achieve a stabilization of climate change by 2100. A continual and larger reduction, similar to that stipulated in the Kyoto Protocol for the 2008-2012 period, will be needed in the future in order to begin to stabilize long-term greenhouse gas emissions. Even if stabilization of greenhouse gases is achieved, global warming will still continue for several decades and sea levels will continue to rise for several centuries. This is because Even if the emissions from the developed countries were reduced to zero in the near future, the current trends of growing emissions from developing countries alone could force the atmospheric concentration to exceed stabilization levels of 550 ppm ( Parivesh, CPCB,2006). Thus, participation of all countries, including the developing countries such as India, is essential for a successful worldwide effort to arrest the growth of greenhouse gas emissions. India and Climate Change- The Threats and Vulnerability Climate Change is a major global environmental problem and an important issue because of diverse impacts not only ecological, but economic, social, political and physical in nature and content. It is a matter of great concern especially for developing countries like India who have limited capacity to develop and adopt strategies to reduce their vulnerability to changes in climate. Global, national and local level measures are need of the hour to combat the adverse impacts of climate change induced damages. â€Å"India being a developing country has low capacity to withstand the adverse impacts of climate change due to high dependence of majority of population on climate sensitive sectors as the agriculture, forestry and fisheries†,( Shukla, et.al, 2003). This is coupled with poor infrastructure facilities, weak institutional mechanisms and lack of financial resources. This is the reason why we are seriously concerned with the possible impacts of climate change. The possible impacts of climate change are mentioned below: Water stress and reduction in the availability of fresh water due to potential decline in rainfall. Threats to agriculture and food security, since agriculture is monsoon dependent and rain dependent agriculture dominates in many states. Shifts in area and boundary of different forest types and threats to biodiversity with adverse implications for forest-dependent communities. Adverse impact on natural ecosystems, such as wetlands, mangroves, grasslands and mountain ecosystems. Adverse impact of sea-level rise on coastal agriculture and settlements. Impact on human health due to the increase in vector and water-borne diseases, such as malaria. Increased energy requirements and impact on climate-sensitive industry and infrastructure. One of the various reasons for vulnerability of India depends on its typical and diverse climatic conditions. India is subject to a wide range of variation in climatic conditions from the freezing Himalayan winters in the north to the tropical climate of the southern peninsula, from the damp, rainy climate in the north-east to the arid Great Indian Desert in the north-west, and from the marine climates of its vast coastline and islands to the dry continental climate in the interior. The Indian summer monsoon is the most important feature in dictating meteorology of the Indian subcontinent and, hence, its economy. Almost all regions of the country receive entire annual rainfall during the summer monsoon (also called the SW monsoon), while some parts of the south-eastern states also receive rainfall during early winter from the north-east monsoon. Therefore, India could be more at risks than many other countries from changes in temperature and sea level. Models predict an average increase in temperature in India from 2.3 to 4.8  °C for the bench mark doubling of carbon dioxide scenario (Lonergan, World Bank Technical Paper No.402, 1998). Temperatures would rise more in Northern India than in Southern India. In the North Indian Ocean, under a doubling, the average number of tropical disturbance days could increase from 17 to 29 a year (Haarsma et.al Climate Dynamics, Vol.8, 1993); while, without protection, approximately 7 million people would be displaced, and 5,760 Km2 of land and 4,200 Km of road would be lost (Asthana, JNU, New Delhi, 1993). Further, in the Indian context, climate change could represent an additional stress on the ecological and socioeconomic system that are already facing tremendous pressure due to rapid urbanization, industrialization and economic development. Options for Mitigation â€Å"The ability to adapt to climate change depends on the level of income and technology, as well as the capacity of the system of governance and existing institutions to cope with change. The ability to mitigate GHG emissions depends on industrial structure (the mix of industrial activities), social structure (including, e.g., the distance people must travel to work or to engage in recreational activities), the nature of governance (especially the effectiveness of government policy), and the availability and cost of alternatives. In short, what is feasible at the national level depends significantly on what can be done at the subnational, local, and various sectoral levels†(Climate Change 2001: Working group III: Mitigation; IPCC,2001).The challenges of climate change mitigation involve diverse issues economic, political, social and environmental. Governance is one of the prime issues in mitigation of climate change impacts. A structured governance system is the only tool through which any policy framework or initiative can be achieved. The importance or role of governance in mitigation thus can be described through its three pillars: Organizational Structure- Through governance the qualities of organization participation, transparency and accountability can be achieved in the mitigation exercise at all levels.. Financial Mobilization- This involves ensuring financial commitment globally, at national levels and also at local levels of the government Legal Framework- It ensures empowerment, enforcement and compliance of mitigative strategies and supporting environmental laws. As the National GHG inventory for India shows, the major increase in GHG emissions over the next 20 years would be related to energy consumption. As India has abundant coal deposits, it is beyond doubt that coal will be the dominant source of energy. Therefore, energy efficiency measures in this sector remain our prime concern. Power generation in India is expected to reach a peak demand of 176 GW by 2012, and the total energy requirement will be 1058 billion units (Parivesh, Central Pollution Control Board, 2006). This is why; increasing the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency in the form of low carbon options are the two main measures that can greatly reduce GHG emissions. We will now simultaneously specify what scientific mitigation tools for climate change are available for various sectors and the corresponding governance measures to actually target the process of mitigation. The energy sector: Fiscal incentives and taxes, voluntary emission reductions, green rating, and capacity building etc. Another area of importance is the transmission and distribution losses, which is energy loss. There is considerable scope of reducing losses, meant to translate into a large mitigation potential. Two major categories of Barriers hinder adoption of electricity conservation and demand management in India. a) Macro-level barrier At the level of governance system; either policy induced or due to lack of appropriate policies and; b) Micro-level barriers related to the consumers and the economic environment they face.This can be equated to lack of awareness about possible alternatives on the part of the consumers and lack of awareness drives on the part of the government. The forestry sector: IPCC Second Assessment Report categorizes three broad options for abatement viz. Conservation management: This strategy attempts to conserve the existing carbon storage capacity of forests by halting or slowing down forests deforestation and forests degradation. Storage management : This strategy attempts to increase carbon strategy in woody vegetation and soil in existing degraded forests, as well as to create new carbon sinks in areas where forests do not exists or have been cleared. These may be achieved by promoting natural regeneration, reforestation on deforested lands, aforrestation of non-forest lands and agro-forestry on crop and pastureland. Substitution management: This strategy attempts involves the replacement of fossil fuels by renewable fuel wood or other biomass products. Here, governance plays an important role based on it a capacity to generate and bring about changes in the management of forests and augmentation of use of renewable products. The agriculture sector: Methane emissions from rice cultivation remain the major contributor of GHG emissions. Other sources being enteric fermentation, manure management, agricultural soils etc. Abatement strategy in this sector in India can be achieved given the scientific expertise available in India, but require gearing up by proper governmental intervention at the level of ministry of agriculture, as far as policy initiatives are concern, and through local governments for implementation and monitoring. The industrial sector: As the national inventory of GHG shows, major contribution came from energy intensive sectors like iron steel, fertilizer, cement, aluminium, paper pulp etc. A few option available for energy efficient options in power, industrial and domestic sector are given as follows: Source: Teri, New Delhi. These can be supported by further subsidizing use of energy efficient options and where required made mandatory by the government under the periphery of the existing environmental laws of the country. Mitigation through sinks: Carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere by a number of processes that operate on different time scales, and is subsequently transferred to reservoirs or sinks. The Kyoto Protocol through its Ariticle 3.3 allows afforestation as a sink to reduce carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. Further, Article 3.4 of the Kyoto Protocol states that additional human induced activities in the agricultural soils and LULUCF categories may be added to the three mechanisms (Joint implementation, Clean Development mechanism and Emission trading) subject to certain conditions. In India, forestry is dominated by government based institutions. These institutions need new insight so that they can effectively incorporate mitigation policies and measures in their resource management activities. According to the central Pollution Control Board, India has been persistently implementing one of the largest reforestation programs in the tropics with over one million hectares planted annually. Nearly half of this reforestation is on degraded forests and village common land. It is estimated that the carbon uptake in forests, degraded forests, and plantations is estimated to offset the gross carbon emissions from the forests sector. Carbon dioxide emissions in India are projected to increase from no-net emissions in 1990 to 77 million tonnes by 2020( Parivesh, CPCB,2006). Barriers to mitigation: Greenhouse gas mitigation measures are compounded by several barriers inherent to the process of development. In India, inequitable distribution of income and wealth forms a core feature of barriers to effective implementation of any type of intervention in India, leave apart climate change. Available instruments to limit domestic GHG emissions can be categorized into market based instruments, regulatory instruments, and voluntary agreements. For the developing countries, however, domestic structural reforms and policies on trade liberalization and liberalization of energy markets act as barriers to GHG reduction. These policies coupled with macroeconomics, market oriented reforms, set the framework in which more specific climate policies would be implemented. The IPCC Special Report on technology Transfer (IPCC, 2000) identifies various important barriers that could impede environmental technology transfer, such as: lack of data, information, and knowledge, especially on emerging technologies; inadequate vision about the understanding of local needs and demands; high transaction costs and poor macro economic conditions; insufficient human and institutional capabilities; inappropriate technology adopted and Poor legal institutions and framework. These hold good for the overall barriers of mitigation in Indian Context also. In terms of governance and its intervention, technology transfer can be traded off with some of our own indigenous technologies. This will ensure equitable exchange and also promote indigenous Indian Science. National Policy for Climate Change Mitigation We, as present generation have inherited this environment and atmosphere from our ancestors. Further the consequences of climate change will be faced by our children in the future. And so it can be said that climate change is an inherently different and irreversible problem as compared to other environmental problems. Also, the assumption that prior experience of problems like air pollution has failed at many levels as a good model upon which policy decisions on climate can be based. Options to mitigate climate change include actual emission reductions carbon dioxide sequestration and investments in developing technologies that will make future reductions affordable and easily available since cheap relative to their current costs. Since the inception of UNFCC in 1992, the Govt. of India has been an active participant in the climate charge negotiations. India being a party to the UNFCC was the 38th country to ratify it on November 01, 1993. The Ministry of Environment Forests is the nodal Ministry for all environment related activities in the country and is the nodal Ministry for co-coordinating the climate charge policy as well. The working group on the FCCC was constituted to oversee the implementation of obligations under the FCCC and to act as a consultative mechanism in the Govt. for impacts to policy formulation on climate change. To enlarge the feedback mechanism the Govt. of India has constituted an Advisory group on climate charge under the chairmanship of the Minister of Environment Forests. Development of National Guidelines Policy Options for reducing GHG Emissions The national guidelines or framework for monitoring GHG emissions and policy options for reducing GHG should emphasize not only on issues associated with climate change but also include the following: Emission Forecasting Setting goals Policy criteria Policy evaluation Organizational and political issues Climate change and GHG emission and sequestration may include many sectors of society and extend far into the future. Furthermore, policy measures to address GHGs overlap with many other public policy objectives, however in a complimentary way. Policy formulations involve: Understanding the issues at hand, Having a broad vision of the range of actions that governments can take to address those issues, Selecting from within this the approaches that offer the most potential far achieving multiple public goals. More importantly, the policy formulation process must respond to local circumstances and must address institutional, fiscal, political, and other constraints. The Govt. of India has nevertheless addressed a large number of local and regional environmental issues in its developmental strategy that are complementary to the climate change issue. Institutional Arrangements So Far For Climate Change Related Strategies In Area of Research The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), Ministry of Science and Technology (MST), Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), Ministry of Water Resources (MWR), Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Ministry of Non Conventional Energy (MNES), Ministry of Defence (MoD), Ministry of Health and Family welfare (MoHFW), are the main ministries of the Government of India which promote and undertake climate and climate change-related research in the country. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is also am important agency involved in working of this area and is under the direct governance of the Prime Minister.It supports all the above agencies with satellite-based passive remote sensing. The MoEF, MST, MHRD and MOA operate under the umbrella of many premier national research laboratories and universities. The most prominent being the 40 laboratories of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), an autonomous body under the MST; and the vast network of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) under the MOA. The CSIR is the national RD organization which provides scientific and industrial research for Indias economic growth and human welfare. It has a countrywide network of 40 laboratories and 80 field centers. The ICAR network includes institutes, bureaus, national research centers, The Department of Science and Technology (DST) under the MST coordinates advanced climatic and weather research and data collection over the Indian landmass. There are three premier institutions under DST that are solely dedicated to atmospheric science viz. the IMD, the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecast (NCMRWF) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM). Apart from the Indian initiatives, climate change research promoted by international organizations like the World Climate Research Program (WCRP), International Geosphere Biosphere Programme (IGBP), International Human Dimension Program (IHDP) and DIVERSITAS are being strongly supported by various Indian agencies like Indian Climate Research Program (ICRP) under DST, National Committee- International Geosphere Biosphere Programme (NC-IGBP) constituted by Indian National Science Academy (INSA) and Geosphere-Biosphere Program (GBP) of ISRO. Agencies like CSIR, also provides infra-structural and financial support to carry out research in the area of global change In Area of Development The single most important feature of our post-colonial experience is that the people of India have conclusively demonstrated their ability to forge a united nation despite its diversity, and to pursue development within the framework of a functioning, vibrant and pluralistic democracy. In this process, the democratic institutions have put down firm roots, which continue to gain strength and spread. A planned approach to development has been the central process of the Indian democracy, as reflected in the national five-year plans, state plans,departmental annual plans, and perspective plans of various ministries of the central and state governments. For the last five and a half decades, the guiding objectives of the Indian planning process have been sustained economic growth, poverty alleviation, food, health, education and shelter for all, containing population growth, employment generation, self-reliance, peoples participation in planning and programme implementation, and infrastruc ture development. The National Conservation Strategy and Policy Statement on Environment and Development, 1992, provides the basis for the integration of environmental considerations in the policies of various sectors. It aims at the achievement of sustainable lifestyles and the proper management and conservation of resources. The Policy Statement for Abatement of Pollution, 1992, stresses the prevention of pollution at the source, based on the ‘polluter pays principle. It encourages the use of the most appropriate technical solutions, particularly for the protection of heavily polluted areas and river stretches. The Forest Policy, 1988, highlights environmental protection through preservation and restoration of the ecological balance. The policy seeks to substantially increase the forest cover in the country through afforestation programmes. This environmental framework aims to take cognizance of the longer-term environmental perspective related to industrialization, power generation, transportation, mining, agriculture, irrigation and other such economic activities, as well as to address parallel concerns related to public health and safety. The statutory framework for the environment includes the Indian Forest Act, 1927, the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. Other enactments include the Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991, the National Environment Tribunal Act, 1995, and the National Environment Appellate Authority Act, 1997. The courts have also elaborated on the concepts relating to sustainable development, and the ‘polluter pays and ‘precautionary principles. In India, matters of public interest, particularly pertaining to the environment, are articulated effectively through a vigilant media, an active NGO community, and very importantly, through the judicial process which has recognized the citizens right to a clean environment as a component of the right to li

Feminism And Gender Equality In The 1990s :: essays papers

Feminism And Gender Equality In The 1990's Overall, the rights and status of women have improved considerably in the last century; however, gender equality has recently been threatened within the last decade. Blatantly sexist laws and practices are slowly being eliminated while social perceptions of "women's roles" continue to stagnate and even degrade back to traditional ideals. It is these social perceptions that challenge the evolution of women as equal on all levels. In this study, I will argue that subtle and blatant sexism continues to exist throughout educational, economic, professional and legal arenas. Women who carefully follow their expected roles may never recognize sexism as an oppressive force in their life. I find many parallels between women's experiences in the nineties with Betty Friedan's, in her essay: The Way We Were - 1949. She dealt with a society that expected women to fulfill certain roles. Those roles completely disregarded the needs of educated and motivated business women and scientific women. Actually, the subtle message that society gave was that the educated woman was actually selfish and evil. I remember in particular the searing effect on me, who once intended to be a psychologist, of a story in McCall's in December 1949 called "A Weekend with Daddy." A little girl who lives a lonely life with her mother, divorced, an intellectual know-it-all psychologist, goes to the country to spend a weekend with her father and his new wife, who is wholesome, happy, and a good cook and gardener. And there is love and laughter and growing flowers and hot clams and a gourmet cheese omelet and square dancing, and she doesn't want to go home. But, pitying her poor mother typing away all by herself in the lonesome apartment, she keeps her guilty secret that from now on she will be living for the moments when she can escape to that dream home in the country where they know "what life is all about." (See Endnote #1) I have often consulted my grandparents about their experiences, and I find their historical perspective enlightening. My grandmother was pregnant with her third child in 1949. Her work experience included: interior design and modeling women's clothes for the Sears catalog. I asked her to read the Friedan essay and let me know if she felt as moved as I was, and to share with me her experiences of sexism. Her immediate reaction

the mind Essay -- essays research papers

Free Your Mind - Free Your Life. Escape entrapment by developing: thought emotion, and communication. Clear out your mental garbage and Develop new ways of thinking. Avoid being overwhelmed - by your emotions or by another's. Be in control of your feelings and be in control your life. Renew your mind and renew your existence. We are trapped within our minds within our universes. Like the maker of the computer who becomes controlled by his creation, we as spiritual beings have become entrapped within our own creations - our minds. Developed, like the computer, to free us from the tedium of routine existence, our minds have become our masters. Made originally for us to control, they now control us. Minds full of junk As beings living now, we have minds filled with junk - perhaps from many aeons ago. And ways of doing things that belong in the days of tooth and claw! We need to both clean out our minds, and remake new, more useful programs to help us live effectively and to continue our spiritual quest. Our minds contain thoughts, procedures and images - pictures, sounds, feelings and taste-smells. We think by following procedures we have developed - but probably long forgotten and long been unaware of. For example, in a phobic situation, we see something which we associate with some emotions and consequently behave in a certain way. In the phobic state the emotion is fear and the behaviour is probably escape or attack. In a phobia the thing we are afraid of is not a threat to the body. "Nothing is a threat to the spirit!" (Nothing is a threat to the spirit!) The fear is irrational or extreme. Even if we do not have phobias, the principle affects all of us. The way we think in phobicly does not help us at all. At the very most it is a relic from some past threat. Phobias are not usually big issues with many of us, but their principle affects us all, when we think of irrational nervousness in situations where there is no physical threat. And the same mechanism works whenever we loose control of ourselves, either due to extremely pleasurable or painful emotions. We react with too much emotion and overwhelm ourselves. When we hear speech in a certain tone, for example, and we note certain actions we might conclude that the other person doesn't like us, and we think we should get our own back. Mental program: ... When ... ...fainted in a certain situation. She could not recall the image she made in that situation - that frightened her so much she fainted. So Freud sent her back to that situation, with the instructions that she should remember the image this time! By becoming aware and confronting the image, the girl was able to overcome her fainting attacks! Making Progress In making our progress we need to clear the mind of old, useless thoughts. We need to be aware of them and deal with them appropriately. These thoughts can be mental images, sounds, etc, and also language. Our minds can generalise and the troublesome thinking might be extremely abstract generalisations. By clearing the mind of this debris and replacing old, useless procedures with useful ones we can begin to make spiritual progress, and begin to learn about our true nature. Minds are useful, but not minds filled with garbage. The answer isn't to throw out the mind, but to clean it up and put the right data in it this time! Freed of our fears and our excitements, we can begin to live live more fully and happily, attaining our goals for the benefit of all. We will also have removed some of the impediments to spiritual development.

Feedback Stress: Does Auditory Feedback Negatively Affect Performance o

The Stroop Effect In his historic study, Stroop found that reading names of colors interfered with individuals’ ability to name the ink color the word was printed in when the two differed (i.e., the word â€Å"BLUE† written in red ink) (1935). However, the basis of this phenomenon can be traced back to Cattell who found that naming colors and pictures took twice as long to accomplish than reading the word these colors or pictures represented (1886). He concluded that this was due to reading being an automatic process while identifying colors or pictures requires a conscious effort (Cattell, 1886). MacLeod (1991) reflects that it was Cattell’s work which strongly influenced future psychologist including Stroop. In his experiment, Stroop investigated how the reaction time to name colors increased when it conflicted with the automatic process of reading. He broke down his experiment into three parts. In the first, he tested how reading the name of a color printed in a different ink color (i.e., BLUE) differed from reading the name of a color printed in black ink (i.e., BLUE). The difference between the name of the color and the ink color it was printed in caused a slight interference resulting in an increased reaction time of 2.3 seconds (Stroop, 1935). In the second part of his experiment, Stroop (1935) looked at reaction time differences between naming the color of solid blocks (i.e., ââ€"   ââ€"   ââ€"   ââ€"   ââ€"  ) versus naming the color of the ink not the name of the color (i.e., responding â€Å"RED† for BLUE). He found that participants required 74% more time to name the color of the ink when it did not agree with the name of the color (Stroop, 1935). Stroop concluded that it was the interference between the automatic process of reading the na... ...oop: An interference task specialized for functional neuroimaging – validation study with functional MRI. Human Brain Mapping, 6(4), 270-282. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0193(1998)6:4 Cattell, J. M. (1886). The time it takes to see and name objects. Mind, 11(41), 63-65. MacLeod, C. M. (1991). Half a century of research on the Stroop Effect: An integrative review. Psychological Bulletin, 109(2), 163-203. doi: 10.1037/0033-2909.109.2.163 Richards, A., French, C. C., Johnson, W. Naparstek, J., & Williams, J. (1992). Effects of mood manipulation and anxiety on performance of an emotional Stroop task. British Journal of Psychology, 83, 479-491. Shor, R. E. (1975). An auditory analog of the Stroop test. Journal of General Psychology, 93, 281-288. Stroop, J. R. (1935). Studies of interference in serial verbal reactions. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 18(6), 643-662.

Brain Cell Transplants

For decades the wonders of science have miraculously improved and given hope to the unfortunate individuals of the world. From stem cell research to cloning, there is not a day that goes by that there is not a lab that is not full of eager scientists working hard in effort to find a cure for some of the millions of illnesses that are present today. There are many disabled children living throughout the world today. In fact, they make up quite a large portion of the world.From mental illnesses, to physical disabilities, there are thousands  of different types of diseases that strike newborns and children every day. Causes attributed to such illnesses can be anything from hereditary reasons to environmental. Fortunately, we have our magnificent scientists striving to help these children. In August of 2000, scientists began developing brain cell transplants to treat the damage caused by a stroke. The procedure appeared to benefit some patients. What this means is that their is, in fac t hope for children with mental disabilities, because a stroke causes mild to sever brain damage.Rehabilitation plays an important role once the brain cell transplants have taken place. And, not all patients will show signs of improvements. This is an ongoing study that is still being worked on and has much room for improvement. In the laboratory, scientists have actually developed a process which uses several to transform cells called LBS-neurons into mature brain cells or neurons. The regular LBS-neurons originate from human tumor tissue composed of embryonic like cells. This is a long way from looking through a magnifying glass!

Human Interaction from a Psychology Perspective

Human Interaction from a Psychology Perspective Do we act the same within social interactions as we do when we feel that no one else is looking? Do we conform to society’s standards of what is considered normal behavior? Does our behavior in social interactions depend on a variety of factors ranging from brain chemistry, individual belief’s, cultural influence? We are all influenced by a variety of factors in our social interactions with others. Does the interaction offer us some type of recognition or personal reward? What can we get out of the social gathering that we beneficial to us in the long run? Do we act what is considered normal in our social interactions with others or adopt maladaptive behavioral patterns that lead to chronic disturbances in interpersonal and occupational functioning. according to Kowalski, induces a higher rate of conformity among its members. In this type of culture lacking autonomy, obedience is taught by parent to child as a means of future survival (Kowalski & Western, 2009) andA that the childaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s role in society has been predetermined. In communism conformity is not a choice, rather a governmental mandate to remain within the norms of the communistic society in place. Democratic Societies Whereas communism attempts to create a single social norm from many cultures, democracies promote social norms based on many cultures. Within democratic societies exist many cultures based on ethnic, religious, economic, and social affiliations. A childaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s future is not encoded from birth, rather determined by his or her choice of social affiliations. Although many factors contribute to a person conforming to social norms, many antisocial behaviors can develop as well. According to Steinberg; The increased importance of peers leads adolescents to want to alter their behavior in order to (sic) fit in; because they care more about what their friends think of them, they are more likely to go along with the crowd to avoid being rejected (Steinberg & Monahan, 2007, para. 5). Peer pressure is more likely to alter behaviors of those under the age of 14 as he or she tries to fit into a present group culture. Social interaction at this point dictates whether the learned behaviors are socially acceptable or not. Between the ages of 14-18 the individuals begin to resist peer pressures as they begin to develop emotional autonomy (Steinberg & Monahan, 2007). Intervention. Whether in a communistic or democratic society, it is individual behaviors that are judged by society to be either normal or antisocial. In either society, if a mental †¦ is in dissension of other individuals established beliefs or standards the action is considered to be disrupting or deviant and is rejected. Many times individuals perform deviant acts which are not necessarily harmful to society as a whole but are potentially threatening to their own existence. This brings in the question of what type of assistance the individual requires in order to change their behaviors. Psychoanalytical therapy may be helpful in order to determine the underlying causes for the deviant behavior. Disorders such as obsessive-compulsive behaviors may not affect an individualaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s social interactions; however, these behaviors could potentially have a negative effect on individual abilities to find employment. A Individual interactions within a culture should be performed in an effort to unify personal positions within that society and to strengthen relationships within the community. Societies which enforce responsibility from their leaders are motivated to include a much greater level of development while those which are commanded by power have the tendency to lose. Individuals who try to control others, either in the place of work or on a personal level, frequently exhibit these behaviors due to a lack of self-confidence which has been infused in them due to various reasons. While at times it is necessary to take charge of specific situations, those who are provocative in their approach would benefit from psychological therapy in order †¦ Treatment and Prognosis of PTSD. There are various types of therapy and medications that has proven to be successful in treating PTSD. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is most effective in treating PTSD. Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy, Cognitive Processing therapy, reprocessing and Eye movement desensitization therapy are also other means of therapy that is successful in treating PTSD. Types of drugs known as Selective Serotonin Reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) which is typically used for depression has been successful in treating PTSD. The prognosis for PTSD depends on severity and length of how long a person has suffered with the mental illness. A majority of those who seek treatment do respond to psychotherapy but residual symptoms may remain and go into remission for different lengths of time. It is important to seek treatment for PTSD as symptoms may become so debilitating that it will interfere with a person’s ability to lead a full and productive life References or Cited Sources: Web MD. (2009). Types of Mental Illness Retrieved from http://www. webmd. com/mental-health/mental-health-types-illness Retrieved on August 8, 2011. Department of Veteran Affairs. Understanding PTSD Treatment Retrieved from http://www. ptsd. va. gov/public/pages/gen-treatment. asp Retrieved on August 8, 2011. eMedicine Health. (Medical Author: Maria Pease, MD. Medical Editor: Melissa Conrad Stoppler, MD Bradley, R. , J. Greene, et al. â€Å"A Multi Dimensional Meta-analysis of Psychotherapy for PTSD. † AMJ Psychiatry 162. 2 (2005): 214-227. Retrieved from: http://www. emedicinehealth. om/post-traumatic_stress_disorder_ptsd/article_em. htm Retrieved on August 8, 2011. Human Interaction from a Psychology Perspective Do we act the same within social interactions as we do when we feel that no one else is looking? Do we conform to society’s standards of what is considered normal behavior? Does our behavior in social interactions depend on a variety of factors ranging from br ain chemistry, individual belief’s, cultural influence? We are all influenced by a variety of factors in our social interactions with others. Does the interaction offer us some type of recognition or personal reward? What can we get out of the social gathering that we beneficial to us in the long run? Do we act what is considered normal in our social interactions with others or adopt maladaptive behavioral patterns that lead to chronic disturbances in interpersonal and occupational functioning. according to Kowalski, induces a higher rate of conformity among its members. In this type of culture lacking autonomy, obedience is taught by parent to child as a means of future survival (Kowalski & Western, 2009) andA that the childaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s role in society has been predetermined. In communism conformity is not a choice, rather a governmental mandate to remain within the norms of the communistic society in place. Democratic Societies Whereas communism attempts to create a single social norm from many cultures, democracies promote social norms based on many cultures. Within democratic societies exist many cultures based on ethnic, religious, economic, and social affiliations. A childaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s future is not encoded from birth, rather determined by his or her choice of social affiliations. Although many factors contribute to a person conforming to social norms, many antisocial behaviors can develop as well. According to Steinberg; The increased importance of peers leads adolescents to want to alter their behavior in order to (sic) fit in; because they care more about what their friends think of them, they are more likely to go along with the crowd to avoid being rejected (Steinberg & Monahan, 2007, para. 5). Peer pressure is more likely to alter behaviors of those under the age of 14 as he or she tries to fit into a present group culture. Social interaction at this point dictates whether the learned behaviors are socially acceptable or not. Between the ages of 14-18 the individuals begin to resist peer pressures as they begin to develop emotional autonomy (Steinberg & Monahan, 2007). Intervention. Whether in a communistic or democratic society, it is individual behaviors that are judged by society to be either normal or antisocial. In either society, if a mental †¦ is in dissension of other individuals established beliefs or standards the action is considered to be disrupting or deviant and is rejected. Many times individuals perform deviant acts which are not necessarily harmful to society as a whole but are potentially threatening to their own existence. This brings in the question of what type of assistance the individual requires in order to change their behaviors. Psychoanalytical therapy may be helpful in order to determine the underlying causes for the deviant behavior. Disorders such as obsessive-compulsive behaviors may not affect an individualaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s social interactions; however, these behaviors could potentially have a negative effect on individual abilities to find employment. A Individual interactions within a culture should be performed in an effort to unify personal positions within that society and to strengthen relationships within the community. Societies which enforce responsibility from their leaders are motivated to include a much greater level of development while those which are commanded by power have the tendency to lose. Individuals who try to control others, either in the place of work or on a personal level, frequently exhibit these behaviors due to a lack of self-confidence which has been infused in them due to various reasons. While at times it is necessary to take charge of specific situations, those who are provocative in their approach would benefit from psychological therapy in order †¦ Treatment and Prognosis of PTSD. There are various types of therapy and medications that has proven to be successful in treating PTSD. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is most effective in treating PTSD. Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy, Cognitive Processing therapy, reprocessing and Eye movement desensitization therapy are also other means of therapy that is successful in treating PTSD. Types of drugs known as Selective Serotonin Reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) which is typically used for depression has been successful in treating PTSD. The prognosis for PTSD depends on severity and length of how long a person has suffered with the mental illness. A majority of those who seek treatment do respond to psychotherapy but residual symptoms may remain and go into remission for different lengths of time. It is important to seek treatment for PTSD as symptoms may become so debilitating that it will interfere with a person’s ability to lead a full and productive life References or Cited Sources: Web MD. (2009). Types of Mental Illness Retrieved from http://www. webmd. om/mental-health/mental-health-types-illness Retrieved on August 8, 2011. Department of Veteran Affairs. Understanding PTSD Treatment Retrieved from http://www. ptsd. va. gov/public/pages/gen-treatment. asp Retrieved on August 8, 2011. eMedicine Health. (Medical Author: Maria Pease, MD. Medical Editor: Melissa Conrad Stoppler, MD Bradley, R. , J. Greene, et al. â€Å"A Multi Dimensional Meta-analysis of Psychotherapy for PTSD. † AMJ Psychiatry 162 . 2 (2005): 214-227. Retrieved from: http://www. emedicinehealth. com/post-traumatic_stress_disorder_ptsd/article_em. htm Retrieved on August 8, 2011.