The Amazon Rainforest

An issue in the world today that is extremely troubling is the deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest. The world’s largest remaining natural resource is at risk of total destruction. This beautiful South American forest represents 40% of the continent and 54% of the total remaining rain forests that are left. It covers nine of the countries in South America which include Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Bolivia, Guyana, French Guiana and Suriname. From May 2000 to August 2006, approximately 150,000 square kilometers of the rain forest in Brazil was lost.This is an area larger than the country of Greece. What is even more frightening is the fact that since 1970, over 232,000 square miles of the Amazon rainforest has been destroyed. The Amazon Rainforest is a tropical rainforest ecosystem. They are known to be found near the equator. What makes them known as â€Å"rain forests† refers to the moisture and humidity that they contain. These forests which are lush with tree s and other amazing plant life have year-round warm temperatures with high humidity and heavy—almost daily rainfall.It does not rain every day in the Amazon Rainforest but it does receive an average of nine feet of rain per year. The Rainforest of the world now only cover 2% of the globe, however ecologists do estimate they hold half of the world’s plant and animal species. R. A. N. is one of the organizations advocating for the Rain Forest to be left alone. It stands for the Rainforest Action Network. One of the issues that RAN has cites is that pulp from cleared rainforests is made into cheap copy paper, books, tissue and toilet paper and luxury shopping bags that are then sold to consumers in the United States, Europe and Asia.RAN’s Rainforest-Free Paper Campaign is working against corporations and the Indonesian government to stop turning forests into paper plantations. They have made significant progress such as pressuring Boise Incorporated to stop buying wood fiber taken from the traditional territory of the Grassy Narrows. Shortly after, Abitibi Bowater, the largest paper company in the world, agreed to stay off of Grassy Narrows land. According to dictionary. com the definition of deforestation is, â€Å"the cutting down and removal of all or most of the trees in a forested area.Deforestation can erode soils, contribute to desertification and the pollution of waterways, and decrease biodiversity through the destruction of habitat. † Most rainforests are cleared by chainsaws, bulldozers and fires for its timber value and then are followed by farming and ranching operations. The latest statistics show that rainforest land which is made into cattle farms gets the land owner $60 per acre and if timber is harvested, the land is worth $400 per acre. Cattle ranching is the leading cause of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon.This has been going on since the 1970s. Approximately 38 percent of deforestation from 1966-1975 is due t o large-scale cattle ranching. Unfortunately the present day situation may be even worse. According to the Center for International Forestry Research, â€Å"between 1990 and 2001 the percentage of Europe's processed meat imports that came from Brazil rose from 40 to 74 percent and by 2003 for the first time ever, the growth in Brazilian cattle production—80 percent of which was in the Amazon—was largely export driven. This issue affects the tribes that still live in the Amazon Rainforest. These people and their ancestors have been living off of the land for thousands of years. Their culture is formed from the rainforest itself. There are even some tribes that have never had contact with any other person outside of their own tribe. If they are taken out of their homes over time they will lose their languages, art, tales and knowledge of the forest and past. There were an estimated ten million of these people living in the Amazonian Rainforest five centuries ago. Today there are less than 200,000.Thousands upon thousands of species other than humans live in the rainforest such as bacteria, plants and mammals. Thousands of other species once existed in this ecosystem but due to deforestation and other causes, they are now extinct. There are estimations that 137 plant, animal and insect species go extinct every single day due to said deforestation. That means about 50,000 species are lost each year. As these species only found in the Amazon Rainforest leave this world, many possible cures for life-threatening diseases follow. There are presently 121 prescription drugs sold worldwide that come from Amazon plants.A good 25% drugs that come from rainforest ingredients have tropical trees and plants of which less than 1% have been tested by licensed scientists. In the long run, the destruction of the rainforest will kill almost every living thing on the plants. According to www. amazon-rainforest. org, the Amazon Rainforest has been described as the â⠂¬Å"Lungs of our Planet. † This is because it provides the essential environmental world service of continuously recycling carbon dioxide into oxygen. More than 20 percent of the world oxygen is produced in the Amazon Rainforest. The survival of the human race depends on the survival of the Amazon Rainforest.WORKS CITED â€Å"About RAN | Rainforest Action Network. † Rainforest Action Network | Environmentalism with Teeth. Web. 02 Nov. 2010. ;lt;http://www. ran. org/content/about-ran;gt;. â€Å"Amazon Rainforest. † Blue Planet Biomes. Web. 01 Nov. 2010. ;lt;http://www. blueplanetbiomes. org/amazon. htm;gt;. â€Å"AMAZON RAINFOREST FACTS. † UNIQUE SOUTHAMERICA TRAVEL EXPERIENCE. Web. 03 Nov. 2010. ;lt;http://www. unique-southamerica-travel-experience. com/amazon-rainforest-facts. html;gt;. â€Å"The Amazon Rainforest. † Rainforests. Web. 29 Oct. 2010. ;lt;http://rainforests. mongabay. com/amazon/;gt;. â€Å"Deforestation in the Amazon. Rainforest â⠂¬â€œ Mongabay. com. Web. 02 Nov. 2010. <http://www. mongabay. com/brazil. html>. â€Å"Endangered Rain Forest Animals. † Liza's Reef -Coral Reef Art. Web. 02 Nov. 2010. <http://www. lizasreef. com/HOPE FOR THE RAIN FORESTS/endangered_rain_forest_animals. htm>. â€Å"How Big Is The Amazon Rainforest In Square Miles? † Ask Questions, Get Free Answers – Blurtit. Web. 1 Nov. 2010. <http://www. blurtit. com/q145171. html>. Spoolman, Scott E. â€Å"7: Climate and Biodiversity. † Environmental Science. By G. Tyler Miller. 13th ed. Mason, Ohio: Cengage Learning, 2010. 134-36. Print.

My American Dream

The American dream can have so many different meanings to so many different people around our country. This is what makes the American dream so wonderful, the fact that you get to determine your dream is in some cases the American dream for some people already! Luckily I myself am able to determine my American dream. I have always thought of my American dream of being able to live a simple life in which I am able to have a stable job that I enjoy.Most importantly though is I would like to not only have free time and do things that enjoy like watch my favorite sports team or spend time with my friends. Overall I guess you could just say that I would just like to live my life to the fullest. Some other things that I would like to be included in my American dream is being able to manage my time the way I want to, although this sounds like a very simple wish in my opinion people don’t realize how much time can dictate your life.So many times I find myself missing out on the opport unity to do something simply because there wasn’t enough time. Lastly but most importantly I dream of living a long-term healthy life because no matter what you wish for, you would never be able to enjoy it without your health. I believe that my American dream is reasonable and achievable and one day I hope to end up getting to live a life similar to this.

Analysis of Health Education Pamphlet Essay

Analysis of Health Education Pamphlet: Helping Yourself Heal When Your Spouse Dies Mental health is an important component of overall healthcare, but it is often overlooked. Although society has become more aware of mental health issues, there is still a stigma perceived, and individuals are often reluctant to disclose their mental health issues for fear of rejection, prejudice or avoidance by others (Turner, 2013). Grief and the grieving process is a common aspect of mental health; this pamphlet’s target audience is individuals who have lost their partner (Wolfelt, 2011). The goal is to provide information and reassurance that their grieving is normal and necessary. The analysis of this pamphlet will include an examination of its layout appeal, content and quality of information, an assessment of the reading level and its appropriateness for the target audience, clarity, examples of health care promotion, usefulness, cultural sensitivity and competence, along with helpful tip s for self-care and health management. Layout Appeal A first glance at this pamphlet shows a soothing but attractive picture of a dandelion in full seed. The background is a muted brick red/brown, with the dandelions depicted in light blue that lighten further to bright white in the center. The title is in white with the word â€Å"Spouse† enlarged. This certainly catches one’s eye and clearly announces the target audience it intends. The interior of the pamphlet is all text but divided into titled sections of two paragraphs each. The section titles could read separately from the rest of the content and still lend insight to the reader. For example, the first four section titles are as follows: Acknowledge Your Loss, Allow Yourself to Mourn; Recognize Your Grief is Unique, and Talk Out Your Thoughts and Feelings. The background of the interior is white, the print in black, with the exception of the section titles, which are in blue ink. There are faint pictures of dandelions on the interior, carrying over the cover design. Overall it is very pleasing and attractive. Content and Quality of Information The content of this pamphlet was developed by Dr. Alan Wolfelt, Director of the Center for Loss and Life Transition and faculty at the University of Colorado Medical School’s Department of Family Medicine. Dr. Wolfelt has  written extensively on the subject of grief and loss, as well as conducting classes in the subject. Each of the titled sections is two paragraphs and covers just one aspect of grief and loss. It can be read in one sitting or one section at a time. The information of the pamphlet covers the entire grieving process and offers reassurance, comfort, and empathy without being rigid about the grieving process. It allows an individual to take in as much as they can, and then refer to the pamphlet as a reference. Reading Level/Appropriate Literacy Level Delgado and Weitzel conclude in their study on literacy of lower-income urban adults that most participants had â€Å"reading and comprehension levels at beginning high school level† (Delgado, 2013), and suggest that clients may have difficulty understanding the offered information. They recommend that printed information for the general public be written on a level to ensure comprehension by the target audience – at the 8th to 9th grade level (Delgado, 2013). The content of this pamphlet flows nicely and was analyzed using two different reading level assessment tools: ATOS (ATOS Assessment, 2014) and SMOG (SMOG Assessment Overview, 2012). The ATOS scoring placed the content of the pamphlet at the 8th grade reading and comprehension level, with the SMOG scoring slightly higher at the 9th grade reading and comprehension level. Overall, the pamphlet meets the recommendations of Delgado and Weitzel, and should be readily understandable by most adults. As this pamphlet is targeted for adults who have experienced the death of a spouse, the pamphlet is entirely appropriate in reading and comprehension levels. Clarity The target audience and intent of this pamphlet are clear from the first glance and onward. It contains concise and useful information and gentle guidance while stressing individuality. The content is written in plain language and is easily understood. Each section has a title and addresses only what the title states, creating manageable bits of information. It does not overwhelm the reader. Usefulness This pamphlet provides much useful information on the grieving process. It gives examples of the types of emotions one might experience during grief and reassures the reader that each person grieves in their own way. It gives valuable information and reassurance without becoming â€Å"preachy† and patronizing. Different aspects of grief are explored and explained, and the reader is encouraged to embrace their grief, experience it and know that to suppress the grief and emotions accompanying it can be detrimental. Cultural Sensitivity and Competence While the pamphlet does not address specific cultural differences, it does acknowledge that there are cultural differences exist. The author also encourages the reader to embrace their own cultural traditions pertaining the death, loss and grieving that will bring them and their families comfort. Helpful Tips for Self-Care and Health Management Many helpful tips are offered in this pamphlet; from acknowledging grief and mourning to finding support systems to dealing with the possessions of the deceased. The overall tone of the pamphlet is one of acceptance, reassurance, and comfort. It encourages the reader to be compassionate with oneself, to be open about the pain of loss and not to repress emotions. It also informs the reader that they will experience a range of emotions, sometimes within a short period of time, and that it is normal. This is a gentle and useful pamphlet that offers both comfort and a guideline to aid a person through the grief of the loss of their partner. Reference ATOS Assessment. (2014). Retrieved from Renaissance.com: http://www.renaissance.com/Products.Accelerated-Reader/ATOS Delgado, C. &. (2013). Reading comprehension levels in a sample of urban, low-income persons. Health Education Journal 72(3), 345-350. SMOG Assessment Overview. (2012). Retrieved from Havard.edu: http://www.cdnl.sph.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/135/2012/09/pdfSMOGoverview Turner, R. N. (2013). Combating the mental health stigma with nostalgia. European Journal Of Social Psychology, 43(5), 413-422. Wolfelt, A. (2011). Helping yourself heal when your spouse dies. Fort Collins, CO: Companion Press.

Case Collection Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Case Collection Study - Essay Example The interrelationships between what used to be an indicator of health or illness in the economy have changed dramatically and analytics must be changed to reflect those facts. An example of one of the ways that the world is very different is the health of the stock market as a reflective device about the wealth of the nation. While the stock market has been showing better numbers in recent months, the nation on the whole is not thriving at the same level with unemployment still high. As well, the level of CEO salaries are over 300% that of the average worker. It used to be that the level of salary of a CEO reflected the health of the salaries of the employees. In 1980 the ratio between the CEO and the worker was 42-1 (Carroll & Buchholtz, 2010. What this reflects is the continuing disparity of wealth in the United States. And while this existed in 2007, the economic downturn of 2008 established the destruction of the Middle class, creating a whole new way in which consumer prediction s needed to be approached. The cost of living has gone up and working class people and the remnants of the middle class have very little disposable income. Davenport, Harris, and Morison (2010) discuss some of the reasons to not use analytics. One of these reasons is when history misleads the results of the analytics. Because of the changes that have occurred in the last six years, the historic interconnections of different indicators are not necessarily still meaningful. The example of the stock market and how it no longer indicates overall wealth is an example of how predictors can now be misleading for the future from today. Willis (2011) writes that in the last century the stock market has always been an indicator of overall wealth, but since the economic downturn that has changed. This example shows how a number of factors have changed in the new economy and in order to create a predictive analysis, these factors must be taken into consideration. What has not changed, however, is the power of distinction. People are still finding ways to buy items and distinction has created enough power for many companies to thrive in this stifled economy. One example of this is the iPad which launched in 2009 and sold over 25 million of the units in a few short years. Distinction has created the market for the iPad and its competitors have not come near to duplicating that success (Bell, 2011). It is the one that comes out first that will get the attention and this is how distinction is still a powerful factor. This can also be seen in the iPhone which has decent competitors, but all one has to do is watch the commercials to see that the competition is doing its best to diminish the cult status of the Apple phones. Through trying to insinuate that they are at the end of their life-cycle competitors like Galaxy and Microsoft are using a thin stick to strike a mighty mountain. In order to gain the power of predictive analytics, then, it is important to recognize what has changed in the last six years, but to realize that the most important part of business has not changed. When a new idea is good and has a great deal of consumer value the idea will succeed. Demand can be predicted through distinction, but where there is no distinction and an idea is being recycled or improved upon, the predictive analytics will have to take into consideration the real status of the

Soccer and American Football Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Soccer and American Football - Essay Example Football now reflects the basic, underlying cultural dynamics of contemporary America. Football is urban, it uses "educated" players, it is complex, specialized, violent and sexy. In football every second counts, as it does in America, where "time is money." These changes line up with the values people find in football. Baseball became irrelevant. Soccer provides people with an opportunity to let off steam, to get rid of tensions, to have pleasure. Thesis Soccer and the American football have many similarities in main rules and traditions which make both of them very popular among youth. Both soccer and American football are favorite games of millions of people which bring satisfaction and raises team spirit. Like American football, soccer is an organized game that has become institutionalized. Soccer and American football are amazing: energetic and vigorous games. Soccer and American football are based on competition between two teams which involve 11 players each. In both cases, the aim of the game is score. In soccer, t he main equipment is a ball and goals. The soccer and American football ball has two-toned, black and white, markings. Thus, American football is ruled by six-tackle rule while soccer is subjected to the Laws of the Games. At the beginning of the game, players kick off a coin. During this time, all players are on their own side of the field. The traditional shape of the field is about 100 yards in length and 50 yards wide. A field for American football has 360 by 160 feet There are boundary lines surround the field considered part of the filed. Th is differed from not taking the game seriously, in that it involved, not a transformation of the game itself, but rather an alternative to the game that was defined as providing greater enjoyment than what would have otherwise occurred. Soccer game lasts for 90 minutes. Also, American football has four 15 minutes quarters (Goldblatt 76). In soccer and American football, players pay the main attention to team strategy and the configuration of players around the point of action. Usually, players try to concentrate upon the position of attackers in relation to the defense and overall the success of each attacks. Each time the cross occurred, a player crossed the area in front the defense. During this game, the important step is possession of the ball which switches back and forth between the teams. I a team several times lost possession when they made a bad pass, sent the ball out of bounds. When possession of the ball changed from a team to the other, the attacking team became the defense, and a team became the offense. Because this happens very frequently during a game, it is important for team to make the transition quickly. Players of both teams wear uniforms. Still, American football has special numbers for all positions, so it is easy to understand the role of each player: e.g. 1-9 are used for quarterbacks, kicke rs, and punters (MacCambridge 87). The end of the game is usually vigorous marked by competition and desire to win. Furthermore, soccer almost invariably involved competition;

Community Involvement in Construction Dissertation

Community Involvement in Construction - Dissertation Example The involvement of the community benefits both the community and the economy. The research is made to enhance the economy and to attain advantages from the community. Different books, literary articles in different magazines, newspaper and journals are utilized for the collection of data and information (Groat & Wang, 2002). However, interviews and questionnaire were also adopted for the collection of data. The construction publications and governmental publication are also considered important for the research. The government publications are important in determining the legal situation of the subject. Methodology In order to research the hypothesis, two research methodologies can be adopted (Groat & Wang, 2002). One method is to simply collect the data with relevance to the statement and then prove the hypothesis through the observation and with the help of available information. The collection method should involve the relevant books, journals, literature, etc. The method is often called as the qualitative research method. However, proving the hypothesis by utilizing the scientific tactics or scientific methods, which involves the practical behavior and responses from the people that are influencing the research directly. The method may not involve the collection of data through books, journals, etc. Such research method is known as quantitative research method. ... Secondly, utilization of the questionnaire and interviewing also help community development and fight legal and formal issues. Qualitative and Quantitative Research methods: Qualitative research approach involves the collection of data by researching and exploring the subject of subject without utilizing the principles and laws. The information explores the subject corresponding subject and its constituent parts. The attained information is carefully studied and conclusion is drawn with relevance to the collected information (Groat & Wang, 2002). The information is collected from the books, journals and other such sources that cover the subject. In a quantitative research method, an experimental method is utilized, which follows the scientific methods. In a scientific methods, a sequence of procedures are followed and then according to the finding evaluated through the steps, conclusion is made. The research method involves the collection of data through experimentation and directly consulting the persons that are directly involved (Groat & Wang, 2002). Interviewing or questionnaire is a part of the quantitative research method. Data collection: The information is gathered from various sources and thus it is not in the form that is required. The gathered information required editing. Editing of the information involved the selection of appropriate content and discarding the inappropriate information that is irrelevant to the subject of the research (Groat  & Wang 2002). Secondary Data Collection: In the qualitative research method, primary as well as secondary information sources are searched. Secondary information sources include the previous researches and information available in

Adult stem cells Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Adult stem cells - Essay Example Stem cells are responsible for tissue or organ formation during prenatal life, and also for further growth. They are also responsible for repairing and regeneration of internal body system. This internal replenishing system works continuously throughout our life span. These cells display important attributes, which distinguishes them from normal cells. The cell division of stem cell gives rise to new stem cell or turned into specialized cell with definite function such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell, or a brain cell. In vivo or in vitro stimuli activate these cells to acquire special functions by becoming part of tissue- or organ-specific cells. Stem cells in the gut and bone marrow are at continuous task to repair and replace injured or eroded tissues, and therefore they multiply regularly by a process of cell division. In the organs like the pancreas and the heart, they are generated under certain physiologic conditions (http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/basics4.asp). The ma jor breakthroughs in stem cell research will able to figure out clearly the development of an organism from a single cell. The most of the work is reported on two types of stem cells embryonic stem cells and non-embryonic stem cells. There is a recent introduction of genetically "reprogrammed" stem cell termed as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in 2006. Stem cell therapy is administered through local delivery or systemic infusion, of autologous or allogeneic cells. This aids in restoring the viability or functioning of damaged and malfunctioned tissues (Lu, Zhang & Jin, 2009). Non-embryonic stem cells are also called as ‘adult stem cells’. They are undifferentiated cells, found throughout the body of animals and humans in differentiated tissue or organ after the embryonic growth. They are also termed as somatic stem cells which are responsible for building different specialized cell types. These cells play pivotal

Advertising Campaign among the United Kingdom and Italy Essay

Advertising Campaign among the United Kingdom and Italy - Essay Example As pointed by De Mooij and Keegan (3), advertising culture includes personality, cognition, expression, and emotion, which are all influential in shaping consumer behavior. To be successful advertisers are required to know the similarities as well as the differences of consumers in diverse cultural (3).Cross cultural communication solutions are critical to effective cross cultural advertising for any country, including the United Kingdom and Italy. Services and products are usually designed and marketed at a domestic audience. When a product is then marketed at an international audience the same domestic advertising campaign abroad will in most cases be ineffective.The essence of shock advertising is convincing people that a product is meant for them and shock advertising are all about morality. They usually involve sniffing out, simply for the sake of provocation, the ripest cultural taboo. By purchasing it, they will receive some benefit, whether it be lifestyle, status, convenienc e or financial. However, when an advertising campaign is taken abroad different values and perceptions as to what enhances status or gives convenience exist. These differences make the original advertising campaign defunct. It is therefore critical to any cultural advertising campaign that an understanding of a particular culture is acquired. The problems of communicating to people in diverse culture are one of the great creative challenges in advertising. Communication is more difficult because cultural factors largely determine the way various phenomena are perceived. Its perceptual framework is different; perception of the message itself differs. So, there are some shock advertising features in adapting from culture to culture. In Italy and in the UK shock advertising feeds on the market's inclination to reward the unconventional and take advantage of the media's shifting stand on of public sensibilities. 2. The differences and similarities in the using of Shock advertising. Some brands use shock tactics in advertising to break through ad clutter and make people take notice. The question is whether these shock tactics work or whether they just upset people. Benetton and Barnardo, Calvin Klein and FCUK have all been challenged for being too shocking. Benetton (Italy), its first steps in shock advertising were connected with "multi-racial" theme, the idea of colors, they showed a group, made up of people with different colored skin.(Appendix 1) "It was fantastic, so exhilarating to show the products in such a new and simple way." (13) Then the company uses attitudinal and unconventional advertising to mix political and social issues with their ad messages in their campaigns. There was a genuine interest in human rights and other socially conscious causes: "The purpose of advertising is not to sell more. It's to do with institutional publicity, whose aim is to communicate the company's values. We need to convey a single strong image, which can be shared anywhere in the world."(13) So, Benetton's advertising draws public attention to universal themes. The shocking photographs of Benetton's immaterial advertising had no parallel whatsoever in its material offerings. Not in its brightly colored shirts, not in the atmosphere of its stores and not in its point-of-purchase materials. Sure this contrast was shocking too, but it was shock for the sake of shock (and an immediate cash flow). Sooner or later the initial rush was

Project Management ( Humanitarian Project) Essay

Project Management ( Humanitarian Project) - Essay Example The basic goal of logistics is to transport these resources with as little loss of as little resources as possible. As mentioned above when it comes to a humanitarian project logistics play a crucial role. Logistics in humanitarian projects are thought of as a bridge between the processes of procurement and of distribution (Thomas, 2003). Moreover the speed with which aid is moved from the headquarters onto the field is given great importance, the less time logistics takes to transport resources the greater number of lives can be saved. Thirdly the data obtained from logistics provides a general idea of successful humanitarian efforts have been within a certain part of the world. The data obtained can be of great use regarding any future relief efforts that are carried out (Thomas, 2003). The current project aims at providing food, water and other basic necessities to Mongolia where people are suffering a great deal from starvation and malnutrition. This part of the report would focu s on the tasks within the project that deal with logistics and transportation. This section would take into account all the processes and steps needed to transport various resources to the various distribution centers that are spread across the field. Work breakdown structure As mentioned above logistics encompasses a number of methods and processes that help smooth delivery of resources from one place to another. These processes can be classified into three main categories processing, transportation and support activities. The processing category takes into account the activities that take place before resources are shipped (Kasilingam, 1998). The process of transportation is considered as the heart of the logistics phase and contains the bulk of activities that are carried out within the logistics phase. The third category is known as the support activities. Support activities comprise of all the activities that aren’t part of the core operations of logistics but are essent ial to optimize the processes involved (Kasilingam, 1998). Individual work breakdown dictionary: Packaging of material: ensures that the material and resources that are being transported are not damaged. Temporary storage of material: once material is procured it is temporarily stored in a warehouse or a storage unit until it is processed and is shipped to its destination. Record material shipped: a formal record of all the materials that are shipped or transported is kept in order to keep the material as organized as possible. Collection of data: data on various aspects such as cost, source of the resource being obtained and the staff of the company collects information about the drivers. Maintenance of records: the information that is collected, in the process above, is properly managed in different databases of the company. Analysis of data: analysis of the information that is collected is conducted to help understand how the process of logistics and transportation can further be optimized in future humanitarian projects. Selection of type transport: analysis is conducted to help understand which mode of transport would be best suited to carry out the task at hand. Freight consolidation: a service that is obtained from the shipping company which helps lower cost of shipment and increases the security of materials being transported. This is achieved by

Career Action Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Career Action Plan - Assignment Example Furthermore, a marketability analysis would be provided based on a research of my marketable skills as contrasted with the attributes that one’s professional industry is looking for. The evaluation would include which attributes one possesses and which ones have to be worked on. Concurrently, the ideal situation would be detailed through conducting a S.W.O.T. analysis of one’s current and ideal situation. In addition, my short-term and long-term goals would also be presented in the process. Finally, the steps to success section would discuss the strategies which are to be designed to achieve the explicitly defined career goals. People pursue different careers to serve varied personal and professional goals. Some individuals are given the foresight to discern which specific profession to pursue. Others manifest genuine interests in specialized endeavors through possessing innate skills and talents of distinct crafts or fields of study. In my situation, I have envisioned working in a banking institution as part of the management team. To enable me to prepare for the profession, I am currently pursuing higher education with courses that would match job requirements in business, banking, and finance. Currently, I am not working since as an international student studying in Australia, I have to focus on my studies on a full-time basis. Likewise, I could not undertake any part-time job due to visa restrictions. So far, the only work experience previously undertaken were volunteer works; specifically during the holidays when volunteerism in community activities entail providing assistance for building houses for the poor and homeless citizens. Despite the lack of work experience, I have perceived that I possess skills and attributes that would prepare me for future employment. The endeavors undertaken in school, at home, as well as while undertaking

Rodney King Essay Example for Free

Rodney King Essay Initially, I did not have that much knowledge of the Rodney King beating. I have heard of the event on multiple occasions and the brutality that came about after the trial verdict. I only had knowledge of King being an African American man who was beaten by white officers. I didnt know he was speeding and that it led to a police chase. As to the riots, I had known of the protests and the violent outbreaks against the verdict of the officers. Hearing of Los Angeles people stand up against such a aye as Kings gave me a good feeling. I strongly disagree with any form of prejudice acts and knowing that people from such a mixed city stood against it as well made me happy. Because of my little knowledge of such an event In Californias history, I think that It was In Anna Deveare Smiths mind that years later, young kids will not know about Rodney King. using a stance such as people that were actually involved in riots or effected by them or Just knew about the events because they lived in LA is such a throng point of view to see. Reading real words that people spoke and see them portrayed on stage would be so much more effective than any fictional play that Smith could have thought of in the first place. She captured the events of through peoples words, different ethnicities and backgrounds at that, and that is something that history books could never show. Twilights recognition that we must reach across ethnic boundaries Is simple but true.

Psychology and Pets Essay Example for Free

Psychology and Pets Essay When you are tired of stress from work, pets can encourage you to go out for a walk to release stress or play with you in the garden. Pets bring you some moments of relaxation and mind refreshment, which makes you never feel lonely even when you live with no one. It is obvious that pets can create new attitudes towards life for people, particularly for the disabled and withdrawn who are always not confident in communicating or taking part in social activities. By keeping pets, they may become more sociable, open and approachable because they can interact, communicate and play with their pets. Due to the advantages it offers, keeping pets becomes a popular, especially in Eastern countries, for the older generation, who often live far from their children. In these situations, pets are truly their close friends, helping them remove the feeling of emptiness and loneliness. The companionship of pets may meet some basic human needs, which is not easily explained in theory but is believed by most people. Pets guard houses and save peoples lives. In many cases, people choose to keep dogs for their home security. The houses will become safer because strangers might be scared that they will be attacked by the animals inside. When you are out and you leave your house empty, you do not have to worry that burglars may break into the house and take away valuable assets even when you return home at mid night. If there is any intruder or strange persons around your house, dogs will bark loudly, making a noise to frighten the stranger and give you a warning. Pets can protect not only the assets but also save peoples lives. Dogs and sometimes cats can attack the burglars to protect the owners in case they are harmed. Many owners can stay alive due to the protection from the dogs they keep in their houses. Pets enhance nice behavior among children Researchers showed that children who usually play with pets can behave nicely and become more caring. Playing with pets and learning how to treat them with love may help uncommunicative children be agile and affable, which is important for their growth in the distant future. Kids sometimes find no interest in getting outside, but they may alter their decisions immediately if they see that they can take a cat or a dog along. Teenagers, whose parents are too busy to spend time with them, sometimes have to face with bland lives and loneliness. In these scenarios, they consider pets to be their alter ego who they can play and talk with, which can solve some kind of emotional problems that children are vulnerable to get. It is believed that teaching kids to treat kittens and puppies with care and kindness is of great importance for forming their behaviors and characteristics. To sum up, keeping pets is not merely a habit but is one way of relaxation and amusement. Moreover, keeping pets does not only guard your house but also fulfills some basic mental human needs.

Online Reservation For Car Service Information Technology Essay

Online Reservation For Car Service Information Technology Essay The Project of Online Reservation for Car Service is needed for the country as technology grows fast in the world. The purpose to develop this project is to provide better solution to the problems that the customers faces. This website will provide customers to reserve their car services from their home or from office. For moment, there is non- availability such reservation system in Malaysia. Customer feels hard to send their car for service, either they need to reserve using telephony system or walk in to send their car for service. At the end of these project, a prototype of justified system will develop which will provide a solution for the identify problem to improve the organizations revenue and performance. This system will be web based system where it is able to conduct an overall process of online registration and bookings too. The data will be stored in keep as privacy for each customer who has register. Finally, the proposed system will save time for the customers who have to wait the queue for those who walk in and telephone reservation. Project objective The main objective of this system is to provide customers with a much convenient and better way of booking their car services. It is an online system for car services reservation and users will have to sign up through the registration page so theyll be able to view the various car services provided by the car services centre. This way of reservation is unique in Malaysia as it has been already implemented in other countries. This system is created to manage the reservation processes through online where the previous older ways were done manually. This system would be a productive solution for users and the car services centre. It will also reduce the work process of the admin while the data will be kept securely. Project scope The scope of this online reservation for car services system covers various functions. Firstly, it covers the services information. This is when the users can view the services provided by the specified service centre. Secondly, it covers on identifying the location. Users can view on the location and images of the car services centre. This creates a better trust and understanding of the recognised service centre. Thirdly, the system covers the operating hours of the service centres. This helps the users to familiarise themselves on the operating hours of the particular centre. Fourthly, the system provides a log-in authority. This system provides access to members. This is where user who wants to send their car for services would have to register their details and car details online. Non-members can only view the basic interface of the online system. Fifthly, this system covers the frequently asked questions (FAQ). This will certainly help the users to clarify any doubts that they have regarding the car services. Sixthly, the system covers the report of the online processes. In this system, a report section where only specific authorized person are allowed to generate a report about the processes and data recorded. Seventhly, the system covers on online feedbacks. The registered user may send their feedback to the admin staff online. Finally, in order to achieve the scope of this project, various researches will be conducted through observation, questionnaire, books, journals, Internet and etc. A vast idea will be identified to complete this project to make its process go on swiftly throughout. Project deliverables The proposed system in the project will produce various plus points as being a web-based system. First is the security. This consist user/Admin login accounts, automated user ID for Admin and registered user, and a secured database. Second is a paperless work. This consists of an online record keeping which is web-based and registration can be made online at anytime and anywhere. Third is the reduction of human error. This is when the report will be generated in various forms such as PDF, Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel which will provide a much accurate calculation. Fourth is test cases and actual testing and finally would be the documentation of this project with appropriate implementation of the system and can be made as a use manual too. Target Audience This system is targeted on car owners regardless of age, and occupation. Moreover, administrative staff in the services centre are targeted too because the proposed system will be more useful for them in the sense of reducing paper work and manual way of data keeping. Functionality of the system There are two types of functionality, which is internal functionality and External Functionality. The internal functionality are consists of administrator and the external functionality consists of user toft her system. Administration The proposed functionality of the system is to enhance a better reservation system to increase a better result in terms of accuracy of the cash flow and service management. The online reservation system will provide with Username and Password to enhance a better login security for the administrator. These is to manage the service authentication to check who has been reserved their service day by day. Therefore, the managers are able to get results to be summarized and to close the monthly transaction each every month. The accounts will be kept in a web based server to monitor and to keep track of daily operations to be determined in the future when it is necessary. User The user can register for free to use this reservation system. The login system enable user to update the current profile. Users are able to select their preferred time and date for their services. In conjunction, user able to select the pick-up and delivery service if there are interested and there are few monthly promotion can be selected. At the end of reservation, users are able to check out by selecting the payment methods. The web server will update at the back office and the management will get the updates of the particular reservation. Company Background Michelin BS Services Centre Sdn. Bhd. Source: Google Images On year 1998, Michelin has established its Representative Office while on the year 2002; Michelin Malaysia Sdn Bhd has established its headquarters in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Currently Michelin Malaysia has made its mark in the local tyre industry. Michelin has a professional and ever growing distribution network easily recognized with a standardized store-front signage, and force strategically positioned and located at key market centres. BS Service Centre Sdn Bhd is based on Michelin sponsorship to sponsor those car centre and service centre to develop their business entire Malaysia. These service centres have 2 branches in Kuala Lumpur and another in Petaling Jaya itself. These companies will emerge more sponsorship to give opportunity to those who wants to establish their own car centre. As dated on 17 August 2012, Michelin is globally ranked 1,473,231 and ranked 11,155 in Malaysia (alexa.com). Castrol Golden Tyre Car Centre Source: Google Images Charles Cheers Wakefield established an oil company in England on the 19th March 1899. He produced a new lubricant that reform transport in the first half of the 20th century after ten years later. He named the new oil as Castrol. To this day, the name Castrol is equal to premium quality, high performance and a leading edge technology in motor oils and automotive lubricants. The headquarters for Castrol Industrial Malaysia is located in Kuala Lumpur. This company played a leading role in product technology and provides value added services to improve customers manufacturing process. Today, Castrol sponsorship has grown rapidly due to more car service centre which enables the company to give work opportunity for those are needed. One of the sponsorship companies were known as Golden Tyre Car Centre which is located in Bukit Jalil and they also have another main centre in Kota Kemunig, Shah Alam. As dated on 17 August 2012, Castrol is globally ranked 23,989,089 (alexa.com). Appendix http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/michelin.com.my# Castrol

Essay --

Biology Information Flow The central dogma of biology is the information flow in cells from DNA to RNA to Proteins. Francis Crick was the first to describe it as the nature of information flow. The information passes in one direction from the DNA to an RNA copy of the gene, then that copy, directs the sequential assembly of amino acid chains that become protein. The DNA-to-RNA step is called transcription because an exact copy of DNA is produced. RNA-to-protein step is termed translation because it requires translation from the nucleic acid to protein. Transcription is the DNA’s direct synthesis of RNA by RNA polymerase. Since DNA is double stranded and RNA is single stranded, the principal of complementarity is used and only one of the two DNA strands needs to be copied. The copied strand is called the template strand and is complementary to the RNA transcription sequence. The one strand of the DNA that is not used is called the coding strand. RNA uses messenger RNA which is a direct synthesis of polypeptides. It carries DNA messages to the ribosomes for processing. Translation is more complex than transcription. Since the RNA has no complementarity it cannot be used as a direct template for a protein. The adapter molecule transfer RNA is used to interact with both RNA and amino acids. Translation occurs inside the ribosome and it requires participation from multiple kinds of RNA and proteins. Viruses called retroviruses were discovered during the formulation of the central dogma. This retrovirus comes from the environment and into the cell and back out through normal central dogma. The retro virus comes from the environment. First the viral enzyme reverse transcriptase takes the viral RNA genome and uses host nucleotides to co... ...lowing it to respond quickly to changes in their external environment by changing patterns quickly. Almost all the changes are reversible allowing the cell to adjust its enzyme levels in response to the environment changes. The gram-negative bacterium has pores on the outer membrane called porin. They are not like membrane transport, porins are large enough to allow passive diffusion. This is how the prolin amino acids outside of the cell in the environment could have entered. So once the abundance of proline is present in the gram-negative bacterium, it should bind to the repressor and then alter its confirmation so it now binds to DNA. The proline-repressor complex binds tightly to the operator, preventing RNA polymerase from initiating transcription. Work Cited Raven, Johnson, Mason, Losos, and Singer. Biology. 10th ed. N.p.: Mcgraw Hill Education, n.d. Print.

Media change Analysis Essay -- Technology, Broadcasting, BBC News, CNN

Introduction: From mid-fifteenth-century, an advance of printing technology (Twyman, 1998), the birth of separate re-usable letters in Europe, brings up a significant change for the media broadcasts . To suit with the change of technology and culture, the form of media is changing rapidly. From verbal to visual, form newspaper to television, it is no doubt to say that changes in media provide so much benefit to us. To share messages ‘real time’ and globally, some new media like news weblogging and youtube are existing in these 10 years because of the mature of internet technology. This paper will discuss how this media called â€Å"internet† will give a dramatically effect and impact to global within these 10 years. The arising of new media: The above figure indicates that users who search BBC news are increasing steadily. The flow of increasing means more and more readers try to read news online. On the other hand, it may bring up a big challenge to the ordinary newspaper because not much reader will watch both of ordinary and web newspaper. The feature of new media: By Online News and the Public (Bruce Garrison, 2004)2, the Palo Alto Weekly in California is credited as the first Web newspaper in 1994. Comparing with ordinary newspaper, online news is providing a more efficiency platform in presenting breaking news in a timelier manner. Reporters can upload the news every time and every where instead of ordinary newspaper, that have to print out. Also, online newspaper can help to decrease costs. Releasing online can eliminated the cost of inventory, printing and transporting. Division between old media and new media: To create a new tend for changing the behavior of readers, new media should have some significantly poi... ...iendly. To keep the quality, creditability and ethic of the online media, some organizations are tries to provide some high standard quality in paid access. Many online audiences expect content to be free, but some news organizations have turned to subscription services or in a paid access. In Hong Kong’s news website, Like the pay area of Young Post of South China Morning post, users have to pay an annual fee to get the access for subscribe the news and some interesting information. Through the paid system, organizations are become more easily to keep the news quality as they have more income to operate and quality control the news. The best way to improve their attitude is build up a good journalistic environment. Through the government promotion and monitoring among media industry, the journalistic environment will bring up so much benefit among media. Media change Analysis Essay -- Technology, Broadcasting, BBC News, CNN Introduction: From mid-fifteenth-century, an advance of printing technology (Twyman, 1998), the birth of separate re-usable letters in Europe, brings up a significant change for the media broadcasts . To suit with the change of technology and culture, the form of media is changing rapidly. From verbal to visual, form newspaper to television, it is no doubt to say that changes in media provide so much benefit to us. To share messages ‘real time’ and globally, some new media like news weblogging and youtube are existing in these 10 years because of the mature of internet technology. This paper will discuss how this media called â€Å"internet† will give a dramatically effect and impact to global within these 10 years. The arising of new media: The above figure indicates that users who search BBC news are increasing steadily. The flow of increasing means more and more readers try to read news online. On the other hand, it may bring up a big challenge to the ordinary newspaper because not much reader will watch both of ordinary and web newspaper. The feature of new media: By Online News and the Public (Bruce Garrison, 2004)2, the Palo Alto Weekly in California is credited as the first Web newspaper in 1994. Comparing with ordinary newspaper, online news is providing a more efficiency platform in presenting breaking news in a timelier manner. Reporters can upload the news every time and every where instead of ordinary newspaper, that have to print out. Also, online newspaper can help to decrease costs. Releasing online can eliminated the cost of inventory, printing and transporting. Division between old media and new media: To create a new tend for changing the behavior of readers, new media should have some significantly poi... ...iendly. To keep the quality, creditability and ethic of the online media, some organizations are tries to provide some high standard quality in paid access. Many online audiences expect content to be free, but some news organizations have turned to subscription services or in a paid access. In Hong Kong’s news website, Like the pay area of Young Post of South China Morning post, users have to pay an annual fee to get the access for subscribe the news and some interesting information. Through the paid system, organizations are become more easily to keep the news quality as they have more income to operate and quality control the news. The best way to improve their attitude is build up a good journalistic environment. Through the government promotion and monitoring among media industry, the journalistic environment will bring up so much benefit among media.

Blind Essay -- essays research papers

Have you ever been completely oblivious to a situation that is taking place right behind your back? You think that everything is going just fine in your perfect little world. You have everything planned out and it seems to be working out right on track. Then all of a sudden you discover something so devastating that it changes your whole life, and everything you worked at for nearly a year. This is exactly how I felt when I found out that my girlfriend had been cheating on me. I felt like everything I had worked so hard to establish had been gone, and that I was all alone.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My life was going along perfectly. I was in the middle of soccer season. My team was destined for the District Championship, and already claimed the Laurel Highlands Championship. I had an amazing girlfriend, who I cared for a lot, and thought she cared about me. She was a junior at Westmont, and also played soccer. She was slightly shorter than me with long blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes. I constantly spending time with her, despite all of my time spent practicing for soccer. My life was focused on her and keeping our relationship a happy one. There was not a day that went by that I did not take the time to at least talk to her for a while, no matter what I had to do.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It was the happiest time of my life. I was a totally different person. I was nicer to everyone, and cared a lot more about what was going on around me. Before my girlfriend I was just a quiet shy kid that did not really talk to anyone. She really helped me to come out and talk to people and be a lot nicer person. I was almost certain I finally had a relationship that I thought would last more than just a couple of months. Maybe this would even be the one person I would spend my life with. That’s how strong our relationship was. I was trying my hardest to make sure that this would be true.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For nearly a year, our relationship was amazing. Everything was working out perfectly. We had plenty of time to spend together and we were never really apart. I had just made the choice to come to UPJ meaning that I could be home and spend time with her. I would never make a choice that important, such as a college and my future based on another person, so that had nothing to do with it. Anyway, I would be staying here in the area so we would... ...blind to a situation. Before this had all happened I always used to think, wow, how stupid could someone be to not know that their girlfriend, or boyfriend, is cheating on them. Well, I guess I found out the hard way that it is not that easy to realize what is going on right behind your back.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Maybe I knew about it all along, maybe I am really not as blind as I think, maybe I was not clueless to it at all, and I just would not let myself believe that it was really true. How could someone that you care about so much, do something that heartless to you? It is almost unbelievable that a person can be that cruel. I spent a little over a year of my life caring and dedicating a great part of my life to this person. However, right behind me for nearly a month my life was drastically changing, and I had no idea of what was to come.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When my girlfriend cheated on me, I felt totally blind to the world. I was lost in my own world, and felt completely alone. The worst feeling I have ever experienced throughout my life was when this happened, and I hope I never have to go through anything like this again.

Coffee Ulbs Essay

Coffee is a brewed beverage with a distinct aroma and flavor from the roasted seeds of the coffea plant. Coffee comes in many types of colour such as dark brown,white,beige,black,light brown,and more. Coffee was first discovered in the northeast region of Ethopia. Cofee cultivation first took place in southern Arabia,appears in the middle of the 15th century in the Sufi shrines of Yemen. According to the ancient chronicle,Omar who was known for his ability to cure sick through prayer was once exiled from Mocha,Yemen to a desert cave near Ousab. Starving,Omar chewed berries from nearby shrubbery but found them to the bitter. He tried roasting the seeds to improve the flavor,but they become hard. He then tried boiling them to soften the seeds,which resulted in a fragrant brown liquid. Upon drinking the liquid,Omar was revitalized and sustained for days. As stories of this ‘miracle drug’ reached Mocha,Omar was asked to return and was made a saint. In production of coffee,it consist of many steps such as processing,roasting,grading the roasting seeds,decaffeination,stored,brewing and finally be served. When processing the coffee,the berries of coffee have been traditionally and selectively picked by hand,only the berries at the peak of ripeness would be selected. After that,green coffee is process by one of two methods. Whether by dry process method or wet process method. Then,it will be sorted by ripeness and colour. After that,the seeds are fermented to remove the slimy layer of mucilage still present on the seeds. When the fermentation is finished,the seeds are washed to remove the fermentation residue. Then,the seeds are dried. Finally,the coffee is sorted again and been labeled. The roasting process influences the taste of the beverage by changing the coffee seed both physically and chemically. During roasting,caramelization occurs as intense heat that breaks down starches,changing them to simple sugars that begin to brown,which alters the colour of seeds. Then the seeds will be grading depends on the colour of roasting seeds. It will be labeled as light,medium light,medium,medium dark,dark or very dark. The degree of roast has an effect upon coffee flavor and body. Many methods can remove the caffeine from coffee,but all involve either soaking the green seeds in hot water or steaming them and using a solvent to dissolve caffeine that containing oils. Once roasted,coffee seeds must be stored properly to preserve the fresh taste of the seeds. Coffee seeds must be ground and brewed to create a beverage. Almost all methods of preparing coffee require the seeds to be ground and mixed with hot water long enough to extract the flavor,but without overextraction that draws out bitter compounds. The roasted coffee may be ground at a roaster,in a grocery store or in the home. Then,the coffee may be brewed by several methods such as boiled,steeped,or pressurized. Once brewed,coffee may be served in a variety of ways. As an example,the white coffee was made into dairy product such as milk or cream or dairy substitute or as a black coffee with no such addition. It may be sweetened with sugar or artificial sweetener.

Christian conceptions Essay

Baldassare Castiglione’s work â€Å"The Courtier† has similar conceptions of grace and love when compared to with Christian conceptions. Baldassare Castiliogne characterizes the courtiers of Urbino as omini per virtu singulari† (IV, 2, 446: â€Å"men singular in worth†[286]), emphasizing their grace and virtue they were able to exhibit throughout the entire passage. This also reflects the ways they were able to entice the imagination of the readers and make their (readers) minds more creative. Castiglione writes about the Urbino court and its inhabitants as a kind of ideal place where grace and virtue was heavily practiced. Most of the courtiers and ladies in the court possess only minor character flaws and petty foibles. In his writing, he idealizes them as civilized and perfectly restrained individuals who are devoid of serious personal vices and defects. In a sense, Castiglione wants to present them as ideal types, as the â€Å"onorati esempi di virtu† (IV, 2, 448: â€Å"honored models of worthiness†[287]) as can be read from his prologues where moral fortitude, scholarship and genuine love should emulate and be exuded by the readers even after reading the entire piece. The following excerpt from â€Å"The Courtier† shows that Lord Guidobaldo has lived an exemplary life worth of emulation by the other inhabitants. â€Å"When lord Guidobaldo di Montefeltro, duke of Urbino, passed from this life, I together with several other knights who had served him remained in the service of duke Francesco Maria della Rovere, heir and successor to Guidobaldo’s state; and as in my mind there remained fresh the odor of duke Guido’s virtues and the satisfaction which I in those years had felt from the loving company of such excellent persons, as then frequented the court of Urbino†. (Letter, 1, 67-8) Castiglione’s goal in his work was to set his statements of praise for Urbino and its inhabitants in general and conventional terms. He did not cite the military exploits or civic triumphs of a character he praises, instead, he celebrates all of them for their virtu, (virtue) their ingegno, (ingenuity) their ottime qualit (high dignity). Instead, Castiliogne characterizes these exploits as a collective victory for the person he is giving life to. This also gives life to the colorful sceneries and animations to the story as this draws the attention of the readers. Castiliogne pursues the elevation of Urbino’s image to an exemplary moral excellence and its value for posterity. In his first two prologues, Castiglione highlights the superiority of Urbino’s inhabitants. In the prologue to Book III, Castiglione states that if Urbino’s pastimes convince him of its excellence, he should be able to imagine easily how much greater the courtiers’ virtuous actions were (III, 1, 336). In the last prologue, Castiglione praises the courtiers directly as â€Å"omini per virtu singulari† (IV, 2, 446: â€Å"men singular in worth†[286]). He viewed the court as a paragon of moral exempla (IV, 2, 448: â€Å"chiari ed onorati esempi di virtu†). The court is presented as an ethical model not only to other existing courts at that time but also to the succeeding generations to come. Moreover, Castiglione confesses in the third prologue that he wrote his text carefully to â€Å"faria vivere negli animi dei posteri† (III, 1, 336: â€Å"make it live in the mind of posterity†[202]). Finally, as his culture upholds classical antiquity, he projects that the young and upcoming generation will envy his time because of the exemplary Urbino court. (III, 1, 336: â€Å"forse per l’avvenire non manchera chi per questo ancor porti invidia al secol nostro†). Similarly, the virtues of grace and love which are present in Castiliogne’s work are also present in Christian morals and manners. Christian morals are a function of moral discernment and moral reasoning. For instance, James Gustafson stated that moral discernment refer to basic dispositions that are shaped in part by the faith and trust Christians have as they offer themselves up to God. Moreover, James Gustafson stated that the concept of moral discernment was related to moral reasoning. Gustafson explained that moral reasoning pertains to a character, or personal moral ability, which covers dispositions, traits, and actions of the moral agent. (Selnick, 1992). Castiliogne stated that the courtier is expected to serve and increase in favour with her Lady. He should instruct her in virtue and refrain from vice and dishonesty. He should speak truth all the time. This concern is evident in Christian morals and manners. According to Harring, the moral and religious value of our acts attains the peak level only when the fundamental option results in the conquest one’s energies and vision such that one’s motives and decisions come from the depth in which the Spirit moulds and guides. (Harring, 1978). Castiliogne exhorts the courtiers to be kind to their subordinates, to avoid flattery, to be wise in the relations with other states and to have good manners in speech and language. Moreover, the courtier must have â€Å"good utterance† and â€Å"sweet language† to the other personalities in the court and avoid offending other people. This exhortation finds a strong support in Christianity’s theological and ethical attention which has shifted away from the relations with the divine towards human relations to interpersonal human relations. (Post, 1990). This shift resulted in the sharp distinction between public activity and private relations. First, it highlighted the fact that the self’s relation with God does not necessarily impact on one’s neighbor. Second, it states that the divine intentions may not relate directly to an individual’s human flourishing. This re-evaluation of one’s faith highlights the moral dimensions of Christianity and renders faith as an essential and crucial aspect of living well. (Weaver, 2002) The old men then attack the change in customs in Urbino court which they perceive as reflective of moral decay. In response to this, Castiliogne countered that he is a judge who can state that there is no age, past or present that is either totally good or totally evil. Then in this excerpt, Castiliogne argued that it is the old men who have changed their behavior and not the courts. These old men lament their loss of youth, power, and vitality. This situation leads to nostalgia which distorts the truth about both past and present. This excerpt is as follows: ne dei passati piaceri riserva (l’animo) altro che una tenace memoria e la imagine di quel caro tempo della tenera eta, nella quale quando ci ritrovamo, ci pare che sempre il cielo e la terra ed ogni cosa faccia festa e rida intorno agli occhi nostri, e nel pensiero come in un delizioso e vago giardino fiorisca la dolce primavera d’allegrezza. (The Courtier II, 1, 188) . . . and [the mind] retains of past pleasures merely a lingering memory and the image of that precious time of tender youth in which (while we are enjoying it), wherever we look, heaven and earth and everything appear merry and smiling, and the sweet springtime of happiness seems to flower in our thoughts as in a delightful and lovely garden. (The Courtier II, 1, 188) Similarly, Christian morality has shown interest in one’s personal ethical development. The flourishing of the self encompassing virtue ethics and spirituality reveals a post modern reassessment of the classical concepts and tools for reflecting on the self’s good. (Naussbam, 1994). Baldassare Castiliogne characterizes the courtiers of Urbino as omini per virtu singulari† (IV, 2, 446: â€Å"men singular in worth†[286]), emphasizing their grace and virtue. Similarly, Christian morals and manners show the importance of all the human virtues required of the courtiers during the time of the Urbino court. The courtiers’ excellent speech, manners and deportment to their equals and subordinates exhibit a vivid example of their faith and their excellent human manners. Alongside the traditions and practices that the courtiers’ have shown, the author have clearly emphasized on the human manners that there should be equality among all others and in order to achieve a specific and unified goal, there should be subordination so that in the long run, there will be authority to be followed and rules are set on such manners. Works Cited: Castiglione, Baldassare. The Book of the Courtier. New york: Scribner’s Son, 1901. 7-439. James M. Gustafson, â€Å"Moral Discernment in the Christian Life†, in Gene H. Outka and Paul Ramsey, Norm and Context in Christian Ethics. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1968, p. 31. Haring, Bernard. Free and Faithful in Christ. New York: Seabury Press: A Crossroads Book, 1978, p. 85. Kolsky, Stephen D. â€Å"Old Men in a New World: Morello da Ortona in the Cortegiano. † Italica 75 (1998): 336-448. Long, Edward Leroy. A Survey of Recent Christian Ethics. New York: Oxford University Press, 1982. Martha Nussbaum. The Therapy of Desire: Theory and Practice in Hellenistic Ethics. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1994. Post, Stephen. A Theory of Agape: On the Meaning of Christian Love. Lewisburg, PA: Bucknell University Press, 1990. Selnick, Philip. The Moral Commonwealth: Social Theory and the Promise of Community. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1992, p. 361. Weaver, Darlene. Self Love and Christian Ethics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002. Webhorn, Wayne. Courtly Performances Masking and Festivity in Castiglione’s Book in the Courtier. University of Texas at Austin, 1978.

Change in Male Role in the Home: 1960-Present

Change in Male Role in the Home: 1960-Present Traditionally the United States, along with the majority of the world has been a patriarchal society. The customary male role, specifically in relation to the home, has been the head of the household, the protector, and the provider. A male’s duty was unquestionably embodied in these three ideas, until the 1970’s. The growing feminist movement of that time began to question and displace these roles as solely belonging to a man, and the male role in society slowly began to shift.Instead of being the sole breadwinner for his home, families with two working parents have become increasingly more common. Women in the workforce have allowed father’s to spend more time at home with their children and helping out around the house. Over the last 50 years the male role has changed drastically, and while not all of the changes that have taken place are bad, the overall effect of these changes on society has been a negative one, creating a generation of fatherlessness, increased crime, and a general lack of respect for authority in any form.For generations it has been a man’s responsibility to provide for his family. Women were rarely even accepted into the workforce until after WWII. However, government encouragement for women to enter the labor force during the war, in combination with the rising feminist movement started a tidal wave movement of women pursuing higher education and careers. Women currently make up the majority of the workforce and 60% of all college graduates (Rosin). Donnalyn Pompper, a professor at Temple University, expands on this further in her article about the masculine gender role conflict theory.She explains that that after WWII, the increased female presence in the labor force â€Å"destabilized the breadwinner role as a basis for male identity, and now men must accept working wives and a more active parental role† (Pompper). And while it is true that the shift to equal opportunity in the workforce is almost universally agreed upon as a positive change, the balance and delicateness of the male psyche and ego are seldom taken into consideration. For many men, the ability to provide for one’s family is an integral part of the definition of masculinity.In interviews conducted by Dr. Pompper, when asked to individually define masculinity, a reoccurring theme in both the younger and older men interviewed was the ability to provide for one’s family. One of the young men interviewed said, â€Å"Being masculine means you are able to look at your wife and say ‘I got this’. To be able to look at your kids and say ‘I’ve got you’. That to me is the epitome of masculinity†¦being able, at the end of the day, to look at your family and say, ‘get on my back, I’ve got you the rest of the way’. Another man expressed similar feelings and said, â€Å"I think that every guy feels like itâ⠂¬â„¢s his place not to be the stay home Dad† (Pompper). Even in today’s forward thinking society, men are wired to be the provider. To take that role completely away is emasculating to him and leaves him feeling like he is unnecessary in the home. Although a family where, either both parents, or just the mother provide financially may be a little tough on the male ego, it is not detrimental. Provider is not the only established male role, protector and ‘head of the house’ are equally important to the equation.The traditional man of the 1960’s was indisputably the head of his home. There was a clear hierarchy, and while the husband and wife still often worked as a team, the culture of the time dictated that a man was undeniably in charge of his home, and his family. In many ways, this has been one of the most distinct changes between the 1960’s and 2012. Because men are no longer the sole breadwinner for their home, they are required to spend a larger portion of their time taking an active role in the home. No longer is the kitchen and house exclusively a woman’s domain, but rather shared by both parties.Men are expected to help out around the house and with the children, as much as women are. The idea of â€Å"team parenting† has evolved and taken root in today’s society, and has had excellent outcomes. Research has shown that children who are raised by two parents (a mother and a father specifically) have greater cognitive ability and success rates than children whose fathers are absent or uninvolved (Hofferth). This style of parents working together as a team to raise their children has been a great strategy, but looking at the big picture, it is shown that â€Å"Team parenting† has also unknowingly created some problems.Studies have shown that a child’s success throughout their life is largely dependent on the structure of their childhood (Hofferth). Given that men’s taking a more proactive role in the home and in the lives of their children is a good thing, the way that it has been approached has been problematic because it has undermined the hierarchy of the home. Similar to a man’s need to be the provider is the need to be the protector of his home. In addition, a man is not the only one who craves a distinctive hierarchy in the home, so do the children. According to Dr. David Bjorklund and Dr.Anthony Pellegrini, children need a clear authority figure. Often times by approaching parenting as a team and as equals, the mother and father undermine each other’s authority (Bjorklund, Pellegrini). Furthermore, without a specific and defined role, the position of father has been diminished as unimportant. For generations men have been noted as head of the house, and hailed for that important position. However, without that distinct role to play, it begins to seem like they’re participation is unnecessary as their wife is obviously much better suited to caring for and developing relationship with a child.These personal misgivings in combination with the media reinforcing the idea that the father role is superfluous, are huge contributors to why more and more fatherlessness is becoming the social epidemic of the generation (Pompper). This is an important issue that needs to be addressed, because Fathers are vital to the family unit. In their article about the role of fathers in children’s development, Amanda Quesenberry M. Ed. , Michaelene M. Ostrosky Ph. D. , and Robert Corso Ph. D. , note â€Å"Fathers are critical members of the family system who influence their children and their families in unique ways† (Quesenberry, Ostrosky, Corso).The article states that even in today’s society, father’s hold a huge amount of influence over society, enough that their presence and involvement is necessary to not only the success of the family as a unit, but also to the individual children. However, since the importance of fathers and fatherhood has not been stressed, and in fact the opposite has been emphasized, approximately one out of every 3 children does not have an active father or father figure in their lives (Hofferth). Acceptance and affection from a father or father figure is vital to a child’s cognitive development, and recent statistics how that behavioral problems among children, adolescents, and young adults with no active father in their lives are far greater than those of children living with both a father and a mother (Quesenberry, Ostrosky, Corso), and also tend to deal with one or more of the following issues: personality and psychological adjustment problems, behavioral problems (including aggression towards people and animals, property destruction, deceitfulness, and theft), delinquency, and psychopathology (substance abuse, depression) (Rohner).The rate of violent crimes have gone up roughly 300% since the 1960’s, and of the juveniles who ha ve been incarcerated for serious crimes 70% of them have been raised with no real father figure. In addition, 70% of all girls who become pregnant were raised without fathers (Lykken). These alarming numbers demonstrate the profound effect a father can have on the development, and therefore future of a child. The final issue that has come out of male’s displacement from his traditional roles is a generation with no respect for authority. Teachers are having increasing difficulties with classroom control.Students no longer have it ingrained in them to respect their elders, and as a result don’t care what the teacher or the principal say. Because school is no longer a priority to students like this, the drop out rate has increased significantly, with just over half of all dropouts being fatherless (Lykken). In today’s economy, it is next to impossible to find a job without at least a high school diploma, and employers no longer have to put up with any employee who cannot do what they are told, because there is someone who would be happy to take their place who most likely has more experience or education and can do what they are told.To conclude, while equal opportunity is beneficial and has helped to move our society forward, it has also drastically changed the traditional male role. And while some of these changes are good ones, they unfortunately have had negative effects due to people’s ignorance of the possible consequences. For example, it is good that women have been able to pursue their goals and passions in the workforce, and it is good that men are able to help out more at home. However, what is not good is that men have become completely displaced from many of the roles that, to them, define them as men.The way their roles have changed has slowly and subconsciously emasculated and caused them to doubt their importance and purpose in the family unit, which in turn has led to a growing number of fatherless children, increased crime rate, and a lack of respect for any kind of authority. Works Cited Bjorklund, David F, and Anthony D. Pellegrini. â€Å"Child Development and Evolutionary Psychology. † Child Development. 71. 6 (2000): 1687-708. Print. 05 Mar. 2012 Hofferth, Sandra L. â€Å"Residential Father Family Type and Child Well-Being: Investment Versus Selection. † Demography. 43. 1 (2006): 53-77. Print. 03 Mar. 2012. Pompper, Donnalyn. Masculinities, the Metrosexual, and Media Images: Across Dimensions of Age and Ethnicity. † Sex Roles. 63 (2010): 9-10. Print. 05 Mar. 2012. Quesenberry, Amanda, Michaelene Ostrosky, and Robert Corso. â€Å"Skilled and Knowledgeable Caregivers: the Role of Fathers in Supporting Young Children's Development. † Young Exceptional Children. 10. 4 (2007): 11-19. Print. 05 Mar. 2012. Rohner, Ronald P. â€Å"Father Love and Child Development: History and Current Evidence. † Current Directions in Psychological Science. 7. 5 (1998): 157-161. Pr int. 03 Mar. 2012. Rosin, Hanna. â€Å"The End of Men. † July-Aug. 2010. The Atlantic. Web. 03 Mar. 2012. Change in Male Role in the Home: 1960-Present Change in Male Role in the Home: 1960-Present Traditionally the United States, along with the majority of the world has been a patriarchal society. The customary male role, specifically in relation to the home, has been the head of the household, the protector, and the provider. A male’s duty was unquestionably embodied in these three ideas, until the 1970’s. The growing feminist movement of that time began to question and displace these roles as solely belonging to a man, and the male role in society slowly began to shift.Instead of being the sole breadwinner for his home, families with two working parents have become increasingly more common. Women in the workforce have allowed father’s to spend more time at home with their children and helping out around the house. Over the last 50 years the male role has changed drastically, and while not all of the changes that have taken place are bad, the overall effect of these changes on society has been a negative one, creating a generation of fatherlessness, increased crime, and a general lack of respect for authority in any form.For generations it has been a man’s responsibility to provide for his family. Women were rarely even accepted into the workforce until after WWII. However, government encouragement for women to enter the labor force during the war, in combination with the rising feminist movement started a tidal wave movement of women pursuing higher education and careers. Women currently make up the majority of the workforce and 60% of all college graduates (Rosin). Donnalyn Pompper, a professor at Temple University, expands on this further in her article about the masculine gender role conflict theory.She explains that that after WWII, the increased female presence in the labor force â€Å"destabilized the breadwinner role as a basis for male identity, and now men must accept working wives and a more active parental role† (Pompper). And while it is true that the shift to equal opportunity in the workforce is almost universally agreed upon as a positive change, the balance and delicateness of the male psyche and ego are seldom taken into consideration. For many men, the ability to provide for one’s family is an integral part of the definition of masculinity.In interviews conducted by Dr. Pompper, when asked to individually define masculinity, a reoccurring theme in both the younger and older men interviewed was the ability to provide for one’s family. One of the young men interviewed said, â€Å"Being masculine means you are able to look at your wife and say ‘I got this’. To be able to look at your kids and say ‘I’ve got you’. That to me is the epitome of masculinity†¦being able, at the end of the day, to look at your family and say, ‘get on my back, I’ve got you the rest of the way’. Another man expressed similar feelings and said, â€Å"I think that every guy feels like itâ⠂¬â„¢s his place not to be the stay home Dad† (Pompper). Even in today’s forward thinking society, men are wired to be the provider. To take that role completely away is emasculating to him and leaves him feeling like he is unnecessary in the home. Although a family where, either both parents, or just the mother provide financially may be a little tough on the male ego, it is not detrimental. Provider is not the only established male role, protector and ‘head of the house’ are equally important to the equation.The traditional man of the 1960’s was indisputably the head of his home. There was a clear hierarchy, and while the husband and wife still often worked as a team, the culture of the time dictated that a man was undeniably in charge of his home, and his family. In many ways, this has been one of the most distinct changes between the 1960’s and 2012. Because men are no longer the sole breadwinner for their home, they are required to spend a larger portion of their time taking an active role in the home. No longer is the kitchen and house exclusively a woman’s domain, but rather shared by both parties.Men are expected to help out around the house and with the children, as much as women are. The idea of â€Å"team parenting† has evolved and taken root in today’s society, and has had excellent outcomes. Research has shown that children who are raised by two parents (a mother and a father specifically) have greater cognitive ability and success rates than children whose fathers are absent or uninvolved (Hofferth). This style of parents working together as a team to raise their children has been a great strategy, but looking at the big picture, it is shown that â€Å"Team parenting† has also unknowingly created some problems.Studies have shown that a child’s success throughout their life is largely dependent on the structure of their childhood (Hofferth). Given that men’s taking a more proactive role in the home and in the lives of their children is a good thing, the way that it has been approached has been problematic because it has undermined the hierarchy of the home. Similar to a man’s need to be the provider is the need to be the protector of his home. In addition, a man is not the only one who craves a distinctive hierarchy in the home, so do the children. According to Dr. David Bjorklund and Dr.Anthony Pellegrini, children need a clear authority figure. Often times by approaching parenting as a team and as equals, the mother and father undermine each other’s authority (Bjorklund, Pellegrini). Furthermore, without a specific and defined role, the position of father has been diminished as unimportant. For generations men have been noted as head of the house, and hailed for that important position. However, without that distinct role to play, it begins to seem like they’re participation is unnecessary as their wife is obviously much better suited to caring for and developing relationship with a child.These personal misgivings in combination with the media reinforcing the idea that the father role is superfluous, are huge contributors to why more and more fatherlessness is becoming the social epidemic of the generation (Pompper). This is an important issue that needs to be addressed, because Fathers are vital to the family unit. In their article about the role of fathers in children’s development, Amanda Quesenberry M. Ed. , Michaelene M. Ostrosky Ph. D. , and Robert Corso Ph. D. , note â€Å"Fathers are critical members of the family system who influence their children and their families in unique ways† (Quesenberry, Ostrosky, Corso).The article states that even in today’s society, father’s hold a huge amount of influence over society, enough that their presence and involvement is necessary to not only the success of the family as a unit, but also to the individual children. However, since the importance of fathers and fatherhood has not been stressed, and in fact the opposite has been emphasized, approximately one out of every 3 children does not have an active father or father figure in their lives (Hofferth). Acceptance and affection from a father or father figure is vital to a child’s cognitive development, and recent statistics how that behavioral problems among children, adolescents, and young adults with no active father in their lives are far greater than those of children living with both a father and a mother (Quesenberry, Ostrosky, Corso), and also tend to deal with one or more of the following issues: personality and psychological adjustment problems, behavioral problems (including aggression towards people and animals, property destruction, deceitfulness, and theft), delinquency, and psychopathology (substance abuse, depression) (Rohner).The rate of violent crimes have gone up roughly 300% since the 1960’s, and of the juveniles who ha ve been incarcerated for serious crimes 70% of them have been raised with no real father figure. In addition, 70% of all girls who become pregnant were raised without fathers (Lykken). These alarming numbers demonstrate the profound effect a father can have on the development, and therefore future of a child. The final issue that has come out of male’s displacement from his traditional roles is a generation with no respect for authority. Teachers are having increasing difficulties with classroom control.Students no longer have it ingrained in them to respect their elders, and as a result don’t care what the teacher or the principal say. Because school is no longer a priority to students like this, the drop out rate has increased significantly, with just over half of all dropouts being fatherless (Lykken). In today’s economy, it is next to impossible to find a job without at least a high school diploma, and employers no longer have to put up with any employee who cannot do what they are told, because there is someone who would be happy to take their place who most likely has more experience or education and can do what they are told.To conclude, while equal opportunity is beneficial and has helped to move our society forward, it has also drastically changed the traditional male role. And while some of these changes are good ones, they unfortunately have had negative effects due to people’s ignorance of the possible consequences. For example, it is good that women have been able to pursue their goals and passions in the workforce, and it is good that men are able to help out more at home. However, what is not good is that men have become completely displaced from many of the roles that, to them, define them as men.The way their roles have changed has slowly and subconsciously emasculated and caused them to doubt their importance and purpose in the family unit, which in turn has led to a growing number of fatherless children, increased crime rate, and a lack of respect for any kind of authority. Works Cited Bjorklund, David F, and Anthony D. Pellegrini. â€Å"Child Development and Evolutionary Psychology. † Child Development. 71. 6 (2000): 1687-708. Print. 05 Mar. 2012 Hofferth, Sandra L. â€Å"Residential Father Family Type and Child Well-Being: Investment Versus Selection. † Demography. 43. 1 (2006): 53-77. Print. 03 Mar. 2012. Pompper, Donnalyn. Masculinities, the Metrosexual, and Media Images: Across Dimensions of Age and Ethnicity. † Sex Roles. 63 (2010): 9-10. Print. 05 Mar. 2012. Quesenberry, Amanda, Michaelene Ostrosky, and Robert Corso. â€Å"Skilled and Knowledgeable Caregivers: the Role of Fathers in Supporting Young Children's Development. † Young Exceptional Children. 10. 4 (2007): 11-19. Print. 05 Mar. 2012. Rohner, Ronald P. â€Å"Father Love and Child Development: History and Current Evidence. † Current Directions in Psychological Science. 7. 5 (1998): 157-161. Pr int. 03 Mar. 2012. Rosin, Hanna. â€Å"The End of Men. † July-Aug. 2010. The Atlantic. Web. 03 Mar. 2012.

The Better Self in Ourselves

The influx of self-help books in today’s ultra-modern world is by no means an accident. They are by-products of a world that has become more complicated and complex as the ways in which it has to be lived in. This complexity coincides with the development of more complex thought processes that seek to find meanings in life and how everyone fits into that life. That search for meaning and the process of meaning-making involve attempts to make sense of the existence of one’s self as a tiny spot relative to the vastness of the cosmic universe.This has led many social scientists to develop theories that attempt to explain ways through which the self can be understood in its multi-faceted contexts. John Locke underscored the importance of the â€Å"continuity of consciousness† through an enabled memory and imagination (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2007). He believed that a person can understand his/her self by examining the past and imagining the future. Jean- Jacques Rousseau, on the other hand, stressed the significance of the society as a necessary and yet corruptible element in understanding one’s self (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2008).The former emphasizes the objective self-examination while the latter stresses the subjective self-expression. Sigmund Freud believed that human beings have irrational, primitive and animalistic instincts that should be repressed for the betterment of one’s self and the society at large (Curtis, 2002); while Wilhelm Reich claimed that it is the repression of the society of the â€Å"original† forces and emotions within human beings that makes human beings irrational (The Wilhelm Reich Museum).And quite contemporarily, Ian Hacking advances the practice of disciplinary psychology as a means to define selfhood in its socio-cultural contexts (Hacking, 2002). It has offered individuals the tools through which they can take a deeper look at their inner selves in relation to the society and the world they live in. Towards a Better Understanding of the Self in Ourselves All the psychological theories and practices cited thus far have only one aim: to make us understand ourselves more than how we understand ourselves now.They provide us tools so we can acquire skills to help us learn more about ourselves and to nurture that self within ourselves for a better us. Their primary objective is to illuminate the existence of one’s self and give us enlightenment to enable us to view that self in new and better perspectives and vantage points with the hope that we can be better for ourselves, the people around us and the society we live in. Disciplinary psychology posits that if we could understand our psychological self better, we can understand the kind of person that we are.Doing so, we can be that person we aspire to be. We can be astronauts, airline pilots, NBA superstars, forensic scientists, geologists, etc. There are infinite possibilities of being who we want to be if we just indeed are able to understand ourselves better. Truly, while there are infinite possibilities of being ourselves, there are also infinite questions that needed to be answered about ourselves. As time changes and as the world becomes more modernized, the concepts of personhood and selfhood become even more complicated.Questions about humanity become more apparent. When we question why we are driven by this desire to succeed and gain more material wealth, we turn to become pseudo-psychoanalysts in trying to understand this desire and how it can manipulate us if not tempered with reason. And as our consciousness is feed with the commercialism we see around us, engendered by the consumerism in the media, we are guided by the fact that advertisements use psychoanalysis to manipulate human minds to become infatuated with manufactured desires.We are reminded of the â€Å"police within our heads that needs to be destroyed† (Curtis, 2002). When we question ou r temperaments and attitudes towards love, life and work, we may turn to looking back at how we were brought up, the environment we grew up with and the kind of upbringing that we had. Disciplinary psychology guides us to look back and look forward and struggle to find meanings in those acts. Indeed, while disciplinary psychology offers us tools to gain better understanding of ourselves, the synthesis depends on our own willingness to analyze.While it can provide us maps to where we could finally go, the choices of directions we take remain our own pre-occupation. And while it gives us patterns through which we could build our own conceptions about ourselves, our self-concept remains our own decision. In the final analysis, disciplinary psychology can provide us proper guidance, but the path towards better understanding of one’s self depends on our own will to tread that path forcefully and purposefully. And as always, that willingness can be questioned psychologically.