Tuesday, December 31, 2019

15 Minimum Wage Is Worse - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 794 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2019/05/07 Category Law Essay Level High school Topics: Minimum Wage Essay Did you like this example? I think if we were to increase the federal minimum wage in the United States it would be an awful thing for our economy as a whole. There are many facts that prove an increase base pay would hurt our economy. According to Christopher Ingraham the minimum wage in California has gradually been increasing since 2006. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "15 Minimum Wage Is Worse" essay for you Create order The minimum wage in California is projected to hit $15 in 2022 which is concerning to the people that live there. Since the increase, California has experienced a decline in their amount of workers by 10% and it is expected to rise as base pay increases ( Ingraham, Christopher. What Does a $15 Minimum Wage Do to the Economy? Economists Are Starting to Find out. The Washington Post, WP Company, 11 Jan. 2018 ). Millions of jobs are expected to be lost by 2024 when every state is projected to have $15 minimum wage. Even though it makes sense to raise minimum wage in California because of living expenses it will end up hurting them in the long run. The loss of millions of jobs is not the only bad thing about this whole thing. It will also cause the price of products to spike drastically and tax will increase when the minimum wage is increased. If this continues we will most likely see less and less deals as time moves forward because business will not be willing to do it anymore because they will be paying employers a lot more money. There have been many occasions where states have stated that employers have actually reduced their hours, for example Seattle. Many states already have a set minimum wage that is higher than the federal wage because they have forced it to be set higher than the federal wage. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 and many states like Minnesota have a minimum wage for their state that is actually higher than the federal wage. If base pay were to go up to $15 we would see a decrease in the number workers who work these low paying jobs want to go to college and get a higher education to work their way towards a higher paying job because they can happily live off their $15 an hour. Workers making the $15 wouldnt have any drive to improve their skills and get a better education because they would be satisfied because they can live off $15 an hour. This will essentially lower the number of people going to college after high school and it would hurt our economy because our work force would be full of workers with no post secondary education. In the long run this will end up creating more problems with the economy and we could see things like colleges shutting down and many other bad things. According to the Pew Research Center only a small portion of those living in the United States are earning minimum wage. Majority of the workers that are earning this pay are teenagers in high school and college that are working at part time jobs that will help them make money for things like spending and money for college. Those who are working full time at these low paying jobs are those who dropped out of high school or those who chose not to go to college. Raising the minimum wage will only benefit those working at those low paying job and will essentially be hurting the rest of society that is already earning more than the minimum wage. People pushing for minimum wage to go up just want fairness, but according to someone attending Rutgers University what is considered fair is completely opinion based which is completely true. For example LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers makes 35.65 million dollars and his teammate Lonzo Ball makes 7.48 million. LeBron James is arguably one of the best players to ever play the game and has earned his paycheck. Lonzo is a second year player who still has to prove himself. This is why fairness is opinion because those two have the same job to do the same thing but LeBron has worked harder and longer and is essentially better at his job. The same can be said about other professional athletes because their skillsets are all different and there are players who have more experience than others because they have been doing it longer and have been put in difficult situations. So someone who is working at the federal minimum wage should not be making more money because it isnt fair. There is a reason that they are working at minimum wage they should also not earn more just because it isnt fair. In conclusion raising minimum wage will end up hurting the economy. Those who are working in higher paying jobs have most likely had more experience and skill than those working at minimum wage.

Sunday, December 22, 2019

The Effects Of Obesity On Society And Government - 1352 Words

The point at which the one last straw or nerve remains is a point at which an issue has been ignored until it can be avoided no more. The average weight of Americans- currently 24 pounds more than it was in 1960- is an issue that has been ignored for long enough and must become a matter that is acknowledged and discussed. Obesity affects both society and government; Therefore, society and government alike are responsible for facilitating this epidemic. In order to fight this health crisis, society should educate and encourage individuals about the risks and preventions of obesity but should not associate weight with a concrete appearance that cannot be broken, and government should should offer incentives without forcing people to become healthy by laws. People s decisions are influenced by their low self-confidence and their appearance due to society s obsession with appearance, an effect that society must reverse by educating about the risks and preventions of obesity while encouraging a healthy lifestyle. In some cases, when these perfect appearances can not be upheld the person turns to moping in front of the mirror, endless exercise, and unhappy feelings(Source D). In today s narcissist society, appearance is King and internal beauty is mixed in the shuffle. These levels of importance is the reason the overweight and obese have low confidence, and in turn for them to want to be secluded, and this can create new mental issues. They seem to turn back to food,Show MoreRelatedThe Reason Of Obesity And Obesity998 Words   |  4 PagesObesity Introduction: In these days, rates of overweight and obesity are growth faster in Australia. Fourteen million Australians are overweight or obese. More than five million Australians are obese. Australian adults (63%) are overweight or obese, almost 2 in 3. And children (25%) are overweight or obese. Obesity has overtaken smoking as the crucial cause of death and illness in Australia. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians are 1.9 times as likely as non-indigenous Australians toRead MoreObesity And The United States1317 Words   |  6 PagesObesity in the United States In today’s world, obesity rate has been increased significantly. Among 196 countries of the world, the Unites States is ranked 19th, and one third of the population in the U.S. have obesity. Reason that people care about how much population is obsessed is that it is â€Å"linked to many of the major causes of death in the United States, including heart disease, some types of cancer, strokes, diabetes, and atherosclerosis† (Himes 73). 19th of the world may not seem very highRead MoreCauses and Effects of Obesity823 Words   |  3 PagesObesity occurs in all countries and it is one of the gravest problems in modern society. Mankinds around the world are concerned about obesity. One of the chief causes is unhealthy diets. Obesity is also due to lack of exercise and lack of education and awareness. Therefore obesity has various effects include risk of suffering from a range of health conditions, large fiscal expenditure on medical insurance and lack of self-esteem. One of the chief causes is unhealthy diets. There are high-calorieRead MoreThe Obesity Epidemic Of Children1437 Words   |  6 PagesIndividuals and societies link to obese children The obesity epidemic holds the responsibility to annihilate many of the health benefits that have contributed to the increased durability recognised in the world today. In 2014, approximately 41 million children under 5 years of age were affected by overweight or obesity. Today, progress in extinguishing childhood obesity has been gradual and conflicting. A greater number of children are, even from before birth, on the brink to developing obesity. ChildrenRead MoreAp English synthesis essay obesity636 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿ Obesity is a medical condition in which excess fats have grown and accumulated to the point of harm, and a shortened life expectancy. Obesity is a problem that has been more prominent in the 20th and 21st century and is now a main concern for both society and the government. It is the citizen’s duty to resolve this epidemic known as obesity in the United States. American society has created the concept of obesity. They identified what the perfect human should look like, and has outcasted everyoneRead MoreEffects Of Obesity On The Canadian Federal System889 Words   |  4 Pagesfrom the economic and institution driven implications of obesity on the Canadian federal system, the issue of obesity also targets the social circle of Canadian media, culture, values and global reputation. If the federal government does not take an active step in the stop against unhealthy eating, bad life style choices and obesity then the problem will continue to escalate. Public policy can be used to bring awareness to issues that effect and benefit many. There was an important study documentedRead MoreSociety s Acceptance Of An Epidemic Called Childhood Obesity843 Words   |  4 PagesCalled Childhood Obesity During the last 30 years, society has witnessed the alarming rate at which childhood obesity has grown. Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic in the United States. It affects more than 30 percent of children, making it the most common chronic disease of childhood (â€Å"What is Childhood Obesity†). It causes not only physical medical issues, but psychological issues as well. Yet, it seems to be accepted by society as the new norm. However, the negative effects of such diseaseRead MoreEssay about Should the Government Have a Say in Americans Diets?719 Words   |  3 Pagesinterference on American free will. Even though we hear a good argument on the government controlling our diets, most research show that the involvement of the government on our diets has shown little to no results. The most supportive argument why people are in an agreement with the government controlling what we eat is because of all the obese people in the country with medical problems. In fact obesity is one of the many problems society faces today. In addition, it causes many medical issues and affectsRead MoreObesity : A New Problem1640 Words   |  7 Pagesone of the biggest factors harming our well-being†¦obesity. This epidemic is somewhat of a new problem for our modern society, as generations before us generally faced the inverse problem. Obesity has been on a steady rise for many years now due in part to the modernization of our country and the technological benefits that go hand-in-hand with those advancements. As obesity has become a commonplace problem, we are now adapting aspects of our society for this epidemic, such as enlarging the size ofRead MoreMy Health Campaign Is About Obesity1624 Words   |  7 Pageshealth campaign is about Obesity. I will be planning a small-sc ale health education campaign on Obesity. I started off by producing a health campaign which was about Obesity and aimed in on people who were between 13 to 19 years old. Obesity can lead to serious health illnesses such as Coronary Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, Stroke and Type 2 diabetes and in order to prevent these illnesses, health education campaigns are created to warn people about the effects of Obesity. National health campaigns

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Word and Book Passionate Declaration Free Essays

Howard Zinns book passionate declaration, was very interesting in the first chapter American Ideology he talks about the end result of these instances was many if not all of these inferior people were killed. He also talks about how we favor the rich and neglect the poor and that it should be the other way around that life should be an entirely different way. That because of Reagan many issues came to be, Because of Reagan this country is the way it is! Although we live in a democratic country, The ideas of ethical behaviors that were formulated by our forefathers has condemned us to accept them as right. We will write a custom essay sample on Word and Book Passionate Declaration or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"Thus we grow up in a society where our choice of idea is limited and where certain ideas are dominant† which is very much true unless you have money your ideas will never be heard, it’s very rare where someone who is unwealthy is hear amongst millions. The only time you are really heard is where you die a tragic death. In chapter 2; Machiavellian Realism and U. S. Foreign Policy: Means and Ends. Howard zinn talks about, what kind of society we want? And how will we get it? â€Å" The instance of building more nuclear weapons when we already possess more than enough to destroy the world†¦ allowing the police to arrest any person on the street refusing to move on when ordered†¦ and consider how often a parent [usually a father] has said to a son or daughter: its good to have idealistic visions of a better world but your living in the real world, so act accordingly† This have all had an effect one or more times in my life. Some may refer to me as a hippie because I’m all about peace on this world or because I refuse to eat animals such as chickens, cows, goats anything with a heartbeat, but my beliefs are my beliefs. I do believe a world without weapons would be wonderful, a world where I don’t have to walk down the street and a cops going to stop me cause he believes I’m being somewhat â€Å"suspicious†. Of course I would love for this world to speak up and use our words rather that use our weapons or hands to harm one another. You ever see a person get called something and notice how one simple word such as â€Å"ugly† can completely set them off and just then you see this person react in a way that they use their words completely to prove a point on how, the specific word you called or used is in no way or fact them on how they spent all that time to prove one person wrong. I wish the world worked in words. I wish we didn’t have to tell our children that this is the world, so act accordingly. I was one of those children, whose father told them that, and my dreams were crushed instantly, I was 9. How to cite Word and Book Passionate Declaration, Essay examples

Friday, December 6, 2019

A tool for Financial Reforms in the Philippines free essay sample

Taxation is regarded as one among fiscal policies in governance. It plays a vital role in the development of a country. The ability to collect taxes is a core functions of an effective state. Taxes, if used properly, can promote economic growth and lessen income inequalities. For a country like the Philippines, it begins with the actuality that it provides the revenue needed to finance government activities. Thus, the traditional tax reform programs are premised mainly in generating more revenues to finance public expenditures1 Initiating tax reforms, however, are often difficult. Taxation is often referred to as a classic case of a collective action problem. While government provisions of public goods can benefit everyone, the greater majority of the citizens would rather enjoy the benefits of public goods without contributing to the cost of providing them through taxes. This is the reason why there is no consistency for tax reforms, and there are very few lawmakers or legislators who would champion increasing taxes. Moreover, the coercive nature of taxation and perceptions of corruption in government lead to little confidence by citizens that taxes that they pay are translated into public services. Nonetheless, recent studies have shown that engaging citizens to tax debates and bargaining can be a more effective tax reform strategy. This role for taxation as a catalyst for more responsive and accountable governments and for expanding the state-citizens relations. However, is often overlooked. Contemporary study on taxation and development has found that taxation can strengthen state-society relationships with positive consequences for state and the extent to which governments are responsive and accountable top their citizens2. In other words, taxation has the potential not just to increase revenue but to contribute to broad improvements in governance, by encouraging taxpayers to engage directly with the government to demand public services and responsibilities in return for tax compliance. This referred to the state-building approach to tax reforms. Several types of taxes have been evolved based on the existing provisions of the law related to revenue collections. Travel tax is one among those types which the government imposed and mandates in every tourists who leave the country. Travel tax reforms have been changed from the time the administration also changed. Today, amendments, alterations and passing the bills on tourism protection in order to raise revenue for the settlement of debts and borrowings and for government investments purposes. Significance of the Study and Problem Statement The purpose of the research study is to review and analyse the pending Senate Bill No. 2018 â€Å"An Act Allocating the Travel Tax Collection to the Philippine Tourism Authority, Amending thereby Presidential Decree 1183, as Amended, and the Republic Act No.  7722, and For Other Purposes otherwise known as â€Å"The Travel Tax Reform Act of 2013 authored by the Hon. Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada3. It seeks to give a clear view of the elements in passing this bill as part of tax reforms and serves as guiding principles for future tax reforms in the Philippines, eventually, propose specific tax reforms strategies whether this would be applicable to better governance e mphasizing the values of accountability, responsiveness, transparency and a democratic government. How can travel tax reforms can be modified to take more account of government and state-building objectives? This research study will serve as guide on applying the principles of Fiscal administration, its principles, policies and functions and be able to relate our views not only for the academe, actors in the public administration but for the public administration practitioners. The output of this study is to provide adequate information on travel tax reforms in the country for convenience for revenue purposes. The main focus of the analysis is to test whether this pending bill is a necessity for the country’s development. Objectives of the Study The researcher, in particular, intends to come up with the following objective: 1. Present a comprehensive details and review of the pending bill whether this is applicable to the massive development of our economy. 2. Evaluate the Philippines’ experience in travel tax reforms based on specific framework. 3. Determine and examine the existing rules, policies, provisions of the law and how this can be reformed to increase state accountability and increase tax morale. 4. Provide policy recommendations that can be adopted for future travel tax reforms and to give stand on the matter whether this bill shall be passed or not. Fiscal Policy in the Philippine Fiscal Administration In economics and political science, fiscal policy is the use of government revenue collection, also known as taxation. The two main instruments of fiscal policy are changes in the level and composition of taxation and government spending in various sectors. These changes can affect the following macroeconomic variable in the economy: Aggregate demand, distribution of income, allocation of scarce resources, expenditures, debt borrowings and spending. Development and growth in the economy may vary on the fiscal policy of the government. Fiscal policy refers to the use of the government budget to influence economic activity. It also refers to the â€Å"measures employed by governments to stabilize the economy, specifically by manipulating the levels and allocation of taxes and government expenditures. Fiscal measuresare frequently used to tandem with monetary policy tom achieve certain goals. In the Philippines, this is characterized by continuous and increasing levels of debt and budget deficits, though there have been improvements in the last few years. The Philippines government’s main source of revenue are taxes, with some non-tax revenue also being collected. To finance fiscal deficit and debt, the Philippines relies on both domestic and external sources. Fiscal policy during Marcos regime inherited a large fiscal deficit from the previous administration, but managed to reduce fiscal imbalance and improve tax collection through the introduction of the 1986 Tax Reform Program and the value added tax. The Ramos Administration experienced budget surpluses due to substantial gains from massive sales of government assets and strong foreign investments in its early years. However, the implementation of the 1997 Comprehensive Tax Reform and the onset of the Asian financial crisis resulted to a deteriorating fiscal position in the succeeding years and administrations. The Estrada Administration faced a large fiscal deficit due to the decrease in tax effort and the repayment of the Ramos Administration’s debt to contractors and suppliers. During Arroyo Administration, the Expanded Value Added Tax Law was enacted, national debt-to-GDP ratio peaked, and the underspending on public infrastructure and other capital expenditures was observed. During the First Regular Session of the 16th Congress of the Philippines, Senate Bill No. 2018 was introduced by the Hon. Senator Jingoy Ejercito Estrada4. The Bill entitled: â€Å" An Act Allocating the Travel Tax Collection to the Philippine Tourism Authority, Amending Thereby Presidential Decree 1183, and Republic Act 7722, and For Other Purposes: As explained by the Senator, he gives the vital role of tourism industry in boosting the country’s economy. Based on its mantra â€Å" It’s More Fun in the Philippines, the Department of Tourism (DOT) recorded 2. 38 million visitors or an 11.08% increase from various last year’s arrivals, for the first half of 2013 alone. In addition to this, the National Statistical Coordination Board (NCSB) revealed on November 2012 that according to the latest results of the Philippine Tourism Satellite (PTSA), the contribution of tourism in the economy in 2011 was 5. 9%, based on the share of tourism direct gross value added (T DGV) to total gross domestic product. PTSA further revealed that â€Å"share of tourism employment to the total employment in the country slightly increased at 10. 3 percent estimated at 3. 8 million in 2011, higher by 3. 5 percent from last year’s 3. 7 million. 5 Under section 3 of the Senate Bill â€Å"Allocation of Travel Tax Collection to the Philippine Tourism Authority. Pursuant to the aforecited state policy, all proceeds of the travel tax shall be utilized exclusively for the tourism projects of the Philippine Tourism Authority. According to Mr. Julian Misolas Jr6. , The Philippine Tourism Agency is the sole agency responsible for the collection of Travel taxes either a Filipino citizens or a Foreigner leaving the country. The other provisions of the bill stated the restriction of the accredited collection agency, there Remittances of the Travel tax Collection and Submission of reports, Traveltax exemptions, the Travel tax refund, and civil remedies. Under the remedies, there are two options in order to cope up with the circumstances: a) Distraint of Personal property and b) Levy on Real Estate Property. What is Travel Tax? Travel Tax is a levy imposed by the Philippine government on the following individuals who are leaving the count ry irrespective of the place where their air ticket is issued and the form or place or payment, as provided for by Presidential Decree 1183. â€Å"Under presidential Decree (PD) 1183, as amended by PD 1205, Batas Pambansa 38. And Executive Order 283, Filipinos and other nationals traveling to the other countries are required to pay travel tax before departure from the Philippines, irrespective where the air ticket is issued and the form of place of payment†. The following individuals are required to pay the travel tax: Filipino nationals, permanent resident aliens, Non-resident aliens who have stayed in the Philippines for more than one (1). There are exemptions to the general rule: The following Filipino citizens are exempted from the payment of travel tax pursuant to Se2.Of PD 1183, as amended): 1) Overseas Filipino Workers, Filipino permanent residents abroad whose stay in the Philippines is less than a year and 3) infants ( 2 years old and below) . Among those exempted from paying the travel taxes, they have to present valid identification documents to certify the authenticity of stay. Upon submission of the documentary documents, citizens are eligible for reduce rate of travel. Under Republic A ct 7194 otherwise known as the Balikbayan Law, on November 7, 2002 during the 12th Congress this laws was approved. â€Å"An Act Amending Republic Act 6768, Entitled, â€Å"An Act Instituting A Balikabayan Program’ by Providing Additional benefits and Privileges to Balikbayan and For Other Purposes: Sec 1. †¦ A Balikbayan Program is hereby instituted under the administration of the Department of Tourism to attract and encourage Overseas Filipino to come and visit their Motherland Section 1 encourages Overseas Filipino to come and visit their motherland. This is to recognize their notable contribution to the economy of the country through the foreign exchange inflow and revenue that they generate. Section 2 gives the definition of Balikbayan which means a Filipino citizen who has been continuously OUT OF THE Philippines for a period at least one (1) year, A Filipino Overseas workers or a former a Filipino citizens and his or her family. The definition of family and the livelihood tools. Under Section 3 enumerated the benefits and privileges of the balikabayan. Among are the followings: a. Tax- exempt from maximum purchase in the amount of One Thousand Five Hundred united States dollars ($ 1,500.00) or its equivalent in Philippine Peso and in foreign currencies at all government-owned and controlled/operated duty-free shops subject to the limitations contained in Section 4 hereof; b. All domestic carriers shall establish a special promotional/incentive program for the balikbayan. c. Visa free entry to the Philippines for a period of one year (1) year for foreign passport holders, with exception of restricted nationals. d. Travel tax exemption as provided under Presidential Decr ee 1183 and other allied laws e. Especially designated reception areas at the authorized [ports of entry for the expeditious processing of documents. f. Accredited transportation facilities that will ensure their safe and convenient trips upon arrival. The Department of Tourism and the Department of Transportation and Communication and other concerned government agencies are hereby mandated to implement the program for this particular purpose; and g. Kahayan shopping privilege and additional tax exempt purchase in the maximum amount of Two Thousand United States dollars ( $ 2,000.00) or its equivalent in Philippine peso. h. Limitation have been stipulated in the law and duly approved by the President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. It has been published in the official gazetteer at least (two) national papers of general circulations, whichever come earlier. Republic Act 9174 provides framework to those person indicated in Section 1 and 2 of this law for the exemption from paying the travel taxes. Other provisions are the r estrictions and limitations thereat. Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA)_has changed its name to Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority ( TIEZA) under Republic Act 9593 otherwise known as Tourism Act of 2009 duly approved by the president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in May 11, 2009, during the second regular session of the 14th Congress. The Act Entitled â€Å"An Act Declaring a National Policy for Tourism as an Engine of Investment, Employment, Growth and national Development, and Strengthening the Department of Tourism and its Attached Agencies to Effectively, Efficiently implement that Policy and Appropriating Funds Therefor. TIEZA has the sole authority to collect travel taxes and give benefits and privileges to those qualified Filipinos and those stated in Section 2 of the P. D. 1183. A certification of Compliance has been issued to TIEZA which will serve as the Transparency Seal provisions of the General Appropriation Act of 2013, 2012 and 211. Attached as annex a certification issued to TIEZA. Under section 4 of the Act it defined the following terms used: (a) â€Å"Department† refers to the Department of Tourism created pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 189 (1973), as amended.(b) â€Å"Secretary† refers to the Secretary of Tourism (c) â€Å"Duty Free Philippines (DFP) refers to government agency created out of DFP pursuant to this Act. (d) â€Å"Duty Free Philippines Corporation (DFPC) refers to corporate entity created out of DFP pursuant to this Act. (e) â€Å"Philippines Conventions and Visitors Corporation (PCVC) refers to the corporate entity created pursuant to presidential D ecree No. 86, amended. (f) â€Å"Intramuros Administration 9IA) refers to the government agency created pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 1616 (1979), as amended. (g) â€Å"Philippine retirement Authority (PRA) refers to the government agency created pursuant to Executive order No. 1037 (1985). (h) â€Å"Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA)† refers to government agency created pursuant to this Act. (i) â€Å"Tourism EEnterprise Zone† (TEZ) refers to tourism (j) â€Å"TEZ overseer† refers to any person who shall be appointed by the TIEZA in specific zones to perform such functions as may be delegated by the TIEZA in accordance with law†¦ Other related definitions can refer to Section 4 of this Act. Under Section 72 of this Act provides funding for TIEZA. The TIEZA shall obtained the funds for itys operations from the following: (a) Fifty percent (50%) of the proceeds from the travel tax collections; (b) A reasonable share from the collections of Office of Tourism resource generation, to be determined by the Department (c) Income from Projects managed by TIEZA (d) Subsidies and grants from local and foreign sources that maybe received by the TIEZA. At least five (5%) from the travel tax collection which shall accrue to the TIEZA shall be earmarked for the development of historic, cultural, religious and heritage sits and prime tourist destinations†¦.{underscoring supplied} Section 73 of this Act state the Collection and Allocation of Travel Taxes. For purposes of this Act, the TIEZA shall the principal agency responsible for the timely collection of travel taxes. Amounts to be collected by the TIEZA shall be distributed in the manner provided for under this Act: Provided, that the national government shall for alternative funding sources for programs funded by the travel tax in the event of a phase out travel tax collection following international agreements. Pursuant to Section 72 of this Act fifty percent (50%) of the proceeds out of travel tax collections shall accrue to the tIEZA. The government contribution to the Higher Education Development Fund, equivalent to forty (40%) percent from the total gross collections of travel tax, shall be retained: Provided that the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) shall give priority to tourism related educational programs and course. The ten percent (10%) share of the national Commission for the Culture and the Arts from the total gross collections of the travel tax shall likewise be retained. Public Budgeting Allocation of Budget in Tourism industry especially in the collection and allocation of Travel Taxes has counterpart, with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), The Department of Finance (DOF), Commission on Audit (COA), Bureau of Internal (BIR), The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCAA) and other concerned agency in tourism industry. The Appropriation based on the General Appropriation Act of 2013 for the Department of Tourism (DOT). It is a political process because the decision and priorities is determine more valuable to the society and boosting technical and merit with constituents need or demands.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Henry David Thoreau

Henry David Thoreau Introduction Henry David Thoreau, an American author and philosopher is known for his book, Walden which advocates for simple living. Between 1845 and 1847, he withdrew into the woods where he remained solitary for two years and two months reflecting upon his life and trying to awaken his soul.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Henry David Thoreau specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More His greatest conviction was rooted in the elimination of waste in ones life and discovering its true nature by avoiding the illusions that confuse real living. The following is an analysis of what Thoreau meant in this excerpt from Walden. â€Å"I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavor. †¦ To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts. Every man is tasked to make his life, even in details, worthy of the contemplation of his most elevated and critical hour.† Thesis Statement In this paper, I will argue the fact that Thoreau was challenging us to be better than we already are. I will show how Thoreau intended us to understand his statements. What Thoreau is asking us to do? Thoreau is taking lead in advocating that people stop committing wholly to their usual stimulants e.g. a cup of coffee (Bode, 342), but rather looks inside of themselves to wake from within, to lift their spirits and make their souls lively rather than their physical bodies. He wants us to acknowledge the fact that the body may be up and about but the spirit remains down and still in deep slumber. He was an advocate of the simple way of life and spiritual awakening was a way he envisaged for the enjoyment of life’s deepest experiences.Advertising Looking for term paper on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Thoreau mentions a dawn or a morning but he was n either referring to the sunrise we know of nor was he referring to the early hours of the day we call morning but rather he wanted people to change the way they view their activities and start a fresh, make a change for a different experience (Daily Philosopher 2). The hours of day are quantifiable but Thoreau refers to the depth of the human experiences that give greater joy that are not measurable. â€Å"Morning is when I am awake and there is a dawn in me. Moral reform is the effort to throw off sleep. Why is it that men give so poor an account of their day if they have not been slumbering?† (Thoreau 142). Simply, after the spiritual awakening, comes the enjoyment of life and consequently a better quality life. The importance of spiritual awakening to our wellbeing Thoreau further claims that self awakening is something we owe ourselves. In order to be in a position to please others, one must take it upon himself to please his own self. He makes it sound like it is an obli gation we owe ourselves, a moral task (Daily Philosopher p. 3) that is the indicator of the quality of the life we live. He sees every human being as a masterpiece, a perfect craft and adds that it is we ourselves who are the artists of our own lives. Thoreau says that the value of a man is not in his skin, that we should touch him (102). â€Å"We are all sculptors and painters, and our material is our own flesh and blood and bones. Any nobleness begins at once to refine a man’s features, any meanness or sensuality to imbrute them† (Thoreau, 165). The way we choose to live it is the way we turn out, a comparison with how an artist affects the quality of the art he produces. The way we awaken ourselves and become aware of the aspects life around us is the same way the quality of our lives changes. If we tend to our souls appropriately, giving them the nourishment they require, then we grow spiritually and this reflects in our day-to-day activities â€Å"There can no ve ry black melancholy to him who lives in the midst of nature and has his senses still† (Thoreau, 98).Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Henry David Thoreau specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This means that when you are awakened spiritually, you find solace in the simplest of things. You could feel the same kind of spiritual satisfaction regardless of where you are, whether enjoying the breeze on a beach or cleaning the house. The circumstances we are in do not have to change for us to enjoy our lives. When we are spiritually awake, we get more meaning out of life and the details around us and it improves our experiences dramatically. â€Å"Individuals nowadays appear detached from the natural bonds† (Worley 81) since they have not awakened their spirits. The means by which we awaken spiritually In the excerpt, he refers to a conscious endeavor as the initial step necessary for the awakening to be reali zed. It is to look within ourselves, to realize that we are still alive and make a declaration that we must strive to awaken. The effort, he says, is meant to come from us and we must mentally commit ourselves to do what we feel we must in order for the change to come to us. â€Å"By a conscious effort of the mind we can stand aloof from actions and their consequences; and all things, good and bad, go by us like a torrent† (Thoreau, 101). The envisaged effort must not be accidental, nor must it be forced but rather deliberate, a willingness to change stemming from the realization that a vacuum exists. As human beings, we are predisposed to comfort, we always want to stay asleep as our mental strength is often overshadowed by our desire to rest. Therefore, in order to make a change and be awake, we must dissuade ourselves from the natural urge to resist change as the duality of our complex pushes us to want change but at the same time not be prepared to take the necessary lead to effect the change. â€Å"So thoroughly and sincerely are we compelled to live, reverencing our life, and denying the possibility of change† (Thoreau 20).Advertising Looking for term paper on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More We are happy to just laze around in contrast to being lively and active. The power held in our mind is huge, thus, if we set our minds to change, we inevitably affect it, but the process has to be gradual. The initial stage in the process involves the realization that we are not getting more out of life as we should be doing, we are not awake to the realities and experiences around us and we do not find pleasure in the small details. When we conclude the initial phase, Thoreau says that we apply a conscious endeavor. The power to commit lies within ourselves as it is so often replicated in examples of the life we lead on a daily basis. For example, when a person realizes that he is obese, he endeavors to stop taking junk food and starts eating healthy foods that will improve his condition. It does not mean that he will automatically fall out of love with the junk foods, on the contrary, he is constantly tempted by them but the strength of his resolve will be the determinant in the e nd. Such a person must in addition throw out all junk food from his kitchen and in turn stock it with healthier food. In the end, the person will develop a craving for the healthier foods and will forget the junk. The resolve that the person in the example has is the same that Thoreau is talking about. You decide you want to make a change and then direct your efforts to making that change happen. â€Å"Any prospect of awakening or coming to life to a dead man makes indifferent all times and places† (Thoreau100). Beyond the conscious endeavor On further reading, Thoreau seemed to suggest that the self awakening that he was championing had a limit it one’s mind. You could try hard but in the end, your imagination of what steps to take in order to make the change eventually becomes your limitation. â€Å"No man ever followed his genius till it misled him† (Thoreau161). He seemed to suggest that, albeit these limitations the brain sets, there seems to be a voice wit hin that points us in the right direction. This is the voice of the oracles. There is a higher power that guides and advices us on all matters and it comes from the connection we have with the spirit world. If we call upon the spirits, they help us build on our resolve and in the end we awaken our slumbering souls. Traditionally, oracles directed the activities of man and made known their intentions via signs that were often difficult to decipher and this task was left to the older generations who had the craft to unearth the hidden meanings. Thoreau suggests that we all possess the knowledge to decipher the direction the oracles point us towards and that what is needed is to be attentive and reflective. In a nutshell, Thoreau is telling us that if we try too hard, then the information we get from within ourselves is paltry, therefore another source of guidance is needed and that is from the spirit world. Every man is divine in his own way although he chooses to ignore the inner bei ng that constantly guides him. â€Å"How vast and profound is the influence of the subtile powers of Heaven and of Earth† (Thoreau 101) Conclusion Thoreau wants us to awaken our spirits in order to enjoy our lives to the maximum. In order to do this, he urges us to awaken our souls and become aware of the numerous experiences at our behest (Thoreau112). In order to awaken our spirits, he proposes a deliberate decision to effect the necessary changes coupled by the appropriate actions, however, he cautions against ignoring the supernatural voice within ourselves that will give the ultimate guidance. Bode, Carl. The Portable Thoreau, Walden â€Å"Where I Lived, and What I Lived For, New York:   Penguin Books, 1982 Daily Philosopher. Awaken Thyself. 2004, Retrieved from thedailyphilosopher.org/daily/000010.php Thoreau, Henry David. A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers; Walden, or, Life in the Woods ; The Maine Woods ; Cape Cod, Edited by Robert F.Sayre, ISBN: 094045027 5 Worley, Sam McGuire: Emerson, Thoreau and the role of the cultural critic. New York: State university of New York press, 2001. Retrieved from https://books.google.com./books?id=TmNuI7sM3G8Cpg=PA176dq=Worley,+Sam+McGuire:+Emerson,+Thoreau+and+the+role+of+the+cultural+critichl=enei=zS24TdT0EpDsrQfR09zNDQsa=Xoi=book_resultct=book-thumbnailredir_esc=y#v=onepageqf=false

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Real-Time Systems Design, Robustness Challanges Research Paper

Real-Time Systems Design, Robustness Challanges - Research Paper Example The essence of this paper is to focus on the challenges faced by these designers and the important methodologies that need to be applied in order to overcome these challenges so as to ensure the robustness of these systems. Keywords: Real time system design, Robustness, Challenges Introduction Real Time System Design can be defined as a combination of protocols and procedures that are aimed at ensuring a system is made efficient to perform its intended task within the deadline prescribed. The efficiency of such a system is based on correct and timely outputs. [1] For a real time system to be considered robust, it should have the ability to handle errors in explicit conditions and also provide bounded responses including the risk severe consequences. This therefore makes the design of such a system to require maximum attention by designers since even a minor deviation can lead to a disaster during the usage of such systems. [3] Most embedded systems have strong real-time constraints, which it is compulsory to take into account in their design and modelling. Twenty year ago, timed automata [6] was introduced for the purpose of ensuring that their finite-state automata is extended with definite-valued clocks, which can be used to specify how much time may elapse between different events in the system. These requirement therefore leads lot of challenges faced by designers in regard to the robustness of these systems [2]. Our research is aimed at illustrating the different scheduling techniques applicable in this area of design so as to overcome the challenges posed by timely disorder. Our goal is that by the end of discussion in this paper, the various challenges that real time systems designers face in their design procedures and in different real time scenarios would have been discussed in their corresponding circumstances and subsequent solutions formulated. Literature Review It is not always easy to come up with robust real-time system design without major chal lenges. A lot of research has been carried out in this field in the quest to analyze the challenges faced by these designers and various solutions that will ensure robustness of the designs suggested. In [5], the authors illustrates the scheduling techniques applied in order to avoid the challenges caused by time constraints in the design. They bring out clearly the aspect of time acting in different real time scenarios to make a system change with respect to the corresponding circumstances. The authors state that the most challenges faced by real-time system designers are in regard to issues of synchronization and predictability. They also address real time tragic scenarios and case studies from the trusted sources that gives the big picture on the cause and the preventive measures. They also propose two methodologies aimed at achieving predictability; synchronization and parallelism as solutions to the challenges faced. Huang, Jinfeng, et al in [2] explains the large gap that exis ts between system design requirements and the achievements that have been the major challenges in systems design. They state that this is eminent in real-time system design since they require strict time schedules and critical safety requirements. The authors suggest that to ensure robustness, there should be an effective way of supporting predictability. The paper also discusses the role of semantics of design languages in supporting predic

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Analyses of Youths Working in Fast Food Industries Essay

Analyses of Youths Working in Fast Food Industries - Essay Example The essay "Analyses of Youths Working in Fast Food Industries" presents an overview of the article "Working at McDonald's" by Amitai Etzioni who emphasizes that there is little learning in terms of skills development taking place. This article is well written and the author tries to portray his argument in a clear and succinct way. The author substantiates his arguments with factual information that has been drawn from other studies related to this particular problem. For instance, the author quotes the Charper-Freser Study which posts to the effect that teenagers often work for about 30 hours per week and only 20% of them work for 15 hours or less. A critical reading of the article also shows that the teens often finish work very late and this is likely to impact negatively on their school work. Obviously, by the time they get home late at night, they will be tired so they cannot be in a position to complete their school work. In terms of academic development, these teens are likely to lag behind and they may not be in a position to get better-paying jobs. The other important point that has been portrayed by the author is that most teen work these days is not providing early lessons in the work ethic. It fosters escape from school and responsibilities and it provides a shortcut to the consumerist aspects of adult life. This is very bad for youth development since they will fail to concentrate on their studies in pursuit of earning quick money which may negatively impact on their career development. Indeed, the teens need to learn to be self reliant from a tender age but they often find themselves in a trap where they fail to balance their academic life and the need to earn extra income while they are still at school. The result is that most of these people will drop out of school in order to concentrate on these part time jobs that can offer them quick money. Once this has happened, career development suffers and these people end up doing low paying jobs throughout their lives as a result of the fact that they will be lacking requisite skills to perform other professional jobs that are better paying and secure. The other interesting point raised by the author is that â€Å"there is no father or mother figure with which to identify to emulate to provide a role model and guidance,† (283). It can be observed that these teens have little room for skills development since they do not have anyone to guide them so that they can improve in their work. It can also be noted that there are less adult values that are transmitted to these teens since they are forced to supervise themselves at work. This is a strategy by some of these fast food restaurants like McDonalds that intend to cut costs by avoiding hiring experienced supervisors. These in turn can impart vital knowledge among the youths but this is not the case. at the end of the day, it can be seen that there is no development taking place among the youths but they are exposed to a situation where youth delinquency thrives. Whenever there is no adult leadershi p or guidance, the problem that is likely to be

Monday, November 18, 2019

Nurses in Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Nurses in Politics - Essay Example Public health care institutions are funded by the government that also formulate policies to govern them. Lois Capps plays a crucial role in policy setting and determination of budget in the health care sector. She understands the sector and can convince her colleagues on issues pertaining health to care. Having adequate knowledge in the health sector allows her to give a strong opinion in communities that require a professional in the field. Her experience in the field also allows her to give specific encounters that will help the other legislators understand the challenges patients and healthcare providers face in the facilities (Feldman, & Lewenson, 2000). Her contribution to successful Acts can be summed up into two major bills. The Nurse-managed Health Clinic Investment Act of 2009 and The School-Based Health Clinic Establishment Act of 2009. The two bills were cosponsored by Lois Capps and are meant to ensure that clinics run by advance practice nurses and school-based clinics to get funding from the government. Lois Capps was also a vocal supporter of the health care reform bill, which ensured Americans get access yet affordable health care (Mason, Leavitt, & Chaffee,

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Verbal Communication And Presentation Skills

Verbal Communication And Presentation Skills Introduction During the Impact Workshop we were asked to mention our two skills which we think we need to improve during our tenure at Leeds Metropolitan University. According to me the skills which I want to develop are Verbal Communication Skills and Presentation Skills. After the completion of the workshop I went through few books and found out certain methods which authors believe, can be usefull to improve these skills. Skill 1: Verbal Communication Skills Many teachers worlwide have to teach mainly grammar and vocabulary because these areas are tested in examinations. This means that speaking is a neglected language skill in many classrooms. Even after good knowlegde of grammar, students tend to find difficult to speak English outside tha classroom. Students who can speak English well may have a greater chance of, finding employement and gaining promotion. Good English speakers will be in a strong position to help their conutrys economic, political and social development. Speaking activities can reinforce the learning of new vocabulary, grammar or functional language. Speaking activities gives students a chance to use the new language they are learning.( Baker, J and   Westrup,H, 2003, pp. 6-8) It is very important to speak in English during the classroom sessions; it is not only a place where we learn about the rules of language. It is also a place where students can practice using the language in a supportive environment. People learn language in different ways. Many learn to speak in english without taking a single lesson however other learn it by taking classes in the language.( Baker,J and   Westrup,H, 2003, pp.6-8) When we talk about speaking, we mean using language for a purpose. The author says that instead of asking students to repeat sentences, some time give students a topic and ask them to construct and say their own responses. And this examples is related with me as this is one technique which I have been following since my schooling however when I decided to come to U.K. and pursue masters I had to appear for IELTS exam, I found that this is not enough as my score was pretty low in spoken english as compare to other metrices. I realised that speaking in English requires a lot of practice, not just discussion on small topics in the classroom. It requires a hold over the language so that one is able to comprehend first what needs to be spoken. And should be able to make others understand what they want to say by communicating effectively. Hence I realised after reading this book that to have a good command on the language one need to practice and use his/her skills to create his/her own s entences and try to communicate in english as much as possible. In order to be affluent with the language and stand out of the crowd one should not repeat what others say, but one should make his/her own sentences and dialogues. I have started applying the methods suggested by the author in order to improve my spoken English. I have seen a change in me, as I have started speaking a lot in the class, started asking questions during the claassroom sessions. I found that I am not that much hesitant anymore, while interacting with students from different counrties, cultures and I have realised that by doing this on a daily basis I happen to improve on my vocabulary and I fumble less while speaking. And I think that because of this i have become more confident and started taking part in group discussions and presentations in the class. Now I feel that flying from India to UK is worth, and I feel this leap in my life and opportunity to study here and have a good grasp over the language will help me in near future i.e. HR in which I would like to pursue my career. As English is a universal language one must have a good command over it as it is required worldwide for employment. The author suggests that an individual can improve speaking skills in english by activating and extending their linguistic competence; increasing their confidence in using spoken english; developing their ability to analyze and evaluate spoken performance; sharpening their competence in face to face interaction. By using these points one can improve the quality of their speaking skills as well as to increase the quality of their knowlegde of the language system. ( Anderson,K et al.,2004, pp.7-8) After attending theImpact workshop I realised that it is very important to develop speaking skills, if I have to sustain in this competitive world. I thought a lot on how I can improve this skill and I confronted this to my tutors and with the help of their guidance I found that I should read a lot of books and also look at different approches which various authors have suggested to improvise this skill. Then I found this book and i discovered that in order to improve spoken English one needs to have good vocabulary knowlegde so that he/she can use different words while interating with others. Doing this helps in increase in confidence while speaking in English and along with this one also enculcate an ability to observe and measure different ways of speaking. Polishing their skills by interacting with more and more people personally and talking to yourself by looking at the mirror. Hence building your self confidence and thus enhancing your skills. Since these factors are very helfull in order to build up ones speaking skills, I have also started implementing them in my day to day life. I try to speak and interact in English on a daily basis with my friends, classmates, family members etc. I also try to participate in those activities which require use of spoken English as a whole so that my skill is developed. In order to speak good English one should also be able to pronounce words clearly aand correctly. While pronouncing a word one must take care to voice the sound at the end of the word. If one dont and intend to say I need a cab, the listener ill hear I need a cap. The author further explains with this example that if all vowels are voiced, then this should help cleary the voicing through to the end. The author put forward the methods to improvise on ones pronunciation and speaking by praticing the pronunciation of such words by speaking them on a daily basis and during spare time. Practising it has added benefit of carry-over to its homophones, too and two, also used with high frequency. ( Bareithe, T, 2007) As per the author one needs to practice this skill by communicating more and more even during the spare time, be it wailking from one place to another, or driving from one workplace to home or vice a versa, or waiting for someone. The author says that there are few words which are pronounced similarly however written differently and have different meanings. We need to practice pronounciation of such words along with others. And there are few words if not pronounced correctly, then the listener might interpret it something else. E.g. if we dont pronounce backed correctly then the listener may hear it as packed. Earlier I use to listen to English songs and use to think that I can extract few English words that are considered as part of good vocabolary. However later on I realised that by doing so I am not improving, rather hampering my vocabulory and restricting myself as I have fallen prey to use a lot of slangs and cannot communicate frequently as I was not able to grasp the words from the songs. When I read this book I realised that the methods given in the book are right ways of improving spoken English and now I have been practising all the methods mentioned by the author. I try to utilise my spare time in practicing pronunciation of different words. And I think this method is very usefull and easy as compare to other methods. Skill 2: Presentation Skills In order to improve our presentation skills, the author says that one should be able to deal beter with the feedback. When someone is sharing their perception one should be gracious, not defensive, take notes and should not try to explain or rationalize. One should always be specific and should ask them to clarify, with simple, open questions in a cordial, calm tone. And should thank them for their feedback. According to the author the prsenter should always be open to the feedback given by the audience or the assessor. One should take the feedback positively and should try and implement advices into actions. Also while presenting the speaker should be very clear, should use simple words and should have a pleasant tone. Earlier I was very bad in presentation skills, I figure this out when I started giving presentations during the classroom sessions. I use to get annoyed from the no.of questions asked as I was not able to handle the pressure. And I was not able to accept that my classmates are cross questioning me rather than my tuitor, which made me further phobic to presentations as it hurted my ego. However after reading this book and suugestions given by author I learnt to hold on to be patient and starting accepting the feedback, be it from anyone, my classmates or janetor. (Rotondo, J and Rontodo, M, 2001, p.167) As per the author for better presentation one need to use good visual aids to make it clearer, so that it makes sense to the audience- if they follow the outline of your speech and they succintly present that outline. Follow your outline. Refer to your Outline Worksheet, and start your presentation by designing one slide for each idea. For Example the basic presentation may have the following slides: title; attention grabber; purpose; agenda; benefit of audience; point 1 with the example; point 2 with the example; point 3 with the example; summary, action step; final statement. The author suggests that for a presentation one should try and use some good pictures, so that the audience is able to understand it easily. The language used should be simple and clear. The structure should be clear starting from the title, with each part of the presentation divided separatly and elaborated with examples, should always have a conclusion. Before reading this book I use to think that presentation need not require much effort, which can be done without visuals as well, just by reading from the paper but after looking at the suggestions given by the author I thought that visuals are very usefull, especially to build the interest of the audience. Adding up images adds colour to the presentation and makes it more entertaining for the audience. I have presented on few topics during the class sessions and have started using images. It is very usefull in order to maintain the rhythm. (Bienvenu, S, 2000, P.76) The author believes that there are few steps which one should always follow in order to present effectively. Its starts from staying relax; lets say theres is a weird question from the audience which you think is can make you nervous, that your heart starts beating too fast. However one should stay calm before answering it so that the flow of the presentation is maintained. And the thinking process remains active. The next step can be being firm and polite to the audience while answering their questions and not being hyper or rude if someone asks too many questions. Check the audiences body language, whether they are paying any attention or not, or whether they are being distracted by anyone or they are paying more attention to someone else then you, if they look irritated or if they are genuinly intrested in the presentation and if this is the case then they would want you to answer all the questions quickly without wasting any time. I discovered after reading this that its a human behaviour to get nervous while standing and presenting in front of number of people. Especially when the audience is very proactive in asking questions and due to nervousness one tends to forget things or gets diverted. One should be able to control the presentation with the help of his/her communication skills and sense of humour. So that the audience does not looses its interest. One should be able jugde after looking at the audience, whether they are paying attention or not, whether they are getting annoyed or taking more interest in gossiping or doing some other work. Also one should be able to maintain his/her calm when someone asks a question which is irrelevant or which can create confusion for others. One should always try to answer questionss clearly and should be to the point. One should be thorough with the presentation so that he/she is able to answer evry question asked. I have realised that after coming to U.K. I started fumbling and started getting nervous while answering questions during the presentation. I use to get annoyed with the no.of answers however after reading through this book I am able to present more confidently and I am able to answer questions without getting irritated. This has really helped me in order to stay calm and present effectively. I always am thorough with the topic of presentation sso that I am able to solve any of the queries based on the topic. (Bradbury,A, 2006, pp.132-134) Conclusion After reading all these books related to my weaknesses which I wanted to work on, and after the application of the methods suggested my all the authors I see myself improving day by day and comprehensivley overcoming my weaknesses. Though I dont have any evidences to show but my active participation in the classroom, group work, presentations proves it all. Thus far I am satisfied with my progress and more than happy to make this decision of coming to U.K. and then attending the Impact workshop under my skills module, which made me realize that knowing your weaknesses is not an embarasment rather it is more beneficial. As one knows the areas of development and can be improved before entering the corporaate arena, where we are suppose to perform and compete. Appendices Log 1 Name Miss Divya Manohar Description of experience? I was an  introvert and was never bothered that it might affect my professional front before coming to Leeds because I thought it was a matter of personal choice. However making various presentations at Leeds made me realizes that I had to gear up to work on both my presentation skills and my shyness. What did I previously think was true, but now know to be incorrect/ wrong?   I use to think that being an introvert will not effect be adversly. What was new or surprising to me? What have I changed my mind about, as a result of this? Back in India I was not at all shy talking in front of the crowd during different celebratory activities but when it came to do the same in a conference hall confronting my tutors, I was nervous. And was unable to perform effectively. One thing I learned from this? One should be always ready to learn, and its never too late. How do I plan to cope up with it?   I have started working on it after becoming a part of Leeds Metropolitan.In order to become better I am trying to speak more frankly while talking to my classmates and try not to hesitate to ask for help from others. Also Iam trying to include some good vocabulary to my verbal communication that will help me make a mark for me in order to assess my progress. Also apart from this, I will put a habit of rehearsing my presentations before I get on the stage. And doing good research on the topic so that I will be able to answer all the questions which aundience might have, effectively. Log 2 Name Miss Divya Manohar Description of experience?   After I came to leeds I realised that I my spoken english was not that good. Even after studying in an english medium school, I was required to polish my speaking skills. I never thought that it might affect my professional front because it was appropriate as per the Indian aundience. However after giving my IELTS exam I figured out that when it comes to speaking english fluently, especially when you are being jugded I am not good at all. Moreover after communicating with people from various cultures specially who are from U.K at Leeds made me realizes that I had to gear up to work on spoken communication skills. What did I previously think was true, but now know to be incorrect/ wrong?   I thought that my spoken language is effiecient enough, however it was not that great when it comes to profeesional level. What was new or surprising to me? What have I changed my mind about, as a result of this ? When I was in India I was never hesitant whenever it comes to speak in front of general public or in a classroom whenever there was a discussion on various topics or an event but when it came to do the same when I was being assessed during IELTS and after coming here, I was not confident enough. And was unable to express my view points effectively. One thing I learned from this? One should be always ready to learn, and its never too late. How do I plan to cope up with it?   I have already started working on it after becoming a part of Leeds Metropolitan.In order to become better I am trying to speak more frankly while talking to my classmates and trying not to hesitate to ask for help from others. Also Iam trying to include some good vocabulary to my verbal communication that will help me make a mark for me in order to assess my progress. Also apart from this, I am reading good books, newspaper, magazines etc. that will help me express more effectively in this language with instances. And have started speaking in english even at home so that I feel comfortable while talking to others in public. Unsent Letter 1 I am wirting this to tell you about a workshop I have recently attended, after which I am able to answere those questions which I use to ask myself, however couldnt get an answer. That was to present in public about a certain topic or case. †¦ (In the workshop) we had to present about the decision of the group in the end of the day. I was supposed to present as I chose this particular skill for improvement. There were situations while presenting, I was nervous and due to thaat I was hesitant while speaking, knowingly that I need to improve my speaking communication skills as well, I tried to present. Apart from this workshop there has been instances when I found myself tense while pressenting in the class. During other module sessions as well, when ever we had to present something, I could feel the uncertainity in me, whether to present or allow my classmate to do so. I feel that this feeling has become more prominent after coming to U.K. I use to make presentations when I was in India; however mu confidence was not this low. I always wanted to be in a group where there are students who are better then me in presentation skills, so that they can be the ones who can do the talking part, and use to stick to the prepa ration of the presentation. At the end of every presentation I give I look for feedback from the audience and I try to inculcate their feedback in me for the next time. I also needed to recognise that I am overly tough on myself and that this can then have an impact on my confidence a whole. Unsent Letter 2 Dear †¦ A few months ago, I had to appear for my IELTS exam, where I was jugded on 4 different parameters of English language. These paarameters were: listening, reading, speaking and writing. I thought I will be able to perform equally in all of the above metrices but when it came to speaking, I found that not only while answering the question, I was even nervous while communicating with the examiner. Gradually during the session, which lasted for not more than 15 minutes, I did improve as I knew that I have to perform in order to score good bands in that section. Apart from that score part I had other things in my mind as well, which included my friends reaction if did not score well. I still remember I did a disaster by stopping early in the last question where I was given a scenario, on which few questions were based and in the very last question of that part I was suppose to tell the examiner in brief the reason behind my answer. I was not only nervous I remember I couldnt even say much , I could not express my view points, I was short of content, lacked in confidence on narating her something which I had been doing for years. It was very dissapointing of me. I wanted to ask the examiner for some feedback but couldnt do that due to embarassment. That was when I knew I need to work on this skill, that too hard. And after coming to Leeds this has been confirmed.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Brave New World Ultimate Destruction :: Brave New World

Brave New World Ultimate Destruction    In Brave New World, Aldous Huxley tries to convey the belief that every invention or improvement for the â€Å"betterment† of mankind is only an instrument for his ultimate destruction. â€Å"We are,† he said, â€Å"on the horns of an ethical dilemma and to find the middle way will require all out intelligence and all out good will.† This goes for all fields of life, medical, technical, social, etc. Not only in the book, but also in real life, one can see that this belief is evidently true.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A first example in the book is the process in which babies are â€Å"born.† The intricate fertilizing, decanting, and conditioning processes is directly used to produce and control a 5 caste system in society. Now, this is not a bad idea, other system is flawed. We see this in people like Bernard. An alpha is supposed to be at the top of society being well formed, tall, good looking and intelligent. Bernard however is somewhat shorter and less handsome than the rest of the men in his caste, and therefore is thought of as queer. This inconsistency in the hatching system shows proof that the system is not completely safe or stable, and will in time produce more and more â€Å"social rejects† that can only lead to destroy the system.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The conditioning process itself is also a good example of how innovation and â€Å"progress† can lead to the destruction of man. John got this in his belief that everyone, no matter how old, was an infant because of the conditioning systems. To truly mature, he thought, one must face suffering and constant cleansing (leading him to his time at the lighthouse). The acceptance and use of the notion that society should be organized by the pleasures of the people is preposterous in that by only living for simple physical pleasure at whatever moment in time it may be, one is stripped of the ability to strive for long-range, true happiness. By breeding a complete society of infants with no concept of planning for a final goal can only end in destruction as it con not support itself if the hand that rocks the cradle, excuse the pun, would happen to waiver.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thirdly, in the book, the rationing and use of soma as a release for all people is a big red flashing light on the board of pending social disaster.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Gay Marriage Argument Essay

Two editorials were posted in the â€Å"New York Daily News† and â€Å"Times of Trenton† pertaining to the subject of legalizing gay marriage. Both articles argue the position against gay marriage and use the same focal point in their articles: the negative effects that legalizing gay marriages will have on children being raised by same sex parents. Also, both articles contain logical fallicies in their argument and use many of the same tactics to argue their point such as scare tactics, statistics, and quotes from people on the other side of the argument. However, the â€Å"Times of Trenton† editorial is able to cover up these fallicies and present their side in a cleaner and more efficient way than the â€Å"New York Daily News† by making the statistics seem more credible, the quotes from the other side of the argument more persuasive, and the overall organization of their logic more rational. Unfortunately, the legalization of same sex marriage is a highly divided and controversial topic that our nation has been debating over since the day American was founded as a country. While the movement persisted throughout the centuries, it was not until the turn of the millennium in the year 2000 that Vermont became the first state to allow civil unions for same sex couples. Since then, milestones have been made in the LGBT community as thirteen states have legalized same sex marriage and eight states recognizing same sex civil unions as of 2013. However, America is taking the matter at a slow pace compared to the thirteen countries that have already completely recognized same sex marriage—Denmark legalizing the practice since the late 1980s. In fact, many states have taken a few steps backwards, such as California passing an amendment to overturn its previous decision to legalize same sex marriage along with 32 states adding amendments to ban same sex unions to their constitutions. However, the most recent polls show majority support for the legal recognition of same sex marriage, with supporters first achieving the majority in 2010. There is a general trend between supporters for same sex marriage with lack of religious fundamentalism, young age, higher education, and residence in the Northeast and West Coast. Also, supporters come from mostly liberal and moderate political ideologies and the female gender. In opposition are mostly the South and Midwest regions, men, and conservative political ideologies. The defenders of opposite sex marriages generally argue against same sex couples raising children as well, generally basing their stance on outdated studies—many of which have been revoked by their own researchers. Both articles used research statistics to support their claim. The â€Å"NY Daily News† quoted a statement from Obama stating that children who grow up without a father are more likely to become destructive citizens of our society. The article poorly executes the utilization of research in two ways: first they use Obama as a figure of false authority and fail to cite the origin of the research, loosening its credibility. Secondly, even if it is credible, the research overall is misinterpreted and a red herring to the argument. The research is only relevant to children who grow up without a father not directly to same gender parents—it could easily be possible that the research pertains to single parent households. The author also sets up a straw man against Obama by stating â€Å"Obama is right. Children are better off with both a mother and a father. † Firstly, it does not state anywhere in the quote given that Obama said children need strictly a mother and father, only that children without both parents present are more likely to end up in a poor situation. Secondly, even if the research was relevant with same gender families, it would only present a stance against children raised by two mothers instead of two fathers. Not only is it a hasty generalization for the author to assume that this single study proves that marriage needs to involve a man and a woman, it is non-sequitur to believe that because children without fathers do not grow up well, that same gender situations where both parents are present will yield the same results. In the other article, the author uses research to support his claim slightly more efficiently—the first research study the author uses is cited and actually is directly relevant to same gender family studies. The study showed that children raised by same sex parents are more likely to be homosexual, abuse drugs, be molested by their parents/adult figure, and participate in risky behavior. The average reader scanning over the article quickly would see the author stated where the research came from and automatically assume that it is credible. However, when the research was further investigated, it was found that not only was the study widely considered by scientists to be inconclusive. Even the author, Mark Regernus, stated in an interview that the study lacked enough foundation to make such a claim. The article then declares there is an increase in people identifying as homosexual since 1994. The author then claims this increase falsifies the theory that people are born homosexual but instead is due to cultural factors encouraging same-sex behavior. The first mistake with this claim is that the author does not provide where this information originates. It is non sequitur to believe that because the culture is becoming more accepting of homosexuality, it increases homosexuality and debunks the theory that people are born homosexual. More or less, this claim is a hasty generalization because the author does not consider possibilities such as culture changing to accept homosexual individuals giving people comfort and security to openly identify as homosexual. Both authors clearly stack bias evidence against homosexual behavior instead of providing or arguing against any of the available evidence that suggests being homosexual has genetic components or children from same sex families do as well as heterosexual parented families. While the lack of arguing against evidence refuting their claims may seemingly strengthen their opinion, the blatant bias makes their argument less convincible to readers because it comes off as close-minded and opinionated rather than open and persuasive, especially to readers that support gay marriage. To strengthen their argument, both articles used quotes from the opposing side to argue their claim. Again, the â€Å"Times of Trenton† article uses this method more strongly than â€Å"New York Daily News†. The â€Å"New York Daily News† claims that the LGBT community supports the author’s thesis that gay marriage is based on a lie. They first quote an author named Masha Gessen, a supporter of gay marriage: â€Å"Fighting for gay marriage generally involves lying about what we are going to do with marriage when we get there—because we lie that the institution of marriage is not going to change. † The author set up a straw man manipulating these words to make it appear that the LGBT community agrees with their thesis. Gessen, however, is not directly stating that gay marriage is based off a lie, but that it is a lie to say that the institution of marriage is not going to change as a result of legalizing gay marriage. Then, the author quotes another gay marriage advocate named Judith Stacey repeatedly throughout the article essentially making evident her support for polygamy and that redefining marriage will hopefully give way to accepting polygamy. It is non sequitur and a hasty generalization to claim that if same sex marriage is legalized, it will instigate the acceptance and legalization of polygamy as well. It is also a red herring fallacy to distract the readers with irrelevant information on polygamy and somehow correlate it with the legalization of same sex marriage. This pulls away the reader from the main issue of gay marriage and the main point the author is trying to make becomes vague to the reader. Furthermore, the credibility of using these people to represent the LGBT community is put into question. The author even states that these people are radical advocates, but the author gives the illusion that since these people support same sex marriage, the LGBT community is guilty by association and therefore shares the same opinions. The author also gives these radical advocates false authority, granting them authorization to speak for the LGBT community as a whole. The â€Å"Times of Trenton† article uses a better source to support their argument: providing an article written by a gay man raising children. He says that Mainwaring can see why people oppose same sex marriage because â€Å"Moms and dads interact differently with their children. To give kids two moms or two days is to withhold†¦someone whom they desperately need and deserve. † This quote is effective because it comes from a gay man who is actually raising children and giving his perspective, instead of radical advocates. It persuades the reader that even if someone who is gay admits there is a problem with same gender families, then maybe it shouldn’t be allowed after all. However, this is using authority instead of evidence. If a gay man claims that children of same gender families are deprived of benefits that come with heterosexual parents, then it must be true because he’s gay and has children. While it is convincing, there is no substantial evidence to support that this is claim is applicable to all same gender families.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Mandatory Civil Service

Mandatory Civil Service Every person should be entitled to protection and provision by his or her nation. There is no single person brought up as a citizen of this country who can claim that he or she owes nothing to this nation. Just as every adult is nurtured in this country, it would be right if something were given in return to the mother country as a gesture of respect for duty.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Mandatory Civil Service specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to General MacArthur, â€Å"Duty, honor and country: Those three things determine what one ought to be, what one can be, and what one will be.† (MacArthur 2). It is impossible to pay back the generosity of the country in equal measure, but a gesture of gratitude can help foster a sense of duty and obligation in every citizen. In this essence, it is appropriate that every young person in the country engages in an activity in service of the nation. Barak Obam a said, â€Å"We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we’ve set. We’ve got to have a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.† (qtd. in Elliot 5). Those were president Obama’s words to American people in July. It is also important to mention that the particular service is only appropriate when the person involved is young. It is easier for anyone to manage such a service when responsibilities are few. This service goes further to increase the labor power of the people in the country. For their civil service, the young citizens will get remuneration and compensation for their constructive contribution to the nation. In that case, it is necessary to serve the nation as a citizen if one has no apparent duty in any other sector of the economy. This call comes rather as an obligation than as a statutory requirement. For many years, som e young people have been trying to avoid fulfilling their responsibilities, leaving a few willing individuals to work on their behalf. There are those who work in the civil service as a way of paying the community back. Others are forced to engage in country service for years due to some circumstances rather than their own will. This is particularly true for those youth who have deprived backgrounds. Youth coming from poor families have to work since there is no other support coming from the government or their parents. Others are rich enough not to engage in a service of any kind since they regard it humiliating to serve the nation. This kind of attitude is detrimental to the development of our society. Therefore, we must instill a sense of duty and obligation in every young citizen of this country. This policy could be a better solution to problems affecting many youths in this country. Currently, this country is the greatest consumers of narcotics. The consumption can be attribut ed to the idle young people who have a lot of free time and money, which they may have obtained from their parents or even from illegal activity. This decadence and the lack of any sense of responsibility are likely to lead this country to many problems in future since at that particular time, the current youth will be at the helm of the country.Advertising Looking for essay on public administration? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This action presents an opportunity for the people of this country to solve the perpetual problem of labor. If all young people work in the civil service for a short time, this will ease the burden of labor off the working population. We are more likely to experience labor problems and complaints in future. We can take advantage of the young population to increase the productivity of this country. This program is not only aimed at engaging young people in socially important activities util izing their abilities, but it is also an opportunity to train young people on the basic requirements of dealing with various situations in life. People in their teenage years have energy but lack skill to use their skills for a constructive purpose (Smolla 119). No responsible person would like to be idle and unproductive. Thus, since we consider our youth well-meaning, it would be better to engage them in a productive activity. This idea can be seen to violate the principles of liberty. However, it is important to note that the youth undertaking the mandatory civil service will not be kept in service longer than the required time. The duration which one will work in the civil service is also limited. This shows that the program is not meant to exploit the young people for any reason but to train them on the right approach to life. It is also an important program for their country. In fact, this strategy benefits the youth more than any other group in the country. It is, therefore, imperative that the young people themselves support this plan. It is not our intention to impose unwanted duties on the youth. Some places, such as Thailand, have seen the success of this policy on a smaller scale (Smolla 115). South Korea, one of the fastest developing economies in the world, has also implemented this policy (Cho 189). According to all the future benefits of the program, it is possible to make this great idea real and advantageous to this country. Cho, Kuk. Conscientious Objection to Military Service in Korea. Oregon Review of Internal Law 9.2 (2007): 181-108. Print. Elliot, Brenda J. SecDef’s â€Å"Soft Power†: Civilian Expeditionary Workforce RBO. 28 May 2012. Web.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Mandatory Civil Service specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More MacArthur, Douglas. General MacArthurs Thayer Award Speech Duty, Honor, Country (1962). Department of Defense Pamphlet GEN-1A, US Government Printing Office, 1964. Web. Smolla, Rodney. Community Service Programs. Law and Contemporary Problems 62.4 (2011): 112-124. Print.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Planning Psycho

Planning Psycho Introduction A psycho-educational group therapy is one of the psychological interventions instituted for people having certain degrees of psychological crisis or people who are at a risk of the same in the future. It is commonly instituted for people undergoing tuition where their instructors feel that they are handling a psychosomatic predicament.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Planning Psycho-educational Preliminary Tasks specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Forsyth, one of the functions of a psycho-educational group therapy is to make the participants aware of their condition, teach them about it, and prevent the symptoms of the condition from recurring in the individual again (2014, p. 34). The main theory applied is that, by meeting people with similar conditions, the participants are able to share and enlighten themselves and at the same time alleviate the feeling of being alone (Forsyth, 2014, p. 34) . One condition that is often treated and prevented with this form of therapy is the occurrence of postpartum depression in new teenage mothers because of the new life changes. The arguments made in the paper are based on a discussion I held with Rachel Caster who is the leader of Teen Mothers Forum Organization (TMFO). The discussion we held as tabled in the paper describes a possible psycho-educational group for the new teen mothers that can offer support and education to help them with their new life changes and to help them identify warning signs for possible postpartum depression. Targeted audience and choice of the audience As stated above, the targeted audiences for the psycho-educational group therapy are new teenage mothers who were selected based on a number of reasons, with the main one being the high prevalence of post-partum depression among this age group of mothers. According to Devine, Bove, and Olson, â€Å"The transition to motherhood is a pivotal time of psycholo gical, developmental, and biological change in a mother’s life† (2000, p. 579). Caster pointed out how new mothers are often faced with a number of psychological stressors such as physical exhaustion, role restriction, financial problems, social isolation, and depressive symptoms as well as confusion (Reis, 1989, p.146: Reis, 1988, p. 541). According to her, mothers’ experience with these stressors decreases with the number of pregnancies and primigravidas with no prior experience process of the highest risk of the post-partum depression and associated stressors.Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Based on their age and experience, teenage mothers therefore are at the greatest risk of developing the postpartum depression as compared to other mothers of higher ages. True to this observation, the number of teenage mothers with post-partum depression is high. The apparent large number of teenage pregnancies all over the world has not assisted this situation. Teenage mothers were therefore chosen on this basis. Caster also recognized psycho-educational group therapy as one of the therapies that have the potential to prevent the post-partum depression associated with the new teenage mothers or any other category of mothers (Jacobs, Harvill, Masson, 2012, p. 34). Research as evidenced, â€Å"one out of four adult women in the postpartum period experiences some form of emotional distress† (Alexander Higgins, 1993: Hopkins, Marcus, Campbell, 1984: Pierce, Strauman, Vandell, 1999). To help the mothers live their normal life, psycho-educational group therapy according to Caster would have an apparent effect on the psychological stress thus helping them to cope with the problem. Time and Place of Sessions The meetings of the psycho-educational class are scheduled for weekdays. This schedule is strategic since its timing is convenient for most of these mothers. The meetings are held once in a week for about 4 to 8 weeks as stipulated by Jacobs, Harvill, and Masson (2012, p. 34). The standard group therapy as Kreeger states runs for between two and eight weeks, with the meetings being scheduled for once in a week at a time that is convenient to the participants (1994, p.13). In the case of teenage mothers, as revealed by Caster, the afternoons and evenings are appropriate because most of them have other activities such as school that they need to attend during other hours. It also allows them to carry out other activities. In the proposed psycho-educational intervention for the teenage mothers, four sessions will be conducted. The setting of the group therapy meetings was set through the help of a group leader under the guidance of Caster who is an experienced therapist in the field of teen mothers. As Kreeger states, â€Å"each psycho-education group therapy meeting is facilitated by a group leader such as a lic ensed psychologist or psychiatrist† (1994, p.13). In this particular group, the leader is a licensed psychologist dealing with teenage psychology, with a group of teenage students under his care. Once approached after the constitution of the group, the sharing of the group’s objective took place.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Planning Psycho-educational Preliminary Tasks specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The next agreement to be made was on the venue of the meetings, the frequency of the group meetings, and the time of the meetings. The venue would be a class in the local school where most of the teenagers attend. The other agreement that was reached was in the rules of the group therapy. These included the standard rules such as no sharing of information from the group therapy outside the class (Forsyth, 2014, p. 34). The participants were also required not to engage in socialization outside the group setting. This decision was made to enable them be more open to discuss sensitive issues. Adjustment of Weekly Psycho-educational Preliminary Tasks Several adjustments to the weekly psycho-educational tasks will be made. In the first week and session, introductions will be made with the participants getting a chance to know each other and their leaders. They will also be introduced to the condition under discussion besides being allowed to contribute in the discussion of their experiences. The participants will also be allowed to state whether they have ever experienced the problem and or how they dealt with it at the time. After the first week and the day is over, the participants will be given several tasks to undertake such as play roles, which will help in the simulation of the factors leading to teenage pregnancy and depression. In the next couple of sessions, the leader will take the participants through sessions where they participate in encouraging one another and providing solutions to some of the problems that they may encounter. These sessions will be organized in topics with the first topic being how teenage pregnancy affects mothers at this age. The next topic will be on the ways that the teenagers can avoid teenage pregnancy and a discussion of some of the factors leading to teenage pregnancy. Some of the next sessions to be tackled include how to deal with the effects of teenage pregnancy, how to take care of a newborn child, dealing with social issues, and how to become independent and continue living after the pregnancy. These sessions are aimed at first making the participants secure and able to share and then allow them to tackle the problem.Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Advertisement In our discussion, Caster confirmed that any group therapy being successful here must be a means of getting the participants and other interested parties to know of its existence (Pond, Kemp, 1992, p. 17). The participants and other individuals who wish to contact me should also have an easy and reliable way of accomplishing this task in a way they feel is secure. In the advertisement strategies, a number of methods will be utilized including fliers, emails, and making of phone calls. In the advertisement campaigns, the best way of attracting the teenage mothers as utilized in this particular group therapy is the use of fliers. These were prepared with the message of the importance of having a group session if one is a teenage mother, as there are risks for postpartum depression in the mothers of this age group. The distribution of the fliers was also strategic, with the main places being in the learning institutions and entertainment spots as well as worship places w here the teenagers are thought to be available most of the times. In the fliers, contact information will be provided where the interested parties can contact the leader. These include the provision of email addresses and phone numbers. The next strategy that will be utilized is the formulation of emails and special text messages that will be sent out to teenagers and teenage mothers at risk. The strategy will contain information about the group, the relevant meeting place, time, and the contacts that they can use to reach the leader. Conclusion The formulation of a psycho-educational group therapy is important for teenage mothers and people at risk of developing psychiatric disorders. This conclusion was evidenced by the discussion I held with Caster who is a chief therapist and the leader of TMFO. In the discussion, a plan for the psycho-educational preliminary tasks has been made. The target audience has been identified and the process of forming the group and initiating therapy discussed. Reference List Alexander, J., Higgins, T. (1993). Emotional trade-offs of becoming a parent: How social roles influence self-discrepancy effects. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 65(1), 1259–1269. Devine, M., Bove, F., Olson, M. (2000). Continuity and change in women’s weight orientations and lifestyle practices through pregnancy and the postpartum period. Social Science and Medicine, 50(3), 567–582. Forsyth, R. (2014). Group dynamics. Pacific Grove, Calif.: Brooks/Cole Pub. Co. Hopkins, J., Marcus, M., Campbell, B. (1984). Postpartum depression: A critical review. Psychological Bulletin, 95(1), 498–515. Jacobs, E., Harvill, L., Masson, L. (2012). Group counseling: strategies and skills. Pacific Grove, Calif.: Brooks/Cole Pub. Co. Kreeger, L. (1994). The large group dynamics and therapy. London: Karnac Books. Pierce, M., Strauman, J., Vandell, L. (1999). Self-discrepancy, negative life events, and social support in relation to dejection in mothers of infants. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 18(2), 490–501. Pond, F., Kemp, H. (1992). A comparison between adolescent and adult women on prenatal anxiety and self-confidence. Maternal–Child Nursing Journal, 20(3), 11–19. Reis, J. (1988). Correlates of depression according to maternal age. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 149(4), 535–545. Reis, J. (1989). A comparison of young teenage, older teenage, and adult mothers on determinants of parenting. Journal of Psychology, 123(1), 141–151.