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Geography of Food Paper free essay sample

The current populace is 85 million, of which 83 is Roman Catholic, 9 percent Protestant, 5 percent Muslim, and 3 percent different religions...

Saturday, August 31, 2019

Examine the Role of the Church in Spain’s Conquest and Colonization of Continental America

Question:Examine the role of the Church in Spain’s conquest and colonization of continental America. The role of the Roman Catholic Church in Spain’s conquest and colonization of continental America was a two-fold process whereby under the facade of conversion and control lay the primary goal of gaining wealth, enforcing laws and the inevitable extension of control while condoning the beginnings of European slavery in the Caribbean. [i] Alternately, behind the movement for converting Indians lay some important influences in Spain.The Spanish Crown established royal controls over the ecclesiastical benefices and over the immense wealth of the church. [ii] Two papal bulls were issued in the year of 1493 that established the Spanish position in the New World. They also established the role that the Church was going to play in the New World. The first bull, issued on May 3, 1493, was called the Inter Caetera. It declared that lands discovered by Spanish envoys, not under a Christian owner, could be claimed by Spain.The bull also gave the Spanish monarch power to send men to convert the natives to the Catholic faith and instruct them in Catholic morals. The second papal bull issued that year expanded on the meaning of the first. The bull fixed a boundary for Spanish and Portuguese spheres of influence in the New World. This boundary heavily favored Spain, showing an alliance between Spain and the Church. Under the Spanish Crown the Inquisition was resurrected in the form of the conquistadores to hunt down heretics.In repressing the last non-Christian state in the Iberian Peninsula, Granada, and in forcibly expelling Jews and the Moors, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella sought to purify Spanish society in a spirit of Christian unity. The acts were militant expressions of religious statehood on the establishment of the American colonization in the latter part of the 1490s. [iii] The church which arrived in the Caribbean advocated what has been called â⠂¬Ëœwarrior Catholicism’[iv], which is the belief that military conquest and evangelization were compatible. v] Acting in conjunction with the conquistadores, the Roman Catholic Church played a vital role in the Spanish system of colonization and is argued to be one of the most outstanding revolutionary devices of the Spanish Government. [vi] By its discipline and methods it assumed, the Church was almost a military and political agency designed to push forward and defend the colonial frontiers, pacify the natives and open the way to European occupation. [vii] The subjugation of the native Indians and the extension of the territorial boundaries emphasized the role of the Church.The Church also served to maintain colonial borders against foreign encroachment. By its exclusion of heretical Protestants and by its strict censorship of books, the Church made foreign political and philosophical ideas difficult or dangerous to obtain and served as a defensive mechanism of the Spanis h Empire. [viii] It was largely through the Roman Catholic Church that Spain succeeded in transmitting its culture and political dominance in the colonization of continental America during the 16th century. [ix] The Church was not only an advance post of the Spanish Empire and a political device of colonialism.It had its own religious objectives and interests. The Spanish colonial empire was served exclusively by the clergy of the Roman Catholic Church which received active government support and encouragement in the form of grants of land to build churches, free passages for priest, free wine and oil for the monasteries. A hierarchy if archbishops, bishops, and lesser clergy were dispatched by the Crown to the New World. Priests were chiefly concerned with superintending the work of converting the natives, whom they thought of as primitive, to Christianity and â€Å"protecting† them from exploitation.The earliest groups were the friars, of whom the Dominicans were prominent. Later, the Franciscans and Jesuits became more active. The Roman Catholic Church reinforced religious superiority over the Indians through the Indians culture, religion and language. Associated with their attention to the spiritual needs of conversion, the priests endeavored to eliminate ‘heathen’ practices among those Indians that they baptized. [x] The non-Christian people of the Americas were not simply to be converted; they were to be civilized, taught, humanized, purified and reformed.The Indians to be converted were strangers speaking in many unfamiliar tongues. In most cases, when the Friars first encountered them, they had been only recently conquered and subjugated, and even if not actively hostile they were likely to retain covert antagonisms. In their experience all Spaniards were exploitative. The Indian religions were composites of ceremonies and attitudes of the most diverse sort, no single technique of conversion could be employed. Conversion required bo th the introduction of Catholic Christianity and the extirpation of existing native religions, and of the two tasks the latter was the more difficult one. xi] Modern anthropology demonstrates that the elimination of pagan traits was only partial. In Indian societies of the twentieth century, even in the areas of most active Christian labour, residual pagan forms survived. The mission programme resulted in the syncretism of the Indian religion and Roman Catholic Christianity. Indians might have responded enthusiastically to the new teaching, but they tended to interpret Christianity as a doctrine compatible with their own tolerant pagan religions, and they allowed Christianity and paganism to exist simultaneously as complementary faiths.A common Indian view held that one religious form was resorted to when another failed to bring a desired result. [xii] However, in a process of religious syncretism, as priest constructed churches out of the stones of destroyed temples, symbolizing an d emphasizing the substitution of one religion by the other,[xiii] religious saints like the Aztec’s Tonantzin and the Virgin Mary became intermingled, creating a new national symbol, the Virgin of Guadalupe. [xiv]In Mexico, Cortes’ forces destroyed Indian religious sites, cleaned them with lime and replaced images of Quetzalcoatl and other Indian gods with images of Christ and the Virgin Mary. [xv] Native temples were torn down, idols destroyed and burnt, sacrificial wells were filled-in, writings were destroyed and other material evidence, anything the Roman Catholic Church considered as paganism were destroyed. [xvi] The Church was also concerned with the material and physical welfare of the natives.Hospitals were particularly needed because of the epidemics which occasionally swept the land. A hospital not only provided treatment for the sick, but was frequently a kind of poor-house as well, where the aged and infirmed could be attended to, and where poor-relief co uld be dispensed. Virtually all the social services in the Spanish colonies were provided by the clergy. However, despite the advances in saving the Indians from exploitation, the work of the Church often caused distress and was sometimes harmful.In successful conversions, Indians supplied construction labour on the churches, hospitals, monasteries and schools without recompense, voluntarily, or at the command of their newly Christianized chiefs. The friars then proceeded to expand the Christianized area, by moving out into surrounding towns, where subordinate chapels were built. Cooperating Indians were brought into the conversion process to assist the friars. Indians who refused to accept Christianity were punished, sometimes by death.The labour of Christianization was further hindered by conflicts between friars and other branches of the society. The terms of the encomienda demanded that the masters should see to the Indians protection, with the duty of seeing that they were care d for and taught to become more civilized. Becoming more civilized really meant nothing more than giving signs that they accepted the Spanish as their masters, covering their bodies as European did, speaking Spanish and accepting the Christian faith.In return for Spanish protection the Indians were to give their service in the fields or mines of the encomenderos. The encomienda system was nothing more than a means of obtaining forced labour for the encomendero, Spanish conquistadors. No wages were paid for the work done and very often the Indians’ farms were ruined by herds of cattle or swine belonging to their encomendero. They rarely had time to grow their own food for the forced labour left them neither time nor strength.The Indians were not free to leave the encomienda and those who fled were hunted down by men on horseback with dogs. The death rate among the Indians shot up as a result of hunger, weakness and despair among people whose traditional village and family life was completely destroyed. The Church and the encomienda became rival institution, each in its own way seeking control over the native populations. This issue between them erupted openly in 1511, when the Dominican friar Antonio de Montesinos first condemned the colonists’ treatment of the Indian in Hispaniola.Thereafter, under the leadership of Bartolome de Las Casas, another Dominican friar and others, ecclesiastical criticism of encomienda became frequent and outspoken. The Spaniards saw the friars as officious nuisances whose object was to pry into the livelihood of encomienda Indians, criticize the encomenderos’ use of Indian labour and denounce encomienda in letters to the king. Although the rights and wrongs of the encomienda system were discussed by the Crown it was decided that this system was necessary if the colonies were to survive.There was no other way of replacing the labour that the Indians provided. It was agreed, though, that the system would be bette r organized and the rights of the Indians more properly protected. To this end the Thirty Two Laws of Burgos were published in 1512, whereby Spaniards were confirmed in their rights to coerce the Indians, but their obligations to convert them and treat them humanely were set out in great detail, even to what food, clothes and beds they were to be supplied with. Two inspectors were to be appointed in each town to ensure that the rules were kept.Those laws could have corrected the abuses, but the practical difficulties of putting them into full effect on the far side of the Atlantic and the Andes, and against powerful vested interests, were difficult to prevail over. [xvii] The crown added to the powers of the Church by giving it powers of censorship over all books entering the Empire. This was intended at first to keep out heretical Protestant works, but it was also used against political books. Education and the confessional enabled the Church and assisted the Inquisition in keeping a close watch on the movement of thought.The transatlantic movements of books were regulated in Seville. â€Å"Popular and fictional literature came under the purview of the secular authorities (in Spain), which placed a ban in 1531 on the export of romances of chivalry to the Indies as being likely to corrupt the minds of the Indians. †[xviii] To make these powers more effective, a branch of the Inquisition, a special church court, was established from Spain. Its official powers were to prosecute those who broke the laws such as blasphemy, bigamy, heresy, witchcraft, heterodoxy, and sins against God.The Inquisition punishment included penance, prison sentences, property confiscation and burning at the stake. Informers could remain anonymous and the crimes of so called heresy and witchcraft could have many interpretations. This tribunal was operating out of Lima, Mexico City and Cartagena by 1570. Protestant smugglers and raiders of all nationalities captured by the Spanish were brought before the Inquisition and charged as heretics. But most importantly for the government of the Empire, the Inquisition could be used against influential people who showed too great a tendency to criticize.In this way the Church played a part in keeping the colonies tied to Spain The Roman Catholic Church operated without competition in the circum-Caribbean colonial society during the sixteenth century, where it performed both religious and political functions. In religion, it taught and converted the native Indians to Christianity and catered to the religious needs of the Spanish community. Politically, it helped to extend the boundaries of the Spanish Empire by removing opposition to it: in the case of the Indians by its teachings; and in the case of Europeans, largely through the operation of the Inquisition.The Church did much good, but its efforts resulted in a number of drawbacks. For example the genuineness of the conversion of the Indians is doubtful. In generall y, in all the colonies, the Church catered to the spiritual needs and at the same time contributed to the preservation of the society in which they operated.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Ibn Battuta in China Essay

At a time when most men cover distance astride a traveling animal, 75,000 miles of travel in a span of 30 years is an amazing achievement. When asked to name this historical individual who covered such great distance during the medieval period, most will likely point a credit to Marco Polo who is the well-known traveler of his time in Hakooki. com. But somehow, another person who has traveled longer and earlier than Marco Polo has actually covered this distance and visited 44 countries throughout the world. Ibn Battuta’s travels have almost been delegated into the oblivion if the world continued seeing history through the western view. Marco Polo, being European is far known than Ibn Battuta. Even his visit to China is virtually unknown in comparison to similar books of travel written by Marco Polo despite the fact that even to this day there remains lingering, unresolved questions as to whether or not Marco Polo truly visited China. However, if the myth sounds interesting enough, it will eventually be reported as fact. In the case of Marco Polo, the man has become a mythical folk hero and when a person ascends to such lofty heights in the public’s eye, criticism, scrutiny and a healthy dose of reality will usually fall by the wayside. Marco Polo’s travels will still remain famous regardless of the controversy that surrounds his journeys and the equally lengthy debate among scholars. It will be the goal of this essay to shift scholarly and historical directions and seek to shed light on the subject by comparing Ibn Battuta to Marco Polo’s travel in China. It is not uncommon for influential people from history to be seemingly erased from the documented chronology. In the United States, history is chronicled from a western perspective with Western Europe being presented as the epicenter of the world. As such, individuals from other cultures and parts of the world are often viewed in a peripheral manner and not provided with the same depth of historical coverage. Marco Polo was a hero whose birth origins are in the Western World. Because of this, his feats are given great credibility of honor in text. In the case of Battuta, a Moroccan by descent, his achievements will not be glossed over despite spending 17 years in China in comparison to Marco Polo’s travel which could have distinguished itself in many areas such as extent of land and historicity. In order to understand the work of Ibn Battuta, one must examine his early biographical years to as to put his life’s work into a certain context. Muhammed ibn Abdullah ibn Battuta or Ibn Battuta was born in Tangier, Morocco in a Muslim family in 1304 and started his travels when he was 20 years old and lasted almost 30 years of his life according to Dunn (2004, 14). Battuta according to Francis in consequence belongs to the religious upper class of the Mohammedan community and received usual religious and scholastic education from theologians (1997:2). His travels started in 1325 when Ibn went on a pilgrimage to Mecca that continued on until he had covered 75,000 miles in Kegan (1929:1). He had stopped on most Muslim cities along his route and paid homage to holy sites in Damascus, Syria, Hebron, Jerusalem and Bethlehem in the face of many obstacles he met along the way as related in Monteil (1930:30).

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Economy Situation In The USA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Economy Situation In The USA - Essay Example The main problem looming around the economy of USA is that of a deteriorated trend in the economic growth rate. Noted economist Ragu Rajan revealed that it will be wiser for the national authorities to focus more upon long-term structural issues such as unemployment and income inequality. In addition, it will also be wise for the national administration to arrange for some vocational training for the national youth as well. In fact, it could easily be realized that unemployment is the reason behind a rising rate of income inequality in the nation. Observers researching this aspect have figured out certain areas which need to be emphasized upon by the national authorities while framing their respective fiscal policies.These measures have been described as follows. Firstly, it has been realized that the national population or rather the labor force is suffering from a lack of productivity which the reason why the creation of economic value in the nation has been poor. This is the reaso n why it has been stressed that the finance committee must lay some emphasis upon investing more and more funds for industrial innovation. The higher the incorporation of technology into the production process, lower will be the efforts that a labor needs to put for the production of a single unit; hence he will be left with more energy to produce excess units within the same time period. In fact, this is the method being followed up in Europe that concentrates upon a stable innovation path so as to stick to a stable economic growth.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Organizational design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Organizational design - Essay Example The second stage is relevant in detailing team or group roles, configurations, and staffing. At this point, the sizes of current units are identified and then specific tasks and objectives assigned to the teams and individual employees. This stage is crucial in that it helps outline challenges and opportunities in fitting together the organizational design. Once the management has identified the issues affecting them and assigned roles to different groups and individuals, the next stage is the transition and the implementation of the set plans. During the transition level, the organization identifies approaches necessary to the implementation of the plan. The management seeks to identify activities like the leadership training, staffing policies, and employee communication. Once the transition planning is achieved, the organization sequences the plan on a primary implementation timeline. Here the organization determines what needs to be done, by who, and when it should be completed. The management identifies employee empowerment needs and plans for the best approach to achieve them. The organization also develops a set of expectable employee roles and behaviors. At this point, skills are determined according to their levels of advancement. Training is then provided depending on the needs of individual employees to acquire the required skills. The employees are also guided on the best approaches so as to work mutually in the attainment of the organizational goals The management assesses the achieved performance against the expected goals and scorecards. The organization seeks to identify the changes arising from the new process and areas that need extra considerations. Once the organization has identified these sectors, then adjustments are made to the design. An example of an effective organization design process can be defined in the case of Toyota. Toyota is headed by people within the founder’s inner circle

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Should corruption be studied quantitatively or qualitatively Essay

Should corruption be studied quantitatively or qualitatively - Essay Example Furthermore, Kaufmann and Vicente, (2011, p.195) state that there is often the need to determine the â€Å"motivations behind individuals†, especially public officials, getting involved in corrupt deals when they have been tasked with representing and defending the interests of the public. When making a study of corruption, it is best to conduct it qualitatively rather than quantitatively as a means of getting accurate results. When conducting studies on corruption, it should be recognized that qualitative methods have many characteristics that define them and these can be used for the development of ideas, which determine the findings of the studies (Devine, 2002, p.201). One would argue that among the most impressive aspects of qualitative methods, when compared to quantitative ones, is the development of the design which is extremely important because among its contents is the study of real world situations as they unfold in a natural state. For example, in a situation where a study of corruption is being conducted, the researcher is bound by the situation under study as it is and does not get involved in attempting to control the situation to get the results he requires (Vishnevsky & Beanlands 2004, p.236). Furthermore, Castellan (2010, p.5) argues that unlike in the use of quantitative methods, the researcher is not hindered by any ideas that have been predetermined and the findings are as they are di scovered, ensuring that there is a measure of credibility that does not appear in situations where studies are generalized. Castellan further argues that when using qualitative methodologies, the researcher will more often than not be required to â€Å"adapt his findings to the situation as it unfolds,† so that there are no predetermined or rigid designs when conducting a study on corruption. These methods can be extremely useful in a study

Monday, August 26, 2019

The government should prohibit the production of cigarettes Essay

The government should prohibit the production of cigarettes - Essay Example With this information, the essay affirmatively agrees that the government should prohibit the production of drugs, especially in the European Union and the Netherlands. Smoking cigarettes has adverse effects especially on the health of the smoker. Smoking reduces the health of an individual by affecting nearly every organ in the body. Smoking causes chronic obstructive lung diseases such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis (Ruiz, Strain, & Lowinson, 2011). Research has shown that, smoking of tobacco causes more death every year compared to other diseases such as HIV/AIDS and motor vehicle accidents. This is because smoking tobacco causes lung cancer, which is incurable if not noticed at its early stages. Tobacco is an addictive drug so once the user starts using it becomes hard for him or her to stop thus causing adverse negative effects on the health of the user. Smoking of tobacco causes different types of cancer they include cancer of the esophagus, kidney cancer, cancer of the la rynx, cancer of the oral cavity, stomach cancer and bladder cancer. Cigarette smoking has adverse effects on early childhood and reproduction especially to women who smoke. It causes infertility, preterm delivery, low birth weight, and stillbirth (King & Brucker, 2011). Research has shown that women who smoke have an increased risk of hip fracture compared to women who have never smoked. Recent research has shown that, students who smoke perform lower than students who do not smoke (Ruiz, Strain, & Lowinson, 2011). This is because smoking causes mental disorders especially among the college students. It also causes depressive disorder, which generally affects the students’ performance. The National Institute on Drug Abuse in their research concluded that, smoking causes mental disorders especially among young adults and adolescents (Lapointe, 2008). College students who smoke are likely to participate in behaviors, which pose great health effects. Smoking of cigarettes result s to respiratory infections and asthma. Exposure to environmental tobacco has also adverse effects to both the smokers and nonsmokers. The environmental protection agency classifies it as a group, a carcinogen. This carcinogen causes lung cancer to both smokers and nonsmokers. This means that, cigarettes affect both smokers and nonsmokers because of the release of harmful substances from the cigarettes such as ammonia, nicotine and carbon monoxide. With these effects there is a need to implement measures to prohibit the production of cigarettes. In the Netherlands, there are laws that have been set to prohibit smoking tobacco in public transport and public building (Blanpain & Anderson, 2005). In the year 2004, the Netherland government said that, every employee has a right to work in a smoke free zone without being affected by smoke from the other people. In the year 2008, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Europe was the first smoke free airport. This means that, the government worked towards prohibiting the smoking of cigarettes in public places. The smoke free law applied to all public places in the Netherlands, especially in hotels and restaurants (Rom & Markowitz, 2007). In the Netherlands, all forms of sponsorship, promotions, and advertising of cigarettes were prohibited. This ensured that cigarettes did not have a

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Memory Process Serial Position Effect Lab Report

Memory Process Serial Position Effect - Lab Report Example Atkinson & Shiffrin (1968) tried to explain the primacy serial position effect as a result of the greater attention allocated to the first and last items on a list. This improves the probability of recalling such items in long-term memory. They explained recency serial position effect as being recalled by short-term memory as last items were last viewed through the list. Rundus (1971) proved that participants devoted more rehearsal to items first in list. Welch & Burnett (1924) further proved that primacy effect was reduced and items first in list were not stored in long-term memory when participants were asked to only rehearse items while they were being presented. Glanzer & Cunitz (1966) showed that items presented at faster rates provides less rehearsal time by participants which reduced primacy effect. The recency effect was also proved to be related to short term memory by requesting participants to do something else before testing their memory of items. Both, Glanzer & Cunitz (1966) proved that the recency effect is explained by short-term memory account by introduction a distracter activity after last items on a list such as a small arithmetic question. They found that recency effect was reduced by such distractors. The following experiment investigates the serial position effect.This is accomplished by recalling of alphabet letters using a software simulation program. Hypothesis to be tested was that structural retention occurs faster than semantic and phonemic retention. Method Participants The participants in the experiment consisted of University undergraduates enrolled in a Cognitive Psychology course. Apparatus The experiment was conducted by use of computers install in Lab. Each computer ran the simulation psychology program Psyktrek 3.0. Participant used a standard mouse to enter their input in the computer. during the experiment. Procedure Participants were positioned in front of a computer which ran the simulation program Psyktrek 3.0. Once the CD was loaded on the computer, a selection of different types of experiments is displayed on the screen. The Memory Processes Serial Position option was pressed using the mouse.The program presents a page with one side of blank space and the other side with buttons representing each letter of the alphabet. Each trial consists of a sequence of six letters which are presented separately. Each letter was displayed for one second. All letters on the side become clickable once the letters are hidden. Each respondent uses his mouse to click on the letters he recognize in any order. The program waits for participants to select six letters then it stops receiving participants input. The program records the time taken to enter all choices. Participants then pressed the Next trial button to go to the next sequence of letters until six trials are conducted. After participants complete all six trials, results of correctly recognized and recalled lettes are displayed. These results include tabular and graphical presentation of the percentage of correctly recalled items together with a list of presented letters. Results Data for participant number 7 and 8 were removed due to procedural error in recalled results. Recall and Recognition: Descriptive analysis of the data shown in appendix I, reveals that the mean average of recalled letters was (9.3) with standard deviation of 4.4. This accounts to 22.4% of all letters displayed. The mean average of

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Alternative Dispute Resolution Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Alternative Dispute Resolution - Research Paper Example In clearer terms, ADR refers to the processes of solving disputes outside the judicial process or formal litigation. In fact, the judicial system/process is currently encouraging and requiring conflicting parties to utilize the Alternative Dispute Resolution processes, particularly mediation, prior to taking such cases before a court of law. There are four other main types of Alternative Dispute Resolution namely negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and collaborative law (Lynch, P. 213). In fact, conciliation has also considered a type of Alternative Dispute Resolution. Except in negotiation, all the other categories of Alternative Dispute Resolution involve the presence of a neutral person who provides fair opinions while facilitating or making a decision in ADR processes. However, the collaborative law processes such as collaborative divorce require both parties to have counsels who are experts at following the details of the contracts or terms involved such issues. Among the dispu tes or conflicts in which ADR techniques have been particularly useful include family matters such as divorce, professional liability disputes, insurance issues/disputes, and personal injury situations. There are several advantages for which the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution has become prominent in recent times. These advantages include more efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and greater satisfaction for all parties involved. In fact, great deals of civil cases such as marital dissolutions have been settled using Alternative Dispute Resolution techniques (Lynch, P. 213). Due to the recognized effectiveness of ADR as a tool for dispute resolution, judicial systems world over have adopted the practice of providing conflicting parties and their lawyers with information about and the option of ADR, more so in civil cases. Advantages and Disadvantages of Alternative Dispute Resolution The current trend of increased usage of Alternative Dispute Resolution techniques stems from the ma ny advantages that arise from their use. The first among the advantages of ADR is the fact that far less time is consumed in solving disputes in cases where ADR, rather than litigation is applied. ADR also usually costs less in monitory terms compared to litigations. Moreover, ADR techniques such as arbitration have more flexibility in the choice and the application of the relevant rules to their disputes. For instance, one may choose to apply industrial standards, religious laws, foreign/international laws, domestic laws, and any unique set of standards/rules for ADR processes such as negotiation, mediation, conciliation, or arbitration. Importantly, the disputing parties are in a position to use the services of experts in the relevant fields. The other advantage of ADR over litigation is that more time is also wasted in litigation since judges and juries have to be educated on the technical terms and aspects of cases that involve complicated and technical issues that are not prope rly understood by laymen. In fact, it is only after this kind of education that judges and juries may make informed and fair decisions.  Ã‚  

Friday, August 23, 2019

Confucian perspective and critique Qin rule Essay

Confucian perspective and critique Qin rule - Essay Example This paper seeks to adopt a Confucian perspective and criticize Qin rule. The paper will analyze the rapid decline of Qin’s rule, identify what Confucians objected about Qin’s rule, and explain why Confucianism was seemingly a better ruling ideology. According to legalism in the Qin Dynasty, the law was referenced and available to the public where all before the Emperor were equal under the law. Legalism sought to reward law-abiding citizens and punish lawbreakers severely. Actually, the Qin implemented corporal punishments and sentenced legal offenders to hard labor for the state. As such, legalism ran the state and not the emperor. Nevertheless, the Confucian scholars who were victims of legalism had detailed information on Chinese history including the Qin Dynasty and had great impact on other cultures like the Korean culture. Confucianism is an aspect of philosophy emanating from the teachings of Confucius (551 - 479 BC). As such, Confucianism was a formidable force in Chinese political and social history. Indeed, Confucianism main aim was to train its followers on traditional rituals, respect for authority, loyalty, flexibility of leaders, respect for the aged, and benevolence. Therefore, Confucianism promoted a tradition of â€Å"humane authority.† However, Confucianism faced support and equally opposition from various scholars. In fact, while some scholars like Lu Xun accused it of limiting modernization, others like Kang Yuwei used it to for Chinese nationalism. In the 19th century, the influence of Confucianism declined as Qing Dynasty ended in 1911. In the later dynasties, legalism fell and consistently merged with Confucianism to play central roles in the Chinese government. Most assuredly, Qin Shi Huang incurred opposition from Confucian historians and consequently becoming one of the shortest-lived dynasties in Chinese history.  According to Morton and Lewis, â€Å"Qin Shi Huang Di, the First Emperor, incurred the disapprova l of Confucian historians and in actuality was in many ways a ruthless tyrant† (Morton and Lewis 46). The Rapid Decline of Qin’s Rule The Qin Dynasty existed between 256-202 B.C.E. The Qin Dynasty settled in the North where it initiated reforms and created a powerful army using horse archers to form a powerful state. The first emperor of Qui Dynasty was Qin Shi Huang and ruled via legalism. Most assuredly is the fact that Shih Huang Ti was a very efficient and unifying leader in ancient China. Nevertheless, his rule lasted for the shortest time because of his harsh leadership style. Uniquely, Qin chose to break the China's old provinces and loyalties and created others under the leadership of non-hereditary governors. This was a blatant mistake, as the governors had no capacity to accumulate power in one place through different generations as sought in Chinese culture. It is equally true that although Qin initiated many effective projects in ancient China, these project s required a lot of taxes and human labor from the Chinese people that was against their will and ability. Indeed, he forced the ordinary people to work on his projects with harsh and cruel punishments muted on the people. As such, though the projects were viable, they made his rule very unpopular among the poor citizens. Moreover, Qin initiated and completed the Great Wall of China (Morton and Lewis 45-46). However, this wall had huge costs on human lives from hunger,

Dance Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Dance - Assignment Example ally correct in its representation; sometimes a dance may lack veracity and end up either misrepresenting or marginalizing cultural assumptions construed within or without its motions. This paper will focus on representation vs. misrepresentation of cultural identities through the two videos analyzed. For them to be effective, they must be searched for authenticity which can be identified through the fact that they portray realistic and historically valid view points and they are successful in delivering their message and creating the impression they were intended to. While conceding that a dance in many cases serves to center the focus on a specific culture or cultural outlook on stage, it can also be conversely used to marginalize. The world of contemporary and even ex post facto performances has been characterized by stereotypes most concerning racial identities and perceptions. In many cases, this has resulted in either marginalizing or misrepresenting cultural outlooks and in th is paper, the extent to which the two dances cited either represent or misrepresent cultural issues or fail to do so will be examined. The west side captures the gang conflict that characterizes America in the 50’s with white Caucasian gangs fighting with their Puerto Rican counterparts supposedly for dominance in the streets. The dance was initially brought to the stage by writers and producers whose intent was to recreate a modern day Romeo and Juliet story. Their key focus was the prejudices that faced ethical, racial and religious groups in the United States during this period. While in the case of Romeo and Juliet, it was the Montagues vs. the Capulets, on the other hand, in the West side story, it was the two leading gangs in New York, Sharks vs. Jets. These were representative of the middle class New York population vs. the influx of Puerto Rican and Mexican families that were taking a hold in what was traditionally â€Å"white turf†(Cohen). Throughout the story, racial and

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Theoretical Framework for Hr Thesis Essay Example for Free

Theoretical Framework for Hr Thesis Essay 1. Definition of Motivation and Employee Motivation 1. Definition of Motivation Many contemporary authors have also defined the concept of motivation. Motivation has been defined as: the psychological process that gives behavior purpose and direction (Kreitner, 1995); a predisposition to behave in a purposive manner to achieve specific, unmet needs (Buford, Bedeian, Lindner, 1995); an internal drive to satisfy an unsatisfied need (Higgins, 1994); and the will to achieve (Bedeian, 1993). According to John R. Schermerhorn (2010), the term motivation is used in management theory to describe forces within the individual that account for the level, direction, and persistence of effort expended at work. Motivation can be defined as the process that initiates, guides and maintains goal-oriented behaviors. It involves the biological, emotional, social and cognitive forces that activate behaviors. In its simplest definition, the term motivation is frequently used to describe why a person does something. (Cherry, 2011). An individuals motivation is influenced by biological, intellectual, social and emotional factors. As such, motivation is a complex, not easily defined, intrinsic driving force that can also be influenced by external factors. Every employee has activities, events, people, and goals in his or her life that he or she finds motivating. Generally speaking , for this thesis, motivation is operationally defined as the inner force that drives individuals to accomplish personal and organizational goals. Motivation is an employees intrinsic enthusiasm about and drive to accomplish activities related to work. Motivation is that internal drive that causes an individual to decide to take action. So, motivation about some aspect of life exists in each persons consciousness and actions. 2. Definition of Employee Motivation The trick for employers is to figure out how to inspire employee motivation at work. To create a work environment in which an employee is motivated about work, involves both intrinsically satisfying and extrinsically encouraging factors. Employee motivation is the combination of fulfilling the employees needs and expectations from work and the workplace factors that enable employee motivation or not. These variables make motivating employees challenging. Employers understand that they need to provide a work environment that creates motivation in people. But, many employers fail to understand the significance of motivation in accomplishing their mission and vision. Even when they understand the importance of motivation, they lack the skill and knowledge to provide a work environment that fosters employee motivation. From Rick Pitino’s point of view, The only way to get people to like working hard is to motivate them. Today, people must understand why theyre working hard. Every individual in an organization is motivated by something different. Employee motivation can be approached in many ways with different definitions. With Twyla Dell, The heart of motivation is to give people what they really want most from work. The more you are able to provide what they want, the more you should expect what you really want, namely: productivity, quality, and service. (Dell, 1988). G. Jones and J. George from the book Contemporary Management†, defined motivation as Psychological forces that determine the direction of a persons behavior in an organization, a persons level of effort and a persons level of persistence. And this approach is used as the employee motivation definition in the thesis 2. Motivation theories There are many theories that refer to motivate people such as ERG theory by Clayton Alderfer, Acquired Needs theory by David McClelland, Expectancy theory by Victor Vroom, etc. In this thesis, the author applied Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Herzberg’s Two – Factors Theory as the theoretical framework for the thesis 1. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs The theory of human needs developed by Abraham Maslow was introduced in this part as an important theoretical framework for the thesis. Psychologist Abraham Maslow first introduced his concept of a hierarchy of needs in his 1943 paper A Theory of Human Motivation and his subsequent book Motivation and Personality. This hierarchy suggests that people are motivated to fulfill basic needs before moving on to other, more advanced needs. This hierarchy is most often displayed as a pyramid. The lowest levels of the pyramid are made up of the most basic needs, while the more complex needs are located at the top of the pyramid. Needs at the bottom of the pyramid are basic physical requirements including the need for food, water, sleep, and warmth. Once these lower-level needs have been met, people can move on to the next level of needs, which are for safety and security. As people progress up the pyramid, needs become increasingly psychological and social. Soon, the need for love, friendship, and intimacy become important. Further up the pyramid, the need for personal esteem and feelings of accomplishment take priority. Maslow emphasized the importance of self-actualization, which is a process of growing and developing as a person in order to achieve individual potential [pic] There are five different levels in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs: Physiological needs: the most basic needs for human to survival, (such as air, water, food, sex, sleep, etc). In working environment, it can be rest and refreshment breaks, physical comfort on the job or reasonable work hours. According to Maslow, if these needs are not satisfied, the human body can not function properly, and will ultimately fail. Physiological needs are supposed to be the most important and should be met first. Safety needs: After the physiological needs are satisfied, people’s attention turn to safety and security. Social needs: the first level of higher level needs is social needs. Social needs are those related to interact with others which includes: friendship, belonging to a group, giving and receiving love Esteem needs: Esteem needs can be categorized as external motivators such as recognition, attention, and social status. While internal motivators include accomplishment and self – respect. Self actualisation needs:This is the highest level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Self-actualizing people are self-aware, concerned with personal growth, less concerned with the opinions of others and interested fulfilling their potential. (Cherry, 2011) 2. The theory Herzberg’s Two – Factor The Two – Factor theory by Herzberg is one of the most influential studies on motivation which describes needs in terms of satisfaction and disatisfaction. Herzberg found that the factors causing job satisfaction were different from those causing job dissatisfaction. He developed the motivation – hygiene theory to explain these results. He called the satisfiers â€Å"motivators† and the dissatisfiers â€Å"hygiene factors†, using the term â€Å"hygiene† in the sense that they are considered maintenance factors that are necessary to avoid dissatisfaction but that by themselves do not provide satisfaction. [pic] 1. Motivation factors Herzberg explains that motivation factors are related to â€Å"what people do† on the job or â€Å"job content† Motivation factors include such things as a sense of responsibility, feelings of recognition, a sense of achievement,  feelings of personal growth, the opportunity for advancement and work itself. Presence of motivation factors influences job satisfaction levels Responsibility: A duty or obligation to satisfactorily perform or complete a task (assigned by someone, or created by ones own promise or circumstances) that one must fulfill, and which has a consequent penalty for failure. Recognition: Recognition is identifying something you learned previously and is therefore stored in some manner in memory. The employees should be praised and recognized for their accomplishments by the managers. Achievement: The definition of achievement also includes its opposite, the failure or the absence of achievement. Success put into this category consists of the followings: successful completion of a job, solutions to problems, vindication, and seeing the results of one’s work. (Herzberg, 2008, p.45 -143) Personal growth: There must be growth and advancement opportunities in an organization to motivate the employees to perform well. Advancement: Advancement is an actual change in the status or position of the person in the company. In situation in which an individual transfers from one part of the company to another without any change in status but increases opportunities for responsible work, the change is considered an increased responsibility, but not formally an advancement. (Herzberg, 2008, p.46) Work itself ( Job – itself interesting and fulfilling work): The work itself should be meaningful, interesting and challenging for the employee to perform and to get motivated. 2. Hygiene factors According to Herzberg, hygiene factors influence directly on job  dissatisfaction. The hygiene factors are found in the job context and include such things as working conditions, interpersonal relations, base wage or salary, and technical quality of supervision. By improving them, such as by implemetenting a no – smooking policy, can make people less dissatisfied at work. However, it will not increase job satisfaction. Hygiene factors include: Working condition: The working conditions should be safe, clean and hygienic. The work equipments should be updated and well-maintained. Interpersonal relations: The relationship of the employees with his peers, superiors and subordinates should be appropriate and acceptable. There should be no conflict or humiliation element present. Base wage and salary: The pay or salary structure should be appropriate and reasonable. It must be equal and competitive to those in the same industry in the same domain. Supervision – technical : This category refers to the competence or incompetence; fairness or unfairness of the supervisor; supervisor’s willingness or unwillingness to delegate responsibility, to teach subordinates. (Herzberg, 2008, p.47) 3. The combination of Motivation factor and Hygiene factor The combination of hygiene and motivation factors can result in 4 conditions: 1. High Hygiene/High Motivation: The ideal situation where employees are highly motivated and have few problems. 2. High Hygiene/Low Motivation: Employees have few problems but are not highly motivated. 3. Low Hygiene/High Motivation: Employees are motivated but have a lot of problems. 4. Low Hygiene/Low Motivation: The worst situation. Unmotivated employees with lots of problems. Herzberg’s theories can be summarized by his quote, â€Å"If you want people to do a good job, give them a good job to do.† The two factor theory is useful because job context  and content are major issues in the business world today.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Protective Effects Of Fluoride Toothpastes Health And Social Care Essay

Protective Effects Of Fluoride Toothpastes Health And Social Care Essay The main aim of this report is to discuss the evidence for the protective effects of fluoride toothpastes and varnishes. In addition, I will discuss their application and mode of action. To begin with, I will give a brief history of fluoride and how it fits into the reversal of tooth decay. I will discuss fluoride varnishes namely Duraphat, Fluor Protector and Duraflor and their effect on the DMF Index and their roles in school based prevention programmes. There are other varnishes such as Lawefluor and Bifluorid but these are less commonly used and therefore, I will not be discussing them. After discussing fluoride varnishes, I will consider fluoride toothpastes. I will give a description on the composition of a typical toothpaste and the effect of fluoride toothpastes on the DMF Index. In addition, I will discuss the effects of high fluoride concentration toothpastes. Finally, I will compare both toothpastes and varnishes. Contents Pages Summary Contents Introduction Deposition of fluoride in enamel What is tooth decay? Fluoride: Mode of Action Who is at risk of decay? Optimum fluoride concentration required for remineralisation DMF Index Main Section What are fluoride varnishes? Effect on DMFT/S The effect of fluoride varnishes according to different caries risk School based prevention programmes The use of fluoride varnish in inhibiting secondary carious lesions What are fluoride toothpastes? Use of fluoride toothpastes in clinical trials High Fluoride toothpastes The use of fluoride toothpastes in advanced enamel lesions Comparison of Toothpastes and Varnishes Conclusion Acknowledgements Word Count References Introduction I have decided to carry out this report on fluoride as I realise the importance of its role in the prevention of tooth decay (dental caries). Fluoride is a negative ion of the element fluorine and is found naturally in water, foods, soil, and minerals such as fluorite (calcium fluoride) and fluorapatite. Fluoride can also be synthesised in laboratories where it can be added to oral hygiene products and to water. Fluoride utilisation has occurred in two phases: before water fluoridation in the 1950s and after the widespread use of fluoridated dentifrices in the 1980s (Cury, Tenuta 2008) when less than 10% of toothpastes contained fluoride compared with 96% at present. Fluoride is most effective post-eruptively (Oganessian, Lencova Broukal 2007) where the effects are generally topical and therefore, it is important for a constant fluoride concentration to be maintained in the oral environment. Topically applied fluoride provides high concentrations of fluoride to surfaces of the denti tion. This provides a local protective effect and prevents ingestion of large amounts of fluoride. (Marinho et al. 2004) Deposition of fluoride in enamel During apatite crystal formation, low concentrations of fluoride are incorporated into the tooth structure. This leads to supersaturation with respect to fluoridated hydroxyapatite: {{66 ten Cate,J.M. 2008) Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2+ F-= Ca10(PO4)6(F)2 + 2OH- (Fluorapatite) After calcification is complete and prior to eruption, additional fluoride is taken up by the surface enamel. After eruption, the enamel continues to take up fluoride from its oral environment leading to its profound topical effects (Kidd 2005). What is tooth decay? It is important to consider the causes of tooth decay and how fluoride can be used to reverse the carious process. Dental Caries is a multifactorial disease caused by the action of acidogenic and aciduric bacteria (Streptococcus Mutans and Lactobacilli ({{32 Featherstone,J.D. 2008}}) on fermentable carbohydrates such as sucrose. Salivary glycoproteins form a pellicle on the tooth to which these bacteria attach to forming a pathogenic biofilm and over time, acid demineralisation and proteolytic destruction of the organic component of the enamel and dentine takes place (Young, Kutsch Whitehouse 2009). Dental Caries can be classified in several ways According to location-Caries may be restricted to pits and fissures but may also progress to expose the pulp. Restorative status of the tooth- Primary caries occurs on previously unrestored teeth whereas secondary caries occurs at margins of restorations {{52 Kidd,Edwina A.M. 2005}}. Secondary caries is caused by local factors that are involved in the formation of cariogenic plaque. Most secondary carious lesions develop at the gingival margins of restorations primarily in areas of stagnation areas (Mjà ¶r, 1998). Large gaps between the restoration and the wall of the cavity preparation can create an environment that favours secondary caries formation (Mjà ¶r, 1998). Secondary caries is also known as recurrent caries. Caries can be arrested whereby a lesion which was previously active has now stopped progressing. Fluoride: Mode of Action Fig 1: Demineralisation Process and the role of fluoride (Cury, Tenuta 2008) Figure one shows how sugars such as sucrose, glucose and fructose are converted to acids in the plaque biofilm. When the pH decreases below 5.5 (critical pH of enamel), the saliva is no longer supersaturated with calcium and phosphate. Therefore, demineralisation occurs. However, in the presence of fluoride and if the pH is higher than 4.5, hydroxyapatite is converted to fluorapatite which has a lower solubility. As a result, net demineralization is reduced and the dental hard tissues are more acid resistant. Tenuta and colleagues calculated that fluorapatite would not dissolve until the pH dropped below approximately 4.4. However, researchers have found that the effect of fluoride is not only due to the decreased solubility but also due to the effect of fluoride on the rates of demineralisation and remineralisation (Stoodley et al. 2008). In order to enter bacteria, fluoride must be combined with a hydrogen ion forming hydrogen fluoride (HF), which readily diffuses into the cell. Once inside the bacterial cell, the HF dissociates into fluoride and hydrogen ions. The fluoride inhibits intracellular bacterial enzymes such as enolase. As a result, less phosphoenolpyruvate and lactate are formed. The reduced lactate formation limits the ability of bacteria to cause caries. Similarly, the uptake of glucose is also reduced by fluoride {{63 Featherstone,J.D. September 2004}}. The fluoride concentration in saliva increases after brushing with a fluoride toothpaste. After three minutes, the concentration is 100 times greater than the baseline value (normally 0.03ppm or 1.6umol/l) {{65 Murray, J.J 1991}}. Two hours later, the concentration returns to normal. It is important to avoid rinsing out the mouth as the most profound effects of fluoride are within two hours of brushing. Fluoride is spread throughout the oral cavity and is stored in compartments on the tooth surface and the remaining pellicle (Cury, Tenuta 2008). Calcium Fluoride globules are formed and are reservoirs of fluoride, releasing it as the pH falls, thereby, reducing time spent in the demineralisation phase. The main effects of fluoride can be attributed to the maintenance of constant fluoride levels in the biofilm. Overall, fluoride has multiple ways of reducing caries. It is believed that the most important of these methods is the remineralisation concept {{40 Oganessian,E. 2007}}, which requires a constant flow of fluoride. Bacterial enzyme inhibition plays a supplementary role when the concentration of fluoride is high which is achieved by topical fluoride applications and toothpastes (Murray, Rugg-Gunn Jenkins 1991). Who is at risk of decay? There are certain groups in the population who are at risk of decay and therefore, would benefit from the use of fluoridated dentifrices. These include patients with: Xerostomia, which may have resulted from the radiotherapy to the head or neck leading to salivary gland exposure. This leads to a decrease in both the resting and stimulated salivary flow rates. Xerostomia is defined as the complete absence of saliva or hyposalivation. Hyposalivation leads to decreased levels of calcium, phosphate and hydrogen bicarbonate ions. As a result, there is a longer demineralisation phase Sjà ¶grens syndrome- this is clinically defined as at least two of kerataoconjuctivitis sicca, Xerostomia(dry mouth) and rheumatoid arthritis or another connective tissue disease {{62 Newbrun,E. 1996}} A high incidence of caries in their primary dentition Hypersensitivity Root caries Removable orthodontic appliances and partial dentures A poor diet and those who regularly snack on fermentable carbohydrates {{37 Evans,R.W. 2008}}. However, this risk has decreased due to better plaque control and increased fluoride exposure. Multiple restorations suggesting a high prevalence of caries Optimum fluoride concentration required for remineralisation Bjarnason and Finnbogason (1991) found that fluoride levels in dentifrices had no effect on the progression of enamel lesions detected radiographically. However, a higher fluoride concentration (1000ppm F-) led to reduction in caries initiation compared to a dentifrice with a lower fluoride concentration (250ppm F-) {{69 Bjarnason, S. 1991}}. It is ultimately difficult to decide the optimum fluoride concentration required for remineralisation as different areas of the mouth are more at risk of caries due to unique ecological factors. However, it was thought that lesion progression in enamel was slowed down only in patients with low caries activity whereas patients with high caries activity still experienced rapid progression (Hellwig, Lussi 2001). DMF Index The DMF index is a measure of caries activity in a population and changes in the DMF index can be used to highlight the protective effects of the fluoride toothpastes and varnishes (Kidd 2005). D: decayed teeth with untreated carious lesions M: missing teeth (extracted teeth) F: filled teeth DMFT denotes decayed, missing and filled teeth DMFS denotes decayed, missing and filled surfaces in permanent teeth and therefore, the number of surfaces attacked on each tooth are accounted for. There are similar indices for deciduous tooth, which are the defs and deft scores. The e represents extracted teeth to differentiate(Johansen et al. 1987) between natural loss of teeth through exfoliation. Burt in 1998 suggested that greater emphasis has to be placed on the assessment and early diagnosis of caries {{77 Burt, B.A. 1998}}. This has been backed up by cohort studies {{83 Johansen, E. 1987}} (Axelsson, Lindhe Nystrom 1991), which found that the use of preventive strategies (fluoride application) resulted in a substantial reduction in lesion development and progression. Fluoride varnishes What is fluoride varnish? Fluoride varnish was first developed in New York in 1968 by Heuser and Schmidt in the form of sodium fluoride and was marketed under the name Duraphat. The Duraphat varnish contains 22,600 parts per million of fluoride (ppm Fˆ°) as shown in figure 2. In the 1970s, there was a switch from sodium fluoride to difluorsilane which was marketed under the name Fluor Protector (7000ppm Fˆ°) in Germany {{42 Azarpazhooh,A. 2008}}. Fluoride Varnish Type of fluoride Fluoride Concentration(ppm) Fluoride Concentration(%) Duraphat Sodium Fluoride 22,600 2.26 Duraflor Sodium Fluoride 22,600 2.26 Fluor protector Difluorsilane 7,000 0.70 Fig 2: The table above shows the fluoride varnishes that are most commonly used. Other types of fluoride varnishes include: Fluoride Varnish Type of fluoride Fluoride Concentration(ppm) Fluoride Concentration (%) Lawefluor Sodium Fluoride 22,600 2.2 Bifluorid Sodium and Calcium Fluoride 56,300 5.6 Fig 3: The table above shows other fluoride varnishes which are available but are less commonly used {{24 Davies,G.M. 2008}}. Most fluoride varnishes contain fluoride in an alcoholic solution of natural tree resin. The main advantage of the varnish is that the resin base is very adherent to the tooth prolonging contact time between the fluoride and enamel {{26 Miller,E.K. et al 2008}}. Varnishes are easy to apply and relatively safe regardless of the high fluoride concentration as the amount of varnish applied to one child is only 0.5 ml on average (Ripa 1990; Petersson 1993). Varnishes are slow-releasing reservoirs of fluoride preventing immediate release of fluoride after application (Ogaard 1994). As a result, they are most effective at protecting against primary caries. The food and drug administration centre in America has not yet accepted fluoride varnish as an anti-caries agent but considered it as a liner/desensitising agent (Mason 2005). There is some debate as to the amount of fluoride taken up by the tooth surfaces. It was found that approximately half of the fluoride taken up by sound surfaces from Fluor Protector varnish was lost after 6 months suggesting that the large amount of fluoride taken up after one week does not bind permanently to enamel and that the effects of fluoride are more short term. There has also been a debate over whether fluoride varnish should be applied to wet or dry surfaces. Koch et al found that the fluoride uptake was much greater when the varnish was applied to dry tooth surfaces (Koch, Hakeberg Petersson 1988). Fluoride varnishes can be applied professionally up to two to four times a year. Marinho et al in 2002 investigated the effectiveness of fluoride varnish in preventing dental caries in children compared to a placebo or no treatment. Over 2700 systemically healthy children aged 16 or less received fluoride varnish containing 22,600ppm sodium fluoride. There was a large caries inhibiting effect on both permanent and deciduous dentition. However, the confidence intervals were relatively wide and the variation among the results was substantial. The success of the treatment may have been over estimated, as the results of the few trials may not have been representative. As a result, it is important to carry out more trials before a definite statement can be made of the effects of the fluoride varnish (Marinho 2002). In addition, more information is required on the scale of the fluoride effect and the adverse effects of fluoride. Effect on the DMFT/dmft Primary Dentition There was a 33% decrease in the decayed, missing and filled surfaces (Marinho 2002). A two year randomised clinical trial carried out on children with a mean age of 1.8 years, found that the application of fluoride varnish once, twice and three times a year reduced the mean dmfs by 53%, 58% and 93% respectively {{67 Davies,G.M. 2009}}. This highlights the importance of frequent varnish application. (Petersson, Twetman Pakhomov 1998)Petersson et al. in 1998 found a 19% and 25% reduction in the increment of approximal caries in children with a moderate or high caries risk respectively. This shows that children with a high caries risk benefit the most from the application of fluoride varnishes (Zimmer 2001). Ages 0-3 Weintraub and colleagues carried out a two year randomised controlled trial on 376 children aged between 6-44 months (Weintraub et al. 2006). The children were split into three groups: Those who received counselling Those who received counselling and the annual application of Duraphat Those who received counselling and the twice yearly application at six monthly intervals The number of lesions only increased in children who received counselling alone highlighting the protective effects of the varnish. Those children who received no varnish application were twice as likely of developing decay as those who received the annual application of fluoride. As the frequency of fluoride varnish application increased, the number of carious lesions decreased. One drawback of this trial was that simultaneous counselling and varnish application led to some ambiguity as to whether the effects were due to varnish application or counselling although fluoride application was seen to play a key role. Ages 3-6 According to the Cochrane Review, there was an overall 38% reduction in the DMFS/dmfs (Marinho 2002). A two year randomised study of 1,275 children in Canada aged between 6 months and 5 years found that twice-yearly application of Durafluor led to an 18.3% reduction in the dmfs increment (Lawrence et al. 2006). Mixed dentition There was on average a 46% decrease in dmfs. The fluoride varnish was an effective preventive measure for partially erupted permanent molars. Equally, patients who are insufficiently co-operative benefit from fluoride varnish application (Marinho 2002). Permanent dentition A randomised clinical trial used to examine the impact of fluoride varnish on the incidence of approximal caries, detected radiographically in 13 year olds over a three year period, found that the varnish applied monthly and twice a year reduced caries by 76% and 57% respectively again highlighting the importance of frequent fluoride application{{67 Davies,G.M. 2009}}. The caries reduction in permanent teeth shown in the Cochrane review of trials was similar to that achieved in a metaanalysis carried out by Helfenstein in 1994 when Duraphat was applied 2 times a year in children aged 9-15 years (Helfenstein, Steiner 1994). There was a 38% reduction in the caries. It is likely that most of the participants benefited from the use of a fluoridated dentifrice as the majority of the studies were carried out in Scandinavian countries between 1973 and 1987. However, as both the Cochrane review and the Helfenstien study were carried out involving a different selection criteria, it is debatab le as to whether the results from both these trials can be compared. In conclusion, application of fluoride varnish two to four times a year on both permanent and deciduous teeth is associated with a reduction in the caries increment (Marinho 2002). The effect of fluoride varnish according to different caries risks Mà ¶berg Skold carried out a trial which involved the application of fluoride varnish to approximal caries in adolescents living in different caries risk areas. The trial involved 758 students aged between 13 to16 years old. The large sample size meant that the results of this study were representative. This is because as the sample size increases, the variability of the results decreases. This means that the results have a greater statistical power and smaller confidence intervals. Fig 4: (Azarpazhooh, Main 2008) The figure above shows the groups which were chosen according to their caries risk and whether they had any fluoride in their tap water. Duraphat was applied to the approximal surfaces from the distal surface of the canines to the mesial surface of the second molars. Each group had different intervals of application shown in the figure below: Group No. of participants Frequency of Duraphat application One 190 Twice yearly in six-monthly intervals ( 6 times in 3 years) Two 186 Three times a year with a one week period each year(9 times in 3 years) Three 201 Eight times a year during school terms with one month intervals ( 24 times in 3 years) Four(Control) 181 No application Fig 5: (Azarpazhooh, Main 2008) The frequency of Duraphat application The results from this trial show that the biggest difference was between group one and the control group in high caries risk area (Gà ¶teborg). However, there was no significant difference between the groups regarding filled approximal lesions and approximal enamel lesions. There was a greater incidence of caries in the control group in comparison to the fluoride varnish groups in all risk areas highlighting the protective effects of the fluoride varnish (Mà ¶berg Skold et al. 2005). Overall, it was found that the school based monthly application of fluoride varnish is the best method of preventing approximal caries in areas of medium and high caries risk (Mà ¶berg Skold et al. 2005). School based prevention programmes A cluster randomised trial was carried out by M.C Hardman and colleagues involving 2,091 school children living in a non-fluoridated area. One group of students (1,025 students) received the twice-yearly application of Colgate Duraphat varnish whilst the other group (1,066 students) served as a control. This study found that the twice-yearly application of fluoride varnish did not lead to a reduction in caries in children living in the community {{43 Hardman,M.C. 2007}}. This is contrary to what was found by Marinho and colleagues. They found that the biannual application of Duraphat in a school-based programme provided a caries inhibition of 38% in children aged 9-15 years (Marinho 2002). The study carried out by M.C Hardman and colleagues did not prove to be conclusive as the level of consent in the community was low. Approximately 110 students were lost during the study. The control group had lower caries levels than anticipated and therefore, it was difficult to tell the true eff ect of fluoride. In addition, the application of varnish was carried out under sub-optimal conditions (teeth could not be cleaned prior to application and the consumption of food and drink after application could not be controlled), which could have resulted in less profound effects. In conclusion, it was found that this type of fluoride varnish intervention is not effective in the prevention of caries in the public {{43 Hardman,M.C. 2007}}. A similar study was carried in a small town located in the American Southwest on children attending a head start nursery using Duraflor as the varnish of choice. The trial began in the head start class of 2002. Duraflor was applied during well child visits every 9, 12, 15, 18, 24 and 30 months. The class of 2003 had no fluoride application and therefore, served as the control. The mean age was 4.40 years and approximately 168 males and 189 females took part. The results showed that children who received no treatment had a mean dmfs of 23.6 with a 95% confidence interval. Those children who received 1-3 treatments had a similar dmfs to those with no treatment. Only those children who had 4 to 5 treatments showed a reduction in dmfs again suggesting the importance of frequent application. However, this study was an observational study not a randomised study and therefore, the reliability of the results can be questioned. In addition, no attempt was made to determine whether the childre n who received four or more applications of fluoride varnish differed from the other children in terms of diet and oral hygiene history {{58 Holve,S. 2008}}.. The use of fluoride varnish in inhibiting secondary carious lesions As mentioned earlier, secondary caries forms at the margins of restorations. Larger amounts of fluoride varnish may be trapped in the gap formed between the restoration and the cavity wall. This may serve as a slow releasing reservoir of fluoride, which could also provide a physical barrier against wall dissolution. In a study carried out by M. Fontana in 1996, two experiments were carried out. Experiment one involved the application of Duraflor. Experiment two involved the application of Duraphat a year after the application of Duraflor. The effects of fluoride varnish on secondary caries remineralisation and lesion progression were measured. The varnish was applied to dry tooth surfaces and rinsing after fluoride application was prevented to enhance the remineralisation potential. The varnish was applied for 24 hours to prolong the contact time between the varnish and the tooth surface. The results from these two experiments showed that fluoride application slowed down lesion progression around both amalgam and composite restorations {{48 Fontana, M. 2002}}. The placebo varnish slowed down lesion progression to a lesser extent than the fluoride varnish suggesting that the effects may not only be attributed to the fluoride in the varnish. These results matched those in a previous study carried out by Hellwig et al. in 1993. They examined the effect of Duraphat varnish on artificially created primary carious lesions and found that fluoride varnish led to remineralisation in the outer layers of enamel {{78 Hellwig, E.K. 1993}}. This slowed down lesion progression. Seppa suggested in 1988 that the benefits of fluoride varnish were attributed to their ability to enhance remineralisation of primary caries rather than their ability to increase the fluoride content of the tooth surface. This is contrary to what was previously thought that the effects of topical fluoride were due to their ability to maintain high levels of fluoride on the surface of the tooth. Seppa also found that the efficacy of the fluoride varnishes was dependent on the number of applications rather than the concentration of fluoride {{79 Seppà ¤, L. 1988}}. This backs up the results found by Marinho et al that showed that the more frequent the applicati on, the lower the incidence of new caries or the greater the decrease in mean dmfs/DMFS. Fluoride toothpaste What is fluoride toothpaste? Fluoride toothpaste is the most widely used method of fluoride application in the population due to its ease of use. Fluoride toothpastes can be incorporated into community and school based prevention programmes. Most oral health care workers recommend brushing twice a day, once just before going to bed, as this is when saliva flow is at its lowest and once at another time of day{{68 Davies,R.M. 2003}}. They recommend spitting out the toothpaste after use rather than rinsing as this dilutes the fluoride concentration in the oral cavity as previously mentioned. The widespread use of fluoride toothpastes had made it more difficult to distinguish whether a reduction in caries is due to mechanical plaque removal or due to the incorporation of fluoride. Before the widespread use of fluoride toothpastes, the importance of fluoride was illustrated in a three-year study. This study involved two groups of children aged 9 to 11 years who had benefited from supervised brushing either with or without fluoride toothpaste. Both groups showed a reduction in plaque and gingivitis but a significant reduction in caries was only seen in the group which used fluoridated toothpastes (Davies et al. 2003). A typical toothpaste contains abrasives such as calcium carbonates, which help to remove surface debris, and stains on the tooth surface. Most toothpastes contain fluoride (added to toothpastes in the 1970s) to make the tooth more resistant to acid attack and is one of the most recognised agents in toothpastes. Stannous fluoride (also known as tin fluoride) was the first fluoride to be used due to its compatibility with the abrasive, calcium phosphate. Sodium fluoride could not be used at first as the calcium in the abrasive renders it ineffective and therefore, is not compatible. Sodium Monofluorophosphate was next used as it was compatible with the abrasives used with it. Sodium Fluoride could only be used when hydrated silica and sodium bicarbonate became the abrasive of choice. Studies have shown that the sodium bicarbonate-sodium fluoride combination lead to a caries reduction of one surface per child over two years (Murray, Rugg-Gunn Jenkins 1991). Fluorides have been shown to work better in combination with detergents such as sodium lauryl sulphates, which aid the remineralisation process and create foaming whilst brushing. Toothpastes contain humectants such as glycerol, which prevent the loss of water in the toothpaste. To provide taste, saccharin and other sweeteners are added. To stabilise the toothpaste, thickening agents such as seaweed colloids are included to ensure that the toothpaste stays on the toothbrush when it is applied. The use of fluoride toothpastes in clinical trials The Cochrane review of trials found that children who used fluoridated toothpaste had fewer decayed,missing and filled permanent teeth after three years. Brushing twice a day helps to increase the benefit of fluoride (Marinho et al. 2003 England). Researchers believe that the effects of fluoridated toothpastes are underestimated in two to three year trials due to the life long used of fluoride. They also found that the use of fluoride toothpastes in areas of fluoridated water increased the protective effects. The normal concentration of fluoride in toothpastes is between 1000 and 1100 parts per million (ppm Fˆ°). Toothpastes with higher fluoride concentrations (1500ppm) and lower fluoride concentrations (500ppm) are available in many countries. Toothpastes containing higher fluoride concentrations offer greater protection against caries (Stephen 1988; OMullane 1997). Since the 1940s, more than a 100 clinical trials have been carried out and by the late 1970s, the protective effects of fluoride toothpastes were greatly accepted. As a result, many clinical trials could not have a control, as the removal of fluoride toothpaste for the trial was considered unethical. Therefore, the effectiveness of different concentrations of fluoride toothpastes have not been investigated extensively in placebo-controlled trails. The guidelines of caries trials have since been changed in order to combat this problem, by increasing the sample size so that the measurement error could be reduced (Marinho et al. 2003 England). Children or adolescents aged sixteen or less were chosen to take part in the study carried out by Marinho et al. To assess the effect of the fluoride toothpaste, the caries increment was measured as a change in the value of the DMFS Index, in all permanent teeth erupted at the start and erupting over the course of the study. Evidence from this study suggested that the use of fluoride toothpastes leads to a 24% decrease in dmfs. The confidence intervals for this reduction were 21-28%. This means that 1.6 children need to brush with fluoride toothpaste to prevent one decayed, missing or filled tooth surface in a population where the caries increment is 2.6 DMFS per year. Where the caries increment was lower (1.1 DMFS per year), 3.7 children needed to use a fluoride toothpaste in order to avoid one decayed, missing or filled tooth surface(Marinho et al. 2003 England). There was also a substantial reduction in caries increment (37%) of deciduous teeth in a trial carried out on 2008 children aged 6 to 9 years. Another aim of the Cochrane review (Marinho et al. 2003 England) was to establish whether there was any relationship between the caries-preventive effects of fluoride toothpaste and the initial level of caries, previous exposure to fluoride and the frequency of fluoride toothpaste use on the prevented fraction. The prevented fraction (PF) is the proportion of disease occurrence in a population averted due to a protective risk factor or public health intervention (Gargiullo, Rothenberg Wilson 1995). The prevented fraction was measured as the diffe

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Overcoming Cultural Differences And Understanding Organisation Culture Commerce Essay

Overcoming Cultural Differences And Understanding Organisation Culture Commerce Essay What is culture? Culture is something you belong to. Here a few definitions of the word culture. Geertz describes culture as a system of shared meaning, (Griffin, 2003, p. 273), Pancanowsky said culture is not something a organization has, a culture is something an organization is. (Griffin, 2003, p. 273) Philipesen describes culture as a socially constructed and historically transmitted pattern of symbols, meanings, premises, and rules.(Griffin, 2003, p.420). In this case study EUROCOM Systems is a German organization and SOFTCOM is an IT organization in New Zealand.EUROCOM Systems is taking over SOFTCOM. According to the above definitions about culture, we can see that EUROCOM Systems and SOFTCOM are two different types of organizations with two different cultures. Firstly their languages are different, and also the German organization has a very traditional management style. Their staff are expected to wear traditional business suits and ties and keep to fixed daily working hours. The New Zealand organization has an easygoing and relaxed atmosphere, including a dress code and flexible working hours that suit their customers. There are also other problems that could happen in the new organization. As the case study mentions that EUROCOM will send their own managers to New Zealand. These managers have to face a new environment, so could have a lot of anxiety. During the takeover, it will be two different countries with different cultures merging together; obviously this could cause culture conflict. How can these cultural differences be overcome? The above provides two hypotheses, using some theories to help to achieve the hypotheses. Agenda-Setting Theory Maxwell McCombs Donald Shaws Agenda Setting Theory uses framing where they select a feature and put this into the mind of people making them think about it. For example, SOFTCOMs flexible working hours change to fixed daily working hours. If at lunch time or outside working hours, the customers has some software problems needing speciality help, who can serve them to figure out the problems. Does the customer have to wait until the speciality staff are back from lunch? No, no one has the patience when they have a problem. They want the company solve the problem at once. As no one can run a business without customers, SOFTCOM should put those points to frame the cultural differences, and let EUROCOM think about by changing SOFTCOM culture it may cause many problems, and even lose customers. Social Penetration Theory Cultural approach to organization Theory Social Penetration Theory is when the onion is peeled by layer the two nationalities will soon be friends and appreciate each other. (Griffin, 2003, p. 133) Once they penetrate well below the surface, the Germans and New Zealanders will become close. Story and ritual (Using the metaphor) can help to understand an organization culture. So in this case, SOFTCOM can tell some stories through ritual that will help EUOROCOM Managers to understand SOFTCOM culture. Below is an provide an example combining these two theories. When the managers of EUORCOM come to New Zealander at first, they might feel uncomfortable and not know what to say to SOFTCOM staff, but after a few days they will start to know each other. Also SOFTCOM can provide some rituals such as a party or a BBQ, and by corporate stories, collegial stories or personal story telling increase their relationships and help them understand the SOFTCOM culture. Understanding organization culture Communication theories: Information Systems Approach to Organisations Cultural Approach to Organizations Face-Negotiation Theory Narrative Paradigm Theory From the case study, it seems that SOFTCOM Systems is a culture system and belongs to Individualistic culture. EUOROCOM Systems is an information system and belongs to collectivistic culture. Below are some theories to identify the statement, and also will provide a strategy for SOFTCOM to keep the unique features of the organisation. Information Systems Approach to Organisations Theory According to Weicks Information Systems Approach to Organisations theory, every organisation as living organizations that must constantly adapt to changing environment in order to stay alive. (Griffin, 2003, p. 259). Weick talks about the information and how it relates to the organisation, whereas organisation systems depend on the information system. Weick considers in his theory the hierarchy structural of the organisation. Every employee is put on different levels of positions. The boss is at the top, flows down to the associate managers, along the path to the next level will be the workers at the lower level. From this hierarchy structural, Weick forms up the chain-of-command lines of communication. Information is pushed down from the top, where the boss is, down to his associates and from the associates to the workers below. Information flows in the organisation. Cultural Approach to Organisation Theory Geertz and Pacanowskys theory of the Cultural Approach to Organisation base on Information Systems Approach to Organisations theory, but they state that culture is not something that an organisation has; culture is something an organisation is. Geertz describes culture as a system of shared meaning, (Griffin, 2003, p. 273), From the above explanations of the two theories, we can see EUOROCOM is an information system, because the boss at top level pushes information down to the next level associates, and to the workers. The workers do not have a chance to raise opinions to the managers. As the case study said the EUOROCOM organization has a very conservative management style. SOFTCOM is a culture system. As EUOROCOM the boss from the top pushes the information to the next level and to the workers. But SOFTCOM have effective communication and a shared meaning about the information. The case study says SOFTCOM has an easygoing relaxed atmosphere, which is why SOFTCOM is an innovative and creative software development. Face-Negotiation Theory According to Ting-Toomeys Face- Negotiation theory, she distinguishes national cultures within collectivistic and individualistic categories. (Griffin, 2003, p. 436). Collectivistic culture means where people identify with a larger group loyalty thus acting from a We-identity. The collectivistic culture has a high context communication or message. Individualistic culture means where people look out for themselves and their immediate families thus acting from an I-identity. The Individualistic culture has a low context communication Using these definitions we can see that EUOROCOM is a Collectivistic culture, because the EUOROCOM System values collective needs and goals over individual needs and goals. In EUOROCOM, staff behaviour is controlled by the company, for example, the EUOROCOM System boss asked the SOFTCOM staff to wear traditional business suits and ties everyday, and they had no choice, but to do it no matter whether they want to it or not. EUOROCOM has a very high context on sending messages from their boss to staff. The power gap between the boss at the top and his associates below is wide. It is hard for the worker to communicate their thoughts to the top level. The SOFTCOM system is an individualistic culture; because SOFTCOM treat every person as unique. SOFTCOM has a very low context communication between their boss and staff. Its a narrow hierarchy structure. The power gap between the boss at the top level and his associates below (the workers of the organisation) is narrow. In other words, communication between the workers is easy and they help each other, not like the high context communication staff of EUOROCOM Systems. So their company is conducive to more innovation than EUOROCOM. How can the take over be effective? In the case study EUOROCOM will create a more disciplined culture in the new organization which means the Germans will run the merged organisation to their collectivistic culture. How could the New Zealanders persuade the Germans not take away the unique features of SOFTCOM? Here using narrative paradigm theory could persuade EUOROCOM to keep the SOFTCOM system, so that SOFTCOM will not lose the unique features of the organization. Narrative Paradigm Theory Using Walter Fishers theory Narrative Paradigm would be effective. Fisher says that people are storytelling animals and to reason to others we use stories. SOFTCOM could persuade the Germans and point out that the organisation is living in its own culture and they do their own work according to the features of the culture of their organisation and their effect on the society. So they can use their customers to tell a story to EUOROCOM to persuade the Germans to confirm the takeover without taking away their unique features. Customers might say they are familiar with the service that SOFTCOM gives them because SOFTCOM serve them on their own way. If EUOROCOM takes that away, loss of customers could turn out to be true which EUOROCOM would not want to happen for the sake of the organisation.

Monday, August 19, 2019

A Visit to A Mosque In America Essay -- Descriptive Religion

A Visit to A Mosque In America Driving along the highway, all eyes are drawn as a magnet to the unique building with its golden dome and unusual architecture. The Islamic Center is located at the base of a residential street in a small neighborhood. The center houses an Islamic school, a community center, an international school and the Mosque, which is the place of worship for Muslims. There are many misconceptions regarding Islam and Muslims. In reality most Muslims are non-Arabs and most live outside the Middle East. There are five million Muslims in the United States. There are an estimated 10,000-15,000 Muslims in the area. Passing through the wrought iron gate, my eyes rivet to the cluster of flags to the right, one to reflect each of the 49-predominately Muslim countries. The United States flag is not among these as America is predominately Christian with Muslim being the third largest religion. Because America is our country and we are American Muslims, the American flag flows freely in the wind in a spot all its own. Next my gaze is drawn upward to the golden dome and crescent moon covering the Mosque. Many non-Muslims are of the belief that Muslims pray or worship a "moon god". We do not. We believe in the same God as Christians and Jews. We believe in the ‘oneness of God', the Creator of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. The crescent moon reflects our practice of adhering to the lunar calendar, or God's calendar, rather than the Georgian calendar, or man's calendar. This is why many Mosques will have a crescent moon topping the domes. Each of the buildings is individual yet connected by covered walkways known by all who enter here as ‘bridges'. The Islamic Center community building holds cl... .... For a Muslim, Friday is the holy day and special services are held in early to mid-afternoon. The Mosque is open seven days a week and available for each of the daily prayers. Reflecting as I exit the wrought iron gate into the neighboring street, I see Muslims and Christian children playing together. I see a sign inviting everyone to an upcoming feast being held at the Community Center. I come to realize the many similarities between the Muslim and Christian faiths. The Islamic Center offers a great opportunity for non-Muslims who are curious about the faith and would like to know and understand more. The Islamic Center is open to the public for tours. At this time over 40,000 people have toured this facility. Set aside a couple of hours of your time to experience this unique community and enrich your cultural awareness. Schedule a tour for yourself.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Personal Narrative - Russias Communist Society and its Government :: Russian History

Lenin promised peace to the Russian people, but it was an illusion that never came, for the country where my great-grandfather remained with the majority of my family soon sunk into civil war. Untouched by man, the snow lay still and smooth, cloaked in white purity. Guilt filled my every step as piles of snow crumbled helplessly under my heavy feet. At the door I paused to look upon the path my footsteps had made only to become discouraged at the beauty I had destroyed. Silently, she sat by the drafty window in her dimly lit apartment. Her long, silver hair fell in frantic, unruly curls about her face, yet she made no attempt to brush them aside. When she spoke, it was not as if she was directing her words toward me, or anyone else in the room. Instead she spoke to the window and the winter winds blowing feverishly outside. She asks if I ever noticed how one could feel and smell a snowstorm hours before the first flakes begin to fall. The harsh Russian winters of her youth had left her with a sixth sense in predicting oncoming blizzards. Slowly she lets out a shallow sigh as she remembers how her family could feel the oncoming revolution months before 1917. The Bolsheviks' climb to power was a slow and involved process, much like the time it takes for a few snowflakes to turn into a blizzard. She tells how the smell of revolution was powerful enough to encourage the majority of her family to escape Russia before it was too late. Her father, however, was a Cossack, a royal officer to the Tsar and a servant to Russia. Despite the Bolsheviks' increasing power and the threat of revolution, her father remained close to the Tsar, putting himself in constant danger. For the first time, tears fill her eyes, and she tells me the sad horror that the Revolution inflicted upon her family. Like an unstoppable force of nature, the Russian communist party not only tore apart the government of 1917, but also divided families and destroyed the lives of many Russians. The woman sitting in the chair revealing her life story to me is my grandmother. Although the memories are painful for her to recall, she states how important it is to know one's heritage. As a child, I was weaned on the stories of my Russian ancestors, and in school I had read textbooks discussing the Russian Revolution of 1917.

Process of Creativity :: essays research papers

The Process of Creativity The following is taken from Duane and Sarah Preble’s ARTFORMS, 5th edition. Footnotes and endnotes are omitted for ease of reading. Erich Fromm said, Creativity is an Attitude. We all have the potential to be creative, yet most of us were not encouraged to develop our creativity. We can do so by becoming willing to explore new relationships and insights. The source of all art, science and technology --- in fact, all of human civilizations --- is creative imagination, or creative thinking. As scientist Albert Einstein declared, â€Å"Imagination is more important than knowledge.† What do we mean by this ability we call creativity? Psychologist Erich Fromm wrote: In talking about creativity, let us first consider its two possible meanings: Creativity in the sense of creating something new, something which can be seen or heard by others, such as a painting, a sculpture, a symphony, a poem, a novel, etc., or creativity as an attitude, which is the condition of any creation in the former sense but which can exist even though nothing new is created in the world of things†¦ What is creativity? The best general answer I can give is that creativity is the ability to see (or to be aware) and to respond. Creativity is as fundamental to experiencing and appreciating a work of art as it is to making one. Insightful seeing is itself a creative act; it requires open receptivity --- putting aside habitual modes of thought. Studies of creativity have described traits of people who have maintained or rediscovered the creative attitude. These include the abilities to: ïÆ'˜Â  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  wonder and be curious ïÆ'˜Â  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  be open to new experience ïÆ'˜Â  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  see the familiar from an unfamiliar point of view ïÆ'˜Â  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  take advantage of accidental events ïÆ'˜Â  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  make one thing out of another by shifting its function ïÆ'˜Â  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  generalize from particulars in order to see broad applications ïÆ'˜Â  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  synthesize, integrate and find order in disorder ïÆ'˜Â  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  be in touch with unconscious sources, yet be intensely conscious ïÆ'˜Â  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  know oneself, have the courage to be oneself in the face of opposition ïÆ'˜Â  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  be willing to take risks ïÆ'˜Â  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  be persistent: to work for long periods ---- perhaps years ---- in pursuit of a goal The creative process of ten begins when on is inspired by an idea or faced with a problem. It can start with something as simple as â€Å"fooling around.† There are as many ways to create as there are creative people, but creative processes generally have certain sequential characteristics in common: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Preparation - Framing or formulating the question(s) may be the most important step; information is gathered and open-minded exploration takes place.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

History on Fathers Day Essay

History of Father’s Day Festival as seen today is not even a hundred years old. Thanks to the hard work and struggle of Ms Sonora Louise Smart Dodd of Washington that just as we have set aside Mother’s Day to honor mothers we have a day to acknowledge the important role played by the father. However, some scholars opine that Father’s Day history is much older than we actually believe it to be. They say that the custom of honoring dad’s on a special day is over 4,000 years old. There are a few more claims about the Father’s Day origin about which we will learn in this page. Earliest History of Father’s Day Scholars believe that the origin of Father’s Day is not a latest phenomenon, as many believe it to be. Rather they claim that the tradition of Father’s Day can be traced in the ruins of Babylon. They have recorded that a young boy called Elmesu carved a Father’s Day message on a card made out of clay nearly 4,000 years ago. Elmesu wished his Babylonian father good health and a long life. Though there is no record of what happened to Elmesu and his father but the tradition of celebrating Father’s Day remained in several countries all over the world. History of Father’s Day in US Modern version of Father’s Day celebration originated in United States of America and thereafter the tradition spread in countries around the world. The world owes thanks to Ms Sonora Louise Smart Dodd a loving daughter from Spokane, Washington as it is because of her struggle that Father’s Day saw the light of the day. The idea of Father’s Day celebration originated in Sonora’s mind when she per chance listened to Mother’s Day sermon in 1909. Fairly mature at the age 27, Sonora pondered if there is a day to honor mother then why not for father? Sonora felt strongly for fathers because of the affection she received from her own father Mr William Jackson Smart, a Civil War veteran. Sonora’s mother died while childbirth when she was just 16. Mr Smart raised the newborn and five other children with love and care. Inspired by Ms Anna Jarvis’s struggle to promote Mother’s Day, Ms Dodd began a rigorous campaign to celebrate Father’s Day in US. The Spokane Ministerial Association and the local Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) supported Sonora’s cause. As a result Spokane celebrated its first Father’s Day on June 19, 1910. Though there was initial hesitation the idea gained gradual popularity all over US and Fathers Day came to be celebrated in cities across the country. Looking at the heightened popularity of Father’s Day in US, President Woodrow Wilson approved of this idea in 1916. President Calvin Coolidge too supported the idea of a national Father’s Day in 1924 to, â€Å"establish more intimate relations between fathers and their children and to impress upon fathers the full measure of their obligations†. After a protracted struggle of over four decades, President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the third Sunday of June as Father’s Day in 1966. Then in 1972, President Richard Nixon established a permanent national observance of Father’s Day to be held on the third Sunday of June. Sonora Smart Dodd was honored for her contribution at the World’s Fair in Spokane in 1974. Mrs. Dodd died in 1978 at age 96. Other Theories of Fathers Day Origin There are several theories behind the origination of Father’s Day. Some believe that the first Fathers Day church service was held in West Virginia in 1908. Others opine that the ceremony was first held in Vancouver, Washington. The president of Lions’ Club, Chicago, Harry Meek is said to have celebrated the first Father’s Day with his organization in 1915 to stress on the need to honor fathers. He selected third Sunday in June for celebration, the closest date to Meek’s own birthday. In appreciation for Meek’s work, the Lions Clubs of America presented him with a gold watch, with the inscription â€Å"Originator of Father’s Day,† on his birthday, June 20, 1920. Some historians honor Mrs. Charles Clayton of West Virginia, as the Founder of Father’s Day. In 1957, Senator Margaret Chase Smith wrote Congress that, â€Å"Either we honor both our parents, mother and father, or let us desist from honoring either one. But to single out just one of our two parents and omit the other is the most grievous insult imaginable.† In countries where Catholic Church holds greater influence Father’s Day is celebrated on St. Joseph’s Day (March 19). Present Day Celebrations Father’s Day Festival has gained amazing popularity over the years. The festival is considered to be a secular one and is celebrated not just in US but in a large number of countries around the world including Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Norway and India though on different dates. World over people take Father’s Day as an opportunity to thank father and pay tribute to them. On this day children present Father’s Day cards not just to their dads but also grandfathers, uncles, stepfathers or any other person who commands the position of a father in their life. There is also a trend to present Father’s Day gift to dad, most popular of all being necktie. Other popular gift being roses, the official Father’s Day flower. Many people rue that the trend of presenting gifts to fathers has led to over commercialization of the festival relegating the noble idea behind Father’s Day celebration.