Bad Habits: Attitudes of Filipinos That Need to Change Essay

1. Thoughtless When someone celebrates birthday, graduation or winning the lotto in the neighborhood, the party lasts through deep in the night, keeping neighbors awake by the noise of an out of tune videoke singer. 2. Inconsiderate Even after agreeing to meet at a certain time, some Filipinos manage to fail this initial agreement, using alibis as traffic, got caught up with something or lost in the way, disregarding the feeling of someone who just complied with agreed time. If these folks can’t fulfill simple tasks, can we trust them when it comes to, say lending them our prized books or CDs, loaning them money or anything they promise? 3. Racist Many Filipinos complain of being racially profiled (Filipinas in Middle East are easy to get or gullible) but some of us look down on other people such as Indians as fellows with strange body odor who live off through usury. Or on Chinese neighbors who own bigger stores in the market as penny-pinchers. But we can’t look at ourselves and fix our flaws. Worse, see #6. 4. Too self-conscious Wants to know who are his or her stalkers at social media. Installs ‘who are my top viewers’ application which turns out as a link to a malicious website. Wants to get everybody’s attention to the point that they post celebrity, semi-naked or suggestive profile photos 5. Religious fanaticism While admittedly deeply religious people, many of us Filipinos are also living a life of hypocricy/inconsistency. Outside of the Quiapo church are shops that sell abortion formula and the island of Siquijor becomes a haven of faith healers who practice black magic. 6. Onion skinned We easily go ballistic whenever the word Filipino is used as dark humor in a script of an American sitcom or acelebrity mocking our â€Å"presumed† perfect accent. We are quick to call for apology even if they’re all meant as a joke. That may be a reason we become a topic of humor. 7. Short-sighted Some Filipinos prefer to receive a few hundred pesos in exchange of favors to a politician running for office rather than resist temptation and bond together for a better society and governance. Poor tricycle drivers are allowed to ply on dangerous streets — risking the lives and limbs of passengers — just to earn a living. 8. Laziness When going to the market, some Filipinos prefer to take the motorized bike and pay a premium instead of a 20-minute walk — to ensure a favorite TV show will not be missed. At the end of the day they lament how a hundred peso bill could no longer be stretched. Or they spend the whole day staring at the television, sending SMS on shows that offer prizes to ‘home text partners’. 9. Gossipmonger Many Filipinos live off talking about affairs of other people. Maybe that’s because it’s a major function of the Filipino culture. Who impregnated a neighbor’s teenage daughter? A barrio councilor has bad breathe. The baby of a close friend has a striking resemblance of the family driver. No wonder many families are broken, trust lost and friendships gone awry because of people trying to get in the way. 10. Undisciplined Pass laws that are easily broken: no smoking on jeepneys, no jaywalking on streets, picking flowers in the park or peeing on fences, trees or truck tires. Even wearing prescribed attire (‘please wear semi-formal wear’) when attending wedding ceremonies becomes a task difficult to. When we’re overseas we find it necessary to follow rules, but we seem to take our country and its simple laws for granted. 11. Crab Mentality Once a fledgling banana cue business becomes the talk of the barrio, everyone is riding the bandwagon and put up the same business. Eventually, every single banana cue business in the neighborhood fails and shuts down operation. If someone gets promoted at work, some Filipinos are good at making up stories; did he date the supervisor? Did she sleep with the manager? It also exists in the form of protectionism. Insecurity or lack of creativity drives this attitude. 12. Nepotism A bright yet not well-connected job applicant never gets the job position because it was reserved for a family member of an incumbent official or a reward for supporters of a candidate who just won in the elections. A well-connected passenger gets the airport’s special lane while hard-working OFWs sweat it out on a long line. 13. Freebie hunters Some Filipinos have got the nerve to crash into wedding parties uninvited or show up at a birthday party because they were brought along by a friend of an invited friend. They enjoy free electricity supply through illegal connections or enjoying a bonanza of free water from busted pipes instead of reporting the apparent waste or scarce resources. Often visits the house of a balikbayan/OFW who just arrived and ask — they don’t wait — for presents. 14. Allegiance by convenience. Filipino politicians often change parties not because they found a better principled group, but to gain something — power, money or fame. When momentum shifts, be prepared to jump ship and switch loyalty. Read their biographies and be not surprised they’ve been into various alliances with no real accomplishment to show. 15. Rarely punctual Appointments are never meant to be on time as many Filipinos make it a habit of not making it on time. Meetings, parties, and so on. Teachers didn’t lack the motivation to make us punctual as tardy ones were meted with appropriate punishment. Shall we blame others for this? Traffic congestion, slow jeepney driver, hard to find location, ‘I was robbed’, and others in an endless list of alibis and excuses. 16. Propensity for ‘good time’ Gathering of friends isn’t bad. But if it always meant 20 bottles of hard liquor meant to be consumed overnight, that’s something. Just got the job? Let’s celebrate and have a drink. Just got the paycheck, let’s have a drink. When someone starts reminding them to be frugal and slow down on alcohol spending, they reason out, â€Å"it’s my money, you have no business interfering†, â€Å"this is just once in a while† or â€Å"I need to drink to forget my problems†. Yeah, right. 17. Treat OFWs as ATMs Some Filipinos are overly dependent on relatives working overseas that they don’t look for jobs or don’t attend classes because they are in â€Å"abundant supply of financial aid†. Worse, money remittance from OFWs are often spent only on luxuries like mobile phones and jewelry they can brag to friends. In many cases, nothing was allocated for savings or investment. When OFWs come home, families find it hard to explain where money was spent.

How to Succeed in College Essay

For most, the collegiate experience represents a major cornerstone in life. Attending college can provide identity, give direction and fortify the foundation of its students. Success in college means always demonstrating responsible decision making. Attendance policies and rules of participation may not appear to be significant, but they can move a student to the right or to the left in the grading scale. It is also crucial to adhere to rigid standards that command accountability. Some Professors are adamant about participation and class involvement. Academia mandates setting goals and becoming objective. You will discover that these habits, when applied, enhance the window of opportunity for success to enter. Confidence is an essential part of being a successful college student. Likewise, a student that lacks this sort of discipline, readiness and mental strength will most likely be lackadaisical and less likely to thrive in college. The first key to succeeding in college is attenda nce. Being present and on time ensures that pertinent knowledge is ascertained. Most of all, showing up on time for every class allows the individual to develop positive attendance habits that are just as important in the job market. These habits reflect a sense of dependability to professors and employers alike. A student simply cannot gain information from a lecture if they are not present. Nonetheless, being present is only half of the equation. The next step is class participation. Professors want to see that their students can apply what is being taught to them. This element may stimulate debate, or even trigger thorough research on something in particular. At the college level, participation and attentiveness really exercise the mind. Consequently, when students work in groups, are involved in research and share opinions they are able to hone their communication skills. Subsequently, it is critical for any college student to set goals and concise objectives for accomplishing them. Individuals with something to work toward are most likely to thrive in any c ollege or university. Goals provide the determination to fuel students through adversity; school related or not. Objectives should be well-defined. They are actually small steps indicative of levels of accomplishment and success. For college students, enormous goals are not far-fetched, nor do they seem impossible to reach when clear  objectives exist. Students who regularly set goals and objectives possess more ambition and drive than those who do not. Goal-oriented people have a more resilient work ethic due to the fact that they can see the progression of their hard work when they arrive at specific objectives. This hard work creates a sense of gratitude and individual accomplishment. Ultimately, college students must be prepared mentally and harbor a positive attitude. Self-confidence must be present if anyone is to endure the investment and sacrifice that pave the way to becoming a college graduate. A confident student is one that can evade social distractions and work through personal adversity to get to the finish line. Successful college students and college graduates are mentally poised. This frame of mind beckons the hard-working college student to accept challenges, explore new modes of learning and to appreciate their individuality. A confident mind is a mind for success. The rigors of college can, at times, seem overwhelming. With so much information to process, students are bound to enter their respective careers with a solid grasp on what they are doing. Success in college is contingent almost completely on attitude and fortitude. The college freshman will discover that the road ahead is bumpy, demanding and can be painstaking. The graduating senior will be indebted forever for the journey. The investment is precious; the success affiliated with reaching the destination is boundless.

Victim of Boarding House

Nurbani Trisna Wardhani 10/297584/SA/15201 In this â€Å"Boarding House†, a short story form James Joyce, I think the character that becomes the victim is Mr. Doran. At the first the story tells about Mrs. Mooney who had been lived separated with his drunkard husband and built up a boarding house. She lived there with her two children, Jack and Polly. In another angle, we can see Mrs. Mooney boarding house is actually a ‘tool’ that was used by Mrs. Mooney to look for an ideal husband for Polly. Also read Boarding Schools Should Be AbolishedShe tried some ways to get a man with good financial to be Polly’s husband before. She sent Polly to be a typist in a corn-factor’s office in purpose to make bosses fell in love with Polly. Nevertheless, Polly was been flirted by a disreputable sheriff’s man, so Mrs. Mooney took Polly back to the boarding house and asked her to do house work. One day she thought to send Polly back to typewriting, but suddenly she knew that there was something between Polly and one of her guest in boarding house, Mr.Doran. Mr. Doran is a man in about thirty-four or thirty five of age. He is a religious man who worked in the Catholic wine merchant office. Mrs. Mooney used Polly’s innocent to become a bait to get Mr. Doran got into her trap. She had already known that Mr. Doran was a man who lived in religious culture in Dublin and always obeyed the church rules, so she set that Mr. Doran slept with Polly. By doing this, Mr. Doran had a religious sin and felt guilty.The only compensation for this sin in this society is marriage, and Mrs. Mooney utilized this. Mr. Doran was hesitated, would he marry her or run away. Nevertheless, he was afraid to lose his job and the church, this is one of reasons he would not run away. At last he chose to marry Polly, because in other hand he remembered by her kind to him. Although, in his thought perhaps he really loved Polly. He imagined they would have a happy life if they married perhaps.

Corporate Ethics in the Post-Enron Era from the Role of a Policy Essay

Corporate Ethics in the Post-Enron Era from the Role of a Policy Analyst - Essay Example It evident that for those companies that collapsed, most of them exhibited symptoms like conflict of interest in dealings, exaggerated compensation packages, manipulation of voting rights etc. All these issues have renewed the need to strengthen corporate governance by inculcating business ethics in corporate dealings. Accordingly for us to tackle the issue of corporate governance, the basic principles and concepts in corporate governance need to be discussed (McDonald, 2007). Ethics as a concept refers to concepts or maxims of right or wrong behavior in the society. Ethics can be equated to morality. The critical question to be asked on ethics with regard to corporate governance is whether ethics has a place in this profit centered capitalist economy. The answer lies in the experiences highlighted above on business malpractices whose consequences have not only affected the shareholders only but also the general public at large. Corporate governance involves the assignment of duties and rights amongst all the participants in a corporation from the board of governors all the way to the stakeholders. It also provides for structures for achieving set objectives and decision making. At the same time the corporation exists within a society, thus societal ideals such as fair dealing, transparency, accountability and responsible citizenship must be upheld by the corporate entity. All these societal values have to be incorporated into the concept of corporate governance. This is to say that the corporation has to consider both the legal and social values in its pursuit of better corporate governance. Encompassing the aspect of societal values and norms dictates that the participants in the running of modern day corporations ascribe to the principle of corporate citizenship. The principle of corporate citizenship entails the commitment of individuals to unquestionable ethical behavior in corporate affairs (Cross & Miller, 2012). This principle sits well from the strateg ic and the operational levels of an organization as it is usually tied up with board leadership and corporate image. It is therefore imperative that for any business to be sustainable in these globalized and interconnected world all the corporate players have to recognize that the operating environmental, social obligations, and governance responsibilities are integral to corporate performance and sustenance (Cross & Miller, 2012). All these factors will determine company profits. The case of companies like Enron reflects a new dimension of corporate governance. This dimension entails strategic thinking by the board of directors in providing leadership beyond short term financial performance. The corporate leadership, boards of directors, shareholders, and the modern role of the CEO, must be prepared to provide strategic leadership and oversight on issues to do with the environment as this presents substantial reputation risk. They must also commit to creating shareholder value thro ugh engaging in activities which will increase access to markets while at the same time mitigating against immediate tangible and anticipated future risk (Bernstein, 2004). General Policy recommendations Several policies and strategic thinking

Corruption in China Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Corruption in China - Term Paper Example Cases of grafts and bribery are everyday occurrences. Public fund embezzlement and backdoor deals are another form of corruption experienced in China. There is nepotism in provision of employment opportunities and patronage. Backdoor deals and falsification of statistics as proof of transactions are another source of corruption. This report aims at exploring the root of the corruption rot in china. It further dwells into examining the measures the government and the Chinese public is taking to curb the vice. The challenges faced in the process of controlling corruption and successes realized so far are also explored at length. Impact of such a huge degree of corruption on the economy and politics of China too are scrutinized in details (Kwong, 43). In order to understand the current situation of corruption in China, a start with the history of the Chinese corruption is in order. Corruption situation in the People’s Republic of China bloomed after 1949. The Cadre corruption in post 1949 emanates from the organizational involution of the ruling party of the time. It is a historic cause that implicates the Chinese Communist Party, and the Mao era. The Chinese Communist Party formulated and implemented policies that gave way for corrupt practices. Its institutions, norms and protocols failed to acclimate to a changing post-Mao era. Every state that returns to normalcy after a regime of tyranny and terror suffers high probabilities of immense corruption. The administration that takes over from the dictators has a chief role to play in curbing the possibility of corrupt dealings booming past control. Some other socialist economies that underwent tremendous transitions and experienced unpredictable levels of corruption include post-Soviet Eastern Europe and central Asia. Post-Mao China experienced a similar challenge and corruption became the chief challenge to China’s social and economic development (Kwong, 76). The seed of corruption implanted decades ago has grown into a nightmare for China’s development. Economic freedom has fueled the vice. Corruption has had a great impact on the Chinese politics as politics has a huge impact on corruption. The height of corruption in the country undermines the legitimacy of Chinese Communist Party. A feeling of dissatisfaction by the citizens has led to several public unrests. The most notable of the public unrests is the Tiananmen protest movement of 1989. Citizens are increasingly growing impatient of the economic inequalities caused by the rotten institutions. The public becomes irritated by the levels at which corruption has led to undermining the environment. These factors fuel social unrest and lead to political instability. The political situation of the People’s Republic of China is shaky due to a discontented population. Popular perception of the Chinese people is that there are more corrupt and dishonest Chinese Communist Party (CPP) officials than honest ones. This i s in direct contrast to how the CCP officials were held in high regard in the early 1980s. Chinese elite hold a strong opinion that it is corruption, not quest for democracy that led to the 1989 unrest. Politics of China is to blame for the deep-rooted corruption. The traditional China viewed the leaders who subscribed to the Confucian concept of leadership as the politically correct. Legalists (leadership that valued government of the law) were enemies of the people. Government of the people

HUMAN RESOURCE PAPER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

HUMAN RESOURCE PAPER - Essay Example This is because studies in organisational theories put emphasis on a number of interrelated fields of study such as communication, management and sociology, out of which the idea of behaviour can be studied. But because organisational theories are focused on organisations, the kind of behaviour that is studied as part of these fields is generalised and termed as organisational behaviour (Gumusluoglu and Ilsev, 2009). In principle therefore, organisational be said to be the study of how the behaviour of individuals, groups and corporate structures influence an organisation. Organisational behaviour is often undertaken as a study, in which case involves a number of qualitative and quantitative methods of analysis and data collection to take decisions on ways of improving organisational effectiveness (Bollen, 2009). It is therefore a very valid argument to make that organisational behaviour is directly related to organisational effectiveness. But for there to be organisational effective ness, there are key components of organisational behaviour that must come to play, two of which are critically analysed below. Adaptive leadership theory and its influence on organisational effectiveness Adaptive Leadership and its role on Organisational Behaviour An organization without a leader may best be likened to a snake without a head. In such a situation, the organization becomes as powerless and the snake with its head cut off (Coad and Berry, 1998). This is because just as the head of a snake does for the snake, the leader is there to determine the direction that the organization will take in all its endeavours and corporate dealings (Bessant and Buckingham, 2003). It would however be noted that just as there are several forms of snakes, there are also several types of leaders, using different styles and forms of leadership. In recent times, one of the commonest forms of leaderships that are used in both the academia and in practice is the adaptive leadership. Adaptive lea dership is very influential as a component of organizational behaviour, just as leadership in general is (Homburg, Krohmer and Workman, 1999). This is because from the definition of organizational behaviour, it is realized that organizational behaviour generally makes reference to how the organization reacts in intra-personal and inter-personal manner (Guns, 1996). Meanwhile, this sense of response is triggered by the leader, who determines how the organisation must behave. There are several ways in which leadership influences or determines organisational behaviour. In the first place, the leadership style and leadership phenomenon used at the workplace determines the kind of interactions and relationships that will exist among employees, between employees and employers, and between employees and customers (Bueno et al, 2010). Meanwhile, the nature of interactions and relationships that are in place within an organisation is a very instrumental part of organisational behaviour (Kant er, 2003). A typical example of this can be cited with Toyota Motor Corporation where the type of leadership practiced, which is adaptive leadership makes it possible for all employees to be freely part of organisational level decision making. Because of this, there is constant interaction and exchanges between employees, making it easier for employees to understand each other and thus create a more friendly and hospitable organisational behaviour among themselves and among other clients of the organisation. Another role of leadership on organisational behaviour is that leadership is very instrumental in the setting of organisational goals (Podsakoff and Organ, 1986). Meanwhile, Garcia (2008) stated that the goals, aims and visions of an organisation determines the response of the organisatio

Goerge Bernad Shaw's Pygmalion Term Papaer Essay

Goerge Bernad Shaw's Pygmalion Term Papaer - Essay Example Even belonging to the middle stratum of society, Shaw was the torch-bearer for the cause of the poor and suppressed section of society, and studied socialism as the philosophy that aimed to diminish social injustice and inequality from society. It is therefore the ray of class conflict and exploitation of the proletariat at the hands of the bourgeoisie can be felt in almost all his writings and plays. He was a highly learned and intellectual person, and contained both seriousness and burlesque attitude while entering into social interaction with others as well as while creative a piece of literature. He applied his sense of humor and irony in all his plays, to address the faults and shortcomings prevailing in society, which present the most sublime precedent of satire in the modern drama. Like all other works produced by Shaw, his masterpiece under the title â€Å"Pygmalion† is also a true example of satire that reveals the hypocritical and dual standards have been introduced and implemented by the individuals belonging to elite class of society. He worked for the cause of socialism with great fervor and enthusiasm and wholeheartedly condemned capitalism by stating it a system that widens the gulf between haves and haves-not. â€Å"In his pamphlets George Bernard Shaw argued in favor of equality of income and advocated the equitable division of land and capital. Shaw believed that "property was theft" and believed like Karl Marx that capitalism was deeply flawed and was unlikely to last.† (Retrieved from spartacus.schoolnet) Based on the social behaviors and attitude observed by the people come out of leisure class of society, the great playwright has successfully analyzed the mentality of the rich individuals while treating the lower classes. By analyzing the history of the globe, it becomes obvious that almost all human societies have been observing

Global Operation management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Global Operation management - Essay Example â€Å"The company was then bought out by EBay†. (Grabionowski) EBay was already expanded globally when they purchased PayPal. The purchasing of PayPal required global operations management to help set up PayPal to be able to reach a global market. This was important so that PayPal could service as many customers as possible regardless of demographic location. This global transition had to happen so that PayPal could work in unison with E Bay on a global level. General Motors shows a great global management approach for the company. â€Å"General Motors is originally from the U.S. but has a larger market in China.† (GM2010) The global management approach by GM is a terrific demonstration of a successful global expansion. GM was able to achieve this success by allowing global operations management to oversee the necessary flaws in global marketing and perfecting them. This practice is proof of success. These examples demonstrate why it has become so important for companies to become competitive in a global business environment. Businesses are not just reaching out to areas nearby. There is a global market that can be reached if the right steps are taken. The further the global outreach means for a bigger profit. The advancements of other companies in other countries has allowed for companies in the United States to be better able to conduct business with the foreign companies. When companies in other countries are able to compete with the United States on the same technologically advanced level it creates a larger need for global operations. Other countries are expanding to the United States and it is important for the United States to expand to the other countries. It is certain that these advancements in other countries have affected the operations of American companies. Companies can either step it up globally or lose out. Many companies big and small are able to reach a global market. Business is not like it once was. The ability to seek business

K-12 national Education Technology Standards for teachers Essay

K-12 national Education Technology Standards for teachers - Essay Example Further they must become aware of the dangers of misusing these tools whether it is for publication purposes or for depending wholeheartedly on the accuracy and possible bias of electronic sources. Technologies available to teachers in K-12 education According to Hannafin and Vermillion (2008) the technologies that are available to teachers to facilitate teaching, learning and communications include ‘educational (nonadministrative) uses of computers, peripherals, curriculum and productivity software, personal digital assistants (PDAs and other wireless devices, as well as all Internet-enabled applications (e.g., e-mail, Web sites, Webquests, wikis, Massively Multi User Virtual Environments (MMUVEs), vidcasts, Web conferencing, online discussion boards, simulations, course management systems, games, simulations, podcasts, blogs, digital storytelling).’ Computers through the use of the Word processor for writing or Excel for Mathematics can be used to enhance reading and w riting, personal digital assistants which offer audio recording, the various Internet applications, and software has been created for almost every imaginable curriculum content therefore they should be available to teachers.

Career Planning and Development Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Career Planning and Development - Research Paper Example As such, the topics which will be analyzed relate to performance evaluations, successful management, treatment of difficult situations, employee retention, and issues relating to recruiting and compensation. When one considers the importance of career planning, several prominent factors immediately spring to mind. Whereas there are many things in life that require instantaneous and responsive decisions in order to maximize the utility of the individual, the path that one will pursue to provide for oneself and their loved ones is not something that should be a spur of the moment decision. Rather, it is something that should necessarily integrate with a degree of planning and consideration due to the fact that it is one of the most important decisions that one will ever integrate with. Ultimately, such a choice has far reaching impacts based not only on the ability of the individual to earn a living but also the ability of the individual to experience a degree of success, satisfaction, and happiness with their chosen path. As a function of such differing aspects of personal well being and growth, this brief analysis will consider a few of the reasons why career planning is essential to ma ximizing success and satisfaction in life. In order to accomplish such an analysis and/or investigation, this author will integrate with career planning based upon the following determinants: the necessity of performing career planning in order to define and differentiate what actions must be accomplished in order to direct ones path towards the ultimate goal as well as the necessity of career planning in order to maximize satisfaction. Firstly, the reader can and should integrate with an understanding of the fact that it is necessary in order for the individual to make something of a road map of future actions that must be completed in order to realize the

Alcohol Research Paper Essay Example for Free

Alcohol Research Paper Essay Alcohol plays too significant a role in society today and should be an after thought as opposed to the most essential addition to any social event. Alcohol creates numerous social, economic, and health problems that could very easily be stopped if it played a less influential role in every day events. The use of alcohol is prominent in, but not limited to three social circles that include students, family groups, and religious gatherings. Experts have much to say about alcohol use and abuse in these three categories, including all of the negative aspects of drinking. Social drinking is a common occurrence around America. Whether it is after work or after a football game, white collar or blue, two-thirds of the American population sit down at least once a week to enjoy an alcoholic beverage (Med. unc. edu). Many of these people do not realize that drinking is what leads to uncontrolled behavior, drunk driving, and in the long run, addiction. They are thinking only of the short-term effects, not the negative long-term consequences. People who regularly turn to alcohol eventually begin to neglect their families and other responsibilities, consequently wrecking the lives of loved ones and their own as well. While the lasting negative effects of alcohol use are spewed daily through the media, the problems will not stop until society completely understands how alcohol can indeed pose a serious threat to the nations social welfare. Alcohol has an adverse effect on the economy. The consequences of alcohol abuse and dependence cost the nation an estimated $99 billion each year (Gordis, 209). It is tax money that pays for alcoholics who both live on the street and are barely getting by or who are in government-funded hospitals and institutions. The United States should either find an alternative way to take care of these people or perhaps raise liquor taxes. Either one of these options would conceivably minimize the economical problems caused by alcoholic beverages. It is not the responsibility of the people as a whole to take care of the homeless people who have fallen prey to the lure of alcohol related problems. As of 1991, about 14 million Americans met medical diagnostic criteria for alcohol abuse or alcoholism. There are numerous health problems that are linked to drinking. For instance, if alcohol is consumed during pregnancy, birth defects may result, worse, the baby could be born addicted to alcohol (Kellam, 30). High doses of alcohol have also been found to delay puberty in females and slow bone growth and result in weaker bones (Windle, 179). One of the main risks of drinking alcoholic beverages is having a stroke. A review of epidemiological evidence concludes that moderate alcohol consumption increases the potential risk of strokes caused by bleeding (Camargo, 1620). Another medical problem that involves alcohol is the use of prescription medications. Alcohol may interact harmfully with more that 100 medications, including some sold over the counter. The effects of alcohol are especially augmented by medications that depress the function of the central nervous system, such as sleeping pills, sedatives, and antidepressants, and certain painkillers (Thomas, 336). Upon understanding the risks of drinking, some people would surely stop. Better health is a good reason to do so. One of the main groups of alcohol users is high school and college students. Despite a legal drinking age of 21, many young people in the United States consume alcohol. There are several factors that put youth at risk for drinking and for alcohol-related problems and also several consequences of their drinking. Thirteen- to fourteen- year-olds are at high risk to begin drinking. This is a confusing stage in their life and they are easily pressured into doing things they would not normally do. Also at high risk are twins and adopted children. Studies of these two groups demonstrate that genetic factors influence an individuals vulnerability to alcoholism. Children of alcoholics are more likely than children of nonalcoholics to imitate drinking during adolescence and develop alcoholism, but the relative influence of environment and genetics have not been determined and vary among people (Chassin, 453). Advertising has also been found to play an influencing role in adolescents decision to drink. Research has assessed the effects of alcohol advertising awareness on intentions to drink. In a study of fifth- and sixth-graders awareness measured by the ability to identify products in commercials with the product name blocked out awareness had a small but statistically significant relationship to positive expectancies about alcohol and intention to drink as adults (Grube, 257). Although there are many risk factors inviting youths to drink, one of the most prevalent is peer drinking and acceptance of drinking. If one minor sees another drinking he would most likely find it acceptable and join his friend. If all of these risk factors were reduced, say, less advertising of alcohol where children will likely be influenced, children would not find it as acceptable to drink and would probably not start off so young or abstain wholly. Though the prevalence of binge drinking varies among campuses, the overall statistics are alarming. A 1993 survey by 18,000 students at 140 colleges in 40 states found that 44% of the students drank heavily (med.unc. edu). In an effort to curb students thirst for alcoholic beverages, many schools are trying to come up with alternatives to promoting social events that involve alcohol. Colby University has come up with a new program that offers students an alternative to getting ? sloshed. Faculty and students there have formed a committee that will recommend a reorganization of social functions. One of their recommendations was that the student association spend at least 50% of their funds exclusively alcohol free events. The other 50% of the funds may be used for entertainment, decorations, or refreshments, but may not be used for the purchase of alcohol (colby. edu). More schools should take part in this kind of rehabilitation, not only does it give the school a positive reputation, but it gives the student s more time to concentrate on the reason that they are there which is to learn. Serving food, non-alcoholic drinks, offering activities and entertainment such as games and music, and ceasing to give alcohol two hours before the end of the party are all ideas that will promote safe social scenes and responsible parties. One way to deter younger drinkers from becoming addicts is to step up the punishment for law-breakers who have a blood alcohol concentration indicating public intoxication. Whether it is as minor as carrying a fake identification card or as major as a drunk driving accident, offenders who break the law while legally intoxicated should be punished to the full extent of the law. Alcohol abusers, these risk takers and law-breakers, may realize after being punished once or twice that this is not the path they should take. Sobriety is a great thing, and the choice to be sober is one that should have positive connotations as opposed to the negative ones that go with drinking and being drunk. Learning at a young age that alcohol is not the great thing that everyone makes it out to be is a step in the right direction. We really should start now on a program that gives every child from kindergarten to college factual, unbiased training about alcohol. Then in a couple of generations wed see fewer problems. Most people would have learned to drink responsibly. (Weiner, 93) The earlier people learn, the best it will be for them and society in general.

Epistemology and Knowledge Essay Example for Free

Epistemology and Knowledge Essay Epistemology, or the study of knowledge, requires the scholar analyze the what, how, and why’s of their own knowledge. Asking these questions of themselves is essentially applying that which they have learned. There are different origins of knowledge as conceptualized by philosophers, educators, and scientists. Early philosophers defined knowledge as â€Å"justified true belief† (Cooper, pg. 23). In order for an individual to know something it must be true, he or she must believe it, and the belief in it must be justified or rationally reasonable. Later, early modern philosophers required knowledge to be proven and absolute. The scientific method was employed to provide proof for ideas and beliefs. The means by which knowledge is acquired varies. Feldman cites sources of knowledge as perception, expert testimony, memory, reasoning, and introspection (Feldman, 2003). As an educator, instructing primary age students on a daily basis, I must not only have great insight into what I believe, but I also must have insight into my student’s knowledge as well. Instructors need to know a number of things about their students, such as: Do the students have adequate prior knowledge to understand the new material being presented? Are the students sufficiently motivated to engage in the cognitive tasks required of them? Does the information fit an existing scheme of knowledge or will it require some alteration of current understanding? Understanding what my student know and at what depth they are able to apply that knowledge guides my instruction. My natural curiosity, a natural inclination for question, and a need for answers motivate the search for explanations. Knowledge and wisdom give an understanding of our position, role, and function in the world. Achterbergh and Vriens (2002) stated, â€Å"The role of knowledge in generating appropriate actions is that it serves as a background for articulating possible courses of action (articulation), for judging whether courses of action will yielded the intended result and for using this judgment in selecting among them (selection), for deciding how actions should be implemented and for actually implementing action (implementation)† (pg. 223). Knowledge enables interpretation of experiences, predictions of consequences, and provides the ability to make informed decisions. My own personal epistemology is a product of each of these views. Personal experiences have a major influence on beliefs and should be an acceptable source of knowledge but not the only consideration when acquiring knowledge. There is also a place for the scientific method which offers proven data to base knowledge. For me, knowledge is a product of reasoning (Feldman, 2003). I derive knowledge from information imported through different modes and from various sources, such as personal experiences, advice from experts, and data. These inputs of information are cognitively processed and filtered with the reference to past experience and prior knowledge to become new â€Å"justified true beliefs† (Cooper, ). Thus, knowledge acquisition is a process involving the collection of raw data or information, reasoning, and judgment making. For example, after my students have taken a test, I look at the data, think about the patterns in the data, or the lack of a pattern using prior knowledge and experiences as a filter. Finally, I decide what my next step or strategy will be. Do I need to reteach the subject because the pattern suggests that most of my students did not fully understand the skill or concept? Or do I move on to another more complex skill or concept because my students have proven themselves knowledgeable? It is in this way that I acquire knowledge and apply that knowledge to planning lessons for my students. Many of my colleagues rely solely on the scientific method to make decisions in regards to student learning. They are satisfied with looking at a spreadsheet full of data and believe that it tells the complete story in regards to students. They are also under the assumption that scores derived from a series of multiple choice tests given on a set of skills will reveal if a student has acquired the desired knowledge. Basing grades on these tests is also appropriate. I do not believe that this tells the full story of my student’s knowledge. These tests may demonstrate the ability to regurgitate this knowledge within a certain context, but out of this context this may not be true. I do, however, use this data to help inform many of my decisions, however, I do not make decisions based exclusively on this data. There must be a balance  of reasoning, using my 16 years of experiences and training, as well as raw data tells a more complete story of my student’s knowledge and abilities. I have worked for Porterville Unified School District (PUSD), in Porterville, California, my entire career. PUSD’s vision and mission statements read as follows: â€Å"PUSD students will have the skills and knowledge to be prepared for college and career and to make a positive impact in a dynamic global society. The mission of PUSD is to provide students a dynamic, engaging and effective educational experience that prepares them with the skills to be productive citizens in a global society. † As a result, it is perceived that all students will develop and demonstrate â€Å"critical thinking and problem solving skills; cultural awareness and the ability of collaborate with diverse groups; effective communication skills of listening, speaking and writing; creativity and innovation; leadership, self-management and organizational skills obtained through real world applications and community involvement; (and) the ability to navigate the global world of work and further their education (Porterville, 2012). † Porterville Unified (PUSD) has given explicit expectations for what students should know at the end of their educational career with the district, how students get to these end goals is a little less clear and left to the judgment of the teachers. There are some expectations of teachers and lessons presented to students given by the district. Many professional development hours have been spent on instructing teachers about the specific things that administrators will look for as they do brief observations of classroom instruction. The expectations include teaching explicitly to the essential standards; posting of the essential standard being taught; 80% student engagement during the lesson; display of exemplary work; higher order questioning and thinking skills. Administrators collect this data and share it with grade levels and school wide to help teachers focus on areas that are lacking. Administrator walk-throughs give a quick snap shot of the type of teaching and learning taking place during a lesson and they help to build a holistic picture of the teaching methods and resources being used (Hetzner, 2011). PUSD has placed an emphasis on the strategies needed for effective lessons and, in turn, effective student learning. As a 4th grade teacher for Porterville Unified School District, my task is to create daily lesson plans that serve to guide me as I teach my students. My first step in creating these lessons is to determine my student’s level of prior knowledge. I can accomplish this by looking at formal and informal assessments and data. Observation of this data gives me a better understanding of what my next steps with my student should be. In some cases, I need to go back and reteach skills, while in other cases I can teach my students a new skill. I have to make an informed decision as to what cognitive level I need to teach to next. Awareness of how my students are performing as well as where I need to be as far as pacing and staying on track to get through all the skills needed to be taught within the year are vital to my daily task as a 4th grade teacher. As I compare my personal epistemology with that of my district, I realize that I spend more time assessing data after the lesson has been taught while the district places more emphasis on data collected during a lesson. Both of these approaches are valuable and, in fact, the district does place value on the end result (i. e. State test scores), however, there is little action that can take place after the end of the year data is collected. PUSD has placed and emphasis on good instruction because they see it as the road to a good education, as well as, the skills and goals they have set in the mission and vision statements. Our epistemologies align in that we both rely on the research of experts. I trust, as does PUSD, that the data given by experts is valuable to our own knowledge and it should guide how I teach my students. The district also views its teachers as experts in the field and has given many freedoms in the presentation and uses of resources when teaching students. As I reflect on my school districts focus as compared to me I realize that even though our epistemologies are not exactly aligned we are aligned in our focus of the students. Students come first. That means I will use whichever strategies I need to in order to create effective student learning. Reviewing test scores and planning lessons are vital to student learning, however, I have been so centered on what I am teaching that my students have not been engaged as well as they could be and thus have not learned the subject matters to their full potential. Also, although pacing is important, it should not be of top priority. Top priority should be assessing my students during the lesson and changing strategies, or even the skills being taught, if my students are not engaged. There is no point in plowing through a lesson if the majority of my students are not listening to what is being taught. This new insight will definitely help to drive my instruction and will help make me a more effective teacher. References: Achterbergh,J. , Vriens, D. (May-June 2002). Managing viable knowledge. â€Å"Systems Research and Behavioral Science. † V19i3p223 (19). Cooper, D. E. (Ed. ). (1999). Epistemology: The classic readings. Malden, MA: Blackwell. Feldman R. (2003). Epistemology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Hetzner, Amy, 2011. Walk-throughs give school administrators firsthand view of staff in action. JSOnline: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Journal Sentinel. May 14, 2011. Retrieved on November 20, 2012 from: http://www. jsonline. com/news/education/121843078. html Porterville Unified School District, 2012 . PUSD: Vision and mission statements. Retrieved on November 20, 2012 from: http://dnn. portervilleschools. org/dotnetnuke/District/VisionMission. aspx.

Epilepsy and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Case Study

Epilepsy and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Case Study People with chronic and complex conditions are usually characterized by complex causality, multiple risk factors, a long latency period, a prolonged course of illness that cannot been cured, and functional impairment (Wilkes, Cioffi, Warne, Harrison, Vonu-Boriceanu, 2008). These people are often treated by primary care professionals such as the community care. Community care plays a key role in our health system; it can avoid patient readmission to the hospital, reduce healthcare costs, and make patients feel more comfortable when they have treatment at home (Wilkes et al., 2008). In the case study, Jessica is suffering epilepsy and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, which affects her daily life and her self-care behaviour. As a community care registered nurse (RN), I will promote Jessica’s knowledge about her chronic illness and health history, perform nursing assessments, and support her and her family with regard to her continuing nursing care. My primary goal is to improve Jessica ’s health condition and help her maintain her normal daily social and career life style (Lubkin Learsen, 2013). As an RN, on the first day visit with Jessica. At the beginning, I will establish therapeutic relationship with her by communication and also observing her facial expression, body language and listening voice tone. Arnold Boggs (2011) stated the foundation of nursing skills are approaching to therapeutic relationships and good communication in nursing practice and identifies trust, respect and honesty which are guiding professional actions. Meanwhile, her health history needs to be obtained by using oral communication skills, such an interview with her and her partner, without any judgment and by using open-ended short questions (Lubkin Learsen, 2013). In addition, the RN need perform a physical examination that includes general observation and checking BP, pulse, temperature, BGL, height, and weight. The information obtained during this phase contributes to an overview that identifies Jessica’s current and past health state and provides a baseline assessment to evaluate fut ure changes (Brown et al., 2014). It is important for the RN to indicate Jessica’s past and present medical conditions and treatments, which can create a suitable care plan and provide unique care. Ekman et al. (2011) believe all care providers should create personalized nursing care to people with chronic illness and help them to achieve their individual goals. The research shows epilepsy is the most common serious chronic neurological disorder of young people, with public misinterpretation inducing fear and social stigma, which leading to prejudice and discrimination in school, workplace, and community (Coker, Bhargava, Fitzgerald, Doherty, 2011). As a RN should educate Jessica by explaining the pathophysiology of epilepsy; for example, McCance, Heuther, Brashers, Rote (2014) state that â€Å"seizures are the abnormal discharge of electrical activity within the brain; the epilepsy is repeated recurrence of seizure activity which results from underlying disorder of the Centre Nerves System (CNS)† (pp. 679). In the past, Jessica’s seizures have been infrequent, brief, and often well controlled by medication. However, she may also suffer from greater degrees of depression, anxiety, and be prone to the social and vocational limitations that the illness usually brings (Coker et al., 2011). Furthermore, there are many risk factor s that can cause breakthrough seizures; these include diet, medication withdrawal, and alcohol consumption. Jessica may not aware of such factors due to a lack of specific knowledge (Coker et al., 2011). At the moment, Jessica is starting to withdraw from her anticonvulsant medications and avoiding her GP’s advice by continuing to drive her car; she also went to a dance club and drank alcohol. All of these affect her health conditions. Jessica also has Type 2 diabetes, a common chronic multisystem disease related to abnormal or impaired insulin production, with high risk of macrovascular and microvascular complications that lead to illness or disability and death (Hicks, 2008). There is no specific research on the association of epilepsy and Type 2 diabetes, but studies have found that seizures can occur during diabetic ketoacidosis when the body cannot get enough insulin; meanwhile, in many cases, epilepsy-related seizures may be mistaken for the symptoms of hypoglycaemia (Schober Holl, 2011). The aim of treatment is to control her blood glucose level (BGL) between 4 to 7 mmol/L, which reduces the risk of diabetes complications (Hicks, 2008). Currently, Jessica’s BGL shows12.9 mmol/L because of poorly controlled diet and excessive weight, which presents a greater great risk of cardiovascular, kidney, and metabolic diseases. After explaining the two chronic diseases to Jessica, during the time as an RN, I will perform a nursing assessment that includes a neurological observation assessment, nutritional assessment include regular BGL checks, behavioural assessment, and psychological assessment. Neurological observation is the collection of information on a patient’s central nervous system and neurological status, incorporates monitoring of the patients level of consciousness, pupil reaction and motor function, and observation of vital signs (Brown et al., 2014). It is important to monitor Jessica’s neuron function due to frequent seizures, especially after being hospitalized with tonic-clonic coma and unconsciousness. Regular BGL checks will help with her awareness of her glucose level and encourage regular administration of her hyperglucagonemia medication. The aim of intervention for Jessica is to control her high BGL and assess her normal diet, which can reduce diabetes complications so t hat she can achieve the quality of life she desires. Research has found that to control chronic complications from diabetes, a patient needs good self-care behaviours; for example: healthy diet, regular exercises, weight loss, taking medications as prescribed, blood sugar monitoring, and good support from family (Huang, Hung, Stocker, Lin, 2013). Behavioural assessment can help monitor her health condition and achieve goal setting, problem-solving, and medication adherence. The nurse can provide an accessible, relaxed environment to help Jessica focus on what she can do rather than what she cannot do, and act as a channel for her and her partner to discuss their fears and anxieties associated with her chronic illness (Welsh, 2008). She also told her GP that she did not need any more prescriptions for her anticonvulsant medication. Studies show that withdrawal from epilepsy medication has significant implications for lifestyle and circumstance, and that the patient should stop drivi ng (Coker et al, 2011). As the result, as an RN I need to consider Jessica’s dilemma carefully as it impacts her independence regarding transport and that, in turn, impacts her employment and income, self-esteem, and quality of life. The nursing intervention can include broader aspects of care including assessing Jessica’s needs, providing advice on associated topics to help her understand her condition and the management plan, and asking her partner to join her care (Welsh, 2008). For example, her partner, Martin, should be aware of her health condition including driving, potential pregnancy, alcohol use, employment restrictions, and other safety issues. On the point of RN also provide referrals to other professionals such as dietitian, social workers, counselling services, and family support groups. The role of the community RN is not only managing a patient’s chronic illness, but also to seek more assistance or research to improve the effectiveness of patient cares (Chen et al., 2012). The research shows that education in combination with psychological intervention can support medication adherence (Dean, Walters, Hall, 2010). In Jessica’s case, the RN needs to understand the negative impact that psychological issues can have on her lifestyle and chronic disease management, for example the chronic disease may cause her anxiety, and depression. As the result, we might arrange for Jessica to attend some group meeting or study conference about young people with chronic diseases. The fundamental nursing requirements are skills in communication, listening, counselling, and teaching to support the patient and her family (Welsh, 2008). There are two priorities for the RN’s follow-up with Jessica. As we noticed that before the current seizure, Jessica had weened herself off her anticonvulsant medications because she wanted to become pregnant and is perpetually in noncompliance with regard to her diabetes. The aim of the community service nursing intervention is to improve Jessica’s quality of life through needs-led primary health care with a person-centred approach to her individual needs and create a treatment plan that will improve health outcomes (Ekman et al, 2011). As Jessica is of child-bearing age with epilepsy, she merits unique consideration. Because withdrawal her antiepileptic drugs will increase seizure frequency, as an RN will need to be informed when Jessica contemplates pregnancy and refer her to a specialist before conception. Meanwhile, an occupational therapist will assess any risks in her home environment; a counselling service also be needed. From this point, the RN should consider the patient’s needs and communicate with a multidisciplinary team (Lubkin Larsen, 2013). We will need to motivate Jessica to take responsibility for her own self-care by using motivational interviewing and health coaching to incorporate behaviour change principles that promote healthy activities (Lubkin Larsen, 2013). For example, as an RN need to understand and explore Jessica’s motivation for becoming pregnant and keep her current life routine by listening with empathy because her opinion and methods may be different than they would be with a person who didn’t have complex medical issues. This will empower Jessica, encouraging her hope and optimism to follow the current treatment plan as well as to consult other health professionals. The primary goal is to maintain good self-care attitudes that will enable Jessica’s knowledge and understanding related to her ability to successfully cope with the disease in her normal life (Coker et al., 2011). A study by Soubhi et al. (2010) shows that strong self-management programs are amongst the best evidence- based interventions for improving outcomes. Thus, promoting self-care will empower Jessica to make independent decisions. The result will be an improvement in her quality of life and a reduction of psychosocial problems. In conclusion, from a community nursing service perspective, the experience of care giving to Jessica with her chronic and complex conditions has been extensively addressed. Meanwhile, an RN with an increased understanding of Jessica’s experiences will gain greater insight into the care she needs to improve her health and provide more effective healthcare delivery in the community (Soubhi et al., 2010). References Arnold, C. E., Boggs, U. K. (Eds.). (2011). Interpersonal Relationships: Professional Communication Skills for Nurses (6th ed.). Missouri: Elsevier. Brown, D., Edwards, H., Lewis, S. L., Heitkemper, M. M., Dirksen, S. R., O’Brien, P. G., Bucher, L. (Eds.). (2014). Lewis’s medical-surgical nursing: assessment and management of clinical problems (4th ed.). Chatswood, Australia: Elsevier. Coker, M. F., Bhargava, S., Fitzgerald, M., Doherty, P. C. (2011). What do people with epilepsy know about their condition? Evaluation of a subspecialty clinic population. Elsevier Ltd: Seizure 20, 55-59. doi: 10.1016/j.seizure.2010.10.007 Chen, M. S., Creedy, D., Lin, S. H., Wollin, J. (2012). Effects of motivational interviewing intervention on self-management, psychological and glycemic outcomes in type 2 diabetes: A randomized controlled trial. Elsevier Ltd, International Journal of Nursing Studies, 49, 637–644. doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2011.11.011 Dean, J. A., Walters, J., Hall, A. (2010). A systematic review of interventions to enhance medication adherence in children and adolescents with chronic illness. Arch Dis Child, 95, 717–723. doi:10.1136/adc.2009.175125 Ekman, I., Swedgerg, K., Taft, C., Lindseth, A., Norberg, A. †¦Sunnerhagen, S. K. (2011). Person-centered care-ready for prime time. European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing 10, 248–251. doi: 10.1016/j.ejcnurse.2011.06.008 Huang, C. M., Hung, H. C., Stocker, J., Lin, C. L. (2012). Outcomes for type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with diverse regimens. Blackwell Publishing: Journal of Clinical Nursing, 22, 1899-1906. doi: 10.1111/jocn.12123 Hicks, D. (2008). Recent developments in the management of type 2 diabetes. British Journal of Community Nursing, 6(11). doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.12968/bjcn.2001.6.11.9458 Lubkin, I., Larsen, P. (Eds) (2013). Chronic illness: Impact and interventions (8th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones Bartlett. McCance, L. K., Heuther, E. S., Brashers, L. V., Rote, S. N. (Eds.). (2014). Pathophysiology: The biologic basis for disease in adults and children (7th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier. Schober, E. Holl, R. (2011). Epilepsy in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes Voice 56(2), 43-44. Retrieved from https://www.idf.org/sites/default/files/attachments/DV_56-SI2_Schober-Holl.pdf Soubhi, H., Bayliss, A. H., Fortin, M., Hudon, C., Akker, V. D. M., Thivierge, R. †¦ Fleiszer, D. (2010).Learning and caring in communities of practice: Using relationships and collective learning to improve primary care for patients with multimorbidity. Annals of Family Medicine, 8(2), 170-177. doi:10.1370/afm.1056 Welsh, M. (2008). The practice nurse’s role in the management of epilepsy. British Journal of Community Nursing, 6(3). Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11923723 Wilkes, L., Cioffi, J., Warne, B., Harrison, K., Vonu-Boriceanu, O. (2008). Clients with chronic and complex conditions: their experiences of community nursing services. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 17(7b), 160-168. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2702.2008.02454.x

Chaucers Canterbury Tales - The Modern and Mediaeval Merchants Tale :: The Merchants Tale

The Modern and Mediaeval Merchant's Tale  Ã‚   "The Merchant's Prologue and Tale" is mainly concerned with the infidelity of May while she is married to Januarie. Infidelity is undoubtedly a popular topic for discussion in modern times and is often the subject of magazine or television stories. Despite the concern with marriage and the status of men and women within such a relationship keeping the story applicable to the audience even more than 600 years later, there are many elements of the Prologue and Tale which root them in a mediaeval context. The reasons to marry and the opinions cited show the attitudes of the mediaeval period as do the references to mythological figures such as "Ymeneus, that god of wedding is". Symbolising how the mediaeval and modern aspects of the Tale can be easily combined is the story of Pluto and Proserpina. Although Pluto captures his wife, she is able to spend much of the year away from Hades. This is symbolic of the greater liberty that many women can enjoy in the modern world. Opposing this modern link is the relationship between Januarie and May which is shown to have followed mediaeval tradition to a greater extent concerning the actual marriage and the mercantile nature in which it is brought about. Rather than the freedom for Proserpina agreed between herself and Pluto, Januarie desires a wife of "warm wex" that he can control, ultimately causing May to betray him. Januarie's reasons for marrying are seen as improper both in the mediaeval and modern contexts. He wishes to be married simply because he is old and society seems to say that he should. There is no consideration of love, only of lust as he declares, "I wol noon oold wyf han in no manere". A mediaeval audience would have been aware that an emphasis on carnal pleasure was displeasing to God, while this would be less of an issue to a modern audience. As marriage was considered by the mediaeval audience to be an embodiment of Christ's devotion to the Church, the theme of infidelity would be apparent to the modern audience, but without the ironic details obvious to the earlier audience. In addition to this, the simple fact that Januarie's friends are prepared to find "to whom [he] may be wedded hastily", rather than let Januarie look for himself roots the Tale in a mediaeval context as such an idea is almost inconceivable in the year 2000.

Emily Brontës Wuthering Heights :: essays research papers fc

What usually comes to mind when one thinks of Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights? Most will visualize tortured lovers against the extraordinary moors. Perhaps one will even recall the scene of one lover, Heathcliff, opening the grave of his Catherine to dig a space where they can be joined eternally. Yet another equally powerful emotion appears throughout the novel as an antithesis to love, that of revenge. Revenge first forms the basis of the actions of Hindley, the Earnshaw son, toward Heathcliff. Later revenge is mirrored in the vengeful actions of Heathcliff after he loses Catherine. In the process of gaining revenge, both characters lose their own humanity and their souls.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hindley Earnshaw, the son and heir, reacts badly to his father’s bringing home a stray gypsy boy from the streets of Liverpool and to demands that Heathcliff be treated like his own brother. Both Catherine, his sister, and Hindley refuse â€Å"to have it in bed with them, or even their own room† at night so that Heathcliff has to sleep on the landing outside (Bronte 41). While Catherine learns to love Heathcliff, Hindley spends his days in revenge toward the intruder, especially after Heathcliff becomes Mr. Earnshaw’s â€Å"favorite† (42). Hindley’s beatings of Heathcliff further alienate Mr. Earnshaw, who is infuriated â€Å"when he discovered his son persecuting the poor, fatherless child, as he called him† (42). Hindley regularly beats Heathcliff and threatens to turn Heathcliff out in the cold when Mr. Earnshaw dies (43). When Heathcliff blackmails Hindley into swapping colts for the secret beatings, Hindley shows reas ons for his jealousy toward Heathcliff, â€Å"Take my colt, gipsy, then, and I pray that he may break your neck, you beggarly interloper! And wheedle my father out of all he has† (43). When Mr. Earnshaw dies and Hindley returns from college to claim his inheritance, he takes his revenge unchecked. â€Å"He drove him from their company to the servants, deprived him of the instructions of the curate, and insisted that he should labour out of door instead, compelling him to do so as hard as any other lad on the farm† (49). He also orders floggings for Heathcliff and deprives him of even speaking to Catherine, whom he loves dearly, after an adventure at the Lintons. All these punishments Heathcliff could have stood except when he finally realizes that Hindley has made it impossible for Catherine to marry him. He overhears Catherine explain to Nelly, â€Å"If the wicked man in there had not brought Heathcliff so low, I wouldn’t have thought of it [marriage to Edgar Lindley].

A Family Vacation to Canada :: Summer Vacation Essays

This is the actual story of a trip I took with Smith Family into Canada. The total head count was 19, including myself. The trip took 8 days to complete. We left on Saturday, June 24 at 12:00am and got back on Sunday July 1, around 3:00pm. The great Canadian adventure started at 12 noon on Saturday to pack the bus and truck. The bus is an old school bus with a big rack on top to hold canoes, and screens over all the windows. Inside there are 8 bunks in the back for sleeping. The middle is where the food is kept. The front has two tables on each side for playing cards. As soon as I got there I started meeting people. I had only met Craig, Renee, and Amber before at Cameron Smith’s graduation party. There were 3 well fed dogs running around. The first person Tyler pointed out was Harry, his grandpa. He was getting the gas together for the boats and there were about 5 others standing around him. One was Troy and the other was Larry. It was easy to see that Craig and Troy were brothers, they were rigging the bus to carry 5 canoes. Others were busy helping to get ready. I helped put the motor rack in Tyler’s truck. After the bus and truck had all of the canoes on, Jeff, Tyler, and I went back to Tylerâ₠¬â„¢s house to take showers and eat. The plan was to meet Craig at Cash Wise at 8:30 to buy the food. Craig’s Eagle got a flat tire on the way to Willmar. Tyler, Jeff, and I got there at 9:30 but the shopping was already done. As we were leaving Willmar, on our way back to Harry’s, we were able to see fireworks from the â€Å"Works over Water† display on Foot Lake. When we got to Harry’s, there were several cars in the yard. Tyler and I went to the house were I met Erin and Allison for the first time. Erin was eating a pizza and at first glance I thought she was Emily Smith. I could not get over how much Erin, Allison and Amber looked like Emily. Little kids were running everywhere. In the living room, were about 25 people I had never met or seen before, who seemed to be having a good time together.

Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 18

My dream-self sprinted out of the kitchen and toward the sound of the crying. Aubrey and the mystery cat jerked their heads up, surprised at my sudden movement. On the other side of the living room, the little girl sat on the floor beside an end table with sharp corners, a small hand pressed to her forehead. Tears streamed down her checks as she wailed. In a flash, my dream-self was on her knees and had wrapped the little girl up in a tight embrace. I could feel what the other Georgina felt, and I nearly wept as well over the feel of that soft, warm body in my arms. My dream-self rocked the girl, murmuring soothing, nonsensical words as she brushed her lips against the silken hair. Eventually, the girl's sobs stopped, and she rested her head against my dream-self's chest, content to simply be loved and rocked. I opened my eyes and stared at Seth's plain white ceiling. He lay beside me, curled up near my body and still smelling like the massage oil. Even awake, the dream's images were still strong and so real. I knew exactly how my daughter's hair had felt, the way she smelled, the rhythm of her heart. My own heart pined so much for her that I could almost ignore the fact that last night's energy was now gone. This was turning into a real problem. I sat up, gently pushing Seth off of me. But as I tried to figure out what to do about this latest dream, a strange thought kept pressing into the back of my head. Erik. I couldn't stop thinking about Erik. It was nothing in particular, either. No specific problem. But, whenever I tried to think about something else – my job, the energy loss, Seth – it was Erik's face that appeared in my head. I didn't understand it, but it worried me. Seth's arms reached for me as I slipped out of bed, but I skillfully avoided them. Grabbing my cell phone out of my purse, I headed off toward the living room. No one answered when I dialed Arcana, Ltd. It was almost ten†¦usually he was open by then. I called information in search of Erik's home number, but it appeared to be unlisted. A sense of dread was building in me. Desperate, I dialed Dante's store. â€Å"Dante, I think something's happened to Erik, but I don't have his home number and – â€Å" â€Å"Whoa, whoa, succubus. Slow down. Start from the beginning.† Backing up, I explained how I'd dreamed again and woken up obsessed with Erik. â€Å"Maybe it's nothing, but after the drowning thing†¦I don't know. Do you have his home number?† â€Å"Yeah,† Dante said after several moments. â€Å"I do. I'll†¦I'll check on him for you and give you a call back.† â€Å"Thanks, Dante. I mean it.† I disconnected as a sleepy Seth stepped out of the bedroom. â€Å"Who's Dante? Was that a collect call to the Inferno?† â€Å"They won't accept the charges,† I murmured, still troubled. Seth's face turned serious. â€Å"What's wrong?† I hesitated, not because I was afraid to tell him about Dante but because I didn't know if I wanted him caught up in all of this. â€Å"It involves immortal intrigue,† I warned. â€Å"And the higher workings of the universe.† â€Å"I live for those things,† he said wryly, settling into an armchair. â€Å"Tell me.† So, I did. He knew about my first energy loss but not the rest. I didn't tell him about the content of the dreams, merely that they drained me of energy. I also explained about the self-fulfilling prophecies and how I'd woken up damp one morning and thinking about Erik today. When I finished, I stared at the cell phone accusingly. â€Å"Damn it. Why isn't he calling?† â€Å"Why do you always tell me this at the last minute?† asked Seth. â€Å"It's been giving you trouble for a while. I thought it had been a one-time thing.† â€Å"I didn't want to bother you. And I know how funny you are about immortal stuff.† â€Å"Things that affect you – that may be harming you – don't bother me. I mean, well, they do, but that's not the point. This all goes back to commun – â€Å" The phone rang. â€Å"Dante?† I asked eagerly. I hadn't even bothered to check the number. But it was him. His voice sounded grim. â€Å"You need to come over here. To Erik's.† â€Å"The store?† â€Å"No, his house. It's close to my place here.† â€Å"What's going on?† â€Å"Just come over.† Dante rattled off an address and directions. With quick shape-shifting, I was dressed and ready to bolt out the door in an instant. Seth told me to wait, and in less than a minute – not as good as me, though still good – he was ready too. I'd never thought much about Erik having a home of his own. To me, he just always sort of existed in his store. The address was about a mile from Dante's, in an old, yet well-maintained neighborhood. Erik's house was one of the small bungalow types so common in Seattle neighborhoods, and the front yard was filled with roses gone dormant for the winter. As we walked up the steps, I entertained a brief vision of Erik out there tending the flowers in the summer. Dante opened the door before I could knock. I wondered if he'd sensed me or had simply seen us through the window. He displayed no particular reaction to Seth's presence and ushered us in toward the house's one bedroom. The house's interior looked like it hadn't been updated in a while. In fact, a lot of the furniture reminded me of mid-twentieth-century styles. A plaid sofa with rough fabric. A worn velvet armchair in seventies gold. A TV that dubiously looked capable of color. None of that triggered any sort of reaction in me, though. What startled me was one framed picture sitting on a bookshelf. It showed a much younger Erik – maybe in his forties – with fewer wrinkles in his dark skin and no gray in his black hair. He had his arm around a thirty-something brunette with big gray eyes and a smile as large as his. Dante nudged me when I stopped, an odd look on his face. â€Å"Come on.† Erik lay in bed. To my relief, he was alive. I didn't realize until that moment just how worried I'd been. My subconscious had feared the worst, even though I'd refused to let it surface. But alive or not, he really didn't look so great. He was sweating and shaking, eyes wide and face pallid. His breathing was shallow. When he saw me, he flinched, and for half a second, I saw terror in his eyes. Then, the fear faded, and he attempted a weak smile. â€Å"Miss Kincaid. Forgive me for not being able to receive you properly.† â€Å"Jesus,† I gasped, sitting on the bed's edge. â€Å"What happened? Are you okay?† â€Å"I will be.† I studied him, trying to piece together what had taken place. â€Å"Were you attacked?† His gaze flicked over to Dante. Dante shrugged. â€Å"In a manner of speaking,† Erik said at last. â€Å"But not in the way you're thinking.† Dante leaned against the wall, appearing a little less grave than he had earlier. â€Å"Don't waste her time with riddles, old man. Spill it.† Erik's eyes narrowed, a bit of fire flaring in their depths. Then, he turned back to me. â€Å"I was attacked†¦mentally, not physically. A woman came to me tonight†¦wraithlike, inhuman†¦wreathed in energy. The kind of beauteous, enthralling energy I see you glow with sometimes.† It was a sweet way to describe my post-sex glamour. â€Å"Was she bat-winged and flame-eyed?† I asked, recalling Dante's long-ago joke about the mythological description of succubi. â€Å"Not a succubus, I'm afraid. That might be easier. No, this†¦I believe†¦was Nyx.† â€Å"Did†¦did you say Nyx?† Of course that was what he'd said, but I'd been waiting for him to launch into a discussion of Oneroi, not their mother. Nyx made no sense. It was one thing for dream spirits to appear in your bedroom and in your dreams. It was an entirely different matter for a monstrous primordial entity of chaos who had been instrumental in creating the world as we know it to appear in your bedroom. It was like saying God had stopped by for waffles on the way to work. Maybe Erik was still delirious. â€Å"Nyx,† he confirmed, no doubt guessing my thoughts. â€Å"Chaos herself. Or, more accurately, Night herself.† From the corner, Dante laughed softly. â€Å"We're all fucked now.† â€Å"She's the mother of the Oneroi,† Erik reminded me. â€Å"And, although dreams aren't her sole domain, she too is connected to them.† â€Å"Then†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I tried to grasp the implications. â€Å"Are you saying she's been responsible for what's been happening to me?† â€Å"It almost makes sense,† said Dante. Erik apparently agreed. â€Å"She's linked to time and all the myriad potential fates that exist for the universe. Fate and time are forever moving closer to chaos – to entropy – and that's what she feeds off of. She's trying to create more of it in the world, to bring us that much nearer to ultimate disintegration. But she's a long way from bringing anything like that about, so she settles for small acts of chaos.† I wasn't following. â€Å"My dreams and energy loss are acts of chaos?† â€Å"No.† Erik glanced at Dante again. â€Å"We believe you're her instrument. Since she's connected to time as well as space, she has the ability to see pieces of the future. And there is no greater way to cause chaos in this world than by revealing the future to mortals. Such visions prove consuming, and if crafted in a certain way, they can drive a person to madness. That person will obsess on it, struggling to either stop it or bring it about in a way it's not actually meant to unfold. Both acts are futile. The future plays out as it is meant to. In trying to alter it, we only make it happen that much more quickly.† â€Å"Like the Oedipus story,† noted Seth. â€Å"His father's attempts to change the prophecy's outcome are what actually made it happen.† Erik nodded. â€Å"Exactly.† I understood now too. â€Å"Just like the cop who saw his partner getting shot. And the man who saw his family benefiting by him swimming the Sound.† â€Å"It's how Nyx operates. Everything she shows them is true†¦just not true in the way they expect. The ensuing madness and destruction brought about by showing mortals their futures – futures that they end up bringing about – feeds her.† â€Å"But where do I fit in?† I demanded. â€Å"She isn't showing me my future or making me do crazy things.† â€Å"That's where the theory ends, succubus,† Dante said. â€Å"You're part of it, absolutely. And she needs you to do all this†¦but we don't know the mechanics of it.† â€Å"This is insane,† I said blankly. â€Å"I'm the instrument of an all-powerful primordial deity's wave of chaos and destruction.† â€Å"That's kind of extreme,† said Dante jovially. â€Å"It's not like you work for Google or anything.† Seth gently touched my shoulder. â€Å"Can I ask a question here? I'm confused by†¦like, how is it possible that you're just now realizing that this†¦Nyx†¦is out there? I mean, if she's as powerful as you claim†¦I don't know. Why didn't you think of her right away? Why hasn't this happened before?† â€Å"Because she's locked up,† I said. â€Å"Or well, she's supposed to be. Heaven and Hell have their own agendas for the world; they don't want her running loose and messing it all up. If this is her, I have no idea how she got loose. She's supposed to be guarded by angels, and if there was ever a group that could – † I let out a gasp that turned into a groan. The others stared at me. â€Å"What's wrong?† asked Seth. â€Å"That's why they're here,† I said. â€Å"I'm such an idiot. There's a monstrous regiment of angels in town. I knew they were looking for something, but I didn't know what.† That would also explain Vincent's interest in local news – he was looking for Nyx-patterns that would provide them with a trail. He'd even started to pursue my knowledge of the cop story, but Seth's shooting and his outing as a nephilim had distracted us all. â€Å"Yeah, well, they're doing a bang-up job,† said Dante. I rose from Erik's bedside. â€Å"I have to tell them what we know. Maybe they'll understand what she's doing to me.† â€Å"Be careful,† Erik warned. â€Å"She's suspicious now†¦I think that's why she came after me. I was looking into this, and she didn't want me to succeed.† Something else suddenly occurred to me. â€Å"Erik†¦did she show you a vision?† He nodded. â€Å"What was it?† It must have been horrible, whatever it was. He'd clearly been in shock when Dante had found him. Erik looked at me, and for an instant, I saw a flash of the terror he'd shown when I first walked into the room. Then, it was gone. â€Å"It doesn't matter, Miss Kincaid. She wanted to scare me, to stop me from helping you†¦but it didn't work. The future will unfold as it's meant to.† Seeing my doubtful look, he smiled again and pointed toward the door. â€Å"Stop worrying about me. I will be fine. Go find your angel friends before anything worse happens.† I gave him a quick hug before stepping into the other room with Seth and Dante. Once again, I paused to study the picture of Erik and the woman. Just as I'd always imagined Erik living in his store, I'd also never pictured him having any sort of personal life. Obviously, that was a foolish thought on my part. Who was this woman? Wife? Lover? Just a friend? Beside me, Dante held out his hand to Seth and introduced himself. The two men sized each other up. â€Å"I've heard so much about you,† said Dante cheerfully. â€Å"I never heard of you until this morning,† remarked Seth. My eyes were still on the picture. Near the edge of the frame, I noticed a crease in the photograph. I don't know what made me do it, but I picked the frame up and pulled the picture out. The right-hand third of the photo had been folded, obscuring another person who had been with Erik and the woman. Dante. I looked up in surprise. Dante took the picture and frame from me and reassembled them. â€Å"There's no time for this, succubus.† â€Å"But – â€Å" â€Å"We have more important things to deal with than your own curiosity right now.† I cast an uneasy look at Erik's closed bedroom door. Dante was right. â€Å"Do you think you could maybe†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Dante sighed, anticipating my question. â€Å"Yes, succubus. I'll check in on him today.† For a moment, I thought I saw something in his face†¦something that wasn't just him grudgingly humoring me. Like that maybe – maybe – he cared about Erik too. It was weird, but then, they'd all looked pretty happy in the photograph. The worst enemies were often those who had been friends. This Erik-Dante puzzle just got weirder and weirder. I started to turn away, then Dante called, â€Å"Oh, hey. I can probably make your charm, now that we know what this is.† Hope surged up in me at the thought of finally having safe dreams again. â€Å"Really?† â€Å"If you still want me to,† he added warily. I presumed he was subtly referencing my skepticism – which hadn't entirely abated. Still, now that I had a name for my predator, I was more anxious than ever to take whatever protection I could get. â€Å"Definitely. If you think it'll work.† â€Å"In theory, at least. Nyx isn't exactly a run-of-the-mill spirit. I'll see what I can do.† I drove Seth back to his condo, anxious to let him off, so I could do some searching. â€Å"I have to go find the angels,† I told him. â€Å"I'll catch up to you later.† â€Å"So†¦no movie tonight?† â€Å"I – what? Oh, damn it.† I'd forgotten about the plans we'd made. He'd gotten tickets for an indie movie that was showing one night only here. â€Å"I'm sorry†¦I really am†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Well,† said Seth wryly, â€Å"considering life and death are literally on the line, I think I can forgive it this time.† â€Å"You know what you should do? You should take Maddie. You still owe her a date.† He smiled. â€Å"I have the best girlfriend in the world, always trying to push me into the arms of another woman.† â€Å"I'm serious! She's feeling unwanted. She thinks you don't like her.† â€Å"I like her a lot. The whole thing is just weird, that's all. I think I'm going to see if Terry can go to the movie. Don't give me that look,† he warned. â€Å"I'll still take her somewhere. Just not to this.† We kissed good-bye, and Seth promised to check on me later. Once he was gone, I set out to find my guardian angels.

Fortress of North Carolina’s History

Stretching almost 500 miles through North Carolina and Virginia, the Blue Ridge Mountains stand like a fortress that conceal some of the oldest settlements of both pre-historic and early European settlement. Much of the 200-year-plus history of Appalachian culture still persists by simply discovering what remnants are left. In 1539, the first European expedition to venture into the Blue Ridge region was led by Span’s Hernando de Soto, as his troops landed near Tampa Bay, Florida, with over six hundred soldiers and some additional men (mostly servants and slaves).Soto's expedition headed toward the Appalachian interior with two goals — to find adventure and to discover gold and other precious metals rumored to be in the region. Numerous Native American tribes (most of them Mississippian cultures) resisted the Spaniards' advance (Olson 1988, p. 3). In May of 1540, Soto's expedition crossed the Blue Ridge, probably guided by Native American scouts who knew of a well-establ ished trail over the mountains. The expedition passed through the domain of the region's predominate tribe, the Cherokee, quickly and without difficulty.The reason behind must be that the tribe had already been decimated by smallpox or other European disease that spread to the Cherokee from coastal tribes, which likely had contracted that disease from earlier European explorers. The Peachtree site within the Cherokee county fits the description of the town of Guasili visited by Soto. The Peachtree site is geographically and topographically more accurately situated for the location of Guasili than either the Nacoochee or Etowah mounds, both of which had previously been considered as the site of Guasili.At present, this site in the midst of the Blue Ridge Mountains, where the feasibility of trails is limited, coincides more nearly with the expected situation as described by the chronicles than any other location. However, the significant point in this report is not whether this is the site of the ancient town of Guasili as shows at least one trail of importance which passes the site, while several others are connected to it (Setzler, Jennings & Stewart 1941, p. 9).However, it was England and France that garnered the political control of eastern North America, as many English settlers avoided exposure to the fighting by moving from the North Carolina and Virginia piedmont onto Cherokee lands in the Carolinas. In reaction, the Cherokee staged a series of attacks on English settlements and fortifications, a situation which came to be known as the Cherokee War. The Cherokee won several of these contests, including one major victory, the capture of Fort Loudoun on the Little Tennessee River in 1760.In retaliation English soldiers under Major Hugh Waddell in 1761 stormed Cherokee towns along the Little Tennessee River; suffering many casualties, the Cherokee pled for peace (Ehle 1988, p. 51). The English, recognizing that they could not fight the Cherokee and the Fren ch at the same time, forged a new alliance with the Cherokee. By 1763, this alliance had defeated the French and their Native American allies.English monarch King George III rewarded the Cherokee for their loyalty by issuing the Proclamation of 1763, which established a boundary line intended to prevent colonists from venturing onto Cherokee land. As the nineteenth century dawned in the Blue Ridge region with several states was mired in political squabbling over territorial boundaries. By 1800, the border between North Carolina and Virginia had already been surveyed, but North Carolina's border with the new state of Tennessee.As a cause of the frequent revision of county lines in the North Carolina Blue Ridge, it prompted the slowing the development of stable and productive county governments. The limited state funds allocated to mountain counties were often rendered ineffective by a lack of competent administration within the counties. For decades after the Revolutionary War, count ies in the Blue Ridge region not only were generally underrepresented in state politics, but also received little benefit from the federal government.Much of the western North Carolina landscape had been destroyed by the Revolutionary War, yet the state government of North Carolina put little effort toward boosting the region's economy. This was in part because the state's economy was sluggish, the result of many factors: a lack of harbors, the absence of an effective road system by which to conduct trade within the state, high transportation tariffs, and an over-dependence on agriculture (McPherson 1988, p. 65-71). In the North Carolina General Assembly in 1823, the state allocated funds for a trans-mountain road, the Buncombe Turnpike.Completed in 1827, this road linked South Carolina with Tennessee, allowing safe wagon transport from Greenville, South Carolina, over the North Carolina Blue Ridge, then through the valley of the French Broad River to Greeneville, Tennessee. A toll road, the Buncombe Turnpike profoundly affected the Blue Ridge communities through which it passed, providing economic relief to an impoverished region. Inns, supply outlets, and wagon-repair shops sprang up in a number of places along the turnpike. Owing to its strategic location along the turnpike, Asheville, North Carolina, grew quickly as a supply center for travelers.An important tourist attraction also emerged along the turnpike: Warm Springs, later called Hot Springs. The Buncombe Turnpike not only benefited the communities through which it was routed, but also served the nation by providing eastern markets with a steady supply of agricultural products, poultry, and livestock raised to the west of the Blue Ridge (Dunaway 1996, p. 113-115). During the Civil War, no major battles took place in the North Carolina Blue Ridge because political loyalties within the region were sharply divided, countless skirmishes occurred there.These conflicts were particularly frequent after July 1863, when the Confederate congress elected to position militia throughout the South in an attempt to capture draft evaders, return deserters to their commands, and control marauders who were opportunistically exploiting undermanned southern farms and villages. Confederate soldiers were soon present in the Blue Ridge, causing conflict wherever they encountered Union sympathizers. Thus, when the Civil War ended in 1865, marked the slowdown of political and social turmoil in the Blue Ridge region.The war had a profound impact on the region, as many people became disgusted at their ruined environment and disillusioned with their government. This is even worsened by the fact that political representation of the Blue Ridge people during Reconstruction was marked by corruption. Only after Reconstruction ended in the mid-1870s did state governments reorganize and actively participate in the economic development of the Blue Ridge. Finally, this improved the conditions in the region, which harnessed the forces of industrialization to come in. References Dunaway, Wilma A.(1996). The First American Frontier: Transition to Capitalism in Southern Appalachia, 1700-1860, Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. Ehle, John (1988) Trail of Tears: The Rise and Fall of the Cherokee Nation, New York: Anchor Press. McPherson, James M. (1988). Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era, New York: Ballantine Books. Olson, T. (1998). Blue Ridge Folklife. Jackson, MS: University Press of Mississippi. Setzler, F. M. , Jennings, J. D. , & Stewart, T. D. (1941). Peachtree Mound and Village Site, Cherokee County, North Carolina. Washington, DC

Open Adoption vs. Closed Adoption

Many children are adopted each year, and with these children being adopted there are adoptions. There are many forms of adoption used throughout the world, but the biggest forms of adoption are closed adoption and open adoption. Open adoptions are adoptions in which the birthmother, the biological mother of an adoptee, is allowed contact with the adoptee. Closed adoption is an adoption where the birthmother of the adoptee is not present in the child’s life in any way shape or form. The birth family is completely cut off and cannot give or receive any information regarding their welfare or the adoptee’s.Closed adoptions are a better option than open adoption and should be mandatory because it would prevent confusion the child may face, allow children to actually fit into their adoptive family, provide privacy and closure and protect families from unstable birthparents. Having multiple sets of parents creates confusion in a family, and mostly for the child. â€Å"Adoptio n was created out of the recognition that children need to feel secure about who their parents are and what their parent’s role is† (Harnack 84). This is what’s best for the child in most if not all adoptions.The child needs to know who exactly is their parent, not a birthparent but the adoptive parent. Adoptive parents are permanent and a child may not grasp that idea with a tentative parent; the birth parent. When a child does not know who their parent is, it creates trouble. The child may even seek out trouble. Children are developing and such an unstable family creates really harsh developmental issues within the adoptee. All children need to know who their parents are and be able to trust that their parents are not going to leave them. Having a birth parent around makes things difficult for everyone, but most importantly the adoptee. The adoptee may have a reduced ability to assimilate into family-Interaction with the birth family may make it harder for the child to assimilate into the adoptive family† (â€Å"Open Adoption: Disadvantages†). This is one of many examples of how adoptive families are not as whole and full as they could potentially be because of problems with the birth parent. The feeling of rejection from a birthmother can seriously impact the intellectual growth and development of an adoptee. A recent interview of an adoptee provided more evidence and demonstrated how the privacy provided with a closed adoption would give the adoptive parents more closure.The fourteen year old adoptee learned about her closed adoption ten years ago when she was four, her parents wanted to wait to tell her until she was eighteen but the adoptee found out through another family member. So then the adoption became open allowing the adoptee contact with her birth mother. â€Å"Now,† said the adoptee â€Å"I speak with my birthmother more than I do my mom† (Anonymous). Her birthmother being a big part of her life, t he adoptee is losing her relationship with her adoptive parents. Her adoptive parents feel that if the birthmother wasn’t so intrusive in their lives that they would have a better relationship with their daughter.This is why the closure and privacy involved in a closed adoption is so critical. Although there are so many benefits in a closed adoption some people still argue that open adoption is not completely the worst option in some cases. Among those arguing are adoptees who develop clinical illnesses in their lifetime. One thing a doctor may ask when a patient is diagnosed with a disease is for medical history. An adoptee in a closed adoption does not have access to their medical history, that information is sealed at a court house as with the contact information of the birthfamily.In some cases the birth family is contacted and refuses to give up the vital information that would be beneficial in the treatment of a patient. â€Å"When an adoptee is denied medical informat ion†¦ he may feel like and adult who has no rights whatsoever† (Eldridge 269). An open adoption would ensure a medical history and prevent the scandal of being without, but this positive factor of open adoption does not outweigh the benefits of the closed adoption. One of those benefits includes escaping the risk of â€Å"an unstable birthparent [who] could cause problems† (Adamec).Many times adoptions occur because the birthparent is unsuited to raise the child. This includes birthparents who abuse drugs, are unemployed or even felonious. Unstable birthparents provide bad examples for adoptees and much of the time influence adoptees. Children have very malleable minds; this is why it is so easy for children to learn. They pick up traits and learn bad habits through the time they spend with their birthparents. There have also been worse cases, for example there are cases where birthparents kidnap the adoptee.The adoptive parents and the adoptee should never have to face the stress or trauma an unstable birth parent would cause. Open adoption has become conventional, almost a standard for adoptions. Closed adoptions are almost unheard of in this day and age. One would think with all the benefits of a closed adoption it would be the standard, but such is not the case. Closed adoptions are a better option because it helps adoptees to actually fit into their adoptive family, helps prevent confusion in an adoptee, provides privacy and closure, and protect the adoptive families from unstable birthfamilies.Work Cited Adamec, Christine. â€Å"†Open† or â€Å"Closed† Adoption? † Family Education. Pearson Education, Inc. , 2004. Web. 23 Feb. 2013. . Anonymous. Personal interview. 22 February 2013. Eldridge, Sherrie. Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew. New York: Dell Publishing, 1999. Print. Harnack, Andrew. Adoption Opposing Viewpoints. Miami: San Val Incorporated, 1995. Print. â€Å"Open Adoption: Di sadvantages. † American Pregnancy Association. N. p. , Oct. 2008. Web. 7 Feb. 2013. .