In Defense of the Weak Essay Example for Free

In Defense of the Weak Essay Have you murdered anyone? How about you? We are all afraid of murder for this does not only voraciously end a life; it also leads the murder to a gruesome punishment legally and religiously. All religions uphold the sanctity of life and abhor the unjust ending of it. It is the belief of many that if one does not shun from evil acts, such as killing, he will burn in hell. We all hold these views but why is it that many of us are still pushing for abortion? Why is it that many pregnant women still view abortion as the ultimate solution to their problem? Is killing you child really a solution or a gruesome sin that you will have to live with for the rest of your life? For those who rally in favor of abortion, they contend that a child in the womb of a mother is not yet considered human thus; killing that child is still legal. Another contention of pro-choice people is the argument that the woman should have a choice with what happens with her body. Bearing a child is not an easy situation much more, carrying the child in the womb for nine months. This is a torment for the mother especially if the child is a product of sexual abuse or rape. The same argument goes true for teenagers who get pregnant at such a tender age. It is an ordeal for these women to give birth to a child which they did not plan of having. Pro-abortion advocates argue that giving birth to an unwanted child will not only destroy one life but two lives, that of the mother and the child. It is better to abort a child than to give birth to him and yet no adequate love, care and daily sustenance can be provided to him (Lowen). While these advocates may have a point, this is not sufficient to murder someone. Abortion is not just a normal medical procedure but a form of murder. Through abortion a frail child is put to death even before he is given the chance to see the world and fight for his rights. Similar to murder, there is treachery. The child is being deprived of his life without even knowing it and without having the chance to fight for the life that he has. True enough a woman has a right to make a decision for what happens with his body but this is only applies if she is the only one concerned. This does not apply if her child’s life is at stake. Once a woman becomes pregnant, there are already two lives involved because medically speaking the embryo is genetically distinct from the mother. Life is sacred and a gift given by God. No one has the right to end it, not even the parents of the child (Anderson). It is quite difficult to fathom why mothers would want to kill their own children but fear of murdering a man walking down the street. They see that ending the life of an individual who is capable of defending himself is more inhumane than abortion. I do not intend to foster the murdering of a man on the street in place of abortion. What I intend to emphasize is the fact that through abortion a mother kills her own flesh a blood without even giving that child a chance to defend himself. With regard to unwanted pregnancies, its must be remembered that it is not the choice of the child to be conceived. He was a product of the union of a man and a woman. Whether or not there is love, the child should not suffer the effects of such union. He is innocent of what happened thus, mothers should be as objective as possible in dealing with their children for after all, they are their own flesh and blood. Let us stop pushing for abortion and start caring for the lives of innocent children. They have not done anything wrong to be murdered. I believe it is about time that the crusade in favor of abortion end. Let us not foster the killing of children, instead let us help them fight for their rights and be given the chance to live the life they were given. References Lowen, L. Ten Arguments For Abortion and Against Abortion. About. Retrieved 5 May 2009 from, http://womensissues. about. com/od/reproductiverights/a/AbortionArgumen. htm Anderson, K. (1997). Arguments Against Abortion. Leadership U. Retrieved 5 May 2009 from, http://www. leaderu. com/orgs/probe/docs/arg-abor. html

How The Modern Police Force Has Developed Criminology Essay

How The Modern Police Force Has Developed Criminology Essay This assignment looks at how the modern police force has developed since it was first formed as the Metropolitan Police force and how it has developed to and expanded. Also how the public perceives the police and what they expect from them. In the early 19th century there was very little organisation in the police force, but as London expanded and the population increased the law and order needed to be maintained. Crime and policy came under investigation and in 1828 Sir Robert Peel organised a committee that provided evidence for his new police bill which is the main thing that led to the police force in London becoming organised. The metropolitan police was first organised in 1829 by Sir Robert Peel and Sir Charles Rowan and Richard Mayne are appointed as Justices of the peace who are in charge of the police force. In 1834 the select committee who inquire into how well the police are working within the metropolis area reported that that the metropolitan police force, as respects its influence in repressing crime and the security it has given to persons and property, is one of the most valuable modern institution. In 1836 the metropolitan police take the bow street horse patrol into its ranks. The select committee the n look into affairs of police officers and recommend that the City of London police should be put under the control of the metropolitan police force. In 1838 the select committee recommends that the marine police section and the bow street runners, who were the first organised and paid police force, and the bow street office is also to be disbanded. All of these recommendations came into effect in this year. The dockyard division of the metropolitan police is formed in 1841 and in 42 the detective department is formed. By 1845 the commissioners aim to have one police officer to every 450 people in the population. By the end of the 1840s there was a large scale enrolment into the special constabulary to help the metropolitan police deal with the chartist demonstrations, the strength of the metropolitan police was 5,288 who were able to perform duty and the population of London at the time was 2,473,758. The black marias were used to move prisoners in 1857. In 1862 there was further r ecruitment into the metropolitan police and the X and Y divisions were formed in west London and Y division in the north and later on they patrolled north east London. The standard height is raised to 5ft 8ins except for the dockyard division which is 5ft 7ins. The police strike for the first time in 1872. The police offices at Great Scotland yard are taken into possession on the 4th October 1875 by the detective department. In 1879 Initial rules for dealing with Murder cases, released on 7 June, stated the body must not be moved, nor anything about it or in the room or place interfered with, and the public must be excluded.. there were 13,319 officers in the metropolitan police force by 1885 for a population 5,255,069. The new headquarters are opened at New Scotland Yard in 1890. In 1895 there were certain qualifications that had to be met to join the police which were they had to be over 21 and under 27 when they joined, they also had to be 5ft 9ins tall without shoes, they also h ave to be able to read well and have readable writing, have a reasonable level of intelligence and be in good health. In the last year of the 19th century the metropolitan police force had risen to 16,000 officers to police 7 million people. The finger print bureau started operations in 1901.when the First World War starts in 1914 24,000 special constables were recruited and by the end of the year there were 31,000 and women were also first recruited in this year to police the women who had taken over most of the jobs the men had done. By the end of the First World War there was another strike for more pay and better conditions and recognition of the union. Women started patrolling in 1919 and the flying squad was formed. The police box system was started on an experimental basis. The metropolitan police forensic laboratory is opened in 1935. The 999 system was introduced in 37. In the 60s the police started using vehicles more instead of foot patrols in the form of the panda car. T he headquarters are moved, in 1967, from the Norman Shaw building to Broadway but keeps the name New Scotland Yard. In 1980 the metropolitan Air Support Unit was first formed. In 1997 the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System was installed (N.A.F.I.S). The requirements to join the police has changed drastically since they first came in in 1895. There are no academic requirements, it is open to graduates and non graduates where as before officers had to have good level of reading and writing but because the education system has developed since the 19th century and everyone has to go to school that isnt usually a problem. There is no longer a height requirement for recruits especially know as there are no restrictions on sex or ethnic background to join the police. the age requirement is very broad now as it is 18 and a half -55 years old, where as before it was between 21 and 27 to join. Applicants still have to be reasonably fit and healthy but now have to go through several fitness tests. The entry requirements to join the police now are now more general as it is open to anyone. Police communications started when the telephone was first invented, police phones and boxes were set up in the cities so that police could check in and report crimes. The police boxes were replaced with the police band radio came in several configuration, some had multiple channels, the radio was usually mounted in a panda car and was used to inform and update other officers on patrol. The radio has developed further into the radio system that is used today which is the airwave radio. The airwave radio is a digital and has replaced the analogue radio. There are many benefits of the airwaves radio some of which are there is improved coverage and speech clarity, also improved security and encryptions of communications, national roaming, scope for mobile data applications and improved ability for inter operational communications between the police and other emergency services. The police needed a new radio system because the old one had become out of date and the digital technology pro vides much better coverage and clearer signals. The TETRA technology covers more of the country so there are fewer gaps in the coverage, TETRA can also cope with major incidents when there are going to be many radios being used at the same time without overloading the network. During the Brixton riots the police were not equipped properly to deal with the situation and not only did many officers get injured but they were also forced to use bin lids for protection. The riot gear has since improved and the padded protection covers the body, there are proper helmets with face guards and the shield that are designed to with stand the situation of a riot. Sikhs in the police are not allowed to join the fire arms unit because they cant wear a helmet due to their religious requirements which are the 5 ks. The one that is the problem is the Kesh or uncut hair. Having uncut hair is believed to be a symbol of holiness and strength and is also a symbol of their wish to move beyond concerns of the body. British Police Sikh Association calls on Home Office to develop ballistic material to allow members to join firearms units. Sikh police officers want to have bulletproof turbans made so that they can be in the fire arms unit. In Sikhism men are required to wear a turban but because of the current police safety regulations they have to wear a helmet but they dont fit on top of the turbans and their religion states that they are not allowed to remove the turban. A ballistic material is being developed that would provide a degree of protection when worn so that Sikh police officers can be involved in fire arms operations, although there is an au gment that Sikhs dont have to wear crash helmets when they are riding a bike or motorcycle under the motorcycle crash helmets(religious exemption) act 1976. Research has begun to find the right material for making the bulletproof turban but it needs to pass the Home Offices tests before it can be issued to officers. Tens of thousands of pounds has already been spent to try and find a wear that Sikhs can wear but will also provide an adequate amount of protection, this happened when a Sikh officer applied to join the counter-terrorist operational Support Unit. Police community support officer (PCSO), work on the frontline with the local police force, providing a visible and reassuring presence on the streets and tackling the problem of anti-social behaviour. It is a full time, paid job. PCSOs have different roles in different forces, but they usually patrol a beat and interact with the public, while also offering assistance to police officers at crime scenes and major events. Depending on where they work, they can deal with minor offences, offer early intervention to help stop or slow down people who are committing an offence, provide support to police on the front line, conduct house to house enquiries, guard and monitor crime scenes and provide crime prevention advice to the general public. Although PCSOs do not have the same powers as regular police officers, they still carry a lot of responsibility, and are a critical part of the police force. They do not carry any of the equipment that regular police use like cuffs because they havent had the training and they dont have the right to enforce the law. Police community support officer will work to complement and support regular police officers, providing a visible and accessible uniformed presence to improve the quality of life in the community and offer greater public reassurance. Police community support officers have a unique role that is designed purely to tackle local anti-social behaviour and issues affecting other peopels quality of life. Police Forces continue to support community support officers because they areproviding a visible and regular patrol, unlike neighbourhood wardens, they are employed by the police and have some powers provided by an Act of Parliament to allow them to directly tackle some anti-social behaviour issues. The term moral panics are mainly associated with Stan Cohen, who used it in his book Mods and Rockers in the 60s. Cohens sociology was a mixture of American labelling theory and left wing British sociology which concerns youth and social class. Societies are subjected to periods of moral panic, a condition, episode, person or a group of people can be thought of a threat to a societies values and interests, its nature is stereotypically presented by the media. Sometimes the focus of the panic always around but can suddenly appear in the publics eye and can easily pass on and be forgotten but it can also be of a more serious nature and be kept in the front of the publics mind which can cause changes to be made in legal and social policies. One of the most remembered uses of the term was in Jock Youngs article in 1971 when he talked about the public concern about drug use. Thompson (1998) came up with five stages in a moral panic. One is something or someone that is defined as a threat to values or interests. Two is the threat is shown as a recognisable form by the media. Three is there is a quick build up of public concern. Four is that there is a response from the authorities. Five is the panic recedes or there are results in social changes. Conclusion The police have changed over the years to make them more efficient at their job of protecting the publics life and property. Thing like the new finger print system have helped to catch criminal and reduce the amount of crime. Police cars have made the police more mobile and capable of attending incidences quicker and the radio has made police able to communicate with any other officers with in their force and also they can report incidences and accidents quicker which allow other services to respond which saves more lives and makes the general public feel safer and trust the police with their safety. The police community support officers may not be able to enforce the law like regular officers but they can act as a deterrent because they are someone in uniform which criminals and law breakers would be aware of, they also provide reassurance to they public and can give information to other people making them aware of causes of crime and what the police do to stop it from happening. Th e police are making sure that all the forces have more women and ethnic minorities so that they can relate to the smaller communities who could other wise be less inclined to approach police because they might think of them as racist due to allegations that were made during the 1980s so having women and ethnic minorities working in the police gives the whole police force a more approachable look.

Career Opportunities in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry

Career Opportunities in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry Introduction Given the continued volatility within the UK job market, the opportunities for a university graduate continue to evolve. Ultimately, the nature of the marketplace will continue to rise to meet social and economic challenges, thereby mandating that participants are aptly suited for the responsibilities of the future. Lau and Schaffer (1999) recognised that success in a career of choice offers personal needs fulfilment through long term evolution of workplace achievements and accomplishments, ultimately culminating in power acquisition for the properly situated professional. My long term objectives is to frame my career around such variables, supporting my professional goals and principles while at the same time ensuring that substantial growth and opportunity evolve through my career choice. The following five positions represent key industries within the current UK market, each challenging the participant to invoke a broad skill set to enhance their long term career objectives. Hotel Manager Given the variability within the hotel industry and the season-specific integration of tourism into an operating scheme, the potential for gaining logistical experience and expanding my management skill set within this environment is exemplary. The completion of my degree is an essential part of job acquisition within the hotel industry, and although the management position might not immediately avail itself to me, the long term goal of achieving this notorious job title will present motivational encouragement and strategy in my daily operations. As recognised by MacCannell (2002), the prevalence of tourist egoism in the hotel environment is one which challenges staff to bolster and support such powerful internal demand structures, aligning with tourist expectations to prospect for repeat business. As a hotel manager, my duties would include a coordination of all staff members affiliated with our guests, and therefore, exemplary service levels would need to be evolved from my directi on. The potential for substantial tourism growth considering the coming 2012 Olympic games offers opportunity for positioning within an expanding industry, one which would support my long term career objectives. Aligning my skills with an industry with such broad opportunities would also ensure that as alternate positions across the globe arise that I would be uniquely suited for that market by virtue of experience. Tourism Officer Perhaps the most widely sought opportunity for graduates and professionals of these five, this position entails an integration of a wide number of skill sets and strategic methods. Within the community, the tourism officer plays an essential role in guiding the expansion of tourist commerce and supporting local businesses and facilities through attractive event and festivals. In a recent study Desforges (2001) noted that financial reward is an extremely important variable within tourist endeavours, oftentimes relying on strategic politics to evolve into a socially beneficial medium. Optioning the personnel management abilities which I have learned over my brief, but well experienced positions in the UK work force, the officer position would require staff management, budget alignment, and full spectrum training programmes. This challenging, yet rewarding occupation would integrate my written abilities, planning foresight, and organisational skills to prepare and guide the tourist prog rammes of a particular local authority. The highly competitive nature of this position challenges me to fully develop my expectations and long term strategy prior to offering my CV for review. Ultimately, I believe that my creativity, local knowledge and interest, and resourcefulness will be assets in acquiring such a position. Over the course of the coming months at the university, it would be wise to participate in community events and begin to source industry relationships in order to ensure that opportunities arise upon graduation. Outdoor Pursuits Manager Perhaps the most interesting and personally rewarding position within this grouping is the one which would take me into the outdoors and fulfil my passion for adventurous activity. Requiring technical skill sets including budgeting, people management, and leadership, my commitment to these duties would be more than just job specific. In fact, assuming such a role, the physical challenges alone would encourage me to devise new methods of exercise and diet in order to maintain appropriate energy and stamina. Public speaking would become an inherent participle in this role, challenging me to step outside of my comfort zone and encourage participation through vocal support and direction. Forsyth (1997) recognised that sustainable tourism and environmental responsibility are essential factors in the new realm of eco-tourism. Through my role in outdoor pursuits, whether team building for groups or comporting a family reunion on a sightseeing hike, the need for environmental awareness and e ducation would be a skill set that must be further developed. While there is limited opportunity within this position to surmount a corporate ladder, the potential for entrepreneurism in the long term would enable me to pursue an objective of business ownership and coordination. Travel Agency Manager Perhaps one of the more intriguing positions listed here, this opportunity would rely on my knowledge of both the UK travel sector but international destinations as well. Ensuring that my breadth of venue understanding was at par with industry standards, familiarisation visits to new destinations would assist in developing my knowledge set. This job would incorporate a broad range of my skills including organisation, sales abilities, and management of a sales team. As targets become an increasingly important qualifier within this industry, recognising the methods behind sales and tourism opportunities will continue to enable my management of a team of sales professionals. Destination sourcing offers a unique perspective of consumer motivations and would continue to enable my utilisation of personal interests and professional resources over the long term scope of my career. Recognised by Gille and Riain (2002) the nature of globalisation entails a reorganisation of self and community, expanding horizons and encouraging international participation. In this role, it would be my responsibility to ensure that these connections are deeply entwined in the personal objectives of my clientele. Public Relations Account Executive The final career opportunity, and perhaps divergent from the others in terms of sector, the role of P.R. account executive would offer substantial opportunity to utilize my personality, range of communication skills, and intense drive for success to develop and support public relations campaigns. In this role, business to business sales and networking would become extremely important facets of my daily routine, encouraging a working understanding of purchasing motivations and the key challenges which face each industry in our society. Managing events and press conferences in addition to location coordination for photo shoots or media programmes would also integrate my organisational skill set as well as enhance my understanding of the workings of public scenarios. Hiring staff and event for these events would also challenge my human resource skill set and enable an organisational perspective which could translate into further career evolutions. Buck et al. (2003) challenge that the e mployment philosophy of a firm or corporation is â€Å"embedded within its organisational blueprint† thereby entailing a focus on strategy, media expectations, and client perspective when aligning staff with PR activities (p. 532). The public focus of this position is an exciting offering which would continue to involve my evolution as both speaker and participant within the scope of media relations and operations. This position would be both challenging and rewarding as the broad spectrum of daily operations would enable my participation in highly social and publicly visible events. Conclusion Each of these opportunities presents a substantially different perspective of how my post-university career could evolve. The nature of the UK job market is constant evolution; therefore, over the coming several months, there are many new positions which may develop and with them, the opportunity to enter at the cutting edge of industry. Regardless of destination, my path must be one which is both personally and professionally rewarding. From this expectation, I will carefully make my decision according to the merits of each position and their support of my goals. As long term career development is also an essential part of the reward spectrum, I must align myself with a strong industry in which I can continue to develop my professional skills. Networking and social development will further assist in identifying key participants who can offer sustainable choices in future career developments. While all five of these positions offer well suited principles for my inherent skill set, se veral such as hotel manager and travel agency manager and PR account executive are substantially more attractive due to their public focus and wide sphere of influence. While my future may remain uncertain, the opportunities afforded by my university graduation are not, and I look forward to their realisation over the coming year. References Buck, T; Filatotchev, I; Demina, N; Wright, M. (2003) â€Å"Insider Ownership, Human Resource Strategies and Performance in a Transition Economy.† Journal of International Business Studies, Vol. 34, No. 6, pp. 530-549 Desforges, Luke. (2001) â€Å"Tourism Consumption and the Imagination of Money.† Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, Vol. 26, No. 3, pp. 353-364. Gille, Z; Riain, S.O. (2002) â€Å"Global Ethnography.† Annual Review of Sociology, Vol. 28, pp. 271-295. Lau, V; Shaffer, M. (1999) â€Å"Career Success and the Effects of Personality.† Career Development International, Vol. 4, No. 4, pp. 225-231. MacCannell, D. (2002) â€Å"The Ego Factor in Tourism.† The Journal of Consumer Research, Vol. 29, No. 1, June.

Architecture of the 1920s :: Architecture

ARCHITECTURE IN THE TWENTIES For the United States the Twenties was a time to flourish and enjoy the common wealth, but unlike everything else, architecture was in a creative slump. many artists were having difficulty in depicting a "style" for the new era. Many new technological advances were occuring through the steel industry and the discovery of glass. The architects of this period wanted to incorporate those advances in their designs, thus bringing forth an experimental period. With architects from different backgrounds and cultures working to produce a masterpiece the International Style was created. The International Style was the most common and wide-spread type of architecture found in the twenties. This style dominated architecture until about 1950. Buildings of this time were characterized as having "...geometric shapes, white walls , and a flat roof with a garden," ("Architecture ". World Book CD-ROM). They were constructed of reinforced concrete (concrete with embedded metal rods to add strength). Typical buildings had large windows, which created a light, airy feeling and the exterior had little or no ornamentation. ("Architecture". World Book CD-ROM). Architects were able to acheive the light airy feeling found in the buildings because of the new inventions of industrial materials and the technical advances. The 1920's brought forth many new technological advances. Builders could now use steel, iron, and glass. Alloys, or blended metals, were discovered and produced, and the elevator was invented. These new materials had great and long lasting influences on modern architecture and are still used today. Architects were able to use steel beams to reinforce concrete, allowing them to build taller structures, known as skyscrappers. Elevators were installed to replace stairs. A gradual modernization of technical systems took place. Plumbing and heating/cooling systems were improved and the use of electricity became more popular. ("Architecture". Grolier CD-ROM). For the architects of the 1920's "climate could be disregarded, for mechanical heating and cooling devices make a building independent of its region...". (Hamlin, 633) Because of these new advances architects were able to experiment with options they were never given before. Despite the difficulties and dry periods the archtects experienced in the twenties, a new style was born.

General Haig a Butcher not War Hero Essay -- World War I WWI WW1 Sir D

Sir Douglas Haig was born on the 19th June 1861. The Field Marshal was very highly ranked in the duration of The Great War. Haig was a British soldier and a senior Commander of The British Expeditionary Force from the year of 1915. General Haig is notorious for commanding the Battle Of The Somme and also renowned for the third battle of Ypres and various other victories leading to The Triple Entente’s victory of WW1. After the war, Haig was made an Earl and also received gratified thanks from both Houses of Parliament. So, If General Haig was such a renowned role model and congratulated for aiding greatly to the victory of the cold war, why on earth did some people refer to him as a ‘Butcher’? During the early stages of the war, it was classed as ‘Stale Mate’ - hence the beginning of the trenches. WW1 was revolved around Static Warfare. This resulted in many deaths and injuries gaining little land each time. People believe that the countless death to lls from battles is mainly down to Sir Douglas Haig thus creating the name ’Butcher’. But what is the truth? Where the deaths just an unfortunate aspect of the war or could the high numbers have been less? Many historians and common wealth citizens believe General Haig saw the soldiers as pawns, metaphorically speaking, in his own route to personal glory. Haig allegedly had no pity for the high death count and devoted his care only in winning the war to make himself a ’hero’. This is evident in The Battle Of The Somme. The battle initially began on the 1st of July with a five day bombardment of the enemy trenches. General Haig believed it would jeopardise the Germans giving the British and French divisions an advantage when the soldiers went ‘over the top’. What Haig had not count... ... potent reason for me believing this is Haig was well aware of the merciless deaths in both the Battle of the Somme and the Battle of Neuve Chappelle which were occurring and the failing tactics yet did nothing to stop this. The General stubbornly stuck to his plan so if they won the battle, he could claim it was under his lead they were successful thus helping him on his way to his own personal Glory. General Haig also blamed Sir John French for the poor reserve and lack of ammo whereas he was in lead of the battle and should have considered these aspects before he allowed his men to fight in the battles. This emphasises the point he saw the soldiers not as men, but as pawns which held less significance than himself and his pride. I also believe the power which was given to him would of not been possible if he had a lack of useful connections to people with power.

Psychological Disorder Analysis Essay

Marla is a 42-year-old Hispanic female who comes to the mental health clinic complaining of having trouble sleeping, feeling â€Å"jumpy all of the time,† and experiencing an inability to concentrate. These symptoms cause problems for her at work, where she is an accountant. As a psychiatrist I would need to diagnose Marla with the proper disorder, explain information about the diagnosis, and discuss possible treatments with her. It would be near impossible to make an accurate diagnosis without more information. First, I will clinically assess Marla by asking her a few questions without her realizing right away that I am trying to diagnose her from the second she enters my office. I will ease into the conversation to gain more insight before she notices what I am doing. I would like to provide a brief interview of how I would expect it to go, given the disorder that I have diagnosed. Hello, Marla. I am Joy Wardrip. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Will you tell me a little bit about yourself? Marla would likely introduce herself, tell me that she is an accountant. She would go on to tell me how she has been feeling anxious for a bit and how it really distracts her from her work. She would tell me how she has trouble concentrating and that too is affecting her work. She would likely be a bit emotional, perhaps teary-eyed as she expresses her frustration with the occurrence of these recent symptoms and how she would like to symptoms to be explained and to go away. She may even express how she wants to feel â€Å"normal† again. I understand your frustration and it is ok to feel frustrated. How long ago did you notice a change in your behavior? Marla would let me know that she had been feeling this way for the past six to eight months. She would also tell me that she can’t remember anything that has happened in her life to explain the anxieties that she was feeling. She would tell me how she would like for things to go back to the way that they used to be. How is your relationship with your parents? Marla would describe a great upbringing. She would explain how she is very close to both of her parents. She would go on to describe her childhood, which was abuse and torment free. She would speak of many good memories with her parents and how she is an only child. She would go on to tell me that she was quite spoiled and had no bad memories of being a young girl. Is there any mental illness that runs in your family? Also, have you ever been diagnosed with any disorders or are you on any type of medication? Marla would tell me that no psychological disorders were apparent in her family and that she is not currently taking any medication. She would tell me that she had only just recently went to her family doctor to discuss her symptoms and that the doctor recommended that she speak with someone to find the root of her troubles and to explore the possibility of her having a disorder. She would tell me that is why she came to see me. What was life like before you felt the symptoms that you have described to me? Marla would respond with how she was always very happy, always smiling. She would tell me how she lived a worry-free life and was very social. She would discuss how she had many friends and how she enjoyed her work. She would describe herself prior to the symptoms as someone who was very optimistic and upbeat. She would then go on to say that she only just realized that it had been quite a while since she had gone out and dined with any of her friends. Have you suffered any type of trauma? This can include anything from your past that caused you great pain or suffering mentally or physically. This could be an accident, death of someone close to you or abuse. Marla would bring up her childhood again and remind me that it was abuse free. She would also let me know that she had never been in a car accident, aside from a fender bender which really caused no damage to herself or her vehicle for that matter. She would tell me that she had been a victim of an earthquake years ago but that it didn’t seem to affect her anymore. She said that she was a bit shaken after the earthquake but that she had moved passed it almost effortlessly and that she hadn’t even really thought about the incident in some time. I would like to go back to something that you mentioned earlier. You said that you hadn’t gone out in a while, are their certain situations that you try and avoid because of your anxiety? Marla would explain that she didn’t like going to work. That she was missing several days because she felt uncomfortable in her office. She would explain that the more that she called in the less motivated she got to go and that it was really causing a problem for her at the workplace. She would tell me that she was afraid if something didn’t give, she would be fired. She would tell me how she wanted to leave while working because she felt claustrophobic, as though she needed to get some air or go clear her head. You mentioned that you have been having trouble sleeping here lately. Can you tell me a little more about that? Do you know of anything that may have lead to the trouble sleeping? Marla would tell me that she had been having trouble sleeping throughout the night. She would let me know that she didn’t struggle to get to sleep; she just had trouble staying asleep. She would let me know that it was really irritating her and that it was affecting her at work. She would tell me that she wasn’t arriving late to work but that she didn’t feel that she had gotten enough rest when she got to work and that she felt very tired during the work day. Do you often have dreams that recur often or do you have nightmares often? Also, how often do you wake and remember your dreams and what do you remember about them? Marla would likely tell me that she didn’t dream often, nor did she have nightmares. She might say that perhaps she doesn’t remember the dreams once she has awakened. However, Marla would share with me that she often felt very shaken and jumpy after having waken up. Had this taken place, I may suggest that she keep a journal by her bed so that she can record anything that she remembers about her dreams and how she is feeling upon waking up. Have you ever experienced flashbacks? This is when something seems very real and the images are very clear. Perhaps you have experienced feelings similar to the feeling that you felt during the earthquake that we discussed earlier? Marla would tell me that she really struggled with flashbacks following the earthquake, but that she hadn’t had any experiences with them from some time. She would tell me that it had been a few years since she had experienced them. Following the interview, I would likely diagnose Marla with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). I would explain to her that it is a incapacitating anxiety disorder that is experienced by people who suffer traumatic events. I will explain that these events can be related to warfare, rape, abuse, car accidents, or in her case, an earthquake. I would explain that the traumatic event can produce many characteristic symptoms which she has described to me, such as flashbacks, inability to concentrate, insomnia, and changes in emotions. Finally, I would explain the origin of the disorder by using the cognitive model of psychology. According to this model, one must understand human thought to understand its behavior. When people show abnormal behaviors many theorists look at cognitive problems. These problems can include illogical thinking processes and maladaptive assumptions. I would then try and help her to realize what she is doing and how she is responding to the trauma of the earthquake so that she can later focus on changing her faulty ideas and thinking processes for a form of treatment. This treatment would be achieved through a series of therapies in which I teach her to calm herself and control her emotions and behaviors (Comer, 2005).

Chemistry Life in Daily Life Essay

Introduction: Fluorine has the distinction of being the most reactive of all the elements, with the highest electronegativity value on the periodic table. Because of this, it proved extremely difficult to isolate. Davy first identified it as an element, but was poisoned while trying unsuccessfully to decompose hydrogen fluoride. Two other chemists were also later poisoned in similar attempts, and one of them died as a result. French chemist Edmond Fremy (1814-1894) very nearly succeeded in isolating fluorine, and though he failed to do so, he inspired his student Henri Moissan (1852-1907) to continue the project. One of the problems involved in isolating this highly reactive element was the fact that it tends to â€Å"attack† any container in which it is placed: most metals, for instance, will burst into flames in the presence of fluorine. Like the others before him, Moissan set about to isolate fluorine from hydrogen fluoride by means of electrolysis—the use of an electric current to cause a chemical reaction—but in doing so, he used a platinum-iridium alloy that resisted attacks by fluorine. In 1906, he received the Nobel Prize for his work, and his technique is still used today in modified form. Properties And Uses Of Fluorine: A pale green gas of low density, fluorine can combine with all elements except some of the noble gases. Even water will burn in the presence of this highly reactive substance. Fluorine is also highly toxic, and can cause severe burns on contact, yet it also exists in harmless compounds, primarily in the mineral known as fluorspar, or calcium fluoride. The latter gives off a fluorescent light (fluorescence is the term for a type of light not accompanied by heat), and fluorine was named for the mineral that is one of its principal â€Å"hosts†. Beginning in the 1600s, hydrofluoric acid was used for etching glass, and is still used for that purpose today in the manufacture of products such as light bulbs. The oil industry uses it as a catalyst—a substance that speeds along a chemical reaction—to increase the octane number in gasoline. Fluorine is also used in a polymer commonly known as Teflon, which provides a non-stick surface for frying pans and other cooking-related products. Just as chlorine saw service in World War I, fluorine was enlisted in World War II to create a weapon far more terrifying than poison gas: the atomic bomb. Scientists working on the Manhattan Project, the United States’ effort to develop the bombs dropped on Japan in 1945, needed large quantities of the uranium-235 isotope. This they obtained in large part by diffusion of the compound uranium hexafluoride, which consists of molecules containing one uranium atom and six fluorine anions. Fluoridation Of Water: Long before World War II, health officials in the United States noticed that communities having high concentration of fluoride in their drinking water tended to suffer a much lower incidence of tooth decay. In some areas the concentration of fluoride in the water supply was high enough that it stained people’s teeth; still, at the turn of the century—an era when dental hygiene as we know it today was still in its infancy—the prevention of tooth decay was an attractive prospect. Perhaps, officials surmised, it would be possible to introduce smaller concentrations of fluoride into community drinking water, with a resulting improvement in overall dental health. After World War II, a number of municipalities around the United States ndertook the fluoridation of their water supplies, using concentrations as low as 1 ppm. Within a few years, fluoridation became a hotly debated topic, with proponents pointing to the potential health benefits and opponents arguing from the standpoint of issues not directly involved in science. It was an invasion of personal liberty, they said, for governments to force citizens to drink water which had been supplemented with a foreign substance. During the 1950s, in fact, fluoridation became associated in some circles with Communism—just another manifestation of a government trying to control its citizens. In later years, ironically, antifluoridation efforts became associated with groups on the political left rather than the right. By then, the argument no longer revolved around the issue of government power; instead the concern was for the health risks involved in introducing a substance lethal in large doses. Fluoride had meanwhile gained application in toothpastes. Colgate took the lead, introducing â€Å"stannous fluoride† in 1955. Three years later, the company launched a memorable advertising campaign with commercials in which a little girl showed her mother a â€Å"report card† from the dentist and announced â€Å"Look, Ma!  No cavities! † Within a few years, virtually all brands of toothpaste used fluoride; however, the use of fluoride in drinking water remained controversial. As late as 1993, in fact, the issue of fluoridation remained heated enough to spawn a study by the U. S. National Research Council. The council found some improvement in dental health, but not as large as had been claimed by early proponents of fluoridation. Furthermore, this improvement could be explained by reference to a number of other factors, including fluoride in toothpastes and a generally heightened awareness of dental health among the U.  S. populace. Chlorofluorocarbons : Another controversial application of fluorine is its use, along with chlorine and carbon, in chlorofluorocarbons. As noted above, CFCs have been used in refrigerants and propellants; another application is as a blowing agent for polyurethane foam. This continued for several decades, but in the 1980s, environmentalists became concerned over depletion of the ozone layer high in Earth’s atmosphere. Unlike ordinary oxygen (O 2 ), ozone or O 3 is capable of absorbing ultraviolet radiation from the Sun, which would otherwise be harmful to human life. It is believed that CFCs catalyze the conversion of ozone to oxygen, and that this may explain the â€Å"ozone hole,† which is particularly noticeable over the Antarctic in September and October. As a result, a number of countries signed an agreement in 1996 to eliminate the manufacture of halocarbons, or substances containing halogens and carbon. Manufacturers in countries that signed this agreement, known as the Montreal Protocol, have developed CFC substitutes, most notably hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), CFC-like compounds also containing hydrogen atoms. The ozone-layer question is far from settled, however. Critics argue that in fact the depletion of the ozone layer over Antarctica is a natural occurrence, which may explain why it only occurs at certain times of year. This may also explain why it happens primarily in Antarctica, far from any place where humans have been using CFCs. (Ozone depletion is far less significant in the Arctic, which is much closer to the population centers of the industrialized world. ) In any case, natural sources, such as volcano eruptions, continue to add halogen compounds to the atmosphere. Introduction: Chlorine is a highly poisonous gas, greenish-yellow in color, with a sharp smell that induces choking in humans. Yet, it can combine with other elements to form compounds safe for human consumption. Most notable among these compounds is salt, which has been used as a food preservative since at least 3000 B. C. Salt, of course, occurs in nature. By contrast, the first chlorine compound made by humans was probably hydrochloric acid, created by dissolving hydrogen chloride gas in water. The first scientist to work with hydrochloric acid was Persian physician and alchemist Rhazes (ar-Razi; c. 64-c. 935), one of the most outstanding scientific minds of the medieval period. Alchemists, who in some ways were the precursors of true chemists, believed that base metals such as iron could be turned into gold. Of course this is not possible, but alchemists in about 1200 did at least succeed in dissolving gold using a mixture of hydrochloric and nitric acids known as aqua regia. The first modern scientist to work with chlorine was Swedish chemist Carl W. Scheele (1742-1786), who also discovered a number of other elements and compounds, including barium, manganese, oxygen, ammonia, and glycerin. However, Scheele, who isolated it in 1774, thought that chlorine was a compound; only in 1811 did English chemist Sir Humphry Davy (1778-1829) identify it as an element. Another chemist had suggested the name â€Å"halogen† for the alleged compound, but Davy suggested that it be called chlorine instead, after the Greek word chloros , which indicates a sickly yellow color. Uses Of Chlorine: The dangers involved with chlorine have made it an effective substance to use against stains, plants, animals—and even human beings. Chlorine gas is highly irritating to the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth, and lungs, and it can be detected in air at a concentration of only 3 parts per million (ppm). The concentrations of chlorine used against troops on both sides in World War I (beginning in 1915) was, of course, much higher. Thanks to the use of chlorine gas and other antipersonnel agents, one of the most chilling images to emerge from that conflict was of soldiers succumbing to poisonous gas. Yet just as it is harmful to humans, chlorine can be harmful to microbes, thus preserving human life. As early as 1801, it had been used in solutions as a disinfectant; in 1831, its use in hospitals made it effective as a weapon against a cholera epidemic that swept across Europe. Another well-known use of chlorine is as a bleaching agent. Until 1785, when chlorine was first put to use as a bleach, the only way to get stains and unwanted colors out of textiles or paper was to expose them to sunlight, not always an effective method. By contrast, chlorine, still used as a bleach today, can be highly effective—a good reason not to use regular old-fashioned bleach on anything other than white clothing. Since the 1980s, makers of bleaches have developed all-color versions to brighten and take out stains from clothing of other colors. ) Calcium hydrocholoride (CaOCl), both a bleaching powder and a disinfectant used in swimming pools, combines both the disinfectant and bleaching properties of chlorine. This and the others discussed here are just some of many, many compounds formed with the highly reactive element chlorine. Particularly notable—and controversial—are compounds involving chlorine and carbon. Chlorine And Organic Compounds: Chlorine bonds well with organic substances, or those containing carbon. In a number of instances, chlorine becomes part of an organic polymer such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride), used for making synthetic pipe. Chlorine polymers are also applied in making synthetic rubber, or neoprene. Due to its resistance to heat, oxidation, and oils, neoprene is used in a number of automobile parts. The bonding of chlorine with substances containing carbon has become increasingly controversial because of concerns over health and the environment, and in some cases chlorine-carbon compounds have been outlawed. Such was the fate of DDT, a pesticide soluble in fats and oils rather than in water. When it was discovered that DDT was carcinogenic, or cancer-causing, in humans and animals, its use in the United States was outlawed. Other, less well-known, chlorine-related insecticides have likewise been banned due to their potential for harm to human life and the environment. Among these are chlorine-containing materials once used for dry cleaning. Also notable is the role of chlorine in chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which have been used in refrigerants such as Freon, and in propellants for aerosol sprays.  CFCs tend to evaporate easily, and concerns over their effect on Earth’s atmosphere have led to the phasing out of their use. Introduction: Bromine is a foul-smelling reddish-brown liquid whose name is derived from a Greek word meaning â€Å"stink. † With a boiling point much lower than that of water—137. 84 °F (58. 8 °C)—it readily transforms into a gas. Like other halogens, its vapors are highly irritating to the eyes and throat. It is found primarily in deposits of brine, a solution of salt and water. Among the most significant brine deposits are in Israel’s Dead Sea, as well as in Arkansas and Michigan. Credit for the isolation of bromine is usually given to French chemist Antoine-Jerome Balard (1802-1876), though in fact German chemist Carl Lowig (1803-1890) actually isolated it first, in 1825. However, Balard, who published his results a year later, provided a much more detailed explanation of bromine’s properties. The first use of bromine actually predated both men by several millennia. To make their famous purple dyes, the Phoenicians used murex mollusks, which contained bromine. (Like the names of the halogens, the word â€Å"Phoenicians† is derived from Greek—in this case, a word meaning â€Å"red† or â€Å"purple,† which referred to their dyes. Today bromine is also used in dyes, and other modern uses include applications in pesticides, disinfectants, medicines, and flame retardants. At one time, a compound containing bromine was widely used by the petroleum industry as an additive for gasoline containing lead. Ethylene dibromide reacts with the lead released by gasoline to form lead bromide (PbBr 2 ), referred to as a â€Å"scavenger,† because it tends to clean the emissions of lead-containing gasoline. However, leaded gasoline was phased out during the late 1970s and early 1980s; as a result, demand for ethylene dibromide dropped considerably. Halogen Lamps: The name â€Å"halogen† is probably familiar to most people because of the term â€Å"halogen lamp. † Used for automobile headlights, spotlights, and floodlights, the halogen lamp is much more effective than ordinary incandescent light. Incandescent â€Å"heat-producing† light was first developed in the 1870s and improved during the early part of the twentieth century with the replacement of carbon by tungsten as the principal material in the filament, the area that is heated. Tungsten proved much more durable than carbon when heated, but it has a number of problems when combined with the gases in an incandescent bulb. As the light bulb continues to burn for a period of time, the tungsten filament begins to thin and will eventually break. At the same time, tungsten begins to accumulate on the surface of the bulb, dimming its light. However, by adding bromine and other halogens to the bulb’s gas filling—thus making a halogen lamp—these problems are alleviated. As tungsten evaporates from the filament, it combines with the halogen to form a gaseous compound that circulates within the bulb. Instead of depositing on the surface of the bulb, the compound remains a gas until it comes into contact with the filament and breaks down. It is then redeposited on the filament, and the halogen gas is free to combine with newly evaporated tungsten. Though a halogen bulb does eventually break down, it lasts much longer than an ordinary incandescent bulb and burns with a much brighter light. Also, because of the decreased tungsten deposits on the surface, it does not begin to dim as it nears the end of its life. Introduction: First isolated in 1811 from ashes of seaweed, iodine has a name derived from the Greek word meaning â€Å"violet-colored†Ã¢â‚¬â€a reference to the fact it forms dark purple crystals.  During the 1800s, iodine was obtained commercially from mines in Chile, but during the twentieth century wells of brine in Japan, Oklahoma, and Michigan have proven a better source. Uses And Applications: Among the best-known properties of iodine is its importance in the human diet. The thyroid gland produces a growth-regulating hormone that contains iodine, and lack of iodine can cause a goiter, a swelling around the neck. Table salt does not naturally contain iodine; however, sodium chloride sold in stores usually contains about 0. 01% sodium iodide, added by the manufacturer. Iodine was once used in the development of photography: During the early days of photographic technology, the daguerreotype process used silver plates sensitized with iodine vapors. Iodine compounds are used today in chemical analysis and in synthesis of organic compounds. Introduction: Just as fluorine has the distinction of being the most reactive, astatine is the rarest of all the elements. Long after its existence was predicted, chemists still had no luck finding it in nature, and it was only created in 1940 by bombarding bismuth with alpha particles (positively charged helium nuclei). The newly isolated element was given a Greek name meaning â€Å"unstable. † Indeed, none of astatine’s 20 known isotopes is stable, and the longest-lived has a half-life of only 8. 3 hours. This has only added to the difficulties involved in learning about this strange element, and therefore it is difficult to say what applications, if any, astatine may have. The most promising area involves the use of astatine to treat a condition known as hyperthyroidism, related to an overly active thyroid gland.