Art and Craft Essay

Art has had a great number of different functions throughout its history, making its purpose difficult to abstract or quantify to any single concept. This does not imply that the purpose of Art is â€Å"vague†, but that it has had many unique, different reasons for being created. Some of these functions of Art are provided in the following outline. The different purposes of art may be grouped according to those that are non-motivated, and those that are motivated (Levi-Strauss). Non-motivated functions of art The non-motivated purposes of art are those that are integral to being human, transcend the individual, or do not fulfill a specific external purpose. Aristotle said, â€Å"Imitation, then, is one instinct of our nature. † [16] In this sense, Art, as creativity, is something humans must do by their very nature (i. e. , no other species creates art), and is therefore beyond utility. Basic human instinct for harmony, balance, rhythm. Art at this level is not an action or an object, but an internal appreciation of balance and harmony (beauty), and therefore an aspect of being human beyond utility. â€Å"Imitation, then, is one instinct of our nature. Next, there is the instinct for ‘harmony’ and rhythm, meters being manifestly sections of rhythm. Persons, therefore, starting with this natural gift developed by degrees their special aptitudes, till their rude improvisations gave birth to Poetry. † -Aristotle [17] Experience of the mysterious. Art provides a way to experience one’s self in relation to the universe. This experience may often come unmotivated, as one appreciates art, music or poetry. â€Å"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. † -Albert Einstein [18] Expression of the imagination. Art provide a means to express the imagination in non-grammatic ways that are not tied to the formality of spoken or written language. Unlike words, which come in sequences and each of which have a definite meaning, art provides a range of forms, symbols and ideas with meanings that are maleable. â€Å"Jupiter’s eagle [as an example of art] is not, like logical (aesthetic) attributes of an object, the concept of the sublimity and majesty of creation, but rather something else – something that gives the imagination an incentive to spread its flight over a whole host of kindred representations that provoke more thought than admits of expression in a concept determined by words. They furnish an aesthetic idea, which serves the above rational idea as a substitute for logical presentation, but with the proper function, however, of animating the mind by opening out for it a prospect into a field of kindred representations stretching beyond its ken. † -Immanuel Kant[19] Universal communication. Art allows the individual to express things toward the world as a whole. [according to whom? ] Earth artists often create art in remote locations that will never be experienced by another person. The practice of placing a cairn, or pile of stones at the top of a mountain, is an example. (Note: This need not suggest a particular view of God, or religion. ) Art created in this way is a form of communication between the individual and the world as a whole. [citation needed] Ritualistic and symbolic functions. In many cultures, art is used in rituals, performances and dances as a decoration or symbol. While these often have no specific utilitarian (motivated) purpose, anthropologists know that they often serve a purpose at the level of meaning within a particular culture. This meaning is not furnished by any one individual, but is often the result of many generations of change, and of a cosmological relationship within the culture. â€Å"Most scholars who deal with rock paintings or objects recovered from prehistoric contexts that cannot be explained in utilitarian terms and are thus categorized as decorative, ritual or symbolic, are aware of the trap posed by the term ‘art’. † -Silva Tomaskova[20] Motivated functions of art Motivated purposes of art refer to intentional, conscious actions on the part of the artists or creator. These may be to bring about political change, to comment on an aspect of society, to convey a specific emotion or mood, to address personal psychology, to illustrate another discipline, to (with commercial arts) to sell a product, or simply as a form of communication. Communication. Art, at its simplest, is a form of communication. As most forms of communication have an intent or goal directed toward another individual, this is a motivated purpose. Illustrative arts, such as scientific illustration, are a form of art as communication. Maps are another example. However, the content need not be scientific. Emotions, moods and feelings are also communicated through art. â€Å"[Art is a set of] artefacts or images with symbolic meanings as a means of communication. † -Steve Mithen[21] Art as entertainment. Art may seek to bring about a particular emotion or mood, for the purpose of relaxing or entertaining the viewer. This is often the function of the art industries of Motion Pictures and Video Games. The Avante-Garde. Art for political change. One of the defining functions of early twentieth century art has been to use visual images to bring about political change. Art movements that had this goal—Dadaism, Surrealism, Russian Constructivism, and Abstract Expressionism, among others—are collectively referred to as the avante-garde arts. â€Å"By contrast, the realistic attitude, inspired by positivism, from Saint Thomas Aquinas to Anatole France, clearly seems to me to be hostile to any intellectual or moral advancement. I loathe it, for it is made up of mediocrity, hate, and dull conceit. It is this attitude which today gives birth to these ridiculous books, these insulting plays. It constantly feeds on and derives strength from the newspapers and stultifies both science and art by assiduously flattering the lowest of tastes; clarity bordering on stupidity, a dog’s life. † -Andre Breton (Surrealism)[22] Art for psychological and healing purposes. Art is also used by art therapists, psychotherapists and clinical psychologists as art therapy. The Diagnostic Drawing Series, for example, is used to determine the personality and emotional functioning of a patient. The end product is not the principal goal in this case, but rather a process of healing, through creative acts, is sought. The resultant piece of artwork may also offer insight into the troubles experienced by the subject and may suggest suitable approaches to be used in more conventional forms of psychiatric therapy. Art for social inquiry, subversion and/or anarchy. While similar to art for political change, subversive or deconstructivist art may seek to question aspects of society without any specific political goal. In this case, the function of art may be simply to criticize some aspect of society.

Cognitive and language Essay

Horizontal – vertical – actions by children, such as climbing, stepping up and down. These schemas are then developed further through the progresses of ‘assimilation’ (this is taking in new information from the environment through the childs existing patterns of actions) and ‘accommodation’ (this is modifying existing patterns of actions to accommodate new information and knowledge) and balancing it out with what new experiences they have made (this is called equilibration). Piaget emphasised his theory on the role of the individual child, where as Vygotsky’s work looked at the importance of the social world in children’s learning and emphasised on promoting through social interaction and communicating. He said that children were born to be sociable by being with parents/friends and that they acquire skills and concepts. He thought the children were incapable of learning alone but was possible with assistance (this is called ‘zone of proximal development’). Vygosky theory would be used in schools for the children’s education, hands on role for teacher, teachers scaffolding the children, giving the child a more challenging and stimulating environment then if was left to discover and learn alone. Skinner’s theory on learning is the change in behaviour as a result of reinforcement. He believed that children develop their language through imitating role models and reinforcement. Skinner found that if you praise or rewarded a child for its good behaviour the child would repeat the behaviour again (this is called positive reinforcement). He found this a more effective strategy than punishment which is called negative reinforcement. He called his theory ‘operant conditioning’. Television can influence the child’s development. It can stimulate curiosity, increase knowledge, enlarges vocabulary, it can encourages family discussions and conversation and it entertains. It can broaden the child’s experience, bringing the wider world within their reach, although television can be harmful for children when the television is on continuously, it can make conversation difficult it would also reduce the opportunity for playing, reading and writing. Unsuitable programmes watched can encourage the child to behave in an anti-social way or even frighten the child. Bandura’s theory emphasised on the children learning behaviour of observing and imitating adults/people. Including aggression, sharing, sex roles and altruism, this could be from the television and the environment around them.

Journal Article Review Homeless Veterans Essay

At the time of this article, Dr. Brenda B. Benda, author of this article, was a Professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Current bibliography information could not be located. Objective of Article: This article examined gender differences in predictors of readmission to inpatient drug treatment among homeless veterans because Veteran Affairs (V. A. ) medical centers currently do not have services that are designed specifically for women and that there is limited sensitivity about or understanding of women’s needs at the V. A. edical centers (p. 60). At the time of this study, Selgado’s study (as cited in Benda, 2005) shows women only comprised 5 percent of veterans with access to health care services in the V. A. , or approximately 1. 4 million of a total of 25. 5 million veterans. The lack of specialized services seems the primary reason that most women seek medical services outside the V. A. , often at their own expense. Therefore, a study of factors associated with substance abuse relapse among homeless veterans will provide useful information for designing specialized services at the V. A. for women in drug treatment (p. 60). Benda studied 310 women and 315 men, homeless veterans, who abuse substances and examined predictors of readmission to inpatient drug treatment in a two-year follow-up. This study appears to be the first study of gender differences in predictors of readmission among homeless veterans, and it examines the possibilities of various social support systems mediate or moderates the relationships between different traumatic experience over the life span and readmission (p. 59). Purpose of Article: The purpose of this article is to examine and answer the following research questions: (1) what gender differences, if any, exist, in predictors of readmission to inpatient care for drug abuse among homeless veterans, (2) are abuses at different stages of the life span, combat exposure, and recent traumatic events commensurate predictors, and do employment, housing, family or friend relationships, and spirituality (3) mediate or (4) moderate the relationships between traumata and relapse (p. 63). However, Benda limited this study to the analysis of employment, housing, social support, and spirituality. This study also offers preliminary information for designing and prioritizing specialized services at the V. A (p. 63). Methodology and Procedures: The institutional human subjects review board at the V. A. approved the study. A convenience sample of all homeless female veterans that entered an inpatient V. A. domiciliary program for substance abuse was selected over a three-year period. Only 13 women, or 4 percent, that entered this program declined to participate in the study, leaving 310 women who responded to the survey. A systematic random sample of homeless men that entered the same program over the same three-year period was selected to have an equivalent number of men (p. 64). Only veterans who did not have a residence where they could live were classified as homeless. Veterans were considered homeless if they had spent at least a week in the 30 days preceding the admission to the V. A. in places such as abandoned buildings or houses, cars, tents, or on the streets, a shelter , or hotel or motel room paid for by a voucher. A written consent to participate in the study was obtained from all veterans before four staff social workers conducted two intake interviews which were conducted within the first two weeks of admission (p. 66). A third interview was conducted at discharge from the inpatient domiciliary program to aftercare services-this interview provided client evaluations of the inpatient program and an assessment of emotions and thoughts that are often problematic to survival in the community. The final interview (aftercare interview) was conducted two months after release from the inpatient domiciliary program to find out what extend traumatic life events and various social supports predict tenure in the community (p. 66-67). The outcome analyzed was the proportion of time in the community without readmission to an inpatient program for substance abuse and other psychiatric disorders during the two-year follow-up study (p. 67). This outcome was selected because the primary goals of domiciliary programs are to lengthen the period of sobriety and independent living among homeless veterans. Individual follow-ups were used, so everyone was followed for a full two years, or until they were re-hospitalized for substance abuse or psychiatric disorders (p. 68). Findings: The findings show that sexual and physical abuses in childhood, during active duty in the military, and in the past two years are more potent predictors of readmission for women than for men. Women’s readmission to inpatient care for drug abuse also is heightened more by increases in depression, suicidal thoughts, and traumatic events, whereas it is lessened with greater family, friend, church, and other support (p. 75). The findings also showed men’s return to inpatient treatment increases in likelihood with greater substance abuse, aggression, and cognitive impairments, while it decreases with more employment stability and job satisfaction (p. 75). Conclusion:  This study found some statistical interactions that are important for further investigation in research and practice which show that stable housing and employment, spiritual well-being, and family and church support are more positively related to tenure in the community for women who have experienced less childhood abuse and recent traumatic events. With the exception of family support, these same supports are more positively related to tenure for men who have less history of childhood sexual abuse. Numerous questions also arise from the findings such as: (1) why social supports reduce the effects of traumata more for persons who have experienced lower level of trauma, (2) how social support assuages traumatic events, and (3) what combinations of social supports of traumata are optimal (p. 78). Opinion: The writer’s personal experience of working with Homeless veterans who suffers from indicators such as substance abuse, personal traumata, and combat exposure is clearly discussed and evaluated in this article. The writer also applauds this journal article for the in-debt analysis which provided guidance for the V.  A. in implementing the current Homeless Veterans Initiative of 2011 which provides a range of services to homeless veterans, including health care, housing, job training, and education (Department of Veteran Affairs, 2012). In addition, the writer also believes that treatment of substance abuse, mental illness, and personal traumata should be at the forefront of the implementation of these programs for homeless veterans. Without evaluation and treatment of these conditions, recurrence of homelessness will be evident.

Biological Influences-U2-IP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Biological Influences-U2-IP - Essay Example So the mind received the maximum effect of coarseness and sent stimuli to feel that. After a minute or two (not for a long time) if again rubbed, the time is not sufficiently large enough to forget the coarseness of the sand paper. This time the sand paper was rubbed with index finger having a perception about its coarseness. This type of adaptation of the mind to the situation decreases its extent of stimuli and as a result the perception of coarseness is up to less extent when the sand paper was rubbed for 2nd time. Here the adaptation was evident by touch.Take two cups of water.The first one will be sugar mixed water and the second with fresh water. Now the sip of the sugar mixed water was taken and swished around in the mouth for some time.This action made the water to mix with saliva in the mouth.As a result the sweetness of it was decreased. Another factor also may contribute to the decrease of sweetness of the sugar water. (When swished (liquid) or chewed (solid) the sugars in the substance will be disintegrated to smaller molecules of sugar and the carbohydrates also to the level of smaller molecules of sugar.This makes the sweet food to taste less sweet and the carbohydrate food a little bit sweeter after chewing it for some time.)By the time the sugar water tastes less sweet than its real taste the taste buds were adapted to its sweet taste.

Four Arguments Research topics Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Four Arguments topics - Research Paper Example The strong turbulences in the global market, as a result of the recent financial crisis, have led many firms to change their HR strategies. Flexibility has become a key characteristic of job agreements. In regard to the workplace, flexibility can be related to different aspects of work, such as the duties incorporated in each role, the hours of work or the place of work. However, flexibility as an aspect of the workplace has been negatively criticized, especially when it threatens the rights of employees. The role of HR managers in managing flexibility in the workplace should be studied at the level that the expansion of conflicts across a business, as a result of too flexible job agreements, could harm the performance of business, either in the short or the long term. The recession of 2008 has highly affected the global market. Businesses have tried to secure their position by introducing strategies for increasing their competitiveness. Various tools have been employed for promoting the competitiveness of businesses in different industries. However, not all these tools have performed as expected. In this context, confronting competitors would be a challenging task for firms of all sizes. On the other hand, the success of many businesses in markets worldwide shows that increasing competitiveness is feasible even under strong market pressures. The effects of business activities on the environment have been extensively reviewed in the literature. It seems that business operations necessarily affect the environment but not at the lame level; firms with extensive supply chain and production networks are more likely to harm the environment, even if they have taken measures for promoting sustainability. On the other hand, MNs are difficult to be controlled, as of the mode and effects of their operations. At this point, the following question appears: why existing measures for protecting the environment from business operations have failed? In addition, are there

Linda Hogan's Dwellings - Knowledge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Linda Hogan's Dwellings - Knowledge - Essay Example For example, industries dealing with oil continue to be developed, and the remaining land continues diminishing so as to make room for the industrial establishment in the modern world. People have forgotten about the beauty that nature creates, and hence the Mother Nature continues to die day by day. She talks about the relevance of human beings seeking a terrestrial knowledge with the natural world. She melds phenomenal descriptions of the environment with crucial reflections on human’s place in their relationship with nature. A crucial discussion topic in the novel is knowledge. The westernized culture encourages people to gather knowledge through science, and other concrete ways of thinking that are logical. On the other hand, native people gain knowledge through experience and they accept abstract ideas as real ones. Hogan disputes the western definition of knowledge and believes that it is evident through the results, and knowledge of the natural world and cycles. Through her words, it is evident that science has also contributed to evil among humans and also brought isolation of knowledge. Human have developed and are unwilling to accept the things that are superior to them in the natural world. Western culture influence creates a perception that human beings have dominance over nature (Hogan 25). In relation to knowledge, Linda Hogan is a well learned person with a complete knowledge and focuses on the various ways that nature relates with human beings. For example, she had a wider knowledge about terrestrial intelligence. She looks at the various perspectives in the world and has developed philosophies regarding nature. In Dwellings, her focus lies on the terrestrial intelligence of dwelling places and living creatures reinforce the notion of earth as a vital place for all living organisms. Her questioning of Western meanings based on components of the natural world makes us understand the anthropocentric constructions of nature as an ideology wi th many fixed meanings. Dwellings are like a challenge to the places and meanings of people’s perceptive. Dwellings guide us on how to nurture a spiritual connection with everything in the world. Hogan’s approaches are nothing less than magical, mystical, and mythical, which are mostly on the American Indian mythology. She argues that myth is usually false, but after examining myths, they are a form of truth. Animals and places symbolise within the natural world used to dismantle the existing western notion which comes from these myths and shapes her worldview (Hogan 28). In the chapter, â€Å"The Bats†, Hogan describes the bats which associate with blood sucking terrors of Dracula, as sacred creatures that live in two worlds, crediting them with considerable insight and wisdom. There are two animals merged into one as they are milk producing rodents that bear live young and a flying bird. For Hogan, bats have a spiritual relevance in that they act as guardians in the passage into a spiritual state and are intermediaries. According to her, bat people live in between two worlds, and hence referred to as intermediaries between the world and the next. As intermediaries, western culture stigmas have associated them with fear and evil. The bats, therefore, are guidelines to a spiritual existence as opposed to being creatures associated with horrifying darkness (Hogan 42). Another Hogan’s take is on snakes and is similar to that of the bat. She views this in association

Discussion Questions( corporate governance& ethics) Essay

Discussion Questions( corporate governance& ethics) - Essay Example Such a leadership style inevitably has a positive impact on the people. The Affiliative Leader- An Affiliative leader is intrinsically a networking expert and enhances the overall harmony within an organization by consolidating the interpersonal relations within that organization (Changing Minds, 2009). Such a leader turns out to be a real source of strength under stressful situations. Such leaders do provide the much needed sense of direction in the times of chaos. The Democratic Leader- A democratic leader is not only an astute listener but evokes a considerable influence on and trust in other people through one's positive inputs and a solid sense of commitment. Such a leader encourages all the human constituents within an organization to participate in the overall process of decision making. It is the natural ability of such a leader to solicit support and consensus. The Pacesetting Leader- Though such a leader has a strong drive to achieve and high personal standards, yet he/she often exhibits a blatant impatience towards the frailties of other people. Such leaders are predominantly number driven and often get ruthless in their success for personal success and achievement. The pacesetting leaders do turn out to be poor guides and mostly harbor unrealistic expectations of other people. The Commanding Leader- A commanding leader is mostly authoritarian in one's approach and expects others to willingly or unwillingly tow the strategy chalked out by him/her. Such leaders often exhibit a negligible sensitivity to emotions and do prefer to centralize the activities within an organization. Realistically speaking, commanding leaders create unnecessary frictions, insecurity and dissonance within the organizations. The leadership style of Al Dunlap in the case study under consideration is definitely pacesetting in its approach. He not only had a great drive for achievement and success, but assessed the levels of achievement within the organization he managed, solely through numerical parameters. He was highly opinionated and rigid in his approach and never made the efforts to extract inputs from other employees working within the organization. His tenure was marked by high levels of employee insecurity, rapid centralization, sweeping changes and unethical financial practices. The leadership style of Al Dunlap was characterized by low emotional sensitivity and a ruthless approach towards challenges. He did not hesitate to go for large scale lay offs and resorting to self customized accounting practices to create a faade of success. Answer 2: Al Dunlap as an Ethical LeaderAl Dunlap was an utterly poor ethical leader in the sense that he exhibited a lousy personal character. He was not guided by any ethical scruples and was a hard core opportunist who did not

Prospects of a Future Revolution in Iran Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Prospects of a Future Revolution in Iran - Essay Example Post-Revolutionary leaders in Iran, in an effort to consolidate their power and destroy opposition, have undertaken a number of social policies focused on rural and urban populations to encourage the development of a healthier, better educated, and more sophisticated society (Keddie, 2006). Although improvements emerged, there has been a socio-cultural realignment, suggesting that the official Iran of devout multitudes may not be a majority, as compared to the â€Å"other† Iran of a largely modern, progressive, and pragmatically secular citizenry (Afshari, 2009, p.840). This projection is supported by the June 2009 Green Revolution in which the Islamic Republic of Iran faced a legitimacy crisis, the like of which it had not experienced since its creation in 1979. The 2009 experience has critical differences as well as deja vu similarities to the 1979 Revolution. The clerical cloth of legitimacy has undeniably been tattered in the recent uprising and demonstrations; however, th e prospects of another revolution still remain uncertain because of crucial contextual changes. Nevertheless, the interest of the international community for the Green Revolution to succeed and lead Iran to peaceful integration within the world system of nations is a force that can have a significant determining value in the balance of power in Iran domestically. For a long time, academic scholars have tried to identify what produces a revolution. Of all possible factors, political scientist James DeFronzo identifies five as critical for success: Mass frustrations among urban or rural populations that result in popular uprising, dissident elite political movements that pit some elite members against the existing government, unifying motivations for revolution that cut across major groups and mobilize the majority of society’s population behind the goal of revolution, severe political crisis that paralyzes the administrative and coercive capabilities of the state, and permissi ve or tolerant world context towards the development and success of a revolution in a given nation. In the case of Iran, unified motivation among major groups was the fundamental factor in ensuring the revolutionary success of 1979. More than two decades of autocratic rule caused the social base of support for the Pahlavi monarchy to decline. Loyalists, primarily from the aristocratic core and the non-aristocratic upper class, constituted less than 0.01 percent of the population- a meager force in defense of the regime (Abrahamian 1989: DeFronzo, 304). The majority of the population- the traditional middle class, the modern middle class, and the sub-proletariat class-demanded more reforms, more human rights, more freedom, and more democracy. Two main revolutionary movements formed: The first was the religious movement headed by the Ulema, demanding return to a society based on the Shari’ah and religious administration (Hooker, 1996). The second movement was liberal, promoting modernism, democracy, openness in government, wider participation, and increased social justice via economic development for the poor. Opposition to the regime also included a radical Marxist-Leninist element consisting of the ‘Peoples Fedayeen’ and the ‘People’s Mojahadeen’ (Feldman, 2007). Initially, the Shah and the West fixated on these Leftist elements in the Cold War paradigm, causing them to disregard the threat of Islamic fundamentalism as a movement. (Feldman, 2007) Historians, political theorists, and contemporary

A)The original concept of the NHS in 1948 was to improve the health of Essay

A)The original concept of the NHS in 1948 was to improve the health of the nation. It was perceived that this would result in - Essay Example Prior to this report, the biomedical definition of health held precidence, and this suggested that health need only be the absence of disease. This is not always the case, however, as an individual may state that they are healthy in biomedical terms, but their social class or lifestyle may cause them to be more susceptible to certain diseases or even just to have a lower quality of life than another individual. The aim of this essay is to discuss the effect that the NHS has had on the health of the UK and how these definitions of health have helped shape the British awareness of health and how it is to be maintained. This essay aims to explain how the success of the NHS has caused it to have more problems – the successful nature of the service has allowed people to live for such a long time that they now require more epensive medical care for longer than ever before. The NHS believed that it would reduce the need for provision, but instead has enhanced it. There are several as pects of an individual that determine the standard of health he/she can enjoy. These range from the unalterable – age, sex and genetic factors, for example – to the areas which health promotion aims to improve and which should not be an issue in the sphere of health – lifestyle, housing and social class. Age is evidently a determinant of health, in that the chronic diseases (cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, heart disease) that have come to define the modern West occur increasingly with age . Age is also generally associated with being slower and weaker and as such the elderly may believe themselves to be in ‘suboptimal health’ (Ubel et al., 2005, p1054) and be more inclined to seek healthcare. Sex is another obvious determinant of health, with various diseases affecting either sex more than others. Autism, for example, affects men more than women , but depression affects more women than men (Nolen-Hoeksema, 2001, p173). The same can be said for various cancers that simply cannot occur in a certain sex because of the missing anatomical parts. Hereditary factors such as genetic disease (Huntington’s, Fragile X) or genetic predispositions (posession of the BRC1 gene [Xu, 2008, p460], susceptibility to early-onset Alzheimer’s) also affect our health. However, it is those things that health promotion can have an effect over, such as lifestyle, housing and social class. Lifestyle is probably the biggest killer, with smoking, lack of exercise and over-eating still being common in the UK (Office for National Statistics, 2009) and the resulting diseases associated with these conditions being more deadly than ever. Housing and social class have less of an effect than in the past, with benefits and, of course, the NHS providing an equality of care for all people in the UK. Unemployment is also considered dangerous in the health stakes. This is due to the fact that it reduces longevity and health, particularly amongst m en (Carvel, 2002, p1). It is also reported that the NHS could help reduce unemployment by recruiting in the local area and thus save costs to itself. However, unemployment used to be a much bigger worry than it is today, with healthcare having to be paid for up front, making it particularly inaccessible to the masses of people on low income. However, this all changed with the start of the NHS and the availability of the

Critical thinking among nursing students Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Critical thinking among nursing students - Essay Example The clinical issue is required for change for the advanced practice of the nursing students to enable them to develop their critical thinking ability. The critical thinking ability can be evaluated by the increase in the perceived value in patient acuity. Patient acuity is the measure of the health care of the patient from the minimal care to the intensive care by the nurses depending on their thinking ability. The issue that needs a change is to decrease the length of stay (LOS) in the acute care facility and increase the LOS in the homecare and community. Discharging the patient before they are fully stabilised is the issue which needs change. Consequently, there should be an increase in the long-term care as even once the patients are discharged they might require additional care. The issue needs change to increase the homecare and escalate the activities of the management of heath care. A concise focus on bringing in positive reinforcements can enable to develop the critical thin king ability of the entry level nurses (New Mexico Board of Nursing, 2013). Relevance As a nurse educator, the clinical issue demarcated is of relevance for the development of the critical thinking ability to facilitate competent entry level nurses. To develop the ability to think critically and solve the issues with regard to the patients, the educator needs to make the nurses well informed about the various situations. There is also a requirement to make the nurses trustful and open-minded while dealing with the patients of the old age. The educator’s role would be to make the nurses fair minded, flexible and honest. The nurses must be prudent while making any judgement, must be clear about the issue of the patients and have a clear understanding before seeking any decision regarding the patient. The educator must be able to make the nurses efficient in diagnosing the issues and understanding the need of the care required by the patients on the basis of their complex issues . They should enable the nurses to keep up with the pace of the changing environment and have the ability to make a sound clinical judgement (Yildirim & Ozkahraman, 2011). Impacts/Influences on the Outcome The outcome of this education and the change in the passing standard would make the environment stringent for the nurses where they will be required to treat and judge the complexity of the patients through their clear understanding and well groomed attitude. The critical thinking of the nurses would enable them to include their reflection of thoughts and facilitate them to recognise the solutions to the issues. The outcome would be that the nurses would opt for the scientific method for solving the issues by recognising the problem, planning and then implementing the evaluative methods for the proper health care of the patient. The critical thinking ability would make them open minded and they would take measures which will not be limited to the predefined standards. The cognitiv e thinking process of the nurses would increase and they would become more reflective while taking essential decisions. The â€Å"traits of the mind†, critical thinking competencies and nursing based knowledge are desired to be enhanced by the educator of the nurses. Thus, all these positive outcome of the nurses would make them skilled with a positive attitude towards judging, diagnosing and problem solving of the issues related to the patient. This would to make the entry level nurses more effective and efficient in treating the increasing number of

Characters Effect on a Reader Essay Example for Free

Characters Effect on a Reader Essay Characters dealing with a situation affect each reader differently. The characters reaction to a situation may have a reader feel exactly as the character does, or in some instances, the reader may look more at how differently they would feel in the same situation. In an attempt to answer Henry James on how characters are only as interesting as their response to the particular situation we will look at â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† by John Steinbeck and â€Å"To Build a Fire† by Jack London. In â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† we are introduced to Elisa Allen at her ranch working in her garden. She is described in the story as: â€Å"She was thirty five. Her face was lean and strong and her eyes were clear as water. Her figure was blocked and heavy in her gardening costume, a man’s black hat pulled down over her eyes, clodhopper shoes, a figured print dress almost completely covered by a big corduroy apron with four big pockets to hold the snips, the trowel and scratcher, the seeds and the knife she worked with. She wore heavy leather gloves to protect her hand while she worked. †(Steinbeck 242) This detail gives the reader the mental picture of Elisa. The description makes it easy for the reader to know exactly what she looks like. Being around the outdoors and growing up on a farm helps me in picturing how a busy female rancher would look. This sets up the reader for when the wagon pulls up. As the gentlemen from the wagon talks with Elisa in attempt to get her to purchase work from him, I felt there was sexual tension between the two. Elisa attempts to hold her ground in the hopes he would just go away, but he finally breaks through to her by showing interest in her Chrysanthemums. By showing that they had something in common, the gentlemen is able to break the guard Elisa had put up, and she in turn, gives him work to do by fixing old saucepans. Once the gentlemen leaves, she runs into the house and begins to bathe almost in a way to remove the dirty thoughts. Once out of the bath, she takes her time looking at herself in the mirror and getting dressed; almost as if the thoughts were coming back, all to go away when she heard her husband returning. That is the way I felt towards Elisa Allen’s character. I am not sure if that is the intended way the author meant. Trying to look at the story from the author’s point of view, I almost see Elisa looking at the wagon as a way of freedom from where she has perfected her Chrysanthemums and looking for something new in her life. Early in the story, her husband jokingly asked about going to the fights and she quickly declined, but towards the end, after her encounter with the traveler, she started questioning how the fights were. It is almost as if she was looking for something different, something that would give her a sense of adventure to take her away from the monotony of her boring life. In the end she declines the opportunity and the author shows us she has accepted the reality of her life being boring with this excerpt: â€Å"She relaxed limply in the seat. â€Å"Oh, no. No. I don’t want to go. I’m sure I don’t. † Her face was turned away from him. â€Å"It will be enough if we can have wine. It will be plenty. † She turned up her coat collar so he could not see that she was crying weakly like an old woman. †(Steinbeck 249) Either way it was perceived, the character shows that there is something in her life she is missing and she attempts to fulfill it with the Chrysanthemums. Other readers may find different ways of seeing how Elisa Allen may feel in this story. Without the description of how she was, and the way she reacted to the fights, this may have been a boring story because it would have lacked the information about the character to make her interesting enough for the reader to wonder about her. Next, we will look at â€Å"To Build a Fire†. Right from the beginning the character has no name, only referred to as â€Å"the Man†. This gives the reader the chance to put themselves in the story. By not giving the character a name, it allows the reader to fall into the pages, especially with how descriptive the setting is. Each detail brings more and more bitterness on how cold it is. With this cold comes the overconfidence of the man: â€Å"Fifty degrees below zero was to him just a precisely fifty degrees below zero. That there should be anything more to it than that was a thought that never entered his head. †(London 128) This overconfidence leads the man down a path to death. My experiences in scouting and life have taught me to respect Mother Nature and never take her for granted. This also allowed me to put myself in the same situation in the story and imagine all the things I would have done differently. The man’s attitude was that cold is cold, no matter the temperature, and his knowledge will get him through his lack of experience. I became more frustrated with his actions, as I knew he was dealing with each situation incorrectly. As the story progressed, there was continued hope that his luck wouldn’t run out, but in the end, his handicap of ignorance led to his demise. A reader that has never been in this type of situation may not have understood the severity of the situation and would only be able to see from the eyes of the man. It is also possible for a reader to feel the frustration of him dealing with each of the problems he came across. If the man’s confidence was not as great, there would have been more thought to the situation, and he may have listened to what advice had been given. It may have also led to the man making different choices, or allowing himself some humility and turned around. This confidence allows the story to be thought of from a point of view that anyone could be put in a similar situation and that any daily life situation can cause our confidence to sometimes gets the best of us. We always think we know more that we do. â€Å"All a man had to do was keep his head, and he was all right. Any man who was a man could travel alone. †(London 132) This excerpt is a perfect example as shortly after this, the snow falls on the fire and the man admits his mistake. This would have not happened if the man’s confidence had not got the best of him. Additionally, the entire story would have changed, and the character would have had better chance if he would have thought things through or if he would have had someone else traveling with him. Both of these stories can be interesting to the readers from their own personal experiences, or quite simply by the details the authors publish. If the characters would have dealt with the situations differently, or the details of the characters, then they would have been boring. I believe that this easily answers Henry James because the details allowed my thoughts to wander and kept me interested on what would happen next. Works Cited Steinbeck, John. â€Å"The Chrysanthemums. † Literature: An introduction to fiction, poetry, drama, and writing. 12th ed. Kennedy, X. J. , and Gioia, D. New York, New York 2013. Pearson. pp 242-249 London, Jack. â€Å"To Build a Fire. † Literature: An introduction to fiction, poetry, drama, and writing. 12th ed. Kennedy, X. J. , and Gioia, D. New York, New York 2013. Pearson. pp 127-146.

Ethical Decisions Essay Example for Free

Ethical Decisions Essay Every individual is faces with ethical decisions every day in both their personal and professional lives. To avoid making unethical decisions, one must know what leads to poor decision making. Once a person knows what leads to the poor decision, they must find ways to resist making an unethical act. A person cannot make the right choice if they do not know how to avoid it. A leader must also know how to inspire ethical decisions within their staff. This paper covers ways to avoid making poor decisions and ways to making ethical ones. Poor Decision Characteristics While there are many ways one can be ethical, Mallor, Barnes, Bowers, Langvardt suggest there are three essential traits one makes when a poor decision is made (1966/2010, p. 115). The fist common mistake of poor decision-making is when one forgets the goal that was previous set by him or herself or the organization. A person or the organization must keep all of their goals in mind when making decision, and many times individuals forget these goals. Overconfidence is another trait of poor decision-making. One aspect of overconfidence being that nobody will notice a little mistake made for correction later. For example, a manager may take a few dollars from the business expecting to put it back later and then a few more and later still more. However tomorrow never comes and before long, that first few dollars turns into hundreds or thousands. In the organization of my employment a small loan company as well as the owners stock car team on the side exists. The loan company sponsors the racing, and a year ago, the organization moved from the Midwest to the heart of NASCAR country. Once the owner arrived, he decided to buy the best equipment for the race team using funds from the loan company. While the spending spree may have been ok in the past, the owner did not take into account that need of hiring and training of new employees. When the new employees made poor lending decisions, combined with his spending, the organization almost went bankrupt. The other aspect of overconfidence is confirmation bias or â€Å"we  must be doing things the right way because all has gone well in the past† (Mallor et al., 1966/2010, p. 116). The overconfidence shows in the example of the overspending by the owner of the organizations statement: â€Å"Oh, it will all work out, because it always has†. The last trait of poor decision-making occurs when the issues are too complex and not realized for their complexity. Individuals may not realize the complexity of the issue and underestimate the issue. In the lending business, should we as an organization not know the laws of each state when it comes to lending, we can face serious legal issues should we make a loan to a resident of a state in which short term lending, such as we do, is illegal. Resisting Unethical Acts Resisting unethical acts, many times, is easier said than done. In order to do so, a person must first recognize that what they are about to do is unethical (Mallor et al., 1966/2010, p. 116). The first way to avoid making an unethical decision is to buy some time before acting. An individual must take some time, analyze the situation, and if need be, find other ways to accomplish the task at hand without being unethical. The next tactic is to seek out help from a mentor or support group. While an individual may not have the ethical solution to a problem at hand, many times others will. There have been many times when I have sought the advice of others prior to making a decision, which I think may be unethical. Using the previous example of making a loan to someone in a state in which it is illegal, I may ask the advice of a co-worker before I make the loan. The last way to resist making an unethical act is to find a better solution in which everyone wins. This goes hand in hand with one buying some time before acting upon an unethical act. Analyzing the situation, and getting all the facts may lead to a decision in which one makes an ethical decision while meeting the requirements of the direction one has been given. Leading Ethically When leading other individuals, it is imperative that one be ethical themselves, in order to lead ethically. A person, who is unethical, is going to inspire unethical behaviors in others. When members of an organization see that nothing happens to their leaders, others will fall  into the same unethical behavior and rationalize that what they are doing is ok as well (Mallor et al., 1966/2010, p. 119). Leaders must set the example of ethical behavior for others. Leaders must also communicate ethical values of the organization to the staff. How can an individual know what they are doing is unethical in the eyes of the organization, if they do not know what is expected of them? The leader must continually communicate to the staff and remind them of what is ethical behavior. Another way to lead other ethically is to reinforce ethical behavior in the staff. When a leader sees an ethical decision made by a staff member, recognize their action. This will help that employee continue to make the right decision, and show others what is ethical behavior. Conclusion In order to be ethical, one must know what makes ethical and unethical decisions in their lives. Recognizing what makes an unethical decision, and ways to avoid making them, will help one to makes the right choice. Analyzing the situation, weighing other options and alternatives will help one to make an ethical decision. For a leader, these tools will also help their staff make ethical decisions as well. References Mallor, J., Barnes, A. J., Bowers, T., Langvardt, A. W. (2010). Business law; The ethical, global, and e-commerce environment (14th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin. (Original work published 1966)

Unethical Practices And Conflicts Of Interest In The Pharmaceutical Industry

Unethical Practices And Conflicts Of Interest In The Pharmaceutical Industry As Healthcare Reform develops and shape regulations within the healthcare industry, unethical practices and conflicts of interest in the pharmaceutical industry affirm the need for transparency and improved traditions. Conflict of interest from a legal standpoint is a conflict between the private interests and the official or professional responsibilities of a person in a position of trust. (Merriam-Websters Dictionary of Law, 2010) From a business perspective, conflict of interest is defined as a situation that has the potential to undermine the impartiality of a person because of the possibility of a clash between the persons self-interest and professional-interest or personal-interest. (BusinessDictionary.com) With the number of physicians operating private practices in the United States, the clinical drug trial kickbacks have become common practice and the ravenous patterns have been explicitly revealed. The frequency of such behaviors and exposure of financial gain are enough to further strengthen the necessity for health care reform. Each unscrupulous circumstance that is exposed brings about further insight to the widespread unethical conduct of the pharmaceutical industry. There is an abundance of scenarios and examples depicting behaviors as well as emergent methods to circumvent such conflicts of interest. Additionally, laws and processes are in place to further develop and establish parameters around acceptable and unacceptable practices for both pharmaceutical manufacturers and physicians alike. With the objective to deter, eliminate and expose conflicts of interest, various projects, acts and charitable trusts have been developed and comprised of committees of citizens, organizat ions, and donors who vigorously advocate patient safety through improved changes in the manufacturing and marketing of prescription drugs. So how does conflict of interest play a role in clinical drug trials? When discussing conflict of interest as it relates to clinical drug trials the scenario is usually one in which a researcher has a monetary rapport and research money, with the company that manufacturers the drug being studied. There is nothing fundamentally erroneous with these types of conflicts of interest, they are practically everywhere within drug trials because most of the trials are financed by the drug companies that produce the drugs being studied. In an article written by John H. Montgomery related to the examination of conflicts of interest, research was done by Dr. Roy H. Perlis on the outcome of drug trials and the relationship that the author or industry has to that outcome. Research shows that 397 trials were reviewed and of those, 162 random trials yielded positive results that were funded by the manufacturer of the drug being studied. These results give indication that conflict of interest is common and associated to the outcome of the trials. This is just one of many examples of how common conflicts of interest arise in the healthcare industry. Another study conducted looked at randomized controlled trials of NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) between 1987 and 1990 (Bodenheimer). This study found that relatively all of the trials in the three-year span were sponsored by the drug producer. The research also discovered that the drug being compared to the manufactured drug was equivalent in efficiency and in s ome cases was even better than the manufactured drug in every trial. The study also reported that the manufacturer-associated drug was safer than the comparison drug in 86% of the trials (Bodenheimer). Remember, these trials were funded by the drug companies sponsoring the trials. How can conflicts of interest be avoided? First, when a patient is registered in a drug trial, full disclosure of any financial relationships with the drug manufacturer should be given. This builds trust with the patient and also fulfills the patients right to know this information so they can make the decision as to whether or not they want to participate in the study. Second, disclosure statements should be offered to the participant and ought to be clear and simple; this will often entice the patient to ask questions. Finally, research planners should be sufficiently familiar with any conflicts of interest with the investigator or the institution so that patients questions can be answered appropriately and correctly. Disclosure may not always be what most patients are looking for but the aforementioned suggestions could help satisfy the patient and trust the research process. The investigator cannot be the only responsible party though patients must also do their homework before t hey participate in a clinical trial. The issue of whether or not conflict of interest is unacceptable when drug companies perform their own clinical drug trials is becoming an increasingly hot topic in the industry today. In an article written in BMJ magazine by Goldacre this topic is discussed. Goldacre talks about the NSAIDs study mentioned above and how impossible the results of that trial were. He notes that an organized evaluation found 30 studies that investigated whether or not industry support is connected with results that are beneficial for the sponsor. The result: studies sponsored by drug companies were more than four times as likely to have outcomes favoring the funder, compared with studies with other sponsors (Goldacre). How can this partiality be allowed to take place? Perhaps it is the way the trials are planned. For instance, in some studies the opponent drug is given at an insufficient amount which raises the side effects of the drug. This in turn makes the supporters drug look more appealing. Another known issue is that there is no standard for communicating results of drug trials. The industry has the ability to print whatever they would like to report. More often than not, the negative results from clinical drug trials remain unavailable. The most alarming concern about the clinical drug trial process is that data is not only used once, in some cases data was published within the results of 14 other trials. It is inevitable that issues like this will exist in the industry when there is no formal standard by which clinical drug trials must adhere to. Though there is no standard set the FDA has published guidelines that the industry must follow regarding financial disclosure in drug trials. The FDA Guidance for Industry on Financial Disclosure by Clinical Investigators requires that anyone submitting an application to market a drug, product or device disclose any financial relationship or compensation received by all investigators involved in the trial being set up. The FDA specifies requirements about what information is required to be reported and lists actions that the agency will take if these requirements are not followed. The FDA should not be the only one addressing conflicts of interest in clinical drug trials though. Physicians should be attentive when participating in the trials or when treating a patient that is currently or is eligible to participate in one. Physicians participating in drug trials or enlisting patients for trials should be aware of the following guidelines: Physicians should only consent to participate in trials that are within their range of capability and practice and they should be appropriately trained in performing research. Physicians should be knowledgeable of ethics and should only participate in trials that they are convinced have been evaluated by a review board, the participants in the study are not at risk of being harmed, and that government policies are followed during the course of the study. If a physician is treating patients that are enrolled in a study or are eligible to participate in a study, they will need to make sure the patient understands that they treat them under both pretenses but as both physician and investigator. Physicians should make certain that procedure include stipulations that will support the participants health care should difficulty arise as a result of the trial. The nature and source of funding and financial incentives offered to the investigators must be disclosed to a potential participant as part of the informed consent process (Managing Conflicts of Interest in the Conduct of Clinical Trials). The physician should make certain that there is no impediment in the publication of the results of the study by the sponsor of the trial. Conflict of interest is a growing concern in the health care industry today. The issues are reported on the news and in publications more and more frequently. Bringing attention to the matter and raising awareness will aid in the development and improvement of ethics in clinical drug trials. An example of one of the reformation objectives would be eliminating the behavior of a physician who treats a patient suffering from dementia and later bills Medicare; however, this same physician does not report the adverse impact on the patient, because the physician has been promised adequate compensation for evading details and touting benefits of the drug. The patient filed a malpractice suit against the physician. The attorney during discovery learned that the plaintiff was enrolled in a study and did not meet the criteria to be included in the study. It was also discovered that the medical assistant did not have any experience or training in coordinating studies and were paid a fee for each person enrolled. The study was not in compliance or conducted in conjunction with the FDA statutes and regulations. The IRB which once approved the Protocol and Informed Consent halted the study eight months earlier. An additional $5,000 per month was paid to the physician for consulting se rvices. These same payments were paid to the physician under the Clinical Trial Agreement creating a duplication of services. Medicare was billed by the physician as well for the same items and services which including the drug that for formally paid out by the sponsor in which the physician has previously been reimbursed. The Plaintiff signed the informed consent alone without any counseling even though the sponsor knew the subject was diagnosed as suffering from dementia. Dr. Joseph L. Biederman, professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and the chief of pediatric psychopharmacology at Harvards Massachusetts General Hospital poses a prime situation of drug payments going to physicians. Children as young as two years old are now being diagnosed with having bipolar disorder thanks largely to Dr. Biederman. Many of the children were treated with combinations of powerful drugs known as cocktails that were never approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA must approve any children below the age of ten for any purpose in a drug study trial. Physicians may legally use only drugs that have been previously approved for a particular purpose or diagnosis, for any other purpose there must be upheld published scientific evidence before administering drugs. That was not the case for Biederman. His studies advocated the drugs that treated childhood bipolar disorder and was summarized by an article in The New York Times. Biederman was paid $1. 6 million in consulting and speaking fees from 2000 and 2007 including drugs that he advocated for childhood bipolar disorder. Similar amounts were paid two of his colleagues. The president of the Massachusetts General Hospital and the chairman of its physician organization apologized and express sympathy to its beneficiaries after the conflicts of interest were revealed. Chair of Stanfords psychiatry department and president-elect of the American Psychiatric Association Dr. Alan F. Schatzberg is another example of drug payments to physicians. Schatzberg controlled and co-founded Corcept Therapeutics in which he owned more than $6 million worth of stock. The company tested the drug Mifepristone, otherwise known as RU-486 the abortion drug as well as the drug used for the treatment of psychotic depression. Schatzberg, principal investigator on a National Institute of Mental Health grant that included research coauthored three papers on the subject of mifepriston. Schatzberg was later replaced as principal investigator to avoid a conflict of interest of misunderstanding. The most shocking case of drug payments to physician is that of Dr. Charles B. Nemeroff. Nemeroff, chair of Emory Universitys department of psychiatry along with Schatzberg, both served as coeditors of the influential Textbook of Psychopharmacology. Nemeroff served as principal investigator of the National Institute of Mental Health grant that was worth $3.95 million over five years. Emory University received $1.35 million which was used as overhead to study several drugs administered by GlaxoSmithKline. Emory University had to comply with government regulators along with the university to disclose income received from GlaxoSmithKline. Emory had to report any payments over $10,000 per year per the National Institutes of Health. This was done to ensure and eliminate the conflict of interest. Emory University compared records with GlaxoSmithKline and Nemeroff failed to disclose approximately $500,000 of speaking and consulting fees promoting the companys drugs. Emory conducted its own investigation in June 2004 and multiple violations of policies were founded on behalf Nemeroff. Nemeroff responded by issuing a memorandum at Emory stating he has been in compliance however GlaxoSmithKline reported paying Nemeroff a salary of $171,031. Nemeroff reported only $9,999 to Emory. He under reported by one dollar in which $10,000 is the threshold for reporting per the National Institutes of  Health. As a result of Health Care Reform which was passed in 2010 and initiated by President Barack Obamas administration, the Pew Prescription Project is an initiative of the Pew Charitable Trust promoting consumer safety through health care reform in the approval of manufacturing and marketing of prescription drugs. These initiatives will encourage or force evidence-based prescribing. The Pew Prescription Project conducts nonpartisan research through rigorous federal oversight in relation to drug safety. The purpose is to better illuminate problems and potential solutions in the area of prescription drugs. The Pew Prescription Act current goal includes the passage of the Physicians Payments Sunshine Act and the Independence Drug Education and Outreach Act. This includes improvements to current federal laws and regulations while improving FDA oversights and drug manufacturing. The advancement of evidence-based prescribing practices and ensuring clinical safety of drugs for children is another goal. The Physician Payments Sunshine Act has been passed within the current health care reform legislation. The provisions require drug and device companies to publicly report any gifts and payments that are made to doctors. The information must be posted on their web sites and reported to the US Department of Human Services. Companies can be fined starting at $10,000 up to $100,000. Many of the provisions must be fully operational starting in 2013. The government believes patients deserve and have the right to know if their doctors are receiving money from drug companies. Congress has added much needed transparency to the financial relationships between the pharmaceutical industry and physicians.   The reporting requirements in the health care legislation will better protect patients and will help restore trust in our health care system. This new legislation will enhance the safety of consumers by increasing transparency while in no way restricting business or limiting innovation. (Jewett) Though pharmaceutical marketing strategies has taken a new enlightened turn in the world of advertising, previous tactics of physicians actually promoting through accompanying pharmaceutical sales representatives has resulted in essential stimulated scrutiny. Less face-to-face interaction between pharmaceutical sales representatives and physicians is underway to aid in eliminating the engagement as well as the hint of unethical proposals and initiatives. Rewarding physicians with branded-name gifts, meals, apparel, etc., did in fact strengthen the marketing concept and played a significant impact on the positive profitability of many pharmaceutical companies. However, the proof is in the patient. Other marketing techniques have included persuasive testimonials from respected physicians claiming to have realized improvements in their patients prognoses. Further marketing techniques consist of published promotional reporting from trusted colleagues where the tracking of physicians like s and dislikes are captured and substantiate biographical purchasing data. Prescribing under the influence is a term used as a result of the drug reps intoxicating the physicians, residents and interns with breakfast, lunch, pens, and other pharmaceutical logo branded apparel, etc. The general idea is for the pharmaceutical sales representatives to be granted another opportunity to educate physicians about the targeted drugs, which is part of substantiating marketing strategies. The pharmaceutical reps take advantage of the physicians empty stomachs with an offer of free lunch or breakfast and prey on their wandering eyes with the fancy pens, notebooks, calendars and other items that coerce physicians to agree to their objectives in increasing sales. However, when a physician is questioned about the effectiveness of this type of marketing they often respond, It doesnt influence me at all. Theyre not going to buy my soul with a laser pointer. (Morreim) Many studies support that this kind of advertising has proven vital to the steady increase in pharmaceutical sales. So, perhaps physicians need to reexamine just how much they are persuaded by the irresistible allure of free fresh baked cookies or the tiny thin tubes that hold inks that we all know as a pen. Often a doctor is not going to prescribe medication that they barely know anything about; its the responsibility of the drug representative to educate the physicians on the name of the drug and drug facts so that they can then feel comfortable prescribing it to their patients. Drug representatives have basically been buying physicians time with whatever little inexpensive knick knack and kick-back it may take to get the name of the drug into the physicians brain and onto his prescription pad. Whats even worse is that most physicians will not give the drug representatives the time of day without some type of bribe or induction that is surprisingly not considered a kickback (in ter ms of legalities). A letter in the Journal of American Medical Association attests to just how intoxicating the advertising of the drug reps can be. The story describes a patient who came into the emergency room for an insect bite. The patient was originally seen by an intern who wanted to prescribe an inexpensive antibiotic, however the decision to prescribe the inexpensive antibiotic was overruled due to the fact that another resident recommended prescribing an new antibiotic that cost $183 per day. This incident was investigated by the attending physician who supervised the house officers and found out that this particular intern had recently wined and dined the day before by a drug rep from the manufacturer of the new expensive antibiotic prescribed. This type of behavior validates the enormous impact that marketing has on gifts of persuasion. In a story posted in the New York Times magazine, titled Dr. Drug Rep. a well respected physician Dr. Joseph Carlat shares his experience in being solicited by Wyeth Pharmaceutical Company to be a spokesperson for their drug Effexor XR, which is used for treating depression. They made him an enticing offer, and told him that all he would have to do is speak with his fellow colleagues about the features and benefits of the drug. Wyeth would provide all the information and materials that he needed to educate the other physicians about the drug and in return Dr. Carlat would be paid $500 for a one-hour training session or $750 if he had to drive for an hour. Dr. Carlat thought this would be easy enough. He was reputable; he had a busy private psychiatry practice specializing in psychopharmacology. He was quite familiar with drug Effexor and had read different studies pertaining to its effectiveness. The drug Effexor was being promoted by Wyeth as a dual reuptake inhibitor meaning that it increased both serotonin and norepinephrine, another neurotransmitter. The theory promoted by Wyeth was that two neurotransmitters were better than one, and that Effexor was more powerful and effective than S.S.R.I.s. (Carlat) Because he had already prescribed Effexor to several patients and it seemed to work, Dr. Carlat did not feel like there was anything unethical about him talking to other doctors about the drug. Dr. Carlat subsequently attended a full, expense paid physicians conference in Boston. When he began socializing at the conference there were other physicians functioning as spokespersons for other drugs and pharmaceutical companies. One physician that stood out was Dr. Michael Thase, the researcher who single-handedly put Effexor on the map. Thase presented evidence from clinical trials of Effexor being more effective than any other antidepressant. He rebutted criticisms of him being a paid consultant of Wyeth quite convincingly which was important. He explained to the attendees that he had requested and received complete information, both advantagess and disadvantages of the research data and not just the advantages. This was a significant point, because companies sometimes withhold negative data from publication in medical journals. For example, in 2004, GlaxoSmithKline was sued by Eliot Spitzer, who was then the New York attorney general, for suppressing relevant data that hinted Paxil caused suicidal thoughts in children. The company settled the case and agreed to make clinical-trial results public. (Carlat) Was I swallowing the message whole? Certainly not. I knew that this was hardly impartial medical education, and that we were being fed a marketing line. But when you are treated like the anointed, wined and dined in Manhattan and placed among the leaders of the field, you inevitably put some of your critical faculties on hold. I was truly impressed with Effexors remission numbers, and like any physician, I was hopeful that something new and different had been introduced to my quiver of therapeutic options. At the end of the last lecture, we were all handed envelopes as we left the conference room. Inside were checks for $750. It was time to enjoy ourselves in the city. (Carlat) However, after a year of pharmaceutical detailing Dr. Carlat became disturbed concerning feedback that Effexor caused hypertensions in a small but significant percentage of patients. For that reason, amongst other ethical reasons, Carlat decided to sever ties with Wyeth. Looking back on the year he spent speaking for Wyeth, he asked himself, Did I contribute to faulty medical decision making? Did my advice lead doctors to make inappropriate drug choices, and did their patients suffer needlessly? He admitted that there was a huge financial incentive for physicians to partner with pharmaceutical companies. (Carlat) Although he still allows drug reps to visit his office because it helps him stay abreast of the growing trends, he keeps the visits short and does not accept their offers and invitations. Who says this type of marketing isnt effective? Do other physicians really think they are invincible from the powers of persuasion? How many doctors actually engage in this type of marketing for drug companies? What role do ethics play in the decision to speak or not to speak on behalf of the insurance company? The truth is that previously many physicians engaged in this type of pharmaceutical detailing. While the median physician salary of 140,000 annually may be representative of a good salary, the additional $30,000 in supplemental income is quite alluring. In addition, to the monetary earnings earning respect based on reputation is important among colleagues. At least 25% of U.S. doctors are still receiving drug money for lecturing to physicians or assisting drug companies in other ways. Many physicians engage in this type of career appendage and perhaps go in with the purest of intentions; nonetheless, ethics are being violated when the physicians are not relaying accurate and appropriate information about the new medications that they are pushing, and much of the information that they are giving is provided to them from the pharmaceutical companies. PhRMA, Pharmaceutical Research and Medical Practices of America are part of an ongoing effort to ensure that pharmaceutical marketing organizations practice with the highest ethical standards. In January 2009, the voluntary PhRMA Code on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals took effect and its focus was developed to keep representatives from drug companies and healthcare professionals centered on patient care. It is committed to making sure that drug representatives are provided with the most current, accurate, and reliable information to assist in their decision making on drug selection. Amongst its changes, prohibits distribution of no-educational items (Such as pens, mugs and other reminder objects typically adorned with a company or product logo). It prohibits company sales representatives from providing restaurant meals to healthcare professionals, but allows them to provide occasional meals in healthcare professionals offices in conjunction with informational presentation s. The Code also reaffirms and strengthens previous statements that companies should not provide any entertainment or recreational benefits to healthcare professionals. It includes new provisions that require companies to ensure that their representatives are sufficiently trained about applicable laws, regulations, and industry codes and practice. Companies are also asked to periodically access whether or not the representatives are abiding by the codes. (PhRMA) CEOs and Compliance Officers will have a process in place patterned after the Sarbanes Oxley compliance, other changes to the code reflects PhRMas support of transparency in relation to healthcare professionals. There is necessary education offered to interested parties regarding marketing techniques and physicians outlooks on pharmaceutical products, diagnoses and expected and proven outcomes. Since Pharmaceutical products must be marketed differently than other healtcare industry products for sale and there are distinct diversions for implementing successful marketing. The potential user or patient, must be granted a prescription from the prescribing physician. Proper use of the pharmaceutical is key which provides favorable or unfavorable outcomes. Within the public health sector, determinations on accessible drugs may very well be taken based on politics, which undoubtedly broadens the scope of advertising and marketing strategies in this field, replacing advertising by appealing via petitions through lobbyism. Various marketing schemes play into different levels of interests such as financial, scientific gain or even personal. Academic conferences and medical journals provide varying me diums for exposure. Ethical pharmaceutical trials developed arguments depends on knowledge, outcomes and concrete unbiased facts. This type of knowledge requires transparency, a level of transparency being sought after throughout the healthcare industry as a whole. The pharmaceutical industry requires skilled marketing experts to ensure that all aspects of reaching targeted audiences effectively are exceeded, not just met. Those regulations developed by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and nofreelunch.org, which are not law, were developed to promote transparency. A doctor as a pharmaceutical representative shares his personal story about lecturing on a particular drug. There are ethical guidelines developed specifically for the healthcare industry that includes the pharmaceutical industry. AdvaMeds Code of Ethics, in particular, is a model for appropriate ethical behaviors within the healthcare industry that outlines specific recommendations for the drug industry. AdvaMed addres ses parameters covering educational grants, modest meals and hospitality, faculty expenses, and advertisements. In presenting the issues of unethical behaviors, it is imperative to understand the prevalence based on historical and current behaviors in society and the ever-evolving methods developed to discourage physician kickbacks in the pharmaceutical industry. Though AdvaMeds Code of Ethics regulations do not mandate their guidelines be adhered to, health care organizations are strongly urged to utilize and enforce their codes can assist in eliminating and curtailing unethical behaviors that lead to lawsuits that actually develop in to Case Studies. As long as viable codes of ethics are followed, fear of transparency can be removed. Acceptably ethical behaviors will indeed help aid in the inevitable reformation efforts that this nation continues to experience.

Conflict in the Twilight :: history

Conflict in the Twilight When has war ever been fair, just or necessary? Yet, we all wage wars. In my opinion all wars are a result of the breakdown of the rules of society which leads to the polarization of sensibility and reason. The root cause of the problem is usually trivial compared to the consequential disaster. No reason can warrant the taking of precious innocent lives; yet wars take place despite the wisdom and the best efforts of the human race, almost as if they are preordained. I don’t believe they are preordained, but they are certainly bred. As we are taught right from wrong each one of us builds an ideology based on teachings and experiences. This ideology, which is ideally meant to make one a better human being, becomes the reason for conflict when one is rigid and applies one’s standards onto others. As soon as the first bullet is fired both sides are on a roller coaster and they live off a mixture of ego, righteousness, comradeship, strategies, victories, setbacks and revenge. The situation grows to obsession and desperation and soon the gloves are off - the nastier the better. During WW II the British were fighting the war as gentlemen but British parliamentarian, Mr. R. T. Bower, said, â€Å"when you are fighting for your life against a ruthless opponent you cannot be governed by Queensberry rules†- the code that governs boxing. Speaking about the government policy of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain he is claimed to have said â€Å"The government would rather lose the war under Queensberry rules than do anything unbecoming to an absolutely perfect gentleman†. â€Å"That kind of thing will not do† he said. Soon after Winston Churchill took over as Prime Minister the policy changed and covert operations were executed to set Europe ablaze by sabotage, assassinations and a host of other irregular warfare. It has happened in every war and on every side. In the twilight the right and the wrong look similar, such are the times that we live in. The ‘A’ bomb was invented and immediately used. It may have brought an end to the war but the Japanese people have yet to recover from the psychological trauma of the event. They shun violence and their constitution forbids them to send their troops out of Japan, not even for the United Nations, except, recently, as peace keepers. Their constitution was written for them by the Americans after the war but even after all these years of economic development, which has made them an economic super power, they are not willing to change that provision in their constitution.

Computer Engineering - A Carrer as a Computer Software Engineer :: Computer Software Engineering

Computer Engineering - A Carrer as a Computer Software Engineer Introduction The explosive impact of computers and information technology on our everyday lives has generated a need to design and develop new computer software systems and to incorporate new technologies in a rapidly growing range of applications. The tasks performed by workers known as computer software engineers evolve quickly, reflecting new areas of specialization or changes in technology, as well as the preferences and practices of employers. Computer software engineers apply the principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis to the design, development, testing, and evaluation of the software and systems that enable computers to perform their many applications. (1) Background Software engineers working in applications or systems development analyze users ¡Ã‚ ¦ needs and design, construct, test, and maintain computer applications software or systems. Software engineers can be involved in the design and development of many types of software, including software for operating systems and network distribution, and compilers, which convert programs for execution on a computer. In programming, or coding, software engineers instruct a computer, line by line, how to perform a function. They also solve technical problems that arise. Software engineers must possess strong programming skills, but are more concerned with developing algorithms and analyzing and solving programming problems than with actually writing code. (2) Computer applications software engineers analyze users ¡Ã‚ ¦ needs and design, construct, and maintain general computer applications software or specialized utility programs. These workers use different programming languages, depending on the purpose of the program. The programming languages most often used are C, C++, and Java, with Fortran and COBOL used less commonly. Some software engineers develop both packaged systems and systems software or create customized applications. (4) Computer systems software engineers coordinate the construction and maintenance of a company ¡Ã‚ ¦s computer systems and plan their future growth. Working with a company, they coordinate each department ¡Ã‚ ¦s computer needs ¡Xordering, inventory, billing, and payroll record keeping, for example ¡Xand make suggestions about its technical direction. They also might set up the company ¡Ã‚ ¦s intranets ¡Xnetworks that link computers within the organization and ease communication among the various departments. (3) Systems software engineers work for companies that configure, implement, and install complete computer systems. They may be members of the marketing or sales staff, serving as the primary technical resource for sales workers and customers. They also may be involved in product sales and in providing their customers with continuing technical support. Computer software engineers often work as part of a team that designs new hardware, software, and systems.

On the Application of Scientific Knowledge :: Essays Papers

On the Application of Scientific Knowledge The concept of ‘knowledge’ is infinitely broad, but there do exist three subcategories in which a majority of knowledge is encompassed. The knowledge contained within each category carries with it different characteristics, different applications, and certainly varying amounts of weight from the perspective of any individual. The three categories are religious, mathematical, and scientific knowledge. Many questions arise when examining this system of partition. Should knowledge from one category be trusted over knowledge from another? Is one type of knowledge more easily verified than a different type? What exactly are all the differences between religious, mathematical, and scientific knowledge? Reasonable answers to all these questions could not responsibly be answered in this, or any single paper, however, there is one question that can be answered to a reasonable degree of certainty. Which type of knowledge is the most applicable to the real world ? Despite the mass appeal of religious knowledge and the arguable purity of mathematical knowledge, it is the tangible scientific knowledge that is most useful and most applicable to the real world. In order to justify this, it is necessary to present at least a brief investigation into each type of knowledge, noting its origin, appeal, and other unique characteristics. We begin with religious knowledge. 86% percent of people in the world categorize themselves as religious1. This must imply that a very large proportion of the world’s population puts at least some trust in religious knowledge. The problem with discussing religious knowledge is that it is based completely on faith. There is no accepted â€Å"proof† of the existence of a god or gods, so when an individual chooses to believe in a higher power, he or she does so by possessing faith in the truthfulness and accuracy of the religious texts and/or oral tradition associated with that religion. Many religious people, especially those deeply religious, consider the existence of god simply as a given in life. â€Å"What truth so obvious, so certain, as the being of a God, which the most ignorant ages have acknowledged†¦what truth so important as this, which is the ground of all our hopes, the surest foundation of morality, the firmest support of society, and the only principle which ought never to be a moment absent from our thoughts and meditations.

Explain the theory of Virtue Ethics Essay

Aristotle originally introduced virtue Ethics to society in ancient Greek times. Virtue Ethics tells us that we should look at the character of the person instead of the actions or duties a person performs. Instead of concentrating on what is the right thing to do, virtue ethics asks how you can be a better person. Aristotle claims that leading a virtuous life is easy, and those who do, do so to be happy. Happiness is the ultimate goal for everyone in life. To become a better person, you must practice virtuous acts regularly. After a while, these acts will become routine and so the virtuous acts will be nothing more than everyday life and the person a virtuous person. Aristotle said that although virtues should become a habit we must never forget that we behave in such a way because it is right. For example, if a singer practices singing everyday, they will become better at it and used to doing it. This is the same as people who practice their virtues and soon automatically act in the right way, by practicing our skills we improve them, becoming happier. Virtues should not be an effort, but simply a part of everyone’s personality. Aristotle says that virtue is something that we acquire and are not just born with, people are not inherently good or bad, but become good or bad according to the habits they develop. Aristotle said that a virtue was a ‘Golden Mean’ in between to vices. These ‘Vices’ are two extremes of a scale at opposite ends, one of excess and one of deficiency. For example the vices would be shamelessness and shyness, and the virtue modesty. Another example of this would be rudeness and a sense of humour as the two vices and the virtue as wittiness. Such virtues must be cultivated, we must learn when to use certain virtues and to what extent, for example we must not ever use humour in excess to act like a fool, but at the same time we must also not pass into rudeness. Two philosophers, Anscombe and MacIntyre say that there has been a mistake in how virtues have been portrayed. The majority of people look at the actions a person does to judge whether they are virtuous or not. The way in which we behave provides an opportunity for others to judge our virtues and vices. This however is not right. People should look at the character within and look at what the person believes is right and how they think they should help people instead of what they do to help. A famous example of a virtuous person is Mother Theresa. She helped millions of suffering people across the world and for this became well known as a virtuous person. There are hundreds of other virtuous people who would have liked to have helped but were unable to do so in such a huge way who are not considered as virtuous, but these people are just as virtuous but not recognised for it. Aristotle tells us that we are most likely to learn virtuous behaviour from watching others. If we experience others being kind to us and see the happiness it creates we are more likely to practice it then if we were just told to do it. For example, if we were told to be courageous we may occasionally stand up for small things that we disagree with, but if we see someone telling others off for not doing the right thing then we are more likely to not allow bad behaviour towards ourselves. Aristotle said that the best way of becoming virtuous was to follow in the footsteps of a virtuous person, e.g. Mother Theresa and do what they do. Virtue Ethics is relative; Aristotle recognised that virtues in one country may not be the same as virtues in another. He believed that there was no absolute platonic good beyond our world. As virtues have evolved through habits of society it is probable that different societies would deem different actions good or bad. However there is no difference between the virtues of a community and individuals within that community, the supreme happiness that Aristotle talks about is one for the community, and not just and individual. MacIntyre suggests that philosophy is too far removed from ordinary life and said that it is not good enough that philosophers spend their time debating the nature of ethical language or forming reasoned theories of morality in a way that is far removed from real people and real life. All actions are done in order to reach an aim. A successive series of actions are also for an aim, for example getting up in to morning to go to work, is to make money, is to feed our families is to go on nice holidays is to but them nice things etc. all ultimate aims is to make people happy, everything is subordinate to the supreme good, which is happiness. Everyone has different ideas of what happiness is and different things all make different people happy, and Aristotle called this feeling of all round well being eudemonia. Therefore, Virtue Ethics concentrates on what a person is then what a person does. Its aim is to achieve something, which people genuinely want rather then being based on arguably incoherent ideas about the after-life. It is a system, which can be easily applied and understood by all. It fits into a variety of philosophies, and religions, which both do and don’t include God. However, there are a few problems with Virtue Ethics. Ones of these which has been pointed out by MacIntyre is that although a virtue is the ‘golden mean’ between two vices it cannot be applied to all virtues. Virtues such as promise keeping, loyalty, and compassion do not fall between any two vices and so Aristotle’s theory of this does not really work. Another problem with this theory is that it is of little help to people faced with a moral dilemma. It does not help them make a decision like other theories such a natural law or utilitarianism.

During the Internship at Consulate General Essay

The opportunity to go as an intern at Consulate General is an unforgettable experience. Knowing several tasks and been able to serve the country is a valuable thing. Protecting the interest of the country and the citizens is a forever priority. As an intern at Consulate General, the providing of assistance and guidance with regards to problems with passports or birth report of a citizen abroad had helped my skills to communicate well. I engaged to several tasks like issuing passports, visas and consular certificates as well as providing notary deeds and even helping citizens who were in detention or incarcerated or as they are waiting for their custody trials and facilitate their communications with their families. The ability to get in contact with the local authorities and protection attorneys is a big privilege to have. In addition, the duties of an intern is a serious task that’s why they only accept those students who are qualified to the position and has the ability to keep the job done right. Securing of the resident information is an important task too as it is valuable to facilitate communication and assistance in case of an emergency. The scope of duties also touches the organizing and coordination of official visits for international relations and business delegations of varieties of ministries, report preparations and correspondence. All duties performed tested my willingness to learn and the devotion and loyalty to show the country and people by serving them and providing good quality service in all aspect of communication, organization and privacy.

Blood Diamond Study Note

sBlood Diamond (2006) CHARACTERS Danny Archer – Diamond Smuggler Maddy Bowden – Journalist Solomon Vandy – Fisherman Dia Vandy (see me no more) Jassie Vandy – Solomon’s Wife Captain Poison Benjamin Kapanay M’Ed Ambassador Walker Diamond Traders Diamond Traders Rudolf Van De Kaap Rupert Simmonds SETTING Sierra Leone 1996-1999 Civil War THEMES R. U. F (Revolutionary United Front) T. I. A (This is Africa) SCENE 1 Early Morning Solomon with his son Dia telling him to go to school so one day he can become a doctor instead of a fisherman like his Dad. SCENE 2Solomon and Dia walking to school and Dia say’s one day this place will be a paradise. Solomon and Dia have a really good relationship. They see the RUF and run to the village to get the rest of their family. Soloman gets captured by the RUF but saves his family. Solomon tells Dia to run because he has to look after Jassie and the daughter SCENE 3 The RUF are executing people and cutting of their hands. We are introduced to RUF and Captain Poison who is the leader. They bring Soloman forward to chop off his arm, but before they do Poison says no put him in the truck because he doesn’t show any fear and Poison respects that.SCENE 4 There is a G8, conference about Diamonds in Antwerp, Belgium. Ambassador Walker is talking about the Diamonds in Africa. While the meeting is talking clips of slaves in Africa are shown. Slaves dig the diamonds and then Poison keeps them. Slave finds a diamond and tries to hide it in his mouth. Poison sees it takes the diamond and then kills him. The conference introduces Mr. Van De Kaap and Mr. Simmonds which are the people from the diamond business. SCENE 5 There is a high up shot of Africa where Archer is arriving in Africa off a plane to meet Drunk RUF soldiers.Archer does not act scared so the RUF doesn’t kill him as he gives him his gun and plays it cool. Archer speaks to Captain Rambo while he wants to go see Commande r Zero. Archer talks to Commander Zero and says there is not enough Diamonds and says he will not help them with the government. Archer acts very calm and experienced. He is a good negotiator and is very determined to get what he wants. SCENE 6 Archer is crossing the border with cattle. He is attempting to smuggle the diamonds into Liberia with the diamonds inside the goat. He gets caught by an intelligent army soldier claims he is from national geographic doing a story on Liberia.The soldier arrests Archer after he finds the diamonds smuggled in the goats. He tries to intermediate, bribe and threatens the soldier but the soldier does not give in and they arrest him. SCENE 7 Back at the mines, Soloman is in the river trying to find diamonds. He finds the pink and he doesn’t know what to do with it. The water valve pops which draws the attention away from Soloman so he puts it between his toes and asks to go to the toilet. He runs into Poison and Poison searchers him and canâ €™t find anything. Poison finds Solomon hiding the Diamond and asks to take it but as he does that the Government troops attack which injure Poison nd free Soloman. He grabs Poison machete and does not kill him and runs away. He finds a spot and buries the diamond. He then gets taken by the government troops and taken to the Jail. SCENE 8 Now Soloman and Archer are both in the same jail. Poison is brought in and starts talking to Solomon about the big diamond. Soloman strips and starts screaming â€Å"where is the diamond!! † Poison threatens Solomon’s family saying â€Å"I will find your family† meaning he will find them and kill them. Archer is attracted to this because he is very interested in the big diamond. SCENE 9Archer is released from jail where he meets the pilot who bailed him out. Archer is being watched by one of the Colonel Coetzee’s men. Archers name and photo has been printed in a newspaper as being publicized as a diamond smuggler whi ch is not good for his reputation as a smuggler. He tells his pilot to bail Solomon out of jail. SCENE 10 Archer immediately rings London to speak to Simmonds the owner of the diamond company. He pulls a diamond out of his tooth. He gets changed and goes into the street where some prostitutes/thief comes up to Archer and talks about diamonds.Cordell goes into Archer’s room to try and find the diamond. SCENE 11 The pilot bails Solomon out and says â€Å"it seems you have made a friend in prison† and hands him money. SCENE 12 Danny meets M’Ed at his bar and hands him money for a really good gun. Archer asks him when the RUF are going to come to Freetown and M’Ed says very soon. Archer meets Maddy Bowen and they talk about how the world is falling apart, they are being very political, Maddy tells Archer she is a journalist. We’re here TIA for the first time. â€Å"America its bling-bling, out here its bling-bang†. Archer tells her to piss off.S he continues to follow Archer. SCENE 13 Archer returns to his room and realizes it has been searched looking for a diamond. Archer and Cordell meet and start talking like they are best mates. Archer asked for a smoke and then punched Cordell in the stomach and says â€Å"that’s for breaking my TV Bru†. This shows that Archer will not be intimidated by anyone. SCENE 14 Soloman legally searching for his family, (he is looking on the list). Soloman says he has been to kissy waterloo and Port Loko in search. He is sent to the whites and asks for help, the agency replies â€Å"then God help you, because I can’t†.The RUF comes to the village where Dia and his family are and takes Dia away. SCENE 15 Archer is in Cape Town South Africa because he is Meeting Colonel Coetzee. They are in the car going to see Colonel and Archer is asleep and very relaxed. Colonel and Archer are walking through the vineyards talking about diamonds and about how Archer worked for Colo nel as a soldier. Colonel says that Archer owes him money and he will stake a stone in payment. Archer says if he had the pink he wouldn’t be on this continent. Colonel says â€Å"you will never leave Africa†. SCENE 16Back in Sierra Leone and showing all the poverty. Solomon is living in a burnt out car. Archer finds Solomon, asking him about the Pink, Solomon rushes off to work. SCENE 17 They are in the RUF base punished the children, teaching them how to shoot and brainwashing them telling them they by killing people they are going to save the nation. â€Å"Shed their blood†!! Dia kills his first man and is shocked. Poison comes to see Dia and is being sympathetic because he knows Dia is upset. He is acting like a Father so Dia is attracted to Poison as he says â€Å"I will take care of you I am now your Father†.Dia has been rewarded with a position of Captain to make Dia feel special but its deliberate because he knows Dia’s dad Solomon has the Pink SCENE 18 At M’Ed’s bar talking about when the RUF is coming and M’Ed is saying he is not scared he underestimates the RUF. Archer and Bowen meet again and go for a dance talking about how Archer is a smuggler. Maddy says â€Å"is it possible that you don’t care how many die because of the deals that â€Å"you do? † and Archer replies â€Å"people here kill each other as a way of like. Always been like that! † now Archer is annoyed for the second time and walks off. She follows him again.Maddy gets offended by Archer’s generalization. SCENE 19 In free town Archer is talking to Solomon, Archer says â€Å"I got you out of jail we are partners† Solomon replies â€Å"we are not partners, you’re a liar† archer says â€Å"without me you’re just another black man in Africa. † The RUF arrive and while they are running Solomon says â€Å"you will say anything, how can I trust you† Archer replies à ¢â‚¬Å"you don’t have to trust me I said I don’t give a fuck about you, this diamond could be priceless, we split the diamond and I’ll get your family back? † There are people dying everywhere and Archer gets himself and Solomon through the Chaos.The army surrenders because they were scared by the RUF. SCENE 20 Rebels have taken Freetown and Killed M’Ed. The RUF are having a big party. Solomon and Archer are wandering around and eventually escape. SCENE 21 Archer and Solomon need to get across the bridge. Solomon and Archer are working together but Solomon does not approve. Solomon and Archer are travelling with refuges. Solomon says to Archer â€Å"I have agreed to nothing† Archer replies â€Å"you have no choice†. SCENE 22 They arrive at the refugee camp and Archer is trying to be nice but Solomon is being very short.Archer tries to bluff his way into being a journalist. Archer asks a man if he can tell Maddy Bowen that Danny Archer i s looking for her because he has the story she wants. Maddy and Archer meet and Archer gets straight to the point about helping Solomon out, Maddy says â€Å"your using him† archer replies â€Å"I’m using him your using me this is how it works, isn’t it? † SCENE 23 Maddy, Solomon and Archer are flying to the refugee camp to find Solomon’s family. Maddy is in charge and gives the name for Solomon’s family. Maddy starts taking of the refugees for her story.Solomon spots Jassie and his daughter but not Dia, he starts yelling because he realizes that Dia has been taken by the RUF, he gets wacked away from the fence by the army. Archer pulls Solomon away from the fence and says â€Å"do you want your family to see you get killed, get away from the fence. † They fly over the hills where the diamond is. SCENE 24 Solomon won’t tell Archer where the pink is because he still doesn’t trust Archer. Solomon is telling Archer that Dia was very smart and was going to become a doctor. Archer goes to speak to Maddy and Maddy is still angry and him. Maddy is writing a story.She is really angry and she realizes that what Archer said about using each other is true because she need facts. Archer tells Maddy that the only chance Solomon’s family will be released is through the Diamond. Archer explains the process of the diamond smuggling. Archer gives Maddy the details with the names and bank accounts, and he says â€Å"you right this story before I have given them the diamond I’m dead. † SCENE 25 Archer and Solomon get on the bus and pretend to be journalists. They get off the bus due to an accident so they take photos of the accident. The RUF start shooting at them and Archer starts taking leadership.They get in a car because someone on the bus doesn’t let them on. SCENE 26 The RUF are partying again and they are giving the kids Heroin. Dia calls himself â€Å"See me no more. † They are invading on different villages. Archer, Maddy and Solomon are getting shot at by the RUF again. Archer gets them out of trouble and starts driving off. The RUF start chasing them but they run into a bush and then run off. Archer starts to show affection towards Maddy to make sure if she is alright. Archer, Maddy and Solomon are walking through the forest in the dark. SCENE 27 The Sun is shining through the trees.The locals from the forest are protecting the own land and threating to kill them, Maddy takes charge and saves Archer and Solomon with her camera. The locals bring them to a school where they meet kids that have been saved from the RUF. They meet Benjamin and he explains what this place is and what he does. SCENE 28 Benjamin shows them around the school to show them the normal kids and how he saved them. They show some kids that are suffering. Archer says â€Å"you did well today† and Maddy replies â€Å"you too† this shows they start to bond. Benjamin bri ngs Archer a beer and they start to talk about the attacks in the area.Benjamin asks Archer â€Å"would you say that people are mostly good? † Archer replies â€Å"I’d say there just people. † Benjamin says â€Å"a moment in love even in a bad man can give meaning to a life†. Solomon is having fun playing soccer with the kids. SCENE 29 Children are singing and Maddy is in there in the light and Archer is outside in the dark. The light represents the happy life and the new day. The dark represent how he is finished if he stay, is in Sierra Leone. Maddy and Archer start drinking some wine which is very strong. Archer starts being completely honest to Maddy.Archer said his Mum was raped and killed and his Dad was decapitated. Archer says â€Å"sometimes I wonder, will god ever forgive us for what we’ve done to each other, then I look around and I realize, god left his place a long time ago. He is showing some emotion and is asking her without saying do you understand. Maddy holds his hand and become a kind of couple. SCENE 30 They are driving with Benjamin and run into some kids from the RUF kids asking what they are doing and who they are. They shoot Benjamin and Archer threatens the kids with a gun and drives off. They are trying to help Benjamin and he cracks a joke.So Archer has now saved them again. They drive to Colonel Coetzee to save Benjamin. They meet Colonel and Archer is forced to go with Colonel. Maddy and Archer start talking. Maddy distracts the soldier so Solomon and Archer can steal colonel’s goods so they can survive and not go with the army. Archer and Maddy say goodbye for the last time and Maddy gives Archer all her contact numbers. Archer is telling Maddy to get on the plane. SCENE 31 Solomon and Archer run off to go get the diamond. Archer is telling Solomon what to do and Solomon replies â€Å"yes, boss† which means that Archer is treating him like a slave.They are walking through the jungl e/forest. SCENE 32 In the dark when the RUF drive past and Solomon and Archer are hiding in the bushes on the side of the road. Solomon thinks he sees Dia on the RUF truck so he yells out which almost gets them caught. Luckily Archer grabs Solomon and runs to safety. So after all Archer has done for Solomon he puts there life in danger yet again. The next morning Archer wakes Solomon up and is talking about how he can capture baboons and how he can kill anybody, as archer says â€Å"if you risk my life like that again, I will peal your face back off your head. † SCENE 33They are walking through the hills. SCENE 34 They walk through a village and they meet another black African and he says the RUF are in the next town. Solomon lies to Archer saying they are going straight through to the RUF. Archer goes to turn right and Solomon continues straight. Archer starts threating Solomon and calls him a â€Å"kaffir† which is a huge insult to black people in Africa. Archer pull s a gun after fighting and says â€Å"your son is gone! † and Solomon replies â€Å"he is alive! † Solomon is getting really upset saying â€Å"I have to know if he is dead or not, shoot me if you want, why should matter I’m dead already. Archer replies â€Å"fine we will wait till dark† SCENE 35 They go into the RUF camp when it’s dark to have a look. The RUF base are walking and singing, part of the song is â€Å"go tell my parents they may see me no more† which is Dia’s new name. SCENE 36 Solomon and Archer are now walking and Solomon is asking Archer personal questions. Solomon says â€Å"I’m confused† archer replies â€Å"that makes two of us, my bru. † SCENE 37 Solomon is talking about his grandfather and his past. Solomon says â€Å"this place will be a paradise. † Archer makes a promise â€Å"we will get your back. After this they are walking up a hill and Archer falls and Solomon helps him up. SC ENE 38 They are looking down on the view to the diamond mine. Archer calls an attack helicopter as a diversion. Archer promises that Dia is not in the mine, but says â€Å"you can look all night†. SCENE 39 Solomon goes into the camp by himself in the dark. He spots Dia and goes up to him. Archer goes to rescue Archer again. Dia denies Solomon and screams â€Å"enemy, enemy, I hate you† SCENE 40 Poison finds Solomon and threatens him and his family in front of Dia. Poison says that he wants to get out of Africa.Poison tells Solomon to go get the Diamond or he will kill Dia. As this is about to happen to chopper appears and starts shooting. Poison takes Dia and Solomon starts chasing them. Solomon catches poison and kills him. Archer saves Dia. SCENE 41 The rebels are dead, Dia is alive, and this should be the happy part. Colonel comes to Archer and threatens to kills them if they don’t get the diamond. Archer screams at Solomon because he wasn’t telling th em where the diamond was. Archer puts Dia at risk so Solomon tells them where it is. SCENE 42 They go to find the Diamond.They find holes that Poison has tried to find it. He asks Cordell for a smoke, Cordell puts a gun to him and says â€Å"smoking will kill you†. Archer says â€Å"better stop smoking, hey, Solomon†. Solomon finds the diamond and then Archer and Solomon start to kill the army. Archer shoots Colonel and before he dies he says â€Å"TIA, huh, Danny† and Archer then shoots him. Archer realizes he has been shot and wounded. Solomon finds the diamond and then Dia holds a gun towards Archer and then Solomon, Solomon starts talking to Dia and reminding him what and who he really is and what he loves doing and who is his proper father.SCENE 43 Archer, Dia and Solomon are walking up the hill to where they are meeting the plane, Archer can’t walk any further and collapses, and Solomon picks him up over his shoulder and carries him. Archer tells So lomon to stop. Solomon has a worried look on his face as he realizes that Archer is dying. The plane flies over and Archer realizes that he cannot go on and gives Solomon the Diamond. Archer tells them to go. Archer says â€Å"take your boy home†. The Army troops start shooting and Archer shoots back at them. SCENE 44Archer calls Maddy and tells her what’s happened, he tells her to meet Solomon and help him out. The plane flies over Archer. Archer says â€Å"you can write the hell out of the story† because he is dead now. Archer says â€Å"I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be†. SCENE 45 It cuts from the silent calm Africa, to London where Solomon is meeting Mr. Simmonds. Maddy is taking photos for her story. Simmonds says â€Å"you diamond could not have ended up anywhere else† and offers him 2 million pounds. Solomon says â€Å"this isn’t enough, I want what is promised to me by Archer, and I want my family and the money†.Solomon looks around London and sees a diamond necklace and realizes this is what all the trouble is about. He meets with his family and then the diamond is put into a secure safe. SCENE 46 Kimberley, South Africa, January 2000. There is a conference about the blood diamonds. Solomon opens a magazine to Maddy’s article to see a picture of Archer. Solomon gets called in to talk about what happens in Africa. SCENE 47 There are credits telling us what has changed. Sierra Leone is at Peace, but there is still 200,000 children soldiers in Africa. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1) ARCHER – â€Å"you take your home boy, huh? Archer’s death proves he was a noble character all along – Discuss 2) Benjamin – â€Å"A single moment of love can give value to a life† does archer sacrifice himself for the sake of Solomon and Dia or does he just give up because he is wounded? 3) Then I realize, â€Å"God left this place a long time ago. † Archer complains a bout â€Å"this god-forsaken continent â€Å"without realizing that he and people just like him have helped to make it that way. Do you agree? 4) â€Å"T. I. A† (this is Africa) – Archer, captain Poison and Colonel Coetzee believe this is to be true: Solomon, Maddy and Benjamin believe it is a lie, who is right? Discuss.