Neo Aristotelian Analysis of Sex and the City Essay

Neo Aristotelian Analysis of Sex and the City - Essay Example According to Bushnell, the main characters of the story are based on her and her friends in real life (Degtyareva, 2005). This inspiration from real life makes the series believable and identifiable. The story is told in first person by Carrie in the form of a narration. Carrie often talks to the audience in the middle of a scene to make a specific point. The first person narration also means that we see the lives of the four women through Carrie's perspective. This is important since it impacts the "character" aspect of the Neo-Aristotelian Analysis and will be discussed in details below. The entire series is set in Manhattan and so the overall character of the city also influences the characters and their actions. At the start of the series, the audience is introduced to the four friends who are all single and looking for love. Carrie is a writer, Samantha is in public relations, Miranda is a lawyer and Charlotte works in an art gallery. The four friends have contrasting characteri stics. For example, while Samantha is assertive and aggressive and has a number of short lived affairs, Charlotte is much more traditional and believes in marriage and relationships. The four main characters hope to find love and marriage and so are shown dating a number of men through the series in an attempt to find the right life partner. The main theme repeated several times through the series shows someone of the main cast finding what seems to be the perfect man but then realizing that the said man is not the right one. Keeping this overall theme in mind, we shall now attempt a Neo-Aristotelian Analysis of the Sex and the City series. Action: The Neo-Aristotelian Analysis defines action as "any occurrence performed by a character, be it physical, mental or emotional that furthers the plot, delineates character, or explains or dramatizes a theme" (Taflinger, 1996). Action consists of eight parts. These are exposition, problem, point of attack, foreshadowing, complications, cris is, the climax and the denouement. In Sex and the City, we see these eight parts of the action being repeated in every episode, every season and in the series as a whole. In other words, every single episode had an exposition which establishes the status quo at the beginning of the episode. This is quickly followed by the problem definition as we were introduced to an issue that needs to be solved. Some kind of complication furthers the story to the crisis point which is than solved by the characters in the climax. As such, each episode is a complete story on its own and any person not following the series could still enjoy a particular episode. Just as each episode is complete on its own because it follows the eight parts of action, similarly, each of the six season is a complete story on its own. And the whole series also follows the eight actions to form a complete story which can be said to have an exposition, a problem, a complication, crisis, climax and denouement. This charac teristic off Sex and the City is common to all sitcoms wherein every episode is a complete story on its own and the entire series also tells a story. This action is extremely important for the success of a sitcom because every audience, irrespective of whether or not he/she is regularly watching the show, should be able to enjoy the episode. The aim of each episode is to hook any new viewer as well as keep the old

The Importance of Partnerships with Parents for All Aspects of the Childcare Service Essay Example for Free

The Importance of Partnerships with Parents for All Aspects of the Childcare Service Essay The partnership with parents is very important as it is the key to making sure that the children in my care get the best care available and are happy and settled in my setting. With the introduction of the Children Act in 1989 parents were given definite rights. This included being able to access information on their children’s progress and achievements in their setting and also a preference to parents as to which school they wanted their child to go to. Since the introduction of the EYFS in 2008, a clear framework has been put in place to foster partnerships between parents and all professionals, including childminders, pre-schools, nurseries and schools. The relationship between parents and childminders can be very close, parents will be coming into my home every day and it is important that I put this on a professional footing by having a Parental Involvement Policy that clearly states how the partnership between the parents and I will work. I will welcome all parents into my setting and encourage their involvement in order to ensure their child is comfortable enough to flourish into confident, happy individuals. The partnership with parents starts with the first initial enquiry / visit. I need to build a rapport with the parents by understanding their requirements both culturally, socially and any routines they have. I will always endeavour to accommodate a child’s routine and discuss with parents how this will be managed taking account of the children already in my care. Sometimes a compromise will need to be made, as long as this is agreed by all parties. Different cultures have different approaches to modesty, clothing, and the use of the toilet and hygiene arrangements. Some cultures have very specific guidelines on the preparation and storage of food and the type of food they eat. All these aspects need to be considered and discussed with the parent at the initial enquiry / visit stage. Once I have established the basic requirements of the parents I will draw up a contract with the parents for the care of their child/(ren). Before a child starts in my care I will want to have some settling in sessions. This is important to ensure that the child, parent and I can have some time to get to know each other and clarify any points regarding routine, specific needs and communication. There are many ways of communicating with parents, keeping a daily diary, telephone calls, email, a chat on collection or drop off and formalised parent meetings. A daily diary is particularly useful when children in my care are young and are still in appies, on formula milk, or being weaned, or just starting to feed themselves and / or not yet talking. Telephone calls or email communication is more likely to be an agreed regular communication in the evening or weekends. I would not envisage this being the preferred method of communication as face to face discussion would be more productive. I would propose to hold parents evenings, at least twice a year. The purpose of this would be to review the child’s progress, discuss any issues and plan for the coming six months.

Comparing Television and Internet Sports News Essay -- Comparison Comp

Comparing Television and Website News Television news is one of the best ways for people to know what is going on in the world today. With the momentum the World Wide Web has gained with in the last 6 years many television news station have also add a website to their media coverage. ESPN is no different; the station still has Sports Center where all the viewers can keep up with their favorite sport, but ESPN also has the website www.msn.espn.go.com where the viewer can get the same or even more information than in the television broadcast. Which is better? Why would a person choose one form of media over the other? It is not that one form is better than the other, it depends what the person wants to get out of that medium. The channel ESPN gives the viewer exactly what they expect, a quick overview of what happened in the sports world today. The announcers joke around to make the viewer feel like there is a human interaction that is taking place, the announcers also makes it feel like more of an entertainment program then a news program. The highlights that are shown are about the big events in sports like the Angels winning their first World Series. Other smaller sports almost go unnoticed. ESPN also likes to give the viewer a little bit of knowledge about the players of a particular game. Most of these interviews or stories are extremely short and really a viewer gains no real amount of knowledge. The viewer must sit back and hear what the producers of the show want them to hear. There is not a choice of whether the viewer watches highlights of baseball or gets the story about Sarah Hughes and how she injured her leg muscle. The website www.msn.espn.go.com gives viewers another look at a lot of the s ame stories as the ... ...rial in the way that they do. There are many reasons why people use the media or different medium to view the same media. Those reasons are the uses and gratification model provided by McQuail, Blumler, and Brown. People want to get a fulfillment after watching a show or in this case a sports broadcast. They wanted to achieve something like making sure there team is doing well or all the players are healthy. In case of ESPN there are two ways to view this information. The viewer can either watch the broadcast and be entertained by the broadcasters and see the plays. Or the viewer can take the more direct route by going to www.msn.espn.go.com and getting the exact same information only with more detailed. Either way the viewer is accomplishing something it could be bonding with a child, conversing with co-workers, or just being aware of the sports world around them.

Plato Vs. Aristotle on Art Essay example -- Philosophy

For over two thousand years, various philosophers have questioned the influence of art in our society. They have used abstract reasoning, human emotions, and logic to go beyond this world in the search for answers about arts' existence. For philosophers, art was not viewed for its own beauty, but rather for the question of how art and artists can help make our society more stable for the next generation. Plato, a Greek philosopher who lived during 420-348 B.C. in Athens, and Aristotle, Plato’s student who argued against his beliefs, have no exceptions to the steps they had to take in order to understand the purpose of art and artists. Though these two philosophers made marvelous discoveries about the existence of art, artists, and aesthetic experience, Plato has made his works more controversial than Aristotle. During the ancient times in Greece, Plato was the first human to document and criticize the existence of art and artists. He mentioned that human art was always in a form of a representation of something else. In one of Plato’s famous works, he demonstrates the idea of art is like an â€Å"imitation of nature† (Blocker 3). In other words, the purpose of art was to represent nature and nothing else. Art was not created for the sake of its own self nor was it created to appreciate its own beauty by any means. Instead, art, usually in forms of writings, paintings, or sculptures, was created to only to represent nature, Gods, emperors, families, or other important individuals. Furthermore, Plato had a very critical view towards the existence art in our society because art makes us more emotional, and our emotions lead to many errors about life. He believed it is our rational thinking, not our emotions or senses, which helps us und... ...ed knowledge beyond ordinary people’s understandings. However, in some ways Aristotle did a better job than Plato. As a result, his ideas will continue to exist in this world for the generations yet to come. Works Cited Blocker, H. Gene., and Jennifer M. Jeffers. Contextualizing Aesthetics: from Plato to Lyotard. Belmont,CA: Wadsworth Pub., 1999. Print. Jones, David. "ARISTOTLE'S AESTHETICS." Rowan University. Ulbery Press, 19 Apr. 2007. Web. 17 Nov. 2011. Havelock, Eric. Views of Republic. Standford: Brooke Spencer, Jan.-Feb. 2003. PDF. Lingis, Alphonso. "Literary Reference Center - Powered by EBSCOhost." EBSCO Publishing Service Selection Page. Routledge, 02 Feb. 2004. Web. 17 Nov. 2011. Stecker, Robert. "The Journal of Aesthetic Education." Plato's Expression about Art 26.1 (1992): 1-122. Jstor. Ithaka, 7 June 1992. Web. 17 Nov. 2011.

Communication and Language Needs Wishes Essay

Show how to find out an individual communication and language needs wishes and preferences Finding out the way an individual prefers to communicate can be done in two ways: direct or indirect. The talk of these individuals is very slow and intentional. They do not like loud, fast, and excessively aggressive talk. In addition, they concentrate more on the facts and figures, rather than just assumptions. If you are in conversation with an indirect communicator, you need to understand that you should have proof for backing up your suggestions, answers, and views. Individuals who are direct talk more clamorously and rapidly than indirect communicators. They take risks easily, are aggressively self-assured, and are related to ‘type A’ personalities. If you are in conversation with a direct communicator, just ensure that you get to the point straightaway, be confident about what you say, provide solid instances of your achievements, and be alert when you talk. The direct method is by speaking to the services users on face to face or asking questions, observing what they say and how they say The Indirect method: is by reading through the services users record and their care plan or by speaking their relatives and also inquiring from their colleagues. . 2.2 demonstrate communication methods that meet an individual communication need wishes and preferences. Written communications, lip reading and body language method for these individual that cannot hear. And also verbal and non verbal communication to an individual who can hear or see. Verbal and touch for Braille individual who is blind but not deaf. 2.3 Show how and when to seek advice about communication Seek advise by speaking to the line manager or professional bodies like nurse, doctors and colleagues if you do not understand what your service user saying or in looking unwell. If you cannot find or understand the records of your services users already provided to them seek advice from the team manager or colleagues. 3.1idenfiy barriers to affective communication There are reasons that can hinder affective communication. For example Poor health and mental health the main barrier to affective communication is being ill makes it difficult for people to effectively express them and and confidences and self esteem. Background: Clients with chronic and terminal disease frequently do not talk to their physicians about end-of-life care. Interventions to improve this communication have generally been unsuccessful, suggesting that important barriers to this communication must exist Culture and family affects the way people use the method of communication for example eye contact may not be as common in some culture as in others may be interpreted differently. Aggression: being aggressive while communicating makes diffuclt to express your point and to be listened and it applies to both the clients and the carer. Emtonalil diffuclties:when people experience a break up in long term relationship or receive news about death of loved ones they may become confused or uncontrollably upset and this

Triad of the Greek Thinkers essays

Triad of the Greek Thinkers essays An unexpected cause happened after the Persian Wars: the Greek flood of new ideas. When the war ended, religious beliefs declined and caused more people to ignore the traditional explanations of the world of nature. The Greeks were dissatisfied with supernatural and mythical explanations of reality and began questioning their destiny. This is when philosophy arose. The Greek philosophy may not only of effected us directly, but the Greeks paved the way to modern development. They gave us knowledge from the field of math through Pythagoras and his theorem on the right triangle, and science through Aristotles study of biology, and Democritus study of atoms. However some philosophies may seem incapable, but Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates changed the way people think. These three Greek philosophers questioned the most basic and widely accepted ideas based on virtue and moral excellence. The first of the Hellenic philosophers was Socrates, the revolutionary thinker. Although Socrates opposed everything the Sophists stood for, he shared the rejection of philosophizing about nature, focus on human problems, and desire to empower individuals to make their own moral choices. As curious as he was, Socrates was always questioning what things are and searching for definitions. He would ask people such questions as what is friendship?, what is justice?. By asking these questions people became annoyed, but Socrates was not just looking for the definition but also the essence to understand the knowledge of the world (History P39). Socrates core of ethics was virtue. Its the deepest and most basic propensity of man. And virtue is knowledge (History P40). A famous statement of Socrates was a bad man is a bad man through ignorance (History P40). This means a person who knows the truth will not commit evil deeds and those who do wrong, do so out of ignorance. ...

Positive Effects of the Intern essays

Positive Effects of the Intern essays The Positive Effects of the Internet The Internet has come a very long way in the past 50 years. New innovations such as integrated software and hardware has changed the way that people view and obtain information today. Millions of people worldwide are using the Internet to share information, make new associations and communicate. Individuals and businesses, from students and journalists, to consultants, programmers and corporate giants are all harnessing the power of the Internet. For many businesses, the Internet is becoming an integral part of their operations. Perhaps, the most important facts about the Internet are that it contains a wealth of information, that can be sent across the world almost instantly, and that it can unite people in wildly different locations as if they were next to each other. The Information available is vast and varied The Internet makes the world smaller. The ability to communicate and exchange information instantaneously and across vast distances has enabled more individuals and businesses to participate in the economy, regardless of their location. Businesses are discovering the Internet as the most powerful and cost effective tool in history. The Net provides a faster, more efficient way to work colleagues, customers, vendors and business partners- irrespective of location or operating system. Harnessing this powerful resource gives companies strategic advantages by leveraging information into essential business assets. The "technology of the future" here today. This is a fact. Businesses making the transition will, and are prospering; however those that do not will most certainly suffer the consequences. The Internet brings people together. People of like minds and interests can share information with one another through electronic mail and chat rooms. E-mail is enabling radically new forms of worldwide human collaboration. Approximately 225 millions of people can send and receive it ...

Free Essays on Socially Inept

Did you ever have the chance to do something you really wanted to do, but you just didn’t have the nerves? Well I encountered something similar to that. It started when I was thirteen, back in Junior high school. That was the awkward age when everyone was beginning to mature and grow those awful bumps all over their faces. Which we were told meant that we were growing up, but in my situation, pimples were not the problem, my weight was. I was 5’9 250 pounds, with my shoes off. My weight created an impact on my life that I will never forget, and most importantly it created a lack of self-confidence, which didn’t help my relation’s with others. It was a Friday night, and there was a social at the school. I spent an hour or so primping for the dance, making sure that everything was in its place. This was the night that I would take a chance and ask the most beautiful girl in school for a dance. She was around 5’4† with long blonde hair and the most gorgeous blue eyes I’ve ever seen, rivaling those of Paul Newman or Frank Sinatra. She wore a kind of smile that could make even the unhappiest person forget their troubles and smile back. She simply personified beauty in all of its forms. Her name was Jessica Morton, and before the night was over, she was going to know my name too. I went over the lines of how I was going to approach her. She was wonderful inside and out. The thought of talking to her sent an eerie chill down my back. The idea of physical contact would be like heaven on earth. This was the night that she was going to notice me. I walked through the cold brisk air to the gymnasium, when I open the door a blast of hot muggy wind covered my face. I started sweating right away. Everyone was cramped in the old small gym, which was filled with about four hundred seventh and eighth graders. I peered though the artificial fog and helium filled balloons for anybody I recognized. I finally found my gang of friends in t... Free Essays on Socially Inept Free Essays on Socially Inept Did you ever have the chance to do something you really wanted to do, but you just didn’t have the nerves? Well I encountered something similar to that. It started when I was thirteen, back in Junior high school. That was the awkward age when everyone was beginning to mature and grow those awful bumps all over their faces. Which we were told meant that we were growing up, but in my situation, pimples were not the problem, my weight was. I was 5’9 250 pounds, with my shoes off. My weight created an impact on my life that I will never forget, and most importantly it created a lack of self-confidence, which didn’t help my relation’s with others. It was a Friday night, and there was a social at the school. I spent an hour or so primping for the dance, making sure that everything was in its place. This was the night that I would take a chance and ask the most beautiful girl in school for a dance. She was around 5’4† with long blonde hair and the most gorgeous blue eyes I’ve ever seen, rivaling those of Paul Newman or Frank Sinatra. She wore a kind of smile that could make even the unhappiest person forget their troubles and smile back. She simply personified beauty in all of its forms. Her name was Jessica Morton, and before the night was over, she was going to know my name too. I went over the lines of how I was going to approach her. She was wonderful inside and out. The thought of talking to her sent an eerie chill down my back. The idea of physical contact would be like heaven on earth. This was the night that she was going to notice me. I walked through the cold brisk air to the gymnasium, when I open the door a blast of hot muggy wind covered my face. I started sweating right away. Everyone was cramped in the old small gym, which was filled with about four hundred seventh and eighth graders. I peered though the artificial fog and helium filled balloons for anybody I recognized. I finally found my gang of friends in t...

Risk management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Risk management - Assignment Example Therefore, in order to reduce the effects of risks so as to maintain the functioning of the organization in an effective way, risk management practices are extremely essential. It is because; it is the most synonyms term associated with each and every business organizations. What is risk management? Risk management is recognised as the process to identify, assess and control varied types of business risks by implementing various strategies and policies. However, in spite of implementation of varied types of strategies, some of the risks are entirely unpredictable in nature and so it’s beyond one’s control. Therefore, it might be stated that risks management is one of the most essential requirements of any organization, operating successfully or desiring to enter into a new foreign market. This paper is divided into four parts highlighting the significance of risk management processes. Along with this, it also describes about the most essential risk management decisions of an organization entering a foreign market. Side by side, it also describes the importance of direct costs and its benefits for an organization, while entering a new market. ... Side by side, any organization desiring to enter into a foreign market also tries to enhance its brand image and equity in the market among other contenders. However, prior entering any new foreign market, an organization desires to make an evaluation plan to analyse and identify the upcoming risks or challenges. It is done so that the members of the organization might plan for the strategies that might resolve those risks. Therefore, the risks that might be faced by an organization in entering a foreign market are described below- Political risks- this type of risks arises, when the government of a country suddenly changes its policies and strategies. However, such changes in the policies create high level of risks mainly for the new entrants (Khatta, 2008, pp. 457-469). This is because, as the organization newly entering a foreign market is entirely unaware about the policies and regulations so it affects negatively over its operations and functions. As a result, it reduces the tot al sale and profit margin of the organization among other contenders. Therefore, in order to stabilise the operations, management of the organization tried to implement the strategies according to the rules and regulations of that country (Tarantino, 2010, pp. 467-489). Legal risks- this type of risks arises due to changes in laws of the country such as tariffs and quotas etc. Due to which, it affects significantly on the operations and profit margin of a new entrant thereby declining its brand image and reputation in that market among others. Therefore, in order to cope up with such dilemma, the organization desires to enhance its profit margin and product lines to attract more customers. Social risks- the changes in the customer habits and preferences

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AGGINMENT(short answer questions) Essay

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AGGINMENT(short answer questions) - Essay Example Another important external factor is globalization which has created new business opportunities. HR departments have to analyze the benefits and costs of outsourcing business processes (Richardson & Thompson, 1999: Pg 67). The HR department is also influenced by the internal factors. Technology, innovation, and creativity might be implemented at the workplace. The HR department can seek to hire and recruit workers who have adequate skills in installing and configuring technological applications. Innovation and creativity is also required in order to enhance productivity and output. HR departments need to take into account the individual factors. Employees must have high levels of organizational commitment and job satisfaction in order to function at optimum levels. The HR department plans a system of incentives and rewards for performing employees. It can use assessment instruments in order to create satisfactory work environment. The HR department is at the forefront of an organization’s corporate strategy. The work force should be selected on the basis of certain competencies. Workers should exhibit high levels of efficiency and effectiveness. Their ability to work as teams and under pressure improves the corporate strategy of the organization. Further the work force should demonstrate efficiency and effectiveness. The goal of the HR department should be develop specific competencies like leadership, management, organization, planning, and coordination amongst the work force. Workers should be trained to collaborate and cooperate with each other (Beaumont, 1993: Pg 123). A dual HR strategy refers to the creation of appropriate business rules and regulations. It seeks to regulate and monitor employee actions and performance. The advantages of this approach are that it enables the department to create accurate and reliable job descriptions. Further employee concerns and aspirations are addressed in a s mart and reliable manner. A

News Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

News Assignment - Essay Example highlight his innovative leadership traits, paving the way to his appointment to the rank of the Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department (Beltran, 2009). Story on the appointment of Charles Beck can not be completed without conducting an interview with the Mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa, who made the selection of Beck very judiciously. He will be inquired on his selection parameters while consulting various stakeholders of the Los Angeles society, including business, religious and community leaders who offered the Mayor their recommendations to select Beck as the next Police Chief, as the various communities in LA expected in their next Chief of Police. His discussion with high profile dignitaries will form part of the interview for the critical inputs given by them to justify the name of Beck to the highest post of LA Police Department (Beltran, 2009). Reading the message of Beck about three years later on the overall situation of LA, one feels satisfied that the Mayor has selected a right person to the highest post of the Police Department (Beck, 2012). Ewton, Z. (2007, Apr 14). How to write a news lead: craft a lead that will hook readers and wont let go. Yahoo! Contributor Network. Retrieved from

Warfighting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Warfighting - Essay Example The military operation plan has to correlate with the security cooperation and contingency planning guidelines of the Guidance for Employment of the Force (GEF) [Sweeney, pg.64]. As the US is not supporting the claim of present Moroccan government with respect to their sovereignty over Western Sahara, and is of the position that the UN-mediated ceasefire of 1991 be respected by all parties and a peaceful resolution of the conflict be sought, the mission will try to accomplish the same under a wider perspective. In this matter US forces envisage to work in cooperation with a UN peacekeeping force and will try to accomplish in long term, a permanent ceasefire, reduction of Moroccan military presence in the region, ensuring Moroccan and Polisario militaries keep to their assigned territories, release from Moroccan jails of all Western Saharan political prisoners and also exchange of pows, implementation of a UN-led repatriation program for refugees, registration of all qualified voters, and a free and fair referendum. Under the short term objectives of the mission, will come another set of conflict resolution and humanitarian aid providing steps. The immediate step in this sequence of action will be to try to prevent more people from marching in into the cities and also finding solution to the humanitarian crisis caused by the already happened influx of people. It would be a matter of priority to help the women and children who have entered the city as part of the protesting groups as they are the most vulnerable elements to a humanitarian tragedy. Food, potable water and medical support will have to be arranged for all those who are in need of them. In view of the US policy to have a peaceful solution to the crisis, our mission will also be primarily to avert the exercise of force that can lead to violence or physical repression.

Mainly Othello(Shakespeare) with comparison from Medea(Euripides)- Essay

Mainly Othello(Shakespeare) with comparison from Medea(Euripides)- Drama as Literature class - Essay Example speare in his play as we watch Lago and Roderigo complaining to Brabanzio that his daughter has been not only been stolen but also married to Othello. It is through his efforts that Brabanzio finally discovers that truly his daughter has been married to Othello, an act that is totally against his wishes for his daughter. Once more, Shakespeare is displaying how far characters in the play are attempting to go far in mixing issues of love with heroism in their respective lives. Brabanzio further gets officers to find Othello and bring him to his attention. Brabanzio is putting his efforts to using his fame and recognition in the society so as to report Othello to the Senate in connection with his missing daughter. It is for the very first time that the play allows the viewer to have love being handled single handedly without any connection to fame and heroism. The senate is not at all interested in judging the matter from the heroic point of view of Brabanzio but offers Othello some sympathy by allowing him a chance to clarify himself. It is at this point that Othello is given a very fair chance to explain himself before the Senate. It becomes very clear before everyone that Othello did not steal away Desdemona using witchcraft as the father has reported but used his heroic stories in the military to woo her into marriage. Desdemona also enters the room at this particular point and confirms that her loyalty is now totally to her husband and not her father. The Senate is surely convinced about this point of view that is being expressed by Othello (Shakespeare 11). It is although brought towards the attention of the viewer that Othello too used his military heroism to capture the love of Desdemona. At this point, it is for the very first time that love and heroism are being mixed and the product being a successful one. Othello has succeeded in pursuing his love by the use of the heroism that he has gotten from his military operations. Just as it was the case with

Warfighting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Warfighting - Essay Example The military operation plan has to correlate with the security cooperation and contingency planning guidelines of the Guidance for Employment of the Force (GEF) [Sweeney, pg.64]. As the US is not supporting the claim of present Moroccan government with respect to their sovereignty over Western Sahara, and is of the position that the UN-mediated ceasefire of 1991 be respected by all parties and a peaceful resolution of the conflict be sought, the mission will try to accomplish the same under a wider perspective. In this matter US forces envisage to work in cooperation with a UN peacekeeping force and will try to accomplish in long term, a permanent ceasefire, reduction of Moroccan military presence in the region, ensuring Moroccan and Polisario militaries keep to their assigned territories, release from Moroccan jails of all Western Saharan political prisoners and also exchange of pows, implementation of a UN-led repatriation program for refugees, registration of all qualified voters, and a free and fair referendum. Under the short term objectives of the mission, will come another set of conflict resolution and humanitarian aid providing steps. The immediate step in this sequence of action will be to try to prevent more people from marching in into the cities and also finding solution to the humanitarian crisis caused by the already happened influx of people. It would be a matter of priority to help the women and children who have entered the city as part of the protesting groups as they are the most vulnerable elements to a humanitarian tragedy. Food, potable water and medical support will have to be arranged for all those who are in need of them. In view of the US policy to have a peaceful solution to the crisis, our mission will also be primarily to avert the exercise of force that can lead to violence or physical repression.

Wal-Mart and Union Membership Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Wal-Mart and Union Membership - Research Paper Example The only advantage of having a union is that Wal-Mart will have to consult only the union when implementing its human resource policies rather than to consult the individual workers separately. It will also ease the government’s regulations in the industry as the government would know that the trade union is there to represent the interest of workers. Another advantage of Trade Unions for Wal-Mart is that it will make sure that all the grievances and resentment of workers are heard before they become an issue and hence it will result in better employee-employer relationship which will lead to smooth functioning of the organization.Hence, we can see that although Wal-Mart enjoys certain advantages when working with unions, but these are greatly outnumbered by the disadvantages of working with unions. 2) Employee gains a lot of advantages if they have union membership. The greatest advantage that it renders to the workers is strength in numbers. The bigger a group of workers demanding certain right, the more pressure it can put on the management and hence there are more chances that the management would give in to their demands. This encourages more and more employees to join the union and enjoy the benefits of being strong and more vocal. Another advantage for union membership is the Trade Union fund which is given in the form of allowances to its members in case they need them. It is disbursed to members who are going through a period of illness, trauma or any other kind of problem that requires them to use these funds of part of these funds. Similarly, Union membership allows the employees to communicate more actively with the government and press them to legislate for acts that promote workers’ rights and also increase job security. However, there are certain disadvanta ges of a union member also. Employees have to pay certain amount annually to the union as a membership fee. This puts an additional burden on employees. Individual employees cannot press for their demand and they lose their voice at the expense of what the large majority wants. Hence, one can say that although the union membership is beneficial for workers, it can also bring disharmony and conflict of interest among workers which can lead to other organization-wide problems. (Daft, 1996) 3) There can economics, social and ethical consequences of Wal-Mart trying to stop allowing its workers to hold a union membership. Many pressure groups will turn against Wal-Mart. They will declare Wal-Mart as an organization that does not support workers’ rights. This will lead to loss of goodwill and bad reputation for the company. Many customers might turn away from buying from Wal-Mart which will lead to loss of revenue for the company. It will also discourage workers joining Wal-Mart as they would see it as an organization that does not respect their rights and they are being treated not so well. This will lead to a decrease in supply of workers who want to join Wal-Mart and it will have to pay the workers who want to join Wal-Mart higher wages (Bamford, 2003). This can again lead to less of profitability in the income

The Un and Their Involvement in the Rwandan Genocide Essay Example for Free

The Un and Their Involvement in the Rwandan Genocide Essay In this paper I will give a brief history of the Genocide in Rwanda, and then I will focus on one key question: What responsibilities did UNAMIR have to help, and did they successfully accomplish those responsiblities? History of Rwanda: After the start of the First World War the Belgians moved eastward and took over Ruanda-Urundi (The colonies that were previously occupied by the Germans). In 1924, the League of Nations officially awarded that land to the Belgians. The Belgians saw the differences and problems between the Hutus (the lower class farmers) and the Tutsis (mostly upper class herdsmen), and they decided to give control of the country over to the Tutsis. From then on the Tutsis began to abuse their power and they were dominant and abusive to the Hutus. In 1933 all citizens were required to have racial identity cards, which separated the two races even more. July 1962, Ruanda-Urundi gained their independence. The Urundi and Rwanda governments split and each formed separate countries. Urundi became a monarchy and changed its name to Burundi. Rwanda continued to have ethnic struggles and there was much violence. The first president elected was of the Hutu race. His name was Gregoire Kayibanda; after the election the Tutsis were made out to be the bad guys, and they were blamed for everything. Things continued to get worse for the Tutsis, and in December 1963, after a few Tutsi militias entered into Rwanda, 14’000 Tutsis were brutally murdered. In 1973, Kayibanda was removed from the Government and Juvenal Habyarimana was put in as the new president. Habyarimana was very much anti-Tutsi and in 1986 he closed the Rwandan boarders to all Tutsis and even moderate Hutus. As opposition to the Habyarimana regime many Tutsi officers from the Ugandan army, grouped up with Rwandan Tutsis and they formed the RPF (Rwandan Patriotic Front). On October 1, 1990, the officers deserted their army with all weapons and equipment in hand and moved into Southern Rwanda. This act begun what would be 4 years of the worst genocide in history. After the invasion of Southern Rwanda, the RPF moved North-East. Habyarimana defeated them with the aid of French paratroopers, provided by President Mitterrand. In December of 1990, an extremist newspaper prints â€Å"The Hutu Ten Commandments† which show the extreme hatred that the Hutu people had for the Tutsis. From that time on, the slaughtering of Tutsis continued, but there was pressure from many different countries for Habyarimana to make peace with the RPF and the Tutsi people. In 1993, there was a meeting held in Arusha, Tanzania with the hope of bringing peace to all; this was when the â€Å"Arusha Accord† was established. The â€Å"Arusha Accord† officially states that the war is over and that the remaining Tutsi refugees may return to Rwanda. The UN is called in to make sure that everything is carried out smoothly and they appoint a chapter 6 peace keeping force, UNIMAR, to see that out. On the 6th of April, 1994, the airplane carrying President Habyarimana and the President of Burundi, Cyprien Ntaryamira, was shot down. Both Presidents were killed. This marked the end of negotiations for peace and, to put it lightly, all hell broke loose in Rwanda. Between April 6th and the beginning of July, 1994 a genocide occurred that is easily one of the biggest disasters in the history of the civilized world. UNAMIR: The United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) was deployed during the time that peace talks were taking place. It was a Chapter 6 UN mission and was sent to keep the peace between the two rivaling groups, oversee government activities, and ensure safety until elections took place. The United Nations Observer Mission Uganda-Rwanda (UNOMUR) also played a role in the mission for Rwanda and they were treated as a Sector within UNAMIR. UNOMUR was stationed in Kabale, which was on the Ugandan side of the Uganda/Rwanda border opposite the area under RPF control; they were to monitor the flow of men, arms, and supplies from Uganda to the RPF in Rwanda. Their force consisted of MILOBs. A Chapter 6 mission mandate states: â€Å"First of all, seek a resolution by negotiation, enquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement, resort to regional agencies or arrangements, or other peaceful means of their choice†. That was another major problem, because when the killing was going on the troops were not allowed to defend themselves because they were only there to enforce peace by negotiation and not by way of force, as stated by the mandate. The ROE also stated that the military personnel were to, â€Å"Only fire when fired upon. † UNAMIR was an ill-equipped, undermanned, and severely limited mission. The troops in Rwanda totaled 2’584 people; they had virtually no means of transportation, very limited supplies, and very few weapons. Most of the equipment that they had was out-dated and virtually unusable. The mission had to put in requests for everything ranging from toilet paper to ammunition; much of which was never provided. This was a large part of what made UNAMIR a complete failure. There was a complete lack of attention to the mission in Rwanda and no country wanted to provide resources to help. The reason that they could get no reinforcements or supplies was because of the unwillingness of Western countries to contribute anything. The exception to that is Belgium, who contributed most of the troops that were deployed into Rwanda. The different countries around the world saw the mission in Rwanda as a sideshow to the other things that were going on, for example, in the former Yugoslavia, in Somalia, etc. This unwillingness and unconcern was what allowed the Genocide to occur and what facilitated the deaths of 800,000 people in Rwanda. There are many reasons why UNAMIR failed, most of which I have attempted to explain, but it is impossible to point the finger at just one group. There were many different factors that contributed to the Genocide. UNAMIR itself tried as hard as it could under the limited supplies and the mandate that they had. Lieutenant General Romeo Dallaire did what he could with what he had, and he with the small contingent that he had saved the lives of many, but had he been given the things that he needed many thousands more could have been saved. This was not an organization, or a mission that failed; it was the failure of humanity.

Paulo Freires Pedagogy Of The Oppressed Literature Essay

Paulo Freires Pedagogy Of The Oppressed Literature Essay The Pedagogy of the Oppressed was written in 1968. The book became widely popular within a few years and was the subject of discussion by many people in the educational world as well as activists. In the teaching realm this book can be seen as something like an icon. It gives an inside view of the relationship triangle involved with education. The book can be seen as a set of guiding principles which Freire admits are skills hes learned through experience. Freire encourages individuals to use growth through situations from daily life and learned lessons from circumstances as tools to further your learning experiences. Paulo Freires purpose in writing the Pedagogy of the Oppressed is to help oppressed individuals form themselves and avoid being formed by other peoples acts of oppression. This book has a high level of vocabulary and word scheme that helps in its own way to educate the reader not just of oppression but in literacy as well, which was one Freires main works in life. Throughout this book you will find different proposals made by Freire to help individuals form themselves and heighten their own education. One of such examples is for a person to take his own life experiences that are constantly encountered instead of made up occurrences to rationalize problems in the educational aspect. Paulo Freire was born September 19, 1921 in Recife, Pemambuco, Brazil. His family was one that would be considered middle class. His father Joaquim Freire was an officer of the Pemambuco military police, while his mother tended to the home. During the Great Depression, the familys economic troubles resulted in them relocating in Jaboatao, which is where most of Paulos childhood and early teen years were spent. His mother managed to get him accepted into a private school in Recife, on a scholarship when he entered high school. Later in life Paulo would return to teach Portuguese at the same institution. At the young age of 13, Freires father passed away, that was the year of 1934. Paulo had a hard time making his way into the upper class society in his high school, because of his middle class status. School was a very important factor to the young adolescent and he strived to do his best in his studies. At the age of 20, Paulo was in Law school and had already mastered his grammar in Portuguese and was starting his studies in philosophy Sociology. In 1943 Paulo Freire married a elementary school teacher names, Elza Oliveira, just a year after he started Law School. Freires Law career was a short one which ended before he could even put his skills to use with his first client. Freires wife confided in him that shes hoped hes change his mind to education. Later the majority of his life would be based around his works in education and his strives to make improve the educational system. In 1946 Freire took over the Pemambuco Department of Education and Culture of the Social Service Industry as the Director. His 10 year term is detailed in the Pedagogy of Hope, another of Freires great works. The experience helped further Freires achievements by giving him a basis on which to develop his doctoral dissertation in 1959. This is what led to his first book, Education as the Practice of Freedom, which was completed and published during the premature years of his exile in Chile in during 1965. During 1957 Paulo was also appointed as the director of SESIs Pemambuco Regional Chapter Division of Research and planning. In 1959 Freire was appointed as the professor of the History and Philosophy of Education at the School of fine arts, after his thesis was accepted and hed done much traveling and consulting with other SESI programs as well as founding the Capibarbie Institute which is committed to scientific, ethical and moral education. Freire received many accomplishments and recognitions of honor as well as appointments of honor, many of which were educationally related. However after March 31, 1964 Freires exceedingly advancing career took a pause. After Freires participation for education movements and the peasants proved able to read the military came in and took control, throwing Paulo into prison twice and sending him into exile. To better understand the purpose of the book, it is essential to first know the meaning behind the title. According to Merriam-Websters online dictionary, the meaning of the word Pedagogy is: The art or science of teaching; especially: Education. This is the basis of the book itself; Freire directs our attention to the relationship between that of a teacher and student along with society Another word that it is vital to understand is Oppressed, I turned once again to Merriam-Webster for this definition which is as follows: To crush or burden by use of power and authority. Paulo Freires Pedagogy of the Oppressed gives us a view into the education system and how it is becoming less of a good learning tool. The education system has become less creative, and the teachers are sucking the very supplement of life out of the lessons. The minds of students today resemble that of storage, filled solid with memorized information that is later replaced when the next subject is being taught. We can see evidence in this today as many teachers focus in the classroom is prepping their students to the states standards so that they may pass the standardized tests. The teachers teach specifically to the test continuously replacing information in the students storage so that only the test materials remain. Freires book clues us in on the relationship between teacher and student, and the method that the teachers try to instill in the students to produce the perfect student, some of which include: The teacher is the main subject or model for the students, and the students are objects waiting to be molding into what the teacher perceives to be the perfect student. This relationship refers to Freires comment in his book During the initial stage of their struggle the oppressed find in the oppressor their model of manhood. (Freire 46) This is one of the quotes I selected throughout the book that I believe help the reader to gain insight to the message being delivered through Freires text. Oppression of students is much easier the more teachers dominate and control their students. Sometimes they are successful in their endeavors and others times the students notice this and rebel in an attempt to challenge the teachers and dominate over them instead. Freedom is acquired by conquest, not by gift. (Freire 47) This quote is used not only to give hope but also instruction. Sometimes shedding a previous habit or custom seems near impossible but in Freires text he uses this statement to show that there is a way to break free from the overbearing rules so that one may gain his or her freedom. When reading the book I saw that the main tool of domination when using the Oppressor-Oppressed method in education is the banking approach. The banking method, which is only the act of depositing information into a student, has very little connection to critical thinking skills or creative thought process. The method is set up that way so that there is no room to threaten authority. In this aspect the teacher is superior because they know all the information that they are to instill in the student but it is highly unlikely that through lecture alone the student will understand the importance and application of this new information, which the teacher more than likely will know . This is another example of the relationships Freire talks about amongst students and teachers, the teacher knows everything and the students know nothing. I find this to be false though, even though the oppressed (students) are more often than not at a great disadvantage to the knowledge of the teachers they, being oppressed know in a different sense a far greater importance than their oppressors. In the Pedagogy of the Oppressed Freire says Who are better prepared than the oppressed to understand the terrible significance of an oppressive society? Who suffer the effects of oppression more than the oppressed? Who can better understand the necessity of liberation? They will not gain this liberation by chance but through the praxis of their quest for it, through their recognition of the necessity to fight for it. And this fight, because of the purpose given it by the oppressed, will actually constitute an act of love opposing the lovelessness which lies at the heart of the oppressors violence, lovelessness even when clothed in false generosity. I took this to mean that even though they may be oppressed in the end it is the oppressed who often teach the oppressor a far greater lesson than they would have been able to teach themselves. Oppression can be the control factor in everything we as a people do. In education there is a formula for the success and Oppression is the control factor in the experiment. Without oppression students would use their creativity analytical skills to seek out the answers to challenges in everyday life as well as in the classroom. One thing that is very important to understand about education is that there isnt one set method or formula to teach or learn something, there is only what works best for the teacher or learner. Freires argument presented in the Pedagogy of the Oppressed is indisputable. He delivers his view not by the over-use of factual information and evidence but by creating a sense of either acceptance or denial of his belief. The author is able to deflect opposing arguments by first establishing his idea of the Oppressor within. Then throughout reading the book that single idea is able to back Freire in the majority of his statements leaving many critiques unable to ridicule his work. One of Freires arguments was that educators needed to have a profound trust in people. Their goal is to be able to understand, accept and connect with the people so that they may help raise a type of awareness in the people and their actions. However this goal can sometimes back-fire and end with negative results, if done incorrectly and with force, no compromise, disregard for the peoples culture and beliefs. Paulo Freires Pedagogy of the Oppressed was a wonderful read and left me insightful to the teacher student relationships, the beliefs of Paulo Freire . I believe that Freire put much thought and passion into the writing of this book and more than proficiently backed his opinion and arguments throughout the book in its entirety. Freires tone and attitude suggest that we are either supporters of the oppressed or oppressors ourselves. While this is a standard good vs. evil theme there is a more in depth meaning behind Freire forcing you to choose a side. This however can only be taken to a certain level without potentially warping future educators, resulting in an unbalanced structure and behavior. While reading, I got the sense that the author was often using everyday occurrences to help relate to pedagogical situations. The authenticity of my thought pattern here could be very accurate because after doing some research on Paulo Freire I saw in his biography that Pedagogy of the Oppressed was written with influence from some of Freires very own experiences in the educational career. His method makes a great deal of sense seeing as his approach was to reach and educator the world of the education system. This book is ideal for educators as well as parents and students. The Pedagogy of the Oppressed explains in great details the education system and the relationship of powers amongst students and teachers. Freire divides the world into the oppressed and oppressor, this is the under the assumption that the wielder and submitters to power fall into those categories. Although neither is free from the other, the oppressed are those who take the brunt of the relationship. Not only are the oppressed being suppressed by their oppressors but they also are conflicted with a fearfulness of freedom. (Freire 47) This confliction is what allows the oppressors to maintain and strengthen their superiority and keep the oppressed in a state of inferiority. I believe it was Freires hope that in writing this book and sharing his insight with the world he would somehow manage to lend a hand in the oppressed realizing their fate and perceive the reality of oppression not as a closed world from which there is no exit, but as a limiting situation which they can transform. (Freire) Although many educators have analyzed this book along with students, parents, and various people in the political world there are still many who do not grasp the importance of Freires work. The pedagogy of the oppressed is an instrument for their critical discovery. It is tool of liberation for the oppressed who have not realized their state of oppression. Once a person reads this book, if Freire has a accomplished his goal in that individual they will being to notice topics that Freire mentions throughout the book and realize that they may or may not have been a victim of oppression at some point in their lives.

The art of loving :: essays research papers

The Art of Loving is a slim volume of only a little over a hundred pages yet it packs one hell of a punch. Written some fifty years ago, here is a more damning indictment of modern society than anything the existential crowd of Bertrand Russell, Albert Camus or Jean Paul Sartre could cook up. The Art of Loving is a very concise and pithy read, it is written in the terse lucid style of gospel, each word in each line serving a critical function. This is not a writer’s style nor is a critic’s but that of a scientist, impartial and wholly objective – some may think of it as cold. But it is also easy to see that it is written by a man who is completely at ease with his ideas, who has followed them to their natural conclusion – that Love is a dead flower; and only one in a million may ever resurrect it in his or her life. Something as audacious a title as The Art of Loving could only have been pulled off by a man of the calibre of Bertrand Russell, and as a social philosopher, reformer and rebel Erich Fromm is no less great a name. As a psychoanalyst, he diverged from the typical Freudian obsession with unconscious drives and insisted on the importance of economic and social factors for mental well-being. His works are noted for their emphasis on a â€Å"sane society†, one which is based on rational human needs and where individuality is not compromised in the name of economics or authority. Erich Fromm is one of the pivotal figures in the Humanist movement that reared its head for a short flicker after World War II. His highly influential works (including Man for Himself, Escape from Freedom, The Sane Society, etc.) paint the pathetic picture of dazed consumer and encourage a renaissance of new, enlightened values to salvage our humanity. And it’s more than just talk – in The Art of Loving, Fromm quotes effortlessly from Marx, Huxley, Rumi and several religious texts to hammer in his points. Is Love really an art? Undoubtedly, he answers, in as much as Life itself is an art – which has a very nice ring to it, but seems to be a wholly outdated formula – and which is where our problems begin. The world is a Market today, Fromm says, and our whole culture is based on the idea of a â€Å"mutually favourable exchange†.

Trading Peace For Profits :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As the Bible says â€Å"To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under Heaven†. Woodstock 1969, it was a time for love ... and hate. In a country with race riots and the Vietnam war a single dove perched on a guitar neck changed America for ever and brought a new light to the world in just 72 hours. Dubbed â€Å"three days of peace and love† the legacy of Woodstock spawned a sequel...Woodstock 1999. To go into all the differences between Woodstock 69 and Woodstock 99 is a task that couldn’t be completed by Woodstock 2004(which is already in the works). From psychedelic fields to Wall Street; materialistic movers and shakers of the 1980’s and ’90’s; are our parents really the long hairs of love and peace , half stoned music lovers of the sixties? When did it all change when did they change? Woodstock and what happened there after presents the changes in the views of society in a microcosm. The love and peace in 69 to a aggressive show of â€Å"teenage angst† in 99; what has the legacy of Woodstock really been Free love and communal sharing to the hyper merchandising and materialism; Idealism to Disillusionment. How we have changed...can we ever â€Å" make our way back to the garden?†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In comparing these two event one must realize the decades which separates them and more importantly what has taken place in the world since 1969. The people who were in attendance in 69. were not part of the instant access world. computers were for scientist not a tool for spanning the glob to speak about everything from the latest music to sex with your cyber friends in Australia. America was the still unquestionable the champions of the world coming out of World War II and Korea. Every child could look forward to doing as well or better than his or her parents. In other words America was riding high in a golden age with only one major pitfall; Vietnam. How does a generation tell the last generation of warrior that they don’t want to fight. The war started by the older generation is not their war. They ban together or they come together in what can only be described as a â€Å"happening† the proportions of which no one could have predicted. The peaceful shock waves of which were heard around the world, the harmony and love of which we have been trying to recapture since.

Adolescent Counseling and the Significant Aspects of Counseling Our Youth

Adolescence is a developmental stage that is broken down into three stages. During this time, adolescents have a difficult time trying to find who they are and who they want to become. This is a time that adolescents may need to turn to someone else for help and guidance. For this reason Adolescent Counselors are extremely important and it can be both tricky and rewarding. There are many different important aspects that pertain to Adolescent Christian Counseling such as Rapport, Trust, Respect, Warmth, Empathy and Genuineness. To provide the appropriate and effective counseling to adolescents these aspects must be taken seriously. There are many different ethical guidelines to follow when dealing with adolescent minors that can be complicated but must be followed. Biblical values and personal values must also be intertwined into adolescent Christian counseling. To ensure one is a Competent Christian counselor, tools given to the counselor should be taken seriously and used in an efficient manor. Adolescent Counseling and the Significant Aspects of Counseling Our Youth â€Å"Adolescence is the developmental stage that lies between childhood and adulthood† (Feldman, 2011, p. 350). The Encyclopedia of Family Health, (2011) divides adolescence into three phases: â€Å"(1) early (10-13 years, marked by rapid physical changes with the onset of puberty), (2) middle (14-16 years, marked by the rise in importance of peer group values), and (3) late (17-mid-20s, marked by years of college or work after high school, increased decision-making capacity, and transition from full family financial dependence to limited monetary support and a goal of economic independence)†. As you can see there are many transitions that adolescents make during this time, which may be difficult for them to face alone. During this time adolescents are also trying to find themselves and who they are. Feldman, (2011) states, â€Å"During adolescence, questions like â€Å"Who am I? And â€Å"Where do I belong in the world? † begin to take a front seat† (p. 382). At times these questions are too much for our youth to handle so they seek counseling as a way to get through the tough times and explore themselves. Adolescents handle their struggles in different ways and have different methods in coping. Clinton & Ohlschlager, (2003) believe there are three common ways adolescents deal with their struggles. â€Å"They (1) hold them in, (2) act them out, or (3) work them through†(p. 68). Counseling is particularly important with those adolescents that want to work through their problems. They are ready to take responsibility for what has happened or what they are going through in their lives and they want to move forward and work through the struggles. Having the ability to help these adolescents is why the topic of adolescents is extremely important in counseling. Adolescents find it difficult to open up to people because of the fear of being judged looked at differently or what they say going back to their parents. They need someone they can trust, from an appropriate bond with and open up to. ‘Bond’ describes the system of positive attachments between the client and therapist, including trust, acceptance and confidence† (Campbell & Simmonds, 2011, p. 196). The bond that a counselor has with a client can set the tone for what is to come and rather or not the adolescent will open up to them. Warmth, Genuineness, Empathy, Respect, Trust, and Rapport are among the other important aspects of counseling adolescents. To have the ability to effectively counsel adolescents a counselor must have the ability to understand the adolescent and where the feelings they are having are coming from. This does not necessarily mean the counselor must agree, they just have to understand and be willing to look at it from the adolescent’s perspective. â€Å" The most important instrument you have to help adolescents is you (Parrott, 1997). Who you are as a person is critical in determining the effectiveness of your counseling† (Clinton & Ohlschlager, 2003, p. 571). Understanding the client is not the only thing that is important to counseling adolescents. There are many different legal issues and ethical concerns in relation to counseling our youth and they are determined by the state the counselor lives in. You must be aware of rather or not the state requires an adolescent to have parental consent, the age they can consent to treatment for themselves and what types of treatment they can consent to. You must be aware of whether or not you should speak to the minor about informed consent and to what extent confidentiality takes place (Corey, Corey & Callanan, 2011, p. 187). There are many ethical concerns when treating minors and they should all be taken into consideration to be able to effectively counsel the adolescent as well as ensuring the counselor is following guidelines. The counselor’s values need to be a part of the counseling relationship with adolescents as well. Being a Christian Counselor one must be â€Å"deeply committed, spirit guided, servant of Jesus Christ, that applies their God-given abilities, skills, training, knowledge and insight to helping others move to personal wholeness, interpersonal competence, mental stability and spiritual maturity† (Corey, Corey & Callanan, 2011, p. 44). With that being said, the values of the counselor and the adolescent will help point the counseling sessions in a direction that the counselor as well as the client agrees with. Fostering an alliance with children may be more difficult because children rarely refer themselves for treatment, can be reluctant to enter therapy, infrequently recognize the existence of problems or agree with adults on therapeutic goals (Campbell & Simmonds, 2011, p. 196) Being able to share values with them and believing in the same things can help the client be more open with you therefore allowing you to help them. Major Themes Warmth Accepting where your client is coming from is a very important aspect in counseling, especially when dealing with adolescents. The key to nonpossessive warmth is acceptance. It is an attitude that does not evaluate or require change; it simply accepts the thoughts, feelings and actions of the client† (Clinton & Ohlschlager, 2003, p. 572). Adolescents want to be heard and to feel as if the people around them care and accept them for who they are. It is very important for counselors to make each client feel important and make sure they know th at they matter. When adolescents feel as if they matter and that they are important, they will open up to the counselor making it easier to work through problems and the search of who they are. Adolescents are always searching for who they are and when a person in an important role can accept the adolescent for who they are, the adolescent may begin to accept themselves. Genuineness Just as a counselor can tell if someone wants to be in counseling, an adolescent can tell if you want to help them or not. Counselors want to be honest with their clients, show that they care and make it known they care about the wellbeing of the client. Counseling is sometimes a long process, therefore you need the adolescents to stay connected to you and feel as if they are accomplishing the goals you have set in counseling. When topics in which a counselor does not agree with come up, or when a counselor feels as if progress is not being made, they need to be truthful with the adolescent. â€Å"When counselors are genuine with clients that means they are being real with their clients and informing them accurately about the helping process. Rogers believes that genuineness is one of the important factors required to help people grow. Counselors need to be real and honest with clients in order for clients to see how they need to change and start making the steps to do so. Counselors need to be willing to be open with their clients and not afraid to challenge them when appropriate† (Smith, 2013). Adolescents are on a constant search for who they are; helping them find who they are often requires counselors to challenge their thoughts and actions. Being honest and showing that the counselor genuinely cares about the adolescent will help the therapeutic process. Empathy A client wants their counselor to understand what they are going through and have been through in their life. Understanding what the client is feeling and letting the client know you understand is very important in adolescent counseling. Adolescents want to be heard and they want you to understand the feelings they have to try and make sense of them. â€Å"As a counselor acquires an empathic understanding of a client, this awareness may contribute to effectively formulating and executing a range of therapeutic interventions† (Clark, 2010, p. 353). It has been shown that Peer Counseling is often very effective and expressing empathy is one of the main reasons that peer counseling is so effective (Geldard & Patton, 2007, p. 42). If Counselors need to possess the ability to relate to the client’s issues, concerns and feelings the way their peers do the counseling will be effective. Being empathetic to the clients needs, will allow the client to feel more comfortable and open up. Respect Respect is something that every professional relationship must have. â€Å" According to Gerard Egan, respect is the foundational value of counseling. Without it, the counseling process is likely to fail. Respect is not just an attitude we have towards someone; it is also a way of talking and acting. Respect is shown to someone when we honor a person through word or deed just for who they are, and it involves honoring their rights too† (Smith, 2013). Every person has the right to have their own beliefs, counselors must have the ability to respond in a respectful manner to those who do not have the same beliefs or values in which the counselor has. Respecting an adolescents beliefs and values can help and adolescent from withdrawing emotionally from the counseling process. Trust Trust is an important factor in every relationship we have in life. â€Å"In counseling there are two foundational prerequisites to counseling children; 1) Understanding your clients developmental level and 2) Building rapport and establishing trust with your client†(Adams & Paxton, 2013, p. ). Trust will take a client a long way in counseling and it is important that counselors not break that trust. Therefore they must be open and honest when it comes to informed consent and what the counselor can and cannot keep confidential. Adolescents face a lot of different battles as they grow into young adults and they may be shy, emotional and uncomfortable sharing certain aspects of their life. â€Å"When adolescents feel that they can trust an adult or advocate, or health education teacher, they know that their feelings are being considered and understood† (Thompson, 2011, p. 18). Every counselor needs to form a therapeutic alliance with his or her client and trust contributes a great deal to the ability to develop that therapeutic alliance (Therapist Perspectives, p. 198). Rapport Rapport has been described as â€Å"the relative harmony and smoothness of relations between people† (Spencer-Oatey, 2005, p. 96). Building a rapport should be one of the first goals in adolescent counseling. The fact that most adolescents do not want to be in counseling and are forced to be there makes first impressions extremely important. Counselors should begin building a rapport and establishing trust with their clients right away. When clients feel comfortable with their counselor and can relate to them they will open up to them. With adolescents this may make them see that counseling could be good for them and could be a positive way of getting them to come back to counseling and continuing the process. Important Legal and Ethical Issues When working with adolescents there are many different ethical and legal dilemmas that come into play with the counseling process. It is extremely important for every counselor to become familiar with their states laws pertaining to minors. In most states minors must have informed consent from either the parent or legal guardian, if that consent is not given the counseling must be court ordered (Corey, Corey & Callanan, 2011, p. 187). The law requiring minors to have the consent of their parent or legal guardian makes it difficult for counselors to keep what is talked about in counseling confidential. Therefore it is extremely important that every counselor be open and honest with his or her client and have them sign informed consent forms, therefore you know they understand the boundaries of their relationship. Counselors also have the responsibility to ensure that the adolescent clients understand the therapy process, if a client does not understand how the process works; the counselor is legally obligated to explain it to them. The ACA, 2005 states â€Å"When counseling minor clients or adult clients who lack the capacity to give voluntary consent to release confidential information, counselors seek permission from an appropriate third party to disclose information. In such instances, counselors inform clients consistent with their level of understanding and take culturally appropriate measures to safe- guard client confidentiality. There are certain situations when working with minors that may not require a counselor to have the informed consent of the parent, nor do they have to release the confidential information. Corey, Corey & Callanan, 2011, p. 187 state â€Å"Informed consent of parents or guardians may not be legally required when a minor is seeking counseling for dangerous dru gs or narcotics, for sexually transmitted diseases, for pregnancy and birth control, or for an examination following alleged sexual assault of a minor over 12 years old†. For instance in Virginia, a minor has the right to seek counsel when deciding if they would like to have an abortion or give their child up for adoption without consent of a parent or legal guardian (Smith, 2013). Counselors also need to include the adolescents in the therapy process and explain the different goals of therapy to them. Therapy is a relationship between the client and the counselor, and rather or not the client wants to be their they still need to be an active part of the process for counseling to be effective. Counseling adolescents becomes a lot easier when the adolescent, the counselor and the parents and or guardian come to an understanding. Because counselors are legally obligated to share information with the parents if asked, adolescents often do not open up to the counselor in fear of their parents finding out information. Having an agreement between all parties in the beginning of counseling about what information will be given to the parents may help the adolescent open up. However there are situations in which it does not matter what agreements have been made. The counselor is legally obligated to inform the parents if the adolescent is planning to harm himself or herself or someone else. However there are also laws that go the other way, meaning that if a client is at risk of harm if information is relayed to the parents or guardian, then the proper authorities need to be informed and the parents or guardians do not need to be informed. Ethics and issues in counseling can be very difficult. It is up to the counselor to stay up to date with the Ethical Guidelines pertaining to their field as well as the ethical guidelines in their state. It is also important to document everything therefore if a parent or guardian comes and says that the counselor failed to give information pertaining to a minor the counselor is covered. Documentation includes having client’s notes, and informed consent forms signed by both the adolescent and the parent or legal guardian. The counselor knowing and understanding their boundaries are key to effectively counseling and following ethical guidelines. * Biblical Values The AACC Ethics Code has 7 foundations or biblical values that Christian Counselors should follow to be a successful Christian Counselor. The first Foundation is to ensure that each counselor follows ethical guidelines, Christian counseling practice and caregiving activities. The second Foundation states that Christian Counselors should maintain a positive and committed relationship with the church. The third foundation is to maintain a spirited route to encouraging those to mature and develop a relationship with Christ. The fourth foundation states that Jesus Christ should be their first love, and respect everyone they come across in their career. The fifth foundation is to believe in the bible and what the bible says. The sixth foundation is to follow the religious rights of people. The last foundation is to is to represent Christ, the church and honor their commitments and obligations in both social and professional settings. Christian Counselors have been given the gift to help people through their troubled times. When helping adolescent’s Christian counselors must remember that they are guiding the future of our world. Christian counselors must stay close to the bible and close to Jesus Christ, ensuring that adolescents know and understand his word. Adolescents spend their time looking for who they are and their place in this world. It is the job of the Christian counselor to ensure each adolescent knows what their future can hold for them as long as they believe in God and the plan he has. By following the Foundations of Christian Counseling in both counseling sessions and in their non-professional lives, it becomes easier for the counselor to guide individuals down the right path. Personal Reflections I believe that Christian Counselors are one of the most important people adolescents can come into contact with. I believe that rather the adolescent wants to be there in the counseling room or rather they are forced to be there, that progress can be made as long as the counselor tries their best. Adolescents are looking for themselves, they are trying to find who they are and who they want to become in life. They need guidance and they need unbiased guidance at that. If the counselor knows him or herself and knows the foundational values of their practice, I believe they have the ability to guide each and every adolescent in the right direction. Adolescents look for ways to grow and someone to look up to. In their times of need they need someone to talk to that will respect them and help them through their situations without judgment. This is why I believe that first a counselor must build a good rapport with their clients. They must then look to build their trust and respect. Adolescents are more willing to open up when they believe you respect them and are not judging the decisions they have made in their lives. I also believe that it is very important to empathize with what they have gone through in their lives and what they are facing. The old saying, â€Å"Do not judge a man until you have walked a mile in his shoes† comes into play with adolescent counseling. The counselor may not know or understand everything the adolescent has done, but to be able to empathize with them is the key. Adolescents face many different problems in the world today, rather it is the struggle of getting good grades in school, having to play sports and so forth to get scholar ships or dealing with the hardships of their parents divorcing and so forth. There are a lot of problems that adolescent’s face that they did not ask for. They are left with the burden of so much that sometimes they just need an unbiased, professional to talk to and guide them through. Having the ability to do what the adolescents need you to do. It is also important to follow the ethical guidelines can sometimes put the counselor however in a bad place. This is where I believe that being open and honest with both the adolescent and the parents are the best way to provide a trusting relationship with your client. When I become a counselor I plan to dedicate myself to helping individuals with their hardships want to have the ability to work with the adolescent groups and help them through the troubled times they have faced in their lives. I believe that if I can follow the path in which God has led me down to this point, I will be able to do so. I believe that through my education of learning how to respond to different situations in counseling, learning the different ethical concerns and what the ethical guidelines are though my schooling that I will also become a Competent Christian counselor. I plan to use every tool given to me because it is my dream to help the young adults in need and guide them to a better, more Christian tomorrow. Conclusion Counseling adolescents can be an extremely difficult and taxing job. However having the ability to do so can help so many young adults in their journey to develop. Knowing your client, having a good rapport with them, developing a positive trusting relationship and a bond that cannot be broken is key to helping these young adults. Adolescents need guidance and they sometimes do not know where to get the appropriate guidance they need. Devoting your time to helping these individuals is such a reward. In doing so a counselor must ensure they are following the appropriate guidelines when working with these clients. They must also make sure they are using their personal values and biblical values in a professional manor to help guide. They must also remember, the most important instrument in counseling is the counselor (Clinton & Ohlschlager, 2003, p. 571). References Adams, L. G., & Paxton, M. (2013). Counseling children and youth in times of crisis: Tips to achieve success and avoid pitfalls. American Bar Association Section of Litigation, Retrieved from http://apps.americanbar.org/litigation/committees/childrights/docs/CounselingChildrenandYouth.pdf Adolescent Counseling. (2011). In Encyclopedia of Family Health. Retrieved from http://www.liberty.edu:2048/login?url=http://www.credoreference.com/entry/sagefamhealth/adolescent_counseling American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC). (2004). AACC code of ethics: The Y2004 final code. American Counseling Association (ACA). (2005). ACA Code of Ethics. Retrieved from American Counseling Association website: http://www.counseling.org/Resources/aca-code-of-ethics.pdf

Edicts of Ashoka Essay

The Edicts of Ashoka are a group of writings on the pillars of Ashoka, as well as boulders and cave walls, made by the Emperor Ashoka These writings are spread throughout the areas of modern-day Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan and represent the first concrete evidence of Buddhism. The edicts describe in detail the first wide expansion of Buddhism through the support of one of the most powerful kings of Indian history. According to the edicts, the extent of Buddhist teachings during this period reached as far as the Mediterranean, and many Buddhist monuments were created. These writings state Ashoka’s beliefs in the Buddhist concept of dharma and his efforts to develop the dharma throughout his kingdom. Although Buddhism and the Buddha are mentioned, the edicts focus on social and moral teachings, rather than specific religious practices or the philosophical aspect of Buddhism. The writings revolve around a few recurring themes Ashoka’s conversion to Buddhism, the description of his efforts to spread Buddhism, his moral and religious precepts, and his social and animal welfare program. The Mauryan empire was the first Indian empire to unify the country and it had a clear-cut policy of exploiting as well as protecting natural resources with officials tasked with protection duty. When Ashoka embraced Buddhism in the latter part of his reign, he brought about significant changes in his style of authority, which included providing protection to wildlife, and even relinquished the royal hunt. He was possibly the first ruler in history to support preservation of wildlife. Ashoka did not completely prohibit the killing of animals; he prohibited killings for sacrifices, he advocated restraint in the number that had to be killed for consumption, protected some of them, and in general condemned violent acts against animals, such as castration. However, the edicts of Ashoka reflect more the desire of Ashoka than what actually happened; the mention of a 100 coins fine for poaching deer in royal hunting preserves shows that rule-breakers did exist. The legal restrictions clashed with the practices then freely exercised by the common people in hunting, felling, fishing and setting fires in forests. According to the edicts, Ashoka took great care of the welfare of his subjects, and those beyond his borders, spreading the use of medicinal treatments, improving roadside facilities for more comfortable travel, and establishing officers of the faith throughout his territories to survey the welfare of the population and the circulation of the Dharma.

Post-occupancy evaluating of low income housing Essay

Post-occupancy evaluating of low income housing - Essay Example 22). The evaluation of functional aspects assures that the building is able to meet some of the most common and inevitable needs of the occupants, that could not be sidelined in any modern human accommodation, whatever the financial constraints (Bachman 2008, p. 15). The evaluation of technical aspects of an occupied low income housing supported by the user feedback helps understand how the technical maladjustments support or restrain the daily activities of the occupants (Brown 2001, p. 82). Very often minor technical fine tuning goes a long way in enhancing the eventual benefits to the occupants. Besides it also allows for improving the designs of the future low income accommodations. The same stands true in the context of evaluation with regards to social views. This suggests the minor improvements that could help better the design to suit the aspirations of the occupant as per one’s socio-economic needs and aspirations (Brown 2001, p. 82). Reference List Bachman, Leonard R 2008, ‘Architecture and the Four Encounters with Complexity’, Architectural Engineering and Design Management, Vo. 4, no. 1, pp. 15-19.

State System Planning Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

State System Planning - Research Paper Example The concept of alternatives has been echoed by Amekudzi and Meyer who say that â€Å"an important step in planning and thus a component of conceptual framework is analyzing alternatives† (3). State system planning can take the form of many projects for example the roads and the air transport system. The planning system is considered as smart growth because of the way it helps in strengthening the government. The concept of planning has various factors driving it; according to the OECD, â€Å"the movement is being driven by growing public concern† (133). This was in reference to the spatial system planning; the book further describes other leading reasons for the development of the planning system as highway congestion, land consumption, need for infrastructure, and other costs of sprawl. This is the sector of high interest and is considered most by the state because of the many benefits that it offers the citizens. Washington state department of transport has this as one of its priorities; the Washington state policy has broadened its interest in many modes of transport. According to a report by the Washington State Department of Transport, this body has the role of advocating for the safeguarding of aviation facilities, safety in air transport, ensuring that air transport meets the required capacity, as well as getting rid of environmental impacts (wa.gov). For this to be achieved, the authority has to ensure that there is advocacy and partnership. Another similar project is the one in Minnesota which was named â€Å"State Aviation System Plan† as reported by the department, â€Å"the primary objective of the Minnesota state aviation system plan is to provide the state with excellent planning tools to assist in making informed decisions guiding the developm ent of Minnesota’s system of airports and expending funds in a cost-effective manner† (Washington State

Critically evaluate the strategic role of global information systems Essay - 1

Critically evaluate the strategic role of global information systems for organisations and discuss the management issues associa - Essay Example For firms, adoption of information systems requires investment resources such as time and personnel (King, 2009). Organizations in different industries always strive to be market leaders in their respective market segments. Where the business environment consists of inflation, recession and tough operating conditions, businesses opt for strategies aimed at gaining a competitive edge over their competitors (Drucker, &Maciariello, 2008).Among these strategies can be the one that enables adoption of an information system by a firm. The system enables the organization make optimum use of its data, cut down on costs and increases efficiency.Information systems store and analyze data faster and in a more secure manner unlike the outdated manual way of data handling. Hardcopy management of data and records is no longer in use. Today, most companies opt for sophisticated databases that store data in any format, be it text, image or video files, update the data as well analyze the data at the click of a mouse (Drucker, &Maciariello, 2008). Through faster analysis of data, quicker solutions to present and future problems are easily determined. Another role of information systems is that of assisting in the decision making process (King, 2009). Success for an enterprise depends upon the strategic plans a firm adopts. The management of a firm uses management information systems to come up with strategic plans for the continued success of the firm (King, 2009). Information systems also play a role in the development of business processes that aim at adding value to a firm’s operations. Continuous business process remodeling is necessary for enhancing the quality of a firm’s products as well as cost minimization. Global information systems are basically information systems designed for the global market. Global information systems are more developed to cater for specific world markets and attempt to deliver functionality to a firm within the context of the whol e world (Laudon, &Laudon, 2002). With global information systems, focus is on the global setting, in a wider scope largely translating to distributed systems. Software’s for these systems are developed with the concept of global (Laudon, &Laudon, 2002). Design for these systems concern process flow in the systems, architecture as mechanisms for supporting the functions of the system. Information systems are composed are composed of information technology, business applications, development processes of the systems, foundation concepts as well as management challenges (Taylor, 2004). Information technology comprises of hardware software, data, networks and other technologies. System development processes concerns how the systems are developed and implemented. Foundation concepts are about technical and business concepts concerning components and functioning of the system (Sarngadharan&Minimol, 2010). Managerial challenges on information systems on the other hand concern how th e management of functions of information system componentsachieve optimum performance. Management issues in planning for information systems In planning for a global information system, the management team carries out a comprehensive analysis of how the firm’s business operations are conducted. This analysis will determine whether or not adoption of an information system will be of benefit to the firm (Sarngadharan & Minimol, 2010). When a firm operates globally, the scenario in the different markets is almost similar

Child Soldiers Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Child Soldiers - Research Proposal Example soldiers forms a grave issue and the international community with the assistance of international as well as non-governmental organizations should work towards curbing this problem. Child soldiers have been used for conflict by military groups for years because they are considered to be more submissive as compared to their adult counterparts and exist in greater numbers. These young children not only suffer from physical violence but they are also afflicted to psychological trauma and injuries. The child soldiers are used for various purposes ranging from carrying materials to acting as spies and also as combatants (Young 2007). Young girls are raped and Fatmata who was a young child soldier narrated that she was kidnapped when she was 12 years old and she gave birth to the child of her captor. Fatmata and her child were both suffering from AIDs (Wessells 2006). Another child soldier Edward narrated that they were first asked to kill the victims and then forced to lick their blood. Edward escaped and returned to his village but many young children still suffer in such horrific and inhuman conditions (Mark 2013). The issue of child soldiers needs to be dealt with strategically with the cooperation of national and international forces. Participation of International organizations and non-governmental organizations is also of significance. The plan for putting an end to child soldiers should basically work around five key points: resolution of the issues which have led to fighting, prevention of kidnapping of young children, better ways of being able to distinguish and isolate the children from the militant groups, â€Å"demobilize, rehabilitate and reintegrate† the children followed by adequate funds and opportunities for the freed child soldiers to study or get trained (Young 2007). The plan for the protection of children from becoming a part of warfare is beneficial and will be of assistance in tackling the issue at its roots. Resolving of the warfare by the

The Life Of A Knight Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Life Of A Knight - Essay Example many aspects of the knight’s life including their history, how one became a knight, who they worked for, the benefits associated with the honor and their day-to-day existence including tournaments, the most important activity for the Knight when not engaged in combat. Knights were proficient mercenaries. Many traveled looking for employment doing combat. They were steeped in a chivalrous tradition, bore the noblest arms and rode the finest horses. â€Å"The incessant private warfare that characterized medieval times brought about a permanent military class and by the tenth century the institution of knighthood was well established† (Duby, 2004). The successful Norman invasion in 1066 necessitated the nobility of England to create Knights. They provided an effective force in an effort to protect lands. By the eleventh century, these professional soldiers were approaching nobility themselves. â€Å"The number of knights declined from the thirteenth century onwards. The true knight disappeared in the sixteenth century in France and much earlier in other countries† (Hull, 2003). Knighthood was bestowed on those found worthy by a light touch on the shoulder with the flat of a sword in the hand of someone of nobility. The dubbing of a knight would normally occur with much public fanfare accompanied by music and celebration. Knights could also be created in the field of battle in a quieter ceremony. Typically, when the son of a knight reached age six, he was sent to a nearby castle where he was educated in knighthood. The Page, the first step in becoming a knight, attended training schools usually run by a knight to learn all there is to know about becoming one. â€Å"This started with religious and moral training such as trust in God, to be humble, be generous, be a defender of the poor and widows, respect others, eat well but do not get drunk, avoid evil men, and do not lie† (Gautier, 1957). The Page was taught the Bible usually through the use of

Night and Singapore Essay Example for Free

Night and Singapore Essay The usual fays are over for me. No school, no study just play. But the next day was a dream going to become true. WE WERE GOING TO SINGAPORE just the next day. I got up early morning. We packed the things and went to the airport. In the airport and saw may types of people. We boarded our flight and went for Singapore. After reaching the airport we went to hotel exhausted and hungry when we reached we ate and slept had booked our flight to Mumbai international airport. I liked Singapore because the people are nice and the food is very nice and everything is green and very clean and they keep the streets clean and it’s safe to walk down them not like in my home when I lived in Hollywood where the streets have a lot of people who get sick and make a mess from either their mouths or they make BM’s and just leave it on the streets for everyone to walk by. Singapore is much cleaner than Hollywood. Here are some things I learned about Singapore: * Singapore has the highest per capita rate of millionaires in the world (approx 10%) * Singapore was originally a small fishing post until about 200 years ago, when Stanford Raffles and the British East India realized it was a very good place for a port town * Singapore means â€Å"Lion town† because an old Sultan said that he once saw a Lion there but since Lions don’t live anywhere Tigers live, everyone agrees that he either dreamed it or was a-lion about it! (That was a pun.) * In Singapore, you can go to the zoo at night on a â€Å"Night Safari† and see all the nocturnal animals, and it makes a lot of sense because normally when I go to the zoo in America all the animals are exhausted because it is hot and they always tell you â€Å"most of these animals don’t have sweat glands that’s why they play in the mud† which seems mean to keep them out all the time in the hot sun so kids can poke sticks at them and bang on the glass, but in Singapore, it is nighttime so the animals are all eating and moving around and this one animal called a â€Å"Tapir† came right up to the tram and I think it was because he liked how I smelled. All in all I highly recommend a trip to Singapore because it is awesome!!