David Ricardo: Law of Diminishing Returns Essay

David Ricardo, a 17 century English political economist, is considered an extremelyinfluential classical economist along with Adam Smith and Thomas Malthus. Ricardo was bornon the 27th April 1772 and helped develop key economic theories until his death on the 11thSeptember 1823 1. Ricardo grew up in a dominate English family where his father was also aneconomist, Ricardo credits his father and the reading of Adam Smith’s book The Wealth ofNations for his interest of the social science, economics2. Ricardo did not reach immediate fame,in fact it quite the opposite. It was not until age 37 when Ricardo first published his views oneconomics, after he reached the milestone of publishing his first article he continued to work anddeveloped his theories, it was ten years later, at the age 47 when most say Ricardo reached hispeak of fame. While developing economic theories Ricardo worked on the Stock Exchange inLondon, this increased his wealth, by the time he was 42 he was completely retired from theexchange and his sole focus was surrounding economic 3. In the remainder of this essay I willexamen some of Ricardo’s economic theories with a focus on the law of diminishing returns. David Ricardo is responsible for the creation as well as the development of a number ofkey economic theories which allowed past and current economist to better understand todaysever changing economy. The three accomplishments that Ricardo has received most credit for arethe labor theory of value, the law of diminishing return as well as the Barro Ricardo equivalence4. The labor theory of values are a set of theories that suggests that the value of any good orservice is equal to the amount of labor that was put in to the good or service either directly orindirectly to produce it. The labor theories of value were furthered developed by Ricardo as wellas fellow classical economists including Adam Smith, the Labor theory of value is not commonlyused in current times and instead it has been replaced with the marginal utility approach. The third law or theory that Ricardo helped develop is the law of diminishing returns, thelaw of diminishing returns is a simple theory however it is imperative that it is observed by firmsas it can cause great financial loss. According to the law of diminishing returns, while in aproduction system with fixed and variable inputs including factory size and the size of the  workforce each additional input will create a lesser and lesser output as the additional input increases6. Ricardo was an economist who was responsible for the development of the law ofdiminishing return. Ricardo developed this theory with other classical economists of his timewhich some of the most notable being Johann Heinrich von Thà ¼nen, Turgot and finally ThomasMalthus. The idea was first developed by Ricardo when he used the example of agricultureproducts to demonstrate his ideas into a working theory. All Ricardo, von Thà ¼nen, Turgot andMalthus lived in a time where land was a valuable, scares and needed. This helped this group ofeconomists develop the law of diminishing return because these economists were worries that asland was in diminishing supply this factor of production would run out and cause diminishingreturns. In order for firms to continue to grow their product they must move to location to a lessfertile location which boasts poor soil, this will lead to the agriculture firm needing to put moremoney into growth steroids for the product or good they grow. This over time with out questionwill diminish the returns received. This is how the theory that is still in place and consideredvaluable today was founded and developed by several key classical economists includingRicardo, von Thà ¼nen, Turgot and Malthus. I will now demonstrate the idea of the law of diminishing return in a example of a t-shirtproducing firm. If a shirt producing firm was to start off with one worker who can produce ten t-shirts in a hour the this workers marginal benefit would be ten. If the owner of the firm decide hewanted to increase his workforce to two workers. When the owner does this he finds that withtwo employees their output grows to a combined 25 t-shirts per hour, this gives he new employeea marginal benefit of 15. This pattern will continue until a number is met that can not keep upwith fixed variables of production. In this case we will say that the fixed factors of productionwill allow for up to three workers to be employed and be able to grow at a increasing rate. Withthree workers the group will be able to produce up to 45 t-shirts in an hour, giving the thirdworker a marginal benefit of 20. As the fixed factors of production will only be able to handlethree workers and work up to full potential. The next worker that is added will not increase theoutput at the  same level as the others would as the fixed factors of production will not be able tohandle the work load to a maximum level. The now team of 4 would be only able to make a totalof 60 t- shirts effectively rendering the fourth employes marginal benefit to be 15. The fifth willbe added, 70 t-shirts will me made in an hour and the marginal benefit will become 10 as there isa 10 unit increase in the product from when there were five workers. This downgrade willcontinue until to many workers are employed and the additional workers are have negativemarginal benefits. This is an example of what will happen once a sixth worker is added. Whenthe sixth worker is added there will be an output of 60 shirts in an hour giving the sixth workeran marginal benefit of negative 10. This is when a firm will be operating at a loss as they will bepaying an extra employee money to decrease the total output of the firm. This can be changed byletting on of the six workers go as they will then be making more out and paying less employeesthis equals more money for the firm to spend as they feel needed. This same idea can be seen inappendix I. The law of diminishing return can only take place in the in the short run. This is becausethe law of diminishing return is where you will only change one of the fixed variables ofproduction, in the case of the law of diminishing return the only factor of production that ischanged is the amount of people in the workforce therefore the law of diminishing returns takesplace only in the short run as only one factor is altered. The law of diminishing returns will also effect the firms on a long term basis, as this lawhas a effect on how much income the firm will at its disposal. The law of diminishing return hasa direct effect on the amount of money that a firm has, therefore as the law of diminishing returnplays it self out companies will be adjusting their workforce causing either an increase ordecrease in their expenditure leaving them more money to spend later on in some cases. Withthis the firm will be able to upgrade their factors of production in the long term and this willdirectly effect their performance in the long run. This is because with this extra money the firmwill receive form the firing of wasteful employees can be used to upgrade factories, fields orother factors of production. When the other  factors of production are increased in the long termthan this will allow more workers to be hired and they will be able to make more revenue as wellas increases their output. For the steak holders and management of the firm the law of diminishing returns is aninvaluable resource that is used to maximize productivity of a firm. As perviously mentioned inthis paper the law of diminishing returns is a theory that was set in place so that firms, large orsmall will be able to maximize production as well as income. This will keep the firm is businessfor time to come as well as allow it to grow substantially with out hurting its feature. This willalso allow the firm owners to become more wealthy and this will give the owners andmanagement the option of using this extra income to improve the firms factors of production. In conclusion, the law of diminishing returns is a resource that is valuable to firmsby allowing them to ensure they are working at maximum efficiency. The law of diminishingreturns is a simple yet vital theory and concept for people to understand. The basis of firms canbe built upon the law of diminishing returns and can be extremely valuable. With out such a lawor theory firms would be lost and unable to produce goods at the same rate of productively asthey do with such a law. In all this law is one that must be understood for those looking tomanage and operate a effective firm in order for the firm to stay a completive business. Works Cited -Websites-1. Cannan, Edwin. â€Å"Economic Journal.† McMaster. 23 Mar. 1998. THE ORIGINOF THELAW OF DIMINISHING RETURNS. 16 Oct. 2008 . 2. â€Å"David Ricardo.† Library of Economics and Liberty. 23 Dec. 2007. 16 Oct. 2008.

Describe the performance of characteristics of eggs Essay

Egg white and yolk contain protein. Ovalbumin is present in egg white, however globulin and albumin are also present in a very small amount. Whereas egg yolk contains protein in the form of lipoproteins, which are a combination of proteins and lipids. The most important complex lipid in egg yolk is lecithin. Lecithin gives the egg yolk the properties of a stable emulsion. The fat molecules in the egg yolk are held in an emulsion by lecithin. Eggs have three main performance characteristics and they a coagulation, which includes setting, binding, coating, thickening, enriching and glazing, secondly they can be whisked to create foams and aerate mixtures and called aeration and lastly emulsifiers. Coagulation is the process in which proteins change from their natural liquid state into a gel or a solid. This happens because each protein molecule is constructed from long chains of amino acids joined by peptide bonds. The bonds are weak and when heat, acid or mechanical action is applied they start to break. The changes are permanent. When the protein changes it physical structure when it coagulates is called denaturation. Syneresis can occur when the egg is overcooked. This is when the texture becomes porous as the protein shrinks and pockets of water are left in the product. Between 60-65C is the temperature which egg whites start to coagulate and the result of this the egg white changes appearance from transparent like to white and the texture will be from gel like to solid texture. Egg yolk starts to coagulate at a higher temperature than egg white, it begins coagulating at 65C and finish at 70C. From the darker yellow appearance of the egg yolk it will turn into a lighter yellow yolk and from runny yolk it can go to powdery solid yolk. There are a number of factors that will affect coagulation. A firmer set can be achieved at a lower temperature if an acid such as lemon juice is added. A looser set and higher coagulation temperature is achieved by the addition of sugar to the mixture. The quantity of egg yolk determines the strength of the set mixture. A higher proportion of egg yolks or whole eggs will produce firmer or thicker custard. A low heat achieves gentle heat transference, which produce perfect conditions for a coagulation. Aeration is when egg white is whisked. Foam is formed when air is dispersed through the liquid egg white. Egg whites can be aerated due to the ability of the ovalbu, in to stretch and hold air. When egg whites is whisked the proteins are denatures and uncoil. This forms a 3D air / liquid structure that can hold air when folded into food mixtures. The foam is stable but its properties can be affected by the use of additional ingredients or conditions. First factor that can affect foam formation is salt. It decreases the pH of the egg white and this increases the resistance to foam, so the time taken to foam is increased. It gives the foam more stable and it enhances the flavour. Second factor is sugar. Sugar interferes with the bonds that form as the egg whites uncoil. Therefore the whisking time is increased and the resulting foam is denser, however the foam is more stable. This factor is commonly used for meringues. Fat affects foam formation. Fat such as egg yolk prevents new bonds being formed in the structure. Fourthly alkalis will increase the pH of the foam, decreasing the foaming time but making the foam stable. Lastly will be acids. Acids such as tartaric and acetic will soften the foam. Because the fat in the egg yolk, it inhibits the aeration recipes are usually for egg whites. However sponge cakes do use whole eggs. They are whisked with sugar over a pan of hot water (double boiler method) it works because the whisking action causes the proteins to denature and the heat causes coagulate resulting in stable form. Emulsion is formed when one liquid is dispersed in the small droplets into a second liquid with which it will not normally mix. Egg yolk has emulsification properties, which means it has the ability to hold large quantities of fat in an emulsion. Lecithin is present in egg yolk, which has a hydrophobic (water hating) component and hydrophilic (water loving) component. Eggs have many other functions. An egg can give additional thickness to sauces; it can also be use as binding and coating agent. Eggs can also be used as an egg washed or sometimes called glazing and commonly used for the top of pastries and breads. It also add colour and enrichment.

Analogy of Poetry Essay

The poem There Is Another Sky by Emily Dickinson was a poem written for her brother Austin. Emily uses nature to explain the message she is trying to provide for him. The poem provides a hopeful and positive feeling. The poem is full of optimism and inspiration. The pint of the poem is to provide encouragement and offer guidance. The lines â€Å"Here is a brighter garden† and â€Å"And there is another sunshine† demonstrate the optimism she is trying to portray. There are no stanzas or major events in the poem. The order that the aspects of nature are presented in provides. The last few lines of the poem further enhance the message. The poem ends with an open invitation for Austin to leave his gloomy state. Dickinson shows a sincere concern while providing inspiration for both the readers and her brother. She describes a utopia throughout the poem and uses words to describe a better place such as serene, fair, brighter, and unfading. The title there is another sky provides the since that there is an alternative option instead of a consistent negative outlook on life. There is a change in tone after the dash. Before the dash Dickinson states that there is a negative place and recognizes that everything in life doesn’t always work in your favor. She also uses â€Å"there is† creating distance. After the dash Dickinson implies that there in fact is another sky. She uses â€Å"here is† which implies that she can provide a better situation. Knowing that the poem is for her brother almost obligates you to feel sympathy for him and makes her message even stronger. Overall, Emily is trying to say that entering a new mind set and believing that there is a light at the end of the tunnel can provide you with a new attitude.

Movie Mississippi Burning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Movie Mississippi Burning - Essay Example One agent-Ward-is young but has risen in the hierarchy by rigidly following protocol. The other-Anderson-is a former small town Mississippi sheriff who joined the FBI late in life. This movie is not factual but is instead a story suggested by the facts ("Mississippi Burning": The Movie, 1988). The movie shows the FBI as ultimately using the illegal vigilante terror tactics of the Ku Klux Klan against the Klan itself. Also, in the movie, the FBI was given all the credit for carrying the civil rights banner, with no credit acknowledged for Dr. Martin Luther King's moral policy of non-violence and the organized coalitions of blacks and whites under his banner. One reviewer noted that The campaign to find the missing workers was directed by J. Edgar Hoover, and it was known that he despised blacks. In fact, he was more involved in an effort to prove that Dr. King was a communist. The movie offered stereotypical portraits of black citizens and white terrorists, and the FBI agents ultimately used the same tactics as the Klan to solve the crime, with one death as the result. Any act committed within the jurisdiction of the United States that is dangerous to human life and becomes a violation of the criminal laws of a state or of the United States is considered domestic terrorism (U.S. Code, 2006). It therefore can be said that the tactics used by both sides constituted domestic terrorism. Confederacy in the South continued to be rampant in 1964, even though the Civil War had ended 100 years earlier, and many southerners still refused to accept efforts to unite the country. Mississippians, and especially small town Mississippians, were convinced that blacks had no rights and anyone involved with them was a "nigger lover" or a communist. Douglas Linder's detailed account of the "Mississippi Burning" trial-U.S. vs. Cecil Price et al-held in 1967 (2007) shows a photograph of defendants Sheriff Cecil Price and Sheriff Lawrence Rainey smirking and chewing tobacco that immediately brings to mind "southern red necks," and makes it easy to accept the Ku Klux Klan stereotype of ignorant racists. In Mississippi in 1964, there was no federal police force, and protection was the responsibility of the local police. When three civil rights workers__two white and one black-disappeared in east central Mississippi in June 1964, the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol and the FBI were no tified, and a search took place (Linder, 2002). It was discovered that the three men had been stopped by the local police and taken to jail. The following day, they were released, but they were not seen again. When the federal agents, who had been called in to the situation, were unable to find the young men after 24 hours, a full kidnap investigation was initiated by the Justice Department under the "Lindbergh Law." The younger agent, Ward, called in many workers to help find the boys. While the movie showed the Ku Klux Klan as responsible for the deaths of the three students, in actuality it could be said , according to Linder, "In spirit, everyone belonged to the Klan" (2002, p. 6). With the help of one

HBOs Organizational Strategy and Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

HBOs Organizational Strategy and Culture - Essay Example HBO has adapted the organizational strategy of producing only those contents which other channels avoided to land their feet. In this sense, we can easily assume that HBO is largely focusing on practicing Differentiation as a strategy for its products which are offered to the vast majority of its audience. Thus its organizational strategy is based on differentiation. This is also evident from the fact that HBO over the period of time has been spending heavily in creating its brand identity which seems to be an excellent strategy especially in an industry environment which has very different and unique dynamics and a lot of competition to face. Further, an economic model which HBO is following is sort of unique in the sense that it provides it very readily available revenue as the viewers are charged only $12 over their basic cable bills allowing the company to have enough access to the funds to originate programs of unique and original quality. However, the contents produced are some what specific to one cultural stratum of the society and hardly serve the viewers which live in America but have different cultural values such as Hispanic, Spanish etc communities in the US. Â  The cultural aspect of the organization suggests that it is organizational which is largely driven by the creative ideas and an environment which allow unleashing creativity and innovation which is also evident from the contents produced on the channel. This approach towards developing an organizational culture of creativity, innovation and open communication can especially serve the interest of the channel in the long term because it would provide the necessary impetus to the organization.

HOW CAN I INCORPORATE DIVERSITY INTO EARLY CHILDHOOD Research Proposal

HOW CAN I INCORPORATE DIVERSITY INTO EARLY CHILDHOOD - Research Proposal Example Topic (500 words recommended) What literature relates to this topic? Have you indentified the key literature sources (3-5) that underpin your research? Why do we need to conduct research into this area? How is this topic relevant to early childhood education? Diversity is a term which has as diverse meanings as its name. In this research â€Å"diversity means the variety of differences among inhabitants that we need to take into account if we are to work with people† from every walk of life. In short here we are treating diversity as a dynamic social force in society which tries to bring people closer to each other no matter what or who they are (Aguirre, 2003). But if the topic is closely analyzed a question which comes to one’s mind is that what is the relation of diversification and early childhood, as mostly it is seen that diversification in human beings become prominent when they are adults. The impeding question is that why it is important to incorporate diversif ication in to early childhood programs when it is believed to be inculcated automatically when the up bringing of the child begins. One of the articles which would be referred will be article â€Å"Valuing Diversity† written by Maritza MacDonald (2002), in that article one of the examples that is given is that for every child, family has a different meaning. For some it means a single parent catering to the child needs, for others it means having a lot of older brothers and sisters etc. so when even the meaning of a family can be so diversified for a child who is not even aware of the fact what diversification is, then it can be imagined that how much affect diversification can have upon a child’s rearing. Another consideration will be given to the practicality of inculcating diversification into early childhood education programs. â€Å"Multicultural Education: Issues and Perspectives† written by Banks & Banks (1989) and â€Å"The care and education of young c hildren† by Comer (1989) proposed that early intervention programs for children mostly deal with the issues like how do different children learn through various types of education methods. This literature would be beneficial to first of all address any issue that might surface due to lack of proper communication between children belonging to different ethnic groups. It will also help in elucidating the aspects as to how can parents up bring their children in the diverse world? And what is the meaning of being a young one who is growing up in to this varied world? (Gonzalez-Mena & Pulido-Tobiassen, 1999). This diversity issue is important to be addressed in the early childhood because foundations for hatred and racial discrimination could be developed between the ages of 3 to 5, so it very critical to give diversity and anti bias training to children when they are young (Stephan & Vogt, 2004). Racism and hatred for each other are two things which if not nipped in the bud can ca use problems like extremism and terrorism. No parent can see his child going towards destructive path, therefore to see what changes can be brought in to child’s behavior and to observe how these changes can help us in the long run to irradiate problems like racism, and extremism incorporating diversity in early education programs might be helpful. 3. Research aim In general, what is the aim of your research project? Is your aim clear, understandable and concise? Is your aim relevant to the topic and identified

Analysis of Sale of Human Organs Arguments Research Paper

Analysis of Sale of Human Organs Arguments - Research Paper Example David’s point of people donating organs for money is very persuasive as he talks about compensation for any organ donated. it makes more sense when he claims that organs from deceased people donated and the person’s family could be beneficial. For both the deceased’s family and the needy person of the organ can benefit in the process. For instance, if the family needs some money for bills in the hospital or burial, they can decide to exchange some organs of the deceased for money, which can serve best for all. This type of exchange for vital organs can motivate people to donate one of their organs in their life to save some life or get money to perform other work, which could be urgent (David, 2005). The beneficial should not only be the recipient of the organs but both parties involved. This point is very much persuasive as people can be willing to give out their organs for compensation. This effect can work, as it is evident that donors of these organs live wel l without any disorder or reduction of functionalities in their bodies. An instance when such decisions can serve a good purpose is when money for urgent medication is needed and no available source, someone can donate an organ and serve the pain but make both people survive. In his argument, a person has a right over their bodies and not controlled by either the government or any other body. If an organ transplant sale authorized, people can give out willingly due to the offered compensation. An example of the unpersuasive point is that, if the organs are for sale, some desperate people will not benefit if they cannot afford to buy the organ. As David claims people will tend to kill others for their own benefit. The argument of an objection to selling an organ cannot lead to the destruction of people live or due to the failure of getting the right price for a certain organ. In his exploration, the question which asks for one to assume they needed an organ and in the process finds s omeone willing to sell, it is realistic that, if you need something vital for your life that you have no option left.  

Athens Olympic stadium Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Athens Olympic stadium - Case Study Example The immense size of the project and its particular technical complexity were the causes for long delays; the work was finally completed in time and the new captivating stadium was officially reopened on July 30, 2004 (O.A.K.A. 2005). The Athens Olympic stadium roof in the form of a double bowstring tied arch of 80 m high is considered one of the most ingenious modern architectural and engineering projects. This impressive construction of steel and glass is today one of the city's landmarks. Along with its spectacular and pioneering architectural design, the suspended arched roof construction and erection has been a challenge to engineers and an excellent example of integration of construction engineering and hydraulic expertise (Siriani & Di Silverio 2006). The roof structure is in two halves, each comprising a top arch of a diameter of 3.25 m and a lower torsion tube of a diameter of 3.6 m extending for 304 m over the stadium. The wall thicknesses of the tubes are up to 95 mm. All four tubes merge at their ends and are based on four support steel shoes (19 m x 4 m x 4 m) made from 100 mm thick steel plates. The tubes support wire cables that hold polycarbonate panels of a weigh of 17,000 ton in total. 220 girders cantilever out of the torsion tube supporting the panels, thus forming the roof deck. Finally, the panels are covered by a special coating to reflect 60% of the sunlight. Apart from providing shadow, protecting athletes and spectators against the hot Greek summer sun, the roof served as a carrier for telecommunications and security systems during the Games (Siriani & Di Silverio 2006). The layout of Calatrava's roof can be seen in figure 1. Fig.1. The Athens Olympic stadium layout and dimensions of the roof (redrawn from Siriani & Di Silverio 2006). The roof construction project was contracted to the Italian Costruzioni Cimolai Armando Spa of Pordenone. In detail, the stages of the building process were segment fabrication and pre-assembly, segment shipping to construction site, on-site assembly and erection of the two halves of the roof at a distance from the sports arena and finally assembly pulling (sliding) into position. With the exception of the sliding step that was sub-contracted, all remaining stages were undertaken by Cimolai (Siriani & Di Silverio 2006). A number of difficulties arose during the renovations works that were mainly linked to the immense character of the project and the shortage of available time; these issues required technically advanced, ingenious solutions. All steel fabrication works took place at Cimolai's site in Italy, using a 6000 ton press, one of the largest in Europe. The support shoes and pre-assembled tube segments of up to 15 m in length equipped with cable anchorages, diaphragms and girder connections were constructed there and were subsequently shipped by sea to Athens. Shipping has been a gigantic operation due to the excessive size of the segments of the roof (Siriani & Di Silverio 2006). A second particularity of the project was that roof assembly and erection could not take place at its final position, so as to allow other renovation work in the stadium to proceed during the assembly process. Thus each of the arch structures was put together separately on each side of the concrete stadium, at 70 m far from either side. Roof

Ghana Cocoa Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Ghana Cocoa Industry - Essay Example However, it is of great significance to note that output varies on an annual basis. Factors such as price fluctuations, politics, and management play a crucial role in influencing output. Discussed in this paper is the role of politics in influencing cocoa production in Ghana, and interventional strategies set up to boost production of cocoa in the country. In addition, the paper also analyzes the cocoa industry in Ghana from different theoretical perspectives. Political theory centers on the analysis of economics influence on political ideologies. Tenants of the theory uncover the interplay of relationships between law, politics, and economics. In addition, it analyzes the development of various institutions in different economics and social systems for example, capitalist, socialist, and communist systems. Competing interests of specific individuals, groups or institutions affect a countrys economic development. This theory enables individuals visualize and understand the formation of public policies. Small-scale farmers in Ghana lack the resources to export their produce directly. They rely on intermediaries (businesspersons) and the government to broker deals with customers interested in their produce. Herein, lays the root cause of the countrys economic problem. These farmers receive meager compensation compared to the parties charged with the task of brokering the deal. As a result, poverty in Ghana is at an all-time high despite its flourishing cocoa industry. As mentioned, Ghana ranks second after Ivory Coast in the cocoa export industry (Ecobank, 2013). The country lost the title amidst waves of political upheaval in the country. In a bid to advance their personal interests, influential individuals mismanaged the cocoa industry. Through the Cocoa Marketing Board, farmers received fixed compensation for their produce.

Development of india Essay Example for Free

Development of india Essay Why India is still a Developing Nation and not a Developed Nation This resource will provide necessary information on why India is still a developing nation and not a developed nation even though there are lots of options provided by the government for the development criteria. India is one of the fastest developing countries in the world. But you can see the fact that the speed of the development is not as good when compared to the other countries that are already developed and that are much superior to India. There are many reasons behind the lack in the development criteria of India. Most of the people realize that India is very slow in development but they dont focus on what to be done in order to make India a developed country. There are many issues in our country that are preventing India from becoming the developed nation. This resource will provide information on the issues that are preventing India to be the developed country. The reasons are as follows India holds the second rank in the population . There are many things to be taken into consideration because of the population issues. If a country is highly populated it is sure that the development of the country will also be very slow. There will be a lot of necessity for the resources to be shared among the people of the country . The major fact is that there should be resources available for the same to be distributed among the people. If the population of the country is brought into the proper control it can be said that there are lots of possibilities to make our country one of the developed countries.

The Issues For Building Resilient Communities Environmental Sciences Essay

The Issues For Building Resilient Communities Environmental Sciences Essay Hazards are found everywhere and so the onus is always upon the communities involved to find ways to deal with such hazards (Benini et al 2008), some of which may have serious consequences while others may be less serious. Harzards which are posed by disasters may however, have far reaching effects on the local communities and in most cases there may not be adequate ways of tackling these and the communities must learn to live with such hazards. This essay will make an attempt to evaluate the nature of harzards their effects that call upon certain measures of resilience to be affected to deal with the same. It is the view of this essay that in areas where disasters are prone, there may be more hazards and hence also, more resilience responses by the members of the communities than in areas where such disasters and hence harzards are less (Garg et al 2007). But this view is only limited to the extent where natural disasters are common and not necessarily in areas where other disasters might occur, because, while natural hazards may be common place in certain areas for instance flooding and cyclone in Bangladesh due to its geographical position, fire hazards may occur in any country irrespective of its geographical location and hence the scope of this discussion will be limited to the kind of hazard that will be used (Berkes, Colding, Folke 2003, Zhou H., et al 2008). Disasters which often lead to hazards may be defined as those occurrences that are unplanned and are sudden or even anticipated and whose effects are often widespread (Benini et al 2008). Disasters have over the years struck different parts of the world and as much as they are not anticipated, there is never a guarantee that they have stopped. The essay will also present ways in which resilience communities might be build to deal with several hazards, which might arise in such a way that when such hazards arise the effects may not be too great to bear. According to Hollings (2004) and Hewitt (2004) resilience is important when dealing with hazards fro a number of ways; First, it creates a holistic approach to dealing with hazards on the basis of common notion or scientific suggestions, second, it provides the community with a multi-hazard response approach where the society will always know how to approach a hazardous situation from different perspective and lastly, being a forward looking approach, it can help a society to build response policy for dealing with hazards as and when they occur. Vulnerability of communities When a community is faced by disasters, there may either be resilience or vulnerability. In the view of this paper, resilience is the ability of the society to deal with such disasters and to overcome with little or not casually whatsoever, while vulnerability is the situation where the society is resigned to the harm caused by the disasters and the occurrence of the same will often come with devastating effects (Berkes, Colding, Folke 2003). Hazards, which are often a result of disasters, must hence be deal with using systematic or had-oc mechanisms (Islam , Deegan 2008). According to Backoff (2001), the people who live in stressed conditions are often more predisposed to cope that those in other conditions, and in the view of this report and according to (Jordan 2009), the levels of coping with such conditions may often change due to changes in the intensity of the conditions (Garg et al 2007). Different communities hence have different ways for dealing with hazards as they arise and while some may have a holistic approach to dealing with hazards for instance, tackling all hazards in the same way, others might have specific approach to dealing with the same (Zuberi 1988). There may hence be a debate as to which approach is the best. The nature of intervention build by a community may hence be viewed as a matter of tradition and culture than as a matter of snap policy. The Coast of Bangladesh This area of Bangladesh is considered the most hazardous due to the problems that are posed by environmental hazards to the residents each year (Islam , Deegan 2008). When the cyclone roars, it causes with it death and unimaginable injuries to the people living in these areas . What often happens here is that when the anti-clockwise cyclone starts offshore as a result of low atmospheric pressure, it increases the height of the water to a few meters and with a wind of about 190km/ hour, when such water is pushed to the land, it causes massive destruction (Garg et al 2007). Official figures showing the history of such disasters in Bangladesh indicates that this cyclone killed 0.5 million in 1970, and it was known as the great cyclone. Also, this coastal area is not strange to tornadoes and between 1877 and 1987, Bangladesh suffered a total of 19 serious cyclones with such tornadoes often carrying properties and depositing them tens of kilometres away and in the course of doing so, leaves masses of people, dead, injured or homeless (Salman 2009). The government records indicate that in 1987, 1988, 1998, 2004 and 2007, several floods have raved Bangladesh leading to serous deaths. In 2004, 40% of the capital city was affected, the experts have warned that the effects of global warming will become the cause of hazard in the recent times, and that Bangladesh must be ready to face it or deal with it (Salman 2009, Islam, Deegan 2008). Hazards and Vulnerabilities Bangladesh faces many problems occasioned by disasters which are both natural and man-made (Zuberi 1988), including flooding, silent but rampant spread of HIV-AIDS, Child Malnutrition and of course poverty. With relations to flooding, which will form our main subject matter, there are many contributory factors that have made this country and especially the coastal region to be most vulnerable to disasters (Kumar, Reddy 2007), first, as stated earlier, the country sits on the path of hot air and cold air meeting points making it vulnerable to cyclones and torrential rains which often cause havoc to the people in the region, Bangladesh is geographically placed on an estuary where the sea curves into the masses of land on either side at the bay of Bengal (appendix 1) and when the moist air from the sea meets with dry air on the land then the results is heavy rainfall, that may be up to several millimetres higher in a day that most places get in a several days (Salman , 2009), secondly, Bangladesh has probably the highest concentration of river estuaries within a small mass of land, than any other country, making it vulnerable to flooding when the rivers break their banks, thirdly, Banglade sh also has one of the highest population densities in the world with a density of 1045 per square kilometre (AsiaInfo 2010). With such a high population density, (Salman 2009, Malone 2009), noted that any occurrence in hazard will definitely have devastating effect on the masses. This explains why whenever there is flooding in this county, the number of deaths will always running to several hundreds if not thousands. Fourth, this country has one of the highest poverty levels in the world and certainly one of the poorest in South East Asia region (Medical News 2008, Jordan 2009), with dowry payment that often runs to more that hundreds of times of average daily wages, being blamed for such levels since families try to save a lot of money in a lifetime and luxury or even mere subsistence is non existence (Mahmud , Amin 2006, Garg et al 2007). With such levels of poverty, it is the view of this report that the government does not also have any resources to provide for its population, indeed if there are no provisions to support the population in normal times, then, such may not be available when hazards strike. Fifth, the levels of ignorance in this area and especially at the coastal regions is extremely high that the population has not ideal whatsoever about issues of climate change, or weather conditions (Martin et al 2006, Berkes 2007), and this has led to late reaction when floods are developing since people go about their businesses as if nothing is happening and by the time they begin to react, it is often very late. According to (Hudson 2008), when a society does not appreciate the issues surrounding their safety, especially when such issues are caused by natural catastrophes, then the results are often catastrophic as such societies are often well placed on the time-bomb of prolonged danger and destruction. But, lack of awareness is often related to the levels of poverty in the society and this can hence be attributed as a secondary issue of vulnerabilit y in this region of Bangladesh, since it is a result of general levels of poverty, but not necessarily of ignorance, as the people in the cities are often more informed than those in the rural areas (Martin et al 2006). But (Zuberi 1988), argued that disasters have not subjective effects, and levels of ignorance have never spared or saved a society when disasters are about to strike, however, these views are subjective, since, the nature of destruction and hazards posed by disasters largely depend on the kind of hazards in question (Malone 2009). Building resilience In an area where flooding hazard is an issue that has continued to affect the society for decades, resilience is crucial. According to (Berkes 2007) , it is important to build good resilience to ensure that the hazards are reduced and their effected minimised. Resilience, provides a society with ways of avoiding suffering not only for the present but also for the future (Kumar, Reddy 2007). However, this has to be carried out systematically, lest it fails. There is a need to ensure that there is greater acceptability of the resilience mechanism by the society in such a way that programs being given immediately take off with general consensus of the masses (Hudson 2008). It should however be noted that for issues affecting cultural practices, it is important to tread carefully, and ensure that local community heads are put on the forefront of the program. Such activities may include; the local government representatives and religious reasons. From the information presented above, it can be seen that the coastal region of Bangladesh is extremely vulnerable to flood hazard dating back to past decades. One of the noticeable but simple and less effective ways that the people in the coastal regions of Bangladesh have been doing is to build elevated wooden structures (Zhou H., et al 2008). Of course the choice of material has nothing to do with building defences but everything to do with subjection to poverty, since, in the view of this essay, stronger housing, are necessary for creating some level of defences against flooding, but, wooden structures do not provide such resilience (Bennett et al 2010). In this region, people have also adapted to creating sandbags from soil and placing them around the vulnerable areas near the river as a way of having a sustained defence against flooding caused by overflow rivers (Malone 2009) , but these methods are carried out at micro level and there is no way they can be judged as effective. According to (Zhou H., et al 2008), the government must priorities its response mechanism and involve the local community in the process. This essay holds the view that, in order to create resilience, the following must be considered; first, the government need to start long term empowerment programs where people will be empowered economically, in Bangladesh, the United Nations bodies have continued to engage the local population in empowerment programs (Swalheim, Dodman 2008), but this has been short term and aimed at putting food on the table, rather than creating long term propensity to purchase. There is a need to ensure that self-sustaining economic activities are encouraged and this can be done through the provision of facilities for cottage industry, subsidies, tax holidays and fetching for markets for the products (Garg et al 2007). Cottage industries are preferred than agriculture which the people have for so long relied on, but without tangible success, secondly, there is a need to create a nationwide awareness for cultural change where people will be encouraged to change their attitude towards marriage and d owry (Mahmud , Amin 2006, Garg et al 2007). This will obviously be very hard to achieve, but it can be made to be part of the long-term strategy to making people to spend their money, this will result in increment in the general levels of riches in the region. Third, there is a need to ensure that the population in the coastal region avoids practices that put the environment in jeopardy and instead, engage in such practices as will lead to environmental sustenance, including, responsible disposal of non-biodegradable materials, some of which are used to make the makeshift houses, and afforestation. The premise here is that, due to higher levels of rainfall every year, it is possible to plant trees in millions in the whole region and especially by the river areas. The trees to be planted should initially be such that have a faster growth pattern, which will grow fast and act as barriers to erosion and windbreakers (Garg et al 2007). This is a sure long-term defence that will transform the region forever, and guarantee life for posterity. When the forest cover is developed, it is possible to embark on agriculture and this will develop the area further as famine will be a thing of the past, and the society, which will have also developed cottage industry will be in a good position not only to provide for their food but also housing. The view held by this essay is that afforestation and development of cottage industry are crucial in building resilience. On particular importance is afforestation, which will control climate change as Bangladesh still sits on the path of the wrath of climate change. Rampant flooding, which causes with it deaths, sicknesses, destruction of property and other problems will continue to affect this area if nothing is done to develop a long term solution (Bennett et al 2010, Garg et al 2007). Bangladesh will remain on the Bay of Bengal and if irrigation continues in India and silt is deposited in Bangladesh along river Ganges, then nothing can be done from the side of India, then activities for conservation must be undertaken in Bangladesh, and everyone should participate. Discussion and Conclusion This essay has managed to highlight the historical issues that have put Bangladesh on the path of flood and hazards. Hazards have had devastating effects on a people and their property and when it is perennial, the effects may lead to a cycle of poverty that may not come to an end. The need for resilience in the societies is therefore vital and as seen in the case of coastal areas of Bangladesh, geographical disposition of the country makes it very vulnerable and especially the coastal regions which (Garg et al 2007). The people of this country are also very poor and that translates to governments inability to provide for emergency, leaving the people exposed to floods and cyclones. In this area most people, have erected elevated houses to stay above the flood lines but when such houses are built on cardboards and polythene and even wooded materials, the defence created are very much minimised and instead, lack of sanitation and these materials, cause further problems to the environment (Garg et al 2007). As much as there are issues that can be viewed as being taboos, it is important to ensure that such taboos are gradually but surely dealt with. Most notable was the issue of dowry and issues of HIV AIDS which are also contributory to disasters in this country . What needs to be done, is to create a level of higher purchasing power and this can be done through engaging the community in cottage industries than agriculture, which can be encouraged by the government who should get the market for the people and technology too (Swalheim, Dodman 2008), along with this, there may be more acceptance to embark on tree planting activities and if the government sets targets for a certain number of trees to be planted, then this will provide impetus to the people to do the same, but they must be taught about the importance of environmental conservation (Garg et al 2007, Martin et al 2006). Later on, as economic conditions improve, and when the trees have developed, people can then be taken through responsible agricultural training. The government should work with and encourage community-based organisations to mobilise and encourage the local communities to undertake such projects. By creating an enabling economic environment in the region, most people will be willing to undertake any other conservation programs that will crate long term resilience to the hazards that have continued to affect this region (Swalheim, Dodman 2008, Berkes 2007). Bangladesh, by virtue of its location, needs long-term resilience mechanism as a country to deal with hazards that are evolving. The need to understand that the problems facing this country will increase as climate change is also becomes more serious. The local population will not, on their own develop resilience unless the government leads with its resources. References AsiaInfo (2010) Bangladesh country information [Online] available from < http://www.asianinfo.org/asianinfo/bangladesh/bangladesh.htm> accessed on 25th May, 2010. Bennett et al (2010) Exploring the meaning of health security for disaster resilience through peoples perspectives in Bangladesh. Elsevier Ltd. Newcastle upon Tyne. Benini et al (2008) Resilience and Vulnerability in Long-Term NGO Clients. Findings from an RDRS Bangladesh Panel survey. Bangladesh; Berkes F., (2007) Understanding uncertainness and reducing vulnerability: lessons from resilience thinking. Vol 41., Number 2. Netherlands. Berkes F., Colding J., Folke C., (2003) Navigating social-ecological systems: building resilience for complexity and change. Cambridge University Press. Fiona R., (2010) Social Networking and adaptation in rural Bangladesh. Vol 2. Number 1. Garg et al (2007) From Vulnerability to Resilience: The Challenge of Adaptation to Climate Change. Case studies from Bangladesh, Brazil, China, India, South Africa and Korea. Hewitt K. (2004) A synthesis of the symposium and reflection on reducing risk through partnerships. Winnipeg. Hollilngs C., (2004) From Complex regions to complex Worlds. Ecology and Sociology. Hudson R., (2008) International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development. Vol 3. Number 3/4 . Durham University. Islam A., Deegan C., (2008) Motivations for an organisation within a developing country to report social responsibility information: Evidence from Bangladesh. Vol 21. Issues 6. Jordan J., (2009) Rethinking community resilience to climate change: does a social capital lens help?. Belfast. Kumar, P., Reddy S., (2007) Ecology and human well-being. Sage Publications. Mahmud S., Amin S. (2006) Girls Schooling and Marriage in rural Bangladesh. Research in the sociology of Education. Vol 15. Malone E., (2009) Resilience, Climate Change, and security: Modelling the Connections. Baltimore. Martin et al (2006) Vulnerability and Risk Reduction through a community based system for flood monitoring and forecasting. Medical News (2008) Major Cause of Poverty in Bangladesh is Marriage Dowry. [Online] available from < http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/127710.php> accessed on 26th May, 2010. Salman A., (2009) Bangladeshs economy: surrounded by deadly threats. International Journal of Social Economics. Vol 36. Issue  ½. Swalheim S., Dodman D., (2008) Building resilience: how the urban poor can drive climate adaptation. Zhou H., et al (2008) Resilience to natural hazards: a geographic Perspective. Vol 53. Number 1. Netherlands. Zuberi M., (1988) Environmental, Socio-Cultural and development linkages in a South Asia set-up. Vol 25. issue 6-8.

Impact of Tourism on the Hula

Impact of Tourism on the Hula Introduction: The performances of Hula represent traditions, histories customs of Hawaiian Culture. The nature of tourism industry impacts on the art of Hula as the performance is represented. The representation of Hula is modified and reduced to meet tourists expectations.ÂÂ   When most tourists think about Hula, the first impression in their mind is the head moving Hula dancer doll which is placed on the dashboard of American cars. Hula is being performed knowing the knowledge and the interest level of the tourists about the Hawaiian culture. Traditional hula was performed by men and women together, however, now only female dancers perform on stage wearing coconut bras and grass skirts, therefore, the Tourist Art is a useful term to describe the representation of Hula at tourist venues in the Asia-Pacific region. (Brush, 2005) Hula is ancient Polynesian dance which is performed by chants bodily gestures. This dance form was developed by Polynesians who settled in the Hawaiian Islands. Hula has become the symbol of Hawaii and the culture of Hawaiian people. The hula is performed by both men and women but as per the claim of Hawaiians, it was only performed by the men. The Hula only represents the dance form of Hawaiians, all other Polynesian cultures have their own dance forms. For example, The Samoans dance form is called the sasa or lapalapa, the Maoris dance form is called haka, the Tongans dance form is called lakalaka and the Tahitians dance form is called aparima. There are many types of hula in the Hawaiian culture but two main types hulas Hula Auana and Hula Kahiko are more famous than the others. Hula Kahiko is an ancient form of hula which was performed by the Hawaiians wearing traditional costumes and signing ancient chants before western came to Hawaii. Hula Auana was developed with the involve ment of westerns in 19th 20th century. This art form was performed with the westerns outfits and musical instruments like guitar and drums. In the 19th century, with the influence of Christianity hula started disappearing and became a forgotten art. The hula was changed and recreated drastically in the beginning of 20th century and became a commodity performed for tourists, such as the Kodak Hula Show. The traditional hula was preserved by only a few practitioners in the community. (Lakainapali, 2004) The tourism industry developed in the mid of 19th century with the advancement in the aviation industry. And with the same new class of people called Tourist was born with the desire to explore the world and different culture. The hula was transformed into Tourist Art when it became a paid performance to entertain the tourists. The Royal Hawaiian hotel changed the performance of Hula to increase tourists interest into how and who can perform the Hula in front of the tourists. The normal tourist was looking to visit Hawaii in search of Island Life and how Authentic people live with nature and live their life. The tourists were visiting Hawaii to see the life before modernization. So the performances were recreated in order to increase interest level of the tourists which alienated locals and the local Hawaiian people started thinking that these performances are only designed for the tourists only and it created a negative impression. To the Hawaiian people the image of hula girl is de meaning. Tourists believe that the hula girl and represented hulas are Authentic Hawaiian. However, These performances are nothing but the adopted version of the original hula. Another reason for the hula modification was to manage and complete the hula representation on time and within the tourists time schedule. The tourists are visiting Hawaii for the limited period of time where they expect to know about Hawaiian life and culture as much as possible. As their time is divided among different activities they are going to do on the island, they have very limited time for the hula performance. The traditional hula was unnecessarily sexualized and made sensual, the movement of hips and legs in dance steps are seen as sexual by the visitors. As per the writer Molly Brush, till 1950s the hula was transformed totally into tourist commodity. In 1920s the hula was performed in the theaters in solos, this performance was performed by mainly local Hawaiian people in Hawaiian language and dances were allowed to have their original look which made hula authentic. However, in 1950s the hula was shifted to outdoor stage and was performed by a large number of dancers. They also added the Tahitian fire dance into the performance to increase the element of interest and entertainment. The hand movement and gestures were changed and by the time it was no longer preference of individuals, all the dancers had to move hips and hand gestures at the same time. Once the hotel started charging the tourist for the for the hula performance, it became the most profitable tourist attraction. The tourist from 1920s was not looking for entertainment; they were in search to know the culture. The tourists wanted to see every dance to perform hula as per their own creative ways and ideas.ÂÂ   However, now it was converted to solely entertainment. (Brush, 2005) On October 12, 1963, the theme park was opened in Oahu Hawaii with name of the Polynesian Cultural Center. The PPC was established by Mormon Church in forty acres of land with theater, gift shops, restaurants and the seven Polynesian villages representing the culture of different Polynesian islands such as Hawaii, Samoa, Fiji, Tahiti, Tonga and Aotearoa. Each village was build with the different replicas of different islands demonstrating the crafts, daily customs and arts. The PCC claimed itself living museum and preserves and demonstrates and art and culture of Polynesia. (Purpose And History Of Polynesian Cultural Center) The center started charging tourists forty dollars and promised tourist to show the islands as they hoped the way it would be. However, these activities were performed by the Mormon Church College students who are pretending be real Polynesians and doing traditional activities in authentic native dresses. The PCC was started getting criticism from historians and anthropologists for earning revenue in the name of preserving culture and authenticity. As per the writer T. D. Webb, tourist art is the art which is recreated for the tourists and the purpose of this art to provide entertainment, souvenirs, and mementos to the tourists. The intention of producing a Tourist art to gain economic benefits and to increase business based on cultural tourism. The PCC and The Royal Hawaiian Hotel has produced this tourist art to create audiences which are the tourists and to earn revenue out of it. The article of Molly Brush was in brief about how hula was modified from 1920s to 1950s and how the changed tourists requirements changed the form of hula. The idea and definition given by T.D. Webb seem more comparable to the term tourist art.ÂÂ   (Webb, 1994) The authenticity means which is original, real and genuine. However, everyone has a different argument when it comes to authenticity in the tourism. It is very difficult to create cultural tourism which is suitable to all tourists needs. Authenticity is divided between two forms, product, and experience. The authenticity of the product can be easily measured such as crafts, carvings, and paintings which a tourist can buy in a physical form. And the other form of authenticity is experience, which is very crucial, this authenticity can be in form of plays, dances, and culture that tourist can see and feel. In the 19th century, when tourists interest increased in Hawaiian culture, the Royal Hawaiian Hotel started performances of hula as a commodity as a staged authenticity. Staged authenticity is when host organization recreates the form of a culture which is representing local culture, values, and lifestyle of the local people. Culture, values and traditions are valuable to local peopl e which are being ignored and beings less important against that tourist wants to see and would like to pay for. (Taylor, 2001) Conclusion: The commoditization of hula is the result of religious changes, modernizations and colonialism. And the Royal Hawaiian Hotel took the opportunity and changed hula performance into commodity. The most tourists visiting Hawaii are interested in Hawaii Culture and would like to know the authentic culture of Hawaiian people. The regular tourist and Hawaiian people, who are leaving in Hawaii from many years, are disappointed that the hula is being forgotten art and they are unable to see authenticity. Many native Hawaiian believes that its very important for tourists to respect Hawaiian culture and for the same the tourists should experience the real native Hawaiian culture. Tourism plays very important role in recreating the way tourists will know the new culture and different people. Its a responsibility of people who are involved in tourism business to present correct way of cultural tourism. They might claim that tourism has increased visitors in Hawaii and its beneficial for the econ omy of Hawaii, however these businesses had only created jobs in Hawaii as Waiters and Maids. The performance of hula can be impressive even without sexualized costumes.

Victorian Social Reform in Britain :: European Europe History

Victorian Social Reform in Britain When considering the changes brought about in the social policy of Great Britain, in the decades immediately either side of 1900, one must look at the nation `s industrial history. The position as the world` s premier industrial nation had been cemented by the mid nineteenth century, achieved in part, as it was the first nation to industrialise. However, the headlong embrace of laissez- faire capitalism ignored the social infrastructure, and the emigration from the depressed agricultural areas to the industrial areas caused immense strain on the poorly-planned towns and cities. At the dawn of industrialisation, there were those who expressed concern about the health and hygiene of the dense industrial areas, notably Freidrich Engels, whose study of Manchester and London in 1844 collated in "Conditions of The Working Class in England" painted a truly dismal picture of urban squalor and hopelessness. " Such is the Old Town of Manchester, and on re-reading my description, I am forced to admit that instead of being exaggerated, it is far from black enough to convey a true impression of the filth, ruin, and uninhabitableness, the defiance of all considerations of cleanliness, ventilation, and health which characterise the construction of this single district, containing at least twenty to thirty thousand inhabitants. And such a district exists in the heart of the second city of England, the first manufacturing city of the world. If any one wishes to see in how little space a human being can move, how little air - and such air! - he can breathe, how little of civilisation he may share and yet live, it is only necessary to travel hither." (Engels.F. 1844 p.84 ) The publication, in 1842, of the" Report on the Sanitary Condition of the Labouring Population of Great Britain" elicited, and perhaps foresaw, the protests of disbelief. Edwin Chadwick was responsible for the report and also invoked the image of the "unknown country" as Henry Mayhew later did to bring to public attention the abysmal conditions with which the labouring poor had to contend. His principal concern appeared to be with "the miasma" emanating from decaying matter "the poisonous exhalations" which were the source of their physical, moral and mental deterioration. At the height of the cholera epidemic, the flushing of the sewers in order to dissipate the miasma, actually aggravated the problem by further contamination of the water supply, in the face of the advice which stated that the disease was spread by germs and infection.

Teens, Sex, and Virginity - Teenagers and the Importance of Abstinence

Teenagers and the Importance of Abstinence    Teenagers need to be taught to practice abstinence. By learning this important lesson, youths will be less likely to contract sexually transmitted diseases, and they will be safe from unwanted pregnancies that could lead to abortions. Three million people under the age of 20 in the United States become infected with a sexually transmitted disease each year. With 66 percent of high school students having had intercourse by graduation, these numbers are not surprising (Planned Parenthood-Helping Young). The effects of sexually transmitted diseases can be devastating. Once a person contracts herpes, he must deal with it for the rest of his life. The HIV virus puts a person on the fast track to death. Growing up is hard enough for a child without having to face his own mortality. I learned all I wanted to know about sexually transmitted diseases while attending religious school at my synagogue. I was 13 at the time, but I still remember the experience vividly eight years later. One Wednesday night, the rabbis called all of the eighth, ninth, tenth, and eleventh graders into the chapel for a special program. One of the teachers had prepared a slide show to demonstrate the effects that a sexually transmitted disease had on the human body. The first several pictures were not too bad, showing not much more than some bumps around a girl's mouth. As the show progressed, the slides got more gruesome. A man's genitals with large sores displayed the effects of herpes. Another slide showed the bottom of a girl's foot that had a hole the size of a quarter in it, the STD eating away at it like termites do an old house. I never have forgotten that night, and I wish that every child ... ...ng People to Delay Intercourse. 21 Mar. 1999. http://www.plannedparenthood.org/library/TEEN-Pregnancy/helpyoung.html>. Planned Parenthood. What to Expect if You Choose Abortion. 21 Mar. 1999. http://www.plannedparenthood.org/abortion/what-to-expect.htm>. Powell, Betsy. "Dangers of Teen Abortion." San Francisco Chronicle 5 Apr. 1996: A23 Teen Pregnancy. CDC State-by-State Pregnancy Rates for Teens 15-19. 21 Mar. 1999. http://www.teenpregnancy.org/govrates.htm>. Teen Pregnancy. Teen Pregnancy Facts and Stats. 21 Mar. 1999. http://www.teenpregnancy.org/factstats.htm> Teen Pregnancy. Teen Voices. 21 Mar. 1999. http://www.teenpregnancy.org/teen/voices.html> Thomas, Cal. "The Wrong Message." World Magazine. 11 Oct. 1997. Vol. 12, No. 21. Also found at http://www.worldmag.com/world/issue/10-11-97/national_2.asp>.

Benefits of computing gross profit on sales in contrast to contribution margin Essay

The computation of gross profit on sales, which can be derived under the absorption costing approach, is a profitability measure normally conducted under financial analysis.   This accounting ratio outlines the gross profit generated from every $100 of sales.   Such measure is highly useful in financial analysis, because it provides indications on the profitability potential and cost efficiency of the company.  Ã‚   For instance, if there was an increase in sales of 10%, but the gross profit margin declined by 4%. This indicates that the cost efficiency of the organization deteriorated during the period.   Such analysis cannot be conducted under the contribution margin approach, because gross profit is not present.   However, under the contribution margin approach one can calculate the contribution to sales ratio which indicates the contribution determined from every $100 of sales.   This would also provide indications on the control of variable costs once compared over time. Difference in Net Income arising from different approaches. In the example of ABC Company the profit under the two methods is the same.   However, this is not always the case.   Profits under the two methods differ whenever there is movement in inventory.   This is due to the fact that since under the absorption costing technique fixed manufacturing costs are included in the cost of goods sold, a proportion of fixed costs will be included in inventory leading to such a difference. Contribution margin approach not allowable for external reporting. The contribution margin approach, despite being highly useful to provide valuable information for decision making, is not acceptable for external reporting.   This is due to the fact that it does not comply with the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). For example, under the GAAP the income statement layout should clearly outline the gross profit made by the company.   Under the contribution margin method this is not highlighted.   Another important reason why the absorption approach is allowable for external reporting and not the contribution approach is due to the way in which the income statement is classified. The GAAP state that the income statement is classified by function, like under the absorption method.   In the contribution approach it is classified by cost behavior.   Indeed separation between fixed and variable costs is made under such method. This conflicts with another requirement of the GAAP. Reference: Drury C. (1996). Management and Cost Accounting. Fourth Edition. New York: International Thomson Business Press.   

The Islamism: Origin, Ideology, Aims & Objectives

Nations around the world follows different ideologies to generate a direction for themselves. An ideology is a way of thinking, a set of beliefs, aims and ideas. It sets the vision for the group attached to it. Its purpose is to bring a specific change or carry out a certain task among its followers in accordance with a thorough thought process. When ideologies differ it gets difficult for the people belonging to a certain group to stay coherent. Ideological differences have triggered such events that were found to be powerful enough that they have shrugged the atlas several times. Wars had been fought by those who reject leading their life in the ways that conflicts with their own ideological beliefs. Islamic Ideology Islam is a religion of having faith in the oneness of God, finality of Prophet-hood, following the code of conduct according to the principles mentioned in the Holy Book and practicing the preaching of Holy Prophet. Islam emphasizes on building individual characters in an exemplary way so that a foundation of an ideal society could be laid. All Muslims have been ordered by their God Almighty to follow instructions prescribed in their Holy Book Quran, the purpose of this guidance is to lay down a way of life in which the laws mentioned in the book regulates a men’s relationship with other men and with his God. It provides a guideline for a man to maintain his social life along with his communion with the God. It indicates to a Muslim in his quest for knowledge, principle that enhances his capability to observe universe and nature with more understanding. Quran is not a book of science; it’s basically a book that deals with the basic principles of human life it preaches belief in oneness, immateriality, absolute power of the creator, charity for needy, brotherhood among mankind, subjugation of passions, the concept of accountability of human actions in the life after death, a system that teaches men to be grateful to all those who help and development of a sense of social consciousness by carefully performing those actions that are sensible and right and avoiding those that are forbidden and harmful for self and others. Islamism Islam provides Muslims a code of conduct that has been written in the Holy Book. Muslims are supposed to understand and follow it and when it comes to understanding there are different possible interpretations of the same text. Islamism is not a single concept rather it’s a product of different ideologies that exists within the umbrella of Islam. Islam is a religion that provides guideline for the Muslims around the world. Islamism has ideological conflicts. In general all these ideological groups call them Islamists, a group of people that completely rejects accepting secular governments and institutions and aim to align the entire world and its establishments in accordance to Sharia, the Muslim Law. One single society could have several directions of Islamism contributing to the fact that it’s been initiated by different groups trying to enforce their own ideologies and they seemed to never cooperate. Islamism expects its followers to align his life in complete adherence to the sacred law of Islam and completely rejects any foreign influences that may try to force any law or code of conduct that contradicts what is being mentioned in Islamic law. Islamism has in its root anger for non-Muslims and it condemn west to greatest extent. What it aims is to convert a religion into a kind of ideology. Origin of Islamism A little more than just 200 years before Muslim world was considered the hub of science and literature. Muslim scholars have laid such foundations that were later used by European researches to build extremely beneficial artifacts that have amazed the world. During the prime era of Muslims, there were mathematicians, doctors, scientists, philosophers, researchers and artists that people from around the globe used to come and learn from them. The theories presented by Muslim scholars are the basis of most of the modern scientific inventions and innovations. The downfall arose when the Muslim world interacted with the Europeans; its dated around 200 years back in 1798 when Napoleon landed in Egypt and the Muslim worlds came in contact with the Europe. From here came the influence and impact of European culture and civilization on the Muslims. The two nations are not incompatible but the ideological differences became evident when conflicts triggered events that lead to development of anger and hostile feelings among contradicting nations. According to Daniel Pipes: This confrontation was clearly shown in the aftermath of the fatwa by Ayatollah Khomeini against Salman Rushdie. Contrary to popular expectation, the lines in 1989 were drawn not between Muslim and Westerners, but between those who supported the ayatollah, or in some fashion sympathized with him, and those who were against him. One found many Muslims and Westerners on both sides. This illustrates how it is ideas that count, not religion. (Distinguishing between Islam & Islamism, 1998) The origination of Islamism is neither a single event nor responsibility of a particular person. It is the fundamentalist Islamic approach carried forward by those Islamic radicals that completely rejects the western culture and way of thinking. Series of events in history builds such anger among the Muslims that were once the most successful nation on the map of earth that they started to rebel and participate in destructive activities so that world could again come in their control, this time if not by education or technology then by force and devastation. Aims and Objectives There can’t by another explanation of Islamism but just that it’s like the other utopian schemes that have been proposed and adopted world wide and provides its followers ways and guidelines to control a state, take measures that help running a society and extend philosophies in order to re-make human beings inhabiting that state. The concept has been given an Islamic touch but over all it’s a totalitarian scheme. It embodied a complete transformation of the actual traditional Islam. It has an element of modernization, for instance it deals with issues related with a modern society, address problems arises in urban living and modern day women issues, and it provides guidance for the non-traditional problems faced by my occupations. It completely ignores Islamic principle of restricting laws and regulations to the individual and society rather it tries to inject geographically restricted rules in its effort to come at par with western style geographic law. It’s not a system that has evolved as result of poverty and money. It’s a reaction to modernization by those thinkers that try to find their own ways out in changing world environment and politics. Many educated people are Islamists and running their states according to their own ideology. Islamism has been evolved lately as a huge force that is responsible for running countries like Iran, Sudan and Afghanistan. In Algeria, Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, and Palestine they exists as the strong opposition force. Though its been observed that Islamists are not in majority but even if they consists of minority it’s a very active one. The countries where they have establishments they are very successful and they not only run their own territories but they also interfere in their neighborhood and participate in overall world politics. Its been feared that if they grow their powers they will be responsible for contraction of economic stability, women oppression world wide, human right violation, terrorism and arms race. The ideas presented by Islamists belonging to different countries differ in ideologies and they are very difficult to predict. All Muslims are all well aware that they were the superior military and cultural force in the world for centuries, and the reversed situation in the modern ages hurts the pride of Muslims. As many Muslim countries have tried to copy both the capitalist system, and others the socialist system, and all have seen little but marginal success, Islamists are working for re-establishing what the promote as a â€Å"third alternative†; a political system that they claim is similar to the one which once made unknown tribes grow into becoming lords of empires in a few decades. But in order to create such a society, the Islamists are not rejecting modern technology, and are very concerned about implement this on a grand scale in an Islamist society. And because of the technology, the Islamists believe that the coming Islamist society will be an even better society than the one of the Golden Age. (Islamism, 2008) Even if what Islamists are trying is to bring the Golden period of Muslims back they are overlooking the fact that being intolerant, conservative and violent is something that was even practiced by Muslim rulers of history who ruled the world. A liberal Islam that encourages peace and harmony has always been the pride of a Muslim. Islam in its fundamental teachings promotes tolerance and love. Islamists have originated from people having moderate background living in cities. Mostly youngsters have are its prime followers. They don’t consider themselves to be the revolutionaries rather they say they are bringing the lost values back to the culture and society. Islamism condemns the economic system that world follows and suggests the Islamic economic system where interest rates should be replaced by investments made on profit and loss basis. When it comes to women they have contradicting views leading from conservatives to liberal. Sometimes they encourage women to work outside and sometimes they advocate women taking care of their families as their prime concern. The Islamist ideology could in no way support democracy, dictatorship is what they profess. A leader is responsible for listening to people’s problems and solving them accordingly. The Islamists have started to adopt a violent approach towards addressing different issues and demands for almost last two decades and are considered responsible for many destructive activities killing thousands of people worldwide. Nowadays, Islamists have been feared as a long term threat as there are growing powers day by day with more and more young people joining their force.

A report that reflects on Person Centred Therapy

I reflected on Person-centred Therapy (PCT) as the comparative model because of the conflict that exists between this and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). The conflict is historical, political and from personal experience. In therapy twenty years ago I became frustrated with my counsellor’s person-centred approach. I challenged my counsellor to provide me with more support and help. I therefore had preconceived ideas of PCT which may be similar to stereotypical thinking of these models. It was excessively warm, completely non-directive and only reflected back to the client, which I found frustrating.I understand now it was because my coping style was externalised and I had no control over external events, which suited a more direct counselling approach. So, how would this influence my practice as a counsellor? In theoretical terms and in observed practice I appreciated the benefits of PCT for its empathetic understanding and for clients who require a non-directive approach to gain emotional awareness. Presenting issues that can be helped by PTS are bereavement, drug and alcohol issues, depression, panic and anxiety, eating difficulties, self-harm, childhood sexual abuse (Tolan and Wilkins, 2012).I have used the model affectively for bereavement and sexual abuse as an offer of a direction would have been inappropriate and incongruent at the time. My preconceptions of CBT were solution focused, challenging and that low intensity based interventions ignore the client’s past. I feel competent in using certain behavioural intervention in my practice and challenge maladaptive thinking patterns in sessions. CBT is a medical model and although we have been taught the disadvantages to diagnoses, CBT is seen as the treatment of choice for many presenting problems due to the amount of empirical evidence available.These are anxiety disorders, panic, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, PTSD, bulimia and depression as identified by NICE (NICE, 2008, Acc essed online 27/06/201). This report reflects on the appropriate use of the models. Stereotypes have some element of truth, but at the same time, are not the truths. I wanted to understand the similarities and parallels while respecting the fact that, in practise, I use both models. I didn’t want to do a bit of each badly, but use a model in full at the appropriate time and understand my reason for doing so (Casemore, and Tudway, 2012).Both PCT and CBT are deeply rooted in the same philosophical underpinning of humanism, existentialism, and both are phenomenology particularly to the nature of suffering. However, there are differences in the understanding and interpretation of the philosophy. Both approaches view a person as continually seeking growth and self-actualisation. There are incompatible beliefs between the models. (Casemore, and Tudway, 2012). PCT observes that seeking growth and self-actualisation is a way of being and in itself therapeutic.Rogers’ professed that there were six necessary conditions for therapeutic growth that alone were sufficient to lead to a fully functioning person. The individual is the own expert who can determine their own journey of their reality and can heal themselves with the core, being the relationship itself. The structure of the self includes self-concept and introjected beliefs. PCT communicates acceptance of the client’s own experience and encourages then to identify alternate choices. It is a continual journey of self-awareness and knowledge, with the drive always towards growth (Mearns & Thorne, 2012).CBT views growth and self-actualisation as a shared goal of therapy to be reached with a set of tools, to be implemented in therapy. CBT’s view comes from Ellis who defines a person as irrational and rational. In CBT terms ‘dysfunctional beliefs’ are similar to ‘introjected beliefs’ and led to distortion in the self-concept. The irrational cause’s distress a nd rational directs the individual to fully functioning. CBT primary belief is self distortion and the process of cognitive dissonance.Interventions such as the ABCDE framework are used to challenge and dispute irrational thinking and are aimed at increasing client’s self-awareness and self-understanding. CBT sees the relationship as more collaborative and facilitates new learning. An individual’s construct of reality is dimensional and irrationality stops the client from changing. Therefore, a person’s drive is not always towards growth (Casemore, and Tudway, 2012). A similarity of both approaches is the understanding of self-worth and unconditional self-acceptance. The nature of suffering is seen the same. Humans are flawed, imperfect and we cause our own disturbance.Both see the client as the expert in the relationship. Authenticity is of great importance to both PCT and CBT as is the therapeutic relationship. It is the emphasis on the process of change, to b ecome oneself, where the differences in two models lie (Castonguay, & Hill, 2012). From a PCT perspective a client discovers some hidden aspect of them self that they weren’t aware of previously and moves towards a greater degree of acceptance of self by being prized by the therapist (unconditional positive regard), have a sense of realness (genuineness) and listen to them self (empathy).A client moves towards seeing new meaning. These changes are characteristic of therapeutic movement. The client moves along a continuum from rigid structure to flow which can be seen in the seven stages of therapeutic change. Rogers’ term was ‘organismic experiencing’ which was interpersonal in the therapeutic relationship through unconditional positive regard and intrapersonal within the client accepting a new experience into their awareness (Castonguay, & Hill, 2012). In PCT, the process of change there are different corrective experiences for a client.For me practising with a client group from a women’s refuge I use PCT and Rogers’ condition-of-worth. The incongruence between the self-concept and authentic self is evident due to the abuse. This creation of a false self is corrected with unconditional positive regard, empathy and genuineness. Process Theory is where, change in the experience of feelings and the recognition that the client is the creator of their own construct occurs. The therapeutic change has a developmental sequence.There is a change in the client’s manner of experiencing feelings and recognition of being the creator of their own constructs, accepting responsibility and in relating to others openly and freely. This is compatible with the condition of worth. A person moves with acceptance to a fully functioning person. The person’s overall ‘way of being’ is changed. Relating to a congruent therapist, the client learns to be open and congruent themselves (Castonguay, & Hill, 2012). Unblockin g or Focusing is where the self-correcting, self-healing process of the organism is blocked.The person can’t refer inwardly, focus on feelings or articulate meaning. They have a rigid self-concept. Empathic listening within the therapeutic relationship opens the issue to re-examination and unblocks the person self-healing process. There is an interaction between the feeling and the attention the client brings to create a new meaning. This is Gendlin’s felt sense, an unexpected feeling of flow. The client becomes an active self-healer who has been felt heard and understood (Castonguay, & Hill, 2012).In practice building ‘Meaning Bridges’ – new understanding which identifying introjects imposed by others who imposed external systems of value has been paramount because of the external pressure that have be imposed through a close relationship. Internal opposing voices can be accepted, examined and resolved through compromise and collaborative solution. Until now, I saw this as CBT but can now see this as PCT with Rogers’s necessary and sufficient conditions of therapeutic change all that is needed for the process of change and this change occurs without engaging in cognitive process, but in the moment (Castonguay, & Hill, 2012).I am able to draw personal parallels from watching Rogers’ session with Gloria. Gloria wanted an answer from Rogers. In the session she found it for herself, even though she actively interpreted that he had helped her to the decision; even though he hadn’t. She makes the decision of honesty for herself. Although non-directive, Rogers’s session had a focused, this was of self-healing and self-direction. Refuting the belief that the person-centred way is only to reflect back to the client. The warmth from the counsellor is also part of the process of condition of worth.This helps me challenge my preconceived ideas and understand what is happening in practice. In practise, I am awa re from a CBT perspective the therapeutic approach can teach clients new skills. The therapist is regarded as more of a coach. The client benefits from new skills and perspectives which facilitate the learning and have a sense of efficacy. I have used CBT to look at specific problem behaviours and conceptualise them as having cognitive, affective, behavioural and physiological elements each of which can have a legitimate target for intervention and can be check for validity (Castonguay, & Hill, 2012).The process of change occurs in practice as old ways are challenged through exposure exercise, behavioural experiments and cognitive restructuring techniques. Change occurs in the therapeutic setting or outside in a person everyday life. It may require repetition to produce a lasting effect and reduce maladapted patterns. This is where CBT and PCT are similar as this requires a strong therapeutic alliance, but CBT literature takes this as a given and may be a reason it is criticised. Cl ients are taught emotional regulation and basic functioning skills, such as problem-solving skills, breathing relaxation and active coping.Specific interventions are then used to motivate and foster the therapeutic relationship, such as cost benefit analysis, daily thought records, and in vivo exposure. Aligning client’s goals with interventions in a formulation develops the therapeutic alliance and collaborates with the client, with hypothesis-testing strategies used to undergo the process of change [Casemore, and Tudway, 2012). CBT is focused on corrective experiences and facilitates through interventions rather than challenging a client.It respects the importance of the therapeutic relationship and uses Rogers’ core conditions but does not see the conditions as sufficient. In-depth schema focused CBT takes the therapy to a deeper level and deals with past issues, than the low intensity offered by the NHS. Again my preconceptions are challenged for the benefit of my practice. I can see how the two models are not rivals, as Roger Casemore and Jeremy Tudway suggest in their book Person-centred Therapy and CBT, and that sibling as a metaphor works well (Casemore, and Tudway, 2012).For me, the therapeutic relationship and the advanced empathy required in PCT are important in my practise along with the core conditions in order to create change. Rogers’ believes interventions as wrong, from a philosophical point of view, as the client always having to lead the therapy. This is because Rogers sees a person as having limitless potential. For me, CBT in offering intervention and gentle coaching helps a client on their journey to self-healing and a seed can be planted and therapeutic change can happen outside the counselling session.I support the views not all humans have the same drive and there is an unconscious element to being rational or irrational. It is a more real idea and not as optimistic as Rogers. It is observation of this therapeutic change and this idea that supports the use of CBT in my practise (Casemore, and Tudway, 2012). The BACP ethical framework has been written with Rogers’ core conditions in mind. Therefore, PCT offers the client and the therapist the need to fulfil the principles of self-care, of being trustworthy and providing autonomy.As to the personal moral qualities the PCT requires the therapist to have advanced empathy. CBT has been criticised for focusing too much on the intervention and not being of beneficence. In CBT extra competence in the implementation of the intervention is required, so the criticism of the technique becoming the therapy cannot be applied . In writing this report and in my practise, I feel the difference are enough not to combine the models, but that each model can go into the same toolkit and used separately in the same session with a client.With the collaborative element in mind and further reading I am interested in the approach by Mick Cooper and John McLeod. The pluralistic perspective which believes individual clients would â€Å"benefit from different therapeutic methods† used at â€Å"different points in time†. Therapist would â€Å"work collaboratively† with clients. â€Å"Help them identify what they want from therapy† and how this can be achieved. It leaves the question of the process of therapy integration in practice open for debate. (Cooper, and McLeod, 2010, Assessed Online26/06/13).

Impact of christianity Essay

Christian dogmas have always been intertwined with philosophy regardless of the fact that most of the time both philosophers and theologians had polar opinions associated with religion and philosophy respectively. The first mentioning of philosophy in the Bible was encountered in the New Testament: See to it that no one makes a prey of you by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. (Colossians 2:8) Nevertheless, one of the earliest Christian representatives Tertullian always disagreed with the combination of ordinary temporal philosophical views and spiritual exalted religious dogmas. To the contrary, another religious thinker St. Augustine of Hippo defended the idea of inter-complementation of abstract science and Christian faith only in case of their mutual compatibility. St. Thomas Aquinas made great contribution to the Christianity’s impact on philosophy, as he was the first to distinguish these two important sectors of human perception of surrounding environment. He claimed that o Owing to philosophy information is being received through basic sensory functions: smell, touch, vision, hearing, and taste. Also, it is possible to prove and check the data according to laws of physics initially based on philosophy as well. o Owing to Christianity, information is not something to be proved or argued. It is to be accepted axiomatically especially when it is closely connected with God and Divine. After the Middle Ages the double nature of Jesus Christ (divine and human) was put in doubt and required explicit evidence regarding the origin and function of God. Philosophy could not succeed in answering this question, as the notions of humanity and divinity do not logically coincide with each other. Therefore, certain attempts were made with the help of Christianity to resolve the issue of imbalance. Thus, we need to mention three major reasons why philosophy was isolated from Christianity. ? First of all, philosophers from English-speaking world were predominantly atheists and rejected all spiritual and divine aspects of human activity. They required strong logical evidence and proof for subjects of their investigation and discussion ? Secondly, rejecting Christian dogmas philosophers were constantly seeking alternative ways to find proof for their arguments and new methods and evidences hidden in other religions.? Thirdly, philosophers believed that the language of religion and theology is too incoherent, irrational, and inconsistent that the meaning, no matter how important or of current importance it may be, loses its significance. Philosophical issues that have become Christianized include: ? Trinity: it was no clear for many thinkers why God consisted of three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. In the 7th century the Council of Toledo announced: â€Å"we may say God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit; but they are not three Gods, he is one God†. Similar to how a solar system may consist of numerous cosmic bodies. ? Sacrifice and atonement: philosophers believed that one punishment is enough to give birth to another, which is not always fair. However, Christianity responded by proving that punishment has moral nature and it is not something that exceptionally deals with evil. In conclusion, we may add that Christianity had a great impact on philosophy since early times. References Moore, N. B. , & Bruder, K. (2004). Philosophy: The Power of Ideas. 6th edition. New York: McGraw-Hill Humanities.

Personality Traits and PTSD Resilience Research Paper

Personality Traits and PTSD Resilience - Research Paper Example The TR in DSM-IV-TR refers to† text revision†s. Numeroff et al. (2009), a reprint of the work of Numeroff et al. (2006), reviewed the state of science in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The authors pointed out five key points. First, PTSD is frequent among women than among men. Second, the presence of group C symptoms after exposure to trauma can predict the development of PTSD. Third, increases in corticotrophin-releasing factor or CRF concentration associated with PTSD â€Å"may be reversed† with paroxetine treatment. Fourth, â€Å"hippocampal volume appears to be selectively decreased and hippocampal function impaired among PTSD patients.† Fifth, prolonged exposure therapy is effective in modifying negative cognitions that are frequent among PTSD patients. Note that in Numeroff et al. (2009) or state of science on the PTSD, there was no mention on the role of personality traits and resilience. In the 2000 guidelines of 50 pages for treating PTSD wri tten by Foa et al., there was no mention on the role of personality traits in hastening or slowing down the treatment or management of PTSDs. The treatment guidelines were developed under the auspices of the PTSD Treatment Guidelines Task Force organized by the Board of Directors of the International Society for Trauma Stress Studies (ISTSS) in November 1997 (Foa et al., 2000, p. 539). The treatment guidelines described PTSD as a serious psychological condition resulting from an exposure to a traumatic event (Foa et al., 2000, p. 539). The 2000 guidelines mentioned that the symptoms associated with PTSDs are â€Å"reliving the traumatic events or frightening elements of it; avoidance of thoughts, memories, people, and places associated with the event; emotional numbing; and symptoms of elevated arousal† (Foa et al., 2000, p. 539). The treatment guidelines pointed out that PTSDs are â€Å"often accompanied by other psychological disorders† (Foa et al., 2000, p. 539). Fu rther, the treatment guidelines elaborated that the â€Å"PTSD is a complex condition that can be associated with significant morbidity, disability, and impairment of life functions† (Foa et al., 2000, p. 539). The fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) of the American Psychiatric Association (1994) guided the guidelines. The guidelines recognized that research that shaped the guidelines came largely from western industrialized nations and little is known about the treatment of the PTSD in non-industrialized countries (Foa et al, 2000, p. 540). The guidelines also noted that there are limitations in the scientific literature on the PTSDs because most studies have used inclusion and exclusion criteria and, thus, each study may not fully represent the complete â€Å"spectrum† of patients (Foa et al., 2000, p. 541). In particular, it is customary in the studies of PTSD treatment to â€Å"exclude patients with active substance dependence, acute suicidal ideation, neuropsychological deficits, retardation, or cardiovascular disease† such that generalization of the findings to all populations may not be appropriate (Foa et al., 2000 p. 541). However, like Numeroff et al. (2009), Foa et al. (2000) did not mention anything on the association