Critique of Gallery Shows of Asian Art Essay

Asian art can refer to the vast genre of art and artists throughout the Asian continent. The history of Asian art is as varied as the cultures that make up this region of the world. From ancient bronze sculptures in India to the Manga cartoons of Japan, each country has a distinctive perspective on the world around them. In this paper I will look at three proposals for gallery shows of Asian art, each completely unique in their view of Asian culture. The first group looks at â€Å"Pop culture in Asia† focusing on the works of artists Wang Guangyi, Satoshi Kon, Takashi Murakami, and Basak Aditya, as well the art of Japanese tattoos. Organizing such conflicting works together seems disjointed and lacking coherence. Indeed the idea of Pop culture in Asia could be defined in multiple ways, but this grouping lacks consistency and logic. Works by Wang Guangyi, Satoshi Kon and Takashi Murakami, each with their pop art style and references, would be a good match for a show focusing on pop culture. Wang Guangyi reinvents propaganda posters from the 1960’s and 70’s into capitalist propaganda posters, using the same triangular composition and palette. Takashi Murakami is known for his sculptures of highly stylized cartoon or invented characters, referring to the popular culture of Japan or contemporary films. Satoshi Kon is a director of animated films that are loaded with Japanese cultural references and symbolism. I believe the work of these three artists would have been enough for a succinct show of Pop culture in Asia. The addition of the works of Basak Aditya and Japanese tattoos makes this grouping lose its focus. Although the work of Basak Aditya, with his poetic landscapes and dream-like portraits, is interesting, it is not a good fit because they are too personalized and make no references to the pop culture of India. And finally the addition of Japanese tattoos just seems like an arbitrary decision. Although some tattoos may have pop cultural references, the inclusion of photographs of skin art is incompatible with the cohesion of the first three artists in the grouping. The next group â€Å"Art and Power† successfully showed a variety of artwork that represented power throughout the ages. Beginning with paintings from the Chinese era of emperors and using concise language to demonstrate their interpretation of power. This group then looks at the brass and copper sculptures of Buddha, Shiva, and Jambhala, clearly demonstrating the power of religion in the regions of Tibet and India. Next are a grouping of decorative and ceremonial items from Korea, signifying the power of the ruling and upper-classes of ancient Asia. This grouping ends with a group of painting and sculpture of samurais and two thangka paintings. The overall consistency of the objects and paintings used for this grouping makes for a successful exhibition. All the works chosen were clearly indicative of power in this well organized grouping. Finally the last group chose â€Å"Asian Animation† as a theme. Again this is a clear and well put together group of mostly Japanese cartoons and figures. This group first looks at the work of Satoshi Trajiri, and the media franchise of Pokemon. This group clearly spent time on creating colorful cartoon-like backgrounds to add to their clear, well planned presentation. They then look at the illustration work of Akira Toriyama and his colorful, well defined sharp edge illustrations. The group then looks at toys and costumes that are created from these cartoons and comics, again using a similar background to unify the presentation. Although some of the content is repeated at the end of the grouping, the overall vision of presenting these comics and cartoons as art forms is cohesive and easy to understand. The group points out how important comics as an industry is to Japan and their cultural affects throughout the world.

Internet Essay

Internet has become one of the basic needs for mostly peoples; we can’t expect our daily life without internet. If we observe, we can easily check out the fact that how internet has dominated in our lives and we are very much dependent on internet. Earlier internet wan the source to collect information only but as time and technology changing day by day, lots of new trends is coming and our daily life has shifted on Internet. If we want to explore any new palace, we use internet, if we want to go for shopping, we use internet and this is not the end point of our list. We use internet to solve our mostly daily uses queries. Internet has become very useful in the field of education. As internet contributing great help in education, here we are discussing how internet contributing for education. With the help of internet, we can easily contact with any one. Internet has diminished the differences and every resource is very near and close to the needy one. Earlier School and College projects were too tough to complete but with the help of internet, information and data is available 24? and every needy student can complete their projects with the help of a small research. In other words, now needy one can achieve the goal, excuses don’t exist now. The biggest source for information that is encyclopedia is available online and any one can use it to get desired information. Now there is no chance to get the incomplete information, Encyclopedia contains the most effective information’s and it is available online. Every news in online available, whatever happens is available suddenly sp there is no scope to look back or wait for some thing. You have internet and you can update yourself any time according to your own needs and time table. What ever is happening is visible. There are lots of Online Learning Programs are available for those who are unable to attend the classes or have any other problems. Even online collages and institute are also available to serve online education.

The Theoretical Background Upon Behavior Modification Techniques

The theoretical background upon behavior modification techniques Abstract Behavior modification is a technique about the change in undesired behavior and enhancing desired behavior. In this paper is shown the history of this technique, when it dates from, a theoretical background and the steps of the modification, in order to be successful and thriving. This paper will show one of the first experiments with the behavior modification and how they helped this behavior technique to evolve, so to be helpful for therapeutic purposes as well as for parental purposes. Table of contents: 1. Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 2 2. History of behavior modification†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 2 3. Principles of behavior modification†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 3 4. Techniques of behavior modification †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3 5. Steps of behavior modification†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 4 6. Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦. 4 7. Reference list†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦. 5 1. Introduction Behavior modification is a technique concerning the change in the undesired behavior and enhancing desired behavior. It is an approach that aims to modify the behavior of a pe rson through the use of positive or negative reinforcement and punishment.Rewards such as approval, cloth, food or even money can support and strengthen the desired behavior and improve its regularity and occurrence. Behavior modification technique is used in many different situations, varying from the performance of children in their classroom, in their home or in the playground to the actions of adult prison inmates or people who need therapeutic treatment. For instance, if a child is doing her or his homework, this is a desired and wanted behavior. A teacher can support this kind of activity by providing the child with praise or a star on a chart to encourage the child to repeat this behavior.In the next lesson the kid has done the homework in order to get another star. This is a behavior modification. 2. History of behavior modification The theoretical background of behavior modification technique dates since 1911 when this term is used for the first time by Edward Thorndike. Th e behavior modification can also be traced to lab research in 1800's and 1900's. The greater part of this research was done through experimenting with animals. However, this technique is profoundly and intensely developed by American behaviorist Burrhus Frederic Skinner.He developed the idea of operant conditioning, which is the concept that the behavior of a person or an animal can be shaped by reinforcement or lack of one. (Skinner, B. F, 1938). Nowadays, these notions are used by parents and mental health professionals. Behaviorists strongly believe that people are a creation of their life experience with the ability to manage their behavior and study new once. Many routine programs are about reducing cholesterol, blood pressure or weight by using behavior modification techniques as a means of thoroughly modifying eating habits.In another words, behavior modification technique is used to replace undesirable behavior with desirable once. It is the process of modifying a person's r eaction to different stimuli. 3. Principles of behavior modification In the behavior modification technique there are two main principles and they are reinforcement and punishment; both can be either positive or negative. The reinforcement fortifies the behavior. It is something that a person obtains as a result of their behavior that makes it more possible to do it again in the future. A positive reinforcement is about encouraging desirable behaviors through a technique of rewards.In the behavior therapy, therapists often make contracts with their patients and clients in order to establish the terms of the reward system. A negative reinforcement illustrates wanted behavior which is rewarded with the elimination of a negative stimulus. On the other hand, the punishment lessens the behavior. It happens when a person obtain a consequence that they do not desire as an outcome of their behavior. A positive one takes place when unwanted behavior results in the addition of a negative stim ulus. A negative punishment takes place when unwanted behavior results in the removal of an enjoyable and satisfying motivation.B. F. Skinner display positive and negative reinforcement. He put a rat in a box. In this box there was a lever and when it was pushed it released food. The rat quickly understands that every time he pushed the lever he will receive food. In this case the positive reinforcement of receiving food made the rat to push the lever and so it has lever pushing behavior. In Skinner's other example, he put the rat in a different box with a lever. In this box there was an electric current. The rat would push the lever, which immediately turned off the electric current.So, the rat learned to push it in order to stop the current. This behavior was reinforced by avoiding negative circumstances. According to B. F. Skinner the punishment have to be used only as a last option. He thought so, because he believed that people will try harder for a prize than through fear of p unishment, so he stated that the positive reinforcement is more effective than the other methods. He also had the notion that the punishment did not result in the long run for the behavior modification, he believed that the punishment had only brief results. 4 . Techniques of behavior modificationIn the behavior modification there are three techniques which help to remodel negative thoughts or actions into positive ones and they are systematic desensitization, aversion and token economy. Systematic desensitization technique aid with lessen the fear associated with certain stimuli. The experience to the fear-producing stimuli, while focusing on easing techniques in the long run leads to the fear-inducing stimuli resulting in the easing response, rather than fear. Aversion technique support breaking severe or just troublesome habits through associating aversive stimuli to the unwanted habits.In the end, the unwanted habits become related with the negative consequence and the behavior is diminished. The most effective behavior modification technique is the token economy, mainly with children. With this technique a wanted behavior results in the reward of a token -for instance a star or a poker chip; on the other hand unwanted behavior result in taking away the token. When children gain a specific number of tokens, they get a meaningful item, opportunity or some kind of benefit in exchange for the tokens.Ultimately, the rewarding of tokens decreases the unwanted behavior on their own. 5. Steps of behavior modification The behavior modification technique is accessible for everyone – individuals, families and ill people and they all have to follow some steps in order the behavior modification to be successful. The steps are related with identification, education, environmental changes, encouragement and discouragement. The identification of a problem may be easy when an adult choose to stop smoking, or difficult when a student often interrupt the teacher in c lass.Behavior modification techniques involve an educational part to begin the wanted changes. For instance, a teacher might explain to a child in positive ways to express irritation with discussion, rather than throwing objects. Negative behaviors often take place in relation to exact circumstances. For instance, an overeater might always eat when watching TV or a smoker might always smoke when drinking coffee. Environmental changes diminish the chances for the negative behaviors to take place. When the proper behavior occurs, the individual obtain positive reinforcement.For example, a child who does her or his homework will be left to play games or extra hour on the playground. Negative reinforcement give unwanted consequences for keeping on the negative behavior. For instance, extra chores might be the consequence for a teenager acting disrespectfully at home. 6. Conclusion A behavior modification technique has the potential to help many people as well as everyday behaviors and c ircumstances and also to aid in many disorders. This technique has proved as successful many different treatments.For instance, it has helped with children with autism, conduct disorders, many different phobias and addictions; it also has helped in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder as well as in parenting and classroom settings. In conclusion to be thriving it has to be followed five very important steps for successful behavior modification technique. First of all it has to be determining the ways for helping diminishing the problems. Secondly, it has to be developing a program designed to lessen the unwanted behavior and make stronger the wanted behavior.Third, it has to be carry out the program. Fourth, it has to be keep objective records of progress. And fifth it has to be supervising the program and results and modify as necessary. 7. Reference list †¢Fernandez, Cr. (2010) Examples of Behavior Modification Techniques Available from: http://www. lives trong. com/article/181974-examples-of-behavior-modification-techniques/ [Accessed November 2012] †¢Labrador, Fr. (2004) Skinner and the Rise of Behavior Modification and Behavior Therapy Available from: http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pubmed/15581239 Accessed [November 2012] †¢Martinez, El. 2010) Types of Behavior Modification Available from: http://www. livestrong. com/article/123748-types-behavior-modification/ Accessed [November 2012] †¢Nayab, N (2011) Examples of Behavior Modification Approaches That Really Work Available from: http://www. brighthub. com/office/human resources/articles/107630. aspx [Accessed November 2012] †¢Steeves, J. (2012) A Review of Different Behavior Modification Strategies Designed to Reduce Sedentary Screen Behaviors in Children Available from: http://www. hindawi. com/journals/jobes/2012/379215/ Accessed [November 2012]

5 forces model Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

5 forces model - Assignment Example As pointed earlier, eBay uses an online bidding system, which essentially implies that buyers have bargaining power provided by the industry. In this regard, the bargaining power of the buyers affect eBay’s strategy due to the demand for better services by consumers and the competitive pricing offered by similar companies in the industry. On the other hand, the online auction industry experiences robust growth and development due to the advancements in information technological infrastructure with eBay, Yahoo, and Amazon being the most dominant firms. In effect, this implies that the intensity of rivalry is very high with the bidding platform in the industry exacerbating the rivalry. Finally, many other resellers and auctioneers, who do not operate on the online platform, offer substitute products similar to those offered by eBay. In this regard, these resellers and auctioneers compete with eBay for market share, which threatens the company’s profits. Consequently, this affects the strategy that eBay adopts to ensure productivity and maximizing profits while at the same time ensuring that the company remained competitive in the online auction

Corhn's Disease Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Corhn's Disease - Annotated Bibliography Example The authors aimed to deteremine the effect of using corticosteroids as a therapeutic intervention for Crohn’s disease, particularly Azathioprine and Infliximab, studied individually and subsequently, in combination. Through expounding on the study design and the patients who were selected to be part of the study, the authors presented the study treatments and an evaluation of deemed efficacy, as well as safety of the interventions noted. The findings noted the highest effective rate of efficacy in treatment for combining the two corticosteroids, to wit: â€Å"infliximab monotherapy and combination therapy with infliximab plus azathioprine, as compared with azathioprine alone, resulted in significantly higher rates of corticosteroid-free clinical remission among patients with moderate-to-severe Crohns disease† (Colombel & et al., 2010, p. 1393). The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America (2012) provided an online comprehensive discourse regarding Crohn’s disease through a discussion of various sub-topics ranging from: understanding the diagnosis, an overview of the illness, it being identified as a chronic illness, population or people at risk, its causes, signs as well as symptoms, types, patterns, and treatment with recommended medications. Other relevant considerations were likewise expounded such as options for surgery, the required diet and nutritional intake, alternative and complementary interventions, coping techniques as one lives with the illness, and additional information and support systems which could assist people interested to find out more on Crohn’s disease. This site is very informative and useful for researchers and those found to have family members afflicted with the illness. The authors presented a comprehensive study regarding management of Crohn’s disease through initially providing

Relationship marketing - case of Tesco Dissertation

Relationship marketing - case of Tesco - Dissertation Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the relationship marketing is the form of marketing where the firms emphasize more on customer satisfaction and customer retention rather than pushing the product. The companies are rather taking a pull strategy for developing new product and acquire the customers. When a company has good relation with its customers then the customers will become loyal to the company and that will help the company also acquire new customers. In the era of globalization the competition between the firms are intense, and for retaining the market share the companies need to develop some innovative strategy of marketing so that the customers become more attracted to their products. When a company is trying to push the products then the customer might loss attraction for their products because the products of the concerned company may not be meet the customer requirements. The customers may shift their attention to any other brand where they can get the produ cts as per their requirements. As a result the revenue of the former company gets affected as well as their profit. So for retaining the market share the companies should stop using the push marketing strategy, instead they need to use the pull marketing strategy. The companies should consider the customer requirements with the most importance, and for become the market leader the companies should develop a good relationship with the customers. ... They have to face the political challenges of different countries and competition from the local competitors. The opportunities of the local competitors are that they can develop the relationship with the local customers easily where it is tough for the multinational competitors. The local companies can understand what the customers want as they are operating in the same country. But the companies which are operating globally they need to understand the local customers need for generating revenue and profit from the country. The requirements of the customers differ from one country to another. The companies need to understand the customer requirements of different countries for generating profit from that country. For knowing the customer requirements the multinational companies need to conduct the market research in that particular country. Through the marketing research processes the companies can come to know about the customer needs, the customer also feel that the company is try ing to utilizing their responses. Through these processes the companies can come close to the customers, the relation between the customer and the company get improved. For achieving the sustainable market share and gaining profit the companies need to make some long term strategies. The customers are the main stakeholders of the company. The customers naturally obtain for the company where they can get maximum value in a relatively lower price. The customers expect that the product will obviously meet their basic requirements and as well as they can get some more benefits from that product. The customers will go for the brand where they can get maximum benefits after meeting the basic requirements. In this report

Technology to Improve Internal Audit Research Paper

Technology to Improve Internal Audit - Research Paper Example Conclusion 7 Name of the Student: Name of the Professor: Course Number: Date of the Paper: Technology to Improve Internal Audit 1. Introduction The internal audit is defined as the process of an autonomous appraisal function that is established within the organization to evaluate and examine the activities as a service. The main objective of the internal audit is to assist the members of the organization to effectively perform their responsibilities. The end result of the internal audit is to provide the analysis, assessment, suggestion, direction, and information regarding the reviewed activities. The end objective is promoting control over the reasonable cost (Kagermann 4; Trenerry 266; Pickett 325). The primary role of the internal audit has undergone radical changes. After the introduction of Sarbanes Oxley (SOX) Act in the USA in 2002 the internal audit has started to redeploy the financial control auditing (Leung, Cooper and Perera 785). This paper focuses on how technology has improved the internal audit. 2. Literature Review 2.1 New methodologies in use The recent development in the technology has led to the use of more sophisticated methods for internal auditing in the organization. The methodologies that are currently in use are (Dittenhofer 462): Computer assisted audit techniques (CAAT) Expert System Analytical Auditing 2.1.1 Computer assisted audit techniques The most dynamic way of processing audit is the use of computer assisted audit techniques (CAAT). This technology is not a new one, but requires a continuous up-gradation to increase the efficiency of auditing account inventories, receivables, fixed assets accumulation, and accounts payable. This method consists of the process of downloading the subject files and testing these files irrespective of the computer system of the auditee. The CAAT process eliminates the hand processed and time consuming substantive testing. It produces the automatic computer generated working paper, which is displa yed on the basis of â€Å"by difference†. There are several other computer applications that enhance the audit operation, reduce the time consumed, and also increase the accuracy of the work (Dittenhofer 462-463). 2.1.2 Analytical Auditing The use of the analytical auditing procedure is the recent development in the process of internal auditing. This process leads to the development of the relationship between the operational or physical aspects and financial aspects. The procedures claim that there must exist some relationship and unless they exist, some mitigating circumstances must be there, or if not some investigation should be done to determine the reason of inexistence. The technique tends to find the areas that require more in-depth investigation process and also identifies the areas that require a very little in-depth investigation. This method can be used as the potential area of interest. Without the indication of the problem absence and further examination, this p rocess cannot be used in a positive way (Dittenhofer 463). 2.1.3 Expert System The procedure of the expert system is another development that enhances the operation of internal auditing. This procedure includes computer programs that are identical to human reasoning and can be used to alert the auditor to investigate certain situations or the audit activities that should be considered as the response to the situation that appears to be unusual. Hence, two capacities are displayed by the functioning of the expert system. Firstly, the system is built on the computer program that records information automatically and compares it to the standard information that is already present to find the situation that

The Production of M. Butterfly and the Reflection of Culture Essay - 1

The Production of M. Butterfly and the Reflection of Culture - Essay Example Criticisms towards M. butterfly range from arguments or debates over an illustration of sexualities and ethnicity, Orientalism politics, theatre to performance theories. As such, this essay explores and analyzes the production of M. Butterfly and ways through which the play manifests Asian scenic designs, tales, costume designs, movements, and sounds to the whole world. The play incorporates various Asian elements. For instance, the stage design has a hanamichi, the actors wear Japanese traditional clothes and the storyline depicts the notion of an Asian woman who is slender, beautiful and submissive. Additionally, M Butterfly employs the element of cross-dressing which is a Chinese characteristic commonly used by Beijing opera actors. All these elements in the play represent Asia. Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini inspired David Hwang into writing the M. Butterfly play. Hwang based his play on a true story. Renne Gallimard, the protagonist works as a civil servant in the French Embassy in China. The protagonist falls in love with Song Liling, the Chinese opera diva while in the process of watching Madama Butterfly. They immediately establish a love relationship that proceeds to last more than two decades. The end of the love passion comes when authorities sentence Gallimard of treason with subsequent imprisonment. To his surprise, the protagonist discovers that the purported lover was a man and a government investigator. Gallimard commits suicide for failing to accept the truth. The play by Hwang has three acts. Act 1 has thirteen scenes whereas Act 2 has seven and three scenes in the last Act. M. Butterfly presents a fictionalized story of a French diplomat who was in a relationship with an Asian, specifically Chinese singer for more than twenty years without actually knowing that his beautiful obedient and submissive lover was actually a male. Gallimard views himself as being clumsy when it comes to love. However, he considers himself  blessed since he has a devoted beautiful and exotic woman (Liling Song).  

Starbucks - traditional coffee market Case Study

Starbucks - traditional coffee market - Case Study Example These products are marketed through retail stores. It also markets coffee and tea products through other channels of distribution. Starbucks relies chiefly on an efficient market system and product improvement. The traditional market for coffee is not in maturity one, and today it offers a limited opportunity for high profits, so it sets about developing products, that are both distinctive and could be sold at a premium price. A specialized product range, namely coffee beans necessitated a clear identification of target market. The original mission had made it clear that it was in the relatively unexploited 'adult' sector that Starbucks saw its clearest opportunity for innovation. Starbucks set out to create a range of high-quality products that were distinctive in shape, and especially appealing to people who had acquired a taste for coffee. A wholesome, appetizing and, at same time, slightly exotic taste experience was what Starbucks wanted to offer. An insight into possible consumer reaction to product and packaging was obtained by arranging for big groups, drawn from the relevant market segments, to meet in a social setting where reactions could be observed and impressions and comments recorded. The favours were often an 'acquired' taste and the products were typically consumed with alcoholic beverages, at the night clubs and restaurants, including fast food. Starbucks has maintained high-speed growth through continuous optimization of is product mix and constant technological innovation. It has also realized rapid expansion through capital injections. In addition, it had begun to follow a strategy of withdrawing from small markets with limited potential for its core products and to look for markets in countries with a major growth potential for coffee products. The main markets of Starbucks are the United States, Denmark, Finland, Holland, Germany. If there are few, large competitors in the industry, it is likely that this is due to high entry barriers. Conversely, an industry of many, smaller competitors is likely to be the result of lower entry barriers. The nature of competition for Starbucks differs from other industries. The main competitors of Starbucks are: tea, juice, soft drinks, and alcohol products. Competitive rivalry on both a price and a non-price basis is higher in the industry comprising the more, and smaller, competitors. If the product is mature and the industry is subject to 'shake-out', then competition will be more intense. The main competitors in the industry are Peet's, Caribou Coffee, the Second Cup, Coffee Station, etc. In general, Starbucks is well-positioned to take on this important global leadership role. It has the global resources and certainly has the technological capability. Clearly, some comapnies in the same industry are more successful than others, lending support to the view that competitive advantage is largely internally developed. Equally, however, there is a danger of ignoring the environment, as customers and their needs, competitors, changes in technology, etc., can play an important role in determining competitive success. Bear in mind Porter's 5 P's or five "competitive forces" which include: the threat of entry of new competitors (new entrants); the threat of substitutes; the bargaining

Shot guns should be banned Essay Example for Free

Shot guns should be banned Essay Guns dont kill people, people kill people. Guns are the only way to protect a civilian from thugs around the world. America is also one of the most dangerous places due to thugs and ma?a gangs who are the criminal minds of murder and shootouts, they have access to any gun you can think of. How would you feel if you got in the way of one of these gangs? you need gun to protect yourself. You wouldnt want to end up dead do you? i strongly believe that all civilians should own a gun in the United states. Since when do criminals obey the law? Banning guns is just taking away Americans rights to defend themselves and their belongings. Banning guns is just opening the door for more shootings as now the criminals will have guns and normal law abiding citizens will be like sitting ducks. In my opinion the only thing that stops a criminal is the thought of the person inside has a gun waiting for me. The governments should make laws like no one with a mental illness may own a gun, because no one in their right mind is going to go and willingly kill several children. A gun cannot ?re itself, it has to have someone pull the trigger. If guns are banned criminals will just use other things like knives, pencils, cars and wrenches. Americans have a right to protect themselves with guns. If their Government decides to turn on them, Americans were given the right by the Second Amendment of the Constitution, to have guns for their protection. Taking away guns from everybody in America will not lower any crime rates. Thugs are not going to stop breaking the law regardless of the laws. They will get guns, if guns are banned and then people who need guns for protection have no way to protect themselves. Not only are guns needed for self protection, we use them for hunting as well, if America bans guns, animals like deers, and other wildlife would be over populated and will eventually be living in our community on the roads or even in our backyards, this will cause car accidents and loss of crops due to the animals eating them. I strongly believe that guns should not be banned in the U.S. To conclude guns assure the safety of civillians from danger and also help for hunting purposes. Guns are not the problem to murders, it is the people who pull the trigger, I certainly believe that guns must not be banned in America.

Children Born Into Families With Mental Illness Social Work Essay

Children Born Into Families With Mental Illness Social Work Essay With an apparent increase in the number of children born to parents experiencing mental illness many issues have been raised concerning parenting capacity and the welfare and development of these children. This has many implications for social work practice in both Childrens Teams and Community Mental Health Teams and also for future policy development and service provision. Within this dissertation it is my intention to explore that the mentally ill are indeed capable of parenting their children safely and effectively and attempt to disprove the suggestion that mentally ill parents are unsafe and incapable. Adults with mental health problems are one of the most excluded groups in society, however many are also parents and may need support to care for their children safely (Garley et al 1997). This means that service provision must encompass the needs of both parents and their children and assessments must take into account the needs of both these vulnerable groups. The human cost for parents with mental ill health is in attempting to parent their children in the face of stigma and adversities. Social Workers do not only need to support these parents but they also need to challenge the stigmas and adversities perpetuated by society. Society has perceptions of people with mental illness and this is largely negative, with the greatest misunderstandings being the perceptions of the more severe mental health conditions. Severe mental health conditions such as schizophrenia although not as prevalent as the depressive disorders are thought to affect one in two hundred adults each year (Mental Health and Social Exclusion Report 2004) and these conditions have a wider impact on the lives of the family, friends and community. It is widely recognised that one in four people of working age experience mental ill health at some point in their life, (Office for National Statistics 2008) but these problems can present in a variety of ways, depending upon the individual and their circumstances. What perhaps is most important to consider is how the person presents in relation to what is normal for them. Any great changes in mood or behaviour can be important indicators of deterioration in mental health, but it is clear that it would be dangerous to view this in isolation. It is therefore important to recognise that we all may experience various degrees of mental difficulty at some point in our lifetime. People with good mental health can; develop emotionally, creatively, intellectually and spiritually. They are able to initiate, develop and sustain mutually satisfying personal relationships; they can face problems, resolve and learn from them. They can be confident and assertive, are aware of others and have an ability to empathise; they can use and enjoy fun as well as laugh at themselves and the world. Good mental health is not something we have, but something that we do to take care of ourselves and value who we are as people (www.pmhcwn.org). However people experiencing mental illness do not always possess these attributes therefore need support to achieve wellness. To make the distinction between people who have children and then develop a mental illness or those who have a diagnosed condition before they have children the focus will be on the experiences of those people with mental illness who become parents and so have already been living with their condition or diagnosis. The aim of my dissertation will be to explore these issues by critically examining current research, practice, service provision and policy. This will be in the form of a literature based review where I want to question whether people with mental health issues can indeed parent their children safely. Firstly the Methodology used to assimilate the research will be examined with an explanation of the methods selected. Chapter One will define mental health, then focus on the historical context, policy and legislation and on the theories and approaches to ways of working considering the challenges that the social workforce face in supporting service users with mental health needs. Chapter Two will explore the experience of those parents with mental health problems; consider the capacity of people with mental health problems and the experiences of children of the mentally ill. This will be considered, from both a childs and a parents perspective. Chapter Three will focus on the main theme s to emerge from my research which are stigma, risk, resilience and attachment. The Results and Findings will be explored which will discuss the findings and present an overview of common themes which have emerged. The Conclusion will then draw together all the information gathered. Methodology When approaching this dissertation the decision was made to conduct a literature review of the research currently available. This was because mental health is an area of interest and combined with a placement in a childrens team, where it became obvious that many parents experience mental health issues it was an opportunity to combine the two areas. Previously the author has worked in a statutory provision which was a service supporting children and young people experiencing mental health issues and also had a placement in a community mental health team. All of these experiences have made the author inquisitive to the difficulties that parents encounter when attempting to take care of their children and the views of services of their abilities to do so. The search strategy used to locate appropriate material was to consider the various terms used when thinking about parental mental illness. Therefore a decision was made to search for the following terms; parental mental illness, children living with the mental illness of parents and capacity of parents with mental illness. When further considering what needed to be learnt, the terms; risk of children with mentally ill parents and resilience of children with mentally ill parents were then explored as were attachment of mentally ill parents and stigma and mental health. The concentration was on English speaking countries and so research was drawn together from Great Britain, Ireland, The United States of America and Australia. This was felt to be the most pertinent approach, as to broaden the search to further countries could create too much information and a difficulty in assimilating the research. Various databases were searched which included; Science Direct, Jstor and SwetsWise. T he British Journal of Psychology, The British Journal of Social Work and Social Care Institute for Excellence proved to be invaluable as did the various mental health websites such as MIND. Government reports and Department of Health documentation added a further breadth to the research which was drawn together. This search produced a significant number of journal articles in the area which were appropriate for the purpose, and coupled with mental health websites and books on parenting capacity a rich variety of material was gathered. The information further obtained from legislation and policy documentation was also invaluable. If there had been the time to explore this area in further detail it would have been suitable to have conducted a focus group amongst service users within the mental ill health community. From the research available it is clear that this research method was considered to be the most rewarding as service users felt the least threatened by the process (Garley et al 1997). It also garnered the most honesty from the participants and clarity of their experiences. They had felt safe in the knowledge that their recounting of their experiences would not be judged and their parenting abilities would be afforded due respect. Another option could possibly have been to send out questionnaires to ascertain the level of support service users felt they were receiving from community mental health teams and childrens services. However this method may not have produced such a wealth of results as it would not have been a face to face intervention. When viewing research, non face to face approaches have sometimes not been as well responded to by prospective participants. Chapter One This chapter will focus on how mental illness is defined; look at the historical context of mental illness service provision, the legislation and policy documentation and approaches and theories to ways of working. Defining Mental Illness Mental illness can affect one in four adults of working age at some point in their life, according to the World Health Foundation (2001). This demonstrates how prevalent mental illness is within our communities and how anyone can be affected by it at some point in their lifetime. However mental illness is defined by society in a variety of ways; there is the legal definition, clinical definitions and popular public misconceptions. This sections aim is to identify the three definitions of mental illness when considering the legal, clinical and public meanings. Mental disorder is defined in a legal context as arrested or incomplete development of mind, psychopathic disorder or any other disorder or disability of the mind (www.yourrights.org.uk). There are various definitions of mental health and amongst these the Mental Health Act 1983 offers three different definitions for mental disorder: severe mental impairment, which is defined as a state of arrested or incomplete development of mind which includes severe impairment of intelligence and social functioning and is associated with abnormally aggressive or seriously irresponsible conduct on the part of the person concerned (Mental Health Act 1983, Part 1). Mental impairment, which is defined as a state of arrested or incomplete development of mind (not amounting to a severe mental impairment) which includes severe impairment of intelligence and social functioning and is associated with abnormally aggressive or seriously irresponsible conduct on the part of the person concerned ( MHA 1983, P art 1). Then psychopathic disorder which is defined as a persistent disorder or disability of mind (whether or not including significant impairment of intelligence) which results in abnormally aggressive or seriously irresponsible conduct on the part of the person concerned ( MHA 1983, Part 1). However the 2007 Mental Health Act amendments changes the way the 1983 act defines mental disorder, so that a single definition applies throughout and abolishes references to categories of disorder( MHA 2007) The clinical definition comes from ICD-10, which is the International Classification of Diseases which was approved by the forty-third World Health Assembly in May 1990 and came into use in World Health Organisation member countries as from 1994. It is the international model for diagnostic categorisation of all general epidemiological conditions and health management. Within the ICD-10 there is classification of mental illness and mental disorders and this is used by clinicians to diagnose and therefore treat those people with mental illness. The foremost definition used is that any of various psychiatric conditions, usually characterised by impairment of an individuals normal cognitive, emotional, or behavioural functioning, and caused by physiological or psychosocial factors (ICD-10 Chapter V). When considering the public perceptions of mental illness, what is clear are the many negative perceptions of mental illnesses and disorders. The stigma that goes along with being labelled as having a mental illness can have far reaching consequences and needs to be challenged as a social injustice for this group (Cleaver et al 1999). Stigma is largely a social construct, in that society reacts negatively as a result of being fed sensationalist stories by the media. The Mental Health Knowledge Centre at the Institute of Psychiatry within the Maudsley Clinic London aims to promote change in public perception by addressing attitudes towards mental health conditions. The aim is that this will be achieved through ongoing public engagement activities and providing information for friends, families and carers of those with mental illness. Also initiatives such as World Mental Health Day endeavour to change public perceptions by bringing the conditions into the public arena. People experiencing mental disorders are often excluded from some societal norms due to a lack of knowledge or fear on behalf of the community as the Mental Health and Social Exclusion Report of 2004 puts this Mental health problems can be both a cause and a consequence of social exclusion (Mental Health and Social Exclusion Report 2004 p11). What is known is that mental health problems can affect anyone at any point in their life. However the debates around the differing definitions of mental health are important to discuss in relation to exploring the issues for people with mental health problems who are also parents. Stereotypical views of people with mental illness are that they are violent, unstable, and irrational and therefore their abilities to parent are questionable. These perceptions have been perpetuated by an ignorant society and need to be challenged. The Office for National Statistics has collected data to illustrate the prevalence of common mental health problems in the general population (see fig 1). Figure 1: Office for National Statistics (2000) Psychiatric Morbidity Survey. According to the Office for National Statistics the average age of early onset psychosis is twenty-two, but up to half of mental health problems start in childhood. For men, the age at which common mental health problems peak is forty-five to forty-nine years and for women fifty-fifty-four years. When looking at the statistics in terms of gender prevalence, women experience higher rates of problems than men and their experiences tend to last longer with greater occurrences of relapse. However what is known is that young men aged twenty-five to thirty-four are the highest risk group for suicide (Office for National Statistics 2000). Mental health illness is referred to in a variety of ways in the literature and research; therefore for the purposes of this paper, mental illness, mental ill health and mental health problems will be used interchangeably with the main emphasis being placed on the conditions of schizophrenia and psychosis rather than the depressive conditions.    Schizophrenia is a diagnosis given to some people who are experiencing severely disrupted beliefs and experiences.  Ã‚  During an episode, a persons experience and interpretation of the outside world is disrupted. They may experience hallucinations, lose touch with reality or see or hear things that are not there and act in unusual ways. An episode of schizophrenia can last for several weeks and can be very frightening (www.rethink.org). An episode of psychosis can be experienced in much the same way. However to appreciate contemporary understanding of mental illness, the historical context needs to be explained and how parents have been viewed by society. Historical Context Historically those individuals who experience mental illness may be treated for their condition by their local General Practitioner in the local community, however those individuals who require more intensive interventions may fall under the support of The Mental Health Act 1983. Following years of the institutionalisation of individuals with mental health disorders came the Mental Health Act 1983, which made provision for these people to be supported in the community. This important legislation made provision for the safety and well being of those people experiencing mental distress. For the first time, mental illness was recognised as a condition that could be managed in the community and newly formed community mental health teams would be the people to assist. The Mental Health Act 1983 made provision for individuals needing treatment to be detained under section, which meant that they could be legally detained to ensure that appropriate treatment was administered either in the fo rm of therapeutic intervention and or medication. This act was further amended in 2007, where one of the main amendments was to make provision for Community Treatment Order (CTO). This declared that a patient could be re-called for treatment in hospital if they had been discharged into the community and were not complying with the restrictions of their order. Policies imposed by local authorities must work within the guidelines of both The Mental Health Acts 1983 and 2007 and The Children Act 1989 in conjunction with the Care Programme Approach 2008. These government laws state how the care and treatment of people with mental health and the care and protection of children should be managed. A comprehensive care plan should address all the issues around the person and allow for their ability to parent by assessing their parenting capacity. Every Child Matters (2002) was one such provision developed to support children, the main duties being to cooperate and improve well-being, and to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children in England (www.everychildmatters.gov.uk ). Every Child Matters was developed following Lord Lamings report of 2002 which was implemented following Victoria Climbià ©s death in 2000. He highlighted within his report that a lack of integrative working across the different services and agencies had contributed to Victorias death. Every Child Matters legislates for improving information sharing between agencies to ensure the safety of children known to local authorities and this would be done by reducing the technical difficulties with the different interfaces used by the diverse services (ECM 2002). A huge challenge to overcome with much work still needed in this area as health, education and social services remain largely fragmented (ECM 2002). To attempt to overcome this, a common assessme nt framework was devised across services to ensure the information followed each child and reducing the necessity for duplication of information. These tools were then used to ensure that if a parent came to the attention of mental health services then the worker would be able to instantly determine if their children were also known to childrens services. Legislation and Policy Documentation The National Service Framework for Mental Health, from the Department of Health (1999) document states that local authorities have a duty to provide effective services for people with mental illnesses. Its aim is for individuals, who may or may not be parents, with a severe mental illness to be able to access and receive the range of mental health services that they need and consequently crises will be anticipated and averted. Therefore even if a parent is considered to pose a threat to their child they should be maintained with parenting support in advance. The recommendation being that there will be the integration of health and social care services with a strong emphasis on Interprofessional collaboration and this joined up working will promote the active participation of service users. The Mental Health and Social Exclusion Report of 2004 activated by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister detailed in action sixteen better support for parents and their children (Mental Health and Exclusion Report 2004 p105). This challenge was taken up by the Action Sixteen Group who would review its implementation. This body comprised of ;the Social Care Institute for Excellence, Barnardos, the Department of Health, National Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services Support Service, Family Action and the Mental Health Commission. This membership of the Action Sixteen Group brought together professionals who were dedicated to improving outcomes for parents affected by mental illness and their children. The key messages to emerge from their discussions were that the mental health services should think family (www.scie.org.uk). This would be achieved by improved awareness, sharing of information across services and the development of resources for positive practice. Action Sixteen worked together to review the existing provisions for parents with mental health needs, including the needs of mentally unwell parents who were also belonging to an ethnic minority group and or were also disabled parents. It determined that parents need to be enabled to lead fulfilling lives in the way that they chose. That sigma and discrimination must be challenged and the rights of parents must be promoted, social exclusion must be confronted through implementing evidence-based practice and getting the basics in order must be a priority (Fowler et al 2009). This means enabling mentally ill parents to have access to decent housing, advice on finance and benefits, training and employment. (Fowler et al 2009). All of this needs to be approached from an informed viewpoint and the most appropriate theories and ways of working considered. Ways of Working The challenges for the social work profession to assist mental health service users are immense, diverse and complex. When approaching work with any vulnerable service user group it is important for social workers to maintain their social work values and recommend a holistic approach to their interventions with families (GSCC codes of Practice 2002). This would mean balancing practical and emotional support, offering appropriate counselling and working in a therapeutic way to best support parents with mental health needs (Darlington et al 2005). As previously discussed parents with mental health issues may experience social exclusion or isolation and it is a challenge for social workers to support these individuals to maintain a more integrative life. They also need to be aware of the power relationship between those who provide and those who access mental health services and the disempowering consequences of being labelled a mental health service user (Williams and Keating 2000). Re search studies have shown that it is a considerable challenge for people with mental illnesses to sustain and maintain social contacts and relationships (Huxley and Thornicroft 2003). Further research into this area as to how parents with mental illnesses can be encouraged to lead a more integrative life is needed. The requirements for the social work workforce within the mental health sector are clear guidelines for working in an integrated team, with strong leadership and comprehensible policies to enable improved multi agency working. This is further challenged by maintaining and preserving the separate skill bases of each profession within a community mental health team. Community psychiatric nurses (CPN) have trained to specifically achieve a qualification, as indeed have their social work colleagues and the blurring of roles may create disquiet amongst individuals. With the new Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) role being made available to professionals from other disciplines this may create further challenges within multi-disciplinary working. Only those professionals trained to become a health professional have the ability to administer medication and a large part of their role in working with the mentally ill is to ensure medication compliance. However medication is best supported if it works in conjunction with therapies (www.rethink.org) and the most recognised therapy to assist with mentally unwell individuals is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Cognitive Behavioural Therapy was developed by Aaron Beck (1921- ) in the 1960s as a psychological approach to assist people in changing how they thought and felt (Beck 1975). This approach is widely recognised today as the foremost talking therapy when working with the mentally ill. Any professional will need to approach working with a mentally ill service user from an informed position. The experiences of the vast majority of people with mental health problems are that they are labelled. Labelling theory was first applied to the term mentally ill in 1966 when Thomas Scheffs book- Being Mentally Ill was published. Scheffs claim was that mental illness perceptions needed to be challenged as mental illness was a social construction. He purports that no one is deviant and no action is deviant unless society deemed it to be so and that symptoms of mental illness are regarded as violations of societal norms (Scheff 1966), so to challenge societys view of their perception of mental illness is one way to assist those with mental illness and the stigma they experience as a result of labelling. When considering a parent with mental illness and the approaches to working with these individuals a holistic approach would appear to be the most pertinent to consider appropriate. This means taking into account the persons physical and spiritual health as well as their mental health needs (Hunt 2009). The Care Programme Approach is now recognised as the best way to do this. The Care Programme Approach 2008 or CPA as it is referred to within services is a way of developing a plan of work individualised to each persons needs. The Care Programme Approach has four main elements as defined in Building Bridges: A guide to arrangements for inter-agency working for the care and protection of severely mentally ill people (DoH 1995 p1). It works by assessing a persons needs and then developing a plan in response to those needs; the plan is then implemented and reviewed regularly to ensure that it is continuing to meet the individuals needs (www.dh.gov.uk). The latest development in policy implementation is New Horizons; a government program of action which has been launched to improve the mental well-being of people in England and drive up the quality of mental health care. New Horizons is a comprehensive initiative that will be delivered by local government, the voluntary sector and professionals with an aim of creating a society that values mental health. This will be achieved by ensuring the foundations of good mental health begin in childhood and continue through the lifespan, emphasising the importance of prevention as well as treatment and recovery (New Horizons 2009). All professionals will be encouraged to identify children whose parents may be experiencing difficulties and signpost them to appropriate services. The next chapter will consider how policy and legislation works in supporting parents with mental ill health by considering their experiences, how their capacity is measured and how their children view both their parents illness and treatment. Chapter Two This chapter will focus on the experiences of parents with mental health problems, their ability to parent, their parenting capacity and the experiences of children of the mentally ill. The numbers of parents who experience mental health issues is not clear but it is estimated that in excess of thirty per cent of the population may be affected. Experience of Parents with Mental Health Problems When considering the research available, what is clear is that the focus has been mainly on the female experience as women were found to be the main caregivers, Nicholson et al (1998). In a study, using focus groups with mothers, to explore the problems they faced as a result of their mental illnesses Nicholson et al concluded that the experiences these mothers recounted detailed their concerns, their struggles and their successes (Nicholson et al 1998 p 638). They discussed the anxiety of stigma and the worry of having their children removed by social services as well as the everyday struggles of looking after children (Nicholson et al 1998). In a study, to explore the experiences of new mothers Mowbray et al (1995) found that motherhood was a role of great significance for many women with mental health problems. The mothers in their study articulated just how important the experience of being a mother was to them, the joy that it brought for them and the growth in personal development it produced (Mowbray et al 1995). What is known is that parenting is viewed by society as being highly valued and although this is a common thread to all societies and cultures, most perceptions are that parents with mental illness are viewed negatively, (Mowbray et al 1995). Furthermore as parents with mental health problems are de-valued by society and their parenting capacities and abilities are questioned they fear that their children will be removed from their care therefore they avoid contact with social services even if they are aware they need support. This all adds to the stress that parents experience in coping with their mental i llness and the demands of parenting. Nicholson et al (1998) found that parents felt unable to ask for the support they may need due to the fear that social services would remove their children from their care. This was a great fear for the mothers in this study but further studies have also corroborated this, for example Cleaver et al (1998) reviewed data from research and discovered that forty- two per cent of children who were initially referred to child protection services following an assessment of their parent(s) mental health became subject to care proceedings. This indicates an equal fear on behalf of the professionals involved with parents with mental ill health, the need to protect balanced against the needs of the parent to maintain normal family life. Parents have therefore identified that they will be viewed as flawed by society and perhaps incapable of fulfilling one of societys most treasured roles and have their parenting abilities and capacity questioned (Ackerson 20 03). Parenting Capacity Parents with mental illness may have difficulty in caring for their children because they feel a need to focus on their own needs or are unable to recognise their childrens needs and this can impact on their parenting capacity. Other influences can also impact such as relationship breakdown, poverty, unemployment and social exclusion. There is a real difficulty in attempting to establish just how many parents have a diagnosis of schizophrenia or psychosis although it is estimated that as many as nine million adults may have a mental health need (www.family-action.org.uk ) Many of these illnesses go undetected with some parents refusing to acknowledge that they have a problem for fear of the consequences for their children (Beardslee et al 1983). For many parents the greatest fear being the removal of their children by social services. This is largely due to much of the current service provision being aimed at protecting children considered to be at risk from harm rather than supporting mentally ill parents to overcome the disabilities that hinder their parenting role. This could be better supported by intervention before a risk to the child becomes apparent (Kearney et al 2003). This is in direct conflict with the Children Act 1989, which recommends that wherever possible parents should be supported to care for th eir own children at home. This all creates a culture of fear for parents, as they cannot be honest about what they are experiencing as this may result in the removal of their children. However what is known is that there is a significant number of parents whose children are known to social services have a mental health problem (Crossing Bridges 1998). Having a mental illness can impact on the parents ability to care for their children in a variety of ways such as; being unable to provide food, clothing, shelter and warmth or indeed be able to keep their children safe from harm (White et al 1995). However if a parent makes what is perceived to be an unwise or eccentric decision this does not necessarily mean that they are lacking in capacity (Mental Capacity Act 2005). All parents are expected to provide; a safe physical and a secure emotional environment for their children, they are expected to demonstrate appropriate behaviour and provide opportunitie

Theatre Of The Absurd And The Homecoming English Literature Essay

Theatre Of The Absurd And The Homecoming English Literature Essay Firstly, to substantially answer the question above, it is indeed imperative to present a definition of absurdist theatre by which to draw comparisons from, to successfully evaluate Harold Pinters The Homecoming as a representative example. It should initially be brought to the attention of the reader that absurdist theatre in effect does not present a typical definition or strict rules or guidelines from which to conform, for example, a piece of play script to. However, there is an interpretation that has been most famously noted by Martin Esslin in his Theatre of the Absurd, from which he puts this term into some context of understanding, influenced from the French philosopher Albert Camus, in his Myth of Sisyphus, written in 1942. (Culik 2000). For example, Esslin in his Theatre of the Absurd comments on the use of the word Absurd describing its original meaning as out of harmony in a musical context. (Worthen 2004 p 907 -10) However, he hones in on Camus use of the word, which is used in the understanding of absurdist theatre that has a completely different notion behind it. For example, Ionesco defines this notion as, Absurd is that which is devoid of purpose Cut off from his religious, metaphysical, and transcende ntal roots, man is lost; all his actions become senseless, absurd, useless. (Worthen 2004 p 907 -10) Thus, the most central theme to Absurdist Theatre is awareness of this lack of purpose in all we do [and how this] produces a state of metaphysical anguish. (Ray 2005) Furthermore, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, the Theatre of the Absurd; the term essentially coined by Martin Esslin in his critical work, as mentioned above; defines the understanding that The Theatre of the Absurd strives to express its sense of senselessness of the human condition and the inadequacy of the rational approach by the open abandonment of rational devices and discursive thought. (OED 2010) Esslin continues to comment, in his study of Theatre of the Absurd, on the disorientating quality of [the] plays (Worthen 2004 p 907 -10) that are commonly grouped into the genre of absurd, and how so many established criticshave condemned the [absurdist plays] for [their] lack of plot, development, characterisation, suspense or plain common sense. (Worthen 2004 p 907 -10) Specifically Esslin uses Samuel Becketts Waiting for Godot as an example to demonstrate that those in society that are unsophisticated enough t o come to the theatre without any preconceived notions and ready-made expectations (Worthen 2004 p 907 -10) about a performance were thus able to look past the nonsense or mystification (Worthen 2004 p 907 -10) of these types of plays and find meaning and understanding in them, rather than their seemingly impertinent and outrageous imposture (Worthen 2004 p 907 -10). In terms of language, the Theatre of the Absurd, tends toward[s] a radical devaluation of language (Worthen 2004 p 907 -10), in other words reducing the value of language that logically, plays are so heavily reliant on. However, this is not to say that language is completely disregarded, because in fact it is not, its function is more poignantly used to contradict the action of the character voicing the lines. In terms of its historical context, Theatre of the Absurd has emanated from the avant-garde movements in art from the period of the 1920s 30s, originating from Paris. Yet, probably more central to its rise was the traumatic horror experienced from World War II. Furthermore, around this time the beginning of the loss of religious significance and dependence in peoples lives highlighted the opposite of purpose and meaning to life, alongside the resonating realisation of the uncertainty of life. As a consequence the Theatre of the Absurd aimed to present an anti- theatre, to reflect as the world was beginning to tear apart, with its morals, conventions and values, so too must theatre evolve out of its traditionalism and become surreal, illogical, conflictless and plotless. (Culik 2000). On first appearances Pinters The Homecoming, seems to fit the theory of the Theatre of the Absurd. It initially presents the reader with an absurd setting, whereby the back wall has been removed. The stage action is juxtaposed against the ridiculous language that seems to be discursive the character Max, seems to pass aimlessly between subject after subject. It almost satirises how language is the key to communication. However, the dialogue seems ridiculous with the stage action contradicting the words that are said by the characters. For example, Max says to Lenny: Dont you talk to me like that. Im warning you (Worthen 2004 p. 764) the understanding of the language implies Max aggressive attitude and embodiment, yet the stage action suggest a complete juxtaposition (He sits in large arm chair) (Worthen 2004 p. 764). Furthermore, the absurd dialogue exchanged by the principle protagonist Max seems to be shocking and the ability to comprehend impossible, thus adhering to the illogical sense instilled in absurdist language. He talks about his wife in a negative and oppressive tone, it made me sick just to look at her rotten stinking face, she wasnt such a bad bitch. (Worthen 2004 p.764) Lennys reaction seems to be completely oblivious to his fathers statement about his mother. Instead of the words he hears, its as if he hears irritating noise being expelled from Maxs mouth and wants him to be quiet. To add to the absurdity of the two characters we are presented with Max talks about himself in a manner that is bizarre, your lousy filthy father (Worthen 2004 p.764). The expression of this senselessness and repetitive discursive trend throughout the whole play creates an incomprehensible illusion that understandably baffles its audiences and readers. More so, in terms of language, the play adheres to the illogical trend absurdist theatre expresses, through the representation of the characters Teddy and Ruth. They are married, yet Teddy is not fazed in the slightest as his brothers start to have sexual relations with his wife. For example, Lenny says to Joey in front of Teddy, You didnt get all the way and youve had her up there for two hours! (Worthen 2004 p782). This ludicrous behaviour stimulates an even more baffling realisation for readers and audiences, as they begin to understand the senselessness of the human condition that Absurdist theatre seeks to express. Furthermore, the incomprehensible expression of language strengthens even more so towards the end of the play. This is where we see the family, excluding Teddy; gravitate towards Teddys wife Ruth, wanting her to stay in the household. Their objective for her is to turn her into a whore. This may be an act to replace the previous matriarch of the family, Jessie, who wa s both a mother and a whore. Teddys distinct separation from the meaning of the dialogue depicts the open abandonment of rational devices, as he decides that it is okay to leave his wife there. However, in opposition to the statement above, it is easy to see that Pinters The homecoming does reflect the trends of Absurdist theatre, yet something more new and exciting is emerging that does not just restrict itself to this category/genre. For example, throughout the play we can see the heavy mix of influence from the realist and absurdist genres that dominate the majority of the play. This juxtaposition reflected in the setting, exposes side by side everyday domesticity with a subtle undercurrent of animalistic violence (Gin 2008). Francis Grin, in his book Pinters Stage, A New Genre argues that if you read Pinters play without the already existent framework (Gin 2008) of realist and absurdist theatre, then you will discover the text for what it truly is, an entirely new kind of dramaturgy (Gin 2008). Gin continues to argue that Pinters play needs to be looked through an independent framework (Gin 2008)to discover the unique Pinteresque style of theatre e (Gin 2008). In addition Gins unique insight into this genre, and more specifically Pinters The Homecoming, allows a more comprehensive understanding to be gained from the seemingly incomprehensible read. For example, Gin clearly sees that Pinter creates a rhythm and tempo (Gin 2008) which mimics the strange patterns of real life dialogue, but allow[ing] the terrorto hit home as the spectator fills the Pinteresque pause with their own subjective imagination. (Gin 2008). It is true that the play is fragmented with what seems to be a burdenful amount of pauses. This in itself does not constitute the play being placed into an absurdist category, but more so into Pinters very own category. As (Bradshaw 2004) states, The characters speech, hesitations, and pauses reveal not only their own alienation and the difficulties they have in communicating but also the many layers of meaning that can be contained in even the most innocuous statements. (Bradshaw 2004) Theatre Critic Molly Flatt, also has an inspiring perspective on Pinters play that suggests there is much more to the play than just containing it to two genres of theatre form (absurdist/realist). She describes it as a dark, funny and recognizable portrait of 1970s masculinity (Flatt 2008) until another character Teddy the prodigal son (Flatt 2008) returns with his wife Ruth, whom disrupts the stage action from awkward to disconcertingly bizarre. (Flatt 2008) Indeed this is reflective of the theatre of the absurd with its naturalistic setting and dialogue (Flatt 2008) infused with the undercurrent of dim, bleak [domestic] horror (Flatt 2008). However its surrealism allows us to [capture] what is great and wacky and wrong and sincere that we understand what is human. (Flatt 2008) As Pinter himself states that there are many truths that seek to challenge, recoil, reflect, ignore, tease each other [and so on] (Flatt 2008) yet we never truly hold truth in our hands for more than a momen t. (Flatt 2008) In conclusion I think that it is clear Pinter is heavily influenced by the avant-garde and absurdist movements, yet his brilliance in making such weird and wonderful plays does not just lie in these genres, but in something that he has truly made unique and as Gin comments completely created an entirely new dramaturgy. Yes it is clear to see the influences of surrealism, realism and absurdist theatre in his work, especially in The Homecoming, but to what extent it is a representative example of Absurdist Theatre, would be to oversimplify Pinters work. Therefore, after studying the text it would be indecent not to acknowledge the influence of absurdist theatre, but also not to acknowledge Pinters the homecoming is ambivalent in [its] plot, presentation of characterbut [are also] works of undeniable power and originality. (Bradshaw 2004).

Televisions Positive Effects On Society Essay -- essays research paper

Television's Positive Effects on Society   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to Marie Winn and her essay â€Å"The Plug-In Drug,† television has various negative effects on our society today. In her essay Winn explores the ways in which television has harmfully caused disruptions with the quality of family life, rituals, and values. She recognizes there is a problem with our society and the way in which it is consistently influenced by television. I am able to agree with Winn on this point, but I do not feel that the totality of the influence is negative. Television today has a lot of positive effects and influences on our society and our American culture. Television gives us helpful information, various forms of education, and entertainment which are all a part of the positive effects that television has on our society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On a day to day basis, the television keeps us informed with plenty of helpful information. We are informed through the television of the latest news, weather, and information which are important in our daily lives. The television often acts as an almanac, dictionary, and an eye into the world around us. It informs us of the most recent happenings around the world within seconds. Such as the O.J. Simpson trial, the Oklahoma City bombing, and the wars taking place in the Middle East. Through TV we can be warned about almost anything from a hurricane approaching to the fact that the stock market is falling. Th...

Free Essays: Language in Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? :: Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been

When a person is put in an incredibly horrifying situation where the outcome is unpredictable many physical and emotional changes take place. Joyce Carol Oates’s story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" places Connie, a typical teenager, in this situation. Throughout the story, occasionally using religious undertones, Connie’s language of a typical teenager gradually changes, from calm and somewhat curious to nervous and terrified. Early in the story on a Sunday morning, Connie’s family leaves to go to a family barbeque down the street. Connie is left by herself and chooses to wash her hair instead of going to church. When she hears a car driving up to her house, her heart starts pounding, she pulls at her hair and says, "Christ. Christ.," not in reference to the Lord or religion in general but because she is worried about how bad she looks. This gives and indication of how the author interprets religion in the story, not important and not serious. As the story progresses, Connie’s language takes an obvious turn. When Arnold Friend, someone she has seen but never talked to, shows up on her doorstep, she is somewhat defensive, but curious. "I ain’t late, am I?" is the first thing he says to her when she opens the screen door. Connie replies by saying, "Who the hell do you think you are?", a typical response of someone in that situation. If a complete stranger showed up at my house and talked to me as though we were best friends I would respond the same way. Throughout the story Oates continues to use vulgar language to illustrate the story and show how much Arnold Friend knows about Connie. The more Arnold talks, the more he reveals about his knowledge of Connie and the things and people around her. Soon, Arnold starts naming off all of Connie’s friends, assuring her, "I know everybody." Arnold also knows things about her that he would know only if he was with her all the time, "I... found out all about you like I know your parents and sister are gone somewheres and I know where and how long they’re going to be gone, and I know who you were with last night..." Connie’s fear of the situation sends waves of dizziness through her body, makes her hands shake, and causes "Her heart [to be] too big now for her chest and its pumping made sweat break out all over her.

Kite Runner Essay Essay

Khaled Hosseini’s kite runner has many themes that are significant. This book also has themes that are hidden to the reader, to find these themes the reader needs to think about the events that occur in the book. In this book redemption, discrimination, and violence play a big role in the events in this book. Redemption is one of the most important themes in the kite runner. Throughout the story, Amir is trying to redeem himself because of many events that he was a part of. In the begging of the story Rahim Khan calls Amir and tells him â€Å"There is a way to be good again.† (Page 2) Putting this in the first chapter of the story tells the reader many things about Amir, it could tell us that Amir has done many things that he regrets, or he has done things that caused pain to someone else. Amir’s mother dies when she is giving birth to him, throughout the story Amir tries many different things to redeem himself to his father. When Amir wins the kite competition he thinks that he would finally redeem himself for his mothers death. Amir thinks that he redeems himself because â€Å"A smile played down on my father’s lips. He opened his arms† (Page 79) When someone does this someone will automatically think that you redeemed yourself to that person. Another event that Amir does that he redeems himself for later is when he blackmails Hassan. Amir’s father gives him a watch and Amir decides to put it under Hassan’s pillow. Later when Amir’s father finds out that he took his watch he forgives him, but Ali (Hassan’s father) says that they make the decision to leave. To the near end of the book, when Amir goes back to Afghanistan, he receives a letter from Hassan. The letter tells him that he (Hassan) died, and that he has a son that it taken by the Taliban. Amir tells Farid (The person who takes Amir around in Afghanistan) about Sohrab, and he tells him â€Å"You have a visa to go to America, to life with me and my wife. It’s true. I promise† (Page 355) When Amir found out that he lost his best friend he went through a lot of trouble to get Sohrab. Amir could have avoided this if he did not frame Hassan. If Amir did not frame Hassan, Hassan and Ali could have fled the country with Amir and his father. This event has a big impact on the events in the story. Without these examples of redemption, it is hard to picture the book ending in the way that it did. Along with many other themes, discrimination is one of the less discussed themes in this book. In my opinion I think that discrimination should be a theme that should be as important as any other theme. Discrimination plays a big role in the kite runner because of the structure of the social classes. In the begging of the story we know that Hassan is Amir’s Hazara but later we know that he is Amir’s brother. When Amir won the kite competition Hassan went to get the winning the kite. Hours had passed and Hassan did not show up. Amir goes looking for him and he asks Omar (only involved in one paragraph) if he saw Hassan, Omar answers him by saying â€Å"Your Hazara?† (Page 68) without saying more than two sentences, we can see that people in the class with Hassan are treated with no respect and they are called Hazaras. Another event that happens when Hassan finally finds the kite that allowed Amir to win the competition he is surrounded by Assef and his gang. Assef is one of the biggest discriminators towards Hazaras as he is intimidating Hassan, he says, â€Å"A loyal Hazara, Loyal as a dog† (Page 72) When Hassan said this he could of compared Hassan to something else, but he picked a dog to show the most disrespect towards Hassan. In my own opinion I think that discrimination towards Hazaras in Kabul is horrible because they are treated as if they are a different race of people. Hazaras have the exact physical features as any average human being but they are treated like they are slaves. This is how discrimination, which is one of the themes that is not talked about a lot, is significant in this book. Violence is also one of the themes that are not discussed as much, violence should be because it is important and it is hidden. There are many examples that show violence in the book. One of the examples that show violence is when Hassan gets raped when Assef and his gang surround him. The author does not tell the reader that Hassan got raped but instead he makes Wali, one of the members of Assef’s gang, tell Assef â€Å"My father says it’s sinful† (Page 75) This is a indirect message to inform the reader that Hassan gets raped. This is one great example that violence plays a big role in the process of this book. Assef could of threated Hassan instead of raping him. In my opinion I think that he could not have done something that wasn’t related to violence. Assef wanted to have his revenge on Hassan but it was hard to do something that has nothing to do with violence. Later on in the book, when Amir and Hassan do not talk to each other after Hassan got raped for him over a kite. Hassan asked if he could go under the pomegranate tree and let Amir read a story for him. When Amir and Hassan were under the pomegranate tree, Hassan asked Amir what he was doing wrong so he could stop, Amir told him that Hassan should stand up for himself. Hassan did not answer and Amir started to throw pomegranates on Hassan, Amir then told him â€Å"Hit me back! Hit me back goddamn you† (Page 92) this is another great example that shows the violence that is included in the book. Hassan is the most loyal person in the book and Amir does not appreciate it; instead Amir wants Hassan to hit him with a pomegranate. When Hassan stands up, he then smears a pomegranate on his face and walks away. This is how violence plays a theme in the book. It is not as visible as the other themes in the book but it is as significant as the other themes. Redemption, discrimination, and violence are themes in Khaled Hosseini’s kite runner that play a big role in the book. Without these three themes it is hard to picture if the book would end up the way that it actually ended up being. Quotes and Information taken from â€Å"Kite Runner† by Khaled Hosseini

The Digestive System

The Digestive System Why is it that 1 in 3 people perhaps even more regularly battles some kind of digestion problems? Understanding how the digestive system works will help to understand why digestive problems are so common. The digestive system is more than stomach and intestines. It is a system of organs that turns food into energy and is one of the most important functions the body performs. There are many reasons that cause so many people to suffer with digestive problems. Three of the most common reasons are the lack of knowledge of how the digestive system works, poor nutrition and undiagnosed medical conditions. Lack of knowledge of how the digestive system works is one of the many reasons that cause digestive problems. The digestive system is uniquely constructed to perform its specialized function of turning food into the energy and extracting nutrients necessary to sustain life. It does this by breaking down food into its basic nutrients, which include vitamins and minerals, fats, carbohydrates, proteins and water, before transporting them to the small intestine, where most of the nutrients are absorbed into the body. The digestive system takes place in the alimentary canal, a tube that runs from the mouth to the anus and includes the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine, colon and rectum. The liver and pancreas also contribute to digestion, but are not part of the alimentary canal. Digestion begins in the mouth, where chemical and mechanical digestion occurs. Food inters the mouth and is chewed by the teeth, turned over and mixed with saliva by the tongue. The sensations of smell and taste from the food sets up reflexes which stimulate the salivary glands, saliva is produced by the salivary glands and is released into the mouth. Saliva begins to break down the food, moistening it and making it easier to swallow and contains a digestive enzyme called amylase which breaks down the carbohydrates (starches and sugars). One of the most important functions of the mouth is chewing. Chewing breaks the food into pieces and allows food to be mashed into a soft mass that is easier to swallow and digest later. Movements by the tongue and the mouth push the food to the back of the throat for it to be swallowed. A flexible flap called the epiglottis closes over the trachea to ensure that food enters the esophagus and not the wind pipe to prevent choking. Once the food is swallowed, it enters the esophagus, a muscular tube that is located between the throat and the stomach. Food is moved by peristalsis which pushes the food down through the esophagus to the stomach. The stomach is the widest part of the alimentary canal and acts as a reservoir for the food where it may remain for between 2 and 6 hours. The stomach has 3 main functions: to store the swallowed food and liquid; to mix up the food with various hormones, enzymes, including pepsinogen which begins the digestion of protein, hydrochloric acid, and other chemicals; and to slowly empty its contents into the small intestine. The wall of the stomach is impermeable to most substances, although it does absorb some water, electrolytes, certain drugs, and alcohol. At regular intervals a circular muscle at the lower end of the stomach, the pylorus opens allowing small amounts of food, now known as chyme to enter the small intestine. Most digestion and absorption of food occurs in the small intestine. The small intestine consists of 3 parts: the duodenum, the jejunum, and the ileum. The small intestine has 2 important functions. First, the digestive process is completed here by enzymes and other substances made by intestinal cells, the pancreas, and the liver. Second, the small intestine absorbs the nutrients from the digestive process. The inner wall of the small intestine is covered by millions of tiny finger like projections called villi. The villi are covered with tinier projections called microvilli. The combination of the two allows absorption of nutrients to occur. Undigested material travels next to the large intestine. The large intestine is to remove water and salts from the undigested material and to form solid waste that can be excreted. Bacteria in the large intestine help to break down the undigested materials. The remaining contents of the large intestine are moved toward the rectum where feces are stored until they leave the body through the anus. The anus is the last part of the digestive tract. Accessory digestive organs which include the pancreas, liver and gall ladder are not part of the digestive tract or also known as the alimentary canal, but play an important role in the digestive process. The pancreas produces enzymes that help digest proteins, fats and carbohydrates it also makes sodium bicarbonate which neutralizes stomach acid. The liver produces bile, which helps the body absorb fat and it also regulates substances in the blood cells. The gallbladder store s bile until it is needed. The enzymes and bile produced by these organs move through ducts into the small intestine where they help breakdown food. The nutrients from the small intestine travel through the blood to the liver, which help process the nutrients. Digestive problems results from poor nutrition. Good nutrition is essential for maintaining proper functioning of the body systems especially the digestive system. Eating a well-balanced, nutritious diet and maintaining a healthy lifestyle are the best ways to prevent digestive problems and diseases (Lipski, 2005). The kinds and amounts of food a person eats and how the digestive system processes that food plays key roles in maintaining good health and preventing common digestive problems. Since the digestive system is responsible for breaking down food into nutrients that can be absorbed by the body and used for fuel, growth and cell repair. Good nutrition is essential for maintaining proper functions of the body systems. Generally, health experts recommend eating fiber to help prevent constipation and diarrhea. Reduce fats and oils which can slow down digestion. They also suggest drinking plenty of water which helps lubricate food waste so that it passes more easily through the alimentary canal, it helps soften stool which may prevent constipation. Water also helps dissolve minerals, vitamins and other nutrients, there by facilitating their absorption by the body’s tissues. Good nutrition is not only essential for maintaining proper function of the body systems it is also essential for maintaining homeostasis of the body systems. The body needs good nutrition for the body systems to properly function correctly. The digestive system does assist with homeostasis however; it can not accomplish it alone. All organs systems work together to maintain homeostasis. The digestive system provides the nutrients needed for the circulatory system. As the food moves through the stages of digestion (mechanical, peristalsis, chemical) it is broken down into simple water-soluble molecules that can cross cell membranes. Since the circulatory system is the transportation system of the body it transports wastes, gases, hormones, electrolytes and nutrients from good nutrition to and from the body cells. It also transports water to and from the tissues. So as these molecular-sized, water soluble particles pass through the cell membranes of cells in the digestive tract and pass through the walls of capillaries the nutrients are picked up by the blood for transport. Blood in the capillaries carries the nutrients to all the cells in the body. Red blood cells, White blood cells, and Platelets and Plasma all help to maintain homeostasis. Red blood cells transport oxygen and hydrogen ions throughout the body. White blood cells fights infections and platelets assist in blood clotting and the plasma transports the blood cells. None of these things can function without the nutrients supplied by the digestive system. Blood also maintains homeostasis of water, electrolytes and body temperature all by getting the nutrients necessary to function from the digestive system. The digestive system needs good nutrition to keep it functioning properly and all organs systems working together properly to maintain homeostasis. Undiagnosed medial conditions will cause digestive problems if left untreated and is one of the most common reasons that so many people suffer with digestive problems. Nearly everyone suffers from heartburn and indigestion now and then and these might be normal side effects of digestion, but when they occur often it might be signs of a problem and should have medical attention. Seeking medical attention or being seen by a medical doctor will help to establish if the heartburn or indigestion are from normal side effects of digestion or whether any mechanical factor such as a hiatal hernia or even silent ulcers of the esophagus, stomach, or duodenum maybe causing the digestive problems. A hiatal hernia and silent ulcers if left untreated could turn into a serious problem which can cause bleeding, pain, scarring and difficulty in swallowing and can cause a chronic condition with complications. Treatment of heart burn and prevention of its complications are almost always medical, not surgical procedures these days; and, if followed faithfully are very effective. Peptic ulcers is another serious problem that many people have and do not even know it, one might mistaken them for heartburn, indigestion and nausea. The pain and discomfort comes and goes and sometimes lasting for days or even weeks. An ulcer can be treated by medication and usually takes about eight weeks to completely heal. If left untreated it can cause internal bleeding and more severe damage that might need surgical repair (Monroe, 2000). The digestive system is a complex system. There is a lot of information that we know about this system and so much more that is still unknown. For example, for many years the American Heart Association has recommended taking aspirin to prevent heart attacks and strokes. Now, there appears to be a downside to taking a low dosage of aspirin daily. According to research taking a daily aspirin can cause serious problems in the digestive system. Research shows that people who take aspirin are at risk for excess gastro-intestinal bleeding or ulcers that perforate. So the question is does the risk balance the benefit? Through research they have found out that there are three factors that particularly affect developing gastro-intestinal complications they are the increased risk, male gender and ulcer history. All of those things are doubled when a person takes a daily low dose aspirin and the complications can be serious including death. In fact five to ten percent of people with these complications will die from it. Research has proven that the thing that is in aspirin that causes these problems is the same thing that prevents heart disease and the same prostaglandin changes are the ones that somehow enhance the probability of developing gastrointestinal irritation that can lead to bleeding, that can lead to perforation. So research has taught us that there is a high risk of developing gastro-intestinal complications including bleeding or ulcers that perforate, with the use of a low daily dosage of aspirin especially in the male gender and in those with a past history of ulcers. Through this research we still do not understand why the risk is much higher for the male gender than the female gender, that mystery is still unknown. Reasons that cause so many people to suffer with digestive problems are the lack of knowledge of how the digestive system works, poor nutrition and undiagnosed medical conditions. The most obvious solution to maintaining good health and preventing digestive problems would be getting to know the digestive tract and understanding how it works, maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle and seek medical attention instead of letting the digestive problem turn into something much worse. The Digestive System The human body consists of number of organ systems which work collectively to execute functions of the body. The three most important human organ systems are circulatory, digestive and endocrine system. The main function of the digestive system is to process food in such a way that the energy molecules are absorbed by the body and the residues are left out. The physiological processes which are required for the digestive system are absorption, digestion, motility, secretion and excretion (Margaret E. Smith, 2001) Digestive System: Digestive system helps the body to maintain stability, equilibrium or balance.Digestive system contributes in homeostatic regulation of the body. The body would suffer if there is no regular supply of energy and nutrients from digestive system. The digestive system helps in absorption of ions, vitamins, organic substances and water that is necessary to the body. When the food is chewed and swallowed, the food is broken down in the digestive tract to very sm all nutrient molecules which can be easy to enter into the villi of small intestine. (Rebecca L. Johnson, 2004) Digestive enzymes are formed by the pancreas and the digestive tract.Besides this, the liver produces bile which is stored in the gall bladder to digest the fats. By the use of hepatic portal vein, blood passes from smaller intestine to the liver i. e. , in to the circulatory system. The liver is the vital organ of homeostasis and it monitors the blood. The liver produces urea by breaking down toxic substances like alcohol and other drugs. After eating, the liver stores glucose as glycogen and produces plasma proteins. Liver keeps the blood glucose concentration constant by releasing glucose in between eating. This is how the digestive system works along with the other systems which include circulatory system.Organs in the Digestive system: There are several organs in the digestive system. The digestive system can be divided in to two systems. They are upper gastrointestin al tract and lower gastrointestinal tract. The upper gastrointestinal tract consists of several organs like mouth, oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus and stomach. The lower gastrointestinal tract consists of small intestine, ileum, large intestine, anus and rectum. (Cheryl Jakab, 2007) The functions of some important organs include Oral Cavity: The oral cavity or the mouth is the first part of the digestive system. It accepts food by way of ingestion.Here, the food will be broken in to smaller pieces and get mixed with saliva. Saliva helps as lubrication for the food particles. The oral cavity consists of different parts which are helpful in the digestive system. They are tongue and teeth. Small Intestine: The small intestine is about 35 millimeteres in length and grayish purple in color. The small intestine is the longer intestine which is six to seven meters long. The small intestine has the general structure of the GI tract. The small intestine consists of exocrine cells in the muco sa which secretes peptidase, mucus, maltase, sucrose, lipase, maltase and enterokinase.Endocrine cells secrete secretin and cholecystokinin. The process of digestion is completed by the small intestine. It absorbs the nutrients and sends the residue to large intestine. The gall bladder, liver and pancreas are important organs in the digestive system which is closely related to the small intestine. Small intestine is divided in to duodenum, jejunum and ileum. The small intestine helps in several functions such as hormone secretion, intestinal juice secretion, ninety percent absorption, forward propulsion of contents and it is the major site of digestion.Rectum: The rectum can be found in the lowest portion of the large intestine which connects to the anus and it is a muscular tube like structure. The waste is stored here and permits expulsion when pressure on the rectal walls is caused. Anus: The anus is formed by the surface layers of the body, skin and the intestine. The anus is th e opening at the end of the digestive tract through which the waste matter is ejected from the body. There are many diseases which are caused due to the improper functioning of the digestive system. The most specific disease is the Ulcer.Ulcer is the disorder caused in the upper digestive tract. Ulcer can be developed in the duodenum, lower part of the esophagus and in jejunum. There are many causes for ulcer. Some of them include certain medications, infection and disorders caused by the over secretion of stomach juices. The symptoms of gastric ulcer include weight loss, feeling heart burn and indigestion and gastrointestinal bleeding. Most of the patients suffering from ulcer suffer from bleeding which results in vomiting blood, anemia or blood through rectum.