Article review about the core proffesssional values of nursing Research Paper

Article review about the core proffesssional values of nursing - Research Paper Example In addition, in order to increase the output of new nurses into healthcare, many universities have been creating streamlined accelerated programs with greater emphasis being placed on technical skills and nursing sciences. This is creating a difficult time for new nursing students to have cultural integration into the workforce. In order to make this transition more effective, the Hunter- Bellevue School of Nursing, Hunter College of City University of New York explored and provided additional integration of CPNVs, Core Professional Nursing Values, in order to help integrate social attitudes and cultural values into the workforce. Altruism, autonomy, human dignity, integrity and social justice were focused on. Main Concepts In many regards, altruism is required to be the key motivational source not only for just nurses, but for anyone pursing a career in the healthcare market. It is the care for others without regard for themselves which makes a great healthcare practitioner; however , with greater economic instability, greed and financial security have replaced this respect to altruism in nursing. In the program, instructors focused on introspection and reflection with students in order for students to understand what was the essence of their driving force. It was also noted that students that received additional academic help and counseling were more eager to help others.

The Porter Five Forces Analysis Performed On the Case Study of the Article

The Porter Five Forces Analysis Performed On the Case Study of the Music Industry In 2006 - Article Example The paper tells that market attractiveness in this context refers to the general industry gain of profitability. On the other hand, in an unattractive industry or market setup, is one that does not conform to the five forces analysis, since it offers a projection of losses within the market in the long run. In other words, an unattractive market would be one that is approaching the level of "pure competition", that is, the available profits for all firms within the market are depicted at a normal profit. The porter five forces analytical model has the following components the facilitate the examination of a particular product within the industry: The first part of the porter five forces model is the Internal Rivalry, which explains the competitive level within the industry. In this particular scenario, the intensity of competition within the music industry in that specific year is high because given the numerous number of players in the music industry. The major players in this marke t include Universal Music Group which owns 26% share of the music global market and has the prospects of merging with Sony BMG Music Entertainment to increase the production rate of publishing music media. The merging of companies within a market tends to consolidate the industry. For example, in the year of 2004, the entertainment and recording companies, Sony Music and the BMG, merged to change the equilibrium within the competitive market. The major companies highlighted in the case study regarding the prospected changes in the music industry form mergers with the expectation of each company trying to favorably compete with each other by developing new products or increasing the mass of production in the market all the time. For instance, the 50-50 joint venture between Sony and BMG Music Entertainment which made it the second largest major in the music industry.

Osteoma of Temporal Bone: A Case of Post Aural Swelling

Osteoma of Temporal Bone: A Case of Post Aural Swelling Introduction:- Osteomas are benign tumours of the lamellar bones. In routine ENT practice they are commonly seen as dense radio opaque shadows arising from within the paranasal sinuses. Osteoma of the temporal bone occurs infrequently, and when they occur, are seen most common in the external ear canal. Osteoma originating from the middle ear is very rare. That from the mastoid are rarer. We document such a rare presentation of osteoma arising from the mastoid. Case report:- Presenting case of a previously healthy 32-year-old woman, referred to the ENT clinic for assessment of a left retroauricular mass that had been slowly increasing in size for past 1 year. This patient was asymptomatic, but reported unsightly appearance of this mass. On examination, she was found to have a 3 cm X 3cm globular hard bony swelling above and behind the left mastoid process fixed to the underlying bone. It was non tender. Detailed ENT examination including facial nerve function was normal. There were no bony exostoses in the external ear canal. CT scan of the petrous temporal bones demonstrated a bone tumour arising from the left mastoid cortex with no other associated abnormality of the petrous temporal bone, suggesting a typical mastoid osteoma (Fig. 2). Surgical resection was performed under local anaesthesia via a retroauricular incision. Following skin dissection and exposure of the bone tumour, the tumour was completely resected by a mastoid drill with cutting burr(fig 3a,b,c). Finally the edges of the bone were polished with a round burr and the incision closed in layers. She had an uneventful postoperative period(fig 4). Histopathology confirmed an osteoid osteoma(fig 5). Discussion:- Osteoma is a slow growing tumor formed by mature bone tissue. Osteoid osteoma is a primary bone tumor accounting for 10% of all primary bone tumors.1  It mostly occurs in long bones. In the skull it mainly affects the  frontoethmoid region. Very uncommonly it affects the temporal bone.  They are rare in the sphenoid sinus and extremely rare on temporal and occipital squama.2 In the temporal region, osteomas are essentially reported in the external auditory canal, or more rarely in the middle ear,along the auditory canal or the styloid process, in the temporomandibular joint, in the apex of the petrous temporal bone or in the internal auditory canal 3 and only exceptionally in the mastoid 4. It has higher incidence in female patients,predominantly in the 2nd and 3rd decade of life and is rare in puberty. 6 As illustrated by the case reported here, osteomas arising from outer cortex of the mastoid are associated with minimal or no symptoms. They are essentially responsible for unsightly deformity of the retroauricular region, or even detachment of the external ear in the case of a very large, anterior tumour. Mastoid osteomas can cause local tenderness and interfere with wearing glasses. Even though it is normally asymptomatic it may produce pain by invasion of surrounding structures or widening of periosteium.If located in the external auditory canal it may lead to occlusion progressing to chronic otitis externa (30% of cases) and conductive hearing loss7,8.In the present case patient did not have any complaints and swelling was removed for cosmetic reasons. While the exact etiology of osteomas is not well understood, they are thought to arise from preosseus connective tissue. There is some evidence that osteomas are of congenital nature 9. The most widely accepted theories for the etiopathogenesis of osteomas include embryogenesis and metaplasia following recurrent local irritation and trauma. Three types of mastoid osteomas have been described, based on structural characteristics.10,11,12 †¢ Compact: The most frequent one. Comprising dense, compact and lamellar bone, with few vessels and Haversian canals system. Those with dense sclerotic bone are called ivory osteoma. Compact osteomas have a wider base and are very slow growing †¢ Cartilaginous: Comprising bone and cartilaginous elements †¢ Spongy: Rare type. Comprised by spongy bone and fibrous cell tissue,with tendency to expand to the diploe and involving the internal and external lamina of the affected bone, have bone marrow and also known as cancellous or osteoid osteomas. They are more likely to be pedunculated and grow relatively faster. †¢ Mixed: Mixture of spongy and compact types. It is important to differentiate osteomas from exostoses. They should be considered separate clinical entities. Osteomas are bony growths that are single,unilateral and pedunculated and arise from the tympanosquamous or tympanomastoid suture lines laterally, whereas exostoses are multiple, usually bilateral and broad based and are found medial to the sutures of the temporal bone 13. Osteomas are true bone tumors and exostoses are thought to be a reactive condition secondary to multiple cold-water immersions or recurrent otitis externa. Disagreement still exists whether external auditory canal exostoses and osteoma should be considered as separate histopathological entities. JE Fenton et al in their study have concluded that they cannot be differentiated on routine histopathological examination 14. Osteoma occurrence may be syndromic or non syndromic. They may occur as a feature of Gardener’s syndrome, which is characterized by multiple intestinal polyps, epidermoid inclusion c ysts, fibromas of the skin and mesentery and osteomas. Osteomas in Gardener’s syndrome have a predilection for membranous bones and as such the mandible and maxilla are more commonly involved 15. Non-contrast computed tomography of the petrous temporal bones is the examination of choice for diagnosis and staging. It reveals a rounded bone lesion of the outer cortex of the mastoid, with regular margins, with a pedunculated or sessile implantation base. Superficial mastoid osteoma presents no signs of intrapetrosal extension and the mastoid air cells remain perfectly aerated. In rare cases, the osteoma can extend medially into the petrous temporal bone adjacent to the facial nerve, lateral semicircular canal or ossicles. In these cases, imaging can define the anatomical relations with these structures before considering surgical resection 3,4,16-18. Imaging is also useful to define the differential diagnosis between osteoma and other mastoid bone tumours, especially osteosarcoma, bone metastases, multiple myeloma, giant cell tumour, lesions encountered in Paget’s disease or fibrous dysplasia 3,4. Signs suggestive of a malignant lesion are rapid growth, pain and a poorly delimited, heterogeneous, osteolytic appearance on CT. Treatment is indicated for osteomas that are symptomatic or cosmetically unacceptable. Excision or drilling of superficial lesions of the mastoid and squama is a simple procedure. At surgery, since the lesions are always limited to the external cortex a cleavage plane is always encountered when tumor meets normal bone19. In mastoid osteomas extending into the fallopian canal and bony labyrinth, complete excision is not indicated since there may be damage to these structures .Follow up is needed in cases where partial excision is  done or where expectant treatment is adopted. Surgical resection usually raises few technical problems: retroauricular incision adapted to the size of the lesion, exposure of the osteoma, then resection with a bone chisel or curette or by reaming, depending on the size of the osteoma and its sessile or pedunculated implantation. A retroauricular subcutaneous depression may be observed after the operation 20. Conclusions:- Osteomas are tumors predominantly arising from the long bones and rarely from the flat bones of the skull. When present they should be treated as per the symptoms of the patient. Osteomas present within the ear need to be dealt carefully, for fear of damage to vital structures.Osteomas present on the mastoid or squamous portion of the temporal bone need to be dealt for cosmetic purposes or if they are causing symptoms. References:- 1. Kransdorf MJ, Stull MA, Gilkey FW, et al. Osteoid osteoma. Radiographics 1991; 11:671 -96 2. Sente M, Topolac R, Peic-Gavran K, Aleksov G. Frontal sinus osteoma as a cause of purulent meningitis. Med Pregl 1999;52(3-5):169-72 3. Dominguez Pà ©rez AD, Rodrà ­guez Romero R, Domà ­nguez Durà ¡nE, Riquelme MontaËÅ"no P, Alcà ¡ntara Bernal R, Monreal Rodrà ­guezC. El osteoma en la mastoids, ActaOtorrinolaringol Esp 2011;62:140—3. 4. KimCW, Oh SJ, Kang JM, Ahn HY. Multiple osteomas in the middle. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2006;263:1151—4. 5. D’Ottovai LR, Piccirillo E, De Sanctis S, et al. Mastoid osteomas: review of the literature and presentation of two clinical cases.Acta Otorinolaringol Ital 1997;17:136—9. 6. Dugert E, Lagleyre S, Brouchet A, Deguine O, Cognard C, Bonneville F. Osteoid Osteoma Invading the Posterior Labyrinth of the Petrous Bone AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2010 Oct;31(9):1764-6 7 .Gupta OP, Samant IC. Osteoma of mastoid.laryngoscope 1972;82:172-6 8. Bruton DM,Gonzalez C.Mastoid osteoma.Ear Nose Throat J 1991;70:161-2 9. Yamasoba T, Harada T, Okunao T, Nomura Y. Osteoma of themiddle ear. Report of a case. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1990;116:1214-6. 10. Varshney S. Osteoma of temporal bone. Indian J of Otol 2001;7:91-2. 11. Probost LE, Shanken L, Fox R. Osteoma of the mastoid bone. J Otolaryngol 1991;20:228-30. 12. Singh I, Sanasam JC, Bhatia PL, Singh LS. Giant osteoma of the mastoid. Ear Nose Throat J 1979;58. 13 Sheehy JJ. Diffuse exostoses and osteomata of the external auditory canal: A report of 100 cases. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1982;90:337-42 14. Fenton JE, Turner J, Fagan PA. A histopathological review of temporal bone exostoses and osteoma. Laryngoscope 1996;106:624-8. 15. Earl H Harley, Robert G Berkowitz. Imaging case study of the month, Osteoma of the middle ear. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 1997;106:714 16. Quesnel AM, Lee DJ. Extensive osteomas of the temporal parietaloccipital skull. Otol Neurotol 2011;32:e3—4. 17.Ben-Yaakov A, Wohlgelernter J, Gross M. Osteoma of the lateral semicircular canal. Acta Otolaryngol 2006;126:1005—7. 18. Gungor A, Cincik H, Poyazoglu E, et al. Mastoid osteomas: reportof two cases. Otol Neurotol 2004;25:95—7. 19. Antonio Denia, Fransisco Perez, Rinaldo R, Canalis R, Malcolm D Graham. Extracanalicular osteomas of the temporal bone. Arch Otolaryngol 1979;105:706-9. 20. Probst LE, Shankar L, Fox R. Osteoma the mastoid bone. J Otolaryngol 1991;20:228—30

Facing Death Essay -- Papers Death Dying Life Religion Essays

Facing Death Works Cited Not Included In today?s modern society we have a certain distaste for the subject of death. There are people in society feel uncomfortable with the subject of death. The subject of death is a reality that we need to face everyday. There is nothing any of us can do about death, and there is no virtue in dwelling on it or trying to penetrate its mystery. Is it possible to prepare for death? In our day and age as we know it, there have been astounding advancements in medicine. The average life expectancy has risen. People are being educated in issues that surround a healthy life style. As a society, we are trying to increase our life span and defeat death. While people are following strict diets and grueling exercise programs, the earth is creating new diseases, viruses, bacteria, and illnesses that cause death. Is the earth compensating for these new medical advancements by creating these deadly ailments to make life and death equal? We are all going to die; that?s not our problem. Our problem is how to live until we die. Our ...

Communication Climates, Responses, and Dynamics

This paper will discuss small teams on a reality show called â€Å"There goes the Neighborhood†. This show is about a neighborhood that allows a brick wall to gate them in and they must learn to work together, not only as a family, but as neighbors too. In the beginning of the game, everything is taken away from them. For example, all of the luxuries such as appliances, televisions, snacks, video games, and children’s toys were all removed. There was no need for their cars since there was a huge wall around the neighborhood. These teams not only had to learn to become a team, but it would also teach them to appreciate everything that they have. The game encourages team work, because without teamwork the teams would lose the challenges that are presented to both teams. Even though the challenges are staged, they push the competitors to extreme emotional, physical, and mental states. The challenges are rewarded with prizes for the winning team. Defensive and supportive climates are always going to be a part of communication. With that in mind we look at a certain style and that is certainty vs. provisionalism. The Nelson Family seems to believe that everything should go their way, and were working on the Johnston’s as allies to get rid of the people they did not like. Since the Nelson family did not approve of the Mullinax family because they were lesbian mothers they wanted them out of the game. This shows certainty because they were very defensive on the subject. The other families showed provisionalism because they were open to the Mullinax’s situation. This began to tear families apart and finally the other families were tired of being followers and kicked the Nelson family off. Later on in the game, the families started to notice that the Mullinax family was just giving excuses every week for why they should not be eliminated. First it was for stereotypes, and then it was for nobody liking them, and this week it was they live paycheck to paycheck and have two children going to college soon. It seemed as though other family members were getting tired of the excuses and felt as if they might be using it to their advantage to win the game, so they eliminated the Mullinax’s. The Mullinax’s started to show defensive behavior thinking it would save them and people would show sympathy for them, but it seemed to backfire on them. The person who behaves defensively, even though he or she also gives some attention to the common task, devotes an appreciable portion of energy to defending himself or herself. Besides talking about the topic, he thinks about how he appears to others, how he may be seen more favorably, how he may win, dominate, impress or es cape punishment, and/or how he may avoid or mitigate a perceived attack. (Gibb, n. d. ) This same situation takes place in confirming and disconfirming responses. During the elimination ceremony, the Mullinax family poured their hearts out stating that the Nelson family made them feel outside of the core. The Nelson family showed disconfirming responses by failing to acknowledge them and talking to other family members while they were talking. This also showed their nonverbal behavior such as rolling their eyes and smiling at their family members. Nonverbal communication is defined as all the messages that people transmit through means other than words (Alberts, 2007). The Nelson’s would someday see themselves on television and see how much they used non-verbal behavior in a negative way. Sometimes people have to acknowledge someone’s negative non-verbal behavior before the main person recognizes it. Other families tuned in and really listened to what the Mullinax family had to say and showed confirming responses. None of the other families knew that was how the Mullinax family felt deep inside and they changed their minds to eliminate the Nelson family. Cohesiveness relates to the degree to which members are attracted to and motivated to remain part of that team. A cohesive group member values his or her membership and strives to maintain a positive relationship within the group. Often, cohesion is viewed from an affective perspective; as interpersonal attraction among members or to the group. However, cohesion can also be envisioned as â€Å"attraction to a collectivity† as opposed to an attraction to the individuals who make up that grouping. (Ratzburg, n. d. ) It is important that every single member never work against each other but strive to work with each other toward their shared goal(s). Any negative force that threatens the team's success redirects itself into something ositive as long as team members share the same purpose. Cohesiveness is a process whereby a sense of we-ness emerges to transcend individual differences and motives (Kinicki ; Kreitner, 2004, p. 15). Some of the teenagers in the families did not approve of how their parents were acting on decision making. Since these people were actually neighbors in real life, these teenagers were friends with the other teens in the game. This caused problems because some of the parents were being immature and this caused the teens to rebel against their own family. In certain challenges the teens would not try as hard as they should because they disapproved of what their parents were planning. Finally, one of the mothers talked to them and explained that it was only a game and more than anything they needed to work together as a family first. The teen realized that this was more important and strived to help his team out. Effective listening is an important part of working as a team. When effective listening does not occur it can result in misunderstanding, failed goals and accomplishment, or even a conflict between team members. This situation came into place as the teams had their challenges. The teams were supposed to build a house of card which taught them how to listen to each other and work as a team. One of the children was very experienced in building houses of cards, but the parents were ignoring his ideas on how to build it because of his age. The family ended up losing the challenge because they did not listen to each other. The same thing that the child was explaining to his family, the other team listened and took the idea and won the challenge. This also showed a barrier between the adults and the children. Some parents still live the old fashion way where children are not really paid attention to, especially in a situation where a huge lump sum of money is involved. Some of the old fashioned quotes would be, â€Å"Don't speak until you're spoken to†; â€Å"Children should be seen and not heard†. Due to this, children never get a chance to express themselves or help out so they either give up or rebel. Some children feel why they should bother if no one is going to pay attention to them. There were also several barriers between the families such as cultural, physical, and emotional. There were a lot of stereotypes going on in this show. Like mentioned before, the Nelson’s had a problem with the Mullinax’s because they were lesbians. The men had issues with Cameron Johnston because he was a stay at home dad. They secretly would mention that they did not feel that he should be staying at home while his wife worked. They figured he was a real man, so they would never include him in the things that they were doing outside of the challenges. There was also the Upshaw family who were a bi-racial family where the mother was white and the father was black, and they were definitely nonverbal looks at the beginning at this family. The Upshaw dad felt out of place being the only black man, so he was always staying on his toes and making sure that his family won the challenges so that they would not be sent home. He was one of the families at the beginning that sided with the Nelson’s because he knew that they were in charge. He was also the main person who sided with the Mullinax’s and eliminated the Nelson’s too. In conclusion, watching reality shows definitely show real team work and the positive and negative outcomes. When watching fictional sitcoms or series, we really do not get the full effect of how teamwork really works but how the director and writer perceive it. Since this was the summer time it was hard to find a decent reality show to discuss compared to the fall season where there are wonderful shows like Survivor which would have great examples. There goes the neighborhood still showed enough examples on teamwork and interpersonal communication. As the teams were eliminated, the audience could definitely tell which ones actual learned for the experiment compared to the others who were still defensive. Watching a reality show provided different camera views to catch the families nonverbal and verbal communication. If they rolled their eyes or whispered something it was all caught on camera with subtitles. Nonverbal and verbal communication work together to convey and explain messages sent between people. Together they support the thoughts and ideas of the speaker. We use nonverbal communication to illustrate the verbal communication. Without one or the other two types of communication we would not be able to fully understand each other.ReferencesAlberts, Jess K. (2007) Human Communication in Society Nonverbal Communication (144-161) Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall Gibb, Jack R.. (n.d.). Defensive Communication. In Definition and Significance. Retrieved Sept 13, 2009, from http://www.geocities.com/toritrust/defensive_communication.htm. Kinicki, A., ; Kreitner, R. (2004). Organizational behavior: Teams and Teamwork for the 21st Century. New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies. LeVrier, Peggy. (n.d.). Parent University. In Establishing your posture as an effective listener. Retrieved Sept 13, 2009, from http://www.pasadenaisd.org/parentuniversity/parent9.htm. Ratzburg, Wilf H.. (n.d.). Group Cohesiveness. In Organizational Behavior. Retrieved September 13, 2009, from http://www.geocities.com/athens/forum/1650/htmlgroups18.html.

Native Americans Essay

Thesis Statement: A city of diverse religion, rich history and fast-paced developing economy, Memphis Tennessee continues to gain respect from locals and tourists alike. Introduction: With nearly 700, 00 estimated population; Memphis is Tennessee’s largest city, and the 19th largest city all throughout the United States. With settlements rooted from the early 16th Century, populace number continues to multiply with an interesting collaboration of white, black and Native Americans, even Asians and other races as per demographics. Strategically located at the center of the state, Memphis continues to target commerce from both the shipping and transportation industries. Innovations in infrastructure, interesting grounds for recreation and a home to reputable educational institutions; makes Memphis inviting enough for permanent settlement. 1. History and Geography a. History- Originally inhabited by native American Indians in the 16th Century, settlement around the river had been distracted by a number of explorers, evasion of union forces and presence of epidemics like the yellow fever. Emerging from the uncomplicated Mississippian tribe is a city with vast social, cultural and economic contributions to the state. b. Geography – This city bounded at the south of Tennessee has a humid, subtropical climate with four distinctive seasons. Interesting terrains around the 296. 35 square mile territory include parks all over the city and notable transportation aides like freight railroads. 2. Economy and Government a. Economy – Even before Memphis has been officially founded, it was already hailed as an important location for commerce, exchanges and travel. Up to date, economy within the city continues to evolve as transportation industry booms, entertainment and film industry continues to expand and Fortune companies continue to invest. For these achievements, Memphis has been awarded by Inc. magazine in 2000 as the eighth out of fifty best major U. S areas for business. b. Government – Memphis has a Mayor and council form of government which originated in 1960s. 3. People A greater number of African/Black American occupies the city though there percentages of white Americans, Asian and Latinos. A home of different beliefs, the city of Memphis welcomes differences in congregation and denomination. 4. Culture and the Arts Home to musical legend Elvis Presley, Memphis locals had also been the founders of various music genres – making it worthy enough to be tagged as â€Å"Birthplace of the Blues† and â€Å"Birthplace of Rock and Roll†. A rich collaboration of culture and the arts makes the city an interesting destination of travel and recreation. 5. Tourism and Recreation Economic advances and cultural distinctiveness plays a major role in the rise of tourism in the city. Surrounded by art galleries, parks and museums; Memphis’s interactive recreation makes it one of the state’s finest destination site. A typical city rooted from rich history, developed to progress as one of the State’s finest, Memphis, an urbanized territory in South Tennessee continues to emerge as a growing metropolitan. With residents increasing in sufficient number, economy rearing to be at par with United State’s top commerce, with welcoming variety of race, religion and belief; Memphis retains reliable statistics and reputable reasons why settlement and livelihood in this city is note-worthy. Bibliography: †¢ â€Å"Memphis, Tennessee†. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 24 August 2010. Web. 25 August 2010. †¢ History of Memphis. City of Memphis, 2010. Retrieved 25 August 2010. †¢ â€Å"Memphis, Tennessee†. City-data. com. Advameg, Inc, 2010. Web. Retrieved August 25, 2010.

Causes and Events Leading up to the Revolutionary War essays

Causes and Events Leading up to the Revolutionary War essays For the past two-hundred and twenty-five years, the United States of America has been its own empire. However, prior to this time, this country was the equivalent of young child, trying to find its own identity. Great Britain was the mother country for the colonies that had settled onto North American soil during the 1600s. For a time, Great Britain guided, supported, and ruled this new world. As the colonies settled into the Eighteenth century, they entered the realm of adolescence, wanting more freedom, less rule, and more of a voice in what would ultimately be their own destiny. For over 100 years, the United States willingly accepted rule from Parliament. Yet, as Englands situation at home worsened during the mid-eighteenth century, they looked over to the new world to help dig them out of the financial trench they were in. Between the years 1763 and 1775, Great Britain placed a number of acts, taxes, and bullying schemes upon the colonies, in hopes of easing their own mon etary woes. Consequently, these actions which were being pounded upon the colonies proved to be more than they could stand. Finally in 1775, the revolutionary minds of the colonies banded together to fight for their freedom. What I plan to discuss in the following pages is what the British government did to bring the thirteen colonies of the United States to a state of revolt. At the conclusion of the Seven Years War, England had taken a financial beating. Though they were still the most powerful and prosperous nation in the world, England had doubled their national debt. Furthermore, they now had to administer the huge territory consisting of Canada and the eastern Mississippi Valley. This would also prove to be a financial burden. The British needed a solution and they thought to have found it on the opposite side of the Atlantic. The American colonies were regarded as great enterprises to be directed by those who would profit ...

Easter Celebrations Origins and Customs

Easter Celebrations Origins and Customs The meaning of the many different customs observed during Easter Sunday have been buried with time. Their origins lie in both pre-Christian religions and Christianity. In one way or another all the customs are a salute to spring marking re-birth. The white Easter lily has come to capture the glory of the holiday. The word Easter is named after Eastre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring. A festival was held in her honor every year at the vernal equinox. People celebrate Easter according to their beliefs and their religious denominations. Christians commemorate Good Friday as the day that Jesus Christ died and Easter Sunday as the day that He was resurrected. Protestant settlers brought the custom of a sunrise service, a religious gathering at dawn, to the United States. Who is the Easter Bunny? The Easter Bunny is a rabbit-spirit. Long ago, he was called the Easter Hare, hares and rabbits have frequent multiple births so they became a symbol of fertility. The custom of an Easter egg hunt began because children believed that hares laid eggs in the grass. The Romans believed that All life comes from an egg. Christians consider eggs to be the seed of life and so they are symbolic of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Why we dye, or color, and decorate eggs is not certain. In ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome and Persia eggs were dyed for spring festivals. In medieval Europe, beautifully decorated eggs were given as gifts. Easter Egg Photo Gallery Continue Egg Rolling In England, Germany and some other countries, children rolled eggs down hills on Easter morning, a game which has been connected to the rolling away of the rock from Jesus Christs tomb when he was resurrected. British settlers brought this custom to the New World. Dolly Madison - Queen of Egg Rolling Easter Parades Good Friday is a federal holiday in 16 states and many schools and businesses throughout the U.S. are closed on this Friday. Continue Strange Easter Patents

7 Strategies for Landing Your Dream Job (Even If You Arent Qualified)

7 Strategies for Landing Your Dream Job (Even If You Arent Qualified) â€Å"Do what you love.† This is pretty common career advice, and you’ve probably heard it before. There’s just one catch- how do you get to that dream job, the job you really want? Especially if you don’t really have the experience or qualifications you need? All is not lost. Assuming you don’t want to jump from, say, retail clerk to astronaut, there are ways to help boost yourself up into your dream job. 1. Know What You WantIf you don’t have a goal in mind, it’ll be awfully difficult to set your path to get there. Before you start combing job listings or working on your resume, it’s important to know what your goal is here. This is especially true if your dream job is a bit of a stretch, professionally. Winging it won’t get you ahead here.If you’re having trouble deciding what that dream job can be, there are fun tools like this interactive dream job quiz that can help you speed up the thought process by taking your interests and offering real-world odds of getting a related job. (Sadly, it turns out my odds of becoming a TV-watching spy aren’t super high.)If you’re still not sure about how to juggle what you want to do versus what you’re qualified to do, career coach Laura Berman Fortgang has some great advice about how to cut through the noise and figure out what you want to get from your career:2. Know Your ValueExperience is a great attribute to have in your job hunt, but it’s not the only one. You also need to look at the quality of that experience: the skills and knowledge you have accumulated over time. Whether you’ve been working for 1  year or 15  years, you have steadily built your skills and your professional value. When you’re crafting your resume, think about using a format that showcases your skills, instead of using the traditional chronological format where you list your jobs, working backwards.3. See the Job Requirements as Gui delines, Not Set in StoneIf you think of the job description requirements as more of a starting point than an ironclad list of requirements, it can help remove some of that mental block to applying to a job that may be a reach. While some things may be non-negotiable (such as particular skills), other things may be more flexible if you have equivalent skills or experience. For example, if a job description calls for a Bachelor’s degree but you have an Associate’s and a number of skills related to the job, don’t let that scare you off. Just make sure you emphasize the qualities and skills that you do have to support the job description.4. Set Your StoryEveryone loves a good story- and hiring managers like a story that shows how great a person would be for this particular job. Your resume is the snapshot of your skills and professional experience, but your work doesn’t end there. You need to help set the narrative. Are you the savvy underdog looking to trad e up your skills for experience? Are you a bold career-changer looking to translate your skills and experience to a new industry? Your resume doesn’t tell a reader everything about you- just the highlights. This is why a cover letter can be essential, even in these days of automated submissions. Not only is it a chance to add more key words (more on that in a bit), but it lets you add some color and context about who you are, and summarize why you’re such a great fit for this position.If you don’t have tons of experience, it’s also a way to start the conversation about how your skills bridge a potential experience gap. Give the reader a reason to keep reading, instead of flipping ahead to the next resume. Work on your elevator pitch, which is a quick, succinct headline that answers three questions: who you are, what you do, and what you’re looking for. That’s the line you can hit in your cover letter, in a summary statement/objective on your resume, and again in the interview. This is your chance to set up your brand.5. Outsmart the Resume RobotsThese days, there’s a good chance that the first reader of your resume/application package isn’t even human. No offense to the robots out there, but this is not ideal if you’re trying to punch above your weight class, professionally. The smartest thing you can do here is know exactly what the company is looking for- and you have the job description right in front of you to help you do that. Make sure your resume and cover letter are hitting the key words that jump out of the job description- especially the ones related to experience, education, and skills. This is also where careful proofreading of your resume comes in handy; you want to make sure that your high-priority key words are spelled correctly, and match the way they’re presented in the job description. You don’t want to lie, but if you’re trying to get somewhat creative with y our qualifications, hitting as many of the key points from the job description as possible may get you past the first round, and one step closer to an interview where you can wow them with the skills you do have.6. Network Like CrazyYour network isn’t just a nice little collection of Twitter handles or LinkedIn headshots. These are people whose experience and professional kinship can help boost you from faceless applicant to contender. According to LinkedIn, a whopping 85% (!) of jobs are filled by network referrals. Why is this? Filling open jobs is time-consuming and expensive, and companies like to feel good about the choice and investment they’re making.Having someone else vouch for an applicant can help make that process easier, and push the applicant higher on the list than they might have made it if they just went through the usual process of 1) find job; 2) apply online; 3) wait for HR rep to call. Having someone talk up your skills and fitness for the job is i mmensely helpful. And you never know when an opening or an opportunity may pop up from your old boss, or that guy who sat next to you in Accounting class. Keeping these relationships fresh, and making an effort to attend industry events or networking events is definitely worth your time.7. Package Yourself CarefullyYou already know you need a resume, but that’s merely the first step. If it’s been a while since you redid your resume from scratch, guess what? Now’s the time to burn that sucker to the ground (not literally- no fire hazards, please) and create a new one for the opportunities you want:What Your Resume Should Look Like in 2017Here’s the Number One Resume Mistake You’re MakingWhat’s the Best Format for Your Resume?Your 5-Question Resume ChecklistAnd as always, it’s important to make sure you’re tailoring your resume to match the job you want. Customizing your resume doesn’t take long, and it can mean the differ ence between Joe, the Generic Okay Job Applicant and Joe, the Impressive Interview Candidate Who Would Fit in At Rodeo Clown Inc.But don’t neglect the other pieces here- the cover letter can be an essential part of your applicant package, especially when you’re trying to level up:Important Cover Letter Trends in 2017 That Will Help Your Job Search5 Must Haves for an Effective Cover Letter4 Steps to Writing a Kick-Ass Cover LetterAnd don’t skimp on interview prep, so that you’re ready when the call comes. Make sure your interview outfit and lucky shoes are ready to go, and get yourself in interview fighting shape:7 Real Life Interview Mistakes You Can Learn FromThe Most Important Talking Points for Your Upcoming Interview12 Easy Steps to a Successful Job InterviewIt also can’t hurt to brush up on what not to do. A few cautionary tales can help your interview game when the time comes:5 Reasons You Just Had a Really Bad Interview10 Personal Things Not to Say in an InterviewAfter all, this is your dream job, and you don’t want to feel like you’re scrambling to cover weaknesses or a lack of experience. The more you practice and work on your total package, the smoother you’ll look when you’re finally presenting yourself as the ideal applicant.

International Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

International Marketing - Essay Example This is the reason why companies take aggressive selling efforts to stiffly compete with other firms offering similar product lines. Territorial and product line expansion are the two major strategies generally employed by firms to enhance sustainable economic growth. Goodwill Rapidly changing modern marketing trends are switching the business focus from profitability to goodwill believing that the market stature would automatically contribute to profit maximisation. According to Kamaruddin, Ibrahim, and Zain (2004), this concept helps firms aim to create an address for their products and attain a dominant position in the market. Modern marketers strongly believe that reputation would greatly assist the firm to survive the intense market competition. Standard of living By offering quality products and services at affordable rates, modern marketers also aim at the improving people’s standard of living which in turn may add value to their firms’ good will. Nowadays, firms include a wide variety of corporate responsibility programmes in their marketing plan so as to improve the living standards of people and hence to achieve customer loyalty. Global marketing is defined as â€Å"marketing on a worldwide scale reconciling or taking commercial advantage of global operational differences, similarities and opportunities in order to meet global objectives† (Strategic: Web Marketing Group, 2010) . Hence, the above identified marketing goals are relevant to global marketing. While dealing with global marketing, the only difference is that a firm operates on a global scale instead of focusing on a niche market. Therefore, the basic goals of marketing remain the same no... This essay focuses on the marketing goals and strategies that can be simply defined as the predetermined statements of desired or anticipated outcomes, which are expected from a firm’s marketing plan. Generally, every firm sets broader goals that represent simple statements of what will be attained within the stipulated period of time. The marketing goal works as a strategic tool to manage the development of objectives and to suggest the direction regarding the decisions on resource allocation. This essay describes the basic goals of marketing and explores two distinct global marketing strategies that are available today for companies. The marketing goals greatly assist a seller to identify potential market segments where people are most likely to express interests in his products or services. Some of the basic goals of marketing are described in the essay by the researcher. Then, the essay describes how every firm chooses and implements a specific global marketing strategy by taking into account a range of factors including its nature, size, and vision. There are mainly two types of global marketing strategies available to companies and analyzed in the essay - multi-domestic strategy and global strategy. Evidently, the process of marketing involves an array of well defined fundamental goals, which assist a seller to plan his day to day operations systematically. These fundamental goals of marketing and multi-domestic approach and global strategies are relevant for today's global marketing.

Environment and society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Environment and society - Essay Example However, this may not affect the general public. Unhealthy AQI, 150 t0 200 (red), has an association with health effects upon the general public. Here, sensitive group members suffer more severe effects than others. Very unhealthy AQI, 201 to 300 (purple) comes with emergency conditions health warnings. This seems to affect the entire population. Maroon color (hazardous AQI- 301 TO 500) means health alert that can come with health effects upon all people. The current AQI, Friday November 01 2013 at 5:00 AM EST is good but with some moderate AQIs in some states. There are also negligible spots of â€Å"Unhealthy for sensitive groups† AQI (AirNow 1). We also have unhealthy AQI as a spot around Spokane. The forecast AQI is good with some spots of moderate AQI. The factors that could be responsible for the differences between the current National AQI and the forecast AQI could be particulate matter content of the air and the prevailing winds. The AQI loop shows a general green, good AQI with the extreme western part showing moderate AQI. The colors keep changing from time to time, but the general good, green AQI is maintained. The loop for ozone is green showing that the lower atmosphere is free of harmful ozone. PM loop although covered by green, good AQI, keeps changing in some parts. The observed difference is because ozone disruption or changes take a long time to be noticed. The AQI for Philadelphia is good with a value of 33 (AirNow 1). Current conditions are moderate with the health message to unusually sensitive people to avoid prolonged exertion. The map for ozone shows a general good condition with stability. The current PM for Philadelphia is good, but with moderate conditions to the western and southern parts. The process of carbon capture and sequestration takes place through three steps. These include capture of carbon dioxide from industrial processes and power plants (EPA 1). The captured carbon dioxide is then

Serbia Tourism and Events Management compared to Hainan Essay

Serbia Tourism and Events Management compared to Hainan - Essay Example Hainan is a state in the People’s Republic of China and is a popular tourist destination. It boasts a rich variety of attractions and natural resources including flora, fauna and wildlife. It also has a rich historical and cultural heritage and diverse, colorful ethnic minorities. It aims for quality by offering a diversified product range opening up the Paracel and Spratly islands to tourism. It offers activities such as yachting, golf, surfing, nature-based tourism and shopping options (Van Der Wagen & Carlos, 2005). Serbia, on the other hand, is a landlocked country in southeast Europe. The country boasts of a long and very colorful history. It has attraction sites such as vibrant cities, medieval monasteries and vestiges of ancient civilizations. It is a conducive area to tour since it offers opportunities for relaxation and active pursuits. Its main tourist attractions are mountain resorts, spa resorts and thermal springs and a variety of competence centers (Van Der Wagen & Carlos, 2005). According to The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), Serbia has developed its tourism industry with an appeal for new and broader target markets. It has been a nation at war for the past decade with the successive political crisis. It has reformed its Tourism and Travel economy accounting for 5.3% of the total GDP and supporting 6% of the formal employment sector. To achieve its full potential, it ought to merge the central location, abundant cultural and natural resources with a supportive business and regulatory framework. On the other hand, the focus on tourism and travel development by the Hainan provincial government began in the 1990’s. It has undergone a major transformation over time.  

The Reason Why the Developing countries are not developing Essay

The Reason Why the Developing countries are not developing - Essay Example The question that puzzles the minds of many economists, politicians and the general population pertains to why the developing countries are not developing. This is due to the fact that they have remained underdeveloped for more than a century and very few show signs of becoming industrialized or developed in the near future. The objective of this paper is to explore why and what measures make a country be categorized as a developing country. It will also discuss why there is the lack of development in these countries. The development of a nation is usually measured with statistical indexes such as life expectancy, income per capita, gross domestic product (GDP), and literacy rate among others.2 A Human Development Indicator for the above statistics has been developed by the United Nations to measure the human development levels for countries where reliable data can be found. Based on these statistics, a country is categorized as developing when it has not yet achieved a considerable degree of industrialization relative to their population, and with low standards of living. These countries are also categorized as developing countries since they have low literacy levels, low income per capita, and short life expectancy. Why Developing Countries Are Still Not Developed Several reasons have been established as the leading factors contributing to underdevelopment in developing countries, first being lack of infrastructure. Most of these developing countries have not yet taken the initiative of investing enough to construct the infrastructure that boosts the efficiency of both capital inputs and labor.3 The main reason is that it is generally costly to install an infrastructure as it requires a large capital expenditure. However, since most of these countries are still poor, they are not in a position to invest much in the infrastructure. Infrastructure is important for the development of a nation. For example, hospitals are necessary to maintain the health of the wo rking population. Roads are also important to promote trade and attract investments in a country. Lack of good highways usually increases the cost of transport, thus hampering trade. Good housing as an infrastructure is also necessary to shelter the working population. Moreover, growth of urban areas is dependent on investment in infrastructure. However, all these infrastructural facilities being either unavailable or poor is what hamper development in developing countries; this is evident in countries such as Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Syria among others. Lack of skills has also been singled out as a factor contributing to underdevelopment in developing countries.4 Development of a country is highly dependent on the literacy level of the population and the ability to embrace the use of technology. This is what has made countries such as the United States, Britain, Germany, and France to become fully developed. China is also a new country that was a decade ago considered as a dev eloping country has embraced the use of technology. This has moved it from a developing country to an industrial one. However, most developing countries lack the skills and the proper education to enable its population to employ the use of techno

Student's Post Week 8 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Student's Post Week 8 - Research Paper Example erstanding diversity through understanding concepts of cultural sensitivity and cultural intelligence would be a more comprehensive and general approach to adapting leadership styles in any diversified environment. Cultural sensitivity will for example allow you to detect a difference or a barrier without external assistance or force, and cultural intelligence will allow you to comprehend best practices in new cultural set ups (Kreitner, 2008). I have read your post and understood your perspective about leading in a diversified environment. You identify communication, together with knowledge, motivation, and flexibility as essential elements to leadership in a cross-cultural environment but do not develop a strategy for implementing the elements towards effective leadership in international, cultural, and ethical issues. I believe that you should have explained how you would use these elements in leadership. You could have for example explained an approach to developing cross cultural communication competence such as learning interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills towards leadership in diversified set ups. I also think that your post focused on personal narration than on strategies to competent leadership in international, cultural, and ethical issues (DuBrin,

Edgar Allan Poes message on life and death Research Paper

Edgar Allan Poes message on life and death - Research Paper Example Among the literary figures who tried to analyse these two terms, Edgar Alan Poe stands apart from the common category. His perspectives on these two terms were the contributions of the great man’s experience with his life. He has not clearly stated his perspectives directly about life and death, but the works and characters display the way he viewed both life and death. According to Harold Bloom, Poe’s life â€Å"presents almost as much mystery, drama, melancholy, and in some cases fiction as his tales and poems do† and one can also find that â€Å"Poe’s personal image is closely associated with many of the characters and imagery contained in his works: dark, gloomy, half –mad (Bloom 5). In most of his works, the characters show the true replica of Edgar Allan Poe’s own ideas regarding life and death. The narrator in the poem, The Raven, is believed to be Poe himself. The personal experiences of Poe from his early child hood to the adulthood are reflected in his works. Almost all his works are filled with the element of melancholy and disillusionment in it as he had witnessed in his life. In his essay, The Philosophy of Composition, he states, â€Å"Beauty of whatever kind, in its supreme development, invariably excites the sensitive soul to tears. Melancholy is thus the most legitimate of all the poetical tones† ("The Philosophy of Composition": Edgar Allan Poe (1809?1849) 3). His works are a combination of the twin aspects- life and death. It can be seen that the attitude of Poe towards life was something pessimistic. This paper analyses Poe’s perspectives on life and death as shown by his characters in various works. For this, some of his important works are taken into consideration, to elucidate how much these aspects- life and death, are portrayed in his works. Life sketch of Edgar Allan Poe and the making up of the philosophy: The experiences that one receives from one’s personal life create an influence on one’s own perspectives. It was true with the case of Poe. The background of Poe was very dismal from his early child hood. He was born on January 19, 1809. In his short span of life (40 years) he had gone through all sorts of struggles and his personal life was a series of tragedies. Being orphaned at the very small age due to the death of his mother and the desertion of his father, he was entrusted with the care of John Frances Allan. The name, Allan he took from his care taker. His step father and step mother could not soothe the young Poe in his agonies. The antagonistic attitudes that developed between his step father and Edgar made their relationship become very uncomfortable. As a result, young Edgar had to struggle a lot to earn money. The futile studentship due to lack of money in the University of Virginia was another hit in his life. Even though he succeeded to become a soldier at the end the undesired incident could make its effect in his life. He h ad some kind of attachment to Mrs. Allan, his step mother. The death of his step mother also contributed to his peculiar character and thereby constructed a philosophy of dark comedy in his works. He had to part with the Allans as the struggle between the two increased, and he moved towards the outside world and tried to get foot in his literary career. The experiences that he acquired from working in various journals and periodicals paved the way for his literary career. The movements he had made far and across the places had also made an influencing effect to picture his philosophy in his works. In considering his very personal life many ill-fated sequences can be seen. His first courtship with Sarah Elmira Royster was a failure. When he wooed his 13 year old cousin Virginia Clemmm, he was faced

Student's Post Week 8 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Student's Post Week 8 - Research Paper Example erstanding diversity through understanding concepts of cultural sensitivity and cultural intelligence would be a more comprehensive and general approach to adapting leadership styles in any diversified environment. Cultural sensitivity will for example allow you to detect a difference or a barrier without external assistance or force, and cultural intelligence will allow you to comprehend best practices in new cultural set ups (Kreitner, 2008). I have read your post and understood your perspective about leading in a diversified environment. You identify communication, together with knowledge, motivation, and flexibility as essential elements to leadership in a cross-cultural environment but do not develop a strategy for implementing the elements towards effective leadership in international, cultural, and ethical issues. I believe that you should have explained how you would use these elements in leadership. You could have for example explained an approach to developing cross cultural communication competence such as learning interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills towards leadership in diversified set ups. I also think that your post focused on personal narration than on strategies to competent leadership in international, cultural, and ethical issues (DuBrin,

Vincent Van Gogh Essay Example for Free

Vincent Van Gogh Essay Vincent Willem Van Gogh was born 30th March 1853 in Zudert, Netherlands. He is generally considered the greatest Dutch painter after Rembrandt ( known for his Baroque style painting ), though he had little success during his life time, Van Gogh produced all of his work (some 900 paintings and 1100 drawings ) during a period of 10 years before he succumbed to mental illness ( possible bipolar disorder) and committed suicide. His fame grew rapidly after his death especially following a showing of van Gogh’s paintings in Paris on March 17 1901 (11 years after his death). Vincent grew up in a very catholic area, he was the oldest child of Theodous van Gogh, a minister of the Dutch reformed church, and Anna Cornella Carbentus. He was given the name after his grandfather, and of a brother stillborn. As an adolescent Vincent was serious, silent and thoughtful he attended Zudert village school from 1860, where the single catholic teacher taught around 200 students, he was also home schooled with his sister and later attended a school 20 miles away. As a teen he was distressed to leave his family and on 15th of September 1866 ( 13 years old ), he went to the new middle school, Willem II College in Tilburg. Constantnijn C. Huysmans, an artist from paris taught Van Gogh to draw. He continued drawing through his teens and young adult hood until he decided to become an artist. In march 1868, van Gogh abruptly left school and went back home and in july 1869, his uncle helped obtain a position with the art dealer Goupil and Cie in the Hague. After his training, Goupil transferred him to London, where he worked at Messrs. This was a happier time for him and he was successful at work and was at a young age earning more than his father. He fell in love with his landlady’s daughter, Eugenie Loyer, but she rejected him. He became increasingly isolated, and his father and uncle arranged for him to ne transferred to Paris where he became resentful at how art was treated as a commodity, on april 1st 1876, Groupil terminated his employment . He returned to england for unpaid work, the arragments didnt work so he left to become a methdist ministers assistent. At christmas he returned home and found work at the local book shop. His religious state frew he felt he needed a vacation, to support his efforts to become a pastor, his family sent him to amsterdam to study theology in May 1877 he studied for an enterence exam, which he then took and failed, feeling like a failier he went in a post missonary in a tiny village, where he wasnt happy people would say they heard him crying at night in his hut. He was later dismissed fro his dutys, and travelled back home for a year then left because of frustrations with his parents and a slight conflict between him and his father.

The European Union: International Relations

The European Union: International Relations The European Union (EU) is an economic and political union of 27 member states, located primarily in Europe. Committed to regional integration, the EU was established by the Treaty of Maastricht on 1 November 1993 upon the foundations of the European Economic Community. With almost 500 million citizens, the EU combined generates an estimated 30% share (US$18.4 trillion in 2008) of the nominal gross world product and about 22% of the PPP gross world product. The EU has developed a single market through a standardised system of laws which apply in all member states, ensuring the free movement of people, goods, services, and capital. It maintains common policies on trade, agriculture, fisheries and regional development. Sixteen member states have adopted a common currency, the euro, constituting the Eurozone. The EU has developed a limited role in foreign policy, having representation at the WTO, G8, G20 and at the UN. It enacts legislation in justice and home affairs, including the abolition of passport controls by the Schengen agreement between 22 EU and 3 non-EU states. As an international organisation, the EU operates through a hybrid system of supranationalism and intergovernmentalism. In certain areas, decisions are made through negotiation between member states, while in others, independent supranational institutions are responsible without a requirement for unanimity between member states. Important institutions and bodies of the EU include the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, the European Council, the European Court of Justice, and the European Central Bank. The European Parliament is elected every five years by member states citizens, to whom the citizenship of the European Union is guaranteed. The EU originates from the European Coal and Steel Community formed among six countries in 1951 and the Treaty of Rome in 1957. Since then, the EU has evolved through a process of enlargement, while new policy areas have been added to the remit of its institutions. HISTORY After the end of the Second World War, moves towards European integration were seen by many as an escape from the extreme forms of nationalism which had devastated the continent. One such attempt to unite Europeans was the European Coal and Steel Community which, while having the modest aim of centralised control of the previously national coal and steel industries of its member states, was declared to be a first step in the federation of Europe. The originators and supporters of the Community include Jean Monnet, Robert Schuman, Paul Henri Spaak and Alcide de Gasperi. The founding members of the Community were Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany. In 1957, these six countries signed the Treaties of Rome which extended the earlier cooperation within the European Coal and Steel Community and created the European Economic Community, (EEC) establishing a customs union and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) for cooperation in developing nuclear energy. In 1967 the Merger Treaty created a single set of institutions for the three communities, which were collectively referred to as the European Communities (EC), although commonly just as the European Community. In 1973 the Communities enlarged to include Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom. Norway had negotiated to join at the same time but Norwegian voters rejected membership in a referendum and so Norway remained outside. In 1979 the first direct, democratic elections to the European Parliament were held. Greece joined in 1981, and Spain and Portugal in 1986. In 1985 the Schengen Agreement led the way toward the creation of open borders without passport controls between most member states and some non-member states. In 1986 the European flag began to be used by the Community and the Single European Act was signed. In 1990, after the fall of the Iron Curtain, the former East Germany became part of the Community as part of a newly united Germany. With enlargement toward Eastern and Central Europe on the agenda, the Copenhagen criteria for candidate members to join the European Union were agreed. The European Union was formally established when the Maastricht Treaty came into force on 1 November 1993, and in 1995 Austria, Sweden and Finland joined the newly established EU. In 2002, euro notes and coins replaced national currencies in 12 of the member states. Since then, the eurozone has increased to encompass sixteen countries, with Slovakia joining the eurozone on 1 January 2009. In 2004, the EU saw its biggest enlargement to date when Malta, Cyprus, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary joined the Union. On 1 January 2007, Romania and Bulgaria became the EUs newest members and Slovenia adopted the euro. In June 2009 the 2009 elections which later led to a renewal of Barrosos Commission Presidency and in July of that year Iceland formally applied for EU membership. On 1 December 2009 the Lisbon Treaty came into force after a protracted and controversial birth. This reformed many aspects of the EU but in particular created a permanent President of the European Council, the first of which is Herman van Rompuy, and a strengthened High Representative; Catherine Ashton. MEMBER STATES The European Union is composed of 27 sovereign Member States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Only six of these France, (then-West) Germany, Italy, and the three already integrated Benelux countries; Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg were members at the start, with membership having grown as countries willingly accede to the treaties and by doing so, pool sovereignty in exchange for representation in the institutions. To join the EU a country must meet the Copenhagen criteria, defined at the 1993 Copenhagen European Council. These require a stable democracy that respects human rights and the rule of law; a functioning market economy capable of competition within the EU; and the acceptance of the obligations of membership, including EU law. Evaluation of a countrys fulfilment of the criteria is the responsibility of the European Council. No member state has ever left the Union, although Greenland (an autonomous province of Denmark) withdrew in 1985. The Lisbon Treaty now provides a clause dealing with how a member leaves the EU. There are three official candidate countries, Croatia, Macedonia and Turkey. Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and Iceland are officially recognised as potential candidates. Kosovo is also listed as a potential candidate but the European Commission does not list it as an independent country because not all member states recognise it as an independent country separate from Serbia. Four Western European countries that have chosen not to join the EU have partly committed to the EUs economy and regulations: Iceland, which has now applied for membership, Liechtenstein and Norway, which are a part of the single market through the European Economic Area, and Switzerland, which has similar ties through bilateral treaties. The relationships of the European microstates, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican include the use of the euro and other areas of co-operation. GEOGRAPHY The territory of the EU consists of the combined territories of its 27 member states with some exceptions, outlined below. The territory of the EU is not the same as that of Europe, as parts of the continent are outside the EU, such as Switzerland, Norway, European Russia, and Iceland. Some parts of member states are not part of the EU, despite forming part of the European continent (for example the Isle of Man and Channel Islands (two Crown Dependencies), and the Faroe Islands, a territory of Denmark). The island country of Cyprus, a member of the EU, is closer to Turkey than to mainland Europe and is often considered part of Asia. Several territories associated with member states that are outside geographic Europe are also not part of the EU (such as Greenland, Aruba, the Netherlands Antilles, and all the non-European British overseas territories). Some overseas territories are part of the EU even though geographically not part of Europe, such as the Azores, the Canary Islands, Madeira, Lampedusa, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and RÃ ©union, Ceuta and Melilla. As well, although being technically part of the EU, EU law is suspended in Northern Cyprus as it is under the de facto control of the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus, a self-proclaimed state that is recognised only by Turkey. The EUs member states cover an area of 4,422,773 square kilometres (1,707,642 sq mi). The EU is larger in area than all but six countries, and its highest peak is Mont Blanc in the Graian Alps, 4,807 metres (15,771 ft) above sea level. The landscape, climate, and economy of the EU are influenced by its coastline, which is 65,993 kilometres (41,006 mi) long. The EU has the worlds second-longest coastline, after Canada. The combined member states share land borders with 19 non-member states for a total of 12,441 kilometres (7,730 mi), the fifth-longest border in the world. Including the overseas territories of member states, the EU experiences most types of climate from Arctic to tropical, rendering meteorological averages for the EU as a whole meaningless. The majority of the population lives in areas with a Mediterranean climate (Southern Europe), a temperate maritime climate (Western Europe), or a warm summer continental or hemiboreal climate (Eastern Europe). GOVERNANCE The EUs work is divided into three areas of responsibility, called pillars. The original European Community policies form the first pillar, while the second consists of Common Foreign and Security Policy. The third pillar originally consisted of Justice and Home Affairs, however owing to changes introduced by the Amsterdam and Nice treaties, it has been reduced to Police and Judicial Co-operation in Criminal Matters (other matters were transferred to the Community). Broadly speaking, the second and third pillars can be described as the intergovernmental pillars because the supranational institutions of the Commission, Parliament and the Court of Justice play less of a role or none at all, while the lead is taken by the intergovernmental Council of Ministers and the European Council (which operate more by consensus than majority in these pillars). Most activities of the EU come under the first, Community pillar. This is mostly an economically oriented pillar and is where the supranati onal institutions have the most influence. The activities of the EU are regulated by a number of institutions and bodies that carry out the tasks and policies set out in the Treaties. These procedures are all subject to the principle of subsidiarity which requires that action only be taken at EU level where an objective cannot be sufficiently achieved by the member states alone. The EU receives its political leadership from the European Council, which usually meet four times a year. It comprises one representative per member state-either its head of state or head of government-plus its President as well as the President of the Commission. The member states representatives are assisted by their Foreign Ministers. The European Council uses its leadership role to sort out disputes between member states and the institutions, and to resolve political crises and disagreements over controversial issues and policies. On 19 November 2009, Herman Van Rompuy was chosen to become the first permanent President of the European Council. He took office on 1 December 2009. The European Council should not be mistaken for the Council of Europe, an international organisation independent from the EU. By virtue of a rotating presidency, every member state takes the helm of the EU for a period of six months during which that countrys representatives chair the meetings of the Council of Ministers. The member state holding the presidency typically uses it to drive a particular policy agenda such as economic reform, reform of the EU itself, enlargement, or furthering European integration. INSTITUTIONS The European Commission acts as the EUs executive arm and is responsible for initiating legislation and the day-to-day running of the EU. It is intended to act solely in the interest of the EU as a whole, as opposed to the Council which consists of leaders of member states who reflect national interests. The commission is also seen as the motor of European integration. It is currently composed of 27 commissioners for different areas of policy, one from each member state. The President of the Commission and all the other commissioners are nominated by the Council. Appointment of the Commission President, and also the Commission in its entirety, have to be confirmed by Parliament. The European Parliament forms one half of the EUs legislature. The 736 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are directly elected by EU citizens every five years. Although MEPs are elected on a national basis, they sit according to political groups rather than their nationality. Each country has a set number of seats. The Parliament and the Council of Ministers form and pass legislation jointly, using co-decision, in certain areas of policy. This procedure has extend to many new areas under the Treaty of Lisbon, and hence increase the power and relevance of the Parliament. The Parliament also has the power to reject or censure the Commission and the EU budget. The President of the European Parliament carries out the role of speaker in parliament and represents it externally. The president and vice presidents are elected by MEPs every two and a half years. The Council of the European Union (sometimes referred to as the Council of Ministers) forms the other half of the EUs legislature. It consists of a government minister from each member states and meets in different compositions depending on the policy area being addressed. Notwithstanding its different compositions, it is considered to be one single body. In addition to its legislative functions, the Council also exercises executive functions in relations to the Common Foreign and Security Policy. The judicial branch of the EU consists of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) and the Court of First Instance. Together they interpret and apply the treaties and the law of the EU. The Court of First Instance mainly deals with cases taken by individuals and companies directly before the EUs courts, and the ECJ primarily deals with cases taken by member states, the institutions and cases referred to it by the courts of member states. Decisions from the Court of First Instance can be appealed to the Court of Justice but only on a point of law.

Pride And Prejudice :: essays research papers

Overcoming Pride and Prejudice through Maturity and Self- Understanding Jane Austen, born in Steventon, England, in 1775, began to write the original manuscript of Pride and Prejudice, entitled First Impressions, which was completed by 1797, but was rejected for publication. The work was rewritten around 1812 and published in 1813 as Pride and Prejudice. During Austen’s career, Romanticism reached its zenith of acceptance and influence, while Pride and Prejudice displays little evidence on the Romantic movement, it also reveals no awareness of the international upheavals and consequent turmoil in England that took place during Austen’s lifetime. The society of Jane Austen’s era is a stratified one, in which class divisions are rooted in family connections and wealth. Austen is often critical of the assumptions and prejudices of upper- class England and her novels distinguish between internal merit and rank or possessions. The central concern of this â€Å"comedy of manners† is Mrs. Bennet's dogged efforts to find suitable husb ands for her daughters. The amiable Jane and the gentle Bingley are almost drawn to each other. In contrast, the arrogant, insolent, conceited Mr. Darcy and the spontaneous, high- spirited, vivacious Elizabeth have several encounters of a battle of wits throughout the novel. Austen studies social relationships in the limited society of a country neighborhood and investigates them in detail with an often ironic and humorous eye. The significance of the title helps determine the actions of the two main characters and thereby the course of the plot. â€Å"Pride† is an unrealistic exaggeration of one’s importance. Prejudice prevents people from judging others according to their real merits. Both pride and prejudice are moral distortions and prevent the individual from seeing things as they really are. Marked by an elegant structure, and sharp satire, Pride and Prejudice encompasses the primary theme that maturity is achieved through the loss of illusion, particularly perta ining to the relationships between the witty yet prejudiced Elizabeth Bennet and the cultured yet prideful Fitzwilliam Darcy. Throughout the novel, Austen satirizes the manners of all classes, exposing people who have excessive pride as rude and often foolish, regardless of wealth or station. While the terms of pride and prejudice pertain particularly to Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth, there are other characters as well that portray these traits as well. Austen uses Mr. Collins as an extreme example of how excessive pride can affect one’s manner. In Mr. Collin’s case, he prides himself on his sense of respectability, his profession, and his association with Lady Catherine.

code of conducts :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  GUARDIAN AD LITEM CODE OF CONDUCT The Guardian ad Litem shall: 1. maintain high standards of conduct in carrying out his or her duties and obligations; 2. diligently represent and be guided solely by the best interests of the child; 3. report honestly and impartially to the court on what is in the best interests of the child; 4. respect the privacy of the child and family; 5. hold confidential all information obtained in the course of service as a guardian ad litem, as required by law and these Standards; 6. decline appointment, withdraw, or request assistance when the volunteer recognizes that he or she may not have the time or ability to effectively advocate for a child; 7. affirmatively advise the Program if he or she is charged with or convicted of a criminal offense, or becomes involved in any other court proceeding, as this may cause a conflict of interest or adversely affect the guardian ad litem’s ability to effectively advocate for a child; 8. report any new incident of child abuse or neglect to his or her supervisor and the abuse hotline; 9. comply with local circuit Program policies; 10. notify the Program director if the guardian ad litem or any member of the guardian ad litem’s immediate family becomes involved in a case with allegations of child abuse or neglect; 11. discuss all recommendations concerning the case with Program staff prior to submitting recommendations to the court; 12. obtain review/approval from Program staff before submitting any document to the court or other parties; 13. monitor the child regularly pursuant to any policies established by the local Program; 14. return identification cards and all case files and related materials to the Program office upon discharge from the case or dismissal from the Program; 15. discuss case progress and guardian ad litem activity at least every sixty (60) days with Program staff and regularly submit case activity sheets; and 16. complete six hours of inservice training annually. Guardian ad Litem staff and volunteers shall not: 1. take action which: a. endangers the child, a party, a witness or other person; b. is outside the powers or role of the guardian ad litem; or c. Violates state or local law, court rule, Program policy or court or Program procedure; 2. contravene staff or court direction; 3. repeatedly or significantly fail to perform a responsibility as a guardian ad litem; 4. falsify or fail to disclose information on the guardian ad litem application form, misrepresent facts during the screening interview or commit an act which results in a substantial alteration of the individual’s qualifications to serve in the GAL Program;

Criminal Law Intoxication Essay

For hundreds of years, it has been assumed that individuals behave more aggressively while under the influence of alcohol. Alcohol related crimes cost the UK taxpayer  £1.8 billion on average per year . However, society has taken an ambivalent attitude towards intoxication. Alcohol consumption is generally depicted as a puritanical moral barrier used to escape pain and the harsh realities of life. Intoxication can conversely be portrayed as a sign of weakness, impeding human reasoning leading individuals to behave in an unacceptable manner. Does this lack of consistency in society’s opinion reflect the clarity of the law as regards to when intoxication can be a defence? Drunkenness was a crime punishable by imprisonment in the form of stocks or a fine from 1607 to 1828. The law in this area concentrates on whether the accused who committed the prohibited act, has the necessary mens rea due to voluntary or involuntary intoxication. There are two extreme approaches that the law could follow on intoxication; the strict subjective theory emphasizes the defendant lacked the required mens rea and supports the idea of absolute acquittal from liability. The absolutist policy theory highlights the importance of public protection and endorses punishment. This arena consisting of the two aforementioned principles have created a tangled web that leaves numerous questions unanswered. The law has tried to achieve an intermediate compromise, rejecting both theorems in favor of adopting different strategies for each criminal offence. An initial distinction has to be drawn between being drunk and being intoxicated. It was expressed in R v Sheehan and Moore that ‘a drunken intent is nevertheless an intent.’ A drunken individual would not be able to use the defence of intoxication, as he is still capable of forming the necessary mens rea. The case of R v Stubbs stated that intoxication needed to be ‘very extreme’ as it is impossible to form the mens rea due to the effect of copious amounts of alcohol. This essay will investigate the situations when intoxication can be used as a defence, analyzing the decision in R v Majewski and its impact on the specific and basic intent dichotomy. The Law Commission has taken a ‘stripped-down approach’ attempting to codify the main principles of the common law regarding voluntary and involuntary intoxication. There is an opinion that ‘there is much in the Report to commend it’ but others have drawn attention to the production of ‘head scratching provisions’ leading some to question whether intoxication should be called a defence at all. The Scottish Law Commission have recognized the difficulty in reforming the law and have stated ‘intoxication as a complete defence in all circumstances would be extremely serious.’ To what extent is intoxication used as a defence in criminal law and should the legal boundaries be clearer? Voluntary Intoxication Voluntary intoxication is defined in the Butler Committee Report as ‘the intentional taking of drink or a drug knowing that it is capable in sufficient quantity of having an intoxicating effect.’ In reality, the law does not support the stringency of this explanation. The main rationale is that the intoxicant must be able to impair the defendant’s rationality and human reasoning abilities. In the case of R v Hardie, the question of whether valium could be classed as an intoxicant arose. The defence was that the valium was only administered for relaxant purposes and according to Lord Parker, ‘there was no evidence that it was known that the appellant could render a person aggressive.’ Does this mean the court has to decide whether a substance is an intoxicant individually for each case? The Law Commission believes this approach is overall inadequate. The law in England and Wales presumes that intoxication is voluntary unless evidence is produced that allows the court or jury to conclude that it was involuntary. Recent government proposals refrain from attaching a definition to ‘voluntary intoxication,’ preventing the creation of a narrow approach developing. Consequently, voluntary intoxication is not a defence in the law but it can become a mitigating factor and be considered as a â€Å"partial excuse† reducing the echelon of criminal liability. This area has caused serious problems in English criminal law, as it is fraught with ambiguity and uncertainty. How should the law decide the effect voluntary intoxication has on the defendant’s liability? The effect of voluntary intoxication on the mens rea of criminal acts is often comprised of the defendant foreseeing the consequences or intending their occurrence. The strict subjective theory emphasizes that intoxication will always be relevant to the outcome of the case but the absolutist policy theory allows the possibility to escape liability completely. Each theorem supports contrasting trains of thought and makes the options for reform more unenviable and unclear. In an attempt to reach a ‘compromise’ and stabilize the theoretical problems and public policy issues involved, the law has categorized criminal offences into two groups; specific and basic intent offences. Despite the broad scope for divergence, the Law Commission has approved the common law’s implementation of this â€Å"midway course† distinction. Specific and Basic Intent Dichotomy ‘All people have the right to a family, community and working life protected from accidents, violence and other negative consequences of alcohol consumption.’ The essence of the law in England and Wales is not dissimilar to this aim in that intoxication can provide a defence to crimes that are of specific intent, but not to those that are of basic intent. The House of Lords in the leading case of Majewski depicted this approach, which has been dubbed a ‘dichotomy.’ They declared it must be proved in specific offences that the defendant lacked the necessary mens rea at the time of the offence. It is for the prosecution to establish the actual intent of the defendant, taking into account the fact that he was intoxicated. In crimes of basic intent, the actuality that intoxication was self-induced provides the necessary mens rea. The original distinction between crimes of specific and basic intent initially appeared to be clear: the courts did not want a defenda nt to escape liability for his crimes caused during his intoxication. In practice, the distinction is difficult to ascertain and has created incongruity in the law. The courts also desired the dichotomy to be flexible allowing partial defences and mitigation in some cases. Simester argues this similarity is ill founded, as ‘intoxication is a doctrine of inculpation†¦and work in opposite directions.’ Simester’s view regarding the dichotomy is persuasive but I believe clarification is needed before the law can be deemed acceptable. Lord Simon developed another analysis where ‘the prosecution must in general prove that the purpose for the commission of the act extends to the intent expressed or implied in the definition of the crime.’ Another approach put forward was the ‘ulterior intent test,’ which was more widely accepted. This supports the idea that in specific intent crimes, the mens rea extends beyond the actus reus and in basic intent crimes, the mens rea goes no further than the constituents in the actus reus. However, the most prevalent explanation, the â€Å"recklessness test,† which was given by Lord Elwyn-Jones and later approved in the House of Lord’s decision in the case of R v Caldwell. An individual is Caldwell-type reckless if the risk is obvious to an ordinary prudent person who has not given thought to the possibility of there being any such risk, or if the individual has recognized that there is some risk and has nevertheless persisted in his actions. This test states intoxication can only be relevant to crimes that require proof of intention and it is immaterial to crimes that are committed recklessly. Lord Diplock took the objective view that classification of offences into basic or specific intent was irrelevant where â€Å"recklessness† was satisfactory to form the mens rea. However, the distinction between the varying offences is important if the intoxicated person who is charged with an offence of basic intent has thought about a possible risk and wrongly concluded it to be negligible. In this case, there is a lacuna in the â€Å"recklessness test.† The defendant would be acquitted unless convicted under the Majewski ruling on the basis that the actus reus of an offence of basic intent has been committed. Lord Edmund-Davis dissented arguing ‘however grave the crime charged, if recklessness can constitute its mens rea the fact that it was committed in drink can afford no defence.’ Is this too harsh to adhere to the justice proclaimed in the English legal system? The case of R v Heard, the Court of Appeal rejected the recklessness test in favor of the â€Å"purposive intent† and â€Å"ulterior intent† test. The judgment contains vast amounts of ambiguity with the difficulty of ‘fitting an offence into a single pigeon hole.’ The â€Å"recklessness† test was finally confirmed in the 1980 Criminal Law Revision Committee Report and provided an ample explanation for voluntary intoxication. The offence of rape provides a good illustration of the difficulties involved in the â€Å"recklessness† test. The case of R v Fotheringham concerned the rape of a 14-year-old girl by an intoxicated husband who mistakenly underwent sexual intercourse in the belief that the girl was his wife. The offence of rape at that time could be committed recklessly but this has been altered to the principle of ‘reasonable belief.’ The court had to decide whether the defendant had an intention to carry out unlawful sexual intercourse or whether recklessness was sufficient for conviction. Public policy of protection triumphed over the strict subjective theory where intoxication would prevent liability and defined rape as a basic intent offence. The recent case of R v Rowbotham (William) concerning the offences of murder, arson with intent to endanger life and burglary were invalidated where defence expert evidence showed the defendant’s mental abnormalities combined with extreme intoxication had prevented him from forming the specific intent necessary. This case illustrates the dichotomy is still used by courts today despite aspirations for reform. Involuntary Intoxication The courts have taken a moderate approach to defendants who have become intoxicated through no fault of their own. The most common cases of involuntary intoxication involve intoxication that is unknowingly induced by a third party. The main principle is that a defendant will not be held liable for any crimes they carried out while involuntary intoxicated. Their transparency and lack of knowledge shields their ability to form the necessary mens rea. This is not a â€Å"blanket† rule and there are various requirements as to what satisfies the definition of ‘involuntary intoxication.’ Lord Mustill in R v Kingston described the phenomenon as a ‘temporary change in the mentality or personality of the respondent, which lowered his ability to resist temptation so far that his desires overrode his ability to control them.’ He declared the Court of appeal supported the view that protection flows from the ‘general principles’ of the criminal law, b ut what exactly does the term â€Å"general† entail? The first criterion is that the defendant cannot claim they are involuntarily intoxicated if they were misinformed about the description or specific alcohol content. This is illustrated in R v Allen where a man was convicted of indecently assaulting his neighbour even though he had no knowledge of the high alcohol content of the home made wine that he was drank at home having returned from the pub. The second criterion imposed by the courts is that the defendant must have been intoxicated to the point where it would be impossible to form the mens rea to commit the crime. The case of R v Beard created the rationale that there is no remedy if an individual’s inhibitions are lost due to involuntary intoxication. This case was more complex as it involved succession of acts; the defendant whilst intoxicated, raped a 13-year-old girl, placed his hand on her mouth to stop her from screaming, and thus suffocating her resulting in her death. The trial judge at first instance erred in a pplying the test of insanity to a case of intoxication, which did not amount to insanity. Has the ambiguity in this case been eradicated? A recent paradigm of involuntary intoxication can be seen in the Kingston case involving a situation where a 15-year-old boy was drugged and indecently assaulted after the defendant’s drink was spiked. The trial judge directed the jury to convict if they found that the defendant had assaulted the boy pursuant to an intent resulting from the influence of the intoxication. The Court of Appeal upheld the appeal on the basis that it was the defendant’s ‘operative fault.’ Smith has depicted this outcome as ‘surprising, dangerous and contrary to principle.’ The opinion of the House of Lords, who took a narrow view of blame, was Smith’s preferred alternative but others favor the creation of a new common law defence determined by character assessment. Sullivan has described this as comparing the defendant’s â€Å"settled† character with their â€Å"intoxicated† character. If the character is ‘destabilized, he should have an excuse.’ Should the blame not be directed at the 3rd party instead of the defendant though? This method creates a schism between the relevant blame and moral fault. As a consequence, mens rea is being given a more normative meaning negating its cognitive counterpart. However, the Commission is adamant to reject the creation of a new approach and wishes to give statutory effect to the decision in Kingston. They believe that ‘there should be no defence or reduced inhibitions or blurred perception of morality where the defendant’s condition was caused by involuntary intoxication.’ Only time will tell, if the legal reform bodies will cling to their orthodoxy or embrace change. Dutch courage and diseases of the mind To what extent is alcohol-related crime attributable to those with already dysfunctional lives, with a propensity to problematic behaviors, rather than apparently ‘normal’ people engaging in criminal acts when intoxicated? The union of actus reus and mens rea is known as contemporaneity. It is necessary to establish for a conviction to be successful. However, the Dutch courage rule, where the accused gets into a drunken state after deciding to commit a crime, is an exception to this principle. It was decided in Attorney General for Northern Ireland v Gallagher that the accused would be liable for the crime even though they were too drunk to satisfy the required mental element. Lord Denning declared ‘the wickedness of his mind before he got drunk is enough to condemn him.’ Although, it has been recognized that ‘it is almost inconceivable that the case envisaged could ever arise.’ The sale and consumption of alcohol are legal so should we accept t he consequences of diminished responsibility as a cause of criminal activities if perpetrated whilst under the influence? There has been more discussion surrounding the affiliation between alcohol and diseases of the mind. The case of R v Dietschmann concerned a defendant who was intoxicated at the time of the killing that suffered from a mental abnormality due to a recent bereavement. Lord Hutton said ‘drink cannot be taken into account as something which contributed to his mental abnormality.’ The main principle is that drunken defendants are not excluded from pleading diminished responsibility or insanity if they suffer from mental abnormalities. Ashworth believes the task of the jury to decide whether the mental abnormality affected the mens rea is ‘fearsomely difficult.’ Medical experts to some extent aid the task of the jury but the margin for error is significant as the effect of drink and drugs is unique to every individual. It has also been argued that there could potentially be a genetic predisposition to alcoholism but the scope of this is unknown. Tolmie’s conceptualizations of the ‘disease model’ and the ‘habit model’ are eccentric and provide light recovery from psychoanalytic evaluations. I particularly enjoy the fact that she has highlighted the importance of ‘normal human processes†¦and bad choices,’ which are often overlooked. She concentrates on the need for treatment for defendants and does not fall into the trap of defining intoxication as an express defence. The current position of the law in this area is unfair as it deforms other doctrines, supports unprincipled sentencing and punishes some defendants far more than they deserve. Adoption of a generic, doctrinal mitigating excuse of â€Å"partial responsibility† with application to all crimes would solve these problems. This alternative option would function in a similar manner to the ‘not proven’ verdict used in Scotland. In the end, to provide blame and punishment reduction based on fair respon sibility ascription will not support a denial of responsibility. Reform Certain statutes expressly state that a defendant has a defence if they possess particular beliefs. Does this apply where a belief is acquired through intoxication? There is only one type of case where an intoxicated belief can be used as a â€Å"defence.† In the case of Jaggard v Dickinson, the defendant appealed against a conviction of reckless criminal damage to property. The accused, owing to voluntary intoxication, mistakenly but honestly believed that she was damaging the property of a friend and that they would have consented to her doing so. A major anomaly in the law is found when the approach taken in Jaggard is contrasted with that taken in Majewski where the Criminal Justice Act 1967 was not relied upon. Wells has commented that ‘it is difficult to see how†¦the sections perform any different function.’ The area surrounding drunken mistakes is just one theme encircled with uncertainty. There has been much discussion of reform regarding the position of intoxication in the law. The concepts of basic and specific intent are ambiguous, confusing and misleading. The Law Commission has created a proposal to abandon them but the substance of the distinction has been retained. The main question regarding the specific and basic intent dichotomy is the affect it has on the voluntary intoxicated defendant’s liability. The blameworthiness of the defendant is expressed by an evaluation of criminal liability. An enlightened system of criminal justice should respond differently to ‘common criminals’ and voluntary intoxicated defendants. If a man commits mischief when intoxicated, should society take steps in the framework of the criminal law to prevent him? Judicial insistence upon the requirement of mens rea might remove the problem of antisocial drinking but alternatives will not develop if the courts allow these problems to be thrust upon them. The Majewski decision has been criticized as it allows conviction for causing harm where mens rea has not been formed. This is even the case where a defendant is convicted of a basic intent offence instead of a stricter specific intent offence. The House of Lords decision acknowledged the principle of allowing intoxication to be adduced to show that the mens rea for specific intent offences did not exist. They were persuaded by policy objectives to convict of basic intent offences despite the intoxication. This â€Å"midway course† is acceptable on policy grounds but it fails to accord with the basic principles of justice in the criminal law. Is this a clear and logical compromise? The idea to secure conviction for serious offences without satisfying the criteria of mens rea is conjured. This conflicts with the burden of proof, which is placed on the prosecution. This means the fictitious objective â€Å"recklessness† test allows conviction of offences, which require proof of subjective â€Å"recklessness.† The current rationale of the law is that the subjective reckless involved in becoming intoxicated is the moral equivalent of the subjective recklessness usually required for liability. A further criticism is that â€Å"recklessness† relates to the risk of becoming intoxicated and not to the risk of specific harm being caused. As a result, the liability for the harm caused whilst intoxicated goes against the principle of contemporaneity and is constructive, which is contrary to the trend of current law reform. The English law reform bodies have created proposals to replace Majewski with a separate offence of intoxication. This separate offence would remove the possibility of a complete acquittal, which is available in specific intent crimes. A disadvantage to the proposal would be the construction of a â€Å"status† offence with no mens rea involved. This contrasts with previous social policy illustrated in the case of Reniger v Fogossa where a drunken killer was hanged to death to protect human life. However, the Criminal Law Revision Committee rejected the idea of a new offence of intoxication and instead suggested the codification of the law, whilst approving the â€Å"reckless test.† Authors such as Jeremy Horder, who depicted the Law Commission’s efforts as making ‘little effort to discern any deeper principles underlying the common law’, have criticized the Law Commission attempts at clarifying the law. The reform bodies now intend to amend their previous proposals and return ‘to the subject with a stripped down approach.’ Conclusion Why is it taking an unbounded amount of time to evaluate reform of the law on intoxication when 61% of the population perceives alcohol-related violence as worsening? The bare components of the law on intoxication are complex but the added series of exceptions that the Law Commission have proposed to introduce, in my opinion, will undermine the principle of justice in England and Wales. The common law has found a reasonable balance between the subjective and absolutist theories but the ‘midway course’ of specific and basic intent is not satisfactory. The dichotomy requires the courts to evaluate individual criminal acts on their merits putting them into a category of specific or basic intent, which squanders the court’s time and thus, decreases the overall inefficiency of the legal system. Child’s innovative approach involving the correlation with subjective recklessness is an alternative to the recent reform proposals. He declares intoxication will constitute fault only where the burden is replaced by subjective reasonableness and if the defendant would have foreseen the risk if sober. The ‘midway course’ is preserved but in a clear and logical manner without a list of exceptions. However, I disagree with Child’s interpretation of intoxication as the equivalent to recklessness. I believe more research needs to be given to determine the extent of their connection and ultimately decide whether they are analogous or mutually exclusive. Ultimately, liability is ascertained by the intention element but how can this truly be deduced when automatons are intoxicated? Lady Justice Hallett in the recent case of R v Janusz Czajczynsk commented that ‘drinking to excess and taking drugs seems to us to be something of a two edged sword.’ It is tempting to view the defence of intoxication as denying a defendant ‘a valueless opportunity to exculpate himself by pleading his own discreditable conduct in getting drunk.’ However, it is impossible to accurately determine an individual’s thoughts at a precise moment and draw a line where a defendant’s account matches the truth. Simester suggests the intoxication doctrine is reversed to benefit prosecution, becoming constructive liability instead of a defence. I believe there is some accuracy in this initiative but it fails to address the main problem regarding the mental state of the accused. Should there be a common law or statutory defence of intoxication expressly declared? The courts and the Law Commission know the law is not clear and desire to reform the law only after exploring every open avenue. The Law Commission has rightly prioritized consistency, precision and simplicity in their Reports but ‘another round of re-evaluation’ is definitely needed before a firm conclusion can be established. We can only hope that time does run out, allowing the reform debate to finish sooner rather than later.