Monday, September 30, 2019

Barriers of Dell

For Dell Company to achieve its organizational development and change it requires several things to be done. Without which the company will not be in a position to achieve its set goals. Anything that will block the company from attaining its objective of organizational development will be a barrier to its development. There are many barriers to organization development and they vary from organization to organization. All the processes that are involved in the organizational development require funds.The initial stage of the organizational development involves analysis and research so as to establish the most likely problem the company is going through. Every part of this research will involve money, for example the materials used in the research, the hired manpower to carry out the research. The organization therefore needs money to have all this recommendations be implemented. Before Dell coming up with an idea of making simple machine to his customers he had to make a research so as to establish the level at which his customers could operate his machines.Establishing a channel by which Dell could get feedback required funds. According to consumer channels feed back (2009) Dell was to use the modern technology in his management. The advantage with this modern communication was its efficiency in terms of time and accuracy. Despite its efficiency this technology requires a lot of initial capital to install it. This means that the company needs a lot of funds so as to start using this technology in its management. Without this money the company can not establish good feedback to its customers.Therefore in case the money from Dell Company’s returns goes down then it will imply that he will not be in a position to establish these channels. In this case funds become barrier to his organizational development. Dell has as tried as much as possible to reduce the number of middlemen in his chain of distribution. He has an intension of reduce the cost of his prod uct in doing so. But this can also become a barrier to his development. The reason for middlemen is to increase the rate of exchange of goods and services at the ground level.Without them some of the areas will never be reached hence the consumers coverage area will be small as compared to his competitors. It is through this channel that he can understand his customers fully; hence without these middlemen it can be impossible to understand some of his customers. The idea of reducing the middlemen therefore can be a barrier to the development of Dell Company. Dell put a lot of interest in his customer; he produces machines that are demanded by his customers. Foxall, G. (2005.) Understanding consumers is the key to winning them. This means that a lot of his goods and service are done on demand instead of innovation. This can become a barrier especially in this era of technological advancement and development. He should stop producing goods on demand and come up with new skills that wi ll lead to invention of new machines that are more efficient than the ones he produced later. This will help him have a competitive advantage over his competitors. Dell was also ensuring that his goods gain an advantage over the other competitors.To do this he was making sure that he reduces the number of hands during the manufacturing process. This can become a barrier to the organizational development since it will reduce the out put of the firm. When less people are working the out put will be low and hence the company will have low incomes. Before any progress is noticed the workers in the organization must own the recommendations, if they fail to own them it becomes hard to implement them, Dell to not have any strategy that looks at the needs of the workers.When the company encounters this problem then it becomes a barrier to its organizational development. This company has put a lot of emphasis on the completive strategy. There is nothing put in place so as to look at the work ers within the company. Since they are the ones to implement the ideas of Dell they may be barriers to the development of the company. The strategy of global consultancy can become barrier to Dell’s development. This will expose this company to may company’s that manufacture the some goods and service to Dell company.Some of this companies can steal the skills used by Dell in its manufacture and start produce a replica of Dell machine in their own names and hence establishing new competitors that will reduce the market command to Dell company. As this company workers interacts with the other foreign company they may start to demand some favors that are given to workers of other countries. When this favors are beyond Dell’s or to expensive for him then this becomes a barrier to his development.In some cases such worker may even transfer to other companies with also the technological skill acquired in Dell Company hence becoming a big treat to Dell. Schiff man, L. G. (1993), explains that worker behavior is influence by other worker in their environment Reference Foxall, G. (2005. ) Understanding Consumer Choice. Baingstoke. Palgrave Macmillian. Schiffman, L. G. (1993), Understanding Workers Consumer Behavior, Prentice Hall International, London. http://www. allbusiness. com/marketing-advertising/marketing-advertising/5504141-1. html

Promoting Cognitive Development Essay

Piaget was interested in how children think; Piaget says children learn with intelligent, video, cognitive development. He believes putting the development and learns. He believes that children learn by doing or copying as their fears. Anal stage is an important stage. B.F. skinner is a. behaviorist he believed that behavior is learned such as praising. He believes to praise for good things and not for bad behavior ignore it. He also believes that if you praise to much a child will just do things to please the parent. Les Vygotsky believes that children copy what they see their parents doing. He believed in cultural, Vygotsky believes in children construct knowledge. Vygotsky believes social interaction is vital ingredients in learning in development. Vygotsky believes the children should be shown so they can be successful. Piaget, Erikson’s, Skinner and Vygotsky believe that children learn by how and they think they also learn with intelligent and cognitive development. Erikson’s and Freud agree with Piaget that children learn by doing and they also learn by their fears. Such as going to the doctor, the pretend play and interact with each other like they are doctors. They substitute things that a doctor would use. Erikson’s and Freud also thin the anal stage is important because that is when children are being potty trained and using the potty by their selves. They are learning how important it is to wash their hands. Children are developing social interaction at this time because they are being developed. If a child is having a hard time doing something on their own and keep messing up the teacher should show the child to do it. Explain how each theorist would approach the issues of cognitive development to early childhood. Is seeking the growth and understanding changing and intellectual capabilities of cognitive behavior. A mentalist examines learning and memory problems solving and intelligence. Piaget believes that children learn from action and are born with acquire schemas a concept how to act and respond to the world. Children form and reform theirs ideals in their minds while they explore the world. Knowledge is gained by the activity as child does by doing more. Children’s knowledge does not develop, but is much different form adult knowledge. (pg.7) According to Piagetian perspective is a child has different stages and development. Reading and writing are more shaped more by accomplishment. Vygotsky believe that social interaction places emphasis on stages of behavior Vygotsky says the learning is a matter of internalizing of language and action of others. Adults can help children solve problems by discussing them with the child. (info@ncrel.org) Keith’s advice about Jasmine is that all children learn in different ways. When it comes to children they should know that they are carried for. The cognitive development stages that a child learns by doing and experiment. Psychosocial and Physical influences to be seen by. Piaget says during the preoperational stages which usually are from the ages 2-7. At this age children learn language and they start to pretend play. At the ages 7-11 is the concrete operational stage and children also gain ability to solve problems. The finally stages are 11-adolescent usually makes more abstractly to solve problems and think symbolically about things that are not really there concretely in front of them. (Piaget’s) Reference: Copyright North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. Gulf Bend Center http://gulf bend.org/pov/view_doc.php Piaget, J. and Child Development.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Science Fari Final Report for Oven Baked Ice Cream

Science Fair 2012 By Anna Neuber Question If I put ice cream to bake in an oven, will the egg white and sugar mixture insulate it well enough so it won’t melt? Hypothesis If I put the ice cream into the egg white mixture and heat it up in the oven at 260 °, it will not melt because of the insulation. Variables Independent Variables The independent variables are those that are changed throughout the experiment. In my experiment I am going to change the amount of egg white mixture on the ice cream (in my first experiment I put very little and the experiment didn’t work out).I will also be changing the type of ice cream. This will not affect the experiment but it will change the taste. Dependent Variable The dependent variable is the one that is measured during the experiment. I will be measuring/observing the texture and outcome of the ice cream after it has been baked in the oven. Controlled Variables The controlled variables are the ones that you try to keep constant throughout your experiment so that they don’t affect your experiment. I will be keeping the temperature of the oven the same and the type of cookie that I place the ice cream on.Background Research Ice cream usually melts when exposed to heat. This is an observable physical change. But could there be a way to keep it in tact without letting it melt? In fact, there is a way! Americans eat this as a treat and call it â€Å"Baked Alaska†. In effect it is ice cream covered in an egg white mixture put into an oven. Why doesn’t it melt? The egg whites mixture acts as an insulator and keeps the ice cream cool. The air bubbles slow down the penetration of heat from the outside. Once baked, the dessert is hot on the outside and freezing on the inside.If I put the bowl of ice cream into the egg white mixture and then on the cookie and put it into the oven at 260 degrees Celsius, will it melt or will it stay intact because of the insulation? Oven baked ice cream isnâ€℠¢t an experiment like mixing metals with acids. It’s actually a dessert. The name it was given is â€Å"Baked Alaska†. The name â€Å"Baked Alaska† comes from Delmonico's Restaurant in New York City in 1876, and was created in honor of the newly acquired territory of Alaska. It is basically hard ice cream on a bed of sponge cake.The process is simple; this ‘cake' is kept in the freezer until serving time, when it is placed in a very hot oven, just long enough to brown the meringue. Baked Alaska and similar desserts use the insulating properties of the trapped air in the cellular structure of the foams (the meringue and sponge cake) which keeps the heat from reaching the ice cream. Early versions of this dessert consisted of ice cream covered in a very hot pastry crust. (Ehler, 1990-2012) Since ice cream doesn't really leave a trace like pots or weapons, there is not much history about ice cream.It is said that people living in places in prehistoric times w here snow and ice were abundant made themselves a sort of â€Å"sorbet† by adding fruits to give the ice a flavor. Also, some left over ice houses, where ice was produced, have been found. Ice houses are known to have existed as early as 2,000 B. C. in Mesopotamia. They were built by rich Mesopotamians. Also, some Egyptian Pharaohs ordered ice from the colder regions to be shipped into Egypt. A lot later on, the Arabs began using syrup and sugar instead of honey.In the 10th century B. C. , ice cream was sold in all major Arab cities. The Chinese also picked up the use of ice cream, and it began to be a popular treat in the hot months of the year. (Zinger, 2012) Ancient people first began cooking on open fires. The cooking fires were put on the ground and later simple brick constructions were used to hold the wood. Simple ovens were used by the ancient Greeks for making bread and other baked goods. By the middle ages, taller brick and cement fireplaces, often with chimneys, we re being built.The food to be cooked was placed in metal cauldrons that hung above the fire. The first written historical record of an oven being built refers to an oven built in 1490, in Alsace, France. To improve the ovens, fire chambers were invented that contained the wood fire, and holes were built into the top of these chambers that cooking pots with flat bottoms could be placed directly upon replacing the cauldron. Around 1728, cast iron ovens began to be made in quantity. These first ovens of German design were called Five-plate or Jamb stoves.Around 1800, Benjamin Thompson invented a working iron kitchen stove called the Rumford stove that was designed for very large working kitchens. However, the Rumford stove was too large from the average kitchen and inventors continued to improve their designs. Cast iron stoves continued to evolve, with iron gratings added to the cooking holes, and added chimneys and connecting flue pipes. Jordan Mott invented the first practical coal o ven in 1833. British inventor, James Sharp patented a gas oven in 1826, the first semi-successful gas oven to appear on the market.It was not until the late 1920s and early 1930s that electric ovens began to compete with gas ovens, however, electric ovens were available as early as the 1890s. Some historians credit, Canadian Thomas Ahearn with inventing the first electric oven in 1882. The Carpenter Electric Heating Manufacturing Company invented an electric oven in 1891. In 1910, William Hadaway designed the first toaster made by Westinghouse, a horizontal combination toaster-cooker. (Bellis, 2012) In conclusion, I can only say that ice cream definitely doesn’t melt in the oven.But only if you cover it safely in egg whites mixture. On my first experiment, the ice cream melted partially and it wasn’t very successful. This is why I have repeated the experiment to get a different result. I only tried one recipe because the other ones take about 8 to 10 hours and I donâ⠂¬â„¢t have so much time available. The thing that went wrong on the first experiment I think was that the ice cream wasn’t insulated well enough. My second experiment went very well and I was happy about the results, but the last one was not much better than the first trial.This was because the ice cream slipped off the cookie. In summation; oven baked ice cream is definitely not an easy experiment and it takes practice to get a good outcome that tastes good and looks nice as well! Materials List – 3 or 4 large eggs – Vanilla ice cream – 1 large cookie – 113 grams of sugar – Large mixing bowl – Whisk or fork – Ice cream scoop or spoon – Cookie sheet – Aluminum foil – Oven Experimental Procedure 1. Extract the egg whites from the eggs. The egg white has to land in the bowl. 3. Use your whisk or fork to beat the egg-whites in the bowl, slowly adding in the sugar as you mix.Keep beating the egg whites and sug ar until you have a glossy looking mixture. 4. Pre-heat your oven to 260 degrees Celsius 5. Line your cookie-sheet with the aluminum foil so that it covers the entire surface 6. Place your cookie on the center of the foil-lined cookie sheet 7. Take a big scoop of Ice Cream that is about the circumference of the cookie and place is in the egg white mixture. Make sure the ice cream is completely covered and submerged. 8. Take the ice cream from the mixture and place it on the cookie 9. When the oven is pre-heated, place the cookie sheet on the bottom rack 10.Bake the ice cream cookie until the ice cream starts to turn a golden brown, about 5 minutes. 11. Remove the ice cream cookie from the oven and allow a few minutes to cool. Data Analysis Trial| Result| Observation| 1| Bad| The ice cream almost completely melted and the egg whites mixture didn’t insulate properly. Some parts of the egg whites mixture turned a gold-brownish color, but some stayed white and didn’t bake properly. To improve: I need to put on more egg whites mixture. | 2| good| The ice cream barely melted and there was more left than in the experiment before.To improve: I need to leave it longer to bake. | 3| Ok| The ice cream didn’t completely melt but it slipped of the cookie which was not the point of the experiment, still it didn’t melt fully. I left it longer to bake as well. | Observations In the first experiment, I used vanilla ice cream while in the second I used chocolate and in the third I used strawberry. This change only affected the taste and did not change the procedure of the experiment. Also, by adding more and more egg whites, I noticed that the ice cream didn’t melt as fast or almost not at all.I kept the oven temperature the same and also the type of cookie. The â€Å"texture† of the outcome of the ice cream was always creamy and soft. The outsides were a slight golden brown but that is the result that is expected. Conclusions Experimen t Conclusion Relating to my hypothesis, I can conclude that I predicted half correct and half wrong. First of all, two of my experiments failed and one trial worked out, so my hypothesis was only partly right. Secondly, it is probably quite hard to bake ice cream and it must take practice to get it right.I looked at different recipes as well, but all of them take about 8 – 10 hours and it is hard to record it that way and I can’t make my experiment last that long either. Unfortunately, I didn’t record my experiment in a video, but I have made a picture of my first trial. Overall Conclusion My overall conclusion is that I am very happy with my experiment. How did I come up with my experiment? I was looking through a website that had a whole list of experiments, and when I saw the â€Å"Oven baked ice cream† experiment, I was immediately interested, because it seemed impossible to me that something like that actually works out.So then I started doing some r esearch and finally I used this as my experiment. My hypothesis was that the ice cream wouldn’t melt, because I believed that, if the experiment exists and is also served in restaurants it must work. I was really curious to try it out myself, and my outcomes were not too bad (except for my first try). It even tastes good. I think overall I am very pleased with my experiment and what I have achieved. I am glad that I chose this topic because it is interesting to research about and it is also really fun to bake.I have displayed a few pictures and a video too! It is really easy to make the ice cream—well at least from the recipe that I have found. It doesn’t work out straight away, but I think you need to personalize the recipe a little bit so that it suits your taste. I hope that we do a Science Fair next year again because I really enjoyed the planning and research, but I think to enjoy the preparation to science fair you have to choose a topic that really suits you and that you are actually interested in.So all in all, my opinion to science fair is that it is great fun and, even if this first time everyone was a little bit under time pressure, I think it worked out well and I hope that the actual day of science fair will reward our effort and hard work! Acknowledgements I would like to say thank you to my teachers Ms. Mullen and Ms. Phan for helping me in my science fair project. I would also like to thank my mum and my dad for helping me with my experiment. Last but not least I want to thank Ms. Wiedemann and Mr. Lenihan for giving up their lesson and letting us work on science fair. BibliographyEhler, James T. â€Å"Baked Alaska. † Recipes for Sweet Comforts from the North Country. New York, New York: James T. Ehler, 2000. 143. , . . Print. Bellis, Mary. History of Ice Cream. Ed. Mary Bellis. about. com: Mary Bellis, 2011. 2. , . . Print. Bellis, Mary. History of the Oven. Ed. Mary Bellis. about. com: Mary Bellis, 2009. 3. , . . P rint. http://farm4. static. flickr. com/3269/3107121731_69336f5e82_o. jpg â€Å"Baked Alaska. † Alaska Wild Berry Cookbook: 270 Recipes from the Far North. Alaska: Alaska Northwest Books, 2012. Print. http://www. zagblog. ch/wpcontent/uploads/2012/06/icecream. jpg

Friday, September 27, 2019

Knowledge Management in Modern Photocopier Organization Coursework

Knowledge Management in Modern Photocopier Organization - Coursework Example A simple question like why one person is able to resolve a particular problem while the other is unable to when equipped with same resources and support structure and on the other hand how can one person's ability be used to overcome another person's inability were the questions asked and answered. The company that is being studied is a photocopier design, manufacturing, sales and service organization. The organization has got global presence and has organized its divisions geographically namely the United States of America, United Kingdom, Europe, Asia and Australia. The period under study is from 1997 to 2001, a five year period. The basis for this particular study is the fact that the company promises to replace the copiers if the service personnel are not in a position to rectify or resolve service complaints within a period of 72 hours and the service commitment given to the customer is that the non-functional or problematic copier would be replaced within a period of 48 hours. The humble photocopier is a thing of the past. With the latest digital technology, businesses large and small can have sophisticated machines that print, copy, fax and scan. These flexible new machines not only deliver excellent quality but save businesses time, effort and costs. Lookalike Office Automations is the company that is being studies in this research paper. As already mentioned, the company has got global presence and it has also organized its divisions on a geographical basis. The company specialized in printers, presses and copiers, along with associated supplies, software and support.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Gay Men U.S. vs China Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Gay Men U.S. vs China - Research Paper Example In addition, the U S is putting policies in place with prospects of protecting the rights of the gay community. Unlike the US, China has had a dull history regarding its gay community. The subject of homosexuality had been treated as a taboo for a long time in most countries including China. However, the Chinese people are changing their attitude concerning homosexuality. This essay will compare the views of the Chinese and US society in regards to the gay community. In China, Hong Kong is always ahead of the mainland China in terms of information and interactions with the outside world. However, this does not prevent homosexuality from being branded as an illegal behavior in Hong Kong. Until 1991, homosexuality was illegal in Hong Kong. In mainland China, homosexuality was considered both a crime against humanity and a form of mental illness. This indicates that the Chinese gay society was still stigmatized by the community in 1990s. Unlike China, the US has a more liberalized socie ty where people have extreme expectations. the US society acknowledged the existence of Gay community long before the Chinese society acknowledge the gay people are part of every society. In 1997, the Chinese government shot down the hooligan law. This law had been the main source of discrimination against gay society from the Chinese society. Although Chinese people are slowly accepting the existence of gay community in their midst, they are still behind the US community (Lau web). This change can be noted by an increase in the number of self-proclaimed gay communities around the country. China has also recorded an increase in the number of gay people hangouts. There is however, a significant difference between the mainland China and Hong Kong in terms of accepting the existence of the gay community. The existence of special or secluded hangouts for gay people indicates that the Chinese society has not fully accepted the existence of the gay society. Unlike the Chinese society, the US society has high level of tolerance for the gay community. Gay people living in the US are free to mingle and interact with other people who have normal sexual affiliation. However, there are specific joints and hangout that are more popular with the gay society than with the ordinary people. This indicates that the US society has no negative feelings about the gay people. Although the US and China have the biggest economies in the world, the two countries have great variation in terms of access to information and multiculturalism. Most people in United States live in urban areas while China has most of its population living in rural areas. Rural and urban societies have contradicting views towards gay people living in their midst. While people in major cities such as Hong Kong and Beijing have almost accepted the existence and the rights of the gay society, people living in rural areas still live in denial concerning the existence of gay people. A person living in a Chinese vil lage still views homosexuality as mental illness or abnormal behavior. Unlike China, the US society has a homogenous attitude towards the gay community. This indicates that the society has no greatly varying views towards homosexuals and lesbians living in their midst. The main problem that gay people face in any liberalized society is the fact that they are a minority society. This

Elementary education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Elementary education - Essay Example The two journals I analyze in this Paper are the American Education History Journal, Volume 31, and the Journal of Research in Character Education, Volume 6. The American Education History Journal, volume 31, was first published in 2004. One of its outspoken positive qualities is that it has several topics which can be viewed in its preview at no cost through the internet. Another positive quality is that it covers a wide range of topic related to elementary education most of which contain comprehensive information about research undertaken in this field (Watras 1). Moreover, its research surveys are not biased to any country thus making it a worldwide journal. However, the journal also has some negative qualities. One of its negative qualities is the inaccessibility of the full view of the journal only that makes the information available from this journal to be limited. Our other journal, the Journal of Research in Character Education, Volume 6, was published in 2008. It has severa l positive qualities, one of them being having the most recent information on current research on elementary education. Moreover, it has very few pages and short topics that are easy to read and comprehend. In addition, its content is not biased to any country and thus scholars regardless of their countries can use it. Furthermore, I can use its information, it contains most current information which is easy to relate with current situations of elementary education profession. However, this journal has very few pages in its preview.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Reflection on the movie the guardian 2006 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reflection on the movie the guardian 2006 - Essay Example During training, Jake encounters Emily Thomas, a local school teacher (Stephen 2010). They develop a casual relationship since both of them believe that the time they have together is limited. After the end of the initial training period, thorough instruction commences at the academy. Jake arrives to class late after spending at Emily’s house (Stephen 2010). He is confronted by Ben. In as much as he is not expelled, Jake as well as the entire team gets punished for his lateness. Initially, Ben strives to compel Jake to leave. He later realizes that Jake is not only dedicated but also persistent. Jake meets Emily in a bar and narrates to her about how he beat the records for his instructor, Ben. An old friend of Ben named Maggie who works as a barkeep, however, informs Jake about the unbreakable records set by Ben at a ship fire rescue, where he tirelessly worked and saved the entire victims (Stephen 2010). Ben was able to save the only man left by holding him by the fingertips all through the entire flight. While landing, Ben extensively injured his shoulder and hand. Charlie Hodge, a friend to Jake, is not able to cope during instruction, with frightened victims in the water. He is also frightened of failing school. As a result, Jake decides to cheer him up by taking him out to relax while having a drink. While at navy bar, they take part in a fight and later end up in jail. Jake later comes back bandaged and base beaten (Stephen 2010). Despite all these, he takes the entire blame. Jake is confronted by Ben who is interested in knowing the reason for him leaving his forecast as an aggressive swimmer and narrates to him about all that he learned about Jake’s past. Ben learned that Jake, who was a designated driver on a night out, got involved in an accident that made him lose his relay team in high school (Stephen 2010). They therefore realize that they share a common ground of being the only survivors. Later, Jake is assigned

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Justification Letter Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Justification Letter - Personal Statement Example Some of my clients in NY include Public Service Electric & Gas (PSEG), Chase/Chemnet Network Services, Bear Stearns Corporation, Swiss Bank Corporation, Perot Systems Corporation, HIS/Chic Jeans, Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceuticals, Merrill Lynch, Lehman Brothers Corporation, COMDISCO Corporation, Manufactures Hanover Bank (MHT), M&M Mars Corporation, Coopers & Lybrand, MasterCard International, Home Life Insurance Company, IBM Professional Services, Witco Chemical Corporation, The CIT Group and The General Foods Corporation. I transferred to the Washington DC area shortly after 9/11/2001 to look for contract work with the Government. The position at KForce was only presented to me as a full time employment and not as a sub-contract with Base Technology Incorporated. Hence, I was left with no alternative other than accept the position as such. I am very happy with my current position at US Customs and the people I work with. However, I am not an active employee of KGS in that I do not help to promote the company on any proposals etc. I really do not have any close ties to them. I have a hard time working as an employee of any company and feel better and perform better as an independent contractor because that is how I have lived the last 25 years prior to moving to the Wash DC area. It is my fervent desire to function under contract with you through STS and formally resign from my services with KGS forthwith. I now look forward to the pleasure of your favorable response at the earliest. Thank you, Faithfully yours, Jerry Harding

Monday, September 23, 2019

Elements of Evaluation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Elements of Evaluation - Assignment Example They are reach, adoption, efficacy, maintenance and adoption. Reach is used to measure the depth in which the intervention is exposed to a specific group of people or a community (McKenzie, Neiger & Thackeray, 2012). Adoption is an analysis of the effectiveness of the way in which intervention strategies have been implemented in a certain community setting. The creation of an intervention program should be based on its ability to be adopted to solve a specific problem (McKenzie, Neiger & Thackeray, 2012). The efficacy of an intervention refers to its ability to address the health problem described. An intervention program should also be maintained. Maintenance of an intervention reflects heavily on the evaluation results of the intervention which reflects the durability of an intervention and its ability to maintained and remain relevance in addressing the health problem stated (McKenzie, Neiger & Thackeray, 2012). After obtaining of the results an intervention can be moved forward by using validity, reliability and sensitivity to change. Validity increases the durability of intervention and helps it maintain relevance in addressing the stated health problem (McKenzie, Neiger & Thackeray, 2012). Reliability is the ability to increase the level at which a health issue is dependable on an intervention program to be solved. Additionally, an intervention can be enhanced by increasing its adaptability feature which increases its sensitivity to adapt to incorporate changes (McKenzie, Neiger & Thackeray,

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Japanese fiction works are better than Western ones Essay Example for Free

Japanese fiction works are better than Western ones Essay Q:What kind of Japanese fiction works? A:This presentation is mostly about comics and animation produced in Japan, but it covers also TV Shows and movies Topic: Japanese fiction General Purpose: To persuade Specific Purpose: To persuade you that Japanese fiction is better than western fiction regarding comics, animation, movies and TV shows Thesis statement: Although Western people see Japan as a calculating land with brutally efficient workers, they are in fact individualistic, expressive and sentimental if we can judge them from their works of fiction who surpass our own in various aspects Introduction: I. How other countries think of Japan II. Thesis statement III. Reminding the meaning of the terms manga and anime Body: I. First argument: Japans tendency to mix various influences from all over the world A.Japan borrows various foreign things and merges them with other elements B.Example regarding religion of Japan C.This tendency in regards to fiction II.Second Argument: How Japanese portray life, human relations, nature and the world in their fiction works A.Human nature is portrayed as it is B.Japans popular culture has a tight closeness to the ordinary, everyday lives of its audience C.Manga on any theme imaginable and toward any age range D.How human relations are portrayed III.Third Argument: Heroes fate after their struggle, death and the morality of the universe in Japanese fiction A.What defines a hero in Japan B.Death in japanese fiction C.View of the universe as amoral IV.Opposition/Refutation A1. Pornographic themes in manga and anime A2. Refutation B1. Japans cultural insularity robs it of relevance for other societies B2. Refutation Conclusion: I. Quote from Antonia Levi If someone will say that Japanese people are imaginative, sentimental, expressive and individualistic might earn him strange glances in most countries of the world. Many Westerners see Japan as a cold, calculating land of ant-like workers with brutal efficiency. Students are seen as oppressed slaves to their studies, pounded down like nails until their imaginations and individuality are crushed, or until they are driven to suicide. Japanese social culture is often seen as blanketed under stifling layers of politeness and formality, characterized by endless bowing. However, underneath all these there is the hidden Japanese soul. Almost all of the Japanese escape from reality through fiction works. These domestically created fiction works be it comics, animation, movies or TV shows enjoy great popularity not only in Japan but also in many countries of the world. Therefore, because these specific works are strikingly different from what were used to here in the Western world, it is inevitable to compare these two: the Western fiction works and the Japanese ones. Hello, everybody, my name is I will talk to you about Japanese fiction works and I will compare them to Western ones so as to enforce my opinion and persuade you of course, that Japanese fiction is better than Western fiction. Before starting, I want to make you acquainted with two terms. Manga, which is used to refer to the Japanese comics and anime, which refers to the Japanese animation. As a first argument, I have to inform you that Japan has the tendency to borrow various foreign things and to tinker with them, merging them with native or other elements so that they become something new and often quite distinct from the original. As an example, regarding religion, Taoism was the original religion of Japan but this didnt stop Japanese people from accepting Buddhism as well, and even acquiring some aspects of other religions in addition, like Christianity. In works of fiction this tendency of the Japanese means new and non-static entertainment through mixing different influences from around the world without having to suffice only to the myths and the influences of their own country. For my second argument supporting Japanese fiction, I want to inform you about the way Japanese portray life, human relations, nature and the world in their fiction works. The world and human nature in Japans pop culture can be portrayed as they are, not as they should be. This allows Son Goku, Dragonballs raised in the wild, central character, to be drawn naked, without the private parts-covering fig leaf that had to be added for American TV. It allows as well, the darker side of life to be portrayed. In an episode of Naniwa Kin Yudo, which is an anime TV series, the protagonist Haibara encourages the girlfriend of a customer, who cannot repay his loan, to work as a prostitute to cover her boyfriends debt. Scenes such as this can be disturbing but they are part of life and are neither denied nor hidden. Kazuhiko Torishima, editor of Japans best-selling comic magazine Shonen Jump states: I feel sorry for U.S. kids, who live in an adult-filtered Disney world. Moreover, Japans popular culture has a tight closeness to the ordinary, everyday lives of its audience. American comic artist Brian Stelfreeze has said: Comics in the U.S. have become such a caricature. You have to have incredible people doing incredible things, but in Japan it seems like the most popular comics are the ones of normal people doing normal things. Part of the normalcy is that the characters that populate Japans manga, anime and TV dramas display plenty of character flaws and weaknesses along with their strengths and good points. Furthermore, as Ian Reader, a scholar of Japanese religions and popular culture, has noted: Manga are simply too fascinating, colorful and rich a literary medium to be left solely to children. In Japan one can find manga on any theme imaginable and toward any age range. which is certainly not the case with American comic books. In addition, Timothy Craig which is an author, writes in his book entitled Japan Pop! that, human relations are a pervasive topic in Japanese pop culture, as one would expect from a society that places great importance on the group, harmony, and the smooth management of conflict. Human relations are also portrayed with a sophistication that does justice to the complexity of human affairs. Issues are many-sided, emotions are mixed, solutions are neither easy nor obvious, and outcomes are often ambiguous not unlike real life. He continues by saying that, in Japanese fiction the human characters are more real. They  exhibit a fuller range of human emotions and are put into more realistic situations, sometimes with unpleasant outcomes, than allowed by Disneys perfectly preserved, stiflingly safe fairytale-based storylines. For my last argument I will talk about heroes fate after their struggle, about death and the morality of the universe and therefore god, in Japanese fiction. We here in the Western world, are used to good being only good and be rewarded in the end and evil being only evil and be punished in most of the cases. This is not the case in Japanese culture. Its not unknown in Japan for heroes to become villains and vice versa. Moreover, the Japanese hero is defined by motivation than in the West where heroism is more dependent on result. The ideal Japanese hero is not only self-sacrificing, but also unconcerned with personal gain or survival. The heros willingness to give his or her all to it is what counts. Winning doesnt matter either. Losing and gaining nothing confirms the heros altruism and renders his or her sacrifice all the more tragic. Many characters also, meet meaningless, undeserved ends. And fans love that aspect, the fact that bad things, even death, can happen to any characte r at any time. It doesnt matter how brave, how good, or even how popular they are. According to my opinion, this fact is absolutely in accordance to how our own world works. Death and bad things generally, can be around the corner for any person, no matter how kind or good-willed he or she is. According to a book by author Antonia Levi titled Understanding Japanese Animation that doesnt happen on American TV where virtue is rewarded and evil is punished. Thats mainly because America is a Christian culture that believes that the universe is, or it should be, a moral place. The Japanese peoples take on this is that universe is amoral. Shinto as well, has no moral code at all! It simply celebrates life. Heroism and self-sacrifice may define a japanese character as a hero, but they will not save him or her. The universe simply doesnt care. On the opposing side now and regarding manga and anime specifically, some of you may have noticed and may say that a lot of these works have pornographic themes. Wrong. According to the author of the book Understanding Japanese Animation these works are actually a very small portion of the total production of Japan in manga and anime that is disproportionately exported  to the Western world. Another opposition stated by quite a few people, expresses that Japan is a one-dimensional economic power marked by a cultural insularity that robs it of relevance for other societies. Wrong again. The success and presence of Japans cultural exports in countries apart from Asian ones such as U.S.A, Canada and most of the European countries is strong evidence that Japans culture does have relevance for other societies. To conclude, and quote author Antonia Levi, its not just that Japans pop culture deals with dilemmas in a more realistic fashion, or that it raises issues considered taboo in other countries. Its willingness to show death and other bad stuff restores a kind of tension, a genuine dramatic emotionality that Hollywood and TV seem to have forgotten about. Bibliography: Clements, Jonathan and Helen McCarthy. The Anime Encyclopedia: A Guide to Japanese Animation Since 1917 Stone Bridge Press, 2001. Craig, Timothy. Japan Pop: Inside the World of Japanese Popular Culture East Gate, 2000. Levi, Antonia. Samurai from Outer Space: Understanding Japanese Animation Carus Publishing, 1998. Patten, Fred. Anime Stereotypes. Newtype, Issue Dec.2003 A.D.Vision Publications. For my third argument supporting my opinion, I will talk about the presence of female heroes in Japanese fiction. In the Western world apart from such exceptions as Wonder Woman, She-ra and Xena the role of superhero has traditionally been reserved for males, and targeted a predominantly male audience especially in comic books. This is not the case with Japanese  fiction. Japanese dont neglect females be it on the starring roles of their fiction works or as a target group audience. In manga specifically, there exists a separate genre called shoujo manga with many sub-genres itself, which raises issues and has stories related and devoted to women. The presence of females as featured heroes in manga, animation and TV shows has been much stronger in Japan than in the western world. As the book Japan Pop specifically reports: in Japan girl heroes are now as common and popular as boy heroes. The reasons for this are complex and, while hardly due to a greater feminist consciousness in Japanese society, are clearly linked to the increase in recent years of female artists.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Long Term Conditions Principles Of Care Nursing Essay

Long Term Conditions Principles Of Care Nursing Essay When you leave the clinic, you still have a long term condition. When the visiting nurse leaves your home, you still have a long term condition. In the middle of the night, you fight the pain alone. At the weekend, you manage without your home help. Living with a long term condition is a great deal more than medical or professional assistance. Harry Cayton, (DH, 2005a) This essay will provide a critical account of the health requirements of a patient suffering from a long term condition. It will concentrate on the experience of caring for a patient with type 2 diabetes, within the community. It will consider government policies and guidelines which relate to the management of diabetes, and the role of the district nurse. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC, 2008) Code of Professional Conduct Guidance has been maintained throughout this essay and therefore, all names have been altered for the purpose of confidentiality and anonymity. Currently in the UK there are over fifteen million people in England reported to be living with a long term condition. (DH 2009), of these it is reported that 2.6 million people are diagnosed with diabetes. This has increased since 1996 from 1.4 million (Diabetes UK 2010), and over 500,000 more whom are unaware that they have it. It is also predicted that by 2025 over four million people will have diabetes, with the majority having type 2 diabetes. According to Clinical Knowledge Summaries (CKS) (2009) the risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases with age, possibly because as people age they become less active, gain weight, and this affects their mobility and weakening their circulatory system. However this notion is relatively weak as whilst white people over the age of 40 are prone to developing the illness, ethnic minority groups are affected from age 25 years upwards (Diabetes UK 2006). This distinction suggests that diabetes may relate to dietary choices. Another possible ex planation for the development of type 2 diabetes is a genetic link, where people are more likely to develop diabetes when a close relative already has it. Mary is a 61 year old afro-Caribbean lady whom had recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. She lives alone since her husband died 10 years ago. She has no family in this country, and does not have many friends, more acquaintances. Mary had recently sustained a fall, fortunately nothing was broken, but she had suffered with severe bruising and loss of confidence. Her G.P. had been concerned about her and had asked the district nurses to monitor her blood sugars and blood pressure due to already diagnosed hypertension which she takes medication for. On assessment it was identified that Mary has been finding it hard to accept her diagnosis; she was hoping that her G.P had made an error. Hicks (2007) explains that it is not unusual to see denial in a hearing a diagnosis. Dunning (2009) goes on to say it can be appropriate in the early stages so that it enables people to keep a positive attitude and as a coping mechanism. However prolonged denial can cause future problems and possible neglect of warning signs that the condition is worsening. Marys knowledge of diabetes is very poor and her perception is that eventually everyone that has it will have to have injections, go blind, have something amputated and then die. She also stated that the only dietary advice she had been given was to stop eating sweets and food with sugar in. She had been finding it difficult to stick this as she found that most of the food she enjoyed had sugar in, she had also been told to eliminate fruit from her diet as someone told her that it was also high in sugar. Mary reported that she has started to feel low in mood and that she was feeling anxious about her bleak future. Lloyd (2008) states people with diabetes are twice as likely to have depression as those who dont. She goes on to say recent research has shown that this can have a detrimental effect on glycemic control, on self-management of diabetes and on overall quality of life. Evidently Mary has very limited knowledge of her diabetes this in turn has had a negative impact on her psychological well being. The integral place of psychological care, within a holistic approach to diabetes care, is recognised in the National Service Framework (NSF) for Diabetes (2001) where it states that The provision of information, education and psychological support that facilitates self-management is therefore the cornerstone of diabetes care'(p22). Similarly the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) (2003) reports that diabetes professionals should have appropriate management and detection skills of non-severe psychological disorders, whilst being able to identify and arrange prompt referrals of people with significant psychological difficulties that can interfere with their well-being or diabetes self-management. From Marys assessment it was established that she was not in need of an urgent psychological referral, and that possibly an appropriate edu cation programme would facilitate Mary with the information to be able to understand and manage her diabetes. As acknowledged by the DH (2005b) patient education is designed to improve knowledge, skills and confidence, enabling people to take more control of their condition and assimilate self-management. Siminerio (2008) continues to say that due to the complexity of managing diabetes the patient will require health professionals to support with the appropriate amount of time and long term support to ensure self-management is achieved. Due to the interpersonal nature of their duty, district nurses play a crucial role in the primary care of those suffering from long term illnesses. Cook cited by DH (2005b) states Caring for people with long term conditions is a key part of community nurses (p5). Their home visits and interaction with patients, provides emotional support by developing close trusting relationships, and quickly identify health problems. Nevertheless, recent government policies implemented aim to improve the quality of patient care, reduce the number of hospital patients and deliver more health care to patients at home. However, due to the aging population and the demand for community care is increasing thus putting extra strain on the already full caseloads, resulting in a breakdown of strong patient-nurse relationships. Instead continuity of care may operate primarily through partnerships, shared nursing roles and the involvement of social services, voluntary agencies and NHS organisations. Even before we can really consideration of how Mary receives health promotion advice, there should be consideration for her receptiveness and readiness to receive that advice. Prochaska and DiClementes model of change (1984) (Budd and Rollnick 1996) (appendix 1) is a good example of this. Mary is in denial. It is hard to imagine that she could ignore the severity of diabetes along with the associated risks. However, this could have been to do with possible poor advice from the onset of her diagnosis or through fear (or possibly other reasons) but she has been in denial. This particular episode care following her fall and meeting with the district nurse may well be the catalyst that Prochaska and DiClemente refer to in generating a perceived need to change. Realisation of this fact should be a useful tool for any healthcare professional to capitalise on when endeavouring to manage the change process (Nickols 2004). Colin- Thome (2010) states Delivering improvements for people with long term conditions isnt just about treating illness, its about delivering personalised, responsive, holistic care in the full context of how people live their lives. In 2000 the Labour government introduced a strategy to reform the NHS. The National Health Service Improvement Plan, aimed to modernise services, raise standards, tackle under funding and make a shift towards patient centred care (DH, 2000). A key strategy to emerge was the introduction of the National Service Frameworks in 2001. Â   The NSFs were designed to bring health care in all areas to an acceptable national standard (NSF 2001). They aimed and put a stop to discrimination, offer provide person centred care, and access to fair and prompt services appropriate to peoples needs (Dimond 2008). Â   They also intend to respond to the experience and concerns of service users, use resources efficiently to achieve the greatest possible benefits and promote peoples health and independence. Standard One of The NSF for Long Term Conditions (2005c) requires healthcare professionals to deliver person centred care. Person centred care is seen as a key objective in healthcare. It lies at the heart of a number of policies and government strategies aimed at providing and improving personalised care, such as High Quality Care for All (DH, 2008) and Our Health, Our Care, Our Say, (DH, 2006). The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) (2007) describes person centred care as care which is safe, effective, promotes health and wellbeing and helps to integrate patients into todays society and community. Person centred care also informs, empowers, is timely and convenient (McCabe and Timmins, 2006). It is an approach which integrates patient ideas, expectations, beliefs, values, culture, emotional needs and social perspectives whilst ensuring mutual participation in a shared decision making partnership (Antai-Otong, 2006). The strategy of empowering and educating the patient is thought to be amongst the most useful (Peile 2004). Mary is far more likely to comply with a treatment regime if she understands the regime, the reasoning behind it and is given the tools to achieve it. (McDonald et al 1999). Empowerment and education is an important concept in patient management and has been widely used over a huge range of clinical issues (Kelly 2002). It will be particularly useful for Mary, not only with regard of accepting she has diabetes, but with the whole question of her diabetic control as well (Gadsby 2005). Mary will almost certainly have a large number of questions and concerns that she should be encouraged to raise, as understanding is a vital ingredient of compliance (Marinker 1997). District Nurses must act as teachers and counsellors, helping patients regain independence by showing patients or carers how to confidently perform care-giving duties in the absence of the nurse. Therefore play an indirect but crucial role in keeping hospital admissions and readmissions to a minimum. When educating a patient with diabetes, care must be taken to ensure that they recognise that diabetes is a progressive condition, and that their requirements will probably change during their life. Expert Patient Programmes (EPP) (DH 2007) are a valuable opportunity for individuals living with diabetes to learn more about how they can manage their condition, better themselves and not rely so heavily on healthcare services. They have been proven to be beneficial and involve lay members who nurse patients. Reports suggest they have been considerably successful at regaining patients independence (DH, 2007). It has been suggested that accident and emergency attendances could be reduced through the use of expert patient programmes, along with individuals accessing out of hours general practitioner services (EPP 2009). However, The Healthcare Commission found, following a study that in two thirds of Primary Care Trusts (PCT) 20% of people or less had been offered courses, even though there were structures of education and training in place. In half of the trusts, 10% of people reported to going to a course. Overall the reporting of attendance varied from 1% to 53%. There was also no consistency of the length, content and style of educational. Some were unstructured, not evaluated and were delivered by insufficiently trained staff. If the correct education programme is enforced then Mary would be able to manage her own care with support from the community team. Self management is seen as an integral, even central part of the system of care provided to people with long term conditions and can be instigated through the implementation of expert patient programmes (Davidhizar, 1998). The British Diabetic Association (BDA) (2005) also suggests that the overall aim of diabetes management is to enable people with diabetes to achieve a quality of life and life expectancy similar to that of the general population (p5), ensuring high quality equal care to ensure the provision of appropriate information and education to enable people with this condition to maximise their wellbeing. Kozier et al continue to explain that supported self care management refers to the individuals ability to manage their symptoms, treatment, physical and psychological consequences and lifestyle changes inherent in living with a long term condit ion (2008). Also through working in a multidisciplinary approach, different professionals can collaborate with each other in order to benefit the patient and deliver person centred care (Lethard, 1994). Nevertheless, education alone is frequently not enough. Merely providing information often does not lead to a change in behaviour. If there is a continuation of motivational struggles and unwillingness to change Prochaska and DiClemente suggest using motivational interviewing to try and over overcome this (Nickols 2004). This looks at encouraging and supporting people in adopting new behaviours. The district nurse would support the Mary whom is struggling with ambivalence about change. Encouragement is used so that there is recognition and action to move to the action stage, this where they can start to understand and feel able to change (Gallagher and Scott 2006). However, Bundy (2004) does go on to say this can be seen as quite challenging and can have elements of being confrontational. This process needs to be executed wisely, and there needs to be a relationship with trust for it to be beneficial. This can take time and as recognised previously there may not be continuity of care with the same nurse. Furthermore, care planning is also a key part of managing long-term conditions, and its importance has been stated in a number of major policy documents. The final report of Lord Darzis, High Quality Care for All, NHS Next Stage Review, (2008), stressed that over the following two years, everyone with a long-term condition should be offered a personalised care plan. In February 2008 the National Diabetes Support Team (2008) produced its guide to implementing care planning in diabetes Partners in Care and is also working with Diabetes UK and other key partners to determine ways to support the NHS in embedding the principles of care planning into the delivery of diabetes services (NSF 2008). It has been reported that Primary care is getting better at managing diabetes and one of the outstanding achievements of the Quality and Outcomes Framework is the rising numbers of diabetics receiving essential tests and measurements (for example, blood pressure and cholesterol). The results of those tests have also indicated health improvements, however an important fact is the 2005/6 National Diabetes Audit (Healthcare Commission 2007) found that not everyone is receiving every care process that they need thus indicating that there is still gaps in care. The theme of the final report of the NHS Next Stage Review acknowledged that too few people have access to information about their own care (NSF 2008). It is imperative that the person with diabetes has as much information as possible to allow for maximum utilisation of their time with the healthcare professional. The Department of Health recommend that measures can be taken to improve the lives of diabetics. Although diabetes currently cannot be immediately cured, by using medication and other therapies it can be controlled (2005a). Mary will have to be closely monitored to ensure that she is compliant with her management of diabetes. As has been demonstrated there are many interventions which district nurses can undertake. However, for Mary to have the best possible care a collaboration of multi disciplined professionals need to par-take in a proactive role in the holistic treatment of diabetes. The governments aims are to support people with long-term conditions by delivering recommend changes that will help people. This is particularly vital as the long term compliance of the person with diabetes is essential to prevent and delay complications, as diabetes is estimated to account for at least 5% of UK healthcare expenditure (DH 2008). In conclusion, it is clear that the key role of all health professionals requires knowledge and understanding of issues and policies to support patients. Furthermore, this role requires a detailed knowledge of inter-professional and multidisciplinary working. Â   It requires high levels of communication skills, diplomacy and assertiveness. Health professionals also need to have knowledge of service delivery systems to enable them to carry out their role and to provide their patients with an efficient and seamless service

Friday, September 20, 2019

Tarasoff v. Regents of University of California

Tarasoff v. Regents of University of California An ethical dilemma alludes to the mental conflict that emerges from differing moral goals. Confidentiality and the safeguarding all private information is essential in healthcare especially about the treatment of mental illness. Because of the privatization of mental health treatment coupled with the closing of many state institutions, emergency department doctors and nurses are often faced with patients who are a danger to themselves, family members.   A breach in privacy can negate the trust between the provider and the patient and lead to negative outcomes and legal issues however, concern for public safety must also be considered. The duty to warn others of the potential commitment of violent acts came to the forefront of healthcare in 1974(amended in 1976) in the case of Tarasoff v. Regents of University of California (Henderson, 2015). Details of the case Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of California, was a landmark case that dealt with the duty of mental health providers to notify those individuals who are threatened with harm. The Supreme Court in California heard The Tarasoff cased, which dealt with a complex area of tort law regarding duty owed of a medical provider to an individual to whom a threat of harm has been made. In 1969, while attending the University of California, Berkeley as an exchange student, Prosenjit Poddar met Tatiana Tarasoff.  Ã‚   After the demise of the relationship, Poddar became increasingly despondent and obsessed with Tarasoff. During this time, Poddar began outpatient treatment and was subsequently diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia by a psychologist at Berkley, Dr. Lawrence Moore. It was during one of the treatment sessions, Poddar that discussed his intention to harm an unidentified female. Although the intended victim was not named directly, Tarasoff was easily identified.   Dr. Moore, concerned for the safety of Tarasoff, requested to have Poddar detained by campus police. Dr. Moore then requested to have Poddar involuntarily committed, believing that he was suffering from an acute episode of paranoid schizophrenia. Poddar was detained by campus security but was released after a brief interview during which time he answered questions rationally. Poddar was warned to stay away from Tarasoff with no further action taken. After the release, Dr. Harvey Powelson, medical ordered the destruction of all notes taken by Dr. Moore as well as the returns of all letters from the police.   Tarasoff nor her parents were not notified of the threat. On October 27, 1969 Poddar viciously attacked Tarasoff, causing her death. Tarasoffs parents filed a lawsuit against Dr. Moore and employees at the University alleging that Poddar had confided his intention to kill Tarasoff, Additionally Dr.   Moore nor his associates failed to warn the Tarasoff family of the imminent threat against Tatiana. At trial, Poddar was convicted of second-degree murder.   The wide-ranging implications of the case focus on the health care provider-patient relationship. Because of this landmark case, health care providers have the duty to protect potential victims from harm caused by the patients under their care. As of 2014, thirty-three states have instituted a duty to warn law (Henderson, 2015). Defendants Argument Dr. Moore argues mental health providers cannot with certainty predict the likelihood that a patient with act on threats of violence. Dr. Moore and the medical team further state that a breach in confidentiality will have detrimental effects on treatment. Further, the act of warning by revelation of confidential information would constitute a breach of trust. Plaintiffs Argument Tarasoffs parents argued that Dr. Moore violated the professional standards by neither warning them of a patient considered to be dangerous, nor detaining a patient considered to be dangerous. The defendants also asserted that Dr. Moore and others abandoned a patient deemed dangerous by ordering the destruction of all therapeutic notes. The plaintiffs further argued that Dr. Moore failed to provide adequate follow up care with Poddar to ensure he was not a danger to himself nor the public. Summary of the ruling The ruling by the Supreme Courts required a balance between the need to protect privileged medical communication between a mental health provider and the patient to protect against potential threats.   The special relationship in this case is the one that is established between a patient and his mental health provider. Such a relationship may increase obligations of protection. A duty of care may arise from the establishment of a special relationship between the health care provider and patient which imposes a duty upon the clinician   to control the patients conduct, or a special relation between the provider and the other individual, which gives to the other a right of protection (Bersoff, 2014).   This relationship was crucial to the ruling regarding the circumstances of the Tarasoff case. When a health care provider has direct or indirect knowledge of information that a reasonable individual may determine that a patient may harm himself or others, this provider must exercis e reasonable and prudent judgement to prevent harm. The court in California ruled that mental health professionals have an obligation to both the patient and individuals who are threatened by a patient. Justice Mathew Tobriner ruled that protective privilege ends about public safety and further states that mental health providers should notify the authorities as they are charged with public safety. Lastly, about the liability of the officers who failed to detain Poddar, the court held that a public employee cannot be found liable for an injury resulting from a discretionary decision. Therefore, the police officers involved were granted immunity from prosecution. Summary argument The plaintiffs in this case presented the best legal argument. For example, the psychiatrist is found to violate the professional standards. Dr. Moore was to be held liable for the failing to protect and warn. Regardless of whether the plaintiffs interests are qualified for legitimate protection from the defendant under the law is relative to the establishment of a duty to care. Obligation of care is the aggregate of foreseeability, degree of certainty of harm to the individual, establishment of a special relationship. Once a health care provider, in this case psychotherapist, determines that a patient represents a genuine peril, he bears a lawful obligation to his patient, as well as to his patients intended victim. The pros and cons of the argument on each side By notifying the police, the provider tried to detain the defendant and protect the public after he became aware of an acute episode of paranoid schizophrenia. He did not warn nor protect the intended victim which eventually led to her death. Thus, the ruling was made in favor of the plaintiffs, the parents of Tatiana Tarasoff.   Despite the defendants argument that the more public good would be accomplished through the support of mental health treatment and complete protection of confidentiality of patients undergoing treatment. References Bersoff, D. N. (2014). Protecting victims of violent patients while protecting confidentiality. American Psychologist, 69(5), 461-467. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0037198 Henderson, E. (2014).   Potentially dangerous patients: A review of the duty to warn.   Journal of emergency nursing, 41(3), 193-200. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jen.2014.08.012 Tarasoff v. Regents of University of California. (2009). Scocal.stanford.edu. Retrieved 11 February 2017, from http://scocal.stanford.edu/opinion/tarasoff-v-regents-university-california-30278

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Struggle in The River Between Essay -- River Between Essays

Struggle in The River Between  Ã‚   In the book "The River Between" we find traditional values of the tribe challenged by tribal members who had converted to Christianity. The novel focuses on the struggle between two conflicting interests: First there was the interest to convert Africans to Christianity, and the second was the tribe trying to keep their traditional values in the midst of Christianity. The most contrasting characters in the story were Waiyaki and Joshua. Waiyaki was a strong influence on the people of the land, and his father, Chege, was a man who had powerful visions of his son's future: "Salvation shall come from the hills ... Arise. Heed the prophecy" (Pg. 20). Waiyaki’s father put the burden of this prophecy on his son's shoulders. The realization of his role in this prophecy happened to Waiyaki in the end of the novel: " ... the journey with his father, the ancient prophecy and his bewilderment at its meaning" (Pg. 138). "Now he knew what he would preach if he ever got another chance: Education for unity. Unity for political freedom" (Pg. 143). Chege told Waiyaki to learn from the white people, but not to become involved in their vices: "Learn all the wisdom and all the secrets of the white man. But do not follow his vices" (Pg. 20). Waiyaki began to learn that knowledge and learning was important in order for his people to become victorious over the invasion of the white man. Waiyaki also understood that the traditions o f the tribe is what kept their people together, it was their roots: "Circumcision was an important ritual to the tribe. It kept people together, bound the tribe ... End the custom and the spiritual basis of the tribes cohesion and integration would be no more" (Pg. 68). And even tho... ...ormed, so the Western revolutions in both religion and government were gladly accepted by the Western cultures. But the Western invaders never realized how old these civilizations were that they were intruding upon, and they never realized that African, Chinese, or American Indian's cultures were thousands of years old. Western cultures have impacted many countries, such as India, for when the ancient invaders came to the land, such as the Aryans, eastern Indians accepted some of their beliefs, and they were even integrated into Indian society. But when modern Western cultures came into contact with India, particularly the British, they eventually took over the government and made the Indians second rate citizens. And until the 20th century India was under their control. So Western cultures have definitely had an influencing impact on other cultures.       Struggle in The River Between Essay -- River Between Essays Struggle in The River Between  Ã‚   In the book "The River Between" we find traditional values of the tribe challenged by tribal members who had converted to Christianity. The novel focuses on the struggle between two conflicting interests: First there was the interest to convert Africans to Christianity, and the second was the tribe trying to keep their traditional values in the midst of Christianity. The most contrasting characters in the story were Waiyaki and Joshua. Waiyaki was a strong influence on the people of the land, and his father, Chege, was a man who had powerful visions of his son's future: "Salvation shall come from the hills ... Arise. Heed the prophecy" (Pg. 20). Waiyaki’s father put the burden of this prophecy on his son's shoulders. The realization of his role in this prophecy happened to Waiyaki in the end of the novel: " ... the journey with his father, the ancient prophecy and his bewilderment at its meaning" (Pg. 138). "Now he knew what he would preach if he ever got another chance: Education for unity. Unity for political freedom" (Pg. 143). Chege told Waiyaki to learn from the white people, but not to become involved in their vices: "Learn all the wisdom and all the secrets of the white man. But do not follow his vices" (Pg. 20). Waiyaki began to learn that knowledge and learning was important in order for his people to become victorious over the invasion of the white man. Waiyaki also understood that the traditions o f the tribe is what kept their people together, it was their roots: "Circumcision was an important ritual to the tribe. It kept people together, bound the tribe ... End the custom and the spiritual basis of the tribes cohesion and integration would be no more" (Pg. 68). And even tho... ...ormed, so the Western revolutions in both religion and government were gladly accepted by the Western cultures. But the Western invaders never realized how old these civilizations were that they were intruding upon, and they never realized that African, Chinese, or American Indian's cultures were thousands of years old. Western cultures have impacted many countries, such as India, for when the ancient invaders came to the land, such as the Aryans, eastern Indians accepted some of their beliefs, and they were even integrated into Indian society. But when modern Western cultures came into contact with India, particularly the British, they eventually took over the government and made the Indians second rate citizens. And until the 20th century India was under their control. So Western cultures have definitely had an influencing impact on other cultures.      

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The Diary of Anne Frank Essay examples -- English Literature

The Diary of Anne Frank In this project, I will be comparing the life of Anne Frank to mine. Firstly, I will give a brief timeline of the main events that took place in her lifetime. Then I will begin to compare the various aspects of her life to mine. Finally, I will draw up a conclusion. Annelies Marie Frank was born in Frankfurt, Germany, just 60 years before I was, 1929. During the first three years of her life, The Great Depression happened. The National Socialist Party began to gain support. In 1933, Hitler was made Chancellor. This was the same year that Otto Frank and his family moved to Holland. A year later Anne began school and in 1935 â€Å"Juden Verboten† (â€Å"No Jews†) appeared on signs in restaurants and shops all over Germany. Later that year, the Nuremburg Laws were introduced. I can’t imagine what it would be like to know that I wasn’t wanted in my home country. This was only the first hurdle for Anne, many were yet to come. Before Anne was thirteen, she had been sent to a special school because of her religion and World War II had started. When Anne’s thirteenth birthday came, she received a diary that changed the way millions of people now think. A month later, her sister, Margot was called to report to a transit camp. It was then that Otto Frank saw the sign he needed to take the family into hiding. They were in a secret annexe above the Opekta-Works in Amsterdam. Altogether with the Van Daan family and Mr Dussel the dentist there was eleven people. Through the two years they were in hiding, millions of Jews were being taken to concentration camps to be killed. Anne lived in constant fear. August 1944, the group in hiding are betrayed and split up into various concentration camps, ... ...could come down and have hour long conversations with people I’ve never met before. Hearing what Anne went through though makes me wonder how a seemingly insignificant book kept her sane and positive for that amount of time. August 4th, 1944. Just sixty years ago this year, the eleven were betrayed. Nazi soldiers came storming up and took away everyone in the room. They all went to concentration camps like Auschwitz. After a month they were all separated, after a year ten were dead. This makes me angry, the fact that they managed to stay alive for so long to be killed anyway, because of one man. Hitler. The story of Anne Frank shows to me that the authority Hitler had made a fourteen yr old girl physically break down. The story shows just how oppression is converted into depression. The pressure in her mind was released by conferring with her diary.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Sin Taxes

Principles and Processes of Government Budgeting| Sin Taxes, Good or Bad? | An Examination of the Use of Sin Taxes in the United States| By: Stacy Madden4/27/2012 | Executive Summary Historically sin taxes have been an effective and efficient way for the government to raise revenue. The federal government used tariffs and consumption taxes to generate almost all of its revenue in the early years of our nation. The tax structure and philosophy has evolved and changed since the beginning of our nation, however the use of sin taxes has remained a good way for governments to raise revenues.Sin taxes no longer provide a significant portion of federal or state governments; however they do provide a consistent stream of revenue. This paper examines the use of sin taxes in the United States. First, the paper provides a basic understanding of sin taxes, current definition, and history. Next, the paper outlines the goods and services most commonly targeted by sin taxes and provides information about the effectiveness of these taxes to raise revenue and accomplish policy outcomes.Common goods and services targeted by sin taxes include; tobacco, alcohol, fuel, hazardous chemicals, gambling, prostitution, pornography, and unhealthy foods. Lastly, the paper will examine the ethical and moral implications of sin taxes from the perspective of those who support and oppose the use of sin taxes in the United States. Introduction Ben Franklin adequately stated the importance of taxes with his famous quote, â€Å"but in the world nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes. Citizens have vested governments with the power to tax in order to provide services for the common good. There are many different ways for a government to tax its citizens in order to raise revenues, ranging from taxes on income, wealth, and property, to taxes on goods and services. The United States uses many of these taxes in varying levels to raise the needed funds to carry out government busine ss. Some taxes are generally accepted and uncontested, while others are highly politicized and hard for Americans to accept.Presently, the federal government relies on income taxes for the bulk of its revenue whereas states and localities rely more heavily on other forms of taxes to raise money for their functions. The primary function of taxes is to raise revenue for the government, however governments have used taxes to help spark social change, punish those who partake of certain goods and services, or regulate the consumption of specific goods and services. In these instances, taxes move from matters of revenue to issues of social policy, acting as mechanisms to force certain behaviors from citizens.More specifically, sin taxes have been used in the United States to help change behavior or regulate the consumption of goods and services deemed as sinful. In this paper, I will define sin taxes and outline the political meaning of â€Å"sin,† provide a brief history of sin t axes and their use, examine the most common forms of sin taxes in the United States, and lastly discuss the ethical and moral implication of utilizing sin taxes as a mechanism of social change. Sin Tax, a DefinitionBefore considering the implications of sin taxes and their influence on the behavior of Americans, it is important to define the term. Taxes, most generally, are levied by governments to raise revenue in order to conduct business in the public interest. The United States, utilizing a progressive income tax to raise the bulk of its revenue, possess a culture where citizens pay most of their taxes on time. (Mikesell 493) This system is not one that commonly uses taxes as a punishment, instead encouraging its citizens to pay their taxes for the common good and success of the nation as a whole.Noncompliance is low, and the government has even employed strategies to enhance payment, such as instruction and assistance. (Mikesell 494) Sin taxes, however, do not take this positiv e approach to raise revenue, instead, governments use their powers of taxation to punish behaviors when utilizing sin taxes. Most commonly, sin taxes are excise or consumption taxes that charge fees for guilty pleasures or human indulgence. Lorenzi, Sin Taxes 60) Sin taxes, therefore, are intended to encourage citizens to consume or use taxed items responsibly or discourage behavior associated with the consumption of taxed items. Goods or services generally taxed through sin tax policy have some common characteristics including inelastic demand, promote behavior that is harmful to the individual, and promote behavior that is harmful to others.Goods or services targeted by sin taxes have an inelastic demand because they are generally habitual, addictive, or highly pleasurable. Lorenzi, Sin Taxes 60) Further, these goods or services are targeted by sin tax legislation because consuming or utilizing the good or services can lead to self-destructive behavior, negative consequences for c ommunities, and generally are considered socially undesirable. Thus, sin taxes are not prohibitive; citizens are allowed to consume targeted goods and services as long as the tax is not steep enough to make consumption of the good or service impossible. Viscusi 556) Further, the voluntary nature of sin taxes is generally more tolerable than involuntary nature of income taxes. (Schmidt, Barr and Swanson 1677) The most confusing and controversial element when considering sin taxes is the definition of sin.This word can be highly political and misleading, automatically making most think of sin in religious terms. However, sin, in the context of sin taxes, refers to addictive, self-destructive, and socially undesirable, behavior from the consumption of goods and services without crossing into religious doctrine. Lorenzi, Sin Taxes 60) In this context, then, sin is behavior that is undesirable enough to be targeted by taxes as a form of regulation or determent, but not so socially unacce ptable to be illegal to the public. (Lorenzi, Sin Taxes 60) Therefore, sin taxes should not be considered as forms of punishment for poor consumption choices, but instead be a catalyst to foster sounder and safer decisions. (Viscusi 547) However, this can be a slippery slope, the limited use of taxes on goods and services deemed as sinful could grow and encompass others outside the scope of sin.Sin Tax History Sin taxes have a long history, originating with religious doctrine and the power of organized religions to collect fees. Popes levied the earliest forms of sin taxes on prostitutes, brothels, and the sale of indulgence to raise money for religious projects. (Lorenzi, Sin Taxes 59) Laws required prostitutes to designate half of her property and fortune to convents, and brothels were taxed continuing through the 16th century. Lorenzi, Sin Taxes 59) Further, Russian Czar Peter the Great imposed fees on the length of beards to tax vanity, and the Puritans used sin taxes to curb ex travagance. (Lorenzi, Sin Taxes 59)The United States has a long history of utilizing taxes on socially undesirable goods and services to fund the government. In the early years of our democracy, the federal Government derived almost all its revenue from consumption taxes in the form of duties on imports and excise taxes on liquors and tobacco. American Economic Association 50) This tradition was set early when Congress enacted excise taxes on tobacco and snuff, refined sugar, distilled spirits, carriages, and property sold at auctions in order to finance the debts incurred during the Revolutionary War. (Hines 51) However, these taxes were not well received by a public that was over taxed by the British government and violent protests, in what was later coined the Whiskey Rebellion, resulted in the abolition of many unpopular excise taxes during the Jefferson Administration. Hines 52)The War of 1812 and the Civil War both required the federal Government to raise revenue and as a resu lt old excise taxes were reinstated as well as taxes on gold, jewelry, silverware, watches, playing cards, feathers, patent medicines, billiard tables, leather, telegrams, yachts, and many other luxuries, however these taxes were quickly repealed once the wars were over. (Hines 62) The federal Government was permitted to levy a personal income tax with the 16th Amendment, which became the main source of revenue in 1913. Hines) Federal excise taxes did not completely disappear during this time; however prohibition severely limited the possible revenue of excise taxes before the Depression.The repeal of Prohibition and expansion of excise taxes on luxuries during the Depression helped to finance the increased federal spending of the New Deal Programs totaling more than 15 percent of the federal revenue in 1933. Hines 52) The expansion of programming during and following World War II required higher income taxes, fully transferring the bulk of government revenue away from excise and co nsumption taxes to the system we employ today. (Hines) The federal government still utilized some consumption and excise taxes, however these were limited to those goods and services mostly deemed socially undesirable, or sin taxes. Popular Goods and Services Taxed as â€Å"Sin† Tobacco and Alcohol The scope of goods and services targeted by sin taxes is limited in American society.The two oldest and most widely targeted goods are tobacco and alcohol. As evidenced in the history of sin taxes, alcohol and tobacco have been taxed to finance federal and state governments, particularly in slow fiscal times or to raise money for major legislation or wars. These goods have been targeted by sin tax legislation because they have the potential to raise money rather quickly, have been relatively accepted as sinful, and have direct casual relationships with health or social problems. Hines 63) Further, it is easier for governments to justify taxes on tobacco and alcohol to the public si nce both goods tend to have negative consequences for the public at large. Legislators can disguise taxes on tobacco and alcohol as regulations to help protect society from the health and social consequences resulting from overconsumption of these goods while requiring those who consume tobacco and alcohol to finance the consequences of their consumption choices. (Boyd and Seldon 365) Thus, in times of increasing taxes it is easier and more popular to increase taxes on goods instead of taxes on income.Cigarettes have been a major target of sin taxes in most recent history as the health risks have been widely publicized. In order to combat cigarette consumption, the federal government and many states have levied taxes on the production and/or sale of cigarettes. The rationale behind this tax is quite simple, those who partake in the pleasure of smoking should help pay for the health care required resulting from their choice. (Gruber 203) Today, all states and the federal government i mpose an excise tax on cigarettes, and these taxes are increasing as governments try to balance their budgets. American Medical Association 1909)Cigarette excise taxes are widely accepted in public opinion, the hazards of smoking have demonized the industry and those who choose to purchase the products. (Gruber 194) Utilizing sin taxation to regulate consumption of tobacco has been highly effective, according to the CDC, â€Å"A 10% increase in the price of cigarettes can reduce consumption by nearly 4% among adults and can have an even greater effect among youths and other price-sensitive groups. (American Medical Association 1909) Sin taxation on alcohol, while a widely targeted good, seems to be less popular and publicized in popular media. Taxes on alcohol tend to be lower than those on tobacco, and many states handle the sale of alcohol differently (alcohol license tax, state operated liquor stores, etc. ), making the tax less visible to the public. (Johnson and Meier 580) Fur ther, it is harder to gauge the effect specific liquor, beer, and wine taxes have on consumption.For example, higher taxes increasing the price on one might cause consumers to substitute to another, more affordable alternative, such as substituting wine with beer. (Johnson and Meier 591) However, studies show increased prices on alcohol as a result of taxation have affected alcohol consumption rates to an extent even if it is minimal. (Boyd and Seldon 365) Sin taxation on both tobacco and alcohol have seemed to decrease the consumption of these goods while raising revenues for state and federal governments, however little attention is given to other factors affecting decreasing consumption rates.The American public has been flooded with messages about the dangers of smoking and national campaigns have worked to warn Americans to stop smoking, helping to decrease cigarette consumption in the United States along with the steep sin taxes increasing the prices. Further, many cities and states are adopting smoking bans in public places, limiting the accessibility of facilities for smokers. Also, there are very few substitutes for tobacco products, forcing smokers to either pay the tax or consume less.Political movements and tougher legislation against behavior resulting from alcohol consumption might be affecting consumption rates just as easily as increased prices resulting from sin taxes. Taxes on alcohol and tobacco can also increase production costs, causing producers to utilize their resources to raise other commodities that are not as heavily taxed, decreasing the overall production of tobacco and alcohol products. Boyd and Seldon 370) Further, lower consumption rates may not mean that consumption is actually dropping if consumers are turning to affordable black market substitutes. (Johnson and Meier 591) Environmental Americans have become increasingly accustomed to sin taxes that will help promote safer environmental practices and sustainability. Increased understanding of environmental factors surrounding pollution has increased the need for governmental regulation of emissions. As a result, the federal government has levied taxes on goods and services that contribute to pollution.The most common of these taxes is that on fuel; gasoline and diesel. Sin taxes levied on gasoline are intended to discourage driving and reduce pollution as well as traffic congestion in the process. (Hines 52) This tax is easy for government to justify since the majority of funds raised from the tax are spent on highway maintenance and construction. (Hines 52) While this tax may not have been enacted with â€Å"sin† regulation in mind, environmental regulation helps to justify it now, putting it in the â€Å"sin† category.Environmental sin taxes are not limited to fuel; they are also levied on gas-guzzler cars, heavy road vehicles, highway-type tires, and all forms of air transportation. (Hines 53) Ozone depleting chemicals also present an op portunity to tax environmental sin. Not only does the federal government limit the use of these hazardous chemicals, they are also taxed. (Hines 53) The strict regulation and higher taxes on these chemicals has severely reduced their production and use, almost making the usage limits irrelevant. Hines 53) In the future, scaled taxes on specific chemicals could help further reduce their use and potential harm to the ozone, however the federal government has not utilized sin taxes thoroughly enough to enact further environmental regulation. Gambling, Prostitution, and Pornography Gambling is a service that has been a target of sin taxes since the early years of our nation, easily defined as a sin but harder to single out and tax since it is not a good. The federal government has not taxed gambling with the same enthusiasm as tobacco, alcohol, or fuel taxes.Taxing gambling in the United States is tricky, Native American and state sponsored gambling is tax free, and setting gambling tax es too high can cause taxpayers to turn to alternatives, such as illegal gaming establishments. (Schmidt, Barr and Swanson 1682) Further, it is harder for consumers to feel the effects of gambling taxes since most tax costs are not directly funded by service prices. Instead, most sin taxes are levied on the gaming establishments in the form of license agreements for specific games or total revenue. Schmidt, Barr and Swanson 1687) Thus, gambling taxes do not technically raise the cost of the service and encourage citizens to make better decisions, instead gambling establishments bear the majority of the burden of the tax cost. While gambling sin taxes are hard to levy on individuals for regulation, they can be a tool to monitor and stop organized crime through IRS oversight. (Schmidt, Barr and Swanson 1681) Prostitution and pornography are equally difficult to tax, each for their own, separate reasons.Prostitution, while generally considered immoral, is legal in some states and on pa per is considered victimless since it is a consensual act between two adults. (Lorenzi, Taxing Antisocial Behavior for the Common Good 331) Further, taxes in this industry generally are levied on the establishment, much like gambling, and if the tax becomes too high, consumers will look for substitutes, generally illegal. Pornography is equally as difficult to tax, since so much of this product is available online.States are still trying to figure out how to charge a sales tax on online purchases, rather unsuccessfully, and pornography is no exception. Thus, taxes on this industry are limited to taxes on producers and networks, not individual consumers. (Lorenzi, Taxing Antisocial Behavior for the Common Good 331) In the end, taxes on prostitution and pornography are not as readily apparent to the consumer as with tobacco, alcohol or fuel, reducing the individual deterrent qualities of a sin tax on these goods and services. Fat TaxesObesity rates in the United States have been risin g, and as a result so have health issues and healthcare costs. (Chaufan, Hong and Fox 87) In recent years, state and federal governments have debated utilizing sin taxes to raise the cost of purchasing calorie dense foods with no nutritional value in order to deter consumption. However, these â€Å"fat taxes† are not new and have been present since the 1920’s. (Creighton 127) They are gaining in popularity as the obesity epidemic continues to cause widespread health issues.These unhealthy goods are particularly targeted by health officials because they are most commonly marketed to kids, and children who develop poor eating habits when they are young and more likely to become obese as adults. (Fletcher, Frisvold and Tefft 968) Thus, with evidence from the tobacco industry, sin taxes on unhealthy goods would seem to be a good method to encourage healthier food purchases. Further, taxing these goods could provide huge revenue increases for federal and state governments s ince the unhealthy food industry profits are similar to those of the alcohol industry. Fletcher, Frisvold and Tefft 968) Utilizing taxes as a mechanism to change behavior has not been as successful for curbing obesity. Taxing soft drinks has proved to discourage consumption, particularly for children and groups with limited spending capability. (Fletcher, Frisvold and Tefft 972) However, changing behaviors that lead to obesity takes more than just cutting specific foods out of a diet. For example, diets high in caloric intake can cause obesity regardless of where the calories are coming from if a person does not get enough exercise.Curbing obesity almost requires a personalized plan for each individual, focusing not only on their diet, but also exercise habits, genetic makeup, and lifestyle. (Chaufan, Hong and Fox 88) Simply targeting one factor does not help fix problems with the other factors. Further, there are too many substitutes for unhealthy junk food, allowing citizens to co ntinue to make poor health choices, even if we target certain goods. (O'Donoghue and Rabin 1841) Ethical and Moral Considerations of Sin TaxesSin taxes can be a valuable tool for government to raise revenue and help shape social policy. However, adding morals and values to a tax requires ethical and moral considerations above those of most other forms of taxes. These taxes are levied with a specific policy outcome in mind, yet sometimes it may be difficult to separate the government’s interest in raising revenue with the government’s overarching policy goal. Since these taxes generally have some sort of stigma attached with the goods or services taxed, it is also important to ensure these tax policies are enacted for the common good.Sin taxes have been the target of moral and ethical discussions mainly because it is hard to decide what exactly constitutes a sin. Disputes arise as legislators decide what goods and services need to be regulated for the public wellbeing. While many of the goods and services taxed as sin have historically been deemed evil, immoral, seedy, or bad; discourse about who decides these products deserve to be regulated and taxed above and beyond other goods and services must be evaluated. This seems to be the central moral question surrounding sin taxes.Should a minority of the population have to pay an extra tax to support the government simply because they partake or utilize a specific good or service? Taking this question a step further, sin taxes have the potential to raise large revenues, so is it ethical to make a few pay for government services for all? Who gets to decide how these funds will be spent, and who or what will this spending affect? (Green 70) The last overarching question surrounding the sin taxes focuses on the government’s power to tax, namely, can the government use its power to tax to shape and enforce social policies?Those in favor of sin taxes would argue there are many reasons why it is mor al and ethical to require consumers who purchase these particular goods and services to pay more than the average taxpayer. Namely, sin taxes target goods and services that cause negative consequences for the public at large. (Green 68) These could be increased health care costs or higher demand for social services. It is logical, then, to require these consumers to pay more since they are directly contributing to higher government costs for all.Not only is it logical and moral to require these consumers to pay more for the added costs as a result of their consumption, higher taxes can help them make better, healthier choices. Sin taxes have been proven to reduce the consumption of specific goods and services, helping to create sustainable, prosocial behaviors for the future. (Lorenzi, Taxing Antisocial Behavior for the Common Good 328) Sin tax policies can help deter and regulate antisocial behaviors as a result of consumption of sin goods and services while simultaneously raising revenues to pay for the programming needed to help those affected by this behavior.Further, sin taxes raising money on the backs of those partaking in antisocial behavior reduce the need to tax prosocial behaviors. For example, revenue generated from sin taxes can be used to fund government business, reducing income tax costs for the larger population. (Lorenzi, Sin Taxes) Targeting these immoral behaviors and using them to fund governmental operations ensures those engaged in prosocial behavior are not bearing a larger share of the cost of government. This is an attractive and easy sale to the public since higher taxes make all citizens unhappy.Sin taxes on paper are extremely regressive, and as a result unfavorable to many. However, lifetime incidence studies prove the effects of these taxes on lower income taxpayers is about equal to those in middle or higher income households. (Poterba 327) Those who oppose sin taxes see the value they bring to both government revenues as well a s the common good; however these positives do not outweigh the negative ethical and moral implications. First and foremost, opponents of sin taxes believe it is immoral for the government to rely on funding from the very behaviors it has deemed sinful and therefore is trying to regulate or change. Lorenzi, The Moral Grounds of Sin Taxes 68) Opponents see sin taxes as a stepping stone to banning certain goods and services, which should be a social policy decision supported by the public, not forced on them through prohibitive taxes. (Viscusi 547) Opponents therefore do not believe taxes should be used as a mechanism to enforce social policies or enact social change. (Creighton 135) In essence, the government is taking away the individual’s autonomy, legislating they should not purchase certain goods and products. (Green 72) This is a difficult issue to balance, Americans value independence and the freedom to choose.Further, sin taxes are regressive, putting the large burden of payment on those with the least ability to pay. (Hines 65) In slow economic times, when governments tend to raise sin taxes to help close the revenue and expenditure gap, sin taxes could actually hurt the economy, pushing these citizens to the end of their economic resources. (Johnson and Meier 582) In the end, the same population the government is targeting to raise the revenue would be the same population in need of government services once their resources were depleted.Further, utilizing sin taxes as a form of punishment or regulation directly competes with the message of the general tax code, namely, every citizen has the obligation to pay their taxes and support the government. The United States evolved their tax system from one based on consumption and tariffs to one based on taxing income based on the ability to pay. Sin taxes do not fit fairly into this carefully crafted tax structure we use today, sending the public mixed messages about citizen’s role in the taxatio n process. Lastly, opponents of sin taxes are skeptical if they are actually reaching the policy outcomes intended.Studies show increased prices on certain goods and services reduces consumption, however there could be many other factors contributing to the decline in usage. For example, reduced consumption might be a result of heightened public awareness about the health risks, greater access to prevention and rehabilitation, harsher criminal legislation surrounding a specific behavior, or any number of other factors. Further, sin taxes on some goods, like unhealthy foods, really do not work at all since there are so many additional factors that might be contributing to the issue. Chaufan, Hong and Fox 87) Opponents also are skeptical sin taxes even reduce consumption since the presence of similar or equal substitutes might encourage consumers to find these goods and services elsewhere, such as illegal gambling establishments or black market cigarettes. (Johnson and Meier 591) The availability of substitutes could in turn create greater antisocial behavior and costs to the government in the form of criminal investigation, prevention, and added health risks from unsafe goods and services. ConclusionTaxes are an inevitable fee all must pay to support the government. Citizens vest the power to tax with governments in return for government services. Governments take the power to tax a step further with sin taxes, not only raising revenue but also enacting or enforcing social policy. Sin taxes have been used successfully throughout history, particularly when citizens unanimously agree a sin exists. Sin taxes have also been successful in regulating or curbing consumption resulting in antisocial behavior as well as generating revenue.On the surface, it would seem as if sin taxes are a great way to raise revenues and influence or enforce social policy. However, there are many ethical and moral implications surrounding sin taxes. Digging deeper into the positive and n egative consequences of these taxes sheds light on the inherent problematic nature of the tax, and leads to questions about its place in the American tax structure. Legislators must be cognizant of these moral and ethical questions before deciding to enact taxes that could potentially be discriminatory to some members of society.These taxes should be evaluated on a case by case basis, with clear and measureable policy outcomes included in the evaluation. Policy outcomes that are not easily measured may not be the best use of sin tax influence for social change. In the end, taxes on goods or services labeled as sinful have great potential to raise revenue, and as a result these taxes are popular to help close revenue and expenditure gaps. Perhaps sin taxes are a great case study for tax structures based on consumption instead of income. Hines 69) Sin taxes target consumption, and this seems to work well to raise revenue for the government. Many of the ethical and moral questions surr ounding the use of sin taxes to influence social change could be eliminated within a tax structure based on consumption; however this shift would be a major tax reform in the United States. This may not be the answer we are looking for, yet sin taxes provide a window in which to examine tax policy, and possibly change the way our tax structures work in the future.Works Cited American Economic Association. Consumption and Other Indirect Taxes. † American Economic Review 9 (1919): 49-62. American Medical Association. â€Å"State Cigarette Excise Taxes-United States, 2009. † MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2010. Boyd, Roy and Barry J. Seldon. â€Å"Revenue and Land-Use Effects of Proposed Changes in Sin Taxes: A General Equilibrium Perspective. † Land Economics 67. 3 (1991): 365-374. Chaufan, Claudia, Gee Hee Hong and Patrick Fox. â€Å"†Sin-Food† Taxes and Sugar-Sweetened Beverages–The Right Policy For the Wrong Reasons? † Ame rican Journal of Health Promotion 25. (2010): 87-90. Creighton, Robert. â€Å"Fat Taxes: The Newest Manifestation of the Age-Old Excise Tax. † Journal of Legal Medicine 31 (2010): 123-136. Fletcher, Jason M. , David E. Frisvold and Nathan Tefft. â€Å"The Effects of Soft Drink Taxes on Child and Adolescent Consumption and Weight Outcomes. † Journal of Public Economics 94 (2010): 967-974. Green, Rebecca. â€Å"The Ethics of Sin Taxes. † Public Health Nursing 28. 1 (2010): 68-77. Gruber, Jonathan. â€Å"Tobacco At the Crossroads: The Past and Future of Smoking Regulation in the United States. † Journal of Economic Perspectives 15. (2001): 193-212. Hines, James R. Jr. â€Å"Taxing Consumption and Other Sins. † Journal of Economic Perspectives 21. 1 (2007): 49-68. Johnson, Cathy M. and Kenneth J. Meier. â€Å"The Wages of Sin: Taxing America's Legal Vices. † The Western Political Quarterly 43. 3 (1990): 577-595. Lorenzi, Peter. â€Å"Sin Taxes. † Social Science and Public Policy 41. 3 (2004): 59-65. —. â€Å"Taxing Antisocial Behavior for the Common Good. † Society 47. 4 (2010): 328-332. —. â€Å"The Moral Grounds of Sin Taxes. † Society 44. 1 (2006): 67-71. Mikesell, John L. Fiscal Administration. Belmont, CA: Thompson Wadsworth, 2007. O'Donoghue, Ted and Matthew Rabin. â€Å"Optimal Sin Taxes. † Journal of Public Economics 90 (2006): 1825-1849. Poterba, James M. â€Å"Lifetime INcidence and the Diatributional Burden of Excise Taxes. † American Economic Review 79. 2 (1989): 325-330. Schmidt, Robert, Charles F. Barr and David A. Swanson. â€Å"Socioeconomic Impacts of the Proposed Federal Gaming Tax. † International Journal of Public Administration 20. 8-9 (1997): 1675-1698. Viscusi, W. Kip. â€Å"Promoting Smokers' Welfare With Responsible Taxation. † National Tax Journal 47. 3 (1994): 547-558.