Reflection Paper - 1011 Words

In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Ophelia says, â€Å"We know what we are, but know not what we may be.† This quote confused me for the longest time. At a young age, I was always immersed in reading throughout my life but I also limited myself to what I read. Books that I fancied to read were related to mythologies. It was not until high school that I decided to broaden my horizon when it came to reading books. During my junior year, at Bahrain High School, I was looking for a class to finish off my Fine Arts credits. I chose Beginning Drama, thinking that it was going to be an easy grade. It was not until that moment that I was introduced to a whole new world: The world of William Shakespeare. Once in the class, I received the task†¦show more content†¦I was Othello and she was Desdemona, Othello’s wife. We were doing the Act V Scene ii where Othello must kill his wife. We read the script together and we were utterly confused about what was going on because learning to read Shakespeare is a bit like learning a foreign language. While I was reading, I found it imperative that I had to articulate every word because if I did not do that, every word that I tried to say would sound garbled. After about two months, I understood the language of Shakespeare. I remember practicing in the mirror at home saying words like thee, thou, dos’t, maks’t, thy, wilt, hast, ta’en, and o’er. After reading the whole play from beginning to end twice, I fully enveloped myself as the character Othello. To become Othello, out of class I did a bit of method acting which is a technique of acting in which an actor aspires to complete emotional identification with a part, based on the system evolved by Konstantin Stanislavski. The method from Stanislavski is a set of techniques used by actors to portray emotions on stage by putting themselves in the place of the character. The reason I did this was because I wanted to stay true t o my character when performing rather than just reciting lines. Just like the movie Jumanji where the characters were thrusted into the world of the game, I too put myself in the play. When performance night came to show the school our literary piece, I was readyShow MoreRelatedReflection Paper1317 Words   |  6 Pagesused to struggle with forming my thoughts into writing, let alone a paper. I was never confident with what I wrote. My writing had no greater purpose other than the assignment. My writing process included: writing my paper, proofreading it, and turning it in. Once the paper left my hands, it also left my mind. Throughout this course we worked with others, visited the writing lab, wrote critiques, and we were able to revise our papers. I believe that all of this is has caused me to grow greatly as aRead MoreReflection Paper836 Words   |  4 Pagesand integrating quotes. 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When I arrived back to the nurse’s station after checking on each of my patients, I saw that my co-caring nurse was getting an admission. I looked down at the sheets of paper he had in front ofRead MoreReflection Paper On The Humanities Field1071 Words   |  5 Pages Over the course of this semester each paper that was written helped to introduce me and my fellow classmates to different formatting, and genres of writing. A lot of knowledge was gained from writing these papers and I was able to compare and contrast the disciplinary writings and notice what makes each of them stand out. Reflecting back on these individual papers helps to express what I have learned. The first paper that was written was the humanities essay. The humanities essay helped to provideRead MorePersonal Reflection Paper On English1015 Words   |  5 Pages Reflection Paper English has never been my strong suit. I always hated English simply, because I never concerned myself as a writer. 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Before this periodRead MoreReflections Paper1552 Words   |  7 PagesComfort and Gods Glory Ray Kirby Liberty University In the decision to discuss two topics included within this reflection paper I have been led to discuss two doctrines that are close to all Christians. The comfort of God and the glory of God are the two doctrines that I have focused on over the last several weeks. The comfort of God has touched me at times over the course of my life however, never as much as it has over the last year. I wish to praise the glory of God as directed within

Internet Addiction ( Pathological Internet Use ) Essay

Internet Addiction ( Pathological Internet Use ) The Internet has become one of the most universal methods for communication with over 100 million users worldwide. From e-mail to the possibly billions of web pages, there is an infinite amount of information flowing. And another enticing aspect of the Internet, is the opportunity to interact with other people. Chat Rooms and MUD (Multi-User Dimensional) games offer the person the ability to talk and mingle with others online. But with this newfound freedom, also comes the possibility of abuse and addiction. Internet addiction, also known as Pathological Internet use, has emerged as a very destructive force in today’s society. David Greenfield believes â€Å"an estimated 6†¦show more content†¦Young of AddictionSolutions.com. â€Å"Neglecting family activities, social events, work, school in order to spend more time on the Internet is probably the biggest sign of Internet addiction.† (Young) But also suffering withdrawal symptoms, not being able to limit time online, constantly thinking about the next online session, and preferring to talk to cyber-friends rather than face-to-face conversations are also signs. There are about 3 distinct situations in which internet addiction can take form although they all are based on the need of personal contact, and ability to change personal status to gain peer recognition Online games, chat rooms, and cyber-sexual addiction. Greenfield tries to identify these separate cases. â€Å"One way a person becomes addicted to the net is through online games. It is a fantasy world where the player takes on the name of a character and they battle other on-line players accumulating â€Å"points† and status from other players. While online, the player feels in control of their destiny, yet off-line they feel less competent and maybe awkward when not playing.† (Greenfield) I have been part of this MUD gaming system, and I must say that it was exciting. Although I wasn’t that really interested in it after a few times of play, because the others were a lot better than I was, and I would lose almost every match almost indefinitely. I didn ’t feel a real need to return to the site to continue the game mostly due to the fact that I wasn’tShow MoreRelatedThe Article Examines The Growing Trend Of Excessive Internet1262 Words   |  6 Pagesarticle examines the growing trend of excessive internet use among college students. The study was completed to help psychologists understand the specific causes for excessive internet use. The study also examined the correlation between excessive internet use, low self-esteem and psychological disorders. The study is important because it helps psychologists, health professionals, and readers understand who is vulnerable to excessive internet use and whether perilous disorders such as depressionRead MoreReview of Related Literature1643 Words   |  7 Pagesthe Philippines and in abroad. It is acquired from the internet and unpublished theses. It is nearly related on the relationship of computer game addiction to interpersonal relationship to adolescents especially, K-1 2 students. To enrich the background on the subject of the researcher, the literatures that were found are here in presented. A. Foreign Studies Based from the study of Mark Griffiths (2007),â€Å"Does Internet and Computer Addiction Exist? It has been alleged that social pathologies areRead MoreInternet Addiction And Its Treatment1163 Words   |  5 Pagesra lians%20digital%20livesFinal%20pdf.pdf ACMA,. (2016). Excessive internet use | ACMA. Acma.gov.au. Retrieved 12 October 2016, from http://www.acma.gov.au/Citizen/Internet/esecurity/Staying-safe- online/excessive-internet-use Amichai-Hamburger, Y. Ben-Artzi, E. (2003). Loneliness and Internet use. Computers In Human Behavior, 19(1), 71-80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0747-5632(02)00014-6 ArÄ ±soy, Ãâ€". (2009). Internet addiction and its treatment. Psikiyatride Guncel Yaklasimlar- Current ApproachesRead MoreThe Effects Of Gaming On The Lives Of Young People Essay861 Words   |  4 PagesThe next time you see a child, teen, or young adult pick up a controller to play a video game or sit down at a computer to access the internet, should you be alarmed? These activities have quickly become a staple in the lives of many children, as well as adults, across the world, but some people do not share the same enthusiasm for the adaptation of these technologies. Though reasons for concern have only recently, since the advent of these media industries, begun to be noted and discussed, parentsRead MoreIs Internet Addiction Disorder? Essay1483 Words   |  6 Pages Internet addiction disorder, more commonly called problematic Internet use, refers to excessive computer use which interferes with daily life. Internet overuse, problematic computer use, or pathological computer use , problematic Internet use, or Internet addiction disorder. In the most recent version of the DSM-5, Internet Gaming Disorder is the latest term to describe this problem. History IAD was originally proposed as a disorder in a satirical hoax by Ivan Goldberg, M.D., in 1995, althoughRead MoreThe Effects Of Internet On The Society And School Settings Essay2200 Words   |  9 PagesInternet use in the society and school settings has dramatically increased over the past decade, and this is attributable to the huge reduction in Internet charges. Most tutors use the Internet as a teaching tool, but students often use it even outside the school as a recreational tool – surfing and reading interesting articles and video streaming. Today, people repeatedly chat online, and it is not surprising that one can find a group of individuals reticent in a room – not talking to each otherRead MoreInternet Addiction : The World Of Education, Communication, And Business1703 Words   |  7 PagesInternet Addiction Addiction, defined by Webster dictionary as â€Å"a strong and harmful need to regularly have something (such as a drug) or do something (such as gamble)†. Everyone has one, we’re all guilty of being addicted. Certainly, as this world changes and evolves, we as people change and evolve with it. We invent, create, and mold materials to change this world for the better. Though sometimes, we can often become dependent on our own inventions to a point that it becomes unhealthy, afflictingRead MorePossible Causes and Effects of Internet Addiction1189 Words   |  5 PagesS Young says that prior research links internet addiction with existing mental health issues such as social anxiety, depression, and antisocial personality disorder and if not treated properly can have a significant effect on the patient socially, psychologically and occupationally. It will be argued that the psychodynamic approach to find an underlying disorder will be a more effective approach to an inte rvention for an individual addicted to the internet. 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The chance to interact with other people is another tempting feature of the Internet. Unfortunately, with this new commodity, also comes the possibility of abuse and addiction. Internet addiction has become

Technology and Ethics Free Essays

While there is a robust debate in American society over the relation between technology and such ethical issues as democracy, localism and the environment, the introduction of technologies admits of no debate. Jerry Mander writes, â€Å"It is a melancholy fact that in our society the first waves of descriptions about new technologies invariably come from the corporations and scientists who invent and market these technologies and who have much to gain by our accepting a positive view† (Mander, 1996, 345). This is a central point: the basic issue is that the introduction of new technologies is far removed from any real democratic discussion. We will write a custom essay sample on Technology and Ethics or any similar topic only for you Order Now Such discussion always occurs in a sterile environment, always after the fact. For example, the development and mass production of the automobile was hailed almost universally as a revolutionary development. It was supposed to provide freedom of movement and make our world smaller. Such slogans also met the development of air travel, television and the internet. Such things were accepted in society almost without discussion, save for a few marginalized traditionalists and agrarians who were speaking into the wind. Nevertheless, the automobile has recreated the American landscape, demanded thousands of miles of paved roads, brought civilization to small towns whether they wanted it or not, killed many millions in traffic accidents worldwide, massively increased the dependence on oil and created a massive oligarchy of corporate capital who benefits from all this. It [industrialism] also led, and leads. . . to social and political consequences: the squeezing of farm populations and the uncontrollable growth of cities, the evisceration of self-reliant communities, the enlargement of central governments, the enthronement of science as ruling ideology, a wide and increasing gap between rich and poor, and ruling values of profit, growth, property, and consumption. (Sale, 1996)Now, the general point is had all of this been known (or theorized) in 1920, and a national discussion had taken place, would we have the mass production of automobiles? Has it, ultimately, been a good thing? Often, the common response is that â€Å"you can’t stop progress.† Such a slogan is saturated with cynicism and amorality, as if technologies were some seismic phenomenon as natural as photosynthesis. Progress is something that is, as Mander says, dictated by a handful of major corporate and government agencies who decide what shape progress will take. In addition, Mander also holds that technologies, such as nuclear power and air travel, are inherently biased politically. He writes, â€Å"To build and operate nuclear power plants requires a large, highly technical and very well-financed infrastructure. . . It can only be done by huge, centralized institutions. Without such institutions, nuclear power could not exist† (Mander, 2006, 347). Mander sees the same problems in the development of the internet. Such speed in communications and access to information does little but assist the continued centralization of political and economic power. â€Å"In fact, it is my opinion that computer technology may be the single most important instrument ever invented for the acceleration of centralized power. While we sit at our PCs. . . .transnational corporations are using their global networks, fed by far greater resources. . . .they operate on a scale and at a speed that makes our own level of cyber-empowerment seem pathetic by comparison† (Mander, 2006, 355). Even more, such global interconnectedness, long lauded as a path to freedom and unity, brings instead, cultural leveling and a destruction of diversity. The computer revolution is a revolution that permits a handful of major cultural centers such as Hollywood to impose their view of the world into every corner of the world, and the results of this are just beginning to be seen. The issue of Hollywood and New York imposing its view of the world to the plant is a given: the facts speak for themselves. But one then must grapple with the issue of whether or not this is a good thing? What gives Hollywood the right? The general point is that the mega-technologies have brought the world closer together and sped up the speed at which we receive information. But what are the concrete results? Could any of these results have been foreseen in the late 1970s when this technology was being developed? And if not, what does this say about democratic governance? After all, computers and automobiles have revolutionized our society with far more direct results than who gets elected president. But again, there is no democratic control over these intimate invasions of our lives and the technologies themselves not only assume centralized control, but provide the agencies of centralization with greater and greater resources. Mander’s thesis is that technology is already biased in terms of centralization and statism. In other words, the technological revolution, which clothed itself in the mantle of freedom and progress, in fact needs a huge centralized apparatus of physical, technical, educational, political and economic forms. The technologies that have revolutionized our society have both created and in fact, assumed the existence of a radically altered landscape that touches every element of human life. The technical apparatus that must be in place to electrify an entire continent must be huge, not to mention the standing armies that must be in place to defend the corridors of energy transmission such as oil pipelines. Technology is political, and most certainly, is not isolated from the remainder of life. Technology has, in the20th century â€Å"second industrial revolution,† touched every aspect of human life without a vote taken. All technologies have consequences, inevitable and built in, and imperatives, just as inevitable, essentially separate from human dictates and desires. Norbert Wiener, the mathematician who was the founder of modern cybernetics, has written about â€Å"technical determinants† dictated by â€Å"the very nature† of machines, and of the steam engine he noted that it automatically leads to large and ever larger scales because it can power so many separate machines at once, to ever increasing production because it must pay back its high investment and operating costs, and to centralization and specialization because factors of efficiency and economy supersede those of, say, craftsmanship or esthetic expression. (Sale, 1996). Nevertheless, there can be no discussion of these topics without that of ideology. Technology does have its own ideology, and it needs to be â€Å"unpacked.† One might summarize this point of view this way: First, that technology has its own trajectory that is independent of the will of mankind. This can be challenged by the simple fact that all technological innovations of recent memory have been developed in a corporate setting under corporate rules for profit. Men have financed and created these things. But they have not financed or created these things blindly, as part of some â€Å"natural and inevitable process.† They have been created according to a scheme of thought. Second, this scheme of thought is that happiness is a matter of technological progress and the accumulation of capital. In other words, the person that has the better car, high tech stereos and I-Pods, must, in general, be happier than one that does not, or has older, outdated equipment. Yet, there is no evidence for this, one would have a tough time pointing to research that says people are happier or less stressed now than they were 1,000 years ago. Third,   the â€Å"market† is in control over whether or not technology is accepted and hence, democratically justifiable is often heard. In other words, the â€Å"democracy† problem is solved by the market itself. If new technologies are invented and marketed, people can choose to buy or not to buy. But is it that simple? One who buys the latest inventions is progressive, while the other is regressive. To have an 8-track player in one’s car is an occasion for mockery, regardless of the satisfaction one gets from having such â€Å"vintage† equipment. Advertising and marketing campaigns are not projected to one’s reason, but to one’s base passions, to be considered acceptable, lovable and intelligent, rather than boorish and ignorant. The acceptance or rejection of technology also partakes of these components as well. I think that in general, these arguments are universally seen as undergirding and justifying the immense power of technology in modern societies, and in fact, even defining what â€Å"modern† actually is. While technology is taken for granted, the beginnings of a serious discussion can only begin when the basic assumptions of a technological life are unpacked. What are the assumptions and promises, and to what extent has the high-tech society succeeded in meeting these expectations? It might be unreflectively held that people who lived 1,000 years ago were uniformly miserable and ignorant, yet serious research into that field has succeeded in smashing that silly myth, but it still remains the domain of eccentric specialists. Yet such a view undergirds much discussion on the question of technology and its role in society. Technology and its thought-apparatus have succeeded even in rewriting history to suit itself: people were miserable and ignorant up until the 19th century. It is difficult to see how the high-tech society can justify itself in any other way. But the nature of any â€Å"discussion† must have teeth. In other words, it must be attached to the ability of communities and families to break away from the grid and being living different, wholesome lives. Sterile academic â€Å"discussions† do nothing but justify faculty salaries. Such talk must have a revolutionary purpose, to shift the movement of progress as Bookchin sees it: from technological gigantism to miniaturism, starting with the means by which the machines are powered. Given the above arguments, Kirkpatrick Sale has written substantially on the rebellion, both historical and modern, of the land versus the machine, the ultimate bi-modality in this discussion. His argument nicely dovetails with Mander in many respects. The first question is the difference between technology and a system of production. Mander holds that there is no difference, that machinery depends on a huge, centralized system of life and thought, the â€Å"bureaucratic man.† On the other hand, Sale holds that the real revolution was in the development of the steam engine. For him, this was the first time that an invention came into existence completely independent of nature, rather than actually using it. Just as importantly, this invention also made the quantum jump from the world of local machines to an entire system of production and life. Steam created the modern factory and its discipline that derive from it (Sale, 1996). In other words, the development of steam took the organic community and plugged it into a world of production dominated by a handful of elites. But this should be noted: that it has been the issue of how machines are powered that led to the creation of the first â€Å"grid.† Again, the issue comes back to that of energy. With this, the more optimistic view of Bookchin makes more sense, since it is really not machinery per se, but the means by which they are powered that is non-liberatory in its tendency. Bookchin seems to say that the reduction of power to solar and wind sources (among other natural sources) is both inevitable (as oil runs out and coal is too dirty) and morally demanded if decentralization and true local democracy are to become a reality. In his â€Å"Five Facets of a Myth† Sale asks the simple question: has the 400 years since the Industrial revolution produces more or less happiness for humanity (as a whole)? Has it produced more equality, more justice, less work, less stress, more mental stability, for humanity as a whole? What were the promises of the technological revolution? These arguments, from Bacon to Compte have been nothing less than plenty, peace, less work and stress, a veritable utopia of production where drudgery would disappear. Diseases would be cured, wars ended and mental illness a thing of the past. But has industrialism and technology carried through on these promises? And what has been the cost of the convenience that industry has created? It seems that Mander, Bookchin and Sale would all agree that the promises of industrialism and the technological revolution have not been fulfilled. As one sort of knowledge is brought forward, some others are left behind. All that does not conform to the English model of industrialization (or industrialization in general), is dismissively called â€Å"backward† and â€Å"primitive,† as terms of abuse. II. Society, Churches and the Technological Revolution As a matter of course, society seems to be a passive victim of the propaganda of the industrialists. Technology has invaded every corner of human life, altering landscapes of entire continents. All of this has been done long before any kind of debate has been engaged. This is the central problem. On the whole, churches have accepted the technological revolution with little protest. There are small exceptions: the Russian Old Believers, the Amish, some traditional Roman Catholic and Orthodox writers have detailed the problems, both moral and social, of technology and its dominance over life. One promising area of research has been developed by the green anarchists, who have taken at least some of their material from the erstwhile Murray Bookchin, who advocated a humanized technology detached from centralized structures. Solar power is the perennial example, since it is relatively easy to install and is off a grid, in other words, it need not be connected into any larger structures of power. Bookchin, in his 1970 Post Scarcity Anarchism, contains a powerful essay called â€Å"Toward a Liberatory Technology.† The early date of this publication makes it of great interest in modern writings against the technological revolution. Bookchin is far more optimistic than Mander, and holds that the movement in this revolution is toward the small scale: computers and machinery in general are getting physically smaller and using less and less energy. This movement is a good thing and can assist in the building of a new, decentralized society (Bookchin, 1970, 59). A liberated society, I believe, will not want to negate technology precisely because it has liberated and can strike a balance. It may well want to assimilate the machine to artistic craftsmanship. By this I mean that the machine will remove the toil from the productive process, leaving its artistic completion to man. The machine, in effect, will participate in human creativity. . . In a liberated community the combination of industrial machines and craftsmans tools could reach a degree of sophistication and of creative interdependence unparalleled in any period of human history (Bookchin, 1970, 80). The distinction between Mander and Bookchin in clear: For the former, technology is inherently biased, at least in its present manifestation. Mander, like Bookchin, holds that solar and wind power is the wave of the future, and, in general, can mean that life â€Å"off the grid† is quite possible, enhancing independence and local control over events. The central issue here is democracy and local control: off-grid means local control, and cultural and economic lives are not necessarily dictated by distant banks, the Federal Reserve or the global economy, none of which the average community has any control over. But in Bookchin’s case, the industrial revolution already contains the seeds of its decentralization and hence, sees in the industrial revolution seeds of a new, liberated society. In general, by the term â€Å"liberated† Bookchin means independent of centralized sources of control. One interesting source of Christian radicalism has been the monastery. Here, especially in its Orthodox foundations, the technological revolution has been held at bay. For example, the Platina, California monastery of St. Herman is completely off grid. They have no running water or electricity, and grow most of their own food (Damascene, 2002). Their grounds are beautiful and spacious, and since they are vegetarians, hunting is prohibited (as is the case for all Orthodox monasteries). Their diet is very simple yet extremely healthy, and the community is growing. They run a major publishing house on generator power run by solar panels. The Platina experience has become central for giving an example of how to live a happy, healthy life without dependence on the system of interlocking systems of control which is meant by the term â€Å"grid.† Another example might be the St. Mary’s community in St. Mary’s Kansas. This is a Roman Catholic community that only partially controls the small town of St. Mary’s. They seek to live their lives simply and peacefully in prayer and honest labor. It is not a monastery and families thrive there, but they have already received several visits from the FBI, paranoid that a â€Å"cult† was at work there. If anything, such communities have an uphill climb from the state as well as the media, whose coverage of the community has been uniformly hostile and uncomprehending. (cf. http://www.smac.edu, St. Mary’s Academy page, with some information on the community as a whole). One can surmise with a great deal of justification that the average American family has embraced technology as â€Å"inevitable,† without fully understanding the complex consequences of such technologies. Slowly but surely however, the rather marginalized monastics, anarchists and greens have made somewhat of an impact. But if Bookchin is correct, the smaller scale of newer technologies will make a freer life possible with rather small changes in social consciousness. What seems to be at the center is the nature of power. If power can be locally created through bio-mass or solar energy, then technology can become liberatory. The grid seems to be based on power, i.e. energy, more than anything else though it cannot be limited to that. Every community would approximate local or regional autarky. It would seek to achieve wholeness, because wholeness produces complete, rounded men who live in a symbiotic relationship with their environment. Even if a substantial portion of the economy fell within the sphere of a national division of labor, the overall economic weight of a society would still rest with the community (Bookchin, 1970, 83). The central good here is independence. But it is difficult to square the American interest in â€Å"environmental politics† with anything other than a fashionable political cause. It is hard to see how such a superficial commitment can be brought to bear on the rather humane anarchism and communitarianism of Bookchin. It seems that for the moment, the experiments such as Platina will remain marginalized and unappealing to the masses. The debate might continue, but, for better or worse, that does not stop the â€Å"inevitable wheel of progress† from spinning. A recent study from Cornell University suggests that most of Americans are strongly beginning to question the issue of genetically engineered foods. This technology was gradually introduced into food production largely unbeknownst to the American public. Hence, since about two-thirds of American food is so processed, the â€Å"debate† is largely a moot one. Nevertheless, Cornell claims that there has been a â€Å"slight but significant shift over time towards a little less support [for genetically engineered foods] and more risk perception† (Bio-Medicine, 2005). What are the conclusions we can reach here? The first might be that the more practical questions of the ethic of technology must be brought under a more general heading: this heading has been dealt with above and is the relationship of technology to liberty and democracy. All other goods flow from this. If one can show that technology has led to a stressed, mentally unbalanced and mechanized society, then one must be able to reform the system and bring to bear new insights. If machinery is harmful to democracy and local control, then it needs to be eliminated, or at least, highly modified in the way that Bookchin proposes. Hiding behind arguments about the   â€Å"inevitable† nature of â€Å"technical progress† will not do, but these only beg the question. Second, the question of technology and ethics is central to modern societies, and needs to be taken out of the classroom and into the Congress and the public square. These issues are not about the â€Å"environment† per se, but the environment is just an appendage of the more important questions concerning the nature of centralized economic control (whether from the state or corporate America, or an alliance of both) and its intimate relation to the history of technological progress. This is the bedrock issue of technology and its relation to ethics, that is, to freedom and autonomy. Freedom and autonomy, therefore, must also be the bedrock of a democratic order. A Model Syllabus: A Brief Introduction This seminar is entitled Technology and Democracy, and will meet five times. It will incorporate film, written work and discussion. All points of view are welcome and encouraged. Nevertheless, it should be made clear that the basic issues are defined as the relationship of technology and the sources of its creation and marketing with democracy, equality and safety. The issues below are meant to illustrate these basic themes from varying fields of study. This syllabus is meant to take the basic insights above, that is, the relationship of democracy to technology (as the center of technological ethics) and bring it to bear on more practical pursuits such as medicine or computer science. Day I The question of technology and children Readings to have prepared beforehand: Parens, Eric (2006) Surgically Shaping Children: Technology, Ethics and the Pursuit of Noramality. Johns Hopkins University Press This work will be the main topic of the first meeting. Discussion and workshops will follow concerning the impact of technology on raising children. Topics will include, sex selection and abortion, genetic engineering and, importantly, the medicating of children, especially boys. Basic issues of sexism (especially anti-male bias) will be discussed Day II Ethics and Health Care Technology Readings to have prepared beforehand Anderson, James (2002) Ethics and Information Technology: A Care Based Approach to a Health Care System in Transition. Springer Books. The discussion will center upon the nature of genetic engineering in the realm of medicine and ethics. But what needs to be stressed is the connection between the corporate or state control of medicine and the nature of ethics and centralized power. A video will also be shown: Sulmasy, Daniel (2004) Dignity, Vulnerability and Care of the Patient. St. Vincent’s Medical Center. 55 min (available at http://www.providence.org/oregon/programs_and_services/ethics/e15clips.htm) Day III Readings to have prepared beforehand Ethics and Weapons Technology Brigetedy, Ruben (2007) Ethics, Technology and the American Way of War. Routledge. This component will concern technology and the development of weapons. There is no separate between the industrial revolution and the development of mass warfare and extremely high-casualty wars. Technology must face this element of itself, its promises to bring humanity peace and plenty are belied by the fact that technology has all of the most deadly weapons known to man. Science, in other words, is not intrinsically liberating, it can also enslave. Day IV Ethics and Information Technology Readings to have prepared beforehand Stamatellos, Giannis (2007) Computer Ethics: A Global Perspective. Jones and Bartlett This part of the seminar will deal with the issues involved in computer technology and privacy. This is a central issue in today’s economy and must be dealt with. Issues such as Pay-Pal and Ebay will be discussed, as well as the potential for fraud and abuse. Day V Ethics and mental Health Readings to have prepared beforehand Dyer, Allen (1988) Ethics and Psychiatry. American Psychiatric Association Publications Mental health and pharmaceuticals are important areas of ethics today. Tens of millions throughout the world are currently on legal, pharmaceuticals for mental illness. Hence, the issue goes right to the heart of this course: the intimacy of technology to the average person. In this case, the technology goes straight to the brain and manipulates the chemistry, altering the personality for better or worse. But at the same time, these medications are marketed for profit, hence creating a moral quandary: is the prescription of these medications medically necessary or even proper? Is the profit motive center stage here, or the science of medicine, and even more, to what extent has this science been controlled by the profit motive itself? Students will end the seminar with a brief presentation concerning one of the these five topics relative to the main topic: the relation of technology to democracy and liberty. Bibliography: â€Å"American Opinions are Split on Genetically Engineered Food.† Bio Medicine News. 2005. (Bio-medicine.org) Bookchin, Murray (1970) Post Scarcity Anarchism. AK Press. Damascene, Fr. (2003). Fr. Seraphim Rose: His Life and Works. St. Herman’s Press (Fr. Seraphim founded the settlement at Platina, CA) Mander, Jerry (2006). â€Å"Technologies of Globalization.† in Mander, ed. The Case Against the Global Economy. Sierra Club Books. 344-359 Sale, Kirkpatrick (1996) Rebels Against the Future. Basic Books (nd) â€Å"Five Facets of a Myth.† Primitivism Online Journal. (Primitivism.org) How to cite Technology and Ethics, Essay examples

How to select good koi Essay Example For Students

How to select good koi Essay Have you ever wonder the differences between each koi, why are the colors of my koi fading away, and which koi should I purchase? All the koi are not the same and maintains different aspects. Start making the right decisions and use the money on the right koi. A good koi can be selected if it satisfies the conditions in the following passages about basic koi information, examining qualities of koi, and the final check. Acquiring the basic koi information and backgrounds are the key elements to select a good koi. A person should start by knowing some backgrounds of the dealer. Different dealers have different koi sources. For example, a dealer that buys koi from koi breeders in Japan most likely will have koi that are more expensive and higher quality than the a dealer that buys koi from a domestic breeder. One should first know what type of koi to buy, because different koi breeders have different specialty in breeding koi. Let’s use the name Hiroshima and Tokyo for now. Hiros hima breeds better quality showas(black, white, red koi), and Tokyo breeds better quality koi in kohaku(red, white). This is because different breeders uses different parent koi to breed, great quality parent koi will mostly likely to produce more great quality koi than those poorer quality parent koi. The skills and experiences of the breeders will breed different quality of koi also. Once the person has acquired the basic koi information, he must carefully examine the koi. Examining the koi is the most crucial and the hardest part, and it takes some experience and knowledge. To help examine the koi, one should apply the koi’s background information while examining. For example, if the koi’s parent are jumbos (more than 80cm), then the koi might have a chance to become a jumbo also. The age and sex of the koi are also important, male koi often cost less than the females because female koi can reproduce. The age of the koi helps determine the future of the koi. In most cases, if a young koi (1 yr) has its color fully developed already, then it is not going to be better and better and instead the color will probably start to fade away in the future. Most people would not buy an older koi (4yrs+), because the price is high and it is mostly develop already, unless the person is a breeder or a person that wants to enter a koi show. A good color quality koi should have the following (regardless of age): very thin layer of color, a high concentration of colors, and some kind of glossy like layer over the colors, these features shows that the koi has a strong color characteristic which means the color would not fade away. The pattern of the koi is the fun part, since all the koi have different patterns, one should choose the koi with the pattern he/she likes, but one should look for a more balanced color pattern. The quality of the koi, however, should not be considered first; a koi’s health condition should be the first priority when giving the koi a final check. For example, a person bought a very top quality koi, but two days later he/she found out that the koi were infected by parasites. There are ways to help to check the koi’s health condition. Ulcers and other unnatural scratches or spots should be obvious that the koi is in bad shape, but of course the dealer will not show the koi. So, if a koi is swimming downward, slowly, lonely (koi usually swim together), bulge eyes, and not moving much, then there is probably something wrong with the koi. At last, the person should give the koi a final judgment whether the koi is worth to buy at the right price and gain more experiences. .ud8c08d7db8c0d009b0b37ff5fced9fdc , .ud8c08d7db8c0d009b0b37ff5fced9fdc .postImageUrl , .ud8c08d7db8c0d009b0b37ff5fced9fdc .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud8c08d7db8c0d009b0b37ff5fced9fdc , .ud8c08d7db8c0d009b0b37ff5fced9fdc:hover , .ud8c08d7db8c0d009b0b37ff5fced9fdc:visited , .ud8c08d7db8c0d009b0b37ff5fced9fdc:active { border:0!important; } .ud8c08d7db8c0d009b0b37ff5fced9fdc .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud8c08d7db8c0d009b0b37ff5fced9fdc { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud8c08d7db8c0d009b0b37ff5fced9fdc:active , .ud8c08d7db8c0d009b0b37ff5fced9fdc:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud8c08d7db8c0d009b0b37ff5fced9fdc .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud8c08d7db8c0d009b0b37ff5fced9fdc .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud8c08d7db8c0d009b0b37ff5fced9fdc .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud8c08d7db8c0d009b0b37ff5fced9fdc .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud8c08d7db8c0d009b0b37ff5fced9fdc:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud8c08d7db8c0d009b0b37ff5fced9fdc .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud8c08d7db8c0d009b0b37ff5fced9fdc .ud8c08d7db8c0d009b0b37ff5fced9fdc-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud8c08d7db8c0d009b0b37ff5fced9fdc:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Beauty Standarts Essay Not all koi are good koi, but everyone can select a good koi. By having good patients and experiences is the key, and being ambivalent is actually a positive thing to select a koi. Follow the guide above, and with some money one could become a successful koi expert at selecting koi. Bibliography:

The Boat by Alistair Macleod Essay Example For Students

The Boat by Alistair Macleod Essay The Boat by Alistair Macleod is narrated by a boy who has experienced immense grief due to the loss of his dad during his childhood. As the prose is non-fictional, the narrator revolves around his emotions and feelings about the damage done to him in first person; this allows the reader to identify and sympathize with the character since he directly shares his feelings with the reader. The significance of death is clearly shown with the help of an active voice as it is used almost throughout the passage to show how receptive and thoughtful the character is while recovering from his dreadful loss. We will write a custom essay on The Boat by Alistair Macleod specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The death of the character’s father is of high significance; words such as â€Å"terrible fear† exhibit the anxiety concerning the death of the character’s father. Just in order to take his mind off as â€Å"he’s afraid to be alone with death†, he indulges in activities that distract him from the idea of death. The narrator has used sound imagery as he makes â€Å"loud splashing ineffectual noises† to make himself feel better. Rhyming words such as â€Å"fumbling† and â€Å"mumbling† have been used to show the uneasiness the character’s going through. The narrator uses images like â€Å"grey corpses on the overflowing ashtray† which laden with connotations of death to depict his predicament, mirroring his emotional state. Grey, as a colour is considered to be negative. He spoke about everything that was depressing. Every activity that the character did portrayed some form of negativity. The season during this phase was winter; this itself makes readers visualize gloominess, it sets a depressing mood for the whole passage. The author has used phrases like â€Å"cold walk† to portray indifference. The narrator gains sympathy as he agrees to the waitress by saying â€Å"it sure is; it really is†. The coffee he drinks is apparently â€Å"always bitter†, ‘bitter’ is a negative connotation. The phrases, â€Å"There were only echoes and shadows† and â€Å"morning’s darkness† makes readers draw bizarre melancholic images. The narrator relates between the past and the present; intricate details are sketched in his mind. He imagined the various things his father used to do and all the activities connected to him such as the shore bound men â€Å"blowing their hands† and â€Å"stomping their feet†; detailed imagery has been used here for readers to have clear picture of what the narrator’s expressing. Sooner or later the narrator does â€Å"realize† that he’s â€Å"foolishly alone†. The word, ‘foolishly’ tells us that he has always been in his own fantastical world believing that his dad was probably still with him. Reality tells him the truth as he compares what he had: the â€Å"call†, â€Å"voices†, â€Å"shapes† and the â€Å"boat† to what he has now: â€Å"shadows and echoes†, â€Å"voices from the rain† and â€Å"cuttings from and old movie†. The past contrasts with the present, as readers notice more negativity in the latter. There is clear evidence that narrator’s father is closely connected to the boat as he says, â€Å"no one waits at the base of the stairs and no boat rides restlessly in the waters†, in this phrase, he is associating the boat and presumably, his dad. The descriptions of the narrator’s father tells readers that he spent majority of his time in the sea as he â€Å"smelled of salt† and â€Å"tasted of salt†. One chief factor that reminded the narrator about his father was the â€Å"odour of salt†. The author has used sound imagery once again by inserting phrases like â€Å"sound of his rubber boots galumphing†, this allows the readers to picture a man who has a heavy, thunderous walk. Also, the rubber boots might have helped him to avoid the sand from entering considering he spent large amounts of time near the sea. The â€Å"shaggy whiteness† of his hair tells us that he was an elderly man. .ubcd607061cb1ea0a8450a5e3da93133d , .ubcd607061cb1ea0a8450a5e3da93133d .postImageUrl , .ubcd607061cb1ea0a8450a5e3da93133d .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ubcd607061cb1ea0a8450a5e3da93133d , .ubcd607061cb1ea0a8450a5e3da93133d:hover , .ubcd607061cb1ea0a8450a5e3da93133d:visited , .ubcd607061cb1ea0a8450a5e3da93133d:active { border:0!important; } .ubcd607061cb1ea0a8450a5e3da93133d .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ubcd607061cb1ea0a8450a5e3da93133d { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ubcd607061cb1ea0a8450a5e3da93133d:active , .ubcd607061cb1ea0a8450a5e3da93133d:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ubcd607061cb1ea0a8450a5e3da93133d .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ubcd607061cb1ea0a8450a5e3da93133d .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ubcd607061cb1ea0a8450a5e3da93133d .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ubcd607061cb1ea0a8450a5e3da93133d .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ubcd607061cb1ea0a8450a5e3da93133d:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ubcd607061cb1ea0a8450a5e3da93133d .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ubcd607061cb1ea0a8450a5e3da93133d .ubcd607061cb1ea0a8450a5e3da93133d-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ubcd607061cb1ea0a8450a5e3da93133d:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: How to Tame a Wild Tongue and The Squirrel Mother EssayAfter deep extensive reading of the passage do readers realize that the narrator is a teacher who has been low-spirited for ten wholesome years with a clear memory of intricate details regarding his father and his childhood activities. However, there are a few ambiguities. He mentions at the beginning of the second paragraph, â€Å"at such times†, it is slightly confusing about which ‘times’ is he talking about. At the beginning of the fifth paragraph he mentions, â€Å"Three or four of us†, were they just random people or similar people who he could relate to, is to some extent ambiguous. The whole passage is in present tense; this allows readers to connect immediately with what the narrator’s saying as it gives a feeling of something that’s happening while the reader is reading. Macleod has used a wide range of imagery, figurative speech, as well as appropriate diction in order to bring out his purpose and meaning to the readers. The image of the boat tends to carry out literal and figurative significance in many parts of the passage. The narrator seems afraid of death only because of his father’s death; he seemed to have been extremely close to his father. He also appears to have a lack of freedom; he wants to let go of the past and move into the present however, the fear pulls him down. Overall, the narrator is extremely expressive which helps in being effective as his meaning and feelings are put across to the readers in the best way possible.

Astronomy essays

Astronomy essays #1) (A) Issac Newtons Law of Universal Gravitation is: Two bodies attracted to each other with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. This means that the further apart these two attracting bodies are from each other, the less the gravitational force between them is. The force of gravity depends on the product of the mass of the two attracting bodies. If the distance between the two bodies doubles, the force between them becomes one quarter of the force it was before. The Law of Universal Gravitation is vital because it mathematically proves Keplers Three Laws of Planetary Motion. The Planets follow the same laws of motion as objects on the surface of the earth. (B) Newton discovered other types of orbits that have circular of elliptical paths. However, if the velocity of an orbiting body were increased, its orbital path would change to a parabola or hyperbola and it would escape the gravitational pull of the sun. It would then leave the solar system. Parabolas are the orbital paths of objects in the form of an open curve. If one cuts out an angle in a circular cone, it would follow this path parallel to the sides of the cone. Hyperbolas occur when a plane cuts across two parallels half-cones. Keplers laws applies to any situation where two bodies in the universe orbit each other due to their mutual gravitational attraction, not just two planets. For example: Moons that orbit planets, such as the four Galilean Moons that orbit Jupiter. #2)(A) The reflecting telescope, which uses a mirror to attract light was perfected by Isaac Newton in 1668 although it was developed by John Gregory in 1663. The refracting telescope, which uses a lens to attract light was developed by a Dutch optician in 1608 named Hans Lippershey. Two other inventors were Zacharias Jannssen and Jacob Metius. However, Galil...

Competency to Stand Trial in the United States Research Paper

Competency to Stand Trial in the United States - Research Paper Example 2). Many other cases cited these legal landmarks. Ten (10) of those cases offered by Elkins, James R. are listed in the appended Table of 10 CST Cases from 1975-2001. II. Testing for Sanity Incompetence to stand trial is not the same as insanity defense. According to the SHouse Law Group (2012), citing the following: â€Å"Penal code 1370 PC (a)(1)(A)†, and â€Å"People v. Crosier (1974) 41 Cal App 3d 712, 716†, and â€Å"Penal Code 1367(a) PC†, and â€Å"Penal Code 1367(the distinction is that insanity defense is a complete legal defense whereby the defendant will be deemed not guilty permanently, whereas CST was created to treat the defendant for a future trial after treatment and can still be convicted for a criminal offense. It also matters to know that insanity defense is the condition of a defendant being insane at the time of the commission of the crime, whereas CST is during the trial. According to People v. Crosier (1974), the insanity defense depends o n (in California courts) the results of the â€Å"M Naghton Test† which considers the answers to two questions, namely, â€Å"†¦first, did the defendant have sufficient mental capacity to know and understand what he was doing, and second, did he know and understand that it was wrong and a violation of the rights of another?† III. How CST Was Established Pirelli, Gianni; Gottdiener, William H.; and Zapf, Patricia A.(2011, p.2) traced that people in USA have been enjoying the constitutional â€Å"right to be competent to stand trial† since the early 19th century. In a review of 68 cases from 1967 to 2008, incompetent and competent defendants were compared and analyzed. Their findings showed: (1) there was 8 times the number of defendants found to be with psychotic disorder among those found incompetent. (2) Unemployed defendants deemed incompetent to be tried in court were twice the number among those incompetent. (3) Those previously hospitalized due to psyc hiatric disease were twice the number of those without record of hospitalization for the same purpose among the defendants found incompetent for trial. The US Supreme Court (1960, p. 402) defines competence as the â€Å"ability to consult with his lawyer with a reasonable degree of rational understanding – and whether he has a rational as well as factual understanding of the proceedings against him† aside from knowing the time, place, and having some recollections. The National Judicial College (NJC,2012) has an online list of SC decisions pertaining to the issue of Mental Competency since 1960 to 2008. These cases serve as precedents used as landmarks decisions for new cases with similar issues. Such rulings should never be negated in the course of history without any sound basis for doing so, since they are models of sound judgement in a civilized society. IV. Mental Illness and Criminal Behavior Since mental illness is commonly used as a defence, the apprehension wi ll normally be about the development of a trend that can acquit most criminals. How then does the court assure the public that this cannot happen? CST should not prejudice criminal complaints against defendants because the law presumes â€Å"competence to stand trial† (Elkins, J.R. 2011, par.5). It will take some facts for the defendant’s lawyer to question his client’

Dyscalculia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Dyscalculia - Essay Example The Math equivalent of Dyslexia. So what exactly is Dyscalculia and how can educators help ease the stress of the learning disability on the student diagnosed with the handicap? The National Center for Learning Disabilities defines Dyscalculia as â€Å"a term referring to a wide range of life-long learning disabilities involving math. There is no single form of math disability, and difficulties vary from person to person and affect people differently in school and throughout life â€Å" (NCLD, 2006). The 2006 NCLD report indicated that Dyscalculia is a learning problem that can be spotted in a child at a very young age. Some of the symptoms of Dyscalculia include â€Å" Difficulty in recalling numbers, trouble with the concept of time, poor sense of direction, poor mental math ability, and difficulty in playing strategy games of any sort†. (NCLD, 2006) Their research also pointed out that teachers have the duty to help any of their students whom they suspect of having Dyscalculia by identifying the student and moving him to an Inclusive Classroom setting in order to insure that the child will not feel the pressures of having to keep up in the Math lessons of the rest of the class before he is ready to do so. (NCLD, 2006) This is something that should not be difficult to do since the teachers can use a specially designed assessment test on possible Dyscalculia students in order to confirm their suspicions as educators. It is highly important that students suffering from Dyscalculia be moved to an inclusive classroom setting before their fear of math sets in. This is to insure that the child will not unconsciously reject any form of help in Math studies that is offered to him in the form of tutorials. Even though the illness is not one that is curable, Steinbach and Doughty (2008) reported that it could still be possible for students with Dyscalculia to lead normal educational lives provided the full court press of educators, tutors, and parents exists in

Summary Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Summary - Research Paper Example For instance, a good information system provides managers a platform to know real problems affecting their companies and customer satisfaction, hence provides adequate solutions regarding the predicament at hand. It also facilitates an organization to attain a heightened operational excellence (Nowduri, 2011). This is via offering managers ample chance to attain high efficiency in their work especially decision-making. An example is Wal-Mart and its retail link system (Gordon, 2008). The link connects suppliers to every Wal-Mart outlets. The system immediately notifies the supplier where he or she immediately gets a replacement for the shelf on the purchase of a certain product (Gordon, 2008). Information system enables an organization to get and maintain diplomatic relations with customers (Nowduri, 2011). This increases the input and output level of the company as the profit and interest percentage rises. For instance, five star hotels in United States, which utilizes information system and technology to keep in touch with customers preferences. Consequently, this enables them to act on every client’s feedback and ensure they reach decisions meant to enhance their satisfaction (Nowduri, 2011). This is especially in terms of upgrading the state of their

Towards A Self Sufficient Prison Model Criminology Essay

Towards A Self Sufficient Prison Model Criminology Essay The cost of arresting and sentencing an offender has been calculated at $150,000, with every year spent in prison costing an additional $90,000 (Prison Fellowship New Zealand, 2012). In New Zealand there are over 8,000 prisoners incarcerated, the cost of housing inmates therefore totalling up to a substantial bill for the Government and taxpayers alike. Despite the millions of dollars being infiltrated into the correctional system, recidivism rates are still relatively high, with 44 % of people being released from prison, reoffending and being re-imprisoned within a three year period (Department of Corrections, 2009). Such figures are not unique to New Zealand, with the likes of the United States and United Kingdom facing larger overheads with similarly dissatisfying results in reducing reoffending. Quite contrastingly, in Nordic countries even an imperfect comparison suggests reoffending appears far less of a problem, with the overall reoffending rate over a two year period varying from the lowest in Norway at 20% to the highest in Sweden with 30% (Kristofferson, 2010). Due to variation in measuring methods between countries, caution must be taken in comparing these figures, but that aside one other possible explanation for lower reoffending rates in Nordic countries is the progressive and unique correctional methods which have been implemented there. Centred on openness, personal growth and ecology, the common aim is not to overtly punish but to focus on the rehabilitative needs of prisoners. Inspired by the particular success of Norways self-sufficing prison Bastoy and with the goal of uncovering an alternative to the traditional closed and costly prison regimes, this paper will examine the concept of self-sufficient prisons. An investigation will be made into the history of prisons which have done or still do operate under a self-sufficient ethos and an analysis of the consequential benefits and/or potential disadvantages will be carried out. Throughout the paper in-depth consideration will also be given to any relationship which research has found to exist between a prison based on self-sufficient ideals and rehabilitation. Furthermore, in weighing up the findings reached from this investigation, the viability of self-sufficient prisons realistically operating in New Zealand will be explored and any possible limitations which could hinder their success will be acknowledged. Self-sufficient prison model When confronted with the phrase self-sufficient prison, several different interpretations can be drawn as to what exactly this entails. Firstly, from an economic perspective the term self-sufficient prison represents a prison which operates with the primary goal of counteracting its running costs and even generating profits through inmate labour and production. A prison encapsulating this understanding often runs similarly to a traditional closed prison but inmates participate in working during their sentences, rather than simply idly passing the time away in cells. An example of this type of self-sufficiency can be seen at Louisiana State Penitentiary(Angola). Formed in 1835, this prison was based around the concept of inmates working and in 1880 an 8,000 acre plantation was bought to fulfil this ideal. Today, it is the biggest maximum security prison in the United States, it also has been designed on self-sufficient principles, being said to function as a small community with a can ning factory, a dairy, a mail system, a small ranch, repair shops, and a sugar mill. Colloquially known as the farm, it is situated on 18,000 acres, with approximately 5000 inmates whom work to produce enough food to support over 11,000 people throughout five different prisons in the State. The resources which come from the land are used for the benefit of inmates and benefit the community. Prison warden Bruce Cain describes the prison today by stating we all work together. Were all one. Our resources are their resources. (Auzenne Williams, 2010, p.1). Another way to interpret prison self-sufficiency is to understand it as an environment where prisoners have the opportunity provide for themselves, within the compound of a supportive correctional facility. Although still attempting to offset financial costs, the focus of such a prison is on achieving a community like existence where inmates have an element of independence, enabling them to cook, clean, work and essentially be self-sufficient. In unison with the prisoners self-sufficiency the prison would operate sustainably through adopting environmentally friendly practices which are in harmony with nature, impacting as little possible on its surrounds. This would involve energy efficient strategies being implemented such as the use of solar panels to provide hot water and heating, water conservation, reductions in transportation fuel use and high efficiency lightning and appliances. As well as that, recycling, composting and waste reduction would be of focus. Ultimately this under standing of the phrase self-sufficient prison, can be defined as a correctional facility which seeks to reduce the human, environmental and economic costs of prison. Currently, there is only one real example of a prison operating completely in line with this understanding of prison self-sufficiency. Located in Norway, on an island in the Oslo Fiord is Bastoy prison. Designed to operate as a small self-sufficient community this prison encompasses the spirit and meaning of self-sufficiency to the fullest. It not only has one of the lowest reoffending rates in the world at 16%, but is also the most cost efficient prison in the whole of Norway (Sutter, 2012). Housing up to 115 inmates, numerous buildings spread over a rural landscape and just as in any other community there is shop, library, information office, health services, church, school, NAV (government social services), dock and ferry service all located within the prison, for the inmates use. Each day inmates at Bastoy work between the hours of 8.30 am and 3.00 pm in one of various different work units, including ; the agricultural sector, the greenhouses, the forestry unit , seed and grass p roduction, the kitchen, the shop, the maintenance unit, on the fishing boat or running the ferry. (Bastoy Prison, 2012). The work they do not only allows the prison to run self-sufficiently and earn the inmates a small wage, but it also fulfils their daily existence. Bastoy instils a sense of community, reality and independence, three aspects which are key to the rehabilitation of inmates. Other aspects which separate Bastoy from traditionally run prisons and contribute to its self-sufficient existence include an absence of intimidation and scare mongering from guards, whom are unarmed and do not wear uniforms. Instead, guards are thoroughly trained to safely and purposefully interact with prisoners and just as the prisoners do, they become part of the Bastoy community. The prison is also committed to being environmentally sustainable. It is run under human-ecological values, farming is ecological, the prison handles most of its own rubbish, there is a constant focus on minimizing CO2-emissions and the buildings are heated from solar panels or the wood they grow and process themselves (Bastoy Prison, 2012). The current Governor of the prison is extremely dedicated to the self-sufficient methods instilled on the island, even living there himself. His passion is demonstrated in this quote where he states; The prison is self-sustaining and as green as possible in terms of recycling, solar panels and using horses instead of cars. It means that the inmates have plenty to do and plenty of contact with nature the farm animals, wildlife, the fresh air and sea. We try to teach inmates that they are part of their environment and that if you harm nature or your fellow man it comes back to you (Prison Governor, Arne Kvernvik Nilsen quoted in Hernu, 2011). Some would say these are words of a man completely deranged. His views and methods of running a prison are the polar opposite to the traditional closed, harsh and costly regimes so commonly seen throughout westernised society. Regardless of opinion, one significant factor remains, this prison is working, in all sense of the meaning. History of self-sufficiency and prisons In 1787 Jeremy Bentham called for prisons to become mills for grinding rogues honest and idle men industrious (Reynolds, 1996). He was not alone in this way of thinking and across the United States incarceration came to be more and more industrious as prisons realised the value of the workforce they had at their disposal. In 1797, Newgate prison opened in New York City and successfully it recouped nearly all of its expenses during the first five years of the operation through prisoner production. The Auburn system named after another New York prison producing superior economic results, dominated U.S. prison culture from 1823. The basis of the Auburn system was to confine prisoners at night but have them come together and work during the day (Reynolds, 1996). For centuries the American prison system sought to function self-sufficiently and according to research conducted by Lyons (2012) the existence of prison farms acted not only as an economically viable way of sufficing prison popu lations, but also functioned as a disciplinary and rehabilitative work program crucial to the 19th century penitentiary. With the successes of working prisons also came criticism, primarily in the form of complaints about unfair competition from prison-made products being created in the public market. Allegations of abuse were also made, accusing prisons of exploiting inmates and concerns were raised over the security of the public. All three criticisms increased political pressure and worked in creating legislative changes. Self-sufficiency as a key element of the penitentiary system was being challenged and continued to be phased out. During the last two decades incarceration in the United States has become increasingly privatised, commercialised and run in favour of corporate profit. Companies such as Aramark and many other suppliers have made substantial profits, through providing prisons with food and other products. Between 1993 and 2000 alone, the US food service industry gen erated 36 billion dollars in profit through contracts with correctional facilities (Lyons, 2012). For over 100 years Canada has had six successfully operating prison farms (Frontenac, Pittsburgh, Westmorland, Riverbend, Rockwood, and Bowden). However, in 2009, the Canadian Corrections Department began taking action towards phasing out the farms, claiming deficits of around four million per annum and suggesting money used to run the farms could be better put into public safety. There has been no proof provided to support such claims of ineffectiveness and those involved with the farms argue this is not the case, with the farms in fact being extremely positive correctional operations. In response to the news of closing the farm community members, correctional officers and ex inmates themselves came together in the national Save Our Prison Farms campaign. The campaign seeks to stall the closure of the prison farms in order to provide non-governmental experts time to collect evidence of the farms viability and benefits (Lyons, 2012). In the United Kingdom prison farm closures began t aking place several years ago. Between 2002 and 2005 the prison service significantly reduced its farming regime from having twenty-three farms, to only the current five. Those currently in operation include; North Sea Camp, Prescoed, Hewell, East Sutton Park and Kirkham but between them only provide a mere 92 inmate work opportunities. They are run on a small scale with no real emphasis of self-sufficiency and have become more about training than anything else (Ministry of Justice, 2010). Although it would appear self-sufficiency in prison is becoming a redundant concept, there are places which are embracing it and achieving successful results. As mentioned above, Bastoy prison in Norway is the quintessential example of an operational self-sufficient prison which is demonstrating the immense value such a prison can have. The origins of Bastoy stem from a Scandinavian ethos of open and active prisons which have throughout time been based on the principle that prisons should be no more arduous than a loss of liberty and be as normal to daily life on the outside as possible. The idea of prison farms began in Finland in the 1930s, with a new type of labour colony being introduced to the Finnish prison system in 1946. Inmates have always been and still are paid according to the normal wage, it would also not be uncommon for prisoners to be paying taxes, buying food, giving money to their family, to their victims and saving for their release. Open prisons hold between 20 % (Sweden) to 40 % (Denmark) of the Scandinavian prison population and in nearly all cases when a prisoner is reaching the end of their sentence they will be moved to an open prison. Communal style living is largely adopted in these facilities, with some prisons being entirely self-catering and for the most part those at an open prison will be working during the day (Pratt, 2008). Most recently, the environmental sustainability of prisons has drawn attention, with concerns being raised about the ecological footprint of corrections and also because of the rehabilitative value green initiatives can have. Just in 2011, the US Department of Justice released the publication The Greening of Corrections: Creating a Sustainable System, a document which outlines sustainable practices, principles and identifies examples of programs and management strategies which can be implemented to create self-sustaining correctional facilities. The focus throughout the document is on the long term goal of limiting the financial and human costs of prisons. Methods outlined to achieve this goal are the reduction of energy and resource use, engaging inmates with beneficial work experiences as well as giving education and training (US Department of Justice, 2011). An organisation going forth and putting these ideals into practice is the Sustainability in Prisons Project. Operating as a partnership between Washington State Corrections and Evergreen College they seek to make prisons more environmentally sustainable and in turn economically efficient. Currently four Washington State correctional centres are operating in unison with the project; Cedar Creek, Stafford Creek, Mission Creek and Washington Corrections Centre for Women. Each are participating in varying programs which include; endangered animal protection, insects and plants, water and energy conservation, motorless lawn mowing, a dog rescue initiative, butterfly rehabilitation program, recycling, composting, organic gardening, a horticulture greenhouse, beekeeping, water catchment basins, low-flush toilets, tree planting and wild land fire fighting. Advantages/Disadvantages When analysing the concept of self-sufficient prisons, there are both advantageous and disadvantageous aspects which need to be acknowledged to gain a complete understanding of the viability of such a prison model. In firstly examining the potential benefits to come from a self-sufficient environment, one of primary significance is the possibility of self-sufficient practices being able to reduce prison expenditure. A change as simple as removing state issued clothing and uniforms could save millions of dollars. Building on this, if prisoners are taking care of themselves, there is consequently less of a need to employ staff to do things such as cooking, cleaning, farming, gardening and maintenance jobs. Having inmates produce and harvest their own food could allow for even greater savings. According to Breslin (2012), if the United States were to enact a policy which required prisons to utilise their own food sources through the operation of self-sufficient farms, prison spending co uld be reduced by $1.7 billion each year. Lyons (2012) similarly supports this notion and she uses the Florida Department of Corrections as a case example. In 2001 they ended a history of prison farming and contracted Aramark to provide all the food needed to Floridas prisons. This was in an attempt to save money, but six years later costs were only increasing by millions of dollars. Costs could only be reduced through a change in prisoners lifestyles, but also through sustainably modifying prison facilities. Buildings can be constructed or altered to be environmentally sustainable. This would include among other things, installing solar panels, composting and recycling plants and farming ecologically. Putnamville medium security facility in Indiana has recently implemented several green initiatives, such as; using a wood chipper that fuels a wood-burning furnace (saving $1.25 million per year), recycling cans, bottles, paper, and other material which in turn saves them around $150, 000 each month (Couch, 2012). An equally valuable advantage of the self-sufficient prison regime is the potential benefit to inmate health, both mentally and physically. Lyons (2012) noted that through being able to exercise, to breath in fresh air, and to simply get outside the confines of cement and barbed wire inmates would be healthier and emotional pressures associated with the harsh prison environment would be abridged. More specifically the mental health of prisoners could be aided through having the intellectual stimulation of actually taking part in meaningful activity, such as harvesting food for their own tables or chopping wood to keep them warm. Successfully completing jobs could also increase the sense of self pride in inmates, seeing they can achieve and successfully live independently. Physical advantages are just as evident, working is obviously a form of exercise and through growing their own organic produce dietary needs would be likely to be met in turn reducing the risk of obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes, all conditions stemming from unhealthy eating patterns. Additionally, with an increase in the overall health of inmates, money would be saved on prison medical services (Breslin, 2012). Correlations have been drawn between a better quality of living and the improved behaviour and conduct of inmates. When interviewed about life inside Bastoy, an inmate tractor driver said in closed prison I was locked up for 23 hours a day, so Im really happy with this job. I am treated very well here and in return I will treat them very well also (Hernu, 2011).   A US post-release employment project study found prison conduct among inmates who had taken part in work, vocational or apprenticeship programs was better than that of otherwise similar prisoners (Reynolds, 1996). Related to having the opportunity to work and live self-sufficiently in prison is the education and vocational skills prisoners could learn. As suggested by Lyons(2012), the job and life skills that inmates learn through farming, teamwork, time management and having responsibility can be applicable to any type of future work. In now turning to the potential downfalls of the self-sufficient model, the most notable disadvantage is the safety risk an open style of prison poses. Internally there is an increased risk of danger to both inmates and officers safety and externally there is a greater risk of endangerment of the public due to more opportunities for escape. Firstly, if inmates are openly living and working with each other there are going to be vast opportunities for violence and abuse to take place, especially when tools which could be used as weapons are involved. Constant movement would make it harder for guards to keep track of inmates, whereas when in a cell all day constant monitoring can occur. Secondly, guards would be more susceptible to harm in an environment where there is frequent close interaction between themselves and inmates. Trust is so heavily relied upon in a community based self-sufficient model that if this was abused there could be dire consequences. The possibility of threats to public safety could also be said to increase, as with more freedom come more chances to escape and be at large in general society. A risk associated directly with working in prison is the exploitation of inmates. Frequently outlined in prison research as a significant disadvantage of prison farms; this concern lies in the possibility of production becoming more important than any other factor, including the welfare of the prisoners who can become subject to hard labour and little else. There have been numerous situations where agricultural work in prison has been the catalyst of degrading and unhealthy working conditions exposing inmates to disease, physical violence and abusive practices (Lucko, 2007). For some, the idea of prisoners living in a community like environment, which includes recreational time and the opportunity to live a life based on normality, would fall short in serving the retributive role prisons are traditionally expected to provide. Victims and their families may feel this alternative model of prison does not adequately punish perpetrators for the crimes they have committed against them. Monetary exploitation can also occur through inmates being extremely under paid for their labour when working on farms, building furniture or assembling products for giant multi-national corporations who can make additional profits at the expense of prisoners. Resulting from this is the possibility of large corporations like Microsoft or McDonalds engaging in the practice of utilising prison labour and gaining an unfair advantage over their competitors (Smith and Hattery, 2006). Rehabilitation and self-sufficient prisons If we have created a holiday camp for criminals here, so what? We should reduce the risk of reoffending, because if we dont, whats the point of punishment, except for leaning toward the primitive side of humanity? (Arne Kvernvik Nilsen, quoted in Sutter, 2012). This quote demonstrates the strong rehabilitative views of Bastoys prison director, who currently heads the prison with lowest reoffending rate in Europe. He strongly believes in the theory that if inmates are eventually going to end up being somebodys neighbour, everything possible should be done to enhance rehabilitation and ultimately prevent future crime. The proof of his beliefs becoming a reality are evident in the correlations which can be drawn between the self-sufficient and open environment at Bastoy and the mere 16% reoffending rate. In attempting to ascertain whether any particular element of the self-sufficient regime is more effective than another in reducing reoffending, each of the main facets of the concept will be examined below. A vast amount of support has been given for the effectiveness of farming and/or working in prisons. Lyons (2012) suggests that there are two main steps which need to be taken for the cycle of criminality to be broken. The first, individual empowerment and the second, being able to find work upon release. Farming she believes is a proven success in helping prisoners to achieve both. To get a real perspective on farming as a rehabilitative tool Lyons (2012) interviewed a former correctional officer from a Canadian prison farm. In their opinion prison farming is the single-most successful rehabilitation program they have seen to exist, and that in their thirty years working with the program they did not see one case of violent reoffending amongst prisoners who had been involved. Another aspect of the self-sufficient philosophy being explored here is the openness this type of prison has. In contrast to the more traditional closed ideal where prisoners spend a vast majority of their time behind bars, in an open style prison inmates are faced with everyday decisions on constant basis. Bastoy governor Nilsen suggests that at Bastoy the openness of the prison allows for inmates to learn and be taught how to make the right decisions and essentially become better people. He compares this to in a closed prison where prisoners are mostly removed from interactive encounters and situations requiring cognitive thinking. This he refers to as treating prisoners like animals or robots (Sutter, 2012). In a conventional prison in which inmates have no freedom and are not involved with work or farming, it is too often the case that the system literally closes the door in the face of the inmate. It is surely absurd to really believe that this will be beneficial, especially in terms of rehabilitation. Being given the personal responsibility of a job in prison and becoming a part of a working environment has the potential for prisoners to increase self-respect, as well as respect for others such as the system which would be supporting instead of disregarding them. When describing the effect Bastoys open prison has had on inmates, Nilsen refers to opportunities inmates have here to do more than just sit in a cell all day. They look at themselves in the mirror, and they think, I am s***. I dont care. I am nothing,' he said. This prison, he says, gives them a chance to see they have worth, to discover, Im not such a bad guy (Nilsen quoted in Sutton, 2012). The ecological focus of a self-sufficient prison model not only contributes to a sustainable environment, but has also been linked having to rehabilitative qualities. When daily life is spent in a safe, healthy and humane environment, on release the positive and green initiatives experienced inside can surely only be of benefit to the community on release . Research has been carried out to support such assumptions and uncover any relationships existent between living sustainably, having exposure to nature and consequential prisoner rehabilitation. Wener et al (cited in US Department of Justice, 2011) found that the effect of interaction with nature on human behaviour is improved emotional wellbeing. Similarly in a separate study conducted by Ulrich (cited in US Department of Justice, 2011) it was established that through being involved with nature aggressive tendencies and stress can both be reduced. In evaluating the value of the Sustainable Prison Project currently already action i n Washington, the Department of Justice (2011) believes that benefits of these projects are wide-ranging and encompass far more than just learning new skills. Their review of the project found improvements in; inmate self-esteem, interactions with others and the sense of purpose they had. All of which are congruent with the goal rehabilitation. With a vast amount of studies and research highlighting increases in recidivism and re-offending figures, we are faced with a significant correctional challenge. It is no longer plausible to simply argue that prison acts as a place of deterrence to those released, the statistics alone have continuously portrayed the reality that this is not working. Self-sufficient prisons in a New Zealand environment After considering the concept of self-sufficient prisons in their entirety , the viability of this alternative prison model successfully working in a New Zealand context will now be addressed. In comparing New Zealand to Norway, where a self-sufficient prison is already proving achievable, there are numerous similarities between the countries which could arguably suggest a New Zealand environment could too be compatible with this correctional method. Both countries are sparsely inhabited with populations of around four million, many of whom in both countries live as part of small rural communities of towns, rather than large sprawling cities. Norway in terms of a social and human development index is the number one ranked country, but then New Zealand is also within the top five out of 187 countries (Human Development Report, 2011). Other factors relative to this assessment include New Zealands small number of maximum security inmates, just 2.5%. The majority, or 53.8 % are in fact minimum security (Newbold, 2005). It would seem with such a large number of prisoners being of low security, the risks associated with adopting a more open and interactive model of prison to house this category of prisoners would be relatively low. We also already have the beginnings of a self-sufficient prison mentality in place. Currently in operation are various income generating ventures providing employment opportunities for prisoners, this includes; two dairy farms, three dry stock farms, one piggery, two sheep farms, three organic gardens, six nurseries, five joinery workshops, three furniture assembly workshops, a forest, three timber processing workshops, six textile workshops, three light engineering workshops, three vehicle repair garages, one compost bagging operation and central kitchens in each of New Zealands   prison s (Department of Corrections, 2012). The progression towards a model similar to Bastoy is not completely unthinkable. As outlined, New Zealand has the potential to follow the same path as Norway in adopting more sustainable practices. However, the possible limitations of New Zealands capability to introduce self-sufficient prisons cannot be ignored. One major aspect which not only differentiates New Zealand from Norway, but could also limit the success of self-sufficient prisons in this context, is culture. Negative historical relations between Maori and the State are still today at the centre of much racism, mistrust and social division and this plays a role in crime and prison culture, especially when Maori are so significantly overrepresented in our prisons. Due to the nature of the traditional system, which places blatant divides between prisoners and correctional staff, both parties can fall into viewing each other as the enemy. These attitudes would have to change and mutual trust and respect increased before any community style prison could work. The Gang culture in New Zealand and incidentally in prison creates even more division and an open style of prison may only serve to instigate fighting, allow for gang conflicts and gang domination of inmates. In Norway these types of divisions are relatively absent, primarily due to the fact Norwegians are extremely socially responsible, uniting members of society together as equals. This can especially be seen in the understanding the state, public and even the media display to those in prison, those being released and the rehabilitative purpose prison serves. Associated with this social care mentality is the time and effort that the state puts into training prison officers. In Norway they receive two years training while on full salary and once qualified their role is seen as professional (Pratt, 2007). Contrastingly, in New Zealand, officers are given a mere six weeks training and are often publically disregarded being labelled thugs or key turners far from the professionalism of Norway. Scandinavian prisons are completely run by the state, where as in New Zealand the Government has begun to contract prisons to private companies. Paying for another party to run the prison would defeat the principles behind the self-sufficient ideal. Mass unawareness can be the burden of initiative, even of something which to those informed is so obviously for the common good of society. This is arguably the case in New Zealand, where people simply havent been informed or are only given negative one-eyed images of crime as portrayed through the media. This consequently making the public as a whole more likely to be opposed to an action as liberal and forward thinking as the self-sufficient prison ideal. Another more physical consideration which could pose problems is the pure and simple fact that more crime is committed in New Zealand and the prison population is therefore larger. In New Zealand there are around 8000 inmates whilst in Norway there are only 3000. Geographically there could also be obstacles to overcome. Bastoy is uniquely located on its own island, which restricts escapes and allows for the open environment which inmates experience. Suggesting to the New Zealand public that Rangitoto for example was to be used

Presidential Influence on Teenage Drug Abuse :: Substance Abuse Essays

Presidential Influence and Teenage Drug Abuse. "Just don't do it", the slogan from Bob Dole's anti-drug campaign upon a cursory evaluation, may appear to have been an inefficient way of confronting the growing problem of national drug abuse. After all, it is hardly reasonable to believe that a potential drug user will specifically consider these words before deciding whether to get high or not. However, this slogan, and the man that stands behind it, represents a sorely needed, value-oriented stance on the issue that was lacking in the Clinton administration. The president's cavalier attitude was responsible for a dramatic increase in drug abuse among teenagers. While Clinton's baby boomer generation dismissed aggressive anti-drug campaigns as ineffectual, the truth is that tough approaches to the problem have proven to be very successful. The Nixon, Reagan and Bush Sr. administrations are direct examples of this. When Richard Nixon began his first term, use of marijuana and heroin had reached an all-time high. In response, he vowed to wage a national attack on narcotics abuse, which involved reducing the flow of drugs into the country while stepping up drug treatment programs. Nixon began his work by arranging for the extradition of noted heroin chemists, and sent ambassadors to negotiate narcotics agreements with foreign countries. Turkey, which provided about 80 percent of the U.S. heroin supply promised a complete cessation of its production in exchange for $35.7 million in aid. On the national level, the Nixon administration further proved its dedication to the cause by legalizing the use of drugs to combat addiction and by encouraging anti-drug commercials and television programs. Although many were doubtful that these measures would have any impact, they did help dramatically curtail drug abuse. In 1975, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced that while the purity of heroin had declined, the street price was four times greater. The result was a marked decline in heroin abuse. Unfortunately, the Carter administration failed to continue the vigorous anti-drug campaign. In fact, President Carter at one time advocated that marijuana possession be legalized. It is little wonder that, in the absence of strong moral leadership, by 1979 half of all teenagers were experimenting with the drug. Fortunately, Reagan was elected at this crucial time, and was succeeded by George Bush Sr.. Both presidents strongly supported drug interdiction. Between the years of 1979 and 1992, teenage drug abuse reduced by one-half.