Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in Children Essay

Abstract Post Traumatic Stress Disorder affects not only adults but also children. There are four major ways by which traumatic events may affect the psychological state of children: cognitively, affectively, behaviorally and psychosomatically. There are questions as to the sufficiency of the instrumentation used in determining and measuring of the disorder. Studies also show that the fear experienced by adults in seeing signs of aggression in children may be affecting adversely affecting the possible therapeutic benefits of normal child’s play and physical activity. There may be a need for programs specifically geared toward educating parents and primary care givers of children suffering from PTSD in how to handle and deal with the child’s disorder and psychological needs. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in Children as a Result of Violence, Crime and War It is not unusual for most adults, particularly those who are parents, to keep bad things away from children. As much as possible, childhood should remain a time of innocence and joy without the responsibility or care for matters that trouble the world. But what if it just cannot be avoided and bad things happen to children? In the aftermath of unhappy events, how do children display trauma and what are the things that people should know in dealing with children suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For example, the September 11, 2001 terror attacks left behind families and children who have lost moms and dads in that instant. Even adults and children who were indirectly affected by the attacks have grown to suffer feelings of anxiety and shattered security in their personal and familial safety (Smith & Reynolds, 2002). Besides the inevitable feelings of grief, children especially were left behind and often contend with nightmares and morbid pictures of the traumatic deaths their loved ones experienced as well as the stress and difficulty of trying to picture lives without mom or dad. It is also important to remember that the effects of trauma are not limited to those who suffer it directly (Sims, Hayden, Palmer & Hutchins, 2000, p. 41) The ubiquity of television also afforded children at home not only news of the attacks but also vivid pictures and descriptions of the tragedy and all its violence. The case of a 7-year old boy named Johnny is cited in the study (2002) by Smith and Reynolds.: Following the 9/11 attacks, Johnny developed a constant fear of his parents leaving home and getting killed by â€Å"bad men.† He also developed a phobia of elevators and would throw tantrums whenever his parents tried to make him use one. Johnny admitted to his therapist that his fear of elevator stemmed from a story he heard of how â€Å"people in the Twin Towers were trapped and killed while riding in the elevators.† (Smith & Reynolds, 2002)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Neither Johnny nor his family were directly involved or affected in the terror attack. The mental and emotional strain suffered by survivors and those affected by this very high profile event led to the American Psychiatric Association’s setting up of counseling services â€Å"focusing on grief, acute stress and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (Smith & Reynolds, 2002). What is PTSD? Originally associated with survivors and veterans of the Vietnam War, PTSD refers to an impairment of an individual’s capability to function in everyday following exposure or experience of an exceptionally disturbing event. Besides war, this has grown to cover the ill mental and emotional effects of â€Å"natural and civilian catastrophes, criminal assault, rape, terrorist attacks and accidents.† (Murray, 1992, p. 315) The DSM IV presents a more broadened definition of traumatic exposure as â€Å"the person experienced, witnessed, or was confronted with an event or events that involved actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of self or others,† and which evoked â€Å"intense fear, helplessness, or horror† (Mcnally, 2003). This broadened definition also qualifies extreme horror at what other people’s experience or events outside their environment as possible causes of PTSD. Symptoms of PTSD include vivid and morbid imagery, numbing, disruptions in thoughts and cognition, delayed response and reaction, strong feelings of anxiety, persistence of nightmares and difficulties in dealing with and solving problems. (Foa & Meadows, 1997) Saylor and Swenson, et.al state that before the late 80’s there was minimal attention given to how children were affected by traumatic events. It took two powerful hurricanes, one devastating earthquake and the bombing of the Oklahoma Center before it was realized that there were very little preparedness in ministering to the psychological needs of traumatized children   (Saylor, Swenson, Reynolds & Taylor, 1999, p. 70). In 1999, psychologist Barbara Lowenthal pegged the number of children in America being exposed to traumatic events each year at four million. These traumatic events include â€Å"physical, sexual and emotional abuse; neglect; accidents; severe injuries; and natural disasters.† Lowenthal also says that these children are at a high risk of suffering from PTSD and may cause them to be prone to developing phobias and other neuro-psychiatric disorders including anxiety and depression (Lowenthal, 1999). The National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (NCPTSD, 2001) reports that there is a higher likelihood of psychological symptoms associated with PTSD to be found among children who have experienced traumatic events before the age of 11 compared to those who suffer trauma at later ages. (Alat, 2002) Lowenthal also says that besides the general symptoms of PTSD, children who have suffered trauma are likely to develop difficulties in forming relationships, cognition and learning, as well as a â€Å"numbing† that may make affected children experience difficulty in understanding and expressing their feelings in addition to regulating their emotions. This often leads to â€Å"provocative behaviors† and avoidance of intimacy. (Lowenthal, 1999). In his article in the Journal of Multi-cultural Counseling and Development in 2004, Clinical psychologist and Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA) Gargi Roysircar studied the case of 20-year old Yugoslavian à ©migrà © Stephen, who at the age of 10 witnessed the height of the civil war between Christians and Muslims in Kosovo in 1990. Stephen remembers witnessing about 80% of his classmates get killed by bombs, sniper shots and gunfire as they walked to and from school. At age 14, Stephen was taken by his father to the frontlines and be trained in combat to fight with the Serbian army. The next two years wold take Stephen all over the Balkans and would expose him to all kinds of privation and war atrocities. Eventually migrating as political refugees in the United States, in 1999, Stephen demonstrated difficulty in acculturation and adjustment. The constant displacement he experienced in war along with the mistrust bred by his past and cultural paranoia fostered by the Croatian community they lived with made it difficult for Stephen to acclimatize to peacetime setting.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Roysircar describes Stephen as having â€Å"recurrent thoughts and images of his violent experience in the Balkans. He experienced nightmares, hostility and a profound sense of a lack of belonging. Stephen also often recounted the difficulties he experienced including â€Å"hiding in a basement and eating rats† especially when angry. He also displays a deep-seated hatred for the Muslims and believes â€Å"the Middle East should be wiped off the face of the Earth† (Roysircar, 2004).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This kind of behavior can very well be treated as expected according to an study published in the Australian Journal of Early Childhood in 2000. The researchers posit that in war-torn times, children are forced to adjust out of necessity for survival. This experience develops the idea of a dangerous world where no one can be trusted and therefore prompts children to be the aggressor rather than the victim (Sims, Hayden, Palmer & Hutchins, 2000, p. 41). According to Vazquez there are many conditions that fit the general description of PTSD. There are however differences in â€Å"depth, complexity and intensity† that require appropriate and often differing treatments (Vazquez, 2005). In Stephen’s case, the therapy method that worked for him involved deep self-reflection and existential therapy sessions with his counselor where he was able to open up and tell stories of his experiences and thoughts of his past and present, and dreams for the future (Roysircar, 2004). Effects and Treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder It is important to remember that not every child who is exposed to or experiences trauma develops PTSD. Since the 1980’s there has been marked growth in the development of instrumentation in the measurement and treatment of PTSD in children. These assessment methods designed for children of different age groups include â€Å"structured interviews, questionnaires, self-report scales, inventories, and psychophysiological evaluation † (Alat, 2002) There are four major ways by which PTSD can affect children: cognitively,affectively, behavioral and physiological-somatically (Lowenthal, 1999; Alat, 2002). Cognitively, children experience fear at a possible repetition of the traumatic event. Some may even feel responsible for the traumatic event’s occurrence. There may also be confusion, academic and developmental problems, lowered IQ and diminished abilities in language and communication. In its affective effects, children with PTSD become emotionally fragile and are given to fits of outburst and anger. They develop low thresholds for stress and fear. They become nervous, compulsive and often feel a sense of futility. Behaviors can also become extreme. Affected children may become either very loud or very shy. It is not unusual for children to revert to juvenile behavior such as thumb sucking or regression in academic knowledge. They may also develop self-destructive behavior and become vulnerable to alcohol, drugs, and self-abuse. Children may also manifest PTSD in the form of physical sickness such as high temperatures, â€Å"vomiting and headaches†(Alat, 2002). There may also be instances of sleep and eating disorders, fatigue and â€Å"biochemical alterations in the brain† (Alat, 2002) Family members and teachers generally notice these symptoms first. At this time, it is important that both come together and develop ways of supporting the affected child. A school counselor may be able to help evaluate whether a child indeed has PTSD or not. Therapy with a professionally trained psychiatrist, psychologist, counselor or therapist is the treatment for persons diagnosed with PTSD. The methods employed however, may vary according to the severity of the disorder as may be observed in the individual. Majority of the suggested therapies that parents and educators are encouraged to employ with children suffering from PTSD are physical and social expression/reflection through group and one-on one interaction as well as play based therapies (Alat, 2002). This particular therapy however has encountered difficulties particularly after the 9/11 attacks and the idea that aggression addressed in the earlier stages will stave off future violent behavior. For example, a child who builds a tower of blocks and flies an airplane into them may be viewed as at-risk for future violence. This child’s behavior, in fact, may be a healthy and developmentally appropriate way to gain mastery over the child’s fears, anger, and confusion about Sept. 11. Smith and Reynolds (2002) decry this repression of a child’s possible â€Å"venting† or anger and state that instead of suppressing the aggression manifested by children at play, parents and educators should let children be within certain limits. As long as children do not cause harm to themselves, others or objects within their surroundings, it is best that they be allowed to express their anger and whatever negative feelings they have in a â€Å"therapeutic manner.† (Smith & Reynolds, 2002) Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The researcher observes that while there is an acceptance and awareness of the existence of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder among children, there still seem to be a lot of confusion as to what are the indicators of such disorder as well as the methods by which it should be addressed and treated. While Lowenthal (1999), Alat (2002) and other psychologists have managed to simplify such symptoms in four main categories, it is also stated in most studies that childhood trauma does not necessarily result in PTSD. There is still a question as to how the average lay person may be able to distinguish between delayed PTSD and natural defiance and common anxiety. The researcher also noticed that several of the symptoms listed in determining PTSD can also be found listed as symptoms of other psychological disorders in the DSM IV. The only difference is that with PTSD, there is a requisite traumatic event that is supposed to act as a trigger for the disorder. Smith and Reynolds (2002) make a valid point as to how adult paranoia of events that could possibly happen could seriously hinder the coping mechanism of children and therefore cause more harm than good. Logic dictates that feelings left unexpressed often come out one way or another. Alat also makes a good suggestion in encouraging teachers /educators to help children express their feelings in group discussions. As adults benefit largely in group therapy, there is no reason why children should not be able to do the same. Recommendations   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Despite its many advancements in instrumentation and awareness, there are still many gray areas in how people can support and help children suffering PTSD. The researcher recommends that further studies be done with the objective of clarifying and further distinguishing PTSD symptoms from other psychological disorders so that those affected may receive the appropriate treatment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The researcher further recommends that programs designed to educate teachers, primary care givers and parents in the impact of PTSD on children as well as the many ways they can help support the child’s treatment. Most of the child’s time is spent with family and school. It may perhaps speed up progress of therapy is extended beyond the time they spend with their clinical therapists.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There is the observation that adults may feel fear at what they perceive to be early signs of violence and aggression. The very fact that this sort of thinking exists stands as proof that attention to educating the people in a child’s environment with regard to what is natural and not in children’s behavioral patterns must be emphasized. Constant communication between parents and other people their children interact with particularly in the period following a traumatic event may also be helpful in gauging any effects the vent may have had.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Children exhibiting changes in behavior must also be carefully observed. As in the case of little Johnny who suddenly developed a fear of elevators, there may just be something behind the changes in a child’s behavior. Forcing them to face fears without completely understanding the root of these fears may only cause irreparable damage. These are just a few things that psychologists and behaviorists must educate parents and the other people in close contact with a child possibly suffering from post traumatic stress disorder in. References Alat, K. (2002). Traumatic Events and Children: How Early Childhood Educators Can Help. Childhood Education, 79(1), 2+. Retrieved November 21, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5002498529 Foa, E., & Meadows, E. (1997). Psychosocial Treatments for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Critical Review. 449+. Retrieved November 21, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5000413895 Lowenthal, B. (1999). Effects of Maltreatment and Ways to Promote Children’s Resiliency. Childhood Education, 75(4), 204+. Retrieved November 21, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5002315362 Mcnally, R. J. (2003). Progress and Controversy in the Study of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. 229+. Retrieved November 21, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5002051892 Murray, J. B. (1992). Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Review. Genetic, Social, and General Psychology Monographs, 118(3), 315-338. Retrieved November 21, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=96430362 Roysircar, G. (2004). Child Survivor of War: A Case Study. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 32(3), 168+. Retrieved November 21, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5012181947 Saylor, C. F., Swenson, C. C., Reynolds, S. S., & Taylor, M. (1999). The Pediatric Emotional Distress Scale: a Brief Screening Measure for Young Children Exposed to Traumatic Events. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 28(1), 70-81. Retrieved November 21, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=81021655 Sims, M., Hayden, J., Palmer, G., & Hutchins, T. (2000). Working in Early Childhood Settings with Children Who Have Experienced Refugee or War-Related Trauma. Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 25(4), 41. Retrieved November 21, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5001127890 Smith, S., & Reynolds, C. (2002). Innocent Lost: The Impact of 9-11 on the Development of Children. Annals of the American Psychotherapy Association, 5(5), 12+. Retrieved November 21, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5002560442 Vazquez, S. R. (2005). A New Paradigm for PTSD Treatment: Emotional Transformation Therapy. Annals of the American Psychotherapy Association, 8(2), 18+. Retrieved November 21, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5011704316      

Analysis for the Movie ” Up in the Air” Essay

Ryan Bingham works for a company that helps and facilitates companies’ firing some of their worker. He and his colleagues make business trips all over the U.S and do their, in other words, they fire people. Ryan thinks that his job’s best side is to fly. He aims to save his frequent flyer miles until they reach one million miles and get the club card for his loyalty to the airlines. He also makes seminars for, with his words â€Å"awaking† people .He leads people to leave whatever been problem for them. He points out this situation with the example â€Å"backpack†. Ryan asks people to fill and empty the backpacks of their own life as metaphor and wants them to realize how much the problems are heavy. He even thinks about putting people that are one’s around in this backpack if they keep him/her in back or slow him/her down. For that reason most probably, he is not close to his siblings. Ryan’s life changes when the company hires Natalie who offers that instead of business trips for firing people face to face, to make remote computer access. But Ryan thinks that Natalie does not fully understand the nature of the business. For him it is kind of way of life and he does not want to lose his current life style The company’s owner Craig suggests Natalie to accompany Ryan on a business trip. In these trip Ryan meets a woman called Alex and because that their lives are almost the same they are getting along with each other. Alex also travels often and whenever their flight schedules matches they meet. After he tries to show her to difficulties of firing people, Natalie overcomes the difficulties and achieves firing people via remote computer access. Then the company initiates the remote computer access firing system in trail version and calls Ryan back to home like others. Ryan comes back to home and realize how much he is far away from the family. But he finally does something to heal the wounds†¦ American Dream shaped with the ideas of freedom , equality for all , social mobility and opportunities for achievement and success with hard work. The movie points out the American Dream with the character Ryan. The story of movie puts the individualism on the Ryan character and makes him â€Å" man of freedom â€Å" for his entire life . He likes travelling and being alone. He even leads people, in his seminars , to get rid of from their â€Å"weights† in their backpacks. He works too much to achieve his goal and this touches to the one the values of the dream too. Even the movie starts with comic issues which attracts us to story with Ryan’s telling his life story , it can be defined as tragicomedy because of family issues and Ryan’s disappointment towards the end of the movie. Backpack metaphor combined with the life’s weights metaphor shows that people have some barriers which slow down and stop them . The main character Ryan as a speaker wants the people to realize how these weighs are heavy and that’s why puts all these weights in a backpack. Because it is easy for us to remember to carry something with backpack is hard , imagination on that metaphor becomes much more easier. Personally , I don’t admit the hero’s backpack philosophy , because we have people who can help us for these â€Å"weights† , it is just about whether you want to be alone or not ? if you want to be alone all these stuffs in your life becomes â€Å" weight† for you. But if you don’t you can always can find some ones asking you for help. Having a patriarchal cultural background, US have gender roles dominated by man. In the movie characters have strong manners for these roles. Ryan does not give importance to set a family and his behaviors to women show his domination feeling against to women. Alex figure describes Ryan as â€Å"escape†. It is possibly an escape from ordinary mother figure life to free women figure. So it touches to women’s position in the society and reaction to it. References IMDb ( for critics and soundtracks) Wikipedia ( for the values of ‘American Dream’ ) http://ezinearticles.com ( for understanding and reviewing ‘American Identity’ )

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Recommendation and rationale the idea of building prisons - Research Paper Example The ability of other methods to yield greater benefits to the entire state, as opposed to imprisonment justifies the position of not building more prisons. Adopting techniques, which reduce crime from an early age of an individual’s life, for example, benefits the society in a number of ways, which necessitates that legislators concentrate their efforts on establishing such mechanisms. Quality early childhood education for all, for example, allows children to access education at a tender age. Subsequent access to such education allows the children to concentrate on building their professions, thus shifting their minds from criminal activities. On the other hand, children who do not access education at an early age get the opportunity to interact with criminals in their neighborhoods, thus increasing their possibility of engaging in crime. As the â€Å"economic opportunity institute† reports, 70 percent of the children who do not access quality early childhood education pose a higher probability of being arrested for a criminal activity by the time they reach 18 years, compared to those who access quality early childhood education. More to this, leaving out at-risk children from early childhood education multiplies their risk of becoming chronic lawbreakers by five times. This means that building more prisons does not serve to reduce crime. Instead, handling the root of the problem can bear better fruits, and give benefit the community a better return on investments made.

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Comparison critique of 2 famous speeches - Essay Example In Kennedy’s address, he used both ethos and pathos to convince the audience that under his leadership significant ties that allegedly bind the country to other foreign governments would continue through his offer and pledges of loyalty, hope, good deed, and a call for peace. They both exuded the air of confidence during the whole duration of the speech and assuming ample preparedness prior to the delivery. Though both were glancing at some previously prepared notes on the speech, it was clearly evident that they knew most of the contents of the speech and frequent glancing was enough to ensure that the delivery flowed perfectly and effectively. Their appearances were both sublime and very professional; donning formal suits with respective neckties and hair perfectly groomed. Likewise, both employed sustaining a particular tone that uses emphasis and clarity in pronunciation, diction and use of flawless grammar. Both speakers, during their course of delivery, were intermittent ly applauded by the audience, to signify conformity and approval to their points of assertions. Both Reagan and Kennedy knew the effective use of body language that employs glancing at the audience, looking at them through their eyes, briefly glancing on their notes, changing their facial focus to the right, the middle and the left portion of the audience, and using the appropriate tone and marks of emphasis, as needed. Likewise, in terms of audience orientation, it was evident in both speeches that the audience impact and appeal were both positive. Intermittent claps were heard, especially when the speakers noted some relevant arguments that were appropriately supported; or when figurative languages were used. The fact that these speakers were the ones who delivered the speeches resulted in an enhanced credibility and audience appeal. If the speech were delivered by somebody else, it could have significantly affected audience impact, depending on the person’s character, the manner of delivery, air of confidence, and manifested authority, among others. Concurrently, there were disparities between the delivery, style, and focus or thrusts of these two speeches. In Reagan’s speech, he did not begin the speech by acknowledging the presence of personalities who were present; unlike Kennedy’s speech which begun with acknowledging the following: â€Å"Vice President Johnson, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chief Justice, President Eisenhower, Vice President Nixon, President Truman, reverend clergy, fellow citizens† (John F. Kennedy Inaugural Address par. 1). Reagan’s introduction was simply to acknowledge gratitude from the audience by repeatedly saying â€Å"Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you and good evening† (A TIME FOR CHOOSING (The Speech – October 27, 1964) par. 1). Likewise, the speed of Reagan’s speech was faster, as compared to the slower paced and significantly rehearsed pacing by Kennedy. The total number of words

Pharmacy application - Letter of Recommendation Essay

Pharmacy application - Letter of Recommendation - Essay Example Toan-Thang works well independently and always takes the initiative to research information on his patients disease processes. In the clinic, his presentations are organized, clear and concise. He shows great confidence and poise. His technical skills are complete and accurate, including all the necessary information for the task. Toan-Thang also exhibits an outstanding patient care manner. He is courteous and empathetic as he gives patients’ need priority. He quickly gains the trust of his patients and gives them the best care possible. In summary, Toan-Thangs work ethics are outstanding and he is a true leader amongst his peers. He has an extensive and well applied knowledge of disease pathphysiology and therapy management. He is well disciplined, punctual, efficient, professional and courteous. His clinical skills and analytical skills are outstanding, plus he shows great clinical judgment on every level of care. With these attribute characteristics, I strongly believe he would be a great pharmacist. I hope your program would give him a chance to reach his goal. I highly recommend Toan-Thang Vo without reservation to your pharmacy

Canadian Museum of Nature Web Analysis Essay Example for Free

Canadian Museum of Nature Web Analysis Essay The Canadian Museum of Nature’s website is an average piece of work that gathers audience from both English and French speaking individuals. The museum’s Web presence is elegant and simple to use, clearly separating the English segment from the French segment to allow easier navigation throughout the site, which, considering the size and diversity of the system it represents, makes you wonder how the designers and creators managed to pull it off in such a simple way. Rhetorical Design The Canadian Museum of Nature’s website is intended to promote the museum’s products and services on offer at the museum among English speaking and French speaking tourists. Almost anyone visiting this website is most likely looking for information about a certain service or item relating to natural history and tourism, so it is safe to state that the primary audience for this website are nature lovers and tourists wishing to visit Canada or local Canadians looking for a place just to have a good time enjoying the marvels of nature. However, there is something for everyone in this website. Even for those who don’t intend to visit the museum but want to win something, there’s a photo contest section on the home page that might serve to draw more traffic to the site. This enhances the possibility of attracting more members to join in the course of the museum. The website also has links that connect to 5 of their other websites, basically to diversify and exert their web and market presence in the field of nature. The context of the website explores the versatility of the Canadian Museum of Nature’s Internal organization and products and services offered by the museum. Information on the home page is divided into eleven primary categories: Calendar of activities, visitor information, teacher zone, about the museum, renewal, exhibitions, polar year, collections, research, library and products services. The site also has quick links on shopping, becoming a member, donating to the cause, staff, press room and there is also a link for visitors to post comments and questions to the staff. All these information is carefully and strategically placed on the page to allow for easy navigation and still leaves a lot of space on the site. Congested sites tend to be an eye sore to the readers, but as for this one, no one has to worry about having to go through dozens of information to get to what you’re looking for. Interface Design The entire website is filled with photos of animals and artifacts of natural history which blends in very well with the overall theme of the website. Each page contains at least three amazing photos that keep the visitor glued to the website, even if just for the photos. Actually, come to think of it, the website contains very little text, it is only the overall design and beautiful photos that keep visitors busy on the site since there’s nothing much to read from the website. The home page contains very clear navigational links on the left hand side of the page to other sections of the website with its interface being simple, consistent and functional. However, due to the limited amount of information on the website, the interface does not provide sufficient feedback and does not have a real time visitor – support staff dialog system. Visitors have to leave a message on the contact us section and wait for an unknown amount of time for a feedback. All pages contain site navigation links. Site Design Text on the website is aligned to the left side of the screen, which is very effective for both the new and ordinary users of the site. The design of the site reflects the basic hierarchical organization of the Canadian Museum of Nature. From the home page, links to other major divisions can be easily accessed from the left hand corner; with each major hyperlink having a page that directs the user to other major sub-divisions; which leads the user to the exact information that can best satisfy the user’s specific need. The information on the pages, although minimal, gives a clear understanding of the basic intention of the site owners. The home page contains links to virtually everything someone would be looking for within the website. On the top right hand corner of the site, there’s an appropriately placed site index which is very helpful in the navigation of the website. The site relies heavily on indexes as it is virtually impossible to find what you looking for without linking to a page that contains the sort of information that will be of help to the visitor. Page Design The web pages in this site are designed for users with 15 inch monitors. Since navigation throughout the site relies heavily on the site index and table of contents, the pages reveal a consistent visual hierarchy. The designers of this site rely on museum’s logo on each page as a header to constantly remind the user that they are still on the site, although the site could use the inclusion of a table on the calendar of activities segment to help the reader cut to the chase and find the exact thing he’s looking for instead of browsing through the links. Typography Only three font types have been used throughout the website, in order to make it neat at professional-like, with Verdana being the outstanding one. Coupled with a white background and text that are aligned to the left side of the page, the pages are full of life and bring out the message in a rather natural and easy way. Editorial Style The text in this site is brief and exact to the point even though it doesn’t cover entirely everything a visitor would most likely want to know about. The site does not use titles or subtitles as it contains functional links that act as titles. Graphics Multimedia The website is fairly simple and does not contain a lot of graphics – only nature photos, which are significant in building the theme of the site and absolutely no audio, video, animation or multimedia of any sort and therefore it makes it easy for the pages to load faster, even with slower internet connectivity. Overall Impression To sum it up, the website has a fairly simple design. The fact that only three font types have been used in the entire site makes it easy to read through without straining . It is most likely to attract twice as much attention and traffic since it is written in two languages with clear and large enough text. Also, it appeals to its audience due to the fact that it has incorporated exquisite photos of what’s on offer at the museum and there’s also the constant use of the color green, which is a symbol of nature. The green color is likely to blend in with the visitor’s impression of the museum. What I liked most about this website is its simple yet comprehensive design and the fact that it is written for a much more broader audience i. e. the English and French. However, the website is too shallow and doesn’t have enough information for visitors. This makes new visitors to the site dig deeper than the site in order to find information that’s featured in the website. On a general point of view, the website can be rated â€Å"Average†.

Ethics in Public Administration

Ethics in Public Administration What are ethics, and why do they matter for public administrators? Ethics are very dependable within a certain setting, but can differ greatly between contexts. All through the world, business organizations and different callings lead every day exercises that oblige norms of ethical conduct. To pass on an organizations goals, standards, and objectives most organizations build up a code of ethics that defines the behavior of what others can expect (Shafritz, J., Russell, E, 2011). Ethics is so important in business because it gives a company greater credibility. Strong work ethnics are vital.Ethnics is a very important matter for public administration. Ethnics impacts public administrators in a variety of way. Throughout the day, businesses, organizations, and administrators, do daily activities that involve standards of ethical behavior. In public administration there levels of ethnics. There are four main levels of ethnics in public administration. The first ethnic moral is personal morality which means it is the basic of what is right and what is wrong. Many factors can lead to this such as religious beliefs, cultural factors, social factors, friends and family (Shafritz, J., Russell, E, 2011). Personal ethics are different for each person, but people want to be known as a good person not a bad. Professional ethics in public administration state that a person should act â€Å"professional† in a business or at work. Employees should have strong work ethnics to work more complete as well as being more honest. Employees who uphold strong personal ethnics will meet goals faster of a business or organization in which they work. Ethical employees can also increase a company’s reputation and the services it provides. Next organizational ethics is essential. An organization should uphold strong standards to be on top. Strong standards insures more people will look up to the organization or company. Organizational ethnics can help the organization in its programs, policies, stands, and even business making decisions. Organizational ethics gives a business a strong reputation and creates more productivity. Leaders create more organizational ethnics. Leaders create strong ethnics so employees will behave better, reward more employees who work strong with integrity, and discipline employees with poor work ethics. A good organization culture real does improve the morale among employees in a business, which can create more productivity. Also customers will want to go back to organizations and businesses who hold very high standards (Shafritz, J., Russell, E, 2011). Shafritz, J., Russell, E. (2011). Introducing public administration (7th ed.). Boston: Longman. Discuss the ways in which accountability affects public administrators. How is accountability balanced with efficiency? Democracy stands in the way of efficiency in many instances. Since democracy is multiple people making decisions on what they believe to be the best solution sometimes isn’t. Making a popular decisions isn’t always the most efficient decision. However, with democracy many people are sublime by the decisions they make because a majority agree with the decision. The government doesn’t seek out what is best for all citizens but only does want the majority of them want. A government such as a democracy, waste a lot of money campaigning and puts and unneeded strain on the economy for funding purposes. For democracy a majority population only decides on candidates for a political office from given list, and then the politicians decide instead of the rest of population. To be more efficient it is more important than ethics and accountability correlate. If a government is efficient they will be producing more and have a higher GDP. What people want most is for the government to create the conditions in which they can have a comfortable quality of life, and find happiness. If I had to choose a government I would choose democracy. Democracy is a word and an idea that whips up a great deal of emotion and idealism in people all over the world. While there is no perfect or universal definition of democracy, it is generally accepted that it refers to a political system in which all the citizens have a say in who governs their country, and how their country is governed. To most people, democracy is also a belief in the freedom of the individual to express his or her opinions. Democracy represents the views and notions of all the citizens of the country, whether majorities or minorities. Democracy allows various people to rule the country through the represe ntatives and gives a dignity to the people. What is meant by the â€Å"machinery† of government? According to Machinery of government, guidance and information, Machinery of Government refers to the structures of government and how they work. It includes organizations within the government, their functions, and how they all work together and see how the public is working. Machinery of Government changes are terms that are commonly used to describe organizational or functional changes affecting the public. In the US, the Machinery of government, is less conventional and less likely to change compared to other countries such as Britain and Australia. Machinery of government changes generally occur in the period immediately after a general election. However, a Machinery of government change can happen a person in charge such as the president or prime minster. Undergoing a machinery of government change can be challenging. Agencies are required to consider a vast number of issues and deal with wide-ranging matters, some of which can be very complex and time-consuming.In an article a bout Machinery change of government it includes may examples such as abolishing a government department by transferring its functions to other government departments, creating a government department, merging two or more government departments, and moving functions in to or out of government departments. Machinery of Government is hard to put in place. One example of Machinery of Government is if a minister wanted to create a new department, then they have to move responsibilities around. Shafritz, J., Russell, E. (2011). Introducing public administration (7th ed.). Boston: Longman. 1. What are the differences between Scientific Management, Orthodoxy, Neoclassical Organizational Theory, and Modern Organizational Theory? Many theories and principles come into play for public administration. First Scientific Management is a theory that can help and improve productivity of a business or organization. Scientific management techniques improve the way tasks are performed and makes it easier for workers to be trained in their particular field. Scientific management increases productivity greatly. For example, a manager could increase production over 200% and reduce workers by 75% by increasing the size of a shovel. Scientific management is made up of four principles. First, finding the best way to do a task, secondly match each worker to task they can do well, thirdly, supervise workers and use rewards or punishments when needed, and lastly management should plan and control. Next orthodoxyis now often used with position to Public Administration in the 1920s and 1930s to show an excellence of general agreement and confidence. In the period of orthodoxy in public administration, work of government could be divided between decision-making and execution. Orthodoxy had many ideas such as true democracy is efficient, work of the government could be divided by decision makers and execution. Also administration was a science with many discoverable principles and theories. Next, the Neoclassical Organizational Theory emphasized on employee welfare and a company’s organization structure. This theory played an important role in human needs. The neoclassical hypothesis was an endeavor at joining the behavioral sciences into administration thought to tackle the issues brought on by traditional hypothesis rehearses. The reason of this was on the idea that the part of administration is to utilize representatives to accomplish things in associations. Instead of spotlight on creation, structures, or innovation, the neoclassical hypothesis concentrated with the representative. Neoclassical scholars focused on noting inquiries identified with the most ideal approach to rouse, structure, and help workers inside the association. Studies in this time, including the Hawthorne Studies, uncovered that social components, for example, representative connections were an important element for managers to consider. It was thought that any manager who neglected to re cord for the social needs of his or her worker could hope to manage safety and lower execution. Representatives expected to discover some inherent esteem in their employments, which they surely were not landing from the position that was much institutionalized. As opposed to putting representatives into occupation parts, where they finished one particular undertaking throughout the day with practically no collaboration with associates, workers could be organized in such a path, to the point that they would regularly impart errands, data, and information with each other. The belief was that once workers were set into alternative structure, their requirements for socialization would be satisfied, and subsequently they would be more productive Lastly, the Modern Organizational Theory gives one an insight on the study and processes of organizations. The organization theory makes it easy to explain the relationship og the organization and its surroundings. The goal of this theory is to clarify why an organization has structure such as power, control and coordination. This theory aims to understand why certain organizations used different structures and organizational processes. Shafritz, J., Russell, E. (2011). Introducing public administration (7th ed.). Boston: Longman. http://pubad-ias.blogspot.com/2011/08/frederick-taylor-and-scientific.html 2. What is â€Å"Personnel†? Why and how does it matter for governments? Personnel is very important in the government. It gives organization and federal agencies the best possible and most qualified employees. The Pendleton Act of 1883 and Hatch Act of 1939 has greatly shaped personnel in various organizations. First the Pendleton Act gave federal government jobs be awarded on the basis of quality. The act stated that government employees should be picked through strategic assessments. The Pendleton Act has transformed the nature of public services. Many people now find jobs in federal agencies. The act greatly improved the civil service of the US. It also interrupted the spoils system, which was custom to presidential administrations. In today’s society many parts of the 1833 Pendleton Act come to place. In today’s time, one can now fire or demote a government employee which they did in 1833 also. Also in today’s world personnel has to take examinations to get into certain jobs. A lot of personnel also have adopted the Hatch Act of 1939 in today’s society. This act prevents federal government members who don’t have clear political roles, such as the pres ident, from intervening in political activity. For example a mailman can’t run for state senate. They don’t really have any political background. The hatch act makes it difficult for government personnel to use authority that can interfere with elections which is still in effect today. Both of these acts have played a big role in government personnel right now, and the US has mirrored these acts in today’s society as well. The Pendleton Act of 1883 emerged when the assassination of President James A Garfield occurred. An office seeker of a government official is sought to have ordered the attack. The U.S. legislation recognized a law, which presented employment based on value rather than on political party relationship that leads to bribery in the government system. Widespread public requests for reform in the government was motivated after the Civil War by allegations of incompetence, corruption, and theft in a lot of federal departments. This act improved civil services of the US. This act is still used in the US today. Providing sfor the open selection of government employees and guaranteeing the right of citizens to compete for federal jobs without regard to politics, religion, race, or national origin. The new law covered only about 10 percent of the positions in the federal government, but nearly every president after Chester A. Arthur, who signed the bill into law, broadened its scope. By 1980 m ore than 90 percent of federal employees were protected by the act of Hatch. Both of these acts have greatly shaped government personnel and in other organizations as well. The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 was huge for system principles. The Act also gave reform to personnel practices that we even use today. The act was passed under President Carter. He made the bureaucracy more manageable. This act lets federal employees join a collective bargaining. Protection Board was created to provide recourse for angry employees. The Civil Service Act also provided the employees of US with a real, and productive workforce to improve public services. Federal employees should be made consistent with merit system principles. So it rejuvenated wreaked systems and replaced them with a quality system for choosing government workers. It also made the US Civil Service Commission divide into 2 agencies. First, the Office of Personnel Management, and the Merit Systems. Also the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). So all in all the Civil Service Reform Act covered a wide diversity of management reforms, including creation of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), a nd the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). These new agencies replaced the former U.S. Civil Service Commission which didn’t work well and were very corrupt. Ethics in Public Administration Ethics in Public Administration Accountability in public administration is a very important aspect to civil service in every country. Dr. Beaumaster defined accountability as an objective responsibility which involves responsibility to someone, or some collective body (2010). Integrity, transparency and accountability are basic principles of public administration; therefore, governments must have a checks and balances systems that ensures the honesty and integrity of their local bureaucracies. These principles must be adopted and exercised in the country as well as in public administration. Accountability must be carried out in administration in order to have a transparent and integral government system. Although transparency, integrity, and honesty are all intertwined, they are different things. Transparency refers to the reliability in information keeping and providing citizen services for the country. Integrity refers to honest ethical practices, which deter corruption in the administration of public services. Public administrators and state heads must develop accountability criteria that is fair and not one sided. All public administrators and political leaders must be aware of these rules and regulations to abide by so that there are no weaknesses in the process, which can be taken for granted by the public servants and politicians. The first basic step in the accountability process in public administration is to recognize the efficacy of power. According to McKinney and Howard (1998), the power or authority is necessary to carry out any development program; however, transparency, integrity and accountability can not be obtained by simply cutting powers of administrators (p. 463-470). The struggle for attaining more and more power between bureaucrats, presents an issue. And if this power struggle is not eliminated, this is a conflict that has potential to become progressively worse in the future. Accountability is a complex process. Government agencies have to address and tackle abuse, which is a practice that is essential in attaining government and public goals. Public trust of bureaucracy and government is very important in a democratic country and this can be only achieved by having a fair and strong accountability process in the country. Coercive political power takes place when a public officer takes advantage of their power and misuses it for self-benefit rather than the publics good. When this occurs, it breaks trust of citizens and lowers public opinion towards public administrators and the government itself. The unethical decisions and acts performed by the public officials are also within the realm of accountability. The other types of issues in public administration which may arise are blaming of errors on other officers then oneself, leaking confidential information (i.e. whistle-blowing), fabricating time/quality/quantity and reports, misusing of expenses allowed, taking gifts/favors in exchange of preference or personal benefits to clients, taking unnecessary days off and taking extra time for breaks like lunch and dinner, are some examples of acts by public administrators that jeopardize transparency, accountability, honesty, and integrity (Gordon and Milakovich, 2009, p. 93-95). In short, accountability is the process for ensuring that public monies and powers must be used effectively and with honesty for public services only. There must be no misuse of any public power or money by the public administrators and government itself. This also brings trust relationship between the public and the government and its departments. Accountability is a process which must be adopted in every department of the country. Efficiency and Effectiveness Efficiency and effectiveness are important in public administration. Efficiency and effectiveness are desired in every aspect of public administration. An example of this is proper spending of citizens tax dollars. Tax payers monies must be used effectively and efficiently; therefore, utilization of funds must be careful, constructive and productive on order to carry out the overall good of the public. Effective public administration if of fundamental importance because the public needs services delivered in a timely manner. In order to ensure proper implementation of programs and services, political demands of the ruling government adopt low cost efficient and effective processes based on the public interest of the country. Efficiency refers to attaining a goal of providing the best services possible for the least amount of money and resources. It is always important to provide optimal public services for the least amount of cost, especially during todays economic hardships. Effectiveness refers to making sure the work done is according to public demands, accountability process is carried out and democratic process is observed (Box, 2009, p. 254-255). The decisions made in the public sector are according to demands of the public, which are revealed through discussions between citizens, discovering issues, developing policies and rules, and managing public administrators to implement services and programs. Public administration can be effective and efficient if the processes adopted by public administrators are efficient, fast and according to needs of the government and public. E-government processes bring efficiency and effectiveness in the public sector by minimizing the time scales on public level and inter-department communication and processes. E-government enables the public administrators and departments to offer citizen service through one click and their precious time saved. E-government includes online services provided to citizens of the country. This increases the efficiency and effectiveness in spending public money and for right purpose (Cloete and Petroni, 2005, p. 148-149). E-government has assisted in eliminating time spent standing in long lines and has helped to reduce the red tape that citizens are forced to deal with in many public institutions. The success of any government and public administration can be measured by efficiency and effectiveness. Public opinion regarding effectiveness and efficiency can be measured from time to time by conducting satisfaction surveys, consultations with people directly, and direct individual interaction. From a government policy making standpoint, legislation must be made with the publics interests in mind. Policies must be designed and implemented in accordance with how the public feels their hard-earned tax dollars should be spent. In conclusion, efficiency and effectiveness are two basic principles of public administration and both must be present in any successful agency. Public administrations that design policies with consultation of the public, consider their requirements and also take feedback about their policies are successful with spending the publics money honestly, effectively and reliably. The spending of public money must be done according to citizens needs and different tools can be adopted for finding what the public needs and requires by the government and public administration. Public services must be delivered effectively and efficiently so that there most of the output can be achieved with the public money and resources. The Legitimacy of the Administrative State Legitimacy is all about the source of power and who has it (Beaumaster, 2010). The legitimacy of the administrative state claims that it offers opportunities to community engagement and also provides a method for scientific decision making. Rohr (1986) emphasized that the blending of executive, legislative, and judicial powers are aligned according to the separation of powers in a democratic community (p. 35). Rohr argued that the legitimacy of the administrative state was originally meant for the American Senate. It provides a sustainability and permanence to the government system of America and plays a balancing role in different constitutional departments of the country government. The Senate also focuses on the limitations present in representations in the House of Representatives. The legitimacy of the administrative state empowers future public administrators for playing their own autonomous role by selecting one of the constitutional masters that might clash with one another (Spicer, 2007, p. 2-3). Rohr (1986) worked on two basic principles: the people of the country if follow illegitimate powers and this is happening in present political environment, a legitimate state must be present to avoid such things (p. 35). Questions regarding the legitimacy of the administrative state emerged two centuries ago. The legitimacy was questioned because the constitution did not provide the bases for organizations. Citizens must trust their government because legitimacy can only be achieved when their trust is garnered. The legitimacy of the public administrative state can be accomplished by means of expertise, public service, leadership qualities, and vision. Public administrators are responsible for the legitimacy of the state by having direct communication with the community by using their bureaucratic expertise, vision of the government, political leadership and best public service delivery. The legitimacy of the administrative state brings the sustainability to the country and ultimately to the state itself. In conclusion, Legitimacy of the administrative state has four sources: constitution, legal, public perception, and professionalism (Beaumaster, 2010). They must deliver effective citizen services with honesty and ensure that the vision of the government is achieved. These efforts bring the legitimacy of the state in view point of the people of the country. The state is considered as stable and strong in terms of its constitution and legislative actions. The legitimacy of the administrative state also empowers the government to accomplish their policies and people who elected them to the house must trust them to bring legitimacy. In Saudi Arabia the women cannot travel abroad without the permission of responsible man such as father, brother, and husband. Males in Saudi Arabia has the ultimate power and authority; they are legitimates because they have some power that woman dont have. Even in some workplaces like government and public sector services, there are some certain jobs that are male dominant. So those males have legitimacy that females dont have. Moreover, children under eighteen cant travel without permission of male guardian. So, those male guardians have legitimacy because they have ultimate power and authority. Also the Customs inspector and Passport officers have legitimacy to stop anybody in the airport. They have the power and authority to do so. They also have to use ethics in their decision making so they will not be held accountable for any mistaken situation. The Politics-Administration Dichotomy The Politics/Administration Dichotomy idea was explained by Woodrow Wilson in his article The Study of Administration. This article is considered the backbone of public administration. The dichotomy offers an enduring image to elected political members, public officers, and students of the public administration. This depicts the real issues of policy and administration decisions which struck in government. Politicians or elected members are liable for policy making and agenda setting. Policy decisions and policy and program implementation is the responsibility of public servants. This dichotomy is meant for eliminating politics in the government departments and leaving elected politicians within the realm of legislation. Svara (1998) explained that observations have shown that it is effective to create boundaries of public administration and develop a normative relationship between public administrators and elected politicians in a democratic community (p. 51-58). Wilson suggested that a dichotomy is inevitable because government policies must be via politics while its enforcement must be non-political administration. He also emphasized a more business-like approach to civil service and stressed that public administration is indeed a science of its own irrelevant of political science. Wilsons theories assisted in forming the foundation of American bureaucracies in the early 1940s. The politics-administration dichotomy had been in existence in Europe a century earlier. According to scholarly research, Sapru (2006) claims that Wilsons findings that were presented in The Study of Administration regarding the dichotomy are ambiguous (p. 56). For the first time in American history, Wilson changed the mindset of public administration by viewing from a scientific, systematic perspective. Wilsons dichotomy also encouraged that the government recruit professionally educated bureaucrats in order to achieve a professional administration in America. Adopting this dichotomy meant making partisan-based appointments and the utilization of political power to get support for certain policies and programs. He was also successful in creating an image of government where administrators were dependent on political and partisan chief executives of the country due to a centralized approach to government. Wilson believed that administrators had to be granted a certain amount of discretionary decision making power by their chief executives in order to be efficient. Brownlow (1956) was a famous consultant of public administration matters who praised the idea of politics-administration dichotomy presented by Woodrow Wilson. Brownlow believed that Wilson laid a foundation for a study program that allowed anyone in the country who is interested in art or the science of public administration to research the topic (Brownlow, 1956). In the modern era, Woodrow Wilsons role in public administration is not denied. However, it might be argued whether he is the founder of public administration or only a dominant personality for the growth of public administration in America. Wilsons essay about public administration was part of the administration and politics as the social, political and intellectual ferment till the 19th century (Durham, 1940, p. 1-6). Wilsons essay presented ideas on how to approach and successfully conquer a rapidly changing American economy through social and political-administrative order. The Issue of Representation Representation is also a crucial pillar that relates to who should represent the will of the people according to Dr.Beaumaster(2010). The issue of representation is present across the globe in public administration. This issue comprises on gender, race, or ethnicity factors. The public administration of any country must be comprised of all races, genders and ethnic groups. The effective representative bureaucracy offers a public administration of all people in terms of demographics so that true representation of all groups is involved in decision making process of the public administration and government. The active representation occurs in bureaucracy when they represent the views of those with similar demographic backgrounds (Box, 2007, p. 138-139). Representation issues must be decreased in order to increase the quality of public services. Female representation is another major issue in public administration due to lack of representation of females. American governments have historically been dominated by the white male and men typically hold political positions and chief executive offices. Diversity needs to be present in public officials so that diversified issues like religious, ethnic, gender or any other demographic issues can be properly and fairly addressed. Individuals belonging to lower socioeconomic classes must be represented, as well. The American government is based on an idea of equity; therefore, a government that recognizes diversity is one that is representative of all populations. In the event representation lacks within certain populations (i.e. minority populations), then there is a chance those of the power elite receive the most representation. The representation of the African American population is less when compared to the representation that the Caucasian population has historically received, which has caused problems for black communities across the United States. Furthermore, lack of representation of the black communities has resulted their distrust of government officials and agencies (Mosher, 1994, p. 142.) Representation issues are heightened when immigrant and minority populations are represented inadequately in public administration. This also creates miscommunication and does not develop trust relationships among immigrants and public administrators. Similarly, race, ethnic and gender issues create problems. Environments of this nature also compromise efficiency and effectiveness. Representation must be according to the demographics of the country, state and local level. All people must have their proper representation. Females must have their own representation in the public administration as well as in House of Representatives so that all policies and rules are made according to the needs of the females in the country. Minorities must also be represented in government and in public administration so that the laws will be aligned according to their religions and independent beliefs. In conclusion, the true representation of every class must be present in the administrative departments and government. This true representation enables government and administrators to develop and implement according to the needs of the people in specific demographics. Equal gender rights must be present in the country and community and this is only possible when there is equal representation of males and females in the decision making process. The responsible public administrator Cooper presented the idea of The responsible public administrator in which he suggested that the primary responsibility of the public administrator is to deal with public interest with honesty and common good responsibility which emerges from the fiduciary role of public administration (Boje, 2008, p. 72). According to this theory, public administrators are individuals that rely upon their own expertise and neutrality. The actions they take are based on scientific and neutral principles. Cooper emphasized that a responsible public administrator knows how to decide an ethical choice in which one might be involved in right action versus wrong action and even sometimes right action versus right action. The individual must build up the skills of moral imagination which involves the capability to create a movie in our minds which must consider the dynamics of the environment in which ethical choice must be taken care (Menzel, 2007, p. 54). Also, Svara indicated that accountability is required in government and nonprofit organization. Being responsible and accountable for action are very important for ethical administration (2007). No government in the world is perfect. Mistakes and corruptions always happen because we are human being not angels. According to Madison in the Federalist paper 51. If men were angels, no government would be necessaryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦(Kettl, 2003). The goal of the responsible public administrator is to practice good ethics, develop a creative reflection of a situation, while laying down the public service values (Cooper, 1990, p. 6). This emphasized how public servants are held responsible by the public and elected officials to act ethically and not take advantage of their powers. Public administrators must behave ethically during the administration of public service and practice making value-based decisions while performing their duties. Public administrators that are responsible know when take the right action versus the wrong action. Poor ethical practices can be detrimental to an agencys success. Ethical decisions must be in compliance with the mission, vision, and values of the organization. Coopers framework provides a solid base for all aspects of public administration within the realm of decision making. Cooper stressed that public administrator must balance professional, personal, and organizational values. This framework enables public servants while they are performing their duties to make decisions neutrally and ethically. Their decisions must be according to the rules and regulations of the government and must not violate any political and governmental rules. The framework not only reiterates the importance of wise ethical practices, but it also demands that their actions remain ethical and practically neutral. Svara(2007) stated Public administrator has sufficient independence to be responsible for the action. In conclusion, the responsible public administrator is important for the integrity of democratic societies. Citizens of the country benefit when public administrators handle local and national social matters neutrally, ethically, and in accordance with the law. The democratic government is more likely to be successful if they have responsible public servants because they are the ones that are primarily in charge of implementation. Responsible administrators engage in ethical decision making practices that benefit the entire society, not just themselves. Responsible administrators are committed and dedicated to carrying out the overall public good.

Country Music in O Brother, Where Art Thou? Essay -- White Trash Broth

Country Music in O Brother, Where Art Thou? Abstract: This essay explores the way white trash identity is performed through country music. In particular, the focus is on the way the film O Brother, Where Art Thou? (Joel Coen, 2001) uses a soundtrack of 'old-timey' country music from the 1920s and 30s to aurally assist the film's white trash aesthetic. Various cultural critics (Barbara Ching) and music historians (Richard Peterson) have already documented the way country music is white trash music. Such histories are drawn upon to demonstrate the way country music is used to authenticate white trash as rural, impoverished, simple-minded and sweet. The authenticity of white trash often depends on an authentic performance of country music; one that is dependent on staging a particularly commodifiable white trash image or ' look' . Does this mean the supposed authenticity of white trash is all performance? By locating the white trashness of country music within a broader historical and cultural context, this essay demonstrates the way O Brother, Where Art Thou? depicts white trash as an identity that is only authentic through a performance of authenticity. This essay explores the way white trash is often depicted on screen through the use of early 20th century country music. Whether it be through white trash country music narratives or the use of country music on film soundtracks to signify white trashness, it is undeniable that white trash has a special affinity with country music. For this reason my analysis of O Brother, Where Art Thou? (Joel and Ethan Coen, 2001) will demonstrate the way early forms of U.S. country music emphasise the white trashness of the film' s characters. What exactly is white trash? U.S. cultura... ...Bring Coen Brothers Film Soundtrack to Stage' . Rolling Stone 21 April. 2000. http://www.rollingstone.com/news/newsarticle.asp?nid=10660 Peterson, Richard A. Creating Country Music: Fabricating Authenticity. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1997. Scott, A.O. ' O Brother, Where Art Thou?: Hail, Ulysses, Escaped Convict' The New York Times 22 Dec. 2000. Singer, Ben. ' Modernity, Hyperstimulus, and the Rise of Popular Sensationalism' . In Cinema and the Invention of Modern Life. Eds. L. Charney and U. Schwartz. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1995. 72-99. Williamson, J. W. Hillbillyland: What the Movies Did to the Mountains and What the Mountains Did to the Movies. Chapel Hill, N.C. and London: University of North Carolina, 1995. Wray, Matt, and Annalee Newitz. White Trash: Race and Class in America. London and New York: Routledge, 1997.

reciprocal inhibition :: essays research papers

RECIPROCAL INHIBITION eciprocal inhibition n : a method of behavior therapy based on the inhibition of one response by the occurrence of another response that is mutually incompatible with it; a relaxation response might be conditioned to a stimulus that previously evoked anxiety [syn: reciprocal-inhibition therapy] Reciprocal Inhibition à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The Lengthening Reaction: (previous subsection) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ What Happens When You Stretch: (beginning of section) When an agonist contracts, in order to cause the desired motion, it usually forces the antagonists to relax (see section Cooperating Muscle Groups). This phenomenon is called reciprocal inhibition because the antagonists are inhibited from contracting. This is sometimes called reciprocal innervation but that term is really a misnomer since it is the agonists which inhibit (relax) the antagonists. The antagonists do not actually innervate (cause the contraction of) the agonists. Such inhibition of the antagonistic muscles is not necessarily required. In fact, co-contraction can occur. When you perform a sit-up, one would normally assume that the stomach muscles inhibit the contraction of the muscles in the lumbar, or lower, region of the back. In this particular instance however, the back muscles (spinal erectors) also contract. This is one reason why sit-ups are good for strengthening the back as well as the stomach. When stretching, it is easier to stretch a muscle that is relaxed than to stretch a muscle that is contracting. By taking advantage of the situations when reciprocal inhibition does occur, you can get a more effective stretch by inducing the antagonists to relax during the stretch due to the contraction of the agonists. You also want to relax any muscles used as synergists by the muscle you are trying to stretch. For example, when you stretch your calf, you want to contract the shin muscles (the antagonists of the calf) by flexing your foot. However, the hamstrings use the calf as a synergist so you want to also relax the hamstrings by contracting the quadricep (i.e., keeping your leg straight). Reciprocal inhibition This describes muscles on one side of a joint relaxing to accommodate contraction on the other side of that joint. The body handles this pretty well during activities like running, where muscles that oppose each other are engaged and disengaged sequentially to produce coordinated movement. This facilitates ease of movement and is a safeguard against injury. Sometimes, for example, a football running back can experience a "misfiring" of motor units and end up simultaneously contracting the quads and hamstrings during a hard sprint.

Baby Boomers Essay -- essays papers

Baby Boomers During the Great Depression and World War II many Americans delayed marrying and having children because of the poor economy. The number of marriages and births soared after the war. Many older couples who had delayed having children began having them when the war ended. This increase in births among both younger and older American couples created the Baby Boom Generation. This large group of people born in the U.S. from 1946 to 1964 amounted to 76 million children. Those born during this time make up approximately 36% of today’s population (Deutsch). What impact has this had on the economy? Read on to see how the baby boom generation has affected the economy and what will happen as they retire. This generation has had a huge impact on the economy due to its sheer size. At first there was a crunch at hospital maternity wards. When the boomers reached school age, schools became overcrowded, forcing towns to build additions. By the time they were entering senior high the cities and towns were expanding. New office buildings, hotels, apartment complexes and stores were springing up everywhere. When they reached college age, American Higher Education had to expand. Large enrollments along with inflation pushed college costs higher. When they started families of their own and became homeowners it drove real estate prices up. As they passed through the life cycle, these shortages soon became surpluses. An example being the collapse of the real estate market in the late1980’s (Sullivan). We can expect a large demand for retirement housing, elder care and finally the funeral industry as the Boomers continue their life cycle. Marketers have followed the boom generation for decades, producing items that appealed to them as children, teens and young adults. With more money in their pockets than time on their hands, today’s baby boomers are dining out at an all time high. Now it is people over the age of 40 who have the resources to purchase big-ticket items. Today the engine that is driving our economy and our stock market is due to the lopsided demographics present right now. The coming of age of discretionary spending is allowing people to buy that SUV, boat, computer, etc that would have been put off in the past (Income). The economy is sensitive to the Boomer generation’s desire for a luxury lifestyle. As they look toward retiremen... ...grams for children, while a new state agency was created to represent the needs and concerns of older citizens.† (Sullivan). The baby boom generation has had a profound effect on the American economy at each stage of their life starting with the demand created for goods, then filling the labor market. Now we’ll have to wait and see if their retirement will cause the doom predicted by some or create the marketplace godsend predicted by others. Bibliography: Buchner, Gail. â€Å"Demographics is Not Destiny†. Journal of Financial Planning. Institute of Certified Financial Planners 1999. Deutsche, Alex. Topical Study #51. 10 Oct. 2001 www.yardenicom/topical.asp Generation Gap to Create Jobs Turnaround. Sydney Morning Herald 4. 10 Oct. 2001 http://www.ncpa.org/pd/economy/econ 10.html Jackson, Gerard. â€Å"Will the Baby Boomers Cure Unemployment?† TNA News with Commentary. 9 Apr 2001. Peterson, Peter G. â€Å"Gray Down: How the Coming of Age Wave Will Transform America and the World†. 1999: 189-90. Sullivan, Teresa A. â€Å"Baby Boom Generation†. Discovery Channel School. 2 Oct. 2001. http://www.discoveryschool.com/homework.help/worldbook/atozhistory/b/040930.html

My Father the Person I Admire the Most

My journey to truth There is a common fallacy in the world about the relationship between God and Satan. We have been taught that Satan opposes God out of hate. Satan doesn’t hate God. No where in the scriptures do you find this. The truth is that God and Satan are closer than we may imagine. Just like two enemies who are on opposing sides but yet they respect and know each other more than anyone else. God and Satan actually have very similar intentions for the universe but where they differ is where they oppose. Satan is an enlightened being who understands love and hate.Love is the frequency of consciousness that unites, heals and brings wholeness. Hate is the frequency of consciousness that separates, hurts and brings disintegration. Satan knows that love creates conditions of harmony, peace and happiness but hate creates conditions of chaos, death and suffering. An enlightened being knows that God is love. Satan loves God, but his original love has been twisted because his perspective was corrupted. God doesn’t hate Satan. God hates sin but he doesn’t hate the sinner. God loves his first creature that he created.Lucifer was the prime angel whose beauty was perfect and wisdom was so full. Although Lucifer turned against God later, God still loved him. God being a holy God has no choice but to cast Lucifer into the lake of fire, because God and sin cannot coexist. God would have made a way for Lucifer to be spared but he knew that Lucifer would never change his mind until the very end of time. Satan was God’s best friend. Christ and Lucifer were in perfect harmony in the beginning. They enjoyed the closest fellowship and communion with each other. They co-ruled heaven together.Lucifer was God’s second in command until the time came where he questioned God’s sovereignty over all beings. He felt that Christ and himself should be equal because all beings are God. He questioned the hierarchy of the Elohim and decided to c hange it because he thought the trinity were wrong in perception. Everything that Satan does is purely logical and nothing is irrational. He does not do anything out of hate, malice or fear. He may use such frequencies of consciousness to manipulate people to serve his higher purposes but everything he does is for a higher good that he believes in.Because all concepts and possibilities exist in the mind of God,  Lucifer drew from higher intelligence the possibility of changing the reality of heaven into one where sovereignty is open for all, and decided that he was called for it. This shows the infinite power of the mind. The truth is that higher intelligence did not call Lucifer to change the reality of heaven. The inspiration that he gotten from the universal consciousness was simply a reflection of his own thoughts. Therefore  it is he himself that inspired himself using the process of subconscious computation of logical possibilities.This is how the work of evil is seemingly divinely inspired. The divine reality was always perfect from the beginning, there was never a need for change. All the evil that Satan does against God’s people is done in a cold, calculated and systematic way. Everything he does is intentional and purposeful. He only uses negative emotions and intentions as a means to manipulate people. Satan is a master manipulator, just like God. The attack on Israel and Christianity is purely strategic in the game plan that he is playing towards God.Their relationship is like two chess masters playing against each other to see if ultimately whose plan will be victorious. When you have this perspective of Satan, you have peace and fearlessness towards him. He can’t use his weapons of fear, hatred and malice against you because you don’t even attract such things into your reality. In order to destroy thy enemy, you have to love thy enemy. Your enemy is destroyed when he is no longer your enemy because he has become your ally or his threat has been neutralized against you.Therefore he can no longer affect you in a negative way. You can engage him positively. Enlightened Christians deal with the enemy this way. That’s how you are able to trample on snakes, scorpions and nothing shall by any means harm you. Because they have no power over you but you have power over them. The gates of hell shall not prevail over you because you see demons and terror for what they are, angels in disguise. Therefore you do not fear the enemy for you know their true forms and what they are up to.You can fight against principalities and powers at their level and overcome them. God did not say that Satan hates him. It is Satan himself that said so in order to deceive Christians into misunderstanding him so that he can use it to his advantage. By mistaking that Satan hates God, we are unable to perceive his true intentions and the way he really is. What we see is only a partial perception of what he wants to show. Theref ore the work of good, unity and love that he does would be accepted by us thinking that it is totally God’s idea.We should acknowledge good but know who’s doing. Satan’s ultimate intention is peace and unity and to create a new reality of heaven that is better than before. God’s intention is also the same. The only difference lies in the perception between the two. Satan thought that the original reality is imperfect and therefore he sought to change it. God saw that Satan corrupted the original reality by trying to change it and therefore seeks to restore it to its former glory. But  the work of redemption through the blood of Christ results in it being more glorious than ever.

Informative Speech Outline- Sleep Apnea

Mikala Stevens Professor Tracie Kriska Public Speaking 6th March 2013 Working Outline Topic: Sleep Apnea General Purpose: to inform Specific Purpose: to inform the audience on Sleep Apnea Thesis: Sleep Apnea is becoming more of a dangerous disease that more people are starting to be diagnosed with. It is extremely important that Sleep Apnea is emphasized so that more people are aware of it. Introduction: â€Å"The National Sleep Foundation† says that a lot of people don’t know what sleep apnea is. Sleep Apnea is a dangerous disease that can lead to death while you’re sleeping. Body: I. There are two types of Sleep Apnea A. Central Sleep Apnea . Unlike OSA, the airway is not blocked, but the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe due to instability in the respiratory control center. B. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) 2. The more common of the two forms of apnea, it is caused by a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the back of the throat co llapses during sleep. Transition: Sleep Apnea can affect anyone, even children. II. â€Å"The National Sleep Foundation† says that anybody can be affected by this disease. A. Being male B. Being overweight C. Being over 40 D. Having a large neck size (17 inches in men or 16 inches or greater in women) E.Having large tonsils, a large tongue, or a small jaw bone F. Having a family history of sleep apnea G. GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux) H. Nasal obstruction due to a deviated septum, allergies, or sinus problems Transition: Wonder what causes Sleep Apnea? III. In â€Å"The National Institutes of Health† they say, Sleep Apnea is caused when you sleep because your muscles relax which narrows your throat. Normally, this narrowing doesn’t prevent air flowing into and out of your lungs. If you have sleep apnea, your airway can become partially or fully blocked because: A. Your throat muscles and tongue relax more than normal. B.Your tongue and tonsils (tissue masses in the back of your mouth) are large compared with the opening into you windpipe. C. The shape of your head and neck (bony structure) may cause a smaller airway size in the mouth and throat area. D. You’re overweight. The extra soft fat tissue can thicken the wall of the windpipe. This narrows the inside of the windpipe, which makes it harder to keep open. E. The aging process limits your brain signals’ ability to keep your throat muscles stiff during sleep. Thus, airway is more likely to narrow or collapse. Transition: â€Å"National Institute of Health† has Steps on how to treat Sleep Apnea.IV. â€Å"The National Institute of Health† suggests that Sleep Apnea should be treated with lifestyle changes, mouthpieces, breathing devices, and surgery. Goals of treating sleep apnea are to restore regular breathing during sleep and relieve symptoms such as loud snoring and daytime sleepiness. A. Lifestyle Changes 1. Avoid Alcohol and medicines that make you sleepy. 2. Losing weight if you’re overweight or obese. 3. Sleeping on your side instead of your back to help keep your throat open. 4. Keeping your nasal passages open at night with nasal sprays or allergy medicines, if needed. 5. If you smoke, quit.B. Mouthpieces 1. Oral Appliance C. Breathing Devices 1. Cpap Machine D. Surgery Conclusion: Learning that Sleep Apnea is a dangerous disease and more people are being diagnosed with it. I hope that learning more about this disease more people will be more aware of it. Works Cited National Institute of Health http://www. nhlbi. nih. gov/health/health-topics/topics/sleepapnea/ The National Sleep Foundation. National Institutes of Health. Reviewed by Louis R. Chanin, MD on July 30, 2012  © 2012 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved. http://www. webmd. com/sleep-disorders/sleep-apnea/sleep-apnea