Thursday, November 28, 2019

Homosexuality Essay Example

Homosexuality Essay Many believe that higher Education leads to an increase in tolerance towards individual who are different. There are some empirical findings to support this premise; however the impact of higher education on acceptance of homosexuality has not been adequately explored. Gays and Lesbian in society face many negative attitudes. Homosexual expression in native Africa was also present and took a variety of forms. Anthropologists Stephen Murray and Will Roscoe reported that women in Lesotho engaged in socially sanctioned long term, erotic relationships called motsoalle. The first record of possible homosexual couple in history is commonly regarded as Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum, an Egyptian male couple, who lived around 2400 BCE. The pair are portrayed in a nose-kissing position, the most intimate pose in Egyptian art, surrounded by what appear to be their heirs. In Homosexual and transgender individuals were also common among other pre-conquest civilizations in Latin America, such as the Aztecs, Mayans, Quechuas, Moches, Zapotecs, and the Tupinamba of Brazil In East Asia, same-sex love has been referred to since the earliest recorded history. Homosexuality in China, known as the passions of the cut peach and various other euphemisms has been recorded since approximately 600 BCE. Homosexuality was mentioned in many famous works of Chinese literature. Homosexuality in Japan, variously known as shudo or nanshoku has been documented for over one thousand years and was an integral part of Buddhist monastic life and the samurai tradition. This same-sex love culture gave rise to strong traditions of painting and literature documenting and celebrating such relationships. We will write a custom essay sample on Homosexuality specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Homosexuality specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Homosexuality specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Similarly, in Thailand, Kathoey, or ladyboys, have been a feature of Thai society for many centuries, and Thai kings had male as well as female lovers. While Kathoey may encompass simple effeminacy or transvestism, it most commonly is treated in Thai culture as a third gender. They are generally accepted by society, and Thailand has never had legal prohibitions against homosexuality or homosexual behavior. South Asia, The Laws of Manu, the foundational work of Hindu law, mentions a third sex, members of which may engage in nontraditional gender expression and homosexual activities. Europe, In regard of male homosexuality such documents depict a world in which relationships with women and relationships with youths were the essential foundation of a normal mans love life. Same-sex relationships were a social institution variously constructed over time and from one city to another. Middle East, among some Middle Eastern Muslim cultures, egalitarian or age-structured homosexual practices were widespread and thinly veiled. The prevailing pattern of same-sex relationships in the temperate and sub-tropical zone stretching from Northern India to the Western Sahara is one in which the relationships were—and are—either gender-structured or age-structured or both. In recent years, egalitarian relationships modeled on the western pattern have become more frequent, though they remain rare. Same-sex intercourse officially carries the death penalty in several Muslim nations: Saudi Arabia, Iran, Mauritania, northern Nigeria, Sudan, and Yemen. Today, governments in the Middle East often ignore, deny the existence of, or criminalize homosexuality. Homosexuality is illegal in almost all Muslim countries. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, during his 2007 speech at Columbia University, asserted that there were no gay people in Iran. However, the probable reason is that they keep their sexuality a secret for fear of government sanction or rejection by their families. Israel is considered the most tolerant country in the Middle East and Asia to homosexuals, while the Israeli city Tel Aviv has been named the gay capital of the Middle East, and is considered one of the most gay friendly cities in the world. The annual Pride Parade in support of homosexuality takes place in Tel Aviv. In many societies of Melanesia, especially in Papua New Guinea, same-sex relationships were an integral part of the culture until the middle of the last century. Tel Aviv, The gay capital of the Middle East, Tel Aviv is one of the most popular destinations for LGBT tourists internationally, with a large LGBT community. American journalist David Kaufman has described the city as a place â€Å"packed with the kind of ‘were here, were queer’ vibe more typically found in Sydney and San Francisco. The city hosts its well-known pride parade, the biggest in Asia, attracting over 100,000 people yearly. In January 2008, Tel Avivs municipality established the citys LGBT Community Center, providing all of the municipal and cultural services to the LGBT community under one roof. In December 2008, Tel Aviv began putting together a team of gay athletes for the 2009 World Out games in Copenhagen. In addition, Tel Aviv hosts an annual LGBT Film Festival. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender ( LGBT ) people in the Philippines have a dinstinctive culture but limited egal rights. Gays and lesbians are generally tolerated, if not accepted within Filipino society, but there is still widespread discrimination. The most visible member of the Filipino LGBT culture, the BAKLA, are a distinct group in the Philippines. According to the 2002 YOUNG ADULT FERTILITY and SEXUALITY SURVEY, 11% of sexuality active Filipinos between the ages of 15 and 24 have had sex with someone of the same sex. In the Philippines, the term gay is used in reference to any LGBT person. For Filipino gays, the tagalog phrase, pagladlad ng kapa ( â€Å" unfurling the cape† ) or more commonly just paglaladlad ( â€Å"unfurling or unveiling† ) refers to the coming-out process, tibo, t-bird and tomboy are degoratory terms for butch lesbians just as bakla is for effeminategay men. Some lesbians, both butch and femme, use the terms magic or shunggril to refer to themselves. Neutral s;ang terms for gay men include billy boy, badette, bading and paminta ( straight – action gay man). Although legislation supporting same-sex marriage in the Philippines has been proposed several times to the Philippine legislature, none has ever been passed.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Definition and Examples of Hypocoristic Names

Definition and Examples of Hypocoristic Names A hypocorism is a  pet name, nickname,  or term of endearment - often a shortened form of a word or name. Adjective: hypocoristic. It derives from the Greek word meaning to use child-talk. Robert Kennedy notes that many hypocorisms are ​monosyllabic or disyllabic, with the second syllable bearing no stress (The Oxford Handbook of the Word, 2015). Examples and Observations Mikey, Mikey, come on. Our parents are worried. Its dinnertime. Why dont we go home?(Chunk to his friend Michael Mikey Walsh in The Goonies, 1985)Oh, Slothy. I may have been bad. I may have kept you chained up in that room, but it was for your own good.(Mama Fratelli to her son Lotney Sloth Fratelli in The Goonies, 1985)If you call your granddaughter Toots, you are being hypocoristic.(Roy Blount, Jr., Alphabet Juice. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2008)Now, children, I want you to tell me your names again, and I want you to speak just as distinctly as Mary Chapman did. And I want you to speak your real names. You must not say your baby-names, such as Jimmie, for James; Lizzie, for Elizabeth; Johnny, for John. The first row, stand!(Teacher in The National Music Teacher by Luther Whiting Mason, 1894)Born a slave on March 15, 1843, on the Gray plantation in Noxubee County, Mississippi, the infant was given a slave name, Richard Gray. Around the plantation, though, the overseers called him D ick, short for Richard.(Juan Williams and Quinton Dixie, This Far by Faith: Stories from the African American Religious Experience. William Morrow, 2003) Kitsy, she encourages, like shes trying to teach a parakeet to ask for a cracker. Its short for Katherine Isabelle. My grandmother is Itsy, short for Isabelle, my mother is Bitsy, short for Elizabeth Isabelle, and my daughter is Mitsy, short for Madeleine Isabelle. Isnt that just adorable?(Wade Rouse, Confessions of a Prep School Mommy Handler: A Memoir. Harmony Books, 2007) Hypocoristic Forms of First Names in the Modern English Period Most first names of any currency had recognized hypocoristic forms. Some names attracted only one or two main forms; others had several; and there was scope for a fair degree of free inventiveness. In the first category, and all dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, were: Di (Diana); Frank and Fanny (Frances); Jim (James); Joe (Joseph); Nell (Helen); and Tony (Anthony). Other names attracted a larger number of hypocoristic forms, mainly because they were commoner names . . .. Examples are Aggie, Nessa, Nesta (Scots) and Nest (Welsh) for Agnes; Doll, Dora, Dodee, Dot and Dolly (modern) for Dorothy or Dorothea; Mey, Peg, Maggie (Scots), Margery, Maisie, May and Madge for Margaret; and above all the many names deriving from Elizabeth. These include Bess, Bessie, Beth, Betsy, Eliza, Elsie, Lisa (modern), Lizbeth, Lizbie, Tetty, and Tissy. It will be noted that all of these are girls names, and they seem to have been far more prone to hypocoristic formations in the post-medieval period than boys names. Some hypocoristic forms became independent names, like Elsie, Fanny and Margery. (Stephen Wilson, The Means of Naming: A Social and Cultural History of Personal Naming in Western Europe. UCL Press, 1998) Hypocoristics in Australian English The use of hypocoristics for common nouns and proper nouns is a notable feature of the speech of many Australians. Occasionally there are pairs. Sometimes one form, usually an /i/ form, is seen as babytalk: [Roswitha] Dabke (1976) notes goody/goodoh, kiddy/kiddo, and compare jarmies-PJs/pyjamas, and kanga (babytalk)-roo/kangaroo. However, sometimes different hypocoristics have different denotations, with the /o/ form more likely to denote a person: herp reptile, herpo herpetologist; chockie chocolate, chocko chocolate soldier (Army reserve); sickie sick leave, sicko psychologically sick person; plazzo plastic nappy, plakky plastic (adjective). But often there are no clear differences: milky-milko/milkman, commy-commo/communist, weirdy-weirdo/weird person, garbie-garbo/garbage collector, kindie-kinder/kindergarten; bottlie-bottlo/bottle merchant, sammie-sandie-sangie-sanger-sambo/sandwich, preggie-preggo-preggers/pregnant, Proddo-Proddy/Protestant, pro-prozzo-prostie-prozzie/prostitute. Speakers who use more than one hypocoristic may assign to them the meanings proposed by [Anna] Wierzbicka. But if a speaker uses only one of the possible hypocoristics, for them the hypocoristic may have a general meaning of informality, and not the proposed fine-grained differences. This remains to be explored. (Jane Simpson, Hypocoristics in Australian English. A Handbook of Varieties of English: A Multimedia Reference Tool, ed. by Bernd Kortmann et al. Mouton de Gruyter, 2004)

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Writing assignment Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Writing assignment - Coursework Example He asserts that Lincoln would have made the reconstruction process a success in a easier and peaceful manner. Answer: The frontier settlement in the early periods in America can be associated to be inclined towards capitalism other than racial, ethnic, and religious segregation. People saw the frontier zones as long lasting opportunities for economic development and so moved into these regions. Answer: The western zones were regarded as regions dominated by the pioneers whose quest was that for limitless opportunities for development. However it was riddled with inequalities as the movements were races and specific for instance, both the French, the Dutch, the English and other migrants moved and settled in different parts and not together. Answer: Custer’s stand was based on the great Sioux war of the 1970s. This led to the destruction of the Chyenne camps by the US troops other than killing thousands of the Indians. His statements led to the ending of this war in a more peaceful way. Answer: The commission for the Indian affairs recommended severalty in order to end the war that was becoming too much on their side. As many of the Indians were getting killed a sense of fear gripped the Indians and as a result they recommended severalty as the last resort. Answer: Turner’s thesis of the frontiers is a description of the gold rush among the capitalist pioneers who raced to the frontier zones for material gain. Turner says in his thesis that the frontier zones attracted more settlements with its varied and seemingly limitless opportunities for development. Answer: It is actually true that the frontier movements led to the onset of capitalism system that is in operation in America today. As the pioneers moved to the frontiers with a view of investing in the resource rich zones led by the capitalist’s view

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Behaviorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Behaviorism - Essay Example What do you think is happening in the poem, based only on reading it one time?† This will get students focused on beginning class, and will give them the opportunity to conduct an initial reading of the poem. They will have the opportunity to consider what they think the poem means based on their own prior knowledge, but without contextual information. Once context is provided later in the lesson, students will be able to compare their original thoughts on the poem with their more informed analysis. (5 minutes) 3. Presentation of New Information or Modeling: The teacher provides a brief introduction about the author, Gwendolyn Brooks including biographical information and background on the society in which the poet wrote. The teacher introduces this information by navigating through various parts of (and having students read aloud) the Norton Anthology of Poetry website as a whole class, using the projector screen (http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/nap/we_real_cool_brooks .htm). The purpose of this introduction is to provide students with a context for the poem, and a basic awareness of the differences between today’s society and the time during which the poem was written. Providing information on the author exposes students to a famous author who is a minority, and knowing more about the poet gives students further context for analyzing the poem. The teacher then goes over the poem with the students, and has them share their original thoughts on the poem prior to discussing how their ideas have changed in groups. The teacher asks students to focus on what the pool players are doing in the poem, and what becomes of them during... Principles of behaviorism should be part of every elementary classroom (Monchinski, 2008). Although not all activities or ideas are behaviorist in nature, it will help to incorporate behaviorism in some parts of the lesson. The reason behind this is that students in grade school are not yet mature and they need guidance in order to learn proper behavior and skills. Activating prior knowledge, providing models for activities, and giving rewards are some ways to incorporate behaviorism in the given lesson. Incorporating behaviorism into the lesson plan serves the teacher in three ways. First, by activating prior knowledge, the teacher will have the chance to check students’ understanding of the previous lesson. Likewise, by doing such, the students will feel the need to review past lessons, thus reinforcing good study habits among students. They will be inclined to think that past lessons should not be taken for granted; thus taking down notes, reviewing them, and even memorizi ng will help them get a better grade. Moreover, activating prior knowledge will make students see the link between the previous and the current lesson (Monchinski, 2008). Using principles of behaviorism, the teacher also provides model for learning a new skill. In the given lesson, students will be taught directly how to work on the thesis statement and subsections of the speech. This effort could guide students to perform the task appropriately and produce the expected output. Also, telling students what to do or what is expected to happen prior to performing the activity could lead them to write the best speech. The key is to condition learners to act as expected.

Monday, November 18, 2019

British economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

British economy - Essay Example In the entire EU the industries that are marketing or technology-driven had grown at the quickest rate. The media, printing, publishing and the sports commodities industries also made a considerable growth. Since 1995, the UK’s electrical, chemical as well as the optical sector (and also going tandem was the IT and communications sector) had a faster growth rate surpassing that of the whole economy. It’s believed that the shipbuilding, steel, clothing and textile industries were slowly moving to the poor nations due to the stiff competition by the aforementioned growing industries. As a result the capacity of manufacturing and the labour force dedicated to the manufacturing sector experienced a fall. ( Winford, et al 2005 pp 90-91) A while ago UK was called the ‘workshop of the world’. In UK is the origin of the industrial revolution as per the belief of many. The sector of manufacturing held the highest number of workers in the labour force of UK and the output used to be very high. However, the manufacturing sector of UK started to experience several over takings; first by the nation of Germany and later on by the US. This has gone on relentlessly and China as well as Japan have followed suit. Factually, the employment in the manufacturing sector of UK did not start in the last three decades, but since the 1950s. Towards the late 1970s the labour force proportion working in the UK manufacturing sector was about 7 million but in 2005 the number of employees was at 3.5 million. As an activity, manufacturing has been said to decline and it’s a verdict by many commentators. Most of the decrease has been linked to the fall in the workforce. Particularly, the fall in this sector in the context of UK has been witnessed from the 1850s due to the rise in the rate of industrialization of other nations. Also the

Friday, November 15, 2019

The Human Growth And Development Assignment

The Human Growth And Development Assignment The aim of this essay is to use knowledge of human growth and development to critically discuss the theories a social worker might employ to assess a family and better understand their behaviour. A family profile will be provided and two family members selected for further discussion and the application of appropriate theories. These theories will be critiqued in terms of how they might assist social workers in making informed assessments, as well as where the theories are limited in their application. Family Profile The family within this case study comprises five members, all of whom live together in Elsies home. Table 1 presents the name, age, family position, and nationality of each family member. Sylvie and Greg met when they were 19-years of age. They had been together for 5-years when their daughter Molly was born. They split up when Molly was 1-years old, but got back together 6-years later when Molly was 7-years of age. Greg said that they split up because he was unable to handle Sylvies total lack of trust in him. This caused huge arguments between them, with Sylvie constantly questioning where he was and his commitment to his family. Sylvie said that she was devastated when Greg left, but knew that it was going to happen. During their time apart Sylvie turned to alcohol and drugs, but sought counselling and support for this and the issues in her past. As a result, she has been drug and alcohol free for over 4-years. Greg always maintained a good relationship with Molly during the 6-year separation and she lived with him and her paternal Grandparents at different points when Sylvie was not coping. Molly said that she was happy that her parents got back together. Mason was planned and both Sylvie and Greg felt they had resolved historic issues and were committed as a family unit to having another child. Mason was born with Global Developmental Delay, which is a condition that occurs between birth to 18-years of age and is usually characterised by lower intellectual functioning and significant limitations in communication and other developmental skills. Sylvie blames herself for Masons condition, believing that it must somehow be linked to her wild years of drinking and drug binges. Despite being reassured to the contrary by medical professionals and a social worker, she remains low in mood and feels that she has let everyone down. Sylvie has found bonding with Mason difficult and she feels frustrated by him not meeting his developmental milestones. Mason is in nappies, he is not yet talking, he is very unsteady on his feet and he lacks co-ordination. As a result, he still requires feeding at mealtimes and has not begun to develop independent skills. Sylvie has said that she feels like sending him somewhere. Greg, on the other hand, feels very attached and protective towards Mason and Sylvie feels that he lets him get away with anything. Conflict has developed between Sylvie and Greg, resulting in Greg staying at work longer and meeting up with his friends more in an effort to avoid the arguments and tension at home. Elsie, mother to Greg, owns the large family home in which they all live. Sylvie and Greg decided that they would move in with her shortly after they got back together, as Gregs father died very unexpectedly. The plan was that they would all support one another financially, practically and emotionally. Elsie is very involved with the children as both parents work. However, recently Elsie has been forgetting things, such as collecting Mason from the specialist childminder and this has caused tension between the adults. There have been some difficulties with Molly at school. Sylvie was called in to Mollys school last week as a result of Molly using racist language towards another student. The school state that Molly is very close to being excluded, as a result of her angry and disruptive behaviour. Sylvie broke down upon hearing this and explained about her low mood, feelings of despair and worries about Gregs mum. Sylvie cannot understand the change in Mollys behaviour and said that she and Greg need help. Applying Human Growth and Development to Social Work As part of this essay, there will be a focus on two members of this family: Molly and Elsie. The two theories of human growth and development to be applied to Molly are Attachment Theory and Life Course Theory. The two theories of human growth and development to be applied to Elsie are Ecological Theory and Disengagement Theory. Anti-oppressive practice will underlie the critique and has been defined as a form of social work practice which addresses social divisions and structural inequalities in the work that is done with clients (users) and workers (Dominelli, 1993, p. 24). Anti-oppressive practice is a person-centred approach synonymous with Carl Rogers (1980) philosophy of person-centred practice. It is designed to empower individuals by reducing the negative effects of hierarchy, with the emphasis being on a holistic approach to assessment. Practising in an anti-oppressive way requires valuing differences lifestyles and personal identities. This goes against common sense socialisation which portrays differences as inferior or pathological and which excludes individuals from the social world and denies them their rights. MOLLY Attachment Theory Attachment Theory is a psychological theory based on the premise that young children require an attachment relationship with at least one consistent caregiver within their lives for normal social and emotional development (Bowlby, 1958). Attachment is an emotional bond between an individual and an attachment figure, usually the person who cares for them. Psychologically, attachment provides a child with security. Biologically, it provides a child with survival. Ainsworth et al. (1978) formulated four types of attachment that provide a tool for social workers to assess and understand childrens emotional experiences and psychosocial functioning: secure; insecure, ambivalent; insecure, avoiding; and disorganised. Molly appears demonstrates insecure, ambivalent attachments, where parental care is inconsistent and unpredictable. This type of attachment is characterised by parents who fail to empathise with their childrens moods, needs and feelings. Indeed, Sylvie cannot understand the change in Mollys behaviour, indicating an inability to empathise with Molly. Children with insecure and ambivalent attachments often become increasingly confused and frustrated. They can become demanding, attention seeking, angry and needful, creating trouble in order to keep other people involved and interested. Feelings are acted out, as Molly has been doing at school. This is because insensitive and inconsistent care is interpreted by the child to mean that they are unworthy of love and unlovable. Such painful feelings undermine self-esteem and self-confidence and an understanding of this can ensure that social workers resist stereotypes of the moody, anti-social teenager, and instead explore the underlying reasons for changes in mood. For Molly, the development of an attachment figure was likely to have been compromised during her early developmental years. In particular, when Molly was between the ages of 1 and 7-years old, her mother was addicted to drugs and alcohol and thus was emotionally and physically unavailable. Despite living with her father and paternal grandparents for a period of time, the overall insecurity within her family unit is likely to have impacted her ability to attach to others. If Molly did develop an attachment figure it is most likely to have been with her father or maternal grandparents, who were not unavailable due to drug or alcohol abuse during this vital developmental phase of Mollys childhood. Taking this into consideration, there are a number of significant changes that have occurred in Mollys life and that involve potential attachment figures who have provided Molly with much-needed security and safety. For example, Mollys father, whom Molly has remained close to throughout drama within the family, is no longer at home as much in an effort to avoid arguments with Sylvie. When he is at home, the tension is likely to impact the duration and quality of time spent with Molly. Indeed, marital conflict has been found to influence adolescents attachment security by reducing the responsiveness and effectiveness of parenting (Markiewicz, Doyle, and Brendgen, 2001). Strained marital relationships can also lead to increased marginalisation of the father who can become distanced from their children, as has been the case within this family (Markiewicz, Doyle, and Brendgen, 2001). In addition, Molly has recently lost her grandfather, which her grandmother is also trying to come to terms with. Not only has Molly lost her grandfather, but her grandmothers behaviour is likely to have changed as she comes to terms with her own loss. All of the key attachment figures in Mollys life are either emotionally or physically unavailable at present. It is important to consider this within the context of Mollys current developmental stage, which is that of adolescence. Attachments to peers tend to emerge in adolescence, but the role of parents remains vital in teenagers successfully achieving attachments outside of the home. It is a time when parents are required to be available if needed, while the teenager makes their first independent steps into the outside world (Allen and Land, 1999). Mollys recent problems at school could be the result of this lack of availability from adults in her life. She might also be anxious about losing her father again, creating anticipation and fear about separation from an attachment figures. The anger she expresses at school could be transference of the anger and fear created by her unstable circumstances at home. The fact that she has become racially abusive might suggest that her anger lies with her mother, who is of dual nationality. The main critique of Attachment Theory has been in the guise of the nature versus nurture debate, the former being genetic factors and the latter being the way a child is parented. Harris (1998) argues that parents do not shape their childs personality or character, but that a childs peers have more influence on them than their parents. She cites that children are more influenced by their peers because they are eager to fit in. This argument is supported by twin studies showing that identical twins reared apart often develop the same hobbies, habits, and character traits; the same has been found with fraternal twins reared together (Loehlin et al., 1985; Tellegen et al., 1988; Jang et al., 1998). It is likely that nurture plays a greater role in the younger years, when parents and caregivers are the childs primary point of contact. On the other hand, when a child enters adolescents and engages with society more, nature might take over. Another limitation in Attachment Theory is the fact that model attachment is based on behaviours that occur during stressful separations rather than during non-stressful situations. Field (1996) astutely argues that a broader understanding of attachment requires observation of how the caregiver and child interact during natural, non-stressful situations. It is agreed that behaviours directed towards the attachment figure during separation and reunion cannot be the only factors used to define attachment. Despite these limitations, the theory does provide valuable information regarding relationship dynamics and bonds, which social workers can use to better understanding the individual being assessed. It is, however, important to remember that what is seen as healthy attachment will vary culturally. Consideration of this is crucial to anti-oppressive practice. Life Course Theory Life Course Theory has been defined as a sequence of socially defined events and roles that the individual enacts over time (Giele and Elder, 1998, p. 22). Within this theory, the family is perceived as a micro social group within a macro social context (Bengston and Allen, 1993). According to Eriksons 8 stages of human development, Molly is in stage five, which is characterised by a conflict between identity versus role confusion. Being of dual heritage might cause issues within this stage and within Mollys search for identity. Evidence within the literature has shown that adolescents of dual heritage report more ethnic exploration, discrimination, and behavioural problems than those of single heritage (Ward, 2005). Indeed, this could explain why Molly is being racially abusive, in an effort to determine her own thoughts and feelings on ethnicity and the confusion it can cause. The racial abuse directed at other children might even be representative of her own anger at being of dual heritage. Adolescence is difficult to define, but it is traditionally assumed to be between 12-18 years of age and characterised by puberty (i.e. the transformation from a child to a young person). During this time, hormones strongly influence mood swings and extremes of emotion, which might explain Mollys difficulty controlling her anger at school. Adolescence is also when an individual starts to develop socially, increasing their independence and becoming more influenced by peers. During this time, according to Piagets (1964) theory of cognitive development, an individual enters the formal operational stage and starts to understand abstract concepts, develop moral philosophies, establish and maintain satisfying personal relationships, and gain a greater sense of personal identity and purpose (Santrock, 2008). Risks to social and cognitive development include poor parental supervision and discipline, as well as family conflict (Beinart et al., 2002), showing this to be an important time to in tervene with Molly. It is these biological and social changes during adolescents that can create the stereotype of the moody, anti-social teenager. It is important that social workers do not allow negative stereotypes to influence their expectations of Molly. Instead, they need to take a holistic approach and examine where she is on the life course as well as what the character and quality of Mollys behaviours and relationships tell them about her internal working model, defensive inclinations, emotional states and personality. This ant-oppressive approach will also allow social workers to identify links between past and present relationship experiences. ELSIE Ecological Theory Bronfenbrenners (1977) Ecological Model of human development posits that in order to understand human development, an individuals ecological system needs to be taken into consideration. According to the theory, an individuals ecological system comprises five social subsystems: Micro-system comprising activities and social roles within the immediate environment. Mesosystem processes taking place between two or more different social settings. Exosystem processes taking place between two or more different social systems, at least one of which does not involve the individual but indirectly affects them. Macrosystem includes ideology, attitudes, customs, traditions, values and culture. Chronosystem change or consistency over time in individual characteristics and environmental characteristics. Ecological Theory is, overall, a model of how the social environment affects the individual, with these five systems interacting and thus influencing human growth and development. Elsies ecological system has been continually changing for many years. At one point she was living with her husband, son, and her granddaughter. This was followed by living alone with her husband. On losing her husband, Elsies son moved in with his wife and two children, one of whom has a disability. There has been very little environmental stability within Elsies life, at least over the last 7-years or more. It is perhaps understandable that her health has started to deteriorate. She has recently lost her husband, experienced continually fluctuating environmental conditions, and is now living in a tense atmosphere due to issues within her sons marriage. It is also important to note that, childrens behaviour and personality can also affect the behaviour of adults; Elsies behaviour might be negatively affected by her granddaughters struggle through adolescence and her grandsons disability. Taking into consideration Elsies ecological system highlights the importance of not making assum ptions that Elsies increased forgetting is a sign of dementia; her symptoms may be the result of stress within her ecological system. Despite the relevance of this theory to understanding Elsies situation, the critique does highlight limitations in its operationalisation (Wakefield, 1996). In particular, since past experiences and future anticipations can impact an individuals current well-being, lack of inclusion of this element of human growth and development within the Ecological Model is a serious limitation. In addition, the emphasis of the model is on adaptation and thus it has been argued that the theory can be abused and used to encourage individuals to accept oppressive circumstances (Coady and Lehman, 2008). Social workers using this theory in their assessments ideally need to be aware that oppression and injustice are part of the environment that needs to be considered in an ecological analysis. With this consideration, the theory offers social workers a way of thinking about and assessing the relatedness of individuals and their environments; the person is assessed holistically and within the context of their social circumstances. Disengagement Theory Disengagement has been described by Cumming and Henry (1961) as an inevitable mutual withdrawal . . . resulting in decreased interaction between the ageing person and others in the social systems he belongs to (p. 227). Within their theory, they argue that older people do not contribute to society with the same efficiency as the younger population and thus become a societal burden. In order to function, therefore, society requires a process for disengaging older people. By internalising the norms of society, older people become socialised and take disengage from society due to a sense of obligation. The theory further purports that the extent to which an individual disengages determines how well they adjust to older age. In other words, continued withdrawal from society in later life has been deemed the hallmark of successful and happy ageing. Applying this theory to Elsies situation, it could be that the problems surrounding her forgetfulness in collecting her grandson from school is a step towards social disengagement. Furthermore, it could be theorised that this disengagement was prompted by her husband taking the most extreme form of disengagement, which is death. There has, however, been much critique of this theory, including the fact that many older people do not conform to this image and remain actively involved in life and in society. Hochschild (1976) has criticised the theory with what has been termed the omnibus variable. Hochschild points out that while an older person might experience disengagement from certain social activities, such as retiring from work, they are likely to replace this with something else that is socially engaging such as being more involved in the community or becoming more family-oriented. Indeed, Hochschilds biggest challenge to Disengagement Theory was the presentation of evidence from Cumming and Henrys own data showing that many older people do not withdraw from society. Disengagement Theory creates a picture of older people as lacking freedom to act on their own, thus ignoring individual ageing experiences and describing the ageing process in a purely social context (Gouldner, 1970). Indeed, Estes et al. (1982) argues that disengagement is often forced upon older people, which supports the notion that old age is just as much a social construction as it is a biological process. Older people are, in many ways, socialised into acting old. Thus, older age is strongly related to Labelling Theory (Rosenthal and Jacobson, 1968). For example, making assumptions about old age and having low expectations of older people can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. This again raises the importance of not assuming that Elsies forgetting is a sign of dementia; despite being seen as a natural consequence of ageing, only a minority of people develop dementia (Stuart-Hamilton, 2006). In many ways, Disengagement Theory serves to legitimise the marginalisation of older people and is, it could be argued, ageist and discriminative. Ageism is the application of negative stereotypes and includes actions such as categorising older people separately from adults. This has created immense debate within social work practice, with it being believed by some that distinguishing older people from adults is oppressive and can exacerbate social isolation. Tackling social isolation is being encouraged in efforts to prevent deteriorating health in older age, suggesting that disengagement is far from the ideology purported by Cummings and Henry (DH, 2010). The introduction of the Equality Act 2010, which replaces the existing duties on the public sector to promote race, disability and gender equality, now comprises a single duty to promote equality across eight protected characteristics, one of which is age. The Act also includes provisions allowing the government to make age discri mination in service planning and delivery unlawful. This is likely to be implemented in 2012 and thus it is crucial that social workers make anti-oppressive practice in the form of tackling ageism a priority. There needs to be a move away from viewing older people as an homogenous group characterised by passivity, failing health, and dependency, as highlighted within Activity Theory. Activity Theory (Leontev, 1978) is a direct challenge to Disengagement Theory in that it suggests that life satisfaction is related to social interaction and level of activity. Nevertheless, as with all theories discussed within this essay, Disengagement Theory can be applied to understanding Elsies situation without being oppressive and without taking the extreme position that originally inspired the theory. More modern approaches to human growth and development clearly show the benefits of social engagement versus disengagement; however, disengagement remains a key factor to consider due to ageist attitudes and the socialisation of old age. Conclusion This essay has utilised theory and knowledge of human growth and development to demonstrate how social workers can make an informed assessment of a complex family situation. The strengths and limitations of these theories have been discussed, drawing in particular on their application within anti-oppressive practice. All theories offer a better understanding of human growth and development, with some requiring specific adaptation to encompass the core values of social work practice. Such adaptation is not necessarily a disadvantage if the key strengths of each theory are utilised alongside the knowledge and expertise of the social worker.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

General Applications of Hypnosis :: Psychology, Hypnosis

Few topics in psychology attract people in the extent that it does hypnosis. The reasons for this interest are multiple. Hypnosis fascinates by his unusual and we do not know if what attracts us is the interest in deciphering the mystery. (D. David after Gheorghidiu, 2000) Anton Mesmer was he who first who induced the state of hypnosis. He used to use a magnet that moves along the patient's body to improve blood circulation. Forgeting his magnet and once at home, Anton Mesmer was forced to resort to another object, a piece of wood, and found that patients responded well. But Mesmer did not realize at the time that the object used was important, but suggestions which induces the patient. (Ovidiu Lungu, 2004) Mielu Zlate (2007) considered hypnosis as an "altered state of consciousness located between wakefulness and sleep, but closer to waking than to sleep." Subject keeps contact with the environment during the hypnotic trance helped by the hypnotist, and cognitive changes occur at the perception, memory, thoughts, feelings, imagination, etc.. This underlines the increased activism of the brain. According to the American Psychological Association, hypnosis is a procedure whereby the subject is suggested imaginative experiences to change his subjective experience, to change his perceptions, sensations, thoughts or behavior, (Peter J. Hawkins after APA, 2009). Hypnotic trance has as main features the reduce of planning function (hypnotized subject loses the initiative and will expect the hypnotist to suggest what to do), attention becomes more selective than usual the subject which is told to obey only the voice of the hypnotist will ignore any another voice in the room) imaginative production is easily evoked (subject may find that the lives distance experiences in time and space), control and increased tolerance for low reality distortion (subject might unconditionally accept hallucinatory experiences), increased suggestibility (subject must accept the suggestions), post-hypnotic amnesia (if the subject gets instructions for this, the deeply impressed subject will forget all or almost all) (Rita L. Atkinson, 2002) Hypnotherapy applications are endless, from the surgical anesthesia which can be used at birth without pain, treatment of specific problems such as anxiety, phobias (elevator, dentist), smoking cessation, sexual dysfunction. However, failures can come from the subject's attitude against hypnotherapy and hypnosis. A negative attitude may hinder treatment. Subjects can not be controlled during their trance unwittingly. (I. Holdevici, 1991) Hypnotherapy for depressive persons contains a model proposed by Yapko in

Monday, November 11, 2019

How to Avoid a Nervous Breakdown During Exams

Journal of Chemical Engineering, IEB Vol. ChE. 26, No. 1, December 2011 Renewable Energy: The Key to Achieving Sustainable Development of Rural Bangladesh M. S. Islam, A. M. H. R. Khan, S. Nasreen, F. Rabbi & M. R. Islam Grameen Shakti Grameen Bank Bhaban (19th floor), Mirpur 2, Dhaka 1216, Bangladesh Abstract Renewable energy technologies (RETs) can help reduce poverty, energy shortage and environmental degradation such as desertification, biodiversity depletion and climate change effects in Bangladesh. The country is short of gas and electricity supply.Over-exploitation of biomass in meeting energy needs of the rural people has caused environmental degradation. RET can help solve those problems if it is widely used in the rural Bangladesh where people primarily depend on biomass energy. Bangladesh has enough renewable to mi tigate such energy crisis and its adverse consequences. Bangladesh being an underdeveloped country, global initiative would be helpful in transferring RETs for the village households. This paper describes the glimpses of RETs in Bangladesh in terms of its policy issues, implementation, dissemination, marketing, and research and development activities.Modern RETs are still in the research, development and demonstration phase in the country. Like most of the developing countries, there is a niche market for new RETs and several private sector entrepreneurs and NGOs have tried to explore this market. Keywords renewable energy technology; solar home system; rural development; environmental; electricity; biogas; improved cooking stove; clean energy; energy efficiency. Introduction Bangladesh has major problems with energy crisis, persisting poverty and environmental degradation. With only 49% of Bangladeshis having access to electricity, the per capita energy use is only 180 kWh.Moreover, the people who are connected with the national grid are experiencing frequent load shedding. At present, the country can generate about 4500 MW electricity, w hile peak demand is about 6000 MW (USAID, 2011). Therefore, the supply is unreliable. Most of the supply is limited to urban areas; access to electricity in rural areas is less than 10%. RET can solve this problem by renewable such as sunshine, wind, tidal waves, waterfalls or river current, sea waves or biomass. Use of rene wable energy, increased energy efficiency and enhancement of energy security constitute a sustainable energy strategy pproach. Renewable forms of energy emit far smaller amounts of greenhouse gases compared with fossil fuels and increased energy conserv ation facilitates the reduction of primary fossil fuel use, thus mitigating climate change impacts while contributing to the provision of energy services and enhancing security of energy supply. Usable biomass including cow dung, human excreta, poultry litter, kitchen organic waste, aquatic plants and weeds of a village in Bangladesh can produce the amount of biogas that villagers require for cooking. The ferment ed slurry from biogas digester is enriched with nitrogen, otassium and other nutrients. It is, therefore, best for soil, environmental health and agricultural productivity management. On the other hand, Bangladesh has one of the highest solar insulation on the earth. The average solar radiation varies here from 5. 05 kWh/m2 day in winter to 8. 03 kWh/m2 day in summer. As Bangladesh is a compact flat country with a little geographic variation, the solar radiation data collected from one point may be treated as that of the whole country. In other word, affordable availability of RETs to the rural area could be the panacea of poverty reduction and environmental fix inBangladesh. Synergy The relationship between energy and economic development is crucial; the process of economic growth requires the substation of energy mix in the performance of agriculture, industrial and domestic tasks. The lack of adequate energy in rural Bangladesh has economic costs not just at the individual and ho usehold level but at the national level as well. Development in Bangladesh without corresponding increase in per capi ta electricity and gas consumption is, therefore, not feasible. Everyone needs energy in one form or another, for day-to-day life, for cooking, lighting, heating and so on.Consequently, energy is to be considered as a basic need along with food, water, shelter and others. In social aspects, energy plays a key role in achieving social justice including gender justice. Low level of energy service is a serious obstacle to raising social, health and nutritional status of community. Dependence on human energy and primitive technologies for survival introduces a whole range of obstacles to social and gender equality. The rural people in general, and rural females in particular, are tapped in an unceasing cycle of works that condemns them to poor health, l ittle or no ducation and deprives them in equal participation in local development programs (i. e. education, income ge nerating activities, etc. ), self governing bodies and political movements. Improved energy services can be at * Corresponding Author Email: [email  protected] com Page 9 / 79 Journal of Chemical Engineering, IEB Vol. ChE. 26, No. 1, December 2011 the centre of any strategy to mitigate the gender disparity. The availability of adequate, reliable and reasonably priced source of energy is, therefore, prerequisite for the development of rural Bangladesh. Suggestions can now be made to the extent that the usage of RETs would aunch a new era of appropriate technology, sustainable socio-economic and environmental development in the country. Rural Energy Needs More than 70% of total populations of the country live in rural areas. At present major portion of total energy needs for cooking is met by locally available biomass fuels. The rural electrification program meets a small portion of total energy needs. For overall national development there is a need to pay special attention so that the energy needs of rural areas for subsis tence and productive requirements (e. g. agriculture, industries, and transport) are met on a sustainable basis.Different types of renewable energy technologies such as Solar Home System (SHS), Biogas, and Improved Cooking Stoves (ICS) are suitable for Bangladesh. A Solar Bangladesh SHS has been a successful story in Bangladesh. Our rural people have accepted SHS on a mass scale. Once it was thought that solar energy was not affordable for the rural people. This myth has been broken. Along with thirty partner organizations in the country, as of August 2011, over one million SHS have been installed in Bangladesh, benefiting over 6 million rural people (IDCOL, 2011). On average, more than 35,000 systems are installed very month and within the next 1 to 3 years, this rate is likely to be triple. A powerful economic model has been created to make solar energy a part of rural life, integrating one of most sophisticated technologies with the asp irations, toils and successes of the rural people. A rural family can have bright light, watch TV and power their mobile phones at the same cost as kerosene, while escaping from dim light, foul smelling smoke including health and fire hazards. Rural businesses can increase their productivity and income through extended wor king hours and attracting more customers. This sector has been creating green jobs and linkage usinesses especially in the rural areas. Hundreds of local youth s are working in the rural areas as solar technicians. Rural women are assembling solar access ories in village based Technology Centres. Solar engineers are increasingly employed in designing SHS, working in battery factories, and other accessory related businesses. Bangladesh is on the verge of a Solar Revolution. Increased aspirations, failure of grid electricity, growing machination and disposable income have created huge potential for solar energy in rural areas. Biogas Technology Biogas is a proven an d widely used source of energy in the country.There is now yet another wave of renewed interest in biogas due to the increasing concerns of climate change, indoor air pollution and increasing oil prices. Such concerns, particularly for climate change, open opportunities for the use of the CDM benefits in the promotion of biogas. In spite of being insignificant in volume, the availability of biogas to very large number of rural people and to very remote areas makes the technology very suitable and effective. True, commercially produced pipeline natural gas plays and will continue to play vital ro le in the industrialization and urbanization of the country, but his gas will not reach the remote village households any time soon, if at all! In that respect there is no alternative to biogas for the millions of villagers. The above situation leaves the rural population to rely on the traditional biomass sources for household supply of energy. Over the last few decades there have been rene wed interests and initiatives by many organizations to innovate new and improved biomass energy technologies whereby the biomass energy sources can be used more efficiently and cost effectively for the rural people. The most popular and widely used of these technologies has been the biogas technology in which iomass (cow dung, poultry dropping, agricultural residue etc) is converted into biogas. The biogas is supplied to households for use in cooking in a similar way natural gas is used. In addition, biogas may be used to light houses. Biogas can also be used to run small generator to produce electricity for running electrical household appliances like TV, electric light, fridge etc. Biogas technology is the most ideal technology for rural Bangladesh. Biogas plant is built with simple technology and uses raw material easily available with the rural households — mostly cow dung. Biogas is a kind of gas generated when biomass i. . cow dung or other animal dung or biodegradable organic masses are stored in underground chamber in an anaerobic condition (absence of oxygen). It is a kind of anaerobic bacteria that produces the biogas from the organic debris. The composition of biogas is mainly methane (60 to 70%) with lesser amount of carbon dioxide (30 to 40%) and traces of hydrogen and nitrogen. It is a colourless gas and burns in similar way as natural gas (it actually burns at 800  °C compared to natural gas which burns at 1000  °C, both suitable for cooking and any other household application). A biogas plant consists of a brick made nderground chamber about 10 feet in height connected to a smaller surface feeding chamber on one side and a debris outlet chamber on the other side. Cow dung or other biomass material with water (in 1:1 ratio) are fed once a day into the underground chamber from the surface and biogas is generated and accumulated at the top part of the chamber. The gas is tapped by inserting a rubber pipe and supplied to kitchen or other places in the house. After producing gas, the residue is moved to the outlet chamber under the gas pressure and incoming new biomass materials and is deposited in a pit as a very good uality fertilizer ready to use in the field. In Bangladesh about 44 million tons of fuel wood is used in rural areas as cooking fuel each year (Islam and Islam, 2011). These destroy our forest and have negative impact on weather, land and environment. Also, as other biomasses like leaves, cow dung and agricultural residues are burnt as cooking fuel, these can no more help as a natural fertilizer as part of the cycle that keeps Page 10 / 79 Journal of Chemical Engineering, IEB Vol. ChE. 26, No. 1, December 2011 the balance in the ecosystem. In all the above counts, use of biogas technology will bring about benefits to the nvironment and the people. It certainly upgrades an ageold inefficient and poor energy use practice into a more efficient and scientific one. Improved Cooking Stove ICS are those trad itional stoves upon which some modifications have been made to give higher thermal efficiencies. The efficiencies are defined as a fraction of heat content of the fuel fruitfully utilized. Improved stove save 50-60% traditional fuel as compared with traditional ones. Total amount of traditional fuel consumption in the country is about 39 million tons annually. If improved stoves popularized in the country and if it saves 50% raditional fuel, then annually about 19. 5 million tons of traditional fuel will be saved. The reduction s of traditional fuels by improved stoves, therefore , have lower emission of green house gases in the atmosphere. It also helps conserve the forest resources of the country. In Bangladesh it will be difficult to supply natural gas for cooking purpose to the every households of the country. Therefore, improved stoves have bright future in the country. Large scale dissemination of improved stoves in the country can conserve the local forest and change the soci al life to a great extent. Factors of SuccessRET is the technology of the Future. But unless this technology can reach the most deprived and vulnerable group in the world today – the millions of rural people who suffer most from the energy crisis – this technology will neither reach its full potential, nor will the economic and social problems of the world be solved. In the early stage when very few POs started to promote renewable among the rural people, village electrification was considered the domain of government programs and development aid, leaving a lega cy of inefficiency and squandered subsidies. Eventually some innovative financing scheme had been created to make RET ffordable for rural people. Innovative Financial Schemes to make the Technology Affordable at the same cost as Kerosene RET is still expensive relative to traditional energy sources. One of our initial challenges was to bring down the high upfront cost of a solar system. An innovative installmen t based financial scheme worked fantastically which reduced the cost of a system to monthly ker osene cost. This is at the central core of our success story. It also allowed us to expand our market and reach economies of scale which further allowed us to bring down our costs per unit and engage in a profitable, sustainable business.Instead of renting, we focused on ownership which translates into better care and longevity of the system. As the price of traditional energy sources rises, renewable energy technology is becoming more and more viable, especially due to its low per unit cost. But, the high upfront cost of the technology is still a major obstacle in generating the shift away from traditional fossil fuels and must be dealt with. Focus on Empowerment, Income Generation & Cost Savings Tiding the technology with income generation, cost savings, higher standard of living, and especially social and economical empowerment is very important . In ruralBangladesh, solar power became synonymous with social status, better living and more income. A rural family could save up to BDT 700 per month in energy cost while enjoying televisions and other modern amenities. Once the installments were paid off within 3 years, there was minimum running cost for nearly 20 years. This made solar a more attractive option than kerosene. They were social benefits also. The burden of women were reduced as they no longer had to clean kerosene soot , work under dim light and they could take part in home based income generating activities. Children could study under solar light and get connected o the outside world through televisions. For rural businesses, solar power meant productivity, more sales, income and jobs. A rural business could double its turnover by using solar while minimizing energy cost. Solar power especially helped improve connectivity, increase the sales of electronic goods, create new business opportunities such as mobile phones charging shops, electronics repair, maintenance shops, community television centers etc. A Strong Grassroots Network to provide after sales service, right at the doorsteps of the rural people Rural people are unlikely to invest in a technology which s not durable and no after sales service is available. We focused on creating a vast network of rural engineers who developed one to one rapport with their customers. They visited each monthly to offer free after sales service for nearly 3 years. Long term warranty (i. e. 20 years for panels, 5 years for batteries and 3 years for charge controllers etc. ) for SHS plus buyback option under which a client can return his /her system, if the area becomes grid connected is a wonderful weapon to explore renewable in the rural areas. A rural network of women technicians has been created to assemble and epair solar accessories to ensure low cost, quick effective repair, maintenance services and availability of spare parts, right at the door steps of the users. It also trained cus tomers on how to take care of their systems and provides them with training manuals. This meant well kept systems, minimum repair and maintenance cost for both clients and us. Capitalizing on Community Forces One reason for this sector was the active involvement of the rural community. Rural people were completely unaware of renewable energy technologies. Winning rural confidence played a vital role. Engagement of community leaders and organizing emonstrations helped a lot. Special focus on creating local stake-hold social and economical was significant. In order to keep the goodwill, the POs offered special packages for rural schools and madrasa. Introduction to scholarship for school children of solar users and design of especial programs for rural school children to seed awareness of renewable in the next generation were also done. Installation and maintenance the systems, Page 11 / 79 Journal of Chemical Engineering, IEB Vol. ChE. 26, No. 1, December 2011 understand the local ma rket and customs were accelerated by the local youth. Setting up of village ased technology centers to assemble all solar accessories, creating jobs for local women was also essential. This bottom-down, decentralized approach has helped us to keep operating costs low, and gain acceptance by the local communities. GS was unique in that sense that GS not only provided clean energy solutions, but also created powerful social and economical forces for their adoption. For example, GS created jobs for young men and women who could earn enough in few years to install a system themselves. A Listening Culture coupled with Strong Quality Control Building institutional capacityChallenges and Opportunities Fully developing the infrastructure for renewable in Bangladesh requires more than just putting solar systems on the market. Many projects in t he country also work to remove the barriers to more widespread use of renewable systems and build the skills along with the partner organizations. Th ese POs facilitate a package of interventions to support Bangladeshi institutions in overcoming major market barriers. These institutions include rural electricity cooperatives, community-based organizations, NGOs, microfinance institutions, and private-sector groups. Women as Active agents of ChangeGS remain tuned to local needs by listening to our staffs and clients. The strong Audit and MIS system help GS seek new opportunities, meet challenges and forge ahead. We are flexible and localized in our approach, but without sacrificing quality. SHS registered exponential growth after the advent of IDCOL with the number of service providers, suppliers, manufactures multiplying. Bangladesh gained the capacity to manufacture all solar accessories expect for the solar panel. Our government has set a target of reaching all with electricity by 2020. Momentum has been created for solar power which our rural people have accepted whole eartedly. Solar & other renewable are in a position to pla y a very important role to complement government efforts to take electricity to all by 2020. We are yet to reach the penetration rate of mobile phones or televisions which has reached more than half portion of the rural market. We are yet to reach cost effectiveness to reach all rural income groups especially the lower income group in large numbers. Challenges: GS has set up village based GTC to train and empower young women to become Renewable Energy Technicians and Entrepreneurs. This was one of our most innovative and successful programs. These centers managed by omen engineers train rural women in renewable energy technology, enabling hundreds of rural women to earn extra money. These women who belong to most deprived class of their communities have learnt skills on assembling, installing and repairing and maintaining one of the most up to date technologies in the world. They assemble and repair solar accessories such as charge controllers, mobile chargers, invertors etc. This h as enhanced their social and economic value in their communities and contributed to women empowerment. These women have are the backbone of our local production and repair network helping rural people ccess cost effective, efficient services right at their door steps. They are powerful voices motivating other women, their families and neighbors to install solar and other renewable. Appropriate Product Design & Diversification GS with other POs promote and design high quality, innovative products which meet the diversified needs of rural clients. The customer tailored packages ranging from 10 to 135 watts allow a rural client to save energy, generate income and become the owner of a system after 1 or 3 years, at the same cost of kerosene. The standard 50 watt system allows a rural client enjoy 4 bright lights, atch televisions and power mobile phones. For the lower income grouped, there are 10 to 20 watt systems and micro-utility model which al lows sharing of one system by many. Dep ending on the income of a rural client, the design products varies to power computers, DC fans, refrigerators and income generating activities. Page 12 / 79 There are more than 30 organizations engaged in the rural renewable energy sector. Expect for a few, majority have a very small client base. Cutting edge business culture is yet to develop in this field because of the prevalence of NGO culture. There has been very little incentive for nnovation or new product development because most of the organizations depend on guaranteed soft loans from IDCOL. Present practice of vast rural network of branches and engineers translates in huge transaction cost and slow penetration rate. Lack of good communication especially during the rainy season constraints movements and increases transport cost. Seasonal variation in the income of the rural people makes collecti on of installment difficult. This is not cost effective or feasible in the long run. Training and retaining efficient human resou rce at the field level is also difficult. Incentive is low compared to the hard work.It is difficult for organizations to increase incentives in order to keep their costs low. There is lack of skilled engineers who can make cost effective and efficient SHS designs especially for productive applications. Another major challenge is high battery prices and inability to source quality materials or accessories cost effectively. Huge Tax and VAT are charged on import of all raw materials except solar panels. This increases the cost of local manufacturing of Journal of Chemical Engineering, IEB Vol. ChE. 26, No. 1, December 2011 solar accessories which in turn increases the cost of Solar Home Systems. ould otherwise come from the fertilizer producing industries. By helping to counter deforestation and degradation caused by overusing ecosystems as sources of firewood and by melioration of soil conditions, biogas technology reduces CO2 releases from these processes and sustains the capabilit y of forests and woodlands to act as a carbon sink. There has been very little incentives from the government to popularize RET except for long term soft loan through IDCOL. Most practitioners are over dependent on IDCOL with no diversification of funding. Mainstream financial institutions are yet to take a major interest in the RET sector.Improved Cooking Stoves can be one of the most cost effective devices to stop in -door air pollution and reduce deforestation. In this connection, GS has already constructed around 373,969 ICSs through local technicians. A huge positive response from women have been receiving because of 50% less fuel cost and smoke free cooking. Various POs could disseminate 10 million cooking stoves by 2015 if proper initiatives are taken . Opportunities: Exponential demand has been created among rural people for solar power and renewables. This is mainly due to increased price of kerosene, diesel, and lack of grid connected ower, decreased price of solar energy, and especially due to growing aspiration and economic diversification of the rural people. Dependence on land or agriculture is reducing, cattle is being replaced by power tillers, tractors etc. Nearly 60% of the rural people own a television. Diversification of rural economy concurrent with increasingly efficient solar systems has created market for larger Solar Energy System applications to power pumps, mini/micro grids for SMEs, internet kiosks etc. The rural farmers suffer from power shortage during the irrigation season and replacement of electric power pumps by solar pumps would save the rid system of 800 MW load on the national grid. There is also increasing demand in rural health and education sector for Integrated Energy Systems to power lights, computers, TVs and refrigerat ors etc. Solar power can fill the niche. Solar power can also be used for early warning systems, emergency lighting, water desalination etc. in disaster zones. Increasing load shading in the urban area s has made solar power an attractive option for urban dwellers. 1 to 10 KW systems to power lights, TVs and other appliances in domestic and commercial sector can easily create a niche, alongside diesel generators and Instant PowerSupply etc. Technical progress has reduced cost, increased efficiency and diversified the application of solar energy. For example, use of LED and CFL has reduced the cost of solar power, while increasing its efficiency. Pico systems (1 to 5 watts) can power 2 or more lights while charging mobile phones. This has brought solar technology within the reach of lower income groups. LED based systems have resulted in dramatic decrease in costs. Factors to reduce cost include efficient loads, innovative batteries, and lower module cost. We can use biogas technology not only generating cooking gas, but also for generating ure methane gas which can used for running vehicles, power pumps and other electronic equipment. This will facilitate rural development. Though some large s ized biogas plants in Bangladesh are generating electricity, needs. We can scale this up if we can purify the gas and place it in cylinders. We can use all types of wastes ranging from animal dung to crop resi dues for this purpose. This is successful technology which has been implemented in India, Sweden and many other countries. Our Government which is promoting independent power generation should also facilitate this type of technology. We can use biogas technology in urban areas to onvert wastes into electricity, gas and organic fertilizers. Again Biogas technology takes part in the global struggle against the greenhouse effect by reducing the release of CO2 from burning fossil fuels in two ways. First, biogas is a direct substitute for gas or coal for cooking, heating, electricity generation and lighting. Second, the reduction in the consumption of artificial fertilizer avoids carbon dioxide emissions that Bangladesh currently has a thriving RET sector with multip le companies manufacturing batteries, lightings and other solar accessories. Many of these companies are also exporting heir products. Recently government has decided to include solar as a thrust sector in its industry policy. Policy Options: Building a Cutting Edge Entrepreneur Based Structure Bangladesh is uniquely positioned to reach 75 million people with renewable energy technologies by 2015. However, we cannot tap into this huge potential through the existing model. We need to develop a cutting edge, efficient, flexible structure of rural based entrepreneurs who will take solar and other RET to every nook and corner of country to create a truly Solar Bangladesh. We need to focus on the following for the above transformation:Creating Clean Energy Entrepreneurs Page 13 / 79 Journal of Chemical Engineering, IEB Vol. ChE. 26, No. 1, December 2011 Providing long term soft loans at 5 to 6 % interest rate to all RET related businesses is needed. Present practice is that service provi ders can access soft loans after installing the systems. This does not take into account high upfront cost of sourcing supplies or developing the organizations. Similarly solar related manufacturing/ supply companies have to access loans at very high cost. Our financial incentives are focused on microfinance institutions. Instead of this, we should help create business companies small nd big at the district/sub-district level linked with local entrepreneurs to widespread RET. This would create ownership, innovations and competition. We can create village based women entrepreneurs to promote Improved Cooking Stoves etc. They would also assemble, repair solar accessories and provide after sales service. They can be linked with small credit from rural financial institutions. RET is a step in the right direction. However most clients / renewable energy companies have been unable to access the loan because loan is to be provided to SHS customers and reimbursement is only after the instal lation.Energy Companies are not able to directly access this fund. This financing scheme has failed to gain momentum because of complex regulations and risk adverse tendency of commercial banks. We can create village based SME entrepreneurs to popularize sol ar pumps, mini grids and biogas plants etc. The entrepreneurs would invest in the technology and earn a return by renting the technology to others. They can source loans from rural banks.  · District/sub district level companies can help rural based source loans and the technology through guarantee, information, while national level companies would help istrict/sub-district level small and big compani es to source finance, technology and build up their market. Including a component in housing loans for installing solar. Creating a special green fund for providing grant for pilot testing new projects. Providing matching grants through local government institutions to green our infrastructure such as rural schools , clinics, cyc lone shelters, etc. Focusing on an Efficient, Cost effective Supply Chain: We need to set up more battery and other solar accessory manufacturing units to create a competitive environment, reduce costs and increase efficiency. Our government should try o attract foreign investment and R & D in this sector. Creating a window in agricultural and other rural financial institutions to provide credit fo r RET, we can include training and credit for renewable energy technologies in our youth development programs. We should especially focus on SME loans and micro-credit loans for creating small and big entrepreneurs in the rural areas. Currently solar practitioners are suffering from high battery price. This can be solved through more battery companies. We should concentrate on manufacturin g export quality products to achieve economies of scale and tap into the world market. We can onsider setting up Green Enterprise Zones especially for solar accessories such as charge controllers, inver tors, mobile chargers etc with a focus on the rural areas to create green jobs. Circulating green bonds for raising capital for solar and other RET. Passing Pro -renewable energy Laws Providing special incentives such as long term soft loans, tax cuts for promoting solar both at the individual and commercial level. Biogas production can also be installed in combination with sanitation. Public toilets incorporating biogas units are particularly suitable for pen -urban areas and small towns in India where the supply of cooking gas is nadequate and wastewater treatment is unaffordable for the local authorities. Biogas systems can become part of decentralized wastewater treatment, and provide the fuel needed for heating water, for bathing and running generators to provide lighting in these facilities. Removing all VAT/Tax for all type of solar accessories and raw materials to reduce cost. Bangladesh has one of the highest tariff structures in the world. Providing tax holidays and other benefits for investing in solar businesses. Making it mandatory to have all market places, restaurants, commercial buildings to install solar. At the same time government should rovide soft loans for solar installation which would be part of housing loans. Easy Access to Green Credit & Funds: Investing in Capacity Development and R & D Page 14 / 79 Journal of Chemical Engineering, IEB Vol. ChE. 26, No. 1, December 2011 Developing a sustainable framework for developing human resources through country wide vocational centers, training institutes etc. Focus should be also on developing export quality human resource. This would also an incentive for private companies to participate with the maturing of the sector. Focusing on R & D to adapt and develop innovative technologies. We should have nnovation lab in all major universities which should be linked with international institutions and research institutions. Government should create an incentive structure such as competitions, awards to promote R & D. Facilitating new ideas such as installment collection through mobile phones, prepaid cards to scale up and reduce transaction costs. Conclusion Bangladesh has given birth to one of most successful models to replicate RET. Keys to these successes are an innovative credit system, appropriate product design, grassroots based effective and efficient after sales service plus other consumer friendly options. However, the main actor behind the Bangladesh success story is that it empowers rural communities to own and uses RET and eventually become partners to bring and expand RET in their communities. It seeks solutions that empower women, the disadvantaged, create jobs, facilitate rural development and especially protect the environment. To summarize, Bangladesh already has experience with RET projects. The potential of these project initiatives is high. Viable approaches need to be amplified to a broader context under a national RET strategy. In particular, the pilot sc hemes of RET development in Bangladesh need be scaled up to take a greater share in f niche markets for RET and strengthening relevant institutions to implement RET policy direction are possible avenues to assist with this. References 1. M S Islam and M R Islam (July 2011), Reducing biomass usage in rural areas of Bangladesh, South Asia Energy Network, Practical Action, Colombo, p . 4 -5 2. United States Agency for International Development (2011), Obtained from http://www. usaid. gov/bd/programs/energy. html [Accessed on 2nd October 2011] 3. Infrastructure Development Company Limited (2011), Obtained from http://www. idcol. org/prjshsm2004. php [Accessed on 3rd October 2011] Page 15 / 79

Friday, November 8, 2019

Psychology-Object relations essays

Psychology-Object relations essays Object Relations theorists conceptualize therapeutic action differently then Freud, stressing the need for change in mental representations of the self, object and the affect connecting the two. They believe that such changes are brought about not only through analyst interpretation, but also through the therapeutic relationship. Generally, Object Relations theorists believe that the therapeutic relationship should provide a holding environment for the patient; an environment in which the patients self and object representations, along with their affective states, are held and then returned to the patient after they have been processed and modified by the therapist. To do this effectively, the analyst deals with a narrative rather than historical truth. That is the object, the mental representation of another person, can, and often is based on a distortion. It is this internalized object that the analyst must contend with. Object relations theory follows Erik Ericksons theory of development, which grew from and was consistent with Freuds theory. Erickson described eight stages of the life cycle. The stages are not fixed in time, but a person may have residual problems carried from one stage to the next causing stress or regression. He believed that the goal of therapy is to recognize how a person passed through the various life cycles and then work through unresolved conflicts by way of the therapeutic relationship. Object relations theories vary widely; some are consistent with Freudian theories, others are not. Melanie Klien postulated a theory of internal object relations that was closely linked to drives. She suggests that the infant ego undergoes a splitting process to deal with the terror of annihilation. She thought that Freuds concept of the death instinct was key to understanding aggression, hatred and badness. Klein espoused a persecutor...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Life, sadness and happiness Research Paper Example

Life, sadness and happiness Research Paper Example Life, sadness and happiness Paper Life, sadness and happiness Paper Essay Topic: Life Of Pi Like there are two sides of a coin, there are two sides of life, sadness and happiness. Happiness cherishes your life whilst sadness brings terrible storms without any calamity. Sometimes when our lives are full of joy we forget that grief is also a major share in life. Keeping a balance of happiness and sadness is important to realise what is right and wrong.  A catastrophic storm also took place in my life and covered it completely for a long period of time. On the 24th of August, 2003, death snatched a very important person from me, my beloved grandfather. He was an immense inspiration in my life and watching him die in front of my own eyes was very painful. My grandfather was a great man who had worked really hard all his prestigious life. He had always lived with his head up high and was loved by everyone. My grandfather had cancer, enemy of life, for the past two years but he did not know that death was crawling on him like a sly fox. Three years ago my grandfather came with the hope that life will win over death, from Pakistan, to get treated for his illness. My grandfather, who was unaware of the fact that he had cancer, was living happily until one day he had terrible pain in his bladder. My dad rushed him to hospital and the doctors declared that it was just a minor infection and sent him home with antibiotics. Later on that month his pain increased rather than decreasing. Going to the toilet was equivalent to hell. My dad then got him treated in a private hospital. After many blood tests and observations, the doctors came to the conclusion that he had cancer in his bladder. Doctors also explained to dad that grandpa was going to live for only a few days. From that day dad made sure that grandpa did not learn about his vicious illness at such an old age. My dad came home that day with a burden on his heart. The only aim in my dads life was to give his dad as much happiness as possible. When I came to discover this fact, the sky and earth became one and I felt as if I was being crushed in between them. A week later the cancer in his bladder cautiously grew up his windpipe and then into his mouth. He described his pain as, heavy burning. He told us that whenever he sat up, the weight of is illness pressed him down until he got breathless, he gave up and lay back down as a living corpse. I still remember that day when my grandfather became so ill that he was unable to eat anything. He had to drink milk with added vitamins. By this time everyone was aware of the fact that he had cancer and my grandfather also knew that death was knocking at his door. After seeing him unable to move, talk or consume I felt like the most helpless person ever. I locked myself in the room that day and cried my heart out. I was really upset. I felt like waking him up, holding his hand and talking to him but unfortunately my wish stayed unheard forever. My dad called the doctor, when my grandfather was in his last stage. The doctor said that he only has a few moments and advised my dad to invite all his siblings to see their father taking his last breath. Shortly a couple of nurses came and injected morphine into his blood to ease his death. After watching my grandfather in his room with everyone else I came downstairs for a bite to eat. I drank a glass of water but my mouth still felt as dry as the desert. My humble feet made way upstairs. I was half way up when I heard screams of pain. I ran up the steps taking 4 at a time. And there I saw my grandfather taking his last breaths, fighting between life and death. He died; he was no longer alive. At that moment I felt like taking all the life out of myself and giving it to grandpa. I slowly walked over to him with my eyes swollen up from crying. I touched his hand very slowly; I could feel the warm blood still running in his veins. His face looked like an innocent child with a light smile on his dry lips. Next morning, morning which brings light into everybodys lives only brought darkness to my grandfathers life. It was his funeral. All of our relatives headed towards Central Mosque and so did I, where I saw my grandfather for the last time in his coffin which has become his home now. I remember trying to console my parents but it did not work. Watching my dad cry, who was such a strong man, shattered me into a million pieces. Even today when I remember my grandfathers death, my eyes moist and tears dribble down my face. My grandpa was a very important person in my life, even more than my parents and maybe thats why I got a sudden shock from his death. In a way I was relieved that he died because it cured him from his moment to moment pain. I learnt a lot of memorable words from my grandpa, Life is too short, live it before it ends. At that time I never took his words seriously but now these same words have become so important and meaningful to me. That incident has become the most heartbreaking moment of my life, and I am sure that I will never experience anything as drastic as that.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Population, Urbanization, and Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Population, Urbanization, and Environment - Essay Example Reports display that about 2% of the world’s population resided in urban areas in 1800, gradually with the advent of industries and better opportunities of health care, jobs, education, recreation, social setup, advances in technology, people started migrating from villages to the urban areas leading to further urbanization. People residing in urban areas show more fertility because of availability of better health care facilities; this has decreased the mortality rate and hence promoting greater longevity and life expectancy of human beings. This is one of the biggest contributing factors in the rise of population. Developed nations are under the opinion that more hands means more sources of income and so they promote having more kids as helping hands. This mental makeup is creating chaos in these countries due to amplified competition for basic amenities. Those who are in big cities they can afford good education and well paid jobs, in turn they can afford better house, living standards, and quality life to their children, this attracts people who are residing in rural area to lead the urban standard and quality of life and to provide security to the family. Urbanization is the result of providing better opportunities to the people. Urban population is contributing a drift in the environment by consuming food, energy, water and land and deteriorating the environment by establishing more industries and other social organizations to fulfill the rising needs of the population. Energy is consumed in the form of transportation, making house, roads and other infrastructure, for cooking, nuclear power plants and weapons, other machineries emitting hazardous chemicals in the environment. We are digging out everything from the nature and in return we are providing pollution of land, air, water and also human brains as when demands are not fulfilled and resources are limited people are promoting corruption, terrorism and unfair means. Thereby, causing deleterious

Friday, November 1, 2019

FINANCE COURSE ASSIGNMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

FINANCE COURSE ASSIGNMENT - Essay Example Initiating utilizable financial information is even more complicated in comparison to companies performing at the national level. The MNE s face contrasting practices of accounting between various states and they end up with difficulties in making comparisons. More so, the comparison issue is made hard since they make profits in currencies that are different. Therefore, MNE company groups need to report the accounting operations in consolidated accounts for their global gains and losses. Most recently, the financial aspects have been made more complex by the increasing requirement to do a segmental reporting. (Muchlinski, 1999) First, before the issue of external sources of finance for public MNEs is looked at it is important to note that the internal sources of capital are mostly preferred in the US. The reason for this is that internal financing is considered less costly compared to the external sources. Furthermore, companies may not wish to disclose their information regarding operations to external parties. Lastly, the scenario of asymmetric information places hurdles to a firm’s ability to seek financing externally. (Rugman, 2004) External sources of capital are essential just like internal sources of capital. These may include sources such as Eurodollars, or bank loans. Generally, the sources of funding for MNEs differ due to maturity, geographical sourcing, currency used in the denomination as well as institutional sourcing. External capital sources may either be national or else international. National sources of capital may cater for both short-term and long-term financing. Short-term financing may refer to bridge loans, overdrafts or medium term loans that are discountable. Long-term financing may relate to bonds, long-term loans and equity. International sources may range from international bonds, international equity or even Eurobonds. This study is going to narrow down and discuss