The Decline Of The Church - 1446 Words

Europe in the sixteenth century was dominated socially, politically and economically by the Catholic Church. As the church gained more power and wealth they began to stray from the book and its clergy became corrupt. The church began taking advantage of their follower’s faith for monetary gain. Some individuals were outraged and called for the church to reform. The most vocal person on this issue was Martin Luther. He attempted to convince the church to reorganize. When they did not, he began the Protestant Reformation. The conflict that occurred between the religions took a toll on the public who were already destitute due to economic recessions and population decline. As society tried to make sense of all the turmoil, they shifted the responsibility of it from the church onto the devil. The rise in the active hunting and persecution of witches was in direct response to the social, economical, and political turmoil during the Protestant Reformation. Leaders and clergy of the church were straying from the book. They began to focus their attention on more political and militant concerns. They were not meeting the religious needs of the people. The public was searching for salvation and religious meaning. The church attempted to accommodate the public’s need and their own need to raise funds. The church started using relics, which were bones, clothing and other material objects that belonged or related to the Saints. Along with these relics the church soldShow MoreRelatedDecline And Decline Of The Early Church Attendance2524 Words   |  11 PagesThe problem under examination is the decline in church attendance in America, and the impact of that decline on our society. The purpose of the research was to ascertain the factors that contribute to the decline in church attendance. The research methodology that was used was the qualitative method. Empirical data from the scholarly research was closely examined and analyzed to determine the fiv e main reasons for this decline. They are as follows: 1) Secularization of Society 2) Inability of theRead MoreThe Decline Of The Roman Catholic Church2099 Words   |  9 PagesI. The Roman Catholic Church has been in existence for over two-thousand years and is the world’s oldest Christian tradition. A. It is also one of the most influential institutions in the world. B. Since its creation and rise of influence in the world, the Catholic Church has had its self-government challenged. C. One of the most notable was during the English Reformation. D. The dissolution of monasteries by King Henry VIII changed the landscape of the economy and created social instabilityRead MoreThe Loss Of Faith And The Decline Of Church Attendance1797 Words   |  8 PagesSecularization the loss of faith and the decline in church attendance is something that has left historians asking why this occurred and at what point in history did the people of Great Britain lose their faith, add in the sexual revolution of the swinging sixties the development of the oral contraception pill and immigration to Great Britain, which brought together people from other colonies and with them they brought their religion, the connection between any of these factors if there is one hasRead MoreThe Decline of the Medieval Church at the End of the Middle Ages678 Words   |  3 PagesChurch’s social and political power dwindled. Centuries prior the Catholic Church gained a surplus of control, largely due to the stability it maintained during the chaotic breakdo wn of the Western Roman Empire . Yet toward the end of the Middle Ages the Church set in motion factors that would ultimately lead to its downfall as the definitive figure of authority. However, despite political and social controversy surrounding the church, the institutions it established cleared a path for a new way of thinkingRead MoreReligious Differences760 Words   |  4 PagesWhile researching the proportional decline of Protestant denominations in contemporary America, â€Å"Pew Research Center’s 2014 Religious Landscape Study finds that 14.7% of U.S. adults are affiliated with the mainline Protestant tradition – a sharp decline from 18.1% when our last Religious Landscape Study was conducted in 2007. Mainline Protestants have declined at a faster rate than any other major Christian group, including Catholics and evangelical Protestants, and as a result also are shrinkingRead MoreNashville : B H1417 Words   |  6 PagesStetzer, Ed, and Mike Dodson. Comeb ack Churches. Nashville: BH, 2007 Introduction According to research done over the years, most churches, once formed, hit the ground running only to decline after a period of time. there are many reason as to why this happens. This is one of the concerns for the â€Å"Comeback Churches† by Ed Stetzer and mike Dodson. Typically, many of the churches start very strong. They go ahead and have good periods of growth but later find themselves declining and finally losingRead MoreThe Baptist Of Pontotoc, Mississippi1317 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction First Baptist of Pontotoc, Mississippi, is a hundred and forty-six year old church that is full of history. This paper will provide a brief background of the church history. Over the last four years, three immoral staff members of First Baptist Church of Pontotoc have been contributing factors to the church s decline. The majority of the staff at First Baptist Church Pontotoc has served faithfully for a number of years. The pastor, Ken Hester, has served in his role for over fourteenRead MoreAre Religious Beliefs and Practices Changing to Reflect a New Era of Diversity and Choice?1734 Words   |  7 Pagesexplains this by giving the example of that people no longer go to church because they feel they have to or because it is respectable to do so. She says that although churchgoing has declined it is simply because attendance is now a matter of personal choice rather than the obligation it use to be. As a result there is believing without belonging, where by people hold religious beliefs but don’t go to church. Therefore the decline of traditional religion is matched by the growth of the new form ofRead MoreThe Late Middle Ages : The Age Of Discovery And Innovation1224 Words   |  5 Pagesperiods of decline and periods of transition into the Renaissance. Therefore, if only viewed through some aspects, the overall quality of the Late Middle Ages can be interpreted in vastly different ways. When all events are taken into account, it is evident that even though there were periods of extreme decline and cultural deficiency, numerous events helped transition Europe into an age of discovery and innovation. The Late Middle Ages are sometimes considered â€Å"the Dark Ages† due to the decline in literaryRead MoreThe Rise Of Mass Attendance1611 Words   |  7 Pagesthe concept of pluralism. Even though the Catholic Church provides a welcoming feeling to all new and existing members, the decline of mass attendance will further result in a decrease of catholic followers. Secularism and pluralism are major factors in the change of attendance, which will be further discussed. Margaret and Leo Laarhoven are members from Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in Kyogle, NSW. Their commitment towards the Catholic Church is unquestionable, as they attend mass at least three

The Use of Light in Bill Henson and Caravaggios Work Essay

Through the use of light, artists continue to receive a strong emotional response from the audience. This is an essential element of an audience’s perception of a work – it may determine whether the artwork is perceived as happy or depressing, or even provides the difference between whether the work is friendly and welcoming, or shocking and confronting. Artists have used light for a long time to stimulate the emotions of the viewer. Two artists that have used this technique are Bill Henson and Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, or more simply known as just Caravaggio. Bill Henson is a contemporary Australian photographer, born in 1955, while Caravaggio was an Italian painter (1571 – 1610). When Henson’s photographs are viewed through the†¦show more content†¦This is why his art was so successful in reaching his audience and connecting him with the art world. This is a similar concept in Henson’s work. Most of his subjects are human figures, assisting him in the representation of his ideas in a confronting, direct, and sometimes controversial way. The way that Henson achieves the same effect of chiaroscuro in his photographs as Caravaggio does in his paintings, is through his underexposure and adjustment in printing. Henson’s work is powerful, creating an illusion of both a painting and a film through a combination of different techniques that make his work unique. The most prominent feature and device of Henson’s work is his use of light. The majority of his work features dark tones and colours, sometimes slightly tinted with yellow, red or blue. The brighter portions of Henson’s photographs and his use of light is tactically well controlled to uncover only crucial details. In some of his photographs, Henson juxtaposes the colourful yet mysterious, distant city lights through the use of bokkeh, with the underexposed, graphic images of the subject in the foreground. Some examples of this in his work include several images from the Untitled 2000/01 series, such as the girl sitting, the girl that is lying down, yet at the same time positioned so to look as if she is in flight, and another image of a girl lying on her stomach,

Business Law Between Sam and Josie †Free Samples for Students

Question: Discuss about the Contract Between Sam and Josie. Answer: The Issues Is a contract established between Sam and Josie? If a contract exists between Sam and Josie, then, whether Josie has violated the contract with Sam. What are the remedies can Sam availed against Josie? The Relevant Law The five basic ingredients which are required to make a valid contract are offer, acceptance, consideration, legal intention and capacity of the parties. An offer is made by the offeror which is communicated to an offeree. An offer is the expression of the wish of the offeror which he desire to be performed by an offeree and is held in Smith v Hughes[1]. An offer can be by words or conduct but should come in the knowledge of the offeree to make it binding in nature. When the offer is received by the offeree and when the same offer is accepted by the offeree without bringing any variation to the terms of the offer then it is an acceptance and is held in Crown v Clarke[2]. An acceptance can be made through words or gestures but must receive within the knowledge of the offer to make it binding in nature and is held in Empirnall Holdings Pty Ltd v Machon Paull Partners Pty Ltd[3]. When the acceptance is made through post then it is deem to be complete when put in transit. But, in other forms of communication, that is, telephone, email, it must receive within the knowledge of the offeror to make it binding, in cases of answering machine, if the message is left on the machine which can be accessed by the offeror then it is complete when the message comes in the message box of the machine within the normal working hours of the offeror[4]. When the acceptance is not communicated but changes are made to the terms of the offer, then, it is counter offer which has the capacity to cancel the offer and is held in Hyde v Wrench[5]. The counter offer is the new offer and which must be accepted without any changes to make a valid agreement in law. Once an offer is validly made then the offeror if intends to cancel the same then it must be reached within the knowledge of the offeree before the acceptance is made. If revocation is made through answering machine, then, the revocation is communicated when the same is dropped at the message box of the machine and is accessible by the offeree within the normal working hours and is held in and is held in Brinkibon v Stahag und Stahlwarenhandelsgesellschaft mbH[6].[7] When an offer is made with a particular time to accept the same then the offeror can revoke such offer any time provided there is no consideration which is attach to the same. Now, an invitation to receive offer is an invitation to treat where a person desires to receive offers from the offeror. He advertises his intention or auction or tender or display the goods which depict the intention of the inviter to receive offers. The offeror then makes an offer to the inviter who then accepts the offer so made to him resulting in formation of an agreement and is held in Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain v Boots[8]. An offer and acceptance together results in the formation of an agreement. When an agreement is also supported with consideration, capacity of the parties and the legal intention of the parties, then, a contract is established in nature and is held in Coulls v Bagots Executor Trustee Co Ltd[9]. When a contract is made then the parties must comply its terms. The terms of the contract can be condition or warranties. Condition is the core terms of the contract without which a contract cannot be [performed. If such terms are violated then the plaintiff can cancel the contract and sue for damages and is held in Poussard v Spiersand Pond [10] Warranties are secondary to conditions and die snot hamper the main core area of the contract. If warranties are violated then only damages can be asked for and the contract cannot be violated and is held in Bettini v Gye[11]. The Law Applied to the facts Issue I A painting is made by Josie and she intend to sell the same at a cost of $ 900. In order to do so she displayed the same at her house studio. Considering thelaw applied in Fisher v Bell[12], any article or good which is displayed comes within the category of invitation to treat and any visitor who wishes to purchase such article has an obligation to offer a price to the displayer of the good. Applying thelaw to the facts of the case, Josie is the displayer of her painting and is an offeree//inviter. Sam is the interested party and he must make an offer to Josie. Now, as per the facts, Sam on 19th February (Sunday) makes an offer to buy the painting at $ 700. Since the invitation is of $ 900 but the same is not within the range of Sam so an offer is made by Sam at a lower price of $ 700. So, a valid offer is made by Sam to Josie which is of $700. The offer of Sam is not approved by Josie. A counter offer is made by Josie and she submits that she can accept a price which is not less than $ 800. This offer is communicated by Josie to Sam through a written document wherein she submits that an offer is made at $ 800 and which must be accepted by Sam by 21st February (Tuesday). Howler, since this offer is not supported by any consideration on the part of Sam, thus, Josie is empowered to revoke the said offer any time before any acceptance is made. Now, Josie, later does not intent to sell the a painting to Sam so she revoke the offer by leavening a message at the answering machine of Sam. The message was duly left and which can be accessible to Sam during normal working hours of Sam. Thus, the contract is revoked by Josie on 29th February. Later, Sam posted the letter of acceptance. but the letter of acceptances is of no relevance because before the acceptance can be made, the offer was already revoked by Josie though leaving message on the answering machine, Thus, there can be no acceptance against a revoked offer. So, there cannot be any contract that can be established amid Sam and Josie, Issue II. If an assumption is made that there is valid contract that is established between Josie and Sam, then, Josie is in breach of the contract that is made with Sam because he sold the painting to Wendy on 20th February at $ 900. So, by selling the pointing Josie has breached the contract that he has established with Sam. Now, painting is the core of the contract that is made between Josie and Sam. Since the painting is sold so the core of the contract is devastated. So, a condition of the contract is breached. Thus, as per law, Sam can sue Josie for breach of condition and thus can cancel the contract. Sam can also sue Josie for damages. If a contract does established amid Sam and Josie, then, Josie I sin breach of the contract when she sold the painting to Wendy and thus Sam can sue for damages and can cancel the contract. The rule in Pinnels case expresses the requirement for consideration in simple contracts. Generally, the rule works sensibly and fairly, but there are some situations when it does not. The statement is now analyzed. The five basic ingredients which are required to make a valid contract are offer, acceptance, consideration, legal intention and capacity of the parties.[13] To make any contract enforceable in law, the basic ingredient that is required is consideration. Consideration is something of value which moves from the promisor to the promisee in exchange of the acts that are undertaken by a promisee on behalf of the promisor[14]. In the leading case of Currie v. Misa[15], it was held that a consideration can be some interest, right, profit which is accrued by one party and there is some detriment or forbearance which is born by another party. A contract is considered to be enforceable and the importance of the element is rightly analyzed in the leading case of Thomas v. Thomas[16].[17] If the party to the contract is doing something which is pre existing then it cannot be considered to be a good consideration in law. If one party to the contract wants the other party to perform something extra then there must be something extra that must be provided to support such extra work. If one party is performing something which he is already bound to perform then he cannot compel the other party to pay something extra for the same. In the leading case of Stilk v Myrick[18], a dispute arises amid the captain of the ship and its crew members. A contract was made amid the two wherein the captain is paying the crew so that the crew ca held the captain in the journey of the ship. But at the time of journey two of the crew members backed out and in order to persuade the other members, the captain agreed that he will pay the compensation of these two crew members to the rest of the crew. However, the court held that the other crew members cannot force the captain to pay the extra payment because what the remaining crew members were doing is something which is already obligated to do within the contract. There is nothing extra that is undertaken by the crew members for which they must get something extra from the captain. Whereas in another leading case of Hartley v. Ponsonby the suit of the crew members was upheld as they has performed duties which were beyond their contractual obligations. also, in Williams v Roffey Bros Nicholls (Contractors) Ltd[19], it was held that every promise must be supported by some form of consideration and the actions must not be pre existing duties of the parties to the contract.[20] The principle laid down above is also applied in situations where in a debtor is paying money to the creditor in full settlement of his claim. In Pinnels Case[21], the court held that payment by the debtor in full settlement of his claim is not a good consideration is not enforceable. In the leading case Cole was obligated to pay some amount of money due to Pennel on 11th November 1600. But, on the request of Pennel, Cole pay a less amount of money on 1st October and consider the same as full settlement of money due to Pennel. But, court held that the acts of Cole are pre existing duties under the contract and thus nothing extra is done by Cole and which is supported by consideration. Thus the act of Cole is not enforceable and Pennel can sue for the rest of the amount. The principle was retreated in Foakes v. Beer[22]. So, when the contract are simple in nature then the rule laid down in Pinnels case is filly applicable. The rule establishes that of any changes are made to the contract terms then they must be supported by some gain or benefit. If the parties are obligated to perform their pre existing duties then no extra consideration can be sought for the same. But, the leading rule is very harsh especially for those debtors who are paying in good faith and thus bring undue advantage to the creditor who are again feeling free to bring legal action against the debtor. Thus, in order to curb this menace, there are few exception that are established: When the debtor pay to the creditor an amount which is considered as the full settlement of the claim of the debtor but the payment must be made before the due date. When the payment is made before the due date then it is a valid consideration and the actions are enforceable; When the parties establishes a contract, then, both the parties mutually agree and incorporate a term to the contract that part payment of debt can be considered as valid consideration amid the parties; If the debtor is paying something apart from money, that is, cannery, horse, etc, which is against the full and final payment of creditor then such consideration is valid in law and is held in Couldery v Bartrum[23]. If the debtor is paying his debts not at a place which is pre decided by the parties but at some other place then it is a valid consideration; When there is establishment of composite agreement by the parties which is established under the Bankruptcy Act 1966, then the part payment of dent by the debtor for full settlement of the claim is valid in law; When the action of the debtor, that is, part payment made by the debtor at the request of the creditor, then later the credit is barred from backing out his words and if the creditor has accepted the money in full settlement of the claim then the rule of promissory estoppel will apply and the payment made by debtor is held to be in settlement of the full claim; When the payment is made by the debtor to the creditor in the denomination other then what is pre decided by the parties then such payment is held to be made in full settlement of the claim of the creditor; When the dent of the debtor is not paid by him but the same is paid by third party to the creditor then such payment is held to be valid in law and is rightly established in Welby v. Drake[24]. So, these exceptions do not apply the principle that is laid down in Pinnel case. These exceptions remove the hardship that is caused through the Pinnel case. Thus, the application of Pinnel case is only to the extent till the time the contracts are of simple nature. But, in other situation, the problems that are faced by Pinnel case is removed by the application of exceptions that are established. Conclusion There is no contract that is made between Sam and Josie because Josie has revoked the offer by leaving a message on the answering machine of Sam before the letter of acceptance is made by Sam. Bibliography Books/Article/Journals Eliza, MIK, The Effectiveness of Acceptances Communicated by Electronic Means, Or Does the Postal Acceptance Rule Apply to Email (Journal of Contract Law, 2009). Gillies, Peter, Business Law (Federation Press, 2004). Poole, Jill , Textbook on Contract Law (Oxford University Press,21-Apr-2016). Case laws Bettini v Gye(1876) QBD 183 Brinkibon v Stahag und Stahlwarenhandelsgesellschaft mbH [1983] 2 AC 34 at 42. Crown v Clarke (1927) 40 CLR 227. Couldery v Bartrum(1880) 19 Ch. D. 394 Coulls v Bagots Executor Trustee Co Ltd (1967) 119 CLR 460. Currie v Misa(1875) LR 10 Ex 153. Empirnall Holdings Pty Ltd v Machon Paull Partners Pty Ltd (1988) 14 NSWLR 527. Fisher v Bell[1961] 1 QB 394. Foakes v. Beer (1884). Hyde v Wrench (1840) Beav 334. Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain v Boots [1953] 1 QB 401. Poussard v Spiersand Pond (1876) 1 QBD 410. Pinnels Case (1602). Roscorla v. Thomas (1842) 3 QB 234. Smith v Hughes [1871] LR 6 QB 59. Stilk v Myrick (1809) 170 ER 1168 Thomas v Thomas(1842), 2 QB 851. Williams v Roffey Bros Nicholls (Contractors) Ltd [1989] EWCA Civ 5. Welby v.Drake(1825) Online Material Alex Kuklik, The Law of contract(2017)https://sydney.edu.au/lec/subjects/contracts/Summer%202016-17/LPAB%20-%20Contract%20-%20Summer%202016%20-%20Lecture%203.pdf.

Permit to Work Systems free essay sample

A permit-to-work system is a formal written system used to control certain types of work that are potentially hazardous. A permit-to-work is a document which specifies the work to be done and the precautions to be taken. Permits-to-work form an essential part of safe systems of work for many maintenance activities. They allow work to start only after safe procedures have been defined and they provide a clear record that all foreseeable hazards have been considered. A permit is needed when maintenance work can only be carried out if normal safeguards are dropped or when new hazards are introduced by the work. Examples are, entry into vessels, hot work and pipeline breaking. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? An HSE survey showed that a third of all accidents in the chemical industry were maintenance-related, the largest single cause being a lack of, or deficiency in, permit-to-work systems. In a study of small and medium-sized chemical factories: I two-thirds of companies were not checking systems adequately; I two-thirds of permits did not adequately identify potential hazards; I nearly half dealt poorly with isolation of plant, electrical equipment, etc; I a third of permits were unclear on what personal protective clothing was needed; I a quarter of permits did not deal adequately with formal hand-back of plant once maintenance work had finished; I in many cases little thought had been given to permit form design. We will write a custom essay sample on Permit to Work Systems or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page While aimed primarily at the chemical industry the guidance provided may have application in other industries. 2 WHAT DO I NEED TO DO? Don’t assume that your system is a good one just because you have not yet had a serious accident. You should critically review your system and ask yourself the following questions. Information I Is the permit-to-work system fully documented, laying down: how the system works; the jobs it is to be used for; the responsibilities and training of those involved; and how to check its operation? I Is there clear identification of who may authorise particular jobs (and any limits to their authority)? I Is there clear identification of who is responsible for specifying the necessary precautions (eg isolation, emergency arrangements, etc)? I Is the permit form clearly laid out? I Does it avoid statements or questions which could be ambiguous or misleading? I Is it designed to allow for use in unusual circumstances? I Does it cover contractors? 3 Selection and training I Are those who issue permits sufficiently knowledgeable concerning the hazards and precautions associated with the plant and proposed work? Do they have the imagination and experience to ask enough ‘what if’ questions to enable them to identify all potential hazards? I Do staff and contractors fully understand the importance of the permit-to-work system and are they trained in its use? Description of the work I Does the permit clearly identify the work to be done and the associated hazards? I Can plans and diagrams be used to assist in the description of the work to be done, its location and limitations? I Is the plant adequately identified, eg by discrete number or tag to assist issuers and users in correctly taking out and following permits? I Is a detailed work method statement given for more complicated tasks? Hazards and precautions I Does the system require the removal of hazards and, where this is not reasonably practicable, effective control? Are the requirements of The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1999 (COSHH) and other relevant legislation known and followed by those who issue the permits? I Does the permit state the precautions that have been taken and those that are needed while work is in progress? For instance, are isolations specified and is it clear what personal protective equipment should be used? I Do the precautions cover residual hazards and those that might be introduced by the work, eg welding fume and vapour from cleaning solvents? 4 I Do the Confined Spaces Regulations 1997 apply? If so, has a full risk assessment identified the significant risks and identified alternative methods of working or necessary precautions? Procedures I Does the permit contain clear rules about how the job should be controlled or abandoned in the case of an emergency? I Does the permit have a hand-back procedure incorporating statements that the maintenance work has finished and that the plant has been returned to production staff in

buy custom Public Smoking essay

buy custom Public Smoking essay Public smoking exposes non-smokers to cigarette smoke. It occurs involuntarily and is known as a secondhand smoke (Romp, 2011). Secondhand smoke has various health hazards to people who do not use tobacco (Christensen, 2003). In some circumstances, its effects are similar to those experienced in smokers. Secondhand smoke in enclosed places has almost same effects as smoking. It results in involuntary smoking and thus causing detrimental health effects. Tobacco affects people in varying ways. This occurs because human bodies react to foreign substances differently due to the differences in the genes (Oaks, 2001). Either way, effects of secondary smoke should be avoided since it occurs involuntarily (Kabat, 2008). Many of the non-smokers do so voluntarily. They do so due to various reasons most of which are health related. Bans on public smoking thus should be implemented to protect innocent people from smoke related health dangers (Romp, 2011). Various health complications, which may even lead to death, are caused by secondhand smoke. Effects in infants Severe health effects occur in infants because of secondhand smoke. This is attributed mainly to their tender bodies, which cannot withstand the smoke (Oaks, 2001). These effects are so serious that they even lead to the death in some cases. A myriad of complications occur in infants because of public smoking (Kabat, 2008). Apart from causing death, effects of the secondhand smoke cause various detrimental consequences (Christensen, 2003). Some of these effects affect the individual even in adulthood. Secondhand smoke increases risk of asthma in infants. The smoke affects the respiratory system and thus causing asthmatic reactions (Romp, 2011). Asthmatic children, who are exposed to smoke, experience more serious asthmatic conditions. This occurs because of the chemicals in the smoke, which interfere with respiration (Romp, 2011). Serious asthmatic attacks can lead to death in infants. Secondhand smoke triggers such attacks and thus may lead to death of infants. Infants in families where smoking occurs get such attacks more often than in families of non-smokers. It also results in sudden infant death syndrome (Oaks, 2001). The smoke causes coplications in the lungs resulting in death. This is very common in the US and other countries where smoking is widely practiced. The syndrome may also occur due to a combination of complications in the system of the infant (Romp, 2011). The chemical in the smoke triggers these complications. Secondhand smoke causes over four hundred deaths of infants in the US per year (Kabat, 2008). This unwanted loss of innocent lives calls for action against the secondhand smoke. This can be reduced by banning public smoking hence such bans are welcome. The smoke exposes these young ones to the lung infections (Romp, 2011). These result in diseases such as bronchitis. These diseases cause serious health conditions, which are even fatal to infants. The infections increase the risks of contracting tuberculosis in infants (Christensen, 2003). Various infections thus occur because of the lung infections. Even not taken care of, these infants may end up dying. It also causes impairment in the breathing system. This occurs mainly because the smoke has the effect of slowing the growth of the lungs (Kabat, 2008). The smoke has other various effects in infants. It is known to cause allergies in infants. They occur due to the reaction against chemicals such as nicotine present in the smoke (Romp, 2011). It also affects the nervous system of the young (Kabat, 2008). This causes nervous disorders, which are carried on even to the adulthood. These may cause difficulties in learning and coordination as well. Its effects are also known to cause the middle ear infections. This is related to the effects caused by the smoke to the lungs. Such serious health issues cannot be overlooked. This calls for bans on public smoking since it will help to reduce such cases. Smoke is a major cause of the cancer today. It is mainly associated with lung cancer (Oaks, 2001). It also causes the breast cancer and more so on women who have not yet reached the menopause (Kabat, 2008). Secondhand smoke is a significant contributor of cancer cases. Passive smoking damages lungs of non-smokers leading to complications, which result in cancer. This is attributed to chemicals present in the smoke, more so nicotine (Christensen, 2003). It damages the lung tissues resulting in cancerous cells. Passive smoking is also known to be a major cause of brain tumoors in non-smokers. Cancer is difficult to cure particularly in its later stages. Today cancer is one of the major killers and most deaths are smoke related. This calls for ban of public smoking to protect those who do not use the product (Oaks, 2001). Secondhand smoke results in coronary diseases in non-smokers. This occurs mainly to those exposed to the smoke in enclosed places. Smoke is known to cause obesity and thus resulting in the heart complications (Kabat, 2008). This smoke also increases the risk of stroke upon exposure. Stroke causes deaths and thus involuntary smoke may result in deaths. The smoke also increases the heart rate in people particularly in those with heart problems (Kabat, 2008). This increases the risk of heart attack and deaths of people exposed to the secondhand smoke. Passive smoking causes premature birth (Oaks, 2001). This occurs when a mother is exposed to the smoke while pregnant. Premature births may be a reason of the death of newborns. Passive smoking of pregnant mothers also leads to the birth of underweight babies. It also affects the spine of the fetus during its development. This results in back pains of the victims during their adulthood (Oaks, 2001). Tobacco business is known to create huge revenues to governments. However, the gains are eroded by the health implications of smoking. Cancers and other diseases caused by smoking are difficult to treat (Christensen, 2003). They require expensive equipments thus call for significant investments. A big fraction of health budgets in many countries are devoted to treatment of these diseases. To reduce these economic effects, ban on public smoking is needed. This will reduce the number of such diseases hence saving the governments money (Kabat, 2008). Passive smoking has various health effects to non-smokers. They are similar to those experienced by smokers. This results in people involuntarily suffering from smoke related diseases. These diseases have negative impacts to human health (Kabat, 2008). They lead to millions deaths annually in various countries. They also account for large amounts of medical expenditure. I therefore agree that smoking in public places should be banned because of the health risks for non-smokers. Buy custom Public Smoking essay

A Law Unto Themselves

A Law Unto Themselves A Law Unto Themselves A Law Unto Themselves By Maeve Maddox I heard someone on the radio refer to a particular group of people as being â€Å"a law into themselves.† The only version of this idiom that I’m familiar with is â€Å"a law unto themselves.† The expression derives from Romans 2:14. Numerous English translations of the Bible render the phrase as â€Å"a law unto themselves,† but some use a different preposition, like to or for. Here are three translations: For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves.- King James Version (KJV) Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law,  they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law.- New International Version (NIV). For when Gentiles, who do not have the law,  by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.- English Standard Version (ESV) The passage refers to Gentiles who, although they lacked the law that had been given to the Jews, had their own laws that taught them how to live righteously. The preposition unto is a fossil. It once had several meanings, including some of the modern meanings of into, but, by the 18th century, its use had become obsolete in standard speech- except for the idiom â€Å"to be a law unto oneself.† Note: The word unto, meaning to, is sometimes heard in an elevated religious context, as in We cry unto the Lord. The modern use of â€Å"a law unto themselves† differs in meaning from the way it is used in the Bible passage. In the biblical context, the Gentiles are perceived as obeying a different law, but presumably their law applies to all of them. In modern usage, â€Å"to be a law unto oneself† suggests that the person or people so described ignore laws that apply to everyone else, doing as they please, as if they were above the law. Here are some examples from the Web: The NYPD may enforce the law, but they’re also a law unto themselves.- The Guardian. They [the khap panchaya] believe theyre supreme, a law unto themselves.- The Times of India.   The Soviet Politburo was a law unto itself.- The Washington Post The CIA: A Law Unto Itself- The Nation Nicole Kidman Law Unto Herself- New York Magazine Here are some non-idiomatic uses that use the preposition into instead of unto: French waiters are a law into themselves- TripAdvisor Hobby Lobby threatens to make religious believers a law into themselves.- UCLA law professor. Its a real policy dilemma because people begin to believe they can be the [sic] law into themselves.- Another law professor. Note: The quotations from the law professors appeared in newspaper articles; the fault of substituting into for unto may lie with the reporters or their editors. If a speaker does not wish to use archaic unto, the idiomatic choice of preposition is plain to: French waiters are a law to themselves. Hobby Lobby threatens to make religious believers a law to themselves Its a real policy dilemma because people begin to believe they can be a law to themselves Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Royal Order of Adjectives 40 Synonyms for â€Å"Lie†50 Words with Alternative Spellings

How computers changes our lives Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

How computers changes our lives - Lab Report Example Computer is a machine, which can be used to store data as well as to receive data. Computer is used as a tool in the society along with the Internet. Computers in the modern world have become a very complex because of a lot of component frame within a single computer and these components functions different functions for different purposes In addition to above, this is a research report consisted of some questions and the response analysis. This research report reveals the way computer is playing an important role to change one’s life. These questions will be regarding the role of computer in changing one’s life. To evaluate or to investigate how far the role of computer in the lives of individuals is deep rooted and what roles it is playing in facilitating the individuals to spend a smooth or comfortable life is the aim of this paper. In this paper, I will be using quantitative method to collect data from different persons and will be using a questionnaire consisted of eight questions. The questionnaire is based on a Likert scale that has the options, strongly agree, agree, agree to some extent, strongly disagree, disagree and disagree to some extent. The sample size is constituted of fifteen respondents. Random sampling was used to select individuals for the survey from the list of contacts that the researcher had on the social media. Using the Microsoft Excel will do the graphical representations. The majority of responses from the survey indicate that it will become evident that there seems to be a strong role of computer in individuals’ lives, especially, to the educated individual’s life. The use of computer in everyday life is increasing day by day from offices to universities (Hilber and LÃ ³pez). Without computer it is not possible for a person to access Internet, the largest and the easiest reservoir of information, entertainment and knowledge. 66% of responses indicate

Work in the Nursing Profession Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Work in the Nursing Profession - Case Study Example Most of the older people have multiple pathologies or diagnoses, but more often many symptoms are erroneously attributed to the older age, and no single cause should be ignored since it may lead to catastrophic consequences. With this background, the case history of Molly can be analyzed further to answer the questions related to her present illness. This 80-year-old widow for 2 years lives alone in her own house and is currently finding it very difficult to stay there. She has a large family of six children, all of whom are married, and although close to them, she is now finding it difficult to adjust. She had a chance of outing with these grandchildren, but their play and noise recently is falling on her nerves. It may be due to irritability due to some other reason. With the outing being brought to an end, she has been rendered more home bound. At home, she enjoys her television and garden, although it is doubtful as to how much gardening she can do herself. Medically, she is under care of her primary care physician for last 40 years, and her medications include prescription medications for arthritis, asthma, and heart problems. She has arthritis in almost all of her joints, and an aggravation of this problem and the pain associated with it has led to her increased consumption of over-the-counter pain relief medications and h eartburn medications. Moreover, the arthritis has aggravated to an extent that she needs to use walking stick, and her exercise has almost come to an end leading to restriction in mobility and gain in weight. She could manage to go to the local chemist for vitamins commuting in a bus, but that now seems improbable. Over the top of it recently, she does not seem to be able to manage her accounts efficiently. Many a times recently, she went shopping without money, and this forgetfulness has been noticed by the family members, and she gets irritated when somebody mentions this to her. Social contacts constricting, she has thus been left with her pastimes of reading, gardening, and television watching. In this admission, she had a fall in her garden leading to facial injury and hematoma and fracture neck of femur on the right hand side making a case for surgical procedure and acute hospital admission. It is expected that she would recover soon and be discharged home in a dependent condi tion needing home health assistance and care. She is not open to having someone unknown coming to her house and caring for her. Molly would need community care, and before instituting care, an assessment is necessary. One of her most important problems from the community care point of view is her recent confusion and intellectual failure making her dependent on others. Falls are comparatively recent additions to her condition that makes her vulnerable and dependent on others needing adjustments or constant watch. His prolonged arthritis would have led to contracture deformities in most of her joints restricting her mobility further die to loss of range of motion and painful joint conditions over the top of her age-related hypertension and onset of dementia. Her immobility predisposes her to many complications such as falls that has occurred, urinary incontinence, infections, pressure sores, deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism, and the care that would be planned in the community level would need sharp attention to prevent these (Carmody and Forster, 2003, 1-11). This lady has thus all, impairment,

Ethnic Groups and Discrimination Essay Example for Free

Ethnic Groups and Discrimination Essay I belong to the White ethnic group which was responsible for the colonization of North America. While I am part of the White ethnic group, my family immigrated to the United States from Germany quite some time after the major colonization of North America. When most people think about the colonization of North America they think of White people on the Mayflower landing on Plymouth Rock. While the pilgrims did colonize what is now referred to as New England, the Spanish were actually the first to colonize North America. No matter who first colonized North America, this colonization caused an influx of immigrants that asserted their dominance over the native people. This colonization was also the root cause of slavery being introduced to this New World. Pilgrims are most notably identified as coming to North America to escape religious persecution. The ironic part of the colonization is that the pilgrims forced their religion on those native to North America. It is important to note that this may be one of the first indications of future ethnic and racial problems that would caused by the colonization of North America. I dont think people normally think about racism happening to Caucasians. Unfortunately it is very common for racism to happen to all ethnic groups in the U. S. Caucasian racism and prejudice against other ethnic and racial groups always seem to get the most publicity. It would be better to broaden our view of prejudice and racism so that we could get the whole story. I think that the Caucasian group had brought most of this negative attention on itself. Historically the U. S. has been dominated by Caucasians, which means this group doesnt have as much to worry about restrictions due to ethnicity or racial group. If we break down the Caucasian group even further we can see that this is even truer for the males, which I am, of this group. Male Caucasians have long been the dominant force in U. S. society. The majority of restrictions placed on females and ethnic groups have been enforced by Male Caucasians. The most notable Caucasian discrimination has been against African Americans. African Americans were largely used for slave labor during the beginning of the U. S. Going from slave to equal isnt easy, in both occurrence and acceptance from the former dominant or controlling group. This dominant position can be seen as a major reason why the view of discrimination is still focused on Caucasians. Since the Caucasian males of the past have put restrictions on most other ethnic groups, this wrong was attempted to be undone by Affirmative Action laws (Fullinwider, Robert). While most people see Affirmative Action as being helpful, it has also caused discrimination against Caucasian males. Some government agencies require a quota on hiring certain ethnic groups (this included female Caucasians). This can cause a job candidate that has hirer qualifications to be passed over just to fulfill a quota. I have seen this happen to my father while he was applying for a firefighter/EMT position. You can easily see the Caucasian male dominance by noticing the dual labor market effect. I see it more as a multiple labor market since I would also include female Caucasians as another labor market. Immigrants from Mexico often enter into a portion of this multiple labor market, most notably the farming community. Whether it is farming, manual labor, or the lower-end service sector it seems that it seems more acceptable to Caucasians for other ethnic groups to occupy these types of jobs. When the other ethnic groups occupy positions normally held by Caucasian males, we often see a limitation in their ability to progress in that profession (glass ceiling). If you look at the breakdown of people who run companies you will see this is dominated by Caucasians males, followed by males of the other ethnic groups, then females of all ethnic groups. Discrimination isnt only apparent in the job market, but in how companies invest in certain areas. It is seen in our response to what is happening in other areas of cities or areas of the country. We have slums and ghettos that dont get investment monies to fix them up due to the lower class segregation. We have other areas occupied by a high number of non-Caucasians that dont get investments just because of their ethnicity. New Orleans is a perfect example of all of these inequalities. It was a city segregated by race, ethnicity, and social class standing. The devastation caused by hurricane Katrina happened to people who couldnt afford to get out on their own, and was compounded by the predominantly Caucasian governments lack of response (arguably due to the racial differences between U. S. leaders and with the people effected by the disaster). I dont feel that I fit in with the standard culture for my Caucasian ethnic group or the U. S. mainstream culture. I dont participate in any religions, as I believe in myself and science that can be proved. I dont feel that I am or need to be better than any other ethnic group. I couldnt care less about what style is popular or what haircuts are in. I just try to be myself and try to ignore things that try to sway my opinions. Instead of taking someones word for something I would rather research and come to my own decision (almost to a fault). I think it is better to be different than a lemming following the crowd running off the cliff. References Fullinwider, Robert (2005). Affirmative Action. Retrieved February 1, 2006 from http://plato. stanford. edu/entries/affirmative-action/.

Harmful Affects of Marijuana :: Marijuana Should NOT Be Legal

Marijuana or cannabis is one of the most commonly abused drugs. Marijuana consists of the dried and crushed leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds of the cannabis sativa plant. Delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol, also know as THC, is the primary psychoactive, mind-altering ingredient in marijuana that produces the feeling of being â€Å"high.† In this paper I will discuss some of the uses of marijuana, the effects of marijuana, its history, and some of the treatment methods for marijuana. Cannabis is one of the oldest known agricultural plants. Therefore it has a large presence in the history of the world. Woven fabrics have been discovered that are believed to be hemp fibers from 8000 to 7000 B.C. The first know use of hemp comes from China in about 4500 B.C. Which was used for rope, net making, and cloth weaving. Also, China was the first to use the plant for psychoactive purposes. India has documented the use of marijuana, or â€Å"bhang,† in the group of religious books known as the four â€Å"Vedas,† in about 1400 and 1000 B.C. These books refer to marijuana as one of the â€Å"five kingdoms of herbs†¦ which release us from anxiety.† Scientists believe that cannabis was introduced to the Middle East and Europe via India. Evidence has shown the use of cannabis in Norway and Germany in 400 B.C. In America, most believe that the Native Americans were aware of this plant, but most likely introduced by the Spaniards. The Spaniards brought the cannabis seed to Chile around 1545. In America, the plant was first grown in Virginia and Massachusetts in the sixteen hundreds. This plant was considered legal from the 1600’s until the 19th century. There is little evidence that shows marijuana being used for recreationally use in the U.S. during the 17th and 18th centuries. The drug became popular in the mid-19th century and was in most drugstores in though the beginning of the 20th century. Around the same time the recreational use for marijuana was first discovered. The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 put a heavy tax on manufactures, importers, dealers, pharmacists, and medical practitioners. This tax outlawed the substance for recreational use. There was a very negative attitude toward marijuana during the 1940’s and 1950’s, although there was a resurgence of this drug during the 1960’s. Though this resurgence marijuana is still used for recreational use today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Marijuana has many harmful effects on the human body.

Epi Study Guide – Leon Gordis

Reverse Time Order- outcome actually come before the exposure (opposite of hypothesis); the outcome Is really the exposure and the exposure Is really the outcome d. Chance- to occur accidentally, without design, a coincidence e. Bias- systematic error in design, conduct, or analysis of a study that results in a mistaken estimate 3. 4 enduring epidemiological understandings patterns to their occurrence. These patterns can be identified through surveillance of populations. Examining these patterns of health and disease can help us formulate a hypothesis bout their possible causes. B.A hypothesis can be tested by comparing the frequency of disease in selected groups of people with and without the exposure to determine if the exposure and the disease are associated. When the exposure is hypothesized to have a beneficial effect, studies can be designed in which a group of people is intentionally exposed to the hypothesized cause and compared to a group that is not exposed. When an exposur e is hypothesized to have detrimental effect, it is unethical to intentionally expose a group of people. In these circumstances, studies can be designed that observe groups of free living people with and without the exposure. . One possible explanation for finding an association is that the exposure causes the outcome. Because studies are complicated by factors not controlled by the observer, other explanations also must be considered, including chance, bias, confounding and reverse time order. D. Judgment about whether an exposure causes a disease is developed by examining a body of epidemiological evidence as well as evidence from other scientific disciplines 8 cause-effect criteria questions 1 . What is the strength of association between the risk factor and the disease? 2. Can a biological gradient be demonstrated? 3. Is the finding consistent?Has it been replicated by others in other places? 4. Have studies established that the risk factor precedes the disease? 5. Is the risk f actor associated with on disease of many different diseases? 6. Is the new finding coherent with earlier knowledge about the risk factor and the disease? 7. Are the implications of the observed findings biologically sensible? Been produced by controlled administration of the risk factor? 4. Active surveillance a. s when the researcher is actively to collect data for the study 5. Age-adjusted rates a. Eliminate the effects of differences in the age distributions of populations 6. Association a. Towards the null = towards no association 7. Bias a. Systematic error in design, conduct, or analysis of a study that results in a mistaken estimate of an exposure's effect on the risk of disease 8. Biological gradient/ dose-response relationship 9. Biological sense – Are the implications of the observed findings biologically sensible? If it doesn't make biological sense today, doesn't mean it can't in future 10. Landing- a. Blind the participants, blind people administering exposures, and even blind assessors evaluating if they do or do not have outcome I.Other measures, such as mean differences, are used if the data are continuous 39. Measures of statistical stability – P values and confidence intervals are the two main ways to asses the role of chance in epidemiological research. The null P value and 95% confidence interval are most commonly used. 40. Misclassification a. Indifferently misclassification – likelihood that misclassification is equal (if there is an association, you are less likely to find it) b. Differential misclassification – alters measure of affect 42. National Children's Health Study a.The National Children's Health Study will examine the effects of the environment, as broadly defined to include factors such as air, water, diet, sound, family dynamics, community and cultural influences, and genetics on the growth, development, and health of children across the United States, following them from before birth until age 21 years b. Cohort study 43. Natural Experiments -natural occurring circumstances in which groups of Pl within a population have been exposed to different levels of the hypothesized exposure. 44. Necessary and sufficient a. Al people with the ADZ are exposed 45. Not necessary and sufficient a. Those who have the ADZ may or may not be exposed 46. Necessary and not sufficient a. Elf you have the ADZ you have the exposure; you can have the exposure but the exposure may not be enough for you to get the ADZ 47. Not necessary and not sufficient a. Do not need to have exposure to have outcome, outcome does not mean you have b. XSL could be a cause of ADZ 48. Numerator a. A count 49. Nun Study- a. Retrospective cohort study, 1,000 nuns participated in the study. 3 of the nuns rote an autobiography at 22 linguistic in relation to Alchemies. 50. Observational Studies a. An epidemiological study of a natural experiment in which the investigator is not involved other than to count 51 . Odds ratio a. Ratio of the probability of the occurrence of an event to that of it's nonoccurrence b. OR= (A/C) / (BID) Students who did not do their homework had an odds of having a cell phone 9 times that of students who did their homework. 52. Outcome – ADZ, caused by exposure 53. P value 54. Passive surveillance is when the researcher relies on the available data for the study

Hum 176. Week 1 Mass Media

University of Phoenix Material- Effects of Mass Media Worksheet Write brief 250-to 300-word answers to each of the following: |Questions |Answers | |What were the major developments in the |In the early/middle 20th century brought a mass of developments into the world. Some of | |evolution of mass media during the 20th |the extended communication lines begin to extend then with radios, televisions, | |century? newspapers. The late 20th century added other forms of media through internet, social | | |communication, and technology such as video games. Media was the forefront of culture and | | |brought people together. Media is a mixture of mass media and communication outlets. | | |Before mass communication, people wrote letters and sent them through mail to communicate. | |However since the evolution, there are new ways such as email, text messages, video | | |conferencing, chatting, etc. This century has adapted to the media conversion and it has | | |evolved into daily lifestyles. In the average workplace, new waves of technology have | | |begun to embark on the evolution by removing files, the use of paper, more recycling, and | | |using technology to its full potential.The average employer no longer requires paper | | |applications. More applications for employment can be done online, through smartphone | | |services with just one touch. Another major development streamed lined in the early 1900’s| | |with the authority of the printing press. As the invention successfully streamed, it | | |allowed the news press and local media to get more local news out effectively. Theatres | | |embraced the line of cinema.More movies also became famous as part of the century | | |entertainment. There were no longer more outside evening films. The films also gained | | |communication through the development of radio. Radio became the worldwide core to news, | | |entertainment, and the source that people could rely on. The radio started to be the hit | | |location f or many artist to show their talents and for viewers to hear top hit songs.The | | |late 20th century brought on more collaboration of music through the internet, cell | | |phones, and applications downloads on the internet, and more. The major developments have | | |been a great asset to the country and will continue to be embraced by individuals. | |How did each development influence | | |American culture? | |

Critical Review of a Paper Investigating the Application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour to Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy The WritePass Journal

Critical Review of a Paper Investigating the Application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour to Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy Introduction Critical Review of a Paper Investigating the Application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour to Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy ) into the application of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB, Ajzen, 1988, 1991) and its effectiveness in predicting intention to carry out health related behaviours. The TPB is a social cognition model, meaning that it seeks to predict intention to carry out a behaviour and to understand why individuals may fail to adhere to a behaviour to which they were once committed. The theory claims that three variables can be used to predict an individual’s behaviour: the individual’s attitude toward the behaviour, the attitude of significant others toward the behaviour and the individual’s perceived control over a behaviour. Perceived control over behaviour is governed by both internal factors such as an individual’s skills or available resources, and external factors such as actual opportunities to carry out the behaviour. Unlike the individual’s attitude toward the behaviour and the attitude of others, perceived control over the behaviour is believed to i nfluence both the intention to carry out the behaviour and the behaviour itself. In particular, the authors were investigating whether the TPB could be used to predict intention to consume alcohol during pregnancy. Previous research has found the TPB to be useful for predicting a range of other health related behaviours (Godin and Kok, 1996) and alcohol consumption behaviours in particular (Marcoux Shope, 1997; McMillan Conner, 2003). The authors focused on the role of TPB in being able to predict the consumption of alcohol during pregnancy. Drinking during pregnancy is a major health issue. It has been found to influence a number of outcomes for the child including maladaptive behaviours (Sood et al., 2001) and weight at birth (Mariscal et al., 2006). Despite its relation to negative outcomes for the child, up to 54% of women in the UK have claimed to have consumed alcohol during their pregnancy (Bolling et al., 2007). Study Description 130 women based in the Aberdeenshire area returned a questionnaire that was distributed to them at their 20-week pregnancy scan. Of these, analysis was carried out on 116 women. The questionnaire included questions designed to gather information on demographic details, past and present alcohol consumption, and TPB variables. The TPB variables included measuring the participants’ intention to engage in the behaviour, their attitude toward the behaviour, their beliefs about the subjective norm and their perceived behavioural control. The study found that the majority of participants made changes to their drinking behaviour once they found out that they were pregnant, with these changes taking the form of a reduction in alcohol consumption. 64.7% abstained from alcohol altogether during their pregnancy, 34.5% continued to drink to some level and 0.9% did not answer. Of those women who continued to drink during their pregnancy, 13.4% were drinking above the recommended maximum lev els whereas the rest were drinking one to two units between two and four times per month. It was also found that although most participants received information about drinking during their pregnancy, 12.9% received no information. In relation to the TPB theory, it was found that women who abstained from drinking after finding out they were pregnant had significantly higher scores on the intention scale, suggesting that they had a significantly greater intention to quit alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Abstaining participants also had significantly higher scores on the subjective norm scale, indicating that they felt more pressure from what others thought about drinking during pregnancy. Abstainers were also found to have significantly lower scores on the attitude scale, suggesting a much less positive attitude toward the behaviour of drinking during pregnancy. In contrast,, the scale that measured perceived behaviour control did not show any significant differences between those women who abstained and those who continued to drink during their pregnancy. Attitude toward the behaviour and the influence of what others thought of the behaviour were found to be strongly and significantly correlated with intention to carry out the behaviour of abstaining from alcohol during pregnancy. TPB was able to explain 59.3% of variance in intention to drink during pregnancy. Furthermore, the theory was able to correctly classify 91.8% of cases and as a result, was statistically able to distinguish between drinkers and abstainers. The authors concluded that as attitude was found to have the greatest statistically significant contribution to predicting intention and to contribute significantly to predicting actual behaviour, it would be an ideal candidate for intervention focus. As perceived behaviour control was the only TPB component found not to contribute, the authors suggest that the model without this component would be appropriate for predicting intention to consume alcohol during pregnancy. Critical Review The reviewed article addressed an important health issue, namely investigating how drinking alcohol during pregnancy could be reduced by understanding what drives or stops women from having the intention to carry out this behaviour. The finding that attitude toward drinking whilst pregnant has a significant impact on both intention to drink during pregnancy and actual drinking during pregnancy could have wider clinical and educational applications. Nevertheless, the authors are vague in how their findings could be applied in the real world and fail to make useful suggestions based on their data. The finding that some women were not provided with information pertaining to the consumption of alcohol during pregnancy is also an important one because it highlights that some health trusts are failing to help women make informed decisions about this subject. However, it is not touched upon in the discussion. The study’s introduction is a little weak in that it does not make an overly convincing argument as to why their chosen topic is important and worth investigating. It makes only a brief reference to the negative impact that alcohol consumption can have on both mother and baby, and the literature to which it refers is quite outdated. This suggests that a thorough and recent literature review may not have been carried out. Furthermore, the study could present a much stronger argument as to why the TPB may be applicable to this health behaviour in particular. There is some justification in that the authors of the paper chose this particular theory on the premise that a socially-based theory such as TPB could highlight risk factors for the consumption of alcohol during pregnancy that could be more easily influenced than previous risk factors that have been identified such as drinking habits before pregnancy and socioeconomic status (Stewart Streiner, 1994; Yamamoto et al., 2008). Risk factors such as these cannot be easily changed. In contrast, risk factors based on attitudes toward a behaviour can be more easily altered through education or government interventions. The discussion does not flow particularly well and the overall conclusions of the study are not entirely clear. An advantage of the TPB is its holistic approach. It attempts to understand the behaviour of an individual in the context of both an individual’s attitude toward a behaviour, their perceived control over that behaviour and how they perceive others to judge the behaviour. However, our intentions to carry out a behaviour or not are the result of an incredibly complex process during which many variables are taken into account. Although the limitations of the study’s methodology are touched upon in the discussion, the authors fail to explore the limitations of the TPB and how these may affect their findings. For example, McKeown (1979) argued that negative health behaviours are determined on the individual level by the choices we make to behave in a certain way. Therefore, the theory may place too much emphasis on the importance of what others think of a behaviour. Indeed, in the current study, individual attitudes toward a behaviour were found to be more influential than subjective norms. One criticism of this study is its potential lack of representativeness, both culturally and geographically. Ethnic minorities made up only 6.9% of the sample, meaning that the results may not be generalisable to ethnic minorities. Furthermore, the sample was collected from only one geographic area, although the authors argue that their findings are in keeping with previous studies that used samples from a much wider geographical area (Anderson et al., 2007; Bolling et al., 2007). There may also have been a bias in the way in which participants were recruited. Women were approached by the researchers whilst awaiting their 20 week antenatal scans in hospital. The scans are designed to screen for any anomalies in the baby and to check that development is normal. These scans are not compulsory, potentially creating a bias in the sample. For example, Alderdice et al. (2007) found that women without qualifications or women from areas of high deprivation were significantly less likely to u ptake an offer of a 20 week screen for Downs Syndrome than women from affluent areas or women with degree-level qualification. This suggests that the women who were approached by the researchers in the current study may have been under-representative of women from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Furthermore, the study does not provide detail on the demographic information of the women who responded to the questionnaire, which would have been useful in evaluating generalisability. The measure used to ascertain TPB variables was developed using guidelines for the development of questionnaires designed to measure TPB behaviours (Francis et al., 2004). However, the measurement used was not a validated questionnaire. Furthermore, the authors do not provide examples of how they measured the three variables of intention, subjective norm and perceived behaviour control. This means that the measure cannot be opened up for scrutiny or re-used in later studies to assess its validity and reliability. Before the main study, a small pilot study was carried out with seven pregnant women to ensure that the questionnaire was easy to understand. Pilot studies are essential for establishing a sound study design (van Teijilngen Hundley, 2001). Although, it should be noted that the authors did not report the results of any reliability or validity tests. As part of the test battery, the study did use the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, a reliable and valid measure for gathering information on alcohol consumption that was developed by the World Health Organisation (Saunders et al., 1993, Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, 2004). This measurement has been reported to be superior to other measures designed to collect data on the same subject (Reinert Allen, 2002). Self-report measures in themselves have a number of limitations. Firstly, they are subject to social desirability bias. Social desirability bias acknowledges that participants may report carrying out behaviours that are socially desirable or may cover up being involved in behaviours that are frowned on. Based on the finding that subjective norms had a significant impact on both intention and behaviour, social desirability bias may have affected the results of this study. If participants were so influenced by what others thought of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, then they may have been likely to cover up occasions on which they did drink during their pregnancy. This means that the number of participants who did drink during pregnancy may have been higher than the study reported. Recommendations for Improvement and Future Research If this study is to be replicated, it could be improved in a number of ways. Firstly, ethnic minorities must be better represented. Great Britain is now a multi-cultural country and research must reflect this. The authors must provide more information or a copy of the questionnaire designed to measure TPB variables so that reliability and validity can be assessed. A useful future study would be to assess the impact of an intervention designed to change the attitude of women who do not perceive drinking alcohol during pregnancy to be an issue. As attitude was found to be the most important factor in intention to carry out this behaviour, the currently reviewed study would be strengthened if an intervention based around attitude was found to change behaviour. References Ajzen, I. (1988). Attitudes, personality, and behavior. Milton Keynes, UK: Open University Press. Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50, 179-211. Alderdice, F., McNeill, J., Rowe, R., Martin, D. Dornan, J. (2008). Inequalities in the reported offer and uptake of antenatal screening. Public Health, 122(1), 42-52. Anderson, S., Bradshaw, P., Cunningham-Burley, S., Hayes, F. Jamieson, L., MacGregor, A. et al. (2007). Growing up in Scotland: A study following the lives of Scotland’s children. Edinburgh, Scotland: Scottish Executive. Bolling, K., Grant, C., Hamlyn, B. Thornton, A. (2007). Infant Feeding Survey, 2005. Leeds, UK: The Information Centre. Duncan, E.M., Forbes-McKay, K.E. Henderson, S.E. (2012). Alcohol use during pregnancy: An application of the theory of planned behaviour. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 42(8), 1887-1903. Francis, J.J., Eccles, M.P., Johnstone, M., Walker, A., Grimshaw, J., Foy, R. et al. (2004). Constructing questionnaires based on the theory of planned behaviour: A manual for health service researchers. Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK: Centre for Health Services Research. Godin, G. Kok, G. (1996). The theory of planned behaviour: A review of its applications to health-related behaviors. American Journal of Health Promotion, 11, 87-98. Marcoux, B.C. Shope, J.T. (1997). Application of the theory of planned behaviour to adolescent use and misuse of alcohol. Health Education Research, 12, 323-331. Mariscal, M., Palma, S., Llorca, J., Perez-Iglesias, R., Pardo-Crespo, R. Delgado-Rodriguez, M. (2006). Pattern of alcohol consumption during pregnancy and risk for low birth weight. Annals of Epidemiology, 16, 432-438. McKeown, T. (1979). The role of medicine. Dream, mirage or nemesis? Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publisher Ltd. McMillan, B. Conner, M. (2003). Using the theory of planned behaviour to understand alcohol and tobacco use in students. Psychology, Health, and Medicine, 8, 317-328. Reinert, D. Allen, J.P. (2002). The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT): A review of recent research. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 26(2), 272-279. Saunders, J.B., Aasland, O.G., Babor, T.F., de la Fuente, J.R. Grant, M. (1993). Development of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT): WHO collaborative project on early detection of persons with harmful alcohol consumption. Addiction, 88, 791-804. Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network. (2004). The management of harmful drinking and alcohol dependence in primary care: A national clinical guideline. Edinburgh, Scotland: Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network. Sood, B., Delaney-Black, V., Covington, C., Nordstrom-Klee, B., Ager, J., Templin, T., et al. (2001). Prenatal alcohol exposure and childhood behaviour at age 6 to 7 years: I. Does- response effect. Pediatrics, 108(2), 34-43. Steward, D.E. Streiner, D. (1994). Alcohol drinking in pregnancy. General Hospital Psychiatry, 16, 406-412. van Teijilngen, E. Hundley, V. (2001). The importance of pilot studies. Social Research Update, 35, 1-4. Yamamoto, Y., Kanieta, Y., Yokoyama, E., Sone, T., Takemura, S., Suzuki, K. et al. (2008). Alcohol consumption and abstention among pregnant Japanese women. Journal of Epidemiology, 18, 173-182.

Recruiters look for these 8 skills in every resume

Recruiters look for these 8 skills in every resume The specific skills you need to excel in the working world will vary depending on your field. But there are 8 general skills all recruiters hope to see, whether listed or implied, on your resume. Not only will these skills  help you get your foot into the door, but they’ll also make you a competent and respected employee. If you don’t have any of these skills, it might be time to acquire a few. If you do have ‘em, great! Start showcasing them on that resume.1. ProfessionalismYou’ll want to go on to describe this in more concrete terms, depending on your industry, but the skill itself is invaluable- and hard to teach. Talk about how conscientious and organized you are, and how dedicated.2. Integrity/HonestyIt sounds simple, but it’s key- can a company trust you? Will you show up on time and do the job you’re assigned? Will you keep sensitive company information from people who aren’t supposed to hear it?  Just listing these skills se nds the message that you find them valuable enough for precious resume space.3. AdaptabilityFlexibility and the willingness to do things outside the exact scope of your job description are highly valued traits. Will you pitch in where needed, roll with the punches, and evolve as your industry changes? Are you ready to work on developing skills you haven’t yet mastered? If you let recruiters know you’re adaptable to change, they’re more likely to want you on board.4. Industry AwarenessIf you know what’s going on in your industry, it shows you have your eye on the bigger prize. You’ll be looking past your own position- and even your own company- at the bigger picture. This will make your work better and your insights deeper. You’ll also have a better learning curve when you can anticipate the changes coming in your field.5. Research SkillsNo one goes into a job knowing every possible answer to every possible problem or situation, or even just the answer to every question that comes up. Knowing how to research well and effectively- and knowing when a situation calls for it- is an invaluable skill. The ability to research well also suggests you’re a great self-starter- able to look into confusing things on your own before bugging your manager.6. Work EthicFile this under good, old-fashioned stick-to-itiveness. Can people count on you to get the job done? Maybe more importantly, do you hold yourself accountable? Show recruiters that you take your work seriously and are willing to work hard to make sure you do things right.7. People Skills/CommunicationYou may match the skills requirement list perfectly for a job, but if you can’t communicate effectively or clearly (or if you’re just really bad at interpersonal skills), you may lose out on more jobs than you know. Brush up your email, phone, and in-person conversation skills, and convey to recruiters that you can express yourself clearly and professional ly via all avenues.8. PassionNobody likes an automaton, however effective. Show that you’re qualified, sure, but don’t forget to show just how much energy and positivity you bring to the table. Let your passion, drive, and interest in the field shine through- or fake it if you have to!

REFLECTIVE REPORT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

REFLECTIVE REPORT - Essay Example During the first meeting, we engaged in a brain storming session in which each of us though of possible topics/subtopics for discussion. We evaluated the numerous suggestions and narrowed down the subtopics to a few. Based on the few areas, each member of the group was assigned one part to research and write on. We agreed by consensus that each person would also present the part that they had researched on on the day of the presentation. Abiola was assigned the topics myths and religion and religious beliefs while Bernadin was assigned the part of defining science and religion. Oluwabumni was to research on the relationship between religion and science even as Tuoyo researched on the kind of relationship that may arise between science and religion. Kalu was to do the conclusion while I was to work on the introduction. In the meetings that followed, we basically got updates on the progress made by each group member. Based on the information that each one of us gathered, we made comments, criticized, and made suggestions as we deemed fit. This was meant to see us come up with the best possible presentation. As we discussed on the progress of each member, we were keen to ensure that our criticisms and comments were objective rather than subjective. In preparation for the presentation, I relied on different sources of information. I visited the British Library where I got access to several useful sources. I had a more or less similar experience to what I had previously at the library. The amount of information related to the topic was overwhelming and I had a bit of trouble narrowing down to a few books, journals, and periodicals. I was lucky to have had a previous experience with the same situation and so I took less time settling down of the few sources that I finally read and used as sources for the presentation.

May be on any philosopher or logician (e.g., Aristotle), any pair of Essay

May be on any philosopher or logician (e.g., Aristotle), any pair of philosophers or logicians (e.g., Aristotle and Frege), an - Essay Example The Academy in Athens was the first institution in the Western World devoted to research and instruction in philosophy as well as other sciences. Plato’s works delve into political events and intellectual movements of his time while raising profound questions and tackling them in s richly suggestive and provocative manner that educates readers of nearly every period. As such, Plato’s works has been used as teaching material in varied subjects such as philosophy, logic, ethics, rhetoric as well as mathematics. In this regard, Plato along with Socrates and Aristotle played a crucial role in influencing the foundation of Western philosophy and Science. In essence, Plato expressed a sense of self-consciousness in regards to how we ought to conceive philosophy, its proper scope and ambitions. This paper seeks to discuss Plato’s contributions to the field of philosophy. In this regard, the paper discusses the biography of Plato and addresses his work in the field of ph ilosophy. ... In regards to Diogenes Laertius account, Plato derived the name Plato from the breadth of his expressiveness while his wrestling coach as well gave him that name in light of his stature. Plato had the quickness of mind and modesty as a young boy while his hard work and love of study made him a student of Socrates. Prior to meeting with Socrates, Plato had received instructions in grammar, music as well as gymnastics while he was as well acquainted with the Cratylus and the Heraclitean doctrines. After the death of Socrates, Plato traveled in Italy, Sicily, Egypt and Cyrene. He returned to Athens while at the age of forty and founded the Academy in Athens, one of the earliest known formal institutions of higher learning in Western Civilization. The Academy in Athens schooled many intellectuals with the most prominent one being Aristotle. Plato later delved into politics by associating in the politics of the city of Syracuse. Plato died in 347 BC while the details of his death remain s canty. The widely acclaimed accounts detail that he died in his sleep. In essence, the biography of Plato remains scanty in many areas owing to the lack of proper documentation of events during his era. Plato’s philosophical contributions Persistent themes One of the most persistent themes in Plato’s philosophical work is the relationship between a father and a son. Plato pays particular interest to the question whether the interests that a father has in relation to his son have profound influence on how well the son turn out. The factor influencing Plato’s concern in this theme is the fact that in ancient Athens, the social identity of a boy emerged from the social identity of his family. Plato differs from his mentor, Socrates, who mocks the

The Brand Plan of Chipotle- management paper Research

The Brand Plan of Chipotle- management - Research Paper Example The Brand Plan of Chipotle includes the overview of the current brand scenario in the industry. According to "Where the Burritos Buzz Themselves: Chipotles Ad Budget Is Tiny, but Word of Mouth Makes Up the Difference Easily.",  the management of Chipotle does not believe in spending on promotions and advertisements to create an image of their brand. However, relying on word-of-mouth only to build the equity of a brand is not enough considering the growing situation of Chipotle. This paper focuses on how the brand is to be managed. Currently, as narrated in "How I Got Started Founder Steve Ells Tells the Story of Chipotles Rise.†; Chipotle manages a portfolio of a couple of brands which are Burrito, Burrito Bowl Crispy Tacos, Soft Tacos, Salad and Chips & Guacamole. Although the menu is quite limited for a large restaurant like Chipotle, the owners decide to keep the menu simple in order to maintain the flare of the brand on which the growth rests. As the management believes more on the word-of-mouth marketing rather than undertaking fully fledged marketing campaign, Chipotle must see that with the growth in the international marketing, it has to be backed with marketing campaigns and brand marketing endeavors in order to build a strong customer base as pointed out in the book â€Å"Strategic Brand Management, International Edition: Best Practice Cases in Branding†. As implied in "The Marketing Advantages of Strong Brands.", with the organization in its growing phase, the positioning strategies of the brand will be set, along with the corporate branding techniques which would translate into financial benefits. The brand of Chipotle would be made a corporate brand and the famous menu items of the restaurant would be advertised under corporate branding. The turnover resulting from these corporate brands would be gauged and the financials would be managed separately. This would show how much a brand is contributing to the total

The Kalabagh Dam Consequences

The Kalabagh Dam Consequences The Kalabagh dam is controversial for many reasons. A key reason has to do with the decision making process, which is highly centralized, politically coercive, and technically flawed. Regrettably, when the need is for broad-based stakeholder consultations, the existing trend is towards even greater centralization. For instance, the rotating chairmanship of the Indus River System Authority has recently been converted into a permanent appointment, provincial resolutions against Kalabagh have been given short shrift, the Council of Common Interests (CCI) has consistently ignored the matter and community concerns continue to be met with blatant disregard. Small wonder then that the political leadership in the smaller provinces and civil society are up in arms against Kalabagh. In this essay, we critically examine four contested aspects of the Kalabagh dam. These relate to: water availability; environmental impacts; food and energy; and technical and financial feasibility. The work of colleagues is gratefully acknowledged. Water availability is an over riding concern. Is surplus water available to justify the Kalabagh project? WAPDA itself the generic source has sown confusion on this issue. It cites two average flow figures: 123 MAF (million acre-feet) and 143 MAF. The first calculation is based on a 64-year period (1922-1996) and includes both wet and dry cycles. The second estimate is based on a much shorter and wet cycle period of 22 years (1977-1994). Since the total requirement (inclusive of the additional allocation of 12 MAF under the 1991 Water Accord), is calculated at 143 MAF, there is a clear short fall of 20 MAF if we use the first estimate. This means Kalabagh may remain dry every 4 out of 5 years. Even the higher flow figure (143 MAF) overlooks certain factors. The first of these is system (evaporation and seepage) losses. If such losses increased from 6.2 MAF post Mangla to 14.7 MAF post-Tarbela, presumably, they will be even higher post-Kalabagh. This would have adverse implications for inter-provincial water distribution. New irrigation infrastructure appears untenable in view of these losses, since the increased upstream off-takes would be at the expense of downstream flows. This concern is also ignored when presenting Kalabagh as a replacement for Tarbela. Tarbela is projected to lose 5.3 MAF of its storage capacity by the year 2010. Since Kalabagh would, essentially, be replacing this loss, the Right and Left Bank canals would divert even more of Sindhs allocations than they presently are. In addition, illegal off-takes would also tend to be exacerbated. Consider now the environmental implications of constructing yet another large dam on the Indus River ecosystem. A catalogue of existing degradation provides the context for future environmental impacts of dams like Kalabagh. Degradation of the Indus delta ecosystem, as a result of reduced water outflows, is already a highly visible phenomenon. The present level of silt discharge, estimated at 100 million tons per year, is a four-fold reduction from the original level before large dams were constructed on the River Indus. The combination of salt-water intrusion (some reports show this as 30 km inland), and reduced silt and nutrient flows has changed the character of the delta considerably. The area of active growth of the delta has reduced from an original estimate of 2,600 sq. km (growing at 34 meters per year) to about 260 sq. km. The consequent ravages to the ecosystem have been exceptionally severe, in particular to the mangroves, which are its mainstay. They sustain its fisheries, act as natural barriers against sea and storm surges, keep bank erosion in check and are a source of fuel wood, timber, fodder and forest products, a refuge for wildlife and a potential source of tourism. Without mangroves and the nutrients they recycle and the protection they provide, other components of the ecosystem would not survive. The direct and indirect benefits of mangroves are enormous. In 1988, Pakistan earned Rs.2.24 billion from fish exports, of which shrimps and prawns constituted 72%. Additional income is generated from fuelwood, fodder and forest products was another Rs.100/- million. Not only is this revenue at risk from mangrove loss, but the physical infrastructure required to replace the natural protection provided by the mangroves (dykes, walls) would entail enormously high capital and maintenance costs. The health of mangroves is directly linked to fresh water inflows. Releases below Kotri barrage in most years and excluding floods average 10 MAF. Of this, little or none actually reaches the mangroves. The rest is lost due to evaporation or diversions. According to the Sindh Forestry Department, about 27 MAF is required to maintain the existing 260,000 ha. of mangroves in reasonably healthy condition. This is 27 MAF more than currently available, a situation which has contributed to ecosystem instability and mangrove loss. Within the framework of the Indus Water Accord, an additional 12 MAF would be diverted for upstream dam construction including Kalabagh. This would reduce existing sub-optimal flows further and aggravate an already critical situation. A community of about 100,000 people, residing on the northern side of the Indus Delta, depends on the mangroves for their livelihood. The prevailing view is that being under privileged, such communities are prone to degrade their environment. However, it is difficult to fathom why poor communities should endanger the very basis of their existence. The more likely explanation is that community practices have not changed, but they appear unsustainable because the resource base has begun to degrade. Communities are more often the victims than the agents of such degradation are. The real culprits are water diversion; biological and chemical water contamination and large-scale commercial practices, compounded both by institutional ignorance and complicity in such practices. Mangrove loss is only one among the many manifestations of biodiversity deficits emerging along the entire length of the Indus River ecosystem. The ecosystem has been severely fragmented over time by its extensive network of dams, canals and barrages, resulting in threats to a variety of species and organisms, the most notable among them being the Indus dolphin and the palla fish. Both can be classified as indicator species, as their impending loss represents the loss of a way of life, characterized by interdependence between communities and their environment. Another myth firmly embedded in the minds of our planners is that large dams are the perfect flood prevention devices. The evidence for Pakistan shows otherwise; that its large dams not withstanding, there has been no reduction in the incidence and intensity of floods nor in the associated losses in lives, crops, livestock and infrastructure. There is no seeming pattern to the floods other than the fact that they could have coincided with wet cycles. In actual fact, the severity of flood impacts appears to have increased after the two major dams, Tarbela and Mangla, were constructed. In actual fact, the shrinking of the riverbeds due to water diversions reduces their absorptive capacity and hence enhances the danger of flooding. River ecosystems have a natural capacity to deal with floods and these natural processes provide many benefits. Flood plains, wetlands, backwaters are commonly referred to as natures sponges; they absorb and purify excess water as a hedge against lean periods. They act as spawning grounds for fish and wildfowl. The floods themselves replenish agricultural soils. Communities living around these areas adapt to this natural rhythm and use its bounty to ensure reliable and sustainable livelihoods. It has also been pointed out that dams dont prevent floods, they merely create flood threat transfer mechanisms. The solution is to work with communities, rely on their knowledge and to supplement their flood mitigation and coping strategies. Two of the most commonly cited arguments in favor of large dams relate to food security and energy. Such arguments have become increasingly compelling in the light of perceived threats to food security and the recent furor surrounding the private power projects. We examine both of these arguments in turn. Additional water from Kalabagh can enhance crop production in three ways: by irrigating new land; by enhancing cropping intensity on existing land; or through yield enhancement. The first option appears tenuous. It is claimed that Kalabagh will irrigate close to an additional million hectares of barren land, and bring Pakistan closer to wheat self-sufficiency. However, the reports of the National Commission on Agriculture and the National Conservation Strategy suggest otherwise. They indicate that available cultivable land is almost fully utilized, leaving little scope for extensive cultivation. Between 1952 and 1977, about 80% of the increase in total cropped area was due to the cu ltivation of new land. Since then, this proportion has fallen dramatically, with double cropping accounting for the bulk of the increase. The reports suggest that in addition to the water constraint a very tangible land constraint exists as well. Crop production can also be increased through cropping intensity increases or crop yield enhancements. Both are water dependent and establish an a priori justification for Kalabagh. The NCS report states that at present 12.2 million hectares of land are available for double cropping while only 4.4 million hectares are being double cropped clearly water is the constraining factor. With respect to yield enhancements, water is again required in large quantities by the high yielding seed varieties (wheat, cotton, rice, maize) and for its synergetic effects upon chemical inputs. However, a critical choice needs to be made here. Does one opt for additional water, or can the same results be achieved through improved water use efficiency? Higher water retention in the system risks aggravating an already massive problem of water logging and salinity. In fact, the controversial and exorbitantly expensive ($780 million), 25-year National Drainage Plan project has been launched to mitigate its impacts. Kalabagh is bound to add to the problem, not only in its immediate environs but also where new irrigation infrastructure is to be situated. A clearly preferred choice is to use existing water more efficiently, and to focus on the necessary institutional changes for its equitable distribution. Some of the proposed measures are canal and watercourse rehabilitation, land leveling, improved on-farm water management and, at the policy level, switching demand based management while protecting the needs of the poor small farmers. These are clearly win-win solutions as they are relatively low cost, efficient, equitable and environmentally friendly. After the recent commotion over private power, the government began to hype up Kalabagh as an alternative source of cheap and clean energy. In the process, it switched adroitly from its earlier position that energy demand had been overstated, to one where it now posits a deficiency in supply. However, the cheap energy argument is becoming increasingly untenable both financially and technically. Donors such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank are unlikely to provide concessional funding for Kalabagh. This reflects their commitment to the thermal based private power projects, as well as the censure they have faced for getting embroiled in projects with major environmental and resettlement costs. And even if concessional funding was available, it is still not clear that hydel unit costs would be lower than thermal, once these costs are factored in. At this point, the whole debate appears to be moot since the government is scampering for funds to keep the economy afloat against the backdrop of sanctions. Even so, renewed policy statements suggest there is a resolve to proceed when the situation permits. Apart from the political compulsions, there is an inertial aspect to this decision as well. Institutional and financial paralysis inhibits the scope for energy conservation, efficiency improvements and diversification. The options have been identified often enough: on the supply side these are reduction of transmission and distribution (TD) losses and renewable energy development technologies (solar, wind, biomass). On the demand side, both technical and economic options exist for energy conservation. While these have been employed to some extent (tariff increases, energy efficient lighting), the efforts are a far cry from the kind of sustained initiatives launched in some South Asian countries, such as Thailand, where revamped e nergy supply systems are part of a larger network, with linkages to RD, the private sector and trade facilities. The title of a study Tarbela Dam Sedimentation Management, carried out by TAMS-Wallingford (March 1998) is self-explanatory. It shows that a de-silted Tarbela would yield the same irrigation benefits as Kalabagh, but at one-seventh the cost in net present value terms. The study states that, replacement of [irrigation and energy] benefits by constructing a new dam and reservoir down stream is feasible, but will be expensive, environmentally damaging and socially harmful. An alternative option cited is the construction of new outlets at the Tarbela Dam that will enable sediment to be flushed from the reservoir. The proposed Tarbela Action Plan is based on computer simulations of sediment flows. These simulations were designed to determine whether flushing was technically feasible and could be used to enhance long run storage capacity and to predict future sedimentation. Based on these simulations, a three phased action plan was proposed. The implementation of this plan would ensure long term and sustainable storage with only a small annual reduction in capacity. The estimated increase in retention at 6 MAF is exactly what the Kalabagh reservoir is designed to hold. Our conclusion is that the burden of proof is on those who advocate building the Kalabagh Dam. Our findings show that it is not economically, socially or environmentally viable. Also, the proposed benefits are based on faulty or misunderstood premises and, in any case, there exist in each case more viable and cost effective alternatives.