Reflective Writing Assignments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Reflective Writing Assignments - Essay Example However, there should be a limit to the free will since it can be disastrous at times (Campbell 9). A world without free will but with only good things happening is an incomplete world. This is because free will is an important component of life, and thus without it life can be sometimes unbearable. Conversely, a world where the presence of free will leads to occurrence of bad things is not good either. This is because people misuse the free will accorded to perform evil actions that may sometimes end up being disastrous (Campbell 13). This is because everyone perceives free will as the right to behave or do things that only pleases without considering the impact of such actions to fellow human beings. However, when comparing the two scenarios, it is better for one to live in a world without free will but has good things happening to him rather than live in a world with free will but the freedom makes him do evil things that at times prove disastrous. A world without free will is goo d since even though a person is denied the freedom of choice, he is not exposed to bad things associated with free will. For instance, a person can live without free will but he is properly treated and therefore, exposed to good things. This is because the person is only denied freedom of choice while accorded other good things of life, which might make life more bearable. This is true since at times the presence of free will exposes an individual to bad things; for instance, freedom of choice might lead a person to make wrong decisions with grave consequences (Campbell 18). Consequently, a world with free will is not good and forms a dangerous place since the freedom makes an individual perform evil actions. Thus, the free will leads to the occurrence of bad things with grave consequences. For instance, a world where each person is permitted to kill, maim, or even oppress one another is a bad place to live in since life becomes unbearable. In such world, people become revengeful an d so evil because there is no law or person dictating the free will. Therefore, since no human being prefers facing or experiencing bad things in life, it is better to live in a world with lots of good things but without free will. This is because there is more suffering in a world with free will since every person does what pleases him or her without considering the consequences of such action to other people within the surroundings (Campbell 25). For instance, in a world without freedom, an individual might decide to play booming music late in the night without considering the unnecessary noise and inconveniences caused to the sleepy neighbors. In a retaliatory attack, the neighbors might decide to attack and severely beat him since there is no law restricting them from doing such an action. From the two scenarios, it is clear that although free will is important in the world, too much of it is so dangerous since it can lead to the occurrence of bad things. Due to such scenarios, it is better to live in a world where freedom is restricted to avoid occurrence of bad things attributed to the free will. At least such a world will have minimal records of bad things occurring and this will make life at least bearable and enjoyable. (634 words) Q2. Is it okay to spend one being in order to save one thousand human beings? Is it okay to assassinate one human being in order to save one thousand human beings? Is it okay to draw up a battle plan that deliberately costs the lives of

Article Rebuttal Essay Example for Free

Article Rebuttal Essay Abortion is a disagreement that has been discuss for years. Kenny, Ph. D. and Swope (2013) of American Thinker has share with its’ audience the understanding of the struggle women has in making a decision to continue a pregnancy or to abort an unplanned pregnancy. In analyze the information in the article the reliability, credibility, and validity of the data used by Kenny, Ph. D. and Swope comes from independent psychological analysis of women’s hidden, emotional response to pregnancy, abortion, and motherhood (Kenny, Ph. D. Swope, 2013). The writers of this article indicated that the interviews took from 75 to 110 minutes, which require them to visualize, replicate, and use relaxation techniques in accessing these individual emotional minds, and to uncover deeply seated emotional needs and barriers (Kenny, Ph. D. Swope, 2013). Significantly, some of these problems that relates to abortion are ethical, and religion. However, a woman has right to do whatever she want to her own body and upon her own judgment, whether it is to keep the baby or to have an abortion. In Fact, a woman has the authority to make the decision whether to have an abortion or not based on her personal desire, financial status, or unwanted pregnancy. Kenny, Ph. D. and Swope (2013) have provided information regarding the circumstances and how abortion can affect a woman mental state of mind. Most important is to deny a fetus by terminate the fetus merely does not mean that the person is slaughter a person. It could be that the pregnancy was an unplanned pregnancy from rape, incest, or the feeling of not wanting to bring a child in the world under certain circumstances. An example would be a medical condition that may be a live or dead situation or simply because she not ready for motherhood because of her age. For instant, a teenage girl between the age of 14 and 20 still in high school and going to college and who is struggling with finances are liable to have an abortion. She may become remorseful, but she has to think about how pregnancy can affect her future and life. In conclusion, a woman rights to be pregnant or to abort an unwanted pregnancy should solely be left up to her no matter what her reason may be. Because she is the one that have to deal with the issues of bring a child in the world or removing the fetus to remove the stress not those groups such as the pro-lifer.

Exploring Race and Challenging Privilege Essay -- Personal Narrative R

Exploring Race and Challenging Privilege I thought I understood racism well enough. Since early childhood I’ve learned from parents and teachers that racism is a sense of racial superiority, a way of making judgments about people based on their skin color before you get to know them, and a cause of hate crimes and foul language. I think I’m not racist, and as a white woman I’m not likely to be the victim of racism, so I usually think racism has nothing to do with my life. But I’m uncomfortable with the idea of race because what I’ve learned about race is contradictory. I’m taught that people of different races are equal, but I see that they live separately. I’m told that they should get along, but the past and the present reveal that they don’t. I’m a product of political correctness that at best gives me a list of things not to say, and at worst makes me want to pretend that race doesn’t exist, but that does not give me a thorough understanding of how to think about race or how to see my role in a society in which race matters. Kozol, Tatum, and Delpit made me confront my discomfort and guided me through the thorny terrain of thinking about race. They’ve made me think more about my own identity as part of racial and socio-economic groups. They’ve given me some tools that seem more effective than rhetoric about equality to help me to recognize and overcome prejudices that I’ve always pretended I didn’t have. They’ve taught me that racism and classism are not evident only in isolated discriminatory acts, but that they pervade American institutions, including the one upon which our hopes of creating a truly equal society most firmly rests, public education. They’ve made me aware of the effects of white privilege and e... ...a firm understanding of racial dynamics in my classroom and know what I want to teach my students about race and how to go about that so that I don’t accidentally teach them the wrong things. As an active tax-paying citizen, I want to support tax reform that will equalize the disparities in public education and other public institutions that should serve all Americans. As an individual, I search myself for biases, try to be aware of the way others perceive me, and make it a goal to take risks to breach gaps between racial and class groups. This commitment to open learning should help me through the many processes that remain – as I try to develop my stance on other thorny issues like affirmative action, as I form new relationships with people, and as I acknowledge my starting place as a white woman in racist America when I make choices about how to lead my life.

Executive Privilege

Executive Privilege| | | | Virginia Commonwealth University November 14, 2012| | In the past, the power of executive privilege has been used by Presidents to conceal information that has to do with foreign affairs and negotiations, military, national security issues as well as deliberations and policy making that is done between the President and his top aides. This power is only used when Congress asks the President or one of his top aides to produce all of the information pertaining to an event or situation.If the President then feels that parts of this information needs to be kept secret to protect the best interest of the public, or the other issues listed previously, then he will use executive privilege in order to not give that information to Congress. A huge part of executive privilege is to protect the deliberations and advice given by the President’s aides. When the President’s advisors give him advice, they need to be able to give him the best advice possible and if there is a chance that everything they said could be made public.For instance if the President and advisors are discussing what needs to be done in relation to a foreign power and one suggests to nuke them, one suggests a covert attack and one suggests a peaceful resolution. If the final decision is a peaceful resolution, and Congress asks for all of the information on the subject, then the President should use executive privilege to keep those other possible outcomes from going public, both to keep the public from getting out of control or uneasy and to keep the other country from finding out the other options and retaliating.This power ensures that the President’s advisors can be completely honest and say what needs to be said without being worried about their words being taken the wrong way or too harsh or hurt their image. A big argument for those against executive privilege is that there is nothing in the constitution about it even though there is something about Congress keeping secrets.Article I states that â€Å"Each House shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such parts as may in their judgment require secrecy† (US Constitution, Article 1 Section 5). Their argument is that the Constitution states that each House can withhold information that they think should be kept secret and there is nothing about secrecy when it comes to the President’s powers, however just because the words are not explicitly in the constitution does not mean that this power was not intended for the President.Even our founding fathers appreciated the importance of executive privilege and that is highlighted by this passage taken from The Works of Alexander Hamilton. In 1794, the Senate asked President George Washington, â€Å"‘to lay before the Senate the correspondences which have been had between the Minister of the United States at the Republic of France, and said Republic, and between said Minister and the office of Secretary of State. † Washington consulted his cabinet members, Henry Knox, Alexander Hamilton, and Edmund Randolph.Alexander Hamilton later wrote: General Knox is of the opinion that no part of the correspondences should be sent to the Senate; Colonel Hamilton is of the opinion that the correct mode of proceeding is to do what General Knox advises; but the principle is safe, by excepting such parts as the President may choose to withhold; Mr. Randolph is of the opinion that all correspondence proper, from its nature, to be communicated to the Senate, should be sent; but that what the President thinks is improper, should not be sent.Washington later told the Senate â€Å"After an examination of [the correspondence], I directed copies and translations to be made; except in those particulars, which, in my judgment, for public considerations, ought not to be communicated. † (Hamilton 1851) Three of these men signed the constitution and contribut ed a great deal towards it and they clearly believe that it is the President’s right to withhold information that he deems unfit to be made public. When it comes to foreign affairs it is very important that the President has the ability to use executive privilege.For instance, if the United States was making a treaty with another country, both countries may have to give things up in order to come to an agreement, and everything considered by both sides as well as everything agreed upon should not be made public for everyone, including other countries to see. This is best stated in 1796 by George Washington after the House of Representatives requested that he give them information concerning his instructions to the United States Minister to Britain regarding the treaty negotiations between the United States and Britain.Washington replied by saying: The nature of foreign negotiations requires caution, and their success must often depend on secrecy; and even when brought to a co nclusion a full disclosure of all the measures, demands, or eventual concessions which may have been proposed or contemplated would be extremely impolitic; for this might have a pernicious influence on future negotiations, or produce immediate inconveniences, perhaps danger and mischief, in relation to other powers.The necessity of such caution and secrecy was one cogent reason for vesting the power of making treaties in the President†¦the boundaries fixed by the Constitution between the different departments should be preserved, a just regard to the Constitution and to the duty of my office.. , forbids a compliance with your request. † (Richardson 1897) As Washington states, we cannot simply make every detail public because other countries may retaliate and they will also be less likely to deal with the United States in the future. However, by invoking executive privilege the President can protect that information from causing such havoc.As he stated, it is not only the President’s right to use executive privilege, but it is his duty to use it in situations that require secrecy. Without a doubt executive privilege can have its usefulness, but it should only be invoked in certain, specific situations. In our recent history this has not been the case, some of our Presidents have tried to abuse the power of executive privilege, giving it a bad name and encouraging people to believe it should be done away with. When President Richard Nixon was in office, the Watergate scandal surfaced and Congress asked him to produce all of the information he and his aides had on the case.In an attempt to conceal what had been done as well as to protect everyone from punishment, President Nixon tried to use executive privilege. This case was brought to the United States Supreme Court because the executive privilege was being used to protect one of Nixon’s advisors from criminal prosecution, thus obstructing justice. This was by far an abuse of executive privilege and leads many to want it gotten rid of, however just because a power can be abused does not mean that its use should stop; it just means that restrictions need to be put in to place.This is highlighted by the ruling of the Supreme Court. The Court acknowledged the need for the President to used executive privilege, but determined that in cases of inquiry into possible criminal actions, the Executive has to release relating information. If we want to curb the abuse of executive privilege, we need to put guidelines into place, because without them, the meaning of executive privilege is at the discretion of the President until checked by other branches. President Nixon was neither the first nor last President to abuse this power (United States v Nixon 1974).President Bill Clinton also tried to invoke executive privilege in a very wrong way as well. Clinton tried to use executive privilege to prevent his advisors from testifying on whether he had sexual relations with Monica Lewinski or not. However, this claim of executive privilege was shot down, rightfully so (Baker 2012). These instances of abuse may lead some to think it is just a better option to not have executive privilege, but as long as barriers and restrictions can be put into place on it to prevent this from happening in the future, this power needs to stay around.This comes with some exceptions; this power should only be used when the President truly believes that if this information were to get out it would either be damaging to the public or in the best interest of the public to not find out. This power should also be used in situations where the President needs to protect national security intelligence and other matters as well as being used to protect military secrets, operations and intelligence.Lastly, this power should be used in situations where the United States is dealing with a foreign power, whether it is a treaty, a negotiation, a meeting or anything else containing sensitive m aterial that either the United States or the foreign power needs to be kept secret. This brings up another argument against executive privilege. Some feel that this power should be done away with because Congress does not have the power of checks and balances over executive privilege; however that is not the case.If the President is refusing to give Congress the information that they are asking for, they can decide to stop funding things that the President is trying to do. They can also hold people in contempt of Congress, which was done as recently as this year in the Fast and Furious case where Congress demanded that Attorney General Eric Holder give them all the information on this case. President Obama stepped in and claimed executive privilege, however in a response to this, Congress moved, then voted to hold Holder in contempt of Congress unless he hands over the information (Silverleib 2012).Another thing Congress can do if the President continues to refuse to cooperate is to impeach him. This would obviously be only done in serious situations, but would work either to get their message across or to show future Presidents that they cannot just invoke executive privilege without consequence. On top of this, the courts can rule on cases where the President tries to use executive privilege like they did in the case with President Nixon.Articles II of the Constitution states that the President â€Å"shall from time to time give to the Congress information of the state of the union, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient† (US Constitution Article II Section 3) As the Constitution says, the President does need to inform Congress on the State of the Union from time to time, however it does not say anywhere that the President is required to divulge all the information having to do with certain incidents.Between Article I and Article II, others take this to mean that Congress has an unlimited power of inquiry, but in reality that is not the case. This fact has been ruled on multiple times by different courts, where usually they determine that either the President does not have to give up the information, or that the President has to give up certain aspects of that information based on other laws. It is also Congress’s right and duty to challenge the President when he uses executive privilege, in order to make sure that the power is not being abused, which is the exact reason for having separate branches and a balance of power.If it wasn’t for executive privilege, other countries might be less inclined to deal with the United States because they fear that every detail could go public. Along the same lines the president’s advisors can’t give their best advice if they have to worry that anything they say could be made public. Military secrets and intelligence also needs to be protected to better ensure our troops safety as well as protect our country and citizens from retaliation after an exposed military operation. There is also information that needs to remain secret because it is in the best interest of the public to not find out.Lastly and most importantly, if it wasn’t for executive privilege, national security and military intelligence matters could be made public, exposing our informants and jeopardizing our national security. In order to keep this power alive and protect sensitive information, the United States needs to add guidelines or an amendment that properly codifies executive privilege to prevent its abuse. Once this is done, in theory, there would not be any more issues of whether power can or cannot be used.Everything would be stated to say that the President can only use executive privilege in the situations previously stated and any other instance where executive privilege is claimed would be thrown out. Executive privilege helps to protect our citizens, our national security and our good standing and abili ty to negotiate with other countries. If we were not able to guarantee that level of secrecy it would be nearly impossible to conduct policy making, decision making, foreign negotiations, treaties, as well as threaten the United States and their citizens’ safety.References Baker, Peter, and Susan Schmidt. â€Å"Washingtonpost. com Special Report: Clinton Accused. † Washington Post: Breaking News, World, US, DC News & Analysis. N. p. , 6 May 1998. Web. 8 Nov. 2012. http://www. washingtonpost. com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/stories/starr050698. Hamilton, Alexander, and John C. Hamilton. The works of Alexander Hamilton comprising his correspondence, and his political and official writings, exclusive of the Federalist, civil and military. New York: J. F. Trow, 1851.Print. Richardson, James D.. A compilation of the messages and papers of the presidents. New York: Bureau of national literature, 1897. Print. Silverleib, Alan. â€Å"House holds Holder in contempt  œ CNN. com. † CNN. com – Breaking News, U. S. , World, Weather, Entertainment & Video News. N. p. , 29 May 2012. Web. 5 Nov. 2012. http://www. cnn. com/2012/06/28/politics/holder-contempt/index. html. United States v. Nixon, 418 U. S. 683 (1974) (Justice Burger Opinion of the Court) United States Constitution, 1789

Children Obesity Essay

The problem of childhood obesity in the United States has grown considerably in recent years. Between 16 and 33 percent of children and adolescents are obese.From Environmental Health Perspectives website, the recent data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey estimate 17% of youths ages 2-19 years old to be overweight compare to just 5% a few decades ago(â€Å"Child obesity†). This data shows we should act urgently to rescue children because the percentage of child obesity is increasing rapidly.According to Answer.com website, using the BMI (Body Mass Index) calculation, overweight is between 25-30, obese is 30-40 and extremely obese is 40 and up. This calculation is a height and weight comparison (BMI = weight in pounds X 705 / height in inches squared). By usingbody fat analysis, for a woman’s obesity starts about 33% body fat, for a man, it is about 24%(â€Å"How do you know†).Weight and shape of children are affected by hereditary factors from their parents. However, most of unhealthy weight gain is due to poor diet. Children who have obesity have bad habits; for example, they prefer to eat fast food such as hamburgers with french fries and coke than healthy food such as vegetable and multi-grains. Fast food is very tempting to children and theirparents because of its cheap price, taste, and convenience. The reason children like hamburgers is high levels of salt and sugar content found in most fast food items. So far, unhealthy food leads children to become obese which causes various health problems. Overweight children, when compared to healthy weight children, are more likely to develop many health problems such as depression, diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure, which are associated with heart disease in adults. Thepurpose of this paper is to reviewhow children obesity effects on physical and mental health. First, children obesity and overweight have been found to be at an increased risk of depression. Obese children get stress from change of their body shape, perspectives from other people’s awareness that leads to poor self-esteem or social phobia which are related to the cause of depression. [ì ¶Å"ì ²Ëœ][ë ¹â€žÃ« §Å'ìš °Ã¬Å¡ ¸Ã¬ ¦ ] ë ¹â€žÃ« §Å'ê ³ ¼Ã¬Å¡ °Ã¬Å¡ ¸Ã¬ ¦ , ë ¹â€žÃ« §Å'ê ³ ¼Ã¬Å¡ °Ã¬Å¡ ¸Ã¬ ¦ Ã¬ ËœÃª ´â‚¬Ãª ³â€ž – ìž  Ã¬â€¹ ¤Ã¬Å  ¤Ã­  ¬Ã¬ ¸  Ã¬ ¢â€¦Ã­â€¢ ©Ã¬Æ' Ãª °â‚¬Ã¬Å  ¤Ã­  ¼|ìž‘ì„ ±Ã¬Å¾ spom4237236The following article, â€Å"Childhood Obesity and Depression: Connection Between These Growing Problems in Growing Children,† shows how depression is diagnosed in youths. Youthbecome depress if they gain weight more than they expected. Also, obesity and overweight are connected to sleep problem which is associated with increased risk of depression. In study of 400 adolescents with a primary diagnosis of major depressive disorder, change in sleep was most common symptom remaining depression in youths. Relationship between sleep and obesity is intervened at least in part by insulin resistance. In a study of obese children, insulin was connected with shorter sleep duration according to thepolysomnography (Reeves M. G., Postolache T. T., Snitker S.).In addition, that child obesity cause depression is obesity makes children a target for bullying. According to Medscape Medical News, â€Å"Obese children are more likely to be bullied than their non-obese peers regardless of sex, race, socioeconomic status, social skills, or academic achievement† (Harrison).Because childhood and adolescent are a sensitive period, and they focus on other’s appearance, obese children can be targeted of bullying that makes them get hurt and depress. To prevent the depression, children need to eat health food and exercise. In addition to obesity causes depression, the second health problem is obesity causes diabetes. The dietary habits of obese children are eating a lot of sugar and salt which are excessive caloric intake. Being obese means you have more fatty tissue, having more fatty tissue causes the body to become insulin resistant and becoming insulin resistant causes the body to put on more weight. Becoming more insulin resistant and at a certain level of resistance, it becomes known as diabetes. Obese children also are twice as likely to have diabetes than children who are of normal weight, according to a new study from the University of Michigan Health System. The study, published in the February issue of Diabetes Care, is the most recent national study to estimate the prevalence of children with diabetes. It found that more than 229,000 children, approximately 3.2 cases for every 1,000 American children under the age of 18, currently have diabetes. And one-third of those children are obese(â€Å"Obese Children Twice†). Obesity causes the build-up of fats around cell walls. The liver loses the ability for the metabolism of glucose. Glucose is supplied with the help of the insulin hormone. In essence, obesity reduces the body’s ability to use insulin properly. A glucose build up is deposited in the urine.In addition, diabetes is explained from Washington University in St. Louis website. Diabetes mellitus is a group of disorders that have in common high blood sugar and the risk of damage to tissues and organs. There are two major types: Type1, juvenile diabetes and Type 2, adult-onset diabetes. In Type 1 diabetes, the cells of the pancreas that make insulin are destroyed. Often, the body’s immune system destroys these cells, sort of like friendly fire. Without insulin, blood sugar rises and complications occur. Lifelong insulin treatment is required. In Type 2 diabetes, organs and tissues are resistant to insulin; that is, more insulin is needed to have the same effect. When the insulin-making cells can no longer keep up with the extra insulin needed, blood sugar becomes high and diabetes occurs (â€Å"Obesity, Type 2 diabetes†). Overall, children should avoid eatingso muchunhealthy food that contain of high sugar, salt and fat that causes diabetesto continue into adulthood. In addition to obesity causes diabetes, the third health problem is obese puts children at risk for high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure that cause heart disease. Children’s diets have changed dramaticallybecause it is influenced by television commercials and the convenience of fast foods that have too much sugar and salt that leads high cholesterol level. In â€Å"Cholesterol in Childhood† by Vincent Iannelli, M.D., the author reported â€Å"The effects of cardiovascular disease is something that will especially be a problem once an overweight child grows up, when he will be at risk for a heart attack or stroke.†Also, the article exposes children who have heart disease with high cholesterol was 2.3 times as likely to have died early. These factsgive a warning to how obesity is related to serious health problem to children. The connection between high cholesterol and high blood pressure was explained on Livestrong.com website, â€Å"Cholesterol is a soft waxy material in the blood that mixes with lipids. It shapes membranes and some hormones but does not dissolve in the blood. Since it does not dissolve, lipoproteins carry it to and from cells. Blood pressure is the force that pushes blood through blood vessels, then to all body organs. When these two functions of the body are not working correctly, it can be devastating to overall health.†(â€Å"Connections Between†).According to Webmd.com website, when there is too much cholesterol in blood, it builds up in the walls of arteries, causing a process called atherosclerosis, a form of heart disease. The arteries become narrowed and blood flow to the heart muscle is slowed down or blocked. The blood carries oxygen to the heart, and if enough blood and oxygen cannot reach the heart, it may cause chest pain (â€Å"Heart disease†).Because ofhigh cholesterol, high blood pressure that are related to the heart disease, obese children need dietary changes and weight loss to help lower their cholesterol. In conclusion, children obesity is an increasingly prevalent health disorder and is of particularly concern because children who are obese are more likely to continue to become obese through adolescence and into adulthood with various health problems. Eating unhealthy food and lack of exercise lead to most of child obesity and overweight. Obesity can cause mental and physical problemsinchildren. According to â€Å"Child obesity ‘time bomb’ a threat to life expectancy†, Food Standards Agency chairman, John Krebs, told: â€Å"We already know that many children’s diets contain more fat, sugar and salt than is recommended. We know that the level of obesity in children is rising and, in the words of the chief medical officer, is a health time bomb that could explode.† (Carey). Also, children obesity can be targeted of bullying and give rise to diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart diseases. Also, child obesity has high probability to become an obese adult. Therefore, we need to accept the children obesity as a serious problem in current society in the United States and seek the solutionsto make children free from obesity and being overweight. Works Cited Brown, Joni.â€Å"Connections Between High Blood Pressure & Cholesterol†. livestrong.com, 17 Dec. 2010 Web. 22 May 2012 Carey, Dorothy. â€Å"Child Obesity ‘Time Bomb’ A Threat To Life Expectancy.† Nutridate 15.1 (2004): 8. Web. 22 May 2012. Harrison, Pam. â€Å"Obesity Makes Children a Target for Bullying.† Medscape Medical News. 4 May 2010. Web. 22May 2012. â€Å"Heart Disease and Lowering cholesterol†.Webmd.com,Web. 22 May 2012 Iannelli,Vincent. â€Å"Cholesterol in Childhood†.About.com, 13November 2011 Web. 22 May 2012 â€Å"Obese Children Twice as likely to have Diabetes†. University of Michigan, 2 Feb. 2006. Web. 22 May 2012 â€Å"Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes Growing rapidly among Children†. Washington University in St. Louis., 11 March 2005. Web. 22 May 2012 Reeves, Gloria M., Teodor T.Postolache., and Soren Snitker. â€Å"Childhood Obesity and Depression: Connection between these Growing Problems in Growing Children.† NIH Public Access. Aug. 2008. Web. 22 May 2012

Free Essays on The Road Not Taken

Life, Decisions and Consequences The writer Robert Frost in the poem â€Å"The Road Not Taken† emphasizes how the life has its own surprises and uncertainties and its own up and downs. Frost can be the speaker in this poem. He has to take a life decision, â€Å" Two road diverged in a yellow wood† the road represents the journey of our lives. No one knows where the road will lead us or what the future will bring us. There are many decision that might we have to take, we try to predict and wonder what is the wisest decision to be made. But there are pros and cows in any specific choice that we have to make. Sometimes we succeed and we make the right decision and some other times we fail to successful in the decision that we make. Is the dilemma that makes our life interesting and worth living. Because if one knows what everyday would bring than life could have no meaning. If we do not succeed, we pay for the consequences but we also learn from those experiences and in this way we can challenge and be stronger to face other difficulties of life. Frost tries to show this by describing the road that â€Å"it was grassy and wanted wear† where the grassy means the road that most of the people had not walk and â€Å"wanted wear† was one of his desire to discover the unknown. It was the one that he will chose and start exploring on something new. The speaker’s eyes try to see â€Å"the undergrowth† wondering if he can see which route to take but he cannot because his eyes can not see so far. He tries but is difficult to understand which route he should take. He thinks if he should take the common route or the other one that not to many people took. He is in dilemma because all his life depends on his decision. The man thinks on negative way for the two routs but at the same time he seems undecided and scared if he is not going to take the right decision and if will be the right one. â€Å"Two roads in the wood† represent th... Free Essays on The Road Not Taken Free Essays on The Road Not Taken â€Å"The Road Not Taken† By: Robert Frost In the â€Å"Road Not Taken† by Robert Frost, up until the last stanza the poem appeared to be concerning only on the choice between two roads in a woods. The final stanza, however, gave a significance to the apparent choice that was incompatible with just the choice between two roads in a woods because this seemingly insignificant choice ended up â€Å"making all the difference.† Many times in life people are faced with choices to make that, at the time, seem insignificant, although, in the long run prove to have made a great impact on their life’s course. I, myself, have experienced this very situation more than once- one of which being whether to attend college or to go to work. At the time this seemed to be just a choice, only now, four years later, am I seeing the significance of making the choice I did. When I was graduating from High School I was faced with the decision of whether to attend college and make a career choice or to just join the work force and become independent. Only a couple of people in my family had gone to college, and only one actually got a degree- the rest went to work. It seemed to me that going to college would be much harder, however, would yield higher results. At which time, I decided to pursue a college degree. In High School I had concentrated on medical studies, which I decided to follow up with in college. I soon saw that this was something I was interested in, however, not what I wanted to spend my career doing. I took some time off from school to work and to see just what the difference would be had I decided not to continue with pursuing a degree. In applying for positions, I immediately saw the benefit of continuing my education. Not only does having a degree give you a competitive edge when you do venture out into the working world, i.e., better jobs are available for you, it is easier to climb the ladder to higher positions, the pay... Free Essays on The Road Not Taken In Robert Frost’s The Road Not Taken there are many things that can be interpreted several ways. This is my interpretation. Frost begins the poem by describing two roads diverging in a yellow wood. The two roads represent a decision. Do you travel one journey or the other? The yellow wood to me means that it is getting towards the autumn of the day. Meaning that the decision can’t be put off much longer. He then describes being sorry he could not travel both. We often have decision that we would like to do both things or travel both roads. But in the next line Frost says being one traveler long I stood. One person can not be in two places or follow two paths. It is usually not clear which path we should follow or which decision is the correct one. Since the decision is not easy the traveler stands for a long time. We often think about our decisions for a long time, making sure it is the correct one. Because as the traveler knows we can not turn back. Once the path is taken, we are on it until the end. He looks down one as far as he can see until he is unable to see the path for its turns and ben ds. In life we can look ahead to the immediate results of our decisions but usually can not see very far. We do not know what lies ahead around that next curve or bend. The traveler studies the second path as well, studying all possible decisions closely. The second path appears to be slightly less used. The path is grown up with grass and has not had as much wear as the other. Both paths appear appealing to him even though one is in better condition. He gives a little foreshadowing of his ultimate decisions by telling us that the second, grassier, path has the better claim. The second path upon his seeing it immediately has his eye. When he studies it more he says that really they are pretty much worn the same. When we make hard decisions we often jump back and forth between the choices at hand. We find good things and bad in all choi... Free Essays on The Road Not Taken â€Å"The Road Not Taken† In Robert Frost’s â€Å"The Road Not Taken,† the speaker stands in the woods, considering a split in the road. Both ways are similarly worn, and equally overlaid with un-trodden leaves. The speaker chooses one, telling himself that he will take the other another day. Yet he knows it is unlikely that he will have the chance to do so. And he admits that someday in the future he will recreate the scene with a slight twist: he will claim that he took the less-traveled road. The whole poem is an extended metaphor, where Frost describes a path in the woods that is directly comparable to a major decision in life. In this case, the narrator is â€Å"lost† in the poem, both on the trail, and in his life. "The Road Not Taken" consists of four stanzas of five lines each having an identical rhyme scheme of ABAAB. The first, third, and fourth lines in every stanza rhyme, along with the second and fifth lines. Thus, allowing the poem to flow at a smoother and steadier pace. There are four stressed syllables per line, forming an iambic tetrameter base. The majority of the lines contain nine syllables. This structure is maintained through out the poem. The stanzas are arranged like that of a thought. One continues to undermine the other, much like decision making. Our first thoughts are always second-guessed by our second and so forth until we make our final decision, which cancels out all that was thought before. This is what Frost manages to do in the arrangement of his stanzas. Imagery is the primary concept of this work thus being the means used by Frost to transmit the poems message. The two roads are each described in such a way that the reader can easy picture the dilemma faced by the traveler. Image is so precise that we can picture the first road bending to the right while the other bends in the opposite direction. In the first stanza, (line 1) Frost introduces the elements of his primary metaphor: the diver... Free Essays on The Road Not Taken The Road Not Taken I decided to do â€Å"The Road Not Taken† by Robert Frost. When people read the poem without any other interpretation or knowledge of it the most popular interpretation is that Frost is talking about his own life in this poem. I was convinced that was the case until I decided to do this paper. I will be focusing on what appears to be very obvious in the poem but after looking a little deeper is untrue. That portion I am talking about is the sigh in the fourth stanza of the poem. A simple sigh out of someone’s mouth could be interpreted many ways. It could be tension, a thought, or just exhaling from a deep breath. In the poem â€Å"The Road Not Taken†, by Robert Frost, many argue as to what the ‘sigh’ towards the end of the poem actually means. Some think it is a shift of tone in the poem, others say that it signifies that he is unhappy about the road that he has taken in his life. Little do they know, they are all very wrong. In fact, the poem is not written about Frost at all. This shows the simple ways that a poem can easily be misinterpreted. The history of why a poem was written can dramatically change the meaning of a poem and the way that it is read. Robert Frost’s â€Å"The Road Not Taken† is a great example. The literal meaning of this poem by Robert Frost is pretty obvious. A traveler comes to a fork in the road and needs to decide which way to go to continue his journey. After much thought, the traveler picks the road "less traveled by." The poem describes the tough choices people make when traveling the road of life. The traveler regrets leaving the road he has already passed by and realizes that he probably won’t travel that same way again. I’m sure many of us could compare similar instances in their own lives to the one Frost describes in the poem. Robert Frost began writing â€Å"The Road Not Taken† in England in 1914, and completed it in Franconia before his first publ... Free Essays on The Road Not Taken Life, Decisions and Consequences The writer Robert Frost in the poem â€Å"The Road Not Taken† emphasizes how the life has its own surprises and uncertainties and its own up and downs. Frost can be the speaker in this poem. He has to take a life decision, â€Å" Two road diverged in a yellow wood† the road represents the journey of our lives. No one knows where the road will lead us or what the future will bring us. There are many decision that might we have to take, we try to predict and wonder what is the wisest decision to be made. But there are pros and cows in any specific choice that we have to make. Sometimes we succeed and we make the right decision and some other times we fail to successful in the decision that we make. Is the dilemma that makes our life interesting and worth living. Because if one knows what everyday would bring than life could have no meaning. If we do not succeed, we pay for the consequences but we also learn from those experiences and in this way we can challenge and be stronger to face other difficulties of life. Frost tries to show this by describing the road that â€Å"it was grassy and wanted wear† where the grassy means the road that most of the people had not walk and â€Å"wanted wear† was one of his desire to discover the unknown. It was the one that he will chose and start exploring on something new. The speaker’s eyes try to see â€Å"the undergrowth† wondering if he can see which route to take but he cannot because his eyes can not see so far. He tries but is difficult to understand which route he should take. He thinks if he should take the common route or the other one that not to many people took. He is in dilemma because all his life depends on his decision. The man thinks on negative way for the two routs but at the same time he seems undecided and scared if he is not going to take the right decision and if will be the right one. â€Å"Two roads in the wood† represent th...

How to Homeschool If You Work Outside the Home

How to Homeschool If You Work Outside the Home If you and your spouse both work full- or part-time outside the home, you may think homeschooling is out of the question. Although having both parents working outside the home does make homeschooling trickier, with efficient planning and creative scheduling, it can be done. Here are some practical tips for successfully homeschooling while working outside the home. Alternate Shifts With Your Spouse Perhaps the most difficult aspect of homeschooling when both parents work is figuring out the logistics. This can be especially tricky  when young children are involved. One of the easiest ways to ensure that there is always a parent at home with the children is to alternate work shifts with your spouse. Alternating shifts also helps with school. One parent can work with the student on a few subjects while he or she is home, leaving the remaining subjects for  the other parent. Maybe Dad is the math and science guy while Mom excels at history and English. Splitting up the schoolwork allows each parent to contribute and to work to his or her strengths. Enlist the Help of Relatives or Hire Reliable Childcare If you  are a single parent of young children, or you and your spouse are unable or unwilling to alternate shifts (because that can  put a strain  on both the marriage and family), consider your childcare options. You may want to enlist the help of relatives or consider hiring reliable childcare. Parents of teens may decide that their kids can stay home alone during the parents’ working hours. Maturity level and security concerns should  be taken into serious consideration, but it is often a viable option for a mature, self-motivated teen. Extended family may be able to provide childcare and oversee schoolwork that your child can do with minimal help and supervision. You might also consider hiring an older homeschooled teen or college student to provide childcare if there are only a few overlapping hours in the working parents’ schedules. You may even consider exchanging child care for rent if you have extra space available. Use Curriculum That Your Students Can Do Independently If you and your spouse are both working  full-time, you’ll probably want to consider homeschool curriculum that your children on their own, such as textbooks, computer-based curriculum, or online classes. You might also consider mixing independent work that your children can do during your work shifts with more activity-based lessons you can do in the evenings or on weekends. Consider a Co-Op or Homeschool Classes In addition to the curriculum that your kids can complete on their own, you might also consider homeschool classes and co-ops. Many co-ops do require that the parents of the kids enrolled to take an active role, but others do not. In addition to regular co-ops, many areas offer group classes for homeschoolers. Most classes meet two or three days per week. Students enroll in and pay for the classes that meet their needs. Either of these options can meet the scheduling needs of working parents and provide in-person teachers for core classes and/or desired electives. Create a Flexible Homeschool Schedule Whatever you decide to do as far as curriculum and classes go, take advantage of the flexibility that homeschooling offers. For example,  homeschooling doesnt have to take place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. You can do school in the mornings before going to work, in the evenings after work, and on the weekends. Use historical fiction, literature, and engaging biographies as your family’s bedtime stories. Science experiments can make exciting family activities in the evenings or on the weekend. Weekends are also the perfect time for a family field trip. Get Creative Working homeschool families encourage thinking creatively about activities with educational value. If your kids are on sports teams or take a class such as gymnastics, karate, or archery, count that as their P.E. time. Use dinner prep and household chores to teach them home economics skills. If they teach themselves a skill such as sewing, playing an instrument, or drawing during their free time, give them credit for the time invested. Be aware  of the educational opportunities in the everyday aspects of your lives. Split up or Hire Help for Household Chores If both parents are working outside the home, it is vital  that everyone either pitch in to help or that you seek outside help for maintaining your home. Mom (or Dad) can’t be expected to do it all. Invest time to teach your children the life skills necessary to help with the laundry, housekeeping, and meals. (Remember, it’s home ec class, too!) If theres still too much for everyone, consider what you may be able to hire out. Perhaps just having someone clean your bathrooms once a week would lighten the load or maybe you need to hire someone to maintain the lawn. Homeschooling while working outside the home can be challenging, but with planning, flexibility, and teamwork, it can be done, and the rewards will be worth the effort.

Salaries and Benefits of US Congress Members

Salaries and Benefits of US Congress Members The salary and benefits paid to the Senators and Representatives of the U.S. Congress is a constant source of public fascination, debate- and most of all- fake news.   For example, one massively-sent email states, â€Å"Many citizens had no idea that members of Congress could retire with the same pay after only one term.† Well, maybe many citizens do not have that idea, because it is just flat wrong. Another infamous email demanding passage of a mythical â€Å"Congressional Reform Act† claims members of Congress do not pay Social Security taxes. That, too, is wrong Salaries and benefits of members of the U.S. Congress have been the source of taxpayer unhappiness and myths over the years. Here are some facts for your consideration. As of 2019, the base salary for all rank-and-file members of the U.S. House and Senate was $174,000 per year, plus benefits. Salaries have not been increased since 2009. Compared to private-sector salaries, the salaries of members of Congress is lower than many mid-level executives and managers. Rank-and-File Members: The current salary (2019) for rank-and-file members of the House and Senate is $174,000 per year. Members are free to turn down pay increase and some choose to do so.In a complex system of calculations, administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, congressional pay rates also affect the salaries of federal judges and other senior government executives. Congress: Leadership Members Salary  (2019) Leaders of the House and Senate are paid a higher salary than rank-and-file members. Senate Leadership Majority Party Leader - $193,400Minority Party Leader - $193,400 House Leadership Speaker of the House - $223,500Majority Leader - $193,400Minority Leader - $193,400 Pay Increases   Members of Congress are eligible to receive the same annual cost-of-living increase given to other federal employees if any. The raise takes effect automatically on January 1 of each year unless Congress, through the passage of a joint resolution, votes to decline it, as Congress has done since 2009. Benefits Paid to Members of Congress You may have read that Members of Congress do not pay into Social Security. Well, thats also a myth. Social Security Prior to 1984, neither Members of Congress nor any other federal civil service employee paid Social Security taxes. Of course, they were also not eligible to receive Social Security benefits. Members of Congress and other federal employees were instead covered by a separate pension plan called the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). The 1983 amendments to the Social Security Act required federal employees first hired after 1983 to participate in Social Security. These amendments also required all Members of Congress to participate in Social Security as of January 1, 1984, regardless of when they first entered Congress. Because the CSRS was not designed to coordinate with Social Security, Congress directed the development of a new retirement plan for federal workers. The result was the Federal Employees Retirement System Act of 1986. Members of Congress receive retirement and health benefits under the same plans available to other federal employees. They become vested after five years of full participation. Health Insurance Since all provisions of the Affordable Care Act or â€Å"Obamacare† took effect in 2014, members of Congress have been required to purchase health insurance plans offered through one of the Affordable Care Act-approved exchanges in order to receive a government contribution toward their health coverage. Prior to the passage of the Affordable Care Act, insurance for members of Congress was provided through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB); the government’s employer-subsidized private insurance system. However, not even under the FEHB plan was the insurance â€Å"free.† On average, the government pays from 72% to 75% of the premiums for its workers. Like all other federal retirees, former members of Congress paid the same share of premiums as other federal employees. Retirement   Members elected since 1984 are covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). Those elected prior to 1984 were covered by the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). In 1984 all members were given the option of remaining with CSRS or switching to FERS. As it is for all other federal employees, congressional retirement is funded through taxes and the participants contributions. Members of Congress under FERS contribute 1.3 percent of their salary into the FERS retirement plan and pay 6.2 percent of their salary in Social Security taxes. Members of Congress become eligible to receive a pension at the age of 62 if they have completed a total of 5 years of service. Members who have completed a total of 20 years of service are eligible for a pension at age 50, are at any age after completing a total of 25 years of service. No matter their age when they retire, the amount of the members’ pension is based on their total years of service and the average of their highest three years of salary. By law, the starting amount of a Member’s retirement annuity may not exceed 80% of his or her final salary. Can They Really Retire After Only One Term? Those mass emails also claim that members of Congress can get a pension equal to their full salaries after serving only one term. That one is partly true but mostly false. Under the current law, which requires at least 5 years of service, members of the House of Representatives would not be eligible to collect pensions of any amount after serving only one term, since they come up for reelection every two years. On the other hand, U.S, Senators - who serve six-year terms - would be eligible to collect pensions after completing only one full term. In neither case, however, would the pensions be equal to the member’s full salary. While it is highly unlikely and has never happened, it is possible for a longtime member of Congress whose pension began at or near 80% of his or her final salary could - after many years of accepted annual cost-of-living adjustments - see his or her pension rise to equal his or her final salary. Average Annual Pensions According to the Congressional Research Service, there were 611 retired members of Congress receiving federal pensions based fully or in part on their congressional service as of October 1, 2016. Of this number, 335 had retired under CSRS and were receiving an average annual pension of $74,028. A total of 276 Members had retired with service under FERS and were receiving an average annual pension of $41,076 in 2016. Allowances Members of Congress are also provided with an annual allowance intended to defray expenses related carrying out their congressional duties, including official office expenses, including staff, mail, travel between a Members district or state and Washington, DC, and other goods and services. Outside Income Many members of Congress retain their private careers and other business interests while they serve. Members are allowed to retain an amount of permissible outside earned income limited to no more than 15% of the annual rate of basic pay for level II of the Executive Schedule for federal employees, or $28,400.00 a year in 2018. However, there is currently no limit on the amount of non-salary income members can retain from their investments, corporate dividends or profits. House and Senate rules define what sources of outside earned income are permissible. For example, House Rule XXV (112th Congress) limits permissible outside income to salaries, fees, and other amounts received or to be received as compensation for personal services actually rendered. Members are not allowed to retain compensation arising from fiduciary relationships, except for medical practices. Members are also barred from accepting honoraria - payments for professional services typically provided without charge. Perhaps most importantly to voters and taxpayers, member of Congress are strictly prohibited from earning or accepting income that may appear to be intended to influence the way they vote on legislation. Tax Deductions Members are allowed to deduct up to $3,000 a year from their federal income tax for living expenses while they are away from their home states or congressional districts. Early History of Congress Pay How and how much members of Congress should be paid has always been a debated issue. America’s Founding Fathers believed that since congressmen would typically be well-off anyway, they should serve for free, out of a sense of duty. Under the Articles of Confederation, if U.S. congressmen were paid at all, they were paid by the states they represented. The state legislatures adjusted their congressmen’s pay and could even suspend it completely if they became dissatisfied with them. By the time the first U.S. Congress under the Constitution convened in 1789, members of both the House and Senate were paid $6 for each day there were actually in session, which was then rarely more than five months a year. The $6 per-day rate remained the same until the Compensation Act of 1816 raised it to a flat $1,500 a year. However, faced with public outrage, Congress repealed the law in 1817. Not until 1855 did members of Congress return to being paid an annual salary, then $3,000 per year with no benefits. Sources and Further Reference Brudnick, Ida A. â€Å"Congressional Salaries and Allowances: In Brief.† Congressional Research Service (April 11, 2018).Feran, Tom. â€Å"Can members of Congress retire with full pay after just one term?† Politifact Ohio (January 11, 2013)

Analyze a science news article on microbes Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Analyze a science news on microbes - Article Example It is also used in the evaluation process of different brands of food. The program is primarily based on excel sheet which makes it easier for the user to manage and maintain. It also helps an individual in the process of quick cost analysis and has tools in it to help evaluate the existing formulas of the items used in the food product. The program can communicate with other software and helps in creating the perfect formula for the food item. Major food companies are using the computer software TechWizard for the process of food analysis and making cost effective decisions. The labeling of food ingredients is easy and helps in identifying the quality of the product. The software has made the job of food labeling easier and helps maintain standard quality product. It is manageable and easy to use, making it one of the best food processing software in the market (Owl Software

International Fashion Textiles Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

International Fashion Textiles Marketing - Essay Example The essay "International Fashion Textiles Marketing" explores the Textile Market and International Fashion. The paper also discovers the Textile and apparel industry in India. The Indian market consists of all the menswear, children swear, and women swear. The menswear consists of the casual, essentials, outerwear, and formalwear-occasions. The women swear consist of active wear, essentials, formalwear, and casual wear. The children’s wear consists of both the girls and boys wear such as essentials, formal wear, and active wear for girls. The political instability will ensure that the manufacturing facilities of the company are safe. The Indian economy is among the few economies that were not affected by the 2008/09 great recession. Coupled with the increasing GDP, the consumer power for fashion and textile products is increasing as more disposable income also increases. The Indian population is increasing steadily and this will increase the market base for textile products. I n addition, the Indian people are undergoing a cultural change as they embrace the western culture, and this may include embracing products manufactured by Levi Strauss. the Indian market has moved from manual manufacture of clothing to use of high tech machines in designing and manufacturing clothing products. The developed Indian technology will improve Levi Strauss’ efficiency and improve its productivity. The Indian government has strong environmental protection regulations that require companies to produce the minimum dioxide.

Islamic art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Islamic art - Essay Example Islamic art often adopts worldly elements and elements that are frowned upon, if not prohibited, by some Islamic theologians. The initial stages of Islamic art: The period of swift development of the Islamic epoch forms a convincingly accurate beginning for the label of Islamic art. Diverse Art conceptions have found in the history such as: Umayyad art Abbasid art Spain and the Maghreb Egypt and Syria Iran and Central Asia. Fatimid period (969-1175): The Fatimids manifestly had a taste for carefully made-up gold work and complicatedly engraved vessels of rock crystal, a type of translucent, monochrome quartz whose exterior can be luminously polished. The glass working was also a highly urbanized art form. The lavishness of the Fatimid court fueled resurgence in the ornamental arts, which made Cairo the most significant cultural core in the Islamic world. Nearby, Old Cairo, known as al-Fustat, became a chief center for the manufacturing of pottery, glass, and metalwork, and rock-cryst al, ivory, and wood carving, textile factories run by management officials created tiraz fabrics in the name of the caliph somewhere else in the Egyptian district, particularly the Nile Delta. The artwork from this era exemplifies the inventiveness and resourcefulness of Fatimid craftsmen. The procedure of lusterware on ceramic, developed in the beginning in Iraq, was invigorated in Egypt and Syria. Some lusterware pieces from this age are signed by their makers, a sign of the admiration in which the craftsmen were kept. Wood statuette and jewelry were executed with equivalent dexterity and creativity. Fatimid artists created new enhancing motifs and made better use of figural forms, both human and animal. Figures were stylized but vigorous, while customary vegetal and geometric ornaments maintained their conceptual excellence. Artists of this time revitalized or sustained previous techniques but gave them their own distinguishing stamp. The Abbasid period (8th-13th): in the Abbasid rule, which succeeded the Umayyads (661–750), the central spot of Islamic political and artistic living shifted eastward from Syria to Iraq, where, in 762, Baghdad, the circular City of Peace (madinat al-salam), was founded as the new center. The former two centuries of Abbasid rule saw the appearance and spreading of a new Islamic approach of art where the introduction of purely Islamic forms and techniques took place. Textiles: Of the numerous varied arts that prospered in the Abbasid period, textiles played a particularly momentous character in civilization, one that sustained in succeeding periods. Textiles were omnipresent in Islamic lands, allocated as clothes, domestic furnishings, and convenient architecture (tents). The production of and buying and selling in textiles were exceedingly classy and lucrative industries that built upon Byzantine and Sasanian background. Often made with expensive supplies such as silk and gold and silver wrapped yarn and adorned with com posite designs, textiles were lavish goods suggestive of wealth and social standing. Islamic textiles were also broadly exported to the West, where their eminence is underscored by their effect on European languages. Did you know that the English words "cotton" and "taffeta" are obtained, respectively, from Arabic and Persian? Pottery: The skill of pottery was profoundly developed in the ninth

Summary 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Summary 2 - Essay Example These investors also have to concentrate on the crucial environmental aspect and the social governance. (Mcknett, 2012) The encouraging gear initiated by the CEOs is that they have seen the usefulness of sustainability in business and the only secret of being more competitive in the business market. He in most occasions as part his job, speaks to the investors. The companies and the investors do not determine the destiny of the earth because they do not possess an indefinite mandate in that in finance theory; they are not subordinate to the sustainability. Through his talking, he stated that consideration of fresh water, clean air and feeding more than 10 billion populations, is a pressing challenge (Mcknett, 2012). Speaker quoted President John F. Kennedy, stated that some risks are associated to long-range, and expenses of comfortable functioning. The speaker summed up his speech by highlighting a quote by Mark Twain â€Å"plan for the future because that’s where you are going to spend the rest of your

Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 10

Strategic Management - Essay Example Positioning of the organisation through strategy, responding to real time issues through strategic management and managing the resistance offered by the competitors through systematic planning are some of the broader aims of strategic management (Ayanda, M., n.d.). There are a few key attributes that strategic management addresses. It helps the organisation to move towards its goal and achieve its objectives. It helps the stake holders to be a part of the decision making body. The need of incorporating short term and long term goals can be identified. It also helps in understanding the trade off between efficiency and effectiveness in order to achieve the goals of the organisation. Some theorist do believe that the traditional approach is the standard approach to strategic management however it can no longer cope up with the complexities of the new demands (Dess, et.al., n.d). Brinkerhoff had a very simple way of defining strategic management. He defined strategic management as ‘looking out’, ‘looking in’ and ‘looking ahead’. According to Brinkerhoff looking out means, evaluating the environment in order to set organisational goals and also recognise the potential stakeholders. By looking in he means to identify the strengths that the firm possesses meaning the resources like finance and the man power. Looking ahead points out at formulating strategies and allocating resources to set targets and evaluate performance. Strategic management mainly consists of the following five factors. They are setting goals, analysing, strategy formation, strategy implementation and evaluating the strategy. These factors need continuous interaction and feedback between them (Susan. n.d.). The Balance Scorecard is an effective tool by which organisations can evaluate its performance which in turn helps to accomplish the vision.

Summary 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Summary 2 - Essay Example These investors also have to concentrate on the crucial environmental aspect and the social governance. (Mcknett, 2012) The encouraging gear initiated by the CEOs is that they have seen the usefulness of sustainability in business and the only secret of being more competitive in the business market. He in most occasions as part his job, speaks to the investors. The companies and the investors do not determine the destiny of the earth because they do not possess an indefinite mandate in that in finance theory; they are not subordinate to the sustainability. Through his talking, he stated that consideration of fresh water, clean air and feeding more than 10 billion populations, is a pressing challenge (Mcknett, 2012). Speaker quoted President John F. Kennedy, stated that some risks are associated to long-range, and expenses of comfortable functioning. The speaker summed up his speech by highlighting a quote by Mark Twain â€Å"plan for the future because that’s where you are going to spend the rest of your

Discussion 5 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Discussion 5 - Assignment Example Your book Chapters 8 and 9 discuss several ways to test the soundness of an argument. Now it is your turn to apply the tests. Go to a website that provides political opinion, such as the Huffington Post. Find a brief article that contains a clear argument. Evaluate the argument for its soundness. Link the article at the end of your response by copying its Web address. Answer: The author highlights the point that congress needs a pay raise so people who arent wealthy can serve by referring to a series of arguments by Rep. Alcee Hasting, such as â€Å"the current system doesnt offer enough incentives for less-affluent citizens to enter public service†. The aforementioned argument with unstated premises can be converted into the following syllogism: Testing the statements for validity by Venn diagram and rules method indicates that the argument is logically valid. However, the evidence presented in support of the premises is rather vague and ambiguous. The annual salary of Congress members is much higher than the median household income in United States. The truth in the prediction that, â€Å"20 years out, the only people that will be able to serve in this institution will be people who are wealthy†, is untestable and probably fallacious. In support of the claim, only three staff members had left and that too ‘suspiciously’. The argument is valid logically, but it lacks soundness because of weak and vague evidence in support of the claims (Valencia, 2015; Moore & Parker, 2015). Valencia, J. (2015, May 19). Rep. Alcee Hastings: Congress needs a pay raise so people who arent wealthy can serve. The Huffington Post. Retrieved from

Mental Health Care for Latin Americans Essay Example for Free

Mental Health Care for Latin Americans Essay Abstract The Hispanic population in the United States has rapidly increased over the last decade and is underrepresented and cared for in mental health services. By understanding their culture and learning about the environment they live in therapists can better meet the patient’s needs. This paper covers Historical content, Family structure, Education, Rates of Psychiatric Disorders symptoms, and what to do as a therapist for Latino/Hispanic clients. Also discussed will be some research showing patterns of mental health changes between Hispanics that were born in America and those that were born in South America. This paper shouldn’t end your study in this area but serve as a motivator for further education. Mental Health Care for Latin Americans and Hispanic Americans When learning to counsel Latin/Hispanic Americans it is important to know a few facts about their culture and rates of mental illness. There are a few cultural bonds shared be Latin/Hispanic Americans. One of the biggest bonds is the Spanish language. The Spanish language and culture are common bonds for many Hispanic Americans, regardless of whether they trace their ancestry to Africa, Asia, Europe, or the Americas. The immigrant experience is another common bond. Nevertheless, Hispanic Americans are very heterogeneous in the circumstances of their migration and in other characteristics. To understand their mental health needs, it is important to examine both the shared and unique experiences of different groups of Hispanic Americans. One of the most distinguishing characteristics of the Hispanic/ Latin American population is its rapid growth. In the 2000 census the number of Hispanics counted rose to 35. 3 million, roughly equal to the number of African Americans (U. S. Census Bureau, 2001a). In fact, census projections indicate that by 2050, the number of Latinos will increase to 97 million; this number will constitute nearly one-fourth of the U. S. population. Projections for the proportion of Hispanic youth are even higher. It is predicted that nearly one-third of those under 19 years of age will be Hispanic by 2050 (Spencer Hollmann, 1998). Persons of Mexican origin comprise the largest proportion of Latinos (almost two-thirds), with the remaining third distributed primarily among persons of Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Central American origin, (U.S. Census Bureau, 2001b). It is noteworthy that nearly two-thirds of Hispanics (64 %) were born in the United States (U. S. Census Bureau, 2000c). Another common bond is migration or immigration. Puerto Ricans began arriving in large numbers on the U. S. mainland after World War II as Puerto Ricos population increased. High unemployment among displaced agricultural workers on the island also led to large-scale emigration to the mainland United States that continued through the 1950s and 1960s. In the 1980s, the migration pattern became more circular as many Puerto Ricans chose to return to the island. One distinctive characteristic of Puerto Rican migration is that the second Organic Act, or Jones Act, of 1917 granted Puerto Ricans U. S. citizenship. Although Cubans came to the United States in the second half of the 19th century and in the early part of the 20th century, the greatest influx of Cuban immigrants began after Fidel Castro overthrew the Fulgencio Batista government in 1959. First, an elite group of Cubans came, but immigration continued with people making the dangerous crossing to the United States by makeshift watercraft (Bernal Shapiro, 1996). Some of these immigrants, such as the educated professionals who came to the United States during the early phase of Cuban migration, have become well established, where-as others who arrived with few economic resources are less so. Unlike immigrants from several other countries, many Cubans have gained access to citizenship and federal support through their status as political refugees. Central Americans are the newest Latino subgroup in the United States. Many Central Americans fled their countries â€Å"por la situacion†, a phrase that refers to the political terror and atrocities in their homelands. Although the specific social, historical, and political contexts differ in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua, conflicts in those countries led to a significant immigration of their citizens. About 21 percent of foreign-born Central Americans arrived in the United States between 1970 and 1979, and the bulk (about 70 %) arrived between 1980 and 1990 (Farias, 1994). The circumstances that caused various Hispanic groups to migrate greatly influence their experience in the United States. Cubans fled a Communist government, and, as a result, the U. S. Government has provided support through refugee or entrant status, work permits (Gil Vega, 1996), and citizenship. More than half (51 %) of Cuban immigrants have become U. S. citizens, compared to only 15 percent of Mexican immigrants (U. S. Census Bureau, 1998). Puerto Ricans, whether born on the mainland or in Puerto Rico, are by definition U. S. citizens and, as a result, have access to government-sponsored support services. However many Central American immigrants are not recognized as political refugees, despite the fact that the war-related trauma and terror that preceded their immigration may place them at high risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and may make adjustment to their new home more difficult. Many Latinos who arrive without proper documentation have difficulty obtaining jobs or advancing in them and live with the chronic fear of deportation. Finally, many Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Central Americans, and recent Cuban immigrants come as unskilled laborers or displaced agricultural workers who lack the social and economic resources to ease their adjustment. Hispanics are highly concentrated in the U. S. Southwest In 2000, 60 percent lived in five Southwestern States (California, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Texas). Approximately half of all Hispanic Americans live in two States, California and Texas (U. S. Census Bureau, 2001b). While many Southwestern Latinos are recent immigrants, others are descendants of Mexican and Spanish settlers who lived in the territory before it belonged to the United States. Some of these descendants, particularly those in New Mexico and Colorado, refer to themselves as Hispanos. More recent immigrants from Mexico and Central America are drawn to the Southwest because of its proximity to their home countries, its employment opportunities, and its established Latino communities, which can help them, find jobs. Outside the Southwest, New York, Florida, and Illinois are home to the largest concentrations of Hispanics. New York has 8. 1 percent, Florida, 7. 6 percent, and Illinois, 4. 3 percent of all the Latinos estimated to reside in the United States in 2000 (U. S. Census Bureau, 2001b). Two-thirds of Puerto Ricans on the mainland live in New York and New Jersey, and two-thirds of Cuban Americans live in Florida (Population Reference Bureau, 2000). Although specific subgroups of Latinos are associated with specific geographical regions, important demographic shifts have resulted in the increased visibility of Latinos throughout the United States. From 1990 to 2000, Latinos more than doubled in number in the following six states: Arkansas (170 %), Nevada (145 %), North Carolina (129 %), Georgia (120 %), Nebraska (108 %), and Tennessee (105 %) (U. S. Census Bureau, 2000c). Of the six States, Nevada is the only one located in a region with traditionally high concentrations of Latinos. Thus, in addition to growing in numbers, Hispanic Americans are spreading throughout the United States. Latinos are often referred to as family oriented (Sabogal et al. , 1987). It is important to note that familism is as much a reflection of social processes as of cultural practice (Lopez Guarnaccia, 2000). Specifically, the shared experience of immigrating to a new land or of experiencing difficult social conditions in ones homeland can promote adherence to family ties. In many cases, family connections facilitate survival and adjustment. The importance of family can be seen in Hispanic living arrangements. Although family characteristics vary by Latino subgroups, as a whole, Latinos, like Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, are most likely to live in family households and least likely to live alone. In addition, children (especially the females) tend to remain in the family until they marry Overall, Hispanics have less formal education than the national average. Of Latinos over 25 years of age, only 56 percent have graduated from high school, and only 11 percent have graduated from college. Nationally, 83 percent and 25 percent of the same age group have graduated from high school and college respectively (U. S. Census Bureau, 2000b). Hispanics educational attainment is related to their place of birth. In 1999, only 44 percent of foreign-born Hispanic adults 25 years and older were high school graduates, compared to 70 percent of U. S. -born Hispanic adults (U. S. Census Bureau, 2000b). The dropout rate for foreign-born Hispanics ages 16 to 24 is more than twice the dropout rate for U. S. -born Hispanics in the same age range (Kaufman et al. , 1999). A recent study of middle school Latino students questions why foreign-born adolescents and adults have the worst educational outcomes (C. Suarez-Orozco M. Suarez-Orozco, 1995). The study concluded that recent immigrants from Mexico and El Salvador had at least the same, or in some cases greater motivation to achieve than white or U. S. -born Mexican American students. The educational achievement of three of the main Hispanic subgroups reveals further variability. Cubans have the highest percentage of formally educated people. Of persons over 25 years of age, 70 percent of Cuban Americans have graduated from high school, whereas 64 percent of Puerto Ricans and 50 percent of Mexican Americans have graduated from high school (U. S.Census Bureau, 2000d). Moreover, one-fourth of Cuban Americans have graduated from college, which is identical to the college graduation rate of Americans overall. In contrast, Puerto Rican and Mexican-origin adults have lower college graduation rates, 11 percent and 7 percent respectively. Although Latinos as a group have poorer educational outcomes than other ethnic groups, there is sufficient variability to offer hope for them to catch up. Another shared area is income. The economic status of three of the main subgroups parallels their educational status. Cuban Americans are more affluent in standing than Puerto Ricans and Mexican Americans, as reflected in median family incomes (Cubans, $39,530; Puerto Ricans, $28,953; Mexicans, $27,883), the percentage of persons below the poverty line (Puerto Ricans, 31 %; Mexicans, 27 %; Cubans, 14 %) and the unemployment rates of persons 16 years and older (Puerto Ricans, 7 %; Mexicans, 7 %; Cubans, 5 %) (U. S. Census Bureau, 2000d). The current income levels of the Latino subgroups are also related to the political and historical circumstances of their immigration. Elite Cuban immigrants have contributed in part to the relatively strong economic status of Cuban Americans. Their experience, however, stands in stark contrast to that of Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Central Americans, most of who came to the United States as unskilled laborers. Historical and Sociocultural Factors That Relate to Mental Health Historical and sociocultural factors suggest that, as a group, Latinos are in great need of mental health services. Latinos, on average, have relatively low educational and economic status. In addition, historical and social subgroup differences create differential needs within Latino groups. Central Americans may be in particular need of mental health services given the trauma experienced in their home countries. Puerto Rican and Mexican American children and adults may be at a higher risk than Cuban Americans for mental health problems, given their lower educational and economic resources. Recent immigrants of all backgrounds, who are adapting to the United States, are likely to experience a different set of stressors than long-term Hispanic residents. Key Issues for Understanding the Research Much of our current understanding of the mental health status of Latinos, particularly among adult populations, is derived from epidemiological studies of prevalence rates of mental disorders, diagnostic entities established by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM; American Psychiatric Association, 1994). The advantage of focusing on rates of disorders is that such findings can be compared with and contrasted to findings from studies in other domains (e. g. , clinical studies) using the same diagnostic criteria. Although there are several advantages to examining DSM-based clinical data, there are at least three disadvantages. One limitation is that individuals may experience considerable distress-a level of distress that disrupts their daily functioning-but the symptoms associated with the distress fall short of a given diagnostic threshold. So, if only disorder criteria are used, some individuals need for mental health care may not be recognized. A second disadvantage is that the current definitions of the diagnostic entities have little flexibility to take into account culturally patterned forms of distress and disorder. As a result, disorders in need of treatment may not be recognized or may be mislabeled. A third limitation is that most of the epidemiological studies using the disorder-based definitions are conducted in community household surveys. They fail to include nonhousehold members, such as persons without homes or those who reside in institutions. Because of these limitations, it is important to broaden the review of research on mental health needs to include not only studies that report on disorders but include high-need populations not usually included in household-based surveys. Mental Disorders Adults A study found that Mexican Americans and white Americans had very similar rates of psychiatric disorders (Robins Regier, 1991). However, when the Mexican American group was separated into two sub-groups, those born in Mexico and those born in the United States, it was found that those born in the United States had higher rates of depression and phobias than those born in Mexico (Burnam et al. , 1987). The study found that relative to whites, Mexican Americans had fewer lifetime disorders overall and fewer anxiety and substance use disorders. Like some other findings, Mexican Americans born outside the United States were found to have lower prevalence rates of any lifetime disorders than Mexican Americans born in the United States. Relative to whites, the lifetime prevalence rates did not differ for Puerto Ricans, or for Other Hispanics. However, the sample sizes of the latter two subgroups were quite small, thus limiting the statistical power to detect group differences (Ortega et al. , 2000). A third study examined rates of psychiatric disorders in a large sample of Mexican Americans residing in Fresno County, California (Vega et al. , 1998). This study found that the lifetime rates of mental disorders among Mexican American immigrants born in Mexico were remarkably lower than the rates of mental disorders among Mexican Americans born in the United States. Overall, approximately 25 percent of the Mexican immigrants had some disorder (including both mental disorders and substance abuse), whereas 48 percent of the U. S. -born Mexican Americans had a disorder (Vega et al. , 1998). Furthermore, the length of time that these Latinos had spent in the United States appeared to be an important factor in the development of mental disorders. Immigrants who had lived in the United States for at least 13 years had higher prevalence rates of disorders than those who had lived in the United States fewer than 13 years (Vega et al. , 1998). It is interesting to note that the mental disorder prevalence rates of U. S. -born Mexican Americans closely resembled the rates among the general U.S. population. In contrast, the Mexican-born Fresno residents lower prevalence rates were similar to those found in a Mexico City study (e. g. , for any affective disorder: Fresno, 8 %, Mexico City, 9 %) (Caraveo-Anduaga et al. , 1999). Together, the results from the ECA, the NCS, and the Fresno studies suggest that Mexican-born Latinos have better mental health than do U. S. -born Mexican Americans and the national sample overall. A similar pattern has been found in other sets of studies. One study examined the mental health of Mexicans and Mexican Americans who were seen in family practice settings in two towns equidistant from the Mexican border (Hoppe et al. , 1991). This investigation found that 8 percent of the Mexican American participants had experienced a lifetime episode of depression, whereas only 4 percent of Mexican participants had experienced depression. The most striking finding from the set of adult epidemiological studies using diagnostic measures is that Mexican immigrants, Mexican immigrants who lived fewer than 13 years in the United States, or Puerto. Ricans who resided on the island of Puerto Rico had lower prevalence rates of depression and other disorders than did Mexican Americans who were born in the United States, Mexican immigrants who lived in the United States 13 years or more, or Puerto Ricans who lived on the mainland. This consistent pattern of findings across independent investigators, different sites, and two Latino subgroups (Mexican Americans and Puerto Ricans) suggests that factors associated with living in the United States are related to an increased risk of mental disorders. Some authors have interpreted these findings as suggesting that acculturation may lead to an increased risk of mental disorders e. g. , Vega et al. , 1998. The limitation of this explanation is that none of the noted epidemiological studies directly tested whether acculturation and prevalence rates are indeed related. At best, place of birth and numbers of years living in the United States are proxy measures of acculturation. However, acculturation is a complex process (LaFromboise et al. , 1993); it is not clear what aspect or aspects of acculturation could be related to higher rates of disorders. Is it the changing cultural values and practices, the stressors associated with such changes, or negative encounters with American institutions (e. g. , schools or employers) that cause some of the different prevalence rates (Betancourt Lopez, 1993)? Before acculturation can be accepted as an explanation for this observed pattern of findings, it is important that direct tests of specific acculturation processes be carried out and that alternative explanations for these findings be ruled out. More research would be especially helpful in identifying the key predictors of Latinos mental health and mental illness. Older Adults Few studies have examined the mental health status of older Hispanic American adults. A study of 703 Los Angeles area Hispanics age 60 or above found over 26 percent had major depression or dysphoria. Depression was related to physical health; only 5. 5 percent of those without physical health complications reported depression (Kemp et al. , 1987). Similar findings associated chronic health conditions and disability with depressive symptoms in a sample of 2,823 older community-dwelling Mexican Americans (Black et al. , 1998). The findings from in-home interviews of 2,723 Mexican Americans age 65 or older in Southwestern communities revealed a relationship between low blood pressure and higher levels of depressive symptomatology (Stroup-Benham et al. , 2000). These data are somewhat difficult to interpret. Given the fact that somatic symptoms (e. g. , difficulty sleeping and loss of appetite) are related to poor health, these studies could simply document that these somatic symptoms are elevated among older Hispanics who are ill. On the other hand, presence of physical illness is also related to depression. Taken together, these findings indicate that older Latin/Hispanics who have health problems may be at risk for depression. Furthermore, a recent study suggests that the risk for Alzheimers disease may be higher among Latin/Hispanic Americans than among white Americans (Tang et al. , 1998). Symptoms The early epidemiological studies of Latinos/Hispanics examined the number of symptoms, not the number of mental disorders, reported by groups of Latin/ Hispanic Americans, and in some cases compared them to the number of symptoms reported by white Americans. Much of this research found that Latinos/Hispanics had higher rates of depression or distress than whites Frerichs et al. , 1981. In a large-scale study of Latin/ Hispanics Americans, Cuban Americans (Narrow et al. , 1990) and Mexican Americans (Moscicki et al. , 1989) were found to have lower rates of depressive symptoms than Puerto Ricans from the New York City metropolitan area Moscicki et al. , 1987; Potter et al. , 1995. In another line of inquiry, Latin/Hispanic American mothers who have children with mental retardation were found to report high levels of depressive symptomatology. It is important to note that measures of symptoms may reflect actual disorders that may not be measured in a given study, as well as general distress associated with social stressors but not necessarily associated with disorders. Two studies provide evidence that depressive symptom indices used with Latinos tend to measure distress more than disorder. In one study, rates of depressive symptoms were found to be similar among poor Puerto Ricans living in New York City and in Puerto Rico (Vera et al. , 1991), even though earlier analyses indicated different rates of major depression for the two samples Canino et al., 1987; Moscicki et al. , 1987. In the second study, symptoms of depression were less related to diagnosis of depression for those Hispanics who were economically disadvantaged than for those Hispanics more socially advantaged (Cho et al. , 1993). If an index of depressive symptoms were an indicator of both general distress and disorder, then that index would have been related to a diagnosis of depression for both economically advantaged and disadvantaged samples. Culture-Bound Syndromes DSM-IV recognizes the existence of culturally related syndromes, referred to in the appendix of DSM as culture-bound syndromes. Relevant examples of these syndromes for Latin/Hispanic Americans are â€Å"susto† (fright), â€Å"nervios† (nerves), and â€Å"mal de ojo† (evil eye). One expression of distress that is most commonly associated with Caribbean Latinos but has been recognized in other Latinos as well is â€Å"ataques de nervios† (Guarnaccia et al. , 1989). Symptoms of an ataque de nervios include screaming uncontrollably, crying, trembling, and verbal or physical aggression. Dissociative experiences, seizure-like or fainting episodes, and suicidal gestures are also prominent in some ataques. In one study carried out in Puerto Rico, researchers found that 14 percent of the population reported having had ataques (Guarnaccia et al. , 1993). Furthermore, in detailed interviews of 121 individuals living in Puerto Rico (78 of who had had an ataque), experiencing these symptoms was related to major life problems and subsequent psychological suffering (Guarnaccia et al. , 1996). There is value in identifying specific culture-bound syndromes such as ataques de nervios because it is critical to recognize the existence of conceptions of distress and illness outside traditional psychiatric classification systems. These are often referred to as popular, lay, or common sense conceptions of illness or illness behavior (Koss-Chioino Canive, 1993). Some of these popular conceptions may have what appear to be definable boundaries, while others are more fluid and cut across a wide range of symptom clusters. For example, many people of Mexican origin apply the more general concept of nervios to distress that is not associated with DSM disorders, as well as to distress that is associated with anxiety disorders, depressive disorders (Salgado de Snyder et al., 2000), and schizophrenia (Jenkins, 1988). Though it is valuable for researchers and clinicians alike to learn about specific culture-bound syndromes, it is more important that they assess variable local representations of illness and distress. The latter approach casts a wider net around understanding the role of culture in illness and distress. In the following quote, Koss-Chioino (1992) (page 198) points out that a given presenting problem can have multiple levels of interpretation: the mental health view, the folk healing view (in this case, spiritist), and the patients view. The same woman, during one episode of illness, may experience depression in terms of hallucinations, poor or excessive appetite, memory problems, and feelings of sadness or depression, if she presents to a mental health clinic; or, alternatively, in terms of backaches, leg aches, and fear, if she attends a Spiritist session. However, she will probably experience headaches, sleep disturbances, and nervousness regardless of the resource she uses. If we encounter her at the mental health clinic, she may explain her distress as due to disordered or out-of-control mind, behavior, or lifestyle. In the Spiritist session she will probably have her distress explained as an obsession. And if we encounter her before she seeks help from either of these treatment resources, she may describe her problems as due to difficulties with her husband or children. Individuals with Alcohol and Drug Problems Studies have consistently shown that rates of substance abuse are linked with rates of mental disorders (Kessler et al. , 1996). Most studies of alcohol use among Hispanics indicate that rates of use are either similar to or slightly below those of whites (Kessler et al. , 1994). However, two factors influence these rates. First, gender differences in rates of Latinos use are often greater than the gender differences observed between whites. Latinas are particularly unlikely to use alcohol or drugs (Gilbert, 1987). In some cases, Latino men are more likely to use substances than white men. For example, in the Los Angeles ECA study, Mexican American men (31 %) had significantly higher rates of alcohol abuse and dependence than non-Hispanic white men (21 %). In addition, more alcohol-related problems have been found among Mexican American men than among white men (Cunradi et al., 1999). A second factor associated with Latinos rates of substance abuse is place of birth. In the Fresno study (Vega et al. , 1998), rates of substance abuse were much higher among U. S. -born Mexican Americans compared to Mexican immigrants. Specifically, substance abuse rates were seven times higher among U. S. -born women compared to immigrant women. For men, the ratio was 2 to 1. U. S. -born Mexican American youth also had higher rates of substance abuse than Mexican-born youth (Swanson et al. , 1992). The study of mental disorders and substance abuse among Latinos suggests two specific types of strengths that Latinos may have. First, as noted, Latino adults who are immigrants have lower prevalence rates of mental disorders than those born in the United States. Among the competing explanations of these findings is that Latino immigrants may be particularly resilient in the face of the hardships they encounter in settling in a new country. If this is the case, then the identification of what these immigrants do to reduce the likelihood of mental disorders could be of value for all Americans. One of many possible factors that might contribute to their resilience is what Suarez-Orozco and Suarez-Orozco (1995) refer to as a dual frame of reference. Investigators found that Latino immigrants in middle-school frequently used their families back home as reference points in assessing their lives in the United States. Given that the social and economic conditions are often much worse in their homelands than in the United States, they may experience less distress in handling the stressors of their daily lives than those who lack such a basis of comparison. U. S. -born Latinos are more likely to compare themselves with their peers in the United States. Suarez-Orozco and Suarez-Orozco argue that these Latino children are more aware of what they do not have and thus may experience more distress. A second factor noted by the Suarez-Orozcos that might be related to the resilience of Latino immigrants is their high aspiration to succeed. Particularly noteworthy is that many Latinos want to succeed in order to help their families, rather than for their own personal benefit. Because the Suarez-Orozcos did not include measures of mental health, it is not certain whether their observations about school achievement apply to mental health. Nevertheless, a dual frame of reference and collective achievement goals are part of a complex set of psychological, cultural, and social factors that may explain why some Latino immigrants function better than Latinos of later generations. A second type of strength noted in the literature is how Latino families cope with mental illness. Guarnaccia and colleagues (1992) found that some families draw on their spirituality to cope with a relatives serious mental illness. Strong beliefs in God give some family members a sense of hope. For example, in reference to her brothers mental illness, one of the informants commented: We all have an invisible doctor that we do not see, no? This doctor is God. Always when we go in search of a medicine, we go to a doctor, but we must keep in mind that this doctor is inspired by God and that he will give us something that will help us. We must also keep in mind that who really does the curing is God, and that God can cure us of anything that we have, material or spiritual. (p. 206) Jenkins (1988) found that many Mexican Americans attributed their relatives schizophrenia to nervios, a combination of both physical and emotional ailments. An important point here is that nervios implies that the patient is not blameworthy, and thus family members are less likely to be critical. Previous studies from largely non-Hispanic samples have found that both family criticism and family blame and criticism together (Lopez et al., 1999) are associated with relapse in patients with schizophrenia. Mexican American families living with a relative who has schizophrenia are not only less likely to be critical, but also those who are Spanish-speaking immigrants have been found to be high in warmth. This is important because those patients who returned from a hospital stay to a family high in warmth were less likely to relapse than those who returned to families low in warmth. Thus, Mexican American families warmth may help protect the relative with schizophrenia from relapse. The spirituality of Latino families, their conceptions of mental illness and their warmth all contribute to the support they give in coping with serious mental illness. Although limited, the attention given to Latinos possible strengths is an important contribution to the study of Latino mental health. Strengths are protective factors against distress and disorder and can be used to develop interventions to prevent mental disorders and to promote well-being. Such interventions could be used to inform interventions for all Americans, not just Latinos. In addition, redirecting attention to strengths helps point out the overemphasis researchers and practitioners give to pathology, clinical entities, and treatment, rather than to health, well-being, and prevention. Availability of Mental Health Services Finding mental health treatment from Spanish-speaking providers is likely to be a problem for many Spanish-speaking Hispanics. In the 1990 census, about 40 percent of Latinos reported that they either didnt speak English or didnt speak English well. Thus, a significant proportion of Latinos need. Spanish-speaking mental health care providers. Presently there are no national data to indicate the language skills of the Nations mental health professionals. However, a few studies reveal that there are few Spanish-speaking and Latino providers. One survey of 1,507 school psychologists who carry out psychoeducational assessments of bilingual children in the eight States with the highest percentages of Latinos found that 43 percent of the psychologists identified themselves as English-speaking monolinguals (Ochoa et al. , 1996). In other words, a large number of Engli.