National spending for long

The number of the Americans who need long-term care is nearly 10 million. Long-term care refers to the aids given to those people incapacitated by poor health, disability, or old-age among other provisions. Such people demand special assistance for them to perform basic and routine activities in their daily lives.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on National spending for long-term care specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These incorporate bathing, movements, preparation of meals, and medical therapies among others. It is evident that most of such people attain free assistance from friends, families, and other dedicated relatives. Nonetheless, the government (both state and federal) has established various programs meant to provide the alleged long-term care. There is a considerable spending for specialized long-term care services. These incorporate nursing services, domestic care, and supported living services. It is cr ucial to consider such factors in the context of healthcare provisions. Long-term care is expensive for individuals with extensive needs. As at 2006, the annual cost for a private room in a nursing home neared US$70,900. Concurrently, the pay per hour for a home health averaged US$25. This indicates how such services have become expensive in the American context. These figures translate to $36,500 and $33,300 base rates annually for a four hour home care and private room services respectively. Precisely, the country spent US$194 on long-term care with the nursing home care registering a considerable portion. Medicaid is one of the prominent financiers of the long-term care. As at 2004, it accounted for nearly 49% of the total funding. Medicaid cares for poor individuals who meet up the eligibility standards. Each state is obligated to govern its own Medicaid programs; however, funding emanates from both the federal and state governments. Each state expects Medicaid to provide nursin g home care as well as home health care for the eligible individuals. These incorporate medical provisions and therapy services. Nevertheless, any state might include personal care in its Medicaid programs. Additionally, all states presently provide home and community-based services in a program that promotes services to a specific and limited number of residents. DRA (an act) allows states to finance home as well as community-based services. Concurrently, the Medicaid spending on non-institutional care is growing tremendously. Conversely, Medicare program is intentioned to provide health indemnity/cover to individuals aged 65 and above as well as people with disabilities in this context.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In 2004, Medicare funded 19% of national long-term care expenses. Medicare is not designated to fund long-term care services; nonetheless, it grants minimal pay to the mentioned services. In a skilled nursing facility, Medicare pays fully for the initial 20 days and partially in the subsequent 80 days. Additionally, it also funds home health care for homebound individuals demanding amateur professional nursing and therapy services. Nearly 19% ($37 billion) of the total cost of the long-term care expenditures was funded by ‘Out-of-Pocket Spending’ in 2004. Families of individuals with long-term care needs assume crucial roles in this context. This is true since most of these needy individuals (nearly 83% in 2000) attained their aids in community-based settings where family members contributed significantly. Private insurance institutions equally funded 7% (US$9 billion) of the total cost. Private insurance sector also finances minimal amount of nursing and home care services. In 2002, insurers paid around US$1.4 billion on claims. Other sources (private/public) registered nearly 6% of the total in 2004. On policy issues, it is crucial to agree that numerous individuals needing long-term care have no insurance indemnities due to poverty. Nonetheless, Medicaid and other organs spend considerably on institutional care compared to home/community-based cares. This essay on National spending for long-term care was written and submitted by user Emmitt B. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Essay Writing Advice Structure It Up!

Essay Writing Advice Structure It Up! Essay Writing Advice: Structure It Up! If you are looking for essay writing advice, look no further. Writing an essay requires that you include the basic elements of a five paragraph essay. Even if your writing task is a bit more involved, the same elements must be included. Introduction When you are writing your introduction you want to pay attention to the exact word choice you have. This is your first and, in some cases, your last opportunity to leave a positive impression on your reader. This is not only where you talk about your subject for the first time, but where you also explain to the reader how you are going to talk about your subject. You should be putting a higher level of energy into your introductory area, totaling about 20% of your overall writing efforts. And if you do this you will be rewarded positively. Body Paragraphs The second step is a body paragraph where you need to present your 1st strongest argument or your best illustration or example. Much like the previous section of your writing assignment, the first sentence needs to have a hook which naturally transitions from the hook located at the end of the previous paragraph. The subject of this paragraph or the main idea needs to be presented in the topic sentence immediately after. You want to make sure that you relate the main idea here to your thesis statement much the same as you did in the previous section. And finally, once you have done this you need to include your transitional hook in order to help the reader move along once again to the 2nd body paragraph. The 2nd body paragraph is where your weaker argument is located and it should be followed after the transitional hook with your topic sentence. Once again the evidence and support that you present need to relate back to your thesis statement. Never assume that the reader will know what you intend to say or will be able to pick up on what you are hinting at. Instead, make sure that you state your purpose explicitly. Once this is done you need to end. With a transitional hook which signals that your final point has been made and that they will now reach the end of your document. Conclusion The conclusion is the end of your writing but it does not serve as an afterthought. The final paragraph is the final opportunity you have to restate your case and it needs to be very rigid in its format. You want to try and paradoxically think of the conclusion as the second introduction because it will contain many of its features. You want each sentence to be well-crafted and you want to make sure you have an effective concluding transition after which you restate your thesis. Remember, the best essay writing advice revolves around laying out each component of the traditional writing tasks, including introductions, body texts, and conclusions. These make up the basic structure of your work. By incorporating all of these components, you can enjoy a well put together essay.

Malcom X-J new muslim activism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Malcom X-J new muslim activism - Research Paper Example The Nation of Islam planned the creation of a separate nation for African Americans in the Southern or Southwestern part of the United States. This was only to be an interim plan till African Americans go back to their motherland – Africa. Malcolm X argued that the U.S. government owed compensations to blacks for the slave labor of forced to their forefathers and foremothers (Mash, 1996). He also advocated against the civil rights group’s strategy of peacefulness and rather advocated that African Americans should defend themselves by any significant means. Many authors have endeavored to come up with publications that talk about this topic (Barboza, 1995; Mash 1996; Tate, 1997; Turner, 1997). Some have received nice reception and others bad, but some of the leading exceptions include Marsh’s From Black Muslims to Muslims, Tate’s Little X, Turner’s Islam in the African-American Experience and Barboza’s American Jihad Islam after Malcolm X. Thi s paper will summarize these writings and discuss how these four publications brought out this topic keeping in mind their authors’ thesis, as well as their methods. ... The book comprises of interviews by Clifton E. Marsh with Imam Wallace D. Muhammad and Dr. Abdul Alim Muhammad of the Nation of Islam. The volume adopts from The Black Muslims in America by C. Eric Lincoln's, who initially introduced the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X, as well as Elijah Muhammad, into the American perception. None of the people in the academic world were aware of or knew the Black Nationalist obsession burning in the mind of Minister Louis Farrakhan. It was Clifton E. Marsh who chose to intervene and force the death grip from the throat of his religious leader, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. Minister Louis Farrakhan, in 1977, found/resurrected the Nation of Islam and started to breathe life into this vanishing movement (Mash, 1996). The author’s main methodology was interviews with actual members of the Nation of Islam. They main persons interviewed were Minister Louis Farrakan, Imam Wallace D. Muhammad and Dr. Abdul Alim Muhammad. The following individuals were c onsidered as key figures of the movement, and; therefore, their information was extremely helpful to the publication. The author also utilized other historical sources, which gave insights on Black Nationalism, the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X, social conditions of the early 90's among others. Finally, his knowledge in sociology and also a professor of the same discipline at Tidewater Community College, Virginia, helped him develop a conceptual framework that would best explain the issues brought out by the Black Nationalism, as well as the Nation of Islam. With all the problems that African Americans were facing in the white man’s land, Mash (1996) considered that

Flooding in Ottawa Illinois Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Flooding in Ottawa Illinois - Essay Example Finally, by choosing to discuss this hazard, the solutions that come from it will educate public and they will therefore have knowledge in handling such an incident when it occurs. In the last five years, seven disasters were experienced in Illinois. For instance, last summer, more than $300 million was put into operation to aid in management of the aftermath of the flood. Also in June 2008, Midwest floods initiated widespread flood destruction across Illinois owing to insistent heavy rains that caused rivers to spill over their banks. Insured losses to Illinois inhabitants totaled $5.3 million. The Great Midwest Floods of 1993, was one of the biggest floods in U.S. history. The outcome was approximately $273 million uninsured flood destruction and an estimated $15 billion in total damages. The approximate amount of damage cause tolled to around $2.6billion and $60.7 million of them insured losses (Barry, 2007). The probabilistic point of view for flood potential issued by the NWS on March 6, 2014 gives a probabilistic valuation of flood potential using the vocabulary presented below. These viewpoints indicate that the likelihood in percent that slight, modest, or major flooding will take place. Additionally, they provide statistics regarding the possibility a given river stage will be equaled or exceeded during the present forecast period. Property destruction and financial losses are one side of the story. Alternative perspective focuses on the consequence the flooding has had on the surroundings and the modifications it made to the physical land. Flood waters leads to erosion thus changing the shape of the land. This is caused by the chemicals and organic material deposit carried within the floodwaters. Also flood interfere with shipments of essential commodities like foodstuff, chemicals and other products. When canal are flooded and becomes impassable, ship and other marine means of transport

Neuroscience Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Neuroscience - Assignment Example The tale of Lucy is elaborated by Dr. Barbara Smuts and his wife. The couple provide a classic story of their experiences with the chimp, Lucy, who was adopted when she was barely 2 days old. Lucy was brought up amidst human beings and she learned to be a human. However, as she grew up to be an adult, those who reared her realized that her future would be better in the forests amidst other members of her family and sent her back to the forests, but with some training. The story of Lucy is a heart breaking one not only for those who reared her and showed her so much of love and affection, but also to those who came to know about the story. The presentation of the episode on the radiocast is excellent and tears rolled down my face after I heard it. It is indeed a heart breaking story, Humans or non-humans, feelings are the same and to live without the ones you have loved and have loved you is very difficult. More so for an ape, who, if brought up amidst other apes in the forest would h ave had different experiences in his life all together. Although, on one side, I feel like criticizing and mocking the arrogance of humans for conducting such experiments without consent on these animals who have no other choice, at the same time; I feel sad for the tumoil they too went through for sending Lucy to the forests.

The Fifth Element: A Critical Analysis

The Fifth Element: A Critical Analysis The Fifth Element is one of the best science fiction movies ever made. What is science fiction? Stories that often tell about science and technology of the future is considered a trademark of science fiction. Science fiction films are also known to include a human element and are often set in the future, in space, on a different world, or in a different universe or dimension altogether. They often will depict dangerous or sinister natures of knowledge and vital issues about the nature of mankind and our place in the whole scheme of things. Science fiction displays the possibility to destroy mankind with Armageddon-like events through technology as well. In the film, The Fifth Element, the Earth is threatened by an evil force every 5000 years. An alien race, the Mondoshawan, have created a weapon to defeat the evil force and safeguard it on Earth in Egypt. The Mondoshawan look like gigantic upright beetles with metal skin and tiny heads. The weapon is four sacred stones representing the elements of Earth, Fire, Water, and Wind with a fifth element that is used in combination with the stones. With the imminent arrival of World War I in 1914, they no longer feel the weapon is safe on Earth and come to take it away, promising to return when the evil force comes back during the course of the 5000-year cycle. In the year 2259, as the Mondoshawan are returning to bring the weapon back to Earth, their ship is shot down on the orders of an agent of the evil force, Jean-Baptiste Emmanuel Zorg. The Mondoshawan never fully trusted the human race and it was determined that the sacred stones were never on that ship, as it was a decoy. The Earths military was able to gather some cells from the wreckage of the ship, and by using the genetic makeup of those cells, reconstructed a life form. The life form, which is in the shape of a young female human, is the fifth element. Her name is Leeloo. She becomes frightened and escapes from the reconstruction chamber. She runs into Korben Dallas, a recently retired Commander of Earths military, and currently a New York City cab driver. Leeloos undertaking was to find the priest, Vito Cornelius, as he knows of the ancient ritual to set off the weapon against the evil force. President Lister was given this information regarding Cornelius earlier. President Lister recruits Dallas to go and retrieve the sacred stones from the Diva PlavaLaguna who is on another planet. Leeloo and Cornelius have their own plans. Dallas, Leeloo, and Cornelius travel to the other planet. Dallas retrieves the stones with the help of DJ Ruby Rhod. With help of Cornelius and Leeloo, the four of them beat Zorg at his own game for control of the sacred stones. They flee back to Egypt and with only minutes to spare, Korben tells Leeloo what she needs to hear and the love she feels enables her to destroy the evil force from annihilating Earth. The plot may be a standard one; good versus evil with a love story intertwined, but it is a good solid one. The film is based on a story by Luc Besson and he wrote it when he was sixteen years old. Roger Ebert agrees that the plot does sound like something conjured up by a teenager but still remains positive. In his review in the Chicago Sun-Times, he states, The Star Wars movies look deep, even philosophical, in comparison, but never mind: We are watching The Fifth Element not to think, but to be delighted (Ebert). This movie is exciting and catches your attention very quickly. The introduction of characters goes seamlessly from one to another. It does, however, have many stereotypes of what one might expect from a science fiction film. Mick LaSalle said in his review of the film in the San Francisco Chronicle, Its an amalgam of every science fiction clichà © about flying cars, evil forces and benevolent outer-space creatures most of them dusted off and made new (LaSalle). Many science fiction films show things in them that may be unbelievable. The beauty is that these things could happen. Flying cars? Sure, that might be possible some day. Aliens coming to destroy the planet? It could happen. The Fifth Element has all of these things. This movie creates a sense of wonder in the viewer. Not only is the viewer wondering what is going to happen next, like any other enjoyable film, the viewer will be anticipating what outrageous thing they are going to show you. In this world, you do believe it and it is true to the life portrayed in the film. This film is well told and the viewers will find themselves rooting for Leeloo, the fifth element. This is high-voltage excitement in a pop culture world. Its big on commercialism and there is a lot of product placement. The film is a bit predictable, by the end, evil is destroyed and the boy gets the girl. But the viewer will have a good journey to the end. The characters themselves are phenomenal. Bruce Willis plays Korben Dallas, the recently retired war hero who now drives a cab in New York City. Korben just cannot get a break. After being plagued with nightmares, he gets mugged on his way to work. He gets into an accident, where the viewer is first introduced to the beautiful Leeloo. Hes involved in a high-speed police chase and after returning home, he is notified that he has been fired. The military comes back into his life to send him on a dangerous mission. He travels with Leeloo to retrieve the sacred stones and must fight the ugly, killer-for-hire Mangalores. He must constantly put up with Ruby Rhod, an annoying DJ. After getting the stones and saving Leeloo from certain death, he must race against the evil force to set up the ancient weapon. In the end, he helps to save Earth and also gets the girl but his trials seem long and by the end, you are cheering that finally, something has gone his way. Leeloo is played by actress Milla Jovovich. Her role in all of this is that she is the fifth element. She tells Korben on their way to meet the Diva to get the sacred stones, Me fifth element supreme being. Me protect you (The Fifth Element). She has regenerated from cells alone to a perfect modelesque being that has flaming red hair with blonde roots. She learns the history of humans from a computer to bring her up to speed on Earths history. She can fight with the best of them, kicking the kung-fu out of some Mangalores. By the time they recover the stones and have made their way to Egypt to set the weapon in place, Leeloo is exhausted and is disillusioned as to why she must help the humans as she has seen the destruction they have done in history. She whimpers of not knowing love and does not realise that Korben has fallen in love with her. Korben must tell her how he really feels and kisses her with passion and she feels the love from him. She is able to make the ancient weapon work and defeats the evil force trying to demolish Earth by blasting it with white light derived from all that is pure and good. Priest Vito Cornelius, played by Ian Holm, is Leeloos contact on Earth. Cornelius takes this role very seriously. When Korben wins two tickets to Fhloston Paradise, his cover to retrieve the sacred stones from the Diva, Cornelius knocks Korben unconscious to steal the tickets for Leeloo and himself to go. When Korben shows up at the airport in time to make the flight, Cornelius stows aboard the plane in a maintenance compartment in order to reach Fhloston. He is a supporting character in this film but really is necessary for the story as he holds a plethora of knowledge that has been passed down to him from the last 5000 years. Under Korbens cover of winning the radio contest, he is bombarded by DJ Ruby Rhod, played fabulously by Chris Tucker. Ruby is simply a combination of Dennis Rodman and Pee-wee Herman, on crack. He speaks in a falsetto voice and gets irritated with Korben because his responses on air are not super green, his favourite catch phrase. Dressed flamboyantly in a leopard print body suit, he is all about using his popularity to his advantage with the ladies. He ends up with Korben in battle with the Mangalores and screams like a little girl every chance he gets. He also flies with Korben, Leeloo, and Cornelius to set up the weapon in the temple. Jean-Baptiste Emmanuel Zorg is the bad guy in all of this. Played by Gary Oldman, Zorg is an egotistical munitions dealer who is also the agent of the evil force that threatens Earth. He is relentless in pursuing the sacred stones, hiring the Mangalores to shoot down the Mandoshawan ship before it ever reaches Earth. He bullies Cornelius to try to give him the location of the stones. He puts a bomb on the pleasure cruiser to Fhloston Paradise which eventually kills him in the quest for the sacred stones. The makeup effects were not extraordinary by any measure but the visual effects in The Fifth Element are absolutely breath-taking. In the 23rd century, New York City is crammed full of people and the buildings seemingly shoot up from out of nowhere for miles. But the place they originate from is the garbage. As the author of The Fifth Element, Terry Bisson states, The deepening haze and smog that clung to the ground level of the city mercifully obscured the generations of litter and debris the urban midden that covered the streets to a depth of between twenty and forty feet (Bisson 78). The depth of the garbage problem is shown quite well. During the police chase scene, Korben and Leeloo hide the taxicab in the garbage down by the street level. Theres even a sign from an old company called IBM. In the airport scene, there is garbage piling up against all the walls due to a sanitation strike. It is heaped so high that it covers exits as a Mangalore jumped into a pile and escaped from police. The visual effects are model based as well as computer generated. The flying traffic depicted in this film is amazingly meticulous in detail. The cars are rounder at the edges and somewhat flatter than the cars of today. In the police chase scene, the details of flying the can in between cars, avoiding traffic jams, and even escaping through a train tunnel are wonderfully done. According to filmsite.org, the films most celebrated sequence was, the cab chase with flying cars (filmsite.org). Everything is brightly coloured and moves fast so the viewers attention is caught and remains focused on where the film is going. The costumes for most of the characters are all a little strange and what the film would portray as futuristic. Korben wears normal looking pants but his shirt is fluorescent orange with cut out strips in the back. Leeloos first outfit after regeneration is nothing more than strategically placed white surgical tape. Her second outfit of the film consists of gold pants and a white half-shirt which would look tame enough with the exception of the orange thong suspenders. DJ Ruby Rhods costumes are by far the best. He is originally dressed in a leopard print bodysuit with a huge flared collar with pointy brown boots. His microphone is covered in the same leopard material, the end lights up red when someone speaks into it, and it is about three feet long. His hair is a short blond afro with a cylinder of blond hair sticking out of his forehead. His second outfit is again a body suit; however, this time is completely black and wrapped around the flared collar is a wreath of red roses. The pants are flared out into bellbottoms and completely with black boots. The microphone is the same length but covered in black fabric with a silver tip. His hair is black this time and wrapped up in several little buns all over his head. Jean-Paul Gaultier was the costume designer and he was nominated for a Saturn award in 1998 in the category of Best Costumes (Internet Movie Database). This is absolutely one of the best science fiction movies ever made. The Fifth Element was nominated for an Oscar award in 1998 for Best Effects and Sound Effects Editing and also won a BAFTA award in the category of Best Special Effects (Internet Movie Database). It is a fantastic tale of good versus evil in the far away future. The viewer will enjoy the fabulous special effects and colourful characters as they root on the good guys in the destruction of evil.

Critical Thinking Students

A critical student is one who ‘does not accept information without first examining it from different angles or perspectives. ’ Discuss this definition in relation to the critical thinking expected of university students in essay writing. Incorporate relevant readings in your discussion. In the changing landscape of the Australian education system, it can be difficult to ascertain what is expected of university students in essay writing. Indeed expectations can vary from institution to institution and even tutor to tutor, however the one commonality is the expectation of critical thinking in students. In this essay, I will argue that in universities, critical thinking is not only encouraged of university students in essay writing, but is also expected. I will explore what it means to be critical in ones thinking, discuss the expectations of students in essay writing and will provide alternative learning methods to illustrate other viewpoints. In order to achieve this, I will draw upon relevant readings to support my thesis. The word ‘critical’ is to describe â€Å"that which is urgent, serious, crucial or of fundamental importance† (Craig 1994, 54). In relation to essay writing, to be critical in ones thinking is to â€Å"question the phenomenon of study rather than simply accept and repeat the facts† (Craig 1994, 54). Warren (1995) provides some context to these definitions in her essay ‘The critical self’. She defines critical thinking as a reflective and reasonable thought process that dictates our decisions on what we do or believe (2). She refers to her teaching experiences and at the lack of the critical thinking abilities in her students at that time. Through these experiences and subsequent teachings on philosophy and specifically critical thinking, she draws conclusions that students like to think in this way and consequently their self-esteem improves as they are able to develop these skills (1). Her strong conviction that â€Å"critical thinking is both necessary and vital to learning itself† is a powerful statement to her beliefs in this area (Warren 1995, 1). In order to evaluate Warren’s claims, we must discuss what is actually expected of university students in relation to essay writing. According to Krause (2005), the Australian higher education has significantly evolved in recent years and as such student and university staff expectations have also changed (1). She points out that students now spend less time on campus than in the past and discusses how technology has influenced an increase in a more diverse range of students engaging in study (3). This has resulted in a larger number of students studying via correspondence and an increase in mature age and international students when compared with ten years ago (4). Given this changing landscape in university learning, it is clear why there is sometimes disconnect between what student’s believe is expected of them and what a university actually expects, specifically in relation to essay writing. This disconnect becomes more evident when distance is a factor. Warren (1995) provides an interesting example on the poor performance of her students in relation to essay writing. According to Warren, her students were attentive in class, actively participated and dedicated the required amount of study. Her evaluation of the poor performance was that her students â€Å"lacked critical thinking skills† (1). To properly assess the expectations placed on students, it is necessary to look at the wording of an essay topic. In all essay topics, one is asked to argue a thesis or debate a claim. The ability to present arguments in a manner that influences or persuades others is central to critical thinking (Marshall and Rowland 2006, 43). The very nature of how essay topics are structured and assessed can only lead to the conclusion that critical thinking is expected in essay writing. Without debating and negotiating positions, resolving conflict, reflecting and dealing with opposition, all of which are acts of critical thinking, the essay is not fulfilling the basic requirement of arguing a position (Marshall & Rowland 2006, 43). If part of critical thinking is reflection, as stated by Warren (1995), than it is important to understand the reflection process. Pavlovich (2007) suggests the reflection process begins with asking questions and states it is â€Å"as much a state of mind as it is a set of activities† (284). She argues the end result of reflection is a deeper understanding of all matters (284). Self -reflection is the ability to critique oneself, to ask questions like â€Å"What is my goal in life? † â€Å"What am I striving for? † â€Å"What is my purpose? † (Rogers 1697, 164). These are questions that some are unable to answer through their entire lives and yet within the context of university learning and specifically essay writing, there is an expectation that students are able to self- reflect, to see multiple facets of an argument, to question and to be critical. Warren (1995) also talks about the self-reflection process and argues that critical thinking â€Å"is an aspect of reflective thinking† (2). She asserts that only when critical thinking, creative thinking and content knowledge – what she describes as ‘the 3 C’s’ – overlap, does one has all the components of reflective thinking (2). She further argues that one can only be critical in the context of their surroundings or circumstances, such as gender or race and without the willingness to identify with and use background knowledge one â€Å"is not a critical thinker† (3). In the context of being a university student and writing essays, to think critically is to learn to process information and â€Å"to form reasoned opinions, evaluate beliefs, construct positions†¦ (and) articulate a thesis† (Warren 1995, 4). Critical thinking in this context is to realise ones full potential as â€Å"to really learn anything at all one must engage the critical self† (Warren 1995, 4). Of course, there are many other methods to learning and it can be argued that one size does not fit all. In certain disciplines, it can be assumed that critical thinking is not necessary, for example in complex technical environments where ‘x’ must always equal ‘y’. In many cases, there is a mismatch between personal learning styles and learning demands of different disciplines (Kolb 1981, 233). Kolb (1981) explores various learning styles and his discussion can lead one to believe that critical thinking is not central to the acquisition of knowledge (233). One could argue that in some fields it is imperative to memorise information and follow set instructions and not to look at information from various viewpoints. For example, there would be an expectation that a surgeon follows strict protocol when performing a complex operation. I would argue however, that some of the greatest advances in human history have been a result of those who are willing to question the way things are done and to explore alternatives options. Whilst it is important to recognise different learning styles suit different individuals and to adjust expectations accordingly, the basis of a student not accepting information without â€Å"examining it from different angles and perspectives† (Craig 1994, 54) is central to learning and is a key expectation of students in essay writing at university. The expectations placed upon students in relation to essay writing at university may vary, but the common denominator is the expectancy on students to be able to think critically and to articulate this in written form. I have provided a definition of critical thinking and have discussed how the changing landscape of the Australian education system can cause some confusion around expectations placed on students. I have offered alternative learning methods to demonstrate the need for some flexibility and adaptability around the expectations placed on students to cater for different learning style. Throughout this essay, I have maintained that regardless of these different learning styles, there is a universal expectation placed on university students to think critically, particularly in relation to essay writing and have used examples to argue this thesis.

Evaluating HRM’s contribution to Organisational Effectiveness Essay

Human Resource Management is a key component in the maintenance and utilization of an effective workforce. HRM includes myriad activities ranging from recruitment to training and even the development of compensation systems. HRM has evolved significantly since the early 1900s. The need to deal with labor unions and the human relations movement has increased the need for competent human resource professionals (Dessler, 2002). 3. Reasons for Measuring Human resource managers are required to balance the requirements of management against those of the organization to ensure staffing requirements are consistent with the overall organizational objectives. There is always a focus on results and measurement, the benefits from such analyses are numerous. Some of the key reasons for measuring HRM are (Phillips, 1996) 1. To identify HRM’s contribution to organizational effectiveness 2. To determine whether HRM is accomplishing its objectives 3. To identify the strengths and weaknesses of HRM processes 4. To calculate the return on investment in an HRM program 5. To determine if an HRM program or policy justifies investment of resources 6. To establish a database that can assist management in making decisions about HRM 4. Indicators of HRM The main impacts of HRM to the organisation can be gauged from the following key indicators (Frost et al, 2001) Figure 1: 4 Quadrants of HRM Indicators 5. Measuring HRM The influences and impacts mentioned previously provide an indication of the relative success of HRM within the organisation. As is evident, there are a number of indicators and their measurements and applications are quite varied. Some of the more common ways of measuring HRM are Surveys There are myriad proforma surveys that are available to HRM Managers to review and measure the feedback from employees and customers. OPM’s (Office of Personnel Management) Organizational Assessment Survey was created to assist organisations in the assessment and improvement of their performance and has since become an industry standard. The survey contributes to organizational performance improvement by: 1. â€Å"assessing organizational strengths and weaknesses; 2. providing a basis for effective action-planning to determine training and organizational change strategies; and 3. establishing measures for benchmarking and evaluating change in organizational performance over time.† (Fitz-Enz, 2000) Financial Analysis Cost- Benefit and ROI Analyses Return on Investment (ROI) is a cost-benefit analysis that offers HR managers a way to explain, in financial terms, how HR contributes to the bottom line. This helps in boosting HR’s credibility in management circles. To date, a major obstacle HR professionals have had in becoming full partners with senior agency management teams is proving its value to business discussions. Historically HR has not had the statistical data or business cost benefit analysis to prove its influence and impact on the organisation. However, using ROI to show that human resources management is an investment, rather than an expense, helps move HR further in the direction of becoming a strategic partner. Activity Based Costing (ABC) ABC is a process of estimating the costs associated with each step of a process. It has been used to identify the costs of HRM programs and processes. â€Å"It is an accounting system that assigns costs to products based on the resources they consume. The costs of all activities are traced to the product for which they are performed. Overhead costs are also traced to a particular product rather than spread arbitrarily across all product lines† (Albrecht, 2000). The breakdown of costs increases the visibility and transparency and proves how effectively resources are being used, which in  turn can help improve strategic decision-making. Several organisations have successfully used ABC to reveal the true cost of HRM, either to inform the overall budgeting process or to help benchmark HRM costs against other key industry players. Benchmarking â€Å"Benchmarking is a systematic process of measuring an organization’s products, services, and practices against those of a like organization that is a recognized leader in the studied area† (Phillips et al, 2001). Organisations across industries and geographical boundaries are using this practice to discover ways of improving service and increasing business efficiency and profitability. Strategic Analysis Balanced Scorecard/Balanced Measures The Balanced Scorecard is a strategic measurement approach that provides a method of aligning business activities with the organization’s strategic plan and monitoring performance of strategic goals over time. A set of balanced measures is used, rather than focusing on the single, traditional bottom line. The original scorecard developed by Kaplan and Norton (2004) was divided into five perspectives (or measurement areas): 1. Financial: Demonstrates how our initiatives, activities, and actions contribute to the organization’s bottom line, or how they provide value for the money spent. Cost and revenue are the main measures for this perspective. Labour costs expressed as a fraction of revenues is a common financial measure. 2. Customer: Tells us what we must do to meet the needs of our internal and external customers. Time, quality, performance and cost are the main areas in which customers are interested. Good government is accountable to the customer. 3. Internal Business: Shows where we must excel internally to succeed in accomplishing our mission. Cycle time, quality, employee skills, and productivity are examples of internal measures. 4. Learning and growth: Illustrates how the organization can continue to improve and create value. This includes how we sustain the growth of our people. The ability to innovate, improve, and learn are key characteristics of this perspective. 5. Human Resources Employee Empowerment: Tracks how leadership and working environment enhance HR employee’s job performance. The Malcolm Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence The Malcolm Baldrige Criteria are a framework based on a set of core values and concepts that any organization can use to improve overall performance. â€Å"They integrate key business requirements into a results-oriented framework and reflect validated, leading-edge management practices against which an organization can measure itself† (Becker et al, 2001). Organizations are assessed, using a scored point system, on approach, deployment, and results. The Criteria are recognized nationally and internationally as a model for performance excellence and therefore represents â€Å"a common language for communication among organizations for sharing best practices† (Kaplan & Norton, 2004). 6. Conclusion The history of HRM has been characterized by a continues attempt in justifying its impact and influence within an organization. The rise of unions along with the expansion of companies into foreign markets has made efficient HRM critical. HRM has moved from the position of justifying its position in an organization to adding to the organizations profits by â€Å"managing its most important asset – its people† (Dessler, 2002). 7. Bibliography Kaplan, R. S. & Norton, D. P. (2004) Strategy Maps: Converting Intangible Assets into Tangible Outcomes, Harvard Business School Press. Becker, E. B., Huselid, M. A. & Ulrich, D. (2001), The HR Scorecard: Linking People, Strategy and Performance, 1st Edition, Harvard Business School Press. Phillips, J. J., Stone, R. D. & Phillips, P. P. (2001) The Human Resources Scorecard, Butterworth-Heinemann. Albrecht, M. H. (2000) International HRM: Managing Diversity in the Workplace, Blackwell Publishers. Fitz-Enz, J, (2000) The ROI of Human Capital: Measuring the Economic Value of Employee Performance, American Management Association. Frost, P. J., Nord, W. R. & Krefting, L. A, (2001) HRM Reality, 2nd Edition, Pearson Education. Phillips, J. P. (1996), Accountability in Human Resource Management – Improving Human Performance Series, Gulf Professional Publishing. Dessler, G. (2002) Human Resource Management, 9th ed., Prentice Hall.

Jon Kabat-Zinn Essays

Jon Kabat-Zinn Essays Jon Kabat-Zinn Essay Jon Kabat-Zinn Essay Jon Kabat-Zinn, in his most recent book: Coming to Our Senses: Healing Ourselves and the Mind Through Mindfulness is an important addition to the concept of self discovery. In an age when more and more people are looking for the all healing â€Å"self help book,† Kabat-Zinn offers a  more serious and scholarly look at the benefits of meditation, motivation, mindfulness and the ability to use them in every day life, not just to avoid stress in one’s life, but to reach a higher plain of understanding that is beyond what society has trained our minds to absorb every day. Kabat-Zinn teaches the reader to retrain their mind and to erase the years of harmful conditioning that many in the West have experienced. Kabat-Zinn brings together the many understandings of the self, not just from the Buddhist definitions but uses Western thinkers as well as cites them in his arguments. Some of his favorite Western sources included Einstein and Henry David Thoreau to name only a few. In the end, a book is most successful when the reader can take away from the work of the author, something of practical use in their life. Coming to Our Senses is one such book. In the areas of conflict  and conflict resolution, empathy, mindfulness, meditation and the authenticity of one’s self, Coming to Our Senses offers a helpful guide and reminder of what one can truly be when they allow their mind to be relaxed, void of any outside factors and to let it roam free from any such impediments. Only then can the self become alive and be allowed to roam free and which will help the individual to reach their full potential in all of the above mentioned categories. One of the most important points that Kabat-Zinn includes in his book is the concept of meditation. He defines meditation as: â€Å"a way of being, or, you could say, a way of seeing, a way of knowing, even a way of loving.†[1] In much of this chapter in meditation, Kabati-Zinn tries to dispel the common myths and misunderstandings about meditation which are so very common in Western thought. The growth of yoga and other alternative ways in which to become mentally and spiritually well, it has made some progress in pealing away the erroneous assumptions about meditation. In the event that the reader is not aware of this recent growth, Kabat-Zinn repeats what meditation is not: â€Å"Meditation is not relaxation spelt differently†¦. Mindfulness is the embrace of any practice, pain, or anguish, or for that matter boredom or impatience of frustration or anxiety or tension in the body†¦Ã¢â‚¬ [2] Kabati-Zinn goes on to try to explain meditation as: â€Å"It is the non- clinging, and therefore the clear perceiving and the willingness to act appropriately within whatever circumstance are arising that constitute this way of being that we are calling meditation.†[3]   Kabati-Zinn repeats that meditation is not just the ability to flip a switch in the brain and somehow, one is in a perpetual state of meditation. This is a simplified and incorrect belief on meditation and one which is perpetuated by the media and the culture of the West. Kabat-Zinn has been credited with trying to bridge the gap between the Western and Eastern thought and through his series of books on meditation and the self, many believe, has come very close in achieving this most lofty goal. My personal experience on meditation, I used to think, was relatively new. In a sense, I was enjoying the benefits of meditation without making a conscious effort to be meditating. This seems to be the reality of many people in America. Americans are now busier now then at any time in history. Despite having more cost and time saving appliances at our disposal than ever before, Americans have used these inventions to actually make people busier today than in the past. This, often times, leads to stress and therefore the need for periods of meditation are that much more important. Even as a teenager, I enjoyed being busy and productive but could not cope with my every day requirements and needs unless, at some time during that day, I was alone with my thoughts. Quiet walks at night, regardless of the weather, in which the events of the day are summed up and reflected upon, was always an essential part of my day. I discovered that those days in which I felt that I did not have the time for such things, I end up being more irritable and made careless decisions in the coming days. The positive effect of meditating on the events of the previous day or week and attempting to group them in a passive and indirect way, completely in tune with the guidelines of meditation, I found to be advantageous in every sense of the word. Therefore, not only is my opinion favorable towards the need for meditation, but I have seen it first hand in my own life and there existed a major difference in the level of happiness that I had when I made a habit of setting aside a portion of the day in which to meditate around my thoughts or more commonly, to just let my mind roam free; completely void of the numerous stimuli which often times, impedes one’s level of happiness in their daily lives. One of the next concepts which Kabat-Zinn covers in his book Coming to Our Senses is the idea of mindfulness. â€Å"Mindfulness meditation is most commonly taught and practiced within the context of Buddhism, its essence is universal†¦ Yet it is no accident that mindfulness comes out of Buddhism, which has as its overriding concerns, the relief of suffering and the dispelling of illusions.†[4] In this, Kabat-Zinn ties in the usefulness of mindfulness and meditation as it relates to the health and well being of the body and mind. In the introduction, Kabat-Zinn reminds the reader: â€Å"The journey towards health and sanity is nothing less than an invitation to wake up to the fullness of our lives as if they actually mattered.†[5] In a day when the cost of health care is skyrocketing and drug companies are charging insane amounts on single prescription doses; so much to the degree that often times, people have to chose between eating that day or taking one of the do zens of medications that their doctor has prescribed for them; not only for a month but many times, for the rest of their lives and as a result, placing the individual in a perpetual state of fiscal, mental and physical dependence upon an outside source other than one’s own mind. Kabat-Zinn teaches that through the preventative measure of defeating stress and in the pursuit of a deeper understanding of one’s own self, many of these diseases can be avoided. In each of the eight major sections of the Coming to Our Senses, Kabat-Zinn explores the many different areas of one’s ability to heal oneself. The power of the mind and the advantages of it being in a continued restful state, according to Kabat-Zinn, are advantageous on many different levels. In the spirit of this, Kabat-Zinn has developed an eight week program in which many of these issues are tackled. In 1979 I started a Stress Reduction Clinic. Thinking back to that era, I ask myself now, What stress? so much has our world changed since then, so much has the pace of life increased and the vagaries and dangers of the world come to our doorstep as never before. If looking squarely at our personal situation and circumstances and finding novel and imaginative ways to work with them in the service of health and healing was important then, it is infinitely more important and urgent now, inhabiting as we do a world that has been thrown into heightened chaos and speed in the unfolding of events, even as it has become far more interconnected and smaller.†[6] Its main focus is stress, the individual being able to identify it and to avoid its physical and mental dangers that stress can lead to in the individual. Kabat-Zinn also writes: â€Å"Thich Nhat Hanh, the Vietnamese Zen master, mindfulness teacher, poet, and peace activist, aptly points out that one reason we might want to pra ctice mindfulness is that most of the time we are unwittingly practicing its opposite. Every time we get angry we get better at being angry and reinforce the anger habit. When it is really bad, we say we see red, which means we dont see accurately what is happening at all, and so, in that moment, you could say we have lost our mind. Every time we become self-absorbed, we get better at becoming self-absorbed and going unconscious.†[7] This moves into the practical use of being mindful of one’s own self. This will become truer, I feel, once I get older but it is a well established fact that stress leads to a wearing down of the body and as a result, makes the individual more suspect able to sickness and disease. This is an opinion of Kabat-Zinn to which I completely concur with as I have experienced such events in my own life and as a result, with the help of Coming to Our Senses, is more likely to identify these stressors in my life and their effects upon my own life. One example of this would be the time in which I was studying for my finals during on particular semester. I had made the mistake of many of my classmates in the fact that the knowledge that the final would be comprehensive was told to us a full month before the final was to be administered. I had been careless in my preparation for these examinations and had not used my time wisely or effectively. As a result, and which millions of college students from around the world have experienced as well, I was stressed out and rushed during that last week leading up to finals.   I was worried about the marks that I would receive in these classes; all of which were difficult classes which did not deal with my subjects of familiarity. As a result, during that last week, I was short tempered, was prone to anger and did not have a complete control of my emotions and senses. However, what would be a more lasting effect would be the average marks which I received on my exams as well as being physically and mentally run down by the time the process was complete. I did not have a heart attack or suffer a mental breakdown; two of the more serious results of an overstressed life, but by the end of final’s week, and perhaps even in the middle of my exams, I felt sick and run down. I had experienced high levels of stress in my life which affected my sleep pattern. This in turn, affected my mental and physical state which resulted in receiving only average marks on my exam. This did not stop the worry and st ress in my life but perpetuated it as I now began to worry about how these low grades would impede my future academic career and if it would help to set the course for a less than stellar academic career. Within this experience, there are obvious elements of responsibility and the importance of planning but there will also occur in one’s own life, elements of stress which came about from no fault of the individual. In those instances as well as in situations which could have been avoided, being in touch with one’s mindfulness and knowing the role that it plays in one’s life, is not only helpful, but essential according to Kabat-Zinn, if the individual wishes to remain mentally and physically stable. Another main point of Coming to Our Senses by Jon Kabat-Zinn is the idea that successful meditation and mindfulness is not an easy process which many believe to be so. This is an all important process which requires constant attention and effort on the part of the individual. If the book could be summed up in three words, they would have to be: â€Å"Stop, look and listen!† as these are repeated in Coming to Our Senses.   Successful meditation, despite there existing more knowledge on the subject than ever before in the West, is met with more hurdles and challenges than ever before as there are more stressors and competitors for an individual’s time than ever before. In one of the most important and insightful passages in the book, Kabat-Zinn gives what may seem to be a simple recipe for contentment but is really a profound statement and one which many people will try but fail to truly achieve: â€Å"So, from the point of view of awareness, any state of mind is a med itative state. Anger or sadness is just as interesting and useful and valid to look into as enthusiasm or delight, and far more valuable than a blank mind, a mind that is insensate, out of touch. Anger, fear, terror, sadness, resentment, impatience, enthusiasm, delight, confusion, disgust, contempt, envy, rage, lust, even dullness, doubt, and torpor, in fact all mind states and body states are occasions to know ourselves better if we can stop, look, and listen, in other words, if we can come to our senses and be intimate with what presents itself in awareness in any and every moment.†[8] When this is realized and understood, the individual possesses a profound advantage over his neighbor who does not realize that often times, people are their worst enemy. When one is able to listen to one’s own self to a greater degree, than that same individual cannot help but listen to others more deeply in the process. This is very helpful in conflict and conflict resolution. Often times, disputes between individuals or even entire countries, can come from an inability or unwillingness to fully listen to the other side. All over the world, disputes are beginning and often times, will have lasting effects, all because the individuals involved were not willing to listen to the other side. Kabat-Zinn, when talking about the importance of mindfulness, states: â€Å"By the same token, it has an equal capacity to influence the larger world within which we are seamlessly embedded, including our family, our work, the society as a whole and how we see ourselves as a people, what I am calling the body politic, and the body of the world, of all of us together on this planet. And all this can come about through your own experience of the practice of mi ndfulness by virtue of that much embedded ness and the reciprocal relationships between inner and outer, and between being and doing.†[9] It is important and many would say, self-evident that one recognizes the importance that mindfulness has, not only with then individuals involved, but in relation to the conflicts which currently plague the world. In the same way, one who implements these practices into their own daily lives, will have a greater sense of empathy towards others. Kabat-Zinn states: â€Å"See if you can give yourself gifts that may be true blessings, such as self-acceptance, or some time each day with no purpose. Practice feeling deserving enough to accept these gifts without obligation-to simply receive from yourself, and from the universe.[10] In this sense, people who respect themselves more, cannot help but respect others in the process. This also ties into the need for meditation as only in those quiet and personal times of soul searching can one free their minds in order to concentrate on their relationship with themselves and others. Through self evaluation, one can then be more readily available to possess empathy for others. Those who know nothing of themselves and their senses, cannot hope to learn and communicate the hurts of others in any consistent and successful way. This, at least, has been my exp erience. Stress and an individual’s inability to know one’s self, is at the root of many problems, both mentally and physically, internally and externally, within a community and the world. Stress leads to a disconnect from the senses as well as the inability to listen to the needs of one’s own mind and body. Kabat- Zinn writes in Coming to Our Senses as a fitting summation: â€Å"But for the particular exploration we will be undertaking together in these pages and in our lives, I find it is both useful and illuminating to draw upon the work of those special people on our planet who devote themselves to the language of the mind and heart that we call poetry.†[11] In the same way some of the great navigators explored the world or how scientists explore aspects of this world which will forever remain a mystery to the lay observer, it is thus, equally important for the individual to explore their own mind through meditation and mindfulness. This will not occur overnig ht and the process is much more arduous than popular culture may lead the individual to believe. However, Kabat-Zinn believes, that those who seek the truth within their own mind and who implement mind-body therapies within their own lives, will not only have an advantage over those who do not, but will be able to communicate on a higher plane with those who practice similar techniques and thus,   will come to a deeper understanding of one’s own self as the true ability of each individual’s five separate senses. In order to achieve this, constant and consistent effort on the part of the individual is required. However, Kabat-Zinn believes that the effort is easily worth the reward.

Policing essays

Policing essays The current treat of terrorism and other dangers to our country is a big concern. September 11 was a big wakeup call to our country as far as security reasons are concern. To me, I feel there had to be a big misunderstanding between our security officials and the president. The threats against our country are huge, but I dont think that combining all police agencies into one national organization would be good for our society. The way our policing is set up today, is perfect. Combining city, state, and federal officials together, will cause major problems and a lot of change to our criminal justice system. All police officials follow different state laws and statutes. Some states deal with certain issues differently than other states such as the death penalty and gun laws. Combining police forces will also affect the way officers do their jobs, because they might be use to a law being a certain way but when they realize things have changed, if effects how they perform. Many things will also be affected, like jurisdiction, training, educating new recruits, and corruption. Many state and federal agencies educate and train officials different. Some agencies like the F.B.I. and the D.E.A. train in secluded areas of the country, and many state and local city policing all train in one area. Training all these agencies in one big organization would cause a lot of problems because the strategies and the knowledge between these agencies are totally different and this would become stressful to a lot of people. A lot of our policing today are setup around jurisdictions and state restrictions. If policing was combined, then there would be no jurisdictions and all policing would respond to the same crime. As it is to day, officers can only respond to calls in their jurisdictions and no where else. There are 21 separate law enforcement agencies in our country and each agency deal with different parts of law enforcement in our society. Ed...

Summary of chapter 6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Summary of chapter 6 - Essay Example Sole proprietorship is a kind of business formation where the enterprise is under the ownership of one individual. Some of the advantages of this type of business form include, profit retention, it is very easy to form, ownership pride, control retention and tax related advantages. Disadvantages for this type of business form include financial limitations, unavailability of permanence and unlimited liability. Corporations are business entities that are separated from owners completely and are thus considered as legal entities. The stockholders are the real owners of the entities but they have a board of directors who are responsible for the formulation of objectives and missions. The stockholders elect the board for their interest’s representation. Apart from these, other business forms that exist in the world are acquisitions and mergers. Acquisitions result from the buying or take over of one business enterprise by another. Mergers occur when two business organizations make an agreement to combine and form a single organization. These mergers are of three types and these are vertical, horizontal and conglomerate. A business may also adopt a divestiture approach where spin offs and carve outs are done on the business. This allows the business to streamline its focus and operations. Another mode of a business specialization is franchising where a new franchise that uses the original business’ practices and trademark is formulated. An example of a successful company that has used this model is

Economics and Healthcare Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Economics and Healthcare - Assignment Example Hence any significant change in the economy brings about simultaneous changes in access to and provision of health care. In a system which is bound by an employment-based healthcare coverage and where provision of healthcare essentially depends on the country’s economy, understanding the impact of economics on health care is of crucial significance. The healthcare system in the United States is focused on provision of services which are cost-effective to consumers who demand greater accessibility and better quality at affordable rates (White, 2005). A country which is regarded as the world leader in terms of medical advances and research and technology in the field of medicine, the lack of access to healthcare and primary health care services is one of the most critical and on-going issues faced by it since several decades (Gulliford and Morgan, 2003). An overwhelming majority of the population who are at the bottom of the economic pyramid include those insured by Medicaid, low wage earners as well as those who are uninsured and underinsured. This paper discusses the complex interactions between economics, employment, and provision of healthcare services in the country; the impact of the impact of provision of healthcare to a vulnerable section of the population such as the uninsured; the key implications for nursing in delivering patient care to the uninsured and its impact on the nursing profession. Any disturbance in the economy of a country is likely to result in the usage of and access to medical care, since it directly affects the individual’s ability to pay for such care. Recessions often lead to large scale unemployment, which in turn affect the access to insurance, since most of the healthcare services in the United States are employment-based (Catalano, 2009). Furthermore the willingness of an individual to pay for