Diagnosis Of Antisocial Personality Disorder ( Aspd )

1. DSM-5 Diagnosis a. Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD)- DSM-5 301.7 (F60.2) Ruling out Alcohol Use Disorder- DSM-5 305.00 (F10.10) Mild Cannabis Use Disorder-DSM-5 305.20 (F12.10) Mild b. Justification Based on the description of Peter’s symptomatology, the appropriate diagnosis is Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD). As indicated by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) (2013). As described by Peter, his physical injuries are a broken nose and black eye which he claims was inflicted by his fiancà ©e. Peter’s aloof mannerism is another factor that was considered to form his diagnosis. As an introverted individual, Peter does not demonstrate any sympathy towards others individual’s rights and property. Peter has demonstrated deviant and criminal behaviors by utilizing assumed names, burglary of other individuals property, exhibits no remorse for his violation of others property and/or feelings. He also does not have the capacity to be self-supporting. This is evident by Peter s partner, Wendy, who believed Peter’s assertion that he was an independent computer consultant and an Ivy League graduate. She later discovered Peter was a high school dropout and a Gulf War veteran. Peter’s criminal behavior began at age three, when he was taught by his brother’s how to steal money from his mother’s bureau. His propensity for stealing resulted in him being accused of stealing a car, television and multiple laptops from hisShow MoreRelatedDiagnosis Of Antisocial Personality Disorder ( Aspd ) Essay980 Words   |  4 Pages1. DSM-5 Diagnosis a. Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD)- DSM-5 301.7 (F60.2) Ruling out Alcohol Use Disorder- DSM-5 305.00 (F10.10) Mild Cannabis Use Disorder-DSM-5 305.20 (F12.10) Mild b. Justification Based on the description of Peter’s symptomatology, the appropriate diagnosis is Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD). As indicated by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) (2013). As described by Peter, his physical injuries are a broken noseRead MoreThe Common Occurrences Of Comorbidity Between The Disorder1401 Words   |  6 Pagesis an overlap between the personality clusters. The most significant comorbidity occurrences with ASPD include paranoid personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (Out of the Fog, 2015) See figure 4 (Appendix C). Furthermore, additional studies are suggesting that 67% of those diagnosed (DSM-IV) with a personality disorder also met the criteria for at least one other mental disorder. Antisocial personality disorder has often been found to coexistRead MoreAntisocial Personality Disorder ( Aspd )1432 Words   |  6 Pages Antisocial Personality Disorder Among the vast things studied in the field of psychology lies psychological disorders. These psychological disorders can simply be defined as psychological functions that can be unhealthy and even harmful to a person (Gerrig, 2005). And because this disorders can cause damage to a person it is important to understand them, both to aid a person in this situation or get the correct help if the victim is oneself. There is a vast number of psychological disorders, howeverRead MoreEffects Of Antisocial Personality Disorder On Society1468 Words   |  6 PagesEFFECTS OF ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY DISORDER The Cause and Effect on Society from being diagnosed with the condition from Adolescence to Adulthood Antisocial Personality Disorder There have been several studies done to demonstrate the condition known as Antisocial Personality Disorder. Around the 19th century it was called, with what the doctors would in the beginning refer to as moral insanity (National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health, 1970). When doctors first came across individualsRead MoreAntisocial Personality Disorder ( Adhd )1309 Words   |  6 Pages Antisocial Personality Disorder Kevin Adams Medgar Ever Collegeâ€Æ' Antisocial Personality Disorder is often wrongly called sociopathy or psychopathy although both sociopathy and psychopathy are not recognized professional labels for the diagnosis. Antisocial may not be the best way to describe the disorder because it implies shyness and people who suffer from the disorder tend to be more outgoing, charming and pragmatic. The term came about because the disorder is â€Å"anti-society. It’s behaviorRead MoreThe Correlation between Child Maltreatment and the Development of Antisocial Personality Disorder1557 Words   |  7 Pagestoward antisocial behavior. Of these environmental triggers, childhood abuse may be the most important of situational factors. Understanding antisocial personalities in individuals with biological susceptibility to antisocial behaviors and those who experienced maltreatment in a hostile environment would be at a high risk for developing antisocial personality disorder. Although the diagnosis is limited to those persons over eighteen years of age, it usually involves a history of antisocial behaviorRead MoreAntisocial Personality Disorder And Incarcerated Individuals1427 Words   |  6 PagesAntisocial Personality Disorder and Incarcerated Individuals Long-term patterns of manipulating, exploiting, or violating the rights of others are qualities that are often related to criminal behavior. This is a mental condition that is defined as Antisocial Personality Disorder by the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Antisocial Personality Disorder, or otherwise known as ASPD, is a disorder that fits into two essential categories: psychopathy and sociopathy. ASPD can be caused by many deformationsRead MoreThe Effects Of Antisocial Personality Disorder ( Aspd ) Essay1386 Words   |  6 Pageshealth disorder called Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD). Most of these professionals will agree that much more attention should be given to this matter since it can have fatal outcomes. The public and the media eye alike, might not realize the serious impact that this mental disorder can have on the general public. This literature review will examine what ASPD is, symptoms, possible causes, diagnosis, treatment, and how the public eye views this matter. Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD)Read MoreThe Personality Disorder Of The Mayo Clinic2173 Words   |  9 Pagesdiagnosed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th edition) as a Personality Disorder. A Personality Disorder as defined by the Mayo Clinic is a type of mental disorder in which you have a rigid and unhealthy pattern of thinking, functioning and behaving. They are typically grouped into three clusters (A, B, and C), with a total of 10 disorders in all. The fascinating thing about the people with personality disorders is they are oblivious to the fact that they have one; everythingRead MoreAntisocial Personality Disorder ( Aspd ) Essay2393 Words   |  10 PagesAntisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) To be considered antisocial is to isolate oneself from general social conditions and demonstrate behaviors that deviate from the social societal norm. Antisocial Personality disorder describes an individual that lacks values and habitually violates societal standards in regards to ethics and social behavior. Individuals with this disorder can be described to lack empathy, act impulsively, and have flagrant disregard for other people. It is hard for them to

The Host Chapter 8 Loved Free Essays

You’re afraid to fly?† The Seeker’s voice was full of disbelief edging toward mockery. â€Å"You’ve traveled through deep space eight times and you’re afraid to take a shuttle to Tucson, Arizona?† â€Å"First of all, I’m not afraid. Second, when I traveled through deep space I wasn’t exactly aware of where I was, what with being stored in a hibernation chamber. We will write a custom essay sample on The Host Chapter 8: Loved or any similar topic only for you Order Now And third, this host gets motion sickness on shuttles.† The Seeker rolled her eyes in disgust. â€Å"So take medication! What would you have done if Healer Fords hadn’t relocated to Saint Mary’s? Would you be driving to Chicago?† â€Å"No. But since the option of driving is now reasonable, I will take it. It will be nice to see a bit more of this world. The desert can be stunning -â€Å" â€Å"The desert is dead boring.† â€Å"-and I’m not in any hurry. I have many things to think through, and I will appreciate some time alone.† I looked pointedly at her as I emphasized the last word. â€Å"I don’t understand the point of visiting your old Healer anyway. There are many competent Healers here.† â€Å"I’m comfortable with Healer Fords. He has experience with this, and I don’t trust that I have all the information I need.† I gave her another significant look. â€Å"You don’t have time to not hurry, Wanderer. I recognize the signs.† â€Å"Forgive me if I don’t consider your information impartial. I know enough of human behavior to recognize the signs of manipulation.† She glowered at me. I was packing my rental car with the few things I planned to take with me. I had enough clothes to go a week between washing, and the basic hygiene necessities. Though I wasn’t bringing much, I was leaving even less behind. I’d accumulated very little in the way of personal belongings. After all these months in my small apartment, the walls were still bare, the shelves empty. Perhaps I’d never meant to settle here. The Seeker was planted on the sidewalk next to my open trunk, assailing me with snide questions and comments whenever I was in hearing distance. At least I was secure in the belief that she was far too impatient to follow me on the road. She would take a shuttle to Tucson, just as she was hoping to shame me into doing. It was a huge relief. I imagined her joining me every time I stopped to eat, hovering outside gas station bathrooms, her inexhaustible inquisitions waiting for me whenever my vehicle paused at a light. I shuddered at the thought. If a new body meant freeing myself of the Seeker†¦ well, that was quite an inducement. I had another choice, too. I could abandon this entire world as a failure and move on to a tenth planet. I could work to forget this whole experience. Earth could be just a short blip in my otherwise spotless record. But where would I go? A planet I’d already experienced? The Singing World had been one of my favorites, but to give up sight for blindness? The Planet of the Flowers was lovely†¦ Yet chlorophyll-based life-forms had so little range of emotion. It would feel unbearably slow after the tempo of this human place. A new planet? There was a recent acquisition-here on Earth, they were calling the new hosts Dolphins for lack of a better comparison, though they resembled dragonflies more than marine mammals. A highly developed species, and certainly mobile, but after my long stay with the See Weeds, the thought of another water planet was repugnant to me. No, there was still so much to this planet that I hadn’t experienced. Nowhere else in the known universe called to me as strongly as this shady little green yard on this quiet street. Or held the lure of the empty desert sky, which I’d seen only in Melanie’s memories. Melanie did not share her opinion on my options. She had been very quiet since my decision to find Fords Deep Waters, my first Healer. I wasn’t sure what the detachment meant. Was she trying to seem less dangerous, less of a burden? Was she preparing herself for the invasion of the Seeker? For death? Or was she preparing to fight me? To try to take over? Whatever her plan, she kept herself distant. She was just a faint, watchful presence in the back of my head. I made my last trip inside, searching for anything forgotten. The apartment looked empty. There were only the basic furnishings that had been left by the last tenant. The same plates were still in the cupboards, the pillows on the bed, the lamps on the tables; if I didn’t come back, there would be little for the next tenant to clear out. The phone rang as I was stepping out the door, and I turned back to get it, but I was too late. I’d already set the message system to answer on the first ring. I knew what the caller would hear: my vague explanation that I would be out the rest of the semester, and that my classes would be canceled until a replacement could be found. No reason given. I looked at the clock on top of the television. It was barely past eight in the morning. I was sure it must be Curt on the phone, having just received the only slightly more detailed e-mail I’d sent him late last night. I felt guilty about not finishing out my commitment to him, almost like I was already skipping. Perhaps this step, this quitting, was the prelude to my next decision, my greater shame. The thought was uncomfortable. It made me unwilling to listen to whatever the message said, though I wasn’t in any real hurry to leave. I looked around the empty apartment one more time. There was no sense of leaving anything behind me, no fondness for these rooms. I had the strange feeling that this world-not just Melanie, but the entire orb of the planet-did not want me, no matter how much I wanted it. I just couldn’t seem to get my roots in. I smiled wryly at the thought of roots. This feeling was just superstitious nonsense. I’d never had a host that was capable of superstition. It was an interesting sensation. Like knowing you were being watched without being able to find the watcher. It raised goose bumps on the nape of my neck. I shut the door firmly behind me but did not touch the obsolete locks. No one would disturb this place until I returned or it was given to someone new. Without looking at the Seeker, I climbed into the car. I hadn’t done much driving, and neither had Melanie, so this made me a bit nervous. But I was sure I would get used to it soon enough. â€Å"I’ll be waiting for you in Tucson,† the Seeker said, leaning in the open passenger-side window as I started the engine. â€Å"I have no doubt of that,† I muttered. I found the controls on the door panel. Trying to hide a smile, I hit the button to raise the glass and watched her jump back. â€Å"Maybe†¦,† she said, raising her voice to almost a shout so that I could hear her over the engine noise and through the closed window, â€Å"maybe I’ll try it your way. Maybe I’ll see you on the road.† She smiled and shrugged. She was just saying it to upset me. I tried not to let her see that she had. I focused my eyes on the road ahead and pulled carefully away from the curb. It was easy enough to find the freeway and then follow the signs out of San Diego. Soon there were no signs to follow, no wrong turns to take. In eight hours I would be in Tucson. It wasn’t long enough. Perhaps I would stay a night in some small town along the way. If I could be sure that the Seeker would be ahead, waiting impatiently, rather than following behind, a stop would be a nice delay. I found myself looking in the rearview mirror often, searching for a sign of pursuit. I was driving slower than anyone else, unwilling to reach my destination, and the other cars passed me without pause. There were no faces I recognized as they moved ahead. I shouldn’t have let the Seeker’s taunt bother me; she clearly didn’t have the temperament to go anywhere slowly. Still†¦ I continued to watch for her. I’d been west to the ocean, north and south up and down the pretty California coastline, but I’d never been east for any distance at all. Civilization fell behind me quickly, and I was soon surrounded by the blank hills and rocks that were the precursors to the empty desert wastelands. It was very relaxing to be away from civilization, and this bothered me. I should not have found the loneliness so welcoming. Souls were sociable. We lived and worked and grew together in harmony. We were all the same: peaceful, friendly, honest. Why should I feel better away from my kind? Was it Melanie who made me this way? I searched for her but found her remote, dreaming in the back of my head. This was the best it had been since she’d started talking again. The miles passed quickly. The dark, rough rocks and the dusty plains covered in scrub flew by with monotonous uniformity. I realized I was driving faster than I’d meant to. There wasn’t anything to keep my mind occupied here, so I found it hard to linger. Absently, I wondered why the desert was so much more colorful in Melanie’s memories, so much more compelling. I let my mind coast with hers, trying to see what it was that was special about this vacant place. But she wasn’t seeing the sparse, dead land surrounding us. She was dreaming of another desert, canyoned and red, a magical place. She didn’t try to keep me out. In fact, she seemed almost unaware of my presence. I questioned again what her detachment meant. I sensed no thought of attack. It felt more like a preparation for the end. She was living in a happier place in her memory, as if she were saying goodbye. It was a place she had never allowed me to see before. There was a cabin, an ingenious dwelling tucked into a nook in the red sandstone, perilously close to the flash flood line. An unlikely place, far from any trail or path, built in what seemed a senseless location. A rough place, without any of the conveniences of modern technology. She remembered laughing at the sink one had to pump to pull water up from the ground. â€Å"It beats pipes,† Jared says, the crease between his eyes deepening as his brows pull together. He seems worried by my laugh. Is he afraid I don’t like it? â€Å"Nothing to trace, no evidence that we’re here.† â€Å"I love it,† I say quickly. â€Å"It’s like an old movie. It’s perfect.† The smile that never truly leaves his face-he smiles even in his sleep-grows wide. â€Å"They don’t tell you the worst parts in the movies. C’mon, I’ll show you where the latrine is.† I hear Jamie’s laughter echo through the narrow canyon as he runs ahead of us. His black hair bounces with his body. He bounces all the time now, this thin boy with the sun-darkened skin. I hadn’t realized how much weight those narrow shoulders were carrying. With Jared, he is positively buoyant. The anxious expression has faded, replaced by grins. We are both more resilient than I gave us credit for. â€Å"Who built this place?† â€Å"My father and older brothers. I helped, or rather hindered, a little. My dad loved to get away from everything. And he didn’t care much about convention. He never bothered to find out who the land actually belonged to or file permits or any of that pesky stuff.† Jared laughs, throwing his head back. The sun dances off the blond bits in his hair. â€Å"Officially, this place doesn’t exist. Convenient, isn’t it?† Without seeming to think about it, he reaches out and takes my hand. My skin burns where it meets his. It feels better than good, but it sets off a strange aching in my chest. He is forever touching me this way, always seeming to need to reassure himself that I am here. Does he realize what it does to me, the simple pressure of his warm palm next to mine? Does his pulse jump in his veins, too? Or is he just happy to not be alone anymore? He swings our arms as we walk beneath a little stand of cottonwood trees, their green so vivid against the red that it plays tricks on my eyes, confusing my focus. He is happy here, happier than in other places. I feel happy, too. The feeling is still unfamiliar. He hasn’t kissed me since that first night, when I screamed, finding the scar on his neck. Does he not want to kiss me again? Should I kiss him? What if he doesn’t like that? He looks down at me and smiles, the lines around his eyes crinkling into little webs. I wonder if he is as handsome as I think he is, or if it’s just that he’s the only person left in the whole world besides Jamie and me. No, I don’t think that’s it. He really is beautiful. â€Å"What are you thinking, Mel?† he asks. â€Å"You seem to be concentrating on something very important.† He laughs. I shrug, and my stomach flutters. â€Å"It’s beautiful here.† He looks around us. â€Å"Yes. But then, isn’t home always beautiful?† â€Å"Home.† I repeat the word quietly. â€Å"Home.† â€Å"Your home, too, if you want it.† â€Å"I want it.† It seems like every mile I’ve walked in the past three years has been toward this place. I never want to leave, though I know we’ll have to. Food doesn’t grow on trees. Not in the desert, at least. He squeezes my hand, and my heart punches against my ribs. It’s just like pain, this pleasure. There was a blurring sensation as Melanie skipped ahead, her thoughts dancing through the hot day until hours after the sun had fallen behind the red canyon walls. I went along, almost hypnotized by the endless road stretching ahead of me, the skeletal bushes flying by with mind-numbing sameness. I peek into the one narrow little bedroom. The full-size mattress is only inches away from the rough stone walls on either side. It gives me a deep, rich sense of joy to see Jamie asleep on a real bed, his head on a soft pillow. His lanky arms and legs sprawl out, leaving little room for me where I am meant to sleep. He is so much bigger in reality than the way I see him in my head. Almost ten-soon he won’t be a child at all. Except that he will always be a child to me. Jamie breathes evenly, sleeping sound. There is no fear in his dream, for this moment at least. I shut the door quietly and go back to the small couch where Jared waits. â€Å"Thank you,† I whisper, though I know shouting the words wouldn’t wake Jamie now. â€Å"I feel bad. This couch is much too short for you. Maybe you should take the bed with Jamie.† Jared chuckles. â€Å"Mel, you’re only a few inches shorter than I am. Sleep comfortably, for once. Next time I’m out, I’ll steal myself a cot or something.† I don’t like this, for lots of reasons. Will he be leaving soon? Will he take us with him when he goes? Does he see this room assignment as a permanent thing? He drops his arm around my shoulders and tucks me against his side. I scoot closer, though the heat of touching him has my heart aching again. â€Å"Why the frown?† he asks. â€Å"When will you†¦ when will we have to leave again?† He shrugs. â€Å"We scavenged enough on our way up that we’re set for a few months. I can do a few short raids if you want to stay in one place for a while. I’m sure you’re tired of running.† â€Å"Yes, I am,† I agree. I take a deep breath to make me brave. â€Å"But if you go, I go.† He hugs me tighter. â€Å"I’ll admit, I prefer it that way. The thought of being separated from you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He laughs quietly. â€Å"Does it sound crazy to say that I’d rather die? Too melodramatic?† â€Å"No, I know what you mean.† He must feel the same way I do. Would he say these things if he thought of me as just another human, and not as a woman? I realize that this is the first time we’ve ever been really alone since the night we met-the first time there’s been a door to close between a sleeping Jamie and the two of us. So many nights we’ve stayed awake, talking in whispers, telling all of our stories, the happy stories and the horror stories, always with Jamie’s head cradled on my lap. It makes my breath come faster, that simple closed door. â€Å"I don’t think you need to find a cot, not yet.† I feel his eyes on me, questioning, but I can’t meet them. I’m embarrassed now, too late. The words are out. â€Å"We’ll stay here until the food is gone, don’t worry. I’ve slept on worse things than this couch.† â€Å"That’s not what I mean,† I say, still looking down. â€Å"You get the bed, Mel. I’m not budging on that.† â€Å"That’s not what I mean, either.† It’s barely a whisper. â€Å"I meant the couch is plenty big for Jamie. He won’t outgrow it for a long time. I could share the bed with†¦ you.† There is a pause. I want to look up, to read the expression on his face, but I’m too mortified. What if he is disgusted? How will I stand it? Will he make me go away? His warm, callused fingers tug my chin up. My heart throbs when our eyes meet. â€Å"Mel, I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His face, for once, has no smile. I try to look away, but he holds my chin so that my gaze can’t escape his. Does he not feel the fire between his body and mine? Is that all me? How can it all be me? It feels like a flat sun trapped between us-pressed like a flower between the pages of a thick book, burning the paper. Does it feel like something else to him? Something bad? After a moment, his head turns; he’s the one looking away now, still keeping his grip on my chin. His voice is quiet. â€Å"You don’t owe me that, Melanie. You don’t owe me anything at all.† It’s hard for me to swallow. â€Å"I’m not saying†¦ I didn’t mean that I felt obligated. And†¦ you shouldn’t, either. Forget I said anything.† â€Å"Not likely, Mel.† He sighs, and I want to disappear. Give up-lose my mind to the invaders if that’s what it takes to erase this huge blunder. Trade the future to blot out the last two minutes of the past. Anything. Jared takes a deep breath. He squints at the floor, his eyes and jaw tight. â€Å"Mel, it doesn’t have to be like that. Just because we’re together, just because we’re the last man and woman on Earth†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He struggles for words, something I don’t think I’ve ever seen him do before. â€Å"That doesn’t mean you have to do anything you don’t want to. I’m not the kind of man who would expect†¦ You don’t have to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He looks so upset, still frowning away, that I find myself speaking, though I know it’s a mistake before I start. â€Å"That’s not what I mean,† I mutter. â€Å"Have to’ is not what I’m talking about, and I don’t think you’re that kind of man.’ No. Of course not. It’s just that -â€Å" Just that I love him. I grit my teeth together before I can humiliate myself more. I should bite my tongue off right now before it ruins anything else. â€Å"Just that†¦?† he asks. I try to shake my head, but he’s still holding my chin tight between his fingers. â€Å"Mel?† I yank free and shake my head fiercely. He leans closer to me, and his face is different suddenly. There’s a new conflict I don’t recognize in his expression, and even though I don’t understand it completely, it erases the feeling of rejection that’s making my eyes sting. â€Å"Will you talk to me? Please?† he murmurs. I can feel his breath on my cheek, and it’s a few seconds before I can think at all. His eyes make me forget that I am mortified, that I wanted to never speak again. â€Å"If I got to pick anyone, anyone at all, to be stranded on a deserted planet with, it would be you,† I whisper. The sun between us burns hotter. â€Å"I always want to be with you. And not just†¦ not just to talk to. When you touch me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I dare to let my fingers brush lightly along the warm skin of his arm, and it feels like the flames are flowing from their tips now. His arm tightens around me. Does he feel the fire? â€Å"I don’t want you to stop.† I want to be more exact, but I can’t find the words. That’s fine. It’s bad enough having admitted this much. â€Å"If you don’t feel the same way, I understand. Maybe it isn’t the same for you. That’s okay.† Lies. â€Å"Oh, Mel,† he sighs in my ear, and pulls my face around to meet his. More flames in his lips, fiercer than the others, blistering. I don’t know what I’m doing, but it doesn’t seem to matter. His hands are in my hair, and my heart is about to combust. I can’t breathe. I don’t want to breathe. But his lips move to my ear, and he holds my face when I try to find them again. â€Å"It was a miracle-more than a miracle-when I found you, Melanie. Right now, if I was given the choice between having the world back and having you, I wouldn’t be able to give you up. Not to save five billion lives.† â€Å"That’s wrong.† â€Å"Very wrong but very true.† â€Å"Jared,† I breathe. I try to reach for his lips again. He pulls away, looking like he has something to say. What more can there be? â€Å"But†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"But?† How can there be a but? What could possibly follow all this fire that starts with a but? â€Å"But you’re seventeen, Melanie. And I’m twenty-six.† â€Å"What’s that got to do with anything?† He doesn’t answer. His hands stroke my arms slowly, painting them with fire. â€Å"You’ve got to be kidding me.† I lean back to search his face. â€Å"You’re going to worry about conventions when we’re past the end of the world?† He swallows loudly before he speaks. â€Å"Most conventions exist for a reason, Mel. I would feel like a bad person, like I was taking advantage. You’re very young.† â€Å"No one’s young anymore. Anyone who’s survived this long is ancient.† There’s a smile pulling up one corner of his mouth. â€Å"Maybe you’re right. But this isn’t something we need to rush.† â€Å"What is there to wait for?† I demand. He hesitates for a long moment, thinking. â€Å"Well, for one thing, there are some†¦ practical matters to consider.† I wonder if he is just searching for a distraction, trying to stall. That’s what it feels like. I raise one eyebrow. I can’t believe the turn this conversation has taken. If he really does want me, this is senseless. â€Å"See,† he explains, hesitating. Under the deep golden tan of his skin, it looks like he might be blushing. â€Å"When I was stocking this place, I wasn’t much planning for†¦ guests. What I mean is†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The rest comes out in a rush. â€Å"Birth control was pretty much the last thing on my mind.† I feel my forehead crease. â€Å"Oh.† The smile is gone from his face, and for one short second there is a flash of anger I’ve never seen there before. It makes him look dangerous in a way I hadn’t imagined he could. â€Å"This isn’t the kind of world I’d want to bring a child into.† The words sink in, and I cringe at the thought of a tiny, innocent baby opening his eyes to this place. It’s bad enough to watch Jamie’s eyes, to know what this life will bring him, even in the best possible circumstances. Jared is suddenly Jared again. The skin around his eyes crinkles. â€Å"Besides, we’ve got plenty of time to†¦ think about this.† Stalling again, I suspect. â€Å"Do you realize how very, very little time we’ve been together so far? It’s been just four weeks since we found each other.† This floors me. â€Å"That can’t be.† â€Å"Twenty-nine days. I’m counting.† I think back. It’s not possible that it has been only twenty-nine days since Jared changed our lives. It seems like Jamie and I have been with Jared every bit as long as we were alone. Two or three years, maybe. â€Å"We’ve got time,† Jared says again. An abrupt panic, like a warning premonition, makes it impossible for me to speak for a long moment. He watches the change on my face with worried eyes. â€Å"You don’t know that.† The despair that softened when he found me strikes like the lash of a whip. â€Å"You can’t know how much time we’ll have. You don’t know if we should be counting in months or days or hours.† He laughs a warm laugh, touching his lips to the tense place where my eyebrows pull together. â€Å"Don’t worry, Mel. Miracles don’t work that way. I’ll never lose you. I’ll never let you get away from me.† She brought me back to the present-to the thin ribbon of the highway winding through the Arizona wasteland, baking under the fierce noon sun-without my choosing to return. I stared at the empty place ahead and felt the empty place inside. Her thought sighed faintly in my head: You never know how much time you’ll have. The tears I was crying belonged to both of us. How to cite The Host Chapter 8: Loved, Essay examples

Strategic planning analysis the New Orleans Fire Department and the New York City Fire Department

Introduction Strategic planning is a management tool that serves various purposes in organizations. It provides a framework for developing appropriate courses of action in organizations after an analysis of current organizational operations and outcomes. Strategic planning also helps organizations adapt to changes in the face of complexities and diversification of factors.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Strategic planning analysis: the New Orleans Fire Department and the New York City Fire Department specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In order to determine the suitability of plans to their purpose, an analysis of the plans is necessary in case the plans need modification or require the organization to abandon them and rethink its position. Goodstein, Nolan, and Pfeiffer (1993) provide a detailed explanation of nine necessary aspects for the creation of an effective strategic plan for an organization. These as pects include planning to plan, values scan, mission formulation, strategic modeling of business, performance audit, gap analysis, integrating action plans, contingency planning, and implementation (Goodstein, Nolan Pfeiffer, 1993). This paper looks at two organizations, viz. the New Orleans Fire Department (NOFD) and the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) in relation to their strategic planning dynamics concerning emergency preparedness and disaster response within the larger U.S. government as an organization in itself. In the case of the FDNY, the paper analyzes details of the New York City’s governance, its effects on the fire department coupled with how these aspects, in turn, affect the station’s strategic planning for emergency response by using Hurricane Sandy as a case study. For the New Orleans case study, the paper analyzes the NOFD’s involvement during and after Hurricane Katrina, changes in the fire department’s strategic plans, and effect of New Orleans’ government strategic plans on the department’s plans. It also provides a comparison between the two departments by indicating similarities, differences, and lessons available for each of them from the other. Disaster management Disaster management forms part of the core functions of most disaster-response units in most countries, including fire departments. The uncertainty and the unexpectedness of disaster make disaster management techniques an incredibly difficult subject, as they mostly strike when least expected (Abbott, 2005). Disasters expose people to both primary and secondary effects.Advertising Looking for term paper on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Varghese (2002) notes that natural disasters have â€Å"immediate impacts on human health, as well as secondary impacts causing further death and suffering from floods causing landslides, earthquakes resulting in fi res, tsunamis causing widespread flooding, and typhoons sinking ferries† (p.102). Responding appropriately to disasters require embracement of concepts such as disaster preparedness, disaster recovery, disaster relief, and disaster prevention. Disaster preparedness entails all activities designed to ensure that damages and losses of life reduce should a disaster strike (Smith, 2006, p.13). These activities include â€Å"removing people and property from a threatened location and facilitating timely and effective rescue, relief, and rehabilitations† (Hansen Schramm, 1993, p.56). Disaster relief refers to multi-agency coordinated responses to enhance the mitigation of the effects of disasters coupled with their results in the long term. Some of the relief activities the agencies conducted in the event of a disaster include repairing the vital utility lines that the disaster destroyed, foods provision to the affected, and relocation of people (evacuation) in the effort to escape the ramifications of disasters. Others include provision of health care, provision of temporary shelter until the disaster is passed on, and rescue of the affected people among other activities. Disaster recovery efforts, on the other hand, encompass activities such as rehabilitation and reconstruction of the destroyed infrastructures. Once disasters strike, measures for protection from exposure to similar disasters in the future is necessary for all affected people, which calls for the development of strategies for disaster prevention. These strategies include â€Å"activities designed to provide permanent protection from disasters† (Nicholson, 2003, p.67). Considering the concerns of disasters management, disaster management organizations should execute their roles to restore normalcy amongst people. New York City overview In order to understand the significance of FDNY’s strategic plans, it is important to explore some facts on the city of New York that impa ct on the government and fire department’s strategic planning process and possible outcomes. The city lies on one of the world’s largest natural harbors and is home to the United Nations headquarters.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Strategic planning analysis: the New Orleans Fire Department and the New York City Fire Department specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The city’s architecture comprises some of the most famous buildings in the world, including the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, and the Statue of Liberty. As at 2012, the city’s population was 8.4 million over an area of seven hundred and eighty-three square kilometers. Additionally, the metropolitan area population is approximately 19.8 million. An interesting fact is that more than fifty percent of the city’s dwellers do not own personal transportation as the same would be counterproductive, given t he city’s population. New York’s government structure has remained the same since 1898. Although the government has made a few changes concerning some rules of governance such as direct management of the city’s budget by the mayor, the composition has remained the same. The city’s government is central and comprises a mayor and a governor, who both form part of a fifty-one member council in charge of the city’s policymaking. In order to cater for the population’s needs, the council has enacted policies that support public transportation through the introduction of the New York subway system, one of the most intricate rapid transit systems in the world. It provides for the city’s transport needs while easing traffic on city roads. It is also cheaper for most of the residents in terms of income expenditure. The establishment of law enforcement, healthcare and first responder service centers in the city has also eased the pressure on the residents in the metropolitan area. The New York Fire Department (FDNY) The New York Fire department is one of the many basic service delivery institutions that the government established to ensure efficiency in dealing with the residents’ needs as part of its strategic planning process. Although the city has one fire department, the department has various stations throughout the city for effective service delivery. Its organizational structure consists of a central department with divisions according to function, which responds simultaneously as a unit. FDNY has 10,725 uniformed firefighters, over 2,000 paramedics, more than 100 fire marshals and approximately 200 fire inspectors.Advertising Looking for term paper on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Although the city’s population is large, having a single department centralizes operations and makes it easier to coordinate operations throughout the entire city according to need and availability. The FDNY offers first responder services for fires, public safety and medical emergencies and disasters, both natural and fabricated. For instance, the department played a key role during the September 9, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, in conjunction with other departments such as the New York Police Department and the National Guard. One of its core duties is to ensure the protection of lives and property of New York residents and visitors and advance public safety. It achieves these goals through public safety education programs, investigations on possible fire hazards, installation of preventive measures such as fire alarms, responding to distress calls and providing aid during the recovery process after disasters (The New York Fire Department, 2013). In ensuring that the department accomplishes its goals and objectives, mainly in relation to disaster preparedness and response, the FDNY formulates and implements various strategic plans, one of which is the centralization of the department’s operations. Other plans include continuous firefighter training, contingency plan formulation in the face of disasters, civilian education, coordination with other government agencies and setting up recovery programs for victims and department personnel. Continuous training of fire fighters enhances endurance and adaptability to new environments and techniques, a property that makes up numbers. Although the department does not have enough fire fighters in relation to the city’s population, proper training ensures that they are able to deal with emergencies appropriately. Central administration also plays a crucial role as it enables the department evaluates situations and determines priority in dealing with emergencies. It also ensures that commu nication links remain intact, increasing efficiency during disaster response. Coordination with other state departments provides the fire department with enough workforces in instances of proportionate disaster response. An example of these strategies in application is evident in the department’s response to Hurricane Sandy, one of the most devastating natural disasters to hit the city. Although the hurricane hit a number of states along the Gulf Coast, New York and New Jersey experienced most of its wrath. The presence of inland rivers and large coastline made the city susceptible to flooding. Shortly past midday on October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy hit New York’s coastline with a storm surge consisting mostly of ghastly wings with significant precipitation. The storm surge caused flooding of the New York subway system, most of the streets, almost all road tunnels going into Manhattan and severe destruction of property. At least forty people lost their lives during th e storm, with thousands of others losing their homes and businesses. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) suspended trading for two consecutive days and most Hospitals in the city closed down. Heavy winds disrupted electricity supply as trees and debris from buildings fell on power lines. The damage on electricity lines and gas leaks also resulted in fires that destroyed millions of dollars worth of property. In Breezy Point, Queens, over ninety homes went up in flames leaving families stranded. On October 28, 2012, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency for the entire state of New York, including a pre-disaster declaration that came into effect after hurricane Katrina, as a measure to mobilize federal finding to deal with Sandy’s aftermath. The FDNY disaster preparedness procedure coupled with central administration, provided firefighters with pertinent information, enabling the department evacuate thousands of residents, especially in areas near the coas tline and those with low altitudes such as lower Manhattan, much of Staten Island, City Island and areas north of Route 25A, to higher altitude areas. By the evening of October 28, most of the railways and bus services had suspended their operations and bridges had closed until October 30. The fire department’s main obligation arose after the disaster on October 30, as firefighters had to put out more than fifty fires in areas all over the city, most of which arose at Breezy Point. The department also helped clear debris blocking roads and remove trees and other obstructions from electricity lines. The presence of a paramedics unit also made it possible for the department to cater to medical emergencies including recovery of people from the rubble and transportation of the injured to hospitals all over the city, supplementing efforts by Homeland Security. The government set up support centers around the city including areas of Coney Island, Rockaway and Staten Island to help displaced people access food, water, gas and mobile phone connections. The fire department helped deliver the supplies to areas where victims needed them most and attended to simple medical procedures at the centers. The department was also helpful in collecting data on the number of injured people and populations at the support centers, enabling the government to respond appropriately. An analysis based on these facts proves that the department’s strategic plans were sufficient in addressing disaster preparedness and response, with fluid execution leading to the desirable outcome in terms of the department’s primary objective to safeguard life, health and property. The plans present efficiency with regard to service to the population, even with the low number of firefighters available at the department. As part of the recovery process, the department set up the Fire Safety Program in November after the disaster, with the aim reducing vulnerability of the elderly to di sasters, because most of the people who died during the disaster and in fires after the disaster were above seventy years. This age bracket formed more than forty percent of deaths from fire during and after the disaster. The program’s funding came from the Department of Homeland Security. New Orleans Fire Department (NOFD) The New Orleans provides a comparison to the FDNY in terms of strategic planning for disaster preparedness and response. Unlike the FDNY, the NOFD’s strategic plans comply with policies that go further back in history, creating a problem in terms of adaptation to population changes and the environment. Although New Orleans is a much smaller city then New York, the ratio of firefighters in the department to the existing population is much lower than that in New York, making it difficult for the department to accomplish its goals and objectives. Although the department’s choice to enroll and train volunteer firefighters as a strategy to increas e the department’s workforce works, lack of creativity and adaptability in strategic planning creates problems for the department, limiting its ability to serve the people effectively. A.A. look at some facts about the department and its effectiveness during and after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 proves the department’s inefficiency in strategic planning and implementation in disaster response and recovery. Contrast with the New York Fire Department further enhances the planning problems and the need for drastic improvements. The New Orleans fire department’s history runs back to 1829, when a group of people came together with the aim of fighting fires within the city. This group referred itself as the Firefighters’ Charitable Associations (FCA). The group engaged in voluntary fire fighting activities and the title of the group existed until 1891. After 62 years of existence, the FCA changed to the New Orleans Fire Department, abbreviated as NOFD, following the introduction of paid service. The main reason for the existence of the New Orleans Fire Department is to ensure ardent provision of fire fighting and protection services within New Orleans. Ryan (2006) approximates that NOFD serves â€Å"approximately 340,000 people in a 350.2-square-mile (907 km2) area, 180.6 square miles (468 km2) of that is on land while the rest is water† (p.23). Just like the NYFD, the NOFD’s administration is central, providing ease in communication and operational processes throughout the organization. The New Orleans Fire Department’s organizational structure comprises three levels, which include the special operations and planning, fire suppression, and fire administration. The assistant superintendent acts as the commander of the fire suppression. It is the largest division of the NOFD. The central priorities of the fire suppression departmental division include ensuring life safety and stabilization of various emergencies related to fires coupled with preservation of property. According to the City of New Orleans Fire Department, â€Å"fire suppression members regularly participate in daily inspections, fire safety educational programs, and numerous other fire-related duties† (2006, p.18). For effective communication in emergency response processes, administration is important for an emergency response organization. The fire administration departmental division of the NOFD is responsible for executing communication tasks. Under the leadership of the deputy chief, the fire administration also commands investigation on fires and fire prevention coupled with ensuring that training in subdivisions takes place. The division is also responsible for ensuring timely coordination for the responses for all situations involving non-emergency responses. Other coordination activities of the division include functions such as payrolls preparation, processing of data ensuring timely supplies, budgeting, and administ ration of personnel, among other tasks. In the effort to enhance disaster preparedness of the organization, the administration departmental division of the NOFD engages in tasks such as coordination of fire equipment and vehicles purchases coupled with repairs. Special operation and planning divisions of the NOFD are under the command of the special and operations deputy chief. The division plans various anticipated future operations and activities of the New Orleans Fire Department. The deputy chief is in charge of training within the departmental division. Hurricane Katrina was the deadliest cyclone that hit the region in 2005 during hurricane season. Katrina hit New Orleans on August 28, 2005, leaving unfathomed destruction and loss of lives in the city. Although the U.S. government had warned of the hurricane’s possible impact on the city, a large proportion of the population was unable to leave the city. Some of the reasons people gave included their belief that their ho uses could withstand the hurricane’s impact as they had in previous storms, fear of leaving property behind, and lack of personal transportation with which to leave the city. Although ninety percent of the city’s inhabitants complied with the mandatory evacuation, the government had to intervene and provide last-resort shelter for residents still stranded in the city as the hurricane approached. The Superdome in the center of the city is one of the emergency centers that got the media’s attention owing to the fact that it housed more than twenty thousand people for several days. The most notable impact of the hurricane was extensive flooding throughout the city owing to poor infrastructural planning and slow completion of levees in a city with a high percentage of water as part of its overall area. More than 1,400 people lost their lives and property worth billions of dollars was lost to floodwater and fires. In addition, oil and other industrial chemicals turne d floodwater toxic, causing diseases. Unlike New York, the city government lacked the capacity to cater for needs such as food, clean drinking water and medical assistance, causing unrest. Most of the police officers that form part of the New Orleans police department abandoned their posts, some taking government-issued police vehicle and fleeing the city to avoid the aftermath. The combination of these occurrences made it nearly impossible for the fire department to deal with the effects of the hurricane independent of other government departments. Before the occurrence of the hurricane in 2005, the goal of the NOFD was to ensure evacuation of people from disastrous areas and ensure safety of citizens and property. After the occurrence of the hurricane, the goal was to rescue the affected people and put off possible raging fires to protect property and lives. The two goals reflect the missions and purposes of the organization. The organization seeks to achieve these goals through i ts human resource and interventions of various response equipment. Although the evacuation exercise was successful, since accomplishing of the task took place before striking of the hurricane occurred, the hurricane-affected the recovery and rescue mission enormously. Destruction of the equipment of the NOFD occurred; hence, deterring the realization of the goal of rapid response. However, this does not mount to total failure on the department’s end. Considering the fact that most of the department’s personnel receive training in fire-related response and not much on medical emergencies, it is safe to say that the firefighters and volunteers did their best in adapting to existing circumstances. Evans and Drabek (2004) posit that managing disasters gives rise to formidable challenges to the government’s emergency and disaster management apparatus since they present a requirement for making difficult decisions on service delivery systems for the affected people (p .45). Therefore, the affected jurisdictions source aid from other jurisdictions not affected by the disaster. In the absence of a disaster, a given state cannot place diplomatic call for help should an emergency or a disaster occurs in the future. This assertion implies that the internal emergency and disaster management apparatus only have resources adequate for development of emergency and disaster preparedness strategies, but not for relief, rescue, and recovery. Drawing from the above arguments, the New Orleans disaster management systems could not have prevented Hurricane Katrina from striking the Gulf coast. Hurricane Katrina rendered the Gulf coast roads impassable and destroyed communication networks. The City of New Orleans Fire Department (2006) posits, â€Å"There were hundreds of hazardous material incidences such as overturned tanks cars and runaways barges and ships† (p.6). The entire city of New Orleans also went without power supply accompanied by various inci dences of gas leaks in the area where gas supply lines had not drained. This aspect caused several rages of fire across the city of New Orleans, thus prompting the need for fire management and response services of the NOFD to come for the safety of the city. As water levels continued to rise, the NOFD service personnel got into action to save lives in an environment lacking communication networks. The NOFD lost vital equipment including fire stations, communication equipment, and vehicles among other facilities required for ardent response. However, with the aid from firefighters based in Louisiana, Illinois, New York, and other places rebuilding of the NOFD was possible. In the process of rebuilding, the NOFD realized that it needed strategic plans for the recovery process. In the process of making effective strategic plans, an organization has to engage in planning to plan as the first stage of the planning process. During this step, the NOFD sought the help of the U.S. fire admin istration coupled with International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) to help in the development of a recovery plan from the events of Hurricane Katrina. The City of New Orleans Fire Department (2006) reckons, â€Å"The NOFD officers and staff aided by many fire services professionals from around the country have formulated a blueprint of recovery for the NOFD† (p.6). Through strategic plans, the NOFD believes that a clear blueprint for responding to disaster enhances aiding the organization to achieve its aim of protecting and rescuing people and property. In the pre-planning phase, the department addressed several interrogatives based on the model for strategic planning. These interrogatives included questions seeking to establish the current position of the organization, future anticipated position of the organization, and the mechanisms of ensuring that the NOFD would reach its anticipated position in the future. These departments identified areas of focus and made plans to addresses them through the mission, values, goals, and the visions of the NOFD. Significant similarities and differences between FDNY and NOFD The main similarity between the FDNY and the NOFD is that both departments share a central structure in their administration that increases efficiency in communication and prioritization of incidents to which they respond. Secondly, both departments serve a wide area and a larger population in comparison to the sizes of their personnel. Additionally, they base their strategic planning on government funding for their operations, their goals and objectives. For instance, preference of public modes of transportation formed an essential consideration when mapping out plans on how to evacuate areas that proved most vulnerable to the effects of the hurricanes. Both cities also have water bodies running through the inland area, an aspect that increased chances of flooding proportionately. The main difference between the two lies in the creativit y of their organizational models. While the NOFD chooses to base its model on fire emergencies, the New York model embraces creative diversity, choosing to incorporate medical emergencies as part of its areas of expertise. Another notable difference between the two departments in terms of strategic structuring for emergency responses is that the FDNY applies convergence, incorporating other government departments to increase the workforce available, especially in emergencies. In sharp contrast, the NOFD uses volunteer firefighters as an extension of their workforce, creating uncertainty on the exact number of respondents available at any time. Regarding responses from the two departments in relation to the respective hurricanes, New York had an advantage over New Orleans as it applied lessons from Katrina to enhance its preparedness for disasters. However, the NOFD learned valuable lessons from the disaster and has since made arrangements for better plans, including incorporation of community sensitization programs. Conclusion Although it is difficult to prepare adequately for any disaster owing to unpredictability, especially for natural disasters, it is possible to develop measures that make the recovery process easier and reduce damage to property while safeguarding lives. Assessment of business models, adequate training, diversity in areas of operation, creativity in organizational arrangement and adaptability to circumstances are some of the important elements the true hurricanes brought out as part of the essential components in disaster preparedness and response for both fire departments. Reference List Abbott, B. (2005). A legal guide to Homeland Security and Emergency Management for State and Local Governments. Chicago, IL: American Bar Association. City of New Orleans Fire Department. (2006). Strategic Recovery and Reconstitution Planning Process for the City of New Orleans Fire Department Decimated by Hurricane Katrina. Web. Evans, J., Drabek, E. ( 2004). Theories Relevant To Emergency Management versus a Theory of Emergency Management. Denver, CO: University of Denver. Goodstein, L., Nolan, T., Pfeiffer, W. (1993). Applied Strategic Planning, How to Develop a Plan that Really Works. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Inc. Hansen, R., Schramm, D. (1993). Aim Scope of Disaster Management. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons. Nicholson, W. (2003). Emergency Response and Emergency Management Law: Cases and Materials. Springfield, IL. Charles C. Thomas Ltd. Ryan, P. (2006, September 20). Mississippi burning: pollution hells as fires, explosions oil spills follow hurricane. The Daily Mirror, 23. Smith, F. (2006). Budgeting for disasters—part I: Overview of the problem. The Public  Manager, 35(1), 11-19. The New York Fire Department. (2013). About FDNY. Web. Varghese, M. (2002). Disaster Recovery. Boston, MA: Course Technology. This term paper on Strategic planning analysis: the New Orleans Fire Department and the New York City Fire Department was written and submitted by user Cain Bradford 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.

An Unstable Pakistan

An Unstable Pakistan Free Online Research Papers Pakistan is unfortunately in the state of internal unrest and instability since independence. Different forms of governments had been applied to the country, by people of different visions, every one of them claiming to bring better tomorrow to the nation but unfortunately they made fool of people. We are facing the crisis from the very beginning and are repeating our old mistakes. If we take an analytical view, South Korea, a developed country, took independence in 1945 (two years earlier than Pakistan) is now the 4th largest economy in Asia and 13th biggest economy in the world. It is the world leader in innovation and technology; advanced goods such as electronics, automobiles, ships, machinery, petrochemicals and robotics are the main exports and world-renowned companies Samsung, LG and Hyundai-Kia have their head offices there. On the contrary, Pakistan is nowhere in the scene. Pakistan is a member of G-20 developing nations and stands as the 47th largest economy in the world in absolute dollar terms; thanks to the poor farmers in agriculture sector. Population of the country is growing on an exponential scale and on the other hand economy, which needs strengthening, is suffering badly due to internal politics. The ruling politicians are making decisions for their own benefits and with no structural planning. Difference between classes is increasing day by day. Money is still evolving among those few families who had owned Pakistan at the time of partition. Inflation is increasing with an unimaginable rate and poor people are not able to get the basic necessities for living. These are the facts about current economical situation of the country, which are results of the actions of few people and are affecting the lives of millions. People in Pakistan are prisoners of their own identities; but there is something else, which is the root cause of all this – â€Å"corruption.† This is that cruel beetle that is eating the foundations needed for the country to prosper. It is increasing its sphere everyday. The people of Pakistan are used to this and this has become a part of our lives. This is the main cause of our weakening economical situation and everyone in the country is playing his or her role in this. In almost all government offices, corruption exists in one form or the other, be it irresponsible attitude of employees, bribery or the preference of their personal interests over professional interests. It is such a common ‘stock in trade’ that instead of considering it an issue, we can name it ‘a trend’ Bribery is considered haram in our religion as it is stated in : Volume 3, Book 41, Number 572: Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, Whoever takes the money of the people with the intention of repaying it, Allah will repay it on his behalf, and whoever takes it in order to spoil it, then Allah will spoil him. We pray to god five times a day but we don’t care for the people living around us. Corruption is rooted deep in our society and whenever we have some pending work, we always try to find a known person in that office and thus get rid of the tiresome practice of standing in the queue. We do pay charity and sadqa but instead of paying traffic chalan, we offer bribe to the traffic sergeant in order to save our time and money. This is a wrong practice, morally as well as religiously. We go to graveyards and realize that this is the place where we will rest forever; even then we collect money from illegal sources and build large villas to live in those virtual mansions. Getting the general idea from these examples, we do practice our religion but ignore our morals teachings, which are one of the strongest pillars of Islam. Downfall of the nations starts from corruption and nepotism, which consequently leads to injustice and frustration among the masses. Nowadays, sermon in the mosques are about paying attention for prayers, giving zakat, doing hajj etc. But we really need some metamorphosis in our religious teachings. The religious scholars and imams of mosques should realize that most people are aware of these things and they do practice them. Even the corrupt ones in our society visit Ka’aba on and off. They should now focus on the moralities and society building, which are the thing in which we are lacking and we direly need to fix it. If religious people are able to change the minds of people and make them realize that these things are important for them individually and for the society; than these men would be the saviors of Muslims. Clergies should tell people that corruption is the eating up of rights of other people and relate it to Islam in a systematic way to change their minds so that our future generations should have anode minds. They should emphasize on Islamic moral, social and economic systems, and interpret before people the laws pertaining to these issues. These steps would help building a corruption free society. Now we talk about the corruption on the macro level in Pakistan. It is the root cause of our decline as it is prevalent from a clerk to the office of Mr. President. With that in mind, it is safe to say that expert sources indicate that the following sectors are among those that are most affected by corruption (the particular order varies from source to source): Police and law enforcement Judiciary and legal profession Power sector Tax and customs Health and education Land administration In addition, these sectors seem to be affected by chains of: Petty corruption to access public services or to bypass the law (through the direct interaction of citizens with the respective authorities and bribe-paying) Middle and grand corruption (through corruption in public contracting and procurement as well as direct misappropriation of public funds by senior officials). In addition, political patronage, conflicts of interest, influence peddling and other forms of corrupt behavior are commonplace across the sectors. Procurement seems to be a major concern across most sectors Now am going to discuss some sectors corruption in details Police and law enforcement: Corruption in the police and law enforcement is perceived to be pervasive creating a culture of lawlessness and lack of credibility and trust in authorities. The police and law enforcement appointments are often politicized and full of conflict of interest. Criminals and rent-seeking and extortionist authorities are often the sole beneficiaries of the game. Judiciary and legal profession: There is widespread lack of public confidence in the institutional legitimacy of the justice system. Access to justice and the rule of law are undermined by corruption and are under a threat. Alongside the corrupt judiciary is the legal profession with low ethics of lawyers and poor controls of the bodies (such as the Pakistan Bar Council) responsible for maintaining the high standards that should be required of it. Power sector corruption: This government sector is full of corruption as people even after paying their bills of expensive electricity and gas don t get it properly. On the other hand, people in this sector take full advantage by using excess of free electricity and gas. Meter reader makes their money by bargaining with households and others, causing losses to government. WAPDA had got the most corrupt account system in the government sector. There came many cases in which imbalances were there in the aggregate money of the WAPDA account. Tax and custom: There is book â€Å"Corruption in Pakistan† by Susan Rose-Ackerman in which she writes, â€Å"Paying taxes and duties is always burdensome. In addition, custom agents control something that firm’s value-access to the outside world. Thus business and individuals may collude with tax collectors and custom agents to lower the sums collected and to expedite services. As a result revenue may be both inadequate and disturbed unfairly. For example, in Pakistan one study estimated that if the leakages caused by corruption and mismanagement could be reduced by 50 percent, the tax to GDP ratio will increase by 2 to 4 percent.† So this is how much corruption is affecting our country’s uplift. Corruption is excessive in tax sector as well as imports and exports audit. Health and education: Indirectly corruption is root cause behind the failure of public services to local communities, including access to primary education and primary health care. Pakistan’s first education census exposes an ugly side of corruption prevalent in the education sector (Government of Pakistan 2005). The census revealed that of a total of 164,579 public sector schools in the country 12,737 educational institutions are ‘non-functional’. The teachers of most government school hardly come and are just concerned with their attendance. Some schools that are in feudal influenced areas are turned into cow farm, machinery place etc. Health sector is also not spared from the ill effects of corruption. Quack health care providers are everywhere in rural and semi-urban areas, where people can’t afford expensive MBBS doctors. Making the people pay their lives for paying small money. Another dimension of the corrupt practices prevalent in health is the inhumane and materialistic behavior by doctors. As per the law of the country, all publicly employed doctors are forbidden from practicing privately and many of them receive non–practicing allowances as part of their non salary allowances. However, most of the publicly employed doctors are seen operating lucrative private sector clinics while working in hospitals and often use the public sector leverage to boost their private practice. Even in few hospitals uptil now, people pay some money to doctors to get extra health care and medicines; eating away the rights of other unwell people. Land administration: It is still one of the most corrupt sector of Pakistan. In Pakistan (TI 2002b), a survey showed that 133 out of 1724 respondents recalled contacting the land administration department and faced corruption. Main reasons to contact the department were transfer of property (25%0, buying land (24% and selling land (17%). Surveyors and tehsilders (revenue officers) appeared be most involved. Land mafia is very active in most parts of Pakistan. They get hold of the lands of innocent people and than it’s very difficult to extract lands from them. Putwari and tehsilders jobs are considered to be the most corrupt job of this sector. Their scale is very small as well as pay but they make so up and down in the money that they build bungalows and have luxury cars. Strong feudals give money to these men in jobs and take more water for their lands. So government money keeps on evolving among few effective corrupt people. Public sector procurement and contracting: There have been major concerns in this area. There is large-scale corruption in procurement and contracting affecting government and development aid funded programmes, public works, etc. Some of the systemic weaknesses have included the lack of a standardized procurement regime (sets of clear, transparent rules and legislation) along with absence of repository of procurement expertise in the government. Grounds and opportunities for corruption are provided at every stage of the procurement process (from preparation to tender, bid evaluation, negotiations, and contracting) All the Pakistani government departments are entirely polluted by involvement of politicians on nepotism appointments and everywhere in Pakistan, without money no body hear the general peoples. Even judges bargain very openly between the parties to give money and take their decisions. Anti-corruption proceedings have long been suspected of being skewed. They are mainly directed against members of the political opposition and minor civil servants while leaving the conduct of military officials outside scrutiny. Moreover, the National Reconciliation Ordinance of October 2007 has granted blanket immunity for past corrupt actions, shielding many public officials and members of the government from prosecution. The dismissal of members of the Supreme Court, including Chief Justice Chaudhry, has led to violent civil unrest and further shaken the public’s trust in the judiciary to undertake anti-corruption prosecution. How to overcome corruption: So far we have looked at corruption as a disease of our society. It could be the cancer of our society or the AIDS of our society or a genetic disease of our society itself. Applying the concept of lateral thinking promoted by Edward De bono, we can see how corruption as a disease of our society can be tackled. Corruption can be fought by the citizen as an individual or in groups in the form of an NGO. Just as an individual first has to maintain his own integrity before he takes on the challenge of fighting corruption, NGOs which are formed to fight corruption should first ensure that they themselves are clean and do not indulge in corrupt practices. It has been noticed that there are many NGOs that are indulged in corrupt practices. If such NGOs also take up the issue of fighting corruption, they are not likely to be successful. I think, basically most of us are selfish. When we face a problem, we are interested in finding immediate solutions. It may sometimes involve breaking the queue or breaking the rules or sometimes it may involve a financial advantage. How many of us insist on a regular receipt when we buy things with the sales tax duly added? In order to save on sales tax, cash transactions have become more the rule than the exception. Perhaps, the scope of corruption also in such departments is also correspondingly higher. What do we do in such a situation? The easiest option is not to do anything, accept the reality and take a cynical view to live with corruption. It will be like that situation where an astrologer advised a worried client that he was having all the problems because in his horoscope Saturn and Jupiter were in very harmful places and this might continue for the next two years. Hopefully, the client asked: â€Å"What will happen after two years?† The astrologer told him that he would get accustomed to it! Perhaps the majority of the people in the country are adopting this advice. Educational system can be another major area where values can be inculcated and the need for integrity ingrained. Perhaps an open discussion especially about the nexus between corruption and its negative impact on social development has to be ingrained in the public. Once this value gets institutionalized, perhaps we would have made some progress. Looking to the situation that the corruption is accepted cynically and is not considered a negative factor in politics, the following elements of strategy may be considered to curtail corruption: The first step needed is creating widespread and continuous awareness among the public signal about the dangers of corruption. It is necessary to highlight the fact that how corruption, in fact, is at the root of the many issues that worry and cause dissatisfaction among the public. This could be in the form of inadequate availability of employment opportunities, drinking water, schools, roads and so on If the common man is more bothered about the corruption at the cutting edge rather than at the higher level, can there be a systemic focus on eliminating corruption at the cutting edge! This initiative will have to come from the people at the top. Any government, from a political point of view, may not mind focusing on the cutting edge level corruption as this may win them some popularity. So far as the higher level corruption is concerned, perhaps the common man gets a sadistic pleasure if some of the top people are punished Another approach, which is of a long-term nature, is to see how some of the institutions of governance can be strengthened. This will be not only institutions fighting against corruption but also institutions meant for providing the welfare of the people or even maintenance of law and order. It is because of the failure of governance, which creates an atmosphere, and corruption flourishes. This is an approach that has to be thought of and any government, which tries this probably, will be able to overcome the anti-incumbency factor. Finally the value a person imbibes depends on his family circumstances, the society in which he lives, peer pressure and religion. No religion recommends that one should be corrupt but religions also have recognized the weakness of human beings and tried to regulate their conduct. Our religion tells us not to take a single penny from anyone illegally. In taking into account the experience of countries like Britain, Singapore or Botswana which have been able to bring greater probity in public life, perhaps we may also hope for a social transformation by adopting a multi pronged strategy. One important element of this strategy must be system changes. Another element must be the shaping of the minds of people through education. A third of course would be the efforts of religious and public opinion leaders as well as by media in continuously shaping public opinion and re-inculcating the values of integrity and honesty. Research Papers on An Unstable PakistanInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationPETSTEL analysis of IndiaQuebec and CanadaDefinition of Export QuotasAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever Product19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceTwilight of the UAW

100 Most Important Women in World History

100 Most Important Women in World History From time to time, people publish lists of top 100 of women in history. As I think about who Id put into my own Top 100 list of women important to world history, the women in the list below would at least make it to my first draft list. Womens Rights European and British Olympe de Gouges: in the French Revolution, declared that women were equal to menMary Wollstonecraft: British author and philosopher, mother of modern feminismHarriet Martineau: wrote about politics, economics, religion, philosophyEmmeline Pankhurst: key British woman suffrage radical; Founder, Womens Social and Political Union, 1903Simone de Beauvoir: 20th-century feminist theorist Americans Judith Sargent Murray: American writer who wrote early feminist essayMargaret Fuller: Transcendentalist writerElizabeth Cady Stanton: womens rights and woman suffrage theorist and activistSusan B. Anthony: womens rights and woman suffrage spokesperson and leaderLucy Stone: abolitionist, womens rights advocateAlice Paul: a primary organizer for the last winning years of womens suffrageCarrie Chapman Catt: a longtime organizer for woman suffrage, organized international suffrage leadersBetty Friedan: feminist whose book helped launch the so-called second waveGloria Steinem: theorist and writer whose Ms. Magazine helped shape the second wave Heads of State Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance Hatshepsut: Pharaoh of Egypt who took male powers for herselfCleopatra of Egypt: last pharaoh of Egypt, active in Roman politicsGalla Placidia: Roman Empress and regentBoudicca (or Boadicea): warrior queen of the CeltsTheodora, Empress of Byzantium, married to JustinianIsabella I of Castile and Aragon, ruler of Spain who, as a partner ruler with her husband,  drove the Moors from Granada, expelled unconverted Jews from Spain, sponsored Christopher Columbus voyage to the New World, established the InquisitionElizabeth I of England, whose long rule was honored by calling that time period the Elizabethan Age Modern Catherine the Great of Russia: expanded Russias borders and promoted westernization and modernizationChristina of Sweden: patron of art and philosophy, abdicated on conversion to Roman CatholicismQueen Victoria: another influential queen for whom a whole age is namedCixi (Tzu-hsi or Hsiao-chin), last Dowager Empress of China, wielding enormous power as she opposed foreign influence and ruled strongly internallyIndira Gandhi: Prime Minister of India, also the daughter, mother, and mother-in-law of other Indian politiciansGolda Meir: Prime Minister of Israel during Yom Kippur WarMargaret Thatcher: British prime minister who dismantled social servicesCorazon Aquino: President of Philippines, reform political candidate More Politics Asian Sarojini Naidu: poet and political activist, the first Indian woman president of the Indian National Congress European and British Joan of Arc: legendary saint and martyrMadame de Stael: intellectual and salonist American Barbara Jordan: first Southern African American woman elected to CongressMargaret Chase Smith: Republican Senator from Maine, the first woman elected to both the House and the Senate, first woman to have her name placed in nomination at a Republican party conventionEleanor Roosevelt: wife and widow of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, his eyes and ears as president hampered by polio, and a human rights activist in her own right Religion European and British Hildegard of Bingen: abbess, mystic and visionary, composer of music and writer of books on many secular and religious topicsPrincess Olga of Kiev: her marriage was the occasion of the conversion of Kiev (to become Russia) to Christianity, considered the first saint of the Russian Orthodox ChurchJeanne dAlbret  (Jeanne of Navarre): Huguenot Protestant leader in France, ruler of Navarre, mother of Henry IV American Mary Baker Eddy: founder of Christian Science, author of key scriptures of that faith, founder of The Christian Science Monitor Inventors and Scientists Hypatia: philosopher, mathematician, and martyred by the Christian churchSophie Germain: mathematician whose work is still used in the construction of skyscrapersAda Lovelace: pioneer in mathematics, created the concept of an operating system or softwareMarie Curie: mother of modern physics, two-time Nobel Prize winnerMadam C. J. Walker: inventor, entrepreneur, millionaire, philanthropistMargaret Mead: anthropologistJane Goodall: primatologist and researcher, worked with chimpanzees in Africa Medicine and Nursing Trota or Trotula: a medieval medical writer (probably)Florence Nightingale: nurse, reformer, helped establish standards for nursingDorothea Dix: advocate for the mentally ill, supervisor of nurses in the U.S. Civil WarClara Barton: founder of the Red Cross, organized nursing services in the U.S. Civil WarElizabeth Blackwell: first  woman to graduate from medical school (M.D.) and a pioneer in educating women in medicine  Elizabeth Garrett Anderson:  first woman to successfully complete the medical qualifying exams in Great Britain; first woman physician in Great Britain; advocate of womens suffrage and womens opportunities in higher education; first woman in England elected as mayor Social Reform Americans Jane Addams: founder of Hull-House and of the social work professionFrances Willard: temperance activist, speaker, educatorHarriet Tubman:  fugitive slave, underground railroad conductor, abolitionist, spy, soldier, Civil War, nurseSojourner Truth: black abolitionist who also advocated for woman suffrage and met Abraham Lincoln at the White HouseMary Church Terrell: civil rights leader, founder of National Association of Colored Women, charter NAACP memberIda Wells-Barnett:  anti-lynching crusader, reporter, an early activist for racial justiceRosa Parks:  civil rights activist, especially known for desegregating buses in Montgomery, Alabama More Elizabeth Fry: prison reform, mental asylum reform, reform of convict shipsWangari Maathai: environmentalist, educator Writers Sappho: poet of ancient GreeceAphra Behn: first woman to make a living through writing; dramatist, novelist, translator, and poetLady Murasaki: wrote  whats considered the worlds first novel,  The Tale of GenjiHarriet Martineau: wrote about economics, politics, philosophy, religionJane Austen: wrote popular novels of the Romantic periodCharlotte Bronte: along with her sister Emily, author of key early 19th century novels by womenEmily Dickinson: inventive poet and recluseSelma Lagerlof: first woman to win Nobel Prize for LiteratureToni Morrison:  first African American woman to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature (1993)Alice Walker:  author of  The Color Purple; Pulitzer Prize; recovered work of Zora Neale Hurston; worked against female circumcision

Changes in Network Structure and Ownership of US Broadcast Television Case Study

Changes in Network Structure and Ownership of US Broadcast Television - Case Study Example The site inspection conducted on 3 selected venues at London Hilton, the London Park Lane and the International Continental Hotel, Park Lane and the key issues involved in hiring a particular venue are elaborated. Further, these 3 venues are compared and analysed for the suitability of choosing a specific venue to stage the event. The wedding day is one the most memorable moment in a girl's life. Therefore, it is the aspiration of every girl to celebrate it in a unique, memorable and fascinating way. The bride and the group want to celebrate this wedding in a secular way as none of them has any religious background. After discussing various ideas as to how this event should be celebrated, it is decided to do a 1920's themed wedding so as to impress the attendees with a different and unique experience in which the food, the d'cor, the flower arrangements and the dress have typical elements to mark it an 'poque. They want to celebrate their commitment and share this beautiful day with their friends and family. The attendees being in the range of 30-70 of age are encouraged to be highly appreciated for their formal dress according to the occasion. The style of the themed wedding is formal and emphasis is laid on elegance, sophistication and grandeur of the 1920's. The attendees coming from abroad are accommodated in a 5 star hotel.. 3. Venue selection process Over the past 10 years the demand from the private and public sector to hold the sports and festival events has been increased. Consequently, the venues have to be selected according to the demand and nature of the festival to accommodate and entertain the attendees. Monroe (2006) describes two types of venue verities available; the standard type venues like hotels, conference centres and restaurants, and the non-standard venues, built for other purpose than staging events, like museums, stadiums and parks. There are also unique venues like airports, hangers and historical sites etc. He further highlights the advantages of the purpose-built venues as they are cost-effective and usually provide most of the standard requirements, while the non-standard venues have limited services to offer to their customers, hence, the manager of the event has to work around with what is available (Monroe, 2006). Finding a suitable cost-effective venue is a constant challenge for the event organizer (Confex 2007). London Launch reveals there are more and more venues that see potential to increase their revenue by hiring buildings out for special events. In London alone, there are more than thousand of venues available to cater for all types of events. Yeoman et at (2006) is of the view that the venue selection process is one the most important element for staging an event as the success or failure depends solely on its right selection. Therefore, the following aspects should be given due consideration before selecting a venue. Does the venue match with the selected theme' What is the capacity of the venue' Is the venue accessible' What facilities does the venue offer' What is the price and what is included' What is the availability perspective' What is the venue's reputation'

Evidence Base Practice of Repeat Cesarean Sections and Vaginal Birth Research Paper

Evidence Base Practice of Repeat Cesarean Sections and Vaginal Birth after Cesarean Section - Research Paper Example The important aspect to highlight in each of the two is the underlying benefits and risks of each method of child birth. There have been observed cases of repeated cesarean as well as that of vaginal birth after cesarean section (VBAC). These aspects will be explored in this paper and evidence of practice presented. Repeat Cesarean Sections Health care specialists have noticed the rising cesarean numbers around the world. These specialists alongside other associate experts have begun campaigns to advocate for reduced cesareans. Women have intentionally and unintentionally opted for cesarean sections. Some cesarean sections have been involuntarily administered, while others have been termed voluntary. When a woman is on labor and fails to give birth the normal way, surgical teams have been availed to address the issue by carrying out a C-section in a bid to assist the mother. Some cesareans have been carried out on voluntary grounds. Women who are capable of delivering normally have h ad to undergo cesarean section by choice (Menacker 2003). Cesarean sections have increased maternal-newborn health complications. Surgical procedures have been associated with a number of complications that affect both the mother and the newborn. Increased cesareans have also resulted to increased cost of health care especially in the US. This is so due to the health care financing modes of the different states. However, whether the C-section is intentional, unintentional, voluntary or involuntary, the benefits and risks of its practice are important to consider. It is also important to outline what benefits and risks relate to planned or unplanned cesarean. An unplanned cesarean is carried out during labor, when it is established that the mother is not in apposition to deliver normally. This has been termed as an emergency in many reproductive health care institutions. Surgical teams are provided in delivery rooms in case of an emergency. On the other hand, a planned cesarean is a voluntary one. The woman prefers to undertake a cesarean instead of going through the natural birth giving process. Medical researchers have