Explore the reasons why victim participation creates...

Literature Review Explore the reasons why victim participation creates tension and conflict in the contemporary criminal justice system. Introduction The purpose of this literature review is to explore the impact of victim statements in the contemporary criminal justice system and observe how it can create tension and conflict in the courtroom between the victim, and the courts process itself. There are two pieces of literature used as the focal point of this review, they are; Tracey Booth’s journal article from the Australian New Zealand Journal of Criminology entitled ‘Cooling out’ (2012), and the third chapter from James Dignam’s published University text entitled ‘Victims and the Criminal Justice System’. The focus of†¦show more content†¦This resulted in dramatic events occurring in both the courtroom as well as outside when the media expressed the views of the family members outrage towards the court. This where Booth’s article displays its focal point, the cooling out process. A cooling out process is when the family members are fully explained the circumstances of why their VISs can not be used in conjunction with the law as well as their timely delivery of such information before they are needed to provide such VISs to ensure they are not delivered into stressful situations which result in anger and outbursts from the family during the court process. Booth then goes on to demonstrate through case studies that when these cooling out process are employed they greatly reduce the potential outbursts that create tension and conflict generated from rejected VISs and place the court into disrepute. This has resulted in reduced support for the movement to remove the process of VISs entirely. Summary of Dignam’s literature In Dignam’s piece of literature from 2004 has focused on how the representation of the victim in the criminal justice system has been revised and shifted over recent times, moving from the disenfranchisement of the victim to incorporating the victim into the criminal justice process. This is of great importance and a much needed step as Dignam demonstrates that victims need to feel comfortable and correctlyShow MoreRelatedEpekto Ng Polusyon19213 Words   |  77 PagesStudy 2 page: 47 Appendix 7: Example of transcribed Interview page: 48-55 Abstract Domestic violence is defined in many ways and is subject to many stereotypical and false presumptions that contribute to the stigmatisation of its victims. Paradoxically, there is an abundance of statistics that outline the prevalence of domestic violence in society and the far-reaching effects upon women. 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Social Welfare System in Hong Kong Free Essays

Question 1: Identify one type of the social welfare, discuss its services of Hong Kong and a)explain its values, rationales and objectives; b)ways of service delivery; c)discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the service and d)make suggestions to improve the services in future. CSSA—AN INTRODUCTION The comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme (CSSA) is surely one of the most influential social welfare in Hong Kong, in terms of money and beneficiary. In the fiscal year of 2010 alone, 19 billion was spent on CSSA, which increased noticeably by 40% as compared with the expenditure ten years ago. We will write a custom essay sample on Social Welfare System in Hong Kong or any similar topic only for you Order Now As at the end of 2009, total number of CSSA cases amounted to 289 139, representing an increase of 25. 3% over 1999. CSSA accounted for 8. 6% of government recurrent expenditure, compared with 7. 5% in 2000. During 1999 to 2009, the average growth in total number of cases per annum was 2. 3%. In fact, the growth rate of CSSA cases is expected to accelerate because the growth of elderly population will peak in 2016-2026. In other words, the problem is not coming yet. But it will within 10 years. In view of the potential alarming situation, there is an urgent need to investigate the effectiveness of the scheme. This essay will give a brief review of the captioned scheme as well as to discuss possible ways to improve the services in the future, making the most effective use of government resources. CSSA—ITS VALUES, RATIONALES AND OBJECTIVES The CSSA Scheme was introduced in 1993, replacing the former Public Assistance Scheme, and evolved over the past 20 years into the current complex system. It is designed to provide a safety net for individuals or families who cannot support themselves financially for various reasons such as old age, disability, illness, unemployment and low earnings. The CSSA Scheme provides financial assistance to bring the income of such individuals or families up to a prescribed level to meet their basic needs. All CSSA recipients are entitled to free medical treatment at public hospitals or clinics. It is administered by the Social Welfare Department (SWD) and is non-contributory but means-tested. APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS To be eligible for assistance, the applicant must satisfy the residence requirements, that is, to have resided in Hong Kong continuously for at least one year before the date of application and be a Hong Kong resident for seven years. Yet, exception can be granted for discretion. They must also pass both the income and assets tests. To pass the income test means the applicant’s total assessable monthly household income is insufficient to meet their total monthly needs as recognized under the Scheme. To pass the asset test means the total value of the capital assets held by the applicant is below the prescribed limit. If the applicant lives with other family members, the application shall be made on a household basis. On top of the basic subsistence support, there is a number of supplements, like disability, old age, community living, single parent, transport supplement, which is too excessive to mention here. A person can make an application directly to a social security field unit, or by referral to the Social Welfare Department by another government department or a non-governmental organization. Upon receipt of an application, staff of the SWD will conduct investigation and verification of the applicant’s circumstances. It is usually completed in a month and is very convenient. CSSA—ITS STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES Generally speaking CSSA has been quite effective in providing a safety nets towards the needy, whether the amount of grants is sufficient or not is subject to argument, one has to acknowledge the fact that there is no major starvation/freezing death caused by poverty in recent years. The general living conditions and nutrition’s of the poor improved, compared many years ago. In the past, social welfare is just a feeding station, or remedy measures after the problems exist, CSSA, with its recent reform of adding more and more subsidies like disabilities, elderly, transport supplement†¦etc, is a rather complicated cash transfer framework, which definitely, effectively created a safety net and contributed a part of improving peoples’ living standard. It seems that CSSA was able to fulfill the very basic philosophy of social security policy and social policy in general terms, which is residual or remedial. CSSA is somewhat a passive scheme as a rescue if the applicant himself, or his family failed to help. It is remedial because it functions only if you fall and will not prevent you from falling. This is of no doubt that CSSA can solve immediate issues, but not the root of it. In fact there are changes that CSSA can make to help better cope with this problem. Moreover, there is room of improvement of the efficiency of the scheme, as it has become more and more complex that something can be done to make it more efficient as a safety net. And as progress, it is vital that we look at the possible policy that can be adjusted to better cope with the situation as things do change over time. One of the major characteristics of CSSA is that it is a means tested scheme. In a nutshell, as long as the applicant meets the requirements, the applicants are entitled to get the benefits, as a matter of right. What they do is to assess the quantitative elements of the applicants, such as how many assets they have, how much they earn per month, the severity of his sickness, and treat them as fair as possible, without looking at their background, their ability, the reason they apply for the scheme. As a government servant, I comprehend the difficulty to do so because their job is to do assessment on the financial criteria. But CSSA is not just simple financial assistance, ideally speaking. When the unemployed come for assistance, their problem is not just short of money for assistance, they are unable or not willing to find jobs which they do not like or do not match their skills or think the wage is too low for him. Recent news reporting a postgraduate graduated from The Chinese University of Hong Kong is an example. CSSA applicants have problems besides financing. I dare say a considerably proportion of staff running the program are not equipped with the skills that can deal with the key issue, thus missed the chance of preliminary investigation of the candidate while looking at the documents and data before the grant. However, CSSA is far from sufficient to provide something constructive, to help the recipients for taking constructive acts to participate in society. Right now we see that, the community is increasingly dependent, which is harmful. The CSSA should abandon the passive strategy of simply looking at needs and handing out cash. This can be done by demanding the recipients to take steps to help themselves as a prerequisite to receive the payments. It has in fact already been adopted and have a positive result. With the introduction of the intensified Support for Self-reliance Scheme measures in June 2003, there was a rapid deceleration in the rate of increase in unemployment cases during June to September 2003, the number of cases also started to decline as from October 2003 to October 2008. But the unemployment case started to rise since 2009, and almost reached the level of 1999, which is the year of financial crisis. As a suggestion, the said scheme can add community service work as a component of the criteria of getting subsistence, such as to clean toilets in governmental departments, of some minimum hours per month as a way to encourage them to contribute to the society. Back to the postgraduate in CU as an example, of course he will get something better than looking after elderly as a job! Even if he cannot do so what he has done will be beneficial to the society. Moreover, the scheme is becoming more complicated as more and more supplement and discretionary items have been added. It is no longer a system that is administratively simple or efficient. The lack of training of the said officials and the complexity the system deter the efficiency of the officials to tackle the applicants specific needs, rather in a degree enhanced their reliability on CSSA. Alternative of solving the problems, despite of training workers, is to tidy up the current structure of the administration, such as diving the recipients into categories, with their own eligibility criteria, referrals, conditions of assistance and kinds of help to offer. Bureau working on this will be, despite more systematic, will have a much more clear idea of how to help the applicant and in turn, the applicant received a better idea of their benefit and get better helped. For instance the financial needs of the elderly should be considered with their health care. They may, because worrying insufficient money to pay their health care, save the already little grants received from CSSA, sacrificing their living quality. There seems little cooperation with the Social Welfare department with relevant charity organizations. The same applies to other groups, like, for single parents family, which they save the CSSA for family services. I have already made the point through the above that CSSA, generally speaking is effective and have done a good job in providing a safety net to Hong Kong, by a one-way handout of cash. But it can, in fact, requiring the recipients to contribute back to the society by adding a component of voluntary services element into the scheme. This, on one hand can screen out people who do not really need CSSA, thus focusing to the resources and attention to those desperately in need. And on the other hand to help those screened out forcing them getting back to the mainstream. And as mentioned about, the efficiency of the CSSA system can be more efficient by adopting a categorical approach, better matching the skills of staff working therein and the background of recipients. In a nutshell, CSSA do create some sort of dependency because, looking at the amount of CSSA cases and the economy of Hong Kong it is not very much correlated. That suggests that the determining factor for the number of people on welfare is, maybe the welfare system itself. Therefore it is very critical for the government to formulate its social welfare policy so that the policy will not create dependency by itself, better organizing structure of manpower, so the budget can save a few billion and most importantly, better matching of resources and helping those really in need. (1719 words) Reference: 1. Research and Statistics Section, Social Welfare Department, Statistics on Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme, 1999 to 2009 2. Social Welfare Department, A Guide to Comprehensive Social Security Assistance How to cite Social Welfare System in Hong Kong, Essay examples

Continued Silence EP by Imagine Dragons free essay sample

The booming, detonating lead track, â€Å"Radioactive,† comes to represent everything from Imagine Dragons’ Continued Silence EP. Released in 2012 after a string of earlier works, the EP carves into the soul with a heavy rock attitude, and like the cover art, breathes life into the fictional, twilighting ruins of the future. Each song feels all-encompassing, whole, and never fails to hit the right note, filled with as much action as soul. While grand, the music also forges a deeply personal connection. â€Å"On Top of the World,† the rousing, feel-good anthem for the masses, breathes like a ray of sun, while the more complex â€Å"Round and Round† spins around a hollow core. A mix of milky, electric/acoustic guitar and pounding drums, it moves in the same direction as its story. From neverending joy to grief, there’s something very human about the energy that pours from the EP, as if the music celebrates more than individual thoughts and dreams: instead, what it means to be young and hopeful. We will write a custom essay sample on Continued Silence EP by Imagine Dragons or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page That doesn’t mean the EP doesn’t have its fill of sadness. In fact, loneliness is in the middle of the centrifuge, fueling the apocalyptic breakdown of â€Å"Radioactive,† a sci-fi era tribute to dystopia and devastation, where amid the explosions, the lonely sits untouched. The other EP’s heavyweight, â€Å"Demons,† is only wiser, sadder, and as grippingly honest. A startlingly beautiful ballad, the song is illuminated with twinkling lights, and vocals layered in divinity. Every word matters, where the song pulls away the grief, the guilt, leaving you born anew. Lead singer Dan Reynolds’ sharp, hotblooded lyrics guide each song, and at the heart of everything, an insistent, active rock beat. The knee-slapping, hand-clapping, folksy sweet â€Å"It’s Time† features Reynolds’ ernest voice, as it feels like things are changing, forming something greater and new. While on the other hand, the final track â€Å"My Fault† begins underwater. A knocking sound is first heard like a child at the door; as the song progresses, every trouble is left with open arms, and all things come full circle. It’s a cycle, a journey, that brings dawn to the dusk. The silence has been broken.

Why You Should become a vegetarian an Example by

Why You Should become a vegetarian There are several reasons why you should become a vegetarian. Basically, it is because of health reasons and the other reason entails that of animal rights. Please allow me to reintroduce and reiterate some of them to you: Need essay sample on "Why You Should become a vegetarian" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed First of all, to lead a vegetarian lifestyle is to take in greater amounts of Vitamin E (Leitzmann, 2005). Vitamin E or Tocopherol in turn is extremely beneficial because it helps prevent heart disease (Gandelman, 2006). Explaining further, it has the capacity to guard the body from oxidation or cell damage (Gandelman, 2006). Thus, it follows that Atherosclerosis may then be prevented if the body takes in Vitamin E as well (Gandelman, 2006). Atherosclerosis is a condition wherein the arteries hardens and narrows which eventually leads to heart disease and stroke (Gandelman, 2006). On a final note and summarily, Vitamin E then plays a large role in the prevention of heart disease (Gandelman, 2006). Second, to lead a vegetarian lifestyle is to take in low amount (if not none at all) of saturated fat and cholesterol (Leitzmann, 2005). LDL cholesterol or bad cholesterol is lower because vegetarian diets have lower saturated fat content as well (Brown, 2006). This in turn is exceedingly beneficial in the deterrence and even management of medical conditions including the following cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, renal disease and dementia, as well as diverticular disease, gallstones and rheumatoid arthritis (Leitzmann, 2005). Third, to lead a vegetarian lifestyle reduces the risk of acquiring a coronary heart disease vegetarian diets have larger amounts of high-fiber fruits and vegetables, thus more antioxidants are taken in fighting off the toxins in the body (Brown, 2006). Fourth, clotting factors are lessened because vegetarian diets have larger amounts of fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins and minerals (Brown, 2006). Fifth, blood pressure is surely lower because vegetarian diets have lower salt content (Brown, 2006). Sixth, diabetes is less likely to occur because vegetarian diets have more complex carbohydrates and fewer simple sugars (Brown, 2006). Seventh, the risk of cancer, specifically of the colon cancer, may be significantly reduced(Brown, 2006). Breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, and cancer of the kidney may also be avoided through a vegetarian diet (Brown, 2006). Eighth, since a vegetarian diet is said to have: 1) less protein; 2) lower cholesterol; 3) lower saturated fat; 4) lower total fat; 5) more carbohydrates; 6) more fiber; 7) more minerals; 8) more vitamins, it is very advantageous and beneficial because of the possibility of the following: 1) less hypertension; 2) more endurance; 3) longevity; 4) lesser possibility of acquiring obesity; 5) less possibility of having osteoporosis, bowel disease, cancer, as well as heart disease (Brown, 2006). Last but not least, it is beneficial to lead a vegetarian diet so that we no longer have to violate any of the rights of the animals. Leading a vegetarian lifestyle is an excellent way of living the good life then. References Brown, C. (2006). Vegetarian vs. Meat Diet. Gandelman, G. (2006). Vitamin E and Heart Disease. Leitzmann, C. (2005). Vegetarian Diets: What are the Advantages? Forum of Nutrition, 57, 147 56.

Animal and Human Research Ethics Paper

Animal and Human Research Ethics Paper Free Online Research Papers In any aspect of life, the well being of oneself comes before any other considerations. With in mind, medicine has a very similar view. The health and prosperity of the human race comes before any other considerations. This brings about the grounds for the practice of nonhuman animal testing. With this, professional and ethical issues are raised and must be explored in order for a conclusive answer to be given. The statement that â€Å"animals have rights† is one that very few people will disagree with. There are those, however, who see animal cruelty as a form of entertainment. The ethical question then arises asks whether the â€Å"cruelty† against an animal can be benefited for humans or should humans benefit from themselves. It is evident that the human race is at the pinnacle of creation as they have achieved progressive heights that cannot be matched by any other species. Unfortunately, animal research has been a fundamental part of their continued progress. Since Aristotle, animals have been used utilized for the benefit of humans. The question of why this has occurred for some time is because they had no other alternative than direct human testing. Man has come a long way and must find seek other testing techniques that are advanced in order to eliminate this harmful practice. One possibility is from Professor Joordens in which he indicates that humans should test on humans who have the desired disease. This would bring about greater thought as experiments would encompass a greater meaning to them. Medical research done on humans is a delicate process. There are many skeptics who believe that human testing should be prohibited as human life is considered more valuable than the life of animals. From a biological standpoint, it is said that all life is stemmed from a common ancestor. What then is the difference between the experiments of a human and an animal as treating animals differently would make them subhuman – no rights, feeling of pleasure and pain. (You may want to rephrase this sentence) This subhuman difference causes negative effects as some drugs that are safe on animals may potentially not be safe on humans and vice versa. Thus, it is apparent that testing on animals is erratic which is why promotion of human testing should be carried out. Furthermore, animals have rights! Every day, laboratory animals are exploited and are enduring suffer for the benefit of testing and research. How is it that a person can be charged for neglecting and not feeding their pet while companies can torture and kill millions of animals every year and no consequence is donned upon them? Thus, animals are deprived of their dignity. When a human imposes its life on an animal, they have taken over that life have become its jury, judge and executioner. Animals have no say which is why human testing should be implemented. Humans voluntarily submit to an experiment with the acknowledgment that something potentially can go wrong. According to Professor Joordens’, his opinion piece says that human based exponents are much more accurate even though progress may slow down. It occurs as scientists will spend more time planning the experiment through as they are dealing with a human. The speed of progress is only relative as it is compared to the past. Over time, man will become accustomed to it and will find the true benefit of human rather than animal testing. Consequently, animal research is an immoral practice that must be reduced and abolished whenever possible. The cruelty performed among animals may be beneficial but it is certainly not ethical. The development to the extensive application of substitutes to animal experimentation will persistently gain momentum as people become more aware about the problem. However, for now, all one can do is try to reduce the number of animals harmed. Research Papers on Animal and Human Research Ethics PaperGenetic EngineeringStandardized TestingResearch Process Part OneInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesThe Spring and AutumnCapital PunishmentArguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS)Effects of Television Violence on ChildrenPETSTEL analysis of IndiaOpen Architechture a white paper

Scope - Definition for the Java Term

Scope - Definition for the Java Term Scope refers to the lifetime and accessibility of a variable. How large the scope is depends on where a variable is declared. For example, if a variable is declared at the top of a class then it will accessible to all of the class methods. If it’s declared in a method then it can only be used in that method. For more information, have a look at the Understanding Variable Scope and Using Modifiers With Variables. Examples: For example, the scope of the variableNUMBER_OF_HOURS_IN_A_DAY is the whole class. Whereas the scope of NUMBER_OF_DAYS_IN_A_WEEK is just the calculateHoursInWeeks method: public class AllAboutHours{ private final int NUMBER_OF_HOURS_IN_A_DAY 24; public int calculateHoursInDays(int days) { return days * NUMBER_OF_HOURS_IN_A_DAY; } public int calculateHoursInWeeks(int weeks) { final int NUMBER_OF_DAYS_IN_A_WEEK 7; return weeks * NUMBER_OF_DAYS_IN_A_WEEK * NUMBER_OF_HOURS_IN_A_DAY; }}

Analyzing Financial Statements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analyzing Financial Statements - Essay Example The graph shows a stronger relationship between Lowe’s and the S&P 500 index; which is also supported by a positive beta equivalent to 1. This beta of the company suggests that the company swings almost equal with the market variations as is supported by the above graph. It implies a volatility and risk that is equivalent to the market, as clearly seen in the graph. The graph also shows the up market leads to similar increase in company price while a down market leads to similar decrease in price. The company provides almost an equivalent return to the market. Observing the five year trend of the two, I think the beta of the company has precisely estimated near to 1. The lines of two are almost on top of one another. The graph shows a very positive relationship between Joy and the S&P 500 index; which is also supported by a positive beta greater than 2. This beta of the company suggests that the company swings almost double to the market variations as is supported by the above graph. It implies a higher volatility and a higher risk, as clearly seen in the graph, as compared to the market. As seen in the trend graphs, the company returns are almost the double-be it an up market or a down market. Observing the five year trend of the two, I think the beta of the company has precisely estimated greater than 2. The lines of two companies show similar jumps seen by a higher beta companies. The report shows the returns of the returns of the three companies-Hershey, Lowe’s and Joy Global based on the beta represented on the money msn. The calculated company returns and the represented beta are then compared with the five year stock price trend graphs compared to S&P 500 Index. The trends effusively support the calculated returns and deviations. A company with beta less than 1 has less volatility and lesser returns as compared to market. A company with beta equivalent to 1 has volatility and returns equal to the market. A company with

Artificial Intelligence Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Artificial Intelligence - Assignment Example Alternatively, the simulated mind could be assumed to reside in a computer or connected to a robot or a biological body, replacing its brain. The following paragraphs will discuss various characteristics of this concept: A human brain consists of about 100 billion nerve cells called neurons, each individually linked to other neurons by way of connection called axons and dendrites. The signals of these connections are transmitted by the release and detection of chemicals known as neurotransmitters. This is established by neuroscience that the human mind is an information processing network with the help of neurons (Kurzweil, 2000). Neuroscientists have also stated that essential functions performed by the mind, such as learning, memorizing, and consciousness, are due to purely physical and electrochemical processes in the brain which are governed by applicable laws. If the information and processes of the mind can be separated from the biological body, then there will be no individual limits and lifespan of that body. Other than that information within a brain could be partly or wholly copied or transferred to one or more other subjects, which includes digital storage or another brain, thereby minimizing or eliminating mortality risk (Tonnoni & Koch, 2008). A computer-based intelligence program could potentially think much faster than a human. Human neurons transfer’s electrochemical signals with a maximum speed of about 150 meters per second, whereas the speed of light is about 300 million meters per second, it is about two million times faster. Also, neurons can generate a maximum of about 200 to 1000 "spikes" per second, whereas the number of signals per second in modern computer chips is about 3 GHz (Matthew, 2005). This is almost two million times greater and expected to increase by at least a factor of 100. In theory it could run about 1 million times faster than a real brain, experiencing about a year of subjective time in only 31 seconds of real

Aristotle and Aurelius Essay Example for Free

Aristotle and Aurelius Essay Aristotles Nicomachean Ethics goes to show that he believes that the end goal of all human actions is eudaimonia, or happiness through success and fulfillment. Following this concept Aristotle goes on to explain that through virtuosity a human being can lead a happy life. He defines virtue as a disposition to make the correct decisions that lead to the chief good of happiness. A perfect example is when he describes someone who does an action well as being good, but they are only considered good because of their distinctive activity. The distinctive activity for human beings can be considered our rationale. This is where virtue comes into play in the matter, but this translation could also be deciphered as excellence. Human beings do every single thing they do for a reason and that reason is to help towards an end goal. Although it may seem like the end goal might be something good like eating lunch, it is actually a chain to the ultimate good which is being happy. Happiness in Aristotles view is not second-by-second or even minute-by-minute but an entire lifetime. This is because we view happiness as and end goal which we hope to achieve by death and that way you can look back on a persons life to see if they succeeded in their goal, through virtuous moral character and virtuous intellectual character and through the act of temperance. A life-time of that act can guarantee a happy, fulfilling, and successful life. Being virtuous come through two different ways in our actions as said by Aristotle, â€Å"Excellence being of two sorts, then, the one intellectual and the other of character, the intellectual sort mostly both comes into existence and increases as a result of teaching whereas excellence of character results from habituation † (Nicomachean Ethics, 1103a15). Intellectual virtue comes from teaching, experience, and time while character virtue is formed through the habit of repeated virtuous actions and constant practice. This allows for every human being to potentially have a virtuous moral character for the fact that it cannot be learned but only practiced, and not one person can be born already virtuous. The only problem with this concept is that there is no exact guideline in which to follow in order to become virtuous and, ultimately, happy. Basically Aristotle explains that you can find virtue in the middle ground of your actions, for xample, he says â€Å"For to arrive at one of the two extremes is more erroneous, to arrive at the other less; so, since it is hard to hit upon intermediate with extreme accuracy, one should take to the oars and sail that way, as they say, grasping what is least bad of what is available † (Nicomachean Ethics, 1109a35) There is no teaching as to why, for example, courage is preferred over cowardice or rashness but that you need to practice being courageous in order to understand the reasoning for being courageous. This is true for all virtuous traits and merits of the human character and by combining the moral and intellectual teachings and habits can you start on the path of a virtuous disposition. The key to virtue is keeping within a balance between the vices. For an excessive vice there is excessive pleasure but also excessive pain and for the opposite there is no pleasure and no pain. The key is in a state of temperance in order to feel the correct amount of pleasure for a healthy lifestyle and choices. Aristotles views show that someone with a virtuous disposition should automatically or naturally choose the best action or behavior in any circumstances without having to rely on reason because the virtuous habit has been already learned. In response to someone arguing against an accidental choice, these views only perceive the deliberate and voluntary choices made by the person of virtue. Also a virtuous moral character will always aim for the good while unjust character will try to aim for what is their perception or the â€Å"apparent† good as said in â€Å"That wish is for the end, we have already said; but to some it seems to be for the good, whereas to others it seems to be for the apparent good. The consequence, for those who say that the object of wish is the good, is that what the person making an incorrect choice wishes for is not wished for.. † (Nicomachean Ethics, 1113a10). A virtuous person will always do the right thing and will never be surprised by their actions, nor will they do it the right thing with an ulterior motive. Though you cannot live a happy life just with a virtuous disposition because you still need to act within accordance to virtue, you absolutely cannot live a happy life without virtue. Having virtue in your actions will lead to the final goal of happiness because it far outweighs the happiness found in pleasure, awards or merits. II. Marcus Aurelius was a philosopher-king and emperor of the Roman Empire and was considered of of the most influential Stoic philosophers of all time. His greatest work Meditations is an honest portrayal of Aurelius thoughts as they were found in journal form, never meant to be publicized. He wrote these books for himself as a sort of guideline and thought-provoking inner voice. In his works of Meditations, Marcus Aurelius doesnt use arguments as a way to get his point across but rather states his words as truths and seems to be very confident in his uses. It seems he is prying at the meaning of life, the whys and hows of it all on the idea of living. He is very blunt in his use of understating the human existence in the world and compares them to specks in the grand scheme, but the point of this is to provide a sort of carpe diem lifestyle. By letting yourself let go of the things you cannot control, you begin to gain a better understanding of the things you can control and act accordingly. â€Å"We were born to work together like feet, hands and eyes, like two rows of teeth, upper and lower. To obstruct each other is unnatural. To feel anger at someone, to turn your back on him: these are obstructions. † (Meditations, 17). This quote goes to show how you cannot allow yourself to get angry at another person for what they have done, but to continue your existence and recognize what you need to do. He advises in his writings â€Å"To shrug it all off and wipe it clean-every annoyance and distraction-and reach utter stillness. † (Meditations, 54) and once you can do that you can realize what is natural. Stoicism being a very popular philosophy in ancient Rome for it called for a â€Å"cosmic determinism† in relation to â€Å"human freedom† by a parallel will to that of Nature . Aurelius,himself, was a firm believer in the Logos, which can be identified as a principle a guiding force for the universe, human beings and all matter. In fact, it is one of the most important concepts in Stoicism for the ancient Romans of the time. The stark and â€Å"manly† belief that every single citizen had a duty, whether they were a king or a peasant, were expected to follow it to the best of their abilities. The term utter stillness is used to acknowledge the state of no distractions. By achieving this you can focus solely on appropriate actions and how to follow your own road by the way of Nature on an unconscious level. Not by thinking about it but by acting naturally should you continue to help others, work for yourself, never stopping but continuing to reply to Natures demands. To do this all under the Logos, in order to find our common sense and avoid the annoying distractions all the while by controlling these actions through your inner unconscious/conscious self. III. The Greek philosopher Aristotle and the Roman philosopher-king Marcus Aurelius can be compared and contrasted in their similar and different ways of thoughts. First you can compare Aristotles ideas on eudaimonia and Aurelius use of utter stillness to help follow the logos, also the final step of death as the end of ones journey towards a life of fulfillment. Contrastingly, they have different outlooks on purpose of human life and how to lead to the fulfilling of that said life. Stoicism was developed within the framework of Greek theory and philosophies from Plato and Aristotle so obviously there are bound to be many similarities. Both of these men were truly brilliant and ground-breaking in their respective ways of thought and led centuries of intellectuals to search for more fulfillment and happiness’s in their lives. Some big differences between Aristotle and Aurelius were there views on mortality or death. While Aristotle concludes that our lives are given to us and as valuable as human beings want to make them, the Stoics view on life is that is shaped by death and that the thoughts, choices and actions are just based on the knowledge of death. Eudaimonia is a subject in which Aristotle and Aurelius were familiar with in their writings about philosophical life. Aristotle thought of eudaimonia as an activity done with virtue performed rationally and consciously. Aurelius and the other Stoics insist that the way for eudaimonia is to live a morally virtuous life, in regards to the fact that virtue is good, vices are bad and most everything else is neutral. A popular argument for this where a death in the family would be involved, according to Aristotle, that would rob the most virtuous person of their eudaimonia while the Stoics would consider that neutral. Another interesting fact about Aristotle is how he acknowledges how â€Å"dumb luck† can aid or block the journey for eudaimonia, for example being born beautiful or losing close friends and family. Basically, they agree that eudaimonia is self-sufficient; the chief goal in life and that eudaimonia is the most complete end result. Virtue is very important to both philosophers and their ways of thinking and considers it absolutely crucial for eudaimonia. Aristotle and Aurelius can agree that no one is born just virtuous as it must be an act learned. Virtue is believed to be how one can control their emotions for it helps them to stay stable and in moderation. Overall, living life virtuously is living a life full of dignity. Marcus Aurelius’s view is a much more justified view because it is more modern and more adaptable. As the stoicism wants people to better themselves within reasonable goals and change values into something that will bring upon an unconscious change so that they may make better decisions consciously. Aristotle instead relies too much on a proper upbringing and calls the loss of good and friends as a prevention of eudaimonia. Stoics learn to realize what is out of their control and move on to what they can control. Aristotelian views also say that if a person dies early that it is a tragedy and that they were taken away before they reached their prime which in the Stoics eyes, a virtuous person should never be afraid of death because their life is sufficient when living a virtuous life. The difference continues when viewing the topic of emotions for Aristotelian that emotions are not good nor bad, only bad when expressed inappropriately while the Stoics think the whole point of eudaimonia is to be free from emotion. Finally the stoics don’t see a difference between the rich, poor, slaves or free men, because in their views bodily and external things can no impact on their dignity, whereas Aristotle believes that a life based on virtues along with enough material and external goods like freedom, wellbeing, and close friends lead to a life of dignity. Overall, Aurelius and the Stoics have built upon and modified Aristotle’s view to be more realistic and to try and be more optimistic in leading the best possible life no matter the circumstances.

Love :: essays research papers

Euthanasia is the act of ending the life of an individual suffering from a terminal illness, as by lethal injection or the suspension of extraordinary medical treatment. This is a topic with many opinions and much controversy as to whether or not it should be a legal practice. I have never known anyone close to me with an incurable disease, but if a loved one or I were diagnosed, I would like the option to end the suffering to be available. Therefore, I am pro euthanasia, and furthermore, pro individual choice. There are two essays I have recently read on the subject, each gives two different viewpoints on the topic of euthanasia. In Sidney Hook’s In Defense of Voluntary Euthanasia, he believes that â€Å"each one should be permitted to make his own choice-especially when no one else is harmed by it.†(404) Hook is pro euthanasia, contrary to Rand Richards Cooper, the author of The Dignity of Helplessness: What Sort of Society Would Euthanasia Create?† Cooper says â€Å"I’m looking for an argument with Jack Kevorkian; or rather, one against him.†(411) He believes that euthanasia should not be a practice used in society today. Sidney Hook begins his essay by giving a personal, first-hand experience of his own sufferings in his battle with congestive heart failure followed by a massive stroke. He says, â€Å"†¦I asked my physician to discontinue all life-supporting services or show me how to do it.†(403) His doctor refused and after months of rehabilitation, finally regained most of his motor skills. He admits that this argument sounds like it is pro euthanasia, however, he gives two major reasons for the right to choose. By using his own personal experience and knowledge, he gives the reader insight to his defense in his opinion. Rand Richards Cooper takes an informal approach in his argument, not giving any cut and dry facts. He uses two indirect experiences through his mother’s friend and children in Kenya to convey his ideas. Sidney Hook expresses his ideas using his own personal terminal illness. He makes his statement using reader sympathy, hoping to impact the reader on a personal level. Rand Richards Cooper uses a similar approach, recognizing the usefulness of informal, but personable persuasions. Hook writes about his own first-hand experience and is thought to be more factual. Cooper on the other hand uses the same technique, but he gives second-hand experiences through children in Kenya and also through his mother’s best friend.

Childcare Essay

I am required to carry out an assignment on Equality and Diversity. My aim is to understand more about equality and diversity and to understand about discrimination, bias and prejudice. I will be including laws and regulations for equality and diversity in ECCE settings, for example the equal status act 2000-2004 and the UN Convention on the rights of the Child 1989. I will also discuss with my supervisor in my workplace about what measures they have in place to in order that equality and diversity is in place in the setting. I will also make some suggestions on how to improve an anti-bias childcare environment. My aim is also to highlight activities that could benefit the setting and in which the setting ct is important for me as the student to understand and recognise the importance of equality and diversity in the setting and to understand myself when the day comes when I want to pursue my career in childcare that where improvements need to made in the ECCE setting I will be able to recognise where changes need to be and it will also help me on my knowledge of the laws that are in place for E Equality and Diversity Equality refers to therecognise different individuals needs and of ensuring equity in terms of access, participation and benefiting all children and their families. It is therefore not about treating all people the same. Equality is an essential characteristic of quality in ECEC. It is there to support all children’s development in Ireland. Equality is that every child’s needs are recognised and supported. Diversity refers to the diverse nature of society for example on terms of social class, gender, returned Irish emigrant, family status, minority groups and the majority groups. Diversity is that the differences in people such as gender, race, age, language, sexual orientation, religion and family structure. it states that quality in ECEC settings acknowledge and respect diversity and ensure that all children their families have their individual, personal, cultural and linguistic identity validates.

Movie: Film and Book

Nowadays, when many good novels are turned into good films, it can be tricky to decide which to enjoy first, the book or the film based on it. Reading the book is an intimate experience that can challenge your mind and tickle your heart. But watching the film is often more convenient, especially if you don't have much time. Not to mention that you get to see beautiful scenery and often a fine leg and some nudity as well. † During summer vacation, I read the book the hunger games.It was a great book. The details were so well put together. In my opinion the movie was Just plain awful, I didn't think it went well with the book. The book gives you more a visual look at it. The movie Just made it seem more spasmodic then it should have. What I comprehended from the book, Catkins Evergreen, the main character, was strong and fiery. When she went into battle, she knew exactly what she was fighting for. Catkins sometimes was in some muddle situations.The dilemma was, that she had to su rvive the hunger games or die. Catkins survived along with PETA. What I comprehended from the movie, minors dying along with adults or teenagers. It made it seem like an awful environment to live in. It seems that everyone in the society was admonishing each other. Sometimes I like the movie better than the book. In this case, I liked more the book then the movie. But In my opinion, read the book first and then watch the movie.

Visas de turista para niños para Estados Unidos

Visas de turista para nià ±os para Estados Unidos La visa B2 es el documento que deben sacar los nià ±os y adolescentes extranjeros que desean ingresar a Estados Unidos como turistas. La excepcià ³n son los infantes con un pasaporte de un paà ­s incluido en el Programa de Exencià ³n de Visas o tienen pasaporte canadiense. Existe otra opcià ³n a las visas de turista B2 si se trata de menores que residen en la zona mexicana que hace frontera con Estados Unidos, pues en este caso tambià ©n se puede ingresar con una visa que se conoce por el nombre de tarjeta de cruce o visa lser, si bien tiene ms restricciones que la visa B2. En este artà ­culo se resuelven ls dudas frecuentes que tienen los padres cuando desean solicitar este tipo de visas para sus hijos. Tips para sacar la visa de turista para menores A continuacià ³n se detallan las respuestas a las preguntas ms frecuentes sobre visas para nià ±os. Para viajar a Estados Unidos, todos los nià ±os y adolescentes necesitan su propia visa, incluidos los bebà ©s. Por lo tanto, debe solicitarse con la debida antelacià ³n. Se recomienda no comprar boletos ni hacer reservas de hoteles antes de tener la visa aprobada. En algunos paà ­ses se admiten casos de nià ±os incluidos en el pasaporte de uno de los padres. En este caso, se necesitan visa del infante y otra para ese progenitor, que sern estampadas en un à ºnico pasaporte. En este caso, el nià ±o debe viajar con el padre o la madre titular de ese pasaporte compartido. Pero no lo ms frecuente es que cada nià ±o tenga su propio pasaporte, donde se colocar su visa. La visa para un nià ±o se solicita de la misma manera que para un adulto, llenando el formulario electrà ³nico que se conoce como DS-160. El primer paso es seleccionar el lugar donde se solicitar la visa. Esto hace que se sigan las instrucciones no sà ³lo generales, sino tambià ©n las particulares que requiere ese consulado o embajada.  Por ejemplo, en algunos paà ­ses se requiere que se proporcione informacià ³n sobre todos los pasaportes que han tenido los padres y copia de la visa americana actual, si la tuvieran. Todos los nià ±os pagan cuota por aplicar, la cual no se recupera si la visa no es aprobada. En la actualidad, la tarifa es de $160. Como regla general, los nià ±os de 14 aà ±os o ms deben acudir en persona a la entrevista y tambià ©n se le tomarn datos biomà ©tricos como fotos y huellas digitales. Pero en este punto es muy importante seguir las especificaciones de cada consulado, porque pueden variar. Y es que, a pesar de esa regla general, existen importantes excepciones dependiendo del consulado. Es frecuente que en paà ­ses latinoamericanos nià ±os de edades menores deban presentarse a la entrevista en el consulado o Embajada y a los centros de servicio, conocidos en muchos paà ­ses como ASC para el trmite de los datos biomà ©tricos (no todos los paà ­ses tienen centros de servicios). Sin embargo ,muy raramente se tomar las huellas a menores de 14 aà ±os. La regla a aplicar van a depender de si ambos padres, uno o ninguno tiene una visa americana de turista vlida, de la edad del menor y del consulado. Seguir las instrucciones al llenar el formulario para no equivocarse. En todo caso, tener presente que para un caso concreto el oficial consular puede siempre pedir ver al menor.   La regla general es que los nià ±os menores de 16 aà ±os deben estar acompaà ±ados en la entrevista por ambos padres. Si los nià ±os no tienen que presentarse, ambos padres deben ir igual a dicha entrevista.   Si ambos padres no pueden estar presentes el que sà ­ acude a la entrevista deber: demostrar que tiene la custodia sobre el menor en exclusividad, como ciertas à ³rdenes judiciales o nià ±os de madre soltera, o certificado de viudedad. No es suficiente para no acudir ambos progenitores que està ©n separados o divorciados y se lleven mal.mostrar una carta sellada por notario en el que el padre que no acude a la entrevista alega una buena razà ³n y permite al otro progenitor solicitar la visa americana para el hijo. En la entrevista los padres deben mostrar el pasaporte de menor y una copia original de la partida o certificado de nacimiento. Adems, debern llevar sus propios pasaportes vlidos o expirados que contengan visas americanas y, si no tienen pasaporte, un documento que los identifique, como cà ©dula o carnet de identidad.   La visa se denegar, entre otras cosas, si los padres no pueden demostrar lazos econà ³micos y familiares suficientes en el paà ­s en el que residen habitualmente. Esa es la razà ³n ms comà ºn de rechazo de la solicitud de visa de turista, si bien no es la à ºnica. En todo caso, si ambos padres tienen ya la visa de turista, han ingresado y salido del paà ­s a tiempo y nunca han tenido problemas es bastante probable que se apruebe la visa al nià ±o. Aunque en muchos casos -pero no en todos- es posible solicitar una visa de turista en un paà ­s distinto al de residencia, no es una situacià ³n que se aconseje porque puede dar lugar a problemas. Si un nià ±o que reside fuera de los Estados Unidos resulta que nacià ³ en ese paà ­s, no puede aplicar por una visa de turista porque es ciudadano americano. Lo que tiene que hacer es tener el pasaporte vlido para ingresar a su propio paà ­s, aunque tenga tambià ©n la nacionalidad del paà ­s en el que vive. Si un nià ±o nacido fuera de Estados Unidos tiene al menos uno de los padres que es estadounidense debe verificarse si tiene derecho a la ciudadanà ­a americana por derecho de sangre. Las reglas son distintas segà ºn se trate del padre o la madre y de su estado civil.   Finalmente, a la hora de sacar un nià ±o de su paà ­s para ingresar a otro hay que seguir reglas si el infante no viaje con los dos padres. Por ejemplo, Mà ©xico pide que se llene un formulario, mientras que Estados Unidos, no. Es muy importante evitar situaciones confusas que pueden dar lugar a que se califique un viaje a otro paà ­s como secuestro internacional de nià ±os. Test de respuestas mà ºltiples Para conocer quà © es importante para sacar la visa de turista para un infante o para un adulto y quà © comportamientos se deben evitar para conservarla y evitar su cancelacià ³n se recomienda tomar este test de respuestas mà ºltiples, cuyas respuestas correctas y explicadas son muy ilustrativas. Este es un artà ­culo informativo. No es asesorà ­a legal.

Political Profile of President Barack Obama

Political Profile of President Barack Obama On November 4, 2008, 47-year-old Barack Obama was elected to be the 44th President of the United States, after a hard-fought two-year presidential campaign. He was sworn in as president on January 20, 2009. Fast Facts: Barack Obama Full Name: Barack Hussein Obama, IIKnown For: 44th President of the United States, in office January 20, 2009- January 20, 2017Born: August 4, 1961 in Honolulu, HawaiiParents: Barack Obama Sr. and Ann DunhamSpouse: Married on October 18, 1992 to Michelle Robinson, an attorney and Chicago nativeChildren: Malia and SashaEducation: B.A. in international relations, 1983, Columbia University. J.D. from Harvard Law School, where he was the first black Editor of the Harvard Law ReviewMajor Accomplishments: First African American president, Nobel Peace Price (2009), Profile in Courage Award (2017), best-selling authorFun Fact: Obama is a Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bears fan, and an avid basketball player Early Life Born Barack Hussein Obama, Jr, his father was a Kenya-born Harvard-educated economist and his mother was Ann Dunham, a caucasian anthropologist. He was 2 years old when his father left the family. His father (deceased in 1982) returned to Kenya, and only saw his son once more. His mother remarried, and moved Barack to Indonesia. He returned to Hawaii at age 10 to live with his maternal grandparents. He graduated from the respected Punahou School with honors. As a teenager, he scooped ice cream at Baskin-Robbins, and has admitted to dabbling in marijuana and cocaine. His mother died of cancer in 1995. Political Timeline Before entering politics, Obama worked as a community organizer and a civil rights attorney. In addition, Obama was a Senior Lecturer in Constitutional Law at University of Chicago Law School. In the early 90s, he aggressively organized one of the largest voter registration drives in Chicago history to help Bill Clintons 1992 election. Obama (D-IL) was elected to the U.S. Senate on November 2, 2004, after serving 7 years as an Illinois state senator. In 2004, Sen. Obama also signed a $1.9 million deal to author 3 books. The first, The Audacity of Hope, discusses his political convictions. His 1995 autobiography was a bestseller. Barack Obamas voting record and stances as US Senator and Illinois State Senator reflect a practical, common sense progressive thinker who emphasizes increased support for teachers, college affordability, and restoration of meaningful federal support of veterans. As a Senator, Obamas areas of special legislative interest were in support for working families, public education, health care, economic growth and jobs creation, and ending the Iraq War. As an Illinois state senator, he worked passionately for ethics reforms and criminal justice reform. Obama first rose to national prominence when he delivered an inspiring keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. On February 10, 2007, Barack Obama declared his candidacy for the 2008 Democratic nomination for the presidency. On June 3, 2008, Obama accumulated enough Democratic convention delegates votes to become the presumptive party nominee for the presidential race. On October 9, 2009, the Nobel Committee announced that President Barack Obama had been awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. The Obama Persona Barack Obama is a independent-minded leader with an even-keel temperament, charismatic speaking skills and a knack for consensus-building. Hes also a talented, introspective writer. His values are strongly shaped by his expertise as a Constitutional law professor and civil rights attorney, and by Christianity. While private by nature, Obama mingles easily with others, but is most comfortable addressing large crowds. He is known for being unafraid to speak and hear hard truths when necessary. Obama was named by Time magazine in 2005, 2007 and 2008 as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Memorable Quotes You cant have No Child Left Behind if you leave the money behind. I do agree that the Democrats have been intellectually lazy in failing to take the core ideals of the Democratic Party and adapting them to circumstances.... Its not just a matter of sticking in a quote from the Bible into a stock speech. There has yet to be a serious conversation about health care on the floor of the United States Senate. ...as parents, we need to find the time and the energy to step in and find ways to help our kids love reading. We can read to them, talk to them about what theyre reading and make time for this by turning off the TV ourselves. Libraries can help parents with this. Knowing the constraints we face from busy schedules and a TV culture, we need to think outside the box here - to dream big like we always have in America. Right now, children come home from their first doctors appointment with an extra bottle of formula. But imagine if they came home with their first library card or their first copy of Goodnight Moon? What if it was as easy to get a book as it is to rent a DVD or pick up McDonalds? What if instead of a toy in every Happy Meal, there was a book? What if there were portable libraries that rolled through parks and playgrounds like ice cream trucks? Or kiosks in stores where you could borrow books? What if during the summer, when kids often lose much of the reading progress theyve made during the year, every child had a list of books they had to read and talk about and an invitation to a summer reading club at the local library? Libraries have a special role to play in our knowledge economy. - June 27, 2005 Speech to the American Library Association

Economy of Persian Gulf Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Economy of Persian Gulf - Essay Example Globalization creates diversity for consumers to choose. Countries will not experience scarcity of products, as they will receive them from countries that produce them in abundance. The developing countries gain by getting technological machines that are important in the production from developed countries. The developed countries also acquire raw materials that they use in production. There should be a change in policies. The Persian Gulf has experienced economic stagnation due to insecurity in the region. The Middle East countries need to ensure investors that their investment is safe. A policy that deters Iran from acquiring and developing nuclear weapons should be established. I do agree with the second post. The Middle Eastern states have been over-reliant on oil. Changes in demand, supply and pricing in oil negatively affected the economy in that region. It has made it particularly difficult to make economic plans. The total revenue, which is as a result of oil, keeps on fluctuating. However, oil has provided a lot of advantages as it contributes to the revenue of the states, and it is a source of employment for many of their citizens. The citizens get some form of income from the state directly contributed to oil. Diversification will create stability in the economy of the Persian Gulf. The citizens need to consider other income contributors. The region has relatively poor soils that make it hard to practice agriculture. There is also a shortage of rains in the region. Practicing irrigation can be practiced to boost agriculture.

Solar Powered Heat Pump System Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5750 words

Solar Powered Heat Pump System - Research Paper Example Solar panels have been available for some time now. In 2006 B&Q, one of the largest DIY companies in the UK started marketing solar panels for around  £1,500 each. Microgeneration provides technology for ‘heat and/or electricity on a small-scale from a low carbon source’ (Roberts & Sims 2008, p. 363) and generated power should not exceed ‘50kW for electricity generation and 45KW thermal for heat production’ (Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Act, 2006 as cited in Roberts & Sims, 2008, p. 363).Scientists measure energy from the sun and translate it into ‘kilowatt hours per day per square meter’ (Caldwell 1994, p. 97). Sunlight that reaches the earth’s surface depends on latitude, the barriers like cloud or humidity. However, the sun’s energy is distributed in a uniform manner. For example, a rain forest in Washington is stricken by the sun’s energy, which is translated into 3kwh/d/m2, but southern Arizona and nearby are as receive 7kwh/d/m2. Full sunlight refers to a thousand for every square meter of global radiation. Companies that market photovoltaic forecast PV output with the use of computer models and simulation that include insolation data. In predicting an unknown area, they use the common rule of ‘plus or minus 10 percent on an annual average based only on latitude and closest weather data’ (Caldwell 1994, p. 98). There are factors that should be considered in determining costs of installations. Number one factor is the site and the weather. The photovoltaic output is sensitive to transients like clouds.

Motivating Employees and Team building Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Motivating Employees and Team building - Essay Example Motivation is something abstract and the difficulties arise when one tries to explain its meaning and application. A wide variety of assumptions have been made on motivation by observing the resultant behaviour of motivation. Based on these assumptions and research findings, motivation has been defined in a number of ways. Vroom defines motivation as a process, which governs choices made by persons or lower organisms among alternative forms of voluntary activity. (Vroom, 1964 as cited in Putti) Motivations are the act of inducing an individual to follow a desired course of action. The desired course of action may be for the good of the individual or for the one who is inducing the individual towards a desired course of action or both. Zedeck and blood contend that motivation is a predisposition to act in a specific goal-directed way. (Sedeck & Blood, 1974 as cited in Putti) Atchison further defines Motivation as the immediate influence on the direction, vigor, and persistence of beha viour. (Atchison, 1964 as cited in Putti) on the other hand Gellerman defines motivation as steering one's actions towards certain goals and committing a certain part of one's energies to reach them. (Gellerman, 1963 as cited in Putti) In the view of Shartle, motivation is "a reported urge or tension to move in a given direction or to achieve a certain goal. (Shartle, 1956 as cited in Putti) Hence, Motivation can make the employees get all the targets settled by the Organisations. There are several ways by which employees can be motivated the most important is to address the needs of the employees. Just as the definition of basic human needs is a highly complex task, it naturally follows that there are no easy assumptions concerning what employees really want from the organisation. In various surveys, the following are some of the more typically specified wants. The first and the foremost important are pay. This want helps in satisfying physiological, security, and egoistic needs. The design of a monetary compensation system is exceedingly complex since it serves to satisfy multiple needs and cannot alone motivate the whole person. After the payment needs Security of job is another important motivating factor. Because of threats from technological change, this want is high on the list or priorities for many employees and labour unions. The underlying need of general security is also high on the list of priorities in the suggested need hierarchy of Maslow. However management can aid the process by carefully planned and executed induction programs, provision of means to socialise through rest periods and recreational programs, and promoting the formation of work teams through proper work-station layouts and human-related work procedures. With all the above, the provision of credit for work done is also an important motivator. This want issues from the egoistic classification of needs and can be supplied by management through verbal praise of excellent work, monetary rewards for suggestions, and public recognition through awards. Releases in employee's newspapers, and the like. Also, Job enrichment issues from both the need for recognition and the drive toward self-realisation and achievement is an important

A review of Bioactivation and Tissue Toxicity

A review of Bioactivation and Tissue Toxicity Kong Wei En (BP0711031415) Raymond Koh Chee How (BP0711031287) Jennie Lee Sheah Lin (BP0711031372) Prashanthini A/P Janardanan (BP0711031156) Hong Wei Siong (BP0711031194) Shalini A/P Shanmugavelu (BP0711031145) Introduction Xenobiotics are foreign chemicals in the body [1]. The human body has adapted processes collectively termed as biotransformation to excrete these xenobiotics [1,2]. Biotransformation generally occurs sequentially in two phases [1,2]. Phase I reactions add new functional groups to the parent compound while phase II reactions conjugate these new functional groups with polar groups [1,2]. The end-result of biotransformation is decreased lipid solubility, thus increasing renal excretion [1,2]. The liver is the chief site for biotransformation, [1,2]. Enzymes such as cytochrome P450 and peroxidase enzymes are responsible for biotransformation [3,4]. Occasionally, bioactivation occurs, in which the inert parent compound is modified into toxic metabolites [1,3,4]. The toxic metabolites are either electrophiles or free radicals, which interact with body tissues, subsequently causing toxicity [3,5]. Electrophiles Electrophiles are species deficient in electron pair generated through Phase 1 metabolism by CYP450 [5]. They are short-lived (with the possible exception of some acyl glucuronides) and not usually detectable in circulation [5]. Electrophiles can be generated from carbon, nitrogen or sulphur containing compounds [4]. The most frequently metabolised structural alerts are aromatic systems with electron-donating substituents and some five-membered heterocyclic [6]. Electrophiles cause toxicity through the formation of irreversible covalent bond to nucleophilic tissue components which includes macromolecules (proteins, nucleic acids and lipids) or low molecular weight cellular constituents [4]. Covalent binding generates potent and long lasting toxic effects because the covalently modified enzyme/receptor is permanently inactivated [4]. The covalent binding to DNA leads to mutation, tissue necrosis, carcinogenicity and tumour formation [4]. Mutations arise when the electrophiles escape the repair mechanisms of the cell, may be fixed and passed to the progeny [4]. If the electrophiles bind to protein, they will disturb the physiological homeostasis, leading to cell death [7]. Examples of electrophiles include epoxide, hydroxylamines and aldehydes [4,5]. Free radicals Free radicals (species containing an odd number of electrons) may be cations, anions or neutral radicals [8]. Free radicals are generally formed via NADPH CYP450 reductase or other flavin containing reductases [8]. They provide toxicity by peroxidation of cellular components. An important class of free radicals is organic free radicals such as hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion [8]. The potential toxicity of free radicals is far greater than electrophiles [8]. Free radicals are able to produce chemical modifications and damage to proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and nucleotides [9]. If the reactive free radical is formed close to DNA then it may produce a change in the structure resulting in a mutation or cytotoxicity [9]. Protein and non-protein thiol groups are readily oxidized by many free radicals and may lead to profound changes in enzyme activity [9]. Another major pathway of metabolic disturbances is depending on covalent binding with cell components such as protein, lipid and nucleic acid to from a stable covalently bound adduct that may grossly distort structure and function [9]. Reactive free radical may also damage cells through membrane damage [9]. Examples of free radicals include hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radical and peroxynitrite [10]. Examples of drugs undergoing bioactivation and causing subsequent tissue toxicity Table 1: Several drugs, with their corresponding toxic metabolic pathways and the subsequent adverse effects. Drug Metabolic pathway Adverse effects Chloramphenicol Chloramphenicol is first oxidised by CYP monooxygenase into its dichloromethyl moiety [11]. Hydrochloric acid is then eliminated to produce a reactive metabolite that interacts with the Æ -amino acid of a lysine residue in CYP monooxygenase [11]. The enzymatic reaction is eventually retards over time, leading to adverse effects [11]. Apalstic anemia [12] Bone marrow toxicity [12] Acetaminophen The reactive metabolite is called N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine (NAPQI) [11]. Metabolic pathway 1: Acetaminophen undergoes N-oxidation to become N-hydroxyacetaminophen, which then undergoes dehydration to form NAPQI [11]. This pathway is probably uncommon as N-hydroxyacetaminophen is not a chief intermediate in the oxidation of acetaminophen [11]. Metabolic pathway 2: NAPQI undergoes a Michael-type addition with either glutathione or protein thiol groups [11]. Hepatotoxicity [11,12]. Tienilic acid Tienilic acid is oxidised by CYP2C9 to either thiophene sulfoxide or thiophene epoxide [11]. These electrophilic reactive intermediates alkylate CYP2C9, permanently binding themselves to the enzyme [11]. The enzyme is subsequently inactivated [11]. The body then produces anti-LKM2 autoantibodies against the native CYP2C9 enzyme and the modified CYP2C9 enzyme [11]. Immunoallergic hepatitis [11] Halothane Matabolic pathway 1: In hypoxic states, halothane undergoes reduction to produce the 1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethyl free radical [11]. This free radical performs a radical attack, leading to the necrosis of hepatocytes [11]. The radical may also react with the Fe2+ in the CYP enzyme to form an iron ÏÆ'-alkyl complex [11]. This complex then causes the necrosis of the hepatocytes [11]. Metabolic pathway 2: Halothane undergoes oxidation to produce trifluoroacetyl chloride [11]. Liver proteins are then trifluoroacetylated on their Æ -NH2-lysyl residue [11]. This newly formed neoantigen evokes an immune response towards the liver [11]. Severe hepatitis [11] Valproic acid Valproic acid is metabolised by CYP2C9 into 2-propyl-4-pentenoic acid, also termed as Δ4VPA [11]. This metabolite can then undergo two pathways [11]. Metabolic pathway 1: CYP enzymes metabolize Δ4VPA into a reactive metabolite, which then proceeds to alkylate the prosthetic heme of the CYP enzymes [11]. Hence, the enzymes are inhibited [11]. Metabolic pathway 2: The Δ4VPA metabolite undergoes ÃŽ ²-oxidation to generate the Coenzyme A ester of 3-oxo-2-propyl-4-pentenoic acid [11]. This new metabolite alkylates the terminal enzyme of ÃŽ ²-oxidation (3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase) by a nucleophilic attack at the olefinic terminus [11]. Hepatotoxicity [11] Troglitazone Metabolic pathway 1: The thiazolidinedione ring undergoes oxidative cleavage to produce a reactive sulfoxide intermediate, which spontaneously opens its ring [11]. Metabolic pathway 2: The phenolic hydroxyl group of troglitazone undergoes a one-electron oxidation catalysed by CYP3A to produce an unstable hemiacetal, which spontaneously opens to form a quinine metabolite [11]. The quinine metabolite then undergoes the metabolic pathway described earlier (metabolic pathway 1) [11]. Metabolic pathway 3: The unstable hemiacetal produced in metabolic pathway 2 may undego hydrogen abstraction, resulting in the production of an o-quinone methide derivative [11]. Hepatic failure Death (due to hepatic failure) [11]. Part 2: Applications of Bioactivation and Tissue Toxicity in Abacavir and Lidocaine Abacavir Abacavir (ABC) is an anti-HIV drug classified as a nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) [13]. ABC possesses a significant role in the treatment of HIV patients [13]. First, ABC is subjected to phase I oxidation to produce ABC-carboxylate, followed by phase II glucuronidation to generate the inactive glucuronide metabolite [13]. Both the glucuronide and carboxylate metabolites are chiefly eliminated in the urine [13]. ABC undergoes bioactivation to form reactive aldehyde metabolites [13]. ABC metabolism to ABC-carboxylate involves a two-step oxidation via an aldehyde intermediate (unconjugated ABC-aldehyde) which rapidly tautomerizes to the more stable conjugated ABC-aldehyde [13]. This reactive metabolite is capable of reacting with proteins to produce covalent adducts, which results in the occurrence of adverse effects [13]. The most prevalent acute ABC-induced adverse effects are the potentially life-threatening hypersensitivity reactions (HSR) that occur within the first 6 weeks of treatment [13]. ABC also possesses the potential to induce cardiotoxicity, which raised further concerns about the prolonged administration of this drug [13]. Lidocaine Lidocaine has been extensively used in the treatment of ventricular arrhythmias [14]. It is also usually administered intravenously to treat and prevent cardiac arrhythmias after acute myocardial infarction [14]. Its chemical structure is an amide with an aromatic group [15]. Lidocaine is chiefly metabolized by the microsomal enzyme system in the liver [15]. The major biotransformation pathways are oxidation and hydroxylation [14]. Lidocaine undergoes oxidative N-deethylation to form the toxic mono-ethylglycinexylidide, which is then hydrolysed to 2,6-xylidine [14,15]. Finally, 2,6-xylidine is modified to 4-hydroxy-2,6-xylidine, which is excreted in urine [14]. Lidocaine also undergoes hydroxylation of the aromatic nitrogen to form N-hydroxylidocaine and the toxic N-hydroxymonoethylglycinexylidide [14]. The active and toxic metabolites known as mono-ethylglycinexylidide and N-hydroxymonoethylglycinexylidide primarily cause neural and cardiac toxicity [14,15]. Early signs of CNS intoxication include shivering, muscular twitching and tremors of the facial muscles [15]. As toxicity is low, it is safely and extensively used to treat arrhythmias [15]. Conclusion To eliminate xenobiotics from our body, processes collectively termed as biotransformation occurs in two phases. However, toxic metabolites (electrophiles or free radicals) may be produced in processes called bioactivation, which interact with body tissues and cause tissue toxicity. The bioactivation and subsequent adverse effects of abacavir and lidocaine has been discussed in detail. References [1] Rang H, Dale M, Ritter J. Rang Dales pharmacology. 7th Edition. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone; 2011. [2] Dekant W. The role of biotransformation and bioactivation in toxicity. Springer. 2009; 57-86. [3] Walsh J, Miwa G. Bioactivation of drugs: risk and drug design. Annual review of pharmacology and toxicology. 2011; 51: 145-67. [4] Brahmankar DM, Jaiswal SB. Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics A Treatise. 2nd Edition. Vallabh Publications Prakashan; 2012. [5] Boyer T, Manns M, Sanyal A, Zakim D. Zakim and Boyers hepatology. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders/Elsevier; 2012. [6] Walsh J, Miwa G. Bioactivation of drugs: risk and drug design. Annual review of pharmacology and toxicology. 2011; 51: 145-67. [7] Ioannides C, Lewis DFV. Cytochromes P450 in the Bioactivation of Chemicals,Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry. 2004; 4:1767-88. [8] Leon Shargel , Andrew Yu, Suzanna Wu-Pong. Applied Biopharmaceutics Pharmacokinetics. 6th ed. USA :McGraw Hill ; 2012. [9] Trevor F. Slater. Free-radical mechanisms in tissue injury. Biochem J. 1984 Aug 15;222(1):1-15. [10] V. Lobo, A. Patil, A. Phatak, N. Chandra. Free radicals and functional foods : impact on human health. Pharmacogn Rev. 2010 Dec; 4(8): 118-26 [11] Wermuth CG, editor. The Practice of Medicinal Chemistry. 3rd edition. UK and USA: Elsevier Ltd.; 2008. [12] Nassar AF, Hollenberg PF, Scatina J, editors. Drug Metabolism Handbook: Concepts and Applications. New Jersey and Canada: John Wiley Sons, Inc.; 2009. [13] Griloa NM, Charneirab C, Pereiraa SA, et al. Bioactivation to an aldehyde metabolite-Possible role in the onset of toxicity induced by the anti-HIV drug abacavir. Toxicology Letters. 2014; 224: 416-23. [14] Collinsworth KA, Kalman SM, Harrison DC. The Clinical Pharmacology of Lidocaine as an Antiarrhythmic Drug. Circulation. 1974;50:1217-30. [15] Johansen Ø. Comparison of Articaine and Lidocaine used as Dental Local Anesthetics. Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo; 2004. 25 p.

Sterling Seagraves Dragon Lady Essay -- Sterling Seagrave Dragon Lady

Empress Dowager Tzu His Exposed in Sterling Seagrave's Dragon Lady China’s great ancient empire has been the source of stories, fables, and fascination throughout the world for generations. The Asian culture has a long history of powerful leaders and ruthless battles making it one of the longest standing powers that the world has ever known. Yet, what took centuries to create was destroyed during the reign of a single ruler, plunging the country into chaos and confusion. The one who often is believed to have generated this collapse is the Empress Dowager Tzu His, the last Empress of China. Until the end of her reign in the early 1900s, the life of the Empress was shrouded in mystery. Once people gained access to the court records, not long after the Boxer rebellion (1901), the â€Å"true† nature of the women was brought to the world. Sir Edmund Blackhouse, a European writer, gained access to this information and painted a less than favorable portrait of the Dowager saying: â€Å"Tzu His was of a ruthless, single-minded tyrant, an iron-willed, oversexed Manchu concubine who usurped...

Tanning Beds and Cancer

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, on an average day, nearly thirty million people tan indoors in the United States (â€Å"Skin Cancer Facts† 2011). What is even more alarming is, â€Å"a new study has shown that people who use tanning parlors once a month or more have an increased risk of developing malignant melanoma by 55%. Melanoma is one of the deadliest forms of skin cancer† (â€Å"Skin Cancer Facts† 2011). If this statistic does not scare those who use tanning beds, it should. Although a nice bronze glow accompanies your body after your trip to the tanning bed, a lifetime of trouble for your skin will follow, also. Is a nice tan really worth a lifetime of health concerns for your skin? To many, it is because of societies definition of beauty. Society thinks the idea of beauty involves harming their skin and receiving potential cancer in return for laying in a bed for â€Å"color†. This needs to change just as much as we need to stop the increase of skin cancer. One-way to stop this delusional sense of beauty and to decrease the number of skin cancer patients is to ban tanning beds. Tanning beds should be banned in the U. S. ecause although you may get instant, temporary, tan skin, developing a deathly cancer called melanoma can create more permanent unpleasant medical issues and the real idea of beauty needs to be re-established. To begin, many people have heard the term melanoma but it is important to know and understand what it is. According to the article â€Å"Melanoma Stage Three Prognosis,† Melanoma is a cancer that forms in the melanocytes of the skin. These are cells that make melanin, which colors our eyes, hair and skin (â€Å"Melanoma† 2011). These cells can be found in moles usually brown or black in color, but sometimes pink, red, or even blue. Not only can these moles and other spots be cancerous, they can be deadly. Melanoma is one of the deadliest cancers in America, and also one of the fastest spreading cancers (â€Å"Skin Cancer Facts† 2011). People do not recognize they are carriers, therefore do not receive adequate treatment, so it spreads to additional parts in your body, and very quickly. â€Å"This spreading is referred to as mestasis† (â€Å"Melanoma Stage Three Prognosis† 2011). As it spreads to other parts of the body it makes for a very difficult treatment because â€Å"lymph nodes start the invasion process of nearby tissue and form lesions on vital organs† (â€Å"Melanoma Stage Three Prognosis† 2011). As a result, â€Å"melanoma in the United States kills about 8,700 unlucky people every year† (â€Å"Skin Cancer Facts† 2011). Also, according to the American Cancer Society, there is an estimated â€Å"120,000 new cases of melanoma in the US are diagnosed in a year† (â€Å"Melanoma Skin Cancer† 2011). These statistics are alarming because we all could potentially make a choice to start decreasing these numbers. Using tanning beds is causing skin cancer which spreads quickly, can reach a stage that is extremely hard to treat and could lead to death. If tanning beds were banned, there would be fewer people dying from skin cancer because people wouldn’t be allowed to use them. Since using tanning beds is the number one cause of skin cancer itself, banning them should be a given. In addition to causing skin cancer, tanning beds are brainwashing people into thinking that being â€Å"tan† is the new beautiful. What ever happened to natural beauty, including pale skin? It is sad that our society has made women and men feel self-conscious about their color because tanning beds offer a â€Å"tan†. We have started a society where kids are judged because they are not pretty and â€Å"tan† like the others. As a result, kids and adults feel self-conscious and become depressed, sometimes leading to suicidal thoughts or even suicide itself, due to the lack of confidence they have in themselves. If tanning beds were banned kids and adults would not feel self-conscious about their skin because you wouldn’t be able to tan constantly without the real sun. Some say that even though tanning beds are banned, people will go on vacation and return home tan and people will feel the same way, but this â€Å"color† will be natural. Re-establishing the idea of natural beauty will benefit everybody and their confidence. Next, to prevent people from going tanning government officials need to ban tanning in the U. S. If people break this law, there will be federal consequences just as any other law has. Reason being, there are enough innocent people dying from skin cancer because of the natural sun, so by banning tanning beds we can save the lives of those who get cancer from the beds. Also, we can re-define the term beautiful so those who are self-conscious about their beautiful pale skin are confident in their natural beauty. If we enforce this new law, people will not feel as self conscious about their pale skin because there will be no other way to tan except by the natural sun. This will get people to realize that the natural way is the most beautiful way. In some states, there have been laws implemented to restrict minors from tanning. There have also been laws stating that you must have parent permission to be able to tan. These laws don’t work because minors use fake i. d. ’s or have other people sign for them (â€Å"Should Tanning Beds Be Banned† 1995). If we enforce the new law, we can be one step closer to stopping suicide caused by low self-esteem, and helping the depressed become confident in their bodies. With all these reasons as to why there should be a ban on tanning beds comes the other side of the argument. Some people believe â€Å"Imposing a ban on tanning salons would restrict the free choice of consumers† (‘Should tanning beds be banned? 1995†). If consumers are given correct information about the dangers of indoor tanning, then they should be able to weigh these risks against their own personal benefits from indoor tanning and decide for themselves if it would be a rational choice. Some say â€Å"the government should not tell consumers that they cannot assume certain risks, even if they are willing to do so, just because the government believes that the risks are too great† (â€Å"Should Tanning Beds Be Banned? † 1995). Some also believe that â€Å"not everyone develops cancer after visiting these salons, and consumers might be willing to take the gamble (â€Å"Should Tanning Beds Be Banned? 1995). People arguing against banning tanning beds believe that a ban on tanning salons would infringe the free choice rights of over one million citizens of the United States. In my opinion, the government should risk these unhappy citizens for decreasing the number of skin cancer patients. It should not matter if your â€Å"choice† is infringed upon because this new law will be saving the lives of many. In conclusion, tanning beds cause melanoma, which can lead to death. Tanning beds have also aided in changing the definition of beauty. If tanning beds were banned, we could stop the rise in skin cancer patients and save the lives of many. Also, we can boost those kids and adults’ self-esteem who still think their natural skin is beautiful despite how others who use tanning beds may make them feel. In the long run, we could reduce the number of depressed and even suicidal individuals who become self-conscious because of the â€Å"color† of their skin. This is an important decision to make because we can reduce the number of deaths and help kids and adults realize they are beautiful the way they are.

How consumers are protected in contracts for the sale Essay

Goods are any form of products that are supplied to consumers for their convenience. They are generally modelled as having diminishing marginal utility. Ultimately, whether an object is a good or a bad depends on each individual consumer and therefore, it is important to realize that not all goods are good all the time and not all goods are goods to all people. Sourced: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_(economics) Role of the Sales of Goods Act 1979: The Sales of Goods Act 1979 gives consumers the opportunity of returning or exchanging products which do not fit the description for example, if a consumer has joined a new contract with the O2 and have been told that with the new contract they get a contract phone in black, however on the day when the phone arrives its white then the consumer can take their problem straight back to O2 and they would have to change the product straight away as it doesn’t look like what it is said to. Also if the contract clearly states that it will be a particular phone and turns out to be a different make then O2 would have to make sure the exchange the products and supply the customer with the one they have stated. Express Terms of the Sales of Goods Act 1979: An express term of a contract is a declaration which is made by two or more organisations; and has agreed upon what is stated in the contract, the contracts can be made through verbal methods or by word of mouth. Once the contract has been agreed upon both the organisations have to make sure the follow the deal. Conditions: A condition is a term which has to be followed within the agreement, For example, if O2 are selling their phone contract to customers, whereas supply customers with a different phone contract then it shows that  O2 did there bit of providing the customer with a mobile phone contract however didn’t provide them with the right one. A breach of contract will entitle O2 to follow the correct law of the contract and provide the consumer with the right one. Warranties: A warranty is a term that does not fully follow all agreements, so For example, carrying on from the O2 phone contract issue , when the customers buys the phone contract and is assured by the company that they will receive a special tariff with the contract. Therefore, when the phone contract arrives on the day there is no extra tariff, when the party doesn’t stick to its word then this is seen as a warranty. The customer is able to sue the supplier however it doesn’t mean that the agreement will end. Implied terms of the Sales of Goods Act 1979: There are sequence of conditions which are automatically prepared in every contract by the sales of goods act; and they would be dealing with the following which include: title, description, fitness for purpose and satisfactory quality. I have stated these factors below and explained what each and every one of them means: Title: this is when there is an implied condition which allows the sellers to have the right to sell the goods for example, O2 impliedly confirms that the phone contract it sells actually belong to it and also that it can legally pass on the ownership to another telecommunications company, however if O2 are not able to pass on the title to the buyers then it will mean that O2 will be liable for breach for the contract. Description: the contract must fully explain how the product has been described, when there is a contract for the sales of goods by description then there will be an implied condition that the goods will correspond with that description. However the slightest removal from the description will then enable the buyer into rejecting the goods for breach of condition of the contract made. Fitness for purpose: A fitness for purpose is where a seller who in this case  is O2 plans to sell its goods in the good courses of their business, for example if O2 was to sell their contract to the consumers for the business to be better and make more sales. There is an implied condition for this was they are fit for the particular purpose, this means that the buyer (consumer) has expressly or impliedly known to the seller. Satisfactory quality: The satisfactory quality is where the sellers sell goods for the good of their business; there is an implied term that the goods that is supplied are of the right satisfactory quality. However except to the extent of defects which are brought straight to the buyer’s attention, this will be done before the contract is made meaning that T-Mobile will need to sell satisfactory quality to their consumers. Conclusion: Overall in the briefing sheet I have made sure that all evidence is provided, also that a clear explanation is made of how a contract protects the consumer and what happens if that contract is breached. Mainly information is suggested on the different conditions made by the sales of goods act such as title, description, fitness for purpose and also satisfactory quality. Factors that invalidate contracts: There are many factors that can make a contract invalidated, which means that the contracts cannot be used anymore, such as the following: Misrepresentation: Misrepresentation is where there is a false statement in the contract which is made by one of the parties to the other before the contract is agreed on. There is no general duty to disclose facts, and silence will not normally amount to a misrepresentation. But gestures, smiles or a course of conduct may amount to a representation. Duress: Duress is where a party enters into a contract against their will for example, if O2 is forced into a contract by either violence or treat of violence to themselves or to their family then it means that the contract that is being made may become invalid. In this case the affected party can avoid the contract on the ground of duress; this is because all parties who are entering a contract must enter freely. Mistake: In general terms a mistake  is when a contract is being made however one of the party members may have made a mistake in knowing what they are agreeing to or a contract can be made which turns out to be wrong, this i s down to a mistake occurring, sometimes when there is a mistake in a contract it can make it invalidated.