Ex Convict And Alcoholic Analysis Social Work Essay Essays

Ex Convict And Alcoholic Analysis Social Work Essay Essays Ex Convict And Alcoholic Analysis Social Work Essay Essay Ex Convict And Alcoholic Analysis Social Work Essay Essay This assignment takes up the survey and analysis of Malcolm. An ex-convict with an intoxicant dependence record, Malcolm has late been released, after a long stay, from prison. Presently shacking in a inn for ex-offenders, Malcolm is expecting the allocation of a local authorization flat. Malcolm has been referred to societal services by the inn staff. The complete instance survey is detailed in the appendix. Much of Malcolm s jobs with intoxicant have contributed to his condemnable activity in the yesteryear. However, he has been alcohol free during his long prison sentence and has non resumed imbibing since his release. Malcolm still continues to smoke and in a recent incident about started a fire in the inn when he fell asleep with a lit coffin nail. In add-on to limited mobility, due to arthritis of the articulatio genuss, Malcolm appears to be disoriented, unable to do coherent determinations and organize his life. He seems loath to do societal contact and has refused all efforts to take part in a local tiffin nine or even help of the dial-a-ride community conveyance strategy. His lone household contact is a boy life in Spain, whom he meets twice a twelvemonth. This survey takes up the analysis of the instance survey on Malcolm from the position of societal work theory and pattern applications in appraisal and planning, with specific attending to person-centric and anti-discriminatory attack to pattern. The survey is structured into two parts, each of which trades with a specific societal work method. The first portion trades with the appraisal of Malcolm s instance and the 2nd portion trades with planning of interventional activities. Role of Social Work Theory in Understanding Service Users Social work is basically concerned with the changeless combating of subjugation and favoritism that exists within society and is normally directed towards disadvantaged sections ( Davies, 2008, p 20-25 ) . Social work theory plays a important function in understanding service users from the position of their age, gender, civilization, spiritual and socio-economic backgrounds ( Payne, 2005, p 10-12 ) . The function of societal work theory is important in understanding the fortunes of the service user. Social work theory employs the eclectic usage of theories and legitimises the usage of a wider scope of subjects ( Payne, 2005, p 10-18 ) .Because every state of affairs is different, societal workers must believe laterally and creatively to turn to the demands of their service users, using theories known to them at any given clip whilst being guided by professional values and codifications of behavior ( Payne, 2005, p 10-18 ) . Whilst traditional societal work theory established sociolo gy as a scientific discipline, modern twenty-four hours societal work theory emphasises the importance of subjectiveness, moralss and societal justness with a person-centred attack ( Payne, 2005, p 10-18 ) . Appraisal Assessment, planning and intercession are indispensable elements of modern-day societal work pattern ( Parker A ; Bradley, 2007, p 20-30 ) . Each of these methods constitute critical elements of societal work pattern that purpose to ( a ) set up the existent province of vulnerable people, both immature and old, who are in demand and to ( B ) program and present necessary societal and wellness attention services in order to heighten their societal or economic fortunes ( Parker A ; Bradley, 2007, p 20-30 ) . Malcolm s instance is a cause for serious concern as he suffers from chronic physical and mental wellness jobs originating from prolonged intoxicant maltreatment. A careful appraisal of Malcolm s instance will help in explicating suited programs for intercession. Malcolm is 73 twelvemonth old ex-convict and ex-alcoholic. Much of his condemnable activities in the yesteryear have been attributed to his dependence on intoxicant and he has spent a major portion of his life in prison. Several physical, psychological and societal jobs can attest themselves in drawn-out intoxicant maltreatment ( Connors, et Al, 2004, p 35-42 ) . Some manifestations include assorted wellness jobs like liver cirrhosis, ictuss, backdown from societal activities, devaluation of personal and work relationships, battle in condemnable activities and troubles in executing at work or at place ( Connors, et Al, 2004, p 35-42 ) . The UK has a important aged population ( Department of Health, 2005, p 80-96 ) . Alcohol maltreatment upsets amongst the aged are common, but tend to be ignored, as compared to other physical and mental wellness issues ( Connors, et Al, 2004, p 35-42 ) . In recent old ages the NHS and societal attention services have been doing commissariats and advancing programmes for the well being of older people, particularly in countries of specific disablements ( Department of Health, 2005, p 80-96 ) . Although Malcolm has abstained from intoxicant during and after his release, he finds it hard to reintegrate himself into chief watercourse society. Unable to bear the societal stigma associated with his yesteryear, he is insulating himself. His long dependence on intoxicant has besides led to a scope of physical and mental challenges ( Connors, et Al, 2004, p 35-42 ) . At important hazard, he is besides prone to accidentally wounding himself and others. The inn Staff has raised concerns that he is exposing marks of terrible depression and isolation, abstaining and retreating from engagement in societal activities and sing troubles in doing consistent determinations. In add-on, his creaky articulatio genuss are restricting his mobility. Besides this, he has no beginning of income or occupation. Bing in the aged age group, this farther compounds his job. Under the fortunes, concerns are raised that Malcolm may non be able to get by on his ain, one time the allocation of his local auth orization level comes through. Recent old ages have witnessed the outgrowth of a person-centred attack to societal work pattern ( Thompson, 2006, p 15-19 ) . The attack emphasises that the positions and sentiments of the service are the most of import elements in the appraisal procedure. Social workers are required to follow anti-discriminatory work patterns by extinguishing societal prejudices and developing a echt empathy for service users challenges ( Thompson, 2006, p 15-19 ) . However, Lena Dominelli ( 2004 ) argues that an nonsubjective person-centred attack to societal work pattern is non possible. Harmonizing to Neil Thompson ( 2006 ) discriminatory attitudes and perceptual experiences in societal work constantly go entrenched due to structural, cultural and personal factors. As a societal worker, I have to be cognizant and sensitive to the fact that persons become victims of intoxicant and substance maltreatment despite contrary purposes. Whilst measuring Malcolm s instance, I will necessitate to set up an emphasized, respectful relationship and follow a person-centred attack ( Parker A ; Bradley, 2007, p 20-30 ) . I will necessitate to clear up the intent of societal work, the processs involved and the appraisal and planning procedure ( Davies, 2008, p 35-42 ) . I will besides necessitate to pass on clearly and explicitly his engagement in the complete appraisal procedure and the benefits to be derived from this exercising ( Davies, 2008, p 35-42 ) . I will besides necessitate to guarantee confidentiality and explicate the codification of confidentiality to him ( Davies, 2008, p 35-42 ) . I will besides necessitate to construct a strong and empathic relationship with him and discourse the demand for us to work together with changeless information sharing in order to get the better of his jobs ( Davies, 2008, p 35-42 ) . I will hold to set up the province of Malcolm s mental and physical wellness jobs, his baccy dependence and intoxicant related jobs, his household and societal relationships. My assessment process will affect referral to Malcolm s file ; from ( a ) constabulary and prison records ( B ) general practician s wellness records and medical appraisal ( degree Celsius ) inn staff ( vitamin D ) a personal meeting with Malcolm and, ( vitamin E ) beginning information from Malcolm s boy. I will necessitate to entree his constabulary records to gauge his mental and physical wellness whilst imprisoned, his activities and his relationships with other inmates. Past records from his general practitioner/health worker will enable me to set up the exact province and extent of Malcolm s mental and physical impairment. A fresh medical appraisal would besides be necessary to determine these facets. The inn staff will assist me to find whether Malcolm is a victim of societal stigma and exclusions, his societal backdown, his substance maltreatment and communicating jobs. I will besides necessitate to place Malcolm s personal positions and values, the grounds for his past behavior, with particular respect to alcohol maltreatment and subsequent felon activity and besides the grounds for his present societal backdown, his upbringing and household relationships, his cultural and spiritual background, his instruction, past employment records and the trade or accomplishments that he may hold acquired or possesses. Confirmations from Malcolm s boy will set up the sort of relationship they portion at the minute, their household life in the yesteryear, the sort of parent Malcolm has been and his relationship with boy s female parent. Intervention The chief aim of societal work is to supply aid to fulfill the basic demands and heighten the well being of the service users and to authorise persons who are hapless, laden and vulnerable by effectual intercession ( Parker A ; Bradley, 2007, p 38 -41 ) . Intervention programs are taken in coaction with the client and other members of the squad ( Parker A ; Bradley, 2007, p 38 -41 ) . In explicating intercession programs, the societal worker must needfully see the service user s cultural, cultural, spiritual, socio-economic and educational backgrounds. Harmonizing to the NASW ( 2005 ) Intervention must include programs for ( a ) damages demands identified in analysis, ( B ) information, mention and instruction, ( degree Celsius ) psychological, fiscal, vocational and educational guidance, ( vitamin E ) psycho-educational support systems and ( degree Fahrenheit ) interdisciplinary public assistance planning. An appraisal of Malcolm s instance highlights the fact that a combination of drawn-out intoxicant maltreatment, mental, physical and societal jobs has put Malcolm at important hazard. To enable Malcolm take a more productive being, particularly after he shifts into independent life quarters, it is necessary that Malcolm is provided with ( a ) equal medical and fiscal aid, ( B ) psychiatric and vocational guidance, ( degree Celsius ) Alcoholic Anonymous referral and ( vitamin D ) aid to incorporate into chief watercourse societal life ( Parker A ; Bradley, 2007, p 38 -41 ) . To efficaciously step in in Malcolm s instance, I will hold to assist Malcolm do informed picks. I will besides hold to put up meetings with ( a ) medical practician to measure his physical fittingness, ( B ) psychiatric counsellor/psychologist and ( degree Celsius ) vocational counselor to look into his accomplishments and occupation suitableness ( Parker A ; Bradley, 2007, p 38 -41 ) . Since Malcolm is diffident and withdrawn, I will besides hold to assist him organize a web of friends and to acquire a sure friend to attach to him on dial-a-ride or to the local tiffin nine. I will hold to invariably supervise his advancement to guarantee that he complies and reintegrates himself into chief watercourse society ( Parker A ; Bradley, 2007, p 38 -41 ) . I will besides necessitate to inform him of his rights and privileges as a senior citizen under the NHS and societal attention service strategies and programmes, his right to province fiscal aid, senior citizen aid commissions and groups. I will besides necessitate to guarantee that Malcolm is allotted a suited local authorization flat, within the stipulated clip ( National ..2005, p 21-22 ) Whilst appreciating Malcolm s soundness in abstaining from intoxicant for a significant period of clip, I will hold to explicate the necessity of him fall ining self assist groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous ( AA ) non merely to forestall a reversal of wont but besides to develop self regard. I have besides taken attention to mention his instance to AA and ensured that they have received the referral. Decision A senior citizen, Malcolm has had a history of intoxicant maltreatment and condemnable activities. Recently released from prison, he is now stays in a inn for ex-offenders. Malcolm has been exposing terrible physical and psychological jobs and is at important hazard. The inn Staff has raised concerns that Malcolm may be unable to populate independently. Social work theory plays an of import function in understanding the fortunes of the service users. In recent old ages, societal work pattern has become more person-centred in attack. However, there are statements that societal work pattern can non be to the full individual centred, as factors of structural, personal and civilizations influences are interwoven into the societal worker s character. As his societal worker, I will hold to measure Malcolm from assorted positions of his past history of substance maltreatment and condemnable activities, personal and household relationships, medical records, personal positions and values, inn staff and boy. In carry oning my appraisal, I will hold to set up an emphasized relationship with Malcolm, whilst being sensitive to the issue of substance maltreatment. I will hold to underscore the demand for us to work together for continual information sharing to get the better of his jobs. I will necessitate to guarantee his confidentiality and besides explain the appraisal processs and intercession programs. Whilst making so, I need to be sensitive to the fact that persons become victims of substance abuse despite contrary purposes. The chief aim of societal work is to supply aid and right the demands of the service user identified in the appraisal. Intervention programs are taken in concurrence with the service user and other members of the squad involved in the appraisal. Whilst explicating intercession for Malcolm, I will necessitate to explicate to him the importance and benefits of re-integrating into chief watercourse society. I will hold to help him to construct a web of friends and help of the installations of dial-a-ride and the local tiffin nine. In add-on I will besides hold to supply him information about assorted ego aid groups like AA, senior citizen groups, commissions and programmes and guarantee that he gets the needed aid from these groups. I would besides hold to inform him of his rights as a senior citizen to assistance under the NHS and societal attention programmes. In add-on, I will hold to guarantee a thorough medical appraisal of his physical and mental wellness is conducted and intercession in footings of medicine and psychiatric guidance are provided and availed of. Vocational appraisal and guidance would besides be provided if Malcolm is seeking employment. The ultimate purpose is to pull Malcolm out of his isolation and depression, supply more productive results for his life and re-integrate him into chief watercourse societal life.

Natural Law the Prevailing Theory in the United States Today Research Paper

Natural Law the Prevailing Theory in the United States Today - Research Paper Example Natural Law is the of knowing of right from wrong instinctively and the ability to make moral decisions based upon those instincts. This is not just a theory formulated years ago and withered with time it is a theory built into the our very being and since the days of Adam and Eve has been the law we have lived our lives by and build our criminology around. Many Christians believe that Natural Law is the will of God and the Ten Commandments certainly reflects that cause.†They Believe That The Nature of Man And The World Reflects The Will of God† (Donald, James A,) and the Ten Commandments encompass all facets of the human instincts toward right and wrong and the formation of our current day laws and how they are enacted. You do not have to believe in God or even consider yourself christian to be inherent to Natural Law, it is not a spiritual entity but an outcome of nature. Natural Law is not something that was invented or created and it existed long before Aristotle and his cronies came up with their theories. In modern day America our entire law revolves around Natural Law, not theories or ideas, and we never have and do not now need legislation to tell us that it is wrong to steal or to kill or even to treat another human being badly. We certainly dont need to visit a lawyer before committing murder or robbing a bank to ascertain if its the right or legal thing to do and the purpose of legal legislation is to give society the right to punish those who are unable to conform with Natural Law and even the perpetrators of acts against Natural Law expect the penalties they receive, if caught, because it is built into their nature to know that they are being immoral and wrong. The right to bear arms in protection of ourselves and our property has always been an inherent part of Natural Law and even now in the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution it is not clear on that law.â€Å"There is considerable

Human Behavior Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human Behavior - Movie Review Example The film mainly features on Al Gore and his travels around the world. It primarily depicts his efforts in trying to teach the public on the severe effects of climate change, which in the long run might cause global warming (Guggenheim). Gore shows the world through this documentary of the effects of global warming on the earth both presently and in the future. The evidence of global warming is shown through detailed graphs and flow charts portraying the effects of economic change on the earth. In addition, several pictures are also shown of earth, which were taken from various angles from space. Gore’s message is further highlighted on the film on global warming, which according to the vice president, is brought about by global climatic change due to the various actions of man. The main course of these changes on the environment is the amount of greenhouse gases released to the environment due to various activities. These causative actions of man are mainly the release of gase s by various industrial processes, which eventually lead to climatic change and global warming. The film warns the public that people should check their actions, and that their actions on environment should be verified to ensure they are not aggravating the situation of global warming. The documentary also highlights the likelihood of collapse in ice sheets mainly in Greenland and West Antarctica. These occurrences might lead to rising of sea levels to approximately 20 feet above current levels. Consequently, this will lead to floods along coastal areas, which might cause displacement of population in these areas (Guggenheim). In the event where there is melting of the ice from Greenland, water will be found to contain lower saline levels; hence, may affect the currents mainly from northern Europe making them warmer compared to previous temperatures. This could lead to striking local cooling effect on the area. This illustration shows how catastrophic global warming will be to futur e generations, if really nothing is done about pollution increases. However the film offers a lifeline as it encourages that certain actions need to be taken appropriately to check the problem. Environmental pollution effects can be easily reversed if mankind acts fast on mitigation of causative factors. Firstly people should strive to ensure very few amounts of carbon dioxide are released into the environment. Secondly, the public should embark on efforts to plant as many trees and vegetation as possible. Increase in vegetation cover provides an avenue through which excess carbon dioxide gets out of the atmosphere. At this point, one can say that the film will have a lasting impact on the viewers. This positive assumption holds despite the notion that some facts need to be verified scientifically to check their authenticity, and to analyze their affects using scientific methods. Though the film is catchy and very educative, more awareness needs to be done to the world, especially o n the negative effects of industrial development (Guggenheim). The film gives viewers an insight on a city in Brazil, which has taken some measures to make a difference on environmental pollution. From an objective perspective, the film is really an educational piece of work for those involved in urban planning and the

Ulysses S. Grant Essay Example for Free

Ulysses S. Grant Essay Ulysses S. Grant, an army General and the 18th president of the United States of America is considered one of the greatest war strategists and generals in American history. His rise to fame was brought about by his successful exploits and exceptional military leadership serving as a Union General in the Civil War. Most notable of which are the decisive wins in the battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania and the siege of Petersburg which eventually led to the Confederacys surrender. But while his contemporaries hold him to the highest regard as a military leader, the same could not be said about his presidency. Political leadership proved to be unsuitable for him, and while his dignity was said to be unquestionable, his presidency is severely criticized and condemned due to rampant corruption and perceived inadequacy. Grant was baptized Hiram Ulysses Grant in Point Pleasant, Ohio on April 27, 1822, the eldest in a brood of six. He came from a family which Grant (2002) proudly asserts as all-American: â€Å"My family is American, and has been for generations, in all its branches, direct and collateral† (p. 12). His parents were Jesse Root Grant, a tannery and farmland owner, and Hannah Simpson Grant, a frontier woman (McFeely, 1981). Grants family relocated to Georgetown in 1823, where he started his formal education—this place was to be his home until his seventeenth year, before he goes off to West Point. He attended the school of Richardson and Rand in Maysville, Kentucky, then the Presbyterian Academy, a private school in Ripley, Ohio. (Grant, 2002) Grant (2002) found his childhood â€Å"uneventful† (p. 17) and professed no inclination towards his studies. He did show exceptional equestrian skills and was noted for his diligence. With his skills, he was put in charge of doing any work that required proficiency with horses—tilling land, hauling wood, plowing and furrowing the land, etc. His lack of business skills (an issue which would later on figure significantly in his life) was evinced in one situation when the eight year-old Grant was given some money by his father to buy a colt, with the instruction of bargaining with the owner. Grant said to him: â€Å"Papa says I may offer you twenty dollars for the colt, but if you won’t take that, I am to offer twenty-two and a half, and if you won’t take that, to give you twenty-five† (Grant, 2002, p. 20). Needless to say, the owner got the colt full price. At age seventeen, he attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, and a registration mistake made by the appointing congressman omitted Hiram from his name and added Simpson, his mothers maiden name. Grant, however, did not correct the mistake, and he has been known by that name ever since. Grant was an average student, graduating 21st in a class of 39 (McFeely, 1981). He did not care to have a career in the military (he wanted instead to teach) and saw his West Point appointment as just another opportunity to travel, he said: â€Å"A military life had no charms for me, and I had not the faintest idea of staying in the army even if I should be graduated, which I did not expect† (Grant, 2002, p. 26). After graduation he was stationed in St. Louis, Missouri where he met and and pursued Julia Dent. They later married in 1848 (McFeely, 1981). During the outbreak of the Mexican War, grant fought his first battles under Generals Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott, where he took part in important offensive missions. After the war, he went back to St. Louis, Missouri to tend to his family and establish several business and farming ventures (Grant, 2002). However, even with the help from relatives and friends, his business endeavors failed (due in part to his less than adequate business skills) and he faced great financial difficulties (McFeely, 1981). Grant then moved back to work in Galena, Illinois when his father offered his a clerical position at his store (Grant, 2002). When the south broke away from the Union, signaling the start of the Civil War, Grant decided to fight under the Union banner. He gathered volunteers to Springfield and enlisted his services to the government. As a colonel, he successfully took control of an unruly volunteer regiment and was promoted to brigadier general. He proved to be a great military leader and went on to lead many successful campaigns. His skill as a military strategist and tactician earned him the respect of his contemporaries and made him a household name. (McFeely, 1981) He fought on to lead the Union in a series of decisive victories—battles in Belmont, Fort Donelson, Fort Henry—and became the commander of the Union army. When asked about his terms of accepting surrender, his reply was â€Å"no terms, except an unconditional and immediate surrender† (McFeely, 1981, 135). This, as well as the unconditional surrender of more than 14,000 confederacy soldiers at Donelson earned him the nickname â€Å"Unconditional Surrender Grant† (McFeely, 1981, 135). He also launched an exhaustive and grueling campaign to wear out and capture the Confederate forces. This culminated in the siege of Petersburg which forced General Robert E. Lee to flee and eventually surrender his army at Appomattox Court House (McFeely, 1981). After the war, he was nominated as the Republican candidate for the presidential elections and won, although he was reluctant to accept the post. After learning of his victory, he told his wife: I am afraid I am elected (Goode, 1999, p. 18). He entered the White House at age 46, the youngest president in American history. He took part in many notable policies, especially those that aim to reduce national debt and re-establish public credit (Hesseltine, 1935). The reconstruction of southern states were also facilitated under his reign. However, corruption was so widespread in the administration that it overshadowed everything—it even came to be called as â€Å"Grantism† (Goode, 1999), which was regarded by many â€Å"unfair† considering Grant himself didnt take part in the corruption (Skidmore, 2005). Grant was also criticized for his passivity and for his haphazard appointment of officials. Many, if not most of the people under him, even those he appointed were involved in numerous scandals and for exploiting the governments coffers (Hesseltine, 1935 and Goode, 1999). After his presidency, Grant was only relieved to leave the politicians life—â€Å"I certainly never had any taste for political life (Goode, 1999, p. 18) he confessed. He retired and lived a comfortable life with his wife in New York, until he was diagnosed with throat cancer. He has completed written his Memoirs a few days after his death and it remains one of the most popular presidential autobiographies in history. When grant died in 1885, fire bells rang throughout the country, however, â€Å"it was for Grant the soldier that they rang, not for Grant the president† (Goode, 1999, p. 19). References Grant, U. S. (2002). Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant. Boston: WGBH Educational Foundation. Goode, S. (1999, July). Ulysses S. Grant: The Unheroic Hero. World and I, 14, 16-19. Hesseltine, W. B. (1935). Ulysses S. Grant: Politician. New York: Dodd, Mead Company. McFeely, W. S. (1981). Grant: A Biography. New York : Norton. Skidmore, M. J. (2005). The Presidency of Ulysses S. Grant: A Reconsideration. White House Studies, 5, 255-265.

Kimchi Journal :: China Chicken Virus Kimchi Essays

Kimchi Lifesaver Finals are finally over and I will be leaving for Korea in two days. I haven't been to Korea in nearly ten years but I still remember the savory foods vendors sell along the streets of Myong Dong Market. My grandmother called me today with some unfortunate news. She informed me about a bird flu called Avian Influenza that has infected poultry across the farms in South Korea. "You need not worry, sweetie," my grandmother said in Korean. Strict measures were taken so that farms would not further spread this disease. Nonetheless, grandmother told me to pack my warm clothes and prepare myself for some good Korean food. I can hardly wait. December 25, 2003 A kimchi Christmas. I have been eating kimchi like there is no tomorrow. Don't get me wrong, I love kimchi. However, I have been eating more than my stomach and breath can handle. Scientists from Seoul National University came out with a study a few days ago stating that a lactic enzyme in kimchi has remedial effects on chicken and other types of poultry. I assume kimchi's "antibacterial powers" have kept my family and I clean from this epidemic. With what I could understand from the Korean news, the bird flu is extremely infectious to organisms such as poultry. I went on the Center for Disease Control website to get a much more comprehendible version of the epidemic. It conveyed that the disease spreads rapidly from bird to bird as large amounts of the virus are secreted in bird droppings, contaminating earthly surroundings. The technical term for the disease is called Avian Influenza A H5N1. The big scare, The World Health Organization admits, is that this strain has the unique capacity to jump the species barrier, causing several diseases in humans. I will not be eating chicken for a while. January 5, 2004 I am finally back in the States. It is such a relief that we do not have to deal with Avian Influenza here. Although CDC said the risk of H51N flu in the United States is low, I cannot help but think that travelers such as myself could contract the virus and bring it back to infect others. This wouldn't happen to us though. January 13, 2004 Kimchi Journal :: China Chicken Virus Kimchi Essays Kimchi Lifesaver Finals are finally over and I will be leaving for Korea in two days. I haven't been to Korea in nearly ten years but I still remember the savory foods vendors sell along the streets of Myong Dong Market. My grandmother called me today with some unfortunate news. She informed me about a bird flu called Avian Influenza that has infected poultry across the farms in South Korea. "You need not worry, sweetie," my grandmother said in Korean. Strict measures were taken so that farms would not further spread this disease. Nonetheless, grandmother told me to pack my warm clothes and prepare myself for some good Korean food. I can hardly wait. December 25, 2003 A kimchi Christmas. I have been eating kimchi like there is no tomorrow. Don't get me wrong, I love kimchi. However, I have been eating more than my stomach and breath can handle. Scientists from Seoul National University came out with a study a few days ago stating that a lactic enzyme in kimchi has remedial effects on chicken and other types of poultry. I assume kimchi's "antibacterial powers" have kept my family and I clean from this epidemic. With what I could understand from the Korean news, the bird flu is extremely infectious to organisms such as poultry. I went on the Center for Disease Control website to get a much more comprehendible version of the epidemic. It conveyed that the disease spreads rapidly from bird to bird as large amounts of the virus are secreted in bird droppings, contaminating earthly surroundings. The technical term for the disease is called Avian Influenza A H5N1. The big scare, The World Health Organization admits, is that this strain has the unique capacity to jump the species barrier, causing several diseases in humans. I will not be eating chicken for a while. January 5, 2004 I am finally back in the States. It is such a relief that we do not have to deal with Avian Influenza here. Although CDC said the risk of H51N flu in the United States is low, I cannot help but think that travelers such as myself could contract the virus and bring it back to infect others. This wouldn't happen to us though. January 13, 2004

Explore how love and lovers is presented in Romeo and Juliet and The Labrotory Essay

Explore how love and lovers is presented in Romeo and Juliet and The Labrotory. Love. Love is a feeling of a deep romantic or sexual attachment to someone, An intense feeling of deep affection. Love in Romeo and Juliet is a brutal, powerful emotion that captures individuals and catapults them against their world, and at times, against themselves. In The Laboratory love is presented as a unpleasant feeling, filled with jealousy, obsession and overall revenge, which is also a dramatic monologue which evokes the audiences emotions. Love is another important thematic ingredient in Romeo and Juliet, which presents various types of love: the sensual, physical love embraced by the Nurse; the Traditional or contractual love represented by Paris; and the passionate, romantic love of Romeo and Juliet. †love is Too rude, Too boist’rous, and it pricks like a thorn†. In The laboratory Browning explores the jealousy and vengeful of someone disappointed in love, and how far they would travel to be happy themselves and see their lover suffer who has previously made her suffer. In the opening scene of Romeo and Juliet we are introduced to Romeo and Benvolio. Romeo reminisces about Rosaline which evokes the lover’s experience of daydreaming about his beloved, but in such a jumbled way, that it’s more frustrating than enjoyable.†Mis-shapen chaos of well-seeming forms† However this scene presents that Romeo is in love with Rosalines beauty. Romeo receives unrequited love which makes him feel melancholy and depressed. This can also be described as fickle love as he falls in and out love quickly. Romeo is in love with Rosaline at the start of the play, which is presented as an immature infatuation. Today, we might use the term â€Å"puppy love† to describe this. Romeo’s love for Rosaline is shallow and nobody really believes that it will last, including Friar Laurence. †Thou chid’st me oft for loving Rosaline† Romeo is speaking in rhyme throughout this scene. He says, â€Å"Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs, Being purged, a fire sparkling in lovers’ eyes†. From this the reader may assume that Romeo takes love very seriously, it is also represents a stereotypical form of love poetry. This may indicate that there is nothing special about his love with Rosaline. In this scene Romeo also uses oxymoron’s to describe his love for Rosaline. He describes love as â€Å"sick health†. This illustrates the idea that he is confused and not making any sense because he is talking in an irrational way. Benvolio tells Romeo to â€Å"Examine other beauties†. This quotationportrays the idea that maybe Benvolio has seen this before from Romeo and he knows the time will come when Romeo will fall in love with another lady. The audience will feel that Romeo is acting like a lovesick teenager. Likewise in The Laboratory the women is suffering from unrequited love and is consumed with evil and twisted thoughts. She’s feeling betrayed and paranoid – she refers back to them as laughing at her, imagining her at church praying for her lover to return back to her. †While they laugh, laugh at me, at me fled to the dearer† William Shakespeare and Robert Browning both portray unrequited love and the different paths it leads to, as in Romeo and Juliet, Romeo is melancholy and sulking, however he is not doing anything to make the situation better. †Out of her favor where I am in love† In The Laboratory the women is creating a deadly poison due to her partner cheating on her and her receiving unrequited love. The women deals with the situation in a very pitiless, demanding way. †Grind away, moisten and mash up thy paste† Love between Romeo and Juliet is the main love portrayed in the play. Our classic idea of romantic love is embodied in Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare presents this as a force of nature, so strong that it transcends societal conventions. This idea is established in the play’s prologue with the line â€Å"a pair of star-crossed lovers take their life.† Romeo and Juliet still love each other and don’t let their hatred of each other’s family get in the way of their love. â€Å"Love give me strength, and strength shall help afford†. Romeo being hurt and melancholy at the beginning of the place make the audience question does he truly feel love or not. Romeo falls for Juliet as soon as he sees her, Which Shakespeare describes as love at first sight. â€Å"Did my heart love till now?† Shake spare also portrays that Romeo falls in love with Rosalines and Juliets appearances, due to it being love at first sight. He describes Rosaline as the moon which is beautiful but the moon always goes down when the sun rises who is Juliet. †As a rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear-Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear† The same as in The Laboratory the women believes her ex partner has feel in love with not the women’s personality but her looks. †Shes not little, no minion like me!, That why she ensnared him: this will never free† Both play and poem portray that the men have fell in love with the women’s looks. Romeo falls for Juliet as soon as he sees her which obviously tells the readers that he fell in love at first sight with her beautiful face, likewise the man has cheated on left his partner to be with a more curvy women, again falling for her looks. A love we are introduced to in Romeo and Juliet is the love between Juliet and the Nurse which is such of a mother and daughter, It portrays warmth, trust and laughter. Juliet loves her mother in a dutiful daughter way, but they do not have a warm, close relationship. All the nurse wants is for Juliet to be happy and this is why she helps in forgetting the family feud and helping Juliet marry Romeo. This effect Shakespeare portrays adds great effect and makes the relationship between Juliet and the Nurse similar to if the Nurse was the actual mother of Juliet. â€Å"I nursed her daughter that you talked withal†. In the Laboratory no such love is presented. Its as if the women is alone in the world which is causing her to go insane. However it could also be said that the women is confiding in the old man, as he is the only one who knows about her plan as did the nurse with Juliet’s plan. She is so thrilled with her plan, she celebrates with the apothecary. †You may kiss me, old man, on my mouth if you will!† Both Shake spare and Browning portray love in similar but different ways. Juliets affection with the nurse is positive and merry, with girlish talks, However The women in The Laboratory is showing love to the old man just for full filling her evil command. In The Laboratory and Romeo and Juliet tradition plays a very large role. Paris’ love for Juliet in Romeo and Juliet is born out of tradition, not passion. He has identified her as a good candidate for a wife and approaches her father to arrange the marriage. Although this was the tradition at the time, it also says something about Paris’ staid attitude towards love. †Younger than she are happy mothers made.† Also in The Laboratory Browning does not make any direct or uniform attacks on organized religion. He does not use any references to religion or tradition as it would of made the poem calm, and without them it gives the poem a more horrific, evil tone. Many of the friendships in the play are as sincere as Romeo and Juliet’s love for one another. The close relationships between Juliet and her Nurse, and between Romeo, Mercutio and Benvolio are meaningful and heartfelt. They care deeply for another and protect each others honor – this ultimately costs Mercutio his life. This platonic love is offset by the sexual innuendos made by some characters – particularly Juliet’s Nurse and Mercutio. Their view of love is earthy and purely sexual, creating an effective contrast with Romeo and Juliet’s romanticism. At the beginning of Romeo and Juliet, Romeo is very upset which gives Mercutio and opportunity to involve humor and sex. â€Å"O’er ladies lips, who’s straight on kisses dream†. He uses more sexual innuendo throughout the play when the subject of love is mentioned. The Nurse also links love and sex throughout the play. This is more marked when she finds out Juliet is to marry Romeo. We can see how excited she is about the physical opportunity for Juliet because she comments immediately on Romeo’s physical traits. â€Å"†¦His face be better than any man’s†. Although both Mercutio and the Nurse refer to the sexual act, the Nurse’s language is crude and lacks the refinement of Mercutio’s wit. Here Shakespeare presents to us a member of the lower classes, deprived from a formal education. Also Juliet awaits Romeo to consummate their marriage, she refers wholeheartedly to her sexual desires – having ‘bought the mansion of a love, but not yet possessed it’ suggesting that she recognizes the contractual element of marriage and desires to experience the physical side. Juliet also refers to ‘white as snow on a raven’s back’ which implies that her virginal purity is set against the darkness of the blood that she will lose as her hymen is split. Love is portrayed, therefore, as being courtly and flirtatious in the early scenes but sexual and foreshadowing death in the later scenes. In The Laboratory there is no use of sexual language however the women believes that her partner and the women Elise commit sexual acts. †Where they are, what they do: they believe my tears flow† The word flow could also be described as the women crying a river. Her tears as soon dried up and is happy by the end at the death of her rival and suffering of her lover. The language used in the Laboratory has various features such as; alliteration, personification, metaphor etc. Alliteration is used to add affect and give the reader a repetitive sound. â€Å"brand, burn up, bite†, â€Å"moisten and mash†, â€Å"poison to poison thee, prithee† Also the use of exclamation marks shows excitement, and reinforces the delight. In the same way Shake pare has also used various literary devices. such as oxymoron’s †Poor living corpse, closed in a dead man’s tomb!† Dramatic irony, †indeed, I never shall be satisfied / With Romeo, till I behold him-dead- † etc. Poison is often the weapon of choice for female killers. It requires little or no physical strength to administer, and can be done secretly. It also leaves little evidence thus making it difficult to detect the culprit. In both Romeo and Juliet and The laboratory the females use poison, which leads to death. However Juliet also dies by suicide. and the women in The laboratory dies from the poison. Browning writes ‘The delicate droplet, my whole fortunes fee’ showing that she’s incredibly dedicated in getting this guy and she’s spent her whole fortune on the poison and she’s not going to give up until the deed is complete. Romeo and Juliet has become forever associated with love. The play has become an iconic story of love and passion, and the name â€Å"Romeo† is still used to describe young lovers. Shakespeare’s treatment of love in the play is complex and multifaceted. He uses love in its many guises to thread together the key relationships in the play. In the Laboratory the women’s anger and revenge seems controlled as looking at the structure, all stanzas are end-stopped, indicating some clear structure and thought behind the lady. Hence, any sympathy we had for her almost disappears as she must know she is doing bad being that her state of mind is quite clear.

How Knowledge and Learning Survived in the Middle Ages

They began as men alone, solitary ascetics in wattle huts in the desert who lived off berries and nuts, contemplating the nature of God and praying for salvation. Before long, others joined them, living nearby for comfort and safety rather than friendship or festivity. Individuals of wisdom and experience like Saint Anthony taught the ways of spiritual harmony to monks who sat at their feet. Rules were established by holy men like  Saint Pachomius  and Saint Benedict to govern what had become a community despite their intentions. Holy Learning Monasteries, abbeys, and priories were built to house men or women (or both, in the case of double monasteries) who sought spiritual peace. For the sake of their souls, people came to live lives of work, self-sacrifice, and strict religious observance to help fellow humans. Towns and sometimes cities grew around them, and the brothers or sisters served the secular community in many ways—by growing grain, making wine, raising sheep, and so on—while usually keeping separate. Monks and nuns filled many roles, perhaps the most significant and far-reaching being keepers of knowledge. Books and Manuscripts Very early in their collective history, the monasteries of Western Europe became repositories for manuscripts. Part of the Rule of Saint Benedict charged followers with reading holy writings every day. While knights underwent special education that prepared them for the battlefield and the court and artisans learned their craft from their masters, the contemplative life of a monk provided the perfect setting for learning to read and write, as well as acquiring and copying manuscripts whenever the opportunity arose. Reverence for books and their knowledge was not surprising among monastics, who turned creative energy toward writing their own books and turning manuscripts into beautiful works of art. Books were acquired, but not necessarily hoarded. Monasteries made money selling copied manuscripts by the page. A  book of hours  would be made expressly for the layman; one penny per page would be considered a fair price. It was not unknown for a monastery to sell part of its library for operating funds. Still, they prized books among their most precious treasures. Whenever they had time or a warning, if a monastic community came under attack—usually from raiders like the Danes or Magyars, but sometimes from their secular rulers—monks would take whatever treasures they could into hiding in the forest or another remote area until danger passed. Manuscripts were always among such valuables. Secular Concerns Though theology and spirituality dominated a monastic life, not all books collected in the library were religious. Histories, biographies, epic poetry, science, and mathematics were all collected and studied in the monastery. One might be more likely to find bibles, hymnals, graduals, lectionaries, or missals, but secular pursuits were also important to a seeker of knowledge. Thus was the monastery both a repository and distributor of wisdom and learning. Almost all scholarship took place inside the monastery until the 12th century, when Viking raids ceased as an expected part of everyday life. Occasionally a high-born lord would learn letters from his mother, but mostly it was the monks who taught the oblates⠁  Ã¢â‚¬â€monks-to-be⠁  Ã¢â‚¬â€in the classical tradition. Using first a stylus on wax, then later a quill and ink on parchment once command of their letters improved, young boys learned grammar, rhetoric, and logic. When they mastered these subjects, they moved on to arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music. Latin was the only language used during instruction. Discipline was strict, but not necessarily severe. Outgrowing Monastery Traditions Teachers did not always limit themselves to knowledge taught and retaught for centuries. There were advances in mathematics and astronomy from several sources, including Muslim influences. Teaching methods were not as dry as one might expect; in the 10th century, Gerbert, a renowned monastic, used practical demonstrations whenever possible. He created a prototypical telescope to observe heavenly bodies and used organistrum (a kind of hurdy-gurdy) to teach and practice music. Not all young men were suited to monastic life, though most were at first forced into it. Eventually, some monasteries began maintaining schools outside of their cloisters for men not destined for the cloth. In time, these secular schools grew, became more common, and evolved into universities. Still supported by the Church, they were no longer part of the monastic world. With the advent of the printing press, monks were no longer needed to transcribe manuscripts. Slowly, monastics relinquished those responsibilities to return to the purpose for which they originally gathered: the quest for spiritual peace. Their role as keepers of knowledge lasted a thousand years, making Renaissance movements and the birth of the modern age possible. Scholars will forever be in their debt. Resources and Further Reading Moorhouse, Geoffrey. Sun Dancing: A Medieval Vision. Collins, 2009.Rowling, Marjorie. Life in Medieval Times. Berkley Publishing Group, 1979.