Sports and Million Dollar Baby Essay Example

Sports and Million Dollar Baby Essay Million Dollar Baby is a sports movie fused with drama and a dash romance with a running time of two hours and twelve minutes and its characters and the events that unfold are based on a true story. The movie tells the story of Frankie Dunn, an aging boxing trainer who happens to be a veteran in the sport and has committed the entirety of his life to the game but with very little to show for his work. Enters Maggie Fitzgerald who walks into Frankie’s gym and asks him to train her but Frankie is skeptical about the matter because he does not rank female boxing highly and he considered her too old at the age of 31 especially without neither experience nor technique to fight in the ring. Frankie also bears great guilt from back in the day when he was training his best friend and most loyal employee who suffered an eye injury that ruled him out of the sport. But Maggie would persist until Frankie accepts to train her and she develops into a strong fighter racking up win after win and a strong emotional bond is formed between the two who are also having off the ring complications with their families. Frankie’s daughter never responds to his frequent letters, his gym is facing closure by the bank and a fighter he was training signs up with a different manager as soon as he gets hot leaving Frankie out to dry. Maggie tries to form a relationship with her mother and sister but their only concern with Maggie is the money that she is making as a boxer and how much of that they could solicit from her after an unfortunate tragedy that she eventually succumbed to in hospital occurred during what would be her final boxing match. We will write a custom essay sample on Sports and Million Dollar Baby specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Sports and Million Dollar Baby specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Sports and Million Dollar Baby specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Sports is an integral part of the American culture and can be classified as high culture held strongly by its people. As a country, America is rich in history and this history is synonymous with sports as well. What might have begun a hundred years ago as players on a dusty field tossing a ball has rapidly evolved in

Was The New Deal Effective free essay sample

It is often said that desperate times call for desperate measures, and when President Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected in 1932, Americans were willing to try anything. In 1929 the stock market crashed and sent the country into what is known as the Great Depression. The effects were devastating in this prolonged economic crisis; people lost their jobs, many lost homes due to foreclosure, and millions were forced into poverty and starvation. Roosevelt responded to the crisis with the New Deal legislation and programs with the intention to provide immediate economic relief, leading to recovery and reform. Even though it can be argued that the New Deal was a failure because it did not completely end the Depression, it was still effective in restoring America’s confidence and getting people involved to contribute during hard times. When Roosevelt took office, he demanded government action. Leaving the nation to work out its problems on its own would just be unacceptable. We will write a custom essay sample on Was The New Deal Effective? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page A key element in Roosevelt’s New Deal was agencies to create employment by carrying out public works. The largest public works project was the Works Progress Administration (WPA), which employed more than eight million people from 1935-1943. The purpose of the WPA was to provide people with jobs until the economy recovered from the Great Depression. A huge number of roads, buildings, schools, hospitals, and other public works were built. Roosevelt’s efforts changed the leadership tone, and inspired those in despair. Millions of people earned a living wage and self-respect, as they were able to contribute during the hard time because of the New Deal. Even though the New Deal did not solve the problem of unemployment completely, it simply made it not as bad. The New Deal represented leadership that was active and positive. After the Great Depression, people were clueless as to what to do. America had lost its confidence. Therefore when Roosevelt initiated the New Deal, he got people moving again and working to contribute to overcome hard times. Roosevelt showed himself as the leader of the government whose job was to make sure people had a roof over their heads and food to eat and that he would do his best to get people working and making money again. This made People see that the government has a role to play in people’s lives beyond national security, and showed that during time of economic turmoil they can look to the government for guidance (Leonard). After Roosevelt, there has always been controversy over how involved government should be in American’s lives. The New Deal did not in fact end the Great Depression like Roosevelt had hoped it would. This is the main reason why most people argue that the New Deal was a failure. Many say that the New Deal actually prolonged the Depression and made things worse than they would have been had no effort been made (Cole, Ohanian). Ones who attack the New Deal also claim the policies were short-term policies and that there was no long-term planning for the future (Shlaes). The New Deal changed the role of government today to be more involved in people’s lives. Roosevelt increased the President’s power. Those who disagree with the New Deal argue that it brought too much government intervention into the economy and people’s lives. Roosevelt’s New Deal may not have ended the Great Depression completely, but it did solve many problems and it instilled confidence in Americans to do something rather than just sit there and panic when trouble arises. It shows us today what bold leadership can actually accomplish in hard economic times (Brechin). Many people argue if the New Deal was effective or not, but it depends on how they define effective. Was the New Deal effective in eliminating unemployment? No. But it was effective in showing Americans what leadership and bravery can do even through today’s unexpected obstacles. This one may argue, is one of the most important long-lasting effects.

Cs essays

Chinese Rejection of L/Cs essays The financing of trade transactions in China is relatively straightforward following international practice regarding letters of credit (L/Cs). In China the main attraction of L/Cs is that they guarantee payment and receipt of title from an independent party (a bank), as long as commercial and shipping documents are presented in accordance with the L/C, regardless of the underlying contract. What makes L/C use unique in the PRC is that the government does not allow foreign banks to confirm L/Cs issued by domestic banks, a practice common overseas. Normally, the confirming bank assumes the responsibility to pay on the issuing bank's behalf. This is quite valuable when the transaction is on the riskier side. Today, the Agricultural Bank of China and Everbright Bank of China are willing to issue (open) confirmation L/Cs on behalf of other smaller Chinese banks. A single bank, the Bank of China, is often the only option for Chinese companies who desire a L/C, because the other banks, in cluding the big four commercial banks are often not very conversant with international trade practices, international banking and transaction. This gives the Bank of China a monotony type control over the L/C process and leads to very strict control as they get thousands of L/Cs. Chinese contracts may contain a clause stating that payment will be made only after clearing Customs. This puts the foreign seller in a precarious position as even the smallest discrepancy may cause delay in customs clearance and thus delay payment. These types of delays are not uncommon. For example if market price has dropped, the buyer may simply refuse to begin customs clearance or find a trivial technical excuse to avoid paying for the goods. Therefore the contract should be appropriately worded. To avoid these types of problems one should screen the trade partners carefully. A number of consulting firms are present who assist in verifying the legitimacy of trade partn...

Lincolns Journey to Emancipation essays

Lincolns Journey to Emancipation essays Lincolns Journey to Emancipation He comes to us in the mists of legend as a kind of homespun Socrates, brimming with prarie wit and folk wisdom. There is a counterlegend of Lincoln, one shared ironically enough by many white Southerners and certain black Americans of our time. Neither of these views, of course, reveals much about the man who really livedlegend and political As a man, Lincoln was complex, many-sided, and richly human. He was an intense, brooding person, he was plagued with chronic depression most of his life. At the time he even doubted his ability to please or even care about his wife. Lincoln remained a moody, melancholy man, given to long introspection about things like death and mortality. Preoccupied with death, he was also afraid to insanity. Lincoln was a teetotaler because liquor left him flabby and undone, blurring his mind and threatening his self-control. One side of Lincoln was always Supremely logical and analytical, he was intrigued by the clarity of mathematics. As a self-made man, Lincoln felt embarrassed about his log-cabin origins and never liked to talk about them. By the 1850s, Lincoln was one of the most sought after attorney in Illinois, with a reputation as a lawyers lawyer. Though a man of status and influence, Lincoln was as honest in real life as in legend. Politically, Lincoln was always a nationalist in outlook , an outlook that began when he was an Indiana farm boy tilling his farther mundane wheat field. Lincoln always maintained that he had always hated human bondage, as much as any abolitionist. He realized how wrong it was that slavery should exist at all in a self-proclaimed free Republic. He opposed slavery, too, because he had witnessed some of its evils firsthand. What could be done? So went Lincolns argument before 1854. To solve the ensuing problem of racial adjustment, Lincoln ins...

Theater of war Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Theater of war - Essay Example Today, there is war in countries like Iraq and Afghanistan. A lot of American soldiers are constantly being sent in this war zones. When you think about the families of these soldiers, they are anxiously waiting for their children to return (Buruma 6). Wars have always resulted to death and sorrow in families and leave many people worry. In the movie, we see the mother worried sick about her son who has gone to war. It is a very moving since every mother understands the value of having a son. Wars have always been in place and resulted to too many disasters as innocent people die. In relation to the movie, the mother mentioned in the book is a representation of love. Mothers are usually lovely and soothing to their children and always want good things. In the movie, mothers are likened to real mothers in life. In life, most mothers are caring and love seeing good things happening to their families. My mother for example can be likened to the mother in the story since she is loving an d caring to me. Whenever any person in the family gets sick or gets involved in an accident, she is always concerned (Buruma 6). From the star of time, mothers have always cared for the young ones. Soldiers in this movie are expressed as heartless on carrying out some of their duties. Living in these times, such can be correlated to mass murders carried out by certain leaders. A good example could be Muamar Gaddafi, ex-president of Libya, who after being evicted from power, revolted widely and resulted to mass murder of people. The storyline depicts heartless people to be existent in the war area, but such people still exist in these current times. I would also like to recommend this movie to be viewed at our local theater since it has a good message to the viewers. To me, I think it would be an eye opener to the people concerning the reality of wars. In addition, certain virtues could be learnt from them movie and even borrowed by other people (Buruma 6). The movie can be viewed by all groups of people since it does not contain explicit details. The English of the narrator is good and employs good narration skills of the events ensuring that the documentary is understood clearly. Furthermore, by it being played in the local theater, it would encourage community cohesion. I would like this play to be viewed by our community because I believe it is beneficial and inspiring as the truth about wars is unveiled. In addition, different characters express characteristics of people in the society and some people might learn from it. From my own perspective, the movie is good and should be watched by as much people as possible since they will be able to learn about the evils of war and try never to indulge in it (Buruma 6). War like people in the community could learn the repercussions of war and calm down. In addition, the movie would help to strengthen familial ties since people would appreciate the importance of family in times of crisis. In addition, a lot of grue some scenes which the writer talks about are not shown hence becoming a good movie for all ages to see. Furthermore, the community members would be fascinated by viewing the movie as it has good teachings. In summary, this movie is a good documentary movie on wars and a great eye opener on real issues that occur and surround wars. Many life lessons are also learnt from the movie as

Analysis of the nevada constitution Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Analysis of the nevada constitution - Term Paper Example The state has its own designated political powers just as the federal U.S. government, which allows them to monitor each others performance in the state, for the sake of the state’s operations and in defense of the public will. Along the past century, the state has adjusted some of its policies, hence affecting the political, governance, and the judicial system in various ways. However, looking critically at Nevada’s and USA constitution, there are similarities and differences in practical application of the policies and operations, especially those related to democracy and supreme powers in the judicial system, executive, and legislative arms. 2. Powers of Nevada’s governor compared to the president The governors in Nevada are elected and given responsibilities to perform in the state for a four year term. Article 5, sections 1 and 2 of Nevada constitution law provides that the governor be elected by qualified electors, while voting for members of the legislatur e and once in office, takes the supreme executive power of Nevada state vested on him or her as chief magistrate (â€Å"The constitution of ,† leg.state.nv.us). Looking at the executive and administrative powers, the president of the national system of governments has of course more power than the Nevada governor. However, in consideration of the Nevada’s constitution, the governor may enjoy certain legislative advantages that the president could be restricted from, by the congress and the state constitution. According to Driggs, the first benefit as enacted by the Nevada law is that once the legislature passes a law, the governor alone is responsible to ensure they are executed without interference from Congress or national chief executive; again, the state’s constitution states that the governor has the power to convene the legislature, hence associated with more control over a special session, which they may call to the attention of the legislature while in s ession, limiting the president control and the influence he or she can cause on the congressional affairs in a session (98). It does not mean the president has no power to call a special session, but is limited from interference of the business the congress is handling at the time in a session. The governors are held accountable to uphold the state’s law, but they also have powers sign into law, the bills passed by the state legislature. However, certain bills have remained unapproved and others can become law without the governor’s signature, especially when the legislature can override the veto. In Nevada, the governor has options of either vetoing bills, signing them, or doing nothing (an option that makes them pass into law without his or her signature); if the governor vetoes a law and its taken back to the house, the elected members of each house have the law either approved by overriding the veto by accumulating two thirds of each house vote or have the veto sus tained (Legislative Counsel Bureau, leg.state.nv.us). Similarly, just like the Nevada governors, the president has constitutional rights to sign, veto, or do nothing as a response to a bill passed by the congress. In case of vetoing, the congress can enact it into law by raising two thirds of majority votes in the two chambers to override the veto, or the bill dies, if the congress suspends it before ten days completion after the passage of the bill (CQ

M.K. Ghandi The story of my experiment with truth Essay - 1

M.K. Ghandi The story of my experiment with truth - Essay Example As a consequence, ever person is liable for the truth and has a responsibility that it be recognized and valued by others. The first twenty seven chapters of the book see how Gandhi’s life is molded by his circumstance and then in turn sought to mold his own destiny. From his childhood, his being part of the Banya caste, growing up in Porbandar and Rajkot and being in general under the absolute duress of his parents social and political roles (4-7). He has a great respect for elders and people in authority, considers them beyond reproach or doubt. His experience as student, particularly the incident where he said that his teacher prompted him to cheat to impress a school inspector, reading Harishchandra and watching the play Harishchandra are key points in his childhood. These laid the foundations for his future treatise on truth and society which will led him to question what in his childhood he accepted so easily including his formative schooling experience and Hindu social customs (4). Gandhi considers his life experience as a process of contemplation, self-realization and application. In conjunction with his personal and professional development within and outside his primary context, he considers these as experiments that have allowed him to define his values and prerogatives. Such as in his early experience with eating meat, his commitment to avowing this food develops from compliance by rote and enforcement, defiance by subversion, rationalization through knowledge and finally true acknowledgment and acquiescence of the practice. This will set a pattern it seems for Gandhi: evident in the succeeding chapters of the book detailing his high school, college and early professional experiences in Africa and home. His life is highlighted by time of great self-doubt, conflicting familial and social aspirations as well as

Investigate a precolonial African polity in terms of its key Research Paper

Investigate a precolonial African polity in terms of its key constituent institutions - Research Paper Example Political centralization was the key component of pre-colonial institutions. Pre-colonial African polities have been in existence in the earlier years as a broad ground for the provision archeological research of the civil compatibility and the country. Much of the twentieth century, pre-colonial African countries were misunderstood because of the outward encouragement. Archaeological research is done on these states, however, shows the native origin of the social compatibilities and the countries in Africa, putting in place valuable new ideas for the provisional research in the earlier years on the formation of a state. It tries to analyze how the archaeologists have handled the state of pre-colonial in Africa, starting with listing of the colonial-era based on the state of the country and the advancement in Africa. Then followed by showing how insights into the political processes across the continent are provided by power through a discussion of archaeologist. Major illustrations are made within wide elaborated divisions; at the end of this review, (a) Driving state formation across the continent, because of the agency of indigenous political entrepreneurs. (b) How the pre-colonial African countries political contours were well shaped through having alternatives modes of power. The countries that were in place even before the colonial rule progresses to mould its recent advancement, pre-colonial countries control is attained with the recent cross country distinction in attainment of school, literacy, roads being paved, and immunization. Most of the countries in the West Africa rejected the French settlement as they had centralized form of government. Similar parts of the west Africa were among the states that received low investments in the colonial period. The pre-colonial states in Africa had all it takes to have full control of the people instead of the land. Below are the several factors that led to this: †¢ Agriculture, this demanded a

General science Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

General science - Research Paper Example The first and most apparent recognized use is as communications apparatus with people you already have a strong acquaintance. Email and instantaneous messaging has gone way past the previous adopter phase. For many enterprises, societies and families, it has become one of the prevailing forms of communication. Email is up there with the telephone, and more and more is replacing physical mail and fax. This is fascinating. It took the telephone eons to be at par with this level of acknowledgement for such routine uses. Fax never reached it for personal utilizations (Zittrain, 2009). On the other hand, the Internet has been also used as an information-collecting tool. Reports by Pew Internet Project show that over 50 percent of adult Internet consumers utilized the Internet, most probably, for job-connected research. On any given day, nearly 16 percent of Internet consumers are online doing research. Ninety-four percent of youth ages 12-17 who have Internet access claim that they utiliz e the Internet for social research. Seventy-one percent of online teenagers assert that they utilized the Internet as a key source for their current major school project or report. The History of early medium of communication Example: Printed communication (i.e. books and newspapers), television, and radio According to Wyman( 2009) written communication flourished off developing technology, such like the discovery of paper and printing press. In fact, publishing media is the oldest type of mass media. This media includes newspapers, books and magazines. The conception of books is apparently not new. It is thought that the first ever book in the world was published and printed in 863 AD in China. Although it was the first book to be officially printed, many historians assert that books had been released way before this period. On the other hand, newspapers are not as well new. They were invented during the seventeenth century in Britain and by the nineteenth century were widespread m ass media. The publishing media is currently the only source of mass communication. However, there has been considerable fall in its prominence but yet is a very essential source of mass media among the massive masses (Zittrain, 2009). Even now, radio remain a very prevailing means of communication and there are numerous kinds of radio utilized by institutions and people for the purpose of conveying information. Radio is used to send messages through signals by commonly modulation and many other means. It is characteristically utilized institutions and person who are far way from each other but need to maintain a constant communication. The idea of the television developed from the concept of being capable of see an individual while interacting with him on the phone. The social, political, and technical forces that have sustained the dominance of the medium of communication. Example: military interest, media enthusiasm and public triumphs In the communications niche, Motorola brough t about innovation. In 1983, Motorola introduced the first industrial portable cell phone, known as Motorola DynaTac 8000X phone. This as a result transformed how the world communicates. The corporation was the pioneer for radio communications. In the year 1940 Motorola grew its first handheld radio, the Handie-Talkie transferable two-way radio, designed for the United States military. This was followed by increased production of two-way

Strategic Management Business Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Strategic Management Business - Term Paper Example According to Bo Bennett ‘A dream becomes a goal when action is taken towards its achievement’ (Gordon Bell High School, 2012). The justification of the quote can be accomplished by none other than the personality who has given birth to the technical giants Apple. Apple inc. is a consumer electronics company which is headquartered at California, United States. The company is primarily indulged in manufacturing and marketing software, personal computers and other electronic products (Yahoo Finance, n.d.). Some of the iconic products of Apple include I-Phone, I-Pad, I-Pod and very shortly going to add I-Car to its product range (Paultan, 2012). Within a very short span of journey the company has been able to achieve the elite position in the IT industry. The case which has been selected to carry out the research is the article namely ‘Big Apple vs. Big Oil’. The case illustrates the ups and downs of the company and mentioned the staggering success of Apple in the share market. The case also highlights the reasons of Apple’s success in the market place and depicts the importance of the stake holders of the company. Moreover the case also illuminates the importance of Steve Jobs and his innovative and leadership qualities. The reason why Apple has been chosen in order to carry out the research is that the company offers tumultuous market narration. It has also witnessed economic slumps as well as path breaking success. The company is also the most noteworthy player in the digital entertainment sector with innovative outlooks for the future. Therefore it is assumed that Apple inc. will be the most suitable organization towards the completion of the study. Now the prime problem or the issue predating the company is the concerns of the health of Steve Jobs. The person is considered as the technical genius for the company and the sole personality behind every innovations portrayed by the company. Since Steve Jobs is the CEO of the Apple and with his absence the company will hugely suffer from leadership problems. However the investors of the company are gaming on the fact that the company will still pump out heavy profits. But still the question remains that will there be anyone ever who will fill Steve Job’s Shoes. The company is also comprehensively facing problem regarding the affordability of their products. The price of the products is meant for the higher income groups and thus the other section of people could not afford it. This also hampers the total sales volume of the company and ultimately lessens the revenue. Facts The chosen article i.e. ‘Big Apple vs. Big Oil’ illustrates that Apple Inc. was once on the verge of a bankruptcy but stabilizing the situation progressed towards being the market leader in IT industry. The company has also outperformed some of the biggest players of stock market. The day of 9th August will always remain momentous for the company as for a time being they have surpassed the oil giant Exxon Mobil in the context of the firms

Structural Family Therapy Is A Therapeutic Approach Psychology Essay

Structural Family Therapy Is A Therapeutic Approach Psychology Essay Structural Family Therapy is a therapeutic approach that recognizes that families possess many strengths and it attempts to move familys beyond dysfunctional patterns of interactions. Structural Family Therapy method was developed by Salvador Minuchin in the 1960s and is the leading model in family therapy and is one of the most widely used models for family therapy. Its focus is on family structure; subsystems; boundaries. Its goal is to focus on problem presented and structures displayed and improve or restructure the family structure then realign the family subsystems. The established family patterns is described by family structure and it is these patterns that determine how, why, who and when family members respond to and react with one another. The traditional family structure in the United States is considered a family support system involving two-parent household that provides provisions for their children. However, the two-parent, family has become less customary, and alternative family systems have become more common. The family is formed at birth and generations are formed. Those generations are known as the extended family or subsystems; aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins, and of these family members anyone can hold major emotional and financial roles for the family. The relationships between these people are known as subsystems, coalitions, or alliances. Each subsystem has its own rules, boundaries, and unique characteristics. Membership in subsystems can change It is these family members that join together to perform functions. The se boundaries and can be viewed on a continuum from open to closed. Every system has ways of including and excluding elements so that the line between those within the system and those outside of the system is clear to all. No family system is completely closed or completely open. Overview Structural Family Therapy employs not only a distinctive classification of terms, but is also a means of illustrating crucial family boundaries. Its emphasis is on the structure of the family, including its many substructures. Minuchin is a follower of the communication theory, which is the discipline that studies the principles of transmitting information and the methods by which it is delivered. An essential trait of Structural Family Therapy is that the family system is used as a catalyst for positive change. Every family has a structure. A familys structure is the invisible or covert set of functional demands that dictate or organize the way family members interact (Minuchin, 1974). Family dynamics is the term used for the way that families communicate and exist together. Every family has a distinct pattern of relating to one another, which can be positive or negative. Family dynamics are influenced by family structure, for example, how many children are in the family, whether one or two parents live in the home, whether or not there is a stepparent in the family, cultural background and the personalities of each member. All of these examples contribute to the influence of family dynamics. Minuchin believes families that have an open and appropriate structure recovers more quickly and functions better in the long term. Key Concepts Structural Family Therapy outlines three basic subsystems and are often organized by gender or generation. : The marital subsystem in which the couple relationship, the parental subsystem, and the sibling subsystem. Each subsystem is distinguished by the members who comprise the subsystem as well as the tasks or focus of the subsystem. In Structural Family Therapy, family rules are defined as an invisible set of functional demands that persistently organizes the interaction of the family. Coalitions, boundaries, and power hierarchies between subsystems are important rules for a counselor to study (Minuchin, S. 1974). Ann Hartman (1979) has defined the boundary of a family as that invisible line that separates what is inside the family and what is outside the family. This outside boundary defines the whole family in relation to other systems such as schools, churches, or other families, and outside individuals. The subsystems could consist, for instance, of those members who belong to the same generation (such as the children) or the same sex (the men of the family) or those who have the same interests or functions. Individuals may belong to more than one subsystem. Over a period of time, rules are developed about how the subsystems interact with each other, and who is included in the subsystems, and how each partic ipates. In other words, the kind of boundary that exists defines the relationship between and among the subsystems. According to Minuchin, understanding a family requires identifying the processes and boundaries that operate the subsystems and coalitions in that family. Minuchin defined three types of interpersonal boundaries (clear, rigid, or diffuse) that determine the overall ability of the family to adapt successfully to change: Clear boundaries around generic subsystems are ideal because they are firm yet flexible, permitting maximum adaptation to change. Rigid boundaries imply disengagement between family members or subsystems. The prevailing non-communicative hinders support and limits effective adaptation. Diffuse boundaries imply enmeshment where everyone is into everyone elses business. In this case, no one and everyone is taking charge and effective guidance during times of change is impossible. In addition to structure, substructures and external and internal boundaries, Structural Family Therapy is also based on roles, rules and power. A family is organized in terms of roles. Every family has to decide who will care for the children, who does what chores around the house, who makes decisions, and who handles the money. To function well, a family must have some clarity and agreement about these roles. Nevertheless, roles cannot be so firm and closely defined that they cannot be modified. Each member of a family plays a significant role in the family dynamics, and if a death or divorce occurs, the family structure is upset, which upsets family dynamics. People might blame one another or rely on a different family member more than before, which shifts the structure. Role organization and principles in any family are influenced by many factors culture, ethnic background, experience in the family in which one grew up, life style, and family size and composition. Over a period of time, family members develop rules about how they associate with each other and with the external environment. Many of these rules are silent contracts. There are rules about communication, such as parents never argue in front of the children. There are rules about how decisions are made, how problems are solved, and about how people are supposed to think, feel, and act. The rules are monotonous, expected, and unwavering. Families develop distinguishing ways to make decisions and to resolve conflict. All families must have ways to make decisions and to resolve conflict. In most families all members have, and need to have, a certain amount of power and influence in some areas. As Aponte (1976) has pointed out, Family members must have enough power in the family to be able to protect their personal interests in the family at all times, while keeping the well-being of the other members, and of the family as a whole, in mind. Most people think that power and decision-making is vested primarily in adult members of the family. However, there can be a great variation in how power is distributed and used in families. There are many types of boundary problems as many problems as there are families. Family systems therapists assess families for boundary problems along a spectrum, placing boundary problems between the following two extremes: Enmeshed families are entangled and it is difficult to be extricated or separated the boundaries. In enmeshed families, boundaries do not allow for individuation; they are too fluid, and have become crossed and often distorted. Boundaries are constantly crossed in numerous ways. Disengaged which means to mentally separate yourself or somebody else from a situation or difficulty. Detached describes the individual that stands on its own and is not joined to another system. Families that share little to nothing, typically overly rigid families, are described as detached. Theres little to no communication and no flexibility in family patterns to accommodate effective support and guidance. Alignment refers to the way in which family members as individuals and as parts of subsystems relate to each other relative to other family members and subsystems (Nelson Utesch, 1990. P. 237). Alignments can include either joining or opposing one member or subsystem over another (Aponte Van Deusen, 1981). A Coalition is an alignment between two people in a system which excludes a third person. According to Minuchin coalitions are short-lived. Therapeutic Interventions The structural family therapy has many therapeutic interventions such as Boundary making, Unbalancing, Joining, Enactments, Accommodating, Raising Intensity, and Reframing. Boundary making involves restructuring the family because it changes the rules within which the family functions (Colapinta, 1982). Boundary making is a restructuring maneuver because it changes the rules of the game. Unbalancing is to make something lose its balance or equilibrium. It is used create disequilibrium in the family structure which helps the systems to see their dysfunctional patterns and to be open to restructuring and/or change. Joining means to put or bring together so as to make continuous or form a unit. It is necessary for the therapist to establish this bond (Minuchin, 1974). Enactments are the act or process of enacting something. According to Minuchin and Fishman enactment constructs an interpersonal scenario in the session in which dysfunctional transactions among family members are played o ut. This technique allows the therapist to observe how family members control their actions, and to determine the problematic behavior within the sequence of transactions (Colapinta, 1982). Accommodating is a willing to please or to be helpful. Intensity is the structural method of changing maladaptive transactions by using strong affect, repeated intervention, or prolonged pressure. Intensity works best if done in a direct, unapologetic manner that is goal specific. The procedure of restructuring is at the heart of the structural approach. The goal of structural family therapy is to make the family more functional by altering the existing hierarchy and interaction patterns so that problems are not maintained. It is accomplished through the use of enactment, unbalancing, and boundary formation. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic therapy are the most commonly used psychotherapeutic treatments of mental disorders in adults (Goisman et al., 1999). Cognitive Therapy (CT), or Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) was developed by Dr. Aaron T. Beck, in the mid-1960s, and is a form of psychotherapy in which the therapist and the client work together as a team to identify and solve problems conditions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is usually more focused on the present, more time-limited, and more problem-solving oriented. Indeed, much of what the patient does is solve current problems. The goals of cognitive therapy are to help individuals gain control a better understanding and to solve current problems. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy uses a wide variety of techniques to help patients change their thoughts, actions, attitudes, and make-up. Its focus is on the way we perceive situations influences how we feel emotionally. Techniques may be cognitive, behavioral, environmental, biolog ical, supportive, interpersonal, or experiential. CBT has been demonstrated to be an effective treatment for a wide variety of disorders. To name just a few, it has been found useful for: psychiatric disorders such as depression, the full range of anxiety disorders, eating disorders, substance abuse, personality disorders, and (along with medication) bipolar disorder and schizophrenia; medical disorders with a psychological component, including several conditions involving chronic or acute pain, chronic fatigue syndrome, pre-menstrual syndrome, colitis, sleep disorders, obesity, Gulf War syndrome, and somatoform disorders; and Psychological problems such as anger, relationship difficulties, and compulsive gambling. In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy clients learn certain skills that they can use throughout their lives. These skills involve relating to others in different ways, and changing behaviors, identifying distorted thinking, and modifying beliefs Distorted thinking or Cognitive distortions are exaggerated and irrational thoughts. There are many types of Cognitive distortion: Emotional reasoning is Feelings are facts; Anticipating negative outcomes -The worst will happen; All-or-nothing thinking-All good or all bad; Mind-reading Knowing what others are thinking; Personalization Excess responsibility; and Mental filter Ignoring the positive. The cognitive distortions theory was presented by David Burns in The Feeling Good Handbook in 1989. He studied under Aaron T. Beck. According to Beck eliminating these distortions and negative thoughts will improve mood and discourage disorders such as depression and chronic anxiety. The process of learning to refute these distortions is called cognit ive restructuring. Modifying Beliefs is a huge step where one must recognize and identify certain beliefs even exist. However, in order to improve your attitude or behavior, you must begin to change these beliefs and adopt new healthy ones. This can be a difficult task if the belief is one that you have held onto all your life. For you to change any belief system, you must begin by questioning yourself about these beliefs sort of a personal rebuttal to your own ineffective beliefs. When it comes to relating to others, most people have been conditioned to think one way, the win-lose way. Relating to others simply means interacting effectively with a wide range of people in a many different situations. Clients who relate well to others are open to new learning and able to take different roles in different situations. They are aware of how their words and actions affect others. They know when it is appropriate to compete and when it is appropriate to co-operate. By working effectively together, they can come up with new approaches, ideas, and ways of thinking. Behavior change can refer to any transformation or modification of human behavior and is a rapid and involuntary when associated with mental disorders. Overview Ivan Pavlov, B.F. skinner, Joseph Wolpe, Albert Bandura, Arnold Lazarus, Albert Ellis and Aaron Beck are the contributors to the development of Cognitive Behavior therapy. There are three main theoretical approaches Cognitive behavior therapy. The first approach is Behavior therapy which is based upon the principles of classical conditioning developed by Ivan Pavlov and operant conditioning developed by B. F. Skinner. Classical conditioning is a reflexive or automatic type of learning in which a stimulus acquires the capacity to evoke a response that was originally evoked by another stimulus. The traditional example of classical conditioning is Pavlovs classic experiment with dogs, the neutral signal was the sound of a tone and the naturally occurring reflex was salivating in response to food. By associating the neutral stimulus with the environmental stimulus (the presentation of food), the sound of the tone alone could produce the salivation response. Operant conditioning is a meth od of learning that occurs through rewards and punishments for behavior. Through operant conditioning, an association is made between a behavior and a consequence for that behavior. The traditional example of operant conditioning uses the Skinner box, the subject, a rat, is kept in the box and becomes conditioned to press a bar by being rewarded with food pellets each time its early random movements caused it to press against the bar. The second theoretical approach is social learning theory is the view that people learn from observation, imitation and modeling. The social theory was coined by Albert Banduras in the 1960s, and explains how people learn new behaviors, values, and attitudes. Arnold Lazarus is a pioneer in behavior therapy, cognitive-behavior therapy, and multimodal therapy. He originated the term Behavior Therapy in the professional literature and went on to develop Multimodal Therapy which has been recognized as one of the most effective forms of cognitive-behavior t herapy. Arnold Lazarus expanded the scope of CBT to include physical sensations (as distinct from emotional states), visual images (as distinct from language-based thinking), interpersonal relationships, and biological factors. The third theoretical approach is cognitive therapy. Cognitive therapy seeks to help the patient overcome difficulties by identifying and changing dysfunctional thinking, behavior, and emotional responses. It was developed by Aaron Beck in the 1960s.

Oil Platforms Case Study

Oil Platforms Case Study The Oil Platforms Case The Rule of Force in International Law I. Introduction This paper relates to the Case Concerning Oil Platforms (Islamic Republic of Iran v. United States) of the International Court of Justice and its decision on the same delivered on November 6th, 2003. The dispute is related to a series of events that occurred during the Iran-Iraq war 1980-1988. During the war, due to attacks on merchant shipping vessels in the Persian Gulf, the US and other states engaged in â€Å"counter-attack† by targeting two Iranian oil platforms and severely damaging them in separate incidents. The US argued that it was only responding to a perceived threat and the attacks were only in the interest of security in the region. Tehran, not buying this theory of self-defence put forth by the US, cited several violations of bi-lateral International treaties crying foul over such use force. The prohibition of the usage of force by states in engrafted in customary international law as well as in Article 2 (4) of the UN Charter. But both fall short of containing force that is used in the States exercise of the right of self-defence. The ICJ in this particular case had to assert whether the force used by the US was really pre-emptive in nature; if it was, was it proportionate. The court whilst delivering its judgment developed an interesting new theory on such use of force by a state, a theory which has only been received critically. This paper shall seek to explore this particular theory in light of the aforementioned case. It must also be noted that this being a recent judgment holds immense practical significance with regard to the US operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and the troubled Baluchistan and NWFP provinces of Pakistan. To facilitate easy study, this paper has been divided into three parts; the first shall be an appraisal of the facts of the case itself, the second shall be a study of Article 2(4) and the final part will be a review judgment. II. The Facts of the Case and its Backdrop The case arose out of certain incidents during the Iran-Iraq war from 1980 to 1988. The case before the international Court of Justice revolved around the legality of the use of force with relation to two specific attacks against Iranian interests by US forces during the course of the war. The first instance was on October 19th, 1987. The US navy launched armed attacks against Irans Reshadat and Resalat oil complexes, both located in the Persian Gulf. This resulted in the complete annihilation of one of the oil platforms, whereas the other was severely damaged. As justification, the US claimed it was acting in ‘self-defence and the attack was in response to a missile strike three days prior on the Sea Isle City, a Kuwaiti tanker rebadged as a US flag-carrier in order to better ensure its safety. The second attack occurred a year later on April 18th, 1988 when US naval strikes severely damaged the Iranian Nasr and Salman complexes, nearly destroying the former. This time the US resorted to its prior justification of â€Å"acting in self-defence† again by stating that the attacks were in response to an American frigate, the USS Samuel B. Roberts, having been struck by a mine whilst sailing in international waters near Bahrain. On both instances the US notified the United Nations Security Council of its course of action in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter. The Iranian Government in its Application to the court based its claims on the 1955Treaty of Amity, Economic Relations and Consular Rights between the US and Iran (the Treaty), not sparing basic principles of international law. The Courts (the International Court of Justice) jurisdiction was founded on Article XXI (2) of the Treaty. Article I of the Treaty provided that â€Å"there shall be firm and enduring peace and sincere friendship between the United States of America and Iran†. Article X(1) of the Treaty provided that there should be freedom of commerce and navigation between the parties territories: â€Å"Between the territories of the two High Contracting Parties there shall be freedom of commerce and navigation.† Based on Articles I and X(1) of the Treaty of Amity, Iran accused the United States of having breached the Treaty by attacking and destroying the oil platforms. It also submitted that United States â€Å"patently hostile and threatening attitude towards the Islamic Republic of Iran† was a breach of the very purpose and object of the Treaty of amity including Articles I and X(1), and principles of international law, and that the US was under an obligation to make reparations to Iran for the violation of such legal obligations. The US denied any breach of obligation with Iran under Article X(1) and replied that the attacks were necessary to protect its national security. This, according to the US, was covered by Article XX(1)(d) of the Treaty and read: â€Å"The present Treaty shall not preclude the application of measures: (d) necessary to fulfill the obligations of a High Contracting Party for the maintenance or restoration of international peace and security, or necessary to protect its essential security interests.† Also, the US, in another counter-claim pleaded unsuccessfully, claimed that Iran had violated Article X of the Treaty by attacking its vessels and laying mines in the Persian Gulf and â€Å"engaging in activities from 1987 to 1988 that were dangerous and detrimental to maritime commerce and navigation†. The US claims of military attack on merchant vessels and warships were not completely unfounded. During the from 1984 to 1988, known as the Tanker War, numerous vessels were attacked in the Persian Gulf and such attacks were perceived to be purported by the Iranian military by means of aerial attacks and the use of mines. The Llyods Maritime Information Service list noted more 546 incidents, 200 of which were directly attributed to Iran. Iran, however, directed such accusations to Iraq and claimed responsibility for none. It must be noted here that the Treaty of Amity was signed between the US and Iran back in 1955. After the Islamic Revolution of 1979 in Iran and the installation of the Khomeini as the head-of-state in all practical aspects, relations between the two states soured and was particularly before the start of the Iran-Iraq war. During the revolution, the US expressed its dissatisfaction with affairs in Iran by severing all diplomatic ties with the Islamic state. The American embassy at Tehran was seiged by supporters of the Khomeini and Americans were taken hostage for a considerable period of time. Irans previous democratically regime headed by the Shah had been seen by the US as an ally; this did not go down too well with its new Government which accused the US of â€Å"over-involvement† with its internal affairs during the past regime. Further, the new government of Iran saw the inability of the Security Council to prevent and contain Iraqs invasion of Iran in September, 1980 as the result of an anti-Iran bias in the Council and even in the UN as a whole. Under such circumstances, the Iranian regime saw the increasing presence of American forces in the Persian Gulf as a perceived threat to its interests resulting in the attacks. Ergo, this conflict was not completely unpredictable; nor was it unavoidable as it had been on the offing for a while. In this respect, the Security Council had failed to check the rising tension between the two states. As a body whose primary task is maintaining world peace and stability it had failed to contain such a conflict which could have been resolved had it played a more active role in mediation between the states. III. Article 2(4) The Blind-spot Article 2(4) of the UN Charter reads: This provision of the Charter however, finds itself lacking and is ill-equipped to handle a rather important aspect international armed conflict. Its blind-spot it has no provisions for prohibition of military threats or the threat of use of force. The ambit of article 2(4) is limited to actual use of military force and â€Å"threats† to impose economic or political sanctions are beyond it. According to the general scheme of the UN charter, a violation of Ar. 2(4) may be justified only on two grounds recourse to self defence and authorisation by the UNSC. This brings us to the moot question Are states free to reciprocate to threats when no armed attack has actually occurred? This question has been left unanswered and its outcome the many wars fought even after the UN Charter was adopted. Two perfect examples of such a situation arose in Europe in August, 1914, the beginning of the First World War and again during the Second World War. The question before a nation is whether to ignore the military threat or to issue a counter-threat. In such a situation when one party is advantaged by overwhelming military threat, the threat involved will become lopsided and there will not be any real escalation or build-up of bilateral tension. Any country will always place self-defence on a higher footing as compared to a policy of self-restraint considering the demands of national security. The prohibition on the use of force is found both in customary international law and, as stated above, in Article 2(4) of the UN Charter. According to the UN Charter a state is not allowed to use force as a response to any intervention that falls short of an armed attack. The criterions established for the exercise of such retaliatory force include requirements that the force used must be necessary to repel the armed attack; it must be absolutely unavoidable and the force used must be proportionate. The Nicaragua decision [Case Concerning Paramilitary Activities in and against Nicaragua (Nicaragua v. USA)] echoed this principle. Article 51 carrying forward from Article 2(4) too recognizes states right to act in individual and collective self-defence if an armed attack is suffered by any member-state of the UN. Under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, force may also be used to preserve or restore international peace and security in accordance with decisions of the UN Security Council. In the Nicaragua case, the Court rejected US arguments that US support for military and paramilitary activities in and against Nicaragua could be justified on a basis of collective self-defence. These activities included certain activity of the contras in Nicaragua, including specified attacks, secret mine-laying, and a trade embargo imposed by the US against Nicaragua. The Court found the United States was in breach inter-alia of its obligations under customary international law not to intervene in the affairs of another State, not to violate the sovereignty of another State, not to interrupt peaceful maritime commerce and not to use force against another State. The US had also violated bilateral obligations to Nicaragua under a 1956 Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation between the United States of America and the Republic of Nicaragua. In the Nicaragua case the US chose not to appear before the Court during proceedings on the merits of the case. The Courts jurisdiction was founded on the United States 1946 declaration of acceptance of the Courts jurisdiction under Article 36(2) of the Statute of the Court, as well as on the bilateral 1956 Treaty. IV. The Judgement The approach taken by the International Court of Justice in the Oil Platforms case was controversial. In respect of Irans claim, the Court decided to address the question of whether the US attacks on Iranian oil platforms fell within Article XX(1)(d), before moving on to considerwhether there had been a breach of Article X(1) as requestedby Iran. In examining the application of Article XX(1)(d) the Courtdecided to focus on whether US recourse to force had been consistentwith international law on self-defence. The Court reasoned that evena provision protecting national security interests could not have beenintended to sanction the use of force inconsistently with relevant internationallaw. The Court proceeded to find that the US had exceededthe boundaries of international law on the use of force, and this disposedof the US claim that it was protected by Article XX(1)(d). In this way, the case centred on the illegality of the usage of force by the US. Recalling the discussion Article 2(4), the Court found that the US had failed to produce enough evidence to prove an Iranian â€Å"armed attack† in the case of the Sea Isle City and the Samuel B. Roberts. The evidence furnished by the US was so inconclusive that the Court did not discount the possibility of the attacks being carried out by Iraq. The Court noted that the Sea Isle City, at the time of the attack, was in Kuwaiti waters and the missile was launched on to it from a distance of over a hundred kilometres. The target of the missile, considering the great distance, could not have been pre-determined and it could have been intended to strike just about any target in Kuwaiti waters. With regard to the impugned mine-laying activities of Iran, the Court was again discontent with the evidence provided. There was no conclusive evidence to prove that the mine struck by the USS Samuel B. Roberts was indeed an Iranian one. The region at that time was in a state of turmoil. Both parties were engaged in mining the conflict zone and merely because the impugned mines bore numbers matching an Iranian series, Iran can not be held guilty. Whilst leaving room for speculation with the issue of the origin of the mines, the Court felt that even if they had actually been of Iranian origin, the US attacks on the Salman and Nasr complexes were unjustified. Recalling the Nicaragua decision, the Court opined that the Iranian attacks, if at all they were Iranian, did not qualify as â€Å"the ‘most grave form of the use of force† and the US can not claim the defence of â€Å"inherent right of self-defence†. The US contended that the oil platforms were being used as military bases by Iran and were being used for the collection and reporting of intelligence on passing vessels. In this regard too, the Court found the American evidence lacking. Even if the accusations against Iran had been true, the Court opined that the attacks made on the platforms could not have been justified as acts of self-defence. The criteria for claiming the defence of ‘self-defence had been established by the Court while acting in its advisory role in the case of Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons; they were â€Å"necessity† and â€Å"proportionality†. The US had failed to make out a sufficient cause on both grounds. The Court noted that the attacks on the platforms were not ‘necessary as a response to the attacks on the American vessels and the US admitted to have attacked them as a â€Å"target of opportunity† and not as pre-determined military targets. While the US attack on the Reshadat and Resalat complexes might have been considered proportionate if it had been found to be necessary, the Court made clear its view that the US attack on the Salman and Nasr platforms could not be regarded as meeting the criterion of proportionality. Although the Samuel B. Roberts had been severely damaged it had not been sunk and there had been no loss of life. The Court concluded that as the US attacks on the Iranian oil platform were not consistent with these requirements of international law on self-defence they could not be found to fall within the protection of Article XX(1)(d) of the Treaty of Amity. Only at this point did the US get some reprieve when the Court turned to the Iranian accusation of the US having breached Article X(1) of the Treaty of Amity by interfering with the freedom of commerce and navigation between the territories of the two parties. The Court found that Iran had failed to establish that the US had breached Article X(1) on the occasion of either of the attacks at issue. In respect of the first US attack, on the Reshadat and Resalat platforms, the Court reached this conclusion primarily on the basis that these platforms had been put out of commission by earlier Iraqi attacks and were not producing oil at the time. Therefore there was no interference with commerce in oil. In respect of the second US attack, on the Salman and Nasr platforms, the Courts reasoning was that the US had already stopped all direct oil imports from Iran under an embargo imposed by Executive Order. Therefore, no interference with commerce in oil had resulted from this second attack. T he Court emphasised that Article X(1) applied only to protect freedom of commerce and navigation between the territories of the two parties, and its protection did not extend to indirect commerce in oil that continued despite the embargo via the territories of third parties. Accordingly, neither of the US attacks on the Iranian Oil Platforms was found to have interfered with freedom of commerce in oil. The US counterclaim against Iran likewise failed because none of the affected vessels was engaged in commerce or navigation between the territories of the two parties. Summing the case, in its dispositif at the end of its judgment, the Court stated that, by fourteen votes to two, it: Finds the actions of the United States of America against Iranian oil platforms on 19 October 1987 and 18 April 1988 cannot be justified as measures necessary to protect the essential security interests of the United States of America under Article XX, paragraph 1(d), of the 1955 Treaty of Amity, Economic Relations and Consular Rights between the United States of America and Iran, as interpreted in the light of international law on the use of force; finds further that the Court cannot however uphold the submission of the Islamic Republic of Iran that those actions constitute a breach of the obligations of the United States of America under Article X, paragraph 1, of that Treaty, regarding freedom of commerce between the territories of the parties, and that, accordingly, the claim of the Islamic Republic of Iran for reparation also cannot be upheld. V. Comments The Oil Platforms case is of immense significance in present times in light of the growing military activities of the US in the Middle East, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, its detractors criticise the judgment by stating that it laid too little importance on the aspect of trade and commerce and the role it plays in armed conflict. This can not be ignored completely; after all, most battles are fought with a hidden economic interest for atleast one of the parties. The dissenting judges opined that the Court let pass an opportunity for more lengthy engagement with significant questions associated with the effects of armed conflict on trade and commercial activity. But, this cases primary focus was the use of force and in the opinion of the researcher it has done absolute justice in establishing its principle. The conditions of â€Å"necessity† and â€Å"proportionality† have not only been reinforced by the Court but also been developed to address the growing concerns of armed conflicts between states. As the future of Afghanistan and Iraq unfold before us and American interest in Irans affairs rises, the contribution of the judgment in the Oil Platforms case can not be ignored. It shall be the judge in assessing US activities in the region and will assist in developing the yard-stick of the usage of force. In a way future military activities of the US and other NATO allies will be moulded by it, ensuring a more secure world. Bibliography Harris D.J., Cases and Materials on International Law, Sweet Maxwell, London, 6th edition. Goodrich Leland, Hanbro Eward, Simmons Anne, Charter of the UN: Commentary Documents, Oxford University Press, 3rd edition. Sturchler Nikolas, The Threat of force in International Law, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2007. General List No 90, I.C.J. Reports 2003 Sturchler Nikolas, The Threat of force in International Law, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2007. See the Courts Order dated 12th December, 1996. Judgment of the Court, para 23. Counter-Memorial of the United States, Exhibit 9, referred to in the Separate Opinion of Judge Kooijmans, para 11. See the Courts Judgment of 24 May 1980 in the Case Concerning United States Diplomatic and Consular Staff in Tehran. Judgment of the Court, para 23ff; Separate Opinion of Judge Kooijmans, para 5ff. Goodrich Leland, Hanbro Eward, Simmons Anne, Charter of the UN: Commentary Documents, Oxford University Press, 3rd edition, p. 49. Supra n.2 Sturchler Nikolas, The Threat of force in International Law, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2007. General List no.70, Judgment of the Court of 27th June, 1986. Ibid. Judgment of the Court, para 61. Ibid., para 72. Ibid., para 64. Judgment of the Court, para. 71. Judgment of the Court, para. 64. Judgment of the Court, para. 74. ICJ Reports 1996 (I), p. 245, para.41. Judgment of the Court, para. 76. Judgment of the Court, para. 77. Judgment of the Court, para. 92ff. Judgment of the Court, para. 94ff. Separate Opinion of Judge Higgins para 51.

It Is Not Natural for Young People to Feel Stressed Essay

1) Stress It is not natural for young people to feel stressed and hopeless about the situations they face. All young people want is to be happy, to make a real difference they need our help to develop a more positive mental attitude and to understand that the real source of their happiness or their stress and to develop the inner strength and confidence to deal with any situation, however challenging, is an important goal. Many young people today put too much emphasis on materialism as a source of their happiness and need our help in understanding the importance of one’s inner values example sharing and caring, moving away from â€Å"us† and â€Å"them† and using their resources to help others respecting the rights of others interdependence and our reliance on others compassion and forgiveness gratitude. It is unrealistic to expect young people to be able to avoid conflict and that is why we need to teach them how to seek a win/win resolution to conflict. This involves hel ping them to look at situations from different perspectives, not just their own. Young people also need our help in making full use of the opportunities that come their way. Many young people do not have self belief and need our help in identifying their strengths and past successes. This requires different thought processes that involve the young person distancing themselves from strong emotions in order to analyse situations using clarity and objectivity to see what is actually happening, to assess what needs to be done and to develop a strong sense of purpose. This was the young person is able to act out of a clear awareness of their situation not out of anger or fear. They have a better chance of remaining calm in adversity and will have developed their inner strengths. Young people are no different to us, they want to overcome stress. There is no simple technique that will guarantee a calm and peaceful mind because each young person is different and lots of factors are involved e.g. the young person’s background, the support they can draw upon, health, education. What you can do is help young people to challenge the way that they think and in doing so improve their attitude, outlook and approach. You can help young people to develop the inner discipline they need to identify those factors which lead to stress and those that help develop a calm and peaceful mind. Then it is a matter of simply helping the young person to experience firsthand the benefits of eliminating the negative factors and of cultivating the positive. Benefits are likely to include increased flexibility and creativity, being more open and willing to reach out to others. This approach does not only benefit the young person but their family, school or workplace and society as a whole. Each young person will have their own baseline of happiness and no matter what good or bad things happen to them they will return to this level of happiness. This baseline can be influence by how the young person sees a situation e.g. by comparing themselves with others they see as more fortunate their baseline happiness goes down. But if they compare themselves with those who are less fortunate it goes up. Research has also shown that when young people use their resources to help others their baseline happiness goes up. It can be helpful to explore with young people which thoughts they find he lpful and which are harmful. Similarly they can explore which emotions and behaviours are helpful and which are harmful in terms in terms of the levels of stress experienced both short and longer term e.g. which behaviours provide temporary relief and which bring lasting happiness. There are a variety of approaches and methods that can be used but it takes time and the repeated application of these techniques so that the young person becomes familiar with what is happening, is able to identify the lessons learned and apply them when making decisions. It takes time for a young person to reflect on what brings lasting happiness and to reset their priorities and align their resources and efforts to what is truly of value and what gives their life meaning. Relationships are important to young people but it is often difficult for them to connect with others without fear and apprehension, they can be a major source of stress. Young people need help to understand how interconnected and interdependent we all are and how being open and flexible, sharing problems can bring down barriers and reduce feelings of isolation. Intimacy is important to our physical and psychological well-being. Young people need our help to understand the true meaning of intimacy i.e. the sharing of one’s inner self with another. They also need help in finding opportunities to broaden their definition of intimacy by including friends, family, colleagues, acquaintances and even strangers, opening themselves up to opportunities to bond. One way is to explore with young people how they feel when they meet somebody who is friendly and what are the practical benefits of this e.g. can turn to this person if I need help. You can then develop it further by exploring what it means to be the person who needs help by encouraging the young person to put themselves in the other person’s place and explore how they would react using their imagination. Then taking it one step further by encouraging the young person to let go of their own viewpoint and to develop an awareness and respect for the other person’ feeling. Another approach might be to encourage the young person to look for similarities in their own lives and those of others. It is a relationship in which we recognise that the young person is a fellow human being with the same need to live a less stressful life and one where we are willing to reach out and offer human affection, warmth, friendship and sensitivity to young people’s feelings. One of the major sources of relationship stress is the nature of power within the relationship. It can be helpful for young people to explore the sources of power, role and relationships before moving on to look at the feelings, what is shared and where there are connections. This approach is especially helpful in relating to each other as individuals, appreciating and valuing each other’s contribution. It is important to invest time in getting to know the young person’s basic characteristics as an individual before trying to relate at a deeper level i.e. beyond the superficial, willing to share the ups and downs of their lives, to demonstrate a responsibility and commitment. Building relationships with young people underpinned by feelings of compassion not only benefits young people it will also improve your own physical, emotional and mental health. You will feel calmer and will be less likely to suffer from depression. You will also have higher feelings of self-worth Organ Transplant An organ transplant replaces a failing organ with a healthy organ. A doctor will remove an organ from another person and place it in your body. This may be done when your organ has stopped working or stopped working well because of disease or injury. Not all organs can be transplanted. More than one organ can be transplanted at one time. For example, a heart and lung transplant is possible.Not everyone is a good candidate for an organ transplant. Your doctor or a transplant center will do tests to see if you are. You probably are not a good candidate if you have an infection, heart disease that is not under control, a drug or alcohol problem, or another serious health problem. People who need an organ transplant often have to wait a long time for one. Doctors must match donors to recipients to reduce the risk of transplant rejection. This is when the recipient’s body turns against the new organ, causing it to fail. People who have transplants must take drugs the rest of their lives to help keep their bodies from rejecting the new organ. Ironically, the increasing success rate of organ transplant procedures is one reason that organ transplant waiting lists have risen so dramatically since the late 1980s. The first organ transplants, performed in the late 1950s and 1960s, were characterized by high mortality rates; a major problem was that patients’ immune systems often rejected the foreign organ. The introduction of the drug cyclosporine in the 1980s helped mitigate this problem, and organ transplants subsequently became less experimental and more routine. Statistics indicate that in 1998 organ transplant procedures were successful 70 to 95 percent of the time, depending on the organ being transplanted. With these increasing success rates, more doctors have recommended the procedures. However, raising awareness about organ donation is a slow process, and the need for more organs is immediate. Thus the biggest dilemma facing the transplant community is, â€Å"How can the number of organs available for transpla nt be increased?†One proposal is to reverse the current system in which doctors must obtain a patient’s (or his or her family’s) consent in order to remove organs after death. Under a policy of â€Å"presumed consent† all patients would be presumed to want to become organ donors unless they explicitly state otherwise. Presumed consent proposals have consistently been met with strong opposition, however, on the grounds that they violate an individual’s right to make medical decisions for themselves. â€Å"Mandated choice† or â€Å"required response† policies are less extreme alternatives to presumed consent. Advocates of mandated choice policies argue that rather than waiting for people to volunteer for organ donation, hospitals or government organizations should require individuals to state their preference about organ donation, perhaps when they obtain their driver’s licenses or file tax returns. Texas, Colorado, and several other states have implemented required response policies, but, on average, rates of organ donation have not risen dramatically as a result. Researchers are also working on developing artificial organ s. As of February 2002, five people have received fully self-contained artificial hearts. The artificial heart has rarely been used because it is still highly experimental and because recipients must be willing to have their own heart removed to make room for the artificial replacement. Although there are many technical hurdles to overcome in the field of artificial organs, researchers are hopeful: Various laboratories in the United States and around the world are developing artificial hearts, lungs, livers, pancreases, bladders, and blood.In addition to developing artificial organs, scientists are working on techniques to grow human organs from a patient’s own cells. Instead of waiting for a donor, for example, a patient in need of a heart transplant might one day only have to wait until researchers can grow one in the laboratory. Some of the research involved in tissue engineering is tied up with cloning and stem cell research, and thus raises ethical questions. Such research is also at the cutting edge of biotechnology, and therefore it may be decades before it bears fruit. Nevertheless, the medical community is eager to explore this potential solution to the organ shortage. Although tissue engineering, artificial organs, and xenotransplantation provide hope for the future, the thousands of people currently on organ transplant waiting lists are counting on altruistic organ donation. The field of organ transplantation is one of the miracles of modern medicine, but its power to save lives depends directly on the availability of organs. CAUSES AND EFFECT ESSAY Obesity refers to excess amount of body fat, more than what is considered healthy for a given height. Generally, obesity is more in females than males because men have more muscles than women; muscles burn more calories than other type of tissues that have tendency to accumulate fat. Obesity has many predisposing factors like genetic, lifestyles and emotional factors, which may result on serious health problems. Obesity has been a serious issues that happening among us. According to the reports, Malaysia was being ranked 6th in the Asia with high obesity issues in 2010. Obesity is always being misunderstood by the people whereby they think overweight is considered as obesity. However, obesity is about having too much fat in the body. It is related with the eating patterns and habits which play an important part in order to live a healthy life. Therefore, obesity occurs with different causes and lead to several impacts on an individual. Do you know what the causes of obesity are? We never think about the causes of obesity, but they are very simple and common because it depends on the good habits that we have. If we count all the causes that provoke obesity maybe there are a lot, but we only need to focus on some of them. Because of emotional problems, bad eating, and the lack of exercise many people are overweight. The first cause is concentrated on emotional problems because sometimes they eat a lot to forget the problems or to relieve a feeling of emptiness. Many overweight people eat all the things that they see on the refrigerator because they feel alone, they try to full their body with food because their soul feels so bad and they need attention. Overweight people do that action to attract people’s attention because they need that other people to help them. Bad eating is the next cause that provokes obesity. Overweight people always eat junk food and it is the main cause why they increase their weight. They never eat fruits or vegetables, but always eat hamburgers, hotdogs, coca-cola, and others. This kind of food gives them more weight, in addition, gives them more problems. Overweight people eat because they need to eat, but its gluttony. The final cause is the lack of exercise which is important to reduce weight. People most of the times spend hours watching TV and don’t do anything that help their health. The lack of exercise is common in overweight people due to they can’t play, run, and they get tired very fast. Even when they can’t do exercise, they need to try doing a little bit because it’s so important to lose weight. We know that emotional problems, bad eating, and the lack of exercise are some of the causes of obesity. If we don’t pay attention to them, we will be exposed to many problems. This problem can be eradicated if we avoid all the things that cause obesity because we need to take care of our lives. Obesity affects the individual and the country. The biggest effect is on the individual. First of all, being overweight has health risks. Obesity can lead to heart disease, diabetes, and other conditions. The quality of life suffers, as it is difficult to enjoy exercise or move. Another result is lack of self-esteem. This can lead to depression, eating disorders and crash diets. The country is also affected. It becomes very expensive for the government to provide advanced medical care such as heart transplants. Unhealthy citizens are also less productive. and their children learn poor eating habits. Obesity or even being overweight has serious effects on the individual and the society. Both need to take action to examine the causes of this problem and find solutions. Obesity, because it alters the relationship between the lungs, chest wall, and diaphragm, has been expected to alter respiratory function. Non-smoking, young adults with spirometry, lung volume measurement by nitrogen washout, and single-breath diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide . Changes in respiratory function were of two types, those that changed in proportion to degree of obesity–expiratory reserve volume and those that changed only with extreme obesity–vital capacity, total lung capacity, and maximal voluntary ventilation. When compared with commonly used predicting equations, we found that mean values of subjects grouped by degree of obesity were very close to predicted values, except in those with extreme obesity in whom weight (kg)/height (cm) exceeded 1.0. In 29 subjects who lost a mean of 56 kg, significant increases in vital capacity, and maximal voluntary ventilation were found, along with a significant decrease in single-breath diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide. Because most subjects fell within the generally accepted 95% confidence limits for the predicted values, we concluded that obesity does not usually preclude use of usual predictors. An abnormal pulmonary function test value should be considered as caused by intrinsic lung disease and not by obesity, except in those with extreme obesity. In conclusion, obesity is a major problem which founded in every economic class and has a lot of complications .Obesity can be reduced by eating a healthy diet, including a variety of foods, especially grain products, vegetables and fruits. The diet should be moderate in salt and low in fat and cholesterol. Reinforce the need for regularly physical activity for at least 30 minutes each day. Obesity has brought a lot of disadvantages or negative impacts internally and externally in our life. Everyone should have start to concern with their health condition and daily lifestyle from now on to avoid obesity. A balance diet and regular exercise would be th e key of a healthy lifestyle. CAUSES AND EFFECT OUTLINE Introduction Obesity refers to excess amount of body fat, more than what is considered healthy for a given height. Generally, obesity is more in females than males because men have more muscles than women; muscles burn more calories than other type of tissues that have tendency to accumulate fat. Obesity has many predisposing factors like genetic, lifestyles and emotional factors, which may result on serious health problems. Obesity has been a serious issues that happening among us. According to the reports, Malaysia was being ranked 6th in the Asia with high obesity issues in 2010. Obesity is always being misunderstood by the people whereby they think overweight is considered as obesity. However, obesity is about having too much fat in the body. It is related with the eating patterns and habits which play an important part in order to live a healthy life. Therefore, obesity occurs with different causes and lead to several impacts on an individual. Conclusion Obesity has brought a lot of disadvantages or negative impacts internally and externally in our life. To sum up, everyone should have start to concern with their health condition and daily lifestyle from now on to avoid obesity. A balance diet and regular exercise would be the key of a healthy lifestyle.

Literature Review †Business Schools Role in Society Essay

Introduction Since 2007, the people of this planet have been living on 150 percent of its natural resource capacity (WWF, 2010). Increase in consumption does not show any signs of slowing down, as a consequence of emerging third world countries. The role that business schools play in this situation and its importance cannot be understated (Financial Times, 2010). In order to save this planet, we need to create a sustainable business environment, where corporations put ethics and social responsibility in front of profits. We need to switch the focus of all businesses from shareholders to stakeholders. Can this actually be taught? Or do governments need to legislate such actions? This topic is especially interesting because of the weight of our future that lies within this. If we do not change the way we teach students about core values of our society, the future of our planet may become very undesirable. These sources were acquired mainly from the EUR sEURch engine, as well as reading several articles from global news agencies in order to grasp a certain overview of this topic. * * * Literature Investigation * Addressing Concerns Raised by Critics of Business Schools by Teaching Multiple Approaches to Management (Dyck, B et al. 2011) 0 This article is a study about two ways of teaching management at classroom level. The article mentions concerns from other researchers about the way management is being taught in today’s universities. The authors argue that today’s students have a materialistic-individualistic point of view during their studies, and that these characteristics are consolidated during their time in the business study. These arguments are supported by an experiment. The authors indicate that there is flaws in the way business schools teach, and therefore actions should be taken. Others reject this and say management is an objective science. * This article might help to understand how business schools can change in order to make students more focused on stakeholders and ethics than shareholder profits. The article was published in a journal called Business and Society Review. It holds many references, where three of them are from Harvard Business Review. It was published 2011, therefore its currency cannot be questioned. Arguments are supported by an experiment. However, only one experiment was conducted which included a relatively small sample. The role of business schools in society (Cornuel, E 2005) The main subject of this article is very closely related to arguments stated in the introduction. It underlines the important role that business schools play to raise awareness of corporate social responsibility. It briefly mentions the need of humbleness in today’s business schools. Published in The Journal of Management Development in 2005, the importance and relevance of this article has become more of a current interest after it was published. Although the arguments are logical, this source does not provide sufficient support for its arguments. However, it does discuss interesting points and views within the subject. The author is Eric Cornuel, an Affiliate Professor at HEC, and Director General & CEO of EFMD. The non-profit turn and its challenges for business schools (Cornuel, E & Kletz, P 2011) Here, the researchers describe the challenges that business schools are facing today. Aiming towards the increase in demand for managers with an education in non-profit organizational management. The increase in large foundations (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for example) is supposedly one of these demand shifters. The recent financial crisis is also argued to be one of the reasons for the movement towards education for non-profit and sustainability management at top business schools. There are two different models in how to change the curriculum in order to fill this need. The Double Standard Model, which argues that non-profit organizations should be managed differently than ordinary businesses, while the Business-Driven Model argues the opposite. Same author as in the previous source, Eric Cornuel, together with Pierre Kletz, Mandel Leadership Institution, Jerusalem, Israel. This research paper was published in the Journal of Management Development in 2011. This source gives meaningful insights to how and why business schools should make changes in their curriculum. Strategy & Society: The Link Between Competitive Advantage and Corporate Social Responsibility (Porter, M & Kramer, M R 2006) This article was published in the Harvard Business Review in 2006. It is about how corporations can benefit from corporate social responsibility, instead of seeing it solely as a cost. One of the two authors is Michael Porter of Harvard Business School, one of the world’s most famous economists. This source is highly reliable because of two reasons. 1. Reputation of the author. 2. For the fact that it was published in one of the world’s most prestigious journals. It provides useful information for my future arguments, when it comes down to what business schools and businesses can gain from increasing CSR, and thereby improving global sustainability. Conclusion These articles all have one common argument. Business schools have to change. The disagreements lie in how this change should be executed, and what result that is to be expected from it (Financial Times, 2008). They all agree that business schools have a major impact on society, and therefore a great responsibility. Most researchers focus on how corporations must change, consequently leading to a change in demand for young managers with special skills in that area. Hence provoking the change of the business schools curriculum. This could be seen as delegating the responsibility of change to those corporations. As shown in the recent financial crisis, greed can make top executives act unethically, with no sense of corporate social responsibility. Should corporate social responsibility be legislated in order to achieve global sustainability? What role do business schools play in this? How can business schools act to ensure a positive future for our planet? Bibliography WWF 2010. Human demand outstrips nature’s supply, viewed 14 April 2012, Financial Times, 2010. Schools ignore sustainability revolution, viewed 17 April 2012, Dyck, B et al., 2011, ‘Addressing Concerns Raised by Critics of Business Schools by Teaching Multiple Approaches to Management’, Business and Society Review, Volume 116, Issue 1, pp. 1 – 27, viewed 17 April 2012, retrieved from Wiley Online Library database. Cornuel, E 2005, ‘Role of Business Schools in Society’, The Journal of Management Development, Volume 24, Issue 9, p. 819, viewed at 17 April 2012, retrieved from ABI/INFORM Complete database. Cornuel, E & Kletz, P 2011, ‘The non-profit turn and its challenges for business schools’ Journal of Management Development, Volume 30, Issue 5, pp. 483 – 491, viewed at 17 April 2012, retrieved from ABI/INFORM Complete database. Porter, M & Kramer, M R 2006 ‘Strategy & Society: The Link Between Competitive Advantage and Corporate Social Responsibility’, Harvard business review, Volume 84, Issue 12, p. 78, viewed at 17 April 2012, retrieved from Business Source Premier database. Financial Times, 2008. The importance of sustainability, viewed 16 April 2012, Self Reflection I approached the writing of this essay by and initial review if my previously submitted work, in order to grasp the full context, but also to see where I wanted to go and remind myself of the opinions I had while writing. I mostly free wrote for quite some time, and then later putting it all together with more approvable sentences in an academic sense. My biggest struggle was to get all the sources together to create some sort of an overview of the topic, since many of the articles were devoted to certain specific topics. I (hopefully) overcame this by reading a lot of different sources, and making connections to my own topic. I learned that starting an essay by free writing is the best approach for me personally, although a lot of time has to be dedicated to editing in the end, especially in the sense of making it all stick together as a whole piece. *

Multicultural in school setting Essay

The article, what makes a school multicultural? talks about social change in the society. The concept of multiculturalism has not been clarified but everyone has an idea of what it is and they are thus left to judge with their believes and biases. The article is well written and talks of the 21st century as a century that is very sensitive to culture focused on international matters as a way of getting orientation to the future because industrial changes that are taking place have caused the environment to suffer greatly. Multiculturalism has been shown to promote respect for all different type of people from the various races (Roysircar & Sandhu, 2003). The schools according to this article regard themselves as multicultural because of the diversity that they have racially and ethnically. The article does not however give a clear answer as to if; this is what makes the schools to be multicultural. The article discusses multiculturalism in the schools as an imperative of the law and the society. It also says that diversity should be valued. The article says that for a school to be considered as a multicultural it should implement it policies, perspectives, programs, practices and personnel to have a reflection on the heterogeneity of the affirmative action, which is dynamic. It should also be sensitive to needs of the groups, which include the student population. They should also be in a position to create an ambiance socially and culturally. The schools overall mission should be incorporated by its policies. The article says that the society is changing in a rapid rate and this is what forces the schools to also embrace the changes. Question #1 Opportunities and challenges that ethnic diversity poses to our society and our schools (N. Y) Some of the opportunities that the ethnic diversity poses to our society are that, it allows the people to immigrate into the other countries. For example, the United States has many immigrants who have come from different parts of the world some to work and some to learn. We have seen that many students who have are immigrants perform very well in schools due to availability of resources. It is also important to educate children about ethnic diversity so that they can understand about the stereotypes and the negativism that is directed towards various groups of people. When students get to learn that their ethnic group is valued, they get a very high self-esteem and become confident that they are indeed living in a society that is free. Some of the challenges brought about by this diversity are that, the society lacks a common heritage on which to base its education system on (Roysircar & Sandhu, 2003). Ethnic Diversity poses issues of insecurity in New York and majority of other countries through terrorism in the society because people especially the Muslims are stereotyped to be involved in many bombings. Ethnic diversity faces prejudices because it is regarded to be the cause of some of the social problems that are modern. These problems are unemployment, competition among groups in the society and in general the urban decay. Especially when the economy is not doing, well the minority in the New York are undermined. For the schools, they become flooded and the children end up dropping out. In addition, the college education becomes expensive for the immigrants since they are in a foreign land. Question #2: Contributions of the Arab Americans in the society and Challenges that they face. Arab American have greatly contributed to America in the sense that, they have lawyers educators and doctors among them in America. They are hence are in a position to help fight against diseases such as cancer and leukemia. Danny Thomas who was an Arab American Doctor, helped to establish a cancer centre for children that bore his name and today so many American children have benefited from this foundation. They have also helped America to diversify its cultures and languages, which even though it required a huge funding they were able to raise it with time. They also hold other positions that American can hold and hence contribute to the economy in the same measure. The Arab Americans face the challenge of being distrusted. This makes the Arab Americans feel that America is being unjustifiably hostile towards them. However, as much as the mistrust exists, majority of the Arab American love America (Donaldson, 2001). They also face the challenge of racism, misinformation about their history, discrimination and negative stereotyping. A stereotype goes that says they are the majority in the American prisons. The misconception about Arab Americans is spread through teachers, peers and mostly through the media, which depicts them as terrorist in movies. To solve some of the challenges that face them, the media has to change its stand and support the Arab Americans so that they can be treated equally in the society. If this does not happen the Arab Americans have, the task of having to work more than they have usually work in order to be treated equally it the society (Pope-Davis, 2003). REFERENCES Donaldson, K. (2001). Shattering the denial: protocols for the classroom and beyond. London. Greenwood Publishing Group, Pope-Davis, D. (2003). Handbook of multicultural competencies in counseling & psychology. London. SAGE. Roysircar, G. & Sandhu, D. (2003). Multicultural competencies: a guidebook of practices. Dublin. AMCD. Rosado, C. (1995). Critical Multicultural Pavilion: what makes a school multicultural? Print viewed on July 24th, 2010. http://www. edchange. org/multicultural/papers/caleb/multicultural. html

Flood

Flood Essay The Epic of Gilgamesh and Genesis are ancient texts that were widely read and are continually examined today. Although both stories discuss global floods enforced by the gods, there are both similarities and differences of time, historical background and context, the way the stories are told, and the animals and people on board the arks. These two stories have similar plots that involve the lessons that teach one to embrace the reality of their mortality, to do right, and stay on the straight and narrow which will lead to reward.In modern day life, these morals are still enforced and can lead to success, good fortune, and honor. The two floods incorporate long, treacherous processes to gain lengthened life. Utnapishtim from The Epic of Gilgamesh and Noah from the Bible portray the benefits of sacrifices made. The Epic of Gilgamesh was written around 2000 B. C. , while the oldest parts of the Old Testament of the Bible were written around 1000 B. C. This suggests that â₠¬Å"The Story of the Flood,† from Genesis, was based off the original â€Å"Story of the Flood† from The Epic of Gilgamesh.In correspondence with time, the duration of the flood was a precise period of time in both texts. However, in The Epic of Gilgamesh, â€Å"For 6 days and 6 nights, the winds blew, torrents and tempests and the flood overwhelmed the world,† and in Genesis, â€Å"†¦the rain was upon the earth for 40 days and 40 nights,† (7:12). The time it took to build the ark was approximately seven days for Utnapishtim and up to one hundred years for Noah.The time period that these two renowned pieces of literature were written are important parts of information that affect the historical background and context. The historical contexts of the two works are similar in the sense that both stories took place in the Middle East. However, after the flood, the ark was grounded on Mount Nisir in The Epic of Gilgamesh while it was grounded on Mount Arara t in Genesis. The Epic of Gilgamesh specifically takes place in Mesopotamia, one of the first civilizations, which explains why this epic was the oldest work of Sumerian literature.Both stories were passed down and continually reshaped. The Epic of Gilgamesh was reshaped by Babylonians and preserved in an Assyrian King’s library. Although both of the texts were narratives, The Epic of Gilgamesh was written in first person point of view, told by Utnapishtim, and Genesis was written in third person point of view. The authors of both stories are undetermined because The Epic of Gilgamesh does not have a determined single author and many people believe the Bible to be â€Å"the word of God. The two pieces of literature have many constant underlying similarities. In relation to the animals and people on board the ark, there are common occurrences with slight variations.A man was chosen to survive both floods. Utnapishtim in The Epic of Gilgamesh, explained to Gilgamesh, â€Å"Ea because of his oath warned me in a dream. He whispered their words to my house of reeds, ‘†¦tear down your house and build a boat, abandon possessions and look for life, despise worldly goods and save your soul alive. † On the other hand, Noah was told to â€Å"make thee an ark,† (6:14) because â€Å"†¦Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord,† (6:8) and was â€Å"perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God,† (6:9). Both men could bring others upon the ark. Utnapishtim says â€Å"I loaded into her all that I had of gold and of living things, my family, my kin, the beasts of the field both wild and tame, and all the craftsmen,† while God informs Noah that â€Å"thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee,† (6:18).Utnapishtim and Noah each brought a male and female of each animal, but in Genesis, Noah took â€Å"†¦every clean beast thou shalt take to thee b y the sevens†¦ and of beasts that are not clean by two. † Man and mankind as a whole were the reasons behind the flood. Specifically, â€Å"The uproar of mankind [was] intolerable and sleep [was] no longer possible by reason of the babel. † in The Epic of Gilgamesh, and, â€Å"†¦God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart were only evil continually,† (6:5), in the Bible.Once the floods ended, both men sent birds to test for land; a dove, swallow, and then a raven from Utnapishtim and a raven and dove from Noah were used. After the flood, both heroes made sacrifices. Utnapishtim â€Å"†¦threw everything open to the four winds, made a sacrifice and poured out a libation on the mountain top,† using the seven cauldrons, and Noah â€Å"†¦builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean foul, and offered burnt offerings on the altar,† (8:20).The gods in both stories smelled the â€Å"sweet savor,† protruding from the sacrifices. The two stories discussing the destructive floods put into action by the gods portray the morals learned by Utnapishtim and Noah. These morals include: coming to an understanding of their mortality, embracing their humanity, and being rewarded for doing something right. After both floods, the chosen men were granted an â€Å"extension of life† or â€Å"ensured safety. † Utnapishtim was granted immortality in The Epic of Gilgamesh.God made a promise to Noah of the Bible, â€Å"I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake†¦ neither will I again smite any more every living thing, as I have done,† and â€Å"I will establish my covenant in you, [Noah],† (9:11). This covenant, or promise, was established in Noah and symbolized by a rainbow. The variations of historical background and context, the way the stories are told, and the ani mals and people on board the arks illuminate how stories with similar plots, archetypes, symbols, themes, and underlying ideas can still differ from one another and also share many similarities.