Mona in the Promised Land By Gish Jen Essay

Cultural clashes are one of the defining marks of the early centuries wherein racial, ethnic and cultural difference are the most debated issues. Long before the entrance of globalization in the global scene, different nation-states did not really have the chance of making close relationships with their neighboring states especially when their cultures are the exact opposite of theirs. And for this reason, they tried to isolate themselves from other countries (or at most have communication or somewhat have indirect relationship toward other states that have almost similar culture and tradition) so as to preserve their cultural heritage. Fagan) But upon the outbreak of WW1 and WW2, culture, race and ethnicity became one of the pivotal prices that changed the world structure and order. On the other hand, the occurrence of the said world wars and the introduction of the concept of globalization were not the primordial root of such cultural clashes. Even during the time of the establishment of the first civilizations in almost all regions of the world, conflicts that were defined or motivated by cultural struggles were already preponderant. Hence, there is this historical origin of the said problem. Culture, Race and Ethnicity Culture is considered as a way of life. It implies that whatever man does or acts or believes it is its culture. Traditions and customs are subsets of culture. Even before an individual was born, there was already a defined culture to which he was already belonged. This culture was given to him by either his parents or his environment (or even both). Having this fact, a person cannot really say that he has chosen a particular culture for himself. But what is really true is that he was anticipated to adapt his parents and/or his environment’s culture. And only as he progresses or as he grows up that he exposes himself to other culture and tries to make some modifications on his possessed culture. Thus, one can be influenced by other foreign cultures. And that he can assimilate those cultures as he pleases. But the original cultural that he owns cannot really be thrown away. It sticks to one person as long as he lives. (Bolaffi) Race defines how man’s biological, sociological and cultural features are structured. Be it an American, an Asian or a European. But among the races that which suffers a lot are the races of the Blacks (the Africans). During the struggle of the Black-Americans regarding the slavery issue, they were perceived as the race that which is the most inferior (for they believed then that the standard for superiority can be measured through the color of the skin). As a result of such conception, the Blacks were badly maltreated and their dignity was really degraded. Historically, the Blacks received the most numbered and prominent manifestations of racial discrimination. (Bolaffi) Ethnicity comes into the picture as subset of culture (as stated earlier in this paper). It goes with the idea that every individual is either belonged to a single group which has the same affiliation and identity as that individual or has a two or more ethnic origins. That which is very evident in the concept of ethnicity is the belief that there is this one single historical origin that is common to all those members of a particular ethnic group. And as branch of culture, it entails traditions and customs as well as practices and beliefs that are exclusive to each ethnic group. (Bolaffi) Now imagine when one tries to penetrate a particular culture that is defined by a singular and specific race and ethnicity. Surely, clash of cultural differences and ideologies will arise. But such adaption to different cultures and varied customs and traditions is not really impossible. As mentioned earlier, one can define his culture by either adapting his parents’ culture or by adapting his environment’s culture. However, the latter poses much struggle and criticisms not only for individuals but also for nation-states (especially those that suffered from colonialism). On the Novel: Mona in the Promised Land  The novel was all about a girl named Mona (a half Chinese and half American) who was become so enthralled with the Jewish society that she declared that she would convert herself into Jew. Such was the conflict of the story. She was Chinese-American and yet she wanted to belong herself in the Jewish tradition and belief. That is the very thing that signaled her own conflict with her father. (Jen) Mona situated herself into a large circle of people. She was with Americans, Chinese, Japanese, Blacks and Jews. She learned and discovered many things about the different cultures that her companions and circle of friends have. At any rate she appreciated those cultures. Being a Chinese-American she knows well that her ethnic origins were somewhat in conflict. Nonetheless it did not undermine her will to live the life that she wanted. The stories that were revealed to her by the Black people inspired her to be proud of her race. Unfortunately when he became so much in tuned of the Jewish religion/tradition, her life became so much criticized not only by other people who used to sit with her and have talks but also of her own family – especially his father. Although their family – her mother and mother and herself – was more distinguished as Chinese, her father wanted her to act and project herself as a full-pledged American. Americanization became her father’s everyday reminder for her. As a result, the structure of their family, their beliefs and practices and their characters were Americanized. And that was her parents’ want. However, even if she was born in American she refused to pretend and act like a true-blooded American whom she was really not. She tried to discover her own culture. But his did not mean that she would have to throw away her original culture and solely embrace a foreign culture. This only suggested that she would establish her own preferred culture or belong herself to her chosen culture and would not try hard to be someone else just to fit in with other standards (like that of the American attitude). The climax of the story was when Mona finally declared to her parents that she would convert herself into the Jewish religion. Her father was totally against such conversion. Her family especially her father believed that the being a Jew would only make her life miserable and inferior to others. Her father believed that the American culture was the most superior culture even with that of their Chinese culture. He mentioned the entire things that the American culture brought into this world like those of the more and recent technological advancements. Yet, Mona did not bend with that argumentation. The novel revealed the undeniable role of religion in shaping the culture of a particular individual. As what was described in it, Mona found the Jewish religion as more like of her own principles and beliefs. She absorbed the Jewish doctrines and practices the way she wanted. It did not become hard for her to understand and appreciate the Jewish tradition since she was at first exposed to different cultures. But the very thing that made her decide to make herself belong in that Jewish religion is that she was in the Jewish community such that their influence was really irresistible. Not only that. It was very hard for her to stick to her original culture when all that she had was its exact opposite. The bottom line was that she pursued such conversion and lived the Jewish way. The moral lesson of the story (if it can be classified as one) is that a particular thing does not really assure you of the happiness that it could offer only through its tag or label. But what really matters is that you really like that thing and that there is nothing that pushes you to pick such choice. In short, happiness comes if a person willfully chooses it. Historical, Sociological and Political Issues The Americanization Since the coming of the globalization period, Westernization, particularly Americanization was a big issue. What does it take to be Americanized? And what is the trade-off of becoming an Americanized person? There is this big assumption that America is the world’s most superior race. Being the world’s sole superpower, people regard American culture to be the only culture that could give the people a better life (just like how Mona’s parents believed). Political stability, great economic standing and supreme influence among nations and states in the world, are the characteristics that best describe America. However, America is neither an ideal state nor a perfect sanctuary for all people. (O’Dell) America is branded as the melting pot of the world (world’s culture). This is the place wherein people of different races and different culture can freely live and pursue their goals in life without being constrained. But that is only a loose description. America surely offers and provides the world with so many things for development and progress. However, isn’t it overgeneralization to say that American culture is the best culture among other cultures in the world? Let us say that American people do not really claim such. However, other cultures regard such thing as truth. The result is that people in the world idolizes and patronizes American culture having this conception that if they would try to live the American life then their lives would really improved and they would live in prosperity. But such is only a misconception. A person can make himself improve and progress regardless of his cultural inclinations, and racial and ethnic origins. But then it still goes with the idea that the society does not limit its citizens to showcase their interests, talents and capabilities as well as their personal beliefs. In relation with the novel, Mona was constrained by her father and told that converting herself into Jewish would make her life miserable. But then Mona believed that by his faith, her life would be at peace and would be secured. Choosing a religion is a right (with reference to the Universal Declaration of Rights). And having it as a right would mean that such would not badly affect the lives of individuals. And such would not be used as standard for looking at a person’s life. Perhaps most Americans cannot be termed as pure Americans. By appealing to their original cultures, traditions and customs, Americans can be seen as a very general form of culture that which is also comprised of different cultures. The Chinese Principle Historically speaking, Chinese was known as the main land in Asia. Being revered and served by other nations. It has been said that the Chinese people regard themselves as the supreme race in the whole Asia such that everyone should pay respect and look at every Chinese with veneration. China termed those nations beyond its kingdom as barbarians. It implies that China is the central and the sole bearer of power and authority in Asia. However such conception about China was erased when it was attacked and conquered by the Western nations. No matter how China received tragic experiences and great insults from the Western conquerors, China never regard herself as a conquered and defeated nation. It preserves such principle by inculcating in the minds of all the Chinese people the great and rich history of their Chinese culture. It inspires every Chinese to be more proud of their cultural heritage even if their physical features are really different from the Western features. Nonetheless, not all Chinese remain loyal with such principle. Some Chinese people consider adapting the culture of the other nations so as to improve their way of living. In the novel, Mona’s father can be regarded as on of those Chinese people who would put aside his Chinese pride and dignity in order to assure him a life of prosperity in the cradle of the American culture. Well, it is not really bad to adapt to foreign culture as long as it would not mean a re-identification of oneself. It means that as long as a person accepts and recognizes his authentic origins while making some modifications in his cultural belief it does not entail a total denial of the original culture. Mona did not really deny her Chinese heritage. She is even proud to be a Chinese. On the other hand, Mona did not see herself as a solid Chinese whose beliefs and practices are confined with the ancient and traditional Chinese religions. She rather saw herself as a person whom can only grow in the arms of the Jewish religion. For Mona, such conversion was no big deal. But for her parents it was really a form of infidelity to her cultural heritage (well, her father did not really appear as someone who advocated Chinese principles and ideologies but more of a person who wanted to make Mona a full turned-American person). As for the story, the Chinese side of Mona and her parent was not really highlighted. It played a very little role that it could not be even considered as a principal source of cultural conflict that was evident in the novel. Mona in the Arms of the Jewish Tradition Mona rather chose Jewish culture and tradition than making herself absorbed and lived the American culture. For Mona, it was not if one was an American, a Chinese, a Black or a Jew, the most important thing was that you know what is right and you did not step on anyone’s foot. Living in such principle she pursued her life the Jewish way. Judaism is the religion of the Jews. It is a monotheistic religion since it believes and advocates that there is only one God. And this God is the supreme legislator of laws. He is the Divine Creator whom created the world and its order. And that mankind committed sin against this Supreme Entity. The only way for them to be saved from those sins is to be united with God by living a good life – and that life is illustrated by the Jewish culture. (Sarna) There is really nothing wrong with Mona’s decision of converting herself into a Jew. Her personal belief and her faith cannot really be managed by other people but only by herself. Her father was only in opposition with her decision primarily because he thought that if Mona would really move towards the Jewish way of life, she might be lost because of her initial Chinese and American culture. Having both Chinese and American culture is really a struggle for any person. It would be more complicated if one would include the Jewish culture, and that is exactly what the clash of the cultures suggests. To end this paper, the historical, sociological and political issues that can be drawn from the novel are really directed toward diversity and conflict among cultures in the world. There is really no possible way that culture can be universalized or standardized. However, such cultural differences can be managed by simply paying respect to other cultures that have different structure and tradition from one’s own culture. Only then that people would really resolve such conflict regarding the clash of cultures.

Vegetarian Diet: a Good Practice to Lose Weight or Not

Vegetarian Diet: A Good Practice to Lose Weight or Not? Obesity is one of the major problems of modern societies. At this present, Thai people are getting fatter. According to Kasikorn Research Centre, the researches in 2008 indicates that the number of Thai people classed as overweight is expected to increase between 10 – 12 millions, which is almost 1 in 6 people of the country. However, nowadays, people are more concerned about their health and fitness. They want to be good looking and healthy, so people are looking for ways to lose weight. One popular dietetic practice is vegetarianism.In many areas, people are vegetarians because of inadequate income, lack of animal products, and religious belief. Vegetarian diet becomes the most popular diet practice as it has been proved to lose weight effectively. However, vegetarian diet remains a controversial issue among people. Some people claim that vegetarian diet is lack of nutrients, unhealthy and a difficult practice. However, vegetarian diet is a good practice for losing weight as it benefits weight loser in many ways. Firstly, vegetarian diet is an effective practice to lose weight.Many studies indicate that vegetarian dieters can lose weight very fast. The easiest concept of losing weight is people have to eat fewer calories than they expend. Vegetarian diet helps people lose significant weight since vegetarian foods which include vegetables, fruits and grainsarevery low in calories. Moreover, there are other supporting factors. The fact is fruits and vegetables contain a large amount of water and fibers which enable people to feel full quickly. From the scientific study, human body can absorb vegetable nutrients better than meat.Besides, vegetarians can eat unlimited amount of high-fiber foods without feeling hungry. Furthermore, eating vegetables helps increase calories burnedafter meal since the nutrients from vegetables are digestedfaster than from meats. Also, the consumption of whole grains, one of the staples of vegetarian diets, is proved to be associated with a lower body mass index and waist circumference(BMI). From the researches, vegetarian dieters can achieve their weight losing as they can lose weight about a pound per week without additional exercise and calories intake limitation (physician committee for responsible medicine, 2006).Vegetarianism is the only diets for permanent weight loss since it enables people to shed off unnecessary fats. If people decrease their animal products intakes, undoubtedly, they will lessen their fats intake which is the main reason of weight gain. Quoted in physician committee for responsible medicine, Susan E. Berkow, the author of the Nutrition Reviews, wrote in her reviews that both male and female vegetarians weight 3 to 20 percents lower than meat eaters. Therefore, vegetarian diet is proved to be an effective way to lose weight It has been claimed that being vegetarian is not a good practice because it has many side effects.So me people argue that vegetarians are fainted easily and stressed since they have to avoid meats. In fact, vegetarian diet has fewer side effects when compared to Atkins diet and using diet pills. The first one, Atkins diet practice, gives many trans-fats which come from eating an unlimited amount of meat, dairy products. As reported in Akins Nutritional Organization article, trans-fats have no nutritional value and are the major cause of obesity and the contributor to heart disease. Additionally, meats are converted to fats and fats have been added to weight increasing.Nutritionists have found that Atkins weight loss program increases the risk of heart disease while vegetarian diet decreases it. Moreover, according to the American Cancer Society’s studies, meat increases the risk of colon cancer. On the contrary, fruits and vegetables help lower the risk of getting cancer. The second way to lose weight compared to vegetarian diet is taking diet pills. Diet pills restrain appe tite so they make people feel full so that they can lose weight very quickly; however, it causes many side effects on health. The fact is diet pills cause many ailments such as nervousness, fatigue, headaches, and diarrhea.Moreover, diet pills overdose leads to tremors, hallucinations, heart attack and even death. Many pills contain dangerous chemical substances. For example, Phenylpropanolamine can increase heart beat rate and blood pressure. From the report published in 2004 by the New England Journal of Medicine, San Francisco researchers link diet pills to be the cause of 10 deaths and 20 heart attacks and strokes within the past two years after their drug intake. Hence, losing weight by eating plant products poses less harm than Atkins diet and taking diet pills. Also, vegetarian dietbenefits weight losers in terms of the expenses.Some people may argue that vegetarian foods cost much money and cooking vegetarian dishes can be complicated since they have to select specialthe ing redients. In fact, vegetarian diet helps save money because vegetables and fruits, actually, cost less than meats and whole grains are less expensive than protein from meats. Moreover, since vegetarian diet has few side effects, it helps people save the money spent onmedical care and health insurance. On the other point of view, people who disagree with vegetarian diet claim that vegetarian diet is an unhealthy practice for losing weight since it lacks many nutrients.They claim that those who practice vegetarian diet may lack of nutrients from protein, vitamins and fats. Protein for body growth generally comes from meat and dairy products and vitaminB12, for example, which used to help forming red blood cells and functioning nerve systems comes from milk. In addition, energy which is used during all stages of life comes from fats, carbohydrate, and protein. Besides, they argue that water and fibers reduce energy density and increase the volume of foods. Vegetables and fruits, natura lly, contain a lot of water and fiber content, so they might low in calories and give low energy density.Therefore strict vegetarian diet does not providepeople enough energy to use during the daily activities in life. Actually, to people who are not well informed, vegetarian diet is proven to be a good practice to lose weight. The fact is there are four main types of vegetarian diet. It is categorized by the animal meat restriction in the diet. The first type is a total vegetarian or vegan which is the group of people who eat only vegetables. People who are vegans can lose weight very fast. The second type islacto vegetarian.This type of vegetarian allows vegetables and dairy products. Ovo-vegetarian is another type of vegetarian. They consume vegetables and eggs which give them enough protein. The last type of vegetarian is lacto-ovo vegetarian. People who practice lacto-ovo vegetarians eat all vegetables,eggs and dairy products. It is proved that adopting this diet has many healt h benefits, more than a meat-full diet since lacto-ovo vegetarian food provides protein, carbohydrate, fats, minerals and vitamins which are necessary to human body.So, people in this diet type do not need to find other supplements to stay healthy. Another point is that there are other sources of nutrients from plants which function as protein in meats, vitamins and minerals such as whole grains, legumes, vegetable seeds and nuts. Moreover, lacto vegetarians and lacto-ovo vegetarians can gain vitaminB12 by eating dairy products while vegans can obtain vitaminB12 from soy milk and yeast. Besides, milk and dairy products are another source of calcium. Also, kales and green leave vegetables can give calcium which are absorbed better than that from milk.Furthermore, vegetables contain the less amounts of saturated fats than meats, so it can lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels and the risk of cardiovascular disease. Additionally, vegetarian meals have essential minerals and vitam ins which are good for health. Vegetables are rich in antioxidants and protective Phytonutrients which lower the risk of cancer and chronic syndrome. Besides, losing weight by vegetarian diet is not proven to cause an illness. People who consume a lot of meat have a high risk of heart-disease, cancer and bone loss.The study of more than 500,000 middle-aged and elderly Americans found that those who consumed about four ounces of red meat a day were more than 30 percent likely to die from heart disease and cancer during ten years followed. In conclusion, there are several benefits of vegetarian diet for weight losers. Vegetarian diet is proved to be an effective way to lose weight since it has lesser negative side effects and benefits weight losers in terms of the expenses. There are four types of vegetarians included lacto vegetarians, lacto-ovo vegetarians, ovo-vegetarians and vegans which are categorized from the restriction of animal products.Although some people argue that vegeta rian diet is an unhealthy way to lose weight, many studies prove that vegetarian diet is a healthy weight loss practice. Albert Einstein once said â€Å"Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on earth as much as the evolution of vegetarian diet. † Nevertheless, there are many people who starting vegetarian diet without nutritional background knowledge about balanced diet. Therefore, vegetarians should be aware of what nutrients lack in the diet and carefully select types that appropriate for each person to become a wise weight loser. ThanchanokSrisawang 520110045

Beautiful Tragic Love (Creative Writing)

I felt cursed. I kept asking myself â€Å"WHY, WHY DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING TO ME All men are dogs! I am almost twenty one and I don’t know if the problem lies with me or my family, all I know is that I have given my parents so much problems and so much  pain, I guess my life is a long journey and am finding myself in it everyday. My story began last summer of 2009; I could feel that there was something in the air that day. Birds were chirping, the wind was blowing leaving me shivers down my spine and everything felt so alive. I had been  depressed  for about a year before that day. I was  walking  along  the beach  with my bare feet buried in the sand and the waves of the sea crushing into my feet when my life started to take a turn for the best†¦ From a distance I saw a handsome young man admiring me from far. Our eyes met and it was like nothing I had ever felt before with any of the men I had been with. It was something special. We began  walking  closer together like something out of a movie. I felt on  top of the world for once, my eyes were sparkling and my  stomach  was fluttering with butterflies, as we walked closer and closer to each other. When we became close enough to talk about our personal lives, Will would get on his knee and speak my fluent language, French and say the most  romantic  things. At that point I knew he had my heart. We talked until 2. 00 a. m. The next  morning it turned out that he lives only about ten minutes from where I was living. We started seeing more of each other, Will begin to get serious about us. I fought the depression  that I had and soon I was glowing with life and he was the world to me, he became my anything and everything. We had been going out for about six months when he met my mother. My mother disapproved of Will mainly because she thought I was too young to be in a serious relationship and that I wasn’t ready because this relationship might end up like the rest of my other terrible relationship. Just like any mother she was worried about me but I kept reassuring her that this time it was something different. She soon banned me from seeing him. For a while we went out against her will and had four more months of endless happiness. I had finally met someone whom I loved and wanted to spend the rest of my life with. One day when I finished from work he had texted me to meet him at the same beach we met a year ago. When I got there I saw him standing on one of the big rocks beside the sea, he waved from far and yelled my name â€Å"LAKE, AM OVER HERE! † my heart was beating so fast as if I was in a race. When I got on the rock with him, it was nearly sunset time; he took both of my hands (Oh My God) I screamed quietly inside with excitement hoping that he would say something along the lines of marrying him. He looked at me straight in the eye to show that he was serious, and started saying â€Å"Lake ever since I have laid eyes on you, it’s like you have awaked me from my soul, and I don’t see life without you. He moved on from saying â€Å"Would you like to move in with me? † All I could feel was special, wanted, happy, in love, and emotional all at the same time. Few tears dropped down my cheeks without realizing because I kept repeating what he had just said. No boy had ever said anything like what Will had said. Holding me closer to him I looked him deep in thos e amazing emerald green eyes and answered â€Å"YES!!! † as I fall in to kiss him. Life couldn’t have got any better; we were so madly in love that we couldn’t wait so we got married a few months later. It has been two years since we got married and it feels like it was just yesterday. On our two year  anniversary, I was 4 months pregnant with our first child, so that night he had planned to take me out to a fancy  French Restaurant. As we were leaving we both looked up at the big beautiful moon, it was shinning like a bight, bright light, it was just the perfect moment in my life where I could hold pause forever. When suddenly a man came out of the shadows with a gun, he came took my purse and Will’s wallet. Someone saw the crime taking place and screamed â€Å"STOP† at the man. Everything became a blur as Will threw himself in front of me as the gun went off. I couldn’t believe my eyes, what I hadn’t envisioned in a million years seemed to become a reality. The robber ran off into the night and left Will to die in my arms. I looked down at him and tears started to explode down my cheeks as I screamed â€Å"HELP! † â€Å"SOMEONE CALL THE AMBALANCE! † I held him closely for the longest time as he bled to his death. Right before he died he told me â€Å"We will be  together again†¦ I promise†¦ I love you and the baby†¦and both of you will be always in y heart. † He looked so peaceful and handsome just like the first day I had met him; my heart was torn into pieces as he drew his last breath. He lay there dead in my arms staring at me with his emerald green eyes. I felt helpless as I held him even closer and kept screaming and crying â€Å"NO†¦ NO THIS CAN’T BE HAPPENING†¦NOT TO ME†¦NOT AGAIN!! † He will always be in my heart; whenever the wind blows I can still hear him whispering sweet things in my ear. Sometimes when you find happiness again in your life, it turns into your worst nightmare. Beautiful Tragic Love (Creative Writing) I felt cursed. I kept asking myself â€Å"WHY, WHY DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING TO ME All men are dogs! I am almost twenty one and I don’t know if the problem lies with me or my family, all I know is that I have given my parents so much problems and so much  pain, I guess my life is a long journey and am finding myself in it everyday. My story began last summer of 2009; I could feel that there was something in the air that day. Birds were chirping, the wind was blowing leaving me shivers down my spine and everything felt so alive. I had been  depressed  for about a year before that day. I was  walking  along  the beach  with my bare feet buried in the sand and the waves of the sea crushing into my feet when my life started to take a turn for the best†¦ From a distance I saw a handsome young man admiring me from far. Our eyes met and it was like nothing I had ever felt before with any of the men I had been with. It was something special. We began  walking  closer together like something out of a movie. I felt on  top of the world for once, my eyes were sparkling and my  stomach  was fluttering with butterflies, as we walked closer and closer to each other. When we became close enough to talk about our personal lives, Will would get on his knee and speak my fluent language, French and say the most  romantic  things. At that point I knew he had my heart. We talked until 2. 00 a. m. The next  morning it turned out that he lives only about ten minutes from where I was living. We started seeing more of each other, Will begin to get serious about us. I fought the depression  that I had and soon I was glowing with life and he was the world to me, he became my anything and everything. We had been going out for about six months when he met my mother. My mother disapproved of Will mainly because she thought I was too young to be in a serious relationship and that I wasn’t ready because this relationship might end up like the rest of my other terrible relationship. Just like any mother she was worried about me but I kept reassuring her that this time it was something different. She soon banned me from seeing him. For a while we went out against her will and had four more months of endless happiness. I had finally met someone whom I loved and wanted to spend the rest of my life with. One day when I finished from work he had texted me to meet him at the same beach we met a year ago. When I got there I saw him standing on one of the big rocks beside the sea, he waved from far and yelled my name â€Å"LAKE, AM OVER HERE! † my heart was beating so fast as if I was in a race. When I got on the rock with him, it was nearly sunset time; he took both of my hands (Oh My God) I screamed quietly inside with excitement hoping that he would say something along the lines of marrying him. He looked at me straight in the eye to show that he was serious, and started saying â€Å"Lake ever since I have laid eyes on you, it’s like you have awaked me from my soul, and I don’t see life without you. He moved on from saying â€Å"Would you like to move in with me? † All I could feel was special, wanted, happy, in love, and emotional all at the same time. Few tears dropped down my cheeks without realizing because I kept repeating what he had just said. No boy had ever said anything like what Will had said. Holding me closer to him I looked him deep in thos e amazing emerald green eyes and answered â€Å"YES!!! † as I fall in to kiss him. Life couldn’t have got any better; we were so madly in love that we couldn’t wait so we got married a few months later. It has been two years since we got married and it feels like it was just yesterday. On our two year  anniversary, I was 4 months pregnant with our first child, so that night he had planned to take me out to a fancy  French Restaurant. As we were leaving we both looked up at the big beautiful moon, it was shinning like a bight, bright light, it was just the perfect moment in my life where I could hold pause forever. When suddenly a man came out of the shadows with a gun, he came took my purse and Will’s wallet. Someone saw the crime taking place and screamed â€Å"STOP† at the man. Everything became a blur as Will threw himself in front of me as the gun went off. I couldn’t believe my eyes, what I hadn’t envisioned in a million years seemed to become a reality. The robber ran off into the night and left Will to die in my arms. I looked down at him and tears started to explode down my cheeks as I screamed â€Å"HELP! † â€Å"SOMEONE CALL THE AMBALANCE! † I held him closely for the longest time as he bled to his death. Right before he died he told me â€Å"We will be  together again†¦ I promise†¦ I love you and the baby†¦and both of you will be always in y heart. † He looked so peaceful and handsome just like the first day I had met him; my heart was torn into pieces as he drew his last breath. He lay there dead in my arms staring at me with his emerald green eyes. I felt helpless as I held him even closer and kept screaming and crying â€Å"NO†¦ NO THIS CAN’T BE HAPPENING†¦NOT TO ME†¦NOT AGAIN!! † He will always be in my heart; whenever the wind blows I can still hear him whispering sweet things in my ear. Sometimes when you find happiness again in your life, it turns into your worst nightmare.

The main cause of collapsing of the Bretton woods system Essay

The main cause of collapsing of the Bretton woods system - Essay Example re of the system was a promise each country made to all that their monetary policies would keep the currency of the country close to a fixed value (within 1%) to gold. The IMF would have the authority to close temporary payment imbalances between countries and would monitor the fiscal activities of other nations. While the system worked well for several years, it collapsed in 1971 once the United States pulled out from the gold standard (Bird, 1994). The simplest cause of failure in economic terms is that the system was useful for the time it was created but it was far too optimistic of the creators of the systems that all other things would remain the same. Without a doubt, economic realties change for us on a daily basis even though the majority of economic activity can be explained by the process of supply and demand. The creators of the system thought that the system would be large enough to control and contain market forces and economic systems but they learnt quickly that while market forces take the upper hand to established systems. While the final cause of failure was the American pullout from the system, the foundations were being weakened long before the event. The first change was the monetary interdependence which countries faced with respect to each other and the convertibility of the Japanese Yean and the Western European countries. This made it possible for banks and monetary organizations to take part in large financial transactions further adding to the financial interdependence of various countries (Cooper & Sneddon, 2001). Banks are able to make huge transfers of capital from one country to another for investment and lending purposes but that money can also be used for currency speculation. In the Bretton Woods system, exchange rates were more or less fixed and countries were hesitant in revaluing their currencies (Bird, 1994). Speculators could therefore convert large sums of money from a soft to a hard currency hoping to gain value when the

Greek Civilization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Greek Civilization - Essay Example It is upon this Achaean Wall that the quest for honor and justice prevails. Notably, â€Å"death in ten thousand shapes hangs ever over our heads, and no man can elude him: therefore let us go forward and either win glory for ourselves, or yield it to another† is a quote which basically means the determination of the warring armies around the legendary phenomenon to claim honor and justice for perceived past injustices as evident in Homeric Book XII. The place of timeh is the Achaean Wall. In the quest to die of honor if such a fate so reaches his army, Polydamas asks Hector to mobilize the soldiers and pass through the trench and the contested territory controlled by the Achaean army. Hector buys the idea, and all of the Trojans descend but for one senior member known as Asius (Moon, 2014). The army’s forward advance is driven by the determination to die of honor, and true to their mission, the enemy forces pin them down in the brutal confrontation. Their attempt to conquer the rampart with relative ease is thwarted. As the Trojans advance towards the enemy forces, they notice a rather important communication; above them, they come across an eagle holding a huge snake. The reptile confronts its captor fiercely, prompting the injured eagle soaked in blood to abandon the serpent. Polydamas interprets this sign to the effect that even though the Trojan army is superior to their enemy any attempt by them to storm the Achaean vessels with fire would result in their defeat. The resulting situation will force the Trojans into hasty retreats with heavy casualties. Hector disregards the sign and rebukes Polydamas saying that the army should construe the bird sign positively and seek justice for their country or retain their honor in death if they all die pursuing the noble cause (Presgonzlez, 2005). The two patriots and agents of justice move across the ramparts, mobilizing the soldiers. In the meantime, the Trojans led by Sarpedon and

Managerial Accounting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Managerial Accounting - Assignment Example The company also was awarded with wine award and a gold medal in the wine competition at Sydney in 2011and with medal of gold at an Award function in New Zealand in 2010. With respect to 2010 the EBITDA of the company grew from $29.6 million to $57.1 million in 2011. This resulted in their earnings per share of the company rising from 0.20 cents to 32.6 cents. The rise in the net assets of the company by 10% over the year is a commendable achievement for the company under the ever changing market conditions. Planning Control and Decision making process Management accounting is related to the system of accounting information used by the managers within an organisation. The management accounting provides the managers with the basis of information essential in the decision making of the company so that the resources of the company can be better utilised and functions are in control. At present management accounting has a dual reporting relation in the corporation. The management account ants are the strategic partner responsible in providing decision related to the operational and financial information. Thus it is the responsibility of the managerial accountants in managing the business team along with submission of report in relation to the corporation’s finance. The management accountant portrays planning and forecasting, monitoring and reviewing cost inherent to the business and performance variance analysis of the company. However the three main areas of a management accountant that helps in the planning and decision making of managers are strategic management, performance management and risk management (Bamber, Braun & Harrison, 2009, pp.4-7). Delegat’s Group has adopted the strategy of identifying the â€Å"value growth markets† and â€Å"growth markets† which has proved to be a success in the favour of the company. The strategy thus adopted by the company has resulted in delivering improvement in the profitability of the company. The performance management of the company can well be depicted from the financial performance of the company. A stable growth rate of 10% of operating net profit after tax has been observed from 2007 to 2011 except in 2008 which are due to the global economic downturn. The major improvement in the performance of the company was due to biological assets contribution, net harvest provision and the derivative instruments of the company implemented to hedge the company’s interest rates and foreign currency exposures. Lastly the risk performance of the company is diverted by the use of the options and forward currency contracts. This helps in the economic hedging of the risks associated with the interest rate swaps and foreign currency fluctuations. Thus the management accounting helps in the detection of the variances of the company through which the managers of the company can plan out the strategies of the company; based on which further decisions are taken. Skills of a Managem ent Accountant Skills that are required for a management accountant to efficiently carry out the process of accounting are to have a sound knowledge of both managerial as well as the financial accounting. The management account should have an analytical skill along with the knowledge of how the business of the company is functioning. Good oral and written communication skill is a must for the

The perspective of European Union in the future Essay

The perspective of European Union in the future - Essay Example In the year 2002, it was recommended that an additional 20 countries should join by the year 2004. This recommendation was made under the assumption that the Eastern Europe will take the European Union to new levels. The logic behind this is the fact that it will give access to new and larger markets, which will provide a means for the EU to cope in the present global economy. The question on many people’s minds is what the EU should be like in the future. Europe itself will have undergone a series of multi-dimensional changes in the future, with regard to social environment, economic strength, political priorities in addition to geopolitics. This essay will discuss the future of the EU and how it will influence solidarity, democracy, and liberty in the years to come. The term liberty is taken to carry two meanings according to the European act. The refers to the facilitating of the free flow of goods, the removal of barriers, flow of income and the flow of people, who are par t of the member countries (Smith, 2005). Analysts put forth the fact that there are very low chances of the international market turning into the prime focus of economic interests and engagement in the near future, since the EC has earned a longer life cycle. For instance, the anticipated gains in welfare among a number of the ECU 216 billion have been estimated to add up to 5.3 percent of the total GDP (Vendal, 2010). There is anticipation that virtually a cycle of benefits will be reaped, particularly in the long run. This is with regard to industrial reorganization, improved innovation, and economies of scale (Smith, 2005). Regardless of a bright future, there are chances that the community may run into internal speed bumps. The reason for this is the fact that it is presently made up of the a lesser grouping when it comes to the functionality of its members. An example may be inclusive of the fact that there is doubt as to whether there will be enough finances from the southern economies, which are regarded to be weak to enable them to participate in the EMU. It appears that a looser method of interaction is advised for the future community, especially for the enlargement of the community (Sampedro, 2004). Another aspect that is required for liberty to grow is openness accompanied with sudsier. Citizens ought to be informed of the remedies at their disposal of their rights are not taken into consideration. These remedies constitute ombudsmen, courts, and committees through which they can use to make petitions. A future Union should be a part of the people and the people should be a part of it. This means that the process of decision making should be open and the decisions should be made as often as possible to citizens (Natew, 2010). The citizens of all the members’ state expect a European Union whose administrations is candid, and regard accountability (Jacobi, 2001). There is no definite picture as what the enlarged EU it likely to be like, this i s however is not to suggest that the power of the convention should be underestimated. A significant share of the duties that are performed by the Union are legalistic and technical. Presently, efforts are directed towards increasing coherence, simplification and enhancement of transparency in the political and institutions bodies of the EU. There is a streamlining process that focuses on the rules of decision making and availing a number of alternatives when it comes to the creation of laws. (Jackson, 2007) Analysis however highlights the fact that simplification may be a political matter. For instance if a large share of

Gimme an A (I Insist) by Abigail Sullivan Moore Article

Gimme an A (I Insist) by Abigail Sullivan Moore - Article Example In order to study the extent of it a survey was conducted in about 400 colleges and universities, interviewing the students and the outcome is the feeling that Something is amiss†. It was seen that those who received A were about fifty percent, about 18% high since 1968. It is the outcome of heavy pressures put on the teachers by pupils and parents. They have only one desire, and that is to get admission in the reputed colleges. This is an alarming situation because no one is aware of what is at stake. They seem to be ignorant of future challenges. Apart from the pressures, being put by the students and parents, on the teachers for getting a higher grade, the students also resort to other ways of presenting themselves as good. Cheating has become common. The availability of information and knowledge through the internet has been tempting students to download them easily and submit them to the teachers as their own work. Then the habit of outsourcing the assignments are on the rise. It has been noticed, says Sullivan, that while the senior’s grade climbed the SAT score remains unchanged. This trend, he found, started increasing since the 199s. The reasons for this could be the rise in the people from the middle-income group becoming aware of the â€Å"hard-to-get† colleges. They try to send their wards to such reputed places. Also, their â€Å"discretionary income† enables them to pay more. He quotes the board’s vice president, Wayne J. Camara, who said that ‘‘Everyone cant get As†. The author believes that the days of the grading system is over. Learning is going to be high and constant. Grades or no grades, the students constantly make advancement in their knowledge.  

Introduction to Supply Chain Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Introduction to Supply Chain Management - Essay Example Chapter 3 is about managing the flow of materials across the supply chain. At this point, the authors try to be more specific in order to understand supply chains. They also include specific discussion on reengineering supply chain logistics, and reengineering challenges and opportunities. Then they point out that information systems and technology are key enablers for supply chain engineering. They also included the importance of time in managing the flow of materials across the supply chain. With this, one of the highlights in this section is showing the opportunities for cycle-time reduction across the supply chain. Furthermore, Chapter 3 also includes performance measurement because the authors significantly include the thought that supply chain management is all about issue of control. Finally, Chapter 4 includes the general idea about developing and maintaining supply chain relationships. Regarding this, the authors include the discussion of a conceptual model of alliance devel opment, developing a trusting relationship with partners in the supply chain, and resolving conflicts in a supply chain relationship. ... In this concern, it is important for instance to understand the integration of information systems and technology in order to come up with effective supply chain management. Furthermore, in the onset of modern age technology and so deliberately advancing technological and information systems revolution, the authors make it a special priority to integrate this reality with the learners. In addition the authors try to be more elaborate in their thoughts concerning the flow of materials across the supply chain. In this section, they especially highlight techniques on how to ensure smooth-flowing flow of materials across the supply chain. So they integrate the concept of reengineering supply chain logistics, challenges and opportunities. For them, it is a matter of time to implement all these techniques so as to ensure productive output, so they integrate the importance of time in managing the flow of materials across the supply chain. Finally, in chapter 4, the authors significantly imp ly that supply chain management includes substantial issue about building relationship. In this regard, the authors include the idea on how to develop alliance, trust with partners and resolving conflicts that may potentially arise. As noticed, the idea of supply chain management that the authors present in Chapter 1 to 4 includes the point that it is basically part of strategic effort of the company or organization in order to create and deliver product or service offerings on time. Applying this idea in the context of marketing could prove that delivering product or service offerings on time results to probable achievement of high level customer satisfaction. However, in order to do this,

Gdp And Economic Welfare Essay Example for Free

Gdp And Economic Welfare Essay Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is the most important economic indicator and it is used for comparison purposes to see how countries are doing economic wise. It entails the aggregate production or output in a country. GDP can be measured using either the expenditure approach where all final expenditures are added or by the income approach where all compensations of employees and other forms of incomes are added up. GDP is used to measure an economy’s economic growth. Hartzenberg T et al (2005, 114). The real GDP can be used to establish how an economy is performing and hence compare various economies as one can compare their outputs. It is also important in the sense that it can be used for forecasting purposes and hence important in planning. This paper will distinguish the difference between economic growth which can be measured using GDP statistics and national welfare or people’s well being. According to McConnel and Brue in their distinguished book ‘Economics’, a country can be said to have economic growth when there is a positive increase in its GDP. Economic growth is different from economic welfare and economic development. Economic growth is characterized by an increment in natural resources, the quantity or quality for the human resources, as well as an improvement in technology that translates to increased productivity. Economic growth refers to a positive shift in the production possibility curve to the right or where economic efficiency is attained. McConnel and Brue (2005, 149). A country A could register a higher GDP than country B but this does not necessarily mean that country A is doing better in terms of economic welfare as there is a clear distinction between economic growth and national welfare. This can be blamed on the limitations attached or rather linked to GDP calculation and analysis. (facstaff. uww. edu). Walter in the book ‘Economics’, noted that GDP ignores or rather omits household production which is an important sector in as far as determining the welfare of people is concerned. Wessels W (2006, 75). Alan and Laurence backed this idea in their book ‘Macroeconomics an integrated approach’ where they argued that GDP does not account for the unreported incomes which are earned in the ‘underground economy’. A good illustration of unreported incomes is a situation where waiters fail to report all the tips they acquire while on duty. People may fail to report their actual incomes to evade taxes. Statistical problems could also have occurred creating the impression that country A had a higher GDP than country B though this may not be actually be the case. Some people may not divulge all the information regarding their incomes or expenditure leading to wrong GDP estimates. If country B has a very significant ‘underground economy’ then her citizens could be doing better than those in country A even though the latter had a lower GDP. This is an indication that high GDP rates do not necessarily translate to better welfare for the citizens. Auerbach and Kotlikoff (1998, 136). When calculating GDP the aspect of leisure is ignored although it is very critical in as far as defining people’s welfare is concerned. Country A could register a higher GDP than country B but the citizens in country A could have been overworked leading to health complications. In this case, the high GDP could be at the expense of the people’s health and we cannot conclude that it ensured their welfare or well being. Wessels W (2006, 75). Using GDP figures to determine the people’s welfare is inappropriate as it fails to include ecological costs incurred in the process of attaining the said GDP. Ecological costs include the costs of pollution. Country A could register a higher GDP than country B due to the fact that country A had better technology that ensured increased production. However, the increased production could have been realized in the face of increased air, water and land pollution all of which poses health hazards to the citizens. Wessels W (2006, 75). When such is the case then we cannot conclude that country B is doing better than country A. People’s well being encompasses the people’s health and not just their economic well being. A country with lower GDP but ensuring that her environment is safe for her citizens is doing well in terms of national welfare even though it could record a lower GDP than one with a higher GDP but has a polluted environment. GDP ignores a country’s environmental quality and it fails to account for the consequences that an economic growth could come along with. Auerbach and Kotlikoff (1998, 136). GDP also focuses on output or production although it is consumption that could best explain people’s welfare. For instance country A could sell more goods to other nations like country B since the demand for such goods in country B is higher. In this context, country B could be doing better than country A but since country A exports more it may create the impression that it is doing better. On the other hand, country B may register a lower GDP translating to being worse off as her net exports are negative but in the real sense they could be doing better. Focusing only on the output approach would lead to distortions while addressing the issue of national welfare. Another critical issue cited by Wessels as a limitation of using GDP to evaluate a country’s or nation’s well being is the fact that government spending is valued at cost rather than at its value. Government projects in country A could have been at a higher cost than those in country B but an important aspect to consider here is how much the projects were worth to the citizens. This is because some important projects could be undervalued while worthless projects are overvalued and this will have a significant impact in as far as influencing the people’s welfare or well being is concerned. Wessels (2006, 75). GDP calculation does not include the plight of the people in terms of health and life expectancy which are quite important in assessing the people’s well being or welfare. Country A could have a higher GDP than country B but if she has a lower life expectancy rate and is performing poorly in terms of general health of her citizens then we cannot argue that her citizens are better off than those of country B especially if in country B the life expectancy and general health is better. Health which is a very important factor in determining the people’s welfare when calculating a country’s GDP people’s conditions health wise are only included if they increase the costs of the health system. A country’s health costs could be attributed to modern and advanced health technologies but this does not guarantee a nations well being health wise as the costs incurred may not match the benefits attained. Democracy or political freedom is an important part in determining people’s welfare. Good governance is one where respective freedoms are respected and most importantly democracy embraced. Using GDP to evaluate people’s welfare is inappropriate as it does not provide any information regarding a country’s governance. Country A could register a higher GDP than country B but the political organization in country A could be oppressive to the citizens. In this context, we cannot argue that country A citizens are better than those in country B which could be exercising democracy and consequently not oppressing her citizens. (facstaff. uww. edu). Another vital issue in defining people’s well being is assessing social justice in a country. If country A registered a higher GDP but was very poor in terms of the civil justice system then we cannot conclude that her citizens well being was ensured. Country B citizens could be doing better at a lower GDP level if she ensured an effective social justice system. An effective system ensures that the rule of law is embraced and people’s rights respected. This is important in ensuring that corruption which threatens people’s welfare as it only benefits a segment of the total population is kept at bay. Using GDP to compare the well being of people in country A and B could give a wrong impression of what is actually the case. This is attributed to the fact that a country could have overly adjusted for inflation leading to the impression that increase in prices translate to hikes in prices even when this could be as a result of improvement in the products produced. Morse S (2004, 39). Another aspect that makes it inappropriate to compare country’s welfare using the GDP statistics is the fact that for such comparisons one must convert the currencies into the other country’s currency and when carrying out the conversions it is possible to understate a country’s GDP especially in the developing nations. A country A could register a higher GDP than country B due to errors arising from conversions of currencies. (facstaff. uww. edu). Country A could have a higher GDP than country B but her citizens could be worse off than those of country B in terms of national welfare. This is attributed to the fact that country A could be characterized by many social evils as opposed to country B. Failure to include the non-market production in the calculation of GDP makes it an inappropriate tool in determining people’s welfare in an economy. Such services like childcare, subsistence farming and care for the aged mean a lot in as far as people’s welfare is concerned. Country A could have a higher GDP but with a lower subsistence economy when compared to country B. A significant subsistence economy would ensure that a country’s food security is ensured and this would place her citizens at a better stance in as far as their well being or welfare is concerned. GDP fails to account for the effects or consequences of technology which has an impact in its determination. In contrast GDP is more concerned on the value of the end product without taking to concern the efficiency of the technologies in question. If country A registered a higher GDP than country B but country A’s government invested more in sectors like education and health ensuring that her citizens were better off in those areas then we can conclude that country B’s welfare is doing well even if it has a lower GDP than country A. Treating investment in education and health as consumption rather than investments makes it difficult to estimate people’s welfare. Willis I (1997, 164). Distribution of resources in a country is also a point to consider when using GDP figures to estimate people’s welfare. Country A could register a higher GDP than country B but this high GDP could have been arrived from a small insignificant proportion of the total population. This is to say that it is inappropriate to say that country A citizens are doing better than those in country B as the GDP is contributed by a small proportion while a large proportion of the society could be languishing in poverty. Income distribution is of much essence when determining people’s welfare in an economy. The inequality issue and GDP arise more so in developing countries or third world as opposed to developed ones. Willis I (1997, 164). Social issues like family stability are also not reflected when calculating GDP although it has an impact on people’s welfare or well being. GDP in country A could be higher than that in country B as more money is being channelled into paying divorce cases lawyers or building more police posts in response to increased crime rates. This illustrates that it is inappropriate to make conclusions about people’s welfare using GDP. In his book ‘The Japanese Economy’, Mitsuo Saito noted the inappropriateness of GDP as a tool of evaluating people’s well being due to the fact that it does not indicate the labour conditions, housing conditions, state of the social security or the urban life which are crucial in determining people’s well being. Saito M (2000, 13). Economic growth could be based on either the demand side or the supply side of an economy. The aggregate demand could increase due to an increment in the population size while aggregate supply could be due to the discovery of new natural resources. Aggregate output is affected by the level of labour supply, the stock of accumulated capital, level of technology as well as the institutions in place. There is an inverse relationship between prices levels and output and when prices levels fall the output increases. Tanzi and Chu (1998, 203). Monetary and fiscal policies in a given economy would affect the country’s well being or welfare. The people’s welfare will be affected by the policies that an economy embraces. Good policies are those that aim for equitable economic growth in a nation. They ensure that the poor in the society are not worse off but instead uplift them. This can be achieved through the application of equitable taxes such that people’s ability to pay is what determines the amount they are to pay all taxes. The rich will pay a higher amount than the poor in such cases. The government could also apply fiscal policies to ensure development for the poor in society. References: Alan J. Auerbach, Laurence J. Kotlikoff. 1998. Macroeconomics: An Integrated Approach. MIT Press. Bernard Baumohl. 2007. The Secrets of Economic Indicators: Hidden Clues to Future Economic Trends and Investment Opportunities. Wharton School Publishing. Campbell R. McConnell, Stanley L. Brue. 2005. Economics: Principles, Problems, and Policies. McGraw-Hill Professional Publishers. Measuring GDP and economic growth. Retrieved on 23rd November 2008 from http://facstaff. uww. edu/ahmady/courses/econ202/ps/sg3. pdf Mitsuo Saito. 2000. The Japanese Economy. World Scientific Publishers. Ian Wills. 1997. Economics and the Environment: A Signaling and Incentives Approach Allen Unwin Publishers. Stephen Morse. 2004. Indices and Indicators in Development: An Unhealthy Obsession with Numbers? Earthscan Publishers. T. Hartzenberg, Buck Standish, A. Wentzel, V. Tang, T. Hartzenberg, S. Richards. 2005.

Psychology for Social Work Practice

Psychology for Social Work Practice Child development is the process of human growth and changes from birth through adolescence (Smith et al 2005). It is the study of how children develop perception, thought processes, emotional reactions and patterns of social behaviour (Mussein, 1990). Observation is a vital tool in analysing and understanding child development and holds key implication of effectiveness of social work practice in recent year (McKinnon 2008). The aim of this report is to analyse my observation of a two years three month old girl. My interpretation of the behaviour observed will be analysed critically using psychological theories with detail of the steps carried out in other to gain consent for the observation. Furthermore, the skills required for my observation will be described, in relation to my future practice, and some relevant psychological theories; stages of human development will be discussed including their relevance. Finally I will reflect on my learning and how it applies to social work as a profession. Child and Family Confidentiality Prior to the observation being conducted, I familiarized myself with the General Social Care Council (GSCC) (2002) Code of Practice to enable me to carry out the observation in a professional way. The child chosen for observation is my colleagues friends daughter, at the preliminary stage, I requested if I could observe her child for my coursework. My observers mother informed me she would discuss the issue with her husband and get back to me. A few days later, I was invited to meet both parents and was able to explain the aim of my assignment. Having explained my aim, I assured them that confidentiality will be maintained; their daughters identity will not be disclosed. I reassured the couple that their privacy will be respected and the daughters wellbeing will be paramount throughout. Consequently, I was given a verbal consent by both parents with approved signatures on the letter of agreement. Child Details As stated above, for anonymity, the childs name will not be mentioned, but will be referred to as Child A for the purpose of confidentiality as stated in GSCC 2002 section (2). Child A is a two years, three month old female. The observation took place at Child As family residence; she is the second child of the family, the only female, lives with her parents and her older brother of which the family composition is middle class, the aim of the observation is to observe Child As behaviour and also to learn how different behaviours relate to different theories. Skills required for structured observation Planning, respect, communication, working as partnership, reflection, listening and being focused are necessary skills required in carrying out structured observation. In Childs A selection process, I established a relationship of collaborative/partnership work between myself and Child As parents, listening to Child A communication with her family during observation has given me the insight of the importance of attentive listening through structured observation (CDWC 2007a: 7-8). The need to be focused by looking closely at Child A and not deviating from my aim has made me to understand how child learns and develop (HNCRC 2007). I also use reflective skills for child observation, as it enables me to reflect on what I have seen and provide accurate record of child behaviour (Wood et al 2005). Psychological theories and their relevance to social work practice Psychologists have defined behaviour in terms of bodily processes and social psychology defines it in terms of peoples interactions. For example Skinner (1953) believes that behaviour modification is based on operant conditioning and it is a way of assisting someone to change their unacceptable behaviour by offering a reward or punishment. From my observation in (Appendix week1), Child A, cries whenever she needs any item from Child B, she is aware of the attention gained whenever she cries and this will result in her getting what she wants. However, this behaviour could have negative consequences as well. Skinner will relate Child As behaviour as an operant conditioning, as Child A continues to cry for her older brothers toys, having known that her behaviour leads to a particular consequences. She behaves this way as she receives attention from her brother by always getting back the toys she wanted, which is reinforcement with reward, a behaviourist perspective. On the other hand, the study of behaviour by Bandura (1977) a Social perspective would disagree with Skinner, as Skinner would say that Child As behaviour is observational based on learning imitation. Child A may have seen someone at her school or a social gathering displaying such behaviour and so copies the same behaviour. Bandura (1971) suggested that learning moral rules by the individual is not in response to their exposure to punishment or reward, but by observing the behaviour of other people (Nicolson et al 2006: 23).This relates to Child As behaviour in (Appendix week1) and shows how the end result may not be as significant as the behaviourist perspective would have believed. As a professional social worker, working with people from different backgrounds it is important to have knowledge of psychological theories as its a vital tool that can be used to understand and interpret behaviour in social work practice. Also social workers need to have a wide knowledge of different cultures and be sure when they are applying psychological perspectives they have an objective mind taking into account individual differences such as ethical, cultural and religious. Stages of human development and its relevance to social work practice. The study of human development is the progressive behavioural changes in an individual from birth. Psychologists have identified the changes that occur at a similar age for most children, from research and evidence, these changes are dependent to some extent on maturation, although certain environmental factors must be present for development to take place and so its difficult to decide whether the appearance of a new ability is simply due to learning or maturation (Woods 2000:5). For instance, Jean Piaget (1932) cited in Wood (2000) proposes that children think differently from adults, their knowledge is structured differently and shows their understanding developed in the following stages: First stage is the Sensory Motor Stage (Birth to 18 months) At this first stage the child watches moving object, reach out towards it and is able to grab the object, the child will put the object in the mouth and try to explore it by biting and smelling. Second stage is Pre-Operational Stage (18 months- 7 years old) During this stage the language are developed using words and expression, which enable the child to talk about things and express ideas. Third stage is Concrete Operational Stage (7-11 years) The child is able to centre more logical thinking and able to understand that it is possible for there to be two different view of the same thing at the same time and able to decentre. While the final stage is Formal Operational Stage (11 years and older) The child can manipulate ideas in its head, for example being able to calculate by thinking through imagining the impossible sequence. From cognitive perspective, Piaget also believed that the environment can affect childs development but, argued that it will not prevent a child from skipping the cognitive development stage. However, he would have interpreted Child As behaviour, as due to the fact that she is in the pre-operational stage and she demonstrates this behaviour by using ability and memory. Her thinking is in a non-logical manner as she suddenly cries for her mothers attention in other to get what she wants (Woods 2000:227-231). Relevance to social work practice The relevance of this observation to social work practise is that the use of theories would help to understand individuals behaviour. As a result social workers need to acquire skills and knowledge to enable them to understand the reason why a particular event occurs. To achieve this, social workers need to be aware of sensitive issues around them (Thompson 2005). However this observation process increased my understanding of Child A; as a very happy chid, to appreciate her skills and unique qualities and to come into her world and see things from her perspective (Faulkner, 1995). This has become so relevant, as the failing of professionals in the Laming Report (2003) highlights; which emphasises the need for professionals to move the focus away from the parents and back to the child (Copper, 2005). Reflect on my experience In reflecting on my role on child observation, I have learnt how to focus my attention and reflect on it afterwards, trying to make my presence less obvious. It is good practice to avoid assumption and being non-judgemental is vital. Each individual is different and their needs must be tailored to individual requirements. I now understand that self-reflection is a continuous process during observation, which is to reflect on what I am doing and reflect on my reaction and interpretation of what took place by thinking, writing and recording report. Payne (1997) defines reflection as to imagine alternative ways to understand situations using observation. In addition, looking into different theories and perspectives has given me the insight into how they can be applied to practice. Children also need to be encouraged to join in to activities that they may not be interested in, taking into account their reasons for not interacting. I have also learnt that children use gesture to express what they want to say if they are not in the mood to speak. This is of an interest to me as I want to work with children with special needs who are not able to communicate through speaking and use their behaviour as a way of communicating instead. As such this assignment has made me feel a little more confident in approaching people. Conclusion In conclusion, I have learnt greatly through observation and reading. I have realised that working from ones own personal perspective can be oppressive and it is better to use different perspectives in dealing with individuals. I have also gained knowledge on behaviourism and how it can be used to relate to childrens behaviour which is relevant to social work practice and not to have general assumption about children as there are individual differences. I have also acquired good knowledge and understanding of child development. 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