Thursday, November 28, 2019

The Advantages of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research Essay Example

The Advantages of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research Paper One of the most controversial debates in recent history has been the human embryonic stem cell debate. Millions and millions of embryos are not used each year when they could very well lead to a cure for fatal diseases such as leukemia and cancer. As well as become a cure for neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Human embryonic stem cell research has enormous potential to cure many diseases and change the face of modern medicine. However, there is much debate against the use of embryos because many people believe that an embryo should be treated as a human being because they have the potential to become human beings. Background information on the research of embryonic stem cells is important to know before developing an opinion. â€Å"All cells come from cells† (Holland et al. 4). There are three different types of stem cells: totipotent, pluripotent, and specific stem cells. All of them have the capacity to grow, reproduce and produce specific body cells or tissues. Totipotent stem cells are totally potent and are capable of forming any kind of body cell. An individual totipotent cell has the potential to become a human being. All cells are totipotent during the early stages of an embryo (Peters). Pluripotent or multipotent stem cells are not totally potent therefore they cannot develop into a human being. Pluripotent stem cells can develop into the three major tissue types: endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm (Pinon 501). Tissue specific cells are what they are, specific stem cells. They develop into specific cells. We will write a custom essay sample on The Advantages of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Advantages of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Advantages of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer For example, skin stem cells produce only skin cells, blood stem cells produce only blood cells and so on (Holland et al. 5). Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) come from an early stage embryo. Fetal stem cells are cells within the fetus that cultivate into various organs (Stem Cell 13) and adult stem cells are within a specific tissue such as the brain or bone marrow. Adult stem cells have the potential to replicate themselves and become specialized to other types of tissue (Stem Cell 13). Of all the stem cell and embryo research that has been conducted, the most important discoveries about stem cells have been discovered in recent years. In 1999, the journal â€Å"Science† declared stem cell research to be the breakthrough of the year, largely in part to the research performed by Dr. James Thomson and Dr. John Gearhart (â€Å"Breakthroughs† 1999 2-3). In 1998, Dr. James Thomson, an associate veterinarian in the University of Wisconsin Regional Primate Research Center, led a research team that was the first to isolate human embryonic stem cells. Thomson and his team started with a fertilized ova, embryos from in vitro fertilization, not placed in a uterus and cultured them for about four to six days. In doing this, they created a line of embryonic stem cells. Another important discovery also came in 1998, from John Hopkins University School of Medicine where Dr. John Gearhart, a professor of gynecology and obstetrics, led a research team that successfully drew human embryonic germ cells from fetal tissue. These cells are exactly like pluripotent (not totally potent and cannot develop into a human being) stem cells. Cloning has strong ties to stem cell research because both involve the use embryos. In 1997, Ian Wilmut cloned a sheep named Dolly. Wilmut has never tried to clone a human and he is still against the idea. Dolly was actually not the first animal cloned. During the 1960s, frogs were reported to be successfully cloned. But this did not attract the interest of politicians or the public. The Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, Scotland, the same institute that cloned Dolly, had actually cloned sheep before. In 1995, two lambs, Megan and Morag were cloned. However, these 1995 clonings also did not attract much interest. The main reason that Dolly was so popular is that Dolly was cloned from an adult sheep that was already dead (Pinon 499). During cloning, nuclear transfer procedure takes place (Pinon 499). An egg is received from a donor female by simulating ovulation. The egg’s nucleus is removed and a nucleus from the organism to be cloned is placed in the egg. Finally, the new egg is placed in the uterus of the mother. The result does not come from sexual reproduction, however cloning does still need an egg and a uterus. Cloning of humans should never take place because of moral and ethical implications. However, using human embryos for stem cells will help millions of people worldwide who suffer from devastating diseases and disorders. Over 100 million Americans suffer from diseases that can be treated by stem cell therapy. Some of these diseases include: heart disease, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and diabetes. Many of them are fatal. Many of these diseases have little or no treatment; therefore millions of Americans are desperately looking for cures. Stem cells could revolutionize modern medicine because of its advantages. Patients that have had a stroke or damage to their spine could receive stem cell therapy that would restore their central nervous system. Congestive heart failure affects almost five million people in the United States with 400,000 more diagnosed each year. About 1. 5 million people are affected by myocardial infarction, which is the number one cause of heart muscle damage, and nearly one-third die (Holland et al. 8). Research has shown that while traditional drug therapy is effective for some patients, stem cell therapy could dramatically reduce the number of deaths contributed to heart disease each year (Holland et al. 8). Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia that affects memory and everyday thinking functions usually among older people. It affects the brain areas that control thought, memory and language and is caused by a loss of nerve cells within the brain (A. D. E. A. R). Parkinson’s disease is a motor system disorder that is caused by the loss of dopamine producing cells within the brain. Dopamine, a chemical messenger, transmits signals throughout the brain. Without dopamine, nerve cells in the brain degenerate leaving patients with less control of their movements than normal. Severe trembling of hands, arms, legs, jaw, and face are the most significant symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (Parkinson’s Information). People with Parkinson’s disease have difficulty talking, walking, and even completing simple everyday activities (Parkinson’s Information). Alzheimer’s affects over four million people and Parkinson’s affects one million. Each year, 500,000 Americans will suffer a stroke. (Holland et al. 8). Using neural cells (nervous system cells) produced from stem cells can treat spinal cord injuries, stroke, and even Alzheimer’s disease and drastically reduce the suffering of these millions of Americans. Stem cells also shows promising results for people with hearing loss. Inner ear hair cells have been created from mouse embryonic stem cells at Harvard Medical School. Inner ear hair cells are microscopic hairs that stimulate hearing. Nearly 80 percent of all hearing losses are caused by damage to these inner ear hair cells. This research could lead to a cure for hearing loss (Quick 1A). Heart tissue or organs such as the liver could be grown in a laboratory. These organs could be used for transplants. It is important to remember that not all stem cells can come from a human embryo. There are some alternatives to embryonic stem cells. The most significant alternative n recent years has been the discovery of stem cells in a child’s umbilical cord. Usually, the umbilical cords have been discarded but now there are many organizations that will freeze the blood within the cord. Within umbilical cord blood are stem cells that could be used later in life to cure diseases such as dementia and leukemia. However, umbilical cord stem cell research is stil l a work in progress. Juan Sanchez-Ramos, University of South Florida, believes that only one umbilical cord blood stem cell out of a million will be able to regenerate nerve-like cells. The use of embryonic stem cells is a very controversial topic mostly because of ethic, moral and religious arguments. On the day that the cloning of Dolly was announced, President Clinton requested that the National Bioethics Advisory Commission â€Å"undertake a thorough review of the legal and ethical issues associated with the use of this technology† (Pinon 507). Many questions arise from research with embryos like stem cells and cloning. Can we play God? Is it ethical? Is it fair to let a person suffer when stem cells can present cure? Is it morally correct to deprive an embryo of its potential for life? These questions bring about much controversy and debate regarding human embryonic stem cells. The most common protest to embryonic stem cell research is that embryos will not fulfill their potential of becoming a human being. This brings about the question of: at what point does life start? Many people believe that human life begins at conception and that we have a moral obligation to preserve human life beginning at conception. There are many religious views on this issue. According to Jewish tradition, it is not until after 40 days of implantation that an embryo has moral status. A child is considered to be a part of its mother’s body until it is born. Only once the child is born is it then considered to be living its own life (Stem Cell 44). For centuries, the Roman Catholic Church deemed that life began 40 days after conception, a view adopted by Augustine of Hippo and Thomas Aquinas (Stem Cell 44). Today, the Catholic Church views life to begin at conception, the earliest possible time, and that human life must be protected starting at that point. Protestants accept embryonic stem cell research, however they oppose all other research using embryos. In 1999, the National Bioethics Advisory Commission regard the research of human embryonic stem cells as acceptable as long as it is â€Å"conducted reasonably and ethically† (Stem Cell 44). It is critical that scientists, government officials, and ethicists all agree on the appropriate definition of reasonably and ethically and establish common ground before the promising research of embryonic stem cells is actually used on humans. Government funding for embryonic stem cell research has also been a hot topic. On August 9, 2001, President George W. Bush gave permission for federal funds to be used only for research using about 60 stem cell lines. These 60 stem cell lines were approved by the National Institutes of Health. There currently are no laws prohibiting the private sector to produce stem cells, however there is some legislation in the works (Stem Cell 46). The President’s decision to limit federal funding to stem cell research draws controversy from both religious leaders and scientists. Scientists say the limited funds will setback research whereas religious leaders complained that the President broke a campaign promise (â€Å"Stemming Research† 6A). Embryonic stem cells present a very realistic cure for numerous diseases and can reduce the suffering of millions of people. Stem cell research should continue because of its promising potential to rid the world of horrific diseases like cancer. Scientists and ethicists should all agree on the correct vocabulary defining what is ethical and at what point does life really begin before human beings are included in stem cell research. Cloning, whereas is similar to stem cells because it involves the use of embryos should not be used because of moral obligations to preserve human life. The medical breakthrough of stem cells should be used to our advantage.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Expressing Quantity in English for Large Amounts

Expressing Quantity in English for Large Amounts There are many expressions used to express large amounts in English. In general, much and many are the standard quantifiers used to express large quantities. The Basics Much is used with uncountable nouns: There is much interest in learning English around the world.How much money do you have?There isnt much butter left in the refrigerator. Many is used with countable nouns: There are many people who use the computer every day.How many students live close to the school?There arent many books on that shelf. The following expressions are often used in place of much and many, especially in positive sentences. a lot oflots ofplenty ofa great deal ofa large number ofthe majority of These expressions can are combined with of in the sense of most, many or much. A lot of people enjoy listening to jazz.A great deal of time is spent understanding these issues. Note that much, most and many does NOT take of. Most people enjoy listening to some type of music. (NOT: Most of people...)Much time is spent understanding math. (NOT: Much of time is spent ...) Formal/Informal A lot of/lots of/plenty of are generally used in informal situations: There will be a lot of food at the party.Theres plenty of time to finish your homework. A large amount of/a great deal of/a large number of/a majority of are used in more formal situations, such as written business English and presentations. There is a great deal of pressure to finish this project on time.There are a large number of individuals who prefer to do banking online. Countable/Uncountable A lot of/lots of/plenty of are used with both countable and uncountable nouns. Theres a lot of juice in this jug.There are plenty of opportunities to learn online.There are lots of people who like chess. A large amount of/a great deal of are used with uncountable nouns such as water, money, time, etc. Theres a large amount of work to be done on this project.There isnt a great deal of time to finish this report. A large number of/a the majority of are used with countable nouns such as people, students, investors, etc. The majority of investors are interested in low-risk opportunities.A large number of our pupils continue their studies at university.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Financial Statement Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Financial Statement Analysis - Essay Example This essay stresses that financial statement analysis has its share of limitations. Some of the most significant include the manner by which financial statement may not always be accurate since it can be distorted by inflation or seasonal factors. There are also instances when it is difficult to compare and analyze data on account of the ambiguity in regard to what industry a firm belongs to or due to the sheer number of divisions being operated by a firm. Gapenski further pointed out that there is also a lack of universal accounting practices standards that makes comparison problematic. All in all, there are other weaknesses entailed in using this analytical method. This paper makes a conclusion that financial statement analysis is important for organizations. This is particularly true in the case health care institutions today. Recent developments have significantly eroded their capability to generate profit. Being able to understand how bad the situation is for the organization allows managers to design corrective measures before it reaches crisis level. Being able to forecast opportunities and risks means better outcomes in terms of performance and profitability. Everything boils down to the importance of information. Financial statement analysis provides all the stakeholders the knowledge and, henceforth, the tools necessary to prevent the erosion of the firm’s financial health.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Economic Tiger Feared Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Economic Tiger Feared - Essay Example Dubai developed to become an economic tiger by exploiting geographical, economic, and human factors in her environment. With the geographical location of Dubai being primarily a desert, this factor was a drawback in comparison to thriving economies of the world. In a bid to match international business trends, this factor was treated as strength by economic developers in Dubai. A favorable environment for investment drew international investors into Dubai. In the human factor context, the population in the economy comprises of both locals and internationals, thus enjoying a broad labor force in economic pursuits (De Blij, 2009). European Industrial Revolution and the revolution being experienced in India relate to relate to that of Dubai in terms of resource base, adequate labor supply and investment practices, and relatively stable political environment. Economic tigers should be tamed as opposed to being feared. This is because their vibrant economies are beneficial to other less performing economies. For instance, the developing economies have benefited from massive projects that are financed by tiger economies. On the same note, tiger economies can provide information and guidance on economic growth and development pursuits by sharing their strategies and policies with economies that have the potential to handle them. Other global powers that deem it necessary to tame tiger economies should engage in economic collaborations, engaging in practices that result in measures and policies that regulate rapid rates of economic growth and development to a point that outperforms many other economies around the

Monday, November 18, 2019

Into the Wild (Book) - Jon Krakauer (Author) Essay - 1

Into the Wild (Book) - Jon Krakauer (Author) - Essay Example Nevertheless, a person should not let past mistakes define his/her life since they are not part of your life now (Krakauer, 80). In the book, Chris’s time in the wild is described, about how he survived living inside a bus in the forest, alone and injured, having to fend for himself by hunting and collecting berries. He stayed in the forest for some time, reading a book of Doctor Zhirago. His life in the wild was not a smooth one, as he endure hardships, being that he was alone and hungry, and this made him weak. Chris died 112 days after he left home for the wild, and it took another 19 days for his body to be discovered. Chris’s mother feels the pain for her loss, and she will feel this pain for a long time, since it was her son who was found dead in the forest. Chapter 13 shows how losing a loved one is a painful experience to endure. Losing a loved one is a terrible occurrence that can happen to anyone. The pain takes time to heal, and depending on the relationship that was present before the death, a person can take days to years for the pain to heal. The lack of acceptance about the loss is just but the start of a long journey of mourning and grief. The period of mourning and grief is important as it helps take the pain away from their minds. The scenario where the mother endures the death of her kid is an everyday occurrence. People die, their loved ones mourn, and only time tells whether they will move on with their lives or not (Krakauer,

Saturday, November 16, 2019

The Theory Underpinning One Intervention With A Dually Diagnosed Client Nursing Essay

The Theory Underpinning One Intervention With A Dually Diagnosed Client Nursing Essay Dual diagnosis has been described as one of the most significant problems facing the health services (Phillips et al 2010). The term was first used in America in the 1980s and in its most basic elements describes someone who has a combination of a mental illness and substance misuse problem. Dually diagnosed patients are often frequent users of emergency services and of in-patient care (Bartels et al 1993). There is also a much higher rate of offending and imprisonment amongst this group (Yesavage and Zarcone 1983 cited in Menezes et al (1996). Yesvage and Zarcone cited in Menezes (1996) believe that alcohol and drug misuse interact with the symptoms of psychotic illness to produce a more severe acute illness. Due to the complication of treatment approach recovery is often slower than a psychotic episode uncomplicated by substance abuse. This places a great burden on resources and staff (Drake et al 1993), which is corroborated by the London survey (Menezes et al 1996) discovering on average that this group of patients spends almost twice as much time in hospital than those without a substance misuse problem. Clients with the most severe psychiatric disorders tend to have the highest rates of co-occurring substance use disorders (Drake 2007). It has been well documented that the co-existence of severe mental health and substance misuse problems are common (Regier et al 1990; Krausz et al 1996; Menezes et al 1996 cited in Graham 2003). Prevalence figures vary across studies however the latest study by Weldon and Ritchie (2010) estimate the lifetime prevalence rate of substance abuse amongst persons with severe mental illness at 50%, which is 4.6 times higher than that of the general population (Blanchard et al 2000). One of the challenges of mental health providers is how best to meet the needs of this group of clients (Graham 2003). The most recent government guidance is one of integrated treatment whereby the treatment for drug and alcohol problems are provided primarily within mental health services, integrating this with the treatment of mental health problems (DoH 2002). This is to be provided by one team and involves a flexible combination of treatments targeting the specific needs of those diagnosed with co-morbid severe mental illness and substance misuse (Horsfall 2009). Researchers and clinicians have developed a number of interventions that combine, or integrate mental health and substance abuse interventions (Drake et al 2007). An example of one element of integrated treatment is Cognitive- Behavioural Integrated Treatment (Graham and Carnwath 2004). C-bit incorporates an integrated approach with personalised formulation to deliver improved treatment outcomes to dual diagnosis patients. The focus of this essay will be on the use of C-bit (Graham and Carnwath 2004) and its application with a client who has been has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and alcohol problems. For the purpose of this essay and confidentiality his name has been changed to David. C-bit can be split into 4 distinct phases, Engagement and Building motivation, Negotiating some behaviour change, Early relapse prevention Relapse management. The essay will concentrate on negotiating behavioural change and what this entails. The author will then compare its effectiveness with an alternative approach. An introduction to C-Bit Hermine Graham (2004) describes C-bit as a psychological multi-purpose tool designed specifically for people with both a mental illness and a problematic substance misuse. It was developed from CBT which had a strong evidence base for mental health (Grant et al 2004) and substance use problems (Conrod and Stewart 2005). The evidence base of CBIT in dual diagnosis remains poor as studies have tended to focus on engagement and building motivation as appose to the maintenance of change that CBIT encompasses (Callaghan and Jones 2010). However early studies would suggest that the skilful use of analysis, disputing cognitions and homework assignments improve the skills required to promote abstinence including self-efficacy in finding, establishing and maintaining appropriate support networks (Rassool 2002). CBIT follows the cognitive model and treatment approach (Graham 1998, 2003). A clients beliefs about substance misuse are often linked to their own experience of mental health problems. David would often say in therapy that the side effects of his anti-psychotic medication made him feel over sedated and this had a knock on effect in social situations. He found that alcohol improved this and allowed him to integrate better in social situations. By continuing to use alcohol it was maintaining a negative maintenance cycle. Graham (2004) identifies three key aims of CBIT with dual diagnosis patients. The first concentrates on client and therapist identifying and challenging unrealistic beliefs about substance misuse and substituting them with alternatives that aim to break negative maintenance cycles. The second facilitates an understanding of the link between substance misuse and mental health problems and thirdly CBIT aims to give the client the ability to self-manage substance misuse and recognise the early signs of relapse. Although there are 4 distinct steps in treatment approach the flexibility of the treatment means a client does not need to progress through them all. The harm reduction philosophy that underpins the intervention (Heather et al 1993) puts more emphasis on a client setting more realistic goals and achieving these. Although flexibility is a key asset of CBIT it would be wrong to assume there was no structure to therapy sessions. In later sessions especially, before commencing a sess ion client and therapist must set an agenda to discuss which ensures key areas are discussed (Graham 2004). In practice, teams trained in the use of CBIT tend to use the general principle of the approach rather than the distinct components or techniques (Graham et al 2006). The author believes this shows the flexibility of the therapy and therapists and clients find what proves useful to them . Graham et al (2006) also discovered that when trained members of the team used various assets of CBIT, engagement increased, alcohol intake was reduced and a reduction in alcohol-related beliefs. The study however noticed similar findings when the client had been seen by teams that had not yet received CBIT training suggesting that CBIT alone was not responsible for the change in behaviour and belief. However, qualitative information recorded from the teams staff suggested that treatment integration increased over the course of the study, and that CBIT was a useful tool for integrating planning substance misuse treatment. Qualitative information from the team managers suggested that CBIT training i mproved the ability of teams to address substance use by themselves, rather than avoiding substance issues referring clients to specialists. Achievable Goal setting Following treatment phase one the client will be able to identify some of the negative effects of substance misuse. David could recognise the negative effect that alcohol use had on his ability to find any form of employment and how he had no real supportive social network besides drinking companions. Graham (2004) highlights that in treatment phase two it is probably too early for a client to consider complete abstinence. David was beginning to make links with the amount he drank and the negative effects he was having. Due to this he negotiated with the therapist that he would reduce his alcohol input by stopping all spirits but remaining on his strong lager. This follows the harm reduction philosophy that there are several levels in which change can occur that would reduce the negative impact it causes to the client. David identified his long-term goal as eventually getting some form of employment. Following treatment phase one David was able to see the impact excessive impact alco hol was having on his ability to make appointments on time (if at all), and how this would have a negative effect on any chance of employment. Graham (2004) suggests that for a client to get to this long-term goal a series of short term harm reducing steps need to be identified by the client in therapy that will in-turn have a positive impact upon his life. David had already agreed to stop drinking spirits but further steps included reducing contact with fellow drinkers, attending all appointments on time, getting his body back into a work routine. These steps would move David closer to the eventual long term goal and give him the belief that this was achievable. The therapist found that the use of the recovery star was a useful tool with aiding the client identify and plan how to achieve these goals. The recovery star helps both client and therapist measure change and visually see progress made. At times when David struggled to achieve goals it provided an opportunity for discussio n on how to change the approach. David found the tool useful in between sessions where he could refer back to past successes to give him the confidence to continue. On reflective sessions what proved important for David was to identify and discuss possible obstacles that he may experience in trying to achieve his goals and to recognise that if things do not go as planned it should not be automatically assumed to be a failure. Simmons and Griffith (2009) believe that there is never a failure but an opportunity to learn and do things differently. Behavioural Experiments By treatment phase two of CBIT the client will have identified an unhelpful thought, the nature of which will be maintaining a negative maintenance cycle. David had begun to plan harm reduction goals to reduce the negative aspects of his substance misuse however there was clearly some situations he was avoiding, and some underlying maladaptive thoughts there were perpetuating his problems. To address this the therapist and David discussed and designed a Behavioural Experiment. Beck (1995) believes that BEs strengthen an intellectual belief by helping the client test out alternative beliefs and thoughts in practice in order to gain evidence to discover the validity of a belief . Beck (1979) believed through altering behaviour a cognitive change occurs. BEs are significant as a means of explicitly targeting belief change through experience and as such offer prime opportunities for sustained therapeutic change (Padesky 2004). David held the belief that if he did not drink alcohol he wou ld appear boring and no-one would have any time for him. For this reason when David was going to be in the company of anyone he would drink excessively, therefore getting intoxicated became a safety behaviour. By allowing a client to see what will happen if they drop safety behaviour and then testing out what actually happens in that situation proves to be a powerful challenge to unhelpful assumptions (Whitfield and Davidson 2007). Sloan and Telch (2002) support this view adding that experiments target safety behaviours result in significantly greater changes than exposure alone. Safety behaviour may seem helpful and protective to a client but can lead to maintenance cycles of maladaptive processes perpetuating the initial belief. If a threat is not disconfirmed the maladaptive cognition continues (Salkovskis 1991, Sloan and Telch 2000, Clark 1989, Salkovski et al 1998). The notion of experimentation, derived from scientific principles, can be applied to the patients experience of t he therapeutic process and it is this active experience which can be so meaningful; the validity of a new cognition being generally more memorable when followed through from conceptualisation to active experience (Westbrook 2007). Once the evidence contradicts the initial belief it allows the client and therapist to explore the validity of new more adaptive beliefs (Westbrook et al 2007). David and the therapist designed an experiment in which he would limit his alcohol approach and would then engage in general conversation in his local pub. Initial experiments gave David the confidence to build on further experiment supporting the work of Bennett-levy (2004) who believe early experiments increase confidence and independence BEs can be active, where the patient takes the lead role in either real or simulated situations to test the validity of thoughts, or observational, where data is gathered. Lewin and Kolb propose a learning cycle in which it suggests that for learning and retenti on to be enhanced the client must build upon knowledge and understanding gained through the experiment which in turn forms a foundation for the next step of the experiment. (Lewin 1946; Kolb 1984). The five key aspects of this learning cycle, Experience, Observation, Reflection, Planning and then further experiment underpins BE work. Establishing supportive social networks In the field of substance misuse social factors are seen as important in the onset, aetiology and maintenance of substance misuse (Graham 2004). David recognised that as his alcohol intake increased the friends he associated with were also using alcohol regularly. This supports the work of Drake (2004) who identified that clients with both severe mental health problems and substance misuse problems would have social networks of solely fellow substance users. David felt increasingly isolated from anyone outside of this network as his behaviour would draw attention towards himself. Trumbetta et al (1999) suggest that for anyone to make changes in substance misuse they need to reduce contact with such peers. Healthier networks need to be formed which provide positive support where there is excessive substance misuse is not the norm (Drake 1993a). David identified his sister as someone who was willing to and who he would like as a supportive person away from mental health services. In cr isis David could contact his sister who could give him some level of support. Graham (2004) emphasises the importance of working closely with family members as they often know very little about dual diagnosis problems. David was only close with his sister. The rest of his family had isolated him due to his substance misuse. Ideally psycho-education information is often given in the group setting as family members may benefit from the experience and support of fellow members (Graham 2004). Davids sister became a key figure in Davids recovery and was encouraged to attend sessions on psycoeducation so she could best understand the problems associated with dual diagnosis clients and how best she could support David. Limitations of its use Prochaska and DiClemente (1992) recognised certain barriers to treatment for dual diagnosis patients in regards to therapeutic engagement, treatment continuance and goal setting. In the case of CBIT it makes assumptions of a certain level of coping skills and ability to facilitate cognitive change. Symptoms of schizophrenia can inhibit a clients impetus to change behaviour (Horsfall et al 2009). Negative symptoms which have a negative effect on motivation and energy affects individuals internal drive to initiate the complex behavioural routines needed for abstinence (Ballack and DiClemente 1999). An integrated treatment approach incorporating CBIT does not make dramatic changes in the short term, it is a long term therapy. Evidence based studies are always plagued by attrition rates as clients relapse or do not return to the study. This may suggest that CBIT may suffer from the same poor treatment compliance/attendance. For clients who complete a full programme of treatment 10-20 per cent achieves a stable remission of their substance use problems per year (Graham 2004). This seems a low figure for the intensive input required on the part of the therapist and client. Bellack and Gearon (1998) believe the therapist must become tolerant of this client group dropping in and out of therapy and abstaining then relapsing. Davids attendance was at times sporadic but the therapist never criticised him for this but used it as a platform for discussing problems experienced through the week. Drake et al (2001) suggests the importance of assertive outreach teams in retaining clients within programmes. Hellerstein et al (1995) cited in Philips et al (2010) highlight that without this input dropout rates may be high, especially amongst those identified as having difficulties participating in treatment. Alternative approaches The evidence base for dual diagnosis is still in its infancy. Those studies completed have limited generalisation due to methodological issues such as heterogeneous samples, equivocal descriptions of treatment components and high attrition rates (Weldon and Richie 2010). Horsfall et al (2009) recognises that due to a lack of longitudinal studies long term outcomes have yet to be determined. It also proves difficult to compare C-Bit with alternative interventions as C-Bit is not used in a vacuum it is often used in conjunction with other therapies such as pharmaceuticals of motivational interviewing. Kemp et al (2007) found a significant improvement in substance use in dual diagnosis patients when CBT and MI principle were combined. For the purpose of this essay the author will briefly look at one main alternative approach to dual diagnosis, that of motivational interviewing. Motivational interviewing Treasure (2004) describes MI as a patient centred counselling approach that facilitates the patient in resolve and explore ambivalence about behaviour change. The theory of MI centres on the cycle of change and its six components, precontemplation, contemplation, decision, action, maintenance of change and relapse. Miller and Rollnick (1994) describes motivation as something that one does as appose to something that one has. Empathy is vital in the therapeutic relationship and the use of MI. If the client believes the therapist has no appreciation of their experience they are likely to dis-engage or not fully commit to therapy. Rassool (2002) believes active listening also has an important role in MI. Reflecting back to the client their thoughts, fears, hopes and doubts give a feeling of genuineness, trust and empathy. In MI it is important not to offer advice , give judgement or attempt to question. The reason for behavioural change should be acknowledged and stated by the client. M I proves an effective therapy in dual diagnosis if delivered effectively. The therapist needs to avoid confrontation as this will lead to client denial, the role of the therapist as expert proves counter-productive and structured answer formats will inhibit the client in recognising the effects of their substance misuse. Motivational styles that guide a client in discovering alternative ways of thinking about their problems results in positive change (Miller and Rollnick 1991). By combining elements of style and technique MI has proven successful in dual diagnosis patients and has a developing evidence base. It proves difficult to contrast MI with CBIT as both complement each other so well and have similar approaches. Both are based on a collaborative relationship with clients, both incorporate a non-judgemental approach and both are approaches are built on empathy, warmth, trust and positive regard (Rogers, 1991). Both approaches also incorporate socratic questioning techniques encouraging the client to discover alternative meanings of their experience (Padesky and Greenberger 1995). One of the key differences is when it is best to use either technique. Those following a transtheoretical model of change may use MI when the client remains undecided about change in the precontemplation and contemplation stage whereas CBIT can be adopted when the client is more committed to change (Treasure 2004). This would support the work of Drake et al (2001) who after studying the work of a number of researchers believe that to enhance attendance and utilisation of treatment motivation interventions a re important. Conclusion The research on the impact of CBIT as a therapeutic intervention is still in its infancy. Some anecdotal evidence would suggest it provides the skills necessary to promote abstinence (Rassool 2002). Qualitative information gained from Grahams (2006) study suggests CBIT proved a useful tool for integrating and planning substance misuse. Due to the complex nature of dual diagnosis it seems unlikely that a single intervention will have the desired effect of meeting all the clients needs. Kemp (2007) supports this finding an improvement in substance misuse when MI and CBIT were combined. Due to this there has been a shift towards the integration of interventions delivered by mainstream mental health services (DOH 2002, 2006;Rassool 2002; Ziedonis et al. 2005). Some of the strongest treatment effects have come from combining a number of approaches (Barrowclough et al 2001; Bellacket et al. 2006).

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

History using in the bilateral relations Essay -- International Relati

Looking at Russia-Estonia bilateral relations and the political use of history, one cannot start before examining the Soviet occupations in Estonia and how the two parties see that history. Developments such as the end of the Cold War, the collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe, and the re-emergence there of pre-Communist and pre-Soviet conflicts, as shown by Karlsson (n.d.), have certainly stimulated historical consciousness since 1990. After the collapse of the Soviet Union Russian population faced a comprehensive identity crisis (Bagger, 2007, p. 109) and like Estonia, also began searching for its identity and roots. In the public domain the crisis gave rise to a lively debate that to a large degree revolved around the nation’s past which according to Scherrer (as cited in Bagger, 2007) was a wave of nostalgia, called â€Å"the longing for history† and that there was actually talk of a â€Å"worship† of the past. Additionally, Scherrer also found that Putin, more clearly than Yeltsin, later stressed the tradition of the powerful state, and that he had abandoned his predecessor’s anti-communist position. The Soviet national anthem had been reintroduced with a new text, and the army’s banner was once again red. Instead of allowing the Soviet period to be a culde-sac leading away from the main road of Russian history Putin had sought to place this period within a power-political continuum, focusing on its positive aspects – first and foremost the heroic achievements of â€Å"the Great Patriotic War† (p. 115). It is a well known fact that Estonia has a totally different understanding of the Soviet era and has difficulties finding something positive about this time. While Estonia sees that the Soviet Union occupied and forcibly annexed Estonia,... ... and therefore, although the boarder treaty is signed, Russia refuses to ratify it. One of the later issues involves the Russian-German gas pipeline project, which Estonian officials, together with their Lithuanian counterparts, have criticized, and Poles initially even called it a new Molotov-Ribbentrop pact, Latvian criticism in this case has been muted (p. 50). In addition, during the 20-years of regained independence, there hasn’t been a clear change in the coalition and opposition parties in Estonia. The center right parties have always been in power with the only exception in 1995. Likewise, the annual commemoration of the Estonian soldiers, who fought in the German army during WWII, by Estonian nationalist, also the citizenship policy and the recent school reform concerning Russian minorities, continue to preserve tensions between Russia-Estonia relations.

Monday, November 11, 2019

The Return: Midnight Chapter 16

â€Å"Once upon a time,†began Bonnie, â€Å"there were a young girl and boy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She was immediately interrupted. â€Å"What were their names?†Ã¢â‚¬ Were they slaves?†Ã¢â‚¬ Where did they live?†Ã¢â‚¬ Were they vampires?† Bonnie almost forgot her misery and laughed. â€Å"Their names were†¦Jack and†¦Jil . They were kitsune, and they lived way up north in the kitsune sector around the Great Crossings†¦Ã¢â‚¬ And she proceeded, albeit with many excited interruptions, to tel the story she had gotten from the star bal . â€Å"So,†Bonnie concluded nervously, as she opened her eyes and realized that she'd attracted quite a crowd with her story, â€Å"that's the tale of the Seven Treasures, and – and I suppose the moral is – don't be too greedy, or you won't end up with anything.† There was a lot of laughter, the nervous giggling of the girls and the â€Å"Haw! Haw haw!†kind of laughter from the crowd behind them. Which Bonnie now noticed was entirely male. One part of her mind started unconsciously to go into flirt mode. Another part immediately squashed it. These weren't boys looking for a dance; these were ogres and vampires and kitsune and even men with mustaches – and they wanted to buy her in her little black bubble dress, and as nice as the dress might be for some things, it wasn't like the long, jeweled gowns that Lady Ulma had made for them. Then they had been princesses, wearing a fortune's worth of jewels at their throats and wrists and hair – and besides, they had had fierce protection with them at al times. But now, she was wearing something that felt a lot like a baby-dol nightgown and delicate little shoes with silvery bows. And she wasn't protected because this society said you had to have men to be protected, and, worst of al †¦she was a slave. â€Å"I wonder,†said a golden-haired man, moving through the girls around her, al of whom hurried out of his way except Mouse and Eren, â€Å"I wonder if you would go upstairs with me and perhaps tel me a story – in private.† Bonnie tried to swal ow her gasp. Now she was the one hanging on to Mouse and Eren. â€Å"Al such requests must go through me. No one is to take a girl out of the room unless I approve,†announced a woman in a ful -length dress, with a sympathetic, almost Madonna-like face. â€Å"That wil be treated as theft of my mistress's property. And I'm sure we don't al want to be arrested as if we'd been caught carrying off the silverware,†she said and laughed lightly. There was equal y light laughter among the guests as Well, and movement toward the woman – at a sort of mannerly run. â€Å"You tel real y good stories,†Mouse said in her soft voice. â€Å"It's more fun than using a star bal .† â€Å"Mouse, here, is right,†Eren said, grinning. â€Å"You do tel good stories. I wonder if that place real y exists.† â€Å"Well, I got it out of a star bal ,†Bonnie said. â€Å"One that the girl – um, Jil , put her memories in, I think – but then how did it get out of that tower? How did she know what happened to Jack? And I read a story about a giant dragon and that felt real too. How do they do it?† â€Å"Oh, they trick you,†Eren said, waving a dismissive hand. â€Å"They have somebody go someplace cold for the scenery – an ogre probably, because of the weather.† Bonnie nodded. She'd met mauve-skinned ogres before. They only differed from demons in their level of stupidity. At this level, they tended to be stupid in society, and she'd heard Damon say with a curled lip that the ones that were out of society were hired muscle. Thugs. â€Å"And the rest they just fake somehow – I don't know. Never real y thought about it.†Eren looked up at Bonnie. â€Å"You're an odd one, aren't you, Bonny?† â€Å"Am I?†Bonnie asked. She and the two other girls had revolved, without letting go of hands. This meant that there was some space behind Bonnie. She didn't like that. But, then, she didn't like anything about being a slave. She was starting to hyperventilate. She wanted Meredith. She wanted Elena. She wanted out of here. â€Å"Um, you guys probably don't want to associate with me anymore,†she said uncomfortably. â€Å"Huh?†said Eren. â€Å"Why?†asked Mouse. â€Å"Because I'm running through that door. I have to get out. I have to.† â€Å"Kid, calm down,†Eren said. â€Å"Just keep breathing.† â€Å"No, you don't understand.†Bonnie put her head down, to shade out some of the world. â€Å"I can't belong to somebody. I'm going crazy.† â€Å"Sh, Bonny, they're – â€Å" â€Å"I can't stay here,†Bonnie burst out. â€Å"Well, that's probably al to the good,†a terrible voice, right in front of her, said. No! Oh, God. No, no, no, no, no! â€Å"When we're in a new business we work hard,†the Madonna-like woman's voice said. â€Å"We look up at prospective customers. We don't misbehave or we are punished.†And even though her voice was sweet as pecan pie, Bonnie somehow knew that the harsh voice in the night shouting at them to find a pal et and stay on it, had been this same woman. And now there was a strong hand under her chin and Bonnie couldn't keep it from forcing her head up, or from covering her mouth when she screamed. In front of her, with the delicate pointed ears of a fox, and the long sweeping black tail of a fox but otherwise looking human, looking like a regular guy wearing jeans and a sweater, was Shinichi. And in his golden eyes she could see, twisting and turning, a little scarlet flame that just matched the red on the tip of his tail and the hair that fel across his forehead. Shinichi. He was here. Of course he could travel through the dimensions; he Stillhad a ful star bal that none of Elena's group had ever found as well as those magical keys Elena had told Bonnie about. Bonnie remembered the horrible night when trees, actual trees, had turned into something that could understand and obey him. About how four of them each grabbed one of her arms and legs and pul ed, as if they were planning to pul her apart. She could feel tears leaking out behind her shut eyelids. And the Old Wood. He'd control ed every aspect of it, every creeper to trip you, every tree to fal in front of your car. Until Elena had blasted al but that one thicket of the Old Wood, it had been ful of terrifying insect-like creatures Stefan cal ed malach. But now Bonnie's hands were behind her back and she heard something fasten with a very final-sounding click. No†¦oh, please no†¦ But her hands were definitely fixed in place. And then someone – an ogre or a vampire – picked her up as the lovely woman gave Shinichi a smal key off a key ring ful of identical keys. Shinichi handed this to a big ogre whose fingers were so large that they eclipsed it. And then Bonnie, who was screaming, was quickly whisked up four flights of stairs and a heavy door thunked shut behind her. The ogre carrying her fol owed Shinichi, whose sleek scarlet-tipped tail swung jauntily from a hole in his jeans, back and forth, back and forth. Bonnie thought: That's satisfaction. He thinks he's won this already. But unless Damon real y had forgotten her completely, he would hurt Shinichi for this. Maybe he would kil him. It was an oddly comforting thought. It was even ro – No, it's not romantic, you nitwit! You have to find a way to get out of this mess! Death is not romantic, it's horrible! They had reached the final doors at the end of the hal . Shinichi turned right and walked al the way down a long corridor. There the ogre used the key to open a door. The room had an adjustable overhead gaslight. It was dim but Shinichi said, â€Å"Can we have a little il umination, please?†in a false polite voice, and the other ogre hurried and turned the light up to interrogation-lamp-in-your-face level. The room was a sort of bedroom-den combination, the kind you'd get at a decent hotel. It had a couch and some chairs on the upper level. There was a window, closed, on the left side of the room. There was also a window on the right side of the room, where al the other rooms should be in a line. This window had no curtains or blinds that could be drawn and it reflected Bonnie's pale face back at her. She knew at once what it was, a two-way mirror, so that people in the room behind it could see into this room but not be seen. The couch and chairs were positioned to face it. Beyond the sitting room, off to her left, was the bed. It wasn't a very fancy bed, just white covers that looked pink, because there was a real window on that side that was almost in a line with the sun, sitting as it always was, on the horizon. Right now, Bonnie hated it more than ever before because it turned every light-colored object in the room pink, rose, or outright red. The bow at her own bodice was deep pink now. She was going to die saturated with the color of blood. Something on some deeper level told her that her mind was thinking of such things as distractions, that even thinking about hating to die in such a juvenile color was running away from the bit in the middle, the dying bit. But the ogre holding her moved her around as if she weighed nothing, and Bonnie kept having little thoughts – were they premonitions? Oh, God, let them not be premonitions! – about going out of that red window in a sitting position, the glass no impediment to her body being thrown at a tremendous force. And how many stories up were they? High enough, anyway, that there was no hope of landing without†¦Well, dying. Shinichi smiled, lounging by the red window, playing with the cord to the blinds. â€Å"I don't even know what you want from me!†Bonnie found herself saying to Shinichi. â€Å"I've never been able to hurt you. It was you hurting other people – like me! – al the time.† â€Å"Well, there were your friends,†murmured Shinichi. â€Å"Although I seldom wreak my dread revenge against lovely young women with red-gold hair.†He lounged beside the window and examined her, murmuring, â€Å"Hair of red-gold; heart true and bold. Perhaps a scold†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Bonnie felt like screaming. Didn't he remember her? He certainly seemed to have remembered their group, since he'd mentioned revenge. â€Å"What do you want?†she gasped. â€Å"You are a hindrance, I'm afraid. And I find you very suspicious – and delicious. Young women with red-gold hair are always so elusive.† Bonnie couldn't find anything to say. From everything she'd seen, Shinichi was a nutcase. But a very dangerous psychopathic nutcase. And al he enjoyed was destroying things. In just one moment there could be a crash through the window – and then she'd be sitting on air. And then the fal would begin. What would that feel like? Or would she already be fal ing? She only hoped that at the bottom it was quick. â€Å"You seem to have learned a lot about my people,†Shinichi said. â€Å"More than most.† â€Å"Please,†Bonnie said desperately. â€Å"If it's about the story – al I know about kitsune is that you're destroying my town. And – â€Å"She stopped short, realizing that she could never let him know what had happened in her out-of-body experience. So she could never mention the jars or he'd know that they knew how to catch him. â€Å"And you won't stop,†she finished lamely. â€Å"And yet you found an ancient star bal with stories about our legendary treasures.† â€Å"About what? You mean from that kiddy star bal ? Look, if you'l just leave me alone I'l give it to you.†She knew exactly where she'd left it, too, right beside her sorry excuse for a pil ow. â€Å"Oh, we'l leave you alone†¦in time, I assure you,†Shinichi said with an unnerving smile. He had a smile like Damon's, which wasn't meant to say â€Å"Hel o; I won't hurt you.†It was more like â€Å"Hul o! Here's my lunch!† â€Å"I find it†¦curious,†Shinichi went on, Stillfiddling with the cord. â€Å"Very curious that just in the middle of our little dispute, you arrive here in the Dark Dimension again, alone, apparently without fear, and manage to bargain for a star bal . An orb that just happens to detail the location of our most priceless treasures that were stolen from us†¦a long, long time ago.† You don't care about anybody but yourself, Bonnie thought. You're suddenly acting al patriotic and stuff, but in Fel ‘s Church you didn't pretend to care about anything but hurting people. â€Å"In your little town, as in other towns throughout history, I had orders to do what I did,†Shinichi said, and Bonnie's heart plunged right down to her shoes. He was telepathic. He knew what she was thinking. He'd heard her thinking about the jars. Shinichi smirked. â€Å"Little towns like the one on Unmei no Shima have to be wiped off the face of the earth,†he said. â€Å"Did you see the number of ley lines of Power under it?†Another smirk. â€Å"But of course you weren't really there, so you probably didn't.† â€Å"If you can tel what I'm thinking, you know that story about treasures was just a story,†Bonnie said. â€Å"It was in the star bal cal ed Five Hundred Stories for Young Ones. It's not real.† â€Å"How strange then that it coincides so exactly with what the Seven Kitsune Gates are supposed to have behind them.† â€Å"It was in the middle of a bunch of stories about the – the Dz-Aht-Bhi'iens. I mean the story right before it was about a kid buying candy,†Bonnie said. â€Å"So why don't you just go get the star bal instead of trying to scare me?†Her voice was beginning to tremble. â€Å"It's at the inn right across the street from the shop where I was – arrested. Just go and get it!† â€Å"Of course we've tried that,†Shinichi said impatiently. â€Å"The landlady was quite cooperative after we gave her some†¦compensation. There is no such story in that star bal .† â€Å"That's not possible!†Bonnie said. â€Å"Where did I get it, then?† â€Å"That's what I'm asking you.† Stomach fluttering, Bonnie said, â€Å"How many star bal s did you look at in that brown room?† Shinichi's eyes went blurry briefly. Bonnie tried to listen, but he was obviously speaking telepathical y to someone close, on a tight frequency. Final y he said, â€Å"Twenty-eight star bal s, exactly.† Bonnie felt as if she'd been clubbed. She wasn't going crazy – she wasn't. She'd experienced that story. She knew every fissure in every rock, every shadow in the snow. The only answers were that the real star bal had been stolen, or – or maybe that they hadn't looked hard enough at the ones they had. â€Å"The story is there,†she insisted. â€Å"Right before it is the story about little Marit going to a – â€Å" â€Å"We probed the table of contents. There is the story about a child and† – he looked scornful – â€Å"a sweetshop. But not the other.† Bonnie just shook her head. â€Å"I swear I'm tel ing the truth.† â€Å"Why should I believe you?† â€Å"Why does it matter? How could I make something like that up? And why would I tel a story I knew would get me in trouble? It doesn't make any sense.† Shinichi stared at her hard. Then he shrugged, his ears flat against his head. â€Å"What a pity you keep saying that.† Suddenly Bonnie's heart was pounding in her chest, in her tight throat. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Because,†Shinichi said cool y, pul ing the blinds completely open so that Bonnie was abruptly drenched in the color of fresh blood, â€Å"I'm afraid that now we have to kil you.† The ogre holding her strode toward the window. Bonnie screamed. In places like this, she knew screams went unheard. She didn't know what else to do.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Dissertation Topic Example

Dissertation Topic Example Dissertation Topic – Research Paper Example Dissertation topics The impact of innovations on business performance and growth A dissertation based on this topic will address issues on improvements or enhancements that have occurred in the field of business and how they influence performance of enterprises. It will respond to the question: which key innovation strategies, technologies and activities are available to an enterprise for enhancing its productivity, accessing potential clients and expanding its market share? 2. Organization teams leadership and coordination This involves establishing the relationship between coordination, leadership of teams and teams’ performance as well as overall performance of the organization. The problem to be handled entails: how coordination influences team as well as organization performance. A comparison approach can be adopted in which performance of various organizations is assessed with respect to their teams’ coordination and leadership strategies. 3. The relationship between organization development and use of information systems. This dissertation will review how information systems facilitate organization development and growth. It will address how different information systems such as enterprise systems, data warehouses, and global information systems among others affect organization development and performance. 4. Effectiveness of globalization strategy in enterprises This will analyze the effectiveness of globalization strategy in enterprises. It may involve reviewing performance of several multinational organizations or enterprises in the attempt to determine the efficacy of their globalization strategy. 5. The impact of organization culture on performance. Organization culture is believed to influence performance of an organization. It is essential to investigate whether performance of an organization is dependent on the organization’s culture. 6. The role of leaders in performance of a business and its profitability. The main objective of this study is to establish how the management team influences performance of their organizations. It responds to the statement of problem: â€Å"How can organization’s management influence performance of an enterprise and restore or maintain high levels of profitability in the organization?† 7. The correlation between organization behaviors and dominance over the market share. It will investigate how organization behaviors facilitate the acquisition of the largest market share. In view of this, aspects of competitiveness, attracting and retaining customers, and other ways of enhancing business performance in the market place will be assessed. One of the statements of problem can be: â€Å"What actions an organization takes in order to retain its dominant market share?† 8. The importance of skills and knowledge management in organizations. This involves positive outcomes associated with skills and knowledge management. It is intended to identify the motivation behind skills and knowledge management in an organization. What are the benefits that an organization obtains from skills as well as knowledge management capability? 9. Strategic crisis management in enhancing business continuity and stability. The issue of crisis management will be analyzed with respect to its contributions to business stability and continuity. Statement of the problem can be: â€Å"What are the key benefits for managing various crises in the attempt to ensure business continuity and stability?† 10. Business management and performance in the global market. This will investigate how business management affects performance of an enterprise in the international market. In this sense, it will establish the relationship between management strategies and globalization relating to business performance.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Finding Book Reviews

Finding Book Reviews Wherever you find authors collected, the topic will come up: Where do you get your book reviews? Word-of-mouth is considered the best tool to spread the word and make sales for your book; however, book reviews count for a lot, too. When you consider that Amazon considers review activity when selecting books for their promotional specials, you realize that word-of-mouth might not necessarily reach Jeff Bezos ears, so you beat the bushes for reviews. Authors have two main questions when it comes to book reviews: 1) Where do you find the reviewers? 2) How do you get books to those reviewers once you find them? Reviewers can come from anywhere. The well-known reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and   the like handle mainly traditional books. Often there are costs to achieving these reviews in terms of payment, membership, or subscription. Indies have an uphill battle as do the smaller of the small presses. And you already know that competition is fierce, so assuming you can get some of these bigger sites to accept your book, the wait might be for months. Consider these reviewers: 1) The Indie View theindieview.com/ 2) Omnimystery mysteriousreviews.com/mysterious-reviews.html 3) NPR Books npr.org/books/ 4) Net Galley https://www.netgalley.com/ 5) eBook Crossroads ebookcrossroads.com/book-reviewers.html 6) RT rtbookreviews.com/ 7) Goodreads goodreads.com 8) Midwest Book Reviewers midwestbookreview.com 9) List of other reviewers on MBR midwestbookreview.com/links/othr_rev.htm 10) Book Review http://bookreview.com/$spindb.query.bottom.booknew 11) Publishers Weekly publishersweekly.com/ Review copies are a hidden cost of publishing, whether traditional or indie. Ive probably given away between 250 to 300 books in my efforts to seek reviews. Except for 50 ARCS my publisher gave me, I paid an authors discount for those books. Thats creeping into the thousands of dollars. I keep anywhere from 20 to 100 of each title on stand Lessons Ive learned about acquiring reviews? 1) Not everybody who offers to review the book will follow through. It stings, I know. And it can be anyone a tenured professor from UNC, a childhood friend, your librarian, trusted peers, parents, amazing fans who profess to idolize but whom you never hear from again. Thats the business. You cannot make it personal. The best you can do is not let them review again. 2) People love the book or having met you, but their life is not you and your book. Their life takes them elsewhere, and reviews arent high on their list of things to do. . . unless thats specifically what they do. 3) The cheaper the cost of the book, the less professional the reviews. Not a 100 percent maxim, but pretty close. There are readers out there who troll for free and 99-cent books, and they have no qualms about throwing nasty up on Amazon or Goodreads. 4) Many book reviews sites and professional reviewers ask for your book, but that doesnt guarantee you will land a review. They take reviewers seriously, and often the better books consume their time. Remember, competition is fierce. Sometimes you dont make the cut. 5) People are more likely to review a print book than an ebook. Your ebook is hidden amongst hundreds on a Kindle or Nook. Out of sight, out of mind. A print book has to sit someplace, chances are more visibly, giving your striking cover the opportunity to beckon the reader and remind them to read and review. And to a reviewer, a print book sometimes represents a more serious commitment from the author. Mailing a book is often a $10+ commitment. Absolutely nothing is absolute in the publishing business. So when prepping for your book release, build the cost of review copies into your budget and know that you wont get 100 percent return on your investment. And continue to hope that a few reviews become serious nuggets for your website, press releases, and maybe your cover.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Classroom management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Classroom management - Essay Example so required to get their learning materials in place, which include sharpening of pencils, and acquisition of new exercise books to replace the filled ups. Moreover, the students are expected to hand in their take home assignments to the class representative. Confirming their presence by marking the attendance sheet is also a routine that all students ought to observe at the beginning of the day. It is important for the student to receive spiritual nourishment before the classes kick off on daily basis. The students should therefore embrace prayers and scripture readings before the lessons begin. Holding prayers on daily basis before the classes kick on is an important routine that should be observed by the students. Holding a class assembly is daily routine that students ought to embrace prior to the start of classes. This routine provides a forum for discussion regarding the activities of the day and the class performance. During this forum, the problems affecting the whole class or some members of the class are discussed extensively. The factors affecting the class performance and the possible remedies are also handled during the class assembly. The class teacher will also use this forum to encourage the students and to tip them on any change regarding the school programs. The students will also be updated on any changes in the school timetable. The routines stated above are important to the students in many ways. First, it is imperative that cleanliness ensures good learning environment hence fostering the concentration of the students on academic matters and other disciplines. Secondly, devotion ensures robust spiritual well being of the students. This builds the students’ moral behaviors hence fostering the sense of discipline amongst the students. Thirdly, it is imperative that the class assemblies provide avenues for addressing problems that affect the learning ability of the students. After class-work before the day ends, the students should

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Compartive analysis of New Black Panther Party for Self Defense and Research Paper

Compartive analysis of New Black Panther Party for Self Defense and the White Supremacist World Church of the Creator - Research Paper Example (The Creativity Movement in 2003) Â   New Black Panther Party for Self Defense is the largest black racist militant group founded in Texas. New Black Panther Party gained supporters through media coverage of its efforts of taking on racial discrimination issues under the pretext of civil rights. The group’s demonstrations call for racial violence ruining its efforts to promote black pride. In January 2009, a suit was filed against New Black Panther Party for intimidating a voter on Election Day 2008 in Philadelphia. (New Black Panther Party for Self Defense: Ideology 2012) The ideology of World Church of the Creator is ‘Creativity’ which is a racial religion aiming for the survival and expansion of the white race. The members of World Church of the Creator call themselves ‘Creators’ who view every matter as a white man’s perspective, resulting in attacks on followers of other religions and people of other races. Its slogans are ‘A Whiter and Brighter World’ and ‘RAHOWA" (RAcial HOly WAr)’. (Robinson 2012) Creativity was founded by Ben Klassen (1918-1993). The Church of the Creator (COTC) was organized by him which was succeeded by The Creativity Movement in 1973. After Klassens suicide in 1993, the group’s activity began to decline and it started to fade out but it was resuscitated by Rev. Matthew Hale (former head of the National Socialist White Americans Party) in 1996 and named it World Church of the Creator and was its Pontifex Maximus- the highest priest. He attracted a large number of followers, ‘creators’. He passed his bar exams but has been denied a license due to his religious beliefs. (Robinson 2012) Montana has been a centre of WCOTC activity. In the early 1990s Rev Rudy Stanko moved to Billings and began selling Klassen’s books. Rev. Slim Deardorf hosted the annual convention of the WCTOC every summer. Literature has been spread across the state in order to gain followers. In spite of