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My perception to the social work filed is basically the problems that exist in our nation which need to be recognized more clearly than it is. A number of prominent individuals have been attacked or killed by people with a psychosis or other mental disorders. Violence and aggression displayed by the mentally ill is usually directed against partners or family members, rather than others. There is little evidence of an increasing number of violent acts made by patients with psychosis, but books suggests that patients with major mental disorders have an increased risk for committing such acts compared with the general population Fed by highly selected information in the mass media about their very rare contribution to one type of tragedy, homicide, the public, it has been said that unless people with a mental disorder are once more segregated, â€Å"the streets will not be safe." Society that admits to uphold values such as the purity of life, equality, peace and non-violence can at the same time endorse capital punishment as a method of justice. Capital punishment is a barbaric practice that makes up a form of social injustice, especially since it does not even fulfill its alleged purpose of defending the interests of society. Executions have become rare among industrialized democracies. While a few countries do retain capital statues for dealing with extraordinary crimes such as treason, only Japan, parts of the former Soviet Union, and the United States still carry out death sentences for "ordinary" crimes of violence. Interestingly, even among those countries that still impose the death penalty, it appears that the United States stands in severe contrast to the international trend with capital punishment flourishing, accompanied by a corresponding wave of public support. The basic concerns of social welfare - poverty, disability and disease, the dependent young and elderly - are as old as civilized society itself. The means by which these concerns are addressed were once limited only by the laws of survival. Sharing another person's burden means weakening one's own standing in the struggle of daily existence. However, as societies evolved, the dependence between affiliates increased, so, as individuals became vulnerable, the society as a whole was affected, and systematic responses to disrupting factors were introduced. There have been recent studies that revealed the significance of parenting in the cross-generational transmission of aggressive or problem behavior up to three continuous generations. Stable evidence has long recognized and documented the negative effects of aggressive or harsh and inconsistent parenting and identified the need for interventions that would encourage better parenting skills.

Life in Plymouth Colony Essay

The book of John Demos on â€Å"A Little Commonwealth: Family Life in Plymouth Colony† explores on the concept of the family life in the context of the Plymouth Colony. In particular, it tends to describe the ways of life of the people in the Plymouth Colony specifically the aspect of family, which is the smallest unit of the society. Through this book review, one will be able to determine the true accounts of the social life and customs of the people in the Plymouth Colony. Basically, the book is dedicated into furthering the importance of the smallest and most intimates of all group environments- the family. This concept has been usually left out by experts and historians alike wherein their interest is focused on the larger units of social actions. This includes the region, the class, the party, the ethnic as well as the religious group. Most of the time, the unit of family is left with the behavioral science which includes the anthropology, sociology and psychology. In order to examine the behavior of the Plymouth Colony in a family setting, the author has to descend on the local level which is considered as almost personal history. As such, one has to know average people in the everyday routine of their lives, in order to begin to understand their behavior in a family setting. In this way, the author was able to successfully present a picture of the family in the Plymouth Colony rather than any single instance thereof. Different aspects of the family setting of the Plymouth Colony have been discussed in the book. The author started with providing a historical survey on the Plymouth Colony. Among the various aspects of family setting mentioned in the book are physical setting, the structure of the household and the themes of individual development. More specifically, the physically setting deals with the elements of housing, furnishing and clothing. On the structure of household, it consists of the husbands and wives, membership, parents and children and, masters and servants. Lastly, the themes of individual development involve the infancy and childhood, coming of age as well as late years. With the examination on the different aspects of the Plymouth Colony’s family setting, the author has come to realized that the family life in Plymouth was not at all unique. This is because of the evident similarities of the colony with other American colonies. More specifically, the similarity between the Plymouth Colony and other American colonies reside in the embrace of the term â€Å"Puritanism†. As such, it can be claimed that the family is, after all, an extremely fundamental and durable institution: it often provides a kind of common denominator, or baseline, for a whole culture whose various parts may differ substantially in other respects. Plymouth Colony has been known as the Old Colony and sometimes, the New Colony. It has been said that this colony is founded by the â€Å"Pilgrims† in 1620. In particular, the â€Å"Pligrims† are defined as the group of religious people which consists of adults as well as family groupings. They were English separatists from New England. They were famous on their sailing away from Europe to New America during the early 17th century in order to search for a home where they could freely practice their Puritan style of religion and live according to their own laws. Orginally, the â€Å"Pilgrims’ are English Puritans who broke away from the Church of England because they felt that it had not completed the work of the Reformation. Because of this, they committed themselves to a life based on the Bible. Most of the members of the â€Å"Pilgrims† are the poorly educated people, farmers and people without political and social standing. (â€Å"Chapter 2: The English Transplantations – People/Term†, 2007) Consequently, the arrival of the â€Å"Pilgrims† in the New World is illustrated by the following lines below: â€Å"Being thus arrived in a good harbor, and brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of Heaven, who had brought them over the vast and furious ocean, and delivered them from all the perils and miseries thereof, again to set their feet on the firm and stable earth, their proper element. † (Demos, 1971) During their stay in North America, the â€Å"Pilgrims† manifested their views on Puritanism, especially on the way they deal with one another. Through these dealings, it is found out that the repression on the Puritans was not as strongly directed against sexuality as against the expression of hostile and aggressive impulses. Moreover, this evident on the prevalent modes of family life as well as child-rearing. More specifically, the book shows that even from the very start, the family of the Plymouth Colony was nuclear. This family characteristic has been unchanged even from the beginning of their settlement. Specifically, the family consists of one couple and their own children formed the core of each household — with the addition in some cases of an aged grandparent or â€Å"servant†. And during these times, the life in the households was much less segmented. However, despite this physical arrangement, the roles and responsibilities of the members of the family are almost the same as today. In this colony, there is a much tighter line of authority between the parent and the child. And the range of functions performed by the family includes material, psychological, social, and otherwise. Above all, the system of family life revolves around the fulfillment of certain basic needs as well as universal needs. These need comprise of the food, shelter and sexual release. Furthermore, the family in the Plymouth Colony setting is likened to different things and institutions. Particularly, the family is described as a â€Å"business†, â€Å"school†, â€Å"vocational institute†, the â€Å"church†, â€Å"house of correction† and as a â€Å"welfare institution†. As a business, the family is the central agency of economic production and exchange. As a school, the parents and the masters are obliged to attend to the educational needs of the children. As a vocational institute, there is a need to apply the knowledge and skills on the larger economic system. As a church, there is an obligation for â€Å"family worship†. Lastly, on the welfare institution, the family usually provides welfare services such as the presence of the hospital or even orphanage. Indeed, the findings on the book of John Demos create awareness on the true nature of the people from the Plymouth Colony. Moreover, it contributes to the strengthening on the American culture and history. In fact, it serves as one of the foundations of the family life of the American people. Undoubtedly, there is only little difference between the family of the Plymouth Colony and the modern-day American family. As such, the study of the ways and customs of the family on the Plymouth Colony proves the resemblance of families between the ancient colonies and the modern societies. Works Cited Demos, John. A Little Commonwealth: Family Life in Plymouth Colony. New York: Oxford University Press, 1971. Chapter 2: The English Transplantations – People/Term. 2 July 2007. .

A Christmast Surprise for Gramma

A Christmas Surprise for Grandma by Gloria J. Shuttleworth Grandma lived on Sugar Creek Mountain all alone. It was a beautiful mountain, with tall cedar trees all over the mountain top. In the middle of the mountain was a crystal clear lake. The water in the lake was the prettiest blue you've ever seen. When the water was calm, you could see the fish swimming around in the lake. I loved sitting by the lake when I was a little girl. Grandma would pack us a lunch, and we would sit at the lake for hours on end. Hour after hour, grandma would tell me stories about her life on the mountain. I remember the day that grandpa drowned in the lake.My parents had tried to talk grandma into moving into town, but she wouldn't hear of it. My parents knew not to argue with her, because they knew that grandma was set in her ways. â€Å"I've been on this mountain for so long that I've forgotten which is the oldest, me or the mountain,† grandma had said, with a twinkle in her eyes. I knew my par ents worried about her being alone, because grandma was the only person who lived on Sugar Cliff Mountain. Today I was going to visit grandma, and the excitement grew inside me at the thought of spending time on the mountain once more. After all, it had been ten years since I had seen grandma.It's hard to believe that my career had kept me away for so long. As I approached the top of the mountain, I could see grandma staring out the window of her little log cabin home. Grandma greeted me at the door with a big hug. â€Å"I am so happy that you could come to visit with me,† said grandma. This Christmas is going to be so wonderful! I have a special surprise for you dear. Little did grandma know that I had a very special surprise for her as well. â€Å"Well, we can't stand around here all day,† said grandma. There's a lot of work to get done. I have invited the people from the village to come to my Christmas party on Saturday evening.After I had freshened up a bit, we spe nt the day baking all sorts of cookies and candies. Grandma had a story to tell as we baked the goodies for the party. She told me about how she used to bake apple pies for grandpa. â€Å"He loved apple pies,† said grandma. Those were his favorite. She said that after the pies would cool off, that grandpa would send her into the living room, under the pretense that he would clean up the kitchen. Grandma knew what he was really up to, but she never let on that she knew. Grandma would go into the living room and sit in her rocking chair. She would sing some of the songs that she knew grandpa loved.About an hour later, grandma would wander back into the kitchen. â€Å"Why Henry! † she said kitchen, grandma retired for the evening. I made myself a cup of tea and sat down in front of the fireplace. Sitting alone in the quiet house, I pondered my childhood memories of my grandparents. They had always been such a fun loving and happy couple. Shortly after they were married, g randpa built the log cabin home for his â€Å"Little ole Emmy†, as he called her. Just before Christmas, almost twelve years ago, grandpa was outside gathering firewood, when grandma heard a horrible scream and a terrible noise.She ran outside to find that an area of the ice on the lake had fallen through. She yelled for grandpa over and over but no reply ever came. They searched the lake for over a week, but no trace of grandpa could be found. Finally, they called off the search. One of the men who had helped in the search said they'd probably never find grandpa now. Just then, as my thoughts were still racing around in my head, my grandmother brought me back to reality. â€Å"We have to be up very early in the morning dear, so off to bed now,† she said. I slowly walked to my grandmother's room, and kissed her goodnight.Morning came early at grandma's house. As I entered the kitchen I could smell the homemade biscuits and gravy cooking on the stove. â€Å"What's on o ur list of things to do today? † I asked. â€Å"The men are coming from the village this morning to put the lights on the trees, and we have lots of presents to wrap for the children,† she said. Just then, there was a knock at the door. It was the men from the village ready to start putting up the lights. Grandma was so excited as she stepped back to watch them. â€Å"Let's wrap those presents now Laura,† said grandma.As I watched grandma wrap the presents and tie the ribbons, I knew that so much more was being placed around them. With each piece of wrapping paper grandma was also wrapping them with love. After the last present was wrapped, we realized that we'd been wrapping presents all day! It was now getting dark outside and grandma wanted to go outside to view the lights. As we stepped out onto the porch, we gasped. The sight that met our eyes was so beautiful to behold! The snow was glittering and the reflection of the lights on the snow was beyond words! I t was breathtaking! That night I went to bed with a heart full of love for my grandmother.I knew that someday I wanted to be just like her, full of love for others. Saturday evening the village people started arriving just after dark. Grandma always waited until evening to have her Christmas party, because she loved the lights. All the guests gathered around in the front yard and began to sing Christmas carols. Oh, how grandma loved that! Ole Ben was a jolly fellow who worked at the village store, and he was chosen to help Santa hand out the presents. The children shouted with glee, as they unwrapped their gifts. Grandma said, â€Å"Laura, come here dear, I have a surprise for you. As she handed me the present, I could see the love and pride in her eyes. â€Å"I love it grandma†, I said, as I bent down to kiss her cheek, â€Å"I will cherish it forever. † Grandma had made a quilt out of some of my dresses that I had worn as a little girl. â€Å"Grandma, if you could have just one special gift for Christmas, what would it be? † I asked her. Without even stopping to think, she replied, â€Å"I would like to see your grandfather just one more time, so I could feed him the apple pie that the horses quit snatching when he left us. † Just then grandma's face lit up like the lights on the Christmas tree!Everyone turned to see what grandma was looking at. Walking slowly toward her, with an apple pie in his hand, was grandpa! There was two slices missing from the pie that he was holding. The village people were speechless, as they thought they were seeing a ghost. Grandpa chuckled, as he yelled out, â€Å"Emmy, those darn horses snatched the pie and got away with two pieces. Difference to me, but slowly my memory started to return. I remember now going out to gather firewood. There was a nice piece of wood on the lake. I thought the lake was frozen over so I stepped out on the lake to get the piece of wood.I remember hearing the lake crack le and that's the last I remember about the accident. â€Å"Laura, how can I ever thank you for bringing grandpa home to me? † asked grandma. Laura replied, â€Å"Seeing the happiness and the love you have for each other is all the thanks I need. † As Laura retired to bed that night, she couldn't help but think about the surprise that she had given to grandma for Christmas. She knew in her heart that it was the best surprise present that grandma would ever get. What a warm and wonderful feeling came over Laura as she fell asleep, thinking of her grandparents.

Women in the Military essays

Women in the Military essays In January 1991, thousands of women found themselves in a place no one thought they would ever be; in combat. Even though the women werent in the traditional combat roles as infantry and armor, they were fighter pilots, military police, military intelligence and hundreds of other specialties who fought in Iraq. Keeping women out of combat specialties hasnt protected them either. Being in a job such as a mechanic or fuel handler is just as dangerous as a front line soldier. While in combat, tanks need fuel handlers and mechanics close at hand to keep them running. Who is to say that the enemy wont attack a fuel truck and their drivers? This was the case many times in Iraq. Many women had to fight right along with the men. With the rate of women recruitment at its highest in modern day history it was inevitable that the American military would be putting more women into harms way. To protect all soldiers, we must hold them all to the same training and standards. Discipline in the Army is accomplished through many techniques, but the most effective technique is the achievement of set standards or guidelines emplaced by the military. There are standards for almost any task that needs to be accomplished. Marching for example is one of your most basic standards; it is done in the most militarily direct manor, taking thirty inch steps, your head held in a generally rigid manor, your arms swinging at your side moving nine inches to the front and six inches to the rear. A standard like this and many others easily equate to both genders, it seems the standards associated with combat are where the important differences lie. One of the most important war fighting standards is Physical Fitness. If women soldiers are put in situations where theyre fighting side by side with men then they should be expected to obtain the same physical standards set for the males. Physical fitness can mean life or death on t...

New Year’s Eve Etymology Hogmanay and Auld Lang Syne

New Year’s Eve Etymology Hogmanay and Auld Lang Syne New Year’s Eve Etymology: Hogmanay and Auld Lang Syne Happy New Year everyone! Well, not quite yet if you’re reading this on New Year’s Eve. But at midnight tonight, we say â€Å"goodbye† to one year and â€Å"hello† to yet another one. But how does a proofreader celebrate the last day of the year? With etymology, of course! The origin of â€Å"New Year’s Eve† itself is fairly obvious. But there are a couple of unusual terms associated with this time of year: Hogmanay and Auld Lang Syne. We have the Scots to thank for both of these. But what do they mean exactly? And where do they come from? Hogmanay (A Gift Given at the New Year) Scotland’s obsession with New Year’s Eve goes back to the seventeenth century and the Protestant reformation, when Christmas was banned in Scotland. The New Year therefore became the main winter festival for Scots, giving rise to what is know today as â€Å"Hogmanay.† As with many old traditions, Hogmanay involves a lot of fire.(Photo: John Lord/wikimedia) The etymology of â€Å"Hogmanay† is complicated, but one theory is that it comes from the Middle French aguillaneuf, via the dialect word hoguinanà ©, one meaning of which is â€Å"a gift given on New Year’s Eve.† This may be reflected in the Hogmanay custom of â€Å"first footing,† where the first person to enter a house after midnight on New Year will come bearing gifts. Hogmanay is still mainly a Scottish tradition. But even if you’ve never heard of first footing before, there is a certain song associated with Hogmanay that has caught on around the world†¦ Auld Lang Syne (Times Long Past) â€Å"Auld Lang Syne† is now sung around the world as New Year’s Eve passes into New Year’s Day. But it was originally a poem by Robert Burns from 1788, based on an even older folk song. It then became a Scots tradition to sing it at the New Year, later spreading across England and beyond. Auld Lang Syne. The phrase â€Å"auld lang syne† itself literally translates to â€Å"old long ago† or â€Å"old long since.† But this is better understood as meaning â€Å"days gone by† or â€Å"times long past.† This reflects the theme of the song, which is about looking back at old friendships (the â€Å"old acquaintance† mentioned in the lyrics) and coming together once more to celebrate over a â€Å"cup o’ kindness.† And whether or not you’re from Scotland, that sounds like a great way to end any year.

Non-Traditional courses Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Non-Traditional courses - Term Paper Example Non-Traditional courses Nontraditional courses are slowly finding their way in the curriculum of various colleges and universities. Students get a formal scholarly education, for instance, on rock music, vampires, or Star Trek.This paper begins by outlining the characteristics of quality education. The qualities of nontraditional courses that embody quality education are then highlighted. It is concluded that nontraditional courses complement traditional courses and, therefore, should be offered by schools. Nontraditional Courses and Quality Education Quality education equips students with the proper set of knowledge and skills they need to excel in their chosen discipline, commits a holistic approach to learning by considering the theoretical as well as the practical sides of knowledge, aligns itself with contemporary times, and makes learning fun. Students are equipped with the right set of knowledge and skills in nontraditional courses, although it may appear it different form and content. For example, t here are certain disciplines that warrant the teaching of nontraditional courses. In a Television Studies class, for instance, an entire course devoted to " Dallas " and "Dynasty" is deemed necessary. In other instances, cultural, political, and social concepts are best illustrated through these courses. Explaining gender roles or racial identities as demonstrated in â€Å"Dallas" satisfies learning objectives. ... Rock Culture" course, for instance, students readily see how theories of culture, ideology, and ethnicity play out in the seemingly innocent and value-free discipline of music. In studying "Star Trek", students get to learn and immediately apply valuable life lessons the film portrays. By constantly exposing students to these courses, their ability to find theoretical explanations of a phenomenon and apply them in real-life situations would be enhanced. What nontraditional courses offer which traditional courses lack is the attachment to the concrete and immediate realities of life. They are not widely detached from the phenomena or environment they seek to explain. Nontraditional courses, then, offer students a holistic view of the world by combining theory and practice. The most important defining characteristic of nontraditional courses, arguably, is their ability to reflect contemporary cultural, social, and political landscapes. These courses are able to capture specific moments of cultural, social, and political histories. Constantly moving and changing, they are never stuck in the past. These courses use contemporary events to explain contemporary life. A course on "MTV (music television)", which in itself is an amalgamation of contemporary culture and social landscapes, provides students with knowledge that is aligned with contemporary realities. It teaches students a specific set of knowledge while drawing on their own experiences of watching MTV. While traditional courses can practically impart the same knowledge, the attachment of nontraditional courses to the contemporary times makes learning more concrete, practical, and immediate. Finally, nontraditional courses make learning more interesting and fun. Because of their rigid structure, traditional courses

Bicycle patrol Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Bicycle patrol - Essay Example They are – The International Police Mountain Bike Association (IPMBA), and the Law Enforcement Bike Association (LEBA). The IPMBA model is more popular and known (Shah, 2003). According to IPMBA resources, mountain bicycles are used in police departments to control criminal activities. It has become a fashion to prepare a bicycle patrol unit throughout United States of America’s state police departments because of the benefits. Bikes are noiseless, cheap and dependable and are helpful in filling up the gap between automobiles and foot patrol. Communities prefer to talk to a bike patrol officer than to a neighborhood beat officer. It helps policing efforts to solve problems. Bicycle officers can make better use of their senses of eye, ear and smelling in searching criminals. Criminals don’t doubt their presence around even if they are in uniform. Another benefit of mountain bike is its worth in crowded urban areas, where traffic is very slow, and crowd comes in between the motorized way. Bikes can enter into parks, parking lots, institutions, colonies, business centers, tourist complexes and VIP functions. The streets, side-walks, alleys, trails and such areas can be reached via a bike, where motor vehicles cannot enter due to lack of space. They are useful both in urban and remote areas to save people from casualties also (IPMBA resources). It is very important to learn how to handle weapon at the time of patrol cycling. Bike can be used as a protective tool also. The option of ‘use of force’ shows that bike is not just a medium of transport but techniques like riding stairs, cone courses and slow speed skills besides scenario exercises, and suspect encounters add to the already learnt cycling skills. So, passing the training course is very important before practicing police bike patrols (Shah, 2003). Here lies the importance of IPMBA courses like Security Cyclist certification courses. The Complete Guide to Police Cycling of IPMBA covers