Mother Tongue Essay Example for Free

Mother Tongue Essay Today we live in a society that is often called a salad bowl. It is called a salad bowl because it consists of various different people from various different backgrounds. We all live together in a society, but we still retain our own distinct flavors which helps to contribute to the richness and diversity of society. Unfortunately, today we also live in a society in which some of these groups are marginalized and looked down upon by others. Hence, often times as individuals we feel the need to compromise the way in which we communicate our ideas so that we can appeal to the views of the majority. Two authors explore how their attempt to compromise almost caused them to become detached from their roots. In Mother Tongue, by Amy Tan, Tan talks about growing up as a young child in America and learning the English language. She speaks about growing up as a writer and her mothers imperfect diction which had a major influence on her. On the other hand, In her essay, Censoring Myself, Betty Shamieh talks about being an American playwright and having to censor herself because of how her work was viewed. Both authors explore the influence that their background had on their ability to express themselves. As individuals we should not be afraid to express ourselves because of our differences, rather we should use our differences and show how our distinctions make us very unique. Firstly, In Mother Tongue, Tan talks about how her mothers limited English diction skewered her perception of her mother. Tan mentions how, Like others, I have described it to people as broken or fractured English (Tan 273). This shows how Tan viewed her mothers English speaking abilities. She describes it as if her mother spoke damaged English, which needed to be mended or repaired. For Tan it was imperative that she spoke proper English and used proper diction, thus she was ashamed of her mothers English. Tan fell under the impression that her mothers English speaking abilities reflected the quality of what she had to say. Since her mother expressed her words in an imperfect manner, tan believed that her thoughts were also imperfect (Tan 274). Her perception was also supported by how people in society responded to her mother. Tan states that people in  department stores, banks, and restaurants would not take her mother seriously. They would provide her bad service, pretend not to understand her, or act as if they were mute (Tan 274). This further contributed to Tans feeling of embarrassment and shame towards her mother. Tan also describes an incident in which her mother went to the hospital and was told that the hospital had misplaced her CAT scan. The hospital did not show any remorse for losing the scan, nor did they assure her that they would locate it, that is until her mother had Tan speak to the hospital (Tan 275). As a reader this shows us how language is perceived and the role that it plays in the lives of individuals. For Tan it was imperative that she was able to blend in and be like others, so that she wouldnt be ridiculed. Luckily, she was able to realize the positive influence that her mothers diction bought her. Furthermore, Tans mother teaches her to think in a different manner than the other children in her school. Tan states that her developing language skills were influenced by her family and in this case her mother, hence it affected her results on achievement tests. Since her mother taught her to think differently she was unable to perform as well in English as she did in math and science. Later Tan realizes the value of this different systematic way of thinking and it contributes to her rebellious nature towards her teachers who suggested shed be much better in engineering, accounting, or anything else than English, since she was of Asian descent. She decided to challenge this stereotype, and thanks to her mother became a writer, who didnt write using challenging diction that required a lot of thought, but rather diction that could be read and understood by audiences such as her mother. This is the reason she starts writing about her mother: â€Å"I wanted to capture what language ability tests can never reveal: her intent, her passion, her imagery, the rhythms of her speech, and the nature of her thoughts† (Tan 277). She acknowledged the richness that her mothers heritage provided her and then she decided her first reader and critic should be her mother. Overall this taught Tan that she didnt need to compromise to the high caliber and complexity of the English language, but rather she could express her thoughts in a simplistic, yet effective way which could be understood by everyone. In her essay, Censoring Myself, Betty Shamieh talks about being an American playwright and having to censor herself because of how her work was viewed by others. She states: I have been censored in many ways. But I think the most overt example of censorship I have yet faced is my experience with a project called the Brave New World Festival (Shamieh 294). For the Festival she wrote a monologue about being the sister of a suicide bomber in mourning because she was unable to prevent his vicious act of terrorism. Her approach towards writing this play was to promote anti-terrorism, but due to the harsh tragedy of 9/11 she felt that there would be some potential backlash. When she was asked to perform her monologue at the Brave New World Festival, she was very skeptical of being criticized, thus she asked a famous actress named Marisa Tomei to act in the play (Shamieh 295). Post 9/11, president Bush let it be known on national television that he thinks citizens better watch what they say (Shamieh 294). This shows the amount of tolerance that was granted towards individual expression post 9/11, where anything that was said could be viewed in light of terrorism. As an Arab American Shamieh acknowledged that her work would be a source of criticism, but she felt the need to express her view and in doing so had to compromise so that she could get her play preformed. Moreover, Shamiehs play was ridiculed for its content, so being afraid of losing her spot in the festival she produced another piece that could be preformed. This shows the censorship she faced with her work and her need to compromise her writing so that it would appeal to the majority. Shamieh states that: Arab American artist are largely faceless in this country and I felt that, by dropping out, I would be helping those who are trying to keep it that way (Shamieh 295). This portrays Shamiehs want to express her views and to represent the Arab community, whos voices were neglected. Essentially she was trying to give a voice to the voice less. She later presents a story about an Arab-American girl who ends up on a hijacked plane and talks the hijackers out of their plans. Once again her intent was to promote anti-racism, but in a humorous way, yet her new play was not only censored, but this time completely taken out of the festival. This shows the ability individuals had in being ab le to express their ideas. Being an  Arab American, Shamieh had the right to express her views, yet despite this, her work was viewed under a wrong light and taken out of the play. This taught Shamieh that as individuals we will often face censorship for many reasons, whether it may because of our race, ethnicity, gender, sex, etc. For Shamieh, this experience taught her to write about the things she cared about, the things that represented who she was. She acknowledged that she was censoring herself by not producing a play about the Palestinian experience, which was a huge part of who she was (Shamieh 296). As individuals we will often face criticism from others, but the important thing is to express our voices so that we can communicate our ideas and portray ourselves under a proper light. Hence, often times as individuals we feel the need to compromise the way in which we communicate our ideas so that we can appeal to the views of the majority. Authors Betty Shamieh and Amy Tan were both subjected to trying appeal to others. They both explore how they found themselves and attempt to tell readers to express their individuality. As American citizens, majority of us come from different backgrounds which gives us a broader perspective. We should try not to forget our roots and neither should we become entrenched in trying to appeal to others who see us under a different light. We as individual bring about diversity and cultural richness to America, hence we should not be afraid to communicate our ideas in a manner that represents who we are. When we constantly feel the need to compromise we often lose our identities and our own unique individuality. We are discrete individuals and we should utilize our differences, rather than trying to hide or forget them. If we do not s tand up and express our perspectives then others will express them for us. So, thus we need to communicate our ideas in an effective manner, while still retaining our original flavors in the salad bowl. Works Cited 1) Neweib, Janice. Mother Tongue by Amy Tan. The Mercury Reader: A Custom Publication. New York: Pearson Learning Solutions, 2011. 271-277. Print. 2) Silverman, Jonathan, and Dean Rader. Censoring Myself by Betty Shamieh. The World Is a Text: Writing, Reading, and Thinking about Visual and Popular Culture. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2011. 294-296. Print.

The Video Game Controversy Media Essay

The Video Game Controversy Media Essay The video game controversy has been an ongoing debate with one side insisting that video games increase violent tendencies amongst children and the other debunking it. Timothy F. Winter blames video games for violence amongst children in his article The Government Should Stop Kids From Buying Violent Video Games, published in U.S. News and World Report on 10th May 2010 while Michael D. Gallagher insists otherwise in his article, Video Games Dont Cause Children to be Violent, published in U.S. News and World Report on 10th May 2010. Both articles are directed towards parents as the topic concerns children and whether they are affected by video games, a common form of entertainment in any given household. This essay will critique the strengths and weaknesses of the articles with regard to how the authors used the rhetorical proofs of ethos, pathos and logos. Though Winter is better at using pathos in his article than Gallagher, his argument contains fallacies which weakens his argument considerably while Gallaghers article is reinforced by his usage of logos. The rhetorical proof ethos can be categorized to three different parts, that is, initial ethos, derived ethos and terminal ethos (McCroskey, 2004). McCroskey (2004) defines initial ethos to be the ethos of the source before the communicative act, derived ethos as the sources ethos during the act of communicating and terminal ethos to be the sources ethos at the completion of the communicative act. Ethos plays an important role in an argument because the audience judges not only the argument, but the speaker as well (Borchers, 2006). The key factors in constructing a believable ethos are source credibility, prestige and personal proof (McCroskey, 1997) and as Gallagher is the president and CEO of the Entertainment Software Association, a company that deals exclusively with video games (The Entertainment Software Association website, 2010), he is more than qualified to give his opinion on the subject thus he has high initial ethos. Winter is the president of the Parents Television Coun cil and though that organization advocates most forms of entertainment, its primary focus is television (Parents Television Council website, 2010) so his initial ethos is not as high as Gallaghers. Winter and Gallagher both have derived ethos because during the body of their articles, they both include factual material and opinions attributed to qualified sources (McCroskey, 2004). Winter cites findings from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Parents Television Council and the California Legislature. Gallagher includes sources from the Supreme Court, FBI statistics, the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, a quote from Hon. Robin Cauthron of the United States District Court, and the FTC. Both Winter and Gallagher have terminal ethos because as a representative of the Parents Television Council and Entertainment Software Association, they manage to make their corporations look good through their arguments. Winters stance on video games is that it encourages violence amongst children due to the flaws in the rating system while Gallagher firmly believes that the rating system will prevent children from playing violent video games. Both writers are slightly biased in their articles in supporting their stance but Winter is noticeably more so than Gallagher. Winters article may offend the percentage of his audience that are gamers as he states that, The industrys arguments are logically and morally bankrupt. Reinking, Hart and von der Osten (1999) point out that if the writers tone is mean or arrogant, it offends the public and will fail to persuade the public. Winter is sarcastic and snide in his comments about the video game industry in his article. Gallagher expresses his genuine concern for the subject as he believes in finding a solution to the problem and is generally respectful to the audience. To appeal ethically to the audience, one has to be committed to the truth, have sincere re spect for others and to be concerned about the issue (Reinking, Hart von der Osten, 1999). Thus from an ethos standpoint, Gallagher is better at backing up his argument with ethos than Winter. Ramage, Bean Johnson (2004) associates pathos with emotional appeal which focuses on making the audience feel what the writer feels. They further state that pathos relies on the audiences imaginative sympathies. Gallagher concludes his article with a sentence that will appeal to the audiences sympathies, Americans rights to speech and expression are sacred and inviolate- millions across the political spectrum agree with us. His audience, Americans as this article appears in the U.S. News Report, are being emotionally manipulated to believe that those opposing Gallaghers argument are suppressing their freedom of speech. He is relying on the audience to sympathize with the video games industry as they are being oppressed. Thus Gallagher has developed some pathos in his argument, as he knows his audience and how to sway their emotions (Borchers, 2006).Winter also displays a knack for utilizing this rhetorical proof as he describes in length the violent acts one can commit when playing a video game such as shoot a police officer and urinate on him as he tries to crawl away. The examples he gave serves two purposes; it provides evidence that supports his reasoning and it also gives his argument presence and emotional resonance (Ramage, Bean, Johnson, 2004). Winters inclusion of specific details in his argument can help to create an image in the audiences minds that will trigger their feelings (Ramage, Bean, Johnson, 2004).Winter uses terms like ultraviolent video games to further insinuate his message to the audience that video games are a negative form of entertainment that focuses on violence. Reinking, Hart and von der Osten (1999) affirm that pathos can be used to drive people to action, people who would otherwise passively accept an argument based solely on logic. Winters graphic details will cause parents to be against video games because they would not want their children to participate in these violent actions. Gallagher attempts that strategy as well when he indirectly accuses his opposition of taking away Americans freedom of speech by condemning the video game industry because video games are considered to be media too. However, the rest of Gallaghers article lacks pathos as he does not attempt to connect with the audience as much as Winter. Therefore, Winter displays a better use of pathos than Gallagher in his article. Though both Winter and Gallagher have used the rhetorical element of logos in their arguments, Gallaghers use is stronger as Winters article contains fallacies that weaken his argument. Logos refers to the internal consistency and clarity of the message and to the logic of its reasons and support (Ramage, Bean, Johnson, 2004). Gallagher makes a good point when he states that the video game industry has a rating system that informs and empowers parents. He believes that parents should be in control of deciding what their kids are allowed to play and that the rating system will enforce that. He backs up this argument by stating facts from the FTC like how 87% of parents were satisfied with video game ratings and that the FTC has applauded the video game rating system because it clearly displays rating information and restricts childrens access to mature-rated products. In his article, Winter uses refutation to this claim, that is, the practice of countering an argument with evidence o r reasoning (Borchers, 2006) by stating statistics from the Parents Television Council that indicate that an underage child is able to purchase a mature game 36% of the time. Winter is framing his evidence; he is maximizing his readers focus on his data and is guiding his readers vision and response (Ramage, Bean Johnson, 2004). However, Jenkins (n.d.) points out that the FTC has found that 83% of games purchased by underage consumers are made by parents or children accompanied by parents. Parents are responsible in restricting the access of mature-rated games from children and Gallagher points out that the video game industry is working to help parents as current-generation game consoles come with built in parental controls that allow parents to block video games they do not want their children to play. He states that major U.S. retailers are also working to help parents by enforcing age restrictions in the purchase of games. Though a functioning and praised rating system exists f or the video game industry, Winter is not satisfied because he is of the opinion that children will continue to be able to play violent video games. Gallaghers article consistently debunks the statement that video games cause violence amongst children and he supports himself by including FBI statistics that confirm that youth violence has declined in the recent years as video game popularity has increased. However, Winters article confirms that more than 3000 studies links violence tendencies amongst children to the consumption of violent media. Jenkins (n.d.) states that though much research has been done on whether video games contribute to violence amongst youth, most of this research is inconclusive and have been criticized on methodological grounds. He concludes that no research has found that video games are a primary factor in increasing violence amongst children and turning them into killers. Ramage, Bean and Johnson (2004) discuss universal quantifiers, which is the tendency to confuse universal quantifiers with existential qualifiers. As Winter ignores the fact that playing violent video games is not the sole cause for violence amongst children, he is guilty of this fallacy. Gallagher refutes Winters statement by quoting the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, The state has not produced substantial evidence thatviolent video games cause psychological or neurological harm to minors. Thus Winter is begging the question, that is, a fallacy where he asserts the truth of an unproven statement (Reinking, Hart von der Osten, 2004) when he states that video games increase violence tendencies amongst the youth. Not only that, Jenkins (n.d.) points out that the most studies on violent video games found is a correlation, that aggressive people like aggressive entertainment. Winter is also guilty of the fallacy post hoc, ergo propter hoc, which is confusing the correlation for the cause (Ramage, Bean Johnson, 2004). Winter brings up a very good point in his argument, that video games are different from other forms of entertainment because the player is actively engaging in the violent acts rather than just watching it onscreen. Children who are playing violent video games choose who to beat, rape, maim or kill and Winter reasons that because of this unique problem, the government should do more to prevent children from playing adult games. Winters reasoning is linked to the audiences values as parents would not want their children to play these violent games and as such he is persuasive (Ramage, Bean Johnson, 2004). Gallagher tries to claim otherwise by quoting the Hon. Robin Cauthron of the United States District Court, the presence of increased viewer control and interactivity does not remove these games from the release of the First Amendment protection. However his claim does not prove anything, just that video games are entitled to freedom of expression thus it is redundant in this context . Both articles include the rhetorical elements of ethos, pathos and logos to support their arguments. It is clear however, which is the stronger argument. Winters usage of ethos to support his arguments is poorer than Gallaghers as he is more biased and appears less credible than Gallagher. However, Winter effectively uses pathos to sway the audience in his argument as he includes specific examples. Though Gallagher does try to persuade his audience in this way, he is still lacking in the element of pathos. Logos plays an important role in any argument and though both authors have strengthened their arguments with this rhetorical proof, Gallagher does a better job at logically reasoning with the audience. He supports his claims with suitable evidence and makes some very good points. Winter has points that are refutable because he is guilty of fallacies in his arguments. In conclusion, Gallagher presents the better argument when he proves that video games are not to blame for violent t endencies amongst children and that the rating system will help prevent children from playing mature games. References Borchers, T 2006, Rhetorical Theory: An Introduction, Thomson Wadsworth, Toronto. Gallagher, M.D. 2010, Video Games Dont Cause Children to be Violent, U.S. News and World Report 10 May, viewed 13 May 2010, . Jenkins, H n.d., Eight Myths About Video Games Debunked, Public Broadcasting Service, Virginia, viewed 15 May 2010 . McCroskey, JC 1997, An Introduction to Rhetorical Communication, 7th edn, Prentice Hall, Massachusetts. Parents Television Council, 2010, Parents Television Council, Virginia, viewed 26 May 2010, . Ramage, JD, Bean, JC, Johnson J 2004, Writing Arguments: A Rhetoric with Readings, 3rd edn, Pearson Education, New Jersey. Reinking, JA, Hart, AW von der Osten, R 1999, Strategies for successful writing: A rhetoric, research guide, reader and handbook, Prentice Hall, New Jersey. The Entertainment Software Association, 2010, The Entertainment Software Association, Washington, D.C., viewed 26 May 2010,. Winter, T.F. 2010, The Government Should Stop Kids From Buying Violent Video Games, U.S. News and World Report 10 May, viewed 13 May 2010, .

Reflection Paper on Effective Listening Skills

Reflection Paper on Effective Listening Skills Listening is defined, the act of hearing attentively (Princeton, 2010). Restated, it takes more than simply hearing communication; listening is an active thought process. It is hearing and concentrating on the verbal as well as the non-verbal. I took the listening quiz (Burley-Allen, 1982). My score was 75. What does this mean? According to Burley-Allen (1982), a score of 75 is average. I think effective listening skills are analogous to the Gestalt style of psychoanalysis. According to Corey (2004), Gestalt therapy is based on the assumption that we are best understood in the context of our environment. The basic goal of Gestalt therapy is to provide a context that will enable individuals to increase their awareness of what they are experiencing and doing. Moment-to-moment awareness of ones experiencing, together with the almost immediate awareness of ones blocks to such experiencing, is seen as the goal of this therapy. As a physician, Gestalt therapy does not use the language of p athology, or normal and abnormal. Instead, individuals are viewed as having the capacity to self-regulate and to develop their dealings with the various environments they encounter throughout life (Corey, 2004). Listening is defined, the act of hearing attentively (Princeton, 2010). Restated, it takes more than simply hearing communication; listening is an active thought process. It is hearing and concentrating on the verbal as well as the non-verbal. In addition, most of our communication is non-verbal, which includes listening. What did your score say about your listening skills? Were you surprised by the outcome? I took the listening quiz (Burley-Allen, 1982). My score was 75. What does this mean? According to Burley-Allen (1982), a score of 75 is average. What does this mean? I do not know because, unfortunately, Burley-Allen omitted the explanation of his four score categories. He did not describe the strengths and weaknesses of each score category. Therefore, this paper will answer the remaining questions from my point of view, instead of Burley-Allens. In addition, I will focus the paper as pertaining to my profession of medicine. I believe this will help me become a more effective listener because I will be able to learn from my strengths and weaknesses and apply them accordingly. I think effective listening skills are analogous to the Gestalt style of psychoanalysis. According to Corey (2004), Gestalt therapy is based on the assumption that we are best understood in the context of our environment. The basic goal of Gestalt therapy is to provide a context that will enable individuals to increase their awareness of what they are experiencing and doing. Moment-to-moment awareness of ones experiencing, together with the almost immediate awareness of ones blocks to such experiencing, is seen as the goal of this therapy. As a physician, Gestalt therapy does not use the language of pathology, or normal and abnormal. Instead, individuals are viewed as having the capacity to self-regulate and to  develop their dealings with the various environments they encounter throughout life (Corey, 2004). I believe this is an invaluable tool as a physician. Listening to patients explain their symptoms, being aware of their moment-to-moment experience, will facilitate the therap eutic process and even lead to more accurate diagnosis. What are your strengths and weaknesses when listening to others? How can you improve your listening skills to strengthen your weaknesses? In addition, how can your strengths be utilized and applied to your profession? The listening quiz does not qualify if a listening habit is considered a strength or weakness. Some individuals will define certain listening strengths as weaknesses and vice versa. For example, habit eight states, Form a rebuttal in your head while the speaker is talking? (Burley-Allen, 1982). The score for this habit is one point for most of the time, two points for frequently, three points for occasionally, and four points for almost never. In order to score the maximum four points then the answer would be almost never. However, I disagree with Burley-Allens assumption. I think effective listening is to be engaged in the thought process while the speaker is communicating. This includes forming a rebuttal in your head while the speaker is talking. The listener can then adjust the rebuttal accordingly to the speakers suggestions. Forming a rebuttal includes concentrating on the communication (habit 5), learning from the speaker (habit 6), recognizing semantics (habit 7), accomplishi ng communication (habit 17), think about reactions (habit 19), and etcetera. According to Burley-Allen, some of these habits are considered strengths and some are considered weaknesses. Therefore, the listening quiz shows low internal validity. The primary act that a physician does with a patient is listen. During the first encounter between a physician and patient, the physician will start the communication process by asking, What brings you in today? This question is followed by active listening. During this process, the physician tries to understand the patient and assemble a diagnosis. If pieces of an analysis are missing, then the physician will paraphrase the data and ask additional questions in order to narrow the choices. I believe that active listening is the most important act that a physician can do. In relation to the topics covered thus far, identify at least three techniques that could help you improve your skills. The three techniques that can help improve my skills are: (1) resist distractions, (2) summarize in my own words, and (3) keep an open mind. The first technique is resisting distractions. The Penguin Dictionary of Psychology (2001) defines stereotype as, A set of relatively fixed, simplistic overgeneralizations about a group or class of people. Here, negative, unfavorable characteristics are emphasized, although some authorities regard positive but biased and inaccurate beliefs as components of a stereotype. It is easy for my mind to become distracted while listening to a speaker. I tend to do this frequently. For example, if a patient comes in who looks underprivileged, then I tend to stereotype the patients background and struggles. This causes me to ignore important communication from the patient. (Note: It is difficult to resist distractions when a patient has a foul odor and the physician is trying not to vomit.) The second technique I have identified is summarizing. This is a useful tool when applied correctly. However, I tend to assume to know what the patient means and not summarize  in my own words. If I can learn to summarize a patients story in my own words, then there will be fewer miscommunications. This will lead to a more productive doctor-patient relationship. The third technique is to keep an open mind. The Penguin Dictionary of Psychology (2001) defines ethnocentrism as, The tendency to view ones own ethnic group and its social standards the basis for evaluative judgment concerning the practices of others, with the implication that one views ones own standards as superior. Hence, ethnocentrism connotes a habitual disposition to look with disfavor on the practices of alien groups. I am very judgmental. I consider this habit a strength; Burley-Allen scores it opposite as I do (habit 28). Being judgmental allows the listener to form personal thoughts from the speakers message a gestalt of the communication. Habit 28 did not specify if judging was considered positive or negative, so I give it a positive connotation. Our textbook states, Try to understand the emotions or interests that may lurk hidden beneath a given complaint or statement. Often the person youre talking with wont be fully aware of them themselves (Hattersley McJannet, 2008 ). In the context of ethnocentrism and judging negatively, this can be detrimental to effective listening. For me, this is similar to technique one: resist distractions. I can be a more effective listener if I keep an open mind and not judge negatively about a patient. (Note: It is difficult to keep an open mind if a patient does not have insurance, which is unethical by the physician.) Why is it important to possess strong listening skills in business and management? The Website for the California Society for Oriental Medicine reports, The February 19 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association published a report by the Agency for  Health Care Policy that studied the communication level between primary providers and patients. They found that physicians who listen to their patients and use a friendlier manner during visits might reduce the risk that they will be sued for malpractice. In the randomized controlled study they found that physicians that told their patients what procedure or technique they were doing, or going to do, who elicited opinions and questions from the patient, and were more likely to use humor and laugh, were more often in the group without any malpractice claims. Physicians who spent more time with their patients were also more likely to be in the no claims group (CSOM, 2003). This is invaluable including non-monetarily as a physician. The patient will feel more comfortable and allow the physician to perform examination procedures if the physician first explains the procedure and actively listens to a patients opinion and questions. In addition, I think it is essential to allow multicultural or multiethnic patients to construct their own understandings of the therapeutic process and to engage in interpretation and other forms of higher-level functioning. This will further facilitate an active process of listening by the patients. I believe sacred and confidential communication between physician and patient contain specific phases that can maximize listening efficacy. First, during the initial interview, the physician can begin to establish a collaborative relationship with the patient. It is essential that the interview focus on the patients own wishes and goals. Second, the physician should honor the patients concerns. It can be easy to respond to the emotional side of patients feelings the pain or need that motivates them to seek help and enter the hospital. The reactive emotions and resistance of patients disclosure may be helped through effective listening. Third, physicians need to respond to patients questions and suggestions that can only be accomplished through the  active listening process. Responding to the patients feelings, in an open-ended way, will usually produce the most information and intensify the doctor-patient communication. Finally, termination is an important and distinct phase of me dicine that needs to be negotiated thoughtfully. Ending the relationship will almost always be of great significance to patients. It is necessary to listen to a patients closing remarks because this usually suggests the overall quality of care. I believe that all of these phases will contribute to a more effective listening and communicating relationship between doctor and patient. The Penguin Dictionary of Psychology (2001) defines countertransference as the analysts displacement of affect onto the client [and] the analysts emotional involvement in the therapeutic interaction. This means that all feelings, thoughts, or actions of the physician that involve or influence the doctor-patient communication process are countertransference. This definition suggests that countertransference is a destructive element in medicine; however, not all countertransference issues are unconstructive. I believe that through maturity and growth, as a professional, combined with a thorough understanding of his/her ethnicity, values, and biases, can enable a physician to effectively identify and manage countertransference to make it productive. Countertransference is a constant element in interpersonal processes, and I believe it is inevitable in the doctor-patient relationship. In conclusion, when a physician engages in effective listening, the physician, without sharing it with the patient, has an opportunity to learn something about him or herself and utilize it for his or her personal maturity and professional growth. The physician needs to be aware of his/her own personal assumptions, values, and biases, and understand the worldview of culturally diverse patients to develop appropriate interventions, strategies, and techniques.

A Brief History Of The Internet :: essays research papers

A Brief History of the Internet Within our society there has been a revolution, one that rivals that of the Industrial Revolution. The Technological Revolution. At the head of this revolution is the Internet. A place full of information, adventure, and even for some, romance. In our society today everyone has heard of this technological wonder, and many use it on a daily basis, but for some the question still remains†¦ What is the Internet, and where did it come from?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some thirty years ago, the RAND Corporation, American’s foremost Cold War think-tank, faced a strange strategic problem. How could the US authorities successfully communicate after a nuclear war? Post nuclear America would need a command-and-control network, linked from city to city, state-to-state, and base-to-base. But no matter how thoroughly that network was armored or protected, its switches and wiring would always be vulnerable to the impact of atomic bombs. A nuclear attack would reduce any conceivable network to tatters. And how would the network itself be commanded and controlled? Any central authority, any network central citadel, would be an obvious and immediate target for an enemy missile. RAND mulled over this grim puzzle in deep military secrecy, and arrived at a daring solution. The network would have no central authority. Furthermore, it would be designed from the beginning to operate while in tatters.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The principles were simple, the network itself would be assumed to be unreliable at all times (Krol 11). It would be designed from the get-go to transcend its own unreliability. All the nodes (computers hooked to the network) in the network would be equal in status to all other nodes, each node with its own authority to originate, pass, and receive messages. The messages themselves would be divided into packets, each packet separately addressed. Each packet would begin at some specified source node, and end at some other specified destination node, winding its way through the network on an individual basis (Krol 11). The particular route that the packet took would be unimportant. Only final results would count. Basically, the packet would be tossed like a hot potato from node to node, more or less in the direction of its destination, until it ended up in the proper place. If big pieces of the network had been blown away, that simply wouldn’t matter; the pac kets would still stay air born, lateralled wildly across the network by whatever node happened to survive. A Brief History Of The Internet :: essays research papers A Brief History of the Internet Within our society there has been a revolution, one that rivals that of the Industrial Revolution. The Technological Revolution. At the head of this revolution is the Internet. A place full of information, adventure, and even for some, romance. In our society today everyone has heard of this technological wonder, and many use it on a daily basis, but for some the question still remains†¦ What is the Internet, and where did it come from?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some thirty years ago, the RAND Corporation, American’s foremost Cold War think-tank, faced a strange strategic problem. How could the US authorities successfully communicate after a nuclear war? Post nuclear America would need a command-and-control network, linked from city to city, state-to-state, and base-to-base. But no matter how thoroughly that network was armored or protected, its switches and wiring would always be vulnerable to the impact of atomic bombs. A nuclear attack would reduce any conceivable network to tatters. And how would the network itself be commanded and controlled? Any central authority, any network central citadel, would be an obvious and immediate target for an enemy missile. RAND mulled over this grim puzzle in deep military secrecy, and arrived at a daring solution. The network would have no central authority. Furthermore, it would be designed from the beginning to operate while in tatters.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The principles were simple, the network itself would be assumed to be unreliable at all times (Krol 11). It would be designed from the get-go to transcend its own unreliability. All the nodes (computers hooked to the network) in the network would be equal in status to all other nodes, each node with its own authority to originate, pass, and receive messages. The messages themselves would be divided into packets, each packet separately addressed. Each packet would begin at some specified source node, and end at some other specified destination node, winding its way through the network on an individual basis (Krol 11). The particular route that the packet took would be unimportant. Only final results would count. Basically, the packet would be tossed like a hot potato from node to node, more or less in the direction of its destination, until it ended up in the proper place. If big pieces of the network had been blown away, that simply wouldn’t matter; the pac kets would still stay air born, lateralled wildly across the network by whatever node happened to survive.

Buffalo Soldier-Dreadlock Rasta? :: essays papers

Buffalo Soldier-Dreadlock Rasta? The Buffalo Soldier of the West and the Elimination of the Native American Race When black men first enlisted in the United States army, they were thought to be crazy. These were the men, who just a few years before, were being persecuted because of the color of their skin. Throughout time, the black man has suffered in more ways than we could imagine. The white man stole them from their homeland only for the sole purpose of making money. They were thought to be hard workers and very loyal. However, after the Civil War and the emancipation of slavery, there became some perceptions of the black man that had never been seen or heard before. Even though they were still thought to be inferior, they still gained some respect on the part of the white community. In 1864, the President of the United States, Mr. Abraham Lincoln wrote a statement concerning the black troops enlisted in the U.S army. With the sympathy of the president, this is what was written: The black soldiers in the Civil war had so heroically vindicated their manhood on the battlefield where, in assisting to save the life of the republic, they have demonstrated in blood their right to the ballot†¦." (Cashin and others 1969 p.i) This message was the forthcoming of a new perception of the black man. With the help of President Lincoln, the black man felt that they were on their way to freedom and equality. However, after the assassination of the "Great Emancipator" the black man’s hopes and dreams seemed to fade faster than they were built up. With the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, President Lincoln had given the black man one of America’s highest standards for being considered free. He gave them the right to vote. However, since the assassination, the southern black man could not vote because of the stipulations that the white southerners put on the voting system. Therefore, the black man could only hold on to the last shred of freedom that he was given the right to have. Because of their gallant efforts put forth in the Civil War, the black man was still allowed to serve in the United States army. In 1866 a bill was passed by Congress to allow the formation of an all black regiment. In all there would be several different regiments comprised of only black soldiers. The regiments were formed by the black enlistees and usually the duties were carried out by a white officer.

Pros and Cons of Nuclear Power in Usa

NUCLEAR POWER GEOGRAPHY HOMEWORK 10/27/2012 DAISY SOWAH FORM 5W PROS AND CONS OF NUCLEAR POWER IN THE USA Worldwide, there are 441 nuclear power plants that supply about 16 percent of the world's electricity. There are currently 104 operating U. S. nuclear power plants that produce over 20 percent of U. S. electricity. ADVANTAGES a) Nuclear power generation does emit relatively low amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2). The emissions of green house gases and therefore the contribution of nuclear power plants to global warming is therefore relatively little. USA is currently responsible for a quarter of all carbon dioxide emissions – an average of 40,000 pounds of carbon dioxide is released by each US citizen every year – the highest of any country in the world, and more than China, India and Japan combined, the increased used of nuclear power will do well to curb these emissions. b) High Load Factor – Nuclear Power Plants have very high load factors in excess of 80%.Th ey can generate power almost 24/7 and only require shutdown for periodic maintenance c) Huge   Potential –Nuclear Energy Potential is almost infinite compared to the limited and peak features of other forms of   energy like Wind,Geothermal,Oil,Gas and others. Only Solar Energy can be said to have more potential. d) Low Electricity Cost – The Electricity produced from Nuclear Power is quite low at around 3-5c/Kwh making it very attractive to construct hydro plants e) Low Fuel Cost – Large amounts of Nuclear Energy can be produced from the fission on radioactive elements like uranium.The costs of nuclear fuel is relatively   very low compared to other energy sources like coal and gas. Also uranium prices currently are quite low making the nuclear electricity price even lower. About $100 a poundof uranium but a barrel of Brent crude oil is $114 a barrel but lasts for a much shorter period of time CHALLENGES 1. Nuclear and Radiation Accidents – This is the biggest con for Nuclear Energy and has been repeated 3 times in the last 30 years in Japan, Russia and USA.The fear of a repeat is so great that despite all the safety arrangements touted by the nuclear equipment operators and suppliers, Nuclear Energy faces an uncertain future The worst nuclear accident in U. S. history took place on March 28, 1979 at the Three Mile Island plant in Pennsylvania. A cooling system failed, causing a partial meltdown, but a full meltdown was averted and there were no fatalities. However, despite the positive outcome and despite the passage of more than 30 years, the incident remains fresh in the minds of those who are old enough to remember it. 2.Nuclear Waste Disposal – Again a massive problem as the spent Nuclear Rods of Nuclear Reactors are prohibitively costly and difficult to dispose of. Spent nuclear fuel is initially very highly radioactive and so must be handled with great care and forethought. (10'000 years according to United State s Environmental Protection Agency standards). There is no foolproof way to dispose nuclear waste fuel after it is used in the Nuclear Reactors. The area around Nuclear Waste Sites can be dangerous to humans for hundreds of year as complex nuclear elements have half lives running into many years.The United States had accumulated more than 50,000 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel from nuclear reactors. Permanent storage underground in U. S. had been proposed at the Yucca but that project has now been effectively cancelled. There is presently no adequate safe long-term storage for radioactive and chemical waste produced from early reactors, such as those in Hanford, Washington, some of which will need to be safely sealed and stored for thousands of years. 3. Regulations – The Regulations for Nuclear Energy Power Plants are many and cumbersome due to the massive risks of a failure of a nuclear reactor.This greatly increases the costs of generating nuclear power. It also leads to a long time in the actual start to the completion of a Nuclear Plant . 4. Fuel Danger – Uranium which is the main fuel used in Nuclear Fission Power Plants is limited to a few countries and suppliers. Its use and transport is regulated by international treaties and groups. 5. Nuclear power is reliable, but a lot of money has to be spent on safety – if it does go wrong, a nuclear accident can be a major disaster. Despite a generally high security standard, accidents can still happen.It is technically impossible to build a plant with 100% security. A small probability of failure will always last. The consequences of an accident would be absolutely devastating both for human being as for the nature. The more nuclear power plants (and nuclear waste storage shelters) are built, the higher is the probability of a disastrous failure somewhere in the world. People are increasingly concerned about this – in the 1990's nuclear power was the fastest-growing source of power in much of the world. In 2005 it was the second slowest-growing. 6. The energy source for nuclear energy is Uranium.Uranium is a scarce resource, its supply is estimated to last only for the next 30 to 60 years depending on the actual demand. March 11, 2010 nightmare scenario: Terrorism at a nuke power plant. Nuclear meltdown. Level 7 core damage blows through the 6 foot thick reinforced containment structure releasing highly radioactive elements into the atmosphere and surrounding environment. 7. Nuclear power plants as well as nuclear waste could be preferred targets for terrorist attacks. No atomic energy plant in the world could withstand an attack similar to 9/11 in New York. Such a terrorist act would have catastrophic effects for the whole world.

A Newsletter About Solutions and Creating Exceptional Value Essay

High Impact Projects A Newsletter About Solutions and Creating Exceptional Value Software Company Narrows Focus from 1 Million Prospects to 40 – Closes 30 Sales in First Year! After 3 Years of Revenues Less than $2 Million, Sales Soar to $75 Million in 4 Years! Systems Produce Paybacks for Clients of more than 10-to-1 Stopped Trying to Sell to Information Technology Department – Found Line Executives With An Urgent Need to Buy CEO Found a Way to Reduce Risk and Capture Financial Upside A Repeatable Pattern Emerges Compiled by Tom Ingram, PMPi Before Jeff Miller took over as CEO, Documentum had suffered three years of flat revenues, never exceeding $2 million per year. After Miller took over, the next year’s sales increased to $8 million, followed by $25 million, $45 million, $75 million and an IPO in subsequent years. Granted, these were the boom years – but this success story carries some essential lessons which I have seen work in several other settings over the years. Below is a summary of these key lessons from several sources, including a Harvard Business School case study. None of this is easy. Documentum went through a period when it was burning $1 million per quarter, with only $4 million in cash reserve, and only two new customers. Success in the intangible, â€Å"black magic† world of software is difficult, and my hope is that you can take some useful lessons away from this summary. Following are some of the things that worked for them. Narrowed Their Focus from â€Å"everyone in the world that touches complex documents† to a â€Å"rifle shot.† Documentum chose to focus initially on the regulatory affairs departments of Fortune 500 pharmaceutical companies. This narrowed their universe of prospects from some 500,000 to only 40 companies worldwide. Urgent Need to Buy: Documentum was able to identify buyers in extreme pain due to the regulatory paperwork requirements for submitting new drugs for approval. They focused on finding prospects that were in a situation where (1) regulatory requirements created much pain, (2) prospects demanded a solution and (3) the solution could represent a significant competitive advantage. Documentum closed 30 out of 40 initial target prospects in the first year! Help for Struggling Software Companies tom@tomingraminc.com 972-394-5736 Newsletter #25 July 2004 Page 1 TOM INGRAM & ASSOCIATES, Inc. Huge Payback for Customer Every day that was saved in drug approval application time resulted in a $1 million incremental profit for Documentum’s clients. The system reduced drug approval application time from 1 year to approximately six months. Average profit per day of $1 million times 128 days saved = $128 million in incremental profits per drug application. A typical system might cost $4 Million – Resulting in a 32-fold Payback! Target Buyer: Documentum discovered that their target buyer was not the Information Technology (IT) department! IT departments are often happy with the status quo – while line executives are not. They also discovered that executives and department managers were really the ones that drove the priorities for IT. Documentum stopped trying to sell to IT department buyers and focused on line executives with a problem and a budget. I will add that I have seen this to be true in dozens, if not hundreds, of instances in my 24 years in the technology and software business. The boom times of the ‘90s were a slight exception to this rule. The IT department was buying a great deal, and companies got used to   selling to the IT department. When reality came crashing down upon us, and the techbubble burst in the early 2000’s, this aberration disappeared. I will note that this is an   extremely difficult shift for companies to make because their sales force, including sales executives, and even the CEO, often have experience only selling to the IT department – they have no skills, credibility or capacity to sell to line executives. Picking the Initial Target Niche: One of the key issues in picking the initial target niche is the size of payback to the customer. By focusing on the area which your customer has the greatest payback, they have the most to gain economically from purchasing from you quickly. Assuming you can consistently deliver this payback, it is much easier to get Niche 2, Niche 3 and Niche 4 going after you have a strong set of happy customers behind you. Subsequent Niches: After Documentum’s initial success in the regulatory affairs department, they spread to other niches in every department within pharmaceutical companies. (regulated chemicals, oil refineries, etc.) This included a big win in the document management area for oil and gas exploration and production companies, where Documentum helped them manage the property/lease/royalty paperwork. This approach is often called the bowling pin model, because you set up the initial niche as a â€Å"headpin†, knock it down and that makes it substantially easier to â€Å"knock down the following pins†. This approach also helps you keep a controlled risk (or cash burn rate) by requiring the software company to demonstrate that it can find and close customers with an urgent need to buy, one niche at a time. Changes to Software Product Offered: Note that Documentum had the discipline to stay focused on the needs of very tightly defined sets of customers. They started in the regulatory affairs departments of pharmaceutical companies, and slowly spread, niche-by-niche (bowling pin-by-bowling pin)   to other departments and other industries. It is critical to recognize that Documentum invested its precious cash in software product enhancements only for these customers. The Harvard Business Review Case highlights a particular situation where Documentum declined a $2 million order because it would have required them to make Help for Struggling Software Companies tom@tomingraminc.com 972-394-5736 Newsletter #25 July 2004