Burmese Days by Gorge Orwell Essay Example

Burmese Days by Gorge Orwell Paper Based on Orwell’s experiences as a policeman in Burma, George Orwells first novel presents a devastating picture of British colonial rule. It describes corruption and imperial bigotry in a society where, after all, natives were natives interesting, no doubt, but finally an inferior people. When Flory, a white timber merchant, befriends Indian Dr Veraswami, he defies this orthodoxy. The doctor is in danger: U Po Kyin, a corrupt magistrate, is plotting his downfall. The only thing that can save him is membership of the all-white Club, and Flory can help. Florys life is changed further by the arrival of beautiful Elizabeth Lackersteen from Paris, who offers an escape from loneliness and the lie of colonial life. For Said, controversy about the postcolonial discourse begins with the term of re-presentation which gives the Westerners upper-hand as a â€Å"genuine creator, whose life-giving power represents, animates, constitutes, the otherwise silent and dangerous space beyond familiar boundaries† . This representation is so powerful which brought the concept of the Orient, first of all in Western academics, â€Å"then Western consciousness, and later Western empire. † The effect of this representation is the creation of binary opposition of the self and other which posits the former in the privileged position that permits himself to define, describe and articulate the Orient as she wishes, and the former in the position of a silent, disabled object of study. Said continues that one cannot make any distinction between representation and misrepresentation and the difference is matter of degree. We will write a custom essay sample on Burmese Days by Gorge Orwell specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Burmese Days by Gorge Orwell specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Burmese Days by Gorge Orwell specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Burmese Days is commonly referred to as an anti-imperialist novel which closes down ‘the entire genre of imperial heroics’. It is true that Orwell has created a novel which is distinguished from earlier colonial writings, such as those Kipling and Forster by, but as it has been mentioned before, ‘it lacks a firm commitment to antiaimperialism’, both on the part of Flory and his author’s or as Boehmer points out appropriately Burmese Days ‘does not diverge significantly from a colonialist semiotic’and it is an ‘ambivalent text’ . As Edward Said says that Intruders control the fiction and all types of writings and misrepresent the natives. They indirectly convey their message. Similarly Burma is viewed through a Westerner’s lens and functions just as a setting with its fauna and flora. The novel focuses on the White community and they are at the center and Burmans are totally marginalized in the novel. There is no hint of their culture, lifestyle, customs and etc. nd the novel concentrates on a Flory’s loneliness rather than a critique of imperialism and ‘the novel deals not so much with the problems of the Burmese as with the problems of the English in Burma’. Orwell is trapped in the role of Westerner’s representer by an ‘Orientalist mindset’ and personified in Flory who is torn between loyalty to British Raj and sentimental sympathy for the natives, ‘doubleness between membership among the dominant and an affinity for the dominated’. ‘He did not speak of his sympathy for the Burmese’ and follows the ‘White man’s code of silence in the East’. Holderness et al assert that if one takes the novel as a critique of imperialism, one cannot ‘find in this text a critique of racist assumptions’. For Orwell, anti-imperialism and anti-racism are two different things. Racism and racial bigotry are not criticized by the narrator and as Blyemel states, ‘Orwell’s exposure of extremist color prejudice is unsettling’. Edward Said in his essay talked about the misrepresentation of the natives. The natives are being stereotyped by associating animal imagery with them. In this novel ‘Unironic use of adjectives’ for natives is very unsettling too, when the narrator calls the Burmese as swines, ticks, black coolies, the sneaking, cowardly hounds, bloody sods, damned and smelly natives,gutless curs, yellow bellies, evil and unclean Orientals, greasy little babus, little pot-bellied dirty niggers,those with the scents and stench of coconut oil, sandalwood, garlic, cinnamon, turmeric, sweat, and those with black skins, brown, malicious and epicene faces and filthy black lips. Orientalism is closely related to the concept of the Self and the Other because as Said points out in his second definition of Orientalism, it makes a distinction between the Occident, i. e. self and the Orient, i. e. the Other. Since the analysis of the relationship of the self and the other is at the heart of Postcolonialism and many define Postcolonialism in terms of the relationship of the self and the Other. For instance, Boehmer emphasizes that ‘Postcolonial theories swivel the conventional axis of interaction between the colonizer and colonized or the self and the Other’. The Self and the Other can be translated to the Occident / Orient, us /them, The West /the rest, center/margin, metropolitan/colonial subjects, vocal/silent. In all these cases Western literary and cultural canon defines its other in relation to himself, the other is an alien and alter ago, to and of the self, as the inferior reflection of Europe. By the process of Othering, the colonizers treat the colonized as ‘not fully human’, and as a result, it dehumanizes natives. Othering codifies and fixes the self as the true human and the other as other than human. The Colonizers consider themselves as the embodiment of â€Å"proper self† while label the colonized as â€Å"savages†. Said focuses on the Myth of purity- which states that everything should be pure,there is no mixing of the language, tradition, culture etc. so the westerns create binary oppositions. â€Å"Burmese Days† revolves around the binary opposition of the Self and the Other, and the very essence of the Club is to make the distinction between the whites and non-whites more conspicuous. Hence, all the characters of the novel lay fitly on two categories: The natives and non-natives, the whites and non-whites, the Indians and Anglo-Indians, the familiar or stranger, the civilized and uncivilized or barbaric, the European and Asian, the us and them, and the Self and the Other. In addition, a set of stereotypes and cliches are attributed to the natives that have contributed to Orientalize them. The Orient and Orientals are stamped with an otherness says Said, and this otherness is a threat that should be avoided. In all colonial novels, some negative attitudes and a set of fixed cliches are ascribed to this otherness. Edward Said underscores that the starting point for all Orientalists is to recognize these stereotypes. It is not a difficult task to see; to some extent these images come true in â€Å"Burmese Days†. For instance, all the natives particularly the servants are lazy and lethargic, as Mrs. Lackersteen complains about the laziness of the servants , or Ko S’la, Flory’s servant is lazy and dirty, and his ex-wife as ‘a fat, lazy cat’ . U Po Kyin, more than anyone else stands for cunning, intrigue and flattery which were mentioned earlier. His brain though cunning was quite barbaric . For their distorted minds, Eliza mocks them for blocking up the roadway for spectacle, as Flory answered that ‘there are no traffic regulations here’ . Flory calls Ma Hla May a ‘liar’ when she said no brown hands touched me, however the readers know that she had an affair with a brown man. The Orientals have no nobility and grace except by accompanying and camaraderie with the occidentals. U Po Kyin and Veraswami’s efforts for admission to the Club are for this nobility and prestige, as Dr. Veraswami pointed it in his example of barometer. For mistreatment to animals, one can remember the scene that ‘a fat yellow woman with her longyi hitched under her armpits was chasing a dog round a hut, smacking at it with a bamboo and laughing. ’ Recurring images do not confine to the above mentioned and many other labels such as superstition, strangeness, polygamy are also attributed to the Orientals. The natives believe that the ‘strips of alligator hide’ has magical properties ; Ma Hla May sometimes puts love-philters in Flory’s food; â€Å"The Burmese bullock-cart drivers seldom grease their axles, probably because they believe that the screaming keeps away evil spirits† ; as the medicine, they eat and drink ‘herbs gathered under the new moon, tigers whiskers, rhinoceros horn, urine, menstrual blood! ’ And finally Weiksa or magician who distributes magic bullet-proof jackets. Edward Said points out that Oreint is always seen as mysterious and a muddle for the Occidents. Burma is an exotic place for Westerners and Orientals, strangeness and exoticism generate from that exotic locale. Elizabeth is terrified by this ‘strangeness’, as Adela in â€Å"A Passage to India† did. Accordingly, the bushes are foreign-looking, rhythms of the tropical seasons and hollow cries are strange ; Eliza among the natives’ spectacle wishes to escape from this strange place to familiar one, i. e. the Club and she always barked at strange Orientals Ko S’la is an ‘obscure martyrs of bigamy’ and Li Yeik, the Chinese shopkeeper had two girls as his concubines. In short, in Burmese Days like other colonial novels, a web of colonial images and cultural stereotypes are attributed to the Burmese which fix them in their inferior position. Elizabeth as a memsahib is also bigoted and she felt ‘the hatefulness of being kin to creatures with black faces’ . Eliza’s overt racism is also shown in two occasions: when Flory, assuming that ‘she was different from that herd of fools at the Club’ and she will appreciate native’s culture, took her to a pwe, a kind of Burmese play. Another occasion was when they paid a visit to bazaar. At first she is shocked when she sees how they have blocked the road for their performance, and Flory answers that â€Å"there are no traffic regulations here. The native music is a ‘fearful ‘pandemonium, a strident squeal of pipes, a rattle like castanets and the hoarse thump of drums’ . Elizabeth felt insecure to go among ‘that smelly native crowd’ and she watches ‘the hideous and savage spectacle’ with tediousness and horror: Its grotesque, its even ugly, with a sort of willful ugliness. And theres something sinister in it too. Theres a touch of the diabolical in all Mongols. And yet when you look closely, what art, what centuries of culture you can see behind it! †¦Whenever you look closely at the art of these Eastern peoples you can see thata civilization stretching back and back, practically the same, into times when we were dressed in woad. Eliza comes from the ‘civilized places, and her superiority is blatantly expressed when she calls them with a very offensive term even in that time, Mongols. She considers the White racially and civilizationally superior to the Burmese. The word woad signifies that the present-day Burma is less civilized than the ancient Briton (in that times, woad was used for painting their bodies). Furthermore, they are connected to devil and devil worship (as the term diabolical and sinister connote); besides, the dancer girl becomes a ‘demon’ figure for her. In the bazaar’s scene, Eliza once more humiliates the Orient and Orientals. The bazaar is described as ‘large cattle pen’ by ‘a cold putrid stench of dung or decay’, and ‘Everythings so horribly dirty’. Eliza becomes insecure and asked herself why Flory has brought her to ‘watch their filthy, disgusting habits’ (Ibid). The barbarity of the bazar and absolute savages was stifling her. The natives were ‘damnably dressed’. All the children are naked and one was ‘crawling like a large yellow frog’. The Chinese women practice deforming their insteps, a sign of being ‘behind the times’, an anachronism. She is too arrogant to say thank you to girls fanned them and poured out tea. It is a ‘sort of infra dig’ to sit in their houses. At length Eliza cannot tolerate the ‘absolutely disgusting people’ and ‘beastly Oriental things’ and went out. Flory tries to calm her down that one should not expect all the people behave at the same manner, suppose, for instance, you were back in the Middle Ages. Flory, the protagonist of the novel, at the first look, is against British Empire and he hates the devotion to Pukka Sahib code. He is ashamed of themselves and wonders how they oppose to Veraswami’s admission in the club only for his black skin. This seemingly animosity toward British Empire is revealed during a long conversation with Dr. Veraswami that he admits that we are here to â€Å"rub our dirt on them, and â€Å"wreck the whole Burmese national culture†. He goes further and prefers Thibaw, the last king of Burma to his white fellows. He believes that we do not have any â€Å"purpose except to steal†. What bothers Flory more than anything else is a lie,‘slimy white man’s burden humbug’, the pukka sahib pose. Flory knows that this lie corrupts not only the natives, but also the Whites themselves. The colonizers ‘build prison and call it progress’.

5 Words Often Mistakenly Used in Place of Others

5 Words Often Mistakenly Used in Place of Others 5 Words Often Mistakenly Used in Place of Others 5 Words Often Mistakenly Used in Place of Others By Mark Nichol When writers, amateurs and professionals alike, employ words or phrases they have heard spoken but not seen written, they often mistakenly use a homophone or near homophone of the intended word. Each of the sentences below includes a word that is often used erroneously. A discussion and revision accompanies each example. 1. Given punk rock’s innate tendency to flaunt convention, the style fits the subject matter in its own roughshod sort of way. Flaunt, a verb meaning â€Å"show off,† is frequently confused for flout, a verb meaning â€Å"show disregard for†: â€Å"Given punk rock’s innate tendency to flout convention, the style fits the subject matter in its own roughshod sort of way.† 2. Others honed in on what they consider the company’s poor customer service and monopolistic tendencies. Hone means â€Å"sharpen† or â€Å"make more effective,† but what is meant here is home, as a verb meaning â€Å"proceed† or â€Å"direct attention toward†: â€Å"Others homed in on what they consider the company’s poor customer service and monopolistic tendencies.† 3. She had been the principle trial attorney for the public defender’s office. Both principle and principal derive from the Latin term princeps, meaning â€Å"prince† (the Latin word is also the origin of prince), but principle serves only as a noun, while principal, which can be a noun that refers to a key or leading person or to an amount of money, is also an adjective meaning â€Å"most important,† as in this sentence: â€Å"She had been the principal trial attorney for the public defender’s office.† 4. They were fulfilling a central tenant of the democracy envisioned by our founders. Though tenant and tenet both stem from the same Latin word, tenere, meaning â€Å"hold,† the former refers to someone who rents or leases property, while the latter, meaning â€Å"principle,† is the correct choice for this sentence: â€Å"They were fulfilling a central tenet of the democracy envisioned by our founders.† 5. Her deep-seeded resentment erupted one day in a spontaneous burst of indignation. â€Å"Deep seeded† seems to make sense in a reference to an emotion that is submerged in someone’s psyche, but there is no such idiom; the correct phrase is â€Å"deep seated†: â€Å"Her deep-seated resentment erupted one day in a spontaneous burst of indignation.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:45 Synonyms for â€Å"Food†15 Types of Documents90 Verbs Starting with â€Å"Ex-†

Lesson 16 - Analyzing Direct Costs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Lesson 16 - Analyzing Direct Costs - Essay Example Based on the above computation, Question 5, Dept A, generates a lower factory overhead cost because the factory overhead rate of Question 5, $8.79 is lower than the Question 1, $9.20 factory overhead rate. On the other hand, Question 5 Dept B, generates a higher factory overhead cost because the factory overhead rate of Question 5, $12.07 is higher than the Question 1, $12.00 factory overhead rate. Dept A reduces the profit of Job 123 by $0.41 per direct labor hour. The total profit of job 123 is reduced by $77.40. (4) The buyers would prefer the plant-wide rate. The plant-wide rate is lower than the department rate. Consequently, the buyers will pay a lower price for the manufactured products, when the plant-wide rate is chosen. The underabsorbed did not benefit the company or the customers (Schneider 128). With the actual amount higher than the applied amount, the company’s net profit will decline. Likewise, the customers have to pay a higher price for the product, if the company will increase its selling prices to recuperate the higher actual factory expenses. In the same manner, the underabsorbed amount did not benefit the company or the customers. With the actual amount higher than the applied amount, the company’s net profit will decline. Likewise, the customers have to pay a higher price for the product, if the company will increase its selling prices to recuperate the higher actual factory expenses. In the same manner, the underabsorbed amount did not benefit the company or the customers. With the actual amount higher than the applied amount, the company’s net profit will decline. Likewise, the customers have to pay a higher price for the product, if the company will increase its selling prices to recuperate the higher actual factory expenses. (3) In the Motley issue, the company is required to provide historical cost data of the $845,000 amount. The historical cost data is more reliable source

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Assignment - Essay Example The act dictates and enforces two major responsibilities to any authority, which are to deny or confirm the availability of information whenever required. Whenever the authority admits to having the information as required, the act requires that the authority confer access to the information to any person in need of it. However, there are exceptions to the access of information with certain groups of persons being accorded full rights to accessing the information while some having some restrictions and subject to test by public interest. The act is driven by basic objectives and principles which include maximizing openness, ability to present information in a more open and comprehensive manner as well maintaining an up to date register or inventory system for the available information. Moreover, the act requires absolute observance of the commercial confidentiality of the public, prompt response as well as maintains the lowest costs possible in dispatching the information; informatio n to be provided free wherever possible2. Public tendering process is often a procedural process, which involves among other process the placement of the tenders’ information for interested contractors to apply. This has lead to devising of the tendering mechanisms such as the competitive tendering and the negotiated procedures of procurement by both the private as well as the public domain besides the open and the closed tendering procedures. The public procurement often involves customized discussions that involves many bidders and, applied in complex procurement procedures. The competitive dialogue method3 is characterized of two basic stages where the contracting authority starts by advertising the opportunities. Interested participants apply and gives the information through which the contracting authority determine the competitiveness of the applicants for the contracts and thus few of the qualified applicants are shortlisted for the second phase which is the actual com petitive dialogue. The dialogue entails thorough discussions with the shortlisted participants and the contracting authority stops to engage when it is assured of proposals that will meet its requirements. After the dialogue, the authority then invites tenders for the contract and the evaluation of the tenders stick to the formula of most economically advantageous. On the other hand, negotiated procedures involve the negotiation of procurement by procurer (contracting authority) and the potential bidders where the most cost effective bidders get the contract award4. The competitive dialogue pass through the two stages as with the prior procedure with the difference notable in that within the negotiated procedures the contracting authority requires proposals from the shortlisted participants before engaging in negotiations. In the analysis of procurement through competitive dialogue as well as the negotiation procedures, the most outstanding thing is that both the procurer and the su pplier has information that the other has not and is important for the tendering process to be efficient as well as successful. The success of the negotiated as well as the competitive dialogue procurement procedures rest on the ability for the parties involved to use the information at hand convincingly to win the contract award. The two procedures therefore run hand in hand and

Wine production and tourism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Wine production and tourism - Essay Example Focusing on wine tourism as a growing area of business, the researcher laid the background on the premise that, the key to the continued growth and success of wineries in the world's wine producing region is in meeting customer's expectations and wine products attributes.Using an importance performance analysis, the study revealed how well an operation performs with respect to the attributes most important to guests. The study focused on 353 visitors to wineries and used modified SERVQUAL methodology; The study also offers a chance for the Tourists to taste wineries premium products.In recent years, the growth in tourism in the world's wine producing regions has grown rapidly. This has not only attracted the attention of researchers with increasing attention on various aspects of wine tourism, but has attracted the flow of international capital towards this direction. Wine tourism today is widely acknowledged as a growing area of special interest as agued by the researcher.The main p roblem statement of the research is defined within three folds. Firstly the study focused on visitors' perceptions of the service received at the cellar door-that is, at the winery-and the effect of that service on consumer satisfaction, brand loyalty, and long-term behavioral intention. The study addressed further, the issue of customer service in the emerging wine-tourism sector. Thus an important objective of the study is the definition of the concept of wine tourism as it analysed the linkages between wine quality and brand values, as well as the role of a visit to the cellar door in reinforcing these linkages. Another objective of this paper is the identification of the attributes of service quality as they apply to visits to wineries. 1.2 Research Methods and Design In the study, the researcher adopted a largely quantitative approach to identify significant trends among current visitors to wineries. The researcher however, criticized the method as not well suited to exploring the underlying symbolism or meaning of a visit to a winery34 or to gaining a deep understanding of the needs and motivations that lead individuals to visit a winery. Such an approach would form a future avenue of inquiry, and our quantitative survey may indicate questions that could usefully be explored with deeper qualitative research. 1.3 Findings of Research The researcher ran a series of T-tests and evaluated where mean performance scores differed significantly from the mean importance scores. The findings revealed a high degree of colinearity within the results for both the perception and the importance measures. According to the researcher, the result presented true accurate reflections of Visitor's perception when recorded. Results of the study also showed operators in the wineries are marginally underperforming as visitors proofed to be unhappy with the quality of wine offered for tasting, as most premium wines were out of stock and the wine tasting fees were high. The study came out with many exciting findings. The study first of all found out that Operators do seem to be experiencing some difficulty, though, with respect to the relational aspects of the cellar-door experience. This interesting finding reinforced the importance of

Equity and PFI Strategies in the NHS

Equity and PFI Strategies in the NHS A) Equity NHS hospitals acquire some finance from the private sector and many patients use private health insurance to gain access to treatment; a two tier health care system is emerging (Browne, 2002). From the time the NHS began there has been concern about inequalities in health care. The Black report (1980) looked further at this and the Department of health report â€Å"Saving lives† (1999) rates the importance of equity highly. Equity can conflict with efficiency (Wagstaff, 1991). Sassi (2001) explains that mechanisms of achieving equity are unclear especially when there is the conflict with efficiency. Sassi (2001a) found that for cervical cancer screening, renal transplantation, and neonatal screening for sickle cell disease there was no consistency between NHS policies and equitable principles. Social class has an influence on the incidence and the survivability of many malignancies (Brown, 1997) but despite this fact in the cervical screening program the women most at risk were the least likely to get screened (National Audit Office, 1998). The monetary incentives to achieve screening targets by general practitioners did not address this problem. There are also morally related benefits such as respect for the individual and respect for autonomy that need to be considered. Although â€Å"there should be equal access to health care within the NHS based on equal need† (Davey, 1993) the advent of prescription charges and the extent of the exclusions of dental treatment and of optician services from the NHS (New, 1996) and particularly the exclusion of the bulk of infertility treatment negates this principle. Whilst the prescription charges and optical and dental charges do not, in general, mean that the patient’s need is not met (since the inherent means testing excludes those who are likely to be able to pay themselves) the fertility treatment issue is quite different. Whilst allocation by index of social deprivation or by ethnicity may be a requirement this may conflict with allocation by clinical need. The important question is whether there is equal treatment for equal need. Since those who are poorer in financial terms have the greatest health care needs in addressing the question it becomes apparent that those individuals who are poorer should have an appropriate resource allocation for health care. The system of resource allocation is slightly â€Å"pro poor† (Propper, 2001). The lowest 25% of the population economically do get 25% of the funding (the financial groups were standardised for equality of health care need). Equity in resource allocation does not however mean equity in terms of health actually achieved. The question is whether there is effectiveness of this allocation. Inequalities in health persist across social boundaries (Acheson report, 1988). Propper (2001) analysed â€Å"equal treatment for equal need† accordin g to whether those of equal clinical need but of differing financial means actually had equal treatment. The issue to address is whether there is equal access to healthcare, so this goes a step forward from just equal funding. Interestingly Propper (2001) finds little effect by age. The higher health care expenditure with increased age was generally in the last few months of life regardless of age. There is not currently a fair distribution of health care provision across multi ethnic groups (Erens, 2001). Whether affirmative action policies would assist in a more equitable distribution awaits further evaluation (Sassi, 2004). The Department of Health’s â€Å"Tackling health inequalities† (2003) places much emphasis on targeting racial groups for enhanced care. Health care targeting of ethnic minority groups with greater health care needs has begun to show some evidence of improved outcome (Arblaster, 1996). Health authority funding has tended to be overly weighted according to age distribution (Judge, 1994). Judge (1994) calls for a â€Å"unified weighted capitation system†. Coordination is a problem. Budgetary allocation may be partly determined on the previous year’s spending. Mechanisms of altering care according to need have often not assessed how this might be achieved (Majeed, 1994). Those individuals with the greatest health care needs include young children, the elderly, people living in areas of social deprivation and people from ethnic minority groups (Majeed, 1994). However it is these groups of the greatest need who have general practitioners with the greatest primary care work load (Balarajan, 1992). People from ethnic minorities and those living in areas of social deprivation have the lowest uptakes of immunisation (Baker, 11991). There is a fundamental need still for the equal need – equal access equation and despite the difficulties of trying to achieve a balance (which may be viewed over pessimistically, Doyal, 1997) it remains a worthwhile objective. References Acheson Report. Independent inquiry into inequalities in health report. 1998 Department of Health London: The stationary office. Arblaster L Lambert M Entwistle V et al 1996 A systematic review of the effectiveness of health service interventions aimed at reducing inequalities in health. J Health Serv Res Policy 1: 93-103. Baker D Klein R 1991 Explaining outputs of primary health care: population and practice factors. BMJ303:225-9. Balarajan R Yuen P Machin D 1992 Deprivation and general practitioner workload. BMJ 304:529-34. The Black report 1980 Department of Health and Social Services. Inequalities in health: the Black report. London: DHSS Brown J Harding S Bethune A et al 1997 Incidence of Health of the Nation cancers by social class. Population Trends 90: 40-47 Browne A and Young M 2002 A sick NHS: the diagnosis. The observer Special Reports Sunday April 7, 2002 Davey B, Popay, J. Dilemmas in health care. Buckingham: Open University Press, 1993:27-42. Doyle L 1997 Rationing within the NHS should be explicit: the care for BMJ 314:1114-1118 Erens B Primatesta P Prior G 2001 Health survey for England 1999: the health of minority ethnic groups. London: Stationery Office. Judge K Mays N1994 Equity in the NHS Allocating resources for health and social care in England BMJ 308:1363-6 Majeed FA N Chaturvedi N R Reading R 1994 Equity in the NHS Monitoring and promoting equity in primary and secondary care BMJ 308:1426-29 National Audit Office 1998 The performance of the NHS cervical screening programme in England. London: Stationery Office. New B 1996 The rationing agenda in the NHS BMJ 312:1593-1601 Propper C 2001 Expenditure on Health Care in the UK: A review of the issues. CMPO Working Paper Series No. 01/030 Available on http://www.bris.ac.uk/cmpo/workingpapers/wp30.pdf Accessed 1 May 2006. Sassi F Archard L Le Grand J 2001aEquity and the economic evaluation of health care. Health Technol Assess 5(3). Sassi F Carrier J Weinberg J 2004 Affirmative action: the lessons for health care BMJ328:1213-1214 Saving lives: our healthier nation 1999 Department of Health. London: Stationery Office Tackling health inequalities. A programme for action. 2003 Department of Health. London: DoH, 2003. Wagstaff A 1991 QALYs and the equity-efficiency trade-off. J Health Econ 10: 21-41 B) Private Finance Initiative (PFI) PFI is a partnership between the NHS and a private company. It is increasingly used to purchase a new hospital building. Instead of a capital payment being made revenue payments are made over a number of years. Advantages of PFI Many hospital buildings are extremely old and are clearly no longer suitable for their purpose. The buildings hamper the introduction of new technologies and new ways of working. Costs of new buildings are prohibitively high. The PFI arrangement enables a new building to go ahead where otherwise the opportunity to rebuild would not have arisen at all. PFI certainly overcomes the difficulties that would ensue from a rise in taxes to achieve new hospital builds which would be very unpopular with the public and would be difficult to provide equitably. The PFI does achieve a building with the minimal of public spending at least in the short term. The view of Government is that PFI allows money to be spent on equipment rather than buildings (Ferriman, 1999). There is an argument that PFI is only a procurement issue and other procurement processes are not without problems (McGinty, 2000). The blame laid on PFI may have occurred with alternative means of funding the building of a new hospital. Under the PFI scheme there is a clear incentive, once agreement has been reached, to commence and complete the building work. The private company has a financial interest to see completion to a satisfactory standard. The advantage here for the healthcare provider is that the scheme will complete quickly. There is an ongoing interest in the building by the building and finance companies and this may work to the benefit of the health care provider. Disadvantages of PFI The cost may increase once the building work has begun and this may lead to cost containment negotiations resulting in a decreased number of beds or result in other cutting of health care services. Smith (1999) finds where there is PFI there is an increase in the number of private beds to help to finance the project. This may arise as a choice to increase the revenue from private work as opposed to cutting the number of beds in the new build. The PFI scheme does not really take into consideration the fact that an increasing amount of health care previously provided in hospitals is now done in the community and investment is now in â€Å"services not beds† (McCloskey, 2000). A view, though not universal, (Smith, 1999) is that with PFI the planning is done in the private sector and is therefore not so readily visible. There is increasing evidence that PFI is costing more than the costs of using public money (Pollock, 1997). â€Å"Private capital is always more expensive than public capital† (Smith, 1999). The cost through PFI of construction plus financing costs is 18-60% higher than the building costs (Gaffney, 1999). This is a worrying aspect. It is likely the deficit will be met by cutting costs in the service (Gaffney, 1999). Gaffney (1999) argues comparisons prior to approval of PFI schemes use comparisons with public sector building that involve â€Å"discounting† of costs and adjustments to reflect â€Å"risk transfer† in its appraisal methodology which biases towards approval of PFI. The discounted cash flow analysis makes the PFI look better value than it actually is. Such discounting is appropriate for the private sector where it is useful to maximise profits. Its value in health care where there is not the aim to profit is therefore suspect. The level of concern about PFI has reached the level where the British Medical Association opposes the scheme and wishes the public to be informed of the anticipated long term repercussions and that there be an audit of present such schemes (Beecham, 2002). There is some evidence that PFI is now becoming less popular with private companies (O’Dowd, 2005). There is a concern that some feel that purely because the private sector is involved the procedure must be wrong. It is not the partnership with the private sector that is wrong but the lack of a credible system of achieving an appropriate balance between the financial rewards to the investor and the value for money of the health care provider. If the scales tip the way many fear they will there will be a very serious financial drain on the health service. The Government has now become concerned about the cost implications of PFI and is presently delaying further PFI plans whilst investigating the issue further (O’Dowd, 2006). References Beecham L 2002 PFI schemes should be vigorously opposed BMJ 325:66 Ferriman A 1999 Dobson defends use of the PFI for hospital building BMJ 319:275 Gaffney D, Pollock AM, Price D et al 1999PFI in the NHSis there an economic case? BMJ 319:116-9 McCloskey B Deakin M 2000 Series did not address real planning issues BMJ 320:250 McGinty F 2000 Partnership between private and NHS is not necessarily wrong BMJ 320:250 O’Dowd A 2005 Private sector is losing interest in PFI projects BMJ331:1042 O’Dowd A 2006 Three hospital PFI schemes are delayed while government looks at their cost BMJ332:196 Pollock AM Dunnigan M Gaffney D et al 1997 on behalf of the NHS Consultants Association, Radical Statistics Health Group, and the NHS Support Federation. What happens when the private sector plans hospital services for the NHS: three case studies under the private finance initiative. BMJ 1997; 314: 1266-1271 Smith R 1999 PFI: perfidious financial idiocy BMJ ;319:2-3 C) Managing Scarce Resources Clear mismatch been healthcare resources and needs leads to rationing but the actual mechanism of this is unclear. There are important differences between rationing and priority setting/resource allocation (New, 1996). The former denies a service to individuals whereas the latter concerns value judgments in providing services to groups. Rationing only concerns those treatments which are of proven benefit and is not concerned with evaluation of treatment effectiveness (Nice, 1996). There is healthcare rationing within the NHS today and this is not clear or widely acknowledged and therefore is implicit (Coast, 1997). As a result where treatment is denied to individuals the public do not realize this is due to rationing but on the occasions it finds out there is generally public dissatisfaction, sometimes culminating in litigation as with child B (Price, 1996). Arguments against rationing being explicit include the difficultly of creating such a scheme since there are no ethical rules by which to do it Klein, 1993). â€Å"There is no such thing as a correct set of priorities, or even a correct way of setting priorities (House of Commons Health Committee, 1995). Even if it could be done some consider it is unlikely to work not least because those disadvantaged may bring about dispute and disruption leading to a return to an implicit system (Mechanic, 1995). Coast (1997) sees the disutility (dissatisfaction with the poorer clinical outcome where treatment is denied) of explicit rationing as a distinct problem. With explicit rationing the public would be colluding with decision making and would feel responsibility and disutility where treatment is denied. Coast (1997) argues that in an implicit system the doctors will tend to medicalise the decisions not to treat. When there has been explicit rationing there is no evidence of improved decisio n making but reluctance to determine which treatments should be denied (Cohen, 1994; Donaldson, 1994). Arguments in favour of explicit (openly acknowledged) rationing, a view favoured by healthcare policy makers, include; openness and honesty, possibly leading to a more equitable, efficient service, in which the public can influence the rationing process democratically. Doyal (1979) favours explicit rationing and promotes â€Å"evaluat[ion of] the justice or the efficiency of the rationing process,† and considers the inability to face this is in contrast with the moral foundation of the NHS. Doyal (1979) favours rationing according to need (degree of disability) not by disease popularity, or social worth. Incorporation of uniform clinical guidelines might facilitate the process. Points to consider in a rationing process include (New, 1996); Which services are to be rationed What are the objectives of the rationing process What are the ethically acceptable criteria for rationing Who should do the rationing The Rationing Agenda Group’s function is to increase debate on rationing. This body believes rationing and public involvement in the process are essential (New, 1996). There are various methods of rationing, one includes a cost effective analysis, another involves capacity to benefit (New, 1996). Different approaches are used for different needs for instance infertility treatment may be denied entirely. In any explicit rationing process objectives need clarification and here the objectives might include (New,1996) maximising quality adjusted life years or minimising health inequalities by group or area of residence, The decision making process at national level will include formulae for allocation by geographical area and also work in response to national agendas such as Health of the Nation. At local level there will be health care commissioning incorporating decisions about which health care services to purchase for a community. The processes will be subject to pressure from groups such as; pressure groups, complaint mechanisms and statutory bodies such as community health councils and review by the national Audit Office (New, 1996). Even when a rationing criteria is agreed upon the situation remains complex. Rationing by age may be morally wrong and some would advocate its illegality (Rivin, 1999). Age is a major factor in the rationing of renal transplantation (Lewis, 1989) despite the fact that age does not have a good relationship with prognosis (Wolfe, 1999). Sassi (2001) explains the lack of equity principles in the way such decisions are made in the NHS. O’Boyle (2001) auditing rationing secondary care for excision of skin lesions and found poor patient and general practitioner satisfaction with the process and a high rate of re-referrals. The debate as to the degree of openness of the rationing process continues. The problems of rationing are inherent in the process and openness of the process exposes yet more difficult decision making. References Coast J 1997 Rationing within the NHS should be explicit; the case against BMJ 314:1118-1122 Cohen D 1994 Marginal analysis in practice: an alternative to needs assessment for contracting health care. BMJ 309:781-4. Donaldson C 1994 Commentary: possible road to efficiency in the health service. BMJ 309:784-5. Doyal L 1997 Rationing within the NHS should be explicit: the case for BMJ 1114-1118 House of Commons Health Committee 1995 Priority setting in the NHS: purchasing. London: HMSO 57. Klein R 1993 Dimensions of rationing: who should do what? BMJ 307:309-11. Lewis PA Charny M 1989 Which of two individuals do you treat when only their ages are different and you cant treat both? J Med Ethics 1989; 15: 29-32. Mechanic D 1995 Dilemmas in rationing health care services: the case for implicit rationing. BMJ 310:1655-9. New B 1996 The rationing agenda in the NHS BMJ 312:1593-1601 OBoyle Cole R P C 2001 Rationing in the NHS : An audit of outcome and acceptance of restriction criteria for minor operations BMJ323:428-429 Price D 1996 Lessons for health care rationing from the case of child B BMJ 312:167-9. Rivlin M 1999 Should age based rationing of health care be illegal? BMJ319:1379 Sassi F Le Grand J Archard L 2001 Equity versus efficiency: a dilemma for the NHS BMJ323:762-763 Wolfe R Ashby V Milford E et al 1999 Comparison of mortality in all patients on dialysis, patients on dialysis awaiting transplantation, and recipients of a first cadaveric transplant. N Engl J Med 341: 1725-1730

Culture and disease Essay

Diabetes is a common chronic disease whereby blood glucose or sugar levels in the blood are too high. Glucose mainly comes from foods that are consumed and by the help of insulin hormone they can get into the body cells to provide energy. Diabetes is classified into two types whereby in type 1 diabetes the body is unable to produce insulin whereby with type two the body does not make insulin or use it well in the body. Therefore, when body lacks enough insulin to convert sugar into energy, the sugars stay in the blood and this leads to the disease condition of diabetes. The two common types of diabetes are type 1 and type II diabetes. The condition mainly affects the old people due to lack of exercise and poor eating habits. Within the Italian community, the most common condition presented is diabetes mellitus but unlike other places in Italy it affects children between the ages of 0-14. Diabetes mellitus occurs when the pancreases is not capable of producing enough insulin which is meant for converting sugar into energy. When the cells are not responding well to the insulin which is produced a disease condition can arise. This leads to lack of absorption of glucose into the cell of the body and therefore high levels of glucose are found in blood. The disease manifest itself in different symptoms such as frequent urination, leathery weigh loss, hunger and excessive thirst. The disease can be controlled by exercising regularly and eating well balanced diet and avoiding a lot of sugary meals. Condition can be treated by administration of insulin so as to convert the excess sugar in the blood to energy so that it can be utilized by the body cell. This condition in severe state it can cause renal failure, heart disease, blindness, and stroke or limb amputation. There is quite a high prevalence rate of diabetes in Italy which is about 3-4% of its population and it increases with age. Most of them have type II which is diabetes mellitus and it occurs mainly at the onset of adulthood. Agent or causative agent of diabetes mellitus in Italy and elsewhere are not known since the disease occurs when the body can not produce insulin properly. Type I mainly occurs in young people whereby islet of langerharn cells stops producing insulin completely. In the report by John (2002), diabetes can also arise as a result of auto immune problem whereby the body turns against its own cells thus damaging them and rendering important processes to take place. Type II mainly affects the old people but it’s also gaining roots in younger generation due to lifestyle i. e. As a result of poor diet and sedentary lifestyle. In this type, the body is unable to utilize insulin in converting blood glucose levels to energy. Other causes of diabetes includes:- – Obesity- This mainly occurs as a result of metabolic syndrome. It occurs as a result of extra energy. – Diabetes can also be caused by excessive chronic stress due to excessive utilization of thoughts. Therefore, the best way to overcome all these causes is by living a healthy lifestyle exercising regularly and being cautious on what you are eating. Diabetes mellitus can also result due to hereditary factor whereby the disease is passed through the generation on families. It can also result due to the environmental factors of the surrounding. In genetic diabetes, these individuals have a common genetic marker Type I can occur as a result of vital infection or other microorganism which damages the islet of langerharns cells in the pancreas. Type II is mainly associated with old age, obesity and genetic factors. Italian population is said to be more vulnerable to diabetes than the rest of the European countries. This is much contributed by their lifestyle and the diet they utilize. One thing in Italy is that almost half of its population are said to be overweight and they are clinically tested and proved to be obese. Obese is one of the factors that caused diabetes. Their stare of obese prevents them from working and living normal life due to the bulkiness of their bodies. Failure to work and live normal life hindered them from obtaining financial help from state to help them fight the condition. There state of obesity is also contributed by their diet since they mainly consume fatty foods which are rich in carbohydrates and therefore they end up accumulating a lot of energy which is not utilized in their bodies leading to obesity (James, Kelly, 2007) [PR] There are quite a number of environmental factors which contributes to diabetes. One major environmental cause of diabetes is persistence organic pollution in the environment and insulin resistance. Around 1940, Italian was quite persistent in the use of DDP pesticide which was quite dangerous to crops for consumption and also human. Even after it was banned it remained in the environment causing more harm to human. They slowly biodegrade and finally enter into the food chain which is finally consumed by human. Therefore, high levels of persistence organic pollutants cause types II diabetes. Environmental contaminant which mainly causes diabetes acts through estrogen receptors which results to disruption of endocrine by the chemicals which are incorporated in pollutants. Due to the industrial activities of Italy these pollutants are quite many within the environment and have resulted to diabetes type II since they hinder utilization of insulin by the cells. The mode of transmission of diabetes underlies some of difference in concordance rate. In Italy one of the major transmission modes is through genetic transmission which is mainly from substantial differences in preference rate of the disease which is mostly present in the same ethnic group and to those people who are under similar environmental burden. Apart from genetic transmission, diabetes can posses the mode of inherited transmission. This is also genetically connected whereby phenotype and pathophysiological levels indicates that genetic compounds are likely to be heterogeneous. Different mode of transmission of diabetes can be evidenced in discrete families and it can act as an overall mode of inheritance. Therefore, diabetes is mainly transmitted through genetic since it’s a hereditary disorder and can be passed from one generation to another within the same family (altha, Edgren, 2007) [PR]. There are quite a number of control methods which are used to control diabetes in Italy. These modes of control can be used to minimize the risk of infection in most prone areas of Italy. The first main control measure is by ensuring that the right diet is consumed foods with high energy context should be avoided such as consumption of a lot of carbohydrates in diet, sugary things, snacks fatty foods, potatoes and other meals which have a lot of energy. These foods can lead to obesity which is one of the major causes of diabetes. Therefore if they are avoided the risk of one being obese is reduced which consequently reduce the prevalence rate of acquiring diabetes. Another control measure which needs to be taken into account and which is less practiced in Italy is exercising regularly. Regular exercise helps to burn excess fats and energy which makes one’s body physically fit. In Italy due to most of the people being overweight they do not exercise regularly and this makes their bodies to retain a lot of energy and therefore they become prone to infection. Regular exercise therefore can be used as a control measure in preventing diabetes among the Italians. Exercising healthy lifestyles is also another thing that can help in the control of diabetes this is mostly encouraged in those families who have a life history of diabetes since by doing so they minimize the risks of inheriting disease from their relatives. Government of Italy can also come in to ensure that the danger posed to its citizens of acquitting diabetes as a result of harmful environmental effects like the use of DDP. Therefore, government should ban the use of such chemicals which are harmful to human life and also to ecosystem at large. The main treatment methods used for curing and maintaining diabetes at minimum are change in diet, administration of oral medicine, and in other cases daily injection or insulin or Byetta are mainly used to improve insulin concentration in the blood so that it can convert excess glucose in the blood to energy so that it can be utilized by the cells. Apart from these medicines in most of the routine hospitals in Italy they use acarbose and metform which are known to reduce the disease prevalence in the country by increasing the levels of insulin in the blood. They also use sulfonylurea and combination of different drugs in treating diabetes. These form of treatment resulted to different complication among those who were treated. These complications ranged from mild to severe complications such as diabetic retinopathy, diabetic neuropathy, coronary artery disease, and nephropathy and obstatic arteriopathy of lower limbs. This showed that the medication had vast adverse effect on the health of patient which did not cure the disease but brought about more complication to patients. In determining the social and cultural influences of diabetes in Italy, anthropological methodology was employed which signified that:- – They came up with ways of breaking the social network providing support of young people and this contrasted greatly with the ideas of health cares that held conferences, meeting and social support networks. – Diabetes patients were excluded at any age without minding about their development they were categorized by age and not individual ability and preference. – People were encouraged to take care of themselves at an early age which ensured that they were separated from the family and peer. According to Italian population, they considered the type of treatment offered inconvenient and mostly since it was associated with so many side effects to most of the patient who treatment was administered to and acted well on a very small percentage of patients. Therefore, patients in Italy do not believe that there is effective medication for diabetes and hence they opt for just natural ways of curing the diseases i. e. by use of diet exercising. Therefore since statistics shows that there is quite high prevalence rate of diabetes in Italy as a result of poor diet and lack of exercise. The country need to come up with ways of minimizing this incidence rate since their treatment methods are not quite effective and they end up causing move harm to patients. Reference: Altha Robert, Edgren Ken R, (2007), The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, (vol 5) Jacqueline L. Longe Ed 3 Detroit, Gale on line update. Anne Dornhorst Gary Frost, Robert Mosses, (2003), Nutritional Management of Diabetes Mellitus, New York: John Willey and Son. James Enger, Kelly, (July-August 2007), Dangerous diabetes obesity connections on How to reduce your Risks now, ‘’vibrant life’’: 6-11.

Synthetic Marijuana: the Legal Way to the Grave

Synthetic Narcotics- Georgia’s Growing Epidemic As if teaching our youth about the dangers of drugs isn’t hard enough, now we have company’s manufacturing a synthetic form of Marijuana, commonly referred to as â€Å"Spice† or â€Å"K-2†. These company’s target our youth by packaging it colorful, shiny packets and giving â€Å"cool† names like â€Å"magic monkey† or â€Å"purple passion†. They label these packages â€Å"herbal incense† and â€Å"not for human consumption† in an attempt to hide its intended use and avoid FDA regulations, yet for one package containing 5 grams it costs on average $15. 9-$21. 99. That’s pretty expensive for an â€Å"air freshener†. In 2011, 14. 4 percent of 12 graders admitted to experimenting with synthetic marijuana. Just last March, 16 year old honor student, and star soccer player from Fayette County, Ga. Chase Burnett died shortly after experimenting with this drug. This had law makers act quick and enact â€Å"Chases Law† , Georgia House Bill 370, which made this drug a Schedule 1 Controlled Substance and a felony to purchase, possess and distribute any form of this substance. Once this bill was signed by Gov.Nathan Deal, it took about 24 hours for police agencies, mine being one, to conduct search warrants all over metro Atlanta to get this deadly drug off the shelves. Although now illegal, and rightfully so, there are many retail stores, smoke shops and gas stations that still sell the drug all over Georgia and around the Metro Atlanta area. As quick as officers take it off the shelves, it’s being replaced just as fast. Shop owners feel it’s a violation of their civil rights and use excuses like â€Å"we can’t control what customers do with what they buy† or they tell officers they didn’t know it was illegal, â€Å"it’s just incense†.If they didn’t know it was illegal and didn’t think they were doing anything wrong, why do they keep it hidden behind the counter, out of sight and locked up? Why are they charging so much money for something that normally would cost about $2, if really used as an air freshener? These, as well as many more questions have been raised by not only Law Enforcement, but parents as well. As consumers, the best way to stop these shops and gas stations from selling this to our youth is stop buying your gas or any other items at these locations. It’s now and always will be about the money.Once they see customers going across the street to get gas, they will get the hint. Another way businesses are being put on notice is letting them know that their business license will be revoked if caught selling these and any other illegal substances from their stores. With the new laws enacted and parents working together with Law Enforcement, we are starting to get a tighter grip on this fast growing epidemic that is plaguing a re children. References Whitehouse. gov/ondcp http://georgia. gov/blog/2012-08-20/banning-synthetic-marijuana

How to keep in the best mental and physical shape when youre working

How to keep in the best mental and physical shape when youre working You might think having a desk job or working long hours means that you have no choice but to eat poorly, sit around all day, and generally not take care of yourself during business hours. Sorry, you don’t get a free pass to let health matters fall by the wayside, even if you’re stuck indoors for hours at a time. Here are a few great ways to make better choices and stay (or get!) healthy- even at the office.Wear comfier shoes.Do you find yourself taking the elevator for 1-2 floors instead of the stairs or skipping opportunities to take quick walks between meetings or calls or during your lunch break because your feet hurt in your dressy shoes? You might have to leave the sneakers at home, but from now on choose your work shoes wisely. Switch to something sturdier, where your toes move freely and your heel doesn’t slip. Once you’re free of the pinching and pain, you’ll be more apt to log some extra steps and get up and move.Bring your food from home.M aking your own lunch and bringing your own snacks means that you’re not constantly beholden to take-out, cafeteria grub, and vending machine snacks. You’ll know exactly what you’re putting into your body and can make more conscious food choices. With tupperwares full of healthy noshes like nuts, dried fruit, and yogurt, you’ll avoid sugar cravings and crashes. Plus, you’ll save money! Make sure to include plenty of vegetables- try to scoot one or two into every meal or snack.Set an alarm to get up and move.Set yourself a timer so that every hour, on the hour (or something that works with your schedule), you get up and do a quick lap around the office. Maybe refill a water bottle, tea mug, or coffee cup, or eat your packed apple on the go. The bit of movement will keep your blood flowing and your muscles moving- and your brain more alert.Don’t skip breakfast.Jumpstart your metabolism in the morning with a healthy breakfast. If you don’ t have time or energy to eat at home before arriving at work, then pack some Greek yogurt with pre-sliced fruit, or granola, or an oatmeal packet. The fiber and carbs and protein will perk you up for the long day ahead.Sit up straight.Stop slumping over your computer. Remain aware of your body placement throughout the day, and as soon as you feel your shoulders start rolling forward, straighten out that spine and place your head upright. Sitting up straight eases pressure on your spinal nerves and might even make it easier for you to concentrate.Exercise outside of work.Thirty minutes a week is all you need, provided you up the intensity enough. And keep in mind: little things add up. Can you park a 5-minute walk away from your office instead of vying for the closest spot? Can you walk somewhere for lunch instead of hopping in a car to drive a few blocks? These small things can make a real difference. Then, add in some daily post-work stretches, try a bit of light weight training to counteract some of the ill effects of sitting all day, and you’ll be good to go.Get enough sleep.Getting adequate sleep is a must for your sanity, your productivity, and your physical well-being. Start prioritizing sleep and you’ll see a noticeable difference in your energy and concentration.Smile when you can.Put on a happy face, even if you have to fake it until you make it. Just the simple act of smiling can release a physiological, hormonal response that makes you happier and relaxes muscles deep within.

Wilhelm Reich and the Orgone Accumulator

Wilhelm Reich and the Orgone Accumulator Warning: misuse of the Orgone Accumulator may lead to symptoms of orgone overdose. Leave the vicinity of the accumulator and call the Doctor immediately! That would be the controversial Doctor Wilhelm Reich, father of orgone energy (also known as chi or ​life energy) and the science of ​orgonomy. Wilhelm Reich developed a metal-lined device named the Orgone Accumulator, believing that the box trapped orgone energy that he could harness in groundbreaking approaches towards psychiatry, medicine, the social sciences, biology and weather research. Discovery of Orgone Energy Wilhelm Reichs discovery of orgone began with his research of a physical bio-energy basis for Sigmund Freuds theories of neurosis in humans. Wilhelm Reich believed that traumatic experiences blocked the natural flow of life-energy in the body, leading to physical and mental disease. Wilhelm Reich concluded that the libidinal-energy that Freud discussed was the primordial-energy of life itself, connected to more than just sexuality. Orgone was everywhere and Reich measured this energy-in-motion over the surface of the earth. He even determined that its motion affected weather formation. Orgone Accumulator In 1940, Wilhelm Reich constructed the first device to accumulate orgone energy: a six-sided box constructed of alternating layers of organic materials (to attract the energy) and metallic materials (to radiate the energy toward the center of the box). Patients would sit inside the accumulator and absorb orgone energy through their skin and lungs. The accumulator had a healthy effect on blood and body tissue by improving the flow of life-energy and by releasing energy-blocks. The New Cult of Sex and Anarchy Not everyone liked the theories Wilhelm Reich suggested. Wilhelm Reichs work with cancer patients and the Orgone Accumulators received two very negative press articles. Journalist Mildred Brandy wrote both The New Cult of Sex and Anarchy and The Strange Case of Wilhelm Reich. Soon after their publication, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) sent agent Charles Wood to investigate Wilhelm Reich and Reichs research center, Orgonon. Troubles with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration In 1954, the FDA issued a complaint for an injunction against Reich, charging that he had violated the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act by delivering misbranded and adulterated devices in interstate commerce and by making false and misleading claims. The FDA called the accumulators a sham and orgone-energy nonexistent. A judge issued an injunction that ordered all accumulators rented or owned by Reich and those working with him destroyed and all labeling referring to orgone-energy destroyed. Reich did not appear in person at the court proceedings, defending himself by letter. Two years later, Wilhelm Reich was in jail for contempt of the injunction, the conviction based on the actions of an associate who did not obey the injunction and still possessed an accumulator. Death On November 3, 1957, Wilhelm Reich died in his jail cell of heart failure. In his last will and testament, Wilhelm Reich ordered that his works be sealed for fifty years, in hopes that the world would someday be a place better to accept his wondrous machines. FBI Opinion Yes, the FBI does have a whole section on their website dedicated to Wilhelm Reich. This is what they had to say: This German immigrant described himself as the Associate Professor of Medical Psychology, Director of the Orgone Institute, President and research physician of the Wilhelm Reich Foundation, and discoverer of biological or life energy. A 1940 security investigation was begun to determine the extent of Reichs communist commitments. In 1947, a security investigation concluded that neither the Orgone Project nor any of its staff were engaged in subversive activities or were in violation of any statue within the jurisdiction of the FBI. In 1954 the U.S. Attorney General filed a complaint seeking permanent injunction to prevent interstate shipment of devices and literature distributed by Dr. Reichs group. That same year, Dr. Reich was arrested for a Contempt of Court for violation of the Attorney Generals injunction.

Writer's choose Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Writer's choose - Research Paper Example Many archaeologists, towards the end of the 1980s, explained that the political organization of the city was structured in a "multepal" system where political ruling was through the council made up of members of ruling lineages. In terms of economy, Chichen Itza was a major player; this is because it was a major regional capital controlling trade in Yucatan in the period AD 900 and AD 1050, with Isla Cerritos as a major trading port. The city also participated in the circum-peninsular trade via its Isla Cerritos port; thus it obtained resources from distant lands; for example, obsidian was obtained from Central Mexico, and gold was obtained from the Southern Central America (Schele and David 13). The initial site core layout of the Chichen Itza developed during the period 750 AD and 900 AD; final layout was implemented after the year 900 AD, and in the 10th Century the city became a regional trade capital, controlling trade area between the North coast and Central Yucatan and its trade power spreading to the peninsula east and west coasts. Chichen Itza prominence rose at around 600 AD; however the site became a regional power at the later stages of the Late Classic period, and initial stages of Terminal Classic period. The site controlled and dominated socio-political and economic aspects in Maya lowlands in the North (Castaà ±eda 298). The rise of Chichen Itza relates with the decline of major centers in the lowlands of Southern Maya. Archaeological data shows that Chichen Itza influence reduced considerably as from 1250 CE; Mayan chronicles indicate that in the 13th century, ruler of Mayapan (Hunac Ceel) conquered the city, Chichen Itza. In the year 1526, a charter was gr anted by the King of Spain to Francisco de Montejo so as conquer Yucatan.Montejo led alarge Indo-Spanish army which concoured the Yucatan Peninsula. The Spanish King thereafter gave a land grant and by 1588,

Leaders in Today's Organizations Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leaders in Today's Organizations - Research Paper Example A research study shows that there are different factors which are necessary for being an emotionally intelligent person. The leaders who are self-aware of their personalities and can understand their strengths and weaknesses can be emotionally intelligent because they can also deal with the emotions of other people (Downy, 2011). Another important characteristic is self-regulation which is required for developing emotional intelligence. A self-regulation means the maturity level of the person. A person should be mature enough to handle the criticism and all other matters, only then he can be termed as an emotionally stable and intelligent person. An emotionally intelligent leader should have excellent communication skills so that he can control and manage people and their emotions (Downy, 2011). Conflict resolution and social awareness are two different factors, which make for being an emotionally stable and intelligent leader. Currently, there are many multinational firms, which are focusing on the emotional intelligence of their managers so that they can prove themselves as effective leaders. The concept of accountability is an important factor from the leadership point of view. If a leader feels he owns accountability towards his responsibilities then it means that he is taking care of his own duties and rights. On the other hand, if a leader develops a sense of accountability for his followers then it means that he is creating an environment where everyone is responsible and answerable for his duties and actions (Gentry, 2007). In both situations, the ultimate benefit will go for the leader and the organization because if the followers feel the responsibility then it means that they will accurately follow the instructions of the leader.