5 Common Issus Encountered in Downloading Electronic

SPECIAL FORCES UNITS 1 Special Forces Units Brian M. Farrell Everest College SPECIAL FORCES UNITS 2 Special Forces are â€Å"military or police units specially trained, equipped, and organized to combat terrorism† (Coombs, 2006, pg. 251).The Canadian Special Operations Regiment (CSOR) â€Å"is a battalion-sized high-readiness special operations unit and is capable of conducting and enabling a broad range of missions, including direct action, defense diplomacy, and military assistance, and special reconnaissance† (Special Forces of Canada, N. D. ) CSOR began its recruitment in 2006, with 175 candidates. Its formal initiation took place in August of 2006 with 250 soldiers. These soldiers were trained in rappelling from â€Å"helicopters as well as static and free fall parachuting† (Special Forces of Canada, N. D. This unit has been in Afghanistan since 2006 supporting Canadian coalition forces. This group also helps with the training of its international relation s. This regiment is highly moveable, expertly trained making them a special operation force that can handle a multitude of conflicts at home and abroad. Special Air Services or SAS, is a corps of the British Army. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF). The UK limits its information about its special forces so there is little â€Å"publicly verifiable information† on the SAS (D Squadron 23 SAS (R), Ministry of Defense, N.D. ). What is known is that SAS Regiment is comprised of 4 operational squadrons designated as A, B, C, and D. Each group has 60 men and a leader, these squadrons are further divided into 4 smaller groups consisting of 15 members each. Each of the 4 members of the group has a special skill in addition to the skills acquired during training. These special skills include such things as signals, demolition, medic, and linguist. The areas these groups focus on are boat troop, air troop, mobility troop and mountain troop.SPECIAL FORCES UNITS 3 Members of the UK armed forces can apply for Special Forces, but the recruitment usually targets those with air force background. Recruitments are held twice a year. Training selections takes about 5 weeks and usually start out with around 200 candidates. The training is grueling consisting of such things are personal and combat fitness tests. Next is marching cross country increasing their distance each day, ending with what is known as the hill phase which is completing 40 miles with all equipment in 20 hours.Additionally they must be able to â€Å"run 4 miles in 30 minutes, and swim 2 miles in 90 minutes (D Squadron 23 SAS (R), Ministry of Defense, N. D. ). There is also jungle training where candidates are taught various techniques including survival skills. Once this is achieved candidates go on to â€Å"battle plans and foreign weapons and take part in combat survival, escape and evasion† (D Squadron 23 SAS (R), Ministry of Defense). Probably the most intense of all th e testing is the final test resistance to interrogation which lasts for 36 hours.By the end of all testing of the 200 candidates there are about 30 who successfully finish. Most candidates drop out after the first several days. United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group (NSWDG) DEVGRU for short was formerly known as SEAL Team Six (ST6) â€Å"is one of the United States four secretive counter terrorism and Special Mission Units† (The iron will of Seal Team 6, 2011, May). Like the UK there is very little public information, because DEVGRU is highly classified. The White House and the Department of Defense offers little or no information on its activities.ST6 was formed after the American hostages at the US Embassy in Iran in 1980 were unable to be rescued. The team came into existence in October of 1980 and an intense effort was made to have it operational within 6 months. ST6 was the Navy’s first counter-terrorism unit. Prior to ST6 existing, SEAL Teams were already training to combat terrorism. â€Å"SEAL Team 6 started SPECIAL FORCES UNITS 4 with 75 shooters†.ST6 had unlimited resources and its funding surpassed the â€Å"entire US Marine Corps† (The iron Will of Seal Team 6, 2011, May). In 1987 ST6 was replaced with DEVGRU, the reason is unknown; however ST6 is still used when referring to DEVGRU. During the development of ST6 time was limited so recruits were hand-picked from their existing Navy Record and a personal interview. The main criteria in this recruiting were combat experience, language skills to communicate with the population where they are placed, the ability to â€Å"blend in as a civilian during an operation; and finally SEAL skills† (The iron will of Seal Team 6, 2011, May).The training was intense with emphasis on â€Å"shooting skills, range firing, close quarters battle (CQB) and stress shooting in a variety of conditions† (The iron will of Seal Team 6, 2011, May). Information concerni ng SEAL units is highly classified and little is known about the recruitment and selection process. Among the things that are known is that all applicants come from regular SEAL teams. It would be safe to assume that again like the UK applicants must be in top physical condition, be well respected within the Naval Warfare Community and have completed multiple deployments.Candidates must be interviewed by a review board to determine if they are suitable. Those who pass this process must attend a six to eight month training course. This course usually starts out with approximately 20 candidates per session, but by the end of the course this number is drastically diminished. During the training candidates are carefully observed to ascertain whether they are â€Å"suitable to join individual squadrons, while â€Å"unsuccessful candidates are returned to their previous assignments† with no possibility of applying again (The iron will of Seal Team 6,2011,May).SPECIAL FORCES UNITS 5 References Combs, C. (2011). Terrorism in the twenty-first century (7th ed. ). Boston, MA: Pearson Publishing D Squadron, 23 Special Air Service Regiment (R). Ministry of Defense. Retrieved from: http://www. armyjobs. mod. uk The iron will of Seal Team 6 – CBS News Video, Cbsnews. com. 6 May 2011 Retrieved from: http://www. cbsnews. com

News Updates on “Tree man” Essay

On January 19, Shurmer (2010), a writer for the Comment News website wrote an article updating the site readers on the ongoing struggles of Richard Pennicuik, better known as â€Å"Tree man. † Since early December of the previous year, Tree man had been living in a gum tree near his house in Hume Road, in the City of Gosnells, as a form of protest and to save the tree from the city council plans to clear the street of any and all mature trees that may cause harm by dropping large limbs. As of the writing of the article, he had been in the tree for 43 days and was experiencing physical difficulties on top of his legal issues as there was a severe heatwave and the high temperatures were causing him discomfort. Entitled â€Å"‘Tree man’ loses hope,† the article chronicled Tree man’s fading optimism caused by heat-induced headaches; the council fining him $5000, as it deemed the platforms that served as his makeshift treehouse were illegal, and forcing him to remove these structures; and the abandonment of an adjacent gum tree by a rotating team who had occupied it for the same cause. A couple of months later on March 13th, a Staff Writer (2010) for Perthnow a local subsidiary of The Sunday Times, wrote a relatively more recent update piece on the Tree man. Asking â€Å"Tree man Richard Pennicuik for mayor? † the report comes on the heels of a stand-off the previous day wherein he still refused to come down from the tree even after policemen and tree-cutting machinery had arrived. Apparently, despite the previous report on his morale and health problems, he had stayed on the tree for another 53 days. The title of the article comes from a comment Tree man had made, saying he had intentions of running for city mayor as the current council he was battling was â€Å"laughable and unworkable. † An analytical comparison of these two Tree man news article updates will be discussed. The first, most noticeable, difference between the two news articles is their marked difference in length, with the first article much longer than the second. Although quantity does not necessarily denote substance, it can be observed that the Comment News article contains relatively more actual facts about the situation than the PerthNow article. In addition, on a related note, it can also be noticed that the former article has more content related to the actual subject, as denoted by the article title, than the latter. As an example to support both of these observations, although Comment News does not include a quote wherein Tree man explicitly stated that he was â€Å"losing hope,† it does mention why this would be the case by including a quote where he said he â€Å"didn’t cope well† with the heatwave headaches and how the $5000 fine would â€Å"ruin his family. † The PerthNow article, on the other hand, only justifies the title mentioning Tree man’s mayoral aspirations with the quote: â€Å"The current regime is laughable and unworkable and I want to get in there, if I have enough supporters, to run the council the way it should be run. † The rest of the article, however, does not mention the issue again and only contains a brief summary of the previous day’s stand-off and another quote from Tree man where he reasserts his stance. The Comment News article does seem to slightly force the â€Å"losing hope† theme though, by briefly mentioning that the street was desolate due to the abandonment of the adjacent gum tree, although Tree man is not mentioned as having an opinion on this. However, this observation still contributes to the discussion of the main subject. Coherence to a specific topic is somewhat of a requirement for any formal article, especially one that is professionally written. The briefness and lack of coherence in the case of the latter article can, however, can be attributed to the writer expecting the reades to already know the details as the situation was already months-long, and there was a climactic update the day before. Both articles do, however, paint Tree man as both a dedicated activist from his acts of defiance, and also a novelty character as the tones of his quotes in the first article are slightly rattled and dramatic and in the second, noticeably vague.He was also described as remaining â€Å"defiantly aloft† despite legal and physical danger, and his lawyer’s protests. References hurmer, J. (2010, January 19). ‘Tree man’ loses hope. Comment News. Retrieved from http://southern. inmycommunity. com. au/news-and-views/local-news/Tree-man-loses-hope/7546357/ Staff Writer. (2010, March 13) Tree man Richard Pennicuik for mayor? PerthNow. com. The Sunday Times. Retrieved from http://www. perthnow. com. au/news/tree-man-richard-pennicuik-for-mayor/story-e6frg12c-1225840398316

African American Minority Group Essay

Among many of the ethnic groups that experienced a combination of segregation, racism, and prejudice; African Americans is one of the few that is still faced with one or more forms of discrimination today. The majority of African Americans came to the United States from Africa to be slaves, while others are citizens or residents of the United States from partial ancestry a form of the native population. In 1619, the first recorded Africans were recorded in British North America in Jamestown, Virginia, and the numbers began to increase as more English settlers died from harsh conditions and the Africans were brought to work as laborers. In the late 1700s the American Revolution occurred, which landed approximately 3 million Africans in slavery in the United States by the mid-1800s, (Centerwall, Brandon, 1984). In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln declared that all slaves in the United States from a Union were free. Meanwhile the declaration of Africans being free from slavery was joyful event, it was also the beginning of a growing battle that lead to a different approach of discrimination including; segregation, prejudice, and racism. By the 1900s, the African American population increased, which majority of the population lived in the Southern states of the United States. The Southern states enforced the Jim Crow laws, which mandated racial segregation in all public facilities giving white Americans advantages over black Americans in public schools, public transportation, restrooms, restaurants and drinking fountains. In order to eliminate the control that white Americans had over African Americans, African Americans began to build their own schools, churches, and communities. Although, African Americans building their own communities was the intention of avoiding the humiliation of the Jim Crow laws, it still didn’t prevent the African Americans from becoming victims of racially motivated violence. African Americans experienced countless acts of violence incidents that lead blacks battered, beaten and even dead in some cases. White Americans begin to form organizations that promoted white power, leading the organizations to practice out violence and destroy African Americans property. A popular white power organization called themselves the Ku Klux Klan and performed acts against blacks that included; lynching cross burnings, physical violence, and house burnings towards African Americans. Although, the Ku Klux Klan was formed in 1867, it has been rumors that there are people that are still secretly members today. African Americans experienced a wider range of discrimination, segregation, and racism more so in the later days but still arise in society today. In a perfect world, no one would be judged by the color of their skin and society would focus on a person’s individual true character. Often times African Americans miss out on opportunities because they are being judged by the color of their skin, rather than their abilities. The United States has tried to provide Americans the rights to equal opportunity, by creating the Affirmative action. The affirmative action eliminates people being granted opportunities based on their race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or national origin and ensures that minority groups within a society receive equal opportunities. Although, the affirmative action was intended to diminish situations which cause people to participate in different forms of discrimination, but unless it could be fully proven that African Americans were being passed up for jobs, education, income and other forms of advancements there will never be a way to fully prohibit this form of discrimination. Today, there is still unequal opportunities and discriminatory treatment that occurs in the United States especially with African Americans. African Americans were affected by many forms of discrimination that decreased advancement to equal other races in society. They were faced with dual labor market, forcing blacks to work in lower labor market areas. Redlining was enforced by keeping businesses from helping African Americans simply because of the area they lived in. Many African Americans wanted to better themselves by furthering their education, but suffered from institutional discrimination and given less information and aid for education. Knowing the history of the African American struggles on; prejudice, discrimination, and segregation allows me to understand my roots and accomplishments of my ethnic group. Personally the history of African Americans affects me greatly, because it is the combination of struggles that has played a huge role to my advancements and opportunities performed daily. The African American ancestors fought daily through all counts of discrimination helps that allows all groups of different minority groups the same equal rights for advancement opportunities. Although, the majority of the world views of African Americans has changed there are still people that choose to discriminate against African Americans by choosing not to change with the ways of the world and maintain prejudice. Acts of discrimination is performed but not as greatly as many years ago. African American culture has had a rough past journey, but in the long run the majority of the United States has made it possible for all African Americans equal rights and opportunities in life.

Mountain Resort and its Outlying Temples, Chengde Essay

Mountain Resort and its Outlying Temples, Chengde - Essay Example Mountain Resort and its Outlying Temples, Chengde It is also the shortest river in the world, only 14.7 kilometers long. There are 11 magnificent temples in the outlying area, standing on the hills in a semi circle. They were usually referred to as the â€Å"Eight Outer Temples† because they were divided into eight sections under the administration of the Beijing-based Harmony and Peace Lamasery- a monastery for lamas. Only seven temples remained intact, including Puren Temple, Temple of Sumeru and Puning Temple. They consist of the largest temple building complex in China. The mountain resort and it outlying temples were inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites at the 18th session of the World Heritage Committee in Phuket Thailand, December 12-17, 1994. It is described as a huge complex of temples, palaces, administrative offices and ceremonial buildings and these structures harmoniously blend into the landscape of lakes, pastures and forests. Moreover, they represent a variety of architectural styles and reflect the aesthet ic aspiration of imperial China of that period. I have chosen this site to write about for it has a fascinating architectural diversity, as well as a contrast between well developed bio diversity and a lack of water, deforestation and desertification. It is also very fascinating how after a disaster, a â€Å"heaven† can return to its prior heavenly state with the help of people who give their best to maintain the nature and keep the environment healthy as possible. Furthermore, it was most amazing to learn about the outlying temples and the divinity of the whole area and its uniqueness. Chengde mountain resort is divided into two sections: a palace section and a garden section.  The palace area is situated in the southern part of the resort, which is made up of the Main Palace, Pine-Crane Hall, Pine Soughing Valley and East Palace. The Main Palace consists of the Front Court and the Back Imperial Bedroom. The main hall of the Front Court was the place where all important ce remonies were held during the emperors staying in the mountain resort. The garden section can be further divided into a lake section, plains section, and mountain section. The lake section is on the north of the palace section and covers about 80 hectares; going north, you will get to the plains section where the Qing emperors held banquets and recreational activities. This area is mainly covered with grassland and woods; the mountain section is located in the northwestern part and four-fifths of the Mountain Resort is mountainous, sloping down from the northwest to the southeast. The Kuixing Pavilion is a tourist spot newly that was built upon the foundations of a former, ancient pavilion that had fallen into ruin. It is located atop Banbi Mountain in the south of city, the three main areas of this complex comprise a palace, square and garden zones. The whole architectural style is bright and colorful, and some cultural sights  Ã‚  can still be seen in this beautiful scenic spot. There are also many forest parks in and around Chengde, including Qingchuifeng and Liaoheyuan National Forest Parks, Beidashan Stone Sea Forest Park, and Liuliping Forest Park, etc. The Qingchui Cliff National Park, lying to the east of the city, is a natural park that features with a dramatic, lofty and steep formation called the Danxia Landform. The highlight of the park is the Qingchui Cliff, which is nearly 60 meters (197 feet) high and

World civilization Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

World civilization - Research Paper Example the influence these explorers were having on the locals through Christianity was great and the Tokugawa administration saw it as a threat (Nakamura 186). The administration decided to expel and terminate Christianity. This stopped the foreigners from entering Tokugawa territory. This being the case, the outsiders were locked outside of Japan for nearly two hundred years (Nakamura 186). However, the rise of Meiji marked the end of Tokugawa era and hence brought a new dimension on welcoming the westerners in Japan (Nakamura 196). The modernization in Japan, or rather westernization was marked by the start of Meiji era (Nakamura 196). The Meiji era inherited a stable economic and peaceful government from Tokugawa reign and this made it easier for the young leader to open the early modern Japan to the west with its influence. The agriculture was flourishing and the reason for modernizing was not economically oriented. The reign of Meiji led to modernization by converting the country from a feudal nation into an ultra-modern westernized state (Nakamura 196). However, the country modernized on its own terms because it was already developed. The primary reason Japan wanted to modernize was to shield itself from the West taking it over. Japan wanted to be like the Western countries and colonize other Asian countries (Nakamura 196). Precisely, Japan colonized Korea. Japan also longed to modernize so that it can create allies with the US. The US was looking for economic alliance with Asian countries and Japan was strategic. So Japan quickly seized the opportunity. Japan also wanted to expand scientifically and needed countries to corporate in this area (Nakamura 196). It is for this area that it opened its arms the world and fast tracked modernization. Today Japan work closely with the US aerospace exploration agency called NASA. In all these interactions and international relationship, the people of J apan remain very important to the country. A balance need to exist

Islamic peace and war Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Islamic peace and war - Essay Example Thesis statement: The Islamic point of view on peace is based on restoration of peace, and war is based on internal insurgencies and external aggressions, not on religious motivation to fulfill selfish motives or to create an Islamic world. The Islamic point of view on peace is based on morality, cooperation, and common goodness. Besides, an Islamic state is responsible to disregard differences and to propagate freedom and peaceful co-existence. John Kelsay stated that, â€Å"In its broadest sense, the Islamic view of peace, like its western counterpart, is in fact part of a theory of statecraft founded on notions of God, of humanity, and of the relations between the two† (30). On the other side, diversity is one of the core aspects of peace in Islam. One can see that peaceful co-existence cannot be implemented without the help of a strong central authority. At the same time, human life is considered as sacred in Islamic point of view. Besides, killing one self (suicide) and killing others is not the proper way to attain salvation. To be specific, human beings must show willingness to follow the rules and regulations in a society. One can see that strict implementation of laws and regulations can maintain peace and security in a society. For instance, the low rate of criminal activities in the Middle Eastern Islamic states proves the same. Within this scenario, the criminals are aware of the fact that their instinct to commit crime will attract strict punishment from the authorities. Still, the strict implementation of laws and regulations cannot be considered as attempt to neglect individual liberty because common welfare and peace is important. Besides, Islam propagates peace, disregarding any sort of difference based on caste, sex, or racial identity. So, the Islamic point of view on peace is based on Islamic teachings, and the strict maintenance of laws and regulations in a society, by providing importance to

Biomedical scences Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Biomedical scences - Essay Example D is inherited as the Mendelian dominant trait while d is inherited as the recessive trait. The RBCs which bear the D and Dd isotypes are referred to as Rh+ individuals and persons having the d isotype are referred to as Rh- individuals. Almost all of the Rh+ people have the D isotype and similarly the Rh- individuals have the d isotype. When the Rh+ blood is transfused to an Rh- person then anti-Rh factor will develop in the patient’s blood within 12 days. If there is a second transfusion of the same blood (Rh+ blood) to that person then cross reaction with Rh factor and anti-Rh factor will cause agglutination reactions leading to hemolytic diseases of adults and newborn. If the mother is rhesus negative and the fetus is rhesus positive (the RBC contains Rhesus antigen inherited from a rhesus positive father), then antibodies will be formed against the rhesus antigen (in the fetus) and will cross the placenta and enter the mother’s blood. In the first pregnancy there w ill be no issues but during the second pregnancy these antibodies will cross the placenta and cross react with the Rhesus antigens of the fetus carried during the second pregnancy and cause agglutination reactions. This will cause erythroblastosis fetalis leading to hemolytic anemia and sometimes deposition of unconjugated bilirubin (derived from the breakdown of hemoglobin from the lysis of RBC’s) in the basal ganglia leading to neural deficits (Chatterjee, 2004). 2. All the six Rh agglutinogens namely the C, c, D, d, E and e are involved in the hemolytic reactions and are of the delayed type. Although routine blood group tests has eliminated the risk of compatibility of RhD isotype but the other isotypes may lead to sensitization in cases of diseases like sickle cell anemia. This disease is prevalent in blacks who express the E antigen and hence produce the anti-E agglutinins which lead to difficulties of donor selection in them for transfusion purposes as in sickle

Critique of Quantitative Research Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Critique of Quantitative Research Report - Essay Example A close reference was made to the study Staff Regard towards Working with Substance Users: a European Multi-centre Study (Gilchrist et al). The aim of the study was to compare the levels of regard that medical practitioners have for working with various groups of patients for medical school students at the Monash University.Unwillingness to treat certain categories of patients stems from the perceived difficulties in handling them, lesser rewards from the intensive care required of the medics, and the general feeling of inadequacy of skills. The researchers note that the medical practitioners prefer treating other categories of patients, for instance those suffering from diabetes. Of special interest to this study is the section from which the researchers apply the t-tests and Analysis of Variance. On top of the ANOVA tests carried out inappropriately in this study (where the researchers should have used the non-parametric equal of ANOVA, the Mann-Whitney U-test. The overall implicat ion of the errors presented by these researchers is that their findings can rightfully be termed as wrong and inappropriate, because they could not use the wrong approach to reach at their conclusions.In the end, the researchers confirmed that the medical practitioners surveyed in the various disciplines were least willing to work with patients who needed treatment for use of illicit drugs. It is not certain whether the same conclusion would have been reached if the correct tests were applied on the data.

Web or Mobile System Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Web or Mobile System Paper - Essay Example There are different types of forms available that includes responses and Google results that can be emailed to anyone. Google will ask about the type of the document for example word document, presentation or spreadsheet if a new document is opened. Moreover, the documents are easily assembled into separate folders and can be restricted to specific users. The folders can be moved anywhere and can be prearranged according to the date or time. Google Docs provides enhanced editing options for the users that allow the modification of HTML or CSS. As it is a web page creator, if any user is not able to find any option for a precise effect from the standard menu option, HTML and CSS will be up to the task (Mendelson, 2011). It is easy to modify or edit a file but some users may find it difficult. HTML editing is also required to modify page numbers, page orientation or columns in the document. Moreover, drawings and images can also be modified; however, charts are not available in Google Documents. Furthermore, charts can be aligned to the left, right, below and up, as they cannot float. Organizations can also use Google Docs for their business by transforming stand-alone spreadsheets in to online documents that will considerably save the cost. Moreover, there are no operating system and hardware compatibility issues, as the application is easily accessible online. However, compatible web browser is required for accessing Go ogle docs. Google Docs homepage consist of a robust editor that includes all the features useful for the editing. A single menu bar is present that allows the users to add different font styles or text sizes into the document. As compare to Microsoft formatting options are reduced while the important options are still available for the users ease. The Google suite includes necessary tools that can help to create resumes, letters, thesis documents or other professional as, well as academic

Tsotsi directed by Gavin Hood and Chris Abanis Nigerian novel Graceland Essay Example for Free

Tsotsi directed by Gavin Hood and Chris Abanis Nigerian novel Graceland Essay How do the names of main characters in the film Tsotsi and novel Graceland define their identity? When comparing the South African movie Tsotsi directed by Gavin Hood and Chris Abanis Nigerian novel Graceland, both are stories of young men struggling with their poverty-stricken fates. In these African cultures, the names of central characters Tsotsi and Elvis are more than just a reference; they carry the clues to their past and the explanation to their present as they endure journeys of self-discovery. In the film, main character Tsotsi embodies his native label. In the local vernacular of South African townships-comprised of Afrikaans and a mixture of local dialects such as Zulu, Xhosa, Tswana and Sotho-the term tsosti can literally be translated to thug. With it comes the historical association of the 1930s urban youth gangs that ruthlessly ruled at the top of the ghettos hierarchy. Although in the past the name tsotsi carried a glamorous gangster image, the word is now used to describe displaced young criminals. This history of the word parallels the characters past. Tsotsi is seemingly comfortable in his role as a cold-hearted gang leader, but the viewer questions his motives as the film progressively exposes his troubled past. Hood uses flashbacks to portray Tsotsi as a young boy in his last moments with his bed-ridden mother. As he reaches out to hold her hand, the scene is slow-moving as if visually symbolizing the strength and endurance of their love. In these defining moments, his mother calls him David-meaning beloved. The appearance of Tsotsis aggressive, drunk father triggers a sudden change in pace-a rapid series of individual close-ups foreshadows a climax in the conflict that will permanently paralyze the characters emotional acceptance of each other. Parting from his mother metaphorically displaces David from his once safe, loving past to Sowetos perilous grasp. When he runs away, he leaves behind his real name-his true identity. The new name Tsotsi allows him to take on the role of a nameless thug that masks his emotional existence and provides him with an outlet for his traumatic childhood. In Graceland, the main characters name is inspired by the late Elvis Presley. Throughout the novel, Albanis choices of names define a culture in which all you had was your name(187). Before money became a universal determinant of status, the sole measure of a man was his name(187). Elviss father, Sunday, lives to take the family from being a nobody to carrying a name people spoke with respect(187). It is therefore untraditional for Elvis, as a future male representative of the family, to be named after his mothers, Beatrices, unaccredited passion. This act alone foreshadows Elviss inability to satisfy the conventional role posed upon him in Nigerias male-dominated society. Beatrice, meaning bringer of joy, invests her love and passion for music in Elvis. In the same way music acts as an escape from the slums grim conditions, Elvis is Beatrices symbol of hope-an innocent new beginning to life. Both Tsotsi and Elvis define their names through the strong connection with their mothers. When Beatrice dies, Elvis loses his source of inspiration, and the reader questions whether he will still be able to live up to his name. Both Tsotsi and Elvis found motivation and purpose in their mothers care, thus struggling to maintain paths of righteousness(171) after their loss. Although initially thriving in his self-adopted role as criminal, Tsotsi is eventually forced to come to terms with his true, restrained identity. In the beginning, he organizes crime with his followers Boston/Teacher-boy, Butcher and Aap (monkey in Afrikaans) at his heels. Together the meanings of the three names describe the characteristics symbolic of a stereotypical street gang; an abandonment of education, a barbaric desire to hurt and kill, and the foolishness of reckless animals. Despite the gangs obedience, it is not long before Bostons guilt consumes him after a murder, and he begins to question Tsotsis mysterious faà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ade. He verbally tears at the mask Tsotsi has created: Whats your name, Tsotsi? Your real name? Thug? Thats not a real name. The interrogation triggers Tsotsis angry past and fuels a brutal beating of Boston. In the following scene Tsotsi is fleeing the bar, and Hood parallels the event to the flashback of David originally running away from his father. Hoods cross-cutting implies a commonality in Tsotsis state of mind during these two events. Tsotsi has become exactly what he ran away from all those years ago-a bitter, drunk abuser. This inner realization forces Tsotsi to come to terms with his past and re-establish his true identity. After Beatrices death, Elvis struggles to maintain a source of identity. Beatrice has endured him with the role of her idol-she loved Elvis Presley(105)-and Elvis soon begins to physically embody this responsibility. His first job in the novel is entertaining beachside tourists as an Elvis impersonator. While Tsotsi hides from his real name, Elvis tries to embrace the inspiration behind his. Unfortunately, in a life where money overrules passion, dancing is not seen as a sufficient job; it is something everyone does in de bar on Saturday(5). Despite the disparagement, Elvis finds refuge in his physical transformation into the King of Rock. Make-up is a tool to success, metaphorically providing him with the opportunity to escape his menial reality. In this way, Elviss physical mask is similar to Tsotsis emotional shield. Real make-up, however, is seen as a dangerous option(11) because he could be mistaken for a cross-dressing prostitute(11). Elvis resorts to layers of talcum powder and is dissatisfied(11) with his end result. The conservative Nigerian culture denies him freedom in expressing his genuine love for music and dance, and Elvis becomes afraid to define his impersonation as anything other than a materialistic occupation. His mother may have given him a name that carried her artistic inspiration, but she failed to raise him into a life where his true character could flourish without her. It takes Tsotsi years to accept his name, and Elvis a lifetime to try to live up to his. Together, film and novel act as a microcosm for urban African society-a culture in which names are carefully chosen as a representation of character. Hood and Abani use Tsotsi and Elvis to exemplify the powerful role of names in influencing and molding developing characters. Author and director stress the need to take control and establish ourselves in a way that brings honor to our names, and that doesnt allow societys pre-prescribed connotations to define us.

Mental Health and Care in the Community

Mental Health and Care in the Community The issue of the mental health of the patient is complex and value-laden. Paternalism and autonomy interests confront difficulties of definition, diagnosis and the impact of labelling. Paternalism dictates intervention, and that the human right of autonomy be minimalist. (Davies, M., Medical Law, Blackstone Press Limited, 1996, p.182). Discuss critically. Within mental health issues there has always been a large degree of paternalism. Healthcare professionals and governments appear to view those with mental health problems as incapable of being able to make decisions for themselves and are often viewed as a potential danger[1] to themselves and others. Over the years various pieces of legislation have been enacted to deal with people with mental health issues starting with the Lunatics Act 1845, the Lunacy Act 1890, Mental Treatment Act 1930, Mental Health Act 1959 and the Mental Health Act 1983. In 1995 the Mental Health (Patients in the Community) Act was introduced. This gave the relevant authorities the power of supervised[2] discharge of mental health patients back into the community. Recent events where mental health patients were placed back into society has caused concern as there have been quite a few highlighted incidents where such patients have proven to be a danger to themselves and others[3]. The governments response to the public outrage when these patients have attacked or killed members of the public is to step back to a more paternalistic approach towards the treatment of mental health patients by introducing the Mental Capacity Act 2005[4]. The new Act allows the professionals to make value judgments over the patients and requires those dealing with such patients to make an assessment of the individual’s capacity[5] to make decisions for themselves. Section 2 (1) of the 2005 Act states (1) For the purposes of this Act, a person lacks capacity in relation to a matter if at the material time he is unable to make a decision for himself in relation to the matter because of an impairment of, or a disturbance in the functioning of, the mind or brain. Subsection 2 goes on to say that (2) It does not matter whether the impairment or disturbance is permanent or temporary. The very wording of the Act is open to abuse as the scope of what might be deemed as mental incapacity is too broad. In essence anyone who is suffering from a temporary mental breakdown either through circumstances within their own life or as the result of any prescribed medication they might be taken could be viewed as lacking the capacity to make decisions about their selves and could be institutionalised and forced to have treatment. A further problem with the new Act is that the decision on the individual’s capacity is based on the balance of probabilities. (4) In proceedings under this Act or any other enactment, any question whether a person lacks capacity within the meaning of this Act must be decided on the balance of probabilities. In criminal proceedings the court has to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the person charged with the offence has committed the offence. With this new piece of legislation the level of proof required is equivalent to that required within the civil courts and therefore is open to greater abuse and it is likely that a higher proportion of people may find themselves being detained in a mental health institute and subjected to compulsory treatment[6]. Section 3 of the Act goes further to describe how it can be decided that a person is unable to make a decision for himself. It lists 4 areas that should be considered in deciding whether the person lacks the capability to make their own decisions. (1) For the purposes of section 2, a person is unable to make a decision for himself if he is unable- (a) to understand the information relevant to the decision, (b) to retain that information, (c) to use or weigh that information as part of the process of making the decision, or (d) to communicate his decision (whether by talking, using sign language or any other means). Subsection 2 does go on to say (2) A person is not to be regarded as unable to understand the information relevant to a decision if he is able to understand an explanation of it given to him in a way that is appropriate to his circumstances (using simple language, visual aids or any other means). In essence the above is an attempt to limit those who can be regarded as incapable of making decisions due to any physical disability such as deafness or blindness, however, some individuals may be so severely handicapped through conditions such as autism or mongolism that even things explained in simple language may not be understood by them. These people may not be a danger to themselves or others and are usually being cared for by members of their own families[7]. Some families find the strain of a severely handicapped person in the household hard to cope with and for those people this new Act may help them to get the handicapped person institutionalised. Using the above Act they could argue that the person lacks the mental capacity to make decisions for themselves and is a potential danger[8] to themselves so for their own protection they should be removed from society. If the person assessing the individual is satisfied that that individual does not have the capacity to make their own decisions then any treatment they consider to be in the best interests[9] of the individual can be ordered. The person ordering the treatment must take into account whether the patient may at some future time be able to make their own decisions again and if they decide that this is likely they must take all appropriate steps to ensure the patient receives all the assistance they need to recover to a position where they can make their own decisions. Effectively though the legislation allows the person treating the patient with the mental health problem to remove all autonomy from the patient and force treatment on them that they might ordinarily object to if they had the capacity to do so. The legislation does state that the person making the decision on behalf of the patient should take into account the patients past and present wishes and feelings and make judgments based on what they perceive the patient would want if they were able to decide for themselves. The new Act is designed to operate alongside the Mental Health Act 1983 and the Mental Health (Patients in the Community) Act 1995, as was introduced with the aim of simplifying the way in which a person can be adjudged to be in need of treatment in respect of a mental health issue[10]. Under the 1983 Act compulsory admission to mental institutions is determined with reference to section 1 of the Act and refers to mental disorder but also covers any other disorder or disability of the mind. The Act attempts to specify the persons who they deem in need of admission for treatment and covers four broad areas namely mental illness, severe mental impairment, psychopathic disorder or mental impairment. The first 2 conditions trigger automatic admission regardless of whether the treatment is likely to be effective or not. With the last 2 conditions psychopathic disorder and mental impairment, admission can only be ordered if the patients are likely to benefit from the treatment. Under the new Act the definition has been extended to cover a far wider audience and it is likely under the provisions of the 2005 Act that those with a psychopathic disorder can be detained regardless of whether treatment will assist their condition. The 1983 Act does not specifically define mental illness and can be problematic as it does not cover conditions where a person may undertake activities that are potentially life threatening due to a compulsion for risk taking. It is possible that the 2005 At might encompass this area as section 3 (4) states that when deciding whether someone is capable of making their own decisions account should be taken as to whether the person has the capability of being able to reasonably foresee the consequences of the decisions they are making. Whilst it could be argued that this is a positive move[11] there is room for abuse of this inclusion in the legislation and could theoretically be used to cover sado masochistic activities between consenting adults or the participation of dangerous sports. To be effective the 2005 Act should incorporate examples where there is a clear demonstration that the patient lacks the capacity for being able to foresee the consequences of their actions. This would assist the person making the decision about the patients mental capacity as they could compare the actions of their patient with actions previously seen to be harmful. There are a few dangers surrounding the 2005 Act in that mental capacity is judged according to the individual’s capacity to make their own decisions. The 1983 Act defines psychopathic behaviour as a persistent disorder or disability of mind (whether or not including impairment of intelligence) which results in abnormally aggressive or seriously irresponsible conduct on the part of the person concerned. Research into psycopathy has shown that whilst the psychopath may not always conform to rules they do have the ability to do so. Following the guidance in the 2005 Act regarding mental capacity this could mean that dangerous psychopaths could slip through the net as they may well be able to show that they do not lack the necessary capacity to make decisions on their own. By establishing this they will be able to refuse treatment as autonomy is only forfeited where the patient lacks the capacity to make their own decisions. The new Act is inherently flawed in that temporary mental incapacity can lead to compulsory admission to an institute[12]. This could have a dramatic effect on people such as women suffering post natal depression after childbirth. In the past doctors have prescribed tranquilisers and anti depressants to attempt to cure the patient. Under the 2005 Act the partner of the patient suffering post natal depression could request that their partner be assessed for mental capacity. If the person doing the assessment is of the opinion that the mother is incapable of making their own decisions the mother might find herself placed in a mental institute and forced to receive treatment she might otherwise object to. The 2005 Act also contains a section authorising power of attorney[13] to family and other persons connected to the person who has been assessed as lacking in mental capacity. This is open to widespread abuse as greedy relatives may use a temporary mental impairment of their family member to gain power of attorney over their monetary assets and squander any of their savings away. It has also been proven by past examples that once a person has been admitted to a mental institution it is difficult for the patient to convince the doctors and medical staff that they have now recovered from their mental illness and no longer need to be institutionalised[14]. In the UK paternalistic intervention[15] has been used even when the patient having the treatment poses no threat to others or himself. In the case of W v Egdell [1990] ch 359 a psychiatrist was asked to examine a patient at the request of the patient’s solicitor to assess the suitability of transferring the patient from a secure hospital back into the community. The psychiatrist submitted his report to the Home Office in order to prevent what he perceived could be a danger if the patient was prematurely released. As a result of this report the patient was forced to remain within the secure hospital despite the fact that at no time had the patient committed any acts of violence. This kind of paternalistic intervention offends against the principle of autonomy[16] and should only really be justified when the person for whom the decision has been made is unable to make an informed choice for himself. The approach to deciding whether paternalism should be allowed when assessing a person with a mental illness should be to ask whether the patient would consent[17] to the proposed treatment if they were able to make a rational choice. In America they used what is known as the substituted judgment test which is autonomy based in the sense that the intervention is directed towards the goal of restoring the patients autonomy. Another way in which the mental health professionals have sought to circumvent claims of enforced treatment is by the use of implied consent[18]. The notion behind this is that although the person by reason of incapacity cannot give their consent at that point in time they may be able to endorse the treatment at a later date, which would then amount to a form of retrospective consent[19]. Obviously there are difficulties with this approach as there is no way of predicting that subsequent consent will be given when the person is in a position to give that consent. Frequently those who resent involuntary treatment will continue to do so after recovery. Due to the obvious problems associated with interference with the autonomy of the patient most mental health professionals adopt the paternalistic best interests[20] test as outlined in the Mental Health Act and uses the Act to order compulsory treatment of the patient. The 1983 Act provides 3 ways in which a patient can be compulsorily admitted to hospital for treatment[21]. Section 2 of the Act gives the patient’s nearest relative or any person authorised to act on their behalf the right to apply for the admission of the patient into hospital. In order to qualify for the right to make such an application the applicant must have seen the patient within the 14 days prior to the application. The application must be supported by 2 registered practitioners one of whom must be qualified in psychiatry. Grounds[22] for admission under section 2 are that a patient is suffering from a mental disorder of a degree which warrants detention in a hospital at least for a limited period of time and should be to prevent harm to himself or others. Under this kind of admission the maximum time the patient can be detained is 28 days and admissions cannot be renewed thereafter. The second way in which patients can be admitted is under section 4 of the Act which covers emergency admissions and can be applied for on the recommendation of one doctor only but is only valid for 72 hours. The doctor does not need to be a specialist in the treatment of mental health but if possible must have known the patient beforehand. The applicant must have seen the patient within the last 24 hours. Such emergency admissions can be converted to treatment for 28 days by seeking a second opinion from a mental health specialist. The third way in which compulsory admission can occur is under s3 of the Act and application is similar as those under section 2 of the Act. Under this section of the Act the patient can be detained for up to 6 months and can be renewed thereafter, initially for an extra 6 months and then yearly for periods of a year at a time. Detention under this section can last indefinitely. Those who do recover from their mental disorder may be released from the secure units[23] but held under supervision[24] orders using section 117 of the Mental Health Act, and although they can no longer be forced to receive treatment they will be expected to attend at a treatment centre. Unfortunately there is no system in place to ensure that such patients do attend the treatment centres and no sanctions available to the authorities to enforce their attendance. It has been suggested that those patients who have been discharged and do not comply with the supervision orders should be readmitted to hospital under a compulsory admission so as treatment can be enforced without the patient’s consent. In order to prevent claims being made by those who have been compulsorily admitted to hospital and forced to undergo treatment section 139 of the Mental Health Act was added which states that ‘no person shall be liable†¦to any civil or criminal proceedings†¦in respect of any act purporting to be done in pursuance of this Act†¦unless the act was done in bad faith or without reasonable care.’ This effectively gives the hospitals total paternalism[25] over the treatment of compulsorily admitted patient and negates any patient autonomy or rights to personal autonomy until such a time as the persons treating them are satisfied that the patient is recovered sufficiently to render them capable of making their own decisions. The overall view that is apparent from looking at the 1983 Act and the recent 2005 Act is that paternalism has always been present within the treatment of mental health patients. The 2005 Act broadens the classes of people who may now be classified as in need of compulsory admission and treatment and therefore strengthens the position of paternalism whilst reducing personal autonomy practically into non-existence. The danger in allowing the government to increase the power for compulsory treatment could in the future spread to other areas of medical treatment and could lead to persons with terminal illness who have expressed a wish not to be treated being forced to undergo treatment by being held to be mentally incapable of making rational decisions. There could also be problems where patients refuse treatment on the grounds of religious belief. It might be argued by the person giving the treatment that the patient has been indoctrinated by the religious group they are part of and are therefore incapable of making decisions independent of the doctrines instilled in them by their religious teachings. Allowing paternalism to become acceptable for one classification of person could ultimately lead to problems in all areas of legislation and could result in criminals being locked away indefinitely as it could be viewed as in the best interests of society to keep them locked away. Governments have used the fear that the general public have of people with mental illnesses posing a threat to ordinary members of the public by highlighting those incidents were patients have been released from institutions and then have harmed or killed others[26]. By using this fear they have persuaded the general public that compulsory admission of the mentally ill is the only way to prevent others from being harmed and that it is in the best interests of the patient and society for them to be forced to undergo treatment and remain institutionalised[27]. Bibliography Mason McCall Smith, Law and Medical Ethics, 5th Ed 1999, Butterworths. Darjee R, Crichton J. The MacLean committee: Scotlands answer to the dangerous people with severe personality disorder proposals? Psychiatric Bill 2002;26: 6- Watts J, Priebe S. A phenomenological account of users experiences of assertive community treatment. Bioethics 2002; 16: 439-454 Department of Health and Home Office. Managing dangerous people with severe personality disorder. London: Stationery Office, 1999. Scmukler, G, Homicide Enquiries. What sense do they make?, Psychiatric Bulletin , 24, pages 6-10, 2000 Scottish Executive. Report of the committee on serious violent and sexual offenders. Edinburgh: Scottish Executive, 2000 Steadman, H, Mulvey, E, Monahan, J, Robbins, p, Applebaum, P, Grisso, T, Roth,L, and Silver, E, Violence by people discharged from acute psychiatric inpatient facilities and others in the same neighbourhoods, Archives of General Psychiatry, 55, pages 393-401, 1998. Who Decides; Making Decisions on Behalf of Mentally Handicapped Adults (LCD, 1997) http://www.ethox.org.uk http://www.dh.gov.uk http://www.guardian.co.uk http://bjp.rcpsych.org http://akmhcweb.org Table of Cases R v Bournewood Community and Mental Health NHS Trust ex p L [1998] 3 WLR 107 Re F [1990] 2 AC 1 Re T (adult: refusal of medical treatment) [1992] 4 All ER 649, CA.). Re Y [1996] 35 BMLR 111 S v McC; W v W [1972] AC 24 St Georges Healthcare NHS Trust v S; R v Collins and others, ex parte S [1998] 3 All ER 673, [1998] Fam Law 526, CA W v Egdell [1990] ch 359 Table of Statutes Lunacy Act 1890 Lunatics Act 1845 Mental Capacity Act 2005 Mental Health (Patients in the Community) Act 1995 Mental Health Act 1959 Mental Health Act 1983 Mental Treatment Act 1930 1 Footnotes [1] Scottish Executive. Report of the committee on serious violent and sexual offenders. Edinburgh: Scottish Executive, 2000 [2]http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HealthAndSocialCareTopics/MentalHealth/MentalHealthArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4131958chk=/1k+X3 [3] Steadman, H, Mulvey, E, Monahan, J, Robbins, p, Applebaum, P, Grisso, T, Roth,L, and Silver, E, Violence by people discharged from acute psychiatric inpatient facilities and others in the same neighbourhoods, Archives of General Psychiatry, 55, pages 393-401, 1998. [4]http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4448443,00.html;http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HealthAndSocialCareTopics/MentalHealth/MentalHealthArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4089588chk=we/GKL [5] St Georges Healthcare NHS Trust v S; R v Collins and others, ex parte S [1998] 3 All ER 673, [1998] Fam Law 526, CA [6] Mason McCall Smith, Law and Medical Ethics, 5th Ed 1999, Butterworths. P510 -512 [7] R v Bournewood Community and Mental Health NHS Trust ex p L [1998] 3 WLR 107 [8] Darjee R, Crichton J. The MacLean committee: Scotlands answer to the dangerous people with severe personality disorder proposals? Psychiatric Bill 2002;26: 6-8 [9] Re F [1990] 2 AC 1 [10] Department of Health. Reforming the Mental Health Act. London: Stationery Office; 2000. [11]http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HealthAndSocialCareTopics/MentalHealth/MentalHealthArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4089589chk=1fWV90 [12] Mental Capacity Act 2005 s2 (2) [13] Mental Capacity Act 2005 s9 [14] http://akmhcweb.org/News/HungerStrike/LATimesMag10-26-2003.htm [15] Mason McCall Smith, Law and Medical Ethics, 5th Ed 1999, Butterworths p506 [16] http://www.ethox.org.uk/Ethics/econsent.htm#introduction [17] (S v McC; W v W [1972] AC 24; Re T (adult: refusal of medical treatment) [1992] 4 All ER 649, CA.). [18] Mason McCall Smith, Law and Medical Ethics, 5th Ed 1999, Butterworths p507 [19] Watts J, Priebe S. A phenomenological account of users experiences of assertive community treatment. Bioethics 2002; 16: 439-454 [20] Re Y [1996] 35 BMLR 111; http://www.ethox.org.uk/Ethics/econsent.htm#introduction [21] Who Decides; Making Decisions on Behalf of Mentally Handicapped Adults (LCD, 1997). [22] Mason McCall Smith, Law and Medical Ethics, 5th Ed 1999, Butterworths p503 [23] Mental Health (Patients in the Community) Act 1995 [24] Mental Health (Patients in the Community) Act 1995 (c.52) s1 [25]http://bjp.rcpsych.org/cgi/content/full/177/3/196?ijkey=b0b6443d7c871c32507c07da36faadf7633b7b9bkeytype2=tf_ipsecsha [26] Scmukler, G, Homicide Enquiries. What sense do they make?, Psychiatric Bulletin , 24, pages 6-10, 2000 [27] Department of Health and Home Office. Managing dangerous people with severe personality disorder. London: Stationery Office, 1999.

Educational Strategies for Students with Autism

Educational Strategies for Students with Autism Have a look at the following video which interviews a number of teachers about their work with autistic students. They explain some of the underlying differences in individuals with ASD and suggest strategies for increasing their success in the school setting. Make a note of some of the strategies that they mention. Are they strategies that you have seen used? Within the video there were several different strategies that were introduced, these ranged from individual approaches to work with the student as well as strategies that involved the whole class; not only the student with autism. Kurth and Mastergeorge (2010) comment that there are many teachers and paraeducators that do not have adequate training for students with autism, videos like this can be used as resources for these teachers. The video goes over these strategies and how teachers can integrate them into their classrooms daily. With how the video is set out, there are several teaching strategies that are explicitly talked about however there are also some that are only subtly mentioned or that you can see the teachers doing within the video. However, all these strategies; not just the ones that are explicitly mentioned, have their own places within the classroom to help the students not only succeed but feel comfortable within the classroom and school. The strategies that are mentioned explicitly within the video are; Priming, which is noted as how the teacher; or primary care giver or an aide, informs the student or class about something that is coming. Academic Modification, is explained as modifying lessons and/or activities to be suitable to the student. Home Base, listed as a place for the student to go to when they are needing time to calm down and collect their thoughts. Visual Support, describes the different visual aids that can be utilised within the classroom and outside of the classroom to support the students learning. Reinforcement, this was directly related to positive reinforcement of their behaviours within the classroom and to support personal growth. Although there were only five strategies that are explicitly mentioned within the video, each strategy had other strategies subtly mentioned within their field. Examples of the subtle strategies mentioned are: Priming: Creating classroom and school schedules for the students to follow, explaining to the class the lesson structure, and talking with the student about what anything that may be coming to prepare them. Academic Modification: Explicit teaching of different skills for the student, offering repetition of a certain skill for the student to master, goal setting, and individual learning plans. Visual Support: Seating arrangements for students needing to be closer to the visual aids, cue cards for students to refer to for additional support in the classroom or in social situations, and having the classroom labelled for students to know where everything is located. These strategies whilst on their own may help in individual situations, however when utilised all together, develop into a teaching approach that allows the student to receive optimal support from their teachers and other support staff. During my short time as a casual relief teacher and pre-service teacher I have been privileged enough to use these teaching strategies. These strategies come into practice daily, although I may go between schools these strategies are utilised within each school, however in their own way with subtle differences. Whilst I was teaching at a special school however, there was one classroom that has stood out for me where all 5 overarching strategies were used to a high level. This grade had 7 students ranging from the ages of 8 to 10 all with a mild to severe disorder, with ability levels ranging from mild intellectual disabilities to a student that cannot speak or write. This promoted one aspect that came in on a lesson to lesson basis; academic modification. How this was utilised was that the teacher had an individual learning plan for each student within the classroom and they all had their individual goals that they were aiming for in each lesson. Individual learning plans are intended to have goals and objectives that an individual student can make progress towards within an achievable timeframe, whilst providing an educational benefit (Kurth Mastergeorge, 2010). This became prominent in every lesson as it was separated into different tasks for each student however maintaining the overarching subject topic. Within this grade as well, was the use of priming and visual supports. This was through having a class schedule for each day in pictures that are displayed on a Velcro board. This had a list of pictures for each lesson described as a picture; such as writing had a writing book and pencil, and lunch had a sandwich, in a descending order for the students to look at to have an understanding what the day entails. When I was in the classroom as a relief teacher I would also follow this support with verbal explanations of how the day would go to additionally prime the students for the day. Although the students were already feeling anxious when I do come into their grade because it is a change of routine not having their teacher, through using these priming strategies I have been able to calm the students down enough to begin to feel comfortable with me there for the day. There is one strategy however that I have only seen small amounts of in schools; I was lucky to have the strategy used in this classroom, and that is the use of home base. How the support staff explained to me how the class used this strategy was that when a student is feeling anxious, stressed, aggravated, or distressed they had a soft calming room that they can go to so they can take themselves out of the situation. This was not able to be done on the students own will as they are unable to recognise this, however myself or the support staff would ask the student if they wanted some time in the room. This provided a safe secluded area for the student to calm down from whatever they were experiencing at the time.   I would personally enjoy to see more classes use this strategy as well as it noticeably had a positive effect on the student when they returned to the classroom. Although I may not have a grade of my own yet, using these strategies through relief teaching has improved my own teaching skills in relation to not only students with autism or students with disabilities, but all students. I would suggest that all teachers use these strategies within their daily routine as they have been proven to have a positive impact on the students. Search the WWW for more resources that relate to ABA or Applied Behaviour Analysis. You should search for videos as well as texts. Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) is an intervention process that uses positive reinforcement to work towards change in behavioural responses. Susan Dodd (2005) suggests that to optimise the ABA persons within it should have interventions for 40 hours per week for a duration of at least 2 years. Dodd (2005) also lists that the interventions be carried out by a team of trained people including that of supervisors, therapists, parents, and peers. This is supported by Granpeesheh et al (2009) in the findings that a within two groups of children; one receiving 40 hours of intervention the other receiving 10 hours, the group with 40 hours per week showed expediential improvements whereas the 10-hour group showed very little improvement. Matson (2012) also explains that the younger the child with autism is when they undertake ABA, they will receive greater benefits from the program than that of older children. What would positive reinforcement be like for a student with autism? All students with autism, all students in general, react to positive reinforcement differently. What one child may experience as positive reinforcement, another may see as the complete opposite. This suggestion is that when positive reinforcements are given, the student is first to be understood. For example, a child with hypersensitivity towards physical contact may take a high five to be a largely positive reinforcement. However, a child with hyposensitivity towards physical contact may see it as an annoyance as their feelings are different to the other child. Temple Grandin (2008) suggests that positive reinforcements be directed towards the childs interests, such as time on the computer; however, she suggests a laptop rather than a desk top as the laptop screens do not flicker in comparison to that of a desk top screen. Although you can have positive reinforcements such as a high five, verbal recognitions such as praising, or activities, when a reinforcement is specialised toward s the individual student a greater outcome can be obtained. An example is when I was teaching a 10-year-old boy in a local special school. I had already developed a relationship with this student at the school so he was comfortable around me within the classroom when his teacher was away. He had come into the school in an upset mood in the morning from an incident at home and whilst not seeing his regular teacher his mood did not improve. However, through building up prior knowledge on the child I knew that he has a very strong passion for Doctor Who. Luckily for me I had brought a book that I was going to surprise him with after I found out I had his grade for the day; my personal Doctor Who pop-up book. After seeing his attitudes, I used this book as positive reinforcement for him, if he could do some work for 10 minutes, he can read for a bit, then 15 minutes then he can read. This proved to not only calm him down as it was his interest, but he also was more productive within the classroom. This would not work on other students for a behav iour reinforcement however with this individual child it is within his interests and can be utilised. Why is it important to observe the consequences and repetition of behaviours? Reinforcers help students with autism build up and improve on their behaviours inside and outside of the classroom. These reinforcers can be positive, negative, and neutral; all of which will prompt different reactions from the student. However, it is imperative that the student be observed before and after the reinforcer is given in the aim to give the student the optimal reinforcer. Food reinforcers are common practice within schools and have been seen to be affective most the time; such as an extra piece of fruit for good behaviour or lunch with the principal. Although food reinforcers are good to utilise, there are many people that will rapidly eat; which can lead to choking or possibly death, and if not recognised will continue their unwanted behaviours to get more food (Matson, Turygin, Beighley, Rieske, Tureck, Matson, 2012). To prevent this from occurring teachers may utilise journals and/or notes on observing student behaviours to try and understand what the student is tryi ng to portray. Common behavioural traits of autistic children are repetitive behaviours these can include rocking, hand flapping, or spinning (Kluth Shouse, 2013). It is important to observe the repetition of behaviours as functional assessment can follow as a form of behavioural intervention. Matson (2012) describes that in a situation of repetitive stretching after observation and assessment treatment packages could be developed and resulted in the behaviours being effectively lessened. How can you calm a student with autism who is anxious and upset? To deliver appropriate calming strategies for a student with autism it is imperative that you first understand the student.   The effective way of getting to understand the student is through getting to know what their triggers are, what may cause this anxiety or upsetting moods. For example, if a student has low communication skills they may be anxious because they are unable to communicate if they require something such as food or trying to express their opinion on a situation. Ways that can be utilised in this situation can be helping the student communicate through alternate means; such as through hand motions, or through talking charts. An example of a student with autism whom I have taught whilst they were upset resulted in the student feeling uncomfortable with a blinking overhead light. Their hypersensitivity towards light resulted in them being upset towards the flickering light. Although I had quickly turned off the set of lights that the flickering one is in, the student remained upset and distressed. The way that I had calmed the student further was that I let the student go to a calming room, where they had access to different sensory items such as stress balls and beanbags (both large to sit on and small to hold); the student was there for about 5 minutes before they returned on their own accord. Through this removal from the situation, the student could calm down and eventually return to the classroom with prompting. Videos and Texts that can be used for teachers and primary care givers. This YouTube video is the beginning of a series of videos that involve different steps of ABA. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pN6ydLE4EQ This YouTube video is a university presentation that discusses ABA in an academic approach. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ri0owHvCDAk Primary care givers may not have the time to research ABA for themselves, however teachers may link them to this YouTube video and website. Autism Speaks not only gives an overview of what ABA is but also how it is utilised in schools. The website also has further autism information for primary care givers to read. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyCx-OLzgJw https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/treatment/applied-behavior-analysis-aba The book; Clinical and Organizational Applications of Applied Behavior Analysis by Roane, Ringahl and Falcomata (2015), is a useful resource for teachers to acquire a basic understanding of the applications of ABA in different situations, Roane, H., Ringdahl, J. E., Falcomata, T. S. (2015). Clinical and Organizational Applications of Applied Behavior Analysis. London: Elsevier Explain how stress and anxiety underpin sensory difficulties (hyper and hypo sensitivities). What strategies can be used to reduce anxiety and stress related to sensory issues. Stress and anxiety effect many people worldwide from children with sensory difficulties; hyper and hypo sensitives, up to fully able adults. Moree and Davis (2010) state that those on the autism spectrum range from 11% to 84% having anxiety disorders as well, averaging out to being 40-50%. Anxiety can be described as someone having excessive fear and avoidance in response to specific objects or different situations, whilst being absent of true danger (Shin Liberzon, 2010). Although anxiety is a known trigger of stress, it is not to be confused as being the sole trigger of stress; another primary trigger is trauma through social, emotional, physical, and psychological occurrences. People with hypersensitivity are understood to have strong emotional and physical reactions, heightened detections of stimuli, and having a heightened apprehension of the stimuli together with an unfocused or unselective attention (Elwin, Ek, Schrà ¶der Kjellin, 2012). This commonly relates back to vision, hearing, and touch (Elwin, Ek, Schrà ¶der Kjellin, 2012), however it also relates to smell and taste as well as can affect all senses. The National Autistic Society (2016) lists some examples in which hypersensitivity may occur: Visual: Can be distorted resulting in objects and bright lights appearing to jump around. Sound: Noise can become magnified to the person. Smell: Smells can be intense and overpowering. Taste: Foods and flavours can be found too strong and overpowering. Touch: Being touched or touching things may become painful or uncomfortable. Individuals that live with hypersensitivities towards different senses may become anxious when they are in different situations as the experiences that they have are predominantly negative. An interviewee by Elwin et al. (2012) mentions that the noise of other children around them was torment, they could not shut it out, it frightened them as well as wearing them out. If someone is experiencing this daily within a classroom, they will begin to associate the classroom with fear and torment, which will lead to having anxiety before entering the classroom and being stressed when they are in the classroom.   Another example given through an interview by Elwin et al. (2012) is that someone has a hypersensitivity in their vision, bright lights are not a good thing to them, they mention that there were times when they would go outside and the light from the sun would make them quite literally sick as well as having the same affect with flashing lights however they describe it as wors e. If this person is in a classroom with one of the lights flickering, which is common, it can cause them to feel anxious as it will be affecting them and from previous experiences they may relate it to being sick. Hyposensitivity is recognised as people that have no indistinct registration of stimuli, less discrimination and recognition of stimuli, and having strong cravings for specific stimuli (Elwin, Ek, Schrà ¶der Kjellin, 2012). These reactions were common to pain, proprioceptive, and interoceptive stimuli. The National Autistic Society (2016) lists some examples in which hyposensitivity may occur in visual, sound, smell, taste, and touch senses: Visual: May have poor depth perception, problems with throwing and catching, clumsiness. Sound: May only hear sounds in one ear, the other ear having only partial hearing or no hearing at all. Smell: Can have no sense of smell and fail to notice extreme odours; this may also include their own body odour. Taste: They may eat or mouth non-edible items such as stones, dirt, and metal. Touch: They may have a high pain threshold. Individuals that are living with hyposensitivity may not have the same anxieties and stresses as those of hypersensitivities however they will still have their own. An example by Elwin et al. (2012) is of one person who describes that he is unable to tell when they are hungry or thirsty and relies on the post symptoms of feeling sick or dizzy from being without food or water for too long. This can lead to stressors arising for when they are going places as they may feel that if they cannot tell when they are hungry or thirsty, theyll get sick or dizzy in public and can result in further issues. Temple Grandin (2008) elaborates that when someone has sensory issues they are to be addressed however not to be mistaken by behavioural issues. Grandin (2008) further explains that there are different accommodations that need be put in place to help people with these sensory issues. Different strategies related to both hyper and hyposensitive sensory issues suggested by Grandin (2008) as well as the National Autistic Society (2016) include: Visual: Wearing a hat inside or sunglasses inside to reduce the lighting in the room. Using a laptop screen over other screens as they do not flicker Having incandescent lights rather than fluorescent. Doing different balancing games such as using a ball to sit on. Having dull coloured paper rather than white. Sound: Wearing headphones or earplugs for half the day, Grandin (2008) suggests not the entire day as no improvements will be made. Using visual supports as teaching tools such as visual outlines of the day. Minimal usage of verbal instructions. Priming people before going to a loud area. Smell: Creating routines in hygiene such as regular times for bathing / washing. Creating a routine of having deodorant or body spray applied to the person with hyposensitivity. Using unscented shampoos for people with hypersensitivity. Creating fragrance-free environments. Taste: Developing dietary programs in relation to having food that is either blander for hypersensitive people or having strong flavours for hyposensitive people. Touch: Limit physical contact. Preparations prior to any physical contact such as telling people that you are going to hug them. Turning clothes inside out to prevent the seam from rubbing. Constrictive clothing for hyposensitive responses. Squeeze machine sessions. If strategies such as these are implemented the environmental and social factors relating to the sensory issues will be reduced, which in result will further bring down anxiety and stress levels within hyper and hyposensitive people. Although it may not entirely remove anxiety and stress, it will help lessen the symptoms to create a more comfortable environment. Reference List: Autism Speaks. (2015). Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). Retrieved from https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/treatment/applied-behavior-analysis-aba Autism Speaks. (2008, September 8). Introduction to Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyCx-OLzgJw Dodd, S. (2005). Understanding Autism. Sydney: Elsevier. Elwin, M., Ek, L., Schrà ¶der, A., Kjellin, L. (2012). Autobiographical Accounts of Sensing in Asperger Syndrome and High-Functioning Autism. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 26(5), 420-429. Grandin, T. [University of California Television (UCTV)]. (2008, February 7). My Experience With Autism [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wt1IY3ffoU Granpeesheh, D., Dixon, D. R., Tarbox, J., Kaplan, A. M., Wilke, A. E. (2009). The Effects of Age and Treatment Intensity on Behavioral Intervention Outcomes for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 3(4), 1014-1022. Kluth, P, Shouse, J. (2013). The Autism Checklist. Hoboken: Wiley. Kurth, J., Mastergeorge, A. (2010). Individual Education Plan Goals and Services for Adolescents With Autism: Impact of Age and Educational Setting. The Journal of Special Education., 44(3), 146-160. Matson, J. L, Turygin, N. C., Beighley, J, Rieske, R, Tureck, K, Matson, M. L. (2012). Applied behavior analysis in Autism Spectrum Disorders: Recent developments, strengths, and pitfalls. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 6(1), 144-150. Moree, Davis. (2010). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders: Modification trends. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 4(3), 346-354. Roane, H., Ringdahl, J. E., Falcomata, T. S. (2015). Clinical and Organizational Applications of Applied Behavior Analysis. London: Elsevier Shin, L., Liberzon, I. (2010). The Neurocircuitry of Fear, Stress, and Anxiety Disorders. Neuropsychopharmacology Official Publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology., 35(1), 169-191. The National Autistic Society. (2016). Sensory Differences. Retrieved From http://www.autism.org.uk/sensory The Organization for Autism Research. [ResearchAutism]. (2013, March 7).Understanding Autism: A Guide for Secondary School Teachers (Part 2) [Video File]Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veQKDDE9C_w Wiley, M. [Matt Wiley]. (2012, February 7). ABA Autism Training Chapter 1 The Discrete Trial [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pN6ydLE4EQ Wiseman, E. [HopeNetworkServices]. (2012, June 15). Applied Behavior Analysis for Autism Spectrum Disorders [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ri0owHvCDAk

An Inspector Calls By J.B Priestley :: English Literature:

An Inspector Calls By J.B Priestley An Inspector calls beings with the Birling family celebrating Shelia's engagement to Gerald Croft, Mr Birlings friends son. In the beginning of the play the light is 'pink and intimate' until the unexpected arrival of the Inspector we find the light change symbolises start of an investigation put under the spotlight, being brought out of their own world into reality. The inspectors arrival is unexpected to the family 'some trouble about a warrant' Mr Birlings first thought to what the arrival of the inspector might be and shrugs it as if their could be no greater concern. The inspector explains his reason of why he is here. The inspector starts to question Mr Birling the head of the family. The inspector asks how Eva Smith was apart of Mr Birlings work. Mr Birling explains his involvement with Eva Smith of how she worked for him and asked for a pay rise and was fired from her job by Mr Birling. After the questioning of Mr Birling the inspector questions Shelia who is shown to an innocent girl, we out find after the questioning that it was Shelia who had Eva Smith fired from her second job because of her jealousy over Eva Smith. After revealing her involvement she starts to blame herself. But the inspector tells her that it wasn't her who made her commit suicide. At the end of act one we find Gerald in a sign of recognition when he hears the name Daisy Renton (Eva Smith's second name when she changed it to find herself a second job). Before the closing of the first act we see Shelia question Gerald where had he known Eva Smith. Gerald explains that he had known her from last summer. We see the irony when Shelia says 'I don't believe I will. (Half playful, half serious, to Gerald.) So you be careful.' She laughs at the fact that the 'important work' Gerald was at last summer was probably knows that Gerald was having an affair. After act one we find the irony of what was said by Gerald 'You seem to be a nice well-behaved family-' and Mr Birlings reply 'Well we think we are'. The exit of Eric shows us that there is more to Eric's involvement than the others which is hidden in Act one until the end because of his drunkenness the inspector leaves him last to be questioned. At the end of act one the audience is left at suspense when Gerald is approached by the inspector we find a great intensity

biography of Arthur Ashe jr. :: essays research papers

Arthur Robert Ashe Jr. is a man of trust, courage, grace and honor. Although many of these attriobutes I share with Arthur, his high level of moral values and self reliance I aspire to achieve. Arthur was of African American decent and being born on July 10, 1943 in Richmond, Virginia he had to face many racial struggles and hardships. On the contrary, I was born and raised in somerset, New Jersey, in the 1990’s so my racial struggles were close to non-existent. Being of Italian- American decent, if I had lived in the time of Arthur Ashe I still would not have faced racial struggles as greatly as African Americans did in that time. Arthur was the first born just as I was, except he was the first and only while I on the other hand have three siblings. We were both born into extremely loving and caring families. Arthur was raised by extremely strict parents and was not even allowed to go out after school or hang out with friends as I do occasionally. His father just like my parents set goals for self-reliance, discipline and responsibility. Because of those goals Arthur began to take great pride in his reputation. I also feel as if I’m always being judged. We have both been called â€Å"quiet† people but Arthur eventually grows out of that and my parents tell me I’m beginning to do the same. Both of our parents, to our displeasure, force us to do our numerous chores before anything else. The difference lies within the punishment for disobeying our parents wishes. The so called â€Å"beatings† that Arthur received in his time were nothing unordinary yet if those beatings were to occur t oday they would be seen as wrong and inhumane. Despite the differences we share many similar diversions such as good quality time with our families. Arthur was known to spend countless hours reading and listening to music with his mom. Yet at the age of 6 Arthur had to face one of the most traumatic expierences of his life when he lost his mother, Matti Ashe, to a fatal case of toxemia while in labor. Similar to this experience I lost my grandfather at the age of five. Although I was impacted greatly it was not a loss as great as Arthurs loss of a loving mother. I Can recall the day it happened just as well as Arthur recalled the details of when he last saw his mother.

British Political Issue

Assess the impact of the media on the course and outcomes of a contemporary British political issue. You should choose one of the issues covered in the course.The Media, and its Influence on the Fortunes of Political LeadersIn a pluralist democracy, the media can have a very powerful effect upon politics, so powerful in some instances that it can shape outcomes of important political issues. Leadership of a party, therefore, is a precarious position to be in, owing to the persistent and pervasive influence of newspapers, television, radio and the internet. Events surrounding Iain Duncan Smith's reign as leader of the Conservatives illustrate the extent of this influence.Since the demise of spectrum scarcity in 1946, British politicians have been continually scrutinised by the media through television, newspapers and more recently the internet. Milton's 17th century concept of the ‘freedom of the press' has allowed independence from government manipulation and the ability to talk more honestly and freely about politicians. However, the impartiality of the information depends on the fair-mindedness of journalists and the editorial policy.In the first half of the 20th century, people used to attend political rallies where they heard the great politicians of the day. At smaller rallies other political voices could also be heard. Radio brought these debates into people's houses. With the advent of television came a completely new dimension. Not only the voice of politicians were heard but their personalities were exposed too. It was not enough to be an able politician with excellent policies but Political figures had to be ‘good on the box', in a sense ‘actors'.Kennedy and Nixon's presidential duel in 1960 first exemplified the importance of image and style; Kennedy was clean-shaven, and had a clear charismatic phraseology. Nixon looked pale, unshaven and disorientated. His poor performance contributed to his election defeat. One could say that politics has become that of a ‘spectacle', staged to the minutes detail in order to attract and persuade voters.Technology has increased the immediacy and potential of the media, with 24-hour television channels and internet sites allowing faster dissemination of news. Localised party election meetings have been replaced by intricately crafted media events where ‘self-image' and ‘sound bites' are vital for capturing the snapshot interest of the quite often-preoccupied British public. Party politics have subsequently been diluted and reduced to simple slogans that can be expressed in the shrinking time available in the evening news.After the ‘iron lady' left Downing Street in 1991, the Conservatives have struggled to regain both the image and the charisma of Margaret Thatcher. Her successor John Major was subject to the form of media scrutiny still affecting the Conservative Party today. In 1997, the normally. Tory biased Sun had this headline during the build up to the general election -The Sun Backs Blair†(The Sun,1997); although this swing in favour of Labour arose because of anticipation and previous disappointment rather than political preference.In 2001, Duncan Smith was elected after the failure of William Hague to revive the Conservative Party and improve their chances in the general election. The opportunistic media criticised Thatcher's radical poll and fuel tax policies in the 1980's and left the Conservatives with a rather burdensome shadow looming over them. Refusal to forget Thatcher's legacy has meant that tabloid papers have continued to apply lowbred anti-Conservative personalisation – increasing trivialisation and some elements of contempt towards Conservative MP's. John Major, William Hague, Iain Duncan Smith and more recently Michael Howard have all been victims of personalisation; attributed to them chiefly by tabloids. John Major was the ‘grey man'- the avuncular shadow of Margaret Thatcher's former self, William Hague was the'high school debater', Iain Duncan Smith was ‘the old-soldier', and Michael Howard is the ‘dracula' type according to Anne Widdecombe -the Shadow Home Secretary. Perhaps the main reason for the prevailing criticism is the inability to equate the archetypal figure of Tony Blair. His TV personality, combined with his great technical ability as an extempore speaker make him unrivalled.Up until Iain Duncan Smith was unseated, a number of allegations were made about his conduct within office. He was alleged to have misused the parliamentary secretarial allowance by paying his wife. However, many believed him to be on his way out of office anyway, and that the claims were inconsequential to the security of his position. This is perhaps, exemplifies an attempt to frame Smith. Budge's framing theory emphasises the way in which the media can influence politics and the way in which people see and understand it.Fast-forward syndrome is a common occurrence in modern politics due to the fast, free flowing information that is available world-wide. Issues change throughout the course of time, affected by crucial events, which can eventually be laid to rest when new information is discovered. An example of this is the perpetual real time coverage of the Iraq war. Newspapers said Conservative prospects were ‘promising' under Howard's leadership, when only hours ago under Smith, they had been ‘beyond repair'. Optimism however can be premature in politics, as Iain Duncan Smith can testify.When he triumphed over Ken Clarke in September 2001, the media claimed he was the man to resurrect the Tories' and compete with Labour; Baroness Thatcher called him a â€Å"fine young man with exceptional potential†(Thatcher,2001). Unfortunately for the Tories, September 11th distracted attention away from Duncan Smith's introductory campaign. Scotland on Sunday also revealed precautionary optimism by saying: â€Å"Any democrat, regardless of political hue, should welcome the rebuilding of the parliamentary opposition into an incisive and effective team.†(Scotland on Sunday,2003)A few months down the line, he was criticised from all quarters including by members and ex-members of the party like Anne Widdecombe, Michael Heseltine and Crispin Blunt. Blunt resigned because he believed that Smith was a â€Å"handicap† to the party; Blunt of course was unaware that his comment would lead to a bombardment of insults in his direction -even from Duncan Smith critics. Thatcher concluded by lamenting the ineptitude of Smith calling him â€Å"the worst leader in the history of the Conservative Party†(Thatcher,2003). Broadsheets and tabloids emphasised the remark, which would mark the end of Smith's reign as leader. A substantial amount of newspaper coverage in the past three months was aimed at the Conservative Party, its ministerial fallouts and declining popularity. Duncan Smith questioned party loyalty and urged MP's to â€Å"unite or die†. After the ‘overacted' performance of Smith at the Conservative Party Conference in October 2003, even right of centre broadsheets like the Daily Telegraph started denouncing him, predicting his resignation â€Å"within weeks†(Riddell, 2003). It was: â€Å"the most desperate day in the history of the Conservative Party† (Riddle, 2003). One of the papers to retain its loyalty was The Sun who criticised the ‘backstabbing' Tories for squandering time and urged them to continue denouncing the government.Left wing opposition has arisen in the form of tabloids such as the Daily Mirror, who sloganised the Conservative Party's cabinet reduction strategy -which gives double the department responsibility to some of the members. The Mirror branded them â€Å"The Dirty dozen†. The Mirror's main concern was that some MP's were given the responsibility of two departments instead of one, indicating perhaps less emphasis on important issues like Health and Education.Rupert Murdoch's media ownership could have had an impact on the Conservative leadership. Owning The Sun, The Times, The News of the World and the Sunday Times -as well as 35.4 percent of BskyB, means that he is extremely powerful. He was a staunch Tory supporter in the 80's and 90's and has shifted his opinion of the leaders recently until the recent appointment of Michael Howard. Murdoch's position was cautious, but nevertheless significant in terms of media influence. â€Å"We will have to see how the Tory front bench looks,† Murdoch told BBC television on Friday. Although he was anti Euro, Murdoch at times backed Blair's Government, exemplifying the alternating ideological influences of media moguls over issues like party leadership.Failure to project his authority in the Commons was one of Smith's natural downfalls and perhaps undermines the argument that the media were responsible for his dismissal. In comparison with new leader Michael Howard, he did not have the ability to â€Å"alter his delivery while changing the mood of the house† (Fraser Nelson, 2003). Nelson also points out the striking differences in the chamber atmosphere; Smith would encourage a few mumbled utterances from his backbenchers, whereas Howard managed to gain a rumbustuous approval in his duel with Blair Prime Ministers Question Time. Michael Howard has already claimed BBC approval for his debating skills in the chamber; for example, his fight against excessive business beaurocracy and taxes, his clash with Blair over the conduct of Children's Minister Margaret HodgeA recent Guardian poll suggested that the Conservatives still lagged behind Labour on 38%(The Guardian, 2003). The alternating and sometimes contradictory multiplicity of ‘facts' displayed by left and right wing papers will no doubt have an effect on their loyal readership. However because these statistics only represent part of our democratic society and could be manipulated, the public's attitude to the leadership of the Conservative Party could be misdirected. Instead of polls representing the public's attitude -‘Reinforcement Theory'(Budge, 1998)- they might shape it into the image presented by the media rather than by theirs -‘Agenda Setting Theory'(Budge, 1998). People's opinions are changeable. Human beings think and act in crowds as well as individually, and if newspapers give the impression that most people have a particular viewpoint their willingness to have a more open mind can be affected. If a political party then makes mistakes and gains a reputation, not only will it find it difficult to detach itself from the previous deficiencies, but also it will inevitably be further damaged with the growth of investigative journalism. The issue of Iain Duncan Smith's leadership downfall therefore was not solely influenced by the media, but was a result of perennial antagonism against an ailing party. The initial optimism of Michael Howard's leadership could diminish when he gets involved in policy confrontation, and the media continue with their routine cynicism -which can influence the publics opinion on party leadership. REFERENCES Unknown Authorship, Scotland on Sunday, 2001Fraser Nelson, Scotland on Sunday, 2003Margaret Thatcher, Daily Mail, September, 2001Margaret Thatcher, Daily Mail, September, 2003Peter Riddell, The Times,2003Budge I, 2001, The New British Politics(Second Edition), Media Theories, Longman 2001, page 294-297 Unknown Authorship, 2003, http://uk.news.yahoo.com/031114/325/edzpq.html visited on the 19/11/03WEBOGRAPHYhttp://politics.guardian.co.uk/conservatives/story/0,9061,947736,00.html visited on the 23/11/03http://politics.guardian.co.uk/conservatives/story/0,9061,1083855,00.html visited on the 23/11/03http://quickstart.clari.net/qs_se/webnews/wed/cd/Ubritain-politics-analysis.RJbq_DOT. htmlhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3225615.stm visited on the 24/11/03http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3161070.stm visited on the 20/11/03http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2408891.stm visited on the 16/11/03http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/3223185.stm visited on the 17/11/03 http://politics.guardian.co.uk/polls/story/0,11030,1088270,00.html visited on the 29/11/03BIBLIOGRAPHYNegrine, R, (1989) Politics and the Mass Media in Britain(second edition), Routledge, LondonBudge, I., Crewe, I., Mckay, D., Newton, K., 2001, The New British Politics(Second Edition). Longman 2001, pages 299-307