John Locke – Philosophy

â€Å"The end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom. For in all the states of created beings capable of law, where there is no law, there is no freedom† – John Locke. What I feel that John Locke is attempting to express in his quote is that society believes that by having laws in place the government is taking away from the freedom they long to endure. However, by having laws in place it actually helps to enforce their rights to freedom. I chose John Locke as my topic for my final paper because I have taken an interest in the life he led, his inspirations and his role in politics. Read Essay In Westminster Abbey Analysis John Locke was the first of the classical British empiricists. Empiricists believed that all knowledge derives from experience. He became highly influential to the political world, inspiring government representatives such as Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine and James Madison. Locke expressed the radical view that government is morally obliged to serve people by protecting life, liberty and property (n. a, n. d). He explained the principle of checks and balances in order to limit the power of government. He also favored representative government and rule of law. Locke insisted that when government violates individual rights, the people have a right to rebel. His views on individual rights, life, happiness and politics led Locke to become known as the 17th century English Philosopher of the enlightenment. John Locke was born August 29, 1632, in Somerset, England. He was the oldest son of Agnes Keene and John Locke. His father was a Puritan lawyer who served as a clerk for justices of the peace (n. a. , n. d). With the assistance of his father’s connections to the English government, Locke received an exceptional education. In 1647 he enrolled at Westminster School in London, where he earned his distinct honor of being named a King’s Scholar. This was a privilege that went to only select number of boys and set the path for Locke to attend Christ Church, Oxford in 1652 (n. a. , n. d). Christ Church is considered the most prestigious school in Oxford. During this educational time period, Locke engaged in logic and metaphysics. He graduated from Christ Church in 1656 and returned two years later to pursue a Masters of the Arts. This accomplishment soon led to Locke taking on tutorial work at the college. In 1668 Locke was elected a fellow of the Royal Society. The Royal Society is a fellowship of the world’s most eminent scientist and is the oldest scientific academy in continuous existence (n. a. ,n. d. ). Locke then went on to study philosophy and medicine at the University of Oxford and graduated in 1674 with a bachelor’s of medicine. Locke did not want to commit his life to a religious order and therefore turned down a permanent teaching position from Oxford. This opened the doors to an opportunity serving as a private physician and secretary to Anthony Ashley Cooper, the Earl of Shaftesbury (Kermerling, 2011). During the summer of 1666, Anthony Ashley Cooper visited Oxford where he met Locke who was at the time studying medicine. Cooper, who was suffering from a liver cyst which threatened to become swollen and infected, requested that Locke be his personal physician. Locke accepted and soon moved into a room at the Cooper’s Exeter House mansion in Westminster, London. Cooper’s condition worsened and Locke was in a position of opportunity to heal the Earl successfully. In 1668, Locke supervised a successfully surgery and save the life of Anthony Ashley Cooper, the Earl of Shaftesbury. This honorable act led Locke to become a valued partner of Shaftesbury. After Shaftesbury stature grew, so did Locke’s responsibilities. He assisted in the Earl’s business and political matters and after Shaftsbury was made chancellor, Locke became his secretary of presentations. Locke was involved in just about everything that Shaftsbury did. This included the formation of the Whig party. The Whig party was a political group which consisted of politicians from America, England and Scotland who opposed King Charles I of England. Locke maintained correspondence with the party to assist with influencing Parliamentary elections. Shaftsbury was imprisoned for a year and on his release he helped pass the Habeas Corpus Act in 1679 which made it unlawful for government to detain a person without filing formal charges. The act also specified that an individual could not be put on trial for the same charge more than once (n. a. ,n. d). Shaftesbury was a strong influence to John Locke and helped pave his way for future success through experience – Empiricist. During the reign of King Charles II it was illegal to write, read or have books in one’s possession that pertained to any negative press against the government. Although it was risky, Locke continued his mission. He wrote about his experience with political actions. One treatise attached a claim that the Bible sanctioned tyrants and that parents had absolute authority over children. A second treatise presented an epic case for liberty and the right of people to rebel against tyrants. He pushed to a radical conclusion which attacked slavery and a defense of revolution (n. a. , n. d. ). Locke fled to Rotterdam on September 7, 1683 to avoid legal action (n. a. , n. d. ). The English government tried to have Locke extradited for trial and possible hanging. Lock fled to London and assumed the name â€Å"Dr. van der Linden. † He signed letters as â€Å"Lamy† or â€Å"Dr. Lynne† (n. a. ,n. d. ). Locke assumed that the government would intercept mail, so he protected friends by referring to them with numbers or false names. His excuse to friends for moving to Holland was that he enjoyed the local beer. In Holland, Locke began to work on his philosophical masterpiece, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding which urged people to base their convictions on observation and reason. His argument was that all ideas, simple or complex, are ultimately derived from experience. He challenged the traditional doctrine that learning consisted entirely of reading ancient texts and absorbing religious dogmas (n. . , n. d. ). He maintained that understanding that the world required observation. The essay was published in December 1689, and established Locke as England’s leading philosopher. In the essay, Locke states the nature of his proposed doctrine: â€Å"Let us then suppose the mind to be, as we say, white paper, void of all characters, without any i deas: – How comes it to be furnished? Whenced comes it by that vast store which the busy and boundless fancy of man has painted on it with almost endless variety? Whence has it all the materials of reason and knowledge? To this I answer, in one word, from experience. In that all our knowledge is founded. (Valasquez, 2011)† The book became one of the most widely reprinted and influential works on philosophy. It brought great fame for Locke. So much, that he spent the rest of his life responding to admirers and critics by making revisions in later editions of the book, including detailed accounts of human volition and moral freedom. Locke also published Two Treatise of Civil Government. These writings were published anonymously in order to avoid controversy. The First Treatise is a detailed rejection of the monarchist theories of Robert Filmer. Locke attacked Filmer’s claim that God sanctioned the absolute power of kings. During this time period, such an attack was risky since it could easily be prosecuted as an attack on the King Charles II. The Second Treatise of Government offers a systematic account of the foundations of political obligation. The views expressed within this treatise were so radical that he only released his name as publisher in his will. Locke’s writings did much to inspire the libertarian ideals of the American Revolution. This, in turn, set an example which inspired people throughout Europe, Latin America and Asia. Locke’s philosophy had a great effect on American’s as well. Thomas Jefferson ranked Locke as the most important thinkers on liberty. He also helped inspire Thomas Paine’s radical ideas about revolution. James Madison drew most of his fundamental principles of liberty and government from Locke’s writings. John Locke’s writings were also included in the self-education of Benjamin Franklin. John Adam’s believed that both girls and boys should learn about Locke. Locke’s influence even traveled to France where the French philosopher Voltaire called, â€Å"Locke the man of the greatest wisdom. What he has not seen clearly, I despair of ever seeing† (n. a. , n. d. ). Mathematician and physicist Isaac Newton cherished his company. Locke helped William Penn restore his good name when he was political fugitive, just as Penn had arranged a pardon for Locke when he had been a political fugitive. Locke was described by the famous English physician Dr. Thomas Sydenham as â€Å"a man whom, in the acuteness of his intellect, in the steadiness of his judgment, in the simplicity, that is, in the excellence of his manners, I confidently declare to have, amongst the men of our time, few equals and no superiors. n. a. , n. d. ). It is astonishing that Locke’s work has affected so many people around the world. He was an undistinguished Oxford scholar. He had a brief experience with a failed diplomatic mission. He was a physician who lacked traditional credentials and had only one patient. His first major work was not published until the age of 57. All of this and he is still one of the leading philosophers of all time. In 1691, John Locke is invited to spend his last years with friends Francis and Damaris Masham. Damaris is also a philosopher and is believed to have been romantically involved with Locke uring their study years at Oxford. When Locke left for Holland, Damaris was to visit; however it did not work out and she married Francis Masham (Uzgalis, 2012). During his stay with the Masham’s Locke tutored their son Francis, here he begins to work on his treaties Thoughts Concerning Education. Locke’s health gradually began to worsen. He lost most of his hearing and his legs began to swell. He could barely bring himself to rise from bed. Around 3:00 in the afternoon, Saturday, October 28, 1704 he passed away (n. a , n. d. ). He was sitting in his study with Lady Marsham. Suddenly, he brought his hands to his face, shut his eyes and died. He was 72 years old. Locke’s focus has primarily been based upon the ideas of freedom and equality as a whole. He believed that citizens should naturally possess the right to life, liberty and happiness, which is portrayed in the constitution of the United States. These undisputable rights or natural rights have derived from the law of nature. The law of nature is a state that relies purely on the law of God, which is also known as moral law. This law gave people the natural right to life, liberty, and happiness without question. In addition, Locke believed that people also possess the basic right of self-defense if under attack. However, Locke’s key aspect of his theories was the basic idea of equality. He said that nobody has the right to rule and that consent is critical because it’s based on the premises that all people are equal (Uzgalis, 2012). John Locke is still very much known as a political philosopher in today’s modern society. Because much of Locke’s philosophy centered on subjects such as natural rights and knowledge, he has in-turn shaped American politics in such a way that it has never been the same. Locke has challenged many theories that have to do with inalienable rights as a part of natural law; therefore he had much to do with the involvement in the evolution of the American Government. He taught that, men by nature possess certain rights. He had a tremendous influence on all future political thinking. A clear representation of his involvement is portrayed in the declaration of independence. John Locke was, and will always be remembered as a pioneer in modern thinking.

Political context of The Great Gatsby

America during 1920s enjoyed a consummate historical period – so called the ‘Economic Boom'. Consequently, more and more people became wealthy. This resulted in dramatic changes in American social structure as there was a huge increase in the middle classes. People's obsession over their wealth had no limits. There was a big emphasis on individualism as the Republicans enjoyed widespread support due to their achievements. Perhaps this explains the attitude of the characters in the ‘Great Gatsby'. Gatsby's desire for wealth and individualism was certainly boosted by his feelings towards Daisy. Daisy Buchannan – who had a high rank in American society even before she got married, could not belong to Gatsby's world and their relationship in the light of this period of American history was seen as irrational. The gaps in American social structure were undoubtedly large, however Republican's idea of individualism allowed an access to higher rank in society. Characters' traits such as determination, adroitness and hard-work were heavily respected in US during that time. This explains Gatsby's struggle in achieving respected status and wealth. Perhaps, from a political point of view, Gatsby therefore could be seen as a model of a successful American during the ‘Economic Boom'. America – a great social and economic experiment, noble in motive and far-reaching in purpose. Herbert Hoover (1874 – 1964) – Republican president of USA Furthermore, the Americans' position during the 1920s made them think that they are infallible. Certainly, this resulted in racism and over – patriotic attitude. For example, Tom says that ‘Civilisation's going to pieces' referring to ‘The Rise of Colored Empires' and defines Americans as the ‘dominant race' (chapter I). This boundless confidence spread into different countries and the term of an ‘American Dream' (that is – a dream of a total achievement of wealth) became more and more popular. Ironically, America's ‘Economic Boom' was a direct consequence of the First World War when they isolated themselves and achieved a great deal of widespread wealth at the cost of the other suffering countries. In fact, the ‘Economic Boom' was mostly a result of a well-developed trade of military supplies with countries involved in war. Similarly, ‘The Valley of Ashes' (â€Å"a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat† – Chapter II) can be seen as the symbol of American's abusing of the lower social classes as the wealthy businessmen dump their ashes on the land belonging to lower ranks. Perhaps in this sense, Fitzgerald hints at his contempt of a Republican idea and despises the order in USA during that time. Therefore the ill-thought through American idea of desire for money descended from the ‘Economic Boom' in 1920s. Having said this, we are not surprised when Gatsby describes Daisy's voice as ‘full of money'. Wealth and competitiveness was considered as the norm because in early 20th century America such values had been seen as essential to become a politically correct ‘American'. To become politically correct one tended, or maybe preferred, to become blind to human suffering. It is best described by Nick that â€Å"Tom and Daisy – smashed up creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness†. Indeed, in this way, Tom and Daisy have managed to brutally achieve their ‘American Dream'.

Bio Medicine Essay Example for Free

Bio Medicine Essay Two Cathy Ann Wilson-Bates Western Governors University EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE & APPLIED NURSING RESEARCH EBP 1 Brenda Luther, PhD, RN January 25, 2012 Task Two Introduction: What I have learned about working with children in a chronic healthcare setting like dialysis is that they are resilient beings with the propensity for rapid changes in their medical condition. Children almost always surprise me in their unique description of symptoms and pain. Depending on their age, they may not be able to describe the symptoms they feel or tell me â€Å"where it hurts†. A simple ear ache may be described as a â€Å"drum in my ear† or may be observed with non verbal cues like tugging on the ear. Acute Otitis Media is seen quite often during the cold and flu season. Recent clinical guidelines suggest waiting twenty four to seventy two hours before beginning antibiotic therapy. Parents of children with symptoms of otitis media are accustomed to receiving a prescription for antibiotics before they leave the medical office. Adults as well are preconditioned for the little white slip of paper from their physician. Waiting twenty four to seventy two hours to evaluate the need for antibiotics will definitely reduce the over-prescription of antibiotics as well as their efficacy. The waiting and watching of several days may seem like an eternity to a parent caring for a sick and crying child. Educating parents during routine visits to the physician office about the risks of over-prescribing antibiotics will help when the physician needs to discuss the possibility of waiting and evaluating before prescribing antibiotics. Providing a list of comfort measures parents can follow may help relieve the anxiety they have in caring for a sick child. Any comfort measure taken to reduce crying is helpful to the parent of a sick child, but mostly to the child. The following table and paragraphs will share the results of how one group of nurses at an outpatient clinic used clinical evidence to manage this situation. Source |Type of Resource |Source appropriate or |Type of Research | | |general information, |inappropriate |primary research evidence, | | |filtered, or unfiltered | |evidence summary, evidence-based | | | | |guideline, or none of these | |American Academy of Pediatrics and American Academy of|Filtered |Appropriate |Evidence-based guideline | |Family Physicians. Clinical practice guideline: | | | | |Diagnosis and management of acute otitis media. | | | |Causative pathogens, antibiotic resistance and |Unfiltered |Appropriate |Evidence-based guideline | |therapeutic considerations in acute otitis media . | | | | |Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. | | | | |Ear, nose, and Throat, Current pediatric diagnosis and|General |Inappropriate |None of these | |treatment. | | | | |Treatment of acute otitis media in an era of |Filtered |Appropriate |Evidence –based guideline | |increasing microbial resistance. Pediatric Infectious| | | | |Disease Journal | | | | |Results from interviews with parents who have brought |Unfiltered |Appropriate |Primary research evidence | |their children into the clinic for acute otitis media. | | | | | | | | | Subcommittee on Management of Acute Otitis Media. (2004). American Academy of Pediatrics and American Academy of Family Physicians. Clinical Practice Guidelines: Diagnosis and Manegment of Acute Otitis Media. American Academy of Pediatrics , Vol. 13 No 5 1451-1465. This article is an evidence-based clinical guideline. It is a systematic review making it a filtered resource which is very appropriate for this situation. The article describes the current, (as of 2004) recommendations for the diagnosis and management of Acute Otitis Media (Subcommittee on Management of Acute Otitis Media, 2004). These guidelines show several different ways to treat acute otitis media depending on the symptoms of the child. It states that sometimes waiting to give antibioti cs is good and sometimes waiting to give antibiotics is not good. This article is appropriate and provides clarity on the topic. Block, S. L. (1997). Causative pathogens, antibiotic resistance and therapeutic considerations in acute otitis media. The Pediatric Infectious disease Journal , Volume 16 (4) pp 449-456. This article discusses antibiotic resistance and describes the bacterial pathogens which are responsible for infections causing acute otitis media. This article is appropriate. It contains a comparison of studies performed based on the different types of bacteria which cause acute otitis media. It stresses the importance of identifying the bacteria causing the infection before giving antibiotics so that number one the bacteria can be eradicated and other bacteria will not become resistant (Block, 1997). PE Kelley, N. F. (2006). Ear, Nose and. In M. L. W. W. Hay, Current Pediatric Diagnoisis and Treatment (pp. 459-492). Lang. This textbook source contains general information on the ear, nose and throat. There is much more information here regarding basic anatomy and physiology as well as characteristics of the ear nose and throat. The information regarding otitis media is basic and not an appropriate source of research in this situation for three reasons. Number one, the information is very basic, number two, it does not give any up to date information on how to treat this type of infection, and number three there is too much non-relevant information. McCracken, G. H. (1998). Treatment of acute otitis media in an era of increasing microbial resistance. The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal , Volume 17(6) pp576-579. This article is a review of the known etiologies that may cause acute otitis media. The article gives up to date information on therapeutic approaches when selecting an appropriate antibiotic therapy. We don’t practice â€Å"cookie cutter† medicine. The same prescription is not always right for all patients or all communities where some bacteria’s may be more prevalent than others (McCracken, 1998). This is appropriate information for this group of people or community. media, P. o. (n. d. ). Interviews. (C. nurses, Interviewer) This set of interviews is simply raw data. General information can however provide great insight as to what is happening out in the community. For example, this information might shed light on the fact that if the parents are willing to hold off on antibiotics for example, would they be more likely to follow up and come back into the clinic when asked? The reaction of parents is dependent upon other several basic factors like finances, a belief system and possibly the ability to obtain transportation. Knowing how the community is going to respond to their choice may have a great effect on the decisions they make. When evaluating the findings of these sources cumulatively, one must first determine the causative pathogens infecting patients in this given community with acute otitis media. After pathogen determination we can determine which antibiotics may be most useful in eradicating the given bacteria. Careful selection of antibiotic therapy will reduce the propensity for antibiotic resistance. Watchful waiting may be a good thing from the perspective of increasing microbial resistance however we must always evaluate patients on their individual needs or on a patient by patient case. One size doesn’t always fit all. Patient education is the key to keeping the public informed of current practice. Physicians and Nurses need to be consistent in the lesson plan shared with patients and remain true to our scope of practice. Communication is essential between the physician, nurse and other multidisciplinary team members in order to provide the best care. There are many considerations in assessing if patients are able to withstand the waiting and evaluation period. Low income families are one example of how the waiting and watching method might not work. Parents may have to take time off work to come to clinic with a sick child. They might struggle finding money for the additional return trip to the clinic and may risk losing their job if they take more time off work. Many low income families may have already waited before seeking help thus creating their own watchful waiting period. They also may not be able to afford antibiotics and as a result may not give the full dose if symptoms have subsided. The perception is that they will save the medication for the next time symptoms arise. Confidentiality might be an issue in smaller communities. People tend to be concerned about neighbors and co-workers and some may not care to share their experience with others. This may be an issue for parents who don’t share custody as in the case of divorce. It is a greater issue when parents or partners don’t share the same fundamental values, especially those related to healthcare. Conclusion: Watchful waiting like the nurses in this clinic are looking at may be useful for some of the patients, but not all. Again, a one size fits all philosophy is not always appropriate in healthcare. Tools like algorithms may be helpful in determining the appropriateness for watching and waiting versus immediate action as determined by physical findings and social circumstances like parental adherence for follow up and ability to afford treatment. Whatever course you choose, watchful waiting or immediate antibiotics the best practice remains a plan of care based on the individual needs of our patients. References Block, S. L. (1997). Causative pathogens, antibiotic resistance and therapeutic considerations in acute otitis media. The Pediatric Infectious disease Journal , Volume 16 (4) pp 449-456. McCracken, G. H. (1998). Treatment of acute otitis media in an era of increasing microbial resistance. The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal , Volume 17(6) pp576-579. media, P. o. (n. d. ). Interviews. (C. nurses, Interviewer) PE Kelley, N. F. (2006). Ear, Nose and. In M. L. W. W. Hay, Current Pediatric Diagnoisis and Treatment (pp. 459-492). Lang. Subcommittee on Management of Acute Otitis Media. (2004). American Academy of Pediatrics and American Academy of Family Physicians. Clinical Practice Guidelines: Diagnosis and Manegment of Acute Otitis Media. American Academy of Pediatrics , Vol. 113 No 5 1451-1465. Bio Medicine. (2018, Oct 22).

Learning Style Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Learning Style - Essay Example Learning styles are unique aspect of a learner’s initiative to gain new knowledge and are important as basis for the mode of instruction that should be used. Learning Styles and Kinesthetic Learner Experiences The VARK questionnaire is a multiple choice type of test which provides questions about normal day-to-day activities which aims to identify the test taker’s learning style. Learning styles are â€Å"biological and developmental set of personal characteristics that make the identical instruction effective for some students and ineffective for others† (Dunn & Dunn, 1993, as cited in Dunn & Griggs, 1998). All answers are to be evaluated which would be the basis of the type of learning style the test taker prefers. There were items in the questionnaires in which I have to check two choices, but most of the time, I choose the answers similar or close to what I usually do. The answers are mostly involving body movements and actual involvement of the activity. In other words, I usually prefer to learn by doing it myself or with the guidance of others. As expected, I came about with the result â€Å"kinesthetic learner† which I think is very true according to my previous learning experiences.

International business class (Discussion Board) Assignment - 4

International business class (Discussion Board) - Assignment Example Thus a country achieves a more competitive advantage from manufacturing better products due to high competition. Related and supporting industries also play a role in determining the competitiveness of an economy. These supporting industry help set the price point by lowering costs of production so that the goods produced are of attractive buying prices hence ensuring survival in the market. Firm strategy, structure and rivalry are the last but not least of the factors. The strategies adopted by a firm help it seek and maximize opportunities. Strategic alliances help a firm to be more competitive and dominate a market sector. Rivalry is what breeds competition and this is very important if the products in the market are to be of great quality. In response to answer 1 given, this answer falls short of detailing the individual factors and how they affect competitiveness in individual capacities. The answer is very general. It also speaks of technology as the only factor that influences production. This is not a fair assessment since there are more factors that affect competitiveness and production of a firm other than technology. Demand should have been mentioned as part of what constitutes factors that influence national

Gastroesophageal Reflux disease Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Gastroesophageal Reflux disease - Essay Example Other factors that are involved in pathogenesis of GERD included the reflux of gastric acid and pancreatic enzyme that lead to injury of the oesophageal mucosa. In essence, the defence mechanism of the oesophagus are in two ways i.e. clearance and resistance of the oesophageal mucosa. Oesophageal clearance plays a significant role in neutralising the acid that is refluxed through the LES. Enhanced clearance reduces the time that oesophagus is exposed to the corroding effect of gastric acid mixtures. The mucosal resistance of the oesophagus offers a protective mechanism and if these defences fail then oesophagitis ensues as a complication of GERD. The Lower oesophageal sphincter (LES) has a significant role in causing GERD. Dysfunction of LES may occur due to transient relaxation of LES and increase of intra-abdominal pressure that exceed the pressure of LES. Delay in gastric emptying may cause GERD because of the increased pressure in the stomach that may overcome the pressure of LES . A Hiatal hernia may cause GERD because it may push LES to move proximally into the chest making it lose its high-pressure area in the abdomen (Kahrilas, 2010). Management of GERD involves lifestyle modification as well as the use of medication to reduce gastric acid. The lifestyle modifications include weight loss, elevating head of bed if experiencing nocturnal symptoms and avoidance of food that worsen the symptoms. Proton pump inhibitors, for example, Omeprazole, Lansoprazole and rabeprazole are the drug of choice in managing GERD. These drugs inhibit the secretion of gastric acid from the gastric parietal cells. H2-receptor antagonists are used in mild cases, which act by competitively blocking histamine receptors specifically those of gastric parietal cells. These drugs include ranitidine, cimetidine and nizatidine among others, they are also used as maintenance therapy to prevent relapse of

Organizational behavior Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Organizational behavior - Article Example olars contemplate that the problems posed by the use of computers and current trends of information technology present new and complicated forms of ethical problems that require new and more comprehensive forms of combating. The current forms of information technology, though accredited with sophistication of security and access to useful information that has been able to combat and prevent harmful activities such as terrorism, is also blamed for one greatest failure: loss of privacy on the part of those exposed to the security. Most buildings today are fitted with CCTV on every department including the washroom, depriving the users of privacy to such facilities. This brings us to the tussle and dilemma of the issue of technology and ethics. There is debate among scholars of worker behavior and ethical regulations as to whether the classical theories present an encompassing ethical theory that is able to cater for emerging needs as presented by emerging technology. While some feel that the theories were designed at a time when forms of information technology were not as complex as they are, therefore, they are not capable of addressing current ethical needs, some feel that the theories are evolutionary and can be adapted to cater for these needs without having to alter them (Ridley 223). Utilitarianism, for instance, a form of consequentialism poses that the best course of action is one that ensures that overall happiness for everyone is maximized. It is a theory that focuses on the end more than the means. Ethics and morality can be compromised in the course of action if the result is worthy. most of today’s technology seems to have found solace in this theory as it exposes users to all forms of measures including nudity checks at some airports and increased scrutiny for persons of particular race, a form of discrimination that is not ethical at all (Penslar 134). Deontological theory states that persons should stick to their obligations and duties to others

Strategic Military Intermodal Transportation Essay

Strategic Military Intermodal Transportation - Essay Example These are all geared towards providing the Command's clients with excellent and time-effective service. USTRANSCOM provides a daily service to American warfighters. As such, it strives towards providing an integrated and synchronized deployment and distribution system under unified command. As such, it is the Command's role to work closely with the Department of Defense (DOD) in order to provide warfighter support. The DOD transformations towards integration and unification are part of the USTRANSCOM Distribution Process Owner initiatives. Specifically, according to the Transcom.mil Web site, military assets are valued in excess of $52 billion; these include 87 ships, 1,269 aircraft, 2,150 railcars and other equipment. Infrastructure is in the range of $1.4 billion. Its wartime human resources comprise 51,853 soldiers on active duty, 88,089 of reserve force and Guard, and 16,606 of civilian personnel. Commercial partners provide equipment such as aircraft and vessels in the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF). The Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement also provides access to various resources controlled by civilian entities. These are used to provide 88 percent of U.S. land transport, 50 percent global air transport, and 64 percent of global sea transport. As mentioned, the Command conducts its operations on a worldwide scale, on a daily basis. According to Transcom.mil, an average week sees more than 1,900 air missions and 10,000 ground shipments across 75% of the world. B. USTRANSCOM Component Parts USTRANSCOM operates by means of various component commands, each focused on a specific aspect of the Command's operations. These include the Air Mobility Command, The Military Sealift Command, and the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command. The first is located at the Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, the second in Washington, D.C., and the third in Alexandria, Virginia. Specifically, the function of the Air Mobility Command (AMC) is to provide services such as strategic and tactical airlift, refuelling, and aeromedical evacuation. In this way, the AMC enables the deployment, sustenance, and redeployment of U.S. forces. Because of its wide reach via commercial contracts through programs such as CRAF, the AMC is able to provide swift response. Special duty and operational support aircraft, such as Air Force One, also function under this component of the Command. The Military Sealift Command (MSC) provides sealift transportation for the same purpose as those of the AMC: to sustain and deploy U.S. forces where these are needed, and where they are most easily reachable by sea. The MSC comprises both government-owned and chartered ships under VISA contracts. The main function of these ships is to move unit equipment from the United States to operation posts throughout the world. In addition to these, the MSC also commands prepositioned ships throughout the world. These are placed in strategic locations in order to provide equipment and supplies to the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and the Defense Logistics Agency. In order to provide fast and efficient service, these ships remain at sea. This reduces response time, especially for urgent needs. The function of the Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC) is to provide ocean terminal, commercial ocean liner and traffic management services to U.S. forces on a global basis. As such, the SDDC is mainly

Sense of purpose and achieving happiness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sense of purpose and achieving happiness - Essay Example We are endlessly searching to find happiness within the bounds of what is tangible and existent around us,oftentimes limiting ourselves within the confines of material gains, wealth and luxury How we define happiness is contingent with our very own beliefs, values, philosophy, ideals, achievement, preferences and the world around us. Some people associate happiness with the word "contentment," in belief that one can only find true happiness if he is complacent and self-satisfied of who he is and what he have gained. We relentlessly pursuit happiness - in as simple as purchasing a classic novel to pursuing a career in law may all be our goal to attain joy, contentment and thus, happiness in life. As we achieve our primary goals and sufficiently feed ourselves with basic needs and desires, we tend to aim more, work more and achieve the greater good that will ultimately bring satisfaction and pleasant state of consciousness. And on the course of finding happiness, we then realize the th ings that will truly make us happy lies not on luxury but on a deeper sense of purpose for ourselves. We tend to explore more on the other side and look for something that will make our lives worth living. There will come to a point that our views about happiness may change and that we are compelled to create a purpose other that achieving the feeling of happiness. In her online article entitled, Is Happiness Overrated?, Wang explained that "people who focus on living with a sense of purpose as they age are more likely to remain cognitively intact, have better mental health and even live longer than people who focus on achieving feelings of happiness." It apparently suggests that happiness is not limited to extrinsic rewards such as money, work incentives and the like, rather it connotes a deeper sense of achievement and of self-satisfaction way beyond of what we can see and touch. The same idea revolves around a theory of what Aristotle called "eudaimonia." Although this is mistran slated and used interchangeably as happiness, Aristotle interpreted it as a virtue of good spirit, personal well-being as the chief goal of men. He discusses a more robust concept of happiness that is something we can obtain from the inside and not from the outside. It constitutes not only the subjective state of doing and feeling well, but it also corresponds to the idea of being loved and virtuous. His principle helped us establish two distinct characteristics of personality with differing perspectives on the concept of happiness. "Eudaimonic well-being" parallels with people who are living with a sense of purpose - those who would rather opt to go on volunteering, providing elderly care or pursuing further studies that will give a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment (Wang, "Is Happiness Overrated?"). In contrary, the "hedonic well-being" coincides with people who focus on achieving feelings of joy and happiness. These people tend to seek short-term and momentary happiness thr ough status and material gain - purchasing a large LCD flat screen television or driving the latest sports car in town. However, Wang noted that for over the past five to 10 years, psychologists have investigated the unique effects on physical and psychological health of eudaimonic versus hedonic types of happiness. In fact, researchers say that "too much focus on feeling happy can actually lead to feeling less happy" (Wang, â€Å"Is Happiness Overrated†). The conclusion implies the paradox of intentionally searching for happiness and the feeling of being entertained, pleased or elated can eventually stresses you out. This may leave us frustrated if we are not able to realize our goals and meet expectations we have set for ourselves. Moreover, in a study conducted by Alzheimer's Disease Center at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, they found out that "those reporting a lesser sense of purpose in life were more than twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease compar ed with those reporting

The reasons why UK (based in the borough of Ealing) residents travel Dissertation

The reasons why UK (based in the borough of Ealing) residents travel domestically versus internationally - Dissertation Example Whenever a person decides to leave his home to go on a journey somewhere for the sake of experiencing a change of scene, to explore a new environment, experience new cultures or on a religious pilgrimage, then that person is a tourist (Cooper, 2005, 4). From the foregoing, it is quite obvious that the idea of going on a tour is a conscious decision that goes together with planning before one embarks on the actual journey. It is interesting to find out what influences such a decision. Among the options open to any prospective tourist is whether to travel locally within one’s country or internationally. Knowledge of the factors that influence this decision is important to players in the tourism industry because they can influence these decisions during their tourism promotion (Cooper, 2005, 4). The importance of international tourism as an income generating activity for countries cannot be gainsaid. In 2008 international tourism worldwide garnered a colossal â‚ ¬ 642 billion raised by 922 million tourist arrivals. This was despite a drop of 2% in tourist travel worldwide in June 2008 due to the recession that hit the world at the time. This shows that this is quite an important sector that any particular country can only take for granted at its own peril (WTO, 2009, 14). Moreover, countries such as Egypt, Greece, Lebanon, Spain and Thailand depend to a great extent for their income on tourism. These countries have great long running histories with the pyramids and mummies in Egypt and the historical edifices and culture in Greece as examples. As for little island states like The Maldives, Bahamas, Fiji, Seychelles and Philippines, tourism is simply their lifeline (WTO, 2009, 15). In Borough of Ealing, in London Britain, just like in other places, tourism plays an important role in provision of Employment. If one takes the wider national setting, by 2010 the tourism industry in Britain had already employed 2.65 million persons in 200,000 different compan ies. 80% of these companies were Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) which were either directly owned by youths under 35 years or mostly employed the youth in that category (Tourism Alliance, 2011). Borough of Ealing is an administrative division to the west of the city of London. Though it has its own administrative system, it is still part of the larger London. Boroughs are administrative divisions within major cities so formed to make the administration of the wider city manageable and efficient (Heritage Dictionary, 2000, 142). Like other Boroughs, Ealing struggles to raise part of the revenue it uses for administrative, social welfare and development purposes. One of the sources of such revenue is of course local and incoming tourists. For the purposes of this paper, the focus is on tourism in Borough of Ealing in Britain in particular and the wider London and Britain in general. In Britain tourism is a very important sector with 14.1 million visitors arriving in 2009 alone and raising over â‚ ¬ 21 billion in revenue (WTO, 2009, 15). On average tourism generates â‚ ¬ 19 billion annually out of which â‚ ¬ 3.5 billion goes directly to the exchequer. In fact in 2009 Britain was the 7th most visited tourism destination. It was also the 3rd largest source of tourists in the world after Germany and the United States. Moreover, London was the second most visited city in the world coming second only to Paris, France (WTO,

The Half Brothers Essay Example for Free

The Half Brothers Essay The two short stories The Half Brothers and News of the Engagement differ in terms of tone and emotional feeling between a mother and son and the authors portray this in different ways, however they both use the theme of widows and marriage. News of the Engagement differs from The Half Brothers in many ways. The author in News of the Engagement uses a completely different tone to the other short story. Its tone is slightly humorous and self-mocking. The mother states, Thats Mrs Dawsons new servant, but she neednt think Im going to lend her my best, because Im not. I shouldnt if I were you I supported her. This shows a short of kind and loving bond between the mother and son, at the same time with a sense of happiness about them. There is also a sense of intimacy and shared experience between them. The relationship between the mother and son in News of the Engagement is also very open and nothing is kept from each other. The son discusses, She knew all my friends by name. This shows that they never kept anything from each other. However it also shows that the mother was protective, as she knew of everybody that her son mixed with, inferring that as a mother she felt it was important that she protected her son. The relationship between the mother and son from the outside seems perfect and faultless. However it really is not like that. Even though the mother and son think that they know everything about each other they really do not. The son notes, I was all that my mother had. This shows that the son felt that all his mother had was him and that she had no other feeling for anybody else, but really she did. He did not believe that she would be able to love somebody ever again, because of what she had been through in the past, but he forgot that she was also a human who could have feelings for other people as well. It shows that he is self-centred and unconcerned with his mothers feelings. The son declares, I liked Mr Nixon, but I was not too well pleased by this information, for I wanted to talk confidentially to my mother. This is a great example of the son being completely self-centred. The thought that his mum may have had something to tell him important did not even cross his mind. The love between the mother and son is very clear in News of the Engagement. The son states, I said nothing about my own engagement that night. I had never thought of my mother as a woman with a future. I had never realised that she was desirable, and that a man might desire her and that her lonely existence in that house was not all that she had the right to demand from life. This shows that even though the son is selfish and self-centred and did not believe, up until now, that his mother had a life to live, he still does not mention anything about his engagement. This is because he would rather let his mother be the woman of the moment, instead of him spoiling it with his news. This shows the great love he has for his mother. The tone of The Half Brothers is completely different to the one of News of the Engagement. It is very sad, regretful, remorseful and confessional. The little sister dies very early in the story, which basically sets the tone for the rest of the story. The relationship between the mother and the son was one of true love. The son does not really know his mother, because she died so early in his life but it is clear that there is a very loving feeling between them. We know that the love between the son and the mother is so great, because he gives up his life so that he can see her. This also shows the strong bond between the mother and son and their his willingness to do anything in his power to see his mother. One night Gregorys half brother does not return from an errand of his fathers and Gregory goes out onto the moors to find him. He does so and gives up his own life in order to save his half brother. All this was done out of love for his mother and brother. Gregory was thought to be the idiot in his family and his mother was the only person who loved him. This is something that brought him and his mother even closer, because he was not liked by anybody else apart from his mother and Adam the shepherd, however Adam the shepherd was not someone he could turn to in a serious crisis. When his mother died his love grew even more towards his mother. Overall I feel that the two short stories have some similarities in the way the author writes about the theme of mothers and sons, but there are also many differences between them both. In News of the Engagement the author portrays the theme of mother and sons with a slight sense of humour and in The Half Brothers the author portrays the theme of mothers and sons on a sad and more serious note. The tones of the two stories are also very different, because News of the Engagement has a lighthearted tone, whereas The Half Brothers has a sombre melancholy and remorseful tone. They both show the tremendous love between the mothers and sons, which is something that can be recognised between nearly every mother and son. In both of the short stories the mothers are widows and get married again. However in News of the Engagement the mother marries a man out of free will and in The Half Brothers the mother is forced into marriage, because of her poor financial situation. This would have affected the sons in different ways. The son in News of the Engagement was brought up by his mother and the son in The Half Brothers was brought up by his father. Overall the two short stories do deal with the theme of mothers and sons, but mainly in very different ways.

A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen Essay Example for Free

A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen Essay Reading the Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen makes you want to discern what entirely wives can afford to sacrifice for their families just to be good mothers and perfect wives for their husbands. This is the story of a woman who have succumbed to life’s realities which tell us that sometimes being a mother and a wife does not always make a woman complete but may even rob her of her rights as a real person. The first part of the story showed us that despite the lack of affluence, Nora has always been a happy mother and a contented wife for her husband. Such sweet and compassionate her life with her family that we, as readers are lured to think that this is the kind of story that you would never expect it would end up in an uncompromising conclusion and leave us wondering how things have suddenly turned against general expectations. Nora grew up with the luxury of life provided by her father. She is a beautiful and attractive woman but the day she marries and had children she disregard her affinity with the vanities of life as she was deprived of the things she used to have. When her husband quit his job, Nora worked really hard even discreetly to earn money. She buys cheap clothes to dress herself up decently and from her small savings she would buy small gifts for her three children to make her feel she is giving justice for herself and for the people she love. In doing this, Torvald always compare her to her father who knows nothing but spend his money on useless things. Although Nora loved her father so dearly she never dared to go against Torvald’s words when he speaks of her father. The most gracious thing that Nora did in her life was to love her father and her husband dearly although each opposes each other. When Torvald got sick he was forced to go to Italy to seek the proper medical attention with his family. Although Nora’s father was also critically ill she went by to help her husband get through with it. In Italy, life was even harder and Torvald need a large sum of money to go on with his hospitalization. Nora was helpless for they are also desolate. Nowhere to go and tremendously need to save her husband’s life she discreetly borrowed money from Nils Krogstad, a notorious bank employee who is infamous in sealing under the table agreements. Nora agreed to Krogstad’s plan of using her father’s bond and borrowed money from the bank while Nora pay it in installment to Krogstad. Nora’s father is already critically ill so she has to forge his signature or else there will be no money for her husband’s treatment. Apparently all became too complex when Torvald was about to take charge of the bank where Krogstad work and basically Torvald instantly wants to get rid of Krogstad because of his notorious reputation. When Krogstad learned of his impending fate, he talked to Nora to influence her husband so he can remain at the bank. Nora realized the outcome of the scandal in dealing with Krogstad and so tried to persuade her husband but Torvald is really bent on taking out Krogstad and replace him with Christine, Nora’s friend. Krogstad continued to blackmail her and threaten of exposing her to her husband but Nora was helpless. Finally all the anomalies behind Nora’s dealing were revealed by Krogstad through a letter to Torvald. When Torvald discovered of the irregularity that Nora got into, he became so furious he purged her with insulting words telling her as a worthless wife and a useless mother to her children. He threw accusations of his father’s ill habits and again compared him to her. Consequently, he never dared to ask the reason for the forgery. As she was maligned and degraded by her husband, everything snapped in front of her. Suddenly realizing all the guilt and pain she had endured, she suddenly opted for freedom (Ibsen, 2002). Perhaps this is where we can critically analyze how the characters have successfully or failed to play their part to end the story with a happy ending or otherwise end the event in failure. Probably most of us will have mixed inclination on believing Nora’s actions were of righteous deeds or perhaps the other way around. But however we see it, her forfeiture of his father’s signature signifies her love of Torvald because without doing it, she will surely lose her husband. On the other hand, we see a little shortcoming here with her actions. When Krogstad threatened to blackmail her she should have told this to her husband to prevent danger in their relationship as well as of his career. Instead she let things happened and then decided to end her life when Torvald knew all about it. Although this makes us readers to feel upset for Nora’s failures, the pointlessness of her weakness put more pain to her than gain. On the other hand, Nora can still be considered a noble person because the sacrifice she did to save her husband’s life was most dignified. We must face the fact that she only happened to love dearly a husband that she can afford to do such crime. Nora as we see here is the victim in this story not only because Krogstad used her but her feelings as a person was extremely disregarded. In the end she accused Torvald of loving her not as a person but like a ‘doll’ without feelings much like what her father do before. She said that all the while she loved them they did not love her back and never treated her as a person. Nora embodies women who can sacrifice for their families. Unfortunately she can only take too much. She got lost along the way and immersed herself with so much self pity and when she decided to go away she forgot about her children. This is the part which confuses us because leaving her children is somewhat uncalled for even though she would be searching for her freedom. Also, however it may seem, committing suicide as she previously planned is not the right answer to run away from all her anxieties. As with the plot of the story, it is filled with treachery, lies, drama, friendship, adultery and perception of ignorance and ill commitment. An example of treachery here is when Dr. Frank, a great friend of Torvald expresses his desire to Nora and wants to commit an adulterous relationship with her. On the other hand, Catherine, the best friend of Nora also betrayed Nora in a sense that she did not tell Nora that she and Krogstad were previously involved or it would have lightened the situation in the first place. Noticeably, there seemed to be predictability with the plot as well. The characters already knew each other long but did not meet altogether until all were in one event to highlight the drama. This is the usual concept that is generally used among stories when emphasizing the twist of events to highlight the heavy scenes with strong emotions. Nevertheless, the climax of the story make us think that though some of us realized that Nora’s decision to leave Helmer Torvald and her children does not seemed to be logical and heartless for a mother, we maybe able to understand that she is the victim of disrespect, a woman who did everything but was deprived of love and affection. However, this is good book to read for it is full of compassion and delight that normally happens with people in our society. Reference: Ibsen, H. (2002). A Dolls House: Plain Label Books

Risk Factors For Neutropenic Fever Health And Social Care Essay

Risk Factors For Neutropenic Fever Health And Social Care Essay Cancer patients, who receive cytotoxic antineoplastic therapy sufficient to harmfully affect myelopoiesis and the developmental integrity of the gastrointestinal mucosa, are at high risk for invasive infection due to the translocation of colonizing bacteria and/or fungi across intestinal mucosal surfaces. Since the level of the neutrophil-mediated component of the inflammatory response are typically attenuated in neutropenic patients 1, physical findings of exudate, fluctuation, ulceration or fissure, local heat, swelling, and regional adenopathy are all less prevalent in the neutropenic patient1. Thus, fever might be the earliest and only sign of a severe underlying infection 2. With the increasing use of myelo-suppressive agents in the treatment of neoplastic and nonneoplastic diseases, the increased rate of infection in patients with neutropenia has been clearly established 3. Sadly, many of these commonly fatal infections go unrecognized until autopsy 4. Therefore, in order to avoid unfortunate outcomes such as sepsis and possibily death, it is critical to recognize neutropenic fever early and to start empiric systemic antibacterial therapy promptly. It is also crucial to assess the risk of serious complications in patients with febrile neutropenia, since this assessment will dictate the approach to therapy, including the need for inpatient admission, IV antibiotics, and prolonged hospitalization 2. An overview of the concepts related to neutropenic fever, including definitions of fever and neutropenia and categories of risk are reviewed here. The risk assessment and the diagnostic approach to patients presenting with febrile neutropenia are also discussed. This topic also provides a general approach to the management of neutropenic fever syndromes in cancer patients at high and low risk for complications, and the prophylaxis of infections in such patients. DEFINITIONS Fever: The definition of fever as an indicator of infection in patients with neutropenia has varied. Carl Wunderlich proposed in 1868, that the mean normal body temperature was 37 ¿Ã‚ ½C (98.6 ¿Ã‚ ½F) with an upper limit of normal of 38 ¿Ã‚ ½C (100.4 ¿Ã‚ ½F), above this limit, fever was defined 5,6. Although it has been observed that there is a range of normal body temperatures, according to a survey of 270 medical professionals, 75 percent of subjects reported that normal body temperature is 37 ¿Ã‚ ½C (98.6 ¿Ã‚ ½F)5,7. While, a survey of members of the British Society for Hematology concerning their institutional definitions of fever identified ten definitions of fever, ranging from a single temperature >37.5 ¿Ã‚ ½C to either a single temperature >39 ¿Ã‚ ½C or two successive temperatures >38.4 ¿Ã‚ ½C 5,6. Despite these beliefs, the mean oral temperature was reported as 36.8 ¿Ã‚ ½0.4 ¿Ã‚ ½C (98.2 ¿Ã‚ ½0.7 ¿Ã‚ ½F) with a range of 35.6 ¿Ã‚ ½C (96.0 ¿Ã‚ ½F) to 38.2 ¿Ã‚ ½C (100.8 ¿Ã‚ ½F), after observation of 148 healthy adults ages between 18 and 40 years 6. The definition of fever in neutropenic patients, according to The Infectious Diseases Society of America, was proposed as a single oral temperature of >38.3 ¿Ã‚ ½C (101 ¿Ã‚ ½F) or a temperature of >38.0 ¿Ã‚ ½C (100.4 ¿Ã‚ ½F) sustained for >1 hour2. Similar definitions have been provided from South America, Europe, and Asia. It has been approved to use this definition of fever in neutropenic patients9 ¿Ã‚ ½11. Neutropenia: The definition of neutropenia differs from institution to institution, but it is usually defined as an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) The absolute neutrophil count (ANC) is defined as the product of the white blood cell count (WBC) and the percentage of polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) and bands: ANC = WBC (cells/microL) x percent (PMNs + bands)  ¿Ã‚ ½ 100 Based upon the level of ANC, neutropenia is categorized as mild, moderate or severe. An absolute neutrophil count between 1000 and 1500/microL corresponds to mild neutropenia. While, an ANC between 500 and 1000/microL corresponds to moderate neutropenia. Severe neutropenia is usually defined as an ANC As the neutrophil count drops below 500 cells/microL, the risk of clinically serious infection increases and is higher in those with a prolonged duration of neutropenia (>7 days). However, the risk is also related to the adequacy of the marrow reserve pool of granulocytes. Two terms, leukopenia and granulocytopenia are often used interchangeably with neutropenia, although they are somewhat different:  ¿Ã‚ ½ Leukopenia is defined as a low total white blood cell count that may be due to any cause such as lymphopenia and/or neutropenia; yet, almost all leukopenic patients are neutropenic since the amount of neutrophils is so much higher than the amount of lymphocytes.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Granulocytopenia is defined as a reduced absolute number of all circulating cells of the granulocyte series (neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils); yet, almost all granulocytopenic patients are neutropenic since the amount of neutrophils is so much higher than the amount of eosinophils and basophils.  ¿Ã‚ ½ Agranulocytosis is defined as the absence of granulocytes, but the term is often inaccurately used to denote severe neutropenia. CATEGORIES OF RISK RISK FACTORS FOR NEUTROPENIC FEVER The risk factors for the development of neutropenic fever can be divided into three sub-categories including patient-related, disease-related and anti-cancer treatment-related predictors. Patient-related predictors include: age = 65 years, female sex, high body surface area, poor performance status based upon preexisting active comorbidities (e.g., cardiovascular, pulmonary, renal, endocrine, etc.) and poor nutritional status12 ¿Ã‚ ½19. Disease-related predictors include: Elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in patients with lymphoreticular diseases, bone marrow failure due to replacement of hematopoietic tissue by anomalous tissue which is know as myelophthisis19, lymphopenia20,21 and advanced stage of the underlying malignancy 13,16,20 ¿Ã‚ ½22 Treatment-related predictors include: administration of the planned dose-intensity of high-dose chemotherapy regimens15,20 ¿Ã‚ ½23 and failure to administer prophylactic hematopoietic growth factor support to patients receiving high-risk regimens14,21. RISK OF SERIOUS COMPLICATIONS This risk assessment is essential to determine the management of patients, including the need for inpatient admission, IV antibiotics, and prolonged hospitalization. High-risk patients require hospital admission for IV antibiotics, and often a prolonged length of stay. In contrast, low-risk patients may be treated as outpatients with oral antibiotic after a short period of observation or hospitalization. Definitions of low-risk and high-risk patients: The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) use different definitions in their guidelines:  ¿Ã‚ ½ Low-risk patients are those who are expected to have neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count [ANC]  ¿Ã‚ ½ High-risk patients are those expected to have neutropenia (ANC 7 days. While, neutropenic febrile patients with comorbidities or evidence of significant hepatic or renal impairment are considered high risk, regardless of the duration of neutropenia. Some experts have identified patients at high risk as those who are expected to have profound neutropenia (ANC = 100 cells / microliter) for > 7 days on the basis of experience that these patients are more likely to have serious and potentially fatal complications2,24. Nevertheless, formal studies to clearly differentiate between patients with a neutrophil count Some studies combine these groups to define high-risk patients. Deep prolonged neutropenia (ANC = 100 cells / microL expected to last > 7 days) is more likely to occur in the pre-transplant hematopoietic cell transplantation (allogeneic in particular) and in patients undergoing induction chemotherapy for acute leukemia. Risk based on underlying disease Patients who suffer from neutropenia after induction chemotherapy for acute myelogenous leukemia or as part of the conditioning regimen for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) are at a high-risk for serious infections. Other factors that are considered as high-risk status include gastrointestinal and oral mucositis, uncontrolled cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, advanced age and poor functional status. Patients receiving consolidation chemotherapy for leukemia or undergoing autologous HCT may also have long periods of neutropenia, but seem to be at somewhat lower risk, especially if they received prophylactic hematopoietic growth factors. In contrast, patients with solid tumors are mostly at low risk for serious infections. Guidelines An assessment of risk (high versus low-risk) for medical complications related to neutropenic fever should be obtained at the initial assessment of neutropenic fever episode. The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) as well as the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)2,24,25 , has recommended this. The IDSA and ASCO defined high-risk neutropenic patients as those who are expected to have profound neutropenia (ANC = 100 cells / microliter) for > 7 days or those with evidence of current comorbidities or hepatic or renal dysfunction2,24 . The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has used similar criteria for definition, but also includes a category of intermediate risk [21]. Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) risk index that can be used as an alternative to clinical criteria, is a validated tool to assess the risk of medical complications associated with neutropenic fever (calculator 2)26 ¿Ã‚ ½29 . IDSA Risk assessment: The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) has established the following criteria for the definition of high risk or low risk patients with neutropenic fever 2: High-risk febrile neutropenic patients are defined as having one or more of the following criteria: ? Profound neutropenia (ANC = 100 cells / microliter) expected to last for > 7 days. ? Proof of current comorbidities, such as (but not limited to): ? Hemodynamic instability ? Oral mucositis limiting swallowing or gastrointestinal tract mucositis causing severe diarrhea ? Gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting or diarrhea ? Changes in neurological status or mental appearance of new onset ? Intravascular catheter infection ? New pulmonary infiltrates or hypoxia ? Underlying chronic lung disease ? Signs of hepatic insufficiency (serum transaminase> 5 times normal) or renal insufficiency (creatinine clearance Low-risk febrile neutropenic patients are expected to have a relatively short duration of neutropenia for 7 days or less, with an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) Patients with evidence of severe sepsis (sepsis syndrome in end organ dysfunction) should be considered at high risk and managed as in-patients with initial intravenous antibacterial empirical treatment. While, patients with signs of septic shock should be managed in an intensive care unit based upon goal-oriented therapy30 . NCCN risk assessment The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has developed certain criteria to classify patients as high risk or low risk, which must be performed during the initial evaluation [21]. High-risk febrile neutropenic patients are those having one or more of the following criteria: [21] ? The patients are hospitalized at the time of the development of fever ? Evidence of significant medical comorbidity or the presence of clinical instability ? Expected profound prolonged neutropenia (ANC = 100 cells / microliter expected to last> 7 days) ? Hepatic insufficiency (serum transaminase> 5 times normal) or renal insufficiency (creatinine clearance ? Any patient with leukemia not in complete remission, or any non-leukemic patient with signs of disease progression after more than two courses of chemotherapy. ? Any complex infection such as pneumonia at clinical presentation ? Alemtuzumab (antineoplastic agent) in the last two months ? Grade 3 or 4 mucositis ? MASCC risk index score Low-risk febrile neutropenic patients are those who do not meet any of the criteria for high-risk described above and meet most of the criteria as follows [21]: ? Ambulatory status at the time of the development of fever ? No acute comorbid illness requiring hospitalization and close monitoring ? Expected short duration of severe neutropenia (ANC = 100 cells / microliter should last for 7 days or less) ? Good performance status (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group [ECOG] 0-1 (Table 2)) ? No hepatic or renal insufficiency ? MASCC risk index score of = 21 risk index Intermediate risk neutropenic patients are defined as those meeting one or more of following criteria: [21] ? Patients undergoing autologous HCT ? Lymphoma ? Chronic lymphocytic leukemia ? Multiple Myeloma ? Patients receiving purine analogue therapy ? The expected duration of neutropenia is 7 to 10 days For patients at intermediate risk, the NCCN recommends consideration of fluoroquinolone prophylaxis. Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) score As an alternative to the IDSA and NCCN risk assessments described above, the MASCC risk index is validated for assessing the risk of medical complications associated with febrile neutropenia. Using the MASCC risk index, the following features are assessed and given a weighted score2,26 : ? Burden of disease (clinical condition of the patient at the time of presentation with neutropenic fever): ? No symptoms or mild symptoms (5 points) ? Moderate symptoms (3 points) ? Severe symptoms or dying (0 point) ? No hypotension (systolic blood pressure> 90 mmHg) (5 points) ? No chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD (4 points) ? Solid tumor or hematologic malignancy without prior history of fungal infections (4 points) ? No dehydration that requires parenteral fluids (3 points) ? Ambulatory status at the time of the onset of neutropenic fever syndrome (3 points) ? Age The highest possible score is 26. Patients with a score = 21 are considered to be at low risk of serious medical complications, and for whom outpatient treatment with oral empirical antimicrobial can be safe and effective29 . While, patients with a score The MASCC risk index has classified 98% of patients as low-risk and 86% as high risk with a sensitivity and specificity of 95%, and positive and negative predictive value of 98, and 86 percent, respectively 28. Patients with complicated infections have been reclassified as high risk for serious medical complications, which further increased the predictive value of the model. Complicated infections include non-necrotizing skin or soft tissue infection (SSTI) of >5 cm diameter, necrotizing SSTI of any size, grade 2 oral mucositis, sepsis syndrome or the presence of a visceral site of infection. [28]. The classification error rate has been 10 to 29 percent. [4] In addition, the MASCC risk index can predict the probability of death as follows:27 ? Score = 15: 29 % ? Score = 15 but ? Score = 21: 2 % The MASCC risk index has been criticized for the lack of a standard definition of this criterion the burden of febrile neutropenia, which could be a source of confusion2, or it could be interpreted differently by different clinicians. I addition, the MASCC risk index does not include the duration of neutropenia as a criterion, though it is considered as an important predictor of risk2. The MASCC risk index has been also criticized because it was developed using heterogeneous patient populations; thus, it might not function optimally in all populations. For example, in a retrospective study of patients with solid tumors who seemed to be clinically stable, the MASCC risk index had a low sensitivity to detect complications (36 percent)31. The low sensitivity was likely to be attributed to the fact that patients were all outpatients, and the rates of hypotension, dehydration and invasive fungal infections were low; hence, only three criteria were present to distinguish prognosis. The serious medical complications are provided by the MASCC risk index as follows 26: ? Hypotension defined as systolic blood pressure ? Respiratory failure defined as arterial oxygen pressure ? The admission to ICU ? Disseminated intravascular coagulation ? Presence of confusion, delirium, or altered mental status ? The development of congestive heart failure documented by chest imaging and requiring treatment ? Bleeding diathesis sufficient to require a blood transfusion ? Electrocardiogram changes or arrhythmias requiring treatment ? Renal failure sufficient to require an investigation and / or treatment with IV fluids, dialysis, or other intervention ? Other complications judged serious and clinically significant by the health care team All patients who were treated with systemic antineoplastic therapy six weeks prior to a systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) are assumed to have neutropenic sepsis syndrome until proven otherwise. SIRS is defined by the presence of two or more of the following conditions: temperature >38 ¿Ã‚ ½C or 90/minute, respiratory frequency > 20/minute, PaCO2 Patients presenting with altered mental status, hypotension, hypoxia, oliguria or any other sign of new organ impairment must be managed emergently for severe sepsis. RISK OF TREATMENT FAILURE The risk of failure to respond to initial empirical antibacterial therapy is a composite outcome to be considered clinicians. Treatment failure is proposed if one or more of the following events occur within 30 days after the start of treatment 33,34: ? Persistence, progression or recurrence of signs of infection ? Modification of the initial empirical antibacterial treatment ? Readmission to the hospital for outpatients ? Death Patients with documented clinical or microbiological infections are more likely to be at risk for treatment failure, clinical or microbiological than for unexplained neutropenic fever (39 against 18 percent33. High-risk patients are more likely to be at risk for treatment failure than those with low risk. For example, patients with hematologic malignancies have a higher percentage of treatment failure than those with solid tumors (44 against 18 percent) 33. Observations have shown that among all febrile neutropenic patients at low risk of medical complications, adult patients at higher risk for treatment failure than children with 16% against 5% respectively34. PREVENTION In order to prevent neutropenic fever and infectious complications in patients at increased risk, the administration of an antimicrobial drug should be used as a prophylaxis. Antibacterial prophylaxis Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other gram-negative bacilli is the target of the antibacterial prophylaxis, because these pathogens are virulent and may cause life-threatening infections. INDICATIONS The beneficial effect on clinical outcomes has been sought from the administration of prophylactic antibacterial agents. The fluoroquinolones, levofloxacin (500 mg orally once daily) and ciprofloxacin (500 mg orally twice daily) have been the most studied antibacterial agents. Levofloxacin in particular is preferred in patients at increased risk for oral mucositis-related Streptococcus viridans infection 2. Results have been mixed with respect to effectiveness and have incited concern about toxicities and antibacterial resistance35 ¿Ã‚ ½37. A systematic monitoring of the prevalence of fluoroquinolone resistance among gram-negative bacilli should be done, at the intitutions that use fluoroquinolone prophylaxis. Based upon the available data, high-risk neutropenic patients defined by those who are expected to have an absolute neutrophil count Fluoroquinolone should be used with caution in patients at risk of a prolonged QT interval particularly in those who may require other QT prolonging agents, such as voriconazole. In addition, the potential to promote resistance among gram-negative and gram-positive should be considered when deciding whether to give a fluoroquinolone prophylaxis or not37. Concerns about the possibility of increasing the risk of Clostridium difficile infection has also been present, though this has not been proven in neutropenic patients receiving fluoroquinolone prophylaxis37. The use of prophylactic agents in institutions and geographic areas where the levels of resistance to fluoroquinolones are high is less likely to be efficient36,38.The use of antibacterial prophylaxis varies from one center to another with some centers avoiding such practices. For most patients with chemotherapy-induced neutropenia expected to be of short duration particularly patients with solid tumors, the use of antibacterial prophylaxis is not recommended. TIMING The ideal timing for the initiation and cessation antibacterial prophylaxis has not been sufficiently studied2. Many clinicians begin anti-bacterial prophylaxis, the first day of chemotherapy or the day after the administration of the last dose of chemotherapy cycle. Antibacterial prophylaxis is usually withheld when neutropenia resolves, or when empirical antibacterial regimen is initiated for patients who become febrile during neutropenia. Antifungal prophylaxis Among cancer patients and HCT recipients, a high rate of life-threatening invasive fungal infections such as candidemia has been observed since the late 1980s, which incited interest in antifungal prophylaxis for patients receiving chemotherapy. Antiviral prophylaxis INFLUENZA Annual immunization with an inactivated influenza vaccine is recommended for all cancer patients undergoing treatment2. The influenza vaccine is generally administered >2 weeks before the initiation of chemotherapy or, when circumstances dictate, between chemotherapy cycles and at least seven days after the last cycle. However, the best timing for such immunization has not been established2. All family members and other close contacts should get annual immunization too. HSV and VZV Reactivation of herpes simplex virus (HSV-1 and HSV-2) and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) occur commonly in HCT recipients who are not receiving prophylaxis and are important causes of morbidity. However, reactivation of both HSV and VZV infections can be effectively prevented with antiviral prophylaxis. Antiviral prophylaxis with acyclovir (400 mg orally three to four times daily or 800 mg orally twice daily) or valacyclovir (500 mg orally once or twice daily) is recommended in all patients who are seropositive for HSV and who are undergoing allogeneic HCT or induction chemotherapy for acute leukemia39. Antiviral prophylaxis with acyclovir or valacyclovir is also recommended in all HCT recipients who are seropositive for VZV. Based upon randomized trials, benefits of antiviral prophylaxis in these populations have been demonstrated; thus, recommended41. CMV CMV prophylaxis is indicated for HCT recipients because they are at are at significant risk for reactivation. In contrast, prophylaxis is not indicated in patients with chemotherapy-induced neutropenia, because it does not occur commonly. HEPATITIS B Antiviral prophylaxis should be considered for the following categories of patients and should be sustained for at least six months after the completion of chemotherapy40 : ? Patients receiving chemotherapy who have a previous history of hepatitis B virus infection, due to the risk of reactivation and hepatic failure. ? Patients with elevated circulating hepatitis B DNA or detectable levels of circulating hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) ? Patients with a previous history of infection with detectable levels of antibody to HBsAg or to hepatitis B core antigen. This has been demonstrated to be able to reduce the risk of reactivation from 24 to 53 percent to 0 to 5 percent. Colony stimulating factors Granulocyte colony stimulating factors (CSFs) have been widely evaluated for prophylactic use following the administration of intensive cytotoxic chemotherapy when neutropenia is expected (primary prophylaxis). CSFs have been also evaluated for their prophylactic use during retreatment after a previous cycle of chemotherapy that caused neutropenic fever (secondary prophylaxis), and have been shown to minimize the extent and duration of severe chemotherapy-induced neutropenia in afebrile patients (afebrile neutropenia). Their use is not recommended in febrile chemotherapy-induced neutropenia2. However, prophylactic use of granulocyte CSFs has not been shown to have an effect on survival in most clinical situations. PRIMARY PROPHYLAXIS Primary prophylaxis denotes the use of granulocyte CSFs during the first cycle of myelosuppressive chemotherapy in order to prevent neutropenic complications. The goal of primary prophylaxis is to decrease the incidence of neutropenic fever and the need for hospitalization, to maintain dose-dense or dose-intense chemotherapy strategies that have survival benefits. Updated 2010 guidelines from the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), consensus-based guidelines from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), and The 2006 guidelines from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), all recommend primary prophylaxis when the expected incidence of neutropenic fever is over 20 percent, to reduce the need for hospitalization for antibiotic therapy2,22,41. These recommendations are based upon randomized trials that have shown that primary prophylaxis was cost effective when the risk of neutropenic fever with a specific regimen was over 20 percent42,43 . In contrast, guidelines recommend against the routine use of granulocyte CSFs for primary prophylaxis in adult patients receiving chemotherapy regimens with an anticipated low probability ( However, when the anticipated risk of neutropenic fever is between 10 and 20 percent, the decision of primary prophylaxis should be individualized and may be appropriate in a number of clinical settings in which patients are at risk or increased complications22,41 :  ¿Ã‚ ½ Age >65 years  ¿Ã‚ ½ Preexisting neutropenia  ¿Ã‚ ½ More advanced cancer  ¿Ã‚ ½ Poor performance and/or nutritional status  ¿Ã‚ ½ Renal or hepatic impairment  ¿Ã‚ ½ In the case of epithelial ovarian cancer  ¿Ã‚ ½ Extensive prechemotherapy surgery, particularly if it included a bowel resection. In patients receiving concomitant chemoradiotherapy for either head and neck cancer or lung cancer, the use of granulocyte CSFs has been associated with adverse outcomes, therefore, it better be avoided. Despite the lack of comparative data from randomized controlled trials, that could recommend one CSF over the other for prophylaxis of infection during chemotherapy-induced neutropenia, in practice, most institutions use G-CSF. SECONDARY PROPHYLAXIS Secondary prophylaxis denotes to the use of a granulocyte CSF in subsequent chemotherapy cycles after a prior cycle has caused neutropenic fever. Secondary prophylaxis with CSFs reduces the risk of reccurence of neutropenic fever by approximately one-half 44. ASCO and EORTC guidelines recommend that secondary prophylaxis with granulocyte CSFs be limited to patients for whom primary prophylaxis was not given and who experience a neutropenic complication from a prior cycle of chemotherapy if neutropenic fever would prevent the administration of full dose chemotherapy and if reduced dose intensity might affect treatment outcome22,41 . TIMING G-CSF and GM-CSF therapy is usually initiated 24 to 72 hours after cessation of chemotherapy and is frequently continued until the absolute neutrophil count reaches 5000 to 10,000/microL. A reasonable alternative is continuation until clinically adequate neutrophil recovery. MANAGEMENT Initial Assessment Since, fever might be the first and only sign of infection in a neutropenic patient, its occurrence should be considered a medical emergency. Therefore, empiric broad-spectrum antibacterial therapy should be started immediately after blood cultures have been obtained and before any other investigations have been completed. The Infectious Diseases Working Party of the German Society of Hematology and Oncology and the Northern Ireland Cancer Network has recommended this. It has been recommended that empiric broad-spectrum antibacterial therapy should be administered within 60 minutes of presentation for all patients suffering from neutropenic fever at presentation. (algorithm 1) Diagnostic Approach At presentation, a detailed history and physical examination should be done, as well as a complete laboratory, microbiologic and imaging work-up for all febrile neutropenic patients. The table below summarizes the diagnostic approach to patients with febrile neutropenia.

The Age of Reformation Essay -- essays research papers

The Age of Reformation The Age of Reformation - religious revolution in Western Europe in the 16th cent. Beginning as a reform movement within the Roman Catholic Church, the Reformation ultimately led to freedom of dissent. The preparation for the movement was long and there had been earlier calls for reform, e.g., by John WYCLIF and John HUSS. Desire for change within the church was increased by the RENAISSANCE, with its study of ancient texts and emphasis on the individual. Other factors that aided the movement were the invention of printing, the rise of commerce and a middle class, and political conflicts between German princes and the Holy Roman emperor. The Reformation began suddenly when Martin LUTHER posted 95 theses on the church door at Wittenberg on October 31, 1517. Open attack on the doctrines and authority of the church followed and led to Luther's breach with the church (1520), which the Diet of Worms (1521) failed to heal. His doctrine was of justification by faith alone instead of by sacram ents, good works, and meditation, and it placed a person in direct communication with God. Luther's insistence on reading the Bible placed on the individual a greater responsibility for his own salvation. The new church spread in Germany and Scandinavia, especially among princes and people who hoped for a greater degree of freedom. The conflict between the Lutherans and the Catholic Emperor CHARLES V was long and bitter. A temporary settlement was reached at the Peace of Augsburg (1555), but continued discord contributed later to the THIRTY YEARS WAR. Outside Germany, a different type of dissent developed under Huldreich ZWINGLI in Zurich, and within Protestantism differences arose, such as doctrinal arguments on the Lord's Supper. These were debated, inconclusively, at the Colloquy of Marburg (1529) by Luther and Philip MELANCHTHON on one side and Zwingli and Johannes Oecolampadius on the other. More radical ideas were spread, particularly among the lower classes, by such leaders a s CARLSTADT, Thomas MUNZER, and JOHN OF LEIDEN. In 1536 Geneva became the center for the teachings of John CALVIN, perhaps the greatest theologian of Protestantism. In France the HUGUENOTS, fired by Calvin's doctrine, resisted the Catholic majority in the Wars of RELIGION (1562-98). Calvinism superseded Lutheranism in the Netherlands, and it spread to Scotland through the eff... ...ermany and Switzerland, but his views, particularly about the TRINITY, were condemned by both Roman Catholics and Protestants. He fled to France, where he gained fame in medicine. After he had a work on theology secretly printed (1553), the INQUISITION moved against him. He escaped from prison, but he was seized in Geneva, on John Calvin’s order, and tried and burned there. Peace of Augsburg - September 1555- made the division of Christendom permanent. This agreement recognized a law that had already been well established and in practice: cuius regio, eius religio, meaning that the ruler of the land would determine the religion of the land. Mary I – ( r. 1553-1558) became Queen of England- procceded to restore Catholic doctrine and practice with a singlemindedness that rivaled that of her father. Bernini's Ecstasy of St. Theresa - Bernini (1598-1680) Italian sculptor and architect, the dominant figure of the Italian BAROQUE. His Roman works include the Churches of Santa Maria della Vittoria which houses his great sculpture the Ecstasy of St. Theresa. The "Black Legend" - (Bartolome de Las Casas) portrayed all Spanish treatment to Indians as unprincipled and inhumane.

Djuna Barnes: A Forgotten Ferocity of the 1920s Essay example -- puzzl

Djuna Barnes was an outspoken and fiercely witty modernist writer of the 1920’s. She was known for her somewhat puzzling writing, her bravery when it came to her own journalism, and her everyday intense persona. She is a figure that, one would think, would have never been forgotten, yet with time, and somewhat by her own doing, she has faded into the background of the 1920’s writers. So much so that, â€Å"Barnes once described herself as 'the most famous unknown writer', and this was an astute remark.† (Loncraine.) Barnes was born in 1892, in New York state to her mother and her eccentric Father (who was rather fond of polyamory). She lived in a home with her Grandmother, Father, Mother, her Father’s Mistress, and her brothers and sisters. She and her sibling were never formally schooled, but instead taught by their Grandmother, whose description in Rebecca Loncraine’s article, lends an understanding to Djuna’s unique personality, The Barnes children were all educated at home, largely by their grandmother, Zadel Barnes, who was a suffragist, journalist and spirit medium. Barnes's childhood was not happy, and it haunted her writing. (Loncraine) After the separation of her parents, in 1912, she with her Mother and brothers, moved to New York City. She studied at the Pratt Institute of art, until financial troubles forced her to look for work to support her family and her grandmother’s failing health. She is said to have walked into the Brooklyn Daily Eagle and announced, â€Å"I can draw and write, and you’d be a fool not to hire me,† a bold statement that landed her a job in journalism, where her career as a soon to be modernist would begin to flourish. Just as her statement that landed her the job was bold, so was her approach to writ... ...er writer in Paris in the 1920s. For Joyce presented Miss Barnes in 1923 with the original manuscript of Ulysses containing all of it’s annotations. Works Cited: Loncraine, Rebecca. "Djuna Barnes: an unknown modernist: Rebecca Loncraine introduces Djuna Barnes, one of America's least known and most intriguing Modernist writers." The English Review 15.3 (2005): 34+. Literature Resource Center. Web. 7 Apr. 2014. Field, Andrew, and Andrew Field. Djuna, the Formidable Miss Barnes. Austin: University of Texas, 1985. Print. Bombaci, Nancy. "â€Å"Well Of Course, I Used To Be Absolutely Gorgeous Dear†: The Female Interviewer As Subject/Object In Djuna Barnes's Journalism." Criticism 44.2 (2002): 161-185. Art Full Text (H.W. Wilson). Web. 7 Apr. 2014. Barnes, Djuna. The Book of Repulsive Women: 8 Rhythms and 5 Drawings. Los Angeles, CA: Sun & Moon, 1994. Print.

The Long Patrol :: essays research papers

Brian Jacques was born in Liverpool, England where he still lives today and writes all of his books. Brian Jacques is well known for his writing of the Redwall book series. His other professions involved him being longshoreman, a stand-up comedian, a long-distance truck driver, and a playwright. Brian Jacques started writing these books as stories for children with disabilities at a special school in his hometown of Liverpool. The Berkley Publishing Group 1997 I would definitely recommend this book for a friend to read! I really liked this books cause it has lots of action in it and when there isn’t any action happening, it’s just building up to some more action. I also liked this book because you really get to know the characters and everything is very detailed, especially the war scenes. The most important reason I like this book has to be because of all the action. The setting of this story takes place in a field where Tammo, the main character, is fighting imaginary enemies wishing he could join the infamous league of fighting hares known as the Long Patrol. Tammo is a young hare that has the blood of many fighting hares running you’re his veins. Tammo’s father is Colonel Cornsburry Tussock and is very strict and he leads his wife to help Tammo run away to join the Long Patrol. Russa Nodrey helps Tammo do this. Russa is a traveling squirrel that knows more about the country than any other beast alive. Damug Warfang is a great rat that had to fight his brother to the death so he could become the firstblade, ruler of the Rapscallion hoard and is giving up their pirate ways and marching them inland. Meanwhile the Long Patrol’s leader Major Perigord is the most feared saber fighter there is. Him and the Long Patrol are all skilled fighting beasts that come from Salamandastron, the badger mountain by the sea. The ruler of Salam andastron is Lady Cregga Rose Eyes. She’s called Rose Eye’s because while she is in battle he eyes are red with blood wrath; some call it a disease because it makes its victim bloodthirsty and do anything to kill their enemy. At the famous Redwall Abbey Arven, Redwall’s champion, and the Skipper of Otters are faced with a very serious problem; the south wall surrounding the abbey is collapsing! All of these characters meet up with each other to do battle, with the teams being Damug versus all!

Genesis World View Essay Essay

What does Genesis, chapters one through eleven in particular, teach pertaining to the world? Specifically speaking in regards to the natural world, human identity, human relationships, and civilization. In accordance with all that, how then could this affect your worldview today? What exactly does the bible say? How exactly can it shape the way we see life and are these conclusions about the world we live in today parallel with what the bible states as truth? First of all, when referring to the natural world itself, we’re specifically talking about its fallen state. The world as we know it and as the bible states, â€Å"The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time† (Gen 6:5), is wicked. See, when I look at the world I see exactly what Genesis 1-3 describes as truth. I see a perfect world that has gone bad. I see the beauty of the formation of this world, the gloriousness of the trees swaying in the wind, the mountain tops overlooking the plains, the waters brushing up against the sand, and the wind whispering across the ground. But then I also see the fallen state of mankind. I not only see it with my eyes, but I experience it too. With my eyes, hands, mind, heart. I’m a result of that fallen sin. I AM that fallen sin. My viewpoint is the same as any reader of Genesis 3 would picture the text in their mind. I see Satan everyday crawling about and tempting me to eat of the forbidden tree. I know what is right and I know what is wrong, but even with that for-knowledge of good and evil, I am a sinner and therefore I eat of that forbidden tree time and time again. â€Å"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them† (Gen. 1:27). The Lord created us in His image, and in His likeness. Therefore we were without fault, without wickedness, without sin. Genesis describes the mighty power of God, His love and sovereignty, His grace and mercy. In other words, we’re shown the importance and value of the Lord Himself. Therefore, if we are made in the image of this almighty, all loving, omnipotent Creator, then we too must be of great value and worth. That being said, this shapes my world view towards many different things, one of those in particular being abortion. If we are of such grand qualities, then we must protect and cherish every single image bearer. Having accounted for all that Genesis 1 describes, I’d venture to say that abortion is a smack in the face to God Himself. How dare we take it upon ourselves to decide which image bearers of the Lord live and which die. Though once again, this is yet another result of how we allow that serpent to persuade us to eat of the tree that leads to death. Now, we must look at where and how human relationships ti e in. We’ve talked an awful lot about man. What if we bring woman into the picture? How exactly do they fit together? Well first of all when we look at scripture we see that it is written, â€Å"Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man† (Gen. 2:22). This conveys a few truths. First of all, woman was taken from the side of man. This would mean, A, she is to be equal to and treated as so for she was taken from man’s side. B, she was taken from man to be his helper. And C, she was to be his wife and as it is stated soon after, â€Å"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh† (Gen. 2:24). Why was woman taken from man’s rib? I believe that nothing in scripture is random, and so therefore I believe that it is to indeed signify that she was to be considered â€Å"next to† man in every aspect of life such as marriage, parenti ng, and as a helper. That being said, she was in fact as scripture states to be a helper. Also, as it is strongly influenced throughout scripture, she was to be his wife, and he her husband, and the two would once again become â€Å"one flesh†. How about civilization? What does Genesis say about the human development? Our advancement as a species? Well, Genesis has very much to say about our growth as a whole. In fact in Genesis 11 the Lord says â€Å"Come let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other† (Gen. 11:7). And so after He had done this, He scattered them among the earth and spread them out far and wide. This causes me to believe and understand several truths yet again. First of all, I believe that at this separating of the people at the Tower of Babel, is how we came to know different ethnicities such as Asians, Africans, Spanish, English, etcetera. I also believe that after the flood the atmosphere and climate were much different. Which would also compensate for certain physical aspects of the different ethnicities as well, having been spread to different climatic areas of the world. And also, with the human existence in general, I believe that we started with Adam and Eve, and given thousands of years, we’ve thus reached our current population. Given the previous truths of scripture, as well as the current world standings, I’d say these truths represent a very high understanding of our world. God has blessed us, we have fallen. God has made us in His image, we have taken it upon ourselves to depict the value of that image. God has given us relationships to glorify Himself through us, we have created our own mindset to decide for ourselves who is equal and who is not. Last, but not least, we have grown immensely over time. Starting with two, and reaching over 7 billion.