Peace Corps Services Essay Example for Free

Peace Corps Services Essay Fulfillment in life is best attained when one contributed to meeting others’ needs, create time to understand their challenges and take decisive actions towards alleviating their sufferings. One can not also rule out the indispensability of peace if achieving this goal. Indeed, Peace Corps service presents major physical, emotional and intellectual challenges aimed at contributing to community development and invariably the stability of a nation. This stands as a major ideal of the Peace Corps Volunteers and I am keenly interested in such. More than interest, I am passionate about it. The ideals of the Peace Corps Volunteers are noble and they make a complete man; by this, I mean they contribute tremendously to the corporate citizenship status of an individual. In this vein, the individual sows seeds of good tidings to less opportune lives. A good corporate citizen engages in programs and activities based on the principle of individual impact on society aside continuous government plans. This is a major reason why I want to serve as a volunteer; the team is a credible platform to affect lives positively. Besides, I believe in that disputes and unrest can be avoided by effective communication and sheer understanding. This evidently requires tact and skills. Being a volunteer, I would have the privilege of engaging actively in activities that promote peace and harmony; this would sharpen my own communication skills and make me a better emotional intelligent individual. I see it as an avenue through which I can explore communication skills and improve on them, for the good of the colony. It also creates a large forum for me to learn others cultures, expands my schema and I can begin to appreciate life from a larger perspective. As a health care provider, serving as a volunteer is an excellent extension of my duties to the rest of opportunity outside the hospital walls. I have served in a number of religious and social volunteer work and these experiences have left an indelible mark on my heart. I can not stop but I must keep the flag on with the Peace Corps Volunteers as its ideals are compatible with my life’s goals.

Depression and Criminal Behavior

Depression and Criminal Behavior Depression is a wide-reaching condition that affects millions of Americans who experience it in a few different archetypes, but each can be crippling. Bipolar disorder, a severe type of depression, has been connected to criminal behavior when one considers prison-population statistics and the percentage of manic depressives who commit crimes. Factors such as substance abuse, environment, and gender unpack the criminal side of depression and lead to the ultimate question of whether depression lends itself to crime or vice versa. Depression and Criminal Behavior What is depression? Depression is described as an illness that affects every aspect of a human being. The way a person eats, sleeps, and feels about life is typical of depression. One can also characterize depression by what it is not. For example, depression is not simply a blue feeling that comes and goes. We all experience sadness from time to time, but depression is a very deep feeling of sadness that does not go away by wish or will. One does not get over or shake off depression. It is also not a sign of weak or flawed character. How does one characterize this deep feeling of sadness? A more correct term used when describing depression is illness. The term illness insinuates that, without treatment, symptoms can last for a significant length of time. The longevity of symptoms differentiates occasional sadness from clinical depression. Strock, (1994). Depression (NIH publication no. 00-3561). This point is addressed by the VA, For many, a depressed mood is a normal reaction to the death of someone they love or the loss of the ability to perform routine activities. But, when a depressed mood persists for a long period of time with no signs of lifting, a person will benefit most from talking to their primary care provider to determine if clinical depression is the cause. (Department of Veterans Affairs, 2002) There is, however, treatment available that can help individuals regardless of the degree of symptoms. Types of Depression The three main types of depression are major depression, dysthymia, and bipolar disorder. There are many other types of depression besides the three listed, however, the variances are more of degree than nature. For all practical purposes, the three main types of depression encompass the entire spectrum. The first type, major depression, virtually disables a person in every aspect of his or her life. Menial tasks such as eating or sleeping are just as affected by major depression as harder tasks, such as social interaction and cognitive functioning. In addition, people suffering from major depression do not enjoy activities that were once pleasurable. This disabling of function in every aspect of life typifies major depression. Strock, (1994). Depression (NIH publication no. 00-3561). The second main type of depression is dysthymia. This type of depression is less severe than major depression in that it does not disable. The hallmark of dysthymia is that it keeps a person from having a feeling of wholeness or good. People who have dysthymia, however, are not completely safe from the effects of major depression, as it is common to suffer from major depression at some point in ones life. Strock, (1994). Depression (NIH publication no. 00-3561). Bipolar Disorder, also labeled manic depression, is the third type of depression that is the least common and most severe form of the illness. Bipolar disorder is characterized by cycling mood changes: severe highs (mania) and lows (depression). The shift between these two moods is often gradual, but can also happen abruptly with no notice. The depressed aspect of Bipolar Disorder is virtually the same as major depression. The person loses interest in activities, whether routine or pleasurable and feels a deep sense of sadness. The mania aspect of this illness is what differentiates it from the other forms of depression. When a manic depressed person has fits of mania, he or she has a heightened energy level that is well above normal. The person may talk more than usual or react in a way that is inappropriate to the situation. While in a state of mania, a manic depressed person may do things that are a cause for shame or embarrassment later, but in the moment, they may seem perfectly right. If left untreated, manic depression may lead to a psychotic state. Strock, (1994). Depression (NIH publication no. 00-3561). This is the type of depression that can lead to criminal behavior. Link to Criminal Behavior Of the three types of depression, bipolar disorder is most commonly linked to criminal behavior, especially violence. In a study that considered a cross section of 261 patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder, it was found that when compared to criminal records, manic-depressives were more often convicted of crimes (Englander, 2003). However, those who were unipolar (only depressive, not manic) were found not to be more prone to criminal behavior. This leads one to focus on the manic aspect of depression in connecting the dots to an increased propensity to commit crimes. A study of 50 juvenile boys corroborated this notion by noting that manic depression not only increased criminal behavior, but also was linked to antisocial tendencies. Though a high level of aggression was identified, only 14% were ever incarcerated for aggressive acts (Englander, 2003). Prevalence of Mania in Prisons A look at criminal behavior within the construct of mania leads to an obvious question of whether individuals within the prison system are more likely or less likely to exhibit manic tendencies. A study completed in the mid-1980s evaluated over 1,000 prisoners in the HMP Brixton in London, England and found that prisoners were seven times more likely to suffer from manic depression when compared to the general population (Blumenthal and Lavendar, 2000). Other mental illnesses were found less frequently. Schizophrenia was discovered to exist only three times higher in the prison sample than in the general populace. Alcohol and Drug Abuse Risk Factors Alcohol and drug abuse are key indicators in determining whether someone is prone to criminal acts. It is helpful, once again, to compare bipolar disorder to schizophrenia, this time in terms of sufferer usage. There is a high rate of substance abuse among mentally ill persons across the spectrum of mental illness. In fact, mental illness doubles the risk of substance abuse. Schizophrenics abuse drugs and alcohol at a rate of 47%, while manic depressives abuse at a much higher rate of 61% (Blumenthal and Lavendar, 2000). General substance abuse frequency among manics coupled with the notion that a majority of violent crimes such as rape, assault, and murder are committed after high drug or alcohol use shows that those who suffer from bipolar disorder are more likely to commit violent crime (Blumenthal and Lavendar, 2000). Thus, substance abuse is a predictor of violence and manic depressives are prone to substance abuse. Gender Considerations It is interesting to look at gender differences as it relates to bipolar disorder. Women generally suffer from depression more often than men, and this is also true in the bipolar aspect of depression. Along with frequency, women suffer from more intense forms of depression than men, meaning mania could be potentially more severe and lead to violence or other forms of criminal behavior. This, however, is outweighed by the significantly higher prevalence of male arrests within the context of a manic state. In the U.S., men commit more crimes per capita, up to six times more than women. Even though women are less likely to commit crimes than men, those who suffer from bipolar disorder offend at a higher rate than women who are not diagnosed with mental illness (Friedman, 2005). Causal Relationship Question Though there is a relationship found between depression and crime, some argument exists as to the extent of the connection. Two possibilities must be considered, whether the crime was committed because the individual was depressed or did the person become depressed as a result of committing a crime. One of the more closely linked facets of depression and violent crime are found when a depressed person becomes so hopeless that, before committing suicide, they kill friends or loved ones. In a study of 78 murder cases, a link was made between depression and violent crime only when environmental factors, such as a negative life event, spurred on the criminal behavior (Hollin, 2002). Conclusion In conclusion, depression is a vast subject of which much is known. Types of depression have ranges of degree from relatively mild to very severe forms of the disorder. In terms of criminal behavior, bipolar disorder is most closely linked, particularly the manic aspect of the mental illness. A relationship is seen when one considers the higher prevalence of bipolar criminals in the prison system compared to the general populace and the propensity for manic depressives to abuse alcohol and drugs, a key indicator of criminal behavior. Though the causation of criminal behavior is akin to the chicken and egg argument, questioning which one causes the other, it is proven that depression is a factor in the context of criminal behavior.

Photographic Influence on Degas Work :: Art

Photographic Influence on Degas Work What, if any impact did photography play in the role of arts ‘evolution’, in particular, what impact did photography have in the works of the impressionist painters. Two obviously conflicting opinions arise through texts by ‘Aaron Scharf’ and ‘Kirk Vanerdoe’. Scharf argues that the impact of ‘snapshot photography’ and the invention and wide distribution of portable camera’s had a significant influence on the works of the painter ‘Degas’. Vanerdoe takes the opportunity to question what makes an influence significant, and tends to see the creation of Impressionism stem from earlier art movements. Then comes the question, what, if any arguments are valid, what arguments are opinions and what can be sieved down to fact. The truth of it all is that many of these opinions that are displayed can neither be proved nor disproved, and therefore any analysis must be taken with a grain of salt. However it appears as though Vanerdoe has taken the less hospitable route, resulting at times to personal attacks, as well as blanket statements of which may not answer a question raised by Scharf, but rather simply a personal attack. It is in these statements we see a very passionate Vanerdoe, but also lose faith in his ability to keep together a reasoned and structured argument. Vanerdoe’s beginning argument for example, ‘Â ¹this line of thinking however is inaccurate and misleading’ the basis for his essay, and way of thinking to come. It is from this we see Vanerdoe try and reason that, photographical influence isn’t substantial enough, yet no attempt at defining substantial has been made, that therefore leads me to conclude that, substantiality in the case of Vanerdoe’s essay must continue as a buzz-word. I would asses the word substantial as the dictionary does ‘Considerable in importance’ and therefore Vanerdoe considers that the photographic influence is not considerable in importance. What levels of significance then does photography play in the role of art work of Impressionism and in particular Degas? So one would then at this point, try and define, to ones self exactly what constitutes a substantial impact. I would put forward that a substantial impact would be one, which remnants are visible through the completed work. Substantiality would then be based on whether or not the aesthetic or meaning of the photograph still influences. Therefore I decree that substantiality can be undervalued, but not overvalued. That would send me in the direction of Scharf’s argument.

Essay example --

Another solution could be found in organizations, such as Families First, that literally bridges the gap by providing both types of services. The Michigan Department of Social Services founded Families First to deal with child neglect, but staffers soon realized domestic violence was also at play in many of their cases (Findlater 92). After requesting domestic violence training, Families First social workers now provide domestic violence services as they come into a crossroads with child neglect issues (Findlater 92). Similarly, some domestic violence shelters welcome children and can help them with group counseling (Carter 7). For example, lecturer Azucena Ugarte noted that of the Philadelphia shelter’s one hundred beds, ten of them were cribs (Ugarte). An often over-looked key to bettering the treatment for child witnesses is to improve the legal system’s interactions with them. Researcher Nancy K. D. Lemon acknowledges that since the 1970s the judicial system has done a good sign handling domestic violence victims, but she says it has been â€Å"slower to recognize the effect of domes...

Struggling with Death in The Epic of Gilgamesh Essay -- Papers Gilgame

Struggling with Death in The Epic of Gilgamesh In the ?Epic of Gilgamesh,? Gilgamesh deals with an issue that nearly destroyed him. He sought after immortality so much that he put his own life on the edge. Centuries later, this quest unites our high tech, fast paced culture with the remote and different culture of Gilgamesh. Humanity has yet to find the secret of letting go of the idea of everlasting life. Many people today hold on to the topic of immortality because they find it so difficult to say goodbye to a loved one. Placing flowers on graves is a popular way to remember the deceased. Even years after the person has died, the family members and friends still go to the gravesite to reminisce. People find it difficult to accept the fact that they will never see someone again. They want to believe that the person is still there. Gilgamesh had the same problem. He made the journey looking for his friend. He couldn?t deal with the fact that Enkidu had died. He wanted him to live forever. Gilgamesh even went as far as almost sacrificing his life to find him...

Forecasting the Adoption of E-Books Essay

Question 1 The size of the market for e-books in the long-run: 293. 7 million x 46. 7% x 8% = 10. 973 million (Total US population x percentage of US population reading literature x Percentage of traditional paper books purchased online in 2003) It will take 10 years to reach 95% penetration of the potential market. Question 2 I predict that the sale of the e-book when it first became available is 0. 751milion (pm) (Assumption: each innovator buy one book. ) Question 3 The long-run total adoption of e-books would be 10. 973 million. (Total US population x percentage of US population reading literature x Percentage of traditional paper books purchased online in 2003) Question 4 I do expect the market for e-books tend to be guided by imitators rather than innovators. According to the table above, I found that the weighted average for e-book of q (0. 0684) is larger than p (0. 2990). In addition, the word of mouth takes an important role in the adoption of e-books. The information about the e-book from the innovators contribute much to the adoption of e-books since people tend to hesitate to change their old reading habit. Question 5 S(t)=[p+(q/m)N(t-1)][m-N(t-1)] Year 1: [0. 0684+(0. 2990/10. 973) X (0)][10. 973-0] = 0. 751 million Year 2: [0. 0684+(0. 2990/10. 973) X (0. 751)][10. 973-0. 751] = 0. 908 million Year 3: [0. 0684+(0. 2990/10. 973) X (1. 659)][10. 973-1. 659] = 1. 059 million Year 4: [0. 0684+(0. 2990/10. 973) X (2. 717)][10. 973-2. 717] = 1. 176 million Year 5: [0. 0684+(0. 2990/10. 973) X (3. 893)][10. 973-3. 893] = 1. 235 million Question 6 The adoption of e-book will be very different from digital music obtained online. The adoption of e-books face more challenges when comparing to the adoption of digital music. To most of the listeners, there is not much difference in experience between listening to a song from an iPod and a CD player. Therefore, they have a relatively low switching cost and more willing to change their habits. On the contrary, to most of the readers, it is definitely very different from reading an e-book to reading a printed book. The feelings of holding a printed book and flipping over a physical book are irreplaceable. So readers are loyal to printed book and hesitate to switch from traditional books to e-books. Hence, it is reasonable to predict that the pace of adopting digital music is faster than the pace of adopting e-books. Question 7 I think both of the attitudes about reading and purchasing e-content have changed a lot in recent years. In the old time, people could read e-content via PC only. Nowadays, people are able to read e-content through various mobile devices. Therefore, they spend more time on reading e-content especially during leisure time and even commuting time. However, the quality of the reading effort is diminishing as the overload of e-content available on Internet. In addition, people tend to rely more on the e-content since it is very convenient, environmentally friendly, high mobility and high accessibility. For the attitude about purchasing e-content, more people are willing to pay for the e-content in recent years. The advanced online payment system plays an important role. People feel more secure and also convenient when dealing online ever than before. Moreover, more well-known and large-scale publishers offer more choices of e-content for readers. Besides, in the light of the prevalent of mobile device, people have more time and chances to read the e-content regardless of the time and places. Thus, people are more willing to spend on e-content than before. Question 8 The hardware plays a paramount important role in the adoption of e-books. No matter how amazing the e-content is, the e-books would not be popularized if the hardware were not user-friendly. However, a good hardware is very likely to boost sales of the e-books. It is because the hardware is a fixed cost while the e-books are the variable cost to the readers. A portable hardware with proper size of monitor and high capacity is very attractive to the readers. They no longer need to neither carry the bulky printed books nor spare some places for storage. Moreover, the hardware enables readers to read comfortably when comparing to read via PC or smart phone. It is good for the readers’ eyes. Last but not least, the hardware contributed to protecting the environment as it saves much paper. Only when the hardware preforms better than the tradition printed books, the adoption of e-books will be success. Question 9 I do expect the size and also the pattern of diffusion are quite different globally as compared to the United States. The size and the pattern of diffusion depend on many factors. Population, culture, attitude to new products, technology and even literacy could be one of the variables of the size and pattern of diffusion. Take Africa as an example; though the population size of Africa is much larger than The United States, the potential size of the market for e-books must be obviously different from the United States. So it is not difficult to understand that the size and pattern of diffusion of various places will not be similar to the United States.

The Challenge Facing Managed Care Organizations

The greatest challenge for managed care organizations (MCOs) in our current time is how to obtain lower priced medical fees. As we all know, American health care should essentially be a nonprofit enterprise. However, the privatization of American health care holds that health care in general and hospitals in particular are increasingly operating on a for-profit basis. In fact, the for-profit hospital sector has accounted for a relatively constant share (about 15 percent) of hospital beds over the last twenty years (Morrisson, 1999). This is why recently the U.S. Congress tries to push more â€Å"consumer-directed† health plan options to avoid cash-strapped managed care organizations (MCOs) to boost their deductibles, raise premiums and even defy federal law by authorizing policy holders to buy prescription drugs from low-cost vendors in Canada (Smith, 23 September 2004). Managed care organizations (MCOs) often apply the traditional fee-for-service models, which do not provide adequate financial controls and utilization incentives for physicians and hospitals to contain the costs of providing healthcare. Under managed care, the needs of the patients are balanced with efforts to provide cost-effective care. Typically, MCOs enroll subscribers by promising to provide all necessary medical care in exchange for a fixed monthly premium. The MCO also contracts with hospitals, physicians, and other healthcare providers to dispense the necessary medical care to its enrollees at a discounted reimbursement rate. In exchange for accepting reduced fees, the caregivers gain access to the MCO’s enrolees (Kirby, Sebastian & Hornberger, 1998). A problem with managed care is that employers who offer a health maintenance organization (HMO) to their employees often pay the premium as long as the HMO premium was not higher than the fee-for-service premium. This behavior by employers creates distorted incentives for the HMO in controlling its costs. Enthoven (1993) suggested that this incentive distortion can be corrected when employers design better alternatives for their employer contributions. The employer could contribute a fixed-dollar amount for health insurance with the employee paying the full difference between plans. The greater the portion of the marginal premium paid by the employees is, the stronger the incentive is to choose lower-cost plans. For example, if the employer pays 80 percent of the premium and the employee pays the remainder, then the employee pays only 20 percent of the difference between the low (let’s presume here) HMO premium and the higher fee-for-service premium. HMOs and other managed care arrangements are organized on a prepayment basis that appear in a wide variety of forms. An HMO could hire physicians on a salary, contract with a preexisting group practice of physicians, or contract with physicians who maintain a fee-for-service practice. According to Luft (1991), â€Å"Because specific social, legal, historical, political, and economic aspects of the medical care environment have shaped delivery systems such as the HMO, it is not reasonable to expect that the typical HMO could be transplanted intact to another country† (p. 173). The key to HMO cost savings is the organization’s wide range of medical services, both inpatient and outpatient. In this way, the HMO can receive the cost savings implied by reduced hospital use. This may be difficult to manage in systems where there are separate financing mechanisms for primary care physicians and inpatient care. As Luft (1991, p. 180) remarks. â€Å"If there were no way to shift funds from the ‘hospital side’ to the ‘physician side,’ it would be difficult to reward clinical decision makers for the development of more cost-effective practice styles.† This is why three areas appear to offer a magnitude of opportunities where MCOs can assist patients, these are ambulatory care, mental health and the alternative therapies. Firstly, ambulatory care-sensitive conditions reflect the quality and availability of primary care services, since they are readily treatable without the need for hospitalization. There are differences in the hospitalization rate for ambulatory care sensitive conditions. Shenkman et al. (2005) had indicated that specialty ambulatory care is important for many children with chronic conditions. However, access to such care may be constrained within managed care environments. The use of primary care providers (PCPs) as gatekeepers for managed care organizations (MCOs) is one commonly used strategy to control specialty care use. Studies of the impact of gatekeeping on children's receipt of specialty care have resulted in mixed findings. Some studies found more specialty care use in gatekeeping MCOs, compared with non-gatekeeping MCOs. Other researchers found that the replacement of a gatekeeping system with an open-access model increased specialty visits among a group of children with chronic conditions. Although the focus on gatekeeping in general yields some important information, MCOs use many other strategies concomitantly with their PCP gatekeepers, such as capitated payments, financial incentives, and prior authorization procedures. The use of these concomitant strategies may meet the unique needs of children with chronic conditions, including their need for specialty physician care. On the other hand, managed care had been significant contributor on delivery systems for mental health services. Taylor et al. (2001) had indicated that direct and indirect persuasion to provide more cost-effective treatments has been one consequence. The cost-saving qualities and the effectiveness of group interventions have produced clear expectations for an increased use of therapy groups. In the research of Taylor et al. (2001), they compared perceptions and uses of group treatments on a national sample of managed care organizations and mental health providers. Implications of differences and similarities between directors of managed care organizations and treatment providers are examined and discussed across five response categories (familiarity/training perceived effectiveness, likelihood of reimbursement/referral, daily use and expectation for future use). Taylor et al (2001) favored the approach where MCOs calibrate treatment referral/reimbursement decisions. Recently published comparison outcome studies and meta-analyses can and should empirically guide the present treatment delivering systems. Lastly, many managed care organizations have already begun to integrate complementary and alternative medical therapies (CAM) with conventional medical providers. Medical practitioners are obligated to assess CAM therapy with patients. Alternative therapies require professionals to rethink staff competency, patient assessment, and patient-focused care. Medical leaders must understand CAM trends and therapies to better integrate these concepts into health care policy, standards of care, and ethical decisions (Parkman, 2001). Among ambulatory care and mental health care, alternative therapies, or CAM, offers the most favorable and cost-efficient strategy for MCOs. This is because the aging â€Å"baby boom† generation is beginning to experience chronic but non-life threatening conditions, such as joint pain, headaches and menopause-related complaints and they are willing to explore options other than prescription drugs. For health plans, the attraction of offering alternative care products lies in retaining and attracting new members, diversifying their services from competitors in a congested managed care market and in attempts to address current or proposed state mandates (West, 1997). In 1997 alone, expenses for professional services were $21.2 billion, a 45% increase over the earlier 1990 data. Expenses for professional services, herbals, vitamins, diet products, books, and classes totaled $27 billion. Five surveys conducted since 1990 have reported frequent use of CAM, ranging from 30% to 73% by patients suffering from conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, arthritis, HIV and AIDS, multiple sclerosis, and chronic musculoskeletal pain. Furthermore, the demand for CAM by the general public is increasing, despite the fact that its use is largely paid by consumers without coverage by third-party payers. In 1997, Americans spent an estimated $13 billion for visits to CAM providers and an additional $2 billion for commercial diet supplements and over-the-counter megavitamins (Pelletier & Astin, 2002). Managed care should not only focus on cost savings, but they should also look into diversifying their services. MCOs have generally contributed to the decline in the U.S. health cost growth rate. Their potential will continue to be limited to the extent that employers fail to offer true financial advantages to consumers who choose the low-cost health plans. Thus, more reforms in the policies should be reviewed and revised so that more people could benefit from the quality health care everyone deserves. References Enthoven, A.C. (1993). The History and Principles of Managed Competition. Health Affairs, supplement, 24-48. Kirby, E.G., Sebastian, J.G. and Hornberger, K.D. (1998, Jan/Feb). The Effect of Normative Social forces on Managed Care Organizations: Implications for Strategic management/Practitioner Response. Journal of Healthcare Management. 43(1):81-106. Luft, H. (1991). Translating the U.S. HMO Experience to Other Health System. Health Affairs 10:172-186. Morrison, I. (1999). Health Care in the New Millennium. NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Parkman, C. (2001, February). Alternative Therapies Are Here to Stay. Nursing Management, 32(2): 36-40. Pelletier, K.R. and Astin, J.A. (2002, Jan/Feb). Integration and Reimbursement of Complementary and Alternative Medicine by Managed Care and Insurance Providers: 2000 Update and Cohort Analysis. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 8(1): 38-44. Shenkman, E., Tian, L. and Schatz, D. (2005, June). Managed Care Organization Characteristics and Outpatient Specialty Care Use Among Children With Chronic Illness. Pediatrics, 115(6): 1547-1555. Smith, C. (2004, Spetember 23). Senate Panel Examines Health Care Choices, Insurance Costs. Knight Ridder Tribune. Taylor, N.T., Burlingame, G.M., Kristensen, K.B., Fuhriman, A. et al. (2001, April). A Survey of Mental Health Care Provider's and Managed Care Organization Attitudes Toward, Familiarity With, and Use of Group Interventions. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 51(2): 243-264. West, D. (1997, November 10). MCOs Integrating Alternative Care. National Underwriter, 101(45): 58.