Saturday, August 31, 2019

Introduction to Counselling Essay

   Definition of a Counsellor Counselling is about to give help rather than advice, advice frequently means telling people what they should or ought to do, and this has no place in counselling. Counsellors look at what is possible, but do not tell clients what they should do. That would be the counsellor taking control rather than the client gaining control. The primary difference between counselling and other forms of helping is the way in which the counsellor listens. A counsellor should always be factual within their notes, you should always take notes after a session while fresh on your mind, taking notes in a session can cause clients to maybe feel worried or nervous on what you’re putting down and also keep you interested and proven to be listening. The difference between advice, guidance and counselling Advice: Mainly a one-way exchange, giving an opinion, making a judgement, making a recommendation =Persuasive. Guidance: Mainly a one-way exchange, showing the way, educating, influencing, instructing =Encouraging. Skills of a counsellor Every person who uses counselling skills is designated a counsellor. We can distinguish two broad groups of people who use counselling skills, people who are called counsellors who engage in counselling as a distinct occupation and others who use counselling skills as part of their other skills. They would be temporarily in the role, for example we go to our doctor for something medical or a psychiatrist for something spiritually wrong these establish a helping relationship. What they offer is not counselling however they use counselling skills, they may also be trained counsellors so the dividing line is not clear cut. The difference is that the person knows when counselling is taking place and has agreed to it. Other skills you pick up on when counselling are: * Respecting personal space * keeping legs uncrossed and sitting relaxed * Being open with body language, * Bringing your body in to talk is being interested and sitting back shows you’re interested and engaged. * Memory is the key. * Try not to talk with hands or sit on them. * Clothing can be casual but formal depending on where you work * Setting a good first impression is important * Keep facial expressions to a minimum show expression but limit to how much. * Eye contact should be minimal keep eyes moving around the face * Think about distractions before your client arrives * Keep your client informed on what we’re going to do and not do. * Being agreeable and willing to be there, and most importantly helping your client to get back on track. Values of counselling and psychotherapy Values inform principals. They represent the important way of expressing a general ethical commitment that becomes more precisely defined and action-orientated when expressed as a principal. At all times counsellors must show a commitment to: Respecting human rights and dignity Protecting the safety of clients Insuring the integrity of practitioner/client relationships Enhancing the quality of professional knowledge and its application Alleviating personal distress and suffering Fostering a sense of self that is meaningful to the person(s) concerned Increasing personal effectiveness Enhancing the quality of relationships between people Appreciating the variety of human experience between people Striving for the fair and adequate provision of counselling and psychotherapy services Ethical principles of counselling and psychotherapy Principles direct attention to important ethical responsibilities, there are six ethical principles that are used which also help on making decisions when looking over them, they are as follows: * Being trustworthy – honouring the trust placed in the practitioner, he’s to building good understanding and helps your client being able to open up if the trust is there. * Autonomy – respect for the clients to be self-governing, this is important to allow and help our client to gain their ability to be self-directing. * Beneficence – a commitment to promoting the clients well-being, always acting in the best interests of the client based on professional assessment. * Non-maleficence – a commitment to avoiding harm to the client, do not take advantage of the client at their most vulnerable part in their life i.e. sexual, financial, emotional or any other form of client exploitation. * Justice – the fair and impartial treatment of all clients and the provision of adequate services, a commitment to fairness requires the ability to appreciate differences between people and to be committed to equality of opportunity, and avoiding discrimination against people or groups contrary to their legitimate personal or social characteristics. * Self-respect – fostering the practitioner’s self-knowledge and care for self, seeking counselling or therapy and other opportunities for personal development as required. The practitioner’s personal moral qualities are of the utmost importance to clients. Personal moral qualities The practitioner’s personal moral qualities are of the utmost importance to clients. Many of the personal qualities considered important in the provision of services have an ethical or moral component and therefore considered as virtues or good personal qualities. It is inappropriate to prescribe that all practitioners possess these qualities, since it is fundamental that these personal qualities are deeply rooted in the person concerned and developed out of personal commitment rather than the requirement of an external authority. Personal qualities to which counsellors and psychotherapists are strongly encouraged to aspire include: Empathy: The ability to communicate understanding of another person’s experience from that person’s perspective. Understand and letting them know that you understand Sincerity: a personal commitment to consistency between what is professed and what is done. Being honest, saying something and meaning it. Being able to be sincere and li sten to your client rather than talking. Integrity: commitment to being moral in dealings with others,  personal straightforwardness, honesty and coherence. Trust is very important. Resilience: the capacity to work with the client’s concerns without being personally diminished. Being able to hear what your client is saying to you and being able to stay there and not feeling the need to leave or cry with your client because of their story you are hearing, being able to hold your own. Respect: showing appropriate esteem to others and their understanding of themselves. Appropriate esteem and understanding themselves, respect that the person respects themselves. Not judging why they got to that point and help them understand why they got to this point. Humility: the ability to assess accurately and acknowledge one’s own strengths and weaknesses. Believing your good at something, work towards not feeling that you’re put down and low. Competence: the effective deployment of the skills and knowledge needed to do what is required. Keep improving skills, knowing you know what you are doing but you can build on it. Fairness: t he consistent application of appropriate criteria to inform decisions and actions. Knowing your able to meet your clients’ needs and if not discuss you could refer them to someone else, also about being fair to self, make sure your always being fair to your clients in the decisions you make. Wisdom: possession of sound judgement that informs practice. Sound judgement, understanding boundaries. Courage: the capacity to act in spite of known fears, risks and uncertainty. To be able to sit and listen to your client’s story, having the courage to be honest to your client. Non-verbal communication Awareness of non-verbal communication between the listener and the talker; we try to be aware of how we use our own bodies and how the talker uses their body to communicate. * Eye contact – keep eye contact minimal and moving around the face. * Facial expression – show expression but be limiting to how much you show. * Body posture – keep legs uncrossed and body straight, keep body language open. * Body movement – bring your body out to show you’re interested and bring body in when you’re really taking in what your client is saying. * Head nodding – is a strong thing to do shows your listening. * Proximity/position of chairs – positioning of the chairs is important as not to be directed in front of each other. Why we use this skill? * To show talker that the listener is paying attention. * To try to communicate that the listener is present. * To create a warm environment. * To encourage the talker to open up. * To begin to build a trusting relationship. Minimal encouragers Minimal encouragers are a form of verbal communication. They are brief sentences or a single word. Examples include: * ‘Go on’ * ‘Tell me more’ * ‘And’ * ‘Because’ * ‘Mmm†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.’ * ‘Ah ha’ * ‘Oh’ Using some of your minimal encouragers will help to keep your client talking and prompt them to continue in there story. * To show the talker that the listener is paying attention. * To communicate that the listener is present. * To encourage the talker to continue their story. Reflecting A reflection is offering back what the talker has said but it includes the feeling that the listener thinks was communicated. Feelings might be contained in the words the talker is using or feelings might also show themselves in how the talker presents i.e. looking sad or showing that they are angry. Why we use this skill? * To check or show that the listener has understood. Gives client confidence that the listener is actually paying attention in what the client is saying * To help the talker become aware of their feelings. Gives the client the option of discovering what they are actually feeling for themselves. * To work closer in the relationship. Gaining your clients trust to build a relationship. * To create a sense of intimacy. As your allowing your client to hear what they are saying and showing that the feeling you may be providing them with helps them to know you are truly listening to them. Paraphrasing Paraphrasing is to offer back in a few words what the talker has said in order to check understanding and communicate your attention. Paraphrasing can be good to help your client to hear what they have said and they know you have heard what they have said. Helps to show you are trying to understand what your client is saying. Why we use this skill? †¢To give the talker an opportunity to hear back what they are saying. As it can be very helpful for your client to hear back what they have said. †¢To check or show that the listener has understood. It also gives your client confidence that you have listened and heard what they have to say. †¢To invite further exploration of the talker’s story. It helps your client maybe feel more confident and open to talk more freely. Example: Talker: It’s been a rough week. I’ve done nothing but argue with my partner, the house has been burgled, there’s bad news from the hospital†¦at least I got a win on the scratch-card. Listener 1: You got a win on the scratch-card Listener 2: It’s been a rough week. Listener 3: You’ve been arguing with your partner †¢What do you think of the different listener’s responses? I think listener 2 is a much better response to what the client has said as leaves the story open for the client to decide where they want to go next. †¢What do the responses say about the listener’s points of view? Listener 1) is very in appropriate as quite a few bad things gone on for your client. Listener 2) leaves it open for your client to choose what to talk about Listener 3) is also a good thing to say but doesn’t give the client a chance really to decide what they would prefer to talk about. * What other responses can you think of? Maybe number 2) but also ask client to describe maybe the worst part about the week? Summarising A summary is an overview of what the talker has been talking about during the session. A summary can be used during the session as well as to end the session. Think about the main points of a session and say it back to your client. Summarising really helps letting your client know you are really listening and heard what they have said. Knowing if a silence is that your client is thinking, or gone quiet as maybe a bit lost so you could recap what your client has told you. Re capping can help to start your client talking again. Near the end of a session say to your client you have a few minutes left so let’s summarise and the pick out points, once relayed back ask your client if they would like to add anything else. Why we use this skill? * To communicate that the listener has heard and understood the content of the session. * To gather important points together. * To help the talker decide which points they want to talk about in more detail. * To help the talker if they are stuck, going round in circles, confused or if the session needs moving forward. Counselling Contract †¢Place, time, dates †¢Number of sessions †¢Confidentiality and limitations †¢Supervision and note taking †¢Model of counselling used †¢Fees and cancellation arrangements †¢Out of session contact Having a contract helps your client to know what’s expected of them, also what is going to happen. Confidentiality and limitations Offering confidentiality is part of a counsellor’s contract with their clients but there are limits to this at which point further action will be needed. What are the limits? †¢At risk – a person, who is deemed to be at risk to self or others, so could be talking about harming his self or others. †¢Children – any child at risk of abuse, maybe a partner hurting or abusing the child. †¢Vulnerable persons – vulnerable people at risk of abuse, by client or there partner. †¢Terrorism Act – there is a terrorism hotline number, for instance if someone said they were taking a bomb to the mall ECT. †¢If working for an agency you would follow their guidelines around confidentiality. If at any time you hear you client talk about any of the limits you have discussed, you need to make your client aware that you have to break the confidentiality. Other limits include: †¢Supervision – client material discussed with a supervisor, although this could be discussed with clients permission about their case but not mention there name. †¢Note-keeping – brief and factual notes made after each session, as a client has the rights to ask for their notes to see.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Hawaii Watersports Essay

With the white sandy beaches and crystal clear water Hawaii is the ideal place for ocean water sports. There are a wide range of water sports, from highly aggressive to leisurely sports that all types of people can enjoy. There are even sports which are specific only to the exotic islands encompassing this magnificent state. Taking a look at each individual sport will excite and possible mystify the sports enthusiast. Today we will take a look at sea kayaking, kite boarding, surfing, windsurfing, sailing, and scuba diving. Sea kayaking is an exhilarating and physically challenging sport. One must be sure to have the proper equipment and technique before heading out into the salty blue. It is said that kayakers ‘wear their kayaks’ and selecting a proper sea kayak, one that fits comfortably to your body type, can be a difficult task. First make sure that you fit comfortable in the pit. It should be snug, but not tight. If it is loose it may be difficult to maneuver. Kayaking is relaxing and comfortable sport especially around the islands. There are many ecological kayaking tours offered throughout Hawaii that will take you places and show you some of the amazing creatures and sites of the islands. Kite boarding is a new age surface water sport that is trendy among young people. Kite boarding is very similar to wakeboarding with the exception that the board is controlling their own movements with a kite, fully equipped with handle, instead of being pulled by a boat. Kite boarding is an extreme sport combining balance and coordination with the unique technique of keeping a kite in the air. Kite boarders have an unrivaled experience as they let the wind control their moves and can sometimes reach heights of 30 feet, and if they skilled and adventurous they may be able to do flips and other stunts before smoothly returning to the ocean. It is recommended that the new kite boarder takes a few lessons to learn proper techniques before venturing out on a kite boarding adventure. Surfing is a timeless and classic sport. Surfing like kite boarding is a surface water sport where the participant rides waves while balancing on a surf board. Surfing can actually be broken into many categories including body boarding, windsurfing, and body surfing. Body boarding is best described by using your body to ride a foam board over waves. Windsurfing uses both aspects of surfing and sailing. A windsurf board is a surf board with a sail attached. The windsurfer steers themselves with the sail and rides the wave as a surfer would. Body surfing is actually what the name implies, using one’s body to ride the waves. Body surfers are usually equipped with nothing by swim fins to take on the task of riding the breaking waves. Sailing is a leisurely recreation sport in which a person, or group of people, steer a ship or sail boat using sails. Sail boats move forward because of the inertia caused when the wind is caught in the sail. Sailing is a technical sport and the proper skills must be learned before heading out to sea. Scuba diving is another popular sport among the islands. Scuba requires a certification because of the danger involved. There are many short certification courses for tourists to partake in. These courses cover the essentials and make time for some short open water dives were the scuba can explore the exotic world on ocean water. Hawaii is an exotic place with many things to offer the adventurer or sports enthusiast. It is important to learn the techniques of the sports one wishes to indulge themselves in to ensure a safe and happy stay on the islands.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Balanced Scorecard and Strategy Map Essay

Balanced Scorecard: Part of a system that translates strategy into action. Also, gives a balanced view in four perspectives of how well an organization is driving execution and how successful the results are. The four perspectives in the balanced scorecard and strategy map give executives a more balanced view of their organization. Strategy Map: Represents how an organization will execute its strategy. The Strategy Map shows the objectives needed to execute the strategy and casual links between objectives. It can also be a tool for clear communication and help identify the â€Å"critical few† metrics to monitor strategic execution. Examples: The first of the four aspects contained in the Balanced Scorecard is the Customers. Finding ways to appeal to your customers can be a tough task, but it is one that has to be assessed. For my company, we will have to differentiate between trying to be the broad differentiator or trying to be the low-cost leader. Customer complaints and concerns can also be an issue, so we will want to monitor and record all of those statements to ensure customer satisfaction. In order for us to succeed financially, we have to make sure that we are presenting ourselves well to our shareholders. Do we want to achieve a certain earnings per share or a certain income figure? Our goal this year may be to break even or reach a certain revenue level. Whichever the case may be, we will have to be firm in what we are trying to accomplish. The financial section of the scorecard looks at the company’s financial goals and how they are meeting the goals both currently and in the future. For my company, it will be the most important metric because we want to show our  shareholders the exact progress and growth of the company accurately. Our company will want to continue to grow and have the ability to adapt and improve. In order to do so, we will have to provide detail metrics to track our growth and expansion if there is any. Metrics may include employee retention rates or even the number of training hours for full-time employees. As an organization, it is necessary to adapt to a changing landscape through employee training, learning, and development. With these metrics we can look into the future of the organization, instead of taking a snapshot of how the organization is performing right now. To satisfy our shareholders and customers, we can either sell a large quantity of items at a low price or focus completely on a high quality product that comes at a premium price. Both strategies could be effective, but we will only be able to choose one to fulfill the vision of what we want the company to be in the future. The Strategy Map and Balanced Scorecard go hand in hand and are vital platforms that all companies need to be successful. I like to compare it to the checks and balances system that our government has had in place since its birth. The balanced scorecard monitors finances, performance, growth, and vision while the strategy map makes sure that all of these metrics are organized and focused towards achieving our companies’ goals. References Person, R. (2013). Accelerating Strategic Performace. In Balanced Scorecards & Operational Dashboards With Microsoft Excel (2.nd ed., p. 6, 7, 8). Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley ;.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Youth Gangs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Youth Gangs - Essay Example Thrasher (1927), says in the â€Å"Gang† that, â€Å"they may have emerged spontaneously from adolescent play groups as a collective response to urban condition in this country† While others, suggests that gangs emerged after the Mexican revolution in 1813†. As to why and how they were manifested, ‘gangs may have frown out of difficulties Mexican youth encountered with social and cultural adjustment to the American way of life under extremely poor conditions in the southwest†. Gangs appeared to have spread to New England in the early 1800’s as the industrial revolution gained momentum in the first large cities in the United States: New York, Boston and Philadelphia. Miller observed, the United States has seen four distinct periods of gang growth and peak activity; the late 1800’s, the 1920’s, the 1960’s and the 1990’s†. According to Klien, â€Å"In the modern era, there are a number of trends that have contribu ted to the influence of gang activity, during the 1970’s and 1980’s given heightened mobility, and unfettered access to more lethal weapons, many gangs become more dangerous† According to Miller, â€Å"Gang fights oreviously involved fist fights or brass knuckles, but now they increasing involve guns. The growing availability of automobiles, coupled with the use of more lethal weapons, fueled the growth of drive-by shootings, a tactic which formerly took the form of on foot hit and run forays†.... older members than before"(Miller, 1992 Spergel,1995) According to Sanchez-Jankowski 1991; Skolnick et al, 1988; Taylor 1989, "some youth gangs appear to have been transformed into entrepreneurial organizations by the crack cocaine epidemic that began in the mid-1980's. However, Howell and Decker in press) contend that, "the extent to which they have become drug trafficking organizations is unclear" According to Curry and Decker 1998, "The average age of youth gang members is about 17 to 18 years", but tends to be older in cities where gangs have been in existence longer, like Chicago and Los Angeles" The typical age range is 12 to 24. Although more younger members are becoming more prevalent, it is the older membership that has increased the most"(Hagerdorn, 1988; Moore,1990, Spergel, 1995) "Male gang members outnumber females by a wide margin, and this span is greater in late adolescence than in early adolescence"(Miller, 1992; Moore, 1978). "Gangs vary in size by type of gang. Traditional (large, enduring, territorial) gangs average about 180 members"(Klien and Maxson 1996). As per Block and Block, 1993, and Spergel, 1995, "In large cities gangs number in the thousands" In the 19th century, youth gangs in the United States were primarily Irish, Jewish and Italian"(Haskins, 1974; Sante,1991) According to a recent national law enforcement survey, the ethnicity of gang members is 48 per cent African-American, 43 per cent3 Hispanic, 5 per cent white, and 4 per cent Asian"(Curry 1996) Bursik and Grasmick (1993) points out that, "despite the

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

This is a Book report see details below Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

This is a Book report see details below - Essay Example Jesus as a figure in history is undoubtedly a very important and pertinent topic for today. There is a persistent question about Jesus that defies an easy answer. Which Jesus is easier to accept and believe The Jesus that the gospels proclaim as the Son of God who came to be born of a virgin with his divine attributes and claims, two millennia ago Or the Jesus that history is willing to accept and record to the extent science and circumstances allow us to explain and prove This treatise is intended to explore the aspect of Jesus as an historical figure. For this purpose, it is necessary to go into the various details that denote history. Details such as ancestry, creed, social and religious customs and background of the relevant times, Jesus' personality, occupation, credentials, circle of friend, relatives and acquaintances, political scenario, and so forth. The study of the historical Jesus naturally implies the study of the old and new testaments as well as church history. In order to secure the views of every reliable source, fairness demands that nothing must be seen to be explained away as irrelevant, immaterial and conclusive. As of date, the socio-rhetorical interpretations technique is ideal in getting close to the historical Jesus because of its meticulous approach and openness to scrutiny. It uses insights from sociolinguists, semiotics, rhetoric, ethnography, literary studies, social sciences, and goes on to interrelate ancient, modern and post modern systems and schools of thought.(1) Nothwithstanding the means available to get to the details on the history of Jesus, questions galore. Enigmatic rationalists and cultists crop up ever so often with profound and radical claims relating to the history, personality and even "matrimonial facts" about Jesus. Controversies exist relating to even simple incidents as: Was Jesus really baptized by John Did he really feed the four and five thousand Did he really raise Lazarus from the dead What did Jesus mean when he said the kingdom of God was at hand And so forth and so on. (2) The Present Status Until the Middle Ages, leave alone Jesus, it was difficult to gain access to the scriptures for simple meditation. Those who did encourage study of the scriptures like Martin Luther and William Tyndale, who had to pay for it with his life, were publicly ridiculed and warned to desist by the custodians of faith at the highest levels. Of course, their successors regret it now! Even after the scriptures became accessible to the common man, for a long period of time, a study of Jesus in the historical context was frowned upon as akin to apostasy. As a student of history, questions on Jesus could not be freely discussed which otherwise in theological context could have been considered too provocative and even sacrilegious. For instance, the question on the virgin birth of Christ is bound to figure prominently in the historical context whereas in the theological sense it could mean inviting trouble. Coming to healings, miracles and exorcism, the controversy only generates more heat and dust and very little light. Historically, as of now science is in no position to unearth evidence of events and oral statements recorded as having been made but for which there exist no solid proof except their confirmation by the

The Art of English Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Art of English - Assignment Example ART OF ENGLISH Cognitive and analytical ability is one of the major traits of human beings. Either any literary work or any creative work always tries to convey something. Be it a sculptor, drawing, painting, literary work, news, blogs or even advertisement. In the past, communication used to take place via conventional means such as poetry, novels, short stories, performing or fine arts, sculptors, signs etc. In modern days lots of smart options are available for communication purpose. The creator wants to convey his ideas to the audience. Sometimes the ideas are abstract and subjective. The message in literary work many times contains lot of ambiguity and so the readers or the audience try to find out the meaning as per their comprehension. The poet, painter, artist writer are the people, who always try to live in their own world and generally their creative work does not aim at awakening people, or informing them. Of course some exceptional cases are there. While analysing the work of an artist, one can observe the degree of creativeness and literariness. The creativity can be found both in textual analyses of poetic form as well as in the interactional functions. â€Å"The Art of English: Literary Creativity,† creativity is defined as the skill level of the writer in areas such as â€Å"sounds, words, phrases, and overall linguistic form† (Goodman & O’Halloran, 2006) Literariness is associated with different kinds of literature like poetry, short stories, novels etc. These are of course the conventional forms of literature. The modern forms consist of pamphlets, websites, blogs, print media advertising etc. According to the textbook entitled â€Å"The Art of English: Everyday Creativity,† in order to perform a complete textual analysis, a linguistic analysis, interactional analysis, and ethnographic analysis are needed (Maybin &Swann, 2006, p.429). Linguistic analysis looks at the individual language elements such as metaphors, word usage, repetition, parallelism, etc., (Maybin &Swann, 2006, p.429). The te xtual analysis of any work consists of some major elements: Analysis of the Rhetorical Context Analysis of Textual features The place of the text in a new context Analysis of the rhetorical context: The poem I chose for this discussion is â€Å"Lady of Shallot,† by Alfred Lord Tennyson. This is one of the most appreciated works within the literary world. Alfred Tennyson was born on 6th August 1809 and he was a poet laureate in United Kingdom during the reign of the Queen. He is regarded as one of the most popular poets in English literature. He was also considered as the major representative of Victorian Age. Basically the poem is a piece of literature so the target audience to whom he wants to communicate his ideas through the poem is the specific audience. The poem is not written for everyone, but for the people of literary circle. Analysis of the textual features: Apparently looking it seems to be a tragic story of a lady who had been living in solitude and she had been in carcerated in a castle of â€Å"four gray walls and gray towers.† The gray colour itself is associated with the gloomy and sad mood. It represents the gloominess of the lady’s life. One can analyse the poem from different perspectives. There is no limit for imaginations while reading and analysing the poem. The readers come to know richness of the poetry in its conceptual implications. The love and freedom of Lady of Shallot resulted into her own destruction. The poem is a journey of a lady from tranquillity to turmoil, sustainability to decay. It is the tragedy of a lady, who initiates a triumphal move to engagement with life. The

Monday, August 26, 2019

Compare three recent fictional movies (from the 1990s or 2000s) about Essay

Compare three recent fictional movies (from the 1990s or 2000s) about prison - Essay Example Moreover, the aspect that led to the selection of the films is that they were setting is almost entirely within a prison facility. This means that the films can be described as prison films. The mentioned films will be analysed critiquing the topic of the death penalty, intertwining this with the architectural and visual outlook of prisons. These films exist in the following frames: (1) Guilty victim that is reformed to build empathy as demonstrated in The Shawshank Redemption (1994) (2) The fight to save an innocent victim as evident in The Green Mile (1999) and (3) Critique of capital punishment in the subtext Against the Wall (1994). In all films, the theme of retribution is seen when all main characters are sent to prison for their ill doings. In The Shawshank Redemption, Andy Dufresne was convicted for murdering his wife and lover in cold blood. In The Green Mile, retribution is evident at the start of the film when John Coffey is accused of murdering two girls (Magistrale & Palgrave Connect (Online service), 2008). In the movie Against the Wall, the theme of retribution is evident when Michael Smith is seen at the beginning of the movie. This implies that he performed a criminal act to get in prison initially. The justice restored version of The Shawshank Redemption shows that it will not be every day that prisoners will lose, sometimes they win. This is evident when Andy and Red achieved redemption in the film. The technique The Green Mile uses is admission of guilt, establishing individual responsibility as well as redemption. This is evident when Paul Edgecomb comes to realise that John Coffery is innocent, and he also possess divine healing powers. This highlights the theme of the possibility of ending the life of an innocent being (Wilson & OSullivan, 2004). The Shawshank Redemption portrays a prison as a place which harbours individuals. This addresses the themes of rehabilitation and reintegration. The theme of reintegration is seen

Sunday, August 25, 2019

The End of the West The Once and Future Europe Essay

The End of the West The Once and Future Europe - Essay Example While Greece and Spain among other European nations face financial problems. He associates such problems with wrong perception or view of global power or super power. The book talks of some important political considerations or changes to avoid stop Europe from becoming obsolete. He compares Europe with several continents or nations that happened to have experienced similar political problems and he uses some of the strategies employed by such institutions to recommend on the best policies to revive Europe. He specifically considers the history and the current situations of such nations or government institutions that were once in some political crisis, and the strategies employed to bring some nations back on their feet. The author advises both the Europe’s citizens and political leaders to forget about the outdated superiority thoughts and embrace development oriented perceptions just like China and India among other Eastern nations considered worthless by the West. Such tho ughts or perceptions has seen a decline of Europe’s contributions to the global economy while that of India and China among other nations rise, in other words, Europe’s economy is on a decline trend while that of China and India increases. The book considers ethnicity and lack of democratic and economic cohesion policies as some of the main limitations of Europe’s development. Furthermore, the 2008, global financial crisis in the United States is considered an irreversible decline in the West. The author’s summary is that America is falling and Europe is experiencing both political and economic problems while China is picking up from its pieces and is almost embracing the global economic title, to beat the West. History records that in 1700, India and China’s combined economy was double that of Europe. This was attributed by the fact that the Eastern region ventured in farming and mining among other economic activities that saw the West and Europe depend on China and India for raw materials like wheat, cotton and minerals among others. However, Europe economy became much stronger than that of China and India combined after the first and second phase of globalization. Globalization has enabled Europe to expand its trade links to other nations hence improved economy. Globalization began when Greece among other European nations expanded their trade links with Asian countries like India and China for raw materials and marketing purposes. Europe could transport large volume of sisal, wheat and cotton through ships then later transport fabrics among other end products to Asia for marketing purposes. In the process, the slave trade evolved and Europe economy became stronger than its trading partners. Western nations like United States dominated international economic institutions to become the super power. The West ventured much in military and economic sectors and it is believed that the United States is yet to remain the Super pow er for quite a long time despite being previously colonized by Britain. However, the author calls for changes in Europe and United States political and economic perceptions to remain the super powers. It is believed that combination of China and Israel’s military and economic efforts may out do that of the United States. The author categorically pointed that U.S and Europe

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Individuals Influence On Gender Identity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Individuals Influence On Gender Identity - Essay Example To understand gender identity at a deeper length, it is imperative to consider social constructs of gender difference. This implies that issues like socialization or environmental factors and response to changing societal norms must be considered and understood. Children start understanding gender identity at a very tender age. A child will know whether he is a boy or she is a girl. Thus children at an early age can already categorize their gender. They further learn how to perform gender roles that are associated with their identity as masculine and feminine. Boys learn to control and manipulate their physical environment through their strength and sometimes skills. On the other hand, girls at an early age, already start presenting themselves as an object that should be viewed. These children keenly monitor their friends’ gendered behaviors as well as their own. Thus, gender segregated children activities, partly found in their play and normal life practices bring in the appe arance that there are male and female behaviors. Therefore, these children grow up knowing that there are varied behaviors, roles, and practices that they should do as a male or a female. There are a number of factors that influence a child’s gender development. The most outstanding of these factors is the environment where a child develops. Indeed, Barret found out that one's identification as a male or a female is not natural, but it results after a series of repeated performance of gender norms conforming to the above-identified sexes. identified sexes (2001, pp. 313). Thus, it is this performance that will reproduce and results into the traditional gender categories of males and females. Studies have found out that children develop gender identities as they search for their social cues (Lucal, 1999, pp. 513). In addition, Brown established similar findings in his studies. He established that, children will develop their

Friday, August 23, 2019

Current article related to international aviation management Course

Current related to international aviation management Course - Article Example EasyJet reports having difficulty selling used aircraft, specifically its â€Å"A319 narrowbodies† but as a result of low offerings, was forced to take the used aircraft off the market (Wall, 2012). The problem is attributed to financing according to an official attached to the aviation industry. It has become increasingly difficult to obtain finacing for used aircraft that is â€Å"more than a few years old† (Wall, 2012). The high cost of fuel has also contributed to the lack of interest in used aircraft. This is particularly true with respect to â€Å"high-fuel-burn† aircraft even in cases where the used aircraft is virtually new. It is therefore hardly surprising that Boeing 737-600s previously used by Malex Hungarian Airlines are currently being phased out as opposed to being leased or sold. The financial struggles of leasing companies are also contributing to the lack of interest in used aircraft. For example, International Lease Finance Corp. has experienced insolvency problems with some of the leased aircraft. In addition, leasing companies are facing competition from the higher rate of production of Airbus and Boeing aircraft. Thus in the final analysis, the demands created by overbookings are easier to satisfy by new aircraft than by used aircraft. Wall, R. â€Å"Aircraft Makes, Lessors Split on Market Outlook.† Aviation Week & Space Technology. March 5, 2012. http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/AW_03_05_2012_p24-431328.xml (Retrieved April 21,

Thursday, August 22, 2019

On Conflict Settlement Essay Example for Free

On Conflict Settlement Essay Schick (1995) defines a conflict as a â€Å"distinctive structure of desires and a belief† (p. 58). A conflict arises when an agent wants x and y wherein x and y are the only options available to the agent. Given this situation, an agent may choose to react in two ways. First, the agent may choose to avoid the conflict or second, the agent may choose to resolve the conflict. In the resolution of a conflict, the agent starts to think rationally by seizing to think that the options available to him involves choosing both x and y or losing both x and y. In this sense, the agent enables the resolution of the conflict through an internal mediation of his or her desires. The same thing applies when it comes to interpersonal conflict. The difference between the two merely lies in the existence of a particular situation wherein the desires and beliefs of two or more agents tend to counter that of the other. This shows the manner in which conflicts enable the â€Å"balancing of power† within an agent or within a group (Rummel, 1991, p. 76). The balancing of powers resulting from the occurrence of a conflict enables the balancing of the following elements: interests, capabilities, and wills. Rummel (1991) notes â€Å"conflict is a balancing of individual interests, capabilities, and wills. It is a simultaneous solution to the equations of power† (p. 77). Within an interpersonal conflict, it does not necessarily mean that the agent(s) whose beliefs and desires take precedence over the other is the agent(s) who hold power within a group. The balance of powers refers to the mutual satisfaction of the different and contending interests within a group. In other words, the balance of powers may be understood as the result of the mediation within an interpersonal conflict. In the previous presentation, one of the groups presented steps that may be followed in case a conflict arises. The steps that they provided involve the agent(s) development of self-awareness. The importance of self-awareness here can be seen if one considers that it is only through the agent(s) identification of the clashing beliefs and desires that the agent(s) will be able to achieve the resolution of the conflict. This was shown by the group through a skit that they presented in class. One might note that in the skit itself, the group was able to present that failure to develop awareness may lead to aggression which might further enhance the conflict at hand. The importance of this skit does not lie in its means of providing an example for those who were present; it also enabled the audience’s direct experience of a conflict. Deutsch et al (2006) notes, â€Å"observing models deal effectively with difficult situations allows the observer to achieve greater freedom in coping with current and future problems of all sorts (p. 309). Despite of this, the group however, was unable to show that resolution and aggression are not the only means in which a conflict may end. Matthews and Roberts (2004) notes that conflicts may also lead to â€Å"collaboration and appeals to authority† (p. 451). Although one might state that this also leads to the resolution of a conflict in the sense that it ends a conflict, it is important to note that conflicts that end in this manner further breeds the creation of further disagreements amongst the agent(s) involved. Matthews and Roberts (2004) further notes that in the resolution of a conflict, there are certain skills which individuals should learn. These involve â€Å"active listening, assertiveness, expression of feelings in appropriate ways, empathy and perspective taking, cooperation, negotiation, and methods for countering bias† (p. 451). Although the group was unable to present all of these point, they were able to relay well the information that they had prepared for the presentation. In summary, given the time constraints on the group, I think the group was able to relay helpful information that will aid the members of the audience in the process of understanding and handling situations that may lead to both personal and interpersonal conflict. References Deutsch, M. et al. (2006). The Handbook of Conflict Resolution: Theory and Practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers. Matthews, G. R. Roberts. (2004). Emotional Intelligence: Science and Myth. Massachusetts: MIT Press. Rummel, R. (1991). The Conflict Helix. London: Transaction Publishers. Schick, F. (1997). Making Choices: A Recasting of Decision Theory. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Work based on the experimental cycle testing Newtons Essay Example for Free

Work based on the experimental cycle testing Newtons Essay Introduction: For this piece of coursework I have chosen to look at the laws of impact on a pool table. This will involve making initial assumption that will be made from inspection of the model and experience in playing the game. With these assumptions in mind I will carry out an experiment on the table to justify or correct my assumptions. After a clear understanding of the reality of the model I will attempt to compile a few practical points that will improve the performance of the player when they are playing in the specific environment that is being modelled. The models environment: There are many shots that can be played on the pool table that require different aspects of skill. The specific environment that I will be testing is the snookered shot. This means there is a ball between the cue ball and my colour (red). One of the options I have is to rebound the shot off the cushion and hit the ball. This would normally require experience in order to be accurate enough to hit the cushion in the right place. The model I will be testing will help the play know where to hit the cushion in order to hit the red ball. The elasticity of the cushion and the velocity of the ball are variables when determining the impulse from the cushion on the ball, this will affect the angle on the cushion. Assumptions: Due to my experience with playing pool I have formulated a few important factors for the experiement. I will start by looking at the constants these include velocity, which will remain the same through out the experiment. The next is the momentum, which will be treated as having been conserved and not lost in the collision with the cushion. These two points will allow me to use a basic model that uses only the knowledge I have acquired. In addition to this I will exclude the effect of sliding or spin on the ball, the motion of this is too difficult for me to model. The model: Newtons laws of impacts state that the initial speeds U1 and U2 collide so that final speeds V1 and V2 are produced under the effect of the coefficient of restitution. This can be written as: (e is the coefficient of restitution) This is the same as writing: This can be changed into component form to show the following: Parallel the cushion component   Momentum is conserved. Perpendicular to the cushion component. By showing the perpendicular component in comparison to the parallel component a final model is produced. With this model I can use the pool table to find the both angles with out using velocities or momentums. Predictions: By using this model I will take a value for the coefficient restitution as 0. 8. This value was acquired from a web site called www. gamasutra. com/features/20000516/lander_pfv. htm, which was about making a computer model of the pool game. The site was demonstrating the effect spin would have on the ball in the computer game. Below are the results from using the model. From inspection all the values for ?are less than ? by an average of 4. 5 degrees. This shows the effect the coefficient of friction and the elasticity of the cushions on the table. Method: The first part to the method was to collect the correct apparatus. This included finding a ramp to launch the ball each time. This is more suitable that a cue because I could keep the velocity constant with the ramp. No ramp existed for launching snooker balls so I made one using a mudguard mounted on a wood frame. The ramp was made so that the ball rolled down the rims of the guard so that it did not hit the screw fixing along the centre of the mudguard seen in the picture. The ramp was modified so that just before the end of the ramp the rims were made wider so that the ball was released on to the surface without bouncing. The ramp was tested before the experiment so see if it was accurate enough to hit the same point consistently, which it achieved. The ramp also considered the height the ball was released every launch by a notch at the top of the ramp. (see picture) The ball was held at the top of the ramp by a single figure holding the centre of the ball, this reduced spin on the ball when travelling down the slope. The same ball was used every launch to eliminate variables. The ramp was positioned on the surface so that it was always the same distance for a marked point on the cushion. The ramp was moved along this perimeter to change the angle of approach. To position the ramp I used trigonometry using the lengths of two cushions. Below is an example of the calculations required to put the ramp in the exact place. This value was then measured up the black line on the diagram above and traced onto the perimeter of the cushion points semi circle. This method was accurate but as the angle increased the ramp was moved closer to the cushion opposite the marker point. This meant the table was too narrow to continue readings, so I had to change the adjacent length to allow the readings to continue. When the ramp was correctly lined up, which was done by trial and improvement of rolling balls down the ramp, I ran the test three times to get an average. Each run of the experiment measured the distance from the cushion to the perpendicular cushion where the ball had hit. This was then processed in the same way but the opposite way round. This was then repeated for all the angles between 10? and 90?. All the readings taken were measured to the nearest 0. 5 of a cm. This has been taken into consideration in the table of results. The pictures show the markings in chalk on the table. The picture to the left has the 50? , 70? and 90? markings on it. Results: This table continues to show the coefficient of restitution as a result from comparing the two angles. These values for the coefficient of restitution varied from 0. 5495 to 0. 7535, which showed that the collisions were not constant. This is down to either inconstancies in launching the ball or different frictional values along the balls path that could cause spin. Before I analyse the results more carefully I will point out the values in the table that I think are the most reliable. The values include 0. 7062, 0. 7277 and 0. 7535; these are taken from the angles ranging between 50? , 60? and 70?. At these angles the collision between the ball and the cushion is more consistent and there is less component force parallel to the cushion to make the ball slide through the mark on the cushion. The graph shows the upper and lower bound for the coefficient of restitution, it was necessary to include the upper and lower bounds due to the inaccuracies of the measured angles. The lengths were measured to the nearest millimetre. The prediction stated that the coefficient of restitution should be constant at 0. 8. The results show that the coefficient never reaches this level so there is clearly a factor that needs explaining. The difference is probably because of the frictional effect on the ball and a variation of spin on the ball as it rolled down the ramp. Also there would have been slight inconsistencies in my method due to human inaccuracy. Corrections On review of the method I have found that the I have translated the model into my method with a small mistake. The angles that I initially measured were measuring from the wrong point on the ball. The trig method I used meant the balls centre had to hit the cushion; instead it was the surface of the ball. To correct this mistake I had to look at the diameter of the ball and decrease the according lengths. The balls diameter was 52 mm so this meant I had to decrease the two measurements perpendicular to the cushion. These were D1 and D2, the table below shows the corrections made followed by the corrected graph. These corrections changed the angles of ? so that the smaller angles got smaller and larger angles stayed the same. This had the effect of deducing the coefficient of restitution for the smaller angles but not for the larger angles. This is why the corrected graph starts lower and then maps onto the original graph. As well as the variation due to human inaccuracy in measuring shown above there are other forms of variation that affected my results, these were spin and sliding. The effect of these is too complicated so I have explained them and drawn diagrams to give an idea. Both of these could have changed the results by an unknown amount. Due to personal experience of the game it is usually for the ball to slide more along the cushion at smaller angles, this could be because of friction and would explain the difference between my results and the predictions. On the diagram is shown the ball sliding through the mark. The ball is supposed to hit the black mark, but instead hits at the red mark and rolls along the cushion to leave at the light green mark. Concise points for improving the players games * With small angles of attack the player must realize that the ball will be at a higher chance of experiencing sliding so will depart the collision at a smaller angle. * For high angles of attack the angle of departure will be slightly under the angle of approach. Evaluation To improve this experiment to get the best possible results from it think the introduction of a video camera could help position the ball on the cushion. This would work by having a measure attached to the side of the table and then video taping the balls cushion with the cushions. This would give more accurate marks. To reduce spin on the ball I would add a rubber surface to the ramp to ensure the ball had to roll down the slope and not spin or slide. This would set the ball rolling and so the points where the ball collided would be more accurate. The predictions came from a source off the Internet and they might not be the correct for the pool table I used. The predicted coefficient was an average for most pool tables, but really in order to evaluate this method I need the accurate coefficient for my table. This could be found by using light gates to measure the speed of the ball off the ramp and after the collision with the cushion. The speed of departure over the speed of approach would have given me the correct coefficient to compare to my results. Overall the correlation between the predicted results and my results is very bad, this means that my model is very basic and does not look at the effects on the table, such as spin and sliding. The model comparison has show me the effect of the certain variables and hopefully will improve my future games. Mechanics 2 Coursework James Ashley-Smith.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

History and background of medical tourism

History and background of medical tourism CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION The practice of travelling abroad to obtain medical and health care services is called as medical tourism. The benefits of medical tourism are getting widely popular among people because people are getting aware about the benefits of medical tourism like the lower cost of the medical procedures and can enjoy their holiday in a exotic location during the recovery period. This outsourcing for health care is grown as a new trend and many American and European tourists prefer medical tourism for cosmetic and medical procedures. The countries which are lack of advanced medical procedures leads the people living there to fly abroad to get appropriate medical services. The practice of travelling abroad is a trend which developed from the ancient period and there is a long history of people travelling to other countries for health purposes. In Italy and throughout the Roman provinces, the Ancient Romans constructed resorts with thermal health spas, and the Ancient Greeks would travel to [on the Saronic Gulf] to visit the sanctuary of the healing god, Asklepios, who revealed remedies to them in their dreams (Bookman and Bookman 2007: 4-5). From the 15th to 17th centuries, the poor sanitary conditions in Europe prompted an interest by the rich in medicinal spas, mineral springs and the seaside for health purposes. These wealthy individuals would also travel to renowned medical schools for medical assistance (Swarbrooke and Horner 2007: 16, 33). This continued into the 18th and 19th centuries where spa towns, particularly in the south of France, became popular for health cures, the sun, and escaping the cold climatic conditions in the north of Europe (Holden 2006: 21-23). The rapid urbanisation and social change experienced during Industrialisation aggravated the unsanitary and poor living environments in Britain and some sections of Europe, with anti-urban values and a growing concern for health developing as a result (Holden 2006: 30). The formation of the railways allowed increasing and diverse flows of people to more distant seaside and coastal resorts, which provided a distinctive and escapist environment from urban isation, and the opportunity to practice what was viewed as a healthy pastime of sun-seeking (Holden 2006: 30; Swarbrooke and Horner 2007: 16,33) Spa tourism and sun-seeking persisted into the 20th century. Medicinal springs, spas, Beaches and resorts, particularly in warm and dry climates, continued to be considered therapeutic through long exposures to the sun, fresh air and water (Swarbrooke and Horner 2007: 33).Thus it is easy to understand that the health tourism has developed from the ancient age with myths and beliefs and as cure from natural resources to the current stage of various medical and surgical procedures and cosmetic therapies and for alternative therapies like yoga, naturopathy and ayurvedic medicine. Michael Moody (2007) indicates that the medical tourism trend began when residents of one country would go to another country to have cosmetic or dental procedures completed while on vacation or to recover from such procedures in a vacation like destination. Today, countries like India, the East Indies, South America and South East Asia offer treatment facilities at par with international standards at just a fraction of cost. The factors such as high cost of healthcare in developed countries, long waiting list in government medical facilities and the reduction of air fare are the majority of reasons which contributed for the growth of the medical tourism. The hospitals in India, the East Indies, South American countries and South East Asia offer a high quality medical care which is par with international standards in very cheap money compared to developed nations. India is one of worlds favorite tourist destinations and has many hospitals of international standard and English speaking staffs and therefore there are less chances of language barrier for the western patients. India has alternative therapies like Yoga naturopathy siddha and ayurvedic medical practices. One of the recent survey conducted in India on the healthcare indicates that the medical tourism in India will grow to US $ 125 to 250 million in the year 2012.(CII McKinsey study).The low cost and high standard treatment and care are the reasons which accelerates the medical tourism in India. The following example will illustrate about the economical as well as tourist benefits of medical tourism in India. Howard Staab, a self-employed carpenter from North Carolina, flew to India for his medically necessary heart surgery, scheduled a side trip to the TajMahal, and returned home to work in North Carolina. He spent a total of less than $10,000, instead of the $200,000 required from t he local hospital ( Milstein and Smith 2006).This indicates that India has patients for procedures like heart surgery which requires state of art facilities and highly skilled medical team. Other than that it also shows the money difference when compared with developed nations. Kerala like any other states in India also has lot of potential to be a market leader in medical tourism. Kerala often described as Gods own countryis one of the favorite tourist destinations in India. The geography of Kerala is embellished with lush green coconut groves, scenic beaches, tranquil backwaters and enriched culture. There is a pride of place in the field of medicine for this Indian state and medical tourism is the new facet of Kerala. Medical tourism is very popular in some states of India and this study focuses on a city of Kerala state. Kerala is considered one of the most favorite tourist destinations in India because of its beaches, hills, lagoons, backwaters and enriched culture. This state has tremendous potential to boom its medical tourism and the tourism industry is promoting itself with several ayurvedic and health packages. This study focuses on the trends of medical tourism in the city of Trivandrum which is located on the southernmost state of India called Kerala. This city is the current capital of the state of Kerala and it is known for its scenic beauties and beaches.This city also has several international standard hospitals and traditional ayurvedic resorts and clinics. Objective of the Research Study The principle aim of this study was to investigate and critically analyse the recent trends in the medical tourism in the Trivandrum, the southernmost city of India. This study also analyses the behavior of the medical tourist and their expectations in the services provided by the hospital or the clinic and the tourist operators or agencies. This study also focuses to address the a gap that exists in similar study conducted before. The aim was to address the gap between available literature and demand for further research on the subject by adopting a clearly defined and structured research design, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Find the factors that drive Medical Tourism in Trivandrum Analyse the issues which determine success of medical tourism in Trivandrum Identify the problems faced by Medical Tourism in Trivandrum Make suitable suggestions for improvement of Medical Tourism in Trivandrum Rationales The first and foremost reason for choosing the topic of the study is to lay out before the readers the state of the Indian medical tourism sector at a moment in time when it is in great flux. Moreover the author was working in one such hospital which was market leader in medical tourism in the city of Trivandrum. The medical tourism sector is believed to be a great boon of economical growth in Kerala and therefore by doing a study at this particular time may give readers awareness about the situation challenges and scopes. Other than that medical tourism it is an area of interest of the author as he wants to analyse the trends and issues involved in the medical tourism industry in Trivandrum city. The purpose of this research note is to outline some of the challenges and opportunities ahead, as health tourism finds its prominence in the practical and conceptual domains of tourism. Further there are predictions for Trivandrum city to flourish with medical tourism in next five to ten y ears and it is right time to analyse the challenges and scopes ahead. Structure of the study This study explores the trends of medical tourism in Trivandrum city and the issues around it. The need for further research on the topic has been established with carrying out a secondary research followed by primary research and by comparing evaluating the primary and secondary research. According to McDaniels carrying out exploratory research will gave the researcher clarification to understand the magnitude of topic area and thereby permitted a clearer and stronger perception of the environment and the situation which arise within it. (McDaniels, 2001). CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW The medical tourism has an advantage of providing cost effective medical care collaborating with the health care industry and with the travelling industry to the patients who need medical treatment in a location different to their home town. Thus medical tourism occurs with the combination of healthcare services and tourism and travel domain. The facts that led the growth of the medical tourism are the availability cheap and high quality medical care in one geographical location and existence of long queue of patients for medical procedure and high prices of medical care in one geographical region. The outcome of these factors is the growth of medical tourism resulting in people moving to another geographical location for health care. DEFINITION The term medical tourism is a term coined in recent period but the practise seems to exist from ancient period and the trends in medical tourism have changed with the time. The health tourist travel to their favourite destination for different medical and surgical procedures, cosmetic surgeries, alternative medicine, and spas and health resorts. The considerations and risk for different procedures vary accordingly. The medical tourism has gained social, economical and political interest but it has gained scant attention in tourism literature generally. Bookman and Bookman (2007) define medical tourism as travel with the aim of improving ones health, and also an economic activity that entails trade in services and represents the splicing of at least two sectors: medicine and tourism. The health tourism is seen as means of leisure oriented and stress relief as many people opt for sun and spas. Although there is no single definition for health tourism, it could be broadly defined as people traveling from their place of residence for health reasons (Ross 2001). Several demographic, economic, and lifestyle factors are driving such tourism (Handszuh and Waters 1997; Ross, 2001). Bennett et al. (2004: 123) acknowledge a liberal definition of health tourism would be any pleasure-orientated tourism which involves an element of stress relief, meaning it is an enjoyable and relaxing activity Pollock and Williams (2000: 165), Laws (1996 in Henderson 2004: 112) and tries to see the health tourism with the view that it is a separation between the ordinary and the extraordinary; the everyday world of work and home versus the combination of health and tourism in leisure, recreational and educational activities. Then Schofield has a view that health tourism is a means to achieve improvement in physical, mental and social well being. (Schofield 2004: 137). The above all definitions try to define health tourism as a means to escape from every day routine and improve stress free healthful life. Henderson (2004: 113) insists that health tourism as travel where the primary purpose is treatment in pursuit of better health that may involve hedonistic indulgences of spas and alternative therapies, while medical tourism incorporates health screening, hospitalization, and surgical operations. Ross (2001) after analysing various factors and literature tries to define health tourism as any kind of tourism that involves a person or his family member for the purpose of wellbeing and he considers that health tourism mainly focuses on two main domains as pampering and wellness. Pampering are services like massage, herbal wraps and exfoliating scrubs whereas wellness involves with improving physical and mental state and sometime it may involve with the treatment. MEDICAL TOURISM AND ITS TRENDS The concept of medical tourism have undergone many changes in recent times and there is a change in the trends like people from developed countries moving to developing countries for medical procedures for the difference in the cost. The global medical standards and regulations have been implemented in different countries and this in turn raises the number of people seeking cost advantage and best treatment in their preferred destination. The market of medical tourism depends on awareness and application of significant issues such as social diversities, consumer benefits, branding of products, legal frame work infrastructure, target markets, the actual product and communication channels (Dannell Mugumba).Therefore it is understood that the people from developed countries choose their destination after analysing various features and therefore there exist high competition between the countries to promote medical tourism. The one more key component in this medical tourism is the medical concierge services. These are medical travel companies that provide service to the traveller and they act as a link between tourist and the destination (Lagiewski, 2007).They have a vital role in the tourist experience from planning, stay, and post stages of the trip. The medical travel guide meets the tourist at the airport and he is the local agent who works as interpreter, guide and assists the tourist to stay in communication with his loved ones in his home. (Smith and Forgione, 2007). According to Connell (2006) the ability to the countries to ensure the medical tourist that healthcare is of safe quality is a vital factor and this will be the main barrier for a destination to promote itself as most favourite destination In order to combat this concern, international accrediting agencies are in the process of certifying the quality and safety of global healthcare delivery. The tourist decides to engage in medical tourism on the basis of five a factor identified by Lagieweskii.Her study identifies the first and foremost as the alternative healthcare facility to their countrys facility which should be of high standard and at affordable cost. This factor is the main factor and when the tourist is satisfied with first factor the next will be cost of treatment and travel of great importance. The tourist may seek other country because of the e big waiting list in their home country. There may be some reasons like remote destination for tourist for certain cosmetic proced ures. The nature of the country is also an important factor because tourist seeks a country free from risk factors associated with safety, security and actability. ( Lagiewski,2007). The country trying to make itself as most preferred destination for medical tourism it should emphasize on the fact that its overall appeal and the experiences offered to the other competing destinations. (Dwyer and Kim 2003).Dwyer and Kim insists that the destination should have the competitive advantage to become successful in the medical tourism industry. According to Dwyer and Kim the existence of two type of resource group may lead to achieve competitive advantage. They are the endowed resources and created resources. Endowed resources are natural heritage and cultural attributes to a specific destination and created resources are services associated with the tourist such as accommodation, food and beverage establishments, and manmade attraction. There can be created resources such as special events entertainment and shopping which adds extra value to he destination. There can be supporting factors such as general infrastructure; quality of service; accessibility of the destinat ion; hospitality of the host population; and market ties. Growth has been facilitated by the rise of the Internet, and the emergence of new companies, that are not health specialists, but brokers between international patients and hospital networks. It has also grown because of rapidly improving health care systems in some key countries, where new technologies have been adopted. Above all it has followed the deliberate marketing of health care (in association with tourism) as medical care has gradually moved away from the public sector to the private sector, ensuring that a growing majority of people, especially in the richest countries, and particularly in the United States, must pay-often considerably-for health care Finally, the factors like growth in medical tourism is done by the changing life style where people are ready to undergo cosmetic surgery, involving such elective procedures as rhinoplasty, liposuction, breast enhancement or reduction, LASIK eye surgery and so on, or more simply the removal of tattoos, have created new demands. Various forms of dental surgery, especially cosmetic dental surgery, are not covered by insurance in countries like the UK and Australia; hence dental tourism has become particularly common. In Asia these trends are the unlikely child of new global realities: the fallout of terrorism, the Asian economic downturn, internet access to price information, and the globalisation of health services (Levett, 2005) India and medical tourism India is a country of rich culture and heritage and one of the most favorite destinations for tourism. It is one of the existing oldest civilizations in the world for a period of more than 4000 years and it has fusion of traditions, customs and diversity. (myindia).The survey conducted by lonely planet about the worlds favourite tourist destination among 134 countries ranks India as one among the worlds top 5 tourist destination.(lonelyplanet) There are similar surveys and rankings for India as National Geographic describes India as Land of mystery and majesty. The company i explore also ranks India as one of the tp 5 destinations in world. The Forbes traveller states India as one the fast growing travel markets. (ICRImedical tourism) A number of destinations within India developed as havens for rest and recuperation such as hill stations at Darjeeling and the lakes in Kashmir where during the colonial era members of British era would retreat for cool breeze and a change of scenery. Late during the 19th century people began travelling India in search of alternative life style often focusing on yoga or meditation and following the footsteps of celebrities. India is building on these traditions as a wellness destination by a developing expertise in medical tourism (Garcia Altes 2005: conell 2006a). The main marketing segments for medical tourism in India are patients from USA and European and middle east nations, while growing niche is formed by Indian expatriates ,particularly those live in USA and the UK.(Conell 2006), who combine medical treatment with visits to family and friends. Medical tourism as a niche has emerged from the rapid growth of what has become an industry, where people travel often long distances to overseas countries to obtain medical, dental and surgical care while simultaneously being holidaymakers, in a more conventional sense. It has grown dramatically in recent years primarily because of the high costs of treatment in rich world countries, long waiting lists (for what is not always seen institutionally as priority surgery), the relative affordability of international air travel and favorable economic exchange rates, and the ageing of the often affluent post-war baby-boom generation. Growth has been facilitated by the rise of the Internet, and the emergence of new companies, that are not health specialists, but brokers between international patients and hospital networks. It has also grown because of rapidly improving health care systems in some key countries, where new technologies have been adopted. Above all it has followed the delibera te marketing of health care (in association with tourism) as medical care has gradually moved away from the public sector to the private sector, ensuring that a growing majority of people, especially in the richest countries, and particularly in the United States, must pay-often considerably-for health care Medical tourism is an important part of the Indian tourism industry and holds immense growth potential. The medical tourism sector had experienced a phenomenal growth in the flow of medical tourists from10,000 patients in 2000 to stupendous 180,000 by 2005. (Source: RNCOS report on Indian Tourism Industry Forecast (2007-2011) The Indian government takes meticulous steps in promoting medical tourism and it tries to increase the growth of foreign medical tourist by providing medical visas called M visas. These M visas are valid for one year and it is issued for the accompanies and Indian ministry of tourism has stocked its 13 overseas offices with information regarding these visas.( Meleigy) In 2002,2.2 million foreigners visited India :those numbers increased by 20 percent the following year(Mathew 2004).The tourist literature produced by the Indian government portrays India as a country rooted in tradition and also sufficiently modern to offer western style amenities (Bandyoupdhay and Morais 2005) A study by McKinsey and Confederation of Indian Industry says that at its current pace of growth, healthcare tourism alone can rake over 8,000 crore additional revenue by 2012.(cii mckinsey study) There are several states in India and the private hospitals in India target for the medical tourist other than the home patients. The southern state of Kerala which is very rich in culture and heritage and ancient medical practice like Ayurvediac ,Siddha and Yoga leads in attracting the foreign tourist for medical health and leisure tourism. Kerala Kerala is a bizarre anomaly among developing nations, a place that offers real hope for the future of the Third World. Consider: This small state in India, though not much larger than Maryland, has a population as big as Californias and a per capita annual income of less than $300. But its infant mortality rate is low, its literacy rate among the highest on Earth, and its birthrate below Americas and falling faster. Keralas citizens live nearly as long as Americans or Europeans. Though mostly a land of paddy-covered plains, statistically Kerala stands out as the Mount Everest of social development; theres truly no place like it. The National Geographic Traveler, which once made Kerala the cynosure of all eyes in the world travel circuit by describing it as one of the 50 paradises in the world. (National Geographic) Kerala is one of the most visited tourists destination of India. It is globally famous for its enchanting tourists attractions that are off beat than any other tourists places in the world. Every year hundred and thousands of tourists from all over the world come to Kerala to enjoy holidays in splendor. The state is endowed with palm fringed beaches, verdant hill stations, captivating beaches, emerald paddy fields, historical churches and more of all picturesque backwaters. This makes the marketing medical tourism easier in Kerala. Accreditation of health centers The quality of the medical care is the first and foremost factor considered by the medical tourist. According to the medical tourism association the accreditation is the means of way to attain safety and overall positive results to the patients who travel from one country to another for treatment purposes. The medical tourist can look into the accreditation to ensure the safety of the treatment in the hospital. The accreditation program is very essential to help patients, employers and insurance companies who can look into the accreditation status and thereby can find the hospitals with highest quality of care during their entire patient experience. The medical tourism industry grows day by day and therefore there is a necessity to ensure that hospitals, clinic and rehabilitation centers entering medical tourism posses proper infrastructure to meet the medical tourist. There is a need to certify that the center has proper communication facilities, transparency in quality and pricing, informed consent, proper medical care and further follow up facilities. The accreditation is focused on the fact that international patients have special needs and requirements than domestic patients. The accreditation is usually given by bodies which may by government or non government with the panel of expert members to examine and find whether the organization meets the requirements.(medical tourism association) The accreditation to the allopathic medical practice in Trivandrum is provided by the international accreditation bodies such as Joint Commission International (JCI), ISO 9001 2000 etc. Other than the international bodies Trivandrum city has hospitals certified by NABH, a board set up by government of India. (See appendix).These are the major accreditations of medical service in India. The ayurvedic practice is the unique specialty and most popular medical practice in India and they have accreditation done by Body set up by Government of Kerala as Green leaf and Olive leaf and green leaf is the highest degree of accreditation and its followed by olive leaf and these accreditation ensures the quality of ayurvedic treatment in Kerala. (expresshealthcare) Ayurvedic tourism in Kerala Kerala is usually marketed as a health destination for its ayurveda packages. Medical tourism is marketed along with ayurveda and other health packages. Kerala ayurveda tourism has becoming a huge selling point for Kerala tourism industry. State promotes Kerala ayurveda tourism as a part of medical tourism to the world. Today popularity of Kerala ayurvedic treatment has gained such a momentum that tourist from across the world come to Kerala to rejuvenate and for therapeutic treatment. Ayurvedic medical practice is the most ancient medical system originated in India before 10,000 years ago and in India the ayurvedic practice is more popular in kerala where it is practiced in traditional way. As per ayurveda specialists, the rainy season (June August) is the best time for ayurvedic treatments as the atmosphere remains dust free and cool, which helps open the pores of the body to the maximum.(Messerli and Oyama 2004) Ayurveda believes in the treatment of not just the affected part, but the individual as a whole. Kerala ayurvedic treatments and rejuvenation therapies are natural way to refresh and eliminate all toxic imbalances from the body and to regain resistance and good health. Most of the ayurvedictherapies help to strengthening the immune system, preventing and curing diseases without any side effects. There are number of resorts and hospitals throughout state which are integral parts of Kerala ayurveda tourism and offering customized ayurveda holiday packages which help you to rejuvenate the body and soul and to start a fresh life. Kerala ayurveda provides number of treatments ranging from de-stressing, anti-ageing, weight loss, joint pains and general rejuvenation. Elements of medical tourism in Trivandrm Review of similar studies.

The Dynamics of Marxism Essay -- essays research papers

The Dynamics of Marxism   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Human relationships have always been dynamic. Change and adaptability have gone hand in hand with the passing of time for human society. Karl Marx’s views on Industrialization and the bourgeoisie had a major impact on how we view our industrial alignment today. Marx and Engel’s The Communist Manifesto gives broad views on the subject of the middle class and how they fit into a society that was ruled by feudalism and aristocracy. Capitalism becomes a major topic in a socialist-based society that underwent many changes as industrialization progressed. A government must be dynamic in its nature reflecting the change in society. At times aristocracy has refused to allow society to adapt to the changes that the bourgeoisie have gone through. Charles Dickens’ â€Å"Hard Times† offers a distinct view of the conditions of middle-class worker during this period of change. Revolution of the working man is discussed and many principles are brought out to dictate the way that many of these workers were treated during this time. Karl Marx’s theory of economic evolution addresses some of these points that are brought out in â€Å"Hard Times.† Marxism and economic theory of Marxism was formulated in the 19th century. Karl Marx is said to be the greatest thinker and philosopher of his time. His views on life and the social structure of his time revolutionized the way in that people think of socialism. He created an opportunity for the lower class to rise above the aristocrats, but failed due to the creation of the middle class. Despite this failure, he was still a great political leader and set the basis of Communism in Russia. His life contributed to the way people think today, and because of him people are more open to suggestion and are quicker to create ideas on political issues. Marx is unique from other philosophers in that he chooses to regard man as a human being, not a piece of meat. He believed that a man’s struggle comes from man’s awareness of himself as an individual and as something separate from nature. He sees that history is just the story of man creating and re-creating himself, and that a â€Å"god† has no part in it. This is a major reason why he left his C hristian background behind and converted to Communism. Marx also says that the more a man works, the less he has for himself. These views support his arguments... ...lutionized a nation with his in-depth analysis of a society that was having industrial success, but being torn apart socially at the same time. He did not want industrialization to go he wanted the socialist to wise up with their thinking. His impact on England shows, but he also had impact on other countries. His views carried over into other powerful countries such as the Soviet Union and China. If it were not for Marx, the then Soviet Union and China would not be the same as they are today. They would positively be operating through a different government today. Karl Marx is considered to be a revolutionist of England and the father of Communism. Some may question his views and possibly his religious beliefs, but he can still be labeled a revolutionist. â€Å"In these troubled times, to believe in the possibility of helping to make the world a better place, and to commit ones life to that, makes one a revolutionary (Le Blanc 44).† Karl Marx exemplifies many of the quali ties that we have found in many revolutionists that have changed the world that we live in today. His views are still cherished by many European minds and taken heed when creating structure in society.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Should Ritalin :: essays research papers

Should Ritalin, which is a stimulant be used to help cope Attention Deficit Disorder. Attention Deficit Disorder or ADD is a neurobiological disorder. â€Å"Neurobiological† refers to the structure and functions of part of the brain. People with ADD may have imbalances or differences in the chemicals used by the brain to control activity, attention, motor skills and other aspects of behavior. Ritalin (methylphenidate) belongs to the class of drugs known as stimulants, which is considered a class II drug. It is essentially a form of speed. People with ADD tend to dislike people telling them what to do, and are very independent people. If you tell a child he is â€Å"bad† often he will most likely become bad. Tell her she’s â€Å"brilliant† and she will strive to achieve brilliance. ADD is a hereditary condition and it affects 25 million individuals in the U.S. ADD has many symptoms that would consider you having it If your attention span is short, but can come intensely focused for long periods of time, poor planner: disorganized and impulsive, distorted sense of time: unaware of how long it will take to do something, impatient, has difficulty following directions, daydreamer and lacking in the social graces. There are definitely other ways to help ADD with out using a medication; you have natural options that are available for you to try which I believe to be the best options: Environment the next step, cleaned up the boy’s environment. Limit the amount of television watched (encourage educational for shows and discourage the violent shows) cut down on the amount of sugar intake as well as caffeine. No longer allow red dye products and have cut down on the amount of dairy products they consume. Professional Counseling Allow an outside party to look at all aspects of the ADD problem and worked to come up with solutions together. Sessions with the counselor included structured testing and evaluation, hearing and sight testing, as well as emotional evaluation. Parenting Technique The last approach we have been using is a parenting technique called "Love & Logic."1 This program allows they boys to make decisions and live with the consequences of those decisions. You don’t always have to turn to a drug when there is a problem sometimes it’s best not too. Ritalin is not actually a drug that helps you, it is temporary and it wears right off estimating from the amount of milligrams pertained per day.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Fertilizers :: essays research papers

Fertilizers are substances added to the soil sprayed on leaves of plants to help them grow better or in some cases faster. Plants need twenty essentail elements to help them grow. Plants make carbohydrates. A plant needs nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, sulfur, and magnesium the most to grow healthy. Most soils naturally contain enough trace elements for field crops, but such elements must be added when certain fruits and vegetable plants are grown. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are the top three elements needed in plant growth. Legumes are plants which absorb nitrogen gas from the air and bring the gas to the ground. Legumes are planted over with other crops and those plants get the required amount of nitrogen and grow healthy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are two kinds of fertilizers. There is organic and inorganic. Organic fertilizers are bonemeal, fishmeal, blood, and farmyard manuer. Inorganic manuer is Nitrogen, potassium or any other element necessary in the aid of plant growth. If one accidently digests inorganic fertilizer, he or she must see a doctor as soon as possible. One can get red eyes, itchiness, and or stomach problems.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During World War 2, the government built many factories to absorb nitrogen gas from the air and to use them in explosives. Soon after the war, these factories were used to absorb nitrogen gas and to be used as a fertilizer. This method was inexpensive and farmers were now actually making a profit. By 1985, farmers used approximately eleven million tons of nitrogen a year. This is eight times more than what farmers used in 1950.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The most widely used fertilizer is pure ammonia. It is kept in liquid form under pressure in steel tanks. Three solid nitrogen fertilizers are ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, and ammonium phosphate. Two common phosphorus fertilizers are superphosphate and triple superphosphate. Phosphorous fertilizer is made by treating phosphate rock with sulfuric acid. Potassium sulfate and potassium nitrate are used on crops that are harmed by chlorides.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The term straight fertilizer stands for any material that supplies one of the three principal macronutrients. The three macronutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Mixed fertilizers are fertilizers that supply more than one macronutrient. This information is neccesary to one who is intrested in purchasing fertilizer. The fertilizer companies or manufacturers basically list every package or container with three numbers. For example a package that says 4-16-18, contains 4 percent nitrogen, 16 percent phosphoric oxide, and 18 percent potassium oxide.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

An eye opener from an article about the black holocaust Essay

Reading Journal Week 2 Alt. Black Holocaust When Dr. Lewis mentioned this alternative reading to do, and warned us that it is very depressing, and basically told us to only read if we desire as much, I kind of took that as a challenge. Being competitive in nature, I always try to step above what people think I can handle. This article of the black holocaust, I will admit made me sort of regret that. I found tears coming out. There were many times I shook my head just thinking, â€Å"talk about the cruelness of humanity†! Those slaves skin may be black but the souls of those white men were much darker. One thing I found absolutely atrocious was the belief that black men had no soul. They would rape there men and women, and while that was morally unacceptable to act towards their fellow white men, it was completely acceptable to rape a black person because they had no soul anyway. If you raped a white woman, you could see the despair in there soul yet when you rape a black woman, all you see is a screaming black woman. To add to that, the fellow white crew of the ship blamed the Africans for the lustful behavior due to their nudity which they forced them to do. They claimed that they have rarely if at all, seen a naked white woman so they blamed the Africans because they saw plenty of them. Another thing that was absolutely sad and devastating was how they forced the blacks to rest. They had a choice to either lay down with less space above them than a person in a coffin or sit on the higher ends which had splinters and blood everywhere. It kind of reminded me of Jesus who supposedly died on the cross and while he was hung there was a nail at his feet he could stand on to relieve the pressure from his arms, but in price had to gravely hurt his feet. For these kinds of actions, I couldn’t blame those Africans for trying to jump ship and let the sharks eat them because what they were dealing with seemed like a fate worse than death. I would’ve attempted the same thing. I understand at this time, morals were different and it was acceptable to treat black skins the way they did, but with my way of thinking now, this was just painful to read. I would’ve had a much easier time reading the other stories but at the same time, I am glad I read this because it really hits me now how badly we treated our slaves in our early days. I read something close to this once called â€Å"The Narrative of Frederick Douglass†. I will definitely add this excerpt to my list of readings that have influenced my feelings on the cruelty of racism and slavery.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Medical expenses †deductibility in personal income taxation

Federal Income tax code specifies the generally deductible expenses in the personal taxation of an individual which include medical expenses, certain taxes, mortgage interest, investment interest and charitable contributions. These deductions mentioned in the chapter are known as itemized deductions. It has to be noted that any expenditures not specifically allowed as itemized deductions are not allowable against the personal income subject to tax. Medical expenses paid out by the taxable individual on himself, spouse and dependents are allowed as an itemized deduction. The additional points to be noted are that the deduction is allowed only to the extent to which the medical expenses are not reimbursed and the deduction is limited to 7.5% of the taxpayers Adjusted Gross Income. 1.0   DEFINITION OF MEDICAL EXPENSES The definition of medical expenses is very broad to cover not only the expenses incurred for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of the disease but also covers expenses incurred for preventive health cover and costs of periodic physical and dental examinations of the taxpayer. The important point here is that such deductions are allowed even when the taxpayer is in good health. Hence, such medical expenses incurred for the treatment of diseases affecting any structure or function of the body are termed as medical expenses for the purpose of assessing the income for tax purposes. 2.0   COSMETIC SURGERY-DEDUCTIBILITY Expenses incurred for Cosmetic Surgery are deductible when the surgery is necessary to ameliorate a deformity arising from a congenial abnormality or a personal injury or A disfiguring disease. Any medical expenses incurred on cosmetic surgery for purposes other than those which are unnecessary are not deductible. For example, fees paid to a cosmetic surgeon for a face lift of a person of 75 years age to improve his appearance is unnecessary and hence not deductible. But the cost of restoring the face by cosmetic surgery, which is disfigured in an accident, is deductible. 3.0   DEDUCTIBILITY OF CERTAIN OTHER EXPENSES 4.1 COSTS INCURRED IN A NURSING HOME/HOME FOR AGED When a person is admitted in a nursing home or home for the aged primarily to get medical care, then the expenses incurred for the nursing home expenses including meals and lodging are allowable as a deduction. However if the primary concern for being admitted to the nursing home or the home for aged is personal, only the expenses paid for medical or cursing is deductible, whereas, costs of lodging and meals are not deductible. 4.2 TUITION EXPENSES When a dependent is sent to a school having special resources for alleviating the infirmities caused by mental or physical disability, the tuition expenses paid to the school is an allowable deduction. In such cases, the cost of meals and lodging in addition to the tuition fees is allowable. 4.3 MEDICAL EXPENSES INCURRED FOR SPOUSE AND DEPENDENTS A taxpayer is entitled to claim the deduction in his adjusted gross income of the medical expenses incurred by him on his/her spouse and for a person who is dependent on him/her at the time such expenses were incurred. Again the dependency is to be determined on the basis of certain criteria as spelt out in the Act and the schedules. 4.4 EXPENSES INCURRED ON TRANSPORTATION, MEALS AND LODGING FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT Transportation costs like bus, taxi, train or plane fare, charges for ambulance services and out of pocket expenses for the use of an automobile for commuting to and from a point of treatment for medical care are deductible. The taxpayer is entitled to choose either a mileage allowance or actual out-of-pocket automobile expenses. Deduction is allowed for the related parking fees and toll charges, whereas the cost of meals, en route are not allowed as a deduction. Similarly the cost of transportation of a parent accompanying a sick child or a nurse or other attendant accompanying a person who is traveling to get medical care is allowable, provided it is so that the patient can not travel alone and needs an aid to accompany during the journey. The Lodging expenses which are incurred essentially for medical care, when the medical care is provided by a doctor in a licensed hospital or clinic are allowed as deduction. No lavish or extravagant lodging expenses involving significant element of personal pleasure recreation or vacation in the travel away from home is allowed as deduction. The limit for such lodging expenses eligible for deduction is $50 per night for the patient as well as the person who must accompany the patient. 4.5 ALLOWABILITY MEDICAL INSURANCE PREMIUMS AS DEDUCTION The maximum limit of 7.5 % of the adjusted gross income of the taxpayer allowable as deduction include the medical insurance premiums, irrespective of the fact that such premiums are paid under a group or individual plan. When the medical insurance premium is paid by the employer such premium is not included in the income of the taxpayer and it cannot be included in the employee’s medical expense either. Insurance premiums paid by a self employed person are allowed as a business income. The premium paid for the spouse and dependents also qualify for deduction. Premiums paid by companies on their employees health care is allowed as business expenditure for the companies concerned. 4.0   DEDCUTION OF CAPITAL EXPENDITURES INCURRED FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES When swimming is a part of a medical treatment and there is no availability of a neighborhood pool then the capital expenses incurred on constructing such pool will become eligible for deduction. Similarly a Window Air-conditioner which is not permanent in nature, dust elimination system, elevators and a room built to house an iron lung are some of the examples of allowable capital expenditure. The basic criteria in determining the allowability of such expenditure is that they are required as medical necessity upon the advice of a doctor or physician, the facility is used primarily by the patient alone and the expenditure is reasonable. Similarly expenditure like constructing entrance and exit ramps to the residence widening hallways and doorways to accommodate wheelchair, installing support bars and railings in bathrooms and other living rooms and adjusting any electrical outlets or fixtures offer themselves eligible for deduction provided that the expenditure is incurred to enable a physically handicapped individual live independently and productively. If a capital expenditure is allowed as a medical expense, then the allowable cost is deductible in the year incurred. All these expenses are allowed subject to the overall ceiling of 7.5% of the adjusted gross income. 5.0   DEDUCTION ARE ALLOWED ON A CASH BASIS Whatever be the method of accounting adopted by the individual, the medical expenses are deductible on a cash basis. This means that the are deductible only in the year in which they are paid with an exception in the case of deceased person, when the expenses are paid within a year of death then the expenses would be deemed to have paid at the time when they are incurred. Deduction is not allowed currently for any medical expenses that is going to be incurred in the future, subject of course to the exception that the taxpayer has an obligation to pay the fees in advance under the policy of the physician or the institution furnishing the medical care.                                                          Works Cited          â€Å"Hoffman, Smith, Wills – Individual income taxes 2007 Chapter 10 pp 10-2 to 10-8 West Federal Taxation (Thomson)       Â