I Never Sang for My Father – Family Therapy

Tom Garrison was a mayor of a small town in Westchester County and highly respected by the community but most did not know that he was distant, cold and egocentric with his family. He had a negative relationship with his own father and idealized his mother. He drove his daughter away when she decided to marry a Jew, and alienated his son with his egocentricity, ritual storytelling and possessiveness. Tom has a history of being abusive toward his children, as Alice described to Gene, â€Å"he beat you when you were a kid. You've hated and feared him all your adult life. † Even Margaret admits that she suffered neglect from her husband. Tom's behavior causes difficulty forming close relationships with his family, and his strained relationship with his son peaks after his wife dies. Neither of them know what to do without her and they start to argue again. He shows two different sides of himself to the world and his family. His history seems to have impacted the way he interacts with his family members. He was distant from his father and is repeating that pattern with his own wife and children. He maintains distance from them and encourages the triangulation between his him, his wife, and his son, because it feels safer for him. He is also triangulated with the television. While he struggled during his childhood, he had become very successful and well respected as an adult. During the film he stated â€Å"early in life I developed a will of iron,† but Tom used that same â€Å"will of iron† to raise and control his children, and even drove away his own daughter because he refused to accept her choice of a husband because he was Jewish. The main conflicts within the family are that everyone fears Tom and that he pushes everyone away by ritually telling the same stories, bragging about his success, and showing little to no interest in his wife and children. His demanding methods and distant emotions prevent him and his grown children from being able to love and communicate with each other. The triangulated relationship begins to become evident when Tom and Gene were in the garage and Tom explained that he received Gene's letters from California. Gene's letters triggered Tom's anxiety about him moving away, so he talks to Gene about his mother, trying to transmit the anxiety onto his mother's health and Tom not being able to care for her in Gene's absence. If you were to go out there, I mean to live, it would kill your mother. God, you know you're her whole life† he said. He makes no statement about what effect it would have on him if Gene moved to California. Tom reinforces Gene as his mother's emotional lifeline because he is distant from both Tom and Margaret and can only work with the other two members by bringing in a second person. When Gene spoke to his mother about it, she confirmed the triangulation and asked him â€Å"wh y doesn't your father just admit that it would upset him? † If I had this family in therapy, I would start with creating a genogram, because I feel that's the least intrusive way to get a holistic picture of the family and help me understand multigenerational patterns. I would try to join the family by asking questions to get everyone on board, such as â€Å"Do you want to continue to react to him in ways that keep conflict going, or would you rather feel more in charge of your life? † to help build an environment conducive to movement and change, and ask the family to role play so that I could see and intervene with how they interact with one another. If the wife was still alive, the goal would be to bring the husband and wife into a closer relationship to prevent the triangulation from continuing. If the wife had already passed then the goal would be to help the remaining three in the family talk about the role of the mother and come up with rules for boundaries so that expectations could be clear and they would have a better understanding of themselves. At the end of the movie Gene and Tom's relationship was very strained, because they didn't have the support of the mother anymore and they were left to deal with their relationship with each other as it was, without her help. When Gene asked Tom to move with him to California, Tom became angry, seeming to feel like â€Å"No one cares about me, I'm just the money making machine. † He refused to go and felt abandoned that Gene had even asked. If Tom had changed his response to Gene's proposal to move to California then it could have seriously impacted the future of the family because Tom and Gene didn't speak very much until he died. Tom could have asked Gene to tell him more about it, to invite a conversation, rather than to receive Gene's suggestion as an attack toward his quality as a father. Or if Tom saw his son's invitation as gesture of affection and had considered moving to California, the quality of their relationship would have likely improved. The story â€Å"I Never Sang For My Father† was touching and easily-personalized. Most families have difficulties trying to attain or maintain an adult relationship with one's parents. The relationship parent-child changes when the child grows into an adult and the child feels more empowered. Tom did not entertain the idea of Gene feeling more empowered as an adult, he treated him more like a child because it helped his ego. I felt angry at the father, seeing him as impossible, ignorant, and stubborn, but it's important for me to note that it's imperative that I'm aware that is my opinion based on projection from past experiences, and that some may become angry with the son for not confronting his father sooner. Keeping these biases in mind is helpful so that I remain neutral during family therapy and I look at the family from a systems perspective, not a â€Å"he's right and she's wrong† perspective. I resonate with this story because I'm an only child and I was triangulated with my parents for a while before my dad passed away. My dad wanted to be the good guy, so he would always go up to my mom to tell her to scold me for doing something, losing something, or anything. This was because my father didn't feel secure enough in himself to be able to scold me and know that we would still have a solid relationship. So in order to make up for his handicap of not being able to give me instructions, he had my mom step in, who was willing to be â€Å"the bad guy,† and had her scold me for him. In the end, he needed my mom to help him communicate with me because he had depended on her for so much. This makes me think of how Gene's mother was the bridge between Gene and his father, and when she died they were stuck with the relationship that they had. Fortunately, in my family center triangulation, my mother and I had a more solid relationship and could talk about things. This makes me think about my future with my spouse. What baggage will I carry with me from my family life? What will I likely triangulate for? I like to say that I have good communication and I don't see a reason to triangulate, but I don't believe myself because I think that the issue doesn't have to be big in order for triangulation to manifest. After watching this movie, I felt like family therapy looks like an impossible feat. I realized how many eyes are on you all the time when you're in session with a family. I imagine that those with social anxiety disorders or therapists who tend to be more introverted don't especially like group therapy or family therapy. If there is one thing that I take away from this class, it's that everything happens for a reason in a family. Everything manifests for a purpose, to serve some function in the family.

Like the Molave Essay

Not yet, Rizal, not yet. Sleep not in peace: There are a thousand waters to be spanned; there are a thousand mountains to be crossed; there are a thousand crosses to be borne. Our shoulders are not strong; our sinews are grown flaccid with dependence, smug with ease under another’s wing. Rest not in peace; Not yet, Rizal, not yet. The land has need of young blood-and, what younger than your own, Forever spilled in the great name of freedom, Forever oblate on the altar of the free? Not you alone, Rizal. O souls And spirits of the martyred brave arise! Arise and scour the land! Shed once again your willing blood! Infuse the vibrant red into our thin anemic veins; until we pick up your Promethean tools and, strong, Out of the depthless matrix of your faith in us, and on the silent cliffs of freedom, we carve for all time your marmoreal dream! Until our people, seeing, are become like the Molave, firm, resilient, staunch, rising on the hillside, unafraid, Strong in its own fiber, yes, like the Molave! II. Not yet, Rizal, not yet. The glory hour will come Out of the silent dreaming from the seven thousand fold silence We shall emerge, saying WE ARE FILIPINOS! and no longer be ashamed sleep not in peace the dream is not yet fully carved hard the wood but harder the woods yet the molave will stand yet the molave monument will rise and god’s walk on brown legs The Literary Interpretation Of Like The Molave: By: Rosie Normanton The main interpretation of the Filipino poem Like the Molave is one regarding how the people of the Philippines must work to make the nation stronger. The poem states that a region of the Philippines – Rizal – cannot yet rest, as there is still much work to be done to make the area successful. At the beginning of the poem, the poet outlines how the Philippines is dependent on other nations, and must work towards becoming independent in the future in order to support its citizens. Like The Molave also highlights the importance of the younger generation, and how they must fight for their country and improve the Filipino way of living. The poet believes this will grant the nation freedom. Like The Molave also talks about heroes and how they inspire regular Filipinos to be great themselves and joins them on the quest to make the Philippines a more prosperous place. The poem states that whilst many Filipinos are achieving great things for their country, there is still much m ore to be done and more residents must contribute to the efforts. In short, Like the Molave is about inspiring the Filipino nation to improve their country and make it self-sufficient.

Portfolio Project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Portfolio Project - Research Paper Example For constructing the portfolio, the stocks of internationally reputed companies like Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), South-west Airlines (LUV), IBM, Procter & Gamble (PG) and Hewlett & Packard (HPQ) has been selected. These companies pay dividend which is one of the pre-requisites set by the client. All the information relating to profitability, operations and other related activities of the company are easily accessible. This is important as the analysis of the company fundamentals is possible only if the requisite information is available. Moreover the selected companies belong to various sectors thus fulfilling the main purpose of portfolio i.e. ‘diversification’. Johnson & Johnson is the leading health services provider in US. The company extends support for the promotion of health and related services. It started its operations in the country nearly 20 years back and is presently working towards a global expansion. South-west Airlines is the leading airlines in US that managed to retain profitability even amidst the recent financial turmoil. During this time when the major airlines across the globe were struggling to stay afloat South-west Airlines managed its profitability status through efficient management operations. International Business Machines (IBM) is an IT company operating across five segments Global Business Services Segment (GBS), Global Technology Services (GTS) and Global Financing Segment. In the last few years the company has been engaged in the acquisition of companies like SPSS Inc, Lombardi, National Interest Security Company LLC etc (MSN Money-a, 2010). Procter & Gamble provides branded consumer goods. The company operates across 180countries through grocery stores, drug stores, mass merchandisers etc. Its business segments include beauty grooming, baby care, home care, health care, pet care family care and fabric care (MSN Money-b, 2010). The prices of all the above

A good man is hard to find Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A good man is hard to find - Research Paper Example The different cultural practices are slowly fading away as people continue to adopt cross-cultural adaptability. This has also led to the slow disappearance of the geographical boundaries and people are coming together to form one global unit. For the structure and experience of the  families in America, the 20th century was a period of significant change and evolution. By the 21st century, the old ideas of the patriarchal family structure where the father is viewed as the head of the family broke down. People started practicing family planning due to the harsh economic conditions. After few generations, the birthrate decreased and family units became smaller. This was a result of decrease in the number of families living together. By the 21st century, the rights of women and children slowly became acceptable (Coontz, 79). In the story by O’Connor, family roles take center stage. The size of individual families has been reducing and the demographic shift in composition has changed the structure and look of  American families. In 1900, families with seven or more people were common. The average household size in the U.S has decreased tremendously in the 20th century (Haines, 419-420). The single parenthood that is characteristic of the current American families is eminent in the story, since Bailey is the only child in his family and was raised by grandmother. The current American families are experiencing a rise in single-parenthood households. For the majority of the populations, the extended families are progressively reducing (Klein, 27). The readers view of the family is one that illustrates the disrespect and dissension that characterizes the current American familys relationships with one another. The story commences with Bailey’s mother trying to persuade him not to take family on a road trip to Florida. She shows him a newspaper article that is has a serial killer by the name of

Law problem Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Law problem - Article Example Although the FCC is responsible for regulating communication providers in the country, they clearly overstep their mandate when they appear to control the television channels and dictate the content that they air. The FCC cannot dictate what amount of money that these cable companies charge for fees. Subsequently, they are overstepping their mandate and these rules clearly exceed the authority given to them. Any appeal lodged against the FCC will be successful on these grounds. The FCC has a right to censor obscene or provocative language on the national radio. When Pacifica decided to broadcast, "Filthy Words†, they made that decision at their risk. The situation that they are in lies in the fact that they chose to air controversial content on the radio, without the use of censorship. Therefore, the FCC is justified in the decision that they made due to his careless conduct of the local radio station. The FCC may use its powers to suspend licenses of broadcasters who have breached indecency regulations. They may also suspend licenses, revoke licenses and deny applications for broadcast licenses based on these laws. For this reason, the FCC has the legal right to carry on the necessary proceedings against Pacifica. The prisoners were right in making a complaint against the FDA for failing to take action against the manufacturers of the drugs used in lethal injection. The procedure, however, is legal and is utilized in the execution of death row inmates. Therefore, the FDA has no authority to question the utilization of the lethal injection drug. Nevertheless, these prisoners are all death row convicts who are awaiting execution, and the standard procedure involves execution by lethal injection. Therefore, the prisoners are wrong to put up a case with the FDA, who have no jurisdiction whatsoever over the issue. Although the Sierra Club has a genuine environmental concern, the leased land from the federal government

Sleep deprivation negatively affect driving performance and causes car Essay

Sleep deprivation negatively affect driving performance and causes car accidents - Essay Example The danger is even more compounded with the fact that people are often unaware of the fact that the failure to sleep increases the possibility and probability of accidents (Gregory, 2009) This paper seeks to address the importance of sleep, factors that cause sleep variations as well as the relation of this to work performance. Further, the paper illuminates on the relation of sleep build-up and sleep deprivation on accidents propensity, as well touching on the models and other conditions such as apnea in relation to work and injuries at the workplace. Sleep and Accidents Generally, accident that is caused as a result of sleep is regarded as accident caused by human error, and often times the impact of it is correlated to the task that was being carried out. Therefore, in an event where there is more speed in terms of performing the task, then the degree of injury is normally aggravated (Gregory, 2009). This therefore means that skiing are often more serious accidents than walking ac cidents. Accidents could even be more aggravated in areas where machines are many and work is machinated, in say Agricultural Industry, where there are a lot of different tasks and models and types of machines (Gregory, 2009). Broadly speaking, accidents causing injuries happen in the line of human interactions with the machines at the work place. Often times, these machines include cars, trucks, and others such as tractors among many others (Gregory, 2009). The manner in which a worker interacts with the machines is highly associated with his level of maturity, and accidents normally occur due to use of alcohol, use of other drugs such as caffeine or ‘build up of sleep debt which is the prime focus of this paper (Scott et al, 2006). One is then likely to ask the question: how can sleep deprivation cause accidents, and how is their impacts measured? The answer is that, while sleep and alcohol correlation is easy to measure, the former, accidents and sleep, has been largely dif ficult. The general agreement is however in the duration of sleep. Duration of sleep is sometimes as long as 6 weeks, and the risks is often analyzed within the confluence of the time of the day one sleeps and the amount therein. Further, it is also correlated to the amount of sleep one had the night before (Scott et al, 2006). Broad Factors that Impair Sleep and the effects Factors that impair sleep have been recognized as use of caffeine, talking radio, cold and other distracting activities. It is therefore often seen with students who stay awake at night having to dose during lectures. Another example worthy noting is the fact that Pilots stayed awake in the course of dogfights in World War II and fell asleep, thus crashed on their flight back to base (Gregory, 2009). Sleep Management and the Risks Involved Psychologists have identified two types of risks associated with sleep management. One is low performance or loss of it altogether when one falls asleep at the workplace. This often happens when the individual is â€Å"un-stimulated and bored even without sleep debt† (Gregory, 2009). The second one is observed in the decreased performance at the work place in

Sexual Exploitation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sexual Exploitation - Essay Example Across the world, there are numerous women caught in the same trap as Meena. Women are the main victims of sexual exploitation since most societies disregard them. This is more so in countries like India where women are likely to be force into practices such as forced marriage. This paper focuses on the issue of sexual exploitation. The paper will involve an analysis of Kristof and WuDunn perspective on sexual exploitation as well as views by Meghan regarding women and girls as major victims of sexual exploitation. Chapter 1 of Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Kristof and WuDunn tells the story of human trafficking for sexual exploitation purposes. The story of Meena, who was forced into commercial sex at a tender age, demonstrates the extreme exploitation of young girls in brothels. In Nepal, government agencies such as police seem adamant about the issue, which has led to increase in sexual exploitation. Moreover, some government employees such police officers act in support of the brothel owners since they are beneficiaries of the sexual services offered in the brothels. Globalization has had great effects on sexual exploitation. With improved transport system, human trafficking is more rampant. Sexual exploitation is an offence against human dignity. The malpractice if often associated with forced prostitution and human trafficking (WuDunn and Kristof 3-6). As opposed to the belief that most people engage in prostitution willingly or for economic purposes, a considerable number of people are forced into prostitution. Globalization has resulted in an alarming increase in human trafficking. â€Å"While there has been progress in addressing many humanitarian issues in the last few decades, sex slavery has actually worsened† (Kristof and WuDunn 11). The increased in sex slavery is attributable to increased human trafficking. Human trafficking is mainly related to globalization. With improved

Status and the norms and values of Hipsters Research Paper

Status and the norms and values of Hipsters - Research Paper Example Research questions i) Is subculture still relevant in the society of today? ii) How does subculture existence in the society help in society building? iii) Is the subculture today the same as it was in the yester years? iv) Do people still identify with the subcultures? v) Why would the society still need subcultures? Research hypothesis HO: Subculture is still very relevant to the society of today and its role cannot be overlooked. HA: Subculture is not relevant to the society today and its role can be overlooked Literature review In each and every society there exists a subculture to which different people belong to. A subculture can be categorized as a group of individuals that share similar unique behavior and beliefs which make them unique. This groups allow for people to congregate and share very many things under the guidance of set principles and norms. Their beliefs and behaviours are guided by a certain code to which they tow and adhere to. Share of so much in common within a subculture only serves to foster peace and unity as well as love and understanding within the subculture members. Subcultures also give people a sense of identity and belonging as individuals from a certain subculture can identify themselves with subculture to which they belong. ... Although crucial to the existence of the people, it cannot be ignored that the existence of subcultures also comes along with its challenges which range from tribalism, ethnocentrism, stereotyping, narrow mindedness, hatred and a wide range of many other negative prejudice. Therefore in identifying with this groups and choosing what subculture to belong to or identify with, careful consideration needs to be taken so that the need to identify with a group does not bring about unfair judgement and discrimination amongst people that have existed so peacefully before. An individual can belong to several subcultures and it can allow them to identify with these cultures but it should also serve as an opportunity to foster messages of peace and unity amongst a given set of friends, community, society, nation, continent and even the entire world at large. I am a member of XXXX course at YYYY School. We are a total of 200 students currently attending this program which constitutes a subcultur e. This is because we share the same goal and adhere to several common rules which are supposed to guide our behaviours in pursuit of the same goal, which is to be excellent professionals in the field we have chosen to undertake. The set standards aply to all over us like for instance the course is supposed to take a 4 year period during which we are expected to have class sessions that is supposed to strictly be attended to. During the period we are also anticipated to be taking regularly at certain fixed intervals as well as assignment and term papers with an aim of assessing our understanding and progress during the entire period of the program undertaken. The program also has helped us the students of

Next Generation Weather Satellites Research Paper

Next Generation Weather Satellites - Research Paper Example in this research paper called "Next generation weather satellites'', the author describes the perspective that our world can achieve with modern meteorological equipment. This theme is underlooked from the technical side, so this paper will be helpful for students of Technical faculties or Design. The author strongly believes that next generation weather satellites are still in production, while others are still in the design process for maximum efficiency and reliability possible, as well as operational life. As a result, there is a need to look at the next generational weather satellites based on their design and technological features onboard that are used for weather forecasting and planning purposes. The design of next generation weather satellites is dependent on a number of aspects, of which the cost of production is one, and this plays a crucial role in determining how soon these systems can be operational. As such, the cost of facilitating the creation of next generation wea ther satellites is high and therefore requires a large amount of capital. This is following the steps used in the design of different technologies used in this heavy equipment in that there are the design fees. Current programs in this venture of producing next generation weather satellites have faced significant constraints from financial pressure and shortcomings, where most of the projects to produce them have overrun their budgets. This paper consists of Introduction, Main part and Reference List. Download and get you highest A! The main reason for this lies with the fact that the components required to produce a single satellite are not required en masse, but are instead procured from different manufacturers, which makes the price high due to poor economies of scale based on wholesale and retail prices (Altium, 2012). Single components cost more than bulk component sales, thus there is need to consider the pricing in the designing of the next generation weather satellites based on price, where in spite of the high cost of design and production of the satellites, bulk production of the satellites is more viable due to lowering the cost of the components. In addition, another factor in the design of next generational weather satellites in relation to the cost is being cost effective in saving operational costs from older satellites that have been in orbit on in a geosynchronous position with earth. As such, designing these satellites based o efficiency is a feature to be considered as even current trends indi cate that studies have been done to assess the role of cost effectiveness in next generation weather satellites. Costs of factoring in and using next generation satellites based on improved modern technology are lower than the current satellites in orbit considering the resolution of images captured from technically and technologically advanced features to be found in next generation satellites (Gonzalez, 1998). Considering this, designing next generation weather satellites requires production of data such as maps and tracking of weather patterns at only a fraction of the conventional cost used in traditional satellites that are already in orbit. The above consideration in designing next generation satellites ensures that the functionality of these satellites is meant to overtake the current weather satellites by cutting down on their cost of operation in relation to resolutions and photographic units to be incorporated into the equipment. This is further to translate the cost of of fering access to the satellites, since there will be no need to keep analyzing the data from a third party point on the ground since all is taken care of from the satellites end. The above brings in the concept of technological inclusions in designing next generation weather satellites. In tis point, there is one key aspect to assess and analyze critically as it serves the central point in the entire satellite network for both existing and next generation. Sensors are what pick up information and

Pueblo revolt Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Pueblo revolt - Assignment Example The turning point of Pueblo revolt was the imposition of their religion and culture on the indigenous tribe (Weber, 1999). The indigenous population was forbidden to practice their religion or follow their culture through barbaric acts. Christian friars forced them to convert to Christianity by literally cutting one leg of 500 Acoma tribals (sangres, nd). The Pueblo people finally revolted against the Spanish when medicine man, called San Juan Pueblo convinced them to unite and fight collectively against the mighty Spanish raiders. The indigenous people fought valiantly and managed to defeat the Spanish forces and drove them away from their territory for around twelve long years. Pueblo revolt is important chapter of American history because the peaceful Pueblo tribe was successful in driving away their enemies who had threatened their cultural identity by using barbaric means. The bloody revolution also forced others to respect indigenous religion and cultural practice which was amply evident when Spanish conquered the region for the second time. Second time around, they were more respectful towards their customs and did not try to force their religion on

2008 Presidential Debates Essay Example for Free

2008 Presidential Debates Essay The October 7 debate, sponsored by the Commission on Presidential Debates, took place in Belmont University, Nashville, Tennessee and Tom Brokaw (NBC News) was the moderator. Questions were selected from thousands of online messages and were based on domestic and foreign policy. Overall, the issue that dominated the debate was the economy with both candidates pointing out the mistakes of the past and laying down their plan for the future. Senator Obama and McCain on the economy Senator Obama started with pointing out that the country is in the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression and people are worried by about their jobs, pensions and their ability to send their children to schools. Senator Obama stated that the crisis was as a result of failed economic policies of the George Bush regime. Obama emphasized on regulating Wall Street, cracking down on CEOs and making sure they dont get bonuses and giving the middle class tax cuts. Senator McCain puts the blame on the democrats in the senate and in the congress who defended Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Senator McCain plan is to stabilize home values and buy up bad loans. He also does not propose any tax cuts or increases. Senator Obama and McCain on energy Senator McCains plan is to enhance the use of nuclear energy since it is, as he puts it, safe and reliable. An added advantage of nuclear energy, according to him, is that the nuclear fuel spent can be reprocessed. Senator Obama puts energy among his top priority issues should he go ahead and win the presidency. He states that high gas prices are not only a strain to the family budget but also a threat to national security since countries like Russia and Venezuela were benefiting from high oil prices. Obama proposes a $15 billion ten year plan to guarantee independence from Middle Eastern oil. Senator Obama and McCain on health care Senator Obama proposes to lower the cost of premiums by up to $2,500 a year by investing in prevention. He puts emphasis on using information technology so that medical records are put in computers rather than in hospital forms. Senator McCain notes how everyone is struggling with health care and proposes giving every American a $5,000 refundable tax credit so that they can get their health care insurance. The October 15 debate took place in Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York and Bob Schieffer (CBS News) was the moderator. Focus on that day was on domestic policy. Senator McCain and Obama on economy Senator McCain once again blamed the input that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac had that caused the housing market to collapse. Of the $700 billion allocated, McCain proposes to use 300 of that to buy the home loan mortgages and negotiate with home owners. Senator Obama reiterates that the financial rescue plan is an important step and proposes ending tax breaks for companies shipping jobs oversees and provide tax credit for companies creating jobs domestically. Senator Obama and McCain on energy Senator McCain plans to stop spending $700 billion annually in other countries on energy. He plans on investing in wind, tide, natural gas, nuclear and offshore drilling. He also suggests that Senator Obama is opposed to such initiatives. Senator Obama says that investing in a serious energy policy should help America to stop borrowing from China and spending in Saudi Arabia. Senator Obama and McCain on climate change The issue of energy and climate change goes hand in hand. Obama again talks of his plan to stop foreign oil dependence and making the oil companies drill from their unused land. He also says that he has focused on putting resource into solar, wind, bio-diesel and geothermal. Senator McCain points out the importance of starting offshore drilling right away.

History and overview: Catalytic converter

History and overview: Catalytic converter A catalytic converter (colloquially, cat or catcon) is a device used to decrease the toxicity of emissions from an internal combustion engine. A catalytic converter works by using a catalyst to stimulate a chemical reaction in which toxic by-products of combustion are converted to less-toxic substances.First widely introduced on series-production automobiles in the U.S. market for the 1975 model year to comply with tightening EPA regulations on auto exhaust, catalytic converters are still most commonly used in motor vehicle exhaust systems. Catalytic converters are also used on generator sets, forklifts, mining equipment, trucks, buses, trains, airplanes and other engine-equipped machines. History The catalytic converter was invented by Eugene Houdry, a French mechanical engineer and expert in catalytic oil refining[1] who lived in the United States. Around 1950, when the results of early studies of smog in Los Angeles were published, Houdry became concerned about the role of automobile exhaust in air pollution and founded a special company, Oxy-Catalyst, to develop catalytic converters for gasoline engines an idea ahead of its time for which he was awarded a patent (US2742437). Widespread adoption had to wait until the extremely effective anti-knock agent tetraHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetra-ethyl_lead-HYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetra-ethyl_leadethylHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetra-ethyl_lead HYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetra-ethyl_leadlead was eliminated from most gasoline over environmental concerns, as the agent would foul the converter by forming a coating on the catalysts surface, effectively disabling it.[2] The catalytic converter was further developed by JohnHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_J._Mooney J. HYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_J._MooneyMooney and CarlHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_D._Keith D. HYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_D._KeithKeith at the EngelhardHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engelhard_Corporation HYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engelhard_CorporationCorporation,[3] creating the first production catalytic converter . Metal-core converter Ceramic-core converter The catalytic converter consists of several components: The core, or substrate. The core is often a ceramic honeycomb in modern catalytic converters, but stainlessHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stainless_steel HYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stainless_steelsteel foil honeycombs are also used. The honey-comb surface increases the amount of surface area available to support the catalyst, and therefore is often called a catalystHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalyst_support HYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalyst_supportsupport. The ceramic substrate was invented by RodneyHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_Bagley HYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_BagleyBagley, IrwinHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irwin_Lachman HYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irwin_LachmanLachman and RonaldHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ronald_Lewis_(scientist)action=editredlink=1 HYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ronald_Lewis_(scientist)action=editredlink=1Lewis at Cor ningHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corning_Glass HYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corning_GlassGlass, for which they were inducted into the NationalHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Inventors_Hall_of_Fame HYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Inventors_Hall_of_FameInventorsHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Inventors_Hall_of_Fame HYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Inventors_Hall_of_FameHallHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Inventors_Hall_of_Fame of HYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Inventors_Hall_of_FameFame in 2002. The washcoat. A washcoat is used to make converters more efficient, often as a mixture of silica and alumina. The washcoat, when added to the core, forms a rough, irregular surface, which has a far greater surface area than the flat core surfaces do, which then gives the converter core a larger surface area, and therefore more places for active precious metal sites. The catalyst is added to the washcoat (in suspension) before being applied to the core. The catalyst itself is most often a precious metal. Platinum is the most active catalyst and is widely used. It is not suitable for all applications, however, because of unwanted additional reactions and/or cost. Palladium and rhodium are two other precious metals used. Platinum and rhodium are used as a reduction catalyst, while platinum and palladium are used as an oxidization catalyst. Cerium, iron, manganese and nickel are also used, although each has its own limitations. Nickel is not legal for use in the European Union (due to reaction with carbon monoxide). Copper can be used everywhere except North America, where its use is illegal due to the formation of dioxin. How Catalytic Converters Work James L. Amos/National Geographic/Getty Images A large pile of platinum lined catalytic converters. See more green living pictures. There are millions of cars on the road in the United States, and each one is a source of air pollution. Especially in large cities, the amount of pollution that all the cars produce together can create big problems. To solve those problems, cities, states and the federal government create clean-air laws that restrict the amount of pollution that cars can produce. Over the years, automakers have made many refinements to car engines and fuel systems to keep up with these laws. One of these changes came about in 1975 with an interesting device called a catalytic converter. The job of the catalytic converter is to convert harmful pollutants into less harmful emissions before they ever leave the cars ­ exhaust system. Catalytic converters are amazingly simple devices, so it is incredible to see how big an impact they have. In this article, you will learn which pollutants are produced by an engine and how a catalytic converter deals with each of these pollutants to help reduce [edit] Types [edit] Two-way A two-way catalytic converter has two simultaneous tasks: Oxidation of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide: 2CO + O2 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 2CO2 Oxidation of unburnt hydrocarbons (unburnt and partially-burnt fuel) to carbon dioxide and water: CxH2x+2 + [(3x+1)/2] O2 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ xCO2 + (x+1) H2O (a combustion reaction) This type of catalytic converter is widely used on diesel engines to reduce hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions. They were also used on gasoline engines in USA market automobiles until 1981. Due to their inability to control nitrous oxide NOHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NOxx, they were superseded by three-way converters. [edit] Three-way Since 1981, three-way catalytic converters have been used in vehicle emission control systems in North America and many other countries on roadgoing vehicles. A three-way catalytic converter has three simultaneous tasks: Reduction of nitrogen oxides to nitrogen and oxygen: 2NOx à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ xO2 + N2 Oxidation of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide: 2CO + O2 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 2CO2 Oxidation of unburnt hydrocarbons (HC) to carbon dioxide and water: CxH2x+2 + [(3x+1)/2]O2 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ xCO2 + (x+1)H2O These three reactions occur most efficiently when the catalytic converter receives exhaust from an engine running slightly above the stoichiometric point. This point is between 14.6 and 14.8 parts air to 1 part fuel, by weight, for gasoline. The ratio for LPG, natural gas and ethanol fuels is slightly different, requiring modified fuel system settings when using those fuels. Generally, engines fitted with 3-way catalytic converters are equipped with a computerized closed-loop feedback fuel injection system using one or more oxygen sensors, though early in the deployment of 3-way converters, carburetors equipped for feedback mixture control were used. While a 3-way catalyst can be used in an open-loop system, NOx reduction efficiency is low. Within a narrow fuel/air ratio band surrounding stoichiometry, conversion of all three pollutants is nearly complete. However, outside that band, conversion efficiency falls very rapidly. When there is more oxygen than required, the system is said to be running lean, and the system is in oxidizing condition. In that case, the converters two oxidizing reactions (oxidation of CO and hydrocarbons) are favoured, at the expense of the reduction of NOx. When there is excessive fuel, the engine is running rich; the reduction of NOx is favoured, at the expense of CO and HC oxidation. [edit] Oxygen storage Three-way catalytic converters can store oxygen from the exhaust gas stream, usually when the air fuel ratio goes lean.[5] When insufficient oxygen is available from the exhaust stream, the stored oxygen is released and consumed (see cerium(IV) oxide). This lean-ness occurs either when oxygen derived from NOx reduction is unavailable or certain maneuvers such as hard acceleration enrich the mixture beyond the ability of the converter to supply oxygen. [edit] Unwanted reactions Unwanted reactions can occur in the three-way catalyst, such as the formation of odiferous hydrogen sulfide and ammonia. Formation of each can be limited by modifications to the washcoat and precious metals used. It is difficult to eliminate these byproducts entirely. Sulfur-free or low-sulfur fuels eliminate or reduce hydrogen sulfide. For example, when control of hydrogen sulfide emissions is desired, nickel or manganese is added to the washcoat. Both substances act to block the adsorption of sulfur by the washcoat. Hydrogen sulfide is formed when the washcoat has adsorbed sulfur during a low temperature part of the operating cycle, which is then released during the high temperature part of the cycle and the sulfur combines with HC. [edit] For diesel engines For compression-ignition (i.e., diesel) engines, the most commonly used catalytic converter is the diesel oxidation catalyst. This catalyst uses O2 (oxygen) in the exhaust gas stream to convert CO (carbon monoxide) to CO2 (carbon dioxide) and HC (hydrocarbons) to H2O (water) and CO2. These converters often operate at 90% efficiency, virtually eliminating diesel odor and helping to reduce visible particulates (soot). But they cannot reduce NOx because chemical reactions always occur in the simplest possible way, and the existing O2 in the exhaust gas stream would react first. To reduce NOx on a compression ignition engine, the chemical composition of the exhaust must first be changed. Two main techniques are used: exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and selective catalytic reduction (SCR). NOx trapping (with NOx absorbers) is a third method, but as of yet (2010), is not widely used. Diesel engine exhaust contains relatively high levels of particulate matter (soot), consisting in large part of elemental carbon. Catalytic converters cannot clean up elemental carbon, though they do remove up to 90% of the soluble organic fraction[citation needed], so particulates are cleaned up by a soot trap or diesel particulate filter (DPF). In the United States, all on-road heavy-duty vehicles powered by diesel and built after 1 January 2007 must be equipped with a catalytic converter and a diesel particulate filter.[6] Instead of catalysis, a reagent such as ammonia pyrolyzed in situ from urea, is sometimes used to reduce the NOx into nitrogen. One trademark product to do this is AdBlue. [edit] For lean-burn engines For lean burn spark ignition engines, an oxidation catalyst is used in the same manner as in a diesel engine. [edit] Installation Many vehicles have a pre-catalyst located close to the engines exhaust manifold. This unit heats up quickly due to its proximity to the engine, and reduces cold-engine emissions by burning off hydrocarbons from the extra-rich mixture used in a cold engine. Many three-way catalytic converters utilize an air injection tube between the first (NOx reduction) and second (HC and CO oxidation) stages of the converter. This tube is fed by a secondary air injection system. The injected air provides oxygen for the catalysts oxidizing reaction. These systems also sometimes include an upstream air injector to admit oxygen to the exhaust system before it reaches the catalytic converter. This precleans the extra-rich exhaust from a cold engine, and helps bring the catalytic converter quickly up to operating temperature. Some newer systems do not employ air injection. Instead, they provide a constantly varying mixture that quickly and continually cycles between lean and rich to keep the first catalyst (NOx reduction) from becoming oxygen loaded, and to keep the second catalyst (CO oxidization) sufficiently oxygen-saturated. They also utilize several oxygen sensors to monitor the exhaust, at least one before the catalytic converter for each bank of cylinders, and one after the converter. Some systems contain the reduction and oxidation functions separately rather than in a common housing. [edit] Damage [edit] Poisoning Catalyst poisoning occurs when the catalytic converter is exposed to exhaust containing substances that coat the working surfaces, encapsulating the catalyst so that it cannot contact and treat the exhaust. The most notable contaminant is lead, so vehicles equipped with catalytic converters can only be run on unleaded gasoline. Other common catalyst poisons include manganese primarily from the gasoline additive MMT, and silicone which can enter the exhaust stream if the engine has a leak allowing coolant into the combustion chamber. Phosphorus is another catalyst contaminant. Although phosphorus is no longer used in gasoline, it (and zinc, another low-level catalyst contaminant) was until recently widely used in engine oil antiwear additives such as ZDDP. Beginning in 2006, a rapid phaseout of ZDDP in engine oils began.[citation needed] Depending on the contaminant, catalyst poisoning can sometimes be reversed by running the engine under a very heavy load for an extended period of time. The increased exhaust temperature can sometimes liquefy or sublimate the contaminant, removing it from the catalytic surface. However, removal of lead deposits in this manner is usually not possible due to leads high boiling point. [edit] Meltdown Any condition that causes abnormally high levels of unburned hydrocarbons raw or partially-burnt fuel to reach the converter will tend to significantly elevate its temperature, bringing the risk of a meltdown of the substrate and resultant catalytic deactivation and severe exhaust restriction. Vehicles equipped with OBD-II diagnostic systems are designed to alert the driver of a misfire condition, along with other malfunctions, by means of the Check Engine light on the dashboard. [edit] Regulations This section does not citeany references or sources. Please help improve this articleby adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challengedand removed. (March 2009) Emissions regulations vary considerably from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. In North America, most spark ignition engines of over 25 brake horsepower (19 kW) output built after January 1, 2004 are equipped with three-way catalytic converters. In Japan, a similar set of regulations came into effect January 1, 2007, while the European Union has not yet enacted analogous regulations. Most automobile spark ignition engines in North America have been fitted with catalytic converters since the mid-1970s, and the technology used in non-automotive applications is generally based on automotive technology. Regulations for diesel engines are similarly varied, with some jurisdictions focusing on NOx (nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide) emissions and others focusing on particulate (soot) emissions. The regulatory diversity is challenging for manufacturers of the engine as it may not be economical to design an engine to meet two sets of regulations. Regulations of fuel quality vary across jurisdictions. In North America, Europe, Japan, and Hong Kong, gasoline and diesel fuel are highly regulated, and CNG and LPG are being reviewed for regulation. In most of Asia and Africa, the regulations are often lax in some places sulfur content of the fuel can reach 20,000 parts per million (2%). Any sulfur in the fuel can be oxidized to SO2 (sulfur dioxide) or even SO3 (sulfur trioxide) in the combustion chamber. If sulfur passes over a catalyst, it may be further oxidized in the catalyst, i.e. (SO2 may be further oxidized to SO3). Sulfur oxides are precursors to sulfuric acid, a major component of acid rain. While it is possible to add substances like vanadium to the catalyst wash coat to combat sulfur oxide formation, such addition will reduce the effectiveness of the catalyst. The most effective solution is to further refine fuel at the refinery to produce ultra-low sulfur diesel. Regulations in Japan, Europe, and North America tightly restrict the amount of sulfur permitted in motor fuels. However, the expense of producing such clean fuel make it impractical for use in many developing countries. As a result, cities in these countries with high levels of vehicular traffic suffer from acid rain, which damages stone and woodwork of buildings and damages local ecosystems. [edit] Negative aspects Some early converter designs greatly restricted the flow of exhaust, which negatively affected vehicle performance, driveability, and fuel economy.[7] Because they were used with carburetors incapable of precise fuel/air mixture control, they could overheat and set fire to flammable materials under the car.[8] Removing a modern catalytic converter in new condition will only slightly increase vehicle performance without retuning,[9] but their removal or gutting continues.[7]HYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalytic_converter#cite_note-9[10] The exhaust section where the converter was may be replaced with a welded-in section of straight pipe, or a flanged section of test pipe legal for off-road use that can then be replaced with a similarly fitted converter-choked section for legal on-road use, or emissions testing.[9] In the US and many other jurisdictions, it is illegal to remove or disable a catalytic converter for any reason other than its immediate replacement[citation need ed]; vehicles without functioning catalytic converters generally fail emission inspections. The aftermarket supplies high-flow converters for vehicles with upgraded engines, or whose owners prefer an exhaust system with larger-than-stock capacity.[11] [edit] Warm-up period Most of the pollution put out by a car occurs during the first five minutes before the catalytic converter has warmed up sufficiently.[12] [edit] Environmental impact Catalytic converters have proven to be reliable and effective in reducing noxious tailpipe emissions. However, they may have some adverse environmental impacts in use: The requirement for a rich burn engine to run at the stoichiometric point means it uses more fuel than a lean burn engine running at a mixture of 20:1 or less. This increases the amount of fossil fuel consumed and the carbon dioxide emissions of the vehicle. However, NOx control on lean burn engines is problematic. Although catalytic converters are effective at removing hydrocarbons and other harmful emissions, they do not solve the fundamental problem created by burning a fossil fuel. In addition to water, the main combustion product in exhaust gas leaving the engine through a catalytic converter or not is carbon dioxide (CO2).[13] Carbon dioxide produced from fossil fuels is one of the greenhouse gases indicated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to be a most likely cause of global warming.[14] Additionally, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has stated catalytic converters are a significant and growing cause of global warming, due to their release of nitrous oxide (N2O), a greenhouse gas over 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide.[15] Catalytic converter production requires palladium or platinum; part of the world supply of these precious metals is produced near the Russian city of Norilsk, where the industry (among others) has caused Norilsk to be added to Time Magazines list of most polluted places.[16] [edit] Theft Due to the external location and the use of valuable precious metals including platinum, palladium, and rhodium, converters are a target for thieves. The problem is especially common among late-model Toyota trucks and SUVs, due to their high ground clearance and easily-removed bolt-on catalytic converters. Welded-in converters are also at risk of theft from SUVs and trucks, as they can be easily removed.[17]HYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalytic_converter#cite_note-17[18] Theft removal of the converter can often inadvertently damage the cars wiring or fuel line resulting in dangerous consequences. Rises in metal costs in the United States during recent years have led to a large increase in theft incidents of the converter,[19] which can then cost as much as $1000 to replace.[20] [edit] Diagnostics Various jurisdictions now legislate on-board diagnostics to monitor the function and condition of the emissions control system, including the catalytic converter. On-board diagnostic systems take several forms. [edit] Temperature sensors Temperature sensors are used for two purposes. The first is as a warning system, typically on 2-Way catalytic converters such as are still sometimes used on LPG forklifts. The function of the sensor is to warn of catalytic converter temperature above the safe limit of 750  °C (1,380  °F). More recent catalytic converter designs are not as susceptible to temperature damage and can withstand sustained temperatures of 900  °C (1,650  °F).[citation needed] Temperature sensors are also used to monitor catalyst functioning usually two sensors will be fitted, with one before the catalyst and one after to monitor the temperature rise over the catalytic converter core. For every 1% of CO in the exhaust gas stream the exhaust gas temperature will rise by 100 °C.[citation needed] [edit] Oxygen sensors The Oxygen sensor is the basis of the closed loop control system on a spark ignited rich burn engine, however it is also used for diagnostics. In vehicles with OBD II, a second oxygen sensor is fitted after the catalytic converter to monitor the O2 levels. The on-board computer makes comparisons between the readings of the two sensors. If both sensors give the same output, the computer recognizes the catalytic converter is not functioning or removed, and will operate a check engine light and retard engine performance. Simple oxygen sensor simulators have been developed to circumvent this problem by simulating the change across the catalytic converter with plans and pre-assembled devices available on the internet, though these are not legal for on-road use.[21] Similar devices apply an offset to the sensor signals, allowing the engine to run a more fuel economical lean burn that may however damage the engine or the catalytic converter.[22] [edit] NOx sensors NOx sensors are extremely expensive and are generally only used when a compression ignition engine is fitted with a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) converter, or a NOx absorber catalyst in a feedback system. When fitted to an SCR system, there may be one or two sensors. When one sensor is fitted it will be pre-catalyst, when two are fitted the second one will be post catalyst. They are utilized for the same reasons and in the same manner as an oxygen sensor the only difference is the substance being monitored.

Nursing Shortage: Impacts and Strategies

Nursing Shortage: Impacts and Strategies The Nursing Shortage Steven Donahue Introduction According to research conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in December of 2013, the United States is at the precipous of a substantial nursing shortage. Their study indicated that the registered nurse (RN) workforce is expected to grow from 2.71 million jobs in 2012 to approximately 3.24 million in 2022, a 19% increase. This considerable growth coupled with an estimated 525,000 nurses retiring within the same time frame, brings the total of nursing openings to just over one-million jobs (1). The shortage is projected to spread across the country, but be most intense in the South and West regions (1, United Stated Registered Nurse Workforce Report Card). Other professions often endure similar reports about workforce shortages, but shortages specifically affecting the nursing profession are persistent and cyclical. The history of nursing shortages can be linked back to the beginning of nursing as a profession and the first nursing diploma schools, founded in 1873. These diploma schools focused on apprenticeship, and gave young women an opportunity for financial independence and solid employment that was previously not accessible. Physicians and hospitals soon realized the young nurses were a cheap source of labor, and further recruited upper and upper-middle class society for possible nursing candidates. â€Å"It may be argued that the first nursing shortage in the U.S. occurred when hospital training schools found the supply from the upper strata of society had evaporated† (3), and the hospitals were required to scramble and recruit nurses with different economic and cultural backgrounds. Nursing shortages were also prevalent between the years of 1932 and 1952, and exacerbated by the World War II which highlighted an increased need for competent nursing care. In 1943, Congress passed legislation to create the Cadet Nurse Corps, which helped provide an influx of proficient nurses during this shortage. It is estimated that students who graduated form the Cadet Corps provided nearly 80% of the care of hospitalized patents during World War II (3). Documented nursing shortages also occurred in the early 1960’s, early 1980’s, and twice in the 1990’s. Cut? The cause of more recent nursing shortages have become more complex and difficult to define. Research by Goldfarb et. al. in 2008 described two standards to to define a nursing shortage. First, a shortage occurs when there is not enough nurses to provide a certain level of quality care. Secondly, a nursing shortage exists when there are not enough nurses to fill open positions. Based on this description, the current situation can be simplified and more easily defined as a nursing shortage. The causes, impacts, and potential solutions for the current nursing shortage will be further explored. Factors Affecting the Nursing Shortage Societal Demographics A major cause for the nursing shortage is be related to the increased damand required to care for the aging baby boomer population. Members of the baby boomer generation were born roughly between 1946 and 1964 and created a demographic bubble. Between the years of 2008 and 2018, the 55-year old plus demographic is expected to grow more rapidly than any other age group, and will account for a larger share of the total population (9). Figure 1 below illustrates the age distribution and median age from 1960 to 2010 in the United States, and highlights the increasing median age associated with the baby boomer generation. This demographic disparity will create a challenge for healthcare providers, and require a proportional increase in the professional nursing workforce to accommodate the rising elderly population(4). Figure 1. Age distribution and median age: 1960 to 2010 (SOURCE) Demographics of Current Nursing Workforce The current nursing workforce demographics nearly mirror the United States demographics as a whole. According to a survey conducted in 2013, 55% of the registered nursing workforce is age 50 or older (1, #6), and only 14.8% of nurses are aged 30 or younger. The current nursing shortage was further complicated by the 2008 economic collapse. The economic collapse had devastating effects on personal finances, with figures showing an average loss of more than 25% of individuals 401K’s for those nearing retirement (aged 56-65) (http://www.ebri.org/pdf/briefspdf/EBRI_IB_2-2009_Crisis-Impct.pdf). This forced many older nurses to remain in their current positions, or required part-time nurses to return to full-time employment. Statistics showed that the downturn in the economy lead to an easing in the shortage in many parts of the country (1), but this is only temporary and may intensify the shortage after these nurses decide to retire. Nursing Faculty Shortage There are a variety of reasons for the current nurse faculty shortage. First, the average age of nuring faculty also nearly mirrors the United States demographics as a whole. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nurses (AACN), the average doctorally prepared professor is 56.8 years old, and the average master’s degree nursing faculty is 55.1 years old. (http://www.aacn.nche.edu/media-relations/fact-sheets/nursing-faculty-shortage). As a wave of retirements over the next decade hits academia, the replacements are both scarce and advanced in age. Salary differentials between nursing educators and those with similar credentials in the private sector is making it difficult to retain nursing educators. Data colleted in 2012 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that a Master’s prepared Nurse Practitioner earned a median salary of $92,670 while a Master’s prepared Associate Professor earned $72,590, a differential of approximately $20,000 (BLS website). This monetary difference, along with an increasingly high loan burden associated with attaining a graduate degree makes the private sector more enticing for new graduates with advanced degrees. The faculty shortage has had a significant affect on nursing school admission. The AACN conducted a survey in 2012 and determined that U.S. nursing schools turned away nearly 80,000 qualified undergraduate applicants due to a scarcity in faculty, clinical sites, and classroom space (1,#10). Two-thirds of of respondants indicated that faculty shortages were the number one reason for turning away qualified applicants. Furthermore, approximately 15,000 qualified applicants were turned away from graduate programs for the same reason. The nursing faculty shortage then becomes a two-pronged issue. The nursing shortage requires more nursing students, but a nursing faculty shortage creates limitations on how many students can be prepared for employment, and limits the ability to prepare future nursing educators. Working Conditions Wages The nature of the work, physical fatigue, orthopedic issues,and family strain due to working nights and weekends lead many nurses to leave the hospital setting or the profession altogether. In an era of litigation, nurses must also be cognizant that the individual, and not the system may be held liable in case of patient safety errors. This increased accountability without sufficient decision making authority leads to increased stress on the nursing workforce (4). The nursing profession is challenging and stressful, and many believe that the salary does not reflect the difficulty of the job. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, salaries for registered nurses have increased only 4% between 2008 and 2014. While this stagnation may also be indicative of the 2008 economic collapse, the effect of the nursing shortage on wages may not be fully understood until the economy fully recovers. Nursing Shortage Implications The pinnacle concern of the nursing shortage is the effect that it may have on patient loads and quality of care. The growing elderly population coupled with the a shortage of nurses will lead to an increase in patient loads. Numerous studies have indicated that higher patient loads lead to a riskier environment for the patient. A study published in 2011 by Dr. Jack Needleman analyzed the records of 197,961 patients, and found that the mortality rate increased from 1-6% if a facility was understaffed (http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMsa1001025). Another study in 2011 indicated that when the hours per patient day was high (an indicator of proper staffing), the incidents of congestive heart failure, failure to rescue, infections, and prolonged lengths of hospital stays decreased (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21407034). Lastly, a study conducted in 2013 observed the relationship between higher patient loads and readmission rates of pediatric patients. The research showed th at when the ratio was adjusted by just one patient (5:1), the likelihood for readmission rose 11% (http://qualitysafety.bmj.com/content/22/9/735.full). An increase in readmission rates will further aggravate the problem of patient loads, and has a heavy economic toll. While increased patient loads effect the overall quality of care, they also adversely effect the working conditions of nurses. In a survey conducted in 2005, 75% of respondents believed that the nursing shortage will effect their quality of work and limit the amount of time they can spend with patients. Additionally, 93% of those surveyed believe that the effects of the nursing shortage will cause nurses to leave the profession (1,#11). Another study in 2012 concluded that nurses were likely to attribute staffing insufficiencies as a major factor in job dissatisfaction, stress and burnout. The nursing shortage will ultimately effect patient loads, working conditions, and quality care for the patients in all nursing sectors. If propoer strategies are not developed, the increased stress associated with the shortage may lead to greater turnover in the profession, which only compounds the shortage issue. Strategies to Address the Nursing Shortage Addressing the General Nursing Shortage One way to entice new nurses in to the field has been to make the cost of education more affordable. On the federal level, the Nursing Education Loan Repayement program has been initiated and pays for 60% of a students loans in exchange for a two year commitment to a geographic area determined to have a critical shortage. Many hospitals have reimbursement programs for nurses looking to advance their education in exchange for a future working commitment. While this may entice more new nurses, economists warn that government and other subsidies may interfere with the free market, and may actually depress nursing wages. One possible solution to the free market interference is pay for performance programs. Rather than give subsidies to specific nursing students, pay for performance programs give subsidies to facilities that provide a high quality of care. Since quality care is intinsically tied to nursing performance, this would increase the economic value of nurses, thus improving wages , work environments, and retention (3). In addition to nursing faculty shortages, insufficient clinical sites play a huge role in limiting the student capacity of nursing schools. Increased coordination and strategic partnerships between universities and the private sector can help expand student enrollment. For instance, a joint venture between the Minnesota VA Health Care System and the University of Minnesota in 2013 has helped expand the schools BSN program. In this agreement, the VA committed $5.3 million dollars to expanding clinical placement sites within their facilities and funded additional faculty for the University. By teaming with the University of Minnesota, the VA received enhanced care for their patients. A better work environment can help attract new nurses and limit the amount of nurses who â€Å"burn-out† and leave the profession. Strategies to better the nursing work environment must focus on the emotional and physical stresses of the profession. Research has shown that limiting heavy lifting, decreasing walking, and providing easy access to equipment and information will keep nurses from leaving the profession (From #4 Goodin, 2003) Additionally, â€Å"increasing autonomy, re-allocating work in a more patient centered way, creating systems to recognize achievement in the areas of mentoring nurses, educating patients ans personal growth in practice, creating meaningful internal labor markets, and enhancing supervisor and administrative reports† (Morgan and Lynn, 2009). In order to combat further nursing turnover and burn-out, hospitals and nursing facilities must focus on nurturing an environment that provides these qualities. This is even more important when increas ed nursing turnover costs hospitals millions of dollars per year in recruiting and training new nurses. Further research in 2009 found that organizational constraints and high patient loads adversely affected job satisfaction. Supporters of mandated patient-nurse ratios believe that mandatory ratios will increase positive patient outcomes, increase job satisfaction, and ultimately combat the nursing shortage. Currently, thirteen states have staffing laws for hospitals, but only California has mandated minimum nurse-patient ratios. It should be noted that the American Nurses Association does not necessary support mandated patient-nurse ratios, but rather supports a legislation model which empowers the nurses to create staffing plans specific to each unit, giving the nurses autonomy to make staffing decisions that are best given the fluidity of hospital admissions (http://www.nursingworld.org/mainmenucategories/policy-advocacy/state/legislative-agenda-reports/state-staffingplansratios). Addressing the Nursing Faculty Shortage One major issue plaguing the nursing faculty shortage is the inability to recruit BSN prepared nurses in to the education realm, and has been noticed on both the state and federal level. In January of 2014, Wisonsin announced the â€Å"Nurses for Wisconsin Initiative†, which provided 3.2 million dollars in fellowships and loan forgiveness for nurses who agreed to pursue advanced degrees in nursing education and teach in the state after graduation (1). On the federal level, in December of 2013, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provided 45.4 million dollars in funding to provide low interest-loans for nurses pursuing nurse education degrees (Macdonald, 2013 see citation below). In order to attract more nursing educators, the pay discrepancy between the private sector and nursing educators must be addressed. References Budryk, Z. (2013). Is there another way to solve the nursing shortage?. Newton: Questex Media LLC. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1466237287?accountid=3588? Clark, R. C., Allison-Jones, L. (2011). Investing in Human Capital: An academic-service partnership to address the nursing shortage. Nursing Education Perspectives, 32(1), 18-21. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/89382362?accountid=3588? Dolan, Tamara B., RN, M.S.N., O.C.N. (2011). Has the nursing shortage come to an end? ONS Connect, 26(8), 8-12. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/885241529?accountid=3588? Fox, R. L., PhD., Abrahamson, Kathleen, PhD., R.N. (2009). A critical examination of the U.S. nursing shortage: Contributing factors, public policy implications. Nursing Forum, 44(4), 235-44. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/195019237?accountid=3588? Keeping nurses on the job: Retention is part of the answer to the nursing shortage. (2010). AANA Journal, 64(6), 8. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/747116085?accountid3588? MacDonald, I. (2013). The nursing shortage: Myth or reality?. Newton: Questex Media Group LLC. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1467698816?accountid=3588? McNamara, M. (2009). Combating the nursing shortage. American Nurse, 41(2), 14. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/205506517?accountid=3588? Miovski, Natalie, AIA, L.E.E.D.A.P. (2009). Healing the nursing shortage with staff-friendly design. Healthcare Design, 9(8), 66-69. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/195019237?accountid=3588? Schaeffer, R. (2013). The nursing shortage†¦.fact or fiction? Arizona Nurse, 66(2), 3. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1365796219?accountid=3588? Talbert, JeanAnne Johnson, APRN-BC, FNP, MSN, A.O.C.N., D.H.A. (2009). Distance education: One solution to the nursing shortage? Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, 13(3), 269-70. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/222754879?accountid=3588? References (cont.) Vioral, Anna N., MSN, M.Ed., R.N., (2011). Filling the gaps: Immersing student nurses in specialty nursing and professional associations. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 42(9), 415-20. doi:10.3928/00220124-20110601-01 Wynn, Stephanie D, DNP, R.N.-B.C., P.M.H.N.P.-B.C. (2013). Addresing the nursing workforce shortage: Veterans as mental health nurses. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing Mental Health Services, 51(12), 3-4. doi:10.3928/02793695-20131029-05

The Iliad of Homer :: essays research papers

Emotions in the Iliad, Emotions today The 'Iliad'; by Homer is a book that deals with many emotional issues. I am going to talk about a few emotional parts of the Iliad and compare them to the emotional life of today. I have chosen a section of the book and will talk about the emotions that come up there. The section that I have chosen to talk about is in book 18 when Achilles is very angry and very sad about Patroclus death. After that he wants revenge by killing hector.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First off, Achilles talks about how sad he is about the death of Patroclus. Achilles groaned and answered, 'Mother, Olympian Zeus has indeed vouchsafed me the fulfillment of my prayer, but what pleasure is it to me, seeing that my dear comrade Patroclus has fallen—he whom I valued more than all others, and loved as dearly as my own life? Here, Achilles talks about how much he loved Patroclus almost more than he loved himself. By what he is saying there, you can see that he is very sad, but that he will not just sit there, that something needs to be done. I think that in modern time, emotions haven't really changed. They are something that everyone has and I don't really think that they change from time to time. I still think that people still care about each other very much. Love is still very felt today. It I felt in the same way it always was. I think that when one that was close to you dies, you will have some sort of devastation. I think that one could be as devastated as Achilles was when Patroclus died, but I would think that it would be very rare. I would say that love is just as common today as it was back in that time. After that part, Achilles shows vengeance when he talks about how he wants to kill Hector. 'I will not live nor go about mankind unless Hector fall by my spear, and thus pay me for having slain Patroclus, son of Mencetius.'; There he is talking about how mad he is that Hector killed Patroclus. He is so mad that he wants to kill Hector for it. You see that it is a crazy plan because even his own mother says that he will die if he ends up succeeding with his plan. 'Thetis wept and answered, Then my son, is your end near at hand—for your own death awaits you full soon after that of Hector.

Companies Should Research Health Care Products For Use in Developing Na

Companies Should Research Health Care Products For Use in Developing Nations The industry of medical research and product development is an expensive and risky business in which the rate of failure far outweighs the likelihood of success (Glaxo). Only the largest companies can afford to invest large amounts of time and capital in projects that seem to have little chance of striking research gold--a drug that is effective, safe, and marketable for a profit. This creates an obvious problem: what incentives exist that would encourage companies to make a commitment to the development and distribution of products that are not likely to produce great returns, namely medicines that would be used mainly in third world countries? Are these companies morally obligated to earmark at least some of their profits to pursue such projects? What responsibilities do the governments of developing nations have to their citizens in providing and improving health care? Some of the most urgent current health issues in developing countries are the threats posed by drug-resistant TB and malaria, Hepatitis A and B, yellow fever, meningococcal meningitis, and typhoid fever (Alameda). Vaccines are available for all of the above infections except TB and malaria, but separate injections are required for each, some require follow-ups, and each injection costs as much as $75 (Alameda). This is an expense that is obviously not practical for most rural citizens in Africa and Southeast Asia, some of the areas where these diseases are most prevalent (Glaxo). No relief effort to date has the resources to make widespread distribution of these vaccines possible or practical. The very beginning of the battle is making products that will greatly increase the health o... ...of companies with the resources who would enjoy the benefits. In addition, it is obvious that the US on an international scale benefits from such efforts, and thus our government should be willing to support or conduct such research when necessary. Works Cited: Alameda Travel Vaccination Center. About the Vaccines: Alameda Travel Vaccination Center. http: www.netcantina.com/travelmed/homepage/.htm (6 March 1997). Belden, Peter. US Agency for International Development. Letter to the author. 8 March 1997. Glaxo Wellcome Inc. "A Timely, Two-Sided Attack on Malaria", Glaxo Wellcome Noticeboard, Glaxo Wellcome Research Centres. Glaxo Wellcome http://www.glaxowellcome.co.uk/netscape/world [contains links to all articles] (6 March 1997). Smallpox. Encyclopedia Britannica. vol. 10, 1994 ed. p. 887-8. Ryan, Dr. Thomas E. Physician. Letter to the author. 8 Mar 1997.

Film Violence :: essays research papers

Film Violence Do you think there is a case for censoring films more radically than present or is this an infringement of personal liberty? Films are often blamed as an influencing factor in violent crimes, most notably murder. People think that films have influenced a number of killers in high profile cases such as the Jamie Bulger murder, which was linked to ‘Childs Play 3’ by the press. Another was when a 14-year-old Texan boy decapitated a girl in an effort to become famous like thee stars of ‘Natural Born Killers’ and ‘Rambo’ was said to have influenced Michael Ryan when he shot 11 people at Hungerford in 1988. But would censoring films more radically make any difference? We, as people, have been viewing scenes of violence for many hundreds of years, so why is it only in the last few years that scenes of violence in films are said to influence people? Scenes of violence have been depicted in Renaissance paintings, in stain glass windows and in Shakespearean plays: Macbeth is a serial killer, King Lear has his eyes gouged out, Desdemona is murdered by Othello in a jealous rage. More recently in news coverage of conflicts in Rwanda, Kosovo and Bosnia. Why are these violent scenes not mentioned as an influence? A report, ‘The Effects of Video Violence on Young Offenders’, published by the Home Office in 1998 did conclude the following: - ‘The implication is that both a history of family violence and offending behavior are necessary preconditions for developing a significant preference for violent film action and role models’. Kevin Browne, one of the authors of the report, said the link between film violence and actual violence could not be proved but stated ‘Nevertheless people who come from violent families and commit violent offences are more likely to lock into violent scenes, remember violent characters, and this may well influence their behavior.’ Both of these sources agree that there is not a direct link between film violence and real life violence, but in contrast both agree that people with a violent family history and a record of offensive behavior might well be influenced by film violence.

The Hobbit Novel Review

I believe that this novel presents important themes that are relevant in today's society, Just as much as they make up an entertaining plot. Themes such as Heroism, Race and Lineage, Good vs.. Evil, Loyalty and Home are discussed In novels written in recent times. They give the reader a strong sense of ‘right' and Wrong in the plot. This allows the audience to distinguish between good and evil. Tolkien uses an enormous vocabulary of words that are not commonly used in more recent novels.His use of vocabulary dates the evolve, introducing an other worldly tone to the novel. Although the novel is set in present tense, there Is a feeling of recounting. The omniscient narrator Is sophisticated but subtle. The unknown narrator is not immediately obvious to the reader but It becomes clear that the narrator is Bilbo In a future time. Instilling hope into the reader as Bilbo must have survived his quest in order to be narrating the story. The setting of The Hobbit is in Middle Earth; a setting created by Tolkien.Middle Earth is home to many different races of creatures: Hobbies, Dwarves, Men. Rocs, Rusk-Ha, Wizards, Goblins and many more. The novel begins with a tranquil feeling and transcends to a feeling of lurking danger. There is no ‘safe' place In Middle Earth, not even the Shire. The tone of the novel gives the sense of unknown danger and suspense which captures the reader and encourages them to continue reading for the next plot twist may be on the next page. The Hobbyist's plot leaves no stone unturned and leaves nothing to be desired.Tolkien explores all possible aspects of the story that he has created. He has created a whole background to every harasser and there are definite links between the character's background and the characters personality. Every piece of writing has a purpose and there is no confusion as to the topic of the chapter. Every chapter has a new problem to be solved and there is never a dull moment or a weakness in the plot. T oolkit's writing style Is extremely unique. Tolkien portrayed his Imaginations of the settings and situations in the novel with extreme detail, using a large vocabulary.A major part of his writing style includes poetry. Tolkien introduces poetry into the novel and it is a ajar part of the plot. Tolkien wrote songs and poems that many have marveled at and enjoyed within and outside of The Hobbit. These traits of Toolkit's writing techniques have separated him from other authors and their novels. J. R. R Tolkien has created an excellent novel whose themes have been repeated in many books and novels after the creation of The Hobbit. It Is a classic tale of Good vs.. Evil with a new twist.This book Is a successful prequel to Toolkit's Lord of The Rings and it will continue to prosper and inspire others for many years into the future. Theme: The Hobbit, by J. R. R Tolkien features a number of implicit and explicit themes throughout the novel. For example, the theme of Race, Heredity and Moral Fiber Is one of the main explicit themes in this novel. This is based on the Idea that Elves, Dwarves, Men, Trolls and Goblins all have defining physical characteristics as well as personality traits and moral grounding and that they all fight for what they want.Each race of character has a moral distinction and it is easy to ascertain which t Off character is on the protagonist's ‘side' or the antagonist's ‘s taint ideas run alongside the thought process of one character being evil and another being good, such as Goblins are disharmonious with nature and Elves are harmonious with nature. Heredity is also an important theme to be recognized as it is the basis for much of the story involving all the characters. Bilbo Bagging is half Took and half Bagging. The Took family were known for being more adventurous than other hobbies and for unusual behavior.And the other half of Bilbo was Bagging, who were ordinary and respectful; two opposites. Without the knowledge of t he Took family Ewing adventurous, Bilbo would never had been convinced to leave the Shire with the Dwarves, as he would have left his comfort zone completely. The Dwarves' Heredity and Ancestry are a major factor in The Hobbit. Because the Dwarves were attacked by Smug the Dragon and because the Elves did not help the Dwarves when they were in need, they lived their lives in contempt. This meant that when Gangland led the Dwarves to the Elves of Riverside, there was an outcry.The happenings and history between the Smug and the Dwarves also fired their motivation to continue down the rd path to reach the dragon and to stop at nothing until they were reimbursed for what they had lost. Race, Heredity and Moral Fiber is an explicit theme; this is obvious due to the lack of confusion between the ‘races' of each character and the unmistakable ‘side' that they are on and whether it is Hobbies, Wizards, Goblins or Elves. Character Analysis: Thorn son of Train is the leader of th e Dwarves that embark on the treasure quest; the main plotting of the novel. Thorn is brave, stubborn and proud.After Gangland leaves the fellowship in Thorn's responsibility it comes clear the Thorn is not the most effective leader. Thorn makes poor decisions under pressure and relies on Bilbo to ‘save the day. In addition, when the Dwarves finally receive Smug gold, Thorn is willing to go back on his oath to reward each Dwarf with their share of gold and keep it for himself. When Thorn had access to the gold he became extremely greedy and obsessed with it. Despite his dishonesty and greediness, Thorn is still brave and proud Dwarf with many good qualities among bad ones. Bilbo Bagging of Bag-End is the protagonist of The Hobbit.Bilbo is small in size, respectable and not-at-all adventurous. Bilbo has a strong sense of home and family, honesty, generosity and modesty. Bilbo is the hero of the novel, although he is small in stature, anxious and not very intimidating, Bilbo tur ns out to be the most heroic, clever and fast-thinking member of the company. Bilbo also possesses more leader-like qualities than that of Thorn – the appointed leader of the company. Bilbo saved the Dwarves a countless amount of times in the novel and his achievements did not change him – he still remained as humble of a character as he was in the start of the novel.

Resourcing talent CIPD Essay

INTRODUCTION Resourcing talent refers to the processes for identifying, assessing, acquiring, developing, and deploying employees who are critical to the company’s success . The issue with many companies today is that their organizations put tremendous effort into attracting employees to their company. The process of attracting and retaining profitable employees, as it is increasingly more competitive between firms and of strategic importance, has come to be known as the war for talent. Factors that affect an organization approach to resourcing talent: While it is certainly important to acquire new talent for the organization, it is worthwhile investigating what talent is already available within the organization and if these can be used to fill any vacancies. Employer branding is the creation of a brand image of the organization for prospective employees. A strong employer brand is about differentiating yourself as an employer of choice, align that single vision to everything you do and amplifying that message across all business strategies. Employer branding sells your workplace culture, values and goals to potential and existing employees. A company needs to identify what sort of people the organization needs with regards to their qualifications and experience and the extent to which they are likely to fit the culture of the organization, its values and norms. Another aspect to take into account is where the organization operates, such as culture of the people already in employment, the local talent or whether it is beneficial to open the recruitment to a wider market. Benefits of attracting and retaining a diverse workforce: Leadership – â€Å"employees join companies and leave managers†: while people often join companies with high expectations, it is often their managers and supervisors that they leave, and not the company. If managers fail to create job satisfaction within their teams, people feel unmotivated and negative. Managers have the power to create a team that is totally engaged or they can drive people to leave their job. Learning opportunities: It is wrong to think that if a company develops its high-potential employees these will leave for another company. High potentials who are not developed and do not  see advancements opportunities will leave the organization even more quickly. Performance recognition and rewards: Employee recognition is a communication tool that reinforces and rewards the most important outcomes people create for your business. When you, as an employer, recognize people effectively, you are reinforcing, with your chosen means of recognition (monetary or non-monetary rewards), the actions and behaviours you most want to see people repeat. Factors that affect the organizations approach to recruitment and selection: â€Å"Recruitment is the process of finding and attracting people to fill the positions in an organisation, with the aim of the activity to find some numbers of qualified job applicants who will take the position it is offered.† Jewell 1998. â€Å"Selection techniques are used to decide which of the applicants is best suited to fill the vacancy in question†¦a negative activity in so far as it involves picking out the best of the bunch and turning down the rest†. Taylor 2002. Factors affecting recruitment and selection are: Time frame: it depends how quickly the job needs to be filled, whether it would be better to recruit internally, which takes less time, or whether the company would benefit to recruit externally and wait a little longer. Internal or external recruitment/Cost involved: Internal recruitment is cheaper and quicker and the employee is already familiar with the organization. It provides opportunity for promotion and motivates the staff. External recruitment takes longer and it is more expensive but the company will benefit from the new ideas the new recruit brings to the organization. There is also a wide market to choose from and a bigger range of experience. Working conditions, salary and benefit packages offered by the organization. Cultural, economic, political and legal factors like reservations of jobs for specific sections of society etc. Benefits of three different recruitment methods: Internal recruitment: It is cheaper and quicker to recruit. People are familiar with the business and how it operates Provides opportunity for promotion within the business and creates motivation for the staff. It is beneficial from a HR perspective as the person is already known and his personal data is already recorded. Job advertisements: Advertisements are the most common form of external recruitment. They can be found in many places (local and national newspapers, notice boards, recruitment fairs). Recruitment agencies: provides employers with details of suitable candidates for a vacancy. They work for a fee and often specialise in particular employment areas. Benefits of three different selection methods: Practical test: these test ability and are usually done for: Manual jobs – trade skills Secretarial jobs – word processing skills Those working in call centres or in telesales – telephone sills Interview: the advantage of face to face interviews is that the researcher can adapt the questions as necessary, clarify doubt and ensure that the responses are properly understood, by repeating or rephrasing the questions. The researcher can also pick up non-verbal clues from the respondent through the body language. Assessment centres: These are generally used by large organisations, particularly when making senior appointments. Individual and group exercises tale place, sometimes over a few days, often including an interview, psychometric test, group discussions and tasks, written exercises and presentations. They can be expensive and time-consuming. Conclusion: â€Å"The firm’s most important resources and capabilities are those which are durable, difficult to identify and understand, imperfectly transferable, not easily replicated, and in which the firm possesses clear ownership control. These are the firm’s ‘crown jewels’ and need to be protected; and they play a pivotal role in the competitive strategy which the firm pursues. The essence of strategy formulation, then, is to design a strategy that makes the most effective use of these core resources and capabilities†. Grant (1991)

Robert Nozick’s Experience Machine

Good experiences are something that we spend our life constantly striving to obtain. Once we gain these good experiences, we look for the next opportunity in order to gain that same great feeling that we had in our last experience. What if someone told you that there was a way to have these good experiences all the time? You could quite literally plug yourself into a machine that would give you the great experiences that you have been searching for your whole life. The best part is that, once you have decided to plug yourself into this machine, you would feel and think that these false experiences you are having are real. Robert Nozick proposes this very scenario in his book Anarchy State, and Utopia. This scenario is known as â€Å"the experience machine†. (Nozick 1974, 165) Sounds great, doesn’t it? I would beg to differ. Is pleasure really the only thing that we spend our life searching for? I would argue that there are far many other important values other than pure pleasure; that is why I would not plug into the experience machine. While Nozick’s scenario may seem very tempting, there are several key elements to consider before making a decision to enter this experience machine. Does entering this experience machine correspond with one’s set of values? I would say that there are far more important things than just pleasure. It is fair to say that actually doing certain things, and not just simply having the experience of them is a good core value. We want to actually in our real world accomplish our own goals. Attaining these goals are what many people live their lives for. Aristotle claims, â€Å"Man is a goal seeking animal. His life only has meaning if he is reaching out and striving for his goals. (Aristotle, 163) Perhaps this is what we desire; to live our lives striving to achieve our goals. Whether all of our experiences are 100% pleasurable does not matter. As long as we know that we are actually living our own lives. Clearly, there is opposition to my argument. The opposing party may say something like, â€Å"What’s the value in the capacity to freely make decisions or the ability to be in the real world if neither of these things al lows us to feel good? † (Perry, 166) That is a fair question and one that Peter Unger cleverly answers. Unger mentions the tendency for us to buy life insurance as a claim that good experiences are not the only thing that matter to us. We do not get good experiences for paying our life insurance. In fact, we will never experience anything that happens to this money. We do this so that our dependents will benefit from this money. With all this said, we are still very rational in buying this life insurance. (Unger 1990, 166) Therefore, we should value our capacity to make free decisions in the real world over just having good experiences. The life insurance example, that Unger mentions, is a perfect example as to why there are things that matter to us besides pleasure. Nozick sums this up by saying, â€Å"Perhaps what we desire is to live as ourselves, in contact with reality. † (Nozick? 2010, 1) One can interpret Nozick’s statement by his insinuation that gaining pure pleasurable experiences are not as valuable as knowing that we are living in contact with reality. We should cherish and desire our lives in our realistic world; false pleasure experiences have no real value. In our lives, we want to BE certain people—to plug in to an experience machine is to commit a form of suicide. (Nozick? 2010, 1) Plugging into an experience in order for you to merely experience false happenings would be lying to yourself that this gaining false pleasure is actually being experienced. In the real world, we can actually mold ourselves into the person that we want to become through our real experiences. There is a certain value in actually accomplishing a goal that has been set for yourself. We have free will, unlike in the experience machine. This free will allows us live in contact with reality and gain real life experiences by our choosing. This in turn, allows us to become the person that we want to be. Robert Nozick’s experience machine can be extremely tempting when taken at face value. It offers us false pleasure experiences that could possibly entice and excite many to consider plugging into this machine. However, we must not forget that having false good experiences is not worth throwing away a reality rich world—a world in which we have the free will to decide who we will become as a real person. One must never forget this value. This s a complicated matter but Nozick puts it well by saying, â€Å"We learn that something matters to us in addition to experience by imagining an experience machine and then realizing that we would not use it. † (Nozick 1974, 165) When pondering this concept longer, we realize that we actually want to do certain things and not just have the false experience of hav ing done them. (Nozick ? 2010, 1) We come to realize that this experience machine, while being tempting, does not correspond with our values and desires. Losing our free will and all contact with reality is not more tempting than being the authors of our own lives. Reference List (Works Cited) 1. )Nozick, Robert. 1974. Anarchy, State, and Utopia. (cited in Introduction to Philosophy Fifth Edition. John Perry, Michael Bratman, John Martin Fischer. Oxford University Press. 2010. ) 2. )Aristotle. (Quoted in Genius! : nurturing the spirit of the wild, odd, and oppositional child . George T. Lynn, Joanne Barrie Lynn. 2006) http://books. google. com/books? id=LkNsXpMusnwC&pg=PA163&dq=Man+is+a+goal+seeking+animal. +His+life+only+has+meaning+if+he+is+reaching+out+and+striving+for+his+goals. &as_brr=0&cd=1#v=onepage&q=Man%20is%20a%20goal%20seeking%20animal. 20His%20life%20only%20has%20meaning%20if%20he%20is%20reaching%20out%20and%20striving%20for%20his%20goals. &f=false 3. )Perry, John; Bratman, Michael; Fischer, John Martin. Introduction to Philosophy Fifth Edition. Oxford University Press. 2010. 4. )Unger, Peter. 1990. Identity, Consciousness, and Value. (Cited in Introduction to Philosophy Fifth Edition. John Perry, Michael Bratman, John Martin Fisch er. Oxford University Press. 2010. ) 5. )Nozick? , Robert. (quoted in Lewis and Clark: Robert Nozick. The Experience Machine 2010. ) http://legacy. lclark. edu/~jay/Robert%20Nozick. pdf.