Prohibition Take Two. Professor Ramos Blog

Prohibition Take Two. At some point in each of our lives whether it has already happened or one day will happen, we’ll see one of our friends or family members impacted by the effects of alcohol. My father lost two of his brothers because of alcohol. One died from cancer and liver failure due to his alcoholism and the other was hit by a drunk driver riding his motorcycle at a very young age. My father named my brother after him, Greg. As I’m sure many of you who are reading this can name someone or know somebody effected by this poison, we must look at the leading cause of these accidental or long-term fatalities. We need to look at banning the production of all Alcohol manufacturers for the sake of our future and our livelihood. Before I get into the long-term and short-term effects of alcohol I have a story of my own about two people I knew effected by alcohol. I had two friends I knew very well in high school that were severely impacted by alcohol but both on very different sides of the story. One was Jeremiah Holmes who was an avid hockey player and was on his way for playing for the Junior USA Olympic hockey team. Jeremiah was a kind soul and extremely kind to others and did not deserve to be hit by that drunk driver. His life ended so shortly in the split second, someone who deserved much more out of this life. The other was Zachary Benjamin. Zach wasn’t like Jeremiah at all. Zach was a little more clueless to the world around him and continuously made bad choices. Zach moved to Florida and within the first month got drunk and hit two young kids, ages 11 and 6 heading home from playing basketball. The youngest was killed and the other left on life support who later survived. Zach never turned him self in. Instead the next day took his Toyota Tacoma truck to get his front bumper fixed and thank the Lord the repair man noticed and called the authorities. Zach is now in prison serving only 7 years as his life also changed within a split second because of alcohol. The point I’m trying to make is that alcohol doesn’t care if you’re good or bad, right or wrong. One way or another it has a way to make an instant impact on many people’s lives and usually the impact is never good. Drunk driving accidents are more common than ever nowadays. â€Å"Every day, 29 people in the United Sates die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver† (CDC). That’s 10,585 people who die yearly in America due to drunk driving. And it seems these odds are only increasing due to the fact we promote alcohol on every other commercial as well as major sports games. The NFL’s leading sponsor is an alcohol company, Bud Light. The NFL preaches to our children to work out sixty minutes a day yet when they watch their favorite sports team they are subjected to watching people on TV start a party by cracking open a bottle of corona during a commercial. And Lord knows anyone who watches football on Sunday knows just how many commercials there are. These companies may not admit it, but they are starting a chain for the future drinkers of America. But these advertisements aren’t just reaching our children. They connect to people like you and me . We see people on TV drinking and having a good time, reminding us of the good times we’ve had on a night out drinking in the past. Leading us to want to re-create those memories. â€Å"Although not denying the importance of social factors, most psychological models of alcohol consumption are based on the assumption that drinking behavior is sustained for its personal effects. These effects are generally conceived in terms of a reduction in tension or anxiety† (Hull). Sure, it’s nice to go out and have a drink with a few friends to relieve your stresses. Than the next day you’re twice as stressed and would care to relieve it again. Maybe you’re worried about something at work or a relationship and a drink would calm the nerves and tension. â€Å"This cycle eventually leads to habitual drinking when alcohol consumption becomes a primary response to heightened internal tension† (Hull). We eventually become so combined to this idea that alcohol helps me relax or helps with my nerves that we let that become our norm. We forget that alcohol isn’t the only thing that helps with stress, it’s just easier than exercise a nd feels better. â€Å"People are motivated to bring about affective changes through the use of alcohol to the extent that they do not have satisfying positive incentives to pursue and enjoy and to the extent that their lives are burdened by negative incentives that they are not making satisfactory progress toward removing† (Cox et al.). We use alcohol for many, many reasons. This we all can call a true statement. But what Cox is trying to say is that we look to alcohol to bring changes in our body and mind because its easier and quickly effective to relieving this tension than burdening ourselves to deal with the problems that are making us want to drink in the first place. If we’re lucky enough to survive without being hit by a drunk driver or starting your ignition while being drunk yourself, then we should look at what some of the long-term effects of alcohol will do to your body. â€Å"An estimated 88,000 people (approximately 62,000 men and 26,000 women) die from alcohol-related causes annually, making alcohol the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States† (NIAAA). Let’s look at that number and match it with the previous number we looked at earlier. 10,585 people die yearly from drunk driving. So, 77,415 people die yearly from alcohol related causes other than drunk driving accidents. If alcohol doesn’t kill you when you are young it will eventually come to get you as you get older. Some long-term health risks include high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, liver and colon (CDC). So many different types of problems the body can develop through the continuation of consuming alcohol. So why on earth do we drink it? Well just like Jay Hull, the Dartmouth Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences said earlier of how the effects of alcohol reduces tension and anxiety. If there is a major psychological problem that we humans have nowadays is that a lot of us have anxiety. So sure, drinking could help relieve this, but it really does not seem like those pros will out way the cons of alcohol consumption. Due to the fact of developing habitual drinking pattern or putting yourself at risk by people who are drinking. Many will argue that they are safe when they drink, or they only drink a few times a week. No matter how many of you are like that, there are going to be 10 folds many more of people who cannot control themselves and put so many of our loved ones in harm. If alcohol were to be banned we would have a healthier, goal-oriented, safer society. Our world will not be damaged by a poison that’s become so easily accessible to ourselves let alone our childr en. These companies market a cancer to our world all while making a profit for it. We need to stop hurting our future by consuming alcohol. We need to ban alcohol. Benjamin, Zachary. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoHOQH6xs_0 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Alcohol-Related Disease Impact (ARDI). Atlanta, GA: CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/alcohol-use.htm Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). â€Å"Impaired Driving: Get the Facts†. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/impaired_driving/impaired-drv_factsheet.html Cox, Miles. Klinger, Eric. â€Å"A Motivational Model of Alcohol Use†. The American Psychological Association, Inc. June 1988. Vol 97, No.2, pg. 168-180. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Eric_Klinger/publication/19866619_A_Motivational_Model_of_Alcohol_Use/links/00b49529e4689e6234000000.pdf Hull, Jay. â€Å"A Self-Awareness Model of the Causes and Effects of Alcohol Consumption†. Department of Sociology, Indian University. May 1993. Vol. 90. No. 6, pg. 586-600. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/7e30/bc7195cec58c749c22a3b8e6461bcb0d59d9.pdf NIAAA. â€Å"Alcohol Facts and Statistics†. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/alcohol-facts-and-statistics Eric Kazos English 010 3pm

Is an internship to permanent position a sure thing

Is an internship to permanent position a sure thing What risks are you willing to take in your job search†¦? A few months ago, one of my clients (I’ll call him Adam) got a graphic design job he was very excited about. This job was at a company that works with government and military contracts (aptly for Memorial Day). It was officially an internship, but was guaranteed to convert to a full-time position after three months if the client performed well. At the same time as Adam got that offer, he also received an offer for an interview at another company. Adam chose to turn down the second interview and to accept the internship with the company he loved. I was thrilled for Adam, and also a little concerned. Was it a good idea for my client to stop his job search before receiving an actual full-time job offer? I expressed my concern but Adam was confident he had made the right choice. Question for thought What I like about the way Adam made this decision is that it shows clarity of purpose and a willingness to take risks in pursuit of what he loves. I also recognize that if he had been playing it safe, he would have gone on that interview and accepted an offer if extended by the second company, even though it would have meant leaving his internship early and breaking that agreement. What would you have done in Adam’s situation? Would you have taken a risk like that, turning down an interview when all you had was an internship and the promise of a job in three months? Job on the line Two and a half months later, Adam had been giving his all on the job and making a positive impression, he thought, on the company. But the next thing he knew, the promised job was eliminated. Adam called me in upset, distraught yet still hoping to convince the company to extend his internship. He was not willing to give up without a fight. What are your thoughts now? Do you think Adam made the right decision in accepting this position? Don’t go down without a fight Just a few days after his initial call to me, Adam called me again to tell me some good news: His externship was extended for six more months. What are your thoughts now? Did Adam make the right choice? From my perspective, he absolutely did. He showed his current company that they were without a doubt the company he wanted to work for. And in six months, he will have nine months of great experience to put on his resume and to bring to his next position. He will be more marketable to any company seeking a graphic designer, and perhaps his current company will value him enough that they will find a permanent place for him there. Or, perhaps the other company who offered him an interview might have a position available. Who knows what might be possible? One thing is for sure: Without a willingness to risk, and without a willingness to fight, Adam might not have a job at all. I am tremendously proud of his commitment and tenacity, and believe these traits are some of the most important qualities any job seeker, employee, or intern can bring to the table. Please share your thoughts on any part of this story in the Comments below. Category:Job SearchBy Brenda BernsteinMay 28, 2012

buy custom Death and Resilience essay

buy custom Death and Resilience essay Death of a parent, as we all know, has some seriously devastating social and psychological effects on the children. Parents are always everything to children, in case of a death of a parent children are always thoroughly disoriented .This greatly affects their growth and development negatively. In some instances, children from such families tend to be socially maladjusted or even become dysfunctional, discuss the independent variable only, and not the measures. Whenever parents die, children are always left in a rather vulnerable state, which predisposes them to quite a number of dangers. Some become permanently traumatised; others never manage to cope with the hard times and are always left with no option other than succumbing to serious emotional problems like stress. Children who are unfortunate to be in such situation always have problems with comfortably adopting to life. They ,in most cases, struggle so hard with the trauma and the social stigma . Hypothesis In this study, there are quite a number of hypothesis that are used in the quest for answers and solutions to this problem. The researchers of this study have basically hypothesized that some of the following independent variables. First, its believed that there are so many variables and dynamics that come at play. Factors that influence adjustment of the lifestyle that a child lives are suspected to greatly affect how he or she will be mentally and emotionally. Another very vital variable is gender; the gender of a child is very likely to affect his or her mental state. Girls tend to be very emotive and have always had some sentimental attachment to their parents, especially to their mothers. The death of either parent has very serious negative effects on the social well being of a girl child. The gender of the parent who dies suddenly also matters, in case of the death of one parent. To some children who are so attached to either of the parents, the death of that said parent may ha ve some very devastating psychological effects on them. According to Schneider, B., Grebner, K., Schnabel, A., Georgi, K. (2011), engaging in activities like adopting the child to foster parents, much has to be put in consideration. The characteristics of the new family and whether they can jell with the childs lifestyle, the involvement or un-involvement of extended family must be put into consideration so that in case they are providing substantial support, the whole idea of taking up the child for adoption in another family should be shelved. The whole idea of adoption may be very helpful in as far as boosting the self-esteem of the child is concerned, his or her confidence, ability to cope, frequency of communication and coping with whatever amount of parental distress that is present after the death of a parent. Failure to take care of such aspects in the life of such a child may negatively influence the dependent variable of resiliency .The independent variables will definitely mitigate, worsen, or aid the dependent variable of resi liency dependent on the presence or levels at which the independent variables are found. The independent variable in such a case matter a lot in determining the resilience of such a child. According to Brent,D.,Melhem,N.,Donohoe,M.,Walker,M.(2009), the nature or type of the parental death is also another very determining factor that must greatly affect children. Violent and brutal deaths may have more effect on the children, causing them permanent trauma. When a parent has been ailing or has been terminally ill, therefore his or her death expected would produce slightly different results than when the death of a parent is that of the unexpected nature. The period of time since the death is likely to determine how intense the grief is in the child. In case the death of a parent happened long ago, like, decades ago, it is believed that the effects it may have on the mental health of a child is totally different from that case whereby the death of a parent is still very fresh in the mind of a child. Children tend to be very emotional and weak, and whenever such an occurrence occurs to them they tend to be much traumatised. Brown, A. C., Sandler, I. N., Tein, J., Liu, X., Haine, R. A. (2007), stated that there are so many other factors that can come at play .Most of these have to be keenly looked at for they may saliently affect the mental state of a child in the long run. Others may include changes of a child like after the parents death, pre-existing factors that were present before the death. In case the child had a very good personal relationship with his or her dead parents,upon their death he or she will have a very difficult time to come to terms with the fact that they have lost someone very special in their life and they wont be in apposition to ever have them again. What happens to a child after the death, for instance, of both parents greatly affects him or her. The age at which the death of the parent was experienced, affects children differently. Other research shows that in case a parent died, when a child is too small to even notice it, it may not be very impactful compared to when the death occurs at a time, when a child is relatively big and able to understand what is happening. A relatively grown up child who understands death is more likely to be very devastated and traumatised upon the death of his or her parent. Some children tend to be a bit stronger emotionally and hence their high levels of resilience after such a traumatising incident like death of a parent. The relationship that a child has with the deceased parent matters a lot in determiing the intensity of the mental problem or emotional state of a child in regard to the death of that said parent. The flipside of this also comes with lots of dynamics, the relationship that the child may be having with his or her surviving parent, the treatment that the child has after the death, the culture of the child in relation to that of those who take care of him or her after the parents` death. This has been a very delicate procedure; a lot has to be taken in consideration to ensure that the child manages to cope up with life. For instance, some of the barriers that impede return to normalcy the child may be facing have to be done away with the negative events that follow the demise of the parent must be avoided at all costs. All the stressors that come after the death must be done away with. Literature Review According to science Daily (May 5, 2008) kids whose parent die suddenly are more likely to have the risk of intense depression-in fact three times more, than those with both parents living, along with a relatively high risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) . In the western countries, almost four percent of children experience the death of one of their parents. This is according to background information found in the article. Parents, who suffer from psychiatric disorders, for instance mood disorders and related ones like substance abuse, are very likely to die from accidents, suicide and heart disease (Hurd, R. C. 2004). Pundits have it that, the same psychiatric and emotional factors that are likely to increase a parents' risk of suddenly dying, also dangerously predispose their children to quite similar mental health complications and problems. More has to be done to help children, whose parent die and leave them in the state of destitution, both emotionally and socially. Nadine M. Melhem, Ph.D., from the Pittsburgh Medicine School together with a host of colleagues, identified one hundred and forty (140) families in which a parent had died of suicide, road accident or suddenly died naturally. This was compared with some one hundred control families from which both parents were alive and none of their close relatives had died in the preceding two years. The children, whose ages ranged from seven (7) to twenty five (25), were interviewed and assessed for psychiatric disorders, and the psychiatric histories of their parents reviewed. It was found out that those children, whose folks had died, were at a very high risk of undergoing depression and other traumatizing post-traumatic stress disorder than those of the control families. This relationship remained even after controlling for the independent variable-psychiatric disorders, in the dead parent. Children from those families, where one parent had succumbed due to factors like suicide were not likely to develop post traumatic stress disorder or other related psychiatric disorders than those in families that had had one parent die of other causes. Death of a parent or both is ,according to experts, always associated with causing great depression, post traumatic stress disorder ,anxiety, suicidal behavior and other complicated emotional problems, like severe and lasting unhappiness commonly referred to as grief. According to the most of the experts in matters concerning child psychology, are of the view that their findings have profoundly important clinical and health implications. They believe that the best way to mitigate the devastating effects of parental bereavement in children is to prevent unnecessary early death in their folks by improving, for instance, detection and consequently treatment of illnesses like bipolar, personality disorders and substance /alcohol abuse and by holistically addressing all the lifestyle correlates that are associated with these illnesses that are likely to lead to premature death (Howarth, R. A. (2011). It is always recommended that, when a parent or both die, the surviving caregivers must be monitored for illnesses like depression and post traumatic stress disorders since their psychiatric and mental health drastically affects that of the children they are taking care of. "Given the high risk of depression and post traumatic stress disorder, bereaved children should be closely monitored and immediately treated for any their psychiatric disorder," Nadine M. Melhem said. Its also said that further studies should be done to examine the long-term effect that bereavement has on children to test for the mechanisms by which these parental bereavement causes these effects to identify some of the subset of bereaved families that may be in need of treatment, hence framing targets for timely intervention and preventive efforts. According to Bonanno, G. A. (2008) and most of the information gathered from most of the studies carried out on this problem, many medical practitioners are of the opinion that pediatricians should be much aware of circumstances surrounding the death of a parent, as well as the other family problems, which may be deemed as risk factors for a childs mental disorders. Another implication for the pediatric practice is that once they(pediatricians) become aware of the increased risk of off springs due to sudden death of their parents or other adversities is the family , the pediatrician are encouraged to take up the responsibility of helping ,by linking children with the appropriate services. According to Haine, R. A., Ayers, T. S., Sandler, I. N., Wolchik, S. A. (2008), to do this effectively, the pediatricians ought to be familiar with some of the services that are offered in various communities and the evidence that backs up their effectiveness. Pediatricians are required to be very k een on some of the meeasures they take in their efforts to help children who lost their parents. A good example of such services is a kind of care given to such children be it humanitarian or being incorporated in other existing families or better yet out up in childrens homes. According to Quiroz P.(2008), after his critical study of the kind of care children are given after such traumatizing situations, such as death of their parents, he concluded that indeed more stringent measures have to be put in place to ensure that no child suffers due to the death of his or her parent. Parents dying and leaving young children behind is a common phenomena across the world. This is a social aspect of society that is popularly viewed and considered by many as a humanitarian issue, which cuts across geopolitical boundaries of different nations. Nations across the world need to come up with a better way to help such children to adopt to normal life and help them overcome the social stigma that c omes with being an orphan. According to Draper, A., Hancock, M. (2011), government authorities must get concerned about a bout the mental health of such children and also come up with policies that are aimed at ensuring that they enjoy life just like other privileged children with both parents alive. It is important to note and ponder about how trends and other dynamic aspects, which take place during the care of children whose parents died .The author, used profound methodology to get to understand why factors like age of the child matter a lot in determining the intensity of the depression and stress that affects the child. Most children, who lose both parents at a very young age, if well taken care of by guardians, may not even have any problems later in life. Some respondents during the research intimated that some of these children are never told that their parents died while they were at a very young age, they are just taken care of and made to believe that their care givers are their biological parents . From his findings, transnational adoption patterns for the past 16 years show a shift in racial structure. In the past 16 years, the majority of adoptions have been in most cases from the white categories and 20% of adoptions were from the black category. Countries of origin of adopted children consider programs that are offered by the US private adoption agencies, Data about transnational patterns concerning adoption clearly, show which kind of children are most preferred( Eppler, C. 2008). The author winds it up by adding value to it, in the sense that he asserts that no one has considered adoption as another social indicator of intimacy. The author of this essay attempted to look at some of the related problems whenever children are orphaned. He argued that that the care that children whose parents died could be such an awesome solution can serve as a potential solution for children who are destitute from developing world. In his review of other literatures by other researchers, he notes that there is a heated debate in their literatures regarding how to help children whose parents die. It is a controversial issue that is seen as a positive act of humanitarian goodwill. His recommendation among others is that the international community ought to move its focus away from political hostilities and or even symbolic gestures, instead focus on coming up with laws and policies, which should enable these disadvantaged children live comfortably. To advance his research, he used research findings and works of advocates of child support (Bartholet, 2010). Taking a more skeptical opinion on how to handle or help orphaned children, he cited that the politics of how important children are to any nation should assist us to understand why this issue continues to be so highly charged. There are two commonly talked about narratives in the Western world concerning how children whose parents die can be assisted in their attempt to cope with their the trauma, these are negligence and kidnap, he argues that we need to shift from those views and focus more on the welfare of the children whose parents died. The complexities and complicated processes that non governmental organization taken through are all aimed at ensuring that no one takes advantage of such vulnerable children and also to allow protection to their rights(Heinzer, Marjorie Vyhnalek 1993). He, however, believes that it is necessary that the process actually reduces the negative effect it has on children. He concurs with the general and popular belief that the greatest danger that the care or coping mechanisms that they are normally subjected to is the poor living standards and conditions that children are taken through. This was evident after talking to one such child Deirdre, from whom I learnt a lot.Deirdre, thank you for takingyour timeto talk about your experience atwall street. I am very much aware of these protestors asthey are really close to where I work and I see them every day when I go out on my lunch break. Just like you mentioned they are very youngand all theywant is to have their voices heard. And all thei r concerns addressed by the authorities. My co-worker also went a couple of times to see them, he said it was like an assembly where people will get all together have their own speeches one by one, while others will repeat what they were saying so everyone can hear clearly their messages. A lot of them where holding different types flags from their own country. My Co-worker said it reminded him like back in the days. I personally came across them as well they had their signs up and protesting for what they believe that justice should be and they will continue fighting for this economy that is only affecting the poor people. This is a good cause to protest. Buy custom Death and Resilience essay

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Assignment - Essay Example With this concern, the report will comprise a brief description of the existing problems and their adequate solutions associated with offering quality and evidence based nursing facilities. Moreover, the discussion will also include necessary logistics and resources which are significant to effectively address the problems associated with the nursing facilities for pneumonia patients. Proposed Implementation Plan Method(s) of Obtaining Necessary Approval(s) and Securing Support for Proposal Obtaining effective support from nursing institutions would be the major aspect for the research which would provide adequate and substantial helpful information to accomplish the research objectives. The research aims to integrate evidence based practices with clinical awareness to substantiate the proposed plan. In order to accomplish the research objectives the research has incorporated various elements based on statistical evidence as well as to attain substantial support from the management a nd other associates. The main objective of this proposal is to maintain adequate framework to effectively provide evidence based services for the pneumonia patients. The proposed implementation plan will be presented to the board of directors from various departments as well as to the different management personnel of healthcare facilities. The information will be presented through arranging an assessment program in which experienced board of directors and concerned management personnel will be invited to have a thorough evaluation of the proposed procedural change. Description of the Problem Pneumonia can be considered as one of the major and vulnerable diseases, which creates an inflammatory condition in lungs (Leach, 2010). The disease can be considered as one of the most acute ailments which had killed a large number of children during the year 2008 and there has been considerable number of victims from different age groups across the various nations of the world. Effective vacc ination along with taking useful antibacterial treatment and care facilities can significantly prevent pneumonia from affecting human health (World Health Organization, 2008). A ventilator is recognized as a machine which aids a patient to breathe to providing required oxygen by the use of a tube. Ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) is identified as a kind of lung infection or a pneumonia which grows in an individual while he/she is receiving life-support through a ventilator (CDC, n.d.). It is observed that VAP had resulted in a number of deaths in the US hospitals over the years. For instance, in the year 2002, an anticipated 250,000 healthcare-related pneumonias were reported in the hospitals in the US. Out of which around 36,000 caused death of the person suffering from this critical medical condition. It is also recognized that patients who are being provided with mechanically-assisted ventilation are at greater danger of getting affected by healthcare-related pneumonia. In t he year 2011, National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) had reported in excess of 3,525 VAPs around different healthcare institutions in the US (CDC, 2013). Description of t

Lesson Plan Literatura Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Lesson Plan Literatura - Essay Example The objective of this lesson is to take the subtraction lesson to the next level as subtraction occurs as well as addition. The student will be able to attach meaning to the concept of ‘more or less’ as objects within the book increase and decrease. Ask the student how many are left when subtraction occurs and how many more there are when addition occurs. Ask what it means when less or more of something happens. Ask the student how counting and more or less are related. The game consists of hoops put down on the floor and the children tossing the construction paper butterflies so that they land in the hoops. Then each group counts the butterflies to see how many are there. When this is repeated, they determine if they have more or less than they had during the previous toss. The game can be extended as they determine how many more or less they have than the previous toss. The game can be played with members of the family, giving the child the opportunity to teach the game, helping them to learn as they express the ideas of more or less. As they play with the family a member of the family, such as the parent, can fill in the worksheet so the teacher can then assess the progress from external observations of the parent. This lesson is the last in a five part series of lessons that address the concept of numbers and mathematic foundations. This game styled lesson should provide context or the meaning of addition and subtraction using concrete ideas that are more conducive to creating

Arguments For or Against the Existence of God Essay

Arguments For or Against the Existence of God - Essay Example Mainly, the argument is based on induction. It begins with Aquinas believing that there is an order of â€Å"efficient causes† in this world (Reichenbach, 2012). This means that causality exists in this world and that this causality has a particular order, where one thing causes another and this caused thing also causes another thing. Aquinas then proceeds by assuming that nothing can cause itself because it would be impossible for it to be prior to itself. This then leads Aquinas to think that everything is caused by another thing other than itself (Reichenbach, 2012). This part of the argument is rather self-explanatory but Aquinas makes it clear to his audience that causality works and that the law of causality exempts nothing. He also makes it clear that in this series of causes, it is impossible for one event to cause itself, or for one thing to cause its own existence. Aquinas is doing this while at the same time leading his reader to believe that there must be one cause that first caused all these series of causes but that this cause itself was not caused by any other cause. He does this while somehow postulating that only God can cause Itself to exist. Moreover, the significance of this particular assumption is that if one thing can cause itself, then there would not be any first cause, for if one thing could cause itself, then there would not be any need for this first cause to cause the event next to it. In short, if a cause could cause itself, then each cause could be independent of each other and there would be no series. Aquinas then assumes and states that in matters of efficient cause, it is not possible to go to infinity (Reichenbach, 2012). The purpose of this part of the argument is to convince the reader that there must have been a definite beginning to this series of causes. Otherwise, if this series of causes went on to infinity, then there would not be any first cause but only an endless series of causes. However, without giving any proof or any other insight, Aquinas somehow just considers this assumption on the absence of infinity a priori, and expects his audience to simply just accept this. What Aquinas has presented instead in order to prove his statement that it is possible to go to infinity with matters of efficient cause is rather an ontological proof. This proof is that, if there were an infinite number of causes, then there would neither be a â€Å"first efficient cause† nor an â€Å"ultimate effect† (Reichenbach, 2012). However, since these two things exist in nature and in reality, then there must not be an infinite series of causes. The last part of the argument is when Aquinas states that it is therefore necessary to admit a â€Å"first efficient cause,† which Aquinas believes everyone would call God. In summary, therefore, the argument of Aquinas, therefore, is that causality exists and that one thing causes another but cannot cause itself. This is to discount the possibilit y that an event is dependent on its own cause and is therefore independent of adjacent causes. Moreover, Aquinas assumes that it would not be possible for a series of causes to go on infinity, and he does this for the same reason that he assumes that one thing cannot cause itself. He then also proves ontologically that if there were an

What do You Understand by Economic Protectionism Essay - 1

What do You Understand by Economic Protectionism - Essay Example On the contrary, a country that is in least need of a given commodity or produces the commodity locally will raise the rates of import tariffs for the particular product to discourage importation of the commodity (Korber 2000, p. 10). In the views of Riley (2006), economic protectionism can also be achieved through the imposition of quotas. A county in dire need of a particular commodity will actually lift import quotas to encourage further importation of the particular commodities. Conversely, a country that is capable of producing sufficient or relatively adequate amount of a given commodity for its economy may opt to lower the importation quotas of a given commodity (Riley 2006). Under serious circumstances, a country may impose embargoes declaring total ban on importation of a particular commodity (Riley 2006). Export subsidies for locally produced goods can also be used to encourage bulk production and importation of particular commodities into the economy (Korber, 2000, p. 9). Riley (2006) reports that, in the case countries are engaging in free trade, the government may opt to formulate preferential government procurement policy and state aid to ensure that it allocates spending that will only benefit domestic producers as opposed to foreign suppliers. This case is common in the member countries of the European Union, which award contracts to members of the organization. Similarly, governments may also structure the anti-dumping tariffs to protect the local producers and industries from the economic disadvantages that may be caused by high importation of cheap commodities. The European Union imposed anti-dumping tariffs to Norway against cheap exportation of reared salmon to the Scottish and Ireland market, which ruined domestic trade in the two importing countries. Another example of anti-dumping laws emerged when the European Union blocked inflow of Chinese television tubes, aluminium foil and zinc oxides that were believed to sell far below the averag e domestic price, thereby suffocating local producers. In a move to gain local economic advantage, China reduced the value of the Yuan far below the US dollar thereby resulting to low cost of Chinese products in the USA and international markets. This resulted to increased consumption of Chinese products in import countries, slowing the output of the individual importer countries. The need to protect the US economy saw the Congress pass protectionist bill that banned importation of foreign iron and steel for construction purposes (Mankiw 2009). Trade barriers otherwise known as economic protectionism presents positive and negative implications to the economy almost in equal measure. Krol (2008, p. 2) reports that the imposition of trade economic protection policies by the US economy in 1979 resulted to massive loss of jobs as most manufacturing companies were either cutting their production or facing automatic closure thereby raising the net cost of US economy. The principles of mar ket protectionism led to the abolishment of production activities that required unskilled labour and adoption of production activities that demanded skilled labour in the US economy. This action saw the US specializing in the production of high tech machines and electronics with increased export tariffs of the products while raising importation tariffs of products like clothes and shoes produced by the unskilled labour in the developing countries (Krol, 2008, p. 3). This resulted into low prices