Johnny Lechner and his 12-year college education at the University of Essay

Johnny Lechner and his 12-year college education at the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater - Essay Example is taking this year instead of the regular 12 to 18 credits, as he has already taken all the existing courses available, and has even unknowingly repeated some of them twice. The decision of almost doubling the fees has come possibly in reaction to Lechners long stay at the institution, and Wisconsinites have dubbed it the Johnny Lechner rule. It is a valid decision, one that will encourage students to treat colleges and universities for what they are, venues for focused learning, for quenching intellectual thirst and gearing an individual towards becoming a useful member of the society. There are those that consider that this decision will be hard on those like Lechner. In Lechners defense, it must be said that he has paid his own fees for the last ten years, by working part time in order to support himself and through student loans, since his parents supported him only for the first two years of his college life. A man can strive to learn more and more for the sake of learning itself, and here is a man that tries to do his bit for society, and volunteers with numerous organizations, including Habitat for Humanity, the UW-Whitewater Prairie Restoration Project and Camp Getaway for inner-city Chicago children with AIDS. He is also a good student, who is regular in class, recently made the dean’s list with a 4.0 grade-point average for a semester and has got good grades throughout, even managing straight As in one semester. So one knows that he is not too weak a student to graduate, and is not graduating out of intention, not incapability. One may also argue that a persons life need not necessarily follow a particular mold, that includes educa tion, employment, marriage and retirement, and eventual death, and as long as he or she is not a burden on society a person may want to learn as much as possible, and study in order to do this. But this is where the contradiction comes in. Lechner has, in fact, been a burden on society these past years, because the

The threat posed to the United States by nuclear terrorism from Al Essay

The threat posed to the United States by nuclear terrorism from Al Qaeda - Essay Example The capacity of international terrorism to generate impressive fear and bring about violent damage to a state became really obvious on September 11, 2001. The acts performed by terrorists demonstrated that terrorists are able to effect devastation and death. Adam D. Schiff, a member of the Committee on International Relations explained in the Hearing that "the failure to stop 9/11, if such a thing was even possible, was not a result of bad intelligence or ill will by officials of one Administration or those of another; it was, I think, a failure to imagine that such a thing was even possible" (3). Everyone knew about the grave danger of Al-Qaeda even before September 11, 2001, but countries from all over the world soundly responded its acts only after the outrageous events of that fatal day. The result brought not only to enlisting the efforts of law enforcement bodies to wage war against the violent terrorism but also to a transformation of the peoples and their fully engaging in th is war. Less than in a month practical results appeared. Coalition forces deprived Al-Qaeda of a well-known shelter, obliterating the Taliban in Afghanistan. In examining current potentialities of this terrorist organization, there is a point of view that Al-Qaeda can't be considered such global Islamic terrorist danger as they were on September 11, 2001. The reason is that U.S. and allied counter efforts have exhausted Al Qaeda's central governing structure and abilities to the level where Al Qaeda serves more as inspiration than a real terrorism planning and implementation center. According to this point of view, the menace from Al Qaeda has been displaced by the menace from groups that support Al Qaeda's ideology but don't have a proper contact with remaining Al Qaeda leaders. Thus the same violent acts are unlikely to happen as the situation demands an accurate and proper cooperation (Katzman 1). According to an alternative view a great number of Islamic militant cells have a close contact with Al Qaeda leaders and go on to perform their terrorist actions. Richard Clarke in the Hearing before the Subcommittee of International Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Human Rights of the Committee on International Relations describes Al Qaeda's network like: "a mythic hydra, where one head is lopped off, two more emerge from the bloody neck" (3). Taking into account this point of view Al-Qaeda even today is an evil force of great concern in the USA and in the whole world. It has been reorganized preparing newcomers with the help of new means and methods, posing again a threat on the USA as well as its allies (Gunaratna 23). Jack Boureston and Charles Mahaffey in their article called Al-Qaeda and Mass Casualty Terrorism: Assessing the Threat mention that Al-Qaeda doesn't represent a single organization, as it's a confederation of terrorist organizational network with members in over than 40 countries, among which is the USA. The head of intelligence service of Germany assessed that Al-Qaeda consists of approximately 70,000 people all over the world, tens of thousands of which are training at al-Qaeda camps in the Sudan, Yemen, and Afghanistan. There are three common features for all of them: their Muslim faith, a bitter contempt for Western countries and hence a hard determination to maim innocent

Interpreting Poetry Essay Example for Free

Interpreting Poetry Essay Ballads have been a popular invention of troubadours since the inception of poetry. A ballad is a folksong typically with a tragic ending or a lover’s getting married ending. This paper will break down the ballad of Bonnie Barbara Allen in a stanza by stanza presentation, as well as present how the ballad’s story pertains to modernity through folk singing. Ballads are an interpretation of a common emotion. In Barbara Allen the main characters are Barbara and Sir John Graeme. Sometimes the ballad shifts in the man’s name; in other versions of this same ballad the man is called Willie Grove, sweet Willie Graeme, Sweet William, Jemmye Grove (Diary of Pepys paragraph 4). With such differences in names to describe the man in this ballad, and by use of the adjective ‘sweet’ to describe him, it may be surmised that the sympathies of the ballad-singer as well as the audience, lie with the man in the story and not with Barbara Allen. It is no doubt that in this ballad, the female is given the characteristic of being cruel. This is shown as her eventually leaving Sir John Graeme on his deathbed without returning his love. She spurns him because he slighted her in a public tavern (some versions are different) and it is this slight which makes her maintain her cruelty. Sir John Graeme dies, and Barbara Allen is so stricken with grief that she too dies (in some versions of the ballad, either lovers grave grows a rose and a thorn and they intertwine, and in another version Sir John Graeme dances on Barbara Allen’s grave). The theme of the ballad is quite perceptibly about forgiveness. In essence, as with most ballads, Barbara Allen tries to moralize the story under the cruelest conditions. In analysis the creativity of the ballad through use of word choice, setting and narrative, the reader is bombarded with Old English (for the ballad was created in the 12th century when it was written into Pepys’ Diary of Ballads, but had been travelling through England, Scotland and Ireland via oral tradition hundreds of years prior to it being written down). The first stanza places the listener or reader in a timeframe (Martinmas time, or November 11th (Wollstadt 315)). In the setting of the scene the singer goes on to describe that the ‘green leaves were a falling’ (Pepys paragraph 1). Although the first stanza tells of John’s love for Barbara, there is an immediate swift change of scene from love to death between the 1st and 2nd stanza (Oliver 10-11). Barbara is bid to come to the ‘my master dear’ (Pepys paragraph 1). The symbolism of the green leaves falling and of John’s body being so close to death represents a great use of metaphor by the writer. What should also be noted is that typically when a leaf falls, it is not in fact green, but of various colours including red, yellow, orange. This is because the chlorophyll has been ‘sucked’ back into the tree for the winter (it’s like the tree harvesting health for the upcoming colder months). Thus, for the green leaves to be falling would suggest that the tree has suffered some plight instead of them falling simply because of the season. This allusion of the ballad mirrors John’s broken heart (Oliver 11-12). He is a young man, in the prime of his days, but he dies of a broken heart. What is of further interest is that a tree will keep the green in its leaves, even when the tree is dying of what is called ‘heart rot†. Thus, the reader is prepared for the upcoming scene of sorrow for both John and Barbara. The 3rd stanza reveals a somewhat cold Barbara Allen. She does go to John’s side, on his bequest, and when she arrives, all the ballad says, she says, â€Å"’Young man, I think you’re dying’† (Pepys paragraph 1). The motions with which she uses to go to John’s deathbed are very revealing to the reader. The stanza relays that she slowly (hooly) got up upon being requested to John’s side. We must assume she knew he was dying, or that she was reluctant to see him, because of the way she feels he slighted her. However, upon the true revelation of John’s state of death, all she can say is â€Å"Young man, I think you’re dying† (Pepys paragraph 1). It is in the 4th stanza that the reader is revealed to John’s state: He’s dying of a broken heart. This is an actual medical concern known as of takotsubo cardiomyopathy, or broken heart syndrome. It may safely assumed that this is indeed what is the death of Sir John Graeme, for, upon Barbara Allen leaving him, without returning his love, the death toll rings. In turn then, Barbara Allen may also have died from takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Sir John’s statement further supports this notion as in the 4th stanza he states, â€Å"I’m sick†¦/And tis a for Barbara Allan† (Pepys paragraph 1). If John’s heart truly is breaking, it does so in the 5th stanza as Barbara states that she doesn’t love him (or hides it because she’s angry with him) because of the injustice she feels she suffered at the tavern when John ‘slighted’ her. The 4th and the 5th stanza’s are full of dialogue and not much narrative. This is done in order to get the back story of these two people and to know the emotional reasoning for Barbara’s actions. The narrative of the 6th stanza reveals more the dialogue between the couple as revealed in their actions. John turns his face to the way when Barbara tells of why she doesn’t love him. This action may be interpreted as being shame on John’s part for what he did while drinking at a tavern. The entire 6th stanza in fact reads like a domestic dispute reconciliation (or what may be a reconciliation). What is interesting to note is that John doesn’t ask for forgiveness from Barbara for what he may or may not have done while he may or may not have been drunk. Thus, in turn, Barbara doesn’t forgive him. Thus, the theme of forgiveness comes back into play; meaning, if either one had forgiven the other, perhaps their hearts would not have broken. However, both characters have too much pride to ask for forgiveness and thus they inevitably befall a tragic ending. It is interesting to not however that while John is dying his last request is for people to be kind to Barbara Allen, which signifies his fault as well as her stubbornness. (i. e. because she wouldn’t grant a dying man his last wish). The repetition in the 7th stanza of Barbara moving slowly leaving John was seen early in the ballad when she slowly came to see him. Thus, once she was slow to see him and now she is reluctant to leave him. It is in the 7th stanza that the reader begins to see the human side of Barbara Allen appear. It is with this movement and her statement in the 9th stanza of dying tomorrow, that the reader may begin to sympathize with the woman. Her cruelty can only be redeemed through her dying as well, and it is in her death that the reader realizes that she did love John, but could not forgive a man who did not ask for forgiveness. Works Cited Diary of Samuel Pepys. Barbara Allen. (2009). Online. 29 March 2009. http://www. pepysdiary. com/p/9570. php Oliver, Mary. Poetry Handbook. (1994). Harvest Books. New York. Wollstadt, Lynn. Controlling Women: â€Å"Reading Gender in the Ballads Scottish Women Sang† Western Folklore, vol. 61, no. ? (Autumn 2002). Pp. 295-317.

Task Centred Practice And Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Social Work Essay

Task Centred Practice And Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Social Work Essay This assignment will focus on two approaches of intervention: Task-Centred Practice (TCP) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Along the theories interventions description, it will take note on any issues of anti- discrimination practice. It will also point out, the similarities and differences; the advantages and disadvantages of the approaches and finally bring a conclusion. Accordingly to Marsh (2002, p.106) cited in Trevithick (2005), task-centred is a practice approach given that it does not have knowledge based unlike other approaches. However, Doel alleges that t is a practice with knowledge based and one of models of problem solving emerged from both system and learning theory (Trevithick, 2005, p276). Trevithick (2005) states TCP originated from the study done by Reid and Shyne (1969) and Reid Epstein (1972) who allege task-centred practice undertake within the time-limits is effective compare to long-term interventions. TCP deals with problems recognised by service users; problems clients can solve outside hours of sessions; obviously defined problems; problems result from life issues that clients want to change and finally; problems from unacceptable desires by service users (Payne, 2005) It is a most effective practice that tackles individuals and families problems with the process based on the empowerment and partnership work between practitioner and clients who have to work on the agreed tasks based on one task at a time, achievable goals and objective task that can successfully be completed within time-limited (Parker and Bradley 2007). However, task-centred practice has five stages which in relating to scenario one; first, professional, Tom, Mary and Matt have to identify their behaviours problems. Second, they have to agree on the specific tasks with expected changes. For example Tom and Matt, have to agree tasks that will help to modify their anxieties. Mary also needs to agree tasks to help to lessen her fear so that she re-engages with her friends and families. In addition, Mary needs parenting skills to enable her to handle Matts unwanted behaviour. Third, they have to devise tasks based on the agreed goals. Fourth, signed contract on the achievable tasks and lastly, end tasks (Coulshed 2006). Moreover, task-centred practice required social worker in addition to the selective agreed targets within time-limited; to use tasks to improve obvious problems; re-assess tasks and finally negotiate with clients (Stepney 2000). Hence, professional has to work with Mary, Tom and Matt within time schedule to identify their obvious maladaptive behaviour and to review and continue negotiation them to realise what changes have been made. Stepney Ford (2000) cited in Howe (2009) describe task-centred as a method that can be easily modified to use in the various circumstances to solve individuals problems but it doesnt focus on the clients unconscious mind. However, Reid Epstein (1972) argue that Task-centre model is effective to a particular problems of interpersonal conflict within families; disaffection in social relationship; problems in dealing with formal organisations; difficulties in role performance; problems of social transition; reactive emotional distress and problems in securing adequate material resources including behavioural problems (Stepney Ford, 2000, P.52) Cognitive Behavioural Therapy was emerged in 1950 1960 to counter the primacy of the psychoanalytic practice however; it was originated from social psychology (Coulshed 2006). It is also an approach that deals with humans thoughts, images, beliefs and attitudes that human have and how humans behaviour are impacted by and influenced these (Lindsay, 2009). Moreover, Cognitive Behaviour practice focuses on modifying individuals environment whereby behaviours arise, cause, prompt, provoke and its consequences (Parker Bradley, 2007) as well as describing and pointing out clients behavioural problems of social phobias, anxiety and depression (Payne, 2005). According to Coulshed and Orme (2006) behaviour is learnt and can be unlearned then new one can be learned to replace an existing behaviour therefore, they state four types of learning: respondent conditioning whereby humans unconscious behaviour can be controlled; operant conditioning whereby behaviour is modified as a result of its consequences for instance the reward. Next, observational learning in which human being can adapt new attitude by learning from other people. This could be a case of Matt with Tom who is a fathers figure in the family. Finally, cognitive learning whereby humans attitudes are controlled by the environment as their feeling and thoughts are attached to an event (Coulshed 2006). Moreover, CBT is a model that deals with anger, depression, anxiety, conduct disorders such as phobias as well as helping the individuals to manage their anxiety and offending behaviour by challenging the unacceptable behaviour and negative thoughts (Howe 2009 P.70). Coulshed Orme (2006) suggest eight stages in CBT. Stage one: is the engagement whereby clients and professional have to explore expectations and be clear about roles and who should do; stage two: is problem focus whereby worker is required to identify and clarify problems that troubled clients and dealing with it in the chronological order; stage three: is problem assessment whereby practitioner have to ask open question to enable clients to openly discuss his behaviour, feeling and thoughts on event so that worker find out how clients would behave differently; stage four: required professional to equip clients with cognitive therapy skills and then make observation whether clients have understood and responded positively to the thoughts; stage five: target and challenge the associated assumptions; stage six: use of questions to motivate clients to recognise oneself in order to change their personal negative view; stage seven: setting behavioural homework task for clients whereby wo rker have to keep records of the positive progress; stage eight: ending task by enhancing clients skills so that he is able to handle future problem (Coulshed, 2006) Moreover, CBT helps clients to manage their anxieties and to realise when they are getting angry by teaching them the relaxation methods as well as requiring practitioner at the same time to identify problems in order to make an accurate evaluation in detail by taking notes of when, with whom and how often it occurs (Howe 2009 P.70) [According to Scott and Dryden (2003), CBT is underpinned by knowledge about how we learn and it is divided into four main areas of increasing coping skills, problem solving, cognitive restructuring and structural cognitive therapy (Lindsay 2009, p.68)] There some similarities between two models, they focused on the specific problems, follow particular structures and they are experimental to problems and practice within time-limits (Coulshed, 2006). Both approaches have problem-solving characteristics and their practices are based on partnership and agreed tasks between worker and clients to plan and implement achievable goals; they also use motivation to encourage clients so that they obviously and precisely detail the disturbed experiences (Payne, 2005). Moreover, Nezu et al. (1989) allege, TCP and CBT as problem-solving; they motivate clients to recognise their existing problems in order to describe it and find alternative solutions and by choosing most successful solution to plan and implement it and then re-examine their progress (Lindsay 2009) However, they are some differences. TCP was initiated and developed on its own merit for particular work in social work whereas CBT was originated from psychological approach (Lindsay 2009) In CBT, the support offer to clients can go beyond intervention schedule whereby client has setback but TCP, is more structured and practice within set time-limits. Moreover, in CBT practitioner make use of observations, assessments and evaluations to weigh up the level of the problem by relying on the behavioural learning theory and techniques whereas in TCP; client is requested to describe and discuss their problems on their own (.) Task-centred model has numerous advantages making it to be very popular in most social work practices. It is a practice that encourages partnership work between worker and clients which contributes to solve other parts of clients problem (Parker Bradley 2007) As a problem-solving practice, its intervention is based on short-term; clear distinct tasks and dealt with problems in the chronological order; clients are motivated to help to boost their self-esteem and strengths to succeed goals (Lindsay 2009] In addition, Task-centred model has more power to deal with anti-discriminatory because of its acknowledgement of the environment demands; clients are empowered and; it also deals with oppression issue Ahmad (1990) and OHagan (1994) cited in (Payne, 2005). Furthermore, Task-centred approach elicits a series of problems and tempts to enhance clients capability to handle their difficulties and focuses on the practical achievable tasks to help bring solution to the problems in order to assist clients emotions. Payne 2005) Task-centred practice is disadvantaged because it also deals with reluctant clients and those who have inability to consent or sign contract given that this practice is based on collaboration between practitioner and clients who both have to discuss and agreed specific tasks to be done (Payne, 2005). This is shows an anti-discrimination practice as Thompson (2006 argues that, discrimination practice leads to oppression in the way that people with prominent position can in their roles or relation with powerless people discriminate against them. The intervention of the task-centres model based on the time-limits and partnership between worker and clients constitutes barriers as professional might not evidenced clients full recovery as tasks success are rely on the relationship between worker and client (Payne 2005). Moreover, the results of the task-centred practice intervention might bring clients to accept a certain standard or norms of behaviour and at its worst time; the practice might be seen as the behaviour modification and also the need of the organisations management and performance to meet their targets might also hindered clients needs (Coulshed, 2005). Disadvantages of CBT: The application of CBT has ethical issue grounds given that service users do not take control of behaviour other than worker controlling clients behaviour which could lead practitioner to impose his desires on service users who might not prior consented as this is in the favour of social or political policies. This can sometimes lead to excess of power of control and particularly when techniques are badly applied by other practitioners (Payne 2005 p.129) that can be oppressive and anti-discriminatory. It is also a practice that deal with individuals because its procedures omits the feelings of clients and doesnt recognise clients past events as well as denying human its integral part (Parker Bradley 2007).

Edification or False Idolatry in Emersons The American Scholar :: Emerson American Scholar Essays

Edification or False Idolatry in Emerson's The American Scholar  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      Commencement speeches are customarily routine, pedantic, platitude filled, mildly inspiring lectures.   This description, however, was never applied to Ralph Waldo Emerson's oration, "The American Scholar," delivered to the Phi Beta Kappa Society at Harvard in 1837.   Oliver Wendell Holmes called this speech America's "Intellectual Declaration of Independence."   In addition to being a call for literary independence from Europe and past traditions, the speech was a blueprint for how humans should live their lives.   Emerson believed that the way to reunite with the Over-Soul was to become "The American Scholar."   He would do this by observing nature, by studying the past through books, and by taking action.   To become a scholar, humans also needed to develop self trust, espouse freedom and bravery, and value the individual over the masses.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Because this speech is so pregnant with discussion topics, an intrinsic part of the blueprint   may not catch the reader's attention or receive the analysis it deserves.   It delivers a message that contemporary humans still need to receive.   The startling, heretical admonition not to worship or make false idols of books and other objects of art, given in Emerson's "The American Scholar," demonstrates his belief in the vital necessity for self-reliance and active, creative reading and writing.   When he exhorts us to live as a scholar, as "Man Thinking," rather than "a mere thinker, or, still worse, the parrot of other men's thinking" (1530), he is cautioning us against the false idolatry of book or Bible worship.  Ã‚   When Emerson introduces the second great influence on the spirit of the scholar, he at first praises books.   He expounds on "the mind of the Past,--in whatever form, whether of literature, of art, of institutions, that mind is inscribed.   Books are the best type of the influence of the past" (1532).   Emerson is saying that books are the best vehicle available to the scholar for studying the ideas and accomplishments of past men and ages.   But after affirming that "the theory of books is noble" (1532) and presenting an idealized way of reading and reusing books from past ages by which "business" and "dead facts" come out as "poetry" and "quick thought" when read and rewritten in a new age, Emerson   begins to show doubts that reuse is possible and states that "Each age, it is found, must   write its own books; or rather each generation for the next succeeding.

A Struggle for Power :: Research Papers

A Struggle for Power Women in Western society have been expected to do what men and their husbands ask of them with no questioning of authority; popular twentieth-century depictions of the â€Å"nuclear family† show the bread-winning husband governing what his submissive wife does and does not do. A conflict over marital authority is found in Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper,† where the narrator is battles the pressures of several authorities which eventually lead to her breakdown. If there is no balance in a marriage and one partner has total authority, then that marriage becomes nothing more than an institution within which the obedient partner is a prisoner. An analysis of â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† in the context of Phillip K. Zimbardo’s prison experiment shows the tremendous power that ideologies of obedience and authority have over people, specifically the authority that a man has over his wife, who becomes his prisoner. Many forces control the narrator in â€Å" The Yellow Wallpaper†Ã¢â‚¬â€the most obvious being her husband, John. In the beginning of the story, she goes along with everything her husband tells her—even if she does not agree with it. Because he is a physician, she does not go against his authority. While she may, in fact, feel perfectly fine after writing, she tells herself that she is weary because John has forced the idea into her head. She says, â€Å"I sometimes fancy that in my condition if I had less opposition and more society and stimulus—but John says the very worst thing I can do is to think about my condition, and I confess it always makes me feel bad† (Gilman 577). She respects his authority and complies with his demands. These actions are similar to those of the students in Zimbardo’s prison experiment who were given the roles of prisoners and guards in order that scientists could more fully examine obedience and authority in prisons. Zimbardo tells the reader, â€Å"Act not, want not, feel not and you will not get into trouble in prison-like situations† (371). The narrator’s compliance with her husband’s demands illustrates how she is similar to a prisoner. Zimbardo says, â€Å"The prisoners were forced to obtain permission from the guard for routine and simple activities such as writing letters, smoking a cigarette or even going to the toilet; this elicited from them a childlike dependency† (366). Like these prisoners, Gilman’s narrator feels controlled by her husband and is frustrated by her dependency. She says, â€Å"I get unreasonably angry with John sometimes. I’m sure I never used to be so sensitive†¦But John says if I feel so [angry], I shall neglect proper self-control; so I take pains to control myself—before him, at least† (Gilman

In The Novel Heroes Robert Cormier Essay

In the novel heroes, Robert Cormier uses language and literary devices to explore the character of Larry LaSalle in terms of his physical appearance, speech patterns, reputation, public behaviour and secret actions. Heroes is a book set in, Frenchtown, America which explore the themes of secrecy, guilt, love and heroism. Cormier slowly reveals why Francis and 18 year old wants to kill, Larry LaSalle a man he once worshiped. Francis tells us in the first chapter that LaSalle is ‘the man I am going to kill.’ From the first chapter of the novel is clear that LaSalle is going to be very important throughout the story because he is mentioned as well as Nicole Renard. When Larry is introduced in the first chapter he is presented as being a charismatic man. Cormier also describes him by using and adjective ‘dazzling movie star’ which gives us the impression that LaSalle is initially presented as someone wealthy and someone to be admired. However there is a sense of foreboding as to why he does not want to be in the show business and wants to run a youth club in Frenchtown.