Soundtracks of My Life free essay sample

As far back as I can remember, music has always had a big impact on me. I cannot imagine my life without music even for one day. If so, life must absolutely be dull and tasteless. One thing that I have found funny about my life is that whenever I am emotionally facing something, there is always a song that corresponds with my life at that moment. I sometimes wonder if the song writer could be someone close to me who knows what is going on with my life at that time and then he or she writes a song based upon my life story. Since I have been quite busy adjusting myself to new environment at University of Southern Indiana, I did not have time to properly listen to those songs until when I was assigned to write this paper for my English 101 class. Like other people, I have those tracks in my phone and I also give them a star, making them my favorite tracks on the playlist, so that I do not need to waste my time looking for them when needed. We will write a custom essay sample on Soundtracks of My Life or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page As I was listening to each song, I was taken back to certain moments of life. The songs range from those which represent happy times to sad moments and also when I bounced back hard and became a stronger person. As the first song was playing, a big pile of good memories just came across my mind. But whenever thinking of the most distinctive one, a scene of my family having dinner together always pops up first. It was a foggy night in winter of the year 1999. We were interrupted by the commonly piercing sound of our home phone as we were having dinner. We all were quite upset to be interrupted by that sound since we were having a good time talking with each other. Mom went to answer that call and was on the phone for quite a long time. Once she came back to the table, she told us that her brother, who lives in Chiangmai, invited all of us to visit him. We all were so excited because it would be our first time going up North to see the beautiful nature and cold weather there together. On the way to the beautiful city of Chiangmai, it was so quiet in our car. No one was really talking because we all were still sleepy from getting up early for this long trip. Then I thought it might be a good idea to fresh everyone up with good music. I asked my father, who was driving the car, to tune into some radio channels and we came across the song with catchy chorus saying â€Å"My heart goes shalala lala, shalala in the morning. Oh oh oh shalala lala, shalala in the sunshine. Shalala lala, shalala lala in the evening. Shalala lala shalala lala just for you†(Praisang). Everyone somehow got up then danced along while wondering who the singer was. We found out later that the singer was Pookie Prisana Praisang, a Thai rising superstar at that time. I suddenly felt like I was put a spell on. I became in love with the song, even though I did not understand what the song was about as it was in English. Nobody in my family speaks English, but it was highly encouraged to be learned since I was a little kid. So, I felt like the curiosity inside me wanted me to discover more about the song. I wanted to know what it meant; I wanted to know how a Thai singer could sing that well in English. When we stopped by the gas station, I went into a convenient store to look for a tape cassette of the song. I begged my father to buy me the tape. He bought one for me, though he knew that I would only listen to that song because the rest of the albums were Thai songs. He was right. I only listened to that song over and over again. I could tell that everybody became annoyed as only one song was repeatedly played throughout the trip, but I did not care. My parents figured out that I would still be playing the only song on the way back home, so they bought me the Sony Walkman. From this moment, I realized that I had found my love for music and the English language. My love for English and music grew more and more every day. As songs on my favorite playlist were playing, I somehow went back to 2004 where my heart was first possessed by pop music and got my first job. There were so many good songs topping the chart this year. I still remember when I was on the way back home from my boy scouts camp. I was, as always, tuning into some radio channels and then found one song, which later became one of my all-time favorites. The song started with the unique sounds on the piano keyboard, together with beats of drums, and then followed with guitar riff. As a young kid trying to learn English by myself through songs, I still did not understand what the song was about. I could catch up only some parts of the songs, but the thing that I could remember very clearly was the nasal tone of the singer. The song was â€Å"This Love† by Maroon 5. After listening to this song, I thought my experience of listening to the English-language songs and my speaking skill over the years would be enough for me to work as a radio DJ. So, at the age of 13, I applied for a job as a radio DJ near my house and I got the position. My parents were so proud that their kid got to be talking on the radio. I thought they were more excited than I actually was. I was glad to get to introduce people good songs on the Billboard chart of America, but I did not get to do it. My hometown, Maha Sarakham, is a small city in Northeastern Thailand. People back then were not paying so much attention to the English-language songs, so I had to do the program of Thai songs. I was quite happy that I could be around music, but it could have been happier if I had gotten to play songs that I wanted to introduce to my audience. Even though I did not like it much, I kept doing it for several years. I really had a good time being a DJ because I got to meet and interview a lot of singers. But as I mentioned earlier that it was not the way I wanted it to be. Eventually at the point where I thought I could not continue doing it anymore, I realized that my love for music came together with my love for English. So, I stopped my 7 year-old job when I was a sophomore in university, but I still have been introducing people some good music and improving my English from those songs and will never stop doing it. As next song on my favorite playlist was coming up, I was taken back to my junior high school. At that time I had to decide on what kind of program I would be studying in high school. There were no language programs for me to study at the school I was going to at that time, so I decided to go to another school. I asked my parents if I could go to the new school because it was a private school and it cost a lot of money. They said they would not have problems with it, as long as I passed the admission test. So, I took the test and I got accepted. Here at this school, I got to study English and French every day. I did not have to worry much about math and sciences which I hate so much. I was so happy at first, and then I had a hard time adjusting myself to new environment since pretty much everyone in school was from a rich family. My life style changed. I felt like I did not fit in anywhere. Also at that time, I did not realize that my parents were struggling with maintaining our family business from collapsing because they never let me know. Our business was one of the businesses that got affected by the economic crisis in 2007. Finally, our business had to be closed down; otherwise we would be hurt even more. We lost our 2-story building, our beautiful car, our business and our pride to this crisis. We did not longer stay at the center of the city where everything was luxurious and convenient. We moved out and rented a little house to stay. I always cried at night in my room feeling guilty that because of my decision on going to this school, my family had to lose everything. But every morning, I would get up to have breakfast, acting like nothing happened the night before. My life in high school, so far, was the most horrible moment. I did not know what to tell people when they asked about my parents’ job. I was embarrassed that I was living in an old house, so I did not invite any of my friends over to my house during high school. I could not date anyone because I did not have that much money to spend on such a thing. Even though it was tough, I somehow made it through those moments and now I am writing an essay for my class in America. I think I made it through those horrible moments because of the Thai song with English titled called â€Å"Live and Learn† by Kamala Sukisol. The song basically talks about the fact that life has success, failure, laughter and fear. She says that what is important is how we learn, accept the truth and live it to the best in her song, â€Å"Live and Learn†. As the lyrics state â€Å"It’s up to learning, up to accepting. Stay alert to your thoughts and conscience. Live with what you have, not what your dreams and live it to the best of your abilities† (Sukosol). This song really helps me learn to accept the truth of failure in life. It also reminds me when I achieve something that I should always be humble and prepared because I do not know what the future holds for me ahead. After all, I knew that I could not do anything to better the situation rather than to be a good student and make my parents proud. So, I stopped crying and blaming myself for being a cause that worsened the situation. I started to work harder at school using English-language songs that I love to improve my English and overcome the hard time I was having. Without that song, I am not sure if I would have made it through that moment of life. As I was listening to my favorite tracks, I realized that music is actually based on real life which fits my own story in some moments. Human beings have those timelines almost the same no matter what language they speak or what country they live in. I also came up with the result of my own experiment that songs are like magic; with their melodies and lyrics, you will be taken back to certain moments that seem to be most memorable for you. Whether you are living a happy, sad or any moment of live, there are always songs that perfectly describe your life at that moment. Besides catchy phrases and melodies, there are incredibly powerful meanings hidden inside that you could ever know.

Theoretical Orientation Example

Theoretical Orientation Example Theoretical Orientation – Coursework Example Cognitive-Behavioral Theoretical Orientation Theoretical OrientationCognitive-behavioral theoretical orientation is the most effective type of theoretical orientation compared to others, such as Psychodynamic theoretical orientation and Eclecticism theoretical orientation. The reason I have chosen this type of theoretical orientation is because it offers the best response to depression and anxiety that are the most common emotional and psychological issues. Essentially, such an approach is anchored on the precept that a person’s cognitions play an imperative role in as far as developing and maintaining behavior or emotions is concerned in a given life circumstance. These include assumptions, judgment appraisals and other forms of cognitive processes. According to Hofmann et al. (2012), this type of theoretical orientation is comparatively the most efficacious in anger management problems, anxiety disorders, bulimia, among others. He further reiterates that out of the eleven co mparative studies conducted to evaluate the efficacy of the theoretical orientations, Cognitive-behavioral theoretical orientation emerged as the best with seven reviews.It is also important to mention that most research has been focused on this type of theoretical orientation as opposed to the others and some of the research may include the meta-analysis. The associated research in the meta-analysis that supports this type of theoretical orientation stretches up to chronic pain psychological treatment. In addition, Cognitive-behavioral theoretical orientation is so effective when it comes to cannabis dependence (Dutra et al., 2008). One example where this type of theoretical orientation can be applied is in psychological counseling or treatment of the patients with anger expression and other related anger problems. One follow up question for the class to answer is â€Å"which is the most efficacious theoretical orientation for treatment or management of depression and anxiety?â₠¬ ReferencesTop of FormDutra, L., Stathopoulou, G., Basden, S. L., Leyro, T. M., Powers, M. B., & Otto, M. W. (January 01, 2008). A meta-analytic review of psychosocial interventions for substance use disorders. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 165, 2, 179-87. Hofmann, S. G., Asnaani, A., Vonk, I. J. J., Sawyer, A. T., & Fang, A. (2012). The Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Review of Meta-analyses. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 36(5), 427–440. doi:10.1007/s10608-012-9476-1Bottom of FormTop of FormTop of Form

Ultimate Munich Travel Guide 10 Best Things to Do

Ultimate Munich Travel Guide 10 Best Things to Do SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Soon after I arrived in Munich, I was eating a freshly-baked pretzel and gazing at a life-sized puppet show. Shortly after that, I watched surfers ride waves on a man-made creek. By the afternoon, I was planted in a 5000-person beer garden, already enamored with this dynamic city. Munich is both old and new, a guardian of the past and leader into the future. As you walk the cobblestoned streets past centuries of architectural styles, you feel like you’ve stepped into a fairytale. At the same time, Munich thrives as a major center of business, medicine, engineering, and education. No wonder people call Munich the â€Å"city of laptops and lederhosen.† There are tons of things to do, see, learn, eat, and drink among the gorgeous red roofs of this Bavarian metropolis. Read on for the top ten Munich attractions. Top Things to Do In Munich: Table of Contents Here are the ten best things to do in Munich. Click on each one to learn more about it, or just scroll down for the full list! Watch the Rathaus-Glockenspiel Puppet Show Sample Foods at the Viktualienmarkt Drink German Beer Check Out the Churches Stroll through the Englischer Garten Admire Art at World-Class Museums Visit the Nymphenburg Palace Spend a Night at the Theater Go Ziplining at Olympiapark Take a Day Trip Neuschwanstein Castle Read on for more about each of these activities, from what you need to know to how to get there. At the end, you'll find some suggestions for your itinerary for five days in Munich. But first - puppets! #1: Watch the Rathaus-Glockenspiel Puppet Show Seeing the Rathaus-Glockenspiel puppet show is the perfect way to start your visit to Munich. It’s located in Marienplatz, Munich’s central square, placing you within walking distance to just about everything in the historic center. The glockenspiel’s life-sized puppets are built into New Town Hall, a spectacular piece of Gothic Revival architecture with a richly decorated facade. Students of art history or architecture will be duly impressed, as will anyone with an appreciation for urban aesthetics. What to Know You can watch the Rauthaus-Glockenspiel puppet show for free every day at 11 AM. It also plays at noon and 5 PM in the summer (Munich tourism is pretty popular in the summer). As the glockenspiel chimes the hour, the elaborately decorated figures come to life to tell two stories of Munich’s past. In total, the structure has 43 bells and 32 puppets. The figures on the upper half of the glockenspiel celebrate the 1568 marriage of Duke Wilhelm V to Renata of Lorraine. The newly wedded royals are watching a joust. The white and blue knight rides for Bavaria, and the red and white knight is a foreigner. Needless to say, the Bavarian knight always knocks the other knight down. The puppets are part of this magnificent building. Can't miss it. The puppets on the bottom half spin in a traditional dance called the Schfflertanz. The dance dates back to 1517, when people danced through the streets to raise people’s spirits during the fearful time of the Great Plague. Munich hosts a large Schfflertanz every seven years to bring good luck. After the puppets tell both stories, a golden rooster pops forward and crows three times to signal the end of the show. The entire performance lasts only about 15 minutes, but it’s a great way to start your visit to Munich and get yourself to Marienplatz. Not only is this beautiful square smack dab in the center of the historic district, but it’s also lined with cafes, shops, street performers, and buildings that represent centuries of architectural innovation. Where to Find the Rauthaus-Glockenspiel Marienplatz, located in the heart of Munich, is a major stop on its metro, or subway. You can take either the S train (S1, S2, S3, S4, S6, S7, and S8) or the U-bahn (U3 and U6) to the Marienplatz stop. The exit takes you right out into the square. Once you’re there, you can walk to several major Munich attractions. A bunch of the streets are pedestrian-only. #2: Sample Food at the Viktualienmarkt After watching the puppet show and lingering around Marienplatz, I made my way to the adjacent Viktualienmarkt. This colorful food market is home to over 140 food stalls that sell fruits, vegetables, cheese, meat, fish, spices, tea, coffee, fresh smoothies and juices, crafts, flowers, and of course, beer. The Viktualienmarkt also has a few cafes and a beer garden, so you can sit and eat or collect all the makings for a picnic at one of Munich’s many parks. FYI, you can bring your own food to a beer garden, but you should order a drink if you’re going to sit at a table. What You Need to Know Before Visiting Viktualienmarkt was originally a farmer’s market that now covers an area of 240,000 square feet. With its mix of traditional and gourmet foods, the mouth-watering market is known as the Stomach of Munich. The stalls and shops are open from Monday to Saturday, 8 AM to 8 PM, with a few closing earlier at 6 PM. The beer garden opens at 9 AM, and beer drinking starts not much later than that! If you’re there on a Sunday, everything will be boarded up and empty. Plan your shopping and sampling accordingly. There are over 140 food stalls and shops at the Viktualienmarkt. Try These Foods at the Viktualienmarkt Big food markets like the Viktualienmarkt can come with a side of indecision if you’re not sure where to land. I must have circled the market two or three times before coming up with a food strategy (and still ate and spent way too much). If you want to narrow your options to traditional German foods and some particular specialties of the Viktualienmarkt, check out my suggestions below: Weisswurst: a German white sausage that’s a popular breakfast food. It’s boiled and served in cooking water. Personally, I wasn’t a fan, but I’m glad I got to see what all the fuss was about. If you’re going to try weisswurst, it’s best to order it before noon. Freshly-baked pretzels: these are pretty much ubiquitous. They’re delicious and best with a spicy German mustard. Cheese: there are several cheese stands in the Viktualienmarkt with all sorts of options. You might try obatzda, a Bavarian cheese, and my favorite discovery, truffle-stuffed brie. The sooner you get to Munich, the sooner you can start living that pretzel life. Leberkse: this traditional food is typically made with ground beef and pork with mustard seasoning stuffed inside a bread roll. Ausgezogene: Bavarian donuts. Enough said. Schmaltznudel: fried dough covered in cinnamon and sugar (yum!). Fresh juices and smoothies: so, this one’s not a Bavarian specialty, but there are several juice and smoothie stalls, and they offer a nice departure from all the meat and cheese. Beer: of course, Munich’s famous for its beer, which is always served from a cask. You’ll find a great variety, but locals prefer pale beers (helles) and wheat beers (weizen). I’ll give you some more suggestions for brands and breweries below. If you find yourself in the mood for a non-fermented form of hydration, you’ll be glad to hear there are drinking fountains throughout the market (and 75 throughout Munich!) where you can fill up your water bottle. These pretty fountains, along with some Renaissance-style architecture and pavilions, reminds you of how close Munich is to Italy. Just make sure the fountain doesn’t say, â€Å"Kein Trinkwasser,† as that means you can't drink the water. How to Get to the Viktualienmarkt The Viktualienmarkt is adjacent to Marienplatz on the south side. You can take the metro to the Marienplatz stop, which will let you off in the square. If you’re facing the Glockenspiel, turn right, walk out of the square, and you’ll find the Viktualienmarkt on your right. The entire market is a pedestrian zone. #3: Drink German Beer While we’re on the subject of food, I might as well talk about the thing that tops many people's lists of what to do in Munich - its beer! Munich is famously home to the world’s biggest beer festival, Oktoberfest, and it has a huge beer culture year-round. Some of its breweries date back to the 13th century, and you’ll see beer gardens throughout the city with enough space for thousands of people to sit at communal tables and drink. The largest Munich breweries are Augustiner, Hofbru, Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr, Là ¶wenbru, Spaten and Franziskaner. Beyond these major players, you can also find smaller craft beer breweries, though they struggle to survive in the shadow of the giants. Below are my suggestions for the best brew houses and beer gardens, but honestly, you can’t go wrong if you’re looking for good beer in Munich. Where to Go for Beer These are some of the top beer halls in Munich. Most of them make their own brews. Augustiner Keller: Augustiner is a huge beer hall and beer garden in central Munich where you can try the various Augustiner brews. It serves decent food and despite the huge size, feels cozy with its warm, wooden interior. Kà ¶niglicher Hirschgarten: Of all the huge beer gardens in Munich, Koniglicher Hirschgarten is the biggest. It can hold 8,000 people! The tables are outdoors, so come here in the warm seasons. Going along with its chosen theme of larger-than-life, Koniglicher serves huge portions of food and massive beers. Zum Flacher: This beer hall is a little more off the beaten track. Sweetly situated beside the Isar River, it has high quality food, huge beers (that’s a given), and frequent oompah music from a live band. Paulaner Brauhaus: If you’re a fan of Paulaners, you can go straight to the source in this huge beer hall. Before choosing a table, spend time admiring the interior’s vaulted ceilings, ornate windows, and huge indoor pillars. This brewhouse falls on the touristy side of things, with the waitstaff clad in lederhosen. Several brewhouses have traditional live music. Max Emanuel Brauerei: Also known as MaxE, this beer garden is close to Munich University. It has good prices, is popular with students, and often has a young, international crowd. Hofbrauhaus: Hofbrauhaus often tops the list of Munich breweries, since it’s the â€Å"Royal Brewery† owned by the Bavarian state government. It was founded in 1859 by the Duke of Bavaria, Wilhelm V (you might remember his recently married puppet from the Glockenspiel show). Hofbrauhaus has upstairs, downstairs, and outdoor seating. There’s usually a traditional band on the first floor. The interiors are beautiful, but I found the whole thing too tourist-ified for my taste, and the food, while fine, was nothing to write home about. Go here if you’re in the area and want to see this famous spot with your own eyes (and buy souvenirs at the downstairs gift shop). Look elsewhere for a more authentic experience and better food. How to Get to the Breweries Here’s a map with all the brewhouses on the list above. Click on each one for its specific address. #4: Check Out the Churches Now that we’ve gone over the vital subject of â€Å"viktuals,† let’s talk culture. There are some gorgeous churches throughout the old city that represent centuries of art and architecture. If you like beautiful buildings, then these churches are great places to see in Munich. The main ones are Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Rococo. While most got destroyed to a lesser or greater degree during World War II, they were beautifully restored to their original styles. Because of the collection of artwork and sculptures within the churches, they’re basically free museums. Three must-see churches in the historic center are Alter Peter (Church of St. Peter), Asamkirche (Asam Church) and Frauenkirche (Cathedral of Our Dear Lady). Read on for more about these three churches and where exactly to find them. Here’s the Rococo interior of Asamkirche. The Rococo style looks kind of delicious, like a gold and pink frosted cake. See These 3 Churches Alter Peter: Alter Peter, which literally translates to Old Peter, is the oldest parish church in Munich. It has been expanded and rebuilt in its location since the 11th century. Since Munich was founded in 1158, historians believe that Alter Peter was the starting point for the entire city. Much of this church was destroyed during World War II, but it was rebuilt after and much of the original artwork remains. Old Peter features a mix of architectural styles. It was originally Gothic in style, with a Renaissance steeple top, Baroque choir, and interior Rococo details later added. Inside, you’ll see gorgeous ceiling frescoes, 15th century sculptures, and Gothic paintings. For a small fee of 2 to 3 euros, you can also climb the attached tower and get panoramic views of Munich. On one side, you’ll look down into Marienplatz from a viewpoint higher than the Glockenspiel puppets. The narrow staircase up the tower has about 300 steps. Asamkirche: This church was built between 1733 and 1746. Like Alter Peter, it was damaged in WWII and later restored to its original style. It’s a classic example of Rococo architecture and interior design. The ceiling fresco, called the Life of Saint Nepomuk, is considered a masterpiece. You’ll see some Italian influences in the church, as the two brothers who restored it were artists (a sculptor and painter) who studied in Rome. The Frauenkirche Towers are the tallest structure in Munich's historic center. Frauenkirche: You can see the two towers of Frauenkirche from just about anywhere in the city. The city administration prohibits the building of any structures 99 meters or taller in the city center. While most of the church is Gothic, the domes atop these towers are Renaissance in style. The original design of the church wasn’t fully implemented because the builders ran out of money (whoops). This landmark serves as the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Munich. As an example of late Gothic style architecture, the interior looks spare in comparison to that of Alter Peter and Asamkirche. It’s incredibly tall, and you’ll feel ant-sized walking under the arched ceilings and beside the long stained glass windows. In fact, it’s one of the largest hall churches in Germany. Beside admiring the church’s interior, look for a black mark outside the entrance called the Teufelstritt, or Devil’s footsteps. There are various legends about this mark, most of them overlapping in saying that the Devil appeared at the church’s doorstep when it was first built. How to Get There All three churches are located within a few block radius of Marienplatz. Here are their addresses and locations on the map. Alter Peter: Rindermarkt 1, adjacent to Marienplatz Asamkirche: Sendlinger Str. 32, a 5-7 walk from Marienplatz down Rindermarkt Frauenkirche: Frauenplatz 12, a 4-minute walk from Marienplatz down Kaufingerstrasse. Again, you can’t miss seeing the towers from most spots in the old city and beyond! #5: Stroll Through the Englischer Garten The Englischer Garten, or English Garden, is a huge, beautiful park in downtown Munich styled after the popular British landscape of the 18th and 19th centuries. At 1.4 square miles, it’s even bigger than Central Park in NYC! As you plan what to see in Munich, remember that the English garden is a great place to walk or bike on a warm day. You’ll see people relaxing or playing sports on the expansive fields, as well as the occasional nude sunbather. You can also stop for refreshments at a Japanese teahouse or the beer garden beside a 82-foot Chinese tower. Here’s what you need to know about each of the key Munich attractions in the English garden - including, of course, the river surfing! Where to Go Eisbach Creek: Flowing swiftly through the park is the 2-km long Eisbach Creek. It’s a popular spot for swimming, or rather, a popular spot to jump in and get carried downstream by the fast current. There’s an area where the water calms down and you can climb out and do it all over again. At the top of the creek is the famous artificial wave where people line up with their boards to surf. I really didn’t know how to picture â€Å"river surfing† until I saw it in person. This fast, narrow wave is only for experienced surfers. River surfing, where you never have to wait for a wave- just for your turn! Japanese Teahouse: This teahouse sits on an island in a pond and holds regular Japanese tea ceremonies. It was created in 1972 to celebrate the Summer Olympics held in Munich. Chinesischer Turm (Chinese Tower): This 82-foot tall tower was built in 1789 and based on the pagodas in the gardens of the Chinese emperor. It was destroyed in WWII and rebuilt in 1952. Beer Garden: The outdoor beer garden at the Chinese Tower is the second largest beer garden in Munich. It’s mainly self-service; you go up to stalls and order beer and snacks to bring back to your table. How to Get There The English Garden starts in the city center and stretches to the northeastern city limits. It's a short walk from the city center, or you can take the metro to Universitt, Giselastrasse or Mà ¼nchner Freiheit. #6: Admire Art at World-Class Museums Munich is home to over 80 museums and art galleries, far more than you could see in a short stay. Not only do they feature impressive collections of world-class art, but many are housed in grand buildings with impressive columns and facades. Below are the top Munich museums for those interested in classical and contemporary art, technology, or cars. Where to Go Residenz Museum: This museum is part of Munich Residenz, the royal Bavarian palace. You could spend several days exploring its vast halls. One highlight is the Antiquarium, a huge vaulted hall line by statues. You’ll also see many paintings of Bavarian towns and rulers, as well as a collection of German and Austrian porcelain. Old Picture Gallery (Alte Pinakothek): This huge Renaissance style building houses over 800 great works of European art. You’ll find great 16th and 17th century Dutch paintings, medieval German paintings, and Italian Renaissance works. New Picture Gallery (Neue Pinakothek): By â€Å"new,† they mean 19th century. You’ll find great works by artists like Manet, Cezanne, Gauguin, Monet, and van Gogh. This is part of the Antiquarium in the Residenzmuseum. State Gallery of Modern Art (Pinakothek der Moderne): The State Gallery features a mix of classical and contemporary artwork. The majority of the artists are German with some works thrown in by artists from France, Spain, and the USA. Deutsches Museum: This cutting-edge technology museum has lots of interactive exhibits showing the development of German aircraft, bicycles, cars, ships, trains, and musical instruments. It also hosts frequent concerts. BMW Welt and Museum: This futuristic building looks like a giant metal bowl. If you’re into BMWs, come here to learn about the cars’ development from the first vehicles in the 1920s to current models, watch demonstrations about how the cars are put together, and gain insight into future designs. How to Get There Click on each spot on the map below to find the museum’s specific address! #7: Visit the Nymphenburg Palace The Nymphenburg Palace is an intensely lavish Baroque palace built in 1664. It was the summer residence of the rulers of Bavaria. With its opulent interior and sprawling manicured gardens, this palace represents one of the reasons I love Munich and visiting historic European cities in general. If you’re an admirer of Baroque, Rococo, Neoclassical architecture or just like to pretend you’re a 17th century royal, then you should check out this over-the-top palace and its gorgeous grounds. What to See After spending some time admiring the 700-meter wide incredibly detailed Baroque facade of the palace, head inside to see†¦ Steinerner Staal (Stone Hall): This impressive grand hall is part of the central pavilion. You’ll wander about staring up at the vaulted ceilings covered in early 18th century frescoes. Royal apartments: The palace has over 130 furnished apartments that show you how the royals lived. The walls are full of portraits of various Bavarian rulers. "I'm so fancy, can't you taste this gold..." (Allan Watt/Flickr) Gallery of Beauties: This gallery consists of 36 portraits painted between 1827 and 1850. Ludwig I commissioned his court painter to paint women of various social classes. The most famous ones are that of an actress, a shoemaker’s daughter, and the king’s Irish mistresses. Carriage Museum: This part of the palace has a large collection of carriages, many of which were used for important events like coronations in the 18th century. Spiegelsaal: This is a Hall of Mirrors decorated with crystal and gilt. Gardens: The sprawling royal gardens are reminiscent of the gardens of Versailles. They cover 490 acres and contain canals, marble statues of Greek gods, and several pavilions. Cost of Admission to Nymphenburg Palace Between April 1 and October 15, a regular ticket costs 11.50 euros. Between October 16 and March 31, a regular ticket 8.50 euros. These combined tickets let you visit the palace, the Marstallmuseum (with the carriages and sleighs), the Museum of Nymphenburg Porcelain, and the park palaces. If you only want access to the Nymphenburg Palace, then the ticket is just 6 euros. Keep in mind that in winter, the park palaces are closed. How to Get to the Palace The Nymphenburg Palace is located at Schloß Nymphenburg 1, 80638 Munich. From Marienplatz, you can take the S1, S2, S3, S4, S6, or S8 metro train to the stop, Mà ¼nchen-Laim and walk about 20 minutes or take a taxi from there. #8: Spend a Night at the Theater Munich was home or host to famous composers, like Mozart and Wagner, throughout its history and it continues to have a thriving theater, opera, and classical music scene. You can buy tickets for a glamorous night out at the Bavarian State Opera or Bavarian State Orchestra. Where to Go Nationaltheater: The Nationaltheater is considered one of the world’s best opera houses and is home to the Bavarian State Opera. Rebuilt after WWI, the theater’s Neoclassical architecture is reminiscent of Greek temple. In addition to its frequent performances of opera and classical music, the Nationaltheater hosts an opera festival every summer. Residenztheater: Here, you can visit the famous Rococo Cuvillies Theater, built in 1755, tiered boxes. It hosts both operas from the Baroque period and modern plays. Staatstheater am Grtnerplatz: This smaller theater puts on alternative productions of operas and musicals. While the other theaters require advance reservations, you can usually find less expensive tickets more last minute for a show here. The interior of the Cuvillies Theater is a show in itself. Abraham Putoor/Flickr How to Get to the Theaters Here are the addresses of each theater, along with the closest metro stops. Nationaltheater: Max-Joseph-Platz 2, 80539. Walk from metro stops, Marienplatz or Odeonsplatz. Residenztheater: Max-Joseph-Platz 1, 80539. Walk from metro stops, Marienplatz or Odeonsplatz. Staatstheater am Grtnerplatz: Grtnerplatz 3, 80469. Walk from metro stops, Marienplatz or Fraunhoferstrasse. #9: Go Ziplining at Olympiapark Munich hosted the summer Olympics in 1972. It built Olympiapark on land that was formerly the training ground for the Royal Bavarian Army. Today, you can visit for concerts, festivals, restaurants, great views, and recreational activities. Below are some of the top things to do at Olympiapark in Munich. What to Know about Olympiapark As a big recreational center, Olympiapark is now used to host concerts and events. One popular one is the yearly Tollwood Festival, with music, theater performances, food stalls, and markets. If you’re cool with heights, you can climb atop the stadium roof, go zip lining, or simply go up to a number of viewpoints to enjoy 360 views of Munich and the surrounding Alps. You can also visit a revolving restaurant in the Aussichtskorb, one of two pods at the top of the television tower. Even if you’re not eating, you can go up to its observation decks for the spectacular views. There's totally a revolving restaurant up there. Where to Find Olympiapark Olympiapark is located at Spiridon-Louis-Ring 21, 80809 in Munich. You can access Olympiapark on subway line U1 from these metro stops: Westfriedhof, Georg-Brauchle-Ring, and Olympia-Einkaufzentrum (OEZ). This train runs from Munich Central Station. You can also take the U3 line to Petuelring, Olympiazentrum, Oberwiesenfeld to Olympia-Einkaufszentrum. The U3 runs from Marienplatz. #10: Take a Day Trip to Neuschwanstein Castle Does this fairytale castle remind you a Disney movie? As it turns out, Neuschwanstein Castle served as the inspiration for the castle in Beauty and the Beast! The real story behind this Romanesque Revival castle doesn’t have a happy ending, though. It was built by the reclusive king, Ludwig II of Bavaria, in 1864. He wanted it to be a retreat and sought to create a dream-like world of medieval legend. Unfortunately, Ludwig II only got to live in the castle for 172 days before he was declared insane and taken from the castle. Shortly after, both Ludwig’s and his doctor’s bodies were found in a nearby lake. The causes of their deaths remain a mystery. The castle, which was one of the last of its kind to be built in Germany, is open to visitors and is located about one and a half to two hours from Munich. What to See Visitors of Neuschwanstein Castle go on guided tours through the rooms that were finished before Ludwig’s death. The tickets are 12 euros or free for those under 18. On the tour, you’ll see a mix of mainly Romanesque, Gothic, and Byzantine art and architecture. The most notable rooms include, Hall of the Singers: This hall is largest room and one of Ludwig’s favorite projects. It was meant to celebrate the Middle Ages with its representations of knights and medieval love stories. Throne Hall: This church-like hall, inspired by Byzantine churches, reflected Ludwig’s view of himself as a mediator between God and the people. It has a massive chandelier, but no throne. Ludwig’s plan to build a throne was never realized. Drawing room, dining room, study, and bedroom: These finished rooms feature sumptuous decorations and intricately carved wood ceilings and columns. They give a glimpse into how Ludwig lived and how he wanted to finish out his days at Neuschwanstein Castle. This bedroom in the castle is based on a 19th century Photocrom print. Unfortunately, you can't take pictures inside the castle. How to Get to Neuschwanstein Castle Neuschwanstein Castle perches atop a hill above the village of Hohenschwangau, near Fà ¼ssen. Before going to the castle, you must buy tickets at the ticket office in Hohenschwangau. To get to Hohenschwangau, take the train from Munich HBF to Fussen. Then you’ll hop on bus 78. Since the castle’s a popular spot, you should be able to easily follow the flow of visitors from the train to the bus. Once you’ve got your ticket, you can walk, take a shuttle bus, or go with a horse and carriage up the hill to the castle. The steep walk is about 40 minutes. The bus is 2.60 euros round trips, and the horse and carriage is 6 euros uphill and 3 euros downhill. Now that you have a sense of the top ten things to do in Munich, let’s put them all together into one possible itinerary. Read on to plan five amazing days in the capital of Bavaria. If you're traveling to Munich for Oktoberfest, then you might already have your itinerary planned out: beer, beer, and more beer. Five Days in Munich: Suggested Itinerary Day 1: Fly into Munich Airport. You can also take a bus or a train from major cities like Berlin. I took a bus - it was a long ride, but otherwise comfortable enough. If you’ll be taking the metro to get around, I’d suggest buying a 1 or 3-day inner zone ticket. You can buy a single ticket just for yourself or a group ticket. Here are the prices: Single-day single ticket: 6.40 euros Three-day single ticket: 16 euros Single-day group ticket: 12.20 euros Three-day group ticket: 28.20 euros Depending on what time you get to Munich, I’d suggest heading into the historic center (eg, Marienplatz) to get your first look at this beautiful district. Walk around, get your bearings, and get dinner and a Bavarian brew at one of the above recommended brewhouses. Day 2: Head to Marienplatz in the center of old Munich. Early risers can head to Viktualienmarkt for breakfast; late risers can go straight to the 11 AM Rathaus-Glockenspiel puppet show (guess which one I was). After eating and watching puppets, spend some time seeing the Munich attractions in the center, particularly the three nearby churches. If the weather’s nice, spend the afternoon in the English Garden before ending the day in a Bavarian beer garden. Day 3: Visit the Nymphenburg palace and spend hours getting lost in its vaulted halls, galleries, and royal gardens. Go see a German opera, concert, or play in the evening. Day 4: Take a day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle. You’ll take the train to Fussen, buy your tickets in the village of Hohenschwangau, and then spend the day touring the dreamy project of the strange and tragic king. Day 5: Spend the day visiting world-class Munich museums. Admire art, learn about technology, or discover the car of the future at BMW Welt. Climb up Alter Peter's bell tower for this beautiful view! Traveling to Munich: Final Tips There are lots of places to see and things to do in beautiful old Munich, and you can shape your trip around any of its cultural, natural, or culinary offerings. I was blown away by the old district because of its historic, fairytale-like feel, but Munich also has lots of new, exciting things going on, too. You can hopscotch from past to present as you make your way around the city. If you’re a fan of art history and architecture, then Munich may be the paradise you were looking for with its mix of Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, Neoclassical, Romanesque Revival structures. If you want to escape somewhere green, then you’ll love walking and swimming in the English garden, meandering through parks and palace gardens, or traveling out to the nearby Bavarian alps. From my time there, I saw that Munich was a city that valued history, beauty, and pleasure. Whether I was sampling at the Viktualienmarkt, admiring 19th century paintings, or sitting in one of the many outdoor cafes or beer gardens, I felt like Munich was a city where I could easily live. Anywhere that installs beer gardens for thousands or a swimming creek in the middle of a city is a place that wants people to enjoy a high quality of life!

Myths are pseudoscience theories that are false claims Essay

Myths are pseudoscience theories that are false claims - Essay Example Dryden, & Still continue to argue that pseudoscience is much more characterized by use of sources in the wrong way, inadequate application of logic as well as observations (151). In this case, therefore, the explanations made are neither valid nor scientific, since the conclusions made are out of assumptions as opposed to science Popper (3). Allhoff argues that science and facts must rely on facts (4). In relation to the myths, one would, in this case argue that myths are false claims from the fact that the sources that these myths are based on are not credible, but are simply based on hearsays of the authors. For instance, one cannot prove that all children born on Fridays are lucky since there are many children who are very unlucky. Myths can also be disguised as fallacial since they are simply based on observations that are not experimented. Lakatos, Feyerabend & Motterlini (30) and Lakatos (21) indicate that scientific experiments are scientific must have tested hypotheses, and results that can be proven and tested. For instance, can we prove that all skinny persons are unhealthy as the assumption goes? It is, therefore, validated to argue that myths, at most times do not have logical and sound arguments. With false conclusions made, it is obvious that a lot of errors were made while making inferences. Validity and sound arguments, according to Allhoff, Alspector-Kelly & McGrew are an aspect of scientific method (515). In the work of Lakatos, astrology can be described as pseudoscience form the fact that it is not consistent as science facts should be (26). As a myth, astrology is untrue. Just like the ancestors believed in myths, they did not focus on evidence just like in the case of astrology. Lack of verifiable principles disqualifies these myths. Astrology according to Lakatos cannot be falsified since the entire concept does not rely on repeatable tests (26). With astrological claims being stated negatively, the results would,

Marketing Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 3

Marketing Research - Essay Example ch year, one million girls become pregnant, and $25 billion in federal funds are spent annually on families begun by teenagers for social, health welfare services. One million Americans are currently infected with HIV, and almost a quarter million have died from AIDS"(di mauro,1995). Research evidence is on record that consumer tends to regard free/subsidized goods as inferior and has general reluctance to go in for their purchase .Whereas anything priced goes through a detailed consumer decision making process in terms of exercising choice and ascertaining quality of the bought item. This holds for use of condoms too.For this reason social marketing of condoms have a market strategy to price for affluent in order to subsidize poor. DKT-Brazil is a case in point: it sells condoms at full price to some and uses some of the profits to subsidize condom sales to the poor(DKT,2002).People would tend to use more, a priced condom then a free/subsidized one. Market research is essential for successful marketing and promotion of condoms. Carefully planned research helps guide the product design and selection, package design, advertising and promotion, and distribution. Market research can also help to identify proper pricing with in various segments. The brand name and packaging leave important message for customer at the point of sale and again at the time of use and it is important that such messages facilitate purchase and use of the condoms. Quite similar to different advertising messages for varying target groups, it may be required to vary brand names and packaging messages for different target groups. Market research can help in such selection of brand names and package designs. Thus we have an effective list of data variables that a market research plan may aim to collect as pertinent information. A list of such variables is carried below. The most prominent problem in carrying out primary consumer research for Condoms is the extended and hard-shelled hesitation of

Contributing factors toward SWB of the Institutionalized Elderly Essay Example for Free

Contributing factors toward SWB of the Institutionalized Elderly Essay Apart from delineating the cognitive and affective indicators of SWB, this study also attempted to identify the possible factors which contribute to SWB. A host of factors were identified in the largely western literature. These are presented in the succeeding pages. Physical Health: Health is one of the most important variables in predicting whether people are happy (Campbell et al. , 1976). The World Health Organization defines health as, the optimal functioning of the human organism to meet biological, psychological, ethical and spiritual needs (Emeth Greenhut, 1991). In this study the elderly were said to have ‘optimal functioning’ when he or she had basic competence, which was necessary for maintenance of independent living (Martin, 2001). In the case of the elderly in the study it was denoted by their ability for personal care on their own. It also pertained to mental health, which was a state where the elderly were not prone to depression, or other mental illness, and did not have any major cognitive impairments. Autonomy: Autonomy could be equated to having the capacity for selfdetermination, independence, internal locus of control, and internal regulation of behavior (Ryff, 1989). Having a sense of being in control (autonomy) means that one’s thoughts and actions are one’s own and not determined by others. It is related to physical health too as it gives a sense of mastery over situations. It is important for all and particularly for the elderly to maintain that sense of control or autonomy because a sense of losing control of one’s life or one’s power is to in some ways lose one’s worth, which can have detrimental effect on one’s physical as well as psychological health. Money/Income: Income or money is importantly related to a sense of well-being in old age (Diener, 1984) and the elderly in the study may or may not enjoy financial security Money is important probably because of the sense of security that they experience when they have enough money which could implicitly affect their sense of autonomy and self-worth. Family Relationships: Family is a natural institution constant across time and space which is a very close and intimate group and one’s sense of well-being is sustained by membership in this primary group, as it provides a sense of security, connectedness, and belongingness to the aged. There are no substitutes for the close relationship in the experience of well-being in the case of the aged. In the case of the elderly in the study, family relationship is limited to this intimate group consisting of the spouse, children and grandchildren as the extended family is almost nonexistent in the given context. Friendship: Friendship or close relationship with members of the same age group often sharing personal characteristics, life styles, values and experiences is a source of enjoyment, socializing, and reminiscing the past; promote a higher satisfaction among the older adults (Sorensen Pinquart, 2000). In the given situation it could be long standing friends from the past, and or the friendship developed among the co-residents of the home. Social Support and Social Interest: To experience a sense of well-being persons should have deep feeling of sympathy, and affection for human beings (social interest/altruism). That is, their ability to go beyond the personal to interpersonal establishing deep, profound interpersonal relationships and social support, to transpersonal, which is relating to the Divine in the social context of one’s life. These play a significant role in maintaining their psychological, social, and physical integrity over time (Witmer Sweeny, 1992) and consequently the sense well-being. Attitude toward Death: Death can be understood as a natural process of transition from one stage of life to another. Depending on the meaning people attach to death, they fear death or embrace it as a natural transition with a sense of acceptance and surrender (Atchley, 1997). Accepting old age and death meaningfully makes life happier. Fear or acceptance of death is closely related to general satisfaction. According to (Moberg, 2001), when life is lived to the full, death becomes a fulfillment, a completion. Religion and Spirituality: Subjective aspects of religion and spirituality include religious identification, religious attitudes, values, beliefs, knowledge, and mystical/religious experiences. Religious experience provides a sense of meaning and purpose in daily life (Polner, 1989). Spirituality usually refers to a unique, personally meaningful experience of a transcendent dimension that is associated with wholeness and wellness (Westgate, 1996). Spiritual wellness is the dimension that permits the integration of one’s spirituality with the other dimensions of life, thus maximizing the potential for growth and self-actualization (Westgate, 1996). At this point of SWB research, there is already an idea of the variables which correlate with SWB. However, a better understanding of parameters that influences the relationships, the directions of influences between variables, and the different influences interact are still needed (Diener, 1984). Given the assumption that these features are deep cross-cultural, universally applicable, core characteristic features of well being sought by the aged, the researcher believed that the institutionalized care for the aged and their subjective sense of well-being is also context specific. An understanding of psychological well-being necessarily rely upon the moral visions that are culturally embedded and frequently culture specific (Christopher, 1999). In this context, one might ask how the institutionalized aged of Gladys Spellman experience the transition from mathru-pithru devobhava (mother and father are like gods) to institutionalized care, what their experience of the subjective well-being consisted in, and what might be the specific factors that would contribute to their sense of well being. It is possible that the western culture-specific factors of subjective well-being outlined above may not have the same relevance for the population under investigation. This study was expected to help understand the contextspecific aspects of well-being of the institutionalized aged.

Illusion in Madame Butterfly Essay -- David Henry Hwang Gender Sexuali

Illusion in M. Butterfly In David Henry Hwang's play M. Butterfly we are introduced to Rene Gallimard who has unknowingly been sexually involved with another man for twenty years. The idea of mistaken gender within the play causes the reader to question how could one mistake his/her lover's gender for so long? In Rene Gallimard's search for self-identity he ignorantly chooses illusion over reality. Hwang effectively uses the opera Madame Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini as a framework to mold the main character, Rene Gallimard. Gallimard longs to be like the hero in Madame Butterfly, Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton, who dominates and possesses a beautiful Asian woman. Within the drama Gallimard concedes that he is not very attractive and that he hasn't always been popular amongst the ladies. Gallimard states "We, who are not handsome, nor brave, nor powerful, yet somehow believe like Pinkerton, that we deserve a Butterfly"(747). Obviously Gallimard is not happy with himself or his life so he goes in search for his Butterfly or more importantly a new identity. Gallimard thinks he ...

A Case Study Of Agriquip Agencies Essay

1.0 INTRODUCTION The report reviews my three months work of attachment at Agriquip Agencies (EA) Ltd which is part of compulsory course work prior to the compliment of a diploma in business management. The report is an overview of experience gained, activities carried out at Agriquip Agencies (EA) Ltd, challenges faced during my attachment period and how I overcame them. In My attachment I was rotated in all the departments of the organization. 1.1 AGRIQUIP AGENCIES (EA) LTD See more: The stages of consumer buying decision process essay Agriquip Agencies (EA) Ltd is an organization specialized in Importation, distribution, Wholesale and retailing of a wide variety of Agricultural and industrial machineries and their accessories. The company was established in 1968 and it is based in Nairobi Industrial area along Lusaka road. It has branches in major towns, in Kisumu city, Mombasa city and Eldoret town. It has a number of appointed distribution agents in other towns in order to assist in distribution of their products. The organization draws its major customers in the Sugar factories by providing them with industrial spare parts, in agricultural sector it supplies the tea firms and plantations with various machines and their accessories for ease of their farm work. In industrial sector the firm provides the manufacturing companies with spare parts for their machinery to ensure the production does not halt due to lack of spares. The firm also targets the automobile industry by ensuring that they have spares in hardy i n order to continue with their business without interruptions due to lack of spare parts. The firm obtains its products from different parts of the world and ensures they maintain good relationship with their suppliers and maintains the necessary stock levels in order to cope and satisfy the demands of their customers. 1.1.1 Vision of the Organization To be the leading firm to transform Africa into a prime trade and investment destination 1.1.2 Mission Statement To turn Africa risk into opportunity by providing high quality, cost effective Agricultural & industrial equipments. 1.1.3 Core values Strive to carry out their business with customer focus approach combined with integrity, creativity, unity of purpose and an attitude of getting it right the first time. 1.1.4 Corporate Objectives – To consistently focus on our customer needs and provide them with products of the highest quality and standards that ensure they enjoy value for their money. – To transform Africa into a prime trade and investment destination by ensuring steady supply of quality products to our business partners in other sectors To ensure safety of environment and users of our products by providing products which are environmental friendly To invest in research and development in order to design products which are cost effective and satisfy the emerging needs of our customers 1.1.5 SWOT Analysis An analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) was carried out to identify the firm’s internal strengths and weaknesses (internal analysis) in relation to external opportunities and threats (external analysis). This was undertaken with a view to identify and take action to leverage the strengths and opportunities and transform the weaknesses into strengths and threats to be turned into opportunities. This goes a long way in enabling the organization to achieve its objectives 1.1.6 STRENGTHS The main strengths of Agriquip includes the following;- i.Committed and experienced staff. The staff members are committed and have good skills and experience in their respective units. ii.Proper communication channels: the communication channels are well defined and the management created room for creativity and innovation as well as expressing their opinions freely without fear or intimidation. 1.1.6 WEAKNESSES The firm was noted to have a number of weaknesses which includes:- Little room for growth- The firm does not have well structured policies which provides for promotion and staff growth path. Lacks clear recruitment policies Unequal distribution of work Do not have proper allocation of resources. 1.1.7 OPPORTUNITIES Technological Development – These are opportunities which the firm can exploit to reduce cost of its operations Research and development – The firm can invest in R&D in order to understand the needs of their customers in order to come up with products that are capable of satisfying their customers and remain competitive. 1.1.8 THREATS Competition – Due to the technological change the firm is faced with competition from other suppliers Counterfeit goods flocking the market – The firm should invest in campaign against use of counterfeit products. 1.2 DURATION OF ATTACHMENT I was attached at Agriquip Agencies (EA) Ltd for eight weeks from 17th December 2013 to 8th February 2014. During this period I was rotated in all the departments of the firm starting with administration, purchasing, imports, accounts, sales and stores. I was taken through the various operations of the above departments and was able to practice what I learned in class. The attachment was very interesting as I had an opportunity to practice and utilize my technical skills and equipped me with understanding of the various management functions. 1.3 DEPARTMENT ATTACHED 1.3.1 ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT I was attached in this department for one week from 17.12.2013 to 21.12.2013, working for 5 days from Tuesday to Saturday. This department deals with the following activities; -Receiving recording and distributing mail to the  relevant departments for action. -Maintaining staff attendance records -Assigning duties to office assistants, clerks and delivery staff -Allocating resources for use by all the units within the organizations -Issuing local purchase orders for office stationeries -Maintaining fuel consumption records for all the company vehicles -Attending to customer queries and directing them -Filing and maintaining safe custody of the company files -Recording out going mails and dispatching them -Processing leave application forms for the staff members 1.3.2 IMPORTS DEPARTMENT I worked in this department for two weeks starting from 23.12.2013 to 04.01.2014. I was working from Monday to Saturday except during the holidays i.e. 25th, 26th December 2013 and 01st January 2014. The duration that I was attached in this department I was assigned to do the following jobs -Application for import license (IDF) -Filing of all the importation documents -Opening the costing sheets files -Application of marine cover notes -Receiving the shipping documents from the overseas suppliers and coordinating clearance with the clearing agents -Processing customs bonds with KRA -Computation of import duties and customs taxes -Arranging for payments for customs taxes and other levies 1.3.3 PURCHASING DEPARTMENT I was attached in this department for duration of one week from 06.01.2014 to 11.01.2014, working for six days from Monday to Saturday. During this period my duties were:- -Receiving and recording requisition from the stores -Filing requisition and other purchasing documents -Updating order records -Preparing and sending enquiries to the overseas suppliers -Sending purchase orders to the suppliers -Recording purchase orders in the order book -Receiving quotations from the potential suppliers -Follow up with the suppliers to expedite our supplies 1.3.4 STORES – I worked in this department for duration of one week during which I was tasked with the following responsibilities. -Issuing requisition for purchase to the purchasing department. -Receiving and verification of goods to ascertain they are in conformance with our order confirmation. -Issuing goods received notes -Filing of documents -Supervising stock taking -Binning of the incoming stock in their respective bins -Retrieving stock from the bins to be sold -Updating the stock issuance forms -Raising stock adjustment slips 1.3.5 SALES – I was attached in this department for two weeks from 20.10.2014 to 01.10.2014, working for 6 days per week. During this period my duties were:- -Taking orders from customers and raising sales invoices -Recording daily sales in the sales day book -Assisting the purchasing department to raise enquiries to the suppliers -Keeping track of daily sales documents and ensuring they are properly distributed to the various department for appropriate actions -Assigning enquiries received to the counter salesmen to action -Issuing ETR receipts for the sales made -Receiving customers complaints on the company products and directing them to the responsible persons for appropriate action5 1.3.6 ACCOUNTS – I was in this department for one week from 03.02.2014 to 08.02.2014. My assignments were:- -Receiving sales documents for the previous day and checking the calculations -Entering sales in the sales day book -Entering purchases in the purchase day book -Writing receipts for the payments received from the debtors -Writing cash book and petty cash books -Preparing remittance advice notes -Preparing PAYE, VAT returns online -Preparing bank reconciliations -Preparing debtors analysis schedules SECTION TWO 2.0 ATTACHMENT EXPERIENCES 2.1 GENERAL ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN. The general activities undertaken on daily basis were to ensure that all the documents to be used for the day are available as required, depending on the department attached. 2.1.1 Filing of various documents – Filing was also classified as an important general activity undertaken in the Organization. I sorted and classified the various documents depending on the required classification methods adopted by the different departments within the organization and putting them in their respective files. 2.1.2 Classification and handling information in the office set up. I classified and handled office information in a confidential and secret manner as files were not to be exposed or left unattended as they contain confidential information which should not be disclosed to everyone. 2.1.3 Planning of daily activities – As a general rule and practice of the organization, every employee was expected to prepare a daily work plan for the activities that he was expected to perform in the course of the day. I had to start my days with a plan which entailed arranging my work in the order of priorities as directed by my supervisor 2.1.3 General office administration – I ensured that the duties allocated to me by my manager were promptly executed and maintained conducive environment for daily operations. 2.1.4 Customer Relationship Management – I ensured customer’s requests were promptly handled and the responsible managers were informed of the enquiries through the daily reports. I responded to the enquiries through emails, telephone calls and any other appropriate channels of communication. I also directed the enquiries to the right person for assistance. 7 2.1.5 Office tidiness – After the office had been cleaned, I ensured that my desk was neatly arranged to facilitate smooth flow of work 2.2 SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN I undertook the following activities in the various departments attached 2.2.1 Records management – this involved receiving incoming documents, recording, classifying, arranging, opening respective files, updating of records, capturing data relevant to the various departments, storing and retrieving files , locking the documents in the cabinets and restricting unauthorized persons from accessing any records under my custody. I performed this work in all the departments attached. 2.2.2 Filing of tax returns – in the accounts department I was tasked with preparing VAT returns, PAYE returns, advance tax returns, Withholding tax returns, NSSF returns, NHIF tax returns 2.2.3 Computation of Customs taxes – In the imports department I performed the duties of preparing imports declaration forms using KRA Orbus system, lodging customs entries using TRADEX- SIMBA system and arranging payments for the taxes through the bank. 2.2.4 Processing Customs Clearance documents â₠¬â€œ I was also tasked with processing clearance documents and clearing the import consignments at JKIA. Preparing marine cover notes and ensured all our imports are duly are insured against damages, pilferage or loss in transit. Updating the imports register and ensured that all the imported is up to date 2.2.5 Customer relations – I was tasked with receiving customers’ complaints on the company products and directing them to the responsible persons for appropriate action. I took note of the issues raised and forwarded them to the relevant heads of department and made a follow up to ensure the necessary action has been taken and feedback has been communicated concerned person. I also ensured there was a working co-ordination between the various departments within the organization and the right information was communicated to right person on time. 2.2.6 Stock management – I assisted the stores department to improve on their stock management procedures. This was through improvement of their systems of stock recording, issuance and documentations. Other tasks included – Issuance of purchase for requisition forms to the purchasing department, issuing goods received notes, supervising stock taking, binning of the incoming stock in their respective bins, retrieving stock from the bins to be sold, Updating the stock issuance forms Raising stock adjustment slips among others Receiving and verification of goods to ascertain they are in conformance with our order confirmation. 2.2.7 Administrative Duties – I was assigned to perform administrative duties which includes. Maintaining staff attendance records, Assigning duties to office assistants, clerks and delivery staff, Allocating resources for use by all the units within the organizations, Issuing local purchase orders for office stationeries, Maintaining fuel consumption records for all the company vehicles Filing and maintaining safe custody of the company files, Processing leave application forms for the staff members as well as tracing of different types of files and taking them to the required departments. 2.2.8 Purchasing functions – This involves the tasks of receiving and recording requisition from the stores, Preparing and sending enquiries to the overseas supplier, Sending purchase orders to the suppliers, Recording purchase orders in the order book, Receiving quotations from the potential supplier, Follow up with the suppliers to expedite our supplies, Issuing requisition for pur chase to the purchasing department. Receiving and verification of goods to ascertain they are in conformance with our order confirmation. Assisting the purchasing department to raise enquiries to the suppliers 2.2.9 Sales of Company Products – This involves taking orders from customers and raising sales invoices, Raising cash sales in case of cash transactions, Recording daily sales in the sales day book, Keeping track of daily sales documents and ensuring they are properly distributed to the various department for appropriate actions, Assigning enquiries received to the counter salesmen to action, Issuing ETR receipts for the sales made 2.3 AN ANALYSIS OF LEARNT KNOWLEDGE AND APPLIED SKILLS 2.3.1 COMMUNICATION The communication channel in the AGRIQUIP AGENCIES (EA) LTD is vertical. Communication channeled from top management down to the middle level and subsequent to the lower level. Junior officers give feedback through the same channel until the information reaches the senior management for action. I learnt that for smooth and efficient operation in any organization there must be an effective communication system which facilitates the flow of information. 2.3.2 TO EMBRACE TEAM WORK – I learnt that it is crucial to have good co-operation between the workers which enables department  activities to be coordinated smoothly and efficiently. Any organization must encourage Team work and coordination within all its departments in order to achieve the overall objectives of the business. I learnt to build team work and to cooperate with both the internal and external customers of the organization. 2.3.3 SOCIAL RELATIONS The staff members are friendly and this in turn creates unity. The senior officers are free and social with the junior staffs thus making them feel recognized, this enable me to adapt to the environment very quickly. I learnt that through creation of social relation there is room to learn and perform work easily as this encourages breaks barriers and leads to efficient communication and accomplishment of tasks. 2.3.4 RECOGNITION/RESPECT Respect is highly observed, Staff members respect each other, their seniors and also the public in general. Staff members who perform their duties well are motivated verbally, through recommendation letters, incentives and sometimes promotion. Staffs are also encouraged to upgrade their education. I learnt that when workers feel appreciated they are able to perform their work with minimum supervision and willingly. 2.3.5 EMPLOYEE FOCUS I learnt that when organization recognizes the contribution of their employees, they see them as important assets and to be invested in and not a cost to be avoided. Employees with personal needs are to be assisted which boosts their morale and increase their out-put. The organization has set clear and explicit standards of service that clients (employees) reasonably expect. They always uphold transparency and accountability in service delivery. They always take corrective action on errors and deficiencies that occur I learned the way the organization should undertake the core mandate. This was by working closely with various departments during my attachment. And i also found out that practical part of management is very interesting. I was allowed to learn the way an organization is supposed to function and  what is expected of every employee with regard to terms and condition of service. I was trained on how to develop work/duty schedules which enhances performing tasks efficientl y; achieving results and solving problems effectively through consultation of other working mates. 10 During my attachment period I ensured that decisions which I made were in line with the organizations policy and in consultation with my superiors. I applied the knowledge learnt in class in addressing issues like complaints from employees and managed the situations effectively. Through interpersonal skills that I acquired both in training and during the attachment period I was able to interact well with the employees of the organization. I also acquired knowledge on how to communicate with senior management staff and how to address the general population with respect and decorum where one subordinate is entitled to one superior type of management. 2.4 A PROFILE OF SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES GAINED/ACQUIRED – These eight weeks of my internship at Agriquip Agencies (EA) Ltd enabled me to gain skills, competence and experience in various managerial functions. I interacted with many suppliers both local and international suppliers, Consumers of our products, Government Agencies and other clients who required to be attended to. This equipped me with communication skills, negotiation skills and more importantly managerial skills in all sections within the organization as I rotated in all the departments. 2.4.1 COMMUNICATION SKILLS ACQUIRED I acquired communication skills using various communication channels, I learnt how to write official letters, send and receive emails, communicate well with the managers, others employees and the clients who came to seek for our services. I also learned how to communicate with different kinds of people like the clients of the organizations, customers and management staff using the appropriate approaches. I learned how to communicate through memoranda and ensuring that it is addressed specifically to the right group having simple language to be easily understood generally. 2.4.2 SOCIAL SKILLS ACQUIRED.I learned how to interact well with the employees of the organization. This was beneficial because i was able to work with them well due to the social skills applied. I also worked hand in hand with the management team and was also able to interact well with the other trainees. 2.4.3 MULTI-TASKING Exposure to working in different departments and handling clients with different needs enabled me to gain experience in multi-tasking and therefore was equipped with capability of handling different tasks performed in different departments effectively 2.4.4 CONFIDENTIALITY AND BUSINESS ETHICS – I gained skills of desertion and business ethics which is vital because most of managerial functions must be kept confidential and I was trained on the need to observe ethics and never to divulge information to any unauthorized person and to keep confidential information about any function in the organization at all times. 2.4.5 ORGANIZING I also learned that managerial role requires high level of organization of the resources, functions and time. Through the attachment I was able to gain this skills as the organization has a very strong focus on how the employees organizes their daily activities and utilizes resources allocated to them. 2.4.6 CORDINATION During my internship, I gained skills on how the employees should coordinate in order to accomplish their assigned tasks. I also learnt that all the functions within the organization in order to achieve the mission and overall objective of the organization. 2.4.7 MANAGEMENT OF RECORDS I learnt the skills on how to properly manage company records during my attachment in all the departments of the organization. How to store files safely and protect them against access by unauthorized persons, arrange the properly in the cabinets Employees are handled in a professional manner embracing dignity and respect. 2.4.8 WORK SKILLS ACQUIRED I learned to prioritize work by organizing my working time table. This enabled me to apply management by objective principal. 2.5 OBSERVATIONS AND CRITIQUE For the duration that I have been attached at Agriquip Agencies (EA) Ltd I was able to make several observations for which I liked some and other I did not like 2.5.1 OBSERVATIONS Open communication The organization has adopted an open communication policy.  During my attachment, I observed that the management encouraged open communication between the managers and their juniors as well as the trainees. This created room for the trainees and junior staff members to express their ideas freely without fear hence created room for creativity and innovation. Good relationship between employer and employee – The firm maintains a good employer /employee relationship. All the employees of the organization are given fair treatment irrespective of the positions they hold. The managers were willing to interpret the policies and guide their juniors and trainees in the implementation of the strategies set to achieve the desired results. Management commitment to motivate employees – The management had a commitment for motivating their staff members. I observed that all the workers in the organization were very committed to their work and needed minimum supervision. The level of motivation was high and therefore created room for innovation, trust and cohesiveness which leads to efficiency and effectiveness of the organization. Embraced change – On the other hand I observed that both management and employees were very accommodative to change this was due to high level of trust and open communication the management was able to communicate to their employees of any planned change before implementing which translated to less resistance. Employee willingness to teach the new trainees – as a result of high commitment by the employees to their tasks and trust between the employees and the employer, the interns were not viewed as threat to the already existing employees and therefore they were willing to train and 13 guide them in their internship. The work I was assigned truly allowed creativity and innovation in that I was expected to come up with new ideas and ways of effectively managing the resources of the organization in order to meet the targets and increase the efficiency of the organization. I liked the way the organization cared for the social needs of their employees. 2.5.2 CRITIQUES/DISLIKES ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION Some departments operations are not computerized and therefore it takes long time to acquire information that is necessary for quality decision making. The organization lacks proper progression path which discourages the employees from furthering their training since there is no rewards expected  after undergoing the training. The other deficient area that I found wanting is that of recruitment and employment. The organization does not have employment policies and therefore their employees does not fully understand the criteria used. I observed that organizations do not give much emphasis on the course a student is taking, but they prefer students who have basic education and they proceed to nurture them based on their judgment on how one is performing. There is delay in replenishing some products/stocks which have high demands which causes the organization to lose their customers to their competitors. Some suppliers take too long to supply the products. Lack of co-ordination betwe en the purchasing, imports and stores departments hinders the organization from achieving their objectives. The organization has not fully embraced new technological advancement in several departments. This in itself is a setback as technology is known to improving efficiency and less paper work. As an organization that imports products from many parts of the world, I found that their ICT systems are wanting. The organization has not invested in research and development which is a powerful tool for enhancing their productivity and competitiveness. 2.6 STRATEGY FOR UTILIZING OF CONTACTS ESTABLISHED DURING ATTACHMENT During my attachment period at Agriquip Agencies (EA) Ltd I established good contacts, and still keep in touch with them and any time I require information pertaining to particular field am assured that I will have someone whom I can consult. I intend to seek employment opportunities for myself and also my fellow students. In today’s market economy job is only allocated and accessed by those who are networked well or known well. These contacts will also be of great help in securing employment opportunities in future in the field of management. I will also use the established contacts as referees to recommend me in getting employment in the future. SECTION THREE 3.1 SUMMARY The industrial attachment was conducted at Agriquip agencies (EA) LTD from 17th December, 2013 to 08th February, 2014. During the attachment I rotated  in all the departments within the organization i.e. Administration, imports, purchasing, sale and stores departments as an imports clerk/ supervisor. I learnt various functions of all the above departments and equipped me with knowledge and skills on how to effectively perform duties of these functions. The theoretical knowledge I learnt in class helped me to have a better understand on how to carry out the relevant functions. Some specific activities undertaken needs to be taken seriously by any person assigned to perform them because they can heavily impact on the performance of the organization. These functions includes, Purchasing of products, these should be done by competent personnel who have thorough knowledge of procurement procedures as well as good negotiation skills. Sales, This function should be done carefully as the p ersonnel assigned should have good marketing skills and able to do proper marketing mix in order to satisfy the needs of the Customers failure to which the organization can be affected negatively by becoming the target for competition. Imports, the personnel allocated this function must be having good analysis skill, should have capabilities to analyze the external environment in order to determine the economic situation , understand the inflation rates, rates of exchange as well as effects of the economies of scale. Accounts, The personnel allocated to this department should be able to produce reports in time and accurately to enable the management to determine the profitability position as well as decide on the course for action. 3.2 CONCLUSION I sincerely wish to appreciate the management of Agriquip Agencies(EA) LTD for the opportunity they gave to me to pursue my industrial attachment in their organization and also for assistance they accorded to me and being always ready to let me learn from them . The experience gained in the course of my attachment is very important in securing me an opportunity in the job market. I highly encourage the idea of industrial attachment and recommend that the students be supported and given maximum guidance to ensure that they are able to exercise their practical skills that are fundamental in building their career. My eight weeks in Agriquip Agencies (EA) LTD have had a great impact to my career development. I thank the management of The  Kenya Institute of Management for creating an opportunity for their students to undergo an industrial attachment that enables them to acquire practical skills in their field of training. The attachment has also enabled me as a management trainee to id entify the areas of weaknesses within the organization and recommended to the management on the best course of actions to improve on their performance. 3.3 RECOMMENDATIONS Agriquip Agencies (EA) Ltd should improve its technological infrastructure by providing more computerized systems enabled with internet to the various departments to facilitate e-commerce. Departments whose operations are not computerized to be computerized in order to improve on the service delivery and enhance their satisfaction to their customers. To find alternative suppliers for their products in order to ensure products are always available for their customers. Since some of the current suppliers take long periods to supply the ordered products they should seek alternative sources of supplies and create good relationships with suppliers to ensure steady supply of goods. Formulate employment policies. The organization to formulate employment policies that will govern their recruitment procedures, staff appraisal, reward systems, growth and development of the employees among others Investing on research and development. The organization should consider investing on research in order to be able to understand the market treads, the customer needs, the level of competition. The need to develop new products that are suitable for satisfaction of their customer desires. The management of the Kenya institute of management to explore ways of partnering with the private sector investors and the Government to ensure that their students are able to secure attachments opportunities and employment placements on completion of their training.

Nicotine Addictions

Nicotine addiction is a serious mental disease and illness. There are currently 1. 35 billion smokers in the world today and that number is increasing at an alarming rate. Nicotine related diseases are the number one killer in the world. It is responsible for more deaths each year than drug and alcohol abuse, car crashes, AIDS, murder and suicide put together. There are few ways to fight this addiction, like rehab, the nicotine patch, nicotine gum, or the new drug, Chantix. Nicotine addiction is a serious mental disease and illness and it affects all ages. To first understand nicotine addiction you first need to understand why we start smoking in the first place and why we get hooked. Most people start smoking to relieve stress or anxiety, other people want to lose weight, teens succumb to peer pressure or they’re trying to look cool. Have you ever wondered why it’s so hard to go without eating, why we feel anxiety when bored and an â€Å"aahh† sense of relief when we finish a task? This was dopamine. When we feel hunger our dopamine pathways are teasing us with anticipation, wanting for food. If we keep wanting the anticipation may build into urges or even craves. Each bite that we take or drag off a cigarette stimulates the dopamine until we had enough and have become satisfied. While family members and loved ones are screaming at the smoker to stop, their brain dopamine pathways are screaming even louder that continuing to smoke is important as life itself. Nicotine addiction is permanent, just like alcohol there is one rule when you quit, just using once you will have to go back. It does not matter how much will power we have, the years of smoking, the recorded years of nicotine feeding have wired your brain for relapse. If this is true, that no matter how much will power you have you will go relapse. Then why are some social smokers able to continue and stop like its nothing while the rest of the smoking population got hooked. These social smokers are referred to as â€Å"chippers. † These â€Å"chippers† account for less than 10% of all smokers. Being immune to nicotine addiction is thought to be from genetics. Smokers who are hooked tend to feel sorry for themselves atching 10% walk away like its nothing, little do they realize they were once chippers to, at least for their first couple of cigarettes. Nicotine addiction affects all ages, there are many children who smoke around the world, take for example Ardi Rizal. Ardi Rizal is a two year Indonesian baby who smokes about 2 packs a day or 40 cigarettes. Smoking is normal in Indonesia it is the world 3rd largest leading tobacco consuming country in the world. A lot of adults who are around children will smoke; they will carry a baby in one hand and a cigarette on the other. His mother wants Ardi to quit, but her motivation for Ardi to quit was more on the spending 4 dollars a day other than his health. If Ardi does not smoke he throws tantrums, he has a scar on his head from running into a wall during one of his tantrums, and he also vomits when he cannot satisfy his addiction. The government has offered to pay the family with a brand new car and 100 thousand dollars if they help the baby stop smoking. Nicotine addiction affects all ages. The road to recovery from nicotine addictions is very hard. The first few days might feel like an emotional train wreck on the average smoker but as each passing day the challenge begins to grow less intense. In fact there are more ex-smokers in the United States then there are smokers! There are roughly 70% of daily smokers who want to stop. But few realize that they’re dealing with a permanent disorder and disease of the mind. A puff of nicotine is all it takes for relapse to occur. Usually it takes multiple fail attempts for the user to actually find the key to success. Every recovery is different, it be days, weeks, months, maybe even years to successfully quit smoking, to not feel the desire of a cigarette. There many types of treatment but no cure, there is the nicotine patch, rehab, nicotine gum and Chantix, Chantix has a 50% chance to help the smoker. Nicotine addiction is a serious mental disease and illness. Nicotine related disease causes 440,000 thousand deaths per year, 36,666 thousand per month, 8,461 thousand per week, 1,205 thousand per day, 50 per hour, in the United States alone. It is the number one killer around the world. Every cigarette that you smoke cuts 5 minutes off your life, the same time it takes to smoke it. Smoking just doesn’t cut a few months off the end of your life; it reduces the life of the average smoker by 12 years. Most people don’t think when lighting up especially teenagers, they don’t care about the cancer it causes, the things that it does to your body and physical appearance, that’s how addicted they are. They willing to ignore these facts for a death trap called tobacco.

The Principle of Beneficence vs Patient Essays

The Principle of Beneficence vs Patient Essays The Principle of Beneficence vs Patient Paper The Principle of Beneficence vs Patient Paper ABSTRACT On the motion that â€Å"medical paternalism serves the patient best†, this essay reviews current arguments on medical paternalism vs. patient autonomy. Citing medico-ethical texts and journals and selected real-life applications like electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and the advanced medical directive (AMD), the essay argues that medical paternalism cannot serve the patient best insofar as current debates limit themselves to â€Å"who† wields the decision-making power. Such debates side-step â€Å"what† the patient’s best interests are. The essay further argues through the case of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and acupuncture in particular, that the current dominant Western school of thought excludes other forms of â€Å"alternative† treatment through medical paternalism. Singapore Med J 2002 Vol 43(3):148-151 N H S S Tan Second-year mass communication student at Ngee Ann Polytechnic Correspondence to: Noel Hidalgo Tan Suwi Siang Email: [emailprotected] pacific. net. sg Although probably not written by Hippocrates (c. 460 – c. 477 BC) himself, the Hippocratic Oath is one of the oldest, most binding code of conduct today. The oath expresses the aspirations of the physician, and sets the ethical precedent by spelling out the physician’s responsibilities to the patient and the medical profession. Today, the Hippocratic Oath has been adopted and adapted world-wide; all physicians take the oath in some form or another. In Singapore, the doctor who undertakes the Singapore Medical Council’s Physician’s Pledge promises to â€Å"make the health of my patient my first consideration† and â€Å"maintain due respect for human life† (pars. 4, 9). The primary concept behind the oath is the principle of beneficence, which is operationalised in the original oath as the resolve to serve â€Å"for the benefit of the sick according to (the physician’s) ability and judgement† (cited in Mappes DeGrazia, 1996; p. 59). The principle of beneficence, indeed the over-emphasis of it, also led to medical paternalism or the physician’s prerogative to act on his or her best judgement for the patient. R S Downie observed, â€Å"The pathology of beneficence is paternalism, or the tendency to decide for individuals what they ought to decide form themselves† (cited in 1996; p.5). More often than not, medical paternalism tends to focus more on the patient’s care and outcomes rather than the patient’s needs and rights. In recent years, medical paternalism has come under fire through the concept of patient autonomy, or the patient’s right to choose and refuse treatment. While the debate between autonomy and paternalism still remains unresolved, paternalists argue that â€Å"maximum patient benefit† can be achieved only when the doctor makes the final medical decision (Weiss, 1985; p. 184). The pro-autonomy stance maintains that â€Å"benevolent paternalism is considered inappropriate in a modern world where the standard for the client-professional relationship is more like a meeting between equals than like a father-child relationship† (Tuckett, Boulton, Olson Williams, cited in Nessa Malterud, 1998; p. 394). This essay argues that medical paternalism cannot serve the patient best insofar as current debates sidestep the principle of beneficence in favour of decision-making power and medical paternalism under the current dominant Western school of thought excludes other forms of treatment. Current debate surrounding paternalism has always been centred on the issues of autonomy and paternalism and reduced further into a power struggle between the doctor and patient. This polarisation of the decision-making power has distracted the medico-philosophical debate. Today’s traditional medical values like â€Å"pain is bad† and longer life is more desirable than a shorter one† are increasingly challenged. Still, do patient and physician both share common understanding of what is best for the patient? Paternalists would claim that physicians have a â€Å"medical tradition to serve the patient’s well-being†, with the prerogative to preserve life and thus have the patient’s best interests at heart (Mappes and DeGrazia, 1996; p. 52). Singapore Med J 2002 Vol 43(3) : 149 Far from paternalism understood as a dogmatic decision made by the physician, James Childress in his book â€Å"Who Shall Decide? † further expounds paternalism into multi-faceted dimensions. Pure paternalism intervenes on account of the welfare of a person, while impure paternalism intervenes because more than one person’s welfare is at stake. Restricted paternalism curbs a patient’s inherent tendencies and extended paternalism encompasses minimising risk in situations through restrictions. Positive paternalism promotes the patient’s good and negative paternalism seeks to prevent an existing harm. Soft paternalism appeals to the patient’s values and hard paternalism applies another’s value over the patient. Direct paternalism benefits the person who has been restricted and indirect paternalism benefits a person other than the one restricted. Whatever the case may be, the guiding principle of modern paternalism,† says Gary Weiss, â€Å"remains that the physician decides what is best for the patient and tries to follow that course of action† (1985; p. 184). That the physician determines ‘what is best’ is questionable. The medical profession’s back-to-basics Hippocratic prerogative is prone to strong medical paternalism, implying that the patient does not want or know his or her own personal good and conversely implying that the patient is to be given no choice other than the physician’s. Consequently, there is immense potential for abuse by giving the physician the final say. Actively, a paternalist physician may declare a person mentally unsound – and thus incompetent – because the patient refuses treatment. Passively, the physician can confound informed consent and obfuscate treatment alternatives. In some cases information can be misrepresented entirely, as John Breeding (2000) argues in his report on electroshock, or electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). He states that patients who sign up for ECT have no real choice â€Å"because electroshock psychiatrists deny or minimise its harmful effects† (p. 65). Breeding reports a â€Å"lack of efficacy† in the ECT procedure with â€Å"no lasting beneficial effects of ECT† and the â€Å"(physical) and mental debilitation for people who undergo this procedure†. There are, however, some justifications for paternalistic intervention, which generally entails situations where intervention outweighs the harm from non-intervention. The weak paternalistic approach is especially warranted to  prevent a person from posing a danger to oneself, or when the patient in question is a minor or suffers from impaired judgement due to illness. For example, in Dr Y M Lai and Dr S M Ko’s paper on the assessment of suicide risk, a paternalistic stand is seen where â€Å"accurate diagnosis and careful management of the acute psychiatric illness could significantly alter the suicide risk† (1999). Still, physicians might know for themselves what is best for the situation as they perceive it, but that knowledge does not necessarily translate to what may be best for the patient. Ruddick adds, â€Å"(Current) hospital specialists, it is said, rarely know their patient (or themselves) well enough to make this assumption without serious risk of ignorant arrogance† (1998; par. 5). Therefore while much debate has gone on about medical paternalism and patient autonomy, the definition on what serves the patient best remains unanswered, but the notion of medical paternalism continue to be redefined. On the other side of the argument, proponents of patient autonomy hold that the final say lies with the patient. â€Å"It is the patient’s life or health which is at stake, not the physician’s so it must be the patient, not the physician, who must be allowed to decide whether the game is worth the candle† (Matthews, 1986; p. 134). The notion of patient autonomy largely derives from philosophies of Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill, who, through different postulations, arrived at the same conclusion – that freedom of choice is paramount. Autonomy â€Å"asserts a right to noninterference and a correlative obligation not to restrain choice† (Pollard, 1993, p.797). Retroactively, the emergence of the idea of patient autonomy has slowly eroded the normative model of medical paternalism. Dr K O Lee and Dr T C Quah (1997) observe â€Å"(the) commercialisation and cost of medicine, the loss of absolutes in morality, indeed the dominance of pluralism such that ethical issues are discussed without firm foundations, these have all led to fewer patients (or their relatives) saying ‘Doctor, you do what you think is best Sir’. † (par. 3). Unlike the paternalist view that deems illness as an impediment to autonomy, the patient autonomy model, as Cassel asserts, sees the patient â€Å"simply as a well person with a disease, rather than as qualitatively different, not only physically but also socially, emotionally and even cognitively† (1978, p. 1675). Thus, proponents of patient autonomy rationalise, â€Å"Who better to determine what’s best for the patient than the patient themselves? † This shift in thinking has increasingly made patient autonomy the desirable standard for medical relationships. The advance medical directive (AMD), legislated in 1991 in America and 1996 in Singapore, reflects such a shift, albeit legal, towards providing power to patient choice. The AMD is a document 150 : 2002 Vol 43(3) Singapore Med J that â€Å"is basically designed to provide autonomy to patients to determine in advance their wish to die naturally and with dignity when death is imminent and when they lose their capacity to decide or communicate† (Agasthian, 1997; par. 1). There is, however, little consensus as to what autonomy entails. According to Thomas Shannon, autonomy has two elements: â€Å"First, there is the capacity to deliberate about a plan of action. One must be capable of examining alternatives and distinguishing between them. Second, one must have the capacity to put one’s plan into action. Autonomy includes the ability to actualise or carry out what one has decided† (1997; p. 24). Nessa and Maltrud (1998) say â€Å"[within] the biomedical tradition, patient autonomy implies a right to set limits for medical intervention† (p. 397). Pollard (1993) understands autonomy as â€Å"a person’s cognitive, psychological and emotional abilities to make rational decisions† (p. 797). With each definition, the interwoven faculties of personal liberty, voluntariness, being informed, and competence to engage in a plan of action appear. Philosophically, these faculties are subject, and subject autonomy, to varying degrees. This subjectivity begs the question, â€Å"What construes as a mentally competent patient? † How much would an illness impede a patient’s autonomy? How much autonomy does a person have with respect to his or her obligations to the community? Can a person ever have true and full access to information in order to make an informed decision? Criticism towards advocates of patient autonomy also point out that patients sometimes â€Å"choose immediate gratification over long-term benefits† (Weiss, 1985; p. 186). An exercise of autonomy may fulfil the patient’s expressed desire but not necessarily translate to serving the patient best, if at all. Even with the patient autonomy model, then, the question as to what serves the patient best goes unanswered and gives way to what the patient wants. To the extent that medical paternalism is discussed in relation with patient autonomy, current debates talk only about ‘who’ should determine the best interests of the patient but not ‘what’ the best interests of the patient should be. Thus, the principle of beneficence cannot be attained in both the minds of the physician or the patient. Where current debate about paternalism sidesteps beneficence as the motivation for paternalism, medical paternalism itself sidesteps questions of its own validity through the established dominant Western thinking. Eric Matthews argues that â€Å"paternalism rests on the claim that the goods which medicine pursues are determined by the medical profession rather than the patients who make uses of their service† (p. 135). In this argument, medical paternalism also determines the very medicine the medical profession uses and leaves the patient with little or no choice for ‘alternatives’. â€Å"Whether they agreed or not, physicians needed to become more knowledgeable about alternative regimes†, reports Eugene Taylor on the use of alternative therapies (2000; p. 33). Only in recent times, with the proliferation of information spurred by the advent of the Internet age has given an indication about how little the dominant Western medical school of thought knows about other existing and so-called ‘alternative’ healing therapies and are beginning to react. In America, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicines’ (NCCAM) budget â€Å"exploded from $2 million in 1993 to $50 million in 1999† (Waltman, 2000; p. 39). Singapore is now looking into developing traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) â€Å"research and education to the tune of US$100 million† (Kao, 2001; p.3). Going with this positive trend, Dr. P H Feng (2000) surmised that someday patients will have â€Å"unlimited access to medical information† (p. 524). Despite the growing acceptance of alternative medical therapies, the Western medical profession also exacts paternalistic standards on alternative medicines. Take the example of TCM, of which studies in China have revived over the past few decades. A Singaporean report on TCM in 1995 reviewed â€Å"the standards of training and practice of TCM in Singapore to ensure a higher quality of TCM practice  (and) to safeguard patient interest and safety† (Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1995; par. 2, 3). Yet to demand that ‘alternative’ therapies undergo review under Western medical criteria is as laughable as it is paternalistic. Says Eugene Taylor, â€Å"Can we actually understand acupuncture without reading the Five Confucian Classics or The Yellow Emperor’s Classic on Traditional Chinese Medicine? Western practitioners would say we don’t need them if we have the scientific evidence; Chinese practitioners would consider this the answer of an uncultivated dog-faced barbarian† (p. 33). Ironically, while Western scientific method emerged from Cartesian thought in the 17 th century, Jeffrey Singer notes that the Chinese had â€Å"documented theories about circulation, pulse, and the heart over 4,000 years before European medicine had any concept about them† (2000; par. 3). Other regimes like homeopathy and aromatherapy have been in existence for centuries but are now deemed â€Å"alternative†, pseudonyms for â€Å"nonWestern†. This is paternalism at its worst because Singapore Med J 2002 Vol 43(3) : 151 so-called â€Å"alternative† therapies do not hold water, or are even oppressed by, a dominant Western medical standard. Wrote Angela Coulter, â€Å"Assumptions that doctor (or nurse) knows best, making decisions on behalf of patients without involving them and feeling threatened when patients have access to alternative sources of medical information these signs of paternalism should have no place in modern health care† (1999; p. 719). The principle of beneficence is furthermore stymied through this kind of medical paternalism – how can the medical profession presume to serve the patient best when it fails to acknowledge other therapies that work? The medical profession must begin to re-look itself. Thus far, solutions towards resolving the paternalism problem deal exclusively with advocating either paternalism, autonomy, or middle-road, shared decision patient-physician relationship models such as the one proposed by Elywn, Edwards, Gwyn and Grol. They propose â€Å"sharing the uncertainties about the outcomes of medical processes and exposing the fact that data are often unavailable or not known† (1999; p. 753). Again, proposed shared-decision solutions deal with co-responsibility of medical decisions, but the solutions do not determine the decision itself, and whether the decision serves the patient best. Indeed, a quantitative solution may be near impossible, such is the dynamics of any ethical issue. Medical paternalism, however, must be deconstructed as an issue by both the medical profession and the patient. To approach a resolution through the eyes of the medical profession only serves to perpetuate medical paternalism, albeit in another form, which would not serve the patient. Surmises R S Downie, â€Å"The antidote to paternalism, or an inappropriate excessive expression of beneficence is a sense of justice and honesty† (1996; p. 5). Medical practitioners then must also start recognising their own limitations as a healthcare provider and the limitations of knowledge in their own profession. It is a certain humility reflected in a physician’s comment during a study by Sullivan, Menapace and White (2001), â€Å"I’m not the God of this patient, just a technician with an education†. REFERENCES 1. Agasthian T. Advance directive – A surgical viewpoint. Singapore Medical Journal (Online serial), 1997; 38(4). Retrieved June 23, 2001 from the World Wide Web: sma. org. sg/smj/3804/articles/ 3804e2. htm 2. Breeding J. Electroshock and informed consent. 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