Cognitive Ergonomics

Cognitive Ergonomics Introduction Cognitive ergonomics is focused on modifying processes to suit the human capability (Budnick 2001, p. 1). Ergonomics in its entirety is focused on redesigning processes to suit human meaning. This can be done through modifying equipments, tools, environments and such like elements to increase efficiency or production (Budnick 2001, p. 1).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Cognitive Ergonomics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For example, a lifting job can be redesigned to happen at the waist level for ease of functions; or a tool can be redesigned to reduce awkward postures and instead be more comfortable for human use (Robertson 1995, p. 279). There are many other applications that employ the concept of cognitive economics and some of them include the design of software interfaces (for easy human use), the design of airplane cockpits and automobile controls to reduce human errors and the likes. The concep t of cognitive ergonomics is especially relied on when designing complex machines and hi-tech equipments because they are normally difficult to operate, thereby posing a challenge to many people, regarding how to operate them (Cohen 1997, p. 2). For example, a hi-tech mobile phone may not necessarily cause an accident but if it poses a challenge to customers regarding its operability, it may eventually turn out to be a market failure (because it will be shunned by customers). In industrial processes, the concept of cognitive ergonomics cannot be overemphasized because if a plant or equipment is poorly designed, it may consequently lead to the occurrence of errors or accidents, besides increasing the probability of reduced production or the production of low quality goods (Talty 1988, p. 702). Often, people are known to over-trust ergonomics but in other times, they are known to mistrust the concept altogether (Moray 2005, p. 546). For instance, if a ship’s system indicates th at all the valves are in working condition, but in real sense, not all of them are working as perfectly as they should, the captain may carry out subsequent procedures based on the assumption that, all the valves are in working condition.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This could lead to an accident (Shahbazian 2008, p. 165). Often, people would blame the captain for the accident, but in real sense, the systems are to be blamed. This is a clear example of an over-trust in ergonomics. A case of ergonomics mistrust has also been evidenced in the past. For instance, in an American prison, administrators installed motion sensors to trigger an alarm if a prisoner tried to escape. Within the first month of installation, the motion sensors went off all the time because it was triggered by wind motions and flying animals. This prompted the officers to start ignoring the s ensors. One inmate took advantage of the officers’ attitudes and managed to climb off the prison walls into freedom. The Importance of cognitive ergonomics can therefore not be underestimated because in the above scenario, if the same situation was observed in systems, such as fire alarms, the consequences would be disastrous and adverse. Cognitive ergonomics is therefore crucial in the society because almost everything is controlled by systems. This study however focuses on a case of establishing cognitive ergonomic issues of the Toyota Pruis model to establish strategies that can be used to improve the same. Since this study is focused on the cognitive ergonomic issues of the Toyota Prius model, emphasis will be made on the vehicle’s controls. To do so, a brief description of the product will be made in the first part of this paper, and secondly, ergonomic principles will be applied to the product to constitute the second part of the paper. In subsequent sections of the study, the ergonomic principles identified will be used to identify how best to redesign the car’s system controls. Finally, a summary of the study will be contained in the conclusion segment of the paper. Product The Toyota Prius model plays a significant role in the evolution of the global automotive industry because the model is a â€Å"green† car and so far, it has had immense success in the global automotive market (Green Car Congress 2011, p. 1). In California, the Toyota Prius model was rated one of the cleanest vehicles in America because it is run on a hybrid power engine (Green Car Congress 2011, p. 1). The Toyota hybrid car was first launched in Japan (in the year 1997), and since the year 2001, when it was launched in other markets across the globe, the car has been received very well by the consumers (Product Team 2011). So far, Toyota Prius model has been launched in more than 70 markets across the globe but its highest success has been witnessed in A sian markets and Northern Europe.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Cognitive Ergonomics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In 2008, the model was rated one of the highest selling vehicles across the globe because vehicle sales reached the one million mark in the same year (Green Car Congress 2011, p. 1). Two years after that, the company attained the two million vehicles sales mark (Abuelsamid 2011). Since the Toyota Pius model has received great sales across major world markets, there has been increased interest about the vehicles ergonomics especially regarding the vehicles safety. Seeking a vehicle with the right type of cognitive ergonomic safety controls is not a simple task for people willing to find the right type of car for their convenience. Having the right car with the right cognitive ergonomic control is however very important in today’s society because many people spend most of their time driving (w hen compared to the past). Vehicle safety is an important part of cognitive ergonomics because safety is an essential determinant of vehicle sales. In other words, consumers are becoming increasingly aware about the need to buy vehicles which have a high safety standard. This standard can be determined by a vehicle’s safety controls. The Toyota Prius model is special in this regard because the car is fitted with power seats, automatic headlights, automatic climate control features and selective parking lights, all which add to the vehicle’s cognitive ergonomic features (Silverman 2011, p. 1). The selection and design of a right ergonomic car is often important in the automotive industry because many individuals seek products which are safe and easy to use (Dainoff 2007, p. 19). The market has a variety of ergonomic cars, but it would be misleading for anyone to buy a car, simply because it is deemed â€Å"ergonomic†. In this context, it is important to note that , ergonomic cars are designed to suit a variety of clients, but the variety is evidence enough that not everybody will find ergonomic cars appropriate for their use. For instance, some cars are designed to suit people of different genders, disabled people and the likes. Moreover, not all ergonomic cars blend well with a market’s environment, or even how a given terrain is perceived.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The right selection of an ergonomic car is therefore a tricky affair (but yet a simple one) because the right ergonomic car is only obtained when it suits the user’s purpose and safety requirements (Reilly 2007, p. 12). Moreover, the right ergonomic car should also suit the user’s task. From this analysis, it is important to understand that, the right ergonomic car can be obtained, although the process may be cumbersome. Application of Ergonomic Principles Recent cognitive ergonomic trends in the automotive industry incline towards developing cars with a high ease of use and a strong sense of automation (Silverman 2011, p. 1). Disabled drivers using the Toyota Prius model have benefitted a lot from the focus on ease of use and automation. For instance, in the Toyota Prius model, the automatic temperature feature has been cited as a major feature in the user control panel because users only have to set the temperature right (at 22 degrees Celsius) and the car does the r est, (in ensuring safety concerns are upheld) (Silverman 2011, p. 1). However, the Toyota Prius model falls short of accommodating all its customer subgroups. The car’s ease of reading control instructions is especially wanting, when it is perceived in the context of elderly drivers using the car. The text sizes in the car’s controls are small, and elderly drivers may find it difficult to read the small print when driving. Not only do elderly drivers find the readability of the texts difficult, other drivers may find it difficult to read the text too because when driving, a lot of attention is focused on the wheel as opposed to reading texts on the car’s dashboard. Since the readability of the user interface is wanting, drivers waste a lot of time trying to understand the commands on the car’s dashboard. This technical fault may be dreadful when driving because drivers are likely to cause an accident if their attention is shifted from the road. The positi on of the Prius model steering wheel is also placed in a wrong position which inhibits the visibility of the vehicles controls. Moreover, the high steering position is a barrier to good visibility when driving. Experts note that, this poor steering position obstructs the driver’s view of blind spots and may subsequently cause accidents (Silverman 2011, p. 1). The control panel of the Toyota Prius model is also a victim of poor lighting which hampers the visibility of texts in the control dashboard. The lighting is deemed too dim by most drivers and therefore, they have to strain to understand what is written in the control panel. People with poor visibility are therefore likely to find the readability of the texts on the control panel very poor. This may cause an accident or engine failure if there is a communication breakdown between the car’s system and the driver. On another negative front, the Prius model is criticized for lacking an adjustable seat height that fac ilitates easy visibility of the road. Other cars which lack this feature are criticized for poor visibility of the road because they fail to factor the average distance of driver visibility, between the driver’s eye level and the dashboard (Silverman 2011, p. 1). This distance always varies because the height of the driver seat fails to allow the driver to have the maximum visibility of the road. This feature is more serious for short drivers because they do not have the ability to see the road at all. Cars which do not allow for easy adjustability of the driver seat hinder the driver’s ability to have a maximum view of the road. The Toyota Prius model has however shown some positive cognitive ergonomic attributes in the development of its recent models. This observation is based on the fact that, recent models have been designed with a hands-free device to enable drivers to communicate without deviating their attention from driving. This control device was recommended for integration into the car’s user interface after it was affirmed that, driver attention was consistently lost with the absence of a hands-free device in most cars (Silverman 2011, p. 1). The Prius model was therefore designed to include this feature and it has proved beneficial to most users who want to communicate over the phone without putting their lives at risk by using a handheld mobile. Moreover, this feature has made the compliance to new automotive legislation in the automotive sector very easy. Most automotive manufactures are nowadays required to integrate hands-free mobile features in their cars, to reduce chances of vehicle accidents caused by the use of handheld mobile phones (Silverman 2011, p. 1). This is a positive cognitive ergonomic feature for the Toyota Prius model. Recommendations To rectify the small font size hindering the readability of the user interface, it is crucial to redesign the user interface of the vehicle control system to accommodate lar ge texts. Large fonts should therefore be used to improve user readability and improve the overall understandability of the information conveyed (Sedlack 2011, p. 1). Achieving this objective may involve changing the entire control software or accommodating a user interface where drivers can change the size of the fonts, depending on their readability level. For instance, the elderly may have the opportunity to increase the size of the fonts, while young drivers may find that reducing the size of the fonts is effective. Regardless of the variables, the drivers would be in a position to adjust the font’s size to suit their reading capabilities. To correct the poor seat height that hinders the drivers’ visibility of the road, users or buyers of ergonomic cars should be able to identify certain common features of any good driver ergonomic seat. These features identify the benchmarked factors to be considered before selecting the right ergonomic car. Also, these benchmark features should be useful to all drivers, regardless of their purpose of car use. The first benchmark feature is adjustability. Adjustability is crucial in cognitive car ergonomics, especially in defining the right seat height to be set by the driver because at times, it is difficult for automotive companies to design seats which are suitable for all heights (International Labour Office 1996, p. 138). However, adjustability should also be evidenced in other features of the seat to enable the driver have maximum visibility of the road. The depth of the seat is also important in the selection of the right ergonomic seat because the right ergonomic seat should be suitable for tall and short drivers. The last benchmark feature is stability. Stability is important for the drivers’ comfort because unstable seats are known to be frustrating and possibly dangerous to drivers. Stability is crucial because it sustains driver concentration on the road. The standard base should be at lea st five-points (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety 2005). To rectify the poor brightness hindering the visibility of the driver interface panel, it is important for the interface designers to integrate a lighting control system that is able to adjust the brightness of the texts (or its background), depending on the lighting environment in the car. When it is too bright, the texts should be brighter to make the texts more visible and when it is darker, the texts should still be bright to enable the users to easily read the controls. To rectify the poor steering position hindering the visibility of the driver’s view, it is crucial to observe an important ergonomic feature in the automotive industry which dictates that, the driver needs to have enough space between the steering wheel and the legs (Silverman 2011, p. 1). The same distance should be maintained between the control dashboard and the steering wheel for easy visibility. This adjustment ensures drivers have the maximum view of the road and vehicle controls. It also ensures that drivers are in a good position to control the vehicle and comprehend the engine’s attributes from the control system. Conclusion Designing the best cognitive ergonomic controls for the Toyota Prius model is a matter of precision. However, the user’s preference is at the centre of the design process because this study establishes that, not all ergonomic cars are suitable for use in all environments. Moreover, not all aspects of a car’s ergonomic controls can be designed for everyone. This is the main motivation for categorizing drivers into different profiles with different needs. For instance, this paper categorizes the drivers into disabled or elderly drivers. From this understanding, it is crucial for the designers of the Prius model to consider the cognitive ergonomic needs of the users. This should especially be observed during the design of the car’s user interface because i t influences important issues on car performance, such as safety. However, considering the fact that, not all cars can be designed for everyone, this paper establishes several benchmarks, in terms of recommendations that should be factored at the design stage in the manufacture of the Toyota Prius model. From this understanding, this paper advocates for a strong focus on the interface font size, interface text brightness, driver steering position and the driver’s seat height and depth. In making most users comfortable, it is crucial to ensure the fonts and brightness of the texts in the user interface board of the car is easily adjustable to ensure all drivers comprehend information conveyed in the user control board. It is also crucial for the steering position to be placed in a manner that allows for the full view of the road and the user interface on the vehicle’s dashboard. The seat height should also be positioned in the same manner so that drivers can have a maxi mum view of the road. The recommendations provided in this study should be the default standards to be used in the automotive industry. For instance, if the adjustable features are installed in the user interface, many users would find the Toyota Prius model appropriate for their use. References Abuelsamid, S. (2011) Toyota Tops 2 Million Hybrid Sales Worldwide (Online) Available at: http://green.autoblog.com/2009/09/04/toyota-tops-2-million-hybrid-sales-worldwide/ . Budnick, P. (2001) What is Cognitive Ergonomics? (Online) Available at: ergoweb.com/news/detail.cfm?id=352 . Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. (2005) Ergonomic Chair (Online) Available at: ccohs.ca/oshanswers/ergonomics/office/chair.html . Cohen, A. (1997) Elements of Ergonomics Programs: A Primer Based On Workplace  Evaluations of Musculoskeletal Disorders. New York, DIANE Publishing. Dainoff, M. (2007) Ergonomics and health aspects of work with computers: international  conference, EHAWC 2007, he ld as part of HCI International 2007, Beijing, China, July 22-27: proceedings. New York, Springer. Green Car Congress. (2011) Worldwide Prius Cumulative Sales Top 2M Mark; Toyota  Reportedly Plans Two New Prius Variants for the US By End of 2012 (Online) Available at: greencarcongress.com/2010/10/worldwide-prius-cumulative-sales-top-2m-mark-toyota-reportedly-plans-two-new-prius-variants-for-the-.html#more 2010-10-07. International Labour Office. (1996) Ergonomic Checkpoints: Practical and Easy-To-  Implement Solutions For Improving Safety, Health And Working Conditions. New York, International Labour Organization. Moray, N. (2005) Ergonomics: Major Writings. London, Routledge. Product Team. (2011) 2008 Toyota Prius (Online) Available at: hybridcar.com/index.php?option=com_contenttask=viewid=521Itemid=103 . Reilly, M. (2007) An Ergonomics Guide to Computer Workstations. New York, AIHA. Robertson, S. (1995) Contemporary Ergonomics. London, Taylor Francis. Sedlack, W. (2011) The I mportance of Readability in Good Website Design (Online) Available at: http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Importance-of-Readability-in-Good-Website-Designid=2591054 . Shahbazian, E. (2008) Harbour Protection through Data Fusion Technologies. New York, Springer. Silverman, J. (2011) How Car Ergonomics Work (Online) Available at: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/under-the-hood/trends-innovations/car-ergonomics2.htm . Talty, J. (1988) Industrial Hygiene Engineering: Recognition, Measurement, Evaluation,  And Control. New York, William Andrew.

Every IB Geography Past Paper Available Free and Official

Every IB Geography Past Paper Available Free and Official SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you are preparing for your IB Geography SL/HL papers, studying your notes is likely not enough to get a 7. Taking practice tests using IB Geography SL/HL past papers is the only way to ensure you know what to expect the day of your exam. You'll be better prepared because you'll know the test length and format...and you'll be more confident because you're more familiar with the question formats! In this article, I'll let you know where to find IB Geography SL/HL past papers- both free and paid- to help you excel on your own IB Geography exam. Where to Find Free IB Geography Past Papers IBO has been getting stricter about allowing unauthorized official past papers to roam free online in the past few years, so many of the previous sources for free past papers are unavailable. Frustratingly, IBO has not moved to fill the void with any free official sample papers for Geography, as they have for other subjects. As soon as free official IB Geography papers are released, we'll be sure to update this article. In the meantime, while it's still possible to search for free IB Geography papers online, we don't recommend it because there's no guarantee that those papers are necessarily real past IB papers. I haven't found any unofficial IB Geography past papers that explicitly state they were created by people other than the IBO, but if you find one, I DO NOT recommend using it, as it most likely will be very different from the actual IB Geography test. Where to Find Paid IB Geography Past Papers To get secure IB Geography past papers, buy them from the IBO. Their store has six full IB Geography SL and IB Geography HL past papers and markschemes from 2015 to 2018 available for purchase. Unfortunately, since papers and markschemes are sold separately and individually, buying all the papers and markschemes for a single test will run you around $18 for HL and $12 for SL. Buying all six available exams is pretty pricey, so we advise sticking to the two most recent tests in the store- November 2017 and May 2018- because these papers will be most similar to the test you take. Two exams should provide plenty of practice for most students. (Currently, only SL/HL paper 1 and HL paper 3 are available for November 2018, so if you want extra paper 3 practice for HL or paper 1 practice for both SL and HL, you might also consider getting those.) How to Use These Past Papers A full practice IB Geography test will take you 2 hours and 45 minutes for SL or 4 hours and 30 minutes for HL. If you are going to spend that much time, you need to be getting realistic practice and learning from these tests. To ensure you do, follow these guidelines. #1: Take the Test Over 2 Days The actual IB exam schedule splits Paper 1 and Papers 2 and 3 over two days. SL and HL students take Paper 1 the first day. Both take Paper 2 the second day, and HL students also take Paper 3 the second day. You should mimic this schedule so that you have realistic practice. #2: Use Accurate Test Timing You need to get used to the pacing of the test. The time allowed per paper is: Geography SL Paper 1- 1 hour 30 minutes Paper 2- 1 hour 15 minutes Geography HL Paper 1- 2 hours 15 minutes Paper 2- 1 hour 15 minutes Paper 3- 1 hour Stick to this timing exactly. Don’t give yourself even an extra second. Otherwise, you won’t be prepared for the pacing of the real exam. Also, you will likely get an unrealistic, inflated practice test score if you give yourself extra time. Stick to the real timing, so you get a realistic practice test score. #3: Check Your Answers Once you finish your exam, review your mistakes. You need to review so that you figure out what you are doing wrong before you take the real IB Geography exam. If you do not review, you will not know what mistakes you are making and will make the same ones on the actual IB Geography exam. Take a bit of time (at minimum an hour) to review. You should be emphasizing the quality of your practice and not the quantity of practice. It is far better to take two practice tests with in-depth review than eight tests with no review. What’s Next? Learn more about IB Geography: IB Geography Study Guide Check out where to find past papers for your other classes: Every IB Biology Past Paper Available: Free and Official Every IB Business and Management Past Paper Available: FREE and Official Where to Find IB Chemistry Past Papers - Free and Official Every IB Economics Past Paper Available: Free and Official Every IB English Past Paper Available: Free and Official Every IB History Past Paper Available: Free and Official Every IB Math Past Paper Available: Free and Official Where to Find IB Physics Past Papers - Free and Official Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Shurgard Self-Storage Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Shurgard Self-Storage - Assignment Example A Shurgard store could be run by one manager and two employees. The business could break even with a 35% occupancy rate. The normal occupancy rate of the business is 85%. When the company opens up a new store it usually takes about two years for the new business unit to reach normal occupancy rates. b. The growth of the company in Europe has been slow. The company was handicapped in its ability to expand due to lack of financing resources available. European banks thought there was no need in Europe for rental storage space. The company found an investor which helped the firm open up its first three stores. The company had by 1999 12 stores in Europe. The market acceptance was slow, but Europeans seemed to have the same tendencies of Americans of desiring store space to rent. One of the problems in Europe for the company was that the overhead costs were higher. The labor laws were different in the various European countries. The firm needed a new management teams for each new country, while in the United States the firm would use regional managers for its executive managerial functions. c. I think that the original project to expand into Europe was a good initiative that needed to be tested. So far the company has invested with its partners over â‚ ¬120 million in Europe. It needs a lot more money to achieve the phase II expansion plans.

Leadership in Nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Leadership in Nursing - Essay Example Hence the nursing needs for the elderly have become an issue of growing concern in Hong Kong. Traditionally, the care of the sick is considered to be the moral duty of their family members among the Chinese. Hence, being cared for by nurses, who are strangers, "places the Chinese people in somewhat of a paradoxical situation" (Pang et al., cited in Smith & Tang 2004, p.18). Therefore, the success of nursing care depends also on the nurse's ability to act as a surrogate family member. With increasing health issues of the elderly and their near-total dependence on healthcare facilities, private nursing homes are increasing in demand for the confinement of the elderly with deteriorating health issues like cerebrovascular accidents, fractures such as hip fractures, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive airways disease, dementia, parkinsonism, etc. The government has funded three forms of residential care, with the aged homes providing assistance with activities of daily living, C&A homes providing personal attention and some nursing care, and infirmaries providing more intensive nursing care with medical supervision (Bartlett & Phillips 1995, p.238). Though several measures have been undertaken to increase the number of residential care homes, the availability of such care homes unfortunately still fall short of demand. This places increasing responsibility on the available nursing care personnel. According to a study done by Leung et al... Though several measures have been undertaken to increase the number of residential care homes, the availability of such care homes unfortunately still fall short of demand. This places increasing responsibility on the available nursing care personnel. According to a study done by Leung et al. (2000, p.65) from a random sample of private nursing homes in Hong Kong East region, increasing number of bedridden or chairbound patients, increasing dependency for basic activities of daily living, increasing problems of incontinence of bowel and/or bladder, increasing use of supporting devices, aggravating problems of bedsore, etc. lead to more hospitalizations and specialist out-patient clinic visits. Unfortunately the incidences of re-hospitalizations of these patients with recurrences of the same disease conditions have been gaining in frequency recently. "Frail elderly patients are shuffled back and forth between acute care, non-acute care, old age homes and the community" (Derrick 1998, p.1). This situation calls for a highly efficient and totally effective nursing care system. This report studies the scenario in a private nursing home in Hong Kong. The scenario is analysed for the effectiveness of the nursing care rendered by the present nursing team, its leadership style, and its advantages and disadvantages. Also studied are the different leadership styles and concepts that are applicable to this context. New strategies for improving the situation are developed, and appropriate leadership skills are recommended that suit these strategies. 2. Context I work as intern in a nursing team handling 100 inhabitants of a private nursing home in Hong Kong. The average age of the group is

Staying Friends With Your Ex After Divorce Essay Example for Free

Staying Friends With Your Ex After Divorce Essay Once the ink is dry on the divorce papers, it seems that some exes are becoming friends with each other. I am always surprised to hear that a divorced couple becomes so close again after everything ended. I would assume that they were unhappy together and looking forward to meeting new people and finding new ways to spend their time. The BFF with your ex phenomena is not fiction. These days, in many post-divorce situations its become fact. Recently, I attended a friends daughters wedding. He had been divorced from his ex-wife for many years and didnt speak much about her. At the reception, I was surprised to see that his relationship with the ex-spouse appeared to be sweeter than the wedding cake. They were chatting up a storm. Laughing at each others jokes. Dancing closely together. Sharing stories with their friends over cocktails. They were even feeding each other wedding cake, acting as though they had just met and fallen in love! I found this to be truly fascinating. Sure, I have heard of exes being civil following their split, even spending holidays together. However, this seemed to be more than just a cordial hello and how have you been? Curious about what would prompt two people to rekindle a friendship after a divorce, I pulled my friend aside and asked him about it. Point blank, he told me that he and his ex-wife were best friends. Best friends? I thought. Really? He went on to say nothings perfect and that maybe they expected too much from each other during the marriage. Now, they both feel that they make better friends than they did a married couple. Staying close with your ex In Hollywood, it seems that being close with your ex is becoming commonplace, as well. Kate Hudson and her ex-husband Chris Robinson were spotted recently at a park in Malibu with their son. Also in attendance were Robinsons present wife and their daughter. Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz who filed for divorce, both made it publically known that they still care for each other. It looks like time does heal all wounds and family comes first. In all of these cases, children were involved and its great to see that many parents put aside any hard feelings so they can focus on the needs of their children.

Korean War :: essays research papers

The Korean War originated in the division of Korea into South Korea and North Korea after World War II (1939-1945). Efforts to reunify the peninsula after the war failed, and in 1948 the South proclaimed the Republic of Korea and the North established the People's Republic of Korea. In 1949, border fighting broke out between the North and the South. On June 25, 1950, North Korean forces crossed the dividing line and invaded the South. Soon, in defense of the South, the United States joined the fighting under the banner of the United Nations (UN), along with small continents of British, Canadian, Australian, and Turkish troops. In October 1950, China joined the war on the North's side. By the time a cease-fire agreement was signed on July 27, 1953, millions of soldiers and civilians had perished. The armistice ended the fighting, but Korea has remained divided for decades since and subject to the possibility of a new war at any time. The Korean War was one of the most destructive of the 20th century. Perhaps as many as 4 million Koreans died throughout the peninsula, two-thirds of them civilians. China lost up to 1 million soldiers, and the United States suffered 54,246 dead and 103,284 wounded. Other UN nations suffered 3,322 dead and 11,949 wounded. Decades later, Koreans still seek reconciliation and eventual reunification of their torn nation. From the day when North Koreans attacked South Korea on June 25, 1950 to the day of the armistice on July 27, 1953, the events of the Korean War revealed the mass destruction, pain, and suffering Koreans had to endure. The Korean war can be divided into three phases. The first phase began on June 25, 1950 and ended on the day United Nations (U.N) forces thrusted into North Korea's territory. The second phase of the Korean war was essentially the Southern unit's attack and retreat from North Korea. The last phase of the war consisted of the "see-saw" fighting on the thirty-eighth parallel, stalemate, and negotiation talks. On June 25, 1950 at 4 a.m., 70,000 North Korean troops with Russian T-34 tanks crossed the thirty-eighth parallel. President Truman appealed to the United Nations to take "police action" against the "unwarranted" attack. Hence, under the "name of the United Nations", the United States was able to send troops and forces. On June 29, the North Korean Army, Korean People's Army (KPA), pressed southward and captured Seoul.

Reaction Paper: Healing the Wounds of Sexual Addiction Essay

Abstract In his book Healing the Wounds of Sexual Addiction written by Dr. Mark Laaser he gives us a glimpse into the life of those addicted to sex. Mark Laaser set out to increase understanding of sexual addiction as a disease. He leads us to discover how sexual addiction takes over the life of the sexually addicted person and causes devastation from a Christian world view. In his book Dr. Laaser examines what he calls the building blocks behaviors that begin the cycle that leads to sexual addiction, and the family dynamics that contribute to sexual addiction. The sexual addiction in the church is addressed along with how the church can recover. Healing the Wounds of Sexual Addiction Healing the Wounds of Sexual Addiction written by Dr. Mark Laaser (2004) analyses sexual addiction from a Christian world view. Dr. Laaser (2004) is a recovering sex addict with personal experience of the pain and shame of sexual addiction. Sexual addiction is described as a sickness involving any type of uncontrollable sexual activity (Laaser, 2004). Unlike other diseases, Christian sex addicts have the added complication of not seeking help because they feel they will be hated, shunned, laughed at, or punished if anyone knew their sin (Laaser, 2004): however, as Laaser (2004, p. 224) stated in his book â€Å"while sexual sin is devastating, there is hope for healing†. Synopsis In his book Healing the Wounds of Sexual Addiction Dr. Mark Laaser (2004) identifies sexual addiction, the cycle that causes it, and hope for those who are sexually addicted. His theory of sexual addiction is that it is a disease and immoral. As with all sin, it escalates into a downward spiral that if left untreated can cause death to the sinner. Laaser (2004) believes although sexual addiction is a sin it is also a disease. This leaves little  doubt for Dr. Laaser, that â€Å"we are engaged in warfare when we attempt to heal sexual addiction (Laaser, 2004, p. 25).† He believes the onset of sexual addiction consist of building block behaviors, these are sexual activities that cause the cycle of other sexual behaviors. Laaser (2004, p. 29) explains â€Å"these building block behaviors are fantasy, pornography, and masturbation.† These behaviors cause a cycle where the addict can never find satisfaction. In this cycle of sexual addiction, the addict tries to be in control but cannot gain control without healing. As with most sins once caught in the cycle of sexual addiction it is impossible to get out without help. I believe that the church is responsible for helping to heal people who are sick. Just as a person with diabetes or any other chronic disease the sexually addicted person needs a healer. Family Dynamics Dr. Laaser (2004, p. 76) discusses the roots to sexual addiction, which he says â€Å"begins in families that possess unhealthy dynamics and characteristics.† One way families’ express unhealthy dynamics are through boundaries. Boundaries can be too loose or too rigid. Some families may have both loose and rigid boundaries, which causes confusion in children. Rules are another force at work contributing to unhealthy families. Dr. Laaser (2004) states some families have rules of conduct that prevent tension from getting out of control. These rules are probably never spoken or written down but the whole family knows them. Some of these rules are not talking about feelings, problems or embarrassing situations, this could be hiding one’s feelings or denying problems (Laaser, 2004). The third category that contributes to unhealthy family dynamics are the roles people play in the family unit. These roles can be unhealthy when a person is forced into playing a role he was not created to play (Laaser, 2004). The final category is addictions, addictions can be substance or behavioral things that have become repetitive in an unmanageable way and lead to destructive consequences. As a child I grew up in a family that had both loose and rigid boundaries concerning sex. I was told sex was something you do not do, besides that it was something you do not speak of. I grew up not knowing what healthy boundaries were. This helps me to understand how a person could become sexually addicted. I know I could empathize with a  person who is sexually addicted. As a Christian I have learned what healthy boundaries are and what my role is as a person in Christ. I believe that sexual addiction is immoral, but it is also a disease. I also believe that an addict cannot get out of the cycle of sexual addiction without help. Therefore as the church we are to be the hands of Christ reaching out to help those who need healing from sexual addiction. Treatment of Sexual Addiction When seeing new patients Dr. Laaser (2004) asks three spiritual questions. The first question is â€Å"do you want to get well (pg.122)?† He relates this question to the story of the man at the pool of Bethesda, where Jesus asked the man â€Å"do you want to get well†. The correlation is that to get well the person must want to get well. They must give up their past pain and suffering to God, and find alternative ways to find love and nurturing they need. This requires a lifetime of discovery, but it all starts with willingness (Laaser, 2004). The last two questions are â€Å"what are you thirsty for (Laaser, 2004, p. 123)† and â€Å"are you willing to die to yourself (Laaser, 2004, p. 124).† The addict must be ready to be healed, be thirsty for God, and be willing to die to themselves in order to begin the healing process. Dr. Laaser’s treatment also involves ten components of accountability. Accountability is necessary in order for the addict to maintain sexual purity (Laaser, 2004). He relates the accountability to the story of Nehemiah rebuilding the city that has been destroyed. As in Nehemiah the addict must have someone to be accountable to. When the addict has agreed to treatment Dr. Laaser recommends there be a professional in place to care for them. According to Laaser (2004) there are a growing number of Christian Counselors trained to give a formal diagnosis. The addict should be taken to this professional immediately to begin treatment. Dr. Laaser then gives five components of treatment of sexual addiction. These include stopping sexual behavior, stopping rituals, stopping fantasy, healing despair and healing shame. Elements of all five of these are  required for an effective treatment plan (Laaser, 2004). I believe that learning never ends especially in regards to human behavior. I believe I have the empathy and positive regard for a person that has a sexual addiction to treat them. After working with addicts for a year I learned that this disease is habitual and that it is a cycle that is not easily broken. It takes patience and perseverance to work with an addict. Most of all I believe it take compassion for that person. Knowing that recovery is a lifelong process and takes a life time of work. Sexual Addiction and the Church A leadership Journal survey revealed that 23 percent of 300 pastors had done something sexually inappropriate with someone other than their spouse (Laaser, 2004,p.194). There are a variety of things that contribute to pastors’ sexual vulnerability. However it is still the responsibility of the pastor to get help and not act on these vulnerabilities. In order for the church to heal Laaser (2004) believes we must bring healing to two groups: primary victims and secondary victims. Primary victims are those who have been sexually abused by leaders. Secondary victims are those in the congregation who were betrayed because of faith in the pastor. In caring for primary victims Dr. Laaser recommends that the church provide advocates who can guide these victims in the process of healing. The church should provide fellowship to the victims, and counseling. Care for secondary victims involves breaking the silence, the grieving process, reconciling the victims to the church, and prevention. Prevention involves developing healthy boundaries in the congregation in order to prevent wounds. Dr. Laaser has several opinions in which I agree. One of the most important parts of healing the church as a whole is to develop healthy boundaries in the church. This would prevent people from being wounded and wounding others. The church as a whole must heal the pastors and the congregation. Offering pastors help so that they do not become burdened by their job, and making them be accountable to someone. I also agree that we must speak out and not hide any indiscretion in the church and when there is an incidence it should be brought out in the open. This would stop perpetrators from continuing to harm others. Conclusion The addict is never completely cured from sexual addiction. It takes a lifetime of work and perseverance to break the patterns that cause a person to be sexually addicted. To recover from the trap of addiction a person has to come to the end of themselves and admit they need help. The shame and fear from their habits make it hard for the addict to trust enough to seek help. Dr. Laaser stated accepting their powerlessness over their disease leaves them with a great humility and need for God, which is a deep aspect of their spiritual healing (p. 223). Reference Laaser, M.R. (2004). Healing the Wounds of Sexual Addiction. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Ethical Issues in Human Relations counseling Essay

Ethical actions at all levels of human operations [personal or corporate] form the main basement of higher productivity and progress in the society. Kidder points out that the demand for ethical actions has intensified with time as more people become aware of their rights thereby increasing the overall pressure especially to respective authorities in demand for justice (2003, 58-60). Researchers indicate that though cases of unethical professional acts have been increasing with time, over 98%of perpetrators have full knowledge on the same ideologies and principles considerations. According to Cohen, professionals have one of the most important roles of adhering to the demands and requirements of ethics in their duties at all times (1998, 150-155). Understanding of this theory therefore forms the basis of making the correct decisions in resolving different cases and dilemmas that face them in their daily chores. Cohen explains that the theory requires the professionals to assume actions that only result to the greatest good and to the largest number of people at any instance (1998, 175-178). To add to that, it anchors the ability to effectively analyze prevailing situations and prediction of the expected consequences to infer the best decisions. To add to that, the professionals are able to compare their situations with others related cases that took place previously to make up the best decisions in their areas of work. Such comparisons act as major facets upon which the professionals base their calls for change to infer improvements in their areas of work. Taking into consideration that professionals are relied on by other junior staff and the public for guidance, it becomes possible to uphold the rights of all the respective parties without inferring any sense of sabotage. Under the modern system of globalism and fast dynamism in consumerism, the theory would bring out the need for new inclusive decision making systems that incorporates all the people at different levels for acceptance of the decisions made to enhance their further applicability. Professional ethics is a term used to denote the moral issues and obligations that arise from professional specialization and higher levels of knowledge as compared to the rest of the public and/ or the junior staff. As a result many of the scholars tend to define and specify professional ethics on the basis of what they are required to do as opposed to what the concept is really about. Firstly, they are expected to hold professional respect to their clients and their duties at all times through the principle of responsibility. This is generally emphasized because professionals are capable of exploiting their authority and status at the expense of their clients. This notion has often led to the question of the extent to which the professionals should be held accountable for their actions, a notion that has led to major quagmires in the market place. Professional ethics therefore demands operations that are based on true conscience that is not undermined by any commercial underpinning to sabotage the respect and integrity of the clients (American Psychological Association, 2001, 35-37). Kidder (2003, 78-79) explains that professional ethics demand operations within the professional guidelines, seeking the highest possible returns and advice and honesty to the clients. As indicated earlier, professionals hold the helm of national and global development in that they guide their clients on how to progress with different projects. It is therefore considered that failure to effectively give the correct guidance is a direct injustice to the client and the nation in general. To ensure that the professional ethics are adhered to by different professionals, regulatory bodies like engineering society, medical societies and auditors fraternity among others that draw codes of ethics expected for their specialists and address their clients complaints are formed. As indicated earlier, professionals are entrusted with variant responsibilities that demands them to act responsibly even without supervision. In criminal justice, judges have the moral and ethical obligation to ensure that the complainant get the necessary justice while convicted victim get a fair judgment depending with the offenses made. In such cases, the judges should understand that their judgments have further ethical implications to the whole community. To add to that, human resources managers have the ethical responsibilities of ensuring that staff and workers have the correct working environment. Besides, they also have the moral obligations of ensuring that their staff is remunerated appropriately not just as per the law demands, but on their work, motivation considerations and the overall returns of the company. In addition, accountants have the direct moral obligations to give the correct status of a company even if it is making losses as opposed to the general temptations to cover up the problems. This usually leads to to reluctance in addressing the main problem and therefore precipitates to later collapse of the company as it happened with Enron Company (Marianne, 2006, 54-59). Counselors have at times fallen into major temptations to operate against their professional ethics in the course of their duties. Most of them indicate that the main cause for their temptations has been corruption especially by the wealthy individuals who lure them to compromising their decisions (Peterson, 1992, 65-67). Being advanced in form of bribery, unprincipled counselors easily overlook different cases and aspects that could have warranted greater considerations. Besides, they may also be tempted to act less ethically when the end appears highly uncertain and perhaps threatening to them. Cases of life threats that are either directed to counselors and/ or their families may make them to withdraw from such cases or act directly different from what they are expected to. Finally, where there is no goodwill from the clients, the counselors may equally loose the drive to effectively operate ethically in dispose their duties. Though some researchers have indicated their support for to such responses, the notion is indeed very wrong in that counselors should lead in analysis of such situations under the ethical theories and take the best possible courses of actions that lead top the highest good. Presently, there are major cases and issues that face professionals in their different areas of operations that demand careful addressing for ethical progression. If I am faced with such a situation where responsibilities are not immediately clear, I would exploit the following avenues. To begin with, I would seek advice of a friend who has been in the field for a longer time than I and therefore most probably have had such cases and solved them in the past. It is clear that no man is an island and therefore, this relation would be promoted for further later consultations on similar matters. To add to that, I could also seek to get into greater and in depth analysis of the situation by evaluating similar or related cases to make the best decision that will be highly acceptable but within the ethical realms as demanded by the ethical theory. Job market has been dogged with a myriad of unethical issues especially relating to management of workers operations. Many of the ethical issues generally result as the different companies try to reduce the overall costs, evade responsibilities, or stick to different stereotypic notions in their management. Before deciding to form my own company, I was discriminated on the basis of my color immediately after finishing college where I could not secure a job as my white colleagues easily got employed. To add to that, even after getting my first job in the industry, I was soon shifted to work with workers who were far much inferior to me academically until I quit the job. In the later job, similar ethics disregard were encountered as payment was very poor and many of the workers filed their cases in courts against the company. As if that was not enough, the working conditions for the low level workers was very low and we filed more cases in court before the company was closed to upgrade its systems for better working conditions. Conclusion It is from the above consideration that this paper concludes by supporting the thesis statement that ethical actions at all levels of human operations [personal or corporate] form the main basement of higher productivity and progress in the society. Professionals and counselors should uphold the demands of the theory of ethics due to the positions they hold and their main impacts to the society. Indeed, taking ethical responsibilities at all times would stimulate similar actions at the lower levels of the society, a consideration that would reduce the shenanigans of the low ethics at all levels. However, there is need for stronger institutions that guard against exploitation of the same ethics exploitation by the professionals. Finally, it is important to establish a strong relationship between the professionals, counselors, and the public to educate the later on their rights and channels to guard their integrity and dignity. Reference list American Psychological Association (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed. ). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. ISBN 9781557987914. Cohen, G. ed (1998). The Vituous Therapist: Ethical practice of counseling and psychotherapy. Belmont, CA: Thonpsom Wadsworth. ISBN 9780534344085. Kidder, R. (2003). How good people make tough choices: Resolving the dilemma of ethical living. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 9780688175900 Marianne, J. (2006). The seven signs of ethical collapse: How to spot moral meltdowns in companies before it’s too late. New York: St. Martin’s Press, ISBN0312354304 Peterson, M. (1992). At personal risk: Boundary violations in professional-client relationship. New York: Norton. ISBN 9780393701388.

Walden essays

Walden essays Henry David Thoreau lived from July 4, 1845, to September 6, 1847, in the cabin he had built on the shores of Walden Pond. During those twenty-six months, Thoreau recorded the material that was to appear in his second published book, Walden and Civil Disobedience. Now, the book Walden and Civil Disobedience is considered one of the most influential as well as one of the most popular books ever written in America. Thoreaus life was a noble attempt to make his fellow man understand and appreciate the full possibilities of daily existence. Thoreau failed, but he left behind a book of rules that shows men how to live rich lives without being rich. Walden and Civil Disobedience is the essence of that book. Thoreau saw people as they actually were. His standards were high, so high that he could not meet them himself. But Thoreau never gave up trying. In his efforts he called upon the wise men and the poets of the world. His life was an endless quest, a quest for beauty, for truth, for honesty, for understanding, for the betterment of all mankind. Throughout the entire book, Thoreau writes all of his work in the first person. One may think he or she is in the process of reading someones journal. Thoreau may at first seem to be arrogant, or a man for whom nothing was ever good enough. But a careful reading his work turns up phrases that deny this. I am not worth seeing personally-the stuttering, blundering, clod-hopper that I am; or The writer learns to bear contempt and to despise himself. Thoreau clearly understood the essential nature of work. Observing, thinking, and writing were what he wanted most to do. Hoeing his bean-field, carpentry, and surveying gave him enough money for his needs. To simplify things, Thoreau reduced his wants to the fewest possible. I learned...that it would cost incredibly little to obtain ones necessary food, Tho...

5 Parallelism Problems in In-Line Lists

5 Parallelism Problems in In-Line Lists 5 Parallelism Problems in In-Line Lists 5 Parallelism Problems in In-Line Lists By Mark Nichol Constructing an in-line list a series of items in a sentence seems like a straightforward task, but writers frequently err in their attempts to produce parallel structure. The following sentences illustrate some of the pitfalls of parallel construction and how to fix them. 1. â€Å"You can pay using your bank account, debit, or credit cards.† This list refers to two types of financial resources: a bank account and a card (two types of which are mentioned). The sentence structure mistakenly suggests that the list consists of three elements, rather than two (â€Å"your bank account† and â€Å"a debit or credit card†), one of which is a compound item one consisting of two or more nouns or noun phrases. The following revision reflects the correct organization: â€Å"You can pay using your bank account or a debit or credit card.† 2. â€Å"Her writing was accurate, complete, and demonstrated attention to detail.† Of the three items in this list, two are accompanied by verbs, but the writer has erroneously assumed that complete can share the verb that precedes accurate. It can do so, but only if accurate and complete are linked with a conjunction rather than separated by a comma: â€Å"Her writing was accurate and complete and demonstrated attention to detail.† 3. â€Å"It’s free, secure, and takes no time at all.† This sentence suffers from the same slight but clumsy error as the one in the preceding example. It can be solved in the same way (â€Å"It’s free and secure, and it takes no time at all†) a comma is required before the conjunction in this case because the pronoun’s presence makes the second clause an independent one. Alternatively, each item in the list can be assigned its own pronoun: â€Å"It’s free, it’s secure, and it takes no time at all.† 4. â€Å"The pension system divested in firms doing business with apartheid-era South Africa, avoided oil and energy investments in Iran, and it dropped tobacco companies from its portfolio in 2008.† Here, too, the problem is of inconsistency of structure, but because the subject is a noun and the sentence is more complex, the simple error might not be apparent. Basically, each segment of the sentence needs a subject noun or a pronoun as if it were a distinct sentence, or, better, all segments must share the subject: â€Å"The pension system divested in firms doing business with apartheid-era South Africa, avoided oil and energy investments in Iran, and dropped tobacco companies from its portfolio in 2008.† (Alternatively, the comma following Africa could be replaced by and, but the lengthy sentence is better served by a rest-stop comma rather than another move-along conjunction.) 5. â€Å"There’s the Coke bottle and the old glove and sailboats gliding along the bay.† This sentence (referring to iconic features at a baseball stadium) almost works in its relaxed state, unhindered by internal punctuation. But the lack of a comma suggests that all three things glide along the bay. A comma after â€Å"old glove† will catch that noun phrase and the preceding one, reserving the gliding action for the sailboats alone: â€Å"There’s the Coke bottle and the old glove, and sailboats gliding along the bay.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Math or Maths?Excited ABOUT, not "for" How Do You Determine Whether to Use Who or Whom?

The Hairy Ape Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Hairy Ape - Essay Example Yank grew up in an impoverished lower class family. From his accounts, he had a painful childhood. His parents would make him attend church every Sunday though. His father, working at the shore, was abusive. He grew up seeing his parents fight regularly that when his mother died from alcohol withdrawal relapse, he left home to evade the punishment he suffered. Due to lack of education, he is trapped in a social system amid the rising industrial revolution that he had to toil hard as a fireman/stoker in the transatlantic ocean liner for a measly wage. But he feels himself to be superior to others and confident due to his strength and his view that his effort makes the ship run. He defends the ship as his home. Yank met Mildred when she visited the ship’s boiler room while docked in Lisbon. The brute and hairy appearance of Yank disgusted Mildred and called him â€Å"hairy ape.† Yank is enraged when Mildred was frightened and disgusted of him. He realized that his physique to which he is boastful is loathed by others. Overcome by confusion, he struggles to find answers. He was traumatized and searched for his identity and belongingness. Yank became aware of the differences in the social class with Mildred’s reaction. His desire to get revenge with Mildred spread to the steel industry (owned by Mildred’s father) and the whole bourgeois class. When he said that others do not belong in society, he is actually expressing his own alienation. He feels strong when he â€Å"belongs.† Thus, when Mildred, the other ship workers and people on 5th Ave. rejected him, he felt weakness. On the larger analysis, Yank wants to redefine the social structure and belongingness in society. He â€Å"belongs† to the ship being useful to it just as the ship workers who run the ship. Meeting Mildred presented to him a new reality that he cannot seem to fathom and belong. After a series of rejection, he sought out where he belongs. I prefer to watch or listen to drama or fiction that