Entertainment And Education Essays - Occitan Literature,

Entertainment and Education Both entertainment and education have been integrals parts of the human experience since the beginnings of time. Many scholars insist that the two institutions often serve jointly, with entertainers and entertainment serving as a main source of education. There is little argument, then, that in addition to generally appealing to the masses, entertainers have regularly fulfilled the role of a teacher to typically unsuspecting audiences. Entertainers have served as educators throughout history, from the origins of oral narratives through the Middle Ages. The earliest forms of unwritten communication were essentially used to spread knowledge from one source to another. Religious disciplines were the first information passed from person to person through entertainment. In the third century B.C., Buddhist monks tried to win converts outside India through the use of theater and song (Burdick 97). They taught the precepts of Siddhartha and Buddha in such theatrical epics as Ramayana and Mahabharata, setting exacting rules for theater performance in the process (Burdick 99). Similarly, Irish monks established singing schools, which taught uniform use of music throughout the church (Young 31). Through chants which were all the same, they spread identical teachings. Christian psalms and hymns in Apostolic times were sung to spread the knowledge and faith of Christianity. In fact, Christianity was promoted from the start by music. Churches were for long the only centers of learning, with monks teaching all lessons through music (Young 39). Through the use of sacred music, monks and clergy successfully spread the teachings of their religions in a practical manner. Entertainers used the theater as a place to tell the stories of the day, both fictional and topical. The African oral tradition was rich in folk tales, myths, riddles, and proverbs, serving a religious, social, and economic function (Lindfors 1). Likewise, Asian actors covered their faces with masks in order to act out a scandal of the day without the audience knowing who was passing along the gossip (Archer 76). European puppets were another medium which permitted entertainers to spread current gossip without revealing the identity of the storyteller (Speaight 16). The theatrical productions of the Greeks further explored the use of theater as an instructional tool. Because the theater provided such a diverse forum for expression, stage actors and playwrights consistantly utilized this locale to eduate the general public. Oral communication was widely used to educate society about morals and basic truths. The most highly developed theoretical discussions from ancient times were those of he Greeks, who passed on this knowledge through music and stories. Homer, the eighth-century B.C. poet, court singer, and storyteller, embodied ideal Greek morals and heroic conduct in his spoken epic, The Iliad (Beye 1). Homer and other poets used qualities not found in written language to make the memorization of their works easier so their sagas could be repeated for generations (Edwards 1). African tribes people and Native Americans also instilled morals and lessons to their communities through stories and fables (Edwards 1). These oral narratives were soon after recorded on paper as early forms of literature became prevalent. Many of the thoughts previously expressed through oral communication only could now be recorded for the future as writing became wide-spread. The era of writing began with Chinese literature more than 3,500 years ago, as the Chinese recorded tales on oracle bones (Mair 1). The Greeks, however, were the first known civilization to translate their oral history into writing (Henderson 1). While the earliest Greek literature was produced by the Indo-Europeans in 2,000 B.C., the most essential works began in Ionia with the epics of Homer in the eighth century B.C. (Henderson 7). This oral poetry is the foundation of Greek literature, and epic poetry such as Boetian?s Hesiod explored the poet?s role as a social and religious teacher (Henderson 8). These written works clearly informed those who read them, but were not as successful in educating the masses as the Greek dramas. Any spoken works that were especially significant could now be transcribed for posterity and future use. Greek plays were also recorded on paper beginning around 500 B.C., reflecting issues of the day and entertaining audiences concurrently. The tragedies of Euripides reflect political, social, and intellectual crisis. Plays such as The Bacchae reflect the dissolution of common values of the time, while other works criticized traditional religion or represented mythical figures as unheroic (Segal 1). Each Greek drama was similarly structured: problems were ?presented by the chorus, and resolved in purely conventional--but always instructive--ways? (Burdick 18). Topical comedies reflected the heroic spirit, and problems facing Greek society during times of great change (Henderson 2). Meanwhile, the dramas of Socrates spoke

Soil Sampling essays

Soil Sampling essays These instructions are for taking a soil sample from a yard, pasture, or any other piece of land. The purpose of a soil sample is to determine the pH of the soil. These instructions give a simple step by step procedure that anyone can do. Anyone who is trying to grow something can use a soil sample to help them get the best growth for whatever they are planting. The reason for needing to read these instructions is so that a proper sample will be taken so you will get the best results for your soil. There are not a lot of materials and equipment needed to take a soil sample. You are going to need the area of soil to be sampled, a soil sample bag, a small shovel or other digging tool, a measuring cup (optional), a bucket, and a pen or pencil. A soil sample bag is the bag that you will put your sample in. It can be obtained from fertilizer dealers, the Soil Conservation Service, your local Soil Conservation Service, or the Stephen F. Austin Agriculture Department. Samples usually cost about ten dollars and take about a month to get the results back, so plan ahead. shovels buckets soil sample bag CAUTION: Do not take samples from different fields or areas and put in the same bag. This may cause you to get the wrong results for a specific area. This does not apply to your yard. One sample is OK in this case. This comes in to play if you are sampling different spots over a large area, say over twenty acres. WARNING: Do not stab shovel into your foot, this may cause injury to your toes or other parts of your foot. Choose an area where you want to have the soil tested before you plant something on it. Obtain a soil sample bag from one of the places listed above. Choose 5 to 15 spots in your area to take samples from. At each of the spots you chose in your area use your digging devic ...

Talk about one engineering ethics case or issue in the last 4 months Essay

Talk about one engineering ethics case or issue in the last 4 months - Essay Example The engineers needed to make repairs and most of these repairs required human labor. Crews were sent in with full knowledge that these workers could suffer from severe health consequences. Along with the employees of the plant there are lots of ethical dilemmas associated with eh Fukushima disaster. There is not enough information to determine whether the accident was preventable. Engineers are supposed to implement safety protocols to ensure these types of accident don’t occur even if nuclear plant is hit by an earthquake. The government of Japan must launch a full investigation of the matter in order to get the truth. The government of Japan faces a logistical nightmare in regards to its electricity infrastructure. The nuclear system in Japan was responsible for providing 25% of the electricity of the entire country. The Fukushima disaster has left a very sour taste in the minds of the Japanese people and the international community. The disaster will have long term repercus sion in the population of Japan. It is estimated that 5.5% of the population living within a 200 km radius of Fukushima will develop cancer in the long term (Youtube). There are 7.8 million people living within that distance of Fukushima. There are going to be over 400,000 new cases of cancer as a consequence of the disaster. The Japanese government and its engineers have to reconsider the composition of its energy system.

Gender, ethnicity and social class issues in higher education Essay

Gender, ethnicity and social class issues in higher education - Essay Example Most governments emphasize on equal opportunity for all in education attainment and stern actions are taken against those found discriminating students. The question that begs answers is therefore, if there is equal education opportunity, why do issues of gender, ethnicity and social class matter or why do they continue to bog down the education system? According to Ball (2006) such education policies just contribute to a meritocratic education system. This view is supported by the Virginia university teaching resource center (2004) which believes that such classifications influence â€Å"what we teach, how we teach and how students learn’ and that â€Å"gender equality is taken for granted but it is not yet a reality.† In view of this, this paper will discuss how socio-economic, national identity, gender and English proficiency affect student behavior or faculty behavior towards students. To start with, the socio-economic factors will be discussed. These include the c hallenges faced by students from low socio-economic background such as emotional and social challenges, acute and chronic stressors, cognitive lags and health and safety issues that affect participation rates and educational achievement. It will then look at gender issues such as gender stereotyping and their effects on education after which it will look at issues of national identity and language proficiency faced by international students and their effects on students as well as faculty behavior. Lastly, a short summary will be made. Society is divided into various classes of citizens; the upper, middle and lower class. These represent the hierarchical ordering of society especially due to the emergence of the capitalistic mode of production. Karl Marx often criticized this mode of production for many societal problems and for bringing about exploitation of some people by others, that is, exploitation of working class by the dominant ruling class or capitalists (Morrison, 2006). Emile Durkheim on the other hand, blamed this system for eroding family values and morals but he believed the division of labor in society was the key to enhance social solidarity which had been dismantled by the system. It helps to move from mechanical to organic solidarity but at the same time division of labor may also result in classification of people into high class and low classes depending on their occupations (Morrison, 2006). For examples, professionals such as accountants or lawyers are considered as from high classes while cl erks are in the low social class. Individual identity in modern system is defined by what one does rather than what one is. Paid employment is thus very crucial in defining identity and determining the future of individuals especially where work ethic is emphasized. Education being the key to employment is thus very vital in society and determines what people become in future and can also affect social mobility. This is the reason why issues of equality and equity in education provision are the center of education policies. According to Weis and Dolby (2012) social class determines most aspects of our lives such as which schools to attend and even influences participation in education, academic achievement and student interactions. This view is supported by Jensen (2009) who asserts that students from different socio-economic status bring into the education system their experiences which

The History Of The Heavyweight Methodologies

The History Of The Heavyweight Methodologies INTRODUCTION Software has become an essential part of human life both at professional and personal end. The development of software has become a chaotic business and is normally cited as the code and fix. In the initial days the software programs were written without much of plan, design and without long term site. This however was fine for the small systems. With the advancement of technology several changes were made and it became difficult to incorporate these changes and it was hard to fix the bugs. This was the result of improper planning. This has led the roots to another alternative, Methodology. This emphasized on the disciplined process of software development to make the whole software development process smooth and predictable. Traditional methods were heavily dependent on documentation, design, work plan and structure making it the way to call it the heavy method. However, this seemed increasingly lengthy and frustrating for few developers who were looking for rapid change. This has resulted in consultants preparing methodologies independently. These methods are known as agile methods. Agile methodology is getting extensive popularity in the industry. This is a mix of accepted and controversial practices. It is the features of the projects such as scope, requirement, resource and size that determine the appropriate methodology that should be used. Thought practicing professionals still emphasise on the importance and usage of heavy methods, the empirical studies are emphasizing on the Agile methods. Heavyweight methodologies Heavyweight methodologies are considered the traditional way of software development. These are based on step by step evolution approach. Several steps in this process include, defining requirement, solution formation, testing and development. In this process it is also mandate to prepare a document that has a set of requirement at the beginning of the project. Waterfall approach: This emphasizes on structured approach. Each stage in this process has a set of actions. These activities much be fulfilled before progressing to the next stage. Each phase is named differently. The first phase determines what the system will be, the second phase determines how the system will be developed. It is in the third stage that the actual coding and designing is started. The developed system is tested in the fourth stage. In the fifth and final stage appropriate training and documentation are provided. In terms of engineering, the term waterfall is used to denote a subsequent or sequential development. Waterfall Model Life Cycle Unified Process (UP) Each activity comprising modelling is divided into workflows in the UP process. This process takes place in an repetitive and incremental manner. In this method the whole process is divided into four phases. The below diagram depicts the stages of this process: Inception At the end of this process the feasibility of the project is determined. The scope of the design is set and a business plan is prepared. Elaboration In this phase, a basic design is made and a plan of structure or construction is made. A risk analysis is also done at this stage. The major risks determined should also be addressed. Construction In the construction phase the system of beta-version is prepared. A well developed system good enough for the preliminary test should also be available in this stage. Transition This is the final stage. In this stage the system is commenced to the stakeholders and end users. The process is considered complete if the stakeholders agree that the objectives mentioned in the inception phase are met. As part of UP there are approximately 50 work items that should be completed. This rigid approach and heavy documentation add a lot of the complexity to the UP. Also, the roles in this process are predefined making it less flexible. Spiral Model This is another heavy model which merges both design and prototype stages trying to combine the benefits of top-down and bottom-up benefits. The four phases in the development model are as follows: Objective setting- In this phase objectives of the project phase are identified. Risk assessment and limitations In this phase key risks are identified and analysed. Information about reducing these risks is also collected in this phase. Development and validation A suitable model is selected for the next phase. Planning The project is reviewed and plans for the next round of spiral are made in this phase. Characteristics of Heavyweight methodologies Heavyweight methodology is known for a long time. This is a very disciplined approach in the software development. Few characteristics of heavyweight methodologies are as follows: Predictive approach: This methodology plans most part of its software development for a longer time. A great emphasis is given to drawing focusing on the needs and measure to answer these needs. Drawings determine how to build the system and act as the basis for the construction process. This also predicts time table and budget for building or constructing the software. Inclusive Documentation: Traditional software development considers the requirements documentation as a key element of documentation. It collects all the customer and stake holder requirements before writing code. Process orientation: The purpose of this method is to allocate or define a process of work that suits the one using it. A process may contain few processes just a manager or a tester can perform. For every task in this method there is a procedure. Agile modelling Agile process concentrates on adding lightness to its processes leading to high quality of software and customer satisfaction. Few of the agile models are as follows Extreme Programming (XP): This has evaluated out of problems raised from traditional systems. This process is known for short cycles of development, incremental planning and continuous feedback, communication leading to evolutionary designing. This methods life cycle is divided into 6 phases i.e. Exploration, Planning, Iterations to release, Production, Maintenance and Death. During the Exploration stage, the client creates story boards about his needs. This is followed by the planning phase in which the story boards are prioritised and a first release schedule is prepared. In the Iteration to Release stage it is the responsibility of development team to create the whole system by continuously testing and integrating the code. In the Production Phase additional testing and performance checks are done. Developments and suggestions detected in this stage are documented for later implementation. Based on this updated releases are made in Maintenance Phase. The final stage is the Death Phase is reached when customer has no more stories to be implemented and the final documentation is prepared. Scrum: Scrum is a repetitive and incremental process of product development. Scrums main focus is on how members should work in order to generate flexibility in a continuously varying environment. At the end of each iteration it makes a set of potential features. In this method it is not compulsory to use any specific software development methods. Key practices in this method are : Product Backlog, Sprints, Sprint Planning, meeting, Sprint Backlog and Daily Scrum. Dynamic System Development method: This is a mixture, and extension for rapid application development and iterative development practices. The basic notion behind this method is to give more importance to time and resources before the functionality of a system. In this method a high emphasis is given to quality. This method has five stages : Feasibility Study: A decision is made about usage of DSDM. This decision is based on project type, organization requirement and people. This stage has two outcomes, 1) feasibility report ii) A prototype plan Business Study: A business study to understand the business aspect of the project. This forms the base for prototype. Functional Model Iteration: This phase includes analysis, coding and prototypes. The output of this stage is a prototype code and analysis models. Design and build iteration: Main system is built in this stage. The prototypes are reviewed and developments are made based on user comments. Implementation: This is the final stage where the project is handed over to the user. Appropriate training is also provided. Characteristics of agile methodologies People oriented: All the stakeholders. i.e. customers, developers, users and end users are very important in this methodology. Adaptive: This methodology is preferred by those who are open to change and are flexible. Balancing Flexibility and Planning: Though planning is important, a trial and error method is followed in this approach as it is hard to predict the right things in the initial stage of software development. Simplified process and small groups: A simple process of concentrating on the present rather than the future is the motto of Agile process. It also maintains small teams and any communication is provided to the whole team. Comparison Traditional heavy methodology for software development is prevailing successfully for a long time now. However, it has several disadvantages such as inflexibility and high time consuming etc. Taking these drawbacks in to account a new system was developed which is Agile. Both the methodologies i.e. (agile and heavy weight) have their advantages and disadvantages. People usually use one of these methods based on the feasibility. A Summary of difference in agile and heavyweight is shown in the following table. There are important factors influencing the decision and selection methodology, which is suitable for different conditions. These factors can be divided into the size of the project, people and risk Project size: One of the major limitations in this process is size of the project. The important elements in this process are budget, time span of the project and team organization. A huge project needs huge team and huge budget. This in turn requires better co-ordination and better communication. Heavy methodology provides this by a thorough planning, design and documentation. However, this is not possible in case of Agile process. According to Alistair A light process needs few people in contrary to the heavy method where more people are required. A major limitation of agile methods is the size of the project. Main elements of the same are budget, duration of projects and organization of the project team. The larger unit or a larger budget, you need the larger project. Thus, requires a compilation of more demands, requirements of more people and better coordination. Heavyweight support this methodology by providing planning, documentation and processes for better communication and coordination in large groups. Fewer people are needed if the methodology used is lighter. However, more people will be needed if the heavier methodology (Alistair Cockburn, 2003). The larger group also has its impact on communication in the design and performance. The methodology is a matter of coordination and management of human communication. This implies that the level of methodology must be increased if the numbers of people increase. This makes it even more difficult to use agile methods with large groups. However, Ken Schwaber (one of the deve lopers of SCRUM) argues that large groups can be broken down into small teams using the dimensions of the scrums. Project duration is another factor in the choice of methodology. Heavyweight methodology needs a lot of extra time for output such as documentation, design documentation, writing, analysis etc. Therefore, it can be concluded that when time is short agile development methodologies would be the best option. People Factor: The Agile methodology gives very much importance to stakeholders i.e. it concentrates on peoples factor. This methodology makes sure that experienced people and skilled people are part of the process. Experts who are part of the team provide continuous feedback about the effects that the use may face in selecting the project. As part of this process the customer also gets a right to check progress and change the direction of development at any stage or iteration. This is one of the main features that make the agile process more attractive than the heavy process. Organizational culture is another important factor while choosing the methodology. If any organization is not open to change and is inflexible, An agile process cant be used there. Risk Factor: An important risk factor in the software development is how it responds to change. Agile methods can be used in case of applications that should be built quickly and dont have any quality hurdles. If the project is critical and requires several quality layers then the traditional system is appropriate. Improper definition may lead to several defects. Agile methodologies help in developing short term projects and give importance to customer reviews. Conclusion I would like to end it by saying that heavy methodology consisted of severe methods of comprehensive planning, design documentation.. Heavy thoughts that accompany them will be taken over by the agile movement not in the distant future. The need for Heavyweight approaches still prevails in large, long-lived projects that have specific security, reliability and security requirements. However, business needs to respond quickly to the environment in innovative, cost-effective and efficient manner is increasing the need to use agile methods of software development.

Schizophrenia and Substance Abuse; Which Came First, the Chicken or the Egg?

Schizophrenia and Substance Abuse; Which Came First, the Chicken or the Egg? Terry V. Hites Prof. Bramlage Dual Diagnosis / Co-Occurring Disorders December 6, 2008 Schizophrenia and substance abuse; which came first, the chicken or the egg? This is a greatly debated topic within families of schizophrenics that abuse alcohol.In this paper I hope to explore the prevalence of substance use with those that suffer from schizophrenia, the age of onset and the age of first use, treatment issues, recovery issues, and finally, the issues regarding the high rate of suicidal thoughts, attempts, and completions within this specific population of individuals. â€Å"The 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health in the United States found that over 23% of adults suffering from serious mental illness abused alcohol or other drugs.In the population without a serious mental illness only 8. 2% abused alcohol or other drugs. Among adults who abused alcohol or other drugs, 20. 4% had a serious mental illness† (Cherry, 2007, p. 37). â€Å"Over 75% of people with a co-occurring disorder who were surveyed during treatment reported a history of childhood physical abuse† (p. 38). Interestingly enough, surveys have shown that individuals are readily willing to address their substance abuse but are not so willing to acknowledge their co-occurring mental illness (p. 9-50). â€Å"The lifetime prevalence of substance use disorders (SUD) in schizophrenia is close to 50%. Substance abuse in schizophrenia is associated with numerous negative consequences, including psychotic relapses criminality, homelessness, unemployment, treatment non-compliance, and health problems† (Potvin, 2007, p. 792). In this population, â€Å"substance abuse is highly prevalent† (p. 792) not just used by a few individuals; but people will abuse substances to cope with the negative or positive symptoms of their illness.When looking at the symptoms that they experience, Potvin goes on to sa y, â€Å"addicted schizophrenia patients suffer from more severe depressive symptoms, relative to non-abusing patients† (p. 793). Furthermore, the research also shows that males experience the depression more severe than females (p. 797); the depression scale includes anhedonia, psycho motor retardation, etc. (p. 796). Keith goes on to say, â€Å"Substance abuse affects approximately half of patients with schizophrenia and can act as a barrier to compliance† (2007, p. 59). â€Å"The lifetime prevalence of substance abuse (excluding smoking) in patients with schizophrenia has been estimated to be approximately 35 to 55%† (p. 260). â€Å"In addition to experiencing these more severe symptoms, or potentially also as a result, psychosocial problems such as occupational, housing or financial difficulties and crime are endemic in the dual-diagnosis population† Keith asserts (p. 261). When examining the prevalence of the co-occurring disorders, one would be remi ss to not identify the etiology of each. It could be tempting to conclude that PAS [psychoactive substances] use exacerbates depressive symptoms in a subgroup of schizophrenia patients, because long-term use of alcohol, cannabis and cocaine is associated with depressive symptoms† (Potvin, 2007, p. 797). Although these assertions may be concluded, it is also important to not â€Å"draw inferences about causality, and the reverse explanation cannot be ruled out. That is, severe depressive symptoms may lead patients to use PAS, as proposed by the self-medication hypothesis† (p. 97). â€Å"Psychoactive substance use in juveniles and adults is highly correlated with a number of psychiatric diagnoses, including schizophrenia. Young adults with schizophrenia have a 3 times higher prevalence of substance use disorders (SUD’s) than the corresponding age group in the US general population. † (Hsiao, 2007, p. 88). While the amount of research data on this age group i s limited due to studies not addressing them, it is difficult to generalize the data collected (p. 88). Alcohol and marijuana were the two most commonly abused agents in our sample. This is consistent with population-based studies of adolescents. The onset of substance use preceded the onset of psychosis in all of our subjects with co-occurring SUD and schizophrenia. Therefore, it is possible that substance abuse precipitated or exacerbated psychosis in these subjects. Epidemiological and neuroscientific evidence suggests that substance abuse, especially cannabis abuse, can precipitate psychosis in vulnerable subjects.Their sample of 50,413 male adolescents who were suspected of having behavioral problems, Weiser et al. found that adolescents who self-reported abuse of drugs at age 16-17 years were twice as likely to be hospitalized later for schizophrenia† (p. 95). Hsiao goes on to state that, â€Å"the onset of substance use preceded their reports of psychotic symptoms in 9 0% of the cases† (p. 95). In accordance of the research Keith emphasizes that, â€Å"the onset of substance abuse often occurs before or around the time of onset of schizophrenia.In a study in which 232 patients with first episodes of schizophrenia were interviewed, 62% reported that drug abuse began before the onset of schizophrenia symptoms, and 51% said the same of alcohol abuse. Within this population, 34. 6% of drug abuse and 18. 2% of alcohol abuse began within the same month as the onset of schizophrenia symptoms. In addition, patients with schizophrenia are twice as likely to have had a history of substance abuse at the time of the first episode of schizophrenia than are healthy subjects† (p. 260).Keeping all of these early onset of use issues and early occurrences of the illness in mind there is a tremendous amount of barriers between the individual and their recovery. Next we will explore what issues are barriers to their treatment. â€Å"[T]he realization th at co-occurring problems are best treated with an integrated approach has only recently been recognized by the treatment community† states Cherry, (p. 38-39). Universal screening is needed but many barriers stand in the way of its implementation, from training time to building an infrastructure of clinicians who support everyone being screened, (p. 9). Ultimately, universal screening is as much about the attitudes of administrators and clinicians as it is about having a reliable and valid screen to identify co-occurring disorders. Nonetheless, a screen that is quickly administered, easy to interpret and takes little or no training to administer can break down many of those barriers. Even though there are barriers to instituting a screening procedure during intake, the importance of screening for concurrent substance abuse and mental health problems is crucial in the effort to provide effective treatment for people with a co-occurring disorder† (p. 0). Potvin reminds us i n his research that, â€Å"ideally, depressive symptoms would be measured both during the active phase of substance abuse and after a period of drug withdrawal, to determine whether the observed differences reflect the acute effects of PAS or more stable traits† (p. 797). Likewise, â€Å"[p]ersons with mental heath or substance abuse disorders may not seek help, at least not in the form of professional treatment (i. e. , psychotherapy, medication), because these treatment options are perceived by the person, family, or social network as inappropriate or undesirable† (Kuppin, 2008, p. 20). Kuppin goes on to say, â€Å"[t]hese findings offer important insights for furthering our understanding of how we think about the discrepancy between mental illness and substance abuse prevalence and treatment seeking and adherence† (p. 124). Research echoes with relapse among individuals in this particular population; nonetheless, there are those who investigate options availa ble to improve compliance. â€Å"Many patients with schizophrenia may abuse substances for â€Å"hedonistic† reasons, while others may use them in an attempt to reduce symptoms or distress.Alcohol, in particular, can tend to be used more often than illicit drugs, such as opioids or cannabis, though it has also been reported that patients may turn either to alcohol or illicit drugs to alleviate the negative symptoms inadequately treated, or potentially made worse by conventional antipsychotic and the side effect of dysphoria associated with these agents. However, although patients may believe that substance abuse ameliorates symptoms of schizophrenia, data suggest that many of these underlying symptoms may, in fact, be worsened† (Keith, 2007, p. 260).Therein lies the problem, trying to convince a person that the drug he is using is hurting him, when all he sees is this drug is the only thing that keeps me from hurting myself or others; and in itself that is the lie they tell themselves, they do end up trying to hurt themselves, statistics show it. Additionally, statistics show that non-compliant dual-diagnosed patients account for 57% of hospital readmissions, which is an average of 1. 5 admissions per patient each year (p. 261). â€Å"As schizophrenia is a lifelong illness, it requires long term, uninterrupted treatment to optimize outcomes.The low rate of therapy compliance already associated with schizophrenia can be further compromised when patients are also active substance abusers. Intoxication may impair judgment; reduce motivation to pursue long-term goals and lead to a devaluation of the protection offered by antipsychotic medications, resulting in increased hospital readmissions and significantly more severe symptoms† (p. 262). Treatment is further compromised when a patient does not fully â€Å"buy into† his treatment regime and comply with his doctors, counselors, or therapists.Research shows that several different ways h ave been developed to try to improve compliance such as pharmacologic methods, case management, and assertive community treatment programs; these do help but improved insight and attitudes about schizophrenia has shown to be most helpful for an individual to take ownership for their recovery. â€Å"Moreover, without treatment, many individuals continue to experience several relapses because the untreated disorder is not addressed† (Cherry, 2007, 39). Atypical antipsychotics are recommended for reducing substance abuse in schizophrenia patients and have been shown to be effective in this manner† (Keith, 2007, 259). Studies however do show that those that have developed a strong alliance with their therapist are more likely to comply with a prescribed medication regime (p. 262). Keith additionally adds that, â€Å"treatment for persons who have both schizophrenia and substance abuse was evaluated by incorporating cognitive-behavioral drug relapse prevention strategies in to a skills training method originally developed to teach social and independent living skills to patients with schizophrenia.Results demonstrated that participants learned substance-abuse management skills, and that their drug use decreased. Improvements were also noted in medication adherence, psychiatric symptoms and quality of life† (p. 263). All in all, recovery is possible for the dual-diagnosed patient, but long term treatment and persistence is required; studies have shown that most individuals experience a long line of relapses and several suicidal attempts before fully embracing recovery. Although it is an ugly part of recovery for many of those with schizophrenia, suicidal thoughts and attempts are common. [S]uicide accounts for approximately10-20% of patient deaths in schizophrenia. In this context, the identification of factors contributing to depression in schizophrenia may have implications for the prevention and treatment of these symptoms† (Potvin, 2007, 793). Research has shown that this particular population is at an increased risk after being prescribed clozapine or olanzapine and they are currently abusing substances; likewise an increased awareness needs to be made by those working with these individuals to identify and screen for the suicidal ideation (Keith, 2007, p. 61). In conclusion, the prevalence of schizophrenia and substance abuse is great in this country; as well as the age of onset of symptoms and age of first use. Individual treatment issues as well as recovery issues can act as a barrier to one achieving recovery. Although recovery has been shown to be attainable, suicidal thoughts and attempts can be a major deterrent to many individuals experiencing it; through increased compliance via pharmacological services, case management or other methods, individuals can see it.So, schizophrenia or substance abuse; which came first, the chicken or the egg? I’ll let you decide; personally I will work in the framework of integrated treatment and work with the co-occurring disorder. References Cherry, A. L. , Dillon, M. E. , Hellman, C. M. ,   &  Barney, L. D. (2007). The AC-COD Screen: Rapid Detection of People with the Co-Occurring Disorders of Substance Abuse, Mental Illness, Domestic Violence, and Trauma. Journal of Dual Diagnosis*, [No Volume/Issue], 35-53. Academic Search Complete. Ebsco Host.OSU/Lima Campus Lib. , Lima, OH. 10 October 2008 . Hsiao, R. ,  &   McClellan, J. (2007). Substance Abuse in Early Onset Psychotic Disorders. Journal of Dual Diagnosis*, [No Volume/Issue], 87-99. Academic Search Complete. Ebsco Host. OSU/Lima Campus Lib. , Lima, OH. 10 October 2008 . Keith,  S. (2007). Dual Diagnosis of Substance Abuse and Schizophrenia: Improving Compliance with Pharmacotherapy. Clinical Schizophrenia & Related Psychoses, 1(3), 259-269. Academic Search Complete. Ebsco Host. OSU/Lima Campus Lib. , Lima, OH. 10 October 2008 .Kuppin. (2008). Public Conceptions of Serious Mental Illness and Substance Abuse, Their Causes and Treatments: Findings from the 1996 General Social Survey. American Journal of Public Health, 96(10), S120. Academic Search Complete. Ebsco Host. OSU/Lima Campus Lib. , Lima, OH. 10 October 2008 . Potvin. (2007). Meta-analysis of depressive symptoms in dual-diagnosis schizophrenia. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 41(10), 792-799. Academic Search Complete. Ebsco Host. OSU/Lima Campus Lib. , Lima, OH. 10 October 2008 .

Apple Swot

Apple SWOT In the 2011 Fortune 500 rankings Apple finished 35th, jumping from the 56th position it established the year before. As of January 2012 Apple surpassed Exxon to become the largest Corporation in the world. Apple’s rapid climb from virtual bankruptcy in 1996 is an incredible story. (Eberhard) Strengths: The products The company's reputation as an innovator Strong, loyal following Control over applications and operating systems Brand AwarenessWeaknesses – Apple's â€Å"All In† philosophy has some drawbacks – for example, my Windows phone will not sync on my Macbook. This perceived â€Å"if you're not one of us, you are one of them† mindset makes new converts to Apple products wary. Apple doesn't â€Å"fail† often but when they do it makes major headlines. Apple Maps served to show how big of a blunder one Apple branded failure can really be. (Goldman). The lack of forethought into the iPad.No matter how great of a success – an d it certainly is – Microsoft's Surface's screen size and inclusion of USB ports and a keyboard is going to make the next generation of the iMac – which could very well be a super charged iPad with all the required ports and a new OS – make Apple look like it is playing catch up instead of leading the innovation themselves. Closed source applications and operating system Brand perceived as â€Å"elitist† Diversity of products Cost of product vs. competitors Over saturation (iPhone)Opportunities – Apple is readying a Pandora like streaming music service and Apple TV could change the way we view our programing much in the same way the iPod and iTunes revolutionized the music business. Music streaming service Apple TV Shifting more production to US factories The Chinese Market yet to be fully tapped Integration with automakers Threats – Basically everyone who isn’t Apple – Google/Android, Microsoft/Windows 8, Samsung, the list goe s on – if you plug it in and talk, listen touch, type, or surf on it and it isn't an Apple, it is a threat to Apple.Apple's threats come from all directions because Apple not only produces product, it also produces all of the operating systems for it's product and tightly controls what content outside vendors can sell on the App Store. Changes in economy Changes in marketplace Chinese labor controversies Google's Android OS Microsoft's Windows 8 and Surface tablet Windows retail stores http://www. heavy. com/news/2012/12/google-maps-returns-to-iphone/ http://robeberhard. com/? page_id=130 Samsung SWOT Samsung was founded in 1938 as a fish and vegetable grocer. After the Korean War, Samsung's assets were divested and the grocery business was laid to rest.In 1969 SEC, the Samsung Electronic Corporation was created, beginning the Samsung as we know them today. Samsung now produces televisions, mobile phones, tablet computers, DVD and Blu-Ray players, MP3 players, cameras and sem iconductors. Over the years as they acquired new business and branched out into new ventures they have been subject to a variety of lawsuits involving copyright infringement, including those with watchmaker Rolex, mobile phone maker Ericsson and most recently Apple Computer. Apple recently surpassed Samsung to take the number one spot in marketshare in the mobile phone category. Tinari) Samsung's partnership with Google has provided a consistent OS (operating system) for it's mobile devices with Android. Android is an â€Å"open source† operating system, which, unlike Apple's, allows for third party users to openly contribute application and programs without company interference or oversight. While this gives users a wider variety of applications, there is no quality control over them, nor is there a way for Samsung to provide the customer service often required of these applications as Samsung has no part in their creation and distribution.Samsung recently won one of many la wsuits with Apple over the design of their popular Galaxy tablet. The recently released Microsoft Surface tablet and the Kindle Fire are Samsung's largest non-Apple competition in this market, however there are a number of super low cost tablets coming out of China that are also relying on the Android OS. These low cost, low quality tablets are forcing Samsung to advertise more aggressively to assure they are not lumped into this sub group of iPad knock offs. Strengths: Wide range of products Multiple partnerships with other brands, particularly Google and their Android operating system Growing marketshareHigh brand value Open source operating system Weaknesses: Lack of control over product once it's partners become involved Slow to release new product Lack of focus on one core product Lower price means lower perceived quality Complaints of not being â€Å"user friendly† Opportunities: Open more retail outlets Partnership with new brands means more innovation Reintroduce phon es with more user friendly interface Capitalize on Apple's failures Provide more customer service Threats: Continuing legal battle with Apple over copyright infringement Low cost competition in the tablet marketEmulation phones with Android OS weaken Samsung's image Microsoft's Surface tablet Windows Retail stores Changes in marketplace Changes in economy image: www. businessweek. com image: www. talkandroid. com image: www. obamapacman. com http://www. intomobile. com/2013/02/01/apple-grabs-34-mobile-market-share-passing-samsung-become-1/ http://www. businessweek. com/articles/2012-07-03/samsungs-smartphone-pitch-fuels-mobile-ad-boom http://www. talkandroid. com/154223-samsung-ramped-up-advertising-in-2012-outspent-apple-by-68-million/ http://obamapacman. com/2010/11/fail-samsung-galaxy-tab-flash-pop-up-ad-annoys-cnn-users/