The Host Chapter 51: Prepared

I found Jared and Jamie in our room, waiting for me, worry on both their faces. Jared must have talked to Jeb. â€Å"Are you all right?† Jared asked me, while Jamie jumped up and threw his arms around my waist. I wasn't sure how to answer his question. I didn't know the answer. â€Å"Jared, I need your help.† Jared was on his feet as soon as I was done speaking. Jamie leaned back to look at my face. I didn't meet Jamie's gaze. I wasn't sure how much I could bear right now. â€Å"What do you need me to do?† Jared asked. â€Å"I'm making a raid. I could use some†¦ extra muscle.† â€Å"What are we after?† He was intense, already shifting into his mission mode. â€Å"I'll explain on the way. We don't have a lot of time.† â€Å"Can I come?† Jamie said. â€Å"No!† Jared and I said together. Jamie frowned and let me go, sinking down onto the mattress and crossing his legs. He put his face in his hands and sulked. I couldn't look directly at him before I ducked out of the room. I was already yearning to sit beside him, to hold him tight and forget this whole mess. Jared followed as I retraced my path through the south tunnel. â€Å"Why this way?† he asked. â€Å"I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He would know if I tried to lie or evade. â€Å"I don't want to run into anyone. Jeb, Aaron, or Brandt, particularly.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"I don't want to have to explain myself to them. Not yet.† He was quiet, trying to make sense of my answer. I changed the subject. â€Å"Do you know where Lily is? I don't think she should be alone. She seems†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Ian's with her.† â€Å"That's good. He's the kindest.† Ian would help Lily-he was exactly what she needed now. Who would help Ian when†¦? I shook my head, shaking the thought away. â€Å"What are we in such a hurry to get?† Jared asked me. I took a deep breath before I answered him. â€Å"Cryotanks.† The south tunnel was black. I could not see his face. His footsteps did not falter beside me, and he didn't say anything for several minutes. When he spoke again, I could hear that he was focusing on the raid-single-minded, setting aside whatever curiosity he felt until after the mission was planned to his satisfaction. â€Å"Where do we get them?† â€Å"Empty cryotanks are stored outside Healing facilities until they're needed. With more souls coming in than leaving, there will be a surplus. No one will guard them; no one will notice if some go missing.† â€Å"Are you sure? Where did you get this information?† â€Å"I saw them in Chicago, piles and piles of them. Even the little facility we went to in Tucson had a small store of them, crated outside the delivery bay.† â€Å"If they were crated, then how can you be sure -â€Å" â€Å"Haven't you noticed our fondness for labels?† â€Å"I'm not doubting you,† he said. â€Å"I just want to make sure that you've thought this through.† I heard the double meaning in his words. â€Å"I have.† â€Å"Let's get it done, then.† Doc was already gone-already with Jeb, as we hadn't passed him on the way. He must have left right behind me. I wondered how his news was being taken. I hoped they weren't stupid enough to discuss it in front of the Seeker. Would she shred her human host's brain if she guessed what I was doing? Would she assume I'd turned traitor entirely? That I would give the humans what they needed with no restrictions? Wasn't that what I was about to do, though? When I was gone, would Doc bother to keep his word? Yes, he would try. I believed that. I had to believe that. But he couldn't do it alone. And who would help him? We scrambled up the tight black vent that opened onto the southern face of the rocky hill, about halfway up the low peak. The eastern edge of the horizon was turning gray, with just a hint of pink bleeding into the line between sky and rock. My eyes were locked on my feet as I climbed down. It was necessary; there was no path, and the loose rocks made for treacherous footing. But even if the way had been paved and smooth, I doubted I would have been able to lift my eyes. My shoulders, too, seemed trapped in a slump. Traitor. Not a misfit, not a wanderer. Just a traitor. I was putting my gentle brothers' and sisters' lives into the angry and motivated hands of my adopted human family. My humans had every right to hate the souls. This was a war, and I was giving them a weapon. A way to kill with impunity. I considered this as we ran through the desert in the growing light of dawn-ran because, with the Seekers looking, we shouldn't be out in the daylight. Focusing on this angle-viewing my choice not as a sacrifice but rather as arming the humans in exchange for the Seeker's life-I knew that it was wrong. And if I was trying to save only the Seeker, this would be the moment when I would change my mind and turn around. She wasn't worth selling out the others. Even she would agree with that. Or would she? I suddenly wondered. The Seeker didn't seem to be as†¦ what was the word Jared had used? Altruistic. As altruistic as the rest of us. Maybe she would count her own life dearer than the lives of many. But it was too late to change my mind. I'd already thought far beyond just saving the Seeker. For one thing, this would happen again. The humans would kill any souls they came across unless I gave them another option. More than that, I was going to save Melanie, and that was worth the sacrifice. I was going to save Jared and Jamie, too. Might as well save the repugnant Seeker while I was at it. The souls were wrong to be here. My humans deserved their world. I could not give it back to them, but I could give them this. If only I could be sure that they would not be cruel. I would just have to trust Doc, and hope. And maybe wring the promise from a few more of my friends, just in case. I wondered how many human lives I would save. How many souls' lives I might save. The only one I couldn't save now was myself. I sighed heavily. Even over the sound of our exerted breathing, Jared heard that. In my peripheral vision, I saw his face turn, felt his eyes boring into me, but I did not look over to meet his gaze. I stared at the ground. We got to the jeep's hiding place before the sun had climbed over the eastern peaks, though the sky was already light blue. We ducked into the shallow cave just as the first rays painted the desert sand gold. Jared grabbed two bottles of water out of the backseat, tossed one to me, and then lounged against the wall. He gulped down half a bottle and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before he spoke. â€Å"I could tell you were in a hurry to get out of there, but we need to wait until dark if you're planning a smash and grab.† I swallowed my mouthful of water. â€Å"That's fine. I'm sure they'll wait for us now.† His eyes searched my face. â€Å"I saw your Seeker,† he told me, watching my reaction. â€Å"She's†¦ energetic.† I nodded. â€Å"And vocal.† He smiled and rolled his eyes. â€Å"She doesn't seem to enjoy the accommodations we provided.† My gaze dropped to the floor. â€Å"Could be worse,† I mumbled. The strangely jealous hurt I'd been feeling leaked, uninvited, into my voice. â€Å"That's true,† he agreed, his voice subdued. â€Å"Why are they so kind to her?† I whispered. â€Å"She killed Wes.† â€Å"Well, that's your fault.† I stared up at him, surprised to see the slight curve of his mouth; he was teasing me. â€Å"Mine?† His small smile wavered. â€Å"They didn't want to feel like monsters. Not again. They're trying to make up for before, only a little too late-and with the wrong soul. I didn't realize that would†¦ hurt your feelings. I would have thought you'd like it better that way.† â€Å"I do.† I didn't want them to hurt anyone. â€Å"It's always better to be kind. I just†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I took a deep breath. â€Å"I'm glad I know why.† Their kindess was for me, not for her. My shoulders felt lighter. â€Å"It's not a good feeling-knowing that you profoundly deserve the title of monster. It's better to be kind than to feel guilty.† He smiled again and then yawned. That made me yawn. â€Å"Long night,† he commented. â€Å"And we've got another one coming. We should sleep.† I was glad for his suggestion. I knew he had many questions about exactly what this raid meant. I also knew he would have already put several things together. And I didn't want to discuss any of it. I stretched out on the smooth patch of sand beside the jeep. To my shock, Jared came to lie beside me, right beside me. He curled around the curve of my back. â€Å"Here,† he said, and he reached around to slide his fingers under my face. He pulled my head up from the ground and then moved his arm under it, making a pillow for me. He let his other arm drape over my waist. It took a few seconds before I was able to respond. â€Å"Thanks.† He yawned. I felt his breath warm the back of my neck. â€Å"Get some rest, Wanda.† Holding me in what could only be considered an embrace, Jared fell asleep quickly, as he had always been able to do. I tried to relax with his arm warm around me, but it took a long time. This embrace made me wonder how much he had already guessed. My weary thoughts tangled and twisted. Jared was right-it had been a very long night. Though not half long enough. The rest of my days and nights were going to fly by as if they were only minutes. The next thing I knew, Jared was shaking me awake. The light in the little cavern was dim and orangey. Sunset. Jared pulled me to my feet and handed me a hiker's meal bar-this was the kind of rations they kept with the jeep. We ate, and drank the rest of our water, in silence. Jared's face was serious and focused. â€Å"Still in a hurry?† he asked as we climbed into the jeep. No. I wanted the time to stretch out forever. â€Å"Yes.† What was the point in putting it off? The Seeker and her body would die if we waited too long, and I would still have to make the same choice. â€Å"We'll hit Phoenix, then. It's logical that they wouldn't notice this kind of raid. It doesn't make sense for humans to take your cold-storage tanks. What possible use could we have for them?† The question didn't sound at all rhetorical, and I could feel him looking at me again. But I stared ahead at the rocks and said nothing. It had been dark for a while by the time we traded vehicles and got to the freeway. Jared waited a few careful minutes with the inconspicuous sedan's lights off. I counted ten cars passing by. Then there was a long darkness between the headlights, and Jared pulled onto the road. The trip to Phoenix was very short, though Jared kept the speed scrupulously below the limit. Time was speeding up, as if the Earth were spinning faster. We settled into the steady-moving traffic, flowing with it along the highway that circled the flat, sprawling city. I saw the hospital from the road. We followed another car up the exit ramp, moving evenly, without hurry. Jared turned into the main parking lot. â€Å"Where now?† he asked, tense. â€Å"See if this road continues around the back. The tanks will be by a loading area.† Jared drove slowly. There were many souls here, going in and out of the facility, some of them in scrubs. Healers. No one paid us any particular attention. The road hugged the sidewalk, then curved around the north side of the building complex. â€Å"Look. Shipping trucks. Head that way.† We passed between a wing of low buildings and a parking garage. Several trucks, delivering medical supplies no doubt, were backed into receiving ports. I scanned the crates on the dock, all labeled. â€Å"Keep going†¦ though we might want to grab some of those on the way back. See-Heal†¦ Cool†¦ Still? I wonder what that one is.† I liked that these supplies were labeled and left unguarded. My family wouldn't go without the things they needed when I was gone. When I was gone; it seemed that phrase was tacked on to all of my thoughts now. We rounded the back of another building. Jared drove a little faster and kept his eyes forward-there were people here, four of them, unloading a truck onto a dock. It was the exactness of their movements that caught my attention. They didn't handle the smallish boxes roughly; quite the contrary, they placed them with infinite care onto the waist-high lip of concrete. I didn't really need the label for confirmation, but just then, one of the unloaders turned his box so the black letters faced me directly. â€Å"This is the place we want. They're unloading occupied tanks right now. The empty ones won't be far†¦ Ah! There, on the other side. That shed is half full of them. I'll bet the closed sheds are all the way full.† Jared kept driving at the same careful speed, turning the corner to the side of the building. He snorted quietly. â€Å"What?† I asked. â€Å"Figures. See?† He jerked his chin toward the sign on the building. This was the maternity wing. â€Å"Ah,† I said. â€Å"Well, you'll always know where to look, won't you?† His eyes flashed to my face when I said that, and then back to the road. â€Å"We'll have to wait for a bit. Looked like they were almost finished.† Jared circled the hospital again, then parked at the back of the biggest lot, away from the lights. He killed the engine and slumped against the seat. He reached over and took my hand. I knew that he was about to ask, and I tried to prepare myself. â€Å"Wanda?† â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"You're going to save the Seeker, aren't you?† â€Å"Yes, I am.† â€Å"Because it's the right thing to do?† he guessed. â€Å"That's one reason.† He was silent for a moment. â€Å"You know how to get the soul out without hurting the body?† My heart thumped hard once, and I had to swallow before I could answer. â€Å"Yes. I've done it before. In an emergency. Not here.† â€Å"Where?† he asked. â€Å"What was the emergency?† It was a story I'd never told them before, for obvious reasons. It was one of my best. Lots of action. Jamie would have loved it. I sighed and began in a low voice. â€Å"On the Mists Planet. I was with my friend Harness Light and a guide. I don't remember the guide's name. They called me Lives in the Stars there. I already had a bit of a reputation.† Jared chuckled. â€Å"We were making a pilgrimage across the fourth great ice field to see one of the more celebrated crystal cities. It was supposed to be a safe route-that's why there were only three of us. â€Å"Claw beasts like to dig pits and bury themselves in the snow. Camouflage, you know. A trap. â€Å"One moment, there was nothing but the flat, endless snow. Then, the next moment, it seemed like the entire field of white was exploding into the sky. â€Å"An average adult Bear has about the mass of a buffalo. A full-grown claw beast is closer to the mass of a blue whale. This one was bigger than most. â€Å"I couldn't see the guide. The claw beast had sprung up between us, facing where Harness Light and I stood. Bears are faster than claw beasts, but this one had the advantage of the ambush. Its huge stone-like pincers swooped down and sheared Harness Light in half before I'd really processed what was happening.† A car drove slowly down the side of the parking lot. We sat silent until it had passed. â€Å"I hesitated. I should have started running, but†¦ my friend was dying there on the ice. Because of that hesitation, I would have died, too, if the claw beast hadn't been distracted. I found out later that our guide-I wish I could remember his name!-had attacked the claw beast's tail, hoping to give us a chance to run. The claw beast's attack had stirred up enough snow that it was like a blizzard. The lack of visibility would help us escape. He didn't know it was already too late for Harness Light to run. â€Å"The claw beast turned on the guide, and his second left leg kicked us, sending me flying. Harness Light's upper body landed beside me. His blood melted the snow.† I paused to shudder. â€Å"My next action made no sense, because I had no body for Harness Light. We were midway between cities, much too far to run to either. It was probably cruel, too, to take him out with no painkillers. But I couldn't stand to let him die inside the broken half of his Bear host. â€Å"I used the back of my hand-the ice-cutting side. It was too wide a blade†¦ It caused a lot of damage. I could only hope that Harness Light was far gone enough that he wouldn't feel the extra pain. â€Å"Using my soft inside fingers, I coaxed Harness Light from the Bear's brain. â€Å"He was still alive. I barely paused to ascertain this. I shoved him into the egg pocket in the center of my body, between the two hottest hearts. This would keep him from dying of cold, but he would only last a few short minutes without a body. And where would I find a host body in this empty waste? â€Å"I thought of trying to share my host, but I doubted I could stay conscious through the procedure to insert him into my own head. And then, having no healing medicine, I would die quickly. With all those hearts, Bears bled very fast. â€Å"The claw beast roared, and I felt the ground shake as its huge paws thudded down. I didn't know where our guide was, or if he lived. I didn't know how long it would take the claw beast to find us half-buried in the snow. I was right beside the severed Bear. The bright blood would draw the monster's eyes. â€Å"And then I got this crazy idea.† I paused to laugh quietly to myself. â€Å"I didn't have a Bear host for Harness Light. I couldn't use my body. The guide was dead or had fled. But there was one other body on the ice field. â€Å"It was insanity, but all I could think of was Harness Light. We weren't even close friends, but I knew he was slowly dying, right between my hearts. I couldn't endure that. â€Å"I heard the angry claw beast roaring, and I ran toward the sound. Soon I could see its thick white fur. I ran straight to its third left leg and launched myself as high up the leg as I could. I was a good jumper. I used all six of my hands, the knife sides, to yank myself up the side of the beast. It roared and spun, but that didn't help. Picture a dog chasing its tail. Claw beasts have very small brains-a limited intelligence. â€Å"I made it to the beast's back and ran up the double spine, digging in with my knives so that it couldn't shake me off. â€Å"It only took seconds to get up to the beast's head. But that was where the greatest difficulty waited. My ice cutters were only†¦ about as long as your forearm, maybe. The claw beast's hide was twice as thick. I swung my arm down as hard as I could, slashing through the first layer of fur and membrane. The claw beast screamed and reared back on its hindmost legs. I almost fell. â€Å"I lodged four of my hands into its hide-it screamed and thrashed. With the other two, I took turns cutting at the gash I'd made. The skin was so thick and tough, I didn't know if I would be able to saw through. â€Å"The claw beast went berserk. It shook so hard that it was all I could do to hold on for a moment. But time was running out for Harness Light. I shoved my hands into the hole and tried to rip it open. â€Å"Then the claw beast threw itself backward onto the ice. â€Å"If we hadn't been over its lair, the pit it had dug to hide in, that would have crushed me. As it was, though it knocked me silly, the fall actually helped. My knives were already in the beast's neck. When I hit the ground, the weight of the beast drove my cutters deep through its skin. Deeper than I needed. â€Å"We were both stunned; I was half smothered. I knew I had to do something right away, but I couldn't remember what it was. The beast started to roll, dazed. The fresh air cleared my head, and I remembered Harness Light. â€Å"Protecting him from the cold as well as I could in the soft side of my hands, I moved him from my egg pocket into the claw beast's neck. â€Å"The beast got to its feet and bucked again. This time I flew off. I'd let go of my hold to insert Harness Light, you see. The claw beast was infuriated. The wound on its head wasn't nearly enough to kill it-just annoy it. â€Å"The snow had settled enough that I was in plain sight, especially as I was painted with the beast's blood. It's a very bright color, a color you don't have here. It raised its pincers, and they swung toward me. I thought that was it, and I was comforted a little that at least I would die trying. â€Å"And then the pincers hit the snow beside me. I couldn't believe it had missed! I stared up at the huge, hideous face, and I almost had to†¦ well, not laugh. Bears don't laugh. But that was the feeling. Because that ugly face was torn with confusion and surprise and chagrin. No claw beast had ever worn such an expression before. â€Å"It had taken Harness Light a few minutes to bind himself to the claw beast-it was such a big area, he really had to extend himself. But then he was in control. He was confused and slow-he didn't have much of a brain to work with, but it was enough that he knew I was his friend. â€Å"I had to ride him to the crystal city-to hold the wound closed on his neck until we could reach a Healer. That caused quite a stir. For a while they called me Rides the Beast. I didn't like it. I made them go back to my other name.† I'd been staring ahead, toward the lights of the hospital and the figures of the souls crossing in front of those lights, as I told the story. Now I looked at Jared for the first time. He was gaping at me, his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open. It really was one of my best stories. I'd have to get Mel to promise that she'd tell it to Jamie when I was†¦ â€Å"They're probably finished unloading, don't you think?† I said quickly. â€Å"Let's finish this and get back home.† He stared at me for one more moment, and then shook his head slowly. â€Å"Yes, let's finish this, Wanderer, Lives in the Stars, Rides the Beast. Stealing a few unguarded crates won't present much of a challenge for you, will it?†

Techonology and Decision Making Paper Hcs 482

Running head: TECHNOLOGY AND DECISION MAKING Technology and Decision Making University of Phoenix Healthcare Informatics HCS/482 Richard Ong November 15, 2008 Technology and Decision Making Technology, decision-making processes, and data accessibility have changed dramatically in recent years. This paper will discuss systems and informatics theories. The paper will confer on the Data, Information, and Knowledge (DIK) Model. The role of expert system in nursing care and medicine will be provided. Decision aids and decision support systems are used everyday providing focus, leadership and direction within technology and will be examined. The use of technology for patient and client management will be explored. An analysis of the impact of technology on healthcare and health status will be investigated. Systems and Informatics Theories Systems are â€Å"a group of interacting, interrelated, or interdependent elements forming a complex whole† (Systems, n. d. , Definition). Systems describe healthcare, schools, computers, and a person. The systems are either open or closed. Closed systems are inoperable to function with others third party products and open systems are designed to allow third party products to plug in or interoperate with the system. Neither system interacts with the environment. Open systems consist of three characteristics; purpose, functions, and structure (Englebardt and Nelson, 2002). Systems can have more than one purpose based on the needs of the user. Functions that the system will need to carry out need to be identified for the system to achieve its purpose. The â€Å"systems are structured in ways that allow them to perform their functions† (Englebardt & Nelson, 2002, p. 6). The two types of models used to conceptualize the structure of a system; hierarchical and web (Englebardt & Nelson, 2002). Some examples of system applications are; institution wide, specialty support, documentation, administrations, operations, expert, stand alone information, and decision support. The study of healthcare informatics incorporates theories from information Nursing science, computer science, cognitive science, along with other sciences used in the healthcare delivery (Englebardt & Nelson, 2002). Three models that represent the informatics theories are; Shannon and Weaver’s information-communication model, Blum’s model and The Nelson data to wisdom continuum. Shannon and Weaver’s model states that a message starts with the sender and is converted to a code by the encoder. The converted message can be letters, words, music, symbols or a computer code (Englebardt & Nelson, 2002). The message is carried by a channel and along with the message noise is transmitted in the space to the decoder where the message is converted to a format that is understood by the receiver. â€Å"Bruce L. Blum developed a definition of information from an analysis of the accomplishments in medical computing† (Englebardt & Nelson, 2002, p. 12). According to Blum the three types of healthcare computing applications are; data, information and knowledge (Englebardt & Nelson, 2002). Data is information that is not interpreted. Data that is processed and displayed is categorized as information and when the data and information are combined and formalized knowledge results (Englebardt & Nelson, 2002). â€Å"A knowledge base includes the interrelationship between the data and information† (Englebardt & Nelson, 2002, p. 13). The Nelson Data to Wisdom Continuum states the four types of healthcare computing applications are; data, information, knowledge and wisdom. The four overlap at all times. Data is the naming, collecting and organizing the message. Information is further organizing and interpreting the message. Knowledge occurs when the message is interpreted, integrated and understood. Wisdom is the ability to understand and apply the message with compassion. Data, Information and Knowledge Model â€Å"Nursing informatics, as defined by the American Nurses Association(ANA), is a specialty that integrates nursing science, computer science and information science to manage and communicate data, information and knowledge in nursing practice† (Newbold, 2008, para. 1). Decision making by healthcare professionals is based on the assimilation of data, information and knowledge to support patient care. Organizing data, information and knowledge for the processing by computers is accomplished through the use of information technology and information structures (Newbold, 2008). The first level is data which â€Å"†¦are recorded (captured and stored) symbols and signal readings† (Liew, 2007, Definitions). Data is bits of information though to just have data is not meaningful to decision making. The second level is information which is organized, interpreted and communicated data between machines or humans. Characteristics of quality information are: complete and clear in its descriptions, accurate, measurable, preferably by measurable objective means such as numbers, variable by independent observers, promptly entered, rapidly and easily available when needed, objective, rather than subjective, comprehensive, including all necessary informati on, appropriate to each user’s needs, clear and unambiguous, reliable, easy and convenient form to interpret, classify, store, retrieve and update† (Theoretical issues, 1998, Concepts). Knowledge is the third level of the model and is the collection of information that is obtained from several sources to produce a concept used to achieve a basis for logical decision-making. The information needs to be useful and applied to be known as knowledge. The final level is Wisdom which â€Å"†¦is the highest level of being able to understand and apply knowledge using compassion† (Theoretical issues, 1998, Concepts). â€Å"Information consists of data, but data is not necessarily information. Also, wisdom is knowledge, which in turn is information, which in turn is data, but, for example, knowledge is not necessarily wisdom. So wisdom is a subset of knowledge, which is a subset of information, which is a subset of data† (Steyn, 2001, para. 2). Without an understanding of the source of data and information which is based on activities and situations, the relationship between data, information, and knowledge will not be understood (Liew, 2007). Expert Systems in Nursing Care and Medicine Medical artificial intelligence is primarily concerned with the structure of Artificial Intelligence (AI) programs that perform diagnosis and make therapy recommendations. Unlike medical applications based on other programming methods, such as purely statistical and probabilistic methods, medical AI programs are based on symbolic models, such as statistical and probabilistic methods, medical AI programs are based on symbolic models of disease entities and their relationship to patient factors and clinical manifestations’ as defined by Clancey and Shortliffe (1984). Expert systems (ES) in nursing care and medic ine fill an appropriate role with intelligent programs offering significant benefits. They hold medical knowledge containing specifically defined tasks and are able to reason with data from individual patients responding with reasoned conclusions. The advantages of an expert system over a doctor are: 1. A large database of knowledge can be added and kept up to date with the ability of a large amount to be stored. 2. The system does not forget or get facts wrong. 3. The continued existence of the knowledge is forever not lost with death or retirement. 4. The computer can make contact with specialist knowledge that a doctor may not have. . The ES may shorten time to make the correct diagnosis and reduce diagnostic errors. 6. Countries with a large number of population and have physicians are limited can receive medical knowledge leading to prompt care. ES’s are not replacing doctors or nurses but are being used by them stimulating an interrogated large database of knowledge of a human expert. Decision Aids and Decision Support Systems Decision support systems (DS S) are systems that â€Å"model and provide support for human decision-making processes in clinical situations. They are advanced technologies that support clinical decision making by interfacing evidence-based clinical knowledge at the point of care with real-time clinical data at significant clinical decision points†(Gregory, 2006, p. 21). Decision support systems offer various methods of decision support, including recommendations for diagnostic testing, critical lab value alerts, help with diagnosis and advice for clinicians on what medications to use. According to the British Medical Journal, â€Å"Clinical decision support systems do not always improve clinical practice, however. In a recent systematic review of computer based systems, most (66%) significantly improved clinical practice, but 34% did not† (Kawanoto, Houlihan, Balas, & Lobach, 2005, p. 769). Decision support systems can improve patient outcomes however; more studies are needed to develop better systems. Decisions by their very nature are uncertain, medical decisions have the added complexity of involving an individual’s values and beliefs as related to the risk-benefit profiles or uncertain outcomes of medical treatment. The goal of using a decision aid is to help the patient make informed decisions based on his or her belief and value system. Limited and conflicting research on the use of decision aids makes it impossible to determine if having patients use a decision aid would benefit him or her. According to an article published in the Medical Decision Making Journal â€Å"Decision aids are a promising new technological innovation in health care, however, like any new innovation, their widespread adoption needs to be preceded by a careful evaluation of their potential harms, rather than an uncritical promotion of their potential benefits† (Nelson, Han, Fagerlin, Stefanek, & Ubel, 2007, p. 617). Decision aids can be an important addition to promoting shared decision making between the physicians and patient however, decision aids â€Å"may send the wrong message to patients about the goals of decision making, or lead patients to believe that they can reduce or eliminate uncertainty when confronting decisions† (Nelson, Han, Fagerlin, Stefanek, & Ubel, 2007, p. 618) Technology for Patient and Client Management Technology can be used in many areas of patient and client management. Technology is said to have the potential to bring the patient and healthcare providers together creating patient-centered care. The goal of patient-centered care is to empower the patients, give patients choices and tailor treatment decisions based on the patient’s beliefs, values, cultural traditions, their family situations and their lifestyles. Technology impacts this concept when healthcare providers use clinical information systems such as enhanced patient registration systems which uses the internet or onsite wireless devices, using decision aids and decision support systems, Telemonitoring Devices, and the electronic health record. New technology will help healthcare providers with patient management by increasing the ability of healthcare providers to retrieve and apply accurate information about their patients quickly and allow patients to acquire information to improve control of their diagnosis and or treatments and to talk with their healthcare providers. Technology on Healthcare and Health Status Analysis The future holds many technological changes that will affect healthcare directly and help shape our already powerful profession. Technological advances will dramatically change healthcare provider’s roles and the healthcare delivery systems. Computers are not unusual for a patient to use to surf the Internet to find information related to the diagnosis. Patients may also browse the Internet and find conditions here the symptoms are closely related to what he or she is experiencing. He reads all he can find, and when he goes to the doctor he may be informed, misinformed, or over-informed, regarding the possible diagnosis of his problem. Technology presents to the healthcare consumer a tremendous resource of information regarding his healthcare. Computers, biosensors, implants, genetic therapies, and imaging devices are examples of the emerging technologies of the 21st century. Medical artificial intelligence in contexts such as computer-assisted surgery, electrocardiography and fetal monitoring interpretation, clinical diagnosis, and genetic counseling will have a major impact on our future. Telemedicine currently ranges from radiographic consultations across cities to telebiotic surgeries across hemispheres (Cohen, Furst, Keil & Keil, 2006). Interactive disks already assist patients to make more independent medical decisions regarding their care. Devices for home use can help monitor blood pressure and blood glucose or perform a pregnancy test. Technology also helps assist patients with finding information regarding a diagnosis. Although technology is very beneficial to healthcare other concerns continue to exist. Every day healthcare providers use complex machinery, including many types of monitors, ventilators, intravenous pumps, feeding pumps, suction devices, electronic beds and scales, lift equipment, and assistive devices. The directions for use of many of these machines are not self-evident and may be highly complicated. As a result, some patients may endure injury secondary to misuse of the product (Cohen, Furst, Keil & Keil, 2006). The company may also incur unexpected expenses if the equipment becomes damaged and need to be replaced. Similarly, new computer systems present many learning difficulties for healthcare providers. Many computer systems are not user friendly. Computer systems designers are notorious for supplying computers with numerous advanced but obscure functions, but these systems often lack the ability to make daily tasks easier t accomplish. Millions of dollars have een wasted on computer systems that are not used or are underused because the user needs were not assessed before the systems were designed (Thielst, 2007). There remain three basic reasons for the continued increase in healthcare costs: inflation, increased demand for services as a result of federal programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, and expensive technological advances in medicine. Conclusion In conclusion, sign ificant economic and social trends are dramatically altering the forms of healthcare delivery in the United States and the roles played by healthcare providers. Advances in technology, globalization of culture and communication, ever-widening computer applications, aging of the population, and dynamic changes in the healthcare industry are among major developments (Thielst, 2007). To cope with and to contribute to the future of healthcare, the healthcare team must understand how computers are now being used in healthcare, and they must be able to work with computers in a cost-effective manner in their healthcare practice. No matter what delivery system is in place in a particular institution, healthcare providers will find that each is vitally involved with ensuring quality and in discovering measurable ways of monitoring quality. References W. J. Clancey and E. H. Shortliffe, eds. (1984). Readings in Medical Artificial Intelligence: First Decade. Reading, Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley. Cohen, T. , First, E. , Keil, O. & Wang, B. (2006). Medical equipment management strategies. Biomedical Instrumentation & Technology, 40(3), 233-238. Englebardt, S. P. , & Nelson, R. (2002). Health care informatics: An interdisciplinary approach. St. Louis, MO: Mosby Elsevier. Gregory, A. (2006, January/March). Issues of Trust and Ethics in Computerized Clinical Decision Support Systems. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 30(1), Pp. 21-29. Kawanoto, K. , Houlihan, C. , Balas, A. , & Lobach, D. (2005, April 2). Improving clinical practice by using clinical decision support systems: A systematic review of trials to identify features critical to success. BMJ, 330, P. 765-700. Liew, A. (2007, June). Understanding data, information, knowledge and their relationship. Retrieved November 10, 2008, from Journal of Knowledge Management Practice: http://www. tlainc. com/article 134. htm Nelson, W. , Han, P. , Fagerlin, A. , Stefanek, M. , & Ubel, P. (2007, October 1, 2007). Rethinking the Objectives of Decision Aids: A Call for Conceptual Clarity. Medical Decision Making, 27(5), Pp. 609-618. Newbold, S. (2008). A new definition for nursing informatics. Retrieved November 10, 2008, from Advance for Nurses: http://nursing. advanceweb. com/Article/A-New-Definition-for-Nursing-Informatics. spx Steyn, J. (2001). Data, information, knowledge and wisdom. Retrieved November 12, 2008, from Knowsystem: http://knowsystems. com/km/definition. html System. (n. d. ). Retrieved November 11, 2008, from Answers. com: http://www. answers. com/topic/system Theoretical Issues. (1998). Retrieved November 10, 2008, from University of Texas at Tyler: http://www. uttyler. edu/nursing/ckilmon/ni/theory. htm Th ielst, C. (2007). The future of healthcare technology. Journal of Healthcare Management, 52(1), 7-10. Retrieved from ProQuest database on November 11, 2008.

Journal 4 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Journal 4 - Assignment Example Ms Kim Eunja and her husband are amongst the sufferers who are scared of returning because of the risks posed by the radiation. Many villagers like Ms Kim do not wish to return but they explain that they do not have any option left. This is because the government has declared that after next March, evacuation of the temporary residence provided to these villagers as well as the monthly stipend that is being given to them would end. Furthermore, the compensation for returning and for rebuilding their homes has just been set to half the worth of the property that existed before the accident. Also, it has been announced that the people who would return earlier would be given an additional bonus worth nine thousand dollars. The steps of the government and the nuclear power plant industry have been criticized by Mayor Yukei Tomitsuka under whose jurisdiction the village of Miyakoji lies. He has argued that injustice is being done against the villagers who should be provided with a better compensation. Despite of these complaints, there has been no offer made by the government and the nuclear industry as yet. The villagers feel that they are being forced to return to Miyakoji without the negative aspects being considered and compensated

Anti-Heroism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Anti-Heroism - Essay Example To make matters worse there lacks archives of heroes who have made remarkable progress in the country or changed the society positively. The pictures and writing are only owned by individual authors and this does not mean that they have been endowed by the society as heroes. Previous people who could have been regarded as heroes by the Canadians played a great role in evoking a notion that heroism is a belief by people. This was done through refusing all means by the public to crown them as heroes despite their heroic actions that they have done. Since then Canadians rarely appreciates people who have worked hard for the benefit of other people or society at large. A hero can simply be defined as a person who has shown remarkable courage and ability and is admired for the brave deeds which are of high and noble qualities. On the other hand, heroism is a conduct exhibited by a person and results to a high purpose. The definition of these two terms gives us the platform to argue that h eroes need to be recognized and respect in order to encourage other people to work hard for the welfare of the country at large. Canada lack of appreciation to people who can be regarded as heroes in other countries discourages potential heroes from taking up a heroic move or action. The writer is therefore right to argue that this Canadian culture has led to individualism. Lack of this virtue by the public makes it hard for the people to act on their own because they don't consider other people's role that they play in their lives.

Improvements in Racial and Ethnic Relations Assignment

Improvements in Racial and Ethnic Relations - Assignment Example In order to observe these trends, the US Department of Health Services have established an agency known as the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. In essence, this report was an â€Å"eye-opener† because it revealed some significant information about ethnic disparities that plague our society. For example, the Agency’s research showed that geography plays a critical role in healthcare disparities. This finding can be perfectly illustrated in this example where the agency revealed that patients of lower socioeconomic status will be less likely to receive essential diabetic service and thus will be more inclined to suffer from diabetes. In another case, the study revealed that Hispanics are less likely to receive adequate care when hospitalized for myocardial infarction. In essence, the study proved that racial and ethnic minorities are less likely to receive substantial treatment for any risk factors, which plays a vital role in their life span. Clearly, this inf ormation can be vital to eliminate the gap in order to provide better services for all ethnic groups. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act as improved by the recently passed reconciliation bill will greatly will greatly enhance the quality of healthcare amongst ethnicities. A recent poll showed that only 41.9% of Hispanics are insured before this act was enacted. However, this act enables Hispanic Americans to purchase coverage who are insured. In addition, Medicaid will cover all adults with incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level, which is a dramatic growth. This act also facilitated the hospitalization process for African Americans since 3,000,000 had access in 2009 compared to only 45% of the population in 2004. Without a doubt, this act will continue to serve as a prototype for other legislation to decrease the disparities between ethnic groups. Clearly, the report shows

Make One Up for Community Policing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

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Human Service Integration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Human Service Integration - Essay Example Funding streams and federal mandates contribute to the confront of integrating services by pulling a human service agency in diverse directions. As a result, "Ms. Jones" walks into a human service agency office a whole person and the system virtually breaks her and her family into pieces in order to serve her, consistent with the structure of most human service programs. (Reitman, 2005) Despite and perhaps because of these challenges, we know human service agencies can no longer afford not to integrate services. The lives of children and families literally rely on the extent to which human service agencies integrate services for better performance. Although service integration is well established in theory, making it an operational reality has remained elusive over the last 20 years, but not for lack of effort or creativity some agencies have made phenomenal progress toward service integration, despite complex and ever-changing political, economic, demographic, and technological conditions. One-stop shops have emerged, joint planning has been initiated, co-location of two or more service agencys staff has been implemented, standard initial screening tools and eligibility processes have been established, and the merging of data systems is ongoing in many jurisdictions. While there have been successful pilot programs over the years, there have been few broadly implemented system changes that have brought service integration pilot programs "to scale." Historically, pilot programs and studies of best practices have not been widely replicated, not because they were "bad" strategies, but rather a critical component was missing: high -performance leadership. (Atkinson, 1999) Although we traditionally associate "leadership" with the work of the chief executive, the missing component in successfully integrating services is leadership work performed throughout the agency. An agency with sufficient leadership capacity to

Base on the case study Critically review and discuss how the NIBCO Essay

Base on the case study Critically review and discuss how the NIBCO carry out the implementation of Business Prpcess Reengineering(BPR), Enterprise Resource Plan - Essay Example Most of the top brass (including Davis, Beutler and Wilson) fell under the Heiracrhists division as far as their social relationships were considered. Being high on grid (the extent to which an individual is influenced by the need for rules and regulations The Business Review roles (under the Business Process Teams) were assigned to people who were more of Individualist (low on group low on grid) so that they can use their own knowledge and experience in decision-making. Some of the members were taken from the Board of Directors, to add credibility and authority for the task. The Power Users and Business System Analysts were basically Egalitarians (high on group and low on grid) and hence they could work comfortably in groups. Same for Wilson’s technical team. Davis’ Change Management team, especially the chosen Focus Group, again fall under the Egalitarian division: they thrived on cooperation, collective work and teamwork for bringing about a concerted change. Any deadlocks faced by them were cleared by Rex, who can be classified with the Heirarchists. At NIBCO, there were a few Fatalists too, (like the few who left) who could not change their apathetic attitude and were unable to streamline themselves with the changing environment. However, they were few and were greatly outnumbered by the other, more positive staff. By the consent of the Tiger Team, an almost no-individuality culture was fostered (space arrangement in the Tiger Den). This went a long way in developing the esprit de corps, and even making the non-cooperative streak of the Individualists fade away. Above all, though the project was driven by a top-down approach, the sub-cultures (how do workers interact with each other at their levels), and nuances of relationships between co-workers were adequately harnessed. The sheer vigour, from Rex Martin to the lowest rung,

Law and People Settings Essay Example for Free

Law and People Settings Essay 1.1 A duty of care in my own role is a legal obligation on me requiring me to adhere to a reasonable standard of care while performing acts of care. 1.2 I have a legal and professional duty of care. If I was to neglect someone and this caused them harm then a court of law could find me negligent and stop me working in care or impose sanctions on me and this is how duty of care contributes to safeguarding individuals. 2.1 There are a few potential dilemmas that can arise in care work for example individual’s rights, a person’s individual rights and dignity should be respected at all times so in a end of life situation I may wish to administer lifesaving support but can only do this with the individuals consent. Another example is if a carer does not believe in organ transplantation or blood transfusion because of their culture they would still be required to support a client who had been prescribed this type of treatment. 2.2 Conflicts and dilemmas should be dealt with by the most senior manager in charge at that time. The person in charge may delegate responsibilities to carers if appropriate but they will first identify and assess the issues and devise strategies to deal with them. 2.3 To get advice and support about conflicts and dilemmas you can talk to managers, senior carers, social workers, registering authority and other colleagues. CT236 Principles for implementing duty of care in health, social care or children’s and young people’s settings. 3.1 In the event of a complaint I would follow procedures and try and put the matter right. Ask for the complaint to be put into writing to help us avoid the same situation arising again and look into the complaint thoroughly, fairly and honestly. Dealing with it with confidentiality and politely. Give an apology if required and explain how the situation will be put right. 3.2 Agreed procedures for handling complaints are to deal with the complaint fairly, honestly, confidentially, promptly and resolve the issues effectively and appropriately.

The impact of gambling in America Essay Example for Free

The impact of gambling in America Essay The impact of gambling on the United States carries both positive and negative effects into our society and communities. Gambling is a leisure activity that usually provides excitement and fun for its players. Gambling also brings tremendous amounts of money into the economy and provides employment. American cities such as Las Vegas and Atlantic City thrive off of the gaming industry. Sure, gambling can be fun and exciting, but at what point does that fun activity develop into a pathological problem? I will contend that the harmful side- effects of gambling far outweigh any positive aspects. Pathological gambling can destroy families, careers, and lives. The reason why casinos are so successful is because their customers lose money while playing their games. Gambling is a broad subject in definition and is also known as â€Å"betting†. It is defined as â€Å"any behavior involving risking money or property on the outcome of a game, contest, or other event in which the outcome of that activity depends partially or totally upon chance or ones ability to do something† (wikipedia. org). In reality, someone could bet or gamble on just about anything. For example, I recently stumbled upon an online gambling site (www.bodog. com), which features a section where you can wager on who will win the reality shows on television. Gambling is most prevalent in card games, slot machines, dice games, sports, and horse racing. Gambling and the gaming industry in the United States have come a long way since their early beginnings. According to historical records and archeological evidence, gambling has existed throughout the ages of most civilizations. Anthropologists agree that data collected in the 20th century implies that gambling took place within a large portion of the greatest societies to have ever existed. For example, gambling artifacts have been recovered from ancient China, India, Egypt and Rome dating as far back as 2300 B. C. (GamblingPhd). Gambling has been around for centuries, but until recently, it has been restricted to back rooms, pool halls, hard to reach casinos, and Indian reservations. Geographic barriers, state regulation, and local ordinances effectively restricted the industrys growth (gsu. edu). Perhaps the most important reason why gambling is most prevalent today is because it is convenient. Large market companies, casinos, and the rise of the internet have paved the way for the industry to target potential gamers. I was on my way to Keeneland to watch the horse races this fall when I passed a sign that read â€Å"Drive-through betting†¦.. Gate 2†. While others may not have noticed, I was shocked to see this simple sign. No longer do you have to step out of your car to wager on horse races. This is just one example of the convenient way to gamble money. The unregulated and decentralized nature of the Internet creates the perfect environment for the growth of gambling. Anyone, anytime, anywhere with a computer, a connection, and a credit card is able to gamble online with thousands of websites dedicated solely to gaming (gsu. edu). Online sportsbooks and casinos get around federal laws by locating their company in a foreign nation, but still target the American consumers. Is online gambling legal for Americans? Often times, there is a â€Å"grey area† in the laws governing gaming products and online gambling. Internet gambling laws are also extremely difficult to enforce. The simple answer is there is an explicit law against online betting in only three states – Nevada, California, and Louisiana. Even so, no American citizen has ever been arrested for betting on the internet (about. com). These convenient methods are contributing to the growing popularity of gambling among Americans. Many people gamble socially without ever encountering a psychological problem. Often times they buy a lottery ticket, go to the racetrack, play a game of poker with some friends, or a night of bingo. When the activity is done, they go on to other non-gambling activities. But for some people, gambling becomes a big part of their lives. They are unable to stop, and believe in the â€Å"big win†. The problem gambler believes that the big win will solve all of their financial problems. They are always waiting for it, which causes them to lose more and more money. Rather than changing their gambling habits, they pin all of their hopes on the big win (aadac. com). A problem gambler will also boast about their wins often. Re-living their wins makes them feel more comfortable when they are actually losing. Legalized gambling brings both positive and negative economic effects to our society. It affects American communities in various ways. Gambling is helpful in our economy in two major ways. First, the gambling industry has provided an increase in employment opportunities. The NGIC reported that in 1996, the legalized gambling industry employed more than a half million people that earned more than $15 billion in salaries (gao. gov). Casinos have also created economic development by bringing in money from tourism, and increasing tax revenue and investment for communities. Charitable gambling benefits many needy causes in local communities. Native American tribes have also benefited enormously from legalized gambling. Casinos located on Indian reservations have allowed these tribes to grow financially and work their way into the U. S. economy. The negative economic effect that gambling has on communities is the increase in personal bankruptcy. In communities where casinos were introduced, there is usually a direct increase in personal bankruptcy. For example, in 1998 the bankruptcy rate in Atlantic City, New Jersey per 100,000 people was 1,019 while the rate of the state of New Jersey was only 555 (gao. gov). In 2003, there was a proposal to add casinos into the mix of Kentucky’s gambling options. Dr.John Kindt, a professor of commerce at the University of Illinois said that bringing casinos to Kentucky would be â€Å"bad economics and bad social policy†. â€Å"Studies show that within the 35-mile feeder market around a casino, gamblers will spend 10 percent less on food, 25 percent less on clothing and that 37 percent will dip into their savings to pay for gambling. For every three (video slot) machines, youll be losing two jobs from the feeder market economy, Kindt said. â€Å"This occurs because each machine can be expected to bring in $100,000 per year that will not be used elsewhere in the economy† (kybaptist.org). This is a serious issue that occurs when business owners do not think about how their actions will affect others in the future. Not only does gambling affect the economy of our communities, but it also has social effects. There are many negative consequences of gambling, while there are minimal positive outcomes. Beginning with the positive side, gambling is a recreation, a break from the everyday pressures of life and a relief from stress. People feel good about themselves when they do hit a jackpot or â€Å"win big†. Without gambling, certain sports such as horse racing and boxing would not be nearly as successful. Lastly, casinos do occasionally give back to the community and fund local and national charities. Socially, gambling has a greater affect on communities in a negative way. Three primary problems that occur are an increase in crime, suicides, and family problems. Individuals who suffer from problem or pathological gambling engage in destructive family behavior, such as domestic violence, divorce, and homelessness (gao. gov). Children of these individuals are often prone to suffer from abuse and neglect. In 1998, the NORC (National Opinion Research Center) estimated that the annual average cost to society for a problem gambler for job loss, unemployment and welfare benefits, poor physical and mental health, and gambling disorder treatments were approximately $1,200 dollars (gao. gov). The time that some of these gamblers spend at a casino is detrimental to their marriage, their children, and their job. Pathological gambling has been linked directly to increases in crimes committed. Whether it is robbery or insurance fraud, these types of gamblers are usually desperate for money to fuel their gambling needs. The counselor for the Department of Corrections in Wisconsin, Bill Schaff stated, In the most desperate phase of compulsive gambling, they will do anything to gamble. They start stealing money from their spouses; family . . . theyll get money anyhow, anywhere. Theyll do forgeries, embezzlements and thefts. Its mostly white-collar crime† (family. org). Lastly, the suicide rate among pathological gamblers is higher than for any other addictive disorder (gao. gov). With most businesses, their customers are assets and are catered to and cared for. In order for a business to succeed, they need their customers to return to them and remain loyal. Their customers are, in essence, cultivated. With casinos, their customers are not there for a service. They let the machines and games do the work, especially if they are the only casino in the area. What happens to their customers is not their concern. It is in the casinos benefit for the customers to become addicted. To casinos, they are resources that are strip-mined. There are four stages of gambling a person can go through while becoming a pathological gambler. The first stage is the reason why someone is gambling. They either gamble for the action or for escape. Gambling for the action begins when someone has success and thinks they are good at it. The excitement boosts their self-esteem and they continue in search of more money. Gambling for escape begins when someone is lonely or depressed. It becomes an outlet for them to escape from reality and their problems. The second stage is the gambler’s reaction to losing. Pathological gamblers â€Å"chase† after their losses. They find losing intolerable and focus on getting their money back. â€Å"Chasing† is easily avoided by setting a reasonable limit of money to spend in a day. The third is the desperation phase. In this stage, their losses become significant and their jobs and family come into jeopardy. The obsession with getting out of trouble overtakes the excitement of gambling. Crime and illegal activities occur in order to gain extra money. Serious bouts with depression and suicide attempts take place. They continue to escape from their lives by gambling, but find no relief. The final stage would be the hopeless stage where getting even financially would not be possible. The gambler knows they will lose and no longer cares. There are numerous organizations that focus on gambling behavior modification. They help pathological gamblers acknowledge their problem and overcome irrational thoughts and impulsive behavior. Gamblers Anonymous, Gam-Anon, and NCPG (National Council on Problem Gambling) all contribute to assisting problem gamblers and their families. In rehabilitation, gambling is treated the same as alcoholism, drug abuse, and sex addiction. Gambling is just one of the addictions that provide the users with a temporary, illusional escape from reality. The overall mission of all of these groups is to increase public awareness of pathological gambling, ensure the widespread availability of treatment for problem gamblers and their families, and to encourage research and programs for prevention and education (ncpgambling. org). Gambling addiction often leads to alcoholism and depression. It is important for family physicians to identify and treat this condition as a psychiatric disorder. The personal costs of gambling rarely gain public attention, but one prominent example is that of Pete Rose, who was denied induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame as a result of sports gambling. Rose, a pathological gambler, had bet thousands of dollars on baseball games while he was a player and manager of the Cincinnati Reds. He admitted that he did have some problems in his life, but said he did not bet on baseball. This is a prime example of a pathological gambler who repeatedly lied and ruined his life over gambling. One of the criteria for a gambling disorder is repetitive lying to conceal the extent of one’s involvement in gambling, much the same way an alcoholic, or drug addict tries to conceal their behaviors (about. com). Teen gambling is on the rise across the country, due to a couple of factors. One is the glitzy, celebrity-filled, high-stakes poker games that fill the cable TV channels. The popularity of Texas Hold’em poker was booming this year. The other is the cultural attitude that says gambling is fun, glamorous and possibly the source of vast wealth (about. com). Unfortunately, many parents view games as friendly, social events. They know where their kids are and assume their child wont develop a problem. Last Christmas, you could find poker sets targeting teens in almost every store. The fact is, that the risk of developing a gambling problem is the same for everyone, and possibly higher among teens. Teenagers are unable to make the same financial decisions as adults are, yet gambling companies continue to target the teenage consumers. The consequences of becoming a gambling addict are just as harsh for a teenager as they are for an adult. Once again, the internet and the ease of gambling are contributing to this problem. In an online environment of anonymous identity, the ease with which teenagers and children can access Internet gambling, coupled with their interest in gambling and poker, will only add to this worrisome trend. The sad part about the gambling industry and large market casinos is that they also target the elderly. Their propaganda reaches out and brings in the people who are unable to gamble responsibly. Casinos provide cheap buffets, coupons, drug discounts, and cater to elderly handicaps. They provide shuttles and buses from nursing homes and retirement centers. I have seen first hand how the senior citizens flock to slot machines and casinos. Often times they sit there for hours at a time with walkers, canes, wheelchairs, and even oxygen tanks. I have even heard stories of elderly gambling addicts committing suicide because they were so far in debt. The gambling industry is not a modern day Robin Hood that takes from the rich and gives to the poor. It takes from the elderly and the poor and gives it to the rich†, said Dr. Jimmy Porter, of the Mississippi Baptist Christian Action (kybaptist. org). Many of these people do not have the ability to control their gambling habits and do not realize how much money they are losing. An article in â€Å"The Call†, a Rhode Island newspaper is titled â€Å"A helping hand for seniors addicted to gambling†. It reads, â€Å"Sitting in her own urine, the elderly woman continued to play the game. Observers concluded she had some sort of bladder disorder, but the real problem was actually staring the woman in the face: the slot machine. Her gambling addiction had reached the point where she ignored everything even her own bodily functions simply so she could keep on playing† (The Call). Americans seem to clamor for seats at the blackjack table a lot more often than they do for seats in the ballpark. Now more people gamble at casinos than attend professional baseball games each year (aadac.com). This is a major statement about the changing values of American society. Located in twenty-three states, casinos gross more revenue than all sporting events, movies, plays, and concerts combined (aadac. com). In conclusion, the negative effects of gambling far outweigh the positive outcomes. The continued growth and convenience of the gambling industry raises concerns about a possible increase in the prevalence of problem and pathologic gambling. With the industry on the rise, the only solution to problem gambling will be to gamble responsibly. We need to ensure that all Americans have the information, skills and encouragement to reduce the risk that they develop a gambling problem, with special attention to those at increased risk. We must promote safe gambling practices and encourage people to set a limit. If we do not take action immediately, we are going to see the negative effects of gambling unveil themselves like never before. Pathological gambling is a serious psychological problem, and needs to be addressed just as drugs and alcohol are. Works Cited Baldwin, John. Ungar, Bernard. â€Å"Impact of Gambling. † April 2000.http://www. gao. gov/new. items/gg00078. pdf Bell, R. J. â€Å"Online Sports Gambling: The Law and You. † 10 Nov 2005. About. http://www. sportsgambling. about. com/od/legalfacts/a/betting_laws. htm Eadington, William. â€Å"Current Trends in Gambling. † 15 Sept. 2005. University of Nevada. http://www. unr. edu/gambling/eadington_papers Haynes, Jeff. â€Å"A Helping Hand for Citizens Addicted to Gambling. † 3 June 2003. The Woonsocket Call. http://www. zwire. com/site/news McMurry, Kevin. â€Å"Gambling on the Internet. † December 1999. http://gsulaw. gsu. edu/lawand/papers/fa99/mcmurry_thomas/. â€Å"Problem Gambling: The ABC’s. † 10 November 2005. AADAC. http://www. corp. aadac. com/gambling/the_basics_about_gambling. asp Reeves, Robert. â€Å"Expanded Gambling Bad For Economy. † Kentucky Baptist Convention. http://www. kybaptist. org/kbc/welcome. nsf/pages Reno, Ron. â€Å"Gambling and Crime. † 11 Dec 2003. CitizenLink. http://www. family. org/cforum/fosi/gambling/facts/a0029358. cfm â€Å"The History of Gambling. † 10 November 2005. Gambling Phd. http://www. gamblingphd. com/gambling-history. htm â€Å"The NCPG Mission. † 21 Nov 2005. National Council on Problem Gambling. http://www. ncpgambling. org/.

Characteristics Of A Successful Entrepreneur

Characteristics Of A Successful Entrepreneur Entrepreneurs use innovation to exploit or create change and opportunity for the purpose of making profit. They do this by shifting resources from an area of lower productivity into an area of higher productivity and greater yield, accepting a high degree of risk and uncertainty in doing so (reference Patricias lecture notes) An entrepreneur is a leader, a manager, a risk taker. However it is plausible to say that not all managers are entrepreneurs. Robinson, (1999) proposed key differences between a leader and a manager to back up the assertions that not all managers are leaders. LEADER MANAGER Innovates Develops Focus on people Inspires trust Has an eye on the horizon-long range Does the right thing Administer Maintains Focus on systems and structures Relies on control Keep an eye on bottom line-short range Does things right Source: Robinson (1999) McClelland, (1961) as cited by David D. et al, (2003) in their book; Entrepreneurship and small firms, propose three key competencies of successful Entrepreneurs namely; Proactively: initiative and assertiveness. Achievement orientation: ability to see and act on opportunities. Commitments to others. At a deeper level, Sue B. et al, (2000) refined this competencies, examining them in six critical dimensions of business practice: Strategic orientation: These stress the ability of an Entrepreneur to be driven only by the perception of the opportunities that exist in his environments and not constrained by the resources at his disposal. Commitment to opportunity: the ability of an Entrepreneur to pursue opportunity quickly as soon as it appears. Commitment of resources: The characteristics of a good Entrepreneur are a multi-staged commitment of resources, putting in minimum commitment at each stage or decision point. Control of resources: the ability of Entrepreneur to know and decide what resources are needed over time both human and material. Management structure: They contend that Entrepreneur is stereotyped as egocentric and idiosyncratic thus unable to manage. To be a successful Entrepreneur it is essential to have managerial skills. Reward philosophy: A good Entrepreneur is focused on creating and harvesting values. Theories/Approaches to Entrepreneurship Theories as define by Business dictionary, are set of assumptions, prepositions, or accepted facts that attempt to provide a plausible or rational explanation of cause and effect relationship among a group of observed phenomenon. Previous work and researches (McClelland, 1961; Komives, 1972; McClelland and Winter, 1969) help in developing three approaches to entrepreneurship, which is illustrated by Sue B. et al (2000) as; Personality approach; other writers called it the Trait approach (Summer, 1989) Social-behavioural approach The economic approach Entrepreneurship Economic writers and theorists: the economic approach The psychological characteristics school: personality approach Social-behavioural approach Source: David D. et al, 2003 Personality approach to Entrepreneurship, as argued by David D. et al, (2003) is identifying certain personality and traits in individuals that appear to be possessed by successful Entrepreneurs. Furthermore, they explain that the approach is concern with testing and applying some perceived characteristics in individuals. This approach assumes that Entrepreneurship as well as leadership consists of certain inherited characteristics or personality traits that make them more effective. These traits include; Self confidence/control Innovative Creativity Need for autonomy Vision Flexibility Calculated risk-taker Social-behavioural approach to Entrepreneurship assumes that an Entrepreneurs behaviours affects and is affected by the environment (group of followers). Behavioural approach views the creation of an Entrepreneur as a contextual event, the outcome of many influences (Summer, 1989). This approach believes that the skills of an Entrepreneur can be learnt developed and perfected. Economic approach to Entrepreneurship views an Entrepreneur as person who coordinates all the different factor of production (David D. et al, 2003). This approach implies that an Entrepreneur indentifies and fills market gab combining lands, labour and capital in profitable ways. The above theories and approach also applies to leadership as it can be seen that most leaders are Entrepreneurs. SELF ASSESSMENT Self assessment is extremely valuable as it propels me to evaluate myself in order to form judgements about my strengths and weaknesses. Self-assessment is the process of looking at the self in order to weigh up aspects that one may find important to their identity (Sedikides, 1993). After doing the Belbin team role test and taking the profiling for success assessment on the University of Bedfordshire career website couple with my personal skill awareness, I discovered the following; Strength: Leadership: I have a natural attitude to lead, I am always happy to take the lead when action is required. I am able to assert myself to get other people involve if necessary. The result on type dynamics indicator proves this to be true, a quote from the summary reads; You have indicated a preference for the Executive style. This style tends to be direct and focuses on end-results. Executives generally have a vision of the future and will work hard in order to gain the necessary influence required to have impact on the world around them (refer to the appendix). Team work: I am able to contribute effectively to the work and development of a team. I am able to carry out different roles within a team including those that require a practical task focussed approach. I showed these skills in my various group works in the course of my studies. I also proved to be a good team player whilst working for A.C.S technologies, a Nigerian based company, leading a team of five network engineers to install a virtual private network for a government organisation. Furthermore, the Belbin team role assessment I took in my first year shows the following result; A supportive, sociable, flexible, adaptable, perceptive, listener, calming influence, mediator in team work. Other team role the test defined is that I am a completer-finisher, it reveals that I have attention to details, am accurate, having a high standard, I am quality oriented and I deliver to schedule and specification. (Refer to the appendix). Communication: I communicate with clarity and purpose. Whilst working for A.C.S technologies Nigeria, I developed good communication skills which enable me to advice; problems solve and communicate effectively with a wide range of people from different organisations whilst troubleshooting their computer networks. I have also in the process, developed excellent listening and speaking skills. Organisation time management: I can create short-term goals to complete class work and to explore personal interests. Computing/IT: I am a proficient IT user, I am Competent with Word, Excel and PowerPoint and I can also design, build and maintain a computer network. I am a CISCO certified networking engineer. Adaptability/Flexibility: I have shown in all my academic pursuit and work experience that I can be flexible and can also adapt to new and challenging environment. This is because I studied accounting on a diploma level, and I had two years practice, and then switched to study computer networking. I even got certified as a CISCO networking engineer. My coming to the UK to study also demonstrates how flexible and adaptable I can be. Motivation: My passions are my motivation. I have a passion to develop and grow as a person and to succeed in life. I have a passion for integrity and legacy, these are my driving force which am convince will be useful in any career path I may take. This can be seen in the result on value base indicator of motivation (refer to appendix). Weaknesses Negative personal characters: I found out that in some cases I can be shy and indecisive when it comes to presenting my opinion to people I meet for the first time or those am not comfortable with. Sometimes I find myself to be so nervous when I really need courage to apply logic very fast. I can sometimes be easily distracted. Using the swot analysis I will elaborate on my strengths and weaknesses as well as demonstrating my understanding of their use in the pursuit of career. Swot analysis: This is a planning method use to evaluate the strength, weaknesses, opportunities and treat to an individual or a business. It involves specifying personal goal at the same time identifying the internal and external elements that can affect me both positive and negative in the race to attain my stated objectives. In order for a swot analysis to be useful, desire goal or objectives must be first stated. STRENGTH Leadership Work experience Education Flexibility motivation Personal traits (self-discipline, ability to work under pressure, optimism and creativity) Team work Organisation time management Computing/IT WEAKNESS Weak job hunting skills Negative personal traits (shyness, indecisiveness, slow application of logic) OPPORTUNITIES Lots of career option to choose Opportunity for advancement in my field of study Opportunity to start and run a business with the skills I have acquired THREATS Competition from fellow graduates on job opportunities High number of graduates with less jobs offers With this analysis, my best strategy in reaching my goals would be by exploiting my strength and opportunities available to me, while finding ways to neutralize the threats and working to improve on my weaknesses.

Corporal Punishment in America Essay -- Spanking Child Abuse

Corporal Punishment in America The term corporal punishment means the intentional infliction of pain on the body for purposes of punishment and includes slapping, hitting with objects, pinching, shaking and forcing to stand for long periods of time (Epoch 1). Family researchers define corporal punishment as " the use of physical force aimed at causing children to experience pain but not injury, for the purposes of correction and control of youthful behavior" (Day 83). Spanking is one form of physical or corporal punishment (Epoch 1). The general acceptance, and sometimes support, of corporal punishment as a method of discipline is an aspect of the American culture (Barnett, Miller-Perrin, Perrin 61). Children are abused, in part, because they are unable to defend themselves against stronger and more powerful adults (Barnett, Miller-Perrin, Perrin 61). Researchers only recently have recognized that spanking is used primarily with young children and that the incidence and severity of spanking often diminishes by the time children are 8-10 years of age (Day 80). Studies of the incidence and intensity of spanking often provide evidence that most parents have spanked their children. About 90% of parents in the United States report having spanked their children (Day 80). In a research project done using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, researchers examined the antecedents of parents’ spanking behavior. This study represents an important step forward in understanding the profile of parents who spank their children. Even though the study had little theoretical orientation from which spanking could be predicted, it showed that younger mothers spank much more frequently than older mothers; that younger childre... ... violence of corporal punishment. In addition, corporal punishment can and often does become abuse when parents are especially angry or stressed (Barnett, Miller-Perrin, Perrin 292). Finally, we need to know more about the personal resources of parents that can lessen the incidence of spanking. It is found that spanking sharply decreases as the parent ages. Despite ideological motivations, parents can and should be trained to understand alternative strategies of discipline (Day 93). Works Cited Barnett, Ola, & Miller-Perrin, Cindy & Perrin, Robin., Family Violence Across the Lifespan. California: Sage, 1997 Day, Randal., "Predicting Spanking of Younger and Older Children by their Mothers and Fathers." Journal of Marriage and the Family 60 (February 1998): 79-94 National Coalition to Abolish Corporal Punishment and EPOCH_USA., 3 February 1999

Dr. Charles Richard Drew Essay -- Doctors Medical Health Biography Ess

Dr. Charles Richard Drew Charles Richard Drew was born on June 3, 1904 in Washington, D.C. He was very athletic as a child. Charles attended Dunbar High School where he won letters in track, baseball, basketball and football. He won the James E. Walker Memorial Medal as outstanding all-around athlete. Charles attended Amherst College in Massaschusetts on a scholarship. He was named an all-American halfback and won the Thomas W. Ashley Memorial Trophy as the Most Valuable Player on Amherst's football team. He graduated in 1926 and received the Howard Hill Mossman trophy for his outstanding contributions to Amherst sports. Drew was always interested in science and wanted to pursue a medical career. He attended medical school at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. He participated in sports while in medical school and won many championships. He was captain of the track team and won the all-time top score at McGill in intercollegiate track competition. Drew graduated from McGill in 1933. That year he won the annual prize in neuroanatomy, the study of the structure of the nervous system, and the Williams Prize, passing an examination and scoring in the top five in his class. He interned at the Royal Victoria and Montreal General Hospitals. In 1935, he became an instructor in pathology at Howard University Medical School in Washington, DC. In addition to teaching, he was assistant surgeon at Freedmen's Hospital. In 1938, he was awarded a Rockefeller fellowship to...

Establishment Notions of Englishness Essay

In what ways did the iconography, the music, the lyrics and the performances and behaviour of punk rock acts present a challenge to ‘establishment notions of Englishness’ in 1976-77? The early roots of Punk rock were appearing in the form of The Velvet Underground in 1965, closely followed by The Stooges and MC5 in 1969, but it wasn’t until the early 1970s that punk began to globalise, hitting Australia in 1972 with The Saints. Within a year, legendary Punk club CBGB’s opened it’s doors for the first time, becoming a constant dwelling for the up and coming acts of the 70’s, and more importantly, providing a regular crowd of punk kids to listen to them. Britain in the early 70s, according to Spicer, was filled with ‘political frustration, surging unemployment and a gag-reflex to the patriotic froth generated by in celebration of Queen Elizabeth’s Silver Jubilee, giving punk’s raw noise a particular spice and vigour. The UK had either been in decline, recession, stagflation or worse since the end of the swinging sixties.’ (Spicer, 2006: 3). ‘Eight years later when the idealism of the 60s had well and truly faded, the strategies and rhetoric of street protest were still going strong. So when mainstream politics wouldn’t even listen to what was driving the kids insane, the Sex Pistols’ cry of â€Å"Anarchy in the UK† seemed like a viable alternative.’ (Spicer, 2006: 5) ‘Punk came with a philosophy that was influenced by the anti-establishment turmoil reverberating from the 60’s.’ (Spicer, 2006, Page 4), so in a time when the youths of Britain were so ignored and undervalued as a part of society, it seemed like a natural outlet to make the government and the authorities stand up and take notice of what they were saying. Renowned Manchester based punk journalist and singer John Robb stated that ‘Punk Terrified the establishment’ (Robb, 2006: 3), suggesting this outcry for non-conformism was having an impact and the message of challenging the government was being heard. Despite this, however, critics are still divided about whether the punk phenomenon was in fact a significant cultural shift. ‘Was it just another youth craze (with a hairstyle calculated to drive the parents crazy), or did it offer a real challenge to the  complacency of the times? A Challenge that was more than just musical and sartorial, but p olitical as well?’ (Spicer, 2006: 2). Hebdige stated that ‘the punks were not only directly responding to increasing joblessness, changing moral standards, the rediscovery of poverty, the Depression, etc., they were dramatizing what had come to be called â€Å"Britain’s decline† by constructing a language which was, in contrast to the prevailing rhetoric of the Rock Establishment, unmistakeably relevant and down to earth (hence the swearing, the references to â€Å"fat hippies‟, the rags, the lumpen poses). The punks appropriated the rhetoric of crisis which had filled the airwaves and the editorials throughout the period and translated it into tangible (and visible) terms’ (1991: 87). A significant part of the construction of the punk rock movement in the British media was the fashion of the stars, which was later emulated by the fans, with the iconic style quickly becoming a obligatory staple of â€Å"being punk†. According to Paul Gorman, speaking in Punk: The Whole Story, ‘Almost every element of punk’s style, attitude, politics, musical tastes and even personnel emanated from two tiny clothes shops on Chelsea’s King’s Road 30 years ago.’ (2006: 84) These two shops were Acme Attractions and SEX, both in London. Don Letts, ex-employee of Acme, and later member of Big Audio Dynamite said in Punk: The Whole Story, ‘Acme was more than a shop. It was a club, a lifestyle, a forum for talent. It reflected the way London was going – it was about multi-culturism’ (2006: 84). I think this really exemplifies the importance of the fashion and self-representation of the punk movement, even at the beginning. Robb recalls, ‘I saw photos of punk rockers in the papers, and I knew instantly what they sounded like. Never had a music and its threads been so closely associated’ (2006: 2). Hebdige also observed, ‘The various stylistic ensembles adopted by the punks were undoubtedly expressive of genuine aggression, frustration and anxiety. But these statements, no matter how strangely constructed, were cast in a language which was generally available – a language which was current’ (1991: 87). I feel this rings true in a big way, especially when you contrast another artist of ’74 with the way, for example, the Sex Pistols presented themselves. In image one, we see the Sex Pistols wearing typical punk style  clothing, however, in image 2, The Who, another British band making music in 1974, are seen to be sporting a much more reserved fashion, that could be classed as smart/casual, due to the tailored trousers, tucked in shirts and sports jackets, and even be called patriotic, with the presence of a union flag jacket. In contrast, while the Sex Pistols are also wearing union flag attire, however, it seems to be done so in a satirical, ironic way. The flag is cut into and is covered in holes, which could suggest the way that the punk youth saw the state of the government, or at least what they thought of it. Similarly, there is also a sports jacket being worn, however, it is teamed with a punk print T-shirt, which could easily be seen as a rebellion against the notion of looking presentable and dressing in your Sunday best. Ruth Adams discusses Hebdige’s notion of punk fashion being a bricolage, and states ‘Bits and pieces of both officially sanctioned and popular English culture, of politics and history were brought together in a chaotic, uneasy admixture to form a new culture’ (2008). I feel this accurately describes the way punk took what it wanted from English culture and used it as a way to challenge the established notions of â€Å"Englishness†. Icons such as swastikas were often wore as a fashion statement , however, ‘for punks like Siouxsie and Sid Vicious it became just one more ingredient in the imagery of offence – not devoid of meaning, but mainly a way of getting up the noses of the straight and the narrow’ (Spicer, 2006: 4). You can imagine that this explicit and in your face approach to fashion and iconography would starkly contrast with the dreary fashion of the 70’s. Spicer states that ‘as the decade that saw beige, brown, orange and gold recommended as a desirable colour scheme for the home, the 70’s had little going for it stylistically either’ (2006: 3). I feel that this contrast in style would have made punks even harder to ignore, insuring that someone was always looking at them and listening to what they had to say. ‘Punk rock lyrics are typically frank and confrontational; compared to the lyrics of other popular music genres, they frequently comment on social and political issues’ (Laing, 1985: 27). An obvious example of this would be â€Å"God Save The Queen† by the Sex Pistols (1977, Sex Pistols). At the time of  release, the song was highly controversial, mainly for the fact it was explicitly ‘anti-monarchy’, implying that the Queen was a part of a fascist regime, as shown by the lyrics ‘God save the queen, the fascist regime’, and also for quite blatantly writing England off as being bleak and without any hope, shown in the lyrics ‘There is no hope in England’s dreaming’ and ‘There’s no future, no future, no future for you’. This contrasted significantly with the jingoistic ideals that were being put forward in the wake of the Queen’s silver jubilee. Savage stated, ‘â€Å"God Save the Queen† was the only serious anti-Jubilee protest, the only rallying call for those who didn’t agree with the Jubilee because [†¦] they resented being steamrollered by such sickening hype, by a view of England which had not the remotest bearing on their everyday experience’ (2001: 352-353). Laing speculated that ‘Punk was a total cultural revolt. It was a hardcore confrontation with the black side of history and culture, right-wing imagery, sexual taboos, a delving into it that had never been done before by any generation in such a thorough way’ (1985: 27). I feel this really sums up the ideology at play with ‘God Save The Queen’, as it was a total revolt of the dominant ideology at the time it was released. Punk rock is not known for its musical ingenuity, its creativity, or even its skill. John Robb described punks as ‘The DIY brigade fumbling with musical instruments, trying to make sense of the world with three chords learned last week on second hand guitars’ (2006, Page 3). I feel this expresses the rebelling of the establishment in a way that goes above lyrics or fashion. Here we can see that punk was not about pleasing people or making everyone happy, it was about doing what you wanted because you could, and not caring if people liked it or not. This directly challenged the English ideology of the 1970s, which was predominantly all about keeping a stiff upper lip, being polite, and being, for lack of a better word, nice. Rock journalist Caroline Coon wrote about the Sex Pistols’ live performances, stating that ‘participation is the operative word. The audience revels in the idea that any one of them could get up on stage and do just as well, if not better than the bands already up there’ (1982: 98). This again draws on the angry, challenging, do-it-yourself attitude attached to the punk genre. Machin describes the discourse of the melody of â€Å"God Save The Queen† by the Sex Pistols in a way that epitomises the ideology of the genre. ‘Here [image 3] we can see that much of the melody remains on the first note. There is therefore very little outward giving of emotion or positive energy. This means that there is something very contained about the way it is sung. In fact, the vocalist sings the song generally at a high pitch which conveys emotional intensity. Yet in this intensity there is no emotional outpouring or pleasure. There are only short sharp occasional outbursts on the 4th note. This is fitting of the punk discourse of nihilism and cynicism.’ (Machin, 2010: 105) Philip Auslander proclaimed that ‘we may not usually think of musical performance, apart from opera and musical theatre, as entailing characterisation in the conventional dramatic sense. Nevertheless, we must be suspicious of any supposition that musicians are simply ‘being themselves’ on stage’ (2004: 6). Auslander goes on to quote Frith, who states that musicians are ‘involved in a process of double enactment: they enact both a star personality (their image) and a song personality, the role that each lyric requires, and the pop star’s art is to keep both acts in play at once’(2004: 6). I feel that this observation directly applies to the punk rock era, as it exemplifies the explicit and hyperbolic style of the genre. This can be exemplified by Sex Pistols front man, John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten). In the public eye he is an anarchist punk rebel who is not scared to speak his mind and does not care who he offends, however in real life he is a man who was bullied as a boy for having an English accent while at his grandparents’ home in Cork, Ireland. This performance persona is a prime example of the way that punk challenged the notion of Englishness, as everything about â€Å"Johnny Rotten† was anti-establishment. This is typified with the quote from Rotten himself, stating â€Å"I’d listen to rock ‘n’ roll, but I had no respect for it. It was redundant and had nothing to do with anything relevant†. Here, he is dismissing everything that already exists in England as not being relevant or influencing him in any way, suggesting that he was the change that England needed. Auslander later goes on to discuss that ‘both the line between real person  and performance persona and the line between persona and character may be blurry and indistinct, especially in the case of pop music performers whose work is heavily autobiographical’ (2004: 7). Again, I think this is extremely relevant to the analysis of the performance of John Lydon as Johnny Rotten, as punks felt this allegiance with him through his work as he was them while he was on stage. He was also a working class, angry young person with no money who resented the royal family and the government. Al Spicer asked the question, ‘was it just another youth craze (with a hairstyle calculated to drive the parents crazy), or did it offer real challenge to the complacency of the times?’ (2006: 2) and I think the answer to this would have to be that they really did challenge the system, in every possible way. Punk as a movement intended to shock and defy the norm of 1970s England, to rebel against the complacent and austere ideals of the time and radically confront the patriotic notions of Englishness put forward by the royal Jubilee, and I think that they succeeded. Instead of merely writing protest songs, punk bands were a protest. Every fibre of their existence protested, whether it was scandalous lyrics, deplorable fashion choices or unrestrained, extroverted stage personas who would say what they thought, and never care about the repercussions. Punk was one vast protest across England and the notion of English ideals. Bibliography Machin, David. (2010) Analysing Popular Music: Image, Sound, Text, London: Sage. Spicer, Al. (2006) A Rough Guide To Punk, London: Rough Guides. Blake, Mark (Editor) (2006) Punk; The Whole Story, London: Dorling Kindersley. Sabin, Roger (Editor) (1999) Punk Rock, So What?, London: Routledge. Robb, John (2006) Punk Rock; An Oral History, London: Elbury Press. Adams, Ruth (2008) â€Å"The Englishness of English Punk: Sex Pistols, Subcultures and Nostalgia.†Popular Music and Society, 31.4, P. 469–488. Hebdige, Dick (1991) Subculture: The Meaning of Style. London: Routledge. Savage, Jon (2001) England’s Dreaming: Sex Pistols and Punk Rock, London: Faber & Faber. Laing, Dave (1985) One chord wonders: power and meaning in punk rock, Milton Keynes: Open University. Auslander, Philip (2004) Contemporary Theatre Review, Vol. 14, London: Routledge. Boyd, Brian (2010), The Making of a Rotten Public Image, The Irish Times: 08 Aug 2010 Issue. Coon, Caroline (1982) The New Wave Punk Rock Explosion, London: Omnibus Press. IMAGE 1: http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2008/12/30/1230675664257/Sex-Pistols-in-1978-001.jpg IMAGE 2: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKQKjBljIgQCrKGO27MogrbksOcwqVm1WB8CnN3HhDyvbNEZ4Kq_oeEGF3Dt7hQd7OZAnd60_IkVhxKRXg7BNJQDLqdlypGVe9sMsXzkqOGT5OaYzmPUbbvYTYwarcmLCklVZAG6qtkdY/s1600/The+Who.jpg IMAGE 3: Machin, David. (2010) Analysing Popular Music: Image, Sound, Text, London: Sage. Page 104.