Wednesday, October 30, 2019

George Bernard Shaw Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

George Bernard Shaw - Essay Example The social themes present within Pygmalion and other more or less "political" plays had a profound influence upon a number of different dramas. While political theatre may in many ways be traced to the very beginnings of Western drama in Ancient Greece (Fischer-Lichte, 2005), in recent times it was Shaw who introduced the idea that a play could be both political and entertaining. The influence of Pygmalion is difficult to exaggerate. First, it provided the opportunity for playwrights to use language in a way that they had not been able to before. Shaw provided playwrights working in the late Twenteith Century with an impetus to use language/plot that was considered scandalous. It may seem quaint today, but at the time the fact that Eliza says "not bloody likely (Shaw, 1980) was seen as scandalous and shocking. Characters in proper drama on the West End simply did not swear. Shaw received complaints about the 'swearing' but kept the language in because he said it was the realistic vernacular of the person within that situation (Innes, 1998). The subject matter of Mrs Warren's Professioni (prostitution), especially the fact that it was tackled in a manner which showed the pressures that society puts on women that causes them to become prostitutes, also received a good deal of public criticism. But because Shaw believed in his own plays, and refused to change a word because of the apparently over-sensitive feelings of some, he paved the way for much later playwrights. Take the example of Edward Bond, whose Saved in 1965 was the subject of much controversy because of its language and subject matter. The young, working-class and unemployed people in the play constantly swear because this is just about all they have left within a society that has brutalized them. It was one particular scene, in which the characters stone a baby to death in its baby carriage, which caused the Lord Chamberlain to ask that that subject be cut from the play or the play would be banned. As in Shaw's day, any play put on in London still had to be officially approved by the Lord Chamberlain, a power dating from a 1737 law. Bond, following the Shavian tradition, refused to change that scene - saying that it was an essential part of the play's climax, showing the depths to which the characters had sunk. The Royal Court Theatre became a "private club" in order to stage the play, but the Chamberlain prosecuted the English Stage Company for producing the play even in that location. Shaw was well-known to have as much sense of humor within his life as within his plays, and was always askance at authority that appeared to be arbitrarily used. He would thus have supported Bond's next theatrical event, Early Morning (1967), a tongue-in-cheek play in which Queen Victoria has a lesbian relationship with Florence Nightingale, the princes are Siamese twins, Prince Albert and Disraeli plan a coup throughout and then the whole cast of characters is damned to be cannibalized in Heaven after falling off Beach Head. This play was perhaps designed to incur the wrath of the Lord Chamberlain in virtually every scene. He banned it, the English Stage Company ignored the banned, and the archaic power curtailment of free speech represented by the Lord

Monday, October 28, 2019

How I Can Make a Difference As A Scholar Essay Example for Free

How I Can Make a Difference As A Scholar Essay Each one has different capabilities to make a difference; difference that can change one’s family, school, community, country, and even the world. But before he can do a difference around him, he must first make a difference within himself. As a scholar of this prestigious university, the University of Bohol, I can also make a difference. But as I said, in order for me to make a difference in my surroundings, I must first make a difference within me. I was once a stranger in this university, seldom talks to anyone and even project a shy type of person, well in fact I’m not. I wasn’t then participative in school activities, even in our own department. Inside the classroom, I just stayed in one corner, scanned my notes and remained silent all those times. Those things happened before I tried to do something; something that would make my life different from before. It was different in the sense that I got out of my shell and began to explore the real world. I began by acquiring new friends that I believed would help me in my goal. I wasn’t wrong in having them since they really did the things I expect from them that would help me grow. They encouraged me to participate in the school activities because they thought that I would be of great help. I was inspired by their words and chose to accept the dare. I once participated in a sport contest during our department days, and fortunately, I won. I was one of the CBAians who brought the name of our department during the university days. I was really happy during that time. I then concluded that nothing is really impossible if you just tried. That was my first achievement in this university after I got out of my shell and that is also the first difference I made within myself. And since I have already made a difference in me, I will continue what I have begun. I will make a difference around me in my own unique ways. As the embodiment of the Trinity of Virtues (Scholarship, Character, and  Service) the University of Bohol stands for, we, as scholars, are obliged to act as a catalyst to difference. Not the negative one, but a positive difference for the betterment of our community. Upholding the first virtue of the university, SCHOLARSHIP, I will be responsible in my studies. Avoid unnecessary absences and never cut classes. I will study my lessons, not only during examinations, but every day to be prepared all the time. I will maintain my grades to avoid disappointment of my family and the persons behind this scholarship. CHARACTER: I will be a model to the students; specially the freshmen, through the way I speak, act, and move around. Obeying the rules in the school is the very first thing any student must do; wearing the prescribed uniform during uniform days and the proper Wednesday attire during wash days. Together with the ID, a student would really look as a student if he would just wear the proper uniform. I will also project as an Icon of Morality. I won’t indulge in any crime, neither practice any form of drug addiction, nor any forms of vices. As an epitome of SERVICE, I would participate in the school, or even outside the school, as the need arises. I would help in any form in any projects or programs of the university and involve myself in different community works. I will also take part in any volunteer works inside and outside the campus. These are just simple things all students can carry out to make a difference if they are just committed to do it. However, it can’t also be denied that as humans, we also commit mistakes; mistakes that might be a reason for discouragement. But through certain things, these mistakes might also help us grow as a student. To be successful in all our endeavors in life, we must not forget the Almighty God who is always behind every achievement we attain. We should put Him as the center of our lives, for without Him, we can do nothing. I am very much privileged to be one of the academic scholars in this  university. I will try my very best to perform the duties and responsibilities as a UB scholar. I will make a difference! Each one has different capabilities to make a difference; difference that can change one’s family, school, community, country, and even the world. But before he can do a difference around him, he must first make a difference within himself. As a scholar of this prestigious university, the University of Bohol, I can also make a difference. But as I said, in order for me to make a difference in my surroundings, I must first make a difference within me. I was once a stranger in this university, seldom talks to anyone and even project a shy type of person, well in fact I’m not. I wasn’t then participative in school activities, even in our own department. Inside the classroom, I just stayed in one corner, scanned my notes and remained silent all those times. Those things happened before I tried to do something; something that would make my life different from before. It was different in the sense that I got out of my shell and began to explore the real world. I began by acquiring new friends that I believed would help me in my goal. I wasn’t wrong in having them since they really did the things I expect from them that would help me grow. They encouraged me to participate in the school activities because they thought that I would be of great help. I was inspired by their words and chose to accept the dare. I once participated in a sport contest during our department days, and fortunately, I won. I was one of the CBAians who brought the name of our department during the university days. I was really happy during that time. I then concluded that nothing is really impossible if you just tried. That was my first achievement in this university after I got out of my shell and that is also the first difference I made within myself. And since I have already made a difference in me, I will continue what I have begun. I will make a difference around me in my own unique ways. As the embodiment of the Trinity of Virtues (Scholarship, Character, and Service) the University of Bohol stands for, we, as scholars, are obliged to act as a catalyst to difference. Not the negative one, but a positive difference for the betterment of our community. Upholding the first virtue of the university, SCHOLARSHIP, I will be responsible in my studies. Avoid unnecessary absences and never cut classes. I will study my lessons, not only during examinations, but every day to be prepared all the time. I will maintain my grades to avoid disappointment of my family and the persons behind this scholarship. CHARACTER: I will be a model to the students; specially the freshmen, through the way I speak, act, and move around. Obeying the rules in the school is the very first thing any student must do; wearing the prescribed uniform during uniform days and the proper Wednesday attire during wash days. Together with the ID, a student would really look as a student if he would just wear the proper uniform. I will also project as an Icon of Morality. I won’t indulge in any crime, neither practice any form of drug addiction, nor any forms of vices. As an epitome of SERVICE, I would participate in the school, or even outside the school, as the need arises. I would help in any form in any projects or programs of the university and involve myself in different community works. I will also take part in any volunteer works inside and outside the campus. These are just simple things all students can carry out to make a difference if they are just committed to do it. However, it can’t also be denied that as humans, we also commit mistakes; mistakes that might be a reason for discouragement. But through certain things, these mistakes might also help us grow as a student. To be successful in all our endeavors in life, we must not forget the Almighty God who is always behind every achievement we attain. We should put Him as the center of our lives, for without Him, we can do nothing. I am very much privileged to be one of the academic scholars in this university. I will try my very best to perform the duties and responsibilities as a UB scholar. I will make a difference!

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Media Violence Essay -- essays research papers

Does entertainment influence society's attitude towards violent behavior? In order to fully answer this question we must first understand what violence is. Violence is the use of one's powers to inflict mental or physical injury upon another; examples of this would be rape or murder. Violence in entertainment reaches the public by way of television, movies, plays, music, and novels. Through the course of this essay it will be proven that violence in entertainment is a major factor in the escalation of violence in society, once this is proven we will take all of the evidence that has been shown throughout this paper and come to a conclusion as to whether or not violence in entertainment is justified and whether or not it should be censored.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Television with its far reaching influence spreads across the globe. Its most important role is that of reporting the news and maintaining communication between people around the world. Television's most influential, yet most serious aspect is its shows for entertainment. Violent children's shows like Mighty Morphing Power Rangers and adult shows like NYPD Blue and Homicide almost always fail to show human beings being able to resolve their differences in a non-violent manner; instead they show a reckless attitude that promotes violent action first with reflection on the consequences later. Contemporary television creates a seemingly insatiable appetite for amusement of all kinds without regard for social or moral benefits (Schultze 41). Findings over the past twenty years by three Surgeon Generals, the Attorney General's Task Force on Family Violence, the American Medical Association, the National Institute of Mental Health, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and other medical authorities indicate that televised violence is harmful to all of us, but particularly to the mental health of children (Medved 70-71).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1989 the results of a five year study by the American Psychological Association indicated that the average child has witnessed 8,000 murders and 100,000 other acts of violence on television by the time he or she has completed sixth grade. In further studies it was determined that by the time that same child graduates from high school he or she will have spent 22,000 hours w... ...p;  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If the government ever did censor violent entertainment who knows where they would stop, or even if they would. Perhaps they would try to censor violent speech or try to censor the speech of those who disagreed with the actions of the government. The simple message is don't promote censorship, because it could easily get out of hand, and as the old saying goes â€Å"the road to hell is paved with good intentions†. There are then only two ways to get rid of the violent entertainment in our lives: we could shame those who make the violent movies, television shows, books, and plays, into having a social conscience, making them be less prone to creating violent entertainment; or we could simply solve the problem ourselves, with a push of a button, or the turn of a page. Work Cited ~ American Rifleman (1993). TV Violence: Does it Cause Real-Life Mayhem? Lamson, Susan R, 19-23, 30-50, 100-109 ~ Greenhaven Press, (1992). Youth Violence. Leone, Bruno, 32-48. ~ www.nccev.org/violence/statistics/statistics-media.html ~ www.columbia.edu/cu/21stC/issue-1.2/Media.html ~ www.health.org/govpubs/ms714.html ~ www.pbs.org/newshour/forum/ september99/media_violence.html

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Power is a theme widely explored throughout the play Macbeth

Society is influenced strongly by both power and tyranny. We see in the media headlines exposing stories about extremist leaders like Muammar Gaddafi and Saddam Husein, who fuelled by the ambitions of power, lead countries into tyranny. So is it a coincidence that Shakespeare portrayed a play to characterise these men? Macbeth, is a play depicting a Scottish general who at the beginning is introduced as a hero, however driven by power and supernatural occurrences, we witness his downfall and eventual death. It is widely discussed whether Shakespeare is still relevant, in which I believe that throughout the play Macbeth, many issues still affecting us today were concepts Shakespeare had created. Power is a theme widely explored throughout the play Macbeth, â€Å"Great Glamis, worthy Cawdor, greater than both, by the all- hail hereafter.† Spoken by Lady Macbeth she uses positive adjectives to praise and acknowledge Macbeth’s statuses, by using short choppy phrases she encourages Macbeth to obtain the title of ‘king’, making the temptation to murder Duncan even more irresistible. Reinforcing the idea of power is Macbeth, â€Å"I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting ambition, that o’erleaps itself and falls on the other,† through the use of personification, Macbeth’s ambitious need for power is represented as something great enough to overthrow Duncan. Macbeth describes his ambition as being ‘vaulting’, however is aware that through murder follows the endless possible punishments, however Macbeth sees the temptation as being too great. Similar to this is the incidents occurring in Libya, where at the age of 27, Muammar Gaddafi overthrew the Libyan king, when he was at his most vulnerable in Turkey seeking medical treatment. In the play Macbeth, power is shown as something that may lead to the downfall or destruction of anyone who seeks it for their own personal success. In comparison to this statement is the story of Saddam Husein, the former president of Iraq, who murdered all of his opposition in order to defend his title and remain the one with the most power. However due to these inhumane acts was charged with crimes against humanity and mass murder, which eventually led to his execution. Enhancing this idea of power is the theme of tyranny. Unlike Duncan who brought order and justice to Scotland, Macbeth led Scotland as a tyrannical leader. He defied order- the Great Chain of Being, a Christian concept which was based around a divinely planned hierarchical order- which was shown through the use of imagery of the storm, chaos, murder and the supernatural. â€Å"The night has been unruly†¦ Some say the Earth was feverous and did shake.† Lennox explains to Macbeth that on that particular night things had seemed very unnatural, this symbolising that bad times were to come. Another literary technique used is foreshadowing, the unnatural occurrences foreshadow Duncan’s gruesome murder as well as the treachery Macbeth will bring to Scotland. In comparison to this is when Malcolm, son of Duncan, overthrows Macbeth. â€Å"Hail king! For so thou art. Behold where stands thus usurpers cursed head. The time is free.† Macduff happily announces Macbeth’s death, receiving vengeance for his brutally murdered family and the return of peace to Scotland, where ‘banquets are free of violent murders, nights are peaceful and honours are received freely.’ This contrast between kingship and tyranny is an important part of the play Macbeth, it also reflects Iraq both before and after Saddam Husein’s corruptive rule. Many supported his execution, former U.S. President George W. Bush conveying his opinion that Saddam Husein deserved the ‘ultimate justice’. Shakespeare has used language and dramatic techniques to convey a series of themes that still affect us today. Power and tyranny are outlined throughout his play Macbeth and in modern society these issues still affect us, in the example of the two extremist leader’s Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi and ex- president of Iraq Saddam Husein. Thus, it gives us reason to believe that Shakespeare is still very much relevant today and that his themes will forever remain both universal and eternal.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Behavioral therapy

Behavioral therapy is also known as behavioral modification. It is a psychological method based on the principle that one can change the badly adjusted, maladaptive, observable, specific and self destructive behavior, through learning new and more suitable behaviors (Skinner, p 194). The origin of this theory can be traced back to the school of behaviorism which indicates that one can scientifically study psychological matters through observation of overt behavior without necessarily involving interior psychological states.Skinners theory of behaviorism accepted and supported that internal state could be part of a certain kind of behavior without necessarily being the main cause; however, he declared that through environmental manipulation, one could improve on them. The behavioral theorists include Hans Eysenck, Joseph Wolpe, Harry Solomon, Ogden Lindsley and B. F Skinner and they all had different ways of looking at behavioral problems. Eysenck’s perspective saw behavioral p roblem as connection between one’s behavior, the environment and personality characteristics. For the sake of this study, I will focus on B.F skinner’s behavioral theory (Skinner, p 198). Origin of behavioral therapy Edward Thorndike did experiments to discover the ability of dogs and cats to solve problems. He constructed wooden crates and he would cage the animals each in their own crate. The animals would escape from the crates. Though initially he just wanted to show that dogs and cats’ achievement could be controlled, he realized that he could measure the intelligence of these animals using his tools (Lindsley, p 34). He would set the animals for the same kind of task and observe how long it took to complete the given task.He learnt that there was no difference in performance between the animals that started an assignment and the ones that first observed the others performing (Skinner, p 89). He also learnt that when an animal did something that made it to successfully get out of the box; the animal was likely to repeat that action when faced by the same kind of problem. He concluded that reward reinforces the relationship between stimulus and action. He later formalized it to be called the law of effect (Skinner, p 199). Classical conditioning theory then came to explain that there is an association between reflex and the neutral stimulus.Watson used rats in his experiments to improve on the law of effect and apply it in behaviorism. He made a maze which the rats were supposed to follow. Once they had mastered the routes, he started putting blocks at different points of the maze (Skinner, p 94). If a route was blocked, the rats would then follow another route indicating that they had memory. Once the second route was blocked they would follow the other available route. He observed that when the reward for an action done was less, then the rats performed the task more slowly (Lindsley, p76). B.F Skinner came to improve on Thorndike an d Watson’s work by studying objectively behavior sequences over a prolonged period of time. He came up with the concept of operant conditioning which related the operant response and the reinforcement. This theory is based on the proposal that learning could help in change of overt behavior. People change their behavior as a result response to the occurrences in their surroundings. A given response leads to a certain outcome. When one reinforces a certain pattern of Stimulus-Response, a person’s response becomes conditioned (Skinner, p 97).The key element in this theory is reinforcement; this is anything that supports the response that is desired. Reinforcement could be positive or negative. Positive reinforcement makes one be encouraged to do more of the action that led to positive results. It includes attaining satisfaction after doing something, being recognized, being praised for work well done among others. Negative reinforcement on the other hand involves the act ions that make one increase the frequency of responses once a certain stimulus is withdrawn. Aversive stimulus results to the reduction of responses (Skinner, p 200). Behavioral Therapy This is a report about Paula a client who was referred to therapy by the general practitioner of the hospital. Following a thorough physical checkup performed on Paula the GP feels that Paula’s heart is sound enough and her condition is psychological. (Getzfeld, 2004). Paula’s case is not an isolated case of psychological dysfunction and in fact a sizeable number of people suffer these attacks in silence. (Beck, Rush, Shaw, & Emery, 1979). This is perhaps due to the feelings of embarrassment and stupidity that they feel they might be accused of.Additionally, panic attacks are not well known to many and hence the stigma. Nonetheless, panic attacks are not insignificant and can have a crippling effect in someone’s life. They are a symptom of underlying stressing and traumatic events in the patient’s life. (Feather & Ronan, 2006). This report gives a diagnosis of Paula’s case. It gives a comprehensive analysis of what is the onset of Paula’s con dition, the triggers and the effects of her attack. At the end of the report it will give the findings and recommendations on the way forward for Paula in getting treatment for her condition.Diagnosis Paula has been experiencing an array of symptoms that occur frequently at the workplace and outside home. These symptoms include dizzy spells, shortness of breath, dizziness and lightheadedness as well as chest pains and fast heartbeats. Paula feels that there is cause for alarm because these symptoms may be an indication of a heart attack. For this reason she has sought medical help from her general practitioners, and she has even visited a cardiologist for a sonogram and echocardiogram. Both these tests showed no defects or indication of heart attack.Nothing is wrong with Paula’s heart and apparently the symptoms may be a psychological related. The doctors at the company clinic where Paula works suggested that she try to relax more and steer away from caffeine, nonetheless the attacks still persevere despite Paula’s attempts to relax. She sought a second opinion from another physician who also gave similar diagnosis i. e. her attacks are a psychological problem hence she needs to sign up for therapy. With that Paula came to the clinic. Brief history of PaulaIn order to clearly diagnose Paula’s condition information from her life experiences both in the present and from the past had to be sought. Paula is 27 years old, single and lives at home with her parents. She has a good job at a securities and bond trading company which she has worked for loyally since she graduated from university with a BA in economics seemingly her life was be smooth and no developmental milestones have been experienced on her part. Prior to her recently persistent attacks she was ready to enroll for MBA.Her father died soon after she graduated from University after a brave fight with cancer, emphysema and the killer heart attack. Her mother has some health problems although nothing too serious. Her grandparents died of cancer; her grandma of breast cancer and her grandpa of colon cancer, she feels that cancer runs in the family and is afraid of it too. This is the reason why she stopped smoking and does not drink alcohol. She says matter of factly â€Å"I have enough bad seeds in me†. Paula is the only child not by plan but out of natural misfortune.She had a little brother who died at the age of three out of heart defects that developed with age. He also had other birth defects that Paula was unwilling to disclose. This memory made her teary. Obviously, the death of the little boy had deep-seated effects in all the family members. (Feather & Ronan, 2006). According to Paula, her parents did not try to get pregnant again and the option of adoption was too devastating to consider. Paula’s mother and friend at work feel greatly concerned over her condition and Paula feels that as well. Paula feels that it is time she had greater c ontrol over her problem.The medication she has been taking i. e. Xanax and Contac zonk her out and she refers to herself as a ‘walking dead’ when she is on this medications. The persistent attacks seem to be triggered by anything major to Paula and given the nature of her job she reports frequent dizzy spells, faints and attacks at work. She remembers a case whereby a client fell through and all the blame was pinned on her. At the same time a coworker at the workplace had shown particular interest on Paula as a woman. All these major events occurring concurrently in her somewhat laid back lifestyle triggered an attack.In the moment of it all, the other workers got wind of her weak point and she is afraid that they might think of her as ‘chicken’ or incompetent of handling such a demanding job. Frequency of attacks Paula’s attacks have been with her for a long while. She points out that ever since she entered university she started experiencing them. The stress levels were high what with the huge load of work, pressure from men in campus and the need to fit in since the university was small and everyone knew everyone else. In her high school it was easy to be an invisible wall paper and stay unnoticed when necessary.Unfortunately in university this was not the case and she lacked the necessary support systems or good outlets to channel the stress she was feeling. She also recalls her father’s death which affected her greatly. It was overwhelming for her although she had suspected it would happen soon. This reminded her of her brother’s death. For this reason Paula feels ‘life is very unfair’. The death of loved ones caused her to withdraw from life completely. At school she would get sweaty and the dizzy spells prior to presentation and even before she lost her virginity she had a panic attack.Paula’s case now involves her mothers, her co-workers the doctors and now psychiatrist. Before, it was her personal problem and she felt she could deal with it. Now her life is significantly affected and people around her are worried. Doctors feel that it is time she saw a therapist to uncover the real cause of the problem. Her mother feels strongly about the same as also the people at work. Assessment and investigation plan It seems that Paula is suffering from severe depression which manifests itself in panic attacks.(Alpert & Fava, 2004) She has not developed the expression skills and seems to bottle up feelings of anxiety, frustration, hurt and stress. She has managed to deactivate her social life and is highly dependant on her mother for comfort although she does not disclose her inner feelings to her mother as well. Notably, at 27 and with a good job she is still unattached to anyone and does not go out with friends. Throughout the sessions she makes no mention of significant persons other than her mother. Even at university she frequently went home to be babied.Her family back ground is a troubled one with a history of heart diseases and cancers. Her loved ones seem to be consumed by these diseases and she feels afraid of being the next. Panic attacks manifest either as ‘a way of getting through tough situations’ as she puts it or as a reaction to overpowering feelings of loss, excitement or expectations. After reviewing Paula’s case in detail it is recommended she have behavioral therapy as a start treatment program since it is the best therapy linked to activating the client from depression, a condition that is the underlying cause of Paula’s panic attacks.BATD (Behavioral Activation treatment for Depression) overview, foundation and Assumptions. This treatment option bases its foundations from cognitive therapy. It basically involves activating the client from depression by encouraging them to make connection between powerful experiences both in the present and in the past with the symptoms that they may be having. In Paulaâ €™s case it is panic attacks. The basic assumption of this therapy is that depression and subsequent symptoms of depression arise from life expenses of the patient and not the genetic predisposition. (Cooper, Smith & Upton, 1994).Vulnerability is severed by traumatic life events. This therapy encompasses assessment and treatment of cognitive, emotional and behavioral aspects of the clients. This means that its efforts are channeled toward sharpening social skills of the client through training and reinforcements, imparting relaxation techniques as well as therapy to help relax the client, increasing pleasurable activities in the clients life say situations with more laughter and easiness, training clients on assertness and emotional expressions and restructurings the clients patterns of thoughts and cognitive perceptions.(Gortner & Jacobson, 2000, Martell, Addis & Jacobson, 2001) These areas are greatly emphasized because they alter the client’s beliefs of the world aroun d them and eventually how they choose to resolve their inner problems or conflicts which are evident in behaviour. According to Beck, Rush, Shaw and Emery (1979 p. 118) mentioned in Jacobson, Mortell and Dimidjian 2007, p. 257 ‘the aim of this therapy to bring about change in the clients negative outlook in life’. The beliefs and expectations of a person indecent in his cognitive make up ultimately affect behaviour.The behavioral activation therapy recognizes that some depressions and subsequently panic attack may be or a result of genetic predisposition, it greatly emphases environmental factors as a great a preventative measure for depression maintenance. Course of treatment Paula’s treatment will commence with the establishment of therapeutic rapport with the therapist while they discuss the objectives and goals for the therapy and the sessions. This will be achieved by encouraging Paula to ask questions and be as comfortable as possible during the sessions.Pa ula and the therapist will explore the implications that her depression has had on Paula’s life for instance she lacks a social life, she cannot do her daily tasks any more, she will lose her job and so on. Under this treatment the therapist will be performing some functional analysis on Paula to gauge how well Paula is responding to treatment. For example, she should be able to start driving her car to work and performing her duties at work. The use of home works will be helpful to both Paula and the therapist in finding areas that the therapy should concentrate on.The therapy sessions will also explore the strategies that Paula should use to avoid a relapse. Paula intervention plan The first step in her treatment plan is to get her to talk more about her unpleasant life experiences. So far she has registered commendable progress into talking about her father and her young brother. When she first came in she was fidgety and kept checking her pulse over her neck. She had a pa nic stricken look but now she has relaxed a little.It is impossible to accurately state the duration that Paula might take to show full recovery since depression can be hard to overcome with the lack of proper support systems and the troubling environment at her workplace. Nonetheless, Paula sounds really determined to get over this problem and regain full control of her life. A two hour session with the psychiatrist thrice a week for a month and once a week for the following two months is recommended. This will be flexible enough for Paula to manage work and treatment. The significant people in Paula life i. e.family and coworkers need to give Paula all the support she needs to overcome this milestone. This is because her depression is not just an inner problem but the environment also triggers her attacks. The boss could encourage Paula to take some early days off and maybe some days be allowed to work from home until she is ready to work full time. The mother needs to continue be ing there for her daughter but on the other hand encourage her to be more independent. This will ensure that she is strong enough to handle life situations on her own and avoid a relapse in case she dies.The coworkers may be a bit more supportive when she experiences panic attacks and let her know it is nothing to be ashamed of. Again, Paula should expand her social networks and support system and this will a particular area where she will be trained during therapy sessions. Paula seems to over think her situations and the events in her life. A case in point is where she is quick to say that her coworkers will recommend she be transferred to the mail room because of the panic attacks. She feels that she should ‘never’ have an attack at the office again.She says ‘everyone will laugh and say look at the retard at it again. ’ She also seems to have planned out her suicide and thought of the consequences i. e. she would go to hell, it would be painless if she o verdosed on Aspirin, she would play some sad music, the suicide letter and other details fully planned. This seems to be Paula’s pattern of thinking and it is detrimental. In therapy, I will be interested in activating Paula’s spontaneity and her ability to accept her vulnerabilities and limitations towards having a fuller life. Measuring progressIn order to gauge progress on Paula’s treatment the therapist should be able to find improvements in Paula’s frequency of panic attacks. Ideally, they should reduce in the first month of treatment significantly. Additionally, her patterns of avoidance will be evaluated to see how well she is able to confront her fears. (Carr, 2001). For example, she avoids getting close to any man who might show interest in her hence stays away from social scenes like movies theatres and social gatherings. She also marks all the exit points to a place just incase she suffers another panic attack.Driving is also a problem to her a nd she has to be driven by her mother. She also avoids going out doors and stays in mostly where treatment will be effective, Paula should be able to take on her daily activities and develop healthy relationships with new people. The therapist will also make use of homework whereby Paula can try to engage in a task she feels prohibitive or unable to handle and see how well or not she manages the situation. This homework will allow her to self monitor her own progress and in therapy session discuss the feelings of accomplishment and pleasure derived from engaging in that activity.Results of the actions So far Paula has impressively shed light on her life. She has made the first big step towards treatment and that is the resolution to seek professional help. The diagnosis is that Paula is suffering from panic disorder which overlaps severe depression. She has had traumatic life experiences and suppressed them sufficiently. However she has reached a point where the emotions and negativ e psychological beliefs can no longer be bottled up hence the frequent panic attacks.The panic attacks have greatly eroded her self-esteem to a point that she planned a suicide although did not execute it. After evaluating her case I recommend psychiatric assessment just to ascertain this diagnosis so that the next level of therapy i. e. relaxation therapy and psychoanalysis can commerce. Although Paula is not actively keen on attempting another suicide, the risk is inherent and she needs close monitoring by her family and friends before and during therapy until she is strong enough to stand on her own.Paula should enroll in an activity that will enable her to think outside herself and her problems as well as boost her self-esteem. Yoga and social gatherings will particularly do her a lot of good. (Gortner & Jacobson, 2000). Lastly but importantly, Paula’s GP and cardiologist input would also be necessary in affirming this diagnosis so that Paula is well convinced that her pa nic attacks are purely psychological and not heart attack related. This will encourage her to continue the treatment. ConclusionPanic attacks are surmountable behavior activation therapy is a good way of assisting clients who suffer these attacks. The collaborative relationship between the client and the therapist should be useful in uncovering the depression in clients who suffer depression. The patterns of avoidance that Paula has developed such as avoiding relationships and friendships with others, avoiding social places staying away from work among others are crippling to Paula’s life and need to be confronted. Paula has to find a way of dealing with her problems in healthy ways. Behavioral therapy Behavioral therapy is also known as behavioral modification. It is a psychological method based on the principle that one can change the badly adjusted, maladaptive, observable, specific and self destructive behavior, through learning new and more suitable behaviors (Skinner, p 194). The origin of this theory can be traced back to the school of behaviorism which indicates that one can scientifically study psychological matters through observation of overt behavior without necessarily involving interior psychological states.Skinners theory of behaviorism accepted and supported that internal state could be part of a certain kind of behavior without necessarily being the main cause; however, he declared that through environmental manipulation, one could improve on them. The behavioral theorists include Hans Eysenck, Joseph Wolpe, Harry Solomon, Ogden Lindsley and B. F Skinner and they all had different ways of looking at behavioral problems. Eysenck’s perspective saw behavioral p roblem as connection between one’s behavior, the environment and personality characteristics. For the sake of this study, I will focus on B.F skinner’s behavioral theory (Skinner, p 198). Origin of behavioral therapy Edward Thorndike did experiments to discover the ability of dogs and cats to solve problems. He constructed wooden crates and he would cage the animals each in their own crate. The animals would escape from the crates. Though initially he just wanted to show that dogs and cats’ achievement could be controlled, he realized that he could measure the intelligence of these animals using his tools (Lindsley, p 34). He would set the animals for the same kind of task and observe how long it took to complete the given task.He learnt that there was no difference in performance between the animals that started an assignment and the ones that first observed the others performing (Skinner, p 89). He also learnt that when an animal did something that made it to successfully get out of the box; the animal was likely to repeat that action when faced by the same kind of problem. He concluded that reward reinforces the relationship between stimulus and action. He later formalized it to be called the law of effect (Skinner, p 199). Classical conditioning theory then came to explain that there is an association between reflex and the neutral stimulus.Watson used rats in his experiments to improve on the law of effect and apply it in behaviorism. He made a maze which the rats were supposed to follow. Once they had mastered the routes, he started putting blocks at different points of the maze (Skinner, p 94). If a route was blocked, the rats would then follow another route indicating that they had memory. Once the second route was blocked they would follow the other available route. He observed that when the reward for an action done was less, then the rats performed the task more slowly (Lindsley, p76). B.F Skinner came to improve on Thorndike an d Watson’s work by studying objectively behavior sequences over a prolonged period of time. He came up with the concept of operant conditioning which related the operant response and the reinforcement. This theory is based on the proposal that learning could help in change of overt behavior. People change their behavior as a result response to the occurrences in their surroundings. A given response leads to a certain outcome. When one reinforces a certain pattern of Stimulus-Response, a person’s response becomes conditioned (Skinner, p 97).The key element in this theory is reinforcement; this is anything that supports the response that is desired. Reinforcement could be positive or negative. Positive reinforcement makes one be encouraged to do more of the action that led to positive results. It includes attaining satisfaction after doing something, being recognized, being praised for work well done among others. Negative reinforcement on the other hand involves the act ions that make one increase the frequency of responses once a certain stimulus is withdrawn. Aversive stimulus results to the reduction of responses (Skinner, p 200).When considering this theory, schedules of reinforcement are considered to be very important. Principles under this theory are that positively reinforced behavior is very likely to reoccur. Shaping is also a principle that states that in order to reinforce behavior, information should be provided in small amounts. Stimulus generalization principles talks of reinforcement being generalized across stimuli that are similar to the original one (Lindsley, p 56). Behavior modification using B. F Skinner’s theory Behavior modification refers to a straight forward therapy technique that bases its arguments on skinner’s theory.It indicates that one can extinguish the unwanted behavior through the removal of the reiforcer and at the same time, behavior that is desired can be obtained and maintained via reinforcement . This argument has been used in solving many psychological problems. It is the preferred method when dealing with children. Other disorders which can be corrected using this therapy are anxiety disorders, phobias, eating disorders, anger management, aggressive behavior and substance use. All these are eliminated through changing the activities and behavior that may have contributed to such disorders (Skinner, p 96).Token economy is a derivative of behavior modification and it is used in institutions like prisons, juveniles, and psychiatric hospitals. This involves giving tokens to these people whenever they behave in a certain required way. When they revert to poor habits, the tokens are withdrawn. This is one way of behavior modifications that these institutions have used in order to keep order within the institutions. At times, Behavioral therapy methods are brought together with additional psychological involvements like medication (Skinner, p 197).This technique uses the follow ing approaches when using behavioral therapy to change a negative behavior to a positive one; systematic desensitization, flooding, behavior modification, prevention of exposure and response, operant conditioning, observational learning, contingency management, matching law, habit reversal training and covert conditioning (Lindsley, p72). Best fit patients for behavior therapy Behavioral therapy can be used as a tool to treat various problems like mental illnesses and their symptoms especially those that have maladaptive behavior.These conditions include phobias, eating disorders, anger management, aggressive behavior and substance use. Organic disorders like insomnia and incontinence could also be handled using the behavioral techniques (Skinner, p 205). This technique works very well in the treatment process of obesity. This process starts with the analysis of the activity and eating patterns in addition to other habits like dieting methods. After all this information is collected , the therapist uses it to come up with positive methods that can be used to promote weight loss, a positive self image and get healthier eating practices.The therapist does an analysis to the behavioral cause of stress in a patient. An appropriate method of treatment is then established. Cognitive therapy This therapy focuses in altering the bad behavior through changing the patterns of thinking behind them. It involves the emotions and the thoughts of the individual and the way they can be changed so that this person starts behaving more appropriately. This therapy can be used to correct many disorders like schizophrenia, autism, shyness, neurosis, stress disorders, attention deficit disorders, social phobias, mental disorders and addictions (McCullough, Para 24).It involves helping patients to triumph over difficult situations and modifying dysfunctional emotional, behavior and thinking responses. Treatment is all about bringing together the beliefs of the client and those of the therapist and testing them. It may also include testing the kind of assumptions an individual makes in life and also identifying the extent of distortion of thoughts that renders them unhelpful and unrealistic (Kohlenberg, p 234). Once the therapist challenges the way an individual thinks about something, that person is likely to change the way of thinking.Initially, this therapy was used to treat people suffering from depression. Beck came up with a list which contained ‘errors’ in thinking. He suggested that the errors maintained depression. They included selective abstraction, minimizing positives and magnifying negatives, over generalization and arbitrary inference (Kohlenberg, p 234). Historical development of cognitive therapy The theory of cognitive therapy came to be more than 50 years ago and it suggested that thoughts act as a go-between to stimuli like emotions and external events.A stimulus brings out a thought which can be a weighed up judgement of a kind and this further leads to a certain emotion. People’s evaluation of thought about a certain stimulus is what results to an emotional response and not necessarily the stimulus itself. Beck also came up with the etiological theory of depression under cognitive therapy. The theory indicated that people think negatively because their thinking is inclined to negative interpretations. People suffering from depression acquire negative schemas which are important ways through which information about the future; the world and the self are processed.These schemas are adopted early in life maybe during childhood or puberty as a result of going through stressful events in life. When such people come across situations that are similar to the ones in which the negative schemata was established, it becomes activated in the current situation (Kohlenberg, p 235). Beck also explained about the negative cognitive triad which constitutes negative biases and negative schemata. He proposed that pe ople who are depressed are very likely to make unconstructive evaluations of their future, world and selves.Depressed people are impossibility thinkers according to Beck. The cognitive triad indicates that a negative schema results to cognitive bias which fuels negative schema (Kohlenberg, p 237). Researchers suggested that depression could occur as a result of responding to perceived or imaginary loss. It could also be caused by self critical characteristics of the ego. Many psychologists wrote about cognitive features of depression trying to identify the cognitive components that caused depression. They also tried to develop many cognitive intercessions that could be used to treat depression.Since then, there have been many successful cases of patients suffering from depression getting well through cognitive therapy. His theory was opposed by behaviorists who claimed that mental causes of problem was unmeaningful and non scientific. With time, it was merged with the behavioral the rapy so as to deal with the problems that it could not have dealt with on its own (Kohlenberg, p 240). Strategies under cognitive therapy Cognitive therapy uses two strategies i. e. emotional focused and problem focused strategies.The problem focused strategy aim at directing the client in the process of identifying the problem. The therapist then helps the client to identify the responses that are utilized in the process of reducing distress in a situation. They are also evaluated to check how effective they are. The therapist and the client then develop and examine alternative responses to see how beneficial they can be to a client. When faced with a stressful situation, the client feels empowered to make mindful alternatives and chose among them the best way in which to respond.This gives the patient a kind of control over situations as they try different methods of getting out of distressful situations (McCullough, Para 32). Emotional focused strategies also aim to get the same outcomes as the other strategy. This perspective aims to alter the perception of the client on the distressing event. It therefore helps in changing the level of perceived suffering. The client is helped to redefine the problem which aids in the transformation of a disaster into a challenge or even an opportunity.The process of restructuring the event can be achieved through various ways like selective attention, distancing, minimization, and looking for constructive value from any given bad situation. When all these happen, the patients get the feeling that he is in control of the situation and this contributes to reduce the levels of stress (Kohlenberg, p 245). Best fit patients for cognitive therapy Since this technique was discovered, the most common condition that it has treated is depression.Patients who have depression are allowed to undergo self evaluation to check whether they act, say and do things the way they are supposed to do and how the patient views all these. Skills deficits are also established so that the therapist can know the source of the problem. Life experiences in terms of how satisfied the patient has been by the kind of life that he has lived (McCullough, p 24). The expectations of the patient are also evaluated in order to know how realistic they are. The therapist checks on the kind of self talk that the patient usually has.If it is negative, then it could be a source of depression since the patient seems not to believe in his capabilities and this could lead to negative repercussions like being fired (Kohlenberg, p 254). The process goes on to evaluate the kind of automatic thought that the patient has. In most cases, there is consistency in that a person who usually has positive automatic thought is likely to have them, in most situations and the same case applies to negative automatic thoughts. Irrationality or rationality of ideas is evaluated because irrational ideas could cause depression.Depressed patients tend to generalize in most cases. The therapist works to find out the extent of generalization in his depressed patients. Cognitive distortion is also checked so that the therapist can be in a position to tell the extent of depression. Optimism versus pessimism is evaluated given different situations. All these are ways through which therapists can know the causes of depression and get ways of tackling it (McCullough, p 25). Comparison and contrast between behavioral and cognitive therapyBehavioral therapy focuses on how one can change from bad behavior through strategies like reinforcement. On the other hand, cognitive therapy focuses on how there can be a change of behavior due to a change in how a person thinks about a certain situation. While cognitive therapies deal with emotions and thoughts that direct a person towards behaving in a particular way, behavioral therapy on the pother hand focuses on how to change and eliminate the bad behavior (Kohlenberg, p 263). While behavioral therapy deals w ith observation of behavior, cognitive therapy deals with the cognitive elements.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Performance Indicator Ball Market

Performance Indicator Ball Market Free Online Research Papers The widespread adoption of the technology would change several aspects of the new ball market. Analyzing form the Value Creation point of view, we can anticipate the following changes. Consumer benefit (B) will increase, by a limited amount, as the consumer will now be able to identify the degradation level of each ball. They will not have to rely on visual assessment of the ball which was highly unreliable. They will also be protected from degraded balls that are sold in the used balls market. However, it is debatable if the consumer base will be able to recognize this newly created value that adds quality to their game, since the perception is that the ball quality can be judged visually. In essence, there is value creation but the customers may take time to recognize it. The cost of producing one unit(C) would increase slightly, though not by a very large amount. There would also be a surge in the demand for new balls because of the reduction in the supply of used balls. This is an impactful change as it modifies the market structure and changes the demand curve. First let us look at what happens in the used ball industry. Here, the value proposition of final product goes up significantly. Before the introduction of PI technology if you bought a dozen used balls, you would probably end up with a mix of degraded, partially degraded and good quality balls. Now, if degraded balls start turning grey then you are in fact sure that the balls you are buying are not degraded. There is a significant customer value addition to the industry product, or a spike in B. But there is a reduction of the supply of used balls as fewer balls are now to be found on the courses. This simply reduces the size of this used ball industry by almost half. Also, the cost of each old ball found of the course will go up due to the reduction in supply. Thus C increases. Als o, this combination of added consumer surplus and less supply would make the demand curve steeper and more inelastic. The only logical choice for maintaining revenues for used ball manufacturers would be to increase price (P) to capitalize on the new value proposition and increase margins to make up for lost volume (Q). Coming back to the new ball market, there would be fewer substitutes in the market, and these would be more expensive and more reliable than before. Also, the overall size of the new ball industry would increase. The demand curve would slope steeper decreasing price elasticity, and shift outwards to reflect a total volume increase and increased consumer surplus. Thus the new ball manufacturers would be able to increase prices (P) without decreasing their volumes (Q) (perhaps even increasing their volumes at the same time). They will be able to thus CAPTURE a. the value created by the new technology and b. the new demand created by reducing the value of competing product(used balls) The overall volumes of the firms and the profit per unit both are likely to go up after widespread adoption. Research Papers on Performance Indicator Ball MarketThe Hockey GameDefinition of Export QuotasBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfOpen Architechture a white paperMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductTwilight of the UAWGenetic EngineeringHip-Hop is ArtIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalThe Project Managment Office System

Monday, October 21, 2019

The 14 Best Low-Carb Fruits to Help You Lose Weight

The 14 Best Low-Carb Fruits to Help You Lose Weight SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips While fruit has a reputation for being a healthy food group, many types of fruit are actually high in carbs. If you're on a low-carb diet, you may be wondering how you can eat fruit and also stick to your diet. Do you need to give up fruit completely? Absolutely not! You just need to know which fruits are low-carb. In this guide we explain what low-carb really means and what the benefits of low-carb fruits are. We then go over the 14 best low-carb fruits to eat, as well as four types of fruit you should avoid if you're on a low carb diet. What Are the Benefits of Low-Carb Fruits? What's so great about low-carb fruits? Low-carb diets have become very popular in recent decades as a way for people to lose weight. Carbohydrates not immediately used by the body are converted to fat, and eating lots of carbs can cause a spike in blood sugar which can cause cravings for more carb-rich foods. Because of this, many people try to limit the number of carbs they consume, and numerous low-carb diets, such as the Atkins and Paleo diet, have sprung up, emphasizing foods high in fat and protein over carb-rich foods. Carbohydrates do have benefits though. They are the brain’s main fuel source and are necessary for your body to run properly. Therefore, your goal should never be to cut out carbs completely from your diet, but instead to consume a healthy amount. While foods like pasta, potatoes, beer, and soft drinks are the usual suspects when looking for carb-rich foods, many fruits also have a significant amount of carbohydrates. So even if you’re used to thinking of fruit as a completely healthy food group, some types of fruit can derail your low-carb diet. Therefore, it’s important to know which fruits are low-carb. Fruits provide many important vitamins and nutrients that the body needs to function properly, so you don’t want to eliminate them from your diet, even if you’re trying to be low-carb. The solution is to learn which fruits are low-carb and eat more of those. Fruits low in carbs provide nutritional benefits while still allowing people to stick to their low-carb diets. What Does â€Å"Low-Carb† Actually Mean? Before we dive what fruits are low-carb, let’s first discuss what â€Å"low-carb† means. If you’re not sure what the definition of low-carb is, you’re not alone. There is no set definition for â€Å"low-carb† and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not set any regulations as to what low-carb means. Since there is no official definition for â€Å"low-carb,† any food can be labelled as low-carb. Usually low-carb foods have been altered in such a way as to reduce the amount of carbs they would normally have (such as low-carb beer), or they naturally have fewer carbs than many other foods. In this guide, we define a low-carb fruit as any fruit that has 15g or less of carbs per serving. This is a low enough amount of carbs that you can likely still eat these fruits and keep to your diet, but it also gives you a decent variety of fruits to choose from. The 14 Best Low-Carb Fruits So, what fruits are low in carbs? We’ve done the hard work for you, and below is a list of the 14 best low-carb fruits. If you’re trying to stick to a low-carb diet, these are all great choices for you. The fruits are ordered from lowest amount of carbs per serving to highest. For each fruit on this low-carb fruits list, we’ve included the serving size, how many carbs it contains, how much sugar it contains, and any important health benefits the fruit may provide. All the nutritional info comes from the USDA’s National Nutritional Database. When reading this list, pay close attention to the serving size of each fruit. They aren’t all the same, and not paying attention to serving size can seriously derail your diet. #1: Starfruit Serving Size: 1 medium starfruit (about 90g) Carbs: 6g Sugar: 4g Health Benefits: In addition to having one of the lowest amounts of carbs for any fruit, starfruit is also a good source of fiber and vitamin C. #2: Tomatoes Serving Size: 1 regular-sized tomato (about 180g) Carbs: 7g Sugar: 5g Health Benefits: Tomatoes are very high in lycopene, an important antioxidant. Eating tomatoes regularly may also reduce the risk of prostate cancer and pancreatic cancer. #3: Avocados Serving Size:  ½ an avocado (about 100g) Carbs: 8g Sugar: 0.5g Health Benefits: Yes, avocados are indeed a fruit, and they’re high in Vitamins K, C, E, and several B vitamins. Avocados are also high in folate and potassium, as well as healthy fats. They’re also very low in sugar compared to other fruits. #4: Plums Serving Size: 1 plum, about 70g Carbs: 8g Sugar: 7g Health Benefits: Plums are high in antioxidants and Vitamin C, and they may increase iron absorption in the body. #5: Clementines Serving Size: 1 clementine (about 75g) Carbs: 9g Sugar: 7g Health Benefits: Clementines are high in Vitamin C as well as calcium and potassium. #6: Coconut Meat (Raw) Serving Size: 1 cup shredded (about 80g) Carbs: 12g Sugar: 5g Health Benefits: Raw coconut meat is a good source of healthy fats and fiber. It’s important to eat raw coconut meat though. Dried coconut has more than double the carbs per serving as raw coconut. #7: Strawberries Serving Size: 1 cup (about 150 grams) Carbs: 12g Sugar: 7g Health Benefits: Like other berries, strawberries are high in antioxidants as well as vitamins A, C, and E. Strawberries also have high levels of anthocyanins, a group of flavonoids that can reduce the risk of heart attacks. #8: Watermelon Serving Size: 1 cup, diced (about 150g) Carbs: 12g Sugar: 10g Health Benefits: As their name suggests, watermelons are mostly made of water, but this high water content will help you feel full faster. Watermelon also contains Vitamins A, B6, and C, as well as the antioxidant lycopene. The more red the watermelon you’re eating is, the more lycopene it contains. #9: Cherries Serving Size: 10 cherries (about 80g) Carbs: 13g Sugar: 10g Health Benefits: Cherries are high in antioxidants and can reduce inflammation in the body. #10: Peaches Serving Size: 1 small peach (about 130g) Carbs: 13g Sugar: 11g Health Benefits: Peaches are high in a number of minerals, including calcium, potassium, and magnesium. #11: Cantaloupe Serving Size: 1 cup, diced (about 150g) Carbs: 13g Sugar: 12g Health Benefits: This fruit is high in potassium, and it’s a good source of B vitamins. #12: Blackberries Serving Size: 1 cup (about 120 grams) Carbs: 14g Sugar: 7g Health Benefits: Blackberries have one of the highest antioxidant concentrations of any fruit. They are also high in Vitamin C, as well as tannins, which can help with digestion issues. #13: Honeydew Serving Size: 1 cup, diced (about 170g) Carbs: 14g Sugar: 14g Health Benefits: Honeydew is a good source of potassium, and its high water content means that you feel full faster. #14: Raspberries Serving Size: 1 cup (about 120 grams) Carbs: 15g Sugar: 6g Health Benefits: Raspberries are high in fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins A, C, and E. 4 Fruits to Avoid If You’re Low-Carb In this section are the four fruits that have high amounts of carbohydrates and sugar. You don’t need to completely avoid them, but you should definitely limit the amount you consume if you’re trying to stick to a low-carb diet. #1: Bananas Serving Size: 1 medium banana (about 120g) Carbs: 27g Sugar: 15g #2: Mangos Serving Size: 1 cup, diced (about 160g) Carbs: 25g Sugar: 23g #3: Pineapple Serving Size: 1 cup, diced (about 160g) Carbs: 22g Sugar: 16g #4: All Dried Fruit There’s a reason all the low-carb fruits in the list above are fresh/raw. When fruit is dried, the amount of carbs and sugar it contains per serving drastically increases. For example, while a cup of fresh strawberries only contains 12g of carbs and 7g of sugar, one cup of dried strawberries contains, on average, 96g of carbs and 82g of sugar! In addition, many dried fruits have sugar added to them, which makes them even more unhealthy. Definitely keep away from dried fruit if you’re on a low-carb diet. How Much Fruit Can You Eat on a Low Carb Diet? Does being on a low-carb diet mean you need to cut out fruit completely? No! As you can see from the list above, fruits provide many important nutritional benefits, and eliminating them from your diet completely can do more harm than good. The USDA recommends about two cups of fruit per day in order to maintain a healthy diet. Depending on how many carbs your diet recommends, you may be able to meet this goal, especially if you choose low-carb fruits. For example, a plum and a cup of strawberries together only contain 20g of carbs, but they provide many nutritional benefits. How much fruit you can eat depends on the diet you’re following and how many carbs you’re getting from other food groups, but you should still aim to regularly eat different fruits. Recap: Low-Carb Fruits Even though fruit is typically thought of as a â€Å"healthy† food group, certain fruits can be very high in carbohydrates, which can make it difficult if you’re following a low-carb diet. Low-carb fruits give the nutritional benefits of fruits without a lot of carbs. Our low-carb fruits list helps you pick out what fruits are low in carbs. This list includes several types of berries, melons, and other fruits. You should avoid high-carb fruits like bananas, dried fruit, and certain types of tropical fruit. Even if you’re on a low-carb diet, it’s still possible to eat fruit if you make healthy and smart choices about the type of fruit you eat and eat mostly fruits low in carbs.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Why You Need Social Proof

Why You Need Social Proof It happened seven years ago, but Ive not forgotten the story. Famous violinist plays at public location on Stradivarius violin, barely anyone notices. A Stradivarius Violin. You think people would notice who was playing it. That wasnt the exact headline, but it could have been. The world-renowned violinist in question was Joshua Bell, and the location was the LEnfant Plaza Metro Station in Washington D.C. Bell stood, with his violin case open, and played some of the most difficult violin pieces without much reaction from anyone. As I read the 2007 article in The Washington Post about their experiment on whether people would react to Bell (whose concerts are far from free), I was frustrated. What is wrong with people? I thought. Why wouldnt people stop and listen? This isnt the first time where people have not noticed when something important was happening right in front of them. Most recently, graffiti artist Banksy set up a booth in New Yorks Central Park and sold paintings that would normally go for $31,000 for just $60. An unknown elderly man was in the booth to sell the paintings, and only three people ended up buying them. How do people miss out on recognizing a great musician or high-priced art like this?  It has to do with social proof, and context. What Is Social Proof? A few months ago, a reader had pointed out that there werent a lot of comments on our blog. You need them for social proof! he said. While I enjoy seeing comments on our blog posts, it hadnt occurred to me there was a reason to want them beyond enjoying discussion. Was he right? Was a lack of comments a bigger problem? In Robert Cialdinis article Six Principles Of Influence  (PDF), which covers techniques and qualities that people can use to convince other people to act in a certain way, social proof is number three on the list. Social proof is, quite simply, where you and I replicate the actions of those around us in the current situation, because we assume that is the correct behavior. 1. Social Proof Is A Shortcut If most people are doing something, we can rest assured that if we do the same we wont: Look stupid and stand out. Commit an unforgivable faux pas. Have to think if we should or shouldnt; the rest of the group did that thinking for us. Relying on social proof is easy in a day full of decisions to make. Are the rest of my co-workers staying late? Then I will. Did they leave early? Then I can, too. Social proof is a shortcut in the thought process. We dont have to think. The others already did (we assume). 2. Social Proof Is An Endorsement If I see a restaurant with many diners in it, I assume its a pretty good place to eat. If there is no one inside, then surely there must be something wrong with the place. I assume that other people know something that I dont know, and so I take their opinion on the restaurant–and how they vote with their feet–as the basis for my decision. When many people take part in something, it tells me that I ought to, too. I dont want to be left out (a huge fear for most people) and despite what my mother told me growing up (just because everyone is doing it doesnt mean you have to!), we are inclined to do what everyone else is doing. Social proof tells us what we out to do, because other people are doing so with apparent success and enjoyment. Social proof is using the crowd to convince others to join in.3. Social Proof Tells Me Right And Wrong Cialdini also talks about social proof in his book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, and he  suggests that [o]ne means we use to determine what is correct is to find out what other people think is correctWe view a behavior as more correct in a given situation to the degree that we see others performing it (116). Remember, one of the reasons people share content on social media is to ask for help in understanding how they should feel about it. We take cues on how to think about something by observing how others think about it. Social proof is similar; what others do tells me whether something is right or wrong. Social proof lets us off the hook when it comes to what seems right and wrong. We go along with the crowd, who has decided that for us. From the 1963 film Lord of the Flies. Criterion Collection. Allowing social proof to determine right and wrong is not necessarily a good thing. Consider examples of crowds or businesses (or children,   la Lord of the Flies) going off the rails and down the path of terrible ethics and actions. At the conclusion, we wonder how they could have veered so far off the path when all along they were using social proof as their guideline for what was acceptable. When the group around you has lower standards for what is right and wrong, it wont be long before you will, too. 4. Social Proof Works Best With Peers Its not necessarily any old crowd that can get us to do something. Sure, well take a strangers word for it when it comes to online reviews or whether or not theyre eating at a restaurant, but even then we put much more weight on the word of our peers. If five people ate at a restaurant? Interesting. If five friends did? Im sold. We listen to people on the same level as ourselves. Influence is often best exerted horizontally rather than vertically. – Robert B. Cialdini According to Cialdini, science supports what most sales professionals already know: Testimonials from satisfied customers work best when the satisfied customer and the prospective customer share similar circumstances. Well follow along with the crowd best if it is our crowd. The Herd Mentality Of Social Proof Painting of a buffalo jump by Alfred Jacob Miller, from Wikipedia. Social proof, as a reality of how groups of people act, is a bit disturbing. Near the farm where I grew up in northeast North Dakota, an elderly man collected rocks and other interesting finds hed come across on his land. I went to interview him for the newspaper that I was working for at the time, and spent several hours looking and listening to a fascinating history as seen through the eyes of geology. The best rock he saved for last. It was huge, and was outside in his flowerbed. Its surface was rough, except for one side which was polished smooth and shone in the sun. I found this near the buffalo jump, he said, gesturing to the rock as we stood in front of it. Theres a small one nearby. A buffalo jump? I asked. I wasnt sure what he meant. The Native Americans would drive a herd of buffalo over a cliff or into a ravine, he explained. The buffalo would tumble over the edge and be rendered immobile. They could then kill them easily. It was much more efficient. He described the buffalo jump hed found on his property, a ravine littered with bones that would frequently surface at spring thaw or with even mildly ambitious prodding around. He pointed to the rock, with its strangely smooth side. There were several of these rocks, lined up to the edge like the lines on the highway. These rocks helped them guide the buffalo to the correct area, and they were worn smooth from the animals rubbing against them. What does a buffalo jump have to do with social proof? We are the same as the buffalo, in a sense. We make decisions based on assumptions from the social cues around us rather than thinking. Im sure you believe you are above having a herd mentality, and that you make decisions based on careful thought, but the truth is that most of us dont. More often than not were functioning on default, i.e. not consciously deciding. We are letting other factors tell us how to decide, rather than thinking things through. The buffalo herd ran right off a cliff. Individually, they might not have, but as a large group in which all of the rest of the animals were doing it, they did, too.  In other words, we follow crowds, and to the extremes. Why didnt people notice the violinist, or realize the art on the street was worth so much? Because no one else did. The musician and the art werent in the proper context (concert hall, gallery). No one made the connection. Even those who did think something worthwhile was happening convinced themselves they were wrong because  no one else  was reacting. Its the bizarre  bystander effect, where the more people there are around, the less likely youll get help if you need it. Everyone can see theres something happening, but no one takes action until someone takes action which is a catch 22. How Do I Use Social Proof? As a content marketer, you need to know how to use your content to get people to act in a particular way. You need to find a way to tap into something that prompts them to listen to you, and using social proof is a way to do that without extensive work and effort. If you can get a few, you can get many, many more. You dont have to individually target all 100 people in a group. Just get 20, and the other 80 will follow. According to writer Aileen Lee, there are five kinds of social proof: Expert: Approval from credible experts. Celebrity: Approval from people we admire. User: Approval from people like me, doing what Im doing. Crowds: All of those people cant be wrong! Friends: Approval from those I trust. Each of these five types fits into the idea of how we listen to our peers. 1. Find The Right Spokesperson If you are trying to convince a group of teenagers that they shouldnt skateboard on your propertys concrete barriers, good luck. They probably wont listen. Youd be better off finding another teenage skateboarder that they respect to do the convincing. We listen to those we perceive as being on our same level. What is the audience you are trying to reach? Who is it made of? For , our audience includes people who use WordPress blogs, are serious about content marketing, and make heavy use of social media (or people who want to be like that). Finding regular people who are doing exactly that are more convincing as a spokesperson than all the slickest PR we might possibly generate, or having Huge Gigantic Corporation say I use . Its why we retweet comments on Twitter from users who are excited about , or why we share testimonials with photos and links.  Were showing our audience that others, just like you, use and love . Find a spokesperson who has the same experiences and speaks the same language as your audience. 2. Capitalize On The Identity Your Audience Wants I am certainly not close friends with celebrities, but I might  identify  with them or something they represent. There is no other reason for me to listen to a famous person who is otherwise wholly removed from my life, other than I am attributing a quality or identity to them that I want, also.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Proposal for a Health Education Programme Essay

Proposal for a Health Education Programme - Essay Example Moreover, the primary health care related knowledge has also been playing a significant role for maintaining good and proper health for small children. Contextually, learning regarding baby health care educations is also a significant factor that needs to be evaluated in this context (Nutbeam, 2006). In this regard, the health literacy is recognised to be a new concept for the people belonging from the modern era. It can be stated that education related to the baby health care is recognised to be important social determinant, which can work a crises management for maintaining infant healthier. It will be worth mentioning that the education in baby health care will be helpful towards ensuring a better health of new born babies as well as small babies. Moreover, baby health care related education is deemed to be useful in facilitating better skilled person for proving support during the any emergency to its family members. It will be worth mentioning that people should attend any heath care programmes for developing their knowledge related to baby health care facilities (Higgins & et. al., 2008). The principle objective of the proposed study is to prepare children health care programme plan especially for the parents, which will provide a systematic overview related to baby health care education. The proposed study primarily focuses upon organising the health education programmes especially for young parents and their children. In this regard, the study will also depict concern regarding the preparation of children health care programmes, which includes various sessions that can promote medical knowledge of young parents. Health education refers to a particular program that is deemed to be mainly responsible for promoting healthy living standard of people. The paper is concentrated over providing baby health care educational programmes to the parents of new born babies. The proposed study include certain objectives which are provided in

Friday, October 18, 2019

Frequency Distribution Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Frequency Distribution - Assignment Example A project needs to be measureable and therefore frequency distribution helps in assessing the frequency distribution. In the process of measuring the work output of different people we could make use of mean and correlation to get the right figures (Meredith,  2011). Frequency distributions allows for measuring of specific results for different people within a project. We could use of means and correlation analysis for the purposes of analysing the output of different employees in a company. Many projects are planned with timetables in the analysis of frequency distributions. As a result, frequency distribution allows for the analysis of time taken by different employees in undertaking their jobs even in cases of people undertaking the same job (Meredith,  2011). Project management involves undertaking various jobs and duties in the process of accomplishing certain tasks that are relevant and therefore, we could make use of frequency distributions. Graphs and tables show disparity to detail on different measures undertaken by different employees

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 16

Case Study Example Also there is a huge risk when company is putting its brand image in the hands of a few. The negative actions of the athletes can have a negative impact on the company. 1.2 If I were Adidas, I would compete with Nike by differentiating Adidas Brand from that of Nike. My marketing strategy would be to stress on producing great shoes on an international scale not just for sportsmen but for everyone and everyday use. I would create a point of difference between Nike and Adidas, and cater to a larger audience. 2.1 Building a brand in a business-to-business context is very different from doing so in the consumer market. The markets of the two are very different. B2C is product driven and a brand is built / created through imagery and repetition. The buying decision in B2C is emotional influenced and depends on factors such as price, desire and status. On the other hand, B2B market is relationship driven and the target market is focused and small. Brand is built through personal relationship. The business decision is a rational one and based on the value that the product creates for the company. Hence, building brands in the two are very different. 2.2 Yes, Cisco’s plan to reach out to consumers is a viable one as it is using integrated techniques to reach its customers. It is using a number of marketing activities to communicate and create value. Also, Cisco efforts are focused on connecting and associating with its consumer base. Cisco is attempting not only to promote itself but also the whole sector and in doing so is creating a niche for itself. 4.1 Customer service is an attitude. It’s not just doing things but building an attitude that keeps the customer happy. Nordstorm has developed attitude to a great extent and has been very successful. It can continue to provide exceptional customer service by making the customer feel important. Until now Nordstorm’s strategy has been a

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Use an example of your choice to discuss how corporate restructuring Essay - 2

Use an example of your choice to discuss how corporate restructuring transformed market, productive and financial performance - Essay Example An organization may face challenges such as funds and shrinking market share. These influences may force its management team to institute a change of ownership, in order to overcome issues like bankruptcy or buyouts (Gilson, 2010). Restructuring in organizations make organizations efficient and better organised. Such organizations have a better financial plan and revised strategic plans (Riany et. al., 2012). Industrial players to enhance better shareholder wealth, and improve the performance and welfare of employees have adapted such initiatives. Apple Inc is a multinational corporation, which develops designs and sells personal computers, software and other electronic devices. The company famous for its Mac chain of computers, which includes iphone Smart phones and ipad tablets. The company under the leadership of Steve Jobs has undergone several transformations. Some of these transformations involve a change in products to marketing campaigns. There are several reasons for companies to institute restructuring strategies. Organizations have to change regularly their contractual relationship with shareholders, employees and other stakeholders. These factors make it necessary for such organization to have a constant change in their restructuring strategy (Gareth and Charles, 2010). These industrial players have a stake in organizations legal, financial, operational and ownership. Therefore, organizations have to restructure their strategies to meet their demands. Such strategies of restructuring include organizational, portfolio and financial restructuring (Samaras, 2004). However, one needs to understand that restructuring is an ongoing process for organizations. Corporate restructuring assists organizations improve on their performance, operation or profitability. For Apple Inc, restructuring became evident with competition and growing cost of production. In the year 1990s, the company’s market

Airport Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Airport - Article Example The website shows the importance of a realistic airport design for purposes of safety, emergency and coordination of operations. The website insists on the importance of development as a measure of stability and growth (Federal Aviation Administration, 2009). The development of any small airport lies greatly on how it aligns its operations. This is with due respect to the overall management of finances through efficient public relations. The relations result in the trickling in of clients who have become regular’s as a result of the reliable service. It is clear that there is need to carefully foresee current and future problems in all airports. This is one sure way of ensuring that the operations run as smoothly as they are expected. The reality of how finances are applied in the airport is also defined as a crucial point. This is because if current finances are put to maximum use, then airport operations are enhanced. The website highlights the need to form a budget, and how to channel all the existing revenues to internal and external projects (Federal Aviation Administration, 2009). As a result of the nature of airport operations, the website also goes ahead to educate on aspects that should come into play when dealing with liabilities and insurance. In conclusion, the website greatly advocates for the need to ensure that airport designs, operations, developments and finances are in order for any airport which has a clearly set objective. Federal Aviation Administration (2009). Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP 16): Guidebook for managing small airports. Washington: Trb.org. Retrieved from

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Use an example of your choice to discuss how corporate restructuring Essay - 2

Use an example of your choice to discuss how corporate restructuring transformed market, productive and financial performance - Essay Example An organization may face challenges such as funds and shrinking market share. These influences may force its management team to institute a change of ownership, in order to overcome issues like bankruptcy or buyouts (Gilson, 2010). Restructuring in organizations make organizations efficient and better organised. Such organizations have a better financial plan and revised strategic plans (Riany et. al., 2012). Industrial players to enhance better shareholder wealth, and improve the performance and welfare of employees have adapted such initiatives. Apple Inc is a multinational corporation, which develops designs and sells personal computers, software and other electronic devices. The company famous for its Mac chain of computers, which includes iphone Smart phones and ipad tablets. The company under the leadership of Steve Jobs has undergone several transformations. Some of these transformations involve a change in products to marketing campaigns. There are several reasons for companies to institute restructuring strategies. Organizations have to change regularly their contractual relationship with shareholders, employees and other stakeholders. These factors make it necessary for such organization to have a constant change in their restructuring strategy (Gareth and Charles, 2010). These industrial players have a stake in organizations legal, financial, operational and ownership. Therefore, organizations have to restructure their strategies to meet their demands. Such strategies of restructuring include organizational, portfolio and financial restructuring (Samaras, 2004). However, one needs to understand that restructuring is an ongoing process for organizations. Corporate restructuring assists organizations improve on their performance, operation or profitability. For Apple Inc, restructuring became evident with competition and growing cost of production. In the year 1990s, the company’s market

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

The Clean Air Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Clean Air Act - Essay Example The researcher states that since the World War II, the US economy has continued to grow. This growth can be attributed to increased manufacturing. The large number of industries in the US was a source of pollutants that continued to degrade the environment. Thus, the need to regulate the amount off pollutants that industries could discharge into the air arose. Efforts that culminated in the modern Clean Air Act (CAA) can be traced to the 1950s. The Air Pollution Control Act of 1955 was signed into law by President Eisenhower. The initial version of the law authorized the United States Surgeon General to provide assistance to the states on how to implement controls. The â€Å"killer smog† in London and New York in the 1960’s created concern about increased air pollution. The Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) was empowered by the 1963 CAA to act on interstate air pollution. According to Jonathan & Joseph, this act established a national authority that woul d intervene in air pollution which posed a danger to the health of any person. Four years later, President Johnson signed the Air Quality Act of 1967 which was an amendment of the 1963 Act. The 1967 Air Quality Act authorized HEW to set national air quality standards. The Act required states to set ambient air quality standards. These standards were expected to be in line with the criteria set by HEW. Roy notes that the Air Quality Act of 1967 had a shortcoming in that it did not establish enforcement procedures. The Clean Air Act was enacted in 1970. It brought about a shift in the strategy of tackling pollution. The amendments empowered the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). These standards are meant to protect the public by setting the levels of air quality that must be maintained. The 1970 Amendments created New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) program. NSPS authorized EPA to set standards that wo uld determine technology requirements for new or modified sources of air pollution. The amendments also brought about the regulation of air pollutants and air toxics. These amendments were controversial and brought about challenges to EPA in the implementation of the NAAQs (Jonathan & Joseph 12-14). Little success in achieving the goals of the 1970 Amendments prompted the 1977 amendments to the Clean Air Act. At the time, only few areas of the country had made progress in meeting the applicable NAAQS. Consequently, the amendments extended the time required for compliance. New pollution control criteria were set for areas that could not attain the standards set by the 1970 Amendments. These amendments aimed at defining the standards that industrial technologies would meet in order to control pollution (Roy, 1970). In 1990, Congress revised the Clean Air Act (The 1990 Amendments). These amendments knocked off some elements of the previous act and added new programs. The act strengthen ed the ability of EPA to enforce standards. It required that the air pollution control obligations of an individual pollution source be entrenched in a single permit that expired after five years. The states were allocated a three year period to develop permit programs. These permit programs had to be compliant with EPA standards. In summary, The 1990 Amendments set standards that would see a decrease in Ozone depletion, air toxics and motor vehicle pollution among other areas (Jolish 306). Industry Response to the Clean Air Act The 1990 Amendments forced corporations to create necessary budgetary allocations that would cater for equipment, research and product development. Companies started integrating environmental

Monday, October 14, 2019

Lenins Power Essay Essay Example for Free

Lenins Power Essay Essay Lenin was able to consolidate his power because of the weakness of his opponents. Find evidence to support or refute this statement. Chloe Tomlinson There were many different equally important reasons why Lenin and the Bolsheviks were able to hold on to their power. For Lenin, and the Bolsheviks, winning political power was relatively easy, compared with retaining it. They had many different objects to overcome, such as; Russia was in chaos, politically and economically, and normal government had broken down in large areas, yet despite all these problems Lenin was able to consolidate his power – and create the world’s first communist state. There are four main topics in which Lenin was able hold on to his power; Trotsky’s organisation of the Red Army, the disunity of white oppression, war communism and the leadership qualities of Lenin. The first topic to discuss is Trotsky’s organisation of the Red Army. The Red Army refers to the traditional colour of the communist movement. The conception was that it should be â€Å"formed from the class-conscious and best elements of the working classes.† All citizens of the Russian republic over the age of 18 were eligible. It introduced new methods and orders, one of the foremost order he issued was, â€Å"I give warning†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Trotsky was a superb leader and built it for nothing. Trotsky also had previous experience in relation to armies, he was very courageous, exactly the type of leader that was needed. This formation of the Red Army was very supportive towards Lenin as they were a formidable fighting force, and by 1921 had seen of many threats. For example, the White army, Green armies and various interventionist armies. A second reason in support of this statement is the disunity of white oppression. In June 1918 the Russian civil war broke out. The supporters of the government were called the Reds and their opponents the Whi tes. Japan, Britain, France and the US intervened on the side of the Whites. However the aid was half-hearted and morale among many of the foreign troops were low. The white oppression was seen as a weakness of Lenin’s opponents as the â€Å"whites†, as they were referred to, lacked good leaders, commanders were often cruel, an white generals did not trust each other. Bolshevik forces defeated the different White generals who never fought together and were separated from each other. The main White armies under the Generals Kolchak Denikin, Yudenich, and Wrangel were each in turn crushed. Some of the factors contributing to the Reds victory was due to; the Control of industry,  Bolshevik unity, White disunity. Bolsheviks outnumbered the reds by about three to one and also the fact that most of the industry and railways remained under Bolshevik control A third reason why Lenin was able to consolidate his power was due to War communism. This topic of discussion falls into the category of one of the longer-term effects in Lenin’s chief policies enacted by his aims and ideology. War Communism was an emergency programme establi shed by Lenin during the civil war. It was also a method he used to try and consolidate his power and maintain control of the country. War Communism- helped Lenin achieve his aims of controlling Russia and move towards a more socialist state. The industry was nationalised, grain requisitioning from the peasants to be able to fight the civil war, banning of private trade, labour discipline and the Red Terror. All helped Lenin and the Bolsheviks win the Civil War and so securing their power as well as carry out Bolshevik ideology. As War Communism made Lenin able to win the civil war and secure his power, it was therefore very possible to argue that Lenins rise to power was not complete until after the civil war when he had full control over the country. War Communism was in favour of Lenin being able to consolidate power as the Bolsheviks used terror effectively. There was a six week period known as the Red Terror that saw any remaining aristocracy (most begun to flee the country after February revolution). Monarchists and riches middle class, were arrested, executed, exiled or stripped of their power, estates and pr ivilege. Additionally, in March, the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk signed with the Germans, was the Bolsheviks ending the war. Russia lost the Ukraine, its Polish and Baltic territories, and Finland. The treaty was hugely unpopular in Russia but necessary if the Bolsheviks were to establish control of Russia. Lenin believed that the revolution would soon spread to Germany and this would reduce the effect of the Treaty. A final point that supports the statement of Lenin consolidating his power due to the weakness of his opponents was due to the fact that Lenin had good leadership qualities. An example of this would be that the Bolsheviks were highly disciplined party that was fiercely loyal to Lenin and was also a politically astute man. Lenin was able to adapt Marxism to fit the changing situation, keeping Bolshevik support and popularising the parties polices. Furthermore, another advantage was that radical parties were very popular in Russia before the October Revolution and Lenin was  skilfully able to take some of the policies of his rivals and make them appear to both Marxism and distinctly Lennist. T here is also a refute side to this statement as there is within every discussion. There are two main topics that refute such as my first viewpoint is that the Bolshevik party had no experience of running a country before and they did also not have the support from most of the Russian population. Therefore they were in a weak position and need more support. Lenin could not afford the popular tide of aspirations that had led to the failure of the Tsar as well as the Provisional Government, so he gave the people what they wanted in order to secure support for his reign. For example Lenin gave the Russian people Land reform. This was an aim that gave that gave the peasants the right to take over the estates of the gentry, without compensation to the landlords, and for themselves decide the best way to divide it up. This however, went against Bolshevik ideology and was the start of the kulak problem that Stalin was later to be faced with. Another point in refute to this statement is that Maxim Gorky, a leading Bolshevik party, intellectual, was particularly unhappy with Lenin’s actions. He revealed his despondency of the time, writing â€Å"the best Russians had lived for almost a 100 years with the idea of a Constituent Assembly as a political organ. Extra information on refute to this statement also comes from yet again, War Communism. This included forced seizure of grain, nationalization of all trade and industry and strict control of labour. As a result of this program and of the ravages of the war, industrial and agricultural production declined sharply, and the population suffered severe hardship. It caused a famine that led to the death of an estimated 5 million people. This would have made Lenin and the Bolshevik party massively unpopular as an estimated of 5 million people were dead and holding Lenin responsible as he introduced this emergency programme which resulted severely for everyone.