Essay --

OPERATION JUST CAUSE Introduction On December 20, 1989 the United States military launched a full scale invasion of Panama, code named Operation Just Cause. Operation Just Cause was also known as Operation Blue Spoon but was later changed for political reasons. This invasion occurred during the presidency of George H. W. Bush. The goal of Operation Just Cause was to capture General Manuel Antonio Noriega who was the commander of the Panama Defense Forces (PDF). Noriega was wanted for drug trafficking, money laundering and other illegal activities. At the time, President Bush wanted to put an end to drug trafficking. By capturing Noriega, the amount of drugs coming into the United States from South America would be reduced. â€Å"Just Cause was extraordinarily complex, involving the deployment of thousands of personnel and equipment† from across multiple military instillations and branches. Within the first twenty-four hours, over two dozen objectives were to be been secured.1 These victories would place the U .S. in a position to continue influencing operations for the remainder of the invasion. Planning and preparation helped U.S. forces minimize casualties and excessive collateral damage during the invasion. â€Å"Within seventy-two hours of the outbreak of hostilities, all major combat operations ended† and shifted the role of American forces from that of â€Å"war fighters to that of peacekeepers†. The success of the operation was the result of well thought out objectives, detailed planning, excellent leadership, and dedicated training.2 The operation lasted only a few weeks and concluded on January 31, 1990. History President George Bush defended the invasion with a number of reasons as to why the U.S. military was sent into Panama ... ...an agencies were given little warning about their upcoming role in supporting the post combat mission. With the lack of warning and proper time to prepare, the transition from military to civilian operations became very complex in the time following Operation Just Cause. 17 This led to improvements made in the planning process where several military and civilian governmental organizations now come together to discuss upcoming operations and how the post process will be carried out by all parties. Working together allows for multiple ideas to be brought forth and all strengths and weaknesses can be taken into account. Civilian agencies such as the State Department, Justice Department, and the U.S. Agency for International Development must be given the necessary time to plan for post combat phases so that their assistance is of a great value to the military. 18

Shakespeares As You Like It - The Transformation of Rosalind :: Shakespeare As You Like It Essays

As You Like It: The Transformation of Rosalind Many characters undergo a change in William Shakespeare’s play, As You Like It. Duke Senior goes from being a member of a court to being a member of a forest. Orlando changes from a bitter younger brother to a love-sick young man. But the most obvious transformation undergone, is done by Rosalind. Her change from woman to man, not only alters her mood, candor, and gender, but allows her to be the master of ceremonies. Celia and Rosalind are fairly happy in the court of Celia’s father, Duke Frederick. However, much to her surprise, the Duke banishes Rosalind from his court. Celia, not allowing her beloved cousin to "go it alone", decides to accompany her to where ever she may roam. They decide to search out Rosalind’s father, Duke Senior, in the forest of Arden. Before they depart, Rosalind decides that for both her and Celia’s safety, she will dress herself as a man, saying, "Were it not better, Because that I am more than common tall, That I did suit me all points like a man? A gallant curtal ax upon my thigh, A boar spear in my hand, and- in my hear Lie there what hidden woman’s fear there will- We’ll have a swashing and a martial outside, As many other mannish cowards have That do outface it with their semblances. (1:3 ll. 112-120) At first glance, this transformation is a mere change of clothes and the addition of weapons, but it goes much deeper. To Rosalind, the taking on of a man’s appearance requires certain things. She believes that while dressed as a man, she cannot bring shame to the image of a man. A good example of this is in Act 2, Scene 4, where she says, "I could find in my heart to disgrace my man’s/ apparel and to cry like a woman; but I must comfort/ the weaker

Brief Therapy

Personally, this â€Å"solution-based or solution-focused brief therapy† is appealing to me simply because it is brief (The.. , 2003). See I have the tendency to become impatient in anything that calls for counseling (The.. , 2003). Since brief therapy has the power to address my dilemma in less than five counseling sessions, I am very grateful for it (The.. , 2003).I also appreciate greatly the fact that â€Å"instead of solving problems, it builds solutions† which makes the change that occurred to be consistent and most likely to last (The..  , 2003).Brief therapy also addresses a wide range of dilemmas including the following: 1) anxiety; 2) depression; 3) mental health-related problems; 4) oppression experiences; 5) pain; 6) problems in sleeping; 7) work-related dilemmas; 8) relationship problems (including differences with children, with spouse, and with close friends); 9) stress; 10) substance abuse (including drugs and alcohol); 11) etc (The.. , 2003).What make s it more remarkable is that it may also be experienced by the economically challenged individuals who cannot afford the traditional and expensive counseling (The.. , 2003). It is good that there is a psychological therapy or counseling that may be offered free to those who do not have the capacity to pay but needed to solve a certain dilemma through â€Å"brief therapy† (The.. , 2003). Personal Experience I tried ‘brief therapy’ when I had terrible problems with my relationship with my partner.Here, I was taught to communicate better or effectively, I was inspired to trust and to establish a gratifying relationship (The.. , 2003). In addition to that, I was taught to address, manage, and settle conflict (The.. , 2003). My specific problem has been addressed in just a few counseling sessions and that particular dilemma never became a problem again (The.. , 2003). Reference The Brief Therapy Practice. (2003). Solution Focused Brief Therapy. Retrieved October 6, 20 07 from http://www. brieftherapy. org. uk/

Dante’s Allegory of Love in the Divine Comedy

The Meaning of Love through the works of Dante Lighter Devon Strand-Brown â€Å"O all ye whose intellects are sound, Look now and see the meaning that is hidden Beneath the veil that covers my strange verses:† (Inferno 9:61) Dante Lighter is indisputably the most famous Italian poet in history. His seminal work, The Divine Comedy still inspires 700 years after its writing, and has not yet yielded all of its secrets, though it is one of the most widely studied works ever to be written. The name â€Å"Dante† and that of The Divine Comedy are known the world over, but what of the man Dante? What of the allegory beneath his verses?The history of the Divine Poet, his life, his love and the mysteries of his great achievements are known to relatively few, compared to the number of people who have read the Comedy. My purpose here to open those doors to you, to give a taste of the lessons and mysteries of Dent's work, to give a glimpse of a man, famous in his time and forevermor e, and to recount the greatest tale of Love ever told. His definition of love may be the most potent and intricate definition ever described, told through four separate levels of allegory, culminating in the rise of the universal goal of Love itself.The Man â€Å"In that book which is my memory, On the first page of the chapter that is the day when I first met you, Appear the words, ‘Here begins a new life'. † (Volta) Dante was born in 1265, though the month is not known. His given name was Du- ranted Delhi Lighter, Dante being a shortened version which he himself, and subsequent -?2-? writers and translators would adopt. His family name Lighter comes form the Latin word ‘aligner', which can be translated to â€Å"winged. † Though it came from his father, it was originally passed from a mother, Algeria Loudhailer -? wife of Guidance Elise', founder of Florence -? to her son.Thus Dante can trace his lineage directly back to he founders of his beloved Florenc e. The root meaning of Durance (and Dante) is more obvious, enduring, as names were of the most importance in those days. Dante would be happy to know that he has far surpassed the destiny of an enduring name. His father was a man of finance, buying and selling property as well as lending money, something Dante later disapproved of and which found its way into his Inferno. His mother was also from a well respected Florentine family, the Bait. Her father Durance (whom Dante was named after) was a Judge at the time.Much of the Poet's history we can find in the Comedy because although it is the story of his enlightenment, it also tells the tale of his past. We see this with his mother, whom we find in the circle of violence in Inferno, for she committed suicide while Dante was still very young, somewhere between 1270 and 1275. After his mother's death, his father soon remarried and had two more children. It seems Dante had a good relationship with these siblings as he refers affectiona tely to a sister who visits him while he is sick in â€Å"La Vita Nova. These references require that I move ahead, to describe the works of Dante for it is especially through them that we learn so much of the man. I shall discuss The Divine Comedy at greater length in a future section. But as an overview it is the tale of Dent's Journey through Inferno, rising up through Purgatory, then finally moving through Paradise, guided -?3-? by his beloved Beatrice, with his pilgrimage ending with the vision of God. The other work that I shall mention often is â€Å"la Vita Nova†, The New Life, which is a compilation of poems, sonnets and stories from throughout his life.It particularly focuses on his love for Beatrice which pervaded his life from the age of nine until he died at fifty-six. At this time Florence was a burgeoning hub of trade and culture, becoming one f the richest and most powerful cities in Italy, and even in Eastern Europe. However the city was divided along many l ines; there was a split between the populace and the gentry, yet also among the gentry. The largest of these rifts was that between the Gullah, whom Dante supported, and the Gibberellins.Once the Gibberellins were expelled from Florence another divide occurred; Between the Black Gullets, those who supported the Papacy, and the white Gullets, who wished for more autonomy from Rome. With the support of Pope Boniface the Black Gullets took control of Florence, destroying many White Gullah homes and exiling Dante. If he were ever to return to his beloved Florence to â€Å"worship at his baptismal fount† he would suffer death by burning. Following his exile, Dante wandered from city to city. Reigniting his intellectual spirit in Bologna and moving as far field as Paris.Finally he settled in Raven, a small city not far from Florence. It is during this time that it is believed that be began his masterpiece, The Divine Comedy. It was completed Just prior to his death, sometime betwee n 1318 and 1321. The final Canto of Paradise was said to be lost for months following Dent's death, until in a dream, one of Dent's sons saw his father ho showed his where the final pages were hidden. His son, Pitter, searched for the pages and found them Just where -?4-? his father had indicated, and so, Just as a dream had begun the Comedy, a dream completed it.The Divine Comedy tells the tale of the Poet, Dante, and his Journey down into Inferno, up mount Purgatory and into Paradise where â€Å"the Love that moved the sun and the other stars† is finally revealed to him. It is divided into three canticles, Inferno, Purgatorial and Paradise. Each canticle is then further divided into 33 cantos, similar to chapters, except for Inferno which has a single introductory canto bringing he total to 100. Each canto is further split into three line sections, each line with a precise 11 syllables.This story fictively occurs in the year 1300 and Dante is faithful to this date, only inc luding people who had died before 1300 in any level of the Comedy , though often referencing those who are still living. Inferno, the first volume, is by far the most famous and widely read of the three. It begins: â€Å"Midway upon the Journey of our life. † Simply this first line gives premise to the Comedy being both a literal Journey through the levels of the earth but also a curative voyage through the life of a person, in this case Dante, though it can be expanded to include a more universal version of life.Through inferno Dante is guided by another great poet, Virgil, who, because he is a virtuous infidel has been confined to neutrality, the first level of hell. But who has been tasked by Beatrice to guide Dante down through Hell and up Mount Purgatory. Their Journey through Hell takes them down through all nine levels, on each level pausing to watch the punishment of the shades and sometimes speak to them, talking of their crimes or of the goings on of the living worl d. Finally in the lowest -?5-? bevel -?Judea, reserved for the traitors-? gravity reverses and they climb back out of the pit of inferno to once more observe the stars.At the base of Mount Purgatory seven As are inscribed on Dent's forehead. Each standing for Peculate or sin in Latin. As they pass through each of the seven levels of purgatory, each P is purged from his forehead. For Purgatory is not a place of perpetuity as many believe; it is a place of purging sins as its name suggests. Virgil continues as his guide and offers advice and answers to his questions along the way. However on questions of faith he defers to Beatrice, asking Dante to await her for his answer. At the peak of Purgatory is the Garden of Eden, earthly paradise.Here in paradise Dante is in awe of the heavens above him, while Virgil is reserved and distant. Dante turns away from his guide to gaze at four bright stars above him and when he looks back Virgil is gone. In his place stands Beatrice. From the Garde ns of Eden Beatrice leads Dante into Paradise, the nine circles of heaven. In each of these circles Dante speaks with different figures, Roman Emperors, Saints and Apostles prominent among them. And Just as Virgil taught Dante of life and the plight of souls in Inferno and Purgatory, so Beatrice teaches him of divinity, irate and all the levels of beatitude.One of the people he meets is his great great grand-father Guidance, who tasks him to compose a poem which â€Å"puts aside all falsehood. † He agrees, and is also tested by the apostles Peter, James and John before his can enter the Empyrean, the highest level of Heaven. It is here in the amphitheater of the Empyrean that Dent's Journey reaches is culmination with his rapturous vision of God. -?6_ â€Å"But my own wings were not enough for this, Had it not been that then my mind there smote A flash of lightning, wherein came its wish. (Paradise 33:139) Dante and Love But now was turning my desire and will, Even as a whee l that equally moved, The Love that moves the sun and the other stars. † (Paradise 33:142) Perhaps it is a sad testament to the human race, that the greatest love stories are those of unrequited love. Mark Antonym and Cleopatra, Romeo and Juliet, Dante and his Beatrice. Dante first glimpsed Beatrice at the age of nine. Of that sight he says, â€Å"At that moment, I say most truly that the spirit of life, hath its dwelling in the secretes chamber of the heart† (Nova).He goes on, describing her as a deity, as something other than a worldly woman. From that moment onward his life was drastically changed. â€Å"l say that, from that time forward, Love quite governed my soul† (Nova). His love was torrential, yet when he saw her he kept it in check. For nine years after that first sight they never spoke. He would watch her in her family's small church of Santa Margarita, sitting some ten feet behind her, imagining her as an image of perfection, but never speaking. It i s difficult to imagine such love with so little contact.He was enamored with her but also with his imagination of her. It was not until nine years later to the day,that a word was exchanged between hem. While passing in the street, Beatrice â€Å"by her unspeakable courtesy' greeted him. He -?7-? remembers she was dressed all in white, unlike the red he first saw her in, white being the color of virginity and divinity. In each of his earthly visions of her, she is described using images and words normally reserved for Christ or God himself. Dante was taken by the sound of her voice: â€Å"For she doth make my veins and pulses tremble. He went directly home and fell asleep and dreamed that Love came to him. Throughout the Vita Nova, Love comes to Dante, taking a different human form each mime, and speaks to him, offering advice and admonitions. Love appears to him multiple times and each time represents a shift in Dent's interactions with Beatrice. Dante makes the mistakes of many lovers as he is so overcome by Beatrice. In an attempt to hide the true object of his love, he begins to use what he calls a â€Å"screen- lady,† a woman toward whom he outwardly directs his attentions so as to divert attention from Beatrice.This obviously backfires and Beatrice, as they pass again in the street, withholds her greeting. Dante is grief-stricken and, following another vision of love decides to write directly to her. These poems and sonnets received praise in Florence, and were read around the city in small poetry readings, increasing Dent's stature as a great writer even in his time. However life for Dante soon takes another enormous turn, with the death of Be- iatric. She is said to have died in June, 1290, a date with â€Å"the perfect number nine† having been completed â€Å"nine times† according to the Syrian Calendar. (Lewis).Dante is so overcome that he cannot put words to the event. After compiling the Volta Nova he resolves not to write of Beatrice again, until he can â€Å"say of her what was never said of any other -?8-? Oman. † It is from this wish that springs the greatest tribute to human love ever created, La Comedic. In Dent's Journey Beatrice is his primary guide. Though Virgil guides him through two levels of the afterlife, it is Beatrice who sent Virgil to assist Dante and Beatrice whom he follows through paradise and Beatrice who teaches him the most of love. She acts as a personal representation of Christ.We can see this in many aspects of Dent's description of her -? her appearance, the events around her and her relation to the number nine. The number nine can be seen as a reference to the divinity of he holy trinity, and it is used in reference to Beatrice to reinforce her power as Dent's connection to the divine. In the ninth canto of both Inferno and Purgatory Dante enters the city of Dish and then the Gates of Purgatory -? the two most significant entrances in their respective canticles. Yet i n Paradise, in the ninth canto, Dante passes from the circles of Venus unto the level of the sun.This may seem insignificant yet it signifies the passage from earth to heaven. It is not until the level of the sun that all earthly woes and pains are stripped away. This ninth canto is significant as it also demonstrates the divinity of the number, yet interestingly it also illustrates the divinity of love as it is in this canto that Dante meets three great lovers; a mistress, a bishop and a harlot. Not exactly the lovers you would expect, but these references, as well as their relations to nine and their positions in paradise, serve to highlight the significance of human love in order to ascend further into heaven.This is Beatrice role, as she serves both as the object of human love and the transcendent divine guide. Other parallels between Beatrice and Christ can also be drawn-? one being her -?9-? appearance in heaven, she is proceeded by Giovanni Primeval, as Christ was similarly p roceeded by John the Baptist. Here we can see Dent's literary playfulness with â€Å"Giovanni† as a feminine version of John and Primeval as an anagram meaning â€Å"Prima Vera† which literally translates to â€Å"will come first. † Beatrice also descends to Inferno to summon Virgil as Christ did to bring salvation to humanity, Virgil will be Dent's personal salvation.Dante even recognizes this in Paradise 30:80 saying â€Å"Who deigned for my salvation to leave your footprints in Hell. † Lansing also points out a parallel between the names of Christ and Beatrice: The reference to her nickname, â€Å"Vice,† in Paradise is a way which must evoke the abbreviations of Christ in manuscripts: â€Å"Be† (beat, â€Å"blessed†) and â€Å"ice† (ICC=less Crisis=Jesus Christ. )† Despite her obvious divinity, Beatrice is also a physical woman, as we see in the Volta Nova, who inspires love and desire in Dante.Thus she fills both role s, as the method of divine salvation and also as the guide to human love. Both of which together create natural love, something I will go into greater detail about at a later point. Dante strives, however, to remove any sexual attraction to Beatrice both for the deader and for himself. And for the most part he is successful. By removing her erotic nature in his writing, he reclaims some power from her. As we see in the Vita Nova, she holds great power over him; she has the power to send him into fits of worry or anguish, simply with a laugh or refused look.In De-redirecting her, we see Dent's attempt to retain his own power over human love, while relinquishing his power over natural love, allow-? 10 -? inning her to guide and teach him of its natural flow. As both the Comedy and the Nova are little more than an homage to Beatrice, it is interesting to see that Dante toeholds this one form of power from her, that of sexual power. It could very well be that he is attempting to protect either himself or Beatrice from the sin of lust, yet we also find a seductress and a harlot in heaven, who further inform Dante on love.It may also be the case that Dante is protecting himself from the worldly effects of Beatrice. The vast majority of his writings about her are of his perception, his fantasy of her. Their physical contact was negligible and by removing the sexual discourse between them, the Beatrice of Dent's pages is fully from inside the Poet. The Beatrice we know is Dent's fantasy, a character within his own character. It is her spirit, not her body, that guides Dante. Dante may also shrug off this worldly influence because he has a further lord, one to whom he answers whole-heartedly, and for whom Beatrice is the perfect guide.That lord speaks to him in the third chapter of the Vita Nova saying â€Å"I am your lord. † That lord is Love. Allegory The term allegory literally means the â€Å"hidden meaning†, it derives from Greek â€Å"al- SIS† (other) and â€Å"Georgia† (speaking), â€Å"other speaking. † The Divine Comedy is rife with it. Each canto is filled with political moral and divine statements. Allegory takes four forms in The Divine Comedy modeled after biblical exegesis (interpretation of biblical style); Literal (historical), Allegorical (Typographical) , Moral and Angelical. These four forms follow the interpretation of scripture in the Middle Ages.In scripture, the historical meaning is -? 11 what is described as fact. It encompasses the people, places and events represented and shows them historically as things that have occurred. The second meaning (the Allegorical/ Typographical) is that of personification and representation, a person may represent a sin or a virtue. The moral meaning in the scripture is literally represented by Christ. â€Å"So far as the things done in Christ, or so far as the things which signify Christ, are types of what we ought to do, there is the moral sense. † (Aquinas).The final meaning, the angelical is the hardest to pin down. This is because it is the broadest of the terms; it is the meaning which expands outwards and offers what the writer or reader considers an â€Å"eternal† meaning. The angelical represents the realm of the Gods, thus making it eternal, â€Å"But so far as they signify what relates to eternal glory, there is the angelical sense. † (Aquinas) Neither the bible nor The Divine Comedy possess all four of these elements at all times however. Writing is often adorned with â€Å"historical buttresses and adornments†, events that hold no further meaning than the literal.Different verses and cantos hold some of these meanings, some are personified in particular figures, others can only be found by evaluating the entire trajectory of the Comedy. These four meanings overlap, come and go, are sometimes clearly visible and some are lost forever in the annals of time. Other than the historical, the allego rical (typological) is the most prevalent form of meaning throughout the Comedy. Because all allegory is dependent on interpretation, the meanings put forth here are those that I deem to be correct, although there are likely other interpretations or even contrary views.As Dante followed many of the teachings of Thomas Aquinas, the following is the most prevalent definition for the typographical (allegorical) meaning in -? 12 -? the Comedy: â€Å"Whereas in every other science things are signified by words, this science has the property that the things signified by the words have themselves also signification† (Aquinas). This is the definition Dante would have followed in instructing his own allegory. Dante borrows heavily from Thomas Aquinas and Aquinas' Theological for his moor- al theory and view of God, theology and use of allegory.As far as the view of God, Thomas Aquinas believed that there are two apices of any object or subject (their existence and their essence), exce pt for God. Aquinas preaches God as simplicity. God is simply essence, for his/her/its existence is its essence. This essence to Dante is Love; all other objects are not independent of love and thus God, who is the representation of pure love, is the only individual being in existence. â€Å"God is identical tit Just one in- divisible thing, but that one thing has different effects and appearances† (Stump).Dante also enumerates the importance of each level of meaning, saying in his work Conviction, â€Å"l shall always first discourse upon the literal meaning of each cannoned, and after that I shall discourse upon its allegory, that is, the hidden truth; and I shall sometimes incidentally touch upon the other senses (angelical), as the place and the time make appropriate. † This leads us to believe that the historical (literal) meaning is the most important, followed by the allegorical. The angelical seems to e a natural uprising of this discourse of both the literal a nd the allegorical.The moral finds its way into the literal meanings as well, since Christ is synonymous with morality, and the bible and Beatrice are taken as fact. Throughout the Comedy, Beatrice and her compatriots teach Dante many -? 13 -? things, most of these may be interpreted as the moral allegory. What must also be understood is that the literal meaning will always be present, and for the most part the allegorical will be also. But that Allegory will take one or more of its three forms, typographical/allegorical, moral or angelical. He gives an example of this four-fold allegory in a letter sent to Gangrened of Verona.The Allegory of Love â€Å"Love, which pardons no beloved from loving, took me so strongly with delight in him That, as you see, it still abandons me not†¦ † (Nova) As we begin to look at the many meanings of love in The Divine Comedy, the three literal forms we shall examine are 1) love as an emotion, 2) love as Beatrice, and 3) Love as a figure a nd as God. First let us examine Dent's belief of love. For Dante, love was the driving force of the universe. It causes souls to rise to heaven or fall into hell. It literally set the stars in motion. All sinners and all saints had their actions based in love, for better or for worse.Love causes all movement in the universe, whether for the sinners to ascend because of love for God or for the blessed to descend in order to save a soul. Just as Beatrice descends to bring Dante to the Empyrean, it also causes the angels to move in their circles around God, thus creating the movement of the heavens. However, love also has a darker side. According to Dante, love is also the root of sin. He takes this view from William Perusals' analysis of the Sustaining Sins; Pride, Envy, Wrath, Sloth, Avarice, Gluttony and Lust. These sins can be divided into three cat- Georges according to love; insufficient, disordered and excessive.Insufficient love takes the form of sloth, disordered love manifest s in pride, new and wrath (as these three are misguidedly directed at an external object), and love in excess creates avarice, gluttony and lust. These are all forms of what Virgil distinguishes for Dante as rational love, separate from natural love which I shall discuss at greater length later. Rational love takes many forms, both positive and negative. If unbalanced or per- averted, it is the basis of all sin, but it is also that which leads Dante towards natural eve. Dent's earthly love for Beatrice could be described as courtly love, a popular subject of the times. Courtly love can be defined as desire and longing for someone, and personal suffering by loving this person† (Du France). This definition as we can see applies perfectly to Dent's relations to Beatrice. It is this earthly relationship that begins Dante on his path to salvation and enlightenment, thus it is this form of rational love that sets Dante on his path. At the beginning of The Divine Comedy, the Pilgrim believes this love for Beatrice is pure and correct. Yet through his discussions tit Francesca De Riming, and then Virgin's discourse on love in purgatory, Dante begins to doubt his assertion.Finally upon his meeting with Beatrice in Paradise he repents for the earthly love he paid her and accepts the purity of natural love, the love that will guide him through paradise unto the Empyrean. Natural love was considered by Dante to be the love of and for God. It is the pure force which motivates the universe and binds it together. It is the purest form of this love that Dante is striving for throughout the Comedy. Through hell and purgatory, he is strip-? 15-? inning away the sins and tarnishing of sin, and in paradise he is being prepared, level by level, by Beatrice, for the experience of Pure Love.Virgil, who has not entered heaven and has thus not experienced natural love, can only describe to Dante human love and the perverted shapes it takes in sin. The constant motion of natural love is moving toward a goal; that goal is the attainment of the realization of place and of perfection for every object and creature in the world. â€Å"As the specific capacity of anything is actualities by being exercised, the nature of that thing is progressively completed or perfected, according to Aquinas† (Stump). It is by loving and being love that this process is perpetuated and thus moves closer and closer to a perfect equilibrium.This ultimate beatitude is inconceivable to the human mind, however, and thus we give it a humanly understandable form, that of God. Yet Dante is very careful not to name God as the center of the Empyrean; the highest level of heaven is occupied by Love. Virgil describes how love takes three stages to develop. The process begins with awareness of another object or person. This perception is offered to the soul to Judge whether this object is beautiful and shall bring happiness. If it is deemed good, then eve develops and takes the form of an inclination or attraction toward that object.Until love develops, the force driving this process is human will and it is thus that love can be misguided, as the will can make mistakes and lead an individual toward sin. If we take love as the attractive force that moves the universe, then the ultimate goal of life is also love, but love in equilibrium. This is why perverted, insufficient and excessive love are sins, for it is balanced love, natural love that we are striving toward. We cannot, however, achieve union with natural love simply by following others'

Equality, diversity and inclusion in work Essay

Importance of supporting the rights of children and young people to participation and equality of access Every pupil has a right to a curriculum that is broad, balanced and supported by high quality teaching. It is important to raise individual and group achievements, participation and the development of a good sense of identity. Schools have a duty that all pupils have access to curriculum regardless of race, backgrounds, culture, gender or additional needs. Importance and benefits of valuing and promoting cultural diversity in work with children and young people see more:explain how to promote anti-discriminatory practice in work with children and young people It is important to understand the diversity of culture as it helps pupils make more sense of learning by making connections through their own lives. Essentially it is important for the teaching staff to build a relationship and provide necessary support of each individual pupil. By demonstrating that we value culture and support pupils to learn and understand cultures different to their own prevent stereotyping and reduce prejudice and discrimination. Ways in which children and young people can experience prejudice and discrimination Children often experience prejudice and discrimination by staff known as institutional discrimination where policies allow this or individually by other pupils or groups, often through lack of knowledge or assumptions being made about a certain group they belong to. There are two ways in which this can occur either directly (children not allowed access to learning through gender, race, disability etc) or indirectly (excluded due to circumstance e.g. cooking certain foods as they are not allowed to be touched or eaten for religious reasons) Impact of prejudice and discrimination on children and young people The impact of prejudice and discrimination has a tremendous and often negative effect on children. Discrimination can have an affect on them both academically and their health and well being. Children often have feelings of anger or a loss in self esteem and motivation. Children can very often feel disempowered confused or even suffer with depression. Assess how own attitudes, values and behaviour could impact on work with children and young people By assessing your own attitudes taking the time to develop our own understanding of cultures, special needs etc and by learning not to make assumptions of pupils staff can provide effective, appropriate and personal support to any individual child or young person. Importance of promoting anti-discrimination practice in work with children and young people It is not sufficient just to have policies for anti-discrimination. Staff must demonstrate and monitor positive practice. By following and promoting these policies help a child to learn and assess themselves so they to can promote anti discrimination both within the classroom and in society and feel confident to challenge discrimination. Ways staff can promote anti-discrimination: Be a role model Appreciate and promote diversity of children and young people Listen and involve children in activities and hear their concerns Recognise children as centre of learning and treat as individuals Have realistic but high expectations of each child Support positive ethos of school Encourage and build child’s confidence to challenge prejudice or unwanted behaviour Recognise when discrimination is happening Challenging discrimination Challenging discrimination can sometimes be a challenge in itself especially if it is institutional, therefore it must be dealt with accordingly. You must have good knowledge of policies and procedures in the situation you are dealing with Is it intentional? (Direct) unintentional? (Indirect) or just a lack of knowledge? Explain what has happened or said that is discriminatory Tell the person how the other may feel or the effects it may have Suggest improvements to practice  Monitor and report to local education authority What is inclusion and inclusive practice? Inclusion and inclusive practice is the process of identifying, understanding and breaking down barriers so regardless of a child’s situation they can access and participate in all parts of the curriculum. It is about providing all children the same opportunities by adapting the environment, equipment and curriculum if and where necessary. Features of an inclusive setting for children and young adults For a school to be and inclusive setting it must use a whole school approach. An inclusive school will have the following settings Recognise possible  barriers and understand group or an individuals difficulties in accessing the curriculum Removal of barriers and adapt environment, personalised support, resources or equipment provided Educate along side peers by providing additional support in the classroom instead of segregation Listen and value child’s opinions and views Clear policies and procedures that are reviewed regularly Staff regularly trained in inclusion, diversity and equality methods School works in partnership with staff, governors, parents and their children School works with other services local health boards, speech and language therapists etc How inclusion works in own sector of the children’s workforce Whichever organisation a person is involved with in the children’s workforce the child should be centre of all practice. The early years foundation stage (EYFS) and the national curriculum both give clear guidance on inclusive approaches to learning and assessment. By following these guidelines and adopting systems of personalised learning all children have the same opportunity to high quality teaching, learning experience and access to the curriculum, the chance to progress in curriculum and narrow the gaps of educational achievement. In conjunction to these, schools have a duty and role for promoting well being through inclusive curriculum known as the 2004 every child matters outcomes. Schools may need to work with other services so children can reach full potential and schools must demonstrate they work towards the five outcomes. Be healthy

Emergency preparedness and Vulnerability assessment Essay

Emergency preparedness and Vulnerability assessment Introduction            The residents were given warning in advance that would have enabled to evacuate from the path of the storm in advance. The national hurricane centre and the mayor of the New Orleans had communicated about the evacuation of the people in the city more than 24 hours ahead. This meant that the people would be able to clear the way by the end of 24 hours and not many that would be affected as experienced. The warnings were not too rate since the Orleans exit can be able to handle 2/3rds of the population within every 12 hours and therefore, all the people would have managed to leave before Monday when the storm reached the place. Although the residents were used to weathering storms in the past, the mayor and the hurricane centre had already warned that the storm was different from what they experienced and was travelling at a high speed of more than 170 miles per hour and of the category of 5 storms (Fradin, & Fradin, 2010). Despite the people’s willingness to evacuate from the city, there were some people that were careless and they thought that it was just the same storm causing them to succumb to waters. However, more than 80% were able to escape while 20% were still in the city since they lacked the means to leave the place due to lack of money for gas and transport (Clark Hakim & Ostfeld, 2011). New York: Springer.). Moreover, the authorities failed as they delayed their evacuation process until when the storm had already hit the New Orleans. The attitude from the responsible authorities such as soldiers and other rescue people led increased damages losses, and death of people as they delayed evacuation and rescue process until Tuesday when many people were already affected. If the people had an attitude that the storm would not be the same, all the measures would have between taken to ensures that all the people were evacuated from the city. Moreover, the New Orleans would have made initiatives to clear the city in advance. Therefor e, an attitude that the storm would be the same led to a number of people remaining in the city resulting to mass deaths and damages of properties. Hence, people’s attitude contributed greatly to the intensity of disaster that caused more than 1,800 deaths and many other missing.            Is the threat of a radiological â€Å"dirty bomb† large enough for the United States to need to train extensively for such an event? How can first responders train for such an event? How would the training be different in regards to whether the event was a terrorist attack or whether it was an accident or would the training be the same?            The threat of radiological ‘dirty bomb’ is large and US is required to provide extensive training to its emergency and other disaster rescue team to ensure that any event that may happen will be fully addressed. This is because a radiological bomb can cause enormous harm to people in the scene and those living to the environs of the events (Bennett, 2007). Training would ensure that the victims are carefully handled t avoid spreading of the radioactive materials to other places as it may affect other people. Moreover, detonation and decontamination process require skilled people to prevent them from contacting the radio actives. The training for the first responder should entail decontamination and detonation of the victims to ensure that the radioactive material is not transferred from scene of the event. First responders should also be trained how to secure and label the scenes to prevent further contaminations of other people.            Training for various emergency responders should be different based on the type of the event whether terrorism of accidental spilling of radioactive materials. More advance training should be carried out responders of terrorists’ attacks. This is because terrorists’ attacks may have modified radioactive materials to enhance quick spread of the material, which may cause mass damage. Moreover, different radioactive materials may be used and thus improved training is important to address all the issues that may result. However, accidental leakage of radioactive material can be handled easily since the radioactive material is also known. Moreover, only a definite location can be affected, which would be much easier to deal with the attack.            How can we prevent terrorists from acquiring radiological material within the United States? How can we prevent terrorist from bringing radiological material into the United States? Are our current safeguards adequate enough?            United States can prevent terrorists from acquiring radiological material through enacting laws through congress. The laws will prohibit any possession of radiological materials and put punitive measures for those found in possession. Moreover, the laws should also prohibit people working on radiological areas from handling the materials inside the premise. In addition, the laws should prohibit any transportation of such materials without licence or permit. Moreover, the congress can enact acts that put in place a special committee in charge of all radiological materials and regulation to prevent general public from acquiring them. In addition, any accidental scene that may expose radiological materials can be guarded to prevent terrorists from accessing radiological materials.            All importation and entry of materials from other countries should be screened from radiological materials to prevent terrorists from transporting materials to the country. The united states have various regulatory bodies such as nuclear regulatory commission, (NRC) and environmental protection agency, (EPA) that are mandated with regulation of radiological materials (Kapur & Smith, 2011). However, the current safety of United States on radiological materials is not adequate because federal government only exercises regulation of radiological materials to only countries that they do not have trade agreement. This poses a risk of importation of radiological materials from the countries on agreement thus resulting to access of the materials by terrorists that may harm the citizens.            Moreover, the transportation of radioactive wastes from hospitals and other area to disposal areas is not secure, which poses the risk of terrorists acquiring the materials during transit.            How could first responders even know that an explosion was associated with a radiological attack? Once first responders know that an incident involves radiological material, are there any sorts of special equipment or personal protective gear that they would need to wear into the affected site            The first responders can identify an explosion through devices such as Geiger counters, which are detect the dose rate of an attack in addition to other equipments that can measure the intensity and harm of the material (Issues in critical and emergency medicine, 2012). The equipments will help the first responders to identify the form, attack so that he or she may be able to take the appropriate measures to safeguard his health and life and that of other people. Moreover, in case of accidental spill-out, the first responders should investigate the cause of the accident before starting the rescue process so as to identify the cause. Most likely hood is that, an explosion in a radioactive company or hospital that are major sources of radioactive materials may have high probability of radioactive materials compared to those that may happen in other areas. Therefore, it is important to identify the area where the explosion has happened as a way of identifying the type of explosion. Since radioactive materials spread very easily in the environment, it is important that first responder should wear protective equipments such as respiratory protection from radiological hazards to prevent any inhalations and standard protective clothes that prevents one from direct contact with radiological materials. This will ensure that first responders are safe from radioactive materials and are able to use the right measures to attend the victims.            How would first responders decontaminate suspected contaminated individuals leaving the area? Could this slow emergency medical response or the transport of the injured to neighbouring hospitals.            The first responder should ensure victims remove all their clothes and leave them in the scene of a decontamination centre that may be established at close to the scene of hazard. Victims should flush their eyes with plenty of water and other body parts are decontaminated before leaving the scenes. Moreover, the contaminated individuals should be screened for any radiological material before leaving the scene to prevent further contamination to other areas. People who are not contaminated should be separated from those who are contaminated although through a screening confirmation. The process will prevent further spread of the radiological materials to other people thus reducing the effects of the occurrence. The process can slow emergency response and transport of the victims for medical services and emergency services should be referred to medical facilities without decontamination although handled with care to prevent further effects in case of inhalations. Thi s is because, the processes of decontamination involve phases and in cases of mass victims, attending individual victims could delay the process as steps have to be followed. Therefore, although the process of decontamination should be the first step for emergency responders, it may not be good for ambulatory victims.            What would be some of the long-term consequences of a huge radiological incident such as a radiological â€Å"dirty bomb† attack or nuclear power plant meltdown? Would there likely be lingering health problems with the victims of such an incident? How could the affected areas be recovered and brought back to normal? Provide a 1/2 to 1 page, single spaced response.            Huge radiological incidents may affect the scenes in that the place may be alienated and people may be displaced or economic productivity of the place lost. The huge radiological attacks are associated with many health problems (Kapur & Smith, 2011). The inhalations of radio-active materials can result in respiratory health problems that may affects lungs. Moreover, it can result in lungs cancer. Gamma contacts on skin may result in skin cancer to the victims. In addition, radioactive contact has been associated with increased levels of infertility in both men and women in long term. Defectives births can also be experienced by these victims to exposure of embryo or foetus to radiological materials during an attack. Other health problems that may arise due to radiological attacks include cataracts, skin deformities, and may also cause early deaths. One of the major complications with huge radiological attack as the one experienced in Chernobyl nuclear plant in1986 with fire-fighters was an acute radiation syndrome, (ARS). The syndrome was characterised by nausea, diarrhoea, and vomiting in addition to weight loss, infections, depletion of bone marrow, and bleeding (Kapur & Smith, 2011).            The affected area could be recovered through decontamination process that may involve collecting of all the materials in the scenes either decontaminated on the scene or transported to a more secure place where they may be decontaminated. In addition, the place itself may be decontaminated through the use of commercial decontaminants such as Alcon ox or Sparkleen. Screening can then be done to ensure that the area is free from radiological materials before people can resume their duties in the place. After, the area is free from all radiological materials, people can resume their work or if it was a residential area, people can start a fresh without any risk. References Bennett, B. T. (2007). Understanding, assessing, and responding to terrorism: Protecting critical infrastructure and personnel. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley-Interscience. Clark, R. M., Hakim, S., & Ostfeld, A. (2011). Handbook of water and wastewater systems protection. New York: Springer. Ensor, M. O. (2009). The legacy of Hurricane Mitch: Lessons from post-disaster reconstruction in Honduras. Tucson: University of Arizona Press. Fradin, J. B., & Fradin, D. B. (2010). Hurricane Katrina. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark. Guha-Sapir, D., Vos, F., Below V., & Ponserre, S. (2012). Annual Disaster Statistical Review 2011: The Numbers and Trends. Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters Huber, C. (2014). Five of the worst natural disasters in 2013. New York: WorldVisionIssues in critical and emergency medicine. (2012). S.l.: Scholarly Editions. Kapur, G. B., & Smith, J. P. (2011). Emergency public health: Preparedness and response. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. Ramroth, W. G. (2007). Planning for disaster: How natural and manmade disasters shape the built environment. Chicago: Kaplan. United States $ Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA (2007). FEMA Flood and Wind Publications, and Training Courses. New York: FEMA Source document

Explain how the existence of externalities (whether from congestion or Essay

Explain how the existence of externalities (whether from congestion or pollution) cause a less than optimal allocation of resources in road transport - Essay Example The resource allocation changes through externalities since the market fails to completely fund the external belongings caused by economic actions. Markets prices tend to reflect a price based on the original personal utility, while disregard the payback on the third parties. Therefore, personal costs may deviate from social costs as the pricing means fall short to replicate the social economic actions. When the demand for road uses rises above a given level, additional costs (externalities) such as congestion, pollution may result in increased costs such as increased fuel consumption, increased journey times and other running costs as shown below. Additionally pricing arrangement results in a sub-Pareto, most select allocation of resources as the marginal cost of an action equals its marginal private cost where equals its cost due to the failure of all relevant effects. The actual price of a product does not entirely resolve its allocation and consequently the purpose of the market to resourcefully distribute resources based on their accurate prices breaks down consequential in a misallocation. Lastly, according to Schmidtchen (2009, p.30), the continuation of externalities leads to sub-optimal allocation since both too many resources used in processes presenting and uncompensated collective repayment while the return maximizing production is less than the socially best