Israeli-Hezbollah Conflicts: The Insensibilities of War Essay

The world has witnessed again the hostilities of war this year. The terrorist group Hezbollah initiated the spate of violence in the Middle East by sending raiders into Israel from Lebanon. This attack killed eight Israeli soldiers and two others kidnapped, while they launched missiles into northern Israel. Not taking this action sitting down, Israel retaliated by bombing Beirut’s airports, roads and Hezbollah hangouts, killing innocent civilians in the process. It was in June this year that the Hezbollah gained 80 percent of the votes in the Lebanese parliamentary elections in southern Lebanon. This will mean that the group will cover 35 seats in the 128-member national assembly. Despite their popularity in Lebanon, Hezbollah had been involved in the 1982 Israeli invasion and the subsequent U. S. military intervention, engaging in a series of kidnappings and assassinations of Americans as well as the deadly truck bombings of the U. S. embassy and a Marine barracks (Zunes 21). As an organization, Hezbollah essentially means â€Å"Party of God†. Their history emanated to help the Islamic Revolutionary Guards fight active opponents who demonstrated in the streets. The name was used as early as 1973 by Ayatollah Mahmood Ghaffary in Iran. It was resurrected in 1978 in one of the revolution’s slogans: â€Å"Our Party Is the Party of Allah and Our Leader Is Ruh Allah. † The so-called party consisted of a thousand young thugs who infested Tehran’s poor neighborhoods. For a modest monthly allowance, they waged street battles against members of more sophisticated political groups. In contrast to its beginning, the â€Å"party† today boasts a membership of more than one million adherents in Iran alone. Its offshoots in Muslim countries, Europe, and America act as operatives and as a vanguard for the Islamic Republic of Iran. In Lebanon, the party also has a powerful military wing that has bombed Israel and given assistance to militant groups like Hamas in the Gaza Strip (Hoveyda 94). Acclaimed for their notoriety, Zune indicated that: For more than a decade, however, the Hezbollah militia had restricted its armed activities to fighting Israeli occupation forces, initially in southern Lebanon and then — following Israel’s withdrawal in 2000—in a disputed border region with Syria still under Israeli control. Attacks against foreign occupation forces have traditionally been recognized as legitimate acts of self-defense and not as acts of terrorism, a term usually restricted to deliberate attacks against civilian targets (21). Hezbollah’s leader Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah declared war on Israel because had no option. They could disarm and participate more fully in Lebanon’s government, but that would have meant giving up â€Å"the resistance,† the ideology so central to Hezbollah that it functions as a national founding myth. Their resistance is, first and foremost, an ongoing guerrilla war against Israel, which occupied southern Lebanon until its withdrawal in 2000. Hezbollah had weapons to defend their land—rockets, Iranian-made missiles, and drones. It is the source of fierce pride for Hezbollah, the only Arab force to succeed in ousting Israel from its land. But, before anything else, the resistance was a political movement, born decades ago, of empowerment for Lebanon’s eternally despised Shia. In Hezbollah’s collective mind, the Shia have finally emerged on top after being put down for so long, and now they want to prove that they can do what no other Arab country has done: defeat Israel. â€Å"You do not know today who you are fighting,† declared Nasrallah on July 14. â€Å"You are fighting a people who possess strength of faith that no one else has on the face of this Earth† (Ciedlo 14). Due to their own misgiving, Israel is now dealing with crises on two fronts. First, it was carrying out an operation in the Gaza Strip to rescue Corporal Galid Shalit, who had been captured by Palestinian militants. This triggered an ongoing conflict between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants taking place in Gaza. After that, a second operation into Lebanon was launched to rescue Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev — the two soldiers captured by Lebanon-based Hezbollah. Nevertheless, despite the overwhelming task of fighting on two fronts, Prime Minister Olmert ruled out any negotiations with Hezbollah, just as it had foreclosed the discussions with Hamas. Additionally, his government filed a complaint with the United Nations, calling on the Security Council to enforce an existing resolution that required the Lebanese government to disarm militias (Coleman, 29 July 2006). In fairness to the Lebanese government, it denied that they had no previous knowledge of Hezbollah’s activities and would not take responsibility for the abduction of the two Israeli soldiers. To this end, Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora said, â€Å"The government was not aware of and does not take responsibility for, nor endorses what happened on the international border† (Al Jazeera, 7 July 2006). Experts on the ground in Lebanon also pointed to the fact that despite the existence of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559, the country simply was not in the position — politically or militarily — to disarm Hezbollah on its own. With the ongoing scuffles, Lebanese government represented by Social Affairs Minister, Naila Mouawad, called for the two Israeli soldiers to be returned home. She also reiterated Lebanon’s previously-noted position that her government was neither aware of Hezbollah’s plan, nor supported it. With that statement, Mouawad criticized Israel’s response for being too heavy-handed, particularly with regard to the lives of Lebanese civilians. She warned that Lebanon was experiencing a catastrophe and explained that her government could not disarm Hezbollah by force (Coleman, 29 July 2006). Naturally, the reaction around the globe was intense woes that these conflicts might sprout in something bigger, many countries already had requested for restraint from all parties involved. United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan condemned both the abduction of the Israeli soldiers as well as the resulting offensive by Israeli forces into Lebanon. Russian, France and the European Union expressed the view that Israel’s response to the capture of two soldiers was disproportionate. But Israeli spokesman, Mark Regev, said that Israel was simply responding to an â€Å"unprovoked act of aggression. † Margaret Beckett, the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, voiced out that Israel should ensure its own security, it should do so in a way that avoided civilian deaths. The Vatican later added its condemnation of the situation – calling for the release of the soldiers by Hezbollah and decrying Israel’s strikes against the sovereignty of Lebanon. On the U. S. government’s part, President George W. Bush characterized Hezbollah as terrorists and supported Israel’s right to defend itself. However, he also warned that whatever action Israel took, it should be mindful of the stability of the Lebanese government. With all these bombings here and there, the head of the emergency relief agency for the United Nations, Jan Egeland, characterized the damage caused by Israeli strikes on Beirut as â€Å"horrific. † He lambasted the demolition job caused by Israel’s retaliatory action against Hezbollah, calling it excessive. He also condemned Hezbollah for â€Å"cloaking itself among the civilian population†, which is causing the rise in civilian casualties. With damages continuing to heighten, Egeland called on both sides to cease their attacks and noted that humanitarian aid would begin arriving shortly in Lebanon. In that latter regard, he appealed for safe access of all civilian evacuees caught between the warring parties. He also said that the United Nations would be launching an appeal for humanitarian aid amounting to $150 million dollars (USD). Egeland arrived in Beirut on the heels of an Israeli strike against the Hezbollah-dominated portion of Lebanon’s capital city. In Beirut, there were four injuries when one strike hit a mosque. While Hezbollah said the facility was used only for prayer, Israel contended that it was one of several legitimate targets used not only for conventional purposes, but also by Hezbollah for its activities (Coleman, 29 July 2006). Israel’s aerial bombing of southern and eastern Lebanon continued. The Israeli strikes had already caused Lebanese engineers, who had been attempting to repair impassable roads, to retreat for safety reasons. The southern town of Sidon several people seeking safety were hit by Israeli strikes. Not spared, the historic city of Tyre was the site of action from both sides. It was one of several places from which some Hezbollah militants were firing missiles and, as such, Israel made it a target of retaliatory strikes. There were eight deaths reported across Lebanon. They included a young boy, a photographer, three people fleeing in a minibus, as well as three Hezbollah fighters. On the other side of the border, two Israelis died in Haifa and over twenty people were injured as a result of repeated Hezbollah rocket attacks. United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in July 24, 2006 for talks regarding the crisis in between Lebanon and Israel. Before arriving in the Middle East, Rice mentioned to reporters that the United States still had an embassy in Syria. Her statement was interpreted by some as a reminder that the United States and Syria still shared diplomatic relations that could be leveraged, if necessary. Her first stop was Lebanon where she met with Prime Minister Fuad Siniora. In that meeting, she expressed concern for the Lebanese people, while also making clear that Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel from within Lebanese territory could not be permitted to continue. In the backdrop of these developments, the White House announced that it had authorized humanitarian aid to be sent to Lebanon. Secretary Rice, and later President Bush, both conveyed the view that the only possible solution to the conflict was a sustainable ceasefire and enduring peace. The United States’ stance has been that a ceasefire might result in only Israeli compliance, thus subjecting Israel to future attacks. Clearly, this view has not been shared by many world leaders and foreign policy chiefs who have called for an immediate ceasefire, arguing that continued hostilities were untenable, regardless of optimal long-term objectives. Many Middle Eastern experts have further said that no long-term objectives can be achieved, at all, without addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (Coleman, 29 July 2006). In an article in the New Republic, Lawrence Kaplan declared that Bush has spent many more hours encouraging Israel than constraining it. This could be analyzed as the US government seems has no more use for Hezbollah than Israel does. â€Å"And, while the organization may not pose the existential threat to the United States that it does to Israel, the administration views it as a crucial proxy for Iran. Critics delight in faulting the Bush administration for viewing the international scene through a ‘state-centric’ lens. But, when it comes to Hezbollah—which boasts verifiable return addresses in Tehran and Damascus—what other lens is there? † In my opinion, the Israeli government is doing more harm than good. Rescuing two soldiers, while endangering hundreds of lives is really irrational. They should have sought the U. N.’s help rather than waging a war that intruded the normal living conditions of innocent Lebanese civilians. War should be the last option rather than an initial response. Now, Israel is seemingly suffering the brunt of all of its actions because of the retaliatory attempts that the Hezbollah troops are waging in Israel’s areas. The U. N. , on the other hand, as well as countries like the U. S. , should have taken proactive measures to put a stop in these conflicts. As stated above, long-term solutions should be delineated from their mediation to avoid the further destruction of both countries. As we all know, there is no long term solution that could be resolved through bombs and guns. We cannot, of course, repeat history by neglecting these conflicts that are costing the lives of many people. Countries cannot repeat the errors in history, where wars had lost not only lives, but properties and the freedom of people. War could not fully reconstruct people’s experiences. We certainly cannot feel other people’s sufferings, although we can empathize with them because we have general knowledge, and many unfortunately have some experience of suffering. The suffering of the victims, especially the innocent ones, is enough reason why Israel and Hezbollah should hold a ceasefire and negotiate about their scuffles. If they cannot understand the destruction they are causing, people around the globe should knock some sense out of these leaders who cannot feel the suffering of the victims. Works Cited Al Jazeera Website. â€Å"Hezbollah Captures Israeli Soldiers,† (July 12, 2006). Acquired 30 July 2006 at http://www. aljazeera. com/me. asp? service_ID=11629 Ciedlo, Anna. â€Å"Entombed† (cover story). New Republic, 235. 5 (July 31, 2006): 13-15. Coleman, Denise Youngblood. â€Å"Israel and Lebanon-based Hezbollah Mired in Violent Conflict,† CountryWatch Forecast, (July 29, 2006). Acquired 30 July 2006 at http://forecast. countrywatch. com/fc_moreon. aspx Hoveyda, Fereydoun. The Broken Crescent: The â€Å"Threat† of Militant Islamic Fundamentalism. Westport, CT: Praeger, 1998. Kaplan, Lawrence F. â€Å"Other Means,† New Republic, 235. 5 (July 31, 2006): 12-13, Zunes, Stephen. â€Å"U. S. Rhetoric about Hezbollah Blurs Reality. † National Catholic Reporter, 41. 33 (July 1, 2005): 21-21.

Pollution is our enemy Essay Essay

Pollution is when something is added to the environment that is harmful or poisonous to living things. Smoke in the air from factories is a type of pollution as it is bad for the lungs when breathed in. Sewage in drinking water is another type of pollution, as it can make people ill because it contains germs andviruses. People living next to a building site where there is too much noise can become sick as they cannot sleep orrelax. This is called noise pollution.Air pollution is caused by harmful gases such as carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide,nitrogen dioxide carbon monoxide and very small particles of carbon. Most of the pollution is caused by factories, vehicles and livestock. Today air pollution has become dangerous to humans. Heavy air pollution may causebreathing problems such as asthma or other health problems.Increase in human activities has also polluted air. Water pollution is the presence of harmful materials in water, such assewage, dissolved metals, waste fromfarms and fac tories and crude oil spilled from shipwrecked tankers. The three main substances that pollute water arenitrates from fertilisers, sewage anddetergents.[1] Pollution hey causes harm to organisms living in water and can also harm people’s health, and can cause problems such as cancer.[2] Noise pollution The harmful noises in the environment, such as the sound of vehicles, loud speakers, etc. in a city is called noise pollution. Noise pollution can cause ear problems or even permanent deafness, especially to older people. Noise pollution can be defined as the unwanted sound present in the atmosphere. Soil pollution Soil pollution pertains to the contamination of the soil due to man-made chemicals such as hydrocarbons, heavy metals, solvents, and the like. These chemicals come mainly from industrial activities, and also from improper waste disposal. Soil pollution poses various health risks, as the chemicals can produce harmful vapors, or they can contaminate the water supplies located directly under the polluted soil.

Outline the key criticisms against western feminist theory by 'third Essay

Outline the key criticisms against western feminist theory by 'third world' feminism, drawing on the work of at least TWO - Essay Example Redefining feminism by location and with the third world approach can be analyzed with a variety of theorists, all which redefine the main concept of feminism in society. 2.0 Definition of Third World Feminism The concept of third world feminism has been identified by the location which one is in and the problems which are in society. The main definition is based on social change which is needed in different regions of the world. For instance, in the U.S., the approach to feminism is based on social, historical and political changes, specifically because of the inequalities which women faced in society from the level of consciousness toward gender inequalities and the lack of social justice in society. However, in places that are underdeveloped, such as regions throughout Africa and Asia, third world feminism is redefined. Rather than a social injustice and sense of inequality, feminism is based on the politics and priorities that are within society as well as how these each link to the opportunities which women have. The lack of resources which are in third world countries change the approach to feminism, specifically because the social injustices differ with the lack of opportunities and changes which occur among those that are in the culture. The main difference is based on the post modern regions and places which are underdeveloped (Henderson, Waterstone, 2008: pg. 338). 2.1 Culture and Third World Feminism The concept of third world feminism is further defined by the ideologies of culture and the association which this has with developed equality between genders in specific regions. This relates to the overall definition of feminism because culture becomes a main component in the identity of feminism and how the capacity for women to be equal exists. In many cultures in third world countries, there is a different component of identity, specifically based on social and religious regulations. These are often given because of the social viewpoint of safety of women as well as the place which women should have in relation to men. The cultural component that is based in the regions leads to many of the feminist beliefs which occur in a post modern country to not be pertinent for those that are in a third world country. With the persistence of these traditions, there is the inability to change the dilemmas which are based on gender equality within the third world countries (Lewin, 2006: pg. 153). 2.2 Society and Third World Feminism Religious and cultural issues with gender equality further with the lack of resources which is a part of society and which not only cause inequality between men and women, but also persist with the needs of men that are in society. Many third world countries are not to the point of focusing on gender equality because of the social viewpoints which are pertinent in society and which create alterations in what is occurring in the different regions. Slums, poverty, lack of education to all and inability to have av ailable employment are some of the main continuous problems that are within the culture. However, this is not associated with the main components of women not having the opportunity to work. Instead, this is a social problem that is based on the lack of opportunity and resources, as well as the inability to provide opportunities to those that are in socie

Poetry Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Poetry Project - Essay Example Prince sun, as he is described calls her wife, who is always busy shining at night in full, quarter or half. As they sit together, the take stock of their children who include Jupiter, the beloved eldest son, their daughter Saturn, whom they realize that she has grown to become a woman now (Leonora, para 1-5). While they sit and discuss about their family, prince sun takes a roll call of everyone while her princess, the moon sits beside him with her luminous flame shining brightly. Finally, the family re-unites and engages in song and dance, singing merrily with joyful spirit and unity. Doomsday is a science fiction poem that talks about astronomy, it talks about an eclipse that is about to happen with devastating consequences on the human race. It explains a time when the planet earth is headed for a collision with the red dwarf. The South African astronomer makes dire calculations; he decides to make a space ark that would be helpful in saving a handful of the human beings that will survive the collision (Pettit, para 1-2). In the first poem, several characteristics make the poem fit perfectly in the science fiction genre, first, the entire poem describes the solar system as a family of the sun, the moon and their planets as children. According to the family’s description by the author, the reader is left to imagine the kind of picture, â€Å"The princess who’s always shining at night in full, quarter or half† (line 2, stanza one). In the second poem, the author also makes a description of events happening when the earth is headed for a collision with a red dwarf, with pending dire consequences on the human race. The author explains, â€Å"Our home earth was headed for total devastation, a renegade red dwarf star put us in an ominous situation† (line 2-3, stanza one). This poems are interesting with full of vivid imaginations about the picture presented from the given descriptions, the make one to travel into mental

1) Unit of work for listening and speaking skills for ESL primary Essay

1) Unit of work for listening and speaking skills for ESL primary Enlish classroom. 2) An stating the rationale, theoretical principles, reflection for th - Essay Example Not all aspects of the text chat and face-to-face environments are similar. In text chat, it is possible for several participants to participate simultaneously. This unit is designed for the pupils of primary level around the age of 10 years. This unit contains some dialogues, narratives and some interesting and absorbing exercises for enhancing listening and speaking capabilities of pupils. The topic of unit is quite interesting. The unit revolves round the unlucky Friday 13th. It focuses on the superstitious aspect of western culture. The topic of unit not teaches language skills but it also introduces non-native pupils to the culture of the western society. The unit theme is quite absorbing and motivating. Pupils would automatically try to speak about the unfortunate incidents took place in the life Emily on that unlucky Friday. A lesson plan is a comprehensive and predetermined schedule of every activity of teacher in classroom for achieving optimal results. A lesson plan can be of many forms and types. It usually depends on time span, style of educator and type of subject to be taught. But the basic and main objective of any type of lesson plan is to provide teacher a pre-planned line of action for presenting materials and interacting with learners. The lesson plan should not be merely a action plan but it should provide a useful link between objectives of curriculum and material to be taught. Motivate students by telling them about the poor Emily who faced lot of hardships on unlucky Friday. Tell the students background of Friday 13th that is considered unlucky. Tell them how much hardships she faced on that particular day but how boldly she faced them. Encourage students to be bold if such situation may arise in their daily routine. It will create intimacy with the character. Tell the students the how important is listening for correct speaking. Tell them

White Paper Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

White Paper - Case Study Example Frequent downtime of the Organization’s network turned out to be a serious business problem for MMPS. Considering the potential problems associated with the existing network of MMPS, a new technology that addresses the above discussed issues has to be incorporated in the Organization. Virtual Private Network technology (VPN) claims to be the most appropriate technology for MMPA to bridge the gaps left by the current environment. VPN is a fast, reliable, secure technology developed to cater the needs of the growing Organizations which have multiple offices or customer locations across the globe. A remote user who needs to access Organizations’ network is also benefited by this technology. 1. Economic Efficiency – VPN replaces expensive leased or frame relay lines and it enables to connect remote users to their corporate networks with reduced overall operational cost. In the case of a managed VPN service the savings can be even greater 3. Scalability - Organizations using a VPN can support expansion of network capacity and reach of the network by simply opening more accounts with their ISP (Internet service provider) without adding significant physical infrastructure Security risk -Inadequate protection of data at the point just before entering the VPN, or once after leaving the VPN because of improper assessment of risk arising out of VPN. Poor user credentials for authentication will cause cracking of credentials. Spread of viruses, worms, and Trojans from remote computers to the internal network is also a risk/ Third-party risk – Poor Choice of an third party service provider which follows poor management of processes. Poor relationship management with the third party may lead to abuse of data passing through VPN n.a (n.d). IS Auditing Guideline: G25 Review of Virtual Private Networks. Retrieved From

Lifes Dream to Be a Teacher Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Lifes Dream to Be a Teacher - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that deciding to become a teacher was difficult and an inspirational move, but much insight was gained into one’s personality as a result. Perhaps now-President Barack Obama said it best.   In today’s society,   â€Å"...what's troubling is†¦our chronic avoidance of tough decisions, our seeming inability to build a working consensus to tackle any big problem.†Ã‚   Deciding to become a teacher, for many reasons, was definitely a struggle.   Many times, this author pondered the significance of the impact that could be had on children's lives-all because a career in teaching would be the ultimate choice. Deciding to become a teacher was a personal inspiration-not only to this author but to this author's family, friends, and co-workers. Many people derived happiness from knowing this. Some of the most important people in my life have been teachers who inspired me. Deciding to become a teacher gave this author insig ht into one's personality. This author's life was about more than the act of teaching. This was the job of a lifetime which would require this author to work at a depth scarcely imaginable-which was a welcome challenge.

The environment and its problems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The environment and its problems - Essay Example All the natural elements that surround us are very well linked one to another, making sure to establish an ecological balance between organisms. Ecosystems are the nature’s proof that we are present on earth with a predetermined biological purpose. Photosynthesis is the mechanism that enables plants to produce enough energy to live and to start the natural food chain, which supports numerous species in the food chain. Human beings are the ones who have a developed sense of knowledge and understanding. As such, they are the ones who control the balance of the food chain. For instance, human beings can make sure that their activities do not disrupt the balance within the ecosystem. On the contrary, we are too busy mining and pricing the crude barrels with a resultant loss of human life and use of guns in the Middle East. In addition, natural tropical rainforests such as the Amazon are continuously being chopped down in a bid to satisfy our ever rising demand for wood. Moreover, the Great Barrier Reef, located in Australia, received on 2010 the longest known grounding scar on it as a result of an oil spill. With regards to these damaging human activities, climate change is inevitable. What natural wonders are the future generations going to be allowed to appreciate? How better is this new world that we are creating where they ought to grow old? Just a taste of this makes us think a little bit about our natural environment and how to preserve it. Global warming evidence has brought together countries around the world, in a desperate effort to try and help in reducing the carbon dioxide and othe2r greenhouse gasses emission from the man-made activities. One of the ways that people and organizations around the world are reducing these emissions is through recycling campaigns. In addition, people are also promoting a healthier lifestyle (one thing that I totally approve) and as a result avoiding processed food while promoting

Lutheranism and Zwinglianism Essay Example for Free

Lutheranism and Zwinglianism Essay The Catholic Church reformation can be attributed to personal motives which were supported by political influence and gains. For instance Lutheranism was introduced by Martin Luther because he was against the indulgence act that the Catholic Church perpetuated and used to raise charitable funds to build and maintain their churches. Luther was raised in a middle class family thus was able to enjoy economic benefits such as attending school. This fact made him win over the crowd by demanding for their attention and sympathy . The spread of the Zwinglianism religion can also be attributed to the personal benefits that Zwingli was seeking. Zwingli a catholic clergy was against the celibacy and chastity vows because he had more than once had sexual relationships with women that were his concubines. Therefore, he demanded a change to the doctrines and principles of the Catholic Church to allow marriage of the clergy to curb the immoral vices they practiced . Gustav vas a the Swedish King perpetuated the spread of the Lutheranism religion when he dominated the national church in Diet of Vasteras by controlling all the church possessions, church appointments and demanded Lutheranism to be taught in churches and schools. Furthermore, the Denmark King Fredrick 1 protected Lutheran followers, reformers and preachers from persecution . Denmark had Catholic followers who excommunicated Lutheran believers however Lutheranism gained a strong hold in Denmark when Christian Fredrick’s son, a Lutheran follower, won the king’s throne after the civil war and thus fully supported Lutheranism. On the other hand the Grand council of Zurich favored Zwingli who perpetuated the spread of Zwinglianism over the Catholic councils thus managed to influence Switzerland to practice Zwinglianism. Furthermore, the Zurich community supported Zwingli a fact that influenced the decision of The Grand council because they wanted to maintain political favor of the Zurich community . Word Count: 303 Bibliography Bruening, W. Michael. 2006. Calvinisms First Battleground: Conflict and Reform in the Pays De Vaud, 1528-1559. Warren, MI: Springer.

Effects of UK Insurance Industry to the Economy Essay Example for Free

Effects of UK Insurance Industry to the Economy Essay The UK insurance industry is the fourth largest in the world. It comes after USA, Japan and Germany and is definitely a major contributor to the economy. The number of people employed in the insurance industry of UK is increasing day by day. The Insurance industry contributes to the economy by providing businesses and individuals risk management. There are many services this industry provides. It ranges from automobile insurance to life and health insurance. Pension and savings are yet other forms of insurance available. Almost 332,000 people are employed in this industry (Association of British Insurers, 3, 2007). Insurance is another name for risk management. Insurance helps individuals and businesses to avoid financial or other loss. We can say it acts as a hedge against unavoidable or avoidable losses. This risk of loss is then transferred to some other entity, usually the insurance company. In exchange the business or individual seeking risk management gets a premium. The company that provides this risk management or insurance is the Insurer (Mehr et la, 13-45, n. d. ). Almost one third of people working in the entire financial market of UK are employed in the insurance industry. This number is twice the number of people in the car manufacturing companies and almost thrice the number employed in the utility industry. The UK insurance industry is one of the biggest in Europe. This industry gave a record of ? 174bn premium income in the 1990s. Though in the early years of 1990s, due to economic recession the insurance industry was not doing that good, but in the second half this industry started to grow and has been giving large numbers of premium profits since then (IFSL, n. p, 2001). In 17th century trading was in its primitive stages. Industrialization was a new phenomenon. Insurance was one element that fostered the growth of these and hence helped the economy prosper. Due to insurance, businesses were able to take risks and expand themselves. In 1688, GDP of England was approximately ? 6 billion (Lindert Willamson, n. p. 1982). After 1688 to 1759, there was not much growth in the national income. Till 1800 the growth was only 1% per year. At this rate our national income should be about ? 66 billion. However, this is not the case. Today our GDP is more or less ? 1000 billion. The main help in growth of economy came from insurance. Without insurance industry, our nation would have been living in a less prosperous way. Though all of this development is not due to insurance alone but it was the driving force that pushed the economy towards this prosperity. Today, insurance has a very vital role. According to an economist: â€Å"The non-existence of markets for the bearing of some risks in the first instance reduces welfare for those who wish to transfer those risks to others for a certain price, as well as for those who would find it profitable to take on the risk at such prices. But it also reduces the desire to render or consume services which have risk consequences† (Arrow, 945 946, 1963). Insurance is important because it has the ability to transfer risk. This control of risk helps businesses to keep moving forward. Insurance might not be important to people who are indifferent to risks. Such societies might have other forms of risk transfer protocols i. e. family. Hence we can say that in order to find out how much an economy will benefit from insurance, depends upon the culture of that place. In 1990, a study was done by Outreville. He took almost 45 developing countries and found out the relationship between insurance and national income. According to him there is a non-linear relationship between insurance premium and GDP. He also specified that the relation ship might not be that clear but it certainly is a positive one. In the light of his research we can conclude that if the insurance industry generates more premiums then the country might have more income (Outreville, n. p, 1990). Another study was done in 2000 by Ward and Zurbruegg. According to them insurance definitely helps in prosperity of the economy (Ward Zurbruegg, 489-507, 2000). It is also believed that if government tries to take position of the insurance industry it can lead to increase in levels of risks. In 2003, Priest did a research and found out that if the government has a safety net this can also lead to more risks. This safety net is actually savings and loans deposits which are there for the disabled. However, more savings might lead to more claims (Priest, 71-80, 2003). There have been quite some changes in the UK’s insurance industry in the past decade. Many major companies have undergone big changes. Commercial Union and General Accident are now called GCNU. They have merged to form a new bigger company. UK’s London market is also different in its own sense. It contains almost twenty large international insurance and reinsurance companies. It is the centre of world’s insurances. Businesses from all over the world get insured here. Two of its largest insurers, Lloyd’s and the International Underwriting Association of London (IUA), also provide various services (Joe, n. p, 1998).

Allied Health Professionals and Occupational Therapists

Allied Health Professionals and Occupational Therapists Annabelle Butterick INTRODUCTION The following essay discusses occupational therapists as Allied Health Professionals and who they work with. Occupational therapists work with many Allied Health Professionals. Two of these Allied Health Professionals will be discussed further in this essay to understand the interdisciplinary team and the importance of communication between these Allied Health Professionals. Occupational therapists work with many allied health professionals such as psychologists and physiotherapists to provide support and treatment for patients such as those who have suffered from a stroke (Willis, Reynolds, Keleher, 2016). This essay also discusses crucial communication skills and the impact this has on patient outcome. UNDERSTANDING YOUR PROFESSION The aim of occupational therapy is to allow clients to participate in everyday activities (occupations) which are relevant to them. Each client has different needs and activities which they like to do each day, therefore, the aims and goals for the client is individualized and specific for them. To help the client engage in these different occupations independently the occupational therapist adjusts their environment or even the activity to allow the client to maintain their level of independence. Clients have different views for certain activities such as shopping, some find it like a chore but others may find it enjoyable (What is occupational therapy?, 2017). Occupational therapists can work in a variety of areas such as with children, rehabilitation and aged care, acute care, injury management and mental health. Children may require help to achieve milestones which are important to their development such as hand-eye coordination. Occupational therapists help aged care clients and in rehab to improve daily life after a surgery or after a health event such as a stroke. In acute care, occupational therapists assess the clients function and needs and then monitor their development. Through changing the work environment and creating a work program this allows injured people to return to work safely. Occupational therapists are also able to create strategies to help the client cope with their mental health issues and also help to improve their confidence and self-esteem (What do occupational therapists do?, 2017). Occupational Therapist work in a client-centred framework. This is where the occupational therapist works with the client to set aims and identify issues which affects their occupational performance. Occupational therapists work with clients from a variety ages from newborn children to people in their very elderly years (Willis, Reynolds, Keleher, 2016). BEGINNINGS OF UNDERSTANDING AN INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM Physiotherapist Physiotherapists aim to help their patients develop, maintain and restore their maximum movement and functional ability of the body. They use their problem-solving skills to assess the situation, interpret the findings and then analyze the findings to plan an individualized treatment for the patient. Physiotherapists help anyone from premature babies to the elderly in palliative care environments. Physiotherapists mostly work in hospital environments in a variety of clinical fields. Examples of these clinical fields include musculoskeletal, cardiorespiratory, womens health, neurological and many other clinical fields (Willis, Reynolds, Keleher, 2016). Physiotherapist help their patient with goal-setting, however, patients may feel they cannot achieve the goal and therefore, not participate in the process or the physiotherapist may not be as active in the process with their patient as they may feel their patient has communication issues which may hold them back. Goal-setting is a major aspect of physiotherapy; therefore, physiotherapists need to be able to achieve success goals with their patient. Physiotherapists may use approaches such as SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timed) to help their patient achieve the goal. Goal-setting in physiotherapy is much more than a physiotherapist asking questions and the patient answering, therefore, physiotherapists may use open questions to help gather information on the patient to help formulate a goal (Schoeb, Staffoni, Parry, Pilnick, 2014). Psychologist Psychologists aim to help people achieve a meaningful and happier life through assessing and diagnosing a variety of issues. Psychologists then develop many approaches and treatments for their patient whilst also providing support and direction. Psychologist are often seen as only working in mental health however, they also work in many other areas like disability, family services, community, schools, education, health, sport, performing art and even corporate and business. Majority of the population at one point in their life may require to see a psychologist (What is a psychologist?, 2016). There are many areas of psychology like general practicing psychologists, clinical neuropsychology, clinical psychology, community psychology, counseling psychology, educational and developmental psychology, forensic psychology, health psychology, organizational psychology and sport and exercise psychology (Areas of Psychology, 2016). Psychologists have a significant impact in general health care as they are able to engage in a variety of settings (examples of these are inpatient and outpatient in mental and traditional health care settings). Psychologists were able to engage in areas such as the assessment such as telling someone they have cancer or another terminal illness, intervention such as cardiovascular and liaison where they are able to provide care during death and when a patient is dying (Puente, 2011). THE INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM This interdisciplinary team is able to work together to provide different skills and support for the patient. An example of this is a person who has had a stroke. For someone who has had a stroke, occupational therapists assist the patient to improve daily activities. A physiotherapist is able to help the patient with their function such as balance, gait, and movement of the body. Psychologists are able to support the patient with any cognitive impairments. Stroke can be a cause of adult disability therefore, a psychologist who works in a disability area can a patient overcome the cognitive thoughts which occur with reduced function and movement. Through working together these health professionals are able to provide an interdisciplinary team who will aim for the best patient outcome (Langhorne, Bernhardt, Kwakkel, 2011). Two crucial skills that will be required as an Occupational Therapist part of an Interdisciplinary team such as the one provided will be mutual understanding and communication. Allied Health professionals such as Occupational Therapists need to interact and communicate uniquely with the individual such as the patient or another health professional which may be part of the interdisciplinary team. Health professionals part of an interdisciplinary team need to develop mutual understanding where each person is able to connect and understand one another. Mutual understanding between health professionals allows for effective communication where the interdisciplinary team are able to negotiate and discuss in detail the patients treatment plan (OToole, 2012). Health professionals of an interdisciplinary team need to adjust their communication according to the receiver. Each health professional needs to adjust their language to suit their target audience as different words have different meanings to each health profession. The choice of communication is able to provide respect to the other individuals which further enhances mutual understanding and provides effective communication. Health professionals also needs to recognize other health professionals strengths and skills within an interdisciplinary team to collaborate and provide success patient-centred care. (Suter, week 1 readings) Together this communication skills are crucial to create effective communication which is linked with positive and successful patient outcomes (Suter et al., 2009). CONCLUSION Communication is a vital importance in an interdisciplinary team, which if effective can lead to successful patient outcome. An example of an interdisciplinary team composed of an occupational therapist, physiotherapist and psychologist explores these health professionals collaboration to provide support and treatment for a stroke patient. This scenario is able to show the significance of communication in health professions and the collaboration of a variety of allied health professionals to provide successful patient outcome. Occupational therapists, physiotherapist, and psychologist use different methods and strategies, therefore, effective communication in this interdisciplinary team to increase positive patient outcome. Reference List Areas of Psychology. (2016). Australian Psychological Society. Retrieved 29 March 2017, from http://www.believeinchange.com/Home/About-Us/Areas-of-Psychology Langhorne, P., Bernhardt, J., Kwakkel, G. (2011). Stroke rehabilitation (1st ed., pp. 1693-1702). Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673611603255 OToole, G. (2012). Communication: core interpersonal skills for health professionals (2nd ed., pp. 1-9). Chatswood: Elsevier. Puente, A. (2011). Psychology as a Health Care Profession (1st ed., pp. 781 792). Retrieved from http://ovidsp.tx.ovid.com/sp-3.24.1b/ovidweb.cgi?QS2=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 Schoeb, V., Staffoni, L., Parry, R., Pilnick, A. (2014). What do you expect from physiotherapy?: a detailed analysis of goal setting in physiotherapy (1st ed., pp. 1679 1686). Retrieved from http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/09638288.2013.867369 Suter, E., Arndt, J., Arthur, N., Pardbossingh, J., Taylor, E., Deutschlander, S. (2009). Role understanding and effective communication as core competencies for collaborative practice (1st ed.). Retrieved from http://flex.flinders.edu.au/file/c85f8697-7556-4b81-90de-31a342a8583f/1/Role%20understanding%20and%20effective%20communication%20as%20core%20competencies%20for%20collaborative%20practice.pdf What do occupational therapists do?. (2017). Occupational Therapy Australia. Retrieved 29 March 2017, from https://www.otaus.com.au/about/what-do-occupational-therapists-do What is a psychologist?. (2016). Australian Psychological Society. Retrieved 29 March 2017, from http://www.believeinchange.com/Home/About-Us/What-is-a-psychologist What is occupational therapy?. (2017). Occupational Therapy Australia. Retrieved 29 March 2017, from https://www.otaus.com.au/about/what-is-occupational-therapy Willis, E., Reynolds, L., Keleher, H. (2016). Understanding the Australian health care system (3rd ed., pp. 301 328). Elsevier.

Heavy Weather At American Airlines :: essays research papers

Heavy Weather at American Airlines Business Week Heavy Weather at American Jan.27 1997 pg 32 There is a big shake up at American Airlines. The pilots want more money but management has already spent it. Another strike you say. Yip, looks like it. The chief executive of American Airlines was stunned when on January 8, by an overwhelming vote, pilots rejected a tentative contract. Pilots then got a message from the company president saying "For the first time in many years, we fear for the future of our company." The reason that this strike could spell disaster for one of the leading airlines in the world is the rather large order of new aircraft American ordered from Boeing. American says that having to pay higher pilot salaries and buy new aircraft makes it an uneconomical investment, in other words they can not do both and still stay in business. A strike could even threaten a purposed alliance with British Airways. American in not alone though. With industry profits on the constant rise, employees of other airlines are pushing for higher pay also, but undeniably American is in the worst position right now. It looks to me like the pilots were not very happy with the decision to purchase new aircraft from Boeing back in November when it was first voted on. It seems as though instead of purchasing new aircraft the pilots wanted a pay increase. What the pilots want is a pay increase of 11% over the next four years. What the have been offered is a 5% increase. The argument that the pilots have put forward is the fact that their offer does not even keep up with inflation. It looks as though a strike would be very unlikely because of the amount of money involved, somewhere around fifty million a day would be lost by American. That big of a loss could be very detrimental to any company. What can management do with a dilemma like this? It seem that they departed without knowing where they were going to land. They should have made sure there would not have been an uprising in any part of the company before the took measures as drastic as ordering six-billion dollars in new aircraft. It looks to me like there needs to be better communication between all facets of management in this company. The only way out of this mess that I can see is to reduce the order from Boeing so that they can afford to give the pilots there precious pay increases. This could cause more problems depending on how lenient the contract between

Cato the Elder and Julius Caesar Essay -- Roman History

The Roman Republic's most memorable men are Cato the Elder and Julius Caesar. Each man gained unfathomable power over the greatest nation of the world for its time. Our world today continues to feel the affects of Caesar, who developed the modern day calendar system (Suet. Caesar, 40). Both men changed Rome and added to its rich and nobel history. Ancient biographers, Plutarch and Suetonius, give insightful glimpses into to the lives of Cato and Caesar, and what formed them into history makers. Through careful analysis of Cato and Caesar's biographies, it becomes apparent that they shared similar skills and values that vaulted them to the top of Roman society. However, they were strikingly different in how they used their skills and lived their lives. Although the lives of Cato and Caesar are similar in many respects, the biographies of Plutarch and Suetonius reveal that personality and family background are the main causes for their differences. Commonalities between Cato and Caesar abound in Suetonius and Plutarch's biographies. The most apparent similarity is physical appearance and ability. Cato followed a sober mode of living and trained hard to attain â€Å" a tough constitution and a body which was as strong as it was healthy† (P1). In battle Cato was a â€Å"formidable fighter, who stood his ground resolutely and and confronted his opponents with a ferocious expression â€Å" (P1). Caesar was also strong in body and battle. He was â€Å"tall fair and well built,† and he was â€Å"a most skillful swordsman and horseman, and showed surprising powers of endurance† (s45,57). The enormous number of victories left by Caesar are testimony to his skill as general and fighter. Similarity in strength is only one part of dom... ...ter, Julia, like a game piece and married her to pompey to form an alliance. Caesar's personality has clearly shown through in these examples of marriage and offspring. On the other hand, Cato views his offspring and marriage in a much different light.. Due to his sense of hard work and care for family, Cato believes strongly that if he puts effort into his son's education he will be rewarded with a son to be proud of. This turns out to be true because Cato receives a letter from his son's commander, in which his son is praised â€Å"in the highest terms for his gallantry† (plu. 20). Also, Cato only had one wife at a time, and only remarried after his first wife died (plu. 24). Compared to Caesar, Cato's moral nature is clearly shining through. Personality and character traits clearly show the how difference arise within the context of marriage and offspring.