States often employ the media to mobilize support for war efforts Essay

States often employ the media to mobilize support for war efforts. Discuss the processes at stake in relation to Gulf War II - Essay Example This phenomenon is obviously not new. The experience of the armed forces of the United States in the post-Cold War illustrates that triumph on the combat zone is rarely as effortless as overpowering the opponent by military might. From the time of the Civil War at least, subjective arguments related to the influence of the media on American wars have generated debate among journalists, scholars, the military, and government authorities as they carry on arguing the role and effects of the media (Katovsky & Carlson 2004). Traditionally, debate over the issue of the role and influence of the media has become especially serious when national policies carrying out the conflict are seen as being either weakening, or very slow to realize their political goals (Lewis & Rose 2002) to the detriment of increasing fatalities. Under such conditions, opponents of the media have been traditional in charging the press of editorial prejudice that weakens public support for war efforts, whereas most j ournalists have been similarly traditional in justifying that they are only realistically presenting what they witness and observe (Smith 1992). This issue perhaps acquired its most rigorous critique and evaluation after the Vietnam War, when the influence of the media over national policy and public support became the topic of several concerned groups, conferences, academic conventions, and innumerable publications (Murphy & White 2007). Quite distressing was this series of stern examinations that the issue of media prejudices and its effect on public support and national policy throughout the Vietnam War persists to emerge as a permanent point of comparison (Murphy & White 2007) at once every time the United States has engaged in later conflicts. This controversial debate is again apparent in present-day comparisons of the news reporting of the Vietnam War with that of the second Persian Gulf War, awakening new discussions concerning media influence over national policy and public support (Katovsky & Carlson 2004). Due to this resurfacing debate, it is suitable and important to reevaluate the influence and role of the media in contemporary conflicts. This paper focuses on the function of the media as an instrument to mobilize public support for war efforts, specifically focusing on the second Persian Gulf War. The Process of Political Persuasion or Public Support Mobilization Persuasion is essential to the discipline of Media and International Relations because a great deal of it concerns persuasion. Scholars investigate persuasion by examining attitudinal mechanisms after disclosure of certain information (Johansen & Joslyn 2008). A major sign of persuasion takes place when transformations in the information setting are followed by attitudinal changes. Opinions about President Bush and his campaign against Iraq altered significantly prior and during the preliminary stages of the war as the government justified its objective (Johansen & Joslyn 2008). What sp urred these attitudinal changes was public recognition of particular information circulated by the administration of Bush and extensively covered by the news media. Apparently, the source of information is vital in persuasion. Information sources deemed as truthful, sincere, or credible are more influential than doubtful

Contemporary social work needs to be understood within an Essay

Contemporary social work needs to be understood within an organisational context (discuss) - Essay Example was revamped completely in 1970s and all health and social care institutions work under this body and thus improvement of NHS refers to improvement of all such institutions. In the 2004 plan, it was made clear that government wanted to bring comprehensive changes to social care bodies in the country by focusing on three major areas: It was felt that social care organizations were suffering from lack of proper targets. It was also found that NHS cannot possibly work as one huge organization if all the institutions working under it did not have uniform standards and targets. Thus a need for felt to shift the focus from national to organizational improvement where: When we see a body as an organization, we need to define its culture as well. It is the culture of the organization which governs all its actions and directs its efforts. By treating NHS as an organization that has some values and goals, we seek to build a culture for it which can be followed by all the agencies working under it. Organizational culture is defined as â€Å"the pattern of shared values and beliefs that helps individuals understand organizational functioning and thus provides them with the norms for behavior in the organization.† (Deshpande, Webster, 1989) From the definition it is clear that organizational culture is directly connected with values that a firm has. If the firm believes in providing good service and attaining customer satisfaction, it would make it a point to have all its employees follow the same belief. They would all then seek to satisfy the customer by providing best possible care and service. Similarly in an organization where culture of let hargy, tardiness and hypocrisy is prevalent, employees would all be seen adhering to the same values. Culture is thus very important and by reforming NHS and assigning it goals, values and targets, the government seeks to create a culture of productivity and efficiency which would ultimately affect all social care agencies working

Personal statement for medical residency Essay Example for Free

Personal statement for medical residency Essay Family residency has been my passion for a long time. This is not farfetched. I have been nursing an ambition to be a family physician for a very long time, this is unconnected with a series of experiences that I have had in the past. A few days before commencing my medical training in Poland, my mother had a major heart attack and she had to be admitted for emergency surgery heart bypass surgery. The way she was attended to by the medical personnel, especially the resident physician endeared me to this particular specialty. Moreover, my experience in the medical school was a pleasant one as I learnt to deal with real life situations as they occur. i enjoyed rotating through all the units. However, the one rotation that i still cherished most was that on Family Medicine. Working with the consultants also had a lasting impression on me as I also learnt how to interact with diverse groups of individuals, from the infants to the aged. This experience was one that i would always remember because of the potential inner satisfaction that I could derive from being a Family Physician. I foresaw a future where I would be able to forge long term relationships with people with the aim of improving their health and contributing to their healthy lifestyle. This dream will be achieved if I am accepted for this residency program. I have been opportune to traverse many countries in Europe including Poland, where had my medical education. I have seen people suffer from lack of adequate medical attention. I had some clinical rotations in Chicago in a medically underserved area. This made me see people that would otherwise not have suffered had it been that they have adequate medical attention. My teachers have been my role model all the while, tutoring me for the challenges ahead. I want to be able to affect the lives of people positively in way of being their physician. I have a strong passion for this specialty. I strongly believe that this residency program will further improve my skills at becoming the physician I have always wanted to be. The total health of the patient is my concern – not only their medical health but also their emotional well being. I want to be an excellent family Physician.

The Famous Poetry Of Amy Lowell

The Famous Poetry Of Amy Lowell Who was Amy Lowell? For the very few that do remember her, regard her as an obese, homosexual, and lonely, unmarried woman that enjoyed smoking cigars and wearing mens shirts. However, we overlook the fact that she is well-known for bringing the Imagist movement to the United States and that she is solely responsible for the creation of the polyphonic prose. Also, no one discusses how she a broke free from societys standards of what a young woman should be Brought up in a prestigious, affluent household, she was taught how to be a young lady. Being a Lowell daughter, she would then be married off at the age of seventeen, but no marriage proposal arrived for her that year. Since she had no right to an education, it was then that this seventeen-year-old girl began to educate herself by immersing herself in her fathers 17,000-volume library, where she discovered poet John Keats. From within the constraints of society, Lowell was able to break away and discover her true self. She once s aid: For books are more than books, they are the life, the very heart and core of ages past, the reason why men worked and died, the essence and quintessence of their lives. Amy Lowell lived by this very idea. Her books and her poetry are what gave her life and meaning. Through such, Lowell delved herself into the depths of nature and emotion as her key subjects when writing poetry. One specific quality of Lowells poetry was that she used sharp, clear language along with vivid imagery to make a statement. She saw no need in inserting vague and ambiguous references. To her the best poetry was that which flowed by itself as in everyday language. There was no need to abide by the limitations that certain types of poetry brought about, such as Italian sonnets with their a-b-b-a format. Lowell is able to portray this very thought process beautifully in Lilacs, which is one of the best representations of imagist poetry. The overall poem has no hidden or deeper meaning to it and in fact, can be taken completely literally, which is one of the reasons it holds so strong among other imagist poetry. The poem begins with Lilacs,/ False Blue,/ White,/ Purple,/ Color of Lilac, which Lowell continues to repeat at the beginning of stanzas 2 and 4 as well. This repetition of the subject, allows the reader to refocus on the true topic of the poem. At the same time, Lowell in the first stanza uses apostrophe to speak directly to the lilacs, referring to them as you. The speaker continues to state that the lilacs are everywhere in this New England, watching a deserted house, as well as settling sideways into the grass of an old road (21, 17, 18). Slowly, Lowell begins to focus less and less on the physical characteristics of the lilacs, but more so on what they are physically doing and what they are capable of doing, personifying the lilacs in the process. The lilacs are now standing by the pasture-bars to give the cows good milking, persuad[ing] the housewife that her dishpan was of silver, and flaunt[ing] the fragrance of [its] blossoms (28, 29, 31). Through these acts, the reader quickly sees the lilacs as benefiting the things and people around them. Finally towards the Put in conclusion: For the rest though, she continues to be just another poet lost in the depths of history. Lilacs,   False blue,   White,   Purple,   Color of lilac,   Your great puffs of flowers   Are everywhere in this my New England.   Among your heart-shaped leaves   Orange orioles hop like music-box birds and sing   Their little weak soft songs;   In the crooks of your branches   The bright eyes of song sparrows sitting on spotted eggs   Peer restlessly through the light and shadow   Of all Springs.   Lilacs in dooryards   Holding quiet conversations with an early moon;   Lilacs watching a deserted house   Settling sideways into the grass of an old road;   Lilacs, wind-beaten, staggering under a lopsided shock of bloom   Above a cellar dug into a hill.   You are everywhere.   You were everywhere.   You tapped the window when the preacher preached his sermon,   And ran along the road beside the boy going to school.   You stood by the pasture-bars to give the cows good milking,   You persuaded the housewife that her dishpan was of silver.   And her husband an image of pure gold.   You flaunted the fragrance of your blossoms   Through the wide doors of Custom Houses-   You, and sandal-wood, and tea,   Charging the noses of quill-driving clerks   When a ship was in from China.   You called to them: Goose-quill men, goose-quill men,   May is a month for flitting.   Until they writhed on their high stools   And wrote poetry on their letter-sheets behind the propped-up ledgers.   Paradoxical New England clerks,   Writing inventories in ledgers, reading the Song of Solomon at night,   So many verses before bed-time,   Because it was the Bible.   The dead fed you   Amid the slant stones of graveyards.   Pale ghosts who planted you   Came in the nighttime   And let their thin hair blow through your clustered stems.   You are of the green sea,   And of the stone hills which reach a long distance.   You are of elm-shaded streets with little shops where they sell kites and marbles,   You are of great parks where every one walks and nobody is at home.   You cover the blind sides of greenhouses   And lean over the top to say a hurry-word through the glass   To your friends, the grapes, inside.   Lilacs, False blue,   White,   Purple,   Color of lilac,   You have forgotten your Eastern origin,   The veiled women with eyes like panthers,   The swollen, aggressive turbans of jeweled pashas.   Now you are a very decent flower,   A reticent flower,   A curiously clear-cut, candid flower,   Standing beside clean doorways,   Friendly to a house-cat and a pair of spectacles,   Making poetry out of a bit of moonlight   And a hundred or two sharp blossoms.   Maine knows you,   Has for years and years;   New Hampshire knows you,   And Massachusetts   And Vermont.   Cape Cod starts you along the beaches to Rhode Island;   Connecticut takes you from a river to the sea.   You are brighter than apples,   Sweeter than tulips,   You are the great flood of our souls   Bursting above the leaf-shapes of our hearts,   You are the smell of all Summers,   The love of wives and children,   The recollection of gardens of little children,   You are State Houses and Charters   And the familiar treading of the foot to and fro on a road it knows.   May is lilac here in New England,   May is a thrush singing Sun up! on a tip-top ash tree,   May is white clouds behind pine-trees   Puffed out and marching upon a blue sky.   May is a green as no other,   May is much sun through small leaves,   May is soft earth,   And apple-blossoms,   And windows open to a South Wind.   May is full light wind of lilac   From Canada to Narragansett Bay.   Lilacs,   False blue,   White,   Purple,   Color of lilac.   Heart-leaves of lilac all over New England,   Roots of lilac under all the soil of New England,   Lilac in me because I am New England,   Because my roots are in it,   Because my leaves are of it,   Because my flowers are for it,   Because it is my country   And I speak to it of itself   And sing of it with my own voice   Since certainly it is mine.

The Reagan Tax Cuts And Foreign Policy Essay -- essays research papers

The Reagan Tax Cuts and Foreign Policy During the 1980's President Ronald Reagan's (our 40th president from 1981 to 1989) domestic policy of a substantial tax cut led to greatly increased economic prosperity for our country. During Reagan's administration marked changes were made to the tax code and economic statistics showed a major change for the better. However, at the same time, the Democrats controlled the Congress and continued increased spending against Reagan's wishes. The Joint Economic Committee stated that an across-the-board tax cut was not new. In the 20's the Mellon tax cuts were implemented by Secretary of Treasury Andrew Mellon during the Administrations of Hoover, Harding, and Coolidge. In the 60's Kennedy introduced tax cuts. In both instances the decrease of high marginal tax rates somehow increased tax payments by the rich. Perhaps a foreshadow of things to come. Debates were raging over the Reagan tax cuts, known as the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981 (or, ERTA). This act was designed to spur savings, investment, work, and economic efficiency. This policy would impose a 25% across-the-board cut in personal marginal tax rates. In the act of decreasing marginal tax rates, and stimulating economic incentives, ERTA would increase the flow of resources into production, thus lifting economic growth. This policy received much criticism because its opponents argued that ERTA would be a giveaway to the rich, because their tax payments would collapse. Reagan worked hard and skillfully with the congress to obtain legislation to stimulate economic growth and curb inflation, he embarked upon a course to cut taxes and curb inflation. President Reagan was able to sign into law a tax cut in late 1981 even though congressional Democrats tried to block his cuts. All tax payers received these cuts which helped to spur the economy. The cuts were taken over three years with a 5% cut in 1981, a 10% cut for 1982, and in 1983 another 10% cut. Reagan's call for extensive changes in the federal income tax laws helped bring about passage of the Tax Reform Act of 1986. In 1986 Reagan introduced the Tax Reform act of 1986. The tax reform act of 1986 chopped taxes, and indexed taxes for inflation as well. During Reagan's first term the inflation rate was at -5.7%, unemployment was at1.4%, interest rates were at -.7, and the gross na... ... The aides had then illegally given some of the arms money to contra guerrillas. Conclusion The Reagan Tax cuts showed that reducing excessive tax rates stimulates growth, reduces tax avoidance, and can increase the share of tax payments given by the rich. With respect to foreign policy Reagan's performances especially with Mikhail Gorbachev showed a high approval of performance with the people. Reagan had the highest poll ratings for performance of any president since World War 2. It appears that his leadership helped to make the feeling of the country to have a more confident outlook on the future. References "Iran-Contra Affair," Microsoft ® Encarta ® 96 Encyclopedia 1993-1995. 1996 Grolier Interactive Inc. Edition copyright  © 1992 by Houghton Mifflin Company. http://www.house.gov/joe/welcome.html http://www.reaganhome.com/taxcuts.html http://www.theatlantic.com/atlantic/election/connections/foreign/reagrus.htm Hyland, W.G., ed., The Reagan Foreign Policy (1987). The American Heritage ® Dictionary of the English Language, Third The Atlantic Monthly, February 1994; Reagan and the Russians; Volume 273. The Joint Economic Committee reports on the Reagan Tax Cuts

Machiavellis The Prince: Politics, War, and Human Nature Essay

Machiavelli's The Prince: Politics, War, and Human Nature "[I]t is necessary for a prince to know well how to use the beast and the man." (Machiavelli, The Prince, p. 69[1]). In this swift blow, Niccolà ² Machiavelli seems to strike down many visions of morality put up on pedestals by thinkers before his time. He doesn't turn to God or to some sort of common good for his political morality. Instead, he turns to the individual?more specifically, self-preservation in a position of power. Machiavelli's vision rules out the possibility of a 'higher' political authority if 'higher' is meant to say that the morality comes from the divine, but his vision certainly does not rule out any sort of higher political morality. To guide the actions of men in general, Machiavelli turns to the actions of the strong prince. Machiavelli?s higher political morality is to pursue the means to gain and hold power. Machiavelli approaches the topic of political morality in a completely different way than many of the thinkers that preceded him. Instead of beginning with the way things should be under ideal conditions, he goes straight for reality and observes what he believes to be brutality and savagery being played out in politics. Machiavelli reasons that politics is war, no matter which way you cut it. ?Thus, you must know that there are two kinds of combat: one with laws, the other with force. The first is proper to man, the second to beasts; but because the first is often not enough, one must have recourse to the second.? (Machiavelli, p.69). Notice that ?laws? are a type of combat. Again, Machiavelli swerves away from the path that many thinkers would take at this point. Instead of launching a criticism of m... ...nocent on all counts of breaking campaign promises, selling out allies, misleading voters, and doing something right for the wrong reasons. Sure, the world would be a better place if all men acted like men (and not beasts), but since at least some will act like beasts, then anyone who wants to succeed must also be willing to act like a beast if necessary. ?For a man who wants to make a profession of good in all regards must come to ruin among so many who are no good.? (Machiavelli, p. 61). Machiavelli was right. Politics is war, and to win in that war for your own good and the common good, you must know the man and the beast. [1] Machiavelli, Niccolà ². The Prince. Trans. Harvey C. Mansfield. Chicago, 1998. [2] Augustine. The City of God against the Pagans. Trans. R. W. Dyson. Cambridge, 1998. [3] Aristotle. Politics. Trans. Ernest Barker. Oxford: 1995.

How Does Drug Influence Teenagers? Essay

Many teenagers get high from abusing substances which range from diverted prescription drugs to street drugs to inhalants to alcohol. Some of these teens will go on to a life of addiction, abusing increasingly dangerous substances. Some teens will have more short-lived experience, as abusing a drug or other substance even one time can be fatal. Parents and interested adults should examine the factors that lead teenagers to abuse substances in an effort to prevent this risky behavior. Peer Pressure The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that peers have a large influence on drug-abusing behavior. Many teens use drugs for the first time to avoid being stigmatized by their friends or to impress others. The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign advises that the best way for teens to avoid succumbing to peer pressure is to be prepared in advance with ideas of what they want to say. Parents can empower teens by role playing situations. The parent assumes the role of the drug-using peer and the child practices reacting to being pressured into participating in drug use. Sponsored Links Teach English with KBT Lesson plans, worksheet, and activities for ESL students www.KBTeachers.com Genetics According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, scientists recognize that genetic predispositions to drug abuse exist, but they have yet to pinpoint the specific genes involved. This may have to do with a brain â€Å"feel good† chemical called dopamine, and a person’s gene-controlled relationship with it. While one teen may try a hallucinogen one time, a teen genetically predisposed to have addiction problems may desire to use it again and again as they naturally derive more pleasure from dopamine or have a deficit of it to begin with. While scientists figure all this out, parents should strongly caution teens who have might have a genetic relationship with a drug addict or alcoholic about avoiding substance abuse. Family Growing up in a family that emphasizes getting â€Å"high† from legal or illegal substances can cause an adolescent to think drug use is acceptable. Mayo Clinic explains that this unhealthy family influence may be a factor in a teen’s initial drug experimentation. Exposure to family members who reach for a substance to cure every pain or ailment can cause a teen to do the same. Teens get many of their values from parents and other adult influences, and often mimic what they see. Its never too late to establish healthier family traditions and set a good example for teens. Thrill-seeking Tendencies Teenagers who have a tendency to seek thrills and adrenaline rushes may be at higher risk of abusing drugs due to the â€Å"high† feeling that is achieved from early substance use. While everyone enjoys a rush of feel-good chemicals from appropriate sources, some teens get a feeling from drugs that causes them to continue their use despite negative consequences. If a parent sees a pattern of thrill-seeking behavior in his child, he can discuss safe outlets for it versus unsafe drug use. Stress Some teens, like some adults, reach for substances as an attempt to relieve stress. This can be the root of substance abuse in adolescents with underlying mental conditions such as generalized anxiety disorder or social anxiety disorder. Child abuse—past or current—can create the level of stress that triggers some teens to abuse drugs. If your child seems to be under undue stress, insist on a mental health evaluation and counseling if needed. Low Self-worth A teenager with low self-worth is more likely to engage in self-abusive behaviors such as drug use. This likelihood is heightened if some of the other mentioned influencing factors are also present in a teen’s life. Parents can help a child find skills in which she excels to help avoid or counteract low self-worth. Desire for Performance Enhancement According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, some teenagers begin using drugs as a misguided attempt to improve sports or academic performance. These teens often have a sense of immortality and do not feel that the drug’s negative effects can harm them. All teen athletes should be educated on the dangers of performance enhancing drugs and all students should understand that doing the best they can in their schoolwork is all that is required for their parents to be proud of them.