What Constitutes Knowledge? Essay -- Definition Educating Knowing Essa

What Constitutes Knowledge?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The workings of the mind have been the focus of philosophers from the beginnings of humanity. One primary focal point that has been pondered over by numerous thinkers is what exactly constitutes knowledge. At first glance the issue seems to be cut and dry but the question gets more complicated with thought. This can be witnessed by the many different epistemological theories put forward throughout the ages. This can specifically be seen by looking at 4 different classical views on knowledge, those of Plato, Epicurus, the Stoics and the Skeptics.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As it was stated in the opening paragraph of this essay everyone has their own theory of what constitutes knowledge. That is why I think it would be beneficial for me to state what I believe knowledge is. First of all I don’t think anyone can ever know anything for certain. I believe that we can sense certain sights, smells, sounds, etc. but our senses could be mistaken. We are let down by our senses all the time we see optical illusions, mirages, mishear people, confuse odors and the like. Also if you think about all of the senses that we are lacking that other species have we are missing out on a great portion of reality. For example bloodhounds have a drastically stronger sense of smell, snakes can see heat, dolphins and bats communicate through high frequency sounds that we can not dream of hearing. Added to all the other things that go on around us daily that we are missing shows me that we are missing out on what is truly reality. We can only hope to experience, or â€Å"know† our own very limited reality. So to that end that is one reason I don’t think we can ever really know anything. In regards to knowledge of human reality I believe that we may be able to be very confident of certain things but I wouldn’t go so far as to say we know them. To me knowledge is having 100% certainty of a fact and that’s dangerous in my opinion because nothing we experience is certain. Here I split what has been called knowledge into empirical knowledge, rational knowledge and Knowledge that we hear from others. However I think that each one of these categories has their own shortcomings and I’ll deal with them from the most credible source of knowledge to the least. As I explained before the senses can deceive us and there is no reason to believe that anything we see is reality. Eve... ...ntrol plays an extremely important part in the process of chasing knowledge. It takes a great deal of self control to admit to yourself that you do not know something. It is a common human characteristic to assume that you know a certain piece of information and you need to restrain yourself and at least double check the validity of the statement. It is also very important to remember how you came to â€Å"know† the information. Many people claim to know things that they have learned in class, from parents, or in church. However, none of these are valid avenues to true knowledge. Just because another individual says something that makes some sense doesn’t mean it’s correct. The individual needs to be wary of believing that they know things. It is one thing to believe in something but it is a far greater commitment to say that you know.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion I agree with some of the points made by the classical philosophers on the subject of knowledge, but I don’t agree with any of their entire theories. Socrates, Epicuris, the skeptics and the Stoics all make valid points but also stray from my view of what knowledge is. However, I am quite sure that my theory could be wrong as well.

Teenagers and Suicide Essay -- Teenage Suicide Essays

The third leading cause of death amongst teenagers: Suicide Did you know that suicide is currently the third leading cause of death among teenagers in the United States? (4). In 1992, more teenagers and young adults died from suicide than those who died from stroke, cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, pneumonia, influenza and chronic lung disease combined (4). Suicide is definitely a compelling problem amongst youth in the U.S today. It is estimated that 300 to 400 teen suicides occur per year in Los Angeles County; which is equivalent to one teenager lost every day (1). Many concerned people ask, "What is going on?" and "Why is this happening?" Among many things, some suicidal youths experience family trouble, which leads them, to doubt their self-worth and make them feel unwanted, superfluous, and misunderstood. According to one study, 90 percent of suicidal teenagers believed their families did not understand them. Young people reported that when they tried to tell their parents about their feelings of unhappiness or failure, their mother and father denied or ignored their point of view (1). Suicide can be prevented; in fact, suicide prevention has saved over ten percent of teens who have tried to attempt suicide (1). In this paper I will prove that although, suicide is a serious epidemic amongst teens in the U.S., it can also be prevented. "I'm depressed." You might say it casually to refer to sadness that engulfs you and then goes away. But depression is also a mental health illness that may require help from an experienced professional(1). Depression has been considered to be the leading cause of teen suicide in the 20th century, affecting approximately eight million teens in North America (2). Recen... ... While the above teen suicide facts are astounding, here are some positives about teen depression and suicide: The number one cause of teen suicide is untreated depression. Most suicidal teens respond positively to psychotherapy and medication. Nearly 90 percent of depressed people benefit from medication. Those contemplating suicide can be "talked out of it." WWW Sources 1)Teen depression homepage, a rich resource on how to prevent teen suicide http://www.teen-depression.info/ 2)Teen depression homepage, a rich resource on causes of suicide. http://www.nami.org/Content/ContentGroups/Helpline1/Teenage_Suicide.htm 3)Teen depression homepage, a personal story on teen suicide http://www.1-teenage-suicide.com/story.html 4)Teen depression homepage, facts about suicide http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/suicide.html

Advertising Analysis Essay

Rolex advertise their watches through social media, internet, radio and television. Firstly, Rolex has many quotes to advertise their watches. For example, ‘If you were speaking here tomorrow, you should wear a Rolex’ and ‘Rolex live for greatness’ and ‘the value of time’. Besides that, Rolex also advertise their product by finding worldwide champion of tennis superstar Federer Roger and Ana Ivanovic. Tennis superstar Ana Ivanovic as the gorgeous face of the new Rolex ladies watches advertisement. The next time you watch a video on YouTube you might find yourself viewing a Rolex advertisement before the content you meant to see. Advertisement on YouTube are nothing new but Rolex’s participation as a client of YouTube is less than to be expected from the mega-luxury brand. Rolex is often pegged as one of the most valuable luxury brand names in the world. While Rolex does have a very large advertising budget, they are notoriously picky about where they choose to advertise. Many have claimed them to be quite fanatical about the placement of their advertisement. Working with YouTube is (relatively speaking) a big deal because it removes Rolex’s ability to control specific advertisement placement – a need luxury advertisers typically covet. It does however allow for Rolex to reach a huge pool of viewers among a range of demographics and signals a major shift in the way conservative advertisers view the way they can reach customers on the internet. See more:  The 3 Types of Satire Essay Furthermore, Rolex had their own blogspot.com and magazine for advertising to let their consumer know more updates about their latest watches collection. Magazine advertisement library by model like datejust, day-date, Daytona, GMT Master, SEA-DWELLER and others. Magazine advertisement by topic like Racing, tennis, golf, concorde, fashion and many more. In addition, Rolex also provide their own video library for customer to view it such as Rolex Ladies Achievement, Rolex Sport and Culture and etc. That are few messages and symbol that comes into the consumers mind when they think of Rolex. One of it is it have a luxurious design. As an example, Rolex is made of mechanism, parachrom hairspring, ceramic bezel and 904L steel and it is also design with white gold, steel and diamond set in it. Since Rolex is Swiss made, the value of the watch will increase year by year and this will make the watch very valuable. There are few messages and symbol that comes into the consumers mind. Rolex have multiple design of watches. Each of the watches have its own specialty. One of it is the Rolex Submariner. It can be water deeper than 300 meters. With rotating outer ring to facilitate the calculation of time. The next design is Rolex GMT Master. It not only to display two time zones simultaneously the time clock can be independently moved to another time zone, without moving the minute hand and second hand. This is the reason why consumers want to obtain the product by viewing these advertisement from Rolex. Besides that, the messages that comes into consumers minds is Rolex can also bring a fashionable image to the consumer through advertisement. As an example, a poster with a person wearing casual outfit but wearing a Rolex watches, this shows that by just wearing a Rolex watch, it already can make the consumer feel fashionable. Lastly, the messages and symbols that comes into consumers minds is Rolex logo. The Rolex logo is designed like a crown. The logo of Rolex began with a gold/white crown to illustrate â€Å"exquisite† or†excellence† and the green colour of the words. Rolex was to represent money, prosperity and achievement. Along with the crown image and bold green letters, the use of a modified Garamond typeface has made it one of the most famous logos of all time. There are rumors abound about the Rolex logo two of which are not found anywhere on the Rolex website – that the crown logo represented â€Å"five fingers† or the crown was meant to portray five branches topped in pearls. Whenever consumers sees a crown, it will automatically let consumers think of Rolex, that makes it easy for consumer to remember it. The theory concept of Rolex are Trait theory. Trait theory is primarily quantitative or empirical as compare to Freudian and Neo-Freudian that are qualitative. Rolex focus on measurement of personality in terms of traits. Consumer that purchasing a Rolex watches feel that they are style of fashion and Rolex get a consumer satisfaction worldwide. Rolex is different from other brand of watches because it have many feature and advantages. So Rolex is suitable using trait theory concept. Trait is any distinguishing, relatively enduring way in which one individual differs from other. The project image of Rolex are public praise, customer praises and public interest in general about the Rolex watches. Rolex get a consumer satisfaction worldwide within 8.78 below average score out of 10.00. Since Rolex offers an impressive and luxurious range of watches, many wealthy consumer had a good image of purchasing Rolex watches as collection and wear it. Lastly, Rolex in consumer mind space are considered as swiss made watches, luxury product, fashion and it can last long. Consumer can use Rolex as long as using other brand watches and it is made of waterproof materials, which saves it from rain or water if by any watch it falls to it. Besides that, Rolex is swiss made watches so that every year the price will increase so that some wealthy consumer will purchase it for self wear and do watches collection.

Roger Chillingworth’s Journal

Doctor Roger Chillingworth July 21st 1646 The minister's health is fading. I fear that if I do not find a solution to his ailment soon that he may die, leaving me without a meaningful patient. Maybe it is Hester Prynne that is the problem. She is the evil influence that is taking the last little bit of life he has left. I am ashamed to think that I was even minutely involved with her many years ago. I used to be a good man but our terrible marriage corrupted me. All I have left is Mr. Dimmesdale. I have made him a concoction using plants I found on tombstones.I hope that these plants, which have grown from buried human hearts will have an effect on him. If he dies then I will no longer have a patient to perform experiments on so I will have to slow my medical research until I find another ailing individual. It will be hard to find another individual with such a strong heart and a similar aura to the pastor. Also, a victim with enough assets to pay for my expenses. He knows that I hav e profited from his ailments and his weak frame. I do not see the Pastor's recovery as a likely scenario.I see that he is heading to his grave so I need to take as much energy from him before he passes on. Maybe it is the demon child Pearl that is causing his imminent death. She has her own sickness which I tried to cure previously, but was unable. The deep rooted evil in the child is something even the most skilled physician cannot remove with any medicine. You can see the malevolent spirit in her eyes. I wonder if the father of this child is the devil himself. Hester is too ashamed to name her father even years after the incident. One day I will find out how this child came to be.Perhaps I will go out again to the forest tonight and perform a ritual to try to find out the true father. I must find out soon, I am getting to be an old man and I fear my time in this town is limited if I cannot find another host. I shall take the pastor for a walk on the beach tomorrow while I secretly gather ingredients for a spell. He has not been walking as well but I will still insist that he come. I must search into this matter further. If he questions me as he usually does, I will give him some medicine to calm him down.I have a draught I have made that will slow him down for a few days giving me the opportunity to control the situation. My intelligence is far superior to that of Arthur's and I can use that to my advantage. It is true that he is a man of purity; but he is also naive. He is the perfect patient in every way. I hope that my medicines can extend his life for at least another year. He is a very rare case, I must find out more before he leaves my care. I will continue practising on him until he expires. ,Roger Chillingworth~

Human Resources & Labor Unions

The Impact of Labor Unions in the Hospitality IndustryAbstract Labor Unions in the United States have protected employee rights and benefits for several decades. Human Resources play an essential role in the work place in dealing with labor unions. Unions represent thousands of workers and employees throughout the nation in an effort to fight for human rights and equality in the work force. Negotiations are then met through the dedication of these unions that allow for a company to provide higher wages, adequate benefits, and better working conditions to employees around the world.This document will explain the importance of unions and the role they play in today’s economy and work force and how a business can remain union free. Introduction When deciding on which career path to take and what corporation to work for doing substantial research on benefits, wages, and the working conditions of that particular company is essential. What most people do not realize is what it took for those benefits to be created. History reflects the changes in employee benefits and working conditions back to the 19th century.During this time farm workers began working in mines and factories facing terrible working conditions and health risks. Women and children also worked under the same conditions with lesser wages. In an attempt to fight against these working conditions, workers would gather to strike and protest for change and to be a voice for their communities. The effects of these protests and strikes in the work force made way for the Industrial Revolution allowing for the birth of labor unions.Labor unions are organizations formed by employees and workers around the world from various industries. The unions unite in an effort to bargain and protect employee benefits, wages, and fight for better working conditions. Today, several unions are in existance in mutliple industries to protect employee rights and work hand in hand with human resources managers. One union, f or example, is the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union (HERE), that united with the Union of Needletrades, Industrial, and Textile Employees (UNITE) to create UNITE HERE.UNITE HERE is an organization that protects members in the hospitality industry and is in conjunction with The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, also known as AFL-CIO. The ALF-CIO is the largest federation of unions representing workers in the hotel, gaming, food service, manufacturing, textile, distribution, laundry, and airport industries. UNITE HERE has fought to create jobs and change low-wage jobs to higher paying jobs within these industries. (â€Å"Unite here, 2012†) Human resources practices have advanced since workers began to unionize.Managers were now challenged with the demands of labor unions and were forced to face union representatives rather than dealing with employees directly about issues such as wages, benefits, and grievance. Th e struggle between labor unions and companies still continues and it is in the convenience of both unions and corporations to have an understanding and functional relationship with one another for peace and equality within working quarters. The History of Labor Unions â€Å"Workers in the United States are facing a number of difficulties,† said Daniel J.B. Mitchell, a professor emeritus of public policy at UCLA. â€Å"Job security, healthcare, retirement funds — we haven't seen such levels of uncertainty since the Great Depression. † (Lazarus, 2012) Dating back to the 19th century, this is when businesses began to change from household agriculture into the mining industry and machine operated labor factories. Due to the changes and intense job conditions labor unions began to form in an effort to bargain for better rights. Strikes took place, resulting in conflict between workers and employers.The most influential of the unions being created at the time was the American Federation of Labor union due to its focus on higher wages and improved working conditions for its members. Miners in the mining industry were faced with long working hours, unsafe working conditions and were poorly paid. Most lived in company towers where doctors, schools, and law enforcement were provided by the actual companies in an effort to control the workers. â€Å"Companies maintained an oppressive working environment, prohibiting workers from talking or gathering, to discourage the creation of unions. (Habashi, 2011) In 1890 the Unite Mine Workers of America was founded representing workers in the mining sector that fought for collective bargaining. During 1933 and 1936, President Franklin Roosevelt’s â€Å"New Deal† was created protecting the rights of labor unions and prohibited employers from firing workers who took part in union activities. Labor Unions Today The work force has become extremely competitive over the past decade due to the drop in the economy. Union members are found to be in an advantage being that in some cases they earn a higher wage than a non-union worker.But this higher salary does not mean regular pay raises. (Sherk, 2009) The Hilton Hotel in Glendale, California is one prime example of the impact unions can have on workers today. For over a year a group of 30 or more employees from the hotel met in secrecy in an effort to form a union against the hotel’s low wages, overworked staff, and unorganized labor. This would become an almost four year battle against the Hilton Hotel. In 2005, with the help of UNITE HERE, the Rising Workers Campaign was launched against the hotel.Hilton attempted to soften the matter and come to an agreement by offering 50-cent pay increases and a promotion to a cook to become a kitchen key leader. This was not enough for the workers. What Hilton in Glendale did not know was that UNITE HERE had signed a national neutrality agreement with the Hilton Corporation in 2006, but it only applied to sites Hilton actually owned and operated. Because the Hilton in Glendale was a separate entity owned and operated by Eagle Hospitality, which ran 12 other hotels across the country, UNITE HERE went in for a boycott of Eagle Hospitality properties instead.Picketers targeted Eagle Hospitality hotels across Los Angeles weekly for 18 months until a settlement was agreed upon. â€Å"From that day on the whole hotel changed,† [Angela Reid – a bartender at the Hilton] said. â€Å"It wasn't even the same hotel anymore. † (Gaus, 2008) Another example of how unions impact the work force is with the Industrial Workers of the World Union (IWW) and it’s involvement in supporting all industries. Industrial Workers of the World believes in organizing all workers by producing the same goods or providing the same services into one union, rather than dividing workers by skill or trade. â€Å"About the IWW,† 2011) Industrial Workers of the Worl d began organizing Starbucks Workers Union (SWU) in 2003. Starbucks Workers Union unlike other unions is an example of solidarity unionism, meaning they take direct action against Starbucks Company without involvement from the government or a union representative. The Starbucks Workers Union has done just that successfully. (Tanyeri, 2011) â€Å"Working together, we have won improvements in wages and working conditions and remedied individual grievances with management. (â€Å"Starbucks workers union,† 2012) Labor Unions and Their Impact in the Hospitality Industry A major labor union impacting the hospitality industry is UNITE-HERE. This is the Needle Trades Union (UNITE) and the Hotel and Restaurant Employees Union (HERE) that merged together to fight for the rights of the workers in the hospitality industries. The hotels and casinos, and restaurants, etc. , in hospitality industry argue that UNITE HERE is unlawful at times. They claim that some of the UNITE HERE actions r ange from harassment to criminal.The invasion of private property and increased noise level by picketers is something the companies argue against. â€Å"Union representatives can come to the office and demand to see the higher-ups. No law says they have to be let in. † (Howe, 2012) UNITE HERE’s ultimate goal is to help as many people as possible. D. Taylor, Secretary-Treasurer of the Nevada Culinary Workers Union and executive committee member of UNITE HERE, interviewed with Casino Journal about his outlook for the economy and the hospitality industry during the ongoing recession the United States has faced.He touches on health coverage and agrees that every individual can surely pay for their own private health coverage given they were employed. With the amount of workers being laid off though, how are they supposed to manage these costs he asks. Also, with the amount of workers being laid off in an effort to save on labor costs, how are businesses supposed to offer a dequate customer service. â€Å"It’s a real dilemma,† says Taylor. (Taylor, 2009) On the other hand, UNITE HERE not only supports workers in fighting for their rights, it also launched a public website in an attack against Motel 6 franchises.UNITE HERE stated that Motel 6 was falling short of service standards and accused them of not having the ability to survive in this industry. Motel 6 replied in defense of their corporation stating that they have good standing relationships with their franchisees and will continue to grow in the years to come. They feel attacked by UNITE HERE and even stated having opened 50 new franchises in the year 2008. (â€Å"Unite here raises,† 2009) The impact that unions can have in the hospitality industry as any industry can range from positive impacts for workers and negative impacts on business.How to Remain Union Free â€Å"The time to communicate openly and treat employees the right way is every day,† says Rick Van Warne r, senior partner and principal at Parquet Public Affairs in Orlando. Warner’s theory is quite simple and direct. He states if union laws and agreements are automatically followed companies do not risk attacks from workers and unions. His advise on remaining union free is to establish an open communication with management and employees. He advises to never assume all management is treating staff fairly. Observation is key and constant communication.Explaining employee costs and benefits regularly is also essential because again assumption that the staff knows this type of information is not recommended. Opportunities for job advancement within a company and offering safe and non-intimidating working conditions will keep employees happy and allow them to feel that they also have a voice at their work place to discuss any matters that may arise. (Tanyeri, 2011) Summary Labor unions throughout the course of history have played an integral part in the business world and protectio n of employee rights.Beginning with the 19th century and the worker strike forces, the progress in employee rights over the past century has drastically improved. Labor unions are here to protect the rights of workers and be a voice so there is not any wrong doing on behalf of a business. Maintaining a clear understanding and functioning relationship with union representatives is in the best interest of the business and human resources management. By having an established understanding and abiding by union labor law companies avoid accusations from unions and workers.Employees will remain happy and grow productively with the help and support of their employer, which usually results in a flourishing business. Conclusion I believe that unions offer a positive balance in the business world. Without unions the exploitation of workers would still exist. It takes a higher force to fight for protection of human rights and see results. The progress of employee benefit packages and wages has come a long way just in the past decade alone. As an active employee in hospitality for the past 10 years wages alone have risen.The history in labor unions set a stepping-stone for our society in creating confidence amongst our generation to protect our rights as workers. In my research, I found it very devastating to learn the living and working conditions workers had in the 19th century. It made me feel extremely fortunate to be a part of this generation and have the opportunities given to me in our society. Companies still have a long way to go, but as Van Warner mentioned in my last article section, the time to treat employees right is everyday.If businesses would stop the ultimate focus on the worth of a dollar for profit only and put some of that effort into staff and working environments it would only result in an employee taking pride of their job. A happy employee means excellent customer service, which brings in returning customers and increased revenue. The earlier case with the Hilton Hotel in Glendale, California is a result of faulty practices by management. The staff was not happy. They did not feel well compensated or valued for their work. And with the case of theMotel 6, they received bad media for not following through with the service standards they are required to abide by. Remaining union free may take effort and even money, but in the long shot is only in the benefit of the business’ longevity in the work force. Overall, in the years to come there will be new laws and hopefully more improvements to our working industries and especially the hospitality industry. References * About the iww. (2011, July 3). Retrieved from http://www. iww. org/en/about * Taylor, D. D. (2009). Keeping up the Fight. Casino Journal, 22(6), 28-29 * Gaus, M. 2008, After four years of struggle: Hotel workers rising campaign pays off in L. A. Labor Notes, (352), 5-5. http://ezproxy. fiu. edu/login? url=http://search. proquest. com/docview/203683040? accoun tid=10901 * Habashi, F. (2011, February). Social problems in the mining industry – a historical essay (part 1). CIM Magazine, 6(1), Retrieved from http://www. cim. org/bulletin/bulletinlive/articles_print. cfm? Issue_ID=992&Type=1&row=2&Segment_ID=46&hide=1 * Howe, J. T. (2012, March). When your venue faces union trouble: peaceful gatherings are the ultimate goal for all.Meetings & Conventions, 47(3), 26. Retrieved from http://go. galegroup. com/ps/i. do? id=GALE%7CA283705823&v=2. 1&u=flstuniv&it=r&p=PPTH&sw=w * Lazarus, D. (2012, April 27). As its power wanes, is there a future for organized labor? . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved from http://www. lexisnexis. com/hottopics/lnacademic/ * Sherk, J. (2009, May 21). What unions do: How labor unions affect jobs and the economy. Retrieved from http://www. heritage. org/research/reports/2009/05/what-unions-do-how-labor-uni ons-affect-jobs-and-the-economy * Starbucks workers union. (2012). Retrieved from http://www. tarbucksunion. or g/about * Tanyeri, D. (2011). How to stay union-free. Restaurant Business, 110(11), 50. * Tanyeri, D. (2011, November 1). Unions rising. Retrieved from http://web. ebscohost. com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer? [email  protected]&vid=1&hid=24 * Unite here. (2012). Retrieved from http://www. unitehere. org/about/ * UNITE HERE Raises Questions About the Competitiveness of Accor's Motel 6 Franchise. (2009, January 13). Business Wire. Retrieved from http://go. galegroup. com/ps/i. do? id=GALE%7CA191957986;v=2. 1;u=flstuniv;it=r;p=PPTH;sw=w

Why Lance Armstrong Was Shunned

Lance Armstrong’s D Even good people get shunned every once in a while. Lance Armstrong is a perfect example of this. Even though he had done much good in his life, and he had been though a lot, people still shunned him. Lance Armstrong would scarlet letter tear a D for drugs, just like Hester Prynne had to wear the scarlet letter A for her adultery. From the years 1999 to 2005, Lance Armstrong used Performance- Enhancing drugs. During this time period he had won the Tour de France 7 times, which cause controversy in the biking world.Because of his use of drugs, the USADA, U. S. Against Drugs Agency, decided to recently press charges in June of 2012. Lance Armstrong was not just shunned by the Media, but also by his team-mates. It was said that while the USADA was pressing charges against him, five of his former teammates were planning on testifying against him. Lance Armstrong was shunned by the biking community as a whole also. Recently, in 2012, the International Cycling Un ion has declared that he has been stripped of all his Tour titles, as long as all of his awards he won from 1999 to 2005.They also stated that he is no longer able to participate in the sport for life. Lance Armstrong and Hester Prynne can relate through their shunning. They were both shunned by their so called friends. As Lance was betrayed by his team mates, Hester was betrayed by people she called her friend and by the rest of the society. Another was that the two can relate is because they both accept their wrong-doing. Lance accepted his reticule about being not able to compete anymore, as Hester did her punishment of having to wear the A.Just as Hester has to wear the A for eternity, Lance is not able to participate in his passion for the rest of his life, therefore they are both sentenced to their punishment forever. Even though what Lance did was bad, he did not deserve such a severe punishment, just as Hester does not deserve hers. Even though what they both did was frowned upon in their society, having to deal with the punishment for eternity is wrong. Lance Armstrong only deserves to wear his D for a little while, not forever.

Discuss 10 major pieces of legislation, including names, years of passage…

Our society at present is composed mostly of aged individuals who needs long term care. Over the last century, the types of illnesses that had affected the American elderly had begun to change. The most common examples in the elderly today include arthritis (46 percent), hypertension (38 percent), hearing impairments and heart conditions (28 percent each), visual and orthopedic impairments (14 percent each), and diabetes (8 percent). About 80 to 85 percent of those over 65 have at least one chronic condition, and a substantial proportion have more than one such condition (Oktay, 1985).The federal government had passed a number of laws that have directly and indirectly affected the elderly population as it relates to their long-term care. These legislations will be discussed in this paper to demonstrate how relevant it is to the care of the elderly. President Lyndon Baines Johnson signed the Housing Act of 1965 into law in 1965, which was a part of the president’s â€Å"Great Society† program (Listokin and Burchell, n. d). The bill created the program that made subsidies available for low- and moderate-income rental units, and it also authorized the subsidy that fostered home ownership by the poor.The housing needs of inner-city areas were to be met by specially targeted subsidies. The best-known subsidy plan was the Model Cities Program (authorized by the 1966 Demonstration Cities Act), which focused on upgrading the physical (housing, public facilities) as well as the social (education, job training) aspects of inner-city areas. It also recognized the needs of older people for non-institutional congregate housing sites, most of which were age related. There are several programs that provide supportive housing to the frail elderly.The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) administers the Section 202 program, under which subsidies are provided for the building and managing of rental housing for the elderly (Clark, 1996). This legislatio n offered new services for the elderly to remain in their own homes and be cared for. The Medicare and Medicaid programs were signed into law on July 30, 1965. President Lyndon B. Johnson is pictured at the signing ceremony in Independence, Missouri at the Truman Library (Medicare†¦2006). These are two U. S. government programs that guarantee health insurance for the elderly and the poor, respectively.They were formally enacted in 1965 as Discuss 10 major pieces of legislation, including names, years of passage†¦ Page #2 amendments (Titles XVIII and XIX, respectively) to the Social Security Act (1935) and went into effect in 1966. Medicare is a federal health insurance program with a uniform eligibility and benefit structure throughout the U. S. The program covers most persons entitled to Social Security benefits, persons under age 65 entitled to disability benefits, and some persons with end-stage renal disease (Clark, 1966).Medicare is designed to meet the health care ne eds of acute diseases rather than long-term care. Medicare benefits are provided under two parts: Part A, Hospital Insurance and Part B, Supplementary Medical Insurance. Although most; Medicare recipients receive benefits under fee-for-service arrangements, approximately 10 percent of Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in managed care plans. Under current law, Medicare home health benefits under either part are targeted at persons recovering from an acute illness.The beneficiary must be homebound and services must be ordered and reviewed periodically by a physician. Medicaid is a federal-state matching entitlement program providing medical assistance to low-income persons who are aged, blind, disabled, members of families with dependent children, or meet certain other criteria for need. Within federal guidelines, each state designs and administers its own program. There is considerable variation from state to state in persons covered, benefits included, and amounts of payment for s ervices.Medicaid finances home- and community-based care under three coverage options: (a) home health care, (b) personal care, and (c) home- and community-based waiver services. Medicaid is more responsive to the long-term care of the elderly than Medicare especially for those who are poor and disadvantaged. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Older Americans Act into law on July 14, 1965. In addition to creating the Administration on Aging, it authorized grants to States for community planning and services programs, as well as for research, demonstration and training projects in the field of aging.Later amendments to the Act added grants to Area Agencies on Aging for local needs identification, planning, and funding of services, including but not limited to nutrition programs in the community as well as for those who are homebound; programs which serve Native American elders; services targeted at low-income minority elders; health promotion and disease prevention Discuss 10 maj or pieces of legislation, including names, years of passage†¦ Page #3 ctivities; in-home services for frail elders, and those services which protect the rights of older persons such as the long term care ombudsman program (http://www. vec. virginia. gov). This policy was an answer to many of the domestic difficulties of the elderly, it gave them supportive services that has been incorporated in the long-term care program of the elderly. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) protects individuals who are 40 years of age or older from employment discrimination based on age. The ADEA's protections apply to both employees and job applicants.Under the ADEA, it is unlawful to discriminate against a person because of his/her age with respect to any term, condition, or privilege of employment, including hiring, firing, promotion, layoff, compensation, benefits, job assignments, and training (The U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission). The act was signed into la w by President Lyndon Johnson on December 15, 1967. Through this policy, the employed elderly were protected from unjust employment practices, in relation to long-term care; it gave the elderly earning power and thus could pay for health insurance that would pay for their health care needs.The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law by President Bush on July 26, 1990. The central purpose of this Act is to extend to individuals with disabilities civil rights protections similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, sex, national origin, and religion. Based on the concepts of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the ADA guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in employment, public accommodation, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications.The ADA is the most significant federal law ensuring the full civil rights of all individuals with disabilities (Wodatch, 1990). This policy gave person’s wit h disability the opportunity to become functioning individuals in society, however, The policy is really not that relevant to long–term care, wherein people with mild or moderate disabilities are the only ones who can benefit from this policy since those who need institutional care and long-term care cannot become fully functioning members of society.Signed into law by President Nixon in 1972, the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program replaced a patchwork of state programs for the aged, blind, and disabled. SSI improves the Discuss 10 major pieces of legislation, including names, years of passage†¦ Page #4 quality of life for persons who are elderly or have a disability by providing financial support, incentives to work, and access to medical care (through Medicaid; enrollment in SSI generally brings with it eligibility for Medicaid).These elements of the program have helped make it possible for poor people who are elderly or have disabilities to gain freedom from d estitution and institutional care (Sweeney and Fremstad, 2005). The policy makes the costs of long-term care more bearable for the elderly and the poor, it however increases the administration of caring and nursing in the home rather than in institutions. On September 26, 1973, President Nixon signed the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 into law. This is a civil rights law to prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability in programs and activities, public and private that receives federal financial assistance.Section 504 states that â€Å"no qualified individual with a disability in the United States shall be excluded from, denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under† any program or activity that either receives Federal financial assistance or is conducted by any Executive agency or the United States Postal Service (Pfeiffer, 2002). This policy was the first to address the need and rights of persons with disabilities but was consequently met with opposition from the general public as it meant giving equal opportunity to persons with disability.The policy increased the demand for rehabilitative services but at that time was limited. Title XX of the Social Security Amendments of 1974 authorized grants to states for social services. These programs included protective services, homemaker services, transportation services, adult day care services, training for employment, information and referral, nutrition assistance, and health support (Oktay, 1985). The funds were distributed to the states according to the size of the population. States were to define the eligible population and design a package of services (many of which were mandated).While Title XX funds were not earmarked for the elderly, there are a number of services, which are targeted primarily to elderly populations, among them, homemaker services. In FY 1982, the Title XX funds were replaced by the Social Services block grant which allowed the states to choose the programs and services that they want to spend on to alleviate the Discuss 10 major pieces of legislation, including names, years of passage†¦ Page #5 conditions of the needy. However, social services for the elderly who can take care of themselves maybe provided.Most states provide homemaker and chore services as well as adult protective and emergency services for their elderly citizens, in order to prevent or reduce inappropriate institutional care (Clark, 1996). On July 1, 1988, President Bush signed into law H. R. 2470, the Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act of 1988 (MCCA). This law provided the most significant expansion of the Medicare program since its inception. It also contained numerous technical amendments to the Medicare and Medicaid programs, as well as three new Medicaid provisions.However, the following year, the President signed into law Public Law 101-234 that repealed the major expansions of the Medicare program enacted the previous year (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services). The act expanded Medicare coverage of inpatient hospital care and will also provide payment for outpatient prescription drugs and home i. v. therapy. For the prescription drug benefit, deductible and coinsurance payments will be phased in, and Medicare will establish payment limits. A per diem fee schedule will be established to pay for the supplies and services used in home i. . therapy. Providers of home therapy must have qualifications specified by the act (Grealy, 1989).The policy increased the demand for training of health-care providers that are home-based. It gave the elderly long-term care in their own homes rather than in hospitals or institutional facilities. It also paved the way for the employment boom of caregivers in the country. On July 26, 1990, President George H. W. Bush signed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) — the world's first comprehensive civil rights law for people with disabilities.The Act prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in employment, in public services (Title II), in public accommodations and in telecommunications (U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission). The policy enforced guidelines that called for states to review the funding they gave to long-term care. It also emphasized the desegregation of the mentally disabled from the rest of society. The act has brought a decrease of admittance to nursing and institutional facilities, and increased the demand for home-based healthcare services.