Popular Entertainment, Performing Arts Essay Example for Free

Popular Entertainment, Performing Arts Essay Popular entertainment is â€Å"ideas, perspectives, altitudes, memes, and other phenomena that are preferred by an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture. † Now like me most people would think, â€Å"I still don’t get it. † Popular entertainment is basically a genre of entertainment based on the popularity it has gained. Many people often confuse popular culture which is basically popular entertainment with pop culture. The most important difference between the two is that popular culture is gained popularity regardless of the style whereas pop culture is based on a specific society and historic period which contains qualities of mass appeal. Popular Entertainment is often stereotyped as trivial and one could almost say dumbed down to be accepted by the masses of society, which allows those who aren’t part of the main stream such as religious groups and countercultural groups to heavily criticize it. These groups deem it superficial, consumerist, sensational and even corrupted. The Distinction between Popular and Higher Culture Popular entertainment can be traced back to the 19th century where it was considered education and general culture of the lower class as opposed to the official or dominant class of society. By the end of World War 2 the following big cultural and social changes brought by most media innovations caused Popular Entertainments meaning to overlap with that of mass culture, media culture, image culture and culture for mass consumption. It is believed that there are as many as six different meanings of Popular Entertainment. The quantitive meaning often sets in the confusion of certain â€Å"higher culture† that is also popular. * It is also described as the left over culture after â€Å"higher culture† has been defined and taken from the equation. * It is also said that it is equivalent to mass culture and ideas. Then it is described as commercial culture which is mass produced for mass consumption by mass media from Western Europe which can be compared to American Culture. * It has been known as the authenticate culture of the people * That it has a political dimension to it Personally I think it can be most relevantly described as the struggle between the resistant of lower groups in society and forces of incorporation of the dominant groups of society with regards to the entertainment world. Popular Entertainment or culture can easily be recognized by the distinction between that which is considered popular and that which is considered as high class. It has emerged from urbanisation of industrial revolution. Confusion comes in when Bart Simpsons for example, which is a television animation which can be considered as higher class has elements of popular entertainment in it. Studies of Shakespeare notice that many characteristic vitality of his drama in its participation in Renaissance Popular Culture while contemporary practitioners such as Dario Fo and John McGarth use popular culture in its Gramscian sense that includes ancient folk tradition like comedia dell‘arte. This makes it difficult for the average person to then differentiate between Popular Entertainment and Higher forms of entertainment. Popular entertainment constantly changes and occurs specifically in place and time. It boils down to that which represents a complex of mutually interdependent perspectives and values that influences society and its influences in various ways. Popular Entertainment is therefore commonly more appealing to the broader spectrum of society. Popular Entertainment can therefore be related to that which people can easily relate to. Popular culture is also associated with self-referentiality. This basically means that Popular Entertainment is mainly based on exploring every realm of corrective experience instead of just relying on reality. Many media outputs devote it to other images whereas self-referentiality is all-embracing. It is said that the side effect of mass consumerism reflects a fundamental paradox which is basically the increase in technological and cultural sophistication combined with the increase in superficial and dehumanization. What makes Popular Entertainment Popular? Anyone who enjoys the streets who enjoys feasting his eyes on shop windows piled high with all kinds of everyday wares and artful trifles; anyone who enjoys the cafes is unlikely to be moved by the polished art of the serious theatre. Unless the theatre shouts as lustily as the streets it won’t attract an audience for love or money. The Parisian derives far more enjoyment from the fetes and traveling theatres than from anything the dramatic theatre has to offer- Vsevolod Meyerhold We must give credit to the basic principles of the circus and the music hall. In olden times there was the influence of French comedians and of Chaplin. The first news of fox trot and jazz, this early love thrived. The music hall element was obviously eeded at the time for the emergence of a montage form of thought- Sergei Einstein, tr. Daniel Gerould Playfulness is a volatile sometimes dangerously explosive essence which cultural institutions seek to bottle or contain in the vials of games, of competition, chance, and strength in modes of simulation such as theatre and in control disorientation from roller coasters to dervish dancing- Victor Turner What is Popular Entertainment? Popular Entertainment is basically any form of entertainment that is considered relevant to those who form part of the lower and middle class. It is the entertainment which as gained popularity not for the specific style that is used, but for its relevance. Popular entertainment therefore cannot simply be associated with its level of popularity since there can be other, much higher levels of entertainment that can also be popular. This does not mean that the element of popularity is completely cut from what popular entertainment is, it just means that it is not solely based on the level of popularity but more so on the level of popularity the style of entertainment has gained regardless of it style. Genres in popular entertainment Folklore Folklore is a form Popular Entertainment but is not mass produced. Folklore persists today by word of mouth instead of through mass media, e. g. jokes and urban legends. Folklores element of popular entertainment engages big time with the commercial element. The public has its own tastes and it may not embrace all sorts of entertainment. Popular entertainment has an interconnected nature. Things such as when you sulk and the clock strikes 12:00 that your face would stay like that can be considered as folklore. Many people embrace this form, but instead of being spread in masses it gets carried over from generation to generation by word of mouth. Burlesque Burlesque is often stereotyped with strippers walking on a run way. This is not a complete myth although, burlesque in its essence was a form of popular entertainment that over stepped the boundaries of what was considered â€Å"right† in the time frame. Burlesque generally consists of music and comedy. The main attraction towards burlesque was its sense of making fun of sex. This is one of the main reasons why the female cast members bodies were exposed in sexy tight fitting and short costumes. Burlesque in the period of its peak was very popular mainly because the form of exposure was considered immoral in that time. The woman of that time covered their bodies’ true form with frills and puffs of material while those on the burlesque stage had their garters sticking out with tights and body suits, leaving very little for the imagination. Its sense of humour was solely based on exposed humans’ sexual nature and they relied on comedy with double meanings. It was a very clever way of getting people to laugh as they would make comments like I’m sorry I was late, but my gadget broke. Allowing the audience to wonder what was she late for and what gadget broke. She could mean she was late or she didn’t â€Å"come† in time because her g-string broke. This form of comedy an exposure of the female body made burlesque a leading genre through the 1840s up until the 1960s. Burlesque then introduced other genres such as vaudeville to fill the show, but at the time many vaudeville performers considered burlesque as demoralising but when they times were tough they would perform in burlesque under aliases. The female cast members were soon playing men roles. Burlesque was never really about a strong script but more about the power of the star playing the role to keep audiences stimulated and coming back for more, â€Å"Underdressed woman playing sexual aggressors, combining good looks with impertinent comedy- in a production written and managed by woman? Unthinkable! † Burlesque was basically dominated by daring woman who with enough will power believed that they could accomplish anything. Burlesque evolved into making fun of relevant topics and popular shows along with a sexual connotation which kept audiences intrigued. Burlesque became a variety act that included song, dance, juggling, comics, etc. Burlesque soon took on the format of a minstrel show. It was when males took over the management of Burlesque that female wit was replaced with trying to reveal as much of the female body as possible. Millie Deleon, Burlesques biggest star in the 20th century, threw her garters in the audiences and at times did not wear tights. This got her arrested but also assisted in giving burlesque a bad reputation. A typical burlesque stage setting was based on common places that the middle and lower class audience could relate to as they were the target audience. Common settings were courtrooms, street corners, class rooms, as well as examining rooms. Burlesque comedy focussed a lot of misunderstandings which kept it interesting. Cabaret Cabaret is unique for its venue. Originally the word means a place where alcohol is served. Cabaret in the world of entertainment refers to a performance in an intimate restaurant or nightclub setting where adults can enjoy entertainment that stretches the boundaries of what was permitted in the time of origin. A cabaret can more so be described as intellectuals that gathered in an intimate environment to share ideas by means of comedy, song, dance and theatre. These ideas were mainly based on politics and themes that had social relevance. The first Cabaret â€Å"Cabaret Artistique† opened in 1881 in Paris, France. It was later renamed to â€Å"Le Chat Noir. Its main attraction was not the half dressed woman as in Burlesque but rather the sharing of ideas in the associated venue. Cabarets can be considered as the outcasts or those who went against the norms of society and performed their opinions through skits that they would often come up with in a span of an evening or during the day. Cabarets content is almost always relevant to society of its time frame. The comedy used in cabaret was not just any old jokes or random making fun of whatever was relevant but rather very clever. The comedy they used was satire which is often described as being tickled with a blade. Cabarets relied on using content that was sensitive in society and they would make fun of that only to later make the audience later realise that they were laughing about something that is actually very serious. For example the news may show how babies get raped on a regular basis then cabaret performers would satirically perform these rapes but with the idea that they want people to be aware of the seriousness of the problem. This may seem complicated as they make are making fun of very sensitive things but most cabarets was a very clever way of influencing an audience member’s frame of thought. Cabaret is also unique for its audience interaction. A typical cabaret often involved the audience completely in the performance. In cabaret it is specifically important to keep the audience intrigued by the performance, but also being able to allow them a chance to embrace the intimate space they are in with whoever they are with. Cabarets gave room for the audience to interact with one another. It is vital to know that a cabaret is specifically targeted at the adult audience and is not appropriate for all ages or families. Cabaret is about being able to explore the boundaries that have been set by society in this intimate environment. Cabaret also has variety acts like jugglers, singers, dances, clowns, etc. but it was mainly based on the message that they are trying to bring across. In a cabaret the audience did not have to abide by the laws of society, so the audience was automatically comfortable. The audience did not have to sit in a specific way or take off their hats when they came to the cabaret instead they were free to be, socialise as they pleased and also enjoy the entertainment of a cabaret. Later cabaret gained a jazz element to it but its main focus has barely changed besides the misconceptions modern society has. Vaudeville This is basically any form of inoffensive entertainment which solely relied on the audience response. Vaudeville could include anything from juggling, freak acts to dumb acts. It focuses on entertaining, fascinating and reaching the unthinkable. Anyone could enjoy a vaudeville act and while it often included song and dance the core of a vaudeville act was doing something extraordinarily. The audience is very interactive in this style of entertainment and an audience response could either make or break an act. For a vaudevillian it is vital to always be at their best as a slip up in one act could ruin their reputation for good. Vaudevilles format was never about the importance of the act but rather based on the order of appearance. Vaudeville affected the normal comedy world as vaudeville was fun, entertaining and often humorous. It was only later that comics were emerged into vaudeville by means of a master of ceremonies which also assisted in making certain bills hit shows instead of just normal. It is vital to realise that vaudeville bills weren’t always entertaining. Some were really boring and others just average, vaudeville relies on the fact that it consists of 8acts and if an audience does not like a particular act they had the next act to rely on, to fulfil the audience taste. Comparisons and contrasts The one thing almost all the genres within popular entertainment have in common is that their target audience are all the lower class or working class of its time. The difference is evident where it’s a given that Burlesque is more specifically targeted at male audience, while cabaret is targeted at adults who don’t always agree with government and vaudeville is targeted at everyone. Burlesque and cabaret can compare in the sense that they both are more appropriate at night but while burlesque relies on its sexual connotation and exposed females, cabaret relies on the relevance of the topics that they use and the ideas they share. Vaudeville is basically any type of entertainment within the parameters of society while burlesque and cabaret is more anti-society than anything else. It is evident that dominant classes of the time of each of these genres basically looked down on all the styles mentioned, but this is what kept the middle and lower classes entertained. In each style, song, dance and comedy is relevant but while vaudeville relied on slapstick and amusing comedy cabaret relies of clever, satirical and black humour and burlesque makes use of confusing or misinterpreting or even witty comedy. Wit and satire can be very closely associated but satires method to tickle with a blade makes it unique to cabaret. While vaudeville could be showed in a theatre or even a park and burlesque can be showed in any theatre or circuit it is vital that the cabaret has the intimate bar or restaurant vibe attached to it. While vaudeville can be identified for its entertainment and fascinations, burlesque can be identified for its guts while cabaret can be identified by the roughness and the â€Å"balls† in its skits. Cabaret and Burlesque is very closely associated while they both may contain vaudeville acts it is strictly prohibited to have any sort of burlesque or cabaret acts or skits in vaudeville as it is not sociably accepted. Many vaudevillians considered Burlesque as demoralising and if any vaudevillian act offends an audience member they could be dismissed. Cabaret almost everything is allowed the cast could cleverly insult an audience member often cabarets are successful for the odd uncomfortable feeling that the audience may feel during skits or a scene. The historical developments of Popular Entertainment Ancient Greek history Popular entertainment in its essence can be traced as far back as the 5th century BC. This is linked by the ancient Greeks who added song and dance in their comedies and tragedies. Athenian playwrights also had songs in their plays which were sometimes self-composed. These plays were staged in open air amphitheatres which included sexual humour, political and social satire, jugglers and everything else that might entertain the majority. The songs were often a way to allow the chorus to comment on the action on stage. It is evident that ancient musicals had no direct on modern musicals or popular culture. It does prove that the concept has been present for approximately 25 hundred years.

Working with children in need

Working with children in need This assignment will explain the role of a Local Authority (LA) Social Worker (SW) when working with ‘children in need’ and their families, and those in need of safeguarding and protection, will also explain the main role of children and families’ sw and reasons why they would be involved. Furthermore it will discuss the importance of multidisciplinary working; identify different forms of abuse, their impact and alleviation. In line with evidence based practice, the Children Act 1989 sections 17 and 47 will be analysed as intervention methods It’s important as a sw to utilise an understanding of theories of human growth and development to understand the various stages of development that the children are undergoing, before making any decision of safeguarding. Children in need may have faced extraordinary experiences in their early lives that may affect their physical, intellectual, emotional, social or behavioural development. Safeguarding is defined by (HM Government 2013) as ‘the action we take to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm’. Child protection is defined by RCPCH, (2006) as ‘the process of protecting individual children identified as either suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm as a result of abuse or neglect’. Section 17 (10) of the Children Act 1989 (CA 1989) defines a child in need as a child who is ‘unlikely to achieve or maintain, or to have the opportunity of achieving or maintaining, a reasonable standard of health or development without the provision for him/her of services by a local authority’ or ‘his/her health or development is likely to be significantly impaired, or further impaired without the provision for him/her of such services’ or ‘he/she is disabled’ (H M Government, 1989, section 17) gives LA ‘duties and powers to provide services for children in need and their families Part’ 111 (Sec17 (1)). When a referral is made, LA is forced to consider initial enquiries within 10 days. This is to find out what is happening to a child and decide which action should be taken to protect the child as set in the CA1989 S47 of Protection of Children (Brammer 2013). This guide draws’ on all professionals to work together to promote children’s welfare and ensures families are provided with much needed resources. In some historic children cases these processes weren’t upheld and lead to the death of children like Baby P and Victoria Climbie. Lord Laming ((Laming and Office, 2003)) stated that communication has played a major role in successes and failures of the system. He also made recommendations that will ignite working together in terms multi-disciplinary teams working together information sharing’ Connolly and Ward, (2008) suggested ‘It is good practice to consider children’s rights to protection as of paramount duty and at the same time work in partnership with their parents unless doing so would harm them’. The Framework for Assessment of Children (Figure 1) in Need and their Families (DoH, 2000) emphasises the use of an ecological approach to identify the child within the environment and offers a holistic approach (Bronfenbrenner, 1979). It enables professionals to identify systems affecting a child, the most and the social forces impacting on his lifespan therefore, resulting in interventions being applied where they are needed most. An ecological approach looks at people, families, cultures, communities, policies and identifies and intervenes upon strengths and weaknesses in the transactional processes between these systems (Greene and Greene, 2008). Figure1 (Department of Health 2000, p.1) Living conditions may result in disturbed nights, which can lead to strain and tiredness (Hazel, 2002). Similarly, inadequate housing may cause parents anxiety and affect their capacity to care for the children. Therefore, a sw could use their powers to make a referral for families to acquire an adequate accommodation. According to Gill and Jack (2007) the ecological theory is important in the development of holistic approaches to safeguarding children. Its strengths are that it focuses on individuals as part and incorporating other systems, so it integrates social with psychological elements of practice however, it is criticised for assuming that everything fits into a social order (Payne, 2009). A SW is expected to consider human rights issues when completing any assessment. In the community there’s a whole variety of groups e.g. ethnic minorities, women, disabled people, homosexuals children just to mention a few. Professionals are required to uphold and defend the rights of individuals whilst seeking to meet their needs and this are all governed by The Human Rights Act 1998. Brayne Shoot, (2010) said ‘the act has also heavily influenced the Disability Discriminations Act, (2005) and Equality Act, (2006 2010)’ Welbourne (2012) said ‘SW is a profession that engages with people’s lives at all levels, from the practical to the deeply personal. Lord Laming (2003) said ‘child protection is everyone’s business, and it’s important that SW, police, and health workers take the lead role for the procedures and processes that protect children from harm’. The CA 1989 sec 47(1) places a duty on LA to investigate when they: ‘are informed that a child who lives or is found in their area is the subject of an emergency protection order is in police custody’ ‘have reasonable cause to suspect that a child who lives, or is found in the area is suffering, or is likely to suffer a significant harm’ LA will conduct an initial child protection conference that consists of all professionals including the child, family members. This is a partnership aimed at setting out plans in place for both family and the group members. They will meet within 10 days after the initial conference and at least 8 weeks after that. The plan will be considering day to day details of the care plan and to put it into practice. After the case has been opened, implemented and put into practice, a Review Child Protection Case Conference is called to review and assess the progress of the case. The first review is held within 3 months of the initial conference and at least six months after that. A SW will always aim to achieve results and return the child to their parents. Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006 (Department of Health) has 5 identifiable forms of abuse as neglect, physical, emotional, sexual and domestic abuses, and the latter has been recently added and recognised in its own right. Coleen L (2003) suggested that ‘Negligence can include behaviours that receipt, fraudulently misrepresentation, defamation of character act, violation of human rights, malicious prosecution. Maureen O’Loughlin and Steve O’Loughlin (2008) suggested that ‘Parents have a central role in their children’s welfare and protection from harm, and should therefore be included in all decisions and actions taken by professionals†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Parents have their complex needs as well, some abuse drugs and alcohol and generally have low self-esteem. If parents deny sw access to a child and there’s a possibility of a greater risk of life or likelihood of serious harm, LA will apply for the Child Assessment Order sec43 CA 1989 when they considering any kind of contact, LA would have reasons to suspect concerns with development, welfare and health of a child. This order will only last 8 days without extension. Emergency Protection Order (EPO) under S44 of the CA 1989. It can last for 8 days with the option to extend for 7 more days. Brayne Carr, (2010) suggested that ‘It is important that any discussions with children are done in a way that minimises the distress and maximises the likelihood of them providing clear and accurate accounts’ The children may be looked after by the LA with parental agreement (Children Act, 1989, sec. 20. ‘A child may only be kept in police protection however, for 72 hours’ (Brammer 2006). Other order available is Recovery order sec50, will be applied if a child under PPO or EPO is removed from the responsible applicant. Police can recover the child and return them to the place of safety. SW has ‘an obligation to conduct themselves ethically, engaging in ethical decisionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ making, including partnership working with service users’ and this was quoted by The Code of Ethics for Social Work (BASW, 2011). Social work is a very privileged profession, they draw up conclusions and judgement on what they observe and hear. Hence it’s necessary to develop an inner skill not to use prejudice in any engagement. Empowerment has been understood as a paradigm within anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice (Lishman, 2007) and can be implemented through partnership working, which is a key social work value (Thompson, 2009). This assignment has shown how and why a sw would intervene when a child becomes in need. It also discussed the LA’s responsibility for children in need and their families. Aim is to protect and safeguard children from harm by forming partnership working with families; assist in providing alternative services to promote their welfare. The assignment drew up on relevant legislation that ensure welfare of a child remains paramount, also challenges all professionals to collaborate in a systematic manner. Children have been let down in the past and Every Child Matters ensured it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that their health and development is secured. This reiterates the importance of SW’s impact into the system, drawn from Code of Ethics sw’s should always challenge any discrimination, recognise diversity, always distribute resources to those in need, challenge unjust policies and practices and work in solidarity. In conclusion a sw would not be awa re if a child is in need or requires protection; however, the facts in this essay provide a sensible method of judgement on whether a child is in need or at risk of significant harm.

I am Buddhist :: essays research papers

I am Buddhist An often forgotten essential in our short existence we call â€Å"life† is our need for at least a quintessential connection of spirituality for our own subsistence. And as this world we live in, develops into supposed â€Å"development’’ and as evolution directs our way of life into a tedious search of happiness derived from money†¦ and a person in a modern society barely has a moment for a prayer and â€Å"time’’ being as impatient as it is, the youth have no seconds to just sit and contemplate the power of a higher being, that a GOD might be the one that governs our destiny and fate†¦ and to have a flicker of an instant where one experiences a religious outlook on life†¦the air we breathe turns a little fresher and a load gets lifted off shoulders of stressed mentalities†¦ and call it a â€Å"pre-mature revelation’’ or a pious unveiling of my character but I have encountered such an emotion when I visited a ha ven called Bodh Gaya. Situated in the most corrupts of states in India, Bihar†¦it is an oasis of belief and hope and maybe the only answer and truth to some. It’s an uncanny placement for enlightenment, one might suggest†¦ but as a Buddhist, imagining all the struggle and suffering that the Buddha had overcome and all the adversities he had surpassed and of course the harsh truth he reveals to us and conveys with such meaning in his simple diction is at most overwhelming. At first sight the Mahabodhi temple standing tall among such meagre neighbours, humbled me at once†¦ petrifying in some ways and yet it seemed to comfort me all at once. As for the papal tree where Buddha had gained salvation is surrounded with such spirituality that it seemed to bog down upon my shoulders and yet at the same time it uplifted my spirits in the most unexplainable way. The hustling and bustling noises of Indians selling odd trinkets and beggars among the streets are drowned by the Tantric chants of monks praying in union. A pilgrimage that changed the way I thought about the youth†¦ and I was young too, therefore it basically changed the way I thought. As words are my limits†¦ so is word my only limits through which I cannot describe and do justice to the communion that one has to go there and experience for oneself. ‘’Nothing is as constant as change’’ and the journey through life does not end until death.

Platos Moral Psychology :: Argumentative Rationality Argument Papers

Plato's Moral Psychology I argue that Plato's psychological theories are motivated by concerns he had about moral theory. In particular, Plato rejects the modern account of rationality as the maximization of subjectively evaluated self-interest because, had he adopted such an account, his theory of justice would be subject to criticisms which he holds are fatal to the contractarian theory of justice. While formulating a theory to remain within ethical constraints sometimes violates the canons of scientific theorizing, Plato avoids this mistake. The first serious account of justice Plato considers in the Republic is the contractarian account.(1) It holds that is always instrumentally rational for one to further her own interests and in that certain situations (exemplified by the prisoners dilemma) it is more rational to forego one's own interests (providing others do so also) than to behave in a straight-forwardly rational way. The rules allowing one to escape prisoner's dilemmas—the rules it is rational to accept providing all others accept them also—are simply the rules of morality. Hence it is rational to be moral.(2) Plato agrees that rationality requires self-interested action. However, he distinguishes between perceived self-interest and actual self-interest and argues that any apparent conflict between rationality and morality is simply a conflict between one's perceived self-interest and the requirements of justice. Pursuing of one's actual self-interest never conflicts with the demands of morality. Since, for Plato, it is more rational to pursue one's real, than one's apparent, self-interest, rationality and morality do not conflict. It is rational to be moral. Plato rejects the contractarian reconciliation of morality with individual rationality primarily because the thinks that the contractarian conception assumes that a person's motives for being just are necessarily based her self-interest, while our concept of the just person holds that to be truly just one must value justice for its own sake. The contractarian account is also unacceptable because it has no foorce in the case of the Lydia Shepherd.(3) Finally, Plato holds that we must reject the contractarian account because a better account is available to us, viz., his own account of justice. But to show this Plato must establish each of the following: 1. There really is a difference between perceived self-interest and actual self-interest, that there can be a difference between what one believes to be in one's interest and what really is in one's interest. 2. Provide an account of what one's actual self-interest is.(4) 3.

Different Sides of Embryonic Stem Cell Research :: Stem Cell Biology

The field of stem cell research remains highly controversial because of its ethical and moral values. â€Å"Despite the news in 2006 that researchers had found a way to harvest human embryonic stem cells without having to destroy embryos, controversy still surrounds potentially life-saving stem cell research.† (Gruen, 2007). Due to the strong emotional responses to some of the subject matter by the pro-lifers and certain religions and politics in general, I will attempt to explain different sides of embryonic stem cell research (ESC). This study describes what viable embryos are and the issues connected with them. Are stem cells viable embryos? Can they ever be a human being? Stem cells are no more than a precursor for some type of cell. They are not tiny embryos nor can they ever become embryos. Are human embryonic stem cells embryos? Although stem cells of themselves are not embryos, they are pluripotent; they can develop into any cell or tissue of the body. They are not ca pable of forming a new individual, as a fertilized egg or single cell taken from a four-cell embryo might if cultured in vitro and placed in a uterus. Stem cell research has become a subject of political discussion in recent years because of its social and ethical implications, but what is the big controversy with stem cell research? Most diseases are caused by the death of healthy cells in a particular organ. Parkinson’s disease is caused by the death of brain cells that produce a chemical call dopamine and diabetes is caused by the death of insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. None of these organs can replace the cells that die. With stem cell therapy, these cells can be replaced. Researchers and scientists study stem cells to get a basic understanding of the process in cell development and disease. â€Å"The opposition of research on human embryos usually start and finish their argument with the claim that the human embryo is, from the moment of conception,a living , innocent human being. But the morality of using a being for research should depend on what the being is like, not on the species to which it belongs.† (Singer, 2001) This being of 64 cells has no brain and has never been conscious and can feel no pain. Take for instance researchers who do research on rats, the rats are not capable of preferring not to be in situations that are painful and frightening to them.

Patient Self Determination

Patient Self-Determination Act Project Scott Betzelos, Remedios C. Lazaga, Emelin Tan, Maya C. Richardson HCS/578 – Ethical, Legal, and Regulatory Issues in Health Care November 28, 2011 Susan M. Kajfasz Patient Self-Determination Act Project – Advance Directives Congress enacted the Patient Self-Determination Act, a healthcare policy, as part of the Omnibus Reconciliation Act signed by President Bush in 1990. The act went into effect in 1991(Nathanson, 1997). According to Nathanson (1997), the law intends to protect the patient’s right to make his or her own decisions through advanced directives. Advance directives designate another person to make decisions for him or her should a patient lose his or her decision-making capacity. The Medicare and Medicaid programs established a requirement that health care providers must acknowledge the law through the implementation of written policies and procedures that illustrate the patient’s rights (Nathanson, 1997). Therefore, it is the responsibility of the health care professional to comply ethically and legally according to the policies dictated by the organization. Nathanson (1997) interpretation of the law asserts that the patient must receive advice and written information about advanced directives illustrating his or her right to accept or refuse medical treatment. The Patient Self-Determination Act requirement ensures that health care professionals receive education and training that is appropriate and in subordination with the specific laws, regulations, organizational policies, and procedures. The Act requires each state to furnish health care providers and agencies with a description of the law. The Act also requires providers to give their patients information through various forms of media such as the policy of Concerned Home Care, Incorporated, (Concerned Home Care, Inc, 2011). How does this agency’s policy influence your professional work? The Advanced Directive Policy creates a unique physician patient relationship by placing the patient at the center of the health care decision-making process from the onset of the relationship. The patient has an inherent right to â€Å"accept or refuse medical treatment† through the formulation of an Advanced Directive. Through this policy the hysician-patient relationship begins with discussions that center on the desires of the patient rather than the processes of the health care provider. The Agency’s policy mandates that physicians, nurses, and other health care providers â€Å"provide the patient with written information regarding Advance Medical Directives and ask the patient if he/she has prepared an Advan ce Directive; either a living will or durable power of attorney. † Advance Directives allow patients to implement specific boundaries for treatments at the beginning of the clinician-patient relationship. Pre-existing advance directives also empowers patients because it allows family members to speak on their behalf in the event that they become incapacitated or unable to render decisions on their own. A patient’s medical wishes were often preempted for the application of intensive and invasive treatments of the past. Advance Directive Policies changed this standard of care and gave patients the opportunity to determine their own treatment plan. The initiation of Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Orders is an early example of Advance Directives. Later developments embrace the inclusion or exclusion of specific treatment medications, invasive procedures, and care maps that can impact patient longevity in the event that complications from disease arise. Written Advance Directive Information protects the patient from personal bias of staff members. The policy states â€Å"the staff member is not authorized to give the patient advice about advanced directives,† and â€Å"shall refer the patient to the Advanced Directive Questions and Answers section of the admission packet and also shall inform the patient to seek further information from the physician. This further advances the discussions between the physician and the patient ultimately ensuring that the desires and expectations of the patient remain central to the care map. Advanced Directive decisions â€Å"require open communication between the patient and the health care team† (Burkhardt & Nathaniel,  2008, pp. 242-243). The Agency is also required to rais e awareness of Advanced Directive within the community by including â€Å"Advance Directive information in its presentations,† either â€Å"in presentations made directly to the community members or in presentations made to other providers and/or other organizations. Enhanced discussions regarding Advanced Directives, end of life care and the patient’s desired plan of treatment becomes part of the heath care provider’s relationship during an office or in home. The creation of open and honest lines of communication stimulates healthy discussions and strengthens the bond between providers and patients. In fact the term â€Å"physician-patient relationship† has forever changed with Advanced Directive policies. It is more fitting that the terminology reflects the fact that patients have greater control over their care. Thus the term should be â€Å"patient-physician relationship,† placing the patient at the center of the health care continuum. As the patient centered relationship continues, the past â€Å"passive position† that makes it difficult â€Å"to remain intellectually and emotionally in control of your own experience† will continue to progress placing patients first and normal operating procedures second (Ashton & Richards,  2003, p. 7). What are the effects of the increasing technology of patient confidentiality and data security on health care organizations? Health care organizations face an enormous task of maintaining the privacy of their patients with the onslaught of new technology. This task involves ensuring that employees have policies and procedures to follow when using new technology to access protected health information (PHI), faxing PHI, and using the Internet. Health care organizations and health care providers have the responsibility of implementing a patient’s Advance Directives. However, new technology can give way to digression to past behaviors and the paternalistic attitudes of some clinicians may result in disregarding a patient’s Advance Directives. Some clinicians may believe they know what is best for the patient because advances in technology often raises hope that a provider can positively impact or alter a patient’s current medical condition (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2008). According to Miller and Tucker (2009), the use of electronic medical records (EMRs) could reduce America’s annual health care bill by $34 billion through higher safety and efficiency but only 41% of hospitals in the United States have adopted its use. Concerns over effectively protecting patient privacy and the cost of securing information have prevented the widespread use throughout the industry. A prime example of the fruition of security concerns is the downfall of the Santa Barbara County Care Health Data Exchange in 2007 (Miller & Tucker, 2009). The state mandated privacy filters but the system still failed. New technology requires privacy protection devices to protect PHI. This may force health care organizations to increase the rates of medical record use just to keep financially afloat. Conclusion The creation of Agency policies has impacted the physician-patient relationship effectively giving the power to control the course of treatment to patients. In essence, physicians have become advisors in the presence of Advanced Directives, yielding to the desires of patients and their families. The provision of care changed with advances in technology. Information sharing and dissemination requires physicians and other health care providers to successfully navigate between their new role as advisors and their commitment to ensure the best delivery of care to their patients. Melding the two provides the best guarantee that patients will have both their wants and needs met maximizing the opportunity for positive health outcomes. References Burkhardt, M. A. , & Nathaniel, A. K. (2008). Ethics and issues in contemporary nursing (3rd ed. ). Mason, OH: Delmar Cengage Learning. Concerned Home Care, Inc. , (2011). Concerned Home Care Policy and Procedure Manual Harbor Beach, MI. : . Miller, A. R. , & Tucker, C. (2009). Privacy protection and technology diffusion: The case of electronic medical records. Management Science, 55(7), 1077-1093. Nathanson, M. D. (1997). Home Health Care Law Manual (5th ed. ). Gaithersburg, MD. : Aspen Publication. Appendix I: Advance Directives for Concerned Home Care, Inc. [pic]

Seat Belt

Wearing your Seat Belt Everybody makes choices every day. It could be something basic like what colour of suit should you wear, or something major like should I put on a seat belt. I hold the opinion that all of these choices have an impact on our lives. I hope all of you who are listening to this speech today make the bigger choice of wearing your seatbelts in your day-to-day travelling. The rate of deaths has been on the rise, and this has concerned me. This has made me do some research on wearing selt belt. Therefore, I have credible material and information on this topic.I Chose this topic because I have lost a couple of family memeber in car accident and some of them wasnt wearing a selt belt. the most recent accident that injury my secend cousin happened on December 11, 2012. She had gotten in a agrument with her family early that day, so she decided she would go drive and calm down. so she got into her car , when she got in the car she didnt put her selt belt on, she just bega n to drive. she was so upset that she start to speed alittle. well the day before it had rain and the ground still had water on it. while she was speed on the wet road her lost control of her car and the car flip. s the car was flip she was injected for the car and she landed on the ground hard. the impact of the ground it broke a couple of ribs and injury her spine. she underwent major sugery that day. she have to learn how to walk, learn how to fully use her hand, learn how to sit up straight without her brace all over again. she had wear her seat belt then she wouldnt have been hurt to much. this is why wearing selt belt is impormant. I believe that everybody who is a driver, any passenger and everybody whose means of transport is a vehicle should and is supposed to put on a seatbelt.When you are driving or even riding in a vehicle, putting on your seat belt will bring down your chance of death or serious injury, in case of a major accident. I will first talk to you about a predi cament that has dramatic consequences but could be handled very easily. Then I will deliberate on a fixable solution to aid in bringing down this predicament. Finally, I will tell you how you can handle the problem on a personal level. The use of seat belts is often the difference between life and death in the event of a car accident.It may take an extra second to buckle up, but that simple measure often has invaluable benefits–the most important being that it could save your life. Let us first begin by discussing about some of the repercussions of not putting on your seat belt. Not belting up can consequently lead to death or fatal injuries. Too many unnecessary deaths occur each year for the elementary reason—people just do not put on their seat belts. According to an article in the Lincoln Journal Star in August 2002, Nebraska highway loss of lives is the most in the last 21 years claiming more than 150 lives.In 2002, about five people lost their life for not puttin g on seat belts. People make unjustifiable excuses like; I am a good driver for not wearing seatbelts. This is one of the many excuses Now that, I have stated the repercussions of not putting on your seat belt, I would like to state the solutions to these issues. There is only one major solution to the problem; put on your seat belt. This resolution could be achieved via several ways. The first intervention was in 1966, when Congress passed the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.The next thing is to get the federal government to make motorists put on belts by making laws calling upon it. Here are some benefit for wearing seat belts in everyday situation, accident situation and for all ages. For Everyday situation, While driving normally at an average speed, the use of a seat belt provides the added benefit of security and peace of mind. When sudden stops occur, the seat belt reduces the chance of whiplash, which occurs when the body is jerked forward and back too quickly, straining the neck. or Accident Situation, In the event that an accident occurs, a seat belt truly plays a crucial role in preventing a person from crashing headfirst into the windshield or being completely thrown through the windshield upon impact. Both of these scenarios are often fatal. and for all ages, The use of seat belts provides a significant benefit for toddlers. Car seats for children are not always secure. Securing car seats with seat belts lets parents rest assured that their children are protected in transit. In conclusion, putting on your seat belt will bring down the jeopardy of bodily injury.Seat belts are very essential to motorists and passengers of a vehicle. If you get involved in a tragic accident, wearing your seat belt will diminish your possibility of death or critical injury, whether you are a driver or passenger. Next time you ride in a vehicle, be warned that repercussions are you will be in tragic crash at least sometime in your life, seat belts almost triples the possibility of hold on in a tragic crash. Please spend those important three seconds of your time and buckle up your seat belt