Thursday, November 28, 2019

Tok Reflection the Mouse Who Ate the Cheese Essay Example For Students

Tok Reflection: the Mouse Who Ate the Cheese Essay Tok Reflection: the Mouse Who Ate the Cheese BY IBstudent1996 TOK Reflection: The Mouse who Ate the Cheese The short story The Mouse who Ate the cheese, by Stuart fowler (1993) develops the ideals that are centered on the concept of belief and knowledge, and how they these two concepts are often difficult to differentiate. It would be accurate to state that Bill knew that he saw the mouse eat the cheese, since he physical witnessed the mouse ingesting the cheese and there wasnt the possibility of obscurity of Judgment, since he was sober and no mental disorders was mentioned during the proximity of the tory. We will write a custom essay on Tok Reflection: the Mouse Who Ate the Cheese specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Though in the case of Alice it isnt incorrect to state that she knew the mouse ate the cheese, its only fair to say that she believed so. The primary reasoning centered on this concept is that Alice didnt physically see or hear the mouse uptake the cheese; she simply made an assumption regarding the mouse eating the cheese. Without verified proof , it is not accurate to state that Alice say the mouse eat the cheese, since she only believe this ideal based on applied logic and belief. The other two individuals present within the story Virginia and Adrian who also claimed to now that they knew the mouse ate the cheese simply of off the premise that an authority source (Bill) had told them. Therefore it is not viable or adequate for them to state that they knew they saw the mouse, only which they believe. Despite the fact that they informed through a person they define as trustworthy and reliable, they still face the region of doubt; since they were unable to witness the mouse eating the cheese through them acting as the primary source. The only individual who denied believing or knowing that the mouse ate the cheese was George the homeowner of the house where the party was held. His reasoning behind his stance was Justified by that of emotion and his belief in the exterminator. Though, he failed to consider the possibility that the exterminator could have been have wrong or that Just recently these pests had begun to invade his house. The only way George would know and be convinced that a mouse was present within his home was if he had seen it with his own eyes, eliminating the possibility of doubt. The only possible circumstance that everyone at the party would have known that the mouse had ate the cheese, was if they were to all saw it with their own eyes, in a sober state, Personally, I believe that here is a definable difference between an individual knowing something and believe something. In order for a person to know I believe that they must witness it first hand, without the possibility of anything that could disorient their mental state. Though there are situations where this necessary cant always be achieved, I believe that there must be more than one source stating the same thing. To simply belief something has always been a difficult concept for me to relate to, since to believe individuals must confront the possibility that their belief has the possibility to be wrong. Along with this, many times the concept that is to be believed doesnt hold the complete truth due to the possibility of perception and biases. Often I think that individuals misconceive the ideals of belief with knowledge, defining their own belief as factual, without considering the prospect that their inaccurate and untrue. nougn, tnls also poses tne Tact on wnetner or not a persons Deller true or not can De defined as knowledge. Finally, the ideals that are centered on belief and knowledge are often difficult to differentiate, it is often heavily relating on a person own personal perception and perspective on the questioned topic.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

The River Why, David James Duncan Essays

The River Why, David James Duncan Essays The River Why, David James Duncan Paper The River Why, David James Duncan Paper As any reader of The River Why knows, David James Duncan is a master of the art of writing about fishing–which is also to say life, since the two for him are indelibly linked. In his famous book The River Why, Duncan uses fishing as one kind of bait, along with wonderful humor, beautiful writing and memorable characterization, to make a much larger, much more important set of points. The plot of The River Why, isnt about fishing, or living in harmony with nature; its about a young mans discovering what life really is. The Perfect Schedule young Guss plan for getting in the absolute maximum number of hours a day fishing turns out to be a horrible failure. It takes a long time for Gus to realize something is wrong, including a harrowing adventure with a drowned man and some pretty serous sickness. Now it may be ahem that fisherpersons are more stubborn or more stupid, but Duncan has Gus discover that there are things more important than fishing, and that those things can lead to still greater things. And that all of that can make the fishing better. Third, while Duncan and Gus poke immense amounts of fun at it, this really is a re-casting of Izaak Waltons _The Compleat Fisherman_, although Walton is nearly unreadable and Duncan writes extraordinarily well. This book is also about more or less the same thing as those witlesses that Ma brings to grief, although both Gus and the Witlesses would likely deny it. One of Duncans subtle messages is there, too. Fourth and last, like a fish taking a fly, when you read this book you will be so dazzled by the gorgeous fly of Duncans humor, writing and characterization that you will miss the hook and line of his real message until, like Gus, the line of light has you and you feel that gentle tug in your heart.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Industrial Unrest in Abu Dhabi Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Industrial Unrest in Abu Dhabi - Case Study Example The fact that the parties involved are willing to come to the table and have a civil discussion is also very encouraging. This is a good indicator that the conflict will soon be put to rest. Willingness to talk and negotiate is the first step to solving any conflict. There is quite a range of weaknesses in the labor environment in the Abu Dhabi as shown by several surveys some of which were sparked by the recent strikes by worker most of who are migrants. One thing that contributes to the weakened working conditions is that there seems to be a breakdown in communication between the employers and employees. Whether deliberate or not it is a major cause of employee unrest (Williams, 2014).The workers seem to think that their employees are insensitive to their plight. There have been massive complaints about low pay and deplorable living conditions. The fact that the strikes caught the companies by surprise points to miscommunication or a total lack of it. Workers claim that their wages have remained the same for a long time despite changes in the working and economic environment which puts them at a disadvantage. They are agitating for an appraisal of their salaries in order to afford to continue working. The low wages can be attributed to the fact that there is availability of cheap labour as if the was scarcity of labour these companies would pay better without the need for strikes. Workers here also complain of poor living condition with a majority claiming to live in cramped spaces. Claims of six or more workers having to share living quarters are not uncommon. This they say they have had enough of hence the decision to strike, illegal as this may be. There are quite a few opportunities for labor sector to thrive but they will call for major changes within the sector if they are to be achieved (International, 2013).  

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Alexander Hamiltons The Federalist, No. 15 Essay

Alexander Hamiltons The Federalist, No. 15 - Essay Example Each side would feel a certain way, in terms of how the system of government should be handled and what its role would need to be. Making the argument in favor of the constitution and what it meant, would be Alexander Hamilton. The key to convincing the general populous, remains the dedication to the core argument within the issue and for Hamilton, he would seek to do just that. Hamilton would seek to make his case, through the creation of his work commonly referred to as the Federalist Papers. As for the work itself, "The Federalist Papers, originally written as a series of newspaper editorials intended to persuade New York to ratify the Constitution, remains the most valuable exposition of the political theory underlying the Constitution," (Hamilton, p.60). In order for something to be agreed to, it must first be understood. The impact of Alexander Hamilton's work would be the ability to clearly define the core issue at the center of document itself. To make known the very thing that would ultimately have lead to the document's creation. First and foremost, Hamilton would make the argument that, in order to maintain a sense of organization within the nation, there must be some form a of guiding force that would keep everything, as well as everyone, together and in working order. In the end, so the government could be held to a stronger degree of regulation and to a higher standard of expectation, in terms of its specific responsibilities. With regard to the founding fathers view of the current state of the American political system, they would see a system that would have a specific organization to it, would still fall sort of an absolute solid outline. Different interpretations bring about potential changes to be made and that has continued to be the case for many years. Hamilton would further argue that, while there would be those who wished to make light of the imperfections found within the national system, they would in turn fail to step forward and enact the change that would improve the situation that they themselves, would feel required improvement. Hamilton asserts the following, "..While [opponents of the Constitution] admit that the government of the United States is destitute of energy, they contend against conferring upon it those powers which are requisite to supply that energy," (Hamilton, p. 61). When it comes down to it, Hamilton's views about a league would be appear to be folded within his overall argument in favor of the possession of a document, such as the constitution that would be the primary guiding force of a more productive and succinct system of governing. Discontent would be felt on the part of Hamilton, in terms of viewing those whom he would feel as being reactive, rather than proactive. Such persons that would make an argument for the sake of making it, rather than offering up any form of answer, in regard to a potential solution(s) that would fix whatever issues that would have been present. As he writes, "There is nothing absurd or impracticable in the idea of a league or alliance between independent nations for certain defined purposes precisely stated in a treaty regulating all the details of time, place, circumstance, and quantity, leaving nothing to further discretion, and depending for its execution on the good faith of the parties," (Hamilton, p. 61-62).

Monday, November 18, 2019

Spirituality and the Creative Spirit, (Portfolio#1) Essay

Spirituality and the Creative Spirit, (Portfolio#1) - Essay Example As it is also observed that in the text it is stated, â€Å"His (Davis) mother took him regularly to catholic church hoping that somehow provide comfort instead it filled him with fear, ‘I found the whole thing terrifying’† (17). Davis’s terror is explicable as the fear of punishment and the manner in which the church portrays God. However it is apparent that he is a spiritualist the reason being that he has strived to find meaning of life and was ultimately able to discover solace in nature and his catharsis was writing poetry. It is highly stressed upon that church and the Christian theology or any other religion does not governs spirituality reason being that spirituality is not simply confined to the search of God. Although for some people spiritualism is the exploration of one’s relation with God and importance of religion. Yet it is not true for the majority of the people because in the twenty first century a large number of people do not belie ve in God anymore as it is stated about Davis, â€Å"on many occasions he still believes that the Gods have fled† (17) it is more about self contemplation than about God. Nevertheless the importance of religion cannot be denied because in a large number of cases it acts as a catalyst for initiating or introducing an individual to spirituality. Since the Church plays an integral role in the exhibition of a large number of paintings regarding mysticism and also because religion has the power of instigating or putting an individual in a contemplative mood. So it is the process of questioning that leads a man to explore the mysteries of life and reason with the logic and principles of his existence. Spirituality can also be elucidated as a form of expression in which an individual gets a chance to express one’s every feeling of anger, love, hatred and admiration. Hence any form of art i.e. music, poetry, painting and dancing are all modes of expressing one’s interpretation of life as well one’s

Friday, November 15, 2019

The Vietnam War: Defeating the US

The Vietnam War: Defeating the US Why did the Vietnam war happen? Why didnt we just back down?. I think that he United States could have won this war, with a mixture of better weapons usage, better moves, and better support from their home country, this could also have even been prevented. Before the war, Vietnam was a disputed territory. Many countries countrys in the past had taken Vietnam over, and after World War II, Vietnam was in the hands of France. Clearly, the Vietnamese wanted their own country, and their long history of being a colony prompted the oppressed people to fight for their independence in the French Indochina war. Ho Chi Minh, the leader of the Communist party, organized the Vietnamese independence movement, Viet Minh. Asked for support from America first, since that leader didnt want to use communism to free his people. The United States looked helping Ho Chi Minh gain his independence from France as a move against their own allies, they declined. It was only after Russia and China offered to help that Ho Chi Minh adopted communist ideals and wanted to make all of Vietnam communist. The Vietnam war started because communism was going to expand into Korea and eventually into other countrys. America didnt want that. If the United States had looked past its alliances and not helped another country gain its independence like we had gained ours so many years ago, this war would have been completely avoided. Unfortunately for the families of over 58, 000 soldiers, it wasnt. this began as early as 1954, the United States started sending financial and military aid to South Vietnam, hoping to stop the spread of communism. The flow of military advisors from 700 to over 14,000 built up steadily through John F Kennedys presidency, and after he was assassinated, Johnson escalated the war to the point of no return. American people were so scared of communism that they were willing to do anything to stop communism where it started. The people of the United States let Johnson build up a huge force in Vietnam, and he was also almost unanimously backed by congress. By the end of the war, Johnson was so ashamed that he didnt even try to run for reelection. If the Americans would have stopped and thought about wh at they were getting themselves into and not jumping right into it, we would be ok. In 1964, the event that all war hawks wanted happened. In the Gulf of Ton kin, several Viet Cong torpedo boats reportedly fired on a U.S. vessel. Even though the American ship sustained no damages, Johnson drafted the Gulf of Ton kin Resolution, which authorized him to use any force necessary to beat back the North Vietnamese. Congress never declared war or even directly authorized troops, but Johnson somehow got to declare it. Early in the War At first, Johnson didnt let the problem go into the air, because he was hoping to destroy Viet Cong. He used planes such as the B-52 bomber and the F-4 Phantom to try to win the war as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, the United States air power had many shortcomings. The F-4 Phantom was the latest and best technology out there during Vietnam War. Manufactured by McDonnell-Douglas, this plane was capable of multiple roles, as a dogfighter, bomber, recon, and support aircraft. But, the F-4 had its some problems. First, the engineers who desi gned it did not mount any type of gun on the F-4A through the F-4D, thinking that the Phantoms frightening compliment of missiles could take out any enemy threat. This wasnt the smarted move. Not having a gun made the dog-fighting role of the Phantom extremely hard, because the AIM-9 and AIM-7 missiles were not as effective at closer ranges against the enemy MIGs. Only after almost 2 years was the F-4E Phantom fitted with a 6-barrell gatling gun. Also, many pilots were not trained very well, only having 6 weeks of training as opposed to the normal 1-year. The B-52 Stratofortress was the largest bomber ever made at that time. We should have used it wisely There were also negative sides to the use of the B-52. During World War II, the allies could depend on destroying the industry of their enemy, eventually destroying its fighting power. The VC did not count on industry and big guns, but guerrilla tactics and small arms weapons. The U.S. also thought by using a lot of bombs and by using napalm, the enemy would be scared and finally give up. Both of tactics proved to be wrong. The bombings got the enemy angry and brought the North Vietnamese closer together, instead of its actual goal. Napalm was also bad mistake. By using a flammable jelly which consisted of gasoline and some other chemical to make it think, they burned up all of North Vietnam, the United States not only killed more people than enemies, but also made people think was this the right thing to do? Anything that Napalm touched burned for up to a week. Another type of bomb was dropped by the B-52s, this one containing a large amount of the deadly gas, Agent Orange. Millions of acres of jungle were destroyed and even more fields and paddies were poisoned. South Vietnamese farmers complained about the effect Agent Orange had on their rice paddies. Agent Orange was supposed to eliminate the Viet Cong s advantages of there hiding places, but it only turned the people we were fighting for against us even more. Agent Orange also hurt us to, many of the Veterans ended up getting sick, like cancer and other deadly sicknesses. The use of Agent Orange was perhaps one of the worst mistakes made in Vietnam. If we just thought ahead, and figuring out the consequences of using weapons such as napalm and Agent Orange, the U.S. could have won the Vietnam War, mostly through the use of air power. During the Vietnam War we dropped more bombs than in any other war, this would make you think that we should win because its easy. Sadly, ethical problems and lack of planning made it impossible to settle the war in the air, making the U.S. invade with ground forces. President Johnson chose General William C. Westmoreland to command the land forces. Westmoreland commanded over 500,300 troops at the high point of the war, and was still unable to defeat the Viet Cong. But there were many factors that contributed to our shocking defeat on the ground in Vietnam. The first and foremost was the difference in tactics. The Viet Cong was ruthless soldiers, who, even though sometimes poorly trained, fought with a lot of drive and pride. The Viet Cong used something called guerrilla tactics. They would get children, to join use babys as bait for booby traps, and other unethical things. These were a few deaths that the U.S. soldiers had. Also on the tactics side, the entire U.S. consisted of sea rch and destroy missions. Search and destroy missions involved a group patrol, (usually 15-30 soldiers), going out of the home territory and finding and killing the enemy. Unfortunately, the booby traps placed by the Viet Cong and the fact that they knew the land meant that they could hide well. They took advantage of that and so U.S. soldiers died a lot from that. If the United States only thought about what they were getting them selves into and realized the consequences then they would have probably not gotten involved. Either way I do believe that if we didnt help out the other country that, they would try to get back at us in a some way. But the amount of people that died, and the amount that got sick was really just unnecessary. But since we did get involved we should have just stuck with fighting in the air. That was our strength at the time and we should have taken advantage of it. Compassion in Medicine | Reflective Essay Compassion in Medicine | Reflective Essay Advancements in medical technology have given rise to medicalization, a process where ‘non-medical’ problems have become understood and treated as ‘medical’ issues.1 This potentially objectifies humans, leading to â€Å"deindividuation†2, where doctors identify patients by their disease or procedure. The distancing of doctor-patient relationships have been worsened by limited doctor-patient interactions.3 Humanization of medicine is critical to ensure patients receive adequate care because they are reliant on the doctors competence and good will.4 This is where the BH1002 module contributes to my development as a good doctor. It increases my awareness of patients’ needs and the complexities of the healthcare system. The essence of this module is encapsulated in three learning points: a) Professionalism; b) Communication in Doctor-patient relationships; and c) Patient safety. My role as a future doctor is to heal. Professionalism exemplifies the contract between society and medicine as it is the foundation of doctor-patient trust.5 In the BH1002 tutorials, I was exposed to three fundamental principles of professionalism, namely, the primacy of patient welfare, patient autonomy and social justice. Professionalism requires honesty with patients, empowering them to make informed medical decisions; it requires trust and having patients’ interests at heart; it involves equal distribution of healthcare resources to all patients.5 In my opinion, medical professionalism involves demonstrating humility and compassion. Modern medicine has established a culture defined by entitlement and conceit, and humility indicates weakness or false modesty.6 Having the confidence to tackle my insecurities is paramount to my development as a doctor. However, I am aware that self-confidence can develop into overconfidence as my level of clinical knowledge and skills increases. It can cause me to overestimate my capabilities, breeding incompetency and arrogance. As a future doctor, I strive to remain grounded and be accountable for my blunders. I will avoid finger-pointing when mistakes occur. Being humble makes me mindful of the limits of my knowledge, allowing me to recognize opportunities for improvement. I will consider things from my patient’s perspective, prioritizing the well-being of my patients. Humility and confidence are not mutually exclusive.7 To strike a balance, I will constantly evaluate myself in clinical encounters. Through introspection, I can work towards being a more gracious person. I understand that when I am tired, I may have a temporary lapse in humility and be rude to someone. In response, I will take time to apologize sincerely, fostering better work dynamics in the medical setting. Compassion is an important aspect of medical professionalism. It involves both empathy and the desire to improve the current situation. The Society for General Internal Medicine describes empathy as â€Å"the act of correctly acknowledging the emotional state of another without experiencing that state oneself.†8 In this module, I was taught to strive for detachment with my patients to ensure that my feelings do not hinder the quality of care I provide.8 Nonetheless, it is essential to be sufficiently vulnerable to my patient’s suffering. When my attention is focused on my patients, they will be able to feel that I care. In contrast, being emotionally-detached could be interpreted as being indifferent, increasing their suffering due to the lack of understanding. A study on the effect of forty seconds of compassion on patient anxiety noted, â€Å"The enhanced compassion segment was †¦ effective in decreasing viewers anxiety†9. Compassion builds trust between the doctor and patients, encouraging them to recall and disclose significant details about their conditions.8 Increased awareness of the patient’s situation allows for more accurate diagnosis and effective personalization of treatments, improving the quality of care.8 Patient satisfaction is increased, enhancing the doctor-patient relationship. I strive to exhibit medical professionalism by being compassionate. As a future doctor, I am responsible for the welfare of my patients. Having compassion will make me attentive to their needs. I can understand the situation from their perspective, and think about how I can ease their suffering. Consequently, my patients will not have to face their difficulties alone. The doctor-patient relationship is a keystone of care. Built on trust and compliance, it exists when a doctor serves a patient’s medical needs, providing support and healing.10 There were two key reasons taught on why effective communication is crucial: a) provision of quality care; and b) medicine adherence. I believe patients benefit most when there is mutual trust and respect – doctors set aside time to listen to their patients; patients provide information about their medical condition to the best of their ability and comply with prescriptions. This can only be achieved with effective communication. In the provision of better healthcare, it is important to focus on the medical interview between the doctor and patient. This is the main medium through which doctors gather information about the patient, make diagnoses and develop the doctor-patient relationship.3 During the tutorials, I was introduced to a famous painting, The Doctor by Fildes. The painting exemplifies the qualities of an ideal doctor. Despite the inadequacy of medical technology, and thus inability to save the patient, he remains by the patient’s bedside, providing reassurance through his presence. This is a huge contrast with the modern physician, who, because of the large number of patients to see every day11, is often unable to set aside time to stay by the patient’s side. In his book, Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End, Gawande laments the deterioration of care in the medical setting. He attributes it to the shift in focus to curing diseases quickly using modern technology, highlighting that â€Å"fast, solution-oriented care accounts for approximately one-quarter of Medicare expenditures†11. Moreover, the time spent on write-ups is threefold the time spent in direct contact with the patient12. This means that little time is spent on communication with the patient. For this reason, patients feel neglected and even more miserable when doctors are unable to listen to their emotional needs and address their concerns. What I wanted †¦ was a doctor †¦ who understood that a conversation was as important as a prescription; a doctor to whom healing mattered as much as state-of-the-art surgery did. What I was looking for †¦ was a doctor who is able to slow down, aware of the dividends not just for patients but for herself and for the system.11 In the introduction to the course, I was taught that doctors have an ethical obligation to prioritize the best interests of the patient. This means alleviating their suffering and minimizing patient dissatisfaction. When doctors take the time to listen carefully, the quality of information obtained increases, enabling a more accurate diagnosis to be made.3 In mastering communication skills, I can clearly explain my patient’s situation, preventing misunderstandings that may occur due to the lack of understanding of â€Å"basic health ideas, medical terms or medical information†13. I can provide emotional reassurance to those involved, facilitating the process of healing and enhancing the doctor-patient relationship. Medicine adherence refers to whether patients follow the agreed recommendations and whether they take their medication for the entire duration.14 Effective communication is the major determinant of compliance.15 Doctors struggle with communicating information effectively, as seen in a study that reported, â€Å"40-80 percent of the medical information patients receive is forgotten immediately and nearly half of the information retained is incorrect†15. In this module, I was taught the teach-back method to improve medicine adherence, which relies heavily on communicating information to patients in a way that is easily understood. In teach-back, patients are asked to describe the information taught. This involves them in prescription decisions and serves as confirmation that they understand what has been explained, such as the prescribed dosage of their medication. Patients can then make informed decisions regarding their use of medicines. By engaging patients in their care, they are more likely to comply with the prescriptions, leading to a higher quality of life and higher satisfaction.14 As a future doctor, I strongly believe that patients have a right to make decisions in regard to their health. This means that if patients refuse to take the prescribed treatment, that choice must be an informed one; if they accept the recommendation, I am responsible for facilitating the appropriate adherence to optimize the efficacy of treatment and reduce risk of side effects. Using what I learnt, as well as the â€Å"SPIKES† model detailed in WHO Multi-professional Patient Safety Curriculum Guide16, I will provide uninterrupted time for patients to share their concerns and ask questions about their conditions. This will help me understand my patients’ beliefs and assure them that I am listening. After which, I will provide the necessary information, in a comprehensive manner, using the teach-back method to check their understanding. This will facilitate shared-decision making, where patients can effectively voice concerns about aspects of the treatment they disagree with. This allows me to tackle the issue of limited health literacy of patients and negotiate a treatment they are agreeable with. A large proportion of the BH1002 module was spent discussing patient safety. I was exposed to the idea of human limits and reasons why healthcare systems fail. My greatest takeaway was being constantly reminded that doctors are not infallible. In fact, great doctors are people who expect errors to occur and take measures to prevent them before these errors can happen. Humans have limitations that can predispose them to error. Through the lectures, I learnt about memory constraints, confirmation bias in perception and selective vision. The recalled memory is reconstructed, changing according to what we perceive; we tend to seek evidence to support our decisions, even if the decision may not be correct; we do not notice when something unexpected enters our field of vision, especially when we are focused on something else. These cause difficulty multi-tasking and recalling detailed information quickly15, creating room for error. Now that I am aware of these limits, I will put in greater effort to reduce the impact human limits have on my patients’ health. I will use writing aids, noting important information immediately, reducing the reliance on human memory. This also removes the uncertainty that I could have remembered the wrong details. I believe this habit needs to be cultivated while I am a medical student. Therefore, I have begun with the lectures I attend, jotting down points raised by lecturers and reviewing them for greater understanding of the content taught. To reduce the risk of confirmation bias, I will make sure to gather information from reliable sources, analyze the data carefully before reaching a conclusion, instead of drawing a conclusion before finding evidence that tally with my opinion. In a medical practice study conducted in 2000, To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System, it is emphasized that to assure patients that they are safe from accidental injury, concerted effort by all professionals is required to â€Å"break down traditional clinical boundaries, the culture of blame, and systematically design safety into processes of care†.17 There are several reasons why healthcare systems fail. First would be the traditional intolerance for error in the medical setting. Doctors are held personally accountable even if the error was systems-based and beyond their control. The medical culture of blaming encourages doctors to underreport errors out of fear of disciplinary measures.18 The BH1002 module taught the importance of sharing the burden of guilt. If a doctor makes a mistake, sharing creates opportunities for everyone to review the problem objectively. Improvements can then be made to existing systems to prevent a repeat of the same mistake. I learnt about the â€Å"Swiss cheese model of system accidents†. This model compares the different levels on which mistakes occur with slices of cheese. Each slice represents a layer of defense against potential errors. In the real world, each slice has holes in different places, each representing a loophole. A catastrophe will occur when the holes align to permit an opportunity for accidents, directly bringing patients in contact with hazards.19 These lapses in defense arise from two types of errors. Active errors are unsafe behaviors committed by people that lead directly to a given error. Latent errors are errors that remain dormant in the system until ‘triggered’ by other events. These occur further away from the action itself, such as flaws in the healthcare organization or faults in the equipment used. Active errors are often unpredictable whereas latent errors can be prevented. The persons-approach, which focuses solely on active errors and individual blame, is therefore of limited benefit because it deals with errors only after they occur. In contrast, the systems-approach revolves around the idea that errors are to be expected and designs a resilient system to reduce the risk of incidence of error before it happens. The systems-approach is important to my development as a good doctor. It reminds me of the need to adhere to standard operating procedures in the medical setting. Simple practices such as hand hygiene can reduce the risk of spreading infections among patients. I understand that patient handovers are an integral part of the healthcare system. There are an average of 50-100 steps between the doctor’s decision to order a medicine and the delivery of the medicine to the patient, causing an overall 39% chance of error.20 I will do my part by making my case notes comprehensible and legible to prevent miscommunication between doctors. I will clarify expectations before undertaking any tasks and consult my superiors should I be unsure of any issues. When reporting critical laboratory results, I will use the read-back method, noting and correcting any discrepancies to ensure the relayed information is accurate. This will reduce the risk of harm brought to the patient. The healthcare environment is a very complicated one. In the beginning, I was fearful of the rigid and complicated hierarchies that exist. The BH1002 module has equipped me with the necessary knowledge of what it takes to be a good doctor, as well as how I can understand my patients better and ensure their safety. I believe being accountable for my actions is the best way to exhibit professionalism and help people. I look forward to overcoming the trials I will face as a doctor. I hope to become a doctor who can serve my patients and peers well, by providing quality care and becoming a pillar of support.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

The Workings of Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the

Fate in Oedipus Rex    Sophocles' tragic tale of Oedipus presents the reader with a very bleak view of mankind and the world in general. According to the story, every person is predestined to enact a role scripted by fate, a "mysterious power" that rules even the greatest of Greek gods (Hamilton, 27). In this tale, the source of this fate is not as clear as its function.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The first of many allusions to fate in Oedipus the King comes from the chorus, which calls upon the gods Athena, Artemis, and Phoebus (Apollo), "three averters of Fate," (Sophocles 163) to save Thebes.   The phrase implied that the gods could help man avoid the dictates of fate, but that they cannot alter fate.   Sharing the terrible facts of Laius' death, Teiresias tells Oedipus:   "It is not fate that I should be your ruin, Apollo is enough; it is his care/to work this out" (Sophocles 376-378).   The prophet's pronouncement links fate and Apollo, yet he suggest... ... the Sphinx in its puzzling presence and ruthless punishment of the innocent.   If Oedipus the King does not define fate, it aptly demonstrates its workings.    Works Cited: Greene, David and Richmond Lattimore, Eds.   Greek Tragedies.   2nd ed. Vol. 1. Chicago:  Ã‚  Ã‚   U of Chicago P, 1991. Hamilton, Edith.   Mythology.   New York:   Penguin, 1969. Sophocles.   "Oedipus Rex."   An Introduction to Literature, 11th ed.Eds. Sylvan Barnet, et al.   New York: Longman, 1997.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Crime Prevention Coalition of America Essay

Crime Prevention Coalition of America is the crime prevention program that this paper will cover. During this paper I will attempt to discuss what Crime Prevention Coalition of America is and what their philosophy is. It will also show the element or elements of the crime triangle that the Crime Prevention Coalition of America program seeks to address. This paper will analysis how the Crime Prevention Coalition of America works, it will also including statistical support, of the success of the program in affecting crime. A critical analysis of the effectiveness of the Crime Prevention Coalition of America. Commentary on the impacts of societal factors that deals with the Crime Prevention Coalition of America. Then I will attempt to make a prediction concerning the technological advancements of the program and the resulting success or failure based upon those advancements. â€Å"The Crime Prevention Coalition of America is a nonpartisan group of more than 400 national, state, federal, and community-based organizations united to promote citizen action to prevent crime. Established in 1980, its members include youth development organizations, municipalities, law enforcement agencies, federal and state government representatives, state crime prevention associations, and community-based groups† (NCPC, 2012). The Crime Prevention Coalition of America works with all these groups to ensure a way to make safe communities. â€Å"The philosophy of the Crime Prevention Coalition of America believes that: Preventing Crime Is * Everyone’s business * More than security * A responsibility of all levels and agencies of government * Linked with solving social problems * Cost-effective Preventing Crime Requires * A central role in law enforcement * Cooperation and collaboration by all elements of the community * Education * Tailoring to local needs and conditions * Continual evaluation and improvement† (NCPC, 2012). Under the philosophy of Crime Prevention Coalition of America it is everyone’s job to help prevent and control the criminal element. This group believes that each of us should do are part in preventing crimes and making sure that the people who are committing crimes are held accountable. The Crime Prevention Coalition of America brings the community and law enforcement together, because this group knows that law enforcement can’t control the criminal element alone. The crime triangle is made up of three different things they are: target, desire, and opportunity. All of these have to be present of a crime to be successful. The element or the elements of the crime triangle that the Crime Prevention Coalition of America are all three of the elements that make up the triangle. â€Å"The first element of the crime triangle is desire. That is the criminal’s drive, intent and motivation. There is nothing you can realistically do to curtail or eliminate that desire. Once he has the desire, he is looking for a target and an opportunity. A target is anyone who appears to be an easy victim. A target appears not to be aware of their surroundings and appears easy to overtake or overpower. An easy target, by definition, will not put up any resistance. The next element is opportunity. You control this by paying attention to your environment. Are you in a bad area of town? Are you walking in an unlit area? Are you in a secluded area? Are you letting strangers in too close to ask questions – not defining personal boundaries? Limiting opportunities is about being aware of your environment and your intuition to remove yourself from a questionable environment once you sense danger† (Women’s Self-Defense Institute, 2002-2012). With the knowledge that the Crime Prevention Coalition of America gives people in the community and the knowledge that it gives to the law enforcement group it allows people to be aware of the three elements of the crime triangle and it allows you to remove the ones that you are capable of changing. Of the three elements of the crime triangle you can’t do  nothing about the desire part because that is all up to the criminal, however you can change the way you are looked at as a target and the opportunity of becoming a victim. These two parts of the crime triangle you can be taught to manage and be aware of. The way that this program can teach you about the desire part of the crime triangle is that it teaches you to the observation of the people around you. With knowing who is around you, you will be able to see how a person who is acting weird and maybe up to no good. The Crime Prevention Coalition of America works to prevent crimes in many ways; it will also show the statistical support to show how effective they are in this area if there is proof and with the success of the program in affecting crime and crime rate. â€Å"In October 2007, the National Crime Prevention Council, in partnership with the Crime Prevention Coalition of America and the U.S. Department of Justice, hosted the 8th National Conference on Preventing Crime: Helping Build Safer Communities, in Atlanta, GA. CPCA members received a member discount of $50 off their registration fees for the conference. The conference offered more than 65 educational sessions presented by the nation’s leading crime prevention specialists on topics such as emerging trends in crime prevention, bullying, Internet safety, community preparedness, Neighborhood Watch, gang prevention, fraud prevention for senior citizens, and more. The conference provided a forum and training for all crime prevention practitioners to identify and learn about emerging trends and issues and ways to address them; to network with colleagues from across the country, sharing experiences and successes; and to renew commitments to prevention as a priority in reducing crime. The National Conference on Preventing Crime has proven to be a driving force in disseminating crime prevention information nationwide and promoting crime prevention issues to policymakers at the national, state, and local levels†( The Crime Prevention Coalition of America, 2007). â€Å"The Crime Prevention Coalition of America has developed a number of strategies to help carry out its mission of making crime prevention a grassroots community movement and a national priority. The Coalition has worked to * Develop and implement a crime prevention action initiative to enlist individuals, businesses, faith communities, community groups, and governments to implement prevention strategies, tactics, and programs, building on the success of the National Citizens’ Crime Prevention Campaign * Identify, develop, and promote  community-level programs, projects, policies, and approaches that have proven successful in reducing crime * Establish substantive themes for community action initiatives * Foster shared responsibility among Coalition member organizations to encourage prevention-focused reporting on crime * Enhance the structure and operations of the Crime Prevention Coalition of America to help its member organizations provide leadership in the effort to reduce and prevent crime * Create Coalition member task groups to focus on specific issues of concern to member organizations * Strengthen the National Crime Prevention Council, the secretariat of the Crime Prevention Coalition of America, to be the nation’s primary source for crime prevention information† (NCPC, 2012). These are the strategies that the Crime Prevention Coalition of America has put into place to try to get its message across and away to provide people with the knowledge to keep themselves and their love ones from becoming a victim of criminal active. According to the Bureau of Justice Assistance there are still things we don’t know about the effectiveness of these programs and if they are the true cause for the drop in the crime rate â€Å"While there is some evidence of the effectiveness of some community-based programs, there is still much to learn about the impact of these programs on crime. To date, there are relatively few methodologically rigorous evaluations of these programs. As a result, researchers have often not been able to establish whether the program or other factor(s) were responsible for the observed outcomes. Isolating a community crime prevention program’s effect has been particularly difficult due to factors such as: * program evaluation costs; * identifying appropriate comparison areas; * implementation of multiple programs in a community; * small samples; * individualized nature of the intervention; and * Data collection problems (e.g., refusal of stakeholders to support data collection efforts). Despite some positive results to date, evidence of crime reduction or prevention attributable to community-based crime prevention programs is limited. Until more methodologically rigorous evaluations are conducted, it is not possible to determine whether the lack  of positive results is due to flawed program theory, weak evaluation designs, or poor program implementation†(2008). So with this evidence it is hard to determine if the program works or not. There is a lot that goes into a successful program and it is like anything else that is successful in this world, it is going to be a lot of hard work and it will require a lot of time to go into it to make it a success. There is an old saying that anything worth having is worth working for and nothing comes easy. This includes crime free communities to have a crime free community you have to work hard at it. Societal factors that deals with the Crime Prevention Coalition of America are the fact that normal everyday people are willing to stand up and hold people accountable for their actions whether it be someone you know or a person that is a complete stranger to you. â€Å"Citizens need to work closely with local law enforcement serving as the eyes and ears of the community. Dr. Warr suggests three ways to better align perceptions with actual risk: 1) Educate people about the context of crimes that are reported in the media 2) Educate them about the facts surrounding likelihood of victimization 3) Address the environmental cues to danger All these efforts are mainstays of crime prevention, which the Crime Prevention Coalition of America defines as â€Å"a pattern of attitudes and behaviors directed both at reducing the threat of crime and enhancing the sense of safety and security, to posi tively influence the quality of life in our society, and to help develop environments where crime cannot flourish.†(Crime Prevention Matters, 2008). The prediction concerning the technological advancements of the Crime Prevention Coalition of America and the resulting whether they will be successful or failures based upon these advancements. â€Å"Under the umbrella of the new strategic plan, NCPC will continue to supply resources, tools, and training to reduce the opportunities for crime. In the fall of 2007, through the support of the Bureau of Justice Assistance, U.S. Department Justice, NCPC released Volume 3 of Crime Prevention Presentations, a CD-ROM for use by CPCA members. These presentations are in PowerPoint format and cover topics such as online predators, preventing violence in the workplace, prisoner reentry, and keeping information safe in the technology age. Volumes 1 and 2, which include presentations on 15 crime prevention topics, are available free online. Each presentation is designed to educate, increase awareness, and teach prevention strategies. These presentations are  ideal for CPCA members who are not able to travel to training events due to budget or personnel constraints†( The Crime Prevention Coalition of America,2007). With their program changing to stay up with the advancements in technology the program seems to me like it has insured its survival for now. As long as you can change your program just enough to adapt to the changes in the world around you then you will ensure the life of your program. With the every change world of technology and the evolving world of crime these crime prevention programs will have to continue to change to stay up with the changes in our every changing lives. The Crime Prevention Coalition of America is a crime preventing program that has been around for a while now and with its longevity it has partnered up or help create other organizations to help people prevent or fight crime in their neighborhoods. The Crime Prevention Coalition of America was established to teach people and to show people what will and can happen if crime sets up shop in their communities. This program is a successful one because it not only focuses on prevent crimes but it also can help people who have been victims regain control of their lives. â€Å"He who does not prevent crime when he can, encourages it.†Ã¢â‚¬â€Roman philosopher, Seneca (Crime Prevention Matters. 2008). References Bureau of Justice Assistance. (2008). BJA. What Have We Learned From Evaluations of Community-Based Crime Prevention Programs?. Retrieved 10 December 2012, from https://www.bja.gov/evaluation/program-crime-prevention/cbcp2.htm. Crime Prevention Matters. (2008). NCPC. Crime Prevention Matters. Retrieved 10 December 2012, from http://www.ncpc.org/resources/files/pdf/misc/crime-prevention-matters.pdf. NCPC. (2012). National Crime Prevention Council. About. Retrieved 9 December 2012, from http://www.ncpc.org/programs/crime-prevention-coalition-of-america/about NCPC. (2012). National Crime Prevention Council. Crime Prevention Coalition of America. Retrieved 9 December 2012, from http://www.ncpc.org/programs/crime-prevention-coalition-of-america. The Crime Prevention Coalition of America. (2007). NCPC. Mobilizing the Nation to Prevent crime, Violence and Drug Abuse. Retrieved 10 December 2012, from

Friday, November 8, 2019

My Restaurant Experience

My Restaurant Experience While I generally consider myself a good person, there are some incidents in my life which greatly contradict this notion that I have of myself. One incident which quickly comes to mind involves my encounter with a waiter at a restaurant I frequent a few months back. I had decided to take a couple of my friends for a treat and I chose Horizon Restaurant as the venue of choice; more because of the friendly rates than anything I must admit.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on My Restaurant Experience specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More When we arrived at the restaurant, it was virtually empty and the ambience was more than I could have hoped for. The waiter, who introduced himself as Gregory, came around to take our order. My friends and I placed our orders and sat back waiting to be served. The waiter came back in five minutes laden with our hot dishes. I am not certain what caused him to trip but he lost balance and while h e managed to recover in time to salvage most of the dishes he was carrying, he couldn’t avoid pouring a bowl of soup on me. How dare you! I exclaimed with all the indignation I could muster. Im I very sorry! Let me help you get cleaned up, replied the waiter who was obviously distressed by the turn of events. â€Å"Oh, that won’t be necessary you incompetent fool!† I shouted leaving my friends all very visibly shocked. â€Å"Excuse me, but this was an honest accident. Let me at least get your shirt cleaned for you† â€Å"What exactly do you know about expensive silk shirts?† My tone was condescending at best as I said this.Advertising Looking for essay on rhetoric? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More By now the commotion had attracted the attention of the person I assumed was the manager in charge of the restaurant and he promptly made his way to our booth. Before the waiter could plead his case, I had bombarded the manager with my complaints. I accused the waiter of incompetence and proceeded to indignantly demand that I should be compensated for having been made to bear through such poor services. I must have thrown quite a feat since the manager actually proposed that I pay only half of the bill. Needless to say, my lunch with my friends was ruined and I could sense their disapproval at my actions. As we ate, the air around was tense and I cursed myself for the outburst which had messed what would otherwise have been a memorable lunch. My friends finished their meals in a rush and politely declined my offer for drinks. We left the restaurant and as I walked homewards, I couldn’t help feeling remorseful for my actions. The next time I visited the restaurant, I did not see Gregory the waiter. On asking around, I was told that he had been fired following some incident with a customer. It was then that the repercussions of my actions hit me. I felt very bad about my behaviour and more so the results. Since then, I am always keen to be polite and overly accommodative to waiters at all the restaurants I visit. As a matter of fact, I tip generously and generally try to be cordial with the waiters. I know this is mostly as penance for what I did to the waiter at Horizon restaurant but I must admit; I am a better person because of this experience.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

The Scarlet Letter-Analysis Essays - English-language Films

The Scarlet Letter-Analysis Essays - English-language Films The Scarlet Letter-Analysis The Scarlet Letter - Analysis Nathaniel Hawthorne's background influenced him to write the bold novel The Scarlet Letter. One important influence on the story is money. Hawthorne had never made much money as an author and the birth of his first daughter added to the financial burden (Biographical Note VII). He received a job at the Salem Custom House only to lose it three years later and be forced to write again to support his family (IX). Consequently, The Scarlet Letter was published a year later (IX). It was only intended to be a long short story, but the extra money a novel would bring in was needed (Introduction XVI). Hawthorne then wrote an introduction section titled The Custom House to extend the length of the book and The Scarlet Letter became a full novel (XVI). In addition to financial worries, another influence on the story is Hawthorne's rejection of his ancestors. His forefathers were strict Puritans, and John Hathorne, his great-great-grandfather, was a judge presiding during the S! alem witch trials (Biographical Note VII). Hawthorne did not condone their acts and actually spent a great deal of his life renouncing the Puritans in general (VII). Similarly, The Scarlet Letter was a literal soapbox for Hawthorne to convey to the world that the majority of Puritans were strict and unfeeling. For example, before Hester emerges from the prison she is being scorned by a group of women who feel that she deserves a larger punishment than she actually receives. Instead of only being made to stand on the scaffold and wear the scarlet letter on her chest, they suggest that she have it branded on her forehead or even be put to death (Hawthorne 51). Perhaps the most important influence on the story is the author's interest in the dark side (Introduction VIII). Unlike the transcendentalists of the era, Hawthorne confronted reality, rather than evading it (VII). Likewise, The Scarlet Letter deals with adultery, a subject that caused much scandal when it w! as first published (XV). The book revolves around sin and punishment, a far outcry from writers of the time, such as Emerson and Thoreau, who dwelt on optimistic themes (VII). This background, together with a believable plot, convincing characterization, and important literary devices enables Nathaniel Hawthorne in The Scarlet Letter to the develop the theme of the heart as a prison. The scaffold scenes are the most substantial situations in the story because they unify The Scarlet Letter in two influential ways. First of all, every scaffold scene reunites the main characters of the novel. In the first scene, everyone in the town is gathered in the market place because Hester is being questioned about the identity of the father of her child ( Hawthorne 52). In her arms is the product of her sin, Pearl, a three month old baby who is experiencing life outside the prison for the first time (53). Dimmesdale is standing beside the scaffold because he is Hester's pastor and it is his job to convince her to repent and reveal the father's name (65). A short time later, Chillingworth unexpectedly shows up within the crowd of people who are watching Hester after he is released from his two year captivity by the Indians (61). In the second scene, Dimmesdale is standing on top of the scaffold alone in the middle of the night (152). He sees Hester and Pearl walk through the market place on their way back from Governor Winthrop's bedside (157). When Dimmesdale recognizes them and tells them to join him, they walk up the steps to stand by his side (158). Chillingworth appears later standing beside the scaffold, staring at Dimmesdale, Hester, and Pearl. In the final scaffold scene, Dimmesdale walks to the steps of the scaffold in front of the whole town after his Election day sermon (263). He tells Hester and Pearl to join him yet again on the scaffold (264). Chillingworth then runs through the crowd and tries to stop Dimmesdale from reaching the top of the scaffold, the one place where he can't reach him (265). Another way in which the scenes are united is how each illustrates the immediate, delayed, and prolonged effects

Monday, November 4, 2019

Recorded Music Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Recorded Music - Research Paper Example In 2009, she fell out with her boyfriend Chris Brown. The fallout tinted her music career (IMDb.com, b). In 2011, Rihanna released her popular song Birthday Cake. Rihanna, Marcos Palacios, Ernest Clark, and Terius Nash had collaborated in writing the song. Birthday Cake has triggered mixed public reactions; some people praise the song while other people criticize it. At first, Rihanna produced the song as a single release but later included it in the album Talk that Talk. The second release of Birthday Cake in February 2012, featuring Chris Brown, coincided with Rihanna’s 24th birthday (IMDb.com, b). Rihanna released Birthday Cake as a single entity but due to pressure from her fans, she included it in Talk that Talk album. The 2012 remix of the song featuring Chris Brown triggered widespread criticism of the artist. Rihanna had fallen out with Brown in 2009 because the latter assaulted her. Rihanna’s initial Birthday Cake lasts for one minute and eighteen seconds. Birthday Cake is a blend of hip hop and R&B. The song’s instrumentation consists of heavy bass coupled with sounds of engines and bells. The artist adopts a sensual tone in the track. Birthday Cake lyrics are sexually suggestive. In the song, Rihanna talks about her desire to have spontaneous sex with her lover. In the original version of Birthday Cake, Rihanna ended the song in mid-verse making it appear as if it was not a complete track. The 2012 remix starts with an obscene line from Chris Brown, a continuation of the 2011 version of the song. In the obscene line, Brown states how he misses his lover’s body. The line evokes the 2009 fallout of Rihanna and Brown and the long time that had elapsed. The entire song covers sexual themes. Sexual theme is a deviation from society’s norms. By covering sexual theme, Rihanna ceases to be a role model for young girls. Birthday Cake also evoked the fans’ bitter memories of the 2009 assault. Rihanna’s

Friday, November 1, 2019

Lunar Science Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Lunar Science - Research Proposal Example Cameron concluded that the "angular momentum" or the rotation or orbital movement of the Moon was caused by the size of Mars, which is about 10% of the Earth and sometimes referred to as the Theia. The giant impact created a ring of very hot molten debris in orbit around the very young Earth in 10 years or less. Taylor illustrated that the young Earth was spinning faster, throwing out a huge blob forming the Moon ("Moon Beams and Elements" 6). The moon is now surrounded by an ocean of magma as it formed in orbit around the Earth. Hartmann concluded that the Earth must have been hit strong enough to send off sufficient materials into orbit and form the Moon because of the large impact craters, ten or more times bigger than 150 km projectiles. The Apollo Moon Landing Program was an American lunar spaceflight program carried out by the National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) during the years 1961 to 1975 (MSN Encarta, par. 1-3). It aims to conduct manned moon landing missions and overtake Soviet Union in space exploration as well. President John F. Kennedy initiated the first astronauts to send to the moon in 1961, inspired by the first American astronaut in space, Alan Sheperd (NASA, par. 2). Portraying the years of effort and expense, NASA employed 36, 000 civil servants and 376, 700 contractor employees on the peak of the program in 1965 and spent $25.4 billion between 1961 and 1973 for the Apollo missions. The first Apollo mission was delayed due to a tragedy caused by a destructive fire inside the capsule ("Apollo Mission Landing," par. 3-17). The astronauts Roger Chaffee, Edward H. White II and Virgil I. (Gus) Grissom all died in the tragic accident on the launch pad. In April 4, 1968, Apollo 6 was lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to accomplish a revolution around the Earth's orbit, followed by Apollo 7 and 9. The first ones to orbit the Moon were the Apollo 8 and 10 missions. In 1969, Neil Armstrong, commander of Apollo 11 and the first human to walk on the Moon along with Michael Collins, commander module pilot and Edwin "Buzz" E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot. Apollo 12 and 14 successfully landed on the Moon also except for Apollo 13 which left the astronauts in a deadly situation when they were about to return to Earth without a scheduled landing though they used the lunar module as a lifeboat in order to survive. Apollo 15, 16, and 17 conducted lunar explorat ions missions that are much longer and involved more in-depth scientific exploration. Apollo's Analysis on their Discoveries There was a broad range of over 60 experiments done on the lunar surface and 30 experiments of the lunar orbit of the Moon (MSN Encarta 5). Six unique and scientifically significant lunar locations collected a total of 381.7 kg (841 lb) of lunar material. In the Apollo 11 mission, Neil Armstrong and his companions brought to Earth samples from another planetary body-basalts and dark-colored igneous rocks that were about 3.7 billion years old. After every mission, they brought back more lunar rocks and soil