A Brief Timeline of Events in America - 1651 - 1675

A Brief Timeline of Events in America - 1651 - 1675 The American Revolution would not commence until 1765, when the Stamp Act Congress, representing the thirteen colonies, disputed the right of the British parliament to tax the colonists without providing them with representation in the House of Commons. The American Revolutionary War would not begin until 1775. During the period from 1651 to 1675, however, attempts by the British government to control commerce in the American colonies gradually created an atmosphere in which rebellion was almost inevitable. 1651 England passes the Navigation Act that forbid goods to be imported from the colonies to England in non-English ships or from locations other than where they were produced. This action causes supply shortages hurting colonies and eventually leads to the Anglo-Dutch War which lasts from 1652-1654. 1652 New Amsterdam is given permission to form its own city government.Rhode Island passes the first law in America which prohibits slavery.Maine is included within the boundaries of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.The Anglo-Dutch War begins in July.In defiance of England, Massachusetts Bay declares itself independent. 1653 Massachusetts Bay does not support the New England Confederation in declaring war against the Dutch colonists.   1654 The first Jewish immigrants arrive in America when they settle in New Amsterdam.The new governor of Maryland, William Fuller, does away with the Toleration Act which gave Catholics the right to practice their religion and removes Lord Baltimore from authority. 1655 A civil war between Catholic and Puritan factions after the revocation of the Toleration Act in 1654 results in a Puritan victory.The Dutch, after years of conflict with New Sweden, are able to defeat the Swedes and end royal rule by Sweden in America. 1656 Lord Baltimore is returned to power in Maryland and Josias Fendell is named its governor.Quakers who arrive in Massachusetts Bay are treated horribly and banished which is supported by the New England federation. Later in the year, Connecticut and Massachusetts pass laws to allow for the banishment of Quakers. 1657 Quakers who arrive in New Amsterdam are punished and then banished to Rhode Island by Governor Peter Stuyvesant. 1658 Massachusetts colony passes laws that do not allow for religious freedom of Quakers including the holding of their meetings. 1659 Two Quakers are punished by hanging when they return to Massachusetts Bay after being banished. 1660 Lord Baltimore is removed from power by the Maryland assembly.The Navigation Act of 1660 is passed requiring only English ships with a three-quarters English crew be allowed to be used for trade. Certain goods including sugar and tobacco could only be shipped to England or English colonies. 1661 The English crown, in protest to the rules against Quakers, orders them released and returned to England. They are later forced to stop the harsh penalties against Quakers.The first bible to be printed in America was published in the Algonquin language. 1662 Connecticut is given a royal charter.The Massachusetts Bay Colonys charter was accepted by England as long as they extended the vote to all landowners and allows for freedom of worship for Anglicans. 1663 The Carolina colony is created by King Charles II and has numerous proprietors.Rhode Island is given a royal charter.All imports to the American colonies are required to come from England on English vessels with the second Navigation Act. 1664 The Hudson River valley Indians surrender part of their territory to the Dutch.The Duke of York is given a charter to control lands that include the Dutch area of New Netherland. By the end of the year a naval blockade by the English of the area causes Governor Peter Stuyvesant to surrender New Netherland to the English. New Amsterdam is renamed New York.The Duke of York grants land called New Jersey to Sir George Carteret and John, Lord Berkeley.Maryland and later New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia pass laws that do not allow for the freeing of black slaves. 1665 New Haven is annexed by Connecticut.The Kings Commissioners arrive in New England to oversee what is occurring in the colonies. They demand that colonies must comply by swearing allegiance to the King and allowing for the freedom of religion. Plymouth, Connecticut, and Rhode Island comply. Massachusetts does not comply and when representatives are called to London to answer to the King, they refuse to go.The territory of Carolina is extended to include Florida.   1666 Maryland prohibits the growing of tobacco for a year due to a glut of tobacco on the market. 1667 The Peace of Breda officially ends the Anglo-Dutch War and gives England formal control over New Netherland. 1668 Massachusetts annexes Maine. 1669 The Fundamental Constitutions are issued in Carolina which provides for religious tolerance. 1670 Charles Town (present-day Charleston) is established by Joseph West.The Treaty of Madrid is completed between England and Spain. Both parties agree that they will respect each others rights in America.The Virginia Assembly only allows landowners the right to vote. 1671 Plymouth forces King Philip (Metacomet), chief of the Wampanoag Indians, to surrender his weapons.French explorers claim the interior of North America for King Louis XIV. 1672 First copyright law is passed in the colonies by Massachusetts.The Royal Africa Company is given a monopoly for the English slave trade. 1673 Virginia is granted by the English crown to Lord Arlington and Lord Culpepper.French explorers Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet travel down the Mississippi River exploring down to the Arkansas River.The Dutch launch a naval attack against Manhattan to try and win back New Netherland during the third Anglo-Dutch War. Manhattan is surrendered. They capture other towns and rename New York to New Orange. 1674 The Treaty of Westminster ends the third Anglo-Dutch War with the American Dutch colonies reverting back to England.Father Jacques Marquette establishes a mission at present-day Chicago. 1675 Quaker William Penn is granted rights to portions of New Jersey.King Philips War begins with retaliations for the execution of three Wampanoag Indians. Boston and Plymouth unite to fight against the Indians. Nipmuck Indians unite with the Wampanoags to attack settlements in Massachusetts. The New England Confederation then reacts by officially declaring war on King Philip and raising an army. The Wampanoags are able to defeat settlers near Deerfield on September 18th and Deerfield is abandoned. Source: Schlesinger, Jr., Arthur M., ed. The Almanac of American History. Barnes Nobles Books: Greenwich, CT, 1993.

Wayne Dylan Essay

Wayne Dylan Essay Wayne Dylan Essay Lil Wayne Folk Artist According to Josh Tyrangiel, a writer for Time Magazine, â€Å" Lil Wayne has a smoke-scarred rasp that makes him sound like Redd Foxx covering Bob Dylan.† I completely agree with Josh in comparing lil wayne with the iconic figure Bob Dylan. Bob Dylan is a common favorite. No one looks askance or questions me when I name Dylan as one of my two favorite musical artists. However, when i mention lil wayne to my friends, I often find myself facing a mouth agape, a scowl, or an expression disbelief: â€Å"thats a joke, right?† Even those who accept my declaration of favor for Lil wayne often come back with, â€Å"Dylan and Lil Wayne? Thats an odd combination†. But it is not odd; not at all. First of all, they’re both superb lyricists, each with his own distinctive style. Secondly, both Lil Wayne and Bob Dylan are frequently charged with being opaque, non sequiturian, disingenuous, abstruse, silly, banal, indulgent and nonsensical. Both are accused of stealing lines, not just because people seek to tear down those at the top, but also because both are engaged in the folk tradition. Finally, they both have similar flows. Musically speaking, both Dylan and Lil Wayne use existing songs as scaffoldings on which to construct their own. Dylan draws from country, blues, bluegrass, folk, and early rock music, sometimes taking melody, harmony, rhythm and even many of the lyrics from an existing song and putting his own spin on it, inserting his own lines. According to ContactMusic.com, â€Å"Lil Wayne uses Karma Ann Swanepoel’s folk track once on his hit song I Feel Like Dying†. Wayne raps atop existing tracks from other artists and also samples from older pop and rock songs, especially on his mixtape. This is a clear extension of the folk tradition, modernized. Adding to being their own distinctive style, they both are charged with being opaque. According to Derek Askey, a writer for phoenixnewtimes, â€Å" Self Portrait is still a bad album.† Curiously, roughly ten years into each of their careers, both Dylan and Wayne released albums that were viewed as career self-sabatoge but that ended up putting hardly a dent in their careers: Dylan’s was called Self Portrait, viewed as rambling and lacking cohesion; Wayne’s Rebirth, viewed as a sophomoric attempt at Rock. According to Chris Deline, a writer for CultureBully, â€Å" The Price is Wrong, a song from Rebirth, has overly aggressive power chords used in the track translate as so completely empty that they’d hardly cut it with the worst bands existing in radio stations.† They have also shown appreciation for nursery rhymes, with Dylan releasing a whole album, Red Sky, that riffs on the structural forms of nursery rhymes; Lil wayne draws on the same struc tural forms and also alludes to existing nursery rhymes (Jack and Jill, for example, in â€Å"Cashed Out,† which also references other children’s characters like, again, Gremlins, Tom and Jerry, Mickey Mouse, Barney and Baby Bop). Lil Waynes song â€Å"Started† begins each verse with the same line, maintains a consistent (although not unbroken) rhyme scheme throughout, essentially consisting of groupings of four lines, like many nursery rhymes, with alternating or coupled rhymes at the end of lines. Besides being accused of sounding opaque, both lil wayne and bob dylan are accused of stealing lines. According to Andy Greene, a writer for Rolling Stone Magazine, â€Å" Dylan’s been lifting lines from other artists for his entire career- for one, huge chunks of his 1985 disc Empire Burlesque were based on Humphrey Bogart movies.† While Dylan pulls lines from antebellum era poets, Japanese novelists, early blues songs and the folk cannon, Wayne pulls lines from Sam Cooke, Paul Simon, Michael Jackson, Nirvana, Green Day, 2Pac, B.I.G., Eminem, Jay Z, as well as movies, television shows, ad campaigns, and even the ancient Greek historian Thucydides ( â€Å"the strong do what they will; the weak do what they must, or, as Wayne put it in â€Å"A Milli†. â€Å" I do what I

Business Law and profssional mail writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business Law and profssional mail writing - Essay Example However, closer look at the case and its potential to create harm to more people makes the case important and noteworthy. The fact of the case is that Stella Liebeck, got severely burnt on her thighs and posterior due to a jerk when her grandson started the car, causing hot, scalding coffee to spill over and around the middle of her thighs where she had placed the coffee cup. The coffee was steaming at 180 to 190 degrees Fahrenheit. The extent of scald was serious enough to hospitalize Stella for eight days and undergo skin grafting. The incident took place at a McDonald's outlet at Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1992 and generated lot of interest and debate in legal circles. Stella was in her late sixties then. Initially, Liebeck demanded 20,000 dollars as claim settlement. But McDonald refused, and ultimately the court ordered $160,000 be paid to Liebeck by McDonald in compensatory damages, and another $480,000 as punitive award. The amounts of compensation and punitive award appear abnormally high as compared to the actual damage suffered by the victim at the most needing hospitalization, few days of trauma, and loss of time and personal activities. However, the holistic view taken by law transcends such basic issues and goes on to include other larger aspects such as public interest, corporate responsibilities and obligations, deterrent and preventive measures, breach of trust, the company's attitude and approach, and scope, scale and likelihood of recurrence, among a host of other reasons. The sovereignty of law does not end with the aspects mentioned. Its outcome and verdict becomes a citation and reference point for similar cases that occurs, or may occur, elsewhere in the country. II. The Case of Palsgraf versus Long Island Railroad In this case a woman, Mrs. Palsgraf standing at a distance from where an incident of two men attempting to jump inside a moving train car leads to the fall of a package containing fireworks. The fireworks explode causing shock reaction at the other end of the railway platform and scales to fall injuring the victim. The victim files for compensation. The majority decision upheld by Judge Cardozo reversed the judgment of the Trial Term and dismissed the complaint on the grounds that the injury caused to the complainant due to negligence could not be proved as something done intentionally or by an act of negligence. The act of the two guards standing close by in trying to save the men from falling triggered the fall of the exploding package. The dissenting voice of Judge J. Andrew dwells on the aspect of cause and effect. The fact of the matter was that the reactions of the two guards caused the package of fireworks to dislodge and fall on the tracks causing an explosion. The effect resulted in injury to the victim in the railway premises to which the defendants were the contributory cause. The effect may be referred as negligence but the compensation had to be paid. The dissenting judge points out that jurisprudence holds the cause responsible for the resulting effect even it occurs at a distance. By this

Fair Value Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Fair Value - Essay Example Thus, the AASB framework provides the general guidelines, establishing the way a company should measure all its assets. The aim of the act is to avoid inconsistency of the various methods of measuring fair value, providing a more rigorous framework, for all companies. Thus, the market value of any current asset will be measured by the replacement cost of the services or benefits currently embodied in the asset. One very disputed and problematic point concerned the market value of different assets that weren't commonly traded on the open market, such as buildings or other possessions of this nature. The conclusion reached by the AASB researchers and specialists was that the best way to measure the market value of such assets would be by comparing the selling-prices of other buildings in the area. Although controversial at first, this rule was, seemingly, the best one to follow in establishing the potential selling price of any asset held by a company. The concepts of "current assets" and "current liabilities" are also defined by AASB, as being "an asset that is expected to mature or be realized within a 12 month period", while current liabilities are those liabilities that are "expected to be paid, settled or extinguished within a period equal to or less than 12 months from the reporting date". FASB and IASB board members met on 12th of May, 2006 to discuss and establish the revenue recognition methods that should be used. In doing so, there were some factors that had to be acknowledged as important to the recognition of any revenue. First on the list was customer acceptance, which lead, after thorough examination and in-depth discussions, to the conclusion that: "Revenue shall be recognized if the customer must accept performance to date. That is, the contract's legal remedy for breach is, or is like, specific performance or in the event of customer cancellation, the customer is obligated to pay damages reflecting performance to date." (see http://www.fasb.org/board_meeting_minutes/04-27-06_rr.pdf) "We're hoping that there will be more consistency in the way companies approach fair value measurement, and less diversity in practice from the user's perspective. Users should have more confidence that when they look at those disclosures about what is being shown at fair value and the methods used, they'll have better information to use to assess the quality of earnings and how they view the reliability of the estimates being made.", stated FASB board member, Leslie F. Seidman (Glenn Cheney, "FASB standard clarifies fair value measurement", 16 Oct, 2006,). From this point of view, the AASB framework provides rigorous guidelines, avoiding misunderstanding and inconsistency. Still, as all regulations were changed and revised, many companies complain that they have a difficult time in applying them, and that many criteria provided by this statement have been so frequently changed and discussed that the danger of misinterpreting or failing to respect the newest changes is real and impossible to ignore. Given the fact that the market value is mainly based

Relationships in Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre Essay Example for Free

Relationships in Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre Essay ‘To what extent is Jane Eyre influenced by relationships in chapters 1-10 in the novel?’ Relationships are a key theme in Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre. Throughout the novel we see the rise and fall of Jane, all most importantly due to relationships. This starts primarily with her lack of relationship with her parents, as she was orphaned when she was very young, she has no idea what it is like to love or to be loved and we see her strive to find out these feelings throughout the novel, until finally she achieves it, but the journey towards this is deeply important. In chapters one and two we see the basis of Jane’s view of relationships through her connection with the Reed’s. Firstly Mrs Reed does her upmost to make sure Jane is excluded from her and her ‘contented, happy, little children’ we as readers see this as a cruel act from Mrs Reed, she does not care that Jane is deeply unhappy because Jane is not one of her children, therefore she does not see it as her duty to care for her emotionally and thinks by punishing her and excluding her from the family that this will teach Jane to be a ‘contented child’ however we as readers see that this causes Jane to be deeply troubled within herself. This leads to Jane not only resenting Mrs Reed but also her children as they have been taught that Jane is a ‘dependant’ especially John who ultimately sees himself as above Jane in every aspect of life, he believes that Jane is just scavenging off them and this causes him to act in a horrific and bullying manor towards Jane. This causes Jane to act in a way she ordinarily would not, she even says herself that it causes ‘sensations for the time predominated over fear’ she feels so angry and let down that she finally stands up for herself. Therefore this influences Jane in a way that she feels like nobody will ever truly love her and she feels very much an outcast, this causes Jane to act in a way that even she herself expresses that she does not want to, she is cold and unloving and strives desperately to be appreciated but of course, this all happens in vain. We also see Jane to act very irrationally towards Mrs Reed, she deeply wants her to love her, yet w hen it comes down to it and she realises Mrs Reed never will she has an explosion of anger and tells Mrs Reed all the things that have been stewing up in her mind for so long; ‘I am glad you are no relation of mine. I will never call you aunt again as long as I live. I will never come to visit you when I am grown up; and if anyone asks me how I liked you, and how you treated me, I will say the very thought of you makes me sick. . . .† this we  see as Jane being bitter towards Mrs Reed which we learn in later chapters as a very uncharacteristic feature of Jane Eyre, she is usually forgiving. The relationship between Jane and the nursery maid; Bessie is an important one, in the first few chapters we see Bessie as being somewhat cruel and dismissive of Jane compared to the other Reed children, she does not feel a connection towards Jane as she is not as pretty or funny as the other children therefore Bessie does not see her appeal. However after the event in the red room we see a change with Bessie’s attitude towards Jane, she turns somewhat softer as we see her feel sorry for Jane and how hard Mrs Reed is on her. This is an extremely important turning point in the novel as we see Jane in the chapters leading up to this as very self involved and saddened as she has no one to love, yet as soon as Bessie softens to Jane and tells her that she can sympathise with the position she’s been put in she tells Jane ‘I don’t dislike you, Miss; I believe I am fonder of you than of all the others.’ This affects Jane greatly and we see a completely different little girl, she seems to talk which much more glee and excitement and even for her ‘life had its gleams of sunshine’. So we see how much relationships influence Jane and her attitudes in the novel, relationships affect Jane and how her personality is. In chapter five Jane meets Helen Burns, Helen is also an orphan and see’s the school as somewhat of a sanctuary even though she is constantly picked upon by the teacher. Helen is Jane’s first friend but more importantly she becomes Jane’s best friend and we see as the relationship grows that Helen deeply influences Jane, she teaches her to be less excitable and too see the best in others, a quality that Jane desperately needs after her experience with the Reed’s. She teaches Jane to be self sacrificing when she tells her ‘it is far better to endure patiently a smart which nobody feels but yourself, than to commit a hasty action whose evil consequences will extend to all connected with you’. Helen believes that you should suffer pain yourself than have others see and feel an action that you may regret when you have calmed down. Jane learns from this and this causes Jane to be a character who thinks beyond this life and onto the next with God. We see Jane finds this as a great comfort and now instead of looking onto God as something to be feared, she looks at him as somewhat of a comfort, especially after Helen dies of typhoid. Helen believes that after she dies she is going to be with her family and loved  ones and most importantly with God, therefore she does not fear death and although Jane is deeply distraught by the death of the only friend she’s ever had in the world, the fact that she will, if she lives correctly see her again is a great comfort. This shows the importance of friendship throughout the novel and how with Jane having the comfort of a friend she can be the person that she has always wanted to be, thanks to Helen Jane finds herself acting more appropriately and being able to handle her anger. Therefore this relationship has greatly affected Jane as she strives to be more like Helen. Relationships are of key importance to Bronte writing about Jane Eyre, it is how she expresses her feelings of how relationships have perhaps affected her and it shows how deeply the lack of love can affect someone. This novel is primarily about love, whether it being a lack of love or so much love that it turns into passion, Jane strives to feel this emotion and closeness with anyone who will allow her to be their friend. Therefore relationships are a key influence to Jane Eyre, they affect how she acts and how she feels and without them, as we learn in the first few chapters, life can be a very lonely existence.

Ithaca :: Religion Greece Greeks Essays

Ithaca When you set out on your journey to Ithaca pray that the road is long, full of adventure, full of knowledge.' Constantinos Kavafis, Ithaca (1911) Ithaca, a Greek island in the lonean Sea, was the island that gave birth to Ulysses, one of the smartest Greek commanders, who through his invention of the `Trojan Horse' led the Greeks to a victory over the Trojans. Immediately after this victory, Ulysses set out on his journey to return to Ithaca. To return home, to kiss his wife, to see his now grown-up son, to meet his friends and his parents, all these were Ulysses' goals. 'To arrive there is your ultimate goal' as Kavafis states later in the poem. Like Ulysses, every person has his or her own goals and therefore is immersed in a journey towards the accomplishment of this goal. However, it is possible for someone to be in a journey without an `ultimate goal' in mind. More often than not, this goal will appear in the way. It was during Christmas 1992, that I received a very special present from my grandmother, Orthodoxia. She had knitted a sweater especially for me. She had started knitting this sweater, as I later found out, because she wanted me to have something from her. And what's better than a hand-knitted sweater? It could keep me warm during chilly winter nights while reminding me of my relationship with my grandmother. Having as her goal to offer me a present to remember her, she created an original sweater, which for me will always be unique. On the blue background of the sweater, two familiar figures are shaped, the figures of a grandmother holding her grandson in her warm embrace. I have it in my wardrobe at home, even though it is way too small for me to wear, and whenever I see it, it reminds me of my beloved grandmother. I remember her smile whenever she saw me, the way her face lit up when she recognized I was happy and the worry and eagerness to help when I was feeling dispirited. Alt hough my grandmother passed away six years ago, her memory is still alive through this sweater. Having a goal is not, however, a necessary condition for creation. In the documentary 'Dancemaker', for example, the featured dancer does not always start dancing with a goal in his mind, as Ulysses and my grandmother both did.

Adolescent Period Essay

At many points in life, one can wonder if it can get any harder, but at what stage is life truly at its hardest. There four main stages in life are childhood, adolescence, maturity and old age. At what point in life can one make something spectacular of his life, or lose it all. There are times where excess amounts of stress can cause problems, or lead people to their own problems such as alcohol. Where is the stage where one can face the most stress, the most challenges and still be undergoing many physical changes at the same time? Adolescence is considered by many to be the most fun years of our lives, yet it is also the time where we can face to most stress and our decisions during this time can affect us for the rest of our lives. One of the toughest things about adolescence is the pressure one may face during this crucial stage of life. The pressure to succeed may come in many different forms, or even many different people. One could pressure themselves to do get straight A’s in school, or their own family could be the culprits of the excess pressure. See more: Homelessness as a social problem Essay While a little bit of pressure may be good, too much of it can cause stress on teenagers that are already stressed out from all of the changes they have to face. There was a parent who tried to strangle his son’s hockey coach because his son wasn’t getting enough ice time. What is a thirteen year old kid supposed to do at their next practice? Even if a teenager is succeeding at a high level in sports, they may only be doing it to please their parents. Many teenagers do things that they do not appreciate just to please their parents because they feel pressured to do so. All this excess pressure can cause someone to be stressed out. This stress can cause one to not live up to their own expectations, never mind their parents own expectations of them. This is the stage where you have the potential to live up to your own expectations, or ruin your own goals. There are many challenges one can face as they go through high school. One can fail to achieve the marks necessary to move on to the post-secondary college they want for themselves. Your pathway may be derailed by factors such as drugs or alcohol. Almost all teenage kids get faced with peer pressure to fit in and have a drink or smoke a joint, but these are things that can affect your future. If one gets addicted to drugs, they will have a steep mountain to climb to get to where they want to be. Within the few short years of adolescence, one can exceed their own expectations or set themselves up for failure in the future. One of the most difficult parts of adolescence is when one wants to be treated like an adult, but they get no respect from their parents. Some parents act as if their teenage kids are inferior to them, and treat them as if they are children. The teenagers think of themselves as adults who are equal to their parents, so when those parents treat them like children, they act out. The teenagers want more control in their life, even if they are not ready to handle that load. One of the biggest arguments might be about curfews. Parents want their child to be safe, but the teenager wants to do what they want even if it is not the best thing ever. This can often cause rifts between the parents and their teenager, which is another reason for stress during â€Å"the best years of our lives† All of the excess stress that is placed upon one person during this crucial time during adolescence makes teenagers deal with much more than they are capable with. The decisions we make can affect us for years to come, even if we do not think they will. Teenagers are expected to achieve high marks, compete in sports and sometimes work a job on top of that. This causes boatloads of stress on one person, and they are not ready for it. Sometimes ones only goal in high school is to fit in, so one will do anything even if it is harmful to their future. If one does not fit in, they may face challenges such as suicide or drugs, but they will not ask for help from their family. The biggest reason adolescence is the hardest stage in life is because of the sheer amount of change one faces as they transition between childhood and maturity.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

There are a heterogeneous group of degenerative diseases that involve destruction of the large motor neurons of the brain. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is one. The motor effects of this disease can be devastating. The usual course is a progression to death within 3 to 4 years. In the United Kingdom, ALS is often known as motor neuron disease. ALS is a progressive neuromuscular disease that weakens and eventually destroys motor neurons that connect the brain with the skeletal muscles.NIEHS grantee Serge Przedborski of Columbia University has pioneered the investigation of the molecular mechanisms leading to the death of neurons that occurs in ALS and Parkinson disease. ALS, the most common adult-onset paralytic disease, is most commonly diagnosed in middle age, and affects men more often than women. Patients gradually lose the ability to speak, swallow, and move voluntarily. Sensory function and intellectual ability are unaffected, and death usually results from loss of respira tory function.The disease affects all racial, socioeconomic, and ethnic groups, and the life expectancy of ALS patients is usually three to five years after diagnosis. ALS results in progressive damage to the pyramidal motor system. There is a degeneration of both the upper and lower motor neurons leading to muscle weakness, atrophy, and losts of function. In most cases there is no loss of sensation, and intellect and sphincter control are preserved. The damage is typically bilateral, and although usually rapid in progression, the disease may on occasion proceed slowly, or stabilize after a period of progression. The reported incidence is about 0.4 to 1. 8/100,000 (Tandan & Bradley, 1986) and prevalence estimates range from 4 to 7/100,000. The mean age of onset lies between 55 and 60 and the disease is more common in males than females (2:1; Hudson, 1981). Death is usually preceded by progressive respiratory failure. The cause of ALS is unknown. In about 5% to 10% of cases the disea se is familial; in most of these cases the mode of inheritance is autosomal dominant. The disease also occurs amongst the Chamorros on the island of Guam at a much higher rate than elsewhere, suggesting an environmental toxin can cause the disease (Rowland, 1987).However, the majority of cases arise sporadically. Cognitive Deficits Clinicians working with ALS patients generally conclude that the disease does not cause dementia. Although there are cases of ALS where dementia does present, this can be attributed to the concurrent effects of DAT (Caroscio, 1986). Testing ALS patients with intellectual scales has produced mixed results. Poloni, Capitani, Mazzini, and Ceroni (1986) found no difference on the WAIS between 21 ALS subjects and 21 comparison subjects with nondementing neurological conditions.In two other studies (Gallassi, Montagna, Ciardulli, Lorusso, Mussuto, & Stracciari, 1985; Iwaski, Kinoshita, Ikeda, Takamiya, & Shiojima, 1990) intellectual deterioration in ALS patient s was found when the test results were compared to those of healthy controls. It remains to be determined whether these cognitive changes occurred as a result of ALS, or whether the differences were due to the nonspecific effects of hospitalization and treatment. ALS is not generally regarded as a dementing disorder. Psychosocial ConsequencesThe individual with ALS faces major problems in communication because of dysarthria, a reduction in mobility, pain from muscle atrophy, and the knowledge that the disease will progress to incapacity and death. Motor dysfunctions occur in the absence of cognitive decline and so patients retain the capacity for awareness of their disabilities. The nature of the disorder is likely to provoke an emotional response. The onset of the disease provides an illustration of the working of psychosocial stress model outlined in the next chapter. Although ALS patients confront the disorder with courage (B.S. Gould, 1980), the debilitation caused by the diseas e challenges the capacity to adjust in even the most resolute individual. Luloff (1986) describes the demands and emotional sequelae of the disease as follows: Loss of resources — physical, psychological, social, and economic — evokes grief and depression. As the patient anticipates experiences or experiences failures in mastering problems and challenges of everyday life, he develops feelings of helplessness†¦. Helplessness and failure, real or anticipated, lead to decrease of self-esteem, sense of worth, dignity and confidence.Anger becomes mixed with fear and accentuated by limitations in ability to master everyday problems, in achieving relief from tension, and in providing oneself with gratifying experiences. Anger is often directed against oneself for being damaged, helpless, and worthless, and a failure. . . . Anger is also directed against other persons, and at natural processes which appear to be increasingly harsh and threatening as the individual becomes progressively impaired and weaker. (p. 268) Although anecdotal reports of depressive and emotional reactions are common in the literature, few studies have examined emotionality in ALS systematically.Houpt, B. S. Gould, and Norris (1977) found that the incidence of depression in ALS was comparable to that in cancer patients. About 65% of the ALS patients scored in the nil-mild range on the BDI, 32. 5% were moderately depressed, and 2. 5% were severely depressed. Other reactions to ALS have been cited in clinical reports including denial (Tandan & Bradley, 1985), guilt (Luloff, 1986), and diminished self-esteem (Ringel, 1987). Emotional lability and inappropriateness have also been reported on occasion (Gallagher, 1989). These symptoms have been attributed to damage to brainstem nuclei.Controlled investigations of psychiatric symptoms suggest these are not a consequence of ALS (Houpt et al. , 1977; Peters, Wedell, & Mulder, 1977). Families and caregivers are likely also to feel dist ressed by the onset and progress of the disease. The physical deficits reduce the patient's mobility and communication, leading to greater dependence on the family for emotional and functional support. The demands involved in caring for the ALS sufferer at home can result in the caregiver feeling alone, housebound, and unappreciated. Financial concerns and preexisting family conflict may accentuate these problems (Ringel, 1987).For spousal caregivers there are many changes in role to be contemplated. Finally it is important to recognize that many people with ALS adapt to their illness in a creative, positive, and stoical manner. In an insightful commentary, B. S. Gould (1980) described how many ALS patients project a positive aspect to the people around them. Although this may mask a deeper and realistic concern or fear, the use of some degree of denial may represent an adaptive response to the disease. In his view, the role of the counselor may be to provide a supportive environmen t in which this despair may be acknowledged:The ALS patients in our series frequently maintained a strategy of partial denial throughout their illness, but in a most healthy fashion. Reality was not denied as much as redefined; the most distressing immutable aspects of the disease were not part of ordinary conscious functioning, and hope was maintained. Under safe conditions that allowed reflection and ventilation, however, the second-order denial was easily overridden; distressing awareness was allowed to enter the consciousness in a controlled fashion, and considerable dysphoric tension was discharged.Treatment Highlights In view of the fact that by far there is no treatment for ALS and there is no known cure. Current theraphy consists of a daily dose of an experimental drug. For this reason, it is still best to count on the available resources for the treatment of ALS. The drug myotrophin will be injected twice a day, alternating left abdomen, right abdomen, left thigh, right thi gh to reduce scarring, as well as regular visits from occupational and physical therapists. Neither drug is really thought to do much, but they are all there is right now.The physical therapy controls the rate of atrophy and minimizes edema in the extremities. It is also helpful to ingest huge amounts of vitamins. Three thousand milligrams a day of vitamin C and 800 milligrams of vitamin E, both of which are thought to be especially important in protecting the outer nerve cell sheath. Sublingual B12, antioxidants, CoQ10 and other dietary supplements are also thought to slow the disease’s progression. Ventilation is Still on Top From the patients’ perspectives, there are certain issues on the use of mechanical ventilation for the treatment of ALS.These may include the examination of the process of and factors involved in decision making by people severely disabled by the disease by the time they face the choice of whether to use the support of mechanical ventilation. Mo reover, issues that should also be addressed will include patients’ impact on family, the decision as related to level of disability, and the ventilation availability through a nasal mask. Research format will include several general questions along with a demographic information questionnaire.These general questions will focus on obtaining information about the process of the participant in their consideration of the use of mechanical ventilation, their current decision on the use of mechanical ventilation, the influence of others, and their decision’s commitment. Interviews will also be utilized for the participants so that they will be rated according to their function in the areas of speech, swallowing, lower and upper extremities with the use of ALS Severity Scale as designed by Hillel et al.(1989). The scale allows for rapid, ordinal measurement of the aforementioned areas. Each symptomatic area is rated from 1 to 10, with 10 indicating normal functioning and 1 r eflecting the most severe disablement. A total score of 40 would denote normal functioning in all four areas. Since several participants were unaware of available ventilatory options, the physician on the research team individually met with the participants who had not already gained knowledge concerning ventilatory methods.During these meetings, the physician imparted basic information on the following: the disease process that leads to respiratory insufficiency, simple measures such as positioning in alleviating respiratory distress, the capability to discontinue use of assisted ventilation, availability of palliative measures in end-stage ALS, care needs of people with the use of mechanical ventilation (such as suctioning of excess secretions; management of the ventilator itself, including arrangement for regular maintenance; and possible necessity of a caregiver 24 hours a day), and types of mechanical ventilation.The two basic methods of mechanical ventilation are a nasal mask and a tracheostomy. A tracheostomy is a surgical opening into the trachea to which a ventilator hose is connected. The nasal mask method is noninvasive and involves wearing a plastic mask apparatus over the nose, held in place by a strap around the back of the head. The mask can be awkward and uncomfortable and may slip out of place at night. Limitations In view of the reason that only a limited time was allowed for completion of the work, fiscal and temporal constraints were in effect, thus limiting the size of the subject sample.The principal author was also the clinical social worker for the participants. The principal author's familiarity with the participants may have influenced the selection process and the responses of the participants. Patients who had no means of communication were not approached to take part in the study. Participant population was unequally distributed by gender, as there were 11 men and two women, and by race, as all were white. All participants had a co mparable baseline knowledge of ventilatory methods.Four participants were atypical of classical ALS in that they had been diagnosed as having the disease for between nine and 23 years. A significant portion of the interviews with those participants already using mechanical ventilation was retrospective and based on recall. Not all participants answered all questions, and not all questions were applicable to all participants. Results may not be replicable with a different or larger sample. Conclusions Both past and present researches have failed on their quest for the cure or treatment of ALS.While this is apparently true, there are nevertheless several treatments that are found to be promising and responsive to patients. Individually, a specific approach may not be effective enough for treating ALS but a collaboration and combination of all known and practiced treatments is proved to be helpful. By now, this is the least that we can do for treating ALS while attempts are made in fin ding a cure for this certain incurable disease. References Caroscio J. (Ed. ). (1986). Amyotraphic lateral sclerosis: A guide to patient care. New York: Thieme.Gallagher J. P. (1989). Pathologic laughter and crying in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A search for their origin. Acia Neurologica Scandinavica. 80, 114-117. Gallassi R. , Montagna P. , Ciardulli C. , Lorusso S. , Mussuto V. , & Stracciari A. (1985). Cognitive impairment in motor neuron disease. Acta Neurologica Scandinavica. 71, 480-484. Gould, B. S. (1980). Psychiatric aspects. In D. W. Mulder (Ed. ), The diagnosis and treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (pp. 157-168). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. Hillel, A. D. , Miller, R. M., Yorkston, K. , McDonald, E. , Norris, E H. , & Konikow, N. (1989). Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Severity Scale. Neuroepidemiology. 8, 142-150. Houpt J. L. , Gould B. S. , & Norris F. H. (1977). â€Å"Psychological characteristics of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis†. Psyc hosomatic Medicine. 39, 299-303. Hudson A. J. (1981). â€Å"Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and its association with dementia, Parkinsonism, and other neurological disorders: A review†. Brain. 104, 217-247. Iwasaki Y. , Kinoshita M. , Ikeda K. , Takamiya K. , & Shiojima Y. (1990).â€Å"Cognitive impairment in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and its relation to motor disabilities†. Acta Neurologica Scandinavica. 81, 141-143. Luloff P. B. (1986). â€Å"Reactions of patients, family, and staff in dealing with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis†. In J. Caroscio (Ed. ), Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A guide to patient care (pp. 266-271). New York: Thieme Publishers. Peters P. K. , Wedell M. S. , & Mulder P. W. (1977). â€Å"Is there a characteristic personality profile in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis? † Archives of Neurology. 35, 321-322. Poloni M. , Capitani E.Mazzini L. , & Ceroni M. (1986). â€Å"Neuropsychological meas ures in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and t heir relationship with CT-scan assessed cerebral atrophy†. Acta Neurologica Scandinavica. 74, 257-260. Ringel S. P. (1987). Neuromuscular disorders. New York: Raven. Rowland L. P. (1987). â€Å"Motor neuron diseases and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Research progress†. Trends in Neurosciences. 10, 393-397. Tandan R. , & Bradley W. G. (1985). â€Å"Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Part 1. Clinical features, pathology, and ethical issues in management†. Annals of Neurology. 18, 271-280

The Reiss

The Reiss The Reiss-Epstein-Gursky Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI-R) is the psychological assessment instrument which is used to measure such a variable as the anxiety sensitivity which can be explained as the fear of anxiety.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on The Reiss-Epstein-Gursky Anxiety Sensitivity Index specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thus, the anxiety sensitivity is the fear of the anxiety-related factors which can lead to the negative and threatening physical, psychological, and social consequences. To have the opportunity to receive the important information on the patient’s level of the anxiety sensitivity, Reiss developed the ASI-R as the 16-item measurement which is rated on a 5-point scale. The original ASI-R was developed and improved with references to Epstein and Gursky’s researches. The ASI-R is used to determine whether the patient is characterized by the high anxiety sensitivity, and the t est is effective to identify the patients who suffer from the panic disorder and from the posttraumatic stress disorder (Barlow, 2004, p. 350; Reiss-Epstein-Gursky Anxiety Sensitivity Index, 2014). While choosing the appropriate and valid psychological assessment instrument, it is necessary to refer to the aspects of the decision theory and such indicators as the hit rate, miss rate, false positive errors, and false negative errors which can influence the test interpretation procedure and the overall validity of the psychological assessment instrument. Correct and incorrect decisions related to interpreting such a psychological assessment instrument as the ASI-R are based on discussing the hit rate, miss rate, false positive errors, and false negative errors, and they can affect the accuracy of the test interpretation and following diagnosis. It is also important to determine what type of errors can be discussed as acceptable while conducting measurements.Advertising Looking for assessment on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Definitions of Hits, Misses, False Positive Errors, and False Negative Errors in Relation to the ASI-R While interpreting the psychological assessment instrument such as the ASI-R, correct decision should be based on the analysis of the hit rate. From this point, the hit rate is the number of those persons who possess the qualities measured with the help of the analyzed assessment instrument (Cohen, Swerdlik, Sturman, 2012, p. 169). These identified people are discussed as having the definite characteristic or quality. Referring to the ASI-R, it is important to note that ‘hits’ are the measure which are related to those persons who are determined as characterized by the certain level of the anxiety sensitivity. The correctness of the decision made by the psychologist also depends on the miss rate. ‘Misses’ are the failures in identifyin g the patients who are characterized by the certain attribute or characteristic. The miss rate determines those people who were not identified appropriately as possessing the certain attribute or characteristic (Cohen et al., 2012, p. 169). The ASI-R is developed according to the principles of the self-report, and the test can be proposed for individuals and for the groups of people. That is why, the ‘misses’ can be identified only while focusing on the anxiety sensitivity examined in the group of clients. ‘Misses’ can also be discussed as false negative and false positive errors. False negative errors are the ‘misses’ which are associated with stating that the person possesses the definite attribute in spite of the fact that the person is not characterized by the certain quality (Cohen et al., 2012, p. 169). Referring to the ASI-R, it is possible to note that false positives occur when the persons who really do not have the high level of the a nxiety sensitivity are identified as possessing this quality.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on The Reiss-Epstein-Gursky Anxiety Sensitivity Index specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More False negative errors can be defined as the ‘misses’ which occur when those persons who possess certain qualities are identified as not having them (Cohen et al., 2012, p. 169). Discussing the case of the ASI-R assessment, it is important to note that false negatives and false positives are typical for the test because the ASI-R is based on the principle of the self-report, and the factor of subjectivity can prevent the psychologist from receiving the accurate results to conclude on the problem effectively. How Hits, Misses, False Positive Errors, and False Negative Errors Might Apply to Interpreting the Construct Measured by the ASI-R The ASI-R is discussed as the traditional psychological assessment instrument used to mea sure the patients’ fear of anxiety. The assessment tool is designed as the self-report that is why hits, ‘misses’, false positive and false negative errors can affect the process of interpreting the anxiety sensitivity measured by the ASI-R significantly. While focusing on the hits, it is important to pay attention to the fact that the ASI-R is the multidimensional psychological assessment instrument that is why it is necessary to determine the level according to which the anxiety sensitivity is characteristic for the person. On the contrary, it is rather difficult to determine the hit rate because the accurateness of the test results depends on the level of the observed anxiety sensitivity without references to the number of persons examined with the help of this psychological assessment instrument (Barlow, 2004, p. 350). As a result, the focus on hits and the hit rate is not reasonable for the ASI-R.Advertising Looking for assessment on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, while referring to the examination of the groups with the help of the ASI-R, it is important to state that the hits and misses play the important role in interpreting the anxiety sensitivity as the construct measured by the assessment tool. In spite of the fact that the ASI-R is based on the principle of the self-report, the percentage of persons who can be identified wrongly according to the ASI-R or the percentage of ‘misses’ cannot be rather high because of the people’s focus on their fears and anxiety while answering the proposed questions. There are situations when false positive and false negative errors can be observed in relation to measuring the anxiety sensitivity. Referring to the interpretation of the construct, it is important to note that false positive and false negative errors are closely associated with the factor of subjectivity and inadequate perception of the situation (Hunsley Mash, 2008, p. 236). Certain psychological problems and disorders can influence the persons’ data, and these factors can lead to false positive and false negative errors. In this case, false positive errors as the determined ‘misses’ can be discussed as acceptable types of errors in relation to the ASI-R because such results can stress on the persons’ other psychological problems and fears. How Hits, Misses, False Positive Errors, and False Negative Errors Can Affect the Evaluation of the ASI-R’s Validity While discussing the question of the ASI-R’s validity, it is important to note that hits, ‘misses’, false positive and false negative errors can affect the evaluation of this psychological assessment instrument. Validity can be defined as the test’s characteristic according to which the assessment tool can be discussed as measuring the certain construct effectively or non-effectively. Referring to the validity of the ASI-R, it is necessary to focus on the effectiveness of the assessment tool in relation to measuring the anxiety sensitivity. In spite of the fact that the ASI-R is usually discussed as characterized by the good internal consistency, such factors as the hits, ‘misses’, false positive and false negative errors can influence the general appropriateness of the ASI-R for measuring the level of the patients’ anxiety sensitivity. The hit rate is not appropriate to be discussed as influencing the validity of the ASI-R because the assessment is mainly used to measure the anxiety sensitivity in individual patients. The issue of ‘misses’ can affect the procedure of evaluating the test’s validity because of the necessity to decide on the test’s sensitivity and specificity (Barlow, 2004, p. 350). Nevertheless, the failure to identify the patients suffering from the high level of the anxiety sensitivity is minimal because of the test’s focus on determining the patients with panic disorders. The false positive and false negative errors’ role in discussing the validity of the ASI-R is also minimal because the percentage of false negatives and false positives is usually low while discussing the ASI-R results (Hunsley Mash, 2008, p. 236-237). Nevertheless, there are situations when the determined anxiety level makes the psychologists provide wrong conclusions about the psychological disorders. However, the ASI-R is discussed as useful to make decisions regarding the patients’ level of the anxiety sensitivity and associated psychological disorders. Conclusion Different correct and incorrect decisions can occur while interpreting the ASI-R because of the impact of the observed hits, ‘misses’, false positive and false negative errors. However, these issues can affect the psychologist’s decision regarding the patient’s state minimally because the ASI-R is designed appropriately, and it is characterized by the high validity. While referring to th e range of acceptable errors, it is possible to determine false positive errors as acceptable while interpreting the ASI-R results. References Barlow, D. (2004). Anxiety and its disorders: The nature and treatment of anxiety and panic. USA: Guilford Press. Cohen, R. J., Swerdlik, M., Sturman, E. (2012). Psychological testing and assessment: An introduction to tests and measurement. USA: McGraw-Hill Education. Hunsley, J., Mash, E. (2008) A Guide to Assessments That Work. USA: Oxford University Press. Reiss-Epstein-Gursky Anxiety Sensitivity Index. (2014). Web.

More Words That Turn on the Root Vert

More Words That Turn on the Root Vert More Words That Turn on the Root Vert More Words That Turn on the Root Vert By Mark Nichol A recent post dealt with many of the English words based on the Latin verb vertere, meaning â€Å"turn,† focusing on those that precede the root vert with a prefix, and their various grammatical forms. This follow-up post defines some additional words in the vertere family: those beginning with vert. Those with the variant stem vers rather than vert will be outlined in a subsequent post. Vertigo originally meant â€Å"a spinning or whirling movement† and later came to refer to a form of dizziness in which the sufferer has a sensation suggestive of spinning or whirling. The related adjective is vertiginous, which also applies neutrally to any spinning motion or judgmentally to frequent and unnecessary change. A vertebra (plural: vertebrae) is a segment of the system of bones that constitute the spine, or backbone, of vertebrates; that last word refers to two classes of animals, the higher and lower vertebrates, possessing a spine of bone or cartilage or a similar process. It also serves as an adjective, as does vertebral- the spinal column is also called the vertebral column- and as an adjective, vertebrate also means â€Å"well formed or â€Å"well organized,† though this usage is rare. The connection to vertere is of the spine’s hinge-like quality, which allows animals to turn or bend their bodies. An invertebrate is an animal lacking a spine or a similar process. In Latin, vertex and vortex both mean â€Å"whirl,† but in English the terms are distinct: Vertex applies to the top of the head, the highest point (such as a summit), or a point farthest from the base of an object or shape. (It also applies in geometry to the point at which two lines or curves meet.) A vortex, meanwhile, is a literal or figurative whirlpool. The adjective vertical is related and in one sense means â€Å"located at the highest point† but usually means â€Å"upright† or â€Å"lengthwise† and is an antonym of horizontal. In economic and sociological contexts, it can refer, respectively, to the scope of activity in the production of goods or to hierarchy. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:10 Rules for Writing Numbers and NumeralsFlier vs. FlyerDozen: Singular or Plural?

Sexual studies biology assignment 2 (another persos assignment) Essay

Sexual studies biology assignment 2 (another persos assignment) - Essay Example This was done through a systematic analysis of various articles concerned with the incidence, pathophysiology, and treatment of antidepressant-associated sexual dysfunction (Higgins 141). Management of sexual dysfunction through medical assessments has been deemed to be one of the most important steps in addressing the problem. This may include the following: eliminate other potential factors for sexual dysfunction (e.g. alcohol, age, substance abuse); exclude the effects of using medications other than antidepressants (e.g. diabetes management medications, cardiovascular system medications, nervous system disorder treatments); and exclusion of the residual effects of depression or the use of anti-depression drugs (Higgins 146). Once all factors have been ruled out and the effects of the antidepressants still persist as the main cause of sexual dysfunction, possible options for patients can include gradual reduction of antidepressant dosage, replacement or switching of antidepressant s from SSRI to non-SSRI, adjunct drug treatment or the use of drugs to counteract side-effects, not using antidepressant drugs a day before engaging in sexual activity, or undergoing cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) using a combination of biological and psychosocial approaches in dealing with and understanding the mechanics of sexual dysfunction (148). ... Sexual dysfunction is a very sensitive topic, and as such must be tackled as holistically and as open-mindedly as possible, both by the patients as well as the professionals that they work with. It is very important that patients are fully-informed about the possible causes of sexual dysfunction and how these issues can be addressed, especially when the patients are taking antidepressants or using other kinds of drugs. This is because there is a high possibility that they feel less empowered as a result of accepting that they have lower sexual drive as well as their battles against depression, and they may not be fully aware of the possible connection for this, let alone it being common among users of antidepressants. This article is able to provide important details on how to handle sexual dysfunction while taking antidepressants, as it has been mentioned that individuals may respond differently to the treatments enumerated. Also, it also serves as a reminder that not all mental ill nesses depend on pharmacological therapies alone as there are some other ways to cope with this problem, and that by reducing the dependence on drugs that could possibly inhibit sexual responses, patients have greater chances of improving their sex lives simply through adjustments of medications or behavior. Mental health specialists and clinicians can benefit from this article by providing their patients with alternative solutions in addressing either or both issues of depression or of sexual dysfunction as a result of the use of antidepressants, and in effect can give a chance for patients to have access to a better sexual health as a result of a few changes in their anti-depression

The Reinvention of Marriage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Reinvention of Marriage - Essay Example Marano wrote about marital therapist Liberty Kovacs' research and findings, based on theoretical bravado from group dynamics, theories of adult development, and family systems, of the six stages that marriages go through. Kovacs developed a system which tracks the paths of marital relationships as they evolve in intimacy and mutuality and finds that these paths are predictable in marriages. The six stages are highly distinct and marriages do not necessarily move from one stage to the next in an orderly fashion. A marriage may be stuck in one stage for years or it may go back to another stage. Instead of progressing in a linear pattern, the stages move in a circular pattern. The six stages include: Stage One-Romance (Honeymoon) Fusion; Stage Two-Expectations Compromise; Stage Three-Power Struggle; Stage Four-Seven-Year Itch Competition; Stage Five-Reconciliation Cooperation; Stage Six-Acceptance Collaboration. Being able to look at marriage as a predictable pattern, which involves phases that couples go through, helps couples to be aware of what they are going through and how to deal with them. The knowledge that these phases are part of what marriages go through helps couples to know that this is a natural cyclic process and that they are not alone as all marriages go through these stages in time, as research has discovered. ... Being aware of the stages of marriage allows a couple to customize and design a marriage that will help them work through the six stages then instead of trial and error attempts at a guessing game, there is a more tried and true approach. Couples are able to view the blueprint as they are aware of the stages and can customize the path/solution to take. A strong marriage does not happen overnight and instant gratification should not be what one looks for. Poor conflict management is the key in developing a healthy marriage as it moves through the stages. The art of arguing, as Kovacs calls it, is learning how to communicate effectively and to learn the skills of problem solving. It is important that men and women understand their differences in how they handle conflict and experience pain. By understanding each other's points of view and natural way of responding, conflict management and problem solving can be more easily accomplished. Along with better conflict management methods "th e positive affect", or the expression of affection, must also be incorporated. A sense of humor, empathy, agreement, and other positive actions are aspects of "the positive affect" which shows expressions of affection. This article is relevant to psychology because as the "Elmer" Social Science Dictionary (2003) defines the word psychology, it deals with the "Scientific study of human behavior, mental processes, and how they are affected and/or affect an individuals or group's physical state, mental state, and external environment. Its goal is to describe, understand, predict, and modify behavior." The findings of this article and the research that was conducted can be applied toward not only marriages but basically, any