How To Use Si, the Word for If in Spanish

How To Use Si, the Word for If in Spanish Usually, if and its Spanish equivalent, si, are used to form what are known as conditional sentences. Although the rules of Spanish grammar for conditional sentences can get complex, in the vast majority of cases the main thing you need to know is which verb tense to use after si. Verb Tense in Spanish If Sentences The first thing is to remember that except in very rare cases, si is never followed by a verb in the present-tense subjunctive mood. That said, there are basically two types of si clauses that become part of a sentence: Sentences in which the condition is likely or reasonably likely. This is known grammatically as an open condition. For example, in the clause si llueve (if it rains), rain is seen as a distinct possibility.Sentences in which the condition is contrary to fact or is unlikely. For example, the clause si lloviera can be translated as if it were to rain. Note the difference in meaning from the example above; in this case, while rain is a possibility, it is seen as unlikely. An example of a contrary-to-fact condition is a clause such as si yo fuera rico, if I were rich. Grammatically, contrary-to-fact and unlikely conditions are treated the same way. The correct verb tense following si can be observed in the above examples. In open conditions, conditions where the possibility is reasonably likely, si is followed by the present indicative tense (the most common tense, probably the first one you learned as a Spanish student). If the condition is unlikely or false, a past subjunctive (usually the imperfect subjunctive) is used. This is the case even when the condition is something that refers to the present. In Spanish, as in English, the si clause can either precede or follow the rest of the sentence. Thus a sentence such as si llueve voy de compras (if it rains Im going shopping) is the equivalent of voy de compras si llueve (Im going shopping if it rains). Sample Sentences Using Si Here are some examples of open conditions: Si tengo dinero, me irà © de viaje. (If I have money, Ill go on a trip. The fact of having money is seen as reasonably likely.)Si la casa es usada, le aconsejamos que un profesional la inspeccione. (If the house is used, we advise that you have a professional inspect it. A sentence like this might be used in giving advice, where the condition here is seen as a real possibility.)Si lo quieres,  ¡pà ­delo! (If you want it, ask for it!)Van a salir si el presidente y los otros ladrones ganan las elecciones. (They are going to leave if the president and the other thieves win the elections.)Si sales, salgo tambià ©n. (If you leave, Im leaving too.)Si gana Sam, voy a llorar. (If Sam wins, Ill cry.) Here are some examples of unlikely or contrary-to-fact conditions: Si yo fuera tà º, tomarà ­a una responsabilidad propia. (If I were you, I would take appropriate responsibility. There is no possibility that I will become you.)Si yo tuviera dinero, irà ­a al cine. (If I had the money, I would go to the movies. The speaker is saying she doesnt have the money. If the present tense were used, si tengo dinero, she would be saying there is a reasonable likelihood of having money.)Mi hermana irà ­a muchas veces a la playa si supiera nadar. (My sister would go to the beach often if she knew how to swim.)Si ella hubiera tenido dinero, habrà ­a ido al cine. (If she had had the money, she would have gone to the movies.)Si ganara Sam, llorarà ­a. (If Sam were to win, Id cry.) A Quick Note About Writing The word si should not be confused with sà ­, a common word of affirmation, often translated as yes. The latter word is always spelled with a written or orthographic accent to distinguish the two, although they are pronounced identically. Key Takeaways When si (meaning if) is followed by a verb, the verb is in the present indicative if the condition stated is true or probable.When si is followed by a verb, the verb is in a past subjunctive if the condition stated is false or improbable.The past subjunctive is used for improbabilities even if the condition stated is one that applies to the present time.

Gay marriage Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Gay marriage - Research Paper Example Thus, in this paper, the pros and cons of gay marriage will be investigated for this writer to show that there are more reasons for individuals, organizations, institutions and lawmakers to thwart the implementation of gay marriages. Gay marriage proponents argue that legal principles of nondiscrimination and equal treatment should be given to gays and lesbians (Masci). There have been so many groups that fought for their rights during the past decades such as feminists. This is perhaps the reason why gays found the courage to also gather their strengths together to fight for their rights. This argument seems to be the main reason which branches out to other discourses used by gays to really get what they want because of the growing recognition of individual rights. Females have been given equal chances to be employed in an often male-centered jobs as well as run for offices in the government. Blacks are now given equal rights to employment and recognition in a white World, too. Foll owing their steps, gays are seeking for such equal rights including to marry and to enjoy the benefits every married couple get. Gays argue that there are many of them who stay together for years but do not enjoy the same benefits of the common male-female couples because they are not allowed to marry. They cry for equality. They believe that they have the right to pursue happiness not only professionally and financially but including having healthy relationships that help them become better citizens. Not allowing them to marry, they claim, is a deprivation of their basic rights therefore they seek to enjoy the rights every other citizen has. On the other hand, conservatives disagree with the demands of equal marriages for the very reason that marriage is not supposed to be between same sexes. Rather, it has been culturally observed for centuries that marriages are between males and females only. Marriage is believed to be purposefully for building a family, meaning; couples tie the knot and commit to each other to build a strong family as they are given children. However, gay advocates argue that they can also build a family together with the help of the law or science. First and foremost, they can always adopt children whom they can consider and raise as their own. Secondly, couples can now bear their own children with the help of technological advancements as in the case of Thomas Beatie who shocked the world with his pregnancy in 2008 (Dagnell). Although technically, Beatie is a woman who had a sex transplant and married a woman, she or rather he got pregnant with the help of science. This example encourages same sex couples to fight for their rights because technology is making things possible for them. When it comes to the ability to raise children in a normal environment, most gay couples claim that they are as able as the commonly recognized couples are. When religious views step in, gays have often been silenced in the past years but now, they conside r religions as old-fashioned and thus challenge them to be open-minded and accept the effects of modernization. They argue that there is no such thing as traditional marriage. More and more politicians are getting sympathetic to gay grievances and therefore recognize them and listen to them, fortifying

Economic problems of the USA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Economic problems of the USA - Essay Example AS-AD model will be used to determine the aggregate demand and supply of the country. The report also highlights measures taken by the government to recover from the economic problems along with the reasons behind government’s decisions for such measures. The evaluation of effectiveness and shortcomings of government measures is done to explore the net benefit of the measures to economy. The report will attempt to suggest the solutions of US economic crises of manufacturing concerns, balance of imports and exports and economic sustainability of the country. SUMMARY The Article reports about economic problems faced by the U.S. since almost past decade. The United States is going through the economic adversity or disaster on a very high scale for the last decade. The article refers that despite suffering, majority of people of U.S. are giving less or no attention to the sources of the current economic decline (Heffner, 2012). The article states that U.S. nation has become a seco nd class country in many aspects Reasons cited in the article for the above statement includes facts that United States no longer produce what they require to sustain their selves; the extensively increased imports than exports resulting in selling off U.S. assets and taking on huge debts to maintain a living standard. The article also refers to an important aspect of the US condition in international context. IT refers that it is the game plan of the US global challengers is to make the US totally reliant on overseas manufacturing, modernization and financing. In losing domestic self-reliance, nationalized security and power – the foreign affairs of a country will suffer to a great extent. Referring to impact of the current situation, the author of the article states that US is getting weakened even to admit greedy foreign trade practices bringing in depression US industry. Instead the economic players are giving confidence to US manufacturers to plan, engineer, and manufact ure in third world markets to minimize the production cost like Mexico and China. The article in addition to the problems being highlighted has also referred to the solution such as carefully managing access to market, re-assessing trade practices etc. (Economy in Crisis, n.d.). DISCUSSION OF THE ECONOMIC PROBLEMS ISSUES: Causes of Problem: High labor wage rates in U.S.: U.S. is facing challenge of high labor wage rate for the last few years due to which the cost of production or manufacturing in the US increased. To survive competitively in this situation U.S. started to shift its production or manufacturing plants in low wage rate countries like China and Mexico where cost of production is significantly cheaper as compared to U.S.. This prevailing situation in the economy bringing down the US manufacturing sector continuously giving rise to import and pressuring the import bill. Service sector growth downsizes the manufacturing and production industry: In the last two decades a bi g portion of investment in the U.S. have been shifted towards the service industry sector because of high manufacturing cost and low margin profits. The service industry of US is contributing 79.7% in the economy, 1.2% is the contribution of agriculture industry and 19.1% by manufacturing industry (CIA, 2012). With this huge side transferred to service sector it has made the manufacturing side weaker in the US and hence large number low wage labor force in US has become unemployed. Higher imports from china and other countries because of low cost: the prevailing situation in the economy of US for the last two decades has increased the percentage of imports over exports in the economy. The final manufactured goods are the major imports of

Ann Radcliffe and the Gothic movement behing her literature Research Paper

Ann Radcliffe and the Gothic movement behing her literature - Research Paper Example Ann Radcliffe due to her reclusive nature was made the brunt of her contemporaries’ imagination and was accused of being a mad genius, a sorceress and a madwoman haunted by ghosts etc. Considered the most significant writer of the English Gothic genre, Ann Radcliffe changed the Gothic novel from a mere medium for the depiction of terror into a tool for exploring the psychology of terror and suspense. Her stress on emotion, insight, and the connection between atmosphere and sensibility helped make the way for the Romantic Movement in England. Radcliffes most famous novel, The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794), is one of the principal examples of Gothic literature. (Onorato& Cengage, 1997)1 Ann Radcliffe was extremely popular in her day. Her application of Gothic techniques, her talent to rouse terror and curiosity in her readers by setting up events which were seemingly supernatural, but which were afterwards logically explained by ordinary means, was widely imitated by other writers but never surpassed. Her construction of tastefully imaginary horrors (taste was equal to quality) and her stress on the supernatural was modern and Romantic, whereas her logical explanations belonged to the ordered world of eighteenth century England. Thus her novels offered contemporary readers a chance to indulge their penchant for the bizarre, the outrà © and the unusual by generally hinting at the immoral, decadent and the supernatural while in due course rectifying matters ,from a societal viewpoint , by vindicating the old world virtues of a submissive woman. The nature of Ann Radcliffe’s novels was startling to her readers and she was reviled by some critics as a misleader of youth and women. But her admirers called her the mighty enchantress. Ann Radcliffe was born in a lower-middle class family in Holborn, London. Her father was William Ward, a haberdasher and her mother was Ann Oates.troubled with asthma from youth, she was reserved by nature and read widely. In 1787,

General Suggested improvements Essay Example for Free

General Suggested improvements Essay The improvements I suggest would include having utilities like File Wipe and data encryption, Firewalls and other Malware protection. You should employ tactics such as Health and Safety messages, such as only water may be near the computers, and then it should be in a secure bottle and such things as data awareness, e. g. , people knowing what they should and should not delete and where data is held and why they should have passwords and why there should be strong passwords. There should be efficient junk-mail filters on your email to avoid any viruses coming into your system by email. Task 2: Types of threats to your physical security with suggested improvements(P2) Biometrics These are mechanical security measures that detect fingerprints, gait recognition and iris detection, etc. Be aware that these methods are not foolproof! There are people out there who spend every day trying to beat these systems. Physical security These are security measures like locks and bolts on doors and windows. Security guards and dogs could be employed, and burglar alarms such as motion sensors, noise detection and other sorts of alarms; CCTV cameras and Smart cameras to be deployed inside and outside the building. The doors to the server should be locked and a security guard should be positioned outside the door. With the servers hardrives being locked in place and for higher security measures, having a vault door in front of the server, and having the access keys 12 metres apart, and operated simultaneously by two separate employees, would ensure greater (but not foolproof) security. You could invest in a disaster resistant room with fire resistant tiles, and some way of filtering flood or excess water, and some way of cooling things down if the air conditioning breaks down to avoid the server being flooded and/or cooked, for your server to resist things like terrorist attacks, e. g. , bombs and/or the unlikely but still possible event of a tornado. All these physical security systems could help to make your business secure. Describe how software and network security measures can help keep systems and data secure. (P3, M1) Software and Network Security The first suggestion I would make would be buy or download your software from reputable retailers. Unlicensed and cracked software could also have incorporated Malware in the cracking code and also, you could be in trouble with the law if you use unlicensed software. You should have the relevant security software up to date and make sure your anti-Malware protection is not actually Malware pretending to be anti-Malware to fool you. Firewalls Firewalls are metaphorically a wall between you and the Internet which denies access to anything you havent specified (i. e. , hackers and malicious websites or material). Every computer has a unique identification address, made up of a series of numbers, and also given a domain name corresponding to those numbers, for easier access, e. g. , howstuffworks. com is also known as 216. 27. 61. 137 . A firewall can block all access to a specific IP address. Firewalls can also filter messages and monitor attempted break-ins. Firewalls can also be implemented in certain machines to allow only one protocol, e. g. , http or tcp and block all others. Encryption Encryption is a process turning regular text, pictures and other data into illegible text and pictures and data through a series of simple or complicated algorithms depending on your security needs. The text will turn out like this:- 5ugre54jyt656f5t8uf which , for anybody who can speak double Dutch, means absolutely nothing. Encryption is important for sensitive personal information or any business related information which would make it harder for the hackers to uphold your information in any legible way. In encryption techniques, there are two types of keys, Public and Private. The Public Key is a key that can be passed around and made public. This is to encrypt any information. Once a person has encrypted the information, it cannot be decrypted without the Private Key which is a password, not necessarily a word in the English sense, it can be any combination of letters and numbers, which is more advisable. For greater security, the password should be separate from any digital medium but some software allows you to store it on your computer for automatic decryption. Anti-Virus Software. Anti-virus software protects against viruses. They have a database of the general layout of viruses so they can recognise any future viruses and also any existing ones. This is a critical piece of software, particularly if your computer has a virus, as this can cause it to slow down or not work altogether, so it is highly advisable to have some sort of anti-virus software installed. Staff Training. It is important to provide regulations or Code of Conduct in your Company, e. g. , you could specify that employees may only use their email for work purposes. Staff should be aware that it is insecure to leave a computer logged on when they are not around and also not to leave their laptops in cars or on public transport. Laptops should not be left in cars overnight in cold conditions as this could disable them. Computers should not be left in any condition where they could overheat and destroy the contents inside. Staff should also be aware that viruses and other Malware can be sent via email attachments so they must not open any email attachments unless you specifically know what that attachment contains. Staff should also be trained in data management. This is keeping your files in a structured and organised fashion, having sensible file names and folder names, knowing what should and should not be deleted, knowing how to achieve deleted items, and knowing what to do when other office programmes crash and knowing where you can get the autosave files from. The final training staff need to know is about copyright, registered trademarks and patent Laws and also plagiarism. Biometrics. Biometrics is fusing biology with IT in the fact that fingerprints can be used to access computers or other physical areas. Known biometrics are:- gait recognition, fingerprint scanning, iris detection, speech recognition. The costs of these security measures can be quite expensive, especially the newer ones like gait recognition and iris detection. More conventional biometrics are relatively cheap like fingerprinting and speech which are probably the most common ones around. Passwords. Passwords are crucial to deter any opportunistic data thieves. If everybody has a strong password, these types of thieves will be stopped. When signing up for a Google mail account, they have an indicator next to the password, they have a scale next to the password selected, to indicate whether this is a weak to strong password. Generally, weak passwords are 1 6, your dogs name, your wifes names, or any similar name, important dates like your birthday. These are considered weak passwords as they can easily be guessed. Strong passwords are usually an alphanumeric combination of upper and lower case letters, for instance, GIRfufr57fjy, keep systems and data secure. Call Back Call back is the CPU putting a process on hold, to go back to it later. Handshaking Handshaking is the computer and a another computer deciding on the protocol. Use of Backups The use of Backups are essential to your business, so that if your hard drive fails you will need to get a new hard drive and if you neglected to back up your computer, all your data is lost. So backups are essential to keep data secure. Audit logs Audit logs are programmes to log any changes to your computer, eg when you log in, the audit logs check the logs for your username against your password and do you have authorisation to access to continue if so more checking, keeping systems secure. Firewall Firewalls are metaphorically a wall between you and the Internet which denies access to anything you havent specified (i. e. , hackers and malicious websites or material). Every computer has a unique identification address, made up of a series of numbers, and also given a domain name corresponding to those numbers, for easier access, e. g. , howstuffworks. com is also known as 216. 27. 61. 137 . A firewall can block all access to a specific IP address. Firewalls can also filter messages and monitor attempted break-ins. Firewalls can also be implemented in certain machines to allow only one protocol, e. g. , http or tcp and block all others, keeping systems and data secure. Configuration You need to configure your computer and/or network security to your security policies. If you configure your security properly it will prevent unauthorised access onto your network or accidental deletion of data. The configuration is important to keep your system running smoothly and your work safe.

The Concept Of Identity In Society

The Concept Of Identity In Society The concept of identity is described in numerous different ways such as the I, Me, personality, self and essence. These offer a starting point for us to attempt to understand and explain who and what we are internally and within the external world .There are various theories that have been developed to help us make sense of what contributes to our identity. These theories examine the factors that can build, shape and change our identity, covering aspects such as the structure of society, our interactions with others and past experiences. Identity could be defined as being directly relevant to associated characteristics of an individuals character or of a group. Identity can be viewed as a both passive and active form, it can be used to help others define us which is usually not controllable by that individual it can also be relevant to how we as individuals view ourselves.(Macionis and plummer,2008). There are various forms of the self and identity the three main groups most individuals are able to place themselves within .These are the collective self, the individual self and the relational self. The concept of identity in modern western society has shifted as a result of changes in ideology and society. These changes have included industrialisation where subjects act as workers who move around for work and have a identity that is flexible and not rigid within social structure and enlightenment where subjects are able to change their identities and create new choices and choosing new value systems (Michael.A, 2008) The relationship of identity in the structural sense and the actual power an individual has over their identity has been critically analysed by theorists such as Goffman (1999) and Garfinkel (1984) have placed emphasis on the way individuals can develop and mould identity using language.Mead describes a similar form of interaction where personality, interaction and social structure provide a framework that can then be used for an understanding of identity (Choudry,2010,p11). To examine the various theories that contributes to the study of identity in regards to investigating societies understanding of older people. This will be looked at using the following structure, firstly looking at ways in which age forms an identity will be considered. Secondly, the influence of theorists on attempting to understand the process by which this identity is created will be examined. Third, the concept of stigma and its repercussions will be discussed. Finally, the role and identity both personal an d professional of the Social Worker as an agent between structural aspects and the impact of this role on the service user. How old an individual is and how this influences identity varies and can be interpreted differently from different personal perspectives and cultures. From an objective sense age is simply the culmination of a process that is begun at birth and one that is given certain social indicators (Taylor and field, 2007, p.113). Older people or old age in many societies worldwide is not clearly defined but usually a term used when referring to someone a few years older than the individual being referred to (Miller,2008). Various cultural views can produce pressure on who is considered young or as an older person within society. This can vary according to cultural context (Stephens and Leach, 1998,p.475). The implications of being identified as an older person can cause tension between the potential conflict of the individuals view of their identity and the structural view . In traditional society, the identity of the elderly is often a prescribed element, that presupposes norms of clothing and behaviour (Taylor and field, 2007).Other members that belong to that particular traditional society are projected with ideals of how to behave in a manner suited to people of an older age a manner that would change for another person of similar age (Stepehns and Leach, 1998, p. 476) . These assumptions have the ability to reduce the amount of power a older person has as they are defined and categorised based on visible characteristics rather than as a whole person (Miller,2008). Therefore social workers interpretation of an older person should fully consider the relationship between identity ,older people and structural factors.An older person may not view themselves as simply fitting in to a p articular category such as older person even if society is able to do so. There are many different sociological theories that can assist in understanding contemporary societies attitude to identity when referring to older people (Giddens,2000 ,p.521).Within social work acknowledging and utilising the right of self determinism is an important part of the framework created when providing support and assistance to older people(Miller, 008 , P4). When identifying a person in need the role of the social worker could include providing a range of suitable options to choose from. However the social worker would provide the older person with the tools to make an independent decision. This can be explained by the adherence to identification in terms of the agency exerted by the older person (Franzese,2009,p.71).It is important that the social worker refrains from categorising the elderly originating from the perspective of an older person but viewing as an independent individual in need (Franeze,2009).To assume without proof about the lack of ability of an older per son must be avoided. This can create a tendency to make judgements and disempowered the service user, leading to lack of understanding in regards to the care and support required. Especially in regards the older persons ability to make independent informed choices based on a understanding of their life and being the expert within their own situations. Although there are types of illnesses such as mental health issues that tend to occur more in the elderly than in the younger generation the social worker needs to assume the service user is capable -so regardless of how the service user is generally presenting him o herself unless presented with proof that suggests otherwise. Using this method in social work and emphasising the person centred approach can be explained through understanding the right to self determinism and empowerment (Kim, 1991). To practice effectively the social work must actively avoid becoming complacent with the attitudes towards older people projected through d ominate discourse in contemporary society. This discourse projects identity on to individuals using age as way of categorising the social work need to provide the individual with the right to self-determination. This is a difficult perspective to maintain when the structure of society promotes and accepts the idea of defining individuals in regards to age (Giddens,2000).This is also difficult to maintain when surrounded with many resources that are provided to those in need by social services that are allocated based on age and therefore creating restrictions if an individual does not fall into that age bracket. Therefore suggesting it is difficult to completely avoid catergosring older people as this is the system used in the society they exist in. This can be examined by looking at psychosocial identity, although Giddens suggests that we are reflexive agents we may have a smaller agency than what is suggested (Newman and Newman,2008).This suggests the rationale model of decision making for an individual is limited in its uses ; the choices we make are usually created for us to some extent as they are usually made when need or desire ansd the actually outcome only clear after the choice has been made.(Newman and Newman, 2008). Consequently an older person may experience the limitation of making a rational choice in regards to their identity as these choices may be made from a particular need. The older persons rational choices maybe affected by anxieties and fears surrounding their identity. As a result the role of the agent is quite limited in regards to the way interaction occurs between agent and structure. Therefore the individual has less choice than what may be assumed. Another important element for understanding identity in relation to contemporary social work is the subject of stigmatism. Stigma can be explained as a loss of individual social identity and status that occurs when an individual is simply looked upon as a member of a group with shared characteristics (Giles et al., 1990).The concept of being an older person could be looked upon as a creation of society rather than something that has naturally developed through positive association. This is relevant to older people as stigma can produce problems as it relates a number of conditioned to older people, stereotyping them (Giddens, 2000).Bringing in ethical practice a better way to avoid projecting identity on to an older person it would be more effective to avoid placing stigma upon the older person.With messages provided by the media in various forms such as television advertisements that depict older people as suffering from illness and being in need. When only provided with these image s of older people not stigmatising within social work would appear to be problematic. Structural aspects such as bureaucratism and globalisation make community self determinism and professional independence very difficult if not impossible (Bowles et al,2006).There is an conception that older people after being classified as older change from being active to passive members of society with limited involvement and are limited in their self-determinism. Goffman proposed a definition of stigma that emphasisies the differences between the virtual self in social identity and the actual social identity.(Goffman, 1969) Tension that has been identified by Sociological theory therefore is concerned largely with the interaction between the agency of an individual against the stigma that may be imposed upon the concept of the elderly, and their own right to self-identity (Newman and Newman, 2008, p.388). To an extent, as is represented by the psycho-social theoretical standpoint, it is difficult to argue from the perspective of interactionism the ways in which the individual has a significant agency in order to combat this perspective (Macionis and Plummer, 2008, p.76). Garfunkel (1967) argues that language is used as an active means by which individuals shape the identity around them. Rather than accepting a social identity that is imposed by the social structure in which they find themselves, individuals are active participants in the creation of such categories (Stephens and Leach, 1998, p.24). Of course, given that much of the social stigma associated with ageing stems from the ways in which the el derly are portrayed as mentally unstable, passive victims with mobility issues, all of which can be supported with a certain degree of statistical evidence, the ways in which individuals can rail against the stigma is problematic (Newman and Newman, 2008, p.289). However, the stigma is better understood as a blanket type definition applied to all individuals within a certain category ignoring the extent to which they fall into such categories. Identity theories, particularly from an interactionist perspective, are quite limited in their approach to describing how each individual holds their ability to actively define themselves in opposition to such stigma. The use of identity theories are not only significant for the ways in which Social Workers treat the elderly but can be seen as useful understanding the means by which the individual appreciates their own impact upon the context (Giddens, 2000, p.522). In particular, an understanding of the interaction between agency and structure can help the individual reflect on the extent to which certain roles are almost predefined by the context in which they find themselves (Haslam, 2003, p.99). First, the Social Workers role can be interpreted in the way in which they can be seen as part of the social structure. The fact that the provision of services can be interpreted in a negative fashion as the imposition of structure allows the individual to assess their own role and position within this context. Furthermore, the individual must appreciate their own potential for agency within the structure in the attempts provided for the avoidance of oppressive practice (Newman and Newman, 2008, p.388) . An important element of this process is in the use of reflective practice which allows the Social Worker to assess their own individual approaches and their emotions to the servo e provision. The extent to which they view the elderly with a stigma, or make assumptions regarding their ability to provide their own active approach to their own identity can be self-assessed. In many cases, it is possible for the Social Worker to adopt the Goffman idea of a distanced role, where they play a role in the service provision that fits various notions of the ideal way that such services can be provided without stigma (Goffman, 1963, p.54). This will involve occluding their true feelings or impressions of an individual, and the reflective practice allows them to assess and understand their approach to the subject (Goffman, 1999, p.16). The notion of the importance of agency within this context is therefore a key way in which Sociological Theories have affected Social Work practice. A range of effects have a significant effect on the way in which individuals are influenced in their identity (Giddens, 2000, p.522). In many such cases it is almost impossible for the elderly to exert their own level of agency in order to resist the categorisation and the accompanying stigma that often applies. In many cases, this can occur as the result of active influences on the part of the individual themselves, even if it is a distanced social role as suggested by Goffman (1999). The important influence of such theories upon the understanding of identity, however, fall into the area where the Social Worker can be seen as part of an active element of the structuration process (Zastrow, 2009, p.59). This is a difficult role to avoid on account of the fact that despite the ways in which agency is emphasised for the individual for whom care is provided, the provision of services is often defined by age rather than simply by need. From the perspective that to avoid stigma as a whole , it could be expected that the various requirements of the elderly may come under different remits, such as mobility issues coming under the disabled remit; and in many cases this does continue (Zastrow, 2009, p.61). However, the fact that certain benefits are available to the elderly on the basis of age alone means that the Social Worker remains an agent, albeit an active one, of the notion that age defines a social identity. This social identity therefore means that there is a subgroup of services that would be provided, and this perhaps undermines the active attempts to avoid imposing stigma on the concept of the the elderly and allow the individuals to impose their own agency. The most useful forms of identity theory would appear to ultimately stem from Lemert and Mead, that emphasise the position of an interaction between structure and agency (Franzese, 2009, p.71). As has been described in the previous discussion, elements that emphasise the process of either agency or the role of structure tend to miss the point of the way in which elderly people interact with the definitions that are applied to an identity. For the Social Worker there are numerous advantages that can be gained from an understanding of such theoretical contributions and the influence of different theories can help understand the requirement to avoid stigma and the emphasis that is made in Social Work to the process of individualisation, despite the inherent contradictions that can exist in the way in which services are provided. Social Work is essentially a part of society and represents and reflects the processes within it; as such, Sociological theories will always be of use in explai ning and describing the ways in which different processes form a part of practice (Franzese, 2009, p.71).

Divorce Laws in the United States Essay examples -- Family Law

â€Å"Divorce is a decree by a court that a valid marriage no longer exists. It leaves both parties free to remarry. The court will award custody, divide property, and order spousal and child support† (The American Bar Association 71). â€Å"†¦till death do us part† is almost always heard at wedding ceremonies. But all too often does this phrase not hold up to its true meaning. Between 1960 and 1999 the divorce rate in the United States tripled (Porterfield vii). Out of all first time marriages, 41% end in divorce (Divorce Rate). According to the Centers for Disease control and Prevention, for every 1,000 people, 6.8 get married and 3.4 of those marriages will end in divorce (Marriage and Divorce). The Family Legal Guide from The American Bar Association confirms that of the couples who marry before the age of forty-five, one-half of them will get divorced (71). These numbers do not seem to be decreasing. They only seem to be increasing as time goes on. It is agreed by many that if two people can no longer find it in themselves to be passionate towards one another and they no longer desire the others company that they should end their marriage. However, the growing number of divorces is proving that, pe rhaps getting a divorce in the United States is too easy. The evidence proves that divorce laws should be made stricter throughout the United States. Every divorce is different; no two divorces are the same. Some involve children. Some are just a couple. Some have step children or half children. Some include hostile situations. Some are peaceful. Some are for a valid reason. Some are simply because the couple doesn’t feel like being together anymore. Some are mutual. Some are not. So why is every divorce so quickly done and so easily ob... ...2. â€Å"Marriage and Divorce.† Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 5 Oct. 2010. Web. 26 Feb. 2012. Porterfield, Kay Marie. Straight Talk about Divorce. New York: Facts on File, 1999. Print. Portnoy, Ph.D. Sanford. â€Å"A Lawyer’s Primer Part 1- The Effects of Divorce on Adults.† Ed. Ron Brown. The Psychology of Divorce. 1(2006): 1-7. Print. Russo, Francine. â€Å"Can The Government Prevent Divorce?† The Atlantic. Oct. 1997. Web. 1 Apr. 2012. Shapiro v. Thompson. 2 Library of Congress Cataloging-in- Publication Data. U.S. Supreme Court. 21 Apr. 1969. Print. Tavernise, Sabrina, and Robert Gebeloff. â€Å"Once Rare in Rural American, Divorce is Changaing the Face of Its Families.† www.Nytimes.com. The New York Times. 23 Mar. 2011. Web. 27 Feb. 2012. The American Bar Association. Family Legal Guide. 3rd ed. New York: Random House, 2004. 71-88. Print.