Economics Issue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Economics Issue - Essay Example Korea as well as India may take the initiative of lessening tax rates for addressing and mitigating the above stated issues by a considerable extent. Based on the journal, which mainly depicted one of the problems facing by the economies across Asia concerning about diminishing inflation rates, it can be affirmed that then above nations must remain quite vigilant in keep the inflation rates under greater control. This might aid in attracting the investors and also the other stakeholders to take necessary and appropriate measures about solving such a crucial economic issue (Wright, â€Å"Economies across Asia Face Falling Inflation Rates†). With this concern, the essay intends to address the aforesaid economic issue with determining its impact on the economies and identifying the measures to address and mitigate such a crucial economic issue. In relation to Asian countries, Japan took the initiative of lessening consumer expenditures and making substantial investments for mitigating the problem of dipping inflation rates. In recent times, Japan experienced the crucial concern of rising prices in the form of monetary as well as fiscal stimulus. In this particular scenario, the economists anticipate that the inflation will fall below at certain rates in future. Apart from Japan, the inflation rate in Indonesia can also be apparently noticed below 8 % at the end of the year 2013 and the economists expect that inflation rate will be higher in subsequent years. This might be due to the reasons of increased level of globalization, gaining momentum of internationalization and most importantly increased level of customers’ expenditures among others (Wright, â€Å"Economies across Asia Face Falling Inflation Rates†). As per the article presented in Wall Street Journal, it can be ascertained that the respective governments of Asia have mainly relied on the debts for

Recession in American economy Essay Example for Free

Recession in American economy Essay The economic meaning of the term recession is, â€Å"A period of economic decline in a Country, characterized by reduced trade and industrial activity, production decline and increased levels of unemployment. It normally lasts between one and two quarters consecutively†, (Tremblay; 2007). In the US, incidences of recession have occurred since 1854. This paper, seeks address the reasons for recession in the US, with reference to the principles of consumer behavior and the firm as a whole. Observers were not expecting an incidence of recession this time round. Most observers have been persuaded to expect moderate economic growth rates in the US, of about 2 to 3 percent and a moderate inflation of around 2 percent (George. S, 2008). This is due to the fact that the US economy has proved to be the most resilient in the world. They however (the observers), have good reasons to back their predictions; 1. They have placed their hopes on relatively stimulative monetary policy to keep consumption and investment spending up and expect the worst of the housing decline to be over. 2. With stock prices making new highs, some point out that presidential and stock market cycles are favorable to higher stock prices since investing during 27 months before a US presidential election has proved in the past to be more Profitable than investing during 21 months after elections. In the October 16th issue of Headwinds, 2007 for the US economy, it is explained that macro-economic conditions make it a matter of months before the US economy and the dollar begun to experience some downward pressure (recession). This is probably the time for this recession. The US is the country with the highest gross domestic product (GDP) in the world, with a GDP of $13 trillion . This has however reduced in the recent past. Employment levels have also declined. Production levels have gone down owing to cut-throat competition from emerging world producers like China and other Asian Countries. An attempt by the households to save more from a given income led to the decrease in actual amount they succeeded to save-paradox of thrift, (Lachman, 2008). Different reasons can however be put forward to explain the causes of this recession; 1) The outgoing administration’s short term reaction that they gave the economy before the 2004 and 2006 elections through a combination of large tax cuts and large increase in military spending. This ended up being a waste as billions of dollars were spent on a futile war (Trembley, 2007) 2) Record budgetary and current account deficits have severely neutralized the federal monetary policy attitude, because interest rates cannot be reduced substantially for fear of a collapse of the US dollar from the federal budgetary deficits as they are being reigned on. (Lachman, 2008) 3) With all this taking place at the same time that the construction industry is in disarray and housing prices have tapered off or are declining. Be that as it may, it is important to note that home ownership is more widespread than stock ownership; slightly more than two thirds of Americans own their homes, while less than half own equities. The objective of the households is to maximize utility. By spending more on home ownership than on stocks, utility is attained quickly and it is within the consumers budget space (Ingdahl, 2008). 4) This rules the question of how long the American consumer will keep up the high pace of spending in such a context. During the years of the housing boom, consumer spending was driven by the accumulation of wealth and record consumer indebtedness, most of it in the form of mortgages as the price of houses increased. Now that the reverse is occurring and banks and other loaners are reclaiming property for unpaid debts, a retrenchment in consumer spending cannot be ruled out (Trembley, 2007). 5) Protectionist push from the Democrat controlled congress, risks putting in jeopardy the flow of capital of about $2 billion a day that the US economy is borrowing from abroad (mainly from China and Japan). Trade frictions between the US and China could force banks to raise interest rates and not lower them. In any case, the banks would not lower the interest rates as expected to make up for the housing crisis (Trembley, 2007). 6) Collapse of one and possibly several major financial institutions under the pressure of bad loans and record foreclosures (take possession of somebody’s property usually because they have not paid back an agreed part of the loan). Particularly at risk is the sum $2. 5 trillion mountain debt concentrated in sub primes and loans. One major sub prime lender, (New Century Financial) filed for bankruptcy protection. Others are likely to follow suite because 2007 was the year when a large number of sub prime real estate locus had to be renegotiated at higher interest rates. Foreclosures rate is bound to shoot upwards. This will culminate in the next few years into a financial hurricane (Trembley, 2007). 7) The seventh and final reason is a geopolitical factor. The outgoing US administration has created some tension between the US and some countries in the Middle East. The Middle East, is the world’s largest oil producing region. In the coming years, the world economy will have to adjust to a peak in oil production and higher prices after the current lull. Geoplitical mistakes made by the outgoing administration have turned the richest oil producing region into a hot war zone making the US economic situation disastrous (Lachman,2008). The above listed reasons shed some light on why the US economy could be undergoing some kind of recession. They however do not provide a conclusive explanation or reasons as to why the American economy could be in recession. Unlike other forecasts, one can only tell when recession started and ended after it has ended. The determination of recession is left to the National Bureau of Research (Campbell. R. M Stanley. L. B, 2005). However, it is possible to tell whether or not the economy is in recession by looking at past cases of recession. The great depression was the worst economic slump ever in the U. S history. It began in 1929 and lasted for close to a decade. Just like a recession, many factors led to the great depression; however, the main cause for the great depression was a combination of the greatly unequal distribution of wealth throughout the 1920’s and the extensive stock market speculation that took place during the latter part of the same decade. Money was distributed disparately between the rich and the middle-class, between industry and agriculture within the United States, and between the U. S and Europe. This imbalance of wealth created an unstable economy. The excessive speculation in the late 1920’s kept the stock market artificially high, but eventually lead to large market crashes, (Gusmorino, 1996). Almost eighty years later, the U. S might be facing the same situation though not as severe as it was then. Wealth disparities are all over the world today. Although the worst cases are not experienced in America, cases of unequal distribution of wealth are still in America. As mentioned earlier, the American household does not invest much on stocks but in acquisition of homes. Speculations in the stock market are relatively high though not as high as it was then. It is not easy to conclude that the American economy is in recession. Whether or not there is a recession, depends on both on actual economic activity and economic analysis in the future. The facts as they are right now, show that the American economy is in recession. REFERENCES. Campbell, R. M. Stanley, L. B. (2005). Economics: Principles, Problems, and Policies. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional. Gusmorino, P. A. (1996). Main causes of the Great Depression. Washington: Planet Press George, S. (2008). The New Paradigm for Financial Markets: The Credit Crisis of 2008 and What It Means. Chicago: Public Affairs. Furchgott, D. (2007). The Great Recession of 2008. New York: An over view of the US economy, (22) 9:31-35 Ingdahl, W. (2008). Global Financial Markets Want an Immediate, Bold, and Coordinated Policy Response. New York: London Press Lachman, D. (2008). What can global policymakers learn from the Swedish financial crisis of the early 1990s? Washington: US economic crisis, (31) 11:67-90. Trembley, R. (2007). A Slowdown or a Recession in the U. S. in 2008? Carlifonia: Global financial crisis, (14)6:101-143.

What Is Street Art Cultural Studies Essay

What Is Street Art Cultural Studies Essay Over the last decade, there has been an increasing interest in a transient form of art that is marking urban settings around the world and has developed a thriving culture. Street art is becoming a formless creature embracing art which is found and inspired by the urban environment. Some people consider this kind of art as controversial and offensive, although on the other hand others find it appealing and attractive. By nature, humans are expressive; they have been drawing on walls since the beginning of humanity. Street art is an ancient art form in a more complex society which requires no formal artistic training or schooling and that in itself makes it so globally appealing for any person regardless of their background to express themselves in ultimate freedom. The use of media has evolved but the message has always remained the same which always translates into freedom. Some people consider this very disturbing, while others find it beautiful. Whether it is interpreted as vandal ism or public art, it attracts interest around the world. Street art today and what it has evolved into is part of our pop culture whether people understand it or not. Clothes, shoes, toys, and more are influenced by street art on a daily basis. To some people, this is beautiful as long as is not being seen on their buildings and walls. As soon as they see it on a wall, they consider it as vandalism. This essay explores this long issue by researching the world of street art. Hopefully by the end of this essay a general conclusion will be extracted about how people react, feel and think about this way of expression but also what the society and the authorities could possibly do about it. The research for this project included an online survey that was answered by ninety six persons of different ages and nationalities. Chapter 1 What is street art and who are the artists that represented it? Street art is any type of art created outside in public view and is usually connected with social and political meaning. There are many different types of street art such as graffiti, sticker art, stencil, wheat pasting-street poster art, falsification of a street sign or an advertisement. Toward the end of the 1960s and in the beginning of the 1970s, children started writing their nicknames on walls, mailboxes and even in tubes and this came to be known as tagging. As hip hop culture spread from America, street art became a worldwide phenomenon growing in the 1980s as the symbolic language of the young population. It was then that street art became legally restricted and a conflict started between artists and the authorities. Even though this divergence arose, street art was widely spreading around the world during this decade and artists were adding more colours, different styles, creating or drawing comic heroes and imaginary faces. In addition, it attracted the attention of media, thus movies and magazines about street art begun to publish. Although street art is being used by many people, not all of them do it for the same reasons. There are artists that use street art as a mean to express themselves while others use it to communicate or raise awareness for social and political issues. Simply put, people see the empty spaces of the city as a blank canvas and want to be creative with the use of humour while others are more willing to take the risk of creating some sort of an illegal art. In some cases street art is being used as a mean of a memorial to a fellow man or a great artist that passed away. Through their work, artists aim to communicate with everyday people without the intent to offend or create a conflict but rather to create a connection with the general public through their artwork. There are many ways in which the types of street art can be graded, while some are considered as simple drawings on a wall, others are classified as actual works of art, depending on whether the artist was given permission to create it. The techniques used remain the same but having permission to express it changes the whole meaning since without any permission it is simply considered as vandalism. Vandalism is described as an inexcusable destruction of property, showing to have negative effects on its setting. Criminologists have also observed that vandalism has a snowball effect on causing negative effects in its surrounding environment. Dr. George Kelling and Dr. James Q. Wilson have studied the effects of a broken window case, a disorder in an urban setting and concluded that even one instance of neglect can lead to the possibility of more incidences like that one to appear. Furthermore, an increase in actual violent crimes led researchers to the conclusion of a direct link between street violence, vandalism and the decline of the society (Broken window theory) (Art Radar Asia, 2010). Whichever way is referred as, vandalism or art, this way of expression has been a worldwide phenomenon as well as the artists that represent it. There are hundreds of street artists whose work and projects made this type of art one of the most debated issue in the world of art. With their own unique way, they have managed to spread this phenomenon all over the world and put themselves on the map just by doing what they like. Using their skills and imagination they have found a way to express themselves and offer some people the chance to embrace something really beautiful and not to see it as something that others consider vandalism. Nevertheless, these refined artists have attracted the interest of the world. Keith Haring was one of the first street artists and consequently, responsible for the spread of this kind of art. Haring was studying to be a commercial graphic artist but after two semesters in the Ivy School of Professional Art in Pittsburgh he realized that he only had little to no interest in that, so he dropped out. He kept working and studying on his own, but choosing to move to New York and enrol in the School of Visual Arts, came as an inspiration to work on an alternative outside landscape of creativity. He was first inspired by an empty black panel that was used for advertising. Haring thought that it was a perfect place to draw on so he went after to buy a box of white chalk from a card shop and he started to do so. The white chalk was perfect on the black paper and thats why following that, he kept drawing on all of the black spaces that came to his attention. People seemed to show respect for what they saw and surprisingly did not try to mess it up. The subway pictures evolved into a new medium of communication as the images created travelled the world through magazines and television. He was immediately actively involved in the city of New York and the hip hop scene including rap music, break dancing and graffiti. This kept on going for the following five years showing that it was reaching all kinds of viewers from various social and ethical backgrounds (David Sheff, 1989). Banksy is another well-known street artist whose work is responsible for the popularity of street art as it is now. Despite the fact that he is from Easton, his artistic home is the streets of London. He began his career as a graffiti writer and later on he progressed to the use of stencils because it was quicker to apply and on effect it created a harder impact, which has always been essential for his work. In his mind he cannot accept the fact that this kind of art could work indoors as he likens it with the domestication of an animal- turning a wild creature into a sterile and languid pet. He believes that this is an outdoor art and should remain as it is even though some people get a lot of comfort from being indoors. It is very different to paint in the street having to capture a burst of adrenaline enhanced by the thought of being arrested rather than to do it in a cosy studio while drinking coffee (Ossian Ward, 2010). It seems like for some people the search for inspiration goes beyond their limits. Maybe the people who steal graffiti off walls are on to something the edge is still there. But those people are funny they ask me for a letter of authentication saying I painted a certain piece, but thats basically a signed confession on headed notepaper. (Ossian Ward, 2010) C215 is a French artist who started drawing as a teenager in the city of Orleans in France and now he paints portraits worldwide. He has a special technique in which he makes the stencils by hand without the use of computer. His work can be seen around the world in many cities such as Rome, Barcelona, London, and Berlin. C215 uses stencil because as he says the stencil allows him to combine his two passions, drawing and graffiti. He mostly paints people who experience the life of being in the street such as refugees, tramps and street kids. The great philosopher Heraclitus said: No man ever steps in the same river twice. Similarly C215 believes that no one can compare every life event and every period to anything else because they are unique (Vincent Morgan, 2009). Jerome G Demuth is a street artist from Paris. G is the nickname he uses for his activities in the streets. He was a photographer and now he found a way to show his work in the streets using large scale technical print like a photo placed on a billboard. Pasting a photo on a billboard was actually the first thing he did nine years ago. He tries to illustrate the way he sees life and society. Through his work he wants to raise peoples awareness about respect and love for earth and other humans instead of caring only about money and success. In general, he tries to show them that they could have an alternative way of life. One of his most well-known projects is the installation of swings in many cities and calls them Swing Cities. Another street artist is Ink 187 or also known as Oiler, coming from Los Angeles, California. The nickname Oiler as he says is due to the fact that he is too slick. He is a tattoo lover and thats why he is called Ink. 187 is in a memorial for a friend of him. Oiler is a graffiti artist and through his work, expresses his feelings and emotions. After being expelled from the state of California due to graffiti presence, Oiler became a mentor for young artists in North Portland and tries to help them practise their art legally. Putting his past behind him, he hopes for a better life and future. He tries to keep his graffiti on t-shirts and paper hoping to start a career in fashion. He has on his mind that if artists use their talents legally, street art could become profitable. It does not matter where they are from and what techniques they use. Street artist just want to share their thoughts and believes. Others do it for their social concern and others for their own personal satisfaction. Nevertheless, they do not want to offend anyone with their work, rather than to raise their attention towards its prosperity. No matter what happens there will always be a conflict between people concerning street art. Most importantly, there will always be people against this type of art. Chapter 2 How do people and society perceive street art? Todays youth uses street art to portray their social and political views. In order to make their mark, artists choose high traffic areas to express themselves in order to spread their messages broadly. The reason is that by displaying a unique artistic creation people cannot miss it as they walk by, thus it serves their cause efficiently. They could easily use a social network to express an idea but unquestionably that is not as effective as street art. Over the recent years, it came to be as a form of communication. Since young people are not as interested in the news, the modern urban feel of street art combined with its awareness of political and social changes makes it perfect for almost everyone. Some people even though they enjoy street art, they do not agree with it when it expresses political views. They prefer to see something entertaining and humorous instead of a message containing political views. In some neighbourhoods, sometimes gangs use street art in order to mark their territory or their crews power and status. They mark their territorial boundaries as a warning to other gangs as well as to the police. Sometimes a gangs graffiti sign or symbol may also be a memorial to a fellow fallen gang member. Because of the connection between gangs and street art, it has stereotyped the art and influenced society to relate it particularly with street violence and crime. However, the last couple of years, people have been accepting this type of art and the majority enjoys seeing it. They believe that living in a neighbourhood where street art is being displayed shows the uniqueness of every place, its identity. Grey bowing buildings are transformed into something alive and admirable. Even when a person sees street art outside his window, it has an effect on his mood. It can create a warmer atmosphere which at the same time can create a feeling of being somewhere different, a better, m ore desirable place. On the other hand, some people say that they do not like it in their neighbourhood. According to their views, it states a sense of anarchy, violence and moreover destroys the appearance of buildings, parks and streets. This of course depends on what the artist creates. (see appendix 4) It makes sense when the members of the community get angry when vandals deface their properties, homes and public spaces making it clear that an effective approach to manage street art should incorporate the removal of unwanted or even offensive wall paintings. Nevertheless, the zero tolerance policy is self-contradictory. Many young artists experience frustration and disappointment towards the criminalisation of their art and as a result they rebel against the local authorities, perpetuating more illegal creations (Moo, E. Wardle, F. Lyons, S. Heim, J. Wodds Alum, E. 2009). Paintings expressed on walls are not equivalent to the paintings hung on the walls and this is apparent by how street art is perceived by the general population. The act of taking the street art from the outside of a building and placing it inside of a building completely changes the work from anarchy to artistry and consequently vandalism gains value. There is a substantial increase in people who believe that street art should be displayed in indoor places. Some though may argue that by doing this, the meaning of this particular art changes completely. Nowadays the number of people visiting galleries is decreasing and even less of them have the funds to organise a gallery exhibition. This is one of the reasons why these artists have turned public walls into their canvases in order to express themselves and even evolve their skills, which could not be done on an average piece of canvas. It could be seen as a privilege to the society that so many people are given the opportunity to vi ew such works of art free of charge. Some people find it as a nice vibrant change after seeing hundreds of generic bland advertisements on a daily basis. As soon as street art crossed over from criminal to commercial, it stopped being an expression and became an industry of its own. The street art has started receiving international approval in the latest years with artists, such as the mysterious Bansky, selling their creations at Sothebys for huge amounts of money. Nowadays, prestigious galleries exhibit street art and collectives have been formed in many cities all over the world. Several books have published the colourful displays of public art which has reached critical mass around the world, even though it is still considered illegal as a form of expression and a street crime (Lonely Planet, 2010). There is a correlation between the artistic approach of the artists and the cities concerns as it helps the culture programming for attracting the tourists, aids in the institutional communication of social action in poor neighbourhoods and informs about the local economy. Huge events attracting impressive crowds are developing street art and contribute to the European Capitals of Culture success. More than 100 000 people from Porto, Graz, Brussels and Copenhagen are drawn to these events as Lille has recorder approximately 600 000. They are mostly happening in the city centres while other areas and rural zones also have a social and spatial integration call on street art. These artists usually work in abandoned districts or problematic places such as former factories, participating in linking territories and developing their projects in areas with little access to cultural events and products (Fitzcarraldo, 2007). An artist can paint the Mona Lisa on the front of a house and even though it can be considered as art by most people, according to the law its vandalism. Thus, reform comes into play and various actions can be taken to help legitimise street art. In order for this to happen, the government would need to cooperate with the general public and create a non-profit organisation which works to protect specific public spaces as well as graphic festivals could be organised and designated areas for artists to express themselves could be given. In contrast with the societal views regarding street art, many benefits were raised that are usually ignored. As any kind of art, similarly, street art is an expression of the artists feelings and emotions. There are no legal opportunities for these young artists to create, develop and exhibit their work which is clearly and fundamentally a kind of art and not vandalism in action. Society should accept this form of art and protect it before the situation becomes worse. Street artists want to be considered, recognised and respected as artists (Rae Ferris, 2008). Chapter 3 Survey findings and analysis For the needs of this essay a survey was completed by the public. In the survey there were questions asking peoples opinion about street art in relation to their educational level, age, gender and the place they grew up. Due to the fact that each country deals with this issue differently, people may respond differently as well. Also their age and level of education is important since, it is possible to affect their opinion. The results obtained from the survey were analysed by SPSS. Interestingly, the results show that most of the respondents find this way of expression entertaining, beautiful and appealing to the eye rather than offensive and violent. (See appendix 1) On a question about whether street art should be displayed in streets most of the answers were positive. Nevertheless, it can be seen on appendix 2 that less people think it should be displayed in indoor places. They believe that street art should be displayed in its original environment. The age group thirty to thirty-nine, answered that they do not have a strong opinion about this kind of art being displayed in streets, but they strongly disagree with the idea of being displayed in indoor places. Furthermore, results showed that people between the ages of thirties-thirty nine disagree with street art that expresses political views but they agree with it when it expresses the artists him/herself. According to the findings displayed in appendix 3 younger people and people between the ages of forty to forty nine agree with street art displaying political messages. In the question whether people agree or disagree with graphic festivals being organized and designated areas for artists to express themselves being created, most people agree. By giving the artists a place to do whatever they feel, will reduce the unwanted. (see appendix 5) Overall, the feedback that was extracted from the survey was really positive and in most cases it can suggest that no matter what their age, gender, level of education or nationality people feel the same way about street art. Conclusion Art or vandalism; street art can be considered as both, due to the fact that is done on a public property which is more likely to offend anyone out there. However, there is no doubt that these people both influence and express the feelings of many other people in the society. This is the reason that there is great centralisation in each event they organise and the support they get from all over the world (Bret McNee, 2009). The definition of what is considered as art can be argued to no end but the government cannot define what that is yet, therefore street art requires social acceptance through legitimacy to be accepted as art. These street artists do not aspire to change the definition of their artwork but rather question the existing environment around them in their own language. Through their works, they aim to communicate with everyday people about socially relevant issues without any intention to offend or to create a conflict but rather make a connection with the general public through their artwork. People can argue for or against street art over and over again without coming up with a worldwide acceptable decision. There will always be disagreements. That is what makes street art interesting. It cannot be held, but it can be seen everywhere. It cannot be bought but it is often used to sell everything. Art is created to be seen and enjoyed, debated and discussed. Appendices Appendix 1 Appendix 2 Appendix 3 Appendix 4 Appendix 5 References

Free Catcher in the Rye Essays: The Fake Holden :: Catcher Rye Essays

Fake Holden in The Catcher in the Rye  Ã‚   In The Catcher in the Rye, a boy named Holden Caulfield is faced with the obstacles of both society and life as he struggles to find direction as well as his relationship with the world. From page one, the reader can both understand and relate to what Holden has to say about the society in which we live and the way in which people in that society govern themselves. The more we read the more we identify with Holden Caulfield. It seems like the typical, adolescent dilemma: How do I find my place in this life? Well, in most respects, Holden is not unlike the typical teenager. He, too, is on his own quest in order to find himself. He needs to find acceptance. Going to school at Pency, Holden becomes the manager for the fencing team. In doing so, he tried to gain friends as well as social status within his peers. Even then the whole team ostracized" (pg. 3) him. Like most teens at that age, Holden was having trouble gaining acceptance and making friends. It seems like the typical, adolescent dilemma: How do I find my place in this life? Well, in most respects, Holden is not unlike the typical teenager. He, too, is on his own quest in order to find himself. He needs to find acceptance. Going to school at Pency, Holden becomes the manager for the fencing team. In doing so, he tried to gain friends as well as social status within his peers. Even then the whole team ostracized" (pg. 3) him. Like most teens at that age, Holden was having trouble gaining acceptance and making friends. I'm the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life. It's awful. If I'm on my way to the store to buy a magazine, even, and somebody asks me where I'm going, I'm liable to say I'm going to the opera. It's terrible. (pg.16) Holden's ability to lie is one of the first traits that he reveals about himself. He takes pride in saying that he is a good liar. His inability to have normal conversations and relationships is possibly one of the factors that has him shunned by his peers. Holden's insecurity is one of the reasons for his compulsive lying. This, in turn, is why he can't find his place in the world.

Panic Attack Outline Essay

I. Introduction A. Panic Attacks are a form of Anxiety characterized by unexpected and repeated episodes of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms. B. Panic Attack disorder affects about 6 million American adults and is twice as common in women as men. (Huppert) C. Panic Attacks often begin in late adolescence or early adulthood, but not everyone who experiences panic attacks will develop panic disorder. II. Thesis Statement A. Panic Attacks can occur at any time, even while sleeping. B. I would like to discuss this disabling condition and how most people go undiagnosed and untreated. (Ebell) III. Body A. Many people have just one or two panic attacks in their lifetimes, and the problem goes away, perhaps when a stressful situation ends. 1. But if you’ve had recurrent, unexpected panic attacks and spent long periods in constant fear of another attack, you may have a condition called panic disorder. 2. Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia, in which people experience seemingly out-of-the-blue panic attacks. a. Sometimes they develop a fear of going into places where they have had previous panic attacks. About one in three people with panic disorder develops agoraphobia. b. They stick to places they consider safe, and avoid public places (such as malls, trains, and stadiums) where escape may be difficult. c. Some people develop a fixed route or territory, and it may become impossible for them to travel beyond their safety zones without suffering severe anxiety. (A.P.A.) B. Panic attacks were once dismissed as nerves or stress, but they’re now realized as a real medical condition. 1. Although can significantly affect your quality of life, treatment can be very effective. 2. A person with panic disorder may become discouraged and feel ashamed because he or she cannot carry out normal routines like going to the grocery store or driving. Having panic disorder can also interfere with school or work. C. Panic attacks typically begin suddenly, without warning. 1. They can strike at almost any time — when you’re driving the car, at the mall, sound asleep or in the middle of a business meeting. 2. Panic attacks have many variations, but symptoms usually peak within 10 minutes. You may feel fatigued and worn out after a panic attack subsides. a. Panic attacks typically include a few or many of these symptoms: Sense of impending doom or danger, fear of loss of control or death, rapid heart rate, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, hyperventilation, chills, hot flashes, nausea, abdominal cramping, chest pain, headache, dizziness, faintness, tightness in your throat, and trouble swallowing. b. One of the worst things about panic attacks is the intense fear that you’ll have another one. You may fear having a panic attack so much that you avoid situations where they may occur. You may even feel unable to leave your home (agoraphobia) because no place feels safe. (Iacoviello) IV. When to see a doctor. A. If you have any panic attack symptoms, seek medical help as soon as possible. 1. Panic attacks are hard to manage on your own, and they may get worse without treatment. 2. And because panic attack symptoms can also resemble other serious health problems, such as a heart attack, it’s important to get evaluated by your health care provider if you aren’t sure what’s causing your symptoms. B. Early treatment can often prevent agoraphobia, but people with panic disorder may sometimes go from doctor to doctor for years and visit the emergency room repeatedly before someone correctly diagnoses their condition. 1. This is unfortunate, because panic disorder is one of the most treatable of all the anxiety disorders, responding in most cases to certain kinds of medication or certain kinds of cognitive psychotherapy, which help change thinking patterns that lead to fear and anxiety. (Ebell) 2. First, talk to your doctor about your symptoms. Your doctor should do an exam to make sure that another physical problem isn’t causing the symptoms. The doctor may refer you to a mental health specialist. V. Causes A. It’s not known what causes panic attacks or panic disorder, but these factors may play a role: 1. Genetics. 2. Major stress. 3. Temperament that is more susceptible to stress. 4. Certain changes in the way parts of your brain function. B. Some research suggests that your body’s natural fight-or-flight response to danger is involved in panic attacks. 1. For example, if a grizzly bear  came after you, your body would react instinctively. Your heart rate and breathing would speed up as your body prepared itself for a life-threatening situation. 2. Many of the same reactions occur in a panic attack. But it’s not known why a panic attack occurs when there’s no obvious danger present. VI. Risk Factors A. Symptoms of panic disorder often start in the late teens or early adulthood and affect more women than men. B. Factors that may increase the risk of developing panic attacks or panic disorder include: 1. Family history of panic attacks or panic disorder. 2. Significant stress. 3. Death or serious illness of a loved one. 4. Major changes in your life, such as the addition of a baby. 5. History of childhood physical or sexual abuse. 6. Experiencing a traumatic event, such as an accident or sexual assault. (A.P.A) VII. Treatment. A. Psychotherapy, also called talk or behavior therapy, is considered an effective first choice treatment for panic attacks and panic disorder. 1. Psychotherapy can help you understand panic attacks and panic disorder and learn how to cope with them. 2. Cognitive behavioral therapy can help you learn through your own experience that panic symptoms are not dangerous. a. During therapy sessions, your therapist will help you gradually re-create the symptoms of a panic attack in a safe, supportive setting. b. Once the physical sensations of panic no longer seem threatening, the attacks begin to resolve. c. Successful treatment can also help you overcome fears of situations that you’ve been avoiding because of panic attacks. B. Medications (US DH&HS) 1. Medications can help reduce symptoms associated with panic attacks as well as depression if that’s an issue for you. Several types of medication have been shown to be effective in managing symptoms of panic attacks, including: a. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). b. Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). c.  Benzodiazepines. VIII. Prevention. A. There’s no sure way to prevent panic attacks or panic disorder. However, these recommendations may help. B. Get treatment for panic attacks as soon as possible to help stop them from getting worse or becoming more frequent. C. Stick with your treatment plan to help prevent relapses or worsening of panic attack symptoms. D. Get regular physical activity, which may play a role in protecting against anxiety. IX. In Conclusion A. Panic Attacks are very real and can happen to anyone at any given time. B. Be aware of yourself and everyone around you; never know when a panic attack can occur. Any Questions? Bibliography American Psychiatric Association (2009). Practice guideline for the treatment of patients with panic disorder. Available online: http://psychiatryonline.org/guidelines.aspx. Ebell MH. Diagnosis of anxiety disorders in primary care. Am Fam Physician. 2008 Aug 15;78(4):501-2. Huppert JC, et al. (2009). Anxiety disorders: Cognitive-behavioral therapy. In BJ Sadock et al., eds., Kaplan and Sadock’s Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry, 9th ed., vol. 1, pp. 1915–1926. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. Iacoviello BM, Mathew SJ (2010). Anxiety disorder. In EG Nabel, ed., ACP Medicine, section 13, chap. 1. Hamilton, ON: BC Decker. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2008). 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (ODPHP Publication No. U0036). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Website: http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/guidelines/default.aspx.

External Resources Salary Surveys Example

External Resources Salary Surveys Example External Resources & Salary Surveys – Assignment Example External Resources and Salary Survey First Affiliation Discussion One The development of a compensation scheme is one of the most difficult things that an individual can engage in. This is because there are various variables and externalities that come into perspective. In this regard, it may be significant to note that developing this plan from a single resource may bring about results that are of a skewed nature and those which may not necessarily reflect the real happenings in the job market in relation to the particular job being assessed. For this reason, it is of the essence to employ other resources which will serve as pointers to the real happenings in the job market. An example of such a resource is the PayScale website. This particular resource is one which can provide a significant amount of data which will be beneficial in designing the compensation plan. For starters, the data that is in the website is an overall analysis of the various jobs that are in the many different companies. The result of this is that in the development of the compensation scheme for a given organization, the individual responsible is able to have an overall view of the industry as opposed to maybe examining just a single entity. There are some measures which can be implemented for the purpose of developing a competitive compensation scheme. The first one in this case is to compare the specific job and the compensation analysis on the website. The second strategy that can be implemented is offering a higher compensation package for specific jobs in relation to other firms. In these, the qualifications are usually higher in relation to others. Finally, the other strategy which can be implemented is the development of additional perks which may be more of incentives for the working individuals. An example in this case is holiday packages among others. Discussion Two The profession in this case is the accountancy profession. The individuals who make up this profession are charged with the responsibility of providing and communicating financial information which pertains to an organization or business entity. The principles of accounting are applied in the development of this financial information which is deemed relevant to the users. In this case, the individuals in this profession are seem to engage in quite a lot of activities for the purpose of achieving their work objectives. In this particular regard, there are some issues which the salary survey would like to address or rather unravel. Survey Questions 1. What does the accounting profession entail and what are the academic requirements for one to be a member of the profession? 2. Is it possible that the current compensation plan and salary for the individuals cater meeting up with the work which accountants engage in? 3. What is the current salary for the individual with the highest position in the industry and what is an individual with a low position in the profession receiving? 4. What should be changed in relation to the compensation scheme for this job? 5. How does the compensation of the accounting profession compare to other profession? It is satisfactory? References WorldatWork. (2007). The WorldatWork handbook of compensation, benefits, & total rewards. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons