Philippine Independent Cinema Essay

Independent films, more commonly known as indie films, are films not made by mainstream production houses or movie studios. They are independent of the influences, authority, and control of the mainstream industry (Makuha, 2010). The emergence of new and highly-advanced cameras in the market and the advancement of technology have spawned the growth of indie films. This allowed anyone to create his or her own film in accordance to his or her own style without the influences of mainstream movies, which indeed have good effects on the film industry, especially in the Philippines. These films became more noticed and more important and they have saved the slowly dying film industry (Makuha, 2010). Read more:Â  Essay About Philippine Independent Cinema In the brief history of film, advances in technology have from time to time challenged and changed industry models. These advances have wrought their most significant changes on independent sectors of the movie business. In the glory days of the studio system, a parallel or serious rival to that system coming from the independent industry would be unthinkable; the cost and challenge of production and post-production was prohibitive, difficulties of promotion insurmountable. The Internet and many new digital distribution technologies are now starting to remove barriers for the makers and distributors of independent films (Landers, 2006). The development of the 16mm camera and advances in sound technology made it possible, though still difficult, for individuals or small groups of filmmakers to make their vision clear – something rarely possible in the days of the Edison monopoly on technology, or the prohibitive cost of 35mm cameras and professional lighting setups. The challenges of film making were still large in number, but the development of an independent sector of the industry forced the majors to take notice, though the development of subsidiaries specifically tasked to take note of and distribute promising independent films failed to materialize. Independent film had a confined audience, generally limited to subcultures of underground or experimental film. (Such audiences were often primarily composed of fellow filmmakers – though it bears noting that in many cases, these self-selecting individuals were not those who would turn out to view a majority of the studio efforts.) (Tioseco, 2005) Within the last several decades, advances in digital cinema have furthered a similar and all the more powerful renaissance. High-resolution digital video offers an image quality that rivals that of film stock, while video camcorders, and relatively affordable professional-quality editing software capable of being run on inexpensive PCs have made the production and post-production process possible, reasonable and accessible for a substantial number of individuals. With the resulting increase in the number and quality of such films being made, a resulting cultural scene emerged alongside, but not quite outside, the mainstream (Landers, 2006).

Chinese Architecture and Feng Shui: The Siamese Twins Essay

Chinese architecture and Feng Shui   are pronounced in the same breath as both have come a long way together since the last 4000 years, and now Feng-Shui (Air-Water, literally) has caught the mind all around globe. Feng Shui is, in fact, an ethnic philosophy of China dealing with the basic principles of living while extending its wings into astrology and other paranormal sources that people believe are associated with longevity and good luck. No wonder then, it continued to govern the Chinese society since its advent and also became evolved with time to match the stride of the civilization, thereby influencing the living of its believers in every strata. Off late, Feng Shui has been seriously considered as an important tool in architecture around the globe. INTRODUCTION Quin niao tse, an officer in the Yellow Emperor’s regime is believed to be the originator or the propagator of Feng Shui, and accordingly once it was called as the ‘Art of Qin niao tse’, though any documentation of his work is considered to be lost (Too, 1996). However, Feng Shui today   is known as the ‘art of placement’. The Feng Shui literature primarily describes the earth as a living being, having energy channels. They call them as the ‘veins of the dragon’ and earmark the convergence points of those channels as auspicious sites. It embedded Taoism[1]  on its journey, and as an effect, Chinese people accepted its explanation and concretized its foundation by practicing it in the various spheres of their living, of which architecture had been heavily influenced. Incubating Period Conforming with Taoism, it soon established two schools, viz., the ‘Direction School’ and the ‘Situation School’, with one complementing the other. They still exists, where The Direction School deals with the accurate alignment of the site and the building with the stars. It is based on the theory of five elements, eight characters of birth and eight triagrams of ‘I Ching’. The Situation School deals with the significance of shapes, height the mountains, speed and curves of the water bodies (Too, 1996). This twin aspects of Feng Shui became popular enough to be spread out not only in the whole of China, but also in its neighboring countries. This generated an extended interest on further study and development of the subject as a whole, and that resulted into the birth of another branch that started to work on the dimension of timing, based on the belief that every piece of land goes through a cycle of good and bad luck. This idea influenced the monarchy to such an extent that they became choosy even about their burial sites; as that, according to the new branch, had some bearing on the longevity of the ruling dynasty. Ming Tombs of Beijing still stands as a proof of such belief beheld by the rulers of the Ming dynasty. (1368-1644). Like every philosophy or idea, Feng Shui also had to face a great deal of upheaval. In its traced track of existence, it faced ban twice, once in the time of Yuan dynasty (Mongols invaders) and in 1949, when the communist government of China found it a superstitious practice (Traditional, 2006). But, as the wise says, old habits die hard; Feng Shui has gradually bounced back and at present is doing a roaring business all around the globe where the Chinese themselves have become a minor entrepreneur. Taking clue from the growing market, other ethnic ideas of China, like astrology or acupressure, have also been embedded with Feng Shui to create a   comprehensive living solution. How Feng Shui Influences Architecture Feasibility of certain requirements of living always determines the viability of any architectural project. At the first level it deals with easy accessibility to the site, height and shape of the land, easy availability of water, scope for proper sewerage, free flow of clean air etc. If the primary conditions prove conducive, then the architects emphasize on the second level, where they check and decide on the appropriateness of external and the internal structure of the proposed construction. After that come the factors related to aesthetics or special features, which could enhance the scope to exploit the surrounding environment. All these levels of considerations are equally important for both the intended dwellers of the proposed constructions and its surroundings. Since Feng Shui claims to have better prescriptions for all those three levels of consideration along with its huge list of advices on actual living principles,   it has tremendous influence of architecture industry, as that is being proved even today. The Basics of Feng Shui Feng Shui claims to assess and identify the positive and negative aspects of a place through its system based on a theory of Yin(the feminine force) and Yang(the male force), the two opposite yet complementary forces which are believed to be the cause of life and death, where Yin is considered as earth and   Yin as heaven. There is a symbolic representation of the duo as well, where a line of two dashes represents Yin and a continuous line denotes Yang, while each is being derived from a square and a circle, which represent the earth and heaven respectively.   Yin and Yang take a set of five elements like Earth, Fire, Metal, Wood and Water to assess and decide on the preconditions of living. Though it is difficult to summarize the huge connotation behind this dualistic philosophy of Yin and Yang, yet it can be said that it propagates to use the right quotient among divergent forces like Heaven, Human being, and Earth  to achieve balance and harmony in life. Yin and Yang theory is then joined by Bagua theory, which consists of eight triagrams, known by the names like Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Li, Kan, Dui and Gen. Combination of these are used to draw a hypothesis about possible future events to take place in the house. In the end Tao, Yin-Yang theory and Bagua theory work together to enhance and maintain ‘Chi’, the vital life-force behind everything (Too, 1996). Thus, encompassing the environmental, philosophical and spiritual factor, Feng Shui suggests about the best possible order and placement of the objects to attain peace or harmony or the other results as desired by the owner of a house. In the process it involves itself into further details like assessing the zodiacal placement of the prospective dwellers to present a tailor-made prescription for the design and lay-out for their house, covering both the interior and exterior of it. How It Works Feng Shui has a set of grammar to follow. It starts with prescribing the possible right directions of a site according to its surroundings (Fong). It identifies one direction as the attributors of certain elements and earmarks certain functions of the house-to-be to that direction. A quick glance on such a list would explain the subject further: North East: The Area of Education: represented by Earth element; North: The Area of Career Luck: represented by Water element; Northwest: Area of Mentor Luck: represented by Metal element; West: Area of the Descendants’ Luck: represented by Metal element; Southwest: Area of Love Y Marriage Luck: represented by Earth element; South: Area of Fame and Luck: represented by Fire element; Southeast: Area of Wealth Luck: represented by Wood element; East: Area of Health and Family Luck: represented by Wood element. Various shapes and colors are also believed to be associated with the above directions along with numbers; they are calculated on the basis of the of the owner’s gender and zodiacal data. According to Feng Shui, the productive cycle of the elements work out in the following directions: Earth > Fire > Wood > Water > Metal Lucky Talisman There are a few objects that are considered as the provider of luck and Chi according to the Feng Shui myths and legends (Tips, 2006). The most popular ones are: the artifacts like Three-legged toad with a coin in its mouth, bunch of Chinese coins tagged in a red ribbon, the wind-chimes, golden dragon fish, gem trees, crystal globe or other crystal artifacts, tortoises, fruit trees, ships, hens, Mandarin ducks, etc. They are advised to place in the strategic positions according to the need of the householders. CONCLUSION Applying calculations involving all these factors mentioned, Feng Shui determines the best possible living solutions for people. Starting from prescribing for a township, it can go down to the minutest details to determine even the placement of small items in a house. In all, Feng Shui’s utility value is great in the sense that creates awareness about healthy and prosperous living, which the modern world embraced and working on for the sustainable development of the societies across the globe. References Feng Shui Tips: 2006 retrieved March 14, 2007, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.lillian-too.com/fstips.php Fong, H.  What You Absolutely Must Know Before You Buy A House: pdf, retrieved   Ã‚  Ã‚   March 14, 2007, from http://www.henryfong.com Too, L. (1996). The Complete Illustrated Guide to Feng Shui: How to Apply the Secrets   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   of Chinese Wisdom for Health, Wealth and Happiness.  Element Books Traditional Feng Shui: 2006, retrieved March 14, 2007, retrieved from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.traditionalfengshui.com/content/feng_shui_consultation.php [1]  Tao (pathway to life), ancient Chinese philosophy on understanding of cosmology, astronomy, and the astrophysics.

Interview with Makeup Artist Sephora Essay

Being a makeup artist requires a lot of hard work, precision, and artistry. It is a job that is challenging, yet rewarding. Meet David. David is a 24 year old makeup artist who currently works as a beauty advisor at Sephora on 42nd and Madison. David was also interested on being on the Sephora Pro Beauty Team, but told me that is a task he is working on and will further take on in the coming time. He spends hours by the day helping clients do a color match, give advice on brands, or doing a Custom Makeup Application, or CMA for short. These applications are done when a customer spends at least $50 on any product in Sephora. The client will sit down with a beauty specialist and have a full face of makeup done. I got the chance to follow David as he worked with different clients, and I also got the chance to ask him a few questions, along with some opinions he threw at me. David is well.. of course, employed by Sephora. During the week, he usually works four days a week from about 12pm to 9pm. He told me that mid shifts are the best, because they are usually the busiest and time goes by quickly without even noticing. For his time and effort, Sephora compensates him with $11. 50 an hour without commission. I found that David is not usually at the location at 42nd and Madison, but is normally located in the Times Square location next to McDonalds on 42nd and 7th. David started working with the company in 2009, making it three years since starting with the company. He got the job, just like any of us would have gone to apply for any other job. He filed out an application along with a resume and hoped for the best. David is very interested in cosmetics, and he told me that he uses all Makeup Forever Products. He likes them because of the ease of application and the natural look that comes with it. The line makes your skin look flawless and makes pictures look amazing. When it comes down to applying makeup to clients, David likes to use Bobbi Brown products, along with a few products from the Makeup Forever collection. Also, I noticed that he uses the Smashbox Primer â€Å"Photo Finish. † It seemed like they were trying to push this product a little bit. They clean the brushes before each application, and they also remove any dirt, oils, or makeup from the face. Make overs do differ from consumer to consumer. A client who is fair skinned has a completely different complexion than someone who may be dark skinned. The products do vary between clients. There was a woman that David was working with who said she was, â€Å"new to makeup† and wanted to learn more about application. David started her off with a tinted moisturizer to see how that felt on her face, judging whether or not she would like more coverage. With most clients, they pushed a lot of the Makeup Forever products, being that it is Sephora’s private brand. They did somewhat of a soft sell, being that they told you the name of the product before they put it on. I did notice they would take a brand new product off of the shelf and place it in front of you. David did this with most of the products he applied to his clients. During my time with David, I did not feel pressured to buy anything. He explained to me where he was applying each product and what it did to the face. For the first time, I had contouring done, and I loved the final look of it. It definitely defined the face and I honestly had no idea it came in a powder. I always figured it came in a liquid. My time with David was up, but I did manage to buy a few products. I bought a Sephora Pro foundation brush, along with the HD Microperfecting Powder. They were items I needed, but thanks to David’s help, I bought them right after my consultation with him. I did also spend the money because I found out how much the powder does make a difference after applying the makeup. It gives the face a matte look and also locks in the makeup to your face. The powder also absorbs oils and stays on all day. We all know that Sephora is a top leader in the retail industry when it comes to makeup, skincare, and cosmetics. According to what I found out from David, and just simply people watching at Sephora for about 2 hours, I feel like a company can make a lot of money if they have in store make overs. Unlike CVS and Duane Reade, where you cannot try the makeup, Sephora gives the client an opportunity to see the product on, live, and how he or she wants to see it. It reduces the chance for returns of a product because of the testing beforehand. Companies can greatly impact a sale if they incorporate this technique into a store. Not only will it give people a place to try new products, it gives the client more of an opportunity to work with an advisor, like David. People need help when they try new things on their own sometimes. So when all comes down to store make overs, they are a total win and a great way to communicate with a client.

BIOGRAPHY OF OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II Research Paper - 1

BIOGRAPHY OF OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II - Research Paper Example As a youth, Oscar dabbled in theatrical undertakings debuting at his public school in a Christmas procession. He started his piano lessons when he was nine years old. The death of his mother, however, when he was only fifteen ruined his happy childhood (Notablebiographies.com, 3). During his formative years, Oscar was greatly involved in theatrical activities. Nevertheless, when he was choosing a career his father kept him back from theater. He sent him to Columbia University to study law. However, his father died in the year 1914 leaving him reliant on family members who were more theatrically inclined (Notablebiographies.com, 3). While at Columbia University, Oscar essentially started his career in theater. At the age of 19, he became a member of the Columbia University Players and took part in ‘On Your Way,’ the 1915 Varsity review. For several years, he was a close follower of the student shows and he participated both as a performer and a writer (Pbs.org, 2). After finishing his first year in law school, Oscar was able to convince his uncle to take him in on one of his shows at the capacity of an assistant stage manager. By the year 1919, his uncle made him the production stage manager for all his shows. In this capacity, Oscar managed to do write and re-write on development scripts. In the long run, he began writing musical comedies of his own (Pbs.org, 3). In the year 1917, Oscar married Mary Flynn, who begot him two children namely Alice and William, who later became a theater producer-director. In the year 1929, Oscar divorced Flynn and married Dorothy Blanchard Jacobson and they got a son called James Hammerstein who became a director of theater (Hischak, 81). Soon after marrying Flynn, Oscar wrote ‘The Light’, his first play. His production started in 1919 but it was stopped after only lasted four performances. He stepped back and evaluated what

Americans Start to Curb Their Thirst for Gasoline Article

Americans Start to Curb Their Thirst for Gasoline - Article Example Some consumers can also maintain the consumption subject to believe that the prices will stabilize in a short while. Some consumers can resort to other energy sources like wind energy and geothermal energy sources. The automobile industry is engaging in technologically innovative ways of providing an alternative to gasoline consumption. The industry is producing hybrid class of vehicle, which can survive on rechargeable battery energy. The demand for gasoline has not decreased by a great margin given that there is a shift in the demand for gasoline. According to Campoy motor vehicles are considerably cheap and fuel efficient thus people could not stop buying cheap vehicle because of increase in gasoline prices (27). Most of the working class people drive to work .In this regard, they could not avoid work altogether due to gasoline price hike. The demand increase for vehicles during this period of gasoline increase culminated in a considerable increase in the demand for gasoline. This is because gasoline and motor vehicle are complementary goods, which have a positive price correlation. This is the reason for the shift in the demand for gasoline. This explains how the Americans have managed to solve the hike in prices of

Lack of communication between students and academic advisors Essay

Lack of communication between students and academic advisors - Essay Example First, students are not assigned to ‘individual advisors’; in other words, they keep on changing advisors as the course of their study progresses; hence, the problem crops up as a result of inconsistent communication. For sure, there are differences in advising strategies from one advisor to another so once a student is not being assigned to his or her individual advisor throughout the entire duration of the study, it only blurs the approaches that students will have to implement in their studies. Second is record keeping: the downside of having to be assigned to various teachers is the lack of constant communication and the disarray of record-keeping. As aforementioned, each advisor has varying counseling and advising strategies; and this only cause nothing but potential confusion on the part of the student. Because they are not assigned to a single advisor, chances are they are not going to develop a singular approach towards their study or research. And that is aside from the fact that they do not get to meet their advisor on a permanent basis. Lastly, the issues on policies whether to employ individual advising or one on one advising or not only exacerbate the situation: academic institutions should be able to address this concern once and for all. Lack of communication between students and advisors is a result of inconsistency of meetings between students and advisors. If we can get the students assigned to a single advisor throughout the entire duration of their study, then there is a greater chance that they will be able to complete their degrees; but again, the decision entirely depends on the policies of the schools. The above argument proves that each student should be given a separate student and not a horde of people who just care to get done with their work without much caring about the probable outcomes of their research. Coming to our main issue, dealing with the biased attitude towards students that are not assigned to individual ad visors. Coming to other questions which state that since this is such a small proportion of people so why such big enforcements are needed? The answer is that they are citizens too and thence it is their right to have everything that is destined for them. Though, this is agreed that there are laws for the disabled but how many people respect them? And how many universities; both private and state universities, follow the instructions laid down by the ADA act? So the duty falls upon the fellow students to minimize their biases and help push the implementation of policies that encourage assignment to individual advisors. Contentions on Policy Changes One particular reason as to why assigning students to individual advisors cannot be carried out is that the student to teacher ratio suggests it cannot be done. Well, that is if the intention is to assign one student per advisor and that is it. However, assignment of students to individual advisors should not be defined by claiming the en tire exclusivity of the advisor for the students advising needs for the entire duration of the study. The point is that students needs to have â€Å"

Textbook Reading Strategies Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Textbook Reading Strategies - Research Paper Example Also, the individual needs to think about any prior knowledge or information about the subject matter before reading. In the second step of question, the individual should read the subject as an exercise of critical thinking. The reader should prepare some questions about what information is required to be retrieved from the reading material and accordingly while reading the questions should be put up. Questions can be taken from end of chapter exercise; this allows the process of reading to be done with concentration as one is finding the answers to the question while reading. The third step is to read. The individual should carefully read all the material of the chapter paragraph by paragraph and ensure that nothing is missed. All the sections that are not clear in the first attempt of reading should be re-read. When unclear sections are re-read, the paragraph becomes clear and the reader understands what the section is about The fourth step is to record, once the individual has thoroughly read the chapter then now it is time to make notes for each section. The notes can be made for each of the headings of the chapter. Notes should be formed of the main points being discussed in each section. Notes should be such that when the reader reviews the notes, it should not be necessary to read the section again as all the main points of the section should be included in the notes. The fifth step is to recite. In this step, the individual should recite aloud the information gathered from each section of the chapter. By reciting the reading material aloud, one is able to store the information for a long term in their memory. Also the individual should explain the concepts of the chapter to someone else as this would ensure that the reader has understood everything. While explaining it to other, the reader would be able to recall many other things

Considering Divorce- Smart Marriges Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Considering Divorce- Smart Marriges - Essay Example Having been into a relationship with eight men so far in her life, Julie was able to make a checklist against which she would assess the qualities of men in the future. The one scoring full would be eligible to take her hand in hand. The list goes as follows: 1. He would be established in his life with a business worth at least $2 million 2. He would not have been into any relationship before meeting Julie 3. He would not be into a relationship with any woman in addition to Julie 4. He would love Julie by heart and would never leave her 5. He would not see his parents more than twice a year and would not spend more than twenty four hrs with them in the whole year 6. His love for Julie would not be driven by lust 7. He would love Julie for her personality rather than her body 8. He would be virgin †¦.and the list goes on! One day, Julie met Ben. Ben was from Holland and had come to Ontario for studies. Julie offered him to share her apartment. After spending a year with him, Juli e found Ben scoring full in her checklist. She had waited for so long for the right person to come into her life and there she had him. Julie had spent more than half of her youth in her search of the right man. At the age of 38 years, she resolved to marry Ben. But it only took Julie three days after marriage to file a case for divorce.

A Modest Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

A Modest Proposal - Essay Example Swift’s reasoning is that by nipping the problem in the bud during the early stages of life, it makes everyone a whole lot easier later on. Swift’s proposal is that little children who are destined to become a burden on society are sold and turned into meat for the eating pleasures of the rich and wealthy. Swift subtracts out the number of children who have parents who can afford to take care of them and also those children who die due to disease or accident. The total figure that Swift comes up with is 120,000 children each year. Swift claims that these children are unredeemable and the only way to provide some benefit to society is to sell them off to be eaten. In order to strengthen his argument, Swift tells of at least six advantages that would come from his proposal: (1) the number of papists would be reduced. This would prevent people from being tricked into following a religion that has no purpose. Also, there is already a plentiful supply of them, so no more are needed; (2) poor parents will be able to be compensated for the sale of their child, and with this money they will be able to pay for their rent, and maybe even their corn and cattle that had previously been taken away from them; (3) the nation’s economy will improve because a whole lot of children will not have to be provided for. This is in addition to the new dish that would be present in restaurants across the nation; (4) parents will not have to raise their children after the first year of life, and so they will be able to live better lives themselves. Money saved from bringing up their children would ease their burden in the long term; (5) the introduction of babies as food would provide a new delicacy to all taverns, and will result in a surge in new customers; and (6) men would not abuse their pregnant wives because they would harm their prospects of being able to sell their child later on. Swift concludes that his only motives

Cultural Competency Assessment Paper Essay Example for Free

Cultural Competency Assessment Paper Essay Culture is a very difficult term to define. However, certain people have gone on and defined culture well by saying that it is a ‘set of shared values, opinions and practices of a community or group of people. ’ (Definition of Culture) The importance of the understanding of a socio-cultural environment of any country is imperative to attaining business advantage and eventually translatable success. This understanding of socio-cultural environment is then translated effectively into business practices so that they appeal to the local crowd and create a positive image of the firm in their minds. (Cultural Barriers) More and more organisations today face a dynamic and changing environment. This, in turn, requires these organisations to adapt. Hence, it is important to consider the changing nature of the workforce. Most organisations, today, have to adjust to cope up with a multi-cultural environment. Human resource policies and practices have to change in order to attract and keep this more diverse workforce motivated and willing to work. And many organisations have to spend large amounts of money on training to upgrade various skills of the employees. There is a definite downside to the resistance to change and that is hindrance to the process of adaptation and progress. It doesn’t necessarily surface in a standardized manner. Resistance can be overt, implicit, immediate, or deferred (Robbins, 2004). It is easiest foe the management to deal with resistance when it is overt and immediate. For instance, a change is proposed and employees quickly respond by voicing complaints, engaging in a work slowdown, threatening to go on a strike, etc. The greater challenge is managing change when it is implicit or deferred. Implicit resistance efforts are more subtle, like, loss of loyalty to the organisation, loss of motivation to work, increased errors or mistakes, increased absenteeism, etc (Robbins, 2004). Similarly, deferred actions cloud the link between the source of the resistance and the reaction to it. Empathy is the ability to understand the emotional makeup of other people. Empathy is the trait that enables a leader to be an expert in building and maintaining talent. It enables him to treat people according to their emotional reactions. This is why he can be successful in getting the most out of the talented people that work under him; it thus makes him a better man manager. He is able to manage and lead people from various different backgrounds and cultures, belonging to various social and economic classes, i. e. it increases the cross-cultural sensitivity of the leader himself. With the businesses and economies globalising, leaders have to lead and manage people belonging to different cultures which is the major reason why change management in such a scenario is very difficult, however, if only a leader can empathize with his followers, it makes the job half as difficult as before. The Cultural Competency Assessment Responses portrays a wonderful picture of the cultural competency assessment test; the responses were positive and the personal taking the test were satisfied with this tool, Cultural Competency Assessment as exhibited in their responses was informational, people started thinking in a different direction, and enhanced learning amongst different culture, it is essential when we are dealing with human lives in terms of health, healing wellness. Cross -cultural communication utilizes language and culture to shape human behaviour and facilitating them. In fact the two also influence each other. Cultural impacts on human behaviour are widespread and influence important aspects of human behaviour. In comparison, influence of language on human behaviour is subtle but still significant. Further Cultural Competency Assessment includes life cycle events add value to the program by helping people of different culture comprehend the cultural diversity of adolescents or the elderly, which prepare individual to interact with people of diverse culture for the betterment of their career in medicine. Gathering good history of the patients is significant for finding and giving the right treatment, using deductive reasoning to arrive to a diagnosis. So life cycle events enhances the health care delivery process for its betterment. Cultural competence is the capability to interact efficiently among individuals of diverse cultures. It encompasses four components attentiveness of ones own cultural worldview, approach towards cultural differences, Knowledge of different cultural practices and worldviews, and cross-cultural Skills. Building cultural competence results in an capability to comprehend, communicate with, and efficiently interact with people across cultures. These components if implemented properly are very effective in Building cross cultural communication competence. Further, when an organization focuses on developing such competences in their employees, the benefits are more then the cost incurred as high-impact managerial teaching builds personal effectiveness amongst worker, Improve communication, efficiency, and productivity for persons, teams, and the whole of the organizations. Further better understanding of the needs of people from different cultural backgrounds will help employees to work as a team more effectively. To comprehend the Cultural competence, Diversity training should be given to the employees for Building cross cultural communication effectiveness, Cultural competence have become essential at present era when our organization are full of people of different culture which has led most management to cater diversity management of the organization by taking such measure for the betterment of the organization. The recommendations I would like to state for the facilitation of the organization is Cultural competence Diversity training which will facilitate in designing strategies, action plans, development, and training matched to people’s current state of affairs. Further to develop the ability to correspond with other people of different culture which will help in building team effectiveness, team building by implementing tailored strategies to cater each diverse teams needs. I would like to conclude by adding that Cultural competence will add value to the organization operation and will lead to the betterment of the organization. References 1. Robbins, Stephen P (2004). Organizational Behavior. Prentice Hall. 2. Cultural Barriers to Effective Communication. (n. d. ). Retrieved from www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pubmed/9461923

Interventions for Drug Addiction: Case Study

Interventions for Drug Addiction: Case Study 18893 Many attempts have been made to arrive at a universally acceptable definition of addiction and what causes addictive behaviour but the matter still remains unresolved. People often define addiction as drug abuse and misuse. To Krivak (1982,p.83), ‘Addiction will be defined as a behaviour pattern characterised by an ongoing and overwhelming preoccupation with the used of a drug and the securing of its supply.’ This definition could also say the addict is, ‘Someone who is involved with an activity to such an extent that it the major focus of his or her life’, (McAllister et all., 1991,p.5). For my assignment, I have chosen a client within the criminal justice system that has an addiction problem with drug misuse. He has been involved with the criminal justice system because of his offending behaviour relating to illegal drugs. I am basing my assignment on this client. I am going to discuss in my assignment, drug users and the criminal justice system, the psychology of addictive behaviour, Care planning and different options of planning and assessment, the initial referral and the in-depth assessment, methods of intervention and models of care and drug problems in prisons within the criminal justice system. Where there is an addiction to drugs, most drug users at some time or another come into contact with the criminal justice system. This is how my client got involved with the system. Some drug users spend periods of time in prison as a result of drug-related offending behaviour. There is an alternative to custody and these include fines, community service, probation and bail, which is subject to certain conditions such as participation in drug treatment programmes. My client is subject to certain conditions that he participates in a drug treatment programme. Criminal justice orders can be subject to conditions of residence for the offender. For drug service workers, close liaison with practitioners in the criminal justice field of work is normal practice. Joint care plans are carefully and sensitively devised to help both services work with the drug user in collaborative and constructive ways. Criminal justice practitioners are expected to work with offenders to achieve specific objectives and these are not always compatible with drug service objectives, for example, reducing drug-related offending behaviour rather than getting rid of it altogether (Robertson, 1998, p.389). My client has an addiction to drugs. The psychology of the addict involves behaviour that takes a repetitive form and is associated with increases of anxiety. Some behaviours that take a repetitive form are associated with increases or decreases in anxiety and these are considered compulsive behaviours. These types of behaviours can include drug addiction, gambling and exhibitionism. However there are important distinctions between these types of behaviour and action and true compulsive behaviour. Firstly addictive behaviours involve a pleasure-seeking component, which is not in compulsive behaviours. Secondly, the anxiety involved with the performance of criminal activity is appropriate in light of social sanctions. Obsessive-compulsive patients experience anxiety that is inappropriate to the situation (Oltman, 1995,p11). There are different options of planning and assessing with substance misuse offenders in the criminal justice system. For social workers, assessment is a key task and it will determine whether or not a care plan is needed for the offender of if a management service is needed. The NHS and Community Care Act (1990) provides guidance on procedures for assessment for people who are entitled to community care services. The assessment process includes, the initial referral, the initial assessment and the in-depth assessment. The assessment process should be needs led and not service-led. Community care services are greatly in demand and the screening process is used to determine who needs the treatment the most. Drug agencies undertaking assessment may receive referrals from the criminal justice system or other agencies. Basic referral forms are filled in with the details of the service user, such as factors and the reason for referral. My client has been referred from the criminal justice system to a drug agency for assessment. The initial interview with the service user will determine whether or not they need a more in-depth assessment or a formal care plan. Most local authorities have certain criteria and priority levels to which they can base their response on. The service user is told what is involved in the assessment, is told about confidentiality policies and whether or not there will be any participation of others. The service users are told what to do if they want to use complaint procedures or appeal if they are against any decisions made at or after the assessment. The initial assessment will determine the seriousness of the problem and the level of need required. My client has more complex needs with his addiction problems so he would require a more in-depth formal assessment so that a care plan can be made for him. This assessment will include personal details, family and relationships, social details, significant life events, social supports and networks, comprehensive history of addictions and associated problems. The assessment will also include, treatment history, risk behaviour, criminal history and current offending behaviour, financial status, physical health, mental health problems, past and present, self concepts, perceived needs and the level of motivation to address these needs, personal resources and abilities, resources and abilities of partners and carers, other agency assessments and specialist assessments and the conclusions and suggested interventions of the assessment. Robertson (1998,p.376) suggests that care planning should involved developing a package of care, which will meet the client’s needs. Care plans are systematic approaches and include all the care and treatment that will be provided and the desired outcome. Care plans are monitored measured and reviewed and will involve the client, service provider, an assessor and a care manager. The care plan will involve information gathered at the assessment in an easy to monitor format and will illustrate the behaviours that need to be addressed and it will have separate sections for identifying the needs of the problem. Partnerships between the criminal justice system and the treatment agencies direct substance-misusing offenders to the appropriate services. There are many initiatives aimed at encouraging substance misusers to take part in appropriate treatment that will help them. In the UK there are twelve step agencies that are also know as the ‘Minnesota method of treatment’. These agencies are funded through statutory sources. The aim of these agencies is to treat the dependence on drugs to help reduce drug misuse and to help the client give up drugs completely when they feel ready to do so. Three intermediate aims are to help resolve the underlying problems that contribute to drug misuse, to help the client gain more control and minimize harm also known as harm minimization (Keene, 1997,p.223). The Government produced a drug strategy in 1998 in the UK called, ‘Tackling drugs to build a better Britain.’ This was updated again in 2002. The strategy sets out the range of interventions and policies to help reduce harm caused by using illegal drugs by the year 2008. The drug intervention programme used to be known as the criminal justice interventions programme. The government aims to cut crime related to drug use. This strategy uses the criminal justice system to help direct offenders who used drugs out of crime and into treatment. There are different kinds of interventions used by drug service workers. Psychological interventions are very useful when it comes to help treat someone with a drug addiction. Professional psychotherapy is very effective and good quality drug counselling can also be very effective. Psychological interventions are, cognitive behaviour therapy, motivational interviewing, and the twelve-step treatment program that I discussed earlier and relapse prevention. Some people think that complementary and alternative therapies are useful, but there is not enough evidence in the population to back up this claim. The model of care, introduced by the National Treatment agency (NTA), is a framework that is used by Drug Services to ensure that the services provided are consistent and meet the needs of the service user. The framework is categorised by easy to understand tier levels and treatment levels. Tier one, includes primary care by health care professionals and general practitioners that provide medical services along with probation and housing services. Tier two (Open Access Services) offers a range of drop in street agencies that offer advice and support for stimulant users and substance misusers are able to drop in when there is a crisis. Tier three (Community prescribing services) is mostly geared towards opium user. Tier three, (Structured day programmes) are geared into providing education about drug misuse, and provide training for work skills and give advice about practical issues. Tier four, (Residential Care) has different systems in place for entry in different areas for entry in to residential care. The social services community care assessment team usually deal with the funding. Another option for the substance misuse offender is motivation to change. Motivational interviewing is based on using the motivational change model. The model consists of five stages with stage one being the pre-contemplation stage, stage two the contemplation stage, three the action stage, four the maintenance of change and five the relapse stage. Prochaska and DiClemente are two best-known authors on the importance of individual motivation in dependency treatment. The authors developed the motivational change module from their work with smokers. They use a Cognitive behavioural approach method and their interventions are concerned with cognitive and behavioural change (Prochaska and DiClemente, 1983,p.390). The control of drug misuse is a big problem in prisons. People are much more likely to use drugs in prison because of stress, anxiety and boredom. These levels are higher for substance misusers in prison so they would be more likely to take health risks. Drug treatment in prison could be approached the same way, as it is in the community with regimes to reduce drug related harm, rather than prevention. Because of the extent of my client’s addictive behaviour he has had a formal in-depth assessment done so that we can meet his needs. This has resulted in a care plan being made up for so that we can provide services for him and carefully monitor his progress. We have liased with other professional health services and we have had a full mental health assessment done for him. We have considered his past history of using drugs and the amount of offending he has done in the past and the length of time he has been involved in the criminal justice system. We have noticed that he has also had mental health problems in the past and that he suffers from depression. The client did not go into custody this time because of his substance offending behaviour instead he was given a probation order subject to certain conditions that he participate in a drug treatment service. We contacted drug service workers who were happy to help my client as long as he was willing to accept help. My client says that he does want to change his behaviour and put an end to his substance misuse. He has tried in the past to give up but this has always lead to a relapse. After careful consideration and after weighing up all the options of treatment for my client I decided that psychological intervention along with drug therapy was the best way forward to help reduce his drug dependency. I have decided that professional psychotherapy and relapse intervention would be the best option for him because other options have not helped him in the past. We are also going to offer him good quality counselling. My client has told me that spending time in custody has not done him any good. He told me that he gets very depressed when he is inside and this leads to more dependency on drugs. Our goal is to help him stay out of custody and reduce his dependency on drugs. We will continue to monitor, measure and review the clients care plan and see whether or not his dependency and addiction are getting bet ter. As substance service workers our goal is to meets the needs of the service user and in this instance it is to reduce substance addiction and the long term goal is to eradicate substance misuse altogether. In order to intervene effectively where there is addictive behaviour, social workers need to be able to assess and plan appropriate treatment. For my assignment I have chosen a client within the criminal justice system that has an addictive behaviour. He is a drug misuse offender and he has been involved with the criminal justice system for a few years now. I have discussed a bit about the psychology of addictive behaviour and how my client was referred to me through the criminal justice system. I have discussed the methods of assessment and the different options available. I have discussed the most suitable option for my client who I feel has deeper problems to address than some other substance misusers I have encountered. In this instance I felt that my client would benefit from a psychological form of intervention that would include psychotherapy. There are different types of psychotherapy; these are behaviour therapy that helps the client put an end to undesirable habits or certa in fears that they have. Cognitive therapy is a method that tries to show the client that certain thoughts that they are having are not good for them and that they are negative. The therapist will then try to get the client into thinking more positive thoughts in order that the persistence of negative thoughts will eventually fade away. Drug therapy is also called by the name of pharmacotherapy and it is a part of psychotherapy. The approach here with this method of intervention is to calm the person down using certain anti-anxiety drugs so that they permit the other therapies to have effect. The negative side is that sometimes these drugs encourage psychological dependence and the anxiety that was there before might return again. Some addictions such as obsessive – compulsive disorder have been successfully treated using certain antidepressant drugs. The types of interventions I have discussed do not always work for everyone. Social workers need to analyse the situation very carefully and sensitively when working with addictive behaviours. This is because it is a very sensitive area and if treatment goes wrong the client could go back to their old habits of substance misuse and become a part of the drug culture again. The aim is to reduce offending and minimise the number of substance misusers by putting carefully controlled care plans into place to address their needs. The intervention method that was used on my client was very successful and I am happy to say that my client has cured his addictive behaviour. It is important that assessments are done very carefully and to take into consideration all the important facts of the client. It is also important for social workers and other drug service workers to gain the trust of the client because without this there is less change of the client willing to accept treatment. References Barber, J. (2002) Social Work with addictions, 2nd ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Keene, J. (1997) Drug Misuse; Prevention, Harm, minimisation and treatment. London: Chapman Hall. Krivanek, J. A. (1982) Drug Problems, People Problems: Causes, Treatment and Prevention, Sydney, Allen Unwin. McAllister, I., Moore, R. and Makkai, T. (1991) Drug users in Australian Society: Patterns, Attitudes and Policies, Melbourne, Longman Cheshire. Oltman, T. F. (1999) Case Studies in Abnormal psychology, New York: Chichester. John Wiley Sons. Prochaska, J. O. and Diclemente, C. C. (1983) Stages and Processes of self-change of smoking: Towards a more integrative model of change. Journal of consulting and Clinical Psychology. Robertson, R. (1998) Management of Drug users in the community, a practical handbook. Arnold publishers.

Ethical Issues in Forensic Psychology

Ethical Issues in Forensic Psychology 1.0 Introduction Forensic psychology refers to the professional application of specialized knowledge in psychology to aid in solving legal problems. Since forensic psychology straddles two great fields- study of human behaviors (psychology) and correctional measures that can deter wayward behaviors (law), its guide on ethics should be two-throng. Robert Wettstein agrees: â€Å"Given the interdisciplinary work of forensic psychiatry, questions arise about what principles of ethics should guide forensic psychiatry and what theory of ethics should underlie those principles,† When it comes to ethics, forensic psychology is one field of professional practice where a very delicate balance must be created. This is so because a forensic psychologist is more interested in the inner feelings of the offender, then the displayed characters. Further, the forensic psychologist must understand the legal requirements and the judicial system under which he operates. So, the expert is required to bridge the wide gap between two very diverse, and even opposing faculties. Since his analysis informs the outcome of the case, forensic psychologists can easily abuse the great influence of the work. This is where ethics come in. It’s not enough to have rules and statutes. Professionals must practice adherence to particular code of conducts without the need for monitoring. That applies to forensic psychologists too. 2.0 Ethical issues in forensic psychology There are a number of dilemmas that a practicing forensic psychologist deals with in his day-to-day professional activity. However, I can easily bet that half of them involve ethical questions. Issues such as juvenile incarcerations, mental capability of the accused to stand trial, discrimination, confidentiality, objectivity, payment for his service and so many others, come into consideration for the expert in a big way. Sometimes the expert’s findings even contradict personal views. Kalmbach, Karen C. and Lyons, Phillip M, say that, these ethical issues must always be given a special attention. Since the forensic psychologist often acts as an expert witness, he must set for himself the highest possible ethical standards. Kalmbach Karen C. and Lyons Philip M. â€Å"Professionals who choose to participate in the legal forum must ensure that their performance meets not only the standards of general practice for their profession, but also those pertaining to the forensic specialty†. Given the dynamism of legal field, the expert should also be well up-to-date with the current standards and the changes in it. This means that he must keep reading, both in the legal and psychological fields. However, extensive studying is just half of the job. The elephant in the room is a matter of life and death-quite literally, sometimes. â€Å"A fundamental responsibility of forensic psychologists is to provide treatment, assessment, research, and training in an ethical manner†, (Walden University). To ensure that you adhere to the highest standards of ethical practice, Robert M. Wettstein writes that the following steps should be followed: identify the problem; consider the significance of the context and setting; identify and use ethics and legal resources; consider personal beliefs and values; develop possible solutions to the problem; consider the potential consequences of various solutions; choose and implement a course of action; and assess the outcome and implement changes as needed. All these steps, if followed properly, would ensure that the highest possible ethical is not only adhered to, but also maintained in the forthcoming and subsequent cases. It is often said that the first step to solving a problem is by acknowledging that the problem exists. By identifying the problem, it means that you are already acknowledging that a problem exists. Then follow this by knowing the magnitude of the problem. The third part now is where you start using your expertise to help you solve the problem. Personal beliefs may lead to biases and prejudices. If this happens to be the case, then it is only wise not to be engaged in the case of the client. If you pass all these self-assessment tests, then it is time for you to formulate answers to the problem at hand. Check all your resolutions to see what outcome they would have. Select the one that is most suitable- the one with the least negative outcome and the best positive outcome. After you are done, identify where you may have fallen short of expectations and make appropriate changes. â€Å"Ethics has been described as beginning where the law ends. The moral conscience is a precursor to the development of legal rules for social order. Ethics and law thus share the goal of creating and maintaining social good and have a symbiotic relationship†, (Lisa V. Brock, J.D., and Anna Mastroianni). As an expert witness who is relied upon to provide information to help in convicting, or setting free a suspect, the forensic psychologist should uphold the highest standards of integrity. He should be honest, sincere, and very straightforward. A renowned psychologist, Margaret Hagen, had long dismissed forensic psychologist as â€Å"witchdoctors† who are only after the â€Å"almighty dollar†. This is a damning report which clearly shows that some of these experts deliberately lie and twist the course of justice for financial gain. Thus, a change of heart and thinking is necessary if this profession still values its popular will amongst the populace. Impartiality and fairness is another area where the expert should place a huge premium. Almost everybody has his own biases, although we often suppress them in the interest of decency. However, a forensic psychologist should shut down all his wells of prejudices so that he can look at the issues with relatively undistorted lenses. Only this way can he proclaim the truth with the authority it requires. Any deviation can lead to a repetition of the wrong until it becomes the norm. â€Å"A profession does not genetically produce the next generation of practitioners; instead, the ethical practices of subsequent generations of practitioners are established through socialization†, (Practicing Forensic Psychology). It is well known that often, impartiality is a result of conflict of interest. This interest may be financial, political, social, or any other. If such a case occurs, it is best for the forensic psychologist to withdraw, and let someone else take over. Personal interests are not necessarily mistakes. However, they could be a mistake if a professional decides to twist facts to protect own interests. An expert of forensic psychologist’s nature should avoid deception at all cost. Accurate information from him is required to make a legal judgment and set trend for future litigations. Any deception, thus, coming from him would be utmost injustice to the larger society. Of equal importance, if not more, is the expert’s ability to differentiate between what he sees and what he has inferred. Personal biases have a peculiar way of clouding judgment. Therefore the expert should be fully convinced that there is a strong relationship between what he has seen, and the conclusion he is making. This psychology expert is also required, and should be obliged, to disclose sources of their information so that everybody can know how he arrived at a particular conclusion. Moreover, he should also present his findings and opinions in a well-researched report. A clear and concise report on the inference of the forensic psychologist would give people a glimpse at how he arrived at the conclusions he is making. It also clears away any whiff of favoritism as a result of financial gain. Forensic experts should avoid issuing statement about a legal proceeding that is in a court of law. Such statements may lead to a breach of confidentiality, and privacy of a person. However, this can happen when consent has been obtained from the person holding any privilege, or when the statement is already in the public domain, (Lyons, Phillip M, and Kalmbach, Karen C). Still, even here, the expert still has to strike a delicate balance of the amount of information that he can release to the public without compromising on the confidentiality of the concerned party. The expert should be aware of the influences that may deal a blow to his impartiality. If there is anything that stands in the way to impartiality, it is in his best interest to step aside, and let someone else take the role. â€Å"Many question whether MHPs can produce an impartial and unbiased clinical forensic evaluation while simultaneously providing input to the legal team on defense strategy†, (American Psychological Association) The issue of payment given to the forensic psychologist is clear cut. Forensic psychologist should not take contingency fee. This may compromise his honesty. The payment he should receive is the retainer fee. Money has been at the centre of many of the botched court cases. Therefore, to ensure that it does not cloud one’s judgment, it is best to keep it at an arm’s length. Forensic psychologist can allow attorneys to change the structure of his report, but he should not allow them to change the content. The content of the report belongs to the forensic psychologist. It serves to give the client best service, thus, if it is objective, let it remain as it is. The role of a forensic psychologist as an expert witness is very critical in a legal proceeding. This is why, as a matter of ethics, the forensic psychologist should be competent enough to handle the concerned issues. If you are not competent enough, do not get into this delicate profession and obstruct the course of justice. Lack of specialized psycho-legal knowledge, and a number of others, should be enough disqualification. As an expert, do not advocate for any other agenda, whether it’s the client’s or otherwise. Always remain objective and very neutral. A forensic psychologist should not enter into multiplicity of alliances-like being the expert witness and an advisor to the client. This would create a huge conflict of interest which will not allow him to be impartial. Like any other human being, a forensic psychologist may assume a lot helpful facts and even fail to write down proper notes. This will easily pass for a professional negligence. But for this expert whose work influences justice, it is also very unethical. Again, personal competence matters a lot. However, in most cases, it is the practitioner who knows the limit of his competence. If there is a case whose legal competence demand is way above yours, it is better you let it go, or pass it to a superior expert. If you have taken a case, meet the client fast and get the details from him. This would help you to clarify the lingering questions early enough in preparation for the legal battle. In the same breath, ensure that the client knows about the protection to his privacy; confidentiality and; other rights that are clearly spelt out in the law. The testimony of a forensic psychology expert has a powerful influence on the court. It directs the sails of justice. Therefore, the expert involved should use this influence to help in unveiling the truth, and not hiding it. Keep a clear documentation of your interview of the client. Do not get carried away by the case. Always maintain a professional detachment from your client. This would ensure that you can observe issues objectively. Make your client aware of your role as a forensic psychologist prior to the start of your evaluation. Also, as an expert, know the legal grounds on which the case is built. This would help you know what is expected of you; and collect enough of what is needed to present in the court when called upon to do so. Deliberations on ethics cannot be wrapped up without discussing one of the most critical issues-sex. It occurs in all professions, and forensic psychology is by no means an exception. But the truth is, as a professional, the moment you gotten into a sexual relationship with a client, or a student, your objectivity flies right out through the window. That is why it is strongly advised that you keep away fro it like HIV/AIDS. The forensic psychologist should provide a conducive environment for the evaluation, and tell the client, in advance, the time and length of the evaluation. This allows the client to prepare psychologically. This will give both of them a free atmosphere to interact freely, without the client feeling that he is being pushed to do things against his will. Many evaluators prefer relative anonymity. As a forensic psychologist, preserve that. Also in line with this, ensure there is no past, current, or future personal relationship with the examinee. This would ensure that your objectivity is not in question. â€Å"Forensic psychologists have an obligation to provide services in a manner consistent with the highest standards of their profession. They are responsible for their own conduct and the conduct of those individuals under their direct supervision,† (Committee on Ethical Guidelines for Forensic Psychologists). In order to meet these high ethical standards, the expert forensic psychologist should do the following: The forensic psychologist should assess the mental state of his client for insanity. If he proves that there are chances that the client is not mentally sound, then he can enter an insanity plea. This way, he will help to the mentally-ill out of a trial meant for sound-minded persons, thus keep the integrity of the profession. There are clients who can fake signs of insanity quite effectively. Check for such an occurrence so that you don’t enter an insanity plea for a person who is perfectly normal. A polygraph is, in plain terms, a â€Å"lie detector†. Depending on the expertise of the person handling it, the machine can give be fairly accurate in detecting whether a person is telling the truth, or lying. Use it and interpret its data accurately to know more about the examinee. Conclusion Ethics is one of the guiding principles in any profession the world over. It ensures that one sets the standards for himself and strives to reach them. The infusion of ethico-legal issues into a single field called forensic psychology makes this profession a particularly challenging one. Just reading the ethical guidelines and standards is not enough. As a professional, your adherence to them should show in the applications. In special cases, use your own unbiased judgment and intuition to get to the root of the problem. The various ethical issues outlined above are: impartiality, honesty, fairness, and non-sexual contact with a client. Others are objectivity, making the client aware of his rights, respecting the privacy and confidentiality of the client, and not receiving payments that may compromise the forensic psychologist’s objectivity. These ethical guidelines, and, any other more, should inform any interaction a clinical psychologist should have with a client. The moment one is breached, then it becomes easier to follow suit with a breach of the rest. This would automatically lead to lack of objectivity, partiality, deception, and even breach of the client’s basic rights. A Code of Ethics for Psychology summarizes it thus: At its heart, an ethics code should reflect the moral principles underlying the values of the profession. For most professions, ethical behaviors are generally those that fulfill the fundamental moral obligations to do good, to do no harm, to respect others, and to treat all individuals honestly and fairly. For some, statements of gen ­eral principles are sufficient to guide the ethical behavior of persons devoted to the ideals of their profession. For others, however, statements describing specific types of behaviors that meet these ideals are necessary to maximize the code’s utility and to provide a means of evaluating its efficacy. References Wettstein, Robert M. (2008). Ethical Practice in Forensic Psychology: A Systematic Model for Decision Making Forensic Ethics and the Expert Witness, Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and Law Online.Web. 29, April, 2014. American Psychological Association. Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychology. Lyons, Phillip M, and Kalmbach, Karen C. Ethical Issues in conducting Forensic Evaluations (2006). Sam Houston State University. Hagen, Margaret. The Fraud of Psychiatric Testimony and the Rape of American Justice. Wettstein, Robert. Ethics and Forensic Psychiatry. Practicing Forensic Psychology: Some Legal, Ethical, and Moral Considerations Walden University. Ethical Issues and Professional Responsibilities in Forensic Psychology. Brock, Lisa V., Mastroianni, Anna (2013). Ethics in Medicine: Clinical Ethics and Law   Committee on Ethical Guidelines for Forensic Psychologists (1991). Law and Human Behavior:Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychologists, 15 (6). A Code of Ethics for Psychologist: How Did We Get Here?

Womens Rights Movement in the US Essay -- essays research papers

Women rights Throughout the years of marriage and relationships there has been many changes towards the different roles that men and women play. Over this time though there are also things that have remained the same. The male female relationship has always had a type of â€Å"guidelines†. Over the past forty years these guidelines have become less and less followed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Men and women’s attitudes towards each other are something that has always, for the most part, remained the same. For all of time men have been the seekers. It is a mans job to find himself a partner. Women get to wait and choose who they accept and who they decline. For example men have always asked women to dances or social events. This has come from males being the dominate gender in society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The roles that men and women play in relationships are something that has changed. Up until recently the roles of a relationship were always pretty much the same. Males were viewed as the dominate figure in the relationship or in the family. It was the job of the male to provide for the family, whether it was hunting for food or having a good job. The male was seen as the head of the family and would provide discipline to the children. On other hand the mother was the care taker. She would be the one to stay home with the kids and not work. The female would provide for the family by cooking and cleaning and taking care of the house. This is the way that society had w... Women's Rights Movement in the US Essay -- essays research papers Women rights Throughout the years of marriage and relationships there has been many changes towards the different roles that men and women play. Over this time though there are also things that have remained the same. The male female relationship has always had a type of â€Å"guidelines†. Over the past forty years these guidelines have become less and less followed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Men and women’s attitudes towards each other are something that has always, for the most part, remained the same. For all of time men have been the seekers. It is a mans job to find himself a partner. Women get to wait and choose who they accept and who they decline. For example men have always asked women to dances or social events. This has come from males being the dominate gender in society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The roles that men and women play in relationships are something that has changed. Up until recently the roles of a relationship were always pretty much the same. Males were viewed as the dominate figure in the relationship or in the family. It was the job of the male to provide for the family, whether it was hunting for food or having a good job. The male was seen as the head of the family and would provide discipline to the children. On other hand the mother was the care taker. She would be the one to stay home with the kids and not work. The female would provide for the family by cooking and cleaning and taking care of the house. This is the way that society had w...

Le Mont Saint Michel :: Architecture Descriptive History French Essays

Le Mont Saint Michel Le Mont Saint Michel is a rocky cone shaped island or islet located just off the North West coast of France in the gulf of Saint Malo. It is home to one of France’s greatest tourist attractions named Le Mereille, this brilliant eleventh century gothic style church is often simply called Mont St Michel. What transforms this fairly typical gothic church into one of the most striking buildings of the world, and the destination of so many visitors over the course of the past twelve centuries, is its magnificent, almost arrogant location. The Church of Mont Saint Michel was constructed in the eleventh century as a gothic masterpiece. It was constructed using Granite stone; however some of the cloisters are made of lime stone. The island upon which it sits is separated by approximately one kilometer of waves from the mainland at high tide. At low tide, however, it is separated from the mainland by approximately one kilometer of sand. Before a causeway was built in 1879, the only approach to the Mont was by foot over this causeway. However this crossing was no easy task and a poorly timed crossing could easily end in drowning by the sudden changing tides. The island is about one kilometer in diameter and about 80 meters high, jutting defiantly above the ocean. The steep cliffs that ascended from the crashing surf and the treacherous tides that whipped around the island, combined with the legend that it was the island where the souls of the dead congregated; make the site an unlikely place to build. Neither legends nor danger were a match for the overwhelming curiosity of a forbidden place. In the early eighth century a bishop from the near by town of Avranges named Aubert made the crossing. After finding it safe enough he started frequenting the island which seemed to be an escape from civilization for him, and a place where he could meditate un-intruded. During meditation one day on the island the archangel Michel visited Aubert and convinced him to build a church on the island. In 708 the modest chapel began construction on the island, many buildings have come to rise and fall on the island since then. The first major construction on the island started in the year 1020 and was completed in 1135. In time structural problems arose with the building, therefore in 1170 Abbot Robert de Toringy started building a new facade on the side of the church.

Health Care System in Turmoil Essay

Is the health care system today really in Turmoil? What are some of the major problems that healthcare is experiencing? What is the impact of each of the chosen problems on not just consumers but also the community? What are some of the benefits and risks of national health insurance? The health care system has been in a bad position for a while now. Not only is the healthcare system in a bad position, but after the Affordable Care Act has taken affect there still several million citizens without health care coverage. This paper will be addressing these important questions about our Health care system. The current health care system as we know it is in trouble. Health care is still an issue and millions of Americans are still not insured and cannot afford to be. It is understandable that the United States has a lot more technology and cures that other countries do not, but the fact that our health care is double the price of other countries is mind boggling. The health care reform was supposed to be the answer to all the problems with our health care system and though it was extremely helpful, the system still doesn’t provide universal care for all of its citizens which is a huge problem. â€Å"For decades, health care policy leaders have focused on two huge problems in American health care finance. The first was the coverage problem—that the fraction of Americans with inadequate or no health insurance was substantial and growing. The second was the cost problem—that total health spending was high and rising, although quality was uneven† (Rivlin, A., 201 3). These two problems remain an issue for our health care system. Myers (2013) states that coverage alone is not enough. Instead focusing on things like having providers that are acceptable, also the care received should be effective. There can be plenty of providers that are available, but how beneficial are they if they are not providing quality care to patients. Quality and Value need to be a goal for the Health care system. Some necessary changes were made because of Affordable Care Act. This was just the beginning and more steps need to be taken in order to rectify our health care system. Renovation of the delivery of health care is necessary to make better connections in the chain. Coverage will be a great first step, following access to high- quality health care, and improving patient outcomes and population help. Coverage has a positive impact when it comes to the community but as far as the consumer it has a negative impact. Cost of Care is the second problem that is causing our Health care system to go in Turmoil. Affording Health care has always been one of the main issues with Health Care in the United States. The Affordable Care Act was signed by President Obama in 2010 and was taken into effect in 2014. It has provided millions of people with insurance who didn’t have it before but still leaves millions of citizens without. Having insurance is a tax, if it is not purchased a fine will be added to the 2014 tax return. So somehow everybody will be paying out of pocket cost for health care. The cost have reduced in some areas and have increased in others. The cost has a positive impact on millions of citizens â€Å"the community† who now have health insurance. Like mentioned previously there are still millions of citizens that can’t afford to have insurance so it has a negative impact on a portion of consumers. National Health insurance pose several risks. â€Å"At least three broad problems characterize U.S. health care and insurance: (1) high and rapidly growing costs, (2) large numbers of nonelderly people without insurance, and (3) enormous projected Medicare deficits and continued Medicaid cost growth. The health care reform debate and reform proposals have focused largely on expanding the number of people with health insurance† (Harrington, S., 2010). Instead of focusing on how many people we can get sign up for health care, we need to be looking into these important factors, because they are just as significant. Cost being one of the biggest issues, but also the  alarming number of non-elderly people without health insurance. Sometimes diseases could be caught early on if middle aged and younger adults had affordable health care to get checked out. Additionally Medicare deficits and continued Medicaid rising costs. There needs to be more focus on these issues in order to beg in to get the health care system where it needs to be. On the other hand, National Health insurance has several benefits, some of which have already began to take place. Mandating companies to provide insurance for their employees is a great example. According to Panning (2014) some of the benefits include financing, cost reduction, payment reform, quality and process improvement, and prevention and wellness. Financing referring to healthier and younger will subsidize part of the care of the less health and elderly patients. Cost reduction is pretty self-explanatory, decreasing the cost and evening out the rate of growth. Payment reform in the new Affordable Care Act will pay for outcomes and value achieved opposed to being rewarded for doing more. Quality and process improvement will include a quality indicator quantity and reporting as well as comparative efficiency research. Lastly Prevention and Wellness, investing and providing incentives for preventive medicine and wellness. Our health care system is unstable for several reasons. The Affordable Care Act was designed to provide not just insurance to everyone but affordable insurance. It has made a significant impact, but still has things that need to be worked out. National Health Insurance has risk and benefits, benefits outweighing the risks. One of the great benefits discussed previously was the mandating of employers having to offer their full-time employees health care coverage. Within the next ten years the Affordable Care Act is supposed to make a huge impact and save trillions of dollars. Hopefully this reform is the solution to our health care system’s problems and that one day everyone will have health insurance and doesn’t get in financial debt paying trying to pay for it. References: Harrington, S. E. (2010). The Health Insurance Reform Debate. Journal Of Risk And Insurance, 77(1), 5-38. Myers, C. R. (2013). Coverage is Not Enough: We Need a Transformation of the Delivery of Health Care!. Tennessee Nurse, 76(1), 1-14. Panning, R. (2014). Healthcare Reform 101. Clinical Laboratory Science, 27(2), 107-111. Rivlin, A. M. (2013). Health Reform: What Next?. Public Administration Review, 73S15-S20. doi:10.1111/puar.12091

The Stupidest Angel Chapter 5

Chapter 5 THE SEASON FOR MAKING NEW FRIENDS Theo was doing fifty up Worchester Street when the blond man stepped from behind a tree into the street. The Volvo had just lurched over a patched strip in the asphalt, so the grille was pointed up and caught the blond man about hip-high, tossing him into the air ahead of the car. Theo stood on the brake, but even as the antilocks throbbed, the blond man hit the tarmac and the Volvo rolled over him, making sickening crunching and thumping noises as body parts ricocheted into wheel wells. Theo checked the rearview as the car stopped and saw the blond man flopping to a stop in the red wash of the brake lights. Theo pulled the radio off his belt as he leaped from the car, and stood ready to call for help when the figure lying in the road started to get up. Theo let the radio fall to his side. â€Å"Hey, buddy, just stay right there. Just stay calm. Help is on the way.† He started loping toward the injured man, then pulled up. The blond guy was on his hands and knees now; Theo could also see that his head was twisted the wrong way and the long blond hair was cascading back to the ground. There was a crackling noise as the guy's head turned around to face the ground. He stood up. He was wearing a long black coat with a rain flap. This was â€Å"the suspect.† Theo started backing away. â€Å"You just stay right there. Help is on the way.† Even as he said it, Theo didn't think this guy was interested in any help. The foot that faced backward came around to the front with another series of sickening crackles. The blond man looked up at Theo for the first time. â€Å"Ouch,† he said. â€Å"I'm guessing that smarted,† Theo said. At least his eyes weren't glowing red or anything. Theo backed into the open door of the Volvo. â€Å"You might want to lie down and wait for the ambulance.† For the second time in as many hours, he wished he had remembered to bring his gun along. The blond man held an arm out toward Theo, then noticed that the thumb on the outstretched hand was on the wrong side. He grabbed it with his other hand and snapped it back into place. â€Å"I'll be okay,† the blond man said, monotone. â€Å"You know, if that coat dry-cleans itself while I'm watching, I'll nominate you for governor my own self,† Theo said, trying to buy time while he thought of what he was going to say to the dispatcher when he keyed the button on the radio. The blond man was now coming steadily toward him – the first few steps limping badly, but the limp getting better as he got closer. â€Å"Stop right there,† Theo said. â€Å"You are under arrest for a two-oh-seven-A.† â€Å"What's that?† asked the blond man, now only a few feet from the Volvo. Theo was relatively sure now that a 207A was not a possum with a handgun, but he wasn't sure what it was, so he said, â€Å"Freakin' out a little kid in his own home. Now stop right there or I will blow your fucking brains out.† Theo pointed the radio, antenna first, at the blond guy. And the blond guy stopped, only steps away. Theo could see the deep gouges cut in the man's cheeks from contact with the road. There was no blood. â€Å"You're taller than I am,† said the blond man. Theo guessed the blond man to be about six-two, maybe three. â€Å"Hands on the roof of the car,† he said, training the antenna of the radio between the impossibly blue eyes. â€Å"I don't like that,† said the blond man. Theo crouched quickly, making himself appear shorter than the blond man by a couple of inches. â€Å"Thanks.† â€Å"Hands on the car.† â€Å"Where's the church?† â€Å"I'm not kidding, put your hands on the roof of the car and spread 'em.† Theo's voice broke like he was hitting second puberty. â€Å"No.† The blond man snatched the radio out of Theo's hand and crushed it into shards. â€Å"Where's the church? I need to get to the church.† Theo dove into the car, scooted across the seat, and came out on the other side. When he looked back over the roof of the car the blond man was just standing there, looking at him like a parakeet might look at himself in the mirror. â€Å"What!?† Theo screamed. â€Å"The church?† â€Å"Up the street you'll come to some woods. Go through them about a hundred yards.† â€Å"Thank you,† said the blond man. He walked off. Theo jumped back into the Volvo, threw it into drive. If he had to run over the guy again, so be it. But when he looked up from the dash, no one was there. It suddenly occurred to him that Molly might still be at the old chapel. Her house smelled of eucalyptus and sandalwood and had a woodstove with a glass window that warmed the room with orange light. The bat was locked outside for the night. â€Å"You're a cop?† Lena said, moving away from Tucker Case on the couch. She'd gotten past the bat. He'd explained the bat, sort of. He'd been married to a woman from a Pacific island and had gotten the bat in a custody battle. Things like that happened. She'd gotten the house they were sitting in, in her divorce from Dale, and it still had a black marble Jacuzzi tub with bronze Greek erotic figures inset in a border around the edge. The jetsam of divorce can be embarrassing, so you couldn't fault someone a bathtub or fruit bat rescued out of love's shipwreck, but he might have mentioned he was a cop before he suggested burying her ex and going to dinner. â€Å"No, no, not a real cop. I'm here working for the DEA.† Tuck moved closer to her on the couch. â€Å"So you're a drug cop?† He didn't look like a cop. A golf pro, maybe, that blond hair and the lines around the eyes from too much sun, but not a cop. A TV cop, maybe – the vain, bad cop, who has something going on with the female district attorney. â€Å"No, I'm a pilot. They subcontract independent helicopter pilots to fly agents into pot-growing areas like Big Sur so they can spot patches hidden in the forest with infrared. I'm just working for them here for a couple of months.† â€Å"And after a couple of months?† Lena couldn't believe she was worried about commitment from this guy. â€Å"I'll try to get another job.† â€Å"So you'll go away.† â€Å"Not necessarily. I could stay.† Lena moved back toward him on the couch and examined his face for the hint of a smirk. The problem was, since she'd met him, he'd always worn the hint of a smirk. It was his best feature. â€Å"Why would you stay?† she said. â€Å"You don't even know me.† â€Å"Well, it might not be about you.† He smiled. She smiled back. It was about her. â€Å"It is about me.† â€Å"Yeah.† He was leaning over and there was going to be a kiss and that would be okay, she thought, if the night hadn't been so horrible. It would be okay if they hadn't shared so much history in so short a time. It would be okay if, if†¦ He kissed her. Okay, she was wrong. It was okay. She put her arms around him and kissed him back. Ten minutes later she was down to just her sweater and panties, she had driven Tucker Case deeply enough into the corner of the couch that his ears were baffled with cushions, and he couldn't hear her when she pushed back from him and said, â€Å"This doesn't mean that we're going to bed together.† â€Å"Me, too,† said Tuck, pulling her closer. She pushed back again. â€Å"You can't just assume that this is going to happen.† â€Å"I think I have one in my wallet,† he said, trying to lift her sweater over her head. â€Å"I don't do this sort of thing,† she said, wrestling with his belt buckle. â€Å"I had a test for my pilot physical a month ago,† he said as he liberated her breasts from their combed cotton yoke of oppression. â€Å"Clean as a whistle.† â€Å"You're not listening to me!† â€Å"You look beautiful in this light.† â€Å"Does doing this so soon after, you know – does doing this make me evil?† â€Å"Sure, you can call it a weasel if you want to.† And so, with that tender honesty, that frank connection, the coconspirators chased away each other's loneliness, the smell of grave-digging sweat rising romantic in the room as they fell in love. A little. Despite Theo's concern, Molly wasn't at the old chapel, she was getting a visit from an old friend. Not a friend, exactly, but a voice from the past. â€Å"Well, that was just nuts,† he said. â€Å"You can't feel good about that.† â€Å"Shut up,† said Molly, â€Å"I'm trying to drive.† According to the DSM-IV, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, you had to have at least two of a number of symptoms in order to be considered as having a psychotic episode, or, as Molly liked to think of it, an  «artistic » moment. But there was an exception, a single symptom that could put you in the batshit column, and that was â€Å"a voice or voices commenting on the activities of daily life.† Molly called it â€Å"the Narrator,† and she hadn't heard from him in over five years – not since she'd gone and stayed on her medication as she had promised Theo. That had been the agreement, if she stayed on her meds, Theo would stay off of his – well, more specifically, Theo would not have anything to do with his drug of choice, marijuana. He'd had quite a habit, going back twenty years before they'd met. Molly had stuck to the agreement with Theo; she'd even gotten decertified by the state and gone off financial aid. A resurgence in royalties from her old movies had helped with the expenses, but lately she'd started falling short. â€Å"It's called an enabler,† said the Narrator. â€Å"The Drug Fiend and the Warrior Babe Enabler, that's you two.† â€Å"Shut up, he's not a drug fiend,† she said, â€Å"and I'm not the Warrior Babe.† â€Å"You did him right there in the graveyard,† said the Narrator. â€Å"That is not the behavior of a sane woman, that is the behavior of Kendra, Warrior Babe of the Outland.† Molly cringed at the mention of her signature character. On occasion, the Warrior Babe persona had leaked off the big screen and into her own reality. â€Å"I was trying to keep him from noticing that I might not be a hundred percent.† â€Å"‘Might not be a hundred percent'? You were driving a Christmas tree the size of a Winnebago down the street. You ‘re way off a hundred percent, darlin'. â€Å" â€Å"What do you know? I'm fine.† â€Å"You're talking to me, aren't you?† â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I think I've made my point.† She'd forgotten how smug he could be. Okay, maybe she was having a few more artistic moments than usual, but she hadn't had a break with reality. And it was for a good cause. She'd taken the money she'd saved on her meds to pay for a Christmas present for Theo. It was on layaway down at the glass blower's gallery: a handblown dichromatic glass bong in the Tiffany style. Six hundred bucks, but Theo would so love it. He'd destroyed his collection of bongs and water pipes right after they'd met, a symbol of his break with his pot habit, but she knew he missed it. â€Å"Yeah,† said the Narrator. â€Å"He'll need that bong when he finds out he's coming home to the Warrior Babe.† â€Å"Shut up. Theo and I just had an adventurous romantic moment. I am not having a break.† She pulled into Brine's Bait, Tackle, and Fine Wines to pick up a six-pack of the dark bitter beer Theo liked and some milk for the morning. The little store was a miracle of eclectic supply, one of the few places on the planet where you could buy a fine Sonoma Merlot, a wedge of ripened French Brie, a can of 10W-30, and a carton of night crawlers. Robert and Jenny Masterson had owned the little shop since before Molly had come to town. She could see Robert by himself behind the counter, tall with salt-and-pepper hair, looking a little hangdog as he read a science magazine and sipped a diet Pepsi. Molly liked Robert. He'd always been kind to her, even when she was considered the village's resident crazy lady. â€Å"Hey, Robert,† she said as she came through the door. The place smelled of egg rolls. They sold them out of the back, where they had a pressure fryer. She breezed past the counter toward the beer cooler. â€Å"Hey, Molly.† Robert looked up, a little startled. â€Å"Uh, Molly, you okay?† Crap, she thought. Had she forgotten to brush the pine needles out of her hair? She probably looked a mess. She said, â€Å"Yeah, I'm fine. Theo and I were just putting up the Christmas tree at the Santa Rosa Chapel. You and Jenny are coming to Lonesome Christmas, aren't you?† â€Å"Of course,† Robert said, his voice still a little strained. He seemed to be making an effort not to look at her. â€Å"Uh, Molly, we kind of have a policy here.† He tapped the sign by the counter, NO SHIRT, NO SHOES, NO SERVICE. Molly looked down. â€Å"Oh my gosh, I forgot.† â€Å"It's okay.† â€Å"I left my sneakers in the car. I'll just run out and put them on.† â€Å"That would be great, Molly. Thanks.† â€Å"No problem.† â€Å"I know it's not on the sign, Molly, but while you're out there, you might want to put some pants on, too. It's sort of implied.† â€Å"Sure thing,† she said, breezing by the counter and out the door, feeling now that, yes, it seemed a little cooler out than when she'd left the house. And yes, there were her jeans and panties on the passenger seat next to her sneakers. â€Å"I told you,† said the Narrator.

Indian Consumer Behavior

CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDIA (NOVEMBER 2004) 1. INTRODUCTION This report analyses consumer lifestyles in India and forms part of a 52-country series that complements the Euro monitor Consumer Lifestyles Database. Each country profile is structured under the following sub-headings: †¢ Population †¢ Consumer segmentation †¢ Regional development †¢ Home ownership †¢ Household profiles †¢ Labour †¢ Income †¢ Consumer and family expenditure †¢ Health †¢ Education †¢ Eating habits †¢ Drinking habits †¢ Shopping †¢ Personal grooming †¢ Fashion †¢ Leisure †¢ Savings †¢ Media †¢ Communications Transport †¢ Tourism The information in this report was gathered from a wide range of sources, starting with the national statistical agencies. This information was cross-checked for consistency, probability and mathematical accuracy. Secondly, we sought to fill in the gaps in the official National statis tical offices by using private sector surveys and official pan-regional and global sources. Furthermore, Euromonitor has carried out an extensive amount of modelling in order to come up with interesting data sets to complement the national standards available. The wide range of sources used in the compilation of this report means that there are occasionally discrepancies in the data which we were not able to reconcile in every instance. Even when the data is produced by the same national statistical office on a specific parameter, like the total population in a particular year, discrepancies can occur depending on whether it was derived from a survey, a national census or a projection and whether the data are mid-year or January. For slow trends, data are presented for 1990, 1995 and 2000-2003. Where it is interesting to look at projections, the data encompasses 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2015. Fast-moving trends such as communications are illustrated with data sets relating to 1990, 1995, 2000-2005, 2010 and 2015. Consumer goods data cover the period 1998-2003. 2. POPULATION 2. 1 Population by Age 700 million Indians are under the age of 35, making India one of the youngest nations in the world. The population of youth is almost equally divided between men and women, and in terms of numbers is more than the population of Latin America and the Caribbean put together. The changing demographics can be attributed to a slowdown in birth rate during the 1990s as well as rising levels of diseases amongst the 30+ age group. The biggest attraction for international players is perhaps the sheer numbers that provide them turnovers that corporates dream of. The 5-9 year-age group was the largest in 2004 though growth rates have been dropping over the review period. By the end of the forecast period though, the 15-19 year-age group is expected to be the largest in a digression from the historical trend indicating that the country will age slowly. In absolute terms, 10-14 year olds, 15-19 year olds and 20-24 year olds grew by approximately 25% since 1990. The changing demographics has been due to the high levels of birth rate in the last decade resulting in a population that attained these age levels post 2000. The population above 70 years of age will more than have doubled over the 1990-2015 period. 97% growth is expected amongst the 80+ group over the 2000-2015 period. Migration to other countries, better healthcare and a slowdown in birth rate are expected to contribute to some of these trends. The median age of the population is rising, albeit extremely slowly. Death rates are dropping gradually with improved access to healthcare but it is also accompanied by rather high levels of birth rate. According to an Oxford University Press publication by Tim Dyson, Robert Cassen and Leela Visaria by 2015, shifts are expected. The median age would rise to 31 from the current 24, and the proportion of 60+ would rise from 7% to 11%. Table 1 Population by Age: 1990-2015 ‘000 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 0-4 yrs 114,799 119,235 120,974 117,342 116,462 116,324 5-9 yrs 102,289 110,845 115,921 118,296 115,260 114,758 10-14 yrs 89,781 100,560 109,302 114,583 117,137 114,226 15-19 yrs 85,268 88,870 99,696 08,541 113,937 116,575 20-24 yrs 77,264 84,180 87,878 98,790 107,722 113,188 25-29 yrs 68,307 76,098 83,001 86,771 97,607 106,430 30-34 yrs 59,422 67,262 74,926 81,753 85,361 95,802 35-39 yrs 49,661 58,435 66,152 73,656 80,244 83,504 40-44 yrs 41,157 48,632 57,281 64,854 72,146 78,395 45-49 yrs 35,384 39,977 47,346 55,842 63,253 70,294 50-54 yrs 31,1 25 33,892 38,442 45,667 53,980 61,191 55-59 yrs 26,547 29,144 31,917 36,391 43,422 51,469 60-64 yrs 21,023 23,942 26,496 29,242 33,590 40,300 65-69 yrs 15,507 17,879 20,598 23,047 25,711 29,807 70-74 yrs 10,547 12,112 14,196 16,614 18,870 21,331 75-79 yrs 6,274 7,213 8,471 10,146 12,127 4,023 80+ yrs 3,678 4,497 5,951 7,536 9,431 11,708 TOTAL 838,033 922,775 1,008,549 1,089,072 1,166,258 1,239,325 Median age of 21. 68 22. 45 23. 28 24. 31 25. 62 27. 05 population (Years) Death rates (per ‘000 10. 63 9. 49 8. 67 8. 07 7. 66 7. 49 inhabitants) Source: UN, Euromonitor Note: As at 1 January Table 2 Population by Age (% Analysis): 1990-2015 % of total population 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 0-4 yrs 13. 70 12. 92 11. 99 10. 77 9. 99 9. 39 5-9 yrs 12. 21 12. 01 11. 49 10. 86 9. 88 9. 26 10-14 yrs 10. 71 10. 90 10. 84 10. 52 10. 04 9. 22 15-19 yrs 10. 17 9. 63 9. 89 9. 97 9. 77 9. 41 20-24 yrs 9. 22 9. 12 8. 71 9. 07 9. 4 9. 13 25-29 yrs 8. 15 8. 25 8. 23 7. 97 8. 37 8. 59 30-34 yrs 7. 09 7. 29 7. 43 7. 51 7. 32 7. 73 35-39 yrs 5. 93 6. 33 6. 56 6. 76 6. 88 6. 74 40-44 yrs 4. 91 5. 27 5. 68 5. 95 6. 19 6. 33 45-49 yrs 4. 22 4. 33 4. 69 5. 13 5. 42 5. 67 50-54 yrs 3. 71 3. 67 3. 81 4. 19 4. 63 4. 94 55-59 yrs 3. 17 3. 16 3. 16 3. 34 3. 72 4. 15 60-64 yrs 2. 51 2. 59 2. 63 2. 69 2. 88 3. 25 65-69 yrs 1. 85 1. 94 2. 04 2. 12 2. 20 2. 41 70-74 yrs 1. 26 1. 31 1. 41 1. 53 1. 62 1. 72 75-79 yrs 0. 75 0. 78 0. 84 0. 93 1. 04 1. 13 80+ yrs 0. 44 0. 49 0. 59 0. 69 0. 81 0. 94 TOTAL 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 Source: UN, Euromonitor Note: As at 1 January Table 3 Population by Age (Growth): 1990/2015, 2000/2015 % growth 1990/2015 2000/2015 0-4 yrs 1. 33 -3. 84 5-9 yrs 12. 19 -1. 00 10-14 yrs 27. 23 4. 51 15-19 yrs 36. 72 16. 93 20-24 yrs 46. 50 28. 80 25-29 yrs 55. 81 28. 23 30-34 yrs 61. 22 27. 86 35-39 yrs 68. 15 26. 23 40-44 yrs 90. 48 36. 86 45-49 yrs 98. 66 48. 47 50-54 yrs 96. 60 59. 18 55-59 yrs 93. 88 61. 26 60-64 yrs 91. 69 52. 10 65-69 yrs 92. 21 44. 71 70-74 yrs 102. 24 50. 26 75-79 yrs 123. 51 65. 54 80+ yrs 218. 34 96. 76 TOTAL 47. 89 22. 88 Median age of population 24. 76 16. 19 Death rates -29. 52 -13. 55 Source: UN, Euromonitor Note: As at 1 January 2. Male Population by Age Males constitute 52% of the population. Half are under the age of 29 and are looking for earning opportunities. Though liberalisation and the recent NDA (National Democratic Alliance) government headed by ex-prime minister Shri Vajpayee did much to invest in infrastructure and create jobs, much of this has apparently not perco lated down to the lowest income classes if election results in mid-2004 (when the incumbent government was unceremoniously and unexpectedly voted out) are anything to go by. Not surprisingly, the 5-9 year-age group is again the largest segment, representing almost 11% of the total population. In relative terms, this segment has been stagnant since 1990 and has declined marginally since 2000. Due to a larger base, 15-19 year olds will constitute the largest segment by 2015 despite higher growth by other groups. In keeping with general demographic trends, the population below the age of 20 years grew the maximum over the review period. Dropping mortality rates and better healthcare has increased this population group. The median age of the male population in India is approximately the same as the overall median age of the population. It was 22 in 2000 and stands at a little more than 24 years in 2003. Much of India is a male dominated society, and even in urban areas, women are shouldering more and more household running responsibilities. On a lighter note, urban men are more conscious of their looks be it clothing or even actual physical features. One would find many highlighting their hair or even exploring a manicure or a facial massage in big metro cities such as Mumbai or Delhi. The latest corporate entrant to the beauty services business under the name of Kaya Skin Clinics caters to both men and women with clinics even in Dubai. This is a Marico India Limited promoted venture. There is an entire new category of urban men – â€Å"the meterosexual male† that is as demanding about clothes, footwear, music and even grooming aids or beauty treatments as women. In burgeoning malls, men are spending as much or even more as women due to greater financial independence in relative terms and the freedom to spend money on items of desire or personal use. The youth desire items such as cell phones, PDAs and other electronic gizmos. Footwear is another item high in purchase priority. Whether it is body piercing or permanent tattoos, it is all about making a statement. Fitness and sports-related equipment also catches their fancy. The coming decade from 2004 to 2013 will see growth in the 30-55 age bracket by 2%. This will translate into significantly increased demand for items such as travel and leisure, home and household items, lifestyle accessories and even alcoholic drinks. Table 4 Male Population by Age: 1990-2015 ‘000 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 0-4 yrs 59,160 61,431 62,314 60,391 59,897 59,773 5-9 yrs 53,002 57,354 59,926 61,095 59,437 59,106 10-14 yrs 46,682 52,240 56,672 59,329 60,571 58,960 15-19 yrs 44,611 46,274 51,849 56,325 59,034 60,314 20-24 yrs 40,457 44,130 45,829 51,433 55,942 58,675 25-29 yrs 35,848 39,901 43,545 45,268 50,814 55,247 0-34 yrs 31,216 35,289 39,246 42,842 44,475 49,798 35-39 yrs 25,991 30,655 34,636 38,494 41,955 43,397 40-44 yrs 21,137 25,386 29,959 33,846 37,579 40,840 45-49 yrs 17,895 20,428 24,595 29,063 32,849 36,427 50-54 yrs 15,631 17,003 19,497 23,552 27,898 31,550 55-59 yrs 13,346 14,462 15,831 18,258 22,165 26,325 60-64 yrs 10,533 11,826 12,925 14,266 16,58 8 20,254 65-69 yrs 7,660 8,753 9,948 10,992 12,271 14,405 70-74 yrs 5,127 5,833 6,779 7,820 8,771 9,917 75-79 yrs 3,008 3,398 3,956 4,692 5,527 6,303 80+ yrs 1,756 2,094 2,684 3,338 4,129 5,050 TOTAL 433,062 476,458 520,192 561,005 599,902 636,341 Males as % of total 51. 68 51. 63 51. 8 51. 51 51. 44 51. 35 population Source: UN, Euromonitor Note: As at 1 January Table 5 Male Population by Age (% Analysis): 1990-2015 % of male population 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 0-4 yrs 13. 66 12. 89 11. 98 10. 76 9. 98 9. 39 5-9 yrs 12. 24 12. 04 11. 52 10. 89 9. 91 9. 29 10-14 yrs 10. 78 10. 96 10. 89 10. 58 10. 10 9. 27 15-19 yrs 10. 30 9. 71 9. 97 10. 04 9. 84 9. 48 20-24 yrs 9. 34 9. 26 8. 81 9. 17 9. 33 9. 22 25-29 yrs 8. 28 8. 37 8. 37 8. 07 8. 47 8. 68 30-34 yrs 7. 21 7. 41 7. 54 7. 64 7. 41 7. 83 35-39 yrs 6. 00 6. 43 6. 66 6. 86 6. 99 6. 82 40-44 yrs 4. 88 5. 33 5. 76 6. 03 6. 26 6. 42 45-49 yrs 4. 13 4. 29 4. 73 5. 8 5. 48 5. 72 50-54 yrs 3. 61 3. 57 3. 75 4. 20 4. 65 4. 96 55-59 yrs 3. 08 3. 04 3. 04 3. 25 3. 69 4. 14 60-64 yrs 2. 43 2. 48 2. 48 2. 54 2. 77 3. 18 65-69 yrs 1. 77 1. 84 1. 91 1. 96 2. 05 2. 26 70-74 yrs 1. 18 1. 22 1. 30 1. 39 1. 46 1. 56 75-79 yrs 0. 69 0. 71 0. 76 0. 84 0. 92 0. 99 80+ yrs 0. 41 0. 44 0. 52 0. 60 0. 69 0. 79 TOTAL 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 Source: UN, Euromonitor Note: As at 1 January Table 6 Male Population by Age (Growth): 1990/2015, 2000/2015 % growth 1990/2015 2000/2015 0-4 yrs 1. 04 -4. 08 5-9 yrs 11. 52 -1. 37 10-14 yrs 26. 30 4. 04 15-19 yrs 35. 20 16. 33 20-24 yrs 45. 03 28. 03 5-29 yrs 54. 12 26. 87 30-34 yrs 59. 53 26. 89 35-39 yrs 66. 97 25. 29 40-44 yrs 93. 22 36. 32 45-49 yrs 103. 56 48. 11 50-54 yrs 101. 84 61. 82 55-59 yrs 97. 25 66. 28 60-64 yrs 92. 29 56. 70 65-69 yrs 88. 04 44. 81 70-74 yrs 93. 41 46. 28 75-79 yrs 109. 53 59. 33 80+ yrs 187. 55 88. 16 TOTAL 46. 94 22. 33 Source: UN, Euromonitor Note: As at 1 January 2. 3 Female Population by Age 58% of the Indian female population is bel ow the age of 29. Of this 45% are over the age of 15 years. Female population proportion is likely to go up in the next decade following stringent official norms for sex determination and abortion of the female foetus. The current sex ratio stands at 933 females per 1,000 males as per the last census. Considering the decline in sex ratio from the previous census in 1991, female infanticide is still rampant not only in certain backward rural areas but also in a new form using modern technology in urban areas. Women in urban India have come a long way since the expectations their mothers or probably grandmothers had to live up to. In the 1960s and 1970s, it was a rarity to see working women. It went without saying that female members of the household handled household running responsibilities. Few would be seen dressed in anything but a sari, the national dress. Smoking and drinking were strict no-nos. Even going to the beauty parlour was considered highly emancipated! Cooking was always at home and done by women. Sacrificing personal wants and compromise were desirable attributes. The scenario dramatically changed in the 1990s with India’s entry onto the world beauty scene. Suddenly, every woman wanted to look good or do something that made a difference to her or to someone else. The salwar-kameez is almost a universal dress code. Originally, a North Indian attire, it caught the imagination of women from every region for its convenience and comfort. Young women are much surer of what they want and how to get it. Domestic duties such as cooking are minimised or taken care of in other ways. They would much rather work or do something that they would much rather be doing. Western-style dressing consisting of pants and a shirt is much more common even in workplaces. Social drinking is largely acceptable though still not desirable. On the other hand smoking is still a no-no notwithstanding the rise in number of working women who smoke in public. More and more women today have access to some means of income be it small or large amounts and even take investment decisions or play a significant role in the decision making. Today, one can see a mix of all kinds of women ranging from the traditional conservative to the ultra modern sophisticate. Even the traditional conservative is surprisingly quite progressive in emotional matters pertaining to education or even careers. While women are now increasingly comfortable with their bodies and do not mind even flaunting it, they still would prefer striking a balance between home and work. With more and more women earning their own money, they are now almost equally positioned as bread earners in families. Most men find it difficult to deal with this situation since money and the way it must be spent (larger sums that probably go beyond household expenses) is still considered a male domain. But there is an increasing segment that is now taking investment decisions as well. The stock market boom in 2003 attracted large numbers of housewives who got into the act of trading shares, earning just that little bit extra irrespective of their socioeconomic status or educational background. The attitude towards motherhood is changing. It is now more a matter of choice than chance. Young urban educated women are taking parenting much more seriously. Previously, the first child was born at an average age of 25, today in some parts it is 32 years. Women-on-vacation is another phenomenon slowly becoming visible at railway platforms, airport lounges and even gravelled roads. Single, married, divorced or bereaved and aged anywhere from 16-70 years, women are on the move. As the population ages and more working women constitute the Indian population, there will be a demand for items of personal use and anti-ageing products and services. The number of women smoking or drinking is also on the rise. Earlier considered taboo, rising pressures professionally and personally have only contributed to this changing paradigm. Table 7 Female Population by Age: 1990-2015 ‘000 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 0-4 yrs 55,639 57,805 58,660 56,951 56,565 56,552 5-9 yrs 49,287 53,491 55,994 57,201 55,823 55,652 10-14 yrs 43,098 48,320 52,630 55,254 56,565 55,266 15-19 yrs 40,657 42,596 47,848 52,217 54,903 56,261 20-24 yrs 36,806 40,050 42,049 47,357 51,781 54,513 25-29 yrs 32,460 36,197 39,456 41,504 46,793 51,183 30-34 yrs 28,206 31,972 35,680 38,912 0,886 46,004 35-39 yrs 23,671 27,780 31,516 35,163 38,289 40,106 40-44 yrs 20,020 23,247 27,322 31,008 34,567 37,555 45-49 yrs 17,489 19,549 22,752 26,779 30,404 33,867 50-54 yrs 15,493 16,890 18,945 22,115 26,082 29,640 55-59 yrs 13,200 14,683 16,086 18,133 21,257 25,144 60-64 yrs 10,490 12,116 13,571 14,976 17,001 20,046 65-69 yrs 7,847 9,126 10,651 12,054 13,439 15,402 70-74 yrs 5,420 6,278 7,417 8,794 10,099 11,414 75-79 yrs 3,266 3,815 4,515 5,453 6,600 7,720 80+ yrs 1,922 2,403 3,267 4,198 5,302 6,658 TOTAL 404,970 446,317 488,357 528,067 566,356 602,984 Females as % of total 48. 32 48. 37 48. 42 8. 49 48. 56 48. 65 population Source: UN, Euromonitor Note: As at 1 January Table 8 Female Population by Age (% Analysis): 1990-2015 % of female population 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 0-4 yrs 13. 74 12. 95 12. 01 10. 78 9. 99 9. 38 5-9 yrs 12. 17 11. 99 11. 47 10. 83 9. 86 9. 23 10-14 yrs 10. 64 10. 83 10. 78 10. 46 9. 99 9. 17 15-19 yrs 10. 04 9. 54 9. 80 9. 89 9. 69 9. 33 20-24 yrs 9. 09 8. 97 8. 61 8. 97 9. 14 9. 04 25-29 yrs 8. 02 8. 11 8. 08 7. 86 8. 26 8. 49 30-34 yrs 6. 96 7. 16 7. 31 7. 37 7. 22 7. 63 35-39 yrs 5. 85 6. 22 6. 45 6. 66 6. 76 6. 65 40-44 yrs 4. 94 5. 21 5. 59 5. 87 6. 10 6. 23 5-49 yrs 4. 32 4. 38 4. 66 5. 07 5. 37 5. 62 50-54 yrs 3. 83 3. 78 3. 88 4. 19 4. 61 4. 92 55-59 yrs 3. 26 3. 29 3. 29 3. 43 3. 75 4. 17 60-64 yrs 2. 59 2. 71 2. 78 2. 84 3. 00 3. 32 65-69 yrs 1. 94 2. 04 2. 18 2. 28 2. 37 2. 55 70-74 yrs 1. 34 1. 41 1. 52 1. 67 1. 78 1. 89 75-79 yrs 0. 81 0. 85 0. 92 1. 03 1. 17 1. 28 80+ yrs 0. 47 0. 54 0. 67 0. 80 0. 94 1. 10 TOTAL 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 Source: UN, Euromonitor Note: As at 1 January Table 9 Female Population by Age (Growth): 1990/2015, 2000/2015 % growth 1990/2015 2000/2015 0-4 yrs 1. 64 -3. 59 5-9 yrs 12. 91 -0. 61 10-14 yrs 8. 23 5. 01 15-19 yrs 38. 38 17. 58 20-24 yrs 48. 11 29. 64 25-29 yrs 57. 68 29. 72 30-34 yrs 63. 10 28. 94 35-39 yrs 69. 43 27. 26 40-44 yrs 87. 59 37. 45 45-49 yrs 93. 65 48. 86 50-54 yrs 91. 31 56. 45 55-59 yrs 90. 48 56. 32 60-64 yrs 91. 10 47. 72 65-69 yrs 96. 28 44. 61 70-74 yrs 110. 60 53. 89 75-79 yrs 136. 38 70. 98 80+ yrs 246. 49 103. 82 TOTAL 48. 90 23. 47 Source: UN, Euromonitor Note: As at 1 January 2. 4 Fertility and Birth Fertility rates in India fell to 2. 9 in 2003. The decline can be attributed to the rise in mean age at ma rriage and the postponement of the child-bearing decision. The average age of Indian women at child birth rose to 28 years in 2003. In some urban areas and metro cities it could well be early 30s. As women seek higher educational and professional achievements, urban families are postponing having children. In many cases, one of the reasons cited is that they would like to know their spouses better before giving rise to a social responsibility. Amongst celebrities such as personalities from the film industry as well as fashion, adoption is being increasingly accepted. These are usually highly successful, financially independent women who cannot or do not find the need for a spouse to raise children. Men still take a back seat where adoption is concerned. A complete change in the way earning opportunities present themselves in an increasingly open economy and the transient nature of jobs, values and money have made Indians seek personal confidence and stability before committing themselves further. Birth control has received total government support irrespective of the political party in power. However, a large number of women may not be able to afford birth control even if they wish to do so. Large numbers of couples want to space or limit births but they are not using any method of contraception. According to official sources, a nationwide survey it undertook showed that approximately 16% of couples or about 30 million couples have an unmet need for contraception. High fertility is one important factor affecting the reproductive health of women. One out of every 75 women of reproductive age dies from child birth-related causes. Other reproductive health indicators also reflect a generally poor health status. Only 15% of mothers receive complete antenatal care, and only 58% receive any iron/folate tablets or syrup. Only 34% of deliveries take place in facilities, and, at best, 42% are assisted by a health professional. Though there are official government norms for promoting two children families, there are many holding public positions that have three or four or even more children. It is therefore difficult for lawmakers who themselves go against government policies to implement them with complete resolution. There is a wide disparity in the population growth rates amongst various states. Southern states have achieved a greater measure of success in almost stabilising their birth rate growth due to a higher level of education and literacy in general. On the other hand, Northern states such as Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar represent a dismal picture. There is an unmet need for family planning in these states and about 25% of it is in Uttar Pradesh (UP) state. Is it a boy or a girl? The legacy of a declining sex ratio in the history of the Census of India took a new turn with the widespread use of new reproductive technologies (NRTs) in urban areas. NRTs are based on the principles of selection of the desirable and rejection of the unwanted. In India, the desirable is the baby boy and the unwanted is the baby girl. The result is obvious; the Census of 2001 revealed that with a sex ratio of 933 women for every 1,000 men, India had a deficit of 3. million women when it entered the new millennium. To stop the abuse of advanced scientific techniques for selective elimination of female foetuses through sex -determination, the government of India passed the Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT) Act in 1994. But techno-docs based in the metropolises and other urban centres, and parents desirous of begetting only sons, have subverted it. Outreach to the most vulnerable elements of the population is very limited, and the quality of services, in general, is poor. Additional constraints exist in the delivery of services. For family planning, the choice of methods is often limited and sterilisation remains the method of choice. Other approaches, including delaying the age of marriage and first pregnancies, and encouraging longer birth intervals, present major social and policy challenges. Religious and medical barriers exist in some areas, as do cultural issues associated with the preference for boys and denial of opportunities for girls and women. However, both the private and the public sector are taking substantial initiatives in the area of healthcare and there have been some improvements. Fertility rates fell by 23% over the 1990-2003 period though there was a slight increase in 2002. Some studies have shown that the increase was due to natural calamities in 2001 and 2002 accompanied by civil disturbances when citizens were mostly confined to their homes and had limited entertainment options. The fertility rate fell the following year by nearly 4% in 2003 over 2002 in keeping with the trend over the last decade. Table 10 Fertility and Birth: 1990/1995, 2000-2003 1990 1995 2000 2001 2002 2003 Average age of women at 20. 40 24. 20 26. 70 27. 20 27. 80 28. 33 hildbirth (years) Birth rates (per ‘000 30. 07 27. 45 24. 90 24. 37 23. 78 23. 40 inhabitants) Fertility rates 3. 80 3. 48 3. 06 2. 99 3. 02 2. 91 (children born per female) Source: National statistical offices, Council of Europe, UN, CIA World Factbook, Euromonitor Table 11 Fertility and Birth (Growth): 1990/2003, 2002/2003 % growth 1990/2003 2002/2003 Average age of women at childbirth 38. 87 1. 91 Birth rat es -22. 18 -1. 60 Fertility rates -23. 42 -3. 64 Source: National statistical offices, Council of Europe, UN, CIA World Factbook, Euromonitor 2. 5 Population by Marital Status There are only two dominant types of population by marital status in India – married or single. Married Married couples form more than half the population in India. Marriage is a sacred institution accompanied and governed by numerous social and religious customs and sanctions. Elders in the family normally arrange marriages in most of India and even with changing social fabric, parental acceptance and blessings are important. The result is a blend of the old and the new where brides/bridegrooms-to-be actually meet or see each other before the marriage and are allowed to exercise their choices. Marriage and child rearing is an accepted way of life and youngsters between the ages of 18 and 30 do look forward to settling down and getting married. An unmarried individual would stand out in the predominantly middle-class Indian society. However, acceptance of this is also increasing. There are a number of young adults, usually successful in their own lives, who choose not to get married or are unable to get married. Cracks and strains have started showing in a number of marriages due to postponement of the marriage decision, new income earning opportunities, changing lifestyles, new technologies and a sea change in attitudes and spirations in urban India. Hence, married families in 2003 grew at a slower rate than divorced or single families at only 1. 4%. Divorce Divorce is a little uncommon but is growing in incidence with young couples not willing to compromise or spend time on making a relationship successful. Interestingly, it is couples who knew each other before marriage that are seeing a rise in divorce rather than â€Å"arranged† family affairs that are part of Indian convention. There are instances of certain communities that are using technology (SMSs – Short Messaging System) to divorce their spouses by sending the message â€Å"divorce† thrice! The number of divorce cases filed in some cities reaches as high as 17,000 cases in Kolkata city with Pune having the least at 2,000. Some 9,000 cases are filed each year in Mumbai city alone. Widowers Widowers form a small 5% of Indian society that predominantly consists of youth. Rising longevity, increasing age at marriage and even social reform with respect to â€Å"child widows†, â€Å"child marriages† and â€Å"widow remarriage† have contained the growth of this category of the population. There are not too many widows/widowers in urban areas and even these generally stay with their families as in their sons or daughters. In certain rural areas, with lack of healthcare and awareness of a number of health conditions, widowers could form a slightly larger population segment. Co-habitation Co-habitation is still not viewed with much respect in a society steeped in tradition. In the Western state of Gujarat there is actually a quasi-legal arrangement called â€Å"Maitri Karar† that stipulates the responsibilities of a contract â€Å"friendship†. However, there are a growing number of homosexuals –both men and women, who have come out of the closet and are finding some acceptance. There are at least five lesbian groups in the country which are striving to provide dignity to this section of the populace. There is a large number who is probably not even aware of their preferences and go through much turmoil in the process. Yet, permissiveness is at an all-time high. 27% of the population in Bangalore; Chennai 28%; Delhi 22%t; Hyderabad 20%; Kolkata 32%; Mumbai 24% feel that both partners should be free to have extramarital sex with the spouse's consent. Delhiites are most likely to have done it at a younger age than their counterparts in other cities. Hyderabadis and Mumbaikars show the maximum inclination to infidelity. Adultery is going middle-class, to small-town India, going commonplace, even going boring. Dangerous liaisons used to be for the aristos and the plebs. Those in between, the middle classes, were tethered by moral chastity belts – only their fantasies could roam freely. Or it was all within the family, the extramarital dalliances, that is. The scarlet letter is now fading fast: stigma is getting passe and guilt for an increasing number is no more than a twitch. New technology is an important factor encouraging the phenomenon. Internet and mushrooming cyber cafes have helped, as have mobile phones and SMS facilities. Middle-class India is having a great time and most Westerners are shocked at the change. Table 12 Population by Marital Status: 1990/1995, 2000-2003 ‘000 1990 1995 2000 2001 2002 2003 Married 471,829 494,405 516,978 524,708 532,254 539,637 Divorced 3,093 5,010 8,059 8,214 8,365 8,510 Widowed 52,532 56,663 53,373 54,144 54,895 55,629 Single & other/unknown 310,578 366,696 430,138 438,100 445,958 453,729 TOTAL 838,033 922,775 1,008,549 1,025,166 1,041,471 1,057,505 Average age of women at 19. 00 22. 90 25. 50 25. 90 26. 50 26. 97 first marriage (years) Source: National statistical offices, Council of Europe, UN, Euromonitor Note: As at 1 January Table 13 Population by Marital Status (% Analysis): 1990/1995, 2000-2003 % of total population 1990 1995 2000 2001 2002 2003 Married 56. 30 53. 58 51. 26 51. 18 51. 11 51. 03 Divorced 0. 37 0. 54 0. 80 0. 80 0. 80 0. 80 Widowed 6. 27 6. 14 5. 29 5. 28 5. 27 5. 26 Single & other/unknown 37. 06 39. 74 42. 65 42. 73 42. 82 42. 91 TOTAL 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 Source: National statistical offices, Council of Europe, UN, Euromonitor Note: As at 1 January Table 14 Population by Marital Status (Growth): 1990/2003, 2000/2003 growth 1990/2003 2000/2003 Married 14. 37 4. 38 Divorced 175. 1 5. 59 Widowed 5. 9 4. 23 Single & other/unknown 46. 09 5. 48 TOTAL 26. 19 4. 85 Average age of women at first marriage 41. 93 5. 75 Source: National statistical offices, Council of Europe, UN, Euromonitor Note: As at 1 January 2. 6 Population by Educational Attainment Indians place a lot of importance on higher education as is evident from the number of graduates as well as the number of Indians doing extremely well in other parts of the world. Despite huge odds, the literacy rate now stands at more than 65% for the country as a whole. In terms of numbers, most of the population has some form of primary education. Kerala is the only state that has 100% literacy. Public expenditure on education now stands at 4% of GDP, well below the Kothari Commission recommendation of 6% way back in 1968. The private sector is now taking increasing initiatives in primary level education after having participated in a mixed fashion in the form of self-financed colleges and institutions of higher learning. This is one of the factors for higher growth in the level of education attainment at higher levels as compared to primary education. There are about 888,000 educational institutions in the country with an enrolment of about 179 million. Elementary Education System in India is the second largest in the World with 149 million children of 6-14 years enrolled and almost three million teachers. This is about 82% of the children in the age group. Compulsory education has been enforced in four States and Union Territories (UTs) at the primary stage of education while in eight States/UTs there is compulsory education covering the entire elementary stage of education. As many as 20 States/UTs have not introduced any measure of compulsion. Though education is in the concurrent list (ie both the Central and State governments are responsible for this social sector) of the Constitution, the State Governments play a very major role in the development of education particularly in the primary and the secondary education sectors. In order to facilitate donations including smaller amounts from India and abroad for implementing projects/programmes connected with the education sector, the Government constituted the â€Å"Bharat Shiksha Kosh† as a Society registered under the Society Registration Act, 1860. The Kosh was officially launched on 9 January 2003 during the celebration of Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas. The Kosh will receive donations/contributions/endowments, from individuals and corporate, Central and State Governments, non-resident Indians and people of Indian origin for various activities across all sectors of education. Table 15 Population by Educational Attainment: 1990/1995, 2000-2003 ‘000 1990 1995 2000 2001 2002 2003 Primary & no education 372,583 378,124 391,590 400,014 408,770 417,596 Secondary 79,103 121,874 163,622 167,434 171,221 175,064 Higher 79,478 92,137 107,140 109,858 112,464 115,123 TOTAL 531,164 592,134 662,352