MSc Strategic Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

MSc Strategic Accounting - Essay Example Due to the fact that the strategic costing technique firmly implies long-term future oriented attributes, it can facilitate the organisations to reduce different types of accounting uncertainties (Cadez & Guilding, 2008). Critical Review of Literature With respect to the significance of the strategic costing, Cadez (2008) has mentioned that the notion of strategic costing has become a widely used technique for the organisations in case of proactively performing their range of accounting practices. In relation to the present fiercely competitive scenario of the global business environment, the organisations seek to integrate well-built Strategic Management Accounting (SMA) techniques in order to efficiently attain their strategic goals (Cadez, 2008). Contextually, it has also been found from the study in Qucosa (2006) that the concept of strategic costing constitutes a broad focus beyond the notion of controlling or reducing organisational costs associated with its range of business o perations. Moreover, the nature of strategic costing also encompasses cost information which is significantly recognised as one of the major attributes of making exceptional organisational decisions. In this regard, the study of Qucosa (2006) has further depicted a conceptual framework with respect to the major characteristics of strategic costing. Fig: Concept Strategic Cost Management (Qucosa, 2006) Philosophy: The philosophy of strategic costing can be considered as one of the major attributes which ensures to improve revenue as well as cost of the organisations. The concept of strategic costing significantly emphasises upon enhancing organisational productivity, capitalising in terms of profit enhancement along with augmenting customer satisfaction (Qucosa, 2006). Attitude: The concept of strategic costing constitutes a proactive attitude which ensures to encompass all the costs associated with the organisational processes that result from the management decisions. In this regar d, the attitude of strategic costing involves six important elements such as holistic nature, market orientation, anticipatory approach, continuousness, participative and cross-functional attributes (Qucosa, 2006). Techniques: Techniques can be recognised as the major attribute that exists within the concept of strategic costing. The concept of strategic costing firmly involves reliable techniques that are implemented by the organisations in order to accomplish their desired goals or obtain overall needs (Qucosa, 2006). The notion of strategic costing can also be considered as an effectual curriculum for the organisations. In accordance with the viewpoints of Banerjee (2006), it has been revealed that an effective practice of strategic costing tends to facilitate the firms to frequently analyse and recognise their major cost drivers, thus helping them to minimise costs and increase the overall value of the firms. Such types of management accounting programme plays a vital role for t he organisations in terms of preparing budget parameter as well as it also facilitates

Effective Communication in Building Relationships Essay Example for Free

Effective Communication in Building Relationships Essay Communicating effectively is the most important aspect of any relationship. In all venues the way we communicate can determine if that relationship will be successful, this is certainly true in an intimate relationship, but just as important in business relationships, friendships, and familial relationships. Relationships are defined by how we communicate, and how effective we are at getting our message out, but just as important is how well we listen. Healthy relationships require us to know a bit about ourselves, and be willing to share some of ourselves with others, building that trust element helps determine the intensity of a relationship. Understanding some of these components will help you on your way to developing and maintaining a good relationship. Having good communication skills can mean the difference between success and failure of a relationship. Most relationships that are successful are in an â€Å"equitable relationship† (Myers, 2010, pg. 429). Being aware of some of the barriers to effective communication can help you avoid the pitfalls of bad or ineffective communication. There are several communicating errors that can signal the end of a relationship, according to Hybels and Weaver (2007) some of those are, â€Å"aggressive talk, regrettable talk, criticism and complaints, avoidance, and defensive communication† (pg. 199). Having disagreements are a normal part of any relationship, it is how we resolve those conflicts that can mean the difference between a healthy relationship or one that is heading towards destruction. We tend to fall back on the destructive methods when we have no other tools in our toolbox. Aggressive talk is using language that demeans another; it is calling names, using disparaging words, wearing down the self esteem of the other person. This is so destructive to a relationship; it can at times lead to physical violence. But the most insidious form of communication is indirect aggression, or passive aggression. This is when we consciously commit an act that we know will hurt or upset another. We manipulate the situation to get our way, or get our â€Å"dig† into the other person. This way we do not have to  confront directly, it is very subtle, and can be the real killer of a relationship. It is a way to continue an argument without actually saying much at all. The Los Angeles Times (1997) reported on passive aggressive tendencies in relationships, and gave some advice on how to handle the situation, â€Å"first, realize that you may not be able to get your mate to change his or her behavior, but you can change yours† and â€Å"take control of the sit uation by setting limits, figure out what you can do† (pg. 3). Regrettable talk is saying something, and then wishing you could take it back. I think we are all guilty of this to some extent. We blurt out a remark without thinking, and immediately we regret it. Using regrettable talk can leave others with hurt feelings, and cause them to want to avoid us. I think in relationships it is easy to fall into this category, you know someone so well, and feel comfortable saying just about anything, so you let your guard down, and many times the things we say we wish we could take back. I have commented to my spouse that we talk nicer to our neighbors than we do to each other, and if we wish to continue in a relationship we must be aware of this, and make every effort to think before we speak. Criticism and complaints creep into a relationship when couples have no real tools for resolving an argument. In an article from Cosmopolitan, reporter Laura Gilbert (2007) interviews professionals about some of the consequences from constant complaints and criticism, After a while, you stop talking with those sweet undertones, says Edythe Denkin, PhD, author of Relationship Magic, and sarcasm or negativity can become more common 243 (5). There are different styles of attachment, â€Å"people with negative views of others exhibit either the dismissive or the fearful attachment style† (Myers, 2010, pg. 428). Dismissive is a relationship marked by distrust, and fearful attachment is a relationship marked by fear of rejection. Either types can lead to the end of a relationship. Avoidance and defensive communication are two types of negative methods used to get our point across. When we are unhappy we avoid any discussion, the silent treatment is what a lot of couples use to avoid any conflict. This is counterproductive, and will destroy the trust in a relationship. Many  couples mistakenly feel that arguing is the end of a relationship, but in truth it is when we begin avoiding each other that can signal a relationship is in trouble. David Code from the Christian Science Monitor (2009) writes, â€Å"Just because you seldom argue doesnt mean your marriage is strong, the real silent killer of marriage is distancing yourself from your partner† (pg. 9). He goes on to discuss some possible solutions, and encourages couples to not worry so much about disagreeing, but focus on â€Å"your flight response†, If we can learn to spot the â€Å"distancing pattern in our relationships† we can help â€Å"prevent family problems and divorce† ( Code, 2009, pg. 9). Defensive communication occurs as we are trying to defend ourselves from a comment made by our partner. â€Å"Defending ourselves is dealing with a past behavior; it gives us no time to resolve the problem† (Hybels and Weaver, 2007, pg. 200). In a relationship each partner must get out of the relationship â€Å"proportional to what you each put into it† (Myers, 2010, pg. 428). The best way to fix a problem is to recognize and admit you have one in the first place. In Cosmopolitan, Jennifer Benjamin (2007) gives us some common communication pitfalls, and says â€Å"to avoid these, you first have to recognize them† (pg. 126). The article goes on to list five communication mistakes that we as couples tend to make. One mistake many couples make is leaving out important information. We give our partners some of the needed information, but assume that he or she knows me so well; they will know what I am talking about. So vital information is left out, this leads to mis communication, and hurt feelings. Another area that we have to be aware of is the time we pick to have a discussion. During Super Bowl, or when one is rushing off to work, is not the time to have a discussion. Mistake number three, prefacing our remark with doom and gloom statements such as, â€Å"do not take this the wrong way† or â€Å"do not get mad but† it begins the conversation with a sense of impending trouble, and gets our level of anger ratcheted up. Another common mistake is one many women are guilty of, talking the problem to death; we tend to not get to the point, and feel we have to give every single detail. The article says, â€Å"Men have about three minutes of attention for any single discussion† (Benjamin, 2007, pg. 126). The last area is in giving out to much detail. Again women can be guilty of this; we feel we need to tell our man everything, all our past exploitations, we want to be close to our guy, but too much information can  be as damaging as not enough. If we are to avoid the destructive methods of communicating, we must increase our strategic flexi bility, according to Hybels and Weaver (2007) this means â€Å"expanding your communication repertoire† (pg. 6). The more communication skills we have, the more we can draw on them for any scenario or situation. We will be better prepared to handle whatever comes up, while still getting our message across, in the most effective manner. People who possess these skills have much more flourishing interactions with the people in their lives. When discussing communication between partners in an intimate relationship gender and language must be taken into consideration. The way the sexes communicate is very different. According to Hybels and Weaver (2007) â€Å"women use the language of rapport-talk, men use report-talk† (pg. 117). This means that women are trying to form bonds with communication, and increase intimacy levels, men are letting us know their knowledge and skills in a particular subject area. It is a completely different style of communicating, women are â€Å"building relationships† and men are trying to â€Å"fix the problem† (Hybels and Weaver, 2007, pg. 117). In the book, Why Mars and Venus Collide, author Vanessa Bush researches the differences in brain chemistry that is produced by women and men when under stress, â€Å"biochemistry can also explain why women multitask and men are more single-minded in their focus. Problems occur when men and women misinterpret the different ways t he opposite sex responds to and copes with stress† (pg. 104). Several tips that were offered by the author to increase our levels of communication, women should let our partners know when we need support, and men should listen fully to the problem without trying to fix it. I have researched communication in intimate relationships, looked at a lot of studies, and felt I should put my own relationships to the test. I wanted to see if my emotional intelligence matched that of my husband and my children. I wanted to see if the gaps I perceive in our communication as a family was due to the differences in each of our emotional intelligence quotients. What exactly is emotional intelligence; according to Hybels and Weaver (2007) emotional intelligence â€Å"is the ability to understand and get along with others† (pg. 156). In order for us to get along with others, and deal with their emotions, we must first be aware of our own emotions and feelings. We must learn how to appropriately express, and manage our feelings, and learn some self-control,  and we must learn to recognize and handle the feelings of others. I had each family member take the emotional intelligence test, which was retrieved from the Institute for Health and Human Potential. This ev aluates your emotional intelligence, and shows you your strengths and weaknesses. I took the survey, and I had my husband and my daughter take the survey. My daughter and my husband scored very similar on the quiz, my results were about ten points higher than there score. The results said I have a very high emotional intelligence. The results of the emotional intelligence test reflects my life, I am a high achiever, can be very task oriented, and want to ensure that my work with families shows great results. The quiz said I needed to remember why I do the work I do, not get bogged down in tasks, but remember the reason you chose this line of work. The results said I should take time each day to reflect on what brings me the greatest joy. That really reflects me, I enjoy the work tremendously, but sometimes the day to day tasks that have to get done can make me a bit cynical. I think it also translates into my personal life, I can read people well, and feel I am in tune with their emotions, but some days I just do not take the time to really sit down and listen to those closest to me. I can see this reflected in my relationship with my husband. I am so busy being busy; I do not really pay attention to him, and what his concerns are. The emotional intelligence test scores for my husband and daughter both said they have slightly above average emotional intelligence, with room to grow. It reflects what I see in both of them, they are very sensitive to the needs of those around them, but do not always take time for themselves. The quiz also says they may not always communicate their feelings or needs to others. This is very true, especially of my husband; he does not communicate his needs well, and then he can become angry and distant. The quiz gives areas for improvement for both my husband and my daughter. They are to look at what causes them stress and tension, and how they handle those situations, and try and rid themselves of the negative thoughts that play in their minds. I have seen the destructive results of this type of negative thinking, feeling you are unworthy and unlovable. We now know the results of the emotional intelligence quiz, now what. We must come together and as a family and decide how best to proceed. Having the results of this quiz has opened the doors to communication for my family. We saw in print, what each of us sees  reflected in the other. The communication between my husband and me was bordering on becoming destructive, we both were passive aggressive when dealing with issues. I did not want to argue, so I would let it go, but not really, it stayed with me, and I would do mean things to get back at my husband. I might not wake him up, even if I saw he forgot to set his alarm, and was going to be late for work. I might not put his work clothes in the dryer, even when I see he is running late. It would be little inconsequential things I would do, but over the years they have added up, and we were at the brink of separating. My husband was no different; he was just as guilty of allowing the barriers to effective communicating to come between us. I also have to admit that I saw some of the same communication barriers creeping into my teenage daughter’s style of communicating. I think being aware of a problem is half the battle, when we are honest, and do some self assessing, we can truly begin to make some changes. I decided that since my emotional intelligence results were so different from my husband’s that taking a personality test might be in order. I found a personality types questionnaire, and we both took the survey. The survey was published by Dawn Billings, (2004) CEO and Founder of The Heart Link Women’s Network. The Primary colors personality tool asks specific questions, and you rate yourself from highest to lowest in each category. Once finished, you add up the scores and the one with the largest number represents your major personality profile. I took the survey as did my husband and my daughter. The results were very interesting, the one area I found fascinating was that my husband and I both scored the highest in the same category. It said we were both gentle and understanding, which is true, that we are more interested in being loved than in being right, so we may stay with partners that do not treat us well. There have been times in this relationship where I felt I was being mistreated, and my husband has admitted that he has felt the same at times. It also says we may put the needs of others above our own needs, this is very true, and was also reflected in our emotional intelligence test. The tests also said this personality type over commits themselves, and not leave room for those closest to them. This has been a real issue in my marriage; I am so driven by work and school that I forget that I have a husband and a daughter who needs me. Since taking these surveys, the gaps in our communication has closed dramatically. My husband  was open to taking the test, which surprised me; I thought he would balk at doing this. He was as surprised as I was with some of the results; it opened the door for us to begin really talking about issues, as a family, and as a couple. There is more work to be done, taking a couple of quizzes cannot erase years of bad, and ineffective communicating. The pain is there from years of misunderstandings, and from the communication barriers we placed in our paths, but what has happened is the willingness for us to come together as a couple, see what needs to be worked on, and begin that process. Communication skills are vital for any relationship, both personal and professional. This journey has made me aware that I spend a great deal of time working on my professional relationships. I am very careful of how I phrase my comments to coworkers, I am cautious of hurting feelings, or of being misunderstood. I think about what I have to say to a coworker before I actually say it; I try and take into consideration their feelings. But I am not always as conscience at home of the impact my words will have. Communicating effectively is a skill, one that takes work and practice. It also requires that at times we must do some self assessing, see where our strengths are at, but also admit where our weaknesses are at, and begin the process of reducing those barriers. This is the only way we can be both effective at work, and at home, and have a happy, healthy relationship. References Jennifer Benjamin. (2007, October). 5 Talking Mistakes Most Couples Make. Cosmopolitan, 243(4), 126. Retrieved March 21, 2010, from Research Library. (Document ID: 1394182521). Billings, D. (2004). Primary color personality tool. The Heart Link women’s network. Bush, V.. (2007, December). Why Mars and Venus Collide: Improving Relationships by Understanding How Men and Women Cope Differently with Stress [review of Why Mars and Venus Collide: Improving Relationships by Understanding How Men and Women Cope Differently with Strss]. The Booklist, 104(8), 4. Retrieved March 22, 2010, from Research Library. (Document ID: 1402448851). David Code. (2009, February 13). How emotional distance ruins marriage. The Christian Science Monitor,p. 9. Retrieved March 21, 2010, from ProQuest Newsstand. (Document ID: 1644399621). Laura Gilbert. (2008, September). Couples. Cosmopolitan, 245(3), 145. Retrieved March 21, 2010, from Research Library. (Document ID: 1529579221). Hybels, S., and Weaver, R. (2007). Communicating effectively (8th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill. Institute for Health and Human Potential. (March, 2010). Emotional intelligence. Retrieved March, 21st, 2010, from http://www.ihhp.com/quiz COMMITTMENTS Caught Up in a Cycle of Nagging, Ignoring :[Home Edition]. (1994, July 25). Los Angeles Times (pre-1997 Fulltext),p. 3. Retrieved March 22, 2010, from Los Angeles Times. (Document ID: 59646758).

Human Growth And Life Span Development Sociology Essay

Human Growth And Life Span Development Sociology Essay There are eight characteristics in the life-span development (John Santrock, 2009). Development is a lifelong process, whereby throughout the whole process we will go through different phases which will allow us to be exposed to different challenges in life. For example, a baby who is learning how to walk will need a lot of physical guidances within this period of basic learning phase. A teenager in his/her adolescence phase tends to seek for more family love, as it is a transit stage between being a child and an adult in which he/she will have to handle both physical and emotional issues (eg. Puberty). A working adult who enters the working society will tend to juggle both financial and marriage issues. An elderly who is not as feeble as how he/she used to be, will tend to be more concerned with health issues. So at different stages of our life, we have to handle different types of various issues throughout. Development depends on history and context. Each and every individual is exposed to different physical and social environment that is why each of us is different and unique in our own way. It is somewhat impossible to have two individuals going through a same series of events at the same time and having the the same pace within that period of time. For example, two friends of mine who are twins, whom may have been brought up under the same conditions given at the point of time, have grown up and picked up different likings, interests etc as time goes by. Development is multidimensional, in which several factors like biological, cognitive and socioemotional are involved and they affect us in many ways. Within these factors involved, each of them has their own different aspects. It is like a multi-factorial process, in which overlapping of concepts is involved. Take for an example, Timothy, a toddler who loves to eat banana, started to stop eating bananas after a choking incident. Even having tried several attempts to get him to eat bananas again, none work out. And ever since then, he is very particular with what he eats and only consumes food that he feels safe to eat. It is somewhat as though this choking incident has affected him psychologically, which affects his eating habits and how his body responses to different food. Development is multidirectional, in which certain dimensions or aspects in life which used to be of a certain great concern to us may gradually be of a less concern as time goes by. For example, teenagers in their adolescence phase will be under extreme peer pressures and will tend to do what their peers do, so as not to be seen as being out-casted if he/she decided not to join in a certain event. They will eventually spend more time with their friends, instead of spending more time at home with their family, whom he/she used to spend time with before reaching the puberty stage. Development is plastic or pliable, which refers to the tendency to change or readiness for a change in life. The elderly may have this issue of not being able to comprehend certain complicated concepts eg. Using of computer software. They may be able to do basic computering tasks after going through certain upgrading or training, however the capacity for such changes is somewhat limited. Development is multidisciplinary, in which different groups of professional experts are all sharing a common interest in this area of life-span development. And when analyzing a situation, it is necessary to consider many different dimensions which are related or might have contributed to such problem in life. Take for instance, Thomas who has a drinking addiction; could it be simply just because of peer pressure from family and friends or he did it out of curiosity and leading it to a habititual act? Development is contextual, and it is one critical factor that affects life-span development as a whole. We respond to different changes in life and it is considered as an on-going process throughout the life-span development. There are three types of contextual influences, and they are normative age-graded influences, normative history-graded influences and non-normative life events. In normative age-graded influences, we make comparisons; determine issues and sourcing solutions within the same age group, who has a higher likelihood of going through a particular same event eg. Puberty, menopause or retirement. In normative history-graded influences, we make comparisons; determine issues and sourcing solutions with the same group of people from the same generation based on past history experiences eg. World War II, SARS period. In non-normative life events, it is more likely to address the issue based on individuals needs, as such events may not happen for everyone but they do affect the individuals life in many different ways eg. Death of loved ones, suicidal cases. Development involves growth, maintenance, and regulation. At different stages in life, we have different goals to address. For example, a toddler has a lot to learn at the initial stage which what we called growth eg. Learning to eat, toilet-trained, and as a toddler grows up and reaches adulthood, issues like maintaining and regulating of his/her own development aspects is of a major one eg. Prevention against cancer, knowledge upgrading to facilitate understanding of a concept. Theme 2 Biological, cognitive, and socioemotional processes (25 marks) There are three developmental processes and periods in the life-span development, and they are biological processes, cognitive processes and socioemotional processes (John Santrock, 2009). Each of us will go through these three processes (they are interlink to one another), in which allow us to be different from the others distinctively. Biological processes refer to the scientific process whereby an individual develops from a baby to a full-grown adult, starting from the most fundamental, genetically stage in which makes us all different since birth to the most complicated stage of hormonal changes, and lastly reaching the final stage of ageing. We have to understand the biological changes for every stage, as well as understanding how it can affect an individual both emotionally and physically. Take for an example, a teenager who is going through puberty might have a tendency to be temperamental which may be due to a series of hormonal changes in the body. Adults in the middle adulthood (35-45 to 60s) will undergo a stage called menopause, which may lead to depression if it is not diagnosed early. For both cases, getting supports from family and friends plays a very crucial role. Cognitive processes refer to how an individual thinks, reacts and processes information at different stages in life. Almost everything that we do everyday requires us to think and react accordingly. How we response to an event affects us in many ways, both negatively and positively. Take for an example; a teenager may not be able to see the importance of studying hard at that point of time, but gradually realized that in order for him/her to enter the working society, a certain qualification or relevant background is required. Socioemotional processes refer to how an individual feels towards the people around him/her, and how well he/she can cope with his emotions. Most of us decide and do a certain thing based on intuition and feelings. However sometimes, we tend to overlook certain issues and make mistakes which may affect us inevitably. Take for an example, a married couple who used to believe that they were once in love and are meant to be together, decided to end their vows and go on separate ways. Family issues like this not only affect the husband and wife involved, but also affect their children and their other loved ones. It is important to understand the different life stages and processes involved, and also finding out the various roles that each and every client is playing, in order to understand their problems better. Theme 3 Developmental issues (nature vs. nurture; stability vs change; continuity vs discontinuity) (25 marks) Personally, I am a strong believer that the stage of nurturing plays a very critical role, and how much to an extent, an individual is being nurtured determines his/her entire attitude towards life. The environment around us and the biologically aspects in us do play a part on how we react to certain issues. But having no personal experiences and proper nurturing system, it is hard to overcome many major issues in life. For instance, a child who comes from a rich family background may not be born to be intelligent. Parents who are able to send their kids for adequate enrichment courses may be one way in which parents can help their kids to cope with their studies. The children that I work with are mainly autistic children, they are very good examples as to why I personally feel nurturing plays a bigger role than nature itself. Most of the children come from well to do families, and their parents believe that it is not an ending phase for their children even though they are diagnosed with a learning disability. Humans are always constantly on the go, and they are forced to meet up with various demands in life, and thus having changes is somewhat inevitable. I also believe that most of us have the tendency to change to a different person, given the fact that we are constantly looking for means to become a better person, or at least become someone he/she feels the most comfortable to be. A very good example would be myself. Before I entered the working society, I used to be a very isolated person. I have interaction issues with people, and I had very low self-esteem. After the first year of working, I gained a lot of experiences at work, and it somewhat boosted my confidence level which allows me to see what I can actually be doing and contributing to the company. Even till today, I still have doubts in myself when dealing various issues eg. Dealing with parents etc. I still have a lot to change to become a better individual in the time to come by. Since I am a supporter of nurturing, I am also a believer in continuity. I personally feel that it takes time for most of us to be able to accept certain concepts in life, as well as, getting used to the changes that will be on going throughout the life-span. Gradual changes is an inevitable phase that all of us will have to go through. Even if it is a major, sudden change that occurred, and which in return affects someone involved, it still requires a period of time for him/her to mould slowly to an altered situation. An ex-student of mine from a Primary School Student Care Centre, who used to stay in Girls Home, was always constantly giving the school teachers and the student care teachers many disciplinary problems. It took her almost a year (from the day she was released from the Girls Home) to realize that she has to stop all those rebellious acts and that she has to place her focus in her studies (as she will be taking her PSLE in the following year). On contrary, nature and nurture; stability and change; continuity and discontinuity, do work hand in hand in some cases. However, to a great extent, I still believe that nurturing, changes and continuity are factors as to why a person is unique in their own way, as it is a way to identify themselves from the others as they grow up and enter different phases in life. Theme 4 Theoretical approach (ie., Theory of Development) that appeals the most to you in crafting your very own life-span development perspective (25 marks) I personally feels that all the various life-span theories mentioned in John Santrock, 2009, add up in all to explain the human development, as each and every of the theories are based on a point of view and they are mainly focused on just one or two areas in general. The most appealing theoretical approach that summed up my own life-span development would be the Eriksons Psychosocial Theory. Ericksons Theory is based on how humans behave psychologically towards a social aspect eg. Interacting with the others throughout the entire human life span. It is a more completed and detailed theory as different stages of human development are elaborated in some forms of psychosocial linkage. It is also a theory that leads us to understand how a person finds his or her identity amongst the rest. The eight stages of Ericksons Theory are as stated: Trust vs. mistrust (1st year of life) My mum is a babysitter and observing how a baby stop crying when his parents or my mum carried him, shows how a baby is able start distinguish the different people around him. He will also giggle whenever my family members or his parents play with him. Autonomy vs. shame and doubt (1 to 3 years old) The most basic tasks that he has to be trained are mainly being able to tell my mother whenever he wants to pass motion or urinates, as well as having to get him to eat on his own from his bowl with a spoon. Initiative vs. guilt (3 to 5 years old) Introducing of a rewarding system is being used at this stage, as a way to encourage him to get him to take the next step to learn more and do more on his or her own initiatives. Industry vs. inferiority (6 years to puberty) My cousin who used to be under my mothers care when he was around 7 years old, was being enrolled to take up piano classes and he was doing quite well in that area. He used to be a shy boy and interacting with other peers at the kindergarten was always an issue. He completed the piano course and obtained grade 8 for piano, and ever since then, he will perform for the family during gatherings. Identity vs. identity confusion (10 to 20 years) My cousin (as mentioned above) did not continue in the area of arts, in which he excels rather well in. He was in a dilemma deciding which diploma course to take up, and having to make a major swop in interests was a tough and confusing phase for him. He was not sure what identity he would want to be seen as at that point of time. Intimacy vs. isolation (20s, 30s) Marriage is the key word for this phase. This is a phase whereby most of my friends are attached, and break free from being single to being in a relationship. Those who are still singles are mostly still searching for their sole identity and sense of belongings. I have met a lot of single parents at my previous work place (Student Care Centre), and most of them feel that seeking isolation or singlehood is still a better option for them. Generativity vs. stagnation (40s, 50s) This is another stage of life, whereby families will be completed with children. Imparting of knowledge and beliefs to the next generation is the next phase, in order to kill the stagnant livelihood at this stage. Those couples who are not able to conceive will go through a rather stagnant life as compared to those who are able to. I have met couples who are not able to conceive (due to late marriages), and most of them feel that it is not a completion of a family, and there are times in which they have thoughts of adopting children to break the monotonous life. Integrity vs. despair (60s onwards) The last phase of human life span is to be termed as having any regrets or fulfilling all tasks in life before death. My grandfather passed away 3 months ago, and certain issues were brought up eg. (Did we, as his family members, manage to fulfill his dreams and spend quality time with him when he was still around? Was he waiting for death or hoping to get his loved ones to care for him and leave without any regrets?).

Music Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Essay -- Post-traumat

1. INTRODUCTION â€Å"A Person cannot be diagnosed with PTSD without having experienced a traumatic event.† (Hunt and McHale, 2010, p.13). The purpose of this essay is to discuss how Music Therapy can be used to help veterans suffering from PTSD to cope with their traumatic experiences and manage their symptoms. I will define PTSD, then in further detail explore and explain how music therapy can be used to treat and manage the symptoms of PTSD. Finally, I will evaluate if Music Therapy is a suitable intervention for helping veterans treat the symptoms of PTSD. This essay will explore the perspectives of music therapists including Julie Sutton and Gary Ansdell and research of Psychologists Paul Gilbert, Nigel Hunt and Sue Mchale. 2.1 DEFINITION OF PTSD Psychologists Hunt and McHale (2010, p.20) state that according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM): In order for someone to be classified as having PTSD, there must be: 1) a traumatic event 2) intrusive re-experiencing 3) avoidance and general numbing 4) hyper arousal 5) problems stemming from these symptoms at work and home 6) a minimum duration of one month This definition is helpful in providing a music therapist with a clear classification system to decide whether a veteran being referred to them, is displaying symptoms related to PTSD. 2.2 THE USE OF ACTIVE LISTENING TO PROMOTE DIAPHRAMATIC BREATHING According to Whealin, De Carvhalo and Vega (2008, pp.22-25): When we have survived extremely stressful or dangerous situations, the amygdala can start to be overactive. That is why when veterans return from war, they often feel alarmed even when they are not in danger. There are a number of skills you can ... ...a Kingsley Publishers, pp.13-75. Bunt, L. and Hoskyns, S. (2002) The Handbook of Music Therapy. London: Routledge, pp.190-195. Bunt, L. (1994) Music Therapy: An Art Beyond Words. London: Routledge, pp.171-175. Bright, G. (1997) Wholeness in Later Life. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, pp.119-123. Gilbert, P. (2010) Compassion Focused Therapy. London: Routledge, pp.135-145. Hunt, N.C. and McHale, S. (2010) Understanding Post Traumatic Stress. London: Sheldon Press, pp. 13-25. Jones, E. and Wessely, S. (2005) Shell Shock to PTSD. Hove: Psychology Press, pp.215-220. Sutton, J.P (2002) Music, Music Therapy and Trauma: International Perspectives. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, pp.231-257. Whealin, J.M., Decarvahlo, L.T. and Edward, M.V. (2008) Clinician’s Guide to Treating Stress After War. New-Jersey: John Wiley and Sons, pp.20-30.

Integrated Pest Management Strategies In Zanzibar Environmental Sciences Essay

Integrated Pest Management ( IPM ) was adopted by Plant Protection Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Zanzibar to better agricultural production on major harvests ( rice, banana, manioc and veggies ) at little graduated table agriculture system. The multi-disciplinary group of IPM facilitators created consciousness to husbandmans by carry oning seminars, workshops and treatments. The IPM groups were formed through Participatory Rapid Rural Appraisal ( PRRA ) . PRRA was besides used to place jobs and developing demands. Farmer field School attack was introduced utilizing the version of the methodological analysis adapted from South East Asiatic Ecosystem. Farmers were empowered on environmentally sound patterns such as disease free planting stuffs certified seeds, botanical control, etc. On-farm tests within Participatory Action Research ( PAR ) was besides conducted by participatory engineering development method. A sum of 52 husbandmans ‘ groups affecting 1,038 husbandma ns ( 549 males and 489 females ) have been trained. There was a output addition for all the harvests with the acceptance of IPM pattern, irrigated rice was from 2.2 – 4.4 tons/ha, rainfed rice 2.3 – 3.4 tons/ha, tomato 9.5 – 33.7 tons/ha, amaranthus 4.2 – 11.7 tons/ha, bananas 11.3 – 17.6 tons/ha, and cassava 15.9 – 33.6 tons/ha. The consequences had a good impact in footings of acceptance of engineerings by the IPPM husbandmans and the adjacent husbandmans. 1. Introduction More than 90 % of husbandmans in Zanzibar are resource-poor with no entree of input or recognition ( Abubakar, 2005 ) . They depend on subsistence agribusiness for their support, traditionally the cropping system is on little graduated table farms averaging 3 estates ( 1.2 hour angle. ) of cultivable land and really complex. Rice was ranked an of import basic nutrient harvest followed by bananas and manioc ( Saleh, 2007 ) . Vegetables are considered as a hard currency harvest instead than nutrient harvest. Farming is being practiced is all over the island due to its adapatation to diverse dirt and environmental conditions. As a monocrop, rice is grown in paddy countries whereas veggies, manioc and banana were largely grown on infertile dirts or as an intercrop with sweet murphy, yams or lasting trees such as cloves and coconuts. This pattern serves several intents such as guaranting nutrient security, optimum usage of dirt and infinite, eroding control and weed direction. Food securi ty is unstable due to rapid population growing of 3.1 % ( Mzee, 2000 ) , economic growing is deficient to maintain up with population growing. Most of the local cultivars were abandoned, their disappearing was linked with low opposition to plagues and diseases, drouth emphasis, market demand. The overall tendency in production has been diminishing due to figure of factors, depletion of dirt foods, population force per unit area. Output losingss caused by plague and diseases can be up to 80 % . This has forced husbandmans to increase the production by increasing land area. However the mean output is still really low of 2-7t/ha. In response to these agro ecological and socio economic jobs, alternate production systems were tested e.g. pesticide application, usage of chemical fertilisers, but resource hapless husbandmans can non afford them unless they get subsidies from the authorities. Therefore, to achieve an addition in nutrient production for the betterment of rural support, schemes for environmentally safe pest control steps have to be adopted. The schemes could be developed based on a thorough cognition of traditional cultural control methods or IPM. Integrated Pest Management seem to be the best attack to increase production and lessening poorness in Zanzibar An Integrated Pest Management ( IPM ) attack was adopted to cut down plague job and inordinate usage of pesticides ( Sharma et al. 2009 ) . The Farmer Field School ( FFS ) attack, a theoretical account for IPM plan worldwide, with dramatic consequences in South East Asia ( Erbaugh et al, 2002 ) was besides adopted. Plant Protection division with its authorization on harvest protection issue in Zanzibar implemented IPM on four harvests ( rice, banana, veggies and manioc ) . 2.0 The aim of presenting IPM plan was: To authorise husbandmans with the capacity to detect innovate or make solutions to their ain restraints instead than anticipating external inputs from the authorities. To increase production by developing farming engineerings utilizing locally available resources. To increase nutrient security and income of the rural support, therefore relieving poorness. 3.0 Methodologies Workshops/Seminars to make awareness to policy shapers, caputs of sections field agribusiness officers and husbandman. Multi-disciplinary squads of group of facilitators were formed dwelling members from different specialisation of agribusiness in the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Environment. Participatory Rapid Rural Appraisal ( PRRA ) was conducted to set up baseline information on husbandmans autochthonal cognition, jobs encountered. The activities employed were: Meetings, the first meeting discussed the aims and why work on participatory mode. Semi Structured Interview ( SSI ) : was based on checklist from which the inquiries were addressed to husbandmans to beg their responses. Individual interviews were besides conducted. The information collected from different sources was used for comparing the information to avoid confusion. Transect walk was made across the small town. The intent was to introduce the group with the farming system of the country, agro ecological state of affairs and socio-cultural feature of the people. Group Discussions: The group treatments were conducted after the single interview. Findingss and information were gathered presented and discussed. Training and Participatory treatments: A program of action was formulated based on jobs and developing demands identified during the PRRA. Training was done through treatments affecting relevant capable affair specializer ( SMS ) . Some subjects were covered when demand arises. Farmer Field School Approach ( FFS ) : FFS was adopted with the constitution to FFS, the construct of holistic attack was practiced without being restricted to the control of plagues and diseases. The rules followed were to turn healthy harvest, monitor field sporadically, analyze the agro-ecosystem ( AESA ) and do on-farm tests. 4.0 Consequences 4.1 Problem Designation The major jobs identified were from 4 major harvests. The general jobs for all 4 harvests were hapless harvest direction, usage of morbid seeds and seting stuffs, depletion of dirt foods, uninterrupted cropping on the same land on verifying SSI and ranking methodological analysis on participatory treatment ; the chief restraints became ; ( I ) plagues and diseases ( two ) hapless dirt birthrate ( three ) inaccessibility of seeds ( four ) deficiency of proficient cognize how. For rice really few plagues were present and the staying insects were natural enemies which does non hold any loss ; the major jobs were soil birthrate and harvest direction. Nematodes, banana weevils and black sigatoka were the job for banana. High figure of plagues were present in vegetable Fieldss but the of import 1s were African bollworms, fusarium wilt and bacterial wilt which is a large restraint. Cassava brown Streak Disease ( CBSD ) and Cassava Mosaic Virus ( CMV ) for manioc 4.2 Depletion of Soil Foods The diminution of harvest output was a effect of increased food emphasis which might hold been resulted in harvest susceptibleness of plagues onslaught and cut down capacity to retrieve from plague harm ( Spittel. 1997 ) . Farmers claimed hapless output was caused by uninterrupted cropping, and some of them is due to planetary heating, dirt eroding and scarceness of rains. Most of the husbandmans did non precisely describe the restraints of hapless oil birthrate. To verify, if the premise was right, dirt samples were collected indiscriminately at a deepness of 25 centimeters and exhaustively assorted. They were sent for analysis at Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro in 2007. The consequence of the Soil Analysis is as follows: 3.6 % organic affair, pH ( H20 ) 4.7, 0.06 % entire N, 0.36 meq/100g of Exch base 3.8meq/100g available P ( Brays PI ) and textural category of flaxen clay ( Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2007 ) . In all dirt pH, the organic affair content, N content and available phosphoric were really low. Even cassava and banana grows good at pH 6.0 aa‚ ¬ † 7.5.Low pH may take to toxicity particularly for rice and veggies ( Spittel, 1997 ) . Therefore together with husbandmans, it was decided to better dirt birthrate through harvest farming. 4.3 Prioritization The tools for prioritization were semi-structured interview, ranking ( matrix pairwise ) and seasonal calendar. The husbandman group identified its restraints and restrictions. In nutrient harvest ranking, all the four harvests were of import since intercropping is the methodological analysis practiced by resource hapless husbandmans in Zanzibar. In group treatments, SSI consequences and matrix, the jobs were ranked harmonizing to their importance. The ranking was: ( I ) depletion of dirt foods ( two ) deficit of certified planting stuffs. ( three ) plague and disease ( CBSD for manioc, banana weevils for banana, fusarium wilt for veggies and inordinate usage of pesticides for rice ) 4.4. Community Training and Participatory Discussion The preparation plan was focused on restraints identified by husbandmans. They were trained and empowered on different attacks of deciding by choosing options which they thought would be appropriate in their vicinity. Planning was done with engagement of the husbandmans The community were empowered on recommended agricultural patterns, e.g. Compost readying, Agriculture Ecosystem Analysis ( AESA ) , usage of biopesticides for control of plague and disease, biofertilizers to increase birthrate and other demand driven preparation. It was conducted during the cropping season to synchronise with the activities For most of the jobs, harvest direction was found to be the best option. On-farm Tests were conducted on ; Banana Technology Transfer Trial. The consequence of paring banana corm on nematode direction and the consequence of pin downing on weevil direction. For banana sigatoka disease, the engineering adopted were the usage of tolerant cultivars and field hygiene. For CBSD, on farm tests were conducted on tolerant cultivars therefore, Mahonda, Kizimbani etc. , For Fusarium Wilt, the usage of tolerant cultivars eg. Salma, tegeru 99 was adopted. Other tests were on Cultivar Trial: Tests were conducted on seting several assortments improved, local, septic and non septic cultivars. It someway convinced husbandmans that were no symptoms on improved cultivars. 4.5. Farmer Field School ( FFS ) Plant Protection Division has been authorising staff and husbandmans through preparation to implement IPM-FFS in sustainable mode. The methodological analysiss adopted from were from West African and South East Asia Ecosystem of FAO. This attack should suit the subsistence and multi-cropping systems of Zanzibar husbandmans. The aim of FFS to authorise husbandmans to cut down the cost of production and maximise net income ( net returns ) , usage of farm inputs judiciously and seasonably, protect harvest production environment and minimise wellness jeopardies caused by inordinate usage of pesticides. At the FFS, the four cardinal rules: turning a wellness harvest, supervising Fieldss on a regular basis, conserving natural enemies, and doing husbandmans IPM experts were emphasized. Farmers were facilitated to pull off their Fieldss through regular observations, conduct on-farm participatory tests and finally made rational determinations about pull offing their Fieldss. The methodological analysiss of developing husbandmans at the IPM agriculture system was season long and it involved Agro-Ecosystem Analysis ( AESA ) , Participatory Action Research ( PAR ) and Particular Topics, Group kineticss and Evaluation. The ultimate purpose of this attack was the authorization of husbandmans to do appropriate determinations as to like an expert pull off their field jobs. Therefore Participatory Technology Development ( PTD ) which is the result of Participatory Action Research ( PAR ) which is a research conducted together with husbandmans on work outing field jobs. This was promoted by on-farm tests by proving tolerant assortments, harvest direction and betterment of dirt birthrate. The consequences were evaluated and empowered for acceptance if they were assuring. 5.0 Development of IPM During the formation of FFS, an rating was done sing the acceptance of IPM activities. The restrictions identified were: South East Asia Approach: IPM in S.E. Asia started to antagonize the indiscriminate usage of pesticides and pest revival in green revolution agribusiness ( Van de Fliert, 2006 ) . For the agrarian state of affairs in Zanzibar, husbandmans were barely utilizing any pesticides, and the farming systems was characterized by small-scale husbandmans wilt low dirt birthrate, plague and disease and socio-economic position. The IPM Program should see the facet of Crop production and betterment of harvest through different agriculture patterns. Therefore, the attack should be an integrated harvest direction ( ICM ) instead than IPM because of its holistic nature. The FFS attack of hebdomadal IPM preparation session was non really attractive for some harvests ( banana and manioc ) . It appeared that husbandmans of high-value harvests such as rice and veggies were more enthusiastic than banana and manioc husbandmans ( Van Huis and Meerman 1997 ) . Facilitation accomplishments: At the beginning of IPM development in other developing states, hapless acceptance activities were observed due to miss of preparation in facilitation accomplishments in managing and developing IPM bundles ( Alteiri 2000 ; Morse and buhler, 1997 ) . In Zanzibar, most of the facilitators were research workers or harvest production specializers with few extensionist. There was a demand for preparation, facilitation, participatory and socio-economic issues to hold effectual attacks. Consequently, this will better the acquisition capacity of husbandmans and determination shapers ( Van de Fliert, 2006 ) . Most of the members of husbandmans group were semi-illiterate. The techniques introduced did non affect active engagement by husbandmans. To guarantee acceptance, husbandmans should take part and understand the aim of on-farm tests. How of all time, it may be necessary to transport out on-station tests as the thought should be obtained about the potency of a certain pattern before presenting it to the husbandmans, peculiarly when the result is unsure ( Van Huis and Meerman, 1997 ) . Farmers outlook and Committednesss: The group consisted of 20 husbandmans at the initial phase, but 10 husbandmans remain after a twelvemonth. Follow-up was done by examining from their fellow husbandmans. The 10 husbandmans drop out because their outlooks were non met, though breast was clearly explained prior. There were few influential husbandmans who influenced the attitude of other husbandmans. However the attitude of staying husbandmans was cohesive and really participatory during execution. 6.0 Accomplishments With this attack husbandmans were empowered by agro eco system analysis to be the determination shapers, by being advanced and create solutions in their Fieldss. The production was increased by following participatory engineering development ( PTD ) . Hence there will be possible to increase nutrient security and income of the rural support, therefore relieving poorness. The advancement have been observed through different facets ; coaction is multi disciplinary, husbandmans were organized, committed and participatory. Furthermore, there is a considerable betterment of their cognition. A sum of 52 husbandmans group with 1,038 husbandmans ( 549 males and 489 females ) have been trained. A sum of 52 FFS were run, 26 in Unguja and 26 Pemba as planned. Crops covered were irrigated rice 14 FFS ( Unguja 8 and Pemba 6 ) , rainfed rice 8 FFS ( Unguja 4 and Pemba 4 ) , vegetables 6 FFS ( Unguja 4 and Pemba 2 ) , bananas 13 FFS ( Unguja 5 and Pemba 8 ) and cassava 11 FFS ( Unguja 5 and Pemba 6 ) . A considerable output addition for all the harvests has been achieved with IPM pattern compared to husbandmans pattern. For illustration, output addition for irrigated rice was from 2.2-4.4 tons/ha, rainfed rice 2.3-3.4 tons/ha, tomato 9.5-33.7 tons/ha, amaranthus 4.2-11.7 tons/ha, bananas 11.3-17.6 tons/ha, and cassava 15.9-33.6 tons/ha ( see Table 1 ) . The consequences were promising had a good impact in footings of acceptance of engineerings involved by the IPM husbandmans every bit good as some of the adjacent husbandmans outside IPM plan. Table 1: FARMER FIELD SCHOOL STUDY PLOTS FOR MAJOR CROPS ( IPM and Farmersaa‚ ¬a„? pattern ) Crop Farmersaa‚ ¬a„? Practice ( tons/ hour angle ) IPM Practice ( tons/ hour angle ) Addition in output( % )1. Irrigated rice 2.2 4.4 100 % 2. Rainfed rice Katrin BKN aa‚ ¬ † Supa Supa Subang 1.9 1.1 2.0 2.7 3.0 1.5 2.4 3.7 57.9 % 36.4 % 20 % 37 % 3.Vegetables – Tomatos 9.5 33.7 254.7 % – Amaranthus 4.2 ( 8,333 Bunches ) 11.7 ( 23,333 Bunches ) 180 % 4. Banana – Mtwike 11.3 17.6 55.8 % – Mzuzu 7.8 16.5 111.5 % – Mkono mmoja 14.3 15.6 9.1 % – Pukusa 13.1 13.6 3.8 % 5. Cassava – Kibiriti mweusi 18.5 31.3 69.2 % Decision IPM is a focal point in research and extension attack, it has been good developed in the past decennaries. IPM was foremost developed into conventional, top-down extension activities with its purpose of acceptance of inputs or recommendation. But, it had a low degree of success ( Bruin & A ; Meerman, 2001 ) . Traditionally, IPM was being practiced by resource-poor husbandmans before the term existed. The debut of pesticides displaced old incorporate pest control attacks ( Van de Fliert, 2003 ) . However, Zanzibar husbandmans do non utilize big sum of pesticides because they can non afford expensive pesticides, unless subsidized by the authorities. The recent developments of IPM seem extremely applicable to all facets of sustainable agribusiness. We need to concentrate what is accomplishable under the husbandman fortunes instead than what is technically perfect. IPM had a really successful history in footings of its acceptance by husbandmans from S.E. Asiatic states, with limited succ ess of acceptance among African husbandmans ( Van Huis, 2009 ) . IPM is site and status specific The S.E. Asia theoretical account could non be an adoptable bundle in Zanzibar since the jobs were different, such as socio-economic state of affairs and the type of farming system. The acceptance was on socio-economic and ecological parametric quantities associated with rules and development of IPM. The manner forward is to follow the engineering developed at community degree for long term footing. FFS is a good starting point for the development of sustainable agricultural system Recognitions Many thanks to Strengthening Plant Protection Division Project of Zanzibar for back uping and advancing this plan, Commissioner of Agriculture Mr. M.R. Said for the encouragement and counsel. I am profoundly indebted to husbandmans, IPM group for their priceless aid and coaction for the work making this phase, non burying Omar for his great aid while fixing this paper.

Simon Bolivars Crossing of the Andes

Simon Bolivar's Crossing of the Andes In 1819, the War of Independence in Northern South America was locked in a stalemate. Venezuela was exhausted from a decade of war, and patriot and royalist warlords had fought each other to a standstill. Simà ³n Bolà ­var, the dashing Liberator, conceived of a brilliant yet seemingly suicidal plan: he would take his 2,000 man army, cross the mighty Andes, and hit the Spanish where they were least expecting it: in neighboring New Granada (Colombia), where a small Spanish army held the region unopposed. His epic crossing of the frozen Andes would prove to be the most genius of his many daring actions during the war. Venezuela in 1819 Venezuela had borne the brunt of the War of Independence. Home of the failed First and Second Venezuelan Republics, the nation had suffered greatly from Spanish reprisals. By 1819 Venezuela was in ruins from the constant warring. Simà ³n Bolà ­var, the Great Liberator, had an army of some 2,000 men, and other patriots like Josà © Antonio Pez also had small armies, but they were scattered and even together lacked the strength to deliver a knockout blow to Spanish General Morillo and his royalist armies. In May, Bolà ­vars army was camped near the llanos or great plains, and he decided to do what the royalists least expected. New Granada (Colombia) in 1819 Unlike war-weary Venezuela, New Granada was ready for revolution. The Spanish were in control but deeply resented by the people. For years, they had been forcing the men into armies, extracting â€Å"loans† from the wealthy and oppressing the Creoles, afraid they might revolt. Most of the royalist forces were in Venezuela under the command of General Morillo: in New Granada, there were some 10,000, but they were spread out from the Caribbean to Ecuador. The largest single force was an army of some 3,000 commanded by General Josà © Marà ­a Barreiro. If Bolà ­var could get his army there, he could deal the Spanish a mortal blow. The Council of Setenta On May 23, Bolà ­var called his officers to meet in a ruined hut in the abandoned village of Setenta. Many of his most trusted captains were there, including James Rooke, Carlos Soublette and Josà © Antonio Anzotegui. There were no seats: the men sat on the bleached skulls of dead cattle. At this meeting, Bolà ­var told them of his daring plan to attack New Granada, but he lied to them about the route he would take, fearing they would not follow if they knew the truth. Bolà ­var intended to cross the flooded plains and then cross the Andes at the Pramo de Pisba pass: the highest of three possible entries into New Granada. Crossing the Flooded Plains Bolà ­var’s army then numbered some 2,400 men, with less than one thousand women and followers. The first obstacle was the Arauca River, upon which they traveled for eight days by raft and canoe, mostly in the pouring rain. Then they reached the plains of Casanare, which were flooded by the rains. Men waded in water up to their waists, as thick fog obscured their vision: torrential rains drenched them daily. Where there was no water there was mud: the men were plagued by parasites and leeches. The only highlight during this time was meeting up with a patriot army of some 1,200 men led by Francisco de Paula Santander. Crossing the Andes As the plains gave way to the hilly jungle, Bolà ­var’s intentions became clear: the army, drenched, battered and hungry, would have to cross the frigid Andes Mountains. Bolà ­var had selected the pass at Pramo de Pisba for the simple reason that the Spanish did not have defenders or scouts there: no one thought an army could possibly cross it. The pass peaks at 13,000 feet (almost 4,000 meters). Some deserted: Josà © Antonio Pez, one of Bolà ­vars top commanders, tried to mutiny and eventually left with most of the cavalry. Bolà ­vars leadership held, however, because many of his captains swore they would follow him anywhere. Untold Suffering The crossing was brutal. Some of Bolà ­var’s soldiers were barely-dressed Indians who quickly succumbed to exposure. The Albion Legion, a unit of foreign (mostly British and Irish) mercenaries, suffered greatly from altitude sickness and many even died from it. There was no wood in the barren highlands: they were fed raw meat. Before long, all of the horses and pack animals had been slaughtered for food. The wind whipped them, and hail and snow were frequent. By the time they crossed the pass and descended into New Granada, some 2,000 men and women had perished. Arrival in New Granada On July 6, 1819, the withered survivors of the march entered the village of Socha, many of them half-naked and barefoot. They begged food and clothing from the locals. There was no time to waste: Bolà ­var had paid a high cost for the element of surprise and had no intention of wasting it. He swiftly refitted the army, recruited hundreds of new soldiers and made plans for an invasion of Bogota. His greatest obstacle was General Barreiro, stationed with his 3,000 men at Tunja, between Bolà ­var and Bogota. On July 25, the forces met at the Battle of Vargas Swamp, which resulted in an indecisive victory for Bolà ­var. The Battle of Boyac Bolà ­var knew that he had to destroy Barreiros army before it reached Bogota, where reinforcements could reach it. On August 7, the royalist army was divided as it crossed the Boyaca River: the advance guard was in front, across the bridge, and the artillery was far to the rear. Bolivar swiftly ordered an attack. Santanders cavalry cut off the advance guard (which were the best soldiers in the royalist army), trapping them on the other side of the river, while Bolà ­var and Anzotegui decimated the main body of the Spanish force. Legacy of Bolà ­var’s Crossing of the Andes The battle lasted only two hours: at least two hundred royalists were killed and another 1,600 were captured, including Barreiro and his senior officers. On the patriot side, there were only 13 killed and 53 wounded. The Battle of Boyac was a tremendous, one-sided victory for Bolà ­var who marched unopposed into Bogota: the Viceroy had fled so swiftly that he left money in the treasury. New Granada was free, and with money, weapons, and recruits, Venezuela soon followed, allowing Bolà ­var to eventually move south and attack Spanish forces in Ecuador and Peru. The epic crossing of the Andes is Simà ³n Bolà ­var in a nutshell: he was a brilliant, dedicated, ruthless man who would do whatever it took to free his homeland. Crossing flooded plains and rivers before going over a frigid mountain pass over some of the bleakest terrain on earth was absolute madness. No one thought Bolà ­var could pull off such a thing, which made it all the more unexpected. Still, it cost him 2,000 loyal lives: many commanders would not have paid that price for victory. Sources Harvey, Robert. Liberators: Latin Americas Struggle for Independence Woodstock: The Overlook Press, 2000.Lynch, John. The Spanish American Revolutions 1808-1826 New York: W. W. Norton Company, 1986.Lynch, John. Simon Bolivar: A Life. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2006.Scheina, Robert L. Latin Americas Wars, Volume 1: The Age of the Caudillo 1791-1899 Washington, D.C.: Brasseys Inc., 2003.