Physical and Chemical Structure of Penamecillin Essay

Physical and Chemical Structure of Penamecillin - Essay Example CAS name for penamecillin is (2s, 5r, 6r)-3, hydroxymethyl (2s,5r,6r)-3,3-dimethyl-7-oxo-6-(2-phenylacetamido)-4-thia-1-azabicyclo(3.2.0)heptane-2-carboxylate , 3-dimethyl-7-oxo-6-[(phenylacetyl) amino]-4-thia-1-azabicyclo [3.2.0] heptane-2-carboxylic acid (acetyloxy) methyl ester. Furthermore, the CAS registry number for penamecillin is 983-85-7, and the compound InChIKey, is NLOOMWLTUVBWAW-UHFFFAOYSA-N (PubMed, ch 1). Â  Penamecillin has a molecular weight of 406.45278 g/mol with a molecular formula of C19H22N2O6. It is a monoclinic crystalline compound (PubChem, ch 4). The compound has a density of 1.376g/cm3, a boiling point of 648.774Â °c at 760 mmHg, with a melting point range of 105.5 Â °c to 111 Â °c, and a refractive index of 1.609 (Gibaldi And Schwartz, 362 ). It is moderately soluble in water but insoluble in petroleum ether. However, penamecillin is very soluble in methanol, ethanol, ethyl acetate, and benzene. It is also readily soluble in dimethylsulfoxide, chloroform, acetone, trichloromethane, and ether. Furthermore, it is an unstructured crystalline white powder with the precise optical rotation of +269 deg, at 20 deg C/D methanol. It also possesses a flash point of 346.2Â °C, with an inflammable limit of 364Â °C when it is a settled powder, and 442Â °C when it is in form of spun powder. Furthermore, it has a slight characteristic odor, and its decomposition temperature is > 105 Â °C. In terms of stability and reactivity, penamecillin is stable at ambient temperatures and should be kept away from heat or ignition sources. It is also a readily biodegradable compound even though it is not a bioaccumulation or eco-toxicity compound (PubChem, ch 4). Â  

Cover Note Essay Example for Free

Cover Note Essay The Relation of Science and Religion is a transcript of a talk given by Dr. Feynman at the Caltech YMCA Lunch Forum on May 2, 1956. In this age of specialization men who thoroughly know one field are often incompetent to discuss another. The great problems of the relations between one and another aspect of human activity have for this reason been discussed less and less in public. When we look at the past great debates on these subjects we feel jealous of those times, for we should have liked the excitement of such argument. The old problems, such as the relation of science and religion, are still with us, and I believe present as difficult dilemmas as ever, but they are not often publicly discussed because of the limitations of specialization. But I have been interested in this problem for a long time and would like to discuss it. In view of my very evident lack of knowledge and understanding of religion (a lack which will grow more apparent as we proceed), I will organize the discussion in this way: I will suppose that not one man but a group of men are discussing the problem, that the group consists of specialists in many fields – the various sciences, the various religions and so on – and that we are going to discuss the problem from various sides, like a panel. Each is to give his point of view, which may be molded and modified by the later discussion. Further, I imagine that someone has been chosen by lot to be the first to present his views, and I am he so chosen. I would start by presenting the panel with a problem: A young man, brought up in a religious family, studies a science, and as a result he comes to doubt – and perhaps later to disbelieve in – his fathers God. Now, this is not an isolated example; it happens time and time again. Although I have no statistics on this, I believe that many scientists – in fact, I actually believe that more than half of the scientists – really disbelieve in their fathers God; that is, they dont believe in a God in a conventional sense. Now, since the belief in a God is a central feature of religion, this problem that I have selected points up most strongly the problem of the relation of science and religion. Why does this young man come to disbelieve? The first answer we might hear is very simple: You see, he is taught by scientists, and (as I have just pointed out) they are all atheists at heart, so the evil is spread from one to another. But if you can entertain this view, I think you know less of science than I know of religion. Another answer may be that a little knowledge is dangerous; this young man has learned a little bit and thinks he knows it all, but soon he will grow out of this sophomoric sophistication and come to realize that the world is more complicated, and he will begin again to understand that there must be a God. I dont think it is necessary that he come out of it. There are many scientists – men who hope to call themselves mature – who still dont believe in God. In fact, as I would like to explain later, the answer is not that the young man thinks he knows it all – it is the exact opposite. A third answer you might get is that this young man really doesnt understand science correctly. I do not believe that science can disprove the existence of God; I think that is impossible. And if it is impossible, is not a belief in science and in a God – an ordinary God of religion — a consistent possibility? Yes, it is consistent. Despite the fact that I said that more than half of the scientists dont believe in God, many scientists do believe in both science and God, in a perfectly consistent way. But this consistency, although possible, is not easy to attain, and I would like to try to discuss two things: Why it is not easy to attain, and whether it is worth attempting to attain it. When I say believe in God, of course, it is always a puzzle – what is God? What I mean is the kind of personal God, characteristic of the western religions, to whom you pray and who has something to do with creating the universe and guiding you in morals. For the student, when he learns about science, there are two sources of difficulty in trying to weld science and religion together. The first source of difficulty is this – that it is imperative in science to doubt; it is absolutely necessary, for progress in science, to have uncertainty as a fundamental part of your inner nature. To make progress in understanding we must remain modest and allow that we do not know. Nothing is certain or proved beyond all doubt. You investigate for curiosity, because it is unknown, not because you know the answer. And as you develop more information in the sciences, it is not that you are finding out the truth, but that you are finding out that this or that is more or less likely. That is, if we investigate further, we find that the statements of science are not of what is true and what is not true, but statements of what is known to different degrees of certainty: It is very much more likely that so and so is true than that it is not true; or such and such is almost certain but there is still a little bit of doubt; or – at the other extreme – well, we really dont know. Every one of the concepts of science is on a scale graduated somewhere between, but at neither end of, absolute falsity or absolute truth. It is necessary, I believe, to accept this idea, not only for science, but also for other things; it is of great value to acknowledge ignorance. It is a fact that when we make decisions in our life we dont necessarily know that we are making them correctly; we only think that we are doing the best we can – and that is what we should do. Attitude of uncertainty I think that when we know that we actually do live in uncertainty, then we ought to admit it; it is of great value to realize that we do not know the answers to different questions. This attitude of mind – this attitude of uncertainty – is vital to the scientist, and it is this attitude of mind which the student must first acquire. It becomes a habit of thought. Once acquired, one cannot retreat from it any more. What happens, then, is that the young man begins to doubt everything because he cannot have it as absolute truth. So the question changes a little bit from Is there a God? to How sure is it that there is a God? This very subtle change is a great stroke and represents a parting of the ways between science and religion. I do not believe a real scientist can ever believe in the same way again. Although there are scientists who believe in God, I do not believe that they think of God in the same way as religious people do. If they are consistent with their science, I think that they say something like this to themselves: I am almost certain there is a God. The doubt is very small. That is quite different from saying, I know that there is a God. I do not believe that a scientist can ever obtain that view – that really religious understanding, that real knowledge that there is a God – that absolute certainty which religious people have. Of course this process of doubt does not always start by attacking the question of the existence of God. Usually special tenets, such as the question of an afterlife, or details of the religious doctrine, such as details of Christs life, come under scrutiny first. It is more interesting, however, to go right into the central problem in a frank way, and to discuss the more extreme view which doubts the existence of God. Once the question has been removed from the absolute, and gets to sliding on the scale of uncertainty, it may end up in very different positions. In many cases it comes out very close to being certain. But on the other hand, for some, the net result of close scrutiny of the theory his father held of God may be the claim that it is almost certainly wrong. Belief in God – and the facts of science That brings us to the second difficulty our student has in trying to weld science and religion: Why does it often end up that the belief in God – at least, the God of the religious type – is considered to be very unreasonable, very unlikely? I think that the answer has to do with the scientific things – the facts or partial facts – that the man learns. For instance, the size of the universe is very impressive, with us on a tiny particle whirling around the sun, among a hundred thousand million suns in this galaxy, itself among a billion galaxies. Again, there is the close relation of biological man to the animals, and of one form of life to another. Man is a latecomer in a vast evolving drama; can the rest be but a scaffolding for his creation? Yet again, there are the atoms of which all appears to be constructed, following immutable laws. Nothing can escape it; the stars are made of the same stuff, and the animals are made of the same stuff, but in such complexity as to mysteriously appear alive – like man himself. It is a great adventure to contemplate the universe beyond man, to think of what it means without man – as it was for the great part of its long history, and as it is in the great majority of places. When this objective view is finally attained, and the mystery and majesty of matter are appreciated, to then turn the objective eye back on man viewed as matter, to see life as part of the universal mystery of greatest depth, is to sense an experience which is rarely described. It usually ends in laughter, delight in the futility of trying to understand. These scientific views end in awe and mystery, lost at the edge in uncertainty, but they appear to be so deep and so impressive that the theory that it is all arranged simply as a stage for God to watch mans struggle for good and evil seems to be inadequate. So let us suppose that this is the case of our particular student, and the conviction grows so that he believes that individual prayer, for example, is not heard. (I am not trying to disprove the reality of God; I am trying to give you some idea of – some sympathy for – the reasons why many come to think that prayer is meaningless. ) Of course, as a result of this doubt, the pattern of doubting is turned next to ethical problems, because, in the religion which he learned, moral problems were connected with the word of God, and if the God doesnt exist, what is his word? But rather surprisingly, I think, the moral problems ultimately come out relatively unscathed; at first perhaps the student may decide that a few little things were wrong, but he often reverses his opinion later, and ends with no fundamentally different moral view. There seems to be a kind of independence in these ideas. In the end, it is possible to doubt the divinity of Christ, and yet to believe firmly that it is a good thing to do unto your neighbor as you would have him do unto you. It is possible to have both these views at the same time; and I would say that I hope you will find that my atheistic scientific colleagues often carry themselves well in society. Communism and the scientific viewpoint I would like to remark, in passing, since the word atheism is so closely connected with communism, that the communist views are the antithesis of the scientific, in the sense that in communism the answers are given to all the questions – political questions as well as moral ones – without discussion and without doubt. The scientific viewpoint is the exact opposite of this; that is, all questions must be doubted and discussed; we must argue everything out – observe things, check them, and so change them. The democratic government is much closer to this idea, because there is discussion and a chance of modification. One doesnt launch the ship in a definite direction. It is true that if you have a tyranny of ideas, so that you know exactly what has to be true, you act very decisively, and it looks good – for a while. But soon the ship is heading in the wrong direction, and no one can modify the direction any more. So the uncertainties of life in a democracy are, I think, much more consistent with science. Although science makes some impact on many religious ideas, it does not affect the moral content. Religion has many aspects; it answers all kinds of questions. First, for example, it answers questions about what things are, where they come from, what man is, what God is – the properties of God, and so on. Let me call this the metaphysical aspect of religion. It also tells us another thing – how to behave. Leave out of this the idea of how to behave in certain ceremonies, and what rites to perform; I mean it tells us how to behave in life in general, in a moral way. It gives answers to moral questions; it gives a moral and ethical code. Let me call this the ethical aspect of religion. Now, we know that, even with moral values granted, human beings are very weak; they must be reminded of the moral values in order that they may be able to follow their consciences. It is not simply a matter of having a right conscience; it is also a question of maintaining strength to do what you know is right. And it is necessary that religion give strength and comfort and the inspiration to follow these moral views. This is the inspirational aspect of religion. It gives inspiration not only for moral conduct – it gives inspiration for the arts and for all kinds of great thoughts and actions as well. Interconnections These three aspects of religion are interconnected, and it is generally felt, in view of this close integration of ideas, that to attack one feature of the system is to attack the whole structure. The three aspects are connected more or less as follows: The moral aspect, the moral code, is the word of God – which involves us in a metaphysical question. Then the inspiration comes because one is working the will of God; one is for God; partly one feels that one is with God. And this is a great inspiration because it brings ones actions in contact with the universe at large. So these three things are very well interconnected. The difficulty is this: that science occasionally conflicts with the first of the three categories – the metaphysical aspect of religion. For instance, in the past there was an argument about whether the earth was the center of the universe – whether the earth moved around the sun or stayed still. The result of all this was a terrible strife and difficulty, but it was finally resolved – with religion retreating in this particular case. More recently there was a conflict over the question of whether man has animal ancestry. The result in many of these situations is a retreat of the religious metaphysical view, but nevertheless, there is no collapse of the religion. And further, there seems to be no appreciable or fundamental change in the moral view. After all, the earth moves around the sun – isnt it best to torn the other cheek? Does it make any difference whether the earth is standing still or moving around the son? We can expect conflict again. Science is developing and new things will be found out which will he in disagreement with the presentday metaphysical theory of certain religions. In fact, even with all the past retreats of religion, there is still real conflict for particular individuals when they learn about the science and they have heard about the religion. The thing has not been integrated very well; there are real conflicts here – and yet morals are not affected. As a matter of fact, the conflict is doubly difficult in this metaphysical region. Firstly, the facts may be in conflict, but even if the facts were not in conflict, the attitude is different. The spirit of uncertainty in science is an attitude toward the metaphysical questions that is quite different from the certainty and faith that is demanded in religion. There is definitely a conflict, I believe – both in fact and in spirit – over the metaphysical aspects of religion. In my opinion, it is not possible for religion to find a set of metaphysical ideas which will be guaranteed not to get into conflicts with an everadvancing and alwayschanging science which is going into an unknown. We dont know how to answer the questions; it is impossible to find an answer which someday will not be found to be wrong. The difficulty arises because science and religion are both trying to answer questions in the same realm here. Science and moral questions On the other hand, I dont believe that a real conflict with science will arise in the ethical aspect, because I believe that moral questions are outside of the scientific realm. Let me give three or four arguments to show why I believe this. In the first place, there have been conflicts in the past between the scientific and the religious view about the metaphysical aspect and, nevertheless, the older moral views did not collapse, did not change. Second, there are good men who practice Christian ethics and who do not believe in the divinity of Christ. They find themselves in no inconsistency here. Thirdly, although I believe that from time to time scientific evidence is found which may be partially interpreted as giving some evidence of some particular aspect of the life of Christ, for example, or of other religious metaphysical ideas, it seems to me that there is no scientific evidence bearing on the golden rule. It seems to me that that is somehow different. Now, lets see if I can make a little philosophical explanation as to why it is different – how science cannot affect the fundamental basis of morals. The typical human problem, and one whose answer religion aims to supply, is always of the following form: Should I do this? Should we do this? Should the government do this? To answer this question we can resolve it into two parts: First — If I do this, what will happen? – and second – Do I want that to happen? What would come of it of value – of good? Now a question of the form: If I do this, what will happen?is strictly scientific. As a matter of fact, science can be defined as a method for, and a body of information obtained by, trying to answer only questions which can be put into the form: If I do this, what will happen? The technique of it, fundamentally, is: Try it and see. Then you put together a large amount of information from such experiences. All scientists will agree that a question – any question, philosophical or other – which cannot be put into the form that can be tested by experiment (or, in simple terms, that cannot be put into the form: If I do this, what will happen?) is not a scientific question; it is outside the realm of science. I claim that whether you want something to happen or not – what value there is in the result, and how you judge the value of the result (which is the other end of the question: Should I do this? ) – must lie outside of science because it is not a question that you can answer only by knowing what happens; you still have to judge what happens – in a moral way. So, for this theoretical reason I think that there is a complete consistency between the moral view – or the ethical aspect of religion – and scientific information. Turning to the third aspect of religion – the inspirational aspect – brings me to the central question that I would like to present to this imaginary panel. The source of inspiration today – for strength and for comfort – in any religion is very closely knit with the metaphysical aspect; that is, the inspiration comes from working for God, for obeying his will, feeling one with God. Emotional ties to the moral code – based in this manner – begin to be severely weakened when doubt, even a small amount of doubt, is expressed as to the existence of God; so when the belief in God becomes uncertain, this particular method of obtaining inspiration fails. I dont know the answer to this central problem – the problem of maintaining the real value of religion, as a source of strength and of courage to most men, while, at the same time, not requiring an absolute faith in the metaphysical aspects. The heritages of Western civilization Western civilization, it seems to me, stands by two great heritages. One is the scientific spirit of adventure – the adventure into the unknown, an unknown which must be recognized as being unknown in order to be explored; the demand that the unanswerable mysteries of the universe remain unanswered; the attitude that all is uncertain; to summarize it – the humility of the intellect. The other great heritage is Christian ethics – the basis of action on love, the brotherhood of all men, the value of the individual – the humility of the spirit. These two heritages are logically, thoroughly consistent. But logic is not all; one needs ones heart to follow an idea. If people are going back to religion, what are they going back to? Is the modern church a place to give comfort to a man who doubts Godmore, one who disbelieves in God? Is the modern church a place to give comfort and encouragement to the value of such doubts? So far, have we not drawn strength and comfort to maintain the one or the other of these consistent heritages in a way which attacks the values of the other? Is this unavoidable? How can we draw inspiration to support these two pillars of western civilization so that they may stand together in full vigor, mutually unafraid? Is this not the central problem of our time? I put it up to the panel for discussion.

Ecological Models in Psychology: Overview and Application

Ecological Models in Psychology: Overview and Application Ecological models encompass an evolving body of theory and research concerned with the course and conditions that oversee the lifelong course of human development in their actual environment. Following the diagrammatical illustration of Bronfenbrenner’s social ecological theory, is a personal reflection of my childhood as it relates to the five spheres of ecological influence. This is followed by a reflection on the importance of understanding context for training counsellors, ending the paper with an indebt description of what I have learned so far regarding the distinctiveness in the South African context. Bronfenbrenner’s Social Ecological Theory Bronfenbrenner (1979) defines development as the individual’s growing conception of the ecological environment, their relation to it, as well as their evolving capacity to discover, maintain, or amend its properties. According to Bronfenbrenner (1989), development and socialization are subject to five spheres of influence with which a person is in dynamic interface. Microsystem The microsystem comprises the developing persons closest surroundings assembled from three basic factors comprising position, interpersonal relations, and pattern of activities (Bronfenbrenner, 1979). Common microsystems evident in my childhood include: living with my unautocratic mother for the first half of my childhood which provided me with a loving childhood environment; living with my authoritarian father for the second half of my childhood which exposed me to various forms of family conflict, negatively impacting my school performance; and the incredibly hostile relationship with my older sibling which impaired my sense of self-worth and confidence. Mesosystem The mesosystem comprise the connections and processes proceeding between microsystems containing the developing person (Bronfenbrenner, 1979). Common mesosystems evident in my childhood include: my mother cheering for me at sporting events which enhanced my sense of self-efficacy; the frequent communication between my school teachers and parents during their divorce, which insured we received additional attention and care safeguarding against the impact of their divorce; and my father being a member of the patrolling team in the neighbourhood created a safer environment for me to grow up in. Exosystem The exosystem refers to the communal setting or organisation beyond the person’s immediate experience, both formal and informal, that influence the developing person (Hook, 2009). Common exosystems evident in my childhood include: my father working overseas for many months at a time which caused considerable conflict within the family; deficient municipality services in my hometown which left us without water and electricity on numerous occasions; and the district police and neighbourhood watch working together to increase the responsiveness to crime and violence in my hometown, which made me feel safe and secure in my neighbourhood. Macrosystem The macrosystem encompass the overarching ideology, principles, laws, policies, and customs of a given culture (Keenan, 2002). Common macrosystems evident in my childhood include: my Christian faith which influenced how I relate and respond to the outside world; the ongoing racism in South Africa which made me feel incredibly unwelcome in my own country; and the culture of violence and crime in South Africa which limited my freedom to move around, making me increasingly distrustful of others. Chronosystem The chronosystem explains that probability, personal choice, and context influence members differently over time, and that lives are linked and families constituted by social interdependence (Elder, 1995). Common chronosystems evident in my childhood include: the divorce of my parents which left me feeling vulnerable and isolated; my father remarrying which caused considerable division and hostility among family members; and my mother emigrating to Australia, which left me feeling isolated, and deprived of the emotional support I needed as a child. Importance of Understanding Context for Training Counsellors The effects of Apartheid impacted all South African citizens; however it did so in very dissimilar ways (Bray et al., 2010). Families classified as African experienced the most pernicious effects, seeing that both physical and psychological integrity of family life were undermined through the Apartheid state policies (Bray et al., 2010). As pointed out by Arredondo (1999), people bring to counselling worldviews and connections that are subjected to these types of experiences, which influences the person’s attitude and belief about both self and others. For this reason, South African counsellors need to work in a counselling modality that makes provision for the acknowledgement and appreciation of Black clients’ common history of White oppression, the resentment this generates, the counsellor’s own response to that antipathy, and the impact this has on the counselling relationship (Spangenberg, 2003). Traditional African custom and belief play a significant role in defining psychological problems (Juma, 2011). The corporal complaints, behavioural symptoms, emotional problems, hallucinations and misfortunes reflect the relation with African worldviews on health and well-being (Juma, 2011). The implication of this conclusion is that a Western based counsellor in a therapeutic relationship with a client whose psychological problems are informed by traditional beliefs and practices, might misinterpret the client’s worldviews and unduly struggle to provide a relevant diagnosis and intervention for the client (Juma, 2011). Important considerations in determining what types of treatment might work best in a given situation entails the client’s context and perspective, as it emanates from their cultural heritage, socio-economic status, and racial assemblage (Austin, 2012). Where the Western perspective relies heavily on talking therapy, the African traditional perspective takes the liability of resolving the problem away from the client by performing rituals, which occasionally involves family members, both alive and deceased (Juma, 2011). One therefore cannot ignore the important role of traditional healing when addressing cross-cultural counselling, as this form of support plays a vital role in traditional African life (Bodibe, 1992; Swartz, 1998). In addition, respecting the client’s culture should embrace aspects such as; making or avoiding eye contact, who should sit, stand, or walk first, and how a woman should converse with a man and vice versa (Du Toit, Grobler Schenck, 1998). It is also important for trained counsellors to examine their own worldviews and cultural biases that have the potential to influence the therapeutic environment, either consciously or unconsciously (Du Toit et al., 2001). In the South African context, a major hindrance in the way of effective counselling is the language difference between counsellor and client (Spangenberg, 2003). According to Maiello (1990), words do not have equal value in African cultures as in verbal communication in Western traditions. In addition, a great deal of communication in African tradition is symbolized through singing, dancing, rituals and ceremonies (Maiello, 1990). One of the implications of this is a possible disruption in communication between the counsellor and client, with the result that the establishment of rapport, being the primary step in building a therapeutic relationship, is greatly affected (Juma, 2011). Juma (2011) warns that the lack of proper understanding of the client’s use of language may lead the counsellor to unduly regard some behaviour or experiences as pathological, and to the incorrect diagnosis of their clients’ condition. There is evidence that a person’s cultural background influences every facet of infirmity experience, from linguistic arrangement and content of delusions (Karno Jenkins, 1993) to the inimitable meaning of expressed emotion (Kleinman, 1988). Therefore, it is crucial to regard the cultural background of individuals as well as their exposure to cultural change, in order to develop accurate inferences of pathology and to recognize existing disorders (Westermeyer Janca, 1997). In the traditional African worldview, Ubuntu constitute an intrinsic part of rural African life (Spangenberg, 2003). Broodryk (1996) defined ubuntu as a communal way of life that believe humanity must be run for the sake of all, requiring collaboration, sharing, and liberality. A client rooted in this approach, seeking the services of a Western based counsellor is likely to be disgruntled when such a counsellor focuses on him/her as a target of intervention instead of focussing on the system (Juma, 2011). Bronfenbrenner (1979) argues that to understand human development one needs to examine multi-person systems of interaction that are not limited to a single setting. Consequently, counsellors must recognise the impact on the whole family system when a member suffers from a mental disease. In these circumstances, responsible members are faced with many challenges including: the implications of the emotional and practical support needed for the client; their own complex emotional reactions to the situation; the impact on interpersonal relations; the financial burden placed on family members; and ultimately the stigma and social discrimination experienced in that given cultural context (Jonker Greef, 2009). Distinctiveness of the South African Context Socio-cultural advances in psychology, as demonstrated by the works of Vygotsky and Bakhtin, provides the necessary tools to critically explore the notion that psychological processes such as self-understanding emanate from the social basis of life (Mkhize, 2004). Vygotsky argued that ontogenesis proceed from social, cultural and historical forms of life (Mkhize, 2004). Therefore, higher mental function are arbitrated by cultural tools, namely, the forms of life that is reflected in activities such as plays, hymns, and cultural narratives, which are ultimately internalised to govern our own actions (Mkhise, 2004). By means of internalisation, the developing child learns to apply with respect to himself the same forms of behaviour that others previously performed with deference to him/her (Mkhize, 2004). This will contribute to the distinctiveness seen in the South African context given that internalisation paves a way for the manifestation of personhood from the collective forms of life (Mkhize, 2004). However one needs to consider that what can be said of a given developmental environment today may not necessarily be true of that environment tomorrow (Hook, 2009). Bakhtin noted a dialogical interaction between national languages in the sense that one language may be used at home, a different one in school, and perhaps even another for religious purpose (Mkhize, 2004). Moreover, Bakhtin observed that within a single national language there might subsist a number of social languages, suggestive of the social placement of the speaker (Mkhize, 2004). Furthermore Bakhtin referred to what he called collective voices, pointing to the opinions, points of view and perceptions that reflect the views of our social and cultural community (Mkhize, 2004). For example, a man who considers himself superior to women is most probably ventriloquating the patriarchal views in his society which he has consolidated into the self, apart from expressing his inimitable point of view. The belief that the self emanates from kinship is consistent with the African conceptions of personhood (Mkhize, 2004). Let us consider the saying: Umuntu ngumuntu ngabatu. This expression points to the belief that the selfhood emerges dialogically, through participation in a community of other human beings (Mkhize, 2004). In addition, selfhood in conventional African thought is conceptualised in space and time, where the person is perpetually in the making, never truly a finished product (Mkhize, 2004). It is through participation in the community of others, which in some cultures include rituals of conversion, that one becomes fully human (Mkhize, 2004). The plurality of selves articulated in African belief is expressed differently, depending on the individuals’ cultural heritage (Mkhize, 2004). For example, most traditional South African communities believe over and above the unique individual self, that people are born with a spiritual being representing their ancestors. The spiritual self is thought to be more pronounced in those called to become traditional diviners and healers i.e. izangoma (Mkhize, 2004). Furthermore, it is recognized that both native and Western worldviews can coeval within a single person (Mkhize, 2004). A need to continually shift self perspectives already characterizes the lived experiences of many African people (Mkhize, 2004). For example, an elderly man who works as a sweeper in the mines may be a highly esteemed headman in his rural community. The quality of relationships is maintained in part by reference to and use of cultural norms governing social interaction that have emerged from particular community standards, regulating social interaction that have stemmed from respective community histories (Bray et al., 2010). The isiXhosa word ukuhlonipha, to respect, describe what is considered an essential element of interpersonal relationships, especially between generations, which is widely used by children and adults alike (Bray et al., 2010). Patriarchy and a broadly accepted gendered social division are common aspects of South African communities across the spectrum of wealth, language and tradition, but manifest in rather different ways both across and within different communities (Guma Henda, 2004). There is evidence that patriarchal ideology directly influence behaviour, so much so, that male farm-workers vindicated violence against their partners based on their household headship (Paranzee Smythe 2003; Dawes et al., 2006). With the feminisation of poverty, women find themselves increasingly vulnerable to HIV infection attributable to the intersection of economic and gender power inequalities (Shefer, 2004). Such dynamics play a significant role in South Africa as cultural laws, financial viability, and gender power disparities all intersect to create barriers for women in the negotiation of heterosex (Shefer, 2004). Furthermore, the imperative for women to be involved in sexual relationships for monetary gain have also been demonstrated (Shefer, 2004). Much of this is subject to the cultural construct of male and female sexuality (Shefer, 2004). On another note, Emily Fenichel (2003) has observed that young children are growing up in a greater variety of families than ever before. Newborns enter families through birth, adoption, or fostering; they are conceived through intercourse or assisted reproductive technology; they live in families formed by marriage and remarriage, in cohabiting heterosexual families, in lesbian- and gay-headed families, and in single-parent families. Levels of household income demonstrate a stronger influence on parental residence than race, signifying that the post-apartheid economic landscape wield a stronger influence on family organization than former state policies (Bray et al., 2010). However, Bray et al. (2010) found that African children in low- income households are less likely to reside with one or both parents than coloured children in similar income households, with negligible differences between white and coloured children in households with high income (Bray et al., 2010). It is important to remember that family members have caring responsibilities that extend beyond the care of dependent children and beyond households. Many family members care for aged parents, frail relatives, adult siblings and offspring during times of social and personal emergency and in conditions of chronic illness and disability (Amoateng et al., 2004). Moreover, many children take on parenting roles to fulfil the place of working parents, parents who are ill, and when families are in crisis (Amoateng et al., 2004). On a final note, I believe it is important to acknowledge the contribution that migrants from neighbouring and foreign countries make to the diversity seen in the South Africa context. Throughout this reflective journey I have come to appreciate how each of the five spheres of ecological influence, as captured in Bronfenbrenner’s social ecological theory, have impacted my childhood and consequently development. Upon reflection of the content dealt with in this assignment, the unmistakable importance of understanding the impact of context for training counsellors comes to the light, seeing that a counsellor in a therapeutic relationship with a client whose psychological problems are informed by traditional beliefs and practices, might misinterpret the client’s worldviews and unduly struggle to provide a relevant diagnosis and intervention if they fail to comprehend the client’s unique context. Customer Care Policies: Effectiveness Customer Care Policies: Effectiveness The changes taking place in the world are taking place at a very rapid pace, and inorder to survive and remain fit in the competition it is required by hotel industry to have a good policy that gives quality service and satisfy the needs of the customers. The hotel must identify its commitment to meet the service and satisfying needs of every customer making him feel important and respected. According to Cardiff University (2010) noted that there would be assistance for all the customers in case of any queries against the services provided or services used and the staff employed by the division. Therefore the obligations to meet these are made into different procedures and policies. The main aim of customer care policy in any industry is to handle the grievances of mainly the direct users of service in a timely, reasonable and positive manner. The main aim of this report is to analyse the customer care policy of a particular hotel (RITZ) and its effectiveness. The primary information presented in this report is from the personal visit by the author to the hotel and the secondary resource is taken from various articles and the net source. The RITZ hotel in London established in 1906 by a Swiss hotelier Caesar Ritz. It is a 133 room hotel located in Piccadilly in London. It is a 5 star hotel with many big hoteliers acknowledging it as the worlds greatest hotel .The Ritz hotel was managed by the hotel managed for many years and has been transferred to many hands later on, the latest is David and Fredrick Barclay in 1995 from Trafalgar house for 80 million. The greatest accomplishment by Ritz is being considered as a benchmark through which other hotels were measured (Theritzlondon, 2010). The details of this hotel will be presented at various stages in this report. TYPES OF CUSTOMERS In my personal visit to the Hotel these are the various customers identified frequently visiting the hotel. (1) TOURISTS The tourism industry in U.K is considered to be one of the biggest sectors in U.K.According to Euromonitor (2008) London seems to be major place of tourist attraction and millions of people visiting it round the year. The tourists are those people who move out of their dwelling place to a different location for a more than one or certain number of days but less than a year .The main reason behind this is to do some leisure and recreation activities(Social, cultural etc). RESAON FOR VISIT Hotel Ritz is located on Piccadilly, over the green park and it is in central London. It is evident that central London has much tourist attraction (London eye, Buckingham palace, Big Ben, etc) (Moment of truth).The other reason is the existence of coach and train station nearby (London Victoria) and frequent trains to Gatwick and Heathrow airport. This is the reason to be more preferred by tourists. (2)CORPORATES The term corporate is derived from the word business person referring some in a white collar job. The corporate individuals are particularly top in the rank in hierarchy and work towards the profit maximization in the organization. At certain times it is required by them or the company to conduct certain meetings or a get together with people from different companies and promoting their business. They are needed to be given due importance because they make huge businesses. REASON FOR VISIT Hotel Ritz renders various facilities conference halls, private meeting rooms with high speed broadband (100mb) wireless network, which helps in conducting and executing meetings. The existence of lavish Private and big dining rooms can be suitable for the get together ,in regards to meeting different dignitaries from different countries(Theritzlondon,2010). ARCHITECTURAL VISITORS Architects are those people who play an important role in making a place very attractive and beautiful. These kinds of visitors are always interested in different, unique and rare designs. REASON TO VISIT Hotel Ritz has unique French chateau architecture and Louis XVI furnishings and themes, with the presence of Parisian architectural traditions on the outside. The other reason is the works of great architects like Charles Mewes and Arthur Davis. BIOGRAPHERS These are the people who write on the real life stories of great people in different parts of the world. REASON FOR VISIT Hotel Ritz had housed many famous people like Chalie chaplin,Winston chruchill,King Edward VIII and various other Hollywood actors and celebrities etc(London-traveltrips,2010).This will help biographers to know about certain personal interest of celebrities(For ex. food). TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF CUSTOMER CARE POLICIES AND ITS IMPORTANCE The purpose to commence any business to create and attract a customer (Drucker, 1998) The formulation of the customer care policies in most of the industries is done by the management in order to suit the current situation and satisfy the needs of the customers. In the hotel industry it is customers acceptance and like for the policies that leads to gaining more customers and making profits. Therefore the policies made must be focused on retaining the old customers as well as attracting new customers. Given below are certain policies followed in the RITZ hotel to attract customers. Creation of positive business environment:- The creation of this positive environment is possible by making the customer feel good about themselves and the company and this finally leads to spending by the customer. The staffs play an important role in this creation, so they must be trained properly to know the required tools and know-how techniques to make the customers stay a memorable one. (For ex) Provision of Cab facilities at cheap rates for new tourists. The existence of a guide to educate customers about various architecture and antiques. Proper handling of grievance or provide a solution:- In situation like the customer coming out with any problem, in that case the staffs are trained to take the role of a parent and make the customers to reduce their temper and then give solutions that satisfy the customer. Even in the cases of no solution is identified, it is the staffs duty to hear them and respect their point of views. It is also the staffs duty to educate and make aware the limitation to the customers. In general, offering free coffee snacks to customers when they wait in the reception for check in or out. Regular checks on the cleanliness and the working of appliances. (Especially for corporate meetings get together). Measuring customer satisfaction and feedback:- The best ways to measure whether the customers are satisfied or no is by getting feedbacks from them on using the service. The implementation of various systems like informal face to face polls, feedbacks, surveys and questionnaires that will help in giving a chance for training the employees, handling the grievances and problems an adapting to current situations. It is also important to be flexible with the staff as they are key role players in delivering good customer service. (For ex) Getting feedback for every staff response on handling the customer calls and service from customers. This part of the chapter deals with the effectiveness involved in the establishment of the customer care policies in the hospitality industry. EFFECTIVENESS OF CUSTOMER CARE POLICY. The battle for repeat business is critical for long-term success in todays intensely competitive marketplace. Customer service is not just a competitive advantage, but it is a competitive advantage in many industries .Service is the new standards by which the customers judge the performance BAND (2002) CEO Coopers and Lybrand Consulting, Toronto The main reason for every organization in the hospitality industry to structure a customer service policy is to satisfy the customers and to reveal the value given to customer from this industry. These customer service policies are similar to Bundling process as explained by Greneir Kini (1991) providing value added advantage around the satisfaction and service the hotel renders. It is natural that the customers come back to the hotel where they are given a bundle of extra services at considerable cost. Certain explanations reveal that the customer service policy plays a major role in giving suggestions or solutions for the various question rose by customers. But Patsula (2004) articulation in his book of successful business planning stating that the customer service policies also helps in other ways such as developing the companys image, creating a positive business environment and building customer loyalty. But according Tschlol Stavig (2002) most of the businesses dont understand the fact that customer service and its policies are really selling, as it is attracting the customer to make many visits. The main reason behind this is that the managers are reluctant to look at it as a marketing strategy, but as an after sales service. Therefore it is necessary by every staff working in the hotel industry to be aware of the customer policies and consider it as a marketing strategy, as it helps in improving the business and realize the benefits from good customer service. Similar explanation by Bill Gates to Business Journal (2010) that every unhappy customer for the business is a great source of learning for the business. The company will be at risk, when the hotel doesnt focus on the quality and consistency of customer experience they offer. But as per Seybold Marshak (2001)articulations the customer have taken control of the companies destinies and are transforming the hotel industry. Therefore it is the duty of staff to render proper service and different ways presented by Patsula (2004) are:- The staff should reveal their interest in serving people Giving the team pride and confidence to do a go job. Building customer loyalty Make the presence of management felt in case of criticism Handling complaints properly. BIBILIOGRAPHY CARDIFFUNIVERISTY.2010.Customer care policy. [WWW]http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/resid/resources/Customer%20Care%20Policy.pdf(2010)(Accessed on 28th April 2010) THERITZLONDON.2010.About company.[WWW]http://www.theritzlondon.com/about/index.asp(Accessed on 29th April 2010) LONDON-TRAVELTIPS.2010. Celebrities interest in RITZ. [WWW]http://www.london-traveltips.com/the-ritz-hotel.htm(Accessed on 30 th April 2010) EUROMONITOR.2008.Londin visitors.[WWW]http://www.euromonitor.com/top_150_city_destinations_london_leads_the_way(Accessed on 29th April 2010) DRUCKER, P.1998. Customer quotes cited in the book of ZEMKE, R WOODS, J.A. 1998. Best practices in customer service, HRD press, Pg 24 GREINER, D KINNI, T.B. 1999.1001 ways to keep customer keep coming back, Prima publishing, Pg 1 TSCHOHL, J STAVIG, V.2002.Acheveing excellence through customer service, Best sellers publishing, Minnesota, Pg 1-10. PATSULA, P.J.2004. Successful business planning ,A step by step guide for writing a business plan and starting your own business,3rd edition, No 51,Patsula media publishers Bill Gates.2010. Bill Gates on applying the best minds to the biggest problems, Puget sound Business journal, Business review, April 19 2010. SEYBOLD, P.B MARSHAK, R.T . 2001. The Customer revolution, Crown business; 1st edition, Pg 2-10.

Citizen Kane Essays -- essays research papers

The film Citizen Kane, directed by Orson Welles, is a great example of how a man can be corrupted by wealth. Through the characters in the film we can observe how Charles Foster Kane, an idealistic man with principles, can be changed and misguided by wealth and what accompanies wealth. The film takes places during the late 19th century and early 20th century, a time in American history when the world is changing and wealth is a great power to change it with. Through the story telling of Kane’s life we are able to see how wealth changes, not only Kane’s ideals, but his actions and how he perceives the world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The corruption of idealism by wealth can be seen throughout the film, especially through the thoughts and actions of Kane and the other characters. For example, when Kane publishes his first newspaper for the Inquirer he prints his â€Å"Declaration of Principles†. Jebediah Leland remarks at that time that he would like to keep it because he feels that it will be an important document one day. As Kane becomes more wealthy and more corrupt by his wealth, Leeland returns the document and we see that Kane understands that he is no longer the same man he was before or the man he set out to become. From this we also see that Leeland and the other characters in the film have come to the same conclusion. Furthermore, in the film, Kane states more than once, that people will think or do whatever he wishes them. Kane, with his wealth, tries to create his i...

The Effects of Misconduct on the Armed Forces

The armed forces of the United States is one of the most feared and respected military organizations in the world. This image is helped by documentaries, news reports and even by the movies. But the real reason why the US military is considered very powerful and a dangerous enemy can be understood after reading the following explanation:The United States military is unique in the amount of power it can project globally. Although France and the United Kingdom, as well as Germany, Spain, Italy, PRC, and European Union, are capable of projecting power overseas, the United States military is the only one with the higher military capacity to fight a major regional war at a distance from its homeland. The U.S. is also one of the few nations in the world that has a sizable nuclear arsenal and maintains active doctrines for plausible nuclear attack operations. (see Wikipedia: US Military).This is why America is feared and respected. Although there is reason to believe that Americans would pr efer that their country and its citizens are respected rather than feared; there is also a lot of apprehension over the notion that U.S. superpower is a bully in the global theater.This negative image which others believe to be the dark side of this great institution is   putting a lot of pressure on the military organization to behave appropriately and to borrow from their lingo: there should be no conduct unbecoming a military officer. For when this happens the chain reaction can be unbelievable. One indiscretion and the whole structure will be placed in a bad light. Consider for example relatively recent events about U.S. soldiers abusing POW’s and some of its members involved in an alleged rape case overseas are a few instances when the rest of the world shakes its head and would love to believe that all this power had corrupted the men and women in uniform.In order to prevent such misconduct and to keep its integrity intact the U.S. military is keeping in place a syste m of rules, regulations, traditions, and protocols that would ensure that the rest of the world will hold the said institution in high esteem.Military DisciplineThe word discipline when put inside the world of soldiers takes on a different meaning. This has nothing to do with the kind of discipline kids get at home when they fail to do their homework or when they do not clean their room. Discipline in the ordinary day to day life of normal people can sometimes mean a temporary abstinence on doing something or a temporary increase in work volume to accomplish a task or simply to grit ones teeth and do something that is normally not done if the circumstances are more favorable. In the military soldiers do not wait until things are worse before they will begin to be disciplined.In other worlds soldiers do not wait until they are overweight before they start doing morning jogs and calisthenics. They trained before the need arises, they practice long and hard before the fight and they pr epare before the crisis. Discipline in the Army, Navy and the Air Forces is a lifestyle. It can be said that it is more than a lifestyle in fact it is the blood that keeps the institution alive and the invisible force that holds it together. Without discipline the armed forces can easily disintegrate in quickly destroying everything in its path including itself. The infamous tortures at the Abu Ghraib prison – where prisoners of war were being held – was well documented and shown around the world.It was an example of a breakdown in discipline. And noncommissioned officers figured prominently in this fiasco. CNN reporters J. Johns, D. Ensor and M. Mount quoted Rep. Jane Harman in a letter to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Harman said, â€Å"The fog of war is thick, but these acts of abuse and humiliation contradict international norms, military regulations and the very values that our military fights to defend†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (see CNN.com)The report adds that a ll the perpetrators were, â€Å"†¦all officers or noncommissioned officers† (Johns, Ensor & Mount). In an ideal setting this should not have happened especially in the presence of NCOs.The Role of Noncommissioned OfficersNCOs are leaders, period. The military cannot function without leadership as much as a body cannot survive without a head. Everything depends upon leadership and in this regard NCOs play a major role.An Army Officer’s guidebook expounds on the meaning of the term and it says:A leader is people fitted by force of ideas, character, or genius, or by strength of will or administrative ability, to arouse, incite, and direct men in conduct and achievement. Leadership is the art of imposing one’s will upon others in such a manner as to command their respect, their confidence, and their whole-hearted cooperation. (Bonn, 320)In the NCO guidebook leadership is seen as basic in the structure of the U.S. armed forces and it says, â€Å"Leadership, des pite the great strides in technology, remains the same – influencing and motivating people to get the job done† (Rush, 34).  With regards to the NCOs taking up a part of the burden of leadership, Rudyard Kipling was quoted as saying, â€Å"The backbone of the army is the noncommissioned man!† (as qtd. in Fisher, 3).An article in Wikipedia’s website expounds on the words of Kipling:The noncommissioned officer corps is the junior management of the military. An experienced NCO corps is a key component of Western armies: in many cases NCOs are credited as being the metaphorical backbone of their service. By contrast, the weak NCO corps of the modern-day Russian armed forces, and those modeled after it, is widely blamed for the general ineffectiveness of those militaries. (see Wikipedia: Noncommissioned Officers)NCOs and the Concept of DisciplineThe U.S. military structure amounts to a pile of junk without discipline and the people that are tasked to instill discipline and order in the ranks are the noncommissioned officers. NCOs do the dirty work and this is very much evident in shaping a bunch of boys who know nothing about authority and following orders prior to enlistment into hardened men who will obey first before they complain.  Discipline is very important in the military because it is an organization tasked to do jobs that are out of the ordinary and in many instances, in life and death situations. These kinds of jobs will determine the safety of a country, the lives of their fellow soldiers or the civilians under their sphere of influence.NCOs instills this concept of a more serious kind of discipline by being an example for his men. In Semper Fi, a book about the highly respected U.S. Marine corps, a description of the NCO’s methodology – in terms of how he earns the respect of his men and how he hammers discipline into their system – was provided by the authors:The authority of the Marine NCO does not rest on fear; its foundation is the well-earned respect of equally tough men. He leads, and inspires, by being the man he wants his troops to become. The NCO personifies his expectations of the men he commands. He wants his Marines to look â€Å"squared away† and so he dresses and marches smartly himself. Since he wants to instill instant obedience, his men will see him obey instantly when an officer commands. He wants his men to be aggressive in combat, so he himself is the epitome of aggressiveness. The Marine Corps NCO, through his own behavior, creates a desire to be like him. (Carrison and Walsh, 69)The apt description of what an NCO is all about as presented by Carrison and Walsh answers the question on what happens when NCOs misbehave. Using the ideas discussed earlier it would be easy to list the reason why NCOs should always be the quintessential soldier.First of all it is due to his position as part of the leadership of the armed forces. An NCOs actions does not go unobserved and will always be an influence and guide to the new recruit and those under his command. If the NCO is unruly, does not follow orders and breaks the code of conduct then it is not surprising for the rest of the soldiers to do the same.An NCO could not afford to appear irresponsible and uncontrollable or speaks in a manner that show disrespect to his superiors and fellow officers simply because he is not in a normal setting. In an office or in a school perhaps undisciplined behavior and a rebellious attitude towards authority will not really cause too much damage in relative proportion to a similar behavior in the army. When NCO acts like a spoiled brat men dies and blood flows unnecessarily. Worse, the unit can be in grave physical danger and the morale of the troops would significantly decrease leading in more losses and more damage.The chain reaction from an NCO’s lack of prudence can not simply be taken lightly as the repercussions will be felt for many generat ions. And this is not an exaggeration. The following is an account of what happened more than 200 years ago – in America’s war of independence – that helped changed the course of history. It is a testament to the fact that undisciplined men would cause a series of events that will lead to catastrophe:Following the British victory at the Battle of Long Island in August 1776, Queens County came under military’s control [†¦] From the outset, military officials realized that the war had both military and political dimensions. [†¦] Military misconduct against civilians would only create enmity, hinder the effective prosecution of the war and make post war reconciliation more difficult [†¦] By wars end the people of Queens had become, not loyal subjects, but Patriots – as much by British default as by personal choice. (Fingerhut and Tiedermann, 50)ConclusionThe effect of military misconduct especially when an NCO exhibits such undesirable behavior will first result in a breakdown of discipline but it will not end there. The men under the NCOs command will use said breakdown as an excuse for caving in under pressure. Thus when the going gets tough the men who witnessed insubordination and disrespect to senior officers will use that as an excuses for not following orders and then a chain reaction follows.When things begin to turn really uncontrollable, when the spirit of discipline that holds the army together is gone, the same soldiers who are selfless, hard workers, united and having one mind and heart will suddenly transform into a selfish monster who will do everything that seems to be right base on selfish interests. The result of which is written in the annals of military history. These events are labeled as infamous but it has cost more than shame it has resulted in the deaths and humiliation of the innocents. But from a military’s point of view it all boils down to failure in accomplishing a mission and for some cases it means losing the war.Works CitedBonn, Keith E. Army Officer’s Guide. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2002.Carrison, Dan and Rod Walsh. Semper Fi: Business Leadership the Marine Corps Way.New York: American Management Association, 1999.Fingerhut, Eugene R., and Tiedermann, J.S. The Other New York: The American RevolutionBeyond New York City. New York: State University of New York Press, 2005.Fisher, E. F. Jr. Guardians of the Republic: A History of the Noncommissioned officer corps of  the U.S. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2001.â€Å"Military of the United States.† Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 27 May 2006. Wikimedia  Ã‚  Ã‚   Foundation, Inc. 28 May 2006 .â€Å"Non-commissioned officer.† Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 24 May 2006. Wikimedia  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Foundation, Inc. 28 May 2006 .Rush, Robert S. NCO Guide. 7th ed. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2003.

Bicameral Legislation essays

Bicameral Legislation essays A bicameral system is a legislative system in which the power of law making is vested in two houses, or chambers, both of which must approve a bill before it becomes law. There are a few general guidelines by which most bicameral systems, including the United States, operate. The upper house, The Senate, is made up of members selected on a territorial basis. Therefore, senators represent states, or other political subdivisions instead of the people themselves. They also serve longer terms than members of the lower house. The lower house, the House of Representatives, is composed of members selected according to population. They serve shorter terms and have closer identification with the districts they represent. This makes it much more possible for members to strongly reflect the existing mind of the electorate. This bicameral system is in force in all states except Nebraska which, since 1937, has had a unicameral legislature. Throughout the world, national parliaments are a bout equally divided between bicameral and unicameral systems. Throughout the history of the United States bicameral system, committees have served a primary role. Standing, or permanent, committees were not new when established in America; rather, the concept originated in British Parliament. Therefore, when the American colonial assemblies and the Continental Congress implemented the committee into their legislative structures, the people were familiar with committees and their functions. In the early days of U.S. Congress, most bills were determined in the full chamber, leaving only details and clerical tasks for ad hoc committees. This system was flexible and responsive to the preferences of the entire House or Senate. However, as the duties of Congress grew, permanent committees were necessary. The First Congress created a standing Committee on Enrolled Bills in 1789. This was the first permanent committee created, and coexisted w...