Uk housing market

Uk housing market 1.INTRODUCTION 1.1Introduction 1.2A brief history of the UK housing market 1.3Aims The aim of this research project is to compare and evaluate the variables that affected the FTBs accessibility to the housing market over the last 40 years. 1.4Objectives The first objective is to establish the factors that have affected the rise in house prices other the last 40 years. The second objective is to review and evaluate how the property market has changed over the last 40 years with respect to affordable housing, and what impact this has had on FTB statistics. The third objective is to review and analyse the change in Private Lender schemes over the last 40 years, and the affect this has had on FTB statistics. The fourth objective is to review the relationship between variables such as life expectancy, retirement age, size of families, wages etc and their overall effect on FTBs accessibility to the housing market. The fifth objective is to conduct questionnaire surveys using a sample of FTBs to establish the publics perspective on affordable housing. The sixth objective is to conduct questionnaire surveys using a sample of FTBs to establish the most common method used. 1.5Definitions 1.6 First time buyer: Is a phrase commonly used to identify someone who would be buying a house for the first time. Average house price: The average price that a house would sell if placed on the market, this price would fall between the bottom 50per cent of house prices and the top 50per cent. Average household income: The combined average gross household income, from sources such as wages, salaries and various sources of investments. Key worker: A public sector worker, linked to professions such as, NHS staff, police officers, teachers, social workers, fire fighters, local authority planners and prison officers. House Price to income ratio: The ratio of median house prices to median incomes. 1.5 Abbreviations FTB: First time buyer HPIR: House price to income ratio CIS: Cash Incentive Scheme RTA: Right to Acquire RTB: Right to Buy 2.LITERATURE REVIEW In order to compare and evaluate the variables that affected the FTBs accessibility to the housing market over the last 40 years, it is necessary to review existing published work. Due to a lot of the published works, which were gained from the library not being up to date, the literature review is mainly based on reports and articles which were gained from online sources. In order for the information that is gathered to be analysed in the most effective manner it will be divided into the various sections: Factors that have affected the rise in house prices other the last 40 years. Changes in the property market over the last 40 years with respect to affordable housing. Changes in the private lender schemes over the last 40 years. Variables affecting FTBs accessibility to the housing market. In the late 1980s and early 1990s the British housing market experienced unprecedented changes and raised heightened concerns over the affordability of many to gain access to the property market, due largely to rising house price to income ratios, which has been labelled as a ‘crisis of affordability in housing provision (Maclennan, Williams, 1990, p. 8). It is only rather recently that ‘affordability has become a common term in housing policy in Britain (Whitehead, 1991),and for this reason the meaning of ‘affordability has caused much confusion, and since the Government has given no specific definition for the term, the following definition has been sourced ‘Affordability is concerned with securing some given standard of housing (or different standards) at a price or rent which does not impose, in the eyes of some third party (usually government) an unreasonable burden on household incomes. (Maclennan, Williams, 1990, p. 9) 2.1 Factors that have affected the rise in house prices other the last 40 years. It has become apparent in recent years that the rise in house prices has become a major issue within the UK, which has resulted in First Time Buyers (FTB) finding it difficult to gain access to the property ladder. The problem faced by rising house prices has been imminent for a long time, but up until the last decade this problem was mainly confined to London, the South East and a few regional hot spots (Department for Communities and Local Government [DCLG], 2006, page 6). But by looking at more recent figures it has become apparent that high house prices have become a more wide spread problem, with particular emphasis on rural districts, and smaller settlements (DCLG, 2006, page 6). Though there has already been a vast amount of research and study on the subject of affordable housing within the UK, namely the Barker review (2003), whose principal reasoning behind the problem was largely focused on a poor planning system and constraints on housing supply. Little information was sourced on the drivers and factors which play a major role in determining UK house prices, which will be the principle aim of this section of the literature review. By analysing literature and data collected from published works this section of the literature review will examine the various factors that have played a contributing role in the rise in house prices within the UK. These include: Interest rates Supply and demand Rise in population and increasing number of households Income Buy to let market Unemployment Confidence 2.1.1 Interest Rates Many scholars believe that there is a direct link between house prices and interest rates; however the focus of this report aims to suggest, that in fact it is the affordability of housing and public confidence which is instead affected by alterations in interest rates, which in turn leads to changes in house prices. For example, a rise in interest rates would lead to increased monthly repayments on mortgages, as mortgage repayments rise, the prospects of buying a house becomes less attractive, thus leading to a decline in demand for houses and fall in house prices. On the other hand when interest rates are lowered, this would lead to a fall in mortgage repayments, public confidence and demand is likely to rise at this point leading to a rise in house prices. If interest rates were to continue fall in this manner so would house prices, until the housing market reaches a state of oversupply. McQuinn and ORiley (2006) suggest that lower interest rates mean that mortgage repayments are lower and hence the house purchaser can potentially borrow more. This would also lead to an outward shift in the demand curve with prices increasing. ‘The fall in UK interest rates (and unemployment) over time has had two linked effects. It has brought the cost of borrowing down sharply, leaving lenders (and borrowers in terms of pressuring for) with the dilemma as to whether to increase the multipliers applied (i.e. up from three times loan to income ratio- LTI) which in turn has increased demand and through that house prices (Forest, Lee, 2007, p. 168). 2.1.2 Supply and demand Supply and demand is defined as, ‘the quantity of goods available for sale at a given price, and the level of consumer need for those goods. The balance of supply and demand fluctuates as external economic factors (such as the cost of materials and the level of competition in the marketplace) influence the level of demand from consumers and the desire and ability of producers to supply the goods (BNET, 2010) Kate Barker, a member of the Bank of England monetary policy committee, was commissioned by the Treasury to examine housing supply (Guardian, 2008) and establish why house prices in the UK are rising so fast. Within the report she established that the main reason was due to the supply of housing not keeping up with demand, which she put down to the increased growth in population (Barker, 2004). In an article for the Mirror Martin Ellis, housing economist at Halifax puts it best by saying â€Å"unless we can get the supply and demand in balance then that is going to lead to more upwards pressure on that ratio of prices to earnings.† (House prices ‘have quadrupled, 2010) Data collected from the ODPM revealed that housing supply in the UK is currently growing at 150,000 new homes each year, in comparison to the 190,000 new households each year. This shortfall of 40,000 new homes which would be needed, in order for supply to meet demand, could be a significant factor in the currently rising house prices (Office of National Statistics, 2008). In speaking to the Estates Gazette (EG) Yvette Cooper, the former housing and planning minister, revealed that in order to keep up with demand 200,000 new homes would need to be built each year (EGI, 2005), with 3 million new homes built by 2020. However with the credit crunch having just hit and the uncertain state the economy is in, it is looking less and less likely that the Government will be able to meet these targets. 2.1.3.Rise in population and increasing number of households As previously mentioned supply and demand of houses has a direct effect on house prices; the aim of this section of the report is to establish how changes in the population can in turn have an effect on supply and demand of houses. It is a well known fact the UKs population is gradually growing; there have been various contributing factors to this, but the main reason is longer life expectancy. The average life expectancy of a male in the UK has risen from 67.1 in 1970 to 77.53 in 2008, and females life expectancy has risen from 74.7 in 1970 to 81.74 in 2008 (Office of National Statistics, 2008). The rise in household numbers isnt solely the result of the rise in life expectancy, theres also a variety of different demographic factors which have contributed. These include: 2.1.3.1. Divorce rates. According to the Office for National Statistics, in 2008, the divorce rate in the UK stood at 11.2 divorcing people per 1000 married; this is in comparison to 6.1 in 1971, which is a 46 per cent increase. With the amount of couples getting divorced increasing, so too will the number of households, pushing demand up (Office of National statistics, 2008). 2.1.3.2. Decline in number of marriages. The increase in the number of households in the UK can also be largely explained by an increase in the mean age that couples are getting married. According to the Office for National Statistics the mean marriage age in the UK has increased from 27.1 in 1970 to 35.6 in 2003 (Office of National Statistics, 2006). With the general public opting to marry at a later stage in their life the number of households is likely to increase; as explained before an increase in the number of households is likely to lead to increase in demand for houses, which will in turn lead to a rise in house prices. 2.1.3.3. Major influx of immigrants. Migration is an important factor in the changes in the UKs population over the last 40 years, when inward migration is greater than outward migration; the population would rise at a higher rate. According to the Office of National Statistics 518,000 people immigrated to the UK in 2009, whereas 370,000 emigrated, giving a net migration figure of 148,000 (Office of National Statistics, 2009). 2.1.4 Income According to McQuinn and OReilly (2006), rising income will mean that borrowers can borrow more on the basis of higher income and hence bid a higher price for a property, thus the demand curve for housing will shift outwards with prices increasing. It is also suggested that higher household incomes will result in households having more disposable income, which in turn will lead to increase in normal and luxury goods, since it is assumed that housing is a normal/luxury good, it can also be assumed that demand for housing will increase, and so too will house prices. Keynes best describes this theory as â€Å"The fundamental psychological law, upon which we are entitled to depend with great confidence both a priori and from our knowledge of human nature and from the detailed facts of experience, is that men are disposed, as a rule and on the average, to increase their consumption, as their income increases, but not by as much as the increases in their income (The General Theory, 1936, p.96) In their book ‘Booms and Busts in the UK Housing Market Muellbauer and Murphy suggest that income growth alongside predicted income growth can lead to an increase in public confidence to spend disposable income; this increase in public confidence, respectively lead to a rise in house prices, through demand rising. There has been a marked increase in the number of women in paid employment in the past 60 years (Hogarth et al., 2001) there are a variety of different reasons for this, but one of the most significant would be the introduction of the Equal pay Act 1970. With many households now having two incomes they can arrange for a joint mortgage, which in effect means they can bid up house prices. 2.1.5.Buy to let market Buy-to-let (BTL) mortgages are where an investor purchases a property for purpose of renting it out; the investor rents the property out to tenants with the intention of using the money from the rent to pay off his mortgage, with a possible excess which would be kept by the landlord. The landlord would also be looking to make a capital gain on the property over its life time making it a very good investment. Since July 1996 when the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) launched BTL loans, there has been an explosion of investors entering the market hoping to get both income and capital gains from their investment. According to Paragon Mortgages, BTL now accounts for around 14% of the mortgage market (Stepek, 2007, para. 4) According to the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) buy-to-let mortgages outstanding continue to rise, in 2008 there were 1,103,000 BTL mortgages in the UK worth  £132.5 billion, which is a rise of 19% by volume and 25% by value from a year ago previous (CML, 2008). This surge in investors entering the BTL market has been in part due to the soaring house prices of the late 90s, but also largely due to relaxation in the lending criteria , the CML have revealed that in 2008 on average, lenders would offer a maximum loan of 83% on the value of the property (CML, 2008). However with more and more investors looking to make an easy buck, upward pressure is being put on demand, resulting in house prices to rise. To add to this, investors have predominantly been buying up smaller homes, consequently making it harder for FTBs to even get small premises. 2.1.6 Unemployment With unemployment at its lowest since the 1970s (http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page15026), there is more people with the potential to gain a mortgage and enter the housing market, this upward pressure on demand is turn going push house prices up. Armstrong and Taylor suggest that, low unemployment leads to higher wages, which in turn lead to an increase in demand for housing and hence higher house prices (Armstrong, Taylor, 2000, p. 208) 2.1.7 Confidence ‘In analysing the ingredients that have contributed towards the recent strong growth in house prices analysts have consistently made reference to the strength of consumer confidence. The implication is that consumer confidence positively impacts upon house price growth. (Report on confidence) Garratt goes on to say ‘While consumer confidence is not a significant factor in driving household consumption, it does have a role to play in influencing the willingness of households to undertake secured borrowing. (report on confidence, look in my docs for file) ‘Speculative demand for housing draws new buyers into the housing market on the expectation of future price increases and associated capital gains. The extra level of demand funded mainly through mortgage finance adds to the existing level of mortgage debt but the speculative demand creates a ratchet effect whereby expectations of higher prices leads to an increase in demand which sends actual house price higher ‘ (Riley, 2005, p. 73) Due to the extreme rise in house prices of the mid 90s, public confidence in the housing market grew (further explained in chapter?), which led to a rush in people purchasing property with the expectation of trying to get a piece of the action, which has caused greater demand for houses, pushing prices up. 2.2 Changes in the property market over the last 40 years with respect to affordable housing. In order to establish how the changes in the property market over the last 40 years, with respect to affordable housing has affected FTB statistics, it is first important to discuss the development of affordable housing within the UK. This will enable FTB statistics to be compared to a time-line of these developments, giving an impression of their effectiveness. 2.2.1 Right to Buy In past history a lot homes in the UK would have been council owned, but since the 1980s the proportion of council owned homes has diminished instead favouring towards providing support to various other forms of social housing. In 1980, under power of Margaret Thatcher the 1980 Housing Act introduced the Right to Buy scheme (RTB), which offered council tenants (of three years tenancy) the right to buy their council house, with discounts up to 50per cent, which in 1986 went up to 70per cent for flats (Power, 1993, p. 217). The RTB scheme has faced lots of criticism since its introduction, said to favour the more affluent home owners rather than the poorer more in need (King, 2006, p. 68). However if we were to look at the policy and whether it met its initial aims, the RTB could be viewed as having been very successful; over the past 25 years the RTB scheme has helped broaden owner occupation, particular to the working-class and helped break up municipal housing (King, 2006, p. 68). However it has also been argued that the RTB scheme has lead to a shortage of social housing available, largely due to Government edicts which have prevented councils from spending the proceeds of sales of social housing on new housing (Hallett, 1993, p.230). Accompanied by an increase in demand for affordable housing, this could be a major contributing factor in rise of house prices. 2.2.2 HomeBuy Schemes 2.3 Changes in the private lender schemes over the last 40 years. This section of the literature review aims to look at how, changes in credit available to consumers in the UK has played a role in the increase in house prices over the last 40 years. Aoki, Proudman and Vlieghe (2002, p.10) suggest that credit frictions may be important in understanding the relationship between interest rates, house prices, housing investment and consumption and found that significant effects of households access to credit on consumption and on housing investment in UK aggregate and regional data. Over the last 40 years credit constraint has seen some significant changes, with access to credit more easily available to consumers. This can be largely explained by the removal of exchange controls in 1979 and bank lending in 1980, it can be further explained by the Building Societies Act 1986, which lifted the restrictions on how building societies operate, which gave them the same status as banks (Aoki, Proudman and Vlieghe, 2002, p. 14). Other significant changes in the last 40 years include the inclusion of non-bank entrants such as department stores, retailers and insurance companies in offering credit through services such as credit cards, unsecu red loans and mortgage products. Furthermore an increase in internet banking in the 1990s and better credit scoring methods also contributed to better credit conditions (Muelbauer, 2005, p.5). In the 1970s and early 1980s building societies collectively agreed the mortgage and deposit rates they offered (Aoki, Proudman and Vlieghe, 2002, p.14), but due to relaxation in lending criteria and increase in competition between the lenders, the setting of interest rates have been a far more competitive, which has led to lower interest rates for consumers. Interest rates can have a direct effect on the supply of mortgage loans, which in turn will affect house prices. According to the financial money group moneyfacts.co.uk, there are currently 2,003 different mortgages available on the market (Burridge, 2010, p.1), the result of this increase in competition, is the reduction of the cost of borrowing , which in turn will encourage more people to take out a mortgage. This increase in demand, as explained before will have an adverse effect on house prices. 2.4 Variables affecting FTBs accessibility to the housing market. This section of the literature review aims to establish the various variables that have affected FTBs accessibility to the housing market; this will be done through the analysis of various scholars opinions on the subject matter. It has become apparent in recent years that the rise in house prices in comparison to incomes has become a major issue within the UK, which has resulted in FTBs finding it difficult to gain access to the property ladder. As a result of incomes not rising at the same rapidity as house price inflation, the principle problem for FTBs is affordability; in the last 20 years the average price a FTB is expected to pay has increased by 294 per cent, â€Å"with the average UK property now costing five times the average earnings of a full-time male employee† (Chesworth, 2004, p. 2). To help emphasis the problem that FTBs face this dissertation will examine the rise in house prices in comparison to income since 1970; in a study by Alliance Trust Research Centre they compared the problem facing FTBs with that of their parents when they tried to buy their first property (Alliance Trust, 2006). According to the study house prices have risen from 2.5 times the average income in 1970 to 3.9 times the average income in 2005, equating to a 60 per cent increase in house price to income ratio (Alliance Trust, 2006). The average household income is  £38,302, and the house price index report shows that the average house price in the UK is  £197,000, meaning the house price to income ratio is about 5.1. These historically high figures mean that young FTBs are finding it increasingly difficult to gain access into the property market and can often lead to FTBs having to take on risky mortgages, for example interest only schemes. This can result in high household debt, which currently stands at 150 per cent of household income (Ratio of House Prices to Income, 2008). Though more recent data collected in November 2008, from the price index published by Nationwide Building Society has revealed that house prices are currently on a downward descent, FTBs are still finding it difficult to purchase their first home (CML, 2008). Though FTBs ‘loan-to-value ratios have been going down, with the average FTB taking a loan out on 84per cent of the value of the property in comparison to 90per cent in 2007 (CML, 2008). This is merely the result of lenders lowering the amount that they will lend; in previous housing climates borrowers were able to take out 100per cent mortgages, but with the downturn in the market, lenders are requiring a substantially larger deposit. This subsequently has meant that FTBs are now faced with the prospect of having to find a larger deposit; the research revealed that the average FTB deposit rose from  £15,000 in 2007 to  £19,000 in 2008 (CML, 2008). Talk about a lot of FTBs in the past would have got the money for the first house from inheritance, from parents and grand parentsbut due to longer life expectancy this isnt always available. As discussed in chapter? Late marriage can not only have an effect on housing demand, but can also play a part in FTBs accessibility to the housing market. With a lot of people opting to buy their first house once they are married With the mean average age that people are getting married in the UK rising from 27.1 in 1970 to 35.6 in 2003, As already discussed in chapter? The buy to let market has led to a massive in surge of investors buying up houses, it is typical that these investors will be buying up smaller typical FTB houses, with demand for these houses going up so will price, making it harder for FTBs to gain access to the market. More luxury goods available people spending their money on other things Sudden drop in house prices has led to parents being less likely or able to assist their kids in purchasing their first property due to their investments (house) taking a massive drop. Jobs less stable in the past people had jobs for life Contract employment; less people on full time 3.METHODOLOGY 3.1 Research Strategy The aim of this research project is to compare and evaluate the variables that have affected the FTBs accessibility to the housing market over the last 40 years. In order to come to the best conclusion to this, it is essential to gather data. This chapter aims to provide a description of how this data will be gathered, and the particular research methods that will be implemented. The data collected can be split into Primary and Secondary data. ‘Secondary data consists of information that already exists somewhere, having been collected for another purpose. Primary data consist of information collected for the specific purpose at hand. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=6T2R0_ESU5ACpg=PA335dq=what+is+primary+datalr=cd=1#v=onepageq=what%20is%20primary%20dataf=false 3.1.1 Secondary Data Since the basis of this investigation, is to analyse house prices over the last 40 years and the effect this has had on FTBs accessibility to the housing market, secondary research will be very useful, mainly due to the extensive amount of information and data already available. The bulk of the secondary data collected has been sourced from journals, reports and websites of professional bodies. However, due to the fact that a lot of the information gathered has the potential to be bias, a variety of different sources will be used and then compared. The majority of the information gathered will be statistical data, which will include economical statistics, demographical statistics and housing market statistics; this will enable an analysis of the factors and variables that affect house prices and to spot any trends. Though a lot of these statistics were included in the literature review, the aim of the next chapter is to give a more specific investigation and data analysis. Secondary data includes: Academic Journals Internet Sites and Web pages Textbooks Newspaper Articles Other Academic Studies 3.1.2 Primary Data In order to gain the views and opinions of the housing market, questionnaires will be conducted using a sample group of home owners and non home owners. These questionnaires will be conducted using social networking sites, the advantages of using this method is, low cost of data collection and processing, ability to get a wider return rate from all over the country and the disadvantages to using this method is that it allows for errors to be made due to misunderstandings of the questions or lack of knowledge on the subject. So for this reason the questionnaires have been designed in the simplest manner. Another drawback to using questionnaires is that they may not provide an accurate view of the housing market, since only a relatively small sample group was used, it is possible that the information that is gathered may give a distorted view and conflict with the secondary data. Had there been more time it would have been beneficial to the investigation to carry out a questionnaire using a much larger sample group, giving a more accurate representation. To further the research even more it could have been very advantageous to have set up interviews with the governing bodies responsible for setting Government policy on housing and interest rates. Implementing these two methods along with the research already carried out would have allowed for opinions from both sides. 3.2 Literature Review With the aim of keeping the literature review as orderly and concise as possible, it was divided into four distinct sections, these sections are listed below. Factors that have affected the rise in house prices other the last 40 years. Changes in the property market over the last 40 years with respect to affordable housing. Changes in the private lender schemes over the last 40 years. Variables affecting FTBs accessibility to the housing market. The literature review provided an overview of the factors that have affected house prices over the last 40 years and variables affecting FTBs accessibility to the housing market. Though this research gave a good outline of the broader issues at hand, the literature review alone is insufficient in meeting the aims of the study, so for this reason it is paramount that further investigation is undertaken. 3.3 Timeline Carrying out the literature review bought forward the possibility of creating a timeline of changes in the housing market over the last 40 years. The basis of the timeline will be creation Government policy related to housing, as well as any significant changes in private lender schemes over the last 40 years. By analysing this timeline alongside statistics and data gathered from the secondary research, along with the responses from both questionnaires, direct correlations can be examined. 3.4 Questionnaire As already stated questionnaires will be sent out to two different sample groups, home owners who bought their first house over the last 40 years and non home owners. This will give a reflection on the UK publics perspective of the housing market. The structure of both questionnaires is shown below: 3.4.1 Questionnaire: Property owners Q1. GENDER Male: Female: Q2. MARITAL STATUS AT THE TIME OF BUYING YOUR FIRST PROPERTY Single: Married: Other Q3. AGE 18-30: 31-40: 41-50: 51-60: 60 and above: Q4. WHICH AREA OF THE COUNTRY DID YOU PURCHASE YOUR FIRST PROPERTY? North: North West: North East:

Exploring Free Will and Decision Making in Albert Camus The Guest Essa

Exploring Free Will and Decision Making in Albert Camus' short story "The Guest," In Albert Camus' short story "The Guest," Camus raises numerous philosophical questions. These are: does man have free will?, are an individual's decisions affected by what society demands, expects, neither, or both?, and finally, how does moral and social obligation affect decision making? Balducci brings the Arab to Daru's door, informing Daru that "I have an order to deliver the prisoner and I'm doing so," (90) thus freeing Balducci of the responsibility over wherever the Arab ultimately ended up. Balducci didn't want the responsibility of the Arab possibly escaping, and by doing only as was expressly required of him (delivering the Arab to Daru's door and giving the orders of the Arab's destination to Daru), he was also setting the story so that any decision Daru later took was an act of Daru's alone and was not directly dependent on any other decision another man had made prior. Balducci avoids the social obligation he's supposed to feel. He should follow through on the prisoner's handling, but he doesn't have to. Balducci knows this, and decides to avoid the effort and instead justifies his leaving the Arab there by simply following his orders and not reading between the lines of the order. Daru ended up accepting the Arab, both because the prisoner was delivered to him, and because he had a sense of responsibility to the French government (or society) to at least accept him, if not deliver him to the police in Tinguit (social obligation to not let him go free, justice must be served because if it wasn't, society would turn to chaos). Daru's orders were escort the Arab there for he was "expected at police headquarters" ... ...ome men think about decisions and some just react to their environment like a glorified plant? Do all men know they have free will and understand what that means? Daru gave a choice to the Arab, was that fair for the Arab (and society) or was it an egotistical action based on what Daru thought was right, fair or just? Why did the Arab's ultimate choice depress Daru, and why did neither Balducci or Daru want to be responsible for another man? In the end the Arab really is 'the dog' of society. No decision was ever his (from the perspective of the reader and Daru), but still, how do we know if Daru is different? By answering some philosophical questions through use of characters in a vacuum, Camus raises many more questions, which is the modus opernadi of the philosopher: not to find answers, but to ask questions that will eventually have the answers inherent in them.

Wood Bison :: essays research papers

The Wood Bison are the largest native land mammals in North America. The wood bison were designated as an endangered species in 1978.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Wood Bison are dark brown terrestrial mammals. They feature very massive heads. They have a shaggy brown coat with long, thick, black beards. Males have short black horns, which curve inward, while females have straight horns. These bison have very large shoulders and a massive hump on their backs. Males are larger than females and measure about 3 to 4 meters long and 1.75 meters high at the shoulders. They weigh between 500 and 1000 kilograms. They are very distinctive animals, capable of running at speeds up to 35 mph.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Wood bison reach their sexual maturity somewhere between the ages of one and three years old. The gestational period for these animals is about 270 to 300 days. The females usually give birth twice over a three-year period and bear only single calves, generally in the month of May. Twins are rare for the wood bison. Calves are weaned at about 7 months, but are able to graze with the herds from the time they are a week old.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Wood bison spend much of their time grazing. They enjoy a diet of wild oats, rye, and wheat, lichens, horsetails and berries. They swallow their food unchewed and when they rest later in the day, they bring up this unchewed food, called cud, and chew it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The main enemies of the wood bison are the wolf, coyote, and grizzly bear. Of course, their main enemy is man! This breed has also had numerous problems with disease. Anthrax was a major problem for these animals before 1978. They have also had problems with tuberculosis. Another kind of threat is from drowning. It is not uncommon for several hundred animals to drown by falling through thin ice.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The wood bison was never an organism with an extremely large population. In the 1800’s, it was estimated that the population was at about 168,000 animals. They were almost hunted to extinction in the 19th century. In fact, by 1893, it was estimated that only 250 wood bison existed. By 1922, their population rebounded to about 1500 animals. It was then that Wood Buffalo National Park was established. The goal of the park was to save the wood bison from extinction and to preserve their shrinking habitat. Inbreeding and disease once again diminished the herds, but in 1957, a herd of about 200 pure wood bison was discovered in a remote corner of the park.

Oregon measure

Introduction In 1994, voters of Oregon passed Measure 11,which forced long compulsory prison terms for 16 designated violent and sex-related offenses, prohibited â€Å"earned time,†1 and provided for mandatory waiver of youthful offenders to adult court. This measure stood in sharp contrast to sentencing practices at that time, overlaying the state’s existing sentencing guidelines system for selected offenses, increasing the length of prison terms imposed, and reducing judicial discretion at the sentencing phase.The main challenge facing everyone is ‘Should Measure11 be repealed’.   Yes  Claims For Removal Of Measure 11According to studies undertaken, if measure 11 were repealed, Oregon would save over $612 million in the next 10 years. The savings on new prison construction alone would be $153.6 million dollars between 2000 and 2010. For some crimes that are money worth spending, but for stealing two tires, or stealing a petty amount, and bus pass or f ighting, that is wasting our tax dollars that should be going to schools/education, instead of prisons.Mandatory minimum sentencing means one has to serve every hour of every day of ones sentence no matter what. No good time, no early release, no boot camp. As high as 67% people, under Measure 11 ‘Are First Time Offenders’ and 35% are under 21 years of age.Instead of warehousing people and spending money on more prisons, we should be investing in prevention programs, and look for a substitute to sentencing plans that have been proven to be far more successful with far less cost.In the present form, Measure 11 sentences surpass any lesser existing guideline sentences for 21 violent and sex offenses —the original 16, plus 5 more added later.   Sentences range from 70 months for second-degree assault, kidnapping, robbery, and certain sex offenses, to 300 months for murder. Penalties may not be reduced because of the offender ’s prior record —regardle ss of whether an offender has a criminal record, or the length of such record, minimum sentences are the same for all offenders.Thus, some penalties are actually higher under sentencing guidelines in instances where an offender has an extensive criminal record. In general, however, Measure 11 penalties are longer than those imposed under sentencing guidelines. Juveniles aged 15 years or older are also subject to the measure.   Many people believe that the measure would negatively affect criminal justice system operations, and reduce system integrity. In terms of system operation, opponents expected the measure to lead to an increase in jury trials and prison populations, overburdening both the courts and the correctional system. At the same time, they expected an increase in jail sentences.People opposing this; feel that Measure 11 trials are an undesirable risk, because mandatory sentences eliminate any possibility of judicial caution in sentencing. Rep. Bowman believes that a ju dge should have some liberty, in setting the sentence for the person found guilty, after investigating all the facts in the case and the background of the defendant. Many of them think that juveniles deserve some consideration from the judge. Judges feel that Measure 11 is too harsh in some cases. Some Assault II and Robbery II charges are uncertain, and sex offenses are serious because of lifetime registry requirements, but judges have no choice but to impose the obligatory sentences.Judge Sullivan remarks opponents’ concerns about lengthy sentences for juveniles. There are very few services provided to those in the adult system. With no possibility of early release, juveniles have no incentives to re-establish themselves. Defense attorney Wehmeyer also mentions that prisoners cannot earn good time for earlier release and have no enthusiasm to behave. Jackson County officials are concerned that Measure 11 focuses on punishment instead of rehabilitation. Rep. Bowman believes that funds would be bettered spent on treatment and therapy than on mandatory prison terms.Rep. Bowman is concerned that Measure 11 discriminates against racial minorities and the poor, who cannot afford high-priced lawyers. She points to statistics that show that although African-Americans comprise only 2 percent of the state’s juvenile population, they are 16 percent of the juveniles serving time under Measure 11. Multnomah County’s Juvenile Crime Trends Report of March 1999 confirms that â€Å"despite being approximately 10% of the total youth population (10-17 yrs.). In Multnomah County, African-Americans are over-represented in the juvenile justice system at 21% to 23% of the offender population.†Opponents point out that juvenile crime had been decreasing both nationally and in Oregon before Measure 11 was implemented. They believe that the measure was harsh and inflexible, and that it discriminated against racial minorities and the poor.Counter ArgumentPro ponents of the measure believed that these enhanced penalties would improve public safety by deterring future criminal behavior and increasing the length of time that felons who commit serious crimes spend in prison.District attorney Hehn believes that the certainty of mandatory prison terms is a â€Å"real deterrent† to criminal behavior by juveniles. She feels that juveniles did not take the previous juvenile justice system seriously. District attorney Heiser also feels that Measure 11 has been a restriction for younger teens and a reflection that the public was â€Å"fed up with coddling teenagers.†Measure 11 did have an impact on the crime rates in Oregon. Crime rates, particularly for violent crime, declined in Oregon after 1995. According to various surveys the findings are consistent with the possibility that Measure 11 may have been at least partly responsible for this decline, such   findings   do   not   provide clear evidence   of a causal link. An examination of otherfactors, different opinions, and further surveys, would need to be made before definite conclusions can be drawn.The only things unforeseen about Measure 11 are, that the drop in crime has been far greater than expected and the cost has been far less than predicted. As per studies, Oregon's violent crime rate dropped 41 percent from 1995 to 2001 while the number of extra prison beds required by Measure 11 was less than half the original estimate.ConclusionMeasure 11 has been in effect for only four years. It is difficult to determine its total, long-term effects on public safety and justice in Oregon. It remains a highly charged and emotional issue.The result of various studies indicate that passage of Measure 11 has altered sentencing and case processing practices for those charged with serious person offenses in the state of Oregon. While some of these were planned system changes, others were unplanned and are not fully understood. The measure can be considere d a success in that it has accomplished its intended goal of increasing the length of prison sentences for offenders convicted of Measure11- eligible offenses. However, since passage of the measure, fewer offenders have been sentenced for the Measure 11 offenses, and a greater proportion have been sentenced for Measure11-alternate offenses.Analyses suggest that this move resulted from the use of prosecutorial caution and the reduction of cases which, though technically Measure11-eligible, were not deemed appropriate for the associated mandatory minimum penalty. Although the selective use of Measure 11, along with Oregon ’s prison construction program and reduced crime rates, has enabled the state to avoid the negative consequences of prison overcrowding, the process by which cases are being chosen for either full or partial prosecution is unclear. Prosecutors who were interviewed were confident in their ability to apply the measure properly; however, it is not clear what crit eria were used in making their decisions, or whether these criteria were constantly and equitably  applied. Further research should address how discretion is exercised and charging decisions made under Measure 11.Oregon ’s Measure 11 introduced bold changes into the sentencing structure of the state. Surveys addressed the execution and impact of the measure on prosecution, sentencing, and convictions, both statewide and in three other counties also. As with many policy changes, some of the observed consequences were expected, others were not. Further research and experience with the measure will provide more definitive answers to the questions raised.There are many things said about Measure 11.   This measure has its share of pros and cons.   Whatever be it, offenders above 15 should be given a fair chance for rehabilitation, proper education and good facilities. The offenders should have separate premises and not be clubbed with the adult offenders.   The introductio n of the Measure 11 is mainly to reduce the rate of crime in teenagers, and it should focus on that aspect only.Hence it is very necessary that Measure 11 should live up to its standards and abide by the rules and regulations of the law.Works Cited  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Oregon Mandatory Min Sentencing Law Measure 11† Oregon Department of Corrections Statistics, 6 December 2006. ;http://www.angelfire.com/ms/oregonmeasure11/;.Bob, Dee Dee Kouns, Crime Victims United, 6 December 2006;http://www.crimevictimsunited.org/measure11/rebuttal.htm;.League of Women Voters of Oregon Education Fund, 6 December 2006,

A Gun- Never Friend with Peace

Is it possible to have a gun-free environment? Yes it is, if only everyone will maintain a harmonious relationship with each other, if everyone will help in obtaining peace and if everyone will not bring guns.â€Å"To some people, gun means independence, protection and defense.†   (Harcourt, Bernard. Language of the Gun: Youth, Crime, and Public Policy, University of Chicago Press 2006).How can it be that gun possession law is a need for personal safety? For me, it is unnecessary to have a gun possession law for one’s safety.Gun at times is the source of injury and worst of all death. Some gun owners abuse the use of their guns.Since the early times gun abuse is already present.In the 19th century and early 20th century cheap revolvers are called â€Å"Suicide Special†. What does this really mean? Suicide special is a mass manufacture of cheap guns and many suicides were committed with this kind of guns.  The purpose of Gun Control Act of 1968 is said not to control guns but rather to control blacks and minorities. (Sherrill, Robert. The Saturday Night Special, New York, Charterhouse: 1973, p. 280-91.)The Gun Control Act didn’t control the use of guns but instead gun owners use their guns to terrorize and discriminate other people.Cheap handguns are widely use today because minorities and even the poor can easily afford it. Cheap handguns have a magnetic effect on students. Before, schools are safe refuge from violence. In recent years, there is a shocked because of multiple killings in schools caused by students. (Elliot et al.   Violence in American Schools: A New Perspective, Cambridge University Press 1998).Why did this happen? It is because of laws that legalize the possession of guns. A handgun means fame to students, fame that leads to an abuse on its use.Power is often associated with guns and youngsters are attracted to the feeling of having the power to control others in their own hands. Violence in schools due to gun s is also present. Students’ rivalry regarding to academics, partners, and peers often causes group nuisance and killings.   Since handguns are inexpensive, there will be no control on the illegal or even legal possession of it. So what is the use of a law n gun possession if the production of it is uncontrolled? It is worthless.Weaponry is seen as a central stimulus to the commission of aggressive acts. The use of handguns causes fear and loathing effect in the environment. . (Wright et el.   Under the Gun: Weapons Crime and Violence in America, Aldine Transaction1983)Guns are also associated to burglary. Robbers use guns and sometimes use synthetic guns to threat their target.Homicide is also associated in the abuse of the use of guns. Let’s take for example a professional man who caught his wife with another man. The scene is the wife is having an intimate affair with another man, her husband caught her in the middle of the act and due to great anger and shame h e pulls his gun shoot his wife immediately. The point here is that if the husband doesn’t have a gun, things might change and instead of killing his wife he might just talk to her, clarify things and get a divorce.In order to obtain a gun free world according to the gun free groups is to ban laws regarding gun possession. Let’s try imagining enactment of laws which forbid all non-government posses’ decree involves mainly those who are ready to obey them.When there is a discontented must — and money to be made — there is more often than not a way just about the law. In the black market where restricted goods are illegally sold at a higher price, guns are sold privately. There were as many as 2 million illegal guns on the street in 1993.The implication were that all those guns were in the hands of criminals, and the insinuation was that seizing the guns would make the city a safer place.Laws imposing now globally aren’t good enough. A steel ha nd in imposing the law might give real teethFor our, government, possession of guns won’t help. As long as officials are allowed to have guns, there will always be gun manufacturers. Government officials sometimes protect gun manufacturers for their own sake. They might even corrupt and supply guns to the black market.Kleptoracies is a form of dictatorship. In our world, most of our leaders are kleptomanias. We don’t like Kleptoracies in our government. Gun laws are used to deceive tax payers so that they can corrupt more for their own fortune.Gun laws is good but don’t we think that we’re being too unmotivated? Gun law is not enough to secure personal safety for ourselves.Peace is in our hands. Let us change our strategies. Imagine, aim and create a gun-free world and don’t just wish for laws.   Vanish all the guns evens those who are owned by government and its officials. Close all the gun factories, too. Let’s start a new and clean begi nning.Peace for all.Bibliography:Elliot et al.   Violence in American Schools: A New Perspective, Cambridge University Press 1998.Harcourt, Bernard. Language of the Gun: Youth, Crime, and Public Policy, University of Chicago Press 200.Sherrill, Robert. The Saturday Night Special, New York, Charterhouse: 1973, p. 280-91.Wright et el.   Under the Gun: Weapons Crime and Violence in America, Aldine Transaction, 1983.

Reading Reflection Essay

The literary work that we discussed this week was interesting to me in so many ways. The chapters talked about different types of literature such as poems, short stories, and also novels. Throughout the reading I experience literature in a way I have never understood before. Literature restores the past, stimulates the imagination, glorifies the commonplace, evokes emotions and links feeling to thinking, upholds a vision of the ideal and reveals human nature by exploring significant human questions. I have to say I have been truly convinced. The purpose of the creative process is to give things form. Writers are artists who use words to express ideas and feelings. As a reader I had to use my imagination which is the human power that shapes artistic expression; it enables a writer’s work to become an expression of meaning in our world, and allows readers to engage in identifying with what the writer’s work has to say about things that matter. So basically we all become writer’s in a sense. When reading this paper you imagine how to feel when I found out a little more about literature. Literature allows you to read with a purpose while at the same time using the experience to connect to the writer. Literature is a creative process that begins in writers’ experiences and imaginings. Image is a distant representation of something that can be experienced and understood through the senses or the representation of an idea. Writer’s use precise language in developing images, or imagery in a literary work. Tone also plays an important part in a literary work. It identifies how the author approaches a subject and conveys it to readers. Either way we look at it as literature been a very important part of our history. We tend to use literature in everyday life. We have to search for meaning and explore literature in different aspects of been a reader or writer. We can use the Biographical/Historical approach to evaluate the meaning of a literary work. It’s the attempt to measure the extent to which the life of the author or a historical context can shape literary expression. Critics’ adopt a historical period as a context, creates characters that reflect its value, and explores trends that occur in it. William Faulker was an American writer who took this approach, creating narratives that identified values and conflicts in a historic era in the South. He created complex characters and a community that carefully mirrored life in the South and, used them as centerpieces in several of his works. You could also apply persona to this analytical approach referring to the narrator in a story or the speaker in a poem, who may or may not reflect the perspective of the author. The creativity to start a literary work is in our imagination we just have to put it down on paper. Reference: Clugston, R. W. (2010). Journey into Literature. San Diego, California: Bridgeport Education, Inc. https://content. ashford. edu/books Ashford Online Library.

Codependency

Not a formal psychiatric diagnosis, codependency is a psychological syndrome noted in relatives or partners of alcoholics or substance abusers. † How It is created within a person Including the orally of the dysfunction. Also covered are what the symptoms of codependency are. I will also cover how to identify codependency in yourself or others. How the codependency affects a person's wellbeing & how to change that. The conclusion of the paper focuses on how to stop being codependent. This topic is near & dear to me. As I have predisposition towards codependency (more on that later). It seems to be a family tradition.Thinking about my relatives I could label all of them codependent. As well as most people especially In any type of caregiver role or job. Careers that have a propensity toward codependency are nursing or health care including therapists. All run the risk of wanting patients to get better so we can feel validated that we are skilled at our Job. Of course, we all wan t people to be relieved of their suffering but when that goal starts to interfere with our own sense of self, it becomes very detrimental. It goes from healthy caring to over caring & enmeshment, which can ruin our lives.When It started Innocently enough encouraged by society. It seems expected to be selfless, caring & loving to others sometimes to the determent of the self. If the individual is not, then they are deemed selfish & cold, which people would rather be, sick with someone (while helping them of course) then be labeled as self-involved or egocentric. Codependency is also being portrayed in movies. One particular story line about modern day vampires comes to mind. As I watched, I could not help but think wow way to encourage young impressionable minds to become enmeshed & codependent on one another to an extreme.Making statements such as â€Å"l would die for you† obviously not a statement to be taken lightly. Sadly, often they mean it. There seems to be a gender di fference here as well woman are much more likely to become codependents than men are. I liken that to the stereotypical role & societal expectation that woman will be the nurturers & caregivers for everyone in the family. This expectation could be expected at an early age expecting the little girl of the house to take on mommy's role if the mother is absent or sick possibly even too drunk or high to take on her duties.This loud also be the case for a boy whose Daddy is absent or sick. Mom may need the son to be a breadwinner at an early age or help tend the house. Worse, these single parents could expect these children to take on adult situations like bills emotional support or sexual incest. My experience as a codependent started as a child. I grew up in a dysfunctional home where my mother was an alcoholic. Her drinking was a secret from the outside world. My brother was the family scapegoat he had some behavioral issues. My role was the perfect child.There were many empty promise s about the drinking stopping but it never did. I never really understood the impact of growing up with an alcoholic until I learned about codependency. As a teenager, my first dating relationship was unhealthy. In the past, I have found myself in codependent relationships with men. Trying to help them & becoming immersed & obsessed. I have many of the symptoms of codependency that are listed below. I have since vowed that I will no longer enter into a codependent relationship with an unhealthy partner.With the awareness of them & by reading about the disease, I am dedicated to healing that within myself. With some insight into the disease, I see that y entire family is codependent. I tried for many years (l probably still do on some level) to help them to change their lives but I see how that is a futile pursuit. This â€Å"helping† continues to keep me codependent & sick with them. In the end, they are the only family I have & I need to accept them as they are. According to Facing Codependency Pip Melody describes â€Å"five symptoms: 1 . Experiencing appropriate levels of self-esteem (2. ) Setting functional Boundaries (3. ) Owning & experiencing their own reality (4. )Taking care of their adult needs & wants (5. ) Experiencing & expressing their reality moderately. † Codependency is called a disease it is a chronic & progressive illness. It is suggested that codependents want & need sick people around them to be happy in unhealthy ways. For example, a girl who grows up with an alcoholic father will unconsciously marry an alcoholic to perpetuate her addiction to creating, which is like a drug in it of itself.She gets fulfillment or validation while caring for the alcoholic like â€Å"he couldn't survive without me. † The reason it is called progressive is that the sicker people become around us the more intensely we exact. Codependency may not be an illness but it can make you sick & keep people But do not take action. They react to the problems, pains & behaviors of others with a disregard for their own feelings. They Justify theses creating roles as â€Å"helping† someone who has problems who cannot help themselves, I am the only one who can help, or I am the only person that cares.Is a common attitude among codependents. What they are actually doing is enabling the dysfunctional person to continue to be dysfunctional by helping them out of legal, financial, or accountability type situations. The codependent will bend over backwards, dedicating enormous amounts of energy & time & give their last dollars for the sick person. All hoping that the alcoholic or sick person will become better or change because of their help. Maybe the hope is that the alcoholic will become sober if he Just gets through this tough patch or gets the charges dropped.Meanwhile the codependent has done beyond their share of household, parenting & fiduciary duties. All the while, the codependent has lost some of themselves to the sic k people. They have lost their pride their sense of worth, their sense of respect, their time, their money etc. With the grand hopes that the sick person will see what I have sacrificed for them & they will acknowledge this & I will now get my needs met. This is unlikely to ever happen. How are the symptoms created? You guessed it childhood Just like a diseased tree its origin is in the root system.When children grow up in a family, that is less than nurturing or abusive & dysfunctional that creates codependent adults. The type of abuse or neglect that these children sustained can be vast. Abuse can be far & wide. Some forms are emotional, physical, psychological, verbal, or sexual, as well as neglect not providing or their needs or being too lax with them. Alternatively, being too rigid by expecting children to be more mature than they are capable for their age, which would include sharing adult subject matters with them being emotionally dependent, or financially and so on.Regardl ess of how we were treated as children, a core belief that what & how we were treated was normal & or loving. The dysfunction withstood is not recognized until later after the damage has been done. As children, we wanted to please our parents when this was not the case we internalized a sense of failure. We ere up with a distorted sense of what happened to us was normal & appropriate even it was not. We think the way our family & caregivers behaved toward us was correct & they are good people.The confusing part is if they are good & right then why do I feel unhappy or uncomfortable with certain occurrences that took place. How can they be wrong? No dysfunctional family is all-negative or without some good times. That is the main part of the dysfunction where the family or its individuals are not functioning normally. One of the hardest parts for children is the lack of consistency in the histrionically family. Whether it is with their needs being met consistently or how a parent dis ciplined or treated them when they were sober or high the baffling part was it always changed.A child may interpret this inconsistent behavior or treatment as â€Å"their fault† like â€Å"l did something wrong today & Mommy is mad & now she is drinking because I am a bad kid. Later when Daddy comes home there's goanna be a fight & it's all my fault if I could Just be more perfect then there wouldn't be fighting. † This is where the child internalizes shame & not being good enough or perfect heartsickness of codependents are: â€Å"Creating- they may feel responsible for other people's feelings, thoughts, choices, needs, wants, well-being or lack of & their destiny.Feeling compelled to help others with problems & offer unwanted advice, give multiple suggestions, or fix the feelings. They anticipate people's needs. Find themselves saying yes when they want to say no. Find themselves attracted to needy people & vice versa. They feel angry, used & unappreciated. Feel bor ed, empty or worthless when they don't have a crisis or someone to help in their lives. Overcoming themselves. Will give up routines to go out of their way for others. Feel safest when giving to others. Low Self Worth- Come from dysfunctional, repressed or troubled families, which they deny these issues.Blame themselves for everything. Reject praise or compliments. Never feel good enough. Feel they can't do anything right. Feel a lot of guilt. Feel ashamed of who they are. Think their lives are not worth living. Have a lot of â€Å"should†. Have been victims of abuse. Get depressed when not praised or complimented (stroke deprivation). Believe they do not deserve good things. Long for others to like & love them. Settle for being needed. Believe good things will never happen. Repression- Many push thoughts & feelings out of their awareness due to fear & guilt. Are afraid to let themselves be who they are.Can be controlling & rigid. Obsession- They feel anxious about problems & people. Worry about silly things. Think & talk a lot about others. Lose sleep over other peoples issues & behavior. Never find answers. Check on people. Abandon their routine because they are so upset with about somebody or something. Focus all their energy on other people & problems. Wonder why they never have any energy. Controlling- Many have lived with through events & with people who were out of control. Are afraid to let others be who they are & thus allow events to happen naturally.Get frustrated & angry. Feel controlled by people & events. Try to control events & people using various tactics. Denial- Ignore problems or pretend they are not happening. Pretend circumstances aren't as bad as they are in reality. Tell themselves tomorrow will be better. Stay busy so they don't have to think about things. Spend money compulsively. Overeat. Lie to themselves. Become workaholics. Believe lies. Go to Doctors for tranquilizer. Dependency- Look for happiness outside themselves. Don't feel happy, peaceful or content with themselves. Don't love themselves.Worry if others will like or love them. Look to relationships to provide all their good feelings. Often seek love from people incapable of loving. Desperately seek approval & love. Feel terribly threaten by the loss of a person or thing they think provides their happiness. Latch onto whoever or whatever they think can provide happiness. Center their lives around other people. Don't take time to figure out if others are healthy for them to be around. Lose interest n their own lives when they love. Worry other people will leave them. Tolerate abuse to keep people loving them.Don't believe they can take care of themselves. Leave bad relationships to form new ones that are Just as unhealthy. Wonder if they will ever find love. Feel trapped in relationships. Poor Communication- Blame, bribe, beg, coerce, threaten, don't mean what they say, don't say what they mean, don't know what they mean, don't take themselves ser iously, find it difficult to get to the point, gauge their words carefully for desired effect, talk too much, say everything is their alt, say nothing is their fault, lie to protect themselves, have a difficult time people.Weak Boundaries- Say they won't tolerate certain behaviors from others, gradually increase their tolerance until they can tolerate & do things they said they never would, let others hurt them, keep letting others hurt them, wonder why they hurt so badly, complain, blame, & try to control while they continue to stand there, finally get angry & become totally intolerant. Lack of Trust- Don't trust themselves, or others, don't trust their feelings don't trust their decisions, try to trust untrustworthy people.Anger- Feel very scared hurt & angry, live with people who feel the same, are frightened of their angry are frightened of others anger, feel controlled by other peoples anger, feel safer with their anger than with hurt feelings. Sexual Problems- Are caretakers i n the bedroom, have sex when they do not want to, have sex when they rather be held, nurtured & loved, withdraw emotional from their partner, are afraid of losing control, have strong sexual fantasize about other people.Miscellaneous- Codependents tend to be extremely responsible or extremely irresponsible, find it difficult to feel close to people, have a hard time having fun & eyeing spontaneous, become martyrs, sacrificing their happiness & that of others for causes that don't require sacrifice, vacillate in decisions & emotions, stay loyal to their compulsions & people even when it hurts, be ashamed about family, personal, or relationship problems, cover up, lie & protect the problem. Changing Codependency As we can see from the above list, codependency can be easy to identify with.The goal to changing the codependent behavior is not to detach from the person whom we are codependent with but to detach from the agony of involvement. Attachment occurs when we become overly worried about & preoccupied with a problem or a person. This uses up a lot of our mental energy. Obsessing, worrying & controlling are illusions. They are distracting us from ourselves & the real issues. The goal is to change that obsessing & extra energy that we are expending on someone or something other than ourselves. We need to let go with love. This can be done by detaching.Detaching does not mean we don't care about the problem or person that we have been obsessed with. Detaching means, we release the person with love & an attitude that if the problem isn't ours to solve than we can't change it. No matter how much we want someone to change or someone's problem to change WE ultimately are not able to. If the problem is someone else's then we need to realize that it is theirs to deal with not ours! When we detach we accept reality & the facts. It means to live in the present moment. We become neutral. The benefits from detaching & becoming neutral are many.We have a sense of serenity & peace the problem is no longer taking over our lives. If people have created disasters for themselves then we allow them to face those consequences. Without feeling like we are the only one who can rescue them. When we allow someone or something outside of ourselves to control our feelings then we are always at the mercy of something other than ourselves. This creates a victim mentality by giving away our sense of peace to outside sources it manifesting itself into inner turmoil. We are powerless or out of control of our wellbeing.Another key to overcoming codependency is to become less reactionary. We become oversensitive to every emotion, feeling, thought, behavior & problem that comes our way or someone else's. We allow ourselves to get so upset & distracted by little things or big things. That in turn creates a loss of control over our almost manic state. Letting go is a powerful & necessary step to recovery. We let go & let god as the twelve steps of recovery quote. Instead o f trying so hard to make things happen, we Just let go of the outcome instead of trying to control, the outcome.When we try to control results, we never get what we want. We may expend a lot of energy. Expecting if we try harder, we will get exactly what it is we want. Instead, we get frustrated, hurt, disappointed, sick & victimized. We cannot change people. When we think that we can we are deluded. When we try to control another they will either resist our efforts or try twice as hard to prove that we cannot control them. When we detach that person will notice something is different here. â€Å"Why wasn't I nagged or in trouble for this incident that I used to get in trouble for? Eventually they may realize â€Å"Oh no† this person is no longer going to rescue me & now I have to be accountable for myself more. When you remove yourself from the creating role, the other person will notice. They will eventually get the message. Start to focus on your own life. Find what inter ests you & pursue it. It is important to have a healthy interest in yourself & what makes you happy. Fall in love with yourself. Be your own best friend. Stop doing things for others that you do not want to do. Say that one very powerful word â€Å"no† when you want to.If you do say no then do not lay a guilt trip on yourself afterward about saying no. When you start putting your needs above others, you will become more peaceful & feel better about yourself. It is the opposite feeling of bending over backwards for someone & them not noticing. When you go out of your way for yourself, you will feel more valuable. It seems that overcoming codependency is a lifelong Journey with no quick fix available. There will always be people who enter our lives who will test our boundaries & challenge us to stand up for our wellbeing & ourselves.But, if you value yourself & understand, you have this propensity toward being codependent then that awareness will be helpful in creating healthy boundaries with others. As they say, awareness is the first step towards change. It is suggested to work the steps of a twelve-step program to facilitate the healing process as well as to help you bring peace to your new life, success, & leaning. It also helps to relate to others who have had similar experiences with codependency or another 12-step program. Beaten, M. (1992).