Case Study on Euthanasia: Elderly cancer patient

In most evangelical Christian opinions, in cases where patients are terminally ill, death appears imminent and treatment offers no medical hope for a cure, it could be argued that it is morally appropriate to request the withdrawal of life-support systems, allowing natural death to occur. In such cases, every effort should be made to keep the patient free of pain and suffering, with emotional and spiritual support being provided until the patient dies.But in this case where the cancer patient seems to still have a chance, although quite small, it is critical that we not only understand what is going on in the world around us but that we also understand what the Bible clearly teaches about, life, death, pain, suffering, and the value of each human life. First, the Bible teaches that we are made in the image of God and therefore, every human life is sacred (Genesis 1:26). In Psalm 139:13-16 we learn that each of us is fearfully and wonderfully made. God himself has knit us together in our mother's womb.We must be very important to Him if He has taken such care to bring us into existence. Second, the Bible is very clear that God is sovereign over life, death and judgement. In Deuteronomy 32:39 The Lord says, â€Å"See now that I myself am He! There is no god besides me, I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand. † Psalm 139:16 says that it is God who has ordained all of our days before there is even one of them. Paul says essentially the same thing in Ephesians 1:11. Third, God's purposes are beyond our understanding.We often appeal to God as to why some tragedy has happened to us or someone we know. Yet listen to Job's reply to the Lord in Job 42:1-3: I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. [You asked,] ‘Who is this that obscures My counsel without knowledge? ‘ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,things too wonderful for me to know. We forget that our minds are finite and His is infinite. We cannot always expect to understand all of what God is about. To think that we can step in and declare that someone's life is no longer worth living is simply not our decision to make.Only God knows when it is time. In Isaiah 55:8-9 the Lord declares, â€Å"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. † Fourth, our bodies belong to God anyway. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 6:15,19 that we are members of Christ's body and that we have been bought with a price. Therefore we should glorify God with our bodies. Lastly, suffering draws us closer to God.In light of the euthanasia controversy, listen to Paul's words from 2 Corinthians 1:8 We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. Joni Earickson Tada's book ‘When is it Right to Die? ’ (Zondervan, 1992) shows her testimony and clear thinking is in stark contrast to the conventional wisdom of the world today. Being a Christian and having pro-life sympathies, I believe this Christian daughter should take the same wisdom and proceed with dialysis.

Lincoln: One of America’s Best Film

Both President Clinton and House Speaker Newt Gingrich have referred to Lincoln Electric as an example of an American firm that is one of the best in the world. This statement may be bold, though holds truth in many respects and Lincoln managers like George Willis, who was the CEO in the late 1980s and early 1990s adds to this statement: â€Å"†¦ I believe that we are the best manufacturing company in the world. Lincoln Electric is best known for its productivity incentive program, which has been widely cited over the years, and has attracted thousands of managers to company†s headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio to learn about one of the country†s oldest and most radical pay-for-performance systems. Founded in 1895 by John Cromwell Lincoln to manufacture electric motors and generators, The Lincoln Electric Company shifted its resources into manufacturing arc-welding products in 1911. Today, welding products account for more than 90 percent of net sales and range from basic units for light manufacturing to highly sophisticated machines used in robotics applications and high-production welding and fabrication. The remaining income is generated by electric motors and oxy-fuel and plasma cutting tools. The company is also the leading producer of self-shielded cored-wire electrodes and currently holds ninety percent of the world market in this area. With its over a 100 year existence, Lincoln Electric has had a successful past with a few downtimes, like the one during the 1991 recession because of an ill-conceived foreign-acquisition spree. Even during this time, the company kept its promise to its U. S. workers to pay their bonuses and went to extremes such as borrowing $100 million in 1992 and 1993, even though it lost $84 million in those years. The retired CEO Donald F. Hastings quoted saying: â€Å"We can†t break our trust with this group because of management mistakes and recessions elsewhere. From this unique example, we can understand the company†s genuine commitment to its compensation system. However, some argue that, after the 1995 sale of 40% of the company†s equity to public, this traditional close-knit relationship between management and the workers got affected. Lincoln Electric employs 5,700 workers worldwide and operates 16 manufacturing sites and 17 distribution centers in 11 countries. In 1995, the company celebrated its centennial year by posting record sales of $1. 03 billion. With increasing sales every year after 1995 – $1. 09 in 1996, $1,159 in 1997, the company is holding its leadership position in the manufacture of arc welding equipment and consumables. Lincoln†s longstanding commitments to linking pay to both individual productivity and the profitability of the corporation makes it an ideal case study for any business student. In this paper, I will explain the unique pay-for-performance compensation system of Lincoln Electric as well as investigating this system in our class context, also explaining the international expansion of the company. Incentive Performance System: its strength and weaknesses It was James E. Lincoln, John Lincoln†s younger brother, whose philosophies and beliefs about workplace relations shaped Lincoln Electric†s unique culture during his long term as head of the company from 1914 to 1965. The firm has had only a handful of leaders in a century of operation, which are mostly promoted within the company. Likewise, jobs at Lincoln Electric plants are highly prized and employee turnover is low. I think it is impressive that no one has been laid off since 1948, and the turnover rate is less than 4% among those with at least 180 days on the job. â€Å"There isn†t any other place to work like Lincoln Electric, they take care of you. † says Kathleen Hoenigman, an 18-year veteran. In today†s competitive markets, it is important to have dependable highly skilled workers and Lincoln Electric clearly is a great employer according to some employees like Mrs. Hoenigman. Companies like Lincoln Electric can afford to provide consistent employment, no matter what, by working and managing better. Thinking ahead and having creative solutions for when there is a downturn is what management is all about,† Hastings said. It really makes sense when one thinks about this statement: if no one worried about losing their job, then employees would create change instead and this kind of an ideology would definitely have a great impact on productivity. High wages, high productivity, and a high level of trust between management and workers characterize the laborer-employee relationship and this culture at Lincoln. Policies such as the â€Å"open-door† policy helps build this trust and while encouraging the employees to bring suggestions for improvement also helps the management to have non edited, raw data from their workers. It is true that millions of American workers, from sales representatives to truckers, are paid on a commission basis or according to their output. Many others collect annual bonuses tied to their employers† profits and revenues. But Lincoln is nearly unique among large American companies, paying all shop-floor workers according to a formula based on how much they produce and how much the company earns. Lincoln Electric†s compensation package for factory workers consists of a piecework system for base wages and a year-end bonus. The piecework system however is probably the major part of the total incentive system at Lincoln Electric. With this system, a worker can make more per day or per week or per month during the year with or without a bonus. The workers are paid on the quality of what they produce. Thus, in a way, Lincoln†s 3,400 U. S. employees are supposed to be self-managing entrepreneurs. Each employee is accountable for the quality of his or her own works and is rated twice a year on quality, output, dependability, cooperation and ideas. The ratings determine how much of the total corporate bonus pool each worker will get, which comes on top of his or her hourly wage. There†s minimal supervision and employers only get paid when they work, and there is no sick or holiday pay, which created some problems for Lincoln Electric in their foreign subsidiaries. â€Å"How much money you make is in your own hands,† says Thomas Gadomski, a painting-crew leader. All 3,400 Lincoln Electric shop-floor workers do well, with wages averaging $58,000 in 1995 (the last year for which company would provide data), not counting the value of their decent package of medical, vacation and retirement benefits. On the other hand, the programs developed 40 years ago at Lincoln to boost the production are helping contain workers compensation costs. Gil Frey, director of employee benefits and relations, said the company saves about $44,000 per month as a result of its return-to-work strategies. Despite all the incentives and high salaries, the company, which is publicly traded in NYSE, hardly operates as a charity. 1997†³s net income of $85 million represented a 20 percent return on shareholder equity in a very competitive industry. Donald Hastings who is strong defender of the piecework system argues against the people, who consider the piecework system as a type of 19th Century pay system that was designed to take advantage of the worker, and he adds that it is what killed the piecework system in the U. S. Thus, he believes that the piecework system at Lincoln has fairly set rates. However, very few manufacturers have taken the pay-for-performance route, and the reasons are not actually hard to comprehend. For one thing, it is difficult to sustain large differences in pay for the same job category also measuring individual productivity in industrial settings can be a challenge all by itself, unless if you have a well established system like Lincoln. Yet I am sure that, at times inevitably there is ambiguity at Lincoln too, but clearly it is very minimum. These are some of the reasons why it would be difficult to replicate Lincoln†s success, because it also requires highly disciplined and motivated labor. Moreover, in addition to piecework bonus system, guaranteed employment up to 30 hours and the annual bonus system where employees are paid once a year up to an average of 50% to 60% -recent years† average- of the base pay created a sense of ownership among the employees. Lastly, as a result of all these incentive systems, the high productivity and high output rate with less defects, and innovation gives Lincoln Electric the competitive edge in the market. One manufacturing manager explained it perfectly: â€Å"We strive for high productivity based on employee effort, continuous improvement in production processes, and a seven-day-a-week utilization of equipment. By passing on cost savings to our customers, we generate very high demand that allows you to send everything you make straight out the door. † These are the main strengths of Lincoln Electric, but just like any other organization, Lincoln Electric have some weaknesses too. Unfortunately, the Lincoln incentive model is not quite the smashing success it once was. Problems started with the recession in 1991, and in 1995, after management stumbles forced the family-controlled manufacturer to sell more shares to the public. From that point on, Lincoln started looking more like a public company. With new shareholders, and new board members came new ideas, which had impacts on some of the core values of the company, and the worker bonuses has started getting smaller. At the same time, management was readying itself for an expansion to remain globally competitive, putting even more pressure on the balance sheet. Even though that very same year, the company celebrated its centennial year by posting record sales of over $1 billion and record earnings, this was a year of change for the workers. All those factors I listed above crimped bonuses. For workers who expect high bonuses if they deliver in output, this shift must have hurt their morale. As new global markets are emerging for Lincoln†s business, the company has started questioning and reviewing their one-of-a-kind pay system. The company is by no means ready to completely change or get rid of the incentive plan, which once paid employees 100% of their annual wages in annual performance linked bonuses. But now with the new markets that the company is in too, the executives are considering ways to move toward a more traditional pay scheme and away from the regular percentage-bonus formula, or may be a mixture of the two. â€Å"The bonus program is a good program, and it has worked well, but it†s got to be modified some,† says director David C. Lincoln, whose father John C. Lincoln founded Lincoln Electric. So, the question is for how long more Lincoln†s pay plan can survive rapid growth of the company and globalization? Also the wide range of wages cause some problems within the company. The average Lincoln factory worker earns $16. 54 an hour, vs. the $14. 25 average manufacturing wage in the Cleveland area. With a 56% average bonus in 1995 – the lowest in years – production employees came out ahead of workers elsewhere even after paying for health-care benefits. But unlike at other companies, Lincoln has huge variations in production-worker pay: from roughly $32,000 to more than $100,000 for the most hard-driving. There is also a tremendous pressure to produce, but an employee board meets regularly with the top management to report workers† concerns. And Lincoln guarantees work to employees with three years† experience. Still, it gets harder and harder everyday to live up to the old deal. Even though, the company has bounced back from stumbling overseas, it has yet more problems to overcome. During this period, Lincoln had financially weakened. To make better acquisitions and expand further, Lincoln made its first public offering in July 1995, pushing outsiders† stake to 40%. It also slashed total debt by 40% to $130 million, and paid a lower bonus per person, though the total bonus pool was a record $64 million. Naturally, slimmer bonuses somewhat changed employees† attitude towards the system and the company. In November of 1995, some employees protested outside headquarters after they learned of the bonus size. Also again during this period, the turnover among the new hires was high, and the disparate pay upset the veteran Lincoln employees. â€Å"If an individual shows he can handle the workload, he should be rewarded with full pay† commented Joseph Tuck, an inspector with 18 years at Lincoln. Because of the protests, CEO Hastings eliminated the two-tier wage on December 1, 1995. This was a dilemma for both the company and the workers, both of which had never experienced this kind of a situation before. To edit the pay system without causing any resentment, the company set up a committee to study the bonus program and had even hired Price Waterhouse to study productivity. Even though, Hastings pledged at the time that the incentive system would remain the same, over time, he wants employees to focus on the overall earnings, not just the percentage bonus they receive. And that should be a tough job to do, to implement this kind of an ideology in employees† mind, who has worked so many number of years in a fixed, particular system. Lincoln Electric†s International Expansion On other hand, as I have mentioned earlier in the paper, because of both legal and cultural issues, Lincoln†s basic systems like the incentive system and annual bonus pay system did not work in many of the overseas operations in the long run, even though at the beginning it was successful. And, I think Lincoln Electric had especially a hard time understanding that operating and international business calls for a lot more than just technological skill. Also, I believe that the company didn†t truly understand the cultures of those countries where it expanded. The general assumptions made, such as the belief that everybody in the world would be willing to work a little harder to enhance their lives and their families and their homes didn†t turn out to be true for everyone. It was an inaccurate assumption and this was one of the main reasons why the company had to pull out of Germany. The underlying reason for this was mainly because Lincoln Electric executives didn†t know how to manage an international operation, nor did they have the international experience. Furthermore, the way Lincoln had gone about expanding internationally was too rapid an unstructured. Also, there were other barriers such as high tariffs, high manufacturing costs, highly unionization and misconception of Lincoln Electric†s incentive system. After closing down plants in Germany, Brazil, Japan and Venezuela, and reporting losses from these operations in 1992 and 1993, I am sure Lincoln Electric is going to be very careful about not starting another acquisition spree. During these losses however, the company expanded the number of employees in the United States, but I am sure that the firm will be going back to overseas in the future. This time though, they want to be very careful in selecting the region for the new facility, as well as the managers and the workers. One of these new markets that Lincoln has interest in is the Asia-Pacific area, including mainland China, and the company is already in the process of getting some alliances in Indonesia and Malaysia. These new interest regions may shape the future of Lincoln Electric. If we were to make a cost-benefit analysis for Lincoln Electric, we would find out that the company has a lot of pluses. Even after all these charges against it, Lincoln†s pay system is likely to remain innovative than most. But as it tries to hire more outsiders, expand further abroad and modernize, â€Å"we†re getting to be a more normal company,† says Director Frank L. Steingass. That may not be quite what eager visitors to the headquarters in Cleveland, who want to learn the secret of incentive system expect to hear. But if Lincoln can adapt to new times without sacrificing employee good will, another model pay plan may yet emerge out of this company. The over century long history and tradition, along with great organizational and pay systems, Lincoln Electric has a very strong organizational culture, especially in the United States. However, with the new emerging markets around the world today, Lincoln Electric can not afford to stay out of the global competition. Finally, I believe that its employees will always move Lincoln Electric to greater heights, no matter what. The former CEO Donald Hastings states this idea in a very profound way: â€Å"It†s a two-way street at Lincoln. We look after our people and they look after us. â€Å"

Discrimination: Racism

Many conferences have been organized especially by the United Nations to discuss the issue of discrimination in different perspectives. Discrimination has been a setback in many nations especially in the West, like America where there is an influx of people from different parts of the world. In this paper, discrimination will be elaborated. The focus will be on racism as a type of discrimination. Scientist hold the opinion that races came into being as a result of family groups living together over a period of time. The different races of human beings can therefore live together.The impact of racism will be assessed and possible solutions recommended. Introduction Discrimination is described as that act of people treating others based on their differences regardless of their individual merits. This is practised in religion, race, disability, gender, ethnicity, age, height and employment amongst others. This judgement could be positive or negative. Positive discrimination is the discr imination based on merit (also called differentiating) while the negative discrimination is based on factors like race and religion.Negative discrimination is however the common form of discrimination in spite of the fact that this is illegal in many Western societies just like many other societies. Despite being illegal, discrimination is still rampant in different forms in many parts of the world. The most common form of discrimination is racial discrimination, also referred to as racism. This is destructive. It is the act of basing treatment on the racial origin of an individual (Randal, 2008). Racism is influenced by social, political, historical and economic factors.It has so many definitions due to its various forms. It involves social values, institutional practices and individual attitudes. It changes with response to social change. The basis of racism is the belief that some individuals are superior due to their ethnicity, race or nationality. It is a social phenomenon and not scientific. Some of the racist behaviors include xenophobia, racial vilification, ridicule and physical assault. Racism could be practised intentionally (direct discrimination) or unintentionally making some groups to be disadvantaged (indirect racial discrimination).Racism is enhanced either individually or institutionally. Institutionally, it involves systems in life such as education, employment, housing and media aimed at perpetuating and maintaining power and the well being of a group at the expense of another. It is a more subtle form of discrimination since it involves respected forces in the society. Individual racism involves treating people differently on the basis of their race. It is the deliberate denial of power to a person or a group of persons. The above two forms of racism refer to race as the determining factor in human capacities and traits.There is no clear cut distinction between racial and ethnic discrimination and this is still a debate among anthropologis ts. Institutional racism is also referred to as structural, systemic or state discrimination. It is socially or politically structured. As indicated early, the perpetrators are corporations, governments, organizations and educational institutions which are influential in the lives of individuals. It is the systematic policies and the organizational practices that disadvantage certain races or ethnic groups.From the statistics given in 2005 on the US, it is evident that the Whites are highly regarded while the African Americans are looked down upon by the society. Their household incomes differ greatly ($50,984, $33,627, $35,967 and $30,858 for Whites, Native Americans, Latinos and African Americans respectively). Their poverty rates follow suit with that of the African Americans being thrice that of the Whites. Unlike the Whites, the other groups attend underfunded schools. Their living environments are below standards compounded by poorly paying jobs and high unemployment rates.The employment in the labor market is disproportional in favor of the Whites. Le Duff (2000) describes a situation in a slaughterhouse where a White boss just sits in his glass office only to come out when the day is almost over to double the workload for the workers. The Black workers are overworked if only to meet the company's target of pork production. It is important to note that this Smithfield Packing Company is the largest plant in the world in pork production. The workers, who are Blacks however do not feel any positive impact of the company as they are overworked and mistreated by their white boss.It is common for the boss to unleash his anger on the workers and they seem to have very little power to take any action against this. The immigrants are another category of those who are socially discriminated. They are the lowest in the society's stratification and are the ones to do the low forms of jobs considered ‘dirty work'. This is social racism. The wages they get fro m these jobs are very low and minimal or no benefits at all. Since the 1996 welfare reform was passed by the Congress, all the legal immigrants have had to do without federal programs like Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income.Sonneman (1992) describes a community of immigrants who have to deal with racial discrimination from the natives. These immigrants have poor jobs as pickers. They do not have adequate food and have to work extra hard in their jobs to earn a living. The natives overcharge them for basic commodities. An example is that of the picker who was charged five dollars instead of three dollars for the groceries he bought at the store. A gallon of milk is also charged at 30 cents higher than in town. They are however so powerless that they can do nothing about it.These pickers flock in this remote area and not in the town which is only a mile and a half away because of the high cost of living in the town. Berube A. and Berube F. (1997), give an example of their famil y who lived in trailer coaches as dictated by their economical capability. In South Africa, racism was rampant just like in many other African countries under colonial rule. From 1948 to 1994, the apartheid system denied the non-whites their basic rights. The whites who were the minority were allowed to keep certain areas for themselves without permission thus locking out the blacks.Schools taught the subjects meant for Africans in Afrikaans. Other than the protests by many countries and the United Nations, the South Africans protested against these systems leading to many deaths as the police fought them back. However, in 1994, this was brought to an end with Nelson Mandela becoming the president, allowing equal rights for both the blacks and the whites. The racial stereotypes who propagate racism by the belief that other races are better than others are said to propagate individual racism (Hanshem, 2007). Stigma is closely related to discrimination.In the interview by Rodgers, it is revealed that those women who came from well-off families found it more difficult going to welfare unlike their counterparts from poorer backgrounds who had children to look after with no child support. According to sociology, stigma is the act of a society discrediting an individual. It is the disapproval of an individual's character or what they believe in that goes against cultural norms. Examples include illegitimacy, mental or physical disabilities, nationality affiliations, illnesses, religious affiliations and ethnicity.Stigma could be based on external deformations such as scars and other physical manifestations like leprosy and obesity. The other form is based on traits such as drug addiction. Lastly is tribal stigma that involve ethnicity, nationality or religion. There are some factors that indicate racism. Among them are refusing to work with a specific group of people. Others would spread racist propaganda or racist comments. People who physically assault or harass o thers are considered racists. Discriminatory policies or procedures are an indicator of racism. The effects of racism cannot be ignored.Healthcare among the racially discriminated is poor or non-existent. For instance, the 1999 Centre on Budget Priorities study showed that 46% of the non-citizen immigrant children could not access health insurance unlike the natives' children. Racism lowers an individual's self esteem. When someone disregards another because of the skin color or religion, their self-esteem is lowered. It could be ignored if it happens at once, but if it persists, it negatively influences the confidence of an individual. Children skip schools because of such effects. Learning thus becomes difficult.In an attempt to suppress the factors that make them discriminated against, they try to change their religion, skin colour, hair color and even stop trusting people. Others resort to learning foreign languages and their respective accents to cover up their ethnicities so a s to identify with the race that is considered superior. In some cases, surgery has been undertaken to conform to the societal demands. One problem that has been cited is lack of education on racism. An educated individual is aware that there is need for different people if learning is to take place.Then, if one is to experience the positive impact of education, appreciating other people around will be of importance. Otherwise, discriminating people could lead to lack of expertise knowledge in some specific areas. It is thus important to sensitize the community on the importance of each and every person. Education will go a long way to even help those who are being educated to appreciate who they are. On the same note, schools and other learning institutions should provide an all-inclusive environment which would accommodate people of different ethnic affiliations (Einfeld, 1997).Then, they should meet their specific needs based on their linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Religiou s solutions could be sought where necessary. In Islam for instance, Qua'ran teaches against racism. If these people with religious affiliations are allowed to practise their religion freely, then this could curb racism. Thus, all religions should be respected and given the chance to conduct their practices. The responsible authorities are endowed with the duty of coming up with laws that prohibits racism. There have been conventions and conferences where these laws are discussed and drafted.The United Nations has been on the forefront in implementing these rules. It is not adequate enough to only discuss these issues. They should come up with solutions that could be implemented. Conclusion No one can dare deny the effect that racism has had in various states. it is only wise to face the problem head on and find the right solutions. a solution must be found to curb this problem once and for all. it calls for the efforts by every member of the society to assume their respective roles and do what is expected of them.

Why should anyone care about becoming an educated person Essay

Why should anyone care about becoming an educated person - Essay Example To give the readers a better understanding about this topic, this essay will first discuss about what an education person is and is not. In relation to the importance of continuous learning, reasons as to why each student should care about becoming an educated person will be tackled in details. most of us would aim to enroll ourselves in one of the colleges or local universities before we start a career in our chosen profession. However, the problem with some of us is that not all people who go through higher education are capable of utilizing what they have learned in school (Tauginas 9). Since not all people are capable of applying what they have learned into real-life situations, it is a wrong perception that becoming an educated person is all about receiving proper education. Hamilton mentioned that â€Å"becoming an educated person is ‘a lifelong process’†(82). It means that becoming an educated person should never be limited on receiving high grades in school curriculum nor by being able to complete the course requirements. Although receiving high grades in class is a stepping stone for further studies, it is essential for students to be aware that an educated person is way more than being able to receive high grades in one or more subject. Becoming an educated person is also more than being able to graduate from school. Furthermore, it is not about simply having a decent job nor being able to earn money (Hamilton 84). Instead, becoming an educated person is all about our ability to embrace new learning opportunities as it comes along our way. There are a lot of benefits associated with becoming an educated person. Aside from the fact that access to proper education can make us become a better person (Lin 21), becoming an educated person will definitely make us become well-rounded. Furthermore, access to

'Technological innovation dictates film form'. Is this true Using at Essay

'Technological innovation dictates film form'. Is this true Using at least two primary sources, answer this question in rel - Essay Example Film form has been changed by technological development in areas such as colour, viewing modes, recording, film genre, narrative, aesthetics, as well as sound. Sound is one of the inputs that are mostly taken for granted when people are watching a film. The truth is an era in which films were silent before innovation of sound existed. These were known as silent films, which did not have any synchronized sound, recorded and no dialogue that was spoken. These films used title cards, mime, and muted gestures to entertain the audiences (O'brien, 2005). The thought of combining the motion pictures with recording of sound is almost as old as invention of film form itself. However, this idea was not crystallized into synchronized dialogue until the late 1920’s due to the technological challenges that were involved (Chion & Gorbman et al., 1994). Introduction of the system known as Vitaphone and perfection of the amplifier tube known as audion were among the first archaic technologies to pave way for modern day sound in film. Sound films were the motion pictures which sound had been synchronized with picture. Edison conceived the synchronization of the visual medium and a phonograph he invented would make sound film. This was around the year 1885 more than thirty years before commercial feasibility of sound film. There were several problems to be overcome by inventors and entrepreneurs before actualization and acceptance of sound into film form (Livingston &Plantinga, 2012). Silent film lovers were perhaps content with silent movies because they were always accompanied with some kind of music and the presence of narration seemed to augur well with the small town folk. Another obstacle was the fact that by the 1920s the industry of silent film was the mainstay of film form in the aspects of film writing, photography, music and acting. Technologically, there was difficulty in matching sound and the visuals such as was audible to all in the audience. Synchronizatio n of looks (of the actors) and their voices was also important in giving sound film acceptance (O'brien, 2005). These problems were namely synchronization as well as amplification. These difficulties facing silent screenwriters in finding the right balance between dialogue and action were gradually overcome in order to make the film going experience more fulfilling than it had been before (Livingston &Plantinga, 2012). The first of the sound films to incorporate synchronized sound were known as talkies or talking pictures and included only effects and music with the first film to feature as a talkie was â€Å"The Jazz Singer† in the month of October 1927 by Warner Bros (Chion &Gorbman et al., 1994). However, this was replaced by sound on film, which also triumphed over sound on disc still in the era between 1914 and early 1930s (from conception to early perfection) Sound on film was one of the revolutions in the film form industry ensured more synchronization between sound an d actions thus improving the quality of film viewing. Among the first impacts of sound technology on film form were the negative consequences such as the complexity and difficulty in production occasioned by introduction of live recording of sound. The cameras were very noisy and needed a soundproofed cabinet as a way of isolating the loud noise of the equipment from the voices of the actors this limited the movement of the camera (O'brien, 2005). Another

Career Goals and Future Aspirations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Career Goals and Future Aspirations - Essay Example Econometrics and time series modules, Advanced Financial Models and Financial Reporting, Derivatives, Economic Foundations and Management Practice, among others. These course modules would assist in achieving one’s aims through the honing of skills in financial concepts, cognitive and analytical skills in evaluation of financial statements, developing in-depth understanding of trading, specifically buying and selling shares, bonds and assets for different investors, and in harnessing management skills including applications of planning, organizing, directing and controlling functions. Finally, I have plans to take examinations of the Charted Financial Analyst where Judge Business School’s curriculum has been acknowledged to incorporate a large part of CFA Level 1 curriculum that would be instrumental in progressing in my career path. Besides the expertise in the finance area, Judge Business School would appropriately provide an unparalleled platform to network with the right connections in the financial field, which would widen my professional experience and eventually accord a competitive advantage to practice my craft as an excellent financial trader on a global sphere.

The wrong girl Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The wrong girl - Assignment Example Matt is surprised that he feels so passionately about Anna considering that he only met her a few weeks ago. Matt is pleased with himself for expressing his thoughts, so he decides to take a break by walking away to get a bite to eat. Matt completely forgets about the email that he had written for Anna. It turns out there was nothing much to eat at home, so he went out to the local burger restaurant. Matt is stressed out from his long day, so when he gets back home he wants to just sit in his room and chill. However, as soon as he walks into his room he tries to save his email for Anna but accidentally clicks the â€Å"send† button. Matt is immediately horrified with himself for what he has done because he was not ready to tell Anna how her felt about her yet. Matt spends a long time at his computer trying to undo his mistake, but he realizes that there is now nothing he can do about it. Matt did want to express his true feelings to Anna, but not like this. He wanted to do it in a romantic way that truly showed he cared about her. His email was very direct, and Anna may not like that. After spending a couple of hours fretting about his mistake, Matt decides that he has no choice but to delete the email. However, that only means one thing: he must delete the email from Anna's email account. Matt immediately packs up his things and sets out for Anna's house. He has never been to her house before, but he has a fairly good idea of where it is. The street that Anna lives on is dimly lit, with only one flickering light way off in the distance providing any sort of path along the roadside. Matt finally comes to what he believes to be Anna's house. He sees that the gate is locked, so he attempts to climb the fence. However, he gets the fright of his life when a huge dog begins to bark so loud that all the neighbors can hear it. Matt is concerned that someone might mistake him for a burglar, so he backs off for a while. It seemed a shame to come all this way only to turn back now. Matt has a light bulb moment about how to distract the dog. He still has some leftover hamburger from before, so he tosses it far away from the fence, giving himself long enough to climb over and make his way through a window. Having conquered the dog, the challenges don't stop there for Matt. He guesses that Anna's bedroom must be upstairs. However, Anna's grandmother is sleeping in the living room just in front of the stairs. He cannot seem to get past without disturbing her. Matt decides to take his shoes off so he can be as quite as possible. He manages to tiptoe his way up the stairs without getting noticed. Once up the stairs, Matt quickly locates Anna's room and finds the computer switched on. Once Matt logs onto Anna's email account, he has little difficulty deleting the email. However, just as he is doing this, Matt hears Anna's voice coming up the stairs. This sends Matt into a panic, as he is not sure how to explain himself for being in Anna's house, le t alone her bedroom! There is no place to hide, so Matt has no choice but to stand there like a man and accept the consequences. As Anna opens the door, Matt has a look of shock and horror on his face because he thinks he is about to be exposed. To his surprise, Anna does not seem to mind he is there; in fact, she walks straight up to Matt and plants a kiss on his cheek. Matt is consumed by a mix of emotions, but most of all he cannot believe what is really happening.

Why Evolution Is True Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Why Evolution Is True - Term Paper Example Most religions believe in a common concept of creation by a Supernatural Being. A commonly accepted account of this theory is found in the Bible, which is inscribed that God created the earth and all its content in five days and by words and on the sixth day He created man from mud. Despite the shortage of evidence to support this claim, the theory was, and it still is widely accepted by people. According to Coyne 2009, â€Å"if we came across a watch lying on the ground, he said, we would certainly recognize it as the work of a watchmaker. Likewise, the existence of a well adapted organism and their intricate features surely implies a conscious, celestial designer- God (p. 17). A different theory that got publicity was the theory of spontaneous generation; this theory suggests that living organisms rise suddenly and spontaneously from no-living matter (Lennox, 1982). For example, crocodiles were believed to originate from logs of wood in the water. This theory was widely accepted in ancient Greek and Egypt. The theory was supported by many famously known scientists and philosophers including Aristotle, Descartes and Galileo. However, this theory was disapproved in the 19th century by Louis Pasteur, who through several experiments, proved that life had to originate from other living organisms. Another theory explaining the origin of life is the theory of Panspermia. This theory proposes that living organisms like bacteria exists throughout the entire universe and that through meteoroids, asteroids and other heavenly bodies; they travel randomly until they find planets with ideal conditions for growth. Earth was one of the planets with these conditions and when heavenly bodies carrying living organism collided, life began. Some forms of the panspermia hypothesis suggest that life commenced elsewhere in the universe and arrived here on earth through comets, meteorites or planetary collision (Andrulis, 2011).   

Argue a global issue presented in or surrounding your short story. How Research Paper

Argue a global issue presented in or surrounding your short story. How stereotyping or judging people affects our society. (base - Research Paper Example We find the women of the village adoring the man, seeing his lovely face and body. The physical qualities of the man makes women attached to him. Villagers translate his physical qualities into his personality (Rabassa, 2010). Women of the village feel sympathy for him and thinks how good it would have been if the man was alive. Villagers feel for the man who is dead. The village people arrange grand funeral arrangements for the man only because he is handsome. The modern world has the same mindset as the people of this village; stereotyping is the core concept that rules the world. Prejudice and stereotyping corrupts relationships. Multicultural societies are under the curse of prejudice and discrimination. Considering the United States as an example we can find that prejudice is the most crucial feature of the society. It is nothing but prejudice that has caused discrimination, oppression and tensions among various racial and ethnic classes in the United States (Forbes, 2010). Prej udice results in racial profiling, alienation, housing segregation, dangerous ethnic jokes and various other problems (GLIMUN, 2009). Prejudice demolishes all types of fellowships. No relationship would abide in the presence of prejudice. The very word racism is defined as a prejudice that makes the members of one race feel themselves intrinsically superior than the members of another race (GLIMUN, 2009). Prejudice reflects segregation, and it has completely blocked the progress of the nation. The term ‘prejudice’ now symbolically represents the life of the negatively privileged minorities in the United States. This strange racial prejudice has resulted into an isolated, ill developed and racially segregated society that has encouraged racial mistrust, senseless conflicts and other discriminations that prevents the society from obtaining true racial equality (United Nations, 2010). Prejudice hinders cooperation and mutual respect and destroys relationships. Prejudice di ssolves the good relationship between people of different race, ethnicity and nationality. Racial prejudice and segregation has resulted in systemic inequalities that stand as a barrier to the development (of the whole society) and personal improvement of individuals. Prejudice has contributed for the widening of the socio-economic gap between superior group (whites) and the minorities (blacks). Racial prejudice has led the nation to various curses like racial profiling. Racial profiling is an act from the side of police (or a private security practice) through which a person is religion unnecessarily suspected because of the inferior nature of his/her race, nationality, ethnicity or religion (Cole and Smith, 2010). Police officers often stop, check, and examine the vehicles of their victims (by force also) without any reason or proof about the misbehavior or criminality of the person (Cole and Smith, 2010) (Cleary, 2000). Racial profiling arises as a result of the wrong prejudice t hat the racially inferior people are likely to commit crimes (though it is not so). African-Americans and Latinos are the victims of racial profiling in most cases. Police has got a general belief that non-white people are mostly drug users and sellers. But studies (reports regarding police stops and checking) have revealed that people who are considered to be racially inferior

Importance of FDI and Export push to China Essay

Importance of FDI and Export push to China - Essay Example   Foreign direct investment and the export-push remain important to the economy of China. The foreign direct investment and the export push have played a significant role in making reforms and continuous improvements in both internal and the external economic environments of China. The foreign direct investment in China occurs in joint ventures, cooperative enterprises, and the foreign owned enterprises. From the late 1980s, the China entered into a period of large-scale industrialization and an active reform on the FDI, exports, and domestic market consumption, which form the primary drivers of its economic growth. China has built its economy on matters of exports much faster than the other economic heroes of Asia have. The foreign direct investment is also another very important factor in the economic development of China. There is a good establishment relationship between the foreign direct investment and the international export trade in that the FDI usually follows exports by its logic (Lu and John 2002:312). The huge FDI influx recorded has increased an annual rate of China by more than 10 per cent since 1985 on wards. This has been accountable for the China’s economic growth. The recent studies have reaffirmed the importance of inward foreign direct investment for the sustainable growth in China. The phenomenal growth of the export links and the inward foreign direct investment of China have various indications. The annual total growth within the same span of time was 21 per cent.   China by this time accounted for 0.75 per cent of the world’s export in 1978. The share rose to 3.3 per cent a year later. By 1994, china exported manufactured goods worth 100 billion US dollars clinching the eighth position in the world in terms of production. The foreign direct investment has a direct influence on the export rate of the republic of china. In an isolated case in 1970s, the Chinese republican produced the largest share in the world export ma rket. The country also took the second position in terms of foreign direct investment after the United States. Since 1993, the total FDI of the republic of china has been raising up to 200 billion US dollars, which amounts to 31 per cent of the total FDI in all the developing countries (Chen 2012:397). The share of foreign exports of china increased from negligible amounts in the early 1980s to 20 percent in 1992 then to 41 per cent in 1998.

The Recent Expansion of Tesco into the US Case Study

The Recent Expansion of Tesco into the US - Case Study Example Tesco is based out of the UK, dealing mainly with grocery items and general merchandising retail chain. If the global sales and domestic market share of the company are taken into account then it is found that the company is the largest British retailer by far. The profit of the company exceeded  £2 billion for the year 2008 and it is believed that the profit will be much higher in the year 2009. The company mainly focuses on food and drink but it has also started dealing in clothes, financial services, internet services etc. The brand Tesco first appeared in the year 1924 when Jack Cohen supposedly bought a tea shipment from Mr. T. E Stockwell. The year 1929 marked the opening of a store in North London and the company rapidly developed from there on. The headquarters of the company was first established in North London in the 1930s. In the year 1932, the company became a private limited company, another feather in the cap of Tesco. The current success of Tesco is largely because of the favorable political climate, Tesco has managed to penetrate into nations which were previously considered difficult to penetrate into and this is certainly paved the way for success. Politically the organization has helped in solving the unemployment problem in the UK, the credit crunch has taken a toll on the employment rate but Tesco has still managed to provide job opportunities hence bringing down the unemployment rate in the UK. The EU laws largely favor Tesco, the EU laws tend to favor organizations that have a large presence in a country, Tesco not only has a large presence in the UK but it has also expanded rapidly in other countries as well and this has certainly worked to the advantage of the organization. The specialty of the organization was initially in drink and food business but the giants gradually decided to enter into consumer products like music players, CD players, computers and other products that sell like hotcakes.

Using Energy Drinks Essay Example for Free

Using Energy Drinks Essay Introduction In this essay I will be talking about the cons of using energy drinks. I will give examples from articles, in which energy drinks caused people to go to the hospital. I will explain how energy drinks boosts you up and brings you down. In this essay I will be talking about a few energy drinks specifically. Using Energy Drinks According to the Colorado Gazette, Redline drink and others have been linked to health complications. Like heart problems, hypertension, and others. In Colorado, a school banned these kind of drinks and recommended a 7-11 store to stop selling these. A 15 year old girl, an athlete, was drinking the REDLINE POWER RUSH energy drink, and passed violently shaking and extreme salivitation, she died. several others have been reporting going to the er for chest tightness, shortness of breath, severe heart palpitations, increased heart rate, fixed and dilated pupils and hypertension. Recent reviews of this drink conclude a contributing factor not only an OD on caffeine, but drinking energy drinks on an empty stomach can lead to the stomach absorbing the drink, thus causing symptoms of nausea, salivating, sweating, headaches, neck pain and so on. This drink is supposed to be a dieting and energy drink. Usually people who work out a lot or diet, are eating nutritiously, mind you, that may be why some people are not affected by the ingredients in the drink. Those are: -Caffeine Citrate, Caffeine Anhydrous, Evoburnâ„ ¢ (Pure Evodiamine), N-acetyl-tyrosine, Yerbe Mate, Green Tea, 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan, CAMP (adenosine cyclic 3? ,5? -monophosphate), Vinpocetine, Yohimbine HCL. -also the amount of caffeine in one 2 ounce bottle of this stuff is about 250 mg. that is like nearly 3x the amount recommended on a daily basis. So if you are one who drinks the energy drinks there are some warnings, so incase you are not aware of them they follow: -if you are under the age of 16 this is not recommended. if you have any medical condition especially with the heart DO NOT DRINK THIS. if you have any type of sleeping disorder this is not for you. if you are on any type of blood thinner, bod pressure med, or anti depressants, do not drink this drink -do not take this drink with ANY other type of diet aide, this can cause a problem.. and when drinking this drink, if you have never had this please don’t drink more than 3 capfuls (. 63 fl. oz. ), dont consume more than 1/2 of the bottle, and don’t consume more than one bottle a day. Conclusion. In closing, I think using energy drinks is bad for you. Energy drinks boosts you up and when you come of that energy burst you feel drained. I am against using any form of energy drink. In Maryland, a 21 year old woman died using the energy drink four loko, an energy drink with alcohol. I wouldn’t use energy drinks, I’m one of those people who, if I know something important is coming up, I make sure I am well rested. References www. gazette. com/ www. nydailynews. com/ /2010-11-12_marylanders_want_four_loko_off_shelves_after_controversia l_cocktail_blamed_for_w. html.

Dead Mens Path Theme Analysis Literature Essay

Dead Mens Path Theme Analysis Literature Essay Dead Mens Path is a short story written in 1972 by African Author Chinua Achebe. It is about Michael Obi, a young and energetic man excited about all things modern who is just assigned a position to run a traditional school. Not long into the job, he finds that along with his misguided zeal, ignoring the traditions of his people can have great consequences. Obi is a bright and enthusiastic young man who is excited to find out that he will be the new headmaster of a school that has been in desperate need of help for some time. Obi was considered a pivotal teacher and he and his wife are both forward thinking and eager to share the modern life with everyone. Chinua Achebe shows the Obis modern enthusiasm by writing: We shall do our best, she Obis wife) replied. We shall have such beautiful gardens and everything will be just modern and delightful He also shows Obis views of the traditionalist people by attacking their character referring to them as, these old and superannuated people in the teaching field. Of his two goals for the school, one was to make the grounds a place of beauty. An upcoming inspection was the perfect motivation to begin what he thought to be great improvements. In time the gardens blossomed with beautiful red and yellow flowers. As Obi is admiring his work, he comes across an old woman from the village who walks str aight across the flowers onto what Obe discovers to be an old faint almost unused path. Obi speaks to a teacher and finds out exactly what the path was used for. It amazes me, said Obi to one of the teachers who had been three years in the school, that you people allowed the villagers to make use of this footpath. It is simply incredible. He shook his head. The path, the teacher said apologetically, appears to be very important to them. Although it is hardly used, it connects the village shrine with their place of burial. Obi didnt care about the reason and for fear that the coming inspector may see people on school grounds who didnt belong, demanded that the footpath be closed off immediately regardless of warnings from the teacher. The path was then blocked with heavy logs and reinforced with barbed wire. A priest was sent by the outraged villagers to try and talk some sense into Obi, pressing upon him the significance that the path has not to just the villagers, but also the dead who walk the path.Look here my son, this path was here before you were born and before your father was born. The whole life of the village depends on it. Our dead relatives depart by it and our ancestors visit us by it. But most important, it is the path of children coming in to be born. Obi rejected the priests words and in mocking replied to him Dead men dont walk. he dismissed his ancestry and instead chose the modern way. The path remained blocked and a few days later a village woman died in childbirth. The villagers took that as a sign that if the path remains blocked they would suffer great misfortune. Believing that the mother would be unable to rest in peace and the child unable to walk the path and enter the world, the villagers became agitated and tore down a school building as well as everything used to block the path and the flowers planted to impress the inspector. When the inspector finally arrived, he was presented with grounds that were completely destroyed along w ith a headmaster who thought only about himself and erasing the past to become modern. In the story, with the descriptions of the pretentious headmaster and his lack of respect for the elders and their traditions the narrator clearly has taken sides with the villagers. Chinua Achebe writes, The whole purpose of our school is to eradicate such beliefs as that. Dead men do not require footpaths. The whole idea is just fantastic. Our duty is to teach your children to laugh at such ideas. The main point in question in the story is in reference to the villagers beliefs and customs and the importance it held in their lives. Obi was wrong in his thinking and in his methods, believing that he can just cut the people off from what in our time would be considered a funeral. When it comes to the destruction and rejection of something that was and is important to people such as traditions no matter how old the customs may be, nobody has the right to negate a persons background and nobody has the ability to remove a persons belief and substitute it with their own. An unfamiliar cul tures belief may seem fanciful but to those who believe it, it is as much a vital part of their lives as technology is in ours. The heart of a persons belief is in having faith although what you believe can never be proven. What happens in death is a perfect example of this. Nobody alive can know what happens after death so we are left with our imaginations to hope that our loved ones are in a better place rather than in the ground or left as ashes. People need that faith to carry on because at times the thought of never again seeing those people can be unbearable. Our ancestors traditions and customs are important because the only knowledge we have of things we have no proof on is in the things passed down for generations. Just as the story explained, the villagers were so strong in their beliefs of the path that when it became blocked they attacked the school and everything that was blocking the sacred path: The beautiful hedges were torn up not just near the path but right around the schoolflowers trampledone of the school buildings torn down The importance of a persons culture is more than just the faith of a single person, it connects a group of people who believe alike and allows them to work together with the same end results. As stated in Achebes Dead Mens Path, contemporary community shouldnt do as Obi and try to eradicate the core of a peoples beliefs which, with his mocking reply to the priest is just what he tried to do. Our duty is to teach your children to laugh at such ideas. It is important to remember and to honor traditions. Many people fight to keep their traditions alive, whether its an old woman making her 80th annual pilgrimage to a Mexican cemetery to light a candle at Dona Candelaria de Sapiens grave or Native American tribe members dressed in full ceremonial clothing dancing to celebrate the coming rain. In Achebes story, the people fought to keep the path free so that those who pass on can rest in peace and the traditions of the vill agers can carry on for generations to come, far beyond the lives of the priests, villagers and Obi.

George Herbert Mead Early Life Sociology Essay

George Herbert Mead Early Life Sociology Essay Higher Education Mead graduated from Oberlin College in 1883 and matriculated at Harvard from 1887-1888 where he studying philosophy and sociology and graduated with a Masters degree. Although he belonged to a deeply religious family, Mead became a devout naturalist and non-believer after attending college. After leaving Harvard, he participated in many causes and was an ardent activist of any progressive causes. He marched in favour of the womens suffragette and took part in several civic duties in Chicago. The Chicago Philosopers Club 1896 Mead was influenced by Charles Darwins Theory of Evolution which is evident in his theories as a naturalist. At Harvard, Mead studied with Josiah Royce who was a major influence in his life, and  William James, whose children he tutored. In 1888, Mead left Harvard and travelled to Germany. There, he studied with psychologist Wilhelm Wundt who was his influence for the concept of the gesture, which would soon be an important aspect of his work. In 1891 he married Helen Kingsbury Castle. He taught at the University of Michigan and then the University of California. Mead wrote intensively over a 40-year career, however he didnt publish any books. He published over 100 scholarly articles. Mead died of heart failure on April 26, 1931. Following his death, his students put together a collection of his notes, unpublished letters and lessons, and finally published a book of his thoughts and teachings. Epistemology Ontology He observed that people acquired knowledge about behavior based on what they observe and acquire from society. The principle of sociality is the  ontological  foundation of  Meads  concept. The distinction between mind and matter and that between consciousness and the physiological organism is a distinction which is drawn between contents which may appear on either side of the line. Mead noted that there is more than what meets in the eye in terms of human interactions. This means, that there are reasons behind certain actions, which can be brought out through micro-investigations of human interaction. People who influenced Mead Mead was influenced by his friend John Dewey who led him into educational theory. However Meads thinking diverged from that of Dewey and he developed the famous psychological theories of mind, self and society. This idea was also greatly influenced by Wilhelm Wundt; who Mead met when he went to Germany to study psychology At Harvard, Mead studied with an American idealist philosopher Josiah Royce who also was an influence. Mead was influenced by Adam Smith and thus identified the social act of economic exchange. In Meads writing I and the Me Mead takes William Jamess distinction between the I and the Me and develops it further. William James was a renowned pragmatist philosopher. The prominent sociologist Charles Cooley (A philosopher) also influenced Meads thinking. People who were influenced by Mead Herbert Blumer, a sociologist who studied at the University of Chicago was influenced by Mead. He took over Meads lecturing responsibilities and went on to chair the Department of Sociology at the University of California Berkeley. He is often referred to as the heir of George Herbert Mead. During the second half of the twentieth Century, Meads theory of symbolic interactionism was separated into two distinct branches : The Chicago school under Herbert Blumer and the Iowa school under Manford Kuhn. Both of whom were influenced by Mead. Norman Denzin and Sheldon Stryker also continued to develop the Symbolic Interactionism theory of Mead. Ervin Goffmans so-called dramaturgical sociology is also highly influenced by Mead. Major Publications Mind, Self, and Society (1934) The Philosophy of the Act (1938) The Philosophy of the Present (1932) Basic Sociological Concepts Double Centre of Gravity Taking the role of the other Self Development The Self The self emerges from social experience Individual selves are the products of social interaction and not the biological or logical preconditions of the mentioned interaction Hence The self is not part of the body, and it does not exist at birth Explaining further in the absence of social interaction (i.e. isolated children) the body may grow but no self will develop. Social experience involves communication and exchange of symbols Dog example A dog responds to what you do, but humans respond to what you have in mind as you do it. Social interaction involves seeing ourselves as others see us taking the role of the other (Mead). Double Centre of Gravity In Meads concept of the self, he expressed Double Centre of Gravity by dividing the self in to the I and the Me. The I and the Me The I and the Me are derived from the self. The Self is the relationship between I and Me The Me is the internalization of others perspective of ourselves the perspective we get of ourselves from how others treat and interact with us. The I is the part of us that responds to these internalized attitudes.   Explaining further the Me is the social self that takes into account the reactions of others, while the I is the indistinctive part of the self which has ideas and imagination and is independent to social norms. Taking the role of the other Mead suggested that socialization derived primarily from peoples ability to take the role of the other. Taking the role of the other means putting yourself in another persons place to think/reflect about yourself. Taking the role of the other helps to integrate the individual with organized social processes By taking the role of the other, Mead meant putting oneself in the place of another individual in such a manner that one arouses the same response in both. Self Development According to Mead, developing the self is learning to take the role of the other   The first stage is Prep Children imitate and begin to understand symbols such as languages and gestures The Second Stage is Play Children role-play and pretend to be another person. Play involves assuming roles of significant others, helping kids see the world from others points of view. The Third stage is Game Children, at 7 or 8 begin to understand others roles and responsibilities, making games possible. The fundamental difference between the game stage and its antecedent play stage lies in the childs ability to take the roles of multiple people at the same time Generalized Other The norms, values, attitudes and expectations of people in general; the childs ability to take the role of generalized other is a significant step in the development of a self. The individual defines his or her own behavior with reference to the generalized attitude of the social group(s) they occupy. Significant other An Individual who significantly influences someone elses life. i.e. Individuals who are most important in development of the self. (e.g. parent) MEADS CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIOLOGY Mead is one of the most influential and acclaimed sociologist of the 20th Century Praised by Critics throughout the world as a pioneer and a Stalwart Has had several books published posthumously about his teachings the individual mind can exist only in relation to other minds with shared meanings (Mead 1982: 5) CRITICISM THE END

to build a fire :: Papers

To Build a Fire To Build a Fire A Paper Jack London?s short story, ?To Build a Fire?, incorporates the struggle for a man and his dog to survive the forces of nature. The story also demonstrates how man is a creature of intellect and dog is a creature of instinct. Ignoring advice about traveling alone in the brutal Alaskan winter, the man begins his journey with his dog. Never realizing the ramifications of exposure to such brutal weather when temperatures are fifty degrees below freezing, he pushes forward, thinking he can beat nature and reach the camp before dark. As he continues his excursion, chances for survival diminish when many mistakes are made attempting to build a fire. Also, the ignorance and conceit of this man would not allow him to follow the dog?s instincts in the freezing weather. Therefore, he succumbs to mother nature and dies. Consequently, the forces of nature are greater and can outsmart a foolish man. In the story called ?The Necklace?, Guy de Maupassant wrote about an unhapp y woman, Mathilde Loisel, who desired the riches of life. However, she was married to a man with minimal wealth. One day Loisel, her husband, surprised her with an invitation to an exclusive social gathering. Instead of responding with glee, she only could worry about how she would look for the event. She took the little bit of money they had and purchased a gown. Then Mathilde borrowed a beautiful necklace from a friend of hers. At the end of this special evening she realized that the necklace had been lost. Her and her husband took out many loans to pay for the replacement. All of their earnings went to pay these loans. After ten years of hardship the loans are paid and she meets the friend who lent her the necklace. Mathilde finally finds out that the original necklace was not even made of real gems.

Human Creativity and Spirit :: History Essays

Human Creativity and Spirit ABSTRACT: Values provide evidence of spirit in human life. Spirit is a creative mental force for realizing values, a force which shows signs of a superindividual growth and decline, a life of its own. This paper documents the historic rise and decline of several waves of human creativity. I also consider possible factors that would account for the rise and fall: the presence of new material, social encouragement and/or patronage, temperamental egotism on the part of creators, the attraction of pioneering talent, or a collective or superindividual spirit. Evidence for the life and character of spirit is furnished by the historical rise and fall of waves of human creativity. Examples of such waves are classical music, the Italian Renaissance, the German Renaissance, Greek philosophy, Christianity, modern science. The concept of spirit is meaningful. Our experience of value requires it. What are the sources of value? What gives them their authority? Reason, social conditioning, biological drives based on natural selection have all been proposed as sources. There is a great deal of truth in these proposals. However, reflection convinces us that none of these sources is alone sufficient, and even the three working together are not enough to account for all the values that motivate us. We shall support this conviction by argument in due course. Spirit is a hypothesis, as yet in early stages of definition, which provides a ground for otherwise unaccountable value phenomena. What is spirit? Negatively defined, spirit is a susceptibility to values that motivate us through our minds but need no rational foundation, outstrip and overpower socialization, and have no findable relation to species survival. Positively defined, spirit is a creative mental force for realizing values, a force which lives in us as individuals and which shows signs of a super-individual growth and decline, a life of its own. In this paper I search for the nature of spirit and its values in a wide-optic synthesis of waves of creation. As this synoptic view must range over many specialties, it is bound to raise doubts and objections in the minds of specialists. One cannot be a specialist in all the fields I shall discuss; as the same time, someone must take an overall view. Nothing is more obvious than that unrelieved specialization leads to loss of coordination and direction; the community of scholars is replaced by a collection of quarrelsome property owners. I ask specialists to take my communication as something to focus and correct, and I hope it will serve them as a stimulus to panoptic thinking.

Look at the role of the manager in motivating staff in the care setting that I work for, which is a residential children’s home Essay

This essay will look at the role of the manager in motivating staff in the care setting that I work for, which is a residential children’s home. It will look at different methods of motivation that the manager can use and also the way the manager uses it. The way that they use it will depend on the type of manager they are as they could be either a theory x or y type, as defined by D Mcgregor 1960. For the purpose of this essay we will look at the line managers as they have most contact with staff. In order to run an effective home the manager needs to not only ensure that they have a sound structure in place to deal with the day to day running of the home but to also ensure that the staff are motivated to do the job. In respect of the day to day running of the home there will be set procedures in place, that will have to be adhered to by all of the residential homes within RCT in regards to budgets, the manner in which children are admitted, contact with other agencies and so on. Within the home there will be an officer in charge and then seniors. The seniors are your line managers and have the most contact with staff it is their responsibility to ensure that staff are happy in their work and to ensure that there are no problems. The officer in charge will be responsible overall for staff along with the rest of the procedures mentioned earlier. The way that the manager motivates their staff will vary depending on the type of manager in a particular home. If you have a line manager who is a theory x manager this can have an effect on staff as they may not feel able to talk to the manager about things and discussing things is vital in this particular job, as being able to talk about things that affect the children and yourself within the environment you work contributes enormously to the happiness of the children. And the ultimate aim in the home is to provide a stable home for the children. A theory X manager will believe that as individuals you need to be told what to do. This does not then allow for confidence within yourself in regards to your development within the job to develop, as you will worry about what they will think about your work .It would also result in you needing to check everything through with them before you make a decision. This can have long reaching affects as the manager is not always available and as staff you have to make daily decisions in regards to the children and their welfare. On the other hand a theory Y manager will believe that as individuals and as staff that you are capable of making decision for yourself this can lead to them passing on more responsibility to the staff for various tasks within the home. This is something that is dome successfully in beddau with staff having taken responsibility for a number of different things such as doing the weekly menu, ensuring that the training file is up to date, ensuring that the accident, missper and sanction books are updated regularly these along with a number of other tasks done by the staff singularly might not look much but as a whole they contribute greatly to the homes effectiveness. This also show staff that their capabilities are noted it also allows for staff development as you are gaining experience in a number of different aspects of the work done at the home which in itself is good for motivation. This is supported by Fredrick Hertzberg who says if you want someone to do a good job, â€Å"then give then a good job to do† it does not matter the size of the job but that the staff feel appreciated and valued and that you have belief in their abilities. Although financial and physical resources play a big part in the running of a home the greatest contribution is made by the human resources, i.e. staff this includes all members from the domestic to the officer in charge. If the staff are de-motivated for whatever reason then this has an effect on the smooth running of the home. The human relations school of management 1960/70’s support this as they say that workers take along with then a number of different things, ideas, knowledge, intelligence, experience, skills humour, expectations and beliefs. In order for these to be utilized effectively then the manager has to be aware of staffs strengths as well as their weaknesses. This can be achieved through supervision. If supervision is used correctly it can be a good motivator for staff. If done incorrectly it can result in further de-motivation. The way in which it is done will again depend on the type of manager. Supervision in itself is not a motivator but a hygiene factor get it right and it will stop your staff becoming ill. I.e. de- motivated. Get it wrong then you have problems as staff will become de-motivated which will result in then doing things wrong or not at all and this will have a detrimental effect on the home. Other hygiene factors that can have an effect on staff are the working conditions salary, interpersonal relations and company policies .As with the above they will not motivate the staff but help to improve the conditions that they work in. this will then lead to their lower needs being met, as defined by A marslow, in his pyramid of needs. He says that in order for a person to reach self-fulfillment they have to meet the different needs in their life as set out in the pyramid. Within the work situation the needs will be met through a number of different way as illustrated appendix1. Steers and porter 1991 suggest that the various organizational factors illustrated can be used to satisfy the different needs. Obviously outside of the jobs the needs will be met in a different way, to a certain degree. The aim of the supervision is to get the work done well, support staff and to encourage staff development .The three strands of supervision are inter wound if you are able to help staff develop by offering then support then this will lead to better work. If one strand of the supervision is weak then the rope is weak. Which could then lead to de- motivation instead of motivation as already mentioned. A good line manager during supervision will not only point out where you are going wrong but will look at what you have achieved in relation to your job no matter how small it might be, it could be something as simple as having picked up a mistake in one of the books which if not rectified could have had an effect on the children or it might be that you have handled a situation with one of the children that resulted in then not harming themselves. A theory X manager would not tell you that you had done well in that instance, as they would say it was your job to deal with such an incident. And even though that is the case, if you just thought like that when dealing with the incident the you would not be giving your all to the job. So for a line manager not only to recognize what you have done but also to make you aware that they recognize it is a huge motivator. The second strand which is support can be met in a number of ways during supervision and on a daily basis. Support can be something that needs to be given when an incident has occurred at the home as above or when something personal is affecting your work .The member of staff receiving support must be able to trust in their supervisor as this will make it easier for them to talk about what is affecting them will then lighten the burden. This trust and also friendship to a certain degree will again depend on the type of manager you have. A good supervisor will also recognize when they are not able to support you and be able to refer you to someone who can, be that another member of staff or possibly a counselling service. The third strand of supervision is staff development. This involves looking at not only the training needed by the member of staff but also at what training they have already achieved and how best to use that to the advantage of the home. In respect of training that is needed it is important to ensure that the member of staff understands why they need that training so that they do not feel inadequate. As if they are not told appropriately why they need it they may feel that the manager thinks of them as being inadequate in a certain area rather that looking at it as a way of developing and progressing within the job. The one that comes to mind for this is NVQ training many staff look on it as something that they have to do or they will lose their job, rather than something that will not only benefit then in the job they do now, but could also lead to job progression for them. If the manager is able to recognize a member of staff’s strengths due to training they have received in the past they need to capitalize on this by ensuring that the member of staff is able to use that training in the work place. It could be that they have training and an interest in a particular area which would not possibly have been an area that staff have been able to work in with the children before, such as outdoor pursuits. As before recognizing what someone is good at in its self is a motivator as is recognizing potential within that member of staff. If the manager is not able to recognize these strengths and weaknesses to a certain degree then they are not able to provide the member of staff with appropriate training to help them develop within the job. The member of staff will then start to question their abilities which in turn will have an effect on their work and motivation. In conclusion it has to be said that in order for the home to run effectively and smoothly to give the children a stable home as well as ensuring that their needs are met the staff and their needs are as important. The staff being happy at work comes down to how motivated they are if you have a staff that are well supported by the management and that they get training appropriate for them along with recognition than you will generally have a reasonably effective work force. The managers role in all of this is vital as they need to be looking at and addressing the issues around the above. How they will look at the above and deal with them will vary depending on the type of manager you have. John Harvey Jones said 1988. â€Å"Management†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ is an art not a science. Each of us approaches the problem from a different background, and each of us is dealing with a situation, and a different culture, and from a different starting point† For me this statement sums it up in that different people will deal with things in different ways because of different factors. Ultimately a manager or team leader who is able to listen to and appreciate their staff will have a much more motivated team than one who does not listen to consult with or appreciate their team. As a member of such a team I believe that as a staff that we respond to situations and changes that we face better due to the way in which our team leaders deal with things like supervision, which is in the mode of theory Y management. This then creates an effective home for the children to live at some where they can call home and some where those staff are happy to be.

Agency Employment

Agency employment is where a person is employed as a contract or temporary worker to fill a position in a host company. The agency is the worker’s actual employer and is responsible for payroll and taxes, superannuation, recruitment/dismissal/discipline, workers’ compensation. The host company is responsible for direction of tasks or jobs to be undertaken and determining the work available for the temporary worker on site. Normally there is a joint responsibility in so far as occupational health and safety is concerned. The labour hire situation results in a division of responsibility for the agency employee between the agency and the client. How should common law accommodate this? Should the agency employee be regarded as having a single employer or is there scope to consider join employment or a temporary transfer of employment to the client? The rule at common law is that an employee cannot be transferred by his or her employer to the employment of another person without some act of assent, express or implied, on the employee’s part. The essence of a contract of employment is that it is freely entered into bargain between two parties in which there is the obligation of personal service to the employer. The common law principle that an employee cannot be transferred to a new employer without his or her consent is relevant to the question whether an employee could be transferred temporarily to another employer. Where the agency worker is injured at the client’s workplace, both the client and the agency may be liable to pay damages to the injured worker. The agency can still be liable under both occupational health and safety legislation and at common law. This may be the case even if the agency employee is working on a client’s premises where there may be diminished opportunities to ensure a safe system of work. An additional basis upon which the labour hire company employer can be liable is breach of a non-delegable duty of care. The effect of this principle is that a labour hire company employer remains liable for a negligent failure to provide a safe system of work even if it is the client’s (or some third party’s) negligence which causes the employee’s injuries. Where the injury occurs at the client’s worksite, the client may also be liable as an occupier of premises for failure to take reasonable care for the safety of a lawful entrant. The agency employee may cause injury or damage either to the client or to a third party whilst working for a client. Whilst an employer is vicariously liable for the tortious wrongdoing of an employee within the course of employment, there are additional complications for agency employees and host businesses.

McCarthy’s power Essay

We also see this clearly when the corrupt Putnam ruthlessly and heartlessly kills off his neighbours to buy their land, using his daughter and Tituba as mediums to accuse people with and feeding names into their mouths, as he does with the words, â€Å"Sarah Good? Did you ever see Sarah Good with him (the devil)? Or Osburn? Before his daughter Ruth has even admitted to witchcraft, he spreads the word of witchcraft, cruelly calculating his next move. The words, â€Å"That is a notorious sign of witchcraft, a prodigious sign,† indicate his joy at the opportunity to make some money and settle some old grudges. His disregard for his daughter’s health is yet another example of his lack of humanity. Parris is equally selfish and cold. When questioning Abigail about her dancing in the woods, Parris proceeds to say, â€Å"I must know it now, for my enemies will, and they will ruin me with it†¦ you must understand I have many enemies†¦ there is a faction sworn to drive me from my pulpit,† like Putnam lacking any concern for Abigail. It is clear that people like Danforth, Parris and Putnam aren’t in the business of helping Salem’s society, as people of their status should be, but in furthering their own possessions. Without these individuals keeping order and maintaining justice in the town, all of the old grudges and petty grievances are allowed to run riot and influence the proceedings in court, as we see when Ann Putnam accuses Rebecca Nurse, arguably the most respected person in the town, of killing her babies. This is also an example of how little scientific knowledge was available at the time, and how eager people were to place blame on other people. Aside from the few individuals with integrity, like Proctor, Corrie and Rebecca Nurse, the rest of Salem’s society will sacrifice others to safeguard their name in the town. When questioned by Hale, Abigail seems to instinctively play the innocent child which the audience knows she is definitely not, an example of dramatic irony. â€Å"I’m a good girl! I’m a proper girl! † These words highlight how quick she is to defend herself, and her insecurity about her image and reputation in the village. Once she is safe, she proceeds to shift blame onto others, like Tituba. â€Å"She tried (to make me drink the soup) but I refused†¦ She made me drink blood! † Abigail realises her word is taken over Tituba’s because of the racial prejudice at the time the play is set in. People like Abigail, Parris and Putnam aren’t afraid to use this discrimination to their advantage, which only serves to kill more people, or to ruin their lives. It is ironic that one of the few admirable qualities that are found in the town is the reason that so many people die. Ultimately, people like Hale and Proctor realise that it isn’t being seen as a good Christian or letting people think you are innocent that matters, but knowing yourself that you are innocent and have nothing to fear. It is this that convinces them that everything should be done to protect your innocence, even giving your life, in Proctor’s case. People like Proctor and Reverend Hale are purified by Danforth’s crucible but for the wrong reasons. While Danforth’s words, â€Å"We burn a hot fire here; it melts down all concealment,† would appear to be correct, they are ironic, in that the only way the truth comes out is if innocent people die first These men, along with the many others who are convicted, struggle long and hard with the decision of confession and lies versus integrity and righteousness. For others like Rebecca Nurse the choice is already decided, as her words, â€Å"Let you fear nothing, another judgement awaits us all,† suggest. She is firm in her belief that they will be repaid by God for maintaining their innocence. John’s dilemma is much worse, as he has family and children to worry about, and his name is ruined in the village already, as news of his adultery charges would have circulated. The impact of outpourings like, â€Å"I lie and sign myself to lies! I am not worth the dust of the feet of them that hang,† gives you the feeling that he realises the complexity of his situation, and that he is trapped either way. The real problem to him is that he believes it is his fault. Elizabeth’s last line, â€Å"He has his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him,† lets you know that she understands his choice and she respects and forgives him once again, which is ultimately what he wanted. The society has the ability to let innocent people die, not only because they are loyal to themselves and no one else, but because these people are willing to die for what they believe, or what they want, in Proctor’s case. There are many other people in the village who try to speak their mind, and do what is morally right, but whose aspirations are crushed by the opposing factors, like Parris, Danforth and Abigail. Mary Warren is a good example of this, as she hides from her fears, but then confronts them, only to be brought to her knees by the sheer callousness of Abigail. We can also attribute this to the earlier mention of Danforth’s interrogation-style cross examining as well, as he repeatedly asks the same question to Mary, â€Å"Has Mr. Proctor ever threatened you for this deposition? †¦ Has he ever threatened you? †¦ Has he threatened you? † It personifies the disorder of the court’s legal system, as if Danforth doesn’t get the answer he wants, you will suffer, whether you are right or wrong. Mary eventually caves in to the pressure, condemning Proctor in the process, although sympathy is felt for her, as all of her weaknesses are ruthlessly exploited by the girls, betraying Mary and leaving her with no other alternative. When Mary goes to court, she feels as if she is on trial and it is her credibility that is questioned, even though it is she who is accusing the girls, again linking to Hale’s earlier comment, â€Å"Is every defence an attack upon this court? † Danforth refuses to question the girls, as if they are found to be guilty, his reputation will be ruined and his judgement will be compromised. Instead he turns a blind eye you any damning evidence against the girls, and with the help of Parris, forces people to lie to save themselves, vindicating his decisions in the process. This is revealed when Parris declares, â€Å"There is either obedience or the church will burn like Hell is burning! † This is ironic, as Parris’ church is already â€Å"burning like Hell† as a result of his wayward leadership. Outbursts like this not only show the real character behind Parris’ fai ade, but they also serve to highlight the way he and Danforth work against the community, with an attitude that only helps the corrupt. Once Danforth has weakened the accuser, he provides them with a way out, as he does with Mary, slowly pushing her to convict Proctor with suggestions like, â€Å"It may well be Mary Warren has been conquered by Satan,† practically putting words in her mouth. His desperation becomes much more apparent when he threatens Mary, â€Å"You will confess or you will hang,† another example of his twisted logic and self-serving nature. This pressure to do what is expected draws parallels to the McCarthy era, when Un-American activities were seen as wrong, and the one person who should represent hope, Danforth in the case of The Crucible, is in fact an antagonist in the whole predicament. This pressure again links to fear, but in this case it is fear of authority that reigns supreme, as there are few people who have the courage to challenge the decisions made by Danforth, and face the harsh consequences. Any Salemites who enter the court are forced to choose between Danforth’s and Parris’ version of right, and the Christian right, which, in a just system, should be the same thing. As the play goes on, the audience’s antipathy for Parris grows, as they see him twisting the words of others and lying in court to protect himself, hardly the actions people expect of a priest. A prime example of dramatic irony is witnessed as the audience can see straight through Parris’ false exterior, as he desperately tries to cover up anything that could point to his knowledge of the girls â€Å"just dancin’ in the woods†. Few Salemites have any knowledge of his ulterior motives, or that anything he does or says is purely for his own well being, and the manner in which he projects himself is a far cry from his real character. Parris attempts to use theology to secure his position in the good books of Danforth and the community, often referring to the Bible during the proceedings in court. He leads most of the society to believe that he is trying to help them and, by lulling them into a false sense of security, he then seizes the opportunity to rid the town of anyone he believes is a threat to himself, or his position. Utilising his status and reputation, he preaches, â€Å"You should surely know that Cain were an upright man, and yet he did kill Abel,† in an attempt to have Proctor convicted. No court can provide unbiased or uncorrupted justice if its own minister is trying to have the defendant killed. His words, â€Å"The devil lives on such confidences! Without confidences there would be no conspiracy,† are ironic but true, as it is he who as kept much greater secrets, and it is he is the devil of Salem. In this sentence he is accusing someone who contrasts greatly with him, Giles Corey. Miller uses Corey to bring humour to the play, but he also stands alongside Proctor and Rebecca Nurse as one of the main symbols of integrity and righteousness. Although he is revealed as a nai ve, slightly puzzled man, he isn’t afraid to speak his mind, albeit with some harsh consequences like his wife’s death. Unlike Parris, he values his friends, which eventually leads to his death. His response to the choice of betraying his friend or dying is admirable, his integrity clear as he replies, â€Å"I stand mute. † The audience feels a great deal of sympathy and admiration not only for Corey, but also Proctor and Rebecca Nurse who set a great example that, few others follow. There is immense injustice, as the only people who die are innocent, and they are the privileged few who have integrity. Although he can’t stop the proceedings in the court, Hale disassociates himself from the fraudulent proceedings in the Salem court, with the statement, â€Å"I denounce these proceedings, I quit this court,† ruining his reputation in the process. His efforts to correct Danforth’s judgement are brought to a halt, often by Danforth himself who quips, â€Å"I will have nothing from you Mr. Hale! † This again highlights the stubbornness of Danforth, as he refuses to listen to anyone The structure of the play is quite regimented, as there always appears to be a glimmer of hope in each act, but the end of every act ends with chaos. This shows that the situation could never be resolved, as the paranoia and hysteria undermined any efforts to do this. In reality, it was the Salem society that was the devil, as Proctor declares, â€Å"A fire, a fire is burning! I hear the boot of Lucifer, I see his filthy face! And it is my face, and yours Danforth! † This again shows the humbleness of Proctor, as he has the integrity to face up to his shortcomings, while Danforth would prefer to hide, frantically trying to drown out Proctor’s words with his own, with the frenetic cry, â€Å"Take him (Proctor) and Corey with him to the jail! † This is another illustration of Danforth’s cowardice, and his inability to confront his flaws. Proctor’s earlier quote, â€Å"God is dead! † also serves to show the disorder in the justice system. The people who should represent God, like Parris and Danforth, are now the devils. We see further irony when Danforth states, â€Å"I will not deal in lies,† in a bid to obtain Proctor’s confession, when in fact, every pardon or conviction was based on a lie. No one can be sure if Danforth believed he was right in doing what he did, but it is obvious that he wasn’t right. In contrast, it is more obvious that Parris had a hidden agenda. However, both were responsible for the deaths of innocent people, although it seems that this was the only thing that could bring their reign to an end. One of the reasons Miller wrote this play was to denounce McCarthyism, and the end again draws parallels to this period, as the whole saga only came to an end when someone took a stand against the state. There were very few people who were willing to stand up for their beliefs, not only in Salem, but also during the McCarthy era, which is understandable given the consequences. . Miller projects other figures as unlikely heroes, everyday people like Rebecca Nurse, Giles Corey and John Proctor, who have the courage and integrity to admit to their faults, and die for their beliefs. In this era, with the town steeped in anger, vengeance and despair, these individuals stand alone making their achievements even greater. Once a stand had been taken however, the repercussions suffered by the corrupt leaders of these eras were also similar. Danforth’s power over the public diminished rapidly and Parris â€Å"walked the highroad, and was never seen again. † McCarthy’s power ceased as well, highlighting again, that a few individuals with a conscience can make a difference, one way or the other.