Final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Final - Essay Example There is, therefore, a looming moral dilemma for subscribers of this faith. However, in regard to objective philosophy, knowledge of the external world relies on perception. Perception is, however, dependent on the state of the human mind. All the theories of knowledge proposed over the centuries fall short because of factors such as the controversy of the relationship between appearance and reality. In examining the theories of realism and idealism, philosophers encounter issues such as illusion, hallucinations and dreams all of which point to the state of mind. For dreams, the problem is more so complicated if the dream is not lucid. The largest influence of this film is the exploration of the subconscious through dreams. The Freudian slip is a situation whereby an individual makes far fetched, irrelevant or presumably abnormal statements. Others will assume this is due to confusion or distraction, but Freud will look at this as a channel the subconscious is using to assert its rea l desires and feelings. In the same way, dreams can perform this same function, but the revelation is for the individual (Burger 40). On the other hand, this film is proposing the possibility of accessing these revelations. Some of the ideas in this theory hold that humans are constantly fighting. This struggle is primarily between the superego and human instinct. In following the norms of society, the human race suppresses its natural instincts. Therefore, the perceived actions of an individual, according to Marcuse will not reflect the true self hence the existence of subconscious where the true self delves in the form of secrets and memories. Marcuse may applaud the use of this idea by the film maker to a large extent (Cobb 88). In describing how he extracts ideas, Leonardo DiCaprio in the movie says â€Å"...create the world of the dream,† this refers to the physical setting which the dream thief structured. After that â€Å"...bring the subject into that dream, and they fill it with their secrets.† Again, the dream maker utilises the shortcomings of perception, in this case using familiarity to trick the mind of the dreamers (Botz-Bornstein 20). Marcuse, an advocator of an unsuppressed human race, where humans do as their subconscious perceives will marvel at this idea by film director Nolan. Marcuse supports Freud on the idea that individuals sacrifice happiness to avoid guilt. This is because their true feelings are dark, shaming and undesirable (Cobb 89). However, these restrictions also restrict the true potential of humans. Examining the subconscious prior to undertaking its desired actions is a convenient way to edit the supposed harm. Marcuse will not agree with the idea of tampering with the subconscious because private thoughts make people different and above all human. In my view scientists cannot investigate dreams objectively seeing as dreams are subject to an individual’s thoughts, desires, motivations and experiences. Ho wever, the advancements made in science over the past centuries are remarkable, and things thought impossible in the pats are now a norm. An excellent example is the life support machine, walking on the moon, genetic manipulation and robotics. One cannot out rightly rule out the possibility of such a technology existing even in the unfathomed future. The question of whether the film â€Å"Inception† has some philosophical grounding remains undoubted. One of the

Relationship Between Freedom And Authority

Relationship Between Freedom And Authority In this essay I will discuss the relationship between freedom and authority in Jean-Jacques Rousseaus essay The Social Contract, and John Stuart Mills essay On Liberty. I will argue through my comparison of each philosopher that Mills conception of liberty is the richer and more persuasive of the two. Rousseaus conception of freedom in The Social Contract is that people attain their freedom through a transformation from a state of nature to civil society. We give up our natural freedom in exchange for civilized freedom. His contention is that we can be both free and subject to political authority; Rousseau thinks its possible to be autonomous and subject to law, when we obey those laws of which we are the author. He justifies this model of political authority by saying that government and laws are the will of the sovereign we give our consent for them to exist. That consent is guided by what Rousseau calls the general will. The general will is an idea that signifies the wishes or welfares of society as a whole. The purpose of the general will is to guide society to a common good, to advise society in its creation of laws and express what is best for all individuals. The problem with the general will, Mill claims, is that it seems to reject individual diversity. Mill is worried that minorities may be oppressed if they think differently to the majority. Considering all individuals revoked their natural liberty through the change from a state of nature to civil society, Rousseau thinks that society must force individuals to conform to the general will, or as he puts it, society must force them to be free. He thinks that by associating ourselves with the general will we acquire morality, and actually become freer than we were before. To Rousseau, freedom is attained when one follows the general will. Mills essay On Liberty is a strong counter argument to Rousseaus conception of freedom, especially regarding the general will. Contrasting Rousseau, Mills idea is not a social contract theory. According to Mill, in order for a society to be free it must avoid interfering with the lives of its people wherever possible. The threat, as Mill sees it, is that if we subscribe to the concept of the general will then society risks becoming paternalistic, or a tyranny of the majority where minority views are supressed if they do not conform to those of the majority. Mill thinks that society constrains the individual, and that society should be limited in the power it can exert over individuals; he enumerates three conditions upon which society must follow in order to be free: freedom of thought and feeling, freedom of tastes and pursuits and the freedom to unite with other consenting individuals for any reason providing it does no harm to others. He says that if a society does not follow these conditions it is not free. Mill wants to avoid principles and laws as much as possible because he sees them as unnecessary constraints. The only principle that Mill does want to establish is the harm principle what he calls the object of his essay. The harm principle says that the only time one can interfere with the liberty of another person, individually or collectively, is for self-protection. This principle claims that if an individual is not doing any harm to anyone in their actions, then society has no right to interfere. Over himself says Mill, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign it is the individual, and not society, who should decide how best to live. Mills conception of freedom appears to be a version of negative liberty, a type of freedom that allows one to do what they want free from restrictions. His freedom is the absence of obstacles, barriers or constraints. Rousseaus social contract theory is a type of positive liberty, that allows citizens to act in such a way as to take control of ones life and realise ones fundamental purposes. Rousseau characterises two types of freedom in The Social Contract: the natural liberty, which is limited only by the strength of the individual and civil liberty, which is limited by the general will. Natural liberty is the freedom to follow ones own desires. Civil liberty is the freedom one attains when they follow the general will. Like Rousseau, Mill talks about a type of civil or social freedom; however, unlike Rousseau he doesnt speculate about a state of nature. Rather, Mill states that his theory is justified by utilitarianism, he isnt making a comparison between a state of nature and civil society. I think this makes Mills argument more persuasive because he isnt making an assumption that we have natural rights. Mill doesnt seem to think we have natural rights, and even if we do, Rousseau doesnt tell us how we can actually know what they are. Rousseau appears to think that we have an intrinsic freedom that exists in the state of nature, and he wants to merge the individual liberty one supposedly has in the state of nature, with civil society. He thinks the way to do this is by following the general will. I think the biggest problem at the heart of Rousseaus social contract theory is the way he deals with individuals who disagree with the general will. He states that if anyone refuses to obey the general will he will be compelled to do so by the whole body; which means nothing else than that he will be forced to be free. His social contract declares that if an individual disagrees with the general will, then they must be wrong, and for their own good they must be forced to conform to the general will. Mill would undoubtedly consider such forced conformity a tyranny of the majority because of his strong belief that individuality is something that should be cherished and valued. Mill would disagree with Rousseaus notion that people should be forced to be free since he thinks its detrimental to both the individual and the majority when an alternative opinion is oppressed. Rousseau on the other hand, thinks that taking up the general perspective of the community is always the right thing to do. Contrary to Rousseau, Mill doesnt think that the majority gain their power because they are infallible, but simply because they are the most numerous or the most active part of the people. Mill states that silencing the expression of an opinion deprives the human race. Firstly, reasons Mill, if a majority silences an opinion that is different or less popular than their own, and that alternative opinion turns out to be right, then they are depriving themselves of what is right. Almost as great a benefit to society is listening to an alternative opinion even if it turns out to be wrong, because challenging dominant opinion prevents stagnation. Stifling opinion is always a bad thing; Mill says that Absolute princes, or others who are accustomed to unlimited deference, usually feel this complete confidence in their own opinions on nearly all subjects because their opinion is never tested. It is through this collision with error that the truth becomes stronger. Mill thinks that this proc ess of listening to a whole variety of thought and feeling leads to a healthier cultural climate and a place of greater freedom and liberty. Rousseau might object to Mills importance of minority opinion by saying that emphasis on individuality undermines social and political obligations. That its somehow an unrealistic idea to consider everyones opinion. He says in the social contract that citizens must be forced to follow the general will, because it means society will not depend on any one person for change to occur. Rousseau says of the general will that this condition is the device that ensures the operation of the political machine. He thinks its naÃÆ'Â ¯ve to listen to a minority not only because he assumes they must be wrong, but because they prevent the political system from making any progress. Rousseau thinks that without the general will, a political system would be absurd and tyrannical, and subject to the most terrible abuses. However, Mill would still disagree and respond by saying that if all mankind minus one were of one opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind. I think where they really differ here is that Mill doesnt think anyone can be free if theyre forced to conform to the majority, whereas Rousseau thinks conformity is necessary for liberty and best for the community- he says that every authentic act of the general will, obligates or favours all the citizens equally. He knows that its unrealistic that all citizens will agree to the general will, and so he says minorities must be forced to follow it (forced to be free). Perhaps its painfully obvious here that Rousseau has left himself in a vulnerable position he doesnt really explain to us how one must be forced to follow the general will. Thus, theres possibly an element of compatibility between Rousseaus and Mills conceptions of freedom. If its the case that the process of being forced to be free includes Mills notion that people should be free to debate and discuss, and providing everyones opinion is treated with respect and they are convinced, through discussion, to change their vi ews, then its certainly possible that eventually all citizens will individually come the same conclusions about the common good of their community. Its certainly conceivable, but it seems unlikely. Even if this compatibility were to exist, Mill would object by saying that we still need a variety of opinion even if its wrong to prevent social stagnation and to challenge popular views. He would say that providing an individual is doing what they please by means of the harm principle, then society has no right to demand such an active citizenship from them. Rousseau may take issue with Mills harm principle but asking what actually constitutes harm. Its obvious that physical harm is detrimental and people shouldnt be free to harm others but there are forms of consequentialism that can piece together seemingly harmonious actions, and prove that they actually have damaging effects. For instance, universal consequentialism focuses on the consequences for all people rather than the individual agent. Rousseau might say that a person may not seem to be harming another individual in their actions, but an ingenious person could find harmful consequences for almost anything a person does. One might find themselves aroused by conflicting emotions if made to choose between the philosophies of Rousseau and Mill, depending on how they feel about an issue. It seems especially difficult to feel one has to conform to the majority when they disagree with it, but of course when one is on the side of the majority it can be hard to understand why anyone wouldnt be. The majority of climate scientists support global warming, and if one believes in global warming it seems hard to understand why anyone would reject it. If you want gay marriage but the majority doesnt, it seems crazy to think you have to conform to the general will. I think this is what makes Rousseaus and Mills conceptions of freedom so attractive to us. I find Mills argument to be more persuasive than Rousseaus because even with modifications to Rousseaus social contract, the general will seems unable to avoid a tyranny of the majority. The general will seems too abstract to utilise without thinking of it as simply the sum of all private interests; Rousseau makes it hard for us to recognize what the general will is or how to determine it, and he offers no reassurance that the majority knows what is best. He seems to be making a huge assumption that we have natural rights in the first place, but he provides no evidence for them. Works Cited Mill, John Stuart. On Liberty and The Subjection of Women. London: Penguin Group, 2006. Rousseau, Jean Jacques. The Social Contract, A new translation by Christopher Betts. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008.

Extreme Jealousy in Shakespeares Othello, the Moor of Venice Essay

Extreme Jealousy in Othello, the Moor of Venice      Ã‚   Aristotle's Poetics laid out the definition of tragedy: unlike comedy, the purpose of tragedy is not merely to instruct and delight an audience. Rather, its aim is to allow a cathartic release as a result of the heightened emotional state caused by the events of the tragedy. This idea assumes that the average person can experience these intense emotions vicariously. In Psyche and Symbol in Shakespeare , Alex Aronson contends that the characters in Shakespearean tragedy have the power to affect us because they tap what Carl Jung called the collective unconscious , the "omnipresent, unchanging, and everywhere identical condition or substratum of the psyche per se" (14). Othello, the Moor of Venice, attempts to achieve the requisite level of harrowing emotion by treating the audience to a spectacle of passionate delusional jealousy and the murder that follows. The playwright, according to Rolf Soellner, framed his Moorish general?s fall in terms of Passion warring with Patience (both 'the will' and rationality of action) -- drawing on the prevalent Senecan and Stoic conventions of the baroque period in which he was writing (239-58). Unfortunately, the modern tendency to 'psychoanalyze' the words and actions presented in Othello reduces the audience?s experience from cathartic to metaphoric. In either case, the Moor?s over-reaction can be viewed as a lesson counseling against indulgence in the excesses of emotion without a balancing leaven of self-control. As most of Othello ?s fictional characters have been psychoanalyzed in absentia , I hoped to find a reasonable psychological explanation for Othello?s breakdown. The journal American Imago (co-founded by Freud) has publ... ...as truly such a destructive force.    Works Cited and Consulted Aronson, Alex. Psyche and Symbol in Shakespeare . Bloomington, IN: Indiana UP, 1972. Bell, Millicent. ?Othello?s Jealousy.? Yale Review 85 (April 1997): 120-136. Driscoll, James P. Identity in Shakespearean Drama . East Brunswick, NJ: Assoc. UP, 1983. Faber, M. D. ?Othello: Symbolic Action, Ritual and Myth.? American Imago 31 (Summer 1974): 159-205. Holland, Norman N. Psychoanalysis and Shakespeare . New York: McGraw, 1966. Kovel, Joel. ?Othello.? American Imago 35 (Spring-Summer 1978): 113-119. Reid, Stephen. ?Othello?s Jealousy.? American Imago 25 ( Fall 1968): 274-293. Shakespeare, William. Complete Works of Shakespeare . Ed. David Bevington. 4th ed. NY: Longman, 1997. Soellner, Rolf. Shakespeare?s Patterns of Self-Knowledge . N.p.: Ohio State UP, 1972.    Extreme Jealousy in Shakespeare's Othello, the Moor of Venice Essay Extreme Jealousy in Othello, the Moor of Venice      Ã‚   Aristotle's Poetics laid out the definition of tragedy: unlike comedy, the purpose of tragedy is not merely to instruct and delight an audience. Rather, its aim is to allow a cathartic release as a result of the heightened emotional state caused by the events of the tragedy. This idea assumes that the average person can experience these intense emotions vicariously. In Psyche and Symbol in Shakespeare , Alex Aronson contends that the characters in Shakespearean tragedy have the power to affect us because they tap what Carl Jung called the collective unconscious , the "omnipresent, unchanging, and everywhere identical condition or substratum of the psyche per se" (14). Othello, the Moor of Venice, attempts to achieve the requisite level of harrowing emotion by treating the audience to a spectacle of passionate delusional jealousy and the murder that follows. The playwright, according to Rolf Soellner, framed his Moorish general?s fall in terms of Passion warring with Patience (both 'the will' and rationality of action) -- drawing on the prevalent Senecan and Stoic conventions of the baroque period in which he was writing (239-58). Unfortunately, the modern tendency to 'psychoanalyze' the words and actions presented in Othello reduces the audience?s experience from cathartic to metaphoric. In either case, the Moor?s over-reaction can be viewed as a lesson counseling against indulgence in the excesses of emotion without a balancing leaven of self-control. As most of Othello ?s fictional characters have been psychoanalyzed in absentia , I hoped to find a reasonable psychological explanation for Othello?s breakdown. The journal American Imago (co-founded by Freud) has publ... ...as truly such a destructive force.    Works Cited and Consulted Aronson, Alex. Psyche and Symbol in Shakespeare . Bloomington, IN: Indiana UP, 1972. Bell, Millicent. ?Othello?s Jealousy.? Yale Review 85 (April 1997): 120-136. Driscoll, James P. Identity in Shakespearean Drama . East Brunswick, NJ: Assoc. UP, 1983. Faber, M. D. ?Othello: Symbolic Action, Ritual and Myth.? American Imago 31 (Summer 1974): 159-205. Holland, Norman N. Psychoanalysis and Shakespeare . New York: McGraw, 1966. Kovel, Joel. ?Othello.? American Imago 35 (Spring-Summer 1978): 113-119. Reid, Stephen. ?Othello?s Jealousy.? American Imago 25 ( Fall 1968): 274-293. Shakespeare, William. Complete Works of Shakespeare . Ed. David Bevington. 4th ed. NY: Longman, 1997. Soellner, Rolf. Shakespeare?s Patterns of Self-Knowledge . N.p.: Ohio State UP, 1972.   

Hope Leslie Essay

In the novel, Hope Leslie, Catherine Maria Sedgwick uses personal analysis as well as historical information to create an uncannily realistic tale of romance, racial prejudice and religion. Throughout the book, Sedgwick emphasizes relations between the Native American peoples and the European Americans living in Massachusetts in the 1640’s. She is able to do this specifically with the characters of Magawisca, the Native American slave with the will of a lioness, Everell Fletcher, the handsome much wanted white male protagonist, Hope Leslie, a strong headed young woman who symbolizes modernism in the piece and Esther Downing, Hope Leslie’s literary foil. Through the relationships between Everell and each of the three female protagonists, Magawisca, Esther and Hope, Sedgwick stresses that the relations between Native Americans and Americans will never be fully amiable due to religious, societal, natural influences. The first relationship of the three relationships that are mentioned in the writing is that of Everell and Magawisca. Sedgwick uses the mother, Mrs. Fletcher, to introduce this young love between the white boy and his Native American acquaintance in a letter to Mr. Everell while he is away from their home at Bethel. â€Å"The boy doth greatly affect the company of the Pequod girl, Magawisca†, she writes,† He hath taught her how to read† (32). This action between the two children shows Magawisca gradually assimilating into the American society and thus, becoming more Americanized and less â€Å"savage† as literacy is considered a civilized ability. As Magawisca dismisses the basic principles of Puritanism, however, it is clear that there is a definitive divide between the Native American and her new family’s beliefs. As religious tenets are defining features of a person and his or her background, Magawisca can never completely assume the American ways without acknowledging the religion. Thus, the relations between her and Everell will not be able to last due to their difference in. Thus, religious differences create adversities in the relationship and ultimately attribute its failure. Mrs. Fletcher directly highlights the fact that the relationship will inevitably fail when she compares the two adolescents to plants: â€Å"Two young plants that have sprung up in close neighborhood, may be separated while young; but if disjoined after their fibers are all intertwined, one, or perchance both, may perish† (33). This statement implies that nature will undoubtedly separate the Everell and Magawisca in the future and the longer they stay together, the more difficult it will be for each of them to survive when they are torn apart. The emphasis on the fact that nature will tear the Native American and the white boy apart is particularly interesting because towards the end of the book Sedgwick brings up the relation between nature and love when speaking about Everell and Hope. In the later case, however, Sedgwick writes, â€Å"Nature will rejoice in reciprocated love, under whatever adversities it comes† (351). This contradictory statement brings to light the idea that reciprocal love between and American and Native Indian will never last no matter how strong the connection is, yet reciprocal love between two Americans will last no matter how many hardships the couple face. Based on Sedgwick’s blatant double-standards, it is clear that relations between the same races are favored, creating yet another issue between Native American and White relations. As the novel progresses, Everell encounters another relationship except this time with Esther Downing. Though this kinship does not directly involve a Native American counterpart, the future diminishment of this bond is directly based on Native American-white relations specifically concerning Magawisca. When Magawisca is apprehended after meeting with Hope Leslie, she is captured on the grounds that she is â€Å"suspected of being an active agent in brewing the conspiracy forming against [the white people] among the Indian tribes†(245). Therefore she is solely arrested on the basis of suspicion, not proof, and only because of her racial affiliations and the skepticism surrounding the Native American peoples at the time. It is this imprisonment of Magawisca that proceeds to highlight the differences between Everell and Esther and future accentuates the fact that relations between the two races will never be completely peaceful. The reactions both Everell and Esther have towards the situation seem to be the same, however the way each of them handle it show that no matter how much the Americans want to have loyal relations with the Natives it will not work. Once Magawisca is imprisoned Everell tried to enlist the help of Esther to free her however, Esther believes that they â€Å"had not scripture warrant for interfering between the prisoner and the magistrates† (292) implying, that she was too morally and religiously strict to free Magawisca without consent to do so. It wasn’t that Esther disliked Magawisca, in fact, she plainly stated that â€Å"those who love [Everell] need no know this maiden to feel that they would save her life at the expense of their own, if they might do it† (293). The restriction on the loyal and amicable friendship both Esther and Magawisca could share was not hindered by distaste for one another, but instead because of strict religious views and moral conduct. This dissent between Everell’s wishes and Esther’s duty brings about the notion â€Å"that there was a painful discord between them† (293) and they are evidently not compatible. The final relationship, between Everell and Hope, shed a positive light the fact that white relations with Native Americans could in fact be successful. Magawisca’s freedom gave both Everell and Hope a mutual cause to fight for and finally allowed them to express the feelings they had suppressed for so long. She pushed both parties to reveal their true love for each other. â€Å"Ask you own heart, Hope Leslie, if any charm could win your affections from Everell Fletcher? † (350). These lines not only instigated a relationship between two soul mates but also affirmed a very close relationship between Hope and Magawisca. This gesture paralleled what Hope did to Esther when she let Esther have a relationship with Everell even though she loved him. It is evident that Magawisca still has feelings for Everell by her reactions to seeing him: â€Å"An involuntary exclamation burst from her lips; and then shuddering at this exposure of her feelings, she hastily gathered together the moccasins that were strewn over the floor, dropped a pair at Hope’s feet, and darted away† (193). Her burst of emotions and flustered actions prove she had feelings for Everell and by sacrificing those feelings for Hope’s happiness, she is delineating that she is in fact, just as good of a friend to Hope as Hope is to Esther. Thus, the relations between Indians and Americans can in fact occur with the upmost loyalty and respect. Though Hope and Everell’s relationship does indicate that the two races can coexist in harmony, Magawisca still makes it clear that thought the individuals may be on good terms, their society as a whole is not by dutifully stating â€Å"the law of vengeance is written on our hearts†¦ the Indian and the white man can no more mingle, and become one, than day and night† (349). The revengeful nature the Native Americans still associate with the white peoples of Massachusetts still trumps any possible platonic or affable relations between the two races. Thus, societal influence once again hinders harmony. Through each of the three relationships it is evident that good relations between the Indians and the Americans may only exist if the mindset of all parties involved is modernist and accepting of all races. In addition, Sedgwick also determines, with the relationship of Faith, Hope’s sister, and Oneco, Magawisca’s brother, that if one of the lovers in the relationship completely assimilates into the culture of the other, a healthy, loving kinship may blossom. Though Sedgwick does portray Native American people in relatively positive light throughout the novel, through her delineation of forbidden and accepted love, she makes it evident that the cultural and ideological barriers between Americans and the American Indians cannot ever be completely lifted.

Employee Turnover and Retention

Employee turnover is a ratio comparison of the number of employees a company must replace in a given time period to the average number of total employees. A huge concern to most companies, employee turnover is a costly expense especially in lower paying job roles, for which the employee turnover rate is highest (Beam, 2010). Most associates’ average employment time with them is 7 years. Some of the common reasons why employees leave their company includes employee decided to do contract work instead of fulltime, moving out of province or employee feel that their company or position is just not a good fit (Devernichuk, 2010). Employee Turnover Costs Employee turnover is a very expensive and time consuming. There are several direct cost associated with employee turnover in the company. This includes: * Separation Costs. Cost incurred for exit interview, separation/severance pay, administrative expenses, or any increase in unemployment compensation. * Replacement Costs. Cost in advertising the position vacant, entrance interviews, testing, travel/moving expenses, pre-employment administrative expenses, medical exams and acquisition and dissemination of information. * Vacancy Costs. Cost due to increased overtime or temporary employee who fill-in the vacant position. * Training Cost. Time and resources spent in training the new employee and loss of productivity while new employee is on training. â€Å"Studies have estimated direct turnover costs per employee to be 25-30% of an individual employee’s salary/benefits package, with hidden costs inflating that figure substantially† (Insight Communications, n. d. ). Reducing employee turnover rates have many advantages to the company like profitability, productivity and competitive advantages. Employee Retention Employee retention is a process in which the employees are encouraged to remain with the organization for the maximum period of time or until the completion of the project. Employee retention is beneficial for the organization as well as the employee. Many employees today leave the company or organization once they feel dissatisfied with their job or their employer. Once they feel the dissatisfaction or unhappiness with what they’re doing they will easily leave the company and switch to a different company which is not good to the employer. Employers should know how to retain its employees (Compare Infobase Limited, 2007). Employee Retention Strategies * Trust in Management. The primary factor for employee to stay in the company is the level of trust for the management. This means that the leaders should do the right thing and be truthful, treat people with respect and acknowledge their accomplishments. * Hire Wisely. Hiring is a very critical stage to avoid high employee turnover. A person who is doing the hiring process should screen the applicant wisely and if in doubt with the person, don’t hire. Career Path Opportunities. Most people are seeking for improvements; they don’t want to be stuck in one position for many years. Giving them an opportunity for advancement will likely make them stay in the company. * Treating Employees with Respect. Every individual needs to be treated fairly and with respect. * Employee Recognition. Recognizing employees is a good strategy in retention. Employees that are recognized with the hard work they did will more likely to stay with the ompany because of their job satisfaction and recognition. * Compensation. Offering above average compensation is the greatest way to retain employees. Satisfied employees with how much they make will make them stay longer in the company. Recommendations Company must be honest at the hiring process of what the benefits are and also thoroughly describe what the salary and the position is. They must explain what they expect from an employee and what the employee expects from them to avoid employee leaving. This will eliminate the feeling that their company or the position is not a good fit. Conclusion Based on the information we gathered, we have concluded that company have avoided issues on employee turnover and retained their employees as long as possible by developing effective strategies that satisfy the needs of their employees. Hiring the right people will increase retention and conducting a regular employee satisfaction survey in an organization will help reduce employee turnover rates.

The American Dream in Of Mice and Men Essays

The American Dream in Of Mice and Men Essays The American Dream in Of Mice and Men Paper The American Dream in Of Mice and Men Paper Essay Topic: Of Mice and Men Of Mice and Men: The American Dream Hopes and dreams play an important in the novel Of Mice and Men. Author, John Steinbeck, uses the motivation provided by the different ambitions and dreams of characters to keep the book progressing as it thickens the plot of the story and makes readers take a larger interest in the possible outcomes of the characters. In many ways the individual dreams of the characters and the so-called ‘American Dream’ provides the basis for the novel. They, being the different dreams found throughout the novel, are what initially fuels the novel in the early stages of the story, they are what come into question in the middle of the novel when many of the characters are finally finding real hope for their dreams and they are what are crushed for most of the characters in the dramatic final stages of the novel. The individual dreams of the different characters play a large role in this novel. The simple and humble dreams and ambitions of Lennie provide hope and motivation for a lot of key characters, including George, Candy and Crooks.Lennie is an intensely simple and innocent character who is entirely dependent and faithful to George due to his mental disability. Lennie’s dream is of simply owning a farm with George where he is able to ‘live off the fatta the lan’ and tend to the rabbits, which ideally would be large enough for Lennie to handle without hurting. Lennie’s dream is immensely simple, and does not seem all that impossible in retrospective, but with the harsh conditions of the times and the disability suffered by Lennie, the dream seems all the more difficult to achieve. George also shares this dream, but with a more well rounded and realistic outlook on achieving it. George does not seek the soft fur of the rabbits and alphalpha like Lennie, but the security of owning his own home, his own farm and being his own boss.

Junior Boarding Middle School Options

Junior Boarding Middle School Options As parents consider options for their childrens middle school education, especially if there is a need to switch schools, a junior boarding school may not always be the first thought. However, these specialized schools can offer students things that students wont find in a typical middle school setting. Find out if a junior boarding school is right for your child by learning what two schools have to say about this unique learning and living opportunity for middle school students.   What are the benefits of a junior boarding school? When I reached out to Eaglebrook School, a junior boarding and day school for boys in grades 6-8, they shared with me that  junior boarding schools work to build strong foundational skills in students, such as organization, self-advocacy, critical thinking, and healthy living. Eaglebrook:  A junior boarding school also improves a student’s independence at a young age while exposing them to diversity and potential adversity in a safe, nurturing environment. Students have a broad range of activities and opportunities right on campus and are constantly encouraged to try new things. Junior boarding school can also help to improve relationships among families. Parents are taken out of the role as the primary disciplinarian, homework helper, and chauffeur and instead get to be the chief supporter, cheerleader, and advocate for their child. There are no more nightly fights about homework! Every student at Eaglebrook is given an advisor, who works in concert with each student and their family. The advisor is the point person for each student and his family.   How do you know if a junior boarding school is right for your child? Eaglebrook noted that one very important aspect of deciding if a junior boarding school is a good fit  is to simply visit, noting that families who believe that any of the benefits that were addressed in the previous question ring true, then its time to schedule one. I also connected with Indian Mountain School, a co-ed boarding and day school in Connecticut, told me that the willingness of the child to attend a junior boarding school is an important component of deciding if a junior boarding school is right for your child.   Indian Mountain:  There are many indicators of a good fit for junior boarding, but the first is a  willingness on the part of the child. Many  students have sleep-away camp experience, so they understand what it feels like to be away from home for significant stretches of time and are excited about the chance to learn and live in a diverse community with peers from all over the world. They welcome the chance to grow in a challenging but supportive classroom setting where​ ​class sizes are small and the curriculum has depth and breadth beyond many of their local options. Some families are also attracted to the ability to have all of the students’ activities (arts, sports, music, drama, etc) all in one place, and thus the opportunity to expand their horizons without limitations on time, transportation, and family schedules.    Are students developmentally ready for boarding school at such a young age? Indian Mountain:  Many are, but not all. In the admissions process, we work with families to determine if junior boarding school is the right fit for their child. For students that are ready, the transition is typically an easy one and they are immersed in community life within the first few weeks of school. Eaglebrook:  The structure, consistency, and support of a Junior Boarding School program meet  the developmental needs of children in middle school.  A Junior Boarding School is by definition a safe place where children are allowed to grow and learn at a pace that works for them. What is daily life at a junior boarding school like? Indian Mountain:  Every JB school is slightly different, but I assume a similarity is that we are all highly structured. The day begins when a faculty member wakes the students up in the dorm and supervises them through â€Å"check out† before heading to breakfast. Boarding students and faculty eat breakfast together before starting the academic day at roughly 8 am. The academic day ends at roughly 3:15. From there, students go to their sports practices, which generally end around 5 pm. Day students depart at 5 and then our boarding students have one hour of free time in their dormitories with a faculty member until dinner at 6 pm. Following dinner, students have study-hall. After study-hall, students typically spend time in their dormitories or go to the gym, weight room, or yoga classes. Faculty members supervise quiet time at the end of the evening and â€Å"lights out† happens between 9:00-10:00 depending on the age of the student.   Ã‚   Eaglebrook:  A day in the life at a Junior Boarding School can be fun and challenging. You get to live with 40 boys your own age, play sports, take art classes, act, and sing with students from around the world who share common interests with you. Home Nights every two weeks are nights to spend with your advisor, their family, and your fellow group members (about 8 of you) doing a fun activity and eating dinner together. On a day-to-day basis, you are faced with important choices: Should you go play pickup soccer with your friends on a Saturday afternoon or should you go to the library and finish your research? Did you ask your teacher for extra help at the end of class? If no, then you can do that at dinner and get in a math review before lights out. There might be a movie showing in the gym on Friday night or a camping trip you need to sign up for. Did you have that meeting with your advisor and your roommate to talk about the argument you two had the other day? Don’t forg et to leave your phone in the tech cart in your dorm when you go to class. There is a lot going on at Eaglebrook on any given day. And the students, with guidance, have a lot of room to make choices and figure things out.   Other than dorm experiences, what do Junior Boarding Schools offer that day schools don’t? Eaglebrook:  At a Junior Boarding School you have a â€Å"class day† that never ends and teachers who never â€Å"clock out† because everything, from a sit-down meal in the dining hall to an evening dorm meeting where you get assigned your dorm job for that week has learning value. You can rely on the community at a Junior Boarding School to look out for you while you spread your wings. Teachers see your value beyond the grade you got on your history paper or your math test. As we say in our mission, â€Å"In a warm, caring, structured atmosphere boys learn more than they ever thought possible, discover inner resources, develop self-confidence, and have fun along the way.† And there is a lot of fun to be had.  Weekends at Eaglebrook are designed to give students a break from the class day while holding them to a structure that forces them to not veg out in their rooms for 48 hours. There is time to relax, but there is also time to go skiing, go canoeing, head to the mall, go watch a college sports game at a nearby school, do some community service, and eat a delicious brunch. Built-in study halls allow you to get your school work done, too. Indian Mountain: Junior boarding  schools offer the opportunity to get to know teachers in an expanded supportive role, a vibrant community life and friendships with students and dorm-mates from all over the world, and access to multiple activities, teams and programs all in one place.   What are the challenges that students at Junior Boarding School face, and how does the school help? Indian Mountain:  There is no generalized challenge that students at JBS face. Just like all schools (boarding and day), some students are still learning how to learn effectively. To support these students, we build in time for students to work with their teachers for extra help. We also have a learning skills departments and tutors on staff who can be available for one-on-one work with students, if necessary. Some students struggle with homesickness, but generally, this only lasts for a few weeks at the beginning of the year. Just like at all schools, we also have some students who need emotional support for all kinds of reasons. Since we are a boarding school, we offer support from two full-time counselors on site. They also work with groups of students to support them in a relationship with their peers and classmates and through challenging moments for students in early adolescence.   Eaglebrook:  Students live, go to class, play sports, participate in activities, and eat meals with their peers. While this can provide a fabulous opportunity for them to form lifelong friendships, it can also be difficult. Teachers and advisors are constantly monitoring relationships and social situations to make sure that each child has a safe, healthy, and fun place to live and work. If a student is having academic difficulty, the advisor works with that student and his teachers to develop a plan to get help, do extra work, and correct the situation before it gets too dire. Students do get homesick, and advisors work with families on how best to alleviate those feelings. That plan is probably different for each individual situation, which is fine. Something we try to do at Eaglebrook is meet every student where he is. Individual attention to each boy is paramount. Where do Junior Boarding School graduates go to high school? Eaglebrook:  Most simply, they move on to their next phase of schooling. For the vast majority of our students, this means a private secondary school. Our placement office, which assists each ninth grader and his family with the application process, makes sure that the next school is the right fit for that individual. No matter where they move on to after their time on the Hill, they will have the skills and the network of people at Eaglebrook to support them. Indian Mountain:  Most of our students will matriculate to independent schools all over the United States, primarily as boarding students but we do have students that pursue the excellent local day options. A few of our students will return home to local public schools and occasionally graduates matriculate to independent day schools in New York City. We have a secondary school advisor who helps eighth and ninth grade students with the entire application process from compiling a school list to writing essays to submitting materials. We typically have approximately 40 or more boarding secondary schools on our campus every fall to meet with our students and inform them about their options.   How does JBS prepare you for high school and college? Indian Mountain:  Our schools help students develop the self-confidence to take ownership of their learning experiences. Because of the supportive relationships they have with their teachers (some of whom may be their coaches, advisors and/or dorm parents), students are adept at asking for help and speaking up for themselves. They learn the benefit of being self-advocates at an earlier age and develop leadership, critical thinking, and communication skills so they are ready to take full advantage of opportunities ahead in high school and beyond. Our students also develop independence alongside the presence of committed faculty, take intellectual risks in a nurturing environment, and learn about the importance of embracing community, all the while being kids and having fun.

Isoelectronic Definition - Chemistry Glossary

Isoelectronic Definition - Chemistry Glossary Isoelectronic refers to two atoms, ions or molecules that have the same electronic structure and the same number of valence electrons. The term means equal electric or equal charge. Isoelectronic chemical species typically display similar chemical properties. Atoms or ions with the same electronic configurations are said to be isoelectronic to each other or to have the same isoelectronicity. Related Terms: Isoelectronicity, Valence-Isoelectronic Isoelectronic Examples The K ion is isoelectronic with the Ca2 ion. The carbon monoxide molecule (CO) is isoelectronic to nitrogen gas (N2) and NO. CH2CO is isoelectronic to CH2NN. CH3COCH3 and CH3NNCH3 are not isoelectronic. They have the same number of electrons, but different electron structures. The amino acids cysteine, serine, tellurocysteine, and selenocysteine are isoelectronic, at least with respect to valence electrons. More Examples of Isoelectronic Ions and Elements Isoelectronic Ions/Elements Electron Configuration He, Li+ 1s2 He, Be2+ 1s2 Ne, F- 1s2 2s2 2p6 Na+, Mg2+ 1s2 2s2 2p6 K, Ca2+ [Ne]4s1 Ar, S2- 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 S2-, P3- 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 Uses of Isoelectronicity Isoelectronicity may be used to predict the properties and reactions of a species. It is used to identify hydrogen-like atoms, which have one valence electron and are thus isoelectronic to hydrogen. The concept may be applied to predict or identify unknown or rare compounds based on their electronic resemblance to known species.

Death in Hansel and Gretel and The Hunger Games Essay

Death in Hansel and Gretel and The Hunger Games - Essay Example Death means death of â€Å"death of death† as taboo, as well as death of humanity through the loss of morality rationality, and civil liberties,. For poor people, death is not a taboo, because it is part of their reality. Collins' Hunger Games is set in dystopia, where the Capitol controls twelve (12) districts by siphoning their resources and keeping them poor and hungry. The people, as a result, are too hungry to revolt against the system, particularly after the first revolution led to the creation of the Hunger Games. Collins shows that death is something real and evident in the Seam. Katniss thinks: â€Å"Gale and I agree that if we have to choose between dying of hunger and a bullet in the head, the bullet would be much quicker†(Collins 18). She thinks about this, because she knows how hard it is to survive in Panem, when the Capitol controls and owns all resources and food. She knows how hard it is to die slowly from hunger, and it is harder to watch one's family die slowly from the fangs of hunger too. What is taboo in Panem is listing starvation as the cause of death: â€Å"Starvation is never the cause of death officially. It’s always the flu, or exposure, or pneumonia. But that fools no one† (Collins 29). ... This thinking reflects the importance of self-survival over parental instincts and humanity. Hansel and Gretel's mother would have her children dead than find herself dying from hunger too. They talk about death as if it is the weather, unimportant and something that is paradoxically part of their existence. These stories argue that death is not limited to its physical dimension, because humanity can also die within people, when their sense of morality is gone. The Hunger Games kills humanity's morality. Part of it is knowing that life is a jungle and every one is game, especially in the Hunger Games. Katniss thinks that it will not be right to be affected too much by Peeta's kindness: â€Å"So I decide, from this moment on, to have as little as possible to do with the baker’s son† (Collins 49). To feel kindness and indebtedness will make her vulnerable and vulnerability is the first step toward death. The Hunger Games turns death into an option that can be erased, if o ne gives up one's morality. Morality also dies when people choose to be beasts. When Gale visits Katniss, he tells her that hunting in the forest is the same as hunting for people. Katniss does not believe in this: â€Å"The awful thing is that if I can forget they’re people, it will be no different at all† (Collins 41). One of the power implications of this statement is that an authoritarian society ensures that people's morality are gone, so that they can be ruled easier. At the individual level, Katniss is saying that if she can kill people so easily, then she is not a human being anymore, just another beast among wild animals. Another way that morality is killed is through trauma. When Katniss' father dies,

Commercialization plan for Medical devices Essay

Commercialization plan for Medical devices - Essay Example The study will highlight the entire commercialization plan developed for the Health Kart Diabetic Monitoring device which includes the patenting, drafting and the quality control process. Table of Contents Technology 6 Product Description: HealthKart Diabetz 6 Key Success Factors 6 Patents 7 Process of Acquiring Patents for Diabetic Monitoring Device 9 The Firm: Health Kart Diabetes 10 The Business Opportunity 11 Value Proposition 11 External Players 12 Market 13 Market Dynamics 13 External Forces 13 Environmental Impact 13 Marketing Strategies 14 Strategic Positioning of HealthKare Diabetes 17 Quality Control Monitoring Process 21 Action Plan 23 Implementation of Milestones 24 Marketing Tasks 24 Timings 24 Mass Targeting Strategy for HealthKare Diabetes 24 Commercial Risk Assessment 25 Financials 26 Conclusion 27 References 28 Background: Commercialization of Diabetic Monitoring Devices The commercialization activity is regarded as an important business activity, which leads to the development of a new market plan for the introduction of a new product into the market (Ahmed & Rafiq, 2002). This activity involves the formulation of new marketing strategies and also the development of effective marketing devices, which would help in checking the feasibility of the marketing plan. Commercialization would also help in monitoring whether the marketing activities adhere with the executed plan (CIM, n.d.). However, commercialization would also include various marketing strategies required for the launch of new product and production process, which would also require financial and non-financial assistance from the management perspective. The study will deal with commercialization of diabetic monitoring devices, which forms an integral part among the medical equipment. Diabetic monitoring devices not only help in checking the glucose levels of an individual, but also prevent from increasing the glucose levels in medical patients. The main objective of the monitoring de vices would be to check the glucose content and the concentration of glucose levels in an individual. The study will deal with the commercialization plan of diabetic monitoring device, which has been the aid for several medial patients. The author of the study has formulated a marketing plan, which consists of varied marketing strategies for introducing new product into the market and also for the development of a commercialization process for this particular product. Technology Product Description: HealthKart Diabetz The product would be named HealthKart Diabetz and will be initially marketed in the US and UK to cater to the needs of the mass population suffering from diabetes and other glucose content related diseases. The main objective of the marketer would be to develop a product whose functionality would be simple and would produce accurate results. The medical device would help in providing quantitative test and would reflect the glucose content in the blood levels of the ind ividual. The product will help in monitoring the glucose level of an individual and the results can be shown to the doctor for daily adjustment in the treatment, checking high and low level sugar content, understand whether the patient requires change in the existing diet and exercise plan. The product will be environment

Operating Segments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Operating Segments - Essay Example IFRS 8 normally applies to the individual and separate financial statements of a business organization, or consolidated financial statements of a group of business organizations managed by a company. Through this statement, we can denote that there is a need of carrying out financial reporting through operational segment reporting (Bragg, 2010). Segment reporting involves giving of separate accounts of the individual divisions or units of a company, its subsidiaries and other divisions. In an annual accounting report, the purpose of a financial segment reporting is to give an accurate picture of the performance of a public company to its shareholders and investors (Crawford and Helliar, 2010). Future or prospective investors will also use this financial statement for purposes of making a decision on whether to invest or not in a business organization. For the management of an organization, segment reporting is used for purposes of evaluating the assets, liabilities, expenses and inco me of each segment. This is for purposes of assessing how risky or profitable the business segment under consideration is. It is through this assessment that the managers of a business organization will develop policies aimed at meeting the objectives and aims of the business organization (Bragg, 2010). When it comes to the evaluation of large capitalized companies, carrying out an analysis of important financial information is the beginning point. On a general perspective, it is always difficult to understand the financial records and information of large capitalized business organizations (Bragg, 2010). To understand their operations and financial records, there is a need of analyzing every operation of the business organizations. This is individually. The segment data of a company is therefore an important place to begin an analysis of the

Executive compensation as a Macroeconomics topic Essay

Executive compensation as a Macroeconomics topic - Essay Example As for the advocates of free market economy, business cycles are normal (McConnell and Brue 134). But during the past years, its ability to correct itself is being put to question and so the need to apply other agents’ help was seen. Macroeconomic fluctuations affect corporations’ performance through demand and cost conditions (Oxelheim, Wihlborg and Zhang, par.1). These days, CEOs and high-level managers are being hired by companies to assist them in their operations. Of course, their services will not be free of charge, as a matter of fact, they are well paid. But problems arise because they are now seen as contributing factors to the large cost for companies causing disequilibrium. Many believe that U.S. executive compensation is badly out of equilibrium (Paulin 1). This is because of the very high compensation that these managers charge in relation to their services rendered to the companies. The equilibrium in the market is being disturbed by the widening gap in th e rate of executive compensation and other people doing the same jobs in other parts of the world as well as the rank and file employees. If in the first place, CEOs and managers are employed to help solve the imperfections of the market but because of the too much cost of compensation they ask which is also believed to be out of equilibrium, they are adding up to the failures of the free market system.

Our Role as a Good Samaritan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Our Role as a Good Samaritan - Essay Example An act of generosity towards a friend or acquaintance that may be hungry, ill, or in need of mental comfort would certainly be an act of a Good Samaritan. Life asks us to respond to the needs of people who may be physically disadvantaged, elderly, or poverty-stricken. While offering all the charity we can to anyone in greater need than ourselves may not be practical or realistic, volunteering for an event to help the disadvantaged that live in your community is an act we all have the resources to do. We can take our Saturday afternoon and spend it mowing the lawn for someone who is not physically able. The act of doing a good deed is more important than trying to define the magnitude of the act. Being a Good Samaritan is being there, for anyone in need, with help and kindness when it is needed. The true Good Samaritan will not gauge whether the recipient of their charity is a friend, foe, neighbor, or stranger. The person need only be measured by their situation and their need. Helping a starving child in an unfriendly part of the world is as virtuous as helping an accident victim by the side of the road. We don't consider the politics of the person in need as we humbly, and without fanfare, try to better their situation. Our measure of good is not who they are, but who we are. Our own self-love and self-absorbed attitude is an obstacle that often stands in our way of being a

Public Company Accounting Reform and Investor Protection Act Essay

Public Company Accounting Reform and Investor Protection Act - Essay Example This state of affairs triggered a requirement for a regulation that could establish legal requirements for companies to ensure that their systems are controlled and the information they publish conform to the actual status, and is not altered, modified or changed with an intention to deceive anyone. The Sarbanes Oxley Act (also known as known as the Public Company Accounting Reform and Investor Protection Act of 2002 and commonly called SOX or Sarbox (Wikipedia.org, 2007), was implemented in 2002 to regain public's trust in the accounting and reporting practices of companies in US, to reinforce investment confidence and protect investors by improving the accuracy and reliability of corporate information with regard to finance, operations and information systems. A brief description of key provision of SOX is provided below: A Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) was established as a result of the passage of the act, to ensure that interests of the investors in public companies are secured, and the audit reports are developed and represent true and fair opinion on the affairs of the company (FindLaw.com 2002). The key functions and duties of PCAOB as documented in the law are as follow: The 'independence' of the auditor is critical for performing any audit related activity for any client. ISACA (Information Systems Audit and Controls Association) (2006) requires auditors to be independent of auditee in both attitude and appearance (professional independence) and the entire audit function to be independent of the area or activity being reviewed to permit objective completion of the audit assignment. The SOX act requires the auditors to be independent. The law states that auditors should not have any operational and/or decision making role for the activity which they are auditing. Corporate Responsibility The act requires public companies to certify in their financial reports that a senior manager has reviewed the report and that the report does not have material misstatements. As per section 302 of the act, the senior management is responsible to develop and implement system of internal controls, and compliance systems. The act requires that the corporate financial statements should have following certifications: The signing officers have reviewed the report The report does not contain material misstatement or material omission or is misleading The financial statements and information fairly represent the factual position and health of the company The signing officers are responsible for internal controls and have reviewed internal controls in previous 90 days Significant changes to internal control environment The report should have a list of all deficiencies in the internal controls and information on any fraud involving employees Enhanced Financial

Our Role as a Good Samaritan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Our Role as a Good Samaritan - Essay Example An act of generosity towards a friend or acquaintance that may be hungry, ill, or in need of mental comfort would certainly be an act of a Good Samaritan. Life asks us to respond to the needs of people who may be physically disadvantaged, elderly, or poverty-stricken. While offering all the charity we can to anyone in greater need than ourselves may not be practical or realistic, volunteering for an event to help the disadvantaged that live in your community is an act we all have the resources to do. We can take our Saturday afternoon and spend it mowing the lawn for someone who is not physically able. The act of doing a good deed is more important than trying to define the magnitude of the act. Being a Good Samaritan is being there, for anyone in need, with help and kindness when it is needed. The true Good Samaritan will not gauge whether the recipient of their charity is a friend, foe, neighbor, or stranger. The person need only be measured by their situation and their need. Helping a starving child in an unfriendly part of the world is as virtuous as helping an accident victim by the side of the road. We don't consider the politics of the person in need as we humbly, and without fanfare, try to better their situation. Our measure of good is not who they are, but who we are. Our own self-love and self-absorbed attitude is an obstacle that often stands in our way of being a

Literary analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Literary analysis - Essay Example Henry. This essay analyzes the story from a literary perspective, examining various literary devices the author has employed in the story. The main theme in the story is the triumph of the underdog. The captive also known as the Red Chief and his father are the underdogs in the story, who later emerge triumphant. They are oblivious of the plot by Bill Driscoll and Sam, to kidnap Johnny, also known as Red Chief and get a ransom of $2000 (Bendixen, and James, 25). These petty criminals, who are the masterminds of the kidnapping plot, are the favorites to execute their plan. Things, however, change from good to worse for them and they eventually suffer the loss they hoped to inflict on Red Chief and his father. O. Henry makes use of several literary devices in the story. The three main stylistic devices that standout in the story are humor, irony, and exaggeration. The first element, humor, is very prominent in the story. The whole plot of the short story is humorous. One instance of humor in the story is the description of the two criminals, Bill and Sam, who are portrayed as self educated. They end up using phrases and words that are humorous. The other humorous part of the story is the fact that the Red Chief is oblivious that he has been kidnapped. He enjoys the trip as if it is a camping trip and even feels more at home with his kidnappers that he does among his stern parents. One other instance of humor is when Johnny the Red Chief, confuses his kidnappers with his irritating antics prompting them to releases him back to his father. The use of irony is also very prominent in the story. This refers to the use of words and phrases to imply the exact opposite of their meanings (Bendixen, and James, 56). One example of irony in the story is the phrase ‘Johnny won all the local spelling bees and went to the State contest, only to misspell "train." (Henry, 88) This is ironic because Johnny is supposedly good at spelling, but fails to spell a simple word.

Strategies to Prevent the Spread of Tuberculosis

Strategies to Prevent the Spread of Tuberculosis To address the problem of Tuberculosis (TB) within East London Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. People who have infected sputum can transmit the disease to others. Since it is a notifiable disease accurate figures are available. There are about 7000 cases of TB annually in the UK mostly in the large cities especially London (Health Protection Agency figures). The number of cases has increased by 25% in the last ten years (Department of Health figures). Issues Paucity of evidence will mean some decisions on strategy will encompass consensus decisions. Often it is not one single measure that is effective on its own. Those born abroad or homeless are at disproportionately high risk of getting TB. They must not be seen as being victimised if they are screened in preference to other people. The stigma associated with TB is counter productive to the programme. Potential patients are reluctant to seek investigation. Tannahill’s (1985) three overlapping spheres of health promotion; health education, prevention and health protection, will be incorporated into the programme. Prevention Primary This involves changing the environment, behaviour or both. Immunization is the crux here together with health education. The later involves knowledge, changing attitudes and behaviour (Donaldson, 2003). Secondary This involves early detection of TB and prompt treatment. It is necessary to screen asymptomatic individuals. TB fulfils the WHO screening test requirements (Wilson, 1968). Tertiary Rehabilitation needs to be effective and visible. If the community can see the care and curative treatment the stigma of the illness will lessen and more people come for screening. Programme development Since doctors and nurses do not empower but the community empowers itself (Bright, 1997) it is important that the community has control over the way the programme is set up and run. The issues need to be ranked in order of importance (Ewles, 2003). The programme design is one of health promotion and disease prevention. The Healthcare Commission assesses how well the NHS meets the standards set by the Department of Health document ‘Standards for Better Health’ (2004). These standards include taking into account and implementing nationally agreed guidelines. It is therefore assumed, at least for the purpose of this work, that the NICE guidelines are implemented. The chosen program will be supplementary and complimentary to the implementation of the NICE guidelines. A force field analysis can help to determine the helping and hindering aspects the project is likely to encounter and may be valuable at an early stage in planning the project. It will be beneficial to look at ways of promoting the helping forces and lessening the unfavourable ones. The rationale of the study This is based on the policy on TB. The purpose behind this is that the sooner TB is detected the easier it is to treat and the less the risk of transmission to other people. Aims and objectives These are constructed from areas relevant to the NICE guidelines. There are two aspects to the programme and these are both directly obtained from the objectives of the NICE guidelines (2006). The whole purpose of the NICE guideline is diagnosis and treatment (this is stated in the title of the guideline). Those who may be infectious to others require detection and treatment from the purpose of the own health interests and also in order to lessen the chance of transmission. Treatment needs to be effective. The NICE guideline recognises the advent of drug resistance with failure of treatment and remaining risk of transmission. Following directly on from these two points respectively there are two parts to the objectives of this programme: Diagnosis Each case of sputum positive TB detected will be looked at to see if the diagnosis could have been made sooner. A group will assess the prior opportunities for earlier diagnosis and why those opportunities were missed. For instance was it a problem with the patient, the medical care, administration, resources. Each case will be classed to see if there was an element of sub standard care. Information thus obtained from the cases will be amalgamated to see if there can be any â€Å"lessens learnt† or whether targeting of resources in one particular aspect might help. Treatment This consists of two parts (the cases concerned will be a subset of group one except for those cases diagnosed outside of the area): Incomplete treatment Each case where directly observed treatment was not completed will be looked at to see what factors might have enhanced compliance. Drug resistance Each drug resistant case will be looked at to see whether there were potentially avoidable factors in the development of resistance. Target group, The appropriate target groups for the different parts of the study are: 1. Diagnosis All the sputum positive cases that are diagnosed in the area within the first six months. 2a) Incomplete treatment All the cases who were on directly observed treatment and failed to complete it. They may be being treated somewhere else but if this cannot be confirmed they are classed as failure of treatment. Six months would be the time frame Those complying with and still on their treatment at the six month point would not be classed as failure to give treatment. 2b) Drug resistance All diagnosed cases of drug resistant TB diagnosed within the six months. Since health inequalities are associated with social class (Black report, 1980) and material deprivation (Townsend, 1987) these groups will feature prominently in the cases. A study in London (Story, 2006) found that 321 of 1941 (17%) of cases of TB there were in people who were homeless, drug abusers or ex prisoners. These three factors were independently associated with poor treatment compliance. Of poor treatment compliance 38% of the patients were in one of these groups and 44% of smear positive and drug resistant cases were in one of these groups. Setting and needs assessment An integral aspect of this project involves identifying ways to change behaviour of those at risk of acquiring or having TB. The Health Belief Model (Becker, 1974) explains people will weigh up the benefits and risks of making a change and the Theory of Reasoned Action (Ajzen 1980) adds in the influences of family and friends. To facilitate the change Ewles (2003) recommends; Working with the community Facilitating healthier choices Relating to individuals Dealing with resistance When working with the community advocacy is a useful way of gaining representation from groups, and indeed individuals, whose views are difficult to obtain. Perhaps they do not speak English, perhaps they are homeless or abuse drugs. The advocates may be non-medical but have some things in common with the group they are representing. It is vitally important to make healthier choices more attractive to people. This will encourage them to present for screening, investigation or vaccination. Whilst this may be relatively easy for an ethnic minority community it is particularly challenging for the drug abuser or homeless person. Empathy with the problematic group and really understanding their views, motives and behaviour is inherent in this project. In identifying whether diagnosis could have been made earlier or treatment completed the people involved in investigating aspects of the cases will need to include the groups of people from whom the index case arose. This will involve people from local ethnic groups, prisoners, drug addicts and homeless people. Most importantly of all it will involve the patients themselves. For instance, although much useful information will be gleaned from meetings with the above groups of people to try and evaluate the reasons why a particularly individual did not present themselves for screening or did not respond to a request to be screened or did not have a baby vaccinated it is going to be extremely valuable to discuss with the person concerned what factors led to the diagnosis being made at the time it was rather than earlier. Much valuable insight may be gained from this process or there again it might not. In a programme of this nature it is important to keep an open mind to whether somethi ng is going to work or not hence the importance of building in an appropriate method of evaluation at the design stage of the study. It is too late to add on the choice of statistical analysis once the data has been collected because it might not have been collected in an appropriate way. Resources To be comprehensive the resources will need to include; Primary and secondary care, with consent issues handled at the time of diagnosis and treatment so that only patients willing to participate will be interviewed. A prior plan will need to be formulated in agreement with the ethics committee about what level of investigation can take and mechanisms of anonymising information. Patient confidentiality is of utmost importance. Patients attending genitourinary medicine clinics will often wish to remain anonymous. However this attendance is an opportunity for screening would provide useful information to the programme. If the group set up to look into the issues of potential for earlier diagnosis and treatment failures are from the same local community they may well know the index case. This issue needs to be discussed at community level to find effective ways of making the process anonymous and gaining community confidence. It is difficult to envisage at this stage where the source of funding will come for such a project. Perhaps the best scenario would be to run it at a loss as academic research perhaps involving students for higher degrees and then present the results of a pilot study to then try and gain some central funding to pursue the project on a wider scale. The worst scenario would be that it never becomes more than a research project. Much will depend on its evaluation results and perceived value partly as a result of its marketing. Aagencies, consumers and stake holders The stake holders are those with an interest in the project and seeing how it is run. The stake holders are many and really encompass all groups primary and secondary care, groups outside of healthcare, and community groups. They all need an awareness of the programme. Some will be more directly involved than others and the degree of involvement will alter as the programme progresses. Budget plan, A costing plan and a template are discussed in detail in a Costing report (2006) for implementation of the NICE guidelines. If feedback from this programme results in earlier diagnosis and in more effective treatment there will be less transmission and less drug resistance. Costings are set out in the NICE documentation and so the relevant calculations can be made for cost savings based in estimates of the results of the programme. The costs incurred will be of setting up the relevant community groups and analysing the cases. This will incur staffing costs and administration costs and likely costs for travel and other community member and patient related costs. Policy evaluation It is important to have a comprehensive programme of evaluation the features of which will shortly be outlined. There are three main purposes to the policy evaluation: Can we identify aspects where significantly earlier diagnosis could have been made? If so what are these and what are the resource and practical implications of implementing them? The same question could be asked of avoiding incomplete directly observed treatment and of avoiding drug resistance. If question one is answered in the affirmative can funding be secured for the project? If question one is answered in the affirmative can the actions identified as valuable in that section be set up? If so this would represent effective feedback. How evaluation will be carried out Clinical and statistical significance must be distinguished. The former is arbitrarily chosen as one month for speed of diagnosis. The relevant evaluation will be by qualitative methods of analysis. It will however be useful to compare the percentage where there was an avoidable factor in later diagnosis, treatment failure or development of resistance over a time scale say a number of years to see if the whole systems approach is actually improving with regard to diagnosis or treatment. References/resources Ajzen I Fishbein M 1980 Understanding attitudes and predicting social behaviour. Englewood Cliffs. Prentice Hall. Becker MH 1974 The health belief model and personal health behaviour. New Jersey. Slack. Black Report 1980 Dept of Health and Social Security Inequalities in Health: report of a research working group. London HMSO Bright JS 1997 Health promotion in clinical practice Bailliere Tindall London Costing report. 2006 NICE clinical guideline no. 33 Implementing NICE guidance in England Department of Health Donaldson LJ Donaldson RJ 2003 Essential Public Health 2nd ed Petroc Press Berkshire Ewles L Simnett I 2003 Promoting health, a practical guide. London. Bailliere Tindall. Government’s TB Action plan for England 2005 Health protection Agency www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/tb/menu.htm accessed 4.5.06 NICE guidelines 2006 Clinical guideline 33 Tuberculosis Clinical diagnosis and management of tuberculosis, and measures for its prevention and control. www.nice.org.uk/CG033 accessed 10 May 2006 Standards for better health 2004 Department of health. Stopping Tuberculosis in England Department of Health 2004 Story A Murad S Roberts W et al 2006 Contribution of homelessness, problem drug use and prison to tuberculosis in London. Tannahill A 1985 What is health promotion? Health Education Journal 44:167-8 Townsend P Phillimore P Beattie A 1987 Deprivation and health: inequality and the North. Beckenham. Croom Helm Whitehead M Tones K 1991 Avoiding the pitfalls. London. Health Education Authority. Wilson JMG Jungner G 1968 The principles and practice of screening for disease. Public Health Papers 34 Geneva. WHO.

Mel Gibsons The Passion of the Christ Essay -- Reflective The Passion

The Passion of the Christ - The Pathetic Appeal of the Death of Jesus In February 2004, one day after the release of The Passion of the Christ, my girlfriend and I took our seats in the crowded theatre. I came into the night prepared to watch the death of Jesus Christ. However, I had no idea that I would actually be watching the death of Jesus Christ. For ten or more years prior to this night, I had always been told that Jesus had died on a cross for my sins. My parents, my Sunday school teachers, my friends’ parents, and my extended family had, at some time in my youth, told me the story of Jesus from the Gospels of the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). From the moment I matured enough to understand these stories, I had believed Jesus â€Å"died and rose again† just for me. I took this belief and put it in my dresser drawer so that I could return to use it again in my adult life. As we all know, things do not happen the way we plan. The lights in the theatre faded into a nervous darkness, and scripture, from the Bible that I knew so well, lit up the screen. â€Å"But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities . . . Isaiah 53:5.† This was no surprise to me. I had been taught this all my life. Jesus died for me. The movie progressed with Jesus being arrested and sentenced to death. Then, I was punched in the gut with a new perspective of this story. The Roman guards stripped Jesus of his clothes and whipped him several times in an extremely bloody and intense scene. This man’s flesh was ripped off his back and flung into the crowd. It was absolutely disgusting, but it was absolutely effective. Up until this point, Jesus had just been a dignified man who had saved me from my sins. Now he was a beaten and broken man who suffered the most excruciating pain to save me from my sins. I never had a visual image in my mind that showed me what Jesus had gone through for me until this movie. And even though it is just a movie, it painted a picture for me that changed my views about Jesus Christ. He wasn’t the guy in my dresser drawer anymore; he was my Savior. This change of view spawned from the use of rhetoric. The pathetic appeals that the director, Mel Gibson, used were very effective. The images he created on the screen led many people to tears. Almost everyone turned their head away in as... ...something that is wrong. This fear can be a good thing when it comes to talking with other people about their religions, but it can also be a bad thing because it’s harder to trust the most trustworthy people. Discovering rhetoric this semester has changed my view that I can believe the claims of those people I trust. Now I have to convince myself that these people I trust are not trying to lead me astray even if they are using a rhetorical appeal. Most of them probably don’t even know they are using rhetorical appeals. I am not yet sure if I like this revision of myself. It has definitely proved helpful when reading texts for other classes because it separates learning from believing. I can learn something and not necessarily believe it unless I think it’s the truth, as opposed to believing everything I learn like I have done in the past. However, this new understanding of rhetoric has caused me to question everyone. Eventually, something will come along and convince me that questioning everyone is a good thing or an evil thing. One of these opposing views will dominate the other one, but until then, I will have to wait for the appeals of rhetoric to lead me to what is â€Å"right.†

Psychiatry as a Career Essay -- Psychiatrist Psychology

The study of the mind, psychiatry, has in the last few years struck an interest within me. I wonder why we react differently when we face the same obstacles. For example, families with several children, raised by the same parents and in the same environment, yet turn out to be completely different individuals, sometimes very disturbed. The how, why and where of it all interests me. My immediate goal is to get my diploma and find out who I really am and what my soul desire truly is. I realize I have a deep desire to be of service to others. This is not a skill however, it's just me. I do feel one of my strongest skills is my artistic ability. I have a taste for and enjoy a diverse selection of movies, music, and reading material. I enjoy studying photography, biology, along with human behavior. Psychiatrists treat patients who have mental illnesses and help diagnose them. They strive to find solutions for their patient's mental disorders. It can and usually does, involve counseling for the patient and sometimes their family as well. Medication can be prescribed to help with chemical imbalances, some of these are caused by their emotional problems. Sometimes even shock therapy is given. It can be a take home job much of the time. Psychiatrists do a lot of side work and research to expand their knowledge. Most keep updated on the latest data and new medications available. Sometimes psychiatrists deal with life or death situations and they need to know exactly how to react. This occupation requires an extensive amount of thinking and the ability to figure out problems. It is important to be able to focus, listen and process information. They have to be able to give positive feedback and come to a decision on how to treat each patien... ...metimes even death. The world today is sue happy, so if something goes wrong they are usually blamed. This career involves many years of education, which could be very costly. I am very interested in mental health and the care and well being of .individuals that need this assistance. I see a great need for those who are capable of helping troubled souls... Many of our disturbed youth are especially in need of some sort of mental assistance. I believe this field is wide open with possibilities. I know there is a growing need to have more compassionate, skilled, well trained, highly educated, individuals, in this field However, I now realize also, after my research, which becoming a psychiatrist is a very difficult career choice. Although, I still wish to have some sort of career in the mental health field, it may be this career choice is a bit much for me, I wonder?

Internet communications †website analysis Essay

This logo, when clicked on takes the user to the Brunel Website: www. brunel. ac. uk. This logo appears on every page of this website, so that the user can at any stage during their visit to this website go back to the University website. This logo is part of the main template that I created to make this website. I based the colours in the website on the colours used in the logo so that there is a connection to the University website and the Business Management website as well. This is important as this, in real life would be linked to these websites. In this page, the first page the user is confronted with, the title of this web page helps them to distinguish the university. The title of each page is at the top of the page, alongside the university logo, therefore, each page has a different title. However, on each page the title is in the same place so that it is easy for the user to use. These pictures add some colour to the page, and give an overall graphical summary to what the module is all about, the Internet. Here, I also chose pictures, which roughly match the same colours of the Brunel Logo. This page provides information to the user about the course layout itself. The content of this page is useful to a user that wants to know what they will be studying in this module. It shows the aims of the module, how the course will be assessed, the teaching hours, the lecture plan (what each week of lectures will be based on), links to the coursework page, books and references that may be of help to a student studying this module, and contact information of staff that may be able to help students or users who have enquiries about this module.

Paul Krugman, in Praise of Cheap Labor Bad Jobs at Bad Wages Are Better Than No Jobs at All.

In Praise of Cheap Labor Bad jobs at bad wages are better than no jobs at all. By  Paul Krugman|Posted Friday, March 21, 1997, at 3:30 AM ET For many years a huge Manila garbage dump known as Smokey Mountain was a favorite media symbol of Third World poverty. Several thousand men, women, and children lived on that dump–enduring the stench, the flies, and the toxic waste in order to make a living combing the garbage for scrap metal and other recyclables. And they lived there voluntarily, because the $10 or so a squatter family could clear in a day was better than the alternatives. Advertisement The squatters are gone now, forcibly removed by Philippine police last year as a cosmetic move in advance of a Pacific Rim summit. But I found myself thinking about Smokey Mountain recently, after reading my latest batch of hate mail. The occasion was an op-ed piece I had written for theNew York Times, in which I had pointed out that while wages and working conditions in the new export industries of the Third World are appalling, they are a big improvement over the â€Å"previous, less visible rural poverty. I guess I should have expected that this comment would generate letters along the lines of, â€Å"Well, if you lose your comfortable position as an American professor you can always find another job–as long as you are 12 years old and willing to work for 40 cents an hour. † Such moral outrage is common among the opponents of globalization–of the transfer of technology and capital from high-wage to low-wage countries and the resulting growth of labor-intensive Third World exports. These critics take it as a given that anyone with a good word for this process is naive or corrupt and, in either case, a de facto agent of global capital in its oppression of workers here and abroad. But matters are not that simple, and the moral lines are not that clear. In fact, let me make a counter-accusation: The lofty moral tone of the opponents of globalization is possible only because they have chosen not to think their position through. While fat-cat capitalists might benefit from globalization, the biggest beneficiaries are, yes, Third World workers. After all, global poverty is not something recently invented for the benefit of multinational corporations. Let's turn the clock back to the Third World as it was only two decades ago (and still is, in many countries). In those days, although the rapid economic growth of a handful of small Asian nations had started to attract attention, developing countries like Indonesia or Bangladesh were still mainly what they had always been: exporters of raw materials, importers of manufactures. Inefficient manufacturing sectors served their domestic markets, sheltered behind import quotas, but generated few jobs. Meanwhile, population pressure pushed desperate peasants into cultivating ever more marginal land or seeking a livelihood in any way possible–such as homesteading on a mountain of garbage. Given this lack of other opportunities, you could hire workers in Jakarta or Manila for a pittance. But in the mid-'70s, cheap labor was not enough to allow a developing country to compete in world markets for manufactured goods. The entrenched advantages of advanced nations–their infrastructure and technical know-how, the vastly larger size of their markets and their proximity to suppliers of key components, their political stability and the subtle-but-crucial social adaptations that are necessary to operate an efficient economy–seemed to outweigh even a tenfold or twentyfold disparity in wage rates. A  nd then something changed. Some combination of factors that  we still don't fully understand–lower tariff barriers, improved telecommunications, cheaper air transport–reduced the disadvantages of producing in developing countries. (Other things being the same, it is still better to produce in the First World–stories of companies that moved production to Mexico or East Asia, then moved back after experiencing the disadvantages of the Third World environment, are common. In a substantial number of industries, low wages allowed developing countries to break into world markets. And so countries that had previously made a living selling jute or coffee started producing shirts and sneakers instead. Workers in those shirt and sneaker factories are, inevitably, paid very little and expected to endure terrible working conditions. I say â€Å"inevitably† because their employers are not in business for their (or their workers') health; they pay as little as po ssible, and that minimum is determined by the other opportunities available to workers. And these are still extremely poor countries, where living on a garbage heap is attractive compared with the alternatives. And yet, wherever the new export industries have grown, there has been measurable improvement in the lives of ordinary people. Partly this is because a growing industry must offer a somewhat higher wage than workers could get elsewhere in order to get them to move. More importantly, however, the growth of manufacturing–and of the penumbra of other jobs that the new export sector creates–has a ripple effect throughout the economy. The pressure on the land becomes less intense, so rural wages rise; the pool of unemployed urban dwellers always anxious for work shrinks, so factories start to compete with each other for workers, and urban wages also begin to rise. Where the process has gone on long enough–say, in South Korea or Taiwan–average wages start to approach what an American teen-ager can earn at McDonald's. And eventually people are no longer eager to live on garbage dumps. (Smokey Mountain persisted because the Philippines, until recently, did not share in the export-led growth of its neighbors. Jobs that pay better than scavenging are still few and far between. ) The benefits of export-led economic growth to the mass of people in the newly industrializing economies are not a matter of conjecture. A country like Indonesia is still so poor that progress can be measured in terms of how much the average person gets to eat; since 1970, per capita intake has risen from less than 2,100 to more than 2,800 calories a day. A shocking one-third of young children are still malnourished–but in 1975, the fraction was more than half. Similar improvements can be seen throughout the Pacific Rim, and even in places like Bangladesh. These improvements have not taken place because well-meaning people in the West have done anything to help–foreign aid, never large, has lately shrunk to virtually nothing. Nor is it the result of the benign policies of national governments, which are as callous and corrupt as ever. It is the indirect and unintended result of the actions of soulless multinationals and rapacious local entrepreneurs, whose only concern was to take advantage of the profit opportunities offered by cheap labor. It is not an edifying spectacle; but no matter how base the motives of those involved, the result has been to move hundreds of millions of people from abject poverty to something still awful but nonetheless significantly better. Why, then, the outrage of my correspondents? Why does the image of an Indonesian sewing sneakers for 60 cents an hour evoke so much more feeling than the image of another Indonesian earning the equivalent of 30 cents an hour trying to feed his family on a tiny plot of land–or of a Filipino scavenging on a garbage heap? The main answer, I think, is a sort of fastidiousness. Unlike the starving subsistence farmer, the women and children in the sneaker factory are working at slave wages  for our benefit–and this makes us feel unclean. And so there are self-righteous demands for international labor standards: We should not, the opponents of globalization insist, be willing to buy those sneakers and shirts unless the people who make them receive decent wages and work under decent conditions. This sounds only fair–but is it? Let's think through the consequences. First of all, even if we could assure the workers in Third World export industries of higher wages and better working conditions, this would do nothing for the peasants, day laborers, scavengers, and so on who make up the bulk of these countries' populations. At best, forcing developing countries to adhere to our labor standards would create a privileged labor aristocracy, leaving the poor majority no better off. And it might not even do that. The advantages of established First World industries are still formidable. The only reason developing countries have been able to compete with those industries is their ability to offer employers cheap labor. Deny them that ability, and you might well deny them the prospect of continuing industrial growth, even reverse the growth that has been achieved. And since export-oriented growth, for all its injustice, has been a huge boon for the workers in those nations, anything that curtails that growth is very much against their interests. A policy of good jobs in principle, but no jobs in practice, might assuage our consciences, but it is no favor to its alleged beneficiaries. You may say that the wretched of the earth should not be forced to serve as hewers of wood, drawers of water, and sewers of sneakers for the affluent. But what is the alternative? Should they be helped with foreign aid? Maybe–although the historical record of regions like southern Italy suggests that such aid has a tendency to promote perpetual dependence. Anyway, there isn't the slightest prospect of significant aid materializing. Should their own governments provide more social justice? Of course–but they won't, or at least not because we tell them to. And as long as you have no realistic alternative to industrialization based on low wages, to oppose it means that you are willing to deny desperately poor people the best chance they have of progress for the sake of what amounts to an aesthetic standard–that is, the fact that you don't like the idea of workers being paid a pittance to supply rich Westerners with fashion items. In short, my correspondents are not entitled to their self-righteousness. They have not thought the matter through. And when the hopes of hundreds of millions are at stake, thinking things through is not just good intellectual practice. It is a moral duty