Saturday, August 31, 2019

Holistic care approaches used in healthcare Essay

The objective of this assignment is to evaluate Holistic care approaches used in healthcare within the acute care setting specifically relating to the role of Assistant Practitioners. Holistic care takes into consideration an individual’s psychological, sociological and mental health needs. Using a holistic approach to care enhances the experience for my patients and families (Erickson 2007). The Nursing and Midwifery Council (2010) defines holistic medicine as a system of comprehensive or total patient care that considers the physical, emotional, social, economic and spiritual needs of the person, taking into consideration a person as a whole. Over the past few decades the focus of medical care has shifted from treatment of a disease and or injury to treatment of a patient (Henning, 2013). Holism has a long history derived from a Greek-indo -European root holos or hale, meaning whole, healthy, healing, holy and the act of caring (Auyang,1999). The first published literature in relation to holistic care was produced by Florence Nightingale in her book Notes on Nursing, which described the work of nurses as putting patients in the best condition for nature to act upon them (Nightingale, F 1969). However the concept of holism was first defined by polymath Jan Smuts in 1927, as the tendency in nature to form wholes that are greater than the sum of the parts through creative evolution (Smuts. 1927). Different theories on holism have been widely supported and promoted in healthcare since the 1960’s, when Florence Nightingale first identified the importance of treating patients individually, as opposed to solely treating the illness (Dossey & Keegan 2009). However this concept is new in Emergency medicine, and has been derived from the recent conflict in Afghanistan. The Army pain management task force published best practice based on a holistic, multidisciplinary, integrative approach to care (Schoolmaker, 2009). The Nursing Midwifery council (2008) states that all nurses must practice in a holistic, non-judgemental, caring and sensitive manner. Throughout this assignment the names of patients, and family members have  been substituted to comply with the Data Protection Act (1998) in order to safeguard their identities and ensure confidentiality is maintained as per NHS Policy (2012). Mr. T attended the Emergency Department (ED) after taking a poly-pharmaceutical overdose and collapsing sustaining superficial lacerations to his arms and face. Mr. T was an unkempt gentleman of middle age who was wearing soiled clothes and looked malnourished. Mr. T was known to have some minor learning difficulties and was a frequent attendee to the ED, due to his long extensive history of alcohol and illicit drug abuse. Regular attendees to the ED often suffer from alcohol and or substance misuse, where homeless and socially disengaged (Cherpitel C 1995). Little & Watson (1996) found that frequent attendees to the ED where at risk of bias care, because they often did not adhere to medical advice or except support resulting in frustration amongst staff during busy times. Pirmohamed et.al. (2000) published figures stating that the majority of alcohol-related ED patients are 18–60 years of age, and about 20% of these involve a serious health problem due to long-term alcohol and drug misuse. Blenkiron et.al. (2000) identified that 15-25% of suicides and deliberate self-harm is associated with prolonged alcohol misuse, a battle Mr. T had been fighting against for several years. Mr. T had been using cannabis from a young age which studies have indicated an increased risk of self-harm and suicide attempts, (Beautrais, et.al 1999). Cannabis has also been well documented to contribute to psychiatric and depressive disorders (Andereasson, et al 2002) & (Moore, et.al. 2007). Abraham Maslow (1908-1970) was a humanistic psychologist who developed his theory, ‘the hierarchy of needs’ (1943) a five stage model of motivational needs often depicted as a pyramid. The five stages are divided into; Psychological, safety, social, esteem and self-actualization. He believed that the lower levels of the pyramid have to be satisfied before a person could move up. Each stage was further defined stating the lowest level was what every human required to survive such as food, shelter, water, sex, air, clothing, to the top being the pinnacle of each person’s potential in life who is able to pursue inner talent, creativity and fulfillment (McLeod, 2007). At this point Mr. T was barley functioning at the lowest level as he  was unable to meet his basic nutritional needs and lacked warm clean clothing or shelter. Lack of food can affect a person’s mood, behavior and brain function, (Pessoa, 2008). I provided Mr. T with food and clean warm clothing , in order to assist with some of Mr. T’s basic humanistic psychological needs, as advocated by Maslow (1943) alongside his medical treatment, demonstrating a comprehensive holistic approach to care. Rutledge (2011) another psychologist disagreed with Maslow’s theory and developed her own theory Maslow Rewired, stating none of these needs starting with basic survival on up, are possible without social connection and collaboration, and that humans require community, Love and the feeling of belonging before harvesting the ability to survive, although this is very much more associated with the 21st century. However substantive evidence has accumulated over the past few decades showing that social ties and social support are positively and casually related to mental health, physical health and longevity (Berkman, 1995). However Mr. T had no relatives other than his brother, who was estranged due to Mr. T’s extensive alcohol abuse. He was disengaged from services, refused social support and often did not adhere to medical advice. The tablets and quantities Mr. T had taken did not require any immediate treatment likewise the lacerations to his arms and face required minimal intervention, however Holistic nursing as advocated by Dossey & Keegan (2009) treats the entire patient. Therefore as a holistic practitioner I investigated Mr. T’s Psychological issues through gentle discussion whilst a colleague dressed his wounds and administered medication to reduce the effects of alcohol withdrawal, thus assisting with Mr. T’s Physical effects which in turn will assist with his psychological needs. Alcohol is a drug with complex behavioural effects that can be pleasurable when consumed in moderation but can be unpleasant when misused, (Swift, 1999). Mr. T was initially withdrawn and reluctant to discuss his mental health problems, however through gentle questioning whilst undertaking basic tasks, a skill often used by nurses as indicted by Berg et al (2007). Mr. T started to disclose information in relation to his psychological behaviour. Whilst  discussing such issues with Mr. T it is important to maintain good eye contact and engage in a moderate amount of social touch, as this is perceived by patients as a more empathetic clinician (Montague 2013). A similar approach is advocated by, McCann & McKenna (1993) whilst Bamford – Wade & Kimble (2013) promote compassionate listening in addition to touch when dealing with patients in crisis. Therefore it was essential to speak slowly and use appropriate body and facial language to demonstrate empathy and understanding to the patient. Throughout the discussion non-verbal listening skills are respectfully used. Egan (1994) offers the acronym ‘SOLER’, an approach u sed in counselling which stands for; S – Sit square O – Open Posture L – Lean slightly forward E – Eye contact R – Relax However according to Stickley (2011) the school of nursing and midwifery has introduced a new model to student nurses, the Acronym SURETY, which stands for; S – Sit at an angle U – Uncross legs R – Relax E – Eye contact T – Touch Y – Your intuition This approach subsequently adds in ‘touch’ as advocated by McCann & McKenna (1993) along with your intuition. A nurse’s intuition is not a new concept and studies have been carried out since 1978, (Gerrity 1987) however it is a skill widely associated with experience (Hams 2000). Intuition has been acknowledged by clinicians and scholars as a vital component of clinical judgment and decision making (Rew 2007). Mr. T responded well to this approach of communication. Carl Rogers (1961), another humanistic psychologist developed the theory Core conditions which is the basic attitudes that councillors should display in order to show acceptance of the client and valuing them as a human being, and include Congruence, empathy and respect. Like Rutledge’s (2011)  approach, Rogers (1959) believed everyone needs to feel loved, valued and unconditional regard, to achieve Maslow’s findings that all humans aim to ‘self-actualize’ and fulfill their potential (1961). During the assessment it is essential to communicate effectively, minimise barriers such as using medical terminology in discussion as advocated by, Minardi & Riley (2007). Physicians frequently use medical words during consultations leading to ‘jargon’ that is potentially misunderstood thus impairing effective communication (Blackman & Sahebjalal 2014) Good communication skills allow patients and relatives alike to express their concerns and needs, subsequently building trust between them and the healthcare professional, demonstrating a two way circle of communication, identified as the most effective method by Schramm (1954). The Johari Window is a model created by Luft & Ingham (1995) and used by healthcare professionals whilst communicating with patients, that encourages self-awareness and understanding of others, ensuring practitioners are aware of their own beliefs, principles, attitudes and strengths in order to help their patients. There are some barriers to providing effective communication, as the ED is a very busy loud environment which can hinder effective communication and possibly result in communication overload Woloshynowych et al (2007). However by simply taking a patient or relative away from these areas and into a quiet room, communication barriers can be minimised. Mr. T responded well to the approaches used, and had not spoken of his feelings or depression for a long time. Mr. T explained that he had lived with his mother up to the age of twelve when she passed away following a lifetime of alcohol abuse and that this was the only life he knew. Psychologist Albert Bandura believed children imitate behaviors witnessed as they grow up which was illustrated in the experiment ‘The Bobo Doll’, (McCleod 2007). Since becoming reliant on drugs and alcohol Mr. T’s mental state had significantly deteriorated thus exacerbating his addiction and leading to unemployment and subsequently homelessness. Due to the fact Mr. T was disengaged from services and had no family support he was feeling  increasingly isolated and unloved thus amplifying Rogers. C (1961) theory OF â€Å"Core Conditions† however Mr. T was reluctant to change. DiClemente & Prochaska (1998) developed the â€Å"Transtheoretical Model of Change† which is primarily associated with addiction and the willingness to change. The five stages of this are; 1. Precontemplation – Unwillingness to change 2. Contemplation – Consideration of change 3. Preparation – Commitment to change 4. Action – modification of behaviour takes place 5. Maintenance – lifelong avoidance of relapse Mr. T was currently at the precontemplation phase and unwilling to make changes to his current circumstances. Due to increasing pressure from NHS targets, Emergency practitioners have a very limited amount of time to address such varied and extensive issues due to all patients needing to be transferred or discharged within four hours of arrival. As strong advocates of holistic practice the department strives to ensure all patients are treated holistically and provided with the relevant knowledge and support required to address and manage their problems. Mr. T was referred to the mental health team for further assessment of his psychological needs assisted with housing, and referred to the Alcohol and Drug Misuse Team in order to address his addictions. These services work in both the interests of staff and patients providing support to patients with complex alcohol and drug dependence in order to reduce the number of attendances to the ED and help to reduce care costs. The home office published data relating to alcoholism which showed the cost to the NHS is in excess of  £3.5 billion annually (Government’s Alcohol Strategy 2012). Layard (2005) concurs with these statistics stating that ‘Mental Health’ is our biggest social problem. In conclusion a Holistic approach to care considers the physical, emotional, social, economic and spiritual needs of a patient taking in to account a person as a whole not only treating the physical and medical needs of a patient. It is evident that treating patients as a whole and not the presenting complaint alone is key to providing effective healthcare for the patient and can result in fewer admissions and reduce pressure on resources. The evidence provided in this assignment has shown that the emergency  department uses all resources available, working as a multi-disciplinary team to assess and treat patients with complex mental health needs and drug and alcohol dependencies fairly without passing judgement. Effective communication plays a vital part in effective treatment of a patient although there is potential for communication to be hindered. The communicative approaches used proved favourable with Mr. T and enabled the practitioner to gain the relevant information required. The psychological approaches used with Mr. T proved effective and by treating Mr. T in a holistic manner contributed to the effective management of his care. Based on the research and evidence published holistic care significantly improves patient outcomes leading to greater patient satisfaction and contribute to reducing healthcare costs which will subsequently assist in providing a longer sustainable national health service.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Mother Teresa Essay

Mother Teresa has dedicated her life to helping the poor, the sick, and the dying around the world. She is one of the most well known and respected people of the 20th century. The movie that viewed in class displayed it very well. It showed how much she cared about the ‘un-cared for’ and how she preached to millions of people around the world. In her speeches she spoke of ‘blessing the misfortunate’ and loving them as well. She also spoke of how easy it is to help them. All we have to do is show some love towards them that they would normally never get. Mother Teresa is one of the most kind people on the planet and goes around spreading the love and affection. She was born in Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in 1910 in Skopje, Yugoslavia. Her parents were Albanians who settled in Skopje near the beginning of the century. He father was a owner of a major construction company so Mother Teresa grew up in a very comfortable environment. In 1928 she suddenly decided to become a nun and traveled to Dublin, Ireland, to join the Sisters of Loreto. After studying with the Sisters in the convent, she left to join another convent in northeast India. On May 24, 1931, she took the name of ‘Teresa’ in honor of St. Teresa of Avila. At first, Mother Teresa was assigned to teach a small Geography class at St. Mary’s High School in Calcutta. Mother Teresa noticed all the beggars, lepers, and homeless people on the streets of Calcutta. There lives were horrible, living on other peoples scraps and letting babies that they couldn’t support die in trash bins. She decided to ask the archbishop if she could stop her teaching and dedicate her life to helping the ‘less fortunate.’ When Mother Teresa received a written consent that it was okay, she began her work. In 1948 Pope Pius XII gave Mother Teresa permission to be a totally independant nun, so she became an Indian citizen. After studying about nursing, she founded the ‘Missionaries of Charity.’ This was a group of nuns who go around and help the sick and dying. All the nuns that agreed to work in the ‘Missionaries of Charity’ had to devote their lives to helping the poor and not to receive any money or material things. To the side is a  picture of a letter that Mother Teresa sent to a nun that wanted to join the ‘Missionaries of Charity.’ Mother Teresa welcomed her into the group with praise. Now to the movie. The movie did a very good job of showing how much Mother Teresa cared for the sick. The main part of the movie that I remember was the part when Mother Teresa and her nuns were starting a whole new center to the sick and dying. When the person that owned the building was telling the nuns and Mother Teresa about all the nice things they has in the building, the nuns almost simultaneously said, ‘I don’t think we will be needing that.’ The nuns and Mother Teresa live in such low living conditions and don’t seem to mind. Unlike most of us, she doesn’t need material things to get along. All she needs is some running water and the necessary materials to help the sick. Mother Teresa did such great work for the poor that she received a Nobel Peace Prize in 1971. Pope Paul VI honored Mother Teresa by awarding her the first Pope John XXIII Peace Prize. The following year the government of India presented her with the Jawaharial Nehru Award for International Understanding. In 1979 she received her greatest award, the Nobel Peace Prize. Mother Teresa accepted all of these awards on behalf of the poor, suing any money that accompanied them to fund her centers. By 1990 over 3,000 nuns belonged to the running centers in 25 countries. Obviously, Mother Teresa’s missions to help the poor were a tremendous success. There are also some kinds of summer groups like Habitat for Humanity. Unlike Habitat for Humanity these groups of kids go out and help the sick and dying just like Mother Teresa. The leader of these groups is a well known priest by the name of Johann Christoph. These kids love to do what Mother Teresa does best and make many dying people happy in there last days of life. The School that did this was the ‘Wake Forest University.’ Or as they prefer to be called the ‘City of Joy Scholars.’ The kids spent 18 long days in Calcutta as Mother Teresa’s first help center. The kids remember the varied cultures and races that Mother Teresa and the nuns love so very much. No matter how sick they looked. The kids were forever changed mentally and  emotionally after seeing and helping the helpless. The Missionaries of Charity and Mother Teresa are probably the most caring people on Earth. Mother Teresa is already called a Saint. She is the one and only living Saint. I enjoyed the movie and learned a lot about Mother Teresa and here mission to help the sick, lepers, and homeless. I trust she will succeed but she will need more nuns to join the famous ‘Missionaries of Charity.’

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Changing Perspectives

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveller, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; â€Å"Changing one’s perspective can be confronting and enriching. † The Encarta Concise English Dictionary defines perspective as â€Å"A particular evaluation of a situation or facts, especially from one person’s point of view. † This perspective is shaped by events in a person’s life. These may be decisions they make, or knowledge and change thrust upon them. No matter which circumstances that cause his change in perspective, the effect will be a growth of character in the person. A change in perspective is therefore a change in a person’s evaluation of a situation.The effect of this change can be confronting or enriching to a person. Change in perspective can impact on a person in one of three ways, attitudinally, intellectually and emotionally. By analysing th e film, Looking For Alibrandi and my other related text, The Road Not Taken I will show how changing one’s perspective can be both confronting and enriching. The film, Looking for Alibrandi by Katie Woods is a ildungsroman, which explores changing perspectives in the life of the protagonist Josephine Alibrandi. The events which occur in the film, give an insight into Josie’s life and create a change of perspective on her plight in the film. The Director uses a variety of film techniques to present this change of perspective and growth of character. Josie is presented as a character who is conflicted in her situation. She is a fatherless child in a highly patriarchal society and rejects and freely clashes with her Italian culture and heritage. In the first scene of the film a sepia wash is used, butJosie is presented in bright colour. This shows her character in conflict with the world surrounding her. She furthers this notion in a voiceover where she says â€Å"this m ay be where I am from, but do I really belong here? † This emphasises the difference between Josie’s concept of herself and her place in the world. The voice over positions the audience to sympathise with Josie’s situation. Josie has a confronting change of perspective when she discovers that her father Michael Andretti, has come back from Adelaide and she is faced with meeting him for the first time. In this scene the slow racking of the camera in to frame the faces of Josie and her mother, emphasises the gravity of Michael’s reappearance and how possibly explosive this could be. Josie has another confronting change of perspective when John Barton, the boy that she likes, commits suicide. Josie questions how she can possibly continue when John, who seemingly had everything, felt he had to end his own life.When Josie tears up the note he gave her and throws it out the window, this gesture is coupled with the use of the mournful non-diagetic music â€Å"wi th or without you†, to symbolise her loss of nnocence, perspective and understanding. â€Å"Why can’t anyone see, if John Barton couldn’t be alright, no-ones going to be alright? † This heartfelt questioning by Josie further demonstrates the depth of her confusion and struggle with her perception of her situation in life. Josie is enriched by her final change of perspective when she accepts who she is despite her faults and embraces her Italian heritage. This is symbolised by how she invites her boyfriend and friends to celebrate â€Å"tomato day† with herself and her family. And also by her choice to enjoy the song Tintarella deLuna, instead of changing as she had prior to her change in perspective. In the credits this song changes to a punk version which highlights the generational and cultural change. The words stay the same, but the tune changes, this is a conflation of culture. The final line of dialogue in the movie, a voiceover delivered by J osie, demonstrates just how comfortable she now is, with her life when she declares; â€Å"I am Christina and Michael’s daughter and Katia’s granddaughter. We’re not cursed, we’re blessed. † The poem The Road Not Taken, by Robert Frost is an extended metaphor for the choices we make in life.The poem consists of four stanzas and follows a rhyming pattern, except for the last stanza, which puts an emphasis on the first line. In the first stanza the composer describes how he is faced with two choices or roads, and that he would like to travel both, but he knows he cannot do this. So he tries to see down each road to decide on his path. The second stanza shows the struggle of choosing between two similar paths. The man in the poem chooses one path. In the third stanza he stipulates that neither path has been followed recently, and that one day he would ike to come back and travel the other road, however due to the way in life that one thing leads to an other, he doubted he would. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less travelled by, And that has made all the difference.In this final stanza, because of the line â€Å"ages and ages hence† we must realise that we cannot assign meaning to the words sigh and difference, because the speaker himself cannot know how his choice will affect his future until he has lived it. The ambiguity of the sigh furthers the point that e is unsure where his choice will take him. It is this ambiguity which makes the poem far more complex. This poem does not moralize about choice; it simply says that choice is inevitable and that you never understand how your choice will affect you, until you have lived it. Changes in perspective are shaped by events in a person’s life. These may be decisions they make, or knowledge and change is thrust upon them. One thing is certain, whether the change is confronting or enr iching, we will always have some regrets and wish for the best of both outcomes. But it is these perspectives that shape who we are.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Using 3 carefully chosen, described and analysed illustrations, show Essay

Using 3 carefully chosen, described and analysed illustrations, show how images of success used in the contemporary labour market revolve around the themes of potentiality, performativity and perfection - Essay Example Given this â€Å"improved perspective† of the human resource, this paper will examine if such â€Å"improved perspective† of the workforce translates to better work life. This paper will also answer the new definition of success in the workplace, given the prevailing economic environment, and what it takes to succeed. As a business entity, companies are always driven by the profit motive. To paraphrase Radcliffe, â€Å"essentially, the main goal of all firms is to maximise and improve their bottom line† (2005 p.56). To improve this bottom line, companies had always sought new ways on how to improve its profitability that includes adoption of new processess and methodologies, as well as the usage of sophisticated technologies. It also realised that by maximising the potential of its human capital to perform, it would be able to enhanced its viability and competitiveness as a business entity in the market. Hence, there is the adage â€Å"our people is our most important asset† (Costea 2007 p.6), a slogan which is used by almost all companies in stressing the importance of human capital in their organisation. Frederick Winslow Taylor first thought that to motivate performance, employees has to be adequately paid (Jaffe 2008). It may have been a simplistic perspective about motivation, but it answers the economic needs of an enterprise’s employees and is even used until today. Mayo later expanded on this narrow perspective of Taylor about human resource and later included the social needs of its employees that needs to be satisfied for employees to be better motivated (Sarachek 1968). Perhaps it was Mayo who introduced the concept of Human Resource Management (HRM) when he introduced Human Relations department at the workplace who emphasized among its managers to treat its subordinates humanely (Smith 1987). Other organizational behaviorists and psychologists followed suit on how to better motivate employees by attending to their various

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Sampling Strategy and Sample Size for a Quantitative Research Plan Paper

Sampling Strategy and Sample Size for a Quantitative Plan - Research Paper Example In so doing, a good look at population will enable the researcher to determine where best to draw participants from. This student is currently working on a paper designed to study the relationship between dating violence and sexually transmitted infections. The purpose of this brief paper is to propose a sampling strategy based on strong social science principles that will enable realistic and helpful conclusions in the end. The population considered for this study will be African American high school students between the ages of 15 and 19 years old. In an effort to reach different demographics, two different types of schools will be included in the research sample. One school will be a local public school, while the other will be a private school in the same locality. An adequate number of African American participants should be invited to participate in the study to ensure that suitable numbers of respondents agree to do so. Pollard and Tomlin (1995, p. 6) mention that up to 50, but no fewer than 20, individuals should be included in the final data set. This will provide the researcher with enough data with which to work with, but not so much that confusion as to the actual results could take place. This number is also easy to work with when enlisting the help statistical aids, such as ANOVA, which will form a critical part of this research strategy and plan. The final number of participants that will be a part of this sampling strategy will also be dependent upon the actual design of the study. Due to the fact that there are a limited number of African American youth present in each high school being studied, this plan will allow for as few 20 youth to be included in the final panel. It has been demonstrated that a sampling group of this size will be reflective of the respective high schools being studied and will end up being comparable to other

Obesrvation of baskball game Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Obesrvation of baskball game - Essay Example Niels Giffey Defensive Rebound. Foul on Kenny Kaminski. DeAndre Daniels made Free Throw. DeAndre Daniels missed Free Throw. Adreian Payne Defensive Rebound. Adreian Payne missed Jumper. Niels Giffey Defensive Rebound. Ryan Boatright missed Three Point Jumper. Gary Harris made Layup. Assisted by Keith (Bonesteel, 2014). Appling. Phillip Nolan Offensive Rebound. Connecticut Turnover at the official time out. Branden Dawson missed Jumper. Niels Giffey made Jumper. Assisted by Shabazz Napier. Denzel Valentine made Three Point Jumper. Assisted by Matt Costello then the first half ended .The second half; Jump Ball won by Connecticut. Foul on Keith Appling. Shabazz Napier missed Three Point Jumper. Gary Harris made Jumper. Adreian Payne made Three Point Jumper. Assisted by Gary Harris. Adreian Payne made Jumper. Assisted by Denzel Valentine before Connecticut’s time out. Shabazz Napier made Three Point Jumper. Phillip Nolan made Layup. Assisted by Ryan Boatright. After Michigan’s time out Ryan Boatright made Three Point Jumper. Assisted by Phillip Nolan and the game ended (Bonesteel,

Monday, August 26, 2019

Tourism in Madagascar Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Tourism in Madagascar - Term Paper Example People are not seeing Madagascar as a sustainable tourism spot. There lies the confusion. Ecotourism is defined as the travel to the destinations of the world where flora, fauna, and cultural heritage are existent. They are the primary attractions for the tourists. They aim at minimizing the negative effects that are mostly caused due to traditional tourism on the natural environment (Butler, 2005). Sustainable tourism on the other hand focuses on bringing benefits to the local people, the environment and the economy. The concept of sustainable tourism has been slower in Madagascar, mainly due to the fact that people tour with an aim of seeing a natural environment (eco tourism). Madagascar's main originating market has been France. It is still unable to furnish products which are for sustainable tourism market, rather then just for ecotourism (Butler, 2005). Madagascar is located on the south-east coast of the African continent. Madagascar is the fourth largest island. It is larger than the States of California and Oregon. The island extends 100 miles in length and 360 miles in width. This democratic country lies in the Indian Ocean and is among the world's poorest countries. Madagascar, as being among the poorest countries, is mostly engaged in agriculture at a subsistence level. Citizens do not have options of choosing their desire career path. They have to dwell in whatever they have. They have to spend their life in whatever limited resources they can find. This poverty is causing crucial harm not only to the people living in Madagascar, but also to the endemic biodiversity of Madagascar. At present, the Madagascar's biodiversity need the presence of good tourist, tourist who will respect, care, and play a responsible role in saving the Madagascar's treasure of biodiversity. (Butler, 2005) If an individual is enthusiastic and looking for the unexpected, if one wants to meet an extraordinary people, then he or she must go and discover this fascinating island. That individual will certainly agree with the characterization made by world-explorer Dervla Murphy: "Apart from the Tibetans, I have never traveled among a people as endearing as the Malagasy." You will become attached to the country, verifying once more the Malagasy proverb: "They who drink the water from the Manangareza River always come back to Madagascar" (Mittermeier, 1988). Economy Madagascar is dominated by the agricultural sector. However with the establishment of a duty free export processing zone in 1990, there has been an increase in light manufacturing, particularly textile manufacturing and agricultural products processing (cf. Gossling and Jiddawi 2004). Despite the existence of natural tourist spots, biodiversities and cultural heritage, Madagascar is still among the poorest countries. The reasons

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Marketing Plan - Product launch strategy Term Paper

Marketing Plan - Product launch strategy - Term Paper Example Keeping this in view, ENTOUCH telecom has decided to launch electronic online store. This will help the company in the process of attracting and retaining more customers, which in turn will result in increasing the total profits and market share of the company. Background and Relevant Issues: Telecommunication industry is one of the growing industries all over the globe. It has become one of the most profitable and worth investing industry. There is always an increasing need of different products and devices which assist people in the process of communication. Communication has become one of the important needs of the today’s global world. At the same time it is worth considering that there is considerable shift in the shopping behaviour of the customers. More and more people are shifting towards online shopping. Online shopping provides the customers with more convenience and ease. New Service Strategy and Purpose of Strategy: Owing to the increasing trend of online shopping, the company is looking forward to launch a new e-store. This online store will enable the target customers to shop for their favourite telecommunication products over the internet. ... he purpose behind this strategy is to provide the customers with ease and comfort of shopping from home and at the same time increasing the market share of the company. Business Current Offerings: ENTOUCH telecom offers almost everything which is required to make a phone system in an office or at home. There are several corded and cordless digital phones offered by the company for home and business usage. In addition to this, the company offers several telecommunication products and accessories like headphones, headsets, conferencing equipments etc. Products and accessories from the world’s renowned manufacturers are available which includes Plantronics, Sennheiser, Jabra etc. OBJECTIVES: There are several aims and targets of ENTOUCH which it is looking forward to accomplish with the launch of this new service. Five main objectives in this regard are: 1. To increase the sales of the company by 10 percent within the time period of one year. 2. To increase the market share of th e company by 5 percent within the time period of one year. 3. To increase the penetration in the New Zealand market to the level of 60 percent. 4. To enter into international telecommunication market by capturing around 5 percent share in the first year. 5. To improve the market image and reputation. SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS: Before entering into any new market segment and introducing any new product or service, it is important to thoroughly analyse the overall situation of the industry and market. It is essential for the organisation to investigate, explore, and analyse both, internal and external, environment. This is the first step in the process of designing effective marketing strategy and plan (Anderson, 1982). Industry Analysis and Key Trends: The overall telecommunication industry is

Saturday, August 24, 2019

HU-Midterm Composition Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

HU-Midterm Composition - Assignment Example Therefore, the work portrays the events in the ancient Egypt. It is claimed that the British archaeologist, once J. E. Quibell, place this art in this location during his 1897/98 excavation season. Alongside his colleagues, they deposited stemming artifacts that would later be recorded in the history of the ancient Egypt. These artifacts contained fragments of the ceremonial head of Narmer alongside other mace head fragments with some other inscribed with the Horus ‘Scorpion the name that was traced to be the name of one of the Narmer’s predecessors. Regardless of these findings and records of the Palette of Narmer, there are still doubts that the exact finding circumstances related this palette are not exact; thus, it appears that a lot of contradicting publications have been published concerning Quibell’s work at Hierakonpolis. Nonetheless, the general military symbolism relating to the palette is still clear and acceptable (Stokstad and Cothren 26). The palette of Narmer describes the kingdom of the ancient Egypt while the Stele of Naram Sin presents the northern Mesopotamia kingdom that existed in 2332 BCE pictorially. It is apparent that these two pieces of art were used to describe the historical events of this time. In the 2334 BCE, there were loosely linked sites known as the Sumer. Sargon of Akkad became the great king who emerged to control these cities. Later, Naram Sin the grandson of Sargon initiated victory stele at Sippar in order to commemorate his Lullubi’s victory (Stokstad and Cothren 36). It is under these circumstances that the Stele of Naram Sin art created to signify his divinity. Therefore, it is clear these two pieces of art were related to actions of the ancient Kings. At some levels of understanding, it is apparent that the Stele of Naram Sin and the palette of king Narmer present a striking parallelism. Nonetheless, both of them are designed to commemorate

Friday, August 23, 2019

Discussion Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Discussion Questions - Essay Example Islamic teachings of early Islam inclined towards the social ideals of a settled life in preference to the nomadic way of life of the troublesome Arab nomads. The great importance that Prophet Muhammad placed on a settled way of life (hijra), and the abandonment of the nomadic way of life in the process of embracing Islam formed the basis of this means to subdue the troublesome Arab nomads. According to Donner (1981), this enabled the early Islamic elites to draw support from these religious teachings in their attempts to subdue the potentially troublesome Arab nomads, as can be seen from this quote, when supplies were requested for the troublesome Arab nomads, â€Å"by God, I will not supply you until I have supplied the settled people [ahl al-ha-dira]†. (1) The early Islamic elites denied the troublesome Arab nomads’ high positions of power in the political set up, and in the army chain of command, even if their loyalty was not in doubt, as the second means to control the Arab nomads. This ostracizing of the nomadic tribes meant that in the eyes of the ruling elite, they were not fit to occupy such seats of power. This meant that only the settled people occupied these seats of power, and removed the possibility of the Arab nomads being able to use these seats of power to incite action on behalf of the Arab nomads. (1) The tax pattern that was introduced by the early Islamic elites in the opinion of Donner (1981), sought to ostracize the Arab nomads. While the Muslims leading a settled way of life had to pay alms or zakat, and the non-Muslims leading a settled way of life tribute, or tax called jizya, the nomadic tribes had to pay a tax called sadaqa. This differentiation suggests that though the nomadic Arabs, who had embraced the religion of Islam were not considered to the settled Muslimsm and could be extended to mean that they were not Muslims in the true sense. (1) The final means employed by the early Islamic elite in subduing the

Thursday, August 22, 2019

American Films and Backhoe Operators Essay Example for Free

American Films and Backhoe Operators Essay Analysis Jim worked as a laborer for a gas utility in Winnipeg, Manitoba. When the opportunity came to apply for a backhoe/front-end-loader operator job, he was excited. Three people applied. To select the one who would get the job, the company asked each of them to go out and actually work on the backhoe for a day. Jim felt his chance for the job disappear because he had never even driven a tractor, let alone used a backhoe. When he went out, he did not know how to start the tractor. One of the other backhoe operators had to show him. He managed through the day, and to his surprise, did better than the others. He was given the job. On his first day at the new job, one of the other backhoe operators showed him where to check the hydraulic fluid and said, â€Å"These old Masseys are foolproof. You will be okay. † Jim taught himself how to dig a hole by trial and error. He initially believed that the best way was to fill the bucket as much as possible before lifting it out of the hole and emptying it. He would wiggle the bucket back and forth until it was submerged and then curl it. When it came out of the hole, the earth would be falling off the sides. This job was not so difficult after all, he thought. He cut through his first water line about two weeks after starting his new job. Going into a deep, muddy hole did not make the crew happy. After Jim cut through his third water line, the crew chief pulled him aside and said, â€Å"You are taking too much earth out with each bucket, so you don’t feel the bucket hitting the water line; ease up a bit. Water lines were usually six to eight feet down, so Jim would dig until about four feet and then try to be more careful. It was then that he pulled up some telephone lines that were only about three feet deep. Realizing that more was involved in operating a backhoe than he first had thought, he sought out Bill Granger, who was known to have broken a water line only twice in his 15 years. It was said that he was so good that he could dig underneath the gas lines—a claim that Jim doubted. Bill said, â€Å"You need to be able to feel any restriction. The way to do that is to have more than one of your levers open at the same time. Operating the bucket lever and the boom lever at the same time reduces the power and causes the machine to stop rather than cut through a line of any type. † Jim began to use this method but still broke water lines. The difference now was that he knew immediately when he broke a line. He could feel the extra pull, whereas in the past, he found out either by seeing water gushing up or by hearing the crew chief swearing at him. He was getting better. Jim never did become as good as Bill Granger. In fact, two years later, he applied for another job as gas repairperson and was promoted, but the training as a gas repairperson was not much better. Case Questions 1. What are the potential costs to this lack of training? Why do you think the company operated in this manner? 2. What type of training would you recommend: OJT, classroom, or a combination? Describe what the training might entail. 3. What type of training environment would you provide? 4. Who would you get to do the training, and why? 5. Would you consider purchasing a training program for backhoe operators? Provide your rationale.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Humanities Today Essay Example for Free

Humanities Today Essay This paper discusses the definition of humanities and differentiate between the humanities and other modes of human inquiry and expression. It also includes examples that reflect current developments in politics, socioeconomics, and examples in the following types of humanities; art, music, architecture, philosophy, and literature. Defining Humanities The humanities can be defined as knowledge that investigates the human experience, and studies human culture, such as the arts, literature, philosophy, history, including other human endeavors. Gaining knowledge from others’ records of the human experience offers us the  opportunity to feel a connection to other cultures and to those from the past, as well as with our contemporaries (Stanford University, 2015). Modes of Human Inquiry and Expression The difference between the visualization of humanity and the practical application of humanity is the understanding of the critical observation of what humanity should be as opposed to what humanity is. In other words, they focus on ideas and values, not just the creation or outcome of an action. Other modes of human inquiry include the study of non-human subjects like in mathematics or natural sciences and do not have much to do with the creative human  endeavors. The humanities are committed to studying the aspects of the human condition using a qualitative approach that normally prevent a single paradigm from defining any discipline. Some studies included in humanities can also be regarded as social sciences in other studies that include; communications, cultural studies, archaeology, and history. Examples of the Humanities HUMANITIES TODAY 3 Humanities are the experiences of the human being that can be visual, audible, and even felt by touch. They can be expressed through art, music, architecture, philosophy, and literature.  Art Art include paintings, photography, sculptures, and architecture. The artist can express their emotions, cultural ideals, even political views through their work. There are many classic artists such as Michelangelo who are well renowned which will continue centuries after their time. Artists, like Michelangelo, were commissioned to produce for organizations such as the Roman Catholic Church (Drake, 2008). Michelangelo viewed himself as a sculptor and quite reluctantly took on the task of painting the ceilings of the Sistine Chapel. No doubt there was a  political agenda and at one point Michelangelo was accused of being a heretic because his work reflected disturbing, past events by the church. A contemporary example would be pop artist Andy Warhol. Beginning in the late 1970’s, Warhol created paintings that were abstract, which is an example of how humans have the ability to think conceptually. Now, art can be digitally mass-produced and distributed which creates a large market for sales and profits, although not necessarily for the artist. Music Music is a common form of expression used to communicate current trends, politics, technology and socioeconomics. The most common genre of music today that expresses all of these messages is hip-hop music. Specifically â€Å"Gangsta rap represents part of a larger focus on hip hop and politics that is popular within the media and among scholarly research and the prominence of gangsta rap in the late 1980s and early 1990s prompted the association between hip hop and violence that contemporary social scientists theorize† (Gilliam, 2007). Architecture HUMANITIES TODAY 4 There are several different methods within modernism style of architecture. The modernist style looks for function rather than trying to reproduce the natural environment. There are several forms within the modernism style they include: structuralism, formalism, Bauhaus, the international style, brutalism, and minimalism. The features of modernism includes the fact there is little embellishment or decoration, man-made supplies are used (metal and concrete). Architects in the 20th century include I. M. Pei. In the Early Twentieth-Century modern architects used materials such as ferroconcrete and structural steel in conjunction with the cantilever to build beautiful ensembles. Frank Lloyd Wright (1869-1959), was one of the first American architects of world significance. He introduced a new style. He combined the new technology of steel and glass with the aesthetic principles of Asian architecture [ (Fiero, 2006) ]. In 1909 Wright completed the Robie House in Chicago. This marked the beginning of a long career creating memorable masterpieces. Today most of these techniques have inspired many of the current styles enjoyed by millions. Philosophy Philosophy is defined as a â€Å"comprehensive system of ideas about human nature and the nature of the reality we live in and is a guide for living, because the issues it addresses are basic  and pervasive, determining the course we take in life and how we treat other people† (Thomas, 2005). Major philosophers of the 20th century include Carl Jung, Albert Camus, and Bertrand Russell. Literature Literature provides readers a written composition comprised of current or previous cultural issues. According to the Department of State’s website â€Å"Social and economic advances have enabled previously underrepresented groups to express themselves more fully, while HUMANITIES TODAY 5 technological innovations have created a fast-moving public forum† (U. S. Department of State, 2007). One example of a current piece of literature is the novel, The Kite Runner. The book was written by Khaled Hosseini and â€Å"tells of childhood friends in Kabul separated by the rule of the Taliban† (U. S. Department of State, 2007) Conclusion The study of humanities is an ever changing journey. Humanities will changes with the questions and expression about every generation to come. Humanities are unique in that a quest for the purpose and meaning of the human life is being sought. As time goes on, the study of humanities will be become broader, taking with it all the questions of yesterday. HUMANITIES TODAY 6 References Drake, C. (2008, November). Did Michelangelo have a hidden agenda? The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://www. wsj. com/articles/SB122661765227326251 Fiero, G. K. (2011). The Humanistic Tradition Book 3: The European Renaissance, The Reformation, and Global Encounter. McGraw-Hill 6e Stanford University. (2015). Home of the Human Experience. Stanford University, Stanford, California. Retrieved from http://shc. stanford. edu/ Thomas, W. (2005). What is philosophy? Retrieved from http://objectivistcenter. org/cth409- FAQ_Philosophy. aspx.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

A Case Study On Aspergers Syndrome Education Essay

A Case Study On Aspergers Syndrome Education Essay The Aspergers Syndrome is a mild form of autism which is seen in children of school bearing age. Yet since it is a mild form of the neurobiological disorder, some children who are suffering from Aspergers Syndrome are enrolled in mainstream classroom in order to interact with other children without the disability. This research will disclose how a child who is suffering from Aspergers Syndrome might react into the learning development when they are exposed with other students. Over the years it has been noticed that it is not always in the best interests of children with Aspergers Syndrome, a mild form of autism to be working in groups in a mainstream classroom for their social development. Yet recent studies show that incorporating Aspergers children in mainstream schools might be able to help the childs social development. Those children whose needs are not at the severe end of the spectrum disorder were successfully included in mainstream schools and were able to cope accordingly. There will be a need for flexibility and recognition that the child may need some approaches different to those used for other learners. These techniques and practices will be disclosed in the latter parts of the paper. Currently the writer is working with a child who was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome. Though the child displays a mild form of autism, the child was enrolled in a mainstream school. Due to this, the researcher would want to determine how a mainstream classroom would be able to support this child. According to Downshen (2010), there are few facilities which specialises in providing the special needs of children diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome. Some of the children with this disorder were placed in mainstream schools, and their development would depend greatly upon the support and encouragement they can receive from parents, teachers, caregivers, and peers. For those other families, they prefer to place their children in a specialised institution for those with learning disabilities or autism. Many people with Aspergers Syndrome can function accordingly in most aspects, so the condition does not limit a childs development and success in academic and social standing. They will still be able to cope and learn as well as their peers in the classroom (ibid). Accordingly, in a study conducted by Epp (2008), she has indicated that kids with Aspergers Syndrome can still excel in mainstream classrooms and be enrolled in public schools. Since some schools do not accept children who have violent and screening behaviors, there is an instrument being used by schools to determine the verbal and cognitive skills of children. This tool will be discussed in detail in the latter parts of the study. Aspergers Syndrome is named after Hans Asperger, a paediatrician who first described the behaviour patterns which defines the illness. In 1940s, most of Aspergers patients who were suffering from the condition were males. Though they had normal language development and intelligence, the boys were impaired in their social skills, and have poor motor skills and coordination, as well as inefficient when communicating with other peers (Downshen, 2010). The illness was then diagnosed as a mild form of autism by the Asperger Syndrome Coalition of the United States. Most patients who suffer from the illness are children in the ages of 3 to 9 (Ibid). It is characterized by displaying poor social interactions, odd speech patterns, obsessive behaviours, and other unusual mannerisms in the age group of the child. Medical practitioners and educational staff were able to determine who among the children displays Aspergers Syndrome since sufferers have limited facial expressions and some were known to be obsessive in their routines. A small change in routine might set a tantrum, wherein the child would have unusual sensitivity to given sensory stimuli, such as sensing a bright light which the other kids are not able to see, and hearing a high-pitched sound which was unheard by other children. According to Downshen (2010), most children with Aspergers Syndrome were able to function and cope normally in daily activities. Aside from some odd behaviors and being socially immature, there are few other indicators that a child might be suffering from the illness. A child with Aspergers Syndrome might have motor delays, limited interests which would depend on routines, clumsiness, and unusual preoccupations. They tend to be aloof from other children with no social understanding of their actions. When they enter adulthood, they would have difficulty in demonstrating empathy for their peers, as well as be socially unable to relate to their peers. Some say that the disease lasts a lifetime with no immediate cures, yet the symptoms could wane over time, and early detection of the disease could help the child development in the areas wherein they need support (ibid). Similarly, Aspergers Syndrome is a part of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Autism Spectrum Disorders are a wide-range of developmental disabilities which includes but are is not limited to autism and other neurobiological disorders with similar characteristics and symptoms (ibid).The term spectrum disorders is made in such a way that symptoms are similar with each other, and though there different combinations of such symptoms, the degree of the illnesses severity could be on completely opposing sides. For example, two children might be diagnosed with the same neurobiological disorder, yet they might display different coping mechanisms and speeches. One might be extremely intelligent in academic works, but lacking in coordination skills in sports, whilst the other might be extremely gifted in physical activities, yet have a hard time coping with academic reports. There is a wide range of skills and abilities which could affect a child who is suffering from spectrum disorders (ibid). The study will only focus on the autism behaviour of Aspergers Syndrome, which is a mild form of autism. The researcher will not include studies and references for other forms of behaviours, and is limited on the study for AS only. The researcher does not wish to find a cure for the disorder, but aims to determine how to help children with AS be able to cope properly in mainstream classrooms without compromising their ability to learn. The research will focus on one case study of a boy with AS whom the researcher is currently working with. This boy is enrolled in a mainstream school and a mainstream classroom, both of which information will not be disclosed for the sake of keeping the boys personality and the schools name anonymous. The researcher does not wish to make the boy and the school as inanimate objects of the study, but would rather use them as a means of gathering information for the general welfare of children with AS. Lastly, the research will not include other documented cases of AS aside from the case study, except for references sake for the literature review. The educational instructors and practitioners in the said school will be interviewed for their opinions about the behaviour of the boy, and how he is able to cope in the mainstream school with his peers of the same age. The final format of this paper will contain six chapters. The first chapter is for the introduction, wherein the basics of the research would be disclosed. The Introduction would also contain the research questions and objectives. This would be followed by the second chapter which is the literature review which will inform the readers of what are articulately known today about the topic. All literatures which will be reviewed will be followed by the researchers narratives, explanations and opinions about them about the information they contain. There would be a confidentiality agreement between the participants of the case study, interviews, and other participants in the study. Before the start of the case study, the researcher will ask for the permission of parents and caregivers of the peers and classmates of the boy with AS. These caregivers and parents might have qualms about involving their children in such a study, but there could also be those who would willingly give their children the chance to be involved in such a complex study which could help children with AS in the future. After gaining the permission of the caregivers of children, the researcher will then set up the period of case study for the child with AS, and his educational providers and instructors. The researcher would establish the environment and basics of the case study, and will prepare all the needed materials to create a holistic environment. Finally, the researcher would give all educational instructors and participants their own forms for confidentiality agreement. They would be assured that their personal information will not be disclosed to any third party, and all results of the study would be purely academic. 3.8 Data Collection Methods Both primary and secondary data methodologies would be utilized in this research. The following would be the sources of data and information: 3.8.1 Primary Data All the primary data would be gathered from the primary sources of information of the researcher. These methodologies would be comprised of the case study, observation, and interviews with concerned individuals such as primary caregivers, parents, peers, and teachers of the child. They will be asked and gauged according to their proximity with the topic, as well as their experiences in coordinating with the child with AS. The primary data will also be taken from the researchers observation of the participants. These observations would be able to say a lot about the details of the research such as the credibility of their narratives and experiences. They will be asked about their experiences, and the researcher would be able to see how accurate their responses are based on their facial expressions and reasoning. 3.8.2 Secondary Data The secondary data would be derived from the contextual analysis to be done by the researcher. The researcher would perform a thorough and diverse investigation of the topic about recently published materials and articles for the line of research. The author would also indicate which among the materials are the most relevant to the study. 3.9 Conclusion The researcher would be an explanatory research with the interpretative approach which would be used to explain how the boy is coping up in a mainstream situation, as well as accurately interpret the situations and consequences of what the case study. After thoroughly explaining the researchs methodologies, the researcher have clarified the following: Case study the case study would be used in order to observe the child from his natural environment and how he is coping in a mainstream classroom for normal children. By having the case study, the researcher would be able to actively comprehend how practitioners could provide the child with adequate care for his situation. Observation the researcher would use the power of observation, such as observation sheets and narratives which would be compiled and scrutinized upon completion of the materials and data. Interviews people with close ties to the child would be interviewed for their intervention and advices about the topic, as well as how the child copes in an everyday setting. Contextual analysis by using this research method, the researcher would be able to understand how other experienced individuals have dealt with the research topic. These methods would help the research determine how working in a mainstream classroom will support a child with Aspergers Syndrome. He will also be gauged based on his ability to cope with other children who do not have neurobehavioral disorder, and how his learning in the classroom impacts the learning of other people. The researchs aims would be closely tied with the research methodologies. The data would be analyzed in a timely and accurate manner. The researcher would only focus on one child with Aspergers Syndrome, and focus on how he is coping and what are his needs in a mainstream environment. Doing such will keep the research accurate and valid. The narratives of other involved people would be judged according to their reactions and based on the observation, which would be based on how they react and answer questions. With the researcher asking in such close proximity, there would be little room for untruthful narratives.

Interpersonal Communication Styles Examined in My Big Fat Greek Wedding

Throughout the semester, we have been introduced to many topics related to interpersonal communication. I have come to believe that these concepts have allowed me to better understand interactions that occur in our daily lives. My knowledge of these concepts was challenged when asked to relate these notions to a movie. During the time that I was watching the movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, I realized myself grasping onto what was going on and being able to relate certain scenes and situations to topics I had previously learned about. Interactions in My Big Fat Greek Wedding display concepts of conflict and politeness theory, which can be pointed out in a few specific scenes. During the movie, I found that these concepts that were taught in class helped me better understand and relate to certain clips of the movie. Throughout the rest of the paper, I will be going into a bit more detail about exactly what these concepts are and mean, following that I will be giving examples from the movie that demonstrate the concepts of conflict and politeness theory. The movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding is about a 30-year old and single woman named Toula Portokalos who although has lived a very Greek life-style up to this point, decides to pursue a relationship with a non-Greek man. This, of course, is disturbing to her family since they are so proud about their culture, and do not really know anything different. Her whole life, Toula has been instilled with a very traditional Greek outlook on life. She has been expected to do three things: Marry a Greek boy, make Greek babies, and feed everyone until the day they die. Throughout the movie, Toula overcomes inner struggles to find her own identity, and she overcomes struggles with her family. The first topic that is found in the movie that was taught in class is conflict. Conflict is expressed disagreement over perceived incompatible goals. Although it may seem it, conflict is not always a negative thing. Conflict is needed and can help growth of relationships. Many conflicts are started because people have different conversational styles. In class, we learned that there are guidelines that one should follow in order to help prevent conflict or help solve it. The guidelines include clarifying goals, helping others save face, using constructive criticism skills, using empathic listening skills, monitoring nonverbal be... ...er try to think of a way to ask her father. They decide to make him think that he has come up with the idea. Toula?s mother could have flat out said that Toula wanted to work at the travel agency, but she instead decides to save his ?face?. She basically decides to ask him in an off-record way. It could be said that the mother manipulates the father in a very clever way, which was probably a good way to handle the situation. If she would have just asked him bald on record, or with some redress, about Toula working at the agency it may have started an argument. After completing this assignment, I am amazed on how much of a better understanding I have on these concepts. Not only am I able to connect them with situations in daily life, but even to the extent at which I can relate them to circumstances in a movie. The two topics that I chose to explore further and relate to the movie and each other were conflict and politeness theory. Not only did I realize my ability to connect such topics to fulfill this assignment, but I somehow feel that my future experiences watching movies or paying attention to others daily behaviors will be more analytical after completing this assignment.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Mass Storage (defined) :: essays research papers

A Mass Storage Device can be defined as: Any device used to supply relatively inexpensive storage for large amounts of data. A sort of jukebox for optical disks or tape cartridges. A mass storage unit can automatically load any disc or tape in its library to provide quick access to vast quantities of information. (Computer Dictionary, Third Edition by Donald Spence, Camelot Publishing) The text written for this paper will utilize several kilobytes of storage space. Several pictures are included in this paper. The pictures will utilize several hundred kilobytes of storage space. The finished paper will utilize about one megabyte of storage space - nearly an entire 3.5-inch floppy disk. But there is plenty of space on the hard drive. Or is there? This picture (from: www.storage.ibm.com/storageadsmhome.htm) illustrates typical amounts of storage space used by common files. Increased demand for storage space affects many people - from individuals (e.g. a Robert Morris College student) to corporations (e.g. USX). The solution for the student is an easy one. Purchase and install a larger hard drive. Or perhaps consider deleting those files from Speech Communications 2 class. The corporation will tackle this problem differently then the student will. One possible option is the use of Mass Storage. Four types of Mass Storage technologies will be discussed: Hard Drives, Optical Disks, Tape Systems and the idea of HSM. The main idea all of these technologies is to end up with additional storage space - especially hard drive space. Hard Drive Storage Hard Drive Technologies could be compared to the hard drive of a personal computer or to floppy disks. Data and programs are stored on magnetic coated disks. Hard drives are fast, but they are expensive. The capacity of hard drives is increasing. Computer Shopper magazine recently featured a 50 gigabyte hard drive. Additionally, the price of hard drive storage has been decreasing. But to continually purchase addition hard drive space may not be the most efficient business choice. Older files may hold great value. Deleting them to free up more space may not be an option. Removable disk drives can be used to free up hard drive space. A Zip Drive can hold 250 megabytes of data. A Jazz Drive can hold up to 2 gigabytes. Storage can also be increased using RAID technology. RAID is the acronym for Redundant Array of Independent Disks. RAID is a storage device that can hold and control multiple hard drives.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Soul Catchers :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Soul Catchers†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A most interesting film detailing the history and role of the prophet in the Jewish tradition. The first question we must explore is what a prophet is. A prophet by definition is a person who speaks by divine inspiration. Others will say that a prophet is one whose eye is open. A person who can see things that others cannot. In order to understand the prophets and their appearance in history we must first understand the politics of the times. In the eleventh century BCE Israel is divided into twelve tribes. The prophet Samuel is called upon to bring the people under one ruler or king and lead Israel into a monarchy. However this brings a major split and for the first time we find a military and political leader, the King, along with a spiritual leader, or the prophet. The prophet played the role of moral keeper and would make sure that the King was ruling justly and keeping the Law of God. Prophets began to travel in packs receiving the presence of God through trace like states. The prophet Elijah emerges out of these traveling prophets around 886 BCE and begins to speak publicly. Elijah had a big problem with the King. The Kings lady was from a pagan religion and had brought about the worship of other Gods. Elijah addresses the King publicly and challenges the other Gods to make fire. They of course can’t match the Big Guy and Elijah triumphs and rides away into the sky leaving behind his robe passing on the power of prophecy. So ends the spoken prophets. Later around 792 BCE, the writing prophets come about with the powerful speaker Amos. Amos says a bunch of things that no one wants to hear such as the downfall of Israel’s Northern Kingdom and the death of the King. Then he really upsets everyone by saying that Israel will be sent into exile. About 742 BCE the most known prophet, Isaiah comes on the scene. Now this far out guy walks the streets naked for three years telling the King not to ally with the Assyrians. He also speaks of how Jerusalem will be saved from the Assyrians. The Assyrians don’t invade Jerusalem but the Northern Kingdom is destroyed just as Amos predicted fifty years earlier. Finally one of the last and least liked of the prophets comes about around 626 BCE and his name is Jeremiah.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Sarbanes-Oxley Act Acc 403- Auditing

SARBANES-OXLEY ACT ACC 403- AUDITING PROFESSOR August 19, 2012 The Sarbanes-Oxley Act was placed into effect July 2002; the act introduced major changes to the regulation of corporate governance and financial practice. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act was named after Senator Paul Sarbanes and Representative Michael Oxley, who were the main architects that set a number of non-negotiable deadlines for compliance. The organization for Economic Cooperation and Development was one of the first non- government organizations to spell out the principles that should govern the corporate and issued the OECD Principles of Corporate Governance.The Sarbanes Oxley Act also known as Public Company Accounting Reform and Information Protection Act and Corporate and Auditing Accountability and Responsibility Act. It is a federal law that set various principles for all the U. S. companies to detect and evade fraud. It detects the scandals in the securities markets when the share prices of securities are affected . The act requires the Securities and Exchange Commission to implement rulings on requirements to comply with the law. It created a new agency called Public Company Accounting Oversight Board which regulates, oversees and inspects the role of auditors of public companies.The act covers auditor’s independence, corporate governance, internal control assessment and financial disclosures. The Sarbanes–Oxley contains 11 titles that describe specific mandates and requirements for financial reporting. Each title consists of several sections, which are the following below: I. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB): provides independent oversight of public accounting firms providing audit services and creates a central oversight board tasked with registering auditors. II.Auditors Independence: establishes standards for external auditor independence to limit conflicts of interest and states new auditor approval requirements, audit partner rotation, and auditor reporti ng requirements. III. Corporate Responsibility: mandates that senior executives take  individual responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of corporate financial reports. It defines the interaction of external auditors and corporate audit committees, and specifies the responsibility of corporate officers for the accuracy and validity of corporate financial reports. IV.Enhanced Financial Disclosure: describes enhanced reporting requirements for financial transactions, including off-balance-sheet transactions, pro-forma figures and stock transactions of corporate officers. It requires internal controls for assuring the accuracy of financial reports and disclosures, and mandates both audits and reports on those controls. V. Analyst Conflict of Interest: includes measures designed to help restore investor confidence in the reporting of securities analysts. It defines the codes of conduct for securities analysts and requires disclosure of knowable conflicts of interest. VI.Commi ssion Resources and Authority: defines practices to restore investor confidence in securities analysts, and defines the SEC’s authority to censure or bar securities professionals from practice and defines conditions under which a person can be barred from practicing as a broker, advisor, or dealer. VII. Studies and Reports: requires the Comptroller General and the SEC to perform various studies and report their findings. Studies and reports include the effects of consolidation of public accounting firms, the role of credit rating agencies in the operation of securities markets, securities violations and enforcement actions.VIII. Corporate and Criminal Fraud Responsibility: It describes specific criminal penalties for manipulation, destruction or alteration of financial records or other interference with investigations, while providing certain protections for whistle-blowers. IX. White Collar Crime Penalty Enhancement: It recommends stronger sentencing guidelines and specifica lly adds failure to certify corporate financial reports as a criminal offense. X. Corporate Tax Returns: Section 1001 states that the Chief Executive Officer should sign the company tax return. XI.Corporate Fraud Responsibility: It identifies corporate fraud and records tampering as criminal offenses and joins those offenses to specific penalties. It also revises sentencing guidelines and strengthens their penalties. Prior to Sarbanes Oxley act, auditing firms were self regulatory. It may happen several times that challenging the counts of the companies damage the relationship with the clients. The frauds of the companies cannot be detected easily. There are many risks associated with the auditing report since it will not be able to report the actual position of the companies.The Sarbanes Oxley act states that it shall be unlawful to contravenes the provisions of the commission because it is not in the public interest or it is unprotected for investors, for any other person to take any action to fraudulently influence, manipulate, coerce and mislead any independent person in the performance of preparing the audit report of the financial statements of any concern. The most important aspect in the financial statement is to follow and regulate the internal control system of the organization.This is the most important point in this act as it detects that the internal control system of the corporations is sound or not. It wants to report about the internal control system of the organization so that the actual picture of the organization can be reflected easily in front of the members of the companies and the investors. Since the main motto of Sarbanes Oxley act is to protect the investors it has to report about the internal weakness and strengths of the companies to give a true picture of the company. It requires management to report the following points: * The operating effectiveness of internal control related to the significant accounts which affects the materia lity of the account or from which the material misstatement risks can be occurred. * The flow of transactions so that it should be understood that whether there is any material misstatement could arise or not. * Evaluate the control of the company to record the components of COSO framework. * Perform the fraud risk assessment of the organizations. * Evaluate the control performance to detect and evade the errors. * Evaluate the control performance to detect and evade the fraud. Evaluate the work of the management to ensure that whether they consider the basic elements like objectivity, competency and risks. * Evaluate the internal control over financial reporting. * Evaluate the size and complexity of the company. The findings of Sarbanes Oxley act incorporate a code of Best Practices on Director’s Remuneration. The four main issues which were dealt with as follows: * The role of Remuneration Committee in setting the remuneration packages for the CEO and other directors. * Th e required level of isclosure needed to shareholders regarding details of director’s remuneration and whether there is the need to obtain shareholder approval. * Specific guidelines for determining a remuneration policy for directors and * Service contracts and provisions binding the Company to pay compensation to a director, particularly in the event of dismissal for unsatisfactory performance. The important recommendation was the establishment of Remuneration Committee of Non- Executive Directors which would be responsible for deciding the remuneration of executive directors.The majority of the recommendations of the committee were incorporated in the Listing Rules of the London Stock Exchange. The principles of corporate governance are evolved as under: * Sustainable development of all the stakeholders- it ensures the growth of all the individuals associated with or effected by the enterprise on sustainable basis. * Effective management and distribution of wealth- it ensur es that enterprise creates maximum wealth and judiciously uses the wealth so created for providing maximum benefits to all the stakeholders and enhancing its wealth creation capabilities to maintain sustainability. Discharge of social responsibility- it ensures that enterprise is acceptable to the society in which it is functioning. * Application of best management practices- it ensures excellence in functioning of enterprise and optimum creation of wealth on sustainable basis. * Compliance of law in letter and spirit- it ensures value enhancement for all stakeholders guaranteed by the law for maintaining socio-economic balance. * Adherence to ethical standards—it ensures integrity, transparency, independence and accountability in dealings with all stakeholders.The Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Department of Public Enterprises has issued Guidelines on Corporate Governance for Central Public Sector Enterprises. For the purpose of evolving Guidelines on c orporate governance, Central Public Sector Enterprises have been categorized into two groups, namely – 1. Those listed in the stock exchange and 2. Those not listed in the stock exchange. Some claim that the financial activities of publicly traded companies are still severely nder-regulated while others hold that SOX was necessary, but that some of its requirements are not cost-effective which I believe will change over time. Reference * Arens, A. , Elder, R. J. , & Beasley, M. (2010). ACCT 403: Auditing and assurance services: 2010 custom edition (14th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. * http://www. soxlaw. com/ * http://searchcio. techtarget. com/definition/Sarbanes-Oxley-Act * http://www. sec. gov/about/laws. shtml * http://www. sec. gov/news/testimony/090903tswhd. htm * http://www. sox-online. com/basics. html

Friday, August 16, 2019

Exposing Social, Economic and Historical Realities Through Marxism

Exposing Social, Economic and Historical Realities through Marxism Karl Marx was a theorist of the Realism period, this time period brought a revealing of the truth and great change with a shift toward more democratic governments. Marx concerned himself with realistic issues that carried over in literature even though he was not a literary critic. Many writers during this time wrote realistically, writing stories that represented their own lives with minor changes or of their surroundings. Both, D. H.Lawrence, author of â€Å"Odour of Chrysanthemums† and William Faulkner, author of â€Å"A Rose for Emily†, are products of their time with accurately representing their social, economic and historical realities of alienation through their works. The Realism period brought a severe separation between the three social classes; the aristocracy did not commonly form relationships between the proletariat and bourgeoisie unless it consisted of work and the same goes for relation ships between the proletariat and bourgeoisie classes.Often times even people within the same class did not socialize because their cold and lackluster surroundings reflected onto their social relationships. Elizabeth Bates from â€Å"Odour of the Chrysanthemums† did not socialize with the other miners wives and mothers and even her husband because she was a product of her surroundings, â€Å"the fields were dreary and forsaken, and in the marshy strip that led to the whimsy, a reedy pit-pond, the fowls had already abandoned their run among the alders†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg. 51).One would think that with surroundings like this socialization with others would make it more bearable but it has the opposite effect, making the only incentive to go outside either for Walter to provide for the family, go to the bar which would make Elizabeth resent Walter or for Elizabeth to meet John or Annie on their way home from school. Emily Grierson in â€Å"A Rose for Emily† represents the opposing spectrum; Emily is from an Old South aristocracy but is also socially alienated from her surroundings.The change the Realism period brings for Emily is a more modern outlook for society, Emily comes from an old fashioned way of doings things that the younger generation looks forward to changing and because she is one of the few that represent and participate in old southern traditions she further alienates herself from her town while everything but her and her house change, â€Å"only Miss Emily’s house was left, lifting its stubborn and coquettish decay above the cotton wagons and gasoline pumps—an eye-sore among eyesores† (pg. 86).Emily can be understood as deeming her surroundings lackluster compared to her vivacious and lively southern traditions that she has worked to keep alive even though the town is moving forward without her, â€Å"when the next generation, with its more modern ideas , became mayors and alderman, this arrangement created some little dissatisfaction† (pg. 86), Emily will only suffer more from lack of socialization because no middle ground can be sought where she is not willing to change and where the younger generation will only become more modernized.Elizabeth Bates and Emily Grierson are accurately portrayed by D. H. Lawrence and William Faulkner’s realization of social hardships faced during the realism period that alienated people from society. Money is the single most distinctive factor in the hierarchy of classes and the Realism period made the effort to reveal the injustices of poverty and slavery that society was forced to deal with during this time. The economic injustices during this time made the separation of classes even greater with the rich becoming richer and the poor hitting a new low.Elizabeth Bates represents the proletariat class and represents the extremity of some working class families by relocating so Walter can better provide for their family in â€Å"Odour of Chrys anthemums†. Economically, the alienation between her and Walter stems from the fact that he works long hours in the mine and then chooses to spend his earnings at the local bar,† he was merely drinking over there at the ‘Prince of Wales’ (pg. 56).While Walter works Elizabeth’s very limited past times include sewing and making clothes for their children, â€Å"he was dressed in trousers and waistcoat of cloth that was too thick and hard for the size of garments. They were evidently cut down from a man’s clothes (pg. 51), the Bates family is already alienated by being a part of the working class but Elizabeth alienates herself further when their money tight situation is stressed when the family cannot provide new clothes for their children but Walter is blowing money at the bar. A Rose for Emily† offers a different outlook on the economic issues surrounding inequality, Emily coming from the aristocracy class owns a Negro slave named Tobe, this is not uncommon in the Old South but considered unethical as the realism period reveals socio-economic injustices. Already alienated because of Emily’s southern traditions, owning a slave in a town where there are a majority of bourgeoisie and proletariat families who did not own slaves, makes the town feel as though she is using her wealth for the wrong reason.Granted there is no indication that Emily treats Tobe inhumanely he is still used as a servant, â€Å"†¦Tobe! The Negro appeared. Show these gentlemen out† (pg. 87) and often ran errands for her â€Å"†¦and the only sign of life about the place was the Negro man—a young man then—going in and out with a market basket† (pg. 88). Given two very different views on the economic injustices of this time shows, regardless of class, the alienation in this period is prominent due to the financial situations of families and differing of classes.Both, â€Å"Odour of Chrysanthemums† and â€Å"A Rose for Emily† were written in the Realism period, where writers wanted to accurately portray everyday life and the historical background behind each story brings understanding to the alienation and struggles of each character. The historical background behind â€Å"Odour of Chrysanthemums† consists of a time where coal was the leading energy source and the men that became coal miners normally came from a long family line of previous coal miners.The areas in which the coal mines were located were often wastelands which had no other purpose than to retrieve coal from and reflected the lives of the people who worked in them who led uneventful and unrewarding lives. The social and economic alienation of the Bates family stems from being financially unstable. Oddly enough, in â€Å"A Rose for Emily† Emily Grierson’s social and economic alienations are rooted in the exact opposite reason of the Bates family, because she belongs to the aristocracy class.Emily lives in the Old South in the time where many of the old southern traditions are dying out and many people of her age have already passed. Emily is unwilling to change with the new order of the younger generations which socially alienates her and manages to hold onto her wealth in a town where few aristocrats live making her the minority. Historically, the background during the Realism time period offers more understanding for â€Å"Odor of Chrysanthemums† and â€Å"A Rose for Emily† and why their alienation is caused by the same yet different social and economic issues.Karl Marx revolutionized literature in a way he could have never imagined; by wanting to study the historical view and notion of class struggle he created realism in literature. William Faulkner and D. H. Lawrence capitalized on this and became famous writers of their time; both â€Å"Odour of Chrysanthemums† and â€Å"A Rose for Emily† were the outputs of their author’ s time period. Both authors represented the social, economic and historical realities of their main characters that experienced alienation from society and even members in their own families and portrayed everyday life during the Realism period.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Behaviorism, Cognitivism and Humanism Essay

Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Behaviorism, Cognitivism and Humanism belong perhaps to the most extensively developed theories in the field of early Psychology. Their roots are said to draw from a heritage of scholarships developed by key thinkers as early as the 1900’s. And as specific facets of science, their unifying goal is to explicate human behavior neither through arbitrary and random observations nor unsubstantiated conclusions, but through a more rigorous process of â€Å"scientific investigation† (Moskowitz & Orgel, 1967, p. 107).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This paper attempts to successfully describe the three theories cited, and thus put them in conversation with one another. In the process, this paper wishes to bring into the fore key similarities and relative differences that may be gleaned from such a presentation. Three Psychological Theories .  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Behaviorism is a theory that operates on the underlying assumption that the concrete manifestations of human behavior are nothing but the result of identifiable causes or influences. Put in other words, the core contention of behaviorism lies in understanding human behavior in the context of its reactions to various stimuli (Behaviorism, 2007). Key to this theory is operative principle of external reinforcements; i.e., behaviorism takes the nature of human behavior as sufficiently explainable through the outside forces acting on it. For instance, Ivan Pavlov in 1900 was able to demonstrate in his experiment that the â€Å"salivation reflexes† of dogs can be â€Å"controlled† using external conditioning. By associating dog feeding sessions with secondary stimuli (say, bell ringing) it was learned that dogs eventually tended to react to these â€Å"secondary† forces inasmuch as they do with primary stimuli. The idea that goes with the experiment was to establish the â€Å"prediction and control of behavior† (Wozniak, 1997). As a result, many thinkers picked up this admirable concept, and, using Pavlov’s investigation, a number of psychologists began studying the how â€Å"classical conditioning† can be applied to human beings. (Moskowitz & Orgel, 1967, p. 107). If only to mention, other notable proponents of this theory include J. Watson, B.F. Skinner, and E. Thorndlike.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Since behaviorism gives higher premium than most on the importance of looking at the external forces affecting human behavior, it has a tendency to depreciate, if not all together deny the concept of human consciousness, or internal workings of the mind (Wozniak, 1997). Behaviorism â€Å"assumes that the learner is essentially passive†, in that one’s behavior relies heavily on external forces to achieve its concrete form. In many ways, this theory takes human behavior as tabula rasa; i.e., a sheet wiped clean for external experiences to start building into. Thus, it claims that human behavior â€Å"can be explained without the need to consider internal mental states† (Behaviorism, 2007). In what appears to be a direct critique to the behaviorist theory, the Cognitive psychological theory meanwhile believes that human learning is a process that involves putting into use what already is present within the human framework. Put in other words, instead of taking the human person as a tabula rasa, adherents of the cognitive theory seem to understand a person as a black box – a repository of internal processors that enable one to achieve learning. Cognitivism was said to gain a fair amount of attention from among the diverse psychological circles in the 1960’s. And noted theorists affiliated to this theory include Merill, Reigeluth, Gagne, Briggs, Wager, among others (Cognitivism, 2007). A few significant differences may be gleaned from juxtaposing the two theories cited thus far. First, unlike behaviorism, cognitivism tends to pay closer attention to establishing inner mental workings of a person to explain human behavior. Cognitivists reject the notion that the behavioral manifestations of a human person are explainable by solely citing external factors. One can perhaps consider how human persons possess a unique manner of gaining insights apart from outside experiences. For instance, if a child were to be given Lego constructs to play with, it would be utterly difficult to explain how he or she can in the process end up building certain formation such as dolls, guns or planes if one were to only see a child from the perspective of stimulus-response perspective. If only to argue, there is no stimulus-response framework to begin with. Instead, one needs to look at the whole experience of the child from the point of view of insight building. For, according to Moskowitz and Orgel, â€Å"the ability of the organism to manipulate symbols seems to be an essential component in insightful behavior† (1967, p. 135). Second, unlike behaviorism, cognitivism does not subscribe to the concept of persons as â€Å"programmed animals† (Cognitivism, 2007). Far more critical, cognitive theorists reject any notion claiming that human persons are but passive recipients of external forces – helpless, as they were, in the entire process of behavior formation or learning process. On the contrary, cognitive theorists believe that human persons are very much involved in their learning process and progress, inasmuch as they take part and are highly responsible in their actions. In sum, cognitivists take â€Å"mental processes such as thinking, memory, knowing, and problem-solving† as issues of paramount importance (Cognitivism, 2007). It can be noted that the psychological theories thus far cited involve attempts to resolve the tension between external and internal forces affecting human behavior. In view of the foregoing discussions, it seems that the Humanistic psychological perspective can prove to be a theory that can somewhat integrate the conflicting claims of both the Behaviorist and Cognitivist theories. The basic contention of Humanistic perspective lies in seeing human persons as organisms drawn towards motivational learning. Popular proponents of this theory include A. Maslow, K. Rogers, and M. Knowles (Humanist Theories, 2007). Under this scheme, a person’s behavior is taken within the context of his or her aspirations, motivations, needs, and values. And these aspects, if only to argue, stem from the a person’s interaction with his or her environment, coupled with an inherent capacity to appropriate these influences into one’s own worldview (Moskowitz & Orgel, 1967, p. 340). Like Behaviorism, this theory affirms the crucial role of external influences in the manner a person comes up with value system. Like Cognitivism, this theory also affirms the fact that learning uses â€Å"reflection†¦(as) guides for active experimentation and the choice of new experience† (Humanistic Theories, 2007). Unlike the two theories however, Humanistic psychology does not confine itself to a more restricted approach to understanding human behavior. Key to understanding this theory therefore lies in the concept of self-appropriation – a process that involves putting into a successful integration both the external and internal aspects of human behavior. Conclusion This paper now ends with a thought that indeed, the three psychological theories that were discussed hereinabove do manifest distinctive differences. But two strains of similarities can be drawn between and among them nevertheless. The first points to the fact that all the above cited theories employ scientific methods in arriving at their sacred contentions. In fact, like most behavioral sciences, Behaviorism, Cognitivism and Humanism rely heavily on scientific methodologies to substantiate their proposed theories. Secondly, it needs to be acknowledged that these theories all contribute to the furthering of knowledge pertinent to the science of human behavior. Despite their differences, their contribution to the already rich heritage of the science of psychology seems very patent, if not all together undeniable. References Learning Theories Knowledgebase. (2007). â€Å"Behaviorism†. Retrieved from,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   < http://www.learning-theories.com/category/behaviorist-theories> Learning Theories Knowledgebase. (2007). â€Å"Cognitivism†. Retrieved from,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Learning Theories Knowledgebase. (2007). â€Å"Humanist Theories†. Retrieved from,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Moskowitz, M. and Orgel, A. (1969). General Psychology. A Core Text in Human Behavior.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Boston, Houghton Mifflin Company. Wozniak, R. (1997). â€Å"Behaviourism: The Early Years†. Retrieved from,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

“Lord of the Flies” William Golding Scenes Essay

In an essay about his novel â€Å"Lord of the Flies†, William Golding wrote: â€Å"The boys try to construct a civilisation on the island; but it breaks down in blood and terror because the boys are suffering from the terrible disease of being human†. Discuss your own response to the novel in light of this statement. When the boys all arrive on the island, due to their plane crashing while on the way to be evacuated, they find themselves in beautiful surroundings, a place which appears to be completely uninhabited with only them, no girls or adults. While on the island they attempt to establish a society among themselves. Quite early on in the novel the reader is introduced to the three main characters of Golding’s novel, Ralph, Jack and Piggy, and immediately we are struck with their contrasting personalities, which shape the way things turn out on the island from the very beginning. As soon as they’re on the island Piggy and Ralph discover the conch, a shell that becomes both the boys’ only symbol of hope and democracy. When they first discover it in the sea, and finally retrieve it, it is Piggy, who first suggests the idea of using it to call a meeting, â€Å"We can use this to call the others. Have a meeting.† This is the first attempt to organise things on the island. Once a meeting is called we see straight away the contrast in the two boys of which contention for leadership will hang. Jack Merridew appears to be stronger, more outspoken, determined and his strict ruling is seen when ruling over his choir, as head chorister. Demonstrating his authority to the rest of the group as if presenting them with a warning, showing them that people will obey him, even it was unenthusiastic, monotonous obedience, and that he has that power over this small group of choir boys. His society of which we later see, is not one of democracy, unlike Ralph’s, but a dictatorship, held together by fear. Demonstrating Ralph’s nature and ideas, â€Å"Seems we ought to have a chief to decide things† He continues to pursue his original ideas of getting some kind of order within the group, but immediately, after hearing the mention of chief, Jack Merridew takes it upon himself to assume that he should be chief. This complete arrogance and assumption displayed by Jack creates the first tension between Jack and Ralph, although Jack seems to have forgotten they are no longer in a normal, civilised environment of home, but stranded on a desert island, in the need to be rescued. In order to make a fair decision, it is a vote which decides who will be chief on the island, although Jack seems the obvious leader, it is Ralph’s authoritative silence and the fact that he has the conch, which seems to win him the title of chief. Despite Jacks obvious embarrassment of being declined the right to be chief, â€Å"Jack’s face disappeared under a blush of mortification.† Ralph through his kind-heartedness and generosity feels it necessary to offer Jack something, â€Å"The choir belongs to you of course.† This perhaps in a peace offering, or rather to prevent later disruption of peace due to Jacks obvious annoyance at not being chief. Jack decides that his responsibility of the choir will become hunters. We see that later this is one of the greatest weapons that Jack uses in order gain more people into his society or â€Å"tribe†, by the fact that he has that power to determine whether they get meat or not. Ralph begins to think what needs to be done on the island, and starts to set tasks and rules. Now apparent to the reader that Ralph the new chief of the group has begin to set up some sort of society, one which is fair, orderly and democratic – a civilisation, an attempt to mimic the society which he, and the rest of the group were brought up in and so used to. â€Å"We’ve got to have rules and obey them. After all, we’re not savages. We’re English†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This is a good indication of Ralph’s society, the one he wants to try and create as well as the one he came from. In order to form this society they are in need of more rules and lots of organisation. Ralph decides that the most important thing on the island would be the fire which they should keep burning at all time, in order for them to have any chance of being rescued, because naturally a rescue is of paramount importance, for all of them, â€Å"We’ve got to have special people for looking after the fire. Any day there may be a ship†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The idea of having a fire burning constantly, is of course a very good idea, but as a lot of the ideas which follow this one, everyone is eager to help initially, but after the excitement and ‘glamour’ wear off, so does interest in the task at hand and the number of people contributing to helping dwindle down to almost nothing, â€Å"When the meeting was over they’d work for five minutes then wander off or go hunting.† This is a prime example of how things deteriorate within society due to the lack of interest and commitment, but we as human beings, are of course the first to complain to others when something is not done. This is demonstrated through the boys, and in the end its Ralph, Piggy, Sam and Eric who are left to complete the jobs. The failure to keep the fire going is another example, â€Å"You let the fire out† This lost them the chance they had of an early rescue, because Jack thought it more necessary to kill a pig over being rescued. One could say that they were so caught up in the moment, at the prospect of having a relatively decent meal, or at least an alternative to fruit, that they did not notice the ship, and forgot to keep the fire going or that they were drawn into partaking in the ritual of killing the pig. Ralph obviously furious at this diminishment of responsibility, a task that is not hard, yet of such great importance was neglected. One could say that the remainder of the rules Ralph sets up in a desperate attempt to create a society of which he leads as a result of democratic voting, slowing diminishes from here onwards, even if it is in the simplest of tasks. Quite obviously if all members of the group worked together, things would happen much more quickly and efficiently because on the island some things can not be done single-handedly, â€Å"How could I, all by myself?† This is another good example of how people sometimes cannot do everything by themselves and require help from others, but as Piggy said, he was unable to gather all the names of the younger children all by himself, so yet again what started off as a sensible idea, failed because of lack of help. I think that this is a good representation of how society needs to work all together in order to achieve things, and that people are unable to achieve this, when they are left to do it by themselves, but because of our natural instinct as human beings, we lose interest in what we are meant to be doing, and more often than not to our own detriment. I think that this is one of the things that Golding is trying to demonstrate to us. But because the two strongest boys on the island – Jack and Ralph, failed to work together and reach an agreement, it lead to a break up involving blood and terror, and eventually a split into two different civilisations. There are further rules that are made on the island in order to create some sort of civilisation on the grounds of basic cleanliness and hygiene, one of which was that the boys would go to the toilet on the rocks, another was that fresh water would be stored in coconut shells, so it was always available. Both these rules seem to disintegrate over a short period of time, however I think one of the most significant signs that their society is breaking down, due to natural human instinct and behaviour, is the building of the shelters. I think the whole process in which this happens, alone represents what is going on throughout the island. When the idea is first suggested everyone joins in with enthusiasm, but slowly the building of the shelters breaks down and there seems to be more important things to do on the island as the boys lose interest, therefore the number of people who are building decreases and with it the level of work and standard of the shelters. â€Å"We all built the first one, four of us the second one, and me ‘n’ Simon built the last one over there† Although at the end of the day, there were only a couple of the boys helping to build the shelters, it is clear that every one of the boys needed to have the shelters, not physically but emotionally, they need somewhere to call ‘home’, to provide them as human beings, that natural desire to feel secure and safe. â€Å"So we need shelters as a sort of – † † Home† This need for security stems from their self – created fear of this beast, that supposedly inhabits the island, and their need to protect themselves from it. As if stepping onto a slippery slope this outlines their rapid downfall, this is seen when Jack evidently forms a ‘tribe’ like group of hunters. This escalates into dancing, singing ritual like songs, and the killing of pigs on the island. Perhaps the most gruesome of the killing of the pigs is when the boys ruthlessly attack a mothering sow and her piglets. A picture of complete innocence, vulnerability and maternal bliss that is unnecessarily disrupted. â€Å"the great bladder of her belly was fringed with a row of piglets that slept or burrowed or squeaked† The reader is presented with such a horrific and violent picture of the blood and terror, that we forget that we are dealing with little boys, the sheer terror displayed by this susceptible and undeserving mother with her offspring, make it very clear how things begin to break up in such a manner, â€Å"the terrified squealing became a high – pitched scream† We question what the motives were to do this, but even as Ralph said shortly after, he himself took part in the role – playing game, by which Robert pretended to be a pig. This activity passes over the boundaries of a game, and Robert is in visible pain, but still the boy’s stab at him with spears. â€Å"The desire to squeeze and hurt was over-mastering† This simple quote could explain why both these terribly abnormal and shocking things take place. It is because human beings are drawn into the sheer excitement of the ‘moment’ and seem to be pulled along with what everyone else is doing; much like what occurs in gang attacks in today’s society. There is a lot of doubt surrounding whether people in the gang would have attacked their same victim if they had been alone. This also applies to the boys. Even the nicest of the group – Ralph is pulled in and feels the need to join in with the game, despite his original hesitant attitude. This displays to us human beings’ natural instinct to explore and also the weakness within us and our lack of ability to ‘stand alone’, and that every one of us have this desire to search and explore as well as lack of mental strength but alone the desire to hurt, and how we would pursue this desire, if given the opportunity. We see the boys’ thrill in killing the sow, in the blood on their hands, and the total exhilaration, â€Å"He giggled and flinked them, while the boys laughed at his reeking palms† This is a disturbing image of the boys taking complete joy in killing her, and even certain sexual connotations which could be linked to their actions, â€Å"wedded to her in lust† This is not how human beings are meant to act but Golding tries to show us the disturbing truth. Golding is showing us the results of this terrible disease that we all suffer from, which is being human. He is trying to demonstrate to us what terrible things human beings do and are capable of. We see it displayed in every day life, in a psychopathic killer for example, whose actions often have sexual links to what he or she does. Even though we see this in everyday life, people are made to see it in this microcosm on the island more clearly, and a question is asked on the island, one that society does not often ask, perhaps because we are too afraid of what the answer might be, â€Å"What makes things break up like they do?† Piggy does ask this question, because he starts to realise things on the island are beginning to deteriorate. Through this microcosm we are reminded of what is going on in the outside world and that there is a war going on outside, it is clear that when the Naval officer comes to rescue them, that human beings are so blind to what is happening around us, we don’t recognise what we are doing, â€Å"I should have thought that a pack of British boys†¦ – would have been able to put up a better show than that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The Naval officer says this as well as ignorantly, jokingly asks whether people have died, unaware that people have actually died. So the horror starts to emerge. It is ironic that the officer says this, as he does not recognise that he himself, as a British adult is in the same position as these boys and that he too is fighting a war. That the ship that he has come to rescue them in is a battle ship and the reason that these boys were stranded on this island is because their plane was shot down and the maimed remains of their pilot lie on top of the hill, because of the war that he is partaking in. This is why this novel is seen as a fable, because Golding is trying to illustrate to the reader how we don’t see what we are doing to fellow human beings, as well as the world that we live in, and this is because we are human, and sadly we cannot help it. When Simon, the quieter member of the group, goes off by himself, almost as a type of mediation and a search for peace, as an escape from the chaos, which surrounds him. When alone Simon hallucinates, and in this trance, during an imaginary conversation with ‘Lord of the Flies’, demonstrates how close to the truth he comes. He begins to see what’s going on; on the island and that it is only themselves they have to fear. All the terror, which haunts every one of them on the island, is of their own making. It shows there is no beast, the only evil there is, is in humans and the only threat to a beautiful world is humans. â€Å"You knew didn’t you? I’m part of you. Close, close, close! I’m the reason why it’s no go. Why things are what they are.† By writing this, Golding is trying to show the reader that, because we’re human, it is only ourselves we have to fear, because of our natural instinct as human beings, we create what we fear; we alone destroy the world in which we live. All human beings naturally have the power to destruct, and we are the only ones who can stop it. I think that this is what he is trying to say, and has shown it through the boys, through the way that their own civilisation breaks up in blood and terror. In this blood and terror, a war begins to develop between the two societies, which divide the boys. The one is the original democratic society of which Ralph still tries desperately to remain loyal to. The other, which has now developed, is that of Jacks society, which is ruled by fear and threat. He uses his hunting power against them by bribing them with the fact that he is the one that provides them with meat but, as well as providing it, he also has the power, to deny them of it, â€Å"Jack meant to refuse meat as an assertion of power†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Jack unfairly teases the boys with the power he has over them, but eventually he always seems to give it to them. By doing this, the boys respect him, but he also expects them to remain forever grateful for his offering. Bribing them to become a member of his society, â€Å"Who’ll join my tribe and have fun?† Jack is offering fun and excitement, while Ralph is still trying to remind them of and grasp at their old democratic society. Sadly the rest of the boys do not possess enough courage to stand up for their rights and for what they believe in, they cowardly decided to leave Ralph’s group, again possibly due to the weakness of human nature, to go and ‘work’ for Jack. I use the word ‘work’ because in a way this is what the boys find themselves doing- working for this god like figure, which Jack and created for himself. â€Å"the chief has spoken† He is almost worshipped by the boys, and now there is even some sort of taboo surrounding the word ‘Jack’. This unbelievable, yet real, worshipping of Jack is hard to grasp, yet it is because he is the giver of meat. Once again displaying how weak we as human beings are. Even though Ralph doesn’t join Jacks tribe, he does find himself eating the meat. He is embarrassed by this fact, although he is only exercising his human nature, â€Å"He meant to refuse meat but his past diet of fruit and nuts†¦gave him too little resistance.† He loses his will-power when meat is involved because of his hunger, his ideals and morals, seem to fall by the way side for a short amount of time- much like any other human being would do, and he is embarrassed by the fact that he has eaten the meat. This need for food could have been one of the reasons that Piggy and Ralph were involved in killing Simon. But I think the main reason was their natural need for security and safety within a group, after they were left alone, following the departure of the rest of the boys, to follow Jack, they were alone, away from home, overtaken with fear. This fear led them to Jacks part of the island, because they wanted company, they didn’t want to be alone, â€Å"Piggy and Ralph, under the threat of the sky found themselves eager to take a place in this demented but partly secure society† Being human beings they craved refuge and protection even if it was in a mad frenzy of a society. Once there, they found themselves being drawn in and evidently taking part in the killing of one of the kindest boys on the island. This is ironic because this was the boy who was going to save them, to tell them everything was going to be all right and that there was no beast, â€Å"It was crying out against the abominable noise something about a body on the hill.† Golding links the killing of Simon to the crucifixion of Jesus because he too was killed by the very people he was trying to help. But the boys never find out what Simon was going to tell them, because they killed him. This is an example of how even the nicest people can be drawn in, and lead to do unlawful things when under different circumstances, or faced with fear and I think this is what Golding is trying to say. Ralph and Piggy, are quite obviously kind people, but were lead to partake in the killing of Simon, because being in the group nourished their need for security, and as human beings they needed to have this. Another prime example of how cruel human beings can be, and how every person possess this ability to be cruel to other human beings, is when Ralph even though he the kind, generous one tells the rest of the group Piggy’s nickname, â€Å"He’s not fatty – his real names Piggy† Ralph betrays Piggy by telling the rest of the group what his nickname is, after he specifically asked him not to tell anyone. This accentuates how their civilisation has broken up in blood and terror and I think this is why Piggy and Ralph go into a period of denial because they start to see what is happening, but they don’t want to face the truth. Piggy struggles to face reality, making excuses for what happened, and trying to rationalise the situation, â€Å"We was scared! Anything might have happened.† He’s trying to pretend they weren’t part of it that it never happened. This is so like what happens in today’s society, through denial, as a symptom of this disease of being human they try to eradicate what they have done, in the hope that if they ignore it will not affect them. But unfortunately it does, and Ralph faces the horrible realisation of what’s happened and consequently fear reigns. This fear that Ralph starts to fear increases and subsequently turns into complete terror, after his friend Piggy is killed, being the last remaining member of his society, is reduced to an animal. â€Å"they’re going to hunt you tomorrow† Ralph is warned by Sam and Eric in secret, and hears how Jack and is tribe are planning to kill him in the same manner they did the sow, â€Å"Roger sharpened a stick at both ends.† Ralph is terrified, but struggles to understand what they are actually going to do it him, would they really do it? This complete terror is a result of his own people – human beings. He has lost everything that gave him structure and security, including Piggy and now all his can do is concentrate on hiding. â€Å"he wondered if a pig would agree† Ironically in order to survive he is forced to think like a pig, cornered in a desperate attempt to hide as he is hunted down by savages. It is hard to believe that human beings could cause such terror and inflict it on other human beings. This demonstrates to us, how, when things deteriorate, people lose control and when this happens they do have the ability to do such horrific things. This accentuates to the reader just how drastic the break up in their civilisation is and that how the severity of evil rapidly increases over a relatively short period of time. This drastic deterioration is seen just previously to when Ralph himself is hunted, when the boys with whom he co-habits viciously kill Piggy. With Piggy’s death comes the complete and utter destruction of the conch, the last symbol of hope, democracy and rules â€Å"the conch exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceased to exist.† This devastation of the conch symbolises the breaking of the comfortable link with any kind of civilisation they might have had and, home. After Piggy’s death Ralph comes to the same realisation that Simon had come to, that it is only themselves they have to fear, that this false creature which put the fear into all of them, does not exist and that humans create their own terror – this is because they are suffering from that terrible disease which seems to possess everyone of us, no matter how old that person is, these boys are only young children who still grasp at old memories of home, â€Å"When you went to bed there was a bowl of cornflakes with sugar and cream.† This is a simple reminder that how ever savage these boys appear to be, they are still children and I think this is why the Naval officer finds it so hard to come to terms with what has happened among them, on the island. The feelings of the officer are also echoed by the reader, as we are all human beings it is hard to accept these t terrible things occur as a result of our human instincts. I think that Golding is trying to tell people and to show them, to make them see what human beings really are. This is why it is a fable because William Golding is trying to demonstrate to the world through this microcosm on the island what is happening after seeing it first hand, fighting in the war himself he saw the blood and terror, the killing and devastation human beings are capable of and because of this it has left him with very significant feelings and exclamations towards the end of his novel; â€Å"Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of mans heart and the fall through the air of the true wise friend called Piggy.† Illustrating how everyone suffers merely as a result of themselves, we only have ourselves to blame and that there is evil, which possesses every human being. It’s a terrible disease, which has hold of every single one of us.