Thursday, October 31, 2019

Using Humor to Survive Tragedy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Using Humor to Survive Tragedy - Essay Example Not a single character in the play profits from propriety. The not so serious characters are the ones who  benefit  in the end; and it is because of their  frivolous  behavior all through the play. This indicates that there is little, if any,  benefit  to being modest. In bill Cosby’s words, when one finds laughter, they can survive some of the worst moments in life.  By using humor, one can  stand  up to the challenges that life brings, no matter tragic they may be.  Situations in life are always changing; once one finds an  intriguing  way to survive a  dark  session, they will make it to the happy parts. In The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar puts the conventions in the Victorian times aside and presents us the absurdity of such an  ardent  attachment  to seriousness. The  play  presents two young men, Algernon and Jack. Algernon is the symbol of un-earnestness, and Jack is his  ward  in jocularity and deceit. Marriage is of utmost significance in The Importance of Being Earnest. This is because it is what drives the  plot  and is the  primary  subject  for  philosophical  debate and speculation. We  are introduced  to the nature of marriage for the first time when Algernon is talking to his butler, Lane. The subject of marriage stays on for the most part of the  play  as it develops. Jack and Algernon talk about the important things in marriage, and what matters in it. They  talk  of it as either a matter of â€Å"pleasure† or â€Å"business†. During Victorian times, there were conventions on marriage; with  regard  to its  purpose  and  nature. These include such things as the social position of a person, the  income  the person had as well as the person’s  character. Algernon and jack are remarkably in the know of these assumptions, as well. Society expects them to follow these conventions, but they do not. They ridicule th ese customs, and, in situations where they cannot, they assume the

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Regulatory and legislative issues paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Regulatory and legislative issues paper - Essay Example â€Å"Thousands of US organizations must comply with the†¦ Security Rule. The Security Rule is a key part of HIPAA -- federal legislation that was passed into law in August 1996. The overall purpose of the act is to enable better access to health insurance, reduce fraud and abuse, and lower the overall cost of health care in the United States† (HIPAA, 2010). The overall common estimation is that the Security Rule has affected healthcare positively, leading to greater client confidentiality and better information access for healthcare facilities. However, cost is a major issue in implementing new technology covered by the rule, such as the establishment of electronic health records. It is important to provide a general overview of the HIPAA Security Rule, its strengths and drawbacks, and how it is being implemented, and reacted against, in the present. databases, and communications. Patients are expected, and have been shown to, have a greater quality of healthcare because of the rule, because due to it, information and healthcare data is delivered faster, better, and more conveniently. Although some state that the rule is excessive, because the government would have to provide for client confidentiality with or without the law, others state that, â€Å"The real value of HIPAAs transaction standards is the reduction of operational expenses and fragmentation in the health care industry† (Zimmerman, 2010). This shows the law to be cost effective, and it is also gathered to be cost-effective from the standpoint of government costs for social welfare programs like Medicare. Although cost effectiveness and better, safer, faster patient information seem to be key advantages to the HIPAA Security Rule, there are also possible drawbacks as this law extends over time. For example, although ultimately the new technology covered by the rule is designed to make facilities more

Sunday, October 27, 2019

The Evaluation And Invention Of Social Work Social Work Essay

The Evaluation And Invention Of Social Work Social Work Essay This short study takes up the evaluation and assessment of two social work intervention theories, namely the Task Centred Approach and the Crisis Intervention Method, with special regard to their implications and applications for social work practice. Social workers, in the course of their practice, are often called upon to help people in coping and dealing with different types of difficulties in their lives. Human beings face situations of crisis at one time or the other during their lives (Roberts, 2000, p 11). The crisis theory postulates that the occurrence of crises is normal to life. Such crisis situations can occur suddenly, like family illnesses or a loss of jobs, or be unpredictable, like entering school or growing older (Roberts, 2000, p 11). Individuals attempt to cope with crises with their available mechanisms, but face problems when such mechanisms do not work or when earlier unresolved crises get reactivated. Social workers are often called upon to intervene with individuals and help them in coping with their crises (Roberts, 2000, p 11). The task-centred approach is a progressive and goal-orientated method for social work practice. It constitutes a practice-based approach that is built on research and is being used in a diverse settings and circumstances (Nash, et al, 2005, p 33).  It represents a social work method wherein clients are assisted in carrying out problem reducing tasks within specific time periods. It is structured, problem focused and time-restricted and is being increasingly used in contemporary social service interventions (Nash, et al, 2005, p 33). Crisis intervention is often grouped together with the task centred approach. Malcolm Payne (1991, p 4) sees significant common ground between crises intervention and task centred approaches to social work practice. Both methods focus on problem solving, deal with brief interventions and are related to learning theory. This essay takes up the examination and assessment of these two theories, with especial regard to their communalities, their differences and their relevance for social work practice. Due regard is given to the implications of anti-oppressive practice. 2. Crisis Intervention Theory The crisis theory states that it is important for people to resolve their crises situations and experiences in order to cope with new developments and crises (Aguilera, 1998, p 47). If individuals are unable to resolve their earlier crises, they become more vulnerable to inability to resolve new crises. Individuals who learn new skills to resolve their crises are on the other hand strengthened in coping with future crisis situations (Aguilera, 1998, p 47). Human beings have considerable capacities for handling or dealing with difficult situations. It is only when such difficulties assume significant proportions and people do not have appropriate resources, personal, emotional, social, spiritual or physical, to deal appropriately with stressful circumstances or events that they become involved in crises. Difficult or stressful events do not by themselves result in crisis situations (Aguilera, 1998, p 47). Crises are actually determined by the responses of individuals to specific stres sful circumstances or events and their responses to them. Crises develop only when individuals perceive specific events to be significant and threatening, try to handle such events with their usual coping strategies without success, and are not able to use other alternatives (Aguilera, 1998, p 47). Behavioural and psychological experts perceive crises to be akin to states of psychological disequilibrium. Individuals experiencing crises are likely to experience a range of emotions like feelings of apprehension, anxiety, fear, guilt and helplessness (Nash, et al, 2005, p 37). Other indicators include alterations in eating and sleeping patterns, activity and energy levels and ability to concentrate. People in crises are also commonly known to suffer from depression and withdraw from social intervention (Nash, et al, 2005, p 37). Social work experts argue that whilst the majority of crises run their course or reach some semblance of stability within one or two months, it is necessary for skilled intervention to take place to strengthen the coping mechanisms of individuals. The failure to do so will result in the existence and continuance of crisis associated behaviours, even as the opportunity for change will be forgone (Nash, et al, 2005, p 37). People in crisis often have little by way of solutions and are receptive to external help and assistance (Roberts, 2000, p 19). The provisioning of skilled intervention by social work practitioners during the occurrence of the crises can result in opportunities for individuals experiencing crisis to learn new skills, achieve beneficial behavioural change, and regain stability. Individuals who have been able to successfully cope with crises are strengthened by such experiences and can use their skills in future times of difficulty (Roberts, 2000, p 19). Crisis intervention is essentially a professional response that is limited in terms of time and is used to assist individuals, families, and groups (Hepworth, et al, 2002, p 83). Social workers aim to assess the openness of individuals experiencing crises to learning of new skills and mechanisms for coping. They also help individuals in reducing their feelings of helplessness, isolation, and distress and use social resources to help in restoring individuals to their prior functional levels, as soon as practically possible (Hepworth, et al, 2002, p 83). Such social work intervention is done through listening, validation, acceptance, normalisation, reassurance, education, advocacy and brokering resources (Nash, et al, 2005, p 38). Crisis intervention can be specifically segregated into 7 stages, namely (a) establishment of communication and development of feelings with individuals that circumstances can become better, (b) assessment of situation, (c) exploration of available strengths and resources, (d) goal setting with the use of such strengths and resources, (e) implementation of plan, teaching of new skills and mobilisation of other support if required, (f) evaluation and adjustment of the plan and (g) follow up and termination of relationship (Hepworth, et al, 2002, p 83). It is important for social workers to be skilled in crisis intervention because of the constant demand upon them for helping people in crisis situations (Roberts, 2000, p 19). Social workers are liable to encounter clients with diverse needs, which may in turn require research, strategic planning and the providing of individualised person centred support (Roberts, 2000, p 19). The nature of crisis intervention work also calls for confidentiality and emotional separation in order to deliver services in a professional manner (Roberts, 2000, p 19). 3. Task Centred Approach The task centred approach emerged in response to the slow and inadequate results that were being achieved through traditional casework methods (Reid, 1997, p 134). Traditional casework methods in social work were felt to be of limited use because of their resource intensive nature, their lack of focus, and their ambiguous outcomes, which were difficult to assess and quantify (Reid, 1997, p 134). Reid and Shyne engaged in extensive study in the late 1960s to explore alternate approaches to casework and developed the task centred approach for social work practice, which called for limited but intensely focused intervention periods. The approach was essentially client oriented and required the social worker to act as a facilitator (Reid, 1997, p 134). With the task centred approach helping clients to improve their difficulties quickly, the process was soon adopted for replication and development in the United Kingdom (Reid, 1997, p 134). Studies on the task centred approach revealed that unfocused help, as was provided by the psycho-social approach and the case study method, over long periods, resulted in reduction of hope and self confidence on the part of the client (Nash, et al, 2005, p 42). It also resulted in negative dependency and unnecessary attachments to specific organisations or particular social workers (Nash, et al, 2005, p 42). It was also seen that the setting of time limits for achievement of specific outcomes helped in building expectations of the possibility of rapid change and enhanced participant energy and motivation (Nash, et al, 2005, p 42). Whilst the task centred approach proved to be practically beneficial for clients and also served, reduce and optimise utilisation of limited social work resources, it also facilitated a shift towards the person centred approach, the negation of the assumption of the professional being the only source of expertise, and helped in achievement of greater empowerment and reduction of oppression (Naleppa Reid, 1998, p 63). The task centred approach calls for attention to be paid to social and external issues that affect individuals rather than on perceiving individuals and their psychological histories to be the main cause of their difficulties (Naleppa Reid, 1998, p 63). The task centred approach involves a structured method wherein the social worker firstly assists the service user in articulating the problems in the ways perceived by service users (Hepworth, et al, 2002, p 87). The social workers subsequently helps the service user to detail and breakdown the problems, taking care to redefine them wherever necessary and helping the service user to locate important areas for action (Hepworth, et al, 2002, p 87). The social worker finally motivates the service user to categorise and prioritise his or her individual problem in line with his or her perceptions (Naleppa Reid, 1998, p 63). The social worker and service user thereafter work in partnership to (a) specify and identify outcomes, (b) agree to contracts and (c) review and assess progress. Social workers who use the task centred approach should be able to positively engage service users and instil trust and confidence (Hepworth, et al, 2002, p 87). Commonalities in Task Centred and Crisis Intervention Approaches Task centred approaches and crisis intervention methods appear to merge well in both theory and practice (Watson, et al, 2002, p 96). Social work research indicates that the use of these methods have proved to be effective with a wide range of clients. Both theories emerged in response to the apparently ineffective outcomes of case work approaches that were grounded in psychodynamic theory (Watson, et al, 2002, p 96). Both methods additionally focus on brief and short term interventions. They are connected to learning theory and based upon problem solving ideas (Watson, et al, 2002, p 96). Both these approaches call upon social workers to engage in participative and joint activity with service users, first to assess and analyse problems and their causes and then take action to deal with such problems (Sandoval, 2002, p 63). The application of these methods thus calls for the use of the person centred theory, the need to place the service user at the centre of the issue and the urgency of viewing the issue from his or her perspective (Sandoval, 2002, p 63). Social workers need to be very good listeners in order to be able to locate the real issues that are troubling service users and thereafter be able to help them with measures to tackle their difficulties (Sandoval, 2002, p 63). Like other social work methods, the task centred approach does have its limitations. It is in the first instance predicated upon the rationality of service users and their willingness to work with social workers (Nash, et al, 2005, p 53). It is also difficult to apply it without appropriate agency support. Despite such limitations the two approaches continue to be very useful, especially because of their instrumentality in increasing empowerment and their integral anti-oppressive approach (Nash, et al, 2005, p 53). The methods increase the abilities of service users through the inculcation of new skills and allow them to deal, not just with their current situations but with future circumstances of difficulty and oppression (Nash, et al, 2005, p 53). Conclusions Social work practice is influenced by many factors that require the taking account of the perspectives of service users, social workers, agencies and society. The approach of individual workers is bound to be influenced by numerous factors that can leave them confused and looking for guidance in their task of assisting service users in difficulties. The task centred approach and the crisis intervention theory provide useful tools to service users to assess the true conditions of service users, participate with them in structured, time bound and joint resolution of problems and empower them to face and overcome oppression. Social workers do however need to understand the implications of these theories and refrain from labeling their actions in all difficult situations to be task centred or critical intervention in nature. The true understanding of the potential and use of these theories will help them significantly in their practice scenarios.

Friday, October 25, 2019

fidel castro Essay -- essays research papers

The United States of America is a country that believes in democracy and has unfavorable ties with communist countries. The United States has tried for decades to improve relations with the countries that don’t practice democracy. History shows disagreements between the United States and dictators of these irreverent countries, disagreements that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. The most recent of these confrontations involved three countries. United States of America, Cuba and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR). Fidel Castro is a Cuban revolutionary, who took control of Cuba in 1959 and established a Communist dictatorship. Castro, who was born in Mayari, became the leader of an underground, anti-government faction. In 1956, he led a rebellion that won increasing popular support. Eventually Castro forced Batista y Zaldivar, who was the premier of Cuba to flee the country. Once in power Castro executed and imprisoned thousands of political opponents, nationalized industry, collectivized agriculture, and established a one-party socialist state. In the early 1960’s Castro openly embraced Communism and formed close ties with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR), relying on Soviet economic and military aid approving limited economic reforms that legalized some free enterprise. In Cuba, an estimated $1 billion in U.S.-owned properties were seized in 1960. The Castro government seized oil refineries, sugar mills, and electric utilities owned by th...

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Jefferson’s Declaration Of Independence And Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address Essay

Two of the most prestigious and respected leaders of the United States of America, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln, are notable for their great speeches and written works because they not only instilled patriotism in the American audiences, but unity, hope, and history as well. Examples of these skills are clearly found in Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence and Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMMzY1KJVeo], for each of these documents is a solid, memorable piece in style and historical support. Both pieces begin with many similar key factors, establishing affinity between the speaker and his audience on the concrete basis of a common background. Jefferson does not say â€Å"I hold these truths†¦Ã¢â‚¬  or â€Å"the government† or even â€Å"you, the public† when beginning his famous declaration. The first word of The Declaration of Independence is â€Å"We†. â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident†¦Ã¢â‚¬  creates a bond between Jefferson and the reader. He acknowledges them as an equal before even finishing his sentence. This will not only serve as an illustration for equality between the American public and himself, but with the entire governing system. In breaking away from Mother Europe, the United States sought to build a country where no one person was placed above the common man and therefore had a lesser chance of eventual corruption. Jefferson’s inclusion of the reader, the common man, symbolizes this unanimous desire. Abraham Lincoln too, unifies his audience with his eloquent streams of words in the Gettysburg Address. He explains to the reader that â€Å"our fathers†¦Ã¢â‚¬  were the ones to create a new, liberated nation, and for this reason we are to this day equal in all of our prospective endeavors. Obviously, if he states that we all came from the same historical â€Å"fathers†, then we are in that respect not only equal, but bound to each other through a certain kinship. Lincoln furthers this inference when he sets up a personal, communal past including the time, participants, and their accomplishments. By recapitulating the goals, history, and accomplishments of our fathers, Lincoln hands the past on to his audience to create a new, proud future for their nation. A shared history is yet another point which helps the reader relate to others, and by passing on a legacy, they are forced to work  together in accepting and meeting its challenge. The phenomenon of liberty and truth under a new and hopeful nation is blatantly obvious, â€Å"self-evident† in fact, with no further necessary explanation, according to Jefferson and Lincoln. They wanted to install optimism and strengthen the bond between each and every American so that while creating their own history, they would remain united under one fundamental fact; that they were all Americans. For Jefferson and Lincoln, the creation of our country was the creation of an interwoven community, one which would rise above all others because they were not just neighbors, they were survivors, compatriots, and most of all, kinsmen.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Working Conditions of the Meat Industry

Recognition of the inherent dignity and of equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world. Everyone has the right to life, liberty and the security of person. These few words pretty much sums up the mission of the Human Rights Watch (HRW), an international non-governmental organization whose main focus is to ensure the wellbeing and the inherent rights to life that all human beings are entitled to. By using means such as the media for example, Human Rights Watch sets out to not only insure that all human beings live their lives with dignity but to also bring to justice those who, through merciless dictatorships, suppress the happiness and basic human rights of their people. The purpose of this paper is to discuss my opinion on whether or not I agree with certain changes recommended by the HRW in regards to work safety when it comes to immigrant workers. I will provide my opinion and consider some of the utilitarian and deontological considerations. In 1906, Upton Sinclair's novel â€Å"The Jungle† uncovered harrowing conditions inside America's meat packing plants and initiated a period of transformation in the nation's meat industry. The Pure Food and Drug Act and the Federal Meat Inspection Act were both passed later that year, and labor organizations slowly began to improve the conditions under which the country's meat packers toiled. But some critics say America's meat business has been in decline for decades and that the poor conditions found in slaughterhouses and packing facilities today are often little better than those described by Sinclair. The Human Rights Watch was founded in 1978 as â€Å"Helsinki Watch† to support and protect individual dissidents and independent citizen groups in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. The aim was to defend the rights of suppressed writers, scholars, and intellectuals, and to ensure that their governments complied with the 1975 Helsinki Accords, which, among other things, affirmed citizens’ rights to monitor the human rights practices of their own governments. The first expansion came in 1981 when Americas Watch was established to demonstrate that human rights standards are universal and should be applied equally to governments of all political stripes. The HRW group investigated the meat and poultry industry’s unfair, unethical and inhumane practices and found that things needed to be changed. HRW recommended an assortment of things to change to include â€Å"new laws and policies should ensure respect for the human rights of immigrant workers, whatever their legal status. Immigrants should have the same workplace protections as non-immigrants, including coverage under fair labor standards and other labor laws, and the same remedies when their rights are violated† and â€Å"New federal and state laws should reduce line speed in meat and poultry plants and establish new ergonomics standards to reduce repetitive stress injuries. Health and safety authorities should apply stronger enforcement measures. States should develop stronger worker compensation laws and enforcement mechanisms. These changes were recommended because there is a massive influx of immigrant workers in the meat and poultry plants around the country. Also a significant number of these workers are unaware of their workplace rights. Many of these workers and their family are also undocumented and don’t want to draw attention to themselves. Because of their undocumented status, this prevents workers from seeking protection for their rights as workers from government authorities. The meat and poultry industry takes advantage of these fears and use it to their advantage. They play on the fears of these undocumented workers to keep them in abusive conditions that violate basic human rights and labor rights. Regardless of someone legal status, no one deserves to work in unsafe filthy conditions. I do agree with the changes that the HRW put forth. I have to agree that the illegal and some legal immigrant population are unfairly taken advantage of. The meat and poultry industry has the duty to protect and provide a safe working environment for their workers and also provide for damages or injury in the event of it happening regardless of legal status. Most of the nation's 17. 7 million immigrant workers toil, like those who preceded them, in jobs that native-born Americans refuse to do. They work as meatpackers, hotel maids, hamburger flippers, waiters, gardeners, seamstresses, fruit and vegetable pickers, and construction hands. John Gay, a lobbyist for the American Hotel & Lodging Association, says there are places in this country where we wouldn't survive without immigrants, which is pressing Congress to allow more â€Å"essential workers† into the United States. The trend is to push our own children into college to be rocket scientists or computer programmers. But who is going to do these hard jobs that we have? Who is going to change bedpans in a nursing home? Or change beds in hotels? † Jobs in poultry plants across the South, once held almost exclusively by American blacks, are now dominated by Mexican immigrants. Textile plants run largely on the labors of Hispanic workers. In the Kentucky coal fields, mining companies are considering recruiting miners from the Ukraine. From a Utilitarian perspective, requiring meat packing lines to slow down will increase man hours and reduce productivity. If chain speeds were legislatively mandated to be reduce by 25 %, the same plants which currently lack management commitment to safe foods would continue to produce the same amount of contaminated food as it did prior to the forced reduction. The management would not be inclined to make changes which would cost money if they are losing money because of decreased production due to the reduction of the speed lines. The meat and poultry industry does not promise rose-garden workplaces, nor should it be expected of them. OSHA offered special incentives to meat packers who entered into voluntary agreements with the agency to lessen their ergonomic hazards. While they would still be subject to OSHA inspections, they would not be cited or penalized on ergonomic grounds. From a deontological stance, food safety is compromised when production lines move too quickly for its line workers to properly assess risks. Working in the meat and poultry industry is a difficult job that I stated before most Americans would not do. It is the meat packing companies’ duty to ensure our foods and the workers who process them are as safe as they can be. If speed lines were reduced, health risks to employees will reduced and our meats can be properly assessed thus resulting in less contaminated meats making their way to out grocery stores. In conclusion it is obvious to see that rights and responsibilities were not carried out by the meatpacking industry. They were greed driven business who â€Å"poisoned for profit† as President Roosevelt said. The meatpackers had a right to make their product but did not take the responsibility to do it in a manner that was safe for the workers and the consumer. Thanks to the Human Rights Watch and people like Upton Sinclair and Theodore Roosevelt who was sickened after reading an advance copy of Sinclair’s book called upon congress to pass a law that established the Food and Drug Administration. The meat industry today takes the responsibility in making working conditions safer and producing meat safer for the consumer. References Blackwell, Jon. 1906: Rumble over ‘The Jungle’, retrieved 15 Jun 2011 from: http://www.capitalcentury.com/1906.html Meatpacking in the U.S.: Still a â€Å"Jungle† Out There? (2006), retrieved 15 Jun 2007, from: http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/250/meat-packing.html Parker, Laura, USA just wouldn’t work without immigrant labor, (July 2001), retrieved 15 Jun 2011, from: http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/july01/2001-07-23-immigrant.htm

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Comparing and contrasting the bronze doors of Bishop Bernward with Ghibertis bronze doors at the Florence Baptistery

Comparing and contrasting the bronze doors of Bishop Bernward with Ghibertis bronze doors at the Florence Baptistery The bronze doors of Bishop Bernward Art is accorded a lot of significance in addressing the manner in which Biblical aspects are communicated and vital information preserved from one generation to another. The bronze doors at Bishop Bernward have images such as the one depicting God condemning Abraham and Eve after they had eaten the forbidden fruit.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Comparing and contrasting the bronze doors of Bishop Bernward with Ghibertis bronze doors at the Florence Baptistery specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The typological and thematic comparisons of the images on this door outline unique artistic features necessary in portraying the uniqueness of different works of art. In one of the images, Adam and Eve seem to be apportioning blame on the snake as their defense of their disobedience to God’s commandments. Cast in a single piece which is an extraordinary achievement, the doors have outs tanding religious messages with the main themes aimed at either praising or condemning certain Biblical happenings. The eight bar relief panels on the doors are symbolic in nature. The inclusion of the Biblical book of Genesis on the left and that of the life of Jesus Christ on the other right side of some of the images helps to communicate rich messages on the significance of the historical background and life of Jesus and his purpose for mankind. The symbolism on the doors of Bishop Bernward reveals the significance of the concept of baptism which is the sacrament that cleanses people’s sins. Ghibertis bronze doors at the Florence Baptistery The self portrait shown at the Baptistery East Door is seen to be moving outward with uniquely identified features that portray a man who is under hostage. The other image that features a group of people reveals the manner in which Joseph was captured and then put into imprisonment. The image portrays a sad scenario as it could be argue d that the people in the image on the door convey connotations of slavery and the torture that Joseph underwent. The original gilded-bronze panel doors depict the manner in which Joseph was tortured before finally being sold into slavery in a foreign land. The Ghibertis bronze doors at the Florence Baptistery are the best, most unique and outstanding of all the bronze doors of the time. They have in-depth color with little use of background shadows. The message communicated by the artistic message on the doors is very unique and conspicuous. The bronze doors at the Florence Baptistery are described as the gates of the renowned city of paradise. The images provide vital complementary information on the meaning of religion and the significance of religious practices of the church in the contemporary society. The church is depicted as a gateway to heaven and thus gives a lot meaning on the relevance of the bronze doors. Advertising Looking for essay on art? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Ghibertis bronze doors at the Florence Baptistery: Image of Joseph being sold Comparison and Contradiction The fact that the two sets of doors are made of bronze is an indicator of the rich artistic nature of the people or culture behind the works. Though the concept of the shadow is not quite clear on the images on the Ghibertis bronze doors at the Florence Baptistery, the two sets of doors have utilized shadows to create a sense of depth. The sense of depth creates a strong feeling that the essence of distance is accorded due consideration in the images on the doors. Images at the Bishop Bernward’s doors The Ghibertis bronze doors at the Florence Baptistery have images that are golden in color and with very outward looking images. The bronze doors of Bishop Bernward are dominated with dull colors with the images sometimes being overshadowed due to their small sizes. It is also evident that â€Å"ne gative space† is used on the images on the doors. In both instances, the use of messages is scanty. Extremely little emphasis is laid on the use of messages, visual rhythm and imagery on the diverse images on the doors of Bishop Bernward. The doors also have a definite rift in the depiction of images. Repetition is another concept emphasized on the bronze doors of Bishop Bernward. Emphasis is laid on the need to bring out depth by ensuring that texts and images are small. This fact is evident on the doors that have images of God ostensibly addressing Adam and Eve. Bishop Bernward’s doors.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Comparing and contrasting the bronze doors of Bishop Bernward with Ghibertis bronze doors at the Florence Baptistery specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The rift between the images on the bronze doors of Bishop Bernward is palpable. One quality that lacks on the doors is uniform visual rhy thm as certain doors are more lit than others. This fact is however not manifested on the doors that have the image of Joseph being sold as a slave since the use of shape, color, line, texture and the need for effective modeling of figures is accorded a lot of importance. The bronze doors of Bishop Bernward effectively utilize gesture, symbolism and a lot of repetitive messages as is evidenced by the symbolic presentation of the cross by a hidden leaved cross on one of the doors. The bronze doors of Bishop Bernward While the messages on the bronze doors of Bishop Bernward are extremely symbolic and difficult to decipher, the ones on the Ghibertis bronze doors at the Florence Baptistery are clearer, have outstanding and impressive messages and the modeling of figures is clear and with adequate gesture. The Ghiberti’s bronze doors are big in size with an impressive link between the â€Å"positive and negative spaces†. There is a major variation in depth of color and sh adow in the two instances. Ghibertis bronze doors at the Florence BaptisteryAdvertising Looking for essay on art? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There is a unique yet very closely correlated stylistic composition and presentation of unique qualities that focus on enhancing the message contained on the doors of Bishop Bernward and those of the Ghibertis bronze doors. The images on both doors are mainly placed at the front section of the doors and are balanced in the manner in which images are aligned to the door frames. While the two sets of doors are made of bronze, it is evident that the bronze doors of the Florence Baptistery reveal very striking innovations that definitely surpass the previous versions of the bronze doors including those at Bishop Bernward. The Ghibertis bronze doors at the Florence Baptistery have conservative motifs and outstanding compositional thoughts that are inherited from the cultural past of the medieval times. Another similarity of the doors lies in the fact that in both cases, the elements between symmetry and hierarchy and symmetry and the notion of entry points to sacred places are the automa tic single gateways to the much admired paradise. Both doors have a relatively similar composition of messages, images, related patterns of intersecting lines, uniform looping with a strong sense of energy and edges that border all individual scenes. Modeling of the figures on both doors has also been done though with varied intensity.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Senorimotor Skills and Cognitive development

Senorimotor Skills and Cognitive development There are many changes that take place as an infant embarks on life. The infant starts to grow and put on weight at a remarkable pace. Integrated in this developmental stage, from birth to age 2, includes the sensorimotor skills and intelligence. Throughout this stage the infant will use senses and motor skills to begin understanding the new world around it. The newborn will be bombarded with new and constantly changing images and sounds. "Newborns strive to organize perceptions and to put them all together: sensations, sequences, objects, people, events, permanent and transient features, causes and effects."(Berger, 2005).Stage 1 begins from birth and continues to one month old. This is when it demonstrates its reflexes, such as sucking, grasping, staring, and listening. The sucking reflex can be demonstrated by outside stimulus coming into contact with the baby's lips and then observing the sucking motion. This reflex is used to latch onto the mother's breast for feeding or a baby bottle for feeding.Bergers of CalaisThe baby is also experiencing looking and listening at diverse objects in its surroundings.Stage 2 continues from one month to four months of the infant's existence. At this phase the baby begins to merge acquired adaptations from previous experiences. "This change from reflexes to deliberate action occurs because repeated use of reflexive responses provides information about what the body does and how that action feels."(Berger, 2005). For example, a baby will begin to suck on distinct things in different ways. It will not suck on a pacifier the same way it does a bottle, because it can differentiate between the two at this stage in its advancement.Stage 3 starts at four months and carries on till eight months of life. Throughout this phase the baby will become attentive of certain items in the vicinity of...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Active and Passive Indexing

From 1986 to 1996, the amount of money invested in index funds grew from $556 million to $65 Billion. And if anything, individual investors have been slow to embrace passive management. Institutional investors invest a far larger percentage of their assets passively. Many individual investors are simply uneducated and unaware of the arguments and experimental evidence supporting passive management. Institutional investors and academics have known for years (many for decades) that passive investing is extremely difficult to beat and that the majority of active investors will fail in their attempt to outperform the market. Active indexers assert they can outperform the marketplace. Passive (index) portfolios state they can mirror the performance of the indices. Both have their good times and their bad times. Active indexers raise cash in times of increased risk and instability while passive indexers remain fully invested. This can be quite painful during times of large declines in the market. Passive portfolios mirror the gains of the indices during roaring bull markets and eventually outperform the majority of active money managers who must remain diversified and who sometimes take on additional risks in an attempt to produce the performance and safety that they have promised their clients. The evidence has piled up during today’s bull market that the average dollar managed by active managers does not keep up with the market index. Finally, indexing is a way to avoid being blind-sided in certain areas of the marketplace. Active management themes can easily find themselves on the wrong side of an investment. There is a perception among investors that a strategy designed to match stock market returns is less risky than a comparable actively managed portfolio. Since the index approach invests in a manner that is most friendly with the market’s natural liquidity, it produces the least disturbance. The passive investor also has diversified his risk. Specific negative things can happen to individual companies or groups. As a passive investor, one is not exposed to any of these things. However, it does not mean you have a risk-free investment. The downside to passive index investors is that they â€Å"fuel the fire† of a market that appreciates well beyond its true value. Index mutual funds must put new money to work†¦ they can not hold cash†¦ and their investors all buy the exact same stocks. When stocks go down, index funds, being fully invested, will receive the ultimate effect of the decline. Combined with this loss is the fact that they will also have to sell shares to cover shareholder redemptions. These funds will get hit harder than many active portfolios with a cash cushion. Most active managers of investment portfolios raise cash as they perceive higher valuations, excessive instability, and extreme risks, therefore; reducing the display to loss during declining markets. Another downside to passive indexing is the impact they have on market instability. This gives the patient active money manager a welcome opportunity to take advantage of stock selection at very attractive prices and, to some extent, time the market in making their decisions of when to buy and when to sell. Index investing is a tricky business that can roil markets. Actively indexed funds have gone upward over the last decade. This has occurred despite the fact that investors have poured huge amounts of money into active funds over this period. The costs of investing in index funds have trended downward as they have become more popular with investors. The costs of active index funds just might decrease in the future, thereby narrowing the cost gap with passive index funds. But all evidence to date has shown just the opposite trend – the costs of active funds continue to go up and the costs of index funds continue to go down. Actively indexed funds typically generate relatively large amounts of taxes while passive index funds generate relatively small amounts. Some of the resulting gap in performance caused by taxes would seemingly be narrowed if the federal government were to lower tax rates. Congress did this at the end of July 1997 when it reduced the maximum long term capital gains tax rate from 28% on investments held more than one year to 20% on investments held 18 months or longer. The tax bill provides that in the year 2001 this rate will be reduced to 18% for investments held five years or longer. Finally, active money managers serve the specific needs of their clients. They manage portfolios based exactly on the investor’s objectives and tolerance for risk. They make decisions based on a stated time frame and they are capable of changing the goals and direction of a portfolio on a moment’s notice. They are the investor’s personal link to the market and the protector of their capital. The value of these services is immeasurable to most investors. One thing that really does not influence the investor as much as it should is the lack of appreciation with respect to the tax consequences of passive index management. The capital gains, created during the year by a fully active index manager, is reported to the IRS, and the investor ends up being taxed. For a taxed investor, the buy-and-hold is a winning strategy. Turnover is the enemy of the investor who pays taxes. Conversely, most investors would be more than happy to pay taxes on the returns produced by active money managers during periods of declining markets. Not many investors prefer losses to earning some gains and interest, even with the tax man waiting. The effect of so many investors buying index funds is that they tend to guard the money market. An investor could actually, in a cost-effective manner, buy and sell the market. The asset funding of active managers, combined with the efficiency of the passive manager, allows one to implement strategies that provide an optimal mix of securities to match a particular scenario, objective, or risk aversion. From time to time, it is possible that the major assets can get out of balance. Investors can run up prices where the lawfulness market is overvalued. When this reaches a untrustworthy level, more self-corrective measures are needed. This is where the expertise of the active manager becomes useful. As an investor, you are always trading off what Jeremy Bentham, the British economist, referred to as the â€Å"pain-pleasure calculus. † Good returns produce pleasure. Bad returns produce pain. An active money manager is always balancing off the pleasure vs. e potential pain. The active manager tends to determine what that balance is and if it finds that the market is deployed otherwise, it works in balancing the portfolio. Tactical asset funding combined with a passively managed portfolio has been called the â€Å"holy grail† of investing by Jonathan Burton, of Dow Jones’ Asset Management magazine. During declining markets, index funds take the full force of the market’s loss. Managers of these funds are forced to sell stocks in order to meet the demand for redemptions as their investors got out of the market. During markets of very little movement, investors quickly drain of insufficient or no returns on their investment. Finally, a philosophy of capital preservation causes the active manager to raise cash, providing a cushion for portfolios during times of extreme risk. Active or passive? Both have their advantages and their risks, but the two are found to be the best long-term plans for both performance and safety. Index (passive) funds are likely to beat active funds, yet the Morningstar data show that 92% of all the money is U. S. stock funds is in active funds. Active and Passive Indexing From 1986 to 1996, the amount of money invested in index funds grew from $556 million to $65 Billion. And if anything, individual investors have been slow to embrace passive management. Institutional investors invest a far larger percentage of their assets passively. Many individual investors are simply uneducated and unaware of the arguments and experimental evidence supporting passive management. Institutional investors and academics have known for years (many for decades) that passive investing is extremely difficult to beat and that the majority of active investors will fail in their attempt to outperform the market. Active indexers assert they can outperform the marketplace. Passive (index) portfolios state they can mirror the performance of the indices. Both have their good times and their bad times. Active indexers raise cash in times of increased risk and instability while passive indexers remain fully invested. This can be quite painful during times of large declines in the market. Passive portfolios mirror the gains of the indices during roaring bull markets and eventually outperform the majority of active money managers who must remain diversified and who sometimes take on additional risks in an attempt to produce the performance and safety that they have promised their clients. The evidence has piled up during today’s bull market that the average dollar managed by active managers does not keep up with the market index. Finally, indexing is a way to avoid being blind-sided in certain areas of the marketplace. Active management themes can easily find themselves on the wrong side of an investment. There is a perception among investors that a strategy designed to match stock market returns is less risky than a comparable actively managed portfolio. Since the index approach invests in a manner that is most friendly with the market’s natural liquidity, it produces the least disturbance. The passive investor also has diversified his risk. Specific negative things can happen to individual companies or groups. As a passive investor, one is not exposed to any of these things. However, it does not mean you have a risk-free investment. The downside to passive index investors is that they â€Å"fuel the fire† of a market that appreciates well beyond its true value. Index mutual funds must put new money to work†¦ they can not hold cash†¦ and their investors all buy the exact same stocks. When stocks go down, index funds, being fully invested, will receive the ultimate effect of the decline. Combined with this loss is the fact that they will also have to sell shares to cover shareholder redemptions. These funds will get hit harder than many active portfolios with a cash cushion. Most active managers of investment portfolios raise cash as they perceive higher valuations, excessive instability, and extreme risks, therefore; reducing the display to loss during declining markets. Another downside to passive indexing is the impact they have on market instability. This gives the patient active money manager a welcome opportunity to take advantage of stock selection at very attractive prices and, to some extent, time the market in making their decisions of when to buy and when to sell. Index investing is a tricky business that can roil markets. Actively indexed funds have gone upward over the last decade. This has occurred despite the fact that investors have poured huge amounts of money into active funds over this period. The costs of investing in index funds have trended downward as they have become more popular with investors. The costs of active index funds just might decrease in the future, thereby narrowing the cost gap with passive index funds. But all evidence to date has shown just the opposite trend – the costs of active funds continue to go up and the costs of index funds continue to go down. Actively indexed funds typically generate relatively large amounts of taxes while passive index funds generate relatively small amounts. Some of the resulting gap in performance caused by taxes would seemingly be narrowed if the federal government were to lower tax rates. Congress did this at the end of July 1997 when it reduced the maximum long term capital gains tax rate from 28% on investments held more than one year to 20% on investments held 18 months or longer. The tax bill provides that in the year 2001 this rate will be reduced to 18% for investments held five years or longer. Finally, active money managers serve the specific needs of their clients. They manage portfolios based exactly on the investor’s objectives and tolerance for risk. They make decisions based on a stated time frame and they are capable of changing the goals and direction of a portfolio on a moment’s notice. They are the investor’s personal link to the market and the protector of their capital. The value of these services is immeasurable to most investors. One thing that really does not influence the investor as much as it should is the lack of appreciation with respect to the tax consequences of passive index management. The capital gains, created during the year by a fully active index manager, is reported to the IRS, and the investor ends up being taxed. For a taxed investor, the buy-and-hold is a winning strategy. Turnover is the enemy of the investor who pays taxes. Conversely, most investors would be more than happy to pay taxes on the returns produced by active money managers during periods of declining markets. Not many investors prefer losses to earning some gains and interest, even with the tax man waiting. The effect of so many investors buying index funds is that they tend to guard the money market. An investor could actually, in a cost-effective manner, buy and sell the market. The asset funding of active managers, combined with the efficiency of the passive manager, allows one to implement strategies that provide an optimal mix of securities to match a particular scenario, objective, or risk aversion. From time to time, it is possible that the major assets can get out of balance. Investors can run up prices where the lawfulness market is overvalued. When this reaches a untrustworthy level, more self-corrective measures are needed. This is where the expertise of the active manager becomes useful. As an investor, you are always trading off what Jeremy Bentham, the British economist, referred to as the â€Å"pain-pleasure calculus. † Good returns produce pleasure. Bad returns produce pain. An active money manager is always balancing off the pleasure vs. e potential pain. The active manager tends to determine what that balance is and if it finds that the market is deployed otherwise, it works in balancing the portfolio. Tactical asset funding combined with a passively managed portfolio has been called the â€Å"holy grail† of investing by Jonathan Burton, of Dow Jones’ Asset Management magazine. During declining markets, index funds take the full force of the market’s loss. Managers of these funds are forced to sell stocks in order to meet the demand for redemptions as their investors got out of the market. During markets of very little movement, investors quickly drain of insufficient or no returns on their investment. Finally, a philosophy of capital preservation causes the active manager to raise cash, providing a cushion for portfolios during times of extreme risk. Active or passive? Both have their advantages and their risks, but the two are found to be the best long-term plans for both performance and safety. Index (passive) funds are likely to beat active funds, yet the Morningstar data show that 92% of all the money is U. S. stock funds is in active funds.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Birkman Team Strengths Reflection Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Birkman Team Strengths Reflection - Case Study Example This report is prepared with the aim of evaluating the strengths, diversity, motivation factors and effectiveness of a team from the point of view of organizational behavior through the use of the Birkman Assessment framework. Teams are essential components of any organization. The functioning of individual teams in a company adds up to form the total capability of an organization in terms of performance, efficiency and effectiveness. It is essential to capitalize on the diversity, personality and strengths of the teams within a company to ensure that the company is able to attain the maximum possible performance targets. Developing an understanding of the present situations and dynamics of the teams operating within a company can be greatly advantageous for the overall organizational setting and culture and fro developing future organization behavior strategies and solutions within a business. A team consisting of four to six members is selected and analyzed through the use of the organizational focus based on color bars and the interest based grid coordinates developed by the Birkman international Inc. This analysis encompasses an identification and evaluation of the motivations, strengths, weaknesses, diversity as well as the areas of interest and lack within the team. This helps to gauge the effectiveness and capacity of the team to perform in a value adding manner as well as add to the overall capabilities and performance levels of the organization (Gundry, Kickul and Prather, 2004, p.44). An understanding and insight into the different types of factors that directly or indirectly impact the behavior and capability of a team helps a company to promote innovation, foster creativity, improve the organizational performance levels and take suitable business and corporate decisions (Thompson, 2003, pp.96-109). The Birkman’s lifestyle grid of

War trauma and masculinity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

War trauma and masculinity - Essay Example These two changes are extremely ambivalent and are determined by the personal qualities and conditions the person faces. First of all, in order to understand masculinity as a phenomenon, it is important to study its definition. Maculinity is a specific gender identification, related to stress, independence and self-management. "Like femininity, masculinity operates politically at different levels. At one level, it is a form of identity, a means of self-understanding that structures personal attitudes and behaviours" (Leach, 1994,p.36). Another level is associated with seeing masculinity as a form of ideology, in which "it presents a set of cultural ideals that define appropriate roles, values and expectations for and of men" (ibid, p.36). It is important to note that masculinity is not 'natural', as it can be developed (or, conversely, destroyed) throughout the life course as a response to certain social expectations. It can be viewed as cultural interpretation of maleness, developed and maintained by participating social relationships. The sociocultural nature of masculinity is shaped by values, beli eves, and, naturally, requirements, dictated by the epoch. For instance, Spiegelman and Hemingway's time is characterized by the belief that man is a breadwinner, problem-solver, or more specifically, autonomous, strong and independent person, who is capable of defending his motherland from invaders. Furthermore, this definition of masculinity is basic for the present paper, as it is the starting point of the whole analysis.In 'Soldier's home' Hemingway depicts a personality, torn in two by controversial attitudes towards his home, where he's just returned. In spite of Harold Krebs's parents comfortable middle-class life, he experiences a sense of homelessness, of quilt and despair, because of having experienced his close friends' death' and all the problems related to war. First of all, it is important to note that Hemingway doesn't reveal why Harold has been wandering for many years before he comes back (about ten years, in fact), so this time probably has been devoted to searchin g for a new home and re-thinking his own life. By that time "all the other former soldiers have found a niche for themselves in the community" (Imamura, 1996, p.102), but Krebs needs some more time to get accustomed to new conditions; he plays pool, "practiced on his clarinet, strolled down town, read, and went to bed" (Hemingway, 1995, p.146). "What he is doing, of course, is killing time" (Imamura, 1996, p.103).The problem is associated with Harold's understanding of who has become. He realizes he has been altered by the circumstances, and this alteration becomes much more dramatic, once he sees that his town has remained almost the same comparing to the period when he graduated from higher school: the same streets and the same girls walking down the streets, the same parking place for his father's car (Hemingway, 1995). In fact, these changes in his own outlook can be explained by his pre-war and war experiences.Before the World War I, as Hemingway narrates us, Harold studied at a Methodist school, an educational

3 page executive report describing how information technology impacts Essay

3 page executive report describing how information technology impacts California Workers' Compensation Industy - Essay Example Information technology and its benefits have not yet been fully employed in the workers’ compensation industry although several instances of it are available. Providers have been using the EDI but the process is still a challenge in the workers’ compensation industry. The workers’ compensation is such a small part of the claim that many providers have yet to start with electronically processing of claims.2 The technology that is used in the industry is P2P link which provides an electronic â€Å"transaction hub† which allows information to be shared between payers and providers. The providers can submit bills, medical reports and other communication through web interface. An automated review checks the bill for accuracy and completeness before it reaches the insurance carrier for payment. This is in use at Lakeland which improves the flow of information and streamlines the adjudication of claims. It has improved the ability to execute the payment of workers’ compensation claims in a timely manner. While other states use the American Medical Association guidelines to ensure fair evaluation of physical impairment, California lags behind. The California Workers’ Compensation System (CWCS) is in the grip of crisis as doctors are leaving by the dozen. Doctors are dropping out because of the delays in reimbursements for treatments.3 Patient loads have doubled while treatment authorization takes months. The new SB 899 had become effective in 2004 but is now under severe scrutiny for the human suffering it has caused. Nobody in the state administration is concerned as the insurance company profits are soaring. The faster an insurer receives notice of an injury, medical treatment can be initiated timely, the injured starts recuperating fast and gets back to work. This would eliminate the cost of hiring an attorney to settle claims. This is where

Thursday, October 17, 2019

New Jersey Historic Site Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

New Jersey Historic Site Paper - Essay Example This was the beginning of colonization history of New Jersey. Eventually, British took control over the colonies. After 1664 the land was officially called New Jersey after the Isle of Jersey in the English Channel. During its history New Jersey had to fight for its freedom. In 1776 New Jersey proclaimed its independency and joined the side of colonies in the Revolutionary War, with more battles fought in New Jersey than in any other state, with the turning point of the war being battles in Trenton and Princeton. In 1787 the state of New Jersey accepted the Constitution of United States and signed the Bill of Rights. From then on The State of New Jersey developed rapidly, with many cities becoming manufacturing centers. The emerging of Virginian railroad and the construction of the West Virginia Turnpike became important events for the city, which transformed it into center of commerce. These are only snap shots of the history of New Jersey. There are a lot of noteworthy stories and characters. There are also a lot of â€Å"prove† of this history – landscapes, battlefields, homes, etc. Many places that are dating back to Revolutionary War were recreated. There are National parks, historical villages, lighthouses and more. There are also historical homes of famous people such as Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, who was among first professors appointed to work in the Institute for Advanced Study, which was founded in Princeton in 1930. This institute became the first residential institute for scholars and research personnel. Now, let us localize our research of major historical sites of New Jersey to the city of Princeton. The first permanent settlers came to the place that was to become the Princeton Township in the late 17th century. It started with the â€Å"house of accommodation† or tavern, built on the highway by Henry Greenland. Then, six Quaker’s families built a community along Stony Brook, thus, the settlement got to be known by the same name. The community started to grow and in 1724 it got its name Princeton – in honor of the Prince William of Orange and Nassau. In 1756 a new building was erected on the Nassau Hall – College of New Jersey. This added prominence to Princeton. There are mansions that were built around what was a village at the time, one of them being Morven. Since Princeton is located halfway between New York and Philadelphia, it was a usual place to stop for the night for the travelers. Thus, many taverns grew. Later, the rail road was built and made the commerce easier. Later, in 1776 some states ratified Declaration of Independence. Once the states were independent, they adopted constitutions and waged war against England to be permanently freed from its control. The state of New Jersey took part in Revolutionary War and the battle of Princeton was waged here and became a turning point in the war. This also made Princeton famous. After the revolution Princeton was a capi tal of the United States, albeit briefly. Here in Princeton, while awaiting ratification of the Peace Treaty with England, in Nassau Hall Continental Congress had its meetings. General Washington also resided nearby. After the Civil War many new buildings were built. The College has been expanding to reach the number of twenty-seven buildings total within the next fifty years. As the city grow, nearby mansions and farms became a part of it. Nowadays Princeton is among the most populated cities of America. To name several historical sites

Communication in Conflict Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Communication in Conflict - Case Study Example Such conflicts make the employees enter into trouble with the management or higher officials. They may go on strikes or do other sorts of protests. Major conflicts occur when, for example, employees experience gender discrimination, work overload, forced overtime, short deadlines, and no opportunities for promotion, reward or compensation. Communication in conflict is of two kinds, according to Bacal (14): cooperative communication and conflict-provoking communication. Cooperative communication tends to avoid or settle a conflict to â€Å"put an end to it in an effective way† (Bacal 15). On the other hand, in conflict-provoking communication, more energy is spent in resisting to the â€Å"form of the communication, rather than the content† (Bacal 15). In short, it is impossible to hold good working relationship at the workplace when there is not a proper communication platform shared by all employees and the management. It is obligatory for the management to solve confl icts like power struggle, gender discrimination and other employees’ issues through effective communication, if the objective is to achieve organizational goals with good productivity and high performance. Works Cited Cahn, Dudley D., and Ruth Anna Abigail. Managing Conflict through Communication (3rd ed.).

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Kant - Three Propositions from Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals Essay

Kant - Three Propositions from Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals - Essay Example In his second proposition, Kant iterates that the moral worth of an action derives from its maxim and not from its consequences. In further deliverance of this notion, Kant determines that a prescribed action done from duty is determined in its moral worth only by virtue of the principle, or maxim, in â€Å"accordance with which it is decided upon†. This implies that the moral worth of the will to do an action lies NOT in its motive or the desired effect from that action, but in the actual principle of the will. In Kant’s view, a will is genuine and morally sound if it is derived from duty alone instead of any ancillary motive where duty simply plays a complementary role instead of being the motivating factor in its entirety. Thus, it must necessarily follow that the person taking the action has recognized an a priori goodwill principle that they seek to fulfill by taking that action; thus, the action has been brought about from duty instead of being committed for a pur pose beyond that which imposed by the goodwill, rendering it of sound moral worth. Kant recognizes a third proposition in a similar way which at first seems like in stark contrast to his second proposition but in essence, follows through with the same elements of rationality by inciting a â€Å"respect for law† which imposes a duty to respect the moral law.... Such morality requires a conception of reason, which in normal daily lives goes well beyond our basic desires. In these arguments, Kant sets out to establish the foundational principle of a set of morals. What he is trying to show is that this foundational moral principle draws from a rational will in all of us, and it is this rational will that makes us possess the autonomy to act morally. This autonomy is essentially derived from duty and has the capability of denouncing all inclinations (second proposition) in order to pursue actions that are done strictly in respect of moral law (third proposition). As he rounds up his arguments in this work, he puts it clearly that there are universal moral laws, and any action that is agreeable should not only obey a moral law, but should be done to ensure morality is upheld (Kant 4:400). Any action that is not done for the sake of a moral law even if it conforms to a moral law is not logically necessary. Thus, it is prudent to observe and link the second and third propositions in pursuit of the universal law of morals. Kant seems to maintain that the second proposition is directly linked with the third proposition. However, the notion of respect seems to suggest otherwise as it exists in the third and not in the second proposition. What, then, is respect? Respect is a notion unhinged to the personal faculty of desire and is therefore not an inclination. In plain English, thus, respect is an attitude which impels goodwill actions. An action done by reason of inclination, as opposed to one by reason of respect, would seek a desired effect, and is NOT an action from duty, but an action for a purpose. This brings us to a consideration of the

Communication in Conflict Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Communication in Conflict - Case Study Example Such conflicts make the employees enter into trouble with the management or higher officials. They may go on strikes or do other sorts of protests. Major conflicts occur when, for example, employees experience gender discrimination, work overload, forced overtime, short deadlines, and no opportunities for promotion, reward or compensation. Communication in conflict is of two kinds, according to Bacal (14): cooperative communication and conflict-provoking communication. Cooperative communication tends to avoid or settle a conflict to â€Å"put an end to it in an effective way† (Bacal 15). On the other hand, in conflict-provoking communication, more energy is spent in resisting to the â€Å"form of the communication, rather than the content† (Bacal 15). In short, it is impossible to hold good working relationship at the workplace when there is not a proper communication platform shared by all employees and the management. It is obligatory for the management to solve confl icts like power struggle, gender discrimination and other employees’ issues through effective communication, if the objective is to achieve organizational goals with good productivity and high performance. Works Cited Cahn, Dudley D., and Ruth Anna Abigail. Managing Conflict through Communication (3rd ed.).

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Human Capital, Inequality and Growth in Transition Economies Essay Example for Free

Human Capital, Inequality and Growth in Transition Economies Essay Human Capital can be defined as the accumulation of competences and knowledge in individuals gained through education and experience, not forgetting their personality attributes. All these put together enable individuals effectivley perform profitable and revenue generating economic activities. Such competent persons in a society are at times reffered to as a workforce or laborforce. Some examples of investments in humans that result in human capital are education, health and training. As Becker says, human capital investments raise the earning ability of individuals, improve health and add to an individuals’ good habits. The term inequality generally refers to disparities in access to opportunities or resources amongst individuals, groups or even countries. Some of the common causes of inequality are; gender, race, age, geographical location and even cultural practices. Inequality normally results in observable differences in levels of growth and development of individuals or from one society to another. Education is the process through which individuals are able to acquire basic skills necessary for life. It is the understanding and interpretation of knowledge that empowers individuals to develop a logical and rational mind. The rational mind is then is able to determine relationships amongts pertinent variables, thereby fostering understanding. Education involves completing curriculum based fixed time achievements, aimed at building professional capabilities. At the individual level, it develops the capabilities and potentials of the individual so as to prepare them to be successful in a specific society or culture. In this case therefore, education serves an individuals’developmental needs. When education happens at the societal level, it is thus defined as a process by which society transmits to new members the values, beliefs, knowledge and symbollic expressions that make communication possible within that society. In this sense, education serves a social and cultural function. Roland (2000) says that transition economics, also known as transformation economics refers to a state whereby economies have gradually changed over from socialism to capitalism, an example being the former socialist economies. There is a shift from standardized prices and monetary theories to institutions geared towards a higher efficiency. This transition can only thrive if there is sustained government and political support. The Soviet Union in full, is known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), It was characterised by a single communist political party, a planned economy and the KGB security agency which closely monitored activities within the union. USSR was formed in December 1922 and by 1956, it was comprised of 15 countries with Moscow being the capital city. The fifteen countries included; Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Dissolution of USSR begun in 1985 and continued upto 1991, with the fifteen member states gaining their independence a few months before the Soviet Union collapsed in late 1991. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, restructuring of the administrative functions and development of a market based system was immediately embarked on through Yeltsins’ shock program. The aim was to improve standards of living, ensure equitable resource allocation, create new production avenues, promote liberalization, and provide incentives through privatization activities. However, a free and liberalised market did not come without ny challenges. By 1992 Russia suffered a deppressed life expectancy, twenty five percent of the population lived in abject poverty, there were low birthrates, and a downward sloping Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, due to increased investment activities, exploitatation of valuable natural resources and increased business development activites, the economy begun to make significant improvement. The aim of this paper is to explore how education as a factor of human capital and inequality influenced growth in transition economies, with respect to the former Soviet Union countries (FSU). Theoretical research Human capital with regard to education and levels of inequality both have an impact on the growth experienced in transition economies. This growth is therefore an end result of quality educational investments and equitable distribution and allocation of vital resources across a country. Such a hypothesis makes growth the dependent variable whose outcome is influenced by two independent variables namely; education and inequality. Observation of growth and development trends in transition economies and the developing world, have shown that education can have both positive and negative impacts on an economy. One of the positive impacts is that persons who possess the relevant knowledge and skills required by organizations are able to access better job opportunities as opposed to those who are poorly educated. In addition, high levels of education enable individuals to secure jobs in other countries, thus helping to alleviate the problem of unemployement in their mother country. Spagat (2002) observed that during Russia’s transition, intellectual individuals were more motivated to pursue more education opportunities and in return, became very successful in their careers. In regard to the economic transition in the former Soviet Union countries (FSU), educated parents who still held education in high esteem, were very focused on ensuring that their children acquired the same level of education as them or even higher. While on the other hand those parents who viewed education as a burden rather than an investment focused on the bare minimum, that is, basic education. The result of this attitude was that these particular families remained trapped at a basic education level and so was their access to income generating opportunities. Through education and training, individuals acquire problem solving skills and entrepreneur management skills which inturn, help them set up and operate successful ventures, in the process creating employment opportunities. In addition, as the field of education grows within a country with more universities, colleges, high schools and primary schools being constructed, more job opportunities are created in the education sector. Persons who are well educated are likely to secure better paying jobs, which inturn increases their purchasing power plus it increases the demand for goods and services available in the economy. The net effect of this, is creation of more job opportunites in the production and service sectors. These persons are able to improve their standards of living including those of their dependants. In addition, issues of health and fertility are decided upon from a knowledgeable point, (Newell and Reilly, 1999). Through education, individuals are exposed to society and they acquire important attributes and values that can help them enhance their capacity to interact and relate with other persons in society. As a result, they able to adapt and cope with the dynamics of the workplace. Last but not least, education as a contributor to human capital enhances economic growth and development in a country, since the human capital is equipped on how to exploit the countrys’natural resources profitably. Countries lacking this human capital are neither able to exploit their resources adequately, nor are they able to develop their economy at the desired pace. Barro (1998) argues that human capital enhances absorption and application of superior technologies from other countries. Young and educated persons under the guidance of the older folk are able to conduct research and development. The improved technology in a transitional economy enhances the speed and quality of production of goods and services, through improved and more cost efficient work processes. The young industries are in turn able to meet rising demands, both domestic and foreign hence increasing their revenues and taxes to the government. Munich et al (1999), argue that in a transition economy, government support and positive attitude towards investments in human capital is essential. The government has to allocate funds for example for building schools and also for enticing people to enroll in this schools. However, the maintenance of the enrollment levels is a continued process whose economic benefits are only realised over time as was seen in the Czech Republic. In support of this argument, Spagat (1995) warns that it is even though human capital takes years to accumulate, it actually takes a very short while to deteriorate, hence governments cannot afford to postpone this investment, even temporarily. The governments must ensure that education and other skills are transferred effectively from one generation to the next. Restructuring of education, needs to be done from the very beginning of the transition from socialism, in order to immediately improve educations’ quality. There is a multiplier effect that comes with better quality education. The first being an increased access to job opportunities, higher wages and consequently more tax revenue for the government. The major effect however, is that it sets the standards for future generations, both in terms of quality of education and future incomes, (Spagat, 2002). Fan et al (1999) said that the young people of Russia during the transition had little or no motivation to put effort to pursue education. This is because the education system had not been restructured to match the market-oriented system and therefore the returns were not high. World Bank (1995) accused Russia of concentrating on spewing out scientists and engineers instead of producing a mixture of professionals who would support the different sectors of Russia’s’ economy. They only increased between 1991 and 1994, but this human capital investment deteriorated again by 1996, (Brainerd (1998). In order to make ends meet, many dropped out of school and opted for jobs such as taxi drivers, street vendors and some even joined the Mafioso for a quick buck. All was not lost however, when we remember individuals like the Hungarian–American entrepreneur George Soros, who provided funds that would help these countries implement reforms for a better future. OECD (1996) advised that schools and tertiary institutions should not be the only avenues through which education is attained. OECD (1996) advised that adult learning should be encouraged in order to help the older generations access more income. In addition, pre-schooling of children below the age of formal schooling, which was a common feature of the FSU countries fostered child development and also prepared these children for formal education. In these former Soviet Union countries, the major advantage of pre-schooling their young children was in the fact that it freed the women to participate in economic activities, and it also reduced education disparities between children of the educated parents and those of the less educated parents. Micklewright (2000) wrote that investment in learning institutions ensures sustained educational gains. For example, in some of the Soviet Union countries, teachers earned wages so low that they spent their time looking for more income instead of teaching. In addition, repair and maintenance of the buildings was neglected and with lack of heating during winter, schools would be closed. The other problem was the shortage of textbooks. However, these countries tried to salvage the situation by offering meals at school between 1989 and 1996, in order to entice parents to take their children back to school. In countries such as, Yugoslavia, Armenia, Georgia, Tajikistan and Albania, the transition was characterised by serious geographical disparities caused by war, civil and ethnic strife. Facilities were destroyed, hundreds of families were displaced out of their homes and schools were closed, (World Bank, 1997b), thus slowing down the ongoing projects. Human capital is vital for growth of transition economies. Growth should be stimulated across all sectors of the economy and in each part of the country so as to rapidly raise the standards of living and reduce inequalities between urban and rural areas. Keen interest should be paid especially to rural areas, in order to eliminate the possibility of mushrooming of pockets of poverty across the country. According to Flemming and Micklewright (1999), ensuring that access to education is recognized by FSU countries as a human right as stipulated in international law, will greatly boost growth of human capital. Equal rights promote equal access to opportunities and it also reduces discrimination based on gender, race, religion or economic status. Income inequality rose in the Czech Republic and Russia and was very high between 1988 and 1996. In order to support a transition economy, Spagat (2002) suggests that a balance should be created between skilled and unskilled labour. This is because most young people either worked on a full time basis and neglected pursuit of higher education, or they pursued higher education and then begun working at a later stage. One of the negative impacts of education on a country is that by having too many educated persons, the labor market gets saturated thus resulting in a drop in the amount of wages that employers are willing to offer. In turn this acts as a demotivator of the labor force and may also result in brain drain whereby qualified personnel leave their mother country for better opportunities in other countries. The unemployed persons are normally seen resulting to social ills such as alcoholism, drug abuse and robbery amongst others. These social ills inturn dissuade local and foreign investors from putting their money in an unsafe country.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Treatment For Women Survivors Of Childhood Abuse Psychology Essay

Treatment For Women Survivors Of Childhood Abuse Psychology Essay Many women in the United States are adult survivors of child abuse. As testimony to this to this fact, it was discovered in surveys of 1,931 women that up to 62% had a history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and up to 30% reported childhood physical abuse (McCauley et al). Numerous female adult survivors of child abuse will experience psychological and behavioral issues as a result, and may benefit from some form of psychotherapy as treatment. Typical strategies used include cognitive-behavioral, trauma-focused, and emotion [-] focused approaches (qtd. in Hodges). Cognitive-behavioral therapy should be considered by women survivors of childhood abuse who are experiencing depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The impact of childhood abuse on women is profound. Dr. Ileana Arias reports in her article The Legacy of Child Maltreatment: Long-Term Health Consequences for Women that Documented psychological problems in adulthood among women survirors of child maltreatment include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, somatization, substance abuse, eating disorders, personality disorders, and suicidal behavior. According to reported and documented occurrences of abuse, one particular type of abuse that affects females more than males is childhood sexual abuse. The National Center for Victims of Crime (2007) reported that girls are victimized at least three times more often than boys, and one in four adolescent girls will experience CSA before reaching 18 (qtd. in Hodges). Unfortunately, for the disproportionate amount of female survivors, results of childhood sexual abuse are so traumatic that it can actually alter the brain. For example, this information was given in The Publics Health, Newsletter for Medical Professionals in Los Angeles County in an article titled Adult Manifestations of Childhood Sexual Abuse, Controlled studies have shown that adult survivors of child sexual abuse (ASCSA) are more likely to exhibit adverse psychopathologies in adulthood, and neuroimaging studies confirm that exposure to sexual abuse in childhood alters the neurobiology and neurostructures in the brain, leading to scarring, an abnormal neurohormonal response to future stressors, and predisposes the victim to a lifetime of negative consequences. (3) The article states that the affected areas of the brain are the left hemisphere, the hippocampus and amygdala, and the corpus callosum. If there is neurodevelopmental damage to these parts of the brain, the victim can experience a number of psychological results, including depression, panic disorder, and PTSD (qtd. in DeCarli 3). This is of particular concern to women because PTSD is often a result of experiencing sexual abuse as a child. PTSD is defined in Women Are Diagnosed With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder More than Men, Says Research, as an anxiety disorder precipitated by a traumatic event and characterized by symptoms of re-experiencing the trauma, avoidance and numbing and hyperarousal. (APA). The article notes findings by the American Psychological Association (APA) that women are diagnosed with PTSD more than men. It is common knowledge that men and women are different in a variety of ways, and the way that trauma seems to affect each gender is no exception. The article states that, A reason that men may not fit the current diagnosable criteria of PTSDà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦is that their symptoms may manifest themselves differently. (qtd. in APA). Women would be more likely to report depression or anxiety whereas men would report behavior or drug problems (APA). Cognitive-behavioral therapy is one of the best methods of treatment available and practiced in the U.S. today. Dr. Helen Kennerly defines CBT as therapy which aims to improve mood and change unhelpful behaviors by tackling the thoughts, memories, images and beliefs which are linked with problems (Kennerly 58). Use of cognitive behavioral therapy techniques would be beneficial to women survivors because it is aimed to supply the victim with a thought process to counter the thoughts that provoke or perpetuate depression, anxiety, or PTSD. The process is explained in The Clients Guide to Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy: How to Live a Healthy, Happy Lifeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ No Matter What! by Aldo R. Pucci, President of the National Association of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists. First, the book teaches the Emotional ABCs. The ABCs are this: one is aware of something, then he or she has a belief about it, and the result of the belief is the consequential emotion that results. The belief is positive, neutral, or negative (23). Those thoughts are propelled by underlying assumptions that would be the core to the beliefs (35). Being aware of this process and core beliefs is empowering, and this awareness gives the victim the power to change it. In example, if a woman was abused as a child, and her underlying assumption is that shes not worthy of respect as a result, then that could influence her beliefs and actions in any number of scenarios. She may act timidly in a situation or be a doormat to others because that is her underlying assumption. The core belief must be found and challenged, and the emotional ABCs lead the way to discovery. Next, Puccis version of the The Common Mental Mistakes, mistakes that could also provoke depression, anxiety, and PTSD in a female adult survivor, is introduced. Pucci lists 26 mental mistakes, and then gives a list of Common Emotional Problems and the Common Mental Mistakes. Of the 26 mental mistakes, he lists some that would cause a feeling of depression, including irrational hopelessness/helplessness and catastrophizing (85). A female adult survivor might feel helplessness or hopelessness as an adult because those feelings were likely in the child who had no control of or escape from the abuse. As an adult, however, the former abuse victim has much more control of their life. Pucci describes catastrophizing as another form of underestimating ones potential to deal with a situation effectively (71). He goes on to say that words and expressions often used when catastrophizing are: awful, terrible, horrible, catastrophic, and end-of-the-world (71). If those words were to be replaced with a more neutral word, such as unfortunate, the impact might be deflated (Pucci). This is not say that a female adult survivor of child abuse should want to minimize the validation of their feelings during childhood, but rather to recognize in adult situations if those overwhelming feelings and words are automatic when met with challenge in adult life. These are some of the stepping stones that would lead women survivors to a rational approach, so that even if happiness isnt always attainable, maybe a neutral, solid ground can be reached instead of being sucked into the quicksand of depression and anxiety (Pucci). Alternatively, a trauma-focused CBT approach may be more beneficial to the women survivors experiencing PTSD as a result from childhood sexual abuse. This therapy requires the client to revisit the traumatic experiences through detailed descriptions of the occurrences to assist in identifying the triggers for PTSD, then developing cognitive processes to counter the behavior that follows, such as avoidance of things that are non-threatening triggers. Hodges states, Counseling interventions like trauma-focused therapy presuppose that the focus of therapy with women survivors of CSA is the trauma experience and that reviewing the experience is necessary for the client to improve psychologically. This type of therapy has been stated as generally beneficial for adults who were sexually abused as children (qtd. in Hodges). Although CBT would prove beneficial to treating adult female survivors, there are, of course, alternative treatments, and some experts would not consider this to be the treatment of choice. For example, Hodges takes a different stance on treatment, suggesting a wellness approach instead. Focusing primarily on the trauma itself neglects the individuals growth potential and the positive effect posttraumatic growth has on psychological distress (qtd. in Hodges), she notes, however, Wellness-focused interventions validate the individual and the fact that the important thing is not why the individual survived but how (Hodges). This type of therapy would pay homage to the clients strong points in having dealt with sexual childhood abuse, such as resiliency. Though this, too, could prove beneficial to the women survivors, the CBT approach helps to excavate the core self-belief that is the origin of the suffering they are experiencing in adult life, and gives them tools to successfully comba t the origins of their suffering. Another approach to treatment would be medication for anxiety or depression, in combination with therapy or as a sole treatment. Not only do antidepressants have the potential to cause side effects ranging from weight gain to insomnia to anxiety, they are of particular concern to women who are or could potentially become pregnant. The Mayo Clinic states that some types of antidepressants have been associated with health problems in babies. For instance, these risks are listed by the Mayo Clinic for the selective serotonin reuptake inihibitor (SSRI) Citalopram, better known as Celexa: Risks: Has been associated with a rare but serious newborn lung problem (persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn, or PPHN), when taken during the last half of pregnancy; has been associated with septal heart defects; has been associated with a birth defect that affects the brain and skull (anencephaly), a birth defect that affect sutures on the head (craniosynostosis) and a birth defect that affects the abdominal organs (omphalocele). This is just one example, and nearly all the other popularly prescribed antidepressants have similar or equally serious risks. This possibility of side effects in all users and the risks of use in pregnant women make psychotherapy a more reasonable treatment, and the effects may be longer-lasting, as cognitive behavioral therapy aims to treat the causes of depression, not just the symptoms. Likewise, anti-anxiety medications come with their own risks. Anti-anxiety medications known as benzodiazepines (i.e., Ativan) are effective in treating anxiety disorders, however, side effects include drowsiness, poor concentration, and irritability (WebMD). Perhaps of greater concern, these medications are addictive and are not as desirable for long-term use (WebMD). A female adult survivor of child abuse would most likely find long-term benefits and methods that can be used indefinitely in the tools that are developed in cognitive-behavioral therapy rather than relying on medication for these reasons. Although using cognitive-behavioral techniques with a therapist as a guide is ideal, some seeking help may not have the means to attend therapy. In that case, there are a good number of self-help books that employ the fundamentals of this approach. One book that directly addresses using CBT for the adult survivors of child abuse is Overcoming Childhood Trauma: A self-help guide using Cognitive Behavioral Techniques by Helen Kennerley. Puccis book could be used without a therapist as well. Because childhood sexual abuse affects more women than men, books can more easily be found that are written for women. One book is called The Courage to Heal: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse by Ellen Bass and Laura Davis. If the woman survivor has the will to treat her anxiety, depression, or PTSD but does not have the financial luxury (or insurance coverage) to use a therapist, any of these books and others available can be of assistance. In conclusion, the primary goals cognitive-behavioral therapy of identifying the mental cues that perpetuate the women survivors suffering and then dealing with the irrationality of some beliefs and behaviors is an ideal treatment. Identifying the underlying assumptions of what has shaped the survivors thoughts and being given those mental tools to fix the problem would be more beneficial than some of the alternatives. Some therapies may not get to the core of what the client is experiencing, and medications can have unfavorable side effects and carry risks for babies carried by mothers using the medications. A therapist can help guide the women survivors in recovery with the cognitive-behavioral techniques, yet if this is not possible, self-help books using those techniques can also help.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Epic of Beowulf Essay - Noble and Cowardly Behavior :: Epic of Beowulf Essay

Beowulf may serve well as a reflection of the life of Germanic aristocracy of old times. The primary epic, by definition dealing with heroic deeds and extraordinary figures, often uses comparison and contrast to differentiate good qualities and faults and make them more explicit. Throughout the poem we acknowledge the idealisation of Beowulf both as a warrior and a king. The main features which contribute to Beowulf’s greatness are courage, martial skills, honour, responsibility, generosity and pursuit of fame. The mentioning of Scyld, the legendary Danish hero, and of Beowulf the Dane at the beginning of the poem serve as an implicit comparison with the forthcoming Beowulf the Geat. Similarities between the warrior and the heroic predecessors expose Beowulf’s qualities. Beowulf shows respect for king Hrothgar and he discloses his responsibility when asking the king to take care of his men in case of his death in the fight with Grendel. Unlike Unferth the â€Å"peace spoiler†, he hadn’t slain his kinsmen, nor had he boasted about his courage while the plain facts proved the opposite: for if Unferth was so brave, Grendel would not have been alive anymore. The negative image of a retainer which Unferth represents is boosted by the fact that he gave his sword to Beowulf, whereas a virtuous warrior never parts with his sword. An example of an ignoble behaviour is also represented in the shape of the cowardly warriors of king Beowulf’s retinue, who, except for Wiglaf, leave him unattended in the fight with the Dragon. They are a total opposition of the brave hero. As a king, Beowulf resembles wise Hrothgar and Hygelac. Generous to his thanes, he drives his land to prosperity. For his people he sacrifices his life, unlike Heremot, the avaricious former Danish king, who brought â€Å"carnage and death† to his kindred, â€Å"slew his comrades† and fled, and whose reign brought torment to his people. Beowulf shared the fate of heroic Sigemund the dragon-slayer, who gained treasure for his subordinates but whose life had a bitter end.