Comparing Beowulf And William Shakespeare s Macbeth

Actor Anson Mount, once made an insightful observation, â€Å"all of us have a hero and a villain in us.† This is something that has been proven over time, across cultures, and is also corroborated in famous literary works such as Seamus Heaney’s Beowulf and William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Key characters in these epics often rose to the occasion and made a positive impact on the society with their exceptional bravery, selflessness, moral courage, and steadfastness of character. There were also instances where the same characters didn’t exercise the best judgement. Although Beowulf had many more heroic moments than Macbeth and Macduff, each of them had their virtues and flaws that surfaced at different times and under different circumstances, validating that there is nothing such as a perfect hero or an absolute villain and therefore the society should be more careful in assigning such labels. Beowulf, who possessed a rare combination of physical strength, m ental courage and self confidence, was much more than a brave warrior. What distinguished him from other warriors was that he never misused his superhuman strength and always followed the highest standards of morality. An example of Beowulf’s classy behavior was when Geats were left without a king after Hygelac’s death. Queen Hygd didn’t have confidence in her son’s ability to protect their homeland against invaders. She offered Beowulf â€Å"throne and authority† and â€Å"Yet there was no way the weakened nation / could get Beowulf to

The Self, By Robert Thurman - 1779 Words

The â€Å"self† is notion of oneself and qualities that distinguishes one individual from the other individuals. Self is consist of perspectives, characteristics, emotion and personalities of a person that makes them different from others. However, Robert Thurman implies that the self does not actually exist, and individuals have to become selfless in order to achieve a â€Å"fulfilling life.† He uses the word â€Å"pretend self† to describe that people s identities are inherently false identities since individuals can control it. Therefore, according to Thurman in order to become the true self, individuals have to become â€Å"selfless†. Thurman discusses the importance of achieving the state of â€Å"selflessness† to find inner peace in his excerpt â€Å"Wisdom.† He encourages individuals to practice self-exploration, which can lead individual to give up their authentic self for the wellfare of others’ lives. become a â€Å"selfle ss† person, which then allows individuals to become flexible to change instead of staying fixated. On the other hand Beth Loffreda in her essay â€Å"Losing Matt Shepard: Life and Politics in the Aftermath of Anti-Gay Murder.† describes the effects of the violent act have on the town of Laramie. Loffreda discusses the town residents’ self-perception and how the minority community reacted to the murder of Matt Shepard.In contrast to Thurman s’ argument, Loffreda describes the change in perspectives and actions of the residents, indicating that an individual s â€Å"self† is not fixatedShow MoreRelatedGay College Student At The University Of Wyoming1447 Words   |  6 Pagesteachers felt disconnected and unable to mend the pain of losing Matt Shepard. She goes on to say that the feelings of the teacher seem to be â€Å"an appalling luxury, an indulgence in a kind of intellectual self-pity at a moment when the basic skills of education—critica l thinking, articulation, self-reflection—could be so concretely valuable† (249). Loffreda attributes the response of the faculty to the fact that they weren’t â€Å"perfectly equipped to handle the events of October†(248). In fact, LoffredaRead MoreGay College Student At The University Of Wyoming ( Bio )1429 Words   |  6 Pagesteachers felt disconnected and unable to mend the pain of losing Matt Shepard. She goes on to say that the feelings of the teacher seem to be â€Å"an appalling luxury, an indulgence in a kind of intellectual self-pity at a moment when the basic skills of education—critical thinking, articulation, self-reflection—could be so concretely valuable† (Loffreda). Loffreda attributes the response of many of the faculty of University of Wyoming to the simple fact that they weren’t â€Å"perfectly equipped to handleRead MoreSummary Of Rent Seeking And The Making Of An Unequal Society By Robert Thurman1319 Wo rds   |  6 Pageshas formed. In Robert Thurman’s essay, â€Å"Wisdom†, Thurman claims that a society filled with inequality is formed as a result of giving importance to the self. However this claim can be falsified by comparing it to the text by Martha Stout, â€Å"When I Woke up Tuesday Morning, It Was Friday†. In Martha Stout ‘s text her patient, Julia is extremely successful. Along with her successes Julia does not give much importance to her self. Julia often disassociates from reality is unsure of her self, so she cannotRead MoreThe Act Of Caring For Others869 Words   |  4 PagesBarbara Fredrick son and Robert Thurman express different point of views about the act of caring for others. Although one wrote of love and the other wrote of wisdom, they both come hand in hand. There are a few parts were Love 2.0 and Wisdom show that you need both in order to live a happy, prosperous life. Fredrick son and Thurman try to show that the world isn t wha t you think it is. That different people interrupt in different ways, through their scientific research or through religious beliefsRead MoreExplanatory Synthesis Essay on Karen Armstrongs Homo Religiosus and Robert Thurmans Wisdom1357 Words   |  5 PagesExplanatory Synthesis Essay on Karen Armstrong Homo Religiosus and Robert Thurman Wisdom Karen Armstrongs first chapter in The Case of God, Homo Religiosus, provides readers with the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the idea of religion as being a dominant concept in human nature. Armstrong apparently wants to emphasize that humans were designed so as for them to be religious and thus concentrate on taking on a series of attitudes meant to provide them with the chance to developRead MoreAnalysis Of Wisdom By Robert Thurman1274 Words   |  6 PagesRobert Thurman, a Tibetan Buddhist monk, and Karen Ho share their ideas on different topics in each of their passages. In Thurman’s passage titled â€Å"Wisdom† he writes about one’s self and how acquiring his form of wisdom means that they are selfless, or willing to change themselves for the better or when the time comes. In â€Å"Biographies of Hegemony†, Ho writes about the type of society that Wall Street has created and how they continue to keep the same type of people in their elite group. However differentRead MoreHuman Relations With Robot Companions / Artificial Intelligence1286 Words   |  6 PagesEverything We Feel, Think, Do, and Become (Barbara Fredrickson), and Wisdom (Robert Thurman) certain studies are elaborated on in which humans discover themselves through their emotions. In Alone Together Sherry Turkle gives insight on human relations with robot companions/artificial intelligence. Barbara Fredrickson’s Love 2.0 is about the study of biological love and the connections needed to produce it. And Wisdom, by Robert Thurman, is insight on achieving selflessness and how it makes you an overallRead More5th Paper Final Draft1186 Words   |  5 PagesWritings Involvement with Self and Society The self is expressed in a multitude of ways ranging from speeches to television as well as writing. Not only that but as human beings it is instinctual to make an observation and write it down, but we tend to add our own personal view as to what we believe, or interpret something entirely else from the observation. By reading Karen Hos Biographies of Hegemony and Jean Twenges An Army of One: Me essays as well as Robert Thurmans Wisdom it is evidentRead MoreWhen Religious Beliefs Overpower Human Rights 1489 Words   |  6 Pagesobserved. These steps include being able to dissolve the mind into a state of emptiness leaving potentiality. To find one’s intrinsic awareness, one must arise as promise being or seed syllable. According to Lopon Wandgu’s lecture, visualization of self as an enlightened being is the reason why one meditates. Empowerment, which comes from the embodiment of the five wisdoms of the Buddha, allows for praise and offering through recitation (mantra ), which â€Å"rotates around the seed syllable at the heart†Read MoreThe Mind Is Not Sane1765 Words   |  8 PagesPeople use the adjective sane as a fabricated reason to not only judge, but also to define the â€Å"self†. Sanity is in the eye of the beholder. It could be used to describe one’s self or others. It is an artificial construction, created by society, that has taken over society’s lives for both better and worse. In the readings, â€Å"When I Woke Up Tuesday Morning, It Was Friday† by Martha Stout and â€Å"Wisdom† by Robert Thuman, both authors would arrive at an agreement that the mind creates ideas and scenarios

Managing Performance – Top Trucking Company Case Study

Question: Discuss about the Case Study for Managing Performance of Top Trucking Company . Answer: Introduction Human resource management is a critical function in any organization and thus requires an organization to pay a lot intention to the aspects that may affect the performance of the employees. Human resource is the most fundamental resource in the firm(Brad Jia, 2008). This is because it organizes the other organizational resources so that the company may realize its desired goals. Therefore, the management of this critical resource requires the managers to have essential skills and attitude to be able to execute their functions effectively. It also should be noted that the responsibility for ensuring the welfare of the employees is catered should not be solemnly centered to the human resource department rather it should be a collective responsibility for all the organizational leaders ranging from the supervisors to the top management of the company(Uzonna, 2013). Employee relations mainly entails how the employers relate to the employees at the workplace (Chandrasekar, 2011). The po or employee relations results to the several consequences for the organization. For example, in the event of weak relations between the employer and the employees: the overall organization performance may drop; the conflicts between both the employer and the employees as well as the trade unions can become a continuous affair. Despite, poor employer-employee relationship having the adverse effects some of the organization are not aware what it entails an effective human resource management. They still have the traditional ideology of treating the employees as the only resource which can be used for the benefit of the organization and disposed of when it loses value. However, the organizations adopting this ideology have continued to supper greatly due to low employee performance as well court litigations cost resulting the cases filed by the trade unions. For the further and comprehensive discussion of how poor employee relations can have serious consequences for the performance of the organization, this report uses the case study Top Trucking Company. Top Trucking Company Employee Relations Overview Top Trucking Company had been a great performer in the local market. However, the employees welfare was not appropriately addressed. Additionally, the manager was rude and authoritative when issuing orders and directives to the drivers. This means that drivers were not supposed to offer or suggest creative ideas as they were supposed to follow the manager's directives strictly. The worsening was that the trucks were wearing out, and the company was not ready to re-invest in the new trucks. The results of this poor management and leadership style were the creation of hardcore drivers, poor performance among the employees and trade union conflicts. However, the things changed dramatically when the company was purchased by the National Transport Group. The new investors were willing to venture into the business heavily so as to raise its performance above the bar. The new management adopted transformative leadership and also, it was willing to improve the welfare of the employees. As th e result, the company performance improved its reputation grew bigger. Besides, the drivers become appreciative of the new management, and even the positive relations between the company and the trade union was enhanced. Therefore, this report seeks to use the Top Trucking Company case study to answer the following three questions. First, how the transformative workplace practices brought by the new management complimented each other. Second, the risk of sustaining the company new workplace changes. Third, comparison of blue collar union with the public sector unions regarding workplace changes. The complement of the New Workplace Practices. The new management introduced the changes which were deemed to improve the welfare of the drivers. For example, the new uniform and the trucks bought for the drivers enhanced their motivation and the company performance also increased. In addition to the new working facilities, also the health and safety of the drivers were improved. From several perspectives, it can be argued that the company management was meeting the employees rights as well encouraging them to improve their performance. As Lee (2006) noted the crucial responsibility of the manager at the organizational workplace is to get the task executed through the efforts of the employees. To achieve this vital objective, the employees have to be propelled by a driving force called motivation. However, Ganta (2014) argued that the term motivation is easily said within the organizational workplace environment but rarely practiced. The Top Trucking Management recognized the importance of motivation and initiated the changes whi ch could help the company attain competitive advantage in the market. The overview and the analysis of the Top Trucking Company human resource management under the two different managements portray how the human nature can be complex and sometimes very simple. Dobre (2013) noted the understanding of the human nature at different scenarios is the prerequisite to efficient employee motivation as well as effective leadership and management. The drivers under the company old management were treated badly, and the motivation incentives were not forthcoming. Besides, the manager adopted the autocratic leadership style an act which drivers felt it regarded them as unimportant. They felt that the company was only focused on fulfilling its objectives without putting the welfare and the interests of the drivers into consideration. However, under the new leadership, the manager seems to understand the importance of the employee motivation. The new manager seems to adopt transformational leadership style whereby his decisions, whenever there were grievances among the employees, were based on the rational approach. Importance of Employee Motivation Principles Research findings indicate the motivated employees improve their creativity and productivity (Zafar, Ishaq, Shoukat, Rizwan, 2014). Again, Safiullah (2015) argued that it is beneficial and morally right to treat human dignity on all scenarios. Relating to the Top Trucking Company old management, the drivers felt that the arrogance and autocratic behavior of their manager was disrespectful. As a result, the performance as well the reputation of the company started to decline. As Ganta (2014) noted if the employees are not motivated the total contribution of the employees on the organization success declines. This is because the employees do not channel all their energies and efforts in alignment with the desired goals of the organization. This phenomenon has been briefly illustrated using the diagram below. Source: Accel-Team (2015) Motivation and Performance The performance of the employees will majorly depend on how they are motivated(Mohsan, Nawaz, Khan, Shaukat, Aslam, 2011). The sources of motivation may either come internally or externally. The employees major sources of internal motivation are job satisfaction, challenging task and the importance of the job. On the other side, the external motivation comes from the management of the organization. Some employees have the self-motivation drive and other who have to be driven by the motivation to perform(Manzoor, 2014). However, both group of employees needs to be motivated to improve their performance. For effective management of the employee performance, leaders should base their motivation mechanisms on the following strategies: positive reinforcement; appropriate punishment and discipline; treating all the employees well; meeting the employees demands; restructuring jobs and rewarding employees based on the performance. Motivation being a critical factor in determining employee p erformance, the majority of the managers do not know what motivation mechanism to adopt. In one of the major study of Minneapolis Gas Company which involved forty-four thousand potential employees with the aim of determining what the employees desire most from a job(Hafiza, Shah, Jamsheed, 2011). The study which was carried for the period of twenty years found out that job security, work itself, development and proud of the company to work for were the main factors resulting in employee motivation. This was in contrast to paying that majority of the managers' believed was the core foundation of employees motivation. This explains why under the old management of the Top Trucking Company the drivers were always in conflict with the management despite being paid. However, the new workplace practices under the management of the company new investors contribute to the total motivation of the employees. Despite, being paid the drivers other needs such as improved working conditions and health and safety are catered for. Risk of Sustaining New Workplace Changes Different stakeholders ranging from the employees to government discourage the organizations to establish unsustainable workplace practices(Ouye, 2011). As it has always been the case developing, the workplaces changes are not the tough; the task is maintaining the same. Always the changes in the organization come up with modification of the employees' behavior and attitudes to adopt the desired change(ONeill, 2013). For the new changes to be implemented the human resource manager has to reinforce the employees to adopt the right behavior(Carey Parsons, 2009). However, this comes with a big challenge among the managers. This is because during the implementation of the new practices the employees may be influenced to adopt a certain behavior. However, when the influence is no longer available, the employees may reverse to the earlier behavior and thus putting the sustainability of the new practices at risk(Reid, 2012). Top Trucking Company is faced with the same risk. The company employees have adopted the new change under the new management. However, it should be noted the organizations are separate entities and thus have perpetual existence, unlike their owners. This is the same risk which is facing the new human resource practices in top Trucking Company. From the analysis of the company's case, it is evident that the employees have embraced the change and thus it will be difficult for them to revert to the initial behavior. However, the sustainability of this change is under threat because the initiator of the change in no longer available. The manager who was in the charge of the yard and who ensured the practice of improving the employee's welfare continue to exist has been promoted to the head office. Now, the risks of change sustainability are set in whereby the new manager may not be willing to continue with the similar style of the employee relations. Otherwise, he or she may come with th e new leadership styles which may not favor the employees thus receiving resistance from them. Comparison of Blue Collar Union to Public Sector Unions Similarly, as the public sector, blue collar unions can get involved in the workplace changes. However, their involvement in the workplace changes is greatly limited. Therefore, it can be argued that the blue collar unions are less involved in the workplace changes than the public sector or service unions. Some factors are contributing to this difference. First, blue-collar workers are less paid compared to white collar workers. This means their payment dues to the blue collar union do not contribute to union much as that of the white collar workers. Therefore, with economic power public sector unions becomes more involved in the workplace changes than the blue collar unions. Second, the number of the members of the public sector unions is much higher than in the blue collar unions. This increases the collective bargaining power of the public sectors unions, unlike the blue-collar unions. Therefore, with the powerful bargaining power, they become very influential and impactful in ens uring workplace changes. Conclusion Effective employees relations is the determinant of the successful employee performance. Managers should adopt effective leadership styles to ensure that the health relationship between the employer and the employee is maintained. Effective leadership alone is not enough to ensure sufficient employer-employee relationship, and therefore it should be supplemented with motivation. Again, motivation will not be enough, and thus it will need to be accompanied by the taking care of the employees welfare. As it has been for the case of Top Trucking Company the performance of the company has only improved when the new manager has initiated the new management performance techniques. The employees seem to embrace the changes as well as appreciate the new manager for his effective leadership techniques. This is contrary to the old company management performance which was poor hence resulting in conflicts between the employer and the employees as well as the trade unions. References Accel-Team. (2015, April 3). Employee Motivation: Theory and practice. Retrieved from https://www.accel-team.com: https://www.accel-team.com/motivation/ Brad, E., Jia, W. (2008). "Workplace Incivility: Impacts on Individual and Organizational Performance. Human Resource Development Review, 7(6), 218-240. Carey, A., Parsons, S. (2009). Improving sustainability through the 21st-century workplace, and IBM's vision of the office of the future. IBM Global Business Services. Chandrasekar, K. (2011). Workplace Environment And Its Impact On Organisational Performance In Public Sector Organisations. International Journal of Enterprise Computing and Business Systems, 1(1), 1-19. Dobre, O.-I. (2013). Employee motivation and organizational performance. Review of Applied Socio- Economic Research, 5(1), 53-60. Ganta, V. C. (2014). Motivation In The Workplace To Improve The Employee Performance. International Journal of Engineering Technology, Management and Applied Sciences, 2(6), 221-230. Hafiza, N. S., Shah, S. S., Jamsheed, H. (2011). Relationship Between Rewards And Employees Motivation In The Non-Profit Organizations Of Pakistan. Business Intelligence Journal, 4(2), 327-334. Lee, S. Y. (2006). "Expectations of employees toward the workplace and environmental satisfaction. Journal of Facilities Management, 24(6), 343-53. Manzoor, Q.-A. (2014). The impact of Employees Motivation on Organizational Effectiveness. European Journal of Business and Management, 3(3), 36-44. Mohsan, F., Nawaz, M. M., Khan, M. S., Shaukat, Z., Aslam, N. (2011). Are Employee Motivation, Commitment, and Job Involvement Inter-related: Evidence from Banking Sector of Pakistan. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 2(17), 226-233. ONeill, M. (2013). New Workplace Ergonomics Research: Emerging Risks and Solutions. East Greenville: Knoll, Inc. Ouye, J. A. (2011). Five Trends that Are Dramatically Changing Work and the Workplace. East Greenville: Knoll, Inc. Reid, R. H. (2012). Creating Sustainable Workplaces and Organizations. Gainesville: Alachua County Manager's Office. Safiullah, A. B. (2015). Employee Motivation and its Most Influential Factors: A study on the Telecommunication Industry in Bangladesh. World Journal of Social Sciences, 5(1), 79-92. Uzonna, U. R. (2013). The impact of motivation on employeesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ performance: A case study of CreditWest Bank Cyprus. Journal of Economics and International Finance, 5(5), 200-211. Zafar, N., Ishaq, S., Shoukat, S., Rizwan, M. (2014). Determinants of Employee Motivation and its impact on Knowledge Transfer and Job Satisfaction. International Journal of Human Resource Studies, 4(2), 50-69.

Gerard Manley Hopkins an atypical Victorian Essay Example For Students

Gerard Manley Hopkins: an atypical Victorian? Essay Much of the power of Hopkins later poetry comes from the tension between his creative personality (i.e. self) and his Jesuit beliefs. He attempted to reconcile the two after reading the works of the philosopher Scotus, who recognized the value of the individual self (haecceitas), a concept which seem to condone the poets ideas of inscape and their expression, the resulting poetry being a combination of inscape and the instress of the poet himself. Here, in the second verse of The Sea and the Skylark, we see the poets instress consciously imposed on the inscape with the inclusion of I hear; Left hand, off land, I hear the lark ascend, His rash-fresh re-winded new-skeined score In crisps of curl off wild winch whirl, and pour And pelt music, till nones to spill or spend.. Hopkins was not immune from another product of the self consciousness of the age, the tendency towards self analysis. Obviously his vision of the period was coloured by his religious faith, which tended to push him in the direction of those pessimists such as Carlyle, Ruskin, Tennyson and Morris in feeling that Victorian England was moving inextricably towards its own downfall. Like Ruskin and Carlyle Hopkins was concerned by the effects of industrialisation upon nature, seeing it as wilful abuse of God given beauty (as can perhaps be seen in the grieving tone of Binsey Poplars), and by the inequality of society, seeing them all as symptoms of the moral decay and growing irreligiousness of society Why do men then now not reck his rod? (Gods Grandeur, line 4). Both Toms Garland and Felix Randall address the social problems which Hopkins clearly saw as a direct result of the godless materialistic industrialisation of the period This, by Despair, bred Hangdog dull: by Rage, Manwolf, worse; and their packs infest the age. (Toms Garland 19-20) and the poets own concern for the spiritual welfare of this growing hopeless underclass. The Wreck of the Deutschland serves to illustrate the might of God and the fate of those who will not sacrifice themselves utterly to Him and suggesting an almost apocalyptic vision of the future in such a society, although the God who presents himself to the faithful Hopkins is very different to the one of the first few stanzas The Christ of the Father compassionate (stanza 33). Hopkins is often seen to be set somewhat apart from the Victorian norm, perhaps because his work was not actually published until 1918 but whilst his poetic technique may have been innovative and contemporarily unique, in this respect it represents perfectly the spirit of the age. The sensuous imagery of his poetry, his determination that his art should have an edifying purpose and his concern for the Condition of England are typical of much work of the period. The crucial difference is the result of Hopkins fervent religious belief in a time when many were less sure, his work is poetry of faith and certainty rather than a product of the anguished doubt that characterised the work of men such as Tennyson and Arnold, and this eternal belief underpins everything he wrote, estranging it from much of the eminent contemporary literary canon. 1 Cited in Gerard Manley Hopkins and the Victorian Temper, Alison G.Sulloway, London 1972, page 1. 2 The Correspondence of Gerard Manley Hopkins and Richard Watson Dixon, ed. Claude Colleer Abbott, London 1955 3 All poems taken from Gerard Manley Hopkins Poems and Prose, ed. W. H. Gardner, London 1953 4 quoted in Gerard Manley Hopkins Poems and Prose, London 1953, p. xxxiii 5 Note-books, p. 95 6 Gerard Manley Hopkins, from lecture notes on Poetry and Verse, 1874.

Coaching Relationships and Characteristics

Today, in the 21st century, the practice of coaching has increasingly gained currency in organizational settings, with the two most predominant types of coaching being executive coaching and employee-oriented coaching. The current paper seeks to promote our understanding of coaching in the organizational context not only by exploring what current research says about coaching relationships but also expounding on the characteristics and attributes associated with effective organizational coaches.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Coaching Relationships and Characteristics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Coaching relationships, according to existing literature, may be formed between the supervisor and the employee, or between a professional coach and an executive. In the first type of relationship, the employee is the primary beneficiary of the coaching exercise, implying that both the process and perceived effective ness of this type of coaching are contingent upon the established association between the manager and employee. In executive coaching, a member of senior management is on the receiving end of coaching, hence is obliged to establish a mutually beneficial relationship with the executive coach to achieve effectiveness.  Although it has been well documented that consecutive studies have failed to effectively investigate the concept of coaching relationships or avail tools for evaluating those relationships, it is clear in the minds of scholars and practitioners that coaching relationships can be used as a useful management tool for guiding and developing employees. Some empirical studies have found employee coaching relationships existing between subordinates and their direct supervisors to be of immense importance in enhancing employee productivity, which then raises the bar for organizational performance and competitiveness. Positive coaching relationships, according to existing lit erature, are essential ingredients in developing the climate, environment and context needed to empower employees and teams to generate the anticipated organizational results. More importantly, employee coaching relationships not only present the platform for managers or supervisors to avail one-on-one feedback and insights aimed at guiding and stimulating improvements in subordinates’ work performance, but are also critically instrumental in creating a climate which enhances employees’ capacities and capabilities for future roles and/or challenges. It is important to note that coaching relationships are not determined by ‘one-time, one-way’ relationships; instead, they are ongoing collaborative processes, that to a large extent vary depending on the individuals involved. Consequently, it is correct to argue that the nature or quality of coaching relationships fluctuate across individual employees and members of the executive team, depending on the charact eristics demonstrated by the coach. Effectiveness, therefore, can only be achieved when manager/employee interactions are predicated upon the establishment of action-oriented, results-motivated, and person-directed types of coaching relationships.  Lastly, existing research on coaching relationships within organizational settings demonstrates that effectiveness is contingent upon the presence of several characteristics exhibited by coaches.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In view of this assertion, it can be argued that the characteristics associated with best coaches include: genuine care and interest; demonstrated ability to assist the employee in continuous learning; effective communication and interpersonal skills; capacity to show mutual respect, empathy, authenticity and genuineness for establishing an effective relationship; and ability to attain a higher perceived similarity between the coach and the subordinate. Overall, these characteristics should be employed by supervisors and managers in coaching relationships to establish distinctive relationships that are tailored to the subordinate’s needs, achieve genuineness of the relationships, facilitate effective communication between the supervisor and employee, guarantee comfort in the relationships, and facilitate subordinate’s personal and professional development. Coaching relationships in organizational settings often fail to achieve effectiveness in the absence of these characteristics and attributes. This essay on Coaching Relationships and Characteristics was written and submitted by user Alexa U. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Setting for Williams A Streetcar Named Desire

The Setting for Williams' 'A Streetcar Named Desire' The setting for A Streetcar Named Desire is a modest, two-room flat in New Orleans. This simple set is viewed by the various characters in sharply contrasting ways- ways that directly reflect the dynamics of the characters. This clash of views speaks to the heart of the plot of this popular play. An Overview of the Setting A Streetcar Named Desire, written by Tennessee Williams is set in the French Quarter of New Orleans. The year is 1947- the same year in which the play was written. All of the action of A Streetcar Named Desire takes place on the first floor of a two-bedroom apartment.The set is designed so that the audience can also see outside and observe characters on the street. Blanches View of New Orleans Theres a classic episode of The Simpsons in which Marge Simpson lands the role of Blanche DuBois in a musical version of A Streetcar Named Desire. During the opening number, the Springfield cast sings: New Orleans!Stinking, rotten, vomiting, vile!New Orleans!Putrid, brackish, maggoty, foul!New Orleans!Crummy, lousy, rancid, and rank! After the show aired, the Simpsons producers received a lot of complaints from Louisiana citizens. They were highly offended by the disparaging lyrics. Of course, the character of Blanche DuBois, the faded Southern belle without a dime, would completely agree with the cruel, satirical lyrics. To her, New Orleans, the setting of A Streetcar Named Desire,  represents the ugliness of reality. To Blanche, the crude people that live on the street called Elysian Fields represent the decline of civilized culture. Blanche, the tragic protagonist of Tennessee Williams play, grew up on a plantation called Belle Reve (a French phrase meaning beautiful dream). Throughout her childhood, Blanche was accustomed to gentility and wealth. As the estates wealth evaporated and her loved ones died off, Blanche held on to fantasies and delusions. Fantasies and delusions, however, are very difficult to cling to in the basic two-room apartment of her sister Stella, and specifically in the company of Stellas domineering and brutal husband, Stanley Kowalski. The Two-Room Flat A Streetcar Named Desire takes place two years after the end of World War II. The entire play is staged in the cramped flat in a particularly low-income area of the French Quarter. Stella, Blanches sister, has left her life at Belle Reve in exchange for the exciting, passionate (and sometimes violent) world that her husband Stanley has to offer. Stanley Kowalski thinks of his small apartment as his kingdom. During the day, he works in a factory. At night he enjoys bowling, playing poker with his buddies, or making love to Stella. He sees Blanche as an intruder to his environment. Blanche occupies the room adjacent to theirs- so close that it impinges on their privacy. Her garments are strewn about the furniture. She adorns lights with paper lanterns to soften their glare. She hopes to soften the light in order to look younger; she also hopes to create a sense of magic and charm within the apartment. However, Stanley does not want her fantasy world to encroach upon his domain. In the play, the tightly-squeezed setting is a key factor in the drama: It provides instant conflict. Art and Cultural Diversity in the French Quarter Williams offers multiple perspectives on the plays setting. In the plays beginning, two minor female characters are chatting. One woman is black, the other white. The ease with which they communicate demonstrates the casual acceptance of diversity in the French Quarter. Williams is presenting here a view of the neighborhood as having a thriving, exuberant atmosphere, one that nurtures an open-minded sense of community. In the low-income world of Stella and Stanley Kowalski, racial segregation appears to be nonexistent, a sharp contrast to the elitist realms of the old South (and Blanche Dubois childhood). As sympathetic, or pathetic, as Blanche may appear throughout the play, she often says intolerant remarks about class, sexuality (in the case of her homosexual husband who was devastated by her negative comments), and ethnicity. In fact, in an ironic moment of dignity (given his brutality in other contexts), Stanley insists that Blanche refer to him as an American (or at least Polish-American) rather than use the derogatory term: Polack. Blanches refined and disappeared world was one of brutal racism and denigration. The beautiful, refined world she longs for never existed. In the present as well, Blanche maintains this blindness. For all of Blanches preaching about poetry and art, she cannot see the beauty of the jazz and blues which permeate her present setting. She is trapped in a so-called refined, yet racist past and Williams, highlighting the contrast to that past, celebrates the uniquely American art form, the music of the blues. He uses it to provide transitions for many of the plays scenes. This music can be seen to represent the change and hope in the new world, but it goes unnoticed to Blanches ears. Belle Reves style of aristocracy has died away and its art and genteel customs are no longer relevant to Kowalskis post-war America. Gender Roles After World War II The war brought innumerable changes to American society. Millions of men traveled overseas to face the Axis powers, while millions of women joined the workforce and the war effort at home. Many women discovered for the first time their independence and tenacity. After the war, most of the men returned to their jobs. Most of the women, often reluctantly, returned to the roles as homemakers. The home itself became the site of a new clash. This post-war tension between the roles of the sexes is another, very subtle thread in the conflict in the play. Stanley wants to dominate his home in the same way males had dominated American society before the war. While the main female characters in Streetcar, Blanche and Stella, are not women who are seeking the socio-economic independence of the workplace, they are women who had money in their youth and, to that degree, were not subservient. This theme is most evident in Stanleys well-known quote from Scene 8: What do you think you are? A pair of queens? Now just remember what Huey Long said- that every mans a king- and Im the King around here, and dont you forget it. Contemporary audiences of Streetcar would have recognized, in Stanley, the male side of what was a new society-wide tension. The modest two-room flat that Blanche disdains is this working mans kingdom and he will rule. Stanleys exaggerated drive for domination indeed extends, at the end of the play, to the most extreme form of domination, rape.

Ann Cvetkovich suggests we can have 'an archive of feelings'. Discuss Essay

Ann Cvetkovich suggests we can have 'an archive of feelings'. Discuss different ways in which media, communications and cultural studies can involve a reading - Essay Example Mass communication is a section specifically conceived and designed to reach a very large audience. Mass media is a channel of mass communication. Communication technology, on the other hand, had an enormous impact on society by changing the distribution of information and assimilation of knowledge. (Hart 2002) Communication is often studied along three major dimensions: content, form, and destination. Communication content includes acts that declare knowledge and experiences, give advice and commands, and ask questions. These acts may take many forms, including gestures (nonverbal communication, sign language and body language), writing, or verbal speaking. The form depends on the symbol systems used. Together, communication content and form make messages that are sent towards a target. The destination can be oneself, another person (in interpersonal communication), or another entity such as a corporation or group. In a so-called risk communication, there is an interactive process of exchange of information and opinion among individuals and groups, and institutions. It involves multiple messages about the nature of risk and other messages (not strictly about risk) that express concerns, opinions, or reactions to risk messages or to legal and institutional arrangements for the management of risk. When we talk about radio, newspaper, television, internet and other channels of mass communication, we are obviously referring to media. The media is all around us. Indeed, it plays a significant role in our society today. From the shows we watch on TV, the music we listen to on the radio, to the books, magazines, and newspapers we read each day. Media facilitates the flow of information which is important for the development of communities. Media workers are in essence interpreters of information. Without the media, people in societies would be secluded, not only from the rest of the world, but from

Project management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Project management - Essay Example Acting with integrity as the project manager will not only make the team members to buy into the plan but also become a solid extension of you and remain committed to your methodology and produce a better work. To act with integrity as a project manager requires some kind of tips such as; being impartial – this is being fair and objective oriented. Being fair in judgement and making objective decisions that fleshes out the problems and allow the team to get to the bottom of the project without patching them. Being thorough - finishing project tasks completely and in a comprehensive manner. Being thorough project planner means evaluating project requirements and any gaps in details (Heagney, 2012). To be project manager one needed to be focused on the end business result; team members should verify – within the scope of their project role – initial project requirements and the result that is being expected from no matter when they are introduced. As a project mana ger who acts with integrity you will probably know that you are allowing them to provide their own input based on their subject matter expertise and strengthens the chances of project success. Discussion Experience as an intern in HIV/AIDS research firm I served as a project manager intern in a firm that deal with research on prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS firm. It was an awesome experience worth talking about. The research firm is situated in city of San Diego. As a project manager the biggest virtue I required was integrity. This is because I handled people who are older than me and some were my age mates. To identify self-integration and views of integrity is more of a personal matter; meaning that integrity is a social virtue, one that is defined by a person’s relationship to others, and it’s also a matter of person’s proper regard to their own judgement. As the project manager, it didn’t matter whether I was an intern or not the fact was that I was handling the position I had to make important and Taff decisions regarding the project and the team. As a manger and supervisor at the same time I had to credibly demonstrate commitment and personal accountability for the projects and activities integrity, promote an open and trusting environment and understand how my behaviour as the manager affected the team in the field. I had to gain a lot of skills so as for the team to produce a quality output. As the manager I had to develop leadership skills and behaviours that would be required for integrity management. At times I had to go the field with the team and talk with the clients. This was to make me understand the position of the team in the field and to acknowledge their effort. Challenges and experiences The organization is a big one and the position I was holding is a challenging one. The fact that I had a team to handle was more than a responsibility but also an experience to be gained. Management is a position that esta blishes the scope, priority and pace for system implementation and improvement, considering the complexity and risks involved with the project being handled (Heagney, 2012). It is said that whether you are a new project manager or experienced leader, project management will still reveal

Globalisation and the tourism industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Globalisation and the tourism industry - Essay Example Most of these new nations built systems and structures that included the enhancement of tourist and historic sites. The period of the East-West Cold War led to various forms of development which included the creation of standards that were built in alignment with the dominant powers of the conflict. Within that time, structures in transportation improved and different activities went on. After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1988 and the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the world came under one unipolar system led by the victorious Capitalist West. This led to the promotion of the Third Wave of Democracy which came with the democratisation of former Communist and developing nations, harmonisation of standards and the promotion of transportation across borders (Houghton, 2010). In this research we would attempt to examine the actual elements of globalisation and how it relates to tourism in the world today. The project would answer questions relating to the way tourism has improved globalisation. The project would also try to evaluate the impacts of globalisation on the tourism industry. Has globalisation been positive or negative to tourism? And what is the impact of ICT on tourism? What can be done to improve tourism in this era of globalisation? Economic domination of global organisations-Research and detect multinational global companies (including hotel chain, food chain, and tour operator) and discuss economic domination, standardisation, and its impacts on tourism. 4. To identify and evaluate tourism sectors affected by globalisation and provide the most suitable recommendations with reasons, to tourism industry on a global or country level in order to increase profit and being responsible

Sherman Act And The Antitrust Movement Politics Essay

Sherman Act And The Antitrust Movement Politics Essay There are three main sections/provisions under the Sherman Antitrust Act. The first section prohibits specific anticompetitive conduct like the establishment of a monopoly. The second section prohibits deals that have the ending results that are anticompetitive in nature. These can be combinations in forms of trusts that lead to restraint of trade or commerce. The third section extends the provisions of the first section into US territories and Washington DC and it also states that people who are hurt by a business that breaks this act are eligible to sue for damages (threefold). The purpose of the act was to oppose the combination of entities that could potentially harm competition, such as monopolies. The Act is not clear because a trust is an older form of contract whereby one party entrusted another with its property. This did not encompass the owning of stock in another company. The courts also would put their own words into the act that the Congress did not actually write into the Act. There was too much room for interpretation of the act which made it inconsistent and not very efficient. The Sherman Antitrust Act was able to pass with only one dissenting vote even though the Congress was mostly comprised of Republicans. I believe it passed because the Congress realized what the snowball-effect of a monopolistic economy would have on everyone, especially consumers. Congress knew that if trusts continued a huge gap between the poor and the rich would develop. The monopolies could charge any price they wanted to and people would have to pay it. The Congress realized this and knew competition increases the quality of goods which would help the U.S. compete with companies outside the U.S. because the global market was forming during this time. The Congress knew that monopolies would stunt the expansion and growth of American industry and technology, which would hurt the U.S. against other countries. The nations view of antitrust regulation was that it would benefit all consumers because competition allows for better products and increased development. Businesses could not have a very big market share because that diminishes the ability of a new smaller business to enter the market and bring new ideas to the market. The nation and consumers want there to be competition because this lowers prices while quality of goods increases. It is a win-win situation for consumers and the American people. The liability of the creation of a monopoly should be the responsibility of the monopoly. The monopoly is creating the unfair trade and is able to control the price of goods. The consumers are the ones who are hurt in the end because of the monopolies. What was Roosevelts analysis of the trust problem? What role should government play in resolving this problem and why? How should it do this? What should it not do? Roosevelt became president in 1901 and had a plan that was between the Republican Laissez Faire policies and the Socialist policies. Roosevelt was able to gain the respect of the public, even though they didnt want big government, because the trusts were growing in numbers and power. Roosevelt never opposed giant corporations because of their sheer size though. He believed that big corporations were more efficient than smaller ones, but believed that competition among these big corporations in the same field would be dangers and wasteful. Roosevelt felt that these large companies should be allowed to combine and cooperate, but they should not be allowed to use their size or power to oppress smaller producers and consumers. Roosevelt wanted to neutralize the power of the great corporations and he supported measures to extend the control of the federal government over the national economy. Roosevelt supported the creation of the Bureau of Corporations (1903), which investigated busines s practices of corporations and other businesses. Roosevelt argued that only an acting and strong government could bring control to big business and there should be different standards for bad trusts and good trusts. I believe government need to regulate big businesses like Roosevelt. A business should be able to be as big as it wants with acquisitions and mergers but it should not be able to control 100% of the market. If a company controlled the whole market then it would affect every consumer, probably in a negative way. The government needs to protect the consumer and put down rules that do allow a company to get very big but not own 100% of the market and have extreme pricing power. There needs to be at least a little bit of competition to give the consumers a better product, being price and quality, through competition. The government should not take control of big businesses once they acquire a large market stake through success because a company should not be punished for that. If though, the company raises its prices without reason or for no reason lowers its prices into an area of net loss to reduce competition or entry into the field they should be punished. How would you characterize the rule of reason and the dissenting opinion? What do you think has been the impact of this ruling? Chief Justice Edward D. White proposed the rule of reason in the Standard Oil Case of 1911. It was difficult to solve by proof whether the particular contracts, combinations, or trusts involved in each case is or is not a unreasonable or undue restraint of trade. The rule of reason is a circumstance test asking whether the challenged practice promotes or suppresses market competition. The rule of reason states that only combinations and contracts that are unreasonably restraining trade are subject to actions under the antitrust laws and the possession of a monopoly is not inherently illegal. A dissenting opinion is when one or more justices disagree with the majority of the Supreme Court. Usually the justice writes an opinion of why they disagree with the majority decision. The dissenting opinion is used to get the public attention and get the public to also disagree with the majority opinion. In the end, the dissenting judge hopes that the Court will reconsider its decision and over turn it. I would then characterize these two to be amendments to the antitrust laws that were already in the forms of acts. The dissenting opinion lets a judge get there opinion out to the public and helps the public more of decide what is right and what is wrong in a judicial case, even if the case does not get overlooked again. I believe the rule of reason does not add that much to the antitrust laws. I believe it lets there be more interpretation and this would then differ from judge to judge. Along with that I believe judges should be able to go against the majority ruling and show their opinion and support it with facts. The public needs to know both sides and they then can decide on their own. The majority decision is not always correct so by there being dissenting opinions more people hopefully will see the correct side and the court could then overturn the result. How did Wilson view the problem of big business and antitrust? What role did he see for government and why? What did he see as the limits to involvement by the government? Wilson was even more outspoken against the trusts than Roosevelt. Unlike Roosevelt, Wilson did not believe in government regulation of big businesses. Wilson wanted to use the antitrust laws to break up monopolies to restore competition, make businesses more efficient, and create a new type of individualism that had before made America a powerful nation. Wilson said, If monopoly persists, monopoly will always sit at the helm of government. I do not expect monopoly to restrain itself. If there are men in this country big enough to own the government of the U.S., they are going to own it. Wilson also said that monopolies are not inevitable and if they were, then the government would have to take hold of monopolies and regulate them. Monopolies, not being inevitable, then there have to be laws to break them up and prevent them from forming again. Wilson does not believe that these big combinations are inevitable and says he can prove they are not by the process of how they were started. Wilsons believes that it was the old form of competition that enabled these men to create their monopolies, so there has to be new systems established to stop it from happening again. Wilson believed that the government may not be able to control monopolies but can regulate competition. It is a criminal law of the U.S. for a company to go into a community and sell below cost for no other purpose than to squeeze out a competitor. Also, Under Wilsons administration the Federal Trade Commission and the Clayton Antitrust Act were passed in 1914. Both of these new developments greatly strengthened the ability of the government to control corporations. The Clayton Antitrust Act made it illegal for directors of one corporation to be directors of another corporation in the same field which reduced the ability for trusts to be created. What was Debs analysis of the problem of big business? What role did he see for government in regulating big business and why? As a Socialist, what did he suggest should be the workers view of antitrust and regulation? How do you think he, as a Socialist, viewed big business and bigness, per se? Eugene Debs believed that big business took away from the work of the working class. Debs believed that the workers should own and control their own jobs and not be at the mercy of the big businesses. Debs said that big business controlled the work environment and destroyed advances and innovations that would help the workers. Debs wanted people to think the only way to overcome big business and the capitalist class was to overthrow it. Debs had a very strong belief in unions and the power of the workers also. When the owners of the trust finance a party to put themselves out of business; when they turn over their wealth to the people from whom they stole it and go to work for a living, it will be time enough to consider the merits of the Roosevelt Progressive Party explained Debs, that only when big business was destroyed would be the time for a progressive party. Debs did not really want the government to regulate big business; he wanted the unions/workers to regulate the businesse s they were a part of, so the power would be with the unions. He wanted the workers to get past big business and form unions to take control. Being a socialist, Debs would agree with how socialism is an attempt to bring social organization, especially in the form of unions. From this social organization comes a new level of technology and progress which can then be fully taken advantage of. Capitalism and big business concentrates power and wealth within small segments of society that controls the means of production and derives its wealth through a system of exploitation, under the socialist point of view. Socialists do not want big business because power is located narrowly and the workers are more like slaves. What is the role of the Federal Trade Commission? What powers does it have that are new for antitrust law? How does it resolve some of the problems of Sherman Act antitrust activity? What is required to make it work? How did the Clayton Antitrust Act affect the enforcement of the Sherman Act? The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the U.S. established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act. The mission of the commission is the promotion of consumer protection and the elimination and prevention of harmfully anti-competitive business practices such as monopolies. The Federal Trade Commission had the power to investigate and prevent deceptive trade practices. If there were unfair methods of competition in or affecting commerce and unfair or deceptive acts affecting commerce they were illegal. This commission helps solve some of the ambiguous content that was in the Sherman Antitrust Act. Now the commission has the specific reason to act on anyone who is affecting the consumers or commerce. For the act to work, it is necessary for a company to be doing something inherently anti-competitive. This can also be interpreted so there is again misinterpretation. The company does not have to be a monopoly for this act to affect the company also. The Clayton Act was established in 1914 and it was established to prevent anti-competitive practices in the start up or beginning of anti-competition. There are four principle changes that affect the Sherman Antitrust Act from the Clayton Act. The first, price discrimination between different purchasers, if discrimination substantially lessens competition or tends to create a monopoly, is illegal. The second, sales where the buyer cannot go to different suppliers or where competition is lessened, is illegal. The third, mergers and acquisitions where the affect may substantially lessen competition is illegal. The Clayton Act also allows greater regulation of mergers since it does not require a merger-to-monopoly before a violation. The fourth is that any person cannot be the director of two or more competing corporations. The Clayton Act helped strengthen what was written in the Sherman Antitrust Act with these provisions. Why were there so few convictions under the Sherman Act early on? What changed and why? What types of firms/industries were charged during the 1920s? Why has the prosecution of antitrust violations ebbed and flowed in American history since the beginning of the twentieth century? At first, there were not many convictions under the Sherman Antitrust Act. This is because there was a very loose interpretation of the Act and the Act was not very clear. The Act, only being a few paragraphs, let there be a lot of room for the monopolies and corporations to interpret and present what they defined the rule/Act as. There were few convictions also because of the intense political pressure from the trusts and with the loose wording of the Act. The trusts pointed out that the Sherman Antitrust Act failed to define such key terms as combination, conspiracy, monopoly and trusts. Also, there was narrow judicial interpretation as to what constituted trade or commerce among the states. Five years after its passage, the Supreme Court in effect reduced the Sherman Antitrust Act in the US vs. EC Knight Company in 1895. The Court ruled that the company had not violated the Act despite the fact that it controlled approximately 98% of the whole market place for that sugar industry. The court explained that the companys control of manufacturing did not constitute control of trade. The standard that emerged from this decision applied a two part test to determine if a company was set up to have monopoly power. First, the company must possess monopoly power in its market and second, it must have improperly used acts to gain power or protect their power as a monopoly. In 1920, the US Supreme Court relaxed antitrust regulations so that only unreasonable restraint of trade through acquisitions, mergers, and predatory pricing constituted a violation. Under Herbert Hoover in the 1920s, the government promoted business corporations and this continued with Calvin Coolidge who had a hands-off policy towards businesses. In the 1920s the companies that were charged were not just companies that were massive; it was mostly smaller businesses that were charged. Throughout history the Sherman Antitrust Act kept getting redone with the new acts and commissions that backed up and helped find trust companies. The prosecutions of new companies was able to flow because of these new acts that came about to revise the original Sherman Antitrust Act. When people had been able to find holes in the Sherman Antitrust Acts, these new Acts were there to help patch up those holes and let the process of trust busting continue. Looking at the case against Microsoft, has the efficacy of antitrust law been reduced? In the United States vs. Microsoft case Microsoft was being accused of abusing monopoly power on Intel based computers in its use of the Windows OS and web browser integration. The issue was whether Microsoft was allowed to bundle Internet Explorer browser with its Windows OS. Microsoft stated that the merging of the two was the result of innovation and competition and that the two were the same product. In the final settlement, Microsoft had to prevent from engaging in predatory behavior or other acts that might diminish the ability for another product to enter the market. I do believe the efficacy of the Act has been reduced, I believe it is less trusted now. With this case the government got into the regulation of computer technology which could hinder the progress as a result and many people do not like the idea of a big government. In this case Microsoft was said to just get a slap on the wrist because they were not really punished. I believe they did not do anything wrong, Internet Explorer was part of the Windows OS and people who bought the OS were expecting to have a browser packaged with it. There would be no point for Microsoft to put a third party browser on their Windows OS because they built it. The OS is theirs and they have full rights to whatever goes into the OS and, therefore; they should be allowed to put their own browser integrated into the software. I believe the antitrust law needs to be redefined and the old law is looked down upon because it can be interpreted in various ways. How did the success of antitrust law after 1900 affect the growth of oligopolies in the economy? Growth of oligopolies was greatly diminished because acquisitions and mergers of smaller companies into bigger ones were reduced because of the laws. US Steel in 1901 had 62% of the market share and then in 1920 it only had 40% of the market share. The American Can Company in 1901 had 90% of the market share and by 1912 it was significantly reduced to 50% of the market share. Even though this is just showing one company from an industry it still shows that the laws were effective in breaking the companies down into smaller companies. These laws helped reduce the amount of oligopolies being constructed the same way it broke down monopolies and other oligopolies. The laws have diminished the amount of trusts between companies but there are still companies today that try to get around them. There are many companies who have been convicted of price fixing with their competitors to reach a higher level of market price, which in turn hurts the consumers. For example, Dow Chemical, Dupont, and Bayer, the biggest companies in the chemical industry, were price fixing in the early 21st century and there are still premonitions that they are still doing it today. The Acts have diminished the growth of oligopolies but then again people always will try to get around the law to increase their benefits.

A Comparison of the Masks In Cold Blood, Streetcar Named Desire, and Fe

Peeking Behind the Masks In Cold Blood, Streetcar Named Desire, and Fences  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚   In life, we all attempt to project some kind of personality to others. We have a mask we wear in different situations, but when times get tough, we eventually discard our masks and become our true selves. We don't live behind our masks until the tragic end, like the characters of In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, and Fences by August Wilson. The three characters, Perry Smith, Blanche DuBois, and Troy Maxson wore masks to their bitter endings, always trying to fool everyone else. When times got tough, they had to face themselves, and they could not stand the sight.    The characters of Blanche DuBois (A Streetcar Named Desire by Williams), Troy Maxson (Fences by Wilson) and Perry Smith (In Cold Blood by Capote), all had an image they hoped to project. They wanted everyone else to see them in a certain way. Each character had their own delusions about whom they were and what they wanted to project to others. The three hide behind masks in an attempt to be confident and faultless.    For example, in the case of Blanche DuBois we are introduced to a woman who portrays herself as a southern belle, a woman who is supposed to be genteel. It doesn't take long before the audience can recognize DuBois for what she really is. However, she never gives in, or admits to what the audience can see in her. DuBois is drawn to a life of illusion. She tells people she is a schoolteacher on leave, when she has actually lost her job for becoming involved in an affair with a much younger man (Harris 444). Laurie Lanzen Harris states,    She presents herself as an innocent, virginal young woman .... ...84.   Nance, William L. "The Worlds of Truman Capote." Contemporary Literary Criticism 13 (1970): 137-138.   Shafer, Yvonne. "Breaking Barriers: August Wilson," in Staging Difference: Cultural Pluralism in American Theatre and Drama. Contemporary Literary Criticism 118 (1999): 405-406.   Shannon, Sandra G. "The Good Christian's Come and Gone: The Shifting Role of Christianity in August Wilson Plays," in MELUS. Contemporary Literary Criticism 118 (1999): 382-384.   Vogel, Dan. "The Mask of Oedipus Tyranos," in The Three Masks of American Tragedy. Contemporary Literary Criticism 5 (1976): 504-505.    Works Consulted Capote, Truman. In Cold Blood. New York: The New American Library, 1940. Williams, Tennessee. A Streetcar Named Desire. New York: New Directories, 1947. Wilson, August. Fences. New York: Plume, 1985.   

Co-existence and co-development: the sociological perspective Essay

One of the early sociologist who tackled suicide is Emile Durkheim who related polarities in social integration and control with suicide. There are four types of reasoning which would account for suicidal or self annihilating moves (Durkheim, 1951). Altruistic reasoning is when a person feels his act of suicide will serve a social purpose. This is more like a self sacrifice and is associated with high social integration. Egoistic reasoning is when a person feels alienated and socially isolated lacking social support. Such reasoning is associated with low social integration. Fatalistic reasoning behind suicidal acts is associated with aversion to control deemed undesirable like slavery even if it means getting killed in the attempt of gaining freedom. Such an act is associated in this conception with high regulation or control. Anomic reasoning refers to cope with undesirable situational changes (Durkheim, 1951). Such early works on suicide were important attempts in systematization of an approach to a particular social issue which marked sociology as scientific discipline and opened the possibility of mapping social situations which may lead to particular set of actions like committing suicide. Another theory which explored social integration and regulation is Kolberg’s stages of moral development. Kolberg’s theory is a take off from the moral judgment model of Piaget who introduced development or changes associated with growing up (Crain, 1985). Piaget observed differences in age levels as far as perceptions on moral dilemmas. Younger children view rules for example as fixed and absolute but older children tend to recognize that rules as tools of cooperation and an agreement on rules are important. Another insight was that younger children tend to view consequences as compared to older children who tend to value motivation behind a particular action (Crain, 1985). Kolberg expanded on this notion and identified six stages of moral development essential in the development of particular social formations. Level I is preconventional morality which comprised stage 1 obedience and punishment orientation and stage 2 individualism and exchange. The marked change is similar to Piaget’s that is, recognition of the relativity of right and wrong (Crain, 1985). Level II is conventional morality made up of stage 3 in moral development, good interpersonal relationships which corresponds to early teens. Here the young person learns of what is expected of his/her behavior, what is and not acceptable. Stage 4 is maintaining the social order. At stage 4, the concept of society as a structure and functions is more or less fairly developed (Crain, 1985). Level III is postconventional morality made up of stage 5 social contract and individual rights. Stage 5 is abstraction of society and what ought to be the attributes of good governance. Consensus and participation in such a consensus system is the main virtue at this stage. Dissonance and value judgment is more profound as delineation between what is moral and what is legal may not coincide and difficult conflict to resolve may arise (Crain, 1985). Stage 6 in Kolberg’s social construct is universal principles. Adherence to higher ideals like justice and dignity of a human being. Thus impartiality and equal opportunity as a higher standard of behavior if moral dilemmas are to be resolved (Crain, 1985). There are theoretical dilemmas in the model as the scale system in Kolberg’s model failed to fully distinguish between stage 5 and 6 though intuitively the difference between the two stages is quite clear. In stage 6 an invitation for action to change society is embedded (Crain, 1985). The importance of such conceptions of social order hence how people would be integrated and agree on forms of regulation and at what point will there be a break and hence opens possibility for risk situations such as those that would reinforce self-annihilating acts (Crain, 1985). We take note that at this point of discussion that at any time in the developmental stages of a human being, the psychological premises are operative. Cognition is essential to Kolberg’s model recognizing behavior patterns as so complicated that it would be impossible to teach every detail of certain behavior pattern. Still the notion of each according to his/her configuration is very much evident. The individual learns because he has the ability and others are important as models or patterns which they too can do (Crain, 1985). And here is perhaps a thread we can to track suicidal tendencies, suicide acts affects other people, invoking the possibility. An invitation into the domain of death. Death is a loaded word with different layers of meaning. Just how do people convey meaning? What could be the unit of sharing and comparing abstractions and theories so essential in gaining knowledge. Another perspective which shed more light on how could people agree or reach a consensus on a moral dilemma or coming into a critical decision is symbolic interactionism. This thinking maintains that the mind is a dynamic process of creating and sharing significant symbols embedded with defined and clear meanings. This is a product of interaction resulting to social symbols. With such a perspective, it would be easy to recognize that a consensus or an agreement is agreement first on the particular symbol to use to construct such agreements. Language remains the more potent symbolic system universal across human societies. According to this view, learning is not simply observing as contended by Kolb or an imitation as Bandura maintained but according to Mead, an ability of â€Å"taking the role of the other† through empathy enabling a continuing internal dialogue. Blumer the social psychologist who coined symbolic interactionism summed up the three premises underlying this concept. The first premise is that humans behave towards things according to meanings attributes to such things. The second premise is that these meanings are products of social interactions with others. The third premise holds that such meaning undergoes interpretation and modification. By and large, though there are disagreements, one thing is emerging thus far, that the dynamic relationship between nature and learned is a continuing and developing process leading perhaps to the question of what is the ultimate potential or purpose of life and how could a divergence such a violent act against others or self-annihilation could transpire. What is apparent though that understanding a suicidal act could be seen as a process leading to the risk situations of increasing likelihood of committing such acts (Sandstorm, Martin, & Fine, no date).

Briar Rose Essays - Briar Rose, Sleeping Beauty, Becca, Fairy Tale

Briar Rose Essays - Briar Rose, Sleeping Beauty, Becca, Fairy Tale Briar Rose In a nutshell: Briar Rose is the story of the Holocaust intertwined with the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty. The story begins with the death of the "Gemma," the grandmother of Becca. Through out Becca?s life Gemma told the story of Sleeping Beauty many times to her. Now, however, after making a promise to her grandmother, to find her past, the once insignificant fairy tale might be a clue to her actual past. Before her grandmother's death Becca had vowed to fulfill her grandmothers promise, which was to rediscover her origin. After the grandmother's death, Becca became intrigued in what she had found in a box Gemma left behind. In the box there were only vague clues about Gemma?s past. Drawn to the mystery of her grandmothers past, Becca continued to search for clues. After finding out what could be a lead to Gemma?s past, Becca decides to go to Poland were everything began. Once in Poland Becca tries to solve the mystery. When Becca goes to Joseph Potocki, a once close friend of Gemma, this is all answered There in Joseph Potocki's house Becca finds the shocking conclusion to her grandmother's past. Gemma's fairy tales were not all so make believe in the end. The story Joseph told was shocking. Gemma's past was darker than Becca thought. As Joseph told his story, Becca began to realize not only the significance of the story; but also what Gemma actually went through. The story explained Joseph?s and Gemma?s escape from the Holocaust. Joseph goes on to explain how he had saved Gemma by bringing her back to life, the escape from the concentration camps, and finally, freedom. After finding the truth Becca returns home content, knowing she has fulfilled her vow. What's so special: The book has a rich and intriguing story line. It uses the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty intertwined with the Holocaust to make an all most life like story, that keeps you reading for more. The book is set-up with two stories, both being told side by side, with one exception: Becca's retelling of Joseph's story. One story retells certain memories Becca had with her grandmother, and the second story is about what is presently going on in Becca's life. Should I care: This is certainly one book to look into. Using two stories intertwined, the book is intriguing and makes you read for more. It's one book you won't want to put down until you're done.

tracking

Tracking Thomas Jefferson once stated, â€Å"We are all created equal,† but we are not, we are all unique in different aspects in our lives, one aspect being the ability to learn. In Jeannie Oakes’ Tracking: Can Schools Take a Different Route?, she states, â€Å"Track level differences get produced as teachers and students interact at school.† The competition many students feel academically is hard and furious. Some students do not have the desire to compete and wish to merely go with the flow at school. This is the reason that tracking comes about in schools. The teachers notice the levels of competition the students feel, and make their decisions of how to teach based on how they respond in class. The ability of a student cannot truly be measured by an educator, but rather by the student himself. In all reality no one knows a person better than that person himself or herself. The student makes the decision about whether he or she wants to challenge him/herself more or less. Granted, as Jeannie Oakes states, â€Å"when schools group by ability, teachers are better able to target individual needs and students will learn more,† this may be true for the teacher, but if a student places him/herself into a higher ability group it may help to push and encourage him more academically being around people who have that higher ability. Many students are able to grasp one subject better than another, and they realize this on their own. â€Å"Tracking is both a response to significant differences among students and an ongoing contribution to those differences,† everyone knows their strengths and weaknesses and need not be reminded of them by being placed, by someone else, into an ability group. By doing so, again as Jeanne Oakes states, â€Å"students experience lower self-esteem and expect less of themselves when schools publicly identify them as less able.† Teachers have no excuse to give up on or be less enthusiastic towards their... tracking Free Essays on Grouping/tracking Tracking Thomas Jefferson once stated, â€Å"We are all created equal,† but we are not, we are all unique in different aspects in our lives, one aspect being the ability to learn. In Jeannie Oakes’ Tracking: Can Schools Take a Different Route?, she states, â€Å"Track level differences get produced as teachers and students interact at school.† The competition many students feel academically is hard and furious. Some students do not have the desire to compete and wish to merely go with the flow at school. This is the reason that tracking comes about in schools. The teachers notice the levels of competition the students feel, and make their decisions of how to teach based on how they respond in class. The ability of a student cannot truly be measured by an educator, but rather by the student himself. In all reality no one knows a person better than that person himself or herself. The student makes the decision about whether he or she wants to challenge him/herself more or less. Granted, as Jeannie Oakes states, â€Å"when schools group by ability, teachers are better able to target individual needs and students will learn more,† this may be true for the teacher, but if a student places him/herself into a higher ability group it may help to push and encourage him more academically being around people who have that higher ability. Many students are able to grasp one subject better than another, and they realize this on their own. â€Å"Tracking is both a response to significant differences among students and an ongoing contribution to those differences,† everyone knows their strengths and weaknesses and need not be reminded of them by being placed, by someone else, into an ability group. By doing so, again as Jeanne Oakes states, â€Å"students experience lower self-esteem and expect less of themselves when schools publicly identify them as less able.† Teachers have no excuse to give up on or be less enthusiastic towards their...

The compromised Neonate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The compromised Neonate - Essay Example Results also showed that the time needed for stabilisation of bilirubin levels increases along with the gestational age of the neonate. In addition, despite the various methods employed for the treatment of neonatal jaundice and the wide ranges in the treatment levels used, there has been an overall median plateau of around 72 hours for the stabilisation of bilirubin levels in most of the neonates. However, because the date of the release of the NICE guidelines was in proximity with the release of this article, it can be inferred that the national guidelines were not yet fully disseminated in most hospitals and other neonatal units during the time the participating units were contacted, as suggested by the conclusion of the article in the high variability and wide variations in the threshold levels used among the 72 units contacted by the researchers. ... r this paper since it discusses both the use of phototherapy to treat neonatal jaundice, as well as in discussing the importance of using guidelines in managing bilirubin levels for improving the symptoms of neonatal jaundice. Physiological Jaundice in the Neonate Jaundice is a condition which is caused by the accumulation of bilirubin or broken down red blood cells in various parts of the body, and is most visible as a yellow discolouration in the sclera of the eyes and on the skin starting from the head and moving down to the lower regions of the body (Robertson & South, 2007). The yellow colour is attributed to the inability of the infants’ bodies to rapidly catabolise foetal red blood cells through the liver and to expel these through bowel movement. While there are two forms of bilirubin circulating in the neonate’s blood: the unconjugated bilirubin (fat-soluble) and the conjugated bilirubin (water soluble), it is the unconjugated bilirubin which causes the yellow discolouration due to its fat-soluble nature earning its capacity to enter cellular membranes and becoming deposited in tissues such as the skin, gums, and eyes (Percival, 2002). As a result the bilirubin that builds up in the bloodstream due to the slow breakdown of red blood cell catabolism can reach to about 5-7mg/dL or 85.5-119.7?mol, binding to fatty deposits within the neonatal body and causing the yellow discolouration (Varney, et al., 2004). This amount of bilirubin build-up in the infant’s bloodstream is enough to give off the typical yellow discolouration of the skin among those affected, with the intensity of the colour associated with an increase in bilirubin accumulation. Up to 50% of neonates are typically affected by this condition and usually does not pose grave problems unless

Physical education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Physical education - Essay Example At that time, it was not the jocular fun game which it has become today; instead, dodgeball was a deadly game in its origin. The tribes playing dodgeball would use putrefied matter or large rocks rather than rubber balls to play it and the game was used for intense workout. The competitors tried to knock out players of the other team by incapacitating or injuring them. The hit players were finished off by being pelted with more rocks. The team members of the injured and fallen competitor assumed the responsibility to protect the player and disperse the attackers by throwing rocks at them. The game was well-suited to encourage the tribesmen to jointly work against other tribes during the skirmishes. The tribes also used the game to identify the weak among them. Dr. James H. Carlisle, a missionary saw the tribes playing dodgeball and was left intrigued by the tribal men’s ruthlessness and agility (â€Å"History of Dodgeball†). He was also impressed by the solidarity and teamwork shown by the tribal men. Having watched the men play the game for hours and hours, Carlisle became obsessed with the weird ritual. On his way back to England, Carlisle shared his experience with some of his pupils in Europe. The reason the sport could not be carried on was the fact that the European men who were told about the game by Carlisle lacked the accuracy and natural agility to throw things on others or dodge being hit. Only after the return of Carlisle to the St. Mary’s College in Norfolk did he transform the ruthless practice into a civilized and playable game. The professional tournaments available for the Dodgeball players include the Dodgeball World Championship that is announced annually. The latest professional tournament was the â€Å"11th Annual Dodgeball World Chamionship & Convention† (â€Å"Professional Dodgeball†) organized on the 7th through 10th of August in Las Vegas. Dodgeball has a whole set of well-developed rules and regulations that the

Team Building Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Team Building - Term Paper Example In this regard, there are team building exercises that have been proven to assist in conflict resolution in an organizational setting. The objective of this essay therefore, is to present and describe a team-building exercise for conflict resolution that could be applicable in an organizational atmosphere. Team-Building Exercise Usually, the sources of conflicts within groups are the incongruence of goals, interests, and lack of accurate perception of each member’s personalities and preferences. Conflict behavior could be manifested through overt (or covert) expressions of hostility between members of the group and deliberate interference with each other’s activities. Human behavior practitioners have identified a number of approaches to resolve conflicts within groups through group meetings, brainstorming, group dynamics and team-building exercises, and sensitivity training (Martires and Fule, 2004, pp.114 – 118). Group dynamics and team-building exercises are t echniques that enable group members to articulate their actual experiences, emote their feelings, sentiments and emotions on certain aspects, areas or problems with the aid of a facilitator. The process helps members get a clear understanding of the problem and gain insights into the situation. One example of team-building exercises that can be presented within an organizational setting is the Brown Bag Discussion (Destination Imagination, n.d., p. 6). The details that indicate the goals, materials, directions, and variations are as follows: Brown Bag Discussion â€Å"Goal: To have an opportunity to discuss group issues in a fair way Materials: Small pieces of paper, paper bag Directions: Have each person write down, on a small piece of paper, the topic that they think the group should discuss most. Have them fold the paper twice and deposit it in the bag. Shake the bag and take turns drawing out a topic, reading it and discussing it. Make sure that the person who wrote the topic i s satisfied with the discussion before you move on the next topic. Remind people to use "I "statements. Variations: Have the group write down questions to make it a an icebreaker, or write down different quotes and draw them out one at a time and talked about what they mean to the group† (Destination Imagination, n.d., p. 6) The exercise is simple to understand and to implement within the organizational setting and requires very minimal materials that are easy to procure. Further, as the directions indicate, the topic that the group could focus for the discussion could be the current conflict being experienced among group members. By doing so, with the assistance of a facilitator, the members would be illumined on the possible ways to resolve the conflict as heard from the insights and comments of each member. Also, to lighten up the discussion, the variation is a helpful technique that could provide an ice breaker for the discussion; rather than merely focusing on the serious ness of the conflict resolution topic. An ice breaker could be in the form of group activities that require actions, games, and even fun endeavors that would stimulate much needed respite from the formalities of the discussion. In the end, the facilitator should identify which among

College Education Essay Example for Free

College Education Essay What makes college education so important? College is not just a choice, its the beginning of a lifelong journey, one that will shape and determine future choices, decisions and purposes. College is going to help you determine a career that you want to pursue. It will help and guide you in the right direction but you have to be the one to put in the effort. But some may say college is a waste, and will not make their life any better. Some will ask what makes a good college, what do you look for and at. College is one of the most important aspects of succeeding in today’s world. College is much more than just a degree in college you also learn how to learn, perhaps one of the most important things you can get out of college. Once you understand how to gather information by reading books about a subject, determine what information is important and what is not, and how to put it all together, you can master any subject, often without even going to college. By the way, doing a few Google searches and gathering information off the web that may or may not be accurate is not doing research, though it is a useful way to get a quick explanation on what a subject is and is good to find out what material is good to read. According to Bridget who was the first of her sisters and brothers to graduate from The University of Toledo with a Masters in Accounting said college wasn’t a choice her parents said she had to go to college. Even though at the time she was attending college she didn’t think it was important and necessary, because back then it was easier to get a job without a college degree. But now she’s happy she went because now she has her dream job, and is making a lot of money. Now she has a life that she never knew would happen to her. She also has the skills she needs to help someone else reach their goals in life. When she first started college she didn’t know what she wanted to do and she didn’t take it seriously. She partied all the time, was late to all her classes and didn’t do most of her assignments, she barely managed to get all C’s in her classes. She didn’t really start to take college seriously until her third year in college. But once she started to pay attention more and was more focused, she knew she had to get her act together if she wanted to be something in life. And she also knew she went to the right college. What makes a great college and what are you looking for the college to have? Linda said she looked at their approach to teaching and their overall education experience. She also looked for the student-faculty ratio and average class size. (Is she going to get individualized attention in her classes or just be one in a crowd? Or do she want my professors to know her name? Are they accessible outside of class if she needed extra help on homework or projects. She also looked at their medical program. (What are their general ed requirements? Would she have to take classes in several disciplines? Is there a senior project requirement? Is there a first year seminar, academic boot camp class required for all freshmen? ). she also looked at how many credits needed and gpa she needed for her major, and also how many credits she needed to graduate. And how classes are structured (lecture, discussion-based, large lecture with small discussion groups, very hands-on, lots of group projects or papers.. etc). Do they have activities she like (including athletics that she might want to do)? Is the school diverse/ homogenous? How good is their financial aid and can she afford attending there? Are the dorms nice or shabby? Are you required to live in the dorms for 1-2 years or do most students commute from home? Do students get jobs right away after graduation? Does the school have a high dropout rate? Linda said those are some of the things she looked at when she made her choice to attend the University of Cincinnati. She glad she made her choice and would do it all over again. But some would think college is a waste of time. According to Mark he said the older I get, the less sure I am about this notion that a college education is essential for a good life. As far as important important for what? Making more money? Then I guess you could make the argument it is more important, however, some of the worlds richest and most successful men (Bill Gates, Larry Ellison, etc) drop out. Happiness? Actually the research shows that those who perform physical jobs, that typically dont require a college education, tend to be happier. Also, college will be no help for someone that is not prepared for it. Should a woefully underprepared student get accepted to a school. Take out several thousands in loans and somehow manage to just barely graduate, she/he would be much worse of than if she/he had never gone to college as they are not going to get a job ahead of the sea of infinitely more qualified applicants and have to resort to unskilled labor. Had said person gone to a trade school, would have been much better off. Despite these views on college education you are the one who has a choice to make. Do you want to go to college or do you think college is just not for you. That’s on you, you are the one who has to live with it no one else

Reggae As Social Change:The Spread of Rastafarianism :: essays papers

Reggae As Social Change:The Spread of Rastafarianism Throughout its existence, Jamaica has experienced numerous revolutions, riots, and various forms of social unrest. From early resistance by escaped slaves to all-out fighting to end slavery altogether, not to mention riots in past years, Jamaica has been in a constant state of resistance. All these efforts to make a change have created a Jamaican religion called Rastafarianism, and with it comes a very powerful means of transporting its message: reggae music. These two forms of expression formed in the context of oppression, and in doing so they have contributed greatly to the ideologies, attitudes, beliefs, and actions of the people on the island. Rastafarianism is a religion based on social change, and reggae is the means of spreading these beliefs. For a new movement to effectively change the system that is in place, it must realize several goals. The movement must have a clear ideology that is supported by the general populace. The ideology of the Rastafarians has been put forth by leaders, such as Marcus Garvey, Leonard Howell, and Sam Brown. The movement must then succeed in organizing people to gather together in order to support the necessary changes. At this stage, there is most likely going to be resistance from the existing forces that want to maintain the status quo. Finally it is necessary to get people from other areas to support the cause. Only then is change possible. The message of Rastafarianism has been spread worldwide by reggae artists like Bob Marley, Burning Spear, Peter Tosh, and many others. In Jamaica, Rastafarianism emerged as a native religion which addressed issues that affected the majority of the black population."It (black religion) has been equally concerned with the yearning of a despised and subjugated people for freedom -- freedom from the religious, economic, social, and political domination that whites have exercised over blacks since the beginning of the African slave trade."(1) Early leaders, like Marcus Garvey, stressed the importance of repatriation to Africa, and along with that idea, the importance of beating the slave mentality. Garvey wanted to resocialize the black man so he believed himself to be the equal of the white man, and that he could accomplish anything he wanted."Up you mighty race, you can accomplish what you will."(2) Marcus Mosiah Garvey was born in the parish of St. Ann, in 1887. Garvey became a prominent leader in the fight for equality.

Barack Obama State of the Union Critique

President Barack Obama State of the Union Address Critique The leader of the free world, President Barack Obama, addressed Congress and the fellow citizens of the United States of America on the current State of the Union. The President enlightened America on multiple issues concerning the economy, education, jobs, foreign affairs and more. The speech given on the night of January 27th 2010 attracted over 48 million television viewers. Strong attitudes and opinions were exemplified immediately following the completion of his address. A poll administered by CBS News illustrates that 65% of the (3,968) respondents feel as if the President has accomplished far less than what they expected within his first year in office. Another poll taken by CBS suggests that 47% of (3,571) respondents feel that the biggest blunder under the Obama administration is the lack of focus on creating jobs and unemployment. These statistics are of severe importance to the American people and it is for this very reason that I address this particular issue within this assignment. As a current senior at the collegiate level, career opportunities and job security becomes more of a significant issue as graduation approaches at a rapid pace. Currently, the traditional thought of going to college and attaining a degree and doing well in school does not guarantee a safe-secure career. The direction that this country has been headed for the last decade has frightened many college students into thinking that, â€Å"If a college degree does not solidify a good job what will? † This issue increases the growth of concern for our nation. It did not take very long for the President to address the job dilemma that the country is facing. Within 15 minutes of his lecture, he noted that creating jobs is the focus for 2010. In concordance with the President, I also believe that jobs should be at the top of the agenda because in order to revamp the economy it is very essential to get the unemployment rate down. If the unemployment rate stays where it is or gets worse by increasing, Americans will continue to look for ways to cut back spending. Due to the lack of jobs being created and fear of job loss, we, the people, are currently on edge and have trouble deciding whether to invest or save. With the addition of new jobs, our faith will strengthen and confidence will grow within us to do both and that is what has to happen in order for the economy to regain legs and get the country running as it should. Later in his speech the President goes on to note that the engine of the American economy has been and will always be that of small businesses. In a valiant attempt to spur hiring, the president called for the elimination of capital gains taxes on small business investment and tax credits for new hiring and investments in new equipment. He also states that, â€Å"It’s time to finally slash the tax breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas, and give those tax breaks to companies that create jobs right here in the United States of America. † With this plan, the President has called for an end for tax breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas but to help fund tax cuts that reward companies for investing and creating jobs in the United States. Moreover, the President future supported his notion to create new jobs in America by mentioning that the government will invest $8 billion into a rapid train system which will start construction in Florida later this year. He states that this attempt to have the fastest most-reliable train system will format over 2 million additional jobs for Americans. In another attempt to decrease the unemployment rate he mentions that the United States will increase our exportation of goods to other countries around the world by doubling our number of exports now over the next five years. He continues by saying that to meet this goal, Congress will launch a National Export Initiative that will help farmers and small businesses increase their exports and expand their markets. This will allow other countries to opt for our homeland goods which mean that increasing the production of goods within the United States will create increases in revenue and job opportunities. The President also called on the Senate to pass a jobs bill that he can sign. Stating thatâ€Å"The House has passed a jobs bill†¦. As the first order of business this year, I urge the Senate to do the same, and I know they will. People are out of work. They are hurting. They need our help. And I want a jobs bill on my desk without delay. † The bold and difficult steps the President took to stabilize the financial system have reduced the cost of Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) by over $200 billion, providing additional resources for job creation and for deficit reduction. Within the ladder portion of 2009, the President outlined a package of targeted measures to help further stimulate private sector hiring, including measures to facilitate small business growth, green jobs and infrastructure. Urging for support of the Republicans, the President mandates that it is time for strong legislation to be passed on behalf of the Senate. Out of the major initiatives presented by President Barack Obama I think that there is not a major need for a rapid train system as of right now, I do believe that the ultimate good would be the creation of 2 million jobs because of it. Other than this minor rebuttal, I wholeheartedly agree with majority of the different ideas and concepts that the President proposed in reference to jobs during his the State of the Union Address. In addition, I also have full belief in the fact that this country will arise from economic corruption and return to being the nation of superior power and financial stability. Marcques D. Aghedo February 09, 2010 History & Theories of Leadership 201 Dr. Savage Morehouse College