Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Bridge expansion joints †performance and materials

Scaffold extension joints †execution and materials 1.1 Introduction Extension joints are utilized in scaffolds to permit developments like development and compression between the scaffold deck ranges and projections. These developments are caused because of temperature, soil settlements, vehicle quickening and different reasons (Klaiber, et al., 1987 and Dagher, et al., 1993 as refered to in Thippeswamy, 2002). Extension joints are exposed to extreme stacking because of the immediate effect of the wheels. They are a significant part of an extension structure and if painstakingly planned, appropriately introduced and sensibly kept up will give a difficulty free execution for a long time. In spite of the fact that joints are made of different materials like elastic, silicone and polymer they crumble since they are continually presented to affect, vibration of traffic and common components like water, dust, bright beams and ozone (Chang Lee 2002). The solidness of extension joints is a significant worry to connect proprietors. The support cost of joints is moderately high than the underlying cost .This prompted the plan of jointless scaffolds. Jointless extensions don't create worry because of consumption of joints, amassing of garbage and differential rise of joints (Thippeswamy, 2002). The conduct of the jointless extensions not known and the plans being muddled are not actualized regardless of their focal points. This writing audit manages: attributes of a decent extension joint that must be noted while plan a joint, absconds saw in development joints, overview considers led on existing joints to examine their conduct and a few fabricates of scaffold development joints in the business. Studies on improving the presentation of extension joints is directed, research on decreasing the expense of support of the joints ought to be led. 1.2 Characteristics of a decent development joint A scaffold extension joint for appropriate working must be able to: suit developments vertical and level way; withstand applied burdens; oppose slide and erosion; work quietly with less support (Lee, 1994). Cost (1984) proposes that the presentation of a joint is affected by auxiliary developments of the joint even and vertical way, traffic stacking, materials utilized, state of the substrate, climate and temperature during joint establishment, workmanship and execution of direction. 1.3 Commonly watched joint deformities Guzaltan (1993) as refered to in (Chang Lee 2002) concentrated some usually watched deserts in extension joints. They incorporate harmed seals, aggregation of garbage in the joint segments, rusting of metal plates and nuts, opening of solid, consumption of steel support, water spillage, ill-advised joint arrangement and joint vibration during vehicle section. Fincher (1983) as refered to in (Chang Lee 2002) presents the consequences of a review directed by Federal Highway Administration during a multi year assessment period which showed that 60% of the extension joints inspected spilled. Furthermore, Wallbank (1989) as refered to in (Lee, 1994) clarifies that in a study directed on 200 extensions by The London Department of Transport, the decay of the development joints was caused due to spilling and broken seepage subtleties. Chang and Lee (2002) directed an investigation to watch the presentation of joints in Indiana and found that a few joints flopped because of splits in the seal and recommended testing it before establishment. Shortcoming tree demonstrating was utilized for subjective clarification of extension component communication yet could be utilized uniquely for calamitous disappointments (Attoh-Okine Bowers 2006). These models are not relevant to spans since they bomb over an all-inclusive timeframe. Shortcoming tree models were likewise arranged by LeBeau and Wadia-Fascetti (2000) and Sianipar and Adams (1997) as refered to in (Attoh-Okine Bowers 2006). Another decay demonstrating dependent on conviction arranges that viably catch and delineate the various leveled, connection and vulnerability factors present in connect weakening was created by Attoh-Okine and Bowers (2006). Conviction systems are likewise called Bayesian conviction arranges and depend on Bayes hypothesis. The conviction arrange approach is more fitting than issue tree examination since it tends to be utilized to explore the parts of a scaffold including deck material, braces, hea ding and projections affect disintegration. 1.4 Studies directed on the exhibition of existing extension joints Chang and Lee (2002) directed an examination to watch the presentation of the various joints utilized in the thruway connects in Indiana. Five prevalently utilized joints were: pressure seal (B.S), strip seal (S.S), vital projection (I.A), poured silicone (X.J.S) and polymer altered black-top (P.M.A). The information was acquired from poll overview, examination of Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) roadway the executives information and master interviews. Poll study was directed by offering surveys to the state connect reviewers and designers around Indiana. The issues with joints were experienced and potential upgrades were proposed. The investigation of chronicled information utilizing calculated relapse approach found that S.S joint had the best execution. The master interviews consider I.A joint to offer great outcomes and recommend improvement of B.S and S.S joints. An examination crusade was led on 150 development joints of 71 street connects in Brisa, Portugal where the upkeep cost arrived at a pinnacle of 25% (Lima Brito 2009). The joints introduced inside the traffic path of the extension were thought of. The development joints were portrayed dependent on their sort, and age of the extension. It was recorded that the joints utilized all the more often included fortified elastomeric pad joints, elastomeric adaptable strips, and asphaltic attachment joints. The information acquired from the review crusade was factually dissected. The outcomes demonstrated that joints that were supplanted generally as often as possible were elastomeric joints and that various joints have explicit upkeep needs. The progress strip and the safe haven pits of the development joint are the parts that require more upkeep. It was additionally seen that the blunders during establishment and absence of upkeep caused pathology of the joint. The aftereffects of crusade led show that there was a ton of progress in the business development joints and proposes examination on the new or improved frameworks and materials. It additionally recommended that basic frameworks with less parts are increasingly solid and require less support. Black-top extension development joints when utilized in chilly nations split inside the initial two years. To improve the presentation the business MEIJIA black-top cover was altered with polymers: thermoplastic elastic and elastic (Yu, et al., 2009). The polymers were utilized in different mixes, and their exhibition at low temperatures is assessed by leading tests including: malleability, infiltration, backhanded pressure and bowing tests. The information from flexibility and entrance tests performed on fasteners demonstrated that the quality and distortion limit at low temperatures improved. Four extension joints made with the altered black-top blends were introduced on two scaffolds in a cool district and found that the joints indicated great execution. 1.5 Assessment of extension joint execution utilizing observed information An investigation was led by to build up a methodology for check of the plan and assessing the state of extension joint by observing joint dislodging and scaffold temperature on a long haul (Ni, et al., 2002). This technique was applied to Ting Kau, link stayed connect in Hong Kong. The administration life and substitution of joint relies upon the total dislodging. An exact expectation of the combined dislodging will give the time stretch to joint examination or joint substitution. Checking the warm developments at the extension joints and contrasting them and the structure esteems give confirmation on plan. The entire framework had in excess of 230 sensors like anemometers, accelerometers, removals transducters to quantify relocations situated at the closures of the deck, temperature sensors, strain measures, weight moving sensors and worldwide situating framework. A decent connection between's the development of the extension joints and successful temperature was watched. The every day normal combined removals of the development joints in the extension are considerably less than configuration esteems. Furthermore observing frameworks had been executed on numerous extensions in various nations by (Andersen Pedersen 1994; Cheung et al. 1997; Barrish et al. 2000; Sumitro et al. 2001; Mufti 2002; Koh et al. 2003; Wong 2004) as refered to in (Ni et al. 2002). 1.6 Effect of SSI and ground movement spatial variety Chouw and Hao (2008(a)) contemplated the impacts of soil-structure association (SSI) and ground movement spatial variety impact on connect beating reactions for spans with a conventional development joint between contiguous supports. The examination was led on two contiguous extension outlines. It was affirmed that structures that are based on firm soils may encounter bigger beating powers than those on delicate soils. It was likewise analyzed that lessening of ground movement connection caused bigger beating reactions. Numerical reproduction was directed by nonlinear unique reaction examination and explored beating alleviation and anticipation of unseating in the expressway connects because of seismic powers (Raheem, 2009). It was seen that seismic beating creates altogether higher extent and brief term quickening beats than regularly expected structure greatness. This outcomes in extreme effect powers that harm basic individuals like the deck or wharf. Also the impacts of SSI and e xtension beating reaction for spans with secluded development joint framework (MEJS) were watched (Chouw Hao 2008(b)). It was presumed that the braces with an enormous hole of a MEJS

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Ku Klux Klan :: essays research papers

Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan has been the most sorted out of the numerous diverse White matchless quality gatherings that appeared after the Civil War. The not well presumed Knights of the Klan have been associated with incalculable episodes of human rights infringement against blacks and other minority bunches in America. Particularly in the South, during and after the Reconstruction time frame, the Klan had a significant impact in planning and powerfully utilizing a large number of the Jim Crow laws, that postponed dark man’s genuine opportunity f Stetson Kennedy is a local of Jacksonville, Florida where the Klan was dynamic. Kennedy saw direct the working of the Klan when a servant in his home was taken for a ride by the Klan and severely tormented. Kennedy built up a scorn for the Ku Klux Klan and needed to do everything he could to limit the impact of and put a stop to its loathe mongering. He composed a book â€Å"Palmetto Country† in which he impacted the legend that the Klan was framed to â€Å"save the South† from Reprobates, Carpetbaggers an Also, Kennedy noticed that the couple of things composed about the KKK were articles instead of uncovered. He felt the requirement for not just words however for lawful proof against the Klan’s inside maneuvers. For that reason somebody would need to go under a Klan robe and turn the hooded order’s messy cloth for all the world to see. The creator chose to volunteer for the activity and in this way started his undertakings as a Klan-buster, in the central command of the Klan at the time in Atlanta. The initial scarcely any part Before sufficiently long, Kennedy had enough implicating proof against the Klan. In an activity pressed second in the town hall, Kennedy undressed from under his Klan veil before paralyzed Klansmen who had thought he was one of them. Kennedy affirmed against the awful association, and played a significant job in carrying the Klan to its knees. Through the rest of the book, Kennedy transfers his encounters working against other comparative outfits, similar to the Colombians in Florida, who had Nazi pioneers executing against Negro, hostile to- Catholic and hostile to Semitic conclusions. Because of his challenging showdowns

Friday, August 14, 2020

The Most Difficult Interview Questions (and the Answers)

The Most Difficult Interview Questions (and the Answers) The job interview can sometimes seem more like an interrogation rather than a friendly discussion about your strengths as a candidate.While you have quite a few common and straightforward questions coming your way, there are a few tough ones too.Here’s a list of the ten most difficult interview questions and tips on how to answer them.At the end of the post, you’ll also get to enjoy a few interview tips and tricks to ensure you land that perfect job!TELL US ABOUT YOURSELFWhile the above is not purely a statement, it’s bound to come up in a job interview.In fact, you’ll probably get it right at the start. It’s the hiring managers way of getting to know you and to understand why you are sitting in front of them.The best answerThe best answer is short and story-like. You don’t want to keep blabbering on for minutes â€" five minutes is a good maximum amount of time to spend on this.Construct the answer in a story-like format; go back to your past and highlight when you became interested in the industry you’re applying for.You can then highlight your achievements that relate to the job in question. Always build the answer around the qualities of character needed for the role.“I’m a southern girl who first dabbled in sales at the age of seven when I launched a lemonade stand at the front garden. For the past five years, I’ve been working a sales assistant. I’d describe myself as a person with a versatile skill set, a strong work ethic and willingness to help customers feel satisfied by the end of the interaction. Right now, I’m looking to boost my career progress and that’s why I’ve applied for the role of sales executive. My ambition is really pushing me towards a role where I can help others improve their sales skills and to work directly with customers.”WHY SHOULD WE HIRE YOU?This is another extremely common question and one that’s rather difficult to answer. It’s easy to get this wrong and state something obvious like “I’m qu alified”.You need to show your understanding of the requirements of the role and what the company’s vision and values are about. It’s the hiring manager’s way of testing if you know what they want.The best answerYou definitely want to rely on the elevator pitch answer here. The elevator pitch is a short one to two-minute sales pitch that highlights your personal unique selling point (USP) and your value to the organization.Focus on your strengths as a candidate, especially in terms of what sets you apart from everyone else.Make sure you highlight your passion for the industry but also the company you are interviewing with.“You describe in the job listing that you’re looking for a sales executive with great management skills. In my 10 years of working in the sales industry, I’ve dealt with teams small and big. I’ve developed strong motivational skills and been rewarded with the manager-of-the-year award for my innovative strategies. I can push employees to go the extr a mile and I will bring these strategies here to push the company further if selected for the role.”WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST WEAKNESS?The interviewer is looking to learn even more about you and to check if you are able to self-reflect.The modern employer doesn’t want people who can’t take criticism or who aren’t willing to develop, not just in terms of hard skills but also soft skills.The question is a way of testing if you can examine your actions and behaviors critically.The best answerYou don’t want to draw too much attention to a big negative trait with your answer. But at the same time, you shouldn’t avoid answering the question.There is nothing more unprofessional than claiming you have no weaknesses.In addition, you definitely want to keep the weakness professional â€" drinking too much is not a quality you want to highlight in a job interview.Pick a quality that’s more of a frustration and which isn’t required for the job. If you are applying to be a baker, then you might pick something like not being very technology-knowledgeable.It’s also clever to point out how you are trying to improve this weakness and ensure it isn’t a problem in your worklife.With the example in mind, you could say you’re now attending an IT course to rectify the situation.“I sometimes have a habit of spending more time than needed on a task that I could easily delegate to someone else. While I’ve never missed a deadline, I’m still making an effort to schedule better and to know which tasks I can assign to others.”WHY ARE YOU LEAVING YOUR CURRENT JOB?Employers want to understand why people move from one job to another because it can help them identify how long they can expect you to stay.It’s not cheap to keep recruiting employees and your answer might reveal a problem in your ability to stay put (along with a patchy resume, for example).The question is to identify your personality, your career objectives and your ambition.This definitely isn’t a qu estion calling for full honesty â€" the real reason might actually make the interviewer think twice.The best answerYour answer should always show your current employer in a good light, even if you are leaving out of something negative.You don’t want to talk bad about your previous employers because it doesn’t look professional and it could make the hiring manager doubt your loyalty and commitment as an employee.A much better way of dealing with the questions is to make the answer focus on your career objectives and ambitions.Saying you needed a fresh challenge or you’re looking to push upwards in the career ladder is a good idea. It shows ambition and it doesn’t reveal any conflict.“I’m looking for bigger challenges in my career at the moment and I feel like I didn’t have them at my workplace. I’ve been looking to change the direction of my career slightly and the current employer just doesn’t have opportunities in those areas.”HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO CRITICISM?The workplace is not a place where things always go smoothly and everyone just has nice things to say about each other.With this question, the interviewer is testing if you understand the place of criticism in the workplace and if you are able to learn from it.It’s not as much about responding to criticism as it is about knowing why people critique others in the first place.The best answerA good answer will acknowledge the importance of criticism. You want to let the hiring manager know you understand it is part of life and highlight your ability to take it as a personal development tool. It shows maturity and professionalism.You should also talk about your coping mechanism in a form of a strategy.Outline your steps after you encounter criticism and emphasize your focus on learning from mistakes and the feedback.“I understand criticism is part of life and I always welcome constructive criticism. I can be rather critical of my own work and therefore, I appreciate when I receive feed back from others. I was recently told to work a draft document for a new client and I felt a little uneasy, as I’m not generally meant to do this as part of my job. Therefore, I sought advice throughout and actually welcomed critique. Although my manager was happy with the work, I also received a lot of advice on how to improve the document. I feel the experience taught me a lot about writing but also about being able to overcome your fear and just try new things.”ARE YOU A TEAM PLAYER?This might sound like a simple question to answer compared to some of the others on the list.But it’s actually not a clear-cut ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question.It tests your knowledge about the role and the kinds of team structures in place in the organization.The interviewer asks it in order to get your views on leadership and to see if you are able to work in a team or to lead on.The best answerYou should give a concrete example of a situation where you showed your ability to be a team player, r ather than say ‘yes’.The example doesn’t necessarily have to be from work â€" it could be something you did as part of your student life, for example.The important thing is to build your answer around an example and align it with the requirements of the role.So, if the job you’re applying for is a team project type of role, give an example of how you’ve handled something similar in the past.On the other hand, if it’s close to an individual role, you want to highlight how you’re able to be your own boss but also step out of this role and help your teammates.“I believe working in a team is both beneficial and challenging. When I was part of the football club, I learned a lot about communication and problem-solving. You wanted to make things work and come up with compromises because it meant the experience was more enjoyable. Of course, it was also challenging because people can have different ways of getting their point across and often your own ways of doing things ar e challenged. But I definitely enjoy both being part of a team and leading one.”WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BEST AND WORST BOSS?This is a tricky question to answer because the interviewer is testing two things.First, they want to know if you understand what makes someone a good or a bad leader.But they also want to know what kind of person you are to work with â€" do you run and badmouth your colleagues as soon as you get the opportunity?The best answerJust like you shouldn’t badmouth a previous employer when asked about your reasons for leaving, you don’t ever want to name names when it comes to your favorite and least favorite bosses.A good answer is not about personalities but more about characters. You don’t need to give an actual example of the boss here.You can just talk about bosses as collective â€" state how the bosses have been showing specific characteristics. There’s a good video below on what makes a leader good: Now, when you are talking about the worst boss, don’t m ention personal reasons.Again, you want to talk about leadership qualities and how perhaps some people have lacked those â€" for example, the bosses have not always been good at communicating the objectives, which you think is important for a good leader.“I can honestly say I’ve learned from every boss I’ve had. My best bosses have been those who’ve allowed me to take more responsibility as I’ve developed in my jobs. I’ve had others with a more hands-on management style but I feel I’ve flourished under the ones who’ve let me have more responsibility.”DO YOU HAVE ANY REGRETS?The interviewer will also want to dig deeper into your past.Again, the question is about self-reflection and your ability to identify past mistakes.This can be a question to learn more about yourself but the interviewer might also be checking if you want to clarify gaps or issues in your resume â€" for example, that you regret travelling around the world even though it taught you a lot of things .The best answerYou have two options in terms of answering the question.You could go down the personal route and talk about how you wished you’d spent more times with your nephews or your gran who could have taught you more about life. You could also keep it non-personal and state things like you wish you’d studied harder in high school so that you didn’t have as much catching up in college.The key is to not just state regret with your answer but to highlight the power of learning from the past.You want to say that even though you might do things differently now, you’ve still learned from the mistake and used it as an opportunity to become a better worker or person.“Although I’m overall happy with my life, the one aspect I likely would have changed would have been focusing on this career path earlier. I’ve really enjoyed working in the field and I wish I had taken more time at university to really focus on my professional development. However, I feel like my passion is pushing me forward and I’ve quickly gained experience.”HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT TO BE PAID?It’s rather likely the interviewer will bring up money and this can be a tricky situation. If you ask too much, you might be excluded from the role and if you ask too little, you might end up with a low salary â€" the employers always remember!Talking about money is never easy but it’s important to prepare for this question.The best answerYou don’t want to throw out a number at this point. The actual salary negotiations should take place later and you might find your answer bite you in the end.It’s important to conduct research prior to giving your answer â€" you want to have an idea of the industry standard for that specific role. Consider using a bracket around industry averages.“Well, according to my research on the industry, the average is between $50k to $80k and I believe my skills and competencies fall along this range. I’m just interested in finding a challenging role that fits my qualifications and I’m confident you can offer a competitive salary.”TOP TIPS FOR ANSWERING TOUGH INTERVIEW QUESTIONSThe above are the most difficult questions you have to answer during your job interview.In order to prepare for them and to other job interview questions, here are three golden rules to keep in mind.Prepare for all sorts of questionsBe prepared for anything. While there are common interview questions most hiring managers ask, each hiring manager, role and company are different. They can have their own interview style and you can get a question you’ve never seen mentioned in any guide â€" so be prepared.Research the company well. Understand what the company is looking for by deciphering the job posting and examining the company website for more information. Know the industry and the key trends shaping it.Understand your own strengths especially in terms of the role. Think about different examples in your life that showcase your suitability for the role.I n order to calm the nerves and to get familiar answering questions, get your friend to interview you. Practicing the interview situation like this can be extremely helpful.Take your timeWhen you do hear the question, don’t rush to your answer. Always take a deep breath before you start and compose the start of your answer before you begin talking.Keep your answer short and sweet and don’t try to talk like a machine gun.Remember to ask for clarification if you need it. You can even ask the interviewer to repeat the question if you want a bit more time to think your answers.Don’t fret a bad answerNow, no matter how much you prepare for the job interview, you never know what might happen. Sometimes your answer just might not come out the way you want and you can feel like you’ve ruined it. Do not panic if this happens.It’s often possible to return to things you’ve said during the interview right at the end of it.The interviewer will often give you an opportunity to ask ques tions or to go over any unclear things â€" you can use this as an opportunity to return to an answer. For example, you could say something like “I just wanted to go back to when you asked me about my weaknesses. I think…”.So, when you’ve given an answer and you feel it wasn’t quite as good as you wanted but the interviewer is moving onwards, just breathe. Calm down and focus on the next question â€" return to the issue later if you feel like it’s still bothering you.Don’t forget you can also get back to things in the follow-up note you should send after the interview. It’s a great opportunity to get back to anything that took place during the interview and for you to rectify the situation.

Sunday, May 24, 2020

Economics An Integral Part Of Civilization Of The World

Economics is an integral part of civilization of the world. In any case, economics issues that emerged in the community is practically quite difficult to resolve. Henry Hazlitt in his book Economic in one lesson revealed that economics is overshadowed by fallacies because of two main factors which intensify the problem’s complexity. The first factor is the tendency of people to defend their respective interests. Although some of groups have similar interests with all other groups, yet in fact, they also have competing interests against each other. The second factor causing these fallacies is the tendency of people that will only look at short-term effects of an economic policy or observe it only in a particular group. People are often†¦show more content†¦For only knowing the concept of fallacies in economics, which disclosed by Henry Hazlitt, is not enough to provide a solid understanding, therefore we need to explore the application of this lesson to analyze a real world issue. One example of this lesson is that taxes discourage production, in this essay I will elaborate tax problem in Indonesia, and its effect on short-term and long-term basis to their people. Taxes play an important role in government funding of a country. Even in the majority, taxes are the main financial source of the government spending and believed to be the driving force of economic growth. By following this philosophy, in order to achieve the annual growth target, as a main source of their fund, government will surely increase the tax revenue target every fiscal year. Likewise, Indonesia’s state revenue is mostly depends on tax, not surprisingly in 2015 fiscal year, it takes 67% of the composition (Budget in brief, 2014). Indonesia’s tax revenue target of IDR 1,489.3 trillion (US$1.49 quadrillion) is set by the government in the 2015, which is increased by 39% from the preceding year, and some experts consider that it was too ambitious (RI tax, 2015). It is because, with an insignificant increase of total taxpayer, it has the potential escalation in any applicable tax rate in this country. It seems the government is not aware that amid the volatile conditions of economic today,

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Definitions of Defamation, Libel, and Slander

â€Å"Defamation of character† is a legal term referring to any false statement—called a â€Å"defamatory† statement—that harms another person’s reputation or causes them other demonstrable damages such as financial loss or emotional distress. Rather than a criminal offense, defamation is a civil wrong or â€Å"tort.† Victims of defamation can sue the person who made the defamatory statement for damages in civil court. Statements of personal opinion are usually not considered to be defamatory unless they are phrased as being factual. For example, the statement, â€Å"I think Senator Smith takes bribes,† would probably be considered opinion, rather than defamation. However, the statement, â€Å"Senator Smith has taken many bribes,† if proven untrue, could be considered legally defamatory. Libel vs. Slander Civil law recognizes two types of defamation: â€Å"libel† and â€Å"slander.† Libel is defined as a defamatory statement that appears in written form. Slander is defined as a spoken or oral defamatory statement. Many libelous statements appear as articles or comments on websites and blogs, or as comments in publicly-accessible chat rooms and forums. Libelous statements appear less often in letters to the editor sections of printed newspapers and magazines because their editors typically screen out such comments. As spoken statements, slander can happen anywhere. However, to amount to slander, the statement must be made to a third party—someone other than the person being defamed. For example, if Joe tells Bill something false about Mary, Mary could sue Joe for defamation if she could prove that she had suffered actual damages as a result of Joe’s slanderous statement. Because written defamatory statements remain publicly visible longer than spoken statements, most courts, juries, and attorneys consider libel to be more potentially harmful to the victim than slander. As a result, monetary awards and settlements in libel cases tend to be larger than those in slander cases. While the line between opinion and defamation is fine and potentially dangerous, the courts are generally hesitant to punish every off-hand insult or slur made in the heat of an argument. Many such statements, while derogatory, are not necessarily defamatory. Under the law, the elements of defamation must be proven. How Is Defamation Proven? While the laws of defamation vary from state to state, there are commonly applied rules. To be found legally defamatory in court, a statement must be proven to have been all of the following: Published (made public): The statement must have been seen or heard by at least one other person than the person who wrote or said it.False: Unless a statement is false, it cannot be considered harmful. Thus, most statements of personal opinion do not constitute defamation unless they can objectively be proven false. For example, â€Å"This is the worst car I have ever driven,† cannot be proven to be false.Unprivileged: The courts have held that in some circumstances, false statements—even if injurious—are protected or â€Å"privileged,† meaning they cannot be considered legally defamatory. For example, witnesses who lie in court, while they can be prosecuted for the criminal offense of perjury, cannot be sued in civil court for defamation.Damaging or Injurious:   The statement must have resulted in some demonstrable harm to the plaintiff. For example, the statement caused them to be fired, denied a loan, shunned by family or friends, or harassed by the media. Lawyers generally consider showing actual harm to be the hardest part of proving defamation. Merely having the â€Å"potential† to cause harm is not enough. It must be proven that the false statement has ruined the victim’s reputation. Business owners, for example, must prove that the statement has caused them a substantial loss of revenue. Not only can actual damages be hard to prove, victims must wait until the statement has caused them problems before they can seek legal recourse. Merely feeling embarrassed by a false statement is rarely held to prove defamation.  Ã‚   However, the courts will sometimes automatically presume some types of especially devastating false statements to be defamatory. In general, any statement falsely accusing another person of committing a serious crime, if it was made maliciously or recklessly, may be presumed to constitute defamation. Defamation and Freedom of the Press In discussing defamation of character, it is important to remember that the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects both freedom of speech and freedom of the press. Since in America  the governed are assured the right to criticize the people who govern them, public officials are given the least protection from defamation. In the 1964 case of New York Times v. Sullivan, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 9-0 that certain statements, while defamatory, are specifically protected by the First Amendment. The case concerned a full-page, paid advertisement published in The New York Times claiming that the arrest of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Montgomery City, Alabama, police on charges of perjury had been part of a campaign by city leaders to destroy Rev. Kings efforts to integrate public facilities and increase the black vote. Montgomery city commissioner L. B. Sullivan sued The Times for libel, claiming that the allegations in the ad against the Montgomery police had defamed him personally. Under Alabama state law, Sullivan was not required to prove he had been harmed, and since it was proven that the ad contained factual errors, Sullivan won a $500,000 judgment in state court. The Times appealed to the Supreme Court, claiming that it had been unaware of the errors in the ad and that the judgment had infring ed on its First Amendment freedoms of speech and the press. In its landmark decision better defining the scope of â€Å"freedom of the press,† the Supreme Court ruled that the publication of certain defamatory statements about the actions of public officials were protected by the First Amendment. The unanimous Court stressed the importance of â€Å"a profound national commitment to the principle that debate on public issues should be uninhibited, robust, and wide-open.† The Court further acknowledged that in public discussion about public figures like politicians, mistakes—if â€Å"honestly made†Ã¢â‚¬â€should be protected from defamation claims. Under the Court’s ruling, public officials can sue for defamation only if the false statements about them were made with â€Å"actual intent.† Actual intent means that the person who spoke or published the damaging statement either knew it was false or did not care whether it was true or not. For example, when a newspaper editor doubts the truth of a statement but publishes it without checking the facts. American writers and publishers are also protected from libel judgments issued against them in foreign courts by the SPEECH Act signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2010. Officially titled the Securing the Protection of our Enduring and Established Constitutional Heritage Act, the SPEECH act makes foreign libel judgments unenforceable in U.S. courts unless the laws of the foreign government provide at least as much protection of the freedom of speech as the U.S. First Amendment. In other words, unless the defendant would have been found guilty of libel  even if the case had been tried in the United States, under U.S. law, the foreign court’s judgment would not be enforced in U.S. courts. Finally, the â€Å"Fair Comment and Criticism† doctrine protects reporters and publishers from charges of defamation arising from articles such as movie and book reviews, and opinion-editorial columns. Key Takeaways: Defamation of Character Defamation refers to any false statement that harms another person’s reputation or causes them other damages such as financial loss or emotional distress.Defamation is a civil wrong, rather than a criminal offense. Victims of defamation can sue for damages in civil court.There are two forms of defamation: â€Å"libel,† a damaging written false statement, and â€Å"slander,† a damaging spoken or oral false statement.   Sources â€Å"Defamation FAQs.† Media Law Resource Center.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Opinion and Fair Comment Privileges.† Digital Media Law Project.â€Å"SPEECH Act.† U.S. Government Printing OfficeFranklin, Mark A. (1963). â€Å"The Origins and Constitutionality of Limitations on Truth as a Defense in Tort Law.† Stanford Law Reviewâ€Å"Defamation.† Digital Media Law Project

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The Dimension of Inter-Professional Practice Free Essays

Introduction This aim of this assignment is to analyse the unique role and contribution of nursing practices within inter-professional jobs and consider how inter-professional practices influence the way we manage the people in our care, using evidence based commentary. Mental illnesses are complex conditions and therefore cannot be managed by one professional. Holistic treatment of mental health patients requires a cohort of clinical professionals (Barker, 2008). We will write a custom essay sample on The Dimension of Inter-Professional Practice or any similar topic only for you Order Now For this assignment I chose Gibbs Reflective framework (1988) to enable my personal reflection and to improve my future nursing practice. In accordance with the NMC Code of Practice (2008) names have been changed to comply with confidentiality regulations; Grace will be my client’s name. Inter-Professional Team Working Pollard (2005), defined inter-professional working, as the process whereby members of different professions and/or agencies work together to provide integrated health and social care. Leathard (2003) states inter-professional working implies a group of professionals from different professions engaging in interdependent collaborations with mutual respect to provide integrated health and social care for the client’s benefit., Housley (2003) argues the multidisciplinary team is a group of people of different professions who meet regularly to discuss individual clients. Successful teamwork can have direct consequences for patient care and the inter-collaboration model of healthcare delivery is one of the most important modernisations of the healthcare system in recent years (Humphris and Hean, 2004). Effective team-working produces positive patient outcomes, while ineffectual team-working contributes to negative incidents in patient care (Grumbach and Bodenheimer, 2004). Client background Grace, a 21 year old female, was formally admitted via community mental health nurse due to non-concordance of medication. Grace suffers severe mental illness and personality disorder with a high level of self-harming, poor personal hygiene and inability to perform activities of daily living ADL’s. The Roper, Logan and Tierney model (Bellman 1996) states that 12 ADL’s produce a picture of the person’s lifestyle and these can be used to highlight problems which require nursing intervention. Inter-disciplinary team working and my role in Grace’s care The multidisciplinary review meeting for Grace’s care comprised a consultant psychiatrist,; a psychologist who assessed Grace’s behaviours and gave counselling sessions; social workers who assessed social wellbeing; an occupational therapist who assessed ADL; a dietician and the care-coordinator who was the key-worker involved in Grace’s care when she was in the community. The registered mental health nurse assigned to Grace was my mentor, and I was given the task of shadowing my mentor to assess Grace’s mental state on the ward and monitor any physical changes. The inter-professional team at the review placed Grace on level 3 observation due to her self-harming. Feelings I felt challenged and nervous about shadowing and handling the nursing report during the multidisciplinary team review. However, I realised this is a key role of the nursing professional in an inter-professional team, Davies Priestly (2006) views nursing handover as vital information about clients under the care of nurses, allowing nurses to improve both the handover process and improve patient care delivery. I felt empathy for Grace, especially her anxiety over the (in her eyes) large number of people (the care team) caring for and deciding her ‘fate’. She shared in her one-to-one sessions that she was nervous of not doing the right things in front of the team and I remember thinking ‘we are both nervous for similar reasons’,, as I was also nervous about what the team thought about me and my practice. I reassured Grace that we were here to help her, using my communication skills to listen and ally her fears. Hamilton et al. (2010) stated listening is an essential skill for a mental health nurse. I felt frustrated within the team, feeling that some members worked toward their own goals rather than collectively aiming to ensure the best holistic care for Grace, which made working within the team challenging. An example of this was the doctor’s decision to exclude Grace from participating in ward activities without assessment from the occupational therapist. This is at odds with the traditional nursing role, which seeks to include the patient both physically and psychologically. I felt that this decision was not in Grace’s best interest, and could prolong her discharge. Evaluation In evaluating my empathy with Grace and her anxiety, I felt there was an understandable connection as we were both in new situations, while too much empathy can lead to difficulties in nursing (Mercer and Reynolds 2002), empathy is an important aspect in nursing. Whitehead (2000) states that one angle of team work that is often neglected is the ‘relationship’ between client and nurse, which she argues is important to ensure positive care outcomes and therefore should not be disregarded within a collaborative framework. After talking to my peers I found that we all felt some anxiety about working within a multi-disciplinary team. In evaluating my time as an inter-disciplinary team member and my anxiety, I realised this eased when roles were defined and responsibilities shared. Ovretveit et al. (1997) asserted that understanding and clarification of roles from the onset is necessary for good team-working and failure to define roles correctly can lead to confusion. My frustrations within the team were in part due to my anxiety of performing poorly in front of my mentor, and my inexperience of working within an interdisciplinary-team. I had little understanding of how the different roles and philosophies of other professionals would need to be compromised to ensure both safety of and good care for Grace and perhaps I placed too much importance on the nursing role without understanding what other professionals brought to the team. Analysis While my empathy can be a positive aspect to my nursing, on reflection, it may have clouded my judgement and my ability to follow the right course of action, given that Grace was known to self-harm. The decisions made by the doctor complied with Local Trust Policy (2010) on self-harming. Furthermore, NICE guidelines (2004) states that staff develop preventative strategies to ensure patient safety in cases of self-harming, by reducing opportunities to self-harm. The inter-disciplinary team decided Grace should not be allowed to participate in ward activities due to risk of self-harm. Through analysis of the team-work shown within this case, I believe that the team showed effective communication, as each professional had a good knowledge of the role they were expected to play in supporting Grace’s care and effective communication is vital in team-working (Ovretveit et al. 1997). My frustrations within the team can be explained by Whitehead (2001) who identified that collaboration work, while beneficial, did have a variety of barriers that could hinder development of close collaborative relationships within the different service provider’s professions, one being that the different professions may have different ideas on patient treatments that are at odds with other professionals within the multi-disciplinary team. While at first I did not understand the challenges that inter-professional working brings and thus did not feel that every member had Grace’s care foremost, after analysing my time within the team, I feel that every member was supportive of each other’s efforts to facilitate Grace’s recovery. Many opportunities were available to discuss concerns over the care-plan such as debriefing, one to one interactions, and supervision, highlighted by Freeth (2007) as vital to ensure good inter-professional development. Barriers to good inter-professional collaborations include poor communication, lack of understanding of other team members’ roles, work priorities and professional hierarchy (Whitehead, 2000), where such issues are apparent, it can be helpful to identify shared goals and voice concerns. Inter-professionals should use clinical judgment that encompasses the best of all team members’ professions in care provision to improve client wellbeing, aid th em to cope with health problems and achieve the best quality of life with their illness (RCN 2003; DoH, 2008). Conclusion In retrospect, I feel the strength of the team was its ability to develop and manage excellent patient-focussed care, resulting from the variety of disciplines, personalities and expertises. I have gained an in-depth insight into the roles and responsibilities nurses have in the development of client-centred care and a better understanding for the other team members professions, which I feel now that I was lacking. This reflective process has helped me gain an understanding of the importance of inter-professional team collaboration in managing clients with self-harm issues using positive practice guidance as stated in the NHS guidelines. Action plan This experience has taught me that inter-professional practices involve effective communication between team members and respect for other professional’s knowledge of client needs. I will seek to gain greater understanding of other clinical roles and what they represent and bring to the inter-disciplinary team. I will undertake personal development and learning by keeping up-to-date with changes in practice, embracing and promoting interpersonal working. This reflective commentary has enhanced my knowledge of inter-professional working, the challenges involved and the importance of communication and compromise, which will contribute to my personal development as a mental health nurse. In respect to my patient centred empathy, I believe this is an important trait in nursing; however, in the future I will temper my empathy with professionalism that focuses on patient safety first. I plan to improve my knowledge and expertise of the roles of other professionals. I will begin by focussing on the respect and value I have of other professionals’ expertise. With respect to my lack of confidence, I shall endeavour to develop confidence in sharing my knowledge in group forums. The placement amplified the importance of identifying and understanding patients’ needs and sharing this understanding with the inter-professional team members in order to facilitate effective healthcare interventions. References Barker. P., (2009). Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing: The Craft of Caring. 2nd ed. London. Hodder Arnold. Bellman, LM. (1996) Changing nursing practice through reflection on the Roper, Logan and Tierney model: the enhancement approach to action research. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 24(1): 129–138. Davies S., Priestley MJ., (2006). A reflective evaluation of patient handover practices. Nurs Stand. 20(21):49-52. Day, J., (2006). Interprofessional working an essential guide for health and social care professionals. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes. Freeth, D., (2007). International learning Association for the Study of Medical Education: Edinburgh. Gibbs, G., (1998). Learning by Doing: A Guide to Teaching and Learning Methods. Oxford: Further Education Unit, Oxford Brookes University. Grumbach K, Bodenheimer T. (2004) Can health care teams improve primary care practiceJAMA. Mar 10;291(10):1246-51. Hamilton S., (2010). Rethink, Research and Innovation Teams Report for Nursing and Midwifery Council on nursing skills for working with people with a mental health diagnosis, London Housley, W., (2003). Interaction in Multidisciplinary Teams. Ashgate Publishing Limited: England. Humphris D, Hean S. (2004) Educating the future workforce: building the evidence about interprofessional learning. J Health Serv Res Policy. Jan;9 Suppl 1:24-7. Kozier, B., Erb G., Berman A., Snyder S., Lake R., Harvey S. (2008). Fundamentals of nursing: concept, process and practice. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited. Leathard, A., (2003). Inter-professional Collaboration: from policy to practice in health and social care. Philadelphia: Brunner – Routledge. Local Trust Policy (2010b). Assessment and Management of Service Users Who Self-Harm Policy, Local Trust Mercer, SW and Reynolds, WJ (2002) Empathy and quality of care. Br J Gen Pract. 52(Suppl): S9–12. NHS Choice (2011) NICE (2004), Self-Harm, Clinical Guidelines 16, cited from:http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/pdf/CG16FullGuideline.pdf (Accessed 11/11 2012) NMC (2008), Code of Conduct, Nursing and Midwifery Council, London Ovretveit, J., Mathias, F., Thomoson, T. eds., (1997). Interprofessional working for health and social care. Hampshire: Macmillan Press Limited. Pollard, K., (2005). Interprofessional Working: an Essential Guide for Health and Social-Care Professionals; England, Nelson Thrones Limited. Roper, Logan and Tierney (1996), Whithead (2000) Education, behavioural change and social psychology: Nursing’s contribution to health promotion. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 34(6), 822-832 Whitehead D, (2001) Applying collaborative practice to health promotion. Nursing Standards. 15(20):33-7. Bibliography General Social Care Council, (2006). Code of Practice For Social Workers and Employers. London: GSCC. Golightley, M., (2008). Social Work and Mental Health People. Learning Matters. Barker. P., (2009). Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing: The Craft of Caring. 2nd ed. London. Hodder Arnold. Taylor. C., Lillis. C., Lemone. P., (2001). Fundamentals of Nursing: The art and Science of Nursing Care, 4th edn, Lippincott, Philadelphia. Thompson I., Melia K., Boyd K., (2000). Nursing Ethics, London, Churchill Livingstone How to cite The Dimension of Inter-Professional Practice, Essay examples

Sunday, May 3, 2020

Sociology of Death and Dying Essay Example For Students

Sociology of Death and Dying Essay Death: Life’s Contract Every person born into the world is automatically signed to life’s contract. No contract is the same, but they all eventually come to an end with death. In the 1900’s life’s contracts were much different. They were shorter and had different conducts. However, times have changed with people living longer and death being looked at in a completely different light. Death hasn’t left life’s contract, but it’s made some major changes. At the beginning of the 20th century, for every 1000 live births, six to nine women in the United States died of pregnancy-related complications, and approximately 100 infants died before the age of 1. The life expectancy was 47 years of age. Only one person in 25 had then survived to age 60. If this longevity had remained the same to our present day, only half of those born in 2000 would be alive today. Today, life expectancy has changed dramatically, as the average person in the United States is expected to live to be about 77 years old. Increases in life expectancy in the 20th century are often attributed to a combination of nutrition, changes in overall public health, and advances in medicine. Women used to have shorter lives due to childbirth. Now females have a longer life expectancy than males. Women are expected to live to be about 79. 4 years old while men are only expected to live for about 73. 6 years. These added years to our lives have completely altered the American family. The average number of people in a household in the 1900s was seven or more. The common average now is less than three. Couples are waiting longer periods to get married and start families. With infant mortality rates at an all time low, an abundant amount of children is no longer needed for survival. Instead of having 4 to 5 children, most couples stop conceiving after 1 or 2. With a major increase in women joining the workforce, two incomes is now enough to support a family. Children also are able to have relationships with their grandparents and even some great grandparents. Closer bonds and deeper connections can be made with every family member without the worry that death could be near by. However, this increase in prolonged existence also has its consequences. Couples were once expected to marry and reproduce at a young age in order to ensure their families continuation. Women who now wait later to conceive are finding it harder to have children and may have to turn to other options, such as in vitro fertilization or adoption. Marriages usually ended when one spouse or both died. Divorce was rare was rare, only 84 males per 100,000 and 114 per 100,000 for women. Half of marriages now end in divorce and remarriage with extended families is very common. There is also the epidemiologic transition we are currently going through. The most ways of death in the 1900s were pneumonia, tuberculosis and diarrhea. These are almost unheard of now thanks to the development of penicillin, antibiotics, and other medical advances. However, as life expectancy has increased and birth rates decreased, we have reached an age were the elderly are now becoming the majority. As more senior citizens retire, the need for physical labor increases. The health care system also faces a dilemma as more and more facilities fill up with the elderly who suffer from the more common illnesses, cardiovascular disease or cancer. Who will take care of them as the demand for youths in the workforce increase? This is the first time the world has had to face this problem, but it will soon be up to America’s young to find a solution to this situation. Although Americans are living longer, we still face death one way or the other. Heart disease, cancer, car accidents, and even obesity have now become the leading causes of death to Americans. .u168886be2ec19bab1dd21635327ce45a , .u168886be2ec19bab1dd21635327ce45a .postImageUrl , .u168886be2ec19bab1dd21635327ce45a .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u168886be2ec19bab1dd21635327ce45a , .u168886be2ec19bab1dd21635327ce45a:hover , .u168886be2ec19bab1dd21635327ce45a:visited , .u168886be2ec19bab1dd21635327ce45a:active { border:0!important; } .u168886be2ec19bab1dd21635327ce45a .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u168886be2ec19bab1dd21635327ce45a { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u168886be2ec19bab1dd21635327ce45a:active , .u168886be2ec19bab1dd21635327ce45a:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u168886be2ec19bab1dd21635327ce45a .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u168886be2ec19bab1dd21635327ce45a .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u168886be2ec19bab1dd21635327ce45a .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u168886be2ec19bab1dd21635327ce45a .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u168886be2ec19bab1dd21635327ce45a:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u168886be2ec19bab1dd21635327ce45a .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u168886be2ec19bab1dd21635327ce45a .u168886be2ec19bab1dd21635327ce45a-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u168886be2ec19bab1dd21635327ce45a:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Many times people who feel a different way than ov EssayWhen death does strike especially on younger persons, it is viewed as a tragedy because we see death as an event that happens in old age. Unlike in the 1900s when it was something to be expected and much more frequent. When someone does is dying or does die, proper arrangements are made. Living wills are created, computer records regarding books of a business or personal assets have to be looked at, unpaid bills taken care of, estate sales established, funeral or cremation plans must be arranged, and the proper time to grieve must all come into effect when death is upon an average American family. There seems to be quite a checklist now-a-days. In the 1900s death was a little bit more toned down. When a person was close to death, a doctor or priest would check their status, then would progress to die in the comforts of their home surrounded by friends and family. Modern day Americans think this is an ideal way to leave the world. Unfortunately, for most Americans their last days are spent in the hospital. Whether they are dying from some chronic disease, car accident, or are in some state of coma; doctors have found ways to keep people alive in the most unthinkable situations. Life support, breathing ventilators, or heavy doses of medication can keep patients alive for as long as possible, contributing to a longer life expectancy. However, time does eventually run out. For those who do not care to die at the hand of their practitioner, hospice care has become a popular way of enabling people to stay home for their final days. Out of respect for the dead communities in the 1900s would show their condolence by bringing food or ringing church bells at the initial death. The only time death got major media attention was for capitol punishment. From the 1920s to the 1940s, there was resurgence in the use of the death penalty. This was due, in part, to the writings of criminologists, who argued that the death penalty was a necessary social measure. In the United States, Americans were suffering through Prohibition and the Great Depression. There were more executions in the 1930s than in any other decade in American history, an average of 167 per year. However, in the early 1960s, it was suggested that the death penalty was a cruel and unusual punishment, and therefore unconstitutional under the Eighth Amendment. Since then, capitol punishment has lost much of its popularity. Most of the media concerning individual death now comes from celebrities or high ranking status individuals. Michael Jackson for example, has been dead for a year, but we still continuously hear about his death. Another source of death coverage done by the media is over catastrophe. World War II, September 11, and Hurricane Katrina all resulted in mass tragic deaths. These kinds of disasters were unheard of in 1900. Man and Mother Nature have become much more violent in the past few decades it seems. People now look at death in a whole new way. It’s not just a part of life, but it’s something we fear. People don’t seem accept it as openly as they did a hundred years ago. Most people I think are just in plain denial that will happen to them. Despite present day opinions, death is inevitable. It is in our life contract and one day everyone will have to face it. Many changes have occurred over time and our perception of death will continue to expand. Since 1900 people have turned to religion as a source of comfort that there is an afterlife, others believe in reincarnation, and then there are those who think we will simply just cease to exist. .ud71cf432c27bfac7c7dccd83db3e67f2 , .ud71cf432c27bfac7c7dccd83db3e67f2 .postImageUrl , .ud71cf432c27bfac7c7dccd83db3e67f2 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud71cf432c27bfac7c7dccd83db3e67f2 , .ud71cf432c27bfac7c7dccd83db3e67f2:hover , .ud71cf432c27bfac7c7dccd83db3e67f2:visited , .ud71cf432c27bfac7c7dccd83db3e67f2:active { border:0!important; } .ud71cf432c27bfac7c7dccd83db3e67f2 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud71cf432c27bfac7c7dccd83db3e67f2 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud71cf432c27bfac7c7dccd83db3e67f2:active , .ud71cf432c27bfac7c7dccd83db3e67f2:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud71cf432c27bfac7c7dccd83db3e67f2 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud71cf432c27bfac7c7dccd83db3e67f2 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud71cf432c27bfac7c7dccd83db3e67f2 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud71cf432c27bfac7c7dccd83db3e67f2 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud71cf432c27bfac7c7dccd83db3e67f2:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud71cf432c27bfac7c7dccd83db3e67f2 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud71cf432c27bfac7c7dccd83db3e67f2 .ud71cf432c27bfac7c7dccd83db3e67f2-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud71cf432c27bfac7c7dccd83db3e67f2:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Sleep Deprivation EssayAll that matters is that one day we will stop breathing, our hearts will no long pump, and our contract will be up. References †¢Forrest JD. Contraceptive use in the United States: past, present and future. Advances in Population. 1994; 2:29-48. †¢Moore, R. I. (1990). The Formation of a Persecuting Society: Power and Deviance in Western Europe, 950-1250. Oxford, Blackwell. On the definition of the â€Å"Other†; orthodoxy begets heterodoxy. †¢Smale, David A. (1993). Davies Law of Burial, Cremation and Exhumation. Sixth Edition. Crayford: Shaw and Sons.

Friday, March 27, 2020

7 Fun Challenges to Hold During Your 2016 Office Olympics

7 Fun Challenges to Hold During Your 2016 Office Olympics Olympic fever, 2016 edition, has set in. And although you’d rather be sitting on your couch watching round-the-clock streams of water polo and steeplechase, there’s the pesky fact that unlike Bob Costas, you’re not paid to live, breathe, and eat Olympics for the next few weeks. So you need to go to work- but that doesn’t necessarily mean you need to leave all things Olympic behind. Here are some Olympic events you can host at work, until you can get home and watch the USA basketball team humiliate some tiny nation that doesn’t have an NBA-packed roster.1. Competitive Chair SwivelHow many times can you spin without your feet touching the ground?2. Synchronized Stair WalkingIt builds teamwork![via Giphy]3. The 100M Freestyle Hallway SwimEat your heart out, Michael Phelps.4. Lobby GymnasticsBe sure to stick the landing! [via Tumblr]5. Cubicle HurdlesMaybe don’t do this one without a doctor present, or if your company has policies against, uh, da ngerous activities.6. Water Cooler Clean-and-JerkHow much can you lift without getting your shoes wet? [via Tumblr]7. Parking Lot MarathonGet ready for 26.2 meters of glory. [via USAFTW]The Closing CeremonyDon’t leave it out–pageantry is important! [via fanpop]

Friday, March 6, 2020

Biography of Sonni Ali, Songhai Monarch

Biography of Sonni Ali, Songhai Monarch Sonni Ali (birth date unknown; died 1492) was a  West African monarch who ruled Songhai from 1464 to 1492, expanding a small kingdom along the Niger River into one of medieval Africas greatest empires. Two divergent historical accounts of his life persist: the Muslim scholarly tradition that paints him as an infidel and tyrant and the oral Songhai tradition that remembers him as a great warrior and magician. Fast Facts: Sonni Ali Known For:  West African monarch of Songhai; expanded his empire, superseding the Mali empireAlso Known As:  Sunni Ali and Sonni Ali Ber (The Great)Born:  UnknownParents: Madogo (father); mothers name unknownDied:  1492Education: Traditional African arts education among the Faru of SokotoChildren: Sunni Baru Two Divergent Versions of Sonni Alis Life There are two main sources of information about Sonni Ali. One is in the Islamic chronicles of the period and the other is through Songhai oral tradition. These sources reflect two very different interpretations of Sonni Alis role in the development of the Songhai Empire. Early Life Little is known about Sonni Alis early life. He was schooled in the traditional African arts of the region and was well versed in the forms and techniques of warfare when he came to power in 1464 in the small kingdom of Songhai, which was centered around its capital city of Gao on the Niger River. He was the 15th consecutive ruler of the Sonni dynasty, which had begun in 1335. One of Alis ancestors, Sonni Sulaiman Mar, is said to have wrested Songhai away from the Mali Empire toward the end of the 14th century. Songhai Empire Takes Over Although Songhai had once paid tribute to the rulers of Mali, the Mali Empire was now crumbling and the time was right for Sonni Ali to lead his kingdom through a series of conquests at the old empires expense. By 1468, Sonni Ali had repulsed attacks by the Mossi to the south  and defeated the Dogon in the hills of Bandiagara. His first major conquest occurred in the following year when the Muslim leaders of Timbuktu, one of the great cities of the Mali Empire, asked for help against the Tuareg, the nomadic desert Berbers who had occupied the city since 1433. Sonni Ali took the opportunity not only to strike decisively against the Tuareg  but also against the city itself. Timbuktu became part of the fledgling Songhai Empire in 1469. Oral Tradition Sonni Ali is remembered in Songhai oral tradition as a magician of great power. Rather than following the Mali Empire system of Islamic city rule over a non-Islamic rural people, Sonni Ali mixed an unorthodox observance of Islam with traditional African religion. He remained attached to the traditional rites of his mothers birthplace, Sokoto. He was a man of the people rather than the elite ruling class of Muslim clerics and scholars. According to the oral tradition, he is regarded as a great military commander who carried out a strategic campaign of conquest along the Niger River. He is said to have retaliated against the Muslim leadership within Timbuktu after they failed to provide promised transport for his troops to cross the river. Islamic Chronicles The Islamic chroniclers have a different viewpoint. They portray Sonni Ali as a capricious and cruel leader. In the 16th century chronicle of Abd ar Rahmen as-Sadi, a historian based in Timbuktu, Sonni Ali is described as an impious and unscrupulous tyrant. Sonni Ali is recorded as having massacred hundreds while plundering the city of Timbuktu. This routing included killing or driving out the Tuareg and Sanhaja clerics who had acted as civil servants, teachers, and as preachers at the Sankore mosque. In later years, according to this historian, he is said to have turned on court favorites, ordering executions during temper tantrums. More Conquest Regardless of the precise interpretation of history, it is certain that Sonni Ali learned his military lessons well. Never again was he left at the mercy of someone elses fleet. He built up a river-based navy of more than 400 boats and used them to good effect in his next conquest, the trading city of Jenne (now Djennà ©). The city was placed under siege, with the fleet blockading the port. Although it took seven years for the siege to work, the city fell to Sonni Ali in 1473. The Songhai Empire now incorporated three of the greatest trading cities on the Niger: Gao, Timbuktu, and Jenne. All three had once been part of the Mali Empire. Trade Rivers formed the major trading routes within West Africa at that time.  The Songhai Empire now had effective control over the lucrative Niger River trade of gold, kola, grain, and slaves.  The cities were also part of the important trans-Saharan trade route system which brought south caravans of salt and copper, as well as goods from the Mediterranean coast. By 1476, Sonni Ali controlled the inland delta region of the Niger to the west of Timbuktu and the lakes region to the south. Regular patrols by his navy kept the trade routes open and tribute-paying kingdoms peaceful. This is an extremely fertile region of West Africa, and it became a major producer of grain under his rule. Slavery A 17th-century chronicle tells the tale of Sonni Alis slave-based farms. When he died, 12 tribes of slaves were bequeathed to his son, at least three of which had been obtained when Sonni Ali initially conquered parts of the old Mali empire. Under the Mali Empire, slaves were individually required to cultivate a measure of land and provide grain for the king. Sonni Ali changed this system and grouped the slaves into villages, each required to fulfill a common quota, with any surplus to be used by the village. Under Sonni Alis rule children born in such villages automatically became slaves. They were expected to work for the village or to be transported to the trans-Saharan markets. Sonni Ali the Warrior and Ruler Sonni Ali was brought up as part of an exclusive ruling class, a warrior horseman. The region was the best for breeding horses in Africa south of the Sahara. As such he commanded an elite cavalry, with which he was able to pacify the nomadic Tuareg to the north. With cavalry and  navy, he repulsed several attacks by the Mossi to the south, including one major attack which reached all the way to the Walata region northwest of Timbuktu. He also defeated the Fulani of the Dendi region, which was then assimilated into the Empire. Under Sonni Ali, the Songhai Empire was divided up into territories, which he placed under the rule of trusted lieutenants from his army. Traditional African cults and the observance of Islam were combined, much to the annoyance of Muslim clerics in the cities. Plots were hatched against his rule. On at least one occasion, a group of clerics and scholars at an important Muslim center were executed for treason. Death Sonni Ali died in 1492 as he returned from a punitive expedition against the Fulani.  Oral tradition claims he was poisoned by Muhammad Ture, one of his commanders. Legacy A year after Alis death, Muhammad Ture staged a coup detat against Sonni Alis son Sonni Baru and founded a new dynasty of Songhai rulers. Askiya Muhammad Ture and his descendants were strict Muslims, who reinstated orthodox observance of Islam and outlawed traditional African religions. As with his life, his legacy has two very different interpretations in the oral and Muslim traditions. In the centuries which followed his death, Muslim historians recorded Sonni Ali as The Celebrated Infidel or The Great Oppressor. Songhai oral tradition records that he was the righteous ruler of a mighty empire that encompassed more than 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) along the Niger River. Sources Dobler, Lavinia G, and William Allen Brown. Great Rulers of the African Past. Doubleday, 1965 Gomez, Michael A.,  African Dominion: A New History of Empire in Early and Medieval West Africa. Princeton University Press, 2018Tesfu, Julianna. â€Å"Songhai Empire (Ca. 1375-1591) BlackPast.†Ã‚  BlackPast.â€Å"The Story of Africa| BBC World Service.†Ã‚  BBC News, BBC.

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Someone who has made a big impact on my life Research Paper

Someone who has made a big impact on my life - Research Paper Example The reason why Steve Jobs inspired me was that he was not a college graduate, yet he was capable of being more innovative than those who had graduated from the same college that he dropped out of. Steve Jobs’ remarkable personality made me wonder what I was capable of doing because I had the opportunity to learn, unlike him. So I started working harder in order to give my best to the courses that I was studying and kept nagging my teachers about the practical approach of everything that we learnt. This helped me learn more about practical stuff along with theory. Moreover, I learnt how important volunteering is because it brings you closer to the people who need help and you learn more about a person’s needs in such situations. Plus, the sense of peace and calm that we get is phenomenal. Steve Jobs was an active volunteer and helped me learn the true spirit of volunteering and made me volunteer at an orphanage for quite some time. Furthermore, Steve Jobs gave me a sense of doing things out of the ordinary just to be the best and different. For example, in a science project when everyone was using thermopile to make their science projects, I used my savings to make a model out of metal and got it welded and painted. This made my project look the most practical and the most innovative. I once read a quote from Steve Jobs which was â€Å"Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me †¦ Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful†¦ that’s what matters to me†. (Le Grant. R.) Since then I have made it a habit to reconcile what I did throughout the day and each day I make sure I do at least one considerable good deed and a small achievement that can make me say, â€Å"Yes, I did some good today.† Thus, by trying to follow the footsteps of Steve Jobs, I have made a great impact on my life and on others’ around me. I feel that when you follow someone who has made an impact on the world, you become a change maker in your

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Incventive plans and organisational objectives Essay

Incventive plans and organisational objectives - Essay Example Basing incentives on the traditional plans such as promotion may not necessarily result in meeting of the company’s objectives. The incentives can be either in the form of momentary or non-momentary rewards (Bohlander, 2010). Monetary rewards include salary increments and bonuses, while non-monetary include recognition and promotion. How incentives plans help or do not help in achieving the organizational objectives Research has shown that incentives based on performance results in immense success in, attainment of the company goals. Such an incentive plan harmonizes the company’s preferences with the individual employees’ preferences. In hiring new worker, this kind of plan can be particularly useful in screening out only the beast employees who are merited to do a certain job. It acts as a motivator pushing the worker to increase their job input. Another benefit accrued to performance-based incentives is that workers tend to give better results in situations wh ere their performance is assessed individually compared to team assessment (Bohlander 2010). Workers tend to be loyal to such companies and show a desire to work in such firms or longer period. A firm that uses performance based incentives attracts competent workers who are not afraid of being put under the spotlight. An incentive plan may fail to fulfill its intended objective if the employees are not made to understand the intention of the incentive. They should honestly communicate the objectives of the plan. This will integrate the employees in the plan, by making clear communication. The rewards obtained from its implementation should exceed the cost. The most effective incentive plan is self-sustaining. An incentive plan may fail depending on the type of incentive used. Not all incentives work for everyone. The management should settle for an incentive plan that favors the majority of the workers (Caruth & Handlogten 2001). Failure to sufficiently differentiate between high an d low performance may result in the incentive plan not achieving its purpose. For instance, if the incentive given to the higher performers has minimal difference to the one given to the average performer, the high performing workers may feel that the company does not recognize their effort. This would result in the workers being demoralized and demotivated: the opposite of what the company intended to achieve by coming up with the plan. The incentive should measure up to the effort the workers put in the job. The employees who show less effort should receive less reward compared to the higher performers. Another reason why an incentive plan may fail is if it is inflexible. For it to be fruitful, it should first be introduced on a trial bases targeting a small group. This is to ensure it is effective and correcting the flaws that it may have before it is implemented. The plan should be constantly modified to meet the needs that may arise (Caruth & Handlogten 2001). The timing may al so ensure the success or failure of the plan. For it to be successful, the timing of the issuing of the reward should be tied to the qualifying event. The basic salary should be harmonized with inflation as well as to the increase in responsibilities. The company should also identify the persons eligible for the incentive plan. This is because

Monday, January 27, 2020

Climate Change And The Kyoto Protocol Politics Essay

Climate Change And The Kyoto Protocol Politics Essay The Kyoto Protocol under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is an international agreement that serves to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions by 5.2% by 2012. The Protocol was adopted on December the 11th, 1997 in Kyoto, Japan and then kicked off on 16 February, 2005. This lengthy timespan was as such due to the terms agreed upon in Kyoto, stating that at least 55 parties had to ratify the agreement and the total combined emissions of the ratifying parties had to equal at least 55% of the global production of greenhouse gases. The official rules as to the implementation of the Protocol are called the Marrakesh Accords as they were agreed on at the 7th Conference of the Parties (COP7) in Marrakesh, 2001. All parties that sign and ratify the protocol are committed to reduce emissions of Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Nitrous oxide, Hydrofluorocarbons, Perfluorocarbons and Sulphur hexafluoride. Should the participant countries fail to reduce their emissions to target levels, they are required to engage in emissions trading (the buying of credits from other participating countries that are able to exceed their targets in order to offset the emissions so that the collective target of reduction by 5.2% can still be reached). Under the Protocol, countries have to monitor and keep exact records of trades carried out. They also are responsible for monitoring the progress towards their emission targets and a compliance system is put in place to ensure that parties meet their commitments as well as helping them do so should they have problems. The Protocol is designed to assist countries to adapt to the Negative effects of climate change and it facilitates development and distribution of means that could help counter act the impacts of climate change. The Kyoto Protocol is a crucial movement towards a global fight against the reduction of Greenhouse gases. As of September 2011, 191 countries have signed and ratified the protocol with the United States being the only nation to have signed but not ratified the protocol. The Bali Action Plan The Bali Road Map, formulated in 2007 at the Bali Climate Change conference, consists of a number of decisions that that according to the UNFCCC, represent the various tracks that are essential to reaching a secure climate future. The Bali Road Plan incorporates the Bali Action Plan which charted the course for a new negotiating process designed to tackle climate change. All nations at the conference in Bali acknowledged that there is conclusive evidence of global warming and that it is crucial that humans make every possible effort to reduce the risks of the possible severe impacts that climate change could have. The outcome that was reached recognized that there was a need for deep cuts in global emissions and that the emissions of developed countries must fall by 10-40% by the year 2020. The Cancun Agreements Settled on December 11 at Cancun, Mexico, the Cancun agreements represent vital steps to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and building a sustainable future. The objectives of the agreements included: Reducing greenhouse gas emissions over time so that the global average temperature rise is kept below 2 degrees. To encourage participation of all countries in reducing the emissions with proportionality to each countries responsibilities and capabilities. Ensure international transparency of the actions taken by countries. Making sure that global progress towards the long term goal is reviewed on a regular basis. Mobilizing the development and transfer of clean technology to boost efforts to counter climate change. Provide funds in the short and long term to enable developing countries to take greater and more effective action against climate change. Assist vulnerable people in the world to adapt to the unavoidable impacts of climate change. Protect the worlds forests which are vital to reducing levels of Carbon dioxide and increasing the levels of oxygen. Establish effective institutions and systems which will ensure that these objectives are implemented successfully. (Note: all objectives adapted from http://cancun.unfccc.int/what-governments-will-do-in-2011/ ) The agreements were aimed to move the international action on climate change and global warming forward by primarily bringing countries greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets under the UNFCCC process. COP17/CMP7 COP17 refers to the 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Framework Convention on Climate Change, while CMP7 refers to the 7th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the parties to the Kyoto Protocol. The COP meets annually to assess and discuss progress in dealing with climate change. They make decisions and adopt resolutions which are all filed in the reports published by the Conference of the Parties. The 17th conference of the parties (COP17) was held in Durban in December 2011. Its purpose and aim was to build on the agreements that were reached during COP16 in Cancun and to establish a new climate change regime. Being a developing country, South Africa would like to see a balance between climate and development initiatives as well as global action that ensures that temperature increases are kept below 2degrees Celsius. Another aim was to have countries design institutions to provide developing countries with adequate and efficient climate support. South Africa also planned on showcasing the way in which climate change affects a developing country as well as the responses it has implemented. At the conference in Durban all goals were eventually reached and decided on with the nations agreeing on: Adopting a universal agreement on climate change A framework for the reporting of emission reductions for developed and developing countries. An urgent support package for developing nations that are suffering the most under the effects of climate change. The package is to include an agreement to form a green climate fund. Canadas withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol On 13 December 2011, Canada withdrew from the Kyoto Protocol stating that it did not represent the way forward for them. It seems that Canada has never stood fully behind the Kyoto Protocol as rather than cutting their emissions by 6%, they were headed for a rise of 16-30%. They stated that should they have decided to remain in the protocol, it would have cost them $13.6 billion in fines or penalties seeing as they failed to reach their target. The Canadian government stated that this would result in a severe blow to their economy and could result in either a mass loss of jobs or approximately an additional $1600 per family in tax so as to accumulate the money to be used for emissions trading with nations that exceeded their targets in order to offset the amount so that Canada could in theory have reached their target. Instead the government ducked out early to avoid any cost and slammed the protocol by stating that it fails to include the worlds two largest greenhouse gas emitters being China and the United States. They said that the protocol only serves to harm hurt Canadas competitiveness and overall it proves ineffective at reducing global emissions. The decision was met with disappointed emotions all over, with environment critic Megan Leslie saying that pulling out only saves Canada from having to report on its failures, she went on to say, What this is really about is the fact that our government is abdicating its international obligations. Its like were the kid in school who knows theyre gonna fail the class, so we have to drop it before that actually happens. Elizabeth May, a life long environmentalist and green party leader went on to say that it is unnecessary and that an agreement could most likely have been easily reached. She is quoted as saying, This is not just big, this is disastrous for Canada, and Im embarrassed to be represented by this government. According to Environment Minister Peter Kent, Canada will now look forward to a more global deal that will incorporate all nations in the fight against climate change and reducing carbon emissions. Canadas withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol means that it is now really only the Europeans that are staying with the Protocol. Canada has now taken a similar stance to the Americans by aiming only to reduce carbon emissions without restricting their growth as a country. As Greenblog states, their withdrawal doesnt change much for the fight against reducing carbon emissions as Canada was never really a part of it seeing as their emissions have increased by 20% rather than decreasing. The blog states that future UN negotiations will certainly become even more polarized and the mistrust created will surely delay, or in worse case even sabotage, efforts to secure a global climate deal for 2020 and beyond. But one thing that is painfully clear now is that a legally binding climate deal does not guarantee countries wont ignore or walk away from their commitments. Their statement is easy to agree with because Canada has now made use of their legal right to walk away. They are now the first country to leave the Protocol and there is no reason why they cant now be joined by more countries. As the Blog states, this opens up a whole new side to the case involving possible instability and distrust between nations which will need to be overcome should the fight against climate change be successful. Countries not in favour of the Kyoto Protocol USA- the USA is not in favour due to the fact that the Protocol does not take into account emissions from developing countries which according to the USA will soon match their own emissions. Australia has not ratified the protocol saying that- it will not ratify the Protocol until the USA does and until developing countries are included. Canada has left the Protocol. Source 1 gives a clear indication of the Participants and the nations not in favour of the Protocol as of 2012. Source 1 Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Kyoto Protocol participation map 2010.png Kyoto Protocol participation map as of February, 2012 Green indicates countries that have ratified the treaty (Annex I II countries in dark green) Brown = No intention to ratify[1] Red = Countries which have withdrawn from the Protocol.[2] Grey = no position taken or position unknown South Africas position on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol The South African Government have taken a stance on climate change that incorporates the fact that the poor will be most severely affected by it even though they have contributed the least to its causes. Due to Africas high level of poverty, they are thus most vulnerable to the effects of Climate Change. The government believes that Climate change is a global problem, which requires global solutions, which can only be attained through the cooperative efforts of all nations and not by a single country working on its own. The government set objectives which are outlined in the National Climate Change Response White Paper. These objectives can be briefly understood as being: To help and support all South Africans affected by Climate Change and to respond to the impacts of it in doing so. To work together with all nations in the international effort to lessen and end the effects of climate change. South Africa agrees with global scientific opinions which have stated that it is vital that the average global temperatures dont rise any more than 2 degrees so as to avoid possible social and environmental consequences. As a signatory of the Kyoto Protocol, South Africa contributes its fair share in the fight to lower the global amount of greenhouse gases that are emitted. However they are classified as a developing country and hence they are not subjected to the more demanding commitments placed on developed countries. South Africa has taken an interesting approach toward the greenhouse gas reduction efforts by stating that they believe these efforts should work in tandem with an approach that empowers the poor thus ensuring human dignity while lowering greenhouse gas emissions. This furthers their initial beliefs of he fact that the poor population on the African continent have contributed the least yet suffer the most. The media has not made much of Africas position on the Kyoto Protocol. What we can however gather from previous sources is that nearly all African countries have signed and ratified the treaty. All countries in Africa are also classified as developing, and hence they are subject to less demanding targets for their emission reductions. What we have also learnt is that Africa, because of its poverty, is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change and hence it is in the continents best interest that all countries support the global problem of climate change so as to lessen the effects it has on Africa as a continent. Africa should be of a similar belief as South Africa, which is that the poor have contributed least to climate change yet they suffer the most. With this belief, the continent will go a long way to the fight against both poverty and climate change. Somerset College and Climate Change In my opinion there are two main areas of Somerset College that may lead to high carbon emissions. The first area is very direct as it relates to the transport the school uses as well as the vehicles that bring students to and from school everyday. Somerset College sees hundreds if not thousands of cars pass through its gates daily and these cars are responsible for releasing carbon monoxide gases into the air. Not only does it harm our environment but it contributes to a high amount of carbon emissions that affect climate change. The second area involves Somerset Colleges Administration and printing system that is responsible for printing many hundreds of pages of paper for school and admin purposes on a daily basis. This indirectly affects climate change as paper is made from trees that produce oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from the air. In this way, carbon emissions wont decrease and hence it makes the school indirectly responsible for letting out carbon emissions. Somerset College have however started moving towards a greener future by printing less and less paper and making everything electronic. They also dont make use of air conditioners and instead use fans. Electricity to certain parts of the school is provided by solar panels and the school has implemented bus services to lessen the amount of vehicles on the property. They have also installed new hot water geysers around the school that reduce energy consumption by nearly fifty percent when compared with the old ones. The school also has an eco-club which ensures that the school is always striving to do what is best for the environment.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Dramatisation Of Macbeth †Explain And Evaluate Essay

Introduction Macbeth is a very dramatic play because it goes through many stages and throughout these stages there are mixed feelings between characters and these are portrayed as very dramatic. Macbeth as a play involves many themes as he changes from good to evil, love, temptation, ambition, equivocation, and corruption. These themes have to be portrayed in a way, which gives maximum effect and understanding of the characters dramatisation. There are two main ways in which Macbeth can be dramatised. Through the language and through physical methods. A physical method is a term I like to use to explain anything which is done physically and portrays the idea that needs to be carried across. E.g. clothes, lighting†¦ Portrayal Through Language There are many ways in which Macbeth can be dramatised through language. Throughout my research on Macbeth I found many. Shakespeare tends to use many techniques in order to portray his message through language, and in fact he uses language more than any other method. Soliloquies. A soliloquy is a monologue spoken by a particular character that is alone on stage or assumes that he or she is alone. It reveals their inner thoughts and will. So that you as a viewer will be able to know the truth when he as a character doesn’t know that you do, this dramatises the issue that he talks about and puts depth in to it, making it more interesting. Shakespeare uses this method in many occasions. One main occasion in which he used a soliloquy is when Macbeth was near the great wall and he is choosing weather to kill or not to kill because he knows that if he does there will be consequences, he says this to himself ‘ But in these cases, We still have judgement here that we but teach Bloody instructions’. Shakespeare dramatises the situation using this technique. Another technique that Shakespeare uses is called Prose. He usually does this on characters that are low status but he never feared to break that rule. There are only five prose sequences within the whole play. 1. Macbeths letter to his wife 2. The Porter 3. Macbeth’s conversation with the assassins 4. Part of lady Mac duff’s conversation with her son 5. Lady Macbeth’s sleepwalking A prose is a word to explain someone explaining the subject she/he is talking about. Usually Shakespeare tends to use a verse before a prose. A verse is an important technique used by Shakespeare as well. Probably the most common technique used in Macbeth is his famous blank verse (unrhyming lines with a five beat rhythm: ‘iambic pentameter’). In a blank verse each line has five iambs (feet), each with a stressed (/) and unstressed (X) syllable: X / X / X / X / X / ‘So fair / and foul / a day / I have / not seen’ Shakespeare uses blank verse very flexibly, making the rhythm of the characters speech very appropriate to the meaning, the mood, and the speaker’s meaning and mood, this is how Shakespeare dramatises using this technique. Shakespeare could not do this without creating new words to match the blank verse H. An average person would have a vocabulary of 6,000 words. An estimate of Shakespeare’s vocabulary would be around 30,000 words. He created new words in such a simple and understandable way. He does this by the use of Hyphen. Macbeth is full of Hyphenated words, many are so familiar that we do not recognise them as Shakespeare’s. These words help to dramatise Macbeth in the way that it adds more detail to anything Shakespeare was trying to explain about the situation or the character. Examples of some of his new words: * New-born * Firm-set * New-hatched * Live-long * Bare-faced * Earth-bound * Lily-livered * Cut-throat This shows that Shakespeare likes to dramatise and create meaning atmosphere with some significance within his plays. Especially Macbeth is a great example of his efforts to portray his dramatisation and significant meaning effect on the viewer making the viewer understand more than he usually should. Shakespeare is never afraid to repeat himself or regularly use a word. The following words were used the most; you will find them used very regularly: * Blood (e.g. Scene Act 1 Scene IIII, when Macbeth says ‘It will have blood; they say, blood will have blood: Stones have been known to move and trees to speak; Augurs and understood relations have, by maggot-pies and choughs and rooks brought forth The secret man of blood. What is the night’) * Fear (e.g. Scene Act 1 Scene IIII, when Macbeth says ‘When mine is blanched with fear.’) * Sleep (e.g. Scene Act 1 Scene III, when the 1st witch says ‘I myself have all the other, and the very ports they blow, all the quarters that they know I’th’ shipman’s card. I will drain him dry as hay: Sleep shall neither night or day) * Night (e.g. Scene Act 1 Scene III, same as Sleep) * Done (e.g. Scene Act 1 Scene III, when Ross says ‘I’ll see it done’) * Man (e.g. Scene Act IV Scene III, when Malcolm says ‘Dispute it like a man’) * Time (e.g. Scene Act 1 Scene III, when Banquo says ‘If you can look through the seeds of time’) My final evaluation on the dramatisation of Macbeth using language is that Shakespeare is a great master of English because of his different ideas to portray many things. This is a good thing because it adds more effect to the play and dramatises it causing more interest and depth to it in the way that every idea has a particular significance within the play. Portrayal Through Physical Methods In Macbeth one of the most significant things that Shakespeare uses is Imagery. Macbeth is rich in imagery. Imagery conveys ideas with such emotion and drama and that it is one of the special things about Macbeth. There are many ways in which Macbeth was dramatised through imagery these are some of them: * Portrayal Through Darkness and Light It was used because it’s a simple to do method, which dramatises the play. The main ways it was used was to define good from evil. For example, in a Macbeth play that we watched we saw that when king Duncan was shown the lights were so bright that you could tell that it was the way it is to represent extreme good even holiness. When the witches showed up on the scene the stage would turn very dark that the only thing that you could see was their wicked eyes representing the extreme no good, the evil. The contrast between the witches and King Duncan shows that light and darkness imagery can be very dramatic. One interesting way of using light imagery was to gradually decrease the amount of light given to Macbeth himself. This is because as we know Macbeth’s character starts to fade away and so does the light just to remind us of this and make it more dramatic and effective. You can understand through light and darkness if something bad is going to happen or something good. If the stage turn all dark and nothing happens you know something is going to happen. If the stage turns all bright with light you know that something good is going to happen. This idea of having different contrast of light before each scene can tell you weather this scene contains the theme of good or evil is actually a very good idea because it’s like a prophecy about to be fulfilled and this creates a very dramatic effect. Also the words of light and darkness are used in Macbeth, ‘dark night strangles the travelling lamp’ or even more dramatic is ‘Come, thick night’. * Portrayal Through Clothes Shakespeare had many ideas to do with dramatising using clothes. One of his most famous one is his reference to the throne of Scotland dresses him in ‘borrowed robes’. Basically illustrating the theme of deception in a silent but dramatic way. Shakespeare also likes to mix different subjects or irrelevant subjects in to the matter using imagery. * Acting and Theatre, (‘a poor player’) * Eyes, (‘the eye of childhood’) * Hunting and Sport, (‘bear-like I must fight the curse’) * Hands, (‘with these hands ne’er be clean’) This kind of imagery again adds more depth to the play making it more interesting and more dramatic by making the viewer think about what is Shakespeare trying to represent with his language and thoughts. Speaking of thoughts, Shakespeare liked to involve community in Macbeth. * Portrayal Through Feasting And Hospitality He involved the image of community in Macbeth using Hospitality and Feasting. Eating together is a sign of friendship and community. Macbeth’s disrupted banquet represents his moral illusion in to evil and darkness, which took him away to another level, just like how the banquet changed from a friendly level to an embarrassment. * Portrayal Through Animals Throughout Macbeth there are many references to animals. Especially when Shakespeare try’s to explain something that is mystical and fearful. This creates the perfect atmosphere for the evil characters to act in to create a dramatic experience for the viewer just like the cauldron scene. Also Shakespeare likes to use birds like robins to represent happiness because of their singing. The owl is used also to create the idea of darkness, the owl only comes out in the dark and so does Macbeth. * Portrayal Through Babies And Children Throughout Macbeth there are many references to vulnerability and innocence. This way was very successfully done through babies and children. This is because children cannot take actions and cannot prevent them either this makes them innocent. The most dramatic example in Macbeth of this dramatisation technique was when Macduff’s family were killed. His son was so young and innocent that Shakespeare showed us this by his lack of knowledge, the poor boy didn’t even know what a traitor was. * SON: (‘was my father a traitor, mother?’) * LADY MACDUFF: (‘Ay, that he was’) * SON: (‘What is a traitor?’) * LADY MACDUFF: (‘Why, one that swears and lies.’) * SON: (‘And be all traitors, that do so?’) * LADY MACDUFF: (‘Every one.’) * SON: (‘Who must hang them?’) * LADY MACDUFF: (‘Why, honest men.’) We can see from the extract conversation between the mother and child that Shakespeare intends to break peoples hearts and make them give sympathy toward this poor boy, who doesn’t even know what a traitor is. * Other Portrayals Shakespeare tended to use a lot of violence in his stories; violence of course refers to blood. He tended to use blood because it is so significant in the way that it is precious and there is lots of it. Blood can also be represented as a word to explain something with heart to it because it is so important to you and you are mentioning it. Sleep is a common technique used in Macbeth in order to dramatise the fact that Macbeth himself cannot get sleep anymore because of his filthy deeds, and Lady Macbeth sleepwalks while pretending to wash and scrub her hand as if she is washing her deeds away, but still she rubs as if it’s not going away, the blood stains. This kind of technique really does dramatise it in way that again causes interest towards the audience. Conclusion To conclude I think I will say that Shakespeare is a great writer who was very creative and significant in the way that he uses different techniques to dramatise anything. When I say dramatise I mean that he made something more exaggerated in the way that you understand it more and it appeals to you more. Macbeth is very rich in dramatisation because that’s what makes a good story, if it’s full of ideas which appeal more by having more depth in to it than usual, then you get more people watching your play because it’s more than the usual. People will always want something more. And that’s what Shakespeare gave them and he did it well.