Political Philosophy of Thomas Hobbes and Rene Descartes Essay

â€Å"Politics should be the application of the science Of man to the construction of the community† Explain this remark and discuss what reasons there might be for thinking it is not trueIn this essay I intend to examine the political philosophy of Thomas Hobbes and Rene Descartes, in particular their ideas relating to the science of man, and attempt to explain why their ideas prove that it is not possible to construct a science of man. I will also briefly mention the philosophy of Donald Davidson in regards to a science of man. The theories of Hobbes and the contemporary socio-biologists attempt to recognise how man works and on that basis build a society. â€Å"Hobbes wished to be seen as the inventor of the science of politics† (Sorrell, p45) He went about this by looking at the psychology of man and discovering that man is a mechanism. Hobbes wanted to understand mechanics. He wanted to look at why men live the way that they do in society and therefore, breaks it down. By doing this he discovered that people are cogs in the social machine. Therefore he wants to examine this cogs to achieve an understanding of the social mechanism, and does this by looking at the psychology of the mind. Hobbes is both an empirist and a materialist. Empirists believe that sense gives all knowledge. Generally, they do not believe in astrology, god, electrons etc. Their philosophy is summed up by saying that all things that give true knowledge can be sensed. Materialists believe that all things in existence are physical matter. In other words, the soul and the spirit do not exist. Therefore Hobbes believes that thoughts are material, that they are caused by sense and vice versa. Tom Sorrell suggests in his essay, entitled â€Å"Hobbes’ scheme of the sciences†, that rather than have knowledge of how the mechanics of the mind’s passions work, a more successful way of gaining political knowledge is to understand what these passions cause. They cause various degrees of action, with the possessor going to various extents to achieve what they want. In chapter six of â€Å"De Corpere†, Hobbes makes a connection between the knowledge of the principles of politics and the knowledge of the motions of the average human mind. Hobbes’ account of political science is an idea of what man must do if his goal is self-preservation. These ideas are not what mankind will do but what it will have to do, in a rational way, to form a political civilisation. One would assume that as Hobbes identifies both a natural science (that of the work of nature), and a civil science – that of the common wealth – (which makes laws and wills), he would suggest that they are parallels which, in political philosophy, work together. However, there are a few problems with Hobbes’ theory. Hobbes suggests that a monarch makes a better sovereign than an assembly. Yet, surely he would not agree that a monarch who is not dedicated would be better suited than a group of thoughtful representatives. A politically secure society is built up from its people. Hobbes believes that these people all have one motivation; self-gain, or to be more precise self-preservation. Hobbes suggests that there is a link between voluntary motion and vital motion. He goes on to say that senses work together with the vital motions to produce that which is voluntary, i.e. an endeavour. These endeavours can be categorised in two ways; attractions and aversions. An example of an attraction is to pick up a piece of cake because it looks good. That of an aversion is to run away from a dog because you are scared of dogs. As it is possible to see these actions are derived from the senses, again agreeing with Hobbes empirist theory. Endeavours are the small motions within man which occur before he walks, talks, runs or carries out any other voluntary motion. These endeavours are so small that they are undetectable. By understanding why men act the way that they do, it is easier to come to a conclusion as to how society should be structured. However, the idea that the existence of a science of man can be questioned suggests that society can be constructed without it. This is due to the fact that many psychological and political theories are founded on the basis that there is a science of man. Without this â€Å"science of man† these theories are in turn questioned and therefore cannot be viably backed as reasons for the construction of the community. Another prolific philosopher whose arguments should be taken into account is Rene Descartes. Descartes thinks that we, as humans, are made up of two separate substances. The body is the physical stuff and the mind – the res cogitans (thinking thing) – purely mental stuff. The res cogitans can will your body to move. The difficulty with Descartes’ theory is that the mind and body interact; if you pour boiling water on you hand, you will feel pain. Again we have to take into account voluntary and vital motions. A voluntary motion is me moving my arm. A vital motion is my arm moving. I move my arm because I want to; but I may not necessarily want it to be moved. This can happen for a number of reasons. It may be possible that I have a muscle spasm in my arm or that somebody moves it. All of this suggests that for Descartes’ theory to be correct there must be some kind of connection between a material substance (the body) and an immaterial substance (the mind). However, we will find it impossible to understand the idea of a science of man if we cannot understand how the two substances interact. Therefore, again, we have no proof that it is possible to build a political philosophy on the basis of a science of man. On p213 of Davidson , we find an explanation of monisms and dualisms. â€Å"Theories are thus divided into four sorts: nomological monism, which affirms that there are correlating laws and that the events correlated are one (materialists belong in this category); nomological dualism, which compromises various forms of parallelism, interactionism and epiphenominalism; anomalous dualism which combines ontological dualism with the general failure of laws correlating the mental and the physical (cartesianism). And finally there is anomalous monism which shows an ontological bias only in that it allows the possibility that not all events are mental, while insisting that all events are physical. â€Å"The final position is that which Davidson himself follows. Davidson’s argument suggests that the psychology of man does not follow any causal laws. Therefore, it is impossible to impose any rationality on theories involving the mind. These anomological psychological states are defeasable. They are defeasable because it is possible that by adding another condition to the situation the expected behaviour changes. Therefore it is impossible to agree with any political philosophy that involves the necessity of a science of man. What is easily discovered is that there are many different political philosophies and many different concepts as to what is a science of man. Philosophers such as Hobbes and his counterparts, Mill and Marx, possess the shared assumption that political philosophers must accept the political opinion that they are arguing for. They all think that rational agents must accept their arguments yet they all have different arguments. They all believe that for a successful political structure human nature cannot be ignored, if the structure is to command respect. As I have shown, Descartes and Davidson on the other hand, believe that a science of man is impossible; Descartes because he believes that our minds are immaterial and Davidson because man’s behaviour follows no causal laws. All of this shows us that trying to interpret man’s actions and apply them to a science is an impossible conquest. Man is too complicated a mechanism to understand and therefore political philosophy, for a sensible and rational social structure, must be founded on another basis.

Cyber Crimes Essay

What are cybercrimes and what do they consist of? Cybercrimes are defined as any illegal activity that uses a computer. The justice department goes a little more in depth and describes cybercrimes as using a computer for the storage of evidence. Cybercrimes have increased over time to something more than we could have ever imagined. The internet is went into full affect in the ear of 1990 when the Arpanet officially split into two separate networks to further facilitate usage and prevent military secrets from being found so easily. This is when the basis of cybercrime first began. There are cybercriminals which exist simply because they are drawn to the information that is contained by the World Wide Web. Nowadays, cybercriminals are much harder to track as they have evolved from the basic computer geeks who merely send viruses to another computer in efforts to crash it. They are far more advanced, and seek to steal information for their own personal gain. There are several different types of cyber criminals. They include: Script kiddies; who lack the experience to hack the larger mainframe systems. However, they are capable of doing some type of damage to unsecured systems. These types of criminals are also known as â€Å"hacker wannabes†. Also are scammers who flood one’s email with false advertisement and junk mail. The send catchy subject line for gullible victims and include links in the emails that absorb information from the victims computer. â€Å"Hacker groups usually work anonymously and create tools for hacking. They often hack computers for no criminal reason and are sometimes even hired by companies wanting to test their security† (Batke, 2011). The considered highest risk of all cyber criminals are â€Å"Insiders†. â€Å"They may only be 20% of the threat, but they produce 80% of the damage. They often reside within an organization† (Batke, 2011). The fact that there are cyber criminals establishes a new set of victims which mostly include people that are lonely, gullible, and have low self-esteem. When attacking the lonely, gullible, low self-esteemed individuals, cyber criminals normally seek their prey on social networking sites. Normally, the criminals use false identities to entice the victims. One the victim is deceived, they tend to for a sense of trust and release all sorts of personal information. This is why it is always important to keep personal information completely confidential. If one is dealing with networks that require information such as full names, social security numbers, addresses, banking information or even medical records, he or she should search or specific icons or notices within the website that assures their security. A common tactic that is used by cyber criminals is called â€Å"The New Kid Ruse†. This is when the suspect created fake webpages and uses fake images to give the idea that they are someone else in efforts to divvy up the victims personal information. Once the criminal gets one small piece of information they tend to sink the hook of deception even deeper. These acts get serious. They get so serious that eventually the cybercriminal begins to threaten the victim with exploitation if he or she does not surrender to their demands; saying that the information that has already been retrieved will be set abroad to ruin the victim’s reputations if they do not comply. â€Å"The case of Christopher Patrick Gunn, 31, of Montgomery, Alabama, who was sentenced last month to 35 years in prison for producing child pornography through a massive online sextortion scheme, provides a glimpse of how modern-day confidence men are plying their trade against the most vulnerable and unsuspecting victims† (The FBI, 2013). In this particular case, Gunn lured many minors into performing lewd acts via webcam and email. He had exploited large sums of teenage girls in various states that include Mississippi and Louisiana. He even stretched this heinous activity to some teenagers in Ireland. Cybercrimes include smallest crimes you could think of and the biggest crimes imaginative. Fraud is a cybercrime people use to commit anywhere from insurance scams and identity theft. Identity theft is a crime in which a person collects vital information from someone such as their social security number in order to pretend to be someone that they are obviously not. Just this one type of cybercrime is becoming more of a problem every day. Harassment is an example of cybercrime in which I consider to be bullying. This type of crime is done without much thought or consideration of the next person. Cybercrimes also include but are not limited to cyber stalking, cyber terrorism, drug trafficking, scamming, exchanging files of copyright material, and obscene or offensive content shared over the internet.

Safe Guarding Babies and Children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Safe Guarding Babies and Children - Essay Example ld abuse. The object is to establish the moral responsibility of every individual in the child-care system and create awareness. The article focuses on factors on the agency and individual level that are deemed key to avert tragedies such as this from happening in the future. 1. Responsibilities of local authorities. 2. Multi Agency policies. 3. Valued judgement and effective communication. 4. Targeted and Specialized support. 5. Individual social worker’s responsibilities The article evaluates and explores the methods that can be employed to avoid the mistakes as ascertained by the Laming report. Responsibilities of local authorities: â€Å"Those who sit in judgement often do so with the great benefit of hindsight† (Lord Laming Report, 2003 Page 1. ... In this event the Local authorities outline all disciplinary and inter-agency policies to be implemented by the agencies. Research has shown that multiagency working is more pronounced during the early stages of the case while making enquiries and â€Å"less pronounced and apparent in implementing action plans† (Chahal and Coleman 2003, p.39). Agencies that handle the cases from the Local authorities work on the brief give to them. Therefore it is imperative that professionals from both Local and Agency levels communicate effectively. In Victoria Climbie’s case there was evidence that the front line staff that received her case were not kept up to date on the guidelines as outlined by the Children Act of 1989. The procedure books made available to them were not up to date on the guidelines to monitor and provide care for children who were undergoing abuse. This affects the judgement of the staff and the ability to recognize an emergency or sounding the alarm. A sense of lax amongst caseworkers and front line staff is also prevalent as social work and especially working with children is not seen as an attractive career option. This has been attributed to the callous treatment of social workers by the top executives. Most of the work that social workers put into their work goes unnoticed or unappreciated. London shows a 11 per cent vacancy rate nationally in these sectors while some boroughs show as much as 40 to 50 per cent (Dfes 2003, Every Child matters, The Challenge, p.22). Because of this most front line staff are not adequately qualified to handle such sensitive issues. It is important for agency heads to be qualified in the regulations of social work to be able to empathize with the staff handling the cases and appreciate the work and

Research proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Research Proposal Example The success stories of certain well-known multinational companies in China (facilitating growth in the nation) would serve as empirical evidences, whereby appropriate recommendations for the purpose of the desired research can be formulated (Bigler, 2001). The nations in the contemporary world always seek ways to experience growth in the long run. In early years, several economies had substantially progressed with the essence of capitalistic principles in business world, which primarily focused on various managerial methods that could help to enhance trade and commerce. However, since globalization, the degree of market competition has significantly increased in most of the nations. Without strategic management tools, companies in the current era will not be able to experience high level of business internationalization. This proves rationality of the dissertation as the primary focus is on the most required skills of strategic entrepreneurship in business, which if implemented, would surely enable companies to expand their businesses across the world. The important determinants that would help to better the open innovation, strategic assets and resource seeking activities in a firm would also be analyzed in the context of the paper. The worth of the paper is enhanced with incorporation of relevant case studies of certain multinational companies in China that empirically focus on the concerned research themes. Thus, information and analysis provided in the dissertation would help any modern corporation to successfully expand its business across the domestic boundaries. The entire research work would be accomplished on the basis of qualitative analysis. It is highly rational to utilize this method of research analysis as it is a highly flexible, superior and dynamic research approach. Unlike the case of quantitative research, qualitative research comprises a wider scope and scale of research work. The entire research

Googles Organisation Culture, Power and Control Essay

Googles Organisation Culture, Power and Control - Essay Example According to the report  Google Inc. is a US based company headquartered at Mountain View, California. It was founded in the year 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin. They were students at Stanford University then. Google is specialised in online advertising and internet searching. It became a public company in 2004. The mission statement of Google is: â€Å"Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful†.From this discussion it is clear that  Google is well known for its unconventional, informal, and distinct organisational culture. Organisational culture can actually be thought of or analysed at three different levels, namely Artefacts, Espoused Values, and Beliefs and the Basic Assumptions. The main belief of Google is that its organisational structure and its associated values are the representatives of spirits, assumptions, beliefs, performances, and attitudes followed by the employees of the company. Integrity of the values of the Google’s employees, which include commitment and loyalty, is an important aspect of the Google’s culture. This results in Google trying to create an organisational culture which is innovative in nature so as to provide motivational incentives for its employees to achieve the goals and objectives of the company.  For Google’s employees, money is not as important as their passion to work for the company. Everyone enjoys and feels happy about working for Google.  

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for a Wind Power Production Research Paper

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for a Wind Power Production Project in Turkana Area of Kenya; East Africa - Research Paper Example The project under consideration will constitute a wind farm situated at the South Eastern end of Lake Turkana. This area is mostly uninhabited, rocky and arid desert area. The geographical conditions are unique with daily temperature fluctuations generating strong, predictable wind streams between Lake Turkana and the desert hinterland. Although there is no significant source of water, power or coal, the area can be termed as an enormous natural heat engine. This is due to the wind circulation system coming as a result of the difference in temperatures of the sun-baked land region and the cooler waters of the lake. The heating of the land air causes rising of hot air, which is promptly replaced by the cool air from the Lake blowing as wind throughout the area until it cools down. Contrary to what happens in the oilfield where depletion occurs, the blowing goes on as long as the as the sun shines. The projected area effectively acts as a funnel whereby the wind streams are accelerated to speed up to 15m/s. This ascertains the positivity of the resource to driving turbines for power production. The power deficit in Kenya is a serious problem and the production of electric energy using wind, will boost the production to high. The modelling done estimates that wind power installation with capacities of close to 300 megawatts would be required to increase the power production by 20%. The wind farm will include 365 V53 turbines with hub heights of 44 meters to produce clean electricity into the national grid system. 1.2. Project Timelines The project under consideration is scheduled to take five years to completion though in three phases. The first phase of two years will incorporate ground work and research findings on the viability of this project in the Turkwel region, followed by installation phase of two years, which also see the pre trial use being done. The last one year phase will be the commissioning stage. Timescale of change Environmental Parameter Geologi cal aspect Will not change and will remain stable. Can be more than 50 years Favorable air replenishment and cut down on GHGs. Varies seasonally The population of migratory bird from Lake Turkana will be affected to the south Eastern side. 1.3. Project Location The Lake Turkana project will constitute a wind farm situated 8 Km South East of Lake Turkana in Marsabit County Loyiangalani district of Kenya. The exact position of the proposed plant is between two mount ranges; Southwest of Mt Kulal and Northeast of Mt. Nyiru. The Map Showing the location of the project is exhibited in Annex 1. 1.3.1. Soil Capacity The area has basically a clay based soil meaning the area is more alkaline with the surrounding rocks being predominantly volcanic. The area has undergone tremendous natural degradation in form soil erosion. The soil in the area has been affected by the overgrazing of the pastoralists communities. Lack of vegetation and cutting down of the few trees and shrubs make the area pro ne to soil destruction processes. The construction of the project will result into increased soil erosion during installation of turbines and road construction. This combined with strong winds and occasional rains may lead to acute and chronic erosions. 1.3.2. Ground Water The area consists of efficient aquifers of ground waters that can be utilised for the construction purposes. This is through the drilling of boreholes and provides sufficient project water and avoids competition with the locals. After construction, the extra boreholes will be made available to the local communities. 1.3.3. Surface Water The water quantity and quality is a critical issue and its availability in the project area, is generally low and constitutes one of the major challenges in the region. The

Ryan Air case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ryan Air case study - Essay Example This antagonism caused criticism from the industry tarnished the image of the organisation (Using TOWS Matrix, 2009; Case Study). The threat of substitute transportation and the entry of other competitors who could deliver better the gaps that Ryan Air left behind, along with its failure to rectify its weak spots and problematic areas could propel the company to face some serious problems in the future. But then again, the continuous expansion of EU and the burgeoning of the budget sector seeking low cost services provided excellent opportunities for further expansion and rapid growth. Using Porter’s Five Forces, the rivalry within the industry is very high. This is characterized by the number of competitors servicing the same market within EU with easyJet, AirBerlin, Aer Lingus, FlyBe among others not to mention the long haul carriers (Appendix). On the other hand, both the threat of potential entrants and the threat of substitutes are within the medium range. Barrier to entry is high because of the low cost strategy but switching cost of the customers is low. Terrorism threat which required stricter rules in airport which resulted to additional inconveniences could drive customers to switch to trains while the rising popularity of low fuel consumption cars posed as substitute threats to airlines with short haul service (Case Study). The bargaining power of buyers is on the medium scale as switching cost is low. Because of the size of the market, customers could also easily choose which type of service to avail depending on needs and preferences. At the other end, the bargaining power of suppliers’ ranges from medium to high depending on given scenario. It is especially high with regard to fuel suppliers as petroleum prices are dictated by the world market (Hunger and Wheelen, 1996). Ryan Air’s competitive positioning was based on capturing a segment of the market, focusing on it with a strong

Integrating Faith and Learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Integrating Faith and Learning - Essay Example Faith in God automatically gives faith in the self and only then, one learns the right things at the right time in the right way. Hence, learning and faith have to be integrated to reduce the gap between faith and learning. We can pour into a vessel only when it is empty. When the mind and soul are focused on God, it is free from negative thoughts and distractions. It is then easy to conceive what one learns; fear and anxiety do not haunt the mind. The mind becomes strong and a strong mind can concentrate and learn anything with ease. Therefore, I would start my day with intense prayers to the lord in the first place. We have or make a life-long commitment to Jesus; a lifetime commitment keeps the mind focused. Statistics too would require a life long commitment. This has to be borne in the mind. As during prayers, we open the heart to the lord, while learning statistics we should open our heart so that research is perfect and learning is intense. Relational Evangelism teaches us to share knowledge. When we share knowledge, when we teach others what we have learned the knowledge becomes firm. Statistics is a subject where the foundation has to be firm and the application of theory has to be done at the right place. If I share, if I teach others what I have understood, I would never forget what I have learnt. Statistics requires a lot of research and planning. A constant reflection on and search on God’s ideas leads us closer to God; a constant search, an in-depth research to get to the truth, will help me to integrate statistics in my life. To understand the taste and feel of water we have to take a dip in the water. Standing on the banks we can only talk theory. Similarly, to understand God we have to become one with him; to understand statistics we have to get to the roots, do intense research and learning; become one with it. Christianity is not a viewpoint imposed on world knowledge; it provides a clarifying platform for engaging all

A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen - Assignment Example It criticised the attitude towards marriage prevalent in the 19th century (Krutch, 1953).Ibsen wrote the play drawing inspiration from his real time friend Laura Kieler a successful writer herself (Tornquvist, 1995). Nora, the heroine of Ibsen's play chooses to abandon her family and children for the sake of self-respect and self-search. This climax raised several agitations among the then conservative society. Ibsen was widely acclaimed for supporting the sprouting women rights organizations. But, he promptly denied any claim of honour for contributing to the movement and declared his play was just "the description of humanity". Ibsen's A Doll's House is considered as the first play to portray realism on stage, rather than stage historic and epical events. The play created a whole new wave, which led to the production of several realism related plays in the 18th century. Ibsen acquired international fame with his other plays like 'Ghosts' in 1881 and 'An Enemy of the People' in 1882 . Ibsen had a unique talent to explore the psychological side of the normal people. He always made his characters do what the normal people do not dare to do in real life fearing practical difficulties. Ibsen's later plays like Wild Duck and Hedda Gabler concentrated on psychology and various inner secrets in the human mind. As Michael Meyer claims, even ‘A Doll's House’ do not entirely stand for women's rights. ... The alternative ending was shown in many theatres especially in Germany. The film version of the play portrays Nora as a simple woman just like in the play. The scenes where Trovald refers to Nora as a "sulky squirrel" in the play was omitted in the film. Nora is shown conversing with the delivery boy in the play. But, there is no such scene in the movie. The relationship between Kristine and Nora is displayed as a very formal one in the movie while a little depth is added to the same via wordings and gestures in the play. Nora is not shown elaborating much about her secret to Kristine in the movie. A Doll's House was filmed several times into feature films and TV adaptations. The most prominent one among them is the 1959 TV version created by George Schaefer. Julie Harris plays Nora Helmer the main protagonist and the part Trovald Helmer her husband is played by Christopher Plummer. The film has only two acts in contrast with the play which has three acts. The background, sets and t he portrayal of the house in the movie are very much similar to the descriptions in the play. The wording and dialogue are nearly the same except for few minor differences. Nora is shown entering the house with her three children in the movie while her children are introduced much later in the play. Krogstad, depicted as an immoral man, blackmailing Nora is shown is portrayed as a much lighter character in the movie. He simply pushes her hard to save his own employment, but gives in when he finds the love of his life in Kristine. Trovald Helmer is portrayed as a dominating husband who tries hard to retain his position as the head of the household. His confusion and helplessness when Nora walks out on him is displayed beautifully by Christopher Plummer. Antony

The Essential Tools and Techniques Used By Organizations to Manage the Essay

The Essential Tools and Techniques Used By Organizations to Manage the Human Resources - Essay Example Rights and privileges of workers are put in place taking into account such limitations only. Maintaining good employee relations depends on how the rights and privileges of workers are treated by the organization. Finding good people often proves to be difficult for the organization, it is, therefore, essential to find ways to retain them as well. Good industrial relations or employee relations form part of such efforts. This study is an effort to analyze the essential tools and techniques used by organizations to manage the human resources in an organization and how the HRM has adapted itself to the changing economic scenario. In particular, the objectives of this study are to have an assessment of; To get the optimum from a satisfied and participative individual is considered to be the ultimate objective of HRM policies. The global economy has made it almost mandatory for international corporations that an effective strategy is adopted for managing the human resources and the diversity. It is through their behaviour that employees give expression to their commitment to work, level of motivation and their attitudes. Behaviour includes all actions overt or covert, and verbal or non-verbal. This affects the overall efficiency of the person and the performance of the organization. Some of the organizations encourage Unions and Associations to represent the employees’ issues and such organizations have a mechanism which encourages cordial relations between such unions and management as it helps in smooth functioning of the organization. But there are some other organizations which prefer to engage with individual employees for grievance redressal. Such a mechanism generally f unctions well in smaller organizations having lesser number of employees. The ultimate aim is to have a functioning relationship with employees so that the company’s functioning is not adversely affected. As a student of human resources management, it is very crucial for me that I am fully aware of such a mechanism, the legal positions and how the system has evolved over the years.     

Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State Essay Example for Free

Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State Essay This article argues that the first domestic institution in human history was not the family but the matrilineal clan. Engels here follows Lewis H. Morgans thesis as outlined in his major book, Ancient Society. Morgan was an American business lawyer who championed the land rights of Native Americans and became adopted as an honorary member of the Seneca Iroquois tribe. Traditionally, the Iroquois had lived in communal longhouses based on matrilineal descent and matrilocal residence, an arrangement giving women much solidarity and power. When nonhuman primate society and earliest human society, identifying sexual competition and the jealousy of the male as the vital issue that needed to be overcome to allow the emergence of the oldest form of family involving group marriage. Primitive communism was based in the matrilineal clan where women lived with their classificatory sisters – applying the principle that my sister’s child is my child. This kinship solidarity empowered women to take action against uncooperative males. Engels identified the world historic defeat of the female sex – the switch from what he called mother-right to father-right – with the onset of farming and pastoralism. This shift from matrilocality to patrilocality manifested itself in mens increased control in the home. Engels wrote: The man took command in the home also. The book begins with an extensive discussion of Ancient Society which describes the major stages of human development as commonly understood in Engels time. In contrast to other contemporary essays on the subject, Engels emphasizes the importance not of primitive psychological development but rather of social relations of power and control over material resources, sometimes related to the d evelopment of new technologies. Morgan, whose account of prehistory Engels largely accepts as given, focuses primarily on the first two stages  of Savagery and Barbarism but only ventures as far as the transition into Civilization. The terms Savagery and Barbarism as used by Morgan were meant to be objective and not terms of derision or disparagement as they might be assumed to be then or now. The Pairing Family, first indications of pairing are found in families where the husband has one primary wife. Inbreeding is practically eradicated by the prevention of a marriage between two family members who were even just remotely related, while relationships also start to approach monogamy. Property and economics begin to play a larger part in the family, as a pairing family had responsibility for the ownership of specific goods and property. Polygamy is still common amongst men, but no longer amongst women since their fidelity would ensure the child’s legitimacy. Women have a superior role in the family as keepers of the household and guardians of legitimacy. The pairing family is the form characteristic of the lower stages of barbarism. However, at this point, when the man died his inheritance was still given to his gens, rather than to his offspring. Engels refers to this economic advantage for men coupled with the womans lack of rights to lay claim to possessions for herself or her children (who became hers after a separation) as the overthrow of mother-right which was the world historical defeat of the female sex. For Engels, ownership of property created the first significant division between men and women in which the woman was inferior. It develops from the pairing family, as we have already shown, during the time of transition from the middle to the higher stage of barbarism. Its final victory is one of the signs of beginning civilization. It is founded on male supremacy for the pronounced purpose of breeding children of indisputable paternal lineage. The latter is required, because these children shall later on inherit the fortune of their father. The monogamous family is distinguished from the pairing family by the far greater durability of wedlock, which can no longer be dissolved at the pleasure of either party. As a rule, it is only the man who can still dissolve it and cast off his wife.

A Christmast Surprise for Gramma Essay Example for Free

A Christmast Surprise for Gramma Essay A Christmas Surprise for Grandma by Gloria J. Shuttleworth Grandma lived on Sugar Creek Mountain all alone. It was a beautiful mountain, with tall cedar trees all over the mountain top. In the middle of the mountain was a crystal clear lake. The water in the lake was the prettiest blue youve ever seen. When the water was calm, you could see the fish swimming around in the lake. I loved sitting by the lake when I was a little girl. Grandma would pack us a lunch, and we would sit at the lake for hours on end. Hour after hour, grandma would tell me stories about her life on the mountain. I remember the day that grandpa drowned in the lake. My parents had tried to talk grandma into moving into town, but she wouldnt hear of it. My parents knew not to argue with her, because they knew that grandma was set in her ways. Ive been on this mountain for so long that Ive forgotten which is the oldest, me or the mountain, grandma had said, with a twinkle in her eyes. I knew my parents worried about her being alone, because grandma was the only person who lived on Sugar Cliff Mountain. Today I was going to visit grandma, and the excitement grew inside me at the thought of spending time on the mountain once more. After all, it had been ten years since I had seen grandma. Its hard to believe that my career had kept me away for so long. As I approached the top of the mountain, I could see grandma staring out the window of her little log cabin home. Grandma greeted me at the door with a big hug. I am so happy that you could come to visit with me, said grandma. This Christmas is going to be so wonderful! I have a special surprise for you dear. Little did grandma know that I had a very special surprise for her as well. Well, we cant stand around here all day, said grandma. Theres a lot of work to get done. I have invited the people from the village to come to my Christmas party on Saturday evening. After I had freshened up a bit, we spent the day baking all sorts of cookies and candies. Grandma had a story to tell as we baked the goodies for the party. She told me about how she used to bake apple pies for grandpa. He loved apple pies, said grandma. Those were his favorite. She said that after the pies would cool off, that grandpa would send her into the living room, under the pretense that he would clean up the kitchen. Grandma knew what he was really up to, but she never let on that she knew. Grandma would go into the living room and sit in her rocking chair. She would sing some of the songs that she knew grandpa loved. About an hour later, grandma would wander back into the kitchen. Why Henry! she said kitchen, grandma retired for the evening. I made myself a cup of tea and sat down in front of the fireplace. Sitting alone in the quiet house, I pondered my childhood memories of my grandparents. They had always been such a fun loving and happy couple. Shortly after they were married, grandpa built the log cabin home for his Little ole Emmy, as he called her. Just before Christmas, almost twelve years ago, grandpa was outside gathering firewood, when grandma heard a horrible scream and a terrible noise. She ran outside to find that an area of the ice on the lake had fallen through. She yelled for grandpa over and over but no reply ever came. They searched the lake for over a week, but no trace of grandpa could be found. Finally, they called off the search. One of the men who had helped in the search said theyd probably never find grandpa now. Just then, as my thoughts were still racing around in my head, my grandmother brought me back to reality. We have to be up very early in the morning dear, so off to bed now, she said. I slowly walked to my grandmothers room, and kissed her goodnight. Morning came early at grandmas house. As I entered the kitchen I could smell the homemade biscuits and gravy cooking on the stove. Whats on our list of things to do today? I asked. The men are coming from the village this morning to put the lights on the trees, and we have lots of presents to wrap for the children, she said. Just then, there was a knock at the door. It was the men from the village ready to start putting up the lights. Grandma was so excited as she stepped back to watch them. Lets wrap those presents now Laura, said grandma. As I watched grandma wrap the presents and tie the ribbons, I knew that so much more was being placed around them. With each piece of wrapping paper grandma was also wrapping them with love. After the last present was wrapped, we realized that wed been wrapping presents all day! It was now getting dark outside and grandma wanted to go outside to view the lights. As we stepped out onto the porch, we gasped. The sight that met our eyes was so beautiful to behold! The snow was glittering and the reflection of the lights on the snow was beyond words! It was breathtaking! That night I went to bed with a heart full of love for my grandmother. I knew that someday I wanted to be just like her, full of love for others. Saturday evening the village people started arriving just after dark. Grandma always waited until evening to have her Christmas party, because she loved the lights. All the guests gathered around in the front yard and began to sing Christmas carols. Oh, how grandma loved that! Ole Ben was a jolly fellow who worked at the village store, and he was chosen to help Santa hand out the presents. The children shouted with glee, as they unwrapped their gifts. Grandma said, Laura, come here dear, I have a surprise for you. As she handed me the present, I could see the love and pride in her eyes. I love it grandma, I said, as I bent down to kiss her cheek, I will cherish it forever. Grandma had made a quilt out of some of my dresses that I had worn as a little girl. Grandma, if you could have just one special gift for Christmas, what would it be? I asked her. Without even stopping to think, she replied, I would like t o see your grandfather just one more time, so I could feed him the apple pie that the horses quit snatching when he left us. Just then grandmas face lit up like the lights on the Christmas tree! Everyone turned to see what grandma was looking at. Walking slowly toward her, with an apple pie in his hand, was grandpa! There was two slices missing from the pie that he was holding. The village people were speechless, as they thought they were seeing a ghost. Grandpa chuckled, as he yelled out, Emmy, those darn horses snatched the pie and got away with two pieces. Difference to me, but slowly my memory started to return. I remember now going out to gather firewood. There was a nice piece of wood on the lake. I thought the lake was frozen over so I stepped out on the lake to get the piece of wood. I remember hearing the lake crackle and thats the last I remember about the accident. Laura, how can I ever thank you for bringing grandpa home to me? asked grandma. Laura replied, Seeing the happiness and the love you have for each other is all the thanks I need. As Laura retired to bed that night, she couldnt help but think about the surprise that she had given to grandma for Christmas. She knew in her heart that it was the best surprise present that grandma would ever get. What a warm and wonderful feeling came over Laura as she fell asleep, thinking of her grandparents.

Examining The Debates And Arguments Of Parole Criminology Essay

Examining The Debates And Arguments Of Parole Criminology Essay The most debated argument involving parole is not whether or not it is needed, but rather how should it be instituted. Parole is not a sentence; rather, it is the extension of a prison into the community and under the supervision of the parole authority, which is a branch of the prison system. Prisoners are eligible for parole after they have served a minimum number of years of their sentence as dictated by state statutes and the discretion of the judge. A parole board reviews their crimes, their criminal histories, and their behaviors in prison to decide whether the prisoners can be supervised safely in the community. After serving only a portion of their sentence, prisoners can also be released automatically by the prison administration for respectful behavior, which involves observing prison rules. In a standard formula, prisoners are given 1 day off of the sentence for every day of ethical behavior. The conditions of parole supervision are set by the releasing body and are simila r to the mandatory and special conditions of probation supervision. History of the Creation of Social Agency The creation of parole can be connected to the work of several individuals who managed prisons; it involved Brockway Zebulon in the year 1867, Alexander Maconochie in the year 1840 and Walter Crofton in the year 1854, the above mentioned contributed to the introduction of parole system in the prison system. (Criminal Law Bolg) Parole was introduced in the United States by Brockway Zebulon in the year 1876 as a way to cut jail overcrowding and in unison as a way to rehabilitate prisoners by encouraging them to gain their freedom from prison through good behavior. The parole of federal prisoners began after enactment of legislation on June 25, 1910. There were three federal penitentiaries and parole was granted by a parole board at each Parole System institution. The membership of each parole board consisted of the warden of the institution, the physician of the institution, and the Superintendent of Prisons of the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. (http://www.justice.gov/uspc/history.htm) By May 13, 1930, a single Board of Parole in Washington, D.C. was established (Chase, 2000). The provision of services to victims by parole officers began in the 1970s on the heels of the Victims Rights Movement, which propelled victims needs into the public and juridical consciousness and underscored the importance of treating crime victims with compassion and sensitivity at every step in the criminal justice process. In many states, parole officers are responsible for providing victims with a copy of the Victims Bill of Rights, which have been passed throughout the country, and with information about the progress of their case through the court system, as well as the courts expectation regarding their obligation to participate in the proceedings. In addition, parole officers facilitate victim-offender reconciliation, mediation, and dialog programs, which are critical in the achievement of victim healing and offender rehabilitation. Such programs can be therapeutic to both offenders and victims. Parole officers can educate victims about sentencing practices and the nature of parole, which helps them feel more involved in their cases and more informed about outcomes at each stage in the parole process. Finally, parole officers can refer victims for services to treat their emotional injuries and, adjust more effectively in the aftermath of serious criminal victimization. Parole System Mission statement of the Parole System Mission To serve, challenge and empower our members and constituents by educating, communicating and training; advocating and influencing; acting as a resource and conduit for information, ideas and support; developing standards and models; and collaborating with other disciplines. (http://www.appa-net.org/eweb/DynamicPage.aspx?WebCode=IA_Introduction) 2. Vision We see a fair, just and safe society where community partnerships are restoring hope by embracing a balance of prevention, intervention and advocacy. (http://www.appa-net.org/eweb/DynamicPage.aspx?WebCode=IA_Introduction) Financial reports Last year The Sacramento Bee reported that California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was looking to save money by cutting the corrections budget, perhaps by releasing as many as a third of the inmates in California prisons because theyre non-violent and no danger to anyone. The problem is, when a plan like this is being proposed as a budget-cutting measure instead of a good public policy measure the apprehension is that it may go wrong. Speeding up the release of many/most/all non-violent drug offenders may be a good alternative to the budget crisis although, releasing them all at once is not a good plan, and presuming it will magically fix our budget is unwise. Society has placed so many barriers preventing the re-integration of former inmates into normal life that it is hard to imagine a successful mass prison release without spending quite a bit of additional moneys on reintegration programs. Parole System Gov. Arnold Schwarzeneggers administration certainty, that Californias inability to afford its $5.3 billion prison and parole system, has explored changes that would all but eradicate parole conditions for nonviolent, non serious offenders and ultimately through early release and lighter penalties dramatically shrinking the prison population. The State of California continues to face  a fiscal crisis. Both the Governors Office and the Legislature are projecting more than a $25 billion deficit. (CALIFORNIA FISCAL CRISIS INFORMATION) Gov. Jerry Browns revised budget plan axes 5,500 positions from state government and kills or combines more than three dozen boards, commissions, offices and task forces, but the blade wont fall particularly heavily on Sacramento if at all. Although two-thirds of the job losses would hit the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, it has unfilled positions in its budget to absorb some cuts. About 200 to 300 at-risk jobs are positions in its Sacramento headquarters, Corrections Secretary Matt Cate said. (Ortiz J. (2011) The overhaul to the parole system that has been created is non-revocable parole or unsupervised parole, so that specific parolees considered low-risk wont be sent back to prison for technical violations. According to the article Dealing With Californias Overcrowded Prisons.  (26, May 2011) the big concern here is whether by just by simply transferring people to county facilities, if theyre just kicking the can down the road, or whether there can be fundamental structural changes in the way people are sentenced so that it, again, kind of slows or Parole System stops the revolving door. Thats still very much a big question right now. (Dealing With Californias Overcrowded Prisons.  (26, May 2011)) Summary of their Work In the preparation, of a considered release an investigational report is prepared, which helps at parole-board hearings, the victim(s) and their family members can testify regarding the impact of the crime on their lives. In the former, the victim impact statement can influence the BPT to choose leaving the inmate in prison over paroling as a more just sentence given the nature and extent of victim harm that was perpetrated in the case. In the latter, the parole board can factor victim harm into its decision and conclude in the prisoners initial release. When the Board of Prison Terms puts an offender under supervision in the community, the effort and task of managing that individual case shifts from institutional corrections to a parole agent. Therefore, board members decision is based on supervision personnels caseloads, workloads, and other duties. Once BPT have determined conditions for an inmate, it befalls to the parole agent to oversee and enforce those conditions. The conditions are tailored to the offender or the case; it can create a problem for both the offender and the agent if this is not achieved. At a minimum, parole agents should have data and information that assist them in the availability of and intended audience for specific community programs, the flexibility and discretion allowed to them to help in a successful reintegration back into society. In collaboration, parole boards and parole agents seek to balance the use of assessment tools or instruments, disclose information, and develop general strategies to maximize the effectiveness of parole in their jurisdiction. (Paroles Function, Purpose, and Role in the Criminal Justice System) Expanding California Prisons When it concerns the expansion of prisons, at present it is not feasible, one, theyre in no position to build more prisons. Two, having so many prisoners is a key reason for their bloated budget in the first place. (Blackwell B. 2011) Restructuring Californias Parole System Bearing in mind the analyses of criteria, feasibility and realization yield a hybrid substandard proposal, combining the existing model of construction and prison population reduction strategies, in addition to better rehabilitative services alongside the streamline of parole. My conclusion indicates that this system will be both politically acceptable and will prove more effective at subduing the current crisis than a strict brick and mortar approach. A critical analysis of the effectiveness of the Parole System The California parole system is in a shamble. Aside from serious overcrowding and substandard health care, it is plagued by deadly violence, a revolving-door parole system and a lethal injection procedure deemed constitutionally flawed by a federal judge. The department of corrections current $8 billion budget pays for operations at the states 33 prisons, which were designed for a capacity of 109,805 inmates but which now hold 143,435. (Vara, V. and White, B. 2011) As a result of some 16,000 of those prisoners now bunking in corridors, gymnasiums, and rec rooms, these facilities are now bordering on constant lockdown, increasing both tensions and the crime rate within. We have overcrowding and idle inmates and the combination of the two is causing an unsafe situation, says James Tilton, Secretary of Corrections and Rehabilitation. (http://www.ccpoa.org/news/tags/tag/james+tilton)On top of that we have pressure from all these lawsuits regarding our provision of medical and mental heal th care which has brought the threat of [judicially imposed] population caps. (Vara, V. and White, B. 2011) We have the facts in front of us and we need to act on them. The current culture within the prison and parole system is one of punishment. Unfortunately, the inmates model the treatment they receive, he said. Instead of leaving prison a changed person, six out of 10 go right back to crime. The system is broken. He said correctional staff must be given an understanding of who is in prison, how they got there and what can be done about it. They need training in leadership, discipline, substance abuse, anger management and people skills, he said. Citing a slew of issues that drive up crime, Deacon Dufour said poverty is at the top of the list. He explains that the vast majority of Texas inmates come from very poor circumstances. So then we look at the causes of poverty and find three consistent characteristics, he said. Being a school drop-out, having children outside of marriage, and/or getting married before the age of 20. Just having one of these life stories puts you in a group with a 79 percent poverty rate. He added that 80 to 90 percent of all Texas offenders have the following the problems before they break the law: they were abused and/or neglected as children, they were reared in fatherless households, they abused drugs/alcohol, and they had no spiritual life. Nothing will change until these social tragedies are addressed, he said. Deacon Dufour works with county, city and school authorities to develop services directed at reducing drop-out rates, stabilizing families and training teachers to properly deal with at-risk kids. Im convinced that most teachers, with the proper training, can make a huge difference in the choices a child makes. There are techniques that are being used in other states with great success, he said. Describing Catholics as excellent educators, producing outstanding schools, Dufour believes that the church can help make changes with the secular school system. We need the power of the Catholic Church to push life-changing initiatives in Texas public schools through our legislature. That is what our Criminal Justice Ministry is attempting to do. Deacon Dufour comes from a military background; he served in Korea and Vietnam. A long-time parishioner of St. Theresa Parish in Austin, he was ordained a deacon in 1984. A few years later, he was asked to lead a prison Bible study ministry and from there the Criminal Justice Ministry was born. I feel blessed to be in this role, Deacon Dufour said. And I know we are making a difference. In the 25 years I have seen some definite improvements, especially after the last three Texas legislative sessions. Instead of the automatic throw them in prison attitude, Im seeing more treatments and alternatives to incarceration. The provision of services to victims by parole agents began in the 1970s on the heels of the Victims Rights Movement, which propelled victims needs into the public and juridical consciousness and underscored the importance of treating crime victims with compassion and sensitivity at every step in the criminal justice process. The field operations involve the direct supervision of offenders and are in charge of the regional directors in the offices of Tyler, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Midland. The field staff consists mainly of probation officers are responsible for overseeing the activities of offenders and their compliance with release conditions and the laws of society. The probation officers are also investigating release plans before the meeting, evaluate and classify released after his release and develop a monitoring plan based on the needs of each offender. Monitoring programs include after-care treatment at a substance abuse testing, drug and alcohol, electronic monitoring and supervision of offenders treatment and probation officers sexuales. Los promote compliance by the offender of the conditions release. To this end, support the use of interventions, and implementation of options motivation, and make every effort improve the successful reintegration of offenders through services that affect the factors contributing to recidivism. In addition, when necessary, field staff works closely with the Board of Pardons and Paroles and its hearing officers to process the transgressions of the conditions of release. The probation officers also supervise those released have been transferred from other states under the Interstate Compact. The main objective of the Central Coordination Unit (CCU) is to provide support to field operations. In this capacity, incumbent have various responsibilities. The unit monitors the number of cases assigned detention / deportation until a case is officially closed and then notifies field staff on changes in the status of the case. In addition, the CCU checks the death notices received by the processing unit and case files for transfer to estatales. Asimismo files, the CCU receives transfers from the Interstate Compact Office with regard to offenders who move to other states seeking or move to Texas from other states then the unit monitors the case until its release, death or his return to Texas. Finally, the Central Coordination Unit is responsible for the location of offenders that the Board has separately incorporated or intermediate sanction facilities (ISF) and Felony Punishment Facility Substance Abuse (SAFPF) state wide. Parole officers are responsible for enforcing the conditions of community supervision. Failure to obey these conditions can result in a violation of probation or parole. The former can result in a longer sentence to probation or stricter conditions of supervision; the latter usually results in a return to prison. In the enforcement of the conditions of probation and parole, officers duties focus on the rights, needs, and recovery of crime victims. In cases of victim abuse and interpersonal violence, social agency officers participate in ensuring the safety of the victim through the enforcement of orders of protection. Such orders prohibit offenders from having any contact with the victim or being within a certain geographic proximity to the victim. The failure to abide by the orders is corroborated by the officers who use victim reports of offender harassment as evidence to file a petition to have the probation or parole revoked. To help victims cope with injuries or other adverse effects of victimization, probation and parole officers broker services from public or private agencies that respond to the needs of crime victims. They also notify victims about changes in an offenders case status. For example, parole officers can notify victims about a parolees release date from prison and probation officers can notify them about a violation of probation hearing or when a probation sentence is near termination or completion. Commentary on ways in which the social agency could improve its effectiveness towards its social goals The federal parole service establishes minimum and optimum targets for the employment of Aboriginal people. The minimum target must be no less than the percentage of Aboriginal people in Manitoba; the optimum target is the percentage of Aboriginal people served by the parole service. The National Parole Board, in conjunction with Aboriginal groups, establishes release guidelines, which take into account the cultural and social circumstances unique to Aboriginal people. There are Aboriginal parole officers in each Aboriginal community. The National Parole Board be given authority to transfer jurisdiction over a case to the Aboriginal Parole Board. The Solicitor General name an additional number of Aboriginal persons as National Parole Board members, in consultation with Aboriginal organizations. The National Parole Board ensures that all applications involving Aboriginal inmates, including applications for the revocation of parole, be heard by panels which have at least one Aboriginal member. The membership profile for National Parole Board members be changed to permit greater representation of Aboriginal people. A program of cross-cultural awareness be developed and implemented for all correctional and parole staff who are involved in making parole decisions about Aboriginal offenders; and that any such cross-cultural awareness program specifically take into account Aboriginal living conditions, Aboriginal values and customs, and the resources available in Aboriginal communities to support the reintegration of offenders. The separate roles of parole officer and probation officer are combined in Aboriginal communities. http://www.ajic.mb.ca/volumel/chapter12.html Conclusion Social agencies officers are responsible for the supervision of more than 5 million adult offenders in the United States. As the most common disposition in the United States for felony convictions, probation is a sentence in lieu of incarceration that monitors people under conditions of release. The two types of parole conditions are mandatory and special. Mandatory conditions are defined by state or federal statutes and applied to every sentenced to probation. These conditions include not owning or carrying a weapon, reporting to a probation officer on a schedule that is determined by the officer at intake, leaving jurisdiction only with the judges knowledge and approval, allowing unannounced home visits by the officer, and remaining free of arrests during the probation period. Special conditions are imposing by the judge during sentencing and applying to the circumstances of the case. They can include participation in treatment for alcohol or drug abuse, the payment of fines, the obtaining of mental health services, and earning a General Equivalency Diploma.

Heracles as a Paradox in Women of Trachis Essay -- Women of Trachis Es

Heracles as a Paradox in Women of Trachis Using the portrayal of Hercules in Sophocles' tragedy Women of Trachis, a puzzling image of the Greek hero emerges. Most of the myths of Heracles portray him as a fierce warrior, tamer of beasts and a master of everything he attempts. This myth however, shows honorable traits juxtaposed with very negative aspects of the same man. Heracles is a paradox because even though he is a very great man and ideal hero, in some ways he is savage, highly emotional and even vulnerable. Sophocles' version of Heracles' life, or at least part of it, made Heracles look less like a Greek hero and more like an ordinary Greek warrior. There are a few exceptions though. For one, Zeus was his father. Not many of the children of gods were thought of as ordinary. All of them had some terrific power or ability like Hercules. Secondly, his ability to fulfill his assigned tasks in the way in which he does shows in no uncertain terms, he is more than a common man is. Lastly, Hercules is granted immortality as a reward for impressing the gods on Mount Olympus. This final item is of special importance because it itself is a paradox. Was Hercules a Greek hero or was he a God? These things all lead me to see Hercules the man clearly but his relationships to things outside his heroic motif are a puzzle. Let us start by identifying the purpose of identifying Hercules as a hero. There are eight identifiable traits that must be present in order to declare somebody a Greek hero. The first point is divine birth. Hercules being a son of Zeus meets this requirement. He is threatened almost immediately by a jealous Hera but saved by his own strength and fearless valor. His up bringing was by an outsider, actually ... ...ignity but Heracles refused to admit his end was coming. All the times he left for a task he went in search of fame but "not to die." (Sophocles, Women, l 159-60) Then why did he think to leave his will with Deianira? It was obvious the tablet described the way his land should be divided up amongst his children so why was he still not ready for his fate? It is because Heracles thought of himself as a hero and could not imagine the gods fate him to death. All these contradicting sides of Heracles makes him a more interesting figure in ancient texts but they also create quite confusion. Why after all the evil, horrid things he did would the gods make him immortal? Heracles truly is a paradox. Works Cited: Sophocles. The Women of Trachis. Trans. Michael Jameson. Sophocles II. Ed. David Grene and Richmond Lattimore. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1957.

Graduation Speech :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

When I was chosen to speak tonight, I thought that as a track athlete it would be appropriate to compare life to a race. Life is a race, a race to each milestone in our lives. Kindergarten through fifth grade we had just entered ourselves into the race called education. We were about to test our strengths and find our weaknesses. The first day of kindergarten we weren't exactly sure what we were in for. Some of us began to write our names and learn to read, while others ate Elmer's glue and pulled little girls' pigtails -- you know who you are. Middle school was our warm-up and preparation. We stretched ourselves to meet new people and some of them are still sitting next to us today. Our crackling voices and newfound interests in the opposite sex who we usually met at the Skate Deck, distracted us from our upcoming race, but our teachers reminded us that our warm-up in middle school is like the race we would face in high school. We began choosing a path and preparing mentally for the challenge ahead. Freshman year, Mr. Donney's starting gun scared us out of the blocks. We met those we would be running the race with and looked up to those who began the race before us. And for those of us who are in the vertically-challenged front row, including myself, (Sarah, Deja) we literally looked up to them. Some of the challenges we faced as freshman were which lunch line to stand in and deciding which one of the Fleming twins was cuter. To this day that's still a dilemma. Throughout the year, we were forced to pick up speed in order to avoid the traditional freshmen trash can and locker stuffings. Sophomore year, we were finally ahead of others and gaining respect. Having moved up in the race, our timidity vanished, and allowed us to participate in assemblies and other school events. And of course Mr. Dononey scared us again, this time using his biology experiments. Junior year, we were finally upperclassmen. Our race began to fall victim to senioritis a year early. But Mr. Burt's chemistry experiments really lit a fire under us. To this day, I am still not sure if Mr. Burt's eyebrows grew back. And of course, the baseball team drove us to be better. I think they used a Chrysler Minivan, but you'd have to ask Andy, Hal or Beau about that.

Romantic Relationships During High School Essay -- Argumentative Essay

Are relationships in high school truly worth the potential heartache? Answers to this question vary, ranging from the enthusiastic â€Å"yes!† to the skeptical view of which cutting off one’s own third toe makes more sense to indifference. Yet, how can the value of a relationship be determined when the tumult of everyday teenage life may result in the potential loss or gain of a new relationship every week? One view may be relationships teenagers enter into are valuable practice for later in life, teaching those which engage in them how to interact with members of the opposite sex in a way which leads to marriage or family. Others, however, state the truism being a significantly low percentage of high school romances result in marriage. Although some may say the benefits outweigh the risks, relationships in high school are not feasible for many and may not be worth the effort put into them. On average, of all high school romances, only an estimated eight to 11 pe rcent result in matrimony (WikiAnswers 1). To me, this renders those useless relationships, the other eighty-nine to ninety-two percent, just passing time. From these statistics, it would appear romance in high school is not only stressful, but also relatively useless. Rather than devoting large amounts of time to one person, high school students should be out with a group of friends, having fun and doing whatever it is teens do. This brings up another concern for high school relationships: time. The time some students put into a relationship can become absurd. In this way, we come across the student who never seems to have their work done or never has time to work on their work. This free time would normally be used to do important tasks for school, but rather is us... ...lly prepared for such life experiences. Though not always negative, high school relationships are also not likely to have a drastically positive impact on students either. Levels of stress in life can be at their peak during years of development, though it may seem daunting, not all are incapable of balancing a relationship and life. Nevertheless, having a relationship, the stress to succeed in within the relationship, and the stress to not become the main topic of gossip for their peers in what should have been a private matter may magnify the pressures of everyday life. Works Cited U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. â€Å"Pathways to Adulthood and Marriage: Teenagers’ Attitudes, Expectations, and Relationship Patterns† Aspe.hhs.gov Web. 17 Nov. 2010. WikiAnswers. â€Å"What are the statistics on high school relationships?† Answers.com Web. 30 Nov. 2010.

Ottawa Valley Food Products Case Study Essay

Ottawa Valley Food Products (OVFP) is a company which manufactures and distributes low calorie and diet food items. The employees at OVFP consist of 100 production workers and 18 management and support staff. R J Jennings is amongst these individuals and has worked for OVFP for 31 years. Even though he is able to retire, Jennings does not wish to do so any time in the near future. Jennings had a previous administrative assistant, Ella Arnold, who worked with him for 10 years. Ella, aged 58, decided to take early retirement due to deterioration in her eyesight. As Jennings’ assistant, Ella would work over time sometimes without pay, go above and beyond to make sure her job was done well including breaking previous personal commitments. By Ella doing this in her job, resulted in Jennings feeling she had a ‘sixth sense’ for her job, she even ran errands in her lunch break for him. When Ella retired, the personnel department replaced her with Mary Gregory. Mary Gregory is 24 years old and has qualifications in administration from a local community college as well as a well-known Canadian university. On her first day, Jennings phoned her using the interoffice telephone to ask her to get him a coffee and a newspaper on her way back from her break. He had asked this every morning for that past ten years before Mary had joined the company. Mary refused stating she was busy. After this, Jennings got his own coffee and newspaper, even though he purposely gave Mary a light workload. From this, Jennings just assumed it was first day nerves. OVFP had an important meeting coming up with agents who did not previously transport OVFP products. The meeting was to talk about and arrange production and shipping schedules before they signed a contract. When Jennings walked into the meeting, he found Mary talking to the agents about her weekend. He had asked Mary to leave the meeting, but she refused explaining to the agents she was not leaving. After the agents left, Jennings asked Mary to visit his office where he asked for an explanation of her behaviour during the meeting. She replied with an upset comment stating ‘she was not drafted into the army.’ Another incident occurred the next morning when Mary would not file away the reports in Jennings office. Jennings had stated at the end of Mary’s six week probation period she would no longer be needed in the company. Once the news of this was found out, Jennings was later faced with a note, handed to him by Karen Russell. The note stated he had two choices, either change his mind and allow Mary to continue with her job at the end of her probation period or all 10 of OVFP’s administrative assistants would take this further. They would go to Ottawa to state their protest on the CBC show at six o’clock. The administrative assistants were waiting for Jennings response to this in the lounge and gave him 20 minutes in order to make his decision. Assumptions made based on the report: ââ€" ªThe organization was structured properly and the business is successful. The business has been running for 30 years and has a large amount of staff and managers. ââ€" ªThere are different branches or departments that produce specialized products. The different branches manage things such as dairy, vegetables and fruits and meat products ect. ââ€" ªBecause the company is so successful; all the workers have the values and objectives towards bettering the company. The workers strive toward success in the company. ââ€" ªThe company’s marketing strategy is to produce low-calorie and diet foods to grocery stores made out of high quality ingredients. Their marketing advantage is that they sell unique healthy foods at a low cost . ââ€" ªThe company has monthly goals to attain that include having the correct products ready for certain stores and having them delivered on time to the stores. They finish their work on time frequently because they have a successful business and long term customers. ââ€" ªAll of the secretaries are female. Women are specifically hired to work as secretaries for Jennings. ââ€" ªSince all of the secretaries gathered together to meet with Jennings because they were unhappy so it can be concluded that Jennings treats most of his employees unfairly and expects too much out of them. ââ€" ªJennings asks too much of his employees sometimes. He will ask them to do things that are not in their job descriptions; such as get him coffee and pick up his dry cleaning. ââ€" ªJennings may be too comfortable at his job. He is taking his employees for granted and using them to do personal favours. Problem Statement: The senior director of Ottawa Valley Food Products, R.J. Jennings, is having issues with his replacement administrative assistant. His former assistant was very outgoing and willing to work long hours in order to please her boss and to get the work done in a timely manner. When she took an early retirement, the company hired a replacement assistant for Mr. Jennings. Over her time with the company the new assistant, Mary Gregory, was at times incapable of the workload she had been given, which her predecessor had no trouble with. Not only was Mary incompetent at times, she also seemed to have no sense of proper business etiquette. On the day of an important meeting Mary decided to entertain the client with stories of her weekend while Jennings was running late. When Jennings arrived in his office he found a less than impressed client and his assistant chatting him up. After Jennings had told her to leave the office so they could commence their meeting, which was already running late, Mary scolded Jennings telling him that it was rude for him to ask her to leave and then continued with her story. After the meeting had concluded Mary was asked into Jennings’s office where he demanded an explanation. Mary protested that the situation was through no fault of her own. Mary was told shortly after the incident that her duties would no longer be needed at the end of her six week probationary period. Mary rebutted this by rallying all the administrative assistants to Mr.Jennings office with demands to be met or they would go to the CBC NEWS in Ottawa to air a piece about their story. Jennings has to make a decis ion whether or not to disregard these actions. If the piece airs on CBC NEWS, it will be nothing but bad publicity for the company. If he decides to Leave Mary in her position, she could potentially lose clients and disrupt further office interactions. Internal (Strengths and Weaknesses): Strengths ââ€" ªThe company management is well respected and the company has been running for over 30 years and supplies to grocery store. Jennings is a respected manager and has a good reputation amongst other companies that OVFP have contracts with. ââ€" ªThe Company has a high rate of employment. OVFP employs 100 production workers and 18 management and support staff. This shows that the company is successful. The company has been able to expand and needed to hire more workers to finish the required tasks on time. ââ€" ªThe Company achieves corporate objectives as they are successful in obtaining their goals. The company creates all of the goods on time and has the products delivered to certain grocers on the requested date. ââ€" ªThe company is successful because employees share the same values in the company; aiming toward success. Management ensures the job is done and that it is done with quality. The values of the workers include completing current objectives on time and with good quality. ââ€" ªThe company’s current marketing objective is to have the goods ready for their clients on time and to have the food delivered on time. This marketing objective is a strength because the employees work hard to finish the jobs. The secretaries mainly finish their assigned jobs with unfortunately some miscommunications but they work hard to finish everything. Weaknesses ââ€" ªStructure is clearly not understood by some of the employees, as Mary was not aware of some of the duties she needed to accomplish. Also, Jennings expected a lot out of her, where are she believed that she did not need complete these tasks for him because they were in her job description. Because they did not agree on what each other must do to get the day running smoothly they had a conflict. ââ€" ªThe other secretaries wanted to meet with him because they were also not happy. Jennings does not treat his secretaries fairly and expects them to work as the pace of Ella. He expects them to answer his personal calls and do other personal favours such as work overtime without pay . ââ€" ª The company does not finish all of their objectives because Mary was not completing all of the tasks Jennings assigned for her. This is why they had a conflict. ââ€" ªIf Mary could not handle the tasks Jennings was giving her then his expectations were too high. He was asking too much of her. Potentially, he could have asked for her to do simpler tasks until she got used the environment. ââ€" ªJennings did not hire Mary, human resources hired her for him. He did not have a choice therefore he may not get along with her if he doesn’t have a say in who is his secretary. The human resource department did not know what Jennings was looking for. ââ€" ªAll of the secretaries were female. If they are all only women then they are violating human rights. ââ€" ª Human resources was not able to hire an efficient worker for the company. They did not hire someone fit for the job and made a mistake. ââ€" ªJennings may not be a good manager if he is asking too much from his employees. If they do not understand where he is coming from when he is asking them to do things for him they might not listen to him. Also, if he is being unreasonable the employees won’t bother doing what they are asked. ââ€" ª Human resources may not be the appropriate people to hire an assistant for Jennings. Jennings should be able to choose his own secretary to avoid further conflict. If he picked someone that he believes would fit the job description better than there would never have been a conflict to resolve. External Analysis: Political †¢Jennings had informed Mary that she would no longer be employed at the end of her six week probationary period. Mary has no real grounds to protest for her job but the administrative assistant Union is standing up for her. With a union involved, striking is always a possibility. The administrative assistants to a large load of the office work and filing. Without these workers the business will be running far less efficiently. Social †¢The way Ottawa Valley Food Products is perceived by the public is directly correlated to its sales. A local news piece that depicts the company in a negative image could have negative repercussions on the success of the company. Sometimes there’s no such thing as bad publicity, but if the company looks like it doesn’t care about its employees, that is tougher for the company to shake. Opportunities †¢With the administrative assistants up in arms, an opportunity has arisen to change the current hiring system. To ensure that no incidents happen in the future, it is possible to tweak our hiring techniques to make sure our employees are of a quality caliber and they have solid references. Jennings is however not the root of the problem, Mary is, and management should be looking seriously into this as well. The management of a corporation should not allow an administrative assistant to potentially ruin sales and lose the company money and clients. Threats †¢The threat of a unionized support staff is always looming. If the administrative assistants form a union it will be nearly impossible to fire unruly staff. Also unions usually bargain for more money, which would result in more overhead for the company. Ultimately a union would limit the amount of work that the assistants do, and give them more money. If the Assistants were to form a union, it could have direct correlation with the production of the company. †¢A new hiring standard is in desperate need at Ottawa Valley Food Products. Otherwise they run the risk of hiring more staff that could become problematic. If they continue to hire these types of staff, it could have detrimental effects on the productivity of the company. Alternatives courses of Action: Alternative #1 R.J can do nothing and continue to end Mary’s employment after the six – week probation period. This will force the 10 OVFP executive assistants to publicize their complaint on CBC. R.J. Jennings is a senior manager at OVFP who has been working with them for 31 years and Mary Gregory should treat him with respect and honor his requests. Advantages †¢R.J. Jennings has been employed at OVFP for 31 years and deserves a better administrative assistant. By continuing to terminate Mary’s employment he may be assigned an assistant that better meets his needs. †¢The cost of finding and training new employees with work equipment can end up being expensive but Mary wasn’t able to handle the duties necessary to be a successful assistant. The potential employees applying for the job can be strategically chosen through interviews so that time and money is not wasted if they hire a new assistant with extensive experience that can adapt to the new job easily and not require lots of training. †¢This option is easy to put into practice because nothing is required other than to document Mary Gregory’s progress until the six – week probation period has ended. During this period R.J. also is given enough time to search for and hire a new assistant that may better meet his needs. †¢By executing this option R.J. is also able to demonstrate his expectations to other coworkers. In future situations his coworkers will know what R.J. expects from his assistants. Disadvantages †¢By continuing to terminate Mary’s employment he will lose his assistant as well as having the potential to lose the other 10 executive assistants that are protesting this. As these other assistants do not agree with R.J.’s decision they may willingly quit. As well, by going public with this protest they can bring negative media attention to R.J. and OVFP, as thus may ruin future business deals or current business commitments. †¢The approach of doing nothing and continuing to end Mary’s employment after the six – week probation period could negatively affect the company. The company will now have to go through the trouble of hiring and training a new assistant, rather than to address and try to fix the problem with Mary. If R.J. does need to replace Mary and possibly other executive assistants, he may replace them with new employees that might not work out and in fact be worse than his current employees. †¢If R.J. does terminate Mary’s employment, lose other executive assistance and bring negative media attention to OVFP he also has the potential of losing his job. Other senior management might view him as harmful to the company and may look into putting him on a probationary period or ultimately terminating his position. Alternative #2 R.J. Jennings could bring Mary Gregory into his office and have a discussion about the situation and address the problems that he has with Mary. Allow Mary to see what Ella Arnold successfully did and how she completed her tasks for R.J. daily. R.J. also clearly needs to express his expectations for his assistant so Mary is able to understand what is required of her. R.J. can allow Mary to move forward from this point and demonstrate how she is qualified for this job. If she is given another chance she may meet his standards and adjust to being a successful assistant. R.J. may also be given the opportunity to see his demands from Mary’s perspective. Because Ella did tasks for R.J that was not in her job description, R.J. has come to expect this. Mary can be given the chance to explain that she is not there to bring R.J. his coffee and newspaper and how she felt at some of his requests. Advantages †¢The actual problem can be addressed and Mary can see what Ella Arnold did as R.J.’s assistant. Mary will be given a list of expectations that she must meet in order to continue her employment at OVFP. If Mary clearly knows what is expected of her she may be able to carry out her daily tasks successfully. If Mary does not agree with what is expected of her in this role or does not feel she can complete such tasks she may willing leave her position, without spurring the negative media attention. †¢R.J. is also given the opportunity to see how much more Ella did for him that was required. Mary may have a different work style than Ella and does not feel like she should have to be taken advantage of or do tasks that R.J. can carry out himself, such as getting R.J. his coffee. †¢This alternative allows the problem to be addressed between both parties. It can also promote further open communication between coworkers as R.J. is setting a positive example to address a problem. †¢Negative media attention can be avoided as the executive assistants will not be on the CBC newscast. Disadvantages †¢Mary Gregory might become defensive once in R.J.’s office. After R.J. addresses the problem with Mary she might have a different perspective on the situation and feel she isn’t in the wrong. R.J. may feel he has wasted time and effort trying to fix the problem with Mary. †¢If Mary does not agree with R.J. she might notify the other 10 OVFP executive assistants about the meeting she had and continue with the CBC newscast. If Mary does not agree with the discussion she had with R.J. it could fuel further negative comments being made during the newscast. †¢Mary might feel she is underappreciated because she’s always being compared to Ella. Alternative #3 Terminate Mary Gregory from OVFP as an assistant immediately without reason and without allowing the six-week probation period to expire. Mary has been given enough chances to complete what is required of her and if she still continues to struggle with the everyday tasks that R.J. assigns then she is not the right person for the assistant position. Advantages †¢Mary Gregory is no longer an employee for OVFP so they can start to find a replacement assistant immediately that can be beneficial to the company. †¢It will be easier to release Mary as an employee because she’s still on probation. †¢R.J. Jennings can get back to being an efficient, hardworking employee with no distractions to affect his work. He can find a new assistant that meets his needs and will allow him to continue to be a dedicated employee. †¢Because Mary was new to the company she does not get paid benefits or other possible layoff payments that a fulltime life employee would receive. Disadvantages †¢Employees that formed a bond or friendship with Mary might disagree with OVFP’s choice to terminate her during the probation period. These employees might show their disagreement with the company’s choice by slowing work efficiency and motivation towards their job. †¢The assistants that have threatened to appear on CBC will still do so if Mary is immediately terminated. The immediate termination may infuriate them further if Mary is fired without being given any explanation or chance to further prove her work ethic. †¢Employees might take the message in a different manner and think there not being treated fairly for the work they give to the company. The employees might think that the company feels they are replaceable and aren’t an asset towards the company’s success when that isn’t the case. This could lead to further problems such as strikes or searching for other employment. †¢Time and money will be spent during the process of finding a new assistant. Alternative #4 Allow the option to release Mary Gregory from OVFP as an assistant with reason. Again, Mary has been given ample opportunities to turn her work ethic around but has failed to do so. R.J could have a meeting and tell Mary she is no longer employed at OVFP as well as notify her of the reasons why she’s being let go. This can allow R.J. to clearly express his reasoning for the decision as well as allow Mary to express how she is feeling Advantages †¢R.J. would no longer have to work with an assistant he feels does not meet up to his standards. †¢By having a meeting and clearly explaining the reason for her termination it may diffuse the situation. Mary can be given the opportunity to see R.J.’s reasoning and may agree with some of the issues he has raised. It can also be a learning experience for Mary as she looks for new jobs she may know what is expected of her in an administrative position. †¢Mary can be given the opportunity for a fresh start at a new company. She may also be able to use R.J. as a reference or connection toother jobs. Although her job was terminated R.J. may want to help her future search and just cite the termination as a clash of personalities or Mary not being the right fit for the job. R.J. is also able to have a fresh start with a new assistant and may be more aware of how to express his expectations. †¢R.J.’s executive assistants will not go on CBC if Mary has been treated with respect and had the opportunity to have a discussion with R.J. Disadvantages †¢Negative publicity can still arise if Mary still feels she wasn’t treated equally and was terminated without given a fair chance. The other assistants may feel that it is still necessary to make this issue aware to the public by being on CBC. †¢Legal issues may be a possibility. Even though she’s a new employee she could address the situation with the labor board or human resources to see if there are any options regarding her termination (i.e. severance pay). †¢Disagreement with the decision to terminate Mary’s position by other employees might cause work ethic and efficiency to drop or other possibilities such as a strike or employees quitting. Recommendations and Plan of Action: The alternative chosen to resolve the problem statement is option four which is allowing the option to release Mary Gregory from OVFP as an assistant with reason. This alternative is favourable as Mary has been given numerous amounts of opportunities to adjust her work attitude, still chooses not to do so. By choosing this alternative, Jennings could have a meeting with Mary and explain to her why she is no longer an employee of OVFP. At this meeting, he is able to discuss the reasons to why she is being fired. Jennings will be able to justify his decision and let Mary express her feelings about the situation. By using this alternative Jennings will no longer have to work with Mary as he feels her work ethics are not to his standards of being his assistant. As a result of having this meeting, it can calm the situation as Mary is able to understand Jennings’ reasoning and may even agree with some of the issues he states. This could also allow Mary to learn from this when she looks for future jobs as she may have a better understanding of what is expected of her in an administrative assistant’s role. As a result of Mary’s termination this will allow her to have a new start with a different company. Finally, if Mary is treated with respect and given justification to her termination, the executive assistants may change their mind and withdraw from appearing on CBC. There were a number of different alternatives decided upon as well when analysing Mary Gregory’s position at OVFP. The first alternative for Jennings to do nothing and to continue to end Mary’s employment after her six weeks probation period would not be suitable. This is due to ten other OVFP executive assistants stating they would also leave the company if Mary was not employed after her probation period. They also stated they would publicise their complaint on CBC. This could result in bringing negative publicity to OVFP, which could potentially cause problems with future business deals or current business relationships. Also, by terminating Mary’s employment the company would have to go through the process of finding a new assistant for Jennings and then having to train them. By doing this, OVFP may find these new employees to not be as efficient as their previous executive assistants. Finally, Jennings may lose his own job by bringing negative media attention to the business from firing Mary and the other assistants going to CBC with their disagreements. OVFP senior management team may find this damaging to the company and its image, therefore possibly putting him on a probationary period or terminating his position altogether. The second alternative, Jennings bringing Mary into his office to discuss the situation and address any problems is also not suitable for resolving this issue. This is could result in Mary becoming defensive once Jennings begins to discuss issues with her. She might feel she is not in the wrong and have a different outlook on the situation at hand. As a result of this, Jennings may feel he has wasted his time trying to resolve the problems with Mary and her work attitude. Also, Mary might speak with other assistants once she finishes talking with Jennings and explain to them what happened. After this, they may still continue with the broadcast with CBC and if Mary does not agree with Jennings and his opinions then this could result in even more negative comments said during the newscast, again bringing destructive media attention to OVFP. Also, by Jennings doing this Mary feel unappreciated as he is always comparing her to his previous assistant, Ella Arnold. This could demotivate he r to completing her job to the best of her ability and carrying out everyday tasks Ella used to do for Jennings. Finally, the third alternative is terminating Mary from OVFP as an assistant without reason and terminating her position once her six week probation period has finished. This, again, would not be appropriate for resolving the situation as employees who have formed a working or friendly relationship with Mary might disagree with OVFP’s decision. By showing their support towards Mary, they may decide to show lack of care within their working attitudes and not complete their own jobs properly. This could bring a long, tiring issue for OVFP if their employees are not motivated to work and complete their jobs on time or to the highest of standards. Also, the assistants who mentioned they would appear on CBC will continue to do so if Mary is fired from her position. They may do this as they will be upset by Mary being terminated without any justification to why she is no longer needed at OVFP. Also, from this alternative employees may feel they are not being treated fairly for the work they contribute towards the company, therefore they may feel they are replaceable. As a result of this, employees will not feel an asset to the company or feel they are appreciated when the company achieves goals. Employees could strike due to this or seek employment in a different company. Finally, precious time and money will be wasted on finding new assistants to replace Mary and the ten executive assistants if they decide to leave OVFP. The response that Mary’s and the other executive assistants gave when they hear the news that Mary is being let go after her probation period may seem like the major key component in this case. But as stated is this report there are many other factors that play into this company problem. Mary may response in an understandings way when Jennings explains his reasoning for letting her go from OVFP or she may not. Either way OVFP must realise they need to make changes in the company to prevent a situation like this from happening in the future. Reorganizing the human resources hiring process is a great start. Job posting that clearly state what the employee duties are within the company, will avoid confuse among Mangers and assistants. Also having Managers involved in the hiring of their assistants with make sure that Managers are paired with assistants that meet there individual needs. Having Human Recourse make these changes, it will over all avoid future problems like this from arising, and will create happier for efficient, and loyal employees. Which will o ver all benefits the company with loyal employees more efficient employees the company will save money and put this money in things such as expanding or improving other components.